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August 2026
Feature Articles
AI in the Weld Shop: A Tool for Professionals, Not a Replacement for Them
Technology has moved through the industrial trades in different ways. Sometimes as a promise, other times as a disruption. Occasionally, technological advances have changed what professionals can accomplish. When large language models (LLMs) first became publicly available, something shifted. Professionals now had access to a wealth of knowledge that lay beyond a simple internet search.
see moreWelding Q&A
Q: What information is contained in AWS electrode classifications, and how do I use them to select the right one?
see morePhysical AI Enables Adaptive Welding Automation
Industrial robots have traditionally been deployed on a simple premise: define the task, program the path, constrain the environment, and repeat. That model has delivered enormous value in stable, high-volume production, but it also explains why variable processes remain difficult to automate.
see moreBuilding Real Skills through Virtual Training
For years, I have told my students that learning to weld is not difficult, although it does take hours under the hood to master. Like any other hands-on skill, it takes guidance from subject-matter experts to help a student understand the correct speeds, angles, and distances to produce a high-quality weld.
see moreEnhancing Student Engagement in Welding Education
Student engagement plays a critical role in achieving meaningful learning outcomes, particularly in skilled trades education. Welding students are, by nature, doers. They are motivated by hands-on work, eager to handle equipment, and often most engaged when they can apply skills directly in the shop. As a result, instructors frequently observe high levels of engagement during practical welding activities, while student interest tends to decline during theory-based or classroom instruction.
see moreVirtually Unlimited: The Future of Welding Training
As welding equipment grows increasingly sophisticated, the need for proper training to create skilled welders increases proportionately. Striking a real arc in a welding booth and generating real heat to join real metal will always be an integral part of that training process, but the role of virtual reality (VR) technology is becoming more prominent.
see moreBrazing Q&A
Q: We are currently finding internal voids when assessing cross sections of vacuum-brazed aluminum parts. What are some causes and solutions that would mitigate this?
see morePeople Over Paper: The Real Source of Learning
Education isn’t a diploma; it’s the people who teach you how to do the work right. From a backyard shop to college labs and AWS meetings, the mentors I’ve met over time have taught me more than techniques. They’ve taught judgment, pride, and how to keep learning. This article traces the lessons and leaders that made me a better welder, teacher, and member of our community.
see moreNews and Updates
Education 411
Welding students from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (MGCCC), George County Center, and Jones College, Leakesville Center, recently helped fabricate the Crown of Thorns for the South Mississippi Cross for Christ, a 120-ft steel cross erected along U.S. Highway 98 between Lucedale and McLain, Miss.
see moreNews of the Industry
The AWS Welding Automation Exposition and Conference (WAEC) took place June 4–6 in Minneapolis, Minn., welcoming 132 end users, integrators, technology developers, educators, and automation seekers. Many attendees shared a common challenge: how to produce more with the workers available now while meeting quality specifications and safety standards.
see moreSociety News
Explore AWS news, Tech Topics, Membership activities, and much more.
see morePublication Archive
View past issues of our magazines, including Welding Journal Research Supplement in PDF format.