Friction Stir Welding Temperature Field Numerical Simulation

Friction stir welding is being applied more widely because of its excellent performance. This complicated process involves in such four interactive factors as temperature variation, microstructure transformation, strain and metal flow. Numerical stimulation is adaptively used in this field for analyzing join mechanism. Temperature field analysis is principal for understanding seam metal flow and post welding stress. This study was objected to ascertain temperature distribution at different positions any time.The characteristic positions were set for measuring temperature according to different thick workplate in this paper. Lots of Measured temperature values, in different processing parameters, roughly described temperature' distribution in joint, and was the gist for testing simulation result.The simplified thermal input model was established, combining the thermal model provided by M. Song and real-time power of friction stir welding acquired from the energy measuring system. The moving thermal source at different weld velocity was utilized succeedingly in this paper via a moving coordinate system. The whole temperature field in any sections at different time and the thermal cycle curves of any positions were obtained.In allusion to thin alloy LY12 plates, the simulation result was compared with the measured temperature. The thermal model was tested and modified, the simulation method was validated and the laws of temperature distribution was acquired in the welding process. The notion, apropos preheating time, was brought forward based on steady temperature in transient analysis. Varying the parameters in the thermal model, the figures of temperature distribution were gained, in which the thin corresponded to bowl, and the thick to vase.This study established foundation for further analyzing friction stir welding mechanism, and accelerate its applying in engineering.