KOCHI: Madhu S Nair, chairman and managing director of Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL), on Thursday, asked the welding industry to make a ‘pole vault’ into the latest technologies driven by artificial intelligence (AI), Internet Of Things (IoT) and data analysis to keep pace with the global welding industry.
“We are going through exciting times. I personally feel, welding is going through a transition,” Nair said after inaugurating the National Welding Seminar 2018 here at the Bolgatty Palace and Island Resort. Though welding is very skill-oriented and the ‘ethos of the welder, the skills of the welder, the mind of the welder’ will remain, the welder needs to transit into a ‘systems controller’, Nair said.
“Welding as we see it today will see a transition and technology will take over. Behind this will be the minds, the ethos and the spirit of a welder. The welder will be controlling the systems and the devices,” he said.
Similarly, the Indian shipbuilding is also extremely behind the cutting edge technology and it has a long way to go. “Industry 4.0 is here to stay. Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT), data analysis are very important. We don’t have too much time. We will have to do it in 12-18 months,” the CSL chief said adding that during this time, the industry has to transit the space. He said CSL, which is one of the best in India, has a long way to go, in automation, mechanisation.
“We are not even remotely close to the standards of some of the best shipyards in the world. It’s time for a pole vault. We need to jump. We are capable of doing it. This is not rocket science; it is about coordination, getting the right people together,” Nair said.
A K Bhaduri, president, IIW-India and scientist and director of Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam, Jose P Philip, chairman, organising committee, IIW-India’s Kochi chapter, Parimal Biswas, secretary general, IIW-India and P Govindan Kutty, convenor-technical committee, NWS-2018, spoke.