Numerical modeling of friction stir welding using experimental temperature data

In this study, time-dependent heat-transfer analysis of friction stir welding of AA 6061-T651 plates was carried out. For this purpose, the Comsol code was utilized, by which the domain was modeled as a rectangular aluminum plate with a moving heat source along the midline. The experimental structure was built in the same manner. The comparison showed that the advancing condition of the heat source to account for the heat input from the tool shoulder yielded realistic results and thus can be a standard for parallel problems. With the help of the steady-state model, the heat input for a 1500 revolutions per min rotation rate was calculated as 1730 W. The results of this work are going to be a reference for future research in this field.