WeldGalaxy · Project

Online Marketplace That Helps Buyers Find the Right Welding Equipment Faster

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Imagine you need welding equipment for your factory, but you're drowning in catalogs from dozens of suppliers across Europe, unsure which machine fits your specific job. WeldGalaxy built an online B2B marketplace — think Amazon for industrial welding — where buyers describe what they need and the platform recommends the right equipment, consumables, and services. It even lets manufacturers digitally test whether their equipment meets a customer's requirements before anything ships. The whole thing runs on cloud infrastructure with blockchain to keep transactions transparent and secure.

By the numbers

EUR 7,500,000

EU funding for platform development

consortium partners across the supply chain

countries represented in the consortium

SME partners in the consortium

total project deliverables completed

58%

industry partner ratio in consortium

The business problem

What needed solving

Finding the right welding equipment across dozens of European manufacturers is slow, manual, and error-prone. Buyers waste time comparing specs from catalogs, often ending up with equipment that doesn't perfectly match their production requirements or regulatory standards. Meanwhile, EU welding equipment manufacturers — especially SMEs — struggle to reach global buyers and compete against larger international competitors.

The solution

What was built

A B2B online marketplace platform connecting welding equipment buyers with EU manufacturers, distributors, and service providers. The platform includes a knowledge-based equipment selection tool, digital 'plug and produce' manufacturing simulation, inventory management, and blockchain-secured transactions. Two rounds of integrated prototypes were demonstrated.

Audience

Who needs this

Welding equipment manufacturers looking to sell to global buyers onlineIndustrial procurement managers sourcing welding equipment and consumablesAutomotive and aerospace OEMs with complex welding supply chainsShipyards and heavy fabricators needing regulatory-compliant welding solutionsWelding equipment distributors wanting a digital sales channel

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Automotive manufacturing

enterprise

Target: Car body assembly plants and automotive OEMs

If you are an automotive manufacturer dealing with the headache of sourcing welding equipment across multiple suppliers and standards — this project developed a B2B platform with a knowledge-based selection tool that matches your exact welding requirements to the right equipment. The platform covers equipment, consumables, and services from EU suppliers across 8 countries, with digital testing of equipment capabilities before purchase.

Shipbuilding and marine fabrication

mid-size

Target: Shipyards and heavy steel fabricators

If you are a shipyard struggling to find welding equipment and consumables that meet marine-grade regulatory compliance — this project built a platform that streamlines the equipment selection process against your specific requirements and regulations. With 12 consortium partners including 8 SME suppliers, the marketplace connects you directly to qualified EU welding product manufacturers and service providers.

Welding equipment distribution

SME

Target: Welding equipment distributors and resellers

If you are a welding equipment distributor looking to expand your reach to global buyers without heavy marketing spend — this project created a digital marketplace with built-in inventory management and digital marketing tools. The platform uses blockchain technology for transparent and secure transactions, giving your products visibility to industrial buyers worldwide.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

How much does it cost to use the WeldGalaxy platform?

Based on available project data, the platform was developed as a B2B marketplace model, but specific subscription fees or transaction costs for users are not disclosed in the project documentation. The project received EUR 7,500,000 in EU funding for development. Contact the coordinator for current pricing.

Can this platform handle enterprise-scale procurement across multiple factories?

The platform was designed with scalability in mind, using cloud-based infrastructure on providers like AWS or Google Cloud with clustering, load balancing, and caching. The RESTful API architecture and blockchain layer were specifically chosen to support high-volume industrial use. It was demonstrated with prototypes integrated into the live platform.

Who owns the platform IP, and can I license or white-label it?

The platform was developed by a consortium of 12 partners led by TWI Limited in the UK. IP ownership and licensing terms would be governed by the consortium agreement. Based on available project data, the conceptual framework was designed to be adaptable to any manufacturing domain beyond welding.

Does the platform meet industry regulatory requirements for welding standards?

Yes — the knowledge-based engineering tool was specifically built to factor in regulatory compliance when recommending equipment. The selection process matches equipment to customer requirements including applicable welding standards and regulations.

How long does it take to integrate with our existing procurement systems?

The platform uses a RESTful API architecture, which is a standard integration approach for modern procurement systems. Based on available project data, the 'plug and produce' digital manufacturing capability was demonstrated through two rounds of prototype integration. Specific integration timelines would depend on your existing systems.

Is the platform still operational after the project ended in 2022?

The project closed in March 2022. Based on available project data, the platform was built on commercial cloud infrastructure (AWS/Google Cloud) designed for long-term operation. Current operational status should be verified at the project website or with the coordinator.

Can this platform concept work for industries beyond welding?

Yes — the project objective explicitly states that while full capability was demonstrated in welding equipment and consumables, the conceptual and functional framework can be used in any industrial domain related to manufacturing. This makes it potentially licensable for other equipment marketplaces.

Consortium

Who built it

The WeldGalaxy consortium is heavily industry-oriented, with 7 out of 12 partners coming from industry and 8 being SMEs — a 58% industry ratio that signals strong commercial intent. Led by TWI Limited, a globally recognized welding technology center based in the UK, the consortium spans 8 countries (ES, FR, IL, NO, PL, RO, SE, UK), giving it broad European market coverage. The mix of 3 universities providing research depth alongside the industry majority suggests the platform was built to be market-ready rather than academic. For a business considering this technology, the high SME count means the consortium itself represents the kind of companies that would both supply and use such a marketplace.

TWI LIMITEDCoordinator · UK
LULEA TEKNISKA UNIVERSITETparticipant · SE
ROMSOFT SRLparticipant · RO
TECHNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS LTDparticipant · UK
FLOWPHYS ASparticipant · NO
FUNDINGBOX ACCELERATOR SP ZOOparticipant · PL
FUNDINGBOX COMMUNITIES SLthirdparty · ES
AEONX AIparticipant · FR
EKON MODELING SOFWARE SYSTEMS LTD*EKONparticipant · IL
UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTERparticipant · UK
UNIVERSIDAD POLITECNICA DE MADRIDparticipant · ES
ARTEEVO TECHNOLOGIES LTDparticipant · IL

How to reach the team

TWI Limited (UK) — a major welding research and technology organization. Reachable through their public website.

Order a report on this consortium See TWI LIMITED profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore how WeldGalaxy's B2B marketplace technology could work for your procurement or your own equipment sales channel? SciTransfer can arrange an introduction to the project team.

Order a report on this topic More in Manufacturing & Industry 4.0