Page 14 - HIWT Spring 2017 World of Welding

HIWT Hosts 2017 Southwest Regional Skills USA Welding Competition

By Melinda Jeffery
In the early morning hours of February
18th, 38 students and instructors from
schools in southwest Ohio gathered at
Hobart Institute of Welding Technology
for the 2017 Southwest Regional Skills
USA Welding and Weld Fabrication
Competition. These students were
eligible to participate in the regional
competition by qualifying at their local
high schools. Skills USA is a national
organization consisting of students,
teachers and industry representatives
that work together to ensure America
has a skilled workforce. With over
12.2 million members since it was
founded in 1965, Skills USA has 18,000
sections and 52 state and territorial
associations.

The 2017 Southwest Skills USA
welding competition had eleven
students participating in the
welding portion, and 11 teams of
3 that competed in the fabrication
competition. Skills USA provided
the following details outlining the
requirements for the welding skills and
fabrication competitions.
The welding skills competition
included a written test and a weld
project. Competitors received contest
drawings and a set of welding
procedure specifications. All drawings,
welding symbols, and welding terms
conform to the latest edition of the
American Welding Society standards.
Through a series of stations,
contestants were tested on various aspects of welding: measuring 24” wide x 30” high. The maximum height of the Candelabra sitting
weld replicas, using weld measuring gauges; laying out a plate on the table should be 44” measured from the floor. The design was
and using oxy-acetylene equipment to cut several holes that were to include holes or design holders for 8 candles with a 1” diameter.
checked for accuracy and quality; Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) The candelabra was to be designed so that it can be moved/carried
on steel making welds in various positions using short circuiting safely by two officers and should not protrude more than 6” over
transfers; Flux Cored Arc Welding (FCAW) using a shielding gas, the space on the table. The group was responsible for determining
making welds in various positions and, using a combination the appropriate welds necessary to deliver a clean and workable
machine capable of providing the correct welding current for product. Each group met with the judges and explained how they
shielded metal arc (SMAW) and gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW). decided on the candelabra they made, why they used the welds
Competitors completed the steel project and welded an aluminum they did, discussed the drawings in their portfolio, and answered
project in various positions using a variety of filler metals. questions asked by the judges. Additionally, each team was given a
written test.
The welding fabrication competition is a theme based competition.
Each team was tasked with the job of manufacturing a candelabra The top three students and teams will move on to the Skills USA
for the school local officer installation ceremony. The specifications Ohio Championship that will be held in Columbus, OH on April 11-
for the candelabra were that it must fit on a table that is 18” deep x 12, 2017.

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