Welding can be pretty daunting for a beginner, partly because most of the instruction out there jumps right into techniques, settings, wire diameters and metal ......

About jumping right in to it..... it is interesting, when going to school, the students are always complaining that we don't just jump into it without having to learn fundamentals.

When taking manufacturing techniques, in welding we did jujmp into it, then the complaint was we had no fundamental training..... when in fact we did, ....... physical metalurgy come to mind.

To a beginner doesn't knowing the techniques, settings, wire diameters, and metal thicknesses of importance. Don't these answer a lot of the problems a beginner would face.

I apprenticed in the oil field with none of these instructions. Sort of learn by mistakes and get the reasons after. Still welding is some thing that takes practice. Can't learn it all from a book.

What I would like to see is more defined video on what the pool should look like while welding. What an improper pool looks like and causes.

To a beginner doesn't knowing the techniques, settings, wire diameters, and metal thicknesses of importance. Don't these answer a lot of the problems a beginner would face.

Welding manufacturers are addressing that market. With advancements such as Autosets

You still need to develop the skill of using one....... at least rudimentary skills. But even a beginning, like alike of skills that need to be develop, the best way is practice.

Autosets? Welding is pretty hands on. Will it autoset to my technique or do I have to adapt to it?

Then again I had my share of practice leave it to some one else to figure out.

Like I stated earlier....."Welding manufacturers are addressing that market. "

And that market is the novice and inexperience.

As far as welding is pretty hands on, It is hands on.

Things like autoset only helps take some of the intimidation out with the inexperience and these manufacturers hope that it brings in a whole new sector of consumers.

This just takes some of the initial with the lack of a better word "guess work" out of setting up your welder.

But, there will be a few, that thinks the welder (machine) will actually do everything...... well, if that is the case, you may be able to buy a slightly used welder on Craig's List.

Sort sound like the boss. All this new machinery is idiot proof. You put the material in and press the button and it makes the part for you.

Well I keep telling the CNC's that it's their fault. That the idiot put the wrong part in and then ran the wrong program. Crashing it.

So now with this Autoset if it doesn't make the proper adjustment and the welds fail it's the welder manufactures fault.

PS: Don't need another welder got three, four if you include the cutting torch with attachments.

As far as the Autoset on how it works, well, instead of switching the dial to wire feed rates, you turn it to metal thickness, and type of metal, it reads this and sets the amps, and feed rate for you. It actually a simple control and more direct.........

The point that i was trying to make may have been too subtle and that is the manufacturers are trying to open a market that consists of people that would like to weld, that never did or was never good at it, or for what ever reason

And in conclusion, I always believe in the adage, "The tool is only as good as the person who knows how to use it."

I'm surprised, especially coming from MIT, that the movie omitted the highest power density welding process; resistance welding. It is, after all, how auto manufacturers put cars together. There are about 5000 resistance welds per automobile.

Is that robotic welding?

Resistance welding can be done manually, semi-automatically, fully automatically, or robotically. It was invented and patented by Elihu Thomson around the turn of the 20th century and exhibits the highest power density of all welding processes including electron beam and laser.

Thanks, just out of curiosity, in the automotive industry, which process is prevalent.

It's not even close. By quantity of welds/vehicle resistance welding wins hands down. Other processes are slowly gaining acceptance in specialized areas/applications.

I mean resistance welding........ which process....:

manually, semi-automatically, fully automatically, or robotically?

Robots work cheaper than people so they use them wherever possible. I don't have official numbers but guess that 80% of the welds are done with robots. The other 20 % is done manually using equipment similar to what the robot would use, but positioned by an operator. Most semi and fully automatic welding is used on sub-assemblies.