The invention relates to tooling for holding parts in position to enable them to be friction welded together in order to construct a hollow structure, the tooling comprises: a framework made up of two frames for receiving the parts for welding together in their positions for forming the hollow structure, said parts comprising preformed parts and an intermediate section; shape-holder members for holding the hollow structure, associating backing thrust members and lateral grip members for gripping the outsides of the preformed parts; anvils suitable for being placed inside the set of preformed parts beside the section; and clamping means operable to take up a clamping position in which they cause opposing thrust to be applied against the anvil and the inside face of a preformed part, its part itself bears against the shape-holder members.

A pressure welding method and a pressure welding device are provided. The pressure welding device includes a plastification device (7), an upsetting device (8) and component mountings (34,35,36,37), for the components (2,3,3,4) to be welded together, and a machine frame (12). The pressure welding device (1) further includes a machine head (13,14) with a component mounting (34, 35) and an associated additional component mounting (36, 37) and the machine head (13) is moveably arranged on the machine frame (12). The pressure welding device includes a machining device (18), for the welding part (5,5), which is associated with the machine head (13,14) or the additional component mountings (36, 37). An adjusting device (17) generates a relative movement between the machine head (13,14) and the associated additional component mounting (36,37) for machining the welding part (5,5).

An ironing plate is attached to a friction stir welding apparatus in such a manner that the ironing plate surrounds an outer peripheral portion of a rotating tool and does not rotate together with the rotating tool, an inside diameter of a portion of the ironing plate into which the rotating tool is inserted is larger than the diameter of the rotating tool, and a material inflow path through which an excessive material of two metallic plates flows in is formed between the ironing plate and the rotating tool when the ironing plate is disposed to surround the outer peripheral portion of the rotating tool.

Described herein are tools and systems for friction stir welding, including cooling and clamping systems. Also disclosed are process parameters for friction stir welding aluminum metals, in some cases thick gauge aluminum metals, to other metals. The tool and process parameters can be used in transportation, electronics, industrial and motor vehicle applications, just to name a few.

Device for machining an end of an elementary panel for its subsequent friction stir welding, the elementary panel comprising a metal body defining two opposite faces, the machining device comprising a chassis, at least two guiding members configured to guide a first face of the elementary panel, at least one machining tool mounted on the chassis, the machining tool being positioned between the two guiding members and at least one pressure member mounted on the chassis and configured to exert a pressure on a second face of the elementary panel so as to press the elementary panel against the guiding members along the horizontal reference direction.

A tooling for holding a set of preformed parts to be friction-welded together to construct a generally plane hollow structure is provide. The tooling includes a framework for receiving the preformed parts inside the framework for welding together to form the hollow structure. The framework includes shape-holder members which are shaped to correspond and contact the outer surfaces of the preformed parts. At least one anvil is disposed inside the framework. A reversible clamp is installed inside the framework and movable into a clamping position in which the clamp inflates to apply opposing thrust in at least two directions such that thrust is applied in a lateral direction to the anvil and applied in a second direction to the inside surface of the preformed parts disposed. The set of preformed parts is held in a welding position with the clamp and framework while a welding operation is performed.

System for friction stir welding of two parts which includes a welding unit which includes at least one welding head fitted with a rotating pin and a counter-bearing unit which has a support surface to support the parts against a pressure exerted by the welding head, and wherein each welding head can be moved relative to the support surface in a first direction parallel to an axis of rotation of the rotating pin and in a second direction orthogonal to the axis of rotation, and wherein the support surface can be moved in the second direction and is formed of two coaxial clamp rollers which are set apart from each other.

A friction stir welding tool (1) has a shoulder portion (2) and a probe portion (6) provided on a bottom surface of the shoulder portion (2). The probe portion (6) has a length of 5.5 mm or more. In the friction stir welding tool (1), a ceramic material whose main phase is silicon nitride or sialon is used as a base material.

In one aspect of the disclosure, an apparatus for manipulating a plurality of curved sheets is provided. Each of the plurality of curved sheets includes an upper surface and a lower surface. The apparatus includes tooling to be coupled to the upper surface of each of the plurality of curved sheets. The tooling is capable of moving the plurality of curved sheets relative to each other and abutting the plurality of curved sheets so that the upper surface of each of the plurality of curved sheets is coextensive with a virtual arcuate surface. The apparatus also includes a welding apparatus capable of welding the plurality of curved sheets together after abutting the plurality of curved sheets.

A welding method for welding an overlapping part of a first member and a second member includes: a first welding step of forming a friction-stirred part at a one-end-side spot being a spot that is closest to one end of the overlapping part by plunging a rotary tool into the one-end-side spot; a second welding step of forming a friction-stirred part at an other-end-side spot that is located away from the one-end-side spot and closer to the other end by plunging the rotary tool into the other-end-side spot; and a third welding step of forming a friction-stirred part at an intermediate spot located between the one-end-side spot and the other-end-side spot by plunging the rotary tool into the intermediate spot.