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PATENT PORTFOLIO
Manufacturing
NASA's portfolio of manufacturing technology is a valuable resource for companies looking to improve their capabilities and bring innovative products to market. From aerospace and defense to healthcare and beyond, NASA's manufacturing technology can help you produce high-quality products that meet the most demanding requirements. So, if you're looking to take your manufacturing to new heights, NASA's portfolio of manufacturing technology might contain your solution.
Ultrasonic Stir Welding
Ultrasonic Stir Welding is a solid state stir welding process, meaning that the weld work piece does not melt during the welding process. The process uses a stir rod to stir the plasticized abutting surfaces of two pieces of metallic alloy that forms the weld joint. Heating is done using a specially designed induction coil. The control system has the capability to pulse the high-power ultrasonic (HPU) energy of the stir rod on and off at different rates from 1-second pulses to 60-millisecond pulses. This pulsing capability allows the stir rod to act as a mechanical device (moving and stirring plasticized nugget material) when the HPU energy is off, and allowing the energized stir rod to transfer HPU energy into the weld nugget (to reduce forces, increase stir rod life, etc.) when the HPU energy is on. The process can be used to join high-melting-temperature alloys such as titanium, Inconel, and steel.
