Welder Training Technology:
Accelerated Practice to Production
Paul Boulware, Application Engineer, EWI
By Bill Forquer, CEO, RealWeld Systems
Presented at GSI SLV Welding Trainer Conference
Duisburg Germany – Sept 2012
Our Talk Today
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About EWI
Shortage of Skilled Welders
RealWeld Trainer™ Overview
RealWeld Trainer™ Accuracy Test & Results
RealWeld Trainer™ Efficacy Test Plan
© RealWeld Systems, Inc. 2012
Slide 2
Who is EWI?
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Manufacturing technologies company
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Founded in 1984 in Columbus, Ohio
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Leader in materials joining and allied technologies
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Innovate, mature, and commercialize to advance
manufacturing competitiveness
Our Resources
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132,000 square-foot facility with full-size test labs
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Over $20 million in capital equipment
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Highly educated staff of 130+ engineers, technicians,
industry experts, and member advocates
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Partnerships with leading universities, institutes, and
organizations
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Our many customers with whom we collaborate
Leading-Edge Manufacturing
Technologies
Innovate, mature, commercialize technology for industry
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Advanced arc welding
AcousTech™ Machining
Automation, sensors, controls
Brazing and soldering
Dissimilar materials joining
Friction processing
Laser processing
Material forming
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Nondestructive evaluation
Numerical modeling and simulation
Plastic and composite fabrication
Resistance welding
Ultrasonic additive manufacturing
Ultrasonic joining
Weldability and mechanical testing;
metallurgical analysis
EWI Industry Survey
“What technical advancements would have the greatest impact
on your business?”
(800 respondents; not all sectors or responses shown)
© RealWeld Systems, Inc. 2012
Slide 6
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
(Photo courtesy of flickr user
Spakalakazifeuln)
• Companies often forced to retrain
welders to meet their specific skill
needs
© RealWeld Systems, Inc. 2012
Slide 7
Introducing RealWeld Trainer™
With the arc on
With the arc off
Analyze Your
Technique
© RealWeld Systems, Inc. 2012
Slide 8
System Components
Welding training stand
© RealWeld Systems, Inc. 2012
Slide 9
Camera Sees This
X Y Z space
Fixed position weld
root
Target mounted on
torch
Splatter is ignored
© RealWeld Systems, Inc. 2012
Slide 10
Software Components
Curriculum
Library
Business
Objectives
Welding Instructors
Welding
Learning
Activities
Welding
Trainee
Library
Welding
Trainee
Assessment
Welding
Motion Scores
WPS Library
Configurable
© RealWeld Systems, Inc. 2012
Welding Trainees
Reporting
Slide 11
Results from a Trial
The low score and high variability in each
parameter is indicative of a novice trainee.
© RealWeld Systems, Inc. 2012
Slide 12
Tracking Progress
Training curriculum is comprised of a series of WPSs
© RealWeld Systems, Inc. 2012
Slide 13
Sweet Spots
The WPS identifies the “sweet spot”.
© RealWeld Systems, Inc. 2012
Slide 14
Tracking Improvement
This 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.
© RealWeld Systems, Inc. 2012
Slide 15
Accuracy Testing
Panasonic TA-1600
robotic welder
© RealWeld Systems, Inc. 2012
100% compliance with
all WPS parameters
Slide 16
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.
© RealWeld Systems, Inc. 2012
Slide 17
Partners
© RealWeld Systems, Inc. 2012
Slide 18
Today and Tomorrow
Today
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
© RealWeld Systems, Inc. 2012
Tomorrow
1. Processes
• Tig (GTAW)
2. Positions
• Overhead (4F, 4G)
• Pipe (5G, 5F)
3. Applications
• Portable Credentials
• Quality Monitoring
4. More languages
Slide 19
Come See for Yourself
Real
and
Sim
In the Welding Workshop
Downstairs
© RealWeld Systems, Inc. 2012
Slide 20
Thank You
bill.forquer@realweldsystems.com
pboulware@ewi.org
Follow Us: @realweld, @EWI_innovation
© RealWeld Systems, Inc. 2012
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