Welding process developments and future trends

Abstract

The many welding processes now in use have developed over a period of 100 years in stages that can now be identified. No fundamentally new processes have appeared since 1970 but development has concentrated on quality and performance in production. A new period which will see the coming of the intelligent welding system now seems imminent. Greater use can be expected of the continuous electrode arc processes and newer specialised processes which are suitable for automated operation.