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Try-the-Technology event takes hands-on approach |
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 A unique event hosted recently by Conestoga College provides a showcase of welding technology and gives students at the college a chance to employ the equipment after the fact.
The Try-the-Technology event was sponsored by the Golden Triangle Chapter of the Canadian Welding Association (CWA), Mississauga, ON.
"We started this event four years ago. We don't like to think of it as a trade show. Instead, it is (a vehicle) to broaden the use of the technology," says Adam Belyea, an executive on the board of directors of the CWA's Golden Triangle Chapter.
Continues Belyea, "We are not out to sell anything. We are just trying to promote welding technology. In other words, there is nothing to buy, but there is something to try."
"A lot of people get stuck looking at only one way of doing things. With Try-the-Technology, we want to let people know that this technology is available.
The Try-the-Technology event was a one-day exhibition and workshop that featured eight different welding equipment vendors.
The companies who took part in the event included the Lincoln Electric Company of Canada Ltd., ESAB Group Canada Inc., Miller Electric Mfg. Co., Hobart Brothers of Canada, J.W. Harris, Hypertherm, SNC Industrial and Thermadyne.
According to Belyea, each vendor was allowed to feature two pieces of equipment.
"They can bring whatever they want but people have to be able to sit down and use the equipment."
For example, ESAB exhibited its Aristo welding system, Hypertherm showed the Powermax 1650 and Powermax 190C plasma units, Thermadyne displayed the Ultima 150 plasma system and Slice torch, J.W. Harris demonstrated 20 ga flux core wire, and Lincoln Electric exhibited the Powerwave 355 with dual head.
This is the fourth time that Conestoga College has hosted the Try-the-Technology function and it has quickly become a very popular event.
"Right from the onset, Try-the-Technology has been one of our most popular events," says Karsten Madsen, program coordinator, welding technology program, at the Guelph, ON campus of Conestoga .
In fact, Madsen says that this year's Try-the-Technology function was the largest and most well-attended when compared to the previous three installments.
This year's Try-the-Technology event attracted over 100 visitors.
Another unique aspect of Try-the-Technology is that following the one-day event, several of the welding equipment suppliers left the equipment they exhibited behind at Conestoga so that students could use it and become familiar with the technology.
According to Madsen, while the event attracted primarily representatives from local industry, visitors from the Hamilton and Toronto areas also attended the function.
Some of the technical demonstrations included aluminum pulse welding, plasma welding, and brazing of aluminum.
"It gave attendees a chance to view (practical) demonstrations and the opportunity to tour our shops and facilities," says Madsen. |
