Thompson Friction Welding supplies novel, flexible machine to Australian drilling outfit

The award-winning Halesowen-based company has produced a custom-built system for joining drill rod and pipe components for Remet Engineers, a subsidiary of mining services provider Ausdrill, based in Perth. Thompson's machine features a specially designed spindle and chuck so that it can accommodate a variety of tooling, required for different drill pipe and inner tube shapes. The equipment, which has a 60 tonne forging force, is capable of friction welding an array of pipes and rods, in diameters and lengths ranging from 1.5 up to 9 m. 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. It is the first time that Thompson has integrated the fully programmable device on a 60 tonne model, and has been made possible by a sliding-head design, developed for its complete machine range. "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," explained Simon Jones, Thompson's sales manager. "Remet said it chose Thompson to supply the machine because it is a long-established company whose technology and design concepts are both reliable and achievable," he added. 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. Image: Kalpesh Chauhan, Remet design engineer (left) with Thompson sales manager Simon Jones