40
Improving Global Quality of Life
Through Optimum Use and Innovation of Welding and Joining Technologies
The potential applications are for example:
Single sided linear welds up to 100 mm section and double sided linear welds up to 200 mm section
Lower heat input/higher productivity double sided welding
Adjustable pin technology and 3D welding with robots
It will definitely be worthwhile to follow the fast development of the FSW process. Some FSW steel welding
has been accomplished with low welding speed and excellent mechanical results. The tool life, is for the time
being, far too short to justify the introduction of the process into production It is a challenge to develop tools
which can withstand the high temperature.
Figure 5.8
Applications of friction stir
welding (Reproduced courtesy: TWI Ltd)
FSW Capabilities Chart
Area of Current FSW Production Use
Area of Current FSW Research
Area where FSW has been
Demonstrated
5.1.6
The Magnetic Pulse Technology (MPT)
This process can be used for welding, crimping, punching, forming and for calibration (
Figure 5.9
).
The
welding process attracted very high interest, when it was demonstrated at the Essen Show in 2001 but to
many people’s surprise the process has never taken off probably due to low marketing efforts and/or due to
high investment cost. The process offers, however, many advantages such as; cold process, welding in less
than 100 μs, no filler material, no shielding gases, it is a non-contact process and a “green” process.
Welding on conventionally unweldable materials such as Al-7075 MPT is first of all suitable for large batch
production to justify the high cost for the electrical coil, which is surrounding the work piece. It is not
necessary that the parts are circular. Square parts can also be welded with the purpose designed coil. MPT
has such potential applications that it will sooner or later be introduced on a wider scale.
