The Pocket Welder Helper app is not new, but I recently discovered it and have incorporated it in my welding units. As a shop teacher, I get students new to welding to confirm the weld settings (which is the feature I decided to analyze in the video). For more advanced students, I get the app to assist in weld locations, material usage and reading various drilling/tapping charts. When I first started teaching welding, I was surprised how often students struggled finding the correct machine settings from the traditional method (reading a chart). The simple app helped alleviate this issues for me, thus allowing me to focus on other areas during class time.
https://youtu.be/umStci7OFdA
Hi Michael,
This is really a good helper in high school shop classes. Smart phones can be used as references in setting technical parameters. Actually, there are many situations where setting technical parameters accurately is needed. I guess not only a student, but also a skillful technician needs it too. It also makes me think, if the app can be connected to a digital welder machine through wifi, the setting can be completed automatically.
Hi Shirley
There are some welders that adjust settings automatically. It is a little controversial in the welding world. Some individuals like it, while others like to have the option to adjust settings if they want specific results. There are also some add -ons that can link a welder to a smart phone. This would give some detailed results regarding the quality of the weld. This is a little expensive for a public school system. It also hasn’t taken off due to the fact that welders have to withstand some abuse in industry. Additionally, when something going wrong you want to be able to source replacement parts easily. The add-ons that link welders to a smartphone are few and far between and ordering rare components can be a nightmare. On that topic, ordering equipment and consumables in generally has been painful due to covid.
Hi Michael,
Love the humour in your video. I wish you took a video of yourself welding at the end. I am so curious to see how it all looks!
Besides welding, is there a whole suite of apps to help students in shop classes?
Hi Ying,
Shop class are pretty broad these days. Some schools incorporate a lot of engineering type classes in school shops. There are a lot of apps that can be used in these types of classes. Calculating things like tensile and compression strength, or wood density for building structures. There apps for that stuff. There are also lots of apps for classic shop classes, like automotives. However, I haven’t heard of any that really dominate the scene. From what I know, it seems to be what the teacher wants to incorporate in their teachings.
I’d show my welds but then you’d see I’m not that great of a welder….