Fastening, Joining & Assembly

Welding failures have resulted in catastrophic consequences. For instance, a defective 6 mm weld wrecked the Norwegian Alexander Kielland semi-submersible drilling rig, taking 123 lives in 1980. To prevent similar future disasters and economic consequences of possible weld failures in gas transport and deep-sea oil equipment, European researchers are spending €4.8 million ($7.2 million USD) on the MintWeld project. Do you think more accurate modeling of the welding process from the atomic scale up could help prevent weld failures?

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Robots are making great strides in care giving and health services from surgical procedures to housekeeping and companionship. Yet they still are involved in industrial accidents with their human counterparts. At what point would you allow a robot to care for your children, an elderly relative, or administer your medicine? Any concerns or caveats that you would want solved before making the move?

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New York University undergrads can now register for a course named "Guitar Heroes (and Heroines): Music, Video Games and the Nature of Human Cognition." Do you think courses like this are worthwhile for students in a school that costs $50K/year? Perhaps, in the future, students will be able to earn a degree in Video Gaming. If so, should the diploma list a B.S. or B.A. degree?

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Typically, all kinds of safety devices — including bells, cages, flashing lights, kill switches, proximity, and audible alarms — are routinely installed to protect employees from co-worker robots. Nevertheless, a woman was reportedly killed by a malfunctioning box-moving robot in a California plant. Eventually the investigation will conclude. Do you think this was a fluke accident, operator error, not following safety rules, or what?

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Recent events — for example, a crane collapse in New York City killed two workers, a gas pipeline explosion in Moscow, and others — might have been avoided if proper oversight were in place. Such happenings seem to recur with alarming frequency. Do you think it's a case of workers not doing their job properly, or do you think more quality inspections are mandated? Welding failures — sometimes disastrous — are quickly reported in the global news. What steps should be taken to avoid such calamities?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Fastening, Joining & Assembly, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Fastening, Joining & Assembly today.