RFSSW – Refill Friction Stir Spot Welding

Refill Friction Stir Spot Welding | RFSSW

Innovative technology with exceptional electric transmission
Refill Friction Stir Spot Welding (RFSSW) is a new solid-state joining process, which produces similar and dissimilar overlap connections in different material combinations. Our RFSSW machinery is equipped with a specially developed spindle for this purpose.

RFSSW – FUNCTIONAL PRINCIPLE

Refill Friction Stir Spot Welding – Step A

STEP A –
Positioning

The sleeve of the tool is plunged into the material with a defined rotational speed. Material is generating sufficient frictional heat to plasticize and displace the material to the inside of the tool. 
Refill Friction Stir Spot Welding – Step B

STEP B –
Plunge process

The pin is moved in the opposite axial direction, creating a cavity between pin and sleeve for the accommodation of the displaced material. 
Refill Friction Stir Spot Welding – Step C

STEP C –
Refill of entering area

When the set plunge and time are reached, the pin pushes the plasticized imprisoned material back into the workpiece, refilling the volume of the sleeve.
Refill Friction Stir Spot Welding – Step D

STEP D –
Retraction

At the end all 3 pieces of the tool are retracted from the workpiece, resulting in a refill friction stir spot weld. 

The advantages of RFSSW

  • High joint strength
    RFSSW produces welds with excellent mechanical properties, due to no solidification and a forged, fine-grained microstructure.
  • Excellent fatigue behavior
    RFSSW generates a fine-grained forged microstructure in the joint line, which lead to excellent fatigue properties.
  • Joining dissimilar materials 
    RFSSW can join dissimilar materials due to the low heat input high forcing action, including different aluminum alloys, like wrought aluminum to aluminum cast or aluminum to steel or copper, and even advanced composites.
  • High electrical conductivity
    RFSSW produces welds with high electrical conductivity.
  • No exit hole
    RFSSW generates no exit hole.
  • Environmentally friendly
    RFSSW produces no fumes, gases, or radiation; no protective gas, additional material or preparation of the joining edges required.
  • Automatization
    easy to automate and monitor because it´s a mechanic mixing process.
Refill Friction Stir Spot Welding – Busbar

Applications for RFSSW

Charging Systems / Busbars

Charging Systems

Flat busbar and dissimilar connectors (aluminum-copper)
More about Charging Systems / Busbars
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Are you interested in determining the feasibility of a new concept using friction stir welding? Or do you need support in selecting the most suitable system for series production in your application?

Please contact us directly – we would be happy to advise and support you.

sales@stirtec.at
+43 316 30 98 43