ACCELERATING THE ADOPTION OF WELDING AUTOMATION THROUGH DEVELOPING AN INTELLIGENT ROBOT WELDING SYSTEM AND SKILL UPGRADATION PROGRAM

熟练焊工的日益短缺正在摧毁加拿大金属制造商的竞争力，使我们的关键行业，如金属、机械和运输设备制造处于危险之中。随着我们重建基础设施和转向清洁能源世界的需要，对制造业的需求预计将会增长。在这种情况下，我们的金属制造商必须利用现代技术来重新想象他们的生产。这个项目建议开发一种智能机器人焊接系统，目的是显著提高生产率，从而降低总体拥有成本。该系统将使用尖端的软件和硬件开发，以提供前所未有的焊接自动化水平，从而将劳动力需求转移到薪酬丰厚的知识型工作，以操作先进技术。它将在工业部件上进行测试，以证明其技术和经济上的可行性。到目前为止，来自大西洋加拿大的10家公司对这个项目表现出了兴趣，其中5家公司入围了最初两年的候选名单。每个项目都将涉及利用先进的焊接和自动化技术的组合，为特定的产品开发一个量身定做的工作流程。其结果将是一个可预测的操作，可以处理高水平的产品定制，同时保持质量的一致性。CCNB-Innov现有的人员、设备和过去项目的经验使其能够有效地执行当前项目。它在焊接、材料测试、金属制造、机器人和自动化方面拥有完善的实验室。它拥有一支由8名研究人员、工程师和技术人员组成的团队，他们的技能互补，非常适合这个项目的要求。在目前的技能提升提案中，提出了一个结构良好的培训计划。它包括将项目培训纳入CCNB为期两年的焊接技术员课程。该公司计划在两年内招聘6名实习生，接受有关这些项目的培训。此外，还将邀请行业人员熟悉智能机器人焊接系统，提升技能。所有项目活动的开展都将牢记平等、多样性和包容性的原则，因为CCNB坚信，如果没有代表不足的群体的积极参与，就不可能在创新方面取得卓越成就。

The increasing shortage of skilled welders is destroying the competitiveness of Canadian metal fabricators putting our crucial industries such as metal, machinery, and transportation equipment manufacturing at risk. The demand for manufacturing is expected to grow with the need to rebuild our infrastructure and shift to a clean energy world. In such a scenario, our metal fabricators must reimagine their production by leveraging modern technology.This project proposes to develop an intelligent robot welding system with the objective to significantly increase productivity and thus lower the overall cost of ownership. Using cutting-edge software and hardware, the system will be developed to offer an unprecedented level of automation in welding and hence shift the labor demand to well-paid knowledge-based jobs to operate the advanced technologies. It would be tested with industrial parts to prove both its technical and economic feasibility.So far, ten companies from Atlantic Canada have shown interest in this project, out of which five have been shortlisted for initial two years. Each project would involve developing a tailored workflow for the given product using the combination of advanced welding and automation technologies. The outcome would be a predictable operation that can handle a high level of product customization while maintaining consistency in quality. The people, equipment, and the experience of past projects available at the CCNB-INNOV enable it to execute the current project efficiently. It has fully furnished labs in welding, material testing, metal fabrication, robotics, and automation. It has a team of eight researchers, engineers, and technicians with complementary skills that are well suited to the requirements of this project.A well-structured training program is presented in the current proposal for skill upgradation. It involves integrating project training in the curriculum of the two-year welding technologist program at CCNB. It is planned to hire six interns across two years to receive training on the projects. In addition, industry personnel will also be invited to acquaint themselves with the intelligent robot welding system and upgrade their skills. All the project activities will be carried out by keeping the principles of equality, diversity, and inclusion at heart as CCNB strongly believes that excellence in innovation is not possible without the active participation of the underrepresented groups.