The Boeing Company

Sean M Thuston

Scott A Rose

John A Baumann

Brian Joseph Martinek

Michael P Shemkunas

Mario A Reyes

A friction stir welding (FSW) tool includes a pin, a housing, and a shoulder. The pin is configured to extend through a joint line between edges of two work pieces. The pin rotates to perform a FSW process that welds the two work pieces together at the joint line. The housing is coupled to a distal end of the pin to enable rotation of the pin relative to the housing. The pin extends through a support surface of the housing. The support surface contacts respective inner surfaces of the work pieces during the FSW process. The shoulder surrounds the pin and is configured to be rotated during the FSW process. The shoulder contacts respective outer surfaces of the work pieces during the FSW process such that the work pieces are sandwiched between the shoulder and the support surface of the housing.

Friction stir welding tool and welding method

Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and devices for repairing holes in weld seams created by bobbin friction stir welding tools. A hole may be created when a welding tool or, more specifically, a pin of the tool is removed or otherwise extracted from a weld seam created by the tool. The method may involve inserting a plug (e.g., a rivet) into the hole, reshaping the plug in the hole (e.g., riveting) thereby securing the plug in the component, and creating another weld seam through the plug thereby consuming the plug. In some embodiments, the hole may be reshaped prior to inserting the plug. For example, the hole may be drilled out and/or a countersink may be created on one or both ends of the hole. Furthermore, the plug may extend outside of the hole prior to its reshaping and, in some embodiments, even after reshaping.

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High Ridge, MO, United States of America

Sean M Thuston