Experimental Investigation on Friction Stir Butt Welded Aluminium 6061-T6 Alloy Using Taguchi L9 Experimental Approach
Two sheets of aluminium 6061-T6 alloy of size 400×150×3 (mm) is butt welded by the friction stir welding by varying the process parameter such as rotational speed, tilt angle and feed. The ranges of process parameters are rotational speed 560, 900 and 1400 RPM, tilt angle 0, 0.5 and 1 and feed 20, 63 and 100 mm/min. The hexagonal shape of probe is taken to carry out the friction stir welding. The Taguchi L9 experimental approach is used to draw the 9 experimental conditions. The temperature at the weld bead as well as on the probe during the welding is measured by the help of a LASER gun. The hardness at the weld bead and parent metal is measured after the welding. Taguchi L9 approach is used to optimize the process parameters to identify the individual as well as simultaneous effects of the process parameters on the responses temperature and hardness of the weld joint. The optimum conditions for the better fitment of the process parameter and responses are identified through this experimentation.