Friction Stir Welding
Friction stir welding (FSW) is a relatively new process for solid-state joining. This technique is energy efficient, environmentally friendly, and very versatile. One of the most promising aspects of FSW is the ability to join high-strength metals and alloys that are difficulty to weld using traditional fusion welding. Currently, FSW is considered to be one of the most promising developments in metal joining in the last two decades.
The process was patented in 1991 by the Welding Institute in Cambridge, U.K. While the bulk of information available is related to aluminum alloys, new data is being gathered at a siginificant rate on other metals and alloys [1].
