Examining the impact of tool taper angle in Al-Si tube manufacturing by friction stir extrusion
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: This study employed Friction Stir Extrusion (FSE) on the LM13 aluminum alloy to fabricate tubes using three distinct tool head designs: cylindrical, 30° taper, and 60° taper profiles. A comprehensive analysis of the microstructures and mechanical properties of the resulting samples was performed. A numerical study was conducted to model the process dynamics, focusing on temperature and strain distributions, material flow patterns, and the evolution of force, torque, strain, and strain rate . Findings indicated that the axial force with the cylindrical tool was 4–5 times greater than with tapered tools, while forces for the 30° and 60° taper tools were comparable. The 30° taper tool generated the highest strain value of 280 mm/mm, which significantly enhanced the mechanical strength of the pipe up to 139 MPa while it was 85 MPa in the base metal. However, the cylindrical tool had a much higher average strain rate of around 40 1/s, compared to below 10 1/s for the tapered tools, yet it was less effective at reducing porosity and breaking Si particles due to insufficient strain. Additionally, material flow patterns differed: with the cylindrical tool, flow moved from the periphery to the center, while tapered tools directed flow from the center toward the pipe wall.
Language: English
Subfield: Mechanical Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,300
OpenAlex ID: W4402626330