Friction Processing is a field pioneered within the group, advancing research boundaries. Expertise has been obtained in Friction Stir Welding, Friction Hydro Pillar Processing, Friction Taper Hydro Pillar Welding and Friction Welding (including Boss Welding, Friction Stud Welding and Hexagonal Bar Welding).
Research funding stems from a variety of funders (NRF, RISP, THRIP, LMI-TiCoC, ESKOM, SASOL and TESP) and are expedited according to the respective grant agreements/ contracts in accordance to Nelson Mandela University financial policies.
Small Punch Testing Facility
Small sample testing is closely aligned with the WeldCore® technology developed by eNtsa where the small sized samples retrieved by the WeldCore® procedure can be further analysed for creep and toughness properties. This field requires development, however it is gaining increasing and on-going acceptance by the petrochemical and power generation industries where high temperature component condition monitoring is becoming increasingly critical for safe and economical plant operation. eNtsa has 11 Small Punch Creep Testing platforms, which are currently occupied with on-going and scheduled testing. Testing procedures and data evaluation are continuously developing and require standardisation, therefore, the team is collaborating with international leaders in this field to ensure our knowledge and service is at the forefront of development.
WeldCore® (see link as the one under commercialisation)
Our researchers and research projects
Our research outputs
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Journal articles
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Conference papers
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Patents / Intellectual properties
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Books / Chapters in books