What is a Friction Welding Machine?
A Friction Welding Machine is a machine used to join two objects by heating them through frictional heat and applying pressure.
Friction welders are used for joining metallic materials and resins but are difficult to use for non-metallic materials such as titanium and molybdenum. Friction welding is suitable for joining dissimilar metals because they are joined in a solid state. It can also be used to join metals such as copper and aluminum or aluminum and stainless steel that are difficult to join by traditional fusion welding methods.
Friction welding does not require welding rods, flux, or a heat source, as is the case with arc welding or argon welding.
Uses of Friction Welding Machine
Friction Welding Machines were initially used for compression welding T Wrench in the automotive industry. However, they are now also used for aircraft and machine parts, sporting goods, and space development.
Automotive applications include steering shafts, engine valves, and front drive components. In tools, Friction Welding Machines are used to make electric bits for cutting tool parts, drills, and ratchet wrenches.
In mechanical parts, friction welders are used to make piston rods and ball screws for hydraulic cylinders. Other applications include machining joints for hydraulic and pneumatic piping components, differential transformers for electrical wiring components, and iron heads for golf clubs.
Friction Welding Machines are also utilized in the manufacture of rollers for printing and copying machines, joining copper and aluminum pipes for heat exchangers, handles for drilling equipment, and terminals for electrical substation equipment.
Principle of Friction Welding Machine
Two objects to be pressure-welded are placed against each other, and frictional heat is generated by the pressurization and rotational movement of the objects. After the temperature rises to a temperature at which joining is possible, the motion is stopped abruptly and pressure is applied to enable joining. The Friction Welding Machine performs this operation.
It is important to stop the rotational motion abruptly and apply the upsetting pressure instantaneously. This is to prevent torsional damage due to rotational deceleration of the pressure welding part and to maintain a high temperature during the upsetting process.
The following two methods of pressure welding by Friction Welding Machine are typical.
1. Constant Speed Friction Welding Method
In the constant-speed friction welding method, two objects to be pressure-welded are butt-welded and pressurized, and frictional heat is generated by rotating one or both of the objects to be welded.
2. Static Friction Welding Method
In the pressure-storage type friction welding method, rotational energy is stored in a spring-loaded wheel, which serves as the axis of rotation. This energy is then consumed by friction and the joint is pressure-welded when the wheel stops. No brake mechanism is provided.
The friction-welded part has stronger tensile strength than the original material part. This phenomenon is called atomic attraction. Deburring is performed using the biaxial rotating friction welding method, in which both objects to be pressure-welded rotate, and a blade is placed at the location where burrs are generated.
Other information on Friction Welding Machine
1. Advantages of Friction Welding
Unlike other welding methods such as arc or laser welding, friction welding has the advantage of being highly reproducible without the risk of weld defects such as shrinkage porosity or blowholes in the joint. Therefore, once the proper processing conditions are determined, high-quality joints can be consistently produced.
Friction welding is almost defect-free because it joins in a solid state below the melting point of the material, which means that there is little thermal distortion such as solidification shrinkage, and no entrapment of contaminants such as shielding gas or flux.
It also has the advantages of high bonding strength and short processing time, enabling cost reduction and productivity improvement.
2. Disadvantages of Friction Welding
Friction Welding Machine has not only advantages but also disadvantages.
Limited geometry.
Simple shapes such as cylinders are desirable for friction welding. For complex shapes with many corners or asymmetrical shapes, other joining methods should be considered.
High load
Available materials are limited in their ability to withstand high loads because of the high frictional heat and pressure involved in joining. Care should be taken to avoid the risk of flying debris in the event of breakage, which could destroy the equipment or injure workers.
Post-processing is Required
Burrs are generated at the friction welding area and must be removed in a subsequent process.
3. Friction Welding Machine for joining dissimilar metals
Friction Welding Machines can be used to join dissimilar metals such as steel and aluminum alloys, which would be difficult with other welding methods. In addition to steel and aluminum alloys, friction welders can also join a wide variety of metal materials, including stainless steel, copper, and titanium alloys.
The advantage of joining dissimilar metals is that the right performance can be given to the right part in the right place. For example, by using steel for parts requiring strength and aluminum alloys for other parts, the overall weight can be reduced. There is also a way to utilize cost reduction by reducing the amount of special materials used.