WELDING OF POLYPROPYLENE SHEETS BY NOVEL SELF-HEATED FSW TOOL: EFFECT OF TOOL ROTATIONAL SPEED

Authors

Rahul Kanti Nath
Department of Mechanical Engineering, NIT Agartala, Tripura (W), – 799046, India
Pabitra Maji
Department of Mechanical Engineering, NIT Agartala, Tripura (W), – 799046, India
Atosh Kumar Sinha
Department of Mechanical Engineering, NIT Agartala, Tripura (W), – 799046, India
Ranit Karmakar
Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, IIT Kharagpur, Kharagpur-721 302, India
John Deb Barma
Department of Mechanical Engineering, NIT Agartala, Tripura (W), – 799046, India

Synopsis

This investigation aimed to study the forces and torque engendered on the tool during the welding and their effect on the joint quality. The microstructural morphologies of welds zones were analysed using optical microscope (OM) and field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM). To evaluate the mechanical properties of the weld joints, tensile and microhardness test were performed. Though the proper bonding was achieved by this novel tool, a few micro cracks and pores were observed in the stir zones. The tool forces and spindle torque were decreased with the increment of tool rotational speed owing to greater softening of the material. This reduced forces and torque led to better mixing of materials at the interface of the butt joint. Therefore, the tensile strength and microhardness were increased with increase of tool rotational speed. All weld specimens were fractured at the weld zone in manner of ductile failure as indicated from SEM morphology of the fracture surfaces.

RDMPMC-2020
Published
February 6, 2021