Method of manufacturing a dome made of welded components

A method of manufacturing a dome, the method comprising:

• providing a plurality of components comprising a plurality of pairs of components, each of the plurality of pairs of components comprising a first component and a second component, the first component having a first body portion defining a first surface and a second surface opposing the first surface and the second component having a second body portion defining a first surface and a second surface opposing the first surface;
• and
• joining the first and second components of each of the plurality of pairs of components together so as to form at least part of the dome, wherein joining the first and second components of each of the plurality of pairs of components together comprises:
• positioning the first component and the second component in an initial position in which the first surface of the first body portion and the first surface of the second body portion are angled from each other by a first angle (α);
• melting a volume of material extending between the first body portion and the second body portion, the volume of material increasing in thickness from the second surfaces of the first and second body portions to the first surfaces of the first and second body portions;
• calculating a predicted change from the first angle (α) to a second angle (β) between the first surface of the first body portion and the first surface of the second body portion during cooling and solidifying of the volume of material;
• trimming either the first or second component to control the second angle (β) obtained after cooling;
• and
• the volume of material cooling and solidifying so as to join the first component and the second component together, the cooling of the volume of material reducing the first angle between the first surface of the first body portion and the first surface of the second body portion to the second angle (β) less than the first angle (α) such that the first surface of the first body portion and the first surface of the second body portion face towards a centre of the dome and the first and second components form part of the dome.