I'll bet this has been suggested before and so you folks have probably already gone over this ground? however since I didn't turn up much in searching at this level of the discussion; I'll bring up the ideas for a pair of subtopic categories.
Small Shop Robotics for Welding.
I think this is a growing segment of the welding trades and services and like the mainframe computer formally a three story building used by Detroit's auto conglomerates or world wide banking- what we're using to reading this remark is more powerful and smaller by 100 times than the air conditioners on the main frames of the past.
Robotics was an exotic high tech industrial tool set reserved by cost and knowledge to world class manufacturing with unlimited budgets and labor problems. Now, the cost has dropped as a host of companies buy and refurbish the welding robots of 10 and 15 years ago; for resale to the down market smaller business.
Computing used to cost by the second to rent on mainframes a now is pennies for more power, welding robots used to be reserved for multimillion dollar businesses and now is affordable compared to a Miller TIG power supply.
There are lots of small shops were intelligently applied robotics could be a major profit center if the knowledge base were wider so those businesses could learn enough to try to apply this technology.
Like the PC compared to a Main Frame CD6500 from IBM circa 1968-72; the older usage model will disappear and new ideas will re-apply robotics to every day welding chores at a profit.
A forum here would allow those in the trades to see the basics discussed, and allow them to overcome lack of familiarity and see others' solutions.
Next:
Welding Business Forum.
We've seen lots of prospective start-ups posting in the other categories and the topics are really business related but business related to welding services are a specialty that seems to me most associated as an aspect of the Welding Web Forum.
A half dozen Sticky's and some archived reference threads would go a long way to help those who're just considering the concept, not actually planning to make the move-themselves. Those who're sure they want to try, may find a collection of welder's posts about the in's and out's of starting and running their own shop worth more than if they read on some site about 'home businesses'? Why, well I think the members here are more seasoned in the exact circumstances others will face if they 'pull the trigger' on their own shop.
Last
Thanks for the site, the Mod's and Admin's time and effort to keep the peace as the pieces are discussed and the overall cost and effort to mount the site and pay its rent.
Kevin Morin
Kenai, AK