(Pacific Northwest National Laboratory: Richland, WA) -- A spinning tool plunges into two pieces of metal, rotating at a high rate of speed. As the tool begins to move, it softens and mixes the metal, creating a powerful weld—one that can securely join similar and dissimilar materials (particularly metals and alloys) without rivets, fasteners, or adhesive. This advanced manufacturing technique, called friction stir welding, requires only a fraction of the energy required by conventional techniques. But it isn’t used on many assembly lines today.

Why? Because friction stir welding exerts tremendous force (up to 5,000 lb), and something needs to capture that force. Currently, the process requires a rigid, perfectly shaped anvil underneath the material being welded. For many assembly lines, meeting that requirement is challenging.

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