Provide a bridge between the academic and real world. Act as a capstone course by integrating knowledge from many areas of natural science and engineering through the wide range of issues that arise in a discussion of welding technology. Provide a limited amount of experience welding. Students are familiar with all the common welding process 2. Students are familiar with all the common welding problems associated with welding ferrous materials and aluminum alloys.
Students are aware of factors which control the cost of welding.
Students are exposed to industrial welding practices and problems during a field trip to Caterpillar Decatur that concludes the course. This field trip proves to the students that all the concepts covered in the course are critical in the manufacturing of quality heavy equipment. The students are asked to become thoroughly familiar with and comment on one of the classical studies of the failure of welded structure at the conclusion of the course. Topics such as plasma physics, heat flow, physical metallurgy, nondestructive testing, fracture mechanics, economics, industrial safety, physical chemistry, thermodynamcs, and electrical circuits arise in the course and are integrated though the importance of these topics in a rational discussion of welding. Students appreciate the great skill of good welders after their attempts at welding.