Digest #3: What's New in the Welding Industry
New production of laser robots launched in St. Petersburg
The company currently produces complexes with numerical control designed for welding, surfacing, cutting and cleaning metal.
Thanks to federal and municipal support measures, St. Petersburg is one of the most important innovation centers in the country, said the city's mayor, Alexander Beglov. In the annual report of the Russian government to the State Duma, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin noted the effectiveness of the Industrial Development Fund program.
Beglov noted that at the end of 2023, the company TD Gefest opened a new import-substituting production of multifunctional laser robotic complexes in St. Petersburg, for which the Industrial Development Fund is allocating about 51 million rubles.
The company currently produces CNC systems for laser welding, surfacing, cutting and cleaning of metal. The specialists of TD Gefest have also developed and patented a chiller – a system for cooling laser source elements. The company plans to produce up to 36 systems per year, which will reduce the share of imported products in the market. The new systems operate five times faster and are easy to operate, have minimal metal deformation, have a strong and aesthetic seam, and are also cost-effective.
* Source : "Petersburg Diary".
Russian enterprises will be able to buy Perm robots with a 50% discount
Industrial enterprises of the country were given the opportunity to purchase domestic robots with a discount of up to 50%. The first robot was a manipulator from the Perm company "Promobot".
"The collaborative manipulator Promobot M13 is included in the register of domestic equipment in accordance with the decree of the Russian government. This makes it possible to sell robots at a discount, receiving compensation of up to 50% from the state," the company told the URA.RU agency.
Current models of industrial robots can be used for moving, welding, cleaning, surfacing, loading and unloading, assembly. They are also applicable for quality control of various products, as well as for automation and robotization of technological operations.
* Source : "URA.RU".
Kronstadt Marine Plant of USC introduces additive technologies
The Kronstadt Marine Plant enterprise has become a platform for demonstrating the successful experience of introducing additive technologies into ship repair – laser growing and surfacing using metal powder.
Representatives of educational institutions, design institutes and industrial production visited the plant and got acquainted with the work of the high-performance robotic complex. The arrival of the guests was preceded by a scientific and technical meeting.
In his report, Pavel Gornostaev, Chief Technologist of the Kronstadt Marine Plant, presented the experts with the available equipment - a high-performance robotic complex, which has a laser unit for direct laser deposition and surfacing using metal powder, a gas-flame metallizer and a metallographic laboratory for checking the results. In 2024, the plant organized training for specialists to work with the complex. At the moment, technologies for repairing shafts and mechanical engineering parts are being developed. Additive technologies make it possible to reduce the cost of repairs. With the help of surfacing, parts can be restored in a short time. The direction in ship repair is in great demand, the enterprise adds.
* Source : sudostroenie.info.
Robots weld: Avtotor updates production
The Avtotor plant has produced the first body on a new robotic welding line. BAIC, Kaiyi, SWM, Forthing, Jetour and its own brands Ambertruck and Amberauto with the original electric car Amber L7 - this is a short list of what the Kaliningrad Avtotor plant is currently producing. The company is updating its equipment. The new Avtotor welding line:
- High automation thanks to the use of high-precision welding robots.
- Possibility of quick reconfiguration for welding different models on one platform.
- Productivity – up to 80 thousand bodies per year.
- Compliance with high standards of the international quality management system.
It is reported that the first test body has successfully passed a comprehensive check. Including ultrasonic control of seams, measurements in the laboratory, testing by the destructive control method, corrosion resistance testing. Based on the results, the final adjustment of the equipment parameters was carried out.
* Source : Za Rulem magazine.
The steel products market has shifted towards growth
According to experts, qualitative changes have taken place on the Russian steel market. For the first time since June last year, the final index exceeded the 50-point mark, which separates the observed growth from the decline. A week ago, the expected index surpassed this level, continuing to rise.
The value of the index of the analytical service of the IIS "Metal Supply and Sales" for the past working week from March 10 to 14 added 2.80 points, which was the maximum increase since April last year, and reached 52.10 points. This is the highest level since the end of June 2024.
According to the results of the previous week, all product groups exceeded the 50-point mark. Moreover, the highest average score was received by medium-sized profile pipes, which saw an increase in sales, an increase in consumer demand, and, according to most experts, a rise in prices. Approximately the same events took place in the reinforcement sector.
As experts noted, the least favorable situation is observed in the hot-rolled steel market. Prices for this product are practically stable. The largest contribution to the corresponding sub-index was made by the increase in costs.
Experts predict further growth in costs and price increases for reinforcement and profile pipes with relative stability of hot-rolled products. Sales and consumer demand growth is expected primarily in the reinforcement market. Changes in prices for hardware are insignificant. Masonry mesh has maintained a relatively stable level over the past few months, but wire is returning to its previous level after a recent attempt to increase it.
* Source : "Metal Supply and Sales".
In 2025, from October 7 to 10, the international exhibition Weldex will be held - the central exhibition of the welding industry in Russia. The Weldex 2025 exposition is actively being formed. Join Weldex with a stand!