Coldwater Machine Company's SpinMeld systems are designed for efficient and high-quality joining of a variety of dissimilar materials.
Coldwater Machine Company, an engineering solutions company that manufactures and integrates precision equipment and tools for multiple industries, has announced its SpinMeld friction spin welding system developed by the company's Solid State Joining Center. "SpinMeld systems are proven to reduce cycle time and defects when compared to traditional welding or joining techniques," said a company spokesperson. "Additionally, SpinMeld technology can join steels, aluminum, cast or sintered metals, magnesium, brass, carbon fiber composites, ceramics with mixed metal connections and dissimilar combinations of these materials."
According to the company, SpinMeld systems rely on rotational friction welding principles and a direct drive approach where a spinning workpiece, driven at a constant speed by an electric motor, is joined to a stationary one by rotational friction and externally applied force. It is a fast process that that produces frictional heat at a sufficient temperature for the materials to reach a plastic state (non-melting or solid state) at the joint interface. The materials are then forged together by force.
The SpinMeld systems are available as stand-alone vertical or horizontal machines that can be integrated into a work cell or an automated processing line. Each system is designed to fit the individual application with machine parameters such as rotational speeds, cycle times and forging forces based on the material composition, part configuration and contact surface area of each joint. Rotational speeds are available from 2,000 to 23,000 RPM and forging forces from 335 to 12,000 lbf. The systems can be designed with a maximum weld area of 0.992 in2 (640 mm2).
"As a friction welding solution, SpinMeld is an environmentally friendly process that eliminates the need for filler metals, fluxes or shielding gases," said the spokesperson. "It also produces higher quality joints with small heat-affected areas and consistency in weld duplication.
"Production quality samples for evaluation and testing using customer workpieces can be created within our joining center to prove process feasibility. Shafts, valve bodies, pistons, brackets and airbag inflators are just some of the components well-suited for SpinMeld production. Coldwater also offers SpinMeld production services for short-run and prototype parts."
For more information contact:
Coldwater Machine Company
911 North Second Street
Coldwater, OH 45828-8736
419-678-4877
info@coldwatermachine.com
www.coldwatermachine.com/services/spin-welding