Welding Research at TWI

TWI's history of welding research dates back to the formation of the Welding Research committee in March 1937 of the (British) Institute of Welding.

Ever since, TWI has been a key feature on the global welding research landscape. TWI has expertise and proven track record in studying the following processes:

  • Arc welding
  • Laser welding
  • Friction welding
  • Electron beam welding
  • Resistance welding
  • Laser/arc hybrid welding
  • Plastics welding
  • Soldering, brazing and microjoining
  • Adhesive bonding
  • Mechanical fastening

In the last 15 or so years TWI's welding research activities have resulted in significant technical progress in the following areas:

  • Reduced and high-brightness pressure electron beam welding
  • Laser welding of plastics
  • Friction stir welding of copper, titanium and steel
  • Dissimilar materials welding and joining (aluminium to steel, aluminium to magnesium, magnesium to steel, composites to metal)
  • Actuated Flux TIG welding
  • Welding of textiles and wood
  • High-quality laser welding of aluminium and titanium
  • Direct metal deposition fabrication technologies
  • Adhesive manufacturing using linear friction welding

Customers benefit from TWI's long experience in welding research by the development of innovative solutions to their fabrication and product design challenges such as linear friction welding, friction stir welding, laser DMD and plastic joining.

New welding process developments allow previously non-weldable materials to be joined or better performing welds to be introduced into production processes. The technologies used in this case are electron beam, laser welding and adhesive joining.

Continuously welding research into established processes allow their productivity to be significantly improved and hence efficiencies and cost reduction to be gained during manufacture. The technologies used in this case are arc welding and resistance welding.

For further information about welding research please contact us.