Patent ID: 8540134

Claim:
A method of filling a hole in a metal workpiece, comprising: friction welding a plug in the hole to form a friction weld, wherein the friction weld consists of only the plug and the workpiece metal; and forming a weld land on a root side of the workpiece during the friction weld, said weld land comprising plug material and workpiece material, wherein the weld land extends a predetermined height above a surface of the root side of said workpiece, wherein the weld land has a predetermined width, and wherein forming the weld land is performed by: placing an anvil against the workpiece and around the hole, the anvil comprising a first cavity having a bottom surface facing the workpiece, the first cavity configured to receive the plug, the anvil further comprising a second cavity substantially surrounding the first cavity, wherein the second cavity is larger in diameter and smaller in depth relative to the first cavity, wherein the second cavity comprises a tapered recess surrounding the first cavity, wherein the tapered recess is angled downwardly toward the first cavity relative to a depth of the first cavity; and urging a portion of the workpiece into the first cavity, and thereafter into the second cavity.