Friction Stir Welding

[NickMc]

Thought this might interest some of you? On the Youtube a tour of a rocket factory some massive milling, press brakes and friction stir welding on frigging rocket ships!

 

[fizzy]

Those isotex panels are crazy - milled out of the solid. Why not make the lattice and join it to a sheet?

 

[fizzy]

Nice to see the technology is pretty traditional.

 

[Yamhon]

Those isotex panels are crazy - milled out of the solid. Why not make the lattice and join it to a sheet?

Can only guess it's down to tolerances or speed, the company seems to be on the cutting edge of technology.

 

[Yamhon]

Nice to see the technology is pretty traditional.

Mix of both, which I think is great. CNC machines, new materials, manual presses and human craftsmanship; great to see :-)

 

[R-D-R]

I watched that really interesting, id love to see how space x do it by comparison. I know Elon mentions stir welding within space x in his autobiography.

 

[Parm]

Last year I went to a factory where they make friction stir welding machines used to manufacture turbo charger impellers

 

[Maker]

Those isotex panels are crazy - milled out of the solid. Why not make the lattice and join it to a sheet?

How would you join it? Glue might break and welds damage/change the microstructure of the material. Plus, the only way I can see to make the lattice without the skin is to mill it from slightly thinner solid. I'm sure other methods will have been considered, casting perhaps, and this was deemed best.