When a rocket is launched, the weld seams on the enormous fuel tanks must withstand immense forces. To produce joints with the necessary strength, a process known as "friction stir welding" is used. Scientists at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) are working to make this process more efficient. They are using positrons generated by the Research Neutron Source Heinz Maier-Leibnitz (FRM II) to precisely localize "atomic holes" in the material.
The friction stir welding process is increasingly common in applications requiring particularly strong and leakproof joints such as aircraft fuselages, automotive cooling systems or rocket fuel tanks. ...
