Ship Welder Course

Lesson 1 • Personal Protective Equipment

Teaches correct selection, fitting, and maintenance of PPE for welding operations. Proper PPE use is the first line of defence against welding-related injuries.

Lesson 2 • Shipyard Hazard Identification

Covers physical, chemical, and electrical hazards common in marine fabrication environments. Connects hazard awareness to injury prevention and regulatory compliance.

Lesson 3 • Fire Prevention and Control

Addresses hot-work permit systems, fire watch duties, and extinguisher use in marine settings. Directly reduces fire risk during cutting and welding operations.

Lesson 4 • Confined Space Entry Procedures

Explains atmospheric testing, ventilation, and communication protocols for welding inside ship compartments. Confined space entry is a critical shipyard competency.

Lesson 1 • Introduction to Welding Processes

Surveys arc, gas, and resistance welding categories and their shipyard applications. Provides context for selecting the right process for each marine task.

Lesson 2 • Heat Effects on Metal

Explains heat-affected zones, distortion, and residual stress caused by welding heat input. Managing heat effects is essential for maintaining structural integrity in ship hulls.

Lesson 3 • Weld Discontinuities and Defects

Identifies porosity, cracking, undercut, and incomplete fusion causes and prevention. Defect knowledge underpins quality control throughout all subsequent welding chapters.

Lesson 4 • Weld Joint Design and Symbols

Teaches standard joint types, groove geometries, and welding symbol interpretation from engineering drawings. Accurate symbol reading is required for all production welding tasks.

Lesson 1 • Vertical and Overhead Position Welding

Develops skill in 3G and 4G positions, addressing gravity effects on molten metal. Vertical and overhead welding are essential for in-place ship hull and structure repairs.

Lesson 2 • SMAW Equipment Setup

Covers power source types, electrode holders, cables, and ground connections for SMAW. Correct setup ensures arc stability and operator safety before striking an arc.

Lesson 3 • Arc Striking and Bead Techniques

Teaches scratch and tap arc-starting methods, travel speed, and bead manipulation. Consistent bead technique is the foundation of all SMAW position welding.

Lesson 4 • Electrode Selection and Storage

Explains electrode classification, coating types, and moisture control for shipyard conditions. Proper electrode management prevents hydrogen-induced cracking in structural welds.

Lesson 1 • FCAW Positional Welding Techniques

Applies FCAW to flat, horizontal, vertical, and overhead positions on structural joints. Positional technique adapts gun angle and travel speed to control the weld pool.

Lesson 2 • FCAW Quality and Productivity

Addresses deposition rate, interpass cleaning, and defect prevention specific to FCAW. High productivity must be balanced with quality standards required by marine classification rules.

Lesson 3 • FCAW Equipment and Wire Systems

Covers wire feeders, drive rolls, liners, and contact tips specific to FCAW systems. Proper equipment setup prevents wire feeding problems that cause weld defects.

Lesson 4 • Self-Shielded vs. Gas-Shielded FCAW

Compares FCAW-S and FCAW-G processes for outdoor, confined, and overhead shipyard applications. Process selection directly affects shielding effectiveness and weld quality.

Lesson 1 • Metal Transfer Modes

Explains short-circuit, globular, spray, and pulsed transfer and their shipyard applications. Transfer mode selection determines penetration, spatter, and positional capability.

Lesson 2 • GMAW on Steel Plate

Applies GMAW technique to fillet and groove welds on mild and high-strength steel. Steel welding with GMAW is common in ship outfitting and structural repair work.

Lesson 3 • GMAW on Aluminium

Addresses aluminium-specific challenges including oxide layer removal, porosity, and burn-through. Aluminium GMAW is essential for superstructure, decks, and small craft construction.

Lesson 4 • GMAW System Components

Identifies power source, wire feeder, gun, shielding gas supply, and control systems. Understanding each component enables efficient troubleshooting during production welding.

Lesson 1 • Weld Repair on Existing Structures

Covers defect removal, preparation, and re-welding of in-service ship components. Repair welding requires additional assessment steps not needed in new construction.

Lesson 2 • Structural Member Fabrication

Applies welding to beams, frames, brackets, and gussets used in ship structural assemblies. Structural welding requires precise sequencing to control distortion in large assemblies.

Lesson 3 • Pipe Welding in Fixed Positions

Teaches 1G, 2G, 5G, and 6G pipe welding positions using SMAW and GTAW processes. Fixed-position pipe welding is required for ship piping systems in all orientations.

Lesson 4 • Welding Deck Plating and Bulkheads

Addresses butt and fillet welds on large flat panels representing ship decks and bulkheads. Panel welding requires distortion management strategies unique to thin, wide plate.

Lesson 1 • Welding Procedure Specification (WPS)

Explains essential variables, non-essential variables, and WPS document structure. A valid WPS is required before any production welding on classified ship structures.

Lesson 2 • Procedure Qualification Records

Covers test coupon preparation, mechanical testing, and PQR documentation requirements. The PQR provides objective evidence that a WPS produces acceptable mechanical properties.

Lesson 3 • Classification Society Requirements

Introduces marine classification body rules for procedure and welder approval in shipbuilding. Classification approval is compulsory for structural and pressure-boundary welds on vessels.

Lesson 4 • Welding Quality Management Systems

Covers quality plan development, traceability, and non-conformance control in shipyard welding. A documented quality system supports consistent compliance with classification requirements.

Lesson 1 • Visual Inspection Techniques

Teaches systematic visual examination of welds using gauges, lighting, and acceptance criteria. Visual inspection is the first and most frequently applied quality check in shipyard welding.

Lesson 2 • Magnetic Particle Testing

Explains magnetisation methods, particle application, and indication evaluation for ferrous welds. Magnetic particle testing reveals surface and near-surface defects in steel ship structures.

Lesson 3 • Liquid Penetrant Testing

Covers penetrant application, dwell time, developer use, and indication interpretation. Liquid penetrant testing detects surface-breaking defects in welds and heat-affected zones.

Lesson 4 • Radiographic Testing Overview

Introduces X-ray and gamma-ray film interpretation for internal weld defect detection. Radiographic testing is required for pressure piping and critical structural welds on ships.