After delivery, commissioning and staff training, it can be said that the Rotary Friction Welding Machine manufactured by the cooperative Elgoibarresa Berkoa, S.Coop., for IZAR Cutting Tools of Amorebieta, one of the largest European manufacturers and leader in the Spanish market of cutting tools, is now fully operational.

This Rotary Friction Welding Machine, model BFW-40/2000, allows welding parts with up to 40 Tn of thrust and 2,000 rpm, as well as performing the flash turning process after joining the parts. It is worth mentioning that this machine also has the new Controller © BLSC 4.0.1, registered by its designers, Berkoa together with the Technological Center of Guipuzcoa Lortek.

IZAR Cutting Tools has been offering solutions in the field of cutting tools for industrial use since 1910, both in its natural market (Spain, France, Portugal) and in more than 90 countries around the world. In this case, the machine is designed for the manufacture of bi-material drills, joining high speed steel with F-1140.

For the study and consolidation of this multi-material process, the R&D&I project MULTITEC was presented to the Basque Government’s Aid Program for Business R&D Support, HAZITEK. It was proposed as a collaborative project between the three entities, IZAR, Berkoa and the Lortek technology center, with the aim of developing new multi-material cutting tools by means of new technological capabilities of this Rotary Friction Welding technology.

For IZAR Cutting Tools the objectives were: to expand the range of multi-material drill diameters manufactured using this technology, reduce the cost of manufacturing drills, improve the performance of current drills, evaluate advances in rotary friction welding technology and analyze its application for the manufacture of new multi-material tools.

While, for Berkoa, the objectives were to increase the range of forging force capacity with respect to previously manufactured machines, increase the range of rotational speeds, increase the range of weldable section, develop and adapt the BLSC4.0.1. controller, demonstrate new capabilities by manufacturing representative gauges for different applications.

With the manufacture of this welding machine and the development of this new project, IZAR is able to offer the market a reliable and safe product with superior cutting capabilities, in line with its policy of excellence, quality and innovation adapted to the new needs of its customers and industrial users.

At the level of the manufacturer of these machines, Berkoa, consolidates and continues to advance in this technology of Rotary Friction Welding, offering this product to sectors such as automotive, tools, power lines, gas, etc. as well as allowing to join different materials such as steel, aluminum, copper, among others.