Metal Construction Course

Lesson 1 • Safety Fundamentals on Metal Job Sites

Establishes core personal protective equipment use, hazard recognition, and site safety protocols. Directly supports safe participation in all hands-on course activities.

Lesson 2 • Industry Roles and Project Stakeholders

Maps the roles of engineers, fabricators, erectors, and inspectors on a metal construction project. Clarifies communication chains and accountability structures.

Lesson 3 • Metal Types and Material Properties

Covers ferrous and non-ferrous metals, alloys, and key mechanical properties. Establishes material literacy needed for all subsequent fabrication and design decisions.

Lesson 1 • Load Paths and Force Distribution

Explains gravity, lateral, and dynamic load paths through steel frames. Builds the analytical foundation for connection and member design decisions.

Lesson 2 • Structural Member Types and Profiles

Covers wide-flange beams, columns, hollow sections, and angles. Students match member profiles to their typical structural functions.

Lesson 3 • Steel Framing Systems Overview

Introduces moment frames, braced frames, and shear wall systems. Connects framing system choice to structural performance and project requirements.

Lesson 1 • Shop Assembly and Fit-Up

Addresses tack welding, jigging, and dimensional verification during assembly. Prepares students to produce accurately fitted subassemblies ready for final welding.

Lesson 2 • Surface Preparation and Coating

Covers blast cleaning, priming, and paint application for corrosion protection. Links surface preparation quality to coating adhesion and service life.

Lesson 3 • Cutting Methods and Equipment

Covers plasma, oxy-fuel, laser, and saw cutting processes for structural steel. Students select the appropriate cutting method based on material and tolerance requirements.

Lesson 4 • Drilling, Punching, and Hole Making

Covers drill press, magnetic drill, and punch press operations for connection holes. Emphasises hole size, spacing, and edge distance compliance.

Lesson 1 • Weld Joint Design and Symbols

Covers groove, fillet, plug, and slot weld types with their drawing symbols. Connects joint geometry to load-carrying capacity and fabrication efficiency.

Lesson 2 • Welding Procedure Specifications

Explains the purpose and content of welding procedure specifications and qualification records. Ensures students understand how procedures govern production weld quality.

Lesson 3 • Welding Process Selection

Compares SMAW, GMAW, FCAW, and SAW processes for structural applications. Students match process characteristics to joint type, position, and production environment.

Lesson 1 • Bolted Connection Inspection

Establishes pre-installation verification, in-process checks, and final inspection protocols. Links inspection steps to structural reliability and quality records.

Lesson 2 • Bolt Installation Methods

Covers turn-of-nut, calibrated wrench, twist-off, and direct tension indicator methods. Students apply each method correctly and document installation results.

Lesson 3 • Connection Design Principles

Addresses shear, tension, and combined loading in bolted connections. Students calculate bolt group capacity and check bearing and tearout limits.

Lesson 1 • Insulation and Thermal Performance

Covers batt, rigid board, and spray foam insulation in metal building assemblies. Students calculate thermal resistance and identify condensation risk zones.

Lesson 2 • Metal Wall Panel and Cladding Systems

Addresses insulated metal panels, liner panels, and composite wall assemblies. Connects wall system selection to thermal performance and aesthetic requirements.

Lesson 3 • Flashings, Trim, and Sealants

Addresses eave, ridge, corner, and transition flashings and their sealant systems. Proper detailing at transitions prevents water infiltration and air leakage.

Lesson 4 • Doors, Windows, and Openings

Covers framed openings, jamb and header details, and door and window installation. Students integrate openings into the envelope without compromising structural integrity.

Lesson 1 • Rigging and Lifting Operations

Addresses sling types, rigging hardware, load calculations, and lift planning. Students select rigging configurations that ensure safe and controlled member placement.

Lesson 2 • Plumbing, Leveling, and Alignment

Introduces optical and laser instruments for plumbing columns and aligning frames. Students achieve dimensional tolerances required before final connection tightening.

Lesson 3 • Pre-Erection Planning and Layout

Covers anchor bolt surveys, column base layout, and erection sequence planning. Accurate pre-erection work prevents costly corrections during steel placement.

Lesson 4 • Erection Safety and Fall Protection

Covers controlled decking zones, personal fall arrest systems, and safety net requirements. Applies fall protection principles specifically to steel erection hazards.

Lesson 1 • Project Closeout and Turnover

Addresses punch list management, as-built documentation, and owner turnover packages. Completes the project delivery cycle with organised records and client acceptance.

Lesson 2 • Shop Inspection and Material Traceability

Addresses mill certificate review, material marking, and in-process shop inspections. Ensures materials and fabricated components meet specification before leaving the shop.

Lesson 3 • Quality Management System Fundamentals

Covers quality plan development, inspection hold points, and document control. Establishes the management framework that governs all quality activities on a project.