IIW White Paper

Editors’ Preface Improving Global Quality of Life Through Optimum Use and Innovation of Welding and Joining Technologies I n today’s world, no country or organisation can remain in isolation. Issues such as climate change, natural disasters, population growth and global economics are common to us all, as nations strive to achieve sustainable development in a sustainable environment. We are brought closer together by modern communications, information technology and travel, and are aware of our role and responsibilities in a cooperative and converging global community. With world population having reached 7 billion in 2011 and 9 billion by 2045, the pressures on manufacturing, infrastructure and power generation, not to mention basic needs such as food, water, shelter and education, will become enormous common challenges. Welding - as an enabling technology that plays a critical role in almost every industry sector - is critical to the world’s ability to cope with these pressures and changes. Whether joining 6 micron in the Cochlear Ear Implant or welding the 480 metres long, 74 metres wide, 600,000 tonne world’s first floating liquefied natural gas plant, welding makes significant contributions to the global quality of life. Welding technologies, whether basic or sophisticated, and the people skilled in their implementation and application, are thus the cornerstones to improved quality of life for all. This IIW Vision 2020 document, the IIWWhite Paper (WhiP), has been developed by IIW experts in the fields of materials welding and joining technologies, training and education, as well as design and assessment of welded structures, to highlight future opportunities, needs and challenges worldwide. The WhiP describes strategic challenges and agendas for the welding industries, personnel, scientists and end-users through the next 10 years (2012 to 2021). The strategic agenda of the WhiP is ambitious and visionary. It provides strategies for “Improving Quality of Life” through the use of new materials, design and advanced joining technologies to reduce manufacturing cost and improve structural performance and life-cycle via better personnel, inspection and integrity assessment rules while meeting the societal expectations in health, safety, environmental and growth issues. It provides the visions, major challenges, and opportunities of the welding industries, science and technologies that we will face in 2020. Most of the products in modern society, from medical devices, cars, ships, pipelines, bridges, computers, aircrafts, amongst many others, could not be produced without the use of welding. This WhiP is based on inputs provided by invited representatives from the industry and academia as well as several IIWmember organisations and experts who have kindly provided contributions. Previously developed vision or roadmap documents of the American Welding Society (AWS) and Canadian Welding and Joining Industries, as well as several Strategic Research Agendas (SRA) of the European Technology Platforms, have been used as a reference for the development of this WhiP. The IIWWhiP will be updated and improved as and when IIW experiences a paradigm change, or after three years when there is enough additional collective experience and knowledge to revise it.

Mr Chris Smallbone, Chief Executive Officer, Welding Technology Institute of Australia, IIW President 2005-2008 Dr Mustafa Koçak, Chief Executive Office, Gedik Holding, Turkey The editors thank Mrs Anne Rorke and Dr. Cécile Mayer for their significant assistance.

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Through Optimum Use and Innovation of Welding and Joining Technologies

Improving Global Quality of Life