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Table of Contents
Innovation: a competitive edge
Globalisation has opened up new market perspectives, but has also intensified competition. To maintain their position as frontrunners worldwide, Canadian companies must focus on improving performance.
Figure 1. Industrial welding robot
However, SMEs cannot afford to place further demands on already overextended human and financial resources; all the more when considering the fact that R&D results are for the most part uncertain.
Through the Aluminium Technology Centre, NRC provides applicable levers to help drive innovation among Canadian companies wanting to break new ground.
How to improve products?
For Canadian companies, improving product quality, limiting waste, and increasing productivity are contingent on perfected welding techniques. NRC-ATC experts are on hand to deliver appropriate solutions.
How to find new markets?
Through extensive weld joining research, NRC-ATC is in a position to provide Canadian companies with the support they need when exploring new joining techniques.
Newly acquired know-how invariably leads to new opportunities.
Compétences disponibles
- Sound knowledge of welding techniques
- Joining design / bonding schedules
- Process control and optimisation
- Improved mechanical properties
- Faster joining
- Minimum distortion
- Clamping design
- Optimised welding sequence
- Cycle time assessment
- Metallurgical post-processing skills
- Computer simulation / predicting / modelling (notably with Sysweld®)
- Micro- and macro-characterisation / mechanical properties
Plus:
- Feasibility studies
- Robotisation experience
- Welding standards
Our primary purpose: Facilitating industrial implementation
Companies are sometimes forced to delay technological advancement to attend to immediate concerns, meaning that new ideas are put on the backburner. Also, R&D is a financial risk that SMEs are generally unable to support on the short term.
However, SMEs that do not stay abreast of world quality and productivity standards lose their competitive edge and, consequently, their earning power.
How to further improve procedures and processes?
The Aluminium Technology Centre can provide companies like yours with the skills they need to implement proven joining processes.
NRC-ATC welding research delivers the means to better control processes, leading to improved productivity and/or product quality.
Our specialists also provide consulting services to companies interested in exploring the advantages of robotisation and/or cutting-edge welding technology.
What services are available?
The NRC Aluminium Technology Centre's primary purpose is technology transfer; to this end, their specialised facilities are made available to all Canadian businesses.
NRC-ATC also offers companies services simplifying industrial implementation, thus reducing the risks associated with R&D.
Process integration techniques
NRC-ATC specialists have the skills and experience needed to help you perform intricate aluminium welding tasks according to state-of-the-art techniques. Our people are on the front lines of innovative joining techniques applied to new alloys, processes and simulation and characterisation tools everyday.
MIG (Metal Inert Gaz)An electrical arc is established between the tip of a consumable electrode and the joint. The arc is protected by an inert gas such as helium, argon, or a mixture of both. The wire electrode is continually fed from a spool. This is the preferred welding process across the industry. |
Figure 2.1. MIG technique |
Laser Nd:YAGA high-intensity laser beam is applied between the faces of the pieces being joined. A welding pool is created and moved along the edges. The molten metal solidifies behind the beam as it advances, wich creates a continuous weld bead. Laser welding comprises several techniques; but basically the continuous mode is preferred for thick metals, while the pule mode is used for finer materials. |
Figure 2.2. Laser technique |
Laser-arc HybridThis process combines laser and arc welding within the same joining area. The combination allows for greater flexibility when positioning the pieces, since arc welding fills the joints with molten metal and laser application increases execution speed. This process also improves weld quality. |
Figure 2.3. Laser-arc Hybrid technique |
Avantages of the processes
MIG (Metal Inert Gaz)
- Spool-fed wire electrode ensures continuous welding
- High-quality, smooth welding bead
- Universal process with relatively low initial costs
- Implementation flexibility
Laser Nd:YAG
- High-quality, clean and continuous welding beads
- Flexibility makes 3D welding possible
- Faster welding
- Fine welds for thin pieces
- Low deformation and controlled energy transfer
- Easy robotisation, including multi-station
Laser-arc Hybrid
Combining the two welding techniques yields enhanced arc stability, increased welding speeds, squeeze tolerances, and better welding bead quality.
Facilities
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Figure 3. Welding facility |
Collaborate with NRC-ATC
Discovering the NRC Aluminium Technology Centre is to the advantage of all companies, large and small, in terms of technological competitive edge and expert human resources.
The Aluminium Technology Centre provides Canadian companies with the welding equipment they really need, proven process expertise, and complementary services such as comptitive technical intelligence1.
1CTI Services are performed by our local Technical Business Analyst in collaboration with an Information Specialist of the Canadian Institute for Scientific and Technical Information (NRC-CISTI).
Successful collaboration
NRC-ATC has contributed to the success of a largescale project involving a major automaker and a primary aluminium producer. The project consisted in analysing the replacement of a 65-weld aluminium assembly in an effort to limit warping and predicting the best sequential combination of welds. The project led to accelerated product development for our manufacturing collaborator while reducing the risks associated with the implementation of a new technology.
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Patrick Gougeon, Ph.D. |
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Alain Simard, Eng., M.Sc. |
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