Newly Invented 'Metal Glue' Has Some Advantage over Welding and Soldering

Often, if you want to join 2 metal objects together, you either weld or solder them, subject to how big they are. Both processes, however, involve the application of heat. This can do harm to the items (in case of electronics), even cause explosions (in case of things like gas pipes). That’s why scientists from Northeastern University (Boston) create MesoGlue. This glue can work for just about all kinds of solids - polymers, ceramics, metals, and any composites. And it sets at room temperature. 

Often, if you want to join 2 metal objects together, you either weld or solder them, subject to how big they are. Both processes, however, involve the application of heat. This can do harm to the items (in case of electronics), even cause explosions (in case of things like gas pipes). That’s why scientists from Northeastern University (Boston) created MesoGlue. This glue can work for just about all kinds of solids - polymers, ceramics, metals, and any composites. And it sets at room temperature. 

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What it is and how it works

Designed by a team whose leader is Prof. Hanchen Huang, this metal glue is made up of microscopic nanorods that have a metallic core. Some of them are coated with indium, and some with gallium. 

First, the facing surfaces of 2 objects-to-be-joined are treated with these nanorods. A layer of the indium-coated rods goes on one surface, while a layer of the gallium-coated rods is applied to the other. In both cases, the rods stand up from the surface, kinda like the bristles of hairbrush. 

As explained by co-inventor Paul Elliott, “when you mash the head of brushes together, all the little bristles push past each other so the two brushes are basically stuck together. The interlacing process is fairly similar to our glue. The bristles are spaced well enough so they can slide or be pressed in between each other.”

The diagram illustrates how the the comb teeth-like metallic core  nanorods interlace and then create a liquid that is subsequently solidified. (Photo credit: Huang/Northeastern University)

The coated rods are arranged along a substrate (a). Then the teeth are interlaced (b). When the indium and gallium on the rods come into contact, they form a liquid (c). The metal cores of rods then react with the liquid, making it harden into a cohesive solid. This leads to a bond which reportedly matches the strength of traditional weld or solder.  

Generally, as the nanorods grows on the solid surface through physical vapor deposition processes, they create chemical bonds  with the surface. For some solid surfaces, the direct chemical bonds may be weak (when it is ‘non-wetting’), and a buffer layer is used to strengthen the bonding. 

Its outstanding characteristics 

Unlike ones formed by regular polymer based glues, bonds created by MesoGlue are thermally and electrically conductive. They are not adversely impacted by heat; they are highly resistant to moisture/ air leaks; they require little pressure when being created. 

Also, the glue is mechanically strong. As tested by the team, the glue is just broken with about 1500 psi (or 10 MPa) shear load. And it can work for just about all kinds of solids — polymers, ceramics, metals, and any composites.

Where it is applied 

According to Huang, “the metallic glue has multiple applications, many of them in the electronics industry. As a heat conductor, it may replace the thermal grease currently being used, and as an electrical conductor, it may replace today’s solders. Particular products include solar cells, pipe fittings, and components for computers and mobile devices."

Applications of metal glue: a) A CPU on printed circuit board connected to a heat sink. b) A surface mount device attached to a printed circuit board. c) A press fit pipe fitting for environments that welding is dangerous or impossible. d) a glass plate attached to metal with a different thermal expansion coefficient for covering a cavity with hermetic seal. (Photo credit: Huang/Northeastern University)

This metal glue is now being commercially developed by a spin-off company. 

Comments around this invention

xs400: “Better invest in Indium and Gallium, this is going to change the electronics and welding world and many other industries IF it is economically viable, especially for DIYers. Hope it'll be cheap enough for laymen to buy and use.”

HensleyBeuronGarlington: “That's pretty awesome. Lots of benefits to this method where traditional soldering and welding maybe found lacking for certain applications. To me its like a metal velcro that melts together when linked up.”

physics314: “Indium is one of the rarest metals on Earth. I wouldn't hold my breath for it to be used as glue.”

Martin Hone: “The obvious question here is, how does the initial layer get applied to the surface, and how reliable is it ? Ok, two questions, but critical...”

Douglas Rogers: “This might be applied to fibers to reduce pullout length and create a much stronger composite.”

(Source: gizmag.com)

Art Shepherd: “What a boon it would be for automotive applications I would think. Exhaust? Bondo? I wonder how expensive it is to produce and when it might be available to the public?”

Jack Herer: “what if it gets stuck to their fingers or skin how do they get it off?”

(Source: upi.com)

How about your thoughts about this invention?

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New Automotive Welding Technology Expected to Create Much Stronger Bond

Ohio State University engineering team has developed a new automotive welding technology that creates strong bonds between metals that are formerly ‘un-weldable’. 

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The engineer team at the Ohio State University announced that they have developed a new welding technology called vaporized foil actuator (VFA) welding, which requires 80% less energy than spot welding but produces bonds 50% stronger. Also, the process creates strong bonds between metals that were weakened by the melting and re-solidification in conventional welding. 

“Materials have gotten stronger, but welds have not. We can design metals with intricate micro-structures, but we destroy the micro-structure when we weld. With our method, materials are shaped and bonded together at the same time, and they actually get stronger”, said Glenn Daehn – professor of materials science and engineering from Ohio State, who helped develop the technique. 

A diagram demonstrating the vaporized foil actuator welding technique.  (Cr: Glenn Daehn, Courtesy of The Ohio State University). 

Instead of melting the metal parts like in resistance spot welding, the VFA process allows a short and low-energy electrical pulse to come inside a piece of aluminum foil, availing a high-voltage capacitor bank. When the foil vaporizes, the resulting plasma would mash the metal pieces together, bonding atoms of one metal to the other’s atoms. Viewed under a high-powered microscope, the bond is often characterized by wave patterns where veins of both materials wrap around each other. 

Thus far, the engineers have managed to bond different combinations of aluminum, copper, iron, magnesium, titanium and nickel, and commercial steel and aluminum alloys with the weld regions which are stronger than the base metals. 

A microscope view of copper (top) welded to titanium (bottom) utilizing the VFA welding technique (Cr: Glenn Daehn, Courtesy of The Ohio State University).

The engineer team now wants to coordinate with manufacturers to further develop the technique, which will be licensed through the Ohio State’s Technology Commercialization Office. 

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There will be the second welded Singing Ringing Tree in the world

There are only two Singing Ringing Trees that exist in the world. One is Burnley's Singing Ringing Tree. The second will be in Austin, Texas, U.S.

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This will be the first Ringing Singing Tree in the Western Hemisphere. Comprised of cascading pipes, this one-of-a-kind and historic art sculpture allows the wind to create such haunting and beautiful melodies.

The finished one will be installed in Austin, Texas within 6 months of its construction starting date in September 2015. Houston based JK Welding – Texas’s premier welding and metal fabricator has been tasked with building this strange, utterly amazing musical sculpture.  “We are thrilled to be a part of this groundbreaking art project. It is not every day we get a chance to be part of history. The staff at JK Welding considers it a great honor to contribute its expertise to Austin’s public space,” said John King of JK Welding.

This Ringing Singing Tree is projected to stand about 17 feet tall and weighs 20 tons, being comprised of 22 levels of precision piping. This is a wind-powered musical sculpture resembling a tree set. It is strongly influenced by 2 like-designed arts in Britain and Saudi Arabia but designed by Royal Institute of British architects Mike Tonkin and Anna Liu of Tonkin Liu. Its pipes of galvanized steel are welded together in concentric circles mimicking a tree bent because it is blown by the wind. When the wind whispers through those pipes, a melodious and haunting hum covering some octaves will usher out. Every time a guest rests underneath this incredible and inspiring music-based sculpture, they will get the chance to enjoy a different song.

You can enjoy one song Burnley's Ringing Singing Tree sings. (Alert: While some say it is beautiful, some think it sounds like the moaning of poor wandering souls in the depths of hell. Listen to it yourself and share your feeling).

King explains that steel pipes used to construct Austin's Singing Ringing Tree are fabricated from aesthetical qualities and toning. Particular narrow slits are added on the underside of the expertly placed pipes to create the desired sound.

Burnley's Singing Ringing Tree (England) has been recognized as one of globally friendly landmarks in the 21st century.  JK Welding hopes Austin’s sculpture will place the same impact on the Texan landscape.

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Original Welding Art by a Very Young Welder from Chicago

What unique and beautiful work! This welder must create those welding arts with his whole heart.

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Richard Lauth – a 23-year-old Chicago resident, is a welder artist and Local 150 ASIP Operating Engineer. He is such a talent for working with metal. Themed and abstract sculpture, decorations and models are his creative work. 

Forge welding first appeared from the Bronze Age, though Herodotus – the Greek historian states that Glaucus of Chios – an Greek sculptor in metal, “was the man who single-handedly invented iron welding” in the 5th century BCE. Along with scientific advances in early 19th century, arc welding was invented in 1881-82.

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Vietnam Grabs Vocational Certificates of Excellence in Welding at World Skills Competition

The Vietnamese delegation grabbed 8 vocational skills certificates of excellence in welding and some other categories at the 43rd World Skills Competition in Brazil.

What is World Skills Competition?

The World Skills Competition (WSC) is held every 2 years and recognized as the world’s biggest vocational education training and skills excellence event that is a true reflection of global industry. The competitors are the best of their peers, and are chosen from skill competitions in World Skills Member countries and regions. They are all under 23 years old (except for 4 skills with the age limit of 25). They showcase technical abilities both individually and by team to perform specific tasks that they study and/ or perform in their working place.

One of the main inheritances of the WSC is to give visibility and vitality to professional education, as one of true tools of socio-economic transformation.

This competition also give leaders in industry, the government and education the opportunity to exchange information as well as best practices in terms of industry and professional education. New ideas and processes help inspire school-aged young people to devote themselves to technical and technological careers and towards a brighter future.

What has Vietnamese delegation won at the 2015 competition?

The 43rd WSC took place in Sao Paulo from August 5th to 17th, 2015. 1,200 competitors from 64 countries and territories around the globe displayed the highest levels of excellence in 46 occupational and 4 performance skills. The Vietnamese delegation had 14 candidates competing in 13 skills.

14 Vietnamese competed in 43rd World Skills Competition.

The students in Vietnam worked hard and played hard. That’s why the result born fruits. The delegation grabbed 8 vocational certificates of excellence in the categories of CNC milling, mechanical engineering design - CAD, mechatronics, welding, plumbing, web design, and brick-laying. 

Not all, Nguyen Duy Thanh, a student of the Ho Chi Minh University of Industry (Vietnam) won the bronze medal. He scored 535 out of 600 points in the category of information technology software solutions for business. Also, he won the “Best of the Nation” award that honors the competitor who attains the highest points or highest medal for the team of their country or region. 

For the Vietnamese delegation, those achievements are deemed a crucial step for the next competition with the aim of performing more excellently and winning the silver medal and gold medal.

Vietnam started participating in the WSC competition in 2007, and got hold of 7 outstanding skills certificates in the 2011 and 2013 events.

The 44th WSC will take place in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates.

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Welding News Tidbits

See what’s going on in the global welding now!

It seems that welding training has been the talk of the town lately when it has thick coverage on recent news and updates about welding. Skills shortage in welding is the hot issue to be successfully tackled if enterprises want to grow higher with their business and industries that have involvement of welding don’t want interruption in their production process. Specially, the world is more favoring green energy sectors, which make welding skills much hotter. Obviously, the demand for them is increasingly high, but not otherwise. Let’s take some minutes to see what happens in the global welding now – rather, how welding job training is going?

1. New programs train inmates for welding jobs using grant

Seven offenders graduated from a new Work Ready Oklahoma welding program, and are now employable in the welding trade.

Six-week mobile welding programs have been given to offenders at Oklahoma City Community Corrections Center. This welding certificate program is the result of a partnership between Oklahoma Department of Corrections and local businesses and organizations, funded by the U.S. Department of Labor grant. On September 10th, 2015, seven inmates gathered to graduate from the welding program – the first of its kind in Oklahoma. They made up the first class in this new program, where they learned basics of welding, safety techniques and life skills as well. They were trained by local teachers, offered with space and equipment by local businesses, and got employment assistance from the local non-profit. This is considered a great opportunity for offenders to hone welding skills and reintegrate into the society. 

2. A private welding school opens in Fleming County

A welding school was founded by the Kentucky Welding Institute (KWI) in Fleming County on August 27th, 2015. Up to now, there have been space for around 20 – 22 students. The school has 20 student booths and 2 instructor booths. But as a result of high demand for the program, there expect 10 more booths after all. By the end of each program, students will be fully certified and qualified for their jobs. What set KWI apart is the portable program, environmental friendly atmosphere, the lifetime work guarantee and the brush-up opportunities.

3. New welding accredited certification at WKCTC is transferable

Transferable welding certifications are now offered by West Kentucky Community and Technical College 

The welding technology program in WKCTC (West Kentucky Community and Technical College) has become only the 2nd welding program in Kentucky Community and Technical College System, and the 4th state-wide to be accepted as an AWS Accredited Test Facility by American Welding Society (AWS)

The AWS Accredited Test Facility program develops minimum requirements for the test facilities, their personnel and equipment to test and qualify welding workers. Previously, students at WKCTC took welding certification tests. And when they become employed, they could prove about their capability of passing a certification test. Still, they could then be required to sit the same test for that enterprise. Now, if a student chooses to pay AWS $35 fee, he/ she will have his/ her name listed as a certified welder in the world-wide accepted registry of AWS. 

For companies, they benefit, too. In the past, when a candidate took the test, the results were held by the enterprises paying for him/ her to test. Now, the accredited certification is transferable from one enterprise to another. That means, when a person for WKCT walks in for a job interview, holding that certification, there is no need to pay for him/ her to be tested, which can be pretty costly for the enterprise: $300-$500.

4. Gateway providing introductory welding courses

Gateway will offer two welding introduction courses in September and October, 2015.

The one-day classes will be held on September 26th and October 3rd, 2015.

Gateway Community and Technical College will provide 2 welding introduction courses at its Center for Advanced Manufacturing at the Boone Campus in Florence – those are, Introduction to 1G Stic, and Introduction to 1G Mig.

Those courses are intended for mechanics, maintenance workers, farmers or anyone interested in welding. In 8 hours, participants will learn basic safety, machine set-up, and how to strike arc and stringer beads.

Introduction to 1G Stic will be held on September 26th, 2015, and the other on October 3rd, 2015. They are both from 8 a.m to 4 p.m.

Cost is $200 per participant per course. Participants take responsibility for personal protective equipment, inclusive of welding helmets, gloves, safety glasses, and any other required equipment.

The deadline to register for the course Introduction to 1G Stic is September 23rd, 2015, and for the other, the deadline is September 30th, 2015.

To register or for more information, you can contact Regina Schadler at 859-442-1170 or via regina.schadler@kctcs.edu.

5. Group bringing welding to the classroom

The Canadian Welding Foundation is looking to introduce the profession to high school students. Just about all other provinces already provide welding courses at the junior high and high school level though, no such program is accessible in Newfoundland and Labrador.

The foundation is now working with Skills Canada to find out ways to make welding more popular among young people in this province. Though a summer camp was provided in St. John’s for the girls this year, ultimately, the goal is a program that is more permanent. 

In some schools in Canada, welding is provided from grades 9-12; some offer it in every school, but there are still some that welding is available at a select few.

There is a shortage of trades around the nation, then to expose students to a profession at their young age couldn’t just spark their interest, but a career. Because the average age of welder is 59, there is going to be a serious shortage in the future.

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Welding Process for the Spacecraft atop the World’s Largest Rocket Begins

NASA is one more step closer to sending the astronauts to Mars. On Sept 5th, engineers from the agency’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans successfully welded the first 2 segments of the Orion spacecraft’s main structure that will fly on Exploration Mission-1 – the first flight of Orion atop NASA’s Space Launch System rocket (SLS).

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The main structure of Orion spacecraft is made of 7 large aluminum pieces that must be welded together in a detailed fashion. On Saturday, NASA engineers successfully completed the first weld that connects the tunnel to the forward bulkhead. Those two welded segments are at the top of Orion and house many of this spacecraft’s critical systems – for example, the parachutes deploying during reentry. The tunnel with a docking hatch will enables crews to move between the Orion crew module and other spacecraft.

At NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, on Sept. 5, engineers welded together two segments of the Orion crew module’s primary structure that will fly on Exploration Mission-1, the first flight of Orion atop the NASA’s Space Launch System rocket. (Cr: NASA)

According to Mark Geyer – Orion Program Manager, “Each of Orion’s systems and subsystems is assembled or integrated onto the primary structure, so starting to weld the underlying elements together is a critical first manufacturing step. The team has done tremendous work to get to this point and to ensure we have a sound building block for the rest of Orion’s systems.”

To prepare for welding, engineers undertook a meticulous process. They cleaned the segments, protected them with chemical coating, and primed them. Then, they outfitted each element using strain gauges and wiring to monitor the metal during the fabrication process. Before starting work on the pieces, technicians practised the process, polished their techniques, and ensured right tooling configurations by welding together the pathfinder – a full-scale version of the present spacecraft design.

At NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, engineers were welding together the crew module pathfinder in preparation the welding process. (Cr: NASA)

With good collaborations throughout design and manufacturing, the teams have been able to cut down on the number of welds for the Orion crew module by over half since the 1st test version of Orion’s main structure constructed and flown on the Exploration Flight Test-1 last December. There will include 7 main welds and some smaller welds (for the start and stop holes left by the welding tools) in the Exploration Mission-1. Fewer welds will help make the spacecraft lighter.

The diagram shows 7 pieces of Orion’s main structure and the order that they are welded together. (Cr: NASA)

During the upcoming months, when other pieces of the spacecraft’s main structure arrive at Michoud from the machine house across the country, engineers will inspect and assess them to make sure they address precise design requirements prior to welding. Once complete, this structure will be delivered to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida that it will be assembled with other elements of Orion, integrated with SLS, and processed before launch.

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In Wake of Welder Shortage, Prisons Provide Training

Vocational training in prisons has been effectively provided to address welder shortage. 

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New State-of-the-art Welding Training Center Opens to Address Skills Gap

Why the shortage?

America is in need of more welders. Baby boomers with skills will be retiring, and there aren’t enough young people to replace them.

In the ‘80s, America had more than half a million welders. Those days, welding was as hot as welding arcs. These days, there are around 40% fewer welders.

The shortage of welding related jobs will be 300,000 or so by 2020, as estimated by the American Welding Society.

So what’s the answer?

According to Jeremy Worley, a welding teacher at a technical college in the North Georgia, there is a growing demand for welder. So he will teach welding to anyone at any age, from anywhere. Those from Walker State Prison isn’t an exception. As part of Georgia’s on-going prison reform, prisoners would be permitted to access heavy tools, blowtorches to get hold of a welding certificate.

"If it's an opportunity for me to dive into welding and they say I have a job here, I'm going to say, 'That's me””, said Christopher Peeples , 26, at the end of his mandatory 10-year prison sentence for his armed robbery when being 17.

John Turner, a former student of the prison welding program, describes himself as a really good welder. He was released last month, and had 3 job offers.

Gardner Carrick is in the Manufacturing Institute, the Washington, D.C. based training arm of the National Association of Manufacturers. He supports such prison programs as the one in Georgia. He said, "We certainly would love to see prisoners successfully reintegrate into the community and into the economy. So if welding is a vehicle by which that can happen, then I think that's great to hear.”

But that is not enough to fulfill the need. Carrick said, U.S education policy is associated with lack of skilled labor. “"We made the decision that all kids should go to college and as a result you saw the elimination of a lot of the technical programs at the high school level.” Carrick’s group is working hard for more skills training and programs that attract more teenagers to manufacturing careers. And many enterprises have kicked off their own apprenticeship programs.

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New State-of-the-art Welding Training Center Opens to Address Skills Gap

A new welding training center opened on August 21st to address skills gap between the industry and higher education.

Lance Bolton, president of Pikes Peak Community College (left) and Tom Neppl, president and chief executive of Springs Fabrication (right) coordinated in opening a new welding training center to fill skills gap.

Called as ‘the first of its kind’ by Pikes Peak Community College (PPCC) and Springs Fabrication leaders, the new state-of-the-art welding training center for high school and college opened on August 21st to fill the skills gap. Shiny new equipment accommodates 15 training welding booths in one of the metal manufacturing buildings of Springs Fabrication on Colorado Springs’ East side. A large classroom down the hall has been completed.

PPCC invested around $130,000 to open this center, and Springs Fabrication used $40,000 for materials, construction costs and upgrades. Also, PPCC supplies classroom furniture, faculty and instructional technology equipment, and handle a monthly rent.

Last Thursday was the grand opening of the new education venture between Pikes Peak Community College and Springs Fabrication, a local business. As said by president of PPCC, Lance Bolton, “This is really unprecedented to have this level of partnership with private industry. It’s on the leading edge”. Both have been eyeing for united efforts for over a year. 

Neppl, president and chief executive of Springs Fabrication, said that lots of graduates from college with degrees that didn’t apply to today’s job, and welding had been at the end of that spectrum. As 55 is the average age of a welder, so many in the laborforce are retiring, and it has been difficult for business owners to seek out qualified welders. He said, “Before the oil and gas bust, it was extremely hard, next to impossible to find skilled workers and hang on to them. Manufacturing skills in general are needed everywhere in the business.”

Meanwhile, as revealed by instructor Lee Corn, the student demand is high. Then developing this center will reply to both students and industry’s demands. Neppl said, this program is geared toward training the entire workforce and for industry and community, not just for funneling graduates to work for his company.

Students study shielded metal arc, gas tungsten arc welding, gas metal arc and other aspects of metal fabrication, and can get hold of associate's degrees or certificates from PPCC.

Springs Fabrication is also using this center for training and testing its workers on advanced welding techniques. The new equipment give immediate feedback on work. 

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Unique Mobile Welding Trailer by M State Has Successfully Met Needs of Companies and Students

The unique welding training trailer by Minnesota State Community and Technical College has won the Minnesota’s State Government Innovation Awards in 2015. This trailer has successfully addressed needs of students and employers.

M State's mobile welding trailer went on the road in May, 2013

This trailer was on top 3 of winners of state government programs recognized during the awards luncheon last July 30th, hosted by University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs, sponsored by Bush Foundation.

Around 300 males and females have been trained in the college’s trailer since it first trained on the road in May 2013. As said by director of M State’s Custom Training Services (CTS) – G.L. Tucker, this mobile welding trailer is designed for redefining education. It has increased students’ education accessibility. 

Particularly, the trailer is intended for meeting industry welding training needs in 19-county region of the college, for offering education to workers unable to enroll in credit-based or on-campus courses, and for addressing companies’ skill demands.

The college has collaborated with reliable manpower agencies, state agencies, businesses, and high schools as well to offer the training, which is generally free to the students.

This training trailer is a converted refrigerated semi-trailer. It houses 12 training stations that Josh Heibel – the instructor teaches important welding skills in sessions ranging from 16 – 160 hours. 

As shared by Tucker, “A typical training is whatever is needed. We can customize the curriculum to meet needs of students and companies. We really feel this is invaluable for businesses. It has probably exceeded our expectations as far as demand. At the same time, students are able to get jobs and careers in welding. By all measures, we would say this has been very successful for us and for the students we serve.”

Amid the success of this welding trailer, M State is tapping into grant funds for development of 3 additional trailers that provide training in terms of commercial driver’s licenses, precision measurement/ manufacturing, industrial/ construction workplace safety.

Also included in top 3 are Minnesota Board on Aging’s program that aids in moving home from long term care facilities, and Minnesota Department of Transportation’s process that accelerates bridge construction.

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A Father Dedicates Whole Year to Welding Astonishingly Giant Transformer for His Son

The giant transformer this guy welded with clever hand, steadfast mind and especially sweetest heart may have made him the world’s coolest father.

A Chinese father may have been titled Father of the Year after realizing his beloved son’s wish – welding a huge Transformer statue.

Wang Liansheng – a shipping welder from Suqian, Eastern Chian, kicked off making the 16-foot Bumblebee model for his dear son after seeing this Hollywood blockbuster, as reported by People’s Daily Online. This sincere gift for his son has now made this man famous when locals have flocked to admire the construction.

An impressive welding art starts from a promise

Wang Liansheng with his enormous Transformer

He revealed that he began building this Transformer in August 2014, after he watched the film with his son. As his son wanted a Transformer, Wang bought him a toy model. But it wasn’t enough for the little one who wanted a bigger robot. He recalled telling his son: “Daddy can’t afford a big model. How about I made you one?” 

Then, to keep this promise, Wang started collecting scrap car parts from a junk yard to make this model with his brother’s help.

He used scrap car parts for construction.

The process is far from easy

Working as a shipyard welder for over a decade, Wang obtained all the proper skills though, it wasn’t plain sailing.

After making the frame and fitting initial parts, he didn’t know how to go on. Wang revealed: “I had to search for pictures on the internet, and tried to figure things out step by step.”

He had to start again on some occasions, because the parts did not fit together as Wang had initially imagined.

He spent one year on the project and figured out things along the way.

A whole year is such a long time to implement a project though, he didn’t mind. He told that because the shipping business hadn’t been very good from the beginning of last year, he had had less work. That’s why he had had much time to work on that project. “We also have lots of space in our yard, which makes it possible”, he added.

Dedication finally pays

A year later, he finally successfully finished welding this life-size model. He asked a painter to apply the signature yellow paint to create Bumblebee. 

The final statue is astonishingly giant.

This Bumblebee was about 16 feet high and 10 feet wide and astonishingly 3 tons heavy. 

Make it a business

Wang is now planning to make a huge Optimus Prime, and has already built the frame.

Whilst the first Transformer is dedicated to his son, Wang expects the second to become a business. Wang optimistically revealed that he was thinking about the future; if that became big in the future, he could afford for welder hiring.

Wang is planning to construct a giant Optimus Prime, and he has already built the frame. He hopes to make this a business in the future.

Wang turns out not to be the only person…

He isn’t the only one to DIY an enormous Bumblebee from scrap parts. A Chinese artist made a yellow Transformer of 6.5 meter tall from 3 junked cars in 2012. Also, a welder from center China built one from scrap car and motorbike parts in 2011.

A giant Bumblebee was seen in Xiamen, Southeast China's Fujian Province, September 26th, 2012. It is 6.5 meters high from 3 scrapped cars.

Welder Xiong Wei in center China made a Bumblebee model from waste car and motorbike parts in 12 days. It is 2.7 meters high.

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Free International Standard Vocational Training Provided in Vietnam to Meet Skilled Workers Demand

To attract more engagement in skilled trades and address higher demand for skilled workers, Lilama 2 Vocational Training College is offering free three-year training courses aligned with international standard for students in Southern province of Dong Nai, Vietnam.

A student in Lilama 2 is practising 6G welding

Situated in Long Thanh district, Lilama 2 is proudly the first school in Vietnam to be accredited as a member of European Association of Institutes for Vocational Training. This college provides international training courses certified with EQF (European Qualifications Framework).

Following their graduation, students will attain the British Accreditation Council’s qualifications accepted in the world’s 100 countries. 

According to Mr. Le Quang Trung, Vice Rector of this college, Lilama 2 has enrolled over 150 students in welding, industrial electronics and mechanical tool manufacturing in the academic year of 2014-2015.

From now to 2016, Lilama 2 plans to enroll additional 400 pupils who reside in Dong Nai.

As one of first TVET (Centers of Excellence for Technical and Vocational Education and Training) in Vietnam, Lilama 2 has a total investment of $37.6 million funded by French and German governments.

This college has also worked with Bosch Vietnam to implement a pilot dual training program in Germany for 46 Vietnamese pupils to address the higher demand for skilled workers.

Expectedly, there will be more and more vocational gradudates with specific skills entering the national and international labor market. To do so, training centers should have proper ways to attract more students and include professional training to keep students updated with ever-changing pace of technology and equip them with knowledge and skills in reply to employers’ strict demands. Students themselves should leverage those programs as a cost-effective way of chasing their welding career through specialization. Also, offshore staffing providers in Vietnam should do their utmost to find out the most appropriate workers to serve the international demand for skilled migrant workers.

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What is the Name of the World's Largest Welding Tool?

This welding tool is part of the family of leading-edge tools developed to weld the key stage of Space Launch System - the most efficient rocket designed for deep-in-space mission.

By aluminium, many people think of aluminium foil or flimsy can of soda.

While it can’t be denied that aluminium is kinda foil, it is one of the most crucial metals when it comes to space. That’s because of its light weight and durability. To consider aluminium as the only protection against the killing void of space may not be comforting. Still, NASA’s cutting-edge aluminium alloy has, evidently, the best design for its newest generation of manned spacecraft.

In this point, NASA has designed a brand-new terrestrial welding tool shaking up aerospace manufacturing, and standing as a gigantic monument to the reasoning of measure-twice and cut-once.

Without fail, welding in space is possible in case of emergency. Still, the process isn’t really easy all the time. Laser welding gives a means of emergency repair in spite of temperature, gravity or air, but obviously, the ideal spaceship is the one that just needs welding together right in the first time.

Do Big Using Vertical Assembly Center

2014 unveiled NASA’s Vertical Assembly Center in Michoud Assembly Facility (New Orleans). It is the world’s biggest spacecraft welding equipment with 170 feet in height and 78 feet in width. Also, it’s part of leading-edge tools developed to weld key stage of SLS (Space Launch System) – the most efficient space rocket ever designed.

For a wide angle view of Vertical Assembly Center (VAC), a 16mm fish-eye lens was utilized at the ribbon cutting ceremony on September 12th, 2014. The VAC is the world's largest spacecraft welding tool. (Photo cr: NASA)

The Vertical Assembly Center would lift the SLS’s components up and down its striking height utilizing a big mobile ring. This ring helps swiftly and correctly position the rocket’s components when moving along rails. Then they can be welded in situ. This center applies friction stir welding – the favored welding techniques for welding aluminium in aerospace manufacturing – to connect the SLS’s components into one vehicle.

NASA's Friction Stir Welding tools (FSW) bring out qualified and strong welds in aluminum alloys employed to manufacture the Orion spacecraft, Space Launch System rocket which will travel a 4-person craw to Mars.

In March, 2015, Boeing, the manufacturer of the Vertical Assembly Center found out that its rails suffered a slight misalignment, retarding the device production in 3 months or so. This misalignment might have resulted from a shift in the soft Louisiana soil making up the center’s foundation. Still, there is no elimination to the possibility of a uncomplicated manufacturing error. Regardless of the cause, the retardation is pretty mirror, and the rocket will still be launched in 2018 as scheduled.

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Vietnam Engineers Create More Cost-Efficient Welding Machines Than Same Imports

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Women Welders: Companies in Middle East Keenly Sought for them

Women welders are in demand in Middle East because they are perceived to have some qualities that the employers find important.

Females appear to be hunted hard in the Middle East as they are deemed possessing some qualities that bosses find critical, said Joel Villanueva, General Director of Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (Tesda, Philippines). 

According to the official responsible for overseeing the country’s technical and vocational education, women are considered meticulous. They are also a pretty serious type. As said by Villanueva, one  reason why women welders are in demand in Middle East is while men often go out at night, women will come back to the dorm after their work. The men are out whilst women fall asleep.

Those from Middle East have been one of the biggest recruiters of Filipino women welders. 

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Vietnamese Engineers Create Lower Cost Welding Machines Than Same Imports

Designed by 2 Vietnamese engineers, those welding machines with cost and time advantages will soon come into market.

Dr. Nguyen Thanh Phuong from Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Dr. Nguyen Van Hieu, deputy director of A41 aircraft repair factory have created an automatic pipe welding machine with much lower production cost than the same imports. This locally made welder will aid engineers in saving money and time for operation and maintenance.

Made-in-Vietnam automatic pipe welding machine

The robust development of Vietnam’s industries has resulted in much higher demand for welders, welding equipment, and state-of-the-art welding technology. All the welding equipment for pipe shaped metal components have been imported, which financially challenges enterprises. Indeed, just foreign-invested companies and large corporations can afford buying the technologies and machines. 

The two engineers kicked off work on an automatic pipe welding machine with high cost efficiency and higher productivity than the conventional welding methods.

This machine consists of 3 parts – those are, electrical-electronic, mechanical, and operation units. Each of them has its own function.

The machine base is designed in a way that enables operators to put it in the areas with different terrain. It can run with one-phase and three-phase AC power sources.

This product has come into operation at shopfloors of A41 factory – a unit of Ministry of National Defence.

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