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The goal of every organization is the continual improvement of its manufacturing processes. There is no exception for the arc welding industry. All would agree that information is at the heart of continuous improvement. Information is required to direct the very action necessary to improve processes or resolve problems. Without information, organizations employ random acts with unknown benefits. This wastes valuable time and resources.

Information in the welding industry includes a myriad of data; material data, consumable data, fixture tolerance, part tolerance, weld process information, and much more. Weld process information is a substantial and critical component to improving welding applications. A valuable AIDE would provide the necessary tools to analyze and optimize the weld process.

Intentional collection, storage, and analysis of weld process data has largely been avoided. Welding, for too long, has been solely considered an art at the expense of good engineering practices. The art of welding many times is at the center of an organizations setup, maintenance, and launch of welding applications. As a result, organizations tend to lack documentation, setup methods, and historical information. Procedures derived from information produce common launch practices, universal “best practice” weld procedures, expected productivity and utilization metrics, and historical analysis of preventive maintenance practices to name a few. In a report released by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Industrial Technologies titled Welding Technology Road Map, the report stated “The transition of welding over the coming decade to a rigorous science based on physical data will contribute greatly to the industry’s success in achieving its vision.” Information is and will be increasingly more the cornerstone of improving and advancing weld practices.

A common opinion, which becomes a barrier, is information driven practices are for fortune 500 companies. That is sorely untrue. Large companies are highly dependent on medium and small suppliers to provide a myriad of components. It is obvious the overall assembly is only as good as the weakest link. Best practices must be employed throughout the chain. The benefits are huge; multiplied efficiencies, information sharing, common practices throughout the supply chain. Consider a mobile work force that can transition from industry to industry utilizing universal practices and tools similar to an electrical engineer employing data acquisition techniques to develop PC electronics and automotive electronics. The electrical engineer uses the same oscilloscope in each capacity. The electrical engineer requires the same information. This should be the same in welding. The welding professional will utilize a universal tool to capture the same information whether the application is a car frame or heavy industry tractor. Information will drive setup, maintenance and production activities.

A read of the industry suggests a new openness to embrace information and its effective utilization. In order to marshall in such an opportunity, a welding AIDE is proposed; a process independent method defining the steps for continuous improvement. AIDE is a simple acronym and easy to remember. It can be the building block to a successful practice to continually improve arc weld operations.

Step 1: Audit – gather real-time weld process information and store creating a historical database

Goal: Collect footprint of welding operations
Metrics: Machine utilization, productivity, Weld Signature® capture

Step 2: Identify – analyze welding information creating knowledge base

Goal: Document weld process and measure process stability and repeatability
Metrics: weld process set point, repeatability of a given weld, number of welds per part, reasons for downtime.

Step 3: Detect – establish control limits and alert on loss of process control

Goal: Bound weld process and alert when violated
Metrics: detect missing welds, detect incomplete welds, detect process anomalies

Step 4: Engineer – use weld information coupled with welding knowledge to improve

Goal: Exploit weld process data to increase quality and velocity
Metrics: tighter process operating range, reduced downtime, reduced process faults

AIDE is an iterative methodology which is continually implemented. Continuous improvement is by definition “continuous”. As such, the method requires a tool to automate the acquisition, analysis, and collection of weld process information. The AIDE methodology is only as good as a tool that makes it possible. What is interesting is the implementation and study of the AIDE methodology largely defines the necessary features of the tool. The tool must quickly and effectively source the information necessary to perform each AIDE step. The goal is continuous improvement and the tool is an enabler to that end.

As we know well, welding is an ancient art which is prevailing since the Bronze Age. It is the process used to join materials, usually metals or thermoplastics by melting the work pieces. The molten material is then allowed to cool and become a strong joint, with pressure sometimes used in conjunction with heat to produce the weld. Welding produces a secure, strong joint that cannot be compared with other methods. In today’s world, welding engineering has become an arising need in job market. Welding and Fabrication engineering Technology is structured to support welding and joining operations. Here engineers pass plans and projects to mid-managements personnel who are supposed to carry out the planning, organization and delivery of manufacturing projects.

The major emphasis lies on developing skills needed to lead projects and interface with engineering and development teams. Welding and Fabrication engineering involves the techniques of utilizing welding and fabrication methods in an efficient way. Fabrication is an industrial term that refers to building metal structures by cutting, bending and assembling. The cutting part can be done by sawing, shearing or chiseling. The bending is done via hammering, press brakes or similar other tools. And finally, assembling is done via welding, binding with adhesives, riveting, or threaded fasteners. Fabrication and machine shops that use engineering techniques have overlapping capabilities, though they generally concentrate on metal preparation and assembly. Fabrication and welding engineering generally covers essential fabrication and welding skills like safety, engineering communications and teamwork.

Welding fabrication engineers make, join and repair metal parts for machinery and equipment such as motor bodies, trailer units, containers, truck frames and bridges. The fabricator is the one who employs or contracts out steel detailers to prepare shop drawings, which the fabricating shop will use for manufacturing. Manufacturing engineers will program CNC machines as needed. Welding is considered to be the main focus of steel fabrication. Initially the formed and machine parts will be assembled and tack welded into place, then rechecked for accuracy. In case if multiple weldments have been ordered, a fixture might be used to locate parts for welding. The welder then completes welding as per the engineering drawings. Special precautions might be needed to prevent warping of the weldment due to heat. This includes re-designing the weldment to use less weld, welding in a staggered fashion, covering the weldment in sand during cooling. Using a stout fixture and straightening operations after welding.

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