44TH ASIAN WELDING FEDERATION (AWF) MEETINGS IN HANOI, VIETNAM
The 44th Asian Welding Federation (AWF) Meetings and the 19th Asian Welding Technology
& Applications Forum were successfully hosted by the Vietnam Welding Society (VWS) from 14 to 16 May 2026 in Hanoi, Vietnam. Concurrently, the 17th International Exhibition on Metalworking & Welding Technology in Vietnam – METAL & WELD VIETNAM 2026 and the Vietnam International Hardware and Manual Electric Tools Exhibition – HMET EXPO VIETNAM 2026 were also held during this period. In addition, VWS organized the International Welder Competition – Golden Hand Cup from 14 to 15 May 2026. All these events were held at the Friendship Cultural Palace, Hanoi.
The AWF Meetings and the Technology & Applications Forum, which are biannual events, were well attended by delegates from welding societies and institutes across Asia. Full member representatives included the China Welding Association (CWA), Chinese Welding Society (CWS), The Indian Institute of Welding (IIW), Indian Welding Society (IWS), Indonesian Welding Society (API–IWS), Japan Welding Engineering Society (JWES), Malaysian Welding and Joining Society (MWJS), Welding Institute of Malaysia (WIM), Mongolian Material Science and Welding Society (MMSWS), The Myanmar Society of Welding Engineering (MSWE), Philippine Welding Society (PWS), Singapore Welding Society (SWS), Welding Institute of Thailand (WIT) and the Vietnam Welding Society. Associate members in attendance included Beijing ARC Xinxing Science and Technology Co. Ltd. (BAX), the Welding Technology Division of the China Building Material Machinery Association (CBMMA–WTA) and Kampuh Welding Indonesia (Surabaya).
The meetings provided a platform for committees and sub-committees to deliberate on key areas including the Common Welder Certification Scheme (Audit, Documentation, Technical Expert, Implementation, and Certification), standardization and specification development, welding technology and applications, the AWF website, marketing and IT initiatives, education and training, and membership matters. These discussions concluded in the AWF Steering Committee Meeting and the 44th AWF Governing Council Meeting on 15 May 2026, during which several proposals were reviewed and approved.
The 19th Asian Welding Technology & Applications Forum comprised of five sessions:
- Industry Trends
- Welding Applications in Cutting-Edge Industries
- Advanced Welding for Green Manufacturing
- Digital Transformation in Welding (including IoT)
- Standards & Certification.
The Forum featured twenty-one distinguished speakers from across Asia who shared their insights on emerging trends, technological advancements, and best practices in the welding industry.
Following the Forum, AWF delegates visited the Joining and Welding Research Institute (JWRI HUST-UOsaka) at the Hanoi University of Science and Technology. The Research Institute was established within the framework of the project ‘Strengthening research capacity in welding for HUST – Vietnam’ supported by a grant from the Government of Japan. It functions under the School of Mechanical Engineering, HUST and comprises three specialized laboratories: Welding Process, Welding Metallurgy and Welding Physics.
VWS graciously hosted the AWF delegates to dinners on 14 and 15 May where the strong camaraderie among AWF members was clearly evident through both formal engagements and social interactions.
On behalf of SWS, we express our sincere appreciation and gratitude to the Vietnam Welding Society for their excellent organization, thoughtful planning and warm hospitality. Their commitment and attention to detail contributed greatly to the success of these events.
The next AWF meetings and Forum are scheduled to be held in Tokyo, Japan from 16 to 19 September 2026, in conjunction with the Japan International Welding Show 2026.
