Friction Stir Welding of Dissimilar AA 2024-T3 to AZ31B-H24 Alloys

As a relatively new solid-state joining process, friction stir welding (FSW) may provide a feasible approach to join dissimilar materials such as Mg to Al alloys. In this work, the effects of selected process parameters including work-piece placement, pin tilting angle, and pin location on the quality of dissimilar AA 2024-T3 to AZ31B-H24 butt joints were investigated for the first time. Sound butt joints with low distortion and no solidification cavities or cracks were successfully obtained indicating the potential of FSW to join dissimilar Al to Mg alloys.