Application of FSW technology to tank manufacturing of launch vehicle and its development

As a new solid-phase joining technology,friction stir welding（ FSW） has advantages such as high quality of welded joint and small deformation of welding products. Once it is available,it is favored by all walks of life,especially the aerospace industry. In the United States,Japan and European countries,a lot of in-depth research had been conducted on the friction stir welding technology,and it had been widely applied to the welding production of rocket fuel tanks,and the engineering application of the full friction stir welding to the rocket fuel tank had been realized. Research on friction stir welding technology developed late in China but progressing fast. In recent years,great achievements had been made in the application of engineering. At present,it has been successfully applied to the welding of fuel tanks for launch vehicles in China. With the research on the technical mechanism and engineering of friction stir welding being investigated further,friction stir welding technology is developing in the direction of intelligent equipment,process integration and high production efficiency.