‘Companies must be able to come to us with all their questions, and we need to know what they are facing today.’
Automation, robotisation and artificial intelligence are rapidly changing the landscape of the metal and manufacturing industry. Developments are also following each other at an ever-increasing pace in the world of welding. That is why the presence of the Belgian Institute for Welding Technology (BIL) at Advanced Manufacturing is more relevant than ever. During Welding Week, BIL not only brings together knowledge and training, but also provides a clear view of the challenges and opportunities facing the sector.
For decades, BIL has been an established name in the Belgian – and especially Flemish – metal industry. The welding institute focuses not so much on the manual skills of welding itself, but rather on knowledge sharing, training and research for profiles such as welding coordinators, inspectors and welding engineers.
‘We are strong in these framework training courses,’ says director Bart Verstraeten. ‘We also conduct applied research: from materials knowledge and welding processes to offshore wind structures and additive manufacturing.’
Among other things, BIL is investigating how welded materials behave in heavy constructions, how welding robots can be used for smaller series and 3D printing of larger components, and how new technologies such as AI are finding their place in quality monitoring and data processing.
Technology in rapid development
The welding industry is currently facing obvious challenges. A structural shortage of qualified personnel, rising labour costs and declining enrolment in training programmes are forcing companies to work differently.
‘What used to take days of programming work can now be done much faster.’
‘Automation and robotisation have been a theme for some time, but today they are becoming a real necessity,’ says Verstraeten. ‘Whereas robot welding used to involve long programming times and heavy investments, we are now seeing a shift towards flexible robots, cobots and user-friendly software. What used to take days of programming can now be done much faster. This evolution is happening at lightning speed and we want to be at the forefront of it, together with the industry.’
Quality control is also evolving. Sensors, vision systems and data analysis make it possible to monitor quality during welding. ‘That follow-up process is still partly in the research phase, but it is coming. And AI is playing an increasingly important role in this,’ he says.
The BIL welding day and Steel Warriors
At the trade fair, BIL is offering a combination of experience, knowledge and dialogue. The eye-catcher is undoubtedly the virtual welding machine, which visitors can try out for themselves in VR. ‘It’s a fun crowd-puller, but at the same time an accessible way to show people how training and technology are evolving.’
New this year is that BIL is sharing its stand with VCL, thereby consciously seeking cooperation with other training providers and actors. ‘We are looking beyond ourselves. Because the challenges are too big to tackle alone.’
During Welding Week, BIL is also organising its BIL Welding Day. This will have a different approach compared to previous years. ‘Whereas we used to take a very technical and in-depth approach, we are now opting for a broader and more practical approach in order to reach more people.’ The programme includes: changes in standards, current and future innovations, lectures on repair welding and damage cases, and in the afternoon, practical masterclasses on topics such as semi-automatic welding, welder qualification and corrosion mechanisms.
In addition, on the first day, extra attention will be paid to students, including through the Steel Warriors project. ‘We want to show young people what opportunities are available to them after their education and get them excited about the sector.’
Stronger together
For BIL, Advanced Manufacturing is the ideal meeting place to stay connected with the industry, listen to what is going on and keep in touch with manufacturers, technologies and trends. ‘This is essential for us to continue to fulfil our role properly,’ says Bart. ‘Companies must be able to come to us with all their questions, and we need to know what they are facing today.’
“We can see how Asian players are gaining ground… It is therefore crucial to continue sharing our knowledge. “
At the same time, it is the ideal moment for the sector to come together. ‘After the coronavirus crisis, we saw a decline in trade fairs, even though cooperation is becoming more important. We can see how Asian players are gaining ground and how more and more research centres are disappearing. It is therefore crucial to continue sharing our knowledge and to be stronger together,’ says Bart.
