LABSOLDA - Welding and Mechatronics Institute

Counting on a highly interdisciplinary staff that varies around 45 people, with 3 full Professors, 20 graduate (masters and doctorate) and 22 undergraduate students and 3 technical-administrative coworkers, the Welding and Mechatronics Institute - LABSOLDA of the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil, stands out as one of the most prominent Welding Technology Laboratories in South America. People from various knowledge areas, as welding manufacturing, materials, electro-electronics, informatics, mechanical design, mechatronics and even ICT and graphic design, as well as a world-class R&D infrastructure, unique in Brazil, allow for international level scientific-academic and technological results (publications and projects lists at www.labsolda.ufsc.br). LABSOLDA´s main R&D and Innovation fields are Arc Welding Process, Arc Welding Power Supplies (hardware and software), Welding Automation (sensors systems and robotics), Special Welding Devices (unconventional torch design and accessories), with active presence in the Power Generation, Oil and Gas, Automotive, Agricultural, Aerospace, Naval and Household Goods sectors. The turning of academic studies into applicable solutions both in the research and industrial sectors and the corresponding development of high-level engineering human resources are the absolute driving force at the LABSOLDA. With the solid objective of bringing in innovations in the area of welding and automation, the LABSOLDA has adopted an unorthodox approach in the Brazilian academic environment. In order to enable effective action over the processes in their technical and physical entirety and, thus, deeply understand and manipulate their characteristics in the seeking of industrial solutions, the work approach is configured by the development of own welding and automation equipment, as well as the necessary instrumentation.