Beauty Student

Welding Forges into the Future

Many are exploring their first use of automation, and the declining number of skilled welders will continue this trend." The lack of, or declining numbers of, skilled welders was frequently mentioned as reason for the growth of automation. Philip Winslow, V.P. sales and marketing, Hypertherm, Inc., noted another often stated reason, "Usage will increase, primarily because of the consistency it gives to welding and cutting operations, especially with CNC (computer numerical control) and robotically controlled processes." Lincoln's Sumner was emphatic in his assessment, "Automation is the single most important growth sector in the welding industry. The drive for higher productivity and reduced costs will keep automation at the forefront." Other reasons for the increasing use of automation included safety and the effort to remove the welder from tiring, repetitive conditions and long-term exposure to fumes. Chip Cable, president, Bug-O-Systems, isolated shipbuilding and the trucking and railroad industries as areas that will experience growth in automation. A fabricator of offshore steel structures has targeted automation for heavy tubular splices, plate girders and process piping. Small companies and job shops are anticipated to at least try robotics and CNC equipment. In what areas of welding do we need more knowledge? This question, more than any other on the survey, seemed to present some difficulties for the respondents. Fully a fifth either wrote "no opinion" or "no comment" or simply left it unanswered. And in the answers that were received, no clear consensus of opinion emerged. However, the following topics were each mentioned by several respondents: Safety and Health. The industry needs more knowledge and awareness regarding the hazards of welding, according to the respondents. Welding of the newer grades of high-strength steels, high- alloy steels and heat treatable steels.

As one respondent put it, we need to "keep up the 'how to weld' information with the increase in 'new' alloys, which are becoming more difficult to weld." Automation. Respondents mentioned a variety of topics relating to automation. These included training in computerization and automation; information on short-run automation; and the need to create standard platforms for welding equipment, robot controllers, sensing devices and other automation peripherals. The basics. While you might think we know everything there is to know about the most widely used welding processes and materials, that simply isn't the case, according to the survey respondents. Industry needs "more practical application data relative to welding," said Anderson of Motoman. "While universities and institutions are doing basic research, they cannot tell you the best process and fastest speed for a 1Ž4-in. fillet weld." Tregaskiss's Villafuerte summed up the feelings of several respondents: "We need to be able to transfer current welding knowledge to the factory floor. More trained professionals and dissemination of knowledge are needed." What are the strengths of the welding industry? What are its weaknesses? Although our respondents listed plenty of strengths and weaknesses for the welding industry, Plotica of ESAB, perhaps best summed up the two most commonly held opinions. Regarding the industry's strengths, he said, "We are a well-established, mature industry, with a solid track record in technology and process advancements." And as to its weaknesses, "We are not attracting enough young people into welding careers," Plotica said. "Welding is still perceived by many as a crude and dirty process." While many saw the industry's maturity - the reputation of welded components for being reliable and economical, the industry's commitment to research and development and the dedication of its work force - as signs of its strength, nearly as many others saw it as a weakness. They believe the industry is set in its ways and slow to change. According to one respondent, the industry's strength is that the people involved in it are "slow to change, with a show me attitude." On the other side of the coin, he said, "Its weakness is that they're slow to change even after you show them." And while a number of respondents lauded the industry's commitment to research and development, others claimed it's too esoteric and takes too long to transfer from the academic level to the factory floor. Thomas C. Conard, president of Alexander Binzel Corp., had another take on the industry's weak spots.

He noted welding is not a separate industry in and of itself but instead makes up part of many other industries. The implication here might be that welding lacks a clear-cut image and direction. What business improvements during the next ten years would be in your company's best interests? As might be expected, there were nearly as many different answers to this question as there were respondents. These ranged from broad-based desires, such as a wish for growth in any field that uses metallic materials, to a more narrow focus, such as wanting increased use of electronic commerce and supply chain management. Better trained workers, improved communication techniques, designing for manufacturability and lessening the time it takes to get new products to market were all mentioned as in companies' best interests. Several persons called for increased automation. Several respondents said a change in the government's role with regard to their operations would improve their businesses. This could occur either through less government involvement or through such things as restriction of imports, "reasonable environmental legislation that does not drive up the cost of doing business," tort reform in product liability and lower taxes. "We spend a tremendous percentage of our income toward research and development," explained Emmerson of Magnatech. "The continuation of tax credits for small company R&D would be beneficial. We note that several of the Canadian provinces are very aggressive in nurturing technical innovation and the growth of small companies, and allow virtually all R&D expenditures to be written off against income. I believe there would be an explosion of new development and company growth if any of the state governments undertook similar tax credit programs." What has to be done in the future to keep the welding industry healthy? More than 50% of the respondents believe improving the image of welding so top students will be drawn to the industry and bettering training methods for welders and welding engineers are the keys to welding's future. We need to "totally revise the public education system in the United States to acknowledge the trades as an acceptable alternative for students," according to Connell of Detroit Edison.

This echoed the opinion of David Yapp, team leader, arc welding and automation, Edison Welding Institute, who said there needs to be "a radical change in education at all levels." He added, however, "This is not likely to happen without strong leadership and commitment." In fact, respondents touched on a variety of aspects related to training - all with an eye toward welding's future. In the opinion of Jackie Morris, quality manager at Bender Shipbuilding & Repair Co., Inc., the level of cooperation between manufacturers and schools must improve so that manufacturers' needs are met. Genesis' O'Connell said the welding industry needs to do two things: "Enhance ease of use through technical training and technology advancement," and "concentrate on making welding the low cost, best performance choice for material joining." For the question regarding welding's weaknesses, Anderson stated it's "often not scientifically applied, which leads to overdesigned weldments and process parameters that are not optimized." Anderson touched on the topic again in answer to the above question, when he said, we must "continue to educate students on the basics of the process and how to implement it. (We must) teach the economics of welding to designers so they understand the costs of a weld." Respondents also mentioned improved salaries for welders, staying ahead of environmental and health issues and more practical research and development as ways the welding industry can help itself stay healthy. Are you optimistic or pessimistic about the future of your particular industry? Overwhelmingly, the respondents to the survey said they were optimistic about the future of their industries. In fact, 92% of respondents indicated they are at least guardedly optimistic about the future. One respondent summed up his reasons this way: "Metallics will be around for a long time and they will need to be joined." Much the same opinion was held by Lincoln's Sumner. "I am optimistic," he said. "Even though we are mainly tied to the steel industry, which has seen a slight decline, we have much more to learn about welding and furthering the process of joining metals. I believe products and services that the welding industry provides will continue to be in demand worldwide." Paul D. Cunningham, president of Weldsale, indicated he was optimistic because "gains in technology via software and the Internet will help increase productivity in the U.S.A." Winslow of Hypertherm foresees a bright future: "If we improve our understanding of our worldwide customers' needs, we have a road map to unrestricted growth." However, some respondents, such as Thomas A. Ferri, a welding process specialist with Airgas, expressed optimism while adding a word of caution.