Certificate course

Welding and Joining Technology for Students in Materials and Engineering

Note for teaching staff and students

Welding technology is vitally important in the manufacturing and construction industries, as evidenced by the fact that more than 70% of the steel tonnage produced in the UK is welded. Applications range from welding of the largest structures to the microjoining of advanced electronic assemblies. The reliability and safety of many products depend on the integrity of welded joints, so that a basic knowledge of welding technology is essential to complete the education of graduates in materials and engineering disciplines.

The importance of welding technology is widely recognised in Europe, to the extent that the application of welding in the manufacturing and construction industries in the EU is the subject of various engineering directives and CEN standards, which cover welding and quality assurance functions. In response to this, the International Institute of Welding (IIW) and the European Welding Federation (EWF) specifies the educational requirements for personnel who are involved in welding technology. These are promulgated through IIW/EWF guidelines, which are intended to ensure that welding engineers qualified in any country attain a common level of knowledge and so should be recognised internationally. Thus, an International/ European Welding Engineer must be a professional engineer and so will require an engineering degree. He or she must then successfully complete a post-graduate diploma course in welding engineering. This is based on a carefully structured syllabus of 446 hours duration, that covers welding processes, materials and their behaviour during welding, construction and design, and applications engineering.

The need for specific training for welding engineers is well recognised and post-graduate courses catering for these requirements have been established for many years in some countries. In contrast, in the UK, welding engineers have usually been trained on the job. In recognition of the developments in the EU, The Welding Institute has established routes by which UK engineers can obtain recognition as International/European Welding Engineers.

The purpose of the course is to promote a consistent treatment introducing the basic principles of welding and joining technology, that can be taught to materials and engineering students as an integral part of undergraduate studies.

The course is being sponsored by The Welding Institute with help from industrial organisations. In scope, it is based on the International/European Welding Engineer syllabus and comprises a minimum of 33 hours of lectures and 10 hours of practical, sub-divided into four sections:

• Introduction to welding technology and welding processes
• Response of materials to welding
• Design and performance of welded structures
• Quality assurance of welding operations and fabrication

The course is offered to students registered for courses in Materials and Engineering disciplines. Alternatively, a suitable set of courses covering the necessary requirements may exist in your Department, including taught MSc or PhD courses. Based on an examination, which will be held in the final year and set by The Welding Institute, successful candidates will be awarded a Certificate in Welding and Joining Technology, in addition to their academic qualification. Students registered on the course will be given a year free student membership of the Welding & Joining Society; those who successfully pass the examination will in addition be awarded one year free Graduate Membership of The Welding Institute (GradWeldI) and it may be possible to link this with interim registration for Chartered Engineer (CEng) status.

September 2006