Friction Welding for Fitness Applications

Friction welding is rooted in a fairly simple, yet effective concept: make good parts great and strong parts even stronger.

Our friction welding process helps increase the longevity and durability of massive, moving machines such as planes, spacecraft, trains and automobiles, so imagine what we can do for items that can (and are designed to) fit in the palm of your hand?

A few years ago, MTI teamed up with a global fitness manufacturer to develop an improved joining solution for the company's barbell sleeves.

Prior to discovering our Rotary friction welding process, the company would press-fit its barbell collars into its barbell sleeves, which is the industry standard.  This process requires more precise machining prior to assembly. It also increases the risk of the collar coming loose, which, with excessive use, could cause the weights to slide toward the center of the bar.

With our unique, solid-state process, we were able to help the company create a more durable, longer-lasting product. MTI's process also helped this manufacturer reduce manufacturing costs, since the precise machining of the tube OD and collar ID prior to assembly is no longer required. This enabled us to create a near-net shape sleeve blank for the company.

Our success with this global fitness manufacturer is just a small sampling of how we could help consumer product companies create more reliable products.

Other values of working with MTI and friction welding include:

• Bimetallic Joining Capabilities 
  Say goodbye to unnecessary spending on expensive materials. Friction welding allows for the joining of dissimilar metals.
• Solid-State Joining
  Friction welding is a solid-state joining process. Because joining occurs below the melting temperature of the two parts being joined, the weld properties are superior to welds created with fusion processes.
• Expertise
  Put your trust into the hands of a team with a combined 300 years of friction welding experience.
• Location
  We have two convenient locations to serve you — one in the heart of the Midwest manufacturing belt and one in the UK's Black Country.
• Overflow Capabilities
  Even if you already have an MTI-built friction welder on your floor, we can handle overflow for high-volume orders or in the event of machine maintenance.

Our newest form of solid-state joining, Low Force Friction Welding, can provide even more benefits to consumer product manufacturers. Low Force has all the same benefits of traditional friction welding, but the advantages are multiplied:

• Increased Abilities
  Even applications that were difficult or impossible to join with traditional friction welding can now be achievable with Low Force Friction Welding due to the lower process forces.
• Smooth Flash
   The flash produced by Low Force Friction Welding is so minimal, you may not have to remove it at all.
• Reduced Cycle Times
  A faster process from start to finish — Low Force Friction Welding has been proven to reduce cycle times by as much as 32% in certain applications.

Whether you choose traditional or Low Force Friction Welding, MTI has a solution tailored to your needs. 

We will begin our conversation by identifying whether a custom friction welding machine is suitable for your needs, or whether our  Contract Friction Welding division is a better fit, which handles your friction welding project from start to finish - all under one roof.

Ready to maximize your strength with friction welding? Contact us today to get started.