Choosing the best welding lab equipment for your program’s needs is crucial to producing skilled individuals who meet the industry’s high demand for qualified, certified workers.
Ideally, welding training programs should prepare students in a variety of techniques, tools, and machinery that they may experience on the job. However, lab equipment choices often come down to important factors like student health and safety, as well as program size, space, and budget.
Programs should also consider what real-world certifications or industry credentials they would like students to leave with, as this could impact curriculum and equipment choices. For instance, the welding program at Wor-Wic Community College in Salisbury, MD prepares students for American Welding Society (AWS) certification by offering hands-on training in shielded metal arc welding, gas tungsten arc welding, gas metal arc welding and oxy-fuel cutting, with an emphasis on standard welding processes and industrial safety.
There could also be a regional impact on what is necessary for a welding program to offer. Programs offered at Camp Community College (Suffolk, VA), Virginia Peninsula Community College (Hampton, VA) and Tidewater Community College (Portsmouth, VA) offer a welder trainee program to be qualified to work at Newport News Shipbuilding, which is a large workforce employer in the region. As a NNS welder, students are qualified through the shipyard’s nationally recognized welding school. Welders weld using a wide range of filler metals and welding processes to perform structural and/or pipe welds in all phases of ship construction.
Taking these factors into account, what equipment options are available for welding programs to consider?
Virtual Welders
Virtual welding is a great way to introduce students to welding in a safe, controlled environment. A program may choose augmented reality training as an option that allows students to practice the motion of welding before hopping into a welding booth. This saves on consumables and resources while students become comfortable with their skills and can be used on tabletops to save space.
Welding Machines
The welding industry contains a wide variety of demanding applications. Options include MIG welders, TIG welders, stick welders, and multi-process welders that allow students to practice techniques without having to switch machines.
- GMAW (MIG) Welders – Teach welding learners using a Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) (or MIG) welder and open the door to advanced welding applications in work environments such as automotive, construction, agriculture, manufacturing and more.
- GTAW (TIG) Welders – Prepare future welders in the aerospace, energy, motorsports, oil and gas industries by giving them access to high-quality Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) (or TIG) welders necessary for producing some of the highest quality welds of any manual open-arc welding process.
- SMAW (Stick) Welders – Utilizing a process that allows for welding on a range of materials and thicknesses and in almost any environment – from inside the repair shop or outside on the job site – Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) (or stick) welders provide nearly limitless potential for hands-on welding training.
- Multi-Process Welders – Streamline your welding training with an all-in-one, high-performance multi-process welding machine that’s easy to set up and operate, yet rugged and flexible enough to be used in construction, fabrication, shipbuilding and other heavy-duty applications.
Welding Booths
If budget and location allow for more space and proper ventilation, welding booths may be an option to ensure more advanced welding training and can often be customized to fit a lab’s spacing requirements. For example, GMI welding booth enclosures are constructed with an all-welded heavy gauge tube steel construction and a non-conductive, fire resistant, fiber panel, and are available in a variety of sizes and configurations to meet most installation requirements.
Welding and Cutting Tables
A welding lab should be equipped with tables that serve as a clean, stable surface for projects that can support the weight of heavy metals and withstand the use of intense heat generated to melt the metal. All GMI welding tables feature welded heavy gauge steel construction with a variety of work surface configurations, and some models for gas welding feature a fully grouted fire brick work surface. Arc welding tables are available with replaceable grate work surfaces and solid plate steel tops up to 3/4” thick, and welding stands and tabletop positioners are available for out of position welding training.
Cutting table models feature a replaceable steel grate work surface or removable steel bar work surface. Enclosed bottom tables feature a cleanout door and exhaust port with manual damper and are designed to connect to a central exhaust system.
CNC Plasma Cutters
Plasma cutting is used in various industries for its versatility and ability to produce precise cuts. The HS CNC Plasma Cutters are designed for educational training, prototyping, design, and industrial production. These include magnetic breakaway torches for consistent positioning during cutting and retention after collision or consumable change. Powerful magnets and keyed mounting plate for fast and repeatable re-positioning of the torch.
Welding Robots
An integrated solution that exposes students to both welding and robotics, the Fanuc Miller APT Weld Cell certified robotic welding trainer includes:
- Qualifies for FANUC educational CERT program
- Integrated system with FANUC equipment
- Integrated system with Miller equipment
- FANUC ARC Mate or CRX options
- Ships with project-based learning
- Fits through doorway
Welding Tools and Accessories
While on the job, welders may be exposed to a variety of tools and accessories. A welding program may look for items like: an angle grinder, welding wires, marking tools, clamps and pliers.
A lab might also include a bandsaw, which is a power saw that can cut through metals. This piece of equipment is stationary and can be used to cut complex shapes and angles.
Welding Ventilation
To support traditional welding training, the lab must have appropriate ventilation that eliminates smoke and particulate buildup. This ensures a safer working environment so that students can focus on the task at hand – becoming skilled welders.
Each welding booth should include an exhaust fan that will automatically clear away dangerous fumes as soon as students begin to weld. Prolonged exposure to welding fumes has been linked to serious health conditions and ventilation ensures that students and instructors are protected from noxious fumes.
Protective/ Safety Equipment
One of the most important safety aspects of welding is personal protection gear, including thick jackets and gloves, goggles, and helmets that protect students from the heat, bright light, and flying debris. Other protective items include ear protection, safety glasses, face shields, and grinding visors.
It is a good idea to check recommended protective gear against the welding equipment you purchase. However, in general, the aim is to cover the face, eyes, hands, and upper body, during the welding process.
In the safety vein, a welding lab may also want to invest in fire suppression systems and have fire extinguishers on hand in case of emergency.
With so many options for welding lab equipment, it can be difficult to visualize it all coming together. Browse our welding lab examples for inspiration, or contact us if you have questions.
