Powder metal friction stir welding tool and method of manufacture thereof

1. A friction stir welding tool comprising:

a welding tip fabricated of a powder material being ferrous-based and including a plurality of pores; and

said welding tip including Fe 3 O 4 in said pores.

2. A friction stir welding tool as set forth in claim 1 wherein said welding tip includes an exposed surface and at least a portion of said exposed surface comprises Fe 3 O 4 .

3. A friction stir welding tool as set forth in claim 1 wherein said powder material is further defined as cermet.

4. A friction stir welding tool as set forth in claim 1 including a body joined to said welding tip and wherein said welding tip extends from said body to a working end.

5. A friction stir welding tool as set forth in claim 4 wherein said body comprises a second material having different properties than said powder material of said welding tip.

6. A friction stir welding tool as set forth in claim 5 wherein said welding tip has a higher wear resistance than said body.

7. A friction stir welding tool as set forth in claim 5 wherein an outer layer comprising a third material being different from said second material surrounds said second material of said body.

8. A friction stir welding tool comprising:

a welding tip fabricated of a powder material being ferrous-based and including a plurality of pores; and

said welding tip including Fe 3 O 4 ; and a resin impregnated in said pores.

9. A friction stir welding tool comprising:

a welding tip fabricated of a powder material being ferrous-based and including a plurality of pores; and

said welding tip including Fe 3 O 4 ; and copper infiltrated in said pores.

10. A friction stir welding tool comprising:

a welding tip fabricated of a powder material being ferrous-based and including a plurality of pores;

said welding tip including Fe 3 O 4 ; and at least one additive infiltrated in said pores; and

said additive selected from the group consisting of CaF 2 , MnS, MoS 2 , BN, CaCO 3 , SiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , ferro-nickel, and an alloy of Cr, Ni, and Co.