A simple thermal-mechanical model for friction stir spot welding (FSSW) was developed to obtain similar weld performance for different weld tools. Use of the thermal-mechanical model and a combined approach enabled the design of weld tools for various sizes but similar qualities. Three weld tools for weld radii of 4, 5, and 6 mm were made to join 6061-T6 aluminum sheets. Performance evaluations...

Observation of the weld pool provides an effective path to understand and control the welding process. Observation data also attribute to the validation of numerical models, which helps researchers to analyze and evaluate the welding process. Extensive research has been conducted to provide in situ monitoring of the weld pool. The arc sensor was one of the first few sensors that was adopted for...

This paper develops a vision-based neuro-fuzzy system to control the weld joint penetration in Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) of thin sheets. To this end, a camera equipped with a specially designed composite light-filter is used to observe the weld pool from the topside of the workpiece so that comparatively distinct images of the weld pool are obtained. As the Backside weld Width (BW) reflec...

In today’s environment of shrinking resources, and consistent need for accurate inspections, simulation software is an effective cost cutting tool. CIVA is an advanced NDT simulation software dedicated to modeling ultrasonic (UT), radiographic (RT) and eddy current (ET) inspections without the need for physical test sample or inspection equipment. Each inspection module is comprised of simulati...

The laser-ultrasonic technique is proposed for defect detection and residual stress measurement in friction stir welds (FSW). When combined with the synthetic aperture focusing technique (F-SAFT), very good performances are achieved for detecting lack of penetration in butt joints, the detection limit coinciding with the conditions of reduced mechanical properties. Also, the detection of kissin...