Direct Drive Welding Machines: TFW's Metal Fabrication Process

The Process, Step-by-step

You might be wondering ‘how does rotary friction welding work?’ Here’s the process explained. Direct drive rotary friction welding occurs when the two components to be joined are brought into contact with each other and frictional heat is generated using rotational motion for a pre-determined amount of time.

See RFW in action

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Direct drive rotary friction welding is a completely mechanical solid-phase process creating a high integrity welded joint between similar or dissimilar materials. Two components are held in axial alignment, one component is rotated relative to, and in pressure contact, with the mating component generating heat at the faying surfaces.

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The bond is completed by the application of a forge force during and or after the cessation of relative motion.

Hopefully this has helped to outline how strong rotary friction welding is as a process as well as the versatility of RFW machines.

The business case for RFW

Fast & Cost-effective RFW – A Superior Joining Process

The question that engineers and manufacturers
ask when considering their production joining and
manufacturing processes is can we do this better,
cheaper and more efficiently?

Industrial manufacturing with friction welding is a process that provides an efficient and sustainable method of achieving high integrity similar and dissimilar material bonds.

The cycle times for such joints can be as short as a few seconds depending on the material combination and, as a process RFW delivers a far superior joint/bond compared to other traditional welding methods.

Read our industry report! It explores, and explains, some of the complexities of RFW: mission critial applications; bi-metallic welds, microscopy & analysis…

<<< To read, click here

Rotary friction welding

A Solid-state Bonding Process What is RFW?

Rotary friction welding or RFW, from Thompson, offers a significant number of advantages for a wide range of applications within the manufacturing sector.

The solid-state joining process operates by rapidly rotating one workpiece relative to another while applying compressive force.
The friction between the surfaces produces heat and the interface material plasticises.
The rotation ceases and a forge force is applied. As the materials cool, a solid state join is achieved.

See the friction welding process, in action! Thompson has an enviable track record of delivering high-quality friction welding services and innovation to our customers.

To watch, click here >>>

Features & benefits

The Direct Drive Process Repeatable, accurate & fast!

Rotary friction welding does not require any metal filler, flux or shielding gas. As such, consumables and waste are kept to a minimum. The procedure is fully automated, and unlike fusion welding which initiates both a melting and solidification process, delivers a finished component that maintains a solid-state bond, without solidification cracks – just to name one of the many benefits of friction welding in manufacturing.

RFW is used in many mission critical applications, such as drilling, exploration and power generation. Therefore, component integrity is paramount.

Nick McCarthy, Head of Sales & Market Development, AWS, has in-depth knowledge of the RFW process, and explains, in detail, the features and benefits of this industrial joining process. Listen to Nick to understand more <<<

<<< Listen to Nick, here

What can be industrially joined?

Mission critical components, across multiple industries Bar to bar, tube to bar or bi-metallic – Anything is possible

Thompson’s direct drive series is specially designed to friction weld all types of components.
This new generation of machines not only offer a number of innovations which streamline production and boost accuracy, but also include more environmentally-friendly and value-add functionalities, including component measurement systems, marking systems, extraction systems, and flash or upset management systems.

Thompson customers who utilise direct drive friction welding machines benefit from repeatability, traceability, accuracy, and flexibility, all contributing toward superior quality component manufacture, and weld integrity.

Explore just some of the industrial applications currently delivered by TFW machine technology, below.

Rotary Friction Welding Applications

From cylinders to piston rods electrical connectors to axles.

The friction welding process is used in the manufacture of critical components across a wide range of industries. From mining, to automotive. Oil and gas to exploration. It has proved its mettle in the production of components that require friction welding’s, such as axles, tubes, bars, valves and electrical connectors.

Download our application brochures here 👇 and read more about these industrial applications in more detail.

Please note, to download the application brochures, you will be redirected to our download centre.

Hydraulic applications – cylinders and piston rods

Piston Rod

The Thompson PR direct drive series is specially designed to friction weld piston rods and cylinders for both OEM and Tier 1 manufacturers. These machines are used by many of the leading names in the yellow & green goods industry, cylinder manufacturing companies as friction welding is a repeatable, robust and accurate process.

Compared to conventional welding techniques, friction welding requires no consumables (gases and wire) or skilled operators.

The Thompson PR series is highly versatile, not only meaning pre-chromed piston rods, eyes and clevises, but also hydraulic cylinder caps and flanges can be joined on a single machine. The machines are easy-to-use, offering intuitive, tailor-made HMI process control software, wide range of flexible work holding solutions and variety of efficiency enhancements.

To download our piston rods and cylinders leaflet, go to our download centre.

Exploration applications – drill rods & pipes

The Thompson DP direct drive series is specially designed to friction weld all types of drill pipes and drill rods. Configured with application relevant options such as ID and OD flash removal solutions, ultralight quick-change tooling, infinite length capability and standard automation packages. The DP series has been the choice of many worlds leading manufactures of drill pipe and drill rods.

Direct drive friction welding offers the best possible bond coupled with a repeatable, robust and accurate process. All machines are equipped with the highly acclaimed intuitive Thompson Welder software offering total traceability.

The machines benefit from an open architecture design making them easy to automate. KUKA UK also offer a range of dedicated robotic automated solutions for load/unload.

To download our drill pipes and drill rods leaflet, go to our download centre.

Truck & Bus applications – drive & trailer axles

Friction welding axles

The Thompson AX direct drive series solutions are the choice of axle manufacturers worldwide. The solution is available in double ended (DE) or single ended (SE) configurations and includes features such as flash or upset removal, component marking for total traceability and dedicated automation packages.

The DE machines are available in three different sizes to accommodate light, medium and heavy-duty axles. They can also be configured to accommodate either drive or trailer (beam) axles with removeable support tooling for the axle housing. Featuring a unique flexibed design the machines have proven to offer fast cycle times along with being robust, accurate, reliable and repeatable.

The machines benefit from an open architecture design with no visible tie bars making them easy to automate. KUKA UK also offer a range of dedicated robotic automated solutions for load/unload.

To download our drive and trailer axles leaflet, go to our download centre.

Bi Metallics – Connectors for the electrical industry

friction welding example

The Thompson EC direct drive series solutions are specifically configured for joining bi-metallics for electrical connectors. Common applications include power distribution, rail, EV vehicles and lightning conductors for the construction industry. Friction welding has been proven to offer the best bond in terms of integrity and conductivity for material combinations such as copper to aluminium where traditional fusion methods are not an option.

Thompson EC machines commonly feature quick change work holding solutions, pre-weld part preparation and fast cycle times.

The machines benefit from an open architecture design with no visible tie bars making them easy to automate. KUKA UK also offers a range of dedicated robotic automated solutions for load/unload.

To download our connectors for the electrical industry leaflet, go to our download centre.

Other Applications

Cylinders

The machines benefit from an open architecture design with no visible tie bars making them easy to automate. KUKA UK also offers a range of dedicated robotic automated solutions for load/unload.

To download our piston rods and cylinders leaflet, go to our download centre.

Customer Case Studies

Opinions and experiences of customers that use Thompson friction welding machines

The TFW Blog

Insights, updates and conversation across the TFW brand

Find out more

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Who Thompson Friction Welding Works With…

American Friction Welding

American Friction Welding (AFW) uses TFW rotary friction welding machines in demanding applications & industries.

The Welding Institute (TWI)

TWI is one of the world’s leading R&D organisations, with expertise in materials joining and engineering processes.

Advanced Forming Research Centre, Strathclyde

A centre of excellence in forming and forging research: Excited by technology and obsessed with solving the toughest manufacturing problems.

Manufacturing Technology Centre

An independent Research & Technology Organisation (RTO) with the objective of bridging the gap between academia and industry.

Birmingham University

Research work combines microstructural characterisation using electron and optical microscopy, structural integrity assessment and neutron and X-ray diffraction to improve the understanding of the process mechanisms.

How direct drive rotary friction welding works Features, benefits and the business case

The Process, Step-by-step

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Mission critical components, across multiple industries Bar to bar, tube to bar or bi-metallic – Anything is possible

From cylinders to piston rods electrical connectors to axles.

Hydraulic applications – cylinders and piston rods caret-down

Exploration applications – drill rods & pipes caret-down

Truck & Bus applications – drive & trailer axles caret-down

Bi Metallics – Connectors for the electrical industry caret-down

Other Applications caret-down

Hydraulic applications – cylinders and piston rods

Exploration applications – drill rods & pipes

Truck & Bus applications – drive & trailer axles

Bi Metallics – Connectors for the electrical industry

Other Applications