Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

This is a outcome based course utilizing a lecture/lab format. This course includes classroom discussions, videotapes, and lab demonstrations of technical skills.  Course outcomes will include: theoretical concepts, layout, fabrication, welding, oxy-fuel cutting, and safety. 

Upon completion of the course students should be able to:

• Function safely in the PCC Welding lab.
• Operate oxy-fuel portable and track cutting systems in accordance with industry standards.
• Understand and apply fundamentals of SMAW and FCAW operations.
• Interpret blueprints to accurately lay out, prepare, and assemble weld joints.
• Weld complex joint assemblies in advanced position with a variety of electrodes to AWS D1.1 Structural Steel Welding Code.
• Apply visual examination principles and practices in accordance with AWS D1.1.

Welding lec/lab courses are Open Entry and Open Exit (OE/OE) and are offered concurrently. Courses are designed to meet the needs of the students with flexible scheduling options.  Students may attend full time or part time. This is an OE/OE course which does not align with the normal academic calendar.

The student will be assessed on his/her ability to demonstrate the development of course outcomes. The methods of assessment may include one or more of the following: oral or written examinations, quizzes, written assignments, visual inspection, and welding tests.    

Function safely in the PCC Welding Lab.

• Understand and practice personal safety by using proper protective gear
• Understand and practice power tool safety
• Understand and practice equipment safety for welding and oxy-fuel cutting systems
• Understand and maintain a safe work area
  • Recognize and report dangerous electrical and air/gas hose connections
  • Understand and practice fire prevention

Operate oxy-fuel portable and track cutting systems in accordance with industry standards.

• Demonstrate correct setup, operation and shutdown procedures for oxy-fuel hand cutting
• Demonstrate correct setup, operation and shutdown procedures for oxy-fuel track cutting

Understand and apply fundamentals of SMAW and FCAW operations.

• Describe and demonstrate equipment setup, shut down, and operation
• Identify  Electrode Characteristics
• Demonstrate proper Arc Length and Travel speed
• Demonstrate correct starting, stopping and restarting techniques
• Demonstrate proper bead placement

Interpret blueprints to accurately lay out, prepare, and assemble weld joints.

• Interpret lines, symbols, views and notes
• Lay out material per specifications
• Use the oxy-fuel cutting process to cut material to specified dimensions
• Assemble project per specifications

Weld complex joint assemblies in advanced position with a variety of electrodes to AWS D1.1 Structural Steel Welding Code.

• Demonstrate correct welding techniques in the following projects: 
  • Snipe - All Position - E7018
  • Pipe to Plate - 5G -E60XX
  • Pad Eye - 4F -E7018
  • I-Beam -All Position E71T-1 and E71T-8
  • Dissimilar Thicknesses -2F-4F -E60XX
  • Down Hand - 3F -  E60XX
  • Cast Iron Welding with Nickel-Based Electrodes

Apply visual examination principles and practices in accordance with AWS D1.1.

• Evaluate welds using appropriate welding inspection tools
• Assess weld discontinuities causes and corrections