Patent ID: 8196800

Claim:
A method of friction welding comprising: providing a friction welding system including: a welding arrangement configured to impart kinetic friction between at least one surface of a first workpiece and at least one surface of a second workpiece to form a weld; a force providing mechanism arranged and disposed for applying a force to one or both of the first workpiece and the second workpiece; and a sensor arranged and disposed to measure a fluid pressure fluctuation of the welding arrangement, wherein an amount of vibration for a parameter of the friction welding system is determinable from the measured fluid pressure fluctuation; monitoring the force applied by the force providing mechanism; determining the amount of vibration for the parameter in response to the measured fluid pressure fluctuation; comparing the amount of vibration to a predetermined amount of vibration; generating a signal in response to the amount of vibration if the amount of vibration is greater than the predetermined amount of vibration for the parameter, and returning to the step of monitoring if no signal is generated; determining if the amount vibration can be remedied; and sending a signal to the force providing mechanism, wherein the force providing mechanism adjusts in response to the signal to reduce the force urging the first workpiece and the second workpiece together if the amount of vibration can be remedied or the force providing mechanism stops in response to the signal if the amount of vibration cannot be remedied.