Further assessment of the friction stir welding of magnesium alloys

TWI Industrial Member Report Summary 766/2003 

R Johnson

Background

In some industrial sectors such as automotive and aerospace, where weight savings can be translated into increased fuel efficiencies, there is a growing interest in incorporating magnesium alloys into vehicle construction in order to reduce the total weight. Most magnesium components are produced in the form of castings, and many as high pressure die cast items, and the trapped gases can create problems when using fusion welding processes.

Objective

• To establish the feasibility of friction stir welding selected magnesium alloys to themselves, to each other, and to aluminium alloys.