ME 436Welding and Joining Processes
- Units
- 0.50
- Faculty
- Engineering
- Subject
- Mechanical Engineering
When it runs
- F24
- W25
- S25
- F25
- W26
- S26
- F26
- W27
- S27
Ran in 5 of the last 7 terms. Winter 2027: not on the schedule. Spring 2027: schedule not out yet.
Introduction to modern welding and joining processes for metals, polymers and ceramics. Fundamentals of the joining process and the influence of the process parameters on weld dimensions, strength and quality. Fusion welding processes such as shielded metal arc, gas tungsten arc, gas metal arc, submerged arc welding and others including electron beam and laser beam welding. Resistance welding processes, solid-state welding processes, soldering and brazing. Laboratory exercises will provide hands-on experience with a number of industrially significant welding processes.
Prerequisites
- Complete all of the following
- Must have completed at least 1 of the following:
- Complete all of the following
- Students must be in level 4A or higher
- Enrolled in H-Mechanical Engineering, or H-Mechatronics Engineering
Antirequisites
None listed.
Leads to
Fall 2026 sections
| Section | Class | Enrolled | Meets |
|---|---|---|---|
| LEC 001 | 4971 | 55 / 60 | Th 17:30–20:20 |
| LAB 101 | 4973 | 55 / 60 | F 08:30–11:20 |
Reviewed on UW Flow
80% liked it69% easy69% useful
From 10 ratings and 7 comments on UW Flow. The most helpful comments, quoted as written, without names. Read them all on UW Flow.
Pretty good 4A TE overall, which goes into all the fundamental types of welding and when to use what depending on the engineering requirements. I really liked how there was a lot of emphasis on actual decision making like a real engineer would do, and knowing what welding process is best, vs simply learning every fact about welding with no application of what we learned.
With Peng Peng, course consisted of 3 assignments (fairly easy), 2 quizzes (fairly hard tbh, but I think he made them hard to keep the average in the mid 80s), 6 labs (all were super fun and relatively easy), a final presentation (which was marked fairly based on how much effort you put in), and no exams.
Overall, this…Aug 2026 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this
I don't particularly like welding, but I LOVED this course, there's a reason it is always at cap. Majority of your grade is just doing welding labs and answering a few questions in your lab report... these labs were so fun.
You and your class will probably (nearly) fail the two quizzes because they were so hard, but they're worth a total of 20% and are each 30 mins long, I get it though, something has to lower your average so the class average can float around a low-mid 80.Jul 2026 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this
The labs are what make this course worth taking. Really enjoyed getting a chance to weld with the different methods we learned and the welding facilities have been getting some nice upgrades. A few assignments, quiz's and a final project group presentation. None of them were particularly hard and they marked pretty easy. Only thing is Professor Gerlich kinda just dropped them whenever with little notice. Lectures weren't bad content wise but man the 8:30 lecture time sucked. Overall a pretty interesting bird course that I've heard is really good if Peng is teaching.
Dec 2025 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this
Taught by Norman Zhou. He made the course really easy-2 tests, 2 assignments, a project, and a couple labs. Almost no math involved in the course-just theory. The labs are where you get to try MIG/stick/tig, but you don't get much practice other than doing it once or twice. Take this course if it is taught by Norman and you want a birdy course that is actually fun.
Aug 2025 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this
Labs at Conestoga make the course worth taking. Lab technicians at the college are excellent!
Jan 2022 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this
Discussed on r/uwaterloo
11 posts and comments in 9 threads mention ME 436, December 2015 to December 2024. Quoted word for word, newest first; each reply sits under the post and the comment that started its branch. Search r/uwaterloo for newer posts.
Spring 2021
For those who have taken ME436 (Welding and Joining Processes), which campuses are the labs held at? According to Waterloo's site they're at Conestoga College. 2 points, 4 comments
Mechanical engineering undergrad retrospective 201 points, 42 comments
u/doAbr00talroll: “… • ME436: I REGRET TAKING THIS COURSE. …”
u/AeroHex: “Just graduated from 4 Stream Mech as well and I've gotta say, ME 436 was the 100% absolute biggest piece of shit fuck you dogshit piece of shit course I've ever taken. I almost got a 36 because of some dumbass failure clause in Mayer's syllabus.”
Winter 2021
For the class of 2021, how are you feeling about graduating this year? 17 points, 8 comments
“Really wish there was an option for multiple selection, but just choose which option best resonates with you. View Poll”
u/doAbr00talroll: “Honestly it's a little depressing having spent my entire 4th year in front of my computer and not being able to do the cool labs/projects I had always heard about from 1a to 3b. …”
u/doAbr00talroll: “Quality and learning from the TEs is pretty good (except for ME436, never take that course with Michael Mayer), I like being able to go back and review lecture videos whenever I want. …”
Spring 2018
MTE 322 vs ME 322 AND Fav Mech courses 3 points, 4 comments
“I am a 4th year SYDE student and I want to land a Product/mechanical design full-time position. I am trying to use the remainder of my technical electives to build more mechanical design …”
u/eagle23_7: “4th year who has worked 5 mechanical design coops. The best way to learn design would be through coop placements by far. It’s a lot more real world design of metal and plastic injection parts. …”
u/anon_student1: “… I am considering courses like ME 548 (CNC), ME 561 (hydraulics/pneumatics0), ME 436 (welding - I am already taking ME 435 - metallurgy). …”
Winter 2018
need some advise on 4th year mech courses 6 points, 10 comments
u/shaysura: “… ME 524 - Adv Dynamics and Vibrations ME 559 - Finite Element Methods ME 436 - Welding & Joining Processes ME 533 - Non-metallic and Composite Materials ME 452 - Energy Transfer in Buildings ME 456 - Heat Transfer 2 ME 459 - Energy Conversion ME 557 - …”
Fall 2017
Any way to disable UWCourseLinker from posting? 16 points, 26 comments
“posting a reply to my comment I find the bot annoying.”
u/Jackhofmann: “PSYCH 483 PSYCH 484 PSYCH 485 PSYCH 486 PSYCH 490R PSYCH 499A PSYCH 499B PSYCH 499C PSYCH 621 PSYCH 630 PSYCH 677A PSYCH 704A PSYCH 704B PSYCH 707 PSYCH 710 PSYCH 714 PSYCH 717 PSYCH 720A PSYCH 721A …”
u/Jackhofmann: “… 262 ME 269 ME 300B ME 322 ME 351 ME 353 ME 360 ME 362 ME 380 ME 400A ME 401 ME 423 ME 435 ME 436 ME 456 ME 459 ME 481 ME 482 ME 548 ME 559 ME 561 ME 566 ME 599 ME 620 ME 627 ME 632 ME 651 ME 659 ME 662 ME 673 ME 680 ME 682 ME 720 ME 738 ME 753 ME 760 ME 765 ME 770 ME 780 MEDVL …”
Spring 2016
Choosing between Robotics and Welding Course 4 points, 2 comments
u/supersymmetry: “Has anyone taken ME 547 (Robot Manipulators) or ME 436 (Welding and Joining Processes) and can speak about their overall assessment of the courses? I'm particularly asking for feedback on: instructor competency, course depth and interesting material, usefulness and work load. …”
u/Nakji: “ME436: It's pretty light on calculations, but really heavy on learning various concepts and making sense of them. Some people find Weckman boring, but I thought he was pretty hilarious and very informative. …”
is there any way to do welding as a student here? 2 points, 6 comments
“I've been having a blast with the student machine shop, learning a lot about machining, but I was hoping to get some welding experience this term. Is there anything on campus for that?”
u/Nakji: “… Unless the policy has indeed changed, the only way to do any welding is to take ME436 in 4th year, which has welding labs at Conestoga College. …”
Fall 2015
What are some of the courses that everyone should absolutely avoid? 27 points, 75 comments
“ECON 101 for one.”
u/Nakji: “ME435. The material is so boring that the professor even apologized.”
u/Nakji: “I didn't do the welding specialization, I just ended up in ME435 because of scheduling constraints. That said, I did take ME436, which was very enjoyable (David Weckman is hilarious if you enjoy dry engineering humour). I have no idea what the rest of the courses are like.”
Check it elsewhere for Fall 2026
- Undergraduate Calendar, 2026–27The official entry
- Requirements for Fall 2026Waterloo’s requisite checker
- Schedule of Classes, Fall 2026Instructors, rooms, live seats
- Quest Class SearchWhere you enrol
- Course outlinesSyllabi from past terms (UW login)
- UW FlowStudent ratings and reviews
- WClassesPast sections back to 2004, and who taught them