Battelle Memorial Institute

Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Kenneth A Ross

Scott A Whalen

Yuri Hovanski

M D Reza-E-Rabby

Blair E Carlson

Spyros Pete Mellas

Md Reza-E-Rabby

Robert T Szymanski

Aashish Rohatgi

Martin McDonnell

Methods are provided for connecting two dissimilar materials. The methods can include: placing a first material within a groove of a second material, the first material leaving at least a portion of the groove vacant; and placing a third material upon the first material and over the groove; heating the second and third materials to a temperature sufficient to plasticize the second and third materials within the groove and form a mixture of the second and third materials within the groove. Friction stir welding tools are also provided that can include a frusta conical tip having an upper portion defining smooth sidewalls and a lower portion defining a roughened structure.

Methods for friction stir welding involving dissimilar materials

A method for connecting two dissimilar materials having different melting points is described wherein a the materials are heated together to obtain plasticization of the lower melting point material within a prefigured geometry within a first material in such a way so as to form intermetallic features within a solid state joint.

Process for welding dissimilar materials with nested dovetails

A method for solid state joining of dissimilar materials using a friction stir welding device wherein a pin is inserted through an aperture defined in a first material and a second material to hold the materials together and then held in place by friction stir welding a portion of the pin to a material adjacent said pin, or by friction stir welding a cap or plug that holds the pin in place to the adjacent material. The result is a connection or join wherein the central portion of the pin is not friction stir welded but the portions holding the pin in place (the ends or caps) generally are.

Friction stirring interlocking of dissimilar materials

A bobbin tool is disclosed that includes a top shoulder, a bottom shoulder, and an axial pin that extends between the top and bottom shoulders. The bottom shoulder has an annular shoulder end surface, a back surface opposite the annular shoulder end surface, and a side surface that joins the annular shoulder end surface and the back surface. One or more and radially-extending blades may be disposed on the side surface of the bottom shoulder and/or one or more axially-extending blades may be disposed on the back surface. The one or more blades provide the bobbin tool with an ability to friction stir weld a variable thickness workpiece assembly, axially plunged through the workpiece assembly along an axis of rotation of the bobbin tool, and/or be extracted through the workpiece assembly along an axis of rotation of the bobbin tool.

Friction stir welding bobbin tool

Growing community of inventors

West Richland, WA, United States of America

Kenneth A Ross