Arc Welding Course

Lesson 1 • Regulatory Compliance and Documentation

Introduces safety data sheets, inspection logs, and workplace safety regulations. Compliance documentation is a professional requirement in all industrial settings.

Lesson 2 • Ventilation and Fume Control

Explains local exhaust ventilation, natural airflow, and fume extraction systems. Proper ventilation is mandatory before any arc is struck in the shop.

Lesson 3 • Fire Prevention and Emergency Response

Covers hot-work permits, fire watch duties, and emergency procedures. Students practice extinguisher use and evacuation protocols relevant to welding shops.

Lesson 4 • Personal Protective Equipment Selection

Teaches correct PPE selection and fit for arc welding tasks. Proper gear use directly reduces injury risk during all practical exercises.

Lesson 1 • Heat Input and Metallurgical Effects

Connects amperage, voltage, and travel speed to heat input calculations. Students predict how heat input affects the heat-affected zone and base metal properties.

Lesson 2 • Welding Power Sources and Characteristics

Examines constant-current and constant-voltage machines, duty cycles, and output curves. Students match power source type to the welding process being used.

Lesson 3 • Electrical Current Types and Polarity

Covers AC, DC electrode positive, and DC electrode negative and their effects on penetration and deposition. Polarity selection is critical for process-specific performance.

Lesson 1 • Base Metal Identification and Properties

Covers carbon steel, stainless steel, aluminum, and cast iron characteristics. Metal identification skills prevent mismatched filler selection and weld failures.

Lesson 2 • Welding Positions and Accessibility

Defines flat, horizontal, vertical, and overhead positions and their difficulty levels. Position awareness guides procedure selection and welder qualification requirements.

Lesson 3 • Weld Joint Types and Geometry

Introduces butt, T, lap, corner, and edge joints with groove and fillet variations. Joint geometry directly determines fit-up, access, and required weld volume.

Lesson 4 • Filler Metal Classification Systems

Explains electrode and wire classification numbering for strength, position, and coating type. Students decode filler designations to select correct consumables.

Lesson 1 • Flat-Position Stringer and Weave Beads

Develops travel speed control and weave patterns for flat-position bead deposition. Uniform bead width and reinforcement height are the measurable outcomes.

Lesson 2 • SMAW Equipment Setup and Inspection

Covers machine selection, cable sizing, electrode holder inspection, and work clamp placement. Correct setup prevents electrical hazards and ensures stable arc performance.

Lesson 3 • Electrode Selection and Storage

Explains low-hydrogen, cellulosic, and iron-powder electrode types and their storage requirements. Moisture-contaminated electrodes cause porosity and hydrogen cracking.

Lesson 4 • Slag Removal and Weld Inspection

Covers chipping, wire brushing, and visual inspection against acceptance criteria. Clean, defect-free beads are the baseline standard before advancing to joint welding.

Lesson 1 • Vertical Fillet and Groove Welds

Introduces uphill and downhill vertical techniques for fillet and groove joints. Gravity management and electrode angle adjustments are the key skill challenges.

Lesson 2 • Distortion Control and Fit-Up Practices

Explains tacking sequences, backstep welding, and fixturing to minimize distortion. Dimensional accuracy after welding is a professional fabrication requirement.

Lesson 3 • Overhead Fillet and Groove Welds

Develops overhead welding technique with emphasis on puddle control and spatter management. Overhead position demands maximum electrode angle precision and short arc length.

Lesson 4 • Flat and Horizontal Fillet Welds

Builds T-joint and lap-joint fillet welds in flat and horizontal positions with correct leg size. These are the most common industrial welds and form the skill baseline.

Lesson 1 • Shielding Gas Selection and Flow Rates

Explains argon, CO2, and mixed gas blends and their effects on arc character and spatter. Gas selection is process- and material-specific and affects weld appearance.

Lesson 2 • GMAW Technique and Travel Variables

Develops push versus drag technique, work angle, and travel speed control for GMAW. Technique variables interact with parameters to determine bead profile and fusion.

Lesson 3 • GMAW Equipment and Wire Feed Systems

Covers wire feeder types, drive roll selection, liner maintenance, and contact tip sizing. Equipment setup quality directly determines arc stability and wire feed consistency.

Lesson 4 • Flux-Cored Arc Welding Fundamentals

Introduces self-shielded and gas-shielded FCAW wire types, polarity, and technique differences from solid wire GMAW. FCAW extends productivity in outdoor and heavy fabrication.

Lesson 1 • Tungsten Electrode Preparation

Explains electrode types, grinding geometry for DC, and balling for AC aluminum welding. Electrode preparation directly controls arc focus and contamination risk.

Lesson 2 • GTAW Aluminum Welding

Covers AC balance, cleaning action, and filler selection for aluminum GTAW. Oxide layer removal and puddle fluidity management are unique aluminum challenges.

Lesson 3 • GTAW on Carbon and Stainless Steel

Applies GTAW technique to butt and fillet joints on carbon and stainless steel plate and pipe. Stainless steel requires heat control to prevent sensitization and distortion.

Lesson 4 • GTAW Equipment Setup and Torch Preparation

Covers torch body, collet, gas lens, nozzle selection, and back-purge setup. Correct torch assembly is prerequisite to arc stability and contamination-free welds.

Lesson 1 • Destructive Testing Methods

Covers bend, nick-break, macro-etch, and tensile tests used to qualify procedures and welders. Destructive tests reveal internal quality not visible on the surface.

Lesson 2 • Nondestructive Examination Overview

Introduces liquid penetrant, magnetic particle, ultrasonic, and radiographic testing principles. NDE methods detect subsurface defects without destroying the weld.

Lesson 3 • Visual Inspection Methods and Tools

Teaches systematic visual inspection using gauges, magnifiers, and lighting against acceptance criteria. Visual inspection is the first and most cost-effective quality gate.

Lesson 4 • Welding Procedure and Welder Qualification

Explains welding procedure specifications, procedure qualification records, and welder performance qualification. Qualification documents are required for code-compliant work.