To address the deformation issue in friction stir welding (FSW) of aluminum alloy thin-walled structures
a novel method of in-situ rolling friction stir welding (IRFSW) is proposed. The effects of IRFSW on the welding distortion
microstructure and mechanical properties are studied. The results show that the IRFSW can eliminate the flash and ensure the high-quality forming of the joint. The surface grain size of IRFSW joint was obviously refined and a gradient structure with a thickness of about 282 μm was formed on the surface of the IRFSW joint. The surface microhardness of the joint was improved by grain refinement. The tensile strength of the IRFSW joint was 3.3% higher than that of conventional FSW joint. In addition
the distortion degree of IRFSW joint was reduced by 84.8% compared with conventional FSW joint.