Friction stir welding makes strong, uniform welds with no seams in difficult-to-work-with materials. It does this by heating them to the point of soft plasticity, without fully melting, and then stirring them together. NASA's auto adjustable pin invention eliminated disadvantages in the technology, which is now used to build ships, cars, trains, robots, oil rigs, spacecraft, and other applications.
NASA used friction stir welding to build space shuttle external tanks and is now using it to build the Space Launch System. To improve the process, NASA invented an auto adjustable pin capable of welding materials across varying thicknesses. The pin also eliminates the "keyhole" problem that previously left a hole where the pin finally withdrew from the welded materials.
Learn more about how NASA helped develop technology that impacts improved welding within your city's manufacturing environment!