American Friction Welding

American Friction Welding Specialties
Joining Dissimilar Metals, Creating Near Net Shapes, Full Strength Penetration Weld Bond

The largest full-service friction welding shop in North America, American Friction Welding (AFW) is an ISO 9001:2008 Certified subcontract fabricator. AFW combines friction welding services with CNC capabilities for finished-to-print production. With a wide range of friction welding equipment, the company accommodates industries with differing application and volume needs. Work at AFW ranges from

prototypes to limited lot size production orders to large production runs. Several Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM)s are served with fully automated cells running run thousands of parts per month. AFW leverages 27 years of welding and engineering experience to offer value-added contract services, including welding analysis, application and process optimization, feasibility studies, prototyping, research and development, and in-house tooling. From its 63,000 sq ft climate-controlled facility in Waukesha, Wisconsin AFW offers on-site warehousing, plus a complete KanBan program to deliver the right parts and the right number of parts to customers just prior to when they are needed.

Traditional fusion welding fails when you need to join dissimilar metals. The metallurgical incompatibilities, brittle i...
06/02/2026

Traditional fusion welding fails when you need to join dissimilar metals. The metallurgical incompatibilities, brittle intermetallic formation, and thermal stress cracking make aluminum-to-steel or copper-to-stainless connections nearly impossible with conventional methods.

Friction welding changes everything. Our solid-state process creates full-strength metallurgical bonds between dissimilar metals without melting the base materials. No heat-affected zones. No porosity. No fusion welding inconsistencies.

At American Friction Welding, we routinely join combinations that seem impossible: aluminum to steel, copper to stainless steel, titanium to Inconel, and dozens of other dissimilar metal pairs. This capability opens design possibilities across aerospace, automotive, defense, medical, oil and gas, and power generation applications.

Our 18 high-precision welding centers operate 24/7 in our climate-controlled facility, delivering consistent results that meet the strictest quality standards. When your design requires joining incompatible metals, friction welding provides the solution traditional methods cannot.

Discover what's possible at teamafw.com

This Memorial Day, we pause the machines and bow our heads in gratitude.To the men and women who gave everything so we c...
05/22/2026

This Memorial Day, we pause the machines and bow our heads in gratitude.

To the men and women who gave everything so we could build freely — we honor you. Your sacrifice is the foundation beneath every weld we make and every part we ship.

From all of us at American Friction Welding: thank you.

If your weld is the weakest point in your part… that’s a design problem.Most weld issues don’t show up right away.They s...
04/28/2026

If your weld is the weakest point in your part… that’s a design problem.

Most weld issues don’t show up right away.

They show up later —
under load, heat, fatigue… when failure isn’t an option.

That’s where we’re seeing more engineers rethink how parts are joined.

Rotary friction welding eliminates a lot of the issues that come with traditional welding:

• No filler metal
• Minimal distortion
• Consistent, repeatable joints

If you’re working on shafts, rotating components, or anything under stress, it’s worth a look.

We’ll be at the Design-2-Part Show next week —
Booths 418 & 420

Bring a print, a part, or just the problem you’re trying to solve.

A blessed and Happy Easter from the American Friction Welding team! We run around the clock most of the year, so weekend...
04/03/2026

A blessed and Happy Easter from the American Friction Welding team! We run around the clock most of the year, so weekends like this one are a good reminder to slow down and enjoy time with the people who matter. To our customers, our partners, and our crew — thank you, and we hope your Easter Sunday is a special one.

Most aluminum joints fail in the heat-affected zone.That’s exactly the problem rotary friction welding eliminates.At the...
03/17/2026

Most aluminum joints fail in the heat-affected zone.

That’s exactly the problem rotary friction welding eliminates.

At the AWS Shipbuilding & Aluminum Conference, American Friction Welding will be talking with engineers and sourcing teams about how solid-state friction welding is changing what’s possible with aluminum components.

No filler metal.
No melting.
Just forged-strength joints created through controlled friction and pressure.

The result:
• stronger, repeatable aluminum joints
• the ability to join dissimilar materials
• reduced machining and raw material waste
• consistent production for critical components

If you’re attending the conference in New Orleans, come talk with us about how rotary friction welding can expand what aluminum parts can do.

TeamAFW.com

03/06/2026

Silver to Copper Friction Welding on a computer-controlled, 4-ton rotary friction welder. Flash removal by a secondary press operation within the welding cell.

See what https://teamafw.com/ can do for you.

02/24/2026

Why does friction welding matter?

If you’re an engineer — it’s about strength, metallurgical integrity, and repeatability.
If you’re in purchasing — it’s about risk, cost control, and reliable delivery.

At American Friction Welding, we bring both together.

Our rotary friction welding process delivers:
• Stronger, more consistent joints
• Dissimilar material capability
• Reduced machining and material waste
• Faster production turnaround

But performance alone isn’t enough.

We back every part with:
• ISO 9001:2015-certified systems
• Full traceability
• Destructive & non-destructive testing
• ERP-driven process monitoring
• Vertically integrated lifecycle control

That’s how engineering confidence and supply chain stability align.

This is why friction welding matters — and how we control it.

🎥 Watch the full segment below.
🌐 https://youtu.be/iOre8znxnOU

Chicago’s manufacturing community is gearing up for MSE: Manufacturers & Suppliers Expo—and American Friction Welding wi...
02/17/2026

Chicago’s manufacturing community is gearing up for MSE: Manufacturers & Suppliers Expo—and American Friction Welding will be right in the middle of it.

AFW’s rotary friction welding expertise has been transforming how dissimilar metals come together — stronger, cleaner, and more reliable components across aerospace, heavy equipment, and beyond, this is a great chance to see what’s possible and connect with the team behind it.

And MSE isn’t just another trade show — it’s where local manufacturing pros gather to check out the latest tech, swap ideas, and see what’s next for production innovation right here in Chicago.

Even better… we have free expo passes available.

Send us a quick message at https://teamafw.com/contact-american-friction-welding/ and we’ll get you set up.
Hope to see you in Chicago.

March 9-10, 2026
Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel
Exploration Hall
1551 N. Thoreau Drive
Schaumburg, Illinois 60173

02/06/2026

Copper to Aluminum Friction Welding on a computer-controlled, 15-ton rotary friction welder.

See what https://teamafw.com/ can do for you.

01/06/2026

Thread to Rod Friction Welding on a computer-controlled, 10-ton TOHO rotary friction welder with inline flash removal.

See what https://teamafw.com/ can do for you.

Address

505 Northview Road
Waukesha, WI
53188

Opening Hours

Monday 7am - 4pm
Tuesday 7am - 4pm
Wednesday 7am - 4pm
Thursday 7am - 4pm
Friday 7am - 4pm

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when American Friction Welding posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share