Mechanical Properties and Microstructural Characterization of Friction Stir Welded AISI 316 Austenitic Stainless Steel

摘要

The aim of this work is to check feasibility of joining austenitic stainless steel using friction stir welding (FSW). Defect free weld is observed achieved in 4mm thick austenitic stainless steel friction stir welded with tool rotation speed of 1100 RPM and welding speed of 8 mm/min. The welds are tested mechanically by tensile tests and their Vickers hardness values are measured while their images are obtained by optical microscopy. Nearly equal ultimate tensile strength of the weld with increase of hardness in nugget zone with respect to the base material is achieved.