WELD 221 - Gas Tungsten Arc Welding Special Metals

Credits: 1-6
LAB hours per week: 12
This course introduces students to Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) safety, industry practices, and processes in a laboratory setting. Students will learn, practice, and apply skills needed for the safe operation of high-pressure cylinders and GTAW equipment in various welding configurations on stainless steel, aluminum, and various other special metals. Students will prepare projects to weld using basic blueprint reading skills and complete lab practice while employing professional, ethical, and safe welding shop behavior.
Corequisite(s): Student is required to enroll in WELD 201, WELD 211, and WELD 221.
Course Outcomes:

Perform proper set-up, safe operation, and maintenance of Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) machines.
Apply proper shielding gas flow rate and coverage for optimal operation.
Apply the settings on GTAW machines with understanding of how these will affect the weld.
Demonstrate all positions for GTAW welding.
Perform welding of
- stainless steel using fillet and groove;
- stainless steel using groove welds with back purging;
- aluminum, using fillet and groove; and
- various common ferrous and nonferrous metals.
  - Evaluate their own and others’ welds through inspection.

Course Topics:

GTAW safety, industry practices, and processes.
Power source and current types and selection, including operation of direct current and alternating GTAW process.
Filler electrode types, selection, and application.
Base material types, selection, and application.
Tungsten types, selection, and application.
Argon gas flow adjustment and safety parameters.
Distortion and how to correct it.
Welding Procedure Specifications (WPS).