We foresee a great demand for advanced welding materials  

N. Rajasekaran, National Secretary, Indian Welding Society in interaction with B2B Purchase.

How did you successfully manage your business in the Covid times? What were the key drivers for your growth? 

Since its inception in 2002, Indian Welding Society (IWS) actively has taken up knowledge dissemination as one of its major objectives by conducting free lectures, courses, workshops, conferences, symposium, value added courses in welding, publishing E-journal, etc. 

Though, the pandemic has affected the physical conduct of the events and courses, IWS has conducted more than 150 online events with experts across the world and reached a wider audience. Thus, IWS saw the pandemic as an opportunity to reach wider audience, without geographical restrictions. It could add more than 250 members during the period. 

How do you evaluate the recovery in the welding and cutting market so far? 

As a thumb rule, we can say that for consumption of one tonne of steel, 5 kg of welding metal has to be deposited. Therefore, the recovery of welding and cutting market is largely depends upon the progress of infrastructure projects and consumption of steel. Still the industry is looking with optimism that accelerated growth can be achieved in the near future. 

What are the significant factors impacting the productivity in your sector? 

Reducing the dependence on SMAW process which is hovering around 50 percent still has to be reduced to a level of 30-35 percent to enhance productivity as well as to attract more youngsters. 

Low-cost automation, new generation power sources, effective training and qualification to welders, welding machine operators, more awareness on effect of essential variable parameters, focus on quality and advent of new variants of processes like K-TIG, ATIG, TIP TIG, CMT, etc. are the significant factors that are impacting the productivity. Along with the above factors Industry 4.0, once developed fully for welding, it will have greater impact on weld quality and productivity. 

What kind of policy/regulations/ investments support is required for the market revival? 

The training by ITIs and vocational training institutes are to be modernised. The infrastructure of ITIs should be enhanced with simulators for training of the students; modern inverter based welding power sources in place of the obsolete ones. Once, they passed in the simulation exercises, they can be given more exercises on actual welding. 

Due to lack of skilling and exposure, many students after the course are drifting away from the trade due to various reasons. By taking the above steps, we can create interest on welding as a trade among the youths. 

IWS in association with Asian Welding Federation (AWF) has evolved a COMMON WELDER TRAINING AND QUALIFICATION SCHEME in-line with ISO. That also can be offered to the aspiring welders to get employability elsewhere in Asian countries. 

Can technology and digitisation be a key factor in driving your sector’s growth? 

As I indicated in the earlier reply, technology and digitalisation is going to be a key factor in driving the growth of this sector. For example, the weld signature analysis using the current and voltage signals and statistical analysis lead to understand the characteristics of welding power sources and consumables. Such analysis by WRI, results in enhanced quality of the power sources and consumables. It is only a small step. I expect the impact will be on energysaving functions in welding systems becomes important to contain costs and protect the environment and Assured Quality with data validation for WPS. Similarly, the AI should be developed such a way that it can deliver what an expert will think and act.