The 6th ‘ARC Cup’ International Welding Competition was held from 6-10 June 2018 in Zhuzhou, Hunan, China. Over 380 welders participated in the competition. A record of 112 welders from 19 countries including China took part in the competition. This is a gathering of world-class welders who represent their countries/ societies to compete at this prestigious event.
Singapore’s representatives were winners from the SWS Singapore Welding Competition 2018. They were Mr Humayun of PEC Ltd (SMAW Category), Mr Subramaniyan Athiyaman of Yongnam Engineering & Construction Pte Ltd (GMAW category) and Mr Uddin Ala of PEC Ltd. (GTAW category). Yongnam had sent their coach, Mr Ooi Hock Chuan, to support the Singapore welders.
The Singapore team performed very well. Mr Uddin Ala of PEC Ltd won the first prize for Adult GTAW category. Mr Subramaniyan Athiyaman of Yongnam Engineering & Construction Pte Ltd won both the first prize for adult GMAW category and third prize for finished product category. This is the first time that the Singapore team won the individual category. Beside these individual prizes, the Singaporean team also won the Group Silver Medal. On behalf of the Society, we would like to congratulate the Singapore team and their employers for making Singapore and SWS proud.
Publication Committee
‘Weldpoint’ has kept up a solid course, and the Publication Committee is grateful for the support from the welding community, allowing us to connect the community from diversified industries to the other associate societies around the world.
The Committee will continue to work hard to improve the range and quality of the content, with the continuous goal of providing the latest and relevant news and updates in the welding scene and technologies. Also, to bring greater value to our members to ensure ‘Weldpoint’ being the valuable information learning and sharing platform as it is, allowing our members to benefit from articles on regular technical updates on welding technology, new materials development and welding standards.
We also encourage our corporate members to contribute their experience and thoughts in our Member Pages section, where they can share their welding and joining related technologies, engineering solutions, innovations, inventions, activities and other news of interest to the rest of the readers. The article is restricted to a maximum of 350 words and should not contain advertisement or promotional / marketing content.
The Committee would also like to take this opportunity to thank our readers for their unyielding support, as well as the council members for their insights and continuing updates from associate societies in welding related matters.
In addition, the Committee would like to announce that the Society has revamped its website to keep pace with the fast changing needs of its members. Some of the features of this new website are better payment gateway, easier membership registration and updates, faster access, more up-to-date information and others. The new website will be launched soon. Please lookout for this launch and give us your feedback.
Welding Technology & Standardisation Committee
SWS continues to be involved in the development of local and international welding standards. With the support of Enterprise Singapore and Singapore Manufacturing Federation (SMF), as a Standard
Development Organisation (SDO), SWS participated at the ISO/TC 44 meetings as an active member from Singapore.
The ISO standards cover terminology, definitions and the symbolic representation of welds on drawings, apparatus and equipment for welding, raw materials (gas, parent and filler metals), welding processes and rules, methods of test and control, calculations and design of welded assemblies, welders’ qualifications, as well as safety and health.
Singapore remains a P-member (full voting member) of ISO/TC 44 and the following subcommittees (SC) under this TC:
• TC 44/SC 5 Testing and inspection of welds
• TC 44/SC 9 Health and safety
• TC 44/SC 10 Quality management in the field of welding
• TC 44/SC 11 Qualification requirements for welding and allied processes personnel
• TC 44/SC 14 Welding and brazing in aerospace
Dr Zhou Wei attended the plenary meeting of ISO/ TC 261 held in Singapore in September 2018 to discuss on the development of standards for additive manufacturing. He was invited by Welding Association of Chinese Engineering Construction to give a talk on ‘ISO Standards, Technological Innovation and the Belt and Road Initiative’ at the 2018 Forum on Welding for Construction - Welding Technology, Standardisation and Quality in Zhuzhou City, Hunan Province, China in October 2018.
Mr P Radhakrishnan represented SWS in the ‘Quality and Safety Standards Committee (QSSC)’ under the Singapore Standards Council (SSC), Enterprise Singapore.
Mr Sze Thiam Siong represented SWS in the ‘Council Committee for Laboratory Accreditation (CCLA)’ under the Singapore Accredition Council (SAC), Enterprise Singapore.
Technical Talks Committee
Chairman: Mr Yusoof Aynuddin
Vice Chairman: Mr Khoo Kok Leong
SWS has organised several technical talks and one seminar. In addition, we had also supported several events organised by other entities for the benefit of our members.
a. How latest Plasma cutting technology can transform your operations (held on 13 April 2018). This event was organised and sponsored by Hypertherm (S) Pte Ltd. It was held at their premises at 82 Genting Lane, Annex Block. In addition to the talks presented by the following speakers, a live demonstration was also performed during this event to allow the participants to better appreciate this technology. All participants received a handout summarising this technology and FAQ.
The following speakers were involved in the presentation:
i) Mr Israel Gonzales: Regional Director responsible for the full spectrum of the Asia Pacific business
ii) Mr Han-Wei: Geographical Sales Manager responsible for Singapore, Malaysia and Taiwan market
iii) Mr Royce Tan: Senior Engineer, Technical Service for the ASEAN regions
b. Plant support to the next level: Welding of cast materials for high temperature application (held on 29 June 2018).
This technical talk was organised by SWS and sponsored by Schmidt + Clemens Engineering Services. It was held at SWS office at Tradehub21. 59 participants registered for the technical talk. The speaker was Mr Hansch Peter Duster, Director of Installation Services, Schmidt + Clemens Group. He has more than 30 years of experience in welding of cast materials. The topics of his presentation include:
i) A better understanding of high alloyed cast materials used in the furnaces of the petrochemical and chemical industries
ii) The difficulties in handling such materials, new and aged and how they impact plant performance
iii) Improved appreciation for the challenges to weld such materials
iv) Impact of material and design of tubes on the operational optimisation of plants
c. Seminar on Stainless and High Nickel Alloys
A one-day seminar on ‘Stainless and High Nickel Alloys in the Chemical, Refining and Pharmaceutical Industries’. It was jointly organised with the Nickel Institute and International Molybdenum Association. It was held on 8 November 2019 at Furama City Centre Hotel. 47 participants attended this seminar. The speaker was Mr Graham A. Sussex, a Nickel Institute Consultant. A wide range of topics was covered and include the following:
i) Introduction to stainless and high nickel alloys
ii) Aqueous corrosion pathways
iii) High-temperature corrosion mechanisms and mechanical properties
iv) FGD, desalination and pharmaceutical industry requirements
v) Welding, fabrication, and applications in the chemical and refining applications.
d. Technical Talks and Seminars supported by SWS SWS also supported the following events where our members were able to attend at no costs to them. These events include:
i) Seminar on Advanced Welding Technologies organised by the Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (SIMTech) on 12 July 2018.
ii) Technical Talk on Advanced External Corrosion Mapping using a 3D Laser Scanner organised by Non-Destructive Society Singapore (NDTSS) on 31 August 2018
iii) Phased Array Inspection of High Temperature Hydrogen Attack (HTHA) organised by NDTSS on 7 September 2018
iv) Welding 4.0 – Quality Management System with Digitalisation and Welding Training Solutions with Augmented Reality organised by Uniweld Products (USA) Pte Ltd on 10 April 2019
We hope the members had benefited from the technical talks and seminars organised for them. SWS would like to thank the members for their continued support in our programs.
Membership Committee
Chairman: Mr Simon Wong Man Ming
Vice-Chairman: Mr Suggu Ravi Chandra Reddy
The challenging economic situation has continued to impact the oil & gas and other industries. For the last financial year, we were only able to recruit 24 new members. There was also a significant number of Full Members not renewing their memberships. We believe the current economic condition has affected their decisions. As a Society, we understand their plights, and will render our assistance in this challenging period.
One of the most popular event of SWS is our annual Member’s Night. It was successfully held on 30 April 2019 at The Chevrons. We had a record high number of participants who had showed up at this event. This figure was more than double the average number of past years. We had to urgently request for a bigger ballroom to accommodate this high number of turnout. In spite of the last minute changes, we were happy that our members enjoyed the spacious and comfortable environment. All the members were treated to a sumptuous buffet with free flow of beer and wine to uplift their spirits. It was a good occasion to catch up with old comrades but also to meet new friends in a very relaxing atmosphere.
The Society took this opportunity to recognise eleven (11) long-serving corporate members who have been with the Society for more than 25 years. We value their participation and contributions over the past years and had presented them with the ‘Distinguished Corporate Member’ Award. Along with the rest of the other members, they are the foundation and pillar of the Society. In addition, the Society had also handed out Fellow Membership Award to two (2) distinguished members who have made significant contributions to the growth and development of SWS over the past decades. The two recipients of this year’s Fellow Membership Award were Mr Perianan Radhakrishnan and Mr William Chong Jun Hua.
Certification and Common Welder Qualification Scheme (CWQS) Committee
Chairman: Mr P Radhakrishnan
Vice-Chairman: Mr Roger Hu Hengbiao
a. SWS Common Welder Qualification Scheme (CWQS) is in place and the next renewal audit has been scheduled in 2020. Three companies have recently expressed interest to become Welder Qualification Test Centres (WQTC) under the scheme. Preliminary submission and meetings were being held and spot check /audit may be carried out on the existing WQTCs to ensure that the integrity of the scheme is maintained.
b. SWS is also currently working on the establishment of a national certification scheme for welding personnel based on ISO 17024 and adopting ISO 9606 - 1 for welder qualification standard.
c. Association of Process Industry (ASPRI) and SWS entered into a ‘Memorandum of Collaboration (MOC)’ on training on 12 February 2019. The signing of the MOC by Mr Charles Quek, ASPRI President and Mr Sze Thiam Siong, SWS President was witnessed by Dr Koh Poh Koon, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Trade and Industry who was the Guest-of-Honour at the ASPRI Process Industry Prosperity Lohei Dinner 2019.
Under the MOC, ASPRI and SWS intend to collaborate and undertake joint activities, initiatives and projects for the Process, Construction and Maintenance (PCM) sector, which include, but are not limited, to the following:
i) ASPRI-Institute of Process Industry (ASPRI- IPI) to become an approved training partner of SWS for process welders’ training courses
ii) Jointly develop and offer subject matter expertise guidance to ASPRI-IPI for welders’ training
iii) Issue a joint certificate (ASPRI-IPI & SWS) to recognise competent 3G and 4G welders
iv) Courseware materials for WSQ Perform Welding will bear SWS logo to demonstrate joint efforts
This MOC is a significant milestone for SWS in its more than 41 years of existence and contributions to the Singapore’s economy. SWS has always been conducting education / skill training programmes for inspectors, foremen, supervisors, engineers and specialists working in industries using welding and joining processes. The Society has also organised seven national welding competitions over the past years for the local welders working in the various industries - oil & gas, petrochemical, marine & offshore and construction. However, this is the first time that SWS will be involved in training of welders for the local industry.
IIW Annual Assembly and International Conference 2020 Organising Committee
Chairman: Dr Sun Zheng
Vice-Chairman: Mr P Radhakrishnan
The 73rd Annual Assembly of the International Institute of Welding (IIW) and International Conference will be held from 19–24 July 2020 at Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre, Singapore. The IIW Annual Assembly is the most prestigious event in the world welding community. It is a whole week event consisting of various meetings and programs. This will be the second time in the IIW’s history that this event is held in this region. Organising such event is of course a privilege and honour for SWS. The Organising Committee has been tasked to plan this important and challenging work.
The Organising Committee was formed in 2018 and consisted of the following sub-committees:
Chairman: Sun Zheng
Vice-Chairman: P Radhakrishnan
Advisor: Sze Thiam Siong
Technical Program: Zhou Wei
Finance / Treasurer: Lim Zhi Yang
Social Program: Lincoln Loh
Sponsorship: Bryan Chong
Industrial visits: Suresh Anandan
Spark Planners Pte Ltd has been appointed as the Professional Conference Organiser (PCO) for this prestigious event. The preparation work for the IIW 2020 Annual Assembly has begun and in full swing. In order to create a better networking atmosphere and showcase Singapore, a series of social programs, including Opening Ceremony and Reception, Singapore Evening and the Banquet will be lined up for the delegates.
As we are expecting to welcome hundreds of delegates from all over the world, it will be a challenging time for the organising committee. The Society will require significant manpower and financial commitments. The Society welcome volunteer members to join the various sub-committees and contribute to the smooth execution of the planned programs. We envisage the sponsorships from our Corporate members will be critical to the success of this event. We also need to attract both overseas and local participants to make this a truly international cum national event.
We have already sent out letter of invitation for sponsorship to all corporate members and industry partners. Different packages have been designed to suit the needs of sponsors and donors and they include ‘Platinum’, ‘Gold’, ‘Silver’ and ‘Bronze’. Interested companies are asked to contact our event organiser, Spark Planner, for more information. Your participation can make a difference to the success of this historic event for the Society.
- Reached out to members, industry stakeholders and associations locally and worldwide through ‘Weldpoint’.
- Organised technical talks for members on advanced welding technologies and related fields.
- Organised Members’ Night for members to interact and share information.
- Continued to monitor the smooth operation of CWQS.
- Signed an MOC with ASPRI to collaborate on welder training.
- Finalised the new SWS website design and payment gateway.
Finally, on behalf of the Council I would also like to express my gratitude to all SWS members for your strong support and confidence placed on us. We will continue the good work of my predecessors and steer the Society in this digitalisation process.
