Friction Stir Welding and the Hybrid Electric Vehicle Industry

Over the next two decades, the way we move and the way we transport goods is going to shift in a major way – and that means big changes already in the works in the automotive industry. Driven by issues across the globe including environmental policies, technological advancements, economics, demographics and evolving consumer preferences, the world is set to see a dramatic shift toward electric and hybrid vehicles.

Over 2 million electric vehicles were sold globally in 2018, up from just a few thousand in 2010. And there is no sign of that trend slowing. According to Bloomberg NEF’s Electric Vehicle Outlook 2019, annual passenger Electric Vehicle sales are expected to rise to 10 million in 2025, 28 million in 2030 and 56 million by 2040. This means that by 2040, electric vehicle sales will make up 57 percent of total passenger car sales worldwide.

And the actual number of electric vehicles on the road in the next 20 years? BNEF expects there to be 508 million electric vehicles on the road globally by 2040; including commercial electric vehicles.

These changes in the automotive sector mean that demand for new parts and materials will continue to rise. This demand not only creates challenges for existing automakers, it is creating opportunities for new companies to enter the market.

“All the major car manufacturers are already doing this,
GLOBALLY, MOVING TO ELECTRIC VEHICLES IS NOT LONGER JUST AN OPTION – IT’S A MUST.

Original Equipment Manufacturers and suppliers of the automotive industry have an opportunity now to position themselves as leaders in this growing market. With the use of Friction Stir Welding and its many benefits in the Electric and Hybrid Vehicle industry, OEMs can be ready.”

– Dave Hofferbert, President of Bond Technologies.

As sales of hybrid and all-electric cars continue to gain momentum, Bond Technologies is focused on using Friction Stir Welding technology to help automotive OEMs address some of the challenges associated with the manufacture of battery trays for hybrid and electric-powered vehicles.

“One area where Friction Stir Welding can offer solutions is in solving how to fabricate battery housing efficiently,” Hofferbert said. “It is a manufacturing-friendly, robust way to seal cast and extruded structures that require a leak-free joint.”

Bond can provide automotive OEMs with highly viable manufacturing solutions for battery housings, solutions which include material handling, friction stir welding, inspection and quality management for suppliers and OEM’s involved in the manufacture of vehicle components.

“At Bond, our team will help with any parts design needed to incorporate FSW, and help your company fully implement FSW in production,” Hofferbert said. “We provide the complete solution including process development, data management, quality control and more.”

Bond’s Design Guidelines for Friction Stir Welding gets you one step closer. These guidelines, designed by Bond’s engineers, will help your team build Friction Stir Welding technology into your manufacturing process.

Services

Bond Technologies employs a full engineering staff handling both mechanical design and controls. With over 75 years of combined experience, Bond can design and supply machines and fixturing for small production parts to large systems used in the aerospace, automotive, ship building and railcar industries.

Beyond designing incomparable FSW machines, Bond Technologies offers consulting, design and build services for FSW machines and tooling.

Process Development

  • Workholding Design
  • Material Handling
  • Work Cell Automation
  • Production Startup Support
  • Data Management
  • Quality Control
  • Pin Tools and Related Tooling

Integrated Solutions

Education, training, and technical support

Bond Technologies will not only help your company set up and start production with your new FSW machine(s), we will also help you learn and understand all you need to know about Friction Stir Weld Technology – allowing FSW to become a core competency for your company, and for your team to become the experts.

Custom Engineering Solutions

Special Purpose Machines

In cases where an application requires specialized equipment, Bond Technologies can design and build equipment to meet your needs. Although Bond Technologies standard machine product lines offer the most cost effective and quickest solution, there are situations in which the products available just don’t fit the bill. For these situations, Bond Technologies can develop custom machine and tooling solutions.