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Through Optimum Use and Innovation of Welding and Joining Technologies
Improving Global Quality of Life
Forming linkages with regional training and skills brokerage organisations to access education and
training to encourage improved levels of skills and competence within industry and provide essential
underpinning for innovation and change.
Focusing on supply chains as a key element in innovative process change and product development.
Networking with regional resources to provide an enhanced technical capability.
Networking with and agreeing suitable referral systems with existing publicly funded signposting
and support activities.
9.21
Strategies to meet challenges of industrial sectors and implementation
Improvements in the global quality of life and breakthroughs in industrial sectors are constrained by
various challenges and limitations of current levels of science and technology of welding and joining. These
are different in nature in different areas of welded fabrication and hence require different strategies for
successful implementation.
The objective of research relating to welding technology is to provide greater productivity and enhanced
quality for welded components in the manufacturing industry. Improving productivity and quality by
incorporating cost-effective solutions into the manufacturing process requires innovative developments in
welding technologies and processes. This necessitates collaborative research among various disciplines in
basic and applied sciences. Research in welding technology is carried out at R&D establishments, educational
institutions and manufacturing industries that include welding equipment and welding consumable
manufacturers and fabrication industries.
Thus, the welding community has to synergise the efforts of users of welding techniques and technologies
as well as the companies, universities and other organisations that provide equipment, materials, processes,
support R&D, services etc. A key component for the application of the latest in welding science and
technology is the availability of qualified and trained human resources, especially availability of skilled
welding personel. In this aspect, the IIW provides an important resource for welding technology education
through its Authorised National Bodies (ANBs) in the majority of its member countries.
Focused research in welding science, engineering and technology across the globe has resulted in significant
progress in understanding and modelling the physical processes in welding, microstructural evolution and
the correlation between microstructure and mechanical properties of welds, and intelligent control and
automation in welding, etc. Welding technology has reached a stage where welding processes based on
scientific principles can be designed to tailor the composition, structure and properties of the weld. IIW
through its Technical Commissions is in a unique position for enhancing R&D programmes in welding science
and technology to achieve innovative, cost-effective solutions for welding industries and in deploying newer
welding processes and technologies.
With respect to existing structures and components such challenges aremet by respective life time extension,
often achieved by extensive repair procedures. In order to accomplish this, materials have to be selected
exactly for the appropriate purpose. This means that base and filler materials will increasingly be chosen for
a very specific application of joined components to match the respective microstructural, mechanical and
corrosion properties.
The technical and economic development in modern joining technology is predominantly characterised by
cost and weight reduction. With respect to new structures and components such challenges are met by
the use of new design principles, advanced materials and innovative joining technologies. Furthermore,
new design approaches may aim novel material-mixed components which create new challenges for joining
9
Needs and challenges of major industry sectors for future applications
