Friction Stir Welding at IFWC 2026 – RIFTEC Contributions | 19–21 May 2026
RIFTEC will participate in IFWC 2026 with several technical contributions to Friction Stir Welding (FSW) and supports the event as a sponsor. The presentations focus on industrial applications, particularly the serial production of complex aluminium structures and the challenges associated with thick-walled components. As a contract manufacturer in the field of Friction Stir Welding, RIFTEC focuses on translating process development into stable, industrial-scale production processes.
Serial Production in Railway Applications
On 19 May 2026 at 12:00 (Lecture Room 1), Dr Ing Axel Meyer, Managing Director and co-founder of RIFTEC, will present:
Series production for railroad applications – thick-walled, highly loaded and complex aluminium structures
The presentation addresses requirements and solutions for the serial production of highly loaded aluminium structures in railway applications. Key topics include process stability, scalability and the industrial implementation of Friction Stir Welding applications. The contribution provides insights from day-to-day manufacturing practice in the production of demanding, highly loaded components for the railway industry. The topics and experience presented can be transferred to other thick-walled components, such as those used in defense industry.
Complexity of Thick-Walled FSW Structures
On 20 May 2026 at 12:50 (Lecture Room 1), Dr Iurii Golubev will present:
Same Alloy, Same Penetration – Different Outcome: The Hidden Complexity of Thick-Walled FSW
The presentation focuses on influencing factors in the Friction Stir Welding of thick-walled aluminium components, which can lead to different outcomes despite identical process parameters. The emphasis is placed on process understanding, reproducibility and industrial robustness.
Standardisation in Friction Stir Welding
On 21 May 2026 at 08:50 (Lecture Room 1), Axel Meyer will participate as an invited speaker in the panel discussion:
Friction Stir Welding Standards Panel Discussion
The discussion will address current developments and challenges in the standardisation of Friction Stir Welding processes, as well as requirements arising from industrial serial production and practical applications. IFWC 2026 thus provides a platform for the professional exchange on practice-oriented issues in Friction Stir Welding. RIFTEC will contribute its industrial application perspective specifically to the discussion.
Meet us on-site and engage with our experts.
Event details can be found here: Welcome - International Friction Welding Conference (IFWC)