Implementation of a welding 4.0 welding quality management system explained on real applications in manufacturing and education

Abstract

Discovering savings potentials, ensuring cost effective manufacture and documenting every weld are three requirements, which couldn't be more different. It is precisely in quality assurance and quality management where documentation is increasingly gaining in importance. For welding companies, this entails making a record of the different welding parameters. In conventional work practices, the relevant values are written down by hand. Most of these values are hold values, which are displayed on the machine at the end of the welding process. However, such values do not provide any indications on how the parameters have changed during the welding process. Modern Welding 4.0 systems not only meet almost all requirements for a quality assurance documentation system, but provide much, much more. Welding 4.0 systems record and log all welding parameters on a continuous basis, something, that is becoming mandatory on an increasingly more frequent basis. The data can be used to demonstrate at any time that required parameters have been met and that the weld features the required characteristics as a result. In addition, the recorded data can be used for exact calculations on manufacturing time or material consumption, as well for starting optimization processes and management decisions. The Paper shows and explains the basic principles of Welding 4.0 systems and explains the benefits on real examples from the welding manufacturing and welding education.