Black Country-built machine to star in new research project

THE world’s largest linear friction welding machine, which has been built in the Black Country, is to play a major role in a new research project, which will look at ways of boosting the production of aircraft parts.

Thompson’s E100 will be used to investigate the solid state bonding of new and dissimilar materials as well as examine the joining of primary air structures.

The two-year study, funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and Technology Strategy Board, will involve the friction welding machine manufacturer and partners GKN Aerospace and Birmingham University.

Up to now, the E100 has been mainly used to research novel techniques for producing jet engine blisks but its capability to weld parts up to 10,000mm sq make it suitable for a wider array of aero applications such as large structural components.

Simon Jones, Thompson’s aerospace manager, said: “The E100 can rapidly and accurately join parts of almost any shape and in a range of materials such as high specification, aerospace grade aluminium, titanium and nickel-based super alloys without the high costs associated with other methods such as machining solid billets.”

The E100, developed and built by Thompson at its UK headquarters in Halesowen, is designed to weld from 20-100Hz and has a 120 tonne forge load capability.

It uses the linear friction welding technique, which produces a solid phase bond with near parent metal properties, to join one or more parts together to create larger structures and shapes.

Thompson’s research to date has shown that buy-to-fly ratios, the volume of material purchased against the amount of raw material used on the finished aircraft, can be reduced from as high as 50:1 to 2:1 in some cases.

“This study not only provides an important opportunity to examine the wider role that linear friction welding can play in transforming manufacturing processes, but also how it can contribute a valuable step change to the UK’s high technology sector,” added Mr Jones.