October 15-17, 2024 at Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida
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Expo Hours

Tuesday Oct 15 9 AM — 5 PM
Wednesday Oct 16 9 AM — 5 PM
Thursday Oct 17 9 AM — 4 PM

Venue

Orange County Convention Center

9800 International Drive
Orlando, Florida 32819

About the Expo

North America's largest metal forming, fabricating, welding and finishing event heads to Orange County Convention Center in October 2024. FABTECH provides a convenient "one stop shop" venue where you can meet with world-class suppliers, see the latest industry products and developments, and find the tools to improve productivity, increase profits and discover new solutions to all of your metal forming, fabricating, welding and finishing needs.

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North America's Largest Metal Forming, Fabricating, Welding and Finishing Event

From the Blog

2016 Welders Without Borders: Welding Thunder Team Fabrication Competition

Welding-Thunder-2016-FABTECH
By Mary Diamond on on
San Diego, CA (March 18, 2016) – The American Welding Society District 21 is proud to announce that is has been given authorization by Mr Samuel Colton founder of Welders Without Borders and Welding Thunder Team Fabrication competition to be this year’s sponsoring organization for the event to be held during the FABTECH welding show November 16th – 18th in Las Vegas Nevada. The 2016 Welders Without Borders Welding Thunder© TM SM Welding Fabrication Team Invitational will be the event of the year for college and high school welding student fabricators. The event host teams from welding programs with a limited number of students allowed in the action arena at a time; no limit on team members attending and supporting. Teams are allowed to bring more students to “tag in and tag out” to allow as many students the opportunity to participate in the contest and the expo as possible. Welding Students compete to weld and cook off their fabrication project for the judges as required; building on the inaugural Welding Thunder 2012 contest as detailed by the program founder Samuel Colton. Teams are invited from around the world to travel to Las Vegas to show off their skills and road rigs. Teams will be required to complete an assigned project designed in advance by Professor Colton and his team at Arizona Western College Ernest Lopez Welding Institute in Yuma Arizona. Using the provided drawings, with the engine drive power sources and equipment they brought to the event. Teams will be responsible to bring the required bill of materials with allowance for materials for extra special custom features known as “the secret components” to be incorporated by the teams into the project (contest guidelines available from event sponsors. Teams will be limited to the same start and stop time, finished or not. Teams will fabricate their project day one and at noon on the second day cook a lunch for the team and the judges off of their project creation. Registered contestant teams will be required to work from their “Welding Thunder” road rig, trailer or equipment transported to site equipment. All teams must undergo a safety compliance inspection prior to the start of the event. Teams will adhere to industry safety standards for hearing, eye and skin protection i.e. PPE during the event. Safety point penalties will be assessed by the judges or disqualification from the event as warranted. Welding fabrication must be from equipment transported to the site. All welding and auxiliary power will be provided by no more than two engine drive welders. Thermal cutting activity will be restricted to the use of Plasma Cutter (PAC). Teams will be allowed to safely use more than one welding process or cutting processes at a time. Teams will provide welding screens to shield other teams from any sparks or light hazards. All equipment and team activity must be contained within the designated area. Awards will be given to the teams with the most accurate fabrication project as determined by the judges. Other award categories include: Best red, yellow, blue or other welding equipment manufacture themed “Welding Thunder” road rig, trailer or contest work site. Best of event welding PPE equipment and uniform themed team; People’s choice award; there can be only one; Best tasting meal winner. Best STEM. Teams must comply with event guidelines as provided by event sponsors. Guidelines subject to revision as determined by the event sponsor.

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For more info on Welding Thunder 2016, contact:

[column type=”1/2″] Sam Lindsey AWS District21 Director Sr. Building Inspector City of San Diego 10239 Caminito Rio Branco San Diego, CA 92131 P: (858) 740-1917 E: slindsey@sandiego.gov [/column] [column type=”1/2″ last=”true”] Carl Van Hoose AWS Nevada Section Chair YESCO 5119 Cameron St Las Vegas, NV 89118 P: (702) 876-8080 E: cvanhoose@yesco.com [/column]

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