Friction-stir welded panels

Product: Friction-stir welded panels

Customer: Kvaerner Masa Yards

Solution: Kvaerner Masa Yards Inc uses aluminium profiles on the uppermost decks to lower the centre of gravity in the 311-meter long and 63-meter high ship. Sapa supplies profiles in the form of panels.

On the world’s largest cruise ship, the Voyager class from Kvaerner Masa Yards Inc, the aluminium profiles are 2.4 meters in breadth and 14.3 meters long. Well, that is almost true – in fact, Sapa uses friction stir welding (FSW) to join aluminium profiles to create panels of almost 34 square meters (2.4 x 14.3 meters). The joins are completely homogenous and the panels are as flat as if they had been extruded as a single piece.

Aluminium combines low weight and great strength. It is three times lighter than steel and is as strong as construction steel. Using aluminium profiles in the upper decks lowers the ship’s centre of gravity, which is essential as ships grow larger and, above all, taller. Traditional fuse welding has been replaced by customized, production-ready panels from Sapa, which the shipyard welds together to form decks. This minimizes material handling and lead times.

Contact: Gitte Poulsen