Hi-tech welding tips win top auto engineering award

A SMALL Victorian-based firm that produces hi-tech metal inert gas (MIG) welding tips has beaten GM Holden’s SIDI V6 engines and a new crash-test device from Autoliv Australia to win the nation’s top automotive engineering award.

Announced tonight at a gala event in Melbourne, the Society of Automotive Engineers – Australasia’s 12th annual Gold Automotive Engineering Excellence Award was presented to Dandenong-based MIGfast, which has developed a new tip that significantly reduces the amount of wire used by automotive welding robots.

The culmination of four years of research and development and based on a CSIRO design, the MIGfast tips are claimed to weld up to 50 per cent faster, last two to three times longer, use up to 30 per cent less energy and generate about 25 per cent less carbon dioxide than traditional welding tips.

The Silver Award was shared by GM Holden, for the development of the high-performance and low-emissions SIDI (Spark Ignition Direct Injection) V6 engines introduced on the recently launched MY10 VE Commodore range, and Autoliv Australia, for the development of a new pole side-impact crash simulation sled device.

Left: Holden 3.0 SIDI V6 engine. Below: Autoliv Australia.

The Autoliv simulator is designed to accurately reproduce the dynamic intrusion and deformation of vehicle structure and seat components, without having to scrap an entire vehicle after each test.

“The high standard of entries … is reflected in the fact that, for the first time, two entries were tied for the Silver Award,” said judging panel chairman David Ford.

“This is a true indication of the quality and market impact offered by the winners. The significant safety benefits, savings in materials and energy, and their added features cannot be underestimated.

“The judging panel agreed that the difference between the Gold and the equal Silver winners was very small indeed. A great deal of debate was required to make their final decisions. This is a commendable outcome from these companies, particularly in such difficult times.”

SAE-A president Patrick Ross said the 2009 Awards entries made a strong statement for the Australian automotive industry and challenged the economic pressures of “one of the toughest years faced by the global automotive industry”.

“The SAE-A Awards are an accurate measure of automotive engineering in the region,” said Mr Ross. “The strong state of the local industry is also demonstrated by recently announced engineering export projects, including the Ford Figo and GM Holden police vehicle.

“Engineering export programs such as these are the commercial proof of the creative skills of our automotive engineers.”