There have been many developments in recent years to improve the productivity of friction stir welding, and these will no doubt continue. This paper will look at some of the latest concepts in tool design, process performance, control technology and equipment to see how these can benefit fabricators and end users.

The talk will consider some novel tool motions, and also the use of modelling as a technique for designing new tools. The talk wil also look at some alternative joint designs, and the challenges these present for fabricators.