Simulation and Thermo-Mechanical Analysis of AA6063-T5 in FSW by FEM

Temperature prediction is essential for assessing the state of stresses, strains, and material flow during friction stir welding (FSW). In this context, the thermal and mechanical behavior of the AA6063-T5 aluminum alloy was simulated in FSW. This research utilized the Finite Element Method (FEM) for thermal and mechanical simulations, employing Abaqus/Explicit software. The first simulation focused on the thermal model, implemented through coding in FORTRAN using the Schmidt-Hotel reference model, which investigates the temperature distribution of the alloy. The second simulation was mechanical in nature; it utilized the output results from the thermal simulation to examine the stresses resulting from the FSW process. The samples were made of the same material and were butt-jointed for the operation. A tool speed of 60 mm/min, a force of 4000 newtons, and a coefficient of friction of 0.4 were applied during this process. The parameters for thermal conductivity, specific heat, coefficient of expansion, and Young's modulus were defined as temperature-dependent. The results indicated that the temperature distribution diagram at a specific point along the welding path closely matched practical examples of the FSW process. The temperature distribution contours at the beginning, middle, and end of the welding path, as well as the temperature distribution across the cross-sectional surface of the weld in the middle of the piece, were consistent with the samples. Additionally, the diagram and contour of the longitudinal residual stress in the workpiece aligned well with the completed samples.