EWI Announces Spinout to Commercialize Welding Training Innovations

RealWeld Systems, Inc. Addresses Skilled Welding Labor Shortage for Manufacturers

COLUMBUS, Ohio, June 25, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- EWI, the innovation leader in materials joining and allied technologies, today announced the founding of a spinout company, RealWeld Systems, Inc., to commercialize its welder training innovations.  The spinout company's flagship product, RealWeld Trainer™, is based upon exclusive licenses of EWI's patent-pending technology that measures and scores critical motions required in proper welding technique.

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"EWI is all about advancing manufacturing competitiveness and increasingly we're commercializing EWI-owned technologies to do that," said Henry Cialone, President and CEO of EWI and Chairman of RealWeld Systems, Inc.  "We are excited to launch RealWeld Systems as our next commercialization venture.  There is a critical shortage of skilled welders in the U.S.  With RealWeld Trainer™ now available to them, manufacturers, vocational schools, and unions can reliably remedy that shortage."

EWI has a long history of innovation, and the company's support for welder training dates back to 2003.  Over the last two years, EWI developed a non-contact technology that precisely measures the critical motions and angles required in proper welding technique while the trainee makes actual welds.  For each welding skill to be taught, instructors can configure a welding specification in the RealWeld Trainer™ software application that includes a targeted zone, or "sweet spot," for each of these critical motions.  Each time the trainee performs a specific weld, the system provides immediate, objective, graphical feedback of all deviations from the sweet spot, which the instructors can then focus on helping the trainee to improve.

"Zane State tested an early version of RealWeld Trainer™," said Deanna Duche, Director of Welding Education, Zane State College.  "By setting the tolerances according to the experience level of the student, it keeps beginners from getting discouraged and keeps the more advanced students challenged.  It also helps my instructors spot a student that may be having trouble, but is reluctant to ask for help."

EWI stated that RealWeld Systems will be making follow-up announcements regarding its leadership team, product availability, reseller channels, and investor opportunities.

About RealWeld Systems, Inc.

RealWeld Systems, Inc. is the commercialization entity for RealWeld Trainer™, the first and only welding training solution on the market that digitally records motions and objectively scores welding technique while performing real welds under production conditions.  RealWeld Systems, Inc. was founded in 2012 by EWI, the innovation leader in manufacturing technologies.  Visit www.realweldsystems.com for more information or follow @realweld on Twitter.

About EWI

EWI is an international thought leader on materials joining and allied technologies. It uses manufacturing technology innovation to increase the competitiveness of over 1,200 member locations of global leaders in the advanced energy, aerospace, automotive, government/defense, heavy manufacturing, oil and gas, and consumer products industries. EWI also operates a variety of technology-based centers and consortia to further increase U.S. manufacturing innovation. To learn more, visit www.ewi.org, email [email protected], or call 614.688.5000.

SOURCE EWI