Future welding - as seen by the welders

Les personnes

Future welding - as seen by the welders

24 août 2017

In the world of welding, innovation is guided by the needs of both the industries using welding systems, and the individual welders who work with them from day to day. To draw a picture of the future of welding, we asked two welders to give us their insights on the road ahead.

Sonja Airikka

Hanna Bechtel, metal worker in training from Sälzer GmbH in Marburg, Germany, works on substructures and steel frames for doors, windows and facades. Hanna predicts that TIG welding will be the most common technique, but others will continue to be used as well. However, robotization might change the content of the work and replace the human touch in many situations.

“Every technique has its own range of applications and advantages, so I wouldn’t say any of them will be completely abandoned. But I think that in the future, there will be tools for which you only have to set the material and thickness and the machine makes all further adjustments on its own. I would not like to see robots replacing welders – a passionate like me would rather do the job herself than let a machine do it for me,” Hanna says.

Welder Juho Nissinen, from Leppävirta, Finland, believes that the work content of the welders of the future may include programming of machines and call for development of IT skills. However, the young professional, who will represent Finland in the WorldSkills competition in Abu Dhabi in October 2017, thinks that welding by hand will not be fully replaced.

“Stick welding may be less popular in the future, but it will not be given up entirely. There will continue to be situations in which manual welding is the only way of getting the job done."

Mechanized welding improves speed and quality

Juho sees mechanized welding as the biggest trend of the future, and expects to see strong development in the area.

"Mechanized welding increases speed and creates more even quality. It is already possible to record and duplicate the welding parameters and manipulate the arc – welding machines are not that far from computers even now,” Juho says. “I think we will see new techniques that produce spatter-free welds, allowing for faster finishing.”

Hanna agrees that digitalization and mechanized welding make sense when absolutely clean welds are needed for products that are under extreme pressure, such as gas tanks. She foresees future needs for welding in the construction of pipelines, containers, bridges and offshore oil platforms in particular – all applications requiring uncompromising quality.

By robotization, welding will change in a direction in which welds are less resistant to pressure, vibration, tension and agitation. The joints will most likely be single-layered, says
Hanna Bechtel,metal worker at Sälzer GmbH in Marburg

Safety first, now and tomorrow

The safety of welders is naturally a key factor in the day-to-day work. New safety innovations are developed alongside the welding equipment to ensure that welders can work in as hazard-free conditions as possible. Hanna expects to see further improvements to safety gear in the future.

“Concerning safety, techniques should be developed so that e.g. in MAG welding no beads or sparks can develop. Work wear could be more comfortable and lighter. By these measures, accidents at work can be reduced and some even avoided.”

Sonja Airikka
Author

Sonja Airikka

Communications Specialist, Content Marketing at Kemppi Oy until January 2022. Content marketing professional who is interested in branding and Asian market. Devoted to storytelling, passionate about great content. Managing editor of Welding Value 2015-2021.

Plus d'articles de blog

Say bye-bye to costly weld repairs with 100% WPS compliance

Say bye-bye to costly weld repairs with 100% WPS compliance

No matter who you are, what you do or where you are in the world, you are never far from a weld. People might not always realize it when they go about their business, but high-quality welding has a daily role in our built environments. Welds hold buildings, ships and steel frames hidden within walls securely together.

Numérisation

Welding value with digitalization

Welding value with digitalization

Did you know, that a large oil rig may involve more than 100 000 welds? Or that building an oil rig employs dozens of contractors in the most demanding working conditions?

Numérisation

Welder, dare to dream

Welder, dare to dream

All innovations start with a dream. Whether it is the dream of a welder or an engineer, technology will always need visionaries who are able to see beyond the ordinary. The welding industry’s orientation is firmly forward, and a lot has happened even in the past few decades.

L'innovation

How does steel welding benefit from special processes?

How does steel welding benefit from special processes?

Welding mild steels may often be considered a simple task. However, welding these steels has specific characteristics that can make the welding process challenging.

Soudage manuel, L'ABC du soudage

New Kemppi Robotics Team

New Kemppi Robotics Team

Achieving strategic goals and enhancing customer experience

Les personnes

Comment choisir sa torche de soudage MIG/MAG

Comment choisir sa torche de soudage MIG/MAG

Le soudage MIG/MAG est l'un des procédés de soudage les plus courants et les plus polyvalents. Il est utilisé pour diverses applications, telles que l'automobile, la construction, la fabrication et la maintenance. Cependant, il est essentiel de choisir une torche de soudage adaptée à votre travail pour obtenir des résultats optimaux.

Soudage manuel, L'ABC du soudage

Inscrivez-vous à notre newsletter et soyez parmi les premiers à découvrir les dernières actualités de Kemppi.

En vous abonnant, vous acceptez de recevoir des e-mails marketing de Kemppi.

Le précurseur du soudage à l'arc

Kemppi s’impose comme le leader en matière de conception dans l’industrie du soudage à l'arc. Grâce à l'optimisation continue de l'arc de soudage, nous nous engageons à améliorer la qualité et la productivité du soudage, tout en œuvrant pour un monde plus respectueux de l'environnement et plus équitable. Kemppi propose des produits durables, des solutions numériques et des services destinés aux professionnels, qu'il s'agisse de grandes entreprises industrielles ou d’entrepreneurs. La fiabilité et la simplicité d'utilisation de nos produits sont au cœur de notre philosophie. Fort d’un réseau de partenaires hautement qualifiés dans plus de 70 pays, nous rendons notre expertise accessible à l'échelle mondiale. Basée à Lahti, en Finlande, Kemppi compte plus de 650 professionnels dans 16 pays et a réalisé un chiffre d'affaires de 209 millions d'euros en 2023.

Kemppi – Designed for welders

Copyright © 2024 Kemppi Oy