Technology development trend of friction stir welding equipment

Abstract
At present, FSW (friction stir welding) process is being considered as an actual way for
various industrial products. However, the FSW process involves high temperature and load
on the tool during welding. These are the differences between FSW and general machine
tools. From this reason, development of FSW machine needs very careful consideration on
stiffness of machine structure, spindle and moving axis including machine control
system. In this study authors investigate on the trends of the development of FSW machine
in order to share information for more extension of FSW technology with related
researchers and engineers.
Key words : Friction stir welding , Friction spot joining , Machine tools , Robot , Parallel
kinematic mechanism
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1. Introduction

In the case of friction stir welding, which has been actively considered for industrial
production in recent years, Fig. As shown in Fig. 1 , the high load and heat generated during
the process compared with the ordinary milling process (the impact and heat energy
generated during the process are dissipated to the outside due to the chip discharge) Design
and fabrication are essential.

Fig. One
Comparison between milling and FSW process

For this, Fig. As shown in Fig. 2 , it is necessary to consider the process characteristics of the
mechanical structure, the main shaft, the transfer system, and the control device, which are
the key elements of the friction stir welding equipment. However, in the early stage of
equipment development, due to lack of information, Fig. As shown in Fig. 3 , the existing
machine tools were used or modified for research equipment. The development of friction
stir welding equipment has been developed and developed in the form of dedicated
equipment for the products produced in the developed countries, based on the basic
research for understanding the process of many researchers like this.
 Fig. 2
Key components of FSW machine

Fig. 3
Initial FSW machine (use of conventional milling machine)

However, due to the existing TWI original patent, equipment development and market
activation are late, but due to the expiration of the original patent, various friction stir
welding equipment has been produced along with the increased interest in friction stir
welding throughout the industry. This paper examines the development trends of domestic
and foreign friction stir welding equipment, which are indispensable in the process
implementation according to the activation of domestic and foreign friction stir welding
technology. .
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2. Applications of friction stir welding technology

2.1 Application Status by Overseas Industry

For overseas Fig. 4. The friction stir welding according to the product weight to the center of
the field of transportation equipment has been applied as shown in 1 ) .

Fig. 4
Application fields of FSW at oversea

Typically, the United States is making great technological advances in aerospace. In the case
of Japan, automobiles and rail vehicles are used, and in Germany, automobiles are used in
the field. In addition, the characteristics of these countries are excellent in machine tool
technology, especially in the field of computation, and utilize the strengths of existing
technology.

2.2 Application Status by Domestic Industry

In Korea, friction stir welding is most active in the field of heat exchange plate
manufacturing ( Fig. 5 ) for electronic semiconductor and flat panel display manufacturing
facilities . Recently, attention has been paid to the application of lightweight metals and the
bonding technology between different metals to lighten the vehicle body in the automobile
field. In addition to the above-mentioned electronic field, it is used as a mass-produced
technology in the production of hollow cylinders for automobile coolers, and studies are
being conducted for application of related technologies in the field of rail vehicles and space
launch vehicles.

Fig. 5
Application example on electronic industry for production
of sputtering and backing plate

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3. Developments of friction stir welding equipment at home and abroad

3.1 Development Trends

Overseas, as mentioned above, friction stir welding equipment has been developed in the
form of a dedicated machine for the production and manufacture of transportation
machines (automobile, railway vehicle, aerospace, shipbuilding). Especially, we have
developed the friction stir welding equipment with superior performance and stable
performance compared to domestic ones through various studies of the process and the
research on the tool shape. Until the early 2000s, Fig. As shown in Fig. 6 , flat weldable
equipment with improved performance while maintaining the existing machine tool type (3-
axis equipment with gantry structure) was mainly developed. Recently, friction stir welding
equipment has been developed for three-dimensional curved surfaces using a multi-joint
robot for the production of products with a three-dimensional shape [ 2 ] . In particular, in
order to use the robot as a bonding equipment it is an existing 2-D and than in equipment
considering the payload weight of the robot low speed that can be a major axis in the light-
weight / size reduction while the friction stir welding and necessary to develop a torque
spindle ( Fig. 7 ). Fig. As shown in Fig. 8 , Japan (Honda and Kawasaki), which is a strength
of the automobile industry, commercialized the friction stir welding (FSW) and friction stir
welding (FSJ) technology to produce body parts using robots.

Fig. 6
Example of 2-dimensional FSW machine at oversea

Fig. 7
Example of 3-dimensional FSW machine at oversea

Fig. 8
Example of FSW application on auto-mobile industry at
Japan

3.2 Domestic Development Trends

In the case of domestic Fig. As shown in Fig. 9 , we developed a point bonding device using
friction stir welding and robot in WINZEN Co., Ltd., and sold it to research institutes and
schools. Some companies have used their own large vertical machining centers as their own
equipment, but they were weaker in terms of performance and stability compared to
overseas equipment due to lack of basic research information on the initial friction stir
welding process.

Fig. 9
Example of 2-dimensional FSW machine at domestic
(WINXEN)
In addition, due to the characteristics of the domestic industry, there was a demand for
friction stir welding for the thick plate rather than the thin plate. In case of the products
manufactured using the thick plate, there were many cases where the machining process
was required before and after the friction stir welding. . In addition, due to the
characteristics of thick plate machining (aluminum thickness 30mm or more), existing
domestic bonding equipment had difficulties such as equipment deformation due to lack of
mechanical rigidity for a long time.
Depending on the requirements of such industrial equipment improvements, conventional
friction stir welding machine and is capable of friction stir welding so that the
differentiation and development of a multi-task machines having a processing function and
performance of existing machining centers as was done ( Fig. 10 ). In the case of the friction
stir welding compound machine, the design and manufacture of the machine structure
(especially to cope with the vertical load at agitation joint), transfer system, and spindle
were newly made based on the existing mechanical structure. In the form of vertical and
horizontal multi-task machine, it is manufactured in accordance with the needs of various
industrial products, and it is equipped with a device to exchange friction stir welding and
machining tools.

Fig. 10
Example of 2-dimensional hybrid FSW machine at
domestic (HWACHEON)

In addition, in the industrial world, a complicated process is often performed in which the
direction of the weld line is frequently changed in comparison with the welding demand for
the research and the specific purpose. Therefore, the process using the forward angle of the
tool is not used. Even though it is not realistic due to the decrease of stiffness due to the
mechanical structure, the industry has settled the process of using the Convex tool which
has a convex surface in the vertical welding position. On the basis of this, unlike overseas,
the present type of equipment having the same mechanical structure as the existing
machining center was developed. In the case of research purpose or straight welding, it is
well known that the joining process is stable by using the forward angle of the concave tool
(conventional TWI original patent), but in Korea, alternative processes and equipment have
been developed in accordance with its own environment.
Recent domestic in the electronics industry in addition to other industry sectors - interest
(transportation equipment sectors automotive, aerospace, shipbuilding), the friction stir
welding process in 5 ) three-dimensional friction on surfaces other than two-dimensional
friction stir welding for as have the natural plane There is a growing interest in agitating and
point bonding.
Fig. As shown in Fig. 11 , the basic study for the friction stir welding of three-dimensional
curved surfaces was performed using a 5-axis machining center, and the basic data
necessary for performing friction stir welding on curved surfaces were accumulated. Based
on this, a parallel-type friction stir welding machine was developed that has robustness and
precision characteristics of conventional machining center type equipment ( Fig. 12 ). In the
case of a general articulated robot, the flexibility of movement is excellent while the
structure of the articulated robot is weakened when the distance between the point of action
and the fulcrum of the joint is increased. On the other hand, the parallel structured friction
stir welding machine has three truss arms, which are the main moving parts, with the truss
structure, so that the resistance to the point of action is dispersed at the supporting point
and the friction stir welding can be performed on the three-dimensional curved surface by
interlocking with the two- It was also developed to enable friction stir point bonding
according to the jig design.

Fig. 11
3-dimensional FSW test using 5-axis machining center
(HWACHEON)

Fig. 12
Example 3-dimensional hybrid FSW machine with parallel
kinematic structure (HWACHEON)

3.3 Development Trends of Load Monitoring and Tool Insertion Depth Control
Technology 2 , 6 )
It is very important to control the tool insertion depth in real time by monitoring the change
of load, which is the most important process variable in production of products using actual
friction stir welding, but there is not enough reliable method yet. Currently, there are three
methods to solve this problem. 1) Position control (real time tool insertion depth control
using the position sensor, direct method), 2) Load control (tool insertion depth control by
measuring the load applied to the tool directly using a load sensor, indirect method), 3)
spindle load control Control of tool insertion depth by detecting current change according to
motor load change, indirect method). Method using the principal axis current change in the
motor that varies in proportion to the load with little or no measuring sensor of ③ ( Fig. 13 ,
see. Require boards, operating S / W and PLC logic configuration for measurement and tool
load in proportion to the tool insertion depth And the spindle motor load is increased, and
this value is controlled to be constant. Since this control method indirectly measures the
tool insertion depth by the tool load and the spindle motor load, the control parameter and
the tool It is important for the actor to relate the depth of insertion) is currently being
considered as the most practical method for equipment manufacturers. In the case of the
method (1), there may be an error depending on the type of the position sensor, the
measurement surface, and the measurement position (near the tool). In addition, it is
difficult to apply to curvature products. Finally, the method ② ( Fig. 14The error may occur
depending on the position of the load sensor, and an error may occur even when the axial
direction of the tool and the load measurement direction are wrong, and it is necessary to
correct this by calculation. In addition to the above three methods, a method of correcting
the tool loading depth by simultaneously monitoring the temperature change of the product
is also under consideration.

Fig. 13
Example of z-axis compensation control system coupled
with spindle load / variation of spindle current
(HWACHEON)
 Fig. 14
Example of tool insertion depth control system coupled
with wireless load cell

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4. Discussion

Meanwhile, many domestic and efforts of other researchers 4 ) and the contact you want to
apply the friction stir recently by the actual production increased bonding process. I think it
is very encouraging that the applications in the field of automotive, railway and aerospace
are expanding beyond the heat exchange plate field in the manufacturing facilities of
semiconductor and flat panel displays related to the conventional electronics industry. In
Korea, due to the nature of the industrial structure based on the manufacturing
manufacturing industry, it has various industrial products that can apply the actual friction
stir welding process. Therefore, I think it is very important to revitalize collaborations and
exchange of technical information between related researchers and engineers who use real
technology in industry. It is believed that it is possible to develop friction stir welding
equipment with international competitiveness by making good use of this
information. Especially, Korea has the top 5 technology in the world machine tool industry.
If it is used well, it will be able to have a certain technical competitiveness in the field of
friction stir welding (academic research, application product development, equipment
development, etc.) do.
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review

This research was supported by the Industrial Technology Innovation Project (Project
Number: 10049005) of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce.
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