Friction stir welding process to repair voids in aluminum alloys

Author:: Litwinski, Edward
Published:: October 26, 1999.
Physical Description:: 1 electronic document
Additional Creators:: Valdez, Juan M. and Rosen, Charles D.

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Summary:

The present invention provides an in-process method to repair voids in an aluminum alloy, particularly a friction stir weld in an aluminum alloy. For repairing a circular void or an in-process exit hole in a weld, the method includes the steps of fabricating filler material of the same composition or compatible with the parent material into a plug form to be fitted into the void, positioning the plug in the void, and friction stir welding over and through the plug. For repairing a longitudinal void (30), the method includes machining the void area to provide a trough (34) that subsumes the void, fabricating filler metal into a strip form (36) to be fitted into the trough, positioning the strip in the trough, and rewelding the void area by traversing a friction stir welding tool longitudinally through the strip. The method is also applicable for repairing welds made by a fusing welding process or voids in aluminum alloy workpieces themselves.

Other Subject(s):

Mechanical Engineering

Collection:

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS) Collection.

Note:

Document ID: 20080004480.

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