Manufacturing Engineering Technology: Welding
Engineering Technology Emphasis
The Welding Engineering Technology Emphasis within Weber State University’s Manufacturing Engineering Technology program integrates hands-on welding skill with the engineering and manufacturing knowledge required in modern industrial environments. Students gain practical experience in major welding processes while developing strong technical foundations in welding metallurgy, welding power sources, codes and standards, inspection, quality assurance, automation, and process optimization.
This program is designed for students who want more than production welding skills alone. The curriculum emphasizes engineering thinking, manufacturing systems, and applied problem-solving, preparing graduates for advanced technical roles that support welding engineering functions in fabrication, manufacturing, automation, and quality environments.
Students are introduced to the types of responsibilities commonly performed by welding engineers and welding engineering technologists, including:
- Selecting appropriate welding processes (GMAW, GTAW, SMAW, FCAW, SAW, laser, resistance welding, and others)
- Developing and supporting welding procedures (WPS/PQR) and working within applicable codes and standards such as AWS and ASME
- Selecting base metals and filler metals while minimizing issues such as cracking, distortion, and residual stress
- Setting, adjusting, and optimizing welding parameters including voltage, amperage, wire feed speed, travel speed, heat input, shielding gas, and preheat/interpass temperatures
- Controlling weld quality through inspection planning, coordination with nondestructive testing (NDT), and defect troubleshooting
- Diagnosing and correcting welding discontinuities such as porosity, lack of fusion, undercut, hot cracking, and hydrogen cracking
- Applying welding metallurgy principles, including heat-affected zone (HAZ) microstructure, hardness, toughness, and grain growth
- Improving manufacturing performance by reducing cycle time, scrap, and rework
- Supporting welding automation and robotics, including fixturing, process monitoring, and continuous improvement
Throughout the program, safety practices and industry standards are emphasized to ensure graduates are well prepared to meet professional expectations and contribute effectively in today’s manufacturing workforce.
Welding Degrees and Programs
Bachelor of Science
Associate of Applied Science
What Does a Welding Engineer Do?
A Welding Engineer (or Welding Engineering Technologist) is responsible for ensuring welding processes are safe, reliable, repeatable, and compliant with industry standards. Instead of focusing mainly on performing welds in production, welding engineers focus on planning,
improving, and supporting welding operations in manufacturing and fabrication environments. Typical responsibilities include:
- Developing and supporting welding procedures and process requirements
- Selecting welding processes and equipment for specific applications
- Controlling welding variables (current, voltage, wire feed speed, travel speed, shielding gas, CTWD, heat input)
- Troubleshooting weld defects (porosity, lack of fusion, cracking, distortion, undercut)
- Supporting weld quality systems, documentation, and inspection requirements
- Working with manufacturing, quality, design, and inspection teams to ensure welded products meet performance and code requirements
- Improving productivity through process optimization, automation/robotics support, and continuous improvement tools
How Long is Welding Engineering Technology School?
The AAS degree typically takes about two years of full-time study, while the BS degree requires around four years.
A bachelor’s degree expands career opportunities by building greater skills in engineering analysis, manufacturing systems, quality methods, leadership, and technical communication, preparing graduates for advanced roles in engineering, management, and beyond.
Welding Engineering Technology Classes at Weber State
University
Students gain technical depth in welding while developing broader manufacturing engineering skills, including:
- Metal Forming, Casting and Welding
- GMA, FCA and GTA Welding
- Mechanics of Materials
- Codes, Weld Inspection, and Quality Assurance
- Fusion Joining and Brazing Processes
- Welding Metallurgy
- Welding Power Sources
- Six Sigma Methods and Tools in Manufacturing
- Manufacturing Engineering Technology Fundamentals
- Process Automation
- Introduction to Engineering & Technical Design (SolidWorks)
- Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing Using 3D CAD
- Industrial Electronics
- Manufacturing Electricity and Electronics
Welding Engineers Careers
Graduates of the MFET Welding Engineering Technology Emphasis are prepared for welding-related careers that go beyond production welding. Many roles focus on welding procedures, quality systems, inspection, automation, and manufacturing engineering support, with opportunities for leadership and technical advancement.
Engineering & Technical Careers (Primary Outcomes)
- Welding Engineer / Welding Engineering Technologist: Develops, improves, and supports welding procedures, parameters, and production practices to ensure quality, safety, and repeatability
- Weld Quality Engineer / Welding Quality Specialist: Works with inspection teams and production to reduce defects, improve consistency, and ensure welds meet specifications and acceptance criteria
- Welding Inspector: Ensures welds meet codes and quality standards and may support or coordinate NDE methods (VT, PT, MT, UT, RT)
- Manufacturing Engineer (Welding / Fabrication Focus): Improves throughput, supports fixturing and production planning, and solves welding-related production problems
- Robotic Welding / Automation Technologist: Supports automated welding cells through setup, troubleshooting, parameter tuning, and process consistency
Welding Engineering Technology Salary (U.S. Estimates)
Welding engineering and welding engineering technology careers offer strong earning potential in manufacturing, fabrication, automation, quality, and related industries.
- $84,000 — Entry Level Salary
- $95,000 — National Median Pay
- $125,000+ — Real Go-Getters Make
Source: Lightcast 2025
ABET Accreditation
The Manufacturing Engineering Technology BS Program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission(s) of ABET, under the General Criteria and the Program Criteria for Manufacturing Engineering Technology and similarly named engineering programs.
Manufacturing Engineering Technology
Mission Statement and Program Educational Objectives Review
The MFET Program at Weber State University will be a growing, nationally recognized program offering both AAS and ABET Accredited BS Engineering Technology degrees that afford faculty and students opportunities for intellectual and personal growth. We will prepare students to demonstrate professional competence within the discipline and serve the needs of industry in Utah and throughout the nation.
Program Educational Objectives (what graduates should be able to do three to five years after graduation);
- Graduates will be recognized as having mastered both theory and application of the body of knowledge in their discipline and become increasingly versed in the latest manufacturing techniques and methods as they apply to their employment.
- Graduates will demonstrate the ability to cost effectively, creatively and methodically solve manufacturing problems through experimentation, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of data.
- Graduates will be recognized as being personally effective as individuals, team members and team leaders though oral, written, and graphical communication and take on increased technical or managerial responsibility appropriate to their employment.
- Graduates will demonstrate a furthering commitment to quality, ethics, service and continuous improvement in personal and professional situations.
Student Learning Outcomes (graduates from the program will be able to or will have attained the following Student Outcomes);
- An ability to apply knowledge, techniques, skills, and modern tools of mathematics, science, engineering, or technology to solve broadly defined engineering problems in Manufacturing Engineering Technology specific to the program’s emphases in Production Operations and Controls, Plastics and Composites, and Welding related to current manufacturing process and systems design, operations, quality and continuous improvement.
- An ability to design systems, components or processes meeting specified needs for broadly defined engineering problems in Manufacturing Engineering Technology specific to the program’s emphases in Production Operations and Controls, Plastics and Composites, or Welding.
- An ability to apply written, oral, and graphical communication in both technical, nontechnical, and relevant financial environments and an ability to identify and use appropriate technical literature.
- An ability to conduct, analyze and interpret experiments and apply experimental results to improve processes in a realistic, sustainable and cost-effective manner.
- An ability to function effectively as a member or leader on a technical team.
The following topics are covered as required by ABET in MFET Curriculum.
- An understanding of the need for and an ability to engage in self-directed continuing professional development
- An understanding of and a commitment to address professional and ethical responsibilities including a respect for diversity
- A knowledge of the impact of engineering technology solutions in a societal and global context
- A commitment to quality, timeliness and continuous improvement.
MFET |
Declared Majors* |
AAS Graduates |
BS Graduates |
| 2019-2020 | 201 | 18 | 38 |
| 2018-2019 | 229 | 47 | 54 |
| 2017-2018 | 249 | 24 | 30 |
| 2016-2017 | 229 | 23 | 47 |
| 2015-2016 | 217 | 18 | 34 |
| 2014-2015 | 100 | 23 | 24 |