April 2021.

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APRIL 2021
WELDING JOURNAL • VOLUME 100 NUMBER 4 • APRIL 2021

AWS Learning
Skilled Trades
Workforce
Inspection
Techniques
PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN WELDING SOCIETY TO ADVANCE THE SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND APPLICATION OF WELDING
AND ALLIED JOINING AND CUTTING PROCESSES WORLDWIDE, INCLUDING BRAZING, SOLDERING, AND THERMAL SPRAYING
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April 2021 • Volume 100 • Number 4 CONTENTS

FEATURES
30 What AWS Learning Can Do for You
Get familiar with the easy-to-access training 30
opportunities available at awo.aws.org
M. Riobueno et al.

34 Ensuring a Skilled Trades Workforce for

Years to Come
Through its Trade School Trade-Up competition,
Channellock is investing in trades education to
help close the skills gap — R. DeArment

38 3 Tips for Accurate Weld Analysis Using

Handheld XRF
This tool identifies all materials involved when
installing new or replacement sections in a
welding project — A. Thurston

42 CWI Cole Warner Makes His Mark 38

Learn about this inspiring individual who isn’t
wasting any time using his trade talents
K. Campbell

46 NDE 1-2-3: Inspection Techniques for

Weld Applications
The pros, cons, and latest techniques for
nondestructive examination — J. Herrin

49 Ultrasonic Testing Procedures and Acceptance

Criteria for Nonstandard Joint Applications
Alternate approaches may be necessary to ensure
proper evaluation — N. Goel et al.

WELDING RESEARCH SUPPLEMENT

121-s Globular-to-Spray Transition in Cold Wire with an emphasis on research from the past
Gas Metal Arc Welding ten years — E. C. P. Pessoa and S. Liu
This work seeks to identify the conditions under
which CW-GMAW transitions to spray transfer in 142-s Development of the Oxyacetylene Welding
comparison to GMAW, using the same welding Process for PEI/Glass Fiber Laminates
parameters — R. A. Ribeiro et al. The optimal welding parameters for this
composite were studied — V. S. Oliveira et al.
132-s The State of the Art of Underwater Wet
Welding Practice: Part 1
Four decades of UWW developments are reviewed,

APRIL 2021 / WELDING JOURNAL 3

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DEPARTMENTS
6 Editorial 56 Tech Topics
8 Press Time News 60 Section News
10 Washington Watchword 62 Guide to AWS Services
12 News of the Industry 63 Certification Schedule
16 Arc-Tist Corner 64 Coming Events
20 Aluminum Q&A 67 Welding Workbook
22 Brazing Q&A 68 Personnel
24 Education Inspiration 74 School Profiles
27 Product & Print Spotlight 81 Classifieds
55 Society News 82 Advertiser Index
On the cover: An Olympus
employee uses the OmniScan® X3
phased array flaw detector to
inspect pipes at an oil refinery.

OFFICERS WELDING JOURNAL

President Robert W. Roth Publisher/Editor Annette Alonso
RoMan Manufacturing Inc.
Editorial
Vice President W. Richard Polanin
Managing Editor Kristin Campbell aws.org
WRP Associates
Sr. Editor Cindy Weihl 8669 NW 36 St., # 130, Miami, FL 33166-6672
Vice President Dennis K. Eck Associate Editor Katie Pacheco (305) 443-9353 or (800) 443-9353
Consultant Associate Editor Alexandra Quiñones
Education Editor Roline Pascal
Peer Review Coord. Brenda Flores AWS Promotes Diversity
Vice President Michael A. Krupnicki
Airgas USA Publisher Emeritus Jeff Weber
AWS values diversity, advocates equitable and inclusive
practices, and engages its members and stakeholders in
Treasurer Carey Chen Design and Production establishing a culture in the welding community that
Incodema Holdings LLC Managing Editor, Digital and Design Carlos Guzman welcomes, learns from, and celebrates differences
Production Manager Zaida Chavez among people. AWS recognizes that a commitment to
Executive Director & CEO Gary Konarska II Assistant Production Manager Brenda Flores diversity, equity, and inclusion is essential to achieving
American Welding Society excellence for the Association, its members, and
employees.
Advertising
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4 WELDING JOURNAL / APRIL 2021

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EDITORIAL

Podcasts Reach Out to the New Generation

of Welders
Never before has information related to (AWS) District director with podcast guest
welding and training been so readily avail- Howard Record, the current director of
able than right now. With a few finger District 5.
swipes and taps on your smartphone, you Some of the episodes are serious and edu-
can learn about new welding processes, cational, while others are casual and enter-
codes, and standards via YouTube, Face- taining. There’s something for everyone who
book, and Instagram. There is another plat- is interested in welding as a career or even as
form engaging with welders who have a a hobby. Since starting the show, I have
hunger for knowledge pertaining to weld- heard from young welders all around the
ing, and that is podcasts. So what exactly is world about how the episodes have helped
a podcast? It’s essentially a pre-recorded ra- them explore this vast career.
Jason Becker, CWI/CWE
dio show, similar to an AM/FM talk show, I have been in the welding industry for
Arc Junkies Podcast that can be listened to on the internet or more than 23 years as a welder, fabricator,
Host through a mobile app all across the globe. instructor, and recently an AWS Certified
There are more than 1.5 million podcasts Welding Inspector and Certified Welding Ed-
available right now. You can find subjects ucator. With every guest, I get a deeper look
“If I can help the spanning from gardening to financial advice into the different ways of manipulating
next generation de- and everything in between. Welding is just molten metal.
cide that welding is one of the many topics available, and it is In addition to informing the welding com-
right for them and an area that I am truly passionate about. munity, the podcast is also helping to solve
tell them about all Welding is such a diverse topic with so some of its problems. Right now, the United
many different processes and applications. States is experiencing a skills gap in welding.
the great opportuni- But over the course of one’s career, a person We need to reach the youth of today and get
ties AWS provides, may only be exposed to a few of these topics. them excited about welding in order for this
then I will use the Podcasts are now helping to bridge that gap trade to survive and flourish as it did during
power of podcasting and expose the various types of careers, my father’s and grandfather’s generations. For
to do it!” processes, materials, and credentials to a some time now, welding and the skilled trades
much larger audience. Within just one in general have been given a bad rap, and our
episode, a listener can learn about a new ca- youth is being misinformed that the only way
reer in welding, a new welding process, new to be successful in life is to get a traditional
technologies, and other developments in the college degree. But that isn’t necessarily true.
industry. You can be just as successful as a welder, an in-
I currently host the Arc Junkies podcast spector, a sales specialist, or an instructor,
and release new episodes every Monday. none of which require a four-year degree but
During these episodes, I talk to various sub- can still yield a competitive salary.
ject matter experts about their welding jour- To tackle this problem, I was recently asked
ney. All of our guests have a unique story by AWS to put out one episode per month, ti-
about what drew them to the arc and their tled “Weld Wednesdays with AWS.” The pur-
journey through welding. But what they all pose of this monthly episode is to inform the
have in common is a passion for this trade. welding community about the great opportu-
Each week listeners tune in to hear the sto- nities available in welding and how the Socie-
ries of others in the welding industry and ty can help them along their journey. This was
gain some insight. an easy decision for me to make. I have been
For example, listeners of the show get a involved with AWS since 2014, and since my
front row seat to the many discussions I have first meeting, I have grown my career expo-
had with industry leaders, such as Dr. Scott nentially through the various opportunities
Helzer, who discussed the hows and whys of afforded to me by the AWS. If I can help the
welding procedure specifications and proce- next generation decide that welding is right
dure qualification records. Listeners also got for them and tell them about all the great op-
to learn about the various duties and respon- portunities AWS provides, then I will use the
sibilities of an American Welding Society power of podcasting to do it! WJ

6 WELDING JOURNAL / APRIL 2021

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ARC-TIST CORNER

From the Forge:

A Legacy of Art and Inspiration
Richard Prazen has left his print on Utah with numerous metal
sculptures and a popular art class

Versatility is one of an artist’s greatest tools. Richard Lake Community College, Salt Lake City, Utah. Whether it’s
Prazen, a blacksmith and metal sculptor in South Jordan, by his hands or his students’, Prazen has forged a legacy of
Utah, has honed this skill with more than 55 years in the metal art across Utah.
welding and manufacturing industry. In his hands, pieces of
metal come to life as soaring eagles and giant spiders. He From Industry to Imagination
taps into the different realms of fantasy, crafting dragons
and steampunk ships — Figs. 1, 2. His creativity even ex- Prazen got his start working with metal in his family’s
tends into the home with custom-made furniture and business, Pioneer Welding and Manufacturing. The compa-
ironwork. ny performed maintenance, manufacturing, structural, and
The gift of creation not only manifests in Prazen’s art repair jobs across the United States and in South America.
work, but also in the skills he passes on to his students. For “I started working in our family business when I was only
the past 15 years, he’s taught a metal sculpture class at Salt 12 years old,” said Prazen. “I watched my father, Frank

Fig. 2 — Prazen’s Jules Verne II steampunk airship was pur-

Fig. 1 — A large dragon sculpture commissioned for Fantasy- chashed by the City of St. George, Utah, and placed at the St.
Con. It is made out of steel with copper and brass accents. George Airport.

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A B

Fig. 3 — The IRONMAN sculpture in progress. Each side repre- Fig. 4 — Prazen applying a ferric nitrate solution to the sur-
sents a different race in the triathlon. A — A swimmer; B — a face of the sand-blasted steel mountain range to start the
bicyclist; C — a runner. natural rusting process.

Prazen, and my brothers, John and Gary Prazen, as they These days, much of his time is spent creating commis-
performed all kinds of fabrication and repair. They were in- sioned metal sculptures and custom wrought iron work for
ventors and innovators. My older brothers were also very homes. While animals are still one of his most frequent sub-
gifted artists and metal workers, so I was destined to contin- jects, he’s expanded into other styles such as steampunk
ue with that legacy of work.” sculptures using found and discarded parts. The City of St.
While Prazen worked in the family business, he moon- George purchased a steampunk airship created by Prazen
lighted as an artist, creating metal sculptures of Spanish and placed it at the St. George Airport in 2020 (see Fig. 2).
galleons and animals. This led to many other types and A recent noteworthy project was Prazen’s triathlon-
styles of sculptures. Eventually, Prazen closed the business inspired sculpture for the IRONMAN 70.3 North American
and moved his shop home to focus on his artwork. Championship in St. George — Fig. 3. Prazen and his son,
“I wanted to pursue things that were more beautiful, like Josh, worked on the design and won the contract from the
doing the wrought iron work in multimillion dollar homes city. The sculpture includes stainless steel two-dimensional
and things like that,” Prazen explained. “So that’s kind of figures of a runner, biker, and swimmer on each side of a
the market that I was going for instead of the dirty old truck block, with the fourth side reserved for sponsors and an-
work. It was good work, and I learned so much from it. nouncements. Each athlete is layered over a mountain range
But it was time to change. And I think it was a good move cut in the top of a steel plate that was sandblasted and rust-
for me.” ed — Fig. 4. Above the mountains is a stainless steel sky.

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helped him in his art work. Because Prazen often works with
steel as a base metal, the process he uses the most is gas
metal arc welding. But he uses welding for more than joining
metals; it’s also a way to play with colors.
“In my experience, I learned how to join aluminum with
steel,” Prazen said. “But I also learned how to weld brass,
bronze, copper, stainless, and combine all of those metals
and use them for coloring processes. Because I like the idea
of using natural metal color to give me contrasts and effects
like buckskin, for instance, or hair or facial tones. I use rust
and gun blue and . . . patina to color. There’s not only doing
different types of sculpture like wire sculpture or frame
sculpture or sheet metal sculpture, but there’s also ways of
coloring and giving it depth and contrast.”

Passing On the Craft

When Prazen isn’t making art, he’s teaching others how
to do it. He oversees the metal art program for Salt Lake
Community College, where students’ imaginations can run
wild with metal as their vessel for expression.
“I gained notoriety in our region as an expert in teaching
people to become very proficient at the creation of beautiful
metal work,” Prazen revealed. “I had friends at the college
who recognized this and wanted to include me in their staff
to teach a metal sculpture class. It became a great match as I
Fig. 5 — Prazen puts many hours into making his eagle was slowing down in my business at that time.”
sculptures anatomically correct. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Prazen’s metal art class
usually filled up to its 20-plus student max. The class’s pop-
ularity has remained steady throughout the pandemic, with
Prazen started working on the project in November 2020 the lowered 12-student capacity regularly filled. According
and planned to install the piece in a roundabout in St. to Prazen, at least five or six students continue their train-
George in March. ing each semester.
The class isn’t only for those interested in art. It can also
teach those in a technical field how to think outside of the
The Prazen Process box and visualize the way different processes work.
“I have quite a few of the universities around me that
Prazen spares no detail in his work. When it comes to his send their engineering students to my art class,” Prazen
popular eagle sculptures, he strives for precision in their said. “And the reason they do is because I think it’s hard for
anatomy — Fig. 5. Upon crafting his first one, the artist bor- people, even though they’re talented and they have skills.
rowed lab specimens from the University of Utah and docu- They don’t know where to begin. And the class has helped
mented the shapes and number of feathers. He carefully them open their eyes to how things are done and how you
studied the bird of prey’s anatomy in books, taking six can use different tools to get different effects. It’s only a se-
months to complete his first eagle. The process has since be- mester long, but it really opens their eyes to the industry
come streamlined, with his most recent eagle, which has a and how it works.”
7-ft wing span, taking about two months to finish. And Prazen’s recommendation to anyone interested in getting
while the eagle is his favorite type of sculpture, the same started with metal art is to take a class. From his experience,
amount of thought goes into all of his artwork, no matter students enjoy having the chance to work with their hands
the subject. and create something they never thought they could do.
At the start of a project, Prazen doesn’t always know how This is first evident when Prazen instructs the students to
he’s going to craft the look he wants, but experimentation is make a blacksmith rose.
part of the fun. For example, he had to get creative in ma- “You would not believe how that just boosts their energy
nipulating metal so that it looked like fur for an 8-ft version and self esteem,” Prazen shared. “They will sit there and
of the orangutan King Louie from The Jungle Book. stare at that rose and think, ‘I can't believe I made that.’”
“What I did was develop a way of cutting sheet metal al- That boost of confidence is Prazen’s favorite part of the
most like scales,” Prazen described. “But they were like shag- class, too.
gy cut pieces that would go on [the sculpture]. So it looked “[I enjoy] the satisfaction of giving them an opportunity
like a shaggy fur coat.” to build their self esteem and to realize that they can do
For a fox sculpture, he cut copper-clad welding wire into things that are beautiful and that are meaningful.”
short pieces, welded it into clumps, and fused it to graphite To learn more about Prazen’s work, visit prazen.com. WJ
to resemble fur.
“It’s kind of difficult, a little technical, and totally uncon-
ALEXANDRA QUIÑONES (aquinones@aws.org) is associate editor of
ventional, but it worked for the effect,” he mused. the Welding Journal.
The methods he learned in his industrial career have

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Fig. 1 — Continuing your

education greatly expands
your career opportunities. You
can progress from welding in
the field, perhaps performing
shielded metal arc welding
(as pictured), to being a
Certified Welding Inspector,
Certified Radiographic
Interpreter, and more.

What AWS Learning Can Do for You

I
f you have a job in the welding industry, there is an inherent un-
From the lab to a derstanding that what you do for a living is important to both
virtual environment, your family and the general public. Society would simply not
function as it currently does without the hundreds of thousands
welding education of welders around the world. However, having a career in welding
doesn’t mean that you’re confined to a single process, job, or even
takes place in many industry. In fact, as society and technology keep moving forward,
it’s more crucial than ever for welding professionals to continue
forms learning in order to keep pace. There are educational opportuni-
ties in welding that can ensure both professional and economic
growth — Fig. 1. If you really love welding and want to learn more
BY MICHAEL RIOBUENO, JEANETTE GARCIA, about it, network with industry experts, and move up the ladder
EDUARDO GUERRA, AND ALICIA GARCIA to a position with more responsibility, education is your ticket.

30 WELDING JOURNAL / APRIL 2021

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What We Offer welding career goals — Fig. 2. Unsure

about how to use a welding procedure
The American Welding Society specification? Need help parsing
(AWS) offers everything from online through welding symbols? We have
courses, live training, and conferences training, to provide clarity, on your
to print resources, career path infor- schedule.
mation, and scholarship opportunities. You can also use AWS Learning
When it comes to easy-to-access courses to brush up on the basics, ei-
training opportunities, AWS Learning ther for your own edification or in
(awo.aws.org) provides more than preparation for a Certified Welding In-
100 h of online courses specifically spector (CWI) exam or 9-Year Recerti-
designed to help you achieve your fication. Our three Welding Funda-
mentals courses are extremely popular
and function as an A–Z, comprehen-
sive overview of basic welding and al-
lied processes, including the science,
techniques, and equipment behind
them.
AWS also hosts instructor-led
seminars on various subjects like alu-
minum welding, qualification, and
additive manufacturing. Seminar at-
tendees have the opportunity to learn
from, and network with, industry
experts while also earning professional
development hours and continuing
education units.
For those who prefer tried and true
self study, print versions of just about
any AWS code book, specification,
or training resource are available for
purchase at the AWS Bookstore
(pubs.aws.org). This includes the new
edition of Welding Inspection Technolo-
gy, which covers the fundamental as-
pects of welding inspection for experi-
enced personnel and prospective
CWIs, as well as the study guides for
D1.1, Structural Welding Code — Steel,
and API 1104, Welding of Pipelines and
Related Facilities.

Training the Future

AWS also understands the severity
of the skills gap and the shortage of
welders — Fig. 3. To this end, we
make a concerted effort to offer prod-
ucts geared toward bridging the gap.
Scholarship opportunities (aws.org/
foundation), an easy way to find
welding schools in your area
(careersinwelding.com), and a YouTube
channel (youtube.com/awsorg) with
videos of interesting welding projects
are just a few of the ways we’re hoping
to boost interest in the trades and en-
tice more young people into the field.
The centerpiece of our offerings,
aimed at the new generation of
Fig. 2 — AWS offers many ways to continue your education, including online
courses that you can take at your own pace, face-to-face seminars with the proper welders, is the recently released Fun-
protections and social distancing in place, virtual seminars, and more. damentals of Welding curriculum
package (awo.aws.org/online-courses/

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Fig. 4 — When the COVID-19 lockdowns

started, many instructors were left
with teaching a hands-on trade, like
flux cored arc welding (shown above),
through an electronic medium. The
bevy of electronic material AWS had
Fig. 3 — AWS Vice President W. Richard Polanin explains proper gas metal arc weld- available provided a solution during
ing technique to students. difficult times.

welding-fundamentals-courses), which
is aligned to the governing standards
of the SENSE Level I program If you really love welding and want to
(senseonline.org). SENSE, which stands
for Schools Excelling through Nation-
learn more about it, network with
al Skills Standards Education, is a pro-
gram built around competency-based
industry experts, and move up the
standards needed to create and main- ladder to a position with more
tain a quality welding program. Our
Fundamentals of Welding curriculum responsibility, education is your ticket.
package is a comprehensive collection
of print and digital resources and
learning tools developed in partner-
instruction of a week-long AWS CWI tors have reached out to AWS to ex-
ship with industry experts and educa-
Seminar without actually being there? press that, without the online re-
tion professionals. It’s an effective op-
COVID-19 has brought new atten- sources, they would not have been able
tion for in-person and virtual learning.
tion to the importance of being flexi- to continue educating their students
ble and innovative as instructors. At in an effective manner.
COVID-19 and Welding the outset of the pandemic, we were Just before the pandemic, AWS
Education contacted by many welding instructors Learning also released a course geared
for assistance identifying additional toward reinforcing instructional and
It goes without saying that the on- resources. Fortunately, in addition to pedagogical best practices as they apply
going COVID-19 pandemic has forced the longstanding Online Educational to welding. The Instructional Strate-
all of us to do things much differently Library (aws.org/education/page/online- gies for Welding Educators video
than what we’re used to. For welding educational-library), AWS had also just course (awo.aws.org/online-courses/
educators, this transition has brought launched its new curriculum. During instructional-strategies-for-welding-
on some unique challenges — Fig. 4. April of last year, we provided free ac- educators) is meant for both novice and
How do you teach a hands-on skilled cess to this resource to more than 500 experienced welding instructors look-
trade to a new generation when you schools in order to help students and ing to develop a stronger teaching foun-
cannot safely gather in a lab setting? their instructors adjust to virtual dation, design a more effective curricu-
How can you receive the in-depth learning. In the months since, instruc- lum, and incorporate pedagogical best

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practices in the classroom and welding ed about the new training opportuni- • New additions to the Profession-
lab. COVID-19 rendered several skills ties set for launch in 2021, including al Development Webinar Series.
covered in the course, such as lecturing the following:
and online learning, increasingly rele- In Closing
vant. As a result of distance learning, • Welding Solutions, an online
educators have had to speak more fre- course centered on taking a problem- Whether it’s an online course or
quently and for longer stretches. Be- led, customer-centric approach to seminar, prepping for an upcoming
cause of this, doing so effectively to welding sales; exam, or taking your welding curricu-
maintain your students’ attention is lum or instruction to the next level,
paramount. The Online Learning • A training program that serves as AWS Learning has educational materi-
module of this video course offers vari- an introduction to the world of ISO al for those open to learning. Take
ous tips on how to create an effective standards; some time and visit awo.aws.org to
online learning environment. With the browse through all of the learning
information contained in this course, • An 80-h, in-person CWI seminar; opportunities at your fingertips. WJ
educators will be able to use their skills
more effectively while battling the diffi-
culties inherent to virtual welding • Career Readiness, an online MICHAEL RIOBUENO (mriobueno@aws.org)
course designed to help individuals and JEANETTE GARCIA (jgarcia@aws.org)
instruction. are instructional designers; EDUARDO
heading into the workforce. The GUERRA (eguerra@aws.org) is instructional
course focuses on résumé creation, in- design manager, education and training;
What’s Next terview strategies, bench test prepara- and ALICIA GARCIA (agarcia@aws.org) is
tion, and dos and don’ts from hiring director, education and training; with the
AWS Education Dept.
AWS Education & Training is excit- managers within the industry; and

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