IIW White Paper

9 Needs and challenges of major industry sectors for future applications

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

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Through Optimum Use and Innovation of Welding and Joining Technologies

Improving Global Quality of Life