Monday, January 10, 2011

Training to be a Welder in Gainesville, Florida

Training to be a Welder in Gainesville, Florida

If you are considering a Gainesville welding career you should consider obtaining an Associate's Degree before looking for employment. A Gainesville welding Associate's Degree will allow you to find better paying employment because your skill level will be higher than an on-the-job trained welder.

Welders are one of the most necessary jobs in all of the construction trades. Buildings, bridges and even roads cannot be constructed without a welder to build the frames. Equipment used to construct other objects is first made by a welder. Welding is a profession that will not disappear, even as technology accelerates.

What Will I Gain From Taking Gainesville Welding Courses?

A Gainesville welding Associate's degree will give you all the knowledge and training necessary to be a well rounded welder. You will learn the different types of welding styles such as arc welding or stick welding, and you will learn about the different types of metals that can be bound by this process.

To pursue your Gainesville welding career you will need to know the different types of gases that are used and how to properly mix and regulate them. Welders must be very careful that they are knowledgeable about the proper ways to use these flammable products.

You will gain trade-specific knowledge with your Gainesville welding courses, such as blueprint reading and interpreting welding symbols. You will also learn about the other equipment often used in the trade.

What Does The Future Hold For Welders?

Welding is one career that you do not have to worry about the recession hitting, or that it will become a “dated” profession. As long as things need to be built, there will be a need for welders. Welding is a profession that can almost guarantee steady work, something that not many professions can promise.

If you train to become a welder in Gainesville you will be pleased with the outcome. As in any profession, a person with a degree will always make a higher wage. Welders with a degree can look forward to advancement within their companies. Many companies have begun to hire welding inspectors as a way to provide quality assurance. These inspectors make very respectable wages. However, all welding inspectors are required to hold an Associate's Degree or higher in welding to be considered for the position.

Monday, December 13, 2010

Why Should Women Consider a Career in Welding?

Though not a traditional field most women have chosen, welding is a great field for a woman who like to work with her hands and be creative using a variety of metals.

Why is Welding a Good Career Option for Women?

Women in welding basically have the job of adjoining any two metals; be it two pipes, steel beams or other objects. Many plants and factories are in need of welders. Many women like welding because traveling is often involved, such as in construction jobs. Also, work is often varied, making for an interesting and constantly changing career.

Welding is also a good paying and solid career. According to recent data, the average income for welders is about $39,000. Individual salary will depend on the job, the experience level of the welder and geographic location.

What Skills Do Women Bring to the Table?

As many women naturally pay attention to detail, have a steady arm and are meticulous in their work welding can be a great career choice for them. Women in welding need to generally be in good physical condition and have good dexterity. Women are also known to have more patience, and great motor skills making them often some of the best welders.

What is the Outlook for Welding Careers?

The need for welders is not expected to go down in the near future. Both newly trained and experienced welders should be able to find work. Although automation in some areas has caused a decline in available jobs, welders are still needed to adjust welds, operate the welding machinery and make other necessary adjustments.

However, many welding job responsibilities simply cannot be automated; a professional welder is often absolutely necessary. Such welding duties may include: factory repairs, construction work and making small batches of items, among other necessary job skills.

Welding Schools for Women

Welding courses for women can be found in various locations. Many community colleges and other institutions offer extensive training in welding, some being specifically designed for welding or specifically designed for women.

After completing formal training, which may include an Associate's degree in welding institutions will often help you find a suitable company for you to enroll in an apprenticeship. Through the apprenticeship program, you will receive much more hands on training and experience, while getting paid. Apprenticeships often can last for up to 3-4 years. After finishing the apprenticeship, women welders can become certified by passing the AWS exam. For women interested in this skilled trade, a welding career may offer a great future.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

How the GI Bill Changed After 9/11

How the GI Bill Changed After 9/11

In 2008 the new post 9/11 GI Bill was signed into law. The new bill went into effect on August 1, 2009 and offers new educational benefits for military veterans. The benefits are provided to servicemen who served on active duty for 90 days or more after September 10, 2001.

The post-9/11 benefits are tiered based on the amount of time spent in active duty after 9/11. The new educational benefits include up to 100% tuition and fee coverage. If eligible, the VA will pay tuition and fees directly to the student's school. The tuition and fee payments are capped at the highest tuition and fee rates at a state operated college or university.

Post 9/11 GI Bill Housing Stipend

Eligible veterans also have the ability to receive a housing stipend as they pursue their post-Military education. The stipend is based on the school’s zip code. Payments average around $1,200 a month, but can go as high as $2,700 a month. Students are not required to live on campus to receive benefits.

The new benefits include a book stipend of up to $1,000 for veteran members or members of the Guard and Selected Reserve. The payment is made at the beginning of the term and the amount paid depends on the number of credit hours taken. Active members are not eligible for this stipend.

One-time Relocation Allowance

There is also a one-time relocation allowance included in the new bill. Eligible veterans receive a $500 payment to help them move from a rural area to attend school. There are specific requirements that must be met in order to qualify for this benefit. Candidates must reside in a county with 6 persons or less per square mile. Students must either physically relocate 500 miles to attend school, or travel by air to physically attend school if no transportation by land is available.

Individuals who have served 6 years after August 1, 2009 and have signed up for 4 more years of active duty have the ability to transfer benefits to their spouse. Eligible members can transfer benefits to their dependents after they have reached their 10 year anniversary.

Veterans who are eligible can receive up to $2,000 for a certification or licensing exam, work-study programs, and $100 a month for tutorial assistance.

The post-9/11 GI Bill and other veterans scholarships offers eligible veterans more flexibility and enables them to reach their educational goals. Many individuals have taken advantage of the new benefits and more are likely to in the future.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Different Welding Techniques – An Overview

Different Welding Techniques – An Overview

Welding is simply the process of joining metals together by using a heating mechanism. The Egyptians welded iron during the Iron Age around 1000 BC. There are various types of welding processes and many techniques that are used today to mend iron and other metals together. Welding is a skilled trade, and for those considering a career in welding, a welder degree may be the best option for proper training and career placement. There are many techniques for welding using various technologies, but we will briefly examine three welding techniques; manual, semi-automatic, and automatic.

Manual Welding

First, manual welding is done mostly by hand and with the assistance of an electrode. This is the most common welding technique and it is also the oldest. During this procedure, you use the electrode and an electrode holder to weld the metals together. Arc welding is a common type of manual welding in which heat and the electrode is used to join the metals together.

Semi-Automatic Welding

Next, semi-automatic welding is a relatively new technique that is gaining popularity among many operators and welding training specialists. In this method of welding, the electrode is motor-driven and it set at speed to help the operator complete the welding task. Advanced techniques in welding technology can be found at your local vocational or trade school. Interview a welding instructor and you will get key information about the best techniques to use while working.

Automatic Welding

In automatic welding, the electrode is automatically placed along the metal joint to do the welding for the operator. Simply put, there are machines that will do Gas Metal Arc welding, Gas Tungsten welding, MIG, TIG and various other types of welding. Automatic welding processes are used to seal oil lines, gas lines, and water lines.

There are additional types of welding such as Electroslag, Flax- Core, Conventional, Pulsed, Plasma, Sheiled, or Submerged. There are many ways to operate and use welding machines and equipment.

There are many techniques that are used in welding and processes change as new products and inventions are brought to the market. A good welding school will be on top of the latest welding techniques and will be able to provide prospective students with information on the job market for skilled welders. As technology changes, the welding industry changes with it; adapting and developing stronger, more efficient welding techniques no matter the physical or economic conditions of the job.

For those exploring attending welder school, the industry provides a variety of career options around the world.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Latest Advances in Modern Welding Techniques

Latest Advances in Modern Welding Techniques

Welding is the sculptural process that joins metals or thermoplastics by causing coalescence using techniques such as forge welding, arch welding, torch welding, etc., forming a strong cohesive bond between pieces. This is achieved by melting the workpieces with heat and pressure and including filler material to form a weld pool that cools to become a strong joint to produce the weld. Energy sources such as gas flame, laser, electron beam, ultrasound, friction are utilized in industries that weld in various environments. Because so many industries utilize welding in their everyday work, welder training has become more popular for those looking for a challenging career.

After WWII, many welding techniques such as shielded metal arc welding, gas metal arc welding, flux-cored arc welding, submerged arc welding and electro-slag welding came to the aid of manufacturing sector. Later years witnessed the development of laser beam welding, electron beam welding and most recently, robot welding. However, the world of welding is changing rapidly, becoming more advanced as the trend towards adapting high technologies and sustainable values in this field continue to be an essential strategy. Many industries such as government, energy, aerospace, automotive, chemical, electronics, manufacturing and medical industries where welding takes on crucial role are depending on more sophisticated methods to cope up with the demand. Because of this high demand, many job seekers are looking toward a welding career to take advantage of the multiple opportunities available.

New Trends in Advanced Welding Techniques

Below are some advanced welding techniques that might help address and replace the shortcomings of conventional types of welding.

Hybrid Laser Arc Welding: Combines the advantages of laser welding and gas metal arc welding and unlike the commonly used arc welding, this method carries out the penetration of metals deeply with a high power of 15kW at higher speeds along with the advantage of low heat input and less filler metal usage. High-speed video, non-destructive evaluation and mechanical testing are put to action to assess process stability, weld integrity and properties.

Friction Stir Welding of Hard Metals: FSW provides negligible distortion, low maintenance cost, little weld shrinkage, consistency throughout the process and automatic operation. Being proved to be highly efficient in welding thick sections of around 1.5in of aluminum alloys with a single pass, this technique is a savior for hard metals like steel, titanium and nickel-base alloys.

Resistance Weld technique uses electrical current coupled with force that heats the joint to be repaired or welded. Welding can be done on any part of the metals and unlike manual arc welding, this method automatically checks welding quality.

Additive Manufacturing technique: One unique capability being developed in which high power ultrasonic additive system deposits successive layers of strip materials using a solid-state welding process to produce net-shapes to optimize processing procedures.

There are many welding courses that can get interested job seekers on the road to a challenging career in this ever-evolving industry.

Monday, August 23, 2010

Learning Welding and Working on Creating Art through Welding

Creating Art through Welding



From the art of welding, to welding art.

Have you ever noticed how often simple, or pedestrian, skills end up making their way into the refined world of art? The skills used to fashion artistic pottery descended directly from the ancient crafting of bowls and water jugs. The artistic woodworker who creates beautiful inlaid murals and dioramas is practicing techniques born in the ancient trade of carpentry. The skill of welding metal together has evolved into an art form as well.

Welding's Evolution into Art

Welding has always been considered an art form by those artisans practicing the skill, and even from the days of blacksmith forge welding, craftsmen have taken the opportunity afforded by working with softened metal to let their personal artistic flair peak out.. Schools where you can Learn Welding even classify it as an industrial art, and in the world of industrial application a welder's skill is judged as much by the appearance of his welds as their actual functionality. It only stands to reason then, that the industrial skill of welding would make its way into the recognized art world in the form of metal sculpture, and as the science of welding has improved and expanded, so has its use in the creation of art.

Welding In Art

The earliest uses of metal in art involved either attaching polished pieces of reflective metal to an object, or hammering a malleable metal into an object of art. With the development of the forge came the ability to permanently join two pieces of metal to one another, and welding was born. The use of welding in the creation of art did not really take off until after the invention of flammable gas welding, which made the process portable and much more controlled. Fast forward to today with the different types of stick and wire welders, allowing the joining of virtually any kind of metals, and you can see how welding found a home in the art world.

Welding As Art

Almost from its invention, the skill of welding has been employed in the creation of art, primarily as a method of attaching metal pieces together to form sculpture. Many people, however, do not realize the integral role welding can play in the creation of art, beyond simply joining two pieces of metal. The act of heating metal to its melting point changes the physical characteristics of the metal, to the point of altering its shape and color. Under the control of a skilled artisan, these "distortions" can be used to enhance the artistic beauty of the piece.

Learning Welding

If you're interested in learning welding, you should look for Welding technology courses in your area. These schools not only teach pipe welding and structural welding but also often offer welding inspection courses. See what's available near you!

Thursday, July 29, 2010

How Welding Shaped the Development of the United States of America

How Welding Shaped the Development of the United States of America

You cannot become an industrialized nation without the welding trade. It is that simple. Every important structure, from bridges to skyscrapers, needs a welder to create the inner skeleton. Machinery cannot be created without the help of welding. Roads, farm equipment and even cars cannot be made without the assistance of welding. It’s a crucial job that builds powerful nations.

The Importance of Welding in Construction

Welding is often overlooked for its importance, but several welding methods are important aspects of building. When constructing a crane you must weld the body parts together. That crane, in turn, is used to lift the steel erectors to weld the body of a high rise. The truck that brought the crane to the job site was welded together to make it road worthy. The highways with their steel frames and bridges with their steel construction were all assembled by welders.

Underwater Welding Helping the US’s Development

Underwater welding enabled great feats to be accomplished. Emergency boat repairs made by underwater welders have saved lives and cargo. Bridges have been stabilized after hurricanes and earthquakes when welders dive to fix the unseen damage. Military vessels return home safely when repairs are made out to sea.

Welding as a Staple of Everyday Life

Without such a profession this country would look like a third world nation, devoid of the many amenities it offers. Each and every object that is used to make another thing has first been made by a welder.

Welding will continue to be a stable job in our society. As we continue to grow and our knowledge expands, the need for welders will remain. Even the Space Shuttle needed to be welded together before it could travel, and astronauts on the International Space Station all need to know how to weld in the event of an emergency.

Welding Jobs Today

Welding jobs can be found in any industry and in every area of the United States. Manufacturing jobs, development jobs, construction and engineering jobs all require working with this trade to make their ideas come to life. Whatever the future will bring for this country it can be assured that the equipment needed to make it happen will be made by a welder. If you want to learn welding and earn a welding degree you should contact a welding school in your area today!