Welding Tips and Tricks

So when I say to someone that I'm gonna be a welder I get two responses. 1. Oh that's a good preffesioanlly they always need good welders. Or 2. Welding is dying and it's gonna turn to robots only someday. I say pish posh to this. I started thinking of all the jobs that can't be done by a robot. Pipelines in the field, repairs work in fields, other specialty repairs, custom fabrication (exhausts included), structural steel on a building, and the list goes on. I want to know what else can a robot not do and any idea as to why people beleive this. Maybe it is that people always see robots welding in videos making cars and when people talk about robots taking jobs they mention weldin a lot.

Random thought I had
-Nick

There are too many things a "robot" just won't be able to do. I wouldn't say that I am a "professional" welder, but I do a whole lot of it at work. In fact, it was my welding skill that got me the job. In my industry, there is always something oddball to be done, robotic welding is fine in an assembly line configuration, but I don't see them being able to run a lift arc tig on stainless in the bottom of a 40' hole.

Farmwelding wrote:So when I say to someone that I'm gonna be a welder I get two responses. 1. Oh that's a good preffesioanlly they always need good welders. Or 2. Welding is dying and it's gonna turn to robots only someday. I say pish posh to this. I started thinking of all the jobs that can't be done by a robot. Pipelines in the field, repairs work in fields, other specialty repairs, custom fabrication (exhausts included), structural steel on a building, and the list goes on. I want to know what else can a robot not do and any idea as to why people beleive this. Maybe it is that people always see robots welding in videos making cars and when people talk about robots taking jobs they mention weldin a lot.

Random thought I had
-Nick

Hope you weld better than you spell You created a whole new word there

I saw a couple Japanese sex robots I would take a run at. Oddly attractive but then again so is a good tig weld. I need to get out more

There is truth to both sides. True- the world will always need good welders. Also true that automation and robotics is increasingly replacing people.

A good idea, especially for a young welder, would be to become familiar with use, set up, and programming automated and robotic welding systems.

exnailpounder wrote:

Farmwelding wrote:So when I say to someone that I'm gonna be a welder I get two responses. 1. Oh that's a good preffesioanlly they always need good welders. Or 2. Welding is dying and it's gonna turn to robots only someday. I say pish posh to this. I started thinking of all the jobs that can't be done by a robot. Pipelines in the field, repairs work in fields, other specialty repairs, custom fabrication (exhausts included), structural steel on a building, and the list goes on. I want to know what else can a robot not do and any idea as to why people beleive this. Maybe it is that people always see robots welding in videos making cars and when people talk about robots taking jobs they mention weldin a lot.

Random thought I had
-Nick

Hope you weld better than you spell You created a whole new word there

Is it just prefessionally? Gosh you spell one word wrong and it's invalid? I've seen worse English out of my schools Englosh teachers so I guess I'm not doing to bad typing on a phone with crappy autocorrect.

My opinion, Robots are used in mass production for sure. Would you really want to weld the same parts together for 8-10 hours a day for years. I would not want that job. A good paying career could involve operating / programming the robot. And this would most likley be done by an experienced weldor.
The Robot cannot program itself ,make repairs or problem solve. That is where a good weldor comes in. Welding will always be needed

I know a guy who all he does is inspect robotic welds and grind out bad ones and weld them himself.

My first job in welding was repairing automated and robotic systems, shape cutters and pipe processing systems. Earned myself a quick couple dollars an hour raise in manufacturing when I set up a sixteen gun dart welder to run at zero defects .

Both statements are true. Some welding (and other) jobs will be replaced by robots. And some jobs will never be replaced by robots, and some new jobs will be created (like, as another reply mentioned, developing processes and programming welding robots) because there are robots. The trick is to have the skills to be able to work in one of the latter fields.

Stuff changes, the world changes and jobs change. No matter what field you work in, you need to be skilled, educated, stay current, and be flexible. There may very well be fewer of some sorts of welding jobs, but there will also be more of others. If you are the best around at what you do, you will always find a way to make a living at it so long as you keep your eyes open to opportunities and be willing to morph yourself and your skills to what the people who need your talents are paying the most for.

I'm assuming that you are a young guy sort of getting started out. I'd say learn what interests you. If that's welding, then go learn everything you can about it and be the best welder that you can be. Education (from a school, on the job, or self study, doesn't matter) is NEVER wasted. Even if you don't end up spending your career working as a welder, that knowledge will benefit you in ways you would never have imagined. Knowledge is one thing you can get that nobody can take from you and it always pays back more than it cost you.

If someone had told me when I was 20 that I would be doing what I now do for a living, I'd have laughed and said they are crazy. Be open to the possibilities and enjoy the ride.

From a production, over all cost and quality point of view, everybody's job is at risk from being taken over by automation. Most common problem with production is human error. eliminate the human and you have that part taken care of. Living in a oil industry driven area I can say I have seen things shift from people to machines getting the building and welding done. I have seen a storage tank that are made from about 200 curved sheets of steel. there would be welders all over the place to get the all welded up. Then you need a crane and a crane operator, safety, scaffolders, mechanics to repair the welders, helpers, fire watch and so on. Now they have a machine that roles on the top edge of the steel and welds the horizontal and vertical seams. As steel is added to make it higher the machine just moves on top of the next piece. Two guys to operate that.
I have a family friend who just got out of welding school. he now works with the automation equipment for welding pipelines. Pick up the run of pipe with the side booms and run the machine down the open end to the seam. Everything was welded from the inside on a 42 inch pipe. I think the key to any trade is to keep up with the times.

One site i was on i watched everyday welders doing caps on pilings that were in the ground. Not the greatest area to build a oil extraction plant but they did anyway. 44,000 piles have to be surveyed, cut and had the top plate welded on, all done by men and no automation.

The problem comes when the robots can program themselves ! next thing you know it's " judgement day " I'd start worrying if any of the robots are made by " Cyberdyne"

There are already welding robots that can "program" themselves. Read an article a few weeks ago about a company here using them for one off jobs. Equipped with vision cameras and sensors it finds exactly where to put the weld.

Tried to find it just to give some references to the equipment used but no luck yet.

AndersK wrote:There are already welding robots that can "program" themselves. Read an article a few weeks ago about a company here using them for one off jobs. Equipped with vision cameras and sensors it finds exactly where to put the weld.

Tried to find it just to give some references to the equipment used but no luck yet.

That could be a problem!

Most robots or at least a medium percentage need a tender. Assembly line robots maybe not but I know of 4 Amish robotic welding shops in my area. Lol I can see all the wtfs and rolling eyeballs no . It's a pain in the ballzack to compete with on certain things but I continue to make my mark competing against them even at their low production prices. Why? Because robots have their limits in cost effectiveness too. They cost money to operate too and if you can't meet production requirements they are just as expensive or more than hand built items. Not everything in this world is produced on a huge scale. My view and opinion only.

there will most likely always be a need for good welders how ever what you might be doing is making sure the robot is doing its job right.. as if its got some kinda glitch and someone is not there keeping a eye on how the welds are turning out.. and able to make adjustmets as needed there would be a whole lot of stuff screwed up..

but as stated a million times already there is alot of jobs that human welders can do that a robot welder just cant untill they can make a full on humanoid robot that can move like humans can.. and i hope that is a long long long ways off..

People make money being BAD welders...I see it so often that my neck is sore from shaking my head. If you're good, you will find work. But remember this...there is more about being a craftsman in any trade other than what you learn...Pride of accomplishment is what sets you apart from all the hack and tacks that abound in the world. I am starting to think that the modern hack exists to keep us old dogs moving...as in shaking our heads..and getting our blood pressure up

No robot will take my job. In eight years, I haven't been able to program another HUMAN to do it.

Steve S

Otto Nobedder wrote:No robot will take my job. In eight years, I haven't been able to program another HUMAN to do it.

Steve S

Ability-wise or attitude-wise? Seems today that most just do enough to not get fired and all they do when not working is play with their phone. Maybe cell phones were invented to occupy humans while robots were installed to take all the jobs. Based on some of the idiots I know...the robot is more deserving of the work.

exnailpounder wrote:

Otto Nobedder wrote:No robot will take my job. In eight years, I haven't been able to program another HUMAN to do it.

Steve S

Ability-wise or attitude-wise? Seems today that most just do enough to not get fired and all they do when not working is play with their phone. Maybe cell phones were invented to occupy humans while robots were installed to take all the jobs. Based on some of the idiots I know...the robot is more deserving of the work.

I've found that there's a tendency to engineer jobs to the point where you have a lot of "specialists". Where I work, there are those that can cut parts, those that can lay out parts, and those that can weld with specific processes, but only a few that can take a job from prints to product out the door. We are trying to get every one to think of the "next step" down the line and do whatever it takes to get the individual skills that are lacking up to par so anyone can step in to take up where someone else left off. That takes training and a desire to know the big picture. Some just don't have it. Some do, and they are the ones that will be the next-generation "go to guys" that are always in demand.

exnailpounder wrote:

Otto Nobedder wrote:No robot will take my job. In eight years, I haven't been able to program another HUMAN to do it.

Steve S

Ability-wise or attitude-wise? Seems today that most just do enough to not get fired and all they do when not working is play with their phone. Maybe cell phones were invented to occupy humans while robots were installed to take all the jobs. Based on some of the idiots I know...the robot is more deserving of the work.

Attitude, I suppose. Of course, like any job, not everyone has the abilities, but to do what I do takes MacGuyver-like creativity, and the patience of Job. Neither of these can be taught.

Steve S

Otto Nobedder wrote:

exnailpounder wrote:

Otto Nobedder wrote:No robot will take my job. In eight years, I haven't been able to program another HUMAN to do it.

Steve S

Ability-wise or attitude-wise? Seems today that most just do enough to not get fired and all they do when not working is play with their phone. Maybe cell phones were invented to occupy humans while robots were installed to take all the jobs. Based on some of the idiots I know...the robot is more deserving of the work.

Attitude, I suppose. Of course, like any job, not everyone has the abilities, but to do what I do takes MacGuyver-like creativity, and the patience of Job. Neither of these can be taught.

Steve S

After seeing that last pic of what you were doing and the contortions it would take just to get to the weld, hats off to you.
Even if I could tig well enough to qualify, the rest of it would have me throwing hammers and saying even worse things than I usually do.