Unemployment in South Africa is at its highest ever, this can be blamed on the global economic downturn and Covid19 and other local factors, however, we must be positioning our industry for the recovery which will inevitably ensue. In order to be ready for the IR4.0 job market, training is essential. The machinery and specially consumables for welding training are expensive, and providing theory with little or no practical training is usually insufficient.

“In addressing IR4.0 in the engineering and manufacturing markets, augmented-reality welding training is a cost-effective as well as a Green alternative to traditional training. It provides the same level of traditional skills training but offers significant cost savings that can run into millions of rands per annum. This is an example of IR4.0 in action for Education,” said Bez Sangari, CEO, of Sangari Education.

The Soldamatic welding simulator, which has won top honours at the Worlddidac Awards for the most innovative educational product, requires no costly welding consumables and reduces training time by half.

A number of organisations have installed the Soldamatic for upskilling trainee welders. Over the last 10 years, numerous TVET Colleges and industrial training centres have also chosen Soldamatic as their preferred welding training Solution.

“The welding training can be done in any environment and is 100% safe, simply because it is an augmented welding environment and there are no gas emissions,” Mr Sangari said.

“As we move into the 4th Industrial Revolution there is a need for training providers to modernise and equip themselves with changes taking place in the industries. The Soldamatic welding simulator offers training officers and learners the opportunity to constantly upscale their capabilities without the costs associated with such activities.”

“The reason most organisations choose the Soldamatic is based on the cost compared to traditional, non-simulation products, on the market, and the software is continually being updated with additional functionality.”

“Cost-saving benefits include less electricity consumption, less material wastage, and depending on the learner numbers, the classroom serves as a safe, environmentally-friendly workshop.”

Mr Sangari added, “Consumables such as welding rods, steel plates, or oxygen are not needed, and because the equipment has no gas emissions, it is eco-friendly. The simulator can be used in any environment with no need for special clothing or ventilation. The welding can be done in a classroom or even an office. It is 100% safe, simply because it provides an augmented-reality welding environment which is hyper-realistic.”

“The training solution is based on hardware and software which are an augmented-reality 3-D vision on the trainee welder’s headgear and real welding torches, and the software is a learner management system (LMS) which will allow trainees to follow a predetermined training program and provide feedback to the trainer on their progress.”

Payback for a large training institution is about 18-24 months. The quick payback period is achieved as no consumables are used and there is no wastage of materials. Also, training can continue without the full supervision of the lecturer which means more practice time for the trainee.

The headgear generates hyper-realistic welding graphics and sound such as the weld pool and beam. It emits simulated smoke, sparks, and heating of the affected area, all through the student’s headgear. It also simulates cracks, filler material, gravity, and undercutting.

Welding skills can be learnt for specific applications and the student’s performance measured in a fair, reliable, and unbiased manner. The unit includes 93 different training lessons and customised lessons can also be added.

The facilitator and trainee are able to analyse and assess the trainee’s welding performance in a video afterward and evaluate their skills levels such as the welding velocity, stick-out, travel, and working angles. The system will report on each student’s progress and retains a detailed portfolio of their learning progress.