The welding department at Bakersfield College has some new equipment for the students to learn how to weld on because in the past there was obsolete equipment that had to have repairs all the time.

“It was outdated and antiquated, and the equipment had to be repaired every day,” associate professor Mike Komin said after being asked about the equipment in the welding department when he first started teaching.”Some equipment had parts that were hard to get. It was a nightmare.”

Komin has been teaching in the welding department for five years full time and 12 years before that as an adjunct instructor. After graduating from Fresno State with a bachelor’s degree, he went in to the welding industry for 35 years.

Professor Dale Gradek has been teaching at BC for 32 years in the welding department after graduating from Humboldt State University with a bachelor’s degree and?a master’s degree.Gradek said, “I have been fortunate to spend my whole teaching career at BC. It has been a nice ride.”

The new equipment in the welding department is a Miller Deltaweld, a 52-ton ironworker with two stations, a 20-ton shear and a finger and pan brake.

The Miller Deltaweld is a machine that has multipurpose uses for welding. It has all new power sources and a dual-wire feeder which is the next generation of industrial-class wire feeders.

The 52-ton ironworker, 20-ton shear and finger and pan brake are all used for fabrication.

The classes that are offered for students to be able to learn how to use the equipment are introduction to the welding processes, shielded metal are welding, tig and mig welding, welded steel structures and some advanced classes too.