Friction stir welding (FSW) is gaining traction as a preferred technique due to its potential to
reduce heat input and enhance the mechanical properties of welded joints. However, the path
to commercializing FSW for flange joints is not without challenges. Two primary obstacles
are the complexity of the welding path and the intricate design requirements for the fixtures.
These factors contribute to the difficulty in determining the ideal weld settings and process
parameters, which are critical for achieving optimal results. The current study addresses these
challenges by applying FSW to flange joints using custom-engineered fixtures. These fixtures
are meticulously designed to hold the pipes and plates securely during the welding process.
The focus of the research is on optimizing the multi-performance characteristics of FSW for Al
6063 flange joints through the hybrid Grey-based Taguchi method. The integrity of the weld
joint is assessed by examining various mechanical properties within the weld zone, including
rotation speed, travel speed, tool profile, and shoulder diameter. The study identifies the
optimal parameter settings for the FSW process: a rotation speed of 3000 rpm, a travel speed
of 3 mm/min2, a shoulder diameter of 20 mm, and a conical tool profile. Under these ideal
conditions, the welded material exhibited a tensile strength of 170.169 MPa, a hardness of
63.7709 HV, and a corrosion rate of 0.022 mm/year. These findings underscore the effectiveness
of the optimized FSW process in producing robust and durable flange joints.