BS EN ISO 25239-4:2020

What is ISO 25239‑4 about?

ISO 25239-4 is the fourth part of a multi-series international standard that covers the friction stir welding of aluminium.

ISO 25239‑4 specifies the requirements for the specification and qualification of welding procedures for the friction stir welding (FSW) of aluminium. It gives you specifications such as development and qualification of welding procedures, qualification based on a welding procedure test and qualification based on pre-production welding test. The term “aluminium” refers to aluminium and its alloys here.

Note 1: ISO 25239‑4 focuses on the friction stir welding (FSW) of aluminium because, at the time of publication of this standard, the majority of commercial applications for friction stir welding (FSW) involved aluminium metal.

Note 2: ISO 25239‑4 does not apply to friction stir spot welding which is covered by the ISO 18785 series.

Note 3: Service requirements, materials or manufacturing conditions can require more comprehensive testing than is specified in ISO 25239‑4.

Who is ISO 25239‑4 for?

ISO 25239‑4 on friction stir welding (FSW) is applicable to entities dealing with:

• Railway carriages
• Food processing equipment
• Aerospace structures
• Marine vessels
• Welder and welding operators

Why should you use ISO 25239‑4?

Friction stir welding is a solid-state joining process, many processing conditions and materials properties can affect the microstructural evolution and mechanical behaviour of the produced friction stir welded joints. Hence standardized welding specifications and qualifications are required for friction stir welding of aluminium.

ISO 25239‑4 is useful in order to ensure that welding is carried out in the most effective way and that appropriate control is exercised over all aspects of the friction stir welding operations. This improves the efficiency and productivity of welding processes in industrial operations.

The standard guidelines in ISO 25239‑4 help you to manufacture friction welded joints of aluminium structures and products with high quality and durability. Applying standard guidelines of ISO 25239‑1 for friction stir welding helps you reduce the cost of manufacturing.

What’s changed since the last update?

BS EN ISO 25239‑4:2020 supersedes BS EN ISO 25239‑4:2011, which is withdrawn. BS EN ISO 25239‑4:2020 includes some technical changes as follows:

• Alternative process control methods (e.g. temperature control) have been included
• The wording of the paragraph on thermal management and heat treatments has been improved
• The definition for the extraction of test specimens has been modified for all test pieces and the figures have been revised accordingly
• The requirement for testing transverse test specimens with as welded surfaces has been deleted
• In Table 3, a new requirement on the minimum joint efficiency has been added for heat treatable alloys below 5 mm