Welding
Welding metal structures.
A welder joins metal structures into a single whole — pipelines, pressure vessels, bridge and building frames all hold together because of this work. The weld may be hidden from view, but the reliability of the entire structure depends on it.
At the championship competitors work in four processes: manual metal arc (MMA), semi-automatic (MAG), tungsten inert gas (TIG) and sometimes flux-cored wire. They work with steel, stainless steel and aluminium; welds are made in flat, vertical and overhead positions — in other words, in the most awkward conditions. The finished piece then goes through visual inspection, measurement and sometimes radiographic or pressure testing.
This has long been a strong discipline for Team Uzbekistan: 3rd place at the 2022 Eurasian championship and a Medallion for Excellence in Abu Dhabi in 2023.
Requirements
Confident reading of drawings and welding symbols, correct choice of material and electrode grade, and the ability to match current to travel speed.
Safety is assessed separately: no one approaches the bay without a helmet, leather gauntlets, flame-resistant clothing and extraction ventilation. Breaking the rules costs marks and can lead to disqualification.
Under WorldSkills rules a competitor must not turn older than 22 in the year of the competition.
Equipment
Inverter MMA/MAG machine, TIG torch and argon cylinder, plasma cutter, angle grinder, cut-off saw.
Measurement and inspection: welding gauges, vernier caliper, angle gauge, dye-penetrant or magnetic-particle testing kit.
Protection: auto-darkening helmet, gauntlets, leather apron, respirator, local fume extraction.
Assessment criteria
Assessment follows the WorldSkills Occupational Standards and has two parts: measurement (exact parameters of the piece) and judgement (quality of execution).
Main sections: weld geometry and evenness, dimensional accuracy against the drawing, internal defects (porosity, cracks, lack of fusion), distortion, housekeeping and observance of safety rules.
Each module runs on a separate day and is marked separately; the total is scaled to 100 points.
Experts
Akhmedov Sobirjon Bakhodurovich
Chief Expert