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5G platform: the results obtained thanks to the effort and experience of FAIST Light Metals

5G technology in telecommunication business is moving forward, and at FAIST Light Metals we are proud to say that we are working closely with our customers to support them and being part of this cutting-edge change. We have been working on 5G platform for years and now we want to share our results.

In general, 5G unit size is much bigger than 4G and will generate more heat during running. To face this problem, FAIST developed high thermal conductivity alloy with 50% more heat dissipation performance for all the 5G Frames. Besides that, FAIST invented the Fishbone technology and built dedicated machine to reduce the Frame weight. This process allows us to realize heatsinks with high and thin fins, to dissipate more heat than what has been realized so far.

With the experience gained from automotive products, FAIST was able to successfully introduce the Friction stir welding (FSW) technology for the biggest 5G Frame. This technology is a solid-state joining process that uses a non-consumable tool to join two facing workpieces without melting the workpiece material. Heat is generated by friction between the rotating tool and the workpiece material, which leads to a softened region near the FSW tool. While the tool is traversed along the joint line, it mechanically intermixes the two pieces of metal, and forges the hot and softened metal by the mechanical pressure, which is applied by the tool, much like joining clay. Thanks to our experience we are able to control the FSW process and ensure the uniformity of the structure of the material after welding. This process allowed us to down size the die casting machine to half.