Stirtec GmbH is a leading high-tech company in the field of Friction Stir Welding (FSW), located in Premstätten, Styria (Austria). Stirtec was initially established in 2010 as a spin-off of Graz University of Technology in the Science Park Graz to exploit the commercial potential of the Friction Stir Welding technology for industrial applications. Based on more than 10 years of scientific research resulting in five patents, and together with the successful implementation of various industrial projects in close customer cooperation, Stirtec is now a leading solution provider in the field of FSW.
As a pioneer for joining so far nonweldable metals (dissimilar materials, such as steel and copper and high strength steels), the company is offering machines, software and tools for demanding applications to European and US customers. Stirtec has established an initial client base of satisfied reference customers in both the transportation and industrial sectors, securing high trust in the company. Stirtec wants to be the clear market leader in Europe for friction stir welding for industrial applications, serving globally active customers.
Stirtec GmbH is a leading high-tech company in the field of Friction Stir Welding (FSW), located in Premstätten, Styria (Austria). Stirtec was initially established in 2010 as a spin-off of Graz University of Technology in the Science Park Graz to exploit the commercial potential of the Friction Stir Welding technology for industrial applications. Based on more than 10 years of scientific research resulting in five patents, and together with the successful implementation of various industrial projects in close customer cooperation, Stirtec is now a leading solution provider in the field of FSW.
As a pioneer for joining so far nonweldable metals (dissimilar materials, such as steel and copper and high strength steels), the company is offering machines, software and tools for demanding applications to European and US customers. Stirtec has established an initial client base of satisfied reference customers in both the transportation and industrial sectors, securing high trust in the company. Stirtec wants to be the clear market leader in Europe for friction stir welding for industrial applications, serving globally active customers.
Heading towards technical advantages 11.07.2023
Design of experiments (DoE) approach is employed to discover the process parameter window and obtain the optimal process parameters for the selected material combination and joint design. The five steel grades investigated are MS1500EG, TBC800GI, DP600GI, HF1050EG, and PHS1500AlSi. The key focus is to achieve maximum lap shear strength, while also ensuring the absence of defects in the cross-sectional macrostructure and a desirable surface appearance of the joint. This work involves designing and manufacturing appropriate weld specimens using refill FSSW to create single-spot joints.
The results compiled in D 3.1 enabled to propose technical conclusions related to industrial manufacturing, which can guide the production of dissimilar Al-Steel joints between the selected materials using refill FSSW. These technical conclusions include recommendations for specific process parameter settings, optimal material combinations, and other relevant factors that can impact joint quality and strength.
Universal Zwick/Roell 1478 ® testing machine used for lap-shear specimen testing