Description
CNC Friction Stir Welding Machining Center
The DRD FSW 40-26 is a CNC machine tool dedicated to Friction Stir Welding (FSW), designed and built for high-precision industrial applications, specifically developed for the railway sector and for welding structural profiles and extrusions.
The machine was created to meet the demands of modern railway production, ensuring high structural rigidity, production continuity, and consistent weld joint quality, even during large-scale FSW operations and intensive production cycles.
One of the key distinguishing features of the DRD FSW 40-26 project is its modular and extendable design, conceived from the very beginning to adapt to different railway extrusion lengths without compromising stability, precision, or process reliability.
The standard configuration provides a working area of 4,000 mm × 6,000 mm, which can be modularly extended according to customer production requirements, reaching configurations such as 4,000 mm × 26,000 mm, 4,000 mm × 62,000 mm, or even larger solutions.
A major advantage of the DRD FSW 40-26 modularity is that future extensions do not require modifications to the machine’s electrical system.
The extension process is carried out through structural and mechanical upgrades while preserving the original electrical and control architecture. This approach allows customers to expand production capacity over time while reducing costs, downtime, and integration complexity.
The structure of the FSW machining center is made with a cast-iron base and main components subjected to stress-relief heat treatment, a fundamental process for eliminating residual stresses and ensuring long-term dimensional stability and precision.
All functional surfaces are subsequently machined on CNC machining centers in a single setup, guaranteeing perfect alignment of structural components and maximum geometric accuracy.
The machine architecture features a fixed table and moving gantry, with X, Y, and Z axes driven by high-performance brushless motors.
- The X axis uses a precision rack-and-pinion system, ideal for long travels and heavy loads typical of railway extrusion welding.
- The Y and Z axes are driven by recirculating ball screws, ensuring precision, repeatability, and reliability during the FSW process.
The hardened and ground prismatic roller linear guides provide high rigidity and long operational life. All moving parts are managed through an automatic centralized lubrication system controlled by the CNC.
The DRD FSW spindle, specifically designed for railway and structural applications, is capable of generating vertical thrust forces up to 30 kN, an essential value for achieving high-quality Friction Stir Welding on large extrusions.
The spindle unit is designed for machining in both directions of the machine plane and is equipped with a CNC-controlled A axis, specifically developed for FSW welding on inclined surfaces. Once the programmed angle is reached, the A axis is locked by a hydraulic holding brake, ensuring maximum rigidity and stability throughout the welding cycle.
The system also allows manual pin tilting (±5°), a technical solution chosen to prioritize robustness, long-term reliability, and precision.
The operating head also integrates a C axis for spindle rotation, increasing FSW process flexibility and allowing adaptation to different railway extrusion geometries.
To complete the configuration, the machine is equipped with an orientable roller pressure unit controlled by the C axis, which applies controlled pressure on the joint edges during welding, improving process quality and repeatability.
A laser seam tracking system positioned in front of the tool continuously scans the joint and automatically compensates for possible misalignments or part tolerances, a fundamental aspect when welding very long extrusions.
Machine control is managed by an OSAI OPEN CNC system, an open-architecture platform ideal for Friction Stir Welding applications, featuring EtherCAT interface, onboard PC, and integrated operator panel.
The machine is prepared for remote assistance, remote diagnostics, and Industry 4.0 integration, enabling monitoring, technical support, and seamless integration into modern digital factory systems.
The entire DRD FSW 40-26 machining center project was developed using 3D CAD design and FEM structural analysis, in collaboration with industrial and academic partners, with the goal of creating a modular and extendable FSW machine.