"Identification, Analysis and Optimization of Process Parameters of Friction Stir Welding: A Critical Review"

This review work is taken up to summarize and evaluate the past research works to identify the prominent process parameters of Friction Stir Welding (FSW). The effect of rotational speed, welding speed, tool pin profile, tool tilt angle, tool shoulder diameter, axial force and tool offset on the responses is evaluated. The summarization and evaluation of various optimization techniques employed to optimize the process parameters of FSW in various research works is also taken up. Taguchi and Response Surface Methodology (RSM) techniques are identified as most popular and effective optimization techniques. The integrated methods, design of experiments and the analysis of variance in Taguchi method and Response Surface Methodology are evaluated. The summarization of the effect of process parameters and optimization techniques helps to identify the explored materials, prominent process parameters, explored responses and effective optimization techniques that will open new insights into the FSW research.