Ken Stissel with C.R. Onsrud (Troutman, North Carolina) offers a sneak peek into a super cool process — friction stir welding & machining on the same machine. Although he can’t mention for whom this machine is being built or what they’re making with it, Ken got the application department to give a simple example of this incredible technology.
What is Friction Stir Welding?
With the use of minimal heat (caused by friction) and high pressure, the friction stir welding technique blends (stirs) softened particles together at the seam to fuse (weld) different parts into one molecularly cohesive piece. This unique welding process can produce defect-free bonds without the use of flux, fillers, or a shielding agent.
The solid state joining process that friction stir welding provides is ideal when you need a seamlessly strong bond without the added weight caused by bolts or rivets, for example. This method also solves for materials that otherwise would be difficult to weld: aluminum alloys, copper, magnesium, titanium, steel, stainless steel, nickel, lead, zinc, and thermoplastics.
Friction stir welding is an eco-friendly welding process that provides health safety benefits by bonding materials without producing fumes, smoke, radiation, or arc glare. You produce butt welds, T-joints, L-joints, and circumferential configurations all in a single pass. While other methods of welding can be slow, leave uneven bonds that can distort under stress, and require skilled laborers, friction stir welding brings with it the advantage of a clean, safe, automated process for consistent defect-free bonds and repeatable results. Not only does it deliver higher joint strength than many other methods, but the fused area in most cases is stronger than the individual base materials.
The Advantages of C.R. Onsrud’s 2-in-1 Machining Solution:
- Reduces material handling.
- Reduces changeover time.
- Reduces additional fixturing.
- Eliminates the need for a second machine to complete a part (which costs money, takes up floor space, and often requires another operator to run it).
- Drills, mills, taps, and saws without having to reposition your workpiece.
- Operates as a normal mill when you’re not friction stir welding.
Typically, a part is not complete after the friction stir welding process. When removing a leftover burr, tapping threaded holes, milling slots, or sawing off end pieces, another machine is most often needed. This is where C.R. Onsrud’s 2-in-1 machine solution truly takes your manufacturing to a new level. You can friction stir weld and perform drilling, milling, tapping, and/or sawing without ever moving that part once.
Common applications:
Electronics – heat exchangers, enclosures
Automotive – trailer blanks, body panels, trailer decks
Electric Vehicle – battery trays, skateboard assemblies, drive & brake cooling system
Defense – armored vehicle, satellite housing
Aerospace – propellant tanks, capsule assemblies
Aviation – spun-formed lip skins, fuselage
Marine – bulkhead and deck assemblies
Energy – canisters, piping systems
Railcar – single and dual wall body panels
R&D institutions
This 2-and-1 solution is available on a variety of 3- and 5-axis C.R. Onsrud machines, ranging in work envelopes from 4′x8′ to 20′x100′. If you have any questions about Friction Stir Welding or have any manufacturing issues with which you’re struggling, contact us today to see what solutions we can provide for you. Give us a call at: 704-508-7000 or reach out via email: info@cronsrud.com. We are happy to help you any way we can.
