Manufacturing Technology Inc. is headquartered in South Bend. It was founded in 1976 by Conrad Adams to provide welding services and products. MTI designs, manufactures, installs, and services all friction welding and resistance welding machines. MTI is the only company in the world able to offer all friction welding capabilities such as linear, direct drive, inertia, radial, stir, and resistance welding.
Felipe Pinzon is working with MTI developing the commercialization plan of a temperature control algorithm for a friction stir welding machine. Current algorithms use spindle speed, torque, or different parameters to control the machine and those parameters can generate current peaks and time delays.
With this innovative control algorithm, using temperature as the main reference, those issues are addressed improving the weld mechanical properties. Felipe is validating the advantages of the temperature control algorithm and whether there is an opportunity to penetrate the market. He will be studying how the project can make an impact in the industry by using various market research, interviewing potential customers, and making a financial model to determine its feasibility.