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Heavy Duty Robotic Friction Stir Welding and Machining

TWI has capabilities for heavy-duty robotic friction stir welding (FSW) and machining with force, torque and temperature feedback.

We currently have two ABB robots, one with 500kg payload and another with an 800kg payload. Both robots are equipped with servo spindle motors suitable for high speed FSW and machining operations.

The system has force and torque measurement on the end effector and robot axis levels, as well as being integrated with feedback control to guarantee a consistent contact force and heat input. The consistent force and heat input improve the repeatability and reduce commissioning times.

The benefits of robotic FSW include the provision of a low cost and easily configured solution for FSW and machining operations of 1, 2 and 3D joints.

The system is compatible with a variety of FSW processes, including bobbin and stationary shoulder, and thanks to the feedback control integration, the process can be controlled accurately by using a combination of sensor data such as torque, force and temperature.

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