Friction Stir Welded Longitudinal junction for Aircraft fuselage – Robustness Study
STELIA Aerospace is the French leader and major worldwide player for design an production of equipped fuselages. STELIA Aerospace produces every year more than 1600 noses and fuselage sections and 11 million elementary parts and panels
Friction Stir Welding is a well-known solid phase joining process commonly used in aluminium Industry. Contrary to fusion welding process, FSW allows welding of 7xxx and 2xxx alloys, with very goog mechanical properties.
Most of Aircraft manufacturers have worked on this technology. Nevertheless, FSW uses on airframes are still confidential. One of the key reasons is the robustness of the process in an industrial environment. Robustness is the major ingredient that can ensure structural safety and low cost manufacturing with light Non Destructive Inspections.
In this study we propose to describe a robustness assessment of the FSW process dedicated to the butt welding of aluminium fuselage panels. Geometrics parameters and welding parameters impacts have been assessed to propose a low cost approach of the FSW.
This study includes: an identification of operating conditions which generate flaws and an assessment of impacts and detectability. Subscale and scale 1:1 demonstrators have been manufactured including 6m long welded cylindrical panels and double curvatures welded panels.