FuseRing's Revolutionary Welding Process Showcased

Ontario-based SORSYS Technologies has held a demonstration of FuseRing's induction-assisted friction welding technology on tube and rod materials.

The event was attended by representatives from the Canadian government, local associations, colleges, the nuclear industry, and the aerospace industry, and marked the first in-person proof of concept for a technology that, until now, was only theoretically recognised.

Professor in the department of mechanical and mechatronics engineering at the University of Waterloo and director of the university’s Centre for Advanced Materials Joining, Adrian Gerlich, presented findings from studies his team conducted on parts joined using this technology.

SORSYS was founded by engineers Saman Sahraei, Saeid Khosravani, and Peyman Eskandari, with a focus on creating automated solutions for specific industrial challenges.

Paul Cheng, principal of FuseRing, entered a partnership with SORSYS Technologies in 2022 to develop demonstration models of the technology. 

The FuseRing demonstration showcased a model capable of heating material in two seconds, with adjustable temperature, pressure, and angle settings.

The FuseRing concept employs solid-state fusion to join pipe sections. Inventor David Lingnau described the process as “spinduction,” which combines induction heating and kinetic energy to join workpieces without the need for filler metals or solid-to-liquid phase transformation. 

The process involves using an induction heating coil to preheat the ends of two tubes or pipes, retracting the coil, compressing the ends, and rotating the pipes. The traditional solid-state fusion process requires one part to rotate, limiting its application in joining pipelines to valves or nonlinear segments. 

The FuseRing concept overcomes this by acting as an intermediary between two nonrotatable objects. 

A coupler ring made of the same material as the host pipe is placed between two sections and heated, then turned to squeeze between the nonrotatable sections, enabling the entire pipe segment to be joined using one fusion system. The technique produces no fumes or particulates and requires no filler materials.

“The whole process takes less than 60 seconds,” Cheng noted.

The demonstration machine constructed by SORSYS for pipe applications can join pipes between 4 and 6 inches in outer diameter. During the October demonstration, a 4.5-inch outer diameter carbon steel pipe was joined. 

Gerlich noted that, unlike standard friction welding, this technology requires only slight rotation and less force, resulting in reduced deformation of the profile. The process also refines the grain structure where the sections meet due to well-controlled reinforcement.

“There was no evidence of martensite in that zone,” Gerlich stated. “Hardness was well within the allowed range, and tensile strength tests demonstrated that the pipe fractured in the base material, demonstrating the strength of the resultant joint”.

Another application of the technology involves joining a tube to a rod material, which is ideal for nuclear fuel rod assemblies. The induction preheat is applied to the rod, which is then plunged into the tube. 

In the demonstration, zirconium alloy (Zr-4) tubing with a 12 mm outer diameter and 0.5 mm wall thickness was used. SORSYS conducted approximately 100 weld trials to determine the optimal settings.

“Fractures all occurred in the base metal,” Gerlich said. “And the plunger had an interesting effect on the weld. The peak stress shifted to the tube material itself. In the bonded region, deformation pushed out from the rod material, and residual oxide ended up outside the tube material so can be cut away. In the heat-affected zone, quite fine-grained interlock needles were found and the microhardness distribution was quite even.”

Cheng highlighted the technology's suitability for various materials and its potential applications in sectors such as pipeline, refinery, nuclear, shipbuilding, and submarine industries. 

While the October event was the first demonstration for the Canadian market, Cheng plans a second demonstration for international customers.

“The important thing about this technology is that it doesn’t require postweld treatment,” Cheng said. “If you’ve got a spent fuel container for the nuclear industry, how are you going to treat the inside of that weld? It’s an answer to that type of issue. The heat in this welding process only extends a few millimeters, so the interior of the container remains almost at room temperature.”

Testing will continue on materials, such as aluminium to aluminium, as they become available.

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