Why Should Metal Fabricators Care About Metallurgy

Metallurgy should matter to all of those involved in welding. Welding is a fascinating process. We take two pieces of metal, heat them up, and fuse them together, creating a single, solid piece. But what’s really happening to the base metal when we weld it with an electric arc, such as that used in GMAW […]

Understanding Element Design: The Foundation for Successful Weld Design

Weld design is a critical aspect of any structural or mechanical project, encompassing the selection of appropriate weld joints, sizing, filler metals, and ensuring both safety and cost-effectiveness. However, before we delve into the specifics of weld design, we must first understand its predecessor: element design.   What is Element Design? Element design is the initial […]

Weld Failures: Why They Happen and How to Prevent Them

When a weld fails in the field, the consequences can be catastrophic. Our experience as welding engineering consultants has shown us that such failures often expose deeper issues within a company’s welding operations. These situations can lead to fears of additional failures in other products or structures, potential harm or fatalities, litigation, and even bankruptcy. […]

8 Common Mistakes Made When Using Prequalified Welding Procedures

Before getting into today’s topic we wanted to make you aware of a new resource we are creating and which will be available soon.  Prequalified Welding Procedures for Steel Fabricators will provide a list of prequalified procedures written in conformance with AWS D1.1 Structural Welding Code which can be used in the fabrication of carbon […]

3 Effective Ways to Reduce Welding Rework

Rework is extremely costly, especially in welding.  If you consider what happens when a weld is rejected it is essentially triples the amount of work. You weld, you remove the weld, you reweld.  On top of this it may require additional inspection.  So, reducing rework can save considerable amounts of time and money. 

How to Control Welding Fumes

We all know welding fumes are bad for your health.  Companies that do a lot of welding are paying special attention to this matter and trying to create better working environments not just for welders but for everyone in the shop.  Has your company taken any steps to reduce or control fume generation?  In this […]

6 Challenges When Increasing Deposition Rates

It is not a secret that increasing our deposition rates, measured in pounds per hour (kg per hour in metric units), can result in increased productivity. Deposition rate is the rate at which we are depositing weld metal.  It is different from the melt-off rate. Melt-off rate is the rate at which we consume our […]

The Most Dangerous Weld Defect

Have you ever wondered if there is one type of welding discontinuity or defect that is the absolute worst one to have?  Have you heard that cracks are by the far the worst?  Or do you think others like lack of fusion, undercut or overlap can be worse?  The reality is that there isn’t a […]