An initial study of gas-tungsten-arc-assisted inertia friction welding on a lathe

摘要

Friction welding has been applied in many fields as a means for joining similar and dissimilar materials. Friction-welded joints made of carbon steel as well as of dissimilar materials have been used in the automobile industry. Hybrids are most interesting when there is synergism, i.e. "the action of two or more substances, organs or organisms to achieve an effect of which each is individually incapable". In the present investigation, conventional lathes were utilised for the friction welding of materials. The experimental work is focused on the comparison of normal friction welding and hybrid friction welding. A conventional lathe is modified for the purpose of hybrid friction welding. A standard GTAW (gas tungsten arc welding) power source was used during the experiments. A GTAW torch was positioned at the interface of the joint. In the present investigation, carbon steel rods with a 10 mm diameter were welded with normal friction welding as well as hybrid friction welding by using different combinations of the rotational speed and keeping the current constant at 10 A. Moreover, mechanical testing and metallurgical testing were carried out and the properties of normal-friction-welded joints and hybrid-friction-welded joints are compared.