A Visit to Adelaide With COVID-19 restrictions finally having eased, I have had the pleasure of travelling interstate over the last month to visit members and key welding industry stakeholders. Whilst in Adelaide, I had the opportunity to meet with several defence industry companies, including ASC. A key topic of discussion during this meeting was changes to the plan for Australia’s fleet of submarines, following the Federal Government’s termination of the $90 billion contract with Naval Group. I also received an update from BAE Systems on the progress of their Hunter Class Frigate Program. Based on BAE Systems’ Type 26 Global Combat Ship design, the Hunter Class is the world’s first bow-to-stern digitally-designed anti-submarine warfare frigate. Program design activities are well underway, including the prototyping.
BAE Systems is collaborating with Flinders University at the Tonsley Innovation District to develop advanced manufacturing processes and techniques that will be adopted throughout the shipyard. I toured the Factory of the Future at Tonsley Innovation District and was impressed with the work being done in the area of Industry 4.0. Visits to several Weld Australia member companies were also on my Adelaide itinerary. I toured the Supashock factory, and had an in-depth discussion with their CEO Oscar Fiorinotto about the shortage of welders. We agreed to examine opportunities for welder training, assessment and certification. I met with AML3D, a highly innovative company that is enabling fast and efficient manufacture of components and structures using a patented Wire Additive Manufacturing (WAM®) process. Their cost-effective process
can offer increased strength and less waste when compared to traditional casting, forging or billet machining methods. With shorter production cycles, AML3D can help reduce downtime on part replacement. If you are looking for an innovative solution, I encourage you to investigate AML3D’s process. I also visited K-TIG, and was very impressed with the advancements that the company has made in the last five years. K-TIG is an advanced TIG welding technology that combines increased productivity with high quality results. Based on research undertaken by CSIRO, the K-TIG process can be used in a range of different industries, from defence and pipes, through to tanks and vessels. A Visit to Melbourne Whilst visiting Melbourne, meetings with several members were also on the cards. I toured Hilton Manufacturing in Dandenong,
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Weld Connect | April 2022
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