Friction Spot Joining

The increasing demand for high-strength aluminum alloys as an engineering material prompted Kawasaki to develop an efficient method for joining aluminum, magnesium, and other lightweight materials. Friction spot joining (FSJ) is a process that uses force and high speed rotation to generate friction that joins two or more sheets of material in a matter of seconds. To best suit application and flexibility needs, the Kawasaki FSJ system is offered in both stationary and robotic configurations. The Kawasaki FSJ robot system uses a Kawasaki robot equipped with a dual servo motor FSJ gun that can be manipulated similar to a spot welding gun to join materials.

The Kawasaki FSJ system has many benefits in comparison to spot welding for joining lightweight alloys. First, the system has low initial investment, 50% of a typical resistance spot welding (RSW) system, and there is no need for a water circulation system to cool the servo motor. Second, the FSJ process is highly energy efficient, requiring 5% of the energy in comparison to a resistance spot weld. Finally, the FSJ process does not result in fumes or material expulsion from the joined material.

Kawasaki can help you significantly reduce the cost of your lightweight alloy joining through the use of our innovative friction spot joining system.