"We have successfully welded both aerospace-grade steel alloy and aerospace-grade titanium in thicknesses of 3 mm and 8 mm, using our proprietary PTG fixed pin tooling techniques," comments sales manager Chris Cheetham.
"Although each presented distinct challenges, including the potential for workpiece distortion and ensuring sufficient heat transfer when blending thicker materials, these issues were overcome."
The company's range of Powerstir machines combine frictional heat with precisely controlled forging pressure to produce extremely high-strength joints that are virtually defect free. Friction Stir Welding transforms the parent metal from a solid to a plasticised state.
In R&D tests, the company has performed longitudinal welding and rotary (C-axis) welding of flat plates and cylinder seam welding of 2 mm – 35 mm thick aluminium alloys using several tooling technologies.
In recent years, PTG has supplied Powerstir machines for the avionics and high-speed rail sectors. For example, in a joint venture with technology partner the China Friction Stir Welding Center (CFSWC), the company developed a Powerstir model with a 30 m by 4 m gantry to produce the longest single FSW railway panel welds in China, at more than 15 m long.
PTG, which was acquired by Chongqing Machinery and Electric Co. Ltd in 2010, incorporates the brands of Binns & Berry, Crawford Swift, Holroyd and Holroyd Precision Components. The PTG range includes heavy duty lathes, deep hole drilling machines, Friction Stir Welding (FSW) machines, ultra precision grinding machines for rotor, thread and gear operations, rotor milling machines and special purpose machine tools for the manufacture of precision components.
