MTI UK 
FWT
Pictured from left to right: Kevin Grewe, Gary Kopczynski, and Robert Wilkes, three MTI Account Managers who were eager to meet IMTS attendees!
As the 2018 IMTS show wrapped up, no one knew that it would be a four year wait to see new technologies and advancements on the show floor again. Although there wasn’t a 2020 show, we were busy developing our new Low Force Technology which would make its debut at the IMTS show this year. With Coronavirus in the rearview mirror, we were thrilled the show resumed in 2022 and that we could reconnect with friends, colleagues, and customers without the boundaries of face masks and Zoom!
Innovating with Low Force
As attendees walked the show floor and stopped by our booth, the most frequently asked question we heard was, “What is Friction Welding?”
Friction welding is a solid-state welding process that generates heat through mechanical friction between joining parts in relative motion to one another. Because no melting occurs, friction welding is not a fusion process, but a solid-state welding technique. For people currently using fusion welding who may be curious about friction welding for a specific part - MTI can provide part design consultation, part samples, and prototyping. MTI offers four different friction welding technologies: Low Force Friction Welding, Rotary Friction Welding, Linear Friction Welding, and Friction Stir Welding.
This was the first time we had the opportunity to feature our new Low Force technology at IMTS! Attendees were able to make connections face-to-face with our sales experts over the advantages and benefits that Low Force offers versus our traditional friction welding processes. Because less force is used, MTI’s Low Force welding process can achieve low upset and smooth flash formation, thereby reducing both the consumption of material and post weld processing time. Low Force benefits apply to a range of applications and part geometries, if you’re curious whether Low Force could benefit your application, just ask us!
Making the Connections
MTI’s booth displayed sample friction welded parts from all four of our technologies. Our visitors enjoyed the chance to physically interact with our sample parts and make connections with our sales team in-person. Amongst the emerging trend of electric vehicles, one of the most sought-after parts on display was our Friction Stir Welded heat exchanger for automotive. While many friction welded automotive parts are done using Friction Stir Welding, Low Force welding has provided significant benefits for one automotive company which you can read more about here.
One of the smallest sample parts we had at the show was a small-scale bar-to-plate application. Recently, MTI and EWI collaborated to create a Low Force Microwelder which further expands the applications and part sizes that MTI is able to friction weld. At the other end of the spectrum, MTI has built the largest Linear friction welder in the world, located in North America, and it is able to join full-scale parts!
MTI doesn’t just build machines, we also provide bimetallic solutions and contract welding services such as weld developments that allow our customers – old and new – to try new technologies before making the decision to invest in a machine.
Manufacturing Community Reconnects
IMTS 2022 provided a global opportunity to make new connections and allow current and future customers to discover the people behind the technology at MTI – from sales to engineering to software controls experts. We enjoyed the chance to assist buyers in-person with questions about parts, machines, technologies and services - we had it covered!
The renewal of friendships, collaborations, partnerships, and exploring new networking opportunities continues to be a source of inspiration for our team.
Let's Forge a Relationship
If you missed us at IMTS, we’re still here and ready to help you reach your production needs and goals. Talk with our expert engineers who are committed to helping others understand the benefits of friction welding and finding unique solutions for challenging designs.
MTI is a globally growing company with locations spanning across three continents! To learn more about MTI, head to mtiwelding.com and find out how we can positively impact your business today.