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AWS presents Extraordinary Welding Award to Times Square New Year's Eve ball

The American Welding Society (AWS), Miami, has presented an Extraordinary Welding Award to the Times Square New Year’s Eve ball. The award recognizes technical design or outstanding development in welded fabrication, as well as welding excellence in construction, fabrication, and manufacturing. It is given to designate welded structures with a purpose that has importance in, or influence on, history.

Created by Hudson Scenic Studios using the GTAW process, the aluminum-frame, 12-ft.-dia. geodesic sphere weighs 11,875 lbs. Relit and raised back to its perch above One Times Square, the ball will remain there until it drops back down to ring in 2015.

Previous winners of the award include the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, and the Georgia Aquarium.