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EuroStir ® - work programme

By: Stephan Kallee [1] (TWI)

Work programme

The work programme is split into 6 Tasks, which are led by Task Leaders (TLs) from the international Research and Technology Organisations. A close co-operation between the individual Tasks is achieved by regular meetings between the Task Leaders, who form a Technical Committee. The objectives, milestones and deliverables of the EuroStir ® proposal are listed in the following paragraphs:

Task 1 - Tool development - TWI

  • Background: Whorl TM and Triflute TM tools
  • Foreground: New tool designs, e.g. conical spirals
  • New shoulder designs: special profiles
  • Wear resistant tool materials
  • Optimised rotation speed
Milestone: To commission the SuperStir TM machine for the EuroStir ® project at TWI by 30 November 2001.
Deliverable: To develop tool designs and welding procedures for 1mm-25mm thick workpieces by 31 May 2003.

Task 2 - Workpiece materials range - DLR

  • Welding parameters, tool designs, tool materials
  • Cooling of tool
  • Thermal management of workpiece
  • Pre-heating of tools or workpieces
  • Additional heating of plasticised material
Milestone: To develop welding procedures for magnesium and difficult to weld aluminium alloys by 31 May 2002.
Deliverable: To develop welding procedures for welding up to 5mm thick stainless steels, nickel alloys, titanium alloys and steels by 31 May 2003.

Task 3 - FSW productivity - Institut de Soudure

  • Faster clamping, plunging and welding
  • Faster unclamping and FSW tool changing
  • On-line monitoring and process control
  • Filling of the end hole
  • Non-destructive testing and quality assurance
Milestone: To demonstrate time saving by applying faster FSW methods by 31 May 2002.
Deliverable: To develop procedures for on-line process control and filling the end hole by 31 May 2003.

Task 4 - FSW flexibility - GKSS

  • Flexible clamping (one jig for several workpieces)
  • Vacuum clamping
  • Kinematics for 2D and 3D applications
  • Automated tool changing system
  • Computer based control system and software
Milestone: To develop a flexible fixture by 30 November 2001.
Deliverable: To weld various 3D prototype parts by 31 May 2003.

Task 5 - Weld properties - Force

  • Tensile tests
  • Fracture toughness tests
  • Fatigue tests
  • Corrosion tests
  • Acceptance criteria
  • Design guidelines
  • Database for properties
Milestone: To develop testing procedures by 31 May 2002.
Deliverable: To develop fitness for purpose criteria and a EuroStir ® database by 31 May 2003.

Task 6 - Dissemination - TWI

  • 'Include in any project related PR material the Eureka logo, the Eureka number and the project acronym.'
  • Seminars, conferences, workshops
  • 12-monthly press releases
  • WWW page: www.eurostir.co.uk
  • Trademark EuroStir ®
  • Flyers of participating companies
Milestone of R&D Phase: To publish a WWW based catalogue, promoting the services of the participating SMEs by 30 November 2001.
Milestone of R&D Phase: To hold 4 EuroStir ® seminars or workshops by 30 November 2002.
Deliverable of R&D Phase: To disseminate the advantages of the EuroStir ® know-how by 31 November 2003.
Milestone of Dissemination Phase: To disseminate results of 20 Industrialisation Studies between 1 December 2003 and 30 November 2005.
Deliverable of Dissemination Phase: To demonstrate the industrialisation of FSW by 30 November 2005.

Reference

  1. Project Manager of EuroStir ® is Stephan Kallee (TWI),
    stephan.kallee@twi.co.uk

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