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Hy-ten Ltd
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Richmond
Surrey
TW9 1PX
United Kingdom

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Friction Welded Coupler Sets New Standards for Steel Reinforcement

Steel reinforcement specialist Hy-Ten has set a new standard in the coupling of re-bar with the UK’s first ever fully approved friction welded coupler. Using high tech friction-welding technology, widely used in aerospace and automotive industries, the HT Welded Coupler offers better productivity, enhanced structural performance and cost savings.

“Normally, to create a coupled joint both bars have to be threaded – one end receiving a coupler in the factory and the other end being positioned and screwed-in on-site. With our system there is no threading involved, we friction weld the couplers to the re-bar in the factory so they are simply screwed together on site, you don’t even have to use a torque wrench. The process is quick, simple and efficient,” commented Hy-Ten director Richard Webster.

Hy-Ten has invested a substantial sum in researching, perfecting and setting-up the new process. Using a dedicated machine, couplers are rotated at high speed. The re-bar is offered up to the coupler and the friction between the surfaces scours and heats the metal surfaces to fusing point.

The joint made by the HT Friction Welded Coupler is remarkably strong as shown in extensive trials by the Certification Authority for Reinforcing Steel (CARES) who tested multiple samples to destruction. Ultimate failure was in the re-bar and not the joint, with forces as high as 630 Newton’s being applied to break the bar. An electronic version of the CARES technical approval certificate can be seen at www.ukcares.com/TAPDF/5031.pdf.

Hy-Ten has already tested and obtained approval for bar diameters from 16 to 40mm with tests on 50mm bar pending. The company began offering the new system in August and has already noted strong interest from construction contractors and consultants. “Contractors are interested in the productivity improvement and significant cost saving. Importantly, the material savings make this system a more economic alternative for 25mm bars and larger, as the friction welded joint is cheaper than the corresponding lap length,” concluded Richard Webster.

More Information

Richard Webster, Director, Hy-Ten Ltd
Tel. +44 (0)151 525 1745 Fax. +44 (0)151 523 2252
E-mail: rkw@hy-ten.co.uk Web: www.hy-ten.co.uk
Hy-Ten Ltd, Bridle Road, Bootle, Merseyside, L30 4UG, UK

Release issued: November 29, 2010

Information on Friction Welding

Friction welding (FW) is a solid state welding process that uses mechanical interaction between components and a lateral force to generate localised heat to weld them together. During the localised heating there is some displacement of plasticised material, but no actual melt of metal occurs. Technically therefore the process is not welding but forging.

Material can be joined in a fraction of the time required compared to tradition gas or arc welding. Moreover, because heating and plasticisation is extremely localised and there is no actual melt the metallurgical properties of the materials remain largely unaffected and their inherent strength is maintained.

Friction welded couplings are widely used in high rise buildings in areas of the world subject to earthquake. Applications in aerospace involve the jointing of dissimilar metals in components, copper and aluminium for example. In car manufacture the valve heads and stems in pushrods are commonly jointed this way.

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The HT Welded Coupler for re-bar is based on technology widely used in aerospace and automotive industries.

The joint made by the HT Friction Welded Coupler was subjected to extensive trials by the Certification Authority for Reinforcing Steel (CARES) who tested multiple samples to destruction.

the HT Welded Coupler success has resulted from substantial investment by Hy-ten in research, perfecting and setting-up the new process.

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