Welder vs Fabricator, what's the difference?

[pressbrake1]

Engineer is a professional qualification like Doctor, solicitor, barrister, architect etc
But it in the Uk it is not a protected designation sadly.
Anyone with a toolbox can call themselves an engineer
As a very good engineer friend of mine says:
“What’s the difference between an engineer and a technician ?
Maths !
The thing is when those other professions get things wrong, generally it only has financial implications and consequences (dr might kill a person, granted)
When engineers get things wrong, lots of people die
Trains derail, aircraft fall out of the sky, bridges or buildings collapse, power plants explode
The stuff we put our name to and designs we sign off on, kill people if we don’t get it right.
That’s what people don’t appreciate, and it’s a travesty that “Engineer” is not a protected term.

When a doctor or a nurse that can’t count a dose right it’s how it is but a engineer goes to prison if they mess up

 

[pressbrake1]

Actually aren’t plumbers called heating engineers now
Actually they make more than a engineer so they must be better

 

[Munkul]

I've just about given up with the "engineer" title gatekeeping and just go with it... "we'll send an engineer out" is something i hear way too often. It's ok. Its just a word.
Its more than made up for in my line of work when nuclear QA auditors ask for my eng qualifications and i give them an alphabet soup, quite gratifying really.

I've worked damn hard to get to where I am, and I'm only just now, years later, starting to really reap the rewards. I roll my eyes when people tell me they "have no time" to do qualifications outside of work. Well... Make time. How tf you think I did it?

 

[DeBangis]

The same travesty in where I'm, even a vulcanizer, or other skilled trader, is called 'Engineer.'

 

[Erie Fred]

The same travesty in where I'm, even a vulcanizer, or other skilled trader, is called 'Engineer.'

"Six weeks ago I couldn't spell engineer, now I are one"
Is a common phrase around here.

 

[premmington]

I believe that who does engine management mapping is on another level in this sector

Mappers... They "brick" enough ECU units to know what "humility" is.... (trust me on this).

Where a paintsprayers think they are all "artists" - I kid you not.... It is all the blending it in that goes to their heads - brain I think... Never met a "humble paintsprayer" ever...!

 

[Erie Fred]

Mappers... They "brick" enough ECU units to know what "humility" is.... (trust me on this).

Where a paintsprayers think they are all "artists" - I kid you not.... It is all the blending it in that goes to their heads - brain I think...

Paintsprayers = "Thinnerheads".....much better than laying paint on than I am, but
I'll never let them drive my car.

 

[julianf]

Re: what's an engineer?

I make parts, often of my own design, on machines that I designed and built myself.

(I'm not saying I smelted the metal or wound the motors or anything, but the bits beyond that)

People the give me money for the parts.

I have ZERO qualifications in engineering.

Often when people ask me what I do for work, I make some quick comment about "whacking things with hammers", which is largely a lie, but it generally stops them asking much more.

Am I an engineer?

I've got a BSc in "something else" but I certainly wouldn't call myself one of them!

 

[pressbrake1]

I’m a qualified engineer but I’m a dirty hands type so stayed in the workshop where I belong
I’m not tame nor play well with others in an office environment . Perhaps now I’m older it might work but I’m quarter of a century out of date so useless

 

[Morrisman]

The same travesty in where I'm, even a vulcanizer, or other skilled trader, is called 'Engineer.'

All our job titles suddenly went from being 'mechanic' to becoming 'technician' one year, when I worked offshore. No idea why, I just assume it was considered financially lucrative to mangement, or they wouldn't do it.

 

[finyuk2005]

Re: what's an engineer?

I make parts, often of my own design, on machines that I designed and built myself.

(I'm not saying I smelted the metal or wound the motors or anything, but the bits beyond that)

People the give me money for the parts.

I have ZERO qualifications in engineering.

Often when people ask me what I do for work, I make some quick comment about "whacking things with hammers", which is largely a lie, but it generally stops them asking much more.

Am I an engineer?

I've got a BSc in "something else" but I certainly wouldn't call myself one of them!

I never know what to call myself either,
I often "engineer" a solution to a problem, i fabricate, weld etc, i fix engines, boats cars tractors etc...
my only qualification is an NC in welding/fabricating
ill do pretty much anything for money! ha ha!

 

[Maker]

I know plenty of very good engineers with no degree, and plenty of engineers by degree or job title, with degrees but no common sense. The title doesn't mean a lot, but it doesn't take a long conversation to differentiate between a Boeing aerospace engineer, and a Subway sandwich engineer.

 

[finyuk2005]

I know plenty of very good engineers with no degree, and plenty of engineers by degree or job title, with degrees but no common sense. The title doesn't mean a lot, but it doesn't take a long conversation to differentiate between a Boeing aerospace engineer, and a Subway sandwich engineer.

technically my brother is an aeronautical engineer... but could barely engineer his way out a paper bag
Luckily he decided planes wasnt his thing and is now getting his doctorate in renewable engineering.
he is very good on the computer side of things,
but he did recently have to phone me to find out how to get into a tube of silicone...

 

[cr500dom]

You can’t just call yourself a solicitor because you work in the legal profession.
You can’t call yourself a Doctor because you work in the medical profession.
(Unless you have a PhD)

“I’m an Engineer” because I work in engineering, or more to the point do a technical role in some other profession, is sadly all too common

And I am not denigrating any of those roles at all, they are all highly skilled in their field.
What I object to is the annexing of a title that is not applicable and certainly does not reflect the effort required to get it.

We all know engineers that are useless at making stuff, but we also know lots of Techs who’s go to tool is a hammer or molegrips

 

[lchris21]

The one that confuses me is Mechanical Engineer? There are recruiters out there who cannot not differentiate (excuse the pun, as a mechanical engineer, differentiating was a nightmare in college) between a mechanical engineer who looks after buildings and one who looks after nuts and bolts...

 

[Robotstar5]

I've always been an electrician, but did become an engineer for a few years when I worked for ABB, our business cards had "Technical Support Engineer" on them

 

[highseas]

For me a welder is someone who welds, their may be some cutting for fit up ect but 95% Is welding, in any form.

A fabricator is some one who is doing the whole job, cutting drilling grinding punching bending and then maybe the welding!
I have a feller comes and helps me sometimes when I need him making steel frame buildings and he just likes to weld, so I get a day head start and start making all the plates and gussets ect and if I can I will tack them up so
All he has
To do is weld, and move it with the forklift then weld the next one no drilling grinding ect.
That’s why I offer “welding and fabrication”
As for engineer I think that term has lost all meaning now!

 

[not done it yet]

The difference between a salesman and an engineer could be applied to this - err - supposed problem.

An engineer learns more and more about less and less until he knows everything about nothing, whereas a salesman learns less and less about more and more until he knows nothing about everything. (Insert sales person for ‘salesman‘ and he/she for ‘he’ if you want to be PC - and insert bu**er all for ‘nothing’, particularly/especially in the case of the salesman/sales person).

 

[julianf]

I have a friend who is a network engineer.

He has in mind that, because he has "engineer" in his job title that he can fabricate things.

 

[Erie Fred]

The difference between a salesman and an engineer could be applied to this - err - supposed problem.

An engineer learns more and more about less and less until he knows everything about nothing, whereas a salesman learns less and less about more and more until he knows nothing about everything. (Insert sales person for ‘salesman‘ and he/she for ‘he’ if you want to be PC - and insert bu**er all for ‘nothing’, particularly/especially in the case of the salesman/sales person).

"Kenny Tarmack" a very funny skit on the Bob & Tom radio show.
Sadly the voice impersonator Ron Sexton recently passed away.

FF to 2:15 for Kenny's call: