11 Friction Stir Welding Manufacturers in 2024
This section provides an overview for friction stir welding as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 11 friction stir welding manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked friction stir welding companies as of November, 2024: 1.Nova-Tech Engineering, LP, 2.Rhenium Alloys, Inc., 3.Mazak Corporation..
Table of Contents
What Is Friction Stir Welding?
Friction stir welding is a technique for joining two different materials.
The tool is rotated at high speed, and the materials are joined using frictional heat and plastic flow. It is not suitable for materials with high softening points, but it does not involve complete melting, so the thermal history can be reduced.
Friction stir welding is characterized by less thermal deformation than welding. It is also valued for its ability to join materials together. Although it is a relatively new joining technology, the problems are being solved by optimizing the shape of joining tools and other means.
In recent years, friction stir welding technology has begun to be widely used, and its excellent performance is attracting attention. Further research and development is expected in the future, and this technology will be applied in various industrial fields.
Uses of Friction Stir Welding
Friction stir welding is mainly used for joining aluminum alloys and other metals such as titanium alloys, magnesium alloys, copper, and zinc.
Specific uses of this process include the manufacture of aluminum rolling stock for railroads, automotive frames, aerospace industry, lightweight structures for ships, aircraft gases and engine parts, bridges, and other building structures.
When joining dissimilar metals, care must be taken in waterproofing the joints and selecting the metals to be combined, as there is a risk of electrical corrosion due to the difference in inherent electrical potentials. In recent years, joining techniques for stainless steel and carbon steel with high softening temperatures has been developed, and hybrid methods combined with YAG laser welding have been evolving.
Principle of Friction Stir Welding
In friction stir welding, the tool is cylindrical and has a protrusion called a probe. The outer surface of the probe is threaded. Different materials are butted against each other in the direction of thickness and pressed against the tool, which rotates at high speed. The frictional heat softens both materials, and the probe is pushed in to mix and join the materials.
The tool is made of tool steel because it must have high strength, heat resistance, and wear resistance. It is important to understand the advantages and disadvantages of friction stir welding and to consider its employment carefully.
The advantages of friction stir welding are that there is little strength loss in the welded area, only slight deformation, joining of dissimilar materials is possible, defects are unlikely to occur, no pretreatment is required, and skilled techniques are not necessary. On the other hand, the disadvantages of this method are that it is prone to bonding defects on the back side, requires rigidity to fix the materials to be bonded, and is not suitable for complex bonded shapes.
Other Information About Friction Stir Welding Machines
Dissimilar Metals Welded by Friction Stir Welding Machine
In response to recent global issues of environmental protection and resource conservation, the automotive industry has been contributing to fuel efficiency improvement by reducing vehicle weight. In many cases, weight reduction of car bodies can be solved simply by replacing conventional steel, which has a high specific gravity, with aluminum alloys, which have a low specific gravity.
Therefore, "multi-materials" are widely used as an effective means of creating members with superior overall characteristics by using different materials for the right places, such as steel for parts that require strength as before and aluminum alloys for other parts. Multi-materials are characterized by the large proportion of steel and aluminum alloys combined. Friction stir welding machines are used to join these two dissimilar metals.
There are two major joining methods: welding, in which metals are joined by melting through the application of high thermal energy, and friction stir welding, in which metals are joined by plasticity without melting through the application of high mechanical energy. In the case of welding, it is difficult to control the melting and joining of steel and aluminum alloys, which have very different melting points. Another major challenge is the formation of hard and brittle intermetallic compounds composed of iron and aluminum.
Arc welding, which has a relatively low energy density, is difficult to apply because of the thick intermetallic compound layer that forms. However, laser and electron beam welding, which have high directivity and density, can make the layer thinner, making it possible to apply arc welding, although it is difficult to control. On the other hand, thermal deformation is inevitable.
List of 11 Friction Stir Welding Manufacturers
*Including some distributors, etc.
Sort by Features
- Default
- Company Size: largest first
- Year Founded: oldest first
- Year Founded: earliest first
Sort by Area
- United States of America
- Germany
- Italy
- Japan
- france
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Nova-Tech Engineering, LP
Friction Stir Welding
Manufacturer Overview
Nova-Tech Engineering, LP is a manufacturer and an engineering company that specializes in the design and fabrication of precision automation equipment that is headquartered in Willmar, Minnesota, and was established in 1992. The company offers a wide range of products and services, including robotic welding systems, assembly systems, and machine tools. Nova-Tech Engineering also offers various engineering services, such as system design, engineering, and installation. The company's products and services find application in the agricultural, food processing, and manufacturing industries.
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Mazak Corporation.
Friction Stir Welding
Manufacturer Overview
Mazak Corporation, founded in the year 1919, and based in Kentucky, USA, is a manufacturer and supplier of global machine tools. Their product portfolio includes multi-tasking tools, CNC turning tools, machinery, and laser processing machines. The company has many technology centers globally which offer solutions with new machinery, the latest applications, offering advice on machinery parts, training, and many other services. They have 87 technology and technical centers in 29 countries globally to provide service and support to customers.
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Advanced Integration Technology, LP
Friction Stir Welding
Manufacturer Overview
Advanced Integration Technology, LP is headquartered in Plano, Texas, and is manufacturer and supplier of industrial automation and tooling systems since 1992. The company designs, manufactures, and installs machines and systems for the automated assembly of aerospace structures. Its products include AGVs, automated systems for part-to-part assembly, circumferential drillers, friction stir welding, laser indexing systems, and positioning systems. The company provides products for use in the aerospace sectors, and also offers services, such as system design, engineering, and installation.
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Rhenium Alloys, Inc.
Friction Stir Welding
Company Overview
Rhenium Alloys, Inc. is a manufacturer and supplier of high temperature products and refractory metals that was established in 1966 in Elyria, Ohio, USA before relocating to North Ridgeville, Ohio, in 2008. The company offers molybdenum products such as MOCBD heater filaments and flat wire, and rhenium products such as perrhenic acid and zone refined materials. It also offers products made from pure tungsten or tungsten alloys, including rods, sheets, and plates. The company mainly serves clients in the aerospace, defense, and energy industries.
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FPT INDUSTRIE SpA
FRICTION STIR WELDING
Manufacturer Overview
FPT INDUSTRIE SpA, established in 1969 and headquartered in Venice, Italy, is a manufacturer of CNC milling and boring machines for the mechanical, die, and mold fields. The company’s product offerings include horizontal milling machines, vertical milling machines, and boring machines. These machines are used in various sectors, including general mechanics and mold making, to perform precise and efficient milling and boring operations. The company maintains quality standards as evidenced by its certifications, including UNI EN ISO 9001: 2015, GOST, and the D&B Rating 1 certificate.
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KIKUKAWA KOGYO CO., LTD.
Friction Stir Welding
Manufacturer Overview
KIKUKAWA KOGYO CO., LTD. founded in Tokyo, Japan in 1933 is a manufacturer of architectural interior and exterior metal products. The company's product portfolio includes aluminum, stainless steel, bronze and steel standard and custom-made finishes. The company serves industries such as Oil and Gas, Aerospace and Defense, Automotive and Transportation, Construction, and architecture. The company provides services such as Product Selection Guidance, Engineering Support, and Custom Manufacturing. They also provide custom metalwork services including minimal weld distortions, complex shapes and double curved panels.
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Grenzebach Group
Friction Stir Welding
Manufacturer Overview
Grenzebach Maschinenbau GmbH, founded in 1960 with headquarters in Germany, is a manufacturer of production equipment, components, and automation systems. The company's product line includes automated plastic and metal 3D printing equipment, pressure die casting equipment and systems, data-based systems for glass production, and mills for grinding soft to medium-hard bulk materials. Grenzebach provides composite services for its equipment and systems that include customization, installation, maintenance, repairs, support, and training. The company's integrated systems are utilized by processing plants that include organic insulation, fire-retardants, wood veneer, building materials, and metal parts fabrication markets.
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Concurrent Technologies Corporation
Friction Stir Welding
Manufacturer Overview
Concurrent Technologies Corporation is an independent, nonprofit supplier for applied scientific research and development professional services organization that is headquartered in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, and was established in 1969. The company provides a wide range of services, including research and development, testing and evaluation, systems engineering, and training. Concurrent Technologies Corporation also offers products, such as embedded computing systems, software tools, and simulation environments. The company's products and services find application in industries, including defense, energy, healthcare, and manufacturing. The company's customers include government agencies, commercial companies, and academic institutions that are found across the globe.
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KUKA AG
Friction Stir Welding
Manufacturer Overview
KUKA AG was founded in 1898 in Augsburg, Germany. The company is a subsidiary of GD Midea Holding Co., Ltd. and is an automation developer, designing and manufacturing robot-based automation solutions for medical, automotive, warehousing, and distribution industries. The company’s product segments include robot systems, production machines, and systems, mobility as a driver of Industry 4.0, and process technologies that provide special welding processes to factories. The company’s services include repair and servicing for robots and machines and engineering services for designing and programming robotic systems.
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Hitachi Power Solutions Co.,Ltd.
Friction Stir Welding (FSW) Equipment
Company Overview
Hitachi Power Solutions Co. Ltd., founded in 1960, is a Japanese manufacturer and supplier headquartered in Hitachi City, Ibaraki, providing energy solutions. The company supports the effective use of renewable energy by installing solar and wind power generation and storage battery systems. It also offers energy management services that facilitate power purchasing agreements (PPAs), connecting power generation operations with end-users. It further provides equipment and related management services as solutions to replace aging industrial equipment. Equipment for secondary battery assemblies is also offered to meet the increasing demand for eco-friendly semiconductors and support the adoption of electric vehicles.
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Friction Stir Welding Manufacturer Ranking
*Including some distributors, etc.Ranking as of November 2024
Derivation Method| Rank | Company | Click Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nova-Tech Engineering, LP |
36.1%
|
| 2 | Rhenium Alloys, Inc. |
10.4%
|
| 3 | Mazak Corporation. |
9.4%
|
| 4 | Advanced Integration Technology, LP |
8.9%
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| 5 | Grenzebach Group |
6.4%
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| 6 | Hitachi Power Solutions Co.,Ltd. |
6.4%
|
| 7 | Concurrent Technologies Corporation |
5.9%
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| 8 | FPT INDUSTRIE SpA |
5.0%
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| 9 | KIKUKAWA KOGYO CO., LTD. |
4.5%
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| 10 | KUKA AG |
4.0%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the friction stir welding page as of November 2024. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
- KIKUKAWA KOGYO CO., LTD.: 179
Newly Established Company
- Stirweld: 2017 (7 years ago)
- Rhenium Alloys, Inc.: 1966 (58 years ago)
- Grenzebach Group: 1960 (64 years ago)
Company with a History
- Grenzebach Group: 1960 (64 years ago)
- Rhenium Alloys, Inc.: 1966 (58 years ago)
- Stirweld: 2017 (7 years ago)
Friction Stir Welding Manufacturers in United States
*Including some distributors, etc.
- Nova-Tech Engineering, LP
- Mazak Corporation.
- Advanced Integration Technology, LP
- Rhenium Alloys, Inc.
Global Distribution of Friction Stir Welding Manufacturers by Country
*Including some distributors, etc.
| Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
|---|---|---|
United States of America
|
4 | 50.0% |
Italy
|
1 | 12.5% |
Japan
|
1 | 12.5% |
Germany
|
1 | 12.5% |
france
|
1 | 12.5% |
