Effects of Tool Tilt Angle and Plunge Depth on Properties of Polycarbonate FSW Joint

In the present article, the effects of friction stir welding (FSW) tool plunge depth (TPD) and tool tilt angle (TTA) were investigated on the heat generation and the material flow during solid-state joining of polycarbonate (PC) sheet experimentally and simulated with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method. Simulation results showed that increasing heat input (higher TTA and lower TPD) could increase the size of the stir zone. Results indicate that control of TPD and TTA can improve the material flow near the top surface. The temperature field in the friction stir welding of PC was anti symmetric to the welding line. Due to the results, the heat generation and temperature distribution at the advancing side were more than the retreating side in all joint conditions. According to selected parameters, a strong sample was produced at 1.2 TPD and 2.5oTTA. This sample had 92% PC tensile strength, 89% PC flexural strength, and 86% of impact energy.