Improving Global Quality of Life

Editors’ Preface
Improving Global Quality of Life Through Optimum Use
and Innovation of Welding and Joining Technologies
In today’s world, no country or organisation can remain in isolation. Issues such as climate change, natural
disasters, population growth and global economics are common to us all, as nations strive to achieve
sustainable development in a sustainable environment. We are brought closer together by modern
communications, information technology and travel, and are aware of our role and responsibilities in a
cooperative and converging global community.
With world population having reached 7 billion in 2011 and predicted to top 9 billion in 2045, the pressures
on manufacturing, infrastructure and power generation, not to mention basic needs such as food, water,
shelter and education, will become enormous common challenges.
Welding - as an enabling technology that plays a critical role in almost every industry sector - is critical to
the world’s ability to cope with these pressures and changes. Whether joining 6 micron in the Cochlear
Ear Implant or welding the 480 metres long, 74 metres wide, 600,000 tonne world’s first floating
liquefied natural gas plant, welding makes significant contributions to the global quality of life. Welding
technologies, whether basic or sophisticated, and the people skilled in their implementation and application,
are thus the cornerstones to improved quality of life for all.
This IIW Vision 2020 document, the IIW White Paper (WhiP), has been developed by IIW experts in the fields
of materials welding and joining technologies, training and education, as well as design and assessment of
welded structures, to highlight future opportunities, needs and challenges worldwide.
The WhiP describes strategic challenges and agendas for the welding industries, personnel, scientists and
end-users through the next 10 years (2012 to 2021). The strategic agenda of the WhiP is ambitious and
visionary. It provides strategies for “Improving Quality of Life” through the use of new materials, design
and advanced joining technologies to reduce manufacturing cost and improve structural performance
and life-cycle via better personnel, inspection and integrity assessment rules while meeting the societal
expectations in health, safety, environmental and growth issues. It provides the visions, major challenges,
and opportunities of the welding industries, science and technologies that we will face in 2020. Most of
the products in modern society, from medical devices, cars, ships, pipelines, bridges, computers, aircrafts,
amongst many others, could not be produced without the use of welding.
This WhiP is based on inputs provided by invited representatives from the industry and academia as well as
several IIW member organisations and experts who have kindly provided contributions. Previously developed
vision or roadmap documents of the American Welding Society (AWS) and Canadian Welding and Joining
Industries, as well as several Strategic Research Agendas (SRA) of the European Technology Platforms, have
been used as a reference for the development of this WhiP.
The IIW WhiP will be updated and improved as and when IIW experiences a paradigm change, or after three
years when there is enough additional collective experience and knowledge to revise it.
Mr Chris Smallbone, Chief Executive Officer, Welding Technology Institute of Australia,
IIW President 2005-2008
Dr Mustafa Koçak, Chief Executive Office, Gedik Holding, Turkey
The editors thank Mrs Anne Rorke and Dr. Cécile Mayer for their significant assistance.
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Improving Global Quality of Life Through Optimum Use and Innovation of Welding and Joining Technologies