AWS D17.3/D17.3M:2016

An American National Standard

Specification for Friction Stir Welding of Aluminum Alloys for Aerospace Applications

AWS D17.3/D17.3M:2016

An American National Standard

Approved by the American National Standards Institute

September 25, 2015

Specification for Friction Stir Welding of Aluminum Alloys for Aerospace

Applications

2nd Edition

Supersedes AWS D17.3/D17.3M:2010

Prepared by the American Welding Society (AWS) D17 Committee on Welding in the Aircraft and Aerospace Industries

Under the Direction of the AWS Technical Activities Committee

Approved by the AWS Board of Directors

Abstract

This specification covers the general requirements for the friction stir welding of aluminum alloys for aerospace applications. It includes the requirements for weldment design, qualification of personnel and procedures, fabrication, and inspection.

AWS D17.3/D17.3M:2016

ISBN: 978-0-87171-870-9

© 2016 by American Welding Society

All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America

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AWS D17.3/D17.3M:2016

Statement on Use of American Welding Society Standards

All standards (codes, specifications, recommended practices, methods, classifications, and guides) of the American Welding Society (AWS) are voluntary consensus standards that have been developed in accordance with the rules of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). When AWS American National Standards are either incorporated in, or made part of, documents that are included in federal or state laws and regulations, or the regulations of other governmen- tal bodies, their provisions carry the full legal authority of the statute. In such cases, any changes in those AWS standards must be approved by the governmental body having statutory jurisdiction before they can become a part of those laws and regulations. In all cases, these standards carry the full legal authority of the contract or other document that invokes the AWS standards. Where this contractual relationship exists, changes in or deviations from requirements of an AWS stan- dard must be by agreement between the contracting parties.

AWS American National Standards are developed through a consensus standards development process that brings together volunteers representing varied viewpoints and interests to achieve consensus. While AWS administers the process and establishes rules to promote fairness in the development of consensus, it does not independently test, evalu- ate, or verify the accuracy of any information or the soundness of any judgments contained in its standards.

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In issuing and making this standard available, AWS is neither undertaking to render professional or other services for or on behalf of any person or entity, nor is AWS undertaking to perform any duty owed by any person or entity to someone else. Anyone using these documents should rely on his or her own independent judgment or, as appropriate, seek the advice of a competent professional in determining the exercise of reasonable care in any given circumstances. It is assumed that the use of this standard and its provisions is entrusted to appropriately qualified and competent personnel.

This standard may be superseded by new editions. This standard may also be corrected through publication of amend- ments or errata, or supplemented by publication of addenda. Information on the latest editions of AWS standards includ- ing amendments, errata, and addenda is posted on the AWS web page (www.aws.org). Users should ensure that they have the latest edition, amendments, errata, and addenda.

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AWS does not monitor, police, or enforce compliance with this standard, nor does it have the power to do so.

Official interpretations of any of the technical requirements of this standard may only be obtained by sending a request, in writing, to the appropriate technical committee. Such requests should be addressed to the American Welding Society, Attention: Managing Director, Technical Services Division, 8669 NW 36 St, # 130, Miami, FL 33166 (see Annex E). With regard to technical inquiries made concerning AWS standards, oral opinions on AWS standards may be rendered. These opinions are offered solely as a convenience to users of this standard, and they do not constitute professional advice. Such opinions represent only the personal opinions of the particular individuals giving them. These individuals do not speak on behalf of AWS, nor do these oral opinions constitute official or unofficial opinions or interpretations of AWS. In addition, oral opinions are informal and should not be used as a substitute for an official interpretation.

This standard is subject to revision at any time by the AWS D17 Committee on Welding in the Aircraft and Aerospace Industries. It must be reviewed every five years, and if not revised, it must be either reaffirmed or withdrawn. Comments (recommendations, additions, or deletions) and any pertinent data that may be of use in improving this standard are required and should be addressed to AWS Headquarters. Such comments will receive careful consideration by the AWS D17 Committee on Welding in the Aircraft and Aerospace Industries and the author of the comments will be informed of the Committee’s response to the comments. Guests are invited to attend all meetings of the AWS D17 Committee on Welding in the Aircraft and Aerospace Industries to express their comments verbally. Procedures for appeal of an adverse decision concerning all such comments are provided in the Rules of Operation of the Technical Activities Committee. A copy of these Rules can be obtained from the American Welding Society, 8669 NW 36 St, # 130, Miami, FL 33166.

AWS D17.3/D17.3M:2016

Personnel

AWS D17 Committee on Welding in the Aircraft and Aerospace Industries

S. H. Murray, Chair NASA—Kennedy Space Center

G. W. Coleman, 1st Vice Chair The Boeing Company

R. J. Ding, 2nd Vice Chair NASA—Marshall Space Flight Center

1. E. Daum, 3rd Vice Chair Rolls-Royce Corporation

   1. J. Naumann, Secretary American Welding Society

      J. T. Amin Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company

      R. P. Beil Northrop Grumman Corporation

      J. J. Bernath RTI International Metals Inc.

      C. Carl NASA—Kennedy Space Center

      J. Carruth Lockheed Martin Missle & Fire Control

      H. A. Doucette Space X

      R. J. Durda NORDAM Nacelle

      1. Fournier Pratt & Whitney Canada

         W. Guo Honeywell

      2. L. Hammer ACE Clearwater Enterprises

      D. Lindland Pratt & Whitney

      R. B. Maust Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems

      1. D. Morris Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems

      2. C. Nordin Rolls-Royce Corporation

      G. T. Rolla Advanced Weldtec Inc.

      1. E. Sapp NAVAIR In-Service Support Center—Cherry Point

         1. Sauer NAVAIR In-Service Support Center—Cherry Point

            W. R. Schell The Boeing Company

         2. D. Sheldon Roll Forming Corporation

      J. R. Thyssen General Electric Aviation

      G. E. Trepus Boeing Research & Technology

      B. D. Worley GE Aviation Dayton—Elano Division

      
      

      Advisors to the AWS D17 Committee on Welding in the Aircraft and Aerospace Industries

      H. S. Dilcher Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company

      R. Freeman TWI—The Welding Institute

      I. D. Harris Edison Welding Institute

      E. C. Helder GE Aircraft Engines (retired)

      J. B. Jackson NASA Safety Center

      J. B. Pearson, Jr. LTK Engineering

      D. S. Ponder Triumph Airborne Structures

      D. A. Senatore BG Inspections

      G. J. Stahle Navistar

      J. G. Vollmer Boeing Satellite Systems

      AWS D17.3/D17.3M:2016

      
      

      AWS D17J Subcommittee on Friction Stir Welding

      R. J. Ding, Chair NASA—Marshall Space Flight Center

      1. M. Comfort, Vice Chair The Boeing Company

         1. Naumann, Secretary American Welding Society

J. J. Bernath RTI International Metals Inc.

J. Carruth Lockheed Martin Missiles & Fire Control

G. W. Coleman The Boeing Company

K. J. Colligan Concurrent Technologies Corporation

R. J. Durda NORDAM Nacelle

L. Johannes NASA—Johnson Space Center

R. E. Jones Jacobs Engineering

T. Stotler Edison Welding Institute

Advisors to the AWS D17J Subcommittee on Friction Stir Welding

R. B. Maust, III Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems

1. S. Sanderson Kaiser Aluminum Engineered

   1. Stol ALCOA Inc.

1. D. Sylva Eclipse Aerospace

   1. Viliotti Embraer SA

AWS D17.3/D17.3M:2016

Foreword

This foreword is not part of AWS D17.3/D17.3M:2016, Specification for Friction Stir Welding of Aluminum Alloys for Aerospace Applications, but is included for informational purposes only.

In the fall of 1993, aerospace welding personnel gathered together under the auspices of the American Welding Society (AWS) to develop an aerospace fusion welding specification to replace MIL-STD-1595A, Qualification of Aircraft, Missile, and Aerospace Fusion Welders, and MIL-STD-2219, Fusion Welding for Aerospace Applications. The result of this initial meeting was the formation of the AWS D17 Committee on Welding in the Aircraft and Aerospace Industries. The overriding theme voiced by the committee members was that the aviation industry had changed and a new specifica- tion was needed. In 2001, after years of hard work by the committee members, the American Welding Society issued AWS D17.1:2001, Specification for Fusion Welding for Aerospace Applications.

Specifications used for aerospace welding deal primarily with fusion welding, except for the relatively few that deal with friction welding. Fusion welding is used to produce the vast majority of large, structural, welded components, as opposed to friction welding, which usually is used to join smaller, circular cross-section detail parts. In 1991, The Welding Institute, in the United Kingdom, patented a new welding process called Friction Stir Welding (FSW). The question soon arose as to which requirements were necessary to specify and control this new welding process. Fusion welding specifi- cations could not adequately address FSW because it is a solid-state welding process. Friction welding specifications also could not adequately address FSW process because unlike friction welding, FSW process uses a third body, the welding tool.

The AWS D17 Committee on Welding in the Aircraft and Aerospace Industries determined that it was necessary to form a subcommittee to write a specification for friction stir welding. It was appropriate that the setting for the subcommittee’s kickoff meeting was at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Kennedy Space Center is where the first friction stir welded commercial aerospace component, the fuel tank for the Delta launch vehicle, went into service. Representatives from industry, welding institutes, government agencies, and universities met to dedicate themselves to form a specification for the friction stir welding of aluminum for aerospace applications. AWS D17. 1:2001, served as the model for this specification.

This is the second edition of AWS D17.3/D17.3M: 2016, Specification for Friction Stir Welding of Aluminum Alloys for Aerospace Applications. A vertical line in the margin or underlined text in clauses, tables, or figures indicates an editor- ial or technical change from the 2010 edition.

Comments and suggestions for the improvement of this standard are welcome. They should be sent to the Secretary, AWS D17 Committee on Welding in the Aircraft and Aerospace Industries, American Welding Society, 8669 NW 36 St,

#130, Miami, FL 33166.

AWS D17.3/D17.3M:2016

Table of Contents

Page No.

Personnel v

Foreword vii

List of Tables xi

List of Figures xi

1. General Requirements 1

   1. Scope 1

   2. Units of Measure 1

   3. Safety 1

2. Normative References 1

3. Terms and Definitions 2

4. General Requirements for FSW 9

   1. Classification 9

   2. Approval 9

   3. Drawing Precedence 9

   4. Specification Precedence 9

5. Design of Weld Joints 10

   1. Weldment Design Data 10

   2. Drawing Information Requirements 10

6. Development and Qualification of a Welding Procedure 10

   1. General 10

   2. Selection of a Welding Procedure Specification Qualification Method 11

   3. Welding 11

   4. Evaluation of Test Welds 12

   5. Preparation of a Welding Procedure Specification (WPS) 18

   6. Welding Procedure Qualification Record (WPQR) 19

   7. Qualification Limits 19

   8. Welding Procedure Specification 20

   9. Revising a WPQR or WPS 20

7. Welding Operator Qualification 20

   1. Qualification Requirements 20

   2. Qualification Limitations 20

   3. Qualification/Certification Validity 21

   4. Test Records 23

8. Fabrication 23

   1. Welding 23

   2. Welding Equipment Requirements 23

   3. Friction Stir Welding Tool 24

   4. Preweld Joint Preparation and Fit-Up 24

   5. Tack Welds 24

   6. Postweld Finishing 24

   7. Weld Identification Requirements 24

   8. Acceptance Inspection 24

      AWS D17.3/D17.3M:2016

9. Inspection 25

   1. Inspection Personnel 25

   2. Visual Weld Inspection 25

   3. Nondestructive Examination 25

   4. Acceptance Criteria 25

Annex A (Normative)—Illustrations of Test Specimens and Test Fixtures 27

Annex B (Informative)—Examples of Welding Procedure Specification Forms 31

Annex C (Informative)—Examples of Welding Procedure Qualification Record Forms 33

Annex D (Informative)—Example of a Welding Operator Qualification Test Record Form 39

Annex E (Informative)—Guidelines for the Preparation of Technical Inquiries 41

List of AWS Documents on Welding in the Aircraft and Aerospace Industries 43