Bruce Chantry, Lincoln Electric’s Director of Marketing, North America, will highlight the advantages and use of Intelligent Robot Welding during a session on Wednesday, Sept. 12, from 9 a.m. to 9:55 a.m. in Room W192A. Deanna Postlethwaite, Marketing Manager for Lincoln Electric Automation, will discuss Utilizing Technology to Address the Need for a Manufacturing Workforce on Friday, Sept. 14, from 10 a.m. to 10:55 a.m., in Room W193B.
 
Chantry, who joined Lincoln Electric in 1995 as a technical representative, will examine how the integration of vision into robotics has become easier and more cost effective. Vision, as Chantry will discuss, allows welding robots to “see” the location and orientation of parts, examine and verify part fit-up, find features pre-weld, measure the joint position, detect what is going ahead of the arc, and provide for real-time seam tracking and signal changes to user-defined process parameters using adaptive parameter control.
 
Postlethwaite, who started her career at Lincoln Electric more than nine years ago, will discuss how the manufacturing industry needs to attract a new generation of skilled workers. Through education and engagement, the manufacturing industry can create a much-needed cultural shift that will help to change the mindset of parents, educators, counselors, as well as students.
 
The key to this cultural shift, according to Postlethwaite, is technology. She will discuss how the manufacturing industry needs to implement tools and curriculum that feature interactive elements and creative designs to not only challenge students but engage them, using innovation, technology and automation.
 
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