TWI

The Welding of Airframes by Friction Stir (WAFS) project was implemented to increase the adoption of friction stir welding (FSW) for welding airframes in the aerospace industry. The partners in WAFS include all the main airframe manufacturers in Europe plus research institutes. The objectives of the project were to produce a common standard for FSW, to develop tools and process parameters for the FSW of thin and thick section aluminium alloys, to produce mechanical test data for thin and thick alloys, to minimise residual stresses and corrosion effects, to develop procedures for carrying out repair work on friction stir welded joints, to develop a modelling or simulation capability for FSW, and to complete design studies for components containing friction stir welds.

3rd International Symposium, 27-28 Sep 2001, Session 4: Aerospace Applications, Paper 03