Introduction
Introduction to Welding Industry Roadmap
This roadmap, named Welding Industry Vision Workshop Results, was published in September 2000, as the final draft. The roadmap is based on input provided by representatives from the industry segments at workshops held in Chicago in October 1999 and Houston in March 2000. Input for the automotive section was extracted from previously developed roadmaps prepared in collaboration with the Edison Welding Institute.
The roadmap describes the issues and opportunities facing the U.S. welding industry (users as well as suppliers of welding equipment, materials, processes, and support services) through the next twenty years. The strategic goals outlined in this roadmap are ambitious and will require hard work and commitment by the industry, but expectations are high for maintaining a competitive worldwide position.
The roadmap identified the key challenges facing the welding industry as materials development, manufacturing integration, workforce integrity, and product quality. The transition of welding over the coming decades to a rigorous science based on detailed physical data will contribute greatly to the industry's success in achieving its vision.
The strategic goals for the welding industry by 2020 are listed below:
Cost/Productivity/Market Growth
Reduce the average cost of welding by one-third
Increase the use of welding by 25%
Process Technology
Enhance the use of welding in manufacturing and construction operations by integrating welding at all levels with other manufacturing and construction disciplines
Materials Technology
Develop new welding technology along with new materials so that practical fabrication methods are available for all engineering applications
Quality Technology
Assure that welding can be part of a six-sigma quality environment
Education and Training
Increase the knowledge base of people employed at all levels of the welding industry
Energy and Environment
Reduce energy use by 50% through productivity improvements
Four industry segments (described in their relative sections of this report) that rely heavily on welding and represent the overall needs of industry are covered in this roadmap:
heavy industry
aerospace
petroleum/energy
automotive
The Vision identified the key challenges facing the welding industry as materials development, manufacturing integration, workforce integrity, and product quality. This Welding Technology Roadmap addresses these hurdles by articulating an industry-defined strategy for ensuring the weldability of new alloys and materials; integrating welding into the entire product design and manufacturing process; maintaining a skilled, educated workforce; and eliminating the image of the welded joint as the weakest link in any structure. The transition of welding over the coming decades to a rigorous science based on detailed physical data will contribute greatly to the industry's success in achieving its vision.
The roadmap is based on input provided by representatives from the industry segments at workshops held in Chicago in October 1999 and Houston in March 2000. Input for the automotive section was extracted from previously developed roadmaps prepared in collaboration with the Edison Welding Institute.
The following sections discuss research needs in the four industry segments listed above. A synthesis of research needs applicable to the entire industry is contained in the summary section of the roadmap.
