Welding Engineering

The Ohio State University is one of only a few programs in the world to offer Bachelor's, Master's, and Ph.D. degrees in Welding Engineering and the only ABET accredited Welding Engineering undergraduate program in the United States. While many people think of welding in terms of a process, such as arc welding, it is in practice a complex engineering discipline that involves aspects of materials science & metallurgy, lasers, thermodynamics, design, inspection & quality assurance, robotics, and mechanical, electrical & electronic systems.

Welding engineers must understand the properties behind the joining of materials to ensure that joined structures are safe and a benefit to society. Welding engineers have expertise in materials science, including steels, nonferrous alloys and polymeric materials, and in process technology, including arc welding, lasers, resistance welding, brazing, and soldering. They also are experts in robotics, from programming and applications to sensors and controls.

Welding Engineering graduates are well-prepared for solving complex problems and making critical engineering decisions in a wide range of possible career paths and industrial fields related to welding. Working environments include automation and high speed production, fabrication, manufacturing, and research. Our highly sought-after Welding Engineering graduates take jobs in various industry sectors including nuclear, petrochemical, automotive, medical, ship building, aerospace, power generation, and heavy equipment manufacturing.

Research in the Welding Engineering program emphasizes:

• Welding Metallurgy
• Additive Manufacturing
• Welding Process Monitoring
• Non-Destructive Evaluation
• Welding Process Development

Research Centers in Welding Engineering

Manufacturing and Materials Joining Innovation Center

The Manufacturing and Materials Joining Innovation Center (Ma²JIC) was approved by the National Science Foundation in September 2010 as an Industry and University Cooperative Research Center (IUCRC). Director: Professor Antonio Ramirez

As the second largest IUCRC in the nation, by income, Ma2JIC is driving materials joining innovation in industries ranging from energy generation and aerospace, to automotive and defense with $5.3M in annual research investment from 44 unique industry member companies. We boast 76 faculty and student researchers across our five university partners and have 29 current research projects.

Technical needs related to materials joining in fossil energy, nuclear energy, alternative energy, energy efficiency, and energy storage applications can be grouped under six broad categories:

• joining of existing materials
• joining of new advanced materials
• joining of dissimilar materials
• additive manufacturing for hybrid materials
• life extension of existing joints
• rapid evaluation of life of weldments

Center for Weldability Evaluation

The Center for Weldability Evaluation (CWE) is located within the EJTC facility on west campus and is dedicated to:

• addressing failures and loss of properties in welds of advanced alloys
• implementing advanced alloys in critical weld structures
• supporting invention and development of metallic alloys with improved weldability
• developing innovative tools and methods for weldability evaluation
• contributing to the improvement of energy efficiency, safety, service performance and reliability in power generation and power conversion systems

Their testing capabilities include cast pin tear test, DIC tensile testing, delayed hydrogen cracking testing, and stress relief cracking test. Graduate, undergraduate and post-doctoral students perform the technical research and testing under the direction of Professor Boian Alexandrov.

Center for Design and Manufacturing Excellence

The Center for Design and Manufacturing Excellence (CDME) was established to provide university and industrial partners with the necessary resources to rapidly transition technology to higher levels of readiness using four strategic activities:

• Conducting applied research and development for university, industry and government partners
• Leveraging advanced equipment to conduct standardized testing and machining services
• Managing full-scale manufacturing user facilities
• Providing undergraduate students with hands-on manufacturing & engineering experience while they complete their degree

CDME is staffed by two dozen industry-hardened engineers, technicians, program managers and roughly 40 undergraduate student employees. The center averages 50 concurrent projects with an average duration of four to six months. Director: Nate Ames

Research Faculty in Welding Engineering

Teaching and Clinical Faculty