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Volume 15
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10.3390/cryst15090751
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Article

Friction Stir Spot Welding of AA6082-T6 Alloy Sheets with Keyhole Refilling Using Similar Consumable Rod Material: Mechanical Performance and Microstructure Analysis

by
Mohamed M. Z. Ahmed
1,*,
Bandar Alzahrani
1,
Ashraf Bakkar
2,
Mohamed M. El-Sayed Seleman
3,*,
Ali Alamry
1 and
Ali Abd El-Aty
1
1
Mechanical Engineering Department, College of Engineering at Al Kharj, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al Kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia
2
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering and Computers, Umm Al-Qura University, Al-Lith 28425, Saudi Arabia
3
Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Department, Faculty of Petroleum and Mining Engineering, Suez University, Suez 43221, Egypt
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Crystals 2025, 15(9), 751; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst15090751
Submission received: 24 June 2025 / Revised: 14 August 2025 / Accepted: 20 August 2025 / Published: 24 August 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Microstructure and Properties of Metals and Alloys)
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Abstract

Achieving keyhole-free joints is critical in Friction Stir Spot Welding (FSSW). This study presents a new approach to eliminate this volumetric defect in AA6082-T6 FSSW sheet joints using a continuous multi-layer Friction Stir Deposition (CMFSD) technique, employing a newly designed AA6082-T6 consumable tool. FSSW was performed at various rotational speeds (350, 550, 750 and 950 rpm) with a 5 s dwell time. Comprehensive macro- and micro-scale evaluations, along with mechanical properties (hardness and tensile-shear load) of the produced joints, were conducted. Additionally, microstructures were examined using Optical Microscopy (OM), while fracture surfaces were analyzed via Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Optimal FSSW conditions were identified at 550 rpm, yielding a stir zone (SZ) hardness of 94.6 ± 1.4 HV and a maximum tensile-shear load of 4.73 ± 0.27 kN. The keyhole was successfully refilled using AA6082-T6 rod material via CMFSD, resulting in a defect-free joint of the same base alloy. Electron Backscattered Diffraction (EBSD) technique was also used to examine the microstructural features. A comparative analysis revealed significant enhancements: the refilled FSSW joints exhibited a 46.5% increase in maximum tensile-shear load and a 66.66% improvement in elongation to failure compared to the highest-FSSW joint performance with the keyhole defect.
Keywords: aluminum alloy; spot welding; keyhole defect; refill friction stir spot welding (RFSSW); continuous multi-layer friction stir deposition (CMFSD) aluminum alloy; spot welding; keyhole defect; refill friction stir spot welding (RFSSW); continuous multi-layer friction stir deposition (CMFSD)

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MDPI and ACS Style

Ahmed, M.M.Z.; Alzahrani, B.; Bakkar, A.; El-Sayed Seleman, M.M.; Alamry, A.; Abd El-Aty, A. Friction Stir Spot Welding of AA6082-T6 Alloy Sheets with Keyhole Refilling Using Similar Consumable Rod Material: Mechanical Performance and Microstructure Analysis. Crystals 2025, 15, 751. https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst15090751

AMA Style

Ahmed MMZ, Alzahrani B, Bakkar A, El-Sayed Seleman MM, Alamry A, Abd El-Aty A. Friction Stir Spot Welding of AA6082-T6 Alloy Sheets with Keyhole Refilling Using Similar Consumable Rod Material: Mechanical Performance and Microstructure Analysis. Crystals. 2025; 15(9):751. https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst15090751

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ahmed, Mohamed M. Z., Bandar Alzahrani, Ashraf Bakkar, Mohamed M. El-Sayed Seleman, Ali Alamry, and Ali Abd El-Aty. 2025. "Friction Stir Spot Welding of AA6082-T6 Alloy Sheets with Keyhole Refilling Using Similar Consumable Rod Material: Mechanical Performance and Microstructure Analysis" Crystals 15, no. 9: 751. https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst15090751

APA Style

Ahmed, M. M. Z., Alzahrani, B., Bakkar, A., El-Sayed Seleman, M. M., Alamry, A., & Abd El-Aty, A. (2025). Friction Stir Spot Welding of AA6082-T6 Alloy Sheets with Keyhole Refilling Using Similar Consumable Rod Material: Mechanical Performance and Microstructure Analysis. Crystals, 15(9), 751. https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst15090751

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