inertia welding

inertia welding [i′nər·shə ′weld·iŋ]

(metallurgy)

A form of friction welding which utilizes kinetic energy stored in a flywheel system to supply the power required for all of the heating and much of the forging.

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Inertia welding

A welding process used to join similar and dissimilar materials at very rapid speed. It is, therefore, a very attractive welding process in mass production of good-quality welds. The ability to join dissimilar materials provides further flexibility in the design of mechanical components. The automotive and truck industry is the major user of this process.

Inertia welding is a type of friction welding which utilizes the frictional heat generated at the rubbing surfaces to raise the temperature to a degree that the two parts can be forged together to form a solid bond. The energy required for inertia welding comes from a rotating flywheel system built into the machine. Like an engine lathe, the inertia welding machine has a headstock and a tailstock. One workpiece held in the spindle chuck (usually with an attached flywheel) is accelerated rapidly, while the other is clamped in a stationary holding device of the tailstock. When a predetermined spindle speed is reached, the drive power is cut and the nonrotating part on the tailstock is pushed against the rotating part under high pressure. Friction between the rubbing surfaces quickly brings the spindle to a stop. At the same time the stored kinetic energy in the flywheel is converted into frictional heat which raises the temperature at the interface high enough to forge the two parts together without melting.