Abstract: A tool driving section of a friction stir spot welding device is configured to advance and retract each of a pin member and a shoulder member. A tool driving control section is configured to control the tool driving section such that an absolute value of a tool average position Tx defined by a following equation: Ap·Pp+As·Ps=Tx, where Ap is a cross-section area of a front end surface of the pin member, As is a cross-section area of a front end surface of the shoulder member, Pp is a press-fit depth of the pin member press-fitted from a front surface of an object to be welded, and Ps is a press-fit depth of the shoulder member press-fitted from the front surface of the object to be welded, is small.

Abstract: A tool driving section of a friction stir spot welding device is configured to cause each of a pin member and a shoulder member to advance and retract, and is controlled by a tool driving control section. A press-fit reference point setting section sets a position where the pin member or the shoulder member contacts an object to be welded as a press-fit reference point, and the tool driving control section controls the position of the pin member with respect to the shoulder member on the basis of the press-fit reference point, thereby controlling the press-fit depth of a rotating tool press-fitted from the surface of the object to be welded. This achieves the excellent welding quality at suitable precision according to welding conditions especially in a double-acting friction stir spot welding method.

Abstract: Process for linear transparency friction stir welding of a flange of a stiffener onto at least one panel for an aircraft, wherein a weld bead is made along the flange of the stiffener and wherein the weld bead extends in cross-section from a first lateral edge to an opposite second lateral edge of the stiffener flange. System for the implementation of the above welding process, which includes three welding heads arranged as a triangle, each of which includes a rotating pin as well as a shoulder extending at the base of said rotating pin.

Abstract: System for friction stir welding of two parts which includes a welding unit which includes at least one welding head fitted with a rotating pin and a counter-bearing unit which has a support surface to support the parts against a pressure exerted by the welding head, and wherein each welding head can be moved relative to the support surface in a first direction parallel to an axis of rotation of the rotating pin and in a second direction orthogonal to the axis of rotation, and wherein the support surface can be moved in the second direction and is formed of two coaxial clamp rollers which are set apart from each other.

Abstract: The present invention refers to a method for joining at least two workpieces, the method comprising the following method steps: providing and positioning the workpieces to be joined; providing at least one joining element; heating the joining element to a temperature substantially equal to its plasticizing temperature with at least one heat source; heating the workpieces at least in the region of a joint to a predetermined reaction temperature; and applying material of the joining element to the region of the joint with a relative movement taking place between the joining element and the region of the joint.

Abstract: A spindle head for performing friction stir welding includes concentric spindle shafts driven by stacked, coaxial motors contained within a spindle housing. The coaxial arrangement of the motors results in a more compact package. Each of the motors is concentrically arranged around one of the spindles by directly connecting a rotor of the motor to a spindle shaft. The stators of the motors are mounted on the housing and are concentrically arranged around the concentric spindle shafts.

Abstract: A control system for a thermal stir welding system is provided. The control system includes a sensor and a controller. The sensor is coupled to the welding system's containment plate assembly and generates signals indicative of temperature of a region adjacent and parallel to the welding system's stir rod. The controller is coupled to the sensor and generates at least one control signal using the sensor signals indicative of temperature. The controller is also coupled to the welding system such that at least one of rotational speed of the stir rod, heat supplied by the welding system's induction heater, and feed speed of the welding system's weld material feeder are controlled based on the control signal(s).

Abstract: The invention utilizes vibration control, precision manufacturing tolerances for certain components of the system, and techniques for limiting thermal expansion of components, including passive insulation and active cooling techniques, in order to enable high speed tool rotation for Friction Stir Spot Joining of Advanced High Strength Steels.

Abstract: A heating process makes a temperature of joining surfaces Wa and Ta of a pair of metal parts W and T at the start of a first joining process equal to 20% or greater, preferably, 40% or greater of a melting point of material of the metal parts W and T. The heating process makes a heating depth h of the pair of metal parts W and T at the start of the first joining process equal to 1.0 mm or greater.

Abstract: A method of friction welding a workpiece and a component part is disclosed. The workpiece has a weld surface that is coextensive with at least a portion of a virtual surface, which is symmetric about an axis, and the component part includes a complementary surface that conforms to the weld surface. The method includes angularly oscillating the workpiece about the axis; urging the weld surface and the complementary surface together with a first predetermined force to create a plasticized region between the workpiece and the component part; urging the weld surface and the complementary surface together with a second predetermined force; discontinuing angularly oscillating the workpiece; urging the weld surface and the complementary surface together with a third predetermined force; and discontinuing to urge the weld surface and the complementary surface together when the workpiece and the component part coalesce.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for connecting two energy storage assemblies (10) together, each energy storage assembly including a sealed metal housing, in which: a connector strip (30), which is sized so as to contact the end surface of each of the housings, is positioned on the end surfaces (24) of two housings arranged side by side; and the strip is friction-stir welded to each of the housings.

Abstract: Tenons can be installed at the ends of turbine blades by applying a solid state bonding procedure such as a friction welding technique to join the tenons to the turbine blades. The tenons can be employed to assemble the turbine blades to one or more covers for the turbine blades. The tenons can be installed in connection with the restoration of tenons for turbine buckets in steam turbines and in connection with the renovation of rotor assemblies that include turbine blades secured to a common disk, tenons located at one end of respective turbine blades and one or more covers secured to the turbine blades by means of the tenons. In instances in which tenon remnants are present at the ends of the turbine blades, tenon enlargement elements can be joined to the tenon remnants by the solid state bonding procedure. The tenon installations can be carried out in situ.

Abstract: A probe for friction stir welding MMCs, ferrous alloys, non-ferrous alloys, and superalloys, as well as non-ferrous alloys, the probe including a shank, a shoulder, and a pin disposed through the shoulder and into the shank, wherein the pin and the shoulder at least include a coating comprised of a superabrasive material, the pin and shoulder being designed to reduce stress risers, disposing a collar around a portion of the shoulder and the shank to thereby prevent movement of the shoulder relative to the shank, and incorporating thermal management by providing a thermal flow barrier between the shoulder and the shank, and between the collar and the tool.

Abstract: A friction stir processing apparatus comprises a tool, a processing head retaining the tool, a support table retaining the workpiece, and a cylinder unit biasing the support table toward the tool. The tool having a probe projecting from a shoulder surface, for performing friction stir processing on a workpiece made of a metal material. The processing head is pressing the tool against the workpiece so as to relatively shift the tool in a processing direction. The friction stir processing apparatus comprises load control means for controlling to constantly keep the bias force of the cylinder unit so as to constantly keep pressurizing force of the tool pressing the workpiece. It is thus possible to perform friction stir processing with excellent quality even when the workpiece has a different thickness or is made of a different material.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a long length of coiled metal tubing or the like using friction stir welding. Successive lengths of metal strip are friction stir welded using a three-pass welding technique to eliminate any edge defects in the resulting strip. The method includes one or more three-pass friction stir welding routines, each of which includes a first pass performed using a tool having a first rotational direction and a spiral bit pattern corresponding to the first rotational direction; a second pass using a tool having a second rotational direction and a spiral bit pattern corresponding to the second rotational direction; and a third pass using a tool having said second rotational direction and a spiral bit pattern corresponding to the second rotational direction.

Abstract: A low-temperature friction-based coating method termed friction stir fabrication (FSF) is disclosed, in which material is deposited onto a substrate and subsequently stirred into the substrate using friction stir processing to homogenize and refine the microstructure. This solid-state process is capable of depositing coatings, including nanocrystalline aluminum and/or metal matrix composites and the like, onto substrates such as aluminum at relatively low temperatures. A method of making rod stock for use in the FSF process is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing coiled tubing comprises joining two portions of parent stock metal by friction stir welding. The adjoining portions of said two portions of parent stock metal are first reduced to a deformable plastic state, and then allowed to cool in such a manner that there is no re-crystallization of parent stock metal in a resulting weld.

Abstract: First and second aluminum alloy materials (2, 3), each comprised of a 5000-series aluminum alloy containing second phase particles having a diameter less than 5 ?m in a distribution density of less than or equal to 10,000 second phase particles/mm2, are welded together by abutting portions of the first and second aluminum alloy materials, and friction stir welding along the abutted portions (5) to form an integrally-welded aluminum alloy panel (1). The friction stir welding is performed using a tool (8) having a shoulder (10) under the following conditions: (i) the shoulder of the tool has a diameter (d) in the range of 3 mm?d?8 mm and (ii) the revolution number (r) of the tool is 6<r?20, wherein r is tool revolutions/length of the weld (4) in millimeters.

Abstract: A method for the production of a piston for an internal combustion engine, in which a piston blank is forged, which is subsequently separated into two parts, to form an upper piston part and a lower piston part, after which the lower piston part and the upper piston part are machined and then welded to one another. Subsequently, the piston is finished. During forging of the piston blank, the top of the piston blank is partly given the shape of the underside of the upper piston part, and the underside of the piston blank is given the shape that corresponds to the interior of the lower piston part. After forging of the piston blank and before separation of the upper piston part from the lower piston part, the top of the piston blank is given the finished shape of the underside of the upper piston part by a cutting machining method.

Abstract: A system includes a unit of a first part, and a proximal portion through an intermediate portion extended by a distal portion including a first extremity surface. A second part with a second portion includes a second surface to be friction welded with the extremity surface. A second portion is bordered laterally by a lateral surface and has a proximal portion, which extends through an intermediate portion extended by a distal portion. The distal portion of the second portion is carried in a malleable state during a friction welding. The intermediate portion of the second portion flares from the distal portion by the second towards and till the proximal portion of the second portion such that the bead of material from the deformation of the distal portion of the second portion during welding rubs against the lateral surface of the intermediate portion of the second portion during welding.

Abstract: Provided is a method of producing a liquid-cooled jacket wherein deformation of a seal body can be minimized.

Abstract: A system and method for using Friction Stir Spot Joining (FSSJ) to join workpieces made of Advanced High Strength Steels (AHSS), wherein a first embodiment is a FSSJ tool that has no surface features, and wherein the rate of rotation of the FSSJ tool is much higher than is used in other FSW techniques to thereby reduce torque by causing plasticization of the AHSS on a small scale, and in a second embodiment, conventional FSSJ tools can be used at conventional FSSJ speeds if the FSSJ tool is manufactured from conductive tool materials having a high hardness, and heating of the FSSJ tool and/or the workpieces enhances the ability of the FSSJ tool to functionally weld the AHSS.

Abstract: A friction stir welding method for a metal material for longitudinally welding members to be butted and then welded with complicated shape portions in section at end portions. The friction stir welding method includes preparing members to be welded and formed with excess thickness portions and a welding tool provided with a probe; performing a first welding to the members to be welded; inserting the welding tool from the excess thickness portion to cause plastic flow of the metal material subsequent to the butt-welding; and performing a second welding.

Abstract: A method is provided for repairing a damaged rotor blade on an integrally bladed rotor by removing a damaged portion of a damaged blade leaving a blade stub extending outwardly from the disk and performing a linear friction welding operation to attach a replacement blade segment to the blade stub. The rotor may be disposed operation using a linear friction welding apparatus. The method includes disposing a support collar about the blade stub and securing the support collar to the linear friction welding apparatus prior to a commencement of the bonding operation. A lower surface of the support collar is contoured to mate with a portion of an outer circumference surface of the rotor disk.

Abstract: This invention provides a method for inspecting a joined region and joining strength of a joined object formed by a spot friction stir joining process. In this method, an ultrasonic wave is introduced into the joined object from a backing face 25 opposed to a joining tool plunging face 24 and the ultrasonic wave reflected from the joined object 20 is taken in. In this case, the joining region 21 and the joining strength is estimated by observing a reflected wave of the ultrasonic wave in the vicinity of a position, along a reference direction Z, corresponding to an interface 27 of two joining members, without using the reflected wave of the ultrasonic wave reflected from the joining tool plunging face, thereby inspecting the joined object based on the estimation result.

Abstract: In the method for welding a hollow structure of the present invention, a rib is placed between a first joining member and a second joining member, and friction stir welding and fixing a place where the rib is placed between the first and the second joining member are conducted. Thus, friction stir welding is accomplished without changing the shape of an extrusion part or partly changing the shape of the extrusion part with insertion of a simply shaped rib.

Abstract: A system and method for providing a mandrel that can be used to react the loads that are created by a friction stir joining tool as it performs friction stir joining of tubulars, the mandrel selected from a disposable mandrel, a partially disposable mandrel, a reusable mandrel, and a mandrel that is partially disposable and partially reusable.

Abstract: A mandrel tool probe is provided for performing a friction-stir process. The mandrel tool probe includes a shank and a tip coupled to the shank, where the shank and tip are concentric and rotatable about a given axis. The tip includes a set of a plurality of physically-separate, spiraled surfaces each of which has a linear or curved cross-section that extends along a length of the tip at a constant or varying spiral angle around the circumference of the tip. The tip also has a cross-section with a constant shape along the length of the tip, with the cross-section of the tip including a plurality of major segments each of which is formed of the cross-section of a respective spiraled surface.

Abstract: A two-piece piston is formed by friction welding an upper member to a lower member, wherein the upper and lower members are precision cast to net final dimensions such that no post-casting machining is required prior to the friction-welding process. The upper member includes a substantially flat crown and combustion surface extending radially inward from the crown. The lower member includes a pair of opposing skirts, each having a bore formed therethrough for receiving a connecting rod pin. The upper member and lower member each include at least two corresponding connecting surfaces that form a welded joint therebetween when the upper and lower members are friction welded together. The finished piston includes an integral cooling oil reservoir adjacent to the combustion surface.

Abstract: A welded assembly characterized by improved structural integrity includes a first component disposed along a first plane. The first component includes first and second substantially parallel surfaces, and also includes a channel arranged on the first surface. The welded assembly also includes a second component disposed along a second plane, wherein the second component includes a leading edge. The leading edge of the second component is inserted into the channel of the first component such that an interface is formed between the first and second components. A weld generated on the second surface joins the first component with the second component at the interface such that the assembly is formed. The subject weld may be a friction-stir type of a weld. The subject welded assembly may be a vehicle bumper support. A method of forming such a welded assembly is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for friction stir welding is provided. The method may include beginning a friction stir welding operation by directing a rotating friction stir welding tool along a joint between two parts. A temperature of the resulting weld may be measured. Thereby, a controller may adjust process parameters associated with the friction stir welding process to decrease a difference between desired and measured temperatures of the weld. The desired temperature may correspond to a temperature at which the parts are plasticized. The process parameters may include rotational speed of the friction stir welding tool, feed rate, axial force along the length of the friction stir welding tool, and tilt angle of the friction stir welding tool.

Abstract: A battery pack for use in a vehicle may comprise battery cells, with each of the battery cells including a main body and a foil cell tab extending from the main body, with the battery cells arranged into a first set and a second set; an interconnect having a first leg, a second leg, and a bridge connecting the legs; first weld locations securing the foil cell tabs of the first set of battery cells to the first leg; and second weld locations securing the foil cell tabs of the second set of battery cells to the second leg. The foil cell tabs or the legs of the interconnect or both may include relief slots extending between the weld locations. Also, the thickness of a set of the tabs may be equal to the thickness of the leg to which they are welded.

Abstract: A hybrid welding apparatus, and a system and method for welding at least two adjacent components having a large gap of approximately 3.0 millimeters that results in a full-penetration weld is provided. The welding system includes a hybrid welder having a defocused laser beam, an electric arc welder, and at least one bridge piece adjacent to one or more of the at least two adjacent components. The defocused laser beam and the electric arc welder are arranged and disposed to direct energy onto the at least two adjacent components to create a common molten pool operable to provide a full penetration weld to bridge the gap at a high constant weld speed, thereby joining the two adjacent components with a weld.

Abstract: A method of repairing and a repaired friction stir welded assembly is disclosed. The friction stir welded assembly repair may include the steps of: drilling a hole through a discrepant portion of the friction stir welded assembly; sliding a mandrel head and a tubular rivet body of a rivet assembly through the hole; seating a rivet head and an adhesive/sealer washer against one of the first workpiece and the second workpiece, with the adhesive/sealer washer located between portions of the rivet head and body and the friction stir welded assembly; pulling a mandrel to cause the mandrel head to create an upset portion of the rivet body engaging the friction stir welded assembly; and curing the adhesive/sealer washer.

Abstract: Methods, devices, and systems for providing certification of friction stir welds are disclosed. A sensor is used to collect information related to a friction stir weld. Data from the sensor is compared to threshold values provided by an extrinsic standard setting organizations using a certification engine. The certification engine subsequently produces a report on the certification status of the weld.

Abstract: A hole in a metal workpiece is filled by friction plug welding. The weld between the workpiece and the plug is reinforced by a weld land in the workpiece that surrounds one end of the plug. The weld land is formed by extruding a portion of the plug into a cavity in an anvil used in the welding process.

Abstract: A component is formed by welding a plurality of sheets of metal to form a blank with a number of weld nuggets, placing the blank between a die section and a lid section, heating the die section to heat the blank, and introducing a pressurized gas between the lid section and the die section to press the blank into a mold in the die section to form a component. The number of weld nuggets has a desired thickness ratio between about 1.1 to about 1.25 such that the plurality of sheets of metal and the component formed have a number of characteristics that are substantially the same.

Abstract: A friction stir tool has an axis of rotation and a welding tip that is made of powdered metal material.

Abstract: A method of welding that realizes enhancements of airtightness and watertightness at weld area and a method of welding and method of friction stir welding that attain an enhancement of welding operation efficiency/speed. There is provided a method of welding including the first primary welding step of carrying out a friction stir welding on the abutting portion (J1) of metal members (1,1) from the surface (12) side of metal member (1) and the second primary welding step of carrying out a friction stir welding on the abutting portion (J1) from the reverse face (13) side of the member (1), wherein in the second primary welding step, the friction stir welding is performed while penetrating a stifling pin (B2) of rotation tool (B) in plasticized region (W1) foamed in the first primary welding step.

Abstract: In a method for mounting an element or component having at least one metal surface in or on a circuit board containing at least one conducting layer made of metal material, a connection between the at least one metal surface of the element and the at least one conducting layer of the circuit board is formed using ultrasonic welding or high-frequency friction welding in order to create a mechanically stable and resistant connection or attachment having good conductivity. Furthermore, a circuit board is disclosed in which at least one element or component having a metal surface is or can be connected to a conducting or conductive layer of the circuit board using ultrasonic welding or high-frequency friction welding.

Abstract: A friction stir welding apparatus includes: a thermocouple and a temperature measurement device which are configured to detect a temperature of the temperature measurement point; a temperature monitor configured to calculate an estimated temperature of the welding tool from the detected temperature of the temperature measurement point, based on a predefined correlation between a temperature of the welding tool and a temperature of the backing member; and a controller configured to perform a predetermined procedure based on the estimated temperature of the welding tool so as to prevent overheating of the welding tool.

Abstract: A system and method of using a friction stir tool having a bit that is at least partially consumable may be improved by providing enhanced cutting geometries on the bit, modifying stop times to improve bit joining, including automated tracking in an automatic friction bit joining method, providing automated feeding and automated friction bit joining, making the friction bit joining system portable, enabling the friction stir tool to be usable by a robotic device or as a handheld device, friction bit joining a plurality of different layers even if only a base material is solid-state joinable with the consumable bit, performing metal stitching on traditionally unweldable materials, performing solid-state plug welding, and operating the friction bit tool at variable RPMs in order to improve bit joining characteristics.

Abstract: A method for friction stir welding two components, with a rotating tool that comprises a rotating or non-rotating shoulder surface for subjecting the components to a process force in the region of a joining zone, and with a stirring pin for stirring plasticized material or for plasticizing and stirring the components in the region of the joining zone, in which method a stirring pin with a section slidably plunges in a slide on which the components are supported, which slide is guided along the joining zone on a side of the component, which side faces away from the tool, so that during welding an automatic relative movement between the stirring pin and the slide or the shoulder surface of the tool and a support surface of the slide, which support surface supports the components, is made possible, as well as a device for implementing such a method.

Abstract: A system and method for holding a friction stir processing material in place on a substrate having a curved surface for the purpose of mixing the friction stir processing material into the curved substrate using a solid-state process, wherein the system includes selecting one of a variety of mechanical means of attaching the friction stir processing material to the substrate that will enable friction stir processing to be performed that is economical, efficient and safe.

Abstract: A preform for use in forming a structural assembly is provided. The preform can be formed by linear friction welding structural members to a base member and friction welding each structural member to at least one of the other structural members. The resulting preform can be formed with dimensions and a configuration that approximate the dimensions and configuration of the structural assembly.

Abstract: A method is provided for forming a metallurgical bond. A first metal workpiece and one or more second metal workpieces are brought into proximity to one another such that a first portion of the first workpiece is in general overlying relationship with a second portion of the one or more second workpieces. A suitable material is provided between said first portion and said second portion, said material being in the form of particles or foil. At least a first part of said first workpiece comprising said first portion is forced toward said a part of the one or more second workpiece comprising said second portion by means of any one of a suitable high pressure joining process and a high speed joining process, such as to cause the said first metal workpiece and said one or more second metal workpieces to become joined or welded to one another to form a metallurgical bond therebetween.

Abstract: A method is taught for creating a hollow sphere that is created by joining two cylinders together that have a semispherical hollow formed in the ends being joined together, wherein a metallic reinforcing disk is inserted at an interface between the two ends of the cylinders, wherein the two cylinders and reinforcing disk are joined using friction stir welding to create an inner sphere from the two hemispherical hollows that is bisected by the metallic reinforcing disk, and wherein the joined cylinders and reinforcing disk are machined to thereby create an outer spherical surface that is centered around the inner sphere.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a friction-welded connection between a plurality of superimposed flat components held together by a connecting member, wherein a collar of said connecting member rests on an upper component and the front end of said connecting member forms a friction-welding zone with a lower component, said friction-welding zone being produced by rotation and pressure of the connecting member. After formation of the friction-welding zone, the rotation of the connecting member ceases at the end of a first step and, in a second step, upon cessation of the rotation of the connecting member prior to contact of the collar with the upper component, a pressure is exerted on the connecting member by a pressure-applying tool, said pressure pressing the collar against the upper component because of a deformation.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a panel structure in which a reference position of a first frame in an axial direction is first welded to one face of a face plate, a not-yet-welded position closest to the reference position in the axial direction is second welded to the one face, and welding is performed discontinuously to the one face from the not-yet-welded position closest to the reference position at portions on both sides in the axial direction on the basis of the reference position.

Abstract: The present application relates to a method of manufacturing a heat sink from a plurality of extruded lamellas, each lamella including a base portion having a top surface, a bottom surface, and two side surfaces, each lamella further including a fin portion extending from the top surface of the base portion, wherein the base portion is wider than the fin portion. The method includes aligning the base portions of the plurality of lamellas with the fin portion of each lamella extending in the same direction and the side surfaces of adjacent base portions facing each other; pressing the base portions of adjacent lamellas into contact with each other by applying a force to the side surface of at least one of the base portions; and welding the bottom surfaces of adjacent base portions together. A heat sink and a lamella for use in manufacturing a heat sink are also disclosed.