Good morning -

Today wraps up an exciting week of competition here at Fabtech 2010. The final six American SkillsUSA contestants are battling it out for three spots in the Kansas City competition where a champion will be crowned. That champion will move on to represent the U.S. at the World Skills competition. AWS provides the American winner with a $40,000 scholarship provided by Miller

These final six competitors have been narrowed down from 24. Nick Peterson, a former champion, talks about the contest and why it’s important to the industry:

SkillsUSA Video

Here’s a description of the contest from the SkillsUSA website:

Competitors receive contest drawings and a set of welding procedure specifications. All drawings, welding symbols, and welding terms conform to the latest edition of the American Welding Society standards. Through a series of stations, contestants are tested on various aspects of welding: measuring weld replicas, using weld measuring gauges; laying out a plate and using oxy-acetylene equipment to cut several holes that are checked for accuracy and quality; Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) on steel making welds in various positions using short circuiting transfers; Flux Cored Arc Welding (FCAW) using a shielding gas, making welds in various positions and, using a combination machine capable of providing the correct welding current for shielded metal arc (SMAW) and gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW). Competitors complete the steel project and weld an aluminum project in various positions using a variety of filler metals.

We also chatted with folks around the show and the competition about the shortage of skilled welders and why today’s youth should consider this skilled trade:

Pursuing a Career in Welding

What do you think? What will it take to engage today’s youth in a career in welding?

We kicked off FABTECH today with a major announcement that introduces Miller Welding Automation. You can WATCH leaders of Miller Welding Automation discuss the new strategic partnership here.

Check out the press release and see our new brochure at our new Automation page here.

This strategic partnership makes Miller Welding Automation the distribution route for Panasonic robotic welding arms in North America. The welding arms will be combined with Miller products and delivered to the market as part of a complete automated welding system. As part of this transaction, Miller has purchased assets of the Panasonic Factory Solutions Company of America (PFSA) welding automation business.

Welcome

First order of business: welcome to FABTECH 2010. We’re excited to be here again – not that we need the reminder, but as we walk around the convention center and the hotels, we see just how lucky we are to be a part of this industry. FABTECH attendees are some of the most innovative and talented folks you’ll find working today, and we’re honored to be of service to you.

If you find yourself wandering around the hall, please visit us in Hall C, booth # 6811. Tim Temby gives you a brief glimpse into what you’ll see in the Miller booth:

Welcome to FABTECH 2010

We also have a major industry announcement happening today at 9:00 a.m. EST. The press conference gets out at roughly 10 a.m., expect to see the news then. We’ll report back here later in the day with it as well.

As with last year, you can follow along via your preferred social media outlet, or you can see them all at once by visiting our FABTECH social media dashboard: Click here!

Not following Miller online? You can find us here:

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We’ll update you from the show floor again later in the day – but in the meantime, what are you excited to see at FABTECH? What do you think are the biggest challenges facing our industry today?