The invention relates to a system for assembling a plurality of panels of an aircraft fuselage, said system comprising at least one anvil body, at least one first panel and one second panel, and movement means mounted on the said anvil body, the said movement means being arranged to move the first panel in relation to the second panel between a first machining position in which one edge of the first panel and one edge of the second panel are spaced a machining distance apart so as to allow a machining tool to pass between the said edges in order to machine them simultaneously and a second welding position in which the said edge of the first panel and the said edge of the second panel are adjacent and resting on the said anvil body.

The invention relates to a device for assembling a plurality of panels of an aircraft fuselage, said device comprising at least one anvil body, comprising a surface for supporting the said plurality of panels, the said anvil body comprising at least one anvil rail mounted movably in a cavity of the anvil body and configured to move between a top position in which the upper surface of the anvil rail extends into the extension of the support surface and a bottom position in which a workspace is created between the upper surface of the anvil rail and the support surface so as to allow a machining and/or stripping tool to pass through.

A method for performing simultaneous double refill friction stir spot welding includes: providing a first welding head comprising a first probe member and a first tubular shoulder; providing a second welding head comprising a second probe member and a second tubular shoulder; locating the first welding head on a first surface of a weld object to be welded such that the first probe member and the first tubular shoulder are in contact with the first surface; locating the second welding head on a second surface of the weld object, opposing the first surface; simultaneously rotating the first welding head and the second welding head so as to form a volume of materials of increased plasticity in the weld object proximate the first and second welding heads.

A friction stir spot welder includes a pin, a shoulder, a rotary driver, an advance-retract driver, and circuitry. When a preset and predetermined first period of time has elapsed in a state where a speed of the rotating shoulder in an axial direction or a speed of the pin in the axial direction is a preset and predetermined first speed, the circuitry determines that the tip of the shoulder or the tip of the pin has reached a contact surface of a second workpiece which is in contact with a first workpiece.

A welded structure includes a first workpiece (11), a second workpiece (12), a bonded part (28) formed between the first workpiece and the second workpiece by plastically displaced materials of the first workpiece and the second workpiece, and a hooking portion (29) having a base end embedded in the second workpiece, and a tip end extending into the first workpiece, the hooking portion extending radially outwardly and upward along an outer periphery of the bonded part. A device for forming such a structure includes a clamp ring (18) which is provided with a central recess (25) in a part of a contact surface (24) thereof located around a through hole (19).

A friction stir welding device includes: a pin extending along an axis; a shoulder having a cylindrical shape and coaxially surrounding an outer periphery of the pin; and a driver that allows the pin and the shoulder to rotate about the axis and to advance and retract along the axis individually. The shoulder includes a shoulder main body having a distal end to be plunged into a welding target, and a shoulder adapter having a fit hole in which a proximal end of the shoulder main body is shrink-fitted and connecting the shoulder main body and the driver to each other.

A welding system and method for filing a void on a metal workpiece is provided. The workpiece includes a first surface and an opposite second surface. The system and method may include a metal insert configured to fill the void and a welder configured to perform a friction stir welding process on the metal workpiece. The metal insert may be capable of being positioned adjacent the first surface. The system and method may also include an anvil capable of being positioned in an interior space of the workpiece, adjacent to the second surface, and opposite the welder.

The present application discloses a welding device and a method for using a welding device. The welding device includes a loading station, a welding station and a unloading station, and further includes a transport mechanism, a positioning mechanism, a pressing mechanism and a welding mechanism. The transport mechanism is configured to transport a workpiece between the loading station, the welding station and the unloading station. The positioning mechanism is configured to position the workpiece when the workpiece is transported between the loading station, the welding station and the unloading station, and the positioning mechanism is arranged on the transport mechanism. The pressing mechanism is arranged at the welding station and configured to press the workpiece during welding, and the pressing mechanism and the positioning mechanism are arranged at opposite ends of the workpiece. The welding mechanism is arranged at the welding station and configured to weld the workpiece.

A friction stir spot welder includes a pin 11, a shoulder 12, a rotary driver 57, an advance-retract driver 53, and circuitry 51. When a preset and predetermined first period of time has elapsed in a state where a speed of the rotating shoulder 12 in an axial direction or a speed of the pin 11 in the axial direction is a preset and predetermined first speed, the circuitry 51 determines that the tip of the shoulder 12 or the tip of the pin 11 has reached a contact surface 62a of a second workpiece 62 which is in contact with a first workpiece 61.

A method for friction stir forming a metal matrix composite (MMC) structure (76). The method includes the step of providing a substrate (12) comprising a metallic material and securing a preformed MMC layer (14, 16) comprising an MMC material in a position overlying at least a portion of the substrate (12). The method further includes the step of friction stirring the preformed MMC layer (14, 16) with a friction stirring tool (50) which includes a rotating probe (56), including locating the probe (56) at a stirring depth at which the probe (56) extends through the preformed MMC layer (14, 16) into a portion of the substrate (12) and passing the tool (50) through the preformed MMC layer (14) at the stirring depth to friction stir the preformed MMC layer (14, 16) and integrate the preformed MMC layer (14, 16) with the substrate (12).