ANI employs robotic helper

WA IS gaining national and overseas recognition as a leader in welding by using robotic technology to complete multi-million dollar contracts.

ANI Engineering has installed special new robotic welding equipment at its Fremantle factory that has enabled the company to boost its output and considerably reduce costs.

ANI Engineering general manager Jim Aquino said the robots — the first of their kind to be installed in Australia — are undertaking contracts at a high level of productivity, safety and cost competitiveness.

“The effect of the robots on the industry and ANI has been quite significant,” he said.

The robots are capable of welding well more than 2.5 million linear inches of weld — equivalent to 58 kilometres — and producing about 30,000 pipe spools with a total length in excess of 160 kilometres in just 12 months.

Mr Aquino said in the past a pipe spooling job of this magnitude would take up several facilities to complete within a similar time frame.