TWI

With regard to the requirement to produce friction stir welded (FSW) lap joints with strength and fatigue properties suitable for commercial regional aircraft, work undertaken by MTS Systems and Bombardier Aerospace to develop pin tools and corrosion protection systems compatible with existing manufacturing methods is described. In the initial stages of the programme, materials were limited to the aluminium alloys 2024-T3 and 7075-T76 representing, respectively, skins and stringers. Evolving through a number of design iterations, a pin tool was developed to control the defect level occurring at the joint and with the capability to weld through both anodised layer and sealant. The tool was used to manufacture tensile lap shear test specimens and fatigue tests were conducted to confirm the integrity of the weld.

6th International Symposium, 10-13 Oct 2006, Session 6A: Aerospace II, Paper 02