New technology to overcome greenhouse gas emissions in welding

A breakthrough in robot MIG (metal inert gas) welding which will increase welding speed and consequently boost productivity in the metal fabrication sector is the latest investment project for the Centre for Energy and Greenhouse Technologies (CEGT).

Robot welding was introduced to manufacturing production lines a number of years ago to improve welding speed and consistency. Greatest interest and uptake occurred in the automotive industry, in both vehicle manufacturing/assembly plants and sub-component supplier production lines.

Robot MIG or gas metal arc welding is now widely used across metal fabrication but it requires a significant amount of electricity and uses carbon dioxide (CO2) as a shielding gas. Both contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, which was the catalyst for CEGT's interest in the technology.

CEGT is to invest $450,000, alongside another strategic investor, into MIGfast Pty Ltd, the company formed to commercialise the new technology.

The MIGfast product is a consumable welding contact tip that is claimed to provide significant benefits in welding productivity, weld quality and fume reduction. It has been developed by the CSIRO and the CRC for welded structures.

The patented MIGfast welding tip has been designed to be interchangeable with existing welding tips to allow simple and cost-effective take-up of the new technology. It allows more efficient welding for both pulsed and non-pulsed MIG welding processes. Other advantages include reduced weld fumes and spatter, resulting in a cleaner and safer work area and significantly reduced heat distortion in welded parts as half the energy is injected into the weld for the same result.