Solid-State Spot Welding (Friction Spot Welding and Friction Stir Spot Welding) as a Bonding Technique to Replace the Process of Riveting within the Aircraft Industry?

Safety, technical reliability, production performance and material usage are determinant factors for aircraft manufacturers in maintaining market performance. Due to the competition among airlines and their public attention, there is also a growing emphasis on environmental friendliness, keeping profitability while decreasing fees and the requirement to economize their resources. One possibility for aircraft manufacturers to approach these challenges is the establishment of new and innovative manufacturing processes. The intent of the following article is to show in a conceptual manner how and why the processes of Friction Spot Welding and Friction Stir Spot Welding are able to contribute towards achieving the goals mentioned above.