Experts predict that within the next decade, old, key industrial welding process will see dramatic shifts.
North America is already edging its way toward adopting the best of European technology, and Europe is stealing a page or two from North America's handbook.
"There is no question that there will be increasing technology transfer between the two continents," says Joseph Doria, president of Lincoln Electric Co. of Canada, based in Toronto.
"You can see the start of the process now," says Richard Hadley, president of ESAB Welding and Cutting Products Canada of Mississauga, Ont.
"Already we are beginning to learn lessons from the Europeans, and they from us."
The shift toward technology transfer between the continents is being driven by international manufacturers seeking a single standard for welding worldwide.
Right now, the technology race between the two continents is split, with North America leading in computer-controlled welding power supply, while Europe has taken a leading position in such areas as laser welding.
"The benefits are really showing up now," says Hadley.
The European approach to welding is very different from the approach taken in North America.
ESAB is a giant multinational Swedish company, headquartered in London. U.S-based Lincoln Electric has 105 years of experience expansive manufacturing operations.
Doria recently returned to head Lincoln Electric's Canadian operations after a stint as Lincoln's European president.
"The differences really start on a socio-economic level," Hadley says. Europeans have a different outlook on labour. Companies often provide a job for life and benefits that are unheard of here."
As a result, Europeans take more care in selecting and training employees. In contrast, in North America, the hiring process often involves a trip to the union hiring hall and a call for 50 welders for a three-month project.
The industry in Europe is more scattered and less cohesive than in North America, Doria says.
There are hundreds of smaller companies in each country versus a focus on larger operations in North America, he says.
The result is that North American companies spend more on research and development than their European counterparts, which has led to advanced technology in power source controls and performance.
European companies focus on ergonomic design and lighter welding equipment.
"North American machines and their controls are generally simpler, more robust. They require less sophistication and training to operate, says Hadley."
Welder training is only one part of the equation, adds Doria. North American welding processes and equipment have to be more robust because of the nature of the environment and market, he says.
In North America, for instance, Lincoln provides a three-year warranty on its welding equipment while in Europe the warranty runs for only a year.
"They have lighter power sources. The life expectancy of products is less and the steels they work with have different properties."
Another obvious difference is that North Americans favour a technique known as carbon arc gouging because welds can be done to high standards even by a novice.
"Gouging makes it easier to achieve a high quality weld but at the cost of a lot of smoke, noise and arc glare," says Hadley.
"There is also additional cost because the gouging removes a lot of metal, which must be replaced.
"Gouging and its costs can be eliminated through better fitup and better welding controls, which are the norm in Europe, he claims."
