China and Russia was Awarded Gold Prize--IIW Rooted for the Competition

—— Opening Event of Belt & Road and BRICS Skills Development and Technology Innovation Competition was Closed Successfully in Shanghai

                                                                      June 30^th, 2017

IIWžCWSžArc Cup 2017 International Welding Competition (hereinafter referred to as 2017 Arc Cup Competition) co-hosted by IIW (International Institute of Welding), CWS (Chinese Welding Society), CWA (China Welding Association) and OC ARCIWC (Organizing Committee of Arc Cup International Welding Competition) was held in Shanghai during June 24^th- 30^th, 2017. 2017 Arc Cup Competition, as one of the wonderful events of 70^th IIW Annual Assembly & International Conference, got big support and extensive participation of Chinese government and BRICS Countries and won a positive response among Belt & Road Countries.

Over 300 professionals in welding technology and skills of 73 Participating teams from 4 BRICS Countries (Russia, India, China and South Africa) and 8 Belt & Road Countries (Kazakhstan, Slovakia, Mongolia, Ukraine, Vietnam, Cameroon, Nigeria and Spain) and people from all walks of life (around 1000 people in total) attended the Opening and Closing Ceremony of 2017 Arc Cup Competition.

253 Chinese participating representatives of 26 Central Enterprises (like China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation), other 10 enterprises, 18 colleges and universities (such as, Harbin Institute of Technology) and 3 representative teams from Hongkong China in aerospace, aviation, energy, transportation and marine, etc. welding-related fields of basic industrial system participated in 2017 Arc Cup Competition.

Mr. Chris Smallbone, Board of Director of IIW and Honorary Chairman of Welding Technology Institute of Australia (WTIA), and Dr. Liu Zhenying, Chairman of BRICS Business Council SDWG and Secretary-General of OC ARCIWC, hosted the opening ceremony of 2017 Arc Cup Competition, which was transmitted live by China Central Television (CCTV) and Russia Central Television and was reported by China News Agency and dozens of other domestic and foreign media.

Ms. Cécile Mayer, Secretary-General of IIW, delivered a warm speech on behalf of IIW. She said: “Dr. Liu Zhenying and the Organizing Committee of Arc Cup International Welding Competition are persistently implementing an idea which can be summarized as such: interest, enthusiasm, progress and innovation are achieved by sharing and comparing to others”.

Mr. Minaev Serge, Team Leader of Russia National Agency of Welding Controlling (NAKS), gave a speech on behalf of foreign participating teams. It was the second time for Russia NAKS team to participate in Arc Cup Competition. It was a big team with competitors participating in all competition processes.

Competitors performed well, displayed and showed their unique skills during 5-day tense competition, representing a wonderful event. 14 Individual Prizes and 2 Team Prizes came out, during which, Team Gold Prizes of enterprises were awarded for CRRC Group, Russia NAKS team and CEEC Group, Team Gold Prize of schools and universities for Jiangnan Shipyard Group Vocational and Technical School and other Prizes for corresponding participating teams.

This International Welding Competition consisted of the Fifth International Welding Skills Competition, the Fourth International Robot Welding Competition, and the First International Welding Technology Competition. The Fifth International Welding Skills Competition was divided into 6 projects, including, Shield Metal Arc Welding (111/SMAW), Gas Metal Arc Welding (135/GMAW), Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (141/GTAW), Oxygen Fuel Gas Welding (311/OFW), Finished-product Welding (111SMAW/141GTAW/135GMAW/136FCAW) and Welding Competition for Non-regulated Projects. Each competition project was excellent, making global welding skills reach a new level.

2017 Arc Cup Competition Gained Great Support of IIW and Recognition from International Welding Field

2017 Arc Cup Competition gained great support of IIW and recognition from international welding field. Gary Marquis, the Chairman of IIW, Doug Luciani, the incoming Chairman of IIW, Cécile Mayer, the Secretary-General of IIW, attended the Opening Ceremony and Closing Ceremony of 2017 Arc Cup Competition and delivered speeches respectively. Vice-Chairman and Board of Director members, like Ang Chee Pheng, Ernest Levert, Chris Smallbone, David Landon and Jouko Lassila, Chairman of Training Committee, like Carl J. Peters, Secretary-General of Asian Welding Federation (AWF) and Chairmen of National Welding Society from America, Finland, India, Vietnam, Nigeria, Cameroon, Kazakhstan and South Africa attended the Opening Ceremony and Closing Ceremony and awarded winners.

During IIW Annual Assembly, Mr. Gary Marquis, Chairman of IIW, awarded Dr. Liu Zhenying Certificate of Recognition and Honor for IIWžCWSžArc Cup 2017 International Welding Competition and special Metal Plate. He appreciated that 2017 Arc Cup Competition, as one of the three important events of 70^th IIW Annual Assembly & International Conference, had made contribution to the progress of world welding technology.

Mr. Gary Marquis, Chairman of IIW, and Dr. Liu Zhenying awarded winners of Assylbek Chonekbayev from Kazakhstan and Mou Shichao from CRRC Qingdao Sifang Co., Ltd. Certificates and congratulated them on their excellent performance!

Mr. Doug Lucian, the incoming Chairman of IIW addressed a speech during the Closing Ceremony. He said: “The international welding area fully recognizes the achievements of the Arc Cup International Welding Competition. We will work together to create a welding competition with influential and international charm, a real welding "World Cup"!”.

Certificates of Award of 2017 Arc Cup Competition were signed and issued by IIW, CWS, OC ARCIWC and Organizing Committee of BRICS Skills Development and Technology Innovation Competition. The certificates with the signature of Gary Marquis, Chairman of IIW, will gain recognition among 59 member countries of IIW and in the World Welding field, raising the value of honor of 2017 Arc Cup Competition greatly.

International Welding Technology Competition was Introduced for the First Time, Creating an International Welding Competition Precedent

The First International Welding Technology Competition was an effective attempt, which attracted 45 competitors from domestic and foreign enterprises and schools & universities in aviation, petroleum, electronics, transportation, nuclear, energy, machinery and other industries. Many latest researches and application achievements of enterprises were disclosed during the First International Welding Technology Competition.

Zhouwei, Chairman of Expert Committee of the First International Welding Technology Competition, tenured Professor of Nanyang Technological University (Singapore), and Chairman of Singapore National Committee of International Standardization, appreciated that this international competition with high-tech provided a valuable opportunity of training, learning and exchange for engineering technicians and researchers in front line of welding production and students who determined to be occupied in welding technology research.

Luo Yu, Judge of the First International Welding Technology Competition and Professor of Shanghai Jiao Tong University considered that subject research and application presentation in different industries and fields created an opportunity of mutual learning and experience sharing and provided an effective platform of application and promotion for New Technology, New Process, New Equipment and New Material came from real production and New ideas.

Robot Welding Competition Became Mature, Being the Highlight of Competition

The Fourth International Robot Welding Competition was held in Essen Welding & Cutting Fair venue from June 27^th - 29^th, 2017. During this Robot Welding Competition, domestic and foreign competitors competed against each other with excellent skills, attracting numbers of people. Tens of international welding experts, such as, Mr. David Landon, President of American Welding Society (AWS), and Mr. Dmitry Sudakov, Vice-President of Russia Worldskills viewed the Robot Welding Competition on site.

This Robot Welding Competition was divided into two parts to examine the skill level of competitors, that is, Single Welding Robot Competition and Robot Welding All-Round Competition. Single Welding Robot Competition was to assess the competitors’ mastery of key points programming of robot welding by using designated welding robot (FANUC for this competition). Robot Welding All-Round Competition was to assess the mastery degree of competitors for different types of Robot by adopting FANUC and GSK Robot. Competition results shows that the programming abilities and operation skills of competitors have been improved obviously. And competitors from China and Russia performed excellently.

Welding Skills Competition Played an Important Part in the Improvement of Overall Welding Skills

Welding Skills Competition, a traditional competition, could encourage youth professionals to become outstanding skilled talents by learning technologies and practicing skills. Nowadays, the development of internet has attracted numbers of young people, which results in neglect of basic welding industry.

Therefore, this high-level welding competition with large-scale provided a good chance of exchange and mutual learning for competitors, which intrigued the welders’ enthusiasm of welding technology learning and stimulated the motivation of welding skills research, promoting the cultivation of welding professionals and pushing forward the progress of welding skills.

A Stage of Application and Presentation of New Technology and Skills

2017 Arc Cup Competition adopted multiple new technology achievements, such as “Automation Test Equipment of Weld Appearance Dimension”, which ensured the promptness and objectivity of judgement effectively and decreased the work intensity of Judges greatly. This was a giant step in the judgement development of welding competition.

Welding Competition for Non-regulated Projects of 2017 Arc Cup Competition consisted of long weld welding of aluminium alloy, bonding surface restoration of high pressure valve, overlaying technology of high hardness alloy, 4G aluminium alloy plate welding plus obstacle, 2F, 2G and 4G stainless steel plate argon-arc welding.

Welding Competition for Non-regulated Projects were set to promote the exchange and promotion of special skills, share the resources in welding field and provide ideas and solutions for technical problems solving in production, which can be regarded as a good creativity.

Creating a New Platform for International Alliance of Skills Development for Belt & Road and BRICS Countries

IIWžCWSžArc Cup 2017 International Welding Competition, a specialized welding competition, was the opening event of Belt & Road and BRICS Skills Development and Technology Innovation Competition.

During the Opening Ceremony of 2017 Arc Cup Competition, all participants witnessed the Signing Ceremony of initial members for International Alliance of Skills Development for Belt & Road and BRICS Countries. 27 Organizations became the initial members of the Alliance: organizations from Russia, India, South Africa, Singapore, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Hongkong China, Beijing ARC XINXING Science & Technology Co., Ltd., CRRC Qingdao Sifang Co., Ltd., Aviation Industry Corporation of China, CNPC International Welding Training Centre, School of Naval Architecture, Ocean & Civil Engineering of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai TAYOR Heavy Industry (Group) Co., Ltd. and Guangxi Technological College of Machinery Electricity. Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. and China Shenhua expressed their willing to join in the Alliance subsequently.

Establishment of the Alliance won the recognition of preparatory committee of 2017 BRICS Leaders’ Meeting and approval of BRICS Business Council. The Alliance plans to set up 60-100 training centers in different fields among Belt & Road Countries and build an international professionals cooperation platform of vocational skills development, engineering capacity cultivation and intelligent technology innovation and cultivate international high-tech and highly-skilled professionals so as to push forward the process of infrastructure construction in Belt & Road and BRICS Countries and global industrial development.

Russia team joined in the OC ARCIWC during the 2017 Arc Cup Competition. Members of Russia team expressed that they would try their best to do effective work for OC ARCIWC. Under the common effort of 15 members from different countries and regions, Arc Cup Competition has provided a win-win platform of skills sharing, exchange and cooperation in several years, realizing the tenet of platform establishment, skills and experience exchange, team training, deep understanding, cooperation strengthening and joint development.

Belt & Road and BRICS Skills Development and Technology Innovation Competition is one of the important achievements during the period of China serving as rotating presidency of BRICS Countries in 2017. Other 4 modules of Belt & Road and BRICS Skills Development and Technology Innovation Competition - BRICS Youth Maker Competition, Machinery & Electricity Skills Competition, Intelligent Manufacturing and 3D Printing Skills Competition and China Intelligent Manufacturing Challenge will be conducted in Kunming, Nanning, Hangzhou and Shanghai City, China in August successively.