GABARIT-A mobile friction stir welding system

Description

Gabarit-A is a prototype automated friction stir welding (FSW) system developed by Sespel for joining long rolled and extruded aluminium sections. It produces butt and lap joints for lightweight profiled welded panels, including three-dimensional structures up to 100 mm high.

This long cantilever-type machine combines edge preparation, positioning, hydraulic clamping, welding and monitoring with process data recording. Its mobile design allows road or rail transport and deployment at a production site.

Aluminium panel processing capabilities

• Joint typeButt and lap joints
• Workpiece thickness1.5–15 mm
• Input section width80–320 mm
• Input section lengthup to 8 200 mm
• Finished welded panel widthUp to 3,500 mm with additional support devices
• Profiled welded structure heightup to 100 mm
• Welding methodFriction stir welding (FSW)

Panel widths up to 3,500 mm require additional support devices. According to the operating manual, these are not included in the standard system.

System specifications

• System length12 192 mm
• Width in operating position3 122 mm
• Width in transport position2 438 mm
• Height in operating position2 885 mm
• Height in transport position2 896 mm
• Width with hydraulic supports extended3 670 mm
• Gross mass39 000 kg
• Power consumption30 kW
• Climatic versionUHL4 climatic version
• Operating temperaturefrom +1 to +40 °C

Welding and machining tool parameters

• Welding cantilever longitudinal travel speed50–6,000 mm/min
• Tool speed during plunge500–1 500 rpm
• Tool speed during welding200–1 000 rpm
• Welding tool spindle drive power11 kW
• Welding tool Z-axis travel250 mm
• Tool tilt in the XZ plane±3°
• Tool tilt in the YZ plane±1,5°
• Edge machining unit travel speed3–18 m/min
• Milling cutter drive power2.2 kW
• Worktable flatness deviationNo more than 0.2 mm over a length of 8,200 mm

System components

• The bed and worktable carry welding loads and provide a base for precise workpiece positioning.
• Longitudinal and transverse stops position workpieces relative to the weld line.
• Clamps on the bed and load-bearing beam hold workpieces during welding and reduce residual distortion.
• The cantilever, slide and carriage move the welding tool spindle assembly.
• A separate machining unit prepares the workpiece edges before welding.
• The receiving roller conveyor supports the completed welded panel as further sections are joined.
• Main and auxiliary hydraulic and mechanical supports position and stabilise the long structure.
• The automated control system handles edge preparation, clamping, welding, monitoring and process data recording.

System components

General view of Gabarit-A showing the cantilever, clamps and hydraulic supports

System in operating position with hydraulic supports extended

Transport position with protective frame

Machine bed with load-bearing structure and guides

System transport platform

Auxiliary supports for stabilising the base

Clamp for securing aluminium workpieces

Welding spindle carriage

Weld edge preparation unit

Working area and welding cantilever

Mobile design and on-site installation

The transport configuration uses a platform with container corner fittings. For transport, the machine is stowed and the cantilever, edge machining unit and receiving roller conveyor are secured. At the operating site, it can be unloaded using its own hydraulic supports or external lifting equipment.

After positioning, the machine is levelled using hydraulic supports and an inclinometer, then rests on mechanical supports. This compensates for uneven ground and reduces deflection of the long bed. Installation, foundation and personnel qualification requirements are defined by the operating documentation and the specific site conditions.

Production applications for Gabarit-A

• Welding large, lightweight aluminium panels from rolled or extruded profiles.
• Producing flat and profiled welded panels from aluminium sections.
• Joining panel sections sequentially while supporting the completed portion on a roller conveyor.
• Welding on sites where transporting equipment is more practical than moving a finished large structure.

Information required for selection and implementation

To prepare a proposal, specify the aluminium alloy and temper, section thickness and geometry, required panel length and width, joint types, weld quality and productivity requirements, and availability of additional support tooling. Site conditions, power supply and installation arrangements are agreed separately.