Superheating metal parts and joining them together is the act of the welding process. Although it’s a talent that everyone who works with metal needs, metalworking is also a tonne of fun and a really creative pastime.
You could use your arc welding methods to build things for your home or for artistic ventures. It’s crucial that you do your homework and have all the information you need before you go out and buy your first arc welding machine.
While reading and watching internet training videos can teach you the fundamentals, attending classes or chatting with a qualified or certified welder is the most secure and efficient way to learn.
To help you enter the welding industry with confidence, we’ve chosen a few of the top online welding courses that will teach you everything from fundamental to cutting-edge welding procedures.
In certain programs, welding safety procedures like wearing a welding helmet are also covered to help manage risks and hazards at work.
Learn how to weld online by reading this complete article and start your career!
What Is Welding?
The most affordable and effective method of permanently joining metals is welding. It is the only method for fusing two or more metal pieces together so that they function as a single unit. Our economy depends on welding.
It is frequently said that welding accounts for more than 50% of the U.S. gross domestic product. Welding is one of the most important industrial processes and incorporates more variables and sciences than any other manufacturing process.
A weld can be created in a variety of methods, and there are numerous varieties of welds. While certain processes generate sparks, others don’t even need additional heat. Anywhere welding can be done, including inside or outside, underwater, and in space.
There are numerous industry sectors that employ experienced welders. Mining, construction, and agricultural machinery are made by machinery makers.
They also work with office equipment, heavy equipment, cranes, material handling tools, food processing machines, paper and printing tools, and textiles.
Top 10 Online Welding Courses
Here we’ve outlined some of the best welding courses available online, whether you’re a seasoned welder looking to improve your skill set, or if you’re just starting out in your welding career.
1. Welding Safety Course – EdApp
The act of welding may result in a series of issues regarding health and safety. It can result in small burns and scrapes, as well as more serious long-term conditions like lung or skin cancer as well as nerve damage if handled and used improperly.
In light of this, EdApp has created a free online learning course about welding safety that explores the most prevalent welding risks and the top safety precautions you and your crew can take to reduce them.
The biggest gas welding hazards, including electrocution, gas exposure, and hearing loss due to noise, are discussed here, along with how your workplace may be affected.
2. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Course – EdApp
The first line of defense against occupational dangers, such as those present in the welding sector, is personal protective equipment (PPE).
In order to correctly use and maintain various forms of PPE, such as hard hats, safety goggles, work boots, gloves, as well as other welding equipment, EdApp’s PPE in Construction course outlines the necessary processes.
Even a general overview of the various workplace risks that mig welders would be most likely to experience is included in this course, along with the kind of PPE required to prevent them.
In order to avoid noise-induced hearing damage, which is frequent in welding operations like stick welding or pipe welding, it also examines various hearing preservation techniques.
Overall, the knowledge acquired during this course will assist both employees and employers in maximizing the usage of the appropriate PPE for their jobs as well as the correct methods for donning and maintaining it for long-term usage.
The fact that this PPE welding program is concise and easily absorbed is its strongest feature.
Expect a microlearning design paradigm where the material is presented in bite-sized chunks that are simple to follow and comprehend. Additionally, this course can be finished in a matter of hours rather than days or weeks.
See the course here.
3. Basics Of Welding And Joining Technologies – Alison
The main concepts of professional welding as well as the joining procedure, welding categorization, and welding sources of energy are all covered in this online welding program by Alison.
Although experienced professionals who want to bone up on existing welding expertise can use it as a refresher, its main objective is to offer new mig welders a complete grasp of the joining process.
Additionally covered in this class is the distinction between welding as well as other metal joining techniques like brazing and soldering, as well as how each can help produce seamless welds.
You will discover the advantages of welding as well as the difficulties and restrictions associated with using this metal joining technique as you progress through the course. It will take you two to three hours to complete this course, which is totally free.
4. Understanding Welding Symbols – American Welding Society
You may take control of your welding project with the aid of welding symbols and prints, leading to better and more seamless results.
Given this, it should be obvious that anyone who works with welding should be able to read and understand these symbols.
Understanding Welding Symbols is a comprehensive course offered by the American Welding Society that covers the fundamental elements of welding symbols as well as how to read and understand typical weld symbols.
Additionally, it will show you how to create a welding symbol by using an arrow, a reference line, or auxiliary symbols. It will also show you how to recognize the many kinds of welds and their corresponding symbols.
To promote greater pupil engagement, this virtual welding course makes use of a variety of interactive features, including voice narration, animated images, and practice problems.
5. Oxyfuel Operations – TPC
Learners should gain more knowledge of oxyfuel cutting and welding, which, in contrast to conventional gas welding and cutting, uses oxygen and fuel gas, through this virtual welding course from TPC.
Participation in this course will give you and your team a thorough knowledge of the fundamental standard procedures for producing smooth beautiful welds using oxyfuel, as well as how this method varies from some of the other metal joining procedures, such as robotic welding, oxyacetylene welding, arc and braze welding, and welding torch brazing.
The safety considerations that must be followed while using the oxyfuel method to better weld or cut metals are also covered in this course.
The risk of cuts, crushed fingers and toes, burns, and eye damage, which are particularly prevalent in oxyfuel operations, can be greatly reduced by carefully following these instructions. Both a course manual and an online class and test are options for this course.
6. Welding Fumes & Gas Safety 121 – Tooling-U-SME
Workers who breathe in the visible smoke produced by welding, which contains dangerous metal vapours and gas welding, risk developing acute and chronic ailments.
The Tooling U-SME course Welding Fumes & Gases Safety 121 explores potentially harmful metals and gases used in welding and how they can be controlled by engineering controls, venting, and the use of the right PPE.
The exposure limits and fume control rules established by OSHA and other relevant organizations are also covered in this course, along with how following them can significantly lessen possible health and safety risks associated with welding.
Since this course is entirely online, you can take it and finish it at your own leisure.
7. Welding, Cutting, & Brazing Safety – OSHAcademy
The online lessons in the Welding, Cutting, & Brazing Safety course from OSHA Academy are intended to refresh the knowledge of seasoned employees and expose novice mig welders to the risks associated with welding, cutting, or brazing activities.
This course covers a variety of welding processes, such as TIG and MIG welding, as well as the risks associated with being exposed to dangerous gases and materials, such as tungsten and carbon monoxide, and the relevant OSHA safety regulations, including the proper use of protective gear.
A solid grasp of these subjects will provide you with the tools you need to approach these potentially dangerous tasks with a proactive perspective, enabling you to successfully learn to weld, cut, or braze through various sheets of steel effectively while preventing accidents.
This course is available for free and is simple to access on any browser or mobile device. The design of this course seems a little dated, and the training and safety films that are part of the modules aren’t quite up to date, which is the primary disadvantage.
8. Shielded Metal Arc Welding – 360 Training
SMAW, or shielded metal arc welding, which is practical, lightweight, and portable, has been acknowledged as one of the most favored arc welding technology of the present. Maybe you want to use this machinery to weld a workpiece?
Start by enrolling in 360training’s online welding course. You will learn about the fundamentals of SMAW in this section, including its benefits and drawbacks, the parts of the machinery, and how to use this gear on farms, building sites, and industrial manufacturing.
Additionally covered in this course are the fundamentals of shielding from gas metal arc welding, safe workpiece melting techniques, and how to apply filler metal without risking injury.
This program may be finished in about 30 minutes, making it ideal for students with shorter attention spans. Following training completion, a welding certificate or welding certification is also made accessible, which you can show to coworkers and potential employers.
9. Destructive Test Methods – Hobart Institute
The online welding course from Hobart Institute examines destructive testing, which is a welding testing technique that obliterates materials to learn more about their resilience and strength to pressure.
It goes on the fundamentals of various destructive testing techniques, including guided bend tests, nick break tests, and tensile and impact tests. It also covers the procedures needed to carry out these tests.
Most welders, engineers, testers, and quality control managers who must conduct welding tests and identify weld faults would benefit greatly from this metallurgy welding course.
It is available as a standalone compliance training resource, but you can take it in conjunction with Hobart Institute’s nondestructive testing techniques training if necessary.
10. OSHA for Employees (US only) – EdApp
Employers are required to shield their workers from any dangers related to welding and provide a secure workplace in light of all the safety dangers involved.
Employers and employees alike should always abide by OSHA’s inspection procedures and health standards, which are introduced in this EdApp welding course.
Additionally, it goes into great length regarding the rights and obligations of employees, whistleblower protection, and the various ways in which they can report safety hazards in the event of protocol violations or non-compliance.
Employers and trainers can use EdApp’s authoring tool to modify and rename these virtual online welding courses before distributing them to their employees.
You can also include your brand, company-specific welding policies, and procedures, or even games and quizzes to increase student involvement.
Final Thoughts
Investing in proper welding education will help you thrive and advance in the job market, regardless of whether you’re a new worker preparing to enter the welding industry or a seasoned professional welder looking to enhance your welding skills and expertise in this profession.
You and your coworkers will be able to develop a solid understanding of beginner to advanced welding operations, tools, and procedures through welding training classes, which will help you improve your welding proficiency, skills, and welding process.
Given that welding is a risky construction activity, some training programs also incorporate various welding safety measures into their curricula.
This often requires understanding welding symbols, recognizing significant dangers, and donning the appropriate personal protective gear to minimize welding risks.
It has never been simpler to advance your welding abilities thanks to the growth of online welding courses.
Find the ideal online welding education for you using the tips in the article above. To determine whether these courses match your workshop learning welding goals, be sure to look into the course’s content focus, price, and manner of delivery.
