Important Advancements in Welding Technology Will Make the Profession Safer and More Efficient
Manufacturing processes are always improving. Things need to be done safer, quicker, and more efficiently. This means that as the manufacturing and fabrication industries evolve, so must welding. Welding materials are changing to thin-gauge, high-strength alloys and coated materials that present unique challenges to welders that are trained in traditional methods. While companies use these materials to improve products, welders need to keep up, and advancements in welding technology will make sure they do.
CK has been at the forefront of welding equipment technology, welder training, and industrial gases for decades, and in 2021, we don’t plan for this to change. This blog will take a closer look at how the welding profession is changing and how professional welders and industrial manufacturers can rely on CK Supply as an important welding resource.
How Has Technology Changed the Welding Profession?
Welding has been around a long time, and as professionals are asked to join new and different materials, welders have to keep up through extensive training. As such, welding technologies are evolving to shorten training periods and make the welding process simpler to not only make things easier for entry-level welders but also to ease the burden of ongoing training for seasoned professionals. To make things more complicated, the welding industry is facing a shortage of qualified welders. This deficit has been estimated to reach 450,000 welders by 2022.
- New Processes – Arc welding has traditionally been the preferred method of joining heavy plates. Newer processes including narrow gap welding, high heat input, and laser welding are proving to be advanced ways of accomplishing the same task.
- New Materials – For years, steel was king, but as automakers have turned to lighter weight materials to boost fuel economy and overall impact on the environment, high-tensile steels are used more often. This has led to advancements in laser welding and laser brazing that have made these processes efficient and able to produce strong, continuous welds. As these advancements spread through different manufacturing sectors, welders find they need to be trained to handle them.
- Robotic Welding – Automation can be applied to any process, it seems, and welding is no exception. While robots can provide the steady “hand” needed to produce high-quality, repeatable welds, human operators need to remain close to the robots to ensure quality. Robots can adapt to a variety of welding processes, including MIG, TIG, resistance, laser, spot welding, and more. They are highly accurate and produce less waste.
CK Supply Delivers Everything the Professional Welder Needs
The welding profession is always changing, but it is also incredibly important. Welding is a component of hundreds of industries, and it is the backbone that supports American commerce from the automotive industry to construction and so much more. At CK, we provide the materials and training that ensure your welding operations remain on the cutting edge. For more information about our welding equipment, PPE products, our training services, our industrial-grade gases, or our dry ice products, reach out to us today.
