FAQ's
Most frequent questions and answers.
The school licensing program is designed for high school or post-secondary institutions that have a welding program that intend to make their students marketplace valued welder/fabricators.
- A desirable student welding project that doesn’t require babysitting – with an idiot-proof process of detailed documentation of every step of the build process, you can rest assured your students will succeed in the build process, every time, regardless of skill level and not worry about wasted time or steel. As a bonus, all your students are going to be absolutely thrilled to build these for their personal pickups.
- Training that has marketplace value – building large scale projects from start to finish are the best way to hone all of the skills the marketplace demands – welding, saw cutting, fabrication, and CNC operation. Building large projects such as flatbeds will train your students to be marketplace ready faster than anything else.
- The option to generate revenue for your welding program – you have the right, but not the obligation, to upgrade your license to be able to sell fully built and installed flatbeds to customers in your area. The commercial license comes with everything needed to market and sell the designs in our turn-key business system. This provides yet another benefit to your students: learning to run the numbers of selling prices and salesmanship. When you add these skills to the ability to fabricate, they’ll be equipped with the tools to run their own welding business.
Our Pricing is based on a number of factors, if you would like to get a specific quote for your school, please schedule a call with us and we’d be happy to lay out the pricing structure based on your school’s situation.
License options
- Educational License – Can be used only to build and install flatbeds on students’ or staffs’ personal pickups. If you wish to build and sell flatbeds to outside customers, you will need to purchase the commercial license upgrade. See demo video 1 for a detailed explanation of what’s included.
- Commercial License Upgrade – If your school is located in a good flatbed market, you can upgrade your educational license to build and sell flatbeds in your community to outside customers. With this license, you would be provided with our proven turn-key business systems to generate leads and turn those leads into customers. See demo videos 2 and 3 above for a detailed explanation of the systems provided. This is a great way to bring in revenue for your shop and give students the opportunity to improve their welding and sales skills. (The perfect training system for those who want to manage or own a welding business).
Get the price for your school: schedule a call with us, we’d love to talk!
Each school gets a unique login to our school platform – the all in one dashboard with everything you’ll need to build flatbeds. This includes the video tutorial, blueprints for all models (PDF downloads), cut files for all base parts and add-ons pre-nested on 4 x 8 areas (.DXF files), and all of our business and support tools.
Our video tutorial is completely exhaustive. At over 5 hours long with 28 modules, it’s a step by step explanation of how to build, wire, and install your flatbed with no detail left out, the videos can be accessed on any device, so any or all of your students will be able to follow the step by step process. Here’s a breakdown of each module and what it covers:
- Module 1: Tools and equipment needed.
- Module 2: Jig table construction
- Module 3: Inner frame construction
- Module 4: Prepping the outer frame
- Module 5a: Installing outer frame – wood deck models
- Module 5b: Installing the outer frame – steel deck models
- Module 6: Tail installation
- Module 7: Adding tail bracing and gussets
- Module 8: Solid welding the frame
- Module 9: Grinding outer frame welds
- Module 10: Installing stake pockets
- Module 11: Cutting out the headache rack frame
- Module 12: Tack welding the headache rack frame
- Module 13: Solid welding the headache rack frame
- Module 14: Flatbar jig construction
- Module 15: Installing Louvers
- Module 16: Welding on the headache rack
- Module 17: Fuel plate installation
- Module 18: Wiring hanger installation
- Module 19a: Installing flatbar – wood deck models
- Module 19b: Installing flatbar – steel deck models
- Module 20 – Installing steel deck (steel deck models only)
- Module 21a – Adding fenders and final touches
- Module 21b – Adding flatbed bed rails
- Module 21c – Adding steps
- Module 21d – Adding toolboxes, backup camera, parking sensors, and D-rings.
- Module 22 – Flatbed Wiring
- Module 23 – Flatbed Installation
1980 -2020 Ford F250/350/450
- Shortbed SRW
- Shortbed Dually
- Longbed SRW
- Longbed Dually
- Cab and Chassis
1980-2022 Dodge 2500/3500
- Shortbed SRW
- Shortbed Dually
- Longbed SRW
- Longbed Dually
- Cab and Chassis
1980 -2021 Chevy/GMC 2500/3500
- Shortbed SRW
- Shortbed Dually
- Longbed SRW
- Longbed Dually
- Cab and Chassis
1995-2023 Toyota Tacoma
- 6 ft bed
- 5 ft bed
All schools in our program will recieve unlimited, on demand support from a member of our team via email, text message, and phone during regular business hours. No automated messages or beauracracy to the sort through. You’ll talk to someone that knows the process and can help you with any problem or question that may arise.
Co-Branding – You must leave all DDFab Logos in place on all the flatbeds that are built. You are, however, allowed to add your school’s logo to the opposite corner of the tail to serve as marketing and promotion for your school. Example: Built By: Winifred FFA, COCC Shop Program, Etc.
Required to purchase lights and mudflaps from HQ on a per unit basis – every unit built must use the provided lighting packages and branded mudflaps sold by our HQ location. This is also a tracking measure for HQ of the units sold per year. Lights and mudflaps will be available to purchase off the school platform for wholesale and bulk pricing.
Customization Allowance – the base model flatbed must be built exactly as the blueprints and video tutorial intend. After the base model is built, any and all customization is permitted that acts as an add-on to the base model. This includes but is not limited to: toolboxes, fenders, bed rails, lumber racks, custom mounting systems, bale forks, etc.
No selling flatbeds in weld-yourself format – you are only permitted to build and/or sell the fully built product. Under no circumstances are you allowed to sell the product in weld-yourself format. A second party such as the customer or a car dealer can install the finished product, but the product must be fully assembled before leaving your shop.
No selling or giving access to other institutions – under no circumstances are you allowed to sell or give access to other schools, institutions, or individuals outside of your school’s welding program. Violation is strictly enforced.
If you’re interested in becoming a licensed school, you’ll need to schedule a phone interview with one of us so we can see if both of us are a good fit from the program. It’s also advised to look through all the due diligence links prior to our phone interview so we can answer any questions you have. After we conduct a phone interview, the process is simple:
- Both parties (your school and our company) would need to sign the contract (linked above)
- We will send you a registration and payment link that you will create a unique username/password to log into the school platform, and the licensing fees can be paid via credit card or ACH at the time of signup.
- One of us will give you a detailed explanation and walkthrough of the school platform, and you’ll be able to start building flatbeds immediately.