The thickness of intermetallic compounds (IMCs) is one of the main factors affecting the weld quality. In addition, the IMC thickness will affect the product functionality, e.g., the thermal or electrical conductivity of the IMC layer can be the limiting factor in the related applications. Modeling and prediction of the IMC thickness in the friction stir welding (FSW) process is an important role that has not been elaborated in the literature. Additionally, many studies used a model for the IMC thickness that is related to the classical diffusion phenomenon. That model is suitable for the pure (intrinsic) diffusion process and does not consider the main unique characteristic of FSW, i.e., the stirring and subsequent linear velocity of particles (that has an impact on the diffusion process). To address this research gap, first, we develop a new model for the IMC thickness that takes the velocity of particles into account. Second, we provide an analysis on the velocity of particles in FSW based on vortex dynamics. Third, we analyze the proposed IMC thickness model with experimental data from the literature, discuss the added values of our model, and finally examine a case study. Understanding various manufacturing processes can further lead to the improvement of the existing processes and the development of novel processes.
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