RIFTEC – joint research upon friction stir welding

Citation

(2002), "RIFTEC – joint research upon friction stir welding", Industrial Robot, Vol. 29 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/ir.2002.04929eaf.004

RIFTEC – joint research upon friction stir welding

RIFTEC – joint research upon friction stir welding

Keywords: Research, Friction, Welding

Friction stir welding (FSW), a technology for joining materials in an elastic state, creates extremely strong weld joints. The technology demands rotating processing under high pressure, as well as precision. SMT Tricept, together with the German research center GKSS, runs RIFTEC, a technology center that develops flexible processing technologies and industrial applications for FSW.

In general, researchers had achieved considerable success in developing FSW for use in linear welding of straight joints against a flat surface as early as 1997. However, no applications are available for more complex structures and components. Using industrial robots in FSW allows greater flexibility not only for conceivable appearances for weld joints, but also for the entire manufacturing cycle. A single robot can produce joints of varying geometries on different workplaces without modifying or reconfiguring the machine. Using industrial robots increases the number of applications for FSW, and it also creates opportunities for integrating FSW in complex manufacturing sequences that include production steps other than processing, assembly, etc. RIFTEC's main task is to develop strategic applications for friction stir welding with robots. The Tricept plays an important role in the development process; it has the rigidity and strength that makes it possible to apply the necessary high pressure on the workpiece.

Joint research project

RIFTEC – Robotic Friction Welding Application and Technology Centre – was formed in 1998 by GKSS Forschungszentrurn and SMT Tricept, which was known as Neos Robotics at the time. RIFTEC shares premises with GKSS in the German town of Geesthacht.

SMT Tricept supplies its knowledge of robotics and simulations while GKSS coordinates process development, properties and calculation of welds, systems and strategies for process monitoring, and develops industrial applications.

The first demonstrations of friction stir welding of non-linear and three-dimensional welding joint geometries with an industrial robot were carried out in 1999, right after GKSS was equipped with its first Tricept, the 605. In early 2000 a Tricept 805 was installed at GKSS, which further strengthened RIFTEC's capacity.