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Through Optimum Use and Innovation of Welding and Joining Technologies
Improving Global Quality of Life
Needs and
challenges of major
industry sectors for
future applications
9.
T
o become more competitive globally, all industrial sectors will continue to strive for more innovative,
integrated, efficient and safe ways of doing business. At the same time, the need to protect Mother
Earth also means that design, manufacturing, construction, operational and repair processes must
give sustainable development in a sustainable environment. The challenge to upgrade existing products,
manufacturing methods and plants has to be in place to meet environmental friendly standards. This means
that, in supporting these demands in all industrial sectors, technological advances in material and welding
processes have to keep pace. The needs of, and challenges for, major industrial sectors are reviewed and
briefly outlined in the following sections.
The pie chart of welding market per industrial sector is shown in
Figure 9.1
.
The main driving factors behind
the development of joining technologies for sheet and plate, are the automotive and shipyard industries.
9.1
Energy sector
The European Community Framework Programme (FP7) describes the overall objective for the 21
st
century
with the following statement; “
Adapting the current energy system into a more sustainable one, less
dependent on imported fuels and based on a diverse mix of energy sources, in particular renewables, energy
carriers and non polluting sources; enhancing energy efficiency, including by rationalising use and storage of
energy; addressing the pressing challenges of security of supply and climate change,
…”
Such world-wide strategic objectives for sustainable, competitive and secure energy sources creates new
technological challenges to materials scientists and welding technologies to create new infrastructure and
to maintain safe structural performance during operation.
Global welding market by end users
Shipbuilding & Offshore
Construction
Automative/Transport
Pipeline & Pipe mills
Energy
Oil, Gas & Process
All other
Figure 9.1
The welding market for
consumables, equipment and services
is estimated to be about US$15 billion
(
Reproduced courtesy: ESAB)
