The development of welding methods resulted in a huge development of the industry. Poland has achieved world-class standards in the field of welding thanks to the great commitment of Stefan Bryła – a Polish professor. Among the literature devoted to the field of welding, we recommend reading “The Great Forgotten. Poles Who Changed the World ” by Marek Borucki.
This book differs from traditional scientific textbooks, namely, he book presents biographies of Poles who entered the pages of history in various fields. Among the significant names of inventors, engineers and scientists presented in this publication, welding enthusiasts will surely be absorbed by the biography of Stefan Bryła a welding pioneer – the author of the first welded road bridge in the world, built in 1929 on the Sułdwia river (tributary of the Bzura) in Maurzyce, Zduny near Łowicz in Poland.
The bridge was built under the supervision of Stefan Bryła and with the participation of Belgian welders. Interestingly, in the original design, only the stringers and cross members of the bridge were to be welded, while the rest of the structure was riveted. After Stefan Bryła redesigned the bridge into a fully welded structure, the weight of the bridge decreased by as much as 14 tons. Engineers from all over the world came to Maurzyce to admire the way the bridge was made and design and craftsmanship of our engineer. It is worth noting that welding in those years was just beginning to develop. Stefan Bryła made an outstanding contribution to the development of the field of welding. He took care of, among others, a new method of welding connections for the construction industry, which resulted in the development of the world’s first regulations for welding steel structures in construction in 1928
We very much recommend Stefan Bryła’s biography. His story is truly inspiring.