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A Technology Roadmap for Welding and Joining in Canada — Vision and Goals
Table of Contents
- Foreword
- A Technology Roadmap for Welding and Joining in Canada — 2006 to 2016
- Executive Summary
- Introduction
- A Profile of the Materials Joining Industry
- The Challenges to the Canadian Welding and Joining Industry
- Vision and Goals
- Applying the Vision to Unravel the Downward Spiral
- A Solutions Matrix for Welding and Joining in Canada
- Projects — Making the Vision Happen
- Concluding Remarks
- Appendix A — Welding and Joining TRM Steering Committee Members
- Appendix B — Welding and Joining TRM Forum Participants
The purpose of setting a Vision is to reflect a set of agreed beliefs or values that will serve as a beacon light from the future shining back into the present and drawing us towards it. While it may not always be possible to achieve the full Vision, the statement sets the heading on which the industry must navigate.
Vision for the Welding and Joining Industry
The Vision that has been set for the Canadian welding and joining industry is the following:
Even if we may question the level of our current "base of excellence", we know that Canada does have a reasonable base on which to build and constantly improve upon. The following table shows the various components of excellence in welding and joining, an evaluation of where we are now in 2006 (compared to other jurisdictions) and the level we want to reach in 2016.
During the course of the regional forums held in Montreal, Cambridge, Edmonton and Halifax participants attempted to characterize where Canada stood in the drive for quality and the drive for cost-effectiveness in manufacturing processes and the associated welding and joining applications. The result was the schematic below which places Canada in the "middle of the pack". It does not reflect scientific or objective evidence but it does reflect a common assessment from a wide range of industry participants of where Canada currently fits in the worldwide competitive picture.
Figure 6 — Canada in the Manufacturing Quality and Cost-Effectiveness Dynamic
Strategic Targets
The strategic targets represent the four major audiences — in order of importance — to which the welding and joining industry must forcefully speak to implement its Vision. "Speaking" includes explaining, convincing, co-opting and moving to action. The strategic targets are as follows:
- Demonstrate and convince CEOs and other leaders of all manufacturing industries that welding and joining should be seen as an enabling technology that can make significant contributions to assist manufacturers who strive to put well-designed quality and cost-effective products and processes on the world marketplace.
- Demonstrate and convince the federal and provincial governments that welding and joining is a strategic enabling technology which is required to enhance Canada's competitive position, and therefore merits both policy and financial support for world-class innovation, research, technology adoption and human resource development.
- Develop a proactive, concerted and organized response from the welding and joining community in concert with educational institutions and research institutes, supported by government, to increase the pace of innovation in advanced welding and joining technology and application.
The target is to ensure responsiveness to the needs of user industries particularly with respect to cost-effectiveness and constantly increasing productivity in welding and joining processes, in Canada and at the international level. Welding and joining must be integrated into the design stage for manufacturing and construction. - Demonstrate to the general public and students that welding and joining is a field of activity that spans leading-edge science, information technology and advanced manufacturing processes and materials that are integral to the future prosperity of Canada. It will provide exciting career paths at all levels of skill and education which fully safeguards life, property and the environment.
In this context, establish Canada as one of the best education and training environments for welding and materials joining.
Figure 7 — Strategic Targets Enabling the Welding and Joining Industry to Implement Its Vision
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