Friction stir welding tool | NTK Ceramics
Ceramic tools for friction stir welding are now available !
Advanced ceramic technology in the cutting field has developed further. Next, we will provide new value in the field of FSW.
High performance in friction stir welding of high-melting point metals
Achieved significant cost reduction compared to existing tools

Features
- High temperature high-strength silicon nitride provides both wear resistance and heat resistance at a high level.
- The tool shape design suitable for the material to be welded and the stable balance of material properties enables welding of thick plates of 10 mm or more.
- The production technology and manufacturing system based on our experience in cutting tools enable us to achieve reasonable costs compared to PcBN and alloyed material tools.
Wear resistance | Heat resistance | Tool cost | |
---|---|---|---|
High melting point alloy ( W, Co, Ni, Pt ) |
× | ○ | △ |
High melting point alloy + Carbide composite |
△ | △ | △ |
Carbides | △ | × | ○ |
HSS | × | × | ◎ |
PcBN | ◎ | ○ | × |
NTK Ceramics | ○ | ○ | ○ |
Expected Application Fields
- Steel field : Friction stir welding of thick steel plates
- Automotive : High-tensile strength increasingly used to reduce vehicle weight and improve safety Steel Plate Joining
- Joining of dissimilar materials such as aluminum alloys and other light metals with ferrous metals

Spec

Tool Materials | High Strength SiAlON Ceramics |
Shank dia. | φ8, 10, 12, 16, 20mm*More than φ20 mm can be available, and more than φ40 mm has been produced. |
Case study
High-tensile steel |
||
---|---|---|
Welding method | FSW ( Butt joint ) | |
Jointed material | Material | SPFC980 ( High-tensile980MPa ) |
Thickness (mm) | 1.2 | |
Tool shape | Shank Dia. (mm) | φ6 |
Shoulder Dia. (mm) | φ6 | |
Probe Dia. (mm) | φ3 | |
Probe length (mm) | 0.9 | |
Welding conditions | Rotation speed (min-1) | 1000 |
Welding speed (mm/min) | 100 | |
Welding distance (mm) | 850 |
Thick steel plate |
||
---|---|---|
Welding method | FSW ( Butt joint ) | |
Jointed material | Material | Low carbon steel |
Thickness (mm) | 15 | |
Tool shape | Shank Dia. (mm) | φ37.5 |
Shoulder Dia. (mm) | φ37.5 | |
Probe Dia. (mm) | φ18.5 | |
Probe length (mm) | 14.7 | |
Welding conditions | Rotation speed (min-1) | 200 |
Welding speed (mm/min) | 50 | |
Welding distance (mm) | 500 |


What is FSW (friction stir welding)?
FSW stands for Friction Stir Welding, a joining technique developed in the United Kingdom in 1991.
A cylindrical tool with a protruding tip is rotated at high speed and pressed against the jointed part of the material to be joined. The frictional heat generated by the tool softens the material to be joined, and the rotation of the tool causes it to flow plastically, resulting in a solid-phase joint. This is a solid-phase welding technique. Unlike arc welding and other forms of fusion welding, the joining process does not melt the materials to be joined. The advantage is that there is less deformation after joining and less strength loss in the joint due to grain refinement in the joint. This has the advantage that the strength of the joint is reduced due to the subdivision of crystal grains in the joint. In addition, the joining process is more energy-efficient than conventional joining methods. The joints can be joined with less energy consumption compared to conventional joining methods.

FSW Application
Currently, joining technologies for aluminum alloys and other materials with low softening temperatures are widely used, and their practical application is progressing in the manufacture of railroad cars, automobiles, and other vehicles. On the other hand, for iron/steel materials such as steel with high softening temperatures, there are few tool materials with excellent high-temperature properties, or existing tools are very expensive. The fact is, however, that tool materials with excellent high-temperature properties are scarce for iron/steel materials with high softening temperatures.
NTK CUTTING TOOLS contributes greatly to the practical application of FSW to high softening temperature materials with ceramic materials and technologies in which the company has the greatest expertise.

Product video
Catalog
Useful information
Points for maximizing the performance of ceramic insert〔 Milling roughness to semi-finishing of heat-resistant alloys 〕
Points for maximizing the performance of ceramic insert 〔 Rough to semi-finish turning of heat-resistant alloys 〕
Tips for effectively cutting nickel-based alloys by knowing the material’s characteristics
How to Make Ceramic Cutting Tools from Scratch