Welders use hand-welding or flame-cutting equipment to weld or join metal components or to fill holes, indentations, or seams of fabricated metal products. In this process, heat is applied to metal pieces, melting and fusing them to form a permanent bond. Because of its strength, welding is used in shipbuilding, automobile manufacturing and repair, aerospace applications, and thousands of other manufacturing activities. Welding is also used to join beams in the construction of buildings, bridges, and other structures and to join pipes in pipelines, power plants, and refineries. Topics you will study: Health and safety for welders Installation, set-up, and maintenance of equipment Surface welds Square groove and fillet welds Quality of welds Metal transfer and shielding gases Single V-groove welds