Australian Welding Q1, 2018

AUSTRALIAN 1

WELDING Q1 | MARCH 2018 www.wtia.com.au

RTA’S GUIDE TO

WELDING AUTOMATION PAGE 16 THE SEVEN

WONDERS OF THE WELDING WORLD PAGE 20 OUT OF THIS WORLD:

ADVANCED MANUFACTURING PAGE 24

JOURNAL OF THE WELDING TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE OF AUSTRALIA Welding Technology Institute of Australia

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THE WTIA’S VALUE PROPOSITION AUSTRALIAN WELDING: MARCH 2018

The Welding Technology Institute of Australia (WTIA) is the peak body representing the welding profession in Australia.

WTIA members include individuals and companies in almost every facet of Australian industry, making a significant contribution to the economy.

The WTIA is the Australian representative member of the International Institute of Welding (IIW).

Our mission is to represent the interests of members and safeguard the public.

We do this by ensuring the integrity of in-service welds, and promoting the use of best practice technology and quality systems.

HOW THE WTIA DELIVERS VALUE TO MEMBERS NETWORK We provide a network for the exchange of ideas and the sharing of resources.

TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER

We facilitate technology transfer from research institutions and overseas markets.

LEARNING

VOICE

We deliver pathways for learning.

We are the voice of industry to promote awareness of welding to decision makers.

TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS We offer specialist technical solutions.

CERTIFICATION We stand as an internationally accredited certification body.

WTIA CONTACTS WTIA National Office

Qualification & Certification

Editorial Submissions

Building 3, Level 3, Suite 5 20 Bridge Street Pymble, NSW 2073 (PO Box 197 Macquarie Park BC NSW 1670) T: +61 (0)2 8748 0100 E: info@wtia.com.au

Paolo Corronca T: +61 (0)438 012 099 E: p.corronca@wtia.com.au

Sally Wood T: +61 (0)434 442 687 E: sally@wordly.com.au

Chief Executive Officer

Marketing & Advertising

Geoff Crittenden T: +61 (0)2 8748 0100 E: g.crittenden@wtia.com.au

Donna South T: +61 (0)2 8748 0130 E: d.south@wtia.com.au

Training Paul James T: +61 (0)2 8748 0150 E: p.james@wtia.com.au

Subscription to Australian Welding is a WTIA member benefit included in annual membership fees. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or copied in any form without the written permission of the WTIA. The WTIA and its agents are not responsible for statements or opinions expressed by contributors in this publication, which are not necessarily those of the WTIA. Publication of any advertisement does not constitute endorsement by the WTIA of any product, nor warrant its suitability.

CONTENTS: MARCH 2018

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CONTENTS From the WTIA CEO

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Inside the Industry

16 RTA’s Guide to Welding Automation

20

Seven Wonders of the Welding World

Breaking News National Manufacturing Week Business Essentials Health & Safety

7 10 12 14

Feature & Technical Articles RTA’s Guide to Automation Aluminothermic Welding Defects Wonders of the Welding World Advanced Manufacturing Nix Engineering Group Pipeline Repair National Manufacturing Summit The Hazards of Welding Fume Titanium Welding in Motorsport Australian Standards

16 18 20 24 28 30 32 34 38 41

Inside the WTIA

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Hotline Report WTIA Industry Groups Training & Certification Member Directory Upcoming Events

42 44 46 48 51

Out of this World: Advanced Manufacturing

About the WTIA

36 Titanium Welding in Motorsports

A membership-based organisation, the Welding Technology Institute of Australia (WTIA) represents Australia’s welding profession. Our primary goal is to ensure that the Australian welding industry remains locally and globally competitive, now and into the future. The WTIA is the Australian representative of the International Institute of Welding (IIW). For further information, please visit: www.wtia.com.au

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AUSTRALIAN WELDING: MARCH 2018

A MESSAGE FROM THE WTIA CEO When I first took over as the CEO of the WTIA, one of my first tasks was to travel around the country, meeting with members to identify their key challenges. I quickly discovered that the two overriding concerns of most members were: the competency of welders, and the cost of qualifying welders according to AS 1554.

To resolve this issue, the WTIA looked internationally for an appropriate Standard that would provide a benchmark for welder competency in Australia. We had two options: AS 2980 or ISO 9606.

In consultation with our members, particularly major asset managers, we settled on ISO 9606.

ISO 9606 is the only Standard in the world which is accepted in both Europe and America. In addition, it is a simple test that assesses welding competency according to a specific weld procedure, based on a practical acceptance criteria.

Having decided on this strategy, we needed to acquire an online system that would help us manage the system of qualifying and certifying welders to ISO 9606.

As part of our original scoping exercise, the WTIA decided that this was also the perfect opportunity to review all online examinations and certifications across all the qualifications that we deliver.

In June 2016, we engaged Smart Welder to commence the design and development of the online system.

This was launched at the beginning of 2017 as WeldQ. We decided on a soft launch because the complexity and broad functionality of the system we were trying to achieve was such that there were likely to be many modifications needed during its

first year in operation. I have to say that Smart Welder and our team at the WTIA have done an exceptional job in producing an extremely comprehensive and complex online system.

In February 2017, we conducted our first pilot training and assessment exercise to ISO 9606. Whilst I had significant empirical evidence that the failure rate to ISO 1554 was in the order of 80%, it came as a shock that in our first two courses the failure rate to ISO 9606 was 90%.

Therefore, it was clear that we would need to design a training course to bring welders up to the required standard. As such, we conducted a strategic review of welder training in Australia and considered a number of options as to how we may be able to influence a substantial improvement.

Ultimately, we decided that the best way forward was to partner with TAFEs nationally. This way, we could collaborate to develop the required courses pertaining to ISO 9606, as well as liaise with our members to ensure that the courses were filled with enthusiastic young welders.

Rather than simply follow the tried-and-true training techniques (demonstrate to a student how to perform a weld, then blindfolding them and put them in a welding bay

to replicate the task), we looked internationally for a more modern solution. With our partner BOC, we identified the Seabery Soldamatic augmented reality simulator as an ideal solution for the problem we were trying to solve.

The Soldamatic not only allows you to train inexperienced welders without the necessity of comprehensive Workplace Health and Safety training, it also dramatically speeds up the training process—by as much as 30% to 50%—and delivers a corresponding cost reduction in consumables.

Furthermore, by gamifying the welding process, training becomes an extremely attractive proposition for the younger generation who are brought up in an increasingly digital and virtual reality world.

Our next step was to persuade state governments to fund the establishment of what would become the Advancer Welder Training Centres, which is essentially the use of augmented reality laboratory, coupled with a traditional welding school.

Our initial strategy was to leverage the Federal Government’s $100 billion defence manufacturing program. As such, we developed a proposal specifically targeted at the defence industry.

A MESSAGE FROM THE CEO

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Left: Geoff Crittenden, Chief Executive Officer of the WTIA.

“

Without a doubt, the implementation of this innovative training initiative will revolutionise welder training in Australia. It will raise the standard of welder education in Australia exponentially, putting it on par with the best in Europe and America.”

In partnership with TAFEs around the country, we submitted proposals to all state governments. Almost immediately, the Victorian Skills Commission supported the Advanced Welder Training Centre concept, commissioning us to convene an Industry Skills Group.

This Industry Skills Group prepared a curriculum for training both experienced welders and transitional workers, according to ISO 9606, using a combination of augmented reality and traditional technology. The courses were accredited by Victorian

Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA) in late 2017.

This initiative means that TAFEs across Victoria and around the country can teach the accredited course, which will be funded by their parent State Government. We are now in the position of awaiting final funding approval in Victoria, Western Australia, Queensland, Tasmania and New South Wales, and have proposals under consideration in South Australia and central Queensland.

Without a doubt, the successful

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implementation of this innovative training initiative will revolutionise welder training in Australia. It will raise the standard of welder education in Australia exponentially, putting our welder training on par with the best in Europe and America.

When combined with the Australian Welder Certification Register (AWCR), this advanced welder training system will not only begin the resurrection of high-quality welding in Australia, it will also attract young people back into our welding industry.

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AUSTRALIAN WELDING: MARCH 2018

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9 – 11 May 2018 Sydney Showground

WHERE INNOVATION MEETS OPPORTUNITY

4500+ ATTENDEES

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EXHIBITORS

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SPEAKERS

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EXHIBITION ZONES including:

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INSIDE THE INDUSTRY: BREAKING NEWS

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BREAKING NEWS ASC and BMT Collaborate to Meet Demand for Submarine Know-How Australia’s sovereign submarine company ASC recently signed a collaboration agreement with leading international engineering consultancy BMT to meet increasing demand for ASC’s submarine platform expertise and experience.

The 12 month collaboration agreement will strengthen ASC’s roles as builder and sustainer of Australia’s submarine fleet, the Collins Class.

“As Australia’s sovereign submarine platform company, ASC recognises its central role in expanding Australia’s capability in coming years. Under this agreement, ASC will be better able to meet increasing demands for our work on the Collins Class fleet, as well as our growing role in the Future Submarine space,” said ASC’s Chief Executive Officer Stuart Whiley.

ASC last year secured a further five-year performance period for the sustainment contract for the Collins Class submarine fleet. ASC has a submarine workforce of approximately 1,200 and is the Collins Class Design Authority, conducting submarine sustainment, enhancements and upgrades at its sites in South Australia and Henderson, Western Australia. ASC is also expanding its expert assistance to the Future Submarine project office, with ASC currently providing approximately 28 seconded staff.

BMT supports customers worldwide with its independent engineering and project management consultancy capability and proven experience in the defence, maritime and transport industries.

Government Launches Defence Export Strategy The Federal Government launched the Defence Export Strategy in late January. The Strategy builds upon the Government’s defence industry policy by setting out a comprehensive system to plan, guide and measure defence export outcomes. A strong, exporting defence industry in Australia will provide greater certainty of investment, support high-end manufacturing jobs and support the capability of the Australian Defence Force.

It is designed to complement the Turnbull Government’s $200 billion investment in Australian Defence Force capability.

The Strategy provides $20 million in additional annual funding from 2018-2019 to support Australia’s defence exports. A new Australian Defence Export Office will be created within the Department of Defence to provide a focal point for defence exports and drive implementation of the Strategy.

The Government recognises that Australian industry cannot sustain itself on the needs of the Australian Defence Force alone. New markets and opportunities to diversify are required to help unlock the full potential of the Australian defence industry in order for it to grow, innovate, and support Defence’s future needs.

Exports will provide the defence industry with greater certainty of future investment and support high-end manufacturing jobs for future generations.

The strategic goal over the next decade to 2028 is to achieve greater export success to build a stronger, more sustainable and more globally competitive Australian defence industry to support Australia’s Defence capability needs.

Image: HMAS Collins arrives in Sydney Harbour in 2016. HMAS Collins was the first Collins Class submarine to visit Sydney for more than two years. Image courtesy of Royal Australian Navy, Commonwealth of Australia.

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AUSTRALIAN WELDING: MARCH 2018

BREAKING NEWS South Australian Government Unveils World’s Largest Virtual Power Plant

Santos Invests $22.3 million in Heat-Energy Recovery System

The South Australian State Government recently unveiled a plan to roll out a network of at least 50,000 home solar and battery systems across South Australia, working together to form the world’s largest Virtual Power Plant.

Following a $6.8 million grant from South Australia’s PACE Gas program, Santos and its joint venture partners, Beach Energy and Lattice Energy, will invest in a $22.3 million heat-energy recovery system that will free up sales gas for the domestic market by reducing their own energy consumption at their Moomba facilities. Heat-energy recovery allows waste heat from the exhaust of an existing turbine to be recycled, enabling more power and steam to be generated. Using waste heat to generate power and steam means less gas is required for the same output from the turbine.

Beginning with a trial of 1,100 Housing Trust properties, a 5kW solar panel system and 13.5kWh Tesla Powerwall 2 battery will be installed at no charge to the household and financed through the sale of electricity.

Following the trial, which has now commenced, systems are set to be installed at a further 24,000 Housing Trust properties, and then a similar deal offered to all South Australian households, with a plan for at least 50,000 households to participate over the next four years.

It is anticipated that around 250 new jobs will be created through the installation of Tesla Powerwall 2 products on as many as 50,000 South Australian homes over the next four years. Up to 260 extra jobs are expected to be created throughout the supply chain, with the Government’s contract with Tesla stipulating that local contractors must be used.

The South Australian State Government will also contribute $1.25 million to help South Australian businesses secure contracts on major renewable energy projects, like the world’s largest Virtual Power Plant. The funds will help local companies meet costs when preparing their pitch for large-scale projects.

Tesla has also confirmed that they will establish a Service Hub at Tonsley. The Service Hub will allow for local technicians to monitor and service the Powerpacks in Hornsdale, the Superchargers that have been installed across South Australia, and the residential Powerwall installations. The Tonsley-based Service Hub has the potential to service Tesla batteries throughout Asia Pacific, and will create additional local jobs.

“Producing more from less – that is what Santos is about,” said Santos Managing Director and CEO Kevin Gallagher. “We are always looking for ways to reduce energy consumption and our carbon footprint, particularly in the Cooper Basin where our own energy use is equivalent to just under 5% of east coast domestic gas demand,” Mr Gallagher said. “If we can make even half that gas available to the market by capturing energy efficiency opportunities, it would be an excellent outcome for both Australian domestic customers and our LNG exports.”

Monadelphous Secures $110 million in New Contracts Engineering company Monadelphous Group recently announced it has secured new maintenance and construction contracts in the resources and infrastructure sectors with a combined value of approximately $110 million. The contracts include: • A three year contract for the supply of rope access based mechanical maintenance, inspection and protective coating services for Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal in Mackay, Queensland • A three year contract for the operation and maintenance of the coal handling facility at the Muja Power Station for Synergy in Collie, Western Australia • A two year contract extension for the supply of mechanical services for Queensland Alumina in Gladstone, Queensland • A three year contract to provide shutdown maintenance, breakdown and repair services, minor projects and ad hoc services for BHP at Mount Arthur Coal in the Hunter Valley, New South Wales • A contract with Pukaki Irrigation Company for design, supply, installation and commissioning of a gravity pressurised irrigation scheme in the Mackenzie Basin in the South Island, New Zealand

INSIDE THE INDUSTRY: BREAKING NEWS

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First Local-Built Matagarup Bridge Segment Delivered

Victorian Government Partners with BAE Systems

The first of 72 locally built steel components for the Matagarup Bridge was recently delivered to Burswood in Perth. Weighing 30 tonnes, the 19m long bridge segment made its journey from local fabricator Civmec’s Henderson workshop.

The Victorian Government is partnering with BAE Systems in a bid to secure a multi-billion dollar land military vehicle project and create defence manufacturing and supply chain jobs in regional Victoria.

Civmec was awarded the contract to fabricate key bridge components in August last year and has made significant progress so far. The decision to manufacture locally was made after it became clear the Malaysianmade bridge components were drastically behind schedule and there was no certainty they would ever arrive in Western Australia.

Minister for Trade and Investment Philip Dalidakis recently visited the Wodonga facility of Parker Hannifin Australia. The company will supply hydraulics and cooling system components for the Combat Reconnaissance Vehicles and expand its local workforce should BAE Systems win the LAND 400 Phase 2 contract.

The first steel segment delivered to site will form part of the three bridge arches that will be lifted into place to form the distinctive design of the pedestrian bridge.

The bridge will link East Perth to Optus Stadium across the Swan River.

According to Minister Dalidakis, “Victoria is the smart choice for LAND 400. We have the necessary skills, capabilities, experience and infrastructure to deliver high quality military vehicles.”

Moving forward, steel segments will be delivered regularly to the Burswood and East Perth construction sites where they will be assembled into the final three arches (the large central river arch and the two smaller arches either side). The steel deck components will also be transported to site towards the end of the delivery phase for assembly and lifting into place.

Once assembled on the riverbank in Burswood, the central arch and deck sections will be lifted onto barges separately, floated onto the river and lifted into place using a pulley and lever lifting system. The smaller arches will not be barged onto the river, but lifted from the East Perth and Burswood sides of the river.

Image: The Matagarup Bridge will be approximately 9m wide, 65m tall at its highest point and stretches 370m from bank to bank, with a steel cable-stay span of 160m at its centre. There will be an approximate 8m clearance between the water and the underside of the bridge. The bridge design incorporates just two piers located in the river in order to respect the area’s heritage and minimise the impact on the river. Image courtesy of Main Roads Western Australia.

“We’re working hard to secure this multi-billion dollar contract, which will create jobs and support regional defence manufacturers such as Parker Hannifin in Wodonga. This contract needs to be awarded with our defence sector’s best interests in mind.”

The $5 billion LAND 400 Phase 2 project – which includes the design, build and sustainment of 225 Combat Reconnaissance Vehicles – is expected to create up to 2,000 manufacturing and supply chain jobs in Victoria. Victoria’s defence sector is worth $8 billion to the local economy every year, and includes 20,000 people and more than 400 businesses.

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AUSTRALIAN WELDING: MARCH 2018

2018 NATIONAL MANUFACTURING WEEK Australia’s largest manufacturing showcase, National Manufacturing Week (NMW), will return this year from Wednesday 9 to Friday 11 May at the Sydney Showground.

The three day event offers the manufacturing community unrivalled access to world-class speakers and renowned exhibitors, discussing the latest in industry trends and innovations.

Following on from a hugely successful Melbourne event in 2017, which attracted more than 10,000 attendees, this year’s event will feature more than 150 exhibitors and 40 manufacturing industry experts as part of the conference program.

NMW 2018 is once again set to be the manufacturing event of the year.

The exhibition will be co-located with the Safety First Conference and Expo and Inside 3D Printing Conference and Expo. Easy access to these additional exhibitions will provide attendees with a unique opportunity to extend their knowledge and training.

Registrations have now opened for the free-to-attend 2018 NMW, for anyone with a professional or commercial interest in manufacturing. To register, visit: nationalmanufacturingweek.com.au.

‘Where Innovation Meets Opportunity’ Speaker Program This year’s NMW speaker program will explore the impact of digital transformation, innovative design, and business management on the manufacturing industry.

Themed ‘Where Innovation Meets Opportunity’ to represent the leads, lessons, and partnerships formed at the event each year, the program

will feature more than 40 confirmed speakers including Dresden Optics’ Founder Bruce Jeffreys, Plastfix’s CEO Mario Dimovsk, Apollo Kitchens’ Managing Director Peter Bader, AusIndustry’s Director of Accelerating Commercialisation Larry Lopez, and SSS Manufacturing’s CEO Chris Brugeaud.

This year, the NMW speaker program will be split into two categories, outlined below.

Industry 4.0 Theatre The Industry 4.0 Theatre program offers attendees the latest expert opinion on the future impact of Industry 4.0 on their business, the emerging boom in advanced manufacturing, and innovations and collaborations in manufacturing design and technology.

This year will feature a keynote presentation by AusIndustry focused on successfully commercialising novel solutions, as well as a session run by the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre showcasing Australian manufacturing success stories.

Other panel discussions and sessions will centre around innovation and collaboration, Industry 4.0 and new technologies, automation and robotics, powering up the manufacturing process, advanced materials, industry opportunities, and optimisation and process improvement.

Business of Manufacturing Theatre The Business of Manufacturing Theatre program will focus on Business Management (Day One and Two) and Design (Day Three). The Business Management conference (Day One and Two) is aimed at

business leaders and entrepreneurs who want to improve the health and longevity of their business. These sessions will provide attendees with advice on internal processes improvements, concentrating on legal, financial and business needs.

The Design program (Day Three) will be tailored to designers who want to experience the latest in innovation and design in the manufacturing sector. Live demonstrations will also be available on how design is taking the manufacturing process to the next level.

The 2018 Welding Technology Product Zone Exhibition The Welding Technology Product Zone returns to NMW this year with the support of the WTIA. According to Geoff Crittenden (WTIA CEO), “The WTIA is very much looking forward to the 2018 NMW event in Sydney. NMW is always a great opportunity to discover the latest in industry trends and innovations, and network with like-minded manufacturing industry experts.”

The Zone will provide a dynamic environment of live demonstrations and showcase welding, heattreating, joining and associated products and technologies. Some of the exhibitors are included below.

Aketek Industries AB, Stand 1340 Aketek Industries provides high performance and easy-to-use protective equipment for welders.

At this year’s exhibition they will introduce a new generation of Auto Darkening Welding Helmets as well as Powered Air Respirator Systems, Aketek NOVA and Aketek NOVA AIR.

INSIDE THE INDUSTRY: NATIONAL MANUFACTURING WEEK

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Left: Geoff Crittenden, Chief Executive Officer of the WTIA.

Supagas, Stand 1436 Supagas, a born and bred Australian company, is one of the leading gas suppliers in the manufacturing industry. They provide an extensive range of gases including domestic gas, welding gas, LPG, laser cutting gases and specialty gases, as well as a range of welding equipment and consumables.

WeldBrush®, Stand 1440 Australian owned WeldBrush® offers a range of weld cleaning, polishing and electropolishing machines for a variety of surfaces including stainless steel, brass and bronze which are sold in more than 20 international destinations. WeldBrush® will be demonstrating the many features and advantages of the WeldBrush® system, so take the opportunity to visit their Stand Number 1440.

Business Matching Program NMW will continue its successful Business Matching Program, which provides attendees a personalised itinerary of meetings and content

sessions that match their specific needs, maximising their time onsite.

Safety First Conference & Expo Australia’s only industrial safety event, the Safety First Conference and Expo, will be co-located with NMW 2018. It will provide attendees with the latest policy and regulatory overviews, practical expert advisory sessions, industry case studies, interactive workshops, and live demonstrations catered to safety practitioners in manufacturing, mining and resources, construction, bulk handling and energy generation.

This year will also see SafeWork NSW launch the Manufacturing Work

Health and Safety (WHS) Sector Plan 2018-2022, which will provide a clear outline on how the industry and SafeWork NSW can improve safety standards and reduce safety expenditure.

Inside 3D Printing Conference & Expo

The Inside 3D Printing Conference and Expo is the leading trade show for the 3D printing industry.

The event will provide attendees with an insight into how the 3D printing boom will affect business and brands. It will also showcase the latest in business applications of 3D printing, conveyed through conference sessions and access to influential keynote presenters.

National Manufacturing Week will run from 9 to 11 May 2018 at the Sydney Showground, Sydney Olympic Park. To register for the 2018 event, visit: nationalmanufacturingweek.com.au.

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AUSTRALIAN WELDING: MARCH 2018

TOP TIPS FOR BUSINESS INSURANCE All business owners need to understand the difference between Public Liability and Professional Indemnity insurance, particularly the circumstances in which they can be accessed. Merely understanding the difference between these types of insurances won’t guarantee you get the most out of your premiums. You need to have a few tricks at your disposal to maximise your investment and ensure you’re covered under every circumstance.

Public Liability insurance allows you to cover any claims against you for property damage or bodily damage that is incurred during business. For example, if a member of the public is injured in your workshop, or one of your employees is burnt by hot sparks, or you accidentally damage a client’s or a neighbours property, you can utilise your Public Liability insurance to cover any costs.

Professional Indemnity insurance, on the other hand, can be used to cover any claims made against you in the event of a breach of duty. This can include violations related to design, consultancy, advice or analysis you provide as an expert. Professional Indemnity insurance also provides coverage for civil liabilities that arise during the conduct of business, such as: liability under the Trades Practices Act, defamation, infringement of intellectual property, and liability for acts carried out by consultants and sub-contractors.

Public Liability Insurance Understand Your Business Activities Your Public Liability insurance needs to cover you in all aspects of your business activities. For example, it’s not enough to cover yourself for activities undertaken in your workshop if you also carry out on-site or consultative work.

Most Public Liability policies are tailored for specific types of

activities. As such, you should carefully review the wording of your policy to ensure all your products, services, activities and everyone who works for you are 100% insured.

Ensure Your Insurance Reflects Your Risk Level The level of cover you take out needs to reflect the level of risks you take on in the course of business.

For example, a welding workshop carries more risk of danger than a retail outlet that sells welding consumables. However, the retail store will also have more interaction with the public, thereby increasing the risk of damage to public property.

Never be tempted to opt for a low level of insurance coverage. While you may save money initially, you could discover that you are not covered in particular circumstances.

Reduce Your Risk Level Investing in Public Liability insurance is no excuse to take risks in your business. The best way to insure your business is to mitigate risks, thereby preventing accidents and loss. An effective risk mitigation plan could also help to reduce the cost of your insurance premiums. So, be sure you have measures in place to minimise possible damage to health and property.

Abide by Regulations and Contractual Obligations Your Public Liability insurance

will vary depending on the state or territory in which you conduct your business. In some states and territories, carrying a particular type and level of Public Liability insurance is mandatory. In addition, in order to work on building sites, proof of Public Liability insurance is often a requirement. Renting a workspace also usually carries a requirement for you to take out a level of insurance.

Do Your Research When selecting your insurance premium, don’t simply opt for the cheapest quote. By the same token, don’t assume that the most expensive quote is the best option.

Instead, compare a range of quotes and make an informed judgement as to which premium will best protect your business.

Abide By Coverage Restrictions Due to the risks involved in welding, almost all insurers in Australia have special conditions and restrictions on their Public Liability policies for anyone undertaking welding. Be sure that you understand and comply with these conditions so that you do not void your coverage.

Some insurers require welding to be undertaken in compliance with the relevant Australian Standards. Some insurers have additional conditions when it comes to welding, such as the minimum distance permitted between the welding work and flammable substances or materials.

INSIDE THE INDUSTRY: BUSINESS ESSENTIALS

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Insurance is an investment in the security and future of your business. As a welder there are a number of potential risks you face when it comes to causing property damage or personal injury to other people. Whilst insurance cannot prevent these accidents, it can help you and your business financially in the aftermath of such an event.”

Professional Indemnity Insurance Understand the ‘Claims Made and Notified’ Basis of Insurance Most Professional Indemnity insurance is written on the basis of ‘claims made and notified’. What this means is that the policy will come into play when the claim is first made against you, and the insurer is then notified in order to determine the policy response. The other form is ‘losses occurring’ which is where the date of the incident is used to determine the policy response.

Notify Your Insurer of ‘Circumstances’ Every business has an obligation to notify their insurer of any facts that may result in future claims.

These facts are referred to as ‘circumstances’. If you take out a new policy, your insurer may invalidate the policy if you have not disclosed your knowledge of pre-existing ‘circumstances’. For Professional Indemnity insurance, ‘circumstances’ may include the knowledge that you provided inferior products or incorrect advice.

Confirm Your Insurance Offers Retroactive Coverage A retroactive date is used to define a point in history before which your insurer will not indemnify you against claims. If no date is set, your insurer may not provide coverage for any acts of negligence you committed before taking out the policy; this is referred to as retroactive coverage.

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To keep yourself covered for past actions, ensure that your policy has an unlimited retroactive date.

Confirm Your Insurance Offers Continuous Coverage If any claims are made against you arising from a circumstance of which you were aware before you took out the policy, you may be excluded from coverage. Even if you inadvertently fail to disclose this circumstance, you still may find yourself facing an uninsured loss.

Continuous Coverage addresses this by allowing you to extend your cover to claims that are made as a result of a ‘circumstance’ of which your insurer could have been notified.

To be eligible for this type of cover, you need to have been insured under a policy at the time you first became aware of the circumstance, the claim must have been covered under your previous policy, and you must have been continuously covered (without interruption) by a Professional Indemnity insurance policy.

Ensure Your Insurer Understands Your Business Activities The only way to ensure that your policy covers all of your business activities is to furnish your policy provider with an accurate, detailed list of all your products, services and activities. Omitting products or services to reduce your premium only increases the risk you and your business carry.

AUSTRALIAN WELDING: MARCH 2018

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A GUIDE TO PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT The purpose of PPE is to protect the body of the user from contact with hazards—not to eliminate the hazards. Since the effectiveness of PPE can be easily negated (such as when worn improperly), it should only be regarded as the last resort in the hierarchy of hazard control measures. It is a supplement to other risk management measures, not a substitute for them.

When it is necessary to use PPE to safeguard the safety and health of workers, employers must provide suitable PPE and ensure that employees use it properly.

Employees should also be sure to use appropriate PPE at all times.

Improper use or temporary removal of PPE at work will reduce the protection provided

For instance, if you require PPE to protect against exposure to specific hazardous substances, be sure to review the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) of the substances that you are using. A SDS will provide information such as exposure limits, control measures, PPE requirements and health data. Based on this information, you can then select the most suitable PPE for the job.

In addition to SDS, there may also be Standards (Australian or International), codes of practice and workplace health and safety policies that mandate the most appropriate PPE for a specific task: •

How Do I Know What PPE To Use? PPE provides vital protection against the hazards to which employers and employees can be exposed.

As such, there are several factors to keep in mind when choosing and using PPE: •

Proper Fit: PPE must fit properly. If PPE does not fit properly, it’s effectiveness can be significantly reduced and it can even cause injuries. Ill-fitting PPE should be re-adjusted or replaced, just as any other piece of faulty equipment.

•

Proper Use: Depending on the type of PPE in question, incorrect use can cause serious injuries and even death. As such, suitable training should be conducted on the correct use of all PPE provided to workers.

•

Suitability: PPE must be suitable for the task for which it is used.

•

Specifications and Limitations: You may need to be aware of the specifications and limitations of particular PPE items. For instance, respirator filters have a limited usage life and need to be regularly replaced.

Cleanliness: It is usually best to issue complete sets of PPE to all workers. However, sometimes PPE must be shared because of infrequent use, cost or specialty.

Whether you share PPE with your workmates or own an entire set of your own, it is vital that it is kept clean and well looked after. It is generally a simple task to clean PPE. So be sure this task is undertaken regularly.

The Importance of Administrative Controls To ensure the effective use of PPE, there must be administrative controls in place (such as procedures or policies) that direct the use of PPE. Administrative controls ensure that employers have a formal process in place that all employees are

obligated to follow. This helps protect the health and safety of employees, as well as the legal obligations of the employer.

In addition, employees can quickly and easily understand their obligations when it comes to the use of PPE. Risk assessments, consultation and SDS are just some of the tools that may be used to determine PPE requirements and create these administrative controls.

Supervisors are key to this process— they should represent both the employees and employer, and take the lead when it comes to the correct selection and use of PPE. How to Create a PPE Program Management and supervising staff need to have a Safety Management System in place that allows them to produce standards for the use of PPE and ensure that these standards are met. Use this step-by-step guide as the basis for implementing an effective PPE program within your workplace: Step 1: Carry out a Task Analysis and Risk Assessment Involve all levels of management in this step. Begin by inspecting the workplace itself for any physical dangers such as damaged electrical wiring, insufficient ventilation, lack of fire control equipment or poor lighting. Then examine all the materials your employees use and mitigate any possible risks.

Management also needs to review how employees work to ensure that working habits do not present a danger. Talking to employees about anything they feel is hazardous is also extremely useful.

INSIDE THE INDUSTRY: HEALTH & SAFETY

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When there is a hazard to personal safety or health at work, it is vital to eliminate the hazard by adopting safety measures like engineering controls, improved work processes or administrative controls. Any remaining risk should then be mitigated using the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). PPE is any clothing or equipment used for protection in conjunction with other control measures, or when absolutely no other safety measures are available.

Step 2: Put Controls in Place The hierarchy of controls is a system used to minimise or eliminate exposure to hazards.

When the majority of these controls are not reasonably practical or ineffective, PPE is used as a last resort. For example, in the course of extinguishing a fire, firefighters have to go near the fire; the hazard cannot be eliminated. In this instance, PPE is supplied to reduce the consequences of the associated hazard, such as heat, smoke and falling objects.

Step 3: Use the Correct PPE You need to select the correct type of PPE for each point of control.

Some factors to consider in selecting suitable PPE include: •

Can the PPE provide effective protection against the specific hazards caused by the work process? For example, eye protection designed for metal cutting will not provide adequate

protection if using chemicals.

•

Can the PPE be adjusted to fit the user properly? For example, most respiratory PPE requires a good facial seal.

•

Have individual user requirements been considered?

For example, prescription glasses will affect the choice of eye protection, while a latex allergy may affect the choice of gloves.

•

What are the physical strength requirements of the work?

Does the PPE impose an undue physical load on the user or does it hinder communication or visibility?

•

If more than one type of PPE must be worn, are they compatible? For example, will the use of a respirator prevent the use of correct eye protection?

Step 4: Train Employees on the Correct Use of PPE There are three essential elements

that PPE training must cover: 1. What PPE is for 2. When PPE must be worn and which items are specifically suited to which situations 3. How to identify and rectify problems with PPE, such as replacing filters in a respirator or checking the adjustment on a fall arrest device Step 5: Audit Your PPE Program Workplaces continually change, and so do hazards. Your PPE program needs to be regularly audited – at least on an annual basis. Audits don’t just include reviewing the program; they should also include monitoring employees to ensure they are following set procedures.

PPE is the last barrier against hazards that cannot be mitigated by other means. Hindsight has shown that if more emphasis is placed on the importance and correct use of PPE, some deaths and serious workplace illnesses can be averted.

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AUSTRALIAN WELDING: MARCH 2018

RTA’S ULTIMATE GUIDE TO WELDING AUTOMATION With industry experts predicting that robotics automation technologies are set to transform business operations as we’ve known them, perhaps you’ve considered how they could transform your company’s welding operations. If not, perhaps it’s time you did.

For leaders of companies in virtually every industry need to start planning how they will either: step forward into growth by equipping their operations with robotics technologies; or step back into (what they may think) is safe territory.

In fact, according to Peter Kuebler (Technical Manager, BOC), “The new era of welding robotics will be concentrated in both the manufacturing sector and, to an ever-greater extent, jobbing shops that perform metal fabrication.”

It is no secret that robotics technologies automate repetitive, time consuming manual tasks and enable any enterprise to increase productivity, product quality and efficiencies - leading to lower costs, increased profitability and customer satisfaction, and reduced OH&S risks.

What is less understood are the processes involved in visioning, designing and commissioning a robotic system that realises your operational objectives. Or, how to calculate your likely rapid return on investment. Well, that’s where the experts step in, such as Robot Technologies-Systems Australia (RTA)—Australia’s leading robotics systems integrator. RTA has just released The Ultimate Guide to Welding Automation, which we consider to be required reading for any business leader in this industry.

RTA’s Ultimate Guide to Welding Automation RTA is committed to helping the welding and fabricating industry remain viable in a highly competitive global market. As such, their brand new Guide offers an insight into: the issues facing the sector; current welding and fabrication automation technologies; how robotics can be integrated into welding operations; and how to identify and quantify sources of increased profits, cost savings and operational improvements.

All welding and fabrication workshops need a thorough understanding of technological advancements in order to stay ahead of the curve and remain competitive and profitable. RTA’s Guide is designed to help industry leaders make informed decisions about employing advanced technologies for the betterment of both their own workshop and the welding and fabricating industry as a whole.

A snapshot of just some of the invaluable information in RTA’s Guide is outlined below.

The Past in Perspective Historically, the limitations of robotics have meant that the introduction of this technology was confined to routine applications characterised by large production volumes and simple geometry. Despite the simplicity of these applications, robotics delivered significant advantages from improved quality, consistency and production, through to reduced operating costs.

Where robotics fell short was the ability to make the real-time

adjustments on which high-quality welding is dependent. During the course of a weld, changes need to be made relating to variables such as wire feed, voltage, torch angle, oscillation, travel speed and heat input. While humans are adept at this, robotics were traditionally unable to deliver such output.

Until recently, there were inherent difficulties translating split-second decision making into a robotics program that could respond to and change variables throughout a welding process. This difficulty meant that only a select number of variables could be programmed and parameters adjusted, which limited the scope of application.

Most welding applications require a variety of fit-up tolerances from joint to joint, and robotics problems were unable to account for these variances. This meant that semiautomated welding could only be used for highly-standardised joints, while fully-automated welding was limited to repetitive applications.

Trinton Smith (General Manager, Robot Technologies-Systems Australia) thinks that, “The rates of robotic technology adoption and integration have remained low across the Australian welding and fabricating industry due to persistent beliefs.”

“Some of these beliefs include a lack of knowledge about technological improvements and the resultant increased scope of robotic applications, which has led to a hesitance to invest in the technology.

Many believe that robotics is only suited to high-quantity production of small parts because programming time is too excessive for small

ADVERTISER FEATURE: RTA’S ULTIMATE GUIDE TO WELDING AUTOMATION

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The welding sector is facing a plethora of pressures in the global economic marketplace. Never before has there been such a need to increase the quality and productivity of welding and fabricating operations, while simultaneously reducing costs. Although robotic welding has many advantages over manual welding, such as higher production rates, more consistent welding quality, and lower long term operational cost, adoption rates in Australia have been poor. With the advent of improved automation technology, the uptake of welding robotics looks set to soar.

production runs and that the risk and complexity of integrating robotic processes is too great.”

New Automation Technology RTA’s Guide describes how many of the historical limitations of robotics have been overcome thanks to the advent of ‘dynamic process control’ technologies. These technologies, such as automated offline programming and sophisticated sensor systems (for example, laser vision), have wholly transformed the ways in which robotics can be integrated into welding and fabricating processes.

“Dynamic process control allows for increased manufacturing applications due to the fact it enables parameter adjustments to be made on the go. New technology can make adjustments to the robot welding path, including travel speed, voltage, wire feed speed and weaving, through the use of sensors and laser vision systems. This means the robotics can respond from fit-up to fit-up and joint to joint.”

“Robots can now be programmed for a variety of functions, rather than being suitable only for single tasks. Thanks to the ability to store a number of programs in each robot’s memory, some tasks can be moved between quickly, particularly if the tooling nests have been designed for quick changes,” said Smith.

“The time it takes to program robots has also been drastically reduced, thanks to the ability to use offline programming software. The software itself has also been enhanced, which means speed, accuracy and quality have been enhanced, while costs have been lowered.”

“Robots can now perform much larger welds (up to 10m to 20m long and 2m to 3m wide), as they can be mounted on gantries and tracks.

The price of robots has also steadily declined over the years,” said Smith.

RTA’s Consultation Process RTA is focused on meeting the production needs of welders and fabricators to ensure a successful robotic system implementation. As such, RTA’s typical consultation process for the integration of automated welding systems includes: Review of Part Mix and Fit-Up: Through the use of CAD drawings, this step determines whether robotics is a worthwhile investment.

Workflow Analysis: A robotic welding system can significantly increase throughput, so it is important to consider how robotics will affect your entire workflow.

Peripheral Equipment: The robot is not the most vital aspect of an automated system. The most essential element is the end-ofarm tooling, which performs the

automated tasks, such as gripping a workpiece or performing a weld.

Cell Design: Cell encompasses the entire automated welding system, consisting of the robot, controller and peripherals. A turnkey cell provides a fully-integrated, preconfigured solution.

Download your copy of RTA’s Ultimate Guide to Welding Automation via: http://www.robottechnologies.com. au/knowledge-centre/ to discover how welding automation can transform your manufacturing processes.

AUSTRALIAN WELDING: MARCH 2018

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ALUMINOTHERMIC WELDING DEFECTS Aluminothermic welding has been undertaken for a century in the joining of rails, however defects do still occur in aluminothermic welds. These defects are generally due to poor set up and preparation and also due to inadequate attention to detail. The following weld defect types, causes and rectification methods have been compiled to reduce, and hopefully eliminate, aluminothermic weld defects, thereby increasing the integrity of rail welds.

An aluminothermic reaction is based on the reduction of heavy metal oxides by aluminium which, as part of the reaction, gives off heat (hence, exothermic). Once the reaction has started, the aluminothermic reacts with metal oxide to produce Al2O3 thus liberating the metal from the oxide and generating heat sufficient to raise the temperature to approximately 2,500°C so that both metal and Al2O3 take on a liquid form. With the reaction complete, the heavier metal separates from the less dense Al2O3, which floats to the top of the mould as slag.

This process is perfect for the

joining of rails because it allows for the welding of heavy sections without the need for an external power source, thanks to the high heat energy produced by the exothermic reaction. Aluminothermic welding is most commonly used for butt welds joining heavy sections.

A luting medium is used to seal refractory moulds, which are placed around the gaps between sections.

The aluminothermic reaction is started by a high heat source fuse, and once the reaction has taken place, superheated liquid is automatically ejected into the mould by the crucible.

For more information, see the WTIA’s Technical Guidance Note TGN-R-04: Aluminothermic Weld Defects.

Welding Procedures When executing aluminothermic welds, rigorous adherence to the qualified welding procedure is essential in order to avoid weld defects. Care must be taken in: rail end preparation, mould fitting and alignment, luting, preheating, crucible cleaning and preheating for multi-use crucibles, and correct portion selection.

Black Holes An isolated gas pore in the riser of a weld is known as a ‘black hole’.

Black holes have been a major cause for the rejection of welds, however there are very few recorded cases of failure initiating from a black hole as the isolated hole is generally fairly shallow and rounded.

This type of defect is caused by gas passing through the weld during solidification. The source of this gas is steam from the sealing material under the rail foot. Using narrower than normal weld widths increases the risk of black holes. To minimise black holes: • Use a railhead gap > 24mm, adjusting the weld gap if required • Ensure that the luting material is not too wet • Observe all checks and procedures to control porosity • Ensure that preheating is performed correctly

ALUMINOTHERMIC WELDING DEFECTS

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“

When executing aluminothermic welds, rigorous adherence to the qualified welding procedure is essential in avoiding weld defects.”

Slag Inclusions Slag inclusions are caused by: • Not cleaning or inadequate cleaning of the crucible where multi-use crucibles are used • Poor flame cut surfaces with incorrect cutting parameters resulting in gouges • Inadequate preheat • Incorrect joint gaps affecting the flow of the metal in the mould and can also promote slag inclusions • Cold pouring or early pouring of the aluminothermic portion Weld Shrinkage or Tearing Weld shrinkage or tearing generally occurs in the weld foot area as this is the last portion of the weld to solidify. The causes include: • Insufficient preheat • Slipping on the tensor jaws • Not using tensors or poor set up of tensors • Other work on track causing undue stresses on cooling welds • Changes in temperature that cause stress on solidifying welds • Unclamping of the aluminothermic weld before solidification is complete • Passing of traffic while the weld is still too hot The weld should be allowed to cool down to below 350°C to allow it to develop sufficient strength before any loads are applied. Hot

tensile tests have shown that approximately 80% of the strength is developed at 350°C. Thermocouple measurements have shown that it takes approximately 24 minutes for welds to cool down to below 350°C. Sand Burns Sand burns occur on the rail surface where luting sand has come in contact with the preheating flame or the pouring steel. When sand is heated to a temperature where vitrification of the luting material takes place, marks can be burned into the surface of the rail. These defects are normally removed during the grinding operation but may require repair.

weld to not fuse in one or more areas of the rail. Mould misalignment is due to poor set up, location and fitting of the moulds on the joint. It is essential that the moulds are aligned vertically and are centred on the weld centre line.

Flashing or Finning of the Welds Flashing or finning of aluminothermic welds is where molten metal flows between the mould and the rail and forms a fin or flash. It is often not considered a serious defect, however latest experience has shown that, particularly on heavy haul track with high axle loads, a large number of rapid failures can result from these defects.

Lack of Fusion

Porosity

Lack of fusion occurs when the weld fails to fuse into one side or part of the rail. Lack of fusion is caused by: • Mould misalignment • Cold pouring or late pouring • Inadequate preheating of the joint • Poor burner alignment causing uneven preheating of rail ends • Incorrect gas pressures on the pre-heater • Incorrect weld gap • Incorrect aluminothermic portion size as compared to the rail size • Use of incorrect mould size for the joint

Porosity is mainly located within the weld and is often not visible on the outer surface of the weld.

The strength of the weld can be significantly reduced, particularly when a large number of pores are present. Porosity in aluminothermic welds is caused by any one or more of the following factors: • Inadequate or no preheating of the crucible in multi-use crucibles • Wet luting material • Insufficient preheating of the joint • Incorrect aluminothermic portion size as compared to the rail size • Wet or contaminated moulds • Welding in the rain

Mould Misalignment Mould misalignment can cause the

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AUSTRALIAN WELDING: MARCH 2018

SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WELDING WORLD Welding is one of the most essential trades in history. Almost every industrial activity and the majority of the world’s historically and architecturally significant structures depend on welding.

Throughout history, we have relied on welding to create the spans of bridges, to support giant towers and to create the framework in which dazzling architectural design pieces rest. In the Seven Wonders of the Welding World, it becomes apparent that welding is about so much more than joining metal together; it is about creating strength, continuity, seamlessness and unity.

Image: The iconic Sydney Opera House viewed with the Sydney Harbour Bridge in the background. Built in 1973, the Sydney Opera House is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of the most famous performing arts centres in the world.

SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WELDING WORLD

The Sydney Opera House The famous sail-shaped roof of the Sydney Opera House would not have been possible without an innovative approach to welding.

The Hornibrook Group had the task of constructing the shells that make up the Opera House roof. Hornibrook Group manufactured 4,000 roof panels and 2,400 precast ribs at an on-site factory. Their ability to fabricate these large structures on the ground resulted in huge cost savings; there was no need to erect expensive frameworks and to then have the tiles affixed at height.

Instead, the roof tiles were fabricated in sheets and supported by an adjustable steel-trussed ‘erection arch’, which in and of itself was an enormous achievement in fabrication.

This process was referred to as ‘additive architecture’, and enabled large-scale creation of components that could previously only be achieved by master craftsmen.

The chevron-shaped tiles were created in ‘tile beds’ on-site.

The beds were built to the exact measurements of the finished shells, and grooves were added for drainage. Animal glue was also used to prevent the grout from moving onto the surface of the tiles. The tiles were strengthened with galvanised steel mesh and mortar, before being steam cured, cleaned and stored.

The structure took 16 years to build, between 1957 and 1973. Despite the incredible achievements of the finished product, it was a project that was marred by difficulty and controversy. The roof sails presented the most significant problem and without the incredible work of the Hornibrook Group, the Opera House may never have been completed to architect Jørn Utzon’s design.

The Golden Gate Bridge The bright orange Golden Gate suspension bridge was built to span the Golden Gate, the 1.6km wide strait that connects the San Francisco Bay with the Pacific Ocean. The bridge opened in 1937,

and at its opening, was both the longest and tallest suspension bridge in the world. While it no longer holds these titles, it is without a doubt still one of the most famous bridges in the world.

The beauty of its positioning, and the way its orange beams emerge from the frequent fog that covers the strait make it an incredibly popular option for photographers.

Its aesthetic beauty is matched by its sophistication as a fabricated structure, and it has been named as a Modern Wonder of the World by the American Society of Civil Engineers.

The original construction of the bridge did not rely on welding (it was originally held together by an incredible 600,000 rivets). Today, welding is used to protect the structural integrity of the bridge.

The bridge carries 125,000 vehicles every day, making wear and tear a significant factor. In addition, the foundations of the bridge are immersed in salt water and are subject to the frequent earthquakes that plague the state of California, causing corrosion and structural shift.

To deal with these issues, authorities regularly commission welded wear plates that are 3m high and almost 4cm thick. To create these plates, multi-process, multi-pass and highperformance welding is required. The plates help to protect the bridge from seismic shifts as well as damage associated with erosion.

Tesla Cars Tesla Motors and its ever-ambitious CEO, Elon Musk, is a key player in the push to live more sustainably.

Central to living more sustainably is moving away from a fossil fuel powered means of transport towards Tesla’s electric cars.

Welding plays a key role in the manufacture of Tesla cars, particularly the innovative method of friction stir welding (FSW). This welding method softens the metal on both sides of the joint, creating a structure that is stiffer but also

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lighter. This technique is used to create both the body and chassis of Tesla cars, producing an all-round lighter vehicle.

FSW was invented at The Welding Institute in the UK in 1991. It is a solid-state joining process that can join two workpieces by a nonconsumable tool without the need to melt the material itself. The process works by creating friction between the rotating tool and the workpiece material which generates heat. The heat softens the region near the FSW tool, and as the tool moves along the joint line, it intermixes two pieces of metal and forges the softened material via mechanical pressure.

FSW is most commonly used on extruded or wrought aluminium and is suited to a number of applications where there is a need for high weld strength. In the case of Tesla, it has allowed for the creation of a vehicle that has changed the automobile landscape and created an option that may help us in rewinding the impact that we have on the environment on a day-to-day basis.

The Eiffel Tower The Eiffel Tower was designed by structural engineer Alexandre Gustave Eiffel. The 324m high tower was completed in just under two years, in time for the 1889 World’s Fair. The framework for the tower was pre-assembled in a factory, where 300 workers welded 18,000 pieces of puddle iron together to create the iconic frame.

Welders were again called on when the frame reached the Champ de Mars location, as they were required to secure each segment of the structure in place. The welders worked from the bottom up. This meant that their welding had to not only hold the latticework together, but also ensure structural integrity during construction in order to gaurantee site safety. This was achieved through the use of movable platforms, which could be propped and held in place on each intermediary level.

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The structure itself is made up of two main parts; the 2.54 acre base, which rests on four pylons and the tower, which takes its shape from the way the pylons lean into each other before merging into one long column after the second platform.

The welding had to account for wind by counterbalancing pressure and spreading the tension between the construction elements. To achieve this, the tower’s base was designed to provide stiff resistance to the wind, so the entire structure only sways a maximum of 6cm to 7cm—an incredible feat considering the scale of the tower.

The incredible foresight of Eiffel and his team of skilled welders came together to create a tower that has been the centrepiece of one of the world’s great cities for over 100 years. It truly is a welding wonder of the world, and anyone interested in metal fabrication can’t help but be impressed by the interlacing sections of metal stretching over 300m into the sky.

The St Louis-Gateway Arch This stainless steel structure in the US city of St Louis is the tallest arch in the world and the most towering man-made monument in the Western Hemisphere. Built in 1965, the scale of this welded project is remarkable.

The sheer size of the memorial meant that the stacked steel triangles that make up the arch had to be welded onsite because they were simply too large to be freighted to the location.

What is incredible about this structure is that it contains no internal scaffolding. It is in the shape of a catenary, which is the name given to the form that a free-hanging rope makes when held at both ends. This configuration pushes all the triangles together and places the load of the structure on the two enormous concrete pads that sit at either end of the monument. The entire 192m arch is comprised of 142 stainless steel triangles, which are each 3.7m long.

The design makes it resistant to

AUSTRALIAN WELDING: MARCH 2018

earthquakes and damaging winds, as it can sway up to 46cm in either direction. The amount of stainless steel used during the construction is the most used in any project in history. It weighs a total of 25,980 tons, including 886 tons of external stainless steel panels and 2,157 tons of structural steel for the interior.

Welding contributed to every facet of this construction, and without the ability to skilfully weld the stainless steel triangles and other sections, the stretched-skin design on which the structure relies would never have been possible.

The monument was built in honour of Thomas Jefferson and the other Americans who pioneered the expansion into the West. Although it was officially dedicated to the American people.

The Walt Disney Concert Hall Designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry in 1987, the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles is both a testament to the arts and a masterpiece constructed entirely from stainless steel. The building features a similar sail-design to the Sydney Opera House, with several sleek, curved panels.

Welding played a significant role in its construction, as each steel beam was welded before being bolted together. The building has been labelled a symphony of steel, particularly due to the grace with which the welders and other ironworkers moved hundreds of feet in the air as they went about setting the beams in steel panels together.

The iconic stainless steel design came about as a cost-saving measure. The original plan for the skin of the building was stone, but as construction costs ballooned, stainless steel was substituted for the stone. If it hadn’t been for this happy accident, this welding wonder of the world might have just been another building; the symphony of steel created by the harmony of the building’s elements and the extreme skill of the welders would have never been possible.

Stone could never have expressed the curvature of the sails in the way stainless steel does, and it also makes the building lighter and more visually ‘mobile.’ The only disadvantage of the chosen skin was that it reflects sunlight, which created problems for passing traffic and the air temperature surrounding the building. Both of these issues were solved following construction after a matt finish was applied to the stainless steel panels.

Cloud Gate Located in Chicago and affectionately known as ‘the Bean’, Cloud Gate is made entirely from stainless steel. Designed by the British artist Anish Kapoor, who took inspiration from liquid mercury, it is truly an example of welding as an art form. Cloud Gate demonstrated the incredible skill of welding, with the 100-strong team of welders, engineers and technicians achieving the impossible: using steel to create a seamless, polished droplet that looks precisely like liquid mercury.

The entire structure weighs 100 tonnes and measures 10m x 20m x 13m. It required the welding of 168 stainless steel plates, thereby making the skill of the welding the real star of the structure. To make the feat even more impressive, following the approval of the design, there was a great deal of controversy and concern about the ability to devise a feasible method to bring the design to life.

During construction, crisscrossing pipe trusses and two type 304 stainless steel rings were used to support the structure. These were removed upon completion, leaving the finished product without internal bracing. Instead, the structural components were carefully designed to ensure that no point is overloaded and no pressure indentations are created on the exterior shell.

Cloud Gate can be appreciated from all angles, with its polished surface assuming different aspects of Chicago’s cityscape depending on where you stand.

SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WELDING WORLD

Top Left: The St Louis-Gateway Arch in St Louis, Missouri, USA. Clad in stainless steel and built in the form of a weighted catenary arch, it is the world’s tallest arch, and the tallest man-made monument in the Western Hemisphere.

Top Right: The Eiffel Tower in Paris, France.

Designed by structural engineer Alexandre Gustave Eiffel, it was the entrance to the 1889 World’s Fair. Initially, the design of the Eiffel Tower was criticised by some of France’s leading artists and intellectuals.

Middle: Cloud Gate also known as ‘The Bean’ in Millennium Park in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Made up of 168 stainless steel plates welded together, its highly polished exterior has no visible seams.

Bottom: Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, California, USA. The Hall was designed by Frank Gehry and is a major component of the Los Angeles Music Center complex.

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AUSTRALIAN WELDING: MARCH 2018

OUT OF THIS WORLD: ADVANCED MANUFACTURING In late 2017, the Federal Government committed to establishing a national space agency in a bid to capitalise on the increasingly lucrative global $420 billion space industry, creating thousands of new jobs in the process. Bringing Australia up to speed with countries such as New Zealand and Canada, this agency will ensure Australia has a long-term plan to grow its domestic space industry.

Acting Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash, said the establishment of a space agency is one of the key issues being examined by the Expert Reference Group appointed to review Australia’s space industry capability. “The global space industry is growing rapidly and it’s crucial that Australia is part of this growth. A national space agency will ensure we have a strategic long-term plan that supports the development and application of space technologies and grows our domestic space industry. The agency will be the anchor for our domestic coordination and the front door for our international engagement,” said Minister Cash.

A working group chaired by former CSIRO chief Megan Clark is expected to provide advice on the possible scope and structure of the agency to the Federal Government by the end of March 2018.

Image: In celebration of the International Year of Astronomy in 2009, NASA’s Great Observatories­—the Hubble Space Telescope, the Spitzer Space Telescope, and the Chandra X-ray Observatory­—produced a matched trio of images of the central region of the Milky Way galaxy. In this spectacular image, observations using infrared light and X-ray light see through the obscuring dust and reveal the intense activity near the galactic core. The swirling core of our galaxy harbours hundreds of thousands of stars that cannot be seen in visible light.

Image courtesy of NASA.

ADVANCED MANUFACTURING

The Global Space Industry According to the Federal Government’s Review of Australia’s Space Industry Capability, the global space sector is rapidly changing due to the capabilities of small satellites, faster development and deployment of satellites and the increasing value of data from space.

In the last 40 years the sector has shifted from governments providing over 80% of the revenue in 1973, to commercial industry generating 75% of the revenue for the sector in 2015, mostly driven by global telecommunications. Not only have new entrants arisen from the private sector but more countries are looking to operate their own space hardware.

The Australian Space Industry The space industry in Australia generates total a revenue of approximately $3 billion to $4 billion and employs approximately 10,000 people. It comprises approximately 388 companies, 56 education and research institutions and directly involves around 24 government agencies.

Australia can build on its position in the sector. Australia’s technical expertise, geographical location and close alliances with spacefaring countries provide a sound basis from which to develop the nation’s space industry capability.

For example, Australia was one of the first countries to use satellite telecommunications, has managed NASA’s ground stations for many years, exciting Australian space companies are emerging, and Australian universities have strong research capabilities including instrumentation fabrication and testing facilities.

However, Australia risks being left behind in this fast-moving area. The current Australian space industry sector represents approximately 0.8% of the global space economy compared to Australia’s 1.8% share of the overall world economy. It is widely recognised that Australia needs to create an overall vision

for the sector with government working in partnership with industry to support Australia’s space sector in order to capitalise on areas of comparative advantage.

According to Dr Jens Goennemann, Managing Director of the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre, “Though Australian businesses have made international contributions to both government-funded and private space projects, Australia’s industry has missed a coordinated international representation through an agency. Among other things, a space agency would help link Australian companies to the value chains of international projects.”

“The space industry sector has been growing at a 9.5% compound annual growth rate between 1998 and 2015.”

“

Better linking of Australian manufacturers to an industry growing so sharply and with a clear demand for complex skills and value-adding services has obvious appeal,” said Dr Goennemann.

The biggest opportunity for Australia’s space industry is in the design and manufacture of nano and microsatellites and satellite sub-systems.

This type of manufacture incorporates areas such as radio and optical communications systems, onboard data and high-performance optics.

The opportunities are most reliable in these areas because Australia is already well-equipped in manufacturing for ground-based optical systems that are designed for satellite laser ranging, tracking space debris and other aspects of astronomy.

Optus Satellites is one of Australia’s biggest manufacturers of satellites.

Optus has been involved in the manufacture and operation of

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communications satellites for over 30 years. Silanna Semiconductors and Small World Communications have also been extremely successful in manufacturing components and software for the space industry.

Formed in 2016 as an arm of the University of Adelaide, Myriota is another important player in Australia’s space industry, particularly their research into the development of satellite communications systems for onboard data handling.

Also, of particular interest, is the $5 million in Phase A funding that has been granted to a start-up company, Gilmour Space Technologies, for the development of low cost hybrid rockets that are capable of launching small satellites from Australia.

Australian universities have also been involved in the manufacture of satellites. In April 2017, three Australian CubeSats were sent into orbit from Cape Canaveral in Florida, making them the first Australian made satellites to be launched from Cape Canaveral in over 15 years.

What is clear is that the manufacture of small satellites is Australia’s way into the global space industry, which was valued at $440 billion in 2015 and is expected to reach $1.3 trillion by 2030. The small satellite industry alone is predicted to be worth $9.2 billion by 2020, with a compound growth rate of 20%.

Investment Sources Investment in space industry manufacturing will likely be derived from both the public and private sectors. The aviation, communications, logistics and agriculture sectors all rely on space technology (such as satellites) for imagery, positioning and communications. As such, there are strong prospects for increased investment from these sectors.

Private Australian firms are already influential in areas reliant on space technology, including adaptive optics, optic design, quantum

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cryptography and photonics, which will help spike investment.

Also, some global space giants, including US companies like Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin and Boeing all maintain a significant presence in Australia. It is likely that these companies will ramp up investment following the creation of a national space agency.

There are encouraging signs that funding for innovation is emerging.

The Department of Defence Innovation Hub is an important example of how government requirements can focus on capacity building in the industry. The Next Generation Technologies Fund also represents around $750 million over the next decade for strategic next generation technologies that have the potential to deliver new capabilities. CSIRO and the CRC for Spatial Information are already devoting money and effort to fostering links within industry.

Why Australia?

Australia’s location in the southern hemisphere and in line with the longitude of Asia, creates advantages for Australian participation in the international space industry supply chain. Australia has well positioned ground stations across a 4,000km baseline able to observe a large number of satellites, space debris and weather. It also has suitable locations for ground station

AUSTRALIAN WELDING: MARCH 2018

calibration and validation with clear skies, low noise and low light interference. Australia’s location also provides access to a large number of satellites for earth observations from space.

Australia has a strong education system with a good research and development base in space technologies. The key challenge for the Australian space industry sector is to build a path from research to industrialising and commercialising the resulting products and services.

Many Australian graduates and researchers with space capabilities leave to work overseas. It was reported that some have been attracted back, but the lack of employment opportunities in the space industry sector was a key challenge for those graduates who wished to pursue a career in the space or space related sectors.

Australia’s technical expertise is highly regarded by the international space community. Realising the potential of this expertise and related skills appears to be limited to a significant degree by lack of continuity of work and opportunities in the sector in Australia.

According to Dr Goennemann, “A space agency would help show that there are all kinds of opportunities for the engineers and scientists of tomorrow. If we are inspiring more

kids to consider STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) degrees and then connecting them with the exciting local opportunities available, then these can only be good things for advanced manufacturing.”

Australia’s international partnerships and agreements provide an important foundation for access to the global supply chain and the development of sustainable commercial activities. Australian institutions have established relationships with all major space agencies overseas, including NASA and the European Space Agency.

The Space Industry and Advanced Manufacturing The establishment of a national space agency is welcome news for many Australian sectors, but particularly for advanced manufacturing.

According to John Pollaers, Chairman of Australian Advanced Manufacturing Council (AAMC), “[The] announcement by the Acting Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, the Hon Michaelia Cash, that Australia is to establish a national space agency, is an exciting and welcome boost for Australian industry and particularly the country’s advanced manufacturing and technology sectors.”

“In conjunction with our current defence procurement program, it

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“

In conjunction with our current defence procurement program, [the national space agency] gives local companies the promise of a deep pipeline of opportunity to build on our existing capacities in aerospace and related sectors, for local projects and for export,” said Pollaers.

gives local companies the promise of a deep pipeline of opportunity to build on our existing capacities in aerospace and related sectors, for local projects and for export.”

“For the opportunities to be fully realised, it will require the continued nurturing of our most innovative and globally competitive industry players,” said Pollaers.

Scale and cost are important factors in manufacturing for the space industry. Design and manufacture of large satellites, in particular for communications and positioning, and related launch services are becoming commodities in the global space sector. However, there are established players in this market and the barriers to entry are high.

There are two opportunities for Australia’s advanced manufacturing industry. The first opportunity exists due to the emergence of smaller, more capable components and the development of standard satellite and launch platforms that are reducing the costs associated with both manufacture and launch services. This is leading to the development of low earth orbit constellations and the development of high altitude platforms such as long duration unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and blimps that can target the needs of an individual company or industry sector.

The second opportunity relates to the leveraging of Australia’s existing instrumentation capability to design and manufacture high performance instruments to be hosted on international satellites. This is a similar approach to the aviation industry in which Australia provides components as part of a global supply chain and receives access to much larger programs in return.

Harnessing These Opportunities The Government needs to help industry harness these opportunities.

The creation of a space agency is the first step, but this needs to be matched by increased and consistent funding, as well as policymaking that encourages private sector investment.

Government funding can be delivered in two ways, either through direct financing in specific projects or through targeted investment that provides funding to particular sectors, such as CubeSat manufacturing.

When creating policy, the Government needs to focus on stimulating commercial investment.

This can be done by offering tax breaks, access to Government resources, and through the provision of anchor tenancies.

Public-private partnerships are also essential in developing a successful space industry. The collaboration between NASA and Elon Musk’s

enterprise SpaceX is the perfect example of how the two spheres can create a mutually beneficial relationship. SpaceX has built a successful satellite launch business, with the help of NASA resources.

The success of SpaceX has also resulted in improved satellite launch infrastructure for NASA. The Australian Government will be well served by seeking to enter into relationships with established space powers, in order to use their expertise to formulate the best pathway to building a successful and profitable advanced manufacturing economy within a wider space industry. The International Space Station is the most obvious and fitting example of what can be achieved when international cooperation is used.

Increasing Australia’s engagement in the space economy is necessary— not just for the advanced manufacturing industry, but for virtually every other sector in the economy. The entire world is looking upwards, and if Australia doesn’t shift its gaze, it will be left behind. The creation of a national space agency is an exciting development and, if backed by Government and private sector investment, the benefits are likely to be wide-ranging.

References: Australian Space Industry Capability: A Review (October 2017) Review of Australia’s Space Industry Capability: Issues Paper (August 2017)

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AUSTRALIAN WELDING: MARCH 2018

NIX: ENGINEERING WATER INFRASTRUCTURE Established in 1984 by sheet metal worker Nick Fudlovski, Nix Engineering Group has grown to become one of Western Australia’s most trusted and respected suppliers and installers of water infrastructure projects. Operating from five premises in Perth—the largest of which occupies more than five acres— Nix Engineering predominantly works in the resources and Government sectors, specialising in the fabrication and installation of piping, spools and structural steel, as well as equipment maintenance and refurbishment. Nix Engineering is also a member of the Water Corporation Panel of Preferred Suppliers for Fabrication, Supply and Installation of Fabricator Products.

Nix Engineering boasts a wide array of capabilities, from fabrication and welding of ferrous and non-ferrous materials in accordance with AS 1554 and AS 4041, through to pipe spooling of Mild Steel Cement Lined (MSCL), stainless steel, duplex and super duplex. The family owned business can also fabricate and install structural steel works, metal platforms, hand railings, pressure vessels, dewatering screens, silos, chutes, hoppers and tanks.

Their Wangara facility is also fitted out for the assembly of spools, hydrostatic testing and the wrapping of flange connections for corrosion protection. This saves incredible amounts of time, while reducing costs associated with site installation. The sophistication and capacity of their specialised equipment enables Nix Engineering to deliver high quality products and services at an incredible pace and competitive price.

High-Pressure Water Cutter Known for their willingness to invest in specialised equipment, Nix is home to the largest UHP Water Garnet pipe cutter in the world: the Pipe Jet CNC UHP Water Cutter.

Originally manufactured by German company Muller Opladen, the machine was converted from flame tip cutting to UHP water by BCE.

Fully programmable, the water cutter has a six axis head and can cut wall sections up to 50mm thick. It is capable of cutting all pipe truncation joints, slots, squares and fillets, and can cut 2,400mm diameter pipe up to 20m in length.

According to Mick Cudmore, Manager of Nix Engineering, “The Pipe Jet can cut just about any type of material, ranging from stainless and mild steel to hastalloy and cast iron, and everything in between.”

“But the main reason we invested in the Pipe Jet was that we needed to cut through MSCL piping. This has a polyethylene skin, a stainless steel shell and internal concrete lining. With the Pipe Jet, we can cut through the pipe in one hit.

Previously, the cut required three separate processes,” said Cudmore.

“Most importantly, the Pipe Jet can make cuts with nil change in the material. When using the Pipe Jet, there are no special considerations or restrictions due to heat build-up.

There’s no melting, and there are no hazardous fumes, which means that the working environment is safer for our welders and fabricators.”

“It really is perfect for cutting piping; most pipe cutting is performed on flatbeds but we can actually rotate the pipe as we cut it. We don’t even need robotic arms, we can just use

the drive mechanism on the end of the Pipe Jet,” said Cudmore.

Case Study: Albany Wastewater Treatment Plant Albany’s wastewater treatment plant on Timewell Road is currently undergoing upgrades to accommodate future growth throughout the region.

The $17.6 million upgrade will ensure the wastewater treatment plant continues to provide a reliable service to residents and businesses by increasing the plant’s capacity.

The upgrade works began in mid-2017 and are expected to be completed by mid-2018. Engaged by the Guidera O’Connor Water Corporation, Nix Engineering’s scope of works includes fabrication of complete plant pipe works in MSCL ranging from DN200 through to DN600 and stainless steel ranging from DN100 through to DN900.

Nix will also fabricate and supply ancillary sheet metal manifolds, buffer tank equipment, structural steels, walkway platforms, handrails and stair assemblies. Site installation and completion of tie-in manifolds (as fabricated and tested in-house), and on-site blasting and painting services are also included in Nix Engineering’s scope of works.

NIX ENGINEERING GROUP

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“

The main reason we invested in the Pipe Jet was that we needed to cut through mild steel cement lined piping.

With the Pipe Jet, we can cut through the pipe in one hit. Previously, the cut required three separate processes.”

“The utilisation of our Pipe Jet CNC UHP Water Cutter in the fabrication of both MSCL and stainless steel pipe for the Albany wastewater treatment plant has resulted in significant cost savings and improved project delivery times,” said Cudmore.

The Albany Wastewater Treatment Plant is an important sustainable wastewater management initiative, with 100% of the treated wastewater from the plant reused to irrigate a nearby tree farm.

The 400 hectare tree farm is made up of blue gums, which are harvested by the Water Corporation every four years and sold as wood chips.

Top: A small sample of Nix Engineering Group’s high quality stainless steel pipes and flange connections.

Middle Right: A Nix Engineering Group welder working with MSCL pipe in one of their five workshops in Wangara, Perth.

Bottom Right: The Pipe Jet in action, cutting a 1,400mm diameter Sintakote MSCL pipe for the Woodman Point Wastewater Treatment Plant.

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AUSTRALIAN WELDING: MARCH 2018

PIPELINE REPAIR, HOT TAPPING & IN-SERVICE WELDING According to Alistair Forbes, WTIA Technology Operations Manager, “The advantages of in-service welding are significant and widereaching, particularly in the gas and oil industries, where the process can be used to avoid costly shutdowns and service interruptions and maintain continuity of supply to customers.”

“In comparison, in situations where in-service welding is impossible, sections of the pipeline undergoing repair or replacement must be sealed and degassed before welding can commence, and must then be repurged once welding is complete. This complicated process is not only costly and time-consuming, it is damaging to the environment, with considerable greenhouse gas emissions a frequent result,” said Forbes.

The ‘Hot Tapping’ Procedure Pipelines used to transmit natural gas require constant expansion and modification. In the past, making new connections meant sections of the pipeline had to be shut down and purged. This created a number of problems, ranging from the release of methane to the shutdown of service at the customer end, as well as the loss of sales and increased costs associated with the need to evacuate sections of the system.

Hot tapping allows the pipeline to remain in service. The procedure involves the attachment of a branch connection and valve on the exterior wall of the pipeline. Once this connection is attached, the pipeline wall can be cut out within the branch and wall sections can be removed through the valve. Hot tapping is not a novel procedure, but design

improvements have significantly reduced the uncertainty that was associated with hot tapping. In most cases, the gas savings achieved by using the hot tap method are enough to make it more financially viable than using the old shutdown process for making new connections.

Decision makers should answer four key questions when undertaking a cost-benefit analysis of hot tapping: 1. Is the parent line in good condition?

2. What would it cost to shut down a line, or a section of a line?

3. How much will the hot tap procedure cost?

4. What are the gas savings benefits of using the hot tap method?

In-Service Welding Considerations There are several factors that can make in-service pipeline welding difficult.

The first factor is that the gas or liquid flowing through the pipeline can cause a considerable loss of heat through the wall of the pipe.

This, in turn, causes the weld to cool at an accelerated rate. Depending on the type of steel used to construct the pipeline, rapidly cooled welds can increase weld hardness, as well as the likelihood of cracking in the heat affected zone (HAZ).

The second factor that can cause issues during in-service welding occurs when the strength of the pipe wall is reduced during the welding process. If the wall of the pipe becomes too weak, the structural integrity of the pipe can be compromised, causing the wall of the pipe to burst under the greatly

increased internal pressure. This is also referred to as ‘burn-through’.

Both of these problems can be exacerbated by the steels most commonly used to construct pipelines in Australia. Australian pipeline fabricators often use high yield strength steels. X70 and X80 steels often have walls as thin as 5mm, which makes in-service welding difficult due to the increased risk of both accelerated weld pool cool down and burn-through during welding. These high strength steels are also especially susceptible to increased hardness at accelerated cooling rates.

Reducing the Impact of In-Service Welding Challenges There are a number of ways these difficulties can be overcome to make in-service welding a viable option. By increasing the welding heat input, the effects of accelerated weld cooling rates are decreased. Increasing the heat input can, however, increase the chance of burn-through as weld penetration does increase with increased heat input.

To mitigate these factors, welders must ensure that the most suitable weld procedure is used, the HAZ hardness is not high enough to cause cracking, and heat input and penetration are correctly balanced to protect pipe wall integrity.

References: M.J. Painter & P. Sabapathy, In-Service Welding of Gas Pipeline (CRCWS Project 96:34 Final Report), 2000 https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/ files/2016-06/documents/ll_hottaps.pdf

https://www.twi-global.com/technicalknowledge/published-papers/hydrogencracking-its-causes-costs-and-futureoccurrence-march-1999

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The process of in-service welding is frequently used in the repair, modification and extension of high-pressure pipelines. A common technique used in this application is ‘hot tapping’, which facilitates the creation of connections within existing pressurised vessels, pipelines and networks without the need to empty any of these pressurised systems. In-service welding is also commonly used during pipe maintenance procedures, including installing sleeves to repair damaged sections within pipelines. A thorough understanding of the factors that affect welding onto inservice pipelines helps avoid pipeline shutdowns and interruptions of service, thereby bolstering both economic and environmental benefits for operators and welders alike. Plus, repairs can be undertaken efficiently, effectively and with full confidence.

WTIA Pipeline Repair Seminar Facilitated by the WTIA, the upcoming Pipeline Repair, Hot Tapping and In-Service Welding Course will include a review and critical analysis of available thermal analysis models, including the original Battelle model, the heat sink capacity method and the PRCI thermal model for hot tap welding.

Course attendees will learn why these models, while useful as planning tools, should not be regarded as ‘magic bullets’ against hydrogen cracking in hot tap welding. This course will give an unbiased analysis of the best strategies for avoiding burn through and the development of crack susceptible weld microstructures.

The two day course will also cover the latest defect assessment methods for pipeline engineers and managers, from simple, quick assessments through to more detailed ‘fit for purpose’ analysis.

The course will be presented by William (Bill) A. Bruce, the Group Leader, Welding Technology at DVN GL. With a 35 year career in pipeline welding research and its practical application, Bill is an American Welding Society representative on the American Petroleum Institute API 1104 Committee and is the Chairman of the Maintenance Welding Subcommittee. He has received numerous awards, including a Distinguished Researcher Award from the Pipeline Research Council International.

The Pipeline Repair, Hot Tapping and InService Welding Course will be held in Sydney from 23 to 24 October 2018. Register now to take advantage of the WTIA’s Early Bird prices, available only until 30 April 2018. For further information, please visit: wtia.com.au/ pipelinerepair

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AUSTRALIAN WELDING: MARCH 2018

WTIA TO HOST NATIONAL MANUFACTURING SUMMIT The 2018 National Manufacturing Summit will see a diverse group of industry stakeholders assemble at Parliament House in Canberra on Tuesday 26 June 2018.

is poised for a turnaround—as documented in last year’s Summit paper released by the Centre for Future Work, Manufacturing: A Moment of Opportunity.

The Summit gathers leading representatives from all the major stakeholders in Australia’s manufacturing sector—business, unions, universities, the financial sector, suppliers, and government— to discuss the sector’s prospects, and identify promising, pragmatic policy measures designed to support an industrial turnaround.

However, industry participants continue to mention two crucial constraints which are holding back that renaissance: energy insecurity and Australia’s fragmented skills and training. As such, these two crucial themes will form the basis of the Summit’s program.

With the theme of Solutions to Critical Issues – Energy and Technical Training, the aim of the Summit is to leverage the opportunities currently available in the manufacturing sector, and translate these into action.

Key Themes There is widespread evidence that Australia’s manufacturing sector

Commentators also expect that it’s closure will result in South Australia’s ­energy supply becoming even more unreliable; some of Hazelwood’s coal-powered energy is used by South Australia to fill gaps in its own power supply. Other power stations across the nation are also set to shut, including the Liddell Power Station in the Hunter Valley.

Energy Australia’s energy supply is among the world’s costliest and dirtiest.

It has also become increasingly unreliable, with regulators recently warning a gas shortfall on the east coast is highly likely this year.

Many of the industry’s leading figures have called upon Australian governments to take a stand. Paul O’Malley (then the Chief Executive of BlueScope Steel), said energy costs in the US were up to 10 times lower than what his ­company paid in Australia. O’Malley warned of an ‘energy catastrophe’ in Australia unless baseload energy supplies can be guaranteed.

The Hazelwood Power Station in the Latrobe Valley shut in March 2017.

This is expected to increase ­energy prices in Victoria and diminish the capacity of the national power grid.

Given the increasing cost and unreliability of Australia’s energy supply, the Summit will highlight the importance of innovative, sustainable and environmentally ethical solutions

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Australia’s manufacturing industry has survived a difficult period, in the face of both domestic and global challenges. However, several indicators now suggest that the opportunities in manufacturing have improved significantly. Contrary to past trends, employment has increased over the last few years, exports and profits have expanded, and business confidence is positive. Yet, there are two major constraints holding back Australia’s manufacturing industry: energy insecurity and fragmented skills and training. Hosted by the WTIA, the 2018 National Manufacturing Summit will address these two constraints.

to return much needed certainty and security to Australian businesses, making a significant contribution to the renewal of manufacturing.

delivered efficiently and Australian companies are to take full advantage of the opportunities available, technical training needs an overhaul.

Technical Training According to a recent employment outlook survey in Australia, skilled trades workers are scarce—38% of Australian employers admit that filling job vacancies is increasingly difficult, mainly due to lack of experience (23%), lack of applicants (21%), and lack of skills (2%). This issue is being exacerbated by a sharp downturn in people taking up traineeships and apprenticeships.

To achieve the necessary degree of skill and competence, a significant amount of both individual and company up-skilling and technical training is required to meet global standards.

With increasing employment opportunities in manufacturing (particularly in light of the Australian Government’s $90 billion Naval Shipbuilding Plan), highly skilled workers are required now more than ever, by defence prime contractors, a range of subcontractors and numerous manufacturing companies. If projects are to be

The Summit will focus on the importance of technical training to the future of Australian manufacturing, and what action needs to be taken now to ensure Australia has the workforce

With Thanks to Our Co-Sponsors

capability to deliver major projects.

The Centre for Future Work is also preparing a research report to be released at the Summit, focused on the challenges around training and apprentices in manufacturing.

Event Details The Summit will be held at Parliament House in Canberra on Tuesday 26 June 2018.

For further information, contact: Donna South (Marketing and Communications Manager, WTIA) on d.south@wtia.com.au or 0409 609 031. To register, visit: https://manufacturingsummit.com.au

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AUSTRALIAN WELDING: MARCH 2018

THE HAZARDS OF WELDING FUME During the welding process there is an amount of metal fume produced. This fume is basically microscopic particles of hot metal and gases that are small enough and buoyant enough to be released from the welding arc and rise in a cloud of metal fume into the workplace air. This fume can then be inhaled by the welder as well as other people close to the fume source. Welders can be exposed to significant levels of welding fumes if effective controls are not in place, potentially leading to significant short and long term health effects. As such, it is vital that appropriate strategies are in place to reduce welder exposure to fumes.

What is Welding Fume?

Welding fume is generated from: the filler metal and flux, the parent plate or its contaminants, or from the action of ultraviolet radiation from a welding arc on the surrounding air.

According to the whitepaper Hazards of Welding Fume recently released

by Australian Welding Supplies (AWS), welding fume can contain a mixture of airborne gases that may include oxides of nitrogen (NOX), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), ozone (O3) and shield gases such as argon and helium.

The visible part of the fume cloud is mainly particles of metal, metal oxides and flux (if used). The exact level of risk from the fume will depend on what metals are involved in the work, such as iron, aluminium, copper, lead, manganese, chromium or nickel.

Each of these metals can have a different toxic effect on the body so exposure needs to be effectively controlled. The airborne concentrations and total exposure time to these fumes are also significant factors in determining the overall risks of exposure of the welder.

Particulates are produced only in the immediate vicinity of the heat source. They are largely confined to the plume of heated gases which rises from the weld zone.

This plume is often visible to an observer, but not to the welder. The gaseous decomposition products of contaminants remaining on the workpiece are more widely distributed and are generated from the heated portions of the workpiece.

Ozone is generated in a volume of the atmosphere beyond the arc zone.

It is not concentrated in the plume to the same extent as particulates.

Most welding processes with a visible arc generate levels of ozone, which place the welder at some risk of exceeding exposure standards unless controls are implemented.

Oxides of nitrogen may be generated by reactions in the air near the

THE HAZARDS OF WELDING FUME

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welding zone. However, they are unlikely to be generated at levels approaching exposure standards.

Oxides of nitrogen are usually only an issue in plasma cutting processes that use nitrogen additions in shielding gas.

(VI)—a specific chemical form of chromium—can be created during the welding of many stainless steels and non-ferrous alloys and is highly toxic and can cause cancer.

Known Health Effects from Welding Fume Exposure There are a number of known health effects that can occur from welding fume exposure. According to David Chippendale (Head of Marketing and Strategy, AWS), “Certain fumes (zinc is one) may induce metal fume fever, stomach ulcers, kidney damage and nervous system damage. Prolonged exposure to manganese fume can cause Parkinson’s–like symptoms.”

“Welders are particularly prone to a lung infection that can lead to severe and sometimes fatal pneumonia.

Modern antibiotics usually stop the infection. However, in severe cases, you could end up in hospital.

Asthma is a common complaint for welders, with components of stainless steel fume containing chromium oxide (CrO3) and Nickel Oxide which cause asthma. For this reason, stainless steel welding fume is considered more harmful than mild steel fume.”

“Short term exposures to significant levels of welding fume and gases can result in eye, nose and throat irritation, dizziness and nausea.

Ozone is a particular cause of this when TIG welding stainless steels and aluminium,” said Chippendale.

Relcassification of Welding Fume as ‘Carcinogenic to Humans’ In early 2017, welding fume was reclassified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) from Group 2B (Possibly Carcinogenic to Humans) to Group 1 (Carcinogenic to Humans).

This change was primarily associated with the effects of UV exposure on the skin and eyes and also for lung, larynx and urinary tract cancers and limited evidence for kidney cancer from welding fume exposures. Chromium

Chippendale believes this reclassification confirms commonly held beliefs in Australia’s welding industry. “This recent reclassification of welding fume by the IARC from ‘possibly carcinogenic to humans’ to ‘carcinogenic to humans’ basically confirms what many welders and workplaces have suspected for years,” said Chippendale.

“We all know welding fume is bad for you and the more evidence that brings this to the attention of workplaces and welders the better.

Now that there is sufficient evidence to establish a connection between human exposure to welding fume and the development of cancer it’s hoped that workplaces relook at and revise their stance on welders’ respiratory protection.”

“

It’s hoped that with this reclassification of welding fume as carcinogenic that the workplace exposure limits for welding fume set by Safe Work Australia are reviewed so that, if necessary, a new statutory maximum upper limit is introduced to help protect Aussie welders.”

For many gas and arc welding processes, the fume concentration near the weld can be well above the recommended exposure limit.

Extracting these fumes as quickly as possible is essential in providing a safe environment for the welder.

Reducing Welding Fume Exposure According to the whitepaper recently released by AWS Welding Fume: A Known Carcinogen, welders

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AUSTRALIAN WELDING: MARCH 2018

should understand the hazards of the materials with which they are working, including specific reference to the relevant Safety Data Sheets and identification of size and scale of exposures to welding fume. OH&S Regulations require employers to provide information and training to workers on exposure to hazardous materials in the workplace.

Image: A welder uses the Speedglas 9100MP welding helmet to protect against welding fume. This helmet is designed specifically for professional welders and boasts the industry’s largest viewing area, the highest possible optical clarity rating and the most powerful arc detection currently available. Image courtesy of AWS.

Welding surfaces should be as clean as practicable from any coating or oil and grease that could potentially increase the overall exposure to airborne concentrations of hazardous particles or vapours.

Workers should position themselves to avoid or reduce exposure to welding fume. For example, welders can try to position themselves to be upwind when welding in outdoor environments. When working inside, welders should take advantage of any natural drafts.

Welders should also investigate consumable options to see if there are less toxic alternatives available, or a welding process type that produces less fume.

Exhaust Ventilation Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) is vital to welding. LEV systems work by capturing and extracting the welding fume at its source before it has a chance to enter the breathing zone or the workshop atmosphere.

LEV is a proven, effective way of reducing exposure to welding fume.

Any LEV inlet should be positioned as close to the plume source— in which the particulates are concentrated—as possible. This helps ensure that the maximum possible amount of fume and gases is removed from the atmosphere.

It is recommended that a minimum capture velocity of 0.5m/s (measured at the fume source) is required to properly protect the welder from particulates and ozone generated near the arc.

In addition, exhaust fumes from LEV equipment must be adequately filtered (including for ozone) if the fume is to be discharged into the

workplace. If it is to be discharged outside the workplace, the relevant environmental regulations must be followed, and it should be isolated from any air intake to the workplace.

Ozone generated between the arc and the operator’s breathing zone may require additional control measures. Welders should also position exhaust points away from other workers.

When it comes to installing and maintaining LEV equipment, there are a variety of factors to keep in mind. It is really important that your LEV equipment is well designed and fit for purpose.

It must also be regularly maintained and you should monitor your LEV system’s performance closely.

Failure to do so can lead to welders being exposed to welding fume. For example, poor design or a lack of

regular maintenance could result in a leakage, causing concentrated local exposure, rather than preventing it. A poorly designed, installed or maintained LEV system can become an expensive piece of inoperable machinery that gives your workplace a false impression of workplace safety and hazard control.

Fabricators may also opt for General Exhaust Ventilation (GEV). However, there are some drawbacks to this form of ventilation. GEV requires a much greater volume of air. This may lead to higher costs for heating and cooling, particularly compared to LEV. In addition, GEV may not be as effective in reducing exposure to welding fume. With GEV, fresh air is pumped into the factory or workshop in order to dilute or purge any airborne contaminants generated during welding. As such, welding fumes are allowed to enter a welder’s

THE HAZARDS OF WELDING FUME

breathing zone. In contrast, LEV actually captures and removes the welding fumes before they enter a welder’s breathing zone.

this into perspective, powered air respirators offer five times the level of protection than that of disposable or reusable respirators (RMPF of 10).”

Air Respiratory Protection

“Welding helmets have come a long way since the humble ‘hiderok’ helmet. Auto-darkening welding helmet configurations are now available with integrated powered or supplied air respiratory protection options.”

According to Chippendale, “In the majority of cases appropriate personal respiratory protective equipment must be worn by welders when welding, in addition to other controls like ventilation systems and administrative controls.”

“In the 2017 Occupational Cancer Risk Series on Welding released by the Cancer Council, they advise that welders should ‘wear either air supplied or air purifying respiratory protection’. Powered Air Purifying Respirators (PAPRs) provide the welder with a cooler, cleaner and more comfortable environment supplying air 50 times cleaner than the welder would otherwise be breathing (RMPF of 50). To put

“These configurations can give welders combined eye, face, head, hearing and respiratory protection all compliant with Australian Standards with the added benefit of keeping welders cooler and more comfortable,” said Chippendale.

Regardless of the type of respiratory protection or exhaust ventilation that welders choose to use, it is essential that it is as effective as possible and regularly maintained.

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“

Local Exhaust Ventilation systems work by capturing and extracting the welding fume at its source before it has a chance to enter the breathing zone or the workshop atmosphere. They are a proven, effective way of reducing exposure to welding fume.”

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AUSTRALIAN WELDING: MARCH 2018

TITANIUM WELDING IN MOTORSPORT During the mid-1960s the use of titanium was seen as a crucial element in advancing racing car development and led directly to major improvements in performance of sports cars in North America.

The Canadian-American Challenge Cup (Can-Am) was a sports car racing series introduced in 1966. It was governed by rules under the International Automobile Federation’s Group Seven Category that allowed unrestricted engine capacity and few other technical restrictions. The cars were as close as any major international racing series ever came to having an ‘anything goes’ policy.

As long as the car had two seats, bodywork enclosing the wheels, and met basic safety standards, it was acceptable. Maximum engine

displacement was unlimited, but the minimum displacement was 2.5 litres.

The early years were dominated

by European cars, primarily Lola, McLaren and Porsche with drivers including Bruce McLaren, Mario Andretti and John Surtees. By 1969, a revolutionary car designed by Peter Bryant from the UK and built in the USA made a significant impact on the sport. Bryant recognised that weight and a lack of ‘ground effect’ was holding back advances and a car emerged that used lightweight titanium body parts for the first time.

Titanium components are stronger than the steel equivalent and are barely half the weight. Called the Ti22 (chemical symbol and atomic number of titanium) the car set new

standards in performance. Bryant built two cars, the MkI in 1969 and the MkII in 1970. The cars achieved several podium finishes and over their lifetime scored more points in Can-Am racing than any other American built car. The success of the Ti22 cars was short lived because of funding constraints. Both cars were destroyed during the Can-Am era.

In 2015, Bob Lee (a retired tech entrepreneur in the USA) acquired the original Ti22 MkII drawings and rights to the MkII history. He assembled a team of fabricators led by Ilia Burkoff and began work on the construction of a new car employing Burkoff’s expertise in the fabrication of titanium. Early in the construction process, it

TITANIUM WELDING IN MOTORSPORT

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With the progressive development of racing cars has come a need to embrace fusion welding as an essential part of the manufacturing process. Whilst dramatic improvements in engine design have made a significant contribution to track performance, reduction in weight and aerodynamic refinements have also been important. Welding has played an increasingly important role during the production of body parts. Reduction in weight has been achieved by using slender suspension and steering components and replacing steel with lower density titanium. However, fabrication of titanium alloys requires much greater skill than other types of welding.

became apparent that a major hurdle to overcome was welding.

The fundamental problem in welding titanium alloys is the elimination of atmospheric contamination1 from the weld zone. Contamination of the weld metal and the adjacent heat affected zones (HAZ) increases tensile strength and hardness but at the expense of ductility loss. This can lead to cracking even in conditions of only moderate restraint. The most likely contaminants are oxygen and nitrogen, introduced by air entrained in the gas shield or from impure shield gas, and hydrogen from moisture or surface contamination.

The molten weld pool can be protected by the normal gas shroud but the cooling weld and its HAZ

Top Right: Typical weld quality in titanium, aluminium and vanadium alloy using a flexible enclosure with argon for protection.

Right: PurgEye monitor used by Lee in conjunction with the flexible enclosure.

This particular monitor is maintenance free and features a large alpha-numeric display and will measure oxygen levels down to 10 ppm.

Left: In 1970, Denny Hulme won the Can-Am St Jovite for McLaren.

Meanwhile, Jackie Oliver brought the Ti22 MkII in at second place in its first race. The Ti22 MkII was just 1.2 seconds behind Hulme, plus it produced the fastest lap of the race.

need additional protection. The underside of the weld also needs similar protection, achieved through the provision of an efficient gas purge. Atmospheric contamination, however, is best avoided by the use of a welding chamber or glove box that can be filled with inert argon.

Metal glove boxes are available but these can be very expensive.

Lee solved the problem by using a flexible welding enclosure together with an oxygen monitor. This combination allowed him to weld all the sensitive titanium components in the Ti22 MkII. These components included roll bars and braces, front and rear sub-frames, suspension parts, brake throttle and clutch pedals, the engine firewall and mirror mounts.

40

Currently available advanced flexible enclosures exploit the opportunities offered by advanced engineering polymers. These innovative products offer many attractions over metal glove box alternatives; significant reduction in cost, very small floor footprint and availability of a range of sizes. The products supplied for use on the Ti22 car were developed

by Huntingdon Fusion Techniques in the UK2.

Technical Specification The vertical sides of the flexible welding enclosure are made from translucent material, while the top is constructed using optically clear sheet. Ultra violet stabilised engineering polymers are used throughout manufacture. Material thickness is nominally 0.5mm (480 microns). A principle access zip is fitted and this has a total length typically 60% greater than the enclosure diameter. For example, a 900mm enclosure has a 1,400mm long main zip. Additional entry points provide for operators gloves. A service panel incorporates access ports for welding torches and for electrical leads and cooling water supplies. A purge gas entry port and an exhaust valve to vent displaced gas to the atmosphere are incorporated into each enclosure.

Image: Recreated car, the Ti22 MkII, manufactured by Bob Lee. Image courtesy of Melinda Stewart.

AUSTRALIAN WELDING: MARCH 2018

Cost and Weld Success Size for size, the cost of a flexible enclosure is less than 10% of that of a metal glove box. The welds are free of discolouration and the mechanical properties are unaffected.

Flexibility Size and shape can be made to meet customer requirements. Weight is very low and the enclosures occupy little space – the collapsed volume of a 1.25m diameter system is less than 0.2m3 and weighs only 8kg. Flexible enclosures can thus be moved easily and stored efficiently so floor footprint is minimised.

Large Viewing Area The entire upper section is manufactured from optically transparent ultra-violet stabilised engineering polymer. This offers the opportunity for use by several operators at the same time – ideal for training purposes.

Currently available weld purge monitors are the result of several years’ research and development.

They satisfy the workshop and site requirements for sensitivity and accuracy whilst at the same time offering reliability and ruggedness.

Some offer programmable facilities coupled with data recording for quality control purposes.

Conclusions The completed Ti22 MkII car has already featured prominently in a Long Beach Grand Prix race.

All the titanium welds performed successfully including the critical suspension components. The Ti22 MkII car finished fourth in the race.

Advanced welding technology has afforded opportunities to fabricate components used in motor sport where safety critical joints need to be produced on a repeatable basis.

Recording and data processing of weld and purge gas measurements can be easily undertaken and used for quality control purposes.

The early success of this lightweight, high performance car will give encouragement to other manufacturers throughout motor sport and perhaps road vehicles where the need to reduce weight but still retain high strength is desirable.

References 1. Welding of titanium and its alloys.

G.Mathers The Welding Institute 2. Huntingdon Fusion Techniques Ltd, www.huntingdonfusion.com 3. Purging While Welding. T. Ammann.

BOC/Linde

AUSTRALIAN STANDARDS

41

STANDARDS UPDATE Aged Standards The review of a number of aged Standards has recently been brought to the attention of the WTIA. These include AS ISO 13916 Welding - Guide on the measurement of preheating temperature, interpass temperature and preheat maintenance temperature, the AS/NZS ISO 3834 Quality requirements for fusion welding of metallic materials series of Standards, and AS/NZS 1554.2 Structural steel welding: Part 2 Stud welding (steel studs to steel).

A project has been submitted to Standards Australia to adopt the latest revision of AS ISO 13916, and in the case of the AS/NZS 3834 series of Standards, it is expected that Parts 1 through 4 will be reconfirmed until such time that ISO revises the primary ISO Standards.

As Part 5 has been recently revised, it is anticipated that the revised ISO document will be adopted.

Action regarding AS/NZS 1554.2 is currently under consideration, including the option of referencing and the adoption of Standards such as ISO 13918 Welding – Studs and ceramic ferrules for arc stud welding and ISO 14555 Welding – Arc stud welding of metallic materials. These latter options would provide the opportunity to address the stud welding of materials other than structural steels, upon which AS/NZS 1554.2 is currently silent.

Pressure Equipment Two pressure equipment Standards are currently under review. A project to correct errors and anomalies within AS/NZS 3992 Pressure equipment ‑ Welding and brazing qualification has been approved and Committee ME‑001 has begun work to update the Standard via amendment. A public review draft of proposed changes will be prepared in coming months.

As has been previously reported, AS 3788 Pressure equipment - Inservice inspection has been under active revision by a committee of volunteers from within the pressure equipment industry, led by the WTIA’s President Roger Griffiths. A number of meetings have been held, with drafts under active preparation.

The committee will be meeting again shortly to review progress.

underway. The opportunity is also being taken to update other requirements consistent with the Bridge code published in 2017. A minor revision of AS/NZS 5131 is also being prepared to allow AS/NZS 5131 to become a secondary reference under the Building Code of Australia. Public review drafts of both Standards are being prepared.

Structures

International Standards

Committee WD-003 published AS/NZS ISO 9606-1 Qualification testing of welders - Fusion welding: Part 1 Steels in December 2017, as a direct adoption of the primary ISO Standard. The use of the Standard is rapidly gaining importance in Australia and New Zealand, hence the need for its adoption. Whilst it is being referenced in defence industry applications, it is now also a requirement in sections of the transport and bridge construction industries, and is referenced within AS/NZS 3992.

Australia recently attended two ISO subcommittee meetings in Miami, USA, and had input into a recent working group meeting in Paris.

Amongst other Standards, the revision of ISO 14731 Welding coordination – Tasks and responsibilities (a key reference to personnel requirements within ISO 3834) is now well advanced and a public review draft is likely to be circulated for ballot in coming months. In addition, the need to revise ISO 3834 has been identified, primarily due to changes within ISO 9001.

In support of this adoption, the revised edition of AS/NZS 2980 Qualification of welders for fusion welding of steel is likely to be published shortly. This Standard compliments AS/NZS ISO 96061 and refers to it for many of its requirements. The existing 2007 edition of AS/NZS 2980 parallels much of old editions of ISO 9606-1, but is not identical. The 2018 edition will remove many of the differences.

Australia also submitted end-user comments regarding ISO 9606-1, given its recent adoption, and these were well received by delegates.

ISO 9606-1 is currently being revised with a view to combining its five parts and Australia’s comments will be considered during the development process. There will also be opportunity for submission of official comments over the coming months as drafts are prepared.

In March 2018, WD-003 commenced the revision of AS 2214, considering the future requirements of the aged Standards identified above, and the ongoing requirements of other aged Standards previously reconfirmed.

The revision of the ISO Standards on the welding of reinforcing steels (ISO 17660 Welding – Welding of reinforcing steel series) is also currently under way. However, a number of countries (including Australia) regard testing and other requirements within the current editions to be excessive. Australia has been invited to be part of the working group to rectify these issues.

Committee BD-001 has also been active, with the revision of AS 4100 Steel structures to reference AS/NZS 5131 Structural steelwork – Fabrication and erection

42

AUSTRALIAN WELDING: MARCH 2018

LATEST ISSUES FROM THE WTIA HOTLINE The WTIA offers a ‘Hotline’ service to all Corporate Members. The purpose of the Hotline is not to provide a solution, but to advise the enquirer on practical next steps. For further advice, the WTIA’s highly experienced welding consultants can speak to you over the phone or visit your site in person.

If you have a Hotline query please complete our online contact form and we will respond as soon as possible: www.wtia.com.au/hotline.

What is a Manufacturer’s Data Report?

A Manufacturer’s Data Report (MDR) is a document supplied by the manufacturer that describes the process used to manufacture parts, particularly pressure vessels.

It contains information related to specifications, materials certificates and traceability, types of welding employed, welding procedures, welder qualifications, non-destructive testing methods used and so on.

Essentially, an MDR consists of quality records generated during the execution of works. It contains a number of reports compiled by the manufacturer, which serve as certification and objective evidence of compliance with all necessary project requirements and

specifications, as well as Australian Standards.

An MDR also defines how these records should be assembled by contractors and subcontractors who are contractually obliged to supply such data to the Principal.

Contractors’ MDRs must provide sufficient records to comply with the Principal’s specified requirements.

They must demonstrate (where necessary) the achievement of traceability and certification requirements.

The data in an MDR provides assurance to the Principal that the required quality of workmanship has been achieved. Contractors are responsible for ensuring that their subcontractors comply with the requirements of the MDR.

List of Contents The contractor should develop a List of Contents for each MDR, which identifies all documents specified within the Contract. This list should be forwarded to the Principal for review prior to the commencement of the work. The list should then be returned to the Contractor, confirming the Principal’s approval or identifying any revision requirements.

The List of Contents should show the Volume, Part and Section information. If the List of Contents is revised, the entire MDR will need to be re-submitted for review.

A portion of a typical (but very simplified) MDR structure is shown opposite. This structure illustrates how the same Section and Sub-Section structure should be repeated in each part or separable portion of work.

This WTIA Hotline update covers a specific query encountered during the last few months. Whilst accuracy in welding is critical, it is impossible to report in detail the full circumstances of the query. As such, the WTIA recommends that further technical advice is sought in relation to specific, individual circumstances.

INSIDE THE WTIA: HOTLINE REPORT

TYPICAL MDR STRUCTURE Volume

Part

Typical

Typical

Section

SubSection

Description

Inspection Release / Inspection Waiver

A A-1

Inspection Release Report

A-2

Completed ITPs Material Certificates / Test Reports

B B-1

Structural Steel

B-2

Pipe

B-3

Fittings

B-4

Valves

B-5

Others Certificates of Compliance

C C-1

Certificates of Compliance Welding Records

D D-1

Welding Procedure Specifications and Register

D-2

Procedure Qualification Records and Register

D-3

Weld Maps and Traceability Records

D-4

Consumable Register and Certificates

D-5

Production Test Plate Records Welder and Welding Operator Records

E E-1

Welder Register

E-2

Welder Qualification Records and Renewals Non-Destructive Testing Records

F F-1

NDE Maps and Traceability Records

F-2

NDE Reports - UT, RT, MT, PT, Hardness Tests, etc.

F-3

NDE Personnel Register Painting and Coating

G G-1

Surface Preparation and Painting Records Heat Treatment Records

H H-1

Heat Treatment Records Dimensional Records

I I-1

Dimensional Verification Records

I-2

Flange Facing Inspector Records Non-Conformance Reports and Concessions

J J-1

Non-Conformance Reports

J-2

Approved Concession Reports

J-4

Concession Records Pressure Test Records

K K-1

Hydrostatic Test Records

K-2

Pneumatic Records

K-3

Proof Test Certificates

43

44

AUSTRALIAN WELDING: MARCH 2018

WTIA INDUSTRY GROUPS UPDATE WTIA Defence Industry Group Welding is a core capability critical in the delivery of upcoming defence equipment projects. A high level of welding competence will be required by both prime contractors and subcontractors in the supply chain if projects are to be delivered efficiently and companies are to take full advantage of the opportunities this defence initiative offers.

To achieve the necessary degree of competence, a significant amount of both individual and company upskilling will be required to meet the standards required by global defence prime contractors and their certifying authority.

To facilitate and foster this activity WTIA is establishing a network of Defence Welding Hubs in key locations around Australia.

“

Critical to optimising the potential industry benefits will be national and international collaboration across industries to promote technology transfer and commercialisation and development of research projects.”

Each Defence Welding Hub will: • Facilitate collaboration through a network of defence welding professionals and organisations • Provide access to Advanced Welder Training Centres, incorporating augmented reality simulators and advanced welder training systems, delivering

•

•

• •

state subsidised welder training courses to AS/NZS ISO 9606-1 Deliver welding, supervision, inspection, technology and engineering (IWI, IWS, IWT and IWE) courses Offer welding consulting services on establishing factory production control systems to AS/NZS ISO 3834 and other technical welding problems Provide IIW Certification to AS/NZS ISO 3834 Expedite technology transfer, research development and commercialisation projects through the WTIA’s relationships with DMTC, DSTG and the French, Italian, Spanish and German Welding Institutes

The provisional opening dates for the Defence Welding Hubs are: • Perth: Q2 2018 • Melbourne: Q2 2018 • Adelaide: Q3 2018 • Brisbane: Q4 2018 • Wollongong: TBC WTIA Infrastructure Industry Group The WTIA Infrastructure Industry Group met in late January in Sydney (hosted by Roads and Maritime Services). The meeting was attended by representatives from Roads and Maritime Services (New South Wales), VicRoads (Victoria), Transport and Main Roads (Queensland), the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure (South Australia), and Main Roads (Western Australia).

Austroads Steel Fabrication Specification Industry Group Chairman, Houman Hatamian, gave an overview of the progress of the Austroads Steel Fabrication Specification

INSIDE THE WTIA: INDUSTRY GROUPS

45

The WTIA’s Industry Groups provide a forum for technology transfer and research and development, linking members with industry and research organisations. The WTIA works with Industry Group members to ensure they remain diverse and resilient in the ever-changing and increasingly challenging domestic and global markets. Industry Group members engineer innovative solutions that enhance safety, manage risk, reduce cost, and optimise operating efficiency by: sharing the cost of implementing new technologies; developing best practices; and providing a forum to brainstorm common needs and effective solutions.

(ASFS). Collaborative work on the development of ASFS is now complete, and it has been forwarded to the Austroads publication department. This represents a significant milestone for the Group.

The Austroads Working Group and the Austroads Bridge Task Force acknowledged the facilitation role played by the WTIA in the development of the ASFS. Austroads Stainless Steel Fabrication Specification Industry Group members expressed the need to develop an Austroads Stainless Steel Fabrication Specification. This specification will set out the minimum requirements for the preparation, welding, inspection, testing, and final acceptance of stainless steel structures and components.

The objective of the specification is to provide rules for the welding of a wide range of stainless steel fabrications, applicable to both statically and dynamically loaded welds. This specification emphasises that weld preparations, welding consumables and welding procedures should be qualified before the commencement of welding.

Stainless steel requires strict adherence to specifications during the manufacturing process. This helps avoid damage to the protective oxide layer on the surface of the steel and helps to retain the microstructure, ensuring corrosion performance. Non-compliance during any stage of manufacturing may lead to a serious failure. It was agreed that the Industry Group members will develop the Austroads Stainless Steel and Aluminium Fabrication Specifications.

EN 15085 Rail Certification Workshops Hosted by the WTIA in conjunction with the Italian Institute of Welding, workshops on EN 15085 Rail Certification were held in Melbourne and Sydney in early March 2018.

The workshops delivered insights and practical recommendations related to the EN 15085 series of Standards, Railway applications – Welding of railway vehicles and components.

EN 15085 delineates four certification levels (CL1 to CL4) to which manufacturers can be certified. These levels correspond to the sliding scale of safety requirements to which particular components and sub-assemblies must comply. The certification levels align with the three parts of ISO 3834 in which comprehensive, standard and elementary quality requirements are described. As in ISO 3834, welding co-ordination personnel are a key element of the Standard.

Originally developed for the European market, EN 15085 is the internationally expected Standard for railway manufacture and repair.

While the international uptake of this certification has grown in recent years, in Australia there are still very few EN 15085 certified manufacturers. Clearly, the potential market share that newly EN 15085 certified Australian manufacturers could capture is huge.

Australian Welder Certification Register (AWCR) Geoff Crittenden (CEO, WTIA) highlighted the advantage of maintaining a database of certified welders, and outlined the Australian

Welder Certification Register (AWCR), under which welders will be qualified to ISO 9606-1. The AWCR offers a range of benefits for welders, fabricators, construction companies, project managers, inspectors and government agencies alike, particularly in terms of reducing costs and risks.

The AWCR was well received by the Industry Group members present, and discussion occurred as to the way forward after the introduction of the new system, particularly as Standards Australia has published AS/NZS ISO 9606-1 as a direct adoption of ISO 9606-1. This Standard specifies the requirements for qualification testing of welders for fusion welding of steels, enabling such qualifications to be uniformly accepted independent of the type of product, location or examiner.

AUSTRALIAN WELDING: MARCH 2018

46

2018 WTIA TRAINING CALENDAR International Welding Inspector - Basic Location

Dates

Adelaide

30 Apr – 4 May 2018

Brisbane

19 – 23 Mar 2018

Mackay

9 – 13 Apr 2018

Melbourne

18 – 22 Jun 2018

Perth

19 – 23 Feb 2018

Sydney

30 Apr – 4 May 2018

International Welding Specialist Location

Dates

Brisbane

Week 1: 18 - 22 Jun 2018 Week 2: 16 - 20 Jul 2018 Week 3: 20 - 24 Aug 2018 Week 4: 17 - 21 Sep 2018 Week 5: 15 - 19 Oct 2018

Perth

Week 1: 16 – 20 Apr 2018 Week 2: 14 – 18 May 2018 Week 3: 11 – 15 Jun 2018 Week 4: 23 – 27 Jul 2018 Week 5: 13 – 17 Aug 2018

Sydney

Week 1: 9 – 13 Apr 2018 Week 2: 7 – 11 May 2018 Week 3: 4 – 8 Jun 2018 Week 4: 2 – 6 Jul 2018 Week 5: 30 Jul – 3 Aug 2018

International Welding Inspector - Standard Location

Dates

Brisbane

IWI-S Part 1: 9 – 13 Apr 2018 IWI-S Part 2: 30 Apr – 2 May 2018

Mackay

IWI-S Part 1: 21 – 25 May 2018 IWI-S Part 2: 28 – 30 May 2018

Melbourne

IWI-S Part 1: 16 – 20 Jul 2018 IWI-S Part 2: 31 Jul – 2 Aug 2018

Perth Sydney

Reinforcing Steel Welding Coordinator Location

Dates

IWI-S Part 1: 2 – 6 Jul 2018 IWI-S Part 2: 16 – 18 Jul 2018

Brisbane

14 – 18 May 2018

IWI-S Part 1: 25 – 29 June 2018 IWI-S Part 2: 9 – 11 Jul 2018

Melbourne

20 – 24 Aug 2018

Perth

13 – 17 Aug 2018

Sydney

16 – 20 Apr 2018

International Welding Engineer Location

Dates

Wollongong

IWE Module 1: 24 – 28 Sep 2018 IWE Practical: 3 – 7 Dec 2018 IWE Module 2: 10 – 14 Dec 2018) IWE Module 3: 18 – 22 Feb 2019 IWE Module 4: 13 – 17 May 2019

Welding Technology Appreciation for Engineers Location

Dates

Brisbane

13 – 15 Jun 2018

Melbourne

29 – 31 May 2018

Perth

21 – 23 May 2018

Sydney

19 – 21 Mar 2018

International Welding Technologist Location

Dates

Wollongong

IWT Module 1: 24 – 28 Sep 2018 IWT Practical: 3 – 7 Dec 2018 IWT Module 2: 10 – 14 Dec 2018 IWT Module 3: 18 – 22 Feb 2019 IWT Module 4: 13 – 17 May 2019

Quality Control Welding Coordinator Location

Dates

Sydney

13 – 17 Aug 2018

Further Information For further information, or to enrol in a WTIA training course today, please contact: training@wtia.com.au or +61 (0)2 8748 0100, or visit www.wtia.com.au.

INSIDE THE WTIA: TRAINING & CERTIFICATION

47

The WTIA delivers a comprehensive range of training and certification services designed to help Australian welders and fabrication companies achieve and maintain a competitive advantage.

As the premier welding certification body in Australia, an International Institute of Welding (IIW) Authorised Nominated Body (ANB) and an Authorised Training Body (ATB), the WTIA offers a range of individual certifications, including: Welding Inspector, Welding Specialist, Welding Technologist, Welding Engineer, AS1796 Welding Supervisor Certificate 10 and AS2214 Welding Supervisor.

Understanding the Definition of ‘Welding Engineer’ Many people call themselves a ‘Welding Engineer’, but what does the term really mean? Are people calling themselves a Welding Engineer because they are welding degree qualified and possess indepth welding skills and experience?

Or are they simply working in a welding supervision role and have incorrectly assumed the job title of Welding Engineer over time?

What IS a Welding Engineer Universities around the world offer undergraduate and post graduate degrees in welding. In Australia, while there are currently no undergraduate degrees in welding, there have been some Masters degrees available over the years, such as those at Charles Darwin University and the University of Wollongong. Individuals who have graduated with these weldingspecific engineering degrees are entitled to call themselves a Welding Engineer.

People who hold the International Institute of Welding (IIW) International Welding Engineer (IWE) qualification are also entitled to call themselves a Welding Engineer.

IWEs are globally recognised and can demonstrate an advanced knowledge and critical understanding of welding technology applications. IWEs have a primary degree in an engineering discipline (or its equivalent), are recognised by national governments and assessed by an Authorised Nominated Body.

An IWE’s skills are also recognised

by ISO 14731 and meet the

competency levels essential to act in the role of Responsible Welding Coordinator as per the requirements of AS/NZS ISO 3834.

What is NOT a Welding Engineer Individuals who hold a Certificate III or IV in Engineering (awarded by Registered Training Organisations) are not Welding Engineers. A Certificate III or IV—which are Level 3 and 4 qualifications respectively in the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF)— are the basic qualifications that prepare candidates for practical applications in the workplace and future upskilling. Graduates at these levels have theoretical and practical knowledge for skilled work in their chosen trade.

In comparison, an individual who has been awarded a bachelor degree in engineering or welding—which is a Level 7 qualification in the AQF—will

have broad and coherent knowledge and skills for professional work.

Degree qualified engineers who have developed in-depth knowledge of welding and fabrication over the course of many years’ experience in the industry are not Welding Engineers either; they do not hold a specific, formal welding qualification.

This is not to say that these engineers do not have an in-depth knowledge or understanding of welding engineering; their exposure to the practical aspects and application of welding in industry is often extremely in-depth. However, they are still not qualified Welding Engineers.

Given these definitions, individuals who assert that they are Welding Engineers should be able to demonstrate the relevant evidence (formal welding engineering qualifications, experience and skills) to justify that claim.

48

AUSTRALIAN WELDING: MARCH 2018

MEMBER DIRECTORY The WTIA is dedicated to providing members with a competitive advantage through access to industry, research, education, government, and the wider welding community. When you join the WTIA you become part of a network of engaged companies and individuals, with which you can share technology transfer, best practices, and professional opportunities. For further information, please contact membership@wtia.com.au or +61 (0)2 8748 0100.

WTIA Industry Group Members WTIA hosts and administers several Industry Groups, providing a forum for technology transfer and R&D, linking members with industry and research organisations. The WTIA Industry Groups: represent a source of vital technical welding information; optimise welding practices through standard development and tools; and assist members to prepare specifications.

AGL Energy www.agl.com.au 131 245 customer.solutions@agl.com.au

Transport and Main Roads (Queensland) www.tmr.qld.gov.au +61 7 3066 6358 TMRStructuralMaterials@tmr.qld.gov.au

ANSTO www.ansto.gov.au +61 2 9717 3111 enquiries@ansto.gov.au

Newcrest Mining www.newcrest.com.au +61 3 9522 5333 corporateaffairs@newcrest.com.au

ASC www.asc.com.au +61 8 8348 7000 David.Price@asc.com.au

NRG Gladstone Operating Service www.nrggos.com.au +61 7 4976 5211 cmcguinn@nrggos.com.au

Ausgrid www.ausgrid.com.au +61 2 4951 9555 cchiodi@ausgrid.com.au

Stanwell Corporation www.stanwell.com 1800 300 351 www.stanwell.com/contact-us

Austal www.austal.com +61 8 9410 1111 info@austal.com

Synergy www.synergy.net.au +61 8 9781 6720 Doug.Harman@synergy.net.au

CB&I www.cbi.com +61 8 93245555 www.cbi.com/contact

Thales Australia www.thalesgroup.com +61 2 8037 6000 MaritimeBusinessSupport@thalesgroup.com.au

CS Energy www.csenergy.com.au +61 7 3854 7777 energyinfo@csenergy.com.au

Transport for NSW www.transport.nsw.gov.au +62 2 8202 2200 stakeholder.relations@transport.nsw.gov.au

Energy Australia www.energyaustralia.com.au 133 466 Wayne.Hill@energyaustraliansw.com.au

Vales Point Power Station (Delta) www.de.com.au +61 2 4352 6111 info@de.com.au

IPM Operation & Maintenance Loy Yang www.gdfsuezau.com +61 3 5177 2000 www.gdfsuezau.com/contact-us/Contacts

VicRoads www.vicroads.vic.gov.au +61 3 8391 3216 vicroadstechnicalservices@roads.vic.gov.au

INSIDE THE WTIA: MEMBER DIRECTORY

Premium Corporate Members ALS Industrial www.alsglobal.com/au +61 2 4922 2400 powerservices@alsglobal.com Applied Ultrasonics Australia www.appliedultrasonics.com.au +61 2 9986 2133 info@appliedultrasonics.com.au

Hardchrome Engineering www.hardchrome.com.au +61 3 9561 9555 office@hardchrome.com.au

QENOS www.qenos.com +61 3 9258 7333 enquiry@qenos.com

Howden Australia www.howden.com +61 2 8844 9100 sales@howden.com.au

Quest Integrity Group www.questintegrity.com +61 7 5507 7900 Info-APAC@questintegrity.com

HRL Technology Group www.hrlt.com.au 1800 475 832 info@hrl.com.au

Arrium (One Steel) www.onesteel.com 1800 178 335 capital@onesteel.com

Kemppi Australia www.kemppi.com +61 2 87852000 sales.au@kemppi.com

Austal Ships www.austal.com +61 8 9410 1111 info@austal.com

Lincoln Electric www.lincolnelectric.com +61 2 9772 7222 sales@lincolnelectric.com.au

BlueScope Steel www.bluescopesteel.com.au 1800 800 789 steeldirect@bluescopesteel.com

LMATS http://lmats.com.au +61 8 9200 2231 admin@lmats.com.au

BOC www.boc-limited.com.au +61 2 8874 4400 contact@boc.com

Main Roads Western Australia www.mainroads.wa.gov.au 138 138 enquiries@mainroads.wa.gov.au

Callidus Welding Solutions http://callidusgroup.com.au +61 8 6241 0799 info@callidusgroup.com.au

Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems www.anz.mhps.com +61 7 3878 0888 general@anz.mhps.com

CIGWELD www.cigweld.com.au 1300 654 674 enquiries@cigweld.com.au

49

Santos www.santos.com +61 8 8116 5000 reception.ade@santos.com Tronox Management www.tronox.com +61 8 9411 1444 info@tronox.com UGL Pty Limited www.ugllimited.com +61 2 8925 8925 uglinfo@ugllimited.com Water Corporation of WA www.watercorporation.com.au + 61 8 9423 7777 darren.vile@watercorporation.com.au Welding Industries of Australia (WIA) www.welding.com.au 1300 300 884 info@welding.com.au Wilmar Sugar www.wilmarsugarmills.com.au +61 7 4722 1972 info@wilmar.com.au

MMG www.mmg.com +61 3 9288 0888 info@mmg.com

Coregas http://coregas.com.au +61 2 9794 2222 info@coregas.com

HELP SECURE THE FUTURE OF

AUSTRALIAN WELDING.

Welding Technology Institute of Australia

J OIN T H E W TI A TO DAY. +61 (0)2 8748 0100

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membership@wtia.com.au

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www.wtia.com.au

50

Corporate Members 3M Australia: 3m.com.au 4 Ken : 4ken.com.au A&G Engineering: agengineering.com.au Abrasion Resistant Materials: arm.com.au Adept Inspections & Training: adeptengineering.com.au Aerison: aerison.com Aitken Welding: aitkenwelding.com Allstruct Engineering: allstructengineering.com.au Allthread Industries: allthread.com.au Ancon Building Products: ancon.com.au Antec Group: antec.com.au ARL Laboratory Services: arllabservices.com.au Arup: arup.com ASME Projects: asmeprojects.com.au ATTAR: attar.com.au Austal: austal.com Austedan Fabrications: austedan.com.au Austral: australtechnologies.com.au Australian Infrastructure Manufacturing: ausim.com.au Australian Rail Track Corporation: artc.com.au Australian Welding Academy: australianweldingacademy.com.au Australian Welding Supplies: awsi.com.au Aztec Analysis: wga.com.au BAE Systems: baesystems.com Barker Hume Homes: N/A Baxter Institute: baxter.vic.edu.au BDR Stainless: bdrstainless.com.au Ben Baden Services: craneconnection.com.au Berg Engineering: bergengineering.com.au Better Wear Welding: betterwear.com.au Bisalloy Steels: bisalloy.com.au BMC Welding: bmcgroup.com.au Bombardier Transportation: bombardier.com Bradken: bradken.com Brezac Constructions: brezac.com.au Broadspectrum: broadspectrum.com Brosco Enterprises: brosco.com.au Browns Precision Welding: brownswelding.com.au Busicom Inspections & Training: busicomsolutions.com.au Caltex Refineries: caltex.com.au CCR Group: ccrgroup.com.au Central Engineering: centralengineering.com.au Coastal Steelfixing Australia:

AUSTRALIAN WELDING: MARCH 2018

coastalsteelfixing.com.au CQ Industries: cqind.com CQ Steel Industries: cqsteel.com.au Crisp Bros Haywards: haywards-steel.com Cullen Steel: cullensteel.com.au Custom Built Stainless: cbstainless.com.au D&L Engineering Services: fabinox.com.au DGH Engineering: dghengineering.com.au Diverse Welding: diversewelding.com.au DT Hiload Australia: dthiload.com E&A Contractors: ottowayfabrication.com.au Excel Marine: excelmarine.net.au Extrin: extrin.com.au FIELD Engineers: fieldengineers.com.au Flexco: flexco.com.au Fortress Systems: fortressresistors.com Foxheat: foxheat.com G & G Mining Fabrication: ggminingfab.com Global Engineering & Construction: globalec.com.au Howell Davies: howelldavies.com.au HVAC Queensland: hvac.com.au INDT: indt.com.au Industrial Installation & Maintenance: iimaust.com.au Ingal EPS: ingaleps.com.au J Furphy & Sons: furphys.com.au Jacmor Engineering: jacmor.com.au JB Specialised Engineering: jordbellows.com.au JR’s Marine Engineering: jrsgroup.com.au Kangaroo Training Institute: kangarootraininginstitute.com.au Kenro Products: kenrometal.com.au Keppel Prince Engineering: keppelprince.com Knox Engineering: knoxeng.com K-TIG: k-tig.com LaserBond: laserbond.com.au LD Engineering Services: ldo.com.au Loclur Engineering: loclur.com.au LSW Group: lswgroup.com.au Mechanical Maintenance Solutions: mms.auz.net Mechanical Testing Services: N/A Melco Engineering: melcoeng.com.au Midway Metals: midwaymetals.com.au Millmerran: intergen.com Monadelphous Group: monadelphous.com.au Monash University: monash.edu Newmont Asia Pacific: newmont.com Nix Engineering Group: nixengineering.com.au

Obadare: obadare.com.au Orrcon Manufacturing: orrconsteel.com.au OSD Pipelines: osdlimited.com Outdoor Fabrications: outdoorfabrications.com.au Precision Metal: precisionmetalgroup.com QSM Fabrication: qsmfabrication.com.au Quality Handling Systems: qhs.com.au Quality Process Services: qpspl.com.au Queensland Nitrates: N/A Radio Frequency Systems: rfsworld.com RCR Energy: rcrtom.com.au RJB Industries: rjb-industries.com Robert Vernon: N/A Robot Technologies-Systems Australia: robottechnologies.com.au Ross Engineering: rossengineering.com.au Russell Mineral Equipment: rmeglobal.com S&L Steel: slsteel.com.au Samaras Group: samarasgroup.com Saunders International: saundersint.com Schenck Process Australia: schenckprocess.com SMW Group: smwgroup.com.au Smenco: smenco.com.au Snowy Hydro: snowyhydro.com.au Southern Cross Industrial Supplies: scis.com.au SP McLean Engineering: spmclean.com.au SSS Manufacturing: sssmanufacturing.com Steel Mains: www.steelmains.com Structural Integrity Engineering: siepl.com.au Supagas: supagas.com.au SWA Water Australia: swawater.com.au Taurus Mining Solutions: taurusminingsolutions.com Testing, Inspection & Calibration Services: ticsndt.com The Bloomfield Group: bloomcoll.com.au Topline Steel Fabrications: N/A Trade and Investment NSW: industry.nsw.gov.au Uneek Bending: uneek.com.au Vehicle Components: vehiclecomponents.com.au Victorian Testing & Inspection Services: victesting.com.au Walz Construction: walzgroup.biz WDT Engineers: wdtengineers.com.au Welding Guns of Australia: unimig.com.au

INSIDE THE WTIA: MEMBER DIRECTORY

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UPCOMING EVENTS Whether you need to brush up on skills learnt years ago, want to try your hand at something new, or crave some networking opportunities, there is an industry event for you. For further information on the events listed below, or any WTIA events, please email events@wtia.com.au or phone +61 (0)2 8748 0100.

April 2018 National Electric Energy Conference 5 to 6 April, Brisbane www.eecon2018.com.au NASCC: The Steel Conference 13 to 18 April, Baltimore www.aisc.org/nascc International Brazing and Soldering Conference (IBSC) 2018 15 to 18 April, New Orleans www.aws.org Structures Congress 2018 19 to 21 April, Fort Worth www.structurescongress.org Systems Engineering and Test Evaluation Conference 30 April to 2 May, Sydney www.sete2018.com.au May 2018 FABTECH Mexico 2018 2 to 4 May, Mexico City www.mexico.fabtechexpo.com National Manufacturing Week 9 to 11 May, Sydney nationalmanufacturingweek.com.au

Materials and Maintenance Advancements in the South West 17 May, Bunbury www.materialsaustralia.com.au

Australasian Structural Engineering Conference 25 to 28 September, Adelaide www.aseconference.org.au

June 2018

October 2018

FABTECH Canada 2018 12 to 14 June, Toronto www.fabtechcanada.com

Pipeline Repair, Hot Tapping and In-Service Welding 23 to 24 October, Sydney www.wtia.com.au/pipelinerepair

National Manufacturing Summit 26 June, Canberra www.manufacturingsummit.com.au XIV International Conference on Nanostructured Materials 24 to 29 June, Hong Kong www.nano2018.org July 2018 The 71st IIW Annual Assembly and International Conference 15 to 20 July, Bali www.iiw2018.com September 2018 Australian Engineering Conference 17 to 19 September, Sydney www.ausengcon.com.au

November 2018 The World Engineers Convention 18 to 24 November, Melbourne www.wec2019.org.au CAMS 2018 - Advancing Materials and Manufacturing 27 to 19 November, Wollongong www.materialsaustralia.com.au WTIA & IIW Exam Dates 2018 IWI B and IWI S 19 and 20 April 27 and 28 September IWS and WTIA Welding Supervisor (AS 1796 Cert 10 and AS 2214) 13 and 14 June 7 and 8 November

AUSTRALIAN WELDING: MARCH 2018 WTIA’S EXPERT ADVISORY SERVICES 52

AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT: INDEPENDENT ADVICE YOU CAN TRUST The WTIA has a team of highly qualified welding engineers and materials specialists available to provide expert advisory services on all welding and materials related matters.

With expertise in a wide range of industries, from manufacturing to composites, we have a unique capability to solve your joining problems. Our advice can help you substantially increase the operational life of your plant and equipment, thereby reducing your maintenance and repair overheads.

OUR AREAS OF EXPERTISE • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Welding procedure development Welding coordination and management systems Material performance and weldability Welding processes and related equipment Welding health and safety Failure investigation Expert witness in welding and related matters On-site welding technology assistance On-site auditing of welding quality systems Welding codes and standards Inspection and testing Non-destructive testing Mechanical testing

RESOURCES

• • • • • • • • • • •

Heat treatment in welding Welding quality management to ISO 3834 Welding specialists (IWE, IWT, IWS) for site work Pipelines-in-service welding, repairs and hot tapping Specialised welding and associated technologies (laser, ultrasonic peening and underwater welding) R&D and application of technology Engineering critical assessment fracture mechanics Structural and pressure equipment design Finite element analysis Weld cost estimating Life estimation

INFRASTRUCTURE

POWER GENERATION

Welding Technology Institute of Australia

HELPING SECURE THE FUTURE OF AUSTRALIA’S WELDING INDUSTRY. MANUFACTURING

DEFENCE

+61 (0)2 8748 0100 | info@wtia.com.au | www.wtia.com.au | Building 3, Level 3, 20 Bridge Street, Pymble, NSW 2073