Obituary - David Gordon Watson CEng MIMMM

David lost his life due to a tragic accident 2 December 2019 aged 60 years.

David Gordon Watson BSc MSC CEng Euro Welding Engineer MIMMM
1959 - 201

David studied Chemistry and Metallurgy at the University of Newcastle, UK, upon Tyne Class of 1980. He then spent 5 years in Zambia as a metallurgist for Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines. He returned to the UK in 1985 and enrolled for an MSc in Welding Engineering at Cranfield University and graduated in 1986.

David joined Air Products manufacturing facility in 1986, located in North Wales as a Welding Engineer and later as Chief Inspector and Welding Engineer. He was employed there until the plant closed in Dec 2009. During his time there, David became an expert in all types of welding including Aluminium, 9% Ni steel, high temperature creep resistant stainless steel and carbon steel. In particular his expertise with orbitally welded electro polished tube for high purity gases in electronic wafer fabrication plants was widely recognised.
David developed a unique technique to control weld penetration profiles using variable purge pressure in electronic high purity pipelines in particular the large diameters (4”NB)

David continued his work in welding engineering after the closure of air products manufacturing and was employed in the nuclear, cryogenic plant applications, and general fabrication. David will be missed by his family, friends and the fabrication industry in general. A nicer guy you couldn’t meet.

Dr R A Wilson FWeldI