Friction Stir Welding

© Fraunhofer IPA / Rainer Bez
Example of friction stir welding using polypropylene

Friction stir welding is a solid-state technique for joining metals, plastics and composites of the same type as well as of different types. Friction stir welding has become especially established in industry for metal-metal joints.

It also has great potential for use with plastics, especially fiber composites. Due to the high mixing performance of the tool, fibers from the base metal can be distributed in the weld seam to utilize their strengthening effect.

Friction stir welding also comes into its own in the field of multi-material design. The process makes it possible to weld metals and plastics directly to one another.

Thanks to the high flexibility of the process - it can also be used on almost any common machining center - friction stir welding is easy to integrate into existing process chains and is suitable for use on an industrial scale.

 

We can help you

  • design and lay out your welding process according to requirements
  • determine the respective process forces and temperatures
  • conduct tests on the finished welds to assess their strength, mixture and quality