A precarious situation arising from dwindling number of welders and the need for power sector to consider the tasks of welding pressure part consumables and structurals on an even keel were the main talking points at the valedictory session of the two-day international conference on ‘Fabrication of Structurals – Emerging Trends' (FASET) organised jointly by the Welding Research Institute, BHEL, Tiruchi, and the Indian Welding Society (IWS).
Emphasising on pre-eminence of welders in the power sector, speakers expressed concern over the continuous decrease in the number of professionals. Welding engineers were proportionately lesser when compared to the large volume of steel that needs to be fabricated in the power sector, D.S.Honavar, Chairman, Honavar Electrodes, Thane, said, calling for training of youngsters in large numbers.
Disheartening
Presiding over, B.Pattabhiraman, Past President of IWS and Managing Director, GB Resurgent Group felt the scenario of diminishing applications for welding programmes in Industrial Training Institutions was disheartening. There was a huge demand for welders in Japan, which, he said, was recruiting large number of welding professionals from other Asian countries, particularly from India.
Mr. Pattabhiraman observed that structurals have not been given their due importance so far, and that the conference has facilitated industries to know more about designing safe, light, and easy to manufacture and erect structurals using new equipment.
Delivering the valedictory address, S.Sakthivel, Deputy Director of Boilers, Tamil Nadu, also emphasised on the need for industries to accord higher importance for fabrication of structurals. Vendors usually take the drawings from BHEL, fabricate structures and despatch them. They ought to know the significance of the product they manufacture at the plant site, he stressed, urging the organisers to train welders on the applications of the product, and safety factor of welds. Power plants were coming up in large numbers and the time was ideal for increasing number of welding professionals, Mr.Sakthivel said.
K. Ashok Kumar, Additional General Manager, BHEL, Tiruchi, and N.Rajasekaran, Convenor, FASET, also addressed the delegates.
