Welding Competition

Competition Rules

• Registration must be completed online, and students can only register for ONE competition round.

• There is a $25 materials fee for each participant paid at time of registration.

• Participants must register in the correct age division.

• Competitors shall wear all mandatory Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). See list below.

• Students MUST have a welding hood, leather welding gloves, and safety glasses. Students can bring their own personal items, or they can be borrowed from the Arkansas Elite tool room.

• Arkansas Elite will provide a stinger, bucket, welding rods, chipping hammer, wire hand brush, and ear plugs. Students cannot bring these items with them. Optional tools that students may bring are vice grips, a flashlight, and a hand file. Only hand tools will be allowed. No electric, pneumatic, or rotating equipment can be used.

• DUFFLE BAGS, BACKPACKS, TOOL BUCKETS, ETC WILL NOT BE ALLOWED IN THE SHOP. STUDENTS SHOULD CARRY IN THEIR WELDING HOOD, LEATHER WELDING GLOVES, AND SAFETY GLASSES (the optional vice grips, flashlight, and hand file may also be carried in). ALL OTHER ITEMS SHOULD BE LEFT OUTSIDE THE SHOP. STUDENTS BRINGING IN ANY ITEMS NOT ON THIS LIST MAY BE DISQUALIFIED.

• Cell phones and/or ear buds are NOT allowed during the competition time. If a student is seen using a cell phone and/or ear buds, that student’s coupon will NOT be considered for judging.

• Competition rounds are 45 minutes. This time includes a safety meeting, practice welds, and the competition weld.

• Each competition round will begin with a safety meeting. If a competitor misses the safety meeting, they will not be allowed to compete. It is important to understand the schedule and to be on time!

• If a student has not welded before or has welded very little, they are still encouraged to participate in the competition, especially if the student is considering enrolling at Arkansas Elite. The student can tell an instructor during the check-in process that they need additional help and while the coupon will not be judged, the student will still receive the $1,000 tuition scholarship.

• Once welding on the coupon has started, no further help is allowed.

• When the competition weld is complete, an instructor will take the test coupon to the judging area where it will be visual tested by a CWI (Certified Welding Inspector). No one other than judges and Arkansas Elite instructors are allowed in the judging area.

• Competitors will not have access to their weld test coupon after they turn it in for judging. No weld test coupons can leave the judging area. Guests are not allowed to view test coupons.

• A competitor will only be allowed on the shop floor during his/her competition time.

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Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Tools

Competitors should wear and bring the following:

• Cotton or FR jeans/pants free of holes, rips, and/or tears

• Cotton or FR long-sleeved welding shirt free of holes, rips, and/or tears

• Leather work boots

• Welding Hood*

• Leather Welding Gloves*

• Safety Glasses*

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*If a competitor does not have these items, they can be borrowed from the Arkansas Elite tool room on competition day.

DUFFLE BAGS, BACKPACKS, TOOL BUCKETS, ETC WILL NOT BE ALLOWED IN THE SHOP. STUDENTS SHOULD CARRY IN THEIR WELDING HOOD, LEATHER WELDING GLOVES, AND SAFETY GLASSES (the optional vice grips, flashlight, and hand file may also be carried in). ALL OTHER ITEMS SHOULD BE LEFT OUTSIDE THE SHOP.

The following will be provided by Arkansas Elite Welding Academy:

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• Stinger

• Bucket

• Welding Rods

• Chipping Hammer

• Wire Hand Brush

• Ear Plugs

 

NOTE: Optional tools students may bring: Vice Grips, Flashlight, Hand File