Honda develops robotized FSW technology to weld steel and aluminum and applied it to a mass-production vehicle

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to describe the fundamental concept of Honda's robotized friction stir welding (FSW) technology, its implementation to mass produced vehicles and the future impact on the automobile industry.Design methodology approach - Based on an interview with engineers who developed the new technology at Honda Automobile R&D Center, the report describes the secret of the new technology.Findings - The robotized FSW technology is the world's first to weld dissimilar metals for mass produced vehicles, and makes it possible to use standard industrial robots in FSW process.Originality value - The report is the first one outside Japan that details the new technology.