InnoTech Alberta research aims to boost welder safety and efficiency.
Every morning, InnoTech Alberta Principal Researcher Kimberley Meszaros comes into the lab with one goal in mind: make the welding industry better, faster, and safer.
As the lead of InnoTech Alberta’s welding program, Meszaros wants to help make the profession more secure and more efficient. About 26% of Canada’s welders are over the age of 50 and approaching retirement, and demand for the high-skill trade is only increasing. Meszaros knows that better processes, procedures, and materials will be essential for the future.
“You can find welding in every industry from aerospace to health to defense to manufacturing,” she says. “That’s what makes our work so important.”
Meszaros and the InnoTech Alberta team work to invigorate welding with new processes, high-productivity equipment, sustainable repair technologies, and innovative welding consumables.
With a focus on welder health and safety, InnoTech Alberta has the capability to offer welding fume composition testing. Meszaros and the team use specialized equipment to collect and filter welding fumes that are then tested to identify the metallics present. The collection of fumes is completed using a consistent sampling process with controls for welding speed and distance to base material.
“Welding fumes can contain chromium, manganese, and other dangerous metallics that welders should not inhale or ingest. Our tests can help identify how much of these are present with consistent sampling and help clients determine how they may meet their goals to mitigate exposure,” Meszaros explains.
InnoTech Alberta’s work to improve welder safety doesn’t stop there. Meszaros’ lab also helps inform national and international industrial codes and standards often with the help of assistive, collaborative, and robotic technologies.
“The use of technology allows us to repeat welds with increased accuracy,” she explains. “This allows the generation of repeatable and reliable data that we can share to help inform future policies.”
These policies can range from health and safety requirements that keep workers safe to environmental standards that boost industry sustainability.
“This work is personal for me,” says Meszaros. “Welding is a great profession that touches so many strategic industries in Alberta and our team is passionate about making it even better.”
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On March 17, CBC released a story about Meszaros and her team’s work in the InnoTech Alberta welding facility. Watch it now.