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AUSTRALIAN WELDING: MARCH 2018
NIX: ENGINEERING WATER INFRASTRUCTURE Established in 1984 by sheet metal worker Nick Fudlovski, Nix Engineering Group has grown to become one of Western Australia’s most trusted and respected suppliers and installers of water infrastructure projects. Operating from five premises in Perth—the largest of which occupies more than five acres— Nix Engineering predominantly works in the resources and Government sectors, specialising in the fabrication and installation of piping, spools and structural steel, as well as equipment maintenance and refurbishment. Nix Engineering is also a member of the Water Corporation Panel of Preferred Suppliers for Fabrication, Supply and Installation of Fabricator Products.
Nix Engineering boasts a wide array of capabilities, from fabrication and welding of ferrous and non-ferrous materials in accordance with AS 1554 and AS 4041, through to pipe spooling of Mild Steel Cement Lined (MSCL), stainless steel, duplex and super duplex. The family owned business can also fabricate and install structural steel works, metal platforms, hand railings, pressure vessels, dewatering screens, silos, chutes, hoppers and tanks. Their Wangara facility is also fitted out for the assembly of spools, hydrostatic testing and the wrapping of flange connections for corrosion protection. This saves incredible amounts of time, while reducing costs associated with site installation. The sophistication and capacity of their specialised equipment enables Nix Engineering to deliver high quality products and services at an incredible pace and competitive price. High-Pressure Water Cutter Known for their willingness to invest in specialised equipment, Nix is home to the largest UHP Water Garnet pipe cutter in the world: the Pipe Jet CNC UHP Water Cutter. Originally manufactured by German company Muller Opladen, the machine was converted from flame tip cutting to UHP water by BCE.
Fully programmable, the water cutter has a six axis head and can cut wall sections up to 50mm thick. It is capable of cutting all pipe truncation joints, slots, squares and fillets, and can cut 2,400mm diameter pipe up to 20m in length. According to Mick Cudmore, Manager of Nix Engineering, “The Pipe Jet can cut just about any type of material, ranging from stainless and mild steel to hastalloy and cast iron, and everything in between.” “But the main reason we invested in the Pipe Jet was that we needed to cut through MSCL piping. This has a polyethylene skin, a stainless steel shell and internal concrete lining. With the Pipe Jet, we can cut through the pipe in one hit. Previously, the cut required three separate processes,” said Cudmore. “Most importantly, the Pipe Jet can make cuts with nil change in the material. When using the Pipe Jet, there are no special considerations or restrictions due to heat build-up. There’s no melting, and there are no hazardous fumes, which means that the working environment is safer for our welders and fabricators.” “It really is perfect for cutting piping; most pipe cutting is performed on flatbeds but we can actually rotate the pipe as we cut it. We don’t even need robotic arms, we can just use
the drive mechanism on the end of the Pipe Jet,” said Cudmore. Case Study: Albany Wastewater Treatment Plant Albany’s wastewater treatment plant on Timewell Road is currently undergoing upgrades to accommodate future growth throughout the region. The $17.6 million upgrade will ensure the wastewater treatment plant continues to provide a reliable service to residents and businesses by increasing the plant’s capacity. The upgrade works began in mid-2017 and are expected to be completed by mid-2018. Engaged by the Guidera O’Connor Water Corporation, Nix Engineering’s scope of works includes fabrication of complete plant pipe works in MSCL ranging from DN200 through to DN600 and stainless steel ranging from DN100 through to DN900. Nix will also fabricate and supply ancillary sheet metal manifolds, buffer tank equipment, structural steels, walkway platforms, handrails and stair assemblies. Site installation and completion of tie-in manifolds (as fabricated and tested in-house), and on-site blasting and painting services are also included in Nix Engineering’s scope of works.