Weld Connect May 2020

weldaustralia.com.au | office@weldaustralia.com.au | +61 (0)2 8748 0100 | 20 Bridge Street, Pymble NSW

Weld Connect May 2020

Contents 03 05 08 09 10 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

A Message from the CEO Membership Matters Industry News & Insights Training News Qualification & Certification News New South Wales Division Victoria Division South Australia Division Queensland Division Western Australia Division Northern Territory Division Tasmania Division Advanced Welder Training Courses

Our Office is Closed, but We’re Still Working

Following developments in Australia’s COVID-19 response, we have decided to close our Pymble office until further notice. The safety and wellbeing of our staff and their families along with our members, clients and communities is our first priority.

The office is closed, but we will continue to work tirelessly to support the welding industry in Australia. Now more than ever our community spirit is vital, and we encourage you to reach out to one of us if you have any questions or an area where you are needing support, or even if you just need a chat.

Our staff are working remotely and will be available through their mobile numbers and email addresses. You can still contact Weld Australia on office@weldaustralia.com.au Keep well, stay safe, and we look forward to seeing you again in the future.

Weld Australia Contact Information National Office Building 3, Level 3, Suite 5 Pymble Corporate Centre 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 Chief Executive Officer Geoff Crittenden T: +61 (0)2 8748 0100 E: g.crittenden@weldaustralia.com.au

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

Membership Manager Eva Chun T: +61 (0)2 8748 0135 E: e.chun@weldaustralia.com.au

Training Manager Guy Brooks T: +61 (0)488 743 322 E: g.brooks@weldaustralia.com.au

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

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

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A Message from the CEO You don't need me to tell you that COVID-19 is creating a world of pain and uncertainty for everyone.

You may have already had to stand down staff, or been stood down yourself. All of us are worried about what the future holds.

It is at times like this that being part of an industry network like Weld Australia can provide real benefit.

We're all in this together; as the old saying goes, a problem shared is a problem halved.

So if you need help, advice, or just reassurance, then get in touch with us. If we can't help, then we will be able to put you in touch with someone who can.

Equally, if you have something worth sharing, which would help your fellow Weld Australia members, let us know. Participate in our LinkedIn Group, share your ideas, and work with us to help the entire industry.

Our aim is to help ensure that every single member firm and every individual member has a job when this is all over.

I think we have a real opportunity to reinvigorate the manufacturing industry in Australia, and I will be hammering that home with all governments and politicians at every possible opportunity.

Weld Australia Initiatives Weld Australia is working on several initiatives designed to assist members in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, including delivering as many of our services as possible online or remotely.

Training Courses I am pleased to announce the launch of two new online courses: those associated with the International Welding Specialist (IWS) and International Welding Inspector – Basic (IWI-B) certifications.

The first IWS online course will commence the week beginning Monday 25 May. The first IWI-B online course will commence the week beginning Monday 8 June.

The current requirement to maintain social distancing has provided a unique opportunity

Geoff Crittenden (CEO, Weld Australia).

to explore the delivery of quality training outside of a classroom environment. The new online format will make training more accessible, and open up opportunities to students who are unable to attend face-to-face training, particularly those in remote and regional areas.

For further information, see the article on page 9.

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A Message from the CEO Qualification and Certification Over the last few weeks, Weld Australia has been working closely with the International Institute of Welding (IIW) on several measures designed to make certification and qualification processes more accessible in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As a result, the IIW has relaxed some of its requirements. Weld Australia is now able to: perform site audits for AS/NZS ISO 3834 certification remotely; and conduct online examinations, (combined with an interview via videoconferencing facilities) for several qualifications, including: • International Welding Specialist • International Welding Technologist • International Welding Engineer For further information, see the article on page 10.

Welding Inspection and Supervision Services Finally, Weld Australia has developed a new procedure to carry out welding inspection and supervision services, as well as qualification of welding procedures and personnel—remotely.

The procedure has been developed in accordance with IAF (International Accreditation Forum) guidelines.

All services are carried out with the cooperation of a competent person on-site, utilising videoconferencing and video recording for record keeping purposes.

For further information, see the article on page 7.

Geoff Crittenden CEO, Weld Australia

New Weld Australia Members: April Weld Australia would like to welcome the following members who joined in April 2020.

Corporate Members • Nepean Engineering & Innovation: nepeanengineering.com.au Individual Members • John Wilson • Jonathon Wood • Conrad Blignaut • Hayden Moore • George Martyr To become a Weld Australia member, all you need to do is: • Visit: https://weldaustralia. com.au • Email: membership@ weldaustralia.com.au

Join the Conversation Weld Australia's existing LinkedIn Group is now focused on the challenges facing the industry due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is an open platform for the welding industry to collaborate and support one another, to discuss particular struggles and the measures being taken within different businesses to continue operations and ensure the health and safety of employees.

Welding Coordinator | Engineering A key client is asking for pricing of some critical components to be made locally. Would be a great shift from just doing the repair or overhaul. Has anybody else had this experience since the start of the pandemic? Reply here >>> Chief Executive Officer | Manufacturing Would be interested to hear from people that have been seeking support from the Federal Government Loans and managed to successfully navigate and either failed to satisfy or satisfied the application criteria. Reply here >>> Managing Director | Fabrication Interesting times for manufacturers around the world. What do we think of Scomo’s Jobkeeper program? Reply here >>>

Join the Weld Australia LinkedIn Group Now

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Membership Matters In these unprecedented times, it is clear that being a member of an industry association like Weld Australia is essential.

Overwhelming, this is the feedback we have received from members.

While the Weld Australia team is not in the office at the moment, we are still working to support you and your business. This way, we can all hit the ground running as COVID-19 restrictions are eased.

Weld Australia has been working with an array of organisations over the last few weeks, from our corporate members, industry groups and Government bodies, through to individual members.

In all our interactions, our objective is to ensure that our members have the facilities and infrastructure in place to capitalise on any opportunities available, particularly in the post-COVID-19 business environment.

Some of our key initiatives include launching two new online training courses, one focused on International Welding Specialist (IWS) certification, and the other on International Welding Inspector – Basic (IWI-B) certification. For further information, see page 9.

Until 31 May 2020, we're offering a 25% discount off online short courses. To enrol, simply visit: https://portal.weldaustralia.com. au/course-timetable.For further information, see page 12.

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The words below are all synonmous with Australia's welding industry—can you (or your kids) find them all in the Welders World Find A Word?

Advice Augmented Reality Awcr Camera Certification Collaboration Fabrication

Funding Guidelines IIW Inspections Lobbying Metallurgy Qualifications Regulatory

Solutions Technotes Training Upskill Welder training Weld fumes Welding simulator WeldQ

We're also working to move some of our events to an online format to help keep members up-to-date on all the latest industry standards and connected to industry peers.

Our first webinar, on Welding Fumes, Cancer and Other Hazards is on 19 May 2020. For further information, see page 11.

So, whether you're looking to upskill, reskill, or connect with like-minded industry experts, be sure to take a look at our range of online courses and events.

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Membership Matters Welders World Spot the Welding Mistakes Put your welding knowledge to the test. Find as many welding mistakes as you can in the photo below. Send your answers to membership@weldaustralia.com.au. We'll reveal the answers in the June edition of Weld Connect.

Further Information For further information about membership packages, or to become a member of Weld Australia today, simply contact:

membership@weldaustralia.com.au

Or, you can visit the Weld Australia website.

Join Us At Weld Australia's 2020 AGM Weld Australia's 2020 Annual General Meeting (AGM) will take place on Tuesday 23 June 2020.

This year, our AGM will be held online via Zoom conferencing.

Instructions will be emailed to all members on how to register to attend, or how to vote by proxy. So, be sure to keep an eye on your inbox.

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Supervision, Inspection and Qualification Services

Now Available Remotely In the wake of COVID-19 restrictions, Weld Australia has developed a new procedure to carry out welding inspection and supervision services, as well as qualification of welding procedures and personnel—remotely.

The procedure has been developed in accordance with IAF (International Accreditation Forum) guidelines. All services are carried out with the cooperation of a competent person on-site, utilising videoconferencing and video recording for record keeping purposes.

If you need help with remote welding inspection, supervision or qualification services—we’re here to help. All you need do is call Paolo Corronca (National Manager Engineering) on 0438 012 099. www.weldaustralia.com.au

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engineering@weldaustralia.com.au

Industry News & Insights The Impact of COVID-19 on the Welding Industry

As the peak body representing the welding industry, Weld Australia is committed to supporting our members and the wider industry throughout this very challenging time. It’s important then that we understand how the welding industry is experiencing the COVID-19 pandemic, including the impact it is having on you, your business, and your employees. To gain a better understanding, Weld Australia recently distributed a survey to senior business leaders. The data collected will help guide Weld Australia’s support for the industry in the wake of COVID-19. Some preliminary data is outlined below. The survey is still open, so we encourage you to complete the survey as soon as possible.

Has your business been negatively impacted by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in any way? Select all that apply.

Loss of income Staff laid off or stood down Staff working reduced hours Difficulty sourcing materials Workforce instability Decline in employee morale Increased business continuity risks Increased costs No negative impacts Other

What caused these negative impacts? Select all that apply.

Cancelled work Postponed work Lack of new work / RFPs / tenders Uncertain forward order book Disruptions to the supply chain Interstate travel bans International travel bans Restricted site access Work environment disruptions/changes Social distancing measures Staff wellbeing / mental health issues Staff sick

Not everything will be bad news. Has your business been positively affected in any way? Select all that apply.

Staff in isolation or quarantine Conflicting government advice

Loss of income

Not applicable

Increased orders / work

Other

Increased demand Secured new clients Opportunities to innovate Expanded into new sectors Diversified products or services Improved internal processes Built a better team culture

"Weld Australia can play an important role by emphasising the importance of manufacturing to government and other stakeholders."

"Weld Australia can help enforce Australian Standards, promote local manufacturing, and make engineering business actually meet some mandated licencing model like electricians, and plumbers."

No positive impacts Other

Take the Weld Australia COVID-19 Impact Survey Now

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Training News Weld Australia Launches Online Courses for IIW IWS and IIW IWI-B Weld Australia is excited to announce the launch of two new online courses: those associated with the International Welding Specialist (IWS) and International Welding Inspector – Basic (IWI-B) qualifications.

The first IWS online course will commence the week beginning Monday 25 May. This course is almost full. So, if you're keen to enrol, be sure to get in quick.

The first IWI-B online course will commence the week beginning Monday 8 June.

This course has proved extremely popular, and intake is already completely full. Weld Australia will be scheduling another course within the next couple of months.

Be sure not to miss out: register your interest in the next IWI-B online course by emailing training@weldaustralia.com.au

How the Online Delivery Format Will Work The two new courses include a mixture of pre-recorded material, live online lectures, and a variety of other learning resources. There is also pre- and post-lecture ‘homework’, like quizzes and review questions, all of which will be facilitated via Weld Australia’s Moodle online learning platform.

All course entry requirements, content and learning outcomes are exactly the same as those of the face-to-face course format.

The IWS online course includes five modules, each of which runs for five weeks, delivered over a six month period. The course covers: • Welding Processes and Equipment • Materials and their Behaviour During Welding • Construction and Design • Fabrication and Application Engineering

The IWI-B online course is run over five weeks. It includes ten live lectures and a one-day face-toface practical session.

The course covers: • General Introduction to Welding Inspection • Mechanical Testing on Welded Joints • Weld Imperfections • Testing Methods • Quality Assurance Why IWS Qualification?

IWS qualification enables suitably experienced foremen, managers, quality supervisors, and lead welders to improve their company’s bottom line. IWS often make valuable contributions to four of the most important metrics in welding operations: quality, cost, productivity and safety. Not surprisingly then, this qualification can boost your earning potential and job stability. It is also an advised qualification for Responsible Welding Coordinators as recommended in AS/NZS ISO 3834 and ISO 14731.

Why IWI-B Qualification?

In many ways, becoming a Welding Inspector is more than just a rewarding career—it involves great responsibility and requires remarkable skills to help maintain the highest levels of weld quality. This qualification can lead to a career that is both engaging and promising, particularly as it is recommended in both AS/NZS ISO 3834 and AS/NZS 1554.1 for Welding Inspection Personnel. If what you want is a stable career in which you will thrive and find fulfilment, then the IWI-B qualification may be for you.

Further Information For further information about these courses, or any training related questions, please email: training@weldaustralia.com.au

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Qualification & Certification News Changes to IIW Certifications and Qualifications to Help Tackle COVID-19 Conditions Over the last few weeks, Weld Australia has been working closely with the International Institute of Welding (IIW) on several measures designed to make certification and qualification processes more accessible in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

If, for any reason, you are facing difficulties in completing your certification audit or qualification renewal in the normal way or on time, please contact Weld Australia on: qnc@weldaustralia.com.au In the wake of COVID-19, we understand that not everything is ‘business as usual’. Weld Australia is here to help you, and to work with you. We want to ensure that you retain the certifications and qualifications that you worked so hard to achieve.

Remote Auditing for AS/NZS ISO 3834 Certification With a range of travel and social distancing restrictions in place to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, performing site audits for AS/NZS ISO 3834 certification is almost impossible.

in which exams for personal qualifications are conducted.

Weld Australia is now able to fully conduct online examinations, combined with an interview via video conferencing facilities, for several personal qualifications: • International Welding Specialist (IWS) • International Welding Technologist (IWT) • International Welding Engineer (IWE) Weld Australia is still working with the IIW on alternative formats for exams that encompass a practical testing module (such as the International Welding Inspector).

Personnel Certification Renewals Extended to Six Months Given the exceptional circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, Weld Australia understands that action is required on personnel certification that have recently expired.

Weld Australia has implemented a policy to give certified personnel an extension of six months from their certification expiry date in which to submit their renewal applications.

Weld Australia certification renewals already have an automatic three months grace period from the date of expiry in which to submit a renewal application.

However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, personnel whose certification expires between January 2020 and May 2020 are now eligible to apply for an expiry extension of six months from their current expiry due date. The six month extension will not affect the continuous certification expiry date.

Further Information For further information about qualification and certification, contact: qnc@weldaustralia.com.au

As such, the IIW has relaxed these site auditing requirements: Weld Australia is able to audit companies remotely.

Weld Australia has developed a procedure that exceeds the IIW requirements to ensure that both a rigorous auditing process is maintained, and the integrity of the certification system is upheld.

Remote audits will be carried out via desktop activities, and by utilising videoconferencing facilities and video recording for record keeping purposes.

Remote Exams for Personal Qualifications The IIW has also relaxed the way

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Webinar: Welding Fume, Cancer & Other Hazards This webinar will provide you with all the information required to help protect yourself and your workforce from the hazards associated with welding fumes. It will outline important information related to the IARC’s recent ruling that welding fumes can cause cancer, as well as Weld Australia’s position and advice as outlined in our Fume Minimisation Guidelines. The webinar will also delve into other hazards associated with welding, including control measures and statutory requirements.

Background Information

Speakers • • • •

In March 2017, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) reclassified welding fume from Group 2B Possibly Carcinogenic to Humans to Group 1 Carcinogenic to Humans. Their assessment was subsequently published in Monograph 118 in July 2018. Following discussions with the International Institute of Welding (IIW) Commission VIII, Weld Australia advised that existing fume management recommendations (including those in Technical Note 7 Health and Safety in Welding and Technical Guidance Note— Fume Minimisation Guidelines: Welding, Cutting, Brazing and Soldering) are followed.

Weld Australia: Bruce Cannon, Technical Publications Manager and Principal Welding Engineer Safe Work Australia: Dr Paul Taylor, Director Chemical Policy; and Jackii Shepherd, Director Occupational Hygiene Policy Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists: Barry Chesson, Principal, Occupational Hygiene Solutions Australian Welding Supplies: Daniel Strachan, National Key Account and Sales Manager

Webinar Content

� Welding and cancer: IARC Monograph 118 rulings; Weld � � � �

Australia position; Background and Overview of the Fume Guidelines; How to apply Fume Guidelines Fume control options Assessing the risk and monitoring the controls (AIOH) Regulatory requirements Welding hazards: Electrocution; EMF and pacemakers; UV radiation (including IARC ruling)

• • • •

Date: Tuesday 19 May 2020 Time: 10.30am in QLD, NSW, ACT, VIC and TAS; 10.00am in SA and NT; and 8.30am in WA. The webinar will run for approximately 2 hours Login details will be supplied upon registration.

Please ensure you have suitable internet access Registration Costs: Weld Australia Members: $150; Non-Members: $200

Register Today

Weld Australia would like to thank AWS for sponsoring this webinar.

www.weldaustralia.com.au

Webinar Details

Register via: weldaustralia.com.au

For further information, contact Michelle Bignold on 0437 106 726 or m.bignold@weldaustralia.com.au |

+61 (0)2 8748 0100

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Building 3, Level 3, 20 Bridge Street, Pymble, New South Wales 2073

25% Off Weld Australia's Online Short Courses Until 31 May 2020

In conjunction with the American Welding Society (AWS), Weld Australia offers a number of online short courses to help develop your welding knowledge. Available any time day and night, these short courses are designed as self-paced modules which will allow you to complete them in your own time.

These online courses include Welding Fundamentals 1 and 2, which Introduce the science and practical application of welding processes along with other essential topics, including terminology, weld design, safety, electrical theory.

The Metallurgy 1 and 2 courses cover the characteristics of atoms, the periodic table, chemical bonding, chemical reactivity, and the properties of metals.

The Non-Destructive Testing course describes the principles and performance of visual testing, penetrant testing, magnetic particle testing, radiographic testing, and ultrasonic testing. Topics covered include discontinuities and their causes, as well as the role of vision, capillary action, magnetism, radiation, and sound in testing.

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Until 31 May 2020, Weld Australia is offering a 25% discount off its online short courses, including those outlined below.

To enrol, simply visit: https:// portal.weldaustralia.com.au course-timetable Please note: this offer does not apply to Weld Australia's two new online courses for International Welding Specialist (IWS) and International Welding Inspector – Basic (IWI-B) certifications.

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New South Wales Division News Weld Australia Welcomes New Member NEPEAN Engineering & Innovation Weld Australia is pleased to welcome new corporate member, NEPEAN Engineering & Innovation.

Opening its doors in 1974, NEPEAN Engineering & Innovation is now one of Australia’s largest privately owned engineering service providers and has built up an elite design and project management team, which understands the diverse nature of engineering.

Today, NEPEAN Engineering & Innovation produces goods locally from their site in south-west Sydney and delivers to customers and sites all over Australia and the globe.

For over 45 years, NEPEAN Engineering & Innovation has maintained its culture which recognises and respects the importance of all participants in the business, building lasting relationships with employees, as well as sub-contractors and valued customers.

NEPEAN Engineering & Innovation has the depth, diversity, capability and experience to successfully deliver on the largest and most complex engineering projects.

Their engineering services are supported by extensive facilities including over 50,000m2 of workshop space, in-house design, fully equipped state-of-the-art CNC and machine shop, steel fabrication shops, laser cutting, sheet metal, shot blasting, painting and powder coat finishing.

General Manager, Peter Buckley, is proud of the investment in safety and quality systems, “All of our products are manufactured under a quality assurance system complying with ISO 9001:2015, ensuring manufacturing processes and final products are completed with the highest degree of quality.”

“NEPEAN Engineering & Innovation’s competitive advantage is the ability to leverage deep engineering domain expertise and unique capabilities, developed by investing in machine infrastructure and tooling,” said Buckley.

This includes heavy machining, CNC and high precision toolroom along with design-for-manufacture experience, and the installation and commissioning of complex components, products and structures. NEPEAN Engineering & Innovation use the latest 3D modelling software and design applications for its workshop manufacturing process, whether this is for equipment at Narrabri coal mine, or a high rise building like Chifley Square in Sydney.

NEPEAN Engineering & Innovation has the capability to provide complete turn-key project solutions. They listen and respond to their client’s needs to provide a specialist solution for manufacture, installation and commissioning to enable asset optimisation. They have proven products operating across multiple industries.

For further information, visit: https://nepeanengineering.com.au

Precision Metal Group Pivots Operations in the Wake of COVID-19 Pandemic With the COVID-19 pandemic having a drastic affect on the global healthcare industry, Weld Australia member Precision Metal Group (PMG) has pivoted its business operations and is now manufacturing a range of new products.

Among these new products are a Decontamination Chamber and Tunnel, which are designed to help prevent the spread of viral illness’ through the sanitisation of people, equipment and products.

PMG is also manufacturing emergency deployment furniture, including beds, tables and shelving units, as well as a Mobile Morgue System, with a stretcher and body tray.

PMG has already designed and prototyped all these new products and is ready to begin mass manufacture to meet demand.

They are also an approved medical device manufacturer under the Therapeutic Goods Administration, and have had all new products certified for sale.

For more information, visit: www.precisionmetalgroup.com

Narrabri mine, New South Wales.

New South Wales Contact Paolo Corronca National Manager Engineering 0438 012 099 p.corronca@weldaustralia.com.au

8 Chifley Square, Sydney.

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Victoria Division News Weld Australia would like to welcome three new corporate members, all of whom have joined over last few months. Based in Victoria, these three new members include MaxiTRANS, Lucky Strike Welding, and IRISndt Australia.

MaxiTRANS Australia’s largest and only publicly-listed heavy duty trailer manufacturer, MaxiTRANS boasts five factories—four in Australia and one in New Zealand—and directly employs over 1,000 people.

The company is home to seven leading equipment brands, including Freighter, Maxi-CUBE, Hamelex White, Lusty EMS, AZMEB, Peki, and Trout River, as well as a robust national dealer network for sales, service and repairs. MaxiTRANS caters for a wide range of trailer equipment needs, providing freight products to industries as diverse as infrastructure, mining and grocery.

IRISndt Australia IRISndt is a privately-owned world leader in asset integrity services, operating in Australia, Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom. IRISndt provides specialised non-destructive testing and inspection services, asset integrity and materials engineering, failure analysis, rope access, and software services. Since 1953, the company has serviced the oil and gas, petroleum and petrochemical, chemical, power generation, and pipeline industries. A growing organisation with a great demand for their services, IRISndt employs over 1,600 people worldwide.

With values such as safety, empowering employees, honesty, collaboration and accountability, MaxiTRANS is working to keep automotive manufacturing jobs in Australia.

IRISndt is committed to developing its existing NDT and specialist services. This includes investing in state-of-the-art equipment and new technologies such as 3D laser scanning, digital radiography, and high temperature guided wave testing.

For further information, visit: https://www.maxitrans.com

For further information, visit: https://www.irisndt.com

Lucky Strike Welding With decades of experience in everything from welding and fabrication through to construction management, Lucky Strike Welding prides itself on delivering tailored services for every project.

Based in Mordialloc, Lucky Strike are experts in a range of welding applications, processes, procedures and Standards. The compnay has extensive experience in TIG, MIG, Orbital TIG, STT, MMA, SAW and MAG processes, as well as stainless steels, including clad lined piping and corrosion resistant alloys.

They have worked across myriad industries, including oil and gas, mining, power, petrochemical, infrastructure and defence, food and beverage.

Lucky Strike also provides third party welding and coating inspection (including NACE certified coating inspectors), Welding Supervisors, welding procedures, procurement planning, and detailed documentation review.

The MaxiTRANS facility in Ballarat.

Victoria Division Contact Victor Blain Senior Welding Engineer 0409 823 991 v.blain@weldaustralia.com.au

The MaxiTRANS 30,000m2 facility in Ballarat.

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South Australia Division News First Offshore Patrol Vessel Comes Together The Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) program has reached another milestone with the two halves of the first Arafura Class OPV coming together to form a complete hull.

Built by Luerssen Australia and its South Australian partner ASC, it marks the largest industrial manoeuvre at Osborne Naval Shipyard in South Australia.

Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon Linda Reynolds said the Australian Naval Infrastructure (ANI) operations team manoeuvred the two mega-blocks of the ship together, weighing 1,000 tonnes in total, with only millimetres between them.

“It is a source of great pride to see a unified purpose among industry partners Luerssen, ASC and ANI, with defence industry continuing to show resilience to deliver during these challenging times."

The Morrison Government is forging ahead with our landmark naval shipbuilding programs to not only deliver the important capabilities needed for the ADF, but provide a significant positive impact to the economy and continue to deliver jobs.”

The first of the OPVs, Arafura, is planned to enter service from the early 2020’s and will conduct border protection and maritime patrol missions alongside other Australian and regional partners.

Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Melissa Price MP congratulated ANI on its continued development work in South Australia.

“It is great to see new investments and innovations made as part of this program, with ANI undertaking significant expansion and modernisation of the Osborne Naval Shipyard."

“The OPV program is delivering benefits across Australia, with the first two vessels under construction at Osborne in South Australia and the remaining 10 vessels to be built at Henderson in Western Australia.”

Luerssen Australia is the Prime Contractor working with key shipbuilding partners ASC in South Australia and Civmec in Western Australia to deliver the OPV capability for Defence. The program of 12 vessels will replace and improve upon the capability delivered by the Armidale Class and Cape Class Patrol Boats.

Coregas Completes Major Fabrication Industry Installation Weld Australia member Coregas has completed the installation of one of the largest industrial reticulated gas pipeline systems in the company’s history. Coregas installed and commissioned four 700m reticulated pipelines (for argon, oxygen, LPG and air supply) and over 220 regulated outlets on behalf of structural steel fabricators, Genis Steel (SA), in Adelaide.

Genis Steel recently expanded into South Australia, opening a state-of-the-art fabrication facility at the Lionsgate Business Park in Elizabeth South. This large facility, which was once home to Holden’s press shops, boasts over 15m clear heights and a 100 tonne lifting capacity. Combined with their technical capabilities, workmanship and reputation for quality fabrication, the scale of the facility will enable Genis Steel to handle an almost unlimited scope of work.

Coregas worked closely with Genis Steel to understand their application requirements and design a cost-effective, efficient bespoke reticulation system that features quality gas control equipment supplied by Harris Products Group.

South Australia Contact Victor Blain Senior Welding Engineer 0409 823 991 v.blain@weldaustralia.com.au

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Queensland Division News This month, Weld Australia had a chat to Chris Brugeaud about the impact of COVID-19 on his businesses, as well as the broader Queensland market. Brugeaud is the CEO of steel fabrication company SSS Manufacturing and automation development company IR4, both of which are located in Yatala, on the Gold Coast.

How have market conditions changed in Queensland and for your businesses since the beginning of COVID-19?

In terms of the IR4 business, there has definitely been an increase in early stage inquiries and interest in automation. Organisations are trying to understand how to drive efficiency, reduce overheads, and become more competitive.

A key constraint to most of these organisations however is the availability of project capital.

The market is definitely split into two types of organsations: those who are viewing the situation as an opportunity to undertake capital expenditure programs to better compete; and those who have suspended all non-essential capital expenditure until the market is more stable.

In the SSS Manufacturing steel fabrication market, live, operational projects have continued, particularly in the construction sector. However, we've seen a high proportion of new projects in the development stages being deferred. Developers are waiting to see what market conditions transpire.

We're also seeing an increase in projects that were scheduled to be manufactured overseas being brought back onshore.

Locally, we've seen a lot of

businesses downsize their operations, but there still seems to be a reasonable amount of work for current projects.

We are expecting a dip in the market around October, once existing projects are completed and deferred projects fail to commence.

Can you describe any new opportunities you're seeing?

We collaborate with building technology services company PT Blink. They are looking to automate the structural steel design process, and then feed this automated design process into our automated production environment. This new process will provide for a significantly decreased installation and construction program. There has been a marked increase in interest in these sorts of programs in the wake of social distancing; developers and builders are looking to minimise the number of people onsite, along with the duration that they are on site.

In our engagement with customers, we're seeing delays in the drafting process; the timeframe from construction commencement by the builder or developer, until the point of manufacture is becoming longer.

This would tend to indicate that even elements of the structural steel design aspects of

construction are being brought back onshore as well.

Are there any barriers to you being able to leverage existing market opportunities?

One barrier has been the availability of working capital from both the Federal and the Queensland Government programs. While we have had negative early stage impacts—like most—from COVID-19, our outlook is quite strong. However, forecasts do not feature in the decision process between the Federal and State schemes. On face value, it looks as though government loans and funding is being provided to organisations that don't necessarily need them. We have received confirmation that we are eligible for the JobKeeper program though, which will be very helpful.

Have you had to put new measures in place to deal with COVID-19? If so, what are they?

We’ve implemented additional cleaning regimes, and a 'working from home' policy where possible.

Where we still have people in the office and workshop, they have separate cells and offices.

Queensland Contact Paolo Corronca National Manager Engineering 0438 012 099 p.corronca@weldaustralia.com.au

Inside the SSS Manufacturing facility in Yatala on the Gold Coast.

Inside the SSS Manufacturing facility.

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Western Australia Division News With a range of travel and social distancing restrictions in place to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, the IIW has relaxed site auditing requirements for certification to AS/NZS ISO 3834 Quality requirements for fusion welding of metallic materials. Weld Australia is able to audit companies remotely. The first company to undergo a remote audit was GF Engineering in Naval Base, Western Australia.

Weld Australia has developed a remote auditing procedure that exceeds the IIW requirements to ensure that both a rigorous auditing process is maintained, and the integrity of the certification system is upheld.

The procedure covers all stages of a regular onsite audit. The company being audited must provide sample documents and records from several projects completed over the course of the last year.

In addition, Weld Australia is utilising video conferencing facilities for the parts of audits where an auditor would usually tour the workshop, as well as video recording for record keeping purposes.

Any ambiguities that might arise during the desktop review and reporting process, are discussed and clarified with the company undergoing the audit before the results are finalised.

The GF Engineering Audit Established in 1973, GF Engineering prides itself on its reputation for excellence in specialist pipe fabrication for the oil, gas, chemical, power generation and mining sectors.

In 1999, GF Engineering was one of the first companies in Western Australia to receive certification to ISO 3834: Part 2.

According to Mehdi Tajfar (Senior Welding Engineer, Weld Australia) who performed the remote audit, "GF Engineering has been always an advocate of quality control and quality assurance. The results from their last few audits have always been good."

"GF Engineering's response to the remote audit was incredible.

The suitability and conformity of the documents provided to Weld Australia were thorough and very well organised—they addressed almost every aspect of the audit," said Tajfar.

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According to Trent Groves (Quality Manager and Responsible Welding Coordinator, GF Engineering), GF Engineering had no trouble with the move to a remote auditing process at all. "From our side, the remote audit was quite easy. The process was really straightforward and simple. It's not overly different to the usual face-to-face auditing process. You just need to allow a little bit of extra time to collate all the information required."

"Our systems and procedures are obviously all certified to AS/NZS ISO 3834 already, and all the questions we needed to answer, and the documentation we needed to supply, was all in line with that Standard. So, as long as your systems comply, a remote audit is simple."

Western Australia Division Contact Mehdi Tajfar, Welding Engineer 0417 044 370 m.tajfar@weldaustralia.com.au

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Northern Territory Division News Weld Australia recently spoke to Grant Ryan (Managing Director, A & B Welding) about the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on both his business, and the broader Northern Territory welding and fabrication industry.

The Impact on the Local Market Ryan explained that the main impact on his business, as well as the broader Northern Territory industry, has been widespread uncertainty.

"Naturally, the first impact we experienced was an initial slowing up of projects and new work. No one was sure what the implications of COVID-19 would look like. There has been a lot of uncertainty— both from our clients and within our own operations— in terms of how far COVID-19 would spread," said Ryan.

"This uncertainty has settled down a fair bit since the start of the pandemic though, particularly as the Northern Territory has been a lot luckier than the rest of the country in terms of case numbers."

"However, work has definitely eased off, particularly work associated with the offshore gas plants. All the offshore plants have essential personnel only working at the moment—just enough to keep all the facilities operating."

"As a result, a lot of planned

maintenance work has been stalled or postponed. All this maintenance work will come back online—we're just not sure when," said Ryan.

Measures to Deal with COVID-19 A & B Welding implemented several new measures within their operations to deal with COVID-19 and ensure strict adherence to all social distancing requirements.

"We’ve had to change a fair few aspects of our operations, particularly in terms of clients doing inspections throughout a project," said Ryan.

"We have a checklist that clients must complete before we can schedule an onsite inspection for them. We've designated quarantine areas within our facilities. We then set up the work that the client needs to inspect within these quarantine areas, so that none of our employees come into contact with our clients."

As an AS/NZS ISO 3834 certified company, A & B Welding is due for an audit. Ryan is in the process of organising a remote audit with Weld Australia. "While an in-person

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audit is definitely easier—you can sit with the auditor and go through everything quite quickly—it's great that Weld Australia is facilitating these audits remotely. This way, there's no risk of us loosing our certification. It's great that there is an alternative of offer," said Ryan.

Government Support For Ryan, the Government support programs on offer to businesses impacted by COVID-19 haven't been overly helpful so far.

"I've looked into the government programs, but we don’t really satisfy the criteria for any of them.

In terms of the Federal assistance, we're not eligible for JobKeeper— I haven’t had to lay anyone off and it's difficult to prove that revenue has dropped by 30%."

For more information, visit: http://abwelding.com.au Northern Territory Contact Paolo Corronca National Manager Engineering 0438 012 099 p.corronca@weldaustralia.com.au

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Tasmania Division News Incat Tasmania Awarded New High Speed Catamaran Contract By Seaworld Express Ferry Australian high speed vessel specialists, and Weld Australia members, Incat Tasmania and leading South Korean coastal passenger transport company Seaworld Express Ferry are pleased to announce an order for a new generation fast ferry.

The 76m bespoke high speed wave piercing catamaran ferry will accommodate up to 700 passengers and 79 cars when it enters service on the new route

between Jindo and Jeju early 2022.

A Southern Korean statesponsored service, Seaworld Express Ferry was selected as operator for the route in recognition of its past track record, current financial health and superior business plan.

According to Incat Tasmania Chairman Robert Clifford, Incat Tasmania is no stranger in Korean waters having delivered its first vessel to the region in 1995, the still highly regarded Sunflower.

“With Incat Tasmania’s track record in delivering vessels with speed, efficiency, reliability and

superior seakeeping, the client was moved to inspect Incat Tasmania-built 112m high speed ferry Natchan Rera trading in Taiwan in mid-2019,” said Clifford.

Incat Tasmania CEO Tim Burnell said, “With a significant improvement to both the waterline length and vessel trim compared with those earlier craft, the 76m ferry will also benefit from vastly improved speed and fuel consumption. The new design very much reflects thirty years of experience building market leading high speed vehiclepassenger ferries.”

Incat's facilities in Tasmania.

Inside Incat's facilities.

Tasmania Division Contact Victor Blain Senior Welding Engineer 0409 823 991 v.blain@weldaustralia.com.au

Welding at Incat's facilities.

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Advanced Welder Training Courses Fusion Welding Courses There are two ISO 9606 Qualification test of welders — Fusion welding —Part 1: Steels courses listed on Training.gov.au, the National Register of Vocational Education and Training (VET) in Australia. This is the authoritative source of Nationally Recognised Training and Registered Training Organisations (RTOs). These courses were developed in Victoria in 2018. One is intended for inexperienced welders, the other for experienced welders. Both use augmented reality welding simulators as a key component of the training.

Transition Workers To be awarded a certificate for the Course in Fusion Welding to AS/NZS ISO 9606 for Transition Workers, you must successfully complete seven units of competency (four core and three elective). Core units: • Simulate fusion welding processes using augmented reality equipment • Identify welding processes, safe welding practices and use of hand and power tools • Interpret and apply AS/NZS ISO 9606 for fusion welding processes • Perform fusion welding procedures to meet the procedures of ISO 9606-1 (Steels – carbon steels) Experienced Welders To be awarded a Statement of Attainment for the Course in Fusion Welding to AS/NZS ISO 9606 for Experienced Welders, you must successfully complete three units of competency (one core and two elective).

The core unit is: Interpret and apply AS/NZS ISO 9606 for fusion welding processes.

Elective Units Other elective units available include: • Perform fusion welding procedures to meet the procedures of AS/NZS ISO 9606-1 (Steels – stainless steel) • Perform fusion welding procedures to meet the requirements of • AS/NZS ISO 9606-2 (Aluminium and aluminium alloys) • Perform fusion welding procedures to meet the requirements of AS/NZS ISO 9606-3, 4 or 5 (Exotic metals) • Perform routine manual metal arc welding • Perform routine gas metal arc welding • Perform manual heating and thermal cutting • Read and interpret technical drawings and make measurements for a welding procedure

Enrol in a Fusion Welding Course Today

You can enrol in a Fusion Welding course through any of the Advanced Welder Training Centres across Australia. These are all listed below.

Queensland TAFE Queensland Caboolture Campus https://tafeqld.edu.au Tallon Street, Caboolture, Queensland TAFE Queensland SkillsTech https://tafeqld.edu.au 247 Bradman Street, Acacia Ridge, Queensland South Australia TAFE SA Regency Campus https://www.tafesa.edu.au 137 Days Road, Regency Park, South Australia Tasmania Tasmanian Minerals and Energy Council https://tasminerals.com.au 13 Wellington Street, Burnie, Tasmania Victoria Box Hill Institute https://www.boxhill.edu.au 465 Elgar Road, Box Hill, Melbourne, Victoria Bendigo TAFE http://www.bendigotafe.edu.au 23 Mundy Street, Bendigo, Victoria Federation University https://federation.edu.au Lydiard Street South, Ballarat, Victoria

Further Information For further information, please contact: training@weldaustralia.com.au or +61 2 8748 0100, or visit www.weldaustralia.com.au.

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For further information, contact: Donna South on d.south@weldaustralia.com.au or +61 (0)2 8748 0130