Linear Friction Welding

With the original use of this process being the manufacturing of engine parts in the aircraft industry, linear friction welding (also known as LFW) is now recognised as a quick, low cost process that is useful for many sectors including the automotive, structural engineering and power industries. As it provides a rapid, repeatable, and flexible fabrication process, it is highly utilised by manufacturers who need to produce parts with a variety of geometric shapes.

Advantages & Benefits

Any shape, any metal, strong weld

The linear friction welding process has the ability to produce forged-quality joints on non-round, complex part shapes. This process can join not only dissimilar metals but metals that are seen to be immune or incompatible.

Speedy Process

Offering significant time saving benefits, the speed of the linear friction welding process is normally twice as fast as alternative methods, but can be up to 100 times faster.

Minimum prep required

Preparation time is dramatically reduced because the surface of joining materials does not need to be perfect – the surfaces can be saw cut, sheared or machined.

Low energy, environmentally friendly

The linear welders manufactured by MTI use 20% less energy than conventional processes. Due to the process not requiring any consumables, it won’t produce gases, smoke or fumes making it an environmentally friendly process.

Cost and waste saving, flawless welding

Because this is a machine controlled process it removes any human error. This in turn reduces the amount of defective components created, reducing lost time and material costs. The process also does not involve melting resulting in fewer solidification faults and eliminating segregation, gas porosity and slag inclusion.

Scaleability for any size weld

Scalability of the linear friction welding process means any size of weld can be produced with the only limiting factor being the mass that may be moved during the process.