Seneca College - RED 2017 - 39

GIVING
BACK

44

Hours of work that a $500 bursary
could save a Seneca student
earning minimum wage.

CWA Foundation

PHOTO: JOANNE RATAJCZAK

A deep dive
in search of a
better weld

STUDENTS IN SENECA'S Underwater
Skills (UWS) program, based
at King Campus, receive training relating to commercial
diving, welding, construction,
inspection, repair and salvage
work. Their unique training leads them to rivers, lakes
and canals around the world,
in both the offshore oil and
onshore construction sectors
of the diving industry.
There are few programs like
these in Canada, and graduates
are in hot demand, as is the
knowledge that UWS faculty
and students can provide
through research.
Recently, the UWS commercial diver training program
entered into an applied research
partnership with the Canadian
Welding Association (CWA).
The focus is a promising
new "Temper Weave" underwater welding technique to
create higher grade welds than
are currently possible for
structures completely submerged underwater.
Foundation funds will help
Seneca conduct research to
attempt developing an underwater welding procedure that will
produce wet welds of the same
quality and consistency as dry
welds. The funds will be used to

purchase specialized materials
and equipment, including
low carbon steel for simulation
welds. Based on the results
of the initial research, the
CWA Foundation has also committed additional funds in the
coming years.
"This research will contribute
significantly to how our industry approaches underwater
welding," says Deborah Mates,
Director, CWA Foundation.
"Collaborating with Seneca
was a natural fit, given their
proficiency and expertise in this
area and the positive impact
findings can have on welding
projects globally."
Research will be led by Seneca
Professor Mike Borean, who
says that people don't generally
think about how difficult and
complex it is to fuse metals
together "in the wet." Yet, if it

can be done consistently, with
high quality results, the impact
would be significant.
"To configure a dry chamber
or habitat surrounding a
structure submerged underwater is a large, costly task," says
Mike. "This is an opportunity
for time and cost savings
across many underwater welding applications."
Thanks to the water-based
resources at King Campus,
including Lake Seneca and the
40-foot-deep indoor dive tank,
Seneca is well positioned with
the infrastructure, equipment
and expertise to conduct this
kind of research. It is scheduled
to get underway this fall.

Learn more about Seneca's UWS program:
senecacollege.ca/fulltime/UWS

Collaborating with Seneca
was a natural fit given their
proficiency and expertise in
this area and the positive
impact findings can have on
welding projects globally.

Underwater Skills students take
the plunge into Lake Seneca,
where they develop their welding
skills and engage in applied
research projects.

RED

2017 39
http://www.senecacollege.ca/fulltime/UWS
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