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July 2026
Feature Articles
Understanding What’s New in AWS D20
The American Welding Society (AWS) D20.1, Specification for Fabrication of Metal Components using Additive Manufacturing, first released in 2019, established a foundational framework for additive manufacturing (AM) processes and covered qualification, fabrication, and inspection requirements. Since then, the adoption of powder bed fusion (PBF) and directed energy deposition (DED) has grown rapidly across multiple industries, and with that growth comes the need for more precise and practical standards.
see moreImproving Weld Shop Efficiency before Adopting Automation
Metal fabricators are continually seeking to improve throughput and eliminate bottlenecks, often while facing labor constraints and increasing production demands. Automation is often the logical next step; however, there are many opportunities to optimize the processes already in place with the team and equipment available today while paving the way for potential future expansion into automation.
see moreWhere Resistance Welding Meets Medicine
When people hear the term resistance welding, they often think of joining sheet metal, attaching automotive fasteners, or spot welding an HVAC duct. Those more familiar with the process might even think of cross-wire welding, a form of projection welding used in everything from store fixtures and fencing to rebar grids for concrete construction and mezzanine or bridge grating.
see moreRules of the Game: How AWS Is Helping Standardize Welding Competitions
Every sport worth competing in has a rulebook. Nobody shows up to a golf tournament and decides “par” means something different on their home course. Curling has meticulously maintained a set of rules governing everything from ice preparation to stone sourcing. The rules are the rules, and that consistency is what makes competition meaningful. Welding competitions in America have not always enjoyed the same clarity. It is time we changed that.
see moreTrending Upward: Highlights and Insights from the 2026 Trends Conference
Attendees from all over the world gathered at AWS World Headquarters in Miami, Fla., from May 11 to 13 to attend the 11th Trends in Welding Research + Additive Manufacturing conference.
see moreWelding Industry Insights
The welding industry sits at a pivotal moment: Demand is surging across critical sectors, yet a lack of skilled professionals is creating challenges in meeting that need. At the same time, rapid advances in automation, robotics, and AI are reshaping what welding work looks like — and who is prepared to do it. To better understand the industry’s current realities and future direction, four professionals with strong AWS ties shared their perspectives.
see moreNews and Updates
Education 411
Welding students at San Luis High School, San Luis, Ariz., recently completed multiple community-based fabrication projects, including the construction and installation of custom decorative safety rails for local restaurant, Eddie’s Food and Drink, and monument signage for the San Luis Industrial Park.
see moreNews of the Industry
Google will fund $10 million to the Manufacturing Institute (MI), Washington, D.C., the 501(c)3 workforce development and education affiliate of the National Association of Manufacturers.
see moreSociety News
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see morePublication Archive
View past issues of our magazines, including Welding Journal Research Supplement in PDF format.