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September 08, 2022

Maintaining your aircraft exhaust engine system in the best possible condition is essential to maximize flight safety and performance. We provide professional aviation welding services that deal with a wide range of welding-related issues.

If you are curious about these welding procedures and how professional aviation welders are able to fix various aeronautical components, you are in the perfect place. We shall discuss the top 5 different types of welding used to weld aircraft parts, such as aircraft exhaust systems, in this blog post.

The Evolution Of Welding

Welding has dramatically evolved over time. Believe it or not, it is an ancient practice as humans have been processing metals for a long time now. However, the latest discoveries and evolution in technology and heavy machinery have made welding much more sophisticated with time.

The following are the major types of welding used by professional aviation welding technicians to fix aeronautical components.

Friction Welding (FRW)

Mechanical deformation is at the very core of FRW. It involves joining the metals after deforming them. Since metals are not fully melted, their properties are not severely affected in FRW. The end-product in the form of a joint metal is as strong as the base material of the durable metals.

Generally, FRW is used to join components that have a simple cross-section, specifically circular. Primarily, components involved in the turbine shaft and case often go through the process of FRW. Nonetheless, some professional welders can also choose to use FRW to join aluminum landing gear components.

Friction Stir Welding (FSW)

FSW is a solid-state process used to combine metals via mechanical deformation. A specialized tool is used to slowly plunge into the joint line between the plate material and join them together.

FSW is typically used to weld aluminum alloys like 7xxx and 2xxx series. The advancements in FSW procedures have made it possible to weld such alloys. Otherwise, they were considered non-weldable before in aircraft. FSW is better than traditional arc welding because its strength is about 40% to 50% greater.

Flash Welding (FW)

FW involves melting and joining processes with the help of applying pressure and using a butt joint to weld a short arc. A significant benefit of using flash welding is that the end product is as strong as the base material.

You can use FW to weld different types of aluminum and temperature-resistant alloys without spending too much time preparing the surface. However, it is important to note that FW can be a dangerous process to handle for inexperienced individuals. Therefore, you should always rely on the professional manufacturing capabilities of experienced aviation welding technicians to handle welding-related problems.

Also Read: Common Things To Expect When Doing Aircraft Maintenance

Resistance Spot Welding (RSW)

RSW involves using the resistance generated by heat to join the sheets of metal. The heat is generated by resistance to the flow of current from electrodes that are pressing the metal sheets.

It is a common method of welding in the automotive industry. Affordability, quickness, and automation are the main benefits of using RSW. The adoption of RSW in the aeronautic industry is also increasing with time to get reliable results.

Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW)

GMAW is one of the most used welding methods all over the world due to its flexibility and affordability in various industries. However, GMAW is not affordable in the aeronautics industry because the massive size of the heat source results in poor mechanical properties. Creating a controlled environment becomes difficult and expensive. A significant application of GMAW is the automatic welding of the various parts of missiles.

Laser Beam Welding (LBW)

LBW is typically used along with electron beam welding. It provides the most concentrated heat sources for welding that provides other benefits such as better performance, greater accuracy, and higher quality. It is an ideal welding process to use for the welding and drilling of jet engine components that involve heat-resistant alloys.

About Us

Acorn Welding takes great pride in the fact that we have over twenty years of experience in providing professional welding services through our team of aviation welding technicians. We focus on implementing modern methods of aircraft welding to ensure maximum efficiency, quality, and performance.

If you want to learn more about our innovative aviation services, you can contact us and expect the best welding services in the aeronautical industry.