Abstract
The main challenge to researchers in friction stir welding (FSW) steels and high temperature alloys, using pin tools from refractory metal alloys such as W-25wt.%Re alloys, is to develop the tools that stand the process harsh conditions. Most recently, laser powder sintering to consolidate W-25wt.%Re alloys have shown promising results in producing pin tools for FSW. These results are the motivation for the authors of this paper to consider using a laser powder bed fusion additive manufacturing (LPBF-AM) process for consolidating W-25wt% Re powder alloys, in two steps. First, use finite element modeling to identify the levels of the LPBF-AM process parameters that will produce a pin tool that has the desired mechanical and physical properties for FSW welding steels and high temperature alloys. Second, use the identified process parameters to produce an experimental pin tool and evaluate its suitability for welding steels and high temperature alloys, with respect to tool mechanical and physical properties. The results of the finite element modeling, which are reported in this paper, include effects of the LPBF parameters on the resulting melting pool formation and geometry, as well as on the residual stresses that develop during the laser powder sintering process.
