The Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME)recently announced the latest recipients of the SME Scholarships.

Kyle Riegel who is entering his first year at Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, plans to major in electrical and mechanical engineering. With the support of the SME Education Foundation Family Scholarship, Kyle will begin his path to becoming an engineer.

Children or grandchildren of SME members are eligible for the Family Scholarship. The recipient must be a graduating high school senior or undergraduate student with no more than 30 credit hours, maintain a G.P.A of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, have a minimum SAT score of 1,000 or ACT of 21 and be pursuing a degree in manufacturing engineering, technology or a closely related engineering field of study at an accredited college or university in the United States or Canada.

Other scholarships were awarded through the Directors Scholarship program:

Christopher Bird of Bridgeville, Penn., will graduate in 2009 with a degree in manufacturing engineering from Robert Morris University.

Benjamin Ferron of White Bear Lake, Minn., will graduate in 2011 with a degree in manufacturing engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Stout.

Directors Scholarship applicants must be full-time undergraduate students currently enrolled in a manufacturing degree program at a U.S. or Canadian college. The recipient must have an overall minimum G.P.A. of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, have complete at least 30 college credit hours and demonstrate leadership skills in a community, academic or profession environment.

The Society of Manufacturing Engineers Education Foundation is one of the nation’s leading non-profit organizations dedicated to advancing manufacturing education. Its approach is three-fold: to inspire youth to pursue careers in manufacturing; to support students studying for a career in an engineering-related field and prepare these students through its Manufacturing Education Plan grant program in colleges and technical schools.

Since 1980, the Foundation has provided more than $19 million in grants, scholarships and awards. As we get ready to go to school, or send our kids to school, professional organizations like SME can be invaluable resources, offering a lot of financial help for well-deserving, high-achieving future engineers not to mention great opportunities for networking with future co-workers and learning first hand what the job is all about.

Read more about these fine students online. And drop a note in the comment section here if you have any advice to offer a young person starting out in manufacturing.

We did our first video shoot at Arc-Zone.com last week. We’ve seen the rough cuts, and we’ll be posting them online soon, but in the meantime, check out Joe Welder’s write up on how the day went –>

The hottest thing on the internet… in case you haven’t been paying attention… is video. It’s a great way to share information with customers, and Miller Electric has joined the party!

They just announced the addition of pipe welding videos on their website:

Miller Electric Mfg. Co.’s Pipe Welding Technique videos are now available for free downloading on the Miller Website at MillerWelds.com/education/articles/article125.html. These videos explain techniques and technology that increase pipe-welding productivity. On-line video topics include new advances in pipe welding techniques, preparation of the pipe joint, RMD™ on carbon steel pipe, RMD on stainless steel pipe and cap and fill passes with Pro-Pulse™. A free CD containing these videos can also be ordered by visiting MillerWelds.com/products/multiprocess/pipepro_welding_system/
CONTINUE READING PRESS RELEASE –>

AND just a note. The videos are available for streaming, not download! There’s some good basic information. Pipe welders may be interested in some of the purge gas equipment that Arc-Zone.com carries: purge bladders, weld tape, water soluble purge film and tape.

Arc-Zone.com® Inc., the first internet-only company to sell welding and cutting accessories online, has added electrode holders for Stick/SMAW welding to their ecommerce website.

In addition to the standard shortstub and tong style electrode holders, Arc-Zone sells Stick Electrode holders complete with DINSE connectors and leads – choose from 12.5’ to 50’ lengths.

Arc-Zone.com president Jim Watson says, “We’re really taking advantage of our new ecommerce site which lets us add products, responding quickly to our customers’ demands.”

Founded in June 1998, Arc-Zone delivers proprietary, brand name and OEM replacement parts and accessories for GMAW, GTAW and Plasma Arc Welding and Cutting applications to customers worldwide.

For more information, visit the Arc-Zone.com web site at www.arc-zone.com, call (800) 944-2243 or email sales@arc-zone.com.

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Although this is not related to welding in the least (unless some of these girlz are riding a custom chopper!) a friend of mine is a member of the San Diego Sol Sisters motorcycle club and they’re doing this ride for charity:

On June 21st, 10 women from San Diego will be firing up their motorcycles to make a 15-day trip through 12 states. Our main destination is Graceland and we plan to arrive on 6/25/08 for a 2-day stay. We will have a documentary filmmaker along for the ride, as this trip is about so much more than just getting to Graceland. It’s about our journey as women, a celebration of why we ride, and an homage to the rebels of yesteryear who saw the open road as an escape, a challenge, and a friend. The documentary will be submitted to the Sundance Film Festival in October 2008 for their 2009 season.

When we reach Memphis, we’ll be stopping at Presley Place, a homeless shelter which is supported by Lisa Marie Presley and the Elvis Presley Foundation. While the dozens of parents at the shelter attend a Life Skills class, we’ll be babysitting their children - taking photos on the motorcycles, providing them with biker toys and leading a cooking class on “How to Make a Biker Meal.”

READ MORE ONLINE–>

And if you see them on the road, wish them a safe journey!

Arc-Zone.com has partnered with Master Fabricator Ron Covell to bring you some terrific DVDs on How To Weld. Ron himself worked with us to select the premium DVDs he felt would best serve our customers:

• Basic Techniques for Working with Steel
• Chopping and Sectioning
• Hammerforming Techniques
• MIG Welding Made Easy
• TIG Welding Basics and
• Working with Tubing

These DVDs should get you well on your way to Weld Like A PRO™!

I’m not a huge fan of either Carrie Underwood (though she has a great voice) or country music (although I totally respect some of the storytelling lyrics)  but I noticed this the other day, and had to say whooo hooo!

Check it out, right at minute 2:22 on the All American Girl video.  It shows up again at 2:49, flames and everything!

Probably too late to register for the Spitfire Forge June 8-14, 2008 Women’s Welding Workshop (in Taos, NM one of the most beautiful places on our planet) but there is still time to sign up for the October 26- November 1, 2008 workshop.

The class is taught by metal artist Christina Sprongg, originally from Stockholm, Sweden. She now works as a blacksmith and fabricator in New Mexico. She has been teaching since 1996, advocating metal as a “tangible medium for all to tackle.”

The class is a “non-competitive and comfortable environment where students can familiarize themselves with welding and forging tools at their own pace.”

Taos is a wonderful place, and this week long workshop includes instruction, all materials, field trips, lodging… and more! Register Today…

Another great tip from Weldcraft®

Maintaining good electrical contact between your tungsten and collet helps improve current transfer and weld quality. Keep your TIG torch components tightened and check regularly for worn parts.

Why do boys get to have all the fun?

This just in from Lincoln Electric’s iWeld newsletter (if you’re not signed up yet, go do it now! they send lots of great articles and my favorite, the How I Did It section showcasing different projects submitted by real life welders.)

Project Go Cart was submitted by Martin Ziskind and his son and built in 9 days…. would have been a great mother/daughter project too!

For some great how-to pics to stimulate your imagination, visit the Lincoln Electric site.