Joining processes — Planning and preparation

Introduction

Module: Joining processes — Planning and preparation

Selected jurisdiction: New Zealand

This aiMOOC is for vocational learners in blacksmithing, artistic metalwork, engineering fabrication, and related craft-metalwork settings. It concentrates on the decisions and preparation that must happen before a joining process begins: understanding the job, identifying materials, selecting an appropriate process, reading the drawing or specification, preparing the joint, planning fit-up and distortion control, arranging tools and consumables, and controlling risk.

The language used here follows terminology found in New Zealand fabrication training and workplace practice. NZQA's current New Zealand Certificate in Engineering Fabrication (Trade) (Level 4), Ref 2719, uses terms including engineering fabrication, job planning, GMAW, MMAW, FCAW, GTAW, distortion control, drawings, specifications, and industry standards. In a workshop you may also hear GMAW called MIG, GTAW called TIG, and MMAW called stick welding; use the terminology required by your employer, training provider, drawing, welding procedure, or assessor.

Safety boundary: This course does not authorise you to carry out hot work. Do not independently use a forge, welding power source, oxy-fuel equipment, powered grinder, thermal cutter, or other hazardous joining equipment unless you are trained, authorised, and supervised as required by your workplace or education provider. The practical demonstration in this module is a planning-and-fit-up demonstration that can be completed cold. If a tutor extends it into hot work, the tutor must control that activity under the approved workplace or training procedure.

Authority rule: New Zealand law, WorkSafe New Zealand guidance, the current edition of any applicable standard or code, the job specification, the manufacturer's instructions, and your workplace's approved procedures take precedence over this aiMOOC.

MOOCwiki metadata	Details
Exact title	Joining processes — Planning and preparation
Module	Planning and preparation
Parent learning area	Joining processes
Target learners	Vocational learners in blacksmithing, artistic metalwork, and engineering fabrication
Jurisdiction	New Zealand
Language	English
Level	Introductory to intermediate vocational
Review status	Prepared for subject-matter expert review; official-source check dated 1 September 2026
Open licence	Course text is intended for release under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0. Third-party media retain the licences stated on their source pages.

The forge remains central to blacksmithing, but planning a join may also lead you to a fusion weld, a brazed joint, a riveted or collared connection, or a redesign that avoids joining altogether. The correct choice depends on function, material, appearance, service conditions, access, available competence, applicable specifications, and risk.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this module, you should be able to explain how practitioners plan a metal-joining job, distinguish common joining processes, identify the information that must be confirmed before work begins, plan a safe fit-up, recognise when a welding procedure or competent specialist is required, explain key New Zealand safety duties, identify common preparation faults, and produce a documented joining plan suitable for expert review.

New Zealand framework and current check

This course uses New Zealand law and training references only. It does not claim that an overseas qualification, certificate, standard, welding ticket, apprenticeship, or job title is automatically equivalent in New Zealand.

Occupational safety: WorkSafe New Zealand identifies the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 as New Zealand's key work health and safety law. Under the Act, a person conducting a business or undertaking, or PCBU, has the primary duty of care and must eliminate risks so far as is reasonably practicable; where elimination is not reasonably practicable, risks must be minimised so far as is reasonably practicable. Workers must take reasonable care of their own health and safety, avoid adversely affecting others, follow reasonable instructions, and cooperate with reasonable workplace health and safety policies and procedures.

General risk management: The Health and Safety at Work (General Risk and Workplace Management) Regulations 2016 cover hazard identification, the hierarchy of controls, maintenance and review of controls, information, supervision, training and instruction, PPE, ignition sources, and substances hazardous to health.

Welding-specific guidance: WorkSafe New Zealand states that there is no known safe level of exposure to welding fume and that adequate ventilation is essential whenever welding is carried out. WorkSafe also notes that brazing and soldering can create fume. Planning therefore has to include source control such as local exhaust ventilation where appropriate, not only PPE.

2026 law-change note: WorkSafe New Zealand states that 2026 amendments to health and safety law come into effect on 1 April 2027. This course was checked on 1 September 2026. Learners and reviewers must re-check official sources for any change in force after that date.

Vocational qualification reference: NZQA lists the New Zealand Certificate in Engineering Fabrication (Trade) (Level 4), Ref 2719, as current at the date of this course check. Its graduate profile includes job planning, material selection, drawings and specifications, GMAW, MMAW, FCAW, GTAW, distortion control, quality systems, communication, and health and safety. This aiMOOC is not itself an NZQA programme or credential.

Standards reference: Standards New Zealand lists AS/NZS ISO 5817:2024 as current. It addresses quality levels for imperfections in fusion-welded joints in specified metallic materials. Depending on the job, other standards such as AS/NZS 1554.1 for structural steel welding or AS/NZS 2980 for qualification of arc welders for steels may be invoked by a design, contract, code, or employer. Do not assume that a standard applies merely because the work is metalwork; confirm the scope and current edition for the actual job.

Official sources:

Core Concepts

Start with the job, not the process

A professional joining plan begins with the finished requirement. Before deciding to weld, braze, forge weld, rivet, or collar, ask what the object has to do. A decorative gallery piece has different requirements from a gate hinge, a handrail component, a structural bracket, a fireplace tool, or a repair to unknown historic ironwork.

A useful planning sequence is:

Planning question	What you need to establish	Why it matters
What is the function?	Load, movement, heat exposure, weather exposure, wear, impact, and whether failure could injure someone	Function determines the required level of engineering control, inspection, and competence
What is specified?	Drawing, dimensions, tolerances, joint type, finish, weld symbol, procedure, standard, client requirement, or conservation requirement	The specification outranks personal preference
What are the parent materials?	Confirmed grade or type, thickness or section, surface coating, previous treatment, and condition	Material identity affects process compatibility, fume, heat effects, filler choice, and repairability
What process is suitable?	Forge welding, GMAW, GTAW, MMAW, FCAW, brazing, soldering, riveting, collaring, bolting, or another approved method	Process choice affects access, appearance, distortion, consumables, equipment, and risk
What must be controlled before joining?	Joint preparation, cleanliness, fit-up, root gap if specified, alignment, restraint, tack plan, distortion, shielding, access, and inspection hold points	Most quality problems are easier to prevent before heat is applied
Who is authorised and competent?	Learner, tutor, qualified tradesperson, welding supervisor, inspector, engineer, or other responsible person as required	The work may require supervision, a qualified procedure, or formal inspection

Joining-process families relevant to blacksmithing and artistic metalwork

Process	Practitioner meaning	Typical planning considerations	Example in artistic metalwork
Forge welding	A solid-state pressure join made by heating compatible metal to a suitable forging condition and consolidating prepared surfaces under hammer or press	Material compatibility, scarf geometry, clean mating surfaces, scale control, overlap, access, fire or furnace capability, and a controlled forging sequence	Joining the ends of a forged ring or creating a traditional scarfed connection
GMAW	Gas metal arc welding, commonly called MIG in workshop speech	Drawing or WPS, parent material, filler wire, shielding gas, joint preparation, electrical setup by an authorised person, fit-up, torch access, fume control, and distortion	Attaching a mild-steel decorative element to a fabricated frame
GTAW	Gas tungsten arc welding, commonly called TIG	Cleanliness, accurate fit-up, filler compatibility, shielding, access, heat control, and surface finish	Fine visible joins on thin stainless or non-ferrous decorative work where the procedure permits
MMAW	Manual metal arc welding, often called stick welding	Electrode selection, storage condition, polarity and setup to procedure, access, slag removal, fume, and fit-up	Repair or fabrication work where the approved procedure specifies MMAW
FCAW	Flux-cored arc welding	Wire type, shielding arrangement if required, fume control, procedure, fit-up, and position	Fabrication where productivity and section size make FCAW appropriate
Brazing	A joining process in which a filler metal melts and flows into the joint while the parent metal remains solid	Joint clearance to the approved procedure, surface cleanliness, filler and flux compatibility, heat source, ventilation, fire control, and post-cleaning	Joining selected decorative components where a lower parent-metal temperature is useful
Riveting or collaring	Mechanical joining by a rivet, collar, wrap, or forged mechanical feature rather than a fusion weld	Hole position if used, hot or cold forming plan, access, mechanical retention, appearance, and movement	Traditional gatework, grilles, straps, and decorative frames

Do not treat these processes as interchangeable. A join that looks acceptable may still be unsuitable for its load, environment, material, or governing specification.

Joint type, joint preparation, and fit-up

Five common geometric joint types are butt, lap, tee, corner, and edge joints. The geometry is not the same thing as the welding process. For example, a tee joint may be joined by a fillet weld, brazing, a riveted bracket, or another approved method.

Joint preparation means preparing the edges and surfaces so the selected process can produce the required joint. Depending on the drawing or procedure, preparation may include cutting, bevelling, squaring, removing scale or coatings, degreasing, dressing burrs, providing a root face, or arranging a specified root opening. Never invent a bevel angle, root gap, or preheat value from memory when the job is governed by a drawing, WPS, code, or standard.

Fit-up is the controlled positioning of parts before final joining. Good fit-up confirms dimensions, alignment, joint gap where specified, squareness, orientation, contact, access, and restraint. Fit-up is a quality-control stage, not a casual step.

The image above distinguishes the fusion zone, heat-affected zone, and base material in a butt-weld cross-section. Planning must consider not only the deposited weld metal but also the material next to it, because the heat-affected zone can influence distortion, hardness, toughness, finish, and later forming.

Forge-weld preparation as a joining plan

In traditional blacksmithing, the prepared ends of a forge weld are often called scarfs. Their geometry gives the smith overlap and helps the joint consolidate progressively rather than trapping scale or leaving an abrupt weak transition. The exact scarf form depends on the stock shape, material, joint, and established shop method.

A planning sheet for a forge-weld exercise should identify the stock, confirm that the materials are suitable for the intended method, sketch the scarf form, identify the overlap and forging direction, name the required tools, plan the working sequence, and record the instructor's safety controls. Do not rely on colour descriptions, internet temperature charts, or spark appearance as your sole process control. Learners should carry out heating and forge-welding practice only under competent in-person supervision.

The labelled anvil image is useful for planning workholding and hammer access. The anvil face, horn, step, hardy hole, and pritchel hole serve different functions, and a competent smith chooses the working area so the hot joint can be supported without damaging the work or creating an unsafe body position.

Parent material and traceability

Before joining, identify the parent material from reliable evidence such as the purchase record, material certificate where required, stock marking, job traveller, or controlled store. Avoid guessing a grade from colour, surface rust, magnetism, or appearance alone.

Unknown or mixed material creates uncertainty. In artistic repair work, historic wrought iron, mild steel, tool steel, cast iron, stainless steel, aluminium, copper alloys, and plated or galvanised parts may all appear. Their joining behaviour and fume hazards differ. If material identity matters to the integrity or safety of the job, stop and obtain competent identification or engineering advice.

Traceability means being able to connect the workpiece and consumables to the information that justifies their use. The level of traceability varies. A small practice coupon may need only a labelled material rack and job sheet, while structural or certified work may require documented heat numbers, consumable batches, WPS references, welder identification, inspection records, and sign-off.

Drawings, symbols, and welding procedures

A drawing communicates the required geometry. A welding symbol can communicate location, size, length, contour, and other welding information. Do not guess the meaning of an unfamiliar symbol. Check the drawing notes, the standard referenced by the drawing, and the workplace's controlled technical information.

A WPS, or welding procedure specification, gives the approved variables and instructions for producing a weld within its scope. Depending on the work, it can define process, material group, joint preparation, consumable, welding position, electrical variables, preheat or interpass requirements, shielding, technique, and other controls. A learner's personal notebook is not a substitute for an approved WPS.

A hold point is a stage at which work must not continue until the required check or approval has occurred. Useful planning hold points include material verification, joint preparation inspection, fit-up inspection, pre-weld safety check, and final visual or dimensional inspection.

Authentic Workshop Examples

Example: decorative gate scroll to fabricated frame

A craftsperson has forged a mild-steel scroll and needs to attach it to a fabricated mild-steel frame. The design is decorative but part of an outdoor gate, so water traps, corrosion, movement, and public contact matter.

A sound plan starts by confirming the drawing, material identity, joint location, required finish, and whether the connection is purely decorative or contributes to the gate's structural performance. The craftsperson then considers whether the appearance is best served by a riveted or collared joint, a concealed GMAW joint, or another specified method. For a welded option, the plan includes surface preparation, fit-up, tack locations, distortion control, access for the torch and extraction, and post-join finishing that does not grind away required weld size.

This image shows a GMAW or MIG weld in an out-of-position setting. In a real job, the required position and access should be considered during planning rather than discovered after the component has been fixed into a difficult orientation.

Example: forged ring with a traditional scarfed join

A blacksmith is making a decorative ring from known forgeable steel. The planning stage includes calculating stock length with an allowance for the scarf and finishing, preparing matched scarf faces, arranging tongs that hold the section securely, checking hammer and anvil access, and planning the sequence so both sides of the joint can be consolidated. A learner should prepare the cold geometry and explain the intended sequence before any supervised heating begins.

Power hammers can increase productivity but add severe pinch, crush, noise, and ejection hazards. Their use is outside the unsupervised scope of this module.

Example: sculpture armature with mixed sections

An artist wants to join round bar, flat bar, and plate in a mild-steel sculpture armature. Before choosing GMAW, the plan checks the section changes, likely heat input, sequence, access, temporary support, distortion risk, and whether visible welds form part of the artistic language or should be dressed. If the sculpture is public, suspended, climbable, or load-bearing, the job may require engineering and inspection beyond ordinary studio practice.

Example: repair of unknown heritage metalwork

A broken decorative bracket arrives with no material documentation. The correct response is not to start welding. First record the object's history, function, fracture location, surface coating, evidence of previous repairs, and conservation requirements. Escalate material identification and repair-method selection to a competent person. A historic component may need a reversible mechanical repair, brazing, forge welding, fusion welding, or no joining at all. Conservation value and authenticity can be as important as strength.

Tools and Materials for Planning and Preparation

Measuring, marking, and checking equipment

Item	Typical use during planning and preparation	Pre-use check
Steel rule or tape	Overall dimensions and stock allowance	Legible scale and undamaged hook or end
Combination square or engineer's square	Squareness, 45-degree reference, and layout	Clean faces and known accuracy
Calipers or vernier caliper	Section size, thickness, diameter, and controlled gap checks	Zero check and clean measuring faces
Scriber, soapstone, paint marker, or centre punch	Layout and identification	Use a marking method that is permitted for the material and specification
Straightedge and templates	Alignment, profiles, repeated geometry, scrolls, and decorative fit	Template matches current drawing revision
Feeler gauge or approved gap gauge	Checking specified fit-up gaps	Correct range and clean surfaces
Welding gauge	Checking weld-related dimensions where appropriate	Correct gauge for the required measurement and competent use

Workholding and preparation equipment

Clamps, vices, jigs, strongbacks, stops, magnets, dogs, wedges, and temporary fixtures can make fit-up repeatable. They must be strong enough for the task and positioned so they do not create an unstable assembly, obstruct the joining path, or trap the worker.

Powered grinders, linishers, abrasive saws, thermal cutters, drilling machines, and belt sanders can be useful for preparation, but they introduce rotating-tool, spark, noise, dust, entanglement, and kickback hazards. Learners should use them only under the required training and supervision. Before grinding a weld preparation, confirm that grinding is permitted and that you will not remove excessive parent material.

Blacksmithing workholding is dynamic. Plan tong choice, stance, travel path between forge and anvil, and where other people will stand before heating a workpiece.

Materials and consumables

Parent materials should be identified and suitable for the intended join. Welding filler wire, electrodes, filler rod, brazing alloys, fluxes, shielding gases, anti-spatter compounds, cleaners, abrasives, and temporary backing materials should be selected from the approved procedure, drawing, manufacturer's information, or competent instruction.

Do not substitute a consumable because it is available on the shelf. Check identity, condition, storage requirements, compatibility, shelf life where relevant, and whether the consumable is approved for the job. Read the safety data sheet for chemicals and hazardous products used in preparation.

Risk Controls and Supervision

Use the hierarchy of controls

New Zealand risk management requires risks to be eliminated so far as is reasonably practicable, and otherwise minimised so far as is reasonably practicable. PPE is important, but it is not the first or only control.

Hazard	Planning-stage control examples	Learner boundary
Welding fume and gases	Eliminate unnecessary hot work; use a lower-fume process where suitable; provide effective source capture such as LEV; keep heads out of the plume; use RPE only as part of the assessed control system	Do not weld without the workplace's approved fume controls
Coatings and contamination	Identify galvanising, paint, plating, oil, solvent, lead-containing coatings, or unknown residues before heating; use an approved removal or alternative process	Do not heat unknown or contaminated metal
Fire and explosion	Remove combustible materials, isolate the hot-work zone, use a hot-work permit where required, provide suitable firefighting equipment, and arrange a trained fire watch	Do not start hot work without authorisation
Used tanks, drums, pipes, and closed sections	Treat previous contents and enclosed residues as a serious fire, explosion, and toxic-atmosphere hazard; use a specialist procedure	Learners must not weld, braze, cut, or heat a used container or unknown closed vessel
Arc radiation	Welding screens, exclusion zone, correct eye and face protection, and control of bystanders	Do not observe an arc without correct protection
Burns and hot metal	Mark hot work, use designated cooling areas, avoid leaving hot work where others can touch it, and use suitable tools and clothing	Assume recently worked metal is hot until verified otherwise
Electric shock	Maintain equipment, dry work area, sound leads and connectors, correct isolation, and authorised setup	Do not alter electrical equipment or bypass safety devices
Grinding sparks and abrasive failure	Correct guard, suitable disc, inspection, stable workholding, spark direction, exclusion zone, and face and eye protection	Powered abrasive work only after training and authorisation
Noise	Eliminate or reduce noisy work where practicable, isolate sources, maintain equipment, and use hearing protection as required	Follow the site's hearing-protection programme
Manual handling	Reduce component weight, use mechanical aids, team lifts, stable stands, and good work height	Ask for help before attempting an awkward lift
Pinch and crush points	Plan clamps, jigs, tongs, positioners, and assembly sequence	Keep hands out of line-of-fire zones
Gas cylinders	Correct storage, restraint, transport, valve protection, compatible regulators and hoses, leak checks, and separation required by the workplace procedure	Learners do not connect or change gas equipment unless authorised
Confined spaces	Avoid where possible; use a specific confined-space system, atmospheric control, rescue planning, and competent supervision	This module does not qualify you for confined-space hot work

WorkSafe New Zealand recommends a fire watcher for hot work and states that the fire watcher should remain on watch for at least 30 minutes after the hot work finishes. Your workplace or permit may require longer. Follow the permit and site procedure.

Welding fume: plan control at source

WorkSafe New Zealand states that all welding fume should be treated seriously and that adequate ventilation is essential whenever welding is carried out. Local exhaust ventilation is an engineering control that captures airborne contaminants close to where they are generated.

When RPE forms part of the assessed control system, it must be suitable, maintained, and used correctly. WorkSafe New Zealand states that close-fitting RPE requires fit testing, including when first provided and at least annually, and that facial hair or stubble interferes with the seal. Where a tight face seal is unsuitable for a worker, the PCBU should arrange an appropriate alternative rather than weakening the control. A respirator does not replace source control.

New Zealand safety video — WorkSafe New Zealand:

Use this video for respirator-use awareness only. The workplace's respiratory-protection programme and current WorkSafe guidance govern actual selection and use.

Hot-work planning

Before any supervised hot work, confirm the work area, combustible clearance, spark path, nearby openings, hidden combustible materials, neighbouring activities, fire detection arrangements, extinguishing equipment, permit requirements, fire watch, ventilation, emergency response, and post-work monitoring.

Never assume that a visibly empty drum, tank, pipe, or hollow fabrication is safe to heat. Residues, trapped gases, vapours, coatings, or decomposition products can create fatal hazards. Learners should not practise on used containers.

Step-by-Step Demonstration

Cold demonstration: plan and fit a non-structural mild-steel tee-joint mock-up

Purpose: This demonstration teaches planning and preparation without requiring an unsupervised arc, flame, forge, or powered cutting operation. The tutor supplies two clean, pre-cut pieces of known mild steel and a current drawing for a simple non-structural training coupon.

Job brief: Read the drawing and state the purpose of the mock-up, the joint type, the required dimensions, the reference face, and the specified finish.
Material verification: Match the two pieces to the controlled material label or job sheet and record the parent material and section sizes without guessing.
Process decision: Identify the joining process named by the training plan and explain why you may not substitute another process without approval.
Risk review: Identify fume, arc or flame, hot metal, fire, grinding, electrical, noise, and manual-handling risks that would arise if the work proceeds to hot joining.
Control plan: State the required engineering controls, exclusion zone, PPE, supervision, permit conditions, and emergency arrangements for the next stage.
Surface inspection: Check the faying and weld-adjacent surfaces for rust scale, paint, galvanising, oil, burrs, laminations, damage, or unknown contamination and report anything that needs controlled removal.
Dimensional check: Measure the pieces and compare them with the drawing before assembly.
Reference marking: Mark the joint location and orientation with the approved marking method, then label the part so it cannot be reversed accidentally.
Fit-up: Position the parts in a tee-joint arrangement using a square, approved spacers if specified, and suitable clamps or a jig.
Access check: Confirm that the proposed joining path, torch or electrode access, extraction hood position, and inspection view will remain clear.
Distortion plan: Mark the intended tack locations and sequence on the job sheet without making the tacks, and explain how restraint and sequence can influence movement.
Hold point: Ask the tutor or authorised tradesperson to inspect material identity, cleanliness, dimensions, fit-up, controls, and documentation before any hot work begins.

The image above gives a visual vocabulary for a fillet weld. For assessment, use the dimensions and terminology required by the drawing, WPS, and applicable standard rather than judging by appearance alone.

Tutor extension: supervised joining only

If the course provider extends the demonstration into tacking and welding, the authorised tutor must control the equipment setup, fume extraction, screens, fire precautions, PPE, and learner position. The relevant WPS or approved training procedure must supply process variables. This aiMOOC deliberately does not provide machine settings, gas pressures, preheat temperatures, or forge-welding temperatures because those values depend on the actual material, equipment, procedure, and task.

Australia — technical preparation video, not a New Zealand legal or certification source:

Observe how surface preparation and clean-up are treated as part of welding quality. Apply only the techniques permitted by your New Zealand workplace procedure and the material specification.

Process Selection for Artistic Metalwork

When forge welding is a strong craft choice

Forge welding can preserve a traditional forged character because the join can be consolidated into the material rather than left as a deposited bead. It is particularly relevant to rings, chain links, wrapped forms, laminated billets, and historical demonstrations. It demands skilled fire or furnace control, accurate scarf preparation, clean interfaces, secure workholding, and confident hammer sequence.

United States — blacksmithing technique video, not a New Zealand legal, qualification, or certification source:

Use the video for visual analysis of forge-weld preparation and workflow. Do not copy an overseas shop's safety practice, temperatures, flux practice, or equipment setup without checking the approved New Zealand training procedure.

When fusion welding is appropriate

Fusion welding is often efficient for fabricated frames, sculpture armatures, brackets, tabs, bases, and mixed rolled sections. Planning should consider whether the visible weld is part of the aesthetic, whether post-weld dressing is allowed, whether distortion will disturb forged lines, and whether the welded heat-affected zone will later be bent or forged.

For a decorative forged component attached to a fabricated frame, ask whether the joint can be placed on a hidden surface, whether a mechanical join would be more authentic, and whether the weld is structural or decorative. If it is structural, follow the specified design and quality system rather than a craft-only visual standard.

When brazing or mechanical joining may be better

Brazing can be useful where a suitable filler can join components without melting the parent metal. It still involves hot work, fumes, and chemical exposure, and it needs approved filler, flux or atmosphere, joint geometry, and cleaning.

Rivets, collars, keyed joints, tenons, wraps, bolts, and pins can create visible craft detail while limiting fusion heat. They can also make disassembly or conservation easier. Their strength still has to match the function; a decorative collar is not automatically a structural connection.

Quality Planning

Pre-join quality criteria

Before joining begins, a professional plan should be able to answer all of the following:

Quality criterion	Evidence before hot work
Correct drawing and revision	Current controlled drawing, sketch, job card, or digital work instruction
Correct material	Material label, certificate where required, stock record, or other approved identification
Correct process	Job instruction, WPS, craft method approved by tutor, or engineering direction
Correct joint preparation	Edges, scarf, bevel, root face, or contact surfaces match the drawing or procedure
Cleanliness	Contamination and coatings have been identified and managed by an approved method
Dimensional fit-up	Alignment, squareness, gap, overlap, orientation, and overall size verified
Access	Joining tool, extraction, clamps, and inspection access remain available
Distortion control	Restraint, tack plan, balanced sequence, or preset strategy documented where needed
Consumables	Correct type, size, batch or classification where required, and suitable storage condition
Safety controls	Risk controls, screens, extraction, fire precautions, PPE, permits, and supervision ready
Hold point	Required approval recorded before the work proceeds

Visual quality after joining

A finished join should meet the drawing, procedure, and acceptance standard specified for the job. Visual checks can include dimensions, alignment, profile, continuity, surface condition, spatter, undercut, overlap, cracks, porosity, arc strikes, incomplete clean-up, or evidence of overheating. The presence of a visible imperfection does not by itself tell you the acceptance level; use the specified acceptance criteria.

Standards New Zealand lists AS/NZS ISO 5817:2024 as a current standard covering quality levels for imperfections in fusion-welded joints within its scope. Do not apply it automatically to forge welds, brazed joints, every material, or every decorative object.

Distortion is a planning issue

Welding shrinks as heated material cools. Uneven shrinkage can pull a frame out of square, twist a scroll, bow a plate, close or open a gap, or change the relationship between decorative elements. Distortion control begins before welding through joint design, fit-up, balanced restraint, tack sequence, weld sequence, heat input control to procedure, and allowing for movement.

Over-restraint can create high residual stress or cracking risk, so "clamp it harder" is not a universal solution. Follow the WPS, drawing, and competent fabrication practice.

Common Errors and Corrective Thinking

Common error	Why it causes trouble	Better planning response
Choosing the process before reading the job	The preferred process may not meet function, appearance, material, or specification	Start from the drawing, function, material, and acceptance requirement
Guessing the steel grade	Incorrect assumptions can affect weldability, heat treatment, filler, and failure mode	Verify material identity or escalate for testing
Welding over paint, zinc, oil, or unknown coating	Contaminants can cause fume, porosity, fire, or poor fusion	Identify and control coatings before hot work
Preparing both parts separately without a fit-up check	Small errors accumulate into misalignment and wrong gaps	Trial-fit early and use a datum
Grinding until a joint "looks right"	Excess grinding can remove parent material or destroy specified geometry	Measure preparation against the drawing or procedure
Using magnets or clamps where they block access	The joining path or extraction hood cannot reach the joint	Simulate tool and extraction access during fit-up
Tacking without a distortion plan	Tacks can lock in error or pull an assembly out of shape	Mark tack positions and sequence before hot work
Dressing a weld flush without permission	Grinding can reduce effective weld size or hide defects	Confirm finish and minimum weld dimensions before dressing
Treating PPE as the whole fume-control system	Respiratory risk remains if contamination is not controlled at source	Prioritise elimination and engineering controls such as LEV
Heating an unknown closed section or used vessel	Residues can create explosion or toxic-atmosphere hazards	Stop and use a specialist procedure; learners do not perform this work
Copying an overseas training video	Laws, standards, certification, equipment, and shop rules may differ	Use overseas media only for observation and follow New Zealand requirements
Assuming a certificate transfers between countries	Qualification and certification systems have different scopes and recognition rules	Obtain formal recognition or employer acceptance; never claim automatic equivalence

Sustainability and Responsible Craft Practice

Good preparation reduces rework, scrap, grinding, consumable use, energy use, and exposure. Sustainability therefore begins with accurate measurement and process choice.

Plan stock to use standard lengths efficiently, keep useful offcuts identified by material type, and avoid mixing unknown scrap into certified or safety-critical work. Consider whether a riveted or collared joint could reduce later energy-intensive cutting and make a piece easier to repair. Design outdoor details to drain water rather than trap it, because corrosion can shorten service life.

Avoid unnecessary overwelding. A larger weld than specified can consume more filler and energy and may increase distortion without improving performance. Use the specified size.

Control grinding dust and welding fume at source. Segregate metal scrap, spent abrasives, used chemicals, contaminated rags, and hazardous residues according to the workplace waste system and local requirements. Do not pour cleaners, flux residues, oils, or metal-containing liquids into drains.

Where recycled steel is proposed for artistic work, decide whether its unknown composition is acceptable for the function. Reuse is valuable, but safety-critical joining requires reliable material information.

Inclusive Workshop Communication

Safe vocational learning should be inclusive without reducing risk controls. Learners may differ in prior experience, first language, hearing, vision, mobility, hand strength, height, neurodiversity, or confidence in a workshop. Tutors should explain technical terms in plain English alongside the accepted practitioner term, demonstrate tasks from more than one viewing position where safe, use diagrams and written checklists, and confirm understanding without embarrassment.

PPE and RPE must fit the individual rather than forcing the learner to adapt to unsuitable equipment. Workstations, jigs, handling aids, or task sequences may be adjusted when a competent risk assessment shows the adjustment is safe. If an adjustment would conflict with a safety requirement, the provider should find another safe way for the learner to demonstrate the learning outcome rather than removing the control.

Communication is itself a quality control. A learner should be encouraged to say "I do not know", "I cannot verify the material", "I cannot see the drawing detail", or "I need the supervisor to check this" before work proceeds.

Glossary

Term	Meaning in this module
Base metal or parent metal	The metal components being joined
Bevel	An angled edge preparation made to suit a specified joint
Consumable	Material used up during a process, such as electrode, filler wire, filler rod, flux, or shielding gas
Distortion	Unwanted change in shape or alignment caused by fabrication forces or thermal shrinkage
Faying surface	A surface that contacts or closely faces another component in a joint
FCAW	Flux-cored arc welding
Fit-up	Positioning and checking components before final joining
Forge welding	A solid-state joining process in which heated metals are consolidated by pressure or hammering
GMAW	Gas metal arc welding, commonly called MIG in workshop speech
GTAW	Gas tungsten arc welding, commonly called TIG
HAZ	Heat-affected zone, the parent material whose properties may be altered by the joining heat
Hold point	A required pause for inspection or approval before work continues
LEV	Local exhaust ventilation used to capture airborne contaminants close to their source
MMAW	Manual metal arc welding, often called stick welding
PCBU	Person conducting a business or undertaking, a New Zealand HSWA duty-holder term
Root gap	The separation at the joint root when a gap is specified
Scarf	Prepared tapered or shaped end used in many forge-weld joints
Tack weld	A temporary or preliminary weld used to hold alignment before final welding, where permitted by the procedure
Traceability	The ability to link material, consumables, processes, and records to the job
WPS	Welding procedure specification

Reflection

Consider a joining task you have seen in a forge, fabrication shop, or art-metal studio. Which decision had the greatest effect on quality before the joint was made? Was the process chosen because it was technically best, because equipment was available, because it matched a traditional aesthetic, or simply because it was familiar?

Then ask yourself: What evidence confirmed the material? What part of the fit-up would be hardest to inspect after welding? Where would fume extraction need to be positioned? How could the design reduce distortion or later corrosion? At what point should the learner stop and ask a tutor, welding supervisor, engineer, conservator, or inspector for a decision?

Media Observation Lab

Use the following open Wikimedia Commons media as visual evidence. For each image, write three observations about planning or preparation and one question you would ask the craftsperson before work begins.

Look for workholding, cable routing, bench organisation, shielding-gas equipment, access, and surrounding combustible materials. Do not assume the pictured arrangement satisfies New Zealand workplace requirements.

Identify how anvil position, forge proximity, floor space, and tool storage could affect a forge-weld workflow.

Interactive Tasks

Quiz: Test Your Knowledge

What should you confirm before choosing a joining process? (The job requirement and material) (!The colour of the welding helmet) (!The brand of the grinder) (!The nearest available electrode)

Under New Zealand risk management, what should be tried first where reasonably practicable? (Eliminate the risk) (!Buy thicker gloves) (!Write a warning label) (!Use a larger welding screen)

What does fit-up mean in fabrication? (Positioning and checking parts before joining) (!Painting the finished assembly) (!Testing a respirator cartridge) (!Storing welding electrodes)

Which document provides approved welding variables when it applies to the job? (Welding procedure specification) (!Personal sketchbook) (!Scrap inventory) (!Delivery docket)

What is the safest learner response to an unknown used metal drum that needs repair? (Stop and refer the job to a competent specialist) (!Strike an arc briefly to test it) (!Heat it until the residue burns away) (!Drill a hole and continue)

What does WorkSafe New Zealand say about welding fume exposure? (There is no known safe level of exposure) (!Mild steel fume is harmless outdoors) (!Only stainless steel welding creates hazardous fume) (!A welding helmet removes all fume risk)

Which term describes the parent metal changed by heat next to a fusion weld? (Heat affected zone) (!Root opening) (!Shielding envelope) (!Scarf allowance)

Which preparation term is especially associated with traditional forge welding? (Scarf) (!Nozzle) (!Collet) (!Diffuser)

Why is a tack sequence planned before final welding? (To control alignment and distortion) (!To make the steel magnetic) (!To replace a welding procedure) (!To eliminate the need for inspection)

What should you assume about an overseas welding certificate in New Zealand? (It is not automatically equivalent) (!It is automatically valid for structural work) (!It replaces workplace authorisation) (!It overrides New Zealand standards)

Memory Game

Fit-up	Controlled positioning and checking before joining
Scarf	Prepared end geometry for many forge welds
LEV	Source-capture ventilation for airborne contaminants
WPS	Approved welding procedure specification
Traceability	Link between materials consumables records and the job
Distortion	Unwanted change in shape from fabrication or heat

Drag and Drop

Match the correct terms.	Topic
Material verification	Confirm the parent metal from reliable records
Fit-up inspection	Check alignment gap orientation and dimensions
Distortion plan	Decide restraint tack sequence and heat-balance strategy
Fume control	Arrange effective source capture before welding
Hold point	Pause for required approval before continuing

Match each planning action with the description that belongs to it.

Crossword Puzzle

Fitup	What is the controlled positioning and checking of parts before joining
Scarf	What prepared end form is commonly associated with forge welding
Ventilation	What general control removes or dilutes airborne contaminants
Distortion	What unwanted shape change can result from uneven heating and cooling
Traceability	What links material and consumable records to the job
Consumable	What term covers filler wire electrode flux or gas that is used during production

LearningApps

Cloze Text

Open-Ended Tasks

Easy

Joint photo audit: Photograph or sketch five cold examples of butt, lap, tee, corner, or edge arrangements in a supervised workshop and label the joint type without performing any hot work.
Material label trail: Follow one known piece of steel from the stock rack to the job sheet and create a one-page diagram showing how material identity is preserved.
Tool-layout poster: Create an accessible workshop poster showing measuring, marking, clamping, extraction, and inspection equipment needed before a joining task starts.
Practitioner interview: Interview a blacksmith, fabricator, tutor, or welding supervisor about the preparation error they most often see and summarise the prevention method.

Standard

Cold fit-up project: Build a clamped cold mock-up of a tee or corner joint from tutor-prepared coupons, record dimensions and alignment, and submit the fit-up sheet for sign-off before any joining occurs.
Joining decision matrix: Compare forge welding, GMAW, brazing, and riveting for a decorative gate detail using criteria such as material, appearance, heat effects, access, repairability, competence, and risk.
Fume-control observation: With a tutor, observe an approved LEV setup without welding, sketch the source-capture position, and explain what would reduce its effectiveness.
Sustainability audit: Analyse a small artistic-metalwork project for stock use, offcuts, rework, grinding, energy, consumables, corrosion life, and end-of-life disassembly, then propose three improvements.

Advanced

Joining plan portfolio: Produce a complete planning pack for a non-structural artistic-metalwork assembly including drawing, material record, process rationale, joint preparation, fit-up method, risk controls, distortion plan, inspection hold points, and sustainability notes.
Unknown material case study: Develop a decision tree for a heritage-repair scenario in which the alloy and previous coating are unknown, showing where work stops for competent identification or conservation advice.
Quality review video: Record a short narrated video of a cold mock-up in which you identify at least six pre-join quality checks and explain why each check matters to the final product.
Expert design critique: Present two joining options for the same forged-artwork connection to a qualified tradesperson or tutor, gather feedback, revise the plan, and document what changed and why.

Learning Assessment

Integrated job-planning assessment: Given a drawing for a non-structural artistic-metalwork assembly, produce a complete joining plan that justifies process choice, material verification, fit-up, controls, distortion strategy, consumables, and hold points.
Risk-control reasoning: Analyse a workshop scenario with welding fume, nearby combustibles, a coated component, and poor extraction access, then redesign the task using the hierarchy of controls and state which issues require supervisor approval.
Quality transfer task: Explain how one fit-up error can create at least three downstream effects involving weld quality, dimension, distortion, finish, or rework, and propose an earlier control point.
Craft-method comparison: Compare a forge-welded, fusion-welded, and mechanically joined version of one decorative connection, identifying which option best meets a stated aesthetic and functional brief and why.
Evidence-based escalation: Given incomplete material records and an old repair, identify what you can safely decide, what evidence is missing, who should be consulted, and what work must not proceed.
Standards and scope judgement: Explain why a current welding-quality standard or overseas training video should not be applied automatically to every blacksmithing join, and show how you would establish the actual governing requirements.

Evidence of Learning

Strong evidence of learning combines knowledge, practical planning skill, documented products, and transfer to new situations.

Evidence type	What good evidence looks like
Knowledge	Accurate use of New Zealand terms such as PCBU, fit-up, LEV, WPS, GMAW, GTAW, MMAW, FCAW, distortion, and traceability
Planning skill	A joining decision follows from function, material, specification, access, competence, quality, and risk rather than habit
Measurement	Dimensions and alignment are checked against a datum and recorded before joining
Risk reasoning	Controls follow the hierarchy and include source control of welding fume and hot-work fire risk
Documentation	The learner produces a clear job plan, risk-control note, material record, fit-up record, and hold-point sign-off
Craft judgement	The learner can explain when forge welding, fusion welding, brazing, or mechanical joining best suits an artistic-metalwork objective
Escalation	The learner recognises unknown materials, used vessels, structural work, conservation work, confined spaces, and other conditions that need specialist control
Transfer	The learner can apply the same planning logic to a new joint geometry, different section size, or unfamiliar decorative design without inventing technical values
Reflection	The learner identifies how feedback changed the plan and what evidence supported the change

Official Sources and Expert Review Notes

This aiMOOC is designed for expert review rather than self-certification. A New Zealand fabrication tutor, experienced blacksmith, welding supervisor, health and safety practitioner, or other competent reviewer should check that the local examples, workshop terminology, process boundaries, and risk controls match the intended training environment.

Reviewer checklist:

Confirm that the selected jurisdiction remains New Zealand and no overseas legal or qualification claim has been blended into it.
Re-check WorkSafe New Zealand welding guidance and the legislation in force on the review date.
Re-check the NZQA status and current version or replacement pathway for Ref 2719 before linking the course to a provider programme.
Confirm the current edition and scope of any standard cited by an actual assessment or workshop job.
Confirm that local workplace procedures for hot work, LEV, RPE, gas cylinders, grinders, forges, welding screens, fire watch, and supervision are reflected in delivery.
Confirm that all practical learner activities can be completed safely under the provider's authorisation and supervision arrangements.
Confirm that conservation, structural, pressure, lifting, vehicle, or public-safety work is escalated to the appropriately competent person.
Confirm that no claim of automatic cross-country equivalence has been introduced during later edits.

OERs on the Topic

The explanatory text of this aiMOOC is intended for open educational reuse under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0. Wikimedia Commons media embedded above are reusable under the individual licences shown on each file page. YouTube embeds are freely accessible links but remain subject to the uploader's and platform's terms; they are not presented as automatically open-licensed course content.

Useful openly accessible media and reference pages:

Linked Learning Areas

Joining processes

The module connects craft knowledge with fabrication planning, drawing interpretation, materials technology, occupational safety, quality assurance, sustainability, and reflective practice. Its most important transferable idea is simple: quality and safety are designed into the join before heat is applied.

aiMOOC Projects

Diesen aiMOOC als Battle spielen: Englisch, Klasse 5-6, G-Niveau

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