Joining and Friction Welding
The joints between individual manufactured components are a weak link, often resulting in problems during service. As alloys become more sophisticated, joining them is ever more challenging. High performance alloys are particularly difficult to join by fusion processes, as they suffer from solidification and liquation cracking. Further problems arise from the generation of large residual stresses, loss of strength due to thermal damage, and sensitisation to corrosion.
Our work focuses on understanding how materials interact with the heat source and deformation that all welding processes introduce. Research is focused on the friction techniques of; friction stir, inertia friction and linear friction welding, with application to aerospace and transport materials via LATEST. Our research is both at the applied and fundamental levels, and involves understanding, simulating and modelling, welding processes, residual stress formation and weld microstructures.
Instrumented inertia friction welding (IFW) and friction stir welding (FSW) facilities are available within the group. The FSW machine is also used for friction stir processing research. There are close interactions with other welding process groups allowing access to the full range of fusion welding techniques.
Research interests
- Microstructure and joint performance optimisation
- Microstructure and property modelling
- Friction stir, spot, inertia friction and linear friction welding
- Friction stir processing
- Principles of grain structure and texture formation and second phase-deformation interactions in friction welding
- Process modelling and thermal management
- Residual stresses: measurement, modelling and their control
- Filler alloy design
- Joining dissimilar materials
- Cross-weld mechanical testing using non-contact strain mapping technique