Preparing for Sessional 1 – Welding & Fabrication Mastery

Introduction

You have been hired as a junior technician at a fabrication shop in Jamaica. The supervisor wants to test your knowledge before allowing you to work on:

  • Metal gates

  • Sheet metal panels

  • Farming tool repairs

  • Heat treatment of cutting tools

Before you can start, you must complete a series of technical challenges.

Your final mission: Be fully prepared to pass Sessional 1.

Task

By the end of this WebQuest, you will be able to:

  • Explain metal properties confidently

  • Differentiate welding processes

  • Select correct welding methods for jobs

  • Explain heat treatment processes

  • Draw and label welding equipment

  • Analyze workshop case studies

Process

Students can work in a group.

Each group member has a role:

  1. 🔥 Welding Specialist

  2. 🔩 Heat Treatment Technician

  3. 📐 Sheet Metal Fabricator

  4. 🛠️ Safety & Equipment Officer

Evaluation

🧩 MISSION 1: METAL PROPERTIES INVESTIGATION

Research:

  • Ductility

  • Malleability

  • Toughness

  • Hardness

  • Corrosion resistance

Task:

Create a comparison table showing:

  • Definition

  • Real workshop example

  • Why it matters in fabrication

Mini Challenge:

Explain why copper is used for electrical wiring.

🔥 MISSION 2: HEAT TREATMENT LAB

Investigate:

  • Annealing

  • Hardening

  • Tempering

  • Case hardening

Task:

Create a flow chart showing:

Heating → Cooling method → Result on metal

Application Question:

Why must tempering be done after hardening?

⚡ MISSION 3: WELDING PROCESS BREAKDOWN

Research:

  • Shielded Metal Arc Welding (MMAW)

  • Gas Metal Arc Welding (MIG)

  • Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (TIG)

  • Oxy-fuel welding

Task:

Create a comparison chart including:

  • Type of electrode

  • Shielding method

  • Suitable thickness

  • Indoor or outdoor use

  • One advantage

Critical Thinking:

Which process would you use:

  • Outdoors?

  • For thin sheet metal?

  • For fast production?

Explain WHY.

🔥 MISSION 4: GAS WELDING METHODS

Research:

  • Leftward method

  • Rightward method

Task:

Draw both methods and explain:

  • Direction of travel

  • Thickness suitability

  • Flame position

📦 MISSION 5: SHEET METAL & JOINTS

Investigate:

  • Lap joint

  • Butt joint

  • Corner joint

  • Edge joint

  • Tee joint

Task:

Draw and label each joint.

Extension:

Which joints are best for gate panels?

🛠️ MISSION 6: OXY-ACETYLENE SETUP

Draw and label:

  • Oxygen cylinder

  • Acetylene cylinder

  • Regulators

  • Hoses

  • Torch

Explain the function of each part.

📘 FINAL CHALLENGE – MOCK CASE STUDY

Your group must solve:

A farmer brings a cracked hoe.

A contractor orders decorative mild steel gates.

Answer:

  1. Which welding process for the gate?

  2. Which for outdoor repair?

  3. How do you harden the hoe edge?

  4. Which sheet metal joints will you use?

Present your reasoning to the class.

 

Conclusion
Criteria Excellent Good Developing
Technical accuracy All answers correct Minor errors Major gaps
Application Strong reasoning Some explanation Weak reasoning
Diagrams Clear & labeled Some labels missing Poor drawings
Participation Active Moderate Minimal