710456The production of high value decorative laminate metal products by Friction Stir WeldingClosedGRD Proof of ConceptInnovate UKRotary Engineering UK Ltd will carry out a proof of concept study on the production of a high value, patterned metal laminate material (mokume gane) for use in the jewellery and decorative metals industry. Mokume gane (meaning wood grain metal in Japanese) is a premium jewellery product manufactured by bonding and patterning layers of different coloured metals such as gold and silver. Traditional production of mokume gane using diffusion bonding is difficult and expensive, involves multiple manufacturing stages, and is limited in the maximum size of sheet production. It also has a high failure rate and remains at the craft level, relying on the expertise of individuals with many years experience rather than a modern manufacturing technique. We have developed a novel method of producing a mokume gane type material using friction stir welding (FSW). By adapting FSW it has been possible to demonstrate bonding of many layers of dissimilar metals while simultaneously producing unique patterns in the metal, removing the need for a separate patterning stage. This approach minimizes processing, reduces waste and potentially lowers costs. The FSW technique avoids many of the problems experienced in traditional production, e.g. melting or lack of bonding, while allowing production of much larger sheet size and thickness. With this proof of concept funding we aim to develop our capabilities to produce a laminate sheet with commercially marketable patterns by FSW.