Page 32 - MetalForming March 2020

FABRICATION
Robots +
New-Collar Workers
Automation can help power many common welding processes, including gas metal arc welding (shown here), submerged arc welding and laser beam weld- ing. In addition, industrial robots thrive in difficult manufacturing environments, including those with extremely high temperatures.
...promise to help bridge the skills gap, particularly in the welding industry.
BY MATT JURCZYSZYN
The manufacturing labor shortage is not news—it has plagued the industry for years, including the welding sector. In fact, the American Welding Society predicts that the weld- ing labor shortage will reach a deficit of 400,000 workers by 2024.
The average age of U.S. welders is 55, and those under the age of 35 com- prise less than 20 percent of the U.S. welder population. While many man- ufacturers have increased their efforts to recruit younger workers, automation solutions such as robotics can help alleviate the strain on an aging and scant workforce. And, equally as impor- tant: Automation can help manufac- turers attract new talent.
Beyond the labor shortage, a recent
Matt Jurczyszyn is VP, Sales Solutions, at Kuka Robotics; www.kuka.com.
increase in welding demand has fatigued the industry. New construc- tion, transportation and infrastructure projects, climate-disaster-related rebuilds, onshoring and new natural- gas pipelines all have contributed to this increased strain. Finding enough new talent to meet these demands, while the current workforce ages, sim- ply isn’t feasible.
The only viable solution: Increase welding productivity.
Robotics Closing the Divide
Thanks to advances in technology, robotic welding solutions—once only affordable to manufacturers with large capital-expenditure budgets such as automotive manufacturers and the Department of Defense—have become more cost-effective and easier to use. As one of the most versatile and
demanding manufacturing trades, the metalworking industry is a particularly good candidate for robot-based automation solutions, providing pre- cision and performance.
Automation can help power many common welding process, including gas metal arc welding (GMAW ), sub- merged arc welding (SAW ) and laser beam welding (LBW ). In addition, industrial robots thrive in difficult man- ufacturing environments, including those with extremely high temperatures.
Job Enhancement, Not Replacement
While robotics certainly can help alleviate the manufacturing labor shortage, automation complements the work of welders, rather than replac- ing them. According to technology research and advisory firm Technavio,
30 MetalForming/March 2020
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