A friction stir welding (FSW) tool includes a head, a tool holder and a body between the head and the tool holder and attached to the head and the tool holder. The body may include a plurality of cooling fins. An interior of the body may include a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, a torque sensor, and a communication node in electronic communication with the pressure sensor, the temperature sensor, and the torque sensor. The communication node may be in Bluetooth communication with a computing device.

A system and method for making adjustments to output effort from a spindle driver using a multi-stage nested control loop of an active controller to provide constant power to a friction stir zone during a friction stir operation. Providing constant power facilitates temperature control within the friction stir zone and thereby improves the result of the operation

A system and method for making adjustments to output effort from a spindle driver using a multi-stage nested control loop of an active controller to provide constant power to a friction stir zone during a friction stir operation. Providing constant power facilitates temperature control within the friction stir zone and thereby improves the result of the operation such as a weld.

A friction stir welding (FSW) tool includes a pin, a housing, and a shoulder. The pin is configured to extend through a joint line between edges of two work pieces. The pin rotates to perform a FSW process that welds the two work pieces together at the joint line. The housing is coupled to a distal end of the pin to enable rotation of the pin relative to the housing. The pin extends through a support surface of the housing. The support surface contacts respective inner surfaces of the work pieces during the FSW process. The shoulder surrounds the pin and is configured to be rotated during the FSW process. The shoulder contacts respective outer surfaces of the work pieces during the FSW process such that the work pieces are sandwiched between the shoulder and the support surface of the housing.

A method of fabricating a metal pipeline by friction stir welding (FSW) along a circumferential interface includes spinning first and second FSW tools about respective axes of rotation in contact with a pipe wall to heat, plasticize, and stir respective zones of plasticized metal at the interface. The zone of plasticized metal produced by the second FSW tool extends deeper into the pipe wall than the zone of plasticized metal produced by the first FSW tool. Relative circumferential movement of the FSW tools along the interface is controlled such that the second FSW tool following the first FSW tool enters the zone of plasticized metal produced by the first FSW tool while the metal in that zone remains plastic.

An inertia welding method includes: mounting two workpieces in an inertia welding apparatus; rotating a least one of the workpieces, so as to produce relative rotation of the two workpieces at a predetermined RPM; forcing together the two workpieces with predetermined first weld load so as to cause frictional heating at an interface therebetween; maintaining the first weld load for a first interval; forcing together the two workpieces with a predetermined second weld load greater than the first weld load so as to cause material upset and bonding between the two workpieces, while the rotation brakes to a stop, terminating the weld process; wherein the first and second weld loads are selected so as a produce a specific temperature-distance profile in a selected one of the workpieces, at the termination of the weld process.

A method of processing high-strength steel includes providing a first piece of high-strength steel. Friction stir processing the first piece of high strength steel is performed by pre-heating an area in advance of a friction stir welding tool and moving the friction stir welding tool between 500 mm and 300 mm per minute to attain a mixed zone having a mixed zone temperature at the mixed zone between a eutectoid temperature and a forge welding temperature from a combination of the friction from the friction welding tool and the step of pre-heating.

A method of forming a metal workpiece is disclosed herein. The method includes applying an electrical current through a feedstock material, applying a vertical axis force to the feedstock material; applying a rotational force to the feedstock material, and producing a metallic component from the feedstock material based on the electric current, the vertical axis force, and the rotational force.

A heat exchanger for a self-reacting friction stir welding apparatus includes a collar. The collar includes a collar flow inlet, a collar flow outlet, and an internal conduit fluidically coupling the collar flow inlet and the collar flow outlet. The heat exchanger also includes a rotary union having a first rotary-union flow outlet fluidically coupled with the collar flow inlet, a first rotary-union flow inlet fluidically coupled with the collar flow outlet, a second rotary-union flow inlet, and a second rotary-union flow outlet. The rotary union is co-rotatable with the collar. The heat exchanger further includes a manifold that has a first manifold flow outlet fluidically coupled with the second rotary-union flow inlet and a first manifold flow inlet fluidically coupled with the second rotary-union flow outlet. The rotary union is rotatable relative to the manifold.

A method of joining heat-treatable aluminum alloy members by friction stir welding, including the steps of: a T4-treatment-performing step of performing a T4 treatment on heat-treatable aluminum alloy members so as to impart T4 temper to the heat-treatable aluminum alloy members; a joining step of joining the heat-treatable aluminum alloy members with T4 temper by friction stir welding to provide a joined product; and a reversion-treatment-performing step of performing a reversion treatment, the reversion-treatment-performing step being carried out prior to or after the joining step.