Alcotec Welding School Promotes Excellence in MIG and TIG Aluminum
AlcoTec®, an ESAB brand and the world’s leading producer of aluminum filler metals, announced that registration is open for 2026 AlcoTec aluminum welding training classes at its School of Aluminum Welding Technology – Theory and Practice in Traverse City, Michigan. The classes are scheduled for May 12–14 and September 22–24. Standard pricing is $1,500, and group discounts are available for companies registering multiple attendees.
The AlcoTec aluminum welding training program serves engineers, operators, supervisors, instructors, designers and sales representatives. During the three-day program, morning sessions focus on the science of aluminum, aluminum alloys and weldability. In the afternoons, participants apply their knowledge in the welding lab through hands-on exercises and testing.
To demonstrate the importance of proper procedures and welding techniques, the welds produced during training undergo multiple forms of destructive testing. The program is designed to help participants improve procedure development, alloy selection, troubleshooting and wire feeding performance.
“The knowledge you gain from the AlcoTec school can help optimize every aspect of your operation, including procedure development, alloy selection, training, troubleshooting wire feeding issues and more,” says Thomas Pfaller, AlcoTec senior application engineer and leader of the school program. Pfaller also sits on the committee governing the AWS D1.2 Structural Welding Code – Aluminum. “We designed the AlcoTec school curriculum to ensure that there is something for everybody, from a beginner welder to a design engineer to a welder that’s been welding for 30 years.”
One experienced attendee is Raymond Arkenburgh, a 14-year welding veteran and production supervisor at Extreme Trailers in Dover, Ohio, known for manufacturing flatbed and stepdeck trailers.
“Being a production supervisor, I like to know the science behind procedures and processes. What I learned at the AlcoTec School — such as the relationship between welding techniques and weld strength — will help me teach others at our shop. We are a top 25 trailer manufacturer with a reputation for strength and quality, so we’re always looking for ways to improve our efficiency.”
The AlcoTec aluminum welding training program combines classroom education with practical welding applications to help attendees improve aluminum fabrication processes, welding quality and manufacturing efficiency.
About ESAB
For more than 120 years, ESAB has been a world leader in fabrication technology. The company’s portfolio of fabrication solutions includes welding and cutting equipment, automation, robotics, fabrication software, filler metals, gas flow control systems and PPE. ESAB products and solutions support industries and manufacturers around the world.
