50 years of partnership between a man and a welding machine

Ludzie

50 years of partnership between a man and a welding machine

22 czerwca 2016

In the 1960s, there was a huge shortage of professional welders in Finnish growth centers. That is why Keijo Olkoniemi, whose career as a welder has lasted for almost 50 years, trained to become a welder, a profession which has offered him challenges throughout his career. ”I remember when they said at the dockyard in Hietaniemi, Helsinki that you can bring a train full of skillful employees, and we will hire them all,” Olkoniemi says, laughing.

Welding Value

WHO?

Keijo Olkoniemi Welder Born in 1949, Finland

Lived during his career in Singapore, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Norway, Poland

Finnish quality work becomes more international

Gas welding machines were replaced with stick welding machines in the late 1970s. In the next decade, MIGs were already common and stick welding machines were only used in special cases. At that time, Olkoniemi worked in concrete mold manufacture. Walls, for example, were cast into the molds. Gradually, the business changed, and instead of separate parts, entire factories were sold around the world – including installations.

In the mid-1980s, I was installing our products in a factory in Iraq and a second year in Singapore. Already at that time, the quality level in northern Europe was very high and we were known for that.
Keijo Olkoniemi,Welder

We brought almost everything with us, from, safety devices to welding machines. There were no equivalent machines available in other countries, and good tools were a requirement for high quality.

Kemppi's innovations are shifting welding towards precision work

Good welding machines ensure high quality and increase efficiency. Information travels between machines and even between continents. The machines have become more reliable, lighter and agile. "Based on my experience, I can say that Kemppi has proven to be the most progressive and reliable welding machine manufacturer," Olkoniemi describes.

Olkoniemi’s working methods have always been based on the client’s demands and high-quality results, not so much on standards. Machined parts are often prefabricated and the drawings of the products are marked with the exact welding points, seam thicknesses and lengths. With detailed parts, the welder’s skills and the properties of the welding machine become highlighted – the seamless cooperation between a man and a machine.

I’m not sure if I would still work as a welder now after 50 years if there had been no development in machine safety and ergonomics over the years. Today, the noise is the only reason why the work is physically exhausting.

Automation and robotics – the helping hand for future welders

In the future, robotics and automation will become increasingly more popular in welding. When welding large series of products, automation will surely be effective. There can be, however, major differences in raw materials, parts and conditions. There will certainly still be demand for manual welding in product development, customized product solutions and small series of products.

“I’m soon going to retire from Elematic, but I probably won’t stop welding because I happen to have a stick welding machine in my garage. My advice for future welders is to be brave and take up challenges. Welding provides plenty of opportunities and diverse career paths. Being international has become the rule rather than the exception, and everyone can affect their own career path. Finland has a long welding tradition, the profession is changing but it’s not going to disappear. The number one welding machine manufacturer in the world comes from our country so we might as well have the best welders in the world.“

Welding Value
Author

Welding Value

Welding Value is a corporate blog hosted by Kemppi Oy. Its main purpose is to evoke discussion on the transformation of modern welding, and bring you the latest stories from within the global welding industry told by true experts in their respective fields.

Więcej postów na blogu

What did it take to develop the first inverter power source?

What did it take to develop the first inverter power source?

In 2017, it has been 40 years since the inverter power source was developed. We sat down with Tapani Mäkimaa, an original member of the development team, and discussed what makes Kemppi a pioneer in its field, year after year.

Innowacja

Future welding - as seen by the welders

Future welding - as seen by the welders

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.

Ludzie

The significance of usability in industrial welding

The significance of usability in industrial welding

We asked two professional welders – Meyer’s Jukka Hahko and Dinolift’s Pasi Laakso – what good usability means in industrial welding.

Innowacja

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.

Spawanie ręczne, ABC spawania

New Kemppi Robotics Team

New Kemppi Robotics Team

Achieving strategic goals and enhancing customer experience

Ludzie

Jak wybrać uchwyt spawalniczy do spawania MIG/MAG

Jak wybrać uchwyt spawalniczy do spawania MIG/MAG

Spawanie MIG/MAG jest jednym z najbardziej rozpowszechnionych i wszechstronnych procesów spawalniczych. Jest stosowane w najróżniejszych branżach, takich jak motoryzacja, budownictwo, produkcja i konserwacja. Do osiągnięcia optymalnych wyników potrzebny jest jednak odpowiedni uchwyt spawalniczy.

Spawanie ręczne, ABC spawania

Zapisz się do naszego newsletter i otrzymuj informacje o nowościach Kemppi jako pierwszy.

Iscrivendoti, accetti di ricevere e-mail di marketing da Kemppi.

Prekursor w dziedzinie spawania łukowego

Firma Kemppi jest liderem w dziedzinie projektowania urządzeń do spawania łukowego. Poprzez ciągłe doskonalenie charakterystyki łuku spawalniczego staramy się zapewniać coraz wyższą jakość i wydajność spawania, jednocześnie pracując na rzecz bardziej ekologicznego i równego świata. Firma Kemppi dostarcza zaawansowane zrównoważone produkty, rozwiązania cyfrowe i usługi dla profesjonalistów — od firm zajmujących się spawaniem w warunkach przemysłowych po wykonawców indywidualnych. Naszym celem nadrzędnym jest użyteczność i niezawodność produktów. Działamy w oparciu o sieć wysoko wykwalifikowanych partnerów obejmującą ponad 70 krajów, dzięki czemu jesteśmy w stanie obsługiwać klientów lokalnie. Firma Kemppi z siedzibą w Lahti w Finlandii zatrudnia ponad 650 specjalistów ds. spawania w 16 krajach i w 2023 r. osiągnęła obrót 209 mln EUR.

Kemppi – Designed for welders

Copyright © 2024 Kemppi Oy