Toolbox: Stainless Steel Welding in Practice

3.00pm – 3.10pm

Welcome and Introduction: ASSDA

3.10pm – 3.35pm

Getting Stainless Steel Welding Right: Meeting Code and Quality Requirements

Paul Gedye, Senior Welding Inspector, iTest NDT

Providing industry insights into improving quality and compliance, drawing on 30 years’ experience in welding in the stainless steel industry and 10+ years as a welding inspector.

• Complying with codes vs. fulfilling the contract

• Why welding inspection and welding supervision matters

• What’s an approved welding procedure?

• How long do welder qualification last?

• What are the common mistakes being made?

3.35pm – 4.00pm

Shielding Gases for Stainless Steels Including Latest Developments from BOC

Richard Fowles, Manufacturing Gases Applications Manager Australia & New Zealand, BOC

Explore the role of shielding gases in stainless steel welding, including gas selection, gas mixtures and how the right shielding gas can influence weld quality and productivity.

4.00pm – 4.25pm

High Integrity Stainless Steel Welding: Best Practice from Preparation to Orbital Welding

Ray Douma, Technical Sales Representative, SPW

Producing high quality stainless steel welds requires more than good welding technique. The session will explore the critical role of weld preparation, purging and orbital welding in delivering consistent, code-compliant results while improving productivity, reducing rework and protecting corrosion resistance. Attendees will learn:

• Why accurate pipe preparation and fit-up are the foundation of high quality stainless steel welds

• Best practice purging techniques to protect corrosion resistance while reducing gas consumption and purge times

• Where orbital welding delivers advantages over manual GTAW, and the applications where it provides the greatest value

• Common causes of weld defects in stainless steel fabrication, and practical methods to prevent them

• Recent advances in weld preparation, purging and orbital welding technology that improve quality, repeatability and efficiency.

4.25pm – 4.50pm

Laser Welding Stainless: Safety, Process and Standards on the Shop Floor

Cameron Jamieson, Director, Industrial Laser Solutions

Handheld laser welding brings a different safety profile, heat input behaviour, and finishing process from TIG or MIG – and adopting it means understanding all three. This session walks through what safety controls actually look like in a working factory, how heat input and corrosion resistance compare to conventional welding, and how laser cleaning is being used to passivate welds without pickling paste, closing with the standards a compliant setup needs to meet. Key takeaways for attendees:

• Safety in practice – what laser safety controls actually look like on the factory floor: classification, engineering controls, PPE, operator training, and what changes from arc welding safety assumptions

• Heat input and corrosion resistance – how laser’s heat input and cooling profile differ from TIG/MIG, and the effect on distortion, HAZ, and corrosion resistance in stainless

• Laser cleaning for weld passivation – using laser cleaning to remove heat tint and restore the passive layer post-weld, as an alternative to pickling paste or mechanical finishing

• Standards – what AS/NZS and Weld Australia standards (including TGN-SW02) a compliant laser welding setup needs to meet

4.50pm – 5.15pm

Post-weld Treatment: Protecting Stainless Steel Performance

Pankaj Dahiwadkar, Sales Director SEA & Oceania, Voestalpine 

Post-weld treatment is essential for preserving the corrosion resistance and long-term performance of stainless steel weldments. This session explores the impact of welding on stainless steel surfaces and reviews effective post-weld treatment methods, including cleaning, pickling, and passivation, to restore surface integrity and maximise service life in demanding environments. Attendees will learn:

• Effects of welding on stainless steel corrosion resistance

• Heat tint removal and surface restoration

• Pickling and passivation best practices

• Prevention of weld-related corrosion issues

• Maintaining long-term stainless steel performance and reliability

5.15pm – 5.25pm

Closing Remarks: ASSDA

5.25pm – 6.30pm

Networking Drinks and Refreshments