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August 26, 2014

UOW expertise to play key role in Australia’s naval manufacturing future

UOW engineering expertise will form a critical part of transforming Australia’s naval industry.

UOW's Welding Engineering Research Group will work on the naval manufacturing research centre in areas such as repair and maintenance of submarine hulls and robotic inspection of ship compartments. Photo: 

The Australian Research Council (ARC) Training Centre for Transforming Australia's Naval Manufacturing Industry, based at the ¾«¶«´«Ã½ of Tasmania's in Launceston, was officially opened recently.

Led by and based at the ¾«¶«´«Ã½ of Tasmania’s Australian Maritime College, the $3.8 million centre, with $2.4 million funded through the ARC’s (ITTC) scheme, will also combine the expertise of six leading defence materials organisations and two other collaborating universities including UOW.

The training centre will support Australia’s ambitious multi-billion dollar naval shipbuilding program, comprising the design and manufacture of new fleets of submarines, future frigates and patrol boats, through developing advanced techniques to efficiently design, construct and sustain the naval fleet.

The UOW team includes Associate Professor Huijun Li (materials and weldability), Dr Stephen van Duin (industrial automation) and Emeritus Professor John Norrish (welding technology) from the (WERG).

Professor John Norrish said the team would be working closely with the industry partners in areas such as repair and maintenance of submarine hulls and robotic inspection of ship compartments.

“The sustainment of the existing naval platforms and successful implementation of major replacement projects requires solutions to key research and development questions,” Professor Norrish said.

“Over the next three years the centre will tackle the research needs of the industry and train a group of 10 postgraduate students and three postgraduate researchers to ensure these needs continue to be met.

At least one post-doctoral researcher and three scholarship students are expected to be based at UOW where they will make use of the state of the art advanced industrial robotics and the extensive materials development and testing facilities at UOW.”

ARC CEO Professor Byrne said the training centre would foster innovation in the design and manufacture of new naval platforms—including submarines, frigates and patrol boats— through strong collaboration between researchers and industry.