Vol.25, No.2, 2025, pp. 237–243
https://doi.org/10.69644/ivk-2025-02-0237 

INTEGRITY AND FSSW PERFORMANCE OF Al AND Mg SHEETS FOR NEXT-GENERATION AEROSPACE AND AUTOMOTIVE APPLICATIONS

Hassanein I. Khalaf1 , Ahmet Atak2 , Raheem Al-Sabur1* , Haider Khazal1 , Andrzej Kubit3

1) Mechanical Department, Engineering College, University of Basrah, Basrah, IRAQ

H.I. Khalaf https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1058-8798 ; R. Al-Sabur https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1012-7681 ,

*email: raheem.musawel@uobasrah.edu.iq ; H. Khazal https://orcid.org/0009-0002-6044-9582

2) Department of Industrial Product Design, OSTİM Technical University, OSTİM, Ankara, TURKEY

A. Atak https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7320-0623 

3) Department of Manufacturing Processes and Production Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical engineering and Aeronautics, Rzeszow University of Technology, Rzeszów, POLAND  A. Kubit https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6179-5359

 

Abstract

Welding lightweight materials such as aluminium and magnesium ensures optimal structural integrity in welded joints; this is essential for applications that require high strength and durability, as improper welding conditions can lead to defects and reduced load-bearing capacity. Friction stir spot welding (FSSW) is an effective method for joining similar and dissimilar lightweight metals, even with differences in their densities and melting points. The structural integrity of FSSW joints depends on factors such as material properties, process parameters, and tool design, which affect the mechanical performance of the joint and its fatigue resistance. This study investigates the mechanical properties of aluminium alloy EN AW 2024-T4 and magnesium alloy AZ31B, as well as their joint performance with FSSW. The study focuses on the structural integrity of welded joints through three scenarios. The first is by conducting a tensile test for the base metal of both metals to show that they are qualified in yield strength and ultimate tensile strength values. The second scenario the study includes the effect of sheet thickness on the tensile shear force of the welded joint by taking three thicknesses. The last scenario represents the effect of the shoulder-face configuration on the tensile shear force. The results show that the smaller the sheet thickness, the weaker is the weld joint. Also, a zigzag configuration for shoulder-face configuration can give the highest structural integrity, and a configuration consisting of concentric circles can lead to the worst structural integrity of the joint.

Keywords: • welded joint integrity • Friction Stir Spot Welding (FSSW) • tensile strength • next-generation aerospace technology

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