Mining Magazine > Panorama > Ausdrill chooses Thompson welding solution

Australian-based Thompson Friction Welding has delivered a new custom-built system for joining drill rod and pipe components to Remet Engineers, a subsidiary of mining services provider Ausdrill.
Thompson produces a range of linear and rotary friction welding machines designed to join components for the aerospace, automotive, mining, mineral and water exploration industries.
The new machine features a specially designed spindle and chuck to accommodate a variety of tooling required for different drill pipe and inner tube shapes.
With a 60t forging force, it is capable of friction welding an array of pipes and rods in diameters and lengths ranging from 1.5-9m.
Thompson has also added an internal modular boring tool so that flash removal on narrowing tubes can be performed on the same machine without the need to transfer parts to another workstation.
Simon Jones, Thompson’s sales manager said: “After Remet undertook a study to research and identify the fundamentals of friction welding in the manufacture of drill rods, the company not only realised it was a common method used around the world, but also that its offshore competitors were using the process extensively and importing their product.
Remet plans to integrate a number of automated material handling systems with the Thompson machine in the near future to further improve its production rates.