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 […]

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 […]

Welding Procedure Development: Selecting the right filler metal

Selecting the filler metal should not be a trivial matter.  The easy way out is to select a filler metal that has matching strength, meaning that the minimum specified tensile strength of the filler metal matches that of the base metal. However, this is not always the best option. In some cases it may be beneficial to use undermatching filler metals.  There are many factors to consider when selecting the right filler metal. Understanding requirements in the areas of strength, ductility, wear resistance, corrosion resistance, in-service demands, cost and productivity is essential.  

Key Components of Effective Welder Training Programs

Continuous learning is something that is very important for both personal and professional development.  This applies to all industries and to all positions.  The welding industry, as many of its counterparts, is challenged with a workforce that is lacking the skills necessary to do the job.  This is driven by the increased demand for welders, […]

Who is responsible for determining weld size?

Who determines what size a weld should be?  This is a question we ask many of our customers.  And we never seem to get a straight answer.  In a perfect world, the design engineer should specify all weld sizes and clearly communicate this through welding symbols on the print.  But that is hardly ever the […]

4 Types of Loading in Welded Structures

There are four types of loading experienced by welds and welded structures.  These types of loading are a function of the strain rate (the rate at which deformation occurs in a material due to an applied load) and the number of loading cycles experienced by the welded member.   The 4 types of loading are: Static […]

3 Mistakes that lead to distortion in welding

Distortion caused by the heating and cooling cycles of welding is extremely problematic.  It can place structures out of dimensional tolerance creating costly rework.  In some cases parts need to be scrapped.  Understanding the causes of distortion and the properties of the metal being welded are an absolute necessity for those managing welding operations.  There […]

Learning Welding Symbols: Groove Welds

The ability to write and/or interpret welding symbols is essential for many welding industry professionals including welders, supervisors, CWIs, welding engineers, estimators, QC personnel and more.  Yet, less than 5% of the customers we consult with have at least a basic understanding of welding symbols.   Welding symbols communicate vital information to the welder.  It allows […]

Why demand for aluminum welding is increasing

The ability to develop welding procedures for aluminum and aluminum alloys coupled with the ability to weld these alloys is becoming even more important for fabricators. Whether it is a job shop producing different products every day or a firm that specializes in a single product, the ability to fabricate out of aluminum is necessary. […]