Curriculum Overview
The B.Tech Welding program at Government Polytechnic Champawat is structured to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of welding principles, techniques, and applications. The curriculum spans eight semesters and integrates foundational sciences, core engineering concepts, specialized electives, laboratory experiments, and capstone projects to prepare graduates for diverse career opportunities.
Course Structure
The following table outlines the complete course structure across all eight semesters:
| Semester | Course Code | Course Title | Credit Structure (L-T-P-C) | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | ENG101 | English for Engineering Communication | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| I | MAT101 | Mathematics I | 4-0-0-4 | - |
| I | PHY101 | Physics for Engineering | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| I | CHE101 | Chemistry for Engineers | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| I | ECO101 | Engineering Economics and Cost Analysis | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| I | EGD101 | Engineering Graphics and Design | 2-1-0-3 | - |
| I | WS101 | Workshop Practice I | 0-0-2-2 | - |
| I | WEL101 | Introduction to Welding | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| II | MAT201 | Mathematics II | 4-0-0-4 | MAT101 |
| II | PHY201 | Physics II | 3-0-0-3 | PHY101 |
| II | MEC201 | Mechanics of Materials | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| II | WEL201 | Basic Welding Processes | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| II | WS201 | Workshop Practice II | 0-0-2-2 | - |
| II | WEL202 | Welding Metallurgy | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| III | MAT301 | Mathematics III | 4-0-0-4 | MAT201 |
| III | ELE301 | Basic Electrical Engineering | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| III | MAT302 | Probability and Statistics | 3-0-0-3 | MAT201 |
| III | WEL301 | Welding Process Control | 3-0-0-3 | WEL201 |
| III | WEL302 | Welding Inspection and Testing | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| III | WEL303 | Advanced Welding Techniques | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| IV | MAT401 | Mathematics IV | 4-0-0-4 | MAT301 |
| IV | MEC401 | Machine Design | 3-0-0-3 | MEC201 |
| IV | ELE401 | Electronics for Engineers | 3-0-0-3 | ELE301 |
| IV | WEL401 | Automated Welding Systems | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| IV | WEL402 | Welding Safety and Environmental Standards | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| V | WEL501 | Advanced Materials and Their Weldability | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| V | WEL502 | Design of Welded Structures | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| V | WEL503 | Research Methodology and Project Planning | 2-0-0-2 | - |
| V | WEL504 | Welding in Renewable Energy Sector | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| V | WEL505 | Marine and Offshore Welding | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| V | WEL506 | Quality Assurance in Welding | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| V | WEL507 | Sustainable Manufacturing Practices | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| V | WEL508 | Welding Industry Internship | 0-0-4-4 | - |
| VI | WEL601 | Specialized Welding Technologies | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| VI | WEL602 | Industrial Automation and Control Systems | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| VI | WEL603 | Advanced Welding Simulation and Modeling | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| VI | WEL604 | Welding Research Project I | 0-0-4-4 | - |
| VII | WEL701 | Capstone Project - Advanced Welding Systems | 0-0-6-6 | - |
| VII | WEL702 | Professional Ethics and Leadership in Engineering | 2-0-0-2 | - |
| VII | WEL703 | Welding in Emerging Technologies | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| VII | WEL704 | Welding Innovation and Entrepreneurship | 2-0-0-2 | - |
| VIII | WEL801 | Final Year Project - Industry Collaboration | 0-0-6-6 | - |
| VIII | WEL802 | Advanced Welding Research | 3-0-0-3 | - |
Detailed Course Descriptions
Below are detailed descriptions of several advanced departmental elective courses offered in the program:
- Advanced Welding Techniques: This course delves into modern welding technologies such as friction stir welding, laser beam welding, electron beam welding, and resistance spot welding. Students learn about process parameters, equipment setup, quality control methods, and applications in aerospace, automotive, and marine industries.
- Welding Metallurgy: A comprehensive study of the metallurgical aspects of welding including phase transformations, microstructure evolution, heat-affected zones (HAZ), weld pool dynamics, and mechanical properties of welds. This course emphasizes understanding how material composition affects weld performance.
- Non-Destructive Testing and Evaluation: Students explore various NDT methods used in the welding industry including ultrasonic testing, radiographic testing, magnetic particle inspection, liquid penetrant testing, and eddy current testing. Practical sessions involve using industrial-grade testing equipment to detect defects in welds.
- Welding Automation and Robotics: This course introduces students to automated welding systems including robot programming, PLC integration, sensor-based control, and path planning for robotic welders. Emphasis is placed on real-time monitoring and adaptive control techniques used in industrial settings.
- Materials Science and Weldability: Focuses on understanding how different materials behave during welding processes, covering topics like alloy design, thermal conductivity, melting behavior, and compatibility issues. Students gain insight into selecting appropriate materials for specific welding applications.
- Quality Assurance in Welding: Covers quality management systems (QMS) relevant to welding operations including ISO 9001 standards, welding procedure specifications (WPS), welder certification programs, inspection techniques, and statistical process control methods.
- Welding Safety and Environmental Standards: Emphasizes safety protocols, hazard identification, protective equipment usage, environmental impact assessment, emission control systems, and compliance with national and international welding regulations such as ASME, AWS, and ISO standards.
- Renewable Energy Welding Applications: Explores the role of welding in renewable energy sectors including solar panel manufacturing, wind turbine blade construction, hydrogen fuel cell development, and offshore wind farm installation. Students learn specialized techniques required for these high-tech applications.
- Marine and Offshore Welding: Provides an overview of welding practices specific to marine environments including corrosion resistance, underwater welding techniques, pressure vessel fabrication, and fatigue analysis in shipbuilding and offshore platforms.
- Smart Welding Systems Using IoT Sensors: Integrates concepts from computer science and engineering to develop smart welding systems with embedded sensors for real-time monitoring of temperature, current, voltage, gas flow, and weld quality. Includes hands-on projects using Arduino and Raspberry Pi microcontrollers.
- Welding Simulation and Modeling: Utilizes computational tools like ANSYS, ABAQUS, and MATLAB to simulate welding processes and predict outcomes such as residual stresses, distortion patterns, and heat distribution. Students learn to interpret simulation results and validate them against experimental data.
- Welding in Additive Manufacturing: Explores the intersection of welding and 3D printing technologies, focusing on hybrid manufacturing systems where welding is integrated with additive processes to create complex geometries and functional components.
- Industrial Automation and Control Systems: Teaches principles of automation and control theory applied to welding equipment, covering topics such as feedback control, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), human-machine interfaces (HMIs), and industrial communication protocols like Modbus and Ethernet/IP.
- Welding Research Methodology: Guides students through the research process, including literature review, hypothesis formulation, experimental design, data collection, statistical analysis, and scientific writing. Students prepare a research proposal for their final project and present findings in a structured format.
- Sustainable Manufacturing Practices: Addresses environmental sustainability in welding by examining energy consumption patterns, waste reduction strategies, recycling of metal scraps, eco-friendly consumables, and lifecycle assessment of welded products.
Project-Based Learning Philosophy
The department adheres to a robust project-based learning (PBL) model that encourages students to apply theoretical knowledge in practical scenarios. This approach promotes critical thinking, problem-solving, teamwork, and innovation while preparing students for real-world engineering challenges.
Mini Projects
Mini projects are undertaken during the second and third years of the program. These short-term initiatives focus on specific welding techniques or applications such as optimizing weld parameters for a given material, designing a simple automated welding fixture, or evaluating NDT methods for detecting defects in welded joints. Each project is supervised by a faculty member and includes both theoretical analysis and experimental validation.
Final Year Thesis/Capstone Project
The capstone project, undertaken in the seventh and eighth semesters, allows students to engage in an extended research or development endeavor related to their area of specialization. Students can choose from industry-sponsored projects, faculty research initiatives, or independent investigations guided by a mentor.
Project selection involves a detailed proposal submission process where students must demonstrate feasibility, relevance, and novelty of their ideas. Evaluation criteria include project planning, methodology, execution quality, documentation, presentation skills, and final deliverables. Students are expected to submit a comprehensive report and present their work at an internal symposium.
Throughout the PBL experience, students receive continuous feedback from faculty mentors and peer review sessions. The department facilitates access to advanced equipment, software tools, and collaboration opportunities with industry partners to ensure that projects align with current technological trends and market demands.