Over the last couple of months, I-CAR has been discussing welding requirements for heavy duty collision repair. Brian Wasson, Welding Program Manager at I-CAR, presented ‘What’s New in Heavy Duty Welding’ at the HD Forum in Fort Worth, Texas. We have already discussed identifying materials, preparing your working environment and the welding process.
As you heard, the materials used to build vehicles have moved from the mild steel we all know to new construction methods such as High-Strength Steel, Ultra-High Strength Steel, Aluminum and more to come. GMA MAG (Metal Active Gas, commonly referred as MIG) welding has become the automotive industry standard for repairs. Thanks to the influx of new materials that require less heat, other attachment methods have been introduced like MIG brazing, spot welding, and rivet bonding.
How can you make sure you and your staff have the skills and knowledge to perform those repairs? I-CAR provides welding training for technicians that includes explanations of how welding has changed and hands-on instruction to develop the skills and methods for quality welds. In addition, I-CAR also provides specific hands-on course to address these other attachment methods too.
Welding background is provided through courses on hazardous materials, welding theory, and panel repair and replacement. Hands-on training includes work on Aluminum and Steel GMA methods, along with Rivet Bonding, MIG Brazing and Squeeze-Type Resistance Spot Welding. I-CAR works with many automotive manufacturers to help develop welding programs appropriate for their models.
Whether you are welding the frame or other parts of the vehicle, proper training will help you gain and apply the knowledge and skills to execute those welds with confidence. That confidence makes your work better and your customers safer.