Tower Automotive Takes Friction Stir Weld Suspension Link from ``Concept to Customer'' in Six Months.Business Editors/Automotive Writers GRAND RAPIDS Grand Rapids, city (1990 pop. 189,126), seat of Kent co., SW central Mich., on the Grand River; inc. 1850. The second largest city in the state, it is a distribution, wholesale, and industrial center for an area that yields fruit, dairy products, farm produce, , Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 22, 2002 Tower Automotive Tower Automotive Pink Sheets: TWRAQ is a manufacturer of automobile frames based in Novi, Michigan. The company is currently the world's largest manufacturer of vehicle frames. Inc. (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange :TWR TWR Tower TWR Trans World Radio (Monte Carlo) TWR Tom Walkinshaw Racing TWR Time-Weighted Return (finance) TWR The Weblog Review TWR Tactical Weather Radar TWR Thomas' Write Rule ) today announced it has successfully produced suspension links for Ford Motor Company using an innovative "friction stir welding Friction Stir Welding (FSW) is an exotic solid-state joining process (meaning the metal is not melted during the process) and is used for applications where the original metal characteristics must remain unchanged as far as possible. " process. Tower Automotive is the first company in the United States to use the friction stir welding process in an automotive application. Developed by The Welding Institute (TWI Twi n. A variety of the Akan language spoken in Ghana. ), a British research and technology organization, friction stir welding is a solid-state welding process used to join aluminum, magnesium and similar non-ferrous metal combinations. The process is environmentally friendly, uses no consumables (filler wire or shielding gas) and is energy efficient. Recognizing the potential for applying the friction stir welding process to automotive applications, Tower Automotive purchased a license to research the advantages of using friction stir welding as a metal joining process. The company's testing proved that, compared to the traditional automotive industry method of gas metal arc welding  Gas metal arc welding (GMAW), sometimes referred to by its subtypes metal inert gas (MIG) welding or metal active gas (MAG) welding , friction stir welding can reduce weight, lower costs, increase joint efficiency and increase fatigue life. "This new process offers superior joining technology in all series of aluminum," said Art Scafe, new product development leader for suspension components, Tower Automotive. "The quality level created by a friction stir weld is superior to other types of welding." Tower Automotive worked with Ford Motor Company to develop a friction-stir welded design for the suspension links used in Ford Motor Company's line of Lincoln Towncar limousines. Within six months, Tower Automotive completed the suspension link design, analysis, welding specifications, prototyping and product testing. The first vehicles equipped with Tower Automotive's friction-stir welded suspension links rolled off the assembly line at Ford Motor Company's plant in Wixom, Mich., in October 2002. Tower Automotive Inc. produces a broad range of structural components, assemblies and modules for original equipment manufacturers of passenger cars and light trucks, including Ford, DaimlerChrysler, GM, Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Auto Alliance, Fiat, BMW BMW in full Bayerische Motoren Werke AG German automaker. Founded as an aircraft engine manufacturer in 1916, the company assumed the name Bayerische Motoren Werke and became known for its high-speed motorcycles in the 1920s. , Volkswagen, Hyundai and Kia. Products include suspension components, body structural stampings and assemblies, Class A stampings, engine cradles, crossmembers, subframes, full frames and chassis modules. For additional information, visit the company's Web site at www.towerautomotive.com |
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