Patent — available for licensing
Internal Friction Reduction (IFR) Tool
A NASA invention available to explore as a licensing opportunity.
About this technology
Overview
NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center has developed a cost-effective pin tool for use in self-reacting friction stir welding (SR-FSW), making the SR-FSW process significantly more robust and cost-effective. The IFR Tool mitigates the internal friction that occurs between the weld pin and crown-shoulder during a SR-FSW weld. Testing with the IFR tool has shown a significant reduction in the number of defects found in SR-FSW welds, and the tool allows significantly longer SR-FSW welds to be performed. Utilizing the IFR Tool can reduce SR-FSW welding costs by reducing scrap/rework rates, reducing the number of pin tools required per unit weld length, and reducing the time spent changing out SR-FSW pin tools per unit weld length. Along with improving the cost-effectiveness of existing SR-FSW applications, the IFR Tool may also further expand the applications for which SR-FSW is a commercially viable solution.