A project to develop friction stir welding of steel for application in the European shipbuilding sector reached another milestone recently with a successful dissemination day to showcase early stage results. The friction stir welding process was invented by TWI in 1991, and is already proven for welding structures made from aluminium and magnesium.
Project HILDA (High Integrity Low Distortion Assembly) is making ground-breaking progress in developing the solid state welding technique for steel, bringing with it the technical and economic benefits of reduced distortion, enhanced weld strength and fatigue resistance, and making manufacturing safer and more environmentally friendly.
Attended by key representatives from the sector, the industry day took place at TWI's Yorkshire Technology Centre, where project partners demonstrated a 2m-long friction stir weld in 6mm thick DH36 shipbuilding steel. The project consortium also presented a review of its research to date and welcomed representatives'� input on the development programme and its future direction.
The project consortium comprises seven European partners from leading research institutions, led by the University of Strathclyde. �Project HILDA is funded under grant agreement 314534 of the Seventh Framework Programme SST.2012.5.2-3 "Innovative structural and outfitting materials for ships, including inland ships."
For further information, please visit the HILDA website or contact Alex Galloway.
For information about friction stir welding, contact us.