Wollongong University Information, Resources & Capabilities

The CRC-WS activities of the University of Wollongong currently involve staff and facilities from the following disciplines:

• Materials Engineering Mechanical Engineering Civil Engineering Electrical Engineering Informatics
• Business studies

The University does however actively encourage the involvement of staff from all its faculties and departments. The overall capabilities of UOW are listed on the University web site at:http://uow.edu.au/research/

Facilities

Some of the facilities of particular relevance to the work of the CRC are:

Scanning Electron Microscope	Metallurgical facilities which include a comprehensive range of optical and electron microscopes including state of the art SEMs with microanalytical facilities. An atomic force microscope (AFM) which has being used for examination and categorisation of surfaces prior to adhesive bonding. A Laser Confocal microscope for direct observation of solidification behaviour.
A rapid quench dilatometer which has already been used for weldability studies in high strength low alloy steels. A "Gleeble" thermo-mechanical simulator with facilities for subjecting samples to typical welding thermal cycles and dynamic loading. Standard static and dynamic mechanical testing facilities. In addition special purpose testing equipment has been built for example for fatigue testing of adhesively bonded aluminium in marine corrosion environments.		Gleeble Thermo-mechanical Simulator
The automated welding laboratory is equipped with:
Robot Welding Cell	Three welding robots, including the latest computer linked state of the art IRB 1400 from ABB. And a Panasonic system which is equipped for welding fume studies. An advanced computer controlled mechanised GMAW system with high speed electrical data acquisition and synchronised high speed cine and video facilities.
A prototype mechanized girth welding system for pipeline applications. A range of innovative welding power supplies, including bi-polar GTAW, Pulsed transfer GMAW and controlled dip transfer systems. A 28Ghz microwave system has recently been installed for high temperature metal-ceramic brazing		Automated Pipe Welding

People

The welding and joining research activity involves multidisciplinary teams from University as well as a large number of collaborators from industry.

Some of the principal participants in the programme are:

• Professor John Norrish
  CRC Chair in Materials Welding and Joining
• Professor Druce Dunne
  Materials Engineering
• Professor Brendan Parker
  Dean of Engineering
• Professor Gunter Arndt
  Professor of Manufacturing Engineering
• Professor Mike West
  Professor of Applied Mechanics
• Professor Chris Cook
  Head of Electrical Engineering
• Dr Huijun Li
  Materials Enginnering
• Dr Geoff Brooks
  Materials Enginnering
• Dr Geoff Spinks
  Materials Enginnering
• Dr Z Chen
  Materials Enginnering
• Associate Prof Animesh Basu
  Mechanical Engineering
• Dr Wee King Soh
  Mechanical Engineering
• Dr Friso DeBoer
  Mechanical Engineering

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