FSW PROTOTYPING

FSW Prototyping

Stirweld accompanies you in your first steps in FSW technology to achieve high quality results. We follow a rigorous process in which we work together in each and every stage.

Codesign of customer piece

We provide material strength analysis, based on customer’s burst and fatigue specifications. Then welded thickness is determined, and the adapted FSW tool is selected.

We perform FSW feasibility analysis, suggesting design adaptations to get the part ready for FSW and to optimize FSW process.

Design and manufacturing of clamping jig

It must be taken into account:

Geometry
Number of clamps
Clamping force
Tool wear
Tool path

More about clamping jig

Welding parameters and quality control

FSW industrial study includes determination and optimization of welding process parameters, such as:

Choice of the FSW tool
Welding force
Tool rotation speed
Welding speed
Plunging speed

These FSW parameters will optimize the part production while assuring a perfect and reproducible weld.

In addition, special attention must be paid to the position of the tool: where to place the advancing and the retreating side.

Our advice: always place the advancing side where there is more material or where the aluminium is more resistant.

To ensure that the parameters lead to a good weld quality, we perform destructive and non-destructive testing, according to customer specifications and FSW standard ISO 25239.

Weld of 5754-H111 aluminum with XES G10 / 10 steel after bending test (lap weld control).

Stirweld's bend tests according to ISO 25239

Bending test according to ISO 25239 (butt weld)

Tensile test on FSW welded part (fracture outside the weld).

All this information is synthesized is a document called WPS: Welding Procedure Specification.

Stirweld meets requirements in greater quality and safety for people, the environment and technology

Possible certification steps :

DMOS-QMOS approach applied to FSW welding (mainly used in aerospace and automotive).

The DMOS (welding procedure EN ISO 15609) lists the welding materials and the steps of the welding process :

-preparation before welding,
-setting welding parameters,
-right choice of FSW tool.

The QMOS (welding procedure qualification) occurs during the welding operation, carried out in strict execution of the associated DMOS. It certifies the reliability of the weld concerned.

For FSW projects that do not require an aeronautical standardization approach, we apply the standard ISO 25239.

Extract of Stirweld WPS (Welding Procedure Specification ISO 25239)

Manufacturing of first batches

Stirweld can take over manufacturing of the first batches at its own facilities, from a size of 10 to 500 parts. Once the parts are welded and quality control has been performed, the parts are shipped either to you or to the final customer.

Support & optimization after launch in Customer’s facilities

As an example, Stirweld support can be advise on quality control procedure, with an evolving testing frequency. If anything wrong happens, we are here to help you solve problems, dealing with parameters, clamping jig, …

Example of quality control procedure:

Perform 5 metallographic cross sections and analysis per part on indicated zones.

The first part at the beginning of each shift (3 parts/day)
If all parts OK during one entire week: one part per day
If all parts OK during one entire month: one part per 2 days

If any part is not OK in any of the steps, Stirweld support will quickly help to solve it.

Stirweld has already supported the implementation of FSW through this industrial study to companies like:

FSW coaching for my project?

we can guide you in every step of your project

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Gilles SEVESTRE

Chief Technical Officer