[ 24

p. 108-1152006)]

Solid State Welding of Steel and Magnesium Alloy Using a Rotating Pin*
- Solid State Welding of Dissimilar Metals Using a Rotating PinReport 3-

by WATANABE Takehiko**, KAGIYA Kazuhiko***, YANAGISAWA Atsushi** and TANABE Hiroshi***

Authors tried to butt-weld a mild steel plate to a magnesium alloy plate by the solid state welding using a rotating pin.
This study investigated the effects of pin rotation speed, the position for the pin axis to be plunged on the strength and the microstructure of
the joint. The main results obtained are as follows.
Butt-welding of a steel plate to a magnesium alloy plate was easily and successfully achieved. The maximum tensile strength of a joint
reached about 70% of the magnesium base metal tensile strength and the fracture path was along the joint interface. When pin rotation was slow,
some defects appeared in the magnesium matrix of a joint due to insufficient plasticization of the magnesium. The joint strength increased with
the pin rotation speed. This seems to be because the plasticization of the magnesium was increased and the pressure for pushing the plasticized
magnesium onto an activated faying surface of the steel was increased. However, the excessive increase of the pin rotation speed caused the
ignition of the magnesium, resulting in the decrease of a joint strength. At the pin offset of 0.1mm toward steel, steel fragments scattered in the
magnesium matrix in the form of small piece which had no influence on the joint strength. However, larger offsets over 0.2mm made the steel
fragment scattering in the magnesium matrix continuous and parallel to the weld interface. Since fracture path tended to occur along the
continuous steel fragments perpendicular to the tensile direction, the joint strength decreased.
Key Words: Butt-welding of dissimilar metals, Steel, Magnesium alloy, Rotating pin, Tensile strength of joint, FSW

1.

3)

4)7)

1)

2.

2mm SS400 Fe

2mm AZ31B-OMg3.13at%Al0.9at%Zn

900

0.55at%MnMg

2)

455MPa 39% HV120

257MPa23.3% HV70
40mm 140mm

***

17 9 5
15

Member, Faculty of Engineering,

Niigata University
Student Member, Graduate School,
Niigata University

400

5)

109

24 2006

Fig.1(a)

0.1mm 500,

Fe Mg

800, 1250, 1600 2000rpm

Mg Fig.1(b)
Fe Fe

15mm 3mm 1.9mm

SUS304

Traverse direction

Rotating tool
Rotating
pin
Advancing
side

Retreating
side

Fe

Mg
Plastic
flow zone

(a)
Shoulder

Rotating tool

Thrusting

Fe

Mg

(b)
Fig.1

Rotating pin

Fig.2

Effects of pin rotation speed on the surface view.

Schematic of the rotating pin position in this study. (a):

Birds eye view of the method; (b): View of the cross
section perpendicular to the weld interface.

Mg

Mg
Fe

100mm/min 500rpm
2000rpm Fe

Fe

0.2mm1.0mm

(a) Pin rotation speed : 800rpm

Fe/Al Fe

(b) 1250rpm

Fe

Mg

Fe

Fe

(c) 1600rpm

Mg

400

Fe

Fe

Mg

6.25mm
(d) 2000rpm

37.5mm
Fig.3

3.

Effects of pin rotation speed on the cross-sectional structures.

Fig.2

3.1

Fig.3
Fig.4 1250rpm
500rpm

110

800rpm 4151250rpm

Mg

490

500
3.5
3
2.5
150

2
1.5

100

1
50

300

200

100

0.5

0
500

0
800

1250

1600

1250

1600

2000

Pin Rotation speed (rpm)

2000

Pin rotation speed (rpm)

Fig.4

800

Fig.5

Relation between pin rotation speed and temperature at the

position about 10mm away from weld interface.

Relation between pin rotation speed, joint tensile strength and

elongation.

180

300

2000rpm
532Fig.3(d) 2000rpm

Mg

1600rpm Fig.2(d)
Mg

Tensile strength (MPa)

Mg Mg

250

Strength

160

Elongation

140
120

200

100

150

80
60

100

40

50

20
0

Mg

Elongation (%)

Elongation

200

400

Temperature ( )

Tensile strength (MPa)

Tensile strength

Elongation (%)

250

Room

100

1600rpm Fig.3(c)

200

300

400

500

Temperature ()

1250rpm

Fig.6

800rpm Fig.3(a) Mg
Mg
Fe Mg
1250rpm
Fe Mg Fe Mg

3.1.1

Mg

Mg 70mm
10mm 0.3mm K
100mm/minFe
0.1mm Fig.5

Tensile strength and elongation of magnesium base metal at

higher temperatures.

Mg hcp
300
Mg
Fig.6
400

1250rpm 800rpm
Mg 2025%
1250rpm
800rpm
Fe Mg

Fig.3(d)
1600rpm Mg
532Fig.5 1600rpm
362 170

3.1.2

MgO

Mg MgO
Fe Mg MgO

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100mm/min 0.1mm

800rpm 1250rpm MgO

AESAES

Fig.7

Fig.9

(a)(b) Fe

Mg 10m

Fe h

AES

Mg V

AES 4.710 Pa Mg

Pmax PmaxA

10nm/min 50m

V R h3/2 10)Martin XmB Rh

A B

1250rpm
AES Fig.8 O, Mg, Fe

O Mg

Fe

Mg

MgO

Pin

800rpm MgO

Mg

800rpm 1250rpm
MgO

pmax

Fe

(a)

Fe

x
Pin

xm xm
Mg

Mg
Fig.9
10m

Mg

Mg

(b)

80

Analyzing
point

Fe

Preparation for a specimen to analyze weld interface using

AES (a), and position to be analyzed (b).

Surface

Mg matrix

Mg-Fe interface

Fe matrix

425

60

480

50
40
30
20
10
0

7000

Intensity (arb. units)

370

70

Tensile strength (MPa)

Cut

Fig.7

Schematic to explain the pressure distribution estimated by

dynamic fluid lubrication theory in a bearing.

2mm

Fe

0.02

0.04

0.06

0.08

0.1

6000

Strain rate (s )

Fe

5000

Mg

Fig.10

4000

Relation between tensile strength and strain rate of

magnesium alloy AZ31B at higher temperatures.

3000
2000

Pmax

1000

800rpm 1250rpm Pmax

0
0

Fig.8

Depth from surface (m)

AES depth analyses of Mg, O and Fe around weld interface.

1.56 Mg
. Fig.10 AZ31B 370, 425
480
11)3.1.1 1250rpm 800rpm

3.1.3

Fe Mg

Mg

Mg
12)

Fe Mg
Mg Fe

Fig.10

0.008s1
800rpm

112

125s1

Mg Fe Mg

Fe

. 800rpm 1250rpm

Mg
.

Mg

800rpm 1250rpm

Mg

Fe

Fe

Fe Mg
1.56

(a)Pin offset : -0.2mm

Mg

Fe

(e) 0.4mm
Fe

800rpm 1250rpm
Mg

Fe Mg
Mg

(b) 0mm

Mg Fe

3.2

(f) 0.8mm
Fe

Mg

Fe

Fe

Fe

(c) 0.1mm

100mm/min
1250rpm

Mg

Fe

(g) 1.0mm
Mg

0mm 1.0mm
Fig.11 Fig.12

(d) 0.2mm

250
Tensile strngth

Elongation

200

2.5

150

2
1.5

100

1
50

Fe

0.5

0
0

0.1

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

Offset of a pin (mm)

Fig.11

Fe

Elongation (%)

Tensile strength (MPa)

Fig.12 Effects of pin offset on the microstructures and fracture

paths of welds.

3.5

Relation between pin offset, tensile strength and

elongation of joint

Mg

Mg
(a) Offset : 0.1mm
Fig.13

0.1mm

(b) 0.2mm

Cross-sectional microstructures parallel to the joint surface

welded with 0.1mm pin offset (a) and 0.2mm pin offset
(b). Dotted line shows the fracture paths of weld.

0mm Fe
Fe

Mg 0.2mm 0.8mm
Mg Fe Mg

3.2.1

Fe

Fig.13 1mm

0.1mm

(a)

1.0mm

(b) 0.1mm 0.2mm

Mg Fe

0.1mm Fe

Mg 0.2mm

0.1mm Mg
Fe

 24 2006

0.2mm Fe

Fe

113

Fe

Fig.12
Fe Mg
0.2mm
0.1mm
0.2mm Mg Fe

Mg

Mg
(a) Pin offset: 0.1mm

(b) Pin offset: 0.6mm

Fe

Fig.14(a)
0.1mm 0.2mm

Mg Fe
(b)
0.1mm Fe

Fe
Fracture path
Mg
(c) Fe fragment parallel to Fe/Mg interface with 0.6mm pin offset

Fig.15

Fe
0.2mm
Fe
3.2.2
Pin rotation speed : 1250rpm
Welding speed : 100mm/min

Fe
Pin offset
0.1mm

0.2mm

Photographs showing the Fe fragment state around a pin

hole formed after interrupting welding at the initial stage of
the welding. (a): 0.1mm pin offset and (b): 0.6mm pin offset.
(c): Fe fragment parallel to weld interface with 0.6mm pin
offset. In this case, fracture path (dotted line) was along the
Fe-fragment/Mg interface opposite to the weld interface.

Fe

Mg Fe Fe
Fe

Fe
Fe 600 10min Fe
3m Fig.16

Pin
Mg

EDS 3m

(a)

60at%O-40at%Fe Fe2O3

Fe

Fe

1250rpm 100mm/min 0.1mm

Mg
Pin offset:0.1mm

Fig.14

(b)

Pin offset:0.2mm

0.2mm

Schematic to show a welding method with pin offsets that

changes continuously from 0.1mm to 0.2mm (a), and
cross-sectional microstructure parallel to the joint surface
welded with pin offset changing continuously from 0.1mm
to 0.2mm (b).

Fig.15
Fe (a)

0.1mm (b) 0.6mm

0.1mm Fe
Fe Mg
Fig.13(a)
0.6mm Fig.15(b)
Fe
Fig.15(c) Fig.13(b)
0.2mm
Fe

SEM image
Fe mapping
O mapping
Fig.16 SEM image and EDS analyses of O and Fe on the surface
of a Fe specimen oxidized in air at 600 for 10 min.

Fig.17 0.1mm 1mm

Fe (a) Fe
(b)Fe

(c)(d)(c) Fe
EDS
57.87at%O-38.58at%-3.55at%Mg
(d)
Fig.18 0.2mm (a)

114

Fe Fig.15(c)

Fe Mg

FeMg

(a) Fe Fe

Fe

(b)(c)(a) Fe
(e)
59.61at%O-38.44at%-1.95at%Mg
0.2mm

Fig.13(b) Fig.15(c)Fe Mg

(d)

Mg

(a)

Oxide
film

(c)
(a)

(c)

(b)

Oxide film

(e)
(b)
Fig.17

(d)

Fig.18

SEM photographs showing the cross-sectional structure

about 1mm inside from the joint surface welded with pin
offset of 0.1mm (a). Photo (b) shows an enlarged Fe
fragment in photo (a). Photos (c) and (d) show the left-side
and the right-side interface between Fe-fragment and Mg
matrix, respectively. As shown in photo (c), oxide film are
observed at only the left-side surface of Fe fragment, which
was removed from oxidized Fe faying surface.

Photo (a) shows the Fe fragment around a pin hole formed

after interrupting welding at the initial stage of the welding
with pin offset of 0.2mm. Photo (b) shows an enlarged Fe
continuum fragment in photo (a), and photos (d) and (e)
show the interfaces between Fe continuum fragment and
Mg matrix.

Mg

0.2mm
Fe Mg

Fe

0.1mm Mg
Fe
Fig.13(a)
0.2mm

4.

Fig.19

Fracture surface of the weld made under the optimal

welding conditions.

Fig.4 100mm/min

5.

1250rpm 0.1mm

178.5MPa 70%

Fig.19

SS400 AZ31B

Fe SEM

Fe Mg

Mg FeMg

Fe Mg

 24 2006

70

0.1mm

0.2mm

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