Although a fully clad welder can appear somewhat overdressed, each piece of protective clothing is necessary to ensure personal safety. Welders who shun safety equipment often have scars or health problems as reminders of shortcuts they took.

In a perfect world, quality assurance and certification of materials would not be issues. In the tube and pipe industry, however, flawless raw materials and finished goods are not givens.

Editor's Note: This is the first installment of a three-part series on welding zirconium. Part I addresses metallurgy, weld preparation, and shielding techniques. Part II covers welding technique. Part III discusses additional methods of joining refractory metals.

Editor's Note: This is the first installment of a three-part series on welding zirconium. Part I addresses metallurgy, weld preparation, and shielding techniques. Part II, which will appear in the October/November issue, will cover welding technique. Part III, which will appear in the December issue, will discuss additional methods of joining refractory metals.