Welding Fundamentals

Course Description

ETI2408C – Welding Fundamentals is a 3-credit, laboratory-integrated course within the Engineering Technologies > Industrial Systems Technology taxonomy of the Florida Statewide Course Numbering System (SCNS). The course provides students with the theory and practical, hands-on experience necessary to develop a foundational competency in welding. Students explore workplace safety, basic manufacturing processes, metals identification, interpretation of AWS welding symbols, and core arc welding processes. Content includes planning, management, technical and product skills, underlying principles of technology, labor issues, and health, safety, and environmental issues relevant to the welding industry. Successful completion prepares students for entry-level employment in the welding trade and provides a pathway toward industry certification.

Learning Outcomes

Required Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, all students will be able to:

• Demonstrate and apply workplace safety practices, including personal protective equipment (PPE) selection and use, fire prevention, confined space procedures, hot work procedures, and general shop safety in compliance with OSHA standards.
• Describe and identify metals and their properties, including distinctions between ferrous and nonferrous metals and common metallurgical terms and processes.
• Demonstrate basic knowledge of drawing and interpreting AWS welding symbols, including fundamentals of drawing elements, scales, layouts, and title blocks.
• Apply basic oxyfuel gas cutting (OFC) principles and practices, including selection of proper torch tips and filler rods and adjustment of gas pressure and flame for the size and characteristics of the metal.
• Demonstrate a basic understanding of Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW), including equipment setup, electrode selection and care, polarity, and performance of bead and fillet welds.
• Apply basic SMAW skills to create products using standard principles and practices, including padding, fillet welds, and groove welds on carbon steel plate.
• Apply visual examination skills to assess weld quality against applicable codes and standards.
• Demonstrate basic knowledge of weld joint design, types of welds, and joint preparation and fit-up techniques.
• Demonstrate an understanding of employability skills and career opportunities related to the welding industry.

Optional Outcomes

The following outcomes may be covered depending on institutional resources and program depth:

• Demonstrate Plasma Arc Cutting (PAC) principles and practices, including applying PAC skills to nonferrous metals.
• Demonstrate and apply Carbon Arc Gouging (CAC-A) principles and practices.
• Apply basic Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) skills, including equipment setup, shielding gas selection, wire feed settings, and flat and horizontal fillet welds.
• Apply basic Flux-Cored Arc Welding (FCAW) skills, including equipment, polarity, shielding gas selection, and fillet welds in multiple positions.
• Apply basic Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW/TIG) skills on carbon steel plate, including equipment setup, tungsten electrode selection, and fillet welds.
• Demonstrate basic pipe welding principles and practices, including pipe end prep, joint fit-up techniques, and weld bead placement.
• Apply knowledge of destructive and non-destructive weld testing methods to determine weld quality.

Major Topics

Required Topics

The following topics are covered in all standard offerings of this course across Florida colleges:

• Welding Safety and Health – OSHA regulations, PPE (helmets, gloves, protective clothing), fire prevention, ventilation, fume hazards, electrical safety, and shop organization.
• Basic Manufacturing Processes and the Welding Industry – Overview of the welding trade, career pathways, apprenticeship programs, and industrial applications in manufacturing, construction, aerospace, and shipbuilding.
• Metals Identification and Metallurgy – Properties of ferrous and nonferrous metals, common metallurgical terms, metal classification systems, and effects of heat on metals.
• Welding Symbols and Blueprint Reading – AWS welding symbol interpretation, drawing elements, scales, layout, title blocks, and basic blueprint reading for weld joint configuration.
• Weld Joint Design and Preparation – Types of welds (fillet, groove, plug, slot), joint types (butt, lap, T-joint, corner, edge), joint preparation, and base metal cleaning.
• Oxyfuel Gas Cutting (OFC) – Equipment setup, torch tip selection, filler rod selection, gas pressure and flame adjustment, cutting techniques, and safety practices.
• Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) – Arc welding power supplies, electrode classifications (E6010, E7018), electrode care and handling, arc striking, bead running, fillet welds, and groove welds on carbon steel plate in flat and horizontal positions.
• Weld Quality and Visual Inspection – Visual examination techniques, common weld defects (porosity, undercutting, overlap, cracks), acceptance criteria, and introduction to applicable codes and standards (AWS D1.1).
• Workplace Employability Skills – Professional conduct, teamwork, industry expectations, and career opportunities in the welding field.

Optional Topics

The following topics may be addressed based on available lab facilities and program objectives:

• Plasma Arc Cutting (PAC) – Equipment setup, cutting techniques on carbon steel and nonferrous metals, safety practices.
• Carbon Arc Gouging (CAC-A) – Principles, equipment, gouging techniques, and safety.
• Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW/MIG) – Equipment setup, wire feed systems, shielding gases, metal transfer modes, and fillet welds in flat and horizontal positions.
• Flux-Cored Arc Welding (FCAW) – Equipment, electrode types (self-shielded and gas-shielded), polarity settings, and basic fillet welds.
• Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW/TIG) – Introduction to GTAW equipment, tungsten electrode types and preparation, filler metal selection, and flat position welds on carbon steel.
• Introduction to Pipe Welding – Pipe end preparation, joint fit-up, weld bead placement, and basic pipe welding safety.
• Destructive and Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) Overview – Introduction to bend tests, tensile tests, and non-destructive methods such as dye penetrant and radiographic inspection.
• Introduction to Welding Codes and Standards – Overview of AWS, ASME, API, and ANSI standards as they apply to weld quality and welder qualification.

Resources & Tools

• Textbook: Welding: Principles and Applications (Jeffus) or Welding Skills (American Technical Publishers) — commonly adopted at Florida colleges.
• AWS Standards: AWS D1.1 Structural Welding Code – Steel; AWS A2.4 Standard Symbols for Welding; ANSI Z49.1 Safety in Welding, Cutting, and Allied Processes.
• NCCER Curriculum: National Center for Construction Education & Research (NCCER) Core Curriculum and Welding Level 1 materials, used at multiple Florida institutions.
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Auto-darkening welding helmet (minimum shade 10), leather welding gloves, leather welding jacket or sleeves, steel-toed boots, and appropriate respiratory protection.
• Lab Equipment: SMAW arc welding machines, oxyfuel cutting torch sets, angle grinders, chipping hammers, wire brushes, measuring tools, and weld inspection gauges.
• Optional Lab Equipment: GMAW/MIG welders, FCAW equipment, GTAW/TIG welders, plasma arc cutting systems, and carbon arc gouging equipment.
• Online Resources: American Welding Society (aws.org); FloridaShines course transfer information (floridashines.org); OSHA welding safety resources (osha.gov).

Career Pathways

Completion of ETI2408C provides foundational preparation for entry-level positions and supports progression into advanced welding coursework and industry certification. Career opportunities exist in numerous industries across Florida and nationally.

• Entry-Level Positions: Welder Helper, Tack Welder, Welder Assembler, Arc Cutter, Production Line Welder, Flame Cutter.
• Experienced Positions: Combination Welder, Structural Welder, Pipe Welder, Maintenance Welder, MIG/TIG Welder, Aluminum Welder.
• Advanced/Supervisory Roles: Welding Inspector (CWI), Shop Foreman, Field Foreman, Fitter/Welder, Welding Engineer Technician.
• Key Industries in Florida: Aerospace and defense manufacturing (Space Coast corridor), shipbuilding and maritime, construction and structural fabrication, oil and gas pipelines, automotive and transportation, paper mills and power plants.
• Continuing Education: Students may progress to advanced welding courses covering GMAW, FCAW, GTAW, and pipe welding; pursue an Associate in Science (A.S.) degree in Industrial Systems Technology or a related field; or transfer credits toward a bachelor's degree via Florida's articulation agreements.

Special Information

Certification Preparation

Program instruction and course curriculum align with standards, codes, and safety processes established by the American Welding Society (AWS), the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), the American Petroleum Institute (API), and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Upon completion of this and associated courses, students are eligible to sit for AWS Certified Welder qualification testing. Specific certifications available include AWS D1.1 Structural Welding (SMAW, GMAW, FCAW) and GTAW plate certifications in 1G, 2G, 3G, and 4G positions, depending on institutional testing facilities.

Students may also be eligible for NCCER Welding Level 1 credentials and the OSHA 10-Hour Construction Industry Outreach Training certificate, both of which are widely recognized by Florida employers in construction and manufacturing.

Laboratory Requirement

The "C" suffix in ETI2408C designates this as a combined lecture and laboratory course. Students are expected to complete significant hands-on lab hours in a welding shop environment as an integral part of instruction. Safe practices and procedures are emphasized in all laboratory situations, and students must adhere to all shop safety rules throughout the course.