Automotive
How MTI is making a difference in the automotive manufacturing industry
MTI’s extensive experience in automotive welding solutions is evident in the enormous variety of parts our machines produce for many first tier brands. Applications include stabiliser bars, engine valves, pistons, drive shafts, water pumps, axles, airbag inflators, camshafts, U-joints, and many more. Every day at MTI, we leverage our engineering expertise to build the machines that make the automotive industry work efficiently and effectively, and in doing so we have developed a standard range of machines that help reduce the design costs for conventional parts.
Another difference that MTI helped to pioneer in the automotive industry was meeting changing global requirements for emission standards. Auto manufacturers realised that to do this, the standard aluminum piston would have to be replaced with a newly designed and developed stronger steel piston. In developing their new revolutionary Monosteel piston, client Federal-Mogul knew it needed welding expertise to make it successful, so they turned to MTI.
Our rotary friction welding solutions addressed all design, production, and performance concerns for the Monosteel piston. It soon became the industry market leader, winning the PACE Award from Automotive News while continuing to excel at meeting new emission regulations.
Why friction welding is vital for automotive applications
Friction welding is highly utilised in the automotive industry as it can be fully integrated into automated production lines to handle the sector’s high volume demands. Demand for automotive airbag inflators has stimulated the increase in the number of friction welders manufactured for the automotive industry since the 1980s. That’s because advantages such as a full-penetration weld, as well as it's narrow heat-affected zone have made friction welding a key method for joining fully-loaded airbag inflators. The dramatic increase in the volume of friction welding applications and equipment continues to this day. Successful material combinations include aluminum, low carbon steel, and stainless steel alloys.
