Home About Career & CV Work with Graham Articles Book Graham
Articles, Opinions & Industry Commentary

Straight Talk
on Welding.

I write about what I see on the shop floor, what the standards actually require, and where the Australian welding industry is getting it wrong โ€” and right. No filler. No corporate fluff.

๐Ÿ“‹
Standards & Compliance
15 October 2025 8 min read Featured

Why ISO 3834 Should Be Non-Negotiable for Australian Fabricators

Too many Australian fabrication shops are still treating ISO 3834 as something only the big international contractors need. That view is getting companies caught out โ€” on major resource projects, defence contracts, and increasingly on government infrastructure work. Here's what the standard actually requires, why it matters, and what I see going wrong when organisations approach it without proper preparation.

Read Article โ†’
๐Ÿ‘ท
Industry Issues
2 September 2025 6 min read

The Skills Shortage Isn't Going Away โ€” Here's How to Actually Address It

We've been talking about the welding skills shortage for a decade. The conversation hasn't moved much. The industry keeps waiting for someone else to fix it.

Read Article โ†’
โš™๏ธ
Technical
18 August 2025 7 min read

Getting Your WPS Right the First Time: What Most Companies Miss

A Welding Procedure Specification isn't just a document โ€” it's the technical foundation of everything you weld. These are the mistakes that come up time and again, and they're almost all avoidable.

Read Article โ†’
๐Ÿค–
Technical
5 July 2025 9 min read

Welding Automation: What Works, What Doesn't, and What Nobody Tells You

The gap between what vendors promise and what actually happens on a production floor is significant. Here's an honest assessment based on what I've seen firsthand.

Read Article โ†’
๐Ÿ“
Standards & Compliance
12 June 2025 5 min read

Why AS/NZS 1554 Compliance Trips Up Even Experienced Fabricators

AS/NZS 1554 has been around for decades. You'd think everyone in structural fabrication would have it covered. These are the clauses that keep catching people out โ€” even shops with solid track records.

Read Article โ†’
๐ŸŽ“
Training & Skills
28 April 2025 6 min read

What a Welding Supervisor Actually Needs to Know โ€” and Where Training Falls Short

ISO 14731 defines the role of the Welding Coordinator clearly. The reality of how we're training people for that role in Australia is, frankly, not good enough.

Read Article โ†’
๐Ÿ”ฌ
Quality Systems
10 March 2025 7 min read

Pre-Qualified Joints: Are They Actually Saving You Time and Money?

Pre-qualified joints can be a genuine efficiency gain โ€” but only if you understand exactly what the standard permits. I've seen companies use them outside their allowed parameters and not realise the problem until an auditor arrives.

Read Article โ†’
๐ŸŒ
Industry Issues
14 February 2025 5 min read

Overseas Fabrication on Australian Projects: The Quality Risks Nobody Wants to Talk About

The economics of offshore fabrication are real. But the quality management risks are consistently underestimated. Here's what robust supplier qualification actually looks like when the fabricator is on the other side of the world.

Read Article โ†’
โŒ
Quality Systems
20 January 2025 6 min read

Weld Failure: What It Really Tells You About Your Quality System

A weld failure isn't just a metallurgical event โ€” it's a systems failure. How you respond tells me more about your quality culture than any certification document.

Read Article โ†’
Stay in the Loop

New Articles, Direct to Your Inbox

I publish new articles when I've got something worth saying โ€” not on a schedule designed to fill a content calendar.

No spam. Unsubscribe any time.

๐Ÿ‘ท
About the Author

Graham Fry

IWE ยท Principal Welding Engineer ยท Founder, Technoweld

Graham Fry has spent over 30 years in the welding and fabrication industry, working across Australia, the United Kingdom, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. He founded Technoweld in 2005 and writes without a corporate filter on the issues the Australian welding industry needs to face honestly.