# English Version From March 17 to 19, TCT Asia 2026 – 3D Printing & Additive Manufacturing Exhibition grandly kicked off at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai). Aerospace Engineering Equipment (Suzhou) Co., Ltd. (AEE) showcased its two core technological achievements — friction stir solid-state additive manufacturing and friction stir welding, along with integrated system solutions. Boasting robust engineering application capabilities, AEE became a major highlight at the event, fully demonstrating its leading expertise in friction stir welding and solid-state additive manufacturing. ## Featured Core Products ## Accelerated Commercialization of Technological Achievements The continuously operating friction stir solid-state additive manufacturing workstation at AEE’s booth drew crowds of visitors. This equipment was jointly developed by AEE and the Macao Institute for Development and Quality (IDQ). As the first domestic enterprise to master the Advanced Stir Friction Deposition (ASFD) technology with continuous rod feeding, AEE displayed a wide range of application prototypes, including satellite adapters, bottom prototypes of the 3350 launch vehicle fuel tank, armatures and battery compartments. These products cater to the development demands of aerospace, new energy, shipbuilding and other industries. Meanwhile, showcased prototypes of aluminum matrix composite and magnesium alloy additive parts reflected AEE’s continuous breakthroughs in the application of advanced materials. The world’s first satellite adapter manufactured via friction stir solid-state additive manufacturing stood out as the star exhibit. Adopting a solid-state forming process, the component features a dense microstructure with micro-forging characteristics. It successfully realized the fabrication of an aluminum alloy annular component with a diameter of 1,248 mm. Test results show that all key indicators including core mechanical properties and corrosion resistance fully meet relevant standards. The manufacturing efficiency reaches 4.5 kilograms per hour, the production cycle is shortened to one-sixth of that of traditional processes, and material utilization rate is increased by over five times. Providing a viable solution for the efficient manufacturing and rapid iteration of critical aerospace components, this technology has already been applied in formal projects. ## In-depth Industry Expertise ## Full-industry-chain Capabilities As a key player in domestic friction stir welding and solid-state additive manufacturing sectors, AEE also presented a number of mature FSW (Friction Stir Welding) process achievements. Displayed typical samples cover dissimilar aluminum-copper welding, thick plate welding, high-precision ultra-thin plate welding, double-sided synchronous welding and more. The exhibits fully demonstrated the company’s full-range technical capabilities from process development to equipment integration, as well as its profound technological accumulation in core manufacturing fields. As a key institution supported by the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense for the industrialization of friction stir welding equipment, AEE operates two major platforms: the Jiangsu Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center for Friction Stir Welding and the Provincial Enterprise Technology Center. The company has undertaken multiple national scientific research projects, and its technological achievements have been widely applied in national strategic emerging industries such as aerospace, rail transit and new energy vehicles. ## Technology Forums for Shared Development ## Driving Collaborative Innovation across the Industry During the exhibition, AEE hosted a series of expert technology forums. Centering on topics including commercial aerospace and solid-state processing technology, as well as the strengthening and toughening mechanism of special aluminum alloys, the company held in-depth discussions with experts and scholars from the industry, research institutes and upstream and downstream partners of the industrial chain, creating a strong academic atmosphere. These forums not only promoted technical exchanges within the industry, but also strengthened the collaboration among enterprises, universities, research institutions and end users, further consolidating AEE’s leading position in both solid-state additive manufacturing and friction stir welding. Going forward, AEE will keep focusing on the in-depth application of solid-state additive manufacturing and friction stir welding technologies. The company will steadily advance the engineering implementation of ASFD technology in emerging sectors such as aerospace, new energy, shipbuilding, power electronics, etc. It will further strengthen technological reserves and equipment capabilities in niche fields, facilitate the development of critical component manufacturing toward higher efficiency and greater environmental friendliness, and deliver solid technical support for industrial upgrading.