Welder Training Technology: Accelerated Practice to Production Paul Boulware, Application Engineer, EWI By Bill Forquer, CEO, RealWeld Systems Presented

Welder Training Technology: Accelerated Practice to Production

Paul Boulware, Application Engineer, EWIBy Bill Forquer, CEO, RealWeld Systems

Presented at GSI SLV Welding Trainer ConferenceDuisburg Germany – Sept 2012

© RealWeld Systems, Inc. 2012 Slide 2

• About EWI• Shortage of Skilled Welders• RealWeld Trainer™ Overview• RealWeld Trainer™ Accuracy Test & Results• RealWeld Trainer™ Efficacy Test Plan

Our Talk Today

Who is EWI?

Manufacturing technologies company

Founded in 1984 in Columbus, Ohio

Leader in materials joining and allied technologies

Innovate, mature, and commercialize to advance manufacturing competitiveness

Our Resources

132,000 square-foot facility with full-size test labs

Over $20 million in capital equipment

Highly educated staff of 130+ engineers, technicians, industry experts, and member advocates

Partnerships with leading universities, institutes, and organizations

Our many customers with whom we collaborate

Leading-Edge Manufacturing TechnologiesInnovate, mature, commercialize technology for industry

─ Nondestructive evaluation─ Numerical modeling and simulation─ Plastic and composite fabrication─ Resistance welding─ Ultrasonic additive manufacturing─ Ultrasonic joining─ Weldability and mechanical testing;

metallurgical analysis

─ Advanced arc welding─ AcousTech™ Machining─ Automation, sensors, controls─ Brazing and soldering─ Dissimilar materials joining─ Friction processing─ Laser processing─ Material forming


EWI Industry Survey

(800 respondents; not all sectors or responses shown)

“What technical advancements would have the greatest impact on your business?”


Current Situation• New welders not being trained fast/well

enough to keep up with demand

• Current training techniques are inefficient, time-consuming, and costly

• Measurement of welding skills is highly subjective and therefore inconsistent

• Companies often forced to retrain welders to meet their specific skill needs

(Photo courtesy of flickr user Spakalakazifeuln)


Introducing RealWeld Trainer™

With the arc on

With the arc off

Analyze Your Technique


System Components

Welding training stand


Camera Sees This

Fixed position weld root

Target mounted on torch

X Y Z space

Splatter is ignored


WPS Library

WeldingTrainee

Assessment

Welding Learning Activities

Business Objectives

Curriculum Library

Welding Trainee Library

Welding Motion Scores

Welding Instructors Welding Trainees

Configurable Reporting

Software Components


Results from a Trial

The low score and high variability in each parameter is indicative of a novice trainee.


Tracking Progress

Training curriculum is comprised of a series of WPSs


Sweet Spots

The WPS identifies the “sweet spot”.


Tracking ImprovementThis screen compares a

trainee’s technique Today versus all their prior trials

for this WPS.

Today’s scores indicate the trainee’s technique is

improving.

This report can also be shown as a daily plot.


Accuracy Testing

Panasonic TA-1600 robotic welder 100% compliance with

all WPS parameters


Efficacy Test Design

Experimental Group Control Group

Novice, Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced

Novice, Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced

Trainee sees RealWeld Trainer™ scores after

each trial.

RealWeld Trainer™ scores are blind to both trainee and instructor.


Partners


Today and TomorrowToday

1. Processes• Stick (SMAW)• Mig (GMAW)• Flux-Cored (FCAW)

2. Positions• Flat (1G, 1F)• Horizontal (2G, 2F)• Vertical (3G, 3F)

3. Applications• Accelerate Training• Screen newhires

4. English

Tomorrow1. Processes

• Tig (GTAW)2. Positions

• Overhead (4F, 4G)• Pipe (5G, 5F)

3. Applications• Portable Credentials• Quality Monitoring

4. More languages


Come See for Yourself

RealandSim

In the Welding Workshop Downstairs


Thank You

[email protected]@ewi.org

Follow Us: @realweld, @EWI_innovation

Documents

Welder Training Technology: Accelerated Practice to Production Paul Boulware, Application Engineer, EWI By Bill Forquer, CEO, RealWeld Systems Presented