Selection of basic position in Refill Friction Stir Spot Welding of 2024-T3 and D16UTW aluminum alloy sheets

One of the important parameters of Refill Friction Stir Spot Welding is the so-called basic position of the tool. This is the arrangement of the pin and sleeve which occurs when the tool is plunged into the material. The basic positions can be divided into two categories. In the first category, the sleeve and the pin are above the sheet surface or below sheet surface and in the second category the pin is retracted within the sleeve or protrudes from it. The aim of the work was to test four settings of the basic position, and then determine the best setting of the basic position, without changing the other welding parameters. Joints made of an aluminum alloy 2024-T3 sheet having a thickness of 1.0 mm and an aluminum alloy D16UTW sheet having a thickness of 0.6 mm were analysed. The best setting of the basic position was determined based on assessment of the force carried in shear test, macrostructure and weld face of the joints.