Our 117,000 square foot Manufacturing Services facility, home to our Contract Friction Welding machines, has welcomed a new 40-ton friction welder to the shop floor! MTI is continually looking for ways to invest in our customers, and this new machine offers the opportunity to expand project capacity and machine capabilities.
Making Space for the New Tri-Mode Rotary Friction Welder
In 2022, an Automotive customer that owns several MTI-built friction welding machines approached us with a tubular application in which they were experiencing production capacity constraints. MTI’s Manufacturing Services team was eager to help, but we didn’t have the necessary capacity at the time. Fortunately, Jacob Smith, General Manager of MTI’s Manufacturing Services, saw an opportunity waiting to happen.
We have ample room on our shop floor and a new Rotary friction welding machine recently built by our machine build team. As rotary friction welding machine manufacturers, we determined that the customer’s application would be well-suited to this machine with a few modifications.
MTI’s Model 40 Contract Rotary Friction Welding Machine
Our new MTI-built 40-ton rotary machine is a tri-mode friction welder that combines the best of both Inertia and Direct Drive friction welding processes. Tri-mode machines offer the most customized and flexible approach to friction-welding applications, thanks to the inclusion of flywheels and spindle drive motors.
This machine uses flywheels to overcome the peak-torque limitations we encounter with Direct Drive. At the same time, the electric spindle motor provides constant-velocity start and even-length control for an Inertia weld. Or we can use the spindle drive motor to add or remove inertia, extending the cycle range without additional flywheels. Additionally, any variable pressures and/or variable speeds can be used to customize a weld cycle for tough applications or material combinations. In the end, we can accommodate more challenging applications and extend the machine’s capabilities when compared to a single Direct Drive or Inertia machine. Plus, upgrades done to the Model 40 include label scanning, adding another layer of in-process quality control.
When asked how this new machine benefits our customers, Smith said, “By adding a tri-mode friction welder to the Manufacturing Services arsenal of machines, we added capability that we were previously not able to offer our customers.”
Let’s take a look at some key machine specifications.
Machine Specs and Key Friction Welding Features
- Max RPM: 4,000 RPM
- Max Thrust Force: 355.9 kN
- Thrust Area: 8,107.3 mm²
Now, let’s look at the value-added offerings when partnering with MTI.
Contract Friction Welding with MTI
Whether you’re new to friction welding or an expert, MTI’s Manufacturing Services team is there to help every step of the way. It all starts with a comprehensive Weld Development, a test of feasibility to ensure that your parts are fit for production. And, when you partner with us for contract friction welding, you get to take advantage of our endless pre- and post-weld processes! We offer everything from material procurement through metallurgical testing to post-weld machining. The addition of our tri-mode machine is a testament to MTI’s dedication to supporting our customers through continuous investment.
Ready to see if your part can be Rotary friction welded? Click here.
Getting Started with MTI’s Rotary Friction Welding Team
With added capacity, new machine capability, and an eager team, MTI is ready to take on your toughest projects. Have a few questions? Let our team of experts take it from here.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/manufacturing-technology-inc
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ManufacturingTechnologyIncMTIJoiningSolutions/videos