voestalpine Böhler Welding: Tradition meets Digitization

voestalpine Böhler Welding – a company with a long tradition that has been setting standards in the welding industry for over 100 years – impresses with a broad product portfolio. The company produces high-quality welding consumables, welding equipment, and accessories. Moreover, it is a leader in areas such as joint welding, repair and build-up welding, as well as brazing and soldering. The company operates more than 40 subsidiaries in 25 countries and works with over 1,000 distribution partners. This makes voestalpine Böhler Welding a global player that supports its customers with innovative and tailored solutions.

However, digitalization also presents major challenges for traditionally rooted industries. The integration of Industry 4.0 technologies – such as connected systems, real-time data analysis, and AI-supported data processing – promises significant optimization of production processes and quality assurance. At the same time, this transformation requires high investments in modern IT infrastructures and continuous training of specialists. Balancing proven practices with the introduction of new digital solutions also involves risks, including data protection concerns and cybersecurity challenges. In this demanding field, RISC Software GmbH has been supporting voestalpine Böhler Welding since 2018 with its expertise in “Digital Product Development.”

Long-term support for digital transformation

The collaboration has always focused on implementing digital welding solutions in industrial environments. RISC Software GmbH contributes by digitizing technological knowledge, capturing large volumes of data, linking with existing digital productivity systems, and expanding the product portfolio. Thanks to these measures, voestalpine Böhler Welding can now fully implement the Industry 4.0 approach in welding technology.

With its contribution, RISC Software GmbH enabled Böhler Welding to launch the digital platform weldNet®. This platform modernizes and digitally maps central processes in welding technology. Furthermore, it brings together various web-based applications that allow welding engineers, technologists, and other professionals to work faster, more accurately, and more efficiently. Two of the core components are the weldNet® Material Manager and the weldNet® Equipment Configurator – each offering specific benefits and added value to customers.

weldNet® Material Manager

The Material Manager is a web-based tool that provides access to a comprehensive, continuously updated database of materials and standards. With over 35,000 base materials – more than 24,000 of which include chemical analyses – professionals can quickly and precisely find the right base material. In addition, matching welding consumables and valid standards (e.g., DIN, EN, ISO, AWS) are displayed. This significantly simplifies the creation and updating of welding procedure specifications (WPS).

Customer Benefits and Added Value:

• Efficiency & time savings: Intelligent search algorithms deliver precise results in real time, enabling quick and accurate material selection.
• Reliability & quality: The continuously updated database ensures that all information – from chemical compositions to valid standards – is always up to date.
• Optimized decision-making: By directly comparing material designations, properties, and standard classifications, the tool supports well-founded decisions that improve welding quality.
• High flexibility & availability: As a cloud-based solution, the Material Manager is accessible 24/7 from any internet-enabled device (PC, tablet, smartphone). This is ideal for professionals on the go.

weldNet® Equipment Configurator

The Equipment Configurator allows welding machines to be individually assembled. Users can tailor all components – from the power source and welding torch to cooling, wire feed, and other accessories – to specific requirements and applications. Additionally, the application supports the entire ordering process by suggesting optimal configurations and even offering saved settings for reuse.

Customer Benefits and Added Value:

• Customized solutions & individuality: The Configurator ensures that each welding machine is precisely adapted to the specific needs and conditions of use, resulting in optimal performance.
• Ease of use & process optimization: Thanks to the intuitive interface, configurations can be quickly created, saved, and reused. This simplifies planning and speeds up the ordering process.
• Transparency & security: A clear overview of all components and their compatibility reduces misconfigurations and minimizes risks in the production chain.
• Flexibility & constant access: As an online application, the Configurator can be used anytime and anywhere – particularly advantageous for time-critical projects.

Both applications increase efficiency, support informed decision-making, and contribute significantly to higher quality and cost-effectiveness in welding practice.