Underwater Welding Latest News

Monday, Apr 19, 2010

Students In Action in PDA's Purpose Built Welding Tank

The Professional Diving Academy has recently completed its latest underwater coded welding course, which was run by leading industry expert, Mr David Keats, MD of Speciality Welds. The 'Weldcraft-Pro’, programme which was developed and is managed by Speciality Welds, has been highly popular for divers wishing to break into the niche market area of underwater welding. Although this latest course only concluded a short time ago, PDA are delighted to report that two of the six graduates are already working as diver welders. Both have been employed on two separate contracts welding protective anodes onto steel sheet piling, providing  vital corrosion protection.

This type of work typically requires a structural weld and with vast amounts of steelwork located around many coastal harbors, docks and canals, remains an invaluable tool for protecting many important installations. Where corrosion protection has been omitted or has failed completely, underwater welding can also be used to repair areas of steel decay. The normal method is to weld on a steel overlapping patch which covers and protects the damaged areas. Again the client will typically request a structural weld, to the same recognised standards as those taught at the Professional Diving Academy.  

The Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology has now formally recognised this welding programme. Senior spokesman Mr. Ben Saunders said, “I can confirm that the members of IMarEST Continuing Professional Development Working Group were most impressed with this training course and have recognised it as contributing to an individual member’s professional development requirements”. Speciality Welds offers the Weldcraft-pro to commercial diver training schools and other specialist training organisations as a ‘self-teach’ programme. In this way, organisations such as the Professional Diving Academy, now have the opportunity to deliver approved/recognised welder training, together with international certification.

Training follows the International Institute of Welding (IIW) and European Welding Federation (EWF) guidelines for fillet welding and culminates in approval to ISO 15618-1, or AWS D3.6 welder qualifications. The programme is 80 hours in duration and certification is issued by EAL (EMTA) Awards, under the approved Test Centre status of Speciality Welds. As Mr Keats has previously stated, “this programme is the only one available, anywhere in the world, that provides an opportunity for commercial diver training organisations serious about equipping divers with appropriate welding skills, to meet assessed competency standards that meet industry requirements”.

Source: Professional Diving Academy