Tooling for holding thin metal parts making up a hollow structure in order to enable them to be friction-welded together

A method of forming a generally hollow structure formed a set of preformed parts with tooling, the method comprising:

• providing a tooling framework having two frames to receive the set of preformed parts inside the framework;
• placing a stiffener section in position on one of the two frames;
• placing at least one anvil inside the framework on the one frame beside the stiffener section;
• installing a reversible clamp inside the framework and inside the set of preformed parts;
• bringing the set of preformed parts successively into abutment against the stiffener section to a welding position, wherein the at least one anvil and the reversible clamp are disposed inside the preformed parts in the welding position;
• moving the two frames to an assembled position and joining the two frames together;
• and
• operating the reversible clamp to move to a clamping position to cause opposing thrust to be applied between the anvil and an inside surface of at least one of the set of preformed parts.

A method of forming a generally hollow structure with of a set of preformed parts and with tooling for holding the preformed parts, the method comprising:

• providing a tooling framework having two frames being movable with respect to each other to receive the set of preformed parts inside the framework;
• placing at least one anvil inside the framework;
• installing a reversible clamp inside the framework and inside the set of preformed parts;
• bringing the set of preformed parts together in a welding position to define the generally hollow structure, wherein the at least one anvil and the reversible clamp are disposed inside the preformed parts in the welding position;
• moving the two frames to an assembled position and joining the two frames together;
• and
• operating the reversible clamp to move to a clamping position to apply thrust in at least two directions such that thrust is applied in a lateral direction to the anvil and in a second direction to an inside surface of at least one of the set of preformed parts.