IIW 2023 Welded Art Book

SDG 12 Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

This SDG is meant to ensure good use of resources, improving energy efficiency, sustainable infrastructure, and providing access to basic services, green and decent jobs and ensuring a better quality of life for all. Welding and related processes have been used in many ways over the years to create more sustainable products as well as increase the total life cycle of components through improved wear and corrosion resistant surfaces, resistance to failure in both extreme high and low temperature applications, ability to operate at high pressures amongst others. The increasing use of Additive Manufacturing (AM) and its many benefits over recent decades, have contributed many economic, social and environmental successes globally. As the welding industry has embraced Additive Manufacturing, benefits have also increased quite significantly. For example, the use of Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) has led to much larger and complex components being able to be manufactured with less lead times, greater efficiency, large cost savings with less materials used, less storage space, tools and machine wear, greatly reduced time to manufacture, significantly reduced energy usage and hence less carbon footprint. With less

material wastage, the cost savings with more expensive materials is even more profound. nExhibit “Hot Track”n In the WAAM method, the component is created layer by layer by placing individual overlay beads. The heat of the electric arc is used to melt the material, which gradually spreads to the surrounding material. The human eye perceives individual wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation as colours, on the basis of which the temperature of the bead can be estimated. As it cools down, the colour gradually changes from white to yellow, orange, bright red to dark red. As a result of the high temperature of the molten weld metal, it partially flows, which with a little imagination creates the shape of a high-speed train locomotive. The use and continuous development of such processes by the welding industry leads to reducing waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse. It also encourages companies to adopt sustainable practices, promotes public and industry procurement practices that are sustainable and using effective communication processes, the welding industry helps ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information for sustainable development.

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Welded Art PHOTOGRAPHIC Exhibition – IIW 2023 Digital Collection