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Considerations for Tungsten Carbide as Tooling in RFSSW
Ruth Belnap1, Taylor Smith1, Arnold Wright2
1Ira A Fulton College of Engineering, Department of Manufacturing Engineering, Brigham Young University, 265 CTB, Provo, UT 84602, USA.
Abstract:
Tool wear is a key issue for the manufacturing performance of refill friction stir spot welding in high-volume manufacturing environments. As such, the aim of this study is to examine conditions in which tungsten carbide with a cobalt binder can succeed as a tool material in the spot welding of 2029 aluminum for a sustained lifetime. Critical factors are shown herein to include cleanliness and thermal management. The life of a WC-Co toolset is demonstrated to be approximately 2998 welds, which is of the same scale as conventional steel tooling. With a WC-Co shoulder and probe, the H13 clamp showed the only significant wear.
