What is inertia friction welding? Inertia friction welding features different sized flywheels that are attached to the chuck and spindle shaft. A motor is connected to the spindle shaft to rotate the part. At the start of the welding cycle, the motor is connected to the spindle shaft and rotates the part to the desired rotational speed. Once the desired speed is achieved, the motor is disconnected from the spindle shaft. Based on the weight of the part, spindle shaft, chuck, and flywheels, a rotational inertia is created by the free spinning components. At this point the frictional welded process as described above takes place, utilizing the rotational inertia to create frictional heat when the parts are brought together. Learn why you should combine inertia welding with CNC machining.
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In this process, the spindle drive motor is permanently attached to the spindle shaft. The motor continues to drive the rotating part as the two pieces are brought together, thus creating the frictional heat. Based on a defined CNC program, the spindle is continuously slowed as the welding process takes place, stopping the spindle at a pre-determined point. This type of friction welding is beneficial when a specific orientation between the welded components is desired.
This process is similar to Inertia Friction Welding; however, the moving chuck doesn&#;t spin. Instead, it oscillates in a lateral motion. The two work pieces are held under pressure throughout the entire process. This process requires the work pieces to feature a high shear strength and involves more complicated machinery than inertia welding. One benefit of this method isit offers the capability to join parts of any shape (instead of just circular interfaces).
FSW is a solid-state joining process that uses a non-consumable tool to join two facing work pieces. Heat is generated by friction between the rotating tool and the work piece material, which leads to a softened region at the interface. While the tool is traversed along the joint line, it mechanically intermixes the softened material of the two pieces of metal, and forges the weld interface through mechanical pressure applied by the tool. FSW is used in modern shipbuilding, trains, and aerospace applications.
Orbital friction welding is similar to rotary friction welding, but both of the welded parts are rotated in the same direction and at the same speed, but their axes offset by up to 1/8&#;. As the weld cycle is completed and the rotation is slowed, the parts are returned to the same axis, and the forging pressure is maintained while the materials re-solidify.
Friction welding can be used to build better industrial rollers, tubes, and shafts. The process is often used to manufacture these sub-assemblies for industrial printers, material handling equipment, as well as automotive, aerospace, marine, and oil applications. Other examples of components include gears, axle tubes, drive lines, valves, hydraulic piston rods, truck roller bushes, pump shafts, drill bits, connection rods, etc.
Lowers material costs
Lowers tooling costs
Lowers Research and Development costs
Lowers machining costs
High-speed process means high production rates and larger quantity orders
In turn, creates higher speed to market for final products
Process is extremely precise and highly repeatable
Process reduces (sometimes eliminates) the amount of scrap material
Environmentally friendly: produces no fumes, gas, or smoke
Speed and process combined help reduce energy consumption
Can weld a variety of pieces
Simple to complex shapes
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Material of any finish
Material usage is optimized: near net shapes achieved in short time
No filler materials are necessary
Preparation of pieces is minimal
Variety of surfaces are weldable as is
Spinning actions lead to self-cleaning of surfaces
Significantly reduces the size of the heat affected zone (HAZ)
100% weld through the full joint interface
Joint strength is equal or greater to that of the parent metals
Integrity of these welds are very reliable
Resulting joints can withstand high temperatures
For an in-depth explanation of every benefit Inertia Friction Welding has to offer, follow the link.
Friction welding is an ideal method to join dissimilar metals- cost, quality, and strengthwise.
Here are 7 advantages of Friction (inertial) welding:
I produced truckload quantities of modified steel for an automotive half shaft application, the friction welding process made this a highly reliable part despite the high carbon content and different material between the alloy steel forged end assembly and the carbon steel shaft.
This welding process is ideal for pumps, process mixers, and other applications where a portion of the part needs to be food safe or chemically resistant, but the remainder of the part does not. The photo below shows an electrical industry bimetallic (copper and aluminum) application.
Frictional welding is a controlled process where two components are frictionally bonded by the heat and mechanical displacement of each material&#;s being melted and re-fused amongst the melt products at of the other. The bond that is created by the mechanical intermixing and solidification of the two metals is strong and free from voids and porosity. It can be cost effective and offers design engineers many more options than other methods.
Friction or inertial welds are a key process for attaching precision machined components to other parts like shafts or bodies or forgings.
My thanks to Stuart Short at Inertia Friction Welding at IMTS for chatting with me about this not so well known joining process.
Airbag Dummy photo.
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