Friction stir welding – enabling worldwide engineering success
Friction stir welding re-enters the spotlight with the launch of the new Apple iMac – illustrating the adaptability of the process and its potential for the future of electronics design.Invented by Wayne Thomas and a team of researchers at TWI in the UK in 1991, friction stir welding has evolved from its beginnings as a novel method proven for joining thin-section aluminium alloy components in the automotive and aerospace industries, into a revolutionary and adaptable engineering process with far-reaching industrial potential for joining light metal alloys including titanium, as well as