Patent ID: 7845545

Claim:
A method of diffusion bonding at least two work pieces together using at least a partially consumable pin disposed within a friction stir riveting tool, said method comprising steps of: (1) overlapping at least two workpieces; (2) providing a friction stir riveting tool having at least a partially consumable pin, wherein the at least partially consumable pin includes at least four major external surfaces and at least one cutting edge at an absolute end of the pin wherein the at least one cutting edge is a cutout which extends from the absolute end of the pin vertically along a portion of a boundary formed by the meeting of at least two of the at least four major external surfaces; (3) rotating the friction stir riveting tool to an initial speed to cut into the at least first work piece to a desired depth; (4) rotating the friction stir riveting tool at a second speed to thereby enable plasticization of the at least partially consumable pin and the at least two work pieces; and (5) rotating the friction stir riveting tool at a third speed to enable diffusion bonding of the at least partially consumable pin and the at least two work pieces.