Friction stir welding (FSW)

Friction Stir Welding (FSW) is an advanced technique for continuously joining materials. In FSW, a cylindrical, conical tool with a profiled probe is rotated and slowly inserted into the joint line between the two pieces of sheet or plate to be joined. The parts are clamped to prevent the contacting surfaces from separating during the welding process. Friction heat is generated between the wear-resistant welding tool and the materials being joined. The heat softens or melts the material and allows the tool to move along the joint line. The plasticised material is transferred from the leading edge to the trailing edge of the tool probe and forged by close contact with the tool arm to create a weld between the two components.