January 2018 Cover.

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JANUARY 2018
WELDING JOURNAL • VOLUME 97 NUMBER 1 • JANUARY 2018

WorldSkills
2017 FABTECH
Report
Process-Based
Quality
PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN WELDING SOCIETY TO ADVANCE THE SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND APPLICATION OF WELDING
AND ALLIED JOINING AND CUTTING PROCESSES WORLDWIDE, INCLUDING BRAZING, SOLDERING, AND THERMAL SPRAYING
select arc.qxp_FP_TEMP 12/9/17 12:21 PM Page C2

NEXT GENERATION STAINLESS

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AVA I L A B L E N O W

The Next Generation of SelectAlloy

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at Select-Arc’s state-of-the-art, climate controlled, stainless facility in Troy, OH.
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January 2018 • Volume 97 • Number 1 CONTENTS

FEATURES
32 WorldSkills: Building a Competitive Workforce
The WorldSkills international welding competition 32
produces workforce development benefits for the
United States — K. Pacheco

36 FABTECH 2017 Recap

This year’s exhibition drew nearly 45,000
attendees from 120 countries — K. Campbell et al.

46 Troubleshooting Common Plasma Cut Quality

Challenges
Here’s help for some common plasma arc cutting
issues — M. Avila

36 46

WELDING RESEARCH SUPPLEMENT

1-s Toward Process-Based Quality through
a Fundamental Understanding of Weld
Microstructural Evolution
The 2017 Adams Lecture discusses qualifying
welded components by integrating software and
hardware tools capable of describing physical
processes that occur during welding — S. S. Babu
26-s The Aging Effects of Aluminum Magnesium
Alloy Welding Wires
Changes in winding diameter, vaporable
containment, adhesion, and hydrogen content
were compared for welding wires from different
manufacturers under various storage conditions
U. Reisgen et al.

17-s Single-Sided Ultrasonic Welding of CF/Nylon 6

Composite without Energy Directors
A fundamental understanding was developed for
improving design flexibility of ultrasonic welded
assembly processes that occur during welding
L.-Y. Chen et al.

JANUARY 2018 / WELDING JOURNAL 3

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DEPARTMENTS
6 Editorial 52 Technology
8 Press Time News 54 Coming Events
10 International Update 58 Certification Schedule
12 News of the Industry 60 Welding Workbook
16 Business Briefs 61 Society News
18 Laser Q&A 62 Tech Topics
20 Stainless Q&A 71 Section News
22 RWMA Q&A 87 Guide to AWS Services
28 Product & Print Spotlight 94 Personnel
50 Conferences 103 Classifieds
50 Letters to the Editor 104 Advertiser Index On the cover: Chandler Vincent
represented the United States
at the 2017 WorldSkills Compe-
tition held in Abu Dhabi.

OFFICERS WELDING JOURNAL

President Dale Flood
TRI TOOL Inc.
Vice President Thomas J. Lienert
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Vice President Robert Roth
RoMan Manufacturing Inc.
Vice President Richard Polanin
Illinois Central College
Treasurer Carey Chen
Cincinnati Incorporated
Executive Director and CEO Matt Miller
American Welding Society
DIRECTORS
T. Anderson (At Large), ITW Welding North America
U. Aschemeier (Dist. 7), Subsea Global Solutions
T. Brosio (Dist. 14), Major Tool & Machine
J. Burgess (Dist. 8), General Electric
D. A. Desrochers (Dist. 1), Old Colony RVTHS
D. L. Doench (At Large), Hobart Bros. Co.
D. K. Eck (At Large), Praxair Distribution Inc.
K. Fogleman (Dist. 16), Consultant
P. H. Gorman (Dist. 20), Sandia National Laboratories
M. Hanson (Dist. 15), Consolidated Precision Products
S. A. Harris (Dist. 4), Altec Industries
R. L. Holdren (At Large), ARC Specialties
T. Holt (Dist. 18), Tech Corr USA Management
J Jones (Dist. 17), Harris Products Group
M. Krupnicki (Dist. 6), Mahany Welding Supply Co. Inc.
D. J. Landon (Past President), Vermeer Corp.
D. Lange (Dist. 12), Northeast Wisconsin Tech. College
S. Lindsey (Dist. 21), City of San Diego
J. T. Mahoney (Dist. 5), American Arc Inc.
S. M. McDaniel (Dist. 19), Big Bend Community College
D. L. McQuaid (Past President), D. L. McQuaid and
Associates Inc.
D. K. Miller (At Large), Lincoln Electric
S. Moran (Dist. 3), American Hydro Corp.
K. E. Shatell (Dist. 22), Pacific Gas & Electric Co.
M. Sherman (Dist. 10), SW&E LLC
M. Skiles (Dist. 9), Airgas Inc.
W. J. Sperko (At Large), Sperko Engineering Services
K. Temme (Dist. 2), Matrix NAC
P. I. Temple (Dist. 11), Energy Wise Consulting LLC
J. A. Willard (Dist. 13), Kankakee Community College
Publisher/Editor Mary Ruth Johnsen
Editorial
Sr. Editor Cindy Weihl
Features Editor Kristin Campbell
Associate Editor Katie Pacheco
Assistant Editor Roline Pascal
Peer Review Coord. Sonia Aleman
Publisher Emeritus Jeff Weber
Design and Production
Production Manager Zaida Chavez
Assistant Production Manager Brenda Flores
Manager of International Periodicals and
Electronic Media Carlos Guzman
Advertising
Sr. Advertising Sales Exec. Sandra Jorgensen
Sr. Advertising Sales Exec. Annette Delagrange
Manager of Sales Operations Lea Owen
Sr. Advertising Production Manager Frank Wilson
Subscriptions
Subscriptions Representative Sonia Aleman
saleman@aws.org
MARKETING ADVISORY COUNCIL
(MAC)
D. Doench, Chair, Hobart Brothers Co.
S. Bartholomew, Vice Chair, ESAB Cutting Systems
S. Samuels, Secretary, American Welding Society
D. Brown, AGONOW
C. Coffey, The Lincoln Electric Co.
D. DeCorte, RoMan Mfg. Inc.
S. Fyffe, Astaras Inc.
L. Kvidahl, Ingalls Shipbuilding
D. Marquard, IBEDA Superflash Compressed
S. Moran, American Hydro
M. Muenzer, ORS Nasco
E. Norman, EDCO Industries LLC
R. Roth, RoMan Mfg. Inc.
F. Saenger, Consultant
M. Smickenbecker, Matheson
S. Smith, Weld-Aid Products
E. Stone, Weiler Corp.
A. Sepulveda, Hypertherm
D. Wilson, Wilson and Associates
T. Lienert, Los Alamos National Laboratory
J. Bray, Ex Officio, Affiliated Machinery Inc.
C. Chen, Ex Officio, Cincinnati Incorporated
M. Miller, Ex Officio, American Welding Society
aws.org
8669 NW 36 St., # 130, Miami, FL 33166-6672
(305) 443-9353 or (800) 443-9353
AWS Promotes Diversity
AWS values diversity, advocates equitable and
inclusive practices, and engages its members and
stakeholders in establishing a culture in the
welding community that welcomes, learns from,
and celebrates differences among people. AWS
recognizes that a commitment to diversity, equity,
and inclusion is essential to achieving excellence
for the Association, its members, and employees.
Welding Journal (ISSN 0043-2296) is published monthly
by the American Welding Society for $120.00 per year in the
United States and possessions, $160 per year in foreign
countries: $7.50 per single issue for domestic AWS members
and $10.00 per single issue for nonmembers and $14.00 sin-
gle issue for international. Not available for resale in either
print or electronic form. American Welding Society is located
at 8669 NW 36 St., # 130, Miami, FL 33166-6672; telephone
(305) 443-9353. Periodicals postage paid in Miami, Fla., and
additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address
changes to Welding Journal, 8669 NW 36 St., # 130, Miami, FL
33166-6672. Canada Post: Publications Mail Agreement
#40612608 Canada Returns to be sent to Bleuchip Interna-
tional, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2, Canada.
Readers of Welding Journal may make copies of articles
for personal, archival, educational or research purposes, and
which are not for sale or resale. Permission is granted to
quote from articles, provided customary acknowledgment of
authors and sources is made. Starred (*) items excluded
from copyright.
Copyright © 2018 by American Welding Society in both
printed and electronic formats. The Society is not responsible
for any statement made or opinion expressed herein. Data
and information developed by the authors of specific articles
are for informational purposes only and are not intended for
use without independent, substantiating investigation on the
part of potential users.

4 WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018

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EDITORIAL
Thinking about Dentistry? Consider Welding Instead
Allow me to tell you about my experience
at the dentist’s office. I was sitting in the
chair; the dentist was talking and I was lis-
tening. He tells me he would like to start a
project with his daughter when she reaches
ten years of age. He wants to teach her how
to read drawings, understand measure-
ments, make calculations with fractions, cut,
and weld. He wants to help her build a motor
scooter or a go-cart. I briefly discussed using
chrome-moly and suggested he try the gas
tungsten arc welding process for the welds.
He then proceeded to ask me a lot of
welding-related questions. I commented, “I
Dale Flood wouldn’t have pictured you wanting to teach
AWS President your daughter how to weld. Do you know
how?” “No,” he replied, “Where can I take her
so we can learn?” I then asked him, “Why
wouldn’t you want to teach her about den-
tistry?” He replied, “Have you looked at a
graph comparing the Consumer Price Index
(CPI) to the cost of tuition lately? Just
Google ‘CPI vs. tuition’ and you will see why.
Then consider that this is tuition in general,
not anything related to the medical field. I
spent nearly a half million dollars to become
a dentist and then the cost of buying or
opening a practice on top!”
Interesting, isn’t it? Do you think he is
correct? How does dentistry compare to a
trade like welding? Not everyone’s story is
the same, but I went to school tuition free at
the Plumbers & Steamfitters Local Union
“Do you want to 157. We welded nearly all day long, six days a
do something excit- week, eight hours a day for about a year.
ing when you get Working nights at a nearby hotel provided a
out of bed each place to live while attending the school. After
I passed the tests and became certified, they
day? Then give sent me to work and my take home pay
welding a shot. You tripled!
will love it!” That’s right, no tuition, one year of
schooling and training, and us graduates
were making a good annual salary. As a mat-
ter of fact, many in the nuclear circuit were
making six figures in the early 1980s. Today,
I personally know welders working for elec-
tric and gas utilities who earn $200,000 an-
nually and are home in bed nearly every
night. One single 28-year-old welder was
saving to buy a home in northern California
and was told by a bank he could not put any
more money in his account because it would
exceed its FDIC insurance maximum. I know
others who work on oil transmission
6 WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018
pipelines who regularly turn work down if
the project pay scale will not get them to a
quarter million dollars per year.
So maybe you feel like your dentist
charges a lot, but how much time and money
did it take for him or her to get there? Maybe
more importantly, what is the duration of
his or her return on investment?
Do you have an artistic streak in you?
Ever try to express this talent only to learn
that it is fun but you typically have a hard
time making money with your art? Try weld-
ing! If you’re thinking welding is not an art,
then I’m sure you have never tried. My em-
ployer Tri Tool Inc. and I hold several patents
that are welding related. While convincing
the patent examiner that our concepts are
unique and valuable, our attorneys would
regularly write, “Those skilled in the art of
welding…” If you enjoy art and would like to
be compensated for your efforts, give weld-
ing a shot. It can be very rewarding and a lot
of fun.
Have you ever played a computer game?
Did you enjoy the time you spent playing?
Would it surprise you to learn that when I
interview potential employees I ask them if
they are a gamer? Do you wonder why I am
discussing this topic? When we weld in envi-
ronmentally adverse conditions, we set up
mechanized weld systems, leave the area,
and operate the systems with video remote
controls. Nothing dirty and no smoke here.
We are sitting at a desk flipping switches,
turning knobs and dials, and moving our
joystick.
Perhaps you are a fabricator or have em-
ployees involved in construction or manufac-
turing? Would you like to increase productiv-
ity between 300 and 700%? Want to reduce
exposure to hexavalent chromium? Then
look into the different processes offered with
mechanized systems today. You will be sur-
prised how much they have evolved recently
and how much more productive they can
help your company become.
Throughout my presidential year, these
are some of the topics I intend to discuss in
much more detail than is possible in this ar-
ticle. Ask your kids, “Do you want to do
something exciting when you get out of bed
each day? Then give welding a shot. You will
love it!” WJ
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PRESS TIME NEWS
New FABTECH Logo Revealed
This logo’s mark and simple letter structure provides a more
relevant and forward-thinking image.
The five FABTECH cosponsors — AWS, the Fabricators &
Manufacturers Association International, SME, the Preci-
sion Metalforming Association, and the Chemical Coaters
Association International — have recently unveiled a new
logo and brand identity.
This logo reflects the innovation and emerging manufac-
turing technologies featured at FABTECH, the leading
events in North America exclusively focused on advancing
the metal forming, fabricating, welding, and finishing in-
dustries. With a more modern look and feel, its design bet-
ter conveys the current and future direction of the brand,
and offers a more relevant, forward-thinking image.
“The manufacturing industry is entering a new age and
experiencing an industrial revolution that is changing the
way we manufacture,” said John Catalano, FABTECH show
comanager and SME senior director. “And in the midst of
this, FABTECH is also evolving to stay at the leading edge of
the industry. We are excited to launch a new logo that
demonstrates the evolution of the FABTECH brand.”
In addition, Mark Hoper, FABTECH show comanager and
FMA senior vice president of media and expositions, said
the following: “While we usher in a new visual identity,
FABTECH remains committed to delivering a high-quality,
innovative event experience. The show will continue to meet
the demands of the industry and showcase not only what’s
new, but what’s next.”
This logo is the first piece of a branding initiative to bring
a consistent, cohesive, and contemporary look and feel to all
show events.
AWS Provides Hardship Relief
If you are an AWS member or customer who is experienc-
ing hardship due to natural disasters or extraordinary cir-
cumstances, the Society may be able to help.
Give us a call at (800/305) 443-9353 and speak with one
of our AWS customer service representatives to update us
about your challenging situation. They will let you know
what type of relief options may be available for different
AWS products and solutions as a result of your current
circumstances.
In times of need, to the best of our ability, the Society
will make every effort to help you get back on your feet.
Airbus, Rolls-Royce, and Siemens Join Forces
for a Hybrid-Electric Future
Airbus, Rolls-Royce, and Siemens have formed a partner-
ship to develop a near-term flight demonstrator. This move
represents a step forward in hybrid-electric propulsion for
8 WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018
As part of the E-Fan X program (above is a 3D image), Airbus,
Rolls-Royce, and Siemens will contribute their experience.
commercial aircraft. The three companies revealed the col-
laboration at the Royal Aeronautical Society in London.
The E-Fan X hybrid-electric technology demonstrator is
anticipated to fly in 2020, following a ground test campaign
with one of the aircraft’s four gas turbine engines replaced
by a 2-mW electric motor.
The demonstrator will explore the challenges of high-
power propulsion systems, such as thermal effects, electric
thrust management, altitude and dynamic effects on electric
systems, and electromagnetic compatibility issues. The ob-
jective is to push and mature the technology, performance,
safety, and reliability. The program also aims at establishing
the requirements for future certification of electrically pow-
ered aircraft, while training a new generation of designers
and engineers to bring hybrid-electric commercial aircraft
one step closer to reality.
Weld-Ed to Offer Accreditation for Associate
Degree Welding Technology Programs
The National Center for Welding Education and Training
(Weld-Ed), located at Lorain County Community College in
Ohio, will begin offering a specialized accreditation program
in 2018. This is set to benefit associate degree welding tech-
nology and welding engineering technology programs at
community/technical colleges and universities nationwide.
Weld-Ed, with the support of AWS, will offer its accredi-
tation program in a way that will reduce the amount of time
required to complete accreditation paperwork, and assist in-
stitutions in self evaluation and improvement to fill missing
areas of study within their programs. It has also developed
methods that reduce the standard cost of accreditation.
The Weld-Ed selected evaluation team will inspect facili-
ties, equipment, safety standards, curriculum, instructional
faculty, and outside advisory committees.
“We’ve seen a noticeable drop off of welding program ac-
creditation by schools that simply don’t have the funding to
take part in the accreditation process,” said Duncan Estep,
center director for Weld-Ed. “Our goal is to streamline the
accreditation process and make it very cost effective so that
more colleges and universities will participate. And in doing
so, those institutions will be able to assure their students
that their welding programs meet or exceed high education-
al standards while satisfying the increasingly high demands
of future employers.” WJ
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INTERNATIONAL UPDATE
CPC2017 Construction Week Breaks Ground to
Improve Water Quality, Supply, and Sanitation
in Indonesia
The international team and local students show their excite-
ment at the completion of CPC2017 Construction Week Phase
One.
The Taufik Hidayat, Taufik Iqbal, and IAPMO crew get ready to
put the water tank on the water tower.
Organized by P.T. IAPMO Group Indonesia, the Interna-
tional Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Foundation (IWSH),
collectively sponsored by American Welding Society and PT.
Asian Welding Specialist (AWS-ATF) of Bandung, Indonesia,
and many more, the Community Plumbing Challenge of
2017 (CPC2017) has brought together an international
team of architects, designers, plumbers, and engineers to
work alongside local Indonesian vocational training stu-
dents and teachers. Its goal is to improve public health in re-
gions where communities are still threatened by a lack of ba-
sic sanitation and safe drinking water systems.
The CPC2017 was hosted at SDN Cicau 02 located in Ci-
cau village in Cikarang, Bekasi, West Java, Indonesia. It is a
public elementary school with more than 300 students who
share two toilets: one for female and one for male students,
with no handwashing facilities. The first stage began with
design week, held July 31 to August 3, 2017.
An international team comprised of young plumbers,
plumbing engineers, and architects from Indonesia, India,
Australia, and the United States collaborated to complete a
design brief for improved toilets and handwashing facilities,
as well as a sustainable upgrade solution for water supply
and wastewater. The design workplan was completed in full
consultation with the school community and local residents
as well as the input and expertise of P.T. IAPMO, the World
Plumbing Council Membership, and Healthabitat.
The CPC2017 construction week commenced November 8
to 15, 2017. An extended team from Australia, India, Indone-
sia, Ireland, Singapore, and the United States came together
for phase one of the construction week to work on different
10 WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018
Students from the elementary school are given handwashing
demonstrations.
areas of the con-
struction plan.
The team used
critical path man-
agement to ensure
construction ran
on schedule and
would be deliv-
ered within a sev-
en-day window.
Taufik Hidayat welds the new elevated The construc-
water tank for improved water supply to
tion workplan in-
the facilities. (All photos courtesy of
iwsh.org.) cluded renovation
of existing toilet
facilities, the ex-
pansion of existing toilets in the school building, construc-
tion of a new outdoor handwashing area, installation of two
new elevated water tanks for improved water supply, and in-
stallation of a new wastewater system in the school grounds.
In the period between design and construction week,
from August to November 2017, preparatory groundwork
was carried out. Local workers from the village were hired to
install new water pipe connections and clean water, dig the
ground for the septic tank, and lay down concrete for the
new handwashing facilities.
One of the aims of the challenge has been to educate and
train students on multiple levels. Therefore, during con-
struction week, students from SDN Cicau 02 were given
handwashing activities and demonstrations of the new facil-
ity. From the SMK colleges of 1 and 26 in Jakarga, Indone-
sia, and SMK 2 in Bandung, Indonesia, plumbing teachers
and student plumbers, welders, bricklayers, and carpenters
volunteered to work on this hands-on project alongside in-
ternational peers. The American Welding Society and AWS-
ATF covered the expenses of young welders from Bandung,
ages 18, including Taufik Hidayat and Taufik Iqbal, to partic-
ipate and support welding services as needed.
The school management at SDN Cicau 02 were provided
with further plumbing maintenance training so they would
be equipped with the skills and knowledge required to care
for and maintain the new installation into the future. The
CPC2017 also featured a public health awareness showcase
in Cicau village square to further higlight sanitation im-
provement and the critical issues surrounding health, safety,
and hygiene practices.
Phase two of CPC2017 construction week will commence
in early 2018 when lecturers and students from the SMK
schools return to complete the renovation and buildout of
the remaining toilets. WJ
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NEWS OF THE INDUSTRY

Excellence in Welding Awards Winners Shine at FABTECH 2017

during the Event’s 15th Annual Gala

Proudly holding their trophies are the 2017 Excellence in Welding Awards honorees (from left) Ray Shook (exceptional), Adam
Leese (educator), Lance Werth of SPX Flow (large business), Cindy Jiang of AET Integration (small business), Tim DeVargas of the
AWS Mobile Section (local section), Alex Funk (veteran), Clinton Bush of A-L Compressed Gases (distributor), and Jerry Cramblett of
Earlbeck Technical Center (educational facility). Raymond Roberts (individual) and Don Brunell (media) were not present.

The American Welding Society (AWS) and WEMCO, an
association of welding manufacturers, recently celebrated
the 15th Annual Excellence in Welding Awards — with a sur-
prise exceptional category announcement — on November
6 during FABTECH 2017.
Excellence in Welding Committee Chair Jeff Deckrow
kicked off the event and welcomed attendees. “These awards
recognize individuals and organizations that have excelled in
promoting the welding industry in their communities,” Deck-
row said. He also acknowledged that the awards represent
making a positive difference in people’s lives and the industry.
The chosen individuals and organizations are listed below
along with their categories.
Ray Shook — Exceptional. This tribute, brought forth
under very special circumstances and only presented to one
other individual previously, recognized AWS Executive Di-
rector Ray Shook for his lifetime of achievements. He has
grown businesses, changed the face of the welding industry,
and led by example. Starting his career at Hobart Brothers
in Troy, Ohio, Shook held many positions from marketing to
managing roles, and worked his way up to become president
of the Hobart Institute of Welding Technology.
“I’m absolutely blown away,” Shook said after receiving
this award. Retiring in 2018, he also told the audience that
serving AWS for the last 15 years has been his pleasure. Al-
ways cherishing the appearance of these trophies, he was
honored and humbled to receive one.
Raymond Roberts — Individual. Roberts’s welding ca-
reer began as a co-op student with the Fisher Body Division
of General Motors in 1971. Since then, he has held roles
from senior manufacturing project engineer to maintenance
crew coordinator for the Saturn Corp. in Troy, Mich., and
Spring Hill, Tenn. He has been an active part of the AWS
Detroit Section and its executive committee for more than
20 years, and is on the Welding Artisan Center board.
Adam Leese — Educator. Leese began his educational
career as an assistant welding instructor at First Coast Tech-
nical College in 2006. After a brief hiatus, he returned to the
field of education as a supervisor at CDA’s Technical Insti-
tute’s welding training facility in Jacksonville, Fla. Leese of-
ten looks for repair and fabrication projects needed at CDA,
and has his students complete them.
Earlbeck Technical Center — Educational Facility.
In 1999, Earlbeck Gases & Technologies, Baltimore, Md.,
saw the need for formalized welding training in its area, and
formed the Earlbeck Technical Center. The school partners

12 WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018

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with two local community colleges and offers courses for in-
dustrial clients or the public. Students can earn certifica-
tions, given Earlbeck is an AWS Accredited Testing Facility.
Jerry Cramblett accepted the award and noted it never
ceases to amaze him when light bulb moments happen with
welding students. “It’s always a great joy,” he said, and its
own award.
AET Integration Inc. — Small Business. AET, Troy,
Mich., provides services for welding research and develop-
ment, materials qualifications testing, and failure analysis.
The company has earned the 2014 USCAR Research Partner
Award and 2007 Henry Ford Technology Award. In addition,
AET supports the AWS Detroit Section in many ways, in-
cluding social activities and raising scholarship funds.
SPX Flow Inc. — Large Business. SPX Flow was found-
ed more than 90 years ago in Rochester, N.Y., and has be-
come a recognized mixing technology company. It employs
more than 8000 employees worldwide. The business has
been engaged in the engineering and metal fabrication
academy at the WEMOCO Career and Technical Center
for many years, providing exam proctors, among other
offerings.
A-L Compressed Gases Inc. — Distributor. A-L in
Spokane, Wash., has been a family owned business for 25
years. It is one of the most successful Miller distributors still
privately owned. The company is owned by Shan and Barb
Bush, but they have recently passed down overall operations
to their son Brady Bush. It has been long-time members of
AWS and GAWDA, and involved with local schools.
Alex Funk — Veteran. Funk is a welding teaching assis-
tant at Workshops for Warriors, San Diego, Calif., and a Ma-
rine Corps veteran. He heard about Workshops while de-
ployed in Afghanistan, and upon transitioning out of the
service, enrolled as a welding student. He took every weld-
ing program, earned nationally recognized credentials in its
machining courses, and achieved 32 total credits — more
than any other graduate in the school’s history.
After accepting his trophy, Funk pointed out the award
meant more to him than most people understood, how this
career is unbelievable, and thanked his mentors.
Don Brunell — Media. Brunell is recognized for his ar-
ticle “America Needs More Welders, Fewer Philosophers,”
based on the quote from Florida Senator Marco Rubio,
which helped shine a light on the real shortage of welders
across the country. He started his career in journalism as a
writer and editor for two Montana daily newspapers. He has
also written a weekly column on business and employer is-
sues since 1995 in Vancouver’s daily newspaper, The
Columbian.
Mobile, Ala. — Local Section. First chartered on
April 9, 1959, with 53 members, today the AWS Mobile,
Ala., Section has more than 730 members and 12 sustaining
members. They have grown scholarship offerings, from
two in 1991 to six today, with national endowments of
$645,000. The endowment is expected to grow by $100,000.
Each year, the Section also produces a program book;
more than 900 copies are produced. — Kristin Campbell
(kcampbell@aws.org), features editor
JANUARY 2018 / WELDING JOURNAL 13
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Boeing Reveals More Than $50 Million

in Grants to Support Nonprofits Worldwide
Boeing, Chicago, Ill., recently announced more than $50
million in grants will go to more than 500 nonprofit organi-
zations across 50 countries. In the United States, some of
the largest grants will support FIRST Robotics and its focus
on primary, middle, and high school science, technology, en-
gineering, and mathematics proficiency, as well as the Na-
tional Fund for Workforce Solutions through its Boeing on-
the-job training program. Outside the United States, the
company’s commitment includes the Learning Links Foun-
dation to help train India’s next generation of aviation
workers, and Ladies Learning Code to develop 21st-century
skills in children and adults in communities across Canada.

Lincoln Electric’s Welding Technology &

Training Center Opening This Month

At Lincoln Electric’s new two-story, 100,000-sq-ft-plus facil-

ity, students will learn by using virtual reality web simulation
trainers, practicing in welding and cutting booths, and more.

Honoring the 100th anniversary of its legacy welding

school, Lincoln Electric® will open the Welding Technology
& Training Center on its Euclid, Ohio, campus this month.
Classes begin in the facility on January 8.
According to the company, the center’s opening main-
tains its role of running the oldest continually operating
welding school in the world.
“This new Welding Technology & Training Center rein-
forces Lincoln Electric’s dedication to education and the fu-
ture of welding,” said Jason Scales, manager, education solu-
tions. “We design our welding curriculum and programs to
meet the needs of students and educators at every level —
from basic welding and teaching techniques through ad-
vanced processes, such as robotic automation, specialized
code certification, welding theory, welding procedure speci-
fications, and more.”
The two-story, 100,000-sq-ft-plus facility doubles the
company’s welding education capacity. It features a virtual
reality training lab with ten VRTEX® virtual reality web sim-
ulation trainers, 166 welding and cutting booths, six semi-
nar rooms, 13 welding school classrooms, a 100-seat audito-
rium, an atrium, and a reception area. In addition, the cen-
ter is equipped to help students focus on career pathways.
“We know the demand for comprehensive skills and
knowledge is higher than ever, and we’re committed to
preparing the next generation of welders, managers, and in-
dustry leaders,” added Scales.

14 WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018

NI Jan 2018.qxp_Layout 1 12/12/17 3:50 PM Page 15

Des Moines High School Featured in Social

Media Post by Dirty Jobs Star Mike Rowe
“Here in Des Moines and a few surrounding counties,
there are nearly 3000 openings that require the mastery of a
skill that’s in demand,” Mike Rowe of Dirty Jobs stated in his
September 29th Facebook post. “However, they’re doing
something here that’s actually starting to work. Local busi-
nesses have helped fund The Skilled Trades Program within
Central Campus — a high school that should be a model for
high schools all over the country.”
Welding technology is among the trades the school offers.
Ralph Young proudly serves as its instructor (see photo).
According to the school’s site at centralcampus.dmschools.
org/skilled-trades, “Welding provides opportunities for stu-
dents to gain skills in blueprint reading, design, layout, and
fabrication of specific projects great and small.” Skills are de-
veloped by making different welds, as well as using many At Central Campus within the Des Moines Public Schools in
Iowa, Welding Technology Instructor Ralph Young (right) uses
processes, including oxyacetylene, shielded and gas metal arc shielded metal arc welding to demonstrate a three-bead fil-
welding, and plasma arc cutting. Students are also taught let weld on a T-joint in the uphill position. Students Chase
pipe and gas tungsten arc welding with steels and steel alloys. Bromert and Rafael Salazar (left) watch and learn. (Photo
Students in the program can also serve in the Des Moines courtesy of Gretchen Watznauer, coordinator for student
High School Central Campus AWS Student Chapter leadership and engagement.)
“Kids in this program are given a real-world experience.
So real that their high school classes in the trades are trans- He added that the city is closing Iowa’s skills gap with a
lating into college credits. In my opinion, this is the way for- workable model that all cities could follow. “What’s happen-
ward,” Rowe’s post continued. “There’s simply no way the ing in Des Moines is important. It’s important because it’s
vocational arts are going to reappear in American high working. It mustn’t remain a secret,” Rowe concluded.
schools unless businesses help subsidize the cost. And
they’re making it happen in Des Moines.” — continued on page 101

JANUARY 2018 / WELDING JOURNAL 15

BB-Jan 2018.qxp_Layout 1 12/12/17 4:36 PM Page 16
BUSINESS BRIEFS
Eriez® 2017 Business Conference Marks
Company’s 75th Anniversary
Eriez® 2017 Business Conference marked a milestone anniver-
sary that included more than 120 attendees.
In early October 2017, Eriez® hosted its 2017 Business
Conference at the Bayfront Convention Center in Erie, Pa.
The two-day event celebrated the company’s milestone 75th
year in business and attracted more than 120 attendees, in-
cluding top executives, management personnel, and mem-
bers of the company’s engineering team, as well as represen-
tatives from field sales offices around the globe.
The conference kicked off with speeches from Eriez’s chair-
man, president, and other key executives. The group also
toured the company’s headquarters plant and Wager facility,
both located in Erie, and participated in social events. The sec-
ond day of the conference included educational roundtables
where participants discussed challenges and opportunities. At
a reception held in the evening, a number of attendees were
recognized for their achievements and service.
To further honor its 75th anniversary, the company will
release “From Pioneer to World Authority in Separation
Technologies,” which will cover the company’s entire 75-year
history through photos and stories about its product break-
throughs, business practices, and employee culture.
Sandvik Achieves Increase in Order Intake,
Sends Welding Growth to 25
Sandvik has recently reported a 25% increase in order intake
for its welding products, materials, and solutions.
Sandvik received a 25% increase in order intake for 2017,
after a five-year period of investments in solutions for com-
plex welding applications. These cover the oil and gas, petro-
chemical, nuclear energy, and power generation industries.
“We invested during the economic downturn and raw ma-
terials crisis, and tripled the number of qualified welding en-
gineers. As we now witness a turnaround and upward trend
across the industry, Sandvik is in a strong position — partic-
ularly in China where demand for special welding techniques
16 WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018
is high,” said Clemente Tallarico, global sales and marketing
manager.
Sandvik attributes its hold in the Chinese market to cor-
rosion resistance, high productivity, low costs, and novel
materials. The company expects its recent improvements in
super-duplex stainless steel, nickel alloys, and other product
areas will sustain the current growth level into next year.
South Dakota Governor Launches Workforce
Initiative
South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard will be launch-
ing a multistate workforce development initiative to help
find qualified employees for business growth nationwide.
Daugaard chose workforce as the central policy focus of
his year-long chairmanship of the Western Governors’ Asso-
ciation. He said the initiative’s goal is to improve career op-
portunities for students, graduates, and displaced workers.
Daugaard pointed out that officials would share best
practices, collect data, and learn ways to address the “skills
gap” at a series of workshops in several states. He launched
the push in Sioux Falls that featured U.S. Labor Secretary
Alexander Acosta, who said the country has nearly six mil-
lion job openings that are going unfilled.
“We need great mechanics just like we need great doctors.
We need great carpenters just like we need great lawyers,”
Acosta said. “Many well-paying careers are available to those
without a college degree.”
GM Design Expansion to Double Studio Space
and Complete Global Technical Center
GM’s 360,000-sq-ft expansion will surround the Design Dome
Auditorium and viewing patio, and connect to the existing
Design Center, doubling its current studio space.
General Motors (GM), Warren, Mich., will break ground in
mid year on a 360,000-sq-ft expansion of the GM Design stu-
dios, which will surround the Design Dome Auditorium and
viewing patio, and connect to the existing Design Center. This
is the final stage of a multiyear $1 billion investment in the
auto company’s Global Technical Center, a national historic
landmark site.
A substantial two-to-three-year project, the new build-
ing’s footprint first requires the completion of a new park-
ing structure currently underway at the southwest corner of
the campus.
“We can only begin to predict how mobility will change in
future generations,” said Michael Simcoe, vice president of
global design. “Investing in our creative and skilled team and
providing them with inspiring, modern spaces, new tech-
nologies, and more ways to work together will foster innova-
tion that leads to real solutions for customers.” Construc-
tion began in May 2015. WJ
american torch tip.qxp_FP_TEMP 12/9/17 12:13 PM Page 17
LW-Jan 2018.qxp_Layout 1 12/12/17 2:35 PM Page 18
LASER WELDING Q&A
Q: A couple of years ago, we
developed equipment and proce-
dure qualifications for several
laser welded products. We used
AWS C7.4/C7.4M:2008, Process
Specification and Operator Quali-
fication for Laser Beam Welding,
as a reference. We found out
that this standard has been
revised and published earlier
this year. Are there significant
changes in the revision that
would require updating our
documentation?
A: The timing of your inquiry could
not have been better. The changes in
the industry since 2008 have been sig-
nificant. They include changes in
laser equipment, laser beam diagnos-
tics technology, the laser welding
process, and real-time inspection.
Therefore, a revised C7.4/C7.4M:2017
was published in July 2017 and is
available at the AWS Bookstore for a
very reasonable cost — Fig. 1.
Fig. 1 — Cover page of the AWS
C7.4/C7.4M:2017 Standard, which is
available from the AWS Bookstore,
aws.org. AWS members qualify for a
discount.
As you will immediately notice,
there is a difference in the size of the
documents. The 2008 standard has 21
pages, whereas the revision has 40
pages. The number of sections has
also increased, and several annexes
were added. The annexes now provide
templates for Laser Welding Equipment
18 WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018
Qualification Report, Welding Procedure
Qualification Report, and Welding Op-
erator Procedure Qualification Record.
You will find these reports are more
detailed, giving importance to param-
eters critical to the laser welding
process. The implication is that
benchmarking the performance of the
laser and then calibrating the equip-
ment at the periods recommended in
section 9.0, with devices recommend-
ed in section 9.2, should ensure re-
peatable quality laser welds.
One of the significantly revised
sections is Section 5: Requirements.
This includes detailed coverage of the
equipment, materials, weld joint de-
sign, welding procedures, essential
variables and limits, testing laser
welds, welding operator performance
qualification, production welding
records, and inspection procedures.
One of the features that is unique
to the revised C7.4 is that it offers
guidance and a lot of information that
relates to education and training peo-
ple in community colleges (and by in-
ference in high schools and colleges)
as well as employed people who are
currently working with laser welding
processes.
Lasers were invented in 1960 and
introduced to the manufacturing
world around 1970. Laser welding is
applied to the assembly and comple-
tion of critical medical devices, con-
sumer products, automobiles, elec-
tronics, and safety devices (in auto-
mobiles and flight hardware) to name
just a few. Various schools have not
kept pace with the rapid growth of
laser applications. The suppliers of
lasers and laser systems have strug-
gled to train their staff and have fallen
short of providing in-depth applica-
tion training for end users. The result
is a huge shortage of personnel who
are capable of servicing, calibrating,
or even operating the laser welding
equipment.
The revised C7.4 addresses the
shortage of trained and qualified
personnel in section 6. There are
two groups of people who are ad-
dressed. One is the new generation of
technologists and engineers entering
the workforce with no laser experi-
ence. The other is the currently em-
ployed workforce. Several of the com-
mittee members are AWS Certified
Welding Educators (CWEs) with laser
BY SIMON L. ENGEL
experience who have contributed to
section 6.
Section 6 also describes the recom-
mended formal training, safety train-
ing, assessment methods, and recom-
mended performance tests for appli-
cants. If the evaluation of the appli-
cant is to be done at one of the AWS
Accredited Test Facilities (ATFs), then
there are suggestions for the laser
equipment to be used and even for the
qualification of the test site adminis-
trator (TSA).
For the employees of the company
who are responsible for, or who are in-
volved with laser welding, Section 6
allows the qualification of the person
“internally to the manufacturing or-
ganization,” not necessarily requiring
certification by AWS. Typical job titles
are team leader, manufacturing tech-
nologist, manufacturing engineer, cal-
ibration technician, and many more.
The following are excerpts from C7.4:
6. Welding Operator Performance
Qualification
“Formal training for performing
the welding operator qualification
may be conducted at an AWS Accredit-
ed Testing Facility or internally to the
manufacturing organization if the or-
ganization meets the outlined require-
ments set forth within this document.
When Accredited Testing Facilities
(ATFs) conduct the welding operator
qualification tests, the welding opera-
tors who passed the tests may apply
for AWS certification status with
AWS.”
In several subsequent sections,
there are direct references to the
“qualified operator.”
7. Fabrication (Annex B is the Proce-
dure Qualification Record)
“Fabrication (laser welding) shall
be accomplished by personnel quali-
fied per Clause 6 utilizing a qualified
WPS per 5.4.2, 5.4.3, and documented
in a PQR as specified in 5.4.4 (see An-
nex B).”
5.4.3
“The welding procedure qualifica-
tion shall be conducted on the produc-
tion welding equipment using a
welder operator.”
LW-Jan 2018.qxp_Layout 1 12/12/17 2:37 PM Page 19

Formal training of the applicant in- on AWS C.7/C7.4:2017 and other rele- then to be AWS certified as defined in
cludes classroom training and hands- vant ISO laser and laser safety stan- C7.4 Section 6. The remaining task
on experience with lasers and laser dards. Then, as C7.4 provides, these is to qualify these engineers per AWS
welding. Currently, there are only a operators would be eligible to be qual- C7.4 before they start their new
few independent companies that offer ified at their place of employment and part-time careers. WJ
formal classroom training and none
(as far as I know) that offer hands-on
laser welding application training. The SIMON L. ENGEL is president of HDE Technologies Inc., Elk Grove, Calif. He serves as vice chair
of the AWS C7C Subcommittee on Laser Beam Welding and Cutting and is a member of the US
good news is that some community TAG for ISO/TC44/SC10/WG9 on Hybrid Welding. He is also a senior member of the Laser
colleges are preparing to provide both Institute of America and a life member of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers. He is
types of training as part of their credit considered a specialist in industrial laser applications and has been in the business for 40
course curriculums or as noncredit years. Questions may be sent to Simon Engel, c/o Welding Journal, 8669 NW 36 St., #130,
short courses. Students earning their Miami, FL 33166-6672, or via email at simon_of_hde@yahoo.com.
AA degree in manufacturing or laser
welding technology will not be able to
enter the manufacturing world for a
couple of years. The short courses are
aimed at the currently employed.
One of the challenges with these
schools is how to find qualified in-
structors or test site administrators
(TSAs). The current generation of
welding instructors and manufactur-
ing technology instructors has very
little or no experience with lasers and
laser welding, reflecting the shortage
of technical people in the industry.
The following is an excerpt from C7.4:

6.4.2 Test Site Administrator (TSA)

— Qualifications
“The TSA should be, at a minimum,
an AWS/CWI and an AWS/CWE in
conventional welding technologies in
addition to the requirements listed
below. The TSA should have the fol-
lowing confirmed background that is
related to laser welding technologies:
6.4.2.1 Some ‘hands on’ laser weld-
ing experience.
6.4.2.2 Formal classroom training
in laser welding technology.
6.4.2.3 Knowledge of laser weld
metallurgy.
6.4.2.4 Knowledge of testing laser
welds.
6.4.2.5 Knowledge of laser equip-
ment maintenance and calibration.
6.4.2.6 Working familiarity of AWS
standards that relate to laser and non-
laser welding technologies (AWS B2.1,
AWS D17.1, various ISO standards,
etc.).”
It seems that a solution is in the
making. At a couple of community col-
leges, practicing engineers with laser
welding experience have offered to co-
lecture and assist with the laser weld-
ing labs as adjunct instructors. This
then may be the bridge to supply
trained laser operators both in the
short and long term. The material
used at these colleges would be based

JANUARY 2018 / WELDING JOURNAL 19

Stainless-Jan. 2018.qxp_Layout 1 12/12/17 3:12 PM Page 20

STAINLESS Q&A
BY DAMIAN J. KOTECKI

Q: As I understand it, the passive

film that protects stainless steel
from corrosion is chromium
oxide. I also understand that the
heat tint on a weld surface and
heat-affected zone (HAZ) is
chromium oxide. If both my un- Fig. 1 — A 2-in.-diameter 304L tube interior after orbital welding with varying oxygen
derstandings are correct, then content in the argon backing gas: No. 1 — 10 ppm; No. 2 — 25 ppm; No. 3 — 50 ppm;
why is it often recommended, or No. 4 — 100 ppm; No. 5 — 200 ppm; No. 6 — 500 ppm; No. 7 — 1000 ppm; No. 8 —
even required, to remove the 5000 ppm; No. 9 — 12,500 ppm; and No. 10 — 25,000 ppm. Source: AWS
heat tint on any weld surface D18.1/D18.1M:2009, Specification for Welding of Austenitic Stainless Steel Tube and
and HAZ? Are we wasting a lot of Pipe Systems in Sanitary (Hygienic) Applications.
money cleaning stainless steel
welds?

A: Your understandings are both
correct. When a given stainless steel is
to be used in a service environment
that does not approach the limits of
the alloy’s corrosion resistance, heat
tinted surfaces may give adequate
service. Then a decision about heat
tint removal is largely dependent
upon cosmetic considerations.
Heat tint is generally produced by
oxidation of the stainless steel surface
due to exposure to air while the metal
is hot. Heat tint colors range from
dark gray to blue to red to yellow,
more or less in order of decreasing ox-
ide thickness. Heat tint may appear
on the weld metal surface, on the sur-
face of the heat-affected zone (HAZ)
beside the weld, or on the root surface
opposite to the face on which the weld
is made.
Figure 1, taken from the AWS
D18.1 Standard, shows the interior of
a 2-in. 304L stainless steel tube after
external orbital autogenous weld
passes made with varying levels of
oxygen in the interior purge gas. Heat
tint is visible for all of the argon purge
purity levels except 10 and 25 ppm of
oxygen. Although D18.1 states the 50-
ppm oxygen sample would be accept-
able for hygienic conditions, it is not
acceptable for corrosion applications
that approach the limit of corrosion
resistance for the alloy. As a frame of
reference, air contains about 200,000
ppm of oxygen, which is an order of
magnitude greater than the highest
oxygen level to be found in Fig. 1;
therefore, all of the weld roots shown
were purged to some extent, even
those that are darkly oxidized (Nos. 9
and 10 in Fig. 1).
However, the situation is not al-
ways so simple, mainly because it is
often not possible to be sure that the
limits of corrosion resistance for a
given alloy are being approached.
There are numerous examples of heat
tinted surfaces that failed in service in
what was not expected to be service
and approached the corrosion resist-
ance limits of the stainless steel.
There are many examples in the litera-
ture of welded stainless steel in fresh
water service that corroded in the
weld heat tinted areas due to the
action of microbes (bacteria) in the
water.
An example of corrosion in the
heat tinted areas around a weld is
shown in Fig. 2. This is a photo of the
interior of an agricultural sprayer
tank. The tank was welded from the
outside by gas metal arc welding,
without any protection for the interi-
or surface. The HAZ is heavily heat
tinted and a number of pits are visi-
ble. All of the pits are in the heat tint-
ed zone. None are found in the sur-
faces without heat tint. Examination
of the pit locations indicated that pit-
ting occurred not only in the very
dark heat tinted regions but also in
the lighter heat tinted regions out to
the edge of the heat tinted area.
The sprayer tank was used both for
herbicides and fertilizer at different
times. Between service periods, the
tank was supposed to be rinsed with
clean water. I don’t know if the herbi-
cides, the fertilizer, or the clean water
caused the pitting, but I have always
suspected that it was the clean water,
with microbial action, that produced
the pitting because that water was left
in the tank for extended periods,
while the herbicides and fertilizer
were not supposed to be left in the
tank when not in use.
If the heat tint is chromium oxide,
and if the passive film responsible for
the corrosion resistance of stainless
steel is chromium oxide, then why is
heat tint clearly detrimental to corro-
sion resistance, as shown in Fig. 2?
There are conflicting theories about
why heat tint is harmful. Perhaps the
more commonly held theory is that
formation of the heat tint is accompa-
nied by diffusion of chromium from
the metal substrate into the oxidized
layer leading to a chromium-depleted
zone immediately below the heat tint.
According to this theory, the heat tint
oxide is not impervious to the corro-
sive media, which is able to reach the
chromium-depleted zone and initiate
corrosion. This theory is espoused by
Tuthill and Avery (Ref. 1). It also ap-
pears in ASM International publica-
tions (Ref. 2).
On the other hand, Ciofu et al.
(Ref. 3) state that researchers have
been unable to find such a chromium-
depleted layer beneath the oxide lay-
er(s). Alternately, they propose that
the heat tint itself consists of an iron-
rich oxide layer and a chromium-rich
oxide layer, and that these layers dif-
fering in composition influence the
loss of corrosion resistance. Von
Moltke et al. (Ref. 4) examined the
composition of heat tint films formed
on 304 stainless steel in a weld simu-
lator using Auger electron spec-
troscopy. They reported an iron-rich
oxide film formed at temperatures
between 400° and 600°C, a chromium-
rich oxide film formed at interme-
diate temperatures, and a chromium-
depleted oxide film formed at temper-
atures around 1000°C. The highest
temperature oxide film was thought
to form by evaporation of chromium

20 WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018

Stainless-Jan. 2018.qxp_Layout 1 12/12/17 3:12 PM Page 21
Fig. 2 — A 304L agricultural sprayer tank interior. The steel that appears above the
partial penetration weld root is the top of the tank, while that which appears below
the weld root is the sidewall of the tank. Note that pits appear out to the edge of
the heat tinted area.
from the oxide. The iron-rich oxide
layer was found in pitting electro-
potential scans to be most detrimen-
tal to pitting resistance.
In conclusion, there is clear evi-
dence and agreement that heat tint on
and around stainless steel welds has
an adverse effect on corrosion resist-
ance of the steel. However, there is
lack of agreement on the exact mecha-
nism of this loss of corrosion resist-
ance. One thing is abundantly clear:
For best corrosion resistance, heat
tint around welds should be removed.
Heat tint removal by mechanical
means (grinding or grit blasting), by
chemical means (pickling), or by elec-
trochemical means (electro-polishing)
can all be effective. Mechanical clean-
ing seems to produce the most vari-
able results, at least in part due to ex-
cessive grinding pressure, which
smears the metal so that the cold-
worked metal can be preferentially
corroded. Chemical and electrochemi-
cal cleaning present issues with toxic
waste disposal.
References
1. Tuthill, A. H., and Avery, A. E. 1999.
Nickel Development Institute Reprint
Series No. 14050 reprinted from Materials
Performance.
2. ASM Handbook. 1993. Vol. 6,
p. 1068.
3. Ciofu, F., Nioaţă, A., and Luca, L.
2010. Duplex stainless steel corrosion re-
sistance. Annals of the Oradea University,
Fascicle of Management and Technological
Engineering, Volume IX (XIX), N2.
4. Von Moltke, T., Pistorius, P. C., and
Sandenbergh, R. F. 1992. The influence of
heat-tinted layers on the corrosion resist-
ance of stainless steels. INFACON 6. Pro-
ceedings of the 1st International Chromium
Steel and Alloys Congress, Cape Town. Vol.
2, Johannesburg, SAIMM, pp. 185–195. WJ
DAMIAN J. KOTECKI is president, Damian
Kotecki Welding Consultants Inc. He is a
past treasurer of the IIW and chair of the
AWS A5D Subcommittee on Stainless Steel
Filler Metals, D1K Subcommittee on
Stainless Steel Structural Welding, and
WRC Subcommittee on Welding Stainless
Steels and Nickel-Base Alloys. He is a
past chair of the A5 Committee on Filler
Metals and Allied Materials, and served as
AWS president (2005–2006). Questions
may be sent to Damian J. Kotecki c/o
Welding Journal, 8669 NW 36 St., # 130,
Miami, FL 33166-6672, or via email at
damian@damiankotecki.com.
JANUARY 2018 / WELDING JOURNAL 21
RWMA-Jan. 2018[1].qxp_Layout 1 12/12/17 2:23 PM Page 22

RWMA Q&A
BY DON DECORTE

Q: I have approximately 400 mid-

frequency direct current (MFDC)
resistance welding transformers
on robot guns in our plant. We
run 24/7, which challenges pre-
ventative and emergency mainte-
nance. Our overall reliability is
good, but we do have failures
from time to time, and when we
do, it seems that the failure is
primarily the “diodes” in the
MFDC transformer. I have been
given the responsibility to help
improve uptime in the plant and
wonder, first of all, why do the
diodes almost always fail, and
what can I do to reduce the
number of failures?

A: That is a great question. First, I

should explain that what you call a
“mid-frequency direct current (MFDC)
transformer” is actually an MFDC
power supply. I am only saying this to
help clarify and will explain why. Fig. 1 — MFDC power supply.

American Welding Society®

EDUCAATTION
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22 WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018

RWMA-Jan. 2018[1].qxp_Layout 1 12/12/17 2:23 PM Page 23
Fig. 2 — Image of the front (left) and side (right) view of a “hockey puck” diode.
The power supply has two main
parts: a transformer that converts
high voltage to low voltage and a recti-
fier that converts the alternating cur-
rent (AC) to a direct current (DC) volt-
age — Fig. 1. I will not get into the
topic of AC or DC, but will instead con-
centrate on your question regarding
why your diodes fail and what you can
do to reduce downtime.
I would like to give you a very short
history of resistance welding trans-
formers to understand where we are at
today with technology and help clarify
what you can do to improve uptime.
In the early 1900s, resistance weld-
ing transformers were air cooled. This
meant they were big and heavy and
many were the size of a modern refrig-
erator weighing 700–1000 kg.
In the 1940s, water circuits were
added to welding transformers to aid
in cooling. This breakthrough allowed
for the size and weight of the trans-
former to be reduced. Along with wa-
ter cooling, it was also discovered that
large rectifiers could be added to the
transformers to create DC voltage/
power. This added another level of
efficiency to the resistance welding
systems.
In 1976, a few guys in Grand
Rapids, Mich., and Chicago, Ill., came
up with the idea of increasing the pri-
mary operating frequencies and
adding inverter circuits in the welding
controllers, which led to the current
technology you have on the end of
your robots today.
So to answer your question, the
diodes in the MFDC power supplies
are the “weakest link” because they
JANUARY 2018 / WELDING JOURNAL 23
RWMA-Jan. 2018[1].qxp_Layout 1 12/12/17 2:24 PM Page 24
Fig. 3 — A rectifier assembly.
have a specific fixed life based on wa-
ter flow and designed load output
characteristics. This means there are
two key areas to pay attention to in or-
der to maximize the life of the diodes.
First and foremost is water require-
ment. Your MFDC power supplies have
a specific water flow requirement/
rating, and this is generally printed on
the label of the power supply, and is
also on the customer application draw-
ings supplied by the manufacturer.
The rating will ask for a specific
minimum water flow rate and specify
a maximum inlet water temperature
based on kVA rating and rectifier de-
signed output capability. The water
flow rate/requirements vary widely,
but the maximum inlet water tempera-
ture is generally 30°C universally
around the world. You can find this
data along with water quality informa-
tion in the RWMA/AWS welding
handbook, AWS C1 specification, and
other resistance welding equipment
publications available on the AWS
website (aws.org). ISO standards (ISO-
5826, ISO-29228) also discuss this
information.
MFDC power supplies fail 90% of
the time because of low or lack of wa-
ter flow. The remaining 10% of fail-
ures are generally related to improper
mechanical abuse and/or improper ap-
plication (running them above their
rating). A brief overview of how the
rectifiers are designed in the MFDC
units will also explain the failure
modes. The rectifiers in the MFDC
power supplies use what we refer to in
the industry as “hockey puck” diodes
— Fig. 2.
The diodes are cooled by being
sandwiched into what is known as a
“diode” or rectifier assembly — Fig. 3.
You can see in the picture that the
24 WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018
Fig. 4 — A destroyed diode due to lack
of water flow.
diodes are clamped together using spe-
cial springs and water cooling plates as
one assembly. Your MFDC power sup-
plies can have a minimum of two
diodes for a small unit and up to eight,
or even 12, diodes per transformer de-
pending, once again, on rating and use
requirements.
These diodes have a fixed life (ther-
mal cycles/number of welds) based on
a given rectifier design, which assumes
that the minimum requested water
flow rate and work load is within the
design parameters of the diode assem-
bly. This fixed life is generally 10–12
million welds at 100% rated/designed
output at a given water flow rate. This
design criteria is a general guideline
and does vary from manufacturer to
manufacturer. To pull an analogy, this
would be like a car. Some cars have
longer warranties and design life com-
pared to others. You should verify this
with your transformer manufacturer
so you know what to expect.
I suggest that the first thing you do
is obtain a good water flow meter and
verify the exact water flow at the
MFDC power supply water outlets.
The water flow must be measured in a
closed loop to ensure all losses in the
water flow system are taken into con-
sideration. Contact your transformer
manufacturer for further clarification.
Just to point this out again: Do not
count on a welding system flow meter
that shows flow for the complete ma-
chine or welding gun. Do not measure
water flow by pulling off a hose and al-
lowing the water to pour in a bucket.
This is a false test and can lead to in-
correct flow readings. You should
measure only the transformer flow at
the transformer, not remotely. It
would also be good to measure the in-
let water temperature if you have that
RWMA-Jan. 2018[1].qxp_Layout 1 12/12/17 2:24 PM Page 25
Fig. 5 — A resistance weld schedule (top) and the duty cycle for the transformer
and rectifier (bottom).
capability to verify that it is below the
30°C. To be clear, the water flow rate is
the most important. To some degree,
inlet temperature is less important but
still needs to be verified.
Once you have measured and veri-
fied correct water flow and inlet tem-
perature, then you must also verify
that you are operating the MFDC pow-
er supply within the correct parame-
ters (kVA and rectifier ratings) it was
designed for.
I will explain just a bit about
rectifier/diode life and how they “wear
out” or break down.
Figure 4 shows what can happen to
diodes with low water flow or exces-
sive cooling water temperatures.
Every time you make a weld, the
diode pucks expand and contract. This
is why they are in an assembly with
springs holding them together at a
rating charts (RC), two specific points
have been found based on the welding
schedule data and calculations: the ac-
tual kVA point this example is running
at (green-colored star) and the actual
rectifier rating point (purple-colored
star).
It would take more pages to explain
how to get to these two points on the
RC charts, so I again suggest you con-
tact your transformer manufacturer to
have them walk you through these cal-
culations and charts a few times so
you are clear on how to do the calcula-
tions and apply the correct chart. The
most important take away is to verify
that you are in the safe range of opera-
tion with both calculations to ensure
long life of the rectifier.
The following is a quick review of
things to do:
1. Verify the rating of your specific
MFDC power supplies by obtaining
rating charts from the manufacturer
and verifying information on labels.
2. Obtain a good water flow meter
and measure water flow at the trans-
formet outlet. Verify the inlet temper-
ature as well.
3. Verify welding schedule/applica-
tion data by plotting points on trans-
former manufacturers’ rating charts.
Verify your calculations with the trans-
former manufacturer because this can
vary from company to company.
If you are applying correct water
flow, inlet water temperature, and
staying within the design parameters
of your MFDC power supply, I am con-
fident you will enjoy a long diode life
and less downtime. WJ
very high force (see Fig. 3).
The diodes must have spring pres-
sure on them all the time. The amount
of expansion and contraction is direct- DON DECORTE is vice president of RoMan
ly related to how much current is flow- Mfg. Inc., Grand Rapids, Mich., and is chair
ing, how much water is cooling them, of the RWMA’s Education Committee.
how long current is flowing through Send your comments and questions to
them, and how much time they have Don DeCorte c/o Welding Journal, 8669
NW 36 St., # 130, Miami, FL 33166-6672, or
to recover and cool down between via email at ddecorte@romanmfg.com.
welds.
Figure 5 shows a sample welding
schedule that illustrates welding time,
secondary welding current, welds per Contributors: SCOT REITENOUR, corporate
min, and closest time between any two marketing manager, RoMan Mfg. Inc.,
welds in the sequence. The duty cycle Grand Rapids, Mich. DONNIE CRIST,
accounts manager and welding engineer,
for both the transformer and rectifier RoMan Mfg. Inc., Grand Rapids, Mich.
is also demonstrated.
You will need all of the referenced
data from your welding guns/machine
to verify that you are operating your
MFDC power supply within its de-
signed range. On the attached rectifier
JANUARY 2018 / WELDING JOURNAL 25
hypertherm 1.qxp_FP_TEMP 12/9/17 12:17 PM Page 26
hypertherm 2.qxp_FP_TEMP 12/9/17 12:18 PM Page 27
Jan. 2018 P&P.qxp_Layout 1 12/12/17 4:36 PM Page 28
PRODUCT & PRINT SPOTLIGHT
Hole Boring Saw Useful for
Metal and Wood
The Morse bimetal hole saw cuts
metal and wood for boring applica-
tions. It features a patent-pending
tooth set design that quickly removes
material; a cap that reduces runout
and vibration; a M42 high-speed, steel
cutting edge with 8% cobalt; a cutting
depth of 115⁄16 in.; a heavy-duty 0.050-
28 WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018
Spotlight on Cutting
in. side wall for enhanced stability; a
side slot for increased leverage as well
as faster and easier slug removal; and
an exterior red coating designed to re-
duce side-wall friction.
The M. K. Morse Co.
mkmorse.com
(330) 453-8187
Pipe Beveling Machine
Enhances Weld Integrity
The portable Esco Wart MillHog®
milling machine performs perfectly
square bevels on either torched-off or
rough-cut pipes for improved weld in-
tegrity. It can simultaneously bevel,
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cy for any prep angle. The machine
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terior diameter, as well as a mandrel
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Running at 98 rpm, the machine
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carbon steel. It also comes with pneu-
matic or electric motors.
Esco Tool
escotool.com
(800) 343-6926
Brochure Highlights
Integrated Systems
The 25-page Integrated Systems
Jan. 2018 P&P.qxp_Layout 1 12/12/17 4:36 PM Page 29

Brochure describes the company’s sys- tions, enabling safe processing of ma- offered. The laser comes in standard
tems for laser welding, cutting, and terials such as brass and copper. The or compact modes.
marking, as well as micromachining, system comes with a control unit that
resistance welding, seam sealing, re- offers numerous monitoring tasks and Coherent Inc.
flow soldering, and bonding. The e-service capability. An optional scan- coherent.com
brochure features high-resolution pic- ner processing solution package is also (800) 227-8840
tures of system options and incorpo-
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handling options, vision, and custom
software development. Single opera-
tor, semiautomated, and fully auto-
mated integrated systems are offered.

Amada Miyachi America Inc.

amadamiyachi.com
(626) 303-5676

Fiber Lasers Deliver Power

Outputs up to 10,000 W
The HighLight fiber laser provides
power outputs from 500 to 10,000 W
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Its combination of power levels and
fiber core diameters allows adaptation
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lasers allow operation either in contin-
uous wave or pulsed mode at repeti-
tion rates of up to 5 kHz. The emitted
wavelength of 1 m achieves high
absorption and is suitable for process-
ing highly reflective materials. These
lasers are also immune to back reflec-

JANUARY 2018 / WELDING JOURNAL 29

Jan. 2018 P&P.qxp_Layout 1 12/12/17 4:37 PM Page 30
Report Presents the Cutting
Equipment Market Growth
Forecast for 2016–2021
Cutting Equipment, Accessories &
Consumables Market by Equipment
(Manual, Mechanized), Accessories (Gas
Regulators, Gas filters,), Consumables
(Shielding, Oxy-fuel Gases), Technology
(Plasma, Oxy-fuel, Laser), End-Use —
Global Forecast to 2021 posits that this
market will reach $8.27 billion at a
30 WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018
compound annual growth rate of
4.40% from 2016 to 2021. The report
aims to estimate the market size and
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Markets and Markets™
marketsandmarkets.com
(888) 600-6441
Cutting Wheels Boast
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The Tiger® line of aluminum cut-
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a blend of cutting grains that deliver a
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blending, beveling, and chamfering.
Weiler Abrasives Group
weilercorp.com
(800) 835-9999
Safety Shields Exceed
OSHA/ANSI Requirements
The line of electrically interlocked
safety shields for cutting and turning
machines protect operators against
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chines from starting until they are po-
sitioned safely in front of the haz-
ardous area. If the shields are moved
Jan. 2018 P&P.qxp_Layout 1 12/12/17 4:37 PM Page 31

away from the hazardous area while
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With these features, the shields sur-
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material handling and increase opera-
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tinue feeding material until more is
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TigerStop LLC
tigerstop.com
(360) 254-0661

Rockford Systems LLC

rockfordsystems.com
(800) 922-7533

Infeed Station Loads Multiple

Pieces at Once
The AutoLoader Automatic Infeed
Station, an integration for the TigerSaw
2000 saw system, loads up to five — continued on page 96
pieces of material at a time to reduce

JANUARY 2018 / WELDING JOURNAL 31

Jan. 2018 WorldSkills Feature.qxp_Layout 1 1/11/18 2:18 PM Page 32

WorldSkills: Building a
Competitive Workforce
How the journey to the international welding
competition is enhancing the American talent pool
BY KATIE PACHECO

T
he WorldSkills competition first
made its appearance on the
global stage in 1946 in response
to the growing, and unmet, need for
skilled labor workers in Spain. The
goal was to spread the word about the
value of vocational training and jobs,
get younger generations interested in
the trades, and supply companies with
the skilled workers they need to
expand their businesses. Seventy years
later, the competition is still doing just
that, but on a much larger scale.
The stakes of this competition have
also expanded, as more than 70 coun-
tries look to it as a means for promot-
ing and training their workforce in the
hopes there will be skilled laborers in
the years to come.
“Every industry is having a skills
shortage,” said Christa Floresca,
SkillsUSA national director, business
partnerships. “In any given week, I
probably have 20 conversations with
all kinds of companies related to
STEM. They all say they’re having a
difficult time finding a skilled
workforce.”
In the United States, the need for
job-ready workers is especially felt in
the welding sector, where the industry
predicts a shortage of more than
400,000 skilled welding professionals
by 2024 (Ref. 1). The problem is
spurred by a deluge of retiring profes-
sionals and a sparsity of incoming
workers who have the skill set
required to do the job.
WorldSkills is tackling this problem
head-on by training the next
generation of American welders to
meet the industry’s demands through
good, old-fashioned competition —
Fig. 1. Here are some of the ways this
international event is helping to
bolster the U.S. talent pool.

The Mt. Everest of Welder

Training Programs
The road to WorldSkills is in and of
itself a training program. The arduous
journey requires years of training, ded-
ication, and self sacrifice.
The competitor selected to repre-
sent the United States must first rank
high at the National SkillsUSA Cham-
pionships, where 48 of the top welders
are chosen to be a part of the
TeamUSA Welder Selection process
held by the American Welding Society
(AWS). After passing a series of trials,
Fig. 1 — Chandler Vincent competes at the 2017 WorldSkills competition held in the last man, or woman, standing is
Abu Dhabi from Oct. 15 to 18, 2017. The competition recognizes the talent of skilled bestowed the honor of representing
workers around the world, highlights the value of trade jobs, and encourages high- the United States at WorldSkills.
level training that meets industry needs. (Photo courtesy of Craig Moore, According to Branden Muehl-
SkillsUSA.) brandt, AWS Skills Competition Com-

32 WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018

Jan. 2018 WorldSkills Feature.qxp_Layout 1 1/11/18 1:12 PM Page 33
Fig. 2 — Past WorldSkills competitors unite at the 2017 competition in support of
Chandler Vincent. From left are Andrew Cardin, 2015 Medallion of Excellence recipi-
ent; Ray Connolly, 1999 gold medalist; Chandler Vincent, 2017 Medallion of Excel-
lence recipient; and Branden Muehlbrandt, 1995 silver medalist. (Photo courtesy of
Craig Moore, SkillsUSA.)
mittee (SCC) chair, the process can
take up to two years starting from the
point in which the welder receives an
invitation to be a part of the AWS
trials.
“Many hours over a two-year period
are spent practicing and honing their
skills, always trying to achieve an un-
achievable goal of making that perfect
weld,” he said.
During trials, the candidates under-
go the AWS training program, which
prepares welders to compete at the
world level and grants them one-on-
one time with past WorldSkills com-
petitors, including Ray Connolly, 1999
gold medalist; Branden Muehlbrandt,
1995 silver medalist; Nick Peterson,
1993 bronze medalist and AWS SCC
vice chair; and Andrew Cardin, 2015
Medallion of Excellence recipient —
Fig. 2.
“I was lucky to have so many ex-
perts dedicate their skills to fine tune
me. Not a lot of individuals get that
going through a welding program,” ex-
plained Connolly. “The stuff I was do-
ing was at a level beyond what I would
be learning at a college class.”
To get competition ready, candi-
dates practice welding pressure vessels
using different welding processes and
materials including aluminum and
steel plates, sheets, and pipes. They
also hone their print reading skills by
prep fitting and tacking materials in
the specified order. When problems
arise, the candidates are expected to
keep calm and troubleshoot solutions
to improve quality and rectify equip-
ment issues.
Chandler Vincent, 2017 WorldSkills
Medallion of Excellence recipient, ex-
plained that he dedicated 12–13 h a
day, 7 days a week, to his training.
“No Christmas, no free time, no
birthday parties,” he said. “But what
you learn from training that long is
what is going to help your career.”
Connolly described this level of
training as a necessity due to the ex-
tremely high level of those competing
at WorldSkills.
“To even come close to being com-
petitive, you need to develop the expe-
rience people have after being in the
industry 20 to 30 years,” he said. “So
these competitors come out of World-
Skills with such a high level that
they’re going out into the industry at a
higher level than most.”
In-Demand Communication
and Leadership Skills
The process of going through
SkillsUSA and WorldSkills exposes
young welders to situations that allow
them to foster the valuable, nontech-
nical skills employers want but have
trouble finding.
An article by Forbes magazine states
that 46% of surveyed managers
claimed their young employees lacked
communication skills; 39% found their
hires to be deficient in public speak-
ing; and 44% reported their employees
fell short in leadership qualities (Ref.
2). Although these skills are not often
focused upon in welding programs,
they can help young welders land and
maintain a job, as well as move up the
chain of command.
According to Floresca, Vincent’s
success with SkillsUSA and WorldSkills
has allowed him to present at various
conferences and speaking events, giv-
ing him the opportunity to whet those
in-demand skills.
Peterson described a similar experi-
ence. “They lined up speeches for me,
and flew me to speaking engagements.
I also did a video for Miller Electric,”
he said. “It really helps someone un-
derstand all the skills they need to be
employable.”
Peterson posited that the process
also teaches leadership qualities, the
importance of getting to work on
time, and soft skills such as “shaking
someone’s hand, looking them in the
eyes, and speaking clearly.”
“If you practice those skills, you’ll
be the foreman instead of just the
welder,” Peterson explained. “You’ll be
the lead in the department and mak-
ing decisions.”
Removing the Financial
Barriers to Education
The skyrocketing cost of education
discourages many welders from seek-
ing higher-level training or pursuing
college degrees, which further widens
the skills gap. Miller Electric Mfg. Co.
removes this road block for the Ameri-
can finalist by awarding him or her a
$40,000 scholarship through the AWS
Foundation.
For some competitors, the scholar-
ship is the sole reason why they ever
considered a postsecondary education.
“I would have never gone to college
for one second if I did not win the
scholarship,” said Peterson.
For others, the scholarship allowed
them to accomplish the goals they set
out for themselves.
“It helped me finish my education
and kick off my welding engineering
degree, which made me eligible to take
advantage of jobs,” said Connolly.
Increasing Job Marketability
WorldSkills enhances competitors’
marketability by getting their names
out there in the industry. According to
Martica Ventura, AWS senior manager
of conferences, skills, and competi-
JANUARY 2018 / WELDING JOURNAL 33
Jan. 2018 WorldSkills Feature.qxp_Layout 1 12/8/17 3:16 PM Page 34

tions, “The minute they win, all doors

open and a whole new world is avail-
able to them.”
After competing last year, Vincent
describes his job outlook as “sweet”
because he is seeing a lot of interest
from different companies — Fig. 3.
Those who came before him experi-
enced similar job outlooks. For
Muehlbrandt and Peterson, the com-
petition helped lead them to their cur-
rent jobs with major companies.
“WorldSkills put me on the radar
for Hobart, which allowed me to devel-
op more skills and then eventually
work for Lincoln Electric,” explained
Muehlbrandt.
“Big manufacturers tend to pick us
up,” said Peterson, who now works for
Miller Electric. “I would not have this
job today if I didn’t learn the skills
from winning bronze in WorldSkills.
Miller wouldn’t have known of me in
the first place.”
Mason Winters, Vincent’s welding
instructor at Utah State University,
explained that competing gives people
a leg up in the job market because
they’re able to add an aspect to their
résumé that separates them from
other job candidates.
For others, reaching WorldSkills
has given them name-brand recogni-
tion and respect within the industry.
Since competing at WorldSkills in
2015, Cardin has been featured in nu-
merous videos, one of which has more
than 200,000 views.
“I heard people from different
countries during WorldSkills in Abu
Dhabi say they were influenced by An-
drew,” said Peterson. “They said, ‘I’m
in this because of you and you inspired
me to get in this industry.”
An Honest Look at How
America Measures Up
WorldSkills is helping the United
States gauge where it stacks up against
other countries when it comes to trade
skills. For example, Vincent was sur-
prised to find that competitors from
other countries, especially Asian coun-
tries, outperformed the United States.
“They are winning everything,” he
said.
Vincent’s observation is astute, for
the United States has not won a gold
medal for welding at WorldSkills since
1999. He cited greater promotion and
support of the trades in those coun-
tries as the fuel for their success.
Fig. 3 — Chandler Vincent mans the AWS booth at FABTECH in Chicago, where he
networked with other professionals and industry leaders. To the right is the pressure
vessel he created during the 2017 WorldSkills competition.
“What he [Chandler Vincent]
learned is that we, the United States,
have catching up to do,” said Floresca.
“We’re supposed to be an economic su-
perpower, but there are countries sur-
passing us in skills.”
Although the United States is not
currently the best in the world when it
comes to trade skills, knowing where
we lack, and how we can fill those
learning gaps, is helpful information
for training and improving the U.S.
workforce.
“To rise above the norm, welders
must be efficient in what they do, pro-
ductive in what they do, and competi-
tive on a global scale,” said Muehl-
brandt. “If you don’t have these skills,
there’s other people across the pond
who will.”
Keeping Students in School
WorldSkills is giving many young
adults a reason to stay in school. For
example, Vincent was on the verge of
quitting high school before he discov-
ered SkillsUSA and WorldSkills.
“I didn’t have a reason to do good,”
he said. “I had a deal with my mom to
first do a semester at school, and if I
didn’t like it, I could drop out.”
However, welding and competing
led Vincent to reconsider his decision.
“It gave me a reason to stay and
push myself,” he said.
Part of the problem was that Vin-
cent was told that the only way to be
successful in life was to possess a four-
year degree, and the blue collar jobs he
was interested in were “shamed upon.”
However, competing taught Vincent
otherwise — Fig. 4.
“It let me know that my skills are
worth something,” he said.
Like Vincent, Connolly was moti-
vated to continue his education be-
cause he wanted to compete.
“I pursued college just so I could
continue competing, and I won state
the first year of college. Then I got
into pretrials and welding trials, then
WorldSkills and brought home gold,”
he said. “I saw what welding could do
for me.”
Unlike the others, Andrew Cardin
didn’t want to be a welder. In fact, he
avoided it because he was told it was
dirty and repetitive. Cardin changed
his tune after he was serendipitously
placed in a welding class and saw his
instructor’s medals.
“I asked my instructor, Dan Rivera,
about his medals. I never wanted to
become a welder, and here I was want-
ing to pursue that,” he said. “I didn’t
know you could represent the U.S. for
welding, and I wanted to do it.”
According to Lon Youngberg, one of
Vincent’s instructors at Utah State
University, WorldSkills helps promote
workforce development amongst the

34 WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018

Jan. 2018 WorldSkills Feature.qxp_Layout 1 12/8/17 3:16 PM Page 35
Fig. 4 — Chandler Vincent proudly holds the United States flag at the WorldSkills
competition. Competing taught him the value of trade skills and encouraged him to
stay in school.
younger generations by getting them
involved in meaningful activities.
“There’s a saying by a famous edu-
cator, Phil Patrick. If you can get stu-
dents engaged in what he calls ‘whole-
hearted purposeful activity,’ they will
learn a lot,” explained Youngberg.
“SkillsUSA and WorldSkills keep stu-
dents engaged while they enter into
wholehearted, purposeful activity that
they enjoy. This gets them to enter the
next realm where they want to be as
good as they can get.”
Conclusion
Ralph Waldo Emerson cogently said
that life is a journey, not a destination.
The same logic can be applied to
WorldSkills, where competitors prac-
tice for years to hone their skills be-
fore facing off with other hopefuls
from around the world. The competi-
tion, and journey to get there, is
meant to enhance workforce develop-
ment and increase interest in the
trades. At the end of the day, whether
they win gold or not, the competitors
are better prepared to join the work-
WOORK
RK
SSM
MART
M ART
RT
Model 200 Positioner
3 models av
,
.
force and meet the ever-increasing
demands of industry. WJ
References
1. Tasch, Barbara. 2015. The U.S. labor
industry is facing a big labor shortage.
Business Insider.
2. Strauss, Karsten. 2016. These are the Mode el 1200 Pipemate
skills bosses say new college grads do not Rottates pipe and tube
have. Forbes.
from 1 ½” to 17” diameter,,
Gearing Up for the 2019
WorldSkills Competition
Do you think you have what it
takes to represent the United States
at the 2019 WorldSkills competition
in Kazan, Russia? For more infor-
mation about eligibility and the se-
lection process, visit the AWS web-
site at aws.org, or contact Martica
Ventura at mventura@aws.org.
KATIE PACHECO (kpacheco@aws.org) is
associate editor of the Welding Journal.
JANUARY 2018 / WELDING JOURNAL 35
Campbell et al Fabtech Feature Jan 2018.qxp_Layout 1 12/8/17 3:37 PM Page 36

FABTECH 2017 Recap

BY KRISTIN CAMPBELL,
MARY RUTH JOHNSEN,
KATIE PACHECO, AND
CINDY WEIHL

Fig. 1 — Show-goers massed for the unveiling of the Paley-James sculptures and the start of the show. Nearly 45,000 people at-
tended FABTECH 2017.

The show There was a nip in the air and an aura of excitement as the crowd readied it-
self to surge onto the show floor for FABTECH 2017 — Fig. 1. The four-day
included event, held November 6–9, 2017, drew 44,935 attendees from 120 countries.
It encompassed more than 750,000 sq ft of exhibit space at Chicago’s Mc-
extensive Cormick Place Convention Center.
The event — the largest annual metalforming, fabricating, welding, and
educational finishing event in North America — is sponsored by the American Welding So-
ciety (AWS); SME; Fabricators & Manufacturers Association; Precision Metal-
programming forming Association; and Chemical Coaters Association International.

as well as the AWS Annual Business Meeting

latest in welding When John Bray entered his presidential year, his intent was to focus on
mentors and mentoring. While he did that, he said his ideas about mentors
products and changed as the year progressed.
He recalled how his grandson had told him that kids weren’t getting what
technology he was trying to tell them and that he needed to talk to them in a different
way.

36 WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018

Campbell et al Fabtech Feature Jan 2018.qxp_Layout 1 12/8/17 3:38 PM Page 37
Fig. 2 — 2018 President Dale Flood (left) receives his gavel from 2017 President John
Bray.
“This is the first time in history
that there are five generations in the
workplace,” Bray said. He came to real-
ize “the gray generation are not the
ones to be mentors. I started to get
the idea that students needed to men-
tor other students.” He showed photos
of events and places where this is
taking place, and said he was encour-
aged to see the enthusiasm welding
students have for their soon-to-be
profession.
After his symbolic installation
(Fig. 2) as 2018 AWS President, Dale
Flood said, “So far as I recall, I’m the
first professional welder to be presi-
dent of AWS. I’ve been welding since
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back was
on the screen” (1980).
After talking about how and why
New Products
The Polifan® PSF Z-Trim flap disc
from PFERD showcases a lightweight
composite backing that can be
trimmed to extend disc service life and
increase stock removal rates — Fig. 4.
Produced with a high density of
zirconia-coated material, the flap disc
offers an improved surface finish
along with a cushioned, contamina-
tion-free grinding effect for applica-
tions ranging from surface grinding,
weld grinding, blending, chamfering,
and deburring on steel and stainless
steel. The arrangement between the
composite backer and the flap is de-
AWS was formed, Flood said, “Today,
so many young people are told the
only way to have a successful life and
career is to go to college. It’s one way,
but not the only way.”
Flood, who got his start in welding
through the Plumbers and Pipefitters
Union, said one of his goals is to get
more companies involved with AWS.
“There are many great welders out
there who don’t even know AWS ex-
ists,” he said, and that’s because their
companies have no involvement with
the Society.
“AWS is the source of information,
standards, and certification to make
sure things are built the way they
should be,” Flood said. He summed up
his plans with the slogan, “Let’s Make
Welding a Trending Career.”
signed to reduce vibration and noise
levels. PFERD Inc., pferdusa.com
Fig. 4 — The PSF Z-Trim flap disc’s
trimmable composite backing pro-
longs disc service life and enhances
stock removal.
Fig. 3 — Sudarsanam Suresh Babu
presented the 2017 Comfort A. Adams
Lecture.
Comfort A. Adams
Lecture
Sudarsanam Suresh Babu (Fig. 3),
an AWS Fellow, delivered this year’s
Comfort A. Adams Lecture titled “To-
ward Process-Based Quality through a
Fundamental Understanding of Weld
Microstructural Evolution.” Babu is
UT/ORNL chair of advanced manufac-
turing at the University of Tennessee
in Knoxville. He is also with Oak Ridge
National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tenn.
The lecture is named in honor of
the first president of AWS. You can
read the paper based on Babu’s talk be-
ginning on page 1-s of this issue.
The eQ™ air quality monitoring
system (Fig. 5) promotes a healthy
work environment while helping man-
ufacturing companies reduce energy
costs and meet OSHA regulations for
dust and fume control. The system
works by monitoring ambient particu-
late levels in the plant and communi-
cating with eTell, the control system
that powers most RoboVent dust col-
lectors. eTell then adjusts the per-
formance of the dust collector by regu-
lating airflow. This prevents systems
from using more energy than is neces-
sary. The system also sends real-time
air quality alerts to a tablet or smart
phone, enabling managers to monitor
air quality levels over time and identi-
JANUARY 2018 / WELDING JOURNAL 37
Campbell et al Fabtech Feature Jan 2018.qxp_Layout 1 12/8/17 3:38 PM Page 38
fy meaningful patterns. RoboVent,
robovent.com
Fig. 5 — The eQTM sends real-time
alerts to digital devices to help man-
agers monitor air quality remotely.
The multipurpose SUNmic 60
micro-motor system performs grind-
ing, milling, and polishing with a vari-
ety of hand tool combinations — Fig.
6. Its tools provide 280 W of power,
while the brushless, direct current
(BL/DC) motor offers a speed range of
1000 to 60,000 rpm. Additional fea-
tures include a manual and automatic
clamping system; touch-screen control
on a glass display; rotation speed regu-
lator with tangible resistance; two
sockets for BL/DC motor hand tools,
and one for conventional motors with
carbon brushes; separate rotation
speed memory for each connection;
and optional pedal. Suhner, suhner-
abrasive-expert.com
Fig. 6 — The SUNmic 60 micro-motor
system from Suhner comes with mul-
tiple hand tools to enable grinding,
milling, and polishing at fast speeds.
38 WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018
The XPR300™ cutting machine uti- each stitch weld, and the robot will
lizes X-Definition Plasma to cut faster move along the start and stop path,
and more efficiently than Hyper- welding only during the specified
therm’s earlier systems — Fig. 7. This stitch areas, reducing programming
300-A machine features an ISO-9013 time. ARC Specialties Inc. and Univer-
range 2 cut quality on thin mild steel sal Robots, arcspecialties.com and
and an extended ISO range 3 cut on universal-robots.com
thicker metals. This results in squarer
cut edges, less angularity, and a good
surface finish on nonferrous metals
like aluminum and stainless steel. The
cutting machine also features Cool
Nozzle™ and Arc Response Technolo-
gy™ to improve consumable life and
cut quality by protecting consumables
from the negative impact of ramp-
down errors, a regular occurrence in
cutting applications. Hypertherm,
hypertherm.com
Fig. 8 — SnapWeld is shown after a
live demonstration at FABTECH, where
attendees could grab the UR10 robot
arm and perform stitch welding by
“teaching” the robot start and stop
points.
Miller Electric Mfg. Co. introduced
the Fusion 160, a welding machine/
generator that provides portability for
outdoor work, while also offering the
opportunity to weld safely indoors
Fig. 7 — The XPR300TM employs a without starting the gas engine — Fig.
newer type of plasma to deliver faster 9. PowerShift technology enables it to
cuts and greater power efficiency be plugged into 120/240-V utility
than the company’s previous sys-
tems.
The SnapWeld collaborative robot
welding package, a result of ARC Spe-
cialties Inc. and Universal Robots (UR)
working together, was shown for the
first time at FABTECH 2017 — Fig. 8.
The cobot-assisted, interactive welding
system can be deployed in existing,
manual welding booths. John Martin,
vice president of ARC Specialties, not-
ed requests for integrating UR in weld-
ing booths, so this was viewed as an
opportunity to develop an integrated
low-cost system for gas metal arc
welding applications. The system with Fig. 9 — Three main features of the
the UR robot is comprised of a Profax Fusion 160 welding machine/generator
wire feeder and water-cooled torch, include weight savings, up to 160 A of
enabling welding at up to 600 A. Users SMAW power, and capability for both
can enter the number and length of indoor and outdoor use.
Campbell et al Fabtech Feature Jan 2018.qxp_Layout 1 12/8/17 3:39 PM Page 39
power. It weighs 222 lb, which is up to
70 lb lighter than other similarly sized
units. It delivers a smooth shielded
metal arc welding (SMAW) arc. In ad-
dition, it provides up to 160 A of
SMAW power, while the generator pro-
duces up to 6500 W of power for elec-
tric tools. Miller Electric Mfg. Co.,
millerwelds.com
SawGear is a portable and automat-
ic lineal cutting system by TigerStop
that attaches to either side of a miter,
chop, double miter, or vertical panel
saw, plus can be integrated onto an
ironworker shear or punch — Fig. 10.
By entering lengths into its keypad,
the need for repeated measuring is
eliminated. A more robust leg struc-
ture has also been added to its option-
al job site tables; the legs branch in
two directions from a direct connec-
tion point. The tables come in three
lengths to accommodate 8-, 12-, or
16-ft working lengths. TigerStop LLC,
tigerstop.com
Fig. 10 — SawGear, a lineal cutting
system, can be set up on either side
of the saw and its table legs provide
increased stability.
The TruLaser Weld 5000 from
TRUMPF simplifies the laser welding
process for experts and beginners —
Fig. 11. FusionLine makes it possible
to overcome component imperfections
in welding and close openings of up to
0.04 in. wide. Users can benefit from
laser beam guidance, optics, and a
weld feed system to perform laser
welding operations, even if their com-
ponent portfolio is not optimized for
laser welding. Due to the rotary mod-
ule, it features a movable nozzle that
rotates around the optics, which re-
sults in fast welding times. The status
monitor also supplies more informa-
tion about production status. This ver-
sion of the company’s laser welding
cell features a cube design, and on the
exterior, a status light. TRUMPF Inc.,
trumpf.com
Yaskawa featured the ArcWorld®
500 workcell designed to be a versatile
workhorse for small-to-medium
volume-sized production runs —
Fig. 13. The workstation includes a
MHT185 positioner equipped with a
MotoMount™ tool mounting system,
which eliminates the need for precise
alignment of the headstock and tail-
stock. Coordinated motion is standard
between the robot and each position-
Fig. 11 — The TruLaser Weld 5000 con- er. Dowel pins can be used for the Mo-
tains a FusionLine option that makes toMount to allow rapid and accurate
tolerant laser welding possible and changeover between multiple parts/
fast welding times due to a rotary fixtures. Each station can accommo-
module for shield gas guidance. date a maximum part size of 1000 ×
800 mm. Yaskawa, motoman.com
Lincoln Electric introduced an up-
dated Viking™ 3350 welding helmet
with 4C® lens technology and an op-
tional extended battery pack — Fig.
12. The lens upgrade improves the
optics and reduces eye strain by mini-
mizing the lime green coloring in the
liquid crystal display in both active
and inactive states. The 4C stands for
clarity — optical clarity at the highest
EN379 1/1/1/1 levels; color — real
color view; carat — lightweight auto-
darkening filter; and cut — even shade
from any angle. The powered air-
purifying respirator (PAPR) is a pow-
ered system that draws air from the
environment through a HEPA filter lo-
cated on the belt and delivers filtered
air in the breathing zone within the
helmet. The Lincoln Electric Co.,
lincolnelectric.com
Fig. 13 — The ArcWorld 500 workcell is
designed to be versatile for small-to-
medium production runs.
The CleanSpace2 power unit respi-
rator trial kit is designed to provide
the industry with HEPA filter protec-
tion — Fig. 14. The trial kits are com-
Fig. 14 — The CleanSpace2 respirator
Fig. 12 — The Viking 3350 welding hel- trial kit provides particulate air filter
met features a lens upgrade. protection.
JANUARY 2018 / WELDING JOURNAL 39
Campbell et al Fabtech Feature Jan 2018.qxp_Layout 1 12/8/17 3:39 PM Page 40
plete, ready-to-use systems and
include a power unit, HEPA particulate
filter, filter adaptor, half masks (small,
medium, and large), storage and
cleaning plug set, CleanSpace back-
pack, and disposable covers (pack
of 25). CleanSpace Technology,
cleanspacetechnology.com
When customers challenged the
company to come up with a wire that
would produce smooth multipass
welds, ESAB developed PURUS™ 42.
The solid wire was formulated to re-
duce postweld cleanup of spatter and
silica islands and comes in two wire
types: a bare wire and a copper-coated
version. Both types deliver a stable
process with minimal spatter and a
stable arc. At the show, the wire was
shown in a bulk wire system as part of
the company’s robotic welding cell —
Fig. 15. It is classified as an AWS
ER70S-6 EN/ISO G3Si1 wire. Silica is-
lands prevent positive arc initiation.
The wire prevents the need to shut
down the robotic welding station for
cleaning. ESAB Welding & Cutting
Products, esab.com
Fig. 15 — PURUS™ 42 solid wire for ro-
botic gas metal arc welding reduces
postweld cleaning of spatter and sil-
ica islands.
Cultivating a Workspace that Inspires Creativity
Pixar Storyteller and Animator
Matthew Luhn delivered a keynote
speech titled “Inspiring Creativity in
the Workplace.” It focused on the
childhood and work environments
that have allowed him to develop cre-
atively and produce meaningful work.
He also outlined strategies for foster-
ing creativity and innovation in the
workplace.
First, Luhn stressed the importance
40 WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018
The Disruptor 55 magnetic drill
from Magswitch® features a patent-
pending pivoting base that allows it to
automatically conform to any pipe 6
in. or larger in diameter — Fig. 16.
The magnets require no electric power
and will not release in case of a power
failure. The magnets can be fully or
partially activated; when partially
activated, the tool can be pivoted so
the user can inspect the holes that
were drilled. It cuts holes up to 21⁄4 in.
in diameter and up to 3 in. deep.Mag-
net strength is 2038 lb. Magswitch,
magswitch.com.au
Fig. 16 — The Magswitch Disruptor 55
magnetic two-speed drill conforms to
any pipe 6 in. or larger in diameter.
The Rapid Prep XHD line of discs
(Fig. 17) aims to reduce the number of
steps companies must perform. In-
stead of needing to use several discs
for tasks such as removing weld lines,
spatter, discoloration, and surface
blending, Norton claims these discs
can do the job by themselves. This
helps save labor time and costs be-
cause fewer disc changes are needed.
The coarse discs handle aggressive
weld removal and surface blending of
of having fun. When he landed a job
as an animator for “The Simpsons”
cartoon at age 19, Luhn was surprised
to find that having fun was paramount
for the creators of the show.
“On my first day of work, I saw a
bunch of guys hanging around, writ-
ing, and having a good time, and I
thought, ‘Is this how it’s really done?
Just a group of people having fun?’”
This same fun-centered formula
Fig. 17 — The Rapid Prep XHD line of
discs from Norton help reduce labor
time and costs because fewer disc
changes are needed.
steels, while the medium-grit discs
handle softer metal and alloy jobs. A
variety of fastener backs are available
including hook and loop, speed-
change, and TR quick-change. Sizes are
available from 2 to 7 in. Norton Saint
Gobain, nortonabrasives.com
See You Next Year
Be sure to save the date for the next
FABTECH exhibition, which will be
held at the Georgia World Congress
Center in Atlanta, Ga., on November
6–8. Join thousands of your friends
and associates as they see cutting-edge
exhibits and participate in expert-led
educational sessions. WJ
worked for Steve Jobs at Pixar.
“We created an environment that
inspired us to make these great sto-
ries,” he said. “We just got to be cre-
ative and enjoy the process. If people
aren’t having fun, they rarely produce.”
Second, Luhn suggested having
workspaces designed to bring people
together so that creativity and com-
munication can naturally occur.
“Steve Jobs created an environment
Campbell et al Fabtech Feature Jan 2018.qxp_Layout 1 12/8/17 3:39 PM Page 41

Paley-James Project Shines

Light on Welding Art,
Education, and Careers
Attendees experienced the highly anticipated unveiling of cocreated
sculptures by sculptor Albert Paley and West Coast Choppers founder and
“Monster Garage” star Jesse James.
Both artists were on hand to reveal the steel masterpieces before the offi-
cial opening of the show on November 6. Known as the Paley-James Project,
the two metal sculptures are the result of a unique collaboration between
them to each start one, switch halfway, and then finish the other’s piece.
James told attendees one of the most challenging aspects of creating the
Pixar Storyteller and Animator sculptures was in trying to finish Paley’s piece. He wanted to make sure he
Matthew Luhn addressed a packed didn’t lose sight of the vision Paley had for his sculpture while still adding a
house during his keynote speech little bit of his own style to it.
titled “Inspiring Creativity in the The project, sponsored by welding and cutting equipment and consum-
Workplace.” ables manufacturer ESAB, was on display for the duration of the FABTECH
show and then moved to Chicago’s Wright Auction House. The proceeds
where people bumped into each other from the sale of the sculptures will support grants and educational opportu-
and communicated,” he explained. nities for careers in metalworking trades at FABTECH cosponsor organiza-
“Happy accidents started happening, tions: the American Welding Society, Chemical Coaters Association Interna-
where people were talking and prob- tional, Fabricators & Manufactuers Association International, Precision Met-
lem solving when they shared what alforming Association, and SME.
they were working on.” National Public Radio member station WXXI in Rochester, N.Y., filmed
Third, Luhn recommended that the entire journey of the project and the sculptures’ creation. The station is
workers empower one another to turning the footage into an hour-long documentary airing on PBS stations
speak up by getting rid of workplace nationwide in early 2018.
hierarchies and creating a sense of
safety. He suggested using round ta-
bles where there is no “head” to en-
hance the sense of equality, as well as
getting people accustomed to giving
and receiving feedback without hurt
feelings. “Separate the idea from the
person, and don’t take it personally,”
he said.
Lastly, he emphasized ridding one-
self of the fear of failing. “We don’t al-
ways put good ideas out there because
we’re afraid of failing, but trial and er-
ror is about making mistakes,” he said.
As an example of the important
role failure plays in success, Luhn dis-
cussed the Pixar movie, Newt, which
never saw the light of day because it
“didn’t work” after two years in devel-
opment. However, this failure led the
team to break from the familiar story-
telling formulas and try something
new, such as the “buddy stories” that
led to Toy Story, Monsters Inc., and
Finding Nemo.
“You have to keep taking chances;
this is the research and development
of your life,” he said. “The key to fail-
ure is to fail early and fail fast so that Jesse James stands next to Raiden, Paley unveiled Ambiguous Equation,
you can quickly learn from those which was started by Paley and which James started and Paley
mistakes.” finished by James. finished.

JANUARY 2018 / WELDING JOURNAL 41

Campbell et al Fabtech Feature Jan 2018.qxp_Layout 1 12/8/17 3:40 PM Page 42
Howard E. Adkins Memorial Membership
Award Lecture
Huck Hughes, 2017 recipient of the
Howard E. Adkins Memorial Member-
ship Award, presented a lecture out-
lining the challenges of producing
workforce-ready students.
Huck Hughes presented the 2017
Howard E. Adkins Memorial Member-
ship Award lecture. He is a welding in-
structor at Columbiana County Career
& Technical Center (CCCTC), Lisbon,
Plummer Lecture
David Cotner presented the 2017
Plummer Memorial Education Lecture.
David R. Cotner, dean, School of In-
dustrial, Computing & Engineering
Technologies at the Pennsylvania Col-
lege of Technology, Williamsport, Pa.,
delivered the 2017 Plummer Memorial
Education Lecture.
His presentation, “Sharing Our
Spark,” focused on what educators and
those in the industry can do to recruit
and retain future welders.
Most valuable to Cotner is making
sure those in the industry are sharing
their personal stories about why
he/she loves welding and what made
them fall in love with the trade. Cotner
recalls being three or four years old,
42 WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018
Ohio; chair of the AWS Mahoning Val-
ley Section; and a business owner.
During his lecture, Hughes high-
lighted a major issue plaguing
CCCTC’s welding program — a discor-
dance between industry needs and ed-
ucational standards. As a result of this
gap, his school’s welding program is
not producing graduates with the
types of skills needed by local
businesses.
“The skill set that employers need
is different than what is taught,” he
explained. “Companies are not getting
the skilled workers they need; this is
causing companies to close.”
Hughes identified a multipronged
approach to help mitigate the growing
problem. First, he suggested compa-
nies and industry leaders get involved
in the school to better align their
needs with educational objectives.
“Companies need to come to the
living on a farm, and taking items in
need of repair to his local welder, Red
Worthington.
“There wasn’t anything he couldn’t
fix,” Cotner said. “He probably could
have welded wood if he had a reason to.”
Inspired by what he saw, in his
teenage years, Cotner was a hobby
welder making simple repairs on his
parents’ porch. He went on to work as
a welder, machinist, industry sales per-
son, and Certified Welding Inspector.
He also earned associate’s and bache-
lor’s degrees from the Pennsylvania
College of Technology (where he is now
dean) and years later a master’s degree
in education from Wilkes University.
After more than a decade in the
welding industry, Cotner ventured
into the education field full-time 14
years ago. He said there was a great
deal of growth at the college at the
time and a renewed interest in weld-
ing. Some of that, he said, is thanks to
television shows that were becoming
popular on the Discovery and History
channels. Shows like “Monster
Garage” hosted by Jesse James
showed teams fabricating and modify-
ing vehicles. It also showcased the
schools and speak to the Department
of Education and say what skill set they
need from students,” he said. “No mat-
ter how big or small your company is,
you need to get involved. Kids will help
the industry grow when they get out.”
Because many schools suffer from a
lack of resources, he further suggested
that companies donate scrap material
for students to practice with.
“I struggle with meeting the needs
of the industry base, but they need to
help so we can get kids what they
need,” he said.
Hughes also recommended compa-
nies invest in training programs to
keep employees “viable in this global
market.”
The lecture concluded with an im-
promptu open discussion with atten-
dees about additional solutions for
bridging the gap between industry
needs and educational standards.
need for welding to build and create.
James, says Cotner, “brought an awful
lot of attention to our craft and trade.”
As the welding program at the col-
lege continues to grow and the industry
looks to find more skilled welders, Cot-
ner expressed the importance of being
truthful about what making it in the in-
dustry entails and not making it as
glamorized as it may sometimes seem.
“Be responsible when sharing your
story,” advised Cotner. “It can be hot
and it can take you away from home. If
you want to be a pipeline welder,
you’re going to have to do it in the
cold, in a ditch, etc.”
According to Cotner, just as impor-
tant as being truthful about the
unglamorous parts of the job, it’s im-
portant to make sure youths under-
stand the pride of being a welder. It’s
how buildings, ships, and bridges get
built, he said.
Cotner is grateful to be sharing his
spark with the future of the industry
and mentioned he is especially grateful
to Dwight Myers for nominating him
for the Plummer Memorial Education
Lecture and his students at Pennsylva-
nia College of Technology.
Campbell et al Fabtech Feature Jan 2018.qxp_Layout 1 12/8/17 3:40 PM Page 43

Professional Welders Competition

A young welder shows off his skills at the 2017 Professional Welders Competition. Contestants had 5 min to create a single-pass
fillet weld using SMAW and E7018 electrodes on low-carbon steel.

The biennial 2017 Professional

Welders Competition attracted about
220 contestants vying for bragging
rights and a $2500 first-place, $1000
second-place, and $500 third-place
prize.
The two-day event allowed com-
petitors to showcase their skills by cre-
ating a single-pass fillet weld using
SMAW and E7018 electrodes on low-
carbon steel within a 5-min time
frame. A panel of AWS Certified Weld-
ing Inspectors evaluated all weldments
according to AWS D1.1 and considered
weld size, quality, and speed.
“This competition is great for the
industry,” said Bennie Flynn, past Second-place winner Andrew Cardin (right) and eighth-place winner Keith Cusey
chair of the AWS Indiana Section. “To posed for a photo after the 2017 Professional Welders Competition, where more than
win, you have to be the best welder.” 200 participants strived for top honors.
Tony Brosio, chair of the Profession-
al Welders Competition, discussed the with more than a dozen prizes from feels good to just get back and relive
significance of this competition for sponsors. The winners were Jeremy my glory days,” he said. “I’m honored
both welders and the industry. “This Hall, Willmar, Minn.; Andrew Cardin, to win second place and see those who
competition helps promote the image Cleveland, Ohio; and Isaac Carrion, work hard to make it all possible.”
of welding and get people to try it,” he Austin, Tex. For eighth-place winner Keith
explained. “It’s an added plus for young Second-place winner Andrew Cusey, competing was more about
welders who wouldn’t otherwise have Cardin, who also won fifth place in the keeping his welding skills in tip-top
anything else to add to their résumé.” 2015 WorldSkills competition, was shape: “I enjoy coming to do this. It’s a
The nine finalists were awarded an happy to be in the ring again. “I have vital part of keeping skills in tune and
AWS t-shirt and a duffle bag filled been out of competition for years. It not getting complacent,” he said.

JANUARY 2018 / WELDING JOURNAL 43

Campbell et al Fabtech Feature Jan 2018.qxp_Layout 1 12/8/17 3:40 PM Page 44
‘Fast N’ Loud’ Star Talks Cars, Success, and
Perseverance
Keynote speaker Richard Rawlings signed autographs following a successful talk given to hundreds of FABTECH attendees.
It was standing room only inside
the McCormick Place ballroom where
keynote speaker Richard Rawlings
of “Fast N’ Loud” spoke to FABTECH
attendees about the risks he has taken
as founder of the hot rod shop Gas
Monkey Garage.
Rawlings had the audience laughing
beginning with his opening line when
he asked attendees if they were won-
dering if the guy they saw on TV while
watching his shows on Discovery
Channel was the same guy they were
seeing in real life. Rawlings’s response
— he popped open a cold can of beer.
Maintaining a comedic tone
throughout most of his speech, Rawl-
ings explained how he came up with
the idea for “Fast N’ Loud,” which fol-
lows him and his team at Gas Monkey
Garage as they scour the country for
beat-up classic cars, negotiate their
sale price, then bring them back to his
shop in Dallas, Tex., to restore and
resell — all in about six weeks.
He pitched the idea to several tele-
vision channels for years before Dis-
covery finally took interest in what his
shop was doing. The successs of “Fast
44 WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018
N’ Loud” eventually led to another
show, “Garage Rehab,” where Rawlings
and his team visit struggling car shops
to offer advice on turning around their
businesses.
But success for Rawlings didn’t
come without plenty of failure, he ex-
plained. Rawlings told the audience he
was broke and sleeping on his sister’s
couch before he got Gas Monkey
Garage going, but he was persistant
about his idea for a TV show and did
everything he could to make it happen.
Rawlings explained he had always
liked cars but considered it a hobby, as
his father instilled in him that it was
important to find a life-long career
where he could make a good salary and
eventually retire. So he tried that. He
worked as a police officer, paramedic,
and firefighter during his early 20s but
quickly found that he wasn’t fulfilled
and knew he wanted to do other things,
although he wasn’t quite sure what
those other things were. So he took a
leap of faith, quit his job, and started
trying to find his passion. That led him
to several business ventures, many of
which failed and left him broke.
Today, Rawlings’s hard work and
dedication has paid off. Aside from his
hit TV shows, Rawlings currently
owns several businesses including a
home health agency, which is the sec-
ond largest agency in the state of
Texas, a live music venue, and several
restaurants.
Following Rawlings’s talk, and before
an autograph signing session with at-
tendees, he sat down for an audience
question and answer session led by
Matt Rubin, director of expositions,
AWS. Rawlings answered questions
about cars, running a business, and how
to attract today’s youth into the trades.
When asked what advice he would give
students today, he advised them to put
down their cell phones and find what
they’re really passionate about. WJ
KRISTIN CAMPBELL (kcampbell@aws.org) is
features editor, MARY RUTH JOHNSEN
(mjohnsen@aws.org) is publisher, KATIE
PACHECO (kpacheco@aws.org) is
associate editor, and CINDY WEIHL
(cweihl@aws.org) is senior editor of the
Welding Journal.
mercer.qxp_FP_TEMP 12/9/17 12:19 PM Page 45
Avila Feature.qxp_Layout 1 12/11/17 4:06 PM Page 46
Troubleshooting Common
Plasma Cut Quality Challenges
Tips and suggestions for improving plasma
arc cutting issues
T
oday’s plasma systems are more
powerful and portable than ever,
cutting metal parts with very
good, if not excellent, edge quality at a
very fast clip. Still, fabricators are
bound to face cut quality issues at one
point or another. The most common
complaints are related to dross, edge
angularity, material warpage, and
changes to the metallurgy of the plas-
ma cut edge. Hole cutting is another
challenge for many fabricators.
Though the age of your system and
brand will impact these issues to some
degree, there are things all operators
can do to improve plasma cut quality,
including the quality of holes. These
include maintaining control of param-
eters such as torch-to-workpiece dis-
tance, amperage, gas type, flow rate,
and cut speed.
Dross
Dross is by far the most common
cut quality issue. When you hear of
shops performing a secondary opera-
tion — by grinding, chipping, and
sanding plasma cut parts — it is often
to remove dross. This formation is de-
pendent on many variables including
cut speed, standoff distance, amper-
age, voltage, and consumable condi-
tion. Also, the material being cut,
thickness and type, grade, chemical
composition, surface condition, flat-
ness, and even temperature changes
while cutting all impact the process.
Of these, the three most critical vari-
ables when working to eliminate dross
are cut speed, system amperage, and
standoff distance.
Like the classic story of Goldilocks
and the Three Bears, there is a “just
right” speed when it comes to plasma
cutting. Cut too slowly, and the plasma
jet begins to look for more material to
46 WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018
cut, causing low-speed dross. Cut too
quickly and the arc trails behind the
torch, causing high-speed dross. In ad-
dition, fast cut speeds combined with
a worn nozzle or too high of a standoff
can cause a third type of dross called
top-spatter dross, in which a swirling
flow of plasma flings molten material
out in front of the kerf rather than
down through it.
Low-Speed Dross
If you see molten material in a thick
globular form along the bottom edge
of the plate, you have low-speed dross
caused from cutting too slowly, hold-
ing too low of a standoff, or setting
your power supply at too high of an
amperage. Perform the following ac-
tions to eliminate low-speed dross:
1. Increase the cut speed in 5
in./min increments.
2. Increase the torch standoff in
5-V increments.
3. Decrease the amperage in 10-A
increments.
4. If none of these measures im-
prove the cut, consider changing to a
nozzle with a smaller orifice.
High-Speed Dross
A small hard bead of uncut material
or rollover dross along the bottom of
the plate is called high-speed dross.
This type of dross is more difficult to
remove than its low-speed counter-
part. As mentioned earlier, high-speed
dross is a result of cutting too fast,
though a high standoff or low amper-
age (for a given material thickness and
cutting speed) can also cause it since
both changes cause a reduction in the
energy of the plasma jet. Perform the
following actions to eliminate high-
speed dross:
BY MICHELLE AVILA
1. Inspect your cutting nozzle for
signs of wear.
2. Decrease the cutting speed in
5-in./min increments.
3. Decrease the standoff in 5-V
increments.
4. Increase the amperage (but do
not exceed 95% of the nozzle orifice
rating).
Top Spatter Dross
If you see a light coating of resolidi-
fied metal along the top surface of the
plate, then you have top-spatter dross.
Perform the following actions to elimi-
nate it:
1. Inspect the nozzle for signs of
wear.
2. Decrease the cutting speed in
5-in./min increments.
3. Decrease the standoff in 5-V
increments.
Dross Free Window
Between the two extremes of high-
and low-speed dross is the “just right”
window mentioned earlier. Officially
called the dross-free zone, this is key
to minimizing secondary operations
on plasma cut pieces. Nitrogen and air
plasma gasses have a relatively narrow
dross-free window on carbon steel
while oxygen plasma has a wider win-
dow. There are two things you can try
to find this optimum cutting speed.
1. Make a series of test cuts at vari-
ous cutting speeds and choose the
speed that produces the cleanest cut.
Lag lines (small ridges in the surface
of the cut) are a good way to judge
your cutting speed. When cutting too
slow, you will see lag lines that are per-
pendicular to the plane of the plate. If
cutting too fast, you will see slanted
s-shaped lag lines that run parallel to
the plate along the bottom edge.
Avila Feature.qxp_Layout 1 12/11/17 4:07 PM Page 47
Fig. 1 — The distance between the torch and workpiece is critical to achieving good cut quality. When properly positioned (left), the arc will
remain narrow. If too close or far (right), the arc will widen, creating a part with an exaggerated angle.
2. Watch the arc (wearing appropri-
ate eye protection) during the cut, and
dynamically change the speed to pro-
duce the optimum arc characteristics.
To do this, observe the angle of the arc
as it exits the bottom of the work-
piece. If cutting with air plasma, the
arc should be vertical as it exits the
bottom of the cut. With nitrogen or
argon/hydrogen, a slight trailing arc is
best, while a slight leading arc is best
with oxygen.
A final tip when it comes to dross:
Refer to the owner’s manual that came
with your cutting system. Plasma
process engineers spend months in
a lab experimenting with various
parameters to create comprehensive
cut charts listing recommended cut
speeds, cut heights, and amperages for
many material types and thicknesses.
Edge Angularity
Edge angularity is another common
issue faced by fabricators. The shape
of a plasma arc is like a flame from a
candle — tapered at the top and bot-
tom. Therefore, any metal cut with
plasma will have some degree of angu-
larity. Plasma process engineers work
hard to design torches and consum-
ables with minimal angularity as well
as to ensure that the angularity is con-
sistent around the perimeter of the
part. Cutting slowly generally mini-
mizes edge angularity, so manufactur-
ers typically recommend speeds that
are the lowest at which you can cut
without causing low-speed dross.
Here’s how to lessen edge angularity.
1. Match consumables and power
level to material thickness keeping in
mind that lower power and slower cut
speeds equal less edge angularity.
2. Inspect your consumables, espe-
cially the nozzle and shield orifice, for
damage.
3. Use the correct cut height (0.005
in. for high definition and ± 0.010 in.
for conventional or air plasma) after
the pierce and throughout the entire
cut — Fig. 1.
Material Warpage
Following the suggested power and
cut speed specifications in your own-
er’s manual can help control material
warpage during plasma cutting. As a
rule, faster cut speeds impart less heat
into the material, which produces less
heat-induced material warpage. There
are three suggestions for controlling
material warpage.
1. Use your CAM software to create
cut paths that control the heat input
by allowing sections to cool before
cutting adjacent parts. This is especial-
ly useful when cutting very thin
material.
2. Use the lowest power level and
consumables as well as the fastest pos-
sible cut speed.
3. If you have a water table, keep
the water in contact with the material.
Keep in mind that on many materials,
water can affect edge smoothness and,
in some cases, edge hardness (hydro-
gen embrittlement).
Edge Metallurgy
All materials cut with plasma will
show metallurgical effects on the
edges. Fortunately, choosing the cor-
rect gases for the material being cut
can lessen these effects.
Oxygen plasma produces the best
edge metallurgy on most carbon
steels. Using an oxygen plasma and
oxygen shield gas process is especially
beneficial when cutting holes less than
2.5 -in. in diameter. The result is hole
edges almost unaffected by the cutting
process. In fact, the metallurgy effects
are so minor, this process is often suit-
able for thread tapping. In addition,
parts cut with oxygen are 100% weld-
able and machinable, and rarely crack
during forming operations. Air or ni-
trogen plasma does cause some edge
hardening and nitriding on most
steels, which can make edges brittle
and create porosity during some weld-
ing processes. On the positive side,
this nitride layer is generally thin —
between 0.006 to 0.010 in. thick —
and easy to remove.
A mix of gases is recommended for
stainless steel. It is possible to cut
stainless less than a 14⁄ in. in thickness
with a very pure edge using a 5% hy-
drogen/95% nitrogen mix for the plas-
ma gas. Thicker stainless sections of-
ten do better when cut using a 35% hy-
drogen/65% argon mix. Regardless of
thickness, a nitrogen shield gas is rec-
ommended. Another option is to cut
stainless underwater using nitrogen
for both the plasma and shielding gas,
thus eliminating the oxide layer that
forms when cutting in ambient air.
1. Use oxygen for your plasma gas if
your system supports it for the best
edge metallurgy on carbon steel.
2. Use a mixture of gases depend-
ent on material thickness when cut-
ting stainless steel.
3. Always use a nitrogen shielding
gas on stainless, regardless of thick-
ness.
JANUARY 2018 / WELDING JOURNAL 47
Avila Feature.qxp_Layout 1 12/11/17 4:07 PM Page 48

Fig. 2 — Tapered holes, in which the top opening is larger than the bottom (left), is a challenge faced by many operators; however, it is en-
tirely possible to cut a hole with little to no taper (right).

Holes out-of-round and/or tapered holes, in Pierce Height and Delay

Though the above tips will improve
cut quality on most parts and shapes,
hole cutting requires a bit more work.
The rule of thumb — whether using
air or an oxygen-based, high-defini-
tion system — is that the hole diame-
ter should be no smaller than the
thickness of the plate. For example,
a 1⁄2 in. or larger hole on a 91⁄2-in. plate.
However, even when following this
rule, operators often struggle with
which the top of the hole is larger than
the bottom — Fig. 2.
The good news is that it is possible
to cut a round hole with plasma. As far
as the taper, air plasma will always
produce a hole with some natural, al-
beit very little, taper because of the
lagging arc angle from the plasma jet.
High-definition plasma, on the other
hand, will produce a nearly nonexist-
ent taper. The following are the factors
to consider when cutting holes.
Pierce the plate at the recommend-
ed cut height and use the pierce delay
time found in your owner’s manual.
This will prevent, or at the very least
decrease, metal blowback on your
torch shield and nozzle orifice.
Lead-In
Start your lead-in close to the center
of the hole rather than the radius. By

Fig. 3 — Though a perpendicular lead-in (left) works with most machines, a curved lead-in (right) is helpful when using a slower machine.

48 WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018

Avila Feature.qxp_Layout 1 12/11/17 4:07 PM Page 49
piercing and starting your lead-in in
the center, the divot caused during
piercing will occur in the metal being
cut away rather than along the edge
(radius) of the hole. Starting in the
center also gives the arc more time to
stabilize itself during ramp-up and
gives the torch height control more
time to index down to cut height be-
fore reaching the radius. Though most
machines can produce excellent holes
when lead-in shapes are straight and
perpendicular to the hole, more slug-
gish machines will benefit from the use
of a radial or curved lead-in — Fig. 3.
Arc Shut-Off
Ideally, you want the arc to stop or
shut off at the 360-deg position on the
hole contour or, even better if your
CAM software allows it, past the 360-
deg lead-in kerf. Some software can
shut off the plasma arc at the lead-in
kerf crossing while keeping the motion
active, which is the best option be-
cause it allows for a smoother end-of-
cut transition and a minimal divot
when the arc turns off.
American Welding Society®
FOUNDAATTION
aws.org
The
Thhe AAW
WS Foundation is pleased to announce the
2017 WELDER WORKFOORCE GRANT RECIPIENTS

CENTRAL LA TECHNICAL
COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Alexandria, LA

FIVE KEYS CHARTER SCHOOL
Castaic, CA

HENNEPIN TECHNICAL COLLEGE
Brooklyn Park, MN

HORRY--GEORGETOWN TECHNICAL
COLLEGE
Conway, SC
Please visit aws.orrgg/fdnggran
Cut Speed
Cut speed should be about 60% of
the speed you use to cut the outside
contour of the part. This cut speed ad-
justment will create some low-speed
dross, but ensures minimal hole taper.
Cut Height
When cutting holes less than 11⁄4 in.
in diameter, it is best to disable the arc
voltage control and voltage height cor-
rection and instead enable the pierce
height and the indexing-to-cut height
feature. This is recommended because
the slower speed used for cutting holes
will cause the arc voltage control to
move the torch too close to the plate.
Use Antispatter Welding Spray
Spraying a water-based, antispatter
welding spray onto the plate and front
of your torch will usually eliminate the
spatter that can occur when piercing
and keep spatter off the shield and
nozzle.

LENAPE TECHNIICAL SCHOOL
Ford City, PAA

LIVINGSTON AREEA CAREER CENTER
Pontiac, IL

NORTH MONTCO O TECHNICAL
CAREER CENTER R
Lansdale, PAA

OLD COLONY REEGIONAL VOCATTIONAL
TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL
Rochester, MA
a t for moree information on the next application cycle.
Consumable Selection
Use 45-A shielded consumables for
cutting material thicknesses between
3
⁄16 and 3⁄8 of an in., and 65-A consum-
ables for material thicknesses between
3
⁄8 and 5⁄8 of an in. Using higher power
levels and consumables will create
more taper in holes.
Your specific system will impact
your result to a large degree. This is
because the process capability between
plasma and table manufacturers varies
widely. This variation is especially pro-
nounced when using a light industrial
or entry-level CNC table. Differences
in the type of torch height control,
CAM software, and acceleration capa-
bilities can really affect your result.
Nonetheless, the above tips and sug-
gestions are sure to improve cut quali-
ty and hole shape for anyone using
plasma. WJ
MICHELLE AVILA
(michelle.avila@hypertherm.com) is
communications manager at Hypertherm,
Hanover, N.H.

SALTT LAKE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Salt Lake City, UT

SURRY COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Dobson, NC

WHITEWAATTER CAREER CENTER
Connersville IN
Connersville,
JANUARY 2018 / WELDING JOURNAL 49
Letter to the Editor.qxp_Layout 1 12/13/17 4:01 PM Page 50

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Welding Stainless Steel
T-Joints
I read the Stainless Q&A article re-
garding the straightening of welded
T-joints in the November 2017 Weld-
ing Journal with much interest .
I believe there is a much easier
solution than what was presented in
the article to avoid this problem of dis-
tortion when welding T-joints with fil-
let welds.
The late Ray Stitt suggested insert-
ing a couple of soft wires perpendicu-
lar to the vertical plate into the joint.
The wires will crush and defuse the
force couple caused by the shrinkage,
thus eliminating the distortion. Of
course, this needs to be done prior to
welding. It is applicable for welding of
all types of metals.
The problem of distortion on
T-joints is of concern in studded plate
inserts in concrete when a knife plate
is welded to the plate in place. De-
pending on the position of the studs
as well as the location of the welded
plate and the stiffness (thickness) of
the imbedded plate, the studs or its
weld to the plate can fail due to the
high-tension force caused by the rota-
tional distortion of the plate. The
studs want to restrain that distortion,
which can cause a high-tension force
in the studs and can lead to their
failure.
Paul A. Gossen
PE, F. SEI, F. ASCE
Denver, Colo. WJ

CONFERENCES
International Brazing and Soldering fessionals, scientists, and engineers involved in the research,
development, and application of brazing and soldering with
Conference (IBSC) 2018 a unique networking and idea-exchange forum. This four-
April 15–18, 2018 day conference provides cutting-edge education and techni-
New Orleans, Louisiana cal programming for the brazing and soldering community,
as well as peer networking and a full exhibit program, show-
The IBSC remains the premier event for the brazing and casing the latest trends, products, processes, and techniques
soldering community. For years, the IBSC has provided pro- available in the industry. WJ

For more information, please contact the AWS Conferences and Seminars Business Unit at (800) 443-9353, ext. 213, or email
cbrowne@aws.org. You can also visit the Conference Department website at aws.org/conferences for upcoming conferences
and registration information.

CAN WE TALK?
The Welding Journal staff encourages an exchange of ideas with you, our readers. If you’d like to ask a question, share
an idea, or voice an opinion, you can call, write, email, or fax. Staff email addresses are listed below, along with a guide to
help you interact with the right person.
Publisher/Editor Editor of Inspection Trends/Editor of Welding Journal en
Mary Ruth Johnsen, mjohnsen@aws.org, Ext. 238 Español/Manager of Electronic Media
General Management, Reprint Permission, Carlos Guzman, cguzman@aws.org, Ext. 348
Copyright Issues, Editorial Content Inspection Trends, Spanish-Language Content
Design and Production
Sr. Editor
Cindy Weihl, cweihl@aws.org, Ext. 256 Sr. Advertising Sales Executives
Section News, SPRAYTIME Sandra Jorgensen, sjorgensen@aws.org, Ext. 254
Annette Delagrange, adelagrange@aws.org, Ext. 332
Features Editor Advertising Sales
Kristin Campbell, kcampbell@aws.org, Ext. 257
Feature Articles, Industry News Sr. Advertising Production Manager
Frank Wilson, fwilson@aws.org, Ext. 465
Associate Editor Advertising Production
Katie Pacheco, kpacheco@aws.org, Ext. 275
Society News, New Products Subscriptions
Sonia Aleman, saleman@aws.org, Ext. 329
Assistant Editor Subscriptions Representative
Roline Pascal, rpascal@aws.org, Ext. 303
International News, Personnel

50 WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018

fabtech.qxp_FP_TEMP 12/12/17 8:54 AM Page 51

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Technology-Jan 2018.qxp_Layout 1 12/12/17 1:10 PM Page 52

TECHNOLOGY

Process for Laser Cladding

Features Three Hot Wires
A new method for laser cladding with an oscillating BY HANNES FREIßE,
CLAUS THOMY,
beam and three hot wires is presented FRANK VOLLERTSEN,
AND RYUICHI NARITA

There is a demand for cladding

processes combining high productivi-
ty (several kg/h) with low dilution and
low heat input (to minimize distor-
tion and detrimental effects on mi-
crostructure) in many industries. An
example of this is corrosion protec-
tion layers on thin-walled tubes for
heat exchangers in power plants.
In arc cladding where deposition
rates tend to be higher than in laser
cladding (with wire or powder), the
latter has the advantage of a typically
lower heat input and lower dilution.
Consequently, a process that com-
bines the advantages of both process-
es is needed. This novel process and
the system technology required were
developed through a collaboration be-
tween Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Ltd. and BIAS - Bremer Institut für
angewandte Strahltechnik GmbH, as
well as other suppliers.
Laser Cladding with Wires
As powder materials tend to be un-
favorable due to handling, storage,
procurement costs, health and safety
aspects, and process stability (espe-
cially considering powder feeding), it
was decided at the beginning of the
project to use wire as the cladding ma-
terial. To achieve the required produc-
tivity with highest deposition rates,
the process and system technology
were designed such that three wires
could be fed simultaneously. In view
of process stability and an optimized
heat input, the wires were fed electri-
cally preheated by resistance heating
as hot wires. Moreover, for further op-
timization of heat input, the laser
beam was oscillated perpendicular to
A B
Fig. 1 — A — High-speed image of the process; B — typical cladding of a nickel-
based alloy on a tube (diameter approximately 40 mm, wall thickness approximate-
ly 4 mm) on mild steel.
the direction of wire feed, resulting in ponents such as a laser, laser scanner,
a more favorable melt pool geometry CNC machine, power sources, and
and further stabilization of wire melt- wire feeders. The gas nozzle devel-
ing — Fig. 1A. oped for feeding three hot wires was
For typical process parameters, a designed together with a supplier
dilution of less than 5% at a clad layer with the help of computational fluid
height of 2 mm was obtained for dynamics simulations and experimen-
cladding of a nickel-based alloy on tal Schlieren investigations. Finally,
mild steel (tube diameter approxi- the system test and process optimiza-
mately 40 mm, wall thickness approx- tion in an industrial environment
imately 4 mm) — Fig. 1B. The took place at Mitsubishi Heavy Indus-
achieved deposition exceeded 7 kg/h tries Ltd. in Takasago, Japan.
in the first investigations. As a result, a highly productive
process for laser cladding with an os-
Complete System Technology cillating beam and three hot wires is
now available. WJ
Aside from process development,
the task of BIAS was the design and
implementation of the complete sys- HANNES FREIßE (freisse@bias.de), CLAUS
tem technology consisting of software THOMY, and FRANK VOLLERTSEN are with
and hardware, including a control BIAS - Bremer Institut für angewandte
Strahltechnik GmbH, Bremen, Germany.
touchpad. This control allows users to RYUICHI NARITA is with Mitsubishi Heavy
control and monitor all system com- Industries Europe Ltd., Munich, Germany.

52 WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018

aws found praxair scholarship.qxp_FP_TEMP 12/12/17 8:53 AM Page 53

The AWS Foundattion

t
American Welding Society®
FOUNDAATTION
is pleased to annnounce
aws.org

recipients foor 2017 – 2018

ROBER
RT L. PEASLEE BRAZING SCHOLARSHIP HOUSTON
N TRIANGLE
Kyle Bear Nicholas Henry Jeannette Low
Pennsylvania Statte University LeTToourneau Universityy Wake Teechnical Community
C College
General Engineering, Applied Maaterials
t Maaterials Joining Enggineering Welding Teechnoloogy
“I would like to thank the Peaslee
e family and “I’d like to thank the AWS and Praxair for “I started welding
ng to honor my late father’ss
making
the AWS Fooundation for makin ng this scholarship selectingg me as this yyear’’s Praxaair Scholarshipp reccipient.
p ppassion of blacksmithing.
g Hee would be pproud to know
possible. It is an honor to be sselected for this Yoour finaancial generosity and willlingness to investt in that I have come so far in weelding and blacksmithing.
scholarship, and I will put it too good use pursuing my future Engineers
En is of immense hhelp to me as I coontinue Earning the Praxair Scholarsship is an honor that I know
education.” to pursuue my Materials Joining EEngineering Degreee at would make him proud. Thannks Praxair and thank you
LeTToournneau Universityy.”. Dad!”
RWMA SCHO
OLARSHIP
Michael Stott KANSAS CITY TULLSA
The Ohio State Unniversity Ashley Raymond Chase Barrow
Welding Engineering Metropolitan Community College Oklahoma State University
“I am extremely ggrateful to be the recipient Welding Teechnology & Management Mechanical Engineering
of the 2017 RWMA scholarshiip. It’’s of the highest "I am humbled beyonnd words to be givven "I am honored too be a recipient of the Praxair
recognition to have this organnization be willing to invest such a generous
g gift from AWS and
and Praxair towardds my Limited Schola
Scholarship. With thhis award, I will continue my
in my education and future. Thank
Th you to the AWS welding degree at Metropolitan CCommunity Collegge of education in Me
Mechanical Enggineering with the hope of
Fooundation for providing me with
w this opportunity..” Kansas City,
C , MO. This incredible endo
e wment will allo a w impacting the welding indusstryy in the near future. Thank
me to usse my learned skills and ddegree to better my
m you again for thhis generous investment
i towards my
TOM LANDON ENDOWED
W SCHOLARSHIP communnity.." education."
Ryan Fitzgerald
LeToourneau University LONG BEACH/ORAN
NGE COUNTY UTTAAH
Materials Joining Engineering
“I am honored to receive
r this scholarship. Bryan Larra Christina Noinaj
Thank you for helping make mym ambition of becoming a Thee Ohio State University, Welding Engineerinng Salt Lake Community College
materials joining engineer com
me true.” Welding Fabricaattion/Inspection
Miles Woolery
PRAXAIR LIMITED
D SCHOLARSHIPS Long Beach City Colleege, Welding Gregory Smith
Weber Statet Universityy
CLEVELLAND Manuffacturing Engiineering Technolog
e y
LOS ANGELES/INLAND EMPIRE
Bryan Lara
Erik Langarica
The Ohio State Universityy, Welding Engineering Los Angeles Trade-Teechnical College
Tyler Olson
O Gas and Electric Welding
Lincoln Electric Weldiing School, Welding “Woow! I am truly honored for being awarded
w Each year, the Americaan Welding Society
this scho
holarship. Thank you, God, Praxair,, AWS andd Ms.
Thompsson for this life changing experience. This is
i living
Foundation prrovides scholarship funds to help
DETR
ROIT proof tha
hat I’m on the right path and reinforces myy hundreds of students
s whoo otherwise would be
Alexander Neal commitm ment towards obtaining my welding degreee at unable to affoord a weldingg education. We are the
Macomb Communnity College Los Anggeles Trrade-Teechnical College.” only industry founda
f tion w
with the specific mission
Welding Skilled Traades Manufacturing of helping to fund
f the eduucation of welding
“I cannot thank my
m friends at the AWS and Bernardo Martinez
Loos Angeles Trade-Teechnical College, Weldinng students. In soo doing, we create the careers that
Praxair enough for helping mee continue my education in sustain and grow our induustry.
the welding field. I hope to givve back to the community,,
just like how they supported my m career and future. NORTH TEXAS
Thank you so much!” We get theese funds from your contributions. The
Jose Bermudez more yyou contribute,, the m
more students we can
FOX VAALLEY
A Teexas A&M University help educate.
Zachary Anklam Manufacturing & Mechanical Engineerring
Advanced Weldingg Institute Teechnology Too make a scholarship contribution or to set up
Welding “I am veery thankful for being a recipient of the Praaxair
Limited Scholarship provided by the AWS North Teexase your own Disttrict, Section or National Named
“I am honored to hah ve received one of the Scholarship, contact
c Moniica Pfarr at the AWS
Praxair Limited Scholarships. Thank you, AWS Foox Vaalley Section. Thanks to this award, I will be able to commplete
Section, for choosing me as a recipient of the Praxair the finall semester of my engineering education at Teexas Foundation. Call
C 800-443--9353, Ext. 461, or email
Limited Scholarship. With thiss scholarship, I will further A&M Unniversity.. Thank you for your generosity andd to mpfarr@aws.org.
w Remeemberr, for a short time,
my education by taking a 6-mmonth course on Structural support..” AWS is matchhing all fundss donated to a new or
and Pipe welding at AWI in Eaagle River..” existing endowed
w scholarsship!
PORTLAND
Olivia Arreola
Fox Valley Teechniccal College
Industrial Welding Teechnology
Jarod Kennedy
Clark College,W
g eldingg Teechnologgy
Thank you for
“I am honored to ha h ve received this
Ryan Sunderlin
your continu
ti ued support.
scholarship and on my behalff, I am looking forward to
giving back to the welding coommunity through my Clark College,Welding Teechnology
career..”
Jan 2018.qxp_Layout 1 12/12/17 10:41 AM Page 54
COMING EVENTS
U.S., CANADA, MEXICO EVENTS
ShipTech 2018 Transitioning Advanced Manufacturing
Technology for an Affordable Fleet. March 27, 28.
Charleston Marriott, Charleston, S.C. The two-day event
targets the domestic shipbuilding industry, its supplier
base, U.S. Navy Program offices, and Navy-sponsored ship-
building research programs. The objective of the confer-
ence is to reduce acquisition and total ownership costs of
naval ships while enhancing the competitiveness of the
U.S. shipbuilding industry. Visit nmc.ctc.com.
Workshops for Warriors 10-Year Anniversary Gala. April
5. USS Midway Museum, San Diego, Calif. The second an-
nual gala will be honoring America’s veterans. Visit
wfwusa.org/wfw-2nd-annual-gala-2018.
Additive Manufacturing with Powder Metallurgy. June
17–20. Grand Hyatt San Antonio, San Antonio, Tex. Focus-
ing on metal additive manufacturing, the event will feature
worldwide industry experts presenting the latest technolo-
gy developments in the fast-growing field. Visit
ampm2018.org.
54 WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018
INTERNATIONAL EVENTS
AKL’18 International Laser Technology Congress. May
2–4. Aachen, Germany. Users, manufacturers, and develop-
ers from the laser sector will meet at the biannual event.
More than 70 speakers, experts, and the accompanying
sponsors’ exhibition focus on the current issues and per-
spectives of applied laser technology for industrial produc-
tion. Visit lasercongress.org.
ASCCS 2018 Advances in Steel-Concrete Composite
Structures. June 27–29. Valencia, Spain. The conference
is intended to provide a forum to discuss the recent
progress and advances in the research, design, and practice
of steel-concrete composites as well as hybrid structures.
Visit asccs2018.webs.upv.es.
22nd IAS Steel Conference. Oct. 23–25. Rosario, Santa
Fe, Argentina. This conference is intended for researchers,
manufacturers, suppliers, and users in the steel industry
around the world to review the progress and achievements
made in recent years; assess new developments in steel re-
search, production, and application; meet new challenges;
Jan 2018.qxp_Layout 1 12/12/17 10:42 AM Page 55

and promote further international exchange and coopera-

tion. Prospective authors wishing to present papers must
submit a tentative title and an abstract of about 250 words
by April 3. Deadline for the full paper submission is May
18. Visit siderurgia.org.ar/conf18.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

Advanced Fundamentals & Brazing by Design. Philadel-

phia, Pa. Two-and-a-half days of classes covering the essen-
tial theoretical aspects of brazing technology combined
with real-life applications and case studies. Visit lucasmil-
haupt.com.

ASME Section IX Course. Classes held in Las Vegas, Nev.,

March 5–7; and Houston, Tex., June 18–20. Visit asme.org
or contact Marian Hess at (212) 591-7161.

Business Electronics Soldering Technology. Classes

held in Chicago, Ill.; Detroit, Mich.; Minneapolis, Minn.;
Cleveland, Ohio; and Huntsville, Ala., or can be coordinat-
ed onsite at your facility. Contact BEST at (847) 797-9250
to register.

JANUARY 2018 / WELDING JOURNAL 55

Jan 2018.qxp_Layout 1 12/12/17 10:42 AM Page 56

E-Courses in Destructive and Nondestructive Testing

of Welds and Other Welding-Related Topics. Online
video courses taken at one’s own pace offer certificates of
completion and continuing education units. Contact Ho-
bart Institute of Welding Technology; (800) 332-9448;
welding.org/product-category/online-courses/.

THEE STEPPED ESAB Welding and Cutting Distributor Instructor-Led

Training. Year-round training at Denton, Tex.; West
WEDGGE & GAUGE Lebanon, N.H.; Traverse City, Mich.; Hanover, Pa.; and Salt
Lake City, Utah. Online e-Learning training available at
training.victortechnologies.com, email
trainingteam@esab.com.

GE Industrial Computed Tomography (CT) Operator

Course. Learn to operate the 3D technology that is becom-
ing more prominent in industrial quality control and
metrology. Lewistown, Pa., (315) 554-2039; geinspec-
tionacademy.com.

Hypertherm Cutting Institute Online. Includes video tu-

TH
HE PIPE FABRICATORS
A T SOURCE TM torials, interactive e-Learning courses, discussion forums,
webinars, and blogs. Visit hypertherm.com; hyperthermcut-
tinginstitute.com.

Industrial Laser Training. Technical training and support

OVER
ONE MILLION
MI DOLLARS
2018
American Welding Society®
FOUNDATTION IN SCHOL
S LARSHIPS
aws.org TO BE
B AWWA
ARDED IN
Since 1991, thee AAW
WS Foundationn has awarded over $99 million in scholarships, and
2018 is expecteed to bee the best year yet with over onee million dollars in
scholarships avvailable for studennts pursuing educationn in welding and related fields.
The AWS Founddation offers
o varioous types of scholarshiips at the National, District,
and Section level for foour-year, twwo-year, and certificate
t programs.

APPLLY TODAY at sccholarsh

h hip.aws.or
aws orrg !
Natioonal Schholarship application deadline iss February 15, 2018.
District aand Secction Schoolarship application deeadline is March 1, 2018.
SSome SSections
i poost inde
i dependent
d sccholarship
h l hi applica
li tions.
i PPl
Please check
h k your section
i
webpage for all availablee local schoolarships.
Welder Trainingg Scholarships
Welder Training SScholarsships are forr students enrolled in a welder
w training program up to two
years in length annd are selected
s by District Directors on a roolling basis. Too find out more
information and aaccess the
t application,
t visit aws.org/welder
ertrainingscholarship.
For more informaation on all scholarsship programs, please vissit aws.org/scholarships.

56 WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018

Jan 2018.qxp_Layout 1 12/12/17 10:42 AM Page 57

offered for users of industrial lasers in manufacturing,

education, and research. Regularly scheduled classes in
laser welding, laser cutting, and drilling. HDE Technologies
Inc.; (916) 714-4944; laserweldtraining.com, laser-cutting-
drilling- training.com.

INTEG Courses. Courses in NDE disciplines to meet certi-

fications to Canadian General Standards Board or Canadi-
an Nuclear Safety Commission. The Canadian Welding Bu-
reau; (800) 844-6790; cwbgroup.org.

Laser Safety Online Courses. Courses include Medical

Laser Safety Officer, Laser Safety Training for Physicians,
Industrial Laser Safety, and Laser Safety in Educational
Institutions. Laser Institute of America; (800) 345-2737;
lia.org.

Laser Safety Training Courses. Courses based on ANSI

Z136.1, Safe Use of Lasers. Orlando, Fla., or customer’s site.
Laser Institute of America; (800) 345-2737; lia.org.

Laser U — Online Education Portal. Offers practical in-

formation to use on the job. Topics range from 3D printing
to drilling, welding, wireless and optical product require-
ments, and many others. Visit Laser Institute of America;
lia.org/laseru.
— continued on page 100

American Welding Society®

FOUNDATION AWS is proud to be a Global Partner of
aws.org WorldSkills International and Sponsor of WorldSkills Abu Dhabi.

Congratulations
CHANDLER VINCENT
ON A JOB WELL DONE!
The American Welding Society is pleased to congratulate
Chandler Vincent for his “Best in Nation” Welding Skill Award during
the 2017 Worldskills Competition in Abu Dhabi. As part of his prize
package, Chandler also received the Miller Electric Worldskills
Scholarship worth up to $10,000 per year, for 4 years to further his
welding-related educational studies.

Keep up the good work!

JANUARY 2018 / WELDING JOURNAL 57

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CERTIFICATION SCHEDULE
CERTIFICATION SEMINARS, CODE CLINICS, AND EXAMINATIONS

Note: The 2018 schedule for all certifications is posted online at Miami, FL Feb. 4–9
aws.org/w/a/registrations/prices_schedules.html. Denver, CO Feb. 18–23
Dallas, TX March 4–9
Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) Certified Welding Educator (CWE)
Seminar and exam are given at all sites listed under Certified
Location Seminar Dates Exam Date Welding Inspector. Seminar attendees will not attend the Code
Denver, CO Jan. 21–26 Jan. 27 Clinic portion of the seminar (usually the first two days).
Long Beach, CA Jan. 21–26 Jan. 27
Atlanta, GA Jan. 28–Feb. 2 Feb. 3
Seattle, WA Jan. 28–Feb. 2 Feb. 3 Certified Welding Sales Representative
New Orleans, LA Feb. 4–9 Feb. 10 (CWSR)
Milwaukee, WI Feb. 11–16 Feb. 17 CWSR exams are given at Prometric testing centers. More
Orlando, FL Feb. 11–16 Feb. 17 information at aws.org/certification/detail/certified-welding-
Miami, FL Exam only Feb. 23 sales-representative.
Huntsville, AL Feb. 18–23 Feb. 24
Kansas City, MO Feb. 18–23 Feb. 24 Certified Welding Supervisor (CWS)
San Diego, CA Feb. 18–23 Feb. 24 CWS exams are given at Prometric testing centers. More in-
Houston, TX Feb. 25–March 2 March 3 formation at aws.org/certification/detail/certified-welding-
Norfolk, VA Feb. 25–March 2 March 3 supervisor.
Phoenix, AZ March 4–9 March 10
Salt Lake City, UT March 4–9 March 10 Certified Radiographic Interpreter (CRI)
Chicago, IL March 4–9 March 10 The CRI certification can be a stand-alone credential or can
Mobile, AL Exam only March 10 exempt you from your next 9-Year Recertification. More in-
Perrysburg, OH Exam only March 10 formation at aws.org/certification/detail/certified-
Indianapolis, IN Exam only March 17 radiographic-interpreter.
Sacramento, CA March 11–16 March 17
San Antonio, TX March 11–16 March 17 Location Seminar Dates Exam Date
St. Louis, MO March 18–23 March 24 Houtston, TX Feb. 26–March 2 March 3
Las Vegas, NV March 18–23 March 24
Boston, MA March 18–23 March 24
Certified Robotic Arc Welding (CRAW)
9-Year Recertification Seminar for CWI/SCWI ABB Inc., Auburn Hills, MI; (248) 391-8421
For current CWIs and SCWIs needing to meet education re- OTC Daihen Inc., Tipp City, OH; (937) 667-0800, ext. 218
quirements without taking the exam. The exam can be taken Lincoln Electric Co., Cleveland, OH; (216) 383-8542
at any site listed under Certified Welding Inspector. Genesis-Systems Group, Davenport, IA; (563) 445-5688
Wolf Robotics, Fort Collins, CO; (970) 225-7736
Location Seminar Dates On request at MATC, Milwaukee, WI; (414) 456-5454
New Orleans, LA Jan. 14–19
IMPORTANT: This schedule is subject to change without notice. Please verify your event dates with the Certification Dept. to confirm your
course status before making travel plans. Applications are to be received at least six weeks prior to the seminar/exam or exam. Applications
received after that time will be assessed a $250 Fast Track fee. Please verify application deadline dates by visiting our website
aws.org/certification/docs/schedules.html. For information on AWS seminars and certification programs, or to register online, visit
aws.org/certification or call (800/305) 443-9353, ext. 273, for Certification; or ext. 455 for Seminars.

Looking for a Welding Job?

The American Welding Society has enhanced its Jobs
In Welding website at jobsinwelding.com.
The redesigned career portal includes additional capa-
bilities for companies seeking workers and individuals
looking for jobs.
Through relationships with many job boards and dis-
tributors, it offers direct access to more than 88% of the
welding-related jobs posted on the Internet.
Users may search various openings for welders, Certi-
fied Welding Inspectors, engineers, technicians, and
managers/supervisors.
In addition, the website contains the following
highlights:
• The home page displays featured welding jobs along
with the companies looking to fill them and city/state
locations.
• The job seeker section connects individuals to new
career opportunities by allowing them to post an
anonymous résumé, view jobs, and make personal job
alerts. This area has résumé tips, certification informa-
tion, and a school locator.
• The employer area enables association with qualified ap-
plicants. Résumés, job postings, and products/pricing
options may be viewed here.
Visit the website to create or access job seeker and em-
ployer accounts.

58 WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018

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WELDING WORKBOOK
DATASHEET 378

Introduction to Plasma Arc Cutting

Plasma arc cutting (PAC) is a process that severs metal by
using a constricted arc to melt a localized area of a work-
piece while removing the molten metal with a high-velocity
jet of ionized gas issued from a constricting orifice. The ion-
ized gas used for the PAC process is plasma, a gas that has
been heated by an arc to at least a partially ionized condi-
tion to enable it to conduct an electric current. Plasma exists
in all electric arcs, but the term ‘plasma arc’ is exclusively as-
sociated with torches that produce a constricted arc. Plasma
arcs typically operate at temperatures of 18,000° to
25,000°F (10,000° to 14,000°C).
Invented in the 1950s, conventional PAC became com-
mercially successful shortly after its introduction to indus-
try for stainless steels and aluminum applications. The abili-
ty of the process to sever any electrically conductive materi-
al provided advantages for the cutting of nonferrous metals
that could not be removed with the oxyfuel gas cutting
(OFC) process.
Today, PAC is widely used in a variety of industries to
produce rapid, clean cuts in ferrous and nonferrous metals.
Users of plasma arc cutting systems include manufacturers Fig. 1 — Cross section of a plasma arc cutting torch.
of ships and offshore platforms; general fabricators; produc-
ers of structural beams, pipes, and ducts; processors of cop-
per, steel, and aluminum; as well as contractors and mainte- Arc Initiation
nance personnel.
One of three starting methods can be used to initiate the
Basic Principles of Operation cutting arc: pilot arc, direct high-frequency, and electrode re-
tract starting.
The PAC operation includes a power source, controls, A pilot arc is an arc between the electrode and the torch
fixtures or positioners, as well as torches and accessories. nozzle. This arc is sometimes referred to as a nontransferred
The main features that distinguish the plasma arc cutting arc because, unlike the transferred arc, it does not attach to
torch from other arc torches are the constricting nozzle, the the workpiece. The pilot arc starting method provides an
use of a second gas for shielding, and the higher voltage in electrically conductive path from the direct-current power
the constricted arc for a given current and gas flow rate. The source through the electrode in the torch, the nozzle, the re-
basic components of a plasma arc cutting torch are shown in sistor, the relay contacts, and back again, so that the main
Fig. 1. The process operates on direct current electrode neg- cutting arc can be initiated. The most common pilot arc
ative (DCEN) polarity. starting technique is to strike a high-frequency spark be-
During PAC, the arc is constricted as it is forced through tween the electrode and the torch nozzle. A pilot arc is es-
a small nozzle orifice downstream of the electrode. As plas- tablished across the resulting ionized path. When the torch
ma gas passes through the arc, it is rapidly heated to a high is close enough to the workpiece so that the plume of the pi-
temperature. This causes the plasma to expand and acceler- lot arc touches the workpiece, an electrically conductive path
ate as it travels through the constricting orifice toward the from the electrode to the workpiece is established. The cut-
workpiece. The intensity and velocity of the plasma is deter- ting arc follows this path to the workpiece.
mined by several variables including the type of gas used, The direct high-frequency starting method is similar to
the pressure and flow pattern of the gas, the electric cur- the pilot arc technique. However, the high-frequency spark
rent, the size and shape of the orifice, as well as the distance strikes directly between the electrode and the workpiece, es-
to the workpiece. The orifice directs the heated plasma tablishing the necessary ionized path.
stream from the electrode toward the workpiece. The electrode (or tip) retract starting method involves
When the arc melts the workpiece, the high-velocity jet the use of an electrode retract starting torch. This torch has
blows away the molten metal to form the cut, which is re- a movable nozzle or electrode that can be momentarily
ferred to as the kerf. The cutting arc, known as a transferred shorted together and then separated or retracted to estab-
arc, attaches to the workpiece. lish the cutting arc. WJ

Excerpted from the Welding Handbook, Ninth Edition, Volume 2, Welding Processes, Part 1.

60 WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018

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BY KATIE PACHECO — kpacheco@aws.org
National and District Officers Elected for 2018
The American Welding Society
(AWS) has elected national and Dis-
trict officers to serve the terms begin-
ning January 1, 2018.
Dale Flood was elected president af-
ter serving four years as vice president
of AWS. He also served as District 22
director and chaired the Sacramento
Valley Section. He is currently a proj-
ect manager, R&D, at Tri Tool Inc., as
well as an active member of the Mem-
bership Committee, Education Schol-
arship Committee, and D10 Commit-
tee on Piping and Tubing.
Thomas Lienert was elected to
serve as vice president. He is a techni-
cal staff member and a R&D engineer
IV at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
He is also an active member and offi-
cer of several national-level commit-
tees, has served as chairman of the
AWS New Mexico Section, and is cur-
rently a member of the executive com-
mittee of that Section.
Robert Roth was elected to serve as
vice president. He is a member of the
Executive and Finance Committees. He
is also president and CEO of RoMan
Manufacturing Inc., an AWS-sustaining
member company, as well as a member
of WEMCO and the RWMA.
Dale Flood Thomas Lienert
president vice president
Debra Doench Sean Moran
director-at-large Dist. 3 director
Richard Polanin was elected to
serve as vice president. He is the pro-
fessor and program chair of manufac-
turing engineering and welding tech-
nology at Illinois Central College. He is
also chair of the AWS Peoria Section
and member of the Robotic and Auto-
mated Welding Committee, Education
Committee, Technical Papers Commit-
tee, and Certified Robot Welding Tech-
nician Qualification Subcommittee.
Tony Anderson was elected to serve
as director-at-large. He is a 32-year
AWS member and holds numerous po-
sitions on AWS technical committees.
He is also director of aluminum tech-
nology at ITW Welding North Ameri-
ca, a Fellow of the British Welding In-
stitute, and a Registered Chartered
Engineer with the British Engineering
Council.
Debra Doench was also elected to
serve as director-at-large. She is man-
ager of marketing communications at
Hobart Brothers Co., a 25-year AWS
member, chair of the Marketing Advi-
sory Committee, and a member of the
GAWDA Industry Partnering and
Women in Welding Committees. She
was also a member of the FABTECH
Exhibitor Advisory Committee.
Robert Roth Richard Polanin
vice president
Michael Krupnicki
Dist. 6 director
SOCIETY NEWS
Sean Moran was elected to serve as
Dist. 3 director. He is currently a weld-
ing engineer for American Hydro
Corp., past chair of the Education
Scholarship, and chair of the Product
Development Committees, as well as
an active member of multiple D1.1
Committee task groups, the Welding
Handbook Committee, the Constitu-
tion and Bylaws Committee, and the
Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
He is also a member of the Skills Com-
petition Committee and chair of the
Student Robotic Competition
Subcommittee.
Michael Krupnicki was elected to
serve as Dist. 6 director. He is current-
ly owner and president of Mahany
Welding Supply as well as founder and
executive director of the Rochester Arc
+ Flame Center. He has been a Section
chairman twice, Section treasurer for
more than ten years, and a CWI test
site supervisor for 25 years. He has
also been an AWS member for more
than 25 years.
Michael Skiles was elected to serve
as Dist. 9 director. Skiles is a senior ac-
count manager for Airgas LLC and has
been active in AWS for more than 30
years. He has chaired the New Orleans
Tony Anderson
vice president director-at-large
Michael Skiles Dale Lange
Dist. 9 director Dist. 12 director
JANUARY 2018 / WELDING JOURNAL 61
Jan. 2018 Society News.qxp_Layout 1 12/8/17 4:59 PM Page 62
SOCIETY NEWS
Michael Hanson Thomas Holt
Dist. 15 director Dist. 18 director
and Acadiana Sections several times.
He currently sits on the advisory com-
mittee for six vocational/technical
schools. He has received the Airgas
Chairman’s Award for Sales Excellence
and the District Director Award for his
work with Section 9.
Dale Lange was elected to serve as
Dist. 12 director. He is an AWS Certi-
fied Welding Inspector, Certified
Welding Educator, Wisconsin State
Weld Test Conductor, and an industri-
al consultant. He has taught welding,
metallurgy, and metal fabrication at
Northeast Wisconsin Technical Col-
lege for 38 years. He has also received
the AWS Dist. 12 Educators Award,
TECH TOPICS
Technical Committee
Meetings
All AWS technical committee meet-
ings are open to the public. Contact
staff members listed below or call
(800/305) 443-9353 for information.
Jan. 24. International Standards
Activities Committee. Miami, Fla.
Contact: A. Davis, adavis@aws.org, ext.
466.
Jan. 24, 25. Technical Activities
Committee. Miami, Fla. Contact: A.
Alonso, aalonso@aws.org, ext. 299.
Jan. 29, 30. D20 Committee on Ad-
ditive Manufacturing. Miami, Fla.
Contact: P. Portela, pportela@aws.org,
ext. 311.
Feb. 6, 7. D16 Committee on Robo-
tic and Automatic Welding. Columbus,
Ohio. Contact: P. Portela, ext. 311,
pportela@aws.org.
Feb. 8. D3B Subcommittee on Un-
derwater Welding. New Orleans, La.
62 WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018
Samuel Lindsey
Dist. 21 director
the Howard Adkins National Educator
of the Year Award, and the Dist. 12
Dalton E. Hamilton Certified Welding
Inspector Award.
Michael Hanson was elected to
serve as Dist. 15 director. He is cur-
rently a fabrication and maintenance
supervisor for Consolidated Precision
Products. He has been an AWS mem-
ber for 21 years and is an AWS Certi-
fied Welding Inspector. He is an active
member of the Northwest Section Ex-
ecutive Committee and has served in
every position including Section chair
in 2000 and 2004–2006. He has re-
ceived the Section and District Merito-
rious Awards, Section and District
Contact: D. Gaschler, ext. 306,
dgaschler@aws.org.
Feb. 13. B2F Subcommittee on
Plastic Welding Qualification. George-
town, S.C. Contact: S. Hedrick, ext.
305, steveh@aws.org.
Feb. 13. G1A Subcommittee on Hot
Gas Welding and Extrusion Welding.
Georgetown, S.C. Contact: S. Hedrick,
steveh@aws.org, ext. 305.
The D9 Committee on Sheet Metal
is recruiting general interest, consul-
tants, and producers. Contact: J.
Molin, jmolin@aws.org, ext. 304.
The D15 Committee on Railroad
Welding is recruiting educators, users,
general interest, and consultants.
Contact: J. Rosario, jrosario@aws.org,
ext. 308.
The J1A Task Group on Specifi-
cations for Resistance Welding
Controls is recruiting educators, users,
general interest, and consultants. Con-
tact: A. Babinski, ext. 310,
ababinski@aws.org.
CWI of the Year Awards, and District
Director Certificate Awards.
Thomas Holt was elected to serve
as Dist. 18 director. He has been re-
gional manager for TechCorr USA
Management for 11 years. He is also
active in his local Port Neches Cham-
ber of Commerce. He has been an AWS
member since 1997 and has held many
positions within the Sabine Section,
including Section vice chairman and
chairman. He has been assisting the
AWS CWI seminar and proctoring the
part A & C exams for ten years. He has
also chaired several AWS committees.
Samuel Lindsey was elected to
serve as Dist. 21 director. He is cur-
rently a CWI and senior building in-
spector for the City of San Diego. He
has served three years as the San
Diego Section chair and is the recipi-
ent of the District Director Award as
well as the Dalton E. Hamilton Memo-
rial CWI of the Year Award. He is also
chair of the San Diego Community
College Welding Advisory Board, and a
member of the welding advisory
boards for both the Sweetwater and
Grossmont Unified School Districts. WJ
New Standards Project
Development work has begun on
the following new or revised stand-
ards. Affected individuals are invited
to contribute to their development.
Participation in AWS technical
committees is open to all persons.
B2.5/B2.5M:20XX, Welding and Al-
lied Processes — Guidelines for Measure-
ment of Arc Energies. This document
provides a method to accurately deter-
mine welding energy and heat input,
both in the case of traditional welding
systems and those that employ
complex waveforms. It is intended
that this specification be referenced by
other welding codes that require the
control of heat input or arc energy to
control properties of the weldment,
such as strength, toughness, corro-
sion, or dimensional properties. New
Standard. Contact: J. Rosario, ext.
308, jrosario@aws.org.
Jan. 2018 Society News.qxp_Layout 1 12/8/17 5:00 PM Page 63
Standards for Public Review
AWS was approved as an accredited
standards-preparing organization by
the American National Standards In-
stitute (ANSI) in 1979. AWS rules, as
approved by ANSI, require that all
standards be open to public review for
comment during the approval process.
This column also advises of ANSI ap-
proval of documents.
The following standards are sub-
mitted for public review. A draft copy
may be obtained by contacting the
staff secretary of the committee as
listed below at AWS, Standards Devel-
opment, 8669 NW 36 St., #130, Mia-
mi, FL 33166-6672; (800/305) 443-
9353.
A3.0M/A3.0:20XX, Standard Terms
and Definitions Including Terms for Ad-
hesive Bonding, Brazing, Soldering,
Thermal Cutting, and Thermal Spraying.
Revised Standard. $86.00. ANSI public
review expires 1/1/18. Contact: S. Bor-
rero, sborrero@aws.org, ext. 334.
D17.1/D17.1M:2017-AMD1, Speci-
fication for Fusion Welding for Aerospace
Applications. Amendment Standard.
$126.00. ANSI public review expires
12/10/17. Contact: A. Babinski, ext.
310, ababinski@aws.org.
Revised Standard Approved
by ANSI
A5.11/A5.11M:2018, Specification
for Nickel and Nickel-Alloy Welding Elec-
trodes for Shielded Metal Arc Welding.
Approval Date: 10/27/2017.
D10.18M/D10.18:2017, Guide for
Welding Ferritic/Austenitic Duplex
Stainless Steel Piping and Tubing.
Approval Date: 11/17/2017.
MEMBERSHIP ACTIVITIES
On November 5, 2017, after due
consideration, Districts Council
approved the charter of the AWS Iber-
ian International Section, which will
service members in Spain and
Portugal.
The following Student Chapters
were approved for charter: AWS
Jefferson State Community College
Student Chapter, District 9; AWS Oak-
SOCIETY NEWS
Opportunities to Contribute to
AWS Technical Committees
The following committees welcome
new members. Some committees are
recruiting members with specific in-
terests in regard to the committee’s
scope, as marked below: Producers (P),
General Interest (G), Educators (E),
Consultants (C), and Users (U). For
more information, contact the staff
member listed or visit aws.org/
library/doclib/Technical-Committee-
Application.pdf.
S. Borrero, sborrero@aws.org, ext.
334. Definitions and symbols, A2
Committee (E). Titanium and zirco-
nium filler metals, A5K Subcommit-
tee. Piping and tubing, D10 Com-
mittee (C, E, U). Welding practices
and procedures for austenitic
steels, D10C Subcommittee. Alu-
minum piping, D10H Subcommittee.
Chromium molybdenum steel pip-
ing, D10I Subcommittee. Welding of
titanium piping, D10K Subcommit-
tee. Purging and root pass welding,
D10S Subcommittee. Low-carbon
steel pipe, D10T Subcommittee. Or-
bital pipe welding, D10U Subcom-
mittee. Duplex pipe welding, D10Y
Subcommittee. Joining metals and
alloys, G2 Committee (E, G, U). Reac-
tive alloys, G2D Subcommittee (G).
R. Gupta, gupta@aws.org, ext. 301.
Filler metals and allied materials,
A5 Committee (E). Magnesium alloy
filler metals, A5L Subcommittee.
P. Portela, pportela@aws.org, ext.
311. High energy beam welding
and cutting, C7 Committee (C, E, G).
Hybrid welding, C7D Subcommittee
(G). Robotic and automatic weld-
ing, D16 Committee (C, E). Welding
land Schools Technical Campus Stu-
dent Chapter, District 11; AWS Tri-
Tech Skills Center Student Chapter,
District 19; and the AWS Hayden-Ray
High School Student Chapter, District
21.
The following Student Chapters
were approved for disbandment: AWS
North Point High School Student
Chapter, District 3; AWS Blount Coun-
in sanitary applications, D18 Com-
mittee (C, E, G). Additive manufac-
turing, D20 Committee (C, E, G).
J. Molin, jmolin@aws.org, ext. 304.
Structural welding, D1 Committee
(E). Sheet metal welding, D9 Com-
mittee (C, G).
D. Gaschler, dgaschler@aws.org, ext.
306. Methods of weld inspection,
B1 Committee (C, E). Brazing and
soldering, C3 Committee (C, E, G).
Welding in marine construction,
D3 Committee (C, E, G, U). Welding
of machinery and equipment, D14
Committee (C, E, G, U).
A. Babinski, ababinski@aws.org, ext.
310. Resistance welding, C1 Com-
mittee (C, E, G, U). Friction welding,
C6 Committee (C, E). Automotive
welding, D8 Committee (C, E, G, U).
Resistance welding equipment, J1
Committee (C, E, G, U). Welding in
the aircraft and aerospace indus-
try, D17 Subcommittee (C, E, G).
S. Hedrick, steveh@aws.org, ext.
305. Metric practice, A1 Committee
(C, E). Mechanical testing of welds,
B4 Committee (E, G, P). Joining of
plastics and composites, G1 Com-
mittee (C, E, G). Personal & facili-
ties qualification, PFQC Committee
(C, E, G). Safety and health com-
mittee, SHC Committee (E, G).
J. Rosario, jrosario@aws.org, ext.
308. Procedure and performance
qualification, B2 Committee (E, G).
Thermal spraying, C2 Committee (C,
E, G, U). Oxyfuel gas welding and
cutting, C4 Committee (C, E, G).
Welding iron castings, D11 (C, E,
G, P, U). Railroad welding, D15 (C, E,
G, U).
ty Career & Technical Center Student
Chapter, District 8; AWS Four County
Career Center Student Chapter,
District 11; AWS Logan Student Chap-
ter, District 14; AWS American River
College Student Chapter, District 22;
and the AWS Universidad Nacional de
Colombia Student Chapter in
Colombia.
JANUARY 2018 / WELDING JOURNAL 63
Jan. 2018 Society News.qxp_Layout 1 12/8/17 5:00 PM Page 64

SOCIETY NEWS
Member-Get-A-Member MMH Malta Ltd. Southern Union State Community
Mediterranean Maritime Hug College
A listing of members participating Xatt IL-Mollijiet 1701 Lafayette Pkwy.
in the 2017 Member-Get-A-Member Marsa MRS 1152, Malta Opelika, AL 36801
campaign and the points accrued for
sponsoring Individual and Student PD Blowers Inc. Sudan High School
Members will be reported in an up- 2280 Chicopee Mill Rd. SW 107 Hwy. 303
coming issue of the Welding Journal. Gainesville, GA 30504 Sudan, TX 79371
The Society went through a data-
base migration earlier this year and is Tan Construction Tennessee College of Applied
working to ensure the continuity of 4348 Westroads Dr. Technology
membership programs like this cam- West Palm Beach, FL 33407 1745 Harrian Hwy.
paign, as well as data integrity. We ap- Harriman, TN 37748
preciate your understanding as we The Champ
work through the transition. Should 1150-B Dell Ave. The Steel Yard
you have any questions, please contact Campbell, CA 95008 27 Sims Ave.
AWS Member Services at (800/305) Providence, RI 02909
443-9353, ext. 480.
Educational Institutions Wagener-Salley High School
272 Main St. S.
New AWS Supporters Applied Innovation Technical Wagener, SC 29164
Institute
Sustaining Members P.O. Box MC 987
Takoradi, Western Region Supporting Company
Air Quality Engineering Ghana 07017 Members
7140 Northland Dr. N.
Minneapolis, MN 55428 Bismarck State College Target Laser & Machining Inc.
air-quality-eng.com 1500 Edwards Ave. 2433 Fremont St.
Bismarck, ND 58501 Rockford, IL 61103
Runnit CNC
2765 Winair Dr. Genesee Career Institute
Grand Junction, CO 81501 2413 W. Maple Ave. Welding Distributor Company
runnitcnc.com Flint, MI 48507 Members
Lake Area Career & Tech Center Quantum Machinery Group
205 16 St. NW
Affiliate Company Members 10270 Birtcher Dr.
Devils Lake, ND 58301 Mira Loma, CA 91752
Armes Precision Machining
North Canyon High School
173 Fastener Dr.
1700 E. Union Hills Dr.
Lynchburg, VA 24502 District Director Awards
Phoenix, AZ 85024
Bauer Compressors
Presented
Oakland Schools Tech
1328 Azalea Garden Rd.
5055 Delemere Ave. The District Director Award pro-
Norfolk, VA 23502
Royal Oak, MI 48073 vides a means for District Directors to
recognize individuals and corporations
Chicago Blower Corp.
Onalaska Independent School Dist. who have contributed their time and ef-
1675 Glen Ellyn Rd.
P.O. Box 2289 fort to the affairs of their local Section
Glendale Heights, IL 60139
Onalaska, TX 77360 and/or District.
District 21 Director Sam Lindsey has
Elcon Precision LLC
Paradise Valley High School nominated Fran Johnston, Arizona
1009 Timothy Dr.
3950 E. Bell Rd. Section; Tony Gonzalez, Los Angeles/
San Jose, CA 95133
Phoenix, AZ 85032 Inland Empire Section; George Rolla,
Los Angeles/Inland Empire Section; Pe-
Fuse Metalworks LLC
Roosevelt High School ter Luna, Los Angeles/Inland Empire
1500 Riva Ridge Dr.
1406 Cr. 3300 Section; Jeff Davis, San Diego Section;
Leander, TX 78641
Lubbock, TX 79403 Tim Palm, San Diego Section; Thomas
M. Mical, 2016 Welding Thunder Sup-
Grand Valley Mfg. Co.
South Central Career Center port; YESCO, 2016 Welding Thunder
701 E. Spring St., Unit 8, Building 52
407 Thornburgh St. Support; and Desert Diamond Indus-
Titusville, PA 16354
West Plains, MO 65775 tries, 2016 Welding Thunder Support.

64 WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018

 AWS MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
Join or Renew: Mail: Form with your payment, to AWS Call: Membership Department at (800) 443-9353, ext. 480
Fax: Completed form to (305) 443-5647 Online: www.aws.org/membership 8669 NW 36 St, # 130
Miami, FL 33166-6672
CONTACT INFORMATION Telephone (800) 443-9353
FAX (305) 443-5647
q New Member q Renewal Visit our website: www.aws.org

q Mr. q Ms. q Mrs. q Dr. Please print • Duplicate this page as needed Type of Business (Check ONE only)
A q Contract construction
Last Name:_______________________________________________________________________________
B q Chemicals & allied products
C q Petroleum & coal industries
First Name:___________________________________________________________________ M.I:_______
D q Primary metal industries
E q Fabricated metal products
Birthdate: _____________________________ E-Mail:____________________________________________
F q Machinery except elect. (incl. gas welding)
G q Electrical equip., supplies, electrodes
Cell Phone ( )__________________________ Secondary Phone ( )______________________
H q Transportation equip. — air, aerospace
Were you ever an AWS Member? q YES q NO If “YES,” give year________ and Member #:____________________ I q Transportation equip. — automotive
J q Transportation equip. — boats, ships
Company (if applicable):___________________________________________________________________ K q Transportation equip. — railroad
L q Utilities
Address:________________________________________________________________________________ M q Welding distributors & retail trade
N q Misc. repair services (incl. welding shops)
_______________________________________________________________________________________ O q Educational Services (univ., libraries, schools)
P q Engineering & architectural services (incl. assns.)
City:_____________________________________State/Province:__________________________________ Q q Misc. business services (incl. commercial labs)
R q Government (federal, state, local)
Zip/PostalCode:_____________________Country:______________________________________________ S q Other

Œ Who pays your dues?: q Company q Self-paid  Sex: q Male q Female Job Classification (Check ONE only)
01 q President, owner, partner, officer
Ž Education level: q High school diploma q Associate’s q Bachelor’s q Master’s q Doctoral
02 q Manager, director, superintendent (or assistant)
q Check here if you learned of the Society through an AWS Member? Member’s name:_______________________Member’s # (if known):________ 03 q Sales
04 q Purchasing
q Check here if you would prefer not to receive email updates on AWS programs, new Member benefits, savings opportunities and events.
05 q Engineer — welding
20 q Engineer — design
INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIP 21 q Engineer — manufacturing
06 q Engineer — other
è Please check each box that applies to the Membership or service you’d like, and then add the cost together to get your Total Payment. 10 q Architect designer
q AWS INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIP (One Year)......................................................................................................$88 12 q Metallurgist
13 q Research & development
AWS INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIP (Two Years) SAVE $25 New Members Only....................................$151 22 q Quality control
07 q Inspector, tester
q New Member Initiation Fee ...........................................................................................................................................$12
08 q Supervisor, foreman
OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO AWS INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS ONLY: 14 q Technician
09 q Welder, welding or cutting operator
A.) OPTIONAL Book Selection (Choose from 25 titles; up to a $192 value; includes shipping & handling) 11 q Consultant
q Individual Members in the U.S..................................................................................................................................$35 15 q Educator
17 q Librarian
q Individual Members outside the U.S (includes International shipping)...........................................................................$85 16 q Student
ONLY ONE SELECTION PLEASE. For more book choices visit https://app.aws.org/membership/books 18 q Customer Service
q Jefferson’s Welding Encyc.(CD-ROM only) q Design & Planning Manual for Cost-Effective Welding q Welding Metallurgy q Welding Inspection Handbook 19 q Other

Welding Handbook Selections: q WHB (9th Ed., Vol. 5) q WHB (9th Ed., Vol. 4) q WHB (9th Ed., Vol. 3) q WHB (9th Ed., Vol. 2) q WH (9th Ed., Vol. 1) Technical Interests (Check all that apply)
A q Ferrous metals
B.) OPTIONAL Welding Journal Hard Copy (for Members outside North America) B q Aluminum
C q Nonferrous metals except aluminum
q Individual Members outside North America (note: digital delivery of WJ is standard)..............................................$50
D q Advanced materials/Intermetallics
E q Ceramics
INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIP TOTAL  PAYMENT..................................................................................$_____________ F q High energy beam processes
NOTE: Dues include $17.30 for Welding Journal subscription and $4.00 for the AWS Foundation.
G q Arc welding
H q Brazing and soldering
I q Resistance welding
STUDENT MEMBERSHIP J q Thermal spray
K q Cutting
q AWS STUDENT MEMBERSHIP (with digital Welding Journal magazine)................................................$15 L q NDT
M q Safety and health
q AWS STUDENT MEMBERSHIP (with hard copy Welding Journal magazine)..............................................$35
N q Bending and shearing
Option available only to students in U.S., Canada & Mexico.
O q Roll forming
P q Stamping and punching
PAYMENT INFORMATION Q q Aerospace
R q Automotive
Payment can be made (in U.S. dollars) by check or money order (international or foreign), payable to the American Welding Society, or by charge card. S q Machinery
q Check q Money Order q AMEX q Diners Club q MasterCard q Visa q Discover q Other T q Marine
U q Piping and tubing
CC#:____________ / ____________ / ____________ / ____________ Expiration Date (mm/yy) ________ / ________ V q Pressure vessels and tanks
W q Sheet metal
X q Structures
Signature of Applicant:_________________________________________ Application Date:_______________________
Y q Other
Z q Automation
OFFICE USE ONLY Check #:_______________________________ Account #____________________________________ 1 q Robotics
Source Code: WJ Date:_________________________________ Amount:_____________________________________ 2 q Computerization of Welding
REV. 11/16
Jan. 2018 Society News.qxp_Layout 1 12/8/17 5:04 PM Page 67

SOCIETY NEWS
Member Service Anniversaries Recognized at FABTECH

Silver Members celebrating 25 years of membership included Larry Bartoszek, Joseph Beckham, Mike Blanchard, Bruce Brummel,
Paul Cameron, Kevin DeFriez, Eloy Dorantes, Anthony Duris, John Henderson, Patrick Hochanadel, Dan Hollman, Costica Iftimie, Ger-
ald Koza, John Lawmon, Jerome Mathison, Robert Mengel, Greg Morrison, Guy Mulee, Stanley Nicolls, Robert Ponce, Timothy Sexton,
Gary Stiltner, Jack Walters, Harry Wehr, and Keith Wojcik. Not everyone is pictured.

JANUARY 2018 / WELDING JOURNAL 67

Jan. 2018 Society News.qxp_Layout 1 12/8/17 5:04 PM Page 68

SOCIETY NEWS

Life members, with 35 years of service to the Society, included Yoni Adonyi, Chaim Daon, Randall Damas, Randall Davis, William
Dawson, Jeff Deckrow, John Elmer, Ed Hoveke, Douglas Kautz, Kenneth Kuk, Terry Lanzen, Robert Layland, Ernest Levert, Gary Mann,
David Murray, James Neimeister, Kenneth Nicklas, John Peng, Michael Rice, Edward Rowlands, William Shreve, Michael Shriver, Mark
Siehling, F. T. Siradakis, Mike Skiles, Wyatt Swaim, Michael Untermeyer, Daniel Wellman, and Steven Windle.

68 WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018

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SOCIETY NEWS

Celebrating 50 years of service to the Society are (from left) Nancy Cole, William Keaney, James Rumford, and Philip Temple.

Nominate Your Candidates for These Welding-Related Awards

William Irrgang Memorial Award
This award includes a $2500 hono-
rarium to recognize the individual who
has done the most over the past five
years to advance the science and tech-
nology of welding.
International Meritorious
Certificate Award
The award recognizes, in the broad-
est terms, the honoree’s significant
contributions and service to the inter-
national welding community.
National Meritorious Award
The award includes a $2500 hono-
rarium to recognize the recipient’s loy-
alty, good counsel, dedication to AWS
affairs, and promotion of cordial rela-
tions with industry and other techni-
cal organizations.
Honorary Membership Award
This award cites an individual who
has eminence in the welding profes-
sion or has made outstanding develop-
ments in the field of welding arts.
George E. Willis Award
The award is presented to an indi-
vidual who has promoted the advance-
ment of welding internationally by
fostering cooperative participation in
technology transfer, standards ration-
alization, and promotion of industrial
goodwill for the Society.
AWS Member Counts
December 1, 2017
Sustaining.................................578
Supporting ...............................343
Educational...............................777
Affiliate.....................................677
Welding Distributor ...................59
Total Corporate .......................2434
Individual ...........................58,121
Student + Transitional ...........12,225
Total Members .....................70,346

Nominate AWS Members to be Profiled

The Welding Journal is celebrating the diversity of its To nominate an AWS member, submit a statement about
members by profiling two AWS members each month in its what makes the nominee a noteworthy member, the nomi-
Society News section. Cynthia Galbavy and Lisa Legohn are nee’s contact information, and a photo of the nominee to
profiled on the next page. Katie Pacheco, kpacheco@aws.org.

JANUARY 2018 / WELDING JOURNAL 69

Jan. 2018 Society News.qxp_Layout 1 12/8/17 5:05 PM Page 70
SOCIETY NEWS
AWS Educator Member Profile
Lisa M. Legohn
With more than 15 television ap-
pearances on BIG and Monster Garage,
coupled with nine mentions in the
Guinness Book of World Records for creat-
ing colossal welded pieces, Lisa Legohn
is a bit of a celebrity. She uses her star-
dom to influence students, 10 to 15%
of whom come from correctional
facilities.
“Some of my students recognize me.
They say, ‘You’re that lady from TV. I
watched you in prison,’ and I say, ‘You
gotta watch me live and not go back to
AWS Educator Member Profile
Cynthia Galbavy
Cynthia Galbavy is an example that
the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
As a child, she became interested in
welding by watching her father and
grandfather repair equipment at their
family ranch in Elk Park, Mont. Al-
though her high school did not offer
welding classes, Galbavy was able to
practice welding at home.
After earning an associate degree in
welding technology from Montana
State University–Northern, she pur-
70 WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018
prison,’” said Legohn, who views weld-
ing as an opportunity for a fresh start.
“Welding is a second- and third-chance
profession. They can make $30 an hour
and not go back to unlawful behavior. I
have seen them change their lives.”
Like many of her students, Legohn
was initially attracted to welding be-
cause it seemed like an unconventional
thing to do.
“I saw welding on the list of trades at
my high school, and I asked a coun-
selor, ‘What is welding?’ I thought it
sounded rebellious,” she explained.
Legohn’s journey as a young female
welder wasn’t without its obstacles. Be-
cause of her gender, some people ques-
tioned her ability to be in the trades.
“When I started in 1978 at my high
school, it wasn’t a thing women did. My
mom would get slack from people who
asked, ‘Why do you let her do that?’
And she would say, ‘Because she loves
it.’”
Despite the challenges, Legohn land-
ed a job working as a welder right out
of high school. She also attended Long
Beach State University and Los Angeles
sued a bachelor’s degree in applied
technology to become an instructor.
She also earned a master’s in K–12
school counseling.
Today, Galbavy has 17 years of
teaching experience under her belt.
Fourteen of those years have been
spent at Helena High School, where
she teaches welding I–IV and weld-
ing/manufacturing co-op. At night,
she also teaches adult education.
“I get to teach the most amazing
students a life skill and trade,” she
said.
Galbavy prides herself in her
school’s program, which helps stu-
dents learn the skills needed to land a
welding job.
“We offer dual credit classes with
our local colleges to help our students
become certified welders,” she ex-
plained. “The local Ironworkers Union
732 members come in and help certify
our welders.”
To foster a love for welding, Gal-
bavy also helps run the school’s weld-
ing club, where she teaches through
community projects.
Trade Technical College, where she has
taught for 23 years. She teaches various
arc welding processes as well as D1.1
Structural Steel and D1.3 Sheet Steel
for Certification Preparation, where
students learn how to use the AWS
codebook.
“Our classes are geared toward li-
censes and certifications,” she said.
“This gives our students a chance at a
new life with a great paying job.”
Legohn’s welding lab typically hous-
es about 40 students. She describes it
as a place for eliminating social and cul-
tural barriers.
“No matter your age, ethnicity, or
economic status, you are in a welding
family in my classroom,” she said. “Peo-
ple who normally wouldn’t speak to one
another are now engaging in
conversation.”
Legohn also reminds her students
that it’s okay to be different.
“At first my students are surprised
that I’m female,” she explained. “I tell
them I love teddy bears and roses, but I
also love my welding boots and a good
E-7018 electrode.”
“They learn so much from each
project,” she said. “We are the only
AWS high school club in Montana, and
our club does a lot of community proj-
ects such as art for medical benefits
and local community fund-raisers.”
The club also refurbishes aban-
doned items, such as an original 1954
Last Chance Tour Train, a vehicle that
provided historic tours.
“It was found in a field outside of
Helena,” she said. “It was in bad shape,
and we turned it into a climbing toy
for kids to play on. Our students
learned how to preserve our communi-
ty’s history with that project.”
In addition to helping her students
and the community, Galbavy is trying
to change misguided perceptions
about welders.
“The most challenging thing about
teaching high school is informing the
community on how smart our stu-
dents in the trades are,” she said.
“Most people still believe the trades
are where all the bad kids go to learn,
instead of where students can learn a
trade and become very successful.”
Section News January 12.8.qxp_Layout 1 12/12/17 5:54 PM Page 71

BY CINDY WEIHL — CWEIHL@AWS.ORG

District 1
Douglas A. Desrochers, director
(508) 763-8011
dadaws@comcast.net
MAINE
October 26
Location: Lincoln, Maine
Summary: Section representative Rod
Jandreau presented the Section In-
structor of the Year Award to North-
ern Penobscot Technical Region 3 Met-
al Fabrication and Welding Instructor
Dave Hartley. With the help of School
Director Mary Hawkes, Hartley was
surprised with the award in front of
many of his students and received a
large round of applause.
September 19
Presenters: Mark Legel, Section vice
chair; and Ethan Liberty, Maine Mar-
itime Academy
Summary: Liberty spoke of the 2017
AWS Leadership Symposium while
Legel gave a talk on the networking
opportunities available through AWS.
SECTION NEWS
Summary: Temme discussed an up-
coming CWI exam in New Jersey and
the 2017 FABTECH show.
District 3
Sean Moran, director
(717) 885-5039
sean.moran@ahydro.com
READING
October 13
Location: BlueScope Buildings North
America, Annville, Pa.
Summary: Section members were in-
vited to a steak dinner with second-
shift workers at BlueScope Buildings
as part of the company’s employee ap-
preciation night. Following dinner,
members were led on plant opera-
tional tours by guide Alex Figueroa
and Plant Manager Derek Storm.
Storm explained the process of how a
new job is contracted, fulfilled, and
completed on its job site. The compa-
ny designs, fabricates, and erects pre-
fabricated buildings.
District 4
Stewart A. Harris, director
(919) 824-0520
stewart.harris@altec.com
TIDEWATER
October 20
Location: Thomas Nelson Community
College, Hampton, Va.
Presenter: Paul Hebert, manager, weld
engineering, Huntington Ingalls In-
dustries–Newport News Shipbuilding
Topic: A deep dive into the weld

District 2
Ken Temme, director
(856) 264-8377
kenneth.temme@gmail.com

LONG ISLAND
October 12 MAINE — Pictured beside the Academies Arctic sailing and training vessel Bowdoin
Location: Westbury, N.Y. are (from left) Brendan Glass, Zachary Holbrook, Grant Lufkin, Ethan Liberty, and
Presenter: Ken Temme, District Clayton Carrol.
director

MAINE — Section representative Rod

Jandreau (left) and Northern Penob-
scot Region 3 Director Mary Hawkes
(center) presented Dave Hartley with
the Section Instructor of the Year
Award.
LONG ISLAND — Seen at the October Section meeting are (front row from left) Chair
Tom Gartland, Brian Cassidy, Ray O’Leary, and Ron Oandolfi. In the back row (from
left) are Gene Sanquini, District Director Ken Temme, Edward O’Toole, Felipe Bena-
vides, Barry McQuillen, Alex Duschere, Paul Rochon, and Harland Thompson.

JANUARY 2018 / WELDING JOURNAL 71

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SECTION NEWS
Summary: Hebert gave an informative
presentation about what can happen
in some welds when proper procedures
are not followed. He stressed how im-
portant and critical the job of properly
producing welds is in eliminating hy-
drogen cracking.
the Delta Airlines Welding Repair Fa-
cility. Trudelle explained the mission
and history of the plant. Section mem-
bers were impressed that every depart-
ment had its own welding cell to take
care of needed repairs. The Section
presented Trudelle with a plaque for
hosting the meeting.
October 30
Location: Atlanta, Ga.
Summary: Russ Farrar, district sales
manager, Lincoln Electric, was pre-
sented with a 25-Year Silver Member-
ship Award.

District 5
Joseph T. “J. T.” Mahoney, director
(352) 727-0366
Joseph.jt.mahoney@gmail.com

ATLANTA
October 26
Location: Delta Airlines Welding Re-
pair Facility, Hapeville, Ga.
Presenter: Robert Trudelle, instruc-
tor/developer AWS CWI/CWE for
welding and training certifications
TIDEWATER — Section Chair Jackie
technical operations, Delta Airlines Phillips (right) posed with guest ATLANTA — Russ Farrar received his
Welding Repair Facility speaker Paul Hebert. 25-Year Silver Membership Award.
Summary: Sixteen members toured

READING — Attendees of the BlueScope Buildings tour posed for a group photo.

ATLANTA — Robert Trudelle (center, holding plaque) was presented with a speaker’s appreciation plaque by Section Chair René
Engeron (to the right of Trudelle) and attendees of the Delta Airlines Welding Repair Facility tour.

72 WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018

Section News January 12.8.qxp_Layout 1 12/12/17 5:54 PM Page 73
FLORIDA WEST COAST
November 1
Location: Central Maintenance &
Welding, Lithia, Fla.
Summary: Section members were led
on a tour of the Central Maintenance
& Welding Fabrication Facility. A box-
ed Honey Baked Ham store lunch was
provided for attendees before the tour.
District 6
Michael Krupnicki, director
(585) 705-1764
mkrup@mahanyweld.com
District 7
Uwe Aschemeier, director
(786) 473-9540
uwe@sgsdiving.com
COLUMBUS
October 21
Location: Edheads Columbus School
for Girls, Columbus, Ohio
Presenter: Gail Wheatley, executive di-
rector, Edheads
Summary: Edheads held a meeting to
introduce kids in first through eighth
grade to careers in science, technology,
engineering, and math (STEM). The
Columbus Section spoke to students
about welding careers. Members ex-
plained careers ranging from being a
welder in the trades to being a Certi-
fied Welding Inspector, or going all the
way through college to become a weld-
ing engineer. Salary data, welding
videos, weld samples, shielded metal
arc welding electrodes, a solid-state
copper wire welding machine, resist-
ance welding electrodes, spot weld
samples, and ultrasonic thickness test-
FLORIDA WEST COAST — Pictured are the attendees of the Central Maintenance & Welding plant tour.
SECTION NEWS
ing equipment were all on hand. The
welding career options were well re-
ceived by the students and parents
participating.
PITTSBURGH
November 1
Location: Araci’s Greentree Inn
Restaurant
Summary: The Section’s executive
board met for its second meeting of
the 2017–2018 season. Topping the
agenda was the ratification of the revi-
sion to the Section’s bylaws, and clari-
fication of rules for the Student Weld
Off competition and awards ceremony.
Other business discussed included
nominating, voting, and accepting
Dave Chiotti to fill the at-large posi-
tion vacated by Carl Spaeder, and the
creation of a Nominating Committee
to be chaired by Jim Sekely with the
support of members John Foley and
Dave McQuaid.
November 14
Location: The Sports Grille Cranberry,
Cranberry Township, Pa.
COLUMBUS — Section Vice Chair Tom Echardt (left), Chair Jim Worman (center), and
Jerry VanMeter, past chair, participated in Super STEM Saturday to help introduce
kids to the welding industry.
Presenter: Mitch Mansfield, regional
account manager, E. H. Wachs/
Orbitalum
Topic: Autogenous orbital welding
Summary: Mansfield gave a presenta-
tion on autogenous welding, followed
by a discussion and a hands-on
demonstration. Many Section mem-
bers had the chance to perform the
process as the unit was powered using
110 V from a wall outlet.
October 17
Location: Roland’s Seafood Grill &
Iron Landing, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Presenter: Ed Patrick, PE, FSAM, E. P.
Patrick & Associates Inc.
Summary: The Section held its annual
joint meeting with the Pittsburgh
chapter of the American Society for
Metals (ASM). Patrick, whose career
spans more than 50 years and includes
19 U.S. patents and numerous techni-
cal papers, gave a presentation on al-
ternate aluminum joining options.
Several samples of alternative joining
methods were presented for attendees
to see and touch.
JANUARY 2018 / WELDING JOURNAL 73
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SECTION NEWS
October 18
District 8 Location: Specialty Welding and
Summary: The Section held an execu-
tive board meeting to discuss yearly
D. Joshua Burgess, director Machine meeting activities.
(931) 260-7039 Summary: Bradley Varhol of EON
djoshuaburgess@gmail.com Products gave a presentation on Sci-
Aps X and Z series hand-held analyz- NASHVILLE
CHATTANOOGA ers. A barbecue dinner was served to October 12
October 18 attendees. Location: Ryan’s Buffet, Madison,
Location: Holston Welding Supply Tenn.
Summary: The Section held an offi- HOLSTON VALLEY Presenter: Venkat Ananthanarayanan
cers’ meeting to discuss several topics. September 12 “Dr. Anthony,” president, Innovative
Sam Davis appointed Robin Dykes to Location: Unicoi, Tenn. Weld Solutions
be the Section’s scholarship represen-
tative and she accepted. The CWI
exam at Chattanooga State was dis-
cussed, and Dusti Jones and Jason
West were assigned as proctors. Dry-
den Hales was appointed as CWI assis-
tant and will sit in on the seminar.
Chris Renfro was also offered to sit in
on the seminar. Additionally, atten-
dees discussed moving the Section’s
AWS library from OMG Mechanical to
member Buster Hale’s business, Spe-
cialty Welding and Machine. This dis-
cussion was tabled until the next
PITTSBURGH — The Section’s executive board members met in November. Atten-
meeting.
dees included Carl Ott, John Foley, Jason Sherman, Dave Chiotti, Chair Don Stoll, Tom
White, Roger Hilty, John Menhart, and Jim Sekely.

PITTSBURGH — Guest speaker Ed

Patrick (left) was thanked by ASM
Pittsburgh Chair Nate Eisinger (center)
and Section Chair Don Stoll. PITTSBURGH — November meeting attendees gathered at Sports Grille and Bar.

PITTSBURGH — Members of the Section and the ASM Pittsburgh chapter enjoyed dinner during a joint meeting.

74 WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018

Section News January 12.8.qxp_Layout 1 12/13/17 11:36 AM Page 75

Topic: Aluminum resistance welding
Summary: Members enjoyed dinner
before carrying out Section business.
Section Chair Eric Peterson then intro-
duced Dr. Anthony who gave a brief
overview of aluminum resistance
welding (ARW) followed by a detailed
explanation of his patented ARW
method, including application exam-
ples. Many samples from his lab tests
were passed around for attendees to
view.
District 9
Michael Skiles, director
(337) 501-0304
michaelskiles@cox.net
SECTION NEWS
coolers. Ingram showed members sev-
eral production lines as well as how to
produce and assemble them.
October 25
Location: SiO2 Medical Products Inc.
(SMP)
Presenters: Chris Weikart and Troy
Gresham, SiO2 Medical Products Inc.
Summary: Weikart and Gresham gave
an overview about SMP. They intro-
duced products and the technologies
that make them. After the presenta-
tion, attendees were taken on a facility
tour where they were able to see the
use of plasma-enhanced chemical va-
por deposition (PECVD). The SMP
team developed a proprietary PECVD
processer that coats and treats a range
of medical devices to provide gas barri-
er properties that approach glass and
low-protein binding surfaces.
MOBILE
November 2
Location: The Original Oyster House,
Spanish Fort, Ala.
Presenter: Russell Willingham, Gas
Innovations

AUBURN-OPELIKA
September 21
Location: API Heat Transfer Inc.
Summary: Mitch Ingram gave a pres-
entation about API Heat Transfer Inc.
products and processing methods,
such as welding and rolling. The prod-
AUBURN-OPELIKA — Section members gathered for a photo following a tour of API
ucts included engine cooling systems, Heat Transfer Inc.
bar and plate heat exchangers, and air

HOLSTON VALLEY — At the yearly executive board meeting were (from left) Sam Potter, Bob Thomas, Gerald Austin, Jon Cookson,
Jimmy Key, Jeff Cheek, Mark Watson, Dale Hicks, Roger Painter, and Gary Killebrew.

AUBURN-OPELIKA — Members posed with guest speakers during their tour of SiO2 Medical Products.

JANUARY 2018 / WELDING JOURNAL 75

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SECTION NEWS
Topic: The underlying factors of oil ners were Hannah Provost who re-
and gas exploration ceived a weld fillet gauge and Ilene
Summary: Chair Tim DeVargas wel- Tucker who was winner of the overall
comed attendees and made announce- door prize and won an AWS tumbler
ments before members enjoyed din- and goodies from the Original Oyster
ner. DeVargas then introduced Will- House. A total of 52 members attend-
ingham, whose presentation on oil and ed the meeting.
gas exploration included a discussion
on new technologies of exploration,
cost and price impacts, volume per-
spectives, and what comes out of the
ground as well as how it is processed.
Immediately following Willingham’s
presentation, District 9 Director Mike
Skiles presented the following Section
Awards: Mike Magazzu, Mobile Sec-
tion Meritorious Award; Dwight “Tim”
Wilson and Donald Jemison, Mobile
Section Educator of the Year Award;
and Robert (Bob) Beckman and Robert
Wells, AWS 25-Year Silver Member
Award. Additionally, a split the pot
drawing was held and the winner was MOBILE — Summer Black was the MOBILE — Section Chair Tim DeVargas
Pensacola State College welding stu- winner of the Section’s November (right) presented Russell Willingham
dent Summer Black. Door prize win- ‘Split the Pot’ drawing. with a speaker plaque.

MOBILE — Section Chair Tim DeVargas (far left) and District 9 Director Mike Skiles (far right) congratulated Section award winners
(from left) Bob Beckman, Tim Wilson, Donald Jemison, Robert Wells, and Mike Magazzu.

NEW ORLEANS — Participants of the 13th Annual Student Welder Competition gathered for a group photo outside of the New
Orleans Pipe Trades Training Center.

76 WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018

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SECTION NEWS
NEW ORLEANS
November 11
Location: New Orleans Pipe Trades,
Metairie, La.
Summary: The Section held its 13th
Annual Student Welder Competition
at the New Orleans Pipe Trades Train-
ing Center. Consumables and door
prizes were awarded by P&S Local 60
and Lincoln Electric. Food was provid-
ed by Rougarou BBQ. Winners were
awarded for advanced- and beginner-
level welding. Students from the
Louisiana Technical and Community
College system, Ironworkers LU58,
and the New Orleans Pipe Trades par-
ticipated in the event.

NEW ORLEANS — Winners of the 13th Annual Student Welder Competition were (from
left) Rachael Culmone (3rd – Advanced Level); Michael Farr (2nd – Advanced Level); District 10
Richard Johnson (1st – Advanced Level); Bryant Irvin (1st – Beginner Level); J. C. Traina Jr. Mike Sherman, director
(2nd – Beginner Level); and Kyle Rayes (3rd – Beginner Level). (216) 570-9348
mike@shermanswelding.com

NEW ORLEANS — Section Chair Aldo

Duron cooked up his award-winning
candy-apple chicken and pulled pork
for event attendees. DETROIT — The Section’s October technical meeting was held at Easom Automation.

DETROIT — Section members attended a session on “Resistance Spot and Projection Welding Standards & Quality.” The session
was part of its Welding Education Series.

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SECTION NEWS
DRAKE WELL
October 12
Location: The Franklin, Franklin, Pa.
Summary: The October meeting in-
cluded the planning of events for the
new year, setting tentative meeting
dates, and discussing guest speakers.
It was decided by votes that the fol-
lowing are the new Drake Well Section
leaders: Chairman Travis M. Crate,
Vice Chairman Daniel Bubenhiem,
Secretary Robert Fugate, and Treasur-
er Ryan Lehnortt.
November 9
Location: The Franklin, Franklin, Pa.
Summary: The meeting included dis-
cussions on the duties of the new offi-
cers, how to generate more interest in
attending the monthly meetings, and
guest speakers and plant tours. It was
decided by votes that the Section
would help support the Venango Tech-
nology students entered in the AWS
Pittsburgh Section Weld-Off in De-
cember 2017. The competition will be
held at the Pittsburgh Technical Col-
lege, and the Section is supporting
three students by buying them lunch.
Those students are Travis Crate,
James Ausel, and Nate Danzer.
District 11
Phillip Temple, director
(734) 546-4298
nwcllc_ptemple@att.net
DETROIT
October 19
Location: Madison Heights, Mich.
Presenter: Frank Wennberg, sales
manager, Lincoln Electric Automation
Solutions–Easom Automation
Division
Summary: The Section hosted a tech-
nical meeting at Easom Automation.
Wennberg gave a presentation on
modular arc welding cell advance-
ments on coated material for various
auto equipment. A shop tour was giv-
en after the presentation.
November 16
Location: Ukrainian Cultural Center,
Warren, Mich.
Presenter: Donald F. Maatz Jr., labora-
tory manager, R&E Engineering
Services
Summary: The Section continued its
Welding Education Series by hosting a
78 WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018
session on “Resistance Spot and Pro-
jection Welding Standards & Quality.”
Presented by Maatz, the talk started
with various welding standards for
spot and projection welding commonly
used in the automotive industry. He
then detailed different quality issues
and failure modes regarding those two
welding processes. The talk wrapped
up with an introduction to quality in-
spection methods including both de-
structive and nondestructive testing
examination methods. The session
was attended by more than 30 people.
District 12
Dale Lange, director
(715) 732-3645
dale.lange@nwtc.edu
FOX VALLEY
October 9
Location: Miller Electric Mfg. Co.,
Appleton, Wis.
Presenter: Kodi Welch, welding
engineer/CWI/Fox Valley Chair, Miller
Electric Mfg. Co.
Summary: The Section invited welding
instructors from six local high schools
to Miller Electric Mfg. Co. to discuss
the American Welding Society and the
resources available through the organi-
zation. After the discussion, each in-
structor was given a $2000 check to
use toward his or her school’s welding
department. The money was donated
by the Section. Meeting attendees in-
LAKESHORE — Raffle winners at the Section’s annual “Sparks” event included (front
row, left to right) Colleen MacAuley ($500 scholarship) and Alex Hedrick (welding
helmet). In the back row (from left) are winners Austin Perl (t-shirt), Charles Payne
(t-shirt), and Sam Osesek (cordless drill).
cluded Harley Griesbach, Shiocton
High School; Darrell Duckart, Pierce
Mfg., and Section treasurer; Tim
Schmidt, Tigerton High School; Dave
Jueds, Iola High School; Todd Lukoski,
Clintonville High School; Kodi Welch,
Miller Electric Mfg. Co. and Section
chair; Zach MacMullen, Miller Electric
Mfg. Co. and Section vice chair; Joe
Gruentzel, Weyauwega/Fremont High
School; and Robert Schoen, Marion
High School.
LAKESHORE
September 14
Location: Kewaunee Fabrication LLC,
Kewaunee, Wis.
Presenter: Wenzel Swagel, manufac-
turing services manager; Tim Steffek,
fabrication supervisor; Kewaunee
Fabrication LLC, a subsidiary of
Oshkosh Corp.
Summary: Members participated in a
facility tour of Kewaunee Fabrication,
a full service, heavy fabrication spe-
cialist that produces weldments for
military vehicles, cabs for cement mix-
er vehicles, Oshkosh Airport support
vehicles, and components for fire pro-
tection and safety vehicles. Weldments
included both steel and aluminum
components. About 20 members at-
tended the tour and dinner at Port
O’Call.
October 26
Location: Lakeshore Technical College,
Cleveland, Wis.
Summary: The Section held its annual
“Sparks” event at Lakeshore Technical
Section News January 12.8.qxp_Layout 1 12/12/17 5:57 PM Page 79
LAKESHORE — The Section and Lakeshore Technical College welcomed students
and parents to its annual “Sparks” event. The evening focused on exploring welding
career opportunities.
LAKESHORE — Section Chair Adam
Witcpalek (right) thanked guest
speaker and tour host Wenzel Swagel.
CHICAGO — Members of the Chicago Section and the ASNT Chicago Section held a joint meeting at Bohemian Crystal Restaurant
in October.
SECTION NEWS
CHICAGO — Guest speaker Stuart
Kleven was presented with an award
by ASNT Chair Chuck Johnson.
College. The event was an open invita-
tion for students and parents to ex-
plore welding careers. The agenda in-
cluded a presentation by Section Chair
Adam Witcpalek about AWS as well as
lab and hands-on demonstrations for
shielded metal arc, gas metal arc, gas
tungsten arc, and fluxed-cored arc
welding processes. Demonstration
booths were conducted by Section
board members. All attendees received
free pizza, AWS DVDs, magazines,
handbooks, notepads, pens, and laser-
cut memorabilia. There was also a
drawing for t-shirts, a Milwaukee cord-
less drill kit, a Miller automatic weld-
ing helmet, and a $500 scholarship for
welding classes at Lakeshore Technical
College.
District 13
John Willard, director
(815) 954-4838
kustom_bilt@msn.com
CHICAGO
October 11
Location: Bohemian Crystal Restau-
rant, Westmont, Ill.
Presenter: Stuart Kleven, quality engi-
neer, Alloyweld Inspection Co.
Summary: During a joint Section and
ASNT meeting, Kleven, a quality engi-
neer, ASNT ACCP Level 3 in magnetic
particle, liquid penetrant, radiographic
and ultrasonic inspection, and Certi-
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SECTION NEWS
fied Welding Inspector, gave a presen-
sation on fabrication and inspection of
caustic pump skid systems. The pres-
entation addressed gas tungsten arc
welding of stainless steel piping to
ASME B31.1 and special customer
specifications for caustic pump system
skids with tight quality control re-
quirements for welder qualification,
welding, mapping of welder and mate-
rials, ultrasonic wall thickness baseline
measurements, weld inspection using
liquid penetrant and radiography, and
positive metal identification of all
components.
November 1
Location: Prime Time Restaurant,
Hickory Hill, Ill.
Summary: Section board members
met to discuss old and new business,
the FABTECH show, and upcoming
meeting and events of the Section.
INDIANA
September 21
Location: Indianapolis, Ind.
Summary: The Section held its annual
student night at the Indiana Pipe
Traders Union Hall. Students were
treated to pizza and hundreds of door
prizes.
October 21
Location: J. Everett Light C. C.,
Indianapolis, Ind.
Summary: The Section conducted the
testing for Boy Scouts Troop 133. Each
Scout was required to fabricate a metal
eagle. Helping with the testing were
District Director Tony Brosio and Sec-
tion members Dave Jackson, Eric
Cooper, Bob Richwine, Brian Gerkin,
Gabby Bettegnies, and AWS Past Presi-
dent Dick Alley.
November 6, 7
Location: McCormick Place, Chicago,
Ill.
Summary: The Section directed the
Professional Welders Competition at
the 2017 FABTECH show. The Section
has run the competition for the past
six years. Over the course of two days,
165 professional welders competed for
a $2500 grand prize as well as several
hundred dollars in door prizes. The
first-place winner was Jeremy Hall,
who took home $2500 plus a large box
of prizes. Second-place winner Andrew
Cardin received $1000, and third-place
winner Isaac Carrion took home $500.
Working the contest were District Di-
rector Tony Brosio, Professional
Welder Competition Chair Bennie
Flynn, and Indiana Section members
Dave Jackson, Eric Cooper, Bob Rich-

District 14
Tony Brosio, director
(765) 215-7506
tbrosio@yahoo.com

CHICAGO — John Hesseltine (right) re-

ceived an award from Marty Vondra
for his outstanding services to the INDIANA — Section members helped Boy Scouts Troop 133 (pictured) learn to weld.
Section. The boys fabricated a metal eagle.

INDIANA — 2018 AWS President Dale

CHICAGO — November meeting attendees included (sitting from left) Cliff Iftimie, Flood tried his hand at the Profes-
Vicky Darnell, and Marty Vondra. Standing (from left) are Anghelina Iftimie, Craig sional Welder’s Competition hosted
Tichelar, Jeff Stanczak, Tyler Anderson, and John Hesseltine. by the Section at FABTECH.

80 WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018

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wine, Brian Gerkin, Tim Kinneman,
Gary Dugger, George Fairbanks, Don
Bowyer, and Josiah Miller.
LEXINGTON
September 28
Location: Clark Co. ATC, Winchester, Ky.
Summary: Tripp Tuggle from Hyper-
therm previewed some of the compa-
ny’s latest products and advances in
plasma cutting equipment.
ST. LOUIS
October 26
Location: Hillsdale Fabricators, Hills-
dale, Mo.
Summary: Members enjoyed a tour of
Hillsdale Fabricators, a division of the
Alberici Corp., and learned about steel
fabrication and erection from their
tour guide and Plant Manager John
Robertson.
SECTION NEWS
November 2
Location: Ameren Missouri Develop-
ment and Resource Center, St. Louis,
Mo.
Presenters: John Baima, Laurie Kutz,
and Steve Zaitz
Topic: Power generation and the distri-
bution of electricity and natural gas
Summary: Members toured the
Ameren Development and Resource
Center, which provides power to 2.4
million electric customers and more
than 900,000 natural gas customers
across a 64,000 square mile area. The
training facility instructs their in-
house craftspeople on pipefitting, in-
sulating, welding, machining, and elec-
trical crafts. The tour highlighted
some of the newest equipment in the
LEXINGTON — Guest speaker Tripp
welding industry. Tuggle of Hypertherm previewed
some of the company’s latest plasma
cutting products.

INDIANA — Professional Welders Competition Committee members Brian Gerkin, Tim Kinneman, Eric Cooper, Gary Dugger, Dave
Jackson, Bennie Flynn, George Fairbanks, Don Bowyer, Josiah Miller, Bob Richwine, and District 14 Director Tony Brosio are seen at
the FABTECH show.

ST. LOUIS — Section members enjoyed a tour of Hillsdale Fabricators and learned about the wide world of steel fabrication and
erection from tour guide and Plant Manager John Robertson.

JANUARY 2018 / WELDING JOURNAL 81

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SECTION NEWS
District 15 District 16 District 17
Michael Hanson, director Karl Fogleman, director J Jones, director
(763) 221-5951 (402) 677-2490 (832) 506-5986
mikhan318@comcast.com fogleman3@cox.net jjones6@lincolnelectric.com

NORTHWEST
October 19
Location: Valleyfair Amusement Park,
Shakopee, Minn.
Summary: Section members participat-
ed in a “behind the scenes” tour of Val-
leyfair Amusement Park. The tour was
guided by Bob Renne, CWI and con-
struction and facilities manager, Valley-
fair Maintenance Department. The tour
provided a peak into the inner workings
of the rides and operations in the
amusement park. Renne explained how
the rides are operated and maintained,
which is very interesting and challeng-
ing due to their customization. Some of
the ride parts have been built/created
from feedback of the park’s mainte-
nance department back to the manufac- ST. LOUIS — Members learn about power generation and the distribution of electric-
turers of the high-tech rides. ity and natural gas during a tour of the Ameren Development and Resource Center.

ST. LOUIS — Section members gathered for a photo with Ameren Development and Resource Center tour guides John Baima, Lau-
rie Kutz, and Steve Zaitz.

NORTHWEST — Pictured are attendees of the Section’s popular “Behind the Scenes” Valleyfair Amusement Park tour. The visit al-
lows attendees to see the inner workings and maintenance operation of rides at the park.

82 WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018

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SECTION NEWS
CENTRAL ARKANSAS Members also discussed how to grow Presenters: Mike Hartnett and Anto-
November 8 membership through flyers, social me- nio Howard, Computer Engineering
Location: Airgas, Little Rock, Ark. dia, and events. Inc. (CEI)
Summary: Section board members Summary: Hartnett and Howard
met to discuss student memberships, NORTH TEXAS demonstrated how the CEI ProWrite
financials, scholarship requirements, September 19 software is used to aid in writing and
and fund-raisers. Steve Belew called Location: Arlington, Tex. managing code-compliant welding
the meeting to order and provided cur- Summary: Alanna Alexander was pre- documentation.
rent bank statements to discuss finan- sented with the Student Chapter
cials. A motion to provide scholarship Member Award.
funding was voted on and approved.
October 17
District 18
Chris Layton discussed requirements Thomas Holt, director
for the scholarship, which will have a Location: Arlington, Tex.
(409) 721-5777
deadline of April 1st of each year. The Summary: David Bowman from Sci-
tholt@techcorr.com
board also approved a fishing tourna- Apps Inc. gave a presentation on laser
ment fund-raiser that will be headed use to identify metallic components.
by Zach Freeman and Layton. Todd
Davis suggested doing a welding hel- TULSA District 19
met giveaway for the Section’s Face- September 26 Shawn McDaniel, director
book page to enhance social media ex- Location: Oklahoma Joe’s BBQ, Tulsa, (509) 793-5182
posure and Freeman discussed having Okla. shawnm@bigbend.edu
an archery day for a family event.

NORTH TEXAS — David Bowman (left)

received a speaker appreciation gift TULSA — Section chair Cole Vansell (left) stands with guest speakers Mike Hartnett
from Section Chair Chelsey Morris. (center) and Antonio Howard.

NORTH TEXAS — Alanna Alexander (center) received the Student Chapter Member BRITISH COLUMBIA — Section 1st Vice
Award from Scholarship Committee Chair Paul Stanglin and Section Chair Chelsey Chair Bernard Booth (left) thanked
Morris. guest speaker Ken Mui.

JANUARY 2018 / WELDING JOURNAL 83

Section News January 12.8.qxp_Layout 1 12/12/17 5:58 PM Page 84
SECTION NEWS
BRITISH COLUMBIA
October 26
Location: UAPIC, Delta, British Co-
lumbia, Canada
Summary: A catered dinner was fol-
lowed by a presentation from Ken Mui,
district manager, Lincoln Electric. Mui’s
talk was entitled “One-Sided Plate Splic-
ing with SAW.” Approximately 20 peo-
ple attended the meeting.
District 20
Pierrette H. Gorman, director
(505) 284-9644
phgorma@sandia.gov
IDAHO-MONTANA / BYU-
IDAHO STUDENT CHAPTER
November 2
Location: Brigham Young
University–Idaho (BYU-I), Rexburg,
Idaho
Summary: The Section held an indus-
try experts panel discussion, which in-
cluded Kevin Summers, Miller Welding
Automation; Don Schwemmer, AMET
founder; Pierrette Gorman, District 20
director and welding researcher at
Sandia National Laboratory; Neil
Justesen, Southern Field Welding
founder; Bret Smith, Caterpillar; and
Dale Mortensen, BYI-I welding in-
structor (retired). The six panelists
shared their path to a welding career,
the knowledge required for them to
succeed, and the challenges they over-
came to become leaders in the welding
industry. Panelists answered audience
questions and the Section hosted a re-
ception so members and panelists
IDAHO/MONTANA — Panelists (from left) Kevin Summers, Don Schwemmer, Pierrette
Gorman, Neil Justesen, Bert Smith, and Dale Mortensen provided a lively discussion
about their welding careers.
84 WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018
could meet one on one. Several awards Summary: Ross presented on current
were also presented during the meet- robotic technology. Applications
ing. Kevin Orme received the Howard include the automotive and food
E. Adkins Instructor Section Educator preparation industries. Echan spoke
Award, Paul Tremblay received the about welding tables and mechanized
District Director Certificate Award, cutting.
and Student Chapter members Matt
Cyran and Eddie Woodard received
Section Student Chapter Member
Awards.
NEW MEXICO
October 26
Location: Matheson, Albuquerque,
N.M.
Presenters: Mike Ross, regional sales
manager, Materials Joining Group of
FANUC; and Tim Echan, sales repre-
sentative, Lincoln Electric Co. IDAHO/MONTANA — Clay Rasmussen
Topic: Robotic applications and weld- (left) presented Kevin Orme with the
ing tables Howard E. Adkins Instructor Section
Educator Award.
IDAHO/MONTANA — District 20 Direc-
tor Pierrette Gorman (right) presented BYU-Idaho Student Chapter — Clay
Paul Tremblay, past Section chair,
Rasmussen (left) presented Matt
with the District Director Certificate Cyran with the Section Student Chap-
Award. Also pictured is Ofilia ter Member Award.
Tremblay.
BYU-Idaho Student Chapter — Eddie
Woodard (right) received the Section
Student Chapter Member Award from
BYU Welding Professor and Section
board member Clay Rasmussen.
Section News January 12.8.qxp_Layout 1 12/12/17 5:59 PM Page 85

October 26
Location: Roswell, N.M.
Presenter: Dusty Baker, welding
instructor, Eastern New Mexico
University (ENMU)
Summary: Baker discussed ENMU’s
associate of applied science degree in
welding technology. The program is
taught by Certified Welding Inspectors
and Educators with years of knowl-
edge and experience. Dual credit
courses are offered to local high
schools and the New Mexico Youth
Challenge program.
District 21
Sam Lindsey, director
(858) 740-1917
slindsey@sandiego.gov
CENTRAL VALLEY
October 26
SECTION NEWS
Location: College of the Sequoias,
Tulare, Calif.
Speaker: Simon Engel, president, HDE
Technologies
Topic: Industrial applications of laser
welding and cutting systems
Summary: The Section welcomed En-
gel to its October meeting. Following
dinner, he presented on the history of
laser welding and cutting technologies.
He also provided an expert analysis of
the future of the field and discussed
profitable career pathways that are
available in it. The meeting was at-
tended by 35 individuals consisting
mostly of local welding students.
LONG BEACH/ORANGE
COUNTY
October 25
Location: Pacific Coast Campus of
Long Beach City College (LBCC), Long
Beach, Calif.
Speakers: Ben Gilliam, piping general
superintendent, Kiewit Construction;
and Matt Todd, field application engi-
neer, Wolf Robotics
Topic: Automation in the welding in-
dustry and new technologies in the
construction industry
Summary: The faculty and staff of the
Metal Fabrication/Welding Technolo-
gy program at LBCC hosted the techni-
cal meeting of the Section and wel-
comed speakers Gilliam and Todd, as
well as representatives from Southern
California Pipe Trades, Southern Cali-
fornia Sheet Metal JATC, Encore
Welding Supply, and Bradford Derustit
Corp. Demonstrations were conducted
by Harris Products, Lincoln Electric,
and the LBCC faculty. The event
kicked off with Gilliam speaking about
his pathway from journeyman to fore-
man to his current position as piping
general superintendent. He presented
the audience with alternative educa-

CENTRAL VALLEY — Section Chair

Randy Emery (right) presented a
NEW MEXICO — District 20 Director Pierrette Gorman (center) thanked guest speak- thank you gift to guest speaker Simon
ers Mike Ross (left) from FANUC and Tim Echan from Lincoln Electric. Engel.

NEW MEXICO — Section members are seen during their October meeting.

JANUARY 2018 / WELDING JOURNAL 85

Section News January 12.8.qxp_Layout 1 12/12/17 5:59 PM Page 86

SECTION NEWS
tion and career paths in the welding
profession to reach future goals. Todd
and apprentice programs. Anne Den-
ney from Bradford Derustit Corp. took District 22
followed up with a presentation on ro- the opportunity to inform attendees Kerry E. Shatell, director
botic welding, including a video of ro- of the company’s metal cleaning and (925) 866-5434
botic welding machines in operation. protection products. Paul and Ben An- kesi@pge.com
The robotics conversation continued derson from Encore Welding Supply
beyond the presentation and into the were on hand to help end the evening
demo lab where attendees witnessed on a high note.
machines performing welds. Other ac-
tivities included welding on the Lin-
coln Electric Welding Tour truck,
which was manned by Bradford
Moore, Juan Baltazar, and Phil Ful-
genzi. Neal Lembke, technical sales
representative, Harris Products, capti-
vated the audience with cutting and
torch-use demonstrations, while LBCC
Welding Instructor Charles Deering
performed gas metal arc welding. Rudy
Rodriguez, Southern California Pipe
Trades, Local 250, and Jason Levine,
Southern California Sheet Metal LONG BEACH/ORANGE COUNTY — Meeting attendees were able to stop by Lincoln
JATC, Local 105, were on hand to pro- Electric’s Welding Tour truck.
vide information about their unions

LONG BEACH/ORANGE COUNTY —

LONG BEACH/ORANGE COUNTY — LBCC’S Tim Shoemaker, Damon Skinner, Marlin Matt Todd of Wolf Robotics gave a
Stevens, Demetre Dovalis, and Victor Silva. presentation on robotic welding.

LONG BEACH/ORANGE COUNTY — Section Chair Eric Budwig (center left) with Local 250, Encore Welding Supply, Harris Products,
Lincoln Electric, and Wolf Robotics representatives.

86 WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018

Section News January 12.8.qxp_Layout 1 12/12/17 5:59 PM Page 87
GUIDE TO AWS SERVICES
American Welding Society®
8669 NW 36th St., #130
Miami, FL 33166-6672
(800/305) 443-9353; Fax: (305) 443-7559
Phone extensions are in parentheses.
AWS PRESIDENT
Dale Flood. . . . . . . .floodaws@tritool.com
Tri Tool Inc.
3041 Sunrise Blvd., Rancho Cordova, CA 95742
ADMINISTRATION
Executive Director
Matt Miller.. mmiller@aws.org . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(207)
Senior Associate Executive Directors
Cassie Burrell.. cburrell@aws.org . . . . . . . . . . . .(253)
John Gayler.. gayler@aws.org . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(472)
Chief Financial Officer/
Chief Administrative Officer
Gesana Villegas.. gvillegas@aws.org . . . . . . . . . .(252)
Chief Marketing Officer
Sofia Samuels..ssamuels@aws.org . . . . . . . . . . . .(419)
Asssociate Director, Executive Office
Chelsea Steel.. csteel@aws.org . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(293)
Program Administrator, Executive Office
Jessenia Martinez.. jmartinez@aws.org . . . . . .(343)
Administrative Services
Corporate Director
Hidail Nuñez..hidail@aws.org . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(287)
HUMAN RESOURCES
Director
Gricelda Manalich.. gricelda@aws.org . . . . . . . .(208)
INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF WELDING
Senior Coordinator
Sissibeth Lopez . . sissi@aws.org . . . . . . . . . . . . .(319)
Liaison services with other national and interna-
tional societies and standards organizations.
GOVERNMENT LIAISON SERVICES
Hugh Webster hwebster@wc-b.com
Webster, Chamberlain & Bean, Washington, D.C.
(202) 785-9500; F: (202) 835-0243
Monitors federal issues of importance to the
industry.
CONVENTION AND EXPOSITIONS
Director, Convention and Meeting Services
Matthew Rubin.....mrubin@aws.org . . . . . . . . . .(239)
ITSA — INTERNATIONAL THERMAL
SPRAY ASSOCIATION
Program Manager
Alfred Nieves....anieves@aws.org . . . . . . . . . . . .(467)
RWMA — RESISTANCE WELDING MANUFACTUR-
ING ALLIANCE
Program Manager
Adrian Bustillo....abustillo@aws.org . . . . . . . . . .(295)
WEMCO — ASSOCIATION OF WELDING
MANUFACTURERS
Program Manager
Keila DeMoraes....kdemoraes@aws.org . . . . . . .(444)
INTERNATIONAL SALES
Managing Director of North American Sales
Joe Krall..jkrall@aws.org . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(297)
Learning Sales Representative
Efram Abrams.. eabrams@aws.org . . . . . . . . . . .(307)
Corporate Director, Global Sales
Jeff Kamentz..jkamentz@aws.org . . . . . . . . . . .(233)
Oversees international business activities;
certification, publications, and membership.
PUBLICATION SERVICES Program Managers
Dept. information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(275) Annik Babinski..ababinski@aws.org . . . . . . . . .(310)
Automotive, Friction Welding, Resistance
Welding Journal Welding, Resistance Welding Equipment, Welding
Publisher/Editor and Brazing in Aerospace
Mary Ruth Johnsen.. mjohnsen@aws.org . . . . .(238)
Darrill Gaschler..dgaschler@aws.org . . . . . . . . .(306)
Society News Editor Brazing and Soldering, Methods of Weld In-
Katie Pacheco.. kpacheco@aws.org . . . . . . . . . . .(275) spection, Welding in Marine Construction, Welding
of Machinery and Equipment
Section News Editor
Cindy Weihl..cweihl@aws.org . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(256) Peter Portela.. pportela@aws.org . . . . . . . . . . . .(311)
High-Energy Beam Welding, Robotics Welding,
Inspection Trends Editor Welding in Sanitary Applications, Additive Manu-
Carlos Guzman..cguzman@aws.org . . . . . . . . . .(348) facturing, Structural Subcommittees on Bridge
Welding and Titanium
Welding Handbook Editor
Kathy Sinnes.. ksinnes@aws.org . . . . . . . . . . . .(255) Jennifer Rosario.. jrosario@aws.org . . . . . . . . . .(308)
Oxyfuel Gas Welding and Cutting, Railroad
MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS Welding, Thermal Spraying, Welding Iron Castings,
Chief Marketing Officer Welding Qualification
Sofia Samuels.. ssamuels@aws.org . . . . . . . . . . .(419)
CUSTOMER OPERATIONS
MEMBER SERVICES Program Specialists
Dept. information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(480) Vivian Pupo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(362)
Vanessa Vasquez . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(361)
Senior Associate Executive Director Answer customer questions about AWS.
Cassie Burrell.. cburrell@aws.org . . . . . . . . . . . .(253)
AWS FOUNDATION INC.
Corporate Director aws.org/w/a/foundation
Rhenda Kenny... rhenda@aws.org . . . . . . . . . . .(260) General Information
Serves as a liaison between members and AWS (800/305) 443-9353, ext. 212, jdouglass@aws.org
headquarters.
Chairman, Board of Trustees
CERTIFICATION SERVICES William A. Rice.. brice@oki-bering.com
Dept. information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(273)
Executive Director, Foundation
Senior Associate Executive Director Monica Pfarr.. mpfarr@aws.org . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(461)
John Gayler..gayler@aws.org . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(281)
Associate Director, Foundation Services
EDUCATION SERVICES John Douglass.. jdouglass@aws.org . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(212)
Corporate Director
Patrick Henry..phenry@aws.org . . . . . . . . . . . . .(226)
The AWS Foundation is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3)
TECHNICAL STANDARDS SALES charitable organization established to provide support
Managing Director for the educational and scientific endeavors of the Amer-
Michael Walsh...mwalsh@aws.org . . . . . . . . . . .(350) ican Welding Society. Promote the Foundation’s work
AWS Bookstore, Subscription Sales, and AWS with your financial support.
Reseller Management
Customer Service...customerservice@aws.org . .(280)
STANDARDS DEVELOPMENT
Dept. information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(340)
Managing Director — Standards Development
Annette Alonso.. aalonso@aws.org . . . . . . . . . . .(299)
Technical Committee Activities, Additive Manufac-
turing, Welding Qualification
Director — International Activities
Andrew Davis.. adavis@aws.org . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(466)
International Standards Activities, American
Council of the International Institute of Welding
Manager, Safety and Health
Stephen Hedrick.. steveh@aws.org . . . . . . . . . . .(305)
Metric Practice, Safety and Health, Joining of
Plastics and Composites, Personnel and Facilities
Qualification, Mechanical Testing of Welds
Program Managers II
Stephen Borrero... sborrero@aws.org . . . . . . . . .(334)
Definitions and Symbols, Structural Subcom-
mittees on Reinforcing Steel and Stainless Steel,
Joining of Metals and Alloys, Piping and Tubing
Rakesh Gupta.. gupta@aws.org . . . . . . . . . . . . .(301)
Filler Metals and Allied Materials, International
Filler Metals, UNS Numbers Assignment, Arc Weld-
ing and Cutting Processes, Computational Weld
Mechanics
Jennifer Molin.. jmolin@aws.org . . . . . . . . . . . .(304)
Structural Welding, Sheet Metal Welding
JANUARY 2018 / WELDING JOURNAL 87
Fellow Letter 2018.qxp_FP_TEMP 12/11/17 4:51 PM Page 88

Friends and Colleagues:

The American Welding Society, in 1990, established the honor of Fellow of the Society to recognize
members for distinguished contributions to the field of welding science and technology, and for
n sustaining the proffessiona
promoting and nal stature of the field. Election as a Fellow of
o the Society is
n ng accomplishments and the technical impact of the individual. Such
based on outstandi
accomplishments will have advanced the science, technology and application of wellding, as
evidenced by:

•
Sustained service and perfor

o mance in the advanc
n ement of welding science and
technology
•
Publication of papers, articles and books which enhaanc
n e knowledge oof welding
•
Innovative development of welding technology
•
Society and Section contributions
•
Professional recognitions

I want to encourage you to submit nomination packages for those individuals whom you feel have a
history of accomplishments and contributions to our proffession consistent with the standards set by
the existing AW WS Fellows. In particular, I would make a special request that, in considering members
for nomination, you look to the most senior members of your S Section or District. In many cases, the
colleagues and peers of these individuals who are the most faam miliar with their contributions, and who
would normally nominate the candidate, are no longer with us. I waant to be sure that we make the
extra efffort required to ensure that those truly worthy are not overlooked because no obvious
individual was available to start the nominating process.

For specifics on nomination requirements, please contact Chelsea Steel at csteel@aw ws.org at AWS
headquarters in Miami, or simply foollow the instructions on thhe Fellow nomination foorm located at
www.aws.org/fellow. Please remember, we all benefit in the honor
h ing of those who have made major
contributions to our chosen profeession and livelihood. The deaadline for submission is August 1,
2018. The Fellows Committee looks forward to receiving numerous Fellow nominations for 2019
consideration.

Sincerely,
Dr. Charles V. Robino
Chair, AWS Fellows Committee
Counselor Letter 1.qxp_FP_TEMP 12/11/17 4:57 PM Page 89

Friends andd Colleagues:

The Ameriican Welding Society established the honor of Counselor of the Society to recognize
f a career of distinguisheed leadership contributions in the advancement of welding
members for
science andd technology. Election as a Counselor is based upon an individual’s career off
outstandingg achievements and accommpplishments. The selection committee is seeking g qqu
ualified
individuals who can demonstrate their leadership in the welding industry as evidenced bby:

•
Sustained service and performance in the advancement of welding science and

technology
•
Publication of papers, articles and books which enhance knowledge of weldiing
•
Innovative development of welding technology
•
Society, National and Section contributions
•
Professional recognition
•
Leadership in AWS or other corporate levels, particularly as it impacts the
advancement of welding technology
•
Facilitating others to participate as a volunteer in the advancement of weldinng
technology

For specifics on the nomination requirements, please contact Chelsea Steel at csteel@aws.org at
AWS headquarters in Miami, or simply follow the instructions on the Counselor nomina n tion
form located at www.aws.org/counselor. Please remember, we all benefit in the honoringn of
those who have made major contributions to our chosen profession and livelihood. Thee deadline
for submission is July 1, 2018. The Counselor Committee looks forward to receiving nu umerous
Counselor nominations for 2019 consideration.

Sincerely,

Lee Kvidahl
Chair, Counselor Committee


Counselor Letter 2.qxp_FP_TEMP 12/11/17 4:58 PM Page 90

AWS COUNSELOR APPLICATION GUIDELINES

Nomination packages for AWS Counselor should clearly demonstrate the candidate’s
outstanding contribution to the advancement of welding science and technology. In order for the
Counselor Selection Committee to fairly assess the candidate’s qualifications, the nomination
package must list and clearly describe the candidate’s specific accomplishments, how they
contributed to the advancements of welding technology and that these contributions were
sustained. Essential in demonstrating the candidate’s impact are the following:

1.
Description of significant technical advancements. This should be a brief

summary of the candidate’s most significant contributions to the advancement of
welding science and technology
2.
Publication of books, papers, articles or other significant works
3.
Inventions and patents
4.
Professional recognition including awards and honors from AWS, other
professional organizations, industry or other recognized body
5.
Meaningful participation in AWS committees, Sections or other AWS voluntary
contributions
6.
Contributions to handbooks and standards
7.
Presentations made at technical sessions, including Section meetings
8.
Consultancy in technical matters or welding industry business matters
9.
Leadership in AWS or other corporate levels, particularly as it impacts the
advancement of welding technology
10.
Participation on organizing committees for technical programs
11.
Advocacy in support of AWS through institutional, political or other means
12.
Facilitating others to participate as a volunteer in the advancement of welding
technology

Note, packages for nominees that do not show participation in several of the activities above will
have a low probability of success.

SUPPORTING LETTERS

Letters of support from individuals knowledgeable of the candidates and his/her contributions are
encouraged. These letters should address the metrics listed above and provide personal insight
into the contribution and stature of the candidate. Letters of support that simply endorse the
candidate will have little impact on the selection process.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE JULY 1, 2018



Nomination of AWS Counselor

I. HISTORY AND BACKGROUND
In 1999, the American Welding Society established the honor of Counselor to recognize individual
members for a career of distinguished organizational leadership that has enhanced the image and
impact of the welding industry. Election as a Counselor shall be based on an individual’s career of
outstanding accomplishments.

To be eligible for appointment, an individual shall have demonstrated his or her leadership in the
welding industry as evidenced by:
• Sustained service and performance in the advancement of welding science and technology
• Publication of papers, articles and books which enhance knowledge of welding
• Innovative development of welding technology
• Society, National and Section contributions
• Professional recognition

II. RULES
A. Candidates for Counselor shall have at least 10 years of AWS membership
B. Each candidate shall be nominated by at least five members of AWS
C. Nominations shall be submitted on the official form, available from AWS Headquarters
D. Nominations must be submitted to AWS headquarters no later than July 1 of the year prior to
that in which the award will be presented
E. Nominations shall remain valid for three years
F. All information on nominees will be held in strict confidence
G. All required mandatory information is to be included in the nomination package or the
package will be returned and not considered by the Selection Committee
H. Candidates who have been selected as Fellow of AWS shall not be eligible for selection as
Counselor. Counselors may not be nominated for both of these awards at the same time.

III. NUMBER OF COUNSELORS TO BE SELECTED

Maximum of 10 Counselors selected each year

Return completed Counselor nomination package to:

Chelsea L. Steel Email: csteel@aws.org

Associate Director, Telephone: 305-443-9353 Ext. 294
Executive Office 800-443-9353 Ext. 294
8669 NW 36th Street, # 130 Fax: 305-445-1809
Miami, FL 33166

CLASS OF 2019
COUNSELOR NOMINATION FORM
Date Name of Candidate
AWS Member Number Years of Membership
Home Address
City State Zip Code Phone
Email
Present Employer
Title/Position
Business Address
City State Zip Code Phone
Academic Background, As Applicable
Institution Major/Minor
Degree/Certification/Year

IT IS MANDATORY THAT A CITATION (50 TO 100 WORDS) BE INCLUDED. USE SEPARATE SHEET
INDICATIING WHY THE NOMINEE SHOULD BE SELECTED AS AN AWS COUNSELOR. THE CITATION
IS TO BE A PART OF THE NOMINATION PACKAGE.

ESSENTIAL FOR THE NOMINATION PACKAGE

The Counselor Selection Committee criteria are strongly based upon and extracted from the categories indicated on
the second page of this application. It is strongly recommended that the nominator prepare a complete summary of
the nominee’s history as an attachment to this application to ensure that the committee has sufficient information to
deliberate and make the appropriate selections of Counselor nominees.

SUBMITTED BY:
PROPOSER:
AWS Member Number:

The proposer will serve as the contact if the Selection Committee requires further information. The proposer is
encouraged to include a detailed biography of the candidate and letters of recommendation from individuals
describing the specific accomplishments of the candidate. Signatures on the nominating form, or supporting letters
from each nominator, are required from four AWS members in addition to the proposer. Signatures may be acquired
by photocopying the original application and transmitting to each nominating member. Once the signatures are
secured the total package should be submitted.

NOMINATING MEMBER Print name

AWS Member Number
NOMINATING MEMBER Print name
AWS Member Number
NOMINATING MEMBER Print name
AWS Member Number
NOMINATING MEMBER Print name
AWS Member Number

SUBMISSION DEADLINE IS JULY 1, 2018

aws wemco welding awards.qxp_FP_TEMP 12/12/17 8:53 AM Page 93

American Weldinng Society®

An Association of We
elding Manufa
M acturers
FOUNDAATI
T ON

CELEBRAATTING EXXCELLLENCE
IN SERVICE TO THE WEELDINNG INDUSTRRYY

Frrom left are: Ray Shook of American Weelding Sociiety (exceptional), Adam Leese (educaator), Lance Weerth of SPX Flow (large business),
Cinddy Jiang of AET Integration (small business
ss), TTiiim DeV
ss) DeVa
Vargas
a of the AWS Mobile SSection (local section),
s Alex Funk (veteeran),
Clinton Bush of A-L Compressed Gases (distrributor), and Jerry Cramblett of Earlbeeck Teechnical C Center (educational faciility).
Raymond Roberts (indiviidual) and Don Brunell (media) didn’t attend the cerremony.

Do you know a perrson or companyy whoo gives bacck

to their community andd makes the weelding industr y shine?
s
Nominate thhem for the 20188 awards!

American Weldingg Society®

An Association of We
eldin
ing Manuffacturers
a
FOUNDATTIONN

NOMINA
ATTION CATEGORI
T ES
(Please choosse a category)

Individual
Media

Small Busine
ess
Educational Facility
(less than 200 employeees)

Distributor

Section (welding products)
(AW
WS local chapter)

Veterans

Educator

Large Busine
ess
(200+ employees)

Entry deeadline iss June 30,, 20118

For more informatioon and to submit a nominaation form
m online,
visit aws.org/exccellenceinwelding or call 800-443-9
8 9353.
Personnel-Jan 2018.qxp_Layout 1 12/13/17 3:17 PM Page 94
PERSONNEL
Newport News Shipbuilding
Announces Two Promotions
D. Bolcar B. Smith
Huntington Ingalls Industries,
Newport News, Va., has announced
two promotions to the company’s
leadership team at its Newport News
Shipbuilding division. Dave Bolcar
has been promoted to vice president
of submarine construction. Bolcar
most recently served as director of
the Columbia-class submarine pro-
gram. He joined the shipyard in 1988
94 WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018
as an engineer in the Los Angeles-
class submarine engineering division
and has held several positions includ-
ing director of submarine engineer-
ing. Bill Smith will serve as vice presi-
dent, fleet support programs. He will
be responsible for both submarine
and aircraft carrier fleet support.
Smith most recently served as pro-
gram director for aircraft support. He
began his shipbuilding career in 1984
as a sheet metal apprentice and has
held a number of positions including S. Kudlinski J. Romito
piping supervisor and engineering
manager, as well as director of air- technical service engineer and Jeff
craft carrier engineering, reactor Romito as parts business specialist.
plant planning yard, propulsion plant Kudlinski will be responsible for pro-
engineering activity, and standard viding customers in the southern ter-
Navy valve yard. ritory with technical service and sup-
port for the company’s full line of re-
sistance welding equipment. He will
Dengensha Adds Technical be working out of the Cincinnati of-
Service Engineer and fice. Romito will be responsible for
Business Parts Specialist supporting customers in North Amer-
ica, Central America, and Canada in
Dengensha America, Bedford, various aspects of the corporation’s
Ohio, has added Scott Kudlinski as growing parts business. Working out
American Welding Society®
STTANDARDS
A
aws.org
THE LA
ATTEST RELEASES
ARE HERE!
The AWS Volunteer Committees work tirelessly to ensure AWS Standards
remain att the forefront of advancementts in welding technology. Each
month, new or revised standards are feeattured on the AWS Bookstore
website.
This month’s feattured releases include:
 D1.3/D1.3M:2018, Structura
al Weelding
e Code—Sheet Steel
 D9.1/D9.1M:2018, Sheet Metal We
elding Code
 F1.1M:2018, Methods for Samp
pling Fumes and Gases
Generaated by Weelding and Alliedd Processes
 F1.6:2017, Guide for Estimating We
elding Emissions for
EPA
A and Veentilation Perm
mit Repoorting
 F4.1:2017, Safe Pra
actices for the
he Preeparaation of Containers
and Piping for Weelding,, Cutting,, and Allied Processes


C4.3/C4.3M:2018, Recommendeed Praactices for Oxyfuel Gas
Heating Toorcch Operaation
Keep an eye on the laatest releases on the AWS Bookstore website,
under the “New Releases” sectionn at go.aws.orrg/awsstandar
g rds
d
Personnel-Jan 2018.qxp_Layout 1 12/12/17 10:36 AM Page 95

of the Bedford office, his specific ar- user interface and user experience
eas of parts business responsibilities team at SigmaTEK Systems. She pro-
include customer service and sup- vides leadership and assistance to on-
port, sales promotion, and vendor going development work, participates
management. in technical design meetings, and cre-
ates user interface designs based on
functional requirements. She has an
SigmaTEK Programmer Wins engineering and a master’s degree in
“Women of Influence” Award computer science and excels in an in-
dustry underrepresented by women.
Lead Magazine, Phadke was recognized for this
a Cincinnati, achievement at a luncheon on No-
Ohio, magazine vember 8, 2017, at the Manor House,
for business exec- Mason, Ohio.
utives, has named
SigmaTEK Senior
Software Develop- NADCA Hires Director of
er Khartika Phad- Research, Education, and
ke as one of the
Technology
magazine’s 2017
Women of Influ- Paul Brancaleon has joined the
ence. This award North American Die Casting Associa-
K. Phadke honors the re- tion (NADCA), Arlington Heights, Ill.,
gion’s leading as the director of research, education,
women who have and technology. Brancaleon has been
helped shape the success of their an active member of NADCA Chapter
company and demonstrated leader- 39 for 25 years and brings 35 years of
ship. Phadke serves as a senior soft- total die cast experience. He has
ware developer on the SigmaNEST served on the association’s board of
governors for 10 years, with active
participation in education and chap-
ter affairs. He has also worked with
research and development. He will be
coordinating research and develop-
ment efforts between member com-
panies, government agencies, govern-
ment laboratories, and universities;
enhancing and implementing the
NADCA educational program as well
as instructing courses; further devel-
oping the level and quality of technol-
ogy and information transfer be-
tween NADCA and its members; pro-
viding opportunities for enhancing
competitiveness and profitability of
members; and responding to various
inquiries from die casters, suppliers,
designers, and original equipment
manufacturers.
Retired Veteran Named
Cofounder, CFO, and an
Owner of Victory Welding
Alloys
Lieutenant Colonel Brian P. Steele,
U.S. Army, retired, has been officially

JANUARY 2018 / WELDING JOURNAL 95

Personnel-Jan 2018.qxp_Layout 1 12/13/17 3:02 PM Page 96
declared the cofounder, chief finan-
cial officer (CFO), and an owner of
Victory Welding Alloys Inc., Char-
lotte, N.C. Steele is a 1997 graduate
of the United States Military Acade-
my at West Point and has earned
master’s degrees from the Martin J.
Whitman School of Management at
Syracuse University. For 20 years, he
has held several military positions in-
cluding three years as the defense re-
source manager, Joint Staff J8, Pen-
tagon. He brings a wealth of knowl-
edge including organizational skills,
operational and financial expertise,
and leadership.
Solar President Presented
with MTI Distinguished
Service Award
Jamie Jones, president of Solar At-
mospheres, Souderton, Pa., was pre-
sented with the Metal Treating Insti-
tute (MTI) Distinguished Service
Award for 2017, and nominated as
vice president/president elect of MTI
for 2017–2018. Jones has served on
the institute’s board of governors
since 2013. He has also served on a
variety of different committees in-
cluding the education committee and
NextGen creative team. He was hon-
ored to receive the award given for
outstanding, significant, and well-rec-
ognized contributions of lasting im-
portance to the institute.
Magnatech Appoints Vice
President of Engineering
Magnatech, East Granby, Conn.,
has appointed Thomas Denner as vice
president engineering. Denner has an
engineering degree and began his
Magnatech career nine years ago as a
manufacturing engineer. He was sub-
sequently promoted to senior design
engineer, mechanical. Prior to his em-
ployment at the company, he worked
for several firms involved in machine
design.
Raytheon Vice President to
Lead Corporate Development
Raytheon Co., Waltham, Mass.,
has named Todd Ernst as vice presi-
96 WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018
dent, corporate development, to suc-
ceed Michael J. Cody, who retired af-
PRODUCT & PRINT
ter serving more than eight years in SPOTLIGHT
the role. Ernst joined the company in
— continued from page 31
January 2010 as director of competi-
tive assessment for corporate strate-
gy and has led investor relations since Waterjet Cutting Machine
November 2010. Prior, he held senior
equity analyst positions at Balyasny
Suitable for Thin Applications
Asset Management and Neuberger
Berman, covering aerospace, defense,
and other industry sectors. Ernst will
add oversight of merger and acquisi-
tions while continuing his role as
head of investor relations. He will
also continue to report to the compa-
ny’s Vice President and Chief Finan-
cial Officer Toby O’Brien.
Obituary
John Gannon Tully
John Gannon
Tully passed away
on October 28,
2017, after a long The abrasive waterjet cutting ma-
fight against can- chine performs prototyping and low-
cer. He was 67. volume cutting for almost any materi-
Born in Rockville al under 2 in. thick. The compact, self-
Center, N.Y., Tully installed waterjet delivers 30,000
grew up to be a lb/in.2 cutting power with a 5-hp
gifted writer. He pump to produce cuts with no heat-af-
worked as a mar- fected zone and no change to the ma-
keting director for terial properties. The machine plugs
J. G. Tully Select-Arc for a into a 240-V alternating current dryer-
number of years style outlet and does not require any
as well as Parker hard wiring. The pump and cutting
Advertising and Bauer Brothers prior table are on casters for easy relocation.
to that. He was a devoted member of
St. Raphael Catholic Church where he OMAX Corp.
sang in the choir and served as a lec- omax.com
tor. He also supported the communi- (800) 838-0343
ty by serving as a United Way repre-
sentative for Bauer, serving on the
Springfield Arts Council, and coach-
ing numerous youth sports teams. Report Examines the Metal
Cutting Machine Market for
Tully was a United States Navy veter-
2016–2026
an, serving in Rota, Spain. As an avid
fan of his alma mater Boston College,
Metal Cutting Machine Market Size
he enjoyed playing and watching
Worth $9.79 Billion by 2025 posits that
sports, reading and learning about
this market’s global demand is expect-
history, as well as attending theater
ed to increase at a compound annual
and movies. He delighted his friends
with his very witty and clever Christ- growth rate of 5.7% between 2017 and
mas letter each year, but what was 2025. The report states that laser ma-
most important to him was his fami- chines accounted for the largest prod-
ly. He is survived by his wife, Deborah uct segment in 2016, and is projected
(Imri), two children, one granddaugh- to grow within the next few years. In
ter, three siblings, and numerous contrast, the global demand for flame
nieces and nephews. WJ cutting machines is expected to expe-
— continued on page 100
corporate.qxp_FP_TEMP 12/9/17 1:34 PM Page 97
aws educ call for papers left.qxp_FP_TEMP 12/12/17 8:52 AM Page 98
aws educ call for papers right.qxp_FP_TEMP 12/12/17 8:52 AM Page 99
Personnel-Jan 2018.qxp_Layout 1 12/12/17 4:38 PM Page 100
PRODUCT & PRINT 3-phase primary input power options.
Both versions feature identical per-
SPOTLIGHT formance; weigh 37 lb; and provide a
rated output of 60 A (7.6 kW of cut-
— continued from page 96
ting power) at 50% duty cycle, the in-
dustry’s highest power-to-weight
rience staggered growth over the next
eight years. The report also lists key
players and factors driving market
growth, including increasing demand
from the automotive industry due to
exterior and interior components of
passenger cars, SUVs, and HUVs. It
further predicts that Asia Pacific will
experience substantial growth within
the next eight years owing to a robust
growth in various industries, including
automotive, defense, and aerospace.
Grand View Research Inc.
grandviewresearch.com
(888) 202-9519
Air Plasma Cutting Machine
Comes in Two Power Modes
The Cutmaster® 60i handheld air
plasma cutting system comes in 1- or
COMING EVENTS
— continued from page 57
Laser Vision Seminars. Two-day classes, offered monthly
and on request, include tutorials and practical training.
Presented at Servo-Robot Inc., St. Bruno, QC, Canada. For
schedule, cost, and availability, email info@servorobot.com.
NDE Classes. Moraine Valley Community College, Palos
Hills, Ill., offers NDE classes in PT, MT, UT, RT, radiation
safety, and eddy current, as well as API 510 exam prep and
weld inspection. Contact (708) 974-5735;
wdcs@morainevalley.edu; morainevalley.edu/NDE.
NDT Courses and Exams. Brea, Calif., and customers’ lo-
cations. Level I and II and refresher courses in PA, UT, MP,
radiation safety, radiography, visual, etc. Test NDT LLC;
(714) 255-1500; testndt.com.
Online Education Courses. Topics include Introduction to
Die Casting ($99), Metal Melting and Handling ($99),
Product Design ($59), Energy Training ($19), Dross Train-
ing ($19), Managing Dust Hazards ($19), and Safety (free).
North American Die Casting Assoc.; (847) 808-3161;
diecasting.org/education/online.
Plastics Welding School. A two-day course for certifica-
tion to European plastics welding standards. Malcom Hot
Air Systems; plasticweldingtools.com.
100 WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018
ratio. The system includes the new
SL60QD™ 1Torch, which enables selec-
tive replacement of the torch handle
assembly or torch leads to save money
when replacing parts.
ESAB
esabna.com
(800) 372-2134
Submit a New Products
Item for Consideration
If your company has a new weld-
ing, fabricating, or manufacturing
product readily available, the details
required to be considered for possi-
ble publication in the Welding Jour-
nal are as follows:
• Press release with the product’s
name, important features, and spe-
cific industries it’s aimed for
• High-resolution jpg or tiff photo
(300 or more dots per inch).
Please email submissions to
Associate Editor Katie Pacheco at
kpacheco@aws.org.
Protective Coatings Training and Certification Courses.
At various locations and online. The Society for Protective
Coatings; (877) 281-7772; sspc.org.
Unitek Miyachi Corp. Training Services. Personalized
training services on resistance and laser beam welding and
laser marking; (626) 303-5676; unitekmiyachi.com.
Veterans Goodwill Weld Training Program. South
Burlington, Vt., and Eagle River, Wis. AWI and Veterans of
Foreign Wars (VFW) have partnered to offer veterans com-
plimentary two-day training at AWI facilities. Contact
(802) 660-0600, (715) 337-0122, or awi.edu.
Welding Courses. The Lincoln Electric Co. presents a wide
range of specialized courses throughout the year at its
Cleveland, Ohio, headquarters. Upcoming courses include
Design of Welded Connections, Steel Structures: Sept. 11;
Steel Weldments: March 20, May 1, and Oct. 23. CWI Prep
Course: May 7, July 9, and Oct. 22. Welding Educator’s
Workshop, Original: April 2, July 9, Aug. 6, and
Oct. 15; Advanced: April 9, July 30, Aug. 13, and Oct. 29.
Beyond the BoothTM Instructor Course: March 12, June 11,
and July 16, 30. REALWELD® Customer Training: Feb. 8,
April 12, June 21, Aug. 9, Oct. 18, and Dec. 13. VRTEX®
Customer Training: Feb. 6, April 10, June 19, Aug. 7, Oct.
16, and Dec. 11. Aluminum Solutions, Practical Training:
Oct. 30; Advanced Training: Nov. 6. The Lincoln Electric
Co., lincolnelectric.com. WJ
NI Jan 2018.qxp_Layout 1 12/12/17 3:51 PM Page 101
NEWS OF THE INDUSTRY
— continued from page 15
Eastern Wyoming College Launches Career
and Technical Education Center
Eastern Wyoming College, Torrington, Wyo., recently ded-
icated and held an open house for its Career and Technical
Education Center (see photo below). This facility not only al-
lows the welding and machine tooling technology programs
to expand from three labs to four, but also houses the offices
for community education and workforce development.
Welcome and introductions were given by President Les-
ley Travers. The keynote address was delivered by Governor
Matthew H. Mead. Closing remarks were presented by Le-
land Vetter, instructor emeritus, welding.
Event attendees included other dignitaries, the public,
and artists commissioned to provide art for the center.
Teachers guided tours of the building. A ceremonial ribbon
cutting took place as well.
The college requested funding for this center from the
state of Wyoming in 2014. The state approved $20 million
and required the college to provide a $3-million match.
For more information and to learn about additional pro-
grams offered, including cosmetology, barbering, and health
technology, visit ewc.wy.edu.
Industry Notes
• Pearl River Community College will offer a night weld-
ing class at the Hancock Center, Waveland, Miss., during
the spring 2018 semester. It will meet from 4:30 to 9:30
p.m., Monday through Wednesday, starting January 8 and
ending April 30. The course has an industry-recognized
certificate in welding, including applications for NCCER
certification in core curriculum and level I welding. Contact
Raymond Jarrell at (228) 252-7011 for more details.
Several participants were present to celebrate Eastern Wyoming College’s new center, including President Lesley Travers and Gov-
ernor Matthew H. Mead, who is pictured in the middle of this image ready to cut the ceremonial ribbon.
• Sciaky Inc., Chicago, Ill., has won the TCT Aerospace Ap-
plication Award with Lockheed Martin for the production
of titanium propellant tanks using its Electron Beam Addi-
tive Manufacturing (EBAM®) technology. For this applica-
tion, Lockheed Martin Space Systems reduced costs by
55%, material waste by 75%, and production time by 80%.
• Franklin County Technical School, an award recipient
from the second year of the Skills Capital Grant Program in
Massachusetts, will use $55,000 to update its welding pro-
gram with digitalized readouts and gauges, safety technolo-
gies, and instructional equipment. The funds will also be
matched dollar for dollar by the schools’ member towns.
• TRUMPF, Farmington, Conn., has a new limited sales
partnership with SPI Lasers. It is being established to pro-
vide users with laser material processing solutions across
select North American market segments. In addition, the
company and A3DM Technologies have entered a collabo-
ration agreement to develop specialty metal powders and
laser parameters. A3DM will have a TRUMPF TruPrint
1000 installed at its research facility in Burlington, Vt.
• Spirit AeroSystems, Wichita, Kan., has reached a licens-
ing agreement with NDT Solutions LLC to commercialize
its inspection device for ultrasonic inspection of complex,
integrated composite structures. The technology supports
inspection of composite structures from the inside out.
• Simonds Saw’s Fitchburg, Mass., facility is ISO 9001:
2015 certified for the manufacture, sale, and distribution
of its band saw blade products throughout the world. This
certification ensures a company demonstrates its ability to
consistently provide products and services that meet user
and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.
• Pillarhouse recently announced Quality Manufactur-
ing Services, Lake Mary, Fla., has placed an order for two
additional Jade Mk II selective soldering systems for its
manufacturing facility. This transaction was facilitated by
the company’s Florida representative, The EMC3 Group. WJ
JANUARY 2018 / WELDING JOURNAL 101
Page 102.qxp_FP_TEMP 12/11/17 4:45 PM Page 102

American Welding Society®

aws.org BRING BRA

BRING AND
AND
AWAAREENESS
S TO
YOUR COMPA
C A
ANY
By placing your product
p videoo on the AW
WS website.

C
Contact AW
WS for more
m information at 800-443-9353
8
Advertising contacts:
Sandra Jorgensen at Ext. 254, sjorgensenn@aws.org
Annette Delagrrange at Ext. 332, adelagrangge@aws.org
Lea Panecca Owen, at Ext. 220, lea@aaws.org
jan 2018 wj classifieds.qxp_Layout 1 12/12/17 2:25 PM Page 103

CLASSIFIEDS

FOR SALE OR RENT

MITROWSKI RENTS
Made in U.S.A.
Welding Positioners
1-Ton thru 60-Ton
Tank Turning Rolls

Rentals, Lease and Sales

Welders

Used Equipment for Sale

www.mitrowskiwelding.com
Weld
Automation

Gen
ne
Generators

1-866-733-3272
1-866-7
7 TRAINING
sales@mitrowskiwelding.com
(800) 218-9620
(713) 943-8032 JOE FULLER LLC
55555555555555555555 55555555
We manufacture tank turning rolls
3-ton through 120-ton rolls
www.joefuller.com 43 2 1 0 /. - , /. + 5 *)+ *1 )1
1 ( ' )0 5 5
&% $ 2 1 # +$ ( 1 " ! 5 / ' 2 + 5 *" % ! 5  5 2 1 0 ! 5 ' $ 5
*1 )(
)(5  5 *" + $ (0 5 ' & 5 ! + " & !( % 2 0 &' ) 5
$- ( ! 5  5 . + +  + $2 5
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'$ " - $ + 5 * 1 ) ( 5  5 / '% ) ! + 5 .-

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) + $ ( 1 " 5 ' & 5 *"
)+ + * " - / 1 !, 5
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1 /( - /+ 5
email: joe@joefuller.com /'  + )! 5 *1)( 5  5 !* +/ - &- / 1 ( - ' $ 5
Phone: (979) 277-8343 % + ! ( - '$ ! 5 1 $ 2 1 $ ! . + ) ! ' $ 5
Fax: (281) 290-6184 .* ! , *  ) , . ( ) 5 % ! - $  5 * 1)( 5  5 1$2 5
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55

Change of Address? - ! % 1" 5 - $ ! * + / ( - ' $ 5 / ' % ) ! +

Moving?
Make sure delivery of your
Welding Journal is not interrupted.
Contact Kimberly Hugley in the
Membership Department with your
new address information:
"+ 1 ) $ 5  ' . 5 ( ' 5 2'
2'5 (  + 5  '
55
!( 1 ) ( 5 ( ' & - $ - !  5 5
1$2 ! 5 ' $ ( ) 1- $- $ & ' ) 5 5
$+ . 5 / . - 5 - $! * + / ( ' ) !  5
CALL OR EMAIL
1- 228-762- 2890
info@realeducational.com
15'
55)(5&
5-
  
55
(800) 443-9353, ext. 262; .
5*5&


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khugley@aws.org.

JANUARY 2018 / WELDING JOURNAL 103

jan 2018 wj classifieds.qxp_Layout 1 12/12/17 2:28 PM Page 104

CLASSIFIEDS

FOR SALE OR RENT

GMAW Calculator App

GMAW Calculator app calculates
weld size, wire feed speed and travel
speed from two of the variables,
deposition rate, all common wire
sizes, imperial or metric. Very useful
for development, estimating,
automated or manual welding.

Avaliable at the App Store and Play

DSTCompGMAW@GMail.com

ADVERTISER INDEX

American Torch Tip 17 Diamond Ground Products, Inc. 13, 15

attc.usplasma-extend (800) 342-8477 diamondground.com (805) 498-3837

Arcos Industries, LLC Inside Back Cover Donaldson Torit 14

arcos.us (800) 233-8460 donaldsontorit.com (800) 365-1331

Astaras 19 Electron Beam Technologies, Inc. 54

e3tungsten.com web contact only electronbeam.com (815) 935-2211

Atlas Evaluation & Inspection Services 55 Fischer Engineering Co. 54

indt.com (732) 388-7711 fischerengr.com (937) 754-1750

Atlas Welding Accessories, Inc. 35 Flexovit Abrasives 24

atlaswelding.com (800) 962-9353 flexovitabrasives.com (800) 689-3539

B&B Pipe Tools 56 Gedik Welding 23

bbpipetools.com (713) 747-8502 gedikwelding.com +90 216 378 50 00

CDA Technical Institute 29 Gullco International, Inc., U.S.A. 55

cda.edu/cdawelding.com (888) 974-2232 gullco.com (440) 439-8333

CM Industries, Inc. 7 Hobart Institute of Welding Technology 57

cmindustries.com (800) 530-0032 welding.org (800) 332-9448

Cor-Met 21 Hypertherm 26-27

cor-met.com (800) 848-2719 hypertherm.com (800) 737-2978

104 WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018

jan 2018 wj classifieds.qxp_Layout 1 12/12/17 2:29 PM Page 105

ADVERTISER INDEX

Intercon Enterprises, Inc. 30 Triangle Engineering, Inc. 55

intercon1978.com (800) 665-6655 trieng.com (781) 878-1500

Lincoln Electric Co. Outside Back Cover TRUMPF 5

lincolnelectric.com (216) 481-8100 us.trumpf.com web contact only

Mercer Industries 45 Uniweld 94

mercerindustries.com (800) 221-5202 uniweld.com (800) 323-2111

OTC Daihen, Inc. 9 voestalpine Böhler Welding 2

daihen-USA.com (888) 682-7626 voestalpine.com/welding (800) 527-0791

Panasonic Corp. of North America 11 Walter Surface Technologies 1

panasonicfa.com (847) 637-9600 walter.com (800) 522-0321

Select-Arc, Inc. Inside Front Cover Weld Engineering Co., Inc. 28

select-arc.com (937) 295-5215 weldengineering.com (508) 842-2224

Servo-Robot Corp. 31 Welder Training & Testing Institute 95

servorobot.com (450) 653-7868 wtti.com (800) 223-9884

Simonds Saw 95
siondssaw.com (800) 343-1616

Yoourr opportunity too reach 36,000

American Welding Society®
PUBLICAATTIONS
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A phone call can make all the difference.

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(800) 443-9353
Sanndra Jorgensen / Ext: 254
Annnette Delagrange / Ext
Ext: 332

JANUARY 2018 / WELDING JOURNAL 105

Peer Review 2018[1].qxp_Layout 1 12/12/17 8:59 AM Page 106

AWS Peer Review Panel

All papers published in the Welding Journal’s Welding Research Supplement undergo Peer Review before publication for: 1) originality of the
contribution; 2) technical value to the welding community; 3) prior publication of the material being reviewed; 4) proper credit to others
working in the same area; and 5) justification of the conclusions, based on the work performed. The following individuals serve on the AWS
Peer Review Panel and are experts in specific technical areas. All are volunteers in the program.

D. K. Aidun P. Hall Y. Lu F. Pfefferkorn R. T. Stone

T. Anderson K. Hollis D. Ludwig S. Pilli T. Stotler
J. Antonini T. Holverson N. Ma J. P. Planckaert X. Sun
A. Arora T. Hong X. Ma A. Polar J. Sutliff
K. D. Ashtekar S. Horikawa D. Maatz N. Porter E. Taban
R. E. Avery B. Horn R. B. Madigan P. Prangnell H. Tang
N. K. Babu A. Hu M. C. Maguire M. Prime M. Teague
S. Bag J. Hu M. Manohar J. D. Puskar K. Tello
A. Bahrami P. Huang I. Maroef J. Querin G. Thirunavukarasu
D. Bechetti Y. Huang B. Marschke T. P. Quinn E. Todorov
A. M. Beese J. Hutchins F. Martinez Diez A. Rabinkin W. Tong
P. Berube R. Hutchison R. P. Martukanitz J. Ram D. W. Trees
M. Bloss J. E. Indacochea M. P. Marya A. Raraz J. Tucker
D. Burford D. A. Javernick S. Massey S. Ream D. C. Tung
P. Burgardt N. T. Jenkins K. Masubuchi C. B. Reed D. M. Vandergriff
X. Cao C. Jia M. Mayer R. Ress P. T. Vianco
X. Chai M. Q. Johnson A. Maynard D. Richards B. Victor
Y. Chai J. E. Jones J. Mazumder B. Ridgway C. A. Walker
S. Chakraborty A. Kar M. McAninch G. Roy H. P. Wang
K. R. Chan L. Karlsson S. McCracken D. Rudland W. Wang
B. Y. J. Chao S. Katayama A. McDonald D. J. Rybicki Y. Y. Wang
C. C. Chen S. C. Kelley A. Mengel E. F. Rybicki Z. Wang
S. Chen S. Kelly M. P. Miles S. Sadagopan R. Warke
S. K. Chimbli D. S. Kim D. Miller S. Santhanakrishnan M. M. Weir
K. Colligan J. K. Kim R. Mishra A. Savitski E. M. Westin
G. E. Cook Y. S. Kim T. Morrissett D. Schick T. C. Wheeler
C. E. Cross D. B. Knorr P. E. Murray K. Scott T. Wong
T. Dai F. Kong S. J. Na O. Semenov P. Woollin
E. N. C. Dalder P. J. Konkol X. Na D. Sen C. Wu
P. H. Day R. Kovacevic P. B. Nagy A. Shapiro C. Y. Wu
A. De A. Kumar R. Nandan A. Shukla J. Xiao
H. Dong M. Kuntz A. M. Nasiri M. Siddens L. Xiao
H. Doude L. Kvidahl T. V. Natale M. S. Sierdzinski J. Xie
W. Drake J. J. Kwiatkowski T. C. Nguyen J. A. Siefert P. P. Xu
D. Dunbar M. Labbe M. Nicas T. Siewert R. Xu
M. du Toit K. Lachenberg N. E. Nissley D. Sirois S. Xu
D. N. Dunbar S. H. Lalam R. Noecker C. Smith Z. Xu
P. Dutta C. R. LaMorte J. T. Norris B. R. Somers F. Yang
Z. Feng A. Landau Y. Ogawa R. Somers Z. Yang
D. A. Fink B. Leister T. Oyama H. Song G. Young
S. R. Fiore L. Li A. Pandey W. H. Song C. Zhang
W. F. Gale M. V. Li J. Peng G. Sonnenberg K. Zhang
D. L. Galiher T. Li J. A. Penso C. D. Sorensen P. Zhang
Y. P. Gao W. Li F. Perez V. Soundararajan R. Zhang
J. A. Gianetto D. Liang E. C. Pessoa W. J. Sperko
B. Girvin E. Liguo W. Peterson J. E. Stallmeyer
M. Gray C. C. Lu C. Pettersson J. Steele
M. Hackett W. Lu A. Peusc A. W. Stockdale

Principal Reviewers
Y. Adonyi J. W. Elmer K. Li J. J. Perdomo G. Wang
B. Alexandrov J. D. Farren L. Li M. J. Perricone P. C. Wang
M. Balmforth D. F. Farson T. W. Liao R. Polanin P. S. Wei
D. Barborak P. W. Fuerschbach T. J. Lienert M. Posada Y. P. Yang
J. L. Caron P. Gadhe D. Lin A. J. Ramirez X. Yu
H. R. Castner A. Gerlich W. Lin J. Ramirez Z. Yu
J. Chen J. E. Gould S. Liu G. W. Ritter H. Zhang
J. Z. Chen M. Harris Y. K. Liu J. Rodelas Y. M. Zhang
B. A. Chin D. Hartman P. F. Mendez J. Schneider Wei Zhang
C. B. Dallam T. Hitchcock D. W. Meyer D. R. Sigler W. J. Zhang
A. Debiccari P. Hochanadel P. Michaleris M. Sinfield Y. N. Zhou
T. DebRoy Y. Huang W. Mohr D. Susan
X. Deng D. D. Kautz B. Narayanan W. Tang
J. N. DuPont D. J. Kotecki T. W. Nelson W. Tan
T. W. Eagar S. Kou T. A. Palmer M. Tumuluru

106 WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018

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WELDING RESEARCH
SUPPLEMENT TO THE WELDING JOURNAL, JANUARY 2018
Sponsored by the American Welding Society

Toward Process-Based Quality through a

Fundamental Understanding of Weld
Microstructural Evolution
Qualifying welded components by integrating software and hardware tools that are
capable of describing physical processes that occur during welding was explored

BY SUDARSANAM SURESH BABU

5) involves design, selection of materi-

ABSTRACT als, selection of process and environ-
ment, deployment of robotics and au-
In this overview paper, the possibility of qualifying welded components by inte-
grating software and hardware tools that are capable of describing physical
tomation, certification through destruc-
processes that occur during welding is explored. The existing and emerging tools tive testing of simulative samples and
to define geometrical boundary conditions, process parameters, heat and mass nondestructive evaluation (NDE), fol-
transfer, solidification, solid-state transformation, plastic deformation, distortion, lowed by recycling and rejuvenation at
residual stress, and performance of welded components are reviewed. Existing the end of useful life. Since fusion weld-
challenges relevant to the fundamental understanding of complex alloying, ing, solid-state joining, brazing, and sol-
processing environment, and transients in energy deposition are discussed with dering are crucial to the above manufac-
reference to microstructure evolution. Approaches to address these challenges turing life cycle (Ref. 6), this paper ex-
were articulated with published case studies relevant to welding and additive plores the feasibility of ensuring the
manufacturing. quality of welded components through
modification of process parameters
based on a fundamental understanding
KEYWORDS of microstructural evolution. Note that
this paper is not a comprehensive re-
• Process-Based Quality • Microstructural Evolution • Energy Deposition view, and readers are referred to various
• Additive Manufacturing • Residual Stress
publications throughout the document
for an in-depth review.
Introduction and use by 50% through productivity im-
provements. To meet these goals, a re- Current Methodologies
Motivation search and development pathway (Ref.
2), spanning from 2000 to 2040, that and Process-Based
In 2000, the American Welding Soci- integrates the process and computa- Quality
ety developed a road map (Ref. 1) with tional modeling, including process-
the following goals: 1) Increase the uses based quality was articulated — Fig. 1. The AWS Welding Handbook classi-
of welding by 25%, decrease the cost, Interestingly, rapid qualification of fies the technologies relevant to the
and increase the productivity; 2) en- goods and components is critical to ex- joining of advanced materials into
hance the process technology that al- isting applications that are based on tra- eight categories including arc welding,
lows for the use of welding across all ditional supply chain with slow and seri- solid-state joining, resistance welding,
manufacturing sectors; 3) develop new al flow of information, materials and oxyfuel gas welding, brazing, solder-
welding technology along with new ma- performance expectations, as well as ing, and other allied processes. A quick
terials so that it can be used for all ap- emerging trends such as smart manu- accounting of these categories and
plications; 4) ensure that welding can be facturing that will rely on an agile and subclassifications shows there are
part of the six-sigma quality environ- integrative approach facilitated by close more than 70 processes (Ref. 7). At the
ment; 5) increase the knowledge base of coupling of technologies (Refs. 3, 4) rel- same time, there are hundreds of
people employed at all levels of the evant to the whole manufacturing life structural metals and alloys based on
welding industry; and 6) reduce energy cycle. The manufacturing life cycle (Ref. iron, aluminum, copper, magnesium,

JANUARY 2018 / WELDING JOURNAL 1-s

Babu (Adams Lecture) January 2018.qxp_Layout 1 12/12/17 3:42 PM Page 2
WELDING RESEARCH
Fig. 1 — Schematic of research and development roadmap spanning four decades
developed by AWS in the year 2000.
titanium, zinc, tin, lead, nickel, cobalt,
zirconium, hafnium, and precious and
refractory metals (Ref. 8).
As a result of the large number of
permutations that is possible based on
the above options, the industry has
taken a cautious and pragmatic ap-
proach of deploying joining processes
through simulative tests, qualification,
and certification defined by the stan-
dards (Ref. 9). These are usually docu-
mented in terms of Welding Procedure
Specifications (WPSs) (Ref. 10) and
Procedure Qualification Records
(PQRs) (Ref. 11), and often used as
transactional documents between the
end user of welds and the provider of
fabrication services. These founda-
tional standards published by AWS
(Refs. 12, 13) and other organizations
have gained the confidence and trust
of industry allowing for welding to be
used as a common tool for critical ap-
plications. For example, the American
Petroleum Institute (API) has pub-
lished standards for welding of
pipelines (API 1104) that specify vari-
ous aspects including equipment, ma-
terials, manual and automatic proce-
dures, welding with and without weld-
ing wires, welders, design and prepara-
tion of joint geometry, inspection and
testing of welds, repair and removal of
defects, procedures for nondestructive
testing, and acceptance tests based on
NDE (Ref. 14). With emerging critical
applications, these standards may be-
come prescriptive and will not allow
flexibility to minimize the variability
of expected performance in service. As
a result, the engineering advance will
2-s WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018, VOL. 97
be a single point solution specific to a
given geometry and application.
In addition, because WPSs and
PQRs are developed with an extensive
amount of resources, they are not
openly disseminated to the public in
peer-reviewed papers. As a result,
many innovative and engineering so-
lutions may remain proprietary and
part of transactional documents. With
every new application, every entity
has to repeat the above procedures,
again and again, thereby limiting the
agility of the welding and joining in-
dustry to adopt new processes and ma-
terials while maintaining the trust of
customers. This leads to the funda-
mental question: is there a possibility
of qualifying welded components with
varying geometries by characterizing
the processes within the context of ex-
isting standards with minimal trial
and error experimentation?
Process-based quality is defined as
material and information flow where
all aspects of welding life cycle, i.e., de-
sign, materials, process, and estima-
tion of performance are considered
and evaluated simultaneously. A typi-
cal process-based quality flow will in-
volve concurrent activities ranging
from modeling to making and measur-
ing. In the modeling step, the geome-
try of the component (e.g., fillet weld
geometry) for a given application is
designed with knowledge from materi-
al properties (e.g., yield strength and
residual stress) predicted by integrated
process models for a given process
(e.g., laser welding) based on bound-
ary conditions (Ref. 15). In the making
step, the boundary conditions (e.g.,
welding current, weaving, speed, re-
straints, etc.) are recorded and provid-
ed as input to the modeling activity. In
the measuring step, responses of the
material to process (e.g., temperature
distribution, geometric displacements,
and cracking) are measured using in-
situ sensors. With the information
from all these activities, a welding en-
gineer may be able to qualify a compo-
nent for final service with minimal de-
structive testing and NDE.
Existing Tools for
Process-Based Quality
Many aspects of the process-based
quality approach have already been ad-
dressed by welding researchers
through development of empirical,
phenomenological, physics-based
modeling tools for computational weld
mechanics (Refs. 16, 17), as well as,
deployment of in-situ sensors (Ref.
18), controls (Ref. 19), and data log-
ging devices (Ref. 20). These tools fo-
cus on comprehensive descriptions of
boundary conditions for welding (Ref.
21), heat and mass transfer (Refs. 22,
23), solidification (Ref. 24), solid-state
phase transformation (Refs. 25, 26),
transient thermal stresses (Ref. 27),
elastic and plastic deformation (Ref.
28), incipient crack formation (Ref.
29), residual stress, and distortion
evolution (Ref. 30). These aspects are
briefly reviewed below.
Description of Geometry,
Material, and Processing
Boundary Conditions
It is well known from engineering
fundamentals that boundary condi-
tions have a great influence on the
outcome of any model predictions. For
example, in welding and joining, these
boundary conditions include the ini-
tial geometry of the joints, restraints
used for holding the joints, thermal
conductivity of the substrate, locked-
in residual stress within the incoming
materials, variations in compositions
of the base material and filler materi-
als, and transients in the heat source
movement.
Pahkamaa et al. (Ref. 31) have
demonstrated the complex interrela-
tionship between variations in geome-
Babu (Adams Lecture) January 2018.qxp_Layout 1 12/13/17 3:44 PM Page 3

WELDING RESEARCH

D
C

Fig. 2 — Predicted temperature distribution (blue — room temperature; red — melting point of steel) during spot welding of a steel
sheet at a different number of current cycles is shown in a quarter symmetry. The results show that flat electrodes (A and B) lead to a
toroidal-shaped weld pool after 7 7⁄8 cycles, while the curved electrodes lead to stable hemispherical spot weld growth immediately
after 2 7⁄8 cycles for similar current levels.

try welded assembly and evolving
residual stress and distortion. In an-
other example, microstructural refine-
ment in aluminum alloys was achieved
by just changing the backing plate ma-
terials from stainless steel to copper
(Ref. 32) for the same processing con-
ditions. This approach had also been
extended to stainless (Ref. 33) to mod-
ify the microstructure. In another ex-
ample, microstructure and properties
in steel welds were found to vary sig-
nificantly on moving from stringer to
weaving mode of welding, while keep-
ing the same average heat input condi-
tions (Ref. 34). This is attributed to
the onset of local brittle zones due to
transient variations in the thermal sig-
nature at localized regions. In another
example, the role of initial microstruc-
ture (e.g., distribution of carbides and
chemical segregation) in advanced
high-strength steels (AHSS) and its re-
sponse to welding was attributed to
improved ballistic properties in com-
parison to welds made with homoge-
neous materials (Refs. 35, 36). Similar-
ly, during spot welding a small change
in the electrode curvature led to large
changes in weld nugget development
— Fig. 2. Using incrementally coupled
electrical, thermal, and mechanical
models, the above changes were attrib-
uted to the changes in the spatial and
temporal variation of current density
across the electrode and steel sheet in-
terfaces. Although limited, the above
examples clearly stress the need for in-
situ monitoring of the geometry, ma-
terial, and processing boundary condi-
tions. With the advent of commercial
data logging devices, rapid and mobile
thermal, optical (Ref. 37), and phonon
(Ref. 38) tools, it is indeed possible to
define some aspects of the geometry,
material, and boundary conditions.
Prediction of Heat and Mass
Transfer
As early as the 1940s, it was clear
that for qualification of welds, it is
necessary to predict temperature dis-
tribution around arc welds. Rosenthal
published a classic paper that solved
the heat flow in a quasi-steady state
condition in infinite or semiinfinite
plates (Refs. 39, 40). The above solu-
tions have been extended to other
processes and conditions by various
authors (Ref. 41). With the advent of
computational hardware and finite ele-
ment methodologies, the heat transfer
models above were to consider specific
geometries and boundary conditions,
as well as transient conditions. For ex-
ample, Yang and Babu (Ref. 27) used
the finite element models to capture
the transients (Fig. 3) in heat-transfer
conditions during laser cladding of
nickel-based alloys.
Although, the above models do not
consider the fluid flow effects, they
have been extensively used in industry
The role of fluid flow on description of
the melt pool shape was pioneered by
researchers including Kou (Ref. 42),
Zacharia (Ref. 43), and DebRoy (Ref.

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Babu (Adams Lecture) January 2018.qxp_Layout 1 12/13/17 3:47 PM Page 4

WELDING RESEARCH

A B

Fig. 3 — Predicted temperature distribution during laser cladding for repairing of nickel alloys at the following: A — Early stages;
B — middle of the build. The calculations show the transients in temperature distribution due to changes in the heat sink brought
about the change in the build geometry.

Fig. 4 — Calculated stability diagram for Ti(CN) carbo-nitride Fig. 5 — Schematic of integrated computational weld mechan-
in steel melts as a function of titanium and carbon concen- ics approach proposed by Kirkaldy (Ref. 72).
tration with different levels of dissolved nitrogen showed the
sensitivity to small additions of nitrogen to the system.
the solidification, sol- struct, for calculating the phase dia-
id-state transforma- grams and interface or interphase sta-
44). All of these models share a similar tion, and deformation characteristics in bilities, the following equality (Equation
flow of information, starting with pro- the weld metal (WM) and heat-affected 1) is assumed, i.e., the chemical poten-
cessing conditions (i.e., mode of energy zones (HAZ). tial of ith element is the same at either
delivery); material addition (e.g., weld- side of the interface between the two
ing wire feed rate); joint geometry; and Prediction of Phase Stability phases, P1 and P2 (Refs. 48, 49).
defining the boundary conditions for
conductive, convective, and radiative The thermodynamic and kinetic μ iP1 = μ iP2 (1)
heat transfer. Then, for these boundary framework for describing liquid-to-
conditions, the melting, fluid flow, and solid (Ref. 45) and solid-to-solid phase
cooling to ambient temperatures are transformations (Ref. 46) are well es- This equality is also known as the
calculated by solving the conservation tablished in physical metallurgy text- tie-line construction or common tan-
of mass, momentum, and energy. The books (Ref. 47). Based on many decades gent between molar Gibbs energy vs.
outputs of the model include tempera- of research and development across the composition curves for two phases, in
ture variations at different locations, world, commercial solutions exist for a graphical representation of the phase
melt pool shape, thermal gradients (G), calculating phase diagrams for multi- diagram. The chemical potential of the
and liquid-solid interface velocity (R). component metals and ceramic sys- ith element in a multicomponent sys-
The above data can be used to predict tems. In the above theoretical con- tem can be calculated using the follow-

4-s WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018, VOL. 97

Babu (Adams Lecture) January 2018.qxp_Layout 1 12/13/17 3:52 PM Page 5

WELDING RESEARCH

( )
A B C
4+ 2
1/R 2

(
+( 2
i m Pei 1–k iv cl/s
i
v

c )
i* l
)
(1/R)+G s/i = 0, (6)

where
ic = 1= 2kvi /

 i
( ( ))
Fig. 6 — Scanning electron microscopy images from the following: A — High-Al weld 0.5 
exhibits AlN inclusion; B — low-Al weld shows both Al2O3 and Ti(CN) inclusions.  2kv  1+ 1+ 2
/ Pe
i

 (7 )

Table 1 — Composition of Self-Shielded Weld Metal (wt-%)

( { })
cli*/ s = coi 1= 1 kvi 
Iv Pe i (8)
ID C Si Mn Si Al Ni Ti O N Balance

high-Al
low-Al
0.234
0.149
0.28
0.30
0.50
0.64
0.28
0.30
1.70 0.02 0.003
0.53 0.01 0.058
0.006
0.030
0.064
0.033
Fe
Fe
(
Td = TL +  i cli*/ smvi
coimoi )
=2 / R
Vl / s / μ
(Gl / s Di / Vl / s ) (9)
ing expression (Equation 2) that re- above formulations, it is indeed possible
lates to the molar Gibbs free energy to predict the multicomponent phase In Equations 4–9, koi is the equilibri-
and partial derivative of the Gibbs free diagrams relevant to weld metal con- um partitioning coefficient between the
energy at a given temperature. sumables, as a function of composition liquid and solid, Di is the interphase dif-
and temperature. fusivity, moi is the equilibrium liquidus

)
G
xj
(
μ iP1 = Gmolar
P1
+  rj=2  ij  x j
where  ij = 0 for i≠j and
 ij = 1 for i=j
The molar Gibbs free energy of the
phase P1 is given (Equation 3) by the
contribution from the pure element
(Gi0), ideal mixing, and excess energy of
mixing defined by the parameter Ωijv.
P1
Gmolar =
i x iGi0 + RT
i x i log x i
( )
v
+
i  j>1 x i x j  v  vij x i
x j
In the above equation, R is the gas
constant, T is the temperature, xi corre-
sponds to the mole fraction of ith ele-
ment in the solid solution, and v is a
power factor that takes the value from
zero to two. Similar equations also exist
for the description of the molar free en-
ergy of compound. For example, it is
possible to calculate the equilibrium be-
tween liquid steel and Ti(CN) carbo-
nitride as a function of dissolved car-
bon, titanium, and nitrogen concentra-
tion — Fig. 4. These calculations may
allow us to estimate the role of dis-
solved nitrogen on inducing a wide
range of inclusions. Such diagrams can
P1
molar
; distance,  is the Gibbs-Thompson coef-
Prediction of Liquid-Solid
Transformation
(2) The solidification conditions during
welding are related to the liquid-solid
(l/s) interface instability. Phenomeno-
logical theories describing l/s interface
stability under unidirectional thermal
gradients are well known (Ref. 51) in
the casting (Ref. 52) and welding litera-
ture (Ref. 24). It is indeed possible to
predict columnar to equiaxed solidifica-
tion transition (CET) as a function of
( 3)
thermal gradient (Gl/s) and l/s interface
velocities (Vl/s)) based on dendrite tip
temperature (Td), with interface re-
sponse function theories and by solving
the coupled equations (Ref. 53) that de-
scribe the (kvi) kinetic solute partition-
ing coefficient, (mvi) nonequilibrium
slope of the liquidus, dendrite tip radius
(R), and (cil/s) concentration at the l/s in-
terface, as a function of Vl/s and Gl/s.
(
kvi = koi + ao Vl / s / Di 

(
/ 1+ ao Vl / s / Di 
, ) (4)
mvi = moi ( 1= kvi 1= ln
 {
slope, ao is the characteristic diffusion
ficient, Pei is the Peclet number given by
Vl/s/(2Di),  is the interface kinetic coef-
ficient, and Iv{} is the Ivantsov function
that depends on the Peclet number. Us-
ing thermodynamic information for a
multicomponent system, Equations 4–9
can be iteratively solved to predict the
dendrite tip temperature and thereby
constitutional supercooling, as well as
CET in a wide range of alloy systems.
These equations can be extended to
nonequilibrium eutectic growth as well.
This phenomenological model has been
successfully applied to a wide range of
multicomponent alloys (Ref. 54).
Fundamentals of these theories and
extension to welding are reviewed in
the paper by David and Vitek (Ref. 24).
With the above formulations, one
should be able to estimate the solidifi-
cation morphologies (planar, colum-
nar, equiaxed), dendrite arm spacing,
texture, and alloying element segrega-
tion as a function of thermal gradients
(G) and liquid-solid interface velocity
) (R), predicted by heat and mass trans-
fer models.
Prediction of Solid-State
kvi / koi }
) Phase Transformation

( )
be used to develop an inoculation strat-
egy to arrive at the equiaxed grain / 1= koi ( 5) The microstructural evolutions dur-
ing welding of steels, titanium, and
structures in welds (Ref. 50). With the nickel alloys are also related to solid-

JANUARY 2018 / WELDING JOURNAL 5-s

Babu (Adams Lecture) January 2018.qxp_Layout 1 12/12/17 3:42 PM Page 6
WELDING RESEARCH
A B
Fig. 7 — Optical microscopy images from A — High-Al weld shows skeletal columnar -ferrite interspersed with residual austenite
that has transformed to bainitic microstructure. B — In contrast, the low-Al weld undergoes classic phase transformation to grain
boundary ferrite and bainitic microstructure that is expected from 100% austenitic parent phase.
solid (s/s) interphase motion either
through a reconstructive or displacive
mechanism (Ref. 55). Let us revisit ex-
isting theories for interphase stabili-
ties for s/s phase transformations
originating from the classic papers of
Hultgren published in 1947 (Ref. 56)
and Coates (Refs. 57, 58). Under
isothermal conditions, the velocity of
the interface vint between the two sol-
id-state phases, P1 and P2, can be de-
scribed by Equation 10.
(c P1P2
i
P P1
 ci 2 )v int
P1 P2
P dci P dci
= Di 1  Di 2
dx int dx int
In the above equation, ciP1P2 is the
interface concentration of solute “i” in
the P1 phase, and ciP2P1 is the interface
concentration of solute “i” in the P2
phase. Similarly, DiP1 and DiP2 are the
diffusivities of the solute in the P1 and
P2 phases, respectively. In a multicom-
ponent system, the above equations
have to be solved simultaneously for
all solute elements. Due to rapid cool-
ing and/or large differences in the dif-
fusivity, the equality represented by
Equation 10 may break down and may
induce constrained equilibrium. For
example, paraequilibrium (Ref. 59)
growth of ferrite into austenite in
steel is controlled only by carbon dif-
fusion, and the substitutional ele-
ments (Ref. 60) are configurationally
frozen. In the case of displacive trans-
6-s WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018, VOL. 97
formation, one can describe the same
by coupling thermodynamics and the-
ories of nucleation of martensite on
lattice defects (Ref. 61). Bhadeshia et
al. (Ref. 62) have extended to predict
the microstructural evolution in low-
carbon steel weld metals. In the early
1980s, due to limited access to ther-
modynamic data, a semi-empirical ap-
proach was based on carbon equiva-
lence, austenite grain size, and the
time taken to cool from 800° to 500°C
(Refs. 63, 64). However, these phe-
nomenological models are not capable
of describing the 3D microstructural
( 10) evolution. In this regard, the phase
field models are very beneficial (Ref.
65) and have been used for describing
both solidification and solid-state
transformation in a unified way. With
the above tools, it is possible to predict
the microstructural features such as
phase fractions, grain size, and mor-
phology as a function of weld compo-
sition for a given thermal signature.
Prediction of Thermal
Stresses and Plastic
Deformation
One of the critical issues with weld-
ing is the evolution of residual stress
distribution due to nonuniform accu-
mulated plastic strains within the builds
(Ref. 66). Under certain cases, thermal
stresses can also lead to premature
cracking during weld cooling conditions
(Ref. 67). The plastic strain evolution
during repeated thermal cycling is calcu-
lated based on thermal stresses brought
about by macro-scale thermal gradients,
local changes in thermal expansion co-
efficients, crystallographic misfit be-
tween phases, and constitutive stress-
strain properties measured under
isothermal conditions (Ref. 68). The
constitutive properties for thermal sim-
ulation can be described either by ex-
perimental measurements or by cali-
brating constitutive relationships devel-
oped by Zener-Holloman (Ref. 69) or
Johnson-Cook (Ref. 70) models. Re-
cently, the Zener-Holloman model was
used to describe the flow properties of
Ti-6Al-4V alloys under torsional defor-
mation conditions as a function of tem-
perature and strain rate (Ref. 71). In ad-
dition, there are ongoing worldwide ef-
forts to move away from the phenome-
nological models to describe the consti-
tutive properties through crystal plas-
ticity models (Ref. 72). With the above
tools, it is indeed possible to predict the
constitutive properties of metal defor-
mation during typical thermomechani-
cal conditions induced by spatial varia-
tion of thermal gradient and thermal
signature typical to that of welding.
Integrated Process and
Performance Models
Although each and every predictive
tool is important in its own sense, for
arriving at process-based quality, all of
the above tools need to be integrated
Babu (Adams Lecture) January 2018.qxp_Layout 1 12/12/17 3:42 PM Page 7
A B
Fig. 8 — A — Calculated stability diagram for high-Al weld supports the preferential formation of AlN inclusions within liquid steel;
B — similar calculations with low-Al weld composition shows the preferential formation of Al2O3 and Ti(CN) and not AlN.
within a single framework. This need
was articulated by Kirkaldy in the
1990s (Ref. 73) with a classic diagram
shown in Fig. 5 for predicting the steel
weld properties. In his proposed inte-
grated framework, hardness and prop-
erty distributions, as well as residual
stress and distortion in steel welds can
be predicted as a function of boundary
conditions (thermal, mechanical),
thermo-physical-chemical properties
by exchanging the information be-
tween submodels for heat and mass
transfer, solidification, solid-state
transformation, and mechanical re-
sponse. As soon as one understands
the spatial variations, the above data
can also be mapped into a perform-
ance model to predict the static and
dynamic properties of welded compo-
nents (Ref. 74).
Interestingly, the above modeling
framework has become the founda-
tional tenet for many of the existing
commercial solutions for integrated
weld modeling. In 2007, the above in-
tegrated process modeling framework
was deployed within a high perform-
ance computational framework capa-
ble of on-demand modeling over the
internet (Refs. 75, 76). At this junc-
ture, it needs to be stressed that appli-
cability of these welding simulation
tools always require some amount of
calibration due to variability in ther-
mo-physical-chemical properties (Ref.
77). In order to develop confidence in
computational modeling, there is a
need to develop verification and vali-
dation (V&V) standards. Recently, the
above V&V document (Ref. 78) was
developed and published by AWS,
which enables the adoption of these
tools by industries.
Furthermore, there is ongoing work
on validation of residual stress predic-
tion (Ref. 79) by the Nuclear Research
Council (NRC) and Electric Power Re-
search Institute (EPRI). These studies
have shown the importance of materi-
al constitutive properties and the or-
der of weld bead placement affecting
the annealing on the variability of
residual prediction. For example, the
variations in predicted residual stress-
es may exceed more than ± 200 MPa
(Ref. 80). In addition, extensive work
is ongoing to understand the residual
stress evolutions based on phase
transformation kinetics and its effect
on constitutive properties (Refs. 81,
82), especially for low-temperature-
transformation (LTT) wires.
Unresolved Scientific
Challenges
Based on the brief literature review
on integrated process modeling, one
may be tempted to conclude there are
no scientific or technical challenges for
WELDING RESEARCH
process-based quality. However, there
are two major challenges that need to
be addressed with reference to mi-
crostructural evolution in welds, as de-
scribed below.
Complex Alloying and
Shielding Environments
In most of the published literature
related to integrated process modeling,
the compositions within the base metal
or weld metal region are often consid-
ered to be uniform. Nevertheless, it is
well known that small changes in the
liquid-slag (Ref. 83) or liquid-gas (Ref.
84) reactions may lead to variations in
deoxidizing elements (e.g., Ti and Al),
which in turn may lead to large changes
in inclusions, solidification, and solid-
state transformation microstructure
(Ref. 85), as well as associated proper-
ties (Refs. 86, 87).
In addition, by changing from non-
reactive to reactive gas shielding, it is
possible to induce in-situ alloying and
arrive at hard particles to induce wear
resistance (Ref. 88). Although there
has been pioneering work by welding
researchers to understand the liquid-
slag reactions (Ref. 89), dissolution of
gases (Refs. 90, 91), evaporation (Ref.
92), and condensation (Ref. 93), there
are no integrated models to predict
these reactions a-priori, without cali-
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WELDING RESEARCH
Fig. 9 — Calculated Fe-Al quasi-binary diagram shows a large
change in the phase evolution as a function of temperature
with small changes in dissolved aluminum concentrations.
bration. Therefore, there is a need to
improve the capability of computa-
tional thermodynamic tools to address
the above phenomena.
Transients in Welding
Conditions
In most of the engineering solutions
relevant to welding, steady-state condi-
tions are valid to predict thermome-
chanical changes. However, in certain
cases involving manual welding for ver-
tical and overhead configurations, auto-
matic welding with weaving and varying
geometrical cross sections, the above as-
sumption may not be valid. These tran-
sients may lead to local changes in mi-
crostructures that may lead to scatter in
properties (Ref. 94). Furthermore, dur-
ing welding with large energy density,
thermal gradients may exceed 106 K/m.
Most of the phase stability and kinetic
models for solid-state transformations
were developed under isothermal condi-
tions. Currently, the validity of the local
equilibrium assumed by Equation 1 for
these conditions is not known. Further-
more, in multipass welds, thermal sig-
natures may induce repeated dissolu-
tion and growth under severe thermal
gradients (Ref. 95). Therefore, there is a
need to understand the effect of these
transients and development of method-
ologies to track the same under in-situ
conditions (Refs. 96, 97) and map the
same to integrated process models to
arrive at process-based quality.
8-s WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018, VOL. 97
Fig. 10 — Schematic of the camera setup developed by Hall
and Robino for the in-situ measurement of liquid-solid in-
terface stability during welding (reproduced with permis-
sion from authors (Ref. 102)).
Scientific Approaches to
Address Challenges
In this paper, four case studies are
presented with increasing complexities
to demonstrate the approaches that
can be used to address the fundamen-
tal challenges relevant to weld mi-
crostructural evolution. In order to
provide continuity of the discussions,
the first three case studies were re-
stricted to self-shielded flux cored arc
weld metal with an Fe-C-Al-Mn alloy
system. The results from each case
study in the Fe-C-Al-Mn alloy system
build on the results from the previous
ones. Finally, extension of these con-
cepts to emerging metal additive man-
ufacturing is also presented.
Case Study 1: Role of Thermodynamic
and Kinetic Modeling
Problem Statement: Kotecki and
Moll (Refs. 86, 87) found that inclu-
sion formation and microstructural
evolution in self-shielded flux cored
arc (FCAW-S) welds were quite differ-
ent from that of low-alloy steel welds
made by submerged arc (SAW), shield-
ed metal arc (SMAW), and gas metal
arc (GMAW) welding. Since the
FCAW-S processes do not use any
form of gas shielding, the dissolved
oxygen and nitrogen from atmosphere
in the liquid steel is removed by large
additions of aluminum. In this case
study, the possibility of predicting
these complex microstructural evolu-
tions was explored using ThermoCalc®
and DicTra® software (Refs. 98, 99).
Approach: Microstructural evolu-
tion in weld metal compositions with
two different aluminum concentra-
tions (Table 1) were characterized.
Then the observed microstructural
evolution was compared with the pre-
dictions from computational thermo-
dynamic and kinetic models.
Results: Scanning electron mi-
croscopy showed welds with high alu-
minum concentration exhibited only
AlN-type inclusions — Fig. 6A. In con-
trast, the weld with low aluminum
concentration contained both Al2O3
and Ti(CN)-type inclusions — Fig. 6B,
C. Interestingly, the high-Al welds also
exhibited columnar -ferrite (BCC
crystal structure) network inter-
spersed with bainitic ferrite () mi-
crostructure that formed from stable
austenite () — Fig. 7A. This result
suggests that high-Al welds do not go
through 100% austenite phase field. In
contrast, low-aluminum welds did not
show any columnar ferrite network
(Fig. 7B) and exhibited grain boundary
ferrite and bainitic microstructure
that forms directly from the 100%
austenite phase field.
Physics-Based Modeling of In-
clusion Formation: First, the ability
to predict inclusion formations was
analyzed with stability maps that de-
pict the equilibrium between AlN,
Al2O3 or Ti(CN), and liquid steel at
1527°C — Fig. 8A, B. The calculations
were performed with ThermoCalc®
Babu (Adams Lecture) January 2018.qxp_Layout 1 12/12/17 3:42 PM Page 9

WELDING RESEARCH

A B

C D

Fig. 11 — Overview of the liquid-solid interface instabilities during the pulsed GTAW process measured using in-situ optical method:
A, B — Two successive frames showing the motion of large inclusions (orange color) and small inclusions (green color) within the
liquid steel (blue regions). In addition, the same images show the motion of the band of the liquid-solid interface. C — Calculated
temporal variation of the liquid-solid interface from the images show large scatter; D — the data shown in C is converted into fre-
quency domain using DFFT analyses.

software that relies on foundational
Equations 1 to 3. For the high-Al
welds, the concentration of dissolved
Al and N lies on the right side of the
AlN stability line, which conforms to
the tendency for the formation of AlN
inclusions. In contrast, the concentra-
tions of Al and O lie outside the stabil-
ity loop for Al2O3. Similarly, the con-
centration of Ti and N fall outside the
stability loop for the formation of
Ti(CN) inclusions. The stability dia-
gram also confirmed that with the re-
duction of aluminum concentration,
the formation of Al2O3 and Ti(CN) is
favored, while the formation of AlN is
stifled in low-Al welds. It is indeed in-
triguing to notice that even with the
presence of high aluminum concentra-
tions, the Al2O3 formation is not possi-
ble. Careful analyses of thermodynam-
ic description show that this effect is
due to the 2nd order interactions (Ref.
100) between dissolved Al and O in
the liquid steel, which stabilizes the
liquid phase with reference to Al2O3.
Physics Based Modeling of Mi-
crostructural Evolution: Application
of Fe-C phase diagram to high-Al welds
would not have supported the retention
of -ferrite at room temperature. How-
ever, the Fe-Al quasi-binary diagram
(Fig. 9) calculated for the compositions
shown in Table 1 shows interesting fea-
tures. For high-Al welds, on cooling
from high temperature, the liquid steel
will transform first to -ferrite. With
subsequent cooling to low temperature,
the austenite will form at the liquid -
ferrite dendrite boundaries. Subsequent
cooling to low-temperature high-Al
weld never enters the 100% austenite
phase field. As a result, there is a high
probability for the retention of -ferrite
on cooling further. In contrast, the low-
Al welds do enter into 100% austenite
phase field and thereby promotes the
formation of grain boundary and
bainitic microstructure seen in other
low-alloy steel welds. The above ther-
modynamic tendencies were also con-
firmed by calculating the growth of
austenite into -ferrite as a function of
weld cooling rate through kinetic mod-
els capable of describing the diffusion of
C, Si, Mn, and Al between these two
phases (Ref. 99).
Relevance to Process-Based
Quality: The above examples show the
ability of thermodynamic models to
predict inclusion formation and mi-
crostructural evolution. At the same
time, the results stress the need for a
good thermodynamic description of liq-
uid steel. For example, the thermody-
namic data relevant to liquid steel, in-
cluding the 2nd order interaction, was
measured in the 1960s to 1970s by ladle
metallurgy researchers (Ref. 101). With-
out this data, the models would have
not been able to predict the absence of
Al2O3 formation in high-Al welds. The

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WELDING RESEARCH

A
E

C D

Fig. 12 — A — Cross section (Y-Z) of the pulsed GTA welds relevant to Fig. 13 — Schematic of the time-resolved X-ray dif-
the data shown in Fig. 11. The images in B–D show the presence of an fraction experiments performed within a synchro-
alternating band of d-ferrite network and bainitic microstructure that tron beamline. The image was reproduced with
forms from 100% austenite. permission from the authors of Ref. 97.

above example demonstrates the need A B

for continued experimental measure-
ments of thermodynamic properties of
various phases in alloys relevant to
welding and joining.

Case Study 2: Effect of Liquid-Solid

Interface Transients

Problem Statement: The thermo-

dynamic and kinetic models allowed us
to predict the inclusion formation and
microstructural evolution in welds
made with normal steady-state condi-
tions. However, the applicability of the
model to transient conditions was not
evaluated. For example, under pulsed
welding conditions, one may experience
local changes in thermal gradients and
liquid-solid interface velocity. This case
study focuses on the measurement of
the transients in weld solidification con-
ditions in an Fe-C-Al-Mn alloy system,
specifically within high-Al welds.
Approach: In this research, autoge-
nous gas tungsten arc (GTA) welds
were made with the following condi-
tions: 18.5 V, pulse peak current 130
A, pulse background current 90 A,
pulse frequency of 300 Hz, welding
speed 0.6 mm/s, and helium shielding.
A high-speed in-situ monitoring sys-
tem (Fig. 10) developed by Hall and
Robino (Ref. 102) was used to track
the instabilities of the liquid-solid in-
terface. In this setup, the camera was
mounted on a fixture attached to the
Fig. 14 — A — Fe-Al quasi-binary diagram shows the concentration of aluminum in
the welds used for the in-situ TRXRD experiments; B — illustration of different spot
welding experiments performed in conjunction with TRXRD experiments.
weld arc and recorded at a time inter- face positions were extracted from a se-
val of 0.005 s. Therefore, the relative ries of image frames. Since the relative
velocity between the camera and the velocity between camera and arc is zero,
weld pool was set at zero. the motions of the interface are inter-
Results: The in-situ images were preted as growth and dissolution (Fig.
evaluated through standard image 11C) reaching the rates of ±0.015 m/s.
analysis tools (Ref. 103). Typical images The above data were further analyzed
from two sequential time frames are using discrete fast Fourier transforma-
shown in Fig. 11A, B. Original black and tion (FFT) algorithm. The analyses (Fig.
white images were converted to color to 11D) show the pulsed interface motion
illustrate various observed phenomena. occurs at different frequencies, i.e., 25,
First, the images show the motion of 75, 100, and 125 Hz. Currently, the rea-
coarse and fine inclusions in the liquid sons for such specific frequency evolu-
region. Second, the snapshots also show tions are not understood.
alternating motion of the liquid-solid The effect of such l/s oscillations on
interface with reference to the camera microstructural evolution was evaluated
location. The locations of these inter- by optical microscopy — Fig. 12. The

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WELDING RESEARCH

A A

B
C D

Fig. 15 — A — Image representation of the in-situ TRXRD data

shows the presence of BCC peaks before and after the arc
strike; B — optical micrograph confirms the presence of epi-
taxial columnar d ferrite.
Fig. 16 — A — Image representation of the in-situ TRXRD data
shows the lack of any diffraction peak before 20 s, confirming
the presence of liquid before the arc-extinguishing event.
After 20 s, when the arc extinguishes, a small speck of dif-
fraction peak corresponding to d-ferrite appears and disap-
pears, while the austenite peak forms immediately and
appears to be stable during cooling until 45 s. The cooling
process is confirmed by the shift in the peak position. At
about 45 s, the austenite diffraction is replaced by broad bcc
peaks corresponding to martensite. B–D — Optical micro-
graphs confirm the transition from columnar d-ferrite to planar
austenite, which transforms to martensite.

lidification mi- situ time-resolved X-ray diffraction

crostructural evo-
lution is sensitive
to the local ther-
mal transients. In-
Fig. 17 — Comparison of calculated dendrite-tip and planar in-
terface temperature for both d-ferrite and g-austenite using ability to describe
interface response function theories (Equations 4–9) and cali- the above tran-
brated parameters given in reference shows scenarios that sients in models
may lead to phase selection phenomenon in 3.7 wt-% Al self- may not allow us
shielded flux cored arc welds. The higher the interface or den- to predict the scat-
drite tip temperature, the higher the probability for formation ter in properties
of that phase with a given morphology. associated with
the banded mi-
micrographs showed interesting phe- crostructure
nomena of alternating arcs of columnar shown in Fig. 12. Therefore, it is impor-
d-ferrite and bainitic microstructure. tant to track these changes using in-situ
This microstructure was interpreted as sensors and correlate to the scatter in
possible changes in the phase selection microstructure and properties.
due to large changes in liquid-solid in-
terface velocity (Ref. 104). At slow ve- Case Study 3: In-Situ Analyses of
locities, the equilibrium d-ferrite is ex- Liquid-Solid Interface Instabilities
pected and with each and every acceler-
ation of the interface nonequilibrium g Problem Statement: Although we
austenite might have manifested itself, postulated that the changes in mi-
similar to the classic work of Fukumoto crostructure shown in Figs. 11 and 12
and Kurz (Ref. 105). are due to local changes in liquid-solid
Relevance to Process-Based interface velocity, there was no direct
Quality: The above data shows the so- proof. To validate our hypothesis, in-
(TRXRD) experiments (Fig. 13) were
performed using the setup developed by
Elmer (Ref. 97). Initial experiments
with high-Al welds confirmed that a
large change in liquid-solid interface ve-
locity will indeed induce transition from
equilibrium d-ferrite to nonequilibrium
austenite (Ref. 106). At this juncture,
the generality of the above phenomena
for a wide range of alloy compositions
was not understood and is the focus of
the current case study.
Approach: To validate the above
phenomena, a special Fe-C-Al-Mn alloy
weld with higher aluminum concentra-
tion was selected for the TRXRD experi-
ments. The new alloy composition is Fe-
0.28C-0.45Mn-3.7Al (wt-%). The quasi-
binary Fe-Al diagram (Fig. 14A) shows
that in this alloy, the stability of d-fer-
rite is greater than g-austenite. There-
fore, we expect that for a wide range of
liquid-solid interface velocities, we
should only see d-ferrite solidification
and phase selection to nonequilibrium
g-austenite should be highly improba-
ble. The phase evolutions at the HAZ

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WELDING RESEARCH
A D
B E
Fig. 19 — Overlay of calculated G and R for Cubes 1 and
2 on the columnar to equiaxed (CET) maps show that
even with the scatter in the values, Cube 1 will predom-
inantly lead to columnar microstructure and Cube 2 to
equiaxed microstructure.
C F was
switched
off, the dif-
fraction
peaks corre-
sponding to
(110) plane
reemerged.
The results
confirmed
that even
under the
nonequilib-
rium condi-
tions that
Fig. 18 — Calculated (A) G and (B) R for Cube 1, which uses a spot melt
pattern leading to (C), the columnar grain region along the build direc- may induce
tion. In contrast, (C) and (D) show the calculated G and R for Cube 2, large liquid-
which uses a spot melt pattern with shallow G and R, thereby inducing solid inter-
(E) an equiaxed microstructure (images were used with permission). face veloci-
ties, only d-
ferrite will
and WM were tracked for various spot form. Optical microscopy of the same
welding experiments (Fig. 14B). The ex- spot weld shows epitaxial growth of fer-
periments considered 35 transient con- rite from the HAZ — Fig. 15B. Howev-
ditions relevant to spot welding includ- er, a quick analysis of the optical micro-
ing arc strike, arc ramp up, and arc ramp graph indicated that due to the small
down (Ref. 106). In this paper, results size of the weld metal region, the maxi-
from two conditions are discussed — mum velocity we could achieve would be
Figs. 15, 16. in the order of only 3 × 10–4 m/s. As a
Results from Arc-Strike Experi- result, one can postulate that higher liq-
ment: In-situ diffraction data from arc- uid-solid interface velocities might not
strike experiments are shown in Fig. have been reached to induce nonequilib-
15A, B. Under this condition, the arc rium austenite phase selection.
was switched on for 1 s and then extin- Results from Current Ramp-
guished. The diffraction data show the Down Experiment: Previous research
presence of BCC phase at room temper- (Ref. 106) has shown that by forming
ature. As soon as the arc strike was in- a large weld pool and then using cur-
duced, the diffraction signals from the rent ramp down, rapid liquid-solid in-
probed region were lost, indicating the terface velocity can be accessed. These
formation of liquid. As soon as the arc conditions were imposed for new alloys.
12-s WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018, VOL. 97
The diffraction data from the ramp-
down conditions are shown in Fig. 16A.
At the start of the ramp down of cur-
rent, the data show no evidence for any
crystal structure. However, at around
20 s, the data showed a brief formation
of ferrite. At this time, the arc was ex-
tinguished, which leads to acceleration
of the liquid-solid interface. Interesting-
ly, the data show formation of nonequi-
librium g-austenite and transformation
of the austenite to martensite on reach-
ing low temperature at about 45 s. Simi-
lar experiments were performed on an-
other build and the microstructural het-
erogeneity was evaluated — Fig. 16B–D.
The micrographs show the forma-
tion of equilibrium d-ferrite close to the
weld interface — Fig. 16B, C. However,
with an increase in the liquid-solid in-
terface velocity, instability in d-ferrite
dendrites was observed — Fig. 16D. Fi-
nally, most of the weld shows the for-
mation of martensite laths that are
larger than 100 μm, which could have
only formed from large austenite
grains. The above results suggest that
we have accessed nonequilibrium g-
austenite with planar solidification. The
above phase selection phenomena were
analyzed using the interface response
function theories outlined in the previ-
ous section (Ref. 104). The dendrite tip
temperature for d-ferrite and g-austen-
ite was calculated using calibrated pa-
rameters relevant to Equations 4–9.
The results are shown in Fig. 17. The
calculations show that for a given ther-
mal gradient, it is possible to access the
planar g-austenite solidification, before
Babu (Adams Lecture) January 2018.qxp_Layout 1 12/12/17 3:42 PM Page 13
giving away to planar d-ferrite.
Relevance to Process-Based
Quality: Although the models have
shown the feasibility of predicting these
transient behaviors, the parameters
used in Equations 4–9 have been cali-
brated. Therefore, extension of these
models to other alloy systems must be
accompanied by simple calibration ex-
periments and heat transfer simulation
with ramp-down and arc-strike experi-
ments. Nevertheless, results from the
above experiments showed it is indeed
possible to control microstructure by
spatially and temporally controlling
thermal gradients and liquid-solid inter-
face velocities.
Case Study 4: Extension to Powder
Bed Additive Manufacturing
Problem Statement: It has been a
dream of metallurgists to arrive at site-
specific control of microstructures in
near net shape components. The discus-
sions in the previous section showed it
is indeed possible to arrive at process-
based quality by controlling microstruc-
tural heterogeneity. This microstructur-
al control is possible in complex compo-
nents if one can modify the spatial and
temporal thermal signatures including
thermal gradients and liquid-solid inter-
face velocity. The emergence of powder
bed additive manufacturing provides an
opportunity to test out this hypothesis
(Ref. 107).
Approach: Electron beam powder
bed fusion (E-PBF) of Alloy 718 was
selected for this case study. To induce
different melt pool shapes, thermal
gradients (G), and liquid-solid inter-
face velocities (R), the beam spot-on
time and location of the beam should
be varied. A heat transfer model (Ref.
108) was used to design these spot
melting strategies, a priori before the
experiment. The predicted G and R are
shown in Fig. 18. The first cube sam-
ple was designed (Fig. 18A, B) to in-
duce columnar microstructure and the
second cube sample was designed
(Fig. 18D, E) to induce the equiaxed
microstructure.
Results: These cube samples were
produced by E-PBF melting of each
layer with the spot melt patterns de-
signed by models. The cube samples
were then sectioned and analyzed us-
ing electron backscattered diffraction
imaging. As expected, the first cube
(Fig. 18C) showed a columnar mi-
crostructure and the second cube (Fig.
18F) showed an equiaxed microstruc-
ture. The above experiment was fur-
ther verified by calculating the solidifi-
cation maps using interface response
function theories (Equations 4–9) and
overlaying the calculated G and R val-
ues for Cubes 1 and 2 — Fig. 19. Even
with a large amount of scatter, most of
the G and R data from Cube 1 lay
above the CET line confirming the ten-
dency for the formation of columnar
grains. Similarly, most of the data
points from Cube 2 lay below the CET
line cinforming the tendency for the
formation of equiaxed grains. The
above transitions have also been veri-
fied with in-situ infrared thermogra-
phy and in complex geometries (Ref.
109).
Relevance to Process-Based
Quality: The above example demon-
strates that process-based quality is
indeed achievable even under tran-
sient conditions, provided that we can
reproduce these transients repeatedly
by careful control of energy deposition
and heat transfer. Recently, the above
process-based quality framework, in
conjunction with in-situ near-infrared
imaging, was extended to qualification
of topology optimized Ti6Al4V parts
made by the E-PBF process (Ref. 110).
Future Directions
This review, results, and discus-
sions demonstrate it is indeed possible
to arrive at process-based quality of
components much earlier than in 2040
as proposed in the AWS roadmap. Fur-
thermore, the process-based quality
framework must be extended to fusion
welding, solid-state joining, brazing,
soldering, and additive manufacturing
by coupling integrated process models,
in-situ process sensors, and the collec-
tion of all parameters relevant to
process and other boundary condi-
tions. The above data can be analyzed,
tracked, and archived using emerging
high-performance computing, cloud
computing (Ref. 76), and data analyt-
ics (Ref. 111). Once we have developed
and deployed proof-of-principle indus-
trial standards based on process-based
quality, the above approach can be ex-
tended to hybrid materials that join
metals, polymers, ceramics, glass, and
elastomers in different forms and
functions (Ref. 112).
WELDING RESEARCH
Summary and
Conclusions
In this paper, the feasibility of
process-based qualification of welded
components was explored. A process-
based qualification framework will in-
volve concurrent activities ranging
from modeling, making, and measur-
ing with state-of-the-art computation-
al and sensing tools. To succeed in this
alternative approach to qualification,
it is important to define all the bound-
ary conditions including geometry, re-
straints, and the processing environ-
ment. Then, for given process condi-
tions, an integrated modeling and
sensing tool should be capable of pre-
dicting or describing the spatial and
temporal variation of heat and mass
transfer, solidification, solid-state
transformation, and plastic deforma-
tion. With the above data, it is possi-
ble to predict the performance of
welded components with minimal tri-
al-and-error experimentation. Few ex-
amples were presented to bolster the
argument for process-based quality of
welded components. Two major scien-
tific challenges were identified, i.e.,
variability in describing the alloying el-
ement concentration in weld metal
and transients in thermal signatures,
thermal gradient, and liquid-solid in-
terface velocity. Approaches to address
the above challenges are illustrated
with four case studies.
In the first case study, the need for
reliable multi-component thermody-
namic data of liquid and solid phases
are emphasized to describe inclusion
formation and microstructural evolu-
tion in Fe-C-Al-Mn self-shielded flux
cored arc welds. In the second case
study, the role of in-situ monitoring by
high-speed optical imaging to track the
liquid-solid interface velocities and as-
sociated microstructural heterogeneity
was presented. In the third case study,
the role of in-situ time-resolved X-ray
diffraction to probe the phase selection
during transient welding was demon-
strated. The data and analyses con-
firmed the importance ofspatial and
temporal variations of the thermal gra-
dient and liquid-solid interface velocity
in forcing the equilibrium d-ferrite or
nonequilibrium -austenite solidifica-
tion. Finally, with the above fundamen-
tal knowledge of weld solidification,
site-specific control of microstructure
was achieved in Alloy 718 builds made
by electron beam powder bed fusion
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WELDING RESEARCH
technique. The results presented in this
paper support the notion that process-
based qualification of components
made by welding and additive manufac-
turing is indeed achievable in the near
future.
Acknowledgments
Research was sponsored by the U.S.
Department of Energy, Office of Energy
Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Ad-
vanced Manufacturing Office, under
contract DE-AC05-00OR22725 with
UT-Battelle LLC. This manuscript has
been authored by UT-Battelle LLC un-
der Contract No. DE-AC05-00OR22725
with the U.S. Department of Energy.
The United States Government retains
and the publisher, by accepting the arti-
cle for publication, acknowledges that
the United States Government retains a
nonexclusive, paid-up, irrevocable,
world-wide license to publish or repro-
duce the published form of this manu-
script, or allow others to do so, for Unit-
ed States Government purposes. The
Department of Energy will provide pub-
lic access to these results of federally
sponsored research in accordance with
the DOE Public Access Plan (http://ener-
gy.gov/downloads/doe-public-access-plan).
Author also thanks Dr. A. C. Hall (San-
dia National Laboratories, Albuquerque,
N.Mex.) and Dr. John Elmer (Lawrence
Livermore National Laboratory, Liver-
more, Calif.) to use the data during the
collaborative research. Author acknowl-
edges the support of UT/ORNL Gover-
nor’s Chair program of University of
Tennessee, Knoxville.
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SUDARSANAM SURESH BABU is with Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Biomedical Engineering, Tickle College of Engineer-
ing, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tenn. He is also with Manufacturing Demonstration Facility, Energy and Transportation
Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tenn.
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FABTECH in Chicago, Ill.
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Chen (201771).qxp_Layout 1 12/12/17 5:21 PM Page 17

WELDING RESEARCH

Single-Sided Ultrasonic Welding of CF/Nylon 6

Composite without Energy Directors
An analytical model to explain the weldability of single-sided ultrasonic
welded 2.5-mm-thick carbon-fiber-reinforced nylon 6 composite with 30% mass
fiber was formulated

BY L.-Y. CHEN, Q. ZHI, J.-C. LI, Z.-X. LIU, AND P.-C. WANG

where workpieces are placed between a

ABSTRACT horn and anvil. Mechanical vibration
passes between the horn and anvil
In this study, single-sided ultrasonic welding along with conventional ultrasonic
through the workpieces under a given
welding of 2.5-mm-thick carbon-fiber-reinforced nylon 6 composite with 30%
mass fiber without energy directors was evaluated. An analytical model to horn force. Heat is generated within
estimate the heat generation in single-sided ultrasonic welding was developed. the workpieces by intermolecular fric-
Testing and modeling results demonstrated that single-sided ultrasonic welded tion at the joint interface, and energy
(SSUW) joints had greater weld area and strength than conventional ultrasonic dissipation is concentrated at the fay-
welds (UWs) under the given process parameters. The differences in weld area ing surfaces between the workpieces,
and weld strength were primarily attributed to severe Coulomb friction at the fay- forming a weld (Refs. 18–20). The key
ing surfaces. The bending deformation in single-sided ultrasonic welding control parameters in ultrasonic weld-
generated significant friction heat, resulting in an increase in weld area and weld ing are the frequency, amplitude of the
strength. This study provided a fundamental understanding of single-sided ultra- vibratory motion, horn pressure, and
sonic welding that would improve the design flexibility of ultrasonic welded
welding time (Ref. 21).
assemblies.
Although many joint configurations
were used in the ultrasonic welding of
KEYWORDS thermoplastics (Refs. 22–24), the lap
joint is the most widely used for auto-
• Carbon-Fiber-Reinforced Nylon 6 Composite • Weld Formation • Weldability motive applications (Ref. 22). In the
• Single-Sided Ultrasonic Welding • Transient Horn Displacement practical production, the welding of
the workpieces may be constrained by
part geometry and designs. Single-
Introduction caused by different thermal expansion sided ultrasonic welding is needed in
of the fasteners relative to the com- such conditions where it is difficult to
In recent years, with the develop- posites (Ref. 10), and possible galvanic access the backside of the lower work-
ment of manufacturing and processing corrosion (Ref. 11). Adhesive bonding pieces in conventional ultrasonic weld-
technologies, fiber-reinforced (e.g., often requires surface pretreatment ing. Therefore, the difference between
glass or carbon fiber) nylon matrix and heat curing (Refs. 7, 11); the single-sided ultrasonic welding and
composites have been extensively ap- strength of the bonded joints are sen- conventional ultrasonic welding is that
plied to high technology fields such as sitive to the moisture (Ref. 7), temper- there is no anvil underneath the lower
aviation/aerospace and automotive in- ature, and other environmental factors workpiece — Fig. 1.
dustries (Refs. 1–5). A critical step in (Ref. 12). Other than mechanical fas- In the single-sided ultrasonic weld-
the assembly of fiber-reinforced ther- tening and adhesive bonding, a few ing process, ultrasonic vibration is
moplastic composite for structural ap- studies in fusion methods (Refs. 10, conducted through the horn, and the
plications is joining. Traditional join- 13–15) demonstrated their potential vibration wave is transmitted through
ing methods for metals and ther- for joining fiber-reinforced thermo- the upper and lower workpieces to the
mosets, such as mechanical fastening plastic composites. Among all these clamp. Whether the absence of an
(Ref. 6) and adhesive bonding (Ref. 7), potential methods, ultrasonic welding anvil would affect weld formation is a
are feasible but not ideal because they is one of the most promising tech- major concern. To implement single-
can initiate several irregularities in the niques in automotive manufacturing sided ultrasonic welding, it is neces-
structures. For example, mechanical because it is relatively fast, economi- sary that the development and under-
fastening may cause fiber breakage cal, easily automated, and suitable for standing of the single-sided ultrasonic
(Ref. 6), stress concentration (Ref. 8), mass production (Refs. 13, 16–20). welding process be obtained.
delamination (Ref. 9), internal stress Ultrasonic welding is a process The present study was undertaken to

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Chen (201771).qxp_Layout 1 12/13/17 4:17 PM Page 18
WELDING RESEARCH
A B
Fig. 1 — Schematics of ultrasonic welding: A — Conventional; B — single-sided ultra-
sonic welding.
Fig. 2 — Schematic of ultrasonic welding of injection-molded carbon-fiber-reinforced
nylon 6 composite (dimensions in mm).
develop a single-sided ultrasonic weld-
ing process for joining lapped carbon-
fiber-reinforced nylon 6 composite with
30% mass fiber. First, we evaluated the
effect of suspension distance on the
weldability of single-sided ultrasonic
welding of 2.5-mm- (0.08-in.-) thick car-
bon-fiber-reinforced nylon 6 composite
with 30% mass fiber without energy di-
rectors. Then, the correlation between
the weld formation and transient horn
displacement was analyzed, and the in-
fluence of process parameters on the
Table 1 — Mechanical Properties of Molded 2.5­mm­ (0.099­in.­) Thick Carbon­Fiber­
Reinforced Nylon 6 Composite Coupons with 30% Mass Carbon Fiber
Tensile Strength
(MPa) (lb/in.2))
89.2  3 (1.3  0.4)  104
18-s WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018, VOL. 97
transient horn displacement was as-
sessed. Finally, an analytical model was
proposed and formulated to explain the
weld formation mechanism in single-
sided ultrasonic welding.
Experimental Procedure
Materials
Commercial pellets of nylon 6 rein-
forced with 30 wt-% carbon-fiber com-
Elastic Modulus
(MPa) (lb/in.2)
7532  412 (1.1  0.6)  106
posite with a length of 2 mm were
supplied by Poliblend Engineering
Plastics, Italy. The pellets were injec-
tion-molded and formed carbon-fiber-
reinforced nylon 6 composite with the
dimensions of 132  38  2.5 mm (5.2
 1.5  0.08 in.). The mechanical prop-
erties of the injection-molded work-
pieces were measured and the results
are shown in Table 1.
Ultrasonic Welding Process
The ultrasonic welding process was
performed using a KZH-2026 multi-
function ultrasonic weld (UW) ma-
chine (Ref. 25) with a nominal power
of 2.6 kW and a nominal frequency of
20 kHz. The output amplitude of the
transducer used in this study was 25
m (9.8  10–4 in.), which was fixed
during the welding process. The gain
ratios of the booster and horn were
1:1.2 and 1:1.5, respectively. The dis-
placement amplitude of the assembled
stack was obtained with a sensor that
was integrated in the welding ma-
chine. Figure 2 shows the welding set-
up used in this study.
The piezoelectric converter converts
the electrical signal into mechanical vi-
brations. To transfer the ultrasonic
waves to the workpiece, the transducer
is connected to the horn that is placed
at right angles in contact with the work-
pieces to be welded. The support frame
of the transducer-booster-horn system
is attached to a pneumatic piston that
provides vertical movement along with
the static force (i.e., horn pressure) ap-
plied through the horn to the work-
pieces. The machine was also equipped
with a data acquisition system com-
bined with a pressure sensor; a horn-
displacement sensor and timer were in-
tegrated in the controller of the UW ma-
chine, while the horn pressure, weld en-
ergy, and displacement of horn were
recorded online in a personal computer
as a function of time by the data acqui-
sition system. The final horn displace-
ment, weld energy, welding time, horn
pressure, hold time, and delay time were
also displayed in the control panel dur-
ing the ultrasonic welding process. The
workpieces were clamped with a fixture
as shown in Fig. 2.
The machine includes three welding
modes: energy, time, and horn-
displacement modes. The value of the
weld energy for energy mode, the
Chen (201771).qxp_Layout 1 12/12/17 5:21 PM Page 19

WELDING RESEARCH

welding time for time mode, and the

horn displacement for horn-displace- A
ment mode were preset to control the
welding process. The workpieces were
then welded using nominal power of
the machine. To keep the stable con-
tact among the horn, upper, and lower
workpieces at the beginning of ultra-
sonic oscillation, the ultrasonic wave
generator was triggered after the horn
was in contact with the upper work-
piece for 2 s (i.e., a trigger time of 2 s).
When the weld energy, welding time,
or horn displacement reached the pre-
set values for the selected weld mode, B
the ultrasonic wave oscillation was
stopped. Therefore, the weld quality
was controlled by the preset values in
each selected welding mode.

Single-Sided Ultrasonic
Welding
Figure 3 shows a single-sided ultra-
sonic welding process. As shown, the
workpiece was placed against another
workpiece, with the lower workpiece
resting upon a fixture. The horn was
then placed against the upper work-
piece. Ultrasonic vibration was conduct-
ed to the horn, and the vibration waves
were transmitted through the upper
and lower workpieces to the backup fix-
ture that underlined the lower work-
piece. A weld was formed at the faying
interface between the workpieces.
To simulate the single-sided ultra-
sonic welding process, shims were
used to create a gap of 2 mm between
the bottom surface of the lower work-
piece and fixture. A lap-shear joint
with the dimensions of 25  38 mm
(0.99  1.5 in.) shown in Fig. 3A was
selected in this study. By spacing the
distance between the shims, various
degrees of single-sided ultrasonic
welding were achieved — Fig. 3B. Not-
ed in Figs. 2 and 3, the difference be-
tween single-sided ultrasonic welding
and conventional ultrasonic welding
was that the lower workpiece was sup-
ported with one fixed fixture for con-
ventional ultrasonic welding (0 mm
suspension distance), while the work-
pieces were supported with two
clamps on both ends of the overlap in
single-sided ultrasonic welding. Ultra-
sonic welding was performed using the
KZH-2026 multifunction ultrasonic
welding machine (Ref. 25) with nomi-
nal power and the preset process pa-
Fig. 3 — Schematics of: A — Lap-shear specimen; B — single-sided ultrasonic weld-
ing (dimensions in mm).
rameters (i.e., ultrasonic time, horn
pressure, and hold time). When the
weld time approached the preset value,
the ultrasonic wave oscillation was
stopped and the welded joints were
cooled for 5 s. All joints were welded
with a horn pressure of 0.3 MPa
(43.52 lb/in.2) and a welding time of
1.3 s using a 7075 aluminum horn
with a diameter of 10 mm. The weld
area and weld strength were used as an
indicator of weld quality. The weld
area and weld strength were deter-
mined by the average value of three
replicates for each welding condition.
Transient Temperature
Measurement
To analyze weld initiation and
growth during ultrasonic welding, the
temperature evolutions at the loca-
tions near the horn-workpiece inter-
face and faying surfaces were meas-
ured. Figure 4 shows the experimental
setup for temperature measurements.
As shown, two small holes with a di-
ameter of 0.8 mm (0.032 in.) and a
depth of 12.5 mm (0.49 in.), located at
0.2 mm (0.008 in.) from the top and
bottom surfaces of the upper work-
piece, were drilled. Two K-type ther-
mocouples were imbedded in two
small holes and secured with epoxy
compound. The temperature evolu-
tions at these two locations were
recorded as a function of time by a
data acquisition system during ultra-
sonic welding.
Quasi-Static Test
Quasi-static tests were performed by
loading each specimen to failure in an
MTS 810 tensile tester per ASTM
D1002-2001 for the joint strength of
the weld joint. To minimize the bending
stresses inherent in the testing of sin-
gle-lap weld specimens, filler plates
shown in Fig. 3A were attached to both

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WELDING RESEARCH

Fig. 4 — Schematics of the temperature measurements during Fig. 5 — Effect of suspension distance on the strength of
ultrasonic welding of 2.5-mm- (0.099-in.-) thick lapped carbon- ultrasonic welded 2.5-mm- (0.099-in.-) thick carbon-fiber-
fiber-reinforced nylon 6 composite without energy directors (di- reinforced nylon 6 composite without energy directors.
mensions in mm).

joints changed little as the suspension

Fig. 6 — Effect of suspension distance on the weld area and dissipated energy in
ultrasonic welding of 2.5-mm- (0.099-in.-) thick carbon-fiber-reinforced nylon 6
composite without energy directors.
ends of the specimen using masking ends, and there was no anvil on the
tape to accommodate the sample offset. underside of the lower workpiece —
Load vs. displacement results were ac- Fig. 3B. One concern was that ultra-
quired as the specimens were loaded at sonic waves would not properly trans-
a stroke rate of 2 mm/min (0.08 in./ mit and reflect, and form a weld dur-
min). The joint strength was evaluated ing ultrasonic welding.
by the peak load. Three replicates were To examine the weldability of sin-
performed, and the average peak loads gle-sided ultrasonic welding of 2.5-
were reported. mm- (0.099-in.-) thick carbon-fiber -
reinforced nylon 6 composite with
30% mass fiber without energy direc-
Results and Discussion tors, experiments were performed
with various suspension distances, re-
Weldability of Single-Sided ferred to in Fig. 3B. Figure 5 presents
Ultrasonic Welding the effect of suspension distance on
the strength of single-sided ultrasonic
For single-sided ultrasonic welding, welded joints. While the strength of
the workpieces were clamped on both single-sided ultrasonic welded (SSUW)
distance increased from 0 (i.e., con-
ventional ultrasonic welding) to 7 mm
(0.276 in.) and 15 (0.591) to 19 mm
(0.749 in.), it increased significantly as
the suspension distance increased
from 7 (0.276) to 15 mm (0.591 in.).
To understand why the strengths of
the SSUW joints were hardly degraded
by the absence of an anvil, the weld ar-
eas of the SSUW workpieces were
measured and heat dissipation of the
weld controller was recorded. Figure 6
presents the effect of suspension dis-
tance on the weld area and heat dissi-
pation in ultrasonic welding. As
shown, an increase in suspension dis-
tance resulted in an increase in weld
area that was closely related to the dis-
sipated energy absorbed by the welded
workpieces. Similar results were ob-
served by Bates et al. (Refs. 26, 27).
Combining the results shown in Figs. 5
and 6 indicated that an increase in dis-
sipated energy during ultrasonic weld-
ing resulted in an increase in weld
area. These results inferred that weld
formation in single-sided ultrasonic
welding likely differed from that of
conventional ultrasonic welding.
To understand the increase in weld
area and dissipated energy in single-
sided ultrasonic welding, the transient
temperature histories near the horn-
workpiece interface and faying sur-
faces were measured with the setup
shown in Fig. 4, and the results are
shown in Fig. 7. As shown, it took
about 0.8 s for conventional ultrasonic

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WELDING RESEARCH

Fig. 7 — Transient temperature-time histories of the near Fig. 8 — Effect of suspension distance on the horn displacement
horn-workpiece interface and faying surface of ultrasonic in ultrasonic welding of 2.5-mm- (0.099-in.-) thick carbon-fiber-
welding (0 mm suspension distance) and single-sided ul- reinforced nylon 6 composite.
trasonic welding (19 mm (0.749 in.) suspension distance)
of 2.5-mm- (0.099-in.-) thick carbon-fiber-reinforced Phase I was the solid To understand how the suspension dis-
nylon 6 composite. Coulomb friction tance affected the weld formation, the
stage ranging from 0 fracture surfaces of the quasi-static test-
welding and 0.5 s for single-sided ul- to ~0.3 s; Phase II was ed ultrasonic welded specimens were
trasonic welding to reach the melting the unsteady penetration stage rang- examined.
point of nylon 6 (i.e., 240°C/464°F) ing from 0.3 to ~0.8 s; Phase III was Figure 9A–E show the weld areas
near the faying surfaces, respectively. the steady penetration stage ranging for the welds made with the suspen-
The higher peak temperature and from 0.8 to ~1.3 s; and Phase IV was sion distances of 0, 7, 11, 15, and 19
heating rate observed in single-sided the cooling stage starting from 1.3 s. mm (0, 0.276, 0.433, 0.591, and 0.749
ultrasonic welding suggested that In addition to these four phases, at the in.), respectively. As shown, while a
more dissipated energy was absorbed beginning of the single-sided ultrason- single weld was fabricated in conven-
by the SSUW joints (Refs. 28, 29), ic welding process, there was an initial tional ultrasonic welding, multiple iso-
which was consistent with the results horn displacement, identified as Phase lated welds were formed for a suspen-
found in Fig. 6. 0 (0 to 0.3 s), which increased with an sion distance of 7 mm (0.276 in.), re-
increase in suspension distance. Com- ferring to Fig. 9A and B. These results
Transient Horn Displacement pared to the conventional ultrasonic demonstrated that the welds made
in Ultrasonic Welding welding process, as the suspension dis- with a suspension distance of 7 mm
tances were above 11 mm (0.433 in.) (0.276 in.  a 10-mm (0.394-in.) diam-
In Fig. 7, the suspension distance in single-sided ultrasonic welding, the eter horn) had a similar welding mech-
influenced the temperature evolutions rate of increase in the penetrate phase anism to that of conventional ultra-
that may correlate with weld initiation increased significantly. These results sonic welding. Because the upper and
and growth. To understand how the suggested that the weld not only initi- lower workpieces were constrained un-
suspension distance would influence ated early but also grew rapidly in sin- der the horn or near the clamps, the
the weld growth mechanism in ultra- gle-sided ultrasonic welding, which resistance to vibrations rose for the
sonic welding, the transient horn dis- were consistent with the findings ob- workpieces adjacent to the clamps.
placements were measured with the served in Fig. 7. The ultrasonic waves likely trans-
data acquisition system connected to mitted through the clamp-to-work-
the UW machine, and the results are Weld Formation in Ultrasonic piece interface and led to the welded
presented in Fig. 8. As shown, the Welding workpieces vibrating, and consequent-
horn moved downwards under a given ly produced the major welds along the
horn pressure during ultrasonic weld- As the results described, the weld clamps. As the suspension distance in-
ing as the result of heat generation at initiated early and grew rapidly as the creased to 11 mm (0.433 in.), quite
the faying surfaces, which softened suspension distance increased in different findings were observed in
and melted the workpieces. Therefore, single-sided ultrasonic welding. Because Fig. 9C. While the minor welds formed
the weld growth evolutions were likely there was no anvil underneath the lower along the clamps, the major welds
reflected by the variations of transient workpiece, the workpieces were under were formed at the faying surfaces un-
horn movement. Careful examination bending under an applied horn pressure derneath the periphery of the horn-to-
of the results shown in Fig. 8 indicated during single-sided ultrasonic welding. workpiece interface. These results sug-
that the transient horn displacement This affected the contacts at the faying gested that there likely existed anoth-
during ultrasonic welding could be di- surfaces of the workpieces, and thus in- er welding mechanism other than the
vided into four phases (Refs. 30, 31). fluenced the weld formation (Ref. 29). conventional ultrasonic welding mech-

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WELDING RESEARCH

A B

C D

Fig. 9 — Effect of suspension distance on the fracture sur-

faces of ultrasonic welded 2.5-mm- (0.099-in.-) thick lap
carbon-fiber-reinforced nylon 6 composite: A — 0 mm (i.e.,
ultrasonic welding); B — 7 mm (0.276 in.); C — 11 mm (0.433
in.); D — 15 mm (0.591 in.); and E — 19 mm (0.749 in.) (dimen-
sions in mm).

width direction rials at the faying surfaces. It is noted

than in the length
direction (i.e.,
longer axis of the
workpiece), and
the bending de-
formation caused
an additional rel-
E ative movement
on the faying sur-
faces along the
tangent direction
anism. Referring to Fig. 9C, the work- of the deformed workpieces during ul-
pieces began to bend downward under trasonic oscillations.
a given horn pressure when the sus- The heat generated due to Coulomb
pension distance of 11 mm (0.433 in.) friction resulting from relative move-
was slightly larger than the horn diam- ment of the workpieces could be com-
eter (i.e., 10 mm (0.394 in.)). The bined with the heat produced due to in-
workpieces deformed easier in the termolecular friction to melt the mate-
that the bending deformation in the
width direction resulted in an asymmet-
rical contact at the faying surfaces (la-
beled as B in Fig. 9C), which likely led to
an intimate contact (at site B) between
the workpieces. As discussed earlier, the
constrained site between the upper and
lower workpieces had large resistance to
vibrations, and the power dissipated in
ultrasonic welding was related to the
pressure at the contact regions (Refs.
21, 30, 31). Hence, the heat was gener-
ated and formed the weld pools at site
B. Meanwhile, two minor welds (labeled
A in Fig. 9C) were resulted from the
heat produced due to intermolecular
friction at the faying surfaces near two
clamps.

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Chen (201771).qxp_Layout 1 12/12/17 5:21 PM Page 23
A B
Fig. 10 — Schematics on the effect of suspension distance on the weld formation in
ultrasonic welding of 2.5-mm- (0.099-in.-) thick carbon-fiber composite: A — 11 mm
(0.433 in.); B — 19 mm (0.749 in.) (dimensions in mm).
With an increase in suspension dis-
tance from 11 (0.433) to 15 mm (0.591
in.) and 19 mm (0.749 in.), more bend-
ing deformation was produced under a
given horn pressure, and consequently
the contact areas between the horn and
upper workpiece gradually evolved to
form a weld — Fig. 9D and E. The weld
initiated at the faying surfaces near the
periphery the of horn-to-workpiece in-
terface (i.e., labeled A in Fig. 9D and E)
and grew toward the clamps rather than
forming near the clamps. These results
suggested that the heat due to Coulomb
friction was produced at the faying sur-
faces as the suspension distance in-
creased. Furthermore, Coulomb friction
was more severe in the width direction
than in the suspension direction due to
their difference in bending deforma-
tion, which resulted in more friction
heat in the width direction. Additional-
ly, the weld formed at the intersection
of the clamps and the periphery of the
horn-to-workpiece interface as shown
in Fig. 9D and E. These results inferred
that the change of suspension distance
affected the contacts between the horn-
to-workpiece and workpiece-to-work-
piece, and consequently the heat gener-
ation at the faying surfaces.
Modeling of Single-Sided
Ultrasonic Welding
As the results described, the work-
pieces deformed during squeeze cycle
prior to ultrasonic oscillations, and the
deformed workpieces sprung back
once the horn was retrieved. It was as-
sumed that a relative motion devel-
oped at the faying surfaces along both
width and length directions. The tan-
gential and normal motions between
the workpieces led to Coulomb friction
and intermolecular friction, respec-
tively, which resulted in heat genera-
tion at the faying surfaces during ul-
trasonic welding. To understand the
heat generation, an analytical model
shown in Fig. 10 was derived. For sim-
plification, the workpieces between
two clamps were assumed deformed
independently in directions of coupon
width and length. The deformed re-
gions in width and suspension direc-
tions of the workpieces were repre-
sented as ADW and ADS, respectively —
Fig. 10B. A ring-like superimposed de-
formed region (plaid region in Fig. 10)
was formed between the horn and
clamps, in which the materials were
under severe deformation and had a
relative tangent movement at the fay-
ing surfaces during ultrasonic welding.
Referring to Figs. 9 and 10, as the
suspension distances increased from
11 to 19 mm (0.433 to 0.749 in.), the
workpieces had more compliance in
width direction than in the length di-
rection and consequently deformed
easier in the width direction than in
the suspension direction. The normal
motion and tangential motion at su-
perimposed regions ASSUW (dark plaid
region ABCA in Fig. 10B) generated
JANUARY 2018 / WELDING JOURNAL
WELDING RESEARCH
Fig. 11 — Sketch of force and ampli-
tude analysis during squeeze cycle in
single-sided ultrasonic welding.
heat due to intermolecular friction
and Coulomb friction of the work-
pieces, which melted the workpieces at
the faying surfaces. The weld area,
ASSUW, can be estimated from the area
difference between the sectoral region
OABC and triangular region OAC in
Fig. 10B as follows:
L2 D 
Assuw =  arc  cos  0  
4   L 
D0 2
 L D02 (1)
4
where L is the suspension distance and
D0 is the horn diameter. By substitut-
ing the horn diameter (i.e., 10 mm
(0.394 in.)) and suspension distances
(i.e., 11 (0.433), 15 (0.591), and 19
mm (0.749 in.)) into Equation 1, it
clearly shows that an increase in sus-
pension distance resulted in an in-
crease in weld area (ASSUW), which
agreed with the experimental results
observed in Fig. 9C–E.
Once the weld formation in single-
sided ultrasonic welding was analyzed,
the next question was how the heat
generation at the faying surfaces was
influenced by the changes in suspen-
sion distance. Careful examination of
the experimental setup indicated that
the changes in suspension distance
would result in complex horn pressure
distribution on the workpieces, and a
finite element analysis would be desir-
able to understand the correlation be-
tween the suspension distance and
23-s
Chen (201771).qxp_Layout 1 12/13/17 11:02 AM Page 24
WELDING RESEARCH
heat generation. However, due to the
lack of the coefficients of friction be-
tween the objects (e.g., the work-
pieces-to-clamps), a simplified analy-
sis was adopted in this study.
Examination of the results in Fig. 9C
and D indicated that the weld forma-
tion near the periphery of the horn-to-
workpiece interface (i.e., regions A)
likely came from the heat due to
Coulomb friction resulting from the
bending deformation of the workpieces
under a horn pressure. Since Coulomb
friction heat in single-sided ultrasonic
welding of polymeric composite is likely
similar to that of ultrasonic welding of
metallic workpieces, the heat genera-
tion model (Refs. 32–34) for metallic
workpieces was adopted in this study.
Per the model of Elangovan (Ref.
32), Ding (Ref. 33), and De Vries (Ref.
34), the heat generated, Wmetal, in ultra-
sonic welding of metallic material was
primarily from the deformation of
workpieces and friction at the faying
surfaces of the workpieces, which can
be expressed as follows (Ref. 34):
Wmetal = 4a0 f
 
(
s / 2 )2
 Aw  + μP0
(2)
 = (( P0 / Aw ) / 2 )
2

where a0 is the horn amplitude; f is the
horn frequency; P0 is the horn pressure;
and s, , and Aw are the yield strength,
coefficient of static friction, and weld
area of metallic material, respectively.
Referring to 10B, Coulomb friction
in this study was from the tangent
movement of the workpieces at the
faying surfaces during ultrasonic oscil-
lation, and the resultant heat formed a
weld in the dark plaid region ABCA.
Because the workpieces had a fixed
width (38 mm), the horn pressure and
amplitude in single-sided ultrasonic
welding can be estimated using the
four-point bending beam shown in
Fig. 11. As shown, the vertical compo-
nent (P0n) of the horn pressure P0, and
the normal (a0n) component and tan-
gential component (a0t) of the horn
amplitude (a0) can be expressed, re-
spectively, as follows:
P0n = P0 cos
(3)
a0t = a0 sin

a0n = a0 cos

24-s WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018, VOL. 97
where is the angle of rotation of the
workpiece under an applied horn pres-
sure in single-sided ultrasonic welding,
which can be estimated per classical
mechanics of material:
( )
P0 L L2
D02
= (6)
16El
where L is the suspension distance, D0
is the horn diameter, and El is the
rigidity of the welded workpieces. Re-
placed P0 and a0 in Equation 2 with P0n
in Equation 3 and a0t in Equation 4, re-
spectively, the power dissipated,
Wcoulomb, in the sectoral region ABCA of
the SSUW workpieces (Fig. 10B) to
generate Coulomb frictional heat can
be expressed as follows:
Wcoulomb = 4fa0 sin  Assuw
 (
s / 2)2 = (( P0 cos
/ Assuw ) / 2)2
(deformation power )
1
+ μP0 sin2

2 conventional ultrasonic welded joints
( friction power ) (7)
Because the heat generated due to
intermolecular friction from the nor-
mal motion of the workpieces was like
that of conventional ultrasonic weld-
ing of polymer, the power dissipated
to produce intermolecular friction,
Wintermolecular, is related to the frequency
of ultrasonic oscillation, normal ampli-
tude (a0n) of the horn, and loss modu-
lus of the carbon-fiber nylon compos-
ite shown below (Ref. 30):
Wintermolecular = 2
fa02 E" cos
(8)
where E” is the loss modulus of the
carbon-fiber composite. The combina-
tion of Equations 1, 6, 7, and 8 re-
vealed that an increase in suspension
distance resulted in an increase in an-
gle of rotation of the workpiece ()
and A ssuw. Therefore, as the power dis-
sipated for generation of the Coulomb
friction heat increased (i.e., Equation
7), the power dissipated for producing
the intermolecular friction heat de-
creased (i.e., Equation 8). The total
power dissipated, WSSUW, in single-
sided ultrasonic welding of workpieces
can be obtained as
WSSUW = Wint ermolecular +Wcoulomb (9)
(4)
(5) The results in Fig. 6 indicated that
an increase in suspension distance re-
sulted in an increase in dissipated
power (WSSUW) in SSUW workpieces.
However, based on Equations 7–9, an
increase in suspension distance result-
ed in an increase in Wcoulomb (Equation
8) but a decrease in Wintermolecular (Equa-
tion 7). Thus, the increase in WSSUW
likely resulted from the increase in
Wcoulomb that overrode the decrease in
Wintermolecular as the suspension distance
increased, which led to additional heat
at the faying surfaces.
Summary
In this study, the weldability of
single-sided ultrasonic welding of 2.5-
mm- (0.099-in.-) thick carbon-fiber-
reinforced nylon 6 composite with 30%
mass fiber without energy directors
was studied. Modeling and experimen-
tal results demonstrated that the sin-
gle-sided ultrasonic welded (SSUW)
joints possessed greater heat genera-
tion, weld area, and weld strength than
for the given process variables. The use
of this process can increase the design
and manufacturing flexibility of ultra-
sonic welded assemblies. However, the
single-sided ultrasonic welding process
developed in this study had some no-
table limitations in practical applica-
tion. The bending deformation of the
workpieces in single-sided ultrasonic
welding induced coulomb friction that
would likely produce warpage and
residual stresses in the welded work-
pieces. The warpage and residual stress-
es may result in dimensional issues and
weakened mechanical strengths of the
welded workpieces. Therefore, more
studies, such as part assembly and fa-
tigue strength of the SSUW workpieces,
are required before the implementation
of the process for practical application.
Conclusions
1) For the given process variables,
the SSUW 2.5-mm- (0.099-in.-) thick
carbon-fiber-reinforced nylon 6 com-
posite had greater heat generation, weld
area, and weld strength than the con-
ventional ultrasonic welded joints.
2) The bending deformation in
squeeze cycle in single-sided ultrasonic
welding of 2.5-mm-thick carbon-fiber-
reinforced nylon 6 composite resulted
in severe contacts at the faying surfaces
Chen (201771).qxp_Layout 1 12/13/17 4:25 PM Page 25
and likely produced significant Coulomb
friction under ultrasonic oscillations,
and consequently generated significant
friction heat that was increased with an
increase in suspension distance (i.e.,
distance between the clamping fixture)
in single-sided ultrasonic welding.
3) The welds formed in single-sided
ultrasonic welding of 2.5-mm-thick car-
bon-fiber-reinforced nylon 6 composite
resulted from the combination of
Coulomb friction heat from relative
movement of the workpieces and inter-
molecular friction heat at the faying
surfaces.
Acknowledgments
The authors gratefully acknowledge
the financial and technical support pro-
vided by GM Global Research and De-
velopment to carry out the present
work.
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LONG-YANG CHEN, QIAN ZHI, JIAN-CUN LI, AND ZHONG-XIA LIU (liuzhongxia@zzu.edu.cn) are with the Key Lab of Materials Physics,
School of Physics and Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China. PEI-CHUNG is with the Manufacturing Systems
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WELDING RESEARCH

The Aging Effects of

Aluminum Magnesium Alloy Welding Wires
The properties of welding wires from different manufacturers
under various storage conditions were compared

U. REISGEN, K. WILLMS, AND S. WIELAND

magnitude (Ref. 7). The pores can be

ABSTRACT trapped within the weld metal if they
are hindered from welling up or de-
The properties of aluminum magnesium welding wires Al 5183 from three differ-
gassing by fast solidification, especially
ent manufacturers were compared during a storage period of seven weeks in a
constantly humid and warm climate. The change in winding diameter, vaporable during out-of-position welding (Ref. 3).
containment, adhesion factor, and hydrogen content were investigated. Changes In addition to the base material and
in electric characteristics during the gas metal arc welding process in the over- shielding gas, aluminum welding wires
head position, and the resulting amount of pores in the weld metal, were also in- can provide hydrogen to the welding
vestigated. Furthermore, examination methods were used to analyze welding process. Hydrogen gradually interca-
wires of one manufacturer during a storage period of almost ten months in an in- lates into the surface layer of the natu-
door climate and in a constantly humid and warm climate. It was found that sub- ral oxide layer on the aluminum filler
stance changes on the welding wire surfaces had a greater effect on the welding material (Refs. 3, 5, 8–11).
wire properties, such as the hydrogen quantity, and the welding process charac- There are general recommendations
teristics, such as power and depth of fusion, than the growth of the natural oxide
for maximum storage durations avail-
layer. No significant pores due to hydrogen on the welding wire surfaces were
found in the weld metal. able (Refs. 3, 9, 11). However, there
are only a few quantitative details
recorded, making these recommenda-
KEYWORDS tions hard to comprehend. Moreover,
the effect of antifriction agents was
• Aluminum Magnesium Welding Wire • Hydrogen Quantity not taken into account either on the
• Vaporable Containment • Winding Diameter • Adhesion Factor total hydrogen quantity or on the nat-
• Natural Aluminum Oxide Layer • Antifriction Agent ural oxide layer growth. The natural
oxide layer builds up instantaneously
Introduction surfaces that are kept secret. On the under the influence of ambient air on
one hand, these substances may affect aluminum surfaces (Refs. 2, 12). The
In our recently published investiga- the total hydrogen quantity of the oxide layer can be distinguished into
tion dealing with aluminum silicon al- welding wires. On the other hand, an insulating barrier layer and a sur-
loy welding wires (Ref. 1), it was found they are also suspected to influence face layer, which absorbs hydrogen in
that considerable pore formation in the growth of the natural oxide layer moist ambient air (Ref. 13). The total
the weld metal can only form due to (Ref. 2). Therefore, assuming an iden- thickness of the oxide layer in indoor
the effect of condensation climates on tical aluminum alloy composition as air remains within a range of 12 nm
the welding wire surfaces. Further- well as similar geometrical and me- (4.73E-7 in.) even after months of
more, the welding wire properties vary chanical properties, one of the most storage (Ref. 14) because of the self-
in their dependence of the alignment significant differences between weld- inhibition of the growing process. Ac-
and position of a specific wire section ing wires from different manufactur- cordingly, the total hydrogen content
on the spool. ers is the amount and composition of on aluminum surfaces must also re-
In this research, aluminum magne- the antifriction agent. main within a threshold value, since
sium welding wires Al 5183 were ex- Generally, the production of alu- the surface layer can absorb hydrogen
amined to clarify the influence of mag- minum weld metal without the forma- only by growing in thickness, whereas
nesium as an important alloying ele- tion of pores is a challenge (Ref. 3). The its composition remains the same.
ment to the aging of aluminum weld- pores are reported to form by hydrogen Figure 1 depicts the formation of a
ing wires. Manufacturers of aluminum only (Refs. 3–6). During the solidifica- natural aluminum oxide layer due to
welding wires apply antifriction agents tion of aluminum weld beads, the solu- the influence of dry or moist environ-
of different compositions to the wire bility of hydrogen leaps by one order of mental air. Heterogeneities in the ma-

26-s WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018, VOL. 97

Reisgen 201765.qxp_Layout 1 12/13/17 4:28 PM Page 27
A B
Fig. 1 — Formation of a natural oxide layer on aluminum due to environmental air in-
fluence: A — Instantaneous thin barrier layer; B — self inhibition in dry air at maxi-
mum barrier layer thickness; C — growth of surface layer in moist air; D — self
inhibition at maximum total oxide layer thickness in moist room air.
Table 1 — Definition of the Test Climates
Indoor climate (ind.)
Constantly humid and warm climate (h.w.)
trix, such as intercalations and alloy-
ing elements, influence the composi-
tion of the oxide layer, resulting in
mixed oxides. Aside from what is de-
picted in this schematic representa-
tion, the heterogeneities have a much
greater diameter than the thickness of
the oxide layer (Ref. 14).
Generally, the corrosion resistance
of aluminum increases with the conti-
nuity of the oxide layer, or rather with
the purity of aluminum (Ref. 12). The
growth of the oxide layer can be hin-
dered by alloying elements that accu-
mulate at the grain boundaries, hin-
dering the aluminum ions from fur-
ther diffusion through the oxide layer
(Ref. 15). However, the corrosion re-
sistance has to be distinguished from
the oxide layer thickness. A thin oxide
layer can be sufficient to prevent fur-
ther corrosion. Thus, magnesium, as
an alloying element in certain content
ranges, does not necessarily lead to a
decreasing corrosion resistance in
comparison to other aluminum alloys
(Ref. 16). On the contrary, if the natu-
Table 2 — Chemical Composition of 5183A Welding Wire According to EN ISO and AWS/ASTM Standards
Si
EN ISO 18273 – S Al 5183A 0.40
AWS/ASTM A5.10 ER5183 0.40
*Single values are maximum values.
C D
Temp. (°C) Rel. humidity (% re.)
23 ± 3 33 ± 10
30 93
ral oxide layer on the aluminum mag-
nesium alloy is thinner, the intercalat-
ed hydrogen quantity could be less.
Magnesium also influences the me-
chanical properties of the welding
wires, especially the winding diameter
and its change during storage. Thus,
the effects of aging during storage on
the power transmission in the contact
tip and the friction in the wire guid-
ance core are expected to show a sig-
nificant difference.
Experimental Procedures
Climates
Two different storage conditions
were defined in Table 1. The indoor
(ind.) climate was put into effect by
storing the welding wires in the ma-
chine hall of the Welding and Joining
Institute in Aachen, Germany, where a
weather station recorded the climate
during the storage period. The wires
were unpacked and put back into their
paperboard container to protect them
Fe Cu Mn Mg
0.40 0.10 0.4–1.0 4.0–4.9
0.40 0.10 0.5–1.0 4.3–5.2
WELDING RESEARCH
from dispersible dust. The plastic bags
were discarded.
A climate cabinet with forced venti-
lation was used to store a second
group of welding wires in a constant
humid and warm (h.w.) climate that
may occur in practice. These wires
were stored without any packaging. An
acceleration of corrosion processes by
a further increased temperature may
cause a poor comparability of test re-
sults since corrosion processes take
place discontinuously (Ref. 14).
Filler Material
Solid wires EN ISO 18273-S Al
5183A (AlMg4.5Mn0.7) (Ref. 17) with a
diameter of 1.2 mm (4.7E-2 in.) were
used. The chemical compositions ac-
cording to the EN ISO 18273 and
AWS/ASTM A5.10 ER5183 standards
(Welding Consumables — Wire Electrodes,
Wires and Rods for Welding of Aluminum
and Aluminum Alloys — Classification)
are opposed to each other (Table 2). For
each manufacturer, all of the welding
wires originated from the same batch,
coiled on spools with an outer diameter
of 300 mm (11.8 in.). Sufficient spools
were stored to permit each test to be
performed on the topmost winding lev-
el of the welding wire after aging for a
specific period of time. Unless other-
wise noted, the results presented in this
work refer to this winding level, since
the ambient atmosphere took effect on
these surfaces directly, whereas the
winding levels underneath were shel-
tered (Ref. 1).
Different Manufacturers
A comparison of the change of
welding wire properties during the
first seven weeks of storage was exe-
cuted with welding wires from three
different nameable manufacturers (1,
2, and 3) in a h.w. climate. The welding
wires originated within the United
States and Europe.
Cr Zn Ti Al
0.05–0.25 0.25 0.15 Rest
0.05–0.25 0.25 0.15 Rest
JANUARY 2018 / WELDING JOURNAL 27-s
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WELDING RESEARCH

Long-Term Investigation

During a period of ten months, the

effect of storage in ind. and h.w. cli-
mates on the change of welding wire
properties, the welding process, and
the weld metal was investigated with
wires from a single manufacturer
(manufacturer 1) only.

Winding Diameter

In this research, the diameter of a

loose welding wire winding laid on a
flat plane was referred to as “winding
diameter.” Fig. 2 — Graphic account of the test bench for determining the adhesion factor.

Smoke Test

Substances clinging to the welding

wire surfaces cannot be characterized
with any measuring method directly.
However, vaporable containments from
substances — such as residues from
drawing agents and the previously men-
tioned antifriction agent clinging to the
welding wire surfaces — can be detect-
ed with smoke tests. These tests are not
standardized, and the resulting values
(“sum of smoke”) depend on the detec-
tor of the measurement device and each
manufacturers’ composition of the sub-
stances. Therefore, the results may not
be compared quantitatively with one
another. In this research, a MIG WELD
SMKY 510 residual analyzer was used
with a current impulse of 302 A for 302
ms. Each measured welding wire section
had a length of approximately 250 mm
(9.8 in.).
Adhesion Factor
The adhesion factor  between a
welding wire and a polytetrafluoroeth-
ylene (PTFE) wire guidance core that
has an inner diameter of 2.0 mm
(7.9E-2 in.) was determined using a
force ratio by means of the Euler-
Eytelwein formula — Equation 1.
FP 1
μ = ln * (1)
FL 
For this purpose, a nonstandard-
ized test bench was designed — Fig. 2.
A PTFE wire guidance core was coiled
in a defined angle  of 3 around a
cylinder with a radius of 250 mm (9.8
in.). A welding wire section of approxi-
Fig. 3 — Droplet detachment in the overhead welding position with a globular trans-
fer (new welding wire, manufacturer 1).
Table 3 — Gas Metal Arc Welding Parameters
Parameter Unit Value
Welding position Overhead
Welding speed m/min (in./min) 1.15 (45.3)
Wire feed speed m/min (in./min) 12.5 (492)
Shielding gas flow L/min 18
Contact tip distance mm (in.) 14 (0.55)
Mean process voltage V 21.5
Electrode polarity DCEP
Weld bead length mm (in.) 200 (7.87)
Weld bead type Stringer bead
mately 2.4 m (94.5 in.) in length was Hydrogen Quantity
contrived and charged with a defined
load on one end (FL). The other end The hydrogen quantity of the weld-
was connected to a load cell. It was ing wires was determined using the in-
pulled until the measured force (FP) ert gas fusion (IGF) method according
corresponded to the transition from to a proceeding described in Ref. 18. A
static to dynamic friction.  is a com-
Bruker G8 Galileo ON-H analyzer was
parative value in the context of the in- used. Each data point was composed
vestigation at hand, not an absolute of the arithmetic mean of three meas-
value for practice since the influence urements. Each measurement generat-
of a contact tip could not be included ed a single hydrogen value that repre-
in this method. To suppress the influ- sented the sum of all various hydrogen
ence of abrasion from the welding wire sources of the welding wire at once,
surfaces, the core was replaced after such as the surface layer, residues
each measurement. from the drawing agent, antifriction

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Reisgen 201765.qxp_Layout 1 12/12/17 4:09 PM Page 29

WELDING RESEARCH

A B

Fig. 4 — Winding diameter of the welding wires.

A B

Fig. 5 — Sum of smoke (qualitative only).

agent, and inside the welding wire
bulk material. The latter can be con-
sidered constant for each batch. Varia-
tions in the measured values resulted
from surface effects only.
Welding Process and
Its Electric Characteristics
The change of welding process char-
acteristics due to the welding wire
state was examined by producing sur-
facing welds in a fully mechanized
welding process. When welding in an
overhead position, occurring pores are
trapped at the weld interface when
welling up (Refs. 1, 3). Etched
AlMg4.5Mn plates of 250  100  5
mm³ (9.8  3.9  0.2 in.³) were used as
the base material. The plates were
clamped on a water-cooled copper
block to increase the cooling rate of
the weld metal and freeze the emerg-
ing pores. A standard GMAW power
source, EWM Phoenix 330 ColdArc,
with a push-pull wire feeder and a con-
ventional constant voltage synergic
power characteristic was used. An ar-
gon shielding gas of purity  99.996%
was chosen. To suppress other sources
of hydrogen than the filler material,
extensive actions were taken including
the following:
• Flushing of the gas hose with
shielding gas for 15 min at five L/min
gas flow after longer pauses.
• Frequent replacement of wearing
parts in mechanical contact to the
welding wire.
• Cleaning of the welding wire
transport rolls with alcohol.
• Handling of all related parts and
welding wires with clean latex gloves.
The welding parameters are re-
capped in Table 3. A stable spray arc of
low power was derived, whereas a sto-
chastic droplet detachment as a globu-
lar transfer developed — Fig. 3. Dur-
ing the welding process, the current
and the voltage were measured by a
digital scope with a sampling rate of
20 kHz. The voltage was measured be-
tween the contact tip and the work-
piece, and the current was obtained
using a hall sensor. Each data point
represented an arithmetic mean of 10
s of transient measurement during
steady-state welding.
Results
In Figs. 4A to 6A and Figs. 8A to
9A, the changes in welding wire prop-
erties from three different manufac-
turers (1, 2, and 3) stored in a h.w. cli-
mate are comparatively depicted for
the first seven weeks. In the B Figures,
the long-term changes are depicted,
respectively, for the welding wires
from manufacturer 1, stored either in
ind. or h.w. climates. All time-inscrip-
tions refer to the date in which the
original packaging (“duration of stor-
age”) from the welding wires was re-
moved, since it was expected that the
property changes began from this mo-
ment. Only the change in the winding
diameter (Fig. 4) was set into relation
with the production date (“welding
wire age”) because relaxation took
place from this moment onward. Loga-

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WELDING RESEARCH

A B

Fig. 6 — Adhesion factor  between the welding wires and a PTFE wire-guidance core.

rithmic trend lines were used to visu-

alize the changes because logarithmic
laws are supposed to match the natu-
ral changes best and illustrate the con-
vergence to threshold values.
Depending on the manufacturer,
the shipping durations of welding
wires varied. This resulted in different
starting dates for the first measure-
ment in relation to the welding wire
age — Fig. 4A. The winding diameter
can be set to different values by the
manufacturer. A considerable decrease
of the winding diameter became ap-
parent for the welding wire of manu-
facturer 2, who supplied welding wire
with the largest winding diameter.
Concerning the vaporable contain- Fig. 7 — Statistical roughness values Rz and Rq, the qualitative surface topography
of the “new” welding wires (p, q, and r), and a welding wire aged 112 days in a h.w.
ment, represented by the sum of
climate (s).
smoke depicted in Fig. 5, there was a
basic ample standard deviation. How-
ever, trend lines revealed a decreasing ues Rz and Rq, which were each meas- In the transient process voltage and
sum of smoke in either case. The ini- ured on three different areas (245  current signals, major process distur-
tial values of the sum of smoke dif- 186 m²/9.6E-3  7.3E-3 in.²) along bances were not identified, as can be
fered with respect to the different the circumference of each welding wire seen in a representative extract of the
manufacturers — Fig. 5A. due to the white light interferometry transient welding process signals in
During the first days after opening method. The surface topography is de- Fig. 10.
the packaging, the sum of smoke de- picted qualitatively, whereas the cur- Since the aging of a welding wire
creased significantly. The higher the vature of the cylindrical welding wire section coiled on a spool that takes
initial value, the more considerable the surface is subtracted mathematically. place is dependent on the overlying
decrement (manufacturers 2 and 3). The measured hydrogen quantities, winding levels (Ref. 1), the aging of
After approximately two weeks in a depicted in Fig. 8, consisted almost ex- different winding levels on the spool
h.w. climate, the sum of smoke had de- clusively of adhesive hydrogen inside was investigated. Figure 11 shows the
creased to a lower, time-invariant the natural aluminum oxide layer and change of the process power using
value. During long-term storage, no the substances on the welding wire aged welding wires from different
difference between the climates was surfaces due to the manufacturing winding levels, and level 1 is the top-
distinguished — Fig. 5B. process. Against expectation, they de- most level. The area of investigation
Figure 6 depicts the adhesion fac- creased in either case. was in the middle of the spool, more
tors derived from the welding wires of Figure 9 depicts the resulting weld- than ten windings away from the side-
different manufacturers and during ing power of the welding process. All long windings, to eliminate the influ-
long-term storage. The measured val- data hinted at an increase of welding ence of the climate intruding from
ues of this welding wire property ex- power, resulting from an increase of there (compare to Fig. 13).
hibited a considerable deviation. welding current at constant voltage, Figure 12 depicts two transverse
Figure 7 depicts the roughness val- using aged welding wires. cross sections and a longitudinal cross

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WELDING RESEARCH

A B

Fig. 8 — Hydrogen quantity of the welding wires.

A B

Fig. 9 — Arithmetic mean welding power P.

section of the surfacing weld metal.
Neither of the new welding wires from
the three different manufacturers, nor
the welding wires stored long term in a
h.w. climate, caused pores. Since the
process power increased from using
aged welding wires, a growing depth of
fusion came along with it. Pores were
detected in an unwanted area of com-
plete joint penetration.
Discussion
Winding Diameter
After long-term storage (Fig. 4), the
winding diameter remained static at a
value of approximately 150 mm (5.9
in.) more than the diameter of the par-
ticular winding level coiled on the 300-
mm- (11.8-in.-) diameter spool. The
different storage conditions did not
significantly affect the decrease.
Smoke Tests
It may be concluded that the used
measurement method is suitable for
manufacturers to control their produc-
tion since they have information
about the influence of drawing and an-
tifriction agents as well as their rela-
tion to one another to the sum of
smoke. Supposing that a new welding
wire represents the best quality, it
could be assumed that any change in
the sum of smoke hints to a
deterioration.
However, the sum of smoke for
manufacturer 1 remained nearly un-
changed at any time, and its starting
point was low — Fig. 5. Therefore,
there was either no change in this
welding wire property, or the va-
porable containment on these welding
wires could not be detected properly
because of their specific composition.
Adhesion Factors and Roughness
In Fig. 6A, the highest adhesion fac-
tor occurs for the welding wire of man-
ufacturer 2. The significant scattering
of the values in Fig. 6B either hints to
shortcomings in the measurement
method or, in addition, to actual vary-
ing wire properties over the length of a
welding wire spooled on a coil and
varying guidance core properties.
Therefore, a characterization of “a”
welding wire goes along with a statisti-
cal fuzziness. However, trends and
correlations are clearly recognizable
using trend lines. After all, the adhe-
sion factor increased in any case. It
must be considered that the roughness
of a welding wire surface — and there-
fore the adhesion — is not affected by
the growth of the natural oxide layer
directly because the natural oxide layer
thicknesses are within the range of a
few nanometers, whereas roughness
parameters are specified in
micrometers.
The statistical roughness values,
depicted in Fig. 7, did not correlate
with the adhesion factors. In contrast
to the alignment of grooves on the
surface in relation to the welding wire
axis, grooves transverse to the welding
wire axis governed the friction behav-

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WELDING RESEARCH

A B

Fig. 10 — Transient process voltage u(t) and current i(t) using welding wires from manufacturer 1: A — New welding wire; B — weld-
ing wire stored 295 days in a h.w. climate.

tifriction agent of manufacturer 1 was

Fig. 11 — Change of the mean welding process power, which is dependent on the
winding level.
ior. The natural oxide layer, grown
during 112 days in a h.w. climate, did
not affect the roughness values at all,
as expected.
Thus, the increasing adhesion fac-
tors were suspected to succeed from
changes of the antifriction agent. Fur-
thermore, increasing the oxide layer
thickness may also lead to an increas-
ing amount of oxide particles abraded
from the welding wire surface. Howev-
er, since the PTFE guidance core was
replaced for each measurement, this
influence factor was considered to be a
minor one. The changes in the adhe-
sion factors seem to correlate with the
trends in the vaporable sums of smoke
(compare to Fig. 5).
Hydrogen Quantity
If it is assumed that the vaporable
containments consisted mostly of an
antifriction agent and contained hy-
drogen, a correlation between the sum
of smoke, the adhesion factor, and the
hydrogen quantity in Fig. 8A can be
found. It may be concluded that an-
nonsensitive during storage while
manufacturer 2 used the least amount
of the antifriction agent. Additionally,
the antifriction agent of manufacturer
3 changed quickly during storage.
During this long-term research, the to-
tal hydrogen quantity decreased —
Fig. 8B. Prior to this result, it was ex-
pected to increase in accordance with
Ref. 1, when hydrogen is absorbed by
the surface layer on the aluminum
welding wires.
A liberation of intercalated hydro-
gen from this surface layer can be tak-
en into account, since this process is
generally possible, even at tempera-
tures well below 165°C (329°F) (Ref.
12). Simultaneously, it could also be
assumed that an elevated hydrogen
content of the aluminum oxide layer
on a new welding wire is a possible re-
sult of the manufacturing process in
the first place.
In summary, the total hydrogen
quantities of the welding wires
changed during almost one year of
storage. Thus, no balance between ab-
sorption and possible liberation of hy-
drogen in and out of the aluminum ox-
ide layer, nor evaporation of sub-
stances, unfolded.
The welding wires exposed to a h.w.
climate without packaging showed a
slightly faster decrease of hydrogen
quantity than those stored in an ind.
climate in their paperboards. Thus,

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Reisgen 201765.qxp_Layout 1 12/12/17 4:09 PM Page 33
A B
Fig. 12 — A — Transversal cross section and logitudinal 3D microfocus CT scan: A — Transversal cross section of a weld metal produced
with a new welding wire; B and C — Complete joint penetration area produced with a welding wire stored 234 days in a h.w. climate.
Fig. 13 — Exemplary cross section of the welding wire layers on a basket spool
with schematic aging.
temperature and air exchange affected
the speed of the change.
The measured decrease of the total
hydrogen quantity must have been
caused by evaporation of substances
(e.g., antifriction and drawing agents)
from the welding wire surfaces and the
possible liberation of hydrogen from
the oxide layer. Within the course of
this research, it was not possible to re-
solve the ratio of these two effects on
the total decrease. However, the rate
of change of the hydrogen content of
the welding wires from the different
manufacturers, represented by the
course of the trend lines, best matched
the rate of change of the sums of
smoke. Thus, it is assumed that the
evaporation of the previously men-
tioned substances was of a much
greater effect to welding wire proper-
ties (including the hydrogen quantity)
than the change of the natural alu-
minum oxide layer.
C
Electric Welding Characteristics
The general difference of the mean
power values between the three differ-
ent manufacturers in Fig. 9A are sup-
posed to be due to slightly varying
welding wire diameters resulting from
deviations in production. A smaller
current bearing cross-section area of a
welding wire will lead to an increased
ohmic resistance in the electrode ex-
tension between the contact tip and
the arc. Furthermore, an electrode
with a small cross-section area is con-
sumed faster, so the arc length and
voltage tend to increase. To maintain a
constant voltage welding process, the
power source will therefore regulate
the welding current to a lower level.
The welding wires of manufacturer 1,
stored in a h.w. climate, exhibited a
stronger difference to the initial values
than those welding wires stored in-
doors — Fig. 9B. This suggested a
JANUARY 2018 / WELDING JOURNAL 33-s
WELDING RESEARCH
stronger impairment of the more un-
favorable climate to the wire proper-
ties and, in turn, to the welding
process. The electric characteristics of
an arc partly depends on the distance
between the contact tip and the base
metal surface. A considerable fluctua-
tion of this distance would have led to
a random variation instead.
During welding, the current fluctu-
ated a bit more when using aged weld-
ing wires — Fig. 10. However, the cur-
rent shifted completely to a higher lev-
el. As a result, the increase in the weld-
ing current was not derived from
process disturbances. It is assumed
that the change in the electric parame-
ters was caused by a change in the
electric conductivity and heat conduc-
tivity of the arc, which is affected by
the metal vapor composition.
As assumed, the change in the
mean power of the welding process
took place more slowly the more the
windings underneath were sheltered
— Fig. 11. However, this welding wire
property changed even at winding lev-
el ten. Considering a general depen-
dance of the welding wire properties
from the shielding by winding levels
between the effect of the ambient at-
mosphere and the investigated wind-
ings, the actual aging state must also
partly depend on the winding density.
Consequently, a universal statement
on how many winding levels one
would have to discard to obtain un-
aged wire properties can hardly be
phrased.
Figure 13 shows a model of the
schematic aging with the change of
any properties in a welding wire cross
section of a basket spool. In contrast
to a plastic spool, this welding wire is
in contact with the ambient atmos-
Reisgen 201765.qxp_Layout 1 12/13/17 4:36 PM Page 34
WELDING RESEARCH
phere from the inner and outer cylin-
drical surfaces as well as the sidelong
faces. The aging may intrude unevenly
if there are gaps between the single
windings or if the spool is partly shel-
tered from the ambient atmosphere
(e.g., by its alignment during storage).
For simplification, only eight winding
levels are depicted, whereas a real
spool of 15-kg (33.1-lb) aluminum
may contain about 40 winding levels.
Pore Quantity and Depth of Fusion
Since the mean power increased
with the welding wire age, the mean
depth of fusion increased as well. The
surface weld beads produced in this re-
search partly reached complete joint
penetration. This resulted in pore for-
mation if hydrogen was able to intrude
the weld pool from the rear side of the
base metal plates. However, using aged
aluminum magnesium alloy welding
wires alone did not necessarily lead to
a detectable pore formation.
Conclusions
The following conclusions may be
obtained:
1) The accuracy of the current
methods to determine welding wire
properties are limited, both in quality
and quantity. However, trends and
correlations are clearly recognizable
using trend lines.
2) After long-term storage of the
aluminum magnesium alloy welding
wires in a constant indoor climate and
even in the unfavorable constantly hu-
mid and warm climate without any
packaging, pores resulting from hydro-
gen of the welding wires did not occur
in the weld metals, even under the
tightened conditions of welding in the
overhead position.
3) The change of specific welding
wire properties (such as hydrogen
quantity and the adhesion factor) are
UWE REISGEN, KONRAD WILLMS, and STEPHAN WIELAND (wieland@isf.rwth-aachen.de) are with the Welding and Joining Institute,
RWTH Aachen University, Germany.
34-s WELDING JOURNAL / JANUARY 2018, VOL. 97
due to substance changes on the weld-
ing wire surfaces rather than aging of
the welding wires by means of a natu-
ral oxide layer growth in a constant cli-
mate without condensation.
4) The electric welding process
characteristics changed within narrow
ranges, resulting in a higher process
power and a higher depth of fusion.
5) The different winding diameters
did not exhibit a considerable impact
on the electric characteristics of the
welding process.
6) The growth of the natural oxide
layer did not affect the roughness
characteristics on the welding wire
surfaces. A scalar roughness value
alone was insufficient to characterize
the friction behavior, since the orien-
tation of grooves dominated the adhe-
sion factor.
Acknowledgments
This work was supported by the Re-
search Association on Welding and Al-
lied Processes of the German Welding
Society and the German Federation of
Industrial Research Associations (ref-
erence number 17.524N). The authors
would like to express their thanks for
the support.
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