Abstract Rotary Friction welding is one of the most popular methods of joining similar and dissimilar materials. It is widely used with metals and thermoplastics in a wide variety of aviation, transport and aerospace industrial component designs. This study investigates the influence of friction and upsetting pressures on the hardness, tensile properties and microstructure of the welds. The experimental results showed that as the friction and upsetting pressures increased, the hardness and tensile strength values increased, as well. The tensile fracture of welded joint occurred in the AISI 1060 side. The friction processed joints were evaluated for their integrity and quality aspects by optical and scanning electron microscopy. For the perfect interfacial bonding, sufficient upsetting and friction pressures are necessary to reach the optimal temperature and severe plastic deformation to bring these materials within the attraction range.