Papers abstract:

Friction Stir Welding (FSW) is one of the most efficient joining process for joining of plastics. The aim of the present work is to introduce the concept of a double step shoulder over the conventional single shoulder tool to eliminate the effect of excessive flashing of polymers and investigate the suitable process parameters for FSWed dissimilar joints. Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) and Polycarbonate (PC) plates of 6mm thickness were joined in square butt configuration by FSW process with H13 tool steel having Right-Hand Threaded (RHT) cylindrical pin profile. To study the ultimate tensile strength, extensibility, joint efficiency, and fracture locations, a L27 orthogonal array was designed with input parameters namely, tool rotational speed (rpm), tool traverse speed (mm/s), and tool tilt angle (°). The RHT pin profile tool rotates in the clockwise direction while advancing forward gives defect free welding while the counter-clockwise direction of rotation expels the material outside thereby generating defective weld. The diameter of the lower shoulder was kept small for reducing friction between tool work-piece interfaces. Maximum Ultimate Tensile Strength (UTS) of 22.41 MPa (73.16% of base material) was obtained at a tool rotational speed of 1600 rpm, tool traverse speed of 0.2 mm/s and tool tilt angle of 2°. Microstructural analysis revealed an interlocked phenomenon, the transportation of PC flash into the ABS side and tightly locked both polymers. A close relationship between UTS, fracture locations, and microstructures has been established.

Product Overview:
The tutorial explains how to simulate Friction Stir Welding (FSW) of Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) in Abaqus. Key simulation steps include:

• A Finite Element (FE) model was constructed to simulate the FSW process of two polymer plates.
• While the video references an ISI paper (Kumar & Roy) on FSW of ABS and Polycarbonate (PC), it primarily relies on another study (Louche et al.) focusing on tensile testing of ABS using the Johnson-Cook model.
• Adjusting rotational velocity impacts heat generation and material flow.
• FSW of ABS simulated successfully using Eulerian methods in Abaqus.

In this tutorial, the joining of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene and polycarbonate plate by using friction stir welding with double-step shoulder is simulated, according to data from the works of Kumar & Roy and Louche et al. and the ABS material handbook.