Welding Journal - April 2012 - (Page 4)

EDITORIAL Founded in 1919 to Advance the Science, Technology and Application of Welding The Welding Education Challenge To get a clear visual of welding education today, we must take a look at the past. I was told many years ago that technology didn’t really matter because “welding could be taught with a ‘cracker box’ power source.” I guess it’s all about the perspective one takes on the issue. As I reflect over the last three decades of welding education, I have good memories of student successes and the challenges that educators have faced. One thing has not changed: the never-ending challenge of getting adequate funding for our programs. Twenty-eight years ago, my program had a $10,000 training supply budget for 40 students. This year it was just over $7000 for, you guessed it, 40 students. If you can understand that logic, please let me know. However, we must also realize that welding is the most expensive program our administrators have to operate. Therefore, it is our responsibility as welding instructors to be proactive and willing to work side by side with local industry leaders. We must educate industry on the advantages of helping us produce a well-rounded welding graduate who not only has the needed welding skills, but the math, science, and literacy skills necessary to become an asset to the employer. If you do that, you may find that your program can be self-sustaining. Now, let’s take a look at a few of the changes we have faced over the last 30 years: Technology has impacted our industry just as it has every other industry sector. Remember the previously mentioned quote about technology? Most see this for what it is, “change,” and most of us fear change. But, if we, as welding educators, refuse to embrace change, we will fail our students. We must challenge every student to be the very best he or she can be whether they’re under the hood or in the classroom. It is also imperative that we set high expectations for every student and make sure they understand why we expect so much of them. I’m confident that when we realize these technological advancements have impacted our industry in a positive way, we can get on with the business of welding education as it impacts our students. The AWS Education Committee has made some important advancements in order for welding educators to be able to utilize industry standards. For example, AWS SENSE Levels I and II have been completely revised. We now have AWS accreditation available for welding programs similar to what ASE/NATIF offers for automotive programs. The committee believes that with these programs in place, AWS will be well positioned to assist welding programs throughout the country. The committee is extremely fortunate to have the industry’s skilled trades leaders helping to keep us current with these revisions. Without these individuals and their leadership, our work would be in vain. When we look at welding education, we must look at it at all levels. It could start as young as members of the Boy Scouts or 4-H, or in a high school FFA class or welding program. We have community/technical two-year postsecondary welding programs that may offer a certificate or an associate degree and four-year welding programs that offer welding engineering degrees. Welding manufacturers realized early on that welding education was and continues to be an important part of what they do. We also have excellent private welding schools throughout the country. My point is when you hear the phrase “welding education,” it emcompasses much more than you might, at first, realize. The AWS Welding Education Services department does an outstanding job of offering conferences and seminars, as well as developing new programs and products to meet industry needs, such as the popular CWI seminars and many more. It is also developing customized online courses that meet the needs of those willing to learn on their own time. With a strategic, aggressive marketing campaign, these conferences, seminars, and programs will continue to enhance the lives of those in the welding industry. I believe the American Welding Society is well positioned as we move forward with welding education. I hope the Society will continue to put welding education and, more specifically, welding students high on its list of priorities because they are the future of the Society. Officers President William A. Rice Jr. OKI Bering Vice President Nancy C. Cole NCC Engineering Vice President Dean R. Wilson Kimberly-Clark Global Safety Vice President David J. Landon Vermeer Mfg. Co. Treasurer Robert G. Pali J. P. Nissen Co. Executive Director Ray W. Shook American Welding Society Directors T. Anderson (At Large), ITW Global Welding Tech. Center J. R. Bray (Dist. 18), Affiliated Machinery, Inc. J. C. Bruskotter (Past President), Bruskotter Consulting Services G. Fairbanks (Dist. 9), Fairbanks Inspection & Testing Services T. A. Ferri (Dist. 1), Thermadyne Industries D. A. Flood (Dist. 22), Tri Tool, Inc. R. A. Harris (Dist. 10), Total Quality Testing D. C. Howard (Dist. 7), Concurrent Technologies Corp. J. Jones (Dist. 17), Thermadyne Industries W. A. Komlos (Dist. 20), ArcTech, LLC R. C. Lanier (Dist. 4), Pitt C.C. T. J. Lienert (At Large), Los Alamos National Laboratory J. Livesay (Dist. 8), Tennessee Technology Center M. J. Lucas Jr. (At Large), Belcan Corp. D. E. Lynnes (Dist. 15), Lynnes Welding Training C. Matricardi (Dist. 5), Welding Solutions, Inc. D. L. McQuaid (At Large), DL McQuaid & Associates J. L. Mendoza (Past President), Lone Star Welding S. P. Moran (At Large), ESAB Welding & Cutting Products K. A. Phy (Dist. 6), KA Phy Services, Inc. W. R. Polanin (Dist. 13), Illinois Central College R. L. Richwine (Dist. 14), Ivy Tech State College D. J. Roland (Dist. 12), Marinette Marine Corp. N. Saminich (Dist. 21), Desert Rose H.S. and Career Center N. S. Shannon (Dist. 19), Carlson Testing of Portland T. A. Siewert (At Large), NIST (ret.) H. W. Thompson (Dist. 2), Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. R. P. Wilcox (Dist. 11), ACH Co. M. R. Wiswesser (Dist. 3), Welder Training & Testing Institute D. Wright (Dist. 16), Zephyr Products, Inc. Ed Norman Chair, AWS Education Committee 4 APRIL 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Welding Journal - April 2012

April 2012 - TOC Listing
Unlocking Your Gas Metal Arc Welding Potential - A study sponsored by the National Shipbuilding Research Program investigated low-cost modifications to equipment or parameters that improved welding performance - P. A. Blomquist
Community College Welding Program Update - Many community colleges around the country are equipping future workers with the skills manufacturers need D. Postlethwaite
Modern Power Source Technology Drives Process Improvement - New technology in weld monitoring is making it easier to access the data by all the appropriate personnel and understand how it should be applied to benefit weld quality - T. McEllis
Building a Welding Career from the Ground Up - A thirty-two-year career welder shares her passion for the profession with others in hopes of inspiring them to expand their skills and knowledge
How Today’s Power Sources Aid Pulsed GMAW - The advanced welding machines of today can deliver power to the arc in almost any form and can react with split-second timing to avoid adverse arc phenomena - L. Barley
Fiber Lasers Perform Precision Cutting for Medical Devices - There are many methods to cut thin tubular structures often used in medical devices, but fiber lasers are emerging as the precision machines of choice
Arc Characteristics in Pulsed-GMA Welding with Acute - Groove Angles The characteristics of a joint tracking sensor were monitored under conditions of different groove angles and root openings - R-H. Kim et al.
Design of Experiment and Goal Programming Application for the GMAW Process - This study was conducted to determine critical gas metal arc welding variables and ways to optimize them - Y. T. Iç et al.
Predictive and Measurement Methods for Delta Ferrite Determination in Stainless Steels - The advantages and limitations of predictive measurement methods for δ ferrite are outlined - M. A. Valiente Bermejo
Susceptibility of IN740 to HAZ Liquation Cracking and Ductility-Dip Cracking - Conditions that lead to cracking susceptibility of nickel-based IN740 were simulated to determine an action for its prevention - J. E. Ramirez
Editorial
Washington Watchword
Press Time News
News of the Industry
Aluminum Q&A
Brazing Q&A
Product & Print Spotlight
Coming Events
Certification Schedule
Welding Workbook
Society News
Interpretations D1.1
Guide to AWS Services
Personnel
Welding School Profiles
Classifieds
Advertiser Index

Welding Journal - April 2012