APR’s Part in the AWS G1A
The American Welding Society (AWS) was founded in 1919 as a multifaceted nonprofit
organization with a goal to advance the science, technology and application of welding and
related joining disciplines. From factory
floor to high-rise construction, from military weaponry to home products, AWS continues to
lead the way in supporting welding education and technology development. One way that the
AWS supports the welding community and manufacturing in general is by the careful
development of design and training standards. Conspicuously missing from the welding
standards of the AWS are references to plastic welding and fabrication.
Thermo-plastic welding and fabrication has been a part of the manufacturing
industry since the mid 1930’s. Like many
other manufacturing mediums, plastic welding and fabricating has required a long process
of careful and skillful development to produce industry standards. Standards and processes developed by individual
manufacturers are in wide practical use in the USA, however there is no public
documentation regarding the requirements for their use, design criterion, and application. Unlike the USA, European countries have
traditionally treated plastic welding and fabrication as a skilled trade and have set
standards (DVS Germany) to govern design, training, certification, and inspection of
plastic welds.
For the past three years Mark Allen (President APR Plastic Fabricating, Inc.) has
been a voting member on what is known as the “G1A” committee of the AWS. The purpose of this group is to define and publish
the criterion for all aspects of plastic welding, design, training, certification, and
inspection of welded plastic joints. Mark is
also a member of the subcommittees on Plastics Welder Test Facilities and Plastics Welding
Education. The current German DVS standards
have recently been translated into English and, along with AWS standards set for metal
welding, are serving as guidelines from which to continue the documentation process in the
USA. Without such documentation the processes of plastic fabrication and welding, will
continue to vary in quality and reliability from one manufacturer to another. In addition,
well-documented standards will open many new markets for fabricated plastic products, and
ensure the highest possible quality.
Due to the work of the members and associates of the “G1A” committee, the
AWS has several new documents ready for publication in the spring of 2001, and many more
will follow. |