Welding is a widely used operation done by manufacturers for various purposes. As a welding project leader, you should have the proper knowledge about the term “productivity”.
Now, here comes the question. How can you incorporate productivity in welding? Along with that, you must know what are the ways to follow to get the highest output for welding purposes.
Well, your query is justified indeed. To resolve your query, this article describes the welding process and how to increase them.
Let’s get started.
How to increase welding productivity
Productivity is usually used as a term to show the efficiency of any products or services. In the same way, increased productivity means the increased output of products or services.
Your welding operations can be made more productive with the help of maintaining standard productive procedures. The productivity of your welding depends mainly on the equipment used, the welder working, the welding operation, and the environment. Accordingly, you can ensure increased productivity by making proper changes and adjustments to the factors.
The main points on how to increase productivity are given below-
Leading properly
As a welding manager, it is your job to lead the welding team properly in the operations. It becomes your responsibility to manage the welders properly, listen to them, find their difficulties, and make necessary improvements.
Moreover, a good manager can increase productivity without any investments by generating ideas and creating a work-friendly environment for the employees. You will be surprised to learn that good direction in an operation by a manager can lead to increased productivity by more than 40%.
Read More: How To Get A Welding Job With No Experience?
Scheduling of works
It is commonly seen that maintaining a proper schedule can lead to more productivity and output. Hence, you need to schedule your welding operations properly. Besides, you can increase your productivity by taking a monthly plan, scheduling, and following them.
If you are a person who lacks planning in your welding process, then begin today by planning the following jobs in the coming week. You will be surprised to see the change in productivity in this.
Proper maintenance
The equipment for welding needs to be changed or maintained correctly. Again, your equipment needs to be checked to see whether it performs well and maintains a proper routine.
Following through will save your time loss for equipment failures or unnecessary breakdowns in work. As a result, proper maintenance will give you more proficiency during your welding project.
Following Standard Procedure
As a welding manager, it is your responsibility to maintain proper working procedures for your employees. You need to be very concerned about the welders in case they are doing unnecessary welding or non-welding duties. You need to minimize these unnecessary activities by making them follow standard procedures for the project.
Additionally, you need to share the same production goals with welders to get the best output. To maintain a proper standard procedure, you need to develop the following-
- Welding Procedure Specification (WPS): Proper specification that includes the base materials, the welding process, consumables, process parameters, etc.
- Procedure Qualification Record (PQR): Record the procedure of the welding process, process variables, optimal condition, etc.
- Welder Qualification Test Report (WQTP): Record of the proficiency of a welder in achieving actual results in PQR.
By maintaining standard procedure in your work, the productivity of your welding will increase to a great term.
Focusing on safety
Welding is a job where there are some risk factors and hazards. Therefore, the environment should be safe and maintained properly.
You should maintain proper safety measures for your welding project. It will keep the welding project smooth. In addition, the percentage of accidents or hazards that decrease may save time by avoiding unnecessary work interruptions.
Overall, maintaining adequate security in your workplace will provide a friendly environment for welders. For that reason, they will work more efficiently with increased productivity.
Record your welding operation
It will be wise for you to keep a record of your welding project. You can use them to examine the changes needed and make further adjustments to increase productivity. Thus, implement them in your next project. This will result in greater efficiency.
Increase Welder Efficiency
The efficiency of a welder is directly related to the overall productivity of a welding operation. Furthermore, efficiency depends on various factors. The productivity of a welder can be increased by maintaining the following facts.
- You can increase the efficiency of the welder by providing adequate fixtures. With this, you can reduce the unnecessary time waste by welders.
- You need to keep your equipment in good repair, it will increase the efficiency and productivity of welders.
- Developing a suitable welding procedure can make your welders work more quickly and efficiently.
- It is a great idea to train your welders for specific welding operations. This will enhance their perfection, speed, and efficiency in doing the job.
- You need to ensure a proper welding environment and take necessary safety precautions for welders. This will surely improve the efficiency of their work.
How to track welding productivity
Tracking welding productivity is very important for you as a welder manager to keep proper recordings, plan the next project, and make necessary changes in welding design.
To keep track of your welding productivity, you need to keep track of the welding, the arc produced while working, welders’ efficiency, etc. Better welding productivity will be found if you ensure faster welding with less metal deposition and also by ensuring more on-time arc is produced while welding.
How to calculate welding productivity
It will be very good practice for you to calculate the welding productivity of your welding projects. To do so, you need to keep track of the factors involved. Similarly, you need to do some calculations on the factors given below-
- Calculate the units of final products produced per day or week depending on the volumes of metal.
- Measure the filler material used or consumed in each welding operation. Keep an overall track.
- You need to calculate the on-time arc percentage for your overall welding.
The above-mentioned factors are preferable for calculating production-based welding like pipeline welding productivity. Undoubtedly, the factors will give information about your overall welding productivity.
For instance, if the units produced per day increased, it would lead to a greater productivity rate. Likewise, less consumption of filler material can increase your overall productivity.
Conclusion
The productivity of your welding is a tricky one to measure. In contrast, you can consider the factors related to the efficiency of overall welding work.
The article elaborates on the facts you need to follow to increase the productivity of your welding projects. As a welding project director, your leadership, planning, proper scheduling, maintenance, and ensuring a work-friendly environment can enhance productivity to a great extent.