A Short History of Welding
The modern world would not be the same without significant welding development allowing for everything from household appliances to mile-high skyscrapers. Historic welding development traces back to ancient times and it’s quite fascinating to see how far we’ve come since the Bronze Age. Let’s take a look at the history of welding and its role as a critical technology in the development of modern society.
Bronze Age
The earliest examples of welding come from the Bronze Age, which is the prehistoric era from 3300 BC to 1200 BC. Early welding history laid the groundwork for the first signs of urban civilization. It’s believed ancient Egyptians were the first to try welding, initially with copper and iron before incorporating other metals like bronze, silver, and gold.
Ancient people used charcoal to heat iron ore into sponge iron. These loose particles were hammered together in the first known example of pressure welding. It wasn’t long before the Egyptians were soldering and blowing pipe to join more metal pieces together.
Early Common Era
Moving on to welding history in the common era, records of gold brazing were made starting around 60 CE. This included information about salt as flux and how brazing difficulty can be determined by a metal’s colour. By 310 CE, Indian welders had taken welding to new heights, creating the Iron Pillar of Delhi which has stayed standing through the present day. Made with iron from meteorites, the famous Pillar weighs six tonnes and stands 25 feet tall.
Other important periods include the 1300s when blacksmiths used forge welding to heat metal pieces and bond them together. By the 16th century, the first references to the term “weld” were mentioned in manuscripts. One such example is Benvenuto Cellini, an Italian goldsmith who wrote about soldering and brazing silver and copper.
Modern Welding Development
Welding history from the 18th century paved the way for the Industrial Revolution, which in turn laid the foundation for the advanced welding practices we use today. The discovery of oxygen and the invention of blast furnaces were two major turning points as welding became more common and supported the growth of cities and industries across the globe.
Sir Humphry Davy discovered the electric arc in 1809, and more inventions soon followed, including carbon arc welding, fusion welding, and electrode welding. When robbers used a torch to melt bank vault metal for a break-in, this concept was incorporated into welding practices.
Eventually, thermite welding and alternating current welding emerged, with increasing demand in the 1900s due to World War I and II. Going into the 21st century, welding was at the forefront of major industrial development, spanning residential homes, city towers, cars, airplanes, and factories, to name just a few. Today welding is a multi-billion-dollar industry that touches every corner of the globe and continues to improve with modern technology and advancements.
Experts in Welding Development & Management
Technoweld has been at the forefront of the evolving welding industry for over 25 years, and we proudly offer welding management and consultancy services to ensure the most effective results.
Please contact us today at 1300 00 WELD to explore our comprehensive management and inspection solutions for the Australian welding industry.