Finite element modeling of continuous drive friction welding of Al6061 alloy

Continuous drive friction welding process is widely used in various industrial applications to assemble shafts, tubes, and many other components. This paper's motivation was developing a CDFW model using the Finite Element Method (FEM). The coupling of the process's thermal and mechanical behaviors was considered during the simulation by COMSOL Multiphysics®. The construction of phase transition curves for Al6061 allowed determining several temperature-dependent thermophysical properties of the material. These properties are then injected in a second simulation to study the temperature evolution during welding. Subsequently, these results are compared and analyzed with the experimental outcomes. Excellent comparability between the model and experimental results was achieved. A unique phenomenon in the welding temperature profile was observed and explained through the model and experimental results interpretation.