Characterization of Material Transfer in Friction Stir Processing With a Consumable Tool

This is a study of material transfer from a consumable tool to a substrate. The major advantage of this technique is material adheres by mechanical bonding at relatively low temperature, with potential benefits of high bonding strength, low temperature and thermal effects, high tolerance to contamination, environmentally benign, and low cost of materials, tooling, and process. There is an increasing need for dissimilar material surfacing and coating applications, leading to the study of the friction surfacing process. Friction surfacing experiments were done for depositing different materials to a steel substrate. Subsequent surface roughness and material analysis was done to characterize the nature of material transfer and adhesion to the substrate. The results suggest that friction stir processing by a consumable tool is capable of producing a smooth coating with good metallurgical properties.