When Ford switched from steel components to aluminum components on its assembly lines in Dearborn, MI, the company lost 10 weeks of production and spent $359 million on new welding processes for aluminum. When GM switched to including more aluminum in its cars, it sought a way to minimize expenses or loss of production. The solution was to join aluminum together with a new welding system with spot welds.
While Ford uses adhesive and rivets on its aluminum parts, GM’s spot welding process for aluminum minimizes changes to the assembly line and can use the same robots and assembly systems that were used for steel.
The spot welding process is used for doors, hoods, and tailgates, offering a more versatile manufacturing process that allows GM to switch between steel and aluminum parts depending on the vehicle. Cars built with aluminum are lighter and are in greater demand lately, so GM’s consultants expect to continue spot welding.
Welding Industry
Women See Opportunities to Lead in Welding: Diana Matykunas and Jennifer Nardone made a decision not many other women make in this day and age. They got into welding.
“You’ve gotta get the (idea) out of your mind that there is a man’s world or a woman’s world,” said Matykunas, 46. “This is anybody’s world, and women can actually dominate if they get beyond that initial hesitation.”
After her kids graduated from Bartram Trail High School, Matykunas told her husband she was done being a stay-at-home mom. She enrolled in the welding program at First Coast Technical College in February.
Lincoln Electric Purchases RealWeld: Lincoln Electric Holdings Inc’s subsidiary, The Lincoln Electric Company, has acquired the assets of privately held RealWeld Systems, Inc. RealWeld Systems’ RealWeld Trainer solution offers hands-on arc welding training and evaluation. The acquisition will augment Lincoln Elctric’s existing educational offering and strengthen its position as a market leader in welding education in North America.
Lincoln Electric Holdings’ third-quarter adjusted earnings increased 9% to 94 cents per share from 86 cents in the year-ago quarter driven by strong top-line growth and margin contributions from North America Welding and Europe Welding segments. Earnings also beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 90 cents.
Welding Education
Welding Students Sell Yard Ornaments for Fundraiser: In the holiday spirit, students in Troy-Pike Center for Technology welding class are selling hand-made yard decorations to raise money for their Skill USA club.
The students are excited to be able to apply what they learn in their welding class to profitable projects.
“I like working with everyone and using all the equipment,” said Zach Kilpatrick from Pike County High School. “My favorite part is using the cutting tools. You’re going to make a mistake and it’s going to be hard to fix. I learned the techniques of how to do it and to do it the right way.”
Louisiana Welding Students Serve a Thanksgiving Dinner: A local men’s shelter and 10 Opelousas families will have a Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings thanks to welding students in instructor David Charles’ program at South Louisiana Community College’s T.H. Harris campus.
Current students and graduates of the program collected enough turkey, ham, pork roasts, cornbread, stuffing, napkins, plates, spoons and more to fill baskets for the needy in Opelousas and feed about 30 men at the shelter.
“This is my service and I try to instill this same belief in service to others in my students,” Charles said. “In addition to learning how to weld, I’m teaching them about social skills that can help them after graduation.”
Welding Jobs
Iowa Welders Trained by Company for MIG Welding Work: Five Marion County residents have successfully completed a Welding for Manufacturing class. The class was held at Vermeer Corporation in Pella, utilizing their weld training lab… All received their MIG Welding for Manufacturing certificate and AWS Qualification in a recent ceremony held at the Vermeer Pavilion in Pella.
Since 2011, DMACC has been offering a nine- week, 124-hour, non-credit Welding for Manufacturing class. Fifty-six students have successfully completed the program. Many of the graduates have found employment with Vermeer.
Welding Events
IBSC Conference, April 19, 2015: Now in its 6th Year, the IBSC remains the premier event for the brazing and soldering community. For years, the IBSC has provided professionals, scientists and engineers involved in the research, development and application of brazing and soldering, a unique networking and idea-exchange forum. This three-day conference provides cutting-edge education and technical programming for the brazing and soldering community, as well as peer-networking and a full exhibit program, showcasing the latest trends, products, processes and techniques available in the industry.
Welding Gone Wrong
Tanks at Welding Business Explode: Tanks were exploding as firefighters arrived at a fire at a welding supply business in southwest Phoenix on Thursday.
Fire crews responded to the business located in an area near Lincoln Street and 40th Avenue late Thursday morning.
Phoenix Fire Department spokesman Capt. Mark Vanacore said tanks were exploding in an outside containment area when they got to the scene.
Welding Supplies on Sale
Now that you know what’s going on in the world of welding, visit Baker’s Gas and Welding for the latest deals in welders, welding safety gear, and welding supplies.
