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Orbital Welder teaches global skills
Skill, precision, experience,
talent, expertise: all are called for in the profession of welding, which
thus requires extensive education, training and practice, both in the
classroom and hands-on. Most welding positions also require national
certification, granted only after an experienced welder passes written and
practical exams.
At the Welding & Metal Fabrication program at Career & Tech’s Albany campus,
instructors Mike Todd and Chris Lanese prepare high school and adult
students to become nationally certified welders. They are also preparing
them for careers and college in a field where lifelong learning is mandatory
and in a region where their skills are rising rapidly in value. The Capital
District has transformed into Tech Valley, and welding plays a critical role
in the construction of high-tech facilities, labs and clean rooms.
Welding students at Career & Tech are learning how to use a
state-of-the-art, Swagelok automated orbital welder. A recent addition to
their program, the orbital welder is housed in a new model clean room in the
Welding lab that was built with the help of the school’s Building Trades and
Building Maintenance students.
Clean and computer-controlled, an orbital welder is used to make smooth,
precise welds to join metal tubing for high-tech, specialty needs for the
nanotech, biotech, pharmaceutical and computer technology fields. Career &
Tech’s orbital welder can fit on a table top, yet its capabilities are
awesome in size. “Cutting edge” is an apt descriptor. The welder uses argon
gas to rotate a shielded weld head around a pipe, creating a flat and
perfect weld that won’t interfere with the passage of material, fluid or gas
through metal tubing.
Such
tubing runs from 1/16 inch to 4 inches in diameter and may be made of
stainless steel or other metals such as Hastelloy, Inconel,
Monel, titanium, or carbon steel.
The
reaction when students were asked about the new orbital welding technology they're learning?
"Ridiculous!" [Translation: Amazing!]
Welding & Metal Fabrication senior Ryan Hauger programs a state-of-the-art
orbital welder in preparation to join stainless steel tubing.
[11/09]
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