Irving B. Hester, publisher of INDUSTRY AND WELDING, noted in his editorial for January 1936 that 36 million pounds of electrodes were melted in 1933, 56 million pounds in 1934 and 77 million pounds in 1935. There were no available figures for the wire used in the oxy-acetylene welding process, but Hester guessed the total for both types would be around 156 million pounds for 1935.

To him the figures indicated that welding had broken down old prejudices, had gained acceptance and had done a creditable job wherever properly applied. He also thought that having made these achievements, the welding industry should resolve to make 1936 the best year yet for the welding industry.

[Editor's note: A rough estimate of present day consumption of welding rod and wire is about 975 million pounds per year, of which solid wire accounts for 500 million pounds; tube wire, 250 million pounds; and stick electrodes, 225 million pounds, according to Hobart Brothers.]

ABCs of welding design by Fred L. Plummer

Before Fred L. Plummer was president and executive director of the American Welding Institute and had an award named after him, he was an associate professor of structural engineering at Case School of Applied Science (now Case Western Reserve University) and author of a series of eight studies that ran in INDUSTRY AND WELDING from January through August 1936. Part One introduced the basic influences in practical design problems. Parts Two through Eight covered the influence of function in welding design, the choice of materials in welding design (three parts), methods of fabrication, welding for continuity and the design of a welded steel shear.