Feasibilty Study of Adopting Acoustic Emission Testing in Friction Stir Welding Process for effective control of defects

This Paper investigates the use of Acoustic Emission Testing as an effective Non destructive Testing Method to control defects in Friction Stir Welding.Friction Stir Welding (FSW) is most advanced, rapid and reliable type of Welding process which produces quality welded joints of similar and dissimilar materials with the help of frictional heat and pressure. This process is best suited for Aerospace industry and other commercial applications due to its capability of welding low melting point materials with low energy consumption and versatility. The process uses non-consumable cylindrical tool to join sheet and plate materials, without melting them. The defects in welding joints play a major role in determining the product quality, weld strength, cost, etc. A cost effective and accurate Non Destructive Testing method is required to monitor process and avoid defects.Acoustic Emission (AE) testing is a powerful method of examining the behavior of materials deforming under stress.