Australian Welding September 2018 (Q3)

AUSTRALIAN 1

WELDING

Rebuilding Vocational Training in a

Transforming Industry Page 20

Advanced Technology & its

Benefits for Welders Page 24

Building Resilience in

Australian Manufacturing

Page 26

Q3 | September 2018 Official Journal of Weld Australia www.weldaustralia.com.au

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Australian Welding: September 2018

Weld Australia’s Value Proposition

Weld Australia is the peak industry body, representing the welding profession in Australia.

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

Weld Australia is the Australian representative member of the International Institute of Welding (IIW).

Our mission is to represent the interests of our 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.

HowWeld WeldAustralia AustraliaDelivers DeliversValues Value to How to Members Members Network

Learning

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.

We deliver pathways for learning.

Technical Solutions

We offer specialist technical solutions on all welding and materials related issues.

Voice

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

Certification We are an internationally accredited certification body.

Weld Australia Contacts 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@weldaustralia.com.au

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

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

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

Subscription to Australian Welding is a Weld Australia 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 Weld Australia.

Weld Australia and its agents are not responsible for statements or opinions expressed by contributors in this publication, which are not necessarily those of the Weld Australia. Publication of any advertisement does not constitute endorsement by the Weld Australia of any product, nor warrant its suitability.

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Contents: September 2018

Contents A Message From Weld Australia’s CEO

4

Inside the Industry

20

Rebuilding Vocational Training in a Transforming Industry

24

Advanced Technology & Its Benefits for Welders

28

Beenleigh Steel Fabrications

Breaking News Business Essentials Health & Safety Australian Standards

6 14 16 18

Feature & Technical Articles Rebuilding Vocational Training in a Transforming Industry Advanced Technology & Its Benefits For Welders Building Resilience in Australian Manufacturing Member Profile: Beenleigh Steel Fabrications Launch of Advanced Welder Training Centres Weld Australia Launches First Defence Welding Hub Fatigue of Welded Structures & Post Weld Improvement Techniques A Guide to Laser Cladding & Laser Heat Treatment Coating Solutions for the Manufacturing Industry Pipeline Repair & In-Service Welding

20 24 26 28 30 34 36 38 40 42

Inside Weld Australia Industry Groups Update Hotline Update Member Directory Upcoming Events

44 46 48 51

About Weld Australia

30

Launch of Advanced Welder Training Centres

A membership-based organisation, Weld Australia 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. Weld Australia is the Australian representative of the International Institute of Welding.

Visit: www.weldaustralia.com.au.

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Australian Welding: September 2018

A Message From Weld Australia’s CEO “

There is a profound and multidimensional crisis in the national vocational education and training system. The system has been wracked by a devastating combination of policy errors and fiscal mismanagement.”

Geoff Crittenden Chief Executive Officer, Weld Australia

In this edition of Australian Welding, we have included details of an extremely thought provoking report

by Dr Tanya Carney and Dr Jim Stanford from The Centre for Future Work at the Australia Institute (see page 20). Entitled Advanced Skills for Advanced Manufacturing: Rebuilding Vocational Training in a Transforming Industry, the report provides a compelling commentary on the state of Australia’s TAFE system.

Without wishing to repeat the excellent analysis contained within the report, I feel that it is worthwhile to comment on my experience with our TAFE partners around the country.

However, before doing so, I would like to reiterate my long-held view that technical training is absolutely key to the future prosperity of Australia. Technical training should be just as ingrained in our society as primary, secondary and university education. Technical training is no less important than any other form of education. In fact, it could be argued

that, because of its impact on our economic performance, technical training is even more important.

For example, the Federal Government’s $90 billion Naval Shipbuilding Program relies heavily on Australia’s ability to train highly skilled tradesmen and technicians who are qualified to deliver the projects.

TAFE, nationally, will play a crucial role in this endeavour. As such, our TAFE system should be regarded as a strategic asset. I cannot emphasise enough how important it is to have well-funded and resourced TAFE colleges nationally.

Regrettably, this is far from the current state. In fact, according to Dr Carney and Dr Stanford, there is “a profound and multidimensional crisis in the national vocational education and training system. The system has been wracked by a devastating combination of policy errors and fiscal mismanagement.”1 Every TAFE seems to be on a merrygo-round of centralisation and de-

centralisation, of funding and critical budget cuts, of redundancies and recruitment drives. As a result—in many cases—irreplaceable teaching and educational expertise is lost. A staggering 15,000 TAFE positions were cut over the last five years in just four states, including New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia.2 There is little hope of rebuilding or replacing this lost experience and expertise.

Dr Carney and Dr Stanford argue that reductions in funding for vocational education are both a cause and a consequence of the decline in participation in programs, contributing to a damaging cycle of cumulative causation: reduced enrolments allow governments to further cut funding, but that further damages the quality of vocational training, further reducing the incentive for students to enrol (and undermining the confidence of employers in the whole system).3 State and Federal Government

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A Message From Weld Australia’s CEO

expenditure on vocational training in Australia was cut by 20% between 2011-2012 and 2015-2016.4 This was further exacerbated by subsequent budget announcements, including a $177 million cut in vocational education spending in the 2017 Federal budget, with the cancellation of the National Partnership Agreement for Skills Reform.5 These funding cuts have occurred, even as the size of the workforce (and therefore its associated training needs) have steadily expanded, particularly in the manufacturing sector.

Compounding this serious funding deficit is one of the most ridiculous policy experiments ever undertaken: the marketised delivery system under which TAFE services are now contestable.

Australia’s TAFE institutes were once the backbone of Australia’s vocational education sector. They were stable, well-funded, trusted, and publicly accountable. They provided a comprehensive range of courses, oversaw apprenticeships, and created innovative curricula and teaching methods. Private providers offered specialist or ancillary training only.

Under the new marketised delivery system, TAFE is expected to compete with private providers for student dollars. This system requires TAFEs to provide a full range of courses across campuses in both metropolitan and regional areas.

In comparison, private providers can pick and choose to offer only the most profitable courses, delivered in only those areas in which there is a high demand. Private providers do not face the same infrastructure investment requirements as TAFEs and, without the strict government oversight faced by TAFEs, are able to entice students using a range of incentives.

TAFEs simply cannot compete in such an environment; it is an unsustainable business model.

And so, we’ve seen a decline of 30% from 2009 to 2016 in the total number of training hours offered by TAFEs nationally. In contrast, private

training providers almost doubled their number of training hours within the same period.

According to Carney and Stanford, forced to compete for students and funds against for-profit providers, the important ‘anchor’ function that should be played by high-quality public institutions such as TAFEs has been lost. TAFE institutions struggle to clarify their mandate and maintain a critical mass.6 Given the chronic lack of funding, job cuts, and the dismal failed policy experiment of marketised delivery, TAFEs simply have not had the capacity or capability to upgrade or modernise courses and curricula, or to develop new qualifications designed to capitalise on the emerging needs of advanced manufacturing.

The TAFE welding curriculum has not been updated or revised since 1995. As a result, young welding apprentices enter the workforce without the requisite skills or knowledge. Generally speaking, TAFE graduates cannot read a welding procedure, set up a welding machine, or weld according to Australian Standards. It is a disgrace.

Not surprisingly, enrolments in vocational training programs have fallen sharply. Since peaking in 2012 (at over 500,000 people in training), enrolments have dropped by half in just the last five years. In 2017, just 269,000 Australians were enrolled in VET training programs.7 Equivalent to barely 2% of Australia’s total employment, this is one of the weakest rates of vocational education participation in any industrial country in the world.8 But, there is hope. In Victoria, when the current State Government came into power four years ago, the TAFE system was in disarray. It needed funding and policy direction. Today, the Victorian TAFE system is the most progressive and dynamic technical educational system in Australia. Similarly, the South Australian State Government is making some fantastic improvements to the state’s TAFE system.

“

Weld Australia is calling for an urgent review by the Productivity Commission into our TAFE system nationally, with a view to developing a bi-partisan strategic plan that will ensure we have globally competitive technical training throughout Australia.”

The profound, multidimensional crisis in our national vocational education and training system is not a political or an ideological issue; it is not a Liberal versus Labor debate, nor should it be. Partisan interests must be set aside for the greater good of the country.

Weld Australia is calling for an urgent review by the Productivity Commission into our TAFE system nationally, with a view to developing a bi-partisan strategic plan that will ensure we have globally competitive technical training throughout Australia.

We must put a stop to the budget cuts, to the redundancies, to the failed privatisation policies. We must ensure that our TAFEs are once again stable, well-funded, trusted and publicly accountable. Only then will TAFE be able to deliver the type of technical training required to secure the future of Australia’s manufacturing, welding and industrial sectors. ________________ 1

2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Carney, T. and Stanford, J. Advanced Skills for Advanced Manufacturing: Rebuilding Vocational Training in a Transforming Industry, 2018, page 22 Ibid, page 28 Ibid, page 26 Ibid Ibid Ibid, page 22 Ibid, page 24 Ibid

Australian Welding: September 2018

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Breaking News BAE Systems Selected as Preferred Tenderer to Deliver Australia’s SEA 5000 Future Frigates BAE Systems has welcomed the Australian Government’s announcement of its selection as the preferred tenderer for the SEA 5000 program to deliver nine Future Frigates for the Royal Australian Navy. The program’s total cost is expected to be in the region of $35 billion for the design, build and support of the ships.

The Global Combat Ship – Australia is based on BAE Systems’ Type 26 frigate, one of the world’s most advanced anti-submarine warships. BAE Systems is currently constructing the warships in Glasgow for the Royal Navy. Once contracted, the new ships, to be called the Hunter class, will be built in South Australia by an Australian workforce, using Australian suppliers from every state and territory.

BAE Systems welcomed the Commonwealth Government’s announcement that ASC Shipbuilding will become a subsidiary of BAE Systems, subject to contract negotiations. Through BAE Systems, ASC Shipbuilding will be responsible for the delivery of the Global Combat Ship – Australia.

The project is expected to create and sustain at least 5,000 highly skilled jobs, providing a significant contribution to the development of Australia’s continuous naval shipbuilding capability and a boost to the nation’s manufacturing industry.

BAE Systems Australia Chief Executive, Gabby Costigan, said, “Construction of the Global Combat Ship – Australia is expected to make a significant contribution to the nation’s economy, creating thousands of jobs, supporting new industries and

Image: The Global Combat Ship – Australia is based on BAE Systems’ Type 26 frigate, one of the world’s most advanced antisubmarine warships.

boosting the national supply chain for decades to come.

We are committed to creating a strong, sustainable and innovative naval shipbuilding industry that will see highly skilled Australians building and sustaining warships for the Royal Australian Navy.”

“We are proud to have been selected as preferred tenderer to provide the Royal Australian Navy with a world-class ship, equipped with the latest technologies and designed specifically to meet its needs. The Global Combat Ship - Australia will help protect our shipping lanes and regional trade routes, serve humanitarian missions and provide the nation with a formidable naval capability.”

ASC Chairman, Bruce Carter, said the decision to have ASC Shipbuilding build the Future Frigates as part of BAE Systems group is recognition of the shipbuilding capability built up within ASC over the last 10 years.

“The skill, performance, commitment to quality, safety and innovation of the ASC shipbuilding workforce ensures Australia has highly capable warships to defend its interests and I congratulate the workers on what they have achieved,” said Carter.

“ASC wholeheartedly supports the Government’s acknowledgement of the significant value to our nation of a skilled naval shipbuilding workforce and its commitment to a long-term investment to make sure this important industry enjoys a sustainable future in Australia and that these critical skills are maintained.”

The initial design is expected to be in place by the year end, with production of the nine Future Frigates to commence in 2020.

Lasting Connections

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Inside the Industry: Breaking News

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Australian Welding: September 2018

Breaking News Iconic Melbourne Project Takes Out Industry’s Most Prestigious Global Award Together with ARM Architecture, Architectus and Fab Metal Specialists, Valmont Coatings Australia has won the Global Galvanizing Award for the University of Melbourne’s Arts West Building.

According to Aaron King (Managing Director of Valmont Coatings), “With 36 projects submitted from 13 different countries, we are thrilled the project has taken out this prestigious international award.”

The $66 million Arts West Redevelopment Project was one of the University of Melbourne’s most significant infrastructure projects in recent years. A major component of the Arts West Redevelopment Project was the renovation of the university’s Faculty of Arts building on Macleod Road. The new building— constructed over seven levels on Professors Walk opposite the heritage Old Arts Faculty Building— provides the University’s Arts Precinct with a dedicated, high-quality teaching and learning environment.

One of the most stunning and distinctive visual features of the new Faculty of Arts building is its louvered façade, which involved ground-breaking use of steel.

The building effectively has two skins: a glass wall and a structure of parallel horizontal steel fins or louvres—resembling deep exterior venetian blinds. The façade is both a passive solar-control element and an architectural manifestation of the Faculty of Arts.

The steel sections of each louvre were shaped so that they form a series of 3D images. The images are ‘pressed’ into the façade and reveal themselves to viewers at different times of the day and from different

Image: The $66 million Arts West Redevelopment Project at the University of Melbourne. Image by John Gollings.

viewpoints. The images feature selected objects from the University of Melbourne’s 23 Cultural Collections.

According to King, the project team opted to galvanize the louvres to protect the steel from corrosion and add visual appeal. “The fins on the façade serve two main purposes, to provide sun shading to the tall glass curtain wall behind and to house images of objects from the University’s Cultural Collections. The steel plate was laser cut in plan to form the negative relief of the images. Utilising steel for the purpose of sun shading is reasonably unique, as many buildings with a second skin use aluminium instead. Steel was chosen as it allowed us to use very thin steel, only 8mm, which performed well in shading the teaching spaces, but also allowed minimal interruptions looking out.”

“Galvanizing is—of course—a wonderful way to protect steelwork, but they also liked the mottled and crystalline effects that galvanizing provided. It will change over time, from a bright reflective material to a dull grey.

Galvanizing provided the façade with the kind of raw surface that the project team was after,” said King.

Valmont Coatings coated 480 individual steel sections in zinc prior to their delivery to the University of Melbourne construction site. Valmont Coatings’ plant in suburban Campbellfield, north of the Melbourne CBD, completed each batch of the galvanized steel louvres within an average turnaround period of two to three working days in the plant.

Image: The $66 million Arts West Redevelopment Project at the University of Melbourne. Image by Warick Baker.

The Global Glavanizing Award is presented by the European General Galvanizers Association (EGGA) every three years for outstanding hot-dip galvanized steel architecture.

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Australian Welding: September 2018

Introducing Lorch Smart Welding Solutions to Australia Lorch is a leading German manufacturer of high quality, advanced technology welding products. Their core focus is the development of Smart Welding Solutions to drive customer productivity, backed with exceptional service and support.

Advanced and ready for the next great industrial revolution 4.0 meeting the demand for intelligent, digitalised systems and networking solutions. Lorch has the leading new welding technologies for Australian major industry sectors including mining, general fabrication, structural steel and ship building to improve quality and deliver productivity.

Lorch are excited to announce their arrival in Australia and are actively appointing distribution partners around the country.

Want to know more: get in touch now to find out about Lorch leading technology, Smart Welding Solutions and what they can do for your business.

For further information please contact David Wilton: LSP@lorch.eu or visit www.lorch.com.au to find a Lorch partner near you.

www.lorch.com.au AD4356_AustWelding_09.18

Inside the Industry: Breaking News

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Breaking News Weld Australia Launches Welding Equipment Register Technology has come a long way over the past few decades; welding machines come packed with more power than ever and top brands continually push the limits with each new generation of equipment. The performance of modern day machines is constantly reaching new heights and, as more brands enter the market, this trend will only continue in coming years.

However, the increased performance of welding machines is a double-edged sword in some cases; particularly in those used domestically. For instance, some brands supply leads and plugs for welding machines that are incapable of holding the power required to run the machines at peak capacity.

To ensure that Australian welders can make informed decisions on welding equipment, Weld Australia, together with participating equipment suppliers, has developed a register of safe-to-use welding equipment.

This register will maintain a list of equipment that is deemed safe for use through compliance with IEC 60974.1 Arc welding equipment – Part 1: Welding power sources, and IEC 60974.6 Arc welding equipment – Part 6: Limited duty equipment. This list is available for download via the Weld Australia website and will be updated quarterly.

For more information, or to download the Welding Equipment Register, visit: www.weldaustralia.com.au.

Lorch Schweißtechnik GmbH Announces Establishment of New Subsidiary, Lorch South Pacific Pty Ltd Lorch Schweißtechnik has had a long and successful history of welding equipment sales in the South Pacific region (Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific islands) under private branding arrangements. The establishment of the new subsidiary, Lorch South Pacific Pty Ltd is in line with the company’s strategic geographic expansion plans. The subsidiary opens up the region to the full Lorch product portfolio and establishes a long-term commitment to distribution partners and end-user customers.

David Wilton from Global Welding Technologies LLC, co-owner in the subsidiary, with an extensive knowledge and history of the region has been appointed Managing Director.

“I have a long history in the South Pacific region where I started my career in the welding industry and began my association with Lorch; they are an outstanding company with some of the best engineering talent in the world. Lorch is a technology and innovation leader focused on developing smart welding solutions that drive customer productivity, backed with exceptional service and support. Advanced and ready for the next great industrial revolution 4.0, meeting the demand for intelligent, digitalised systems and networking solutions.”

“Lorch has leading welding solutions for South Pacific major industry sectors including mining, general fabrication, structural steel and ship building. I am delighted to be partnering with Lorch and looking forward to bringing quality, cutting edge German welding technology to the South Pacific market,” said Wilton.

Lorch Schweißtechnik GmbH is a leading manufacturer of electric arc welding systems for industrial applications, metalworking, partially automated solutions and robot automation systems. For more than 60 years, Lorch’s premium quality systems have been manufactured in Germany at one of the world’s most cutting-edge manufacturing plants for welding equipment and exported to more than 60 countries.

LMATS Newcastle Lab Achieves AS ISO/IEC 17025 Accreditation LMATS’ Newcastle lab is now AS ISO/IEC 17025 accredited. In addition to its existing suite of services, the Newcastle lab will also provide power station related life assessment services using replication microscopy by a highly experienced metallurgist and an API certified RBI inspector. LMATS’ goal is to support the regional industry and grow local employment..

Image: Lorch executive team (L to R): Cataldo Sposato (International Sales Director), Wolfgang Grüb (Owner & CEO), David Wilton (Managing Director LSP), Ronald Weber (Managing Director & CSO) and Stefan Krämer (CFO).

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Australian Welding: September 2018

Breaking News Australian Steel a Winner in SEA 5000 Project As a result of the award of Australia’s Future Frigate program to BAE Systems, significant benefits will flow to the steel supply chain.

Liberty will partner with BAE Systems for the supply of structural steel to build nine Future Frigates, which will require 48,000 tonnes of steel.

Liberty will provide structural steel sections for use in each build, with additional value provided in the form of processing, fabrication and welding prior to delivery.

As many as 4,000 tonnes of additional structural steel will be supplied for infrastructure, including cradles and other fixtures.

BAE Systems has already prequalified over 500 Australian businesses from every state and territory as part of the Hunter class supply chain.

Liberty Executive Chairman, Sanjeev Gupta, said prior to the announcement that his company would be “honoured” to be involved in the project if BAE Systems was awarded the contract.

“It’s vital for the future of our industry that government projects adopt an Australian-made focus, so we commend BAE Systems for prioritising local products and services,” said Gupta.

$495 Million Larrakeyah Defence Precinct Former Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon Marise Payne, recently announced approval of a $495 million investment in two projects for new facilities at the Larrakeyah Defence Precinct, Northern Territory.

The first project, a $223 million base redevelopment, will upgrade critical in-ground infrastructure, support on-base growth over the next 25 years, and improve the working environment for Defence personnel. The second is the $272 million Facilities to Support Naval Operations in the North project. This will deliver a new outer wharf to support the Royal Australian Navy’s major surface combatant ships and submarines.

BlueScope Invests in Solar Power via Power Purchase Agreement At a signing ceremony held recently at BlueScope’s Port Kembla Steelworks, BlueScope and its partners ESCO Pacific and Schneider Electric, announced a landmark seven year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). Under the PPA, BlueScope will offtake 66% of the 133MW of energy generated from ESCO Pacific’s Finley Solar Farm.

The 500,000 solar panel farm, which is to be located at Finley, 100km west of Albury in the Riverina of New South Wales, is expected to be online by mid-2019. The ground-mounted solar farm will be located on a 300 hectare site that is almost half the size of BlueScope’s Port Kembla Steelworks.

BlueScope’s Chief Executive, Australian Steel Products, John Nowlan said, “This PPA is one of Australia’s largest corporate offtake agreements, and is the largest with a solar farm to date, and complements our firm electricity supply arrangements, which provide the reliable electricity supply we need for manufacturing processes that must operate 24/7. The PPA will help keep downward pressure on our energy costs, and will support the gradual transition to renewable energy. The volume under the agreement is equivalent to 20% of BlueScope’s total Australian electricity purchases.”

“The project will enhance the Australian Defence Force’s (ADF) capacity to conduct operations and exercises in the north of Australia, while providing fuel storage and refuelling capabilities to meet current and projected demands,” Minister Payne said.

“BlueScope supports Australia’s 2030 emissions target, including the government’s target to reduce electricity sector emissions by 26% on 2005 levels by 2030. By investing in solar energy, we are helping accelerate the decarbonisation of the electricity grid by reducing greenhouse gas emissions by around 300,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions each year. This is comparable to taking 90,000 cars off the road and is enough to power 60,000 homes.”

Both Larrakeyah Defence Precinct projects will be delivered by Laing O’Rourke as managing contractor, with construction works scheduled to commence in late 2018 and due for completion by mid-2023.

The solar farm will provide 130 jobs during construction and create eight permanent jobs once in operation.

Investment in the project is expected to exceed approximately $250 million.

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The 6th conference of the Combined Australian Materials Societies; incorporating Materials Australia and the Australian Ceramic Society.

Join Australia’s largest interdisciplinary technical meeting on the latest advances in materials science, engineering and technology.

Our technical program will cover a range of themes identified by researchers and industry as issues of topical interest.

Co-chairs Dr Dan Gregg ANSTO Synroc daniel.gregg@ansto.gov.au

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Opportunities for sponsorships and exhibitions are available.

CAMS 2018 November 27-29 University of Wollongong NSW, AUSTRALIA www.cams2018.com.au

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www.cams2018.com.au

Photos courtesy of George Vander Voort

CAMS 2018

www.cams2018.com.au

JUNE 2018 | 7

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Australian Welding: September 2018

Business Essentials: Tips for Interviewing Job Candidates One of the most difficult aspects of running a business is recruiting and retaining employees who share your passion for success. Creating a positive working environment and culture, effective training programs, and opportunities for continual improvement can help ensure your existing staff have the skills they need to succeed. However, excellent interviewing skills are crucial in recruiting the best possible people. Here are some tips to help improve your skills when it comes to interviewing job candidates.

Understand the Role A common mistake interviewers make is failing to understand the role for which they are interviewing.

Prior to any interview, you must clearly define the responsibilities, requirements and expected level of skills and qualifications for the role.

By doing this, you will have a specific set of skills and attributes against which to match each candidate.

For example, if you are interviewing for a receptionist role, do you need someone with high-level IT skills who can support your finance and administration teams, or is the role confined purely to answering phone calls and making appointments? The skills required vary considerably.

Understand what is expected of the role (and therefore the candidate

filling the role), otherwise it will be impossible to recruit the right person.

Be Prepared Prepare for interviews ahead of time by reviewing candidate CVs and credentials. In doing so, you will already have a sense of who each candidate is, as well as their skills and experience. Familiarising yourself with a candidate’s CV, prior to the interview, also demonstrates to the candidate your level of interest.

You should also draft a set of questions prior to any interview.

There is no need to strictly adhere to your pre-determined questions once the interview begins, particularly if the candidate’s answers take the interview in a slightly different direction.

However, keep in mind that you should be consistent with your questions and—as much as possible—ask each candidate the same questions. This will allow for consistency in the interview process and also provide a basis on which to compare candidates. Ask one question at a time and use openended questions to encourage more input from the candidate. Do not ask leading or closed-end questions.

Ask the Right Questions Your interview questions should focus on two specific areas: skills and qualifications; and behaviours.

If a candidate has applied for a job, they will usually hold the necessary skills and qualifications.

During the course of the interview,

15

Inside the Industry: Business Essentials

“

Ask for specific examples of past performance and behaviour.

Previous successes can be a good indicator of future performance.”

you should confirm these details with the candidate. You can also confirm that a candidate has the requisite skills post-interview by carrying out reference checks. It is also important to ask questions that focus specifically on behaviours.

The answers to these types of questions will give you a sense of how a candidate may fit into your workplace culture.

During an interview, provide a specific real-world problem that you have faced, and ask the candidate how they would resolve the issue.

This is especially applicable if there has been a particular problem pertaining to the job for which the candidate is applying.

The primary behaviours to be on the lookout for are adaptability and flexibility. It is great to find a highlyskilled candidate, but it can be even better to find someone who can think on their feet. Skills can be taught; flexibility and critical thinking often cannot. For instance, ask a candidate how they would react if a specific material or consumable was not available in the welding workshop, or how they might handle a workplace hazard.

You can also ask for specific examples of past performance and behaviour. Previous successes can be a good indicator of future performance.

Ask Appropriate Questions Be careful to avoid questions that are inappropriate or (in some instances) even illegal. Any questions that require a candidate to reveal their age, race, national origin, gender, religion, marital status and sexual orientation are off-limits.

Make the Candidate Comfortable You will better understand what a candidate can bring to your company if the candidate feels comfortable during the interview.

Offer each candidate a glass of water or a coffee on arrival to make them feel at ease. Make sure you shake their hand and look them in the eye throughout the interview.

Ensure each candidate is prepared for the interview by clearly explaining what they should expect. If it is a panel interview, be sure the candidate is aware of this—if they are expecting a one-on-one interview, a room full of people can be quite intimidating.

Let Them Do the Talking As an interviewer, your job is to ask questions, not to talk. You should give a brief outline of the job description, and a run-down of how the interview will work. After that, begin moving through your questions, giving the candidate ample time to respond to each question.

Keep in mind that body language offers a crucial insight into personality and behaviour. If the candidate struggles to maintain eye contact or fidgets while speaking, they could be shy. However, these non-verbal clues can also indicate the candidate’s level of interest and honesty.

Be a Good Listener An interviewer needs highly-tuned listening skills. The following techniques will improve your skills: • Maintain eye contact • Stay relaxed • Make mental pictures of what the candidate is talking about • Never interrupt, always let the speaker finish their sentence • Give feedback throughout the discussion, ask for further information and show interest Pique the Candidate’s Curiousity Provide the candidate the type of information that will make them curious about the company and the role. This should make them enthusiastic about securing the position, and starting in the role.

Follow Up Post-Interview Whether it’s by email or phone, follow up to let candidates know whether they landed the job. This is professional courtesy gives the interview process closure, and protect your company’s reputation.

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Australian Welding: September 2018

Eye & Face Protection Basics for Welders Unfortunately, eye injuries in the workplace are quite common. According to a report from Safe Work Australia, approximately 1,000 people make a ‘serious eye injury claim’ each year, at an estimated cost of around $60 million per annum. Welding and grinding are the two most common activities resulting in an eye injury. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Authority in the United States, nine out of 10 eye injuries sustained in the workplace could have been avoided if proper eye safety measures—including eye and face protection—were adhered to.

Chief Causes of Eye Injury Injuries to the eyes and face, as a result of welding, generally fall into the following four categories: • Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation • Exposure to irritating fumes, vapours, and chemicals • Hot metal slag burns • Injuries from flying particles Injuries as a result of hot metal slag burns and flying particles are typically confined to cases in which proper safety equipment was not in use, or where safety equipment was unsuitable due to poor maintenance or an improper rating.

Injuries caused by exposure to fumes, vapours and chemicals are more difficult to categorise. These types of injuries vary according to the material being welded, as well as the types of treatments, finishes and preparations in use.

UV radiation is one of the most dangerous threats, particularly as these harmful rays are invisible. The most common injury sustained as a result of exposure to UV radiation is photokeratitis. Commonly known as welder’s flash or arc eye, photokeratitis occurs after prolonged exposure to UV radiation. Although, it can also present after just a few seconds of looking at a welding arc without proper eye and face protection.

Photokeratitis results in a swelling of the cornea, which creates pain and sensitivity to light. Permanent

damage can occur after repeated exposure, with cataracts also linked to long-term UV exposure.

Personal Protective Equipment First and foremost, welders must protect their eyes and face with the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Standard welding PPE includes welding helmets, face shields, goggles, and safety glasses with side shields. All of these items are used to protect the welder’s eyes and face from the high-intensity light, sparks, and spatter produced by most welding operations.

Safety Glasses and Goggles Safety glasses and goggles should always have side shields in order to protect the eyes from exposure to indirect UV rays. If the welder wears prescription glasses or lenses, their safety glasses or goggles must be fitted with prescription lenses—sight obstruction is an obvious danger to personal safety. Frames should not contain metal components, primarily when working with electrical currents, and the use of contact lenses are discouraged in dusty areas or where certain types of chemicals are present.

Safety glasses and goggles must fit tightly, without being uncomfortable or rubbing underneath the helmet.

Goggles should be vented to reduce fogging of the lenses as much as possible. Specially designed chemical goggles are the best choice for welders if dust, fumes, mists, gases, or vapors are present.

On most protective eyewear, filtered plates keep out harmful radiation such as ultraviolet or infrared light that can burn the eyes and lead to blindness. It’s important to choose the correct filter shade to regulate the amount and type of light that reaches the eye. As a rule of thumb, the welder should start with a shade that is too dark to see the welding zone and then gradually find a lighter shade that gives a sufficient view of the weld zone without going below the minimum shade number required for the task at hand.

Helmets One of the most important pieces of PPE for a welder is a welding helmet. Created of pressed metal, with dark screen so as not to reflect light, welding helmets can protect the eyes and skin from damaging UV rays, as well as intense blue light, all arc emitted, and sparks.

When buying a helmet, welders should choose one that is adjustable, lightweight, and offers high quality peripheral vision—this way the welder will be comfortable wearing the helmet for longer periods and will have a wider view across the weld.

There are also auto-darkening helmet models available, complete with LCD technology that automatically darken when arc welding begins, for instance.

A flameproof skullcap may also be used to ensure the head and hair of the welder are completely protected from heat and sparks.

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Inside the Industry: Health & Safety

Training Of course, all PPE needs to be backed by proper training. Proper training is all about identifying hazards and risks and ensuring employees know how to avoid—or at least mitigate—these risks. For example, all welders need to know precisely when they need to wear their goggles, their masks and what shade they need to set their shield to before they strike an arc.

Perhaps the most crucial aspect of training is ensuring welders know how to maintain their PPE. Without proper maintenance, PPE will not perform its duty. Proper maintenance includes the proper use and storage of equipment, as well as reporting and replacing any equipment that is cracked, pitted, scratched or otherwise damaged. Twisted or frayed goggle straps also need to be replaced right away.

Safety checklists and documentation can also be used to reinforce training.

Documented safety procedures are easier to follow and enforce, and they provide the opportunity to outline the consequences of not adhering to policy and procedure.

Training should also extend to topics such as how to respond to an eye or facial injury. Injuries to the eye or

face are often time-sensitive. So, if welders know what to do to help themselves and others, the likelihood of permanent damage to sight is greatly reduced, while injury recovery rates are significantly improved. For example, if an irritant or chemical comes in contact with the eye, immediate and effective flushing can help prevent further damage.

However, if a foreign object becomes embedded in the eye, it should not be moved until professional medical assistance is on-hand.

Safety Measures for Nearby Non-Welders People working in close vicinity to welders also need to take care to avoid eye and facial injuries. Safety signage should be clearly visible in and around welding zones to ensure other workers and the general public are careful. PPE should also be available for anyone required to enter an area where the face or eyes are at risk. Screens, shields and curtains should enclose the welding zone to protect the rest of the workshop from radiation, sparks, particles and welding light. Fume hoods should also be used to remove any hazardous gases.

Responsibilities of Employers Employers must put adequate

control measures in place as far as reasonably practicable to eliminate hazards and risks in the workplace.

Measures may include PPE, along with administrative guidance (such as policies and procedures) when other control measures are insufficient or impracticle.

Where PPE is to be used, it must be: • Selected to minimise risk to health and safety, including by ensuring equipment is: • Suitable for the nature of the work or hazard • A suitable size and fit for the individual who is required to use it and that it is reasonably comfortable.

• Maintained, repaired or replaced, which includes ensuring the equipment is: • Clean and hygienic • In good working order.

• Used or worn by employees, so far as is reasonably practical.

Employers must also provide all employees with timely, relevant information, training and instruction in the proper use, wear, storage and maintenance of PPE. References https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au https://www.safetysolutions.net.au https://www.thefabricator.com

“

Nine out of 10 eye injuries sustained in the workplace could have been avoided if proper eye safety measures— including eye and face protection— were adhered to.”

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Australian Welding: September 2018

The Changing Face of Australian Standards Australian Standards are living documents. They reflect progresses in science, technology and systems. To maintain their relevancy, all Standards are periodically reviewed, with amendments and revised editions published. The last few months have seen several developments, including an urgent review into standards related to rubber hoses for welding, cutting and allied processes, and ongoing reviews into standards related to pressure equipment and steel structures.

Aged Standards As reported in the June edition of Australian Welding, Weld Australia has been in discussions with Standards Australia and members of the ISO drafting committee responsible for the publication of ISO 3825 Gas welding equipment— Rubber hoses for welding, cutting and allied processes.

With the withdrawal of AS 1335 Hose and hose assemblies for welding, cutting and allied processes in 2016, it has been agreed that Australia’s best interests will be served by the

adoption of ISO 3825. The actual mechanism to allow this process to occur has yet to be resolved.

However, it is anticipated that in due course a project to adopt ISO 3825 will be submitted to Standards Australia with the resultant draft being circulated for public comment once the project is approved.

In the interim, Weld Australia continues to recommend that only hoses compliant with AS 1335 or ISO 3825 be specified and purchased for welding and related process use.

Following a period of public review and balloting, the updated adoption of ISO 13916 Welding—Guide on the measurement of preheating temperature, interpass temperature and preheat maintenance temperature was published as AS/NZS ISO 13916 on 7 August.

Separate to this, the Standards Australia Committee WD-003 has submitted a project on the AS/NZS ISO 3834 series Quality requirements for fusion welding of metallic materials. This project will update Part 5 of AS/NZS ISO 3834 and adopt ISO/TR 3834-6. The project has been registered and when approved, public review drafts will be prepared.

Pressure Equipment Work is continuing on the revision of AS/NZS 3992 Pressure equipment— Welding and brazing qualification.

The drafting committee is on track to commence the preparation of a public review draft in December.

Since the revision commenced, a number of errors and anomalies have been identified and are in the process of being corrected.

It is also planned that additional guidance on the repair of in service pressure equipment will be included, as well as taking cognisance of recent changes within the relevant ISO standards.

Steel Structures Standards Australia Committee WD-003 has completed its

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Inside the Industry: Australian Standards

preparation of the draft revision of AS 2214 Certification of welding supervisors - Structural steel welding.

A public review draft has been prepared by Standards Australia and is expected to be released in the coming months.

The Committee has also submitted a project to Standards Australia to correct an error within AS/NZS 2980 Qualification of welders for fusion welding of steels— Additional requirements for Australia and New Zealand.

Sub committee WD-003-02 has prepared a draft revision of AS/NZS 1554.2 Structural steel welding—Part 2: Stud welding (steel studs to steel) and a project to formally revise the standard has been submitted for approval. It should be noted that the prepared draft has taken cognisance of the relevant ISO standards and now includes provisions for the use of stainless steel studs and studs for wear applications.

As reported in June, Standards Australia Committee BD-001 has completed the preparation of public review drafts for the revision of two of its standards, AS/NZS 5131 Structural steelwork - Fabrication and erection, and AS 4100 Steel structures. Preparation of the drafts for public review has unfortunately been delayed. However, they are now due for release in the coming months.

AS/NZS ISO 3834 series of standards in Australia and New Zealand.

International Standards In September, Australia attended a number of ISO committee meetings to consider comments on Standards of interest to Australia.

Also meeting in Berlin, Australia attended the annual plenary session of committee TC44 Welding and allied processes. This committee oversees the activities of 14 subcommittees responsible for items from welding consumables (SC3), weld testing (SC5), qualification standards (SC10, SC11) and so on.

It also oversees liaisons with other committees, including the latest technology in additive manufacturing and Non-Destructive Testing techniques.

Of significance, the revision of ISO 14731 Welding coordination— Tasks and responsibilities was completed and this Standard will now most likely proceed to FDIS ballot. With publication due in mid 2019, adoption of this Standard in Australia is under consideration, particularly to benefit the increasing numbers of users of the

Importantly for Australia, it was resolved that the 2019 meeting of TC44 will be held in Sydney.

It is likely that a number of subcommittees associated with TC44 will also elect to meet in Sydney in the same week, providing a unique opportunity for Australians to attend these meetings as both participants and observers.

Register on the AWCR Today

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by Weld Australia. It provides a national framework for qualifying and testing welders to International Standard AS/NZS ISO 9606-1, and provides a raft of benefits for welders and industry alike.

Go to www.awcr.org.au Click on ‘Click Here to Register’ Click on ‘Create An Account’ Enter your contact details Verify your email address Login and complete your profile

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20

Australian Welding: September 2018

Rebuilding Vocational Training in a Transforming Industry The Centre for Future Work at The Australia Institute has released a new report, Advanced Skills for Advanced Manufacturing: Rebuilding Vocational Training in a Transforming Industry.

This report seeks to address the skills shortage that could hamper future employment gains in the Australian manufacturing sector.

companies adopt these advanced manufacturing techniques and new digital technologies; and the sector’s ageing workforce, creating a looming demographic transition for skilled workers (as existing skilled workers, many of whom are approaching retirement age, begin to exit the industry).

Capabilities of the Current Manufacturing Workforce It may seem counter-intuitive that an industry that has lost over 100,000 positions in the past decade might experience a shortage of workers. But, after years of decline, Australia’s manufacturing industry is finally recovering – adding almost 50,000 jobs in the last year, one of the best job-creation records of any sector in the whole economy.

Moreover, the sectoral and occupational diversity of manufacturing jobs means that shortages can arise in specific fields, despite overall labour supply conditions that are relatively abundant. The highly specific nature of manufacturing skills (across sectors and occupations), also creates difficulty for workers looking to move from shrinking sectors to growing sectors.

However, this recovery could be cut short by growing shortages of skilled workers, according to the Centre for Future Work’s report on vocational training in manufacturing.

According to Dr Jim Stanford, Director of the Centre for Future Work, “Manufacturing is again making a positive contribution to Australia’s economic progress after over a decade of decline. We don’t want to squander this potential.

If Australia doesn’t get its act together on vocational training, this will be a wasted opportunity for manufacturing.”

The report identifies key factors behind the rapid emergence of skills shortages in manufacturing.

The factors include the rebound in total manufacturing employment; the reorientation of production around more specialised and skillsintensive advanced manufacturing strategies, which necessitates upskilling and ongoing training as

“No sector feels the pain of the failure of vocational training more than manufacturing, precisely because advanced skills are so essential

for the success of advanced manufacturing techniques.”

“Stable, well-funded, high-quality public institutions must be the anchors of any successful VET system. Public institutions are the only ones with the resources, the connections, and the stability to provide manufacturers with a steady supply of world-class skilled workers,” said Stanford.

“

Manufacturing stakeholders need to work together to strengthen vocational education and training.”

Vocational Education in Crisis According to interviews conducted by the Centre for Future Work with multiple industry stakeholders, the current Vocational Education and Training (VET) system is definitely not meeting the needs of the manufacturing industry for top-quality skilled workers – nor the needs of the wider community for access to highquality training and corresponding opportunities for solid work.

At present, training delivery is largely oriented around competencybased, fragmented packages of

Rebuilding Vocational Training in a Transforming Industry

knowledge. These packages may address narrow, enterprise-specific requirements, but typically do not permit workers to accumulate comprehensive, recognised, and portable qualifications.

The Cause of the Crisis According to the report, Australia’s VET system is experiencing a ‘profound and multidimensional crisis’, caused by several factors.

There has been a sustained decline in fiscal support for vocational training at both a State and Commonwealth level, as the financial focus has been placed on the university sector to the neglect of VET. State and Commonwealth spending was cut by almost 20% between 2011-2012 and 20152016, and the 2017 Commonwealth budget included a $177 million cut in vocational education.

The sector also underwent a devastating and failed policy experiment with the marketisation of vocational education services, whereby control over course offerings, course delivery, and student recruitment was decentralised to a supposed ‘market’ dominated by for-profit training providers. Worthless qualifications have proliferated, driven by incentives and exploited by fraudulent for-profit enterprises.

“Recent experiments with marketbased vocational training have been a waste, they have damaged confidence in the skills system among both potential students and employers,” said Stanford.

In addition to this disastrous experiment, the report points out that for-profit VET training providers still received enormous subsidies through the poorly controlled VET FEE-HELP system. This has led to a wastage of public resources, while also encouraging both unethical and unproductive practices within the forprofit system.

As a result of these policy failures, the TAFE system now faces a severe structural crisis. It has lost

its position as a reliable and quality source of vocational education.

Why? Primarily because TAFEs must compete for students and funds with for-profit providers, rather than focus on what should be their core responsibility: providing quality education.

In the context of chronic underfunding and the misallocation of resources through the failed experiment with marketisation, the need for VET providers to continually upgrade and modernise their course offerings, and to develop entire new qualifications in line with the emerging needs of advanced manufacturing, has largely gone unmet.

The most intense skills shortages experienced by manufacturing employers are more complex than simply a shortage of suitable applicants with a particular qualification. Rather, employers are seeking a more comprehensive set of qualifications and attributes, reflecting the more challenging, judgment-based, and technologyintensive nature of manufacturing work. In this regard, important attention must be paid to the reform and modernisation of curricula, skill sets, and entire qualifications.

A related problem in the current VET model is the increasing concentration of training around small, more fragmented units. The marketised user-pay delivery model for VET in Australia contributes to this problem, since it is less expensive for students to enroll in narrower, ‘bite-size’ subjects – as compared to undertaking full qualifications.

Competency-based, fragmented packages of knowledge address narrow, enterprise-specific requirements; they generally do not allow workers to accumulate comprehensive, recognised, and portable qualifications. In the resulting culture of ‘training for the enterprise’, employers commission relatively narrow, firm-specific capacities, not comprehensive and flexible qualifications. This inhibits the ability of the workforce

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to respond, adapt and redeploy in the face of changes in product demand, technology, and personal circumstances.

All these failures have a had a direct effect on enrolment numbers. In 2012, over 500,000 people were enrolled in VET training programs around Australia. By 2017, that number had dropped to 269,000.

Metalwork and automotive trade apprentices have fallen by a third since 2008, and technician-based trainees have lost half of their enrolments since 2012.

In 2017, total participation in apprenticeships and traineeships represented barely 2% of Australian employment. That constitutes one of the weakest rates of vocational education participation of any industrial country.

This dramatic drop in TAFE enrollment numbers, apprentices and trainees is the end-result of a failed VET system—a failure that has created a chronic skills shortage throughout Australia’s manufacturing industry.

The Reality of a Skills Shortage The skills shortage is not merely a perceived danger; it is already being felt by employers across the nation.

Survey data from NAB Australian Economics (2018) showed that 60% of employers identified a skills shortage as the primary constraint on expansion.

In 2018, the Australia Industry Group reported a doubling in the number of firms reporting skills shortages, with shortages in technicians and trades workers the most acute.

According to the Centre for Future Work, in order to sustain the emerging turnaround in manufacturing, the sector has an urgent need for a concerted and cooperative effort to strengthen the sector’s vocational education and training system. To succeed, this effort will require participation by all stakeholders: government, industry, educational institutions, and unions.

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Resolving the Skills Crisis In its report, the Centre for Future Work made 12 recommendations to help resolve the skills crisis in manufacturing, and strengthen Australia’s VET system.

1. Reestablish adequately funded and stable TAFEs as the centerpiece of vocational education. The evidence from Australia and other countries is clear that stable, well-resourced, and publicly-accountable institutions must serve as ‘anchors’ at the core of the VET system, to enhance the quality and scope of training, and underpin confidence (on the part of both employers and students) in the quality of training on offer.

TAFEs must be rebuilt as the major provider of core VET services; a healthy balance would see 70% of public VET funding delivered through TAFEs, rather than through private providers. Community colleges can also play an important role as anchor institutions.

2. Develop the capacities of TAFE teachers in manufacturing fields, and invest in modern capital equipment for training. Skills and technologies are constantly changing in real-world manufacturing, and to ensure that apprentices and graduates are capable of working with those technologies will require ongoing investments in both teacher resources and tools and capital equipment used in TAFE training.

“

Stable, wellresourced, and publicly-accountable institutions must serve as ‘anchors’ at the core of the VET system, to enhance the quality and scope of training, and underpin confidence in the quality of training on offer.

Australian Welding: September 2018

Only large public institutions have the capacity to invest in modern capital equipment, and utilise those resources effectively in large-scale teaching; smaller private training organisations possess neither the financial resources nor the enrolment size to justify such investments.

Teachers in manufacturing-related subjects must be provided with ample opportunities for continuous upgrading, working closely with manufacturing firms to ensure that their curriculum and pedagogy reflect state-of-the-art methods and skills.

3. Encourage partnerships on customised joint training initiatives between specific TAFEs and firms or groups of firms. TAFEs should have the flexibility and resources required to enter into specialised partnerships with specific firms, groups of firms, or peak bodies to offer tailored vocational programs designed to meet emerging needs in the industry.

4. Expand other forms of integrated training between VET providers and workplaces. Employers uniformly report that VET graduates would benefit from enhanced opportunities for on-the-job experience. All VET providers (including private RTOs) should be directed to develop further opportunities for work placements, exchanges, co-op opportunities, and similar initiatives.

5. Begin working to develop and implement higher-level and multi-disciplinary qualifications reflecting emerging skills and composite capacities. The growing complexity and multi-dimensionality of manufacturing work, especially given the adoption of advanced manufacturing strategies by enterprises, requires manufacturing workers to be equipped with more overarching and flexible sets of skills – including technical, problemsolving, and enterprise skills. The roster of qualifications (including higher-level diploma and postdiploma certifications) needs to be expanded to reflect this trend, and the content of those offerings updated accordingly.

6. Shift emphasis in curricula and training programs toward comprehensive and complete qualifications, rather than microcompetencies. The undue emphasis in VET in recent years on provision of narrow, enterprise-specific micro-credentials was reinforced by the funding constraints and market-based delivery approach of Australian VET policy. Under a repaired and refunded system, main priority should be placed once again on offering complete and comprehensive qualifications, including full certificates, diplomas, and post-diplomas that permit graduates to perform the full range of tasks associated with their chosen trade or profession, and adapt flexibly to evolving requirements of modern manufacturing work.

7. Integrate basic literacy and numeracy training into VET offerings at all levels. Many employers report the absence of core literacy and numeracy skills to be a barrier to the employment of potential workers who otherwise possess necessary technical qualifications. Access to these foundational programs should be universally provided for those students that require them.

8. Support the expansion of apprenticeships in manufacturing with fiscal measures, instruction resources, and mentoring. The number of apprentices commencing positions in Australian firms, including in manufacturing, has experienced a worrisome decline. Fiscal supports for both employers and apprentices need to be expanded. Apprenticeships would be more successful, and completion rates higher, if both students and their managers and employers were supported with more intense supervision and mentoring.

Group-based apprenticeship programs (to coordinate training and apprenticeships across several firms at once) would assist smaller firms in bringing on apprentices.

9. Implement provisions ensuring access to training opportunities, and fair employment conditions for

Rebuilding Vocational Training in a Transforming Industry

trainees and apprentices, within modern awards and enterprise agreements. Research has found that completion rates for apprentices are much higher in workplaces where decent terms and conditions for vocational education (including pay, training time, mentoring and supervision, and working hours flexibility) were specified in relevant industrial awards. Modern awards and enterprise agreements should, wherever possible, incorporate high-quality provisions and rights for workers to access VET opportunities, and combine them successfully with their continuing work responsibilities.

10. Develop ambitious and betterresourced systems to support retraining and redeployment of displaced workers in declining manufacturing sectors. The employment outlook for the overall manufacturing sector is brighter than it has been for over a decade. But there are still some parts of the industry experiencing downsizing and job losses. A first step in addressing emerging skills shortages in growing subsectors and occupations should surely be to maximise the potential for redeploying displaced skilled workers from other segments of manufacturing. Those workers could make a substantial contribution to other growing sectors, but only if their transitions are supported with consideration and resources. At present, restructuring and transition assistance is typically provided in a piecemeal and ad-hoc manner. With due attention, advance planning in

cases of looming retrenchments, and adequate resources to support retraining and relocation, the value embodied in the skills and experience of displaced workers could be retained within manufacturing.

11. Develop new models for phased retirement to smooth the demographic transition facing skilled trade positions in manufacturing. Another important source of potential skilled labour to help address skills shortages in certain sub-sectors and occupations is the large number of skilled workers poised for retirement in coming years. While retirement can and should be accessible to them, in many cases, senior workers may be interested in phasing in their retirement – thus allowing their skills to continue to be partially enlisted, during the transition period when scarce new workers are being trained. Similarly, senior workers could be recruited to provide ongoing mentorship and supervision roles with new apprentices, in order to improve the quality of their experience and boost completion rates (as discussed under point 8 above). Flexible experiments with these phased-in strategies should be undertaken wherever appropriate.

12. Establish a leadership-level Manufacturing VET Policy Board to coordinate VET initiatives in the sector, and represent the interests of manufacturing in broader VET processes and dialogues. Australia will undertake important national-

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For more information and to download a copy of The Centre for Future Work’s new report, Advanced Skills for Advanced Manufacturing: Rebuilding Vocational Training in a Transforming Industry, visit: https:// www.futurework. org.au/advanced_ skills_for_advanced_ manufacturing level dialogues in coming years regarding the direction of VET policy, given the widespread recognition that the current model is deeply flawed and failing to meet the needs of all sectors for skilled labour.

A leadership-level policy board, incorporating all major stakeholders with an interest in manufacturing VET (including individual businesses, peak bodies, trade unions, TAFEs, other VET providers, and State and Commonwealth governments) should be established to commission further research and policy development, canvas the views of stakeholders, define a common agenda for reform – and most importantly, advocate for that agenda backed by the combined voices and influence of all participating stakeholders.

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Australian Welding: September 2018

Advanced Technology & Its Benefits For Welders An Editorial Opinion Piece

By Adam Furphy Managing Director of J. Furphy & Sons Council Member, Weld Australia Our business—J. Furphy & Sons— has quite a history. In operation for over 150 years, we have seen technology change enormously since the company was first founded.

would appear to have been an easy, straightforward decision that required no more than a single afternoon’s thought. In reality, it was a big process that required a leap of faith.

When the Furphy business was established, welding and fabrication was performed very manually with a forge, anvil and hammer. At Furphy, we moved through blacksmithing and foundry work into steel fabrication and saw the explosion of MIG and TIG welding, followed by portable welding technologies that have truly transformed the entire welding industry.

Automated Plasma Welding In 2005, we decided to purchase an automated plasma welding machine.

This first step in our advanced technology journey was tremendously difficult and challenging and, really, a bit nerve racking.

If we look at just the last 10 to 15 years or so—at the kind of forces that have been at play in the manufacturing industry globally—we find that there is a growing need to improve efficiencies wherever you possibly can.

For businesses like ours that work with steel, the welding process is really where efforts to improve efficiencies often begin.

When we looked at improving our welding efficiencies and investing in advanced technology, finding the appropriate welding techniques and equipment that would give our business a kick along was a serious process. In hindsight, it

At the time, there was some hesitation given the significant change required to our processes.

Plus, investing in this new technology was a big cost. We were used to buying $5,000 to $25,000 welding machines, and all of sudden we were investing over $200,000 in a single welding machine. Not only that, the introduction of this new technology meant that we had to change the way we did things.

We had to readjust the workshop flow, the way we assembled the tanks, and different preparations meant different material handling processes.

Investing in plasma welding machines was a big decision for us and it wasn’t immediately apparent that we’d made the right choice.

But, before too long, we realised that the payoff was about so much

more than just improving the efficiency of the welding process itself. The plasma welding machine enabled us to complete a singlepass weld on 8mm stainless steel, with no preparation of the weld joint required. This meant that we made large efficiency gains by eradicating multiple runs, as well as preparation time and back grinding.

We also experienced higher quality and higher repeatability. This quickly drove further benefits for our business. We invested time and effort into ensuring that we were utilising the equipment in the most productive way possible. After all, we didn’t want a $200,000 piece of machinery sitting idle. So we improved production flow to best utilise our asset.

We even experienced some other, more indirect, payoffs. For instance, using a plasma welding machine is more interesting than working with MIG or TIG welding processes. So there was more interest in Furphy as an employer when we were recruiting and training staff.

The benefits of investing in advanced welding technology really were myriad for Furphy – it wasn’t simply a case of ‘we can complete this particular weld faster’. In fact, the benefits were so wide-ranging that

Advanced Technology & Its Benefits For Welders

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“

If we had not made the decision in 2005 to invest in advanced technology, we simply wouldn’t be where we are today.

The intial investment and work does require a leap of faith. But we are so glad we took the leap— we have never once regretted the decision.”

Adam Furphy, Managing Director and Chairman of J. Furphy & Sons. Furphy’s stainless tanks are used all across Australia for beer fermenting and brewing, bulk storage, as process tanks and pressure vessels, and as milk silos.

we followed up with the purchase of four more plasma welding machines over the next 10 years, all in different orientations to undertake the welding of various parts of our tanks.

Eventually, this led to the upgrade, expansion and reconfiguration of our stainless steel tank workshop. Today, we have five automated plasma welding machines that perform all of our shell welds, seam welds, circumferential welds, and all the joining welds that form the top and bottom bases of our tanks.

If we had not made the decision in 2005 to invest in advanced technology, we simply wouldn’t be where we are today. The initial investment and work does require a leap of faith. But we are so glad we took the leap—we have never once regretted the decision.

Laser Welding Many of the tanks we manufacture are required to have a heat exchange capacity. There are a few ways to do this. One of the most popular and cost effective is to use a second skin of stainless steel fuse welded to the shell. Then, the space between the two skins is expanded with water pressure to form a permanent gap.

The dimples formed when the cavity is created give the product the name ‘dimple plate’. Our customers can

then use a cooling fluid to provide a cooling load to the tank.

The way we manufacture a dimple cavity has evolved significantly over the years. Initially, a manually pressed, hand welded jacket was used. This moved to a more automated resistance welding process, right through to state-of the-art laser welding and an inflation process using pressurised water.

We have been manufacturing laser welded dimple plates for almost 20 years, but have just invested in a new dedicated laser welding machine due to begin operation early next year. This machine will have a broader manufacturing capability than just dimple plates for stainless steel tanks. The machine will underwrite existing business, and allow us to start expanding into some different product offerings.

Advanced technology is enabling us to continue to grow our business.

While chasing the latest technology can sometimes feel like you’re on a hamster wheel, the benefits well outweigh the costs. Advanced technology can help drive your business in ways that you couldn’t foresee otherwise.

Safety and Quality The majority of our stainless

steel tanks are used for storage purposes—for the safe transport and storage of liquids that people consume, from milk and juice, to beer and wine. Many of the welds we perform on our tanks must support over 300 tonnes of liquid, whilst located on a site with hundreds of people working nearby. If any one weld fails, there can be huge consequences. As such, quality and safety are paramount to us. So, the investments we make in equipment improve both the safety and quality of our welds and therefore products.

Any process that improves weld quality and repeatability is worthwhile. Welding is not just a commodity, or a simple, straightforward process. Welding is fundamental to metal manufacturing and, when it goes wrong, the results can be hugely significant. A failed weld can be hugely expensive, and can cause massive damage, injuries, and even fatalities.

Conclusion The challenges associated with the implementation of advanced technology and automation can be difficult. But, by and large, most manufacturers tend to look back and have a similar experience to what we have: improved efficiencies, higher quality, better repeatability and even happier staff.

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Australian Welding: September 2018

Building Resilience in Australian Manufacturing Australia is currently home to one of the most volatile manufacturing industries in the world. Opportunities for companies to protect themselves against these economic ups and downs is the topic of the Commonwealth supported Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre’s (AMGC) most recent report, Building Resilience in Australian Manufacturing.

Resilient firms are defined as those that outperform their industry in a downturn, with higher earnings than average companies. The AMGC report identifies three strategies for building resilience and how manufacturing leaders can use these approaches for continuing success.

Building Resilience in Australian Manufacturing outlines what drives resilience, with 70% of resilient manufacturers exhibiting technical leadership, 64% producing a diverse product offering, and 54% having business models that allowed for high flexibility.

“The AMGC’s Sector Competitiveness Plan identified ways to drive competitiveness for Australian manufacturers, but there was an ingredient we found that needed to explain long-term performance, namely resilience,” said AMGC’s Managing Director, Dr Jens Goennemann.

What Drives Resilience?

“In the report, AMGC reveals that across our manufacturing industry, jobs and revenues swell and contract by 20% during economic upswings and downturns. This is unfortunate for a thriving and dynamic industry since it does not allow for predictable smooth growth,” said Goennemann. “However, we believe that companies can take concrete steps to mitigate this volatility.”

“Instead of seeing parts of Australia’s manufacturing base being wiped out in the next downturn, let’s rather learn how some of our manufacturers adapted and survived in such times of contraction.”

From 1996 to 2015, the period examined by the report’s researchers, and even without a recession, the manufacturing sector expanded to above and below 20% of its trend size. This 20% deviation compares to 14% in the United Kingdom, 10% in the United States, and 8% in Germany.

For one in three Australian manufacturing businesses, the loss of one customer would have a moderate to significant impact on their business. For one in 10 manufacturers, the loss of one customer would force their business to shut down.

“

The key message of this report is that every manufacturing company has an opportunity to succeed through downturns if it identifies the source of volatility that it faces and adopts a corresponding resilience strategy,” said Goennemann.

“Embedding a mindset of resilience will help Australian manufacturers succeed in good times and bad, and position the sector as an ongoing

source of innovation and prosperity in the economy.”

AMGC has identified three proven resilience strategies for Australian manufacturing firms: Superiority, Diversity and Flexibility.

Superiority Superior firms possess an unassailable competitive advantage by offering technically superior products or services that are unique within the market, and highly valued irrespective of accompanying conditions. For example, global manufacturers with consistently strong research and development investments were able to report 2.4 percentage point higher earnings growth during recent downturns as compared to industry averages.

Diversity Diversified firms possess a competitive advantage across many product segments, service offerings or geographically diverse export markets. This enables them to respond to shifting consumer tastes or reduced overall demand.

Diversifying includes practices such as integrating products into global supply chains and minimising reliance on a single industry by identifying new customers within existing product segment industries.

Flexibility Flexible firms possess an agile business structure allowing them to manage fluctuations in input costs or change industry focus in the event of a downturn. Flexible cost structures are an effective means of

Building Resilience in Australian Manufacturing

improving flexibility. Manufacturers that embraced flexible cost structures before a downturn reported 3.6 percentage points higher annual earnings growth than the industry average during the actual downturn.

Recommendations for Manufacturers There is significant room for Australian manufacturers to make resilience an integral part of their business strategy. Currently, only a minority of Australian manufacturers are taking practical steps to create a buffer against external shocks.

To build superiority, manufacturers should collaborate with research institutions, invest in R&D; develop services bundled with major projects to ensure their products cannot be substituted in the event of an industry contraction; and build workforce skills.

To build diversity, manufacturers should identify diverse export markets; integrate products into multiple global supply chains; and identify new customers within existing product segment industries to minimise reliance and exposure to a single industry, market or customer.

To build flexibility, manufacturers should build collaborative agreements with suppliers to allow for cost flexibility; access cash and liquid assets to provide

working capital in downturns; use customisable or modular production techniques; and flexibly deploy their workforces to serve clients across different industries.

Recommendations for Government The Australian Government also has a role to play in supporting manufacturing companies to become more resilient. “Programs and advice offered through the variety of Commonwealth and State initiatives must align with competitiveness and resilience priorities to boost longer-term performance,” said Goennemann.

“The government should reconsider how their incentives can encourage greater commercial outcomes resulting from industry and research institution co-operation; and reconstitute teaching methods to lift our vocational- and territory-level curriculum. Better business training for seasoned managers can also be included,” said Goennemann.

Existing government industry assistance, such as the Entrepreneurs’ Programme or export promotion activities, can use the findings of the AMGC’s study to inform who is eligible or targeted for support (for example, by providing assistance to firms that exhibit resilience traits or have resilience strategies in place, such as low

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customer concentration).

The report can also be used to ensure that advisers and facilitators who provide business management services and innovation support understand how to look for markers of firms that are exposed to volatility and how firms can build resilience (for example, through simple checklists for advisers).

Finally, the report can help reinforce the importance of government assistance that promotes superiority in product (such as innovation assistance), or diversity in customers (such as assistance from Austrade to help companies make better use of trade agreements and diversify into new export markets).

Methodology To understand what drives resilience, AMGC interviewed industry experts and company representatives with insights into 50 highly resilient Australian manufacturing firms. Next, these responses were further classified according to the sub-industry level. Relevant manufacturing sub-industries included as part of the analysis were dairy products, mining and construction equipment, and motor vehicle and parts. Finally, global firmlevel data from Compustat was used to test and corroborate the Australian research.

For more information, or to download a copy of the AMGC’s report, visit: https://www.amgc.org.au

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Australian Welding: September 2018

Member Profile: Beenleigh Steel Fabrications Established in 1980, Beenleigh Steel Fabrications supply, fabricate and erect medium to heavy structural steel, servicing both the public and private sectors. Just some of the large-scale projects in which Beenleigh Steel Fabrications has been involved include the Queensland State Velodrome in Brisbane, the $1 billion Jewel Development on the Gold Coast, the Brisbane Casino Towers and the $800 million 300 George Street development in Brisbane.

According to Mark Finney (Director, Beenleigh Steel Fabrications), “Beenleigh has a solid history of involvement in a huge variety of projects, from stadiums, bridges and hospitals right through to army barracks, multi-level carparks and rail stations. Our portfolio highlights our reliability and versatility in successfully delivering projects of any size and scope – the small, the intricate, those of grand proportions and everything in between.”

holing and welding with a potential annual output of 10,000 tonnes,” said Finney.

“Centrally located between Brisbane and the Gold Coast in the Crestmead Industrial Estate, Logan City, our head office and workshop has a combined work floor space of 3,900m² which is serviced by a skilled workforce of 100 employees including several apprentices and trainees. Our in-house fabrication facilities include processing, cutting,

The Construction Categories are a fundamental concept on which the technical framework of the NSSCS is based. Three factors are considered, and then entered into a risk matrix to derive the Construction Categories. These factors are the structure’s Importance Level, the Service Category and the Production

Construction Category 3 (CC3) Certification Beenleigh Steel Fabrications recently achieved a Construction Category 3 rating under the National Structural Steel Work Compliance Scheme (NSSCS), making the company the first fabricator in Queensland to achieve this level of certification.

Category. Construction Category 3 encompasses projects that are more complex and higher risk. This might include bridges, structures designed for fatigue actions or as specifically required by authority construction specifications.

Finney says achieving this certification was important to Beenleigh Steel Fabrications, “The NSSCS provides constructors, engineers and clients with the assurance that the fabricated steelwork for the specified construction category for their project is from a qualified, competent fabricator. Clients can now select from a list of prequalified fabricators, making their decision much easier and more efficient.”

“Beenleigh is extremely proud to have been the first fabricator in

Member Profile: Beenleigh Steel Fabrications

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Queensland to achieve certification to Construction Category 3. We hope this certification will make Beenleigh the go-to Queensland provider of steel fabrication and erection services for complex, high risk structures like bridges,” said Finney.

300 George Street, Brisbane ‘Brisbane Quarter’ is an iconic, integrated, world class mixed use development located on the former Law Courts site at 300 George Street. The $1 billion redevelopment will feature three ultra-modern mixed-use glass towers which are fixed on a three storey podium.

The first stage of the project is a five star, 34 storey hotel. The smallest of the three towers, the hotel will act as the connecting point between the podium and the commercial and residential towers, which are currently under construction.

The managing contractor, Multiplex has engaged the services of Beenleigh Steel Fabrications for the fabrication and erection of over 150 tonnes of steelwork for both the first and second phases of the hotel tower. Beenleigh Steel Fabrications is also supplying and erecting a further 3,000 tonnes of structural steelwork for the 41 storey commercial office tower, consisting of columns, floor and roof steel, including 35 levels of Lysaght Bondek®.

The hotel itself will feature a resort shop, 312 rooms, a lobby bar, and executive and residential suites.

The pool and bar will be located on level four, which has external areas that are the roof top terrace of the podium. There will also be a spa, salon, and relaxation centre located on level five. The curvilinear façade makes for an impressive visual, while adding to the degree of difficulty for the talented fabricators and erectors at Beenleigh Steel Fabrications.

The podium will also feature impressive functionality, with a shopping mall, cafes, restaurants, bars, master ballroom and a business centre. There will also be a recreational zone filled with

sculptures, jacaranda gardens, a viewing platform and a sculptural artwork.

Jewel, Gold Coast Beenleigh Steel Fabrications has also been contracted to assist in the construction of the first absolute waterfront hotel to be built on the Gold Coast since the 1980s: Jewel.

The building consists of three towers, with the tallest tower containing 47 storeys. The five star hotel will contain 171 suites, and 512 residential apartments, as well as 816 carparks.

The hotel will feature several luxury facilities, including a dedicated fine dining and boutique dining precinct, a gym and a central lagoon.

Multiplex is also managing this project, which will create 2,700 jobs for the area and will be the largest

Left: 300 George Street, Brisbane. The $1 billion redevelopment will feature three ultra-modern mixed-use glass towers which are fixed on a three storey podium.

Above: Jewel, Gold Coast. The first absolute waterfront hotel to be built on the Gold Coast since the 1980s, Jewel consists of three towers, with the tallest tower containing 47 storeys.

hotel and residential complex in Australia when it is completed in 2019. Beenleigh Steel Fabrications’ significant contribution to this monumental project begins with lateral supports for the podium and towers. Beenleigh Steel Fabrications is also providing complex steelwork framing for the podium façade and the roofs of the three towers, totalling 800 tonnes.

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Australian Welding: September 2018

Launch of Advanced Welder Training Centres Four of the nation’s first Advanced Welder Training Centres (AWTC) will open in Adelaide, Box Hill, Burnie and Caboolture, with the Federal and State Governments pledging funding support. Featuring state-of-the-art augmented reality labs equipped with the most advanced welding simulators available anywhere in the world, the AWTCs will upskill existing welders, and train transitional workers and apprentices to work on rolling stock, defence and infrastructure projects.

The centres will use augmented reality welding simulators to upksill qualified welders and train transitionary workers to international welding certification standard ISO 9606-1 Qualification testing of welders - Fusion welding. ISO 9606-1 is the minimum requirement for defence, rolling stock, and infrastructure projects.

According to Geoff Crittenden (Chief Executive Officer, Weld Australia), “The combination of a curriculum that is based on global best practice, delivered via advanced training technology, will help ensure a strong supply of capable welders, who are ready to deliver upcoming defence and infastructure industry work.”

“Without a doubt, the successful 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.”

Adelaide Minister for Industry and Skills the Hon David Pisoni MP pledged $1 million worth of funding to establish an AWTC at the Regency Campus of TAFE SA in early July.

Crittenden said the AWTC will be established in Adelaide in a bid to ensure local welders are ready to meet the huge demand that will be created by the naval shipbuilding program.

“It is anticipated that the continuous naval shipbuilding program in South Australia will require around 2,600 tradespeople from 2020 to 2027. Almost half of this demand will be for welders. The AWTC will help ensure local welders are qualified to meet this demand,” said Crittenden.

Burnie An AWTC will also open at the Tasmanian Minerals and Energy Council Centre of Excellence in South Burnie, with the Formner Minister for Education and Training

the Hon Simon Birmingham MP, pledging $750,000 worth of funding in July.

The funding will be invested in welding simulators, as well as advanced technical training to help upskill TasTAFE trainers. It is expected that the centre will help support the key role that north west Tasmania is playing as a powerhouse in advanced manufacturing.

Tasmania’s first AWTC is already sparking industry interest, with the delivery of five Soldamatic augmented reality welding training simulators and the roll out of ‘Train the Trainer’ education in late August.

Representatives from more than 15 local welding and fabrication companies were treated to in-depth training by experts in the Soldamatic welding simulators.

Trainers from Seabery (the manufacturers of the Soldamatic) were on-site in Burnie, having travelled across from Spain to deliver the interactive sessions.

According to Kent Wyllie (Advanced Manufacturing Coordinator, Tasmanian Minerals and Energy Council), the training was extremely beneficial. Tasmanian industry representatives and TAFE teachers now appreciate the wide-ranging capabilities of what is the most advanced welder training technology in the world.

“For welding instructors who need to motivate students and offer a tailor-made learning process, the Soldamatic welding simulators offer myriad benefits, particularly when compared to traditional training models,” said Wyllie.

“For instance, the Soldamatic increases practice hours and time spent by students on arc by up to five times.

Plus, with an in-depth analysis module that monitors— in real-time—the activity of each student, teachers can quickly and easily evaluate and report on student progress.”

“All industry representatives and teachers involved in this week’s training were extremely positive about the application of this technology to welder training in

Launch of Advanced Welder Training Centres

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Left & Below: Apprentices try their hand at the Soldamatic augmented reality welder training system.

Augmented and virtual reality training systems are studentfocused, allowing individual students to progress at their own pace.

Welding apprentices learn and understand welding procedures and techniques through a more interactive training method, gaining hands-on experience in a controlled, safe environment. Augmented reality transforms training from boring theory and text books into high-quality interactive experiences that capture the imagination. With zero risks involved, apprentices can respond to realistic scenarios without pressure or fear of injury.

Augmented and virtual reality training is enabling future welders to acquire the skills and the selfconfidence they need before moving into real-world workshops.

“

Without a doubt, the successful 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.”

Tasmania. We are extremely excited about the opening of Tasmania’s first Advanced Welder Training Centre,” said Wyllie.

proponent of the AWTC concept from the outset, commissioning Weld Australia to convene an Industry Skills Group in mid-2017.

Box Hill Victoria’s first AWTC opened in Melbourne, with the Victorian Minister for Training and Skills the Hon Gayle Tierney MP pledging $1 million worth of funding in late August.

This Industry Skills Group prepared a curriculum for training both experienced welders and entry-level workers. The courses were accredited by the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA) in late 2017. As a result, TAFEs across Victoria and around the country can teach the accredited course, which will be funded by their parent State Government.

According to Tierney, “This project ensures we have enough highly skilled welders for our state’s defence and advanced manufacturing industries, as well as major rail and infrastructure projects.”

“We want to make sure TAFEs are supported to deliver the skills industry needs and give all Victorians the training they need to get a job,” said Tierney.

The Victorian Skills Commissioner has been a strong

“Employment in Victoria’s manufacturing sector remains strong and industry demand for welding skills, as exemplified through the awarding of defence contracts, has swelled”, said the Victorian Skills Commissioner, Mr Neil Coulson.

Indeed, the Australian Industry Group’s Performance of Manufacturing Index Activity levels has held steady

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Australian Welding: September 2018

or improved for 16 consecutive months, the longest stretch of improvement since 2005.

According to the Commissioner, there are several examples of how the Victorian Government is working to encourage school-leavers to transition into careers within the manufacturing sector. The Commissioner explained that it is a priority to establish and grow skills pathways, particularly in sectors where there is industry demand for skilled jobs, such as manufacturing.

“Delivering the right training and education and ensuring that the right pathways are available for people to transition from training into work are vital,” said Commissioner Coulson. “Industry input can lead to more strategic and targeted interventions to align the training system with industry needs. As such, the manufacturing industry can help facilitate information sharing and collaboration between government, employers, trade unions and training providers.”.

Weld Australia will work in close collaboration with Box Hill TAFE to ensure the success of the project. The project is essential to support the $630 million worth of defence industry work awarded to Victoria.

Caboolture Caboolture will become the home of Queensland’s first AWTC, with Minister for Foreign Affairs the Hon Julie Bishop MP announcing a major partnership with Weld Australia, and pledging $750,000 worth of funding.

According to Crittenden, the AWTC will be a major drawcard for the entire South-East Queensland region.

“Queensland as a whole faces a significant shortage of qualified and certified welders. Without action, the state will be unable to meet future demand for defence, rolling stock, infrastructure and resources projects. The

Top Right: ‘Train the Trainer’ education held at the Tasmanian Minerals and Energy Council Centre of Excellence in South Burnie in late August.

Far Right (L to R): Trevor Ruthenberg, the Hon Julie Bishop MP and Geoff Crittenden (CEO, Weld Australia) at the launch of the Advanced Welder Training Centre in Caboolture, South-East Queensland.

Right (L to R): Jennifer Oliver (Acting CEO, Box Hill Institute), the Hon Gayle Tierney MP, Geoff Crittenden (CEO, Weld Australia) and Neil Coulson (Victorian Skills Commissioner).

AWTC will help ensure local welders in Caboolture— and the entire South-East Queensland region—are ready to meet industry demand,” said Crittenden.

Caboolture is the perfect location for Queensland’s first AWTC; engineering and manufacturing is already one of the largest contributors to local employment, accounting for 11.3% of the workforce. The industry contributes $1.03 billion to the South-East Queensland economy, with this figure expected to surpass $3.1 billion by 2031.

According to the Hon Julie Bishop MP, the AWTC will help make Caboolture a skills hub. Apprentices will receive valuable and intense practical training, making them job-ready to take advantage of the opportunities of a stronger economy. The system’s flexibility and mobility means it can be transported to companies around Longman for on-site training, saving small and medium-sized businesses money.

Why Augmented Reality?

The newly refurbished centres will feature state-ofthe-art augmented reality labs equipped with the most advanced welding simulators available anywhere in the world. Augmented reality welding simulators are efficient and effective, with 34% more welders certified in 56% less time. In addition, the technology reduces training costs by up to 68%.

“Augmented and virtual reality training systems are student-focused, allowing individual students to progress at their own pace. Welding apprentices learn and understand welding procedures and techniques through a more interactive training method, gaining hands-on experience in a controlled, safe environment.”

“With zero risks involved, apprentices can respond to

Launch of Advanced Welder Training Centres

realistic scenarios without pressure or fear of injury.

Augmented and virtual reality training is enabling future welders to acquire the skills and the self-confidence they need before moving into real-world workshops,� said Crittenden.

Welder Training To A Global Standard The training delivered at the AWTCs will quickly qualify welders to the standard required by ISO 9606-1 Qualification testing of welders - Fusion welding. ISO 9606-1 is the only Standard in the world which is accepted in both Europe and America.

It is a simple test that assesses welding competency according to a specific weld procedure, based on a practical acceptance criteria. Every graduate will be qualified and certified to ISO 9606-1, and entered onto the Australian Welder Certification Register (www.awcr.org.au).

Weld Australia convened an Industry Skills Group in mid-2017 to prepare a training curriculum tailored for both experienced welders and transitional workers. The courses were accredited by the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA) in late 2017. As a result, TAFEs around the country can now teach the accredited course, with funding provided by their parent State Government.

Weld Australia will work in close collaboration with the various TAFEs and organisations involved in establishing and operating the centres.

It is anticipated that an additional five AWTCs will receive funding for establishment in 2018, with similar numbers expected in the next two years.

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Australian Welding: September 2018

Weld Australia Launches First Defence Welding Hub In association with EMICoL and the Henderson Alliance, Weld Australia hosted the launch of the first Defence Welding Hub in Perth at the end of August. The network of Hubs will facilitate and foster activity which is necessary to achieve the degree of competence required by global defence prime contractors.

The launch was opened by Geoff Crittenden (CEO, Weld Australia) who introduced the concept of the Defence Welding Hubs, and provided details on the services and support that they will provide to both Australian welders and fabricators, and the defence industry at large.

Kevin Davis (Board Member, EMICoL) then gave a presentation on the role of EMICoL. EMICoL (the Engineering and Manufacturing Industry Cooperative Limited) represents a cooperative cluster group of industries— predominantly made up of small to medium businesses—in the manufacturing, engineering, mining and fabrication sectors of industry. The quality goods produced for their clients either individually or collaboratively

W

eld Australia is establishing a network of Defence Welding Hubs in key locations around Australia. Each Defence Welding Hub will provide a focal point for defence welding activity through a network of contractors, subcontractors and relevant supporting organisations.

is testament to the capability within the group.

The formation of EMICoL serves to enrich the commercial capabilities of its members through building networks, seeking commercial opportunities, sharing resources, and developing EMICoL into a reputable and sought after entity, working cooperatively to get the job done.

Reece Carey (Deputy Chairperson, Henderson Alliance) spoke about the role of the Henderson Alliance. The Henderson Alliance was established in 2017 to develop and promote the capabilities of small to medium businesses in Western Australia, primarily in the acquisition and sustainment phases of Australia’s new shipbuilding programs - but also in other defence and related industries. Its role is to connect Western Australian SMEs with defence prime contractors, defence industry experts and government representatives, and to advocate for Western Australian SMEs within the national context.

According to Carey, the Henderson Alliance strongly supports Weld Australia and South Metro TAFE in the rollout of augmented reality technology, considering it a key aspect of the national solution to the looming skills shortage in defence industry.

The Henderson Alliance recognises the value of augmented reality training in providing a safe, efficient and practical method to assist small to medium businesses in taking

on staff, reinforcing good welding practices and achieving the scale necessary to effectively support large, technically demanding projects into the future - as part of the Workforce Behind the Defence Force.

Donna Hutchison (HSEQ Specialist, Quensh) gave an excellent presentation on Quensh’s support services for small and medium sized companies that want to tender for projects from large or multi-national organisations. Quensh provides a range of support to smaller companies that helps ensure that their Health, Safety, Environment and Quality Systems are sufficient.

According to Hutchison, the aim is to demonstrate that your company is effectively managing risk and that

Weld Australia Launches First Defence Welding Hub

you have competent personnel—to demonstrate that your company is doing what they say they are doing.

One of the best means by which to achieve this is ISO accreditation.

About the Defence Welding Hubs 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 the wide-ranging defence initiatives offer.

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.

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.

To facilitate and foster this activity Weld Australia is establishing a network of Defence Welding Hubs

Top: Geoff Crittenden (CEO, Weld Australia) opens the launch of the Defence Welding Hub in Perth.

Middle: Kevin Davis (Board Member, EMICoL) describes the role of EMICoL in representing businesses within the manufacturing, engineering, mining and fabrication sectors of industry.

Bottom: Donna Hutchison (HSEQ Specialist, Quensh) explains the support services available to small and medium sized companies looking to tender for projects from large organisations.

Left: Reece Carey (Deputy Chairperson, Henderson Alliance) describes how the Henderson Alliance connect Western Australian SMEs with defence prime contractors, defence industry experts and government representatives, and to advocate for Western Australian SMEs nationally.

in key locations around Australia.

Each hub will provide a focal point for defence welding activity through a network of contractors, subcontractors and relevant supporting organisations.

Services Each Defence Welding Hub will: • •

•

•

Facilitate collaboration through 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

• •

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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 Weld Australia’s relationship with DMTC, DSTG and the French, Italian, Spanish and German Welding Institutes

Locations The provisional locations for additional Defence Welding Hubs include Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Wollongong.

Further Information For further information, or to become a member of your state’s Defence Welding Hub, please visit www.weldaustralia.com.au or contact +61 2 8748 0100 or membership@weldaustralia.com.au.

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Australian Welding: September 2018

Fatigue of Welded Steel Structures & Post Weld Improvement Techniques Fundamentals of Fatigue Fatigue is defined as cumulative, localised and permanent damage caused by repeated fluctuations of stress sometimes below the static design stress of the structure. This cyclic loading can lead to gradual cracking or even catastrophic failure of a structural element. Fatigue accounts for more service failures than any other failure mechanism in engineered metal structures.

The severity of the repeated fluctuations of stress can be characterised by maximum stress, minimum stress, stress range and the number of cycles. To determine a materials resistance to fatigue failure, samples are prepared and subjected to a fluctuating stress until failure occurs. Repeated testing at different stress ranges results in a relationship between applied stress and cycles to failure.

The fatigue tolerance of metals can be described by the number of cycles it can tolerate before failure occurs at a given stress range. As can be expected, the smaller the stress range, the more cycles the material can tolerate. The number of cycles the material can tolerate increases in a logarithmic fashion as the stress is reduced.

In the real world, the fluctuating loads to which structures are subjected vary both in intensity and duration. Also, fabricated structures contain stress concentrations with the result that welded components have a poorer tolerance to fluctuating loads than their nonwelded counterparts.

Nevertheless, there are ways to mathematically deal with fluctuating stresses of differing magnitudes and the S-N curve provides a wellestablished, and now universal method of displaying fatigue tolerance for welded joints provided a suitable lower bound failure probability is applied.

Fatigue Initiation and Propagation Fatigue has two parts, initiation and propagation. On a sub-microscopic scale, the imperfections in the metal’s internal structure, known as dislocations, play a major role in the fatigue crack initiation phase.

After a large number of loading cycles, dislocations pile up and form structures called persistent slip bands. These leave tiny steps in the surface that serve as stress risers where fatigue cracks can initiate.

Once a fatigue crack has initiated, it then propagates under the action of the applied fluctuating load. Fatigue crack propagation continues until the component has insufficient cross section to carry the load.

The controlling event that determines the life of the component can either be the initiation event or the propagation event. In a welded structure there is essentially no initiation event since there are generally enough pre-existing flaws in a welded structure that the component is immediately in the propagation phase.

Stress raisers, and the operating environment, also greatly influence the fatigue performance of steel structures.

Determining Fatigue Performance Of Welded Structures Welded components are less tolerant to fluctuating loads than their nonwelded counter-parts for three reasons: 1. Welds contain internal flaws which act as the initiation site for crack propagation 2. Welds create external stress raisers which act as the initiation site for crack propagation 3. The process of welding introduces residual stresses in the region of the weld exacerbating the applied fluctuating stress The fatigue tolerance of welded structures can be classified into ‘detail categories’ according to the type of weld and its orientation with respect to the applied fluctuating loads.

The detail categories for steel structures are found in AS 4100 and AS 5100 and are used by structural steel designers when fluctuating loads occur during service. The detail category for any given weld configuration is a number between 36 and 180 that represents the stress range in MPa that can be tolerated for two million (2 x 106) fluctuating load cycles.

Post Weld Improvement Techniques For welded structures, it is possible to apply post weld treatments to improve the fatigue performance.

Remedial work can be applied to welds in the as-welded condition to increase the cyclic stress range that the weld detail can tolerate for the given design life. The remedial work

Fatigue of Welded Structures

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

consists of either removing crack initiators or reducing residual tensile stresses. There are a number of post weld improvement methods available, some of which can be readily applied with only a minimal cost, such as using an angle grinder, burr grinder and rotary flap wheel to remove notches or high stress concentration areas from the metal surface.

Welding The welding consumables and welding process should be selected to produce welds that result in weld beads that blend into the parent metal without excessive reinforcement and without a tendency to produce undercut.

Automatic welding methods are preferable to manual or semiautomatic methods. Unduly course weld ripples and stop-starts are detrimental to fatigue performance and should be removed by grinding.

Where possible, run on and run off tabs should be used for butt welds.

The weld should extend into the run on run off tabs by a distance at least equal to that of the thickness of the parent material and joint shall be completely filled. The run on and run

off tabs should be removed and the ends of the weld ground flush with the grinding marks parallel to the direction of loading.

Grinding Welds, or any sections of weld, which are considered to have excessive reinforcement or unacceptable profile shall be ground in order to improve fatigue performance. Weld toes may also be ground, with the burr grinder preferred for these situations.

Rough grinding may be carried out using a grinding stone or angle grinder but care should be taken to ensure that deep score marks are avoided. Final grinding should be carried out using barrel grinders or flap wheels with diameters that are appropriate for the size of weld.

Local burr grinding of the weld toes may be carried out but thinning of the parent material in any instance must not exceed 5% of the wall thickness. Any grinding marks visible after completion of the work shall be parallel to the loading direction.

Burr Grinding Rotary burr grinding generally

provides the minimum amount of dressing necessary to obtain an acceptable weld. Burr grinders are generally tungsten carbide tools which come in a variety of shapes and sizes. The type of burr selected should be appropriate for the particular application. Burr grinding marks shall be parallel with the main direction of loading—transverse to the weld.

Non-Destructive Examination AS 1554.5 provides requirements for non-destructive examination which should be carried out after all grinding and de-burring workmanship has been completed. Equally important is performing 100% visual inspection to ensure that no undercut, gouge marks or arc strikes are evident after the grinding operations.

Training Examples of various types of welds are required to show acceptable surface finish. Welders should be trained and samples used as benchmarks of acceptable workmanship. The samples should represent the types of welds being produced.

For more information, download Weld Australia’s Technical Guidance Note D-02: Introduction to Fatigue of Welded Steel Structures and PostWeld Improvement Techniques

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Australian Welding: September 2018

A Guide to Laser Cladding & Laser Heat Treatment Laser heat treatment uses a well defined beam of intense laser light on the component to be laser hardened, combined with rapid self-quenching. In comparison, laser cladding uses a concentrated laser beam to melt the surface of the base material to which the powder is being applied, resulting in a coating that is 100% dense with no voids or porosity.

Both of these processes offer several benefits, including a shallow heat affected zone, which minimises the chance of distorting, cracking or changing the metallurgy of the base material. Terry Sandford (Owner of Laser Cladding Services) explains how each of the processes works, along with their benefits.

Laser Heat Treatment Laser heat treatment is especially well suited to hardening of components where only certain areas of a part need to obtain surface hardness, while the remainder of the part needs to stay in its un-hardened state. This is not achievable with traditional hardening methods such as furnace, flame or induction hardening, as the whole part is heated.

scans over the component, rapidly heating the component’s surface to a temperature that is just below its melting point.”

“Due to this rapid travel speed, heat is suddenly conducted away from the heated area, and the bulk heat capacity of the material being hardened typically acts as a heat sink, resulting in a self-quenching effect achieving very high hardness,” said Sandford.

According to Terry Sandford (Owner of Laser Cladding Services), “Laser heat treatment (also known as laser surface hardening) will obtain approximately 10 Rockwell C higher hardness than any other hardening method available on the market today. Laser heat treatment achieves this by focusing a well defined beam of intense laser light on the component to be laser hardened, combined with rapid self-quenching.”

“This high cooling rate of the component being laser hardened suppresses carbon diffusion, therefore transforming the material partially or completely into martensite. Laser heat treatment increases wear resistance and can under certain conditions increase the components fatigue strength, due to the compressive stresses induced on the components surface.”

“Using a combination of controlled rapid travel speed and beamforming optics, the laser head

“Laser hardening of steel components can typically yield a 10 to 20% greater hardness than

Right: Sample of laser cladding with SS410L powder.

Left: Sample of laser cladding with Hastelloy C-276 powder.

Laser cladding is weld overlay using a high powered laser as the heat source. This makes it ideal for shaft welding repairs on grades such as AISI 4140, 4340, and K1045.

conventional heat treating methods.

Laser heat treatment is suitable for carbon and alloy steels with greater than 0.3% carbon content,” said Sandford.

Laser Cladding Laser cladding is weld overlay using a high powered laser as the heat source. This makes it ideal for shaft welding repairs on grades such as AISI 4140, 4340, K1045 and so on, particularly when building up worn seal and bearing journals.

“Compared to conventional welding, laser welding provides minimal dilution (less than 2%) and a small heat affected zone.”

According to Sandford, “Laser cladding is fully metallurgically bonded to the base material, providing a superior product compared to metal sprayed components. In addition, the extremely low heat affected zone produced by laser cladding ensures minimal change to the parent

A Guide to Laser Cladding & Laser Heat Treatment

metallurgy and significantly reduces the risks of heat related component failures in operation.”

cladding. Usually, the wear is very minor, but is enough to make the shaft no longer useable.”

“Laser cladding with high-alloy powders, such as stellite and inconel, produces a much finer grain structure and a harder and tougher overlay than the same alloys applied by conventional welding methods such as PTA or GTAW.”

“By laser cladding the worn journal, the components can be quickly put back into service, increasing the life cycle of the components and significantly reducing maintenance costs.”

“Laser cladding with spherical cast tungsten carbide in a suitable matrix produces an almost indestructible outer layer against the most abrasive wear environment. Laser cladding is ideal for restoring worn out drilling tools with an extremely hard and long lasting clad outer layer.”

“For instance, DTH Hammer Barrels traditionally were metal sprayed, which would only last a few hundred metres, but barrels laser clad with 60% tungsten last in excess of 10,000 metres,” said Sandford.

“A wide variety of components can be laser clad, including those made from grades 4140, 1045 and 1020.

Fully finished machined components that have seen many months or years of service, and have worn out on their seal or bearing journals are perfect candidates for laser

“Laser clad components do not distort during the cladding process, do not require any post weld stress relieving, or hardening and tempering. The low heat input, shallow heat affected zone and low dilution means that after laser cladding all that is required is finish machining on the clad area only— back to the original dimensions,” said Sandford.

About Laser Cladding Services Terry Sandford established Laser Cladding Services in Perth in 2011.

Laser Cladding Services operates a 7.2m long laser cladding boom that can be used to clad shafts up to 6m in length and 1.5m in diameter, with a maximum weight of 10 tonnes (with larger sizes on application). Their Direct Diode Laser Cladding Machine has a wave length of 976nm, which is better absorbed by the base material

39

“

By laser cladding worn components, they can be quickly put back into service, increasing the life cycle of the components and significantly reducing maintenance costs.”

than other types of lasers, such as CO2 or ND:YAG lasers.

Their four axis laser cladding machine is capable of laser cladding shafts or components rotating in the horizontal or vertical axis, as well as complex shaped components. It has 7m of travel on the X axis, 0.9m on the Y axis and 1.2m on the Z axis.

The laser is 4Kw with a 11.5mm x 2.5mm rectangular beam spot.

Laser Cladding Services is located within Pinjarra Engineering’s workshop, so all pre and post machining processes are performed in-house, saving on time and transport costs.

Left: 3.2m long x OD 203mm Hydraulic Cylinder Rods Laser Clad with SS431L due to hard chroming damage.

Top Right: Worn Pinion Shaft Laser Clad on the bearing journal with SS410L. Bottom Right: Laser Hardfacing with 60% Tungsten Nickel matrix on Drill Bit Drive Chucks.

For more information, visit: lasercladdingservices.com.au

40 40

Australian Australian Welding: Welding: September June 2018 2018

Coating Solutions for the Manufacturing Industry Many manufacturing processes are multi-stage. For instance, 95% of all sugar produced in Australia is made from raw sugarcane, which has to be crushed, refined and packed before it is shipped to market. The corrosion, adhesion, erosion and abrasion caused during multi-stage manufacturing processes results in extreme wear and tear on the machinery used in production. Not surprisingly, equipment maintenance costs, as well as any downtime associated with undertaking this maintenance, can account for upwards of 10% of the value of all goods produced. Innovative approaches that reduce maintenance requirements are a must. Coatings that protect the metal components of the machinery used in multi-stage manufacturing processes are one such innovation.

About LaserBond Since its establishment in 1992, LaserBond has pioneered the research, development and implementation of advanced surface-engineering techniques to dramatically reduce the wear rates, maintenance and operating costs of production-vital components of industrial customers. Laser cladding and thermal spraying technologies form the core of LaserBond’s business.

Their high capacity welding, machining, heat treatment, surface finishing and metallurgy lab provides a complete in-house service suite. For more information, visit: www.laserbond.com.au

Coating Solutions for the Manufacturing Industry

Thermal Spray Coatings Thermal spray coatings offer some of the best corrosion protection for manufacturers.

in coated surfaces of the highest possible quality and performance to improve durability, resistance to corrosion, or both.”

All methods of thermal spraying involve the projection of small molten particles onto a prepared surface where they adhere and form a continuous coating. To create the molten particles, a heat source, a spray material and an atomisation method are required. Upon contact, the particles flatten onto the surface, freeze and mechanically bond, firstly onto the roughened substrate and then onto each other as the coating thickness is increased.

“HP HVOF coatings – which can range from a few microns to several millimetres thick - are very dense, very well bonded, and free of the oxides and tensile stresses typically found in coatings provided by other thermal spray processes.

Consequently, HP HVOF coatings perform better in service. A range of metal substrates, such as bronze, steel, aluminium, and stainless steel are suitable for HP HVOF coating.”

The beauty of thermal spraying is that the heat energy in the molten particles is quite small compared to the size of the sprayed component.

As the increase in temperature of the coated parts is minimal, there is little chance of damage to the equipment itself through heat distortion. This can be a major advantage over hotdipped galvanising.

Thermal spraying has been in use for over 90 years, for a range of applications outside of the sugar industry. It has been used to protect everything from the humble park bench to gas turbines.

It is also the most recommended protective coating for structural steelwork, according to both the international and European standards EN ISO 14713 Zinc coatings -- Guidelines and recommendations for the protection against corrosion of iron and steel in structures. This is because thermal spraying provides greater than 20 years to first maintenance in very aggressive environments, such as marine splash zones, as well as all other categories.

Thermal Spray Coating Methods High Pressure High Velocity Oxy Fuel (HP HVOF) According to Peter Mutty (National Sales Manager, LaserBond), “The HP HVOF process sprays semimolten droplets of coating material at extremely high velocities, resulting

“HP HVOF wear resistant surfaces are finished by grinding, polishing or super-finishing using diamond tools and typically provide more than four times the wear resistance of chrome plating, through-hardening and other hard facing techniques,” said Mutty.

Electric-Arc Spraying “Invented in the early 20th century, Electric-Arc Spraying uses a simple, low power arc drawn between two electrically charged wires to deliver the fastest coating rates of any technology,” said Mutty.

“Electric arc spray equipment resembles GMAW (MIG) welding equipment, in the power source and wire feeding units. Common arc spray units are capable of spraying iron and copper alloys at rates up to 18kg per hour using only 12kW (42MJ) of electricity.”

“Electric-arc spray devices are thermally efficient and, because there is no flame or plasma, little heat is transferred to the part being coated. This process is most suited to applications requiring metallic, relatively heavy coatings where absolute coating quality (density, oxide content, and so on) is not as important as coating cost and rate of deposition.”

Plasma-Arc Spraying “In plasma spray devices, an arc is formed in between two electrodes in a plasma forming gas, which usually consists of either argon/hydrogen or argon/helium. As the plasma gas

41

is heated by the arc, it expands and is accelerated through a shaped nozzle, creating velocities up to MACH 2. Temperatures in the arc zone approach 36,000°F (20,000°C).

Temperatures in the plasma jet are still 18,000°F (10,000°C) several centimeters from the exit of the nozzle,” said Mutty.

“Plasma-Arc spraying is commonly used to coat structural materials to provide protection against corrosion, erosion, wear and high temperatures. The process can be used as a repair medium to replace worn material and to change the electrical or tribological property of the substrate surface.”

Thermal Spraying Applications The efficacy of thermal sprays for protection against corrosion and other wear and tear is dependent on the atmosphere in which the processing equipment is housed.

Factors such as temperature, local regulations, the type of coating used, adhesion requirements, and even the workload of the machinery will all play a role.

The benefit of thermal spraying is that it can be applied to an almost limitless number of materials. It can be used on zinc (in reasonably low corrosion applications such as water tanks, some bridges and general structural steelwork), and aluminium (in harsher corrosion applications such as saltwater and splashzone areas and high temperature applications such as offshore oil rigs).

When it comes to the application of thermal spraying, the main limitation is that the material must be able to be heated to its melting point without boiling.

There are several other factors that should be taken into consideration before the application of thermal spray coatings, including the environment (corrosive atmosphere, temperature, and so on), specifications, life expectancy of the coating, and adhesion requirements to name but a few.

42

Australian Welding: September 2018 Australian Welding: June 2018

Pipeline Repair & In-Service Welding 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. Inservice welding is also commonly used during pipe maintenance procedures, including the installation of sleeves to repair damaged sections within pipelines.

A thorough understanding of the factors that affect welding on 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.

According to Alistair Forbes, Weld Australia Technology Operations Manager, “The advantages of inservice welding are significant and wide-reaching, 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 costly, time-consuming, and damaging to the environment, with considerable greenhouse gas emissions a frequent result,” said Forbes.

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.

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.

Pipeline Repair Seminar Facilitated by Weld Australia, the upcoming Pipeline Repair, Hot

The Pipeline Repair, Hot Tapping and In-Service Welding Seminar will be held in Sydney from 23 to 24 October 2018.

For information and to register, visit: weldaustralia.com.au/ pipelinerepair 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.

Pipeline Repair, Hot Tapping & In-Service Welding Course 43

Avoid Shutdowns & Service Interruptions. Realise Economic & Environmental Benefits.

Facilitated by Weld Australia, this course will provide an in-depth overview of the various aspects of pipeline modification and repair, and address common concerns associated with welding onto in-service pipelines.

A thorough understanding of the factors that affect welding onto in-service 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.

Who Should Attend?

Pipeline engineers, designers, operators and service professionals who are involved with the maintenance, design, inspection and repair of oil and gas pipelines.

“

A must attend course for pipeline repair personnel.

Excellent course material.”

Course Overview

The course includes 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 by utilising comparative examples.

This course will give an unbiased analysis of the best strategies for avoiding burn through and the development of crack susceptible weld microstructures.

It will also cover the latest defect assessment methods for pipeline engineers and managers, from simple, quick assessments through to more detailed ‘fitness for purpose’ analysis.

Course Details • • • •

Date: 23 to 24 October Location: Sydney Register Now: weldaustralia.com.au/pipelinerepair Further Details: • events@weldaustralia.com.au • 02 8748 0130

Register Today Weld Australia Members: $3,718 inc GST Non Weld Australia Members: $3,990 inc GST

weldaustralia.com.au/pipelinerepair

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

44

Australian Welding: September 2018

An Update from Weld Australia’s Industry Groups Weld Australia’s Industry Groups provide a forum for technology transfer and research and development, linking members with industry and research organisations. Weld Australia works with Industry Group members to ensure they remain diverse and resilient in the ever-changing and increasingly challenging 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.

Australian Power Technology Industry Group The Australian Power Technology Industry Group met at ALS in Newcastle on 21 and 22 June.

Attendees included representatives from AGL Energy, Engie, Energy Australia, NRG Gladstone Power Station, Stanwell Corporation, CS Energy, Synergy, ANSTO, HRL Technology, ALS Global, Quest Integrity, Thornton Engineering and Weld Australia.

The meeting was chaired by Geoff Crittenden (CEO, Weld Australia).

Geoff provided feedback on several ongoing Weld Australia projects, including the Australian Welder

Certification Register (AWCR) and the Advanced Welder Training Centres (AWTC).

attendees regarding Weld Australia Technical Notes and Australian Standards.

Ralph Villarosa (Chief Engineer Group Operations, AGL Energy) gave a presentation on the current challenges and opportunities within the power generation industry. Ralph focused on topics such as process safety, standards and industry hazards, highlighting suggested strategies that could be used to manage these hazards that rely heavily upon risk management.

Several Weld Australia Technical Notes have been updated, including: Technical Note One, which now addresses boron in steel. There are also a number of Technical Notes undergoing review: Technical Note Six on Lamellar Tearing is being reviewed; Technical Note Seven will undergo review in the coming months; and Technical Note 19 on Quality Management is being revamped to incorporate AS/NZS ISO 3834 Quality Requirements for Fusion Welding of Metallic Materials.

Bruce Cannon (Technical Publications Manager, Weld Australia) provided feedback to all

Weld Australia Industry Group members receive: • Participation in tailored industry projects • Membership to the Technology Support Network, which offers services to asset managers and prime contractors • Regular industry updates and networking events • Opportunity to participate in industry research and development projects • Access to Industry Group technical and research material

Inside Weld Australia: Industry Groups Update

In regards to Australian Standards, Bruce commented on the slow, but steady, review of AS/NZS 3788 Pressure equipment - In-service inspection. Bruce also provided feedback on: the review of AS/NZS 3992 Pressure equipment - Welding and brazing qualification; the revision of AS 1796 Certification of welders and welding supervisors; and the Canadian test to quality butt and fillet welders on the same coupon using AS/NZS ISO 9606-1 Qualification testing of welders Fusion welding.

used to find, and how to validate for accurate inspection results.

Finally, Bruce updated members regarding welder qualification to AS/NZS ISO 9606 using the AWCR system, and how previous issues have been dealt with.

Just some of their capabilities include vibration analysis, stateof-the-art Scanning Electron Microscopy, Energy Dispersive Spectrometry, and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and Remote Piloted Aircraft Drones. ALS also has extensive expertise in materials and corrosion engineering, high temperature failure mechanisms, condition and life assessment, and failure and root cause analysis.

Louise Petrick (Technology Manager, Weld Australia) provided feedback on the growth that has been seen regarding AS/NZS ISO 3834 applications and certifications. Weld Australia is set to double the number of Australian companies certified to AS/NZS ISO 3834 this year.

Louise also provided an update on two current Power Technology Industry Group projects: the Welding Procedure Database; and the Replication Project.

Under the Welding Procedure Database project, a shared database of welding procedures is being compiled. This database will be made accessible to all Industry Group members, saving them significant time and cost in the development of qualified welding procedure specifications.

The Replication Project involves the development of a scheme to certify metallographic replica personnel and companies, while giving to the members a thorough knowledge of the technology, including an understanding of the areas, parts and components subject to aging and creep phenomena.

Chris Jones (Materials Engineer, Quest Integrity Group) presented on ultrasonic inspections, including what this type of inspection can be

Meeting hosts ALS also provided a demonstration of their capabilities.

ALS is a leading testing, inspection, certification and verification company headquartered in Brisbane, Australia.

Servicing multiple industries globally, ALS employs over 13,000 staff in over 65 countries. For more than 40 years, ALS laboratory services has provided services to clients around the world, helping them make better more informed decisions.

45

Hill Institute. Victoria’s first AWTC opened in Melbourne in late August, with the Victorian Minister for Training and Skills the Hon Gayle Tierney MP pledging $1 million worth of funding. The newly refurbished centre features an advanced augmented reality lab equipped with ten Soldamatic welding simulators and five Lincoln Electric REALWELDŽ Trainers. For further information, see page 30.

Defence Industry Group In late August, the Defence Industry Group celebrated the launch of the first Defence Welding Hub in Perth.

Weld Australia is establishing a network of Defence Welding Hubs around Australia in order to facilitate and foster national and international collaboration across industries, promote technology transfer and commercialisation, and research and development projects.

Each hub will provide a focal point for defence welding activity through a network of contractors, subcontractors and relevant supporting organisations. For further information, see page 34.

The next Defence Industry Group meeting will be held in Melbourne at the Box Hill Institute in late October.

Key speakers at the meeting will include industry experts and representatives from: Naval Group, Thales, Rheinmetall and Weld Australia.

Defence Industry Group members will also be treated to a tour of the newly opened AWTC at the Box

To become a Weld Australia Industry Group member contact us via membership@ weldaustralia.com.au or +61 2 8748 0100.

46

Australian Welding: September 2018

An Update from Weld Australia’s Hotline Weld Australia 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, Weld Australia’s highly experienced welding consultants can speak to you over the phone or visit your site in person. If you have a Hotline query complete our online contact form and we will respond as soon as possible: www.weldaustralia.com.au/hotline.

Weld Australia was recently contacted by a member organisation seeking information around the question Who should approve and sign off on a weld procedure?

To assist the member organisation, Weld Australia undertook a review of several Standards including: • AS 1210-2010 Pressure Vessels • AS/NZS 1554.1-2014 Part 1 Welding of steel structures • AS/NZS 3992-2015 Pressure equipment - Welding and brazing qualification • AS 3920-2015 Pressure equipment - Conformity assessment • AS 4458-1997 Pressure equipment - Manufacture

AS 1210-2010 Section 4.2.1, Sub section (d) of AS 1210-2010 outlines general requirements, including welding procedures. For vessels and associated pressure parts fabricated by welding, it is a requirement that welding shall be carried out in conformity with the qualified welding procedure (see AS/NZS 3992).

As required by the Standard, it is necessary to cross-reference AS 1210-2010 with AS/NZS 3992.

AS/NZS 3992-2015 AS/NZS 3992 (Clause 3.1) states that, “Only qualified welding procedures shall be used in the manufacture of pressure equipment”.

However, it does not delineate specifically which type of personnel can approve a welding procedure.

It is also a requirement of Clause 1.7 that welding for procedure and welder qualifications be supervised by the welding supervisor.

AS/NZS 1554.1-2014 Section 4.1.1 (paragraph 3) of AS/NZS 1554.1-2014 states that, “The welding procedure may be approved on the welding procedure sheets by a representative of the principal, who shall have, as a minimum, the qualification of a welding supervisor in accordance with Clause 4.12.1 or welding inspector (see Clause 7.2)”.

Inside Weld Australia: Hotline Update

47

“

Weld Australia recommends that personnel who approve welding procedures should have at least the skills and knowledge of a Welding Supervisor as defined within AS 2214 or AS 1796, or whose skills and knowledge are otherwise assessed in conformance with ISO 14731.”

In terms of qualification requirements, the principal’s representative is required to have a minimum of three years’ experience in the fabrication of welded structures, and, at least have one of the formal qualifications listed within Clause 4.12.1 (or have alternative qualifications assessed in conformance with ISO 14731).

Clause 7.2 details required qualification alternatives for a welding inspector. In any event, it is implied that the authorised person approving the weld procedure on behalf of the principal understands the requirements of the welding procedure, one of these being a welding supervisor.

Other Standards Weld Australia determined that Standards such as AS/NZS 1554, AS/NZS 3992 and AS 1210 do not directly address quality management issues, including the specific duties and qualifications of personnel.

This is because specific duties and qualifications of personnel are deemed to be part of ‘conformity assessment’ by standards writing bodies such as Standards Australia.

Therefore, this issue has the potential to cause a restraint of trade. Instead, these requirements are generally set out in other standards (such as AS 2214, AS/NZS ISO 3834-1 and

AS 1796) and are typically listed as examples of suitable qualifications (and duties), or by providing a means for assessing alternatives.

Standards, which is a requirement in other standards such as AS/NZS 2885.2-2016 - Pipelines Gas and liquid petroleum welding.

The AS/NZS 1554 series and AS/NZS 3992 therefore reference alternative standards such as AS 2214 and AS 1796, both of which address the skills and duties of welding supervisors.

These three Standards do refer to other Standards, which set basic qualification requirements and include the control and management of weld procedures through the fabricator’s quality management system.

For example, within AS 2214, syllabus item 6 on welding production includes requirements related to the qualification, use and control of weld procedures within the fabricator’s quality system, which includes the approval of welding procedures. Similar requirements are specified within AS 1796.

Consistent with these requirements, Weld Australia recommends that personnel who approve welding procedures should have at least the skills and knowledge of a Welding Supervisor as defined within AS 2214 or AS 1796, or whose skills and knowledge are otherwise assessed in conformance with ISO 14731.

From a factory production control perspective, it is confirmed within AS/NZS ISO 3834-1 (Clause 6) that the quality system attributes specified within contribute to support or complement the AS/NZS ISO 3834 series, specifically document control, with reference to AS/NZS ISO 9001.

Conclusion Following a review of three standards (AS 1210-2010, AS/NZS 1554.12014 and AS/NZS 3992-2015), Weld Australia confirms that there is no requirement for a person to have specific qualifications for approving welding procedures within these

This 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, Weld Australia recommends that further technical advice is sought in relation to specific, individual circumstances.

48

Australian Welding: September 2018

Member Directory Weld Australia is dedicated to providing members with a competitive advantage through access to industry, research, education, government, and the wider welding community.

When you join Weld Australia 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@weldaustralia.com.au or +61 (0)2 8748 0100.

Weld Australia Industry Group Members Weld Australia hosts and administers several Industry Groups, providing a forum for technology transfer and R&D, linking members with industry and research organisations. The Weld Australia 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

49

Inside Weld Australia: Member Directory

Premium Corporate Members ALS Industrial www.alsglobal.com/au +61 2 4922 2400 powerservices@alsglobal.com APMI www.apmi.com.au +61 3 8791 7555 info@apmi.com.au Applied Ultrasonics Australia www.appliedultrasonics.com.au +61 2 9986 2133 info@appliedultrasonics.com.au Arrium (One Steel) www.onesteel.com 1800 178 335 capital@onesteel.com Austal Ships www.austal.com +61 8 9410 1111 info@austal.com BlueScope Steel www.bluescopesteel.com.au 1800 800 789 steeldirect@bluescopesteel.com Baker & Provan www.bakerprovan.com.au +61 2 8801 9000 info@bakerprovan.com.au BOC www.boc-limited.com.au +61 2 8874 4400 contact@boc.com Callidus Welding Solutions http://callidusgroup.com.au +61 8 6241 0799 info@callidusgroup.com.au

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

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

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

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

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

Santos www.santos.com +61 8 8116 5000 reception.ade@santos.com

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

Tronox Management www.tronox.com +61 8 9411 1444 info@tronox.com

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

UGL Pty Limited www.ugllimited.com +61 2 8925 8925 uglinfo@ugllimited.com

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

Water Corporation of WA www.watercorporation.com.au + 61 8 9423 7777 darren.vile@watercorporation.com.au

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

Welding Industries of Australia (WIA) www.welding.com.au 1300 300 884 info@welding.com.au

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

Wilmar Sugar www.wilmarsugarmills.com.au +61 7 4722 1972 info@wilmar.com.au

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

Join Weld Australia Today.

Help Secure the Future of

Australian Welding +61 (0)2 8748 0100

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membership@weldaustralia.com.au

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www.weldaustralia.com.au

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Corporate Members 3M Australia: 3m.com.au A & B Welding: abwelding.com.au A&G Engineering: agengineering.com.au Abrasion Resistant Materials: arm.com.au Able Industries Engineering: ableind.com.au Adept Inspections & Training: adeptengineering.com.au Aerison: aerison.com Aitken Welding: aitkenwelding.com Alltek Welding: alltek.net.au Ancon Building Products: ancon.com.au Antec Group: antec.com.au ARL Laboratory Services: arllabservices.com.au ASME Projects: asmeprojects.com.au ATTAR: attar.com.au Austal: austal.com Austedan Fabrications: austedan.com.au Austral: australtechnologies.com.au Australian Rail Track Corporation: artc.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 Beenleigh Steel Fabrications: beenleighsteel.com.au Ben Baden Services: craneconnection.com.au Berg Engineering: bergengineering.com.au Bisalloy Steels: bisalloy.com.au BMC Welding: bmcgroup.com.au Bombardier Transportation: bombardier.com/en/transportation.html Bradken: bradken.com Brezac Constructions: brezac.com.au Broadspectrum: broadspectrum.com Brosco Enterprises: brosco.com.au Browns Precision Welding: brownswelding.com.au Brunton Engineering & Construction: brunteng.com Caltex Refineries (QLD): caltex.com.au CCR Group: ccrgroup.com.au Central Engineering: centralengineering.com.au Chess Engineering: chessindustries.com.au CQ Industries: cqind.com CQ Steel Industries: cqsteel.com.au

Australian Welding: September 2018

Crisp Bros Haywards: haywards-steel.com Cullen Steel: cullensteel.com.au D&L Engineering Services: fabinox.com.au DGH Engineering: dghengineering.com.au Diverse Welding: diversewelding.com.au DJM Fabrications: djmfab.com 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 Furphy Engineering: furphys.com.au G & G Mining Fabrication: ggminingfab.com Global Engineering & Construction: globalec.com.au Global Manufacturing Group: gmqld.com.au Hamilton Maintenance Group Hilton Manufacturing: hiltonmanufacturing.com.au HVAC Queensland: hvac.com.au Industrial Installation & Maintenance: iimaust.com.au Ingal EPS: ingaleps.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 LaserBond: laserbond.com.au LD Engineering Services: ldo.com.au Lendlease: lendlease.com/au/ Loclur Engineering: loclur.com.au LSW Group: lswgroup.com.au Mainetec: mainetec.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 Precision Metal: precisionmetalgroup.com QSM Fabrication: qsmfabrication.com.au Quality Process Services: qpspl.com.au Queensland Nitrates Plant: 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 Rockpress: rockpress.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 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 Welding Guns of Australia: unimig.com.au

Inside Weld Australia: Upcoming Events

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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 Weld Australia events, please email events@weldaustralia.com.au or phone +61 (0)2 8748 0100.

October 2018

November 2018

PacRim Stainless 2018 3 to 4 October, Surfers Paradise www.assda.asn.au

2018 AWS Professional Program 5 to 8 November, Atlanta, USA www.aws.org

Aluminium 2018: 12th World Trade Fair and Conference 9 to 11 October, Dusseldorf, Germany www.aluminium-messe.com

FABTECH 6 to 8 November, Atlanta, USA www.aws.org

2018 Welding Summit 16 to 17 October, Texas, USA www.aws.org 1st International Conference on Defence Technology 21 to 25 October, Beijing, China www.icdt.cos.org.cn 22nd IAS Steel Conference 23 to 25 October, Santa Fe, Argentina www.siderurgia.org.ar/conf18 EuroBLECH 2018: 25th International Sheet Metal Working Technology Exhibition 23 to 26 October, Hanover, Germany www.euroblech.com

The World Engineers Convention 18 to 24 November, Melbourne www.wec2019.org.au CAMS 2018 27 to 29 November, Wollongong www.materialsaustralia.com.au December 2018 9th International Conference on Advances in Steel Structures 5 to 7 December, Hong Kong www.icass2018.com Weld Australia & IIW Exam Dates 2018 Welding Supervisor (AS 1796 Cert 10 and AS 2214) 7 and 8 November

Event Spotlight: Weld Australia Pipeline Repair Seminar Facilitated by Weld Australia, 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 Pipeline Repair, Hot Tapping and In-Service Welding Course will be held in Sydney from 23 to 24 October.

Visit: www.weldaustralia.com.au/ pipelinerepair

Australian Welding: September 2018 52 Weld Australia’s Expert Advisory

Services And Technical Support: Independent Advice You Can Trust Weld Australia 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

Resources

Manufacturing

• • • • • • • • • • • •

Mechanical testing 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

Defence

Power Generation

Helping secure the future of Australia’s welding industry.

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