Patent attributes
The friction stir welding head presented herein includes a head housing and an axle. The head housing extends from a top end to an open bottom end and defines a bore extending between the top end and the open bottom end. The axle that is coaxial with and rotatable within the bore. The axle is also laterally secured within the head housing and axially movable with respect to the head housing. Still further, the axle includes an engagement end that extends beyond the open bottom end of the head housing. The engagement end supports a friction stir welding tool that is configured to rotate with the axle to effectuate friction stir welding operations. The friction stir welding head may also include a load cell configured to generate load signals in response to axial movement of the axle.
