Trends in welding processes in engineering construction for infrastructure projects
R E Dolby
TWI Ltd, UK
Paper presented at the 56 th IIW Annual Assembly, 6 - 11 July 2003, Bucharest, Romania
'Trends in Welding Processes in Engineering Construction for infrastructure projects'
Abstract
The
paper examines welding process trends in the construction of buildings,
bridges, pipelines and other engineering items necessary for
infrastructure in urban environments. Productivity gains in arc welding
are reviewed, and the increasing use of laser cutting and welding, as
well as laser-arc hybrid welding, particularly in Europe, is discussed
and explained. Some friction technologies are already widely adopted,
but they could make more impact with further development. Electron beam
welding could also be used with economic benefit in some situations, but
as with all non-arc processes, it will only be adopted if significant
gains in productivity and cost reduction can be created to justify the
more specialist welding equipment required. Many productivity
improvements can come from non-welding activities in the fabrication
process.
