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Friction Welding

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What is friction welding?

It is a solid-state welding process that generates heat through mechanical friction between workpieces in relative motion to one another, with the addition of a lateral force called “upset” to plastically displace and fuse the materials. Because no melting occurs, friction welding is not a fusion welding process in the traditional sense, but more of a forge welding technique. Friction welding is used with metals and thermoplastics in a wide variety of aviation and automotive applications

Why use friction welding?

The benefits of friction welding are numerous. Amongst other things, friction welding allows components to retain the strength of its parent material. In situations where one part of the component demands very specific capabilities (i.e. stainless, corrosion resistance) and another does not, friction welding eliminates the need for building components out a solid piece of expensive material. These all add up to savings through the entire production process, from using only the right material for the right job, and saving money on CNC machining.

Knowledge is key

We have built up our expert knowledge about friction welding and we have refined our manufacturing process over the years. Please have a look at our knowledge library for brief information and tips & tricks.

Please, book a meeting with us if your questions remain unanswered.

On this page we have gathered different ressources. Whether it is interest in the process of friction welding, or tips & tricks for designing with friction welding in mind, this is your one-stop solution.

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Friction welding utilized

The history of rotary friction welding goes back several decades. The automotive and aerospace industries have both utilized friction welding for years. Relying on the strength of the welds and possiblities afforded by using expensive materials only where needed.

Thomson has been Aviatec’s main supplier of friction welding machines. As of 2020 Aviatec has three friction welding machines at their disposal. Combined with the modern CNC lathes Aviatec is able to assist with the production requirements are customers have.

These are pages from a Thomson Friction Welder brochure, highlighting the many parts for the automotive industry that are often friction welded.

Publications

In this section you will find a list of publications and articles written about us, with us or about friction welding in general.

Contact us if you have any information or questions

Literature Review of Friction Welding Research – march 9, 2020

“This literature review is the startup of a project regarding an analysis of rotary friction welds. The statement to be investigated is that cylindrical elements joined by means of friction welding are stronger/harder than similar elements joined by classical welding methods.This statement is based on experience from an automotive parts supplier and has withstood the test of time.Therefore, this literature review will cover literature on friction welding in general, and more specifically on rotary friction welding. It will also give an overview of experimental results in literature, regarding a varietyof different material combinations. Due to the task of analyzing the welding theoretically, we will also review the use of mathematical models for prediction of temperatures and hardening processes in the weld components.”

Authors

  • Lars Duggen, Associate Professor, PhD, Head of Mechatronics Programme, Syddansk Universitet, Sønderborg
  • Andrei Popa, MSc. Mechatronics Engineering, Syddansk Universitet, Sønderborg

If you are interested in reading more from this article, please contact us here for full access.

Materials combinations

Friction welding material combination small

There are many types of metals – and for each one them there are certain strengths and weaknesses when it comes to friction welding.

Here is a chart of materials combinations that are tested, have known requirements or are unweldable.

If there are questions regarding a material combination or similar, please contact us.

For further questions, please see our FAQ.