Editor's Desk

The report on a course on "Welding Metallurgy, Technology and Quality Assurance" on 16-20 January, 1996, organised by the Technical Committee of IIW and held at IGCAR, Kaipakkam, reveals how widely the course was accepted by the Welding related industries in general. This is yet another pointer apropos to the future organisers of such courses in the country. The inherent question probably is not so much about the uncertainty of (numbers of) participants hut lies in the realm of organisation of those courses in general. Other reports of such courses, which could be termed broadly as refreshers ’, continuation, special or beginners, have several course aspects in common. For instance, all such courses are related to the technology of joining of metals and alloys and, either singular or multiples of joining technologies are read, selection criteria of joining techniques - including welding consumables are referred and the quality assurance aspect of welded joints is emphasised as a matter of course. Binding it all together is the general metallurgy aspect which is revered across the course content. It is indeed assuring that such courses, at all different levels, are in great demand and the supply side probably needs a bit more support then hitherto spared from all relevant quarters - the welding related industries, the professional institutions, the technical journals - to name a few. Information regarding the potential contents of .such courses needs to be highlighted and in this regard, IWJ is committed to do it’s bit by arranging to publish the related materials of such courses, whenever possible, at a short notice.