Friction Stir Welding and Processing of Ferrous Alloys

In this section

Back to Core Research Programme AMorph – 4D Printing for Field Morphing Structures Automation of Composite and Hybrid Joining Process Coaxial Wire Additive Manufacturing Processes and In-Line Monitoring Tools Development of Coded Excitation Technique for Non-Metallic Pipes Inspection Development of Digital Twin technology as a demonstrator for real-time integrity assessment of crack growth in tensile specimens Development of Friction Stir Welding (FSW) for Hydrogen Fuel Storage Tanks Development of Leak-Before-Break Hydrogen Storage Composite Pressure Vessels With Polymeric Liner Establishing Assessment Methods for Determining Safe Service Limits of High-Temperature Materials in Extreme Environments Fracture toughness in aggressive environments: effect of crack monitoring techniques on test results In-process detection and non-destructive testing of electron beam weld imperfections Internal Bore Coatings for Applications in Corrosion and Hydrogen Environment Joining of Additively Manufactured Materials Long term behaviour of polymeric liner materials/coatings in hydrogen service Techniques for High Temperature Ultrasonic Inspection of Arc Welding Ultimate Leverage Fund

Project Code: 22960

Industrial Need

The use of FSW and FSP for the fabrication and processing of light metals is well established, and is now seeing commercial applications developing in intermediate plasticisation temperature metals such as copper. Steel and ferrous alloys however represent over 80% of the engineering materials in use and thus a far larger potential market sector in which to exploit the capabilities of FSW.

The recent development of FSW tools capable of producing industrially useful weld lengths in steel, combined with the enhanced properties of these welds when compared with fusion welds, has stimulated interest within the market and led to an increasing number of enquiries regarding the FSW of steel. Examples of such interest are:

BAE Surface Fleet (shipbuilding).

Canadian Nuclear Waste Management Organisation (steel waste containment canisters).

Australian National Science and Technology Organisation (ODS steels in radiation service).

Objectives

The objectives of this work are:

To maintain TWI’s position in ferrous FSW technology.

To develop an increased understanding of the FSW process parameter microstructure mechanical property relationships in ferrous alloys.

To provide member companies with data on the mechanical, distortion and corrosion properties of FSW in ferrous alloys that will allow them to begin planning for the industrial deployment of ferrous FSW.

Relevant Industry Sectors

Oil and Gas, Shipbuilding