Alcoa Inc.

Trent A Chontas

John W Cobes

Israel Stol

Joseph M Fridy

A multi-shouldered friction stir welding tool comprises an exterior threaded solid pin having a diameter and a length; a shoulder having a threadless inner diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the exterior threaded solid pin and at least one substantially radial threaded set screw hole; an monolithic shoulder-shank having a threadless inner diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the exterior threaded solid pin and at least one substantially radial threaded set screw hole; a pair of locking nuts having a threadless outer diameter and a threaded inner diameter operably compatable with the exterior threaded solid pin, wherein the shoulder and the monolithic shoulder-shank are capable of slidable engagement with the exterior threaded solid pin along the length of the exterior threaded solid pin to set a space slightly larger than a thickness of a work piece to be welded.

Advanced multi-shouldered fixed bobbin tools for simultaneous friction stir welding of multiple parallel walls between parts

A multi-shouldered friction stir welding tool () comprises an integral shank-pin unit () having a plurality of pin portions on the shank-pin unit, where the plurality of pin portions for driving into a plurality of joints to perform a friction stir welding operation on the corresponding plurality of joints and, where a shank portion of the shank-pin unit is for attachment to an optional axial tension rod (), each of the friction stir welding modules comprises a pair of shoulders () that is connected to the shank-pin unit where each shoulder has a distal end and a proximal end, where the proximal end of each shoulder faces the pin portion of the shank-pin unit, whereby the shoulder and pin(s) rotate in unison, and a pair of split collars or a pair of nuts that is connected to the shank-pin unit and faces the distal end of each shoulder, where the plurality of friction stir welding modules are connected to each other whereby the modules rotate in unison to simultaneously make a plurality of parallel welds. In addition, a method of friction stir welding a plurality of joints simultaneously comprising using at least one multi-shouldered friction stir welding tool is provided.

A multi-shouldered friction stir welding tool comprises an integral shank-pin unit having a plurality of pin portions for driving into a plurality of joints. A shank portion of the shank-pin unit is for attachment to an optional axial tension rod. A plurality of friction stir welding modules comprise a pair of shoulders that is connected to the shank-pin unit. The proximal end of each shoulder faces the pin portion of the shank-pin unit, whereby the shoulder and pin(s) rotate in unison. A pair of split collars or a pair of nuts is connected to the shank-pin unit and faces the distal end of each shoulder. The plurality of friction stir welding modules are connected to each other and rotate in unison to simultaneously make a plurality of parallel welds.

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Braddock Hills, PA, United States of America

Trent A Chontas