Technological change in the naval industry using the friction spot- stir Welding (FSSW) Process

Abstract

This article aims to respond to a technological demand from the TECNAO SRL shipyard, located in the San Fernando area in the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, dedicated to the manufacture of small ships, made mainly of aluminum. The detected problem consists in the difficulty that arises in the manufacturing process of the ships, in relation to the positioning of the aluminum plates to be welded, which are positioned by means of a prior tapping. Currently, this activity is carried out using traditional MIG or TIG welding processes, which requires moving the torches throughout the entire barcode and the need for highly qualified personnel to carry out this task, which impacts strongly the cost and competitiveness of the sector, in addition to the problems of plate distortion due to the high temperatures associated with the processes used. The present work describes the studies carried out aimed at the design of a portable equipment for spot welding by friction-agitation (FSSW) for application in the naval industry. The FSSW solution was evaluated with an autonomous tool. The tool specified the structure stitching without the need for torch movement throughout the entire barcode, presented an additional complexity, welding thicknesses greater than 3 mm, this was relevant in the investigation.