review · Materials
Friction stir welding (FSW) is a solid-state welding technology increasingly used in the aerospace industry. Its application has driven advancements in various areas, including the development of numerous FSW variants like refill friction stir spot welding and bobbin tool friction stir welding, designed to suit diverse geometries. Significant progress has also been made in FSW machine design, adapting existing equipment or creating specialised FSW heads. Furthermore, FSW has enabled the successful welding of new high strength-to-weight ratio materials, such as third-generation aluminium-lithium alloys, resulting in fewer defects and improved weld quality. This review summarises the current knowledge of FSW applications in aerospace materials and identifies existing gaps.
This research highlights how advanced welding techniques like FSW are crucial for modern aerospace manufacturing. By enabling the joining of high-performance materials with improved quality and fewer defects, FSW contributes to the production of lighter, stronger, and more reliable aircraft components, which is vital for efficiency and safety.
Friction stir welding is an established, applied technology within the aerospace industry, with ongoing developments enhancing its utility. The evolution of FSW variants and improved machine designs indicates a pathway for broader integration into manufacturing processes for complex aerospace structures. The successful welding of advanced aluminium-lithium alloys suggests immediate applicability for producing next-generation aircraft components, indicating a near-market readiness for these specific material applications.
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The use of the friction stir welding (FSW) process as a relatively new solid-state welding technology in the aerospace industry has pushed forward several developments in different related aspects of this strategic industry. In terms of the FSW process itself, due to the geometric limitations involved in the conventional FSW process, many variants have been required over time to suit the different types of geometries and structures, which has resulted in the development of numerous variants such as refill friction stir spot welding (RFSSW), stationary shoulder friction stir welding (SSFSW), and bobbin tool friction stir welding (BTFSW). In terms of FSW machines, significant development has occurred in the new design and adaptation of the existing machining equipment through the use of their structures or the new and specially designed FSW heads. In terms of the most used materials in the aerospace industry, there has been development of new high strength-to-weight ratios such as the 3rd generation aluminum-lithium alloys that have become successfully weldable by FSW with fewer welding defects and a significant improvement in the weld quality and geometric accuracy. The purpose of this article is to summarize the state of knowledge regarding the application of the FSW process to join materials used in the aerospace industry and to identify gaps in the state of the art. This work describes the fundamental techniques and tools necessary to make soundly welded joints. Typical applications of FSW processes are surveyed, including friction stir spot welding, RFSSW, SSFSW, BTFSW, and underwater FSW. Conclusions and suggestions for future development are proposed.
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DOI: 10.3390/ma16082971
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