Friction Welding

Manufacturing Technology, Inc.

All of us at MTI
would like to extend our thanks for your interest
in our company. Manufacturing Technology, Inc.
has been a leading manufacturer of inertia, direct
drive and hybrid friction welders since 1976.
We hope that the following pages will further
spark your interest by detailing a number of our
products, services and capabilities.
We at MTI share a common goalto help you
solve your manufacturing problems in the most
efficient way possible. Combining friction welding

Table of Contents
Introduction to Friction Welding

Advantages of MTIs Process

demonstrated dramatic savings in labor and

Inertia Friction Welding

material with no sacrifice to quality. Contact us

Direct Drive & Hybrid

Friction Welding

Machine Monitors & Controllers

Safety Features

Flash Removal

MTI Welding Services

Weldable Combinations

with custom designed automation, we have

today to find out what we can do for you.

Applications
Aircraft/Aerospace
Oil Field Pieces
Military
Bimetallic & Special
Agricultural & Trucking
Automotive
General

10
14
16
20
22
28
38

Special Welders
& Automated Machines

46

Machine Models & Capabilities

48

Friction Welding

What It Is

Dissimilar Materials

Manufacturing
Technology, Inc.

(MTI) was founded in 1976 as a

company specializing in friction
welding. At that time, MTI acquired all
available patents, technical
specifications, and product
development information from
Caterpillar Tractor Company for Inertia
Welders and AMFs Flywheel Friction
Welders. A further addition was made in
1985 when MTI acquired the rights to
New Britains line of Direct Drive Friction
Welders. Today, MTI offers a complete
line of Inertia, Direct Drive, and Hybrid
Direct Drive Friction Welders.
With machines in use around the
globe, MTI is a world leader in
designing and building inertia and
direct drive friction welders by helping
major industries solve many of their
most complex manufacturing problems.
Applications typically friction welded
include aircraft and aerospace
components, cutting tools, agricultural
machinery, automotive parts, oil field
pieces, waste canisters, military
equipment, spindle blanks and
bimetallic materials.
We continue to expand our
knowledge, equipment size and
volume, while adding complementary
technologies to our product line, and
maintaining contract welding services
for industries with variable or low
volume needs.

Even metal combinations not normally considered compatible can

be joined by friction welding, such as aluminum to steel, copper to
aluminum, titanium to copper and nickel alloys to steel. As a rule, all
metallic engineering materials which are forgeable can be friction
welded, including automotive valve alloys, maraging steel, tool steel,
alloy steels and tantalum. In addition, many castings, powder metals
and metal matrix composites are weldable.

SavingsCost, Time, Material

Since dissimilar materials can be joined, a significant cost savings is

possible because engineers can design bimetallic parts that use
expensive materials only where needed. Expensive forgings and castings
can be replaced with less expensive forgings welded to bar stock, tubes,
plates and the like.
Substantial time savings are realized since the process is significantly
faster than more conventional methods of welding.

Friction welding
produces forged quality
joints, with a 100%
butt joint weld through
the contact area. This
solid section shows the
narrow heat-affected
weld zone and resulting
displaced material
(flash).

Transition joint
for cryogenic
application.
Inconel to
aluminum.

Information

Friction welding is a solid-state joining process that produces

coalescence in materials, using the heat developed between surfaces
through a combination of mechanically induced rubbing motion and
applied load. The resulting joint is of forged quality. Under normal
conditions, the faying surfaces do not melt. Filler metal, flux and
shielding gas are not required with this process.

Automated 60B Inertia

Friction Welder (shown
below with guarding
removed) used to weld
automotive air conditioning
components (left).

Top Ten Reasons

to Consider
Friction Welding

1. Dissimilar metals are joined,

even some considered
incompatible or unweldable.
2. The process is at least twice
and up to 100 timesas fast as
other welding techniques.
3. Friction welders are versatile
enough to join a wide range of
part shapes, materials and sizes.
4. Joint preparation isnt critical
machined, saw cut, and even
sheared surfaces are weldable.
5. Resulting joints are of forged
quality, with a 100% butt joint
weld through the contact area.
6. The machine-controlled process
eliminates human error, and
weld quality is independent of
operator skill.
7. Its ecologically cleanno
objectionable smoke, fumes, or
gases are generated that need
to be exhausted.
8. No consumables are required
no flux, filler material, or
shielding gases.
9. Power requirements are as low
as 20% of that required of
conventional welding processes.
10.Since there is no melting, no
solidification defects occur, e.g.
gas porosity, segregation or slag
inclusions.

Information

Metal combinations
not normally
considered
weldable, such as
these copper to
aluminum electrical
connectors, can be
joined in friction
welding.

Advantages
of MTIs
Welding
Process

Inertia
Friction
Welding

Advantages

Inertia Friction Welding has

several advantages over the
Direct Drive Friction Welding
process:
Narrower heat affected
zones.
Shorter weld times.
Helical flow lines and hot
working at end of weld cycle
can help in weld strength.
Ease of monitoring, given only
two variables for welding:
energy (RPM) and pressure.
Energy can be monitored
before signal is given to weld
reducing the variables during

The relationship of
inertia friction
welding parameter
characteristics.

Induced failure showing

helical flow on an Inertia
Friction Weld.

welding to one.
Pre-calculable parameters for
most materials and geometry.
The process can, therefore, be
mathematically scaled (i.e.
small samples can be used for
large parts development).
No clutches, no brakes.
Weld torque is measured
indirectly by measuring the
rate of spindle speed change.
Meets Military Standard 1252
and welding specifications of
numerous large corporations
in the U.S.A.
Largest Inertia Friction Welder
has 2250 ton forge force.

Information

Inertia Friction Welding is a

variation of friction welding in
which the energy required to
make the weld is supplied primarily
by the stored rotational kinetic
energy of the welding machine.
In Inertia Welding, one of the
workpieces is connected to a
flywheel and the other is
restrained from rotating. The
flywheel is accelerated to a
predetermined rotational speed,
storing the required energy. The
drive motor is disengaged and
workpieces are forced together by
the friction welding force. This
causes the faying surfaces to rub
together under pressure. The
kinetic energy stored in the
rotating flywheel is dissipated as
heat through friction at the weld
interface as the flywheel speed
decreases. An increase in friction
welding force may be applied
(forge force) before rotation stops.
The forge force is maintained for a
predetermined time after rotation
ceases. The relationship between
the Inertia Friction Welding
parameter characteristics appears
in the diagram.

Advantages

The Direct Drive Friction Welding process has

several advantages over Inertia Friction Welding:
Lower weld force for solid parts. Larger parts can be
welded on same tonnage machine.
Lower weld torque if brake is applied at end of weld
cycle. Tooling requirements are, therefore, less rigid.
Lower RPM for solid parts.
Weld direct to finished length of .015 in. (.38 mm)
or better with parts that have a larger tolerance
before welding (i.e. .050 in. [1.27 mm]).
Angular orientation after welding of 1 or better is
possible between the two pieces.
No flywheel change between setups.
Weld quality should never be sacrificed to obtain
dimensional accuracy or angular orientation.

The relationship of
direct-drive friction
welding parameter
characteristics.

Direct Drive Friction Welding is a variation

of friction welding in which the energy
required to make the weld is supplied by the
welding machine through a direct motor
connection for a preset period of the welding
cycle.
In Direct Drive Friction Welding, one of the
workpieces is attached to a motor-driven unit
while the other is restrained from rotation. The
motor-driven workpiece is rotated at a
predetermined constant speed. The workpieces
to be welded are forced together and then a
friction welding force is applied. Heat is generated
as the faying surfaces (weld interfaces) rub
together. This continues for a predetermined
time, or until a preset amount of axial shortening
(upset) takes place. The rotational driving force is
discontinued and the rotating workpiece is
stopped by the application of a braking force or
by the weld itself (Inertia Welding). The friction
welding force is maintained, or increased, for a
predetermined time after rotation ceases (forge
force). The relationship between the Direct Drive
Friction Welding parameter characteristics is
shown in the diagram.
MTIs Hybrid Direct Drive Friction Welders use
AC or DC variable speed drives that eliminate
clutches and brakes. Proportional hydraulic
controls guarantee smooth up and down force
control. Through manipulation of deceleration
times and forge force ramp up time, welds can be
made ranging from near Inertia Friction welds to
classic Direct Drive Friction welds.

Information

Direct Drive
& Hybrid
Friction
Welding

Induced failure
showing typical classic
Direct Drive Friction
Weld flow pattern.

Flash
Removal

Above right: Model 150B

Inertia Welder equipped
with plunge-cut flash
removal.
Right: Examples of I.D.
and O.D. flash removed
by shearing.

Safety Features
New machines feature custom-designed
guarding with front sliding door for manual
loading and unloading of parts, and
removable, stationary guards for rear and
sides.
Physical interlocks are placed on the
sliding door and all removable guarding.
Program interlocks protect personnel and the
machine by requiring certain conditions to
be met before allowing machine movement.
These same safety features can be added
to older machines during rebuild or retrofit.
Sound enclosures are available to soften
the sound decibels of the motors. They
range from an enclosure mounted directly
on the hydraulic unit (on smaller machines),
to a complete room built around the
hydraulic unit on very large machines.

Below: Model 120B

Inertia Friction Welder
with safety guarding
installed.

Information

Above left: Model 120

Inertia Welder equipped
with O.D. flash shearing.

The flash curl generated

during welding is coherent,
will not flake off, and can
often be left intact if design
and engineering
considerations allow.
Alternately, parts can
frequently be designed to
accommodate the flash curl in
a recess (flash trap).
In many cases, if the weld
flash must be removed, this
can be accomplished on the
welder as an integrated part of the
machine cycle. Part geometry and
accessibility of the flash are the two
major factors which determine
whether on-machine flash removal
can be incorporated, and which
system can be employed.
Available systems include:
Shearingoutside
Shearinginside
Plunge Cutone axis
Plunge Cuttwo axis
The customer must determine if
the increase in machine cycle time
and additional complexity of the
machine are warranted.

MTI
Welding
Services

10

Information

Research &
Development
and Contract
Job Shop

MTI provides contract welding

services for industries with variable
or low volume needs. Our in-house
job shop offers both research &
development, and production
services. A wide range of inertia or
direct drive friction welders are
available to accommodate customer
applications.
MTIs knowledge, welding
capacity, geographic location and
proximity to heat treat sources
combine to provide you with the
best value for your dollar.
Machines are available for
production runs for material sizes
ranging from .250 in. diameter to 6
in. diameter solid, or 43 in.2 tubular
steel; with weld force ranging from
6-ton to 450-ton.
Current production lot
quantities range from <5 to
>300,000 pieces per year.
Pre- and post-weld processing
is available.
Tooling available for most part
configurations. Design capability for
both tooling and parts by
experienced Design Engineering
Department.
Weld development, feasibility
studies and metallurgical evaluation
of weld quality performed by
experienced Metallurgist.
Computer storage of
parameter data is available for
critical applications.

MTI Contract Job Shop.

Model 400S Inertia Friction Welder

This 450 ton welder is the largest contract services welder used in the U.S.
Typical applications welded on this 400S include large tubular steel parts,
such as diesel engine pistons and aircraft components.

Weldable Combinations
in Friction Welding

Zirconium Alloys
Valve Materials (Automotive)
Vanadium
Uranium
Tungsten Carbide Cemented
Tungsten
Titanium Alloys
Titanium
Thorium
Tantalum
Steel Tool
Steel Stainless
Steel Sintered
Steel Maraging
Steel Free Machining
Steel Carbon
Steel Alloys
Silver Alloys
Silver
Niobium Alloys
Niobium
Nimonic
Nickel Alloys
Nickel
Monel
Molybdenum
Magnesium Alloys
Magnesium
Lead
Iron Sintered
Copper Nickel
Copper
Columbium
Cobalt
Ceramic
Cast Iron
Carbides Cemented
Bronze
Brass
Aluminum Alloys
Aluminum

Aluminum
Aluminum Alloys
Brass
Bronze
Carbides Cemented
Cast Iron
Ceramic
Cobalt
Columbium
Copper
Copper Nickel
Iron Sintered
Lead
Magnesium
Magnesium Alloys
Molybdenum
Monel
Nickel
Nickel Alloys
Nimonic
Niobium
Niobium Alloys
Silver
Silver Alloys
Steel Alloys
Steel Carbon
Steel Free Machining
Steel Maraging
Steel Sintered
Steel Stainless
Steel Tool
Tantalum
Thorium
Titanium
Titanium Alloys
Tungsten
Tungsten Carbide Cemented
Uranium
Vanadium
Valve Materials (Automotive)
Zirconium Alloys

Track roller carrier bracket. Welded

structural shapes replace steel casting.
Cost reduced by 25%, fatigue strength
improved 7 1/2 times.

Information

Since dissimilar metals can often be joined, a significant cost savings can be realized by designing
bimetallic parts that use a minimum of expensive metals only where needed. Expensive forgings and
castings can sometimes be replaced with less expensive forgings welded to bar stock, tubes, and plates, or
with components created solely by welding together bar stock, tubes, and plates.

11

12
A
B

D
C

Aircraft/
Aerospace
The demand for larger aircraft
means that aero-engines are growing
in thrust, temperature, and size. To
withstand the higher temperatures,
critical aircraft and aerospace
components are being made with
materials such as superalloy,
bimetallic, stainless steel and
aluminum. These materials, which
can be difficult and many times
impossible to weld with conventional
methods, can be joined with the
friction welding process. These
higher-temperature materials, along
with the large component size,
require large amounts of weld energy
and load. In order to meet this
increasing demand, MTI designed a
2,000 ton inertia friction welder. This
is the largest friction welder made
today. In addition to these large
machines, friction welders of all sizes
are used in this industry. Aircraft/
aerospace components friction
welded include compressor rotors,
fan shafts, cluster gears, landing gear
components, bimetallic rivets and
hook bolts, aluminum heat pipes,
and cryogenic rocket components. A
special machine was designed and
built to weld injector posts in the U.S.
space shuttle main engines.

A Cluster gear cross section.

B Cluster gear.
C Inconel 718 tube to rotor
assembly.
D Low compression titanium
rotor assembly.
E Jet engine compressor rotor
as welded.
F Fan blade rotor.

13
G

G Landing gear drag brace.

H Landing gear component.
I Forged 300M clevis welded to 300M
tubing for manufacture of ball screw.
Actuates swing wing on F-14 Fighter.
J Jet engine componentas machined.
K Extension welded to four-blade propeller
hub forging.

Applications Aircraft /Aerospace

L Bosses welded to accumulator housing

AISI4340.

A Military jet engine compensating

shaftas welded.
B

14

Fan shaft for military jet engineInconel.

C Commercial jet engine fan shaft

as welded.
D Military jet engine fan shaft,
cross-sectionas machined.

15

E Left: Stator vane root weld-as machined.

Center: with flash removed. Right: Stator
vane root weld (titanium)as welded.
F

F Ball screw actuatoralloy steel.

G Bimetallic aircraft rivets-titanium.

H Stator vane adjustor levertitanium.

I Aircraft hook boltssuperalloy.

J Lightweight piston for
aircraft pump17-4PH.

Applications Aircraft /Aerospace

K Aluminum heat pipe for

aerospace.

16

Oil Field
Pieces
Weld integrity is a must in
the oil field drilling industry.
Proven reliability of friction
welded connections, coupled
with the process advantages
such as being clean, fast,
consistent, and free of
operator-induced error, makes
friction welding one of the
leading methods of joining
flanges to valve bodies, drill
pipe, high-pressure hose
couplings, and manifold tubes.
A typical string of drill pipe
can be three to four miles long,
composed of 30-foot sections.
The friction welds support the
lower drill stem assembly
(made up of other drill pipes,
drill collars and the drilling bit)
and transmit the rotary torque
needed for drilling. Friction
welding produces a
metallurgical bond strong
enough to take the high torque
and highly loaded rotary
tension due to directional
drilling.

A Butterfly valves. Wrought stainless steel extension welded to investment

cast stainless steel butterfly valve.
B High-pressure valve body. Forged flanges welded to forged valve body.
C Cross-section of high-pressure valve body weld.

17

Applications Oil Field Pieces

E
D Geological core drill. SAE4140 end blank
welded to SAE4140 tubing.
E Sucker rod. Threaded end connector to
forged sucker rod.
F Oil well drill pipe. Close-up of tooljoint to
drill pipe weld. Female end.
G Oil well drill pipe. Close-up of tooljoint to
drill pipe weld. Male end.
F

H Cross-section of Inertia Welded manifold

tubing used on oil well heads.

18

Military
Government agencies in the
United States and abroad rely
on MTI as their friction welding
technology source. MTIs
continued research into the
stored energy approach to
friction welding, first pioneered
by Caterpillar Tractor, Inc. and
AMF, resulted in the first military
standards written around the
inertia welding process (MILSTD-1252).
The advantages of this
process such as no smoke,
fumes or gases, or few sparks
produced, and the fact that the
process is machine-controlled,
make it suitable for use in
potentially explosive or
hazardous environments. The
machine can be fully
automated so the operator can
be safely located out of harms
way. MTIs machines and
contract welding services have
been used in military defense,
aircraft, aerospace and ground
transportation components.

A Formed cap welded to tubing

for manufacture of bomblet.
B Fuze liner.
C Fuze liners. Drawn thin-wall
tubing to heavy-wall tubing
rings.
D Experimental machine gun
barrel liner.
E Closure for smoke mortar fill
hole, aluminum.

19
F Experimental windscreens to
projectiles.
G Torque tubes for amphibious
personnel carrier drive shaft.
H Front bomb case assembly.
18 in. (457mm) O.D.
F

I Midcase bomb assembly.

18 in. (457mm) O.D., 43 in.2
(27,740mm2) of weld area.

Applications Military

20
A

FPO
2

A High-explosive bomb
development sample.
2 Mortar round.
C Copper alloy band to 30 mm
steel body.
D Adjusting link for tracked
vehicle. AISI4140.

21

E Impact wrench extensions.

G Experimental aluminum smoke

mortar.

Applications Military

F Copper alloy rotating band radially

welded to 155 mm alloy steel
projectile body and cross-section.

22

Bimetallic
& Special
Applications
Metal combinations not
normally considered compatible
are joined by friction welding,
such as aluminum to steel,
copper to aluminum, titanium to
copper, and nickel alloys to steel.
Since dissimilar materials can be
joined, a significant cost savings
is possible by designing
bimetallic parts that use
expensive materials only where
needed. Engine valve heads
made from a nickel-chrome alloy
for heat resistance can be
welded to an alloy steel stem for
wear resistance. A carbon steel
shaft welded to a stainless steel
stub provides corrosion
resistance in pump motors.
MTI has experience with many
bimetallic applications. Some
others include: copper to
aluminum electrical connectors,
aluminum to stainless steel
copier fuser rollers, titanium to
copper electrodes used in
seawater desalinization cells, and
stainless to alloy steel propeller
shafts for outboard motors.

A Carbon steel/stainless steel marine

outboard engine drive shaft
B Bimetallic pump motor shaft. Stainless
steel stub joined to carbon steel shaft
for corrosion resistance.
C Inertia-welded copper-to-aluminum
tensile specimen.
D Aluminum and copper electrical
connector.

23

F Aluminum/stainless copier fuser roller.

G Pin heading done using interrupted weld cycle.
H Solid 2219 aluminum/304 stainless steel tube.
I Transition joint for cryogenic application. Inconel
to aluminum.

Applications Bimetallic & Special Applications

E Examples of various aluminum/copper electrical

connectors and a threaded titanium/copper
electrode stud.

24

Agricultural
& Trucking
Friction welding is used
extensively in the agricultural and
trucking industries because the
welds are of forged quality, with a
100% butt joint weld throughout
the contact area. This bond is
strong enough to handle the high
stress and torque required of
heavy machinery components.
Component costs can be
significantly reduced by replacing
expensive, totally-forged parts
with forged ends welded to bar or
tube stock, without a reduction in
quality.
One example of this would be
hydraulic piston rods, which have
similar-size ends, but vary in rod
diameter and length. Instead of
stocking expensive forged
components in a variety of
different diameter and length
configurations, standardized ends
could be welded to the requiredsize rod, reducing component
costs as well as physical inventory
requirements.
Other agricultural and trucking
applications include front axle
yoke shafts, rear axles, drive
shafts, and gears.

A Water pump gear.

B Cross-section of inertia
welded diesel engine
precombustion
chamberSAE5120.

C Water pumpas
welded.
D Water pumpfinished.
E Diesel engine piston.

25

F Track roller. Forged halves welded together to produce track roller

assemblies.
G Steel-backed, bronze-laminate thrust washers and sleeves welded together
to produce track roller bushings. Replaced costly solid bronze castings.
H 4 in. (101.6 mm) diameter bar stock welded to hub forging to produce rear
axles for tractors.
I Truck trailer brake S-cam.
J Forged wheel spindles joined to 5 in. (127 mm) diameter, .5 in. (12.7 mm)
wall tubing to produce trailer axles.

Applications Agricultural & Trucking

26

A Power control drive shaft for

motorgrader. Inertia weldment
replaces upset forging (left) which
required five straightening operations.
B Universal joint clevis.
C Front axle yoke shaft for four-wheeldrive vehicles. SAE1040 bar stock to
SAE 1040 yoke forging.
D Pin assembly. Pre-chromed pin
welded to retaining plate.

27

E Finished gear welded to clutch drum.

6 Oil pump gears. Welded bar stock replaces forged
blanks. 15%30% cost reduction (depending on size
and usage).

8 Two pre-finished transmission gears welded using

precision piloted tooling.
9 Chain drive sprocket.
6

Applications Agricultural & Trucking

7 Cluster gear. Small finished gear welded to larger

gear blank.

28

A Lift screw. Roll

threaded stock cut to
length and welded to
screw machined ends.
B Lift link-ball socket.
Forged couplings
welded to tubing and
bar stock.
C Truck rear suspension
link welded on twin
150 Inertia Welder.
Ends are oriented to
within 1 of each
other.
D Torque rod. Forged eye
welded to various bar
stock lengths.

29

E Hydraulic piston rods. Rod eyes cut from heavy-wall

tubing welded to pre-chromed bar stock.
F Track adjusting yoke for commercial tracked vehicles.
G Hydraulic piston rod.
H Bar stock welded to clevis forging for manufacture of
large (5 in. (127 mm) diameter and larger) piston rods.

Applications Agricultural & Trucking

30

Automotive

In the United States, the

automotive industry has played a
dramatic role in the volume of
friction welding applications and
equipment in the 90s and
possibly the history of the
industry.
Automotive friction welding
applications include: stabilizer
bars, engine valves, torque
converter covers, drive shafts,
gear blanks, steering
components, water pumps,
axles, camshafts, air conditioning
accumulators, U-joints, and
more.
Demand for automotive
airbag inflators has stimulated
the increase in the number of
fiction welders manufactured for
the automotive industry since
the 1980s. Advantages such as
full-penetration weld, as well as
its narrow heat-affected zone
have made friction welding a key
method for joining fully-loaded
airbag inflators. Successful
material combinations include
aluminum, low carbon steel, and
stainless steel alloys.

Airbag Inflators

A Driver side airbag inflator

cross-section.

B Passenger side airbag.

C Hybrid passenger side
airbag inflator.
D Driver & passenger side
airbag inflators.
E Side-impact airbag
inflators.
F Passenger side airbag
inflator and cross-section
(aluminum).

31
7

8 Forgings can be welded to bar stock, tubes,

plates and the like, as shown with these drive
shafts.

9 Experimental aluminum suspension link.

J Experimental chassis component.
K Retainerdifferential bearing blank crosssection (left). Bearing housing retainer for
transaxle (right).
L Transmission part.
9

Applications Automotive

7 Aluminum wheel rim and cross-section.

32

D
A Hollow engine valves for
lightweight and liquid-cooled
applications.
B Flanged axle.

C Experimental hollow automotive

rear axle. Tubing welded to hub
forging and spline blank.
Replaces solid forging for weight
reduction.
D Bimetallic engine exhaust valves
showing head and stem
components, as-welded valve
and welded valve with flash
removed by shearing.

E Automatic transmission output

shaft. Stamped steel flange
welded to bar stock.
F Fan shaft bracket assembly. Bar
stock welded to plate replaces
machined forging.
G Rolled ring gear welded to
flywheel stamping produces
distortion-free flywheel ring gear.

33
H Alternator bracket. Bar stock welded to plate replaced forging.
I Viscous drive fan shaft couplings. Replace forgings.
J Starter pinion assembly. Sintered steel gear welded to sleeve.
K Automotive hydraulic jack. Fabricated from tubing and plate stock.
L Cross-section of hydraulic jack showing 2 tubular welds which were
made simultaneously to the base plate.
M Speed selector shaft. Mild steel yoke welded to SAE1045 shaft
replaced pinned assembly.

Applications Automotive

L
K

34

G
A Constant
velocity joint.
B Stem pinion.
C Forged cam shaft blank welded to forged flange.
D Forged yoke welded to bar stock for manufacture of tilt-steering shaft.
E Universal joint assembly with welded extension shaft.
F Steering shaft welded to pre-assembled knuckle.
G Water pump hub and shaft.

35

H Automotive axle tube

I Rear axle housing tube. Forged tube end
welded to tube stock.

K Electric motor housing and shaft for

automotive cooling fan.
L Direct clutch drum and hub assembly
used in automatic transmissions. Mild
steel tubing welded to cold-formed
clutch drum. Cross-section.

Applications Automotive

J Automotive transmission component.

Machined tubing welded to cold-formed
end.

36

A Torque converter cover.

Three mounting nuts
welded to cover for
mounting of flywheel
ring gear.
2 Torque converter pump.
3 Clevis.
4 Worm gear drive shaft.
5 Drive shaft.

37

F Front wheel drive shaft.

G Turbocharger.
H Transmission gear. Finished
spiral bevel gear welded to
tubular shaft.

J Air conditioner accumulator.

Aluminum housing.
K Transmission input shaft.

Applications Automotive

9 Wheel spindle.

A Brake caliper. Tubing

joined to formed caliper.
B Drive extension (internal
spline one end).
C Front suspension struts
D Sport utility 4X4
interconnecting shaft.
5 Stabilizer bars. Tube
welded to solid end.
Cross-section.

38

6 Input shaft for automotive transmission. Stamped hub to

machined bar stock.

39

7 Shock absorber base cup. Weld between threaded stud and

base cup firmly traps washer in place.
8 Bumper shocks. Tubing welded to stamping for impact
absorbing bumper mounts.
9 Air conditioner rotor assembly. Outer rotor pole is welded to
inner rotor pole then this assembly is welded to pulley blank.
6

Applications Automotive

40

General
As a rule of thumb, probably
all metallic engineering
materials which are forgeable,
are weldable by the friction
welding process.
Generally, the only
requirement of the component
design, is that one of the pieces
to be welded must have a
nearly-symmetrical shape
around its axis of rotation.
The second part to be joined
can be of any shape or form, as
long as the weld contact area is
a butt design. Joint
preparation is not critical
machined, saw-cut, and even
sheared surfaces are easily
welded.
Our continuing development
of new prototype applications
allows us to remain a leader in
the friction welding industry.
Contact MTI today to see how
friction welding can work for
you.

Cutting Tools

A Tool steel to carbon steel drill bit.

B Twist drill blank. Welded blanks made from M10 tool
steel bodies and SAE4140 shanks.
C Countersinks. High-speed steel (M2, M42) heads
welded to mild-steel (1020) shanks.
D Keyway and T-slot cutters. Welded blanks made from
AISI 6145 shanks and M4 tool steel heads.

41

Waste Canisters

A Overpack (2nd safety weld) closure for

waste canisterstainless steel.
B Cross-section of primary closure weld
and overpack weld.
C Cross-section of primary closure weld.
D Primary closure for waste canister
stainless steel.
D

Spindle Blanks
Welded blanks replace
costly forgings for
machine tool spindles.

Applications General

42

F
A Check valve fitting to stamped
housing for refrigeration unit.
B Medical X-ray target.
C Disc brake for fork lift truck.
D Center screw for automotive jack.
E Golf putters.
F Axle shaft for lawn & garden
tractor.

43
G .375 in. (9.5 mm) diameter stud welded to backing plate.
H Lift screw assembly. Acme threaded bar welded to clevis
block.
I Finished ball and mounting stud.
J Flywheel ring gear for outboard motor. Forged hub welded
to stamped and heat-treated ring gear.
K Forged eye welded to bar stock.
L Actuator arm for sewing machines.

G
H

Applications General

44

E
A Composite driver
blade.
B Mining bit.
C Miniature weld
application.
D Light weight
hydraulic piston.
E High voltage
contact. Cu-Cr
to W-Cu.
F Diesel engine
cylinder.

G Shifter yoke and pin assembly for marine transmission.

SAE1010 steel pin welded to formed yoke.

45

H Engine tilt quadrant shaft used in marine stern drive engine.

SAE8650 alloy steel bar welded to 410 stainless steel replaced
more expensive all-stainless forgings.
I Torque bolt. Head shears off when tightened to the proper
torque.

J Eyebolt. Standard forged eyes are welded to various lengths

of bar stock.
K High-pressure hydraulic hose coupling. Standard flanges and
stubs welded to bent-to-order tubing. Reduced inventory,
improved delivery. Lower piece shows result of 21,000 psi
(144,790 kPa) pressure test. No weld failure.
L Various hand tools. Forged, cold headed and stintered heads
and ends welded to barstock handles and extensions.

Applications General

46

A
B

A Ports welded to cylinder body used in

automotive steering assembly.
B Fabricated hydraulic cylinder. Tubing
welded to end cap. Parts welded to
cylinder bodyAISI4340.
C Printing press roller. Five-piece welded
assembly comprised of tubing, end
caps and journals.
4 Automotive lug wrench. Bar stock
welded to formed socket.

47

E Aluminum copier roller.

F Throw away hydraulic
cylinder. Four welds to
complete assembly.
G Tubular drive shaft.
H Accumulator.

Applications General

Special Welders and Automated Machines

48

Our design engineers and machine tool builders are specialists

in the design and building of custom welders and automation
equipment. These special welding cells dramatically increase
production rates over manual operation, while requiring minimal
operating personnel.

Special Model V120 Inertia Friction Welder

Special vertical 120 Inertia Friction

Welder has CNC table to position
space shuttle main engines for
welding of injector posts. Superalloy
injector posts are welded to space
shuttle main engine. 600 posts per
engine, 3 engines per shuttle.

Automated 180BX Inertia Friction Welder

Used for welding copier fuser rollers.

Machines

This welding cell includes

automated spindle loading,
fixture loading and
unloading, two conveyors
for end cap and tube
handling, and unload
chute for off-loading
welded parts. Cycle time is
45 seconds per welded
assembly (two separate
welds, one at each end
of tube.)

49

This twin welder has two

independent spindles and
fixtures to weld two solid ends
to a hollow tube
simultaneously. This welding
cell includes automated spindle
and fixture loading, flash
shearing, flash removal
conveyor, and part unloading
conveyor. Welded assemblies
are ready for fabrication and
finishing. Production rates
(dependent on tube diameter
and wall thickness) are
250300 welded assemblies
per hour.

Model T120 Inertia Friction Welder

Used for welding automotive stabilizer bars.

Magnetic Impulse Welding

MTI has introduced a magnetic impulse

welder to compliment its line of friction
welders. Magnetic impulse welding is a solid
state process that produces radial lap joints
with parent metal strength. Two workpieces
are placed in nonconductive locating devices,
inside a continuous inductor. A bank of
capacitors is charged to the desired level, and
then discharged producing an extremely high
rate of energy transfer to the inductor. The
rapid rise in magnetic flux inside the inductor
results in eddy currents on the surface of the
outer workpiece. The eddy currents are then
repelled by the inductor, resulting in a
compressive radial force similar to that
produced in explosive bonding. The outer
workpiece impacts the inner at a very high
velocity, resulting in a metallurgical bond.

Machines

Inertia Welder Machine Models & Capabilities

Different combinations and modifications are possible. All machines can be equipped with automatic load and unload
devices, flash removal, and quality control machine monitors. All weld speeds are variable from 0 to maximum.
Max. Flywheel
lbft2 kgM2

Max. Weld Force

lb kN

Max. Tubular
Weld Area
in2 mm2

Model

RPM (Max.)
Variable

40

45,000/60,000

0.015 0.00063

500 2.22

.07 45.2

B, D, V

60

12,000/24,000

2.25 0.094

9000 40.03

.66 426

B, BX, D, V

90

12,000

5.0 0.21

13,000 57.82

1.0 645

B, BX, D, T, V

120

8,000

25 1.05

28,000 124.54

1.7 1 097

B, BX, D, T, V

150

8,000

50 2.11

50,000 222.4

2.6 1 677

B, BX, T, V

180

8,000

100 4.2

80,000 355.8

4.6 2 968

B, BX, T, V

220

6,000

600 25.3

130,000 578.2

6.5 4 194

B, BX, T, V

250

4,000

2,500 105.4

200,000 889.6

10 6 452

B, BX, T, V

300

3,000

5,000 210

250,000 1 112.0

12 7 742

B, BX, T, V

320

2,000

10,000 421

350,000 1 556.8

18 11 613

B, BX

400

2,000

25,000 1 054

600,000 2 668.8

30 19 355

B, BX

480

1,000

250,000 10 535

850,000 3 780.8

42 27 097

B, BX

750

1,000

500,000 21 070

1,500,000 6 672.0

75 48 387

B, BX

800

500

1,000,000 42 140

4,500,000 20 000

225 145 160

B, BX

50

Version

Direct Drive Machine Models & Capabilities

Different combinations and modifications are possible. All machines can be equipped with automatic load and unload
devices, flash removal, and quality control machine monitors. All weld speeds are variable from 0 to maximum.

Model

RPM (Max.)
Variable

Max. Forge Force

lb kN

7.5T, FW

3,000

15,000 66.7

10T, FW

3,000

15T, FW

Max. Solid
Diameter
in mm

Max. Tubular
Weld Area
in2 mm2

Version

1.07 690

B, BX, D, T, V

20,000 89

1.13 28.7

1.43 923

B, BX, D, T, V

2,500

30,000 133

1.5 38

2.0 1 290

B, BX, D, T, V

30T, FW

2,000

60,000 267

1.9 48.3

4.2 2 768

B, BX, D, T, V

45T, FW

1,500

90,000 396

2.39 60.7

6.4 4 148

B, BX, T, V

60T, FW

1,300

120,000 533

2.9 74

8.0 5 161

B, BX, T, V

100T, FW

1,000

200,000 889.6

3.57 90.7

14.2 9 219

B, BX, T, V

125t, FW

1,000

250,000 1 112

17.8 11 523

B, BX, T

150T, FW

1,000

300,000 1 332

20.0 12 903

B, BX, T

175T, FW

1,000

350,000 1 556

4.7 119.4

23.5 15 161

B, BX

200T, FW

1,000

400,000 1 780

5.0 127

26.8 17 290

B, BX

4.0 101.6
4.37 111

Machines

1.0 25.4

51

Model 200 Ton Direct Drive Friction Welder

Used to weld piston rods for large construction equipment.

B (Box Style)

BX (Open Top)

T (Twin2 Spindles))

D (Dual-Center Drive)

Machines

V (Vertical)

54

Model 15 TON Direct Drive Friction Welder

Used to weld airbag components.

Model 35 TON Direct Drive Friction Welder

Used to weld bearing housing retainer for transaxle.

Machines

55

Model 180B Inertia Friction Welder.

Used to weld flywheel ring for outboard motor.

Model 180 Vertical

Inertia Friction Welder
Used to weld airbag components.

Machines

52

Model 40B Inertia Friction Welder

Used to weld heat tubes for satellite applications.

Model 90B Inertia Friction Welder

Used to weld engine valves.

Machines

53

Model 120B Inertia Friction Welder

Used to weld automotive air conditioning components.

Model 120B Inertia Friction Welder

Used to weld turbochargers.

Machines

56

Model 45 TON Direct Drive Friction Welder

Used to weld stainless to carbon steel pump shafts.

Model 60 TON Direct Drive Friction Welder

Used to weld axle tubes to forged flanges.

Machines

57

Model 250BX Inertia Friction Welder

Used to weld valve bodies.

Model 250B Inertia Friction Welder

Used to weld diesel engine pistons.

Machines

58

Model 320BX Inertia Friction Welder

Used to weld oilfield drill pipe.

Model 480B Inertia Friction Welder

Used to weld aircraft components.

Machines

Model 800B Inertia Friction Welder

Used to weld jet engine components.

Worlds Largest Friction Welder

MTI builds the largest friction welders made today. The first of these
2,000-ton axial machines, built in 1991, was designed to weld aircraft engine
alloys and components. MTI is the only manufacturer of large friction welders
over 300-ton capacity.

This brochure is 1999 by Manufacturing Technology, Inc. (MTI). All rights reserved. This brochure is distributed by MTI for
information purposes only. MTI provides the material as is without warranties of any kind, either express or implied. Duplication
of any part(s) without express written permission of MTI is strictly prohibited.

Manufacturing Technology, Inc.

1702 W. Washington Ave. South Bend, IN 46628
574-233-9490 Fax 574-233-9489
Email: info@mtiwelding.com
Website: www.mtiwelding.com