Improvements relating to friction welding

摘要

A method of operating on a workpiece comprises offering a probe (24) of material harder than the workpiece material to a continuous or substantially continuous surface of the workpiece, the probe depending from a containment member having a surface which faces the workpiece. Relative cyclic movement is caused between the probe (24) and the workpiece while urging the probe and workpiece together whereby frictional heat is generated as the probe enters the workpiece so as to create a plasticised region in the workpiece material around the probe, the containment member substantially preventing dispersal of the plasticised material. The cyclic movement is stopped and the plasticised material allowed to solidify around the probe.