Episode 249: Arc to Additive with Mia Abdulla

The CWB Association brings you a weekly podcast that connects to welding professionals around the world to share their passion and give you the right tips to stay on top of what’s happening in the welding industry. Subscribe, listen, and stay connected to the people who keep the world welded together

How does one welding class spark a path into Materials Science research and Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing? In this episode, I sit down with Mia Abdulla, a Materials Engineering Master’s student at the University of Alberta’s Canadian Centre for Welding and Joining (CCWJ), to break down WAAM from lab to shop floor. We explore how it compares to traditional welding, casting, and forging, where it fits in high-stakes scenarios like oil and gas shutdowns, and the real challenges around distortion and heat input. We also dive into codes and standards, qualification and testing hurdles, and the role student chapters play in building the next generation of welding professionals.

Follow  
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mia-abdulla/
Website: https://sites.ualberta.ca/~ccwj/
Register: https://www.ccwjannualseminar.ca/

Find your Local CWBA Chapter Here:
https://www.cwbgroup.org/advocacy/membership/chapters

Thank you to our Podcast Advertisers:
Canada Welding Supply: https://canadaweldingsupply.ca/

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, leave a rating, and share it with a welder who needs a nudge today.

There is no better time to be a member! The CWB Association membership is new, improved, and focused on you. We offer a FREE membership with a full suite of benefits to build your career, stay informed, and support the Canadian welding industry.  https://www.cwbgroup.org/association/become-a-member 

Transcript

Welcome And Sponsor Offer

SPEAKER_07 0:01

Welcome to the CWB Association Welding Podcast. I'm your host, Kevin O'Wat. Let's flip up the lid and spark some conversation. Attention welders in Canada. Looking for top quality welding supplies? Look no further than Canada Welding Supply. With a vast selection of premium equipment, safety gear, and consumables, CWS has got you covered. They offer fast and reliable shipping across the country. And here's the best part. Podcast listeners get 10% off any pair of welding gloves. Use code CWB10 at checkout when placing your next order. Visit Canada Weldingsupply.ca now. Canada Welding Supply, your trusted welding supplier. Happy welding. Hello and welcome to the CWB Association Welding Podcast with me, Kevin Roi. Now April is National Volunteer Month on the CWB Association Welding Podcast, and we're shining a light on people getting involved with local welding communities. Now I have a very special guest tonight, Mia Abdullah. Welcome.

SPEAKER_01 1:10

Hi Kevin, how are you?

SPEAKER_07 1:13

Doing well. I'm actually really excited about this episode because I don't get to talk about welding science too often. So let's let's get into it. Um what what what is your field of study?

SPEAKER_02 1:28

Sure. So uh over the past two years, I'm uh I took up a master's in material science, and my project is kind of cool. It's on wire arc additive manufacturing, or pretty much um 3D printing metal, so welding, but entire components.

Figure Skating Roots And Early Interests

SPEAKER_07 1:45

That's crazy. I love actually like manually 3D printing when I TIG weld. So that that is cool. We'll get into that. Um, I guess let's go back to to your childhood. Um, what were you like as a kid? What were you interested in?

SPEAKER_02 2:00

Yeah, as a kid, I was fortunate enough to be in a bunch of sports, but one kind of stuck out to me. I figure skated for for most of my childhood. I competed in figure skating to a high level until I was 16 years old. And then I ended up coaching figure skating uh till I was maybe 20 or maybe 19. Um, so I think figure skating was a was a very, very big part of my life. Um, it is where a lot of my friends were, it's where a lot of my family figure skates as well. Um, so I think that entirely was was a really big part. Um, a lot of music, I played piano growing up for a very long time as well. So I think those two things combined were a big part of my childhood.

SPEAKER_07 2:44

Cool. So with this figure skating, were you like super competitive?

SPEAKER_02 2:50

Were you kind of wanting to go to the Olympics or you know, I I think that was always the dream when I was a little girl. Like I thought I could do it and I I had a partner. We we would do duets all the time, and I thought, like, wouldn't it be super cool to do to go to the Olympics or do something crazy like that? But no, no. I I ended up not doing that, and I I fell in love with coaching and coaching the next generation of figure skaters. Um, and then I ended up going going into engineering into university when I when I uh hit about 18 years old, so it didn't pan out, but I still I still figure skate and I still coach when I can.

SPEAKER_07 3:24

That's okay. I wanted to be a professional hockey player for a bit, and then I want to be a professional snowboarder for a bit, and then I wanted to be a mechanic that wasn't gonna work out, and here we are welding.

SPEAKER_03 3:36

Here we are. Welding podcast.

SPEAKER_07 3:38

That's right. Yeah, who who would have thought we'd get here, right?

SPEAKER_02 3:41

I love it. It's very Canadian, very Canadian, a snowboarder, a hockey player.

SPEAKER_07 3:47

Yeah, yeah. So was there anything else that led up to you, you know, going towards your field? Like what what were you like in high school? What interested you in high school then?

SPEAKER_02 3:58

Yeah. So I on top of whatever sports or or music I was playing, I did really, really enjoy math and science. And I did like figuring out problems. I think that was like the main thing that I think a lot of engineers is like the cliche thing to say that, you know, I really like solving problems and I really like math. And I did kind of fall into that, to that area where I really liked um problem solving. And I kind of played with the idea of being an architect for a little while or even going into something more um artistic. But I think I chose engineering um just for the the breadth of industries it has. I never wanted, you know, to be limited or not to be able to go and do something. I was interested in so many things, whether it be, you know, all the problem-solving things. Um, so I wanted a degree or I wanted a job that it would let me bounce around a little bit. And so I think that's why I fell into engineering and maybe into material engineering, because it really does touch every industry and every part of the world. And I could travel or or meet a lot of different people with a lot of different backgrounds and still be within that that uh engineering aspect.

SPEAKER_07 5:10

That's really cool. I always tell people that you know, welding touches every single industry, it touches everything that humans touch, basically. Without without welding, there would be you wouldn't see what we have around us. Like it's just impossible.

SPEAKER_02 5:24

So that's I think that's why like I really fell in love with it because there's just so much, so much to learn, so many people, so much. It just it makes me passionate knowing that there's just so much out there.

The Welding Class That Changed Everything

SPEAKER_07 5:36

So, what led to the uh the spark, so to speak, pun intended. What led to that spark that that it was materials, but what led to the welding side of things?

SPEAKER_02 5:48

Yeah. So I was I was in my year three, I think year three or year four of engineering, and I was just about to to graduate, maybe I was in year four, um, and I didn't really know I wanted what I wanted to do. I didn't find an industry I was too passionate about. Everybody at that time was getting jobs. The jobs that they were getting, I wasn't really, I didn't know. I didn't know what I wanted. And I was lucky enough to take uh Patricio Mendez's, Dr. Mendez's uh welding class, and I took it by just a guess. Like I was also thinking of taking polymers, and so I thought, okay, let me take welding and see which one I like better. And I remember walking into the polymer class and I was so confused. I didn't know what was going on. There was so much statistics on the board. I was like, okay, this is not for me. So I think that was Monday, and so on Tuesday I went to Dr. Mendes's class, and even at Patricia, like the man has passion coming out of his ears and eyes. I fell in love with maybe not even voting, just the passion he has for the industry.

SPEAKER_06 6:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 6:53

And a few weeks go by, I end up, you know, signing on for the class or registering for the class, and I see how many projects himself, he himself has worked on, or some of the graduate students in his class have worked on, even some of the alumni, where they work, the projects they work. And the biggest thing is all of them are passionate about what they do. They love what they do. I wanted that. And so I asked Dr. Mendes if I could volunteer for his lab. And I ended up getting what's called the Dean's Research Award, which is just like a little, like stipended amount of money to do like a small, tiny project in a lab of your choosing. And I ended up doing it in the wire arc out of the manufacturing stuff. I fell in love with it. I fell in love with the industry, I fell in love with the people, I fell in love with the people in the lab. It was just, it was amazing. It was like right time, right place, right people. Everything fell into place with this one class. I just so happened to take.

SPEAKER_07 7:50

Yeah, it's crazy. Even when I was around all the the CCWJ people, yeah. Um, like I I couldn't help but get excited. I couldn't like like like half the stuff's going over my head, you know. But at the same time, like all these people have so much passion and so many different avenues of welding that I don't even know about. So you can't help but to to be in there with your eyes open, your ears open.

SPEAKER_02 8:16

So interested in what they're doing and they love what they do. So even if it's something that like I had no idea. Some of these guys were like fourth year PhD students. I had no idea. I was like 21 years old. I I had no idea. And honestly, like they were they're still great and they still explain stuff to me to this day, and it just makes me feel like it's a big happy family where we can all explain things to each other and learn together. So I ended up being very lucky with the CCWJ and getting uh involved.

SPEAKER_07 8:43

Yeah, just kind of fell into it, just happened. So I opened up the wrong door, and here we are.

SPEAKER_01 8:53

I chose the other one and I'm glad I did.

SPEAKER_07 8:56

So, in that in that course, in that little thing that you did, um, was it very hands-on?

SPEAKER_02 9:03

So I took the course back in 2023, and now I just finished TAing the course. So I kind of got to peek around the curtain and see the other side of like what goes on when making the course. Um, but a big part of the course is the live demonstrations. So all of the the students in the class get to come in and learn how to weld some processes. So whether it be MIG or TIG, um, they get to learn some hands-on things, which is very rare in engineering. I there's especially in material engineering, I don't think there's much hands-on stuff. It's a lot of theory in your third year. Um, and I think Dr. Mendez does a great job at showing the theory and showing why we see what we see, and actually showing the kids the hands-on, the hands-on process. Um, so this year I got to teach the kids like Meg and Tig and all like all these processes, and I got to actually weld coupons.

SPEAKER_07 9:58

That's really cool. That was gonna be my next question is do you ever have interest in in becoming a welder and and you're already doing it?

SPEAKER_02 10:06

I would I would totally love to. I would totally love to take on something like that. I sometimes go in with the guys in the lab and they teach me because obviously I I I can't do the best welds, but I do try my hardest.

SPEAKER_07 10:21

That is awesome. You always have something to fall back on. I mean, it kind of sounds like you're pretty successful at what's happening, but if it ever goes south, you could always go into welding.

SPEAKER_01 10:31

I got it. I got it. I don't know if anything would pass for qualification, but like it maybe.

SPEAKER_07 10:38

Maybe all it takes is practice, right?

SPEAKER_01 10:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 10:42

So looking back at at your your childhood and and your high school days, like what kind of skills, what kind of skills or like interests you had keep showing up in in your work today?

SPEAKER_02 10:55

I think a big one is uh the creativity I had in high school and in you know the music side of things. And even like I used to do art and things like that. I think that still plays a big part in how I solve problems today at work. Um, whether it be putting on an annual seminar, like maybe we'll talk about that later and what it takes to host such a big event or what it takes to, you know, put a paper together or or a thesis together. I think creative problem or creative uh thinking is a big one that I I still carry with me today.

SPEAKER_07 11:29

Transferable skills, right? Things that you pick up along the way can always apply to other things.

SPEAKER_06 11:35

For sure, for sure.

Soft Skills That Set Careers Apart

SPEAKER_07 11:37

So you mentioned you got an award or a bursary. I'm a little confused on the dean's award that you got. So you're you you're already, you know, you've earned a lot of recognition in in your early career. So what do you think sets you apart from from the other people around you?

SPEAKER_01 11:56

Okay, then that's a very hard question.

SPEAKER_07 11:58

Just start throwing people under the bus.

SPEAKER_01 12:01

Yeah, I know. You're gonna make me throw everybody under the bus.

SPEAKER_02 12:04

Um I think a big part of who I am and and kind of what I bring is my ability to connect with other people. I think um, you know, throughout my career and throughout engineering and figure skating, I think a big part of why I'm able to progress is my ability to connect with another person or a group of people. And it doesn't matter what background they have or or where, you know, I've been or how much I know about the topic, I'm always willing to learn. And I think that's something that I want to promote in the industry that you know we're all growing and we're all learning. And I think, you know, the ability to communicate with someone is probably a big asset, much bigger than anything you could teach, like hard skill-wise. I think soft skills are are a big portion of who I am.

SPEAKER_07 12:58

That's a very good answer, actually, because you know, from all the breakdowns that I've had at my workplace, usually it comes down to a lack of communication.

SPEAKER_06 13:07

Yeah, right.

SPEAKER_07 13:08

You know, some people might think one thing, some people might think the other. If they only came together and just had a small conversation, things would go smoother.

SPEAKER_02 13:16

Right, right. And everybody can be taught, and everybody, everybody who's willing to learn, I guess, can be taught. But I think it does come down to communication. And and I'm was lucky enough to be part of a lab that communication is one of like our top priorities. Um, and so when there is a problem or when there is something that is big going on, I think a way that I I help the the progress forward is is a good sense of communication.

SPEAKER_07 13:42

Absolutely, and being teachable, that's huge. You know, you could be the smartest.

SPEAKER_02 13:47

Yeah, you could be the I'm willing to learn.

SPEAKER_07 13:50

Absolutely. You could be the smartest person in the room, but there's always something you could learn.

SPEAKER_02 13:56

Yeah, for sure. Be willing to have that conversation. I think it's a big part of of me growing into the industry and and seeing so many other people willingness to learn.

SPEAKER_07 14:07

So, how far along in your journey are you?

SPEAKER_02 14:10

So this, I think I'm coming up to my second year in September. So hopefully by the end of the year, I've wrapped up my master's thesis and on to the next project. Wow. Yeah, so let's let's see if it pans out.

SPEAKER_01 14:26

But that's what we're that's what we're shooting for here.

What The CCWJ Does For Industry

SPEAKER_07 14:29

Right on. Well, congratulations. Seems to be going good. Um, so we did we touched on the CCWJ a little bit. What is the CCWJ for people that haven't heard of it before?

SPEAKER_02 14:40

So the CCWJ is the Canadian Center for Welding and Joining, and it's located in inside the University of Alberta, and it's pretty much a education center for welding engineering. So graduate students are able to come to the CCWJ and work on the projects for Alberta's welding sector. Um, the CCWJ was brought uh to the University of Alberta from a uh need from industry that put in a set amount of money and set amount of precedence to have welding education be brought into Alberta. Obviously, there's a big need in Alberta as we have the booming oil sector and I guess really Canada, as it's the Canadian Center for Welding and joining. Um we do have uh have a need for welding education and pushing out a little bit more um welding signs and welding technology. And I guess that's what CCWJ stands for, the ability to push out that that education.

SPEAKER_07 15:36

Very cool. Now, is there different facets of the CCWJ? Like you're studying one thing, is somebody else studying something else?

SPEAKER_02 15:45

And yeah, so so within the CCWJ, I think a big part of it is we're very collaborative. We all kind of work intertwined with one another. Um, but all of us do have specific projects. So, for example, like I'm in wire arc additive manufacturing. Um, a colleague of mine who I think you know Eddie Alvarez is on handheld laser beam welding. There's yeah, you do, yeah.

SPEAKER_07 16:08

Yeah, yeah, I do know Eddie. Um, I actually I interviewed him in New Brunswick, and I've got like 18 minutes of terrible audio, but talking to him was awesome. Yeah, I couldn't I couldn't use it, but this was in the infancy days of me doing what I'm doing now. So but yes, amazing dude and amazing welder, you know.

SPEAKER_03 16:28

Yeah, that's who teaches me to to to weld sometimes. Exactly, exactly.

SPEAKER_02 16:35

Uh yeah, so there's many, many projects. All of us have our own kind of project or niche, but the CCWJ, there's we're like a family. We all like to get involved in each other's projects and kind of mingle around. So I I think there's there's many processes and many projects and many processes, but we all kind of we all work together.

Conferences And A Global Welding Network

SPEAKER_07 16:55

That's very cool. Now you also talked about traveling as part of your studies. Like kind of what kind of traveling do you do?

SPEAKER_02 17:02

That honestly is I I'm a very lucky graduate student. I I have to say, I'm very lucky at the CCWJ. We travel, we travel quite a lot. Um, I think the very first time I met you was at Canwell's 2023, and it was in Toronto. So that was my very, very first trip. And so the CCWJ usually goes to Canwell's, or I think it's WID now. And we usually go to FabTech every year. So that's two major conferences that the that the lab goes to every single year. Um, so last year we went to WID and then Fab Tech in Chicago. And then the year before that, Toronto and and Orlando. So I've traveled quite a bit to present my research uh at a very young age, I think. And I'm very lucky that Dr. Mendez allows us to do that and provides us not only like the support, but the the push to present on a global stage like that.

SPEAKER_07 17:57

Yeah, that's amazing, actually. So you attend pretty much all the big conferences in North America. Have you been outside of North America?

SPEAKER_02 18:04

Actually, I was lucky enough this year to go to the intermediate meeting for IAW in Spain. It was fantastic. I was able to present some of my some of my work that I'll be finishing up for FabTech this year. Um, but we were able to get a scholarship together and put me and Eddie to Spain. And we ended up presenting both of our projects at the intermediate meeting, which was great because both of our commissions or like our sections were there. So Eddie's was handheld laser beam welding and additive manufacturing were both uh meeting and we were both able to present our topics there. And we were lucky enough that Dr. Mendez kind of pushed us to go and and see not only like the best of the best, but uh go to a completely new country and see what everybody else in the world is doing.

SPEAKER_07 18:50

Yeah, speaking of which, do you feel like the world welding community or the world engineering community is is cohesive?

SPEAKER_02 18:59

Like is everyone kind of doing the same thing, or you know, I have to say that when I was coming into the welding world, or I feel like I still am, but when I was early in my career, I early in the idea of it, um, I was very surprised of how connected everybody is. When I saw Can Weld, you guys are very, very connected. I have so many, I'd like to call them friends now all around the world that I could always reach out with a question or call them at whatever middle of the night it is at their time when I have a question for them. So I think Can Weld CWB especially showed me um how cohesive or collaborative the welding world is. And I think that's one of the reasons I'm so passionate about it, because I see all my best friends loving the same thing and we're all able to speak the same language and and and come together once or twice or three times a year to show what we have going on. Um, whether it be CWB or AWS or IW, I I've seen it really grow. And and CWB was the start of that with with Can Weld in 2023.

SPEAKER_07 20:08

Very, very awesome. Yeah, I every time I go to a conference, that's what happens to me is that not only do I learn a bunch of stuff, but the connections that you can make at these events are insane. You never know who you're talking to or what it's gonna lead to, but it's it's always like such a rewarding experience.

SPEAKER_02 20:28

I know. And we were talking about communication, and I have to give it to everybody uh uh at at uh WID or Kenwell's. They are always so willing to talk to me or talk to my colleagues, they're always willing to learn, but to to give information. So I'm very thankful for for um being able to go to these events and seeing how cohesive the the environment can be.

unknown 20:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 20:52

Do you think there's ever any like competition amongst you know different sectors like the AWS or the CWB in terms of of these events? Like who's better at what we're doing?

SPEAKER_02 21:04

Oh, maybe. I don't know. I feel like you guys kind of take on two different aspects. Um and since you guys, you know, you have the the uh AWS professional program and then you have CWB's Can Weld, I think you both can live in a world that you know it's it's able to be cohesive, especially since so many Canadians are part of the American Welding Society and so many Americans are part of the Canadian Welding Gureau. I think it all is very cohesive. I'm sure, I'm sure in there is there's competition, but from my side of things, everything does seem like we're all pushing towards the same end goal. Um, and it is about welding education and and welding community and and putting that first and foremost, whether it be CWB, AWS, or or globally. Um, I think if we push for that goal, I don't think there should be really great competition in terms of that, especially with the the professional programs in terms of other things, maybe.

SPEAKER_07 22:00

Yeah, yeah. No, that's very true. And you know, we want to push the industry forward. We all want to get better together. And if someone's winning in one side of things, that's going to trickle down to everybody else.

SPEAKER_02 22:12

Sure. I'm sure. Yeah. And you guys the the idea of community and pushing the education forward, I think has always been both sides uh their mandate. And I think keeping that first and foremost is great.

SPEAKER_07 22:26

Yeah. Now one thing I do notice at these events though is it is pretty engineering forward or science forward. It's not a lot of hands-on. And I don't see a lot of people like myself, you know, like the guys that work on the floor in a shop. I don't see a lot of, you know, us there. So how do you think we could change that?

SPEAKER_02 22:48

I think um bringing in some more talks that kind of relate to uh more hands-on concepts. I think we were doing that with WID. Um, we were bringing in a lot more uh demos or uh we were kind of hearing from the mass public to see what they wanted. I think that's a great way. I don't think either side should be essentially shut out. I think there should be a great balance. Um, I'm not entirely sure how to make that balance, but I do think the talks should be representative of who's gonna be there, whether it be more engineering side or more technical side or more hands-on side. Whoever's gonna be there and benefit from it the most, I think the talk should represent that. Um, but you are right, that both sides deserve a voice and deserve uh the ability to get you know brought up and shown in public. I I think we should have a mix.

SPEAKER_07 23:42

Yeah, good answer. I put you on the spot there.

SPEAKER_03 23:45

No, Kevin, you keep doing it. Keep doing it, man.

unknown 23:48

Okay.

SPEAKER_07 23:49

Well, actually, we're gonna take a small break here. We're gonna hear from our podcast sponsors, so hang tight.

WAAM Explained In Plain Language

SPEAKER_00 23:55

FabTech Canada is where manufacturing moves forward. Join us June 9th to the 11th in Toronto for the latest in metal forming, fabricating, welding, and finishing all under one roof. Your competitors will be there. Will you register now at fabtechcanada.com.

SPEAKER_07 24:10

Welcome back with my special guest, Mia Abdullah, um, just an amazing engineer student, just winning all the awards. She welds too. So, so Mia, for someone hearing, and we've mentioned it a few times, uh, wire additive, like you got what's WAM? You gotta tell me.

SPEAKER_02 24:29

Wham. Okay, so WAM stands for wire arc additive manufacturing. And essentially, Kevin, it's a MiG torch on a robot arm building components. So it's essentially a big metal 3D printer. So if you want to build a flange, or if you want to build a valve, or if you want to build an entire chess board pieces with the pons and the kings and everything, you can 3D print it in our WAM or any WAM, essentially. It's a big 3D printer.

unknown 24:57

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 24:58

Wow. Yeah. So everyone knows what 3D printing is now. We're doing it with metal.

SPEAKER_02 25:04

Right.

SPEAKER_07 25:04

Um, so you mentioned a few things like how are you using um Wham?

SPEAKER_02 25:09

Yeah. So here in Alberta, obviously we know that the energy sector is very big. Um, and I think industry came to us with a need. Um, I'll give you a bit a bit of an example, and maybe it's not my example, but I'll I'll paraphrase the example. But uh let's think about if we were up in Fort Mac or where all the oil sands of Alberta are, and we are during a shutdown of one of our big plants, or when a plant goes into maintenance, you know, we're losing a million or ten million dollars a day because we're not producing anything. Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 25:43

Whoa, right?

SPEAKER_02 25:44

And but it's okay. We're four, we're four days away from putting the plant back up online. And Kevin, Kevin, you find an unexpected failed flange. That's fine. It's a$7,000 flange. You call up the original manufacturer, Mia, tell me that you have one in stock. I don't have one in stock. It's gonna take me six months to get one in stock. I don't even have a big enough ingot to get that flange machined out. Well, now we're screwed. Six months at a loss of ten million dollars a day. What are we gonna do? Right? In this case, they were able to find a different ingot in a different part of the world, fly it over to the original manufacturer, and remember I said it was seven thousand dollars?

SPEAKER_07 26:29

It's not gonna be that anymore.

SPEAKER_02 26:31

A quarter a quarter of a million dollars to get that flange. But wow, you're a hero, Kevin. You saved the the company tens of millions of dollars because if you didn't get that flange, you were gonna bankrupt them. So you're a hero. But what if it happened today? Maybe we should have a different solution.

SPEAKER_06 26:49

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 26:50

Maybe wire arc additive manufacturing could be that solution. We could have a wham or a big 3D printer in Alberta's backyard so that when you have were when someone finds an unexpected failure, they could 3D print that part instead of running around the whole globe hoping to find a solution that may not exist. We were the hero that day, or you were the hero that day, Kevin, and you found the flange. But most of the time that doesn't happen. Most of the time the part comes in warped, most of the time the part doesn't show up on time, the wrong part shows up. We really don't want to be in a quarter of a million dollar deficit every other summer, which a lot of these companies are.

SPEAKER_06 27:28

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 27:28

Why are our gative manufacturing or maybe additive manufacturing in the next five, 10, 15 years, could be a possible back-end solution. We could have it on hand just in case we find an unexpected failure and need a part in time.

Codes Standards And Where WAAM Fits

SPEAKER_07 27:44

So yeah. So so do you think we're still on the like infancy stages of this happening?

SPEAKER_02 27:49

I think wire arch additive manufacturing or additive manufacturing as a whole has been around for many years. I think we're just getting to um a point where we can begin trusting it. We do have some codes and standards that came out a couple of years ago guiding us uh for pressure service, but we're still uh a little bit iffy on the trust. And many companies are still a little bit worried on putting it into the pressure service. So I think with time and with successful code cases, and some have come out, some have come out uh quite recently actually. Um, we actually just went to the B31 as be B31 meeting a couple of weeks ago, and I did see some code cases with nuclear and with uh a different sector. And so there is a few code cases coming out where they are using it, but um, I think we are still in our infancy process of adopting it or using it as a as a whole.

SPEAKER_07 28:44

Yeah, and once it does get to that step, then it's gonna be a huge game changer for the industry.

SPEAKER_02 28:50

Exactly. Like we won't have as much, maybe not stress, but panic when when something happens, we always can know that you know there's another um process available just in case.

SPEAKER_07 29:02

Yeah. Do you think that this will ever be the the be all end all? Like all flanges will be 3D printed in metal now.

SPEAKER_02 29:09

You know, I don't I don't know because I don't think additive manufacturing can do uh as many products like casting and forging can do. Mass production of of those parts, I think will always remain cast and forged. Um, but I think wham or additive manufacturing are like uh Patricio calls them like firefighters. You never want them too busy because when you need them, you really need them on time. So if you need that a backlog of a hundred flanges being made before beforehand, you want, okay, like you call Mia up and Mia's gonna print it today.

SPEAKER_07 29:46

Yeah. Yeah. So once you do print this flange or whatever, um, it still has to be processed, still has to be machined, right?

SPEAKER_02 29:54

It does. So many companies out there, um, they machine some areas of it and leave other parts unmachined, but I do think that we are gonna we're gonna have to machine it as a whole, just to get it to specification.

Testing Consistency And Essential Variables

SPEAKER_07 30:09

So right now, since we're still kind of in the infancy of Wham and additive manufacturing, and we still have to machine the parts. What are the biggest hurdles that we're dealing with with this process?

SPEAKER_02 30:23

For for machining, uh just for like a bit of context, if you machine the part, you're only losing um less than 20% of the material sometimes. So you are keeping a bulk of the material um valid for service. So you're not losing a whole lot, but you asked what are the challenges, right? So I think a big part of the challenge and a big part of the work that I'm a big part of the gap in the knowledge that I'm working on is um how do you test these parts? You have these very, very large parts. Are you going to build a sacrificial part every time you need a part? Kevin calls me up for a for a flange. Do I need to build two flanges, break one of them so Kevin knows that the other one is is gonna be okay? Or can I start grouping products together and then only give Kevin you know the list of all the ones that he needs? Um, how do we go about that? If I'm building a sacrificial part, that's gonna delay production. I'm gonna have to wait on an entire different part to to finish being tested before I give you your part. Um but as of right now, we're gonna build qualification walls. So um we build a wall with the same parameter as the flange. We break that, and if that passes, that the flange goes into service. A big gap there is how do we test it? Where do we test the part? The the the block is it's like a big black block box. Where do you even test this part? Where's the weakest point in the part? What are the impact properties? What are the tensile properties? I think that is is some of the biggest concerns is um standardization of mechanical property analysis is a really weird way of saying it, but I think um mechanical testing is is a big one.

SPEAKER_07 32:12

Yeah, no, that makes sense. I mean, how how can you guarantee that that your part is gonna survive? And you know, even though you're testing one side of your part, does it mean the other side is the same? Exactly. So that brings me to another thought is how do you how do you guarantee consistency in your print? We'll call it.

SPEAKER_02 32:33

Right. I think a big part of it is analysis afterwards, maybe not a sacrificial part, but with the um code structure right now, you do analyze, I don't know, procedure qualification block prior, and you're really able to see if you have problems. Guaranteeing, I think, is something that we're still working towards and building that trust with industry and seeing if every part comes out like uh like the last part, and building those essential variables based on uh wire arc additive manufacturing or the process uh that you're using. I think a big uh discrepancy is how similar is WAM to traditional welding and what essential variables differ between the two. Something like printing pattern. So if I'm gonna build like a circle, if I build it like a spiral or if I build it like a bunch of lines, is it going to be mechanically the same? I think things like that completely differ from traditional, traditional welding welding. Hence the essential variable list may need to change. We'll have to see. I guess with time and I guess with my project and projects to come, do the essential variable list need to change for industry to trust that every product produced with that list is this is is guaranteed to be okay for the service.

SPEAKER_07 33:53

Yeah, you mentioned something that's that touches my industry, right? Is joint configuration.

SPEAKER_06 33:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 33:58

You know, it's very important to how a part is gonna hold up and what kind of stresses it can actually handle. So you're absolutely right. Are you are you lapping your welds while you're printing this thing, or are you going across them? Like that's gonna change the science of the metal. Like, can you get into that a little bit?

SPEAKER_02 34:16

Yeah, I think a big part is um the two two kind of conditions. So you have your as welded condition when you don't have um kind of reheating uh weld metal on top of weld metal on top of weld metal, and then you have your reheated zone, which is primarily what my current project is focusing on. That does um those two regions affect impact and tensile properties extensively. As of right now, the code structure doesn't state that you have to test those separately. If you look in ASMI section eight, you're looking at uh heat affected zone or weld metal um impact properties. For an all weld metal additive manufactured block, where do I take my impact tests out of? Where do I take my tensile tests out of to test for the weakest portion, the weakest grain structure or the weakest microstructure? I think that's a big question in additive manufacturing and something that my work will touch on. That does the print pattern, does the repeated heated cycling, does the change in as welded and reheated cycling within the part affect the performance of the part? Or can we assume a uniform or homogeneous structure and test the part anywhere?

SPEAKER_07 35:32

Wow. Yeah. Oh okay, yeah. Yeah, yeah. That's a that's a bit of a mouthful, but so I guess with this block or this part and not being certain that all the grain structures and stuff are the same, um, would you be able to heat this thing up? Would you be able to anneal this part?

SPEAKER_02 35:55

I uh like for sure, for sure. I think that's always going to be an option. I think for critical applications, annealing, quenching, or heat cycling, there's always going to be something that we want to look into just as we do any part or or many parts in our in critical service. Um, but I think the question is what is it coming out of the wham looking like? How much do we need to heat it? What is its current state? And really understanding the grain structure and the essential variables like print pattern or heat input or or any of the other things, uh, and how does that affect the structure as it comes out of the WAM? Can I put it into service? Maybe not critical service, maybe it goes into something else, but we should have a very fundamental understanding of the structure on the inside and how it plays a part on our mechanical properties. Um, it also depends on what kind of stress the product is under or the component is under, and if the uh changes or the heterogeneity of the parts microstructure will um play an issue in in the current service.

SPEAKER_06 36:59

Hmm.

SPEAKER_07 37:01

Wow. I'm I'm learning so much right now. I like I'm getting smarter by the minute. Um what kind of materials can you print with? Are you just using mild steel right now?

SPEAKER_02 37:13

Yeah, right now we're just using ER70-6. So we're we're starting with you know something that everybody everybody welds with. Um, but the the Lincoln Electric, so Lincoln Electric was generous enough to donate uh their WAM machine to the CCWJ for research and to kind of bridge that gap between research and industry with with WAM and push WAM into our industrial sector in Alberta. So we were lucky enough, and I'm lucky enough to be working uh on their on their WAM. But with them, we can print Inkanel, we can print stainless steel, we can print mild steel. There's endless amount of alloys we can print. I've seen titanium being printed, I saw aluminum being printed. Maybe with there are many companies that can print many, many different things.

SPEAKER_07 38:03

That's insane to me. Yes. Because I I haven't touched on too many weld procedures on the alloy side of things. And like I have friends that do it, and it's it's super critical about what temp you start at in, uh, what the interpass temperatures are.

SPEAKER_06 38:19

Exactly.

SPEAKER_07 38:19

The they're doing mathematical calculations about energy inputs into a weld, which is something I would have never thought of doing.

SPEAKER_02 38:27

Yeah, no, I think that's a big portion of of Wham and additive manufacturing because you're building such a big component, how much heat and how much energy is being put into this this amount. We can talk about you know, distortion of the plate that's underneath this massive component. How are you even bolting it down? And if you are bolting it down, the minute you unlock those bolts, it's going to it's going to make a very big distortion.

SPEAKER_07 38:51

Yeah, there's something I didn't even think about because I just think of a 3D printed part as just coming out perfect, but right, and like topping off the little plate like they do on 3D printers, but that's welded to the plate.

SPEAKER_02 39:02

Like we have to cut the that off to a certain extent.

SPEAKER_07 39:05

Yeah, that's crazy because yeah, welding things, they pull hard, just making parts.

SPEAKER_02 39:12

Yeah, and I build like two-inch uh CL150 flanges all the time, and even that, like it's probably maybe two, three hours of print time, and it's quite a bit of distortion under that plate. So that is something to consider with additive manufacturing and printing these big components.

AI As Help Not A Crutch

SPEAKER_07 39:32

That is nuts. Um, I gotta get into it now with all of this knowledge and everything that you have. Has AI entered your scope of field?

SPEAKER_02 39:44

I think that's like the big question, right?

SPEAKER_06 39:47

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 39:47

I think I think to a certain degree, I think AI is always kind of creeping around. Um but as of right now, I feel like I feel like not my current research research projects, but I think AI as a whole is always kind of around. I hear all my interns, they're always putting like ASMI section nine and like looking up little sections of the blurs when I tell them about it. So I feel like stuff like that, maybe understanding things are are going into AI and for for better or for worse. I'm not sure. But I think I think AI is kind of starting to creep up on things.

SPEAKER_07 40:30

Yeah, but more in the sense of using it as a tool to make your learning faster.

SPEAKER_02 40:38

I hope so. Maybe I'm a bit naive, but I I've seen I've seen them, I've seen many people use it as a learning tool right now.

SPEAKER_07 40:46

Yeah, and you might be on my team on this one, but are is having everything at your fingertips, having this AI, you know, giving you the answer right away, is that making you smarter or or dumber, if you can say that word?

SPEAKER_02 41:01

I think it's a bit of both. I feel like I've made a vow to myself not to use it for specific things because I think I'm still learning as you know, as a researcher, as a master's student. I think there's a certain level of like, okay, you decided to do this master's, you decided to do it, not AI. You do have to do the work. So I think I've made a vow to not use it for you know writing or not use it for certain things. But when I'm, I don't know, we're putting a conference together and I need an idea for the web page, I might, I might use AI for it a little bit.

SPEAKER_07 41:34

A little inspiration never hurts.

SPEAKER_02 41:39

I don't know what it's doing. I get some help. Because I think for things like that, uh, it's definitely a tool. Um, but for things close to my heart, like my my thesis, my project, learning about uh welding science, I think that should come from from you. Um and really like you're cheating yourself. Like uh if I were to put uh uh uh you know six papers into ChatGBT and make it summarized for me, am I gonna do that for the rest of my career? Like I eventually I'm gonna have to read one paper. I might as well start learning how to read these things.

SPEAKER_07 42:16

Yeah, I think you answered my question pretty uh pretty honestly there. I if you use it too much, you're not getting any little one day you're gonna get called out and oh, where's my phone? Oh my god, I don't know this, but I know, I know.

SPEAKER_02 42:33

And I've definitely seen it happen where where people use it a bit too much and then put on the spot, they can't they can't perform or they they can't speak. So I think there is a fine balance between the two. I I guess everybody just has to find their own and on what's what they want that to look like.

The Next Decade Of WAAM Adoption

SPEAKER_07 42:50

Yeah, that's fair. I guess come coming back around to to WAM, where do you see WAM going in the next five to 10 years?

SPEAKER_02 42:58

You know, during the the time that I've been with the CCWJ, I've seen case studies come out about WAM. I saw article or QW600 as me section nine QW600 come out, which was the first um protocol to push WAM to pressure service or allow WAM to go into pressure service. And that's just been within the last three, three, four years. So I think if we're looking five years from now, 10 years from now, I do see WAM becoming like the firefighters and industry picking it up and allowing uh WAM to be kind of a more uh crisis fixing, problem-fixing scenario. I think um there's many people working on it. Many people are now gearing WAM research to actual technology, components, case studies. Um, I think with the case studies that are coming out, with projects like my own, I think we are building the foundation where industry will begin to trust wire arch additive manufacturing as a whole. Start trying out this new new technology.

SPEAKER_07 44:03

Yeah. And even if you know in five to ten years we are making parts and they're not absolutely guaranteed to be the best thing ever. Like there's always a safety aspect. Like, you know, it's got to be tested within eight times its its running, you know, pressure or whatever.

SPEAKER_02 44:21

Ut most critical. Like I think baby steps and and taking our time and gaining industry's trust, especially in Alberta. Um, we're a little bit more conservative. We we have a big safety program here. I think with time that'll that'll come. I think parts of Europe have already started using WAM. Germany, parts of Germany have started using WAM. I think eventually we'll get there, we'll get there as well.

SPEAKER_07 44:46

Yeah, that's fair. I'm hopeful.

SPEAKER_03 44:48

I'm hopeful. Maybe I'm naive and hopeful, but I'm hopeful.

SPEAKER_07 44:52

I mean, it's with you working hard at what you're doing, it's it's gotta get there, right? That's the point.

unknown 44:58

Yeah. Yeah.

Student Chapter Leadership And Community

SPEAKER_07 45:00

So okay. Uh I guess we touched on it a little bit, but you are the leader or the chair of the uh U of A AWS CWB Association Student Chapter.

SPEAKER_02 45:11

I am.

SPEAKER_07 45:12

So, what does that work mean to you?

SPEAKER_02 45:15

Honestly, I have built such a community with CWB and AWS. My best friends are in the chapter. My other best friends have now graduated and moved on to the um Edmonton chapter or the Alberta chapter. Um, I think the biggest thing that I've learned from CWB and AWS is how important community is to me and to uh, I guess, the next generation of engineers or welders or whatever it may be. Um, I was very unsure if this industry was for me in the beginning. And I think seeing so many different amazing people go in so many different amazing ways and being so open about it through the CWB and through the CWB chapters, it's really developed this passion for me. So I think I don't know, I I started as like the programming chair or something when I was in my undergrad. I I don't even know if I did anything. I think I just came to the meetings to hang out with my friends and hopefully they'll like me and be my friend. But eventually it ended up like you were working with your friend, and I took on tasks with my friends and we put on seminars. I remember when I first came to the chapter, we put on a cobalt seminar with Sophie as the as the uh chair of chair of the uh CWB student chapter. And honestly, like I just wanted to hang out with all these really cool people. And I remember being a part of the cobalt seminar and being amazed that all of these companies came to the CCWJ on their own dime, their own free will, in the middle of the working week to show Alberta what the Cobot what Cobots had to offer. Um I was amazed. I've gone to many, many events, whether it be with the student chapter, many industrial tours that I I had never gone to before I joined the chapter. I think I've been to you know five or six industrial tours where I got to tour. Like last month we toured Edmonton Exchanger, which is like it was really cool. A couple weeks ago we went to another company. I think in a few weeks we're going to Manlock, which is another company. So I think community was a big thing that the that the chapter meant to me, but also seeing all the opportunities um that welding has to offer was really shown uh through through the through both chapters.

SPEAKER_07 47:41

Yeah, yeah, I agree with you because we just toured uh interpro pipe and steel here in Regina, and we got to see the spiral pipe mill. And I I've seen spiral pipe before, I've welded spiral pipe before, but I have never seen how it comes from literally, you know, the the the foundry or whatever you want to call it. Yeah, it comes out, they they rolled it out. You got this rolled, and they put the rolled in this machine, and then it stretches it, makes it square, then it goes in here. Like it's it's very cool to see these things. And I guess being part of the chapter, you get the opportunities to do all this stuff.

SPEAKER_02 48:17

I got the opportunities, and I've seen so many, so many students, just like myself, graduate and go into so many amazing places and then invite the chapter back so they can show them their workplace and show the next generation of that workplace. And I think that builds so much of like a connection and a friendship between the alumni and the chapters that I was amazed when I first came to the chapter of like some of my best friends have left the lab three years ago, and I'm still such good friends with them and that I can call them at any time of day, whether it be a professional question or a personal question. They'll always be there. And I think the chapter definitely made it um something that that was prioritized in the lab, that like friendship and that community.

SPEAKER_07 49:03

Yeah, I wish that I would see more student chapters across Canada because I think that is that is where the excitement is, that's where the technology is, that's where like the minds are being opened.

SPEAKER_02 49:16

Yeah, and and I know we have one, I know Waterloo has one, I think there's another one. And even between the student chapters, like we talk at Canwelder or WID, we exchange stories and we exchange ideas. The seminar, for example, like I'm sure other other student chapters have have done something similar. We support one another, whether it be going to their events online or them coming to us online. I think it really creates a sense of community in Canada and within the CWB as a whole.

How To Start Research Without Fear

SPEAKER_07 49:47

Very true. So, with all that being said, I guess we kind of touched on a little bit, but like what advice would you give a student that's interested in research um but doesn't really know how to get started or is intimidated by it?

SPEAKER_02 50:04

You know, I when I was first joining the lab, I had kind of went to a couple of labs. So I think the first thing I would tell them is if you're interested in research, don't choose one thing and just stick with it. Try a bunch of things. Welding was the hook for me. I really loved it. It should it could be the hook for someone else, it could not. Try many, many different labs or many different places as a volunteer. Low stakes, low effort. Just see what you like in terms of the technology, in terms of the people. I think that's a big part of a lab. Um I think the two biggest things when you're looking at research is can you get along with the people in the lab and do you actually like your project? I was very lucky that I'm very passionate about my project, very passionate about welding, very passionate about, you know, the chapter and and and the industry. Um, but I also really love the people I work with. And I go to work and I'm happy just to see my friends. And you know, maybe maybe I shouldn't say this on the podcast that Patricia will will maybe listen to, but sometimes we don't get work done.

SPEAKER_01 51:20

And sometimes we can just pass a laugh. But the next day we'll get double work done, I swear.

SPEAKER_07 51:25

I swear. Yeah. I mean, how can you how can you not with Patricio being being your instructor or your professor, so to speak? I don't I don't know how you get any work done any day.

SPEAKER_01 51:37

It's all fun, it's all fun and games, it's all funny.

SPEAKER_07 51:40

When you when you see them though, it's like there's there's maybe a reason I haven't had him on the podcast yet, because like I don't have three, four hours to spend here.

SPEAKER_03 51:48

You gotta, you gotta have him on, Kevin.

SPEAKER_02 51:52

He's turning 60 this this next week, and so we have we have a party, and I'm sure he would be great for your podcast.

SPEAKER_07 52:00

Awesome. Yeah, it's gonna happen. It's gonna happen.

SPEAKER_02 52:02

Oh, I'm sure it will. I'm sure it will. But yeah, I think the two biggest things that if you're intimidated, dip your feet in a bunch of different labs. Like, see what see what you like in terms of the technology with a volunteer position, low stakes, and and really pay attention to the lab dynamics. Like you're gonna be working with these people 24-7. Make sure you like them, make sure that you can get along.

SPEAKER_07 52:32

All very great points. Um, yeah, you don't have to commit to something, you know, you don't have to jump in with both feet right away, right? It's no you gotta you gotta try it out, feel it out.

SPEAKER_02 52:42

Yeah, I was really stuck on polymers. Like I thought I was gonna do polymers for the longest time. I looked at that board and I said no. And I went to Patricia, and I'm glad I found him. So I think, yeah, I I think a big thing is is seeing what's out there. So when you do commit, you're you're fully committed. You you know that this was the thing that that called you. You don't have second thoughts, and what if I tried this lab or what if I did this? You've already seen it, maybe just a little bit, and and something will pop out to you.

SPEAKER_07 53:14

Yeah, and you mentioned too is talking to people, right? We we communication is huge, right? For sure. Talk talk to the people that are in the program.

SPEAKER_02 53:22

Yeah, and I'm sure the graduate students will tell you the truth about the lab. Like that, they they graduate students like to gossip. Okay, like they'll tell you the truth. So I'd say, yeah, see who you're working with, because as a researcher, like you do work really long hours, and and it's great because I get to work with my best friends.

Trivia Night Rivalries And Fun

SPEAKER_07 53:44

Very cool. So I guess I have to ask you, did you participate in National Trivia Night?

SPEAKER_01 53:50

I did, I did, I did, I did.

SPEAKER_07 53:53

How did you feel about Regina winning overall over Edmonton?

SPEAKER_01 53:58

It was quite sad. It was quite okay.

SPEAKER_02 54:00

Okay, you know what? But we won one of the door prizes. Gabby, one of the our um graduate students here, she won the the welding helmet, the pink welding helmet.

SPEAKER_06 54:12

No way, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 54:14

So I I'd say it's sad that Edmonton didn't win, but we won a welding helmet, so I can't be too mad. I can't be too mad.

SPEAKER_07 54:22

That thing is sick. I love it.

SPEAKER_02 54:24

It is, it is, it is, and I was on the leaderboard once, and every leaderboard that came up, I would say like 30 to 50 percent of the Edmonton chapter was on it. So I think that's a win in itself for Edmonton.

SPEAKER_07 54:39

Absolutely, yeah. You are you are known as one of these smarter chapters. I'm not knocking, I'm not knocking any other chapter. Please don't get it wrong here.

SPEAKER_01 54:48

Guys, you heard it here. You heard Kevin say it.

unknown 54:51

You figured Kevin say it.

Handheld Laser Welding Conference Preview

SPEAKER_07 54:53

There's a lot of passionate chapters across Canada. Regina being the most passionate. Well, all right, we're gonna have to have another go next year, but it's all good. Oh, yeah. So, Mia, what is uh what's next for you? What's your your five to ten year plan?

SPEAKER_02 55:12

Five to ten? I think we can go even less, like five months. We in two months we're having the international conference on handheld laser beam welding for our chapter. So I think I'll vouch for that for a little bit. Um Kevin, first, you should come. The podcast should come. You're more than welcome to come and set up a booth. The CWB is already sponsoring. You guys can pretty much have a session to yourselves there and and yeah. So I think if we kind of go back to the the chapter for a bit, every year the the chapter puts on an annual seminar for Alberta's manufacturing sector. So we bring in the top um technology or what's most needed in um Alberta, and we have a two or one-day talk on it. So we have the COBAT seminar, last year was um a different one on structure welding, and this year is the international conference on handheld laser beam welding. So everybody knows handheld laser beam welding is the new up-and-coming technology, and we're hoping, or we're not hoping, we're hosting a two-day international conference with both a technical session and an exposition. So you're getting both sides of everything.

SPEAKER_03 56:28

And Kevin, you're nodding your head. So I hope to God you're gonna be there.

SPEAKER_07 56:32

I'm gonna talk to the handlers and see what we can make happen.

SPEAKER_02 56:36

All right, all right, I'll take it. I'll take it. I'll take it. But yeah, we have we have 12 to 14 speakers already signed on for all over the world. We have speakers coming in from Germany, from the states, from parts of Canada to talk from everything from safety, because we know that's a big thing on handheld laser beam welding, to implementation. We have art welding shops that have been welding for years. If they start implementing laser technology, what do they need to know? For Alberta, we have oil and gas applications, we have aerospace applications, we have parameter control, we have qualification. We even have Walter Sperco coming in to do the qualification gaps for ASMI section nine. So we have a full two-day session on everything you need to know for handheld laser beam welding. By I would say the best of the best coming in to speak.

SPEAKER_07 57:26

Sounds insane.

SPEAKER_02 57:27

It is a going, it's gonna be an intense two days, an intense two days.

SPEAKER_07 57:32

Every expert just coming in and right, every everybody's coming in.

SPEAKER_02 57:36

So, like I don't think I'm gonna sleep Monday to Friday, but Friday's gonna be a great sleep once once everyone's talking for the expo. But yeah, on top of the the technical talks over the two days, we have a huge exposition. I shouldn't say that, but uh an exposition coming in. So we have laser welding companies uh demoing their HOBW units. So we have Miller and we have IPG, we can have Lincoln, we have Primus coming in at our super alloy level. So they'll they'll be demoing their products. We also have laser adjacent companies coming in to demo laser uh safety, things like helmets, enclosures, um, proper PPE, everything. So we have close to 20 uh 15 um sponsors coming in to have an exposition. So we'll have about seven to nine booths, and hopefully, Kevin, you're gonna have your own booth, but we can talk about that later.

SPEAKER_07 58:32

You just keep fucking my tires, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 58:34

Yeah, it's like off the podcast. But um no, we're we're gonna have a big two days, and I think I think you guys should come. And I think any listener that is is interested in in the new technology of handheld laser beam welding should come and see uh see the best of the best, really.

Travel Plans Final Thoughts And Goodbye

SPEAKER_07 58:53

Absolutely. Sounds sounds amazing, right? Yeah, so you you personally though, not let's put let's put the work and the studying aside.

SPEAKER_02 59:02

Okay.

SPEAKER_07 59:03

What what what do you have coming up for yourself?

SPEAKER_02 59:06

Well, like I said, I'll I'll graduate in maybe the fall, maybe the winter, and then take some time off. And I'd really like to travel. I've done some traveling in the past, but I think a big bucket list item for me right now is to go to Japan. The season to go to Japan is around March, right? The with the blossoms. So I think yeah, that's the big ticket item right now.

SPEAKER_01 59:29

Maybe go to Japan in March and then possibly start a PhD, Kevin.

SPEAKER_07 59:36

Ooh, more studying, more studying, a little break for Mia, but then she gets back to work. Exactly. You need the break in Japan. I want to go to Japan, it seems like an amazing place to visit. So great. I really, I really hope you do.

SPEAKER_02 59:50

And I love the food, and apparently they have great stationery, and I love pens and everything to do with stationery. So I think I really want to go to Japan next year.

SPEAKER_07 1:00:01

That is awesome. I did not know that about you, but thank you very much for sharing.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:06

So now I have like all those CWB pens that are ever, those are all mine. Like I have an entire box somewhere.

SPEAKER_07 1:00:13

Yeah, it's probably a shadow box, and it's gonna be up on your wall.

SPEAKER_03 1:00:16

Exactly. Exactly. Top 10 best pens, CWB.

SPEAKER_07 1:00:21

You get the right on. Well, Mia, thank you so much for being my guest today. Uh, it was amazing. Once again, I've learned so much. I love doing this. And uh, do you have a thought that you want to leave the listeners with?

SPEAKER_02 1:00:35

No, I I love the CWB, I love the welding community, and I can't wait to make a great impact in the next couple years.

SPEAKER_07 1:00:43

Great. Well, thank you everyone for listening. This has been the CWB Association, a welding podcast. We've got episodes dropping almost weekly. Sometimes we get busy, we slip up, we're all human. But uh stay tuned. Thanks very much for listening.

SPEAKER_04 1:01:12

You've been listening to the CWB Association Welding Podcast. If you enjoyed what you heard today, rate our podcast and visit us at cwbassociation.org to learn more. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions or suggestions of what you'd like to learn about in the future. Please subscribe and thank you for listening.