The History of Welding Essay Example
You might not even have to go to school for this, your wife might even be better at it then you are. Anyone can become a good welder, in the future of their career they could even have their own welding company if they are a professional and licensed welder. When they are becoming a welder, schooling needed to get your welding certificate is very minimum. The jobs open to a welder is more vast than you think, for example a welding instructor at a school or institute could even start their own classes or even a welding company. Welding is very exciting and there are new techniques to learn each day, anyone could and will continue to better themselves each and every day as they learn from their mistakes. When welding there are endless things you can weld, if they need to fix anything on their truck or car or even weld a pipe back together in their house. This job not only benefits thyself, but it also benefits their knowledge in repairing and fixing things on their own.
The history of welding dates back all the way to the 1800’s, this is when gas welding and cutting was developed. The first arc was started between two carbon electrodes by Sir Humphry Davy, by using a battery as the power source (Brief History). In the early 19th century the electric generator was first developed and was the spark of welding because arc welding became extremely popular after that. Nikolay Slavyanov, the inventor and master of stick welding made the craft better than ever.
After that is when welding really sparked off, stick welding became very popular after that, it never slowed down in popularity either it is one of the most popular welding techniques used today (The History). There are four main types of welding used in today's art, they are MIG(Metal Inert Gas), TIG(Tungsten Inert Gas), stick welding, FCAW(Flux Core Arc Welding). For MIG welding a solid metal wire comes out from the weld gun and into a weld pool joining two base metals together. TIG is different in how it welds, when welding with TIG it uses a non-consumable electrode to produce the weld pool. In both GMAW and SMAW the electrode becomes burnt and melted from the heat and then becomes part of the weld. Flux core welding is rated better than SMAW or GMAW because it requires a shielding gas.
In the career welding there are over 30 different welding jobs that are open to anyone in the welding career, there are new ones introduced almost everyday. A few more of them are like pipeline welding, underwater welding, welding engineer, weld technician, and even a welding instructor (Welder Job). Pipeline welders join and weld metallic components and tubular products, they usually work in industrial and commercial environment. Underwater welders have a very hard job, they have to know how to dive, they usually have to work in tight spaces and are not surrounded by anything special.
Welding engineers use their common knowledge to weld and examine the welds after they lay them, they weld with drawings and/or contracts to know what to weld. Weld technician use their skills and knowledge on welding to help welders fabricate and weld there projects, weld technicians play a big role in manufacturing companies with the mass production of products (Study). A welding instructor is the one that is in the classroom teaching new generations the arts of the trade. The instructor is going to prepare the students for their welding career and future in welding, then the students will become the teacher short after.
To be a skilled welder there are a lot of training and schooling that future welders are required to complete. For example if they have never welded before than compared to if they have (Summary). More schooling than someone, who cares it doesn't matter, schooling doesn't affect the jobs in this field only a high school diploma is essential to getting a job. If someone wants to become a welding instructor or even start their own business then they may have to do more schooling than someone else who is just interested in doing it. When whom are trying to become a welder they have to acquire a certified welder license or a degree in welding, it depends if they have to participate in an apprenticeship program, after that they earn their welding certification. There are many things potential welders can be certified in welding some examples are: a certified welding inspector, certified welding educator, and a certified welding sales representative (Raise Labs). Usually a welding program takes up to six to eighteen months to complete and after that, they now have a certificate in welding.
The salary and benefits are endless in welding, they differ from each job in this career. The best paying and most high demand job is a pipeline welder, the jobs in this career are limitless because everyone needs gas and other fuel sources. The hourly pay usually ranges from $20-$30 per hour, they usually even charge $1,000 for a one days work of labor. The yearly pay ranges from anywhere between $50,000-$185,000, that is a big number gap but if a pipeline welder has to travel their expenses are covered for (Pay and Benefits). It depends on who they are welding for and what they are welding on, in order to determine the exact amount of payout. For a entry level welder they will not make what a certified welder does that has been in the art for 15 years. Entry level welders usually make around $36,000 a year but most if not all welding jobs pay $25,000 yearly as the lowest pay they can do (Salary Info). Usually most beginning welders make around $11-$17 an hour which isn't bad if considering getting into a welding job straight out of High School. The benefits include vacations and paid travel fees.
The work environment in welding is very industrial, and the times and hours for the workers vary in the time of year and who they work for there's no definite answer. They could work underground welding a pipe back together all the way to being 100 ft deep in the ocean welding an oil rig back in place (Ley). The environment they are working in can change varying on if traveling is a necessity for their job, they can go from working indoors to outdoors, really wherever the work is needed. Once in awhile they will have to work in confined spaces and awkward positions, if necessary safety precautions are avoided in the tight spaces the welder can get severely injured. When working in a good work environment there are still ways that someone can get hurt, like electric shock.
That is when two metal objects that have a charge in them are touched together including whoever is holding them involved in the electric current running between the two metals (Pros and Cons). Basically whoever is holding the two pieces of metal, they completed the circuit so that the electric current runs through the two pieces of metal and now them. If this happens it can cause serious injury or even death, another thing to watch for when working is ventilation.
When someone becomes a welder they have to want to do their job right and professional, if not so, then they need to find a different career if they personally do not like welding. To be a welder they have to like their job and be skilled at what they do. Welding is pretty physically demanding, someone might have to work in confined spaces and awkward positions with little flexibility (Pros and Cons). If someone is not wanting to do a hands on career their whole life or at least most of it welding prolly isnt the right job for them, and if anyone doesn't like to use hazardous gas or intense heat then move to another career. Some of the things people will pick up in the job is that it will enable anyone to be able to fix simple things at their house or on the vehicle. The trade is really a class the whole time they are doing there job, no one ever stops learning something new everyday (Summary). Everyday someone is getting closer to their career advancement and are able to relocate to somewhere around the world, welders are needed everywhere.
In the near future welding is going to very technologically advanced, it might even slow down the job growth. The projected outlook between 2012-2022 is supposed to be slower than normal, they are saying that the only increase will be a 6% total as it is already only currently 4%. As the trade progresses it is going to get very advanced in welding machines, which means there will be more jobs open in the welding operator career (Plaza). It is supposed to open some new welding jobs as the technology will be advancing, there will be more jobs for welders to do that could either be a racecar to even a tank or a airplane, and even a rocket ship. The openings are endless as long as technology keeps advancing so will welding, if there isn't a technology spark then there is not going to be much change to welsing (Summary). Technology plays a big role in a lot of jobs, almost everyone of them not just welding.
All in all welding is very fun and easy to do, it's been changing the lives of people since the early 1800s and has been improving ever since, anyone can do it with enough practice and basic hands on skills. There are many jobs open in this career, the schooling required for this job is minimum unless necessary or wanting to become more than just a certified welder. This job can pay someone very good if they work long enough in the career and are very dedicated to their job. Welding isn't just a career of job, it's a lifestyle, if someone doesn't want to do it then they will know that in the beginning, welding isn't for everyone but it could be with a little bit of practice. This hobby is going to be very long hard days of work and effort, but with the right amount of practice, anyone will be able to enjoy the arts of welding.
