Friction stir welding (FSW) is a reliable joining technology with a wide industrial uptake. However, several fundamentals of the process such as the temperature inside the stirred zone of the weld and its influence on mechanical properties, are not yet fully understood. This paper shows a method for accurate temperature measurements in multiple locations around the tool, to identify the location of the peak temperature, the temperature variations between the advancing and the retreating side of the tool and its relation to the tool geometry. Both standardised thermocouples in the FSW tool and the novel “tool-workpiece thermocouple” method were used to record temperatures.

Bead-on-plate welds in 20 mm thickness AA6082-T6 were produced while the temperatures were measured in three locations on the FSW tool: at the shoulder outer diameter, at the transition from shoulder to probe and at the probe tip. It was found that the hottest point in the stirred zone was 607 °C and was located at the transition between the shoulder and probe, on the retreating-trailing side of the tool. The lowest temperature was found at the probe tip on the retreating-leading side of the tool.

The results offer a better understanding of the temperature distribution around a FSW tool. The method presented can be applied to verification of thermal simulation models, tool design optimization, quality assurance and temperature feedback control.