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Author is using questionable metrics: - Number of welders declined as US manufacturing has declined in the US. Manufacturing that remains utilized robotic weld
by howmayiannoyyou 3y ago
Author is using questionable metrics:
- Number of welders declined as US manufacturing has declined in the US. Manufacturing that remains utilized robotic welding extensively. You can be sure the demand for welders in China has been the inverse of the United States.
- Welding use in automotive declined as US manufacturing started using more plastics, metal foams, fasteners & automated spot welders in their operations. It also declined as casting & powder technology advanced, and it will decline further as more car makers adopt mega-castings.
- He cites ship building, but does so somewhat incorrectly. Welding is still widely used in ship building, but there are few ship builders left in the US.
To the larger point, yes, of course AI will displace welders, but its very unlikely to do so for repairs, small runs and specialized applications. Its actually a well paying and in-demand skill, especially if combined with other mechanical skilsets.
- datadrivenangel 3y agoNot to mention advanced stamping! Modern automotive stamping (turning sheet metal into complicated structural parts) is an amazing technology that reduces the number of welds required.
- digdugdirk 3y ago^ This. And more advanced design and manufacturing methods that have come as a result of the proliferation of CAD design and analysis software. Also, metallurgy in general has improved leaps and bounds in the past few decades. Regardless, there is a lot of ways for welding to go wrong. That's a design consideration that engineers try to drive out of the equation, especially in a situation where they're responsible for the safe usage of a multi-ton piece of machinery that can move at 100mph.
- MikeAmelung 3y agoThe tagline of the site is "Why buildings are built the way they are." And the author completely fails to mention the welding that goes into buildings...
- Oarch 3y agoIt started off quite construction focused, but it's since veered far off that course
- Arainach 3y agoYour points are addressed in the article. It specifically looks at the number of welding jobs in car manufacturing (still done here) over time.
- bluGill 3y agoManufacturing has not declines much in the US but jobs have declined. We make as much as before, but because of automation few people do the work.