AUTOMATION AND ROBOTICS
Processed Metal Innovators ( PMI ) in Wisconsin ( USA ) uses a UR10e robot to power the BotX Welder in addition to two UR10 robots to tend mechanical presses .
PARTNERS IN PROGRESS
Collaborative robots ( cobots ) are one of the tools in the arsenal to combat the welding skills shortage .
By
Will Healy , Global Welding Segment Manager , Universal Robots .
The largest ongoing construction projects in the UK include the HS2 Railway , Hinkley Point C and the final stage of Crossrail . All are expected to generate billions for the UK economy when complete . However , the average onlooker often fails to appreciate the individual skills and components required to make these types of projects a reality .
All these projects rely on welders to bond and fuse the metals integral to their structure and design . With welding jobs crucial for communities across the world , demand for welders is only set to grow . According to one market research report , the industry is set to reach a market size of around US $ 28.66 billion globally by 2028 .
“ How is collaborative automation affecting the future of welding ?”
Welding skills ’ shortage
Without welders , the world would fall apart . Literally . But the industry ’ s workforce has an uncertain future . In the UK , the number of welders has fallen by a quarter in five years , according to the Capital City College Group ( the largest FE college in London ). Similar shortages are felt across the world . According to the American Welding Society , by 2026 , 336,000 new welding professionals will be needed in the United States .
Welding is , by nature , both technical and creative , requiring a trained human eye and impressive manual dexterity for the most complex metal welds . It takes years to master and acquire sufficient experience to gain the trust of companies and fellow specialists . The work itself can be dangerous and if a task requires long simple welds or hundreds of
About the Author
Will Healy III is passionate about people-centric technology , helping others to find value in automation , building the talent pipeline and working to improve manufacturing productivity . He is an enthusiastic presenter and public speaker as well as content creator .
A keynote speaker for the Metal Stamping Technology & Tool & Die Conference , he was named a 2021 and 2022 SME FABTECH Smart Manufacturing Conference Programme Advisor . He was also a finalist for the NKY Young Professionals 2020 Next Generation Leader Award ; selected to the ‘ 2020 Engineering Leaders Under 40 ’ class and appointed to the 2020-21 MD & M Smart Manufacturing Advisory Board .
identical welds , very time-consuming .
Due to some of these challenges , fewer young people are choosing welding and the skills required , leading to a global skills ’ shortage . As the ageing welding workforce retires , it ’ s becoming harder to meet rising demand that is crucial to many different industries . But what if welders could find better tools to make their conditions and workloads more satisfying ?
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