South Australian sheet metal manufacturing company Rowlands Metalworks have unveiled their new 3D welding robot capability Arcemy.
Managing Director of Rowlands Metalworks, Cameron Johnston, said the half-a-million-dollar investment, supported by a Sovereign Industrial Capability Priority Grant from the Federal Government’s Centre for Defence Industry Capability (CDIC), places the company in a great position to expand their Defence Prime contracts in the state and nationally.
“With defence representing a significant percentage of our business and growing, the 3D printing technology provides a unique opportunity for capability development, allowing us to deliver sophisticated equipment for the expanding needs of the Australian defence industry,” Johnston said.
Supplied through South Australian peer AML3D, the Arcemy robot will "diversify the product offering of Rowlands Metalworks to supply companies such as Spark Furniture, Enviro Australis, Seeley International and Seed Terminator, as well as meeting the demands of next-generation defence projects in South Australia and nationally".
BAE industries will be the first Defence Prime to benefit from the technology, as part of SEA 5000 Hunter Class construction.
With several submarine and defence projects within the state, Johnston believes, the 3D technology will be a game changer for the business. Arcemy reportedly enables new standards of lightweight structures with degrees of geometric complexity, parts consolidation and design optimisation that were not previously possible.
“The defence industry moves rapidly which is why it is vital to evolve business expertise to effectively deliver sophisticated technological innovations that meet the advanced requirements of projects both domestically and internationally,” Johnston said.
Rowlands Metalworks says its workforce is also expected to grow as a result, with apprenticeship training programs also under consideration by the company.
“Rowlands Metalworks investment in this state-of-the-art technology demonstrates how our $90 billion-dollar defence shipbuilding program is driving economic growth and job creation in South Australia,” Minister for Innovation and Skills David Pisoni said.
“The Marshall Government’s $200 million-dollar Skilling South Australia program is playing a critical role in training the apprentices needed as our manufacturing sector goes from strength to strength,” Minister Pisoni added.
Rowlands Metalworks unveiled the 3D robot technology at a Gala event for the South Australian business and defence communities on 7 May 2021.