Can data improve your steady state?

If you ask most welding or fabricating facility owner or manager to estimate the percentage of time their operators spend welding, they typically guess 30% or more. However, boots-on-the-ground observations by ESAB’s value-added engineering team members reveal an average of middle to high teens for the best manual MIG and cored wire welding operations. Without knowing the actual cost of welding, these owners and managers could inadvertently shortchange themselves when estimating jobs. Their view of their 'steady state' (actual conditions) results from instinct rather than measurement of actual data. In addition, other than 'documentation and quality control cost a lot', it is hard to size up the actual costs related to documentation Q&A requirements, both increasing areas of focus in fabrication. 

The bottom line is that you can’t improve what you can’t measure, and the welding and fabrication industry is the early stages of online data management solutions. However, the rate of adoption should begin to accelerate as deploying technology like IIoT becomes simpler and easier. For example, ESAB’s Digital Solutions allows fabricators to drive continuous improvement in four major areas: asset management, productivity, traceability/documentation and quality. 

Easier deployment

Most companies that should use a data management solution don’t, largely because they fear costs and complexity. While a modest-sized job shop doesn’t have the IT resources of a large yellow goods manufacturer, that is no longer a barrier for several reasons.

• More digital welding and cutting systems are available with an optional communications module (IIoT box).
• For companies with older analog equipment, external connection modules can capture and communicate arc on/off time and voltage and amperage data from nearly any power source with a positive and negative terminal.
• Cloud-based solutions, such as ESAB’s WeldCloud, uses Microsoft Azure simplify deployment. The IIoT box can connect to the cloud (either wirelessly or by Ethernet cable), eliminating the need for a costly on-premise server. 
• Companies with larger fleets can use a federated or hybrid solutions where an on-premise server aggregates data locally and then sends data to the cloud in a single stream. All transmissions use secure protocols, and the data is protected.
• Data dashboards, access from an internet-enabled device, are more user-friendly. Clicking on a button generates high-level information such as arc-on time, number of weld sessions, errors and wire consumption. Clicking on a part number enables drilling down to find out who touched the part and when, and doing so without the need to manually manipulate or extract data.

Asset and productivity management 

After deploying a data management solution, a company can then build baselines and establish its true 'steady state' instead of using anecdotal or antiquated data about what it actually takes to build their products. A good first place to start is evaluating the health of the welding fleet through events and messages reporting. As a real example, one end-user forgot to put coolant into a water-cooled system. An ESAB technician working with the company used ESAB WeldCloud to identify the poorly-performing system and deduce the problem. Automatic alerts via text and email, such as for a system that suddenly shuts down or welds outside of specification, are becoming standard features.

Another good place to improve is identification and replication of optimal welding parameters. We’ve all heard a welder boast that, “I like to weld hot and fast” — but who determines whether hot and fast yields the most productivity? If it leads to intermittent fusion and rework, slow and steady might be a better solution. The ideal situation is to have everyone welding using ideal, consistent parameters. An online data management system that can manage process settings enables a company to monitor its best welders or welding cells, link those welding variables to productivity and quality results and then push those results out to an entire fleet or enterprise. 

It also enables them to spot anomalies, such as low arc-on time or low wire consumption, then determine a root cause. If an operator spends too much time grinding, is it because of spatter or a poorly prepared bevel? If so, then a low-spatter wire or automated plasma bevelling system might make sense. Hence, the goal should be to avoid predictions based on inaccurate estimations that can inadvertently cost the company money. By capturing actual operator time, consumable and material use, companies can precisely determine job costs and increase profit margins.

Documentation and traceability

Documentation and traceability, required by the power, wind tower, offshore, pressure vessel and other industries, generates reams of paper. Most fabricators look at it as non-productive time, yet the need for traceability and documentation is growing. Now technology enables using various means like a mobile app to scan a bar code for every component, operator, power source, consumable and shielding gas cylinder connected to a weld session. Coupled with weld parameter monitoring (explained shortly), a fabricator can automate what is a tedious and costly process prone to human error. 

One solution recently introduced is the WeldCloud Notes PQR/WPS document management software. This online tool enables companies to better perform four essential tasks: 

• Maintain quality and compliance while managing PQR (procedure qualification records) and WPS (welding procedure specifications) documents in one place.
• Efficiently review all of its PQR, WPS and WPQ (weld procedure qualifications) information with a quick and easy search feature (view video).
• Generate a PQR or WPQ with all essential variables.
• Prevent missing a qualification expiration date or wasting time and money on requalifying welders. 

This tool provides full compliance to construction codes, welding standards and welding quality standards and enables fabricators to track the productivity of individual welding systems and welders, register weld seam data and manage the calibration records for an entire fleet of welding machines. Further, every relevant person on a project can access information, search for the correct qualifications, create welding procedures, introduce welding records, keep track of production and print reports for all the activity completed.

Online tools like this especially appeal to QA/QC managers by enabling them to check production status in all shops, identify production bottlenecks, reduce repair rates by removing weak procedures and target underperforming welders for more training or re-assignment. Welding engineers can use the online tool to analyse and compare project requirements with their company’s PQRs, WPS or welder qualifications, as well as search company records by base material or filler metals (and more). A PQR and WPQ generator software enables them to create procedures based on qualifications, introduce essential variables, calculate approval ranges and generate a PDF with all information.

Quality

A first step toward consistent weld quality is linking production variables with results. Even then, weld quality monitoring happens after a part is completed or sent farther down the production line. A quality assurance system based on looking in the rearview mirror is costlier, especially if multiple parts have defects. 

Conversely, a data monitoring system can provide the operator or manager with feedback in real time. Imagine the value of immediately identifying a weld flaw on the root pass of an inch-thick joint instead of after making the cap pass. On an automated system, because travel speed would also be captured, the operator would be able to identify the location of flaw on a large seam. 

Some online management systems can capture and log data at a rate of up to 1Hz (and sometime much slower), which is fine when the decisions are generally at a higher level (the welding arc-on time or the system simply recorded an error). To help engineers and quality assurance personnel make decisions, however, a real-time weld quality system that captures data at faster rates is required. For example, the WeldQAS Quality Assurance System from HKS Prozesstechnik, an ESAB brand, can capture data at rates of 23kHz and faster. By comparing measured parameters with reference curves, these systems can calculate quality marks for each weld seam and provides an instant notification when an irregularity occurs. The type of faults that are detectable include poor arc ignition, porosity, burn-through, seam length i.e. too long or short and seam interruption. 

Focus on fabricating

In an era where welding and cutting speeds are reaching physical limits and finding talent remains a challenge, digital technology like IIoT and real time quality will drive the next generation of business improvements. With simple deployment and data analytics available with a click, digital solutions enable fabricators to make intelligent decisions based on an accurate information. As a result, fabricators will become better, more productive fabricators, and be able to gain a data driven advantage.

Visit: https://www.esab.co.uk