MTI: Used Aerospace FSW Machine in California (Sold)

5 m long, 67 kN z-force, 15 kW, 81 Amps, built in 2011 by Manufacturing Technology Inc.

AluStir has been in a unique position to promote a used, 5 m long friction stir welding machine, which has subsequently been sold. We offered this in close collaboration with Sterling Machinery Exchange, one of the largest used machine dealers in California, serving the industry since 1954. This FSW machine was built by MTI (Manufacturing Technology Inc.) to aerospace specifictions and sucessfully used in low volume production at a Californian aerospace company.

5 m (197 in) long FSW sheet welding machine with 2.1 m (7 ft) throat depth

MTI machines are known for their rigidity and high accuracy resulting in high-quality welded products. This high-quality machine is in excellent condition. It was still being used before being sold for friction stir welding of sheets made from AA2219-O aluminium alloy.

The welded blanks are made by FSW from several up to 2 x 5 m large aluminium sheets

This FSW machine is ideal for joning sheet to sheet, e.g. in combination with spin forming. If you want to produce large aluminium tanks for aircraft bulkheads, road tankers or rail transport tank cars, the size of commercially available aluminium sheets needs to be increased by welding two or three sheets together. This large, prefabricated sheet can then be spin-formed to the required shape of a tank or pressure tight vessel. The excellent quality of friction stir welds results in very good formability, not achievable by most fusion welding procedures. It is also ideal for welding dissimilar combinations, e.g. steel to aluminium transition joints between the steel hull and the aluminium superstructure in shipbuilding.

This friction stir welding machine is capable of welding a variety of materials including aluminum alloys, titanium, steels & high temperature alloys using Polycrystalline Cubic Boron Nitride (PCBN) FSW tools. We can disclose further information about potential applications of this machine, if required.

Electric spindle motor with 15kW (20 hp) power

The electric spindle motor is ideal for anyone who doesn't like oily and noisy hydraulic motors and mitigates the risk contaminating workpieces that need to be painted after welding. Electric spindle motors are known from CNC milling machines for the same reasons. Hydraulic spindle motors are these day mainly beneficial for portable equipment, under water and in confined spaces, e.g. FSW in tunnels or pipelines.

Friction stir welded sheets, Lot 592, 800 rpm, 8 inch per minute (200 mm/min)

The spindle can be tilted manually around the a-axis by ±5° tilt angle

The tilt angle can be adjusted with an easy lock digital inclinometer. Typcial tilt axis angles are 0°, 2.0° or 2.5°.

VeIso#50 boring mill taper with M24 x 3 drawbar 0.012 mm (0.0005 inch) maximum runout, measured @ spindle face, here shown with a milling cutter instead of an FSW tool.

VeIso#50 boring mill taper with M24 x 3 drawbar 0.012 mm (0.0005 inch) maximum runout, measured at the spindle face, here shown with a milling cutter instead of an FSW tool. Please click onto any of the photos to enlarge them.

Clamping bar

Loading plates and friction stir welded sheets made from AA2219-O aluminium alloy

Friction stir welded aluminium sheets

C shaped gantry of the FSW machine

Double-flange caster

Underneath the welded sheets

Phoenix contact touch screen controller and portable control panel

Supply voltage 480 V AC / 60 Hz / 3 Phase / 100Amp minimum

The machine has been electrically disconnected and is available for inspection in South El Monte, California but not under power.

It needs also air 80 psi (5.5 bar), 85 clm, clean and dry, and 15 litres per minute cooling water at 24°C (75° F).

Rear Ball Tranf., Rear Beam and emergency stop buttons

Bernard Cooler

Hydraulics

Mechanical clamps

Model LS1, serial number 3249, year of manufacturing 2001

Logo of MTI, Manufacturing Technology Inc., LS-1 Friction Stir Welder

The FSW machine has a 7.62 m (25 inch) railed travel bed. The complete machine has an estimated weight of 18.4 t (40,500 lb)

The key data of the x-y-z-axes of this multi-axis CNC contolled friction stir welding machine are as follows:

The x-axis (traverse gantry) has a position control system with 5000 mm (197 inch) stroke and 22 kN (5000 lbf) maximum force. It can traverse at a maximum welding speed (velocity) of 3000 mm/min (118 inch/min).
The y-axis (traverse between gantry columns) has a position control system with 1000 mm (39 inch) stroke and 22kN (5000 lbf) maximum force. It can traverse at a maximum velocity of 3000 mm/min (118 inch/min).
The z-axis (vertical axis) can be used with force or position Control. It has a 350 mm (14 inch ) stroke and 67 kN (15, 000 lbf) maximum force

The FSW machine while being used in commercial production of aerospace components

Disclaimer

Please note that all descriptions and specifications are temporary and subject to verification. All quotations are subject to prior sale.

The next step

Please get in touch with us at AluStir (by telephone +49 6024 636 0123 or by E-mail stephan.kallee@alustir.com), if you are interested in similar machines.