Welding and Metal Fabrication

Learn how various metal products can be fabricated using a variety of fabrication techniques. Study welding and workplace safety online.

Course Code: VSS204
Fee Code: S2
Duration (approx) Duration (approx) 100 hours
Qualification Statement of Attainment
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Metal fabrication involves converting raw metals into different shapes for use in the assembly process. Fabrication of metals is an essential process in industries such as construction and manufacturing. Fabrication techniques are employed to turn raw materials into processed metal structures and these structures are used in building machines, buildings, and bridges.

Where is Metal Fabrication and in particular Welding used?
The list is extensive - from tools and equipment to art and construction. Metal is formed and shaped in different ways to form all sorts of things we use in our day to day living. Consider:

  • Aircraft construction
  • Automobile and truck construction
  • Bridges
  • Buildings
  • Cutting tools
  • Dies
  • Earth moving equipment/cranes
  • Furniture
  • Jewellery making
  • Art/Sculpture
  • Machine tools
  • Pipes
  • Pressure vessels/tanks
  • Railways and locomotives
  • Ships
  • Storage tanks

Lesson Structure

There are 10 lessons in this course:

  1. Scope and Nature of Metal Fabrication
    • Metal fabrication techniques
    • Welding
    • Occupational opportunities in welding
  2. Types of Welding
    • Fusion welding
    • Solid-state welding
    • Dissimilar welding
  3. Welding Joint Design and Colours
    • Types of joints
    • Types of welds
    • Other ways of describing welds
    • Symbols
    • Colours of welds
  4. Welding Equipment
    • Welding current
    • Operating voltage
    • Types of welding power sources
    • Welding machines by design
    • Welding machines by welding type
    • Welder & welding accessories
    • Electrodes
  5. Workplace Health and Safety
    • Best practices in different types of welding
    • Potential hazards
    • Workwear
    • Fire protection
    • Electrical safety
    • Welding in hazardous environments
  6. Selecting & Preparing Metals
    • Selecting metals
    • Prepare the Metal for Welding
    • Cutting Methods
    • Guidelines for machine Cutting Metal Safely
  7. Welding Techniques
    • Welding bead
    • Push/pull
    • Work angle
    • Travel angle
    • Welding speed
    • Welding positions
  8. How to Weld
    • Joint preparation
    • Some common arc welding processes
    • Stick welding
    • MIG welding
    • TIG welding
    • General tips when arc welding
  9. Weld Defects & Repairs
    • Types of weld defects
    • Maintenance inspections & testing
    • Repairing welds
    • Welding procedure specification
  10. Other Metal Fabrication Techniques
    • Properties of materials
    • Choosing raw materials
    • Metals
    • Fabrication processes
    • Shaping metals
    • Assembling metals

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

Aims

  • Explain the scope of metal fabrication and welding in building structures from raw metals
  • Distinguish different types of welding techniques
  • Explain the range of joint types that are used and the colours that occur in welds
  • Explain different types of welding equipment in detail
  • Determine health and safety provisions and practices to be followed when working with metal
  • Explain how to choose and prepare metals for welding processes
  • Explain different welding techniques and positions
  • Explain how to weld different types of joints and how to use different welding processes
  • Explain different types of defects and techniques for inspection and repair of welds
  • Explain a range of other metal fabrication techniques

What You Will Do

  • Contact a welding organisation that represents the welding industry in your country or region to find out the types of welding jobs, the qualifications and/or skills required and the industries or areas where there are likely to be growing needs for welding professionals and related job positions in the future.
  • Find out which guidelines for welding technical drawings are used most often by contacting an organisation or association that represents the welding industry where you live.
  • Look for two or three examples of welds that show colours in the weld. Determine what the metals are and whether there is any corrosion.
  • Visit a supplier of welding equipment. Ask someone to show you the accessories that they have that can be used specifically with your chosen type of welding.
  • Choose a type of welding and visit a welding accessories supplier. Find out electrodes suitable for this type of welding, the classification codes on these electrodes, and their uses.
  • Visit a hardware store or manufacturer of metals for fabrication. Find out the types of metals they provide which are suitable for welding. Focus on any coating, relevant dimensions, and cost.
  • Obtain access to welding equipment and practice doing one string bead and three different patterns of weave bead.
  • Interview someone who has practical experience with arc welding and ask them to explain how to create two different fillet welds and two different butt (groove) welds and ways of avoiding defects.
  • Make a comparison chart for the different metal fabrication techniques used in your industry or an industry of you are interested in.
ACS Distance Education holds an Educational Membership with the ATA.
ACS Distance Education holds an Educational Membership with the ATA.
ACS Global Partner - Affiliated with colleges in seven countries around the world.
ACS Global Partner - Affiliated with colleges in seven countries around the world.
Since 1999 ACS has been a recognised member of IARC (International Approval and Registration Centre). A non-profit quality management organisation servicing education.
Since 1999 ACS has been a recognised member of IARC (International Approval and Registration Centre). A non-profit quality management organisation servicing education.

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Course Contributors

The following academics were involved in the development and/or updating of this course.

Rajy Xavier

An Electrical Engineer with 12 years of experience in Engineering and Education. After completing masters in Telecommunication Engineering, she worked as an Assistant Professor in Electrical Engineering for 5 years.

Jacinda Cole

Former operations manager for highly reputable Landscape firm, The Chelsea Gardener, before starting her own firm. Jacinda has over 20 years of industry experience in Psychology, Landscaping, Publishing, Writing and Education. Jacinda has a B.Sc., Psych.Cert., M. Psych. Cert.Garden Design, MACA.

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