Linear Friction Welding

Linear Friction Welding provides a rapid, repeatable, and flexible fabrication process for manufacturers in many industrial markets who produce parts with a variety of geometric shapes. Here are some reasons why:

• Superior joint quality
  The properties of any friction welded joint, including linear, are superior to traditional fusion based welded methods since the friction welding process does not actually melt the parent material. Melting causes a drastic change in a material’s properties in the weld zone. Friction welding is a “Solid State” process. The heat-affected zone (HAZ) of a friction welded joint is narrow and fine grained with a smooth transition to the unaffected base material. You can Learn more here

• Forged-quality welds for complex geometries of nearly any metal type
  Able to join a nearly limitless number of shapes and complex part geometries, Linear Friction Welding joints are of forged-quality, with a 100-percent butt joint weld through the contact area. Linear Friction Welding can join dissimilar metals not considered compatible using conventional welding methods. This allows engineers to design bimetallic parts and near net shape parts that use expensive materials only where needed.

• Quick welding process meets the demands of any supply chain
  The Linear Friction Welding process is at least twice – and up to 100 times – as fast as other welding techniques. Multiple pieces can be bonded simultaneously, helping to reduce cycle time.

• Eliminate block machining with “near net shape” joining
  Using Linear Friction Welding to join near net shape parts with geometries designed to use expensive material only where needed provides a faster, much less expensive alternative to machining parts from solid blocks.

• Full-scale part development
  From blisks to bumpers, MTI’s LF35-75 is equipped to handle large parts in a variety of industries.  The state-of-the art machine has the largest tooling envelope of any linear friction welder in the world. It’s available now for full-sized part development in Detroit.

• Minimal joint preparation reduces prep time and speeds up production
  Joint preparation isn’t as critical in the Linear Friction Welding process – machined, saw-cut, and even sheared surfaces are weldable. Less joint preparation also lowers overall cycle time, allowing greater throughput in a production process.

• Ecologically friendly
  Linear Friction Welding is an ecologically clean process that requires no consumables, flux, filler material, or shielding gases to run, like conventional welding methods. It also does not emit smoke, fumes, or gases that need to be exhausted on the back end.

• Energy efficient
  The process is energy efficient. Power requirements for MTI’s Linear Friction Welders are as much as 20 percent lower than those for conventional welding processes.

• Defect-free welding decreases waste and saves you money
  MTI’s machine-controlled process eliminates human error, making the bond quality completely independent of an operator’s skill level. By reducing the number of defective parts fabricated, your investment of time and materials is put to its best use. Since there is no melting, solidification defects don’t occur in Linear Friction Welding, thus virtually eliminating gas porosity, segregation, or slag inclusions.