Inspection Trends

Blaine C. Lowry had never showed an interest in welding. But he knew from a very young age that he wanted to join the military. He had several relatives who’d served, and they would recount their experiences to him. In fact, his grandfather, an Air Force flight navigator during the Cold War, was primarily responsible for his decision to join the armed forces. After speaking to several recruiters from various service branches, Lowry opted for the U.S. Marine Corps. It wasn’t until he joined the Marines that his passion for welding emerged.

In 2006, Lowry signed his enlistment contract. At the time he joined, he was required to choose a military occupational specialty (MOS), and he chose Engineer, Construction, Facilities & Equipment and Ground Ordnance Maintenance, which included ordnance tech, small arms repair, engineer mechanic, and metal worker. He hoped to receive small arms repair as he had been shooting since a very young age, and firearms were one of his hobbies. Due to the Marines’ MOS quotas, he was given metal worker (welder).

He attended welding school at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland. However, welding was not something that came easily for Lowry. He struggled through school. But he wanted to make the best of it, so he stuck with it and completed the program. After, he was stationed at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina and was assigned to Bridge Co.’s 8^th Engineer Support Battalion. Lowry was one of two welders assigned to maintenance. It was at the maintenance shop where he learned to love welding.

Every day was a new experience, and he began to perfect his craft. In 2012, he was released from active duty.

After his service, Lowry worked a couple of welding jobs. He was a welder/fabricator at Carpenter Welding, Beavercreek, Ohio, for about six months then joined the Army Corps of Engineers for a short period as a deck hand/welder on a barge. At Endolite, Miamisburg, Ohio, he worked as a machinist and worked part time in the deburring department. He was also attending Sinclair Community College, Dayton, Ohio, at the same time and obtained a certificate in CNC machining. He enrolled at Hobart Institute of Welding Technology (HIWT), Troy, Ohio, in 2012 and graduated with high honors the following year. At the end of 2014, he joined the school as a skills instructor.

Lowry held several positions at the institute, including second shift supervisor and skills supervisor. Most recently, his primary focus has been curriculum development. In 2018, he became an AWS Certified Welding Inspector (CWI).

1. Why did you decide to become an AWS CWI?

When I hired on [to HIWT], the career path for a skill instructor was to cross-train in all skill classes, and then you could put in to take the CWI test. It was a natural career progression.

2. What inspection processes do you use at HIWT? What welding/inspection processes do you teach at HIWT?

Visual testing is the only nondestructive inspection process I utilize on a regular basis. We also use leak testing and penetrant testing for specific classes. Other nondestructive examination methods are carried out by other employees. For destructive — bend test, nick break, peel, etc. — I have conducted tensile pulls when needed. We teach all of the commonly used inspection methods.

3. How has being an AWS CWI been beneficial to your professional career?

Being a CWI gives me more opportunities to look at welding through a different set of lenses. The more information I can gather, the more I can relay to our students and improve their education while at the school. I can also ensure that they are held to a nationally recognized standard.

4. What words of encouragement do you have for individuals thinking about becoming an AWS CWI?

I always tell my students if there is an opportunity to advance your career and better yourself, you should take it. Even if you do not use the knowledge on a regular basis, there is always something to be gained by learning something new. If anything, it can put you ahead of your peers and make you stand out as an employee.