Friction Stir Welding: The Next Decade

Friction stir welding (FSW) was invented by TWI in 1991 and made a rapid entry into service within 5 years of discovery. Initial technology deployment was for the joining of ship structures, and this was closely followed by extensive use in the manufacture of fuel tanks for satellite launch vehicles. Several other industries (including rail, automotive and aerospace) have since adopted the process for a wide range of structures and components.

With the expiry of the base FSW licence, in 2015, and after development by 300 organisations around the world, this presentation attempts to address the question: What is next for the FSW process over the coming decade?

This paper will review applications in the FSW field to date, and will highlight potential areas for further growth into new territories and for new users. The presentation will also consider opportunities for greater exploitation by current FSW adopters, particularly with respect to design for FSW and the opportunity to build upon existing process experience.

Finally, the talk will also cover the potential barriers to FSW adoption, and new process and market developments that are helping to minimise these. With an existing user community, numerous positive case studies of adoption, and free access to the base process IP, this presentation will demonstrate that there has never been a better time to evaluate the adoption of this revolutionary technology.