FSW technical support
Stirweld Support Center: dedicated assistance for your friction stir welding projects.
Our Commitment to Your Success
Welcome to the Stirweld Support Center, where our dedication to your success with friction stir welding doesn’t end after a purchase — it’s just the beginning. We understand the critical nature of your projects and the importance of reliable support. That’s why we’re here: to ensure you have access to the expertise and assistance you need, whenever you need it.
Our team of technical specialists is committed to providing you with prompt, effective solutions to keep your operations running smoothly. Whether you’re facing a technical challenge or seeking advice on best practices, this FSW technical support is your direct line to professional help.
Get FSW Technical Support Now
We are here to help you navigate any challenges you may encounter. For swift FSW technical support, please fill out the form below with as much detail as possible. This will enable us to understand your issue and connect you with a specialized technician without unnecessary delays.
Our FSW technical support team is committed to providing you with a solution and will be in touch within the next 24 business hours. No intermediaries, no waiting — just the expert support you need to continue your friction stir welding project with confidence.
If you prefer, you can also contact the FSW technical support by sending an email to support@stirweld.com
Frequently Asked Questions
Find quick answers to your questions with our FAQ. This section covers a range of common inquiries, providing you with immediate solutions and detailed information.
In order to guarantee the quality of a FSW weld, it is necessary to carry out a study of prototypes in accordance with the ISO 25239 standard. These prototypes are controlled by destructive and non-destructive tests.
Non-destructive testing (NDT) includes both visual surface inspection and volumetric inspection. Some defects are visible to the naked eye, such as flash and wormholes. They can therefore be easily detected. Other NDT tests can be performed using ultrasonic (UT) devices or radiography.
Destructive testing will involve an action on the weld such as a bend test, a tensile test or a macrographic examination.
Thus, once these controls are carried out and validated, the FSW welding can be repeated in an industrialized way, ensuring its quality at 100%.
The depth of tool penetration is one of the main parameters of the FSW process to ensure the quality of the weld. For this purpose, it is necessary to carry out prototype tests in order to define the welding parameters as well as possible. One of these indicators is the force exerted (in kN) on which the penetration depth of the tool depends.
The penetration depth will depend on the force exerted during the welding operation but also on the thickness of the parts to be welded.
It is essential that the pin of the FSW tool penetrates the entire length of the workpiece. This ensures that the shoulder rubs against the workpiece and generates the heat required for mixing.
The penetration depth is the lowest point of the shoulder below the surface of the welded part. The depth must be correctly set to ensure the necessary downward pressure for the FSW tool to fully penetrate the welded joint.
A precise study will define the penetration depth of the FSW tool according to its application to ensure an optimal weld.
During an FSW welding operation, the shoulder brings heat to the top of the workpieces to be welded. This can cause distortion of the material which requires post-weld machining to restore the correct flatness.
To control this distortion during friction stir welding, less heat should be applied to the workpiece. To do this, it is recommended to weld faster. It is also advisable to use the smallest possible FSW tool. Our team will help you to define these welding parameters, to choose the right FSW tool and to design your clamping system.
Clamping has an important impact on the quality of welds, for example on large panels from machine tools. The two parts to be joined must be clamped tightly on a support in order to withstand the welding forces.
The clamping system must be sized to counteract the forces generated by the rotating tool. We design a clamping jig to clamp the parts during the friction stir welding process. Each clamping jig is unique and corresponds to the specificity of the large panels to be joined.
When welding mass-produced parts, we recommend the development of a specific clamping system for the part.
While you await our response from the FSW technical support center, you may find helpful information in our detailed FAQ section. It offers a wealth of answers to common challenges and is continuously updated to include the latest insights and solutions.
