Production & ManufacturingO*NET: 51-4121.00
Will AI Replace Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers?
Use hand-welding, flame-cutting, hand-soldering, or brazing equipment to weld or join metal components or to fill holes, indentations, or seams of fabricated metal products.
87out of 100
Critical Risk
AI Risk Score
87/100
Risk Level
Critical
Job Zone
2/5
Entry
Total Tasks Analyzed
21
🤖 What AI Can Do
- ▸Monitor the fitting, burning, and welding processes to avoid overheating of parts or warping, shrinking, distortion, or expansion of material.
- ▸Develop templates and models for welding projects, using mathematical calculations based on blueprint information.
👤 What Requires Humans
- ▸Repair products by dismantling, straightening, reshaping, and reassembling parts, using cutting torches, straightening presses, and hand tools.
Task Breakdown
🤖AI Can Automate (2)
- Monitor the fitting, burning, and welding processes to avoid overheating of parts or warping, shrinking, distortion, or expansion of material.
- Develop templates and models for welding projects, using mathematical calculations based on blueprint information.
👤Requires Humans (1)
- Repair products by dismantling, straightening, reshaping, and reassembling parts, using cutting torches, straightening presses, and hand tools.
⚡AI-Assisted (18)
- Operate safety equipment and use safe work habits.
- Examine workpieces for defects and measure workpieces with straightedges or templates to ensure conformance with specifications.
- Weld components in flat, vertical, or overhead positions.
- Detect faulty operation of equipment or defective materials and notify supervisors.
- Recognize, set up, and operate hand and power tools common to the welding trade, such as shielded metal arc and gas metal arc welding equipment.
- Select and install torches, torch tips, filler rods, and flux, according to welding chart specifications or types and thicknesses of metals.
- Mark or tag material with proper job number, piece marks, and other identifying marks as required.
- Determine required equipment and welding methods, applying knowledge of metallurgy, geometry, and welding techniques.
Key Skills Analysis
Quality Control AnalysisAI-Vulnerable
Importance: 3.12/5.00
Monitoring
Importance: 3.00/5.00
Critical ThinkingAI-Resistant
Importance: 2.88/5.00
Judgment and Decision MakingAI-Resistant
Importance: 2.88/5.00
Operations MonitoringAI-Vulnerable
Importance: 2.75/5.00
Time ManagementAI-Resistant
Importance: 2.75/5.00
Active Listening
Importance: 2.62/5.00
Speaking
Importance: 2.62/5.00
Operation and Control
Importance: 2.62/5.00
Reading ComprehensionAI-Vulnerable
Importance: 2.50/5.00
Complex Problem SolvingAI-Resistant
Importance: 2.50/5.00
Troubleshooting
Importance: 2.50/5.00
CoordinationAI-Resistant
Importance: 2.38/5.00
Active LearningAI-Resistant
Importance: 2.25/5.00
Social PerceptivenessAI-Resistant
Importance: 2.25/5.00
Related Occupations
Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
86/100 — Critical Risk
Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters
84/100 — Critical Risk
Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers
87/100 — Critical Risk
Engine and Other Machine Assemblers
84/100 — Critical Risk
Boilermakers
82/100 — Critical Risk
Future-Proof Your Career
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Frequently Asked Questions
Based on our analysis, Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers have a critical risk of AI replacement with a score of 87/100. Many routine tasks in this role can be automated, but human oversight remains important.
Last updated: 2026-03-28· Data from O*NET 30.2 & Frey/Osborne automation research