Pipe - Friction Stir Welding

[womfalcs7]

Here's a video of the FSW process if interested,

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5750296452214273371

You can also download it in a versatile format, mp4.

[wrench3047]

That was pretty cool. Forgive my ignorance what is friction stir welding.

[JonnyTIG]

I first heard of stir welding when Discovery channel showed a brief clip about how Boeing developed the process to fuse plates together... About four years ago. I don't know anything about it, but to my understanding, a high speed rotating tool bit is used to melt the metal using friction, joining the two parent metal pieces together without filler.

Thanks for the video clip. If technology continues to run in this direction, we will have to learn to use it, or be out of a job.

[triggerman]

It's not time to sell the welders just yet......

FSW is pretty cool; however, I don't see it taking over the industry any time soon as it is, basically, only able to do butt welds. When I saw the video, I thought ,"That is really cool as long as you only need to weld short pieces of big pipe. LOL".

Here is a link to a page explaining FSW:

http://www.msm.cam.ac.uk/phase-trans/2003/FSW/aaa.html

[SkidSteerSteve]

kind of a really high-tech version of rubbing of two stick together to make fire, huh? SSS

[triggerman]

Return to the basics

It seems the more technology advances, the more we return to the basics:

First computer RAM memory: Magnetic core
Latest advancement: Magnetic RAM

First refrigeration system: Ammonia absorbers
Biggest rise in market share of new chiller sales last three years: absorbers

First method of generating heat: rubbing sticks together
Latest and greatest welding technique: FSW

Go figure!

[millerman58]

That was very cool. I myself had never heard of FSW, that's a new one on me. The problem now is that I want one of those machines!!! That would be the ultimate welding toy. Better keep dreaming

Bryce
BB Farm Supply

[CompuCritter]

Thanks for those links guys. Never heard of this process myself.
My Father in law is a xray pipe technician for here on the east coast.
He covers from the New England area down to about Delaware State.
Does anyone know of a mobile FSW system used for underground gas
pipelines? I gather the failure rate of such process is minimal? At
my job though we only work with flat stock and sub out all of our
round tube parts, but sometimes join 5" diameter pipes the old fashion way.