The Preliminary Exploration of Micro-Friction Stir Welding Process and Material Flow of Copper and Brass Ultra-Thin Sheets

In the friction stir welding (FSW) of ultra-thin dissimilar metal sheets, different physical material properties, the reduction of plastic metal in the weld zone, and insufficient plastic metal flow lead to poor weld seam shapes and joint qualities. Therefore, it is necessary to study the flow behavior during the FSW of ultrathin sheets. In this study, micro friction stir welding (μFSW) was conducted and analyzed for the butt welding of 0.6-mm-thick ultrathin brass (H62-H) and pure copper (T2-Y) sheets. By analyzing the electric signals of the temperature and force during the welding process, testing the mechanical properties, and analyzing the metallography of the joint, the influences of the process parameters on the metal flow behavior during μFSW were studied. In the proper process conditions, the material preferentially migrated and concentric vortex flow occurred in the vicinity of the shoulder and tool pin action areas. The copper was pushed from the retreating side (RS) to the advancing side (AS) of the weld, allowing it to flow more fully. A mixture of both materials formed at the bottom of the weld nugget, and less migration occurred in the heat-affected zone of the AS at this time. The highest tensile strength can reach 194 MPa, accounting for 82.6% of the copper. The presence of brittle phases Cu₅Zn₈, AgZn₃ and AgZn caused the hardness to fluctuate slightly.