Welding’s history dates back 5,500 years to the Bronze Age when a clever worker learned he could fuse metal alloys together by heating them to their melting point then pounding them together with a hammer. Ever since then, welding technology has had a major impact on metalworking and product engineering. Across the next few millennia, welding has grown into an incredibly high-tech and specialized skill. According to the American Welding Society and National Center for Welding Education & Training, welders today may be trained to operate robots and various automated systems that include the use of explosives, and even lasers and electron beams to bond metals. The ability to work with computers and program software often is vital to successful welding operations. For example, many welding students are being introduced to the trade through “virtual welding,” a simulation program that teaches the basics of welding in a classroom through a realistic sensor experience that duplicates the look and feel of actual welding.
