I developed a friction stir welding process over 14 years ago for automotive applications including sealing electronic enclosures and cooling applications for power inverters (similar to the example in this video). It was one of the most interesting projects I ever worked on.
@@Patrik6920 Not sure what you mean by cooling problem. If you are asking about cooling the part during/after welding, it is not a problem as the heat is very localized to the weld area. If you are referring to the cooling application for power inverters, it was sealing a cooling chamber on an aluminum housing where the electronics were mounted. The coolant was pumped through a finned chamber where the power devices were mounted to the back side. The housing was die cast with the finned chamber and we FSW a cover over the chamber to seal it.
@@Patrik6920 We were using CPM9V for the weld tools for aluminum. I know other companies using more exotic materials for the weld tool when welding steel.
@@Patrik6920 We used CPM9V for welding aluminum. More exotic materials are used for welding steels. Some machines have the ability to run coolant into the weld tool.
Please lower the music in future videos or get rid of it all together. It is hard to hear you clearly, especially with the music. That was a good demonstration... TY
I’m a bit confused with the lack of apparent heat in the process.. the other friction welding (without the stir) videos I’ve seen clearly show the parts heating up to cherry red. Does this process not involve the same temperatures?
Hi @pauldmann1166, great question! In conventional friction welding, the parts heat up to high temperatures, often glowing red. However, in Friction Stir Welding (FSW), the rotating tool generates sufficient heat to soften the material without reaching the same high temperatures. This allows for a solid-state weld with less visible heat.
In this video, there's no specific demonstration of orbital or 3D welding, but there are other applications in which we do perform it. Stay tuned for our future videos, soon we'll be demonstrating orbital welding for a tube.
It's going to be interesting to see if this works better in Low Earth Orbit then traditional stick welding techniques. It appears you did Aluminium in the example, what was the tool tip made from? What is the hardest metal the method can weld?
To weld aluminum, the tool is made out of steel. It is possible to weld steel, but the tool material, cost and lifetime are main challenges. Thus, the process is more mature on softer and lower fusion point materials (copper, aluminum, brass, ...).
@@Stirweld I believe Blue Origin is using Stir Welding for some of it's tank and support structures on the New Glenn rocket where Aluminium is used, but SpaceX's use of Stainless Steel requires a more traditional arc welding process, MiG or TiG, for thier Starship and Superheavy vehicles. Vehicles assembled in orbit from lightweight materials mined in space, may be able to use arc based methods, but I wonder if Stir machinery would use less electrical power, and be less strain on Solar and Battery systems.
Looks like it's best suited for high part count production. Making a dedicated jig for one-offs or short runs would be expensive. I'd like to see the bend test go the other way, so that the backside is put in tension. For that matter I'm curious why you didn't show the backside at all. Also looks like taking the seam to the edge is problematic.
You are right, FSW is relevant for large batches or high added-value parts. We welded in partial penetration in this video, just for easy demonstration : feel free to contact us if you want to get full penetration and successful root bending examples. The tool must plunge and rise vertically, so run-in/run-out strips can be needed for edges management on the applications that requires it.
It's normal; Friction Stir Welding doesn't reach the material's melting point. It's a "cold" welding process. The temperature initiated by the rotating FSW tool is high enough to soften the aluminum but not make it liquid, allowing the material to be joined together without melting. 😉
@@Iowa599 LOL probably. It also takes several hundred pounds of lateral force to move the weld tool through the material. Take notice of the wobble as the bit is driven into the plates at the start of the video.
No, actually, Friction Stir Welding (FSW) can be used on various metals, not just aluminum. This technique is commonly applied to aluminum alloys, but it's also effective with copper, magnesium, and certain steel alloys. FSW can even be used to join dissimilar metals, like aluminum and copper, or aluminum and steel. The process is particularly advantageous for metals that are difficult to weld using traditional fusion methods due to its solid-state nature, which reduces defects and enhances joint strength!
Pas besoin de parler anglais pour voir que vous êtes français ! 😂 c'est excellent c'est une vrai solution, qui peut être utile dans énormément d'usage. On pourrais même amélioré ce processus (je penses) avec une températureplus élevée, pour ne pas donner une contrainte trop forte sur la broche. Pensant que votre CN est tout d'abord d'usage classique (type usinage).
Oui, nous sommes Français et utilisons l'Anglais pour rendre accessible cette technologie au plus grand nombre. Et effectivement la machine que vous pouvez voir dans la vidéo est une machine d'usinage classique avec notre tête de soudage FSW intégrée qui permet de faire du soudage par friction malaxe, rendant votre CNC totalement hybdride !
Oui j'ai bien reconnu vos CN HAAS... bonnes machines. Est ce que vous travaillez pour des particuliers ? Pour des usagers professionnelles, voulant faire un travail à titre "personnel"...
Nous travaillons exclusivement avec des entreprises, mais si vous avez un centre d'usinage, notre technologie est compatible avec presque toutes les machines du marché. Vous pouvez nous contacter si ça vous intéresse : contact@stirweld.com
FSW is versatile and valuable for many applications, such as low-pressure and vacuum tanks, train floors, shipbuilding, battery boxes, aluminum cold plates, busbars, flange assemblies, heat sink assemblies, and more! Robotic welding is a fantastic choice for numerous scenarios, which is why we've developed a specialized Friction Stir Welding spindle for high-payload robots. 😊
Thank you for your comment. Each welding method has its strengths: FSW is excellent for high-quality welds and challenging materials (casted, 2xxx and 7xxx aluminum), offering great mechanical integrity and perfectly leakproof seams. Laser welding is faster but comes with higher equipment costs and complexity, and poorer quality.
I developed a friction stir welding process over 14 years ago for automotive applications including sealing electronic enclosures and cooling applications for power inverters (similar to the example in this video). It was one of the most interesting projects I ever worked on.
q: how did u solve the cooling problem?
@@Patrik6920 Not sure what you mean by cooling problem. If you are asking about cooling the part during/after welding, it is not a problem as the heat is very localized to the weld area.
If you are referring to the cooling application for power inverters, it was sealing a cooling chamber on an aluminum housing where the electronics were mounted. The coolant was pumped through a finned chamber where the power devices were mounted to the back side. The housing was die cast with the finned chamber and we FSW a cover over the chamber to seal it.
@@blchandl2 was refering to the tool used to produce the friction..
@@Patrik6920 We were using CPM9V for the weld tools for aluminum. I know other companies using more exotic materials for the weld tool when welding steel.
@@Patrik6920 We used CPM9V for welding aluminum. More exotic materials are used for welding steels. Some machines have the ability to run coolant into the weld tool.
Please lower the music in future videos or get rid of it all together.
It is hard to hear you clearly, especially with the music.
That was a good demonstration... TY
Noted for next time. Thanks for your feedback.
Wow wait a pleasure to view. Clear information well produced great video and interesting music. Thanks!
Thank you very much for your feedback, I hope it has been a great learning experience for you about FSW! 😊
This is an amazing thing to do. It seems quick, easy and pretty strong too.
Thank you! I hope this has sparked some inspiration for you. ☺
Friction Stir Welding is very impressive. I subscribed and gave a 👍up.
Thank you so much for your support! We'll keep on spreading the word about this great technology. 😊
Great video, lose the music
I don't mind it at all. Personal preference for sure
The music doesn’t belong in a video like this. This isn’t a TikTok
I’m a bit confused with the lack of apparent heat in the process.. the other friction welding (without the stir) videos I’ve seen clearly show the parts heating up to cherry red. Does this process not involve the same temperatures?
Hi @pauldmann1166, great question! In conventional friction welding, the parts heat up to high temperatures, often glowing red. However, in Friction Stir Welding (FSW), the rotating tool generates sufficient heat to soften the material without reaching the same high temperatures. This allows for a solid-state weld with less visible heat.
Is there 3d stir welding? Such as the tubing on a roll cage or something like that?
In this video, there's no specific demonstration of orbital or 3D welding, but there are other applications in which we do perform it. Stay tuned for our future videos, soon we'll be demonstrating orbital welding for a tube.
It's going to be interesting to see if this works better in Low Earth Orbit then traditional stick welding techniques.
It appears you did Aluminium in the example, what was the tool tip made from?
What is the hardest metal the method can weld?
To weld aluminum, the tool is made out of steel.
It is possible to weld steel, but the tool material, cost and lifetime are main challenges. Thus, the process is more mature on softer and lower fusion point materials (copper, aluminum, brass, ...).
@@Stirweld I believe Blue Origin is using Stir Welding for some of it's tank and support structures on the New Glenn rocket where Aluminium is used, but SpaceX's use of Stainless Steel requires a more traditional arc welding process, MiG or TiG, for thier Starship and Superheavy vehicles.
Vehicles assembled in orbit from lightweight materials mined in space, may be able to use arc based methods, but I wonder if Stir machinery would use less electrical power, and be less strain on Solar and Battery systems.
interesting. does it still work for powder metallurgy produced materials?
Yes. No problem while the powder material is aluminium or copper
You mentioned that a special clamp is needed for welding, but not the humungous machine that makes it happen.
Yea, ditch the *noise* (some people call it "music") please
Looks like it's best suited for high part count production. Making a dedicated jig for one-offs or short runs would be expensive. I'd like to see the bend test go the other way, so that the backside is put in tension. For that matter I'm curious why you didn't show the backside at all. Also looks like taking the seam to the edge is problematic.
You are right, FSW is relevant for large batches or high added-value parts.
We welded in partial penetration in this video, just for easy demonstration : feel free to contact us if you want to get full penetration and successful root bending examples.
The tool must plunge and rise vertically, so run-in/run-out strips can be needed for edges management on the applications that requires it.
This is amazing and the penetration you are getting with this weld is very impressive. How long does the friction piece last?
Thank you! Under optimized conditions, the FSW is designed to withstand depths of up to 1.5 km. 😊
Work with 7075?
Yes, it works for 7075, and for any other aluminum alloy 😊
What would be the challenges with FSW mitered tube joints, such as a bike frame in 7075? Too thin tube walls + need for 4 or 5 axis machine?
For more specific requests, such as your project, I encourage you to contact us via this link: bit.ly/3xeK06O ☺
Interesting, but how does it work? I see no heat.
It's normal; Friction Stir Welding doesn't reach the material's melting point. It's a "cold" welding process. The temperature initiated by the rotating FSW tool is high enough to soften the aluminum but not make it liquid, allowing the material to be joined together without melting. 😉
That's a very impressive machine.
Nothing impressive here. It's simply a classic CNC machine to which we've added our FSW welding head. 😉
How can I do that with a hand drill?
You need several hundred pounds of down force while moving the bit through the weld path.
@@blchandl2 so about an inch (~2.5cm), then the drill bearings will also be welded.
@@Iowa599 LOL probably. It also takes several hundred pounds of lateral force to move the weld tool through the material. Take notice of the wobble as the bit is driven into the plates at the start of the video.
try to weld a pipe with that or do some work in a tight space ?
ah yes, they made my favorite rapper: Tuparts Sekure
That’s insane 😳
jesus, I’ve seen what you do with stir friction welding and I want that for me
Only aluminum?
No, actually, Friction Stir Welding (FSW) can be used on various metals, not just aluminum. This technique is commonly applied to aluminum alloys, but it's also effective with copper, magnesium, and certain steel alloys. FSW can even be used to join dissimilar metals, like aluminum and copper, or aluminum and steel. The process is particularly advantageous for metals that are difficult to weld using traditional fusion methods due to its solid-state nature, which reduces defects and enhances joint strength!
Pas besoin de parler anglais pour voir que vous êtes français ! 😂 c'est excellent c'est une vrai solution, qui peut être utile dans énormément d'usage. On pourrais même amélioré ce processus (je penses) avec une températureplus élevée, pour ne pas donner une contrainte trop forte sur la broche. Pensant que votre CN est tout d'abord d'usage classique (type usinage).
Oui, nous sommes Français et utilisons l'Anglais pour rendre accessible cette technologie au plus grand nombre. Et effectivement la machine que vous pouvez voir dans la vidéo est une machine d'usinage classique avec notre tête de soudage FSW intégrée qui permet de faire du soudage par friction malaxe, rendant votre CNC totalement hybdride !
Oui j'ai bien reconnu vos CN HAAS... bonnes machines.
Est ce que vous travaillez pour des particuliers ? Pour des usagers professionnelles, voulant faire un travail à titre "personnel"...
Nous travaillons exclusivement avec des entreprises, mais si vous avez un centre d'usinage, notre technologie est compatible avec presque toutes les machines du marché. Vous pouvez nous contacter si ça vous intéresse : contact@stirweld.com
It's good, but it's only useful for certain applications.
I still see Robotic Welding as better choice 👍
FSW is versatile and valuable for many applications, such as low-pressure and vacuum tanks, train floors, shipbuilding, battery boxes, aluminum cold plates, busbars, flange assemblies, heat sink assemblies, and more! Robotic welding is a fantastic choice for numerous scenarios, which is why we've developed a specialized Friction Stir Welding spindle for high-payload robots. 😊
it abgers ne he didnt go all yhe eay to the end
That looked like a very unhappy spindle with huge deflections when it first started to penetrate the work. That's not going to do it a lot of good.
This is a video on welding? I thought i was in a jazz lounge.
Glad to hear you were comfortable watching the welding session. 🤗
Ditch the music please
There are better processes for the time it takes and outcome. Laser welding is the future. This is niche market at best
Thank you for your comment. Each welding method has its strengths: FSW is excellent for high-quality welds and challenging materials (casted, 2xxx and 7xxx aluminum), offering great mechanical integrity and perfectly leakproof seams. Laser welding is faster but comes with higher equipment costs and complexity, and poorer quality.
Stokes Groves
15000 people were dummy.😂😂
Music sucks.