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EWI and MTI to Cooperate in Technology Development of Low Force Friction Welding

November 1, 2019

Technology innovator EWI is pleased to introduce Manufacturing Technology, Inc, as its newest Strategic Technology Member. Together, EWI and MTI, a leading manufacturer of inertia, direct drive, and hybrid friction welders, will work in collaboration to advance the new hybrid joining technology known as low force friction welding.

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“Low force friction welding is a break-through solid-state technology that offers the quality advantages of friction welding with the flexibility and processing speeds of resistance welding,” says Jerry Gould, EWI Technology Fellow in Resistance and Solid-state Welding. “It is an example of how understanding the underlying science of several welding technologies can come together to create a unique joining method.”

The low force friction technique involves pre-heating materials prior to deformation, which can dramatically reduce processing force and time requirements compared to conventional friction welding.  First presented in 2017 by EWI, the technology offers advantages over traditional forge welding type processes in terms of reduced flash formation, cycle time, and equipment scale. In addition, the resistance variant also enables post-weld heat treatment integral to the processing cycle. The technology has been successfully applied to steel, aluminum, titanium, and nickel-based alloys, and has potential for application in the automotive, aerospace, heavy manufacturing, oil and gas, and rail sectors.

Dan Adams, President and CEO of MTI, is enthusiastic about the development work his company has planned with EWI.

“Though low force is a relatively new technology, we’ve spent years developing it, mastering it and researching how it can best help a number of industries,” says Adams. “It’s exciting to be able to collaborate with an innovation leader like EWI to help propel low force friction welding on to more manufacturing floors across the US and globally.”

EWI has been a membership-based organization since its inception in 1984, providing member companies with direct access to manufacturing process expertise, technical competence, and experience engineering specialists.  Strategic Technology memberships offer equipment fabricators a new tier of partnership aimed at delivering technical solutions to the industry at an accelerated pace.

“We are pleased to introduce this new membership category to creative companies that want to improve manufacturing processes across sectors,” says Chris Kiminas, EWI Ohio President. “By integrating their cutting-edge machinery and systems into our IRD programs, we will be able to transform emerging technologies into innovative applications with the potential to generate great improvements in manufacturing.”

To learn more about EWI and MTI’s work in low force friction welding contact Jerry Gould at [email protected] or Constanza Lengerich at [email protected].

To find out how your company can become an EWI Strategic Technology Member, contact Dale Robinson at [email protected].