March 26, 2020

Sutton Tools: Key trends in automotive and aerospace

Established in 1917, Sutton Tools is a family-owned company manufacturing cutting tools for the metal cutting industry. The company supplies tools to end-user markets including automotive, medical, mining, power generation, aerospace, defence and the oil & gas industries. Founded by William Henry Sutton, the company is currently managed by the fourth generation of the Sutton family. Stephen Las Marias: Tell us about yourself and your role in the company. Jeff Boyd: I have a background in product engineering and technical R&D. That kind of matured into a more of a technical role in the field. In 2011, I headed up to Singapore, where I ran the company’s operation and distribution centre. I was there for nearly five years, running the Asian markets. Currently my role is to support our teams globally, and bring the necessary market information back to our head office to support our production facility. We offer…
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March 26, 2020

Why you should be asking “Which material?”, not “Which 3D printer?”

With material development expanding at a phenomenal rate, what you can produce using additive manufacturing now comes down to the properties and characteristics acquired through the source material, coupled with post-print processes. “With most of our clients it is not a question of which 3D printer to buy, it is what material is most suitable, together with the size of the object,” says Lee Bilby, Chief Operations Officer of Bilby 3D. “From there the 3D printer correct for them is usually obvious.” Australian polyurethane engineering expert Richmond Wheels and Castors (RWC) has been utilising milling and casting on their production line for 61 years. According to David Powell, Quality Assurance Manager at RWC: “Prior to adopting 3D printing we went through the process of going to seminars & training and got totally confused.” RWC engaged in a consultation with Bilby 3D to explore possibilities. Was there a material that could make…
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March 26, 2020

Why mid-sized manufacturers are crucial to the defence sector’s future

Considering the concentration of SMBs in the Australian defence sector, to achieve the ambitious growth required, more emphasis needs to be placed on helping them enhance their capabilities in order to become long-term strategic suppliers to the Department of Defence (Defence). The Federal Government has already invested a record $200bn in Australia’s defence industry capabilities in order to encourage more innovation and growth. How can SMBs win major defence contracts? One of the challenges is that defence machinery and equipment can be in operation for up to 30 years, which is why Defence wants to see an iron-clad supply chain that will be around when the equipment is nearing the end of its life. The strategic suppliers to Defence need to prove that they have the necessary growth strategy, systems and resources to position their businesses to become…
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March 26, 2020

Realising the promise of Industry 4.0 in Australian manufacturing

The Australian manufacturing industry has endured a number of challenges over the past decade. When you consider the Global Financial Crisis (GFC), the growth of overseas manufacturing (particularly in China), and the end of Australia’s automotive assembly operations, there have been a number of events that have posed significant threats to the industry locally.  Despite these challenges, the sector has remained a valuable contributor to the Australian economy. In fact, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the manufacturing industry contributes approximately $100bn to Australia’s annual GDP and employs around 900,000 Australians. Moreover, employment in the sector is expected to continue to increase over the next five years.  Gaining an advantage from Industry 4.0   While the manufacturing sector is expected to continue to grow, it must embrace modern technologies, such as those that encompass Industry 4.0. This new era is best defined by the deployment of digital technologies to transform every aspect of manufacturing and industrial operations. According to the World Economic Forum’s Readiness for the Future of Production Report, Australia is positioned as having “high potential” for Industry 4.0. To…
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March 19, 2020

Boost for local medical manufacturing amid COVID-19

Med-Con Pty Ltd – a manufacturer near Shepparton in regional Victoria – has increased production with the support of the Government and the Australian Defence Force. Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Karen Andrews said work is underway to significantly increase their manufacturing capability over time to meet demand as the COVID-19 situation continues to evolve. “From helping to access new equipment to providing staff, we are doing what we can to enable companies like Med-Con to ramp up production and boost our domestic capacity,” Minister Andrews said. “There’s a lot of fear in the community at the moment but Australians should know that work is happening to help us best respond to this unfolding crisis. “This is important work but it’s also essential we get it right – this equipment needs to be produced to the highest standards.” Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon Linda Reynolds CSC said around a dozen ADF personnel are helping under Defence Assistance to the Civil Community (DACC)…
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March 19, 2020

Tax stimulus package for businesses in response to coronavirus

The business investment measures are designed to assist economic growth in the short term and encourage a stronger economic recovery following the coronavirus outbreak. Tax incentives for businesses The below tax incentives will support over 3.5m businesses employing more than 9.7m employees. Increasing the instant asset write-off. The instant asset write-off allows small businesses an immediate deduction for depreciating assets costing less than the threshold of $30,000 (which will revert to $1,000 from 1 July 2020), to the extent that the asset is to be used for tax-deductible purposes. With effect from 12 March 2020, the instant asset write-off threshold is increased from $30,000 to $150,000, and access will be expanded to include businesses with an aggregated annual turnover of less than $500m (up from $50m) until 30 June 2020. The rules apply from 12…
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March 19, 2020

Service and support: Applied/Yawei partnership boosts growth at KNS Metals.

Proudly family-owned and operated, KNS was founded by Kamal Singh. Kamal had been working in the sheet metal industry for more than 30 years when in 2014 he spotted an opportunity in the marketplace. With his extensive experience, he believed that it was the right time to go it alone. He took that knowledge with him when he founded the company with his wife and two sons. The business has grown rapidly over the past several years. Today KNS now operates with around 10-15 staff at its facility in Dandenong South, south east of Melbourne. Amal, Kamal’s elder son, is now the company’s General Manager. KNS Metals specialises in custom programming and design fabrication for both commercial and residential customers. Commercial is the backbone of the company, providing around 95% of its business, while residential makes up the remainder. The company also offers a range of other services, including CNC turret punching, laser cutting, pressbrake bending and welding. KNS operates Australia-wide but most of…
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March 19, 2020

High IQ tools optimise metalworking in a digital world

New demands have affected and influenced almost every element of a technology process: from planning and communication networks, to machinery – and even cutting tools, which are arguably the most conservative element in a manufacturing system. Cutting tool producers need to react appropriately and provide products according to these new requirements. Digitisation in the cutting tool field is characterised by two emerging trends. The first trend is to enable the cutting tool to communicate with advanced machinery and cyber-physical production systems in order to advise about variables such as tool wear, predictable tool life, total time of the tool involved in cutting, and so on. The second trend relates to the information about the tool that should be provided by a cutting tool manufacturer. Manufacturers are expected to supply data about their products, and catalogs and guides have long been an integral part of the product itself. The…
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March 19, 2020

Investing in machinery : The key to Plastool’s success

Plastool was established by Bert Down in the 1950s, originally operating out of Box Hill, Victoria. The company has undergone significant growth over the years, and now employs a staff of 14 at a purpose-built 1,600sqm facility in Mordialloc, in Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs. The business remains very much a family operation, with Bert’s sons Gary and Andrew now serving as Chief Executive Officer and Manufacturing Director respectively. Plastool provides high-precision 3D CNC machining, engineering and toolmaking solutions. This includes new tooling, repairs, and modifications to all types of moulds. The company’s primary focus is on the food packaging, aerospace, defence, automotive, housewares, medical, electronics, building and construction industries. It has now expanded into thin-wall plastic and composite tooling. According to Kieron Donoghue, Project Manager at Plastool, the secret to Plastool’s success has always been good leadership. “Gary and Andrew Down always research the future trends of the market and pursue them,” he explains. “They are willing to reinvest any profits back into the company. This includes investing in new machinery and…
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March 19, 2020

Corrosion consequences on the high seas

Australia’s maritime industry operates in a wide variety of open water and coastal environments ranging from hot, humid tropical, to windy, freezing sub-Antarctic. According to international standards, most of these are classified as having very high to extreme corrosion severity, containing high levels of salt-laden aerosols. The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) has all its water-borne assets and most support infrastructure exposed to these environments. For the RAN, corrosion has consequences in addition to the economic ones faced by other organisations. The RAN consists of approximately 50 warships including frigates, destroyers, amphibious landing ships, submarines and patrol boats. It also operates minehunters, resupply vessels and hydrographic survey ships. In addition to its vessels, the RAN’s rotary wing aircraft are integral to its operations. Generally, warships can tolerate higher levels of corrosion causing structural damage than aircraft. All of the RAN’s vessels, equipment and structures must be protected…
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March 12, 2020

One on One: Dr Christopher Hegarty

AMT: You’ve been CEO at ANCA for about a year and a half now. How’s it gone so far? Christopher Hegarty: In general, very positive. It’s a great company, fantastic products. We have more recently faced some tough market conditions. That’s driven by the end of the smartphone boom; trade issues between China and the US aren’t helping, and Europe’s got its own struggles, so people are cautious. But we have some fantastic new products in the pipeline that will really grow our business, so I’m looking forward to the next upturn. ANCA is a machine tool manufacturer, we make tool and cutter grinders, automation systems and metal fabrication, but our customers have demand for more products than that: other machines, other process steps. There’s a lot we can do to help around integration and automation, delivering an end-to-end tool production system, with no manual operations at all. That’s the vision. That’s what we’re aiming for. And the beauty of that is it’s a much bigger market than just the machine part; it’s highly attractive for…
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March 12, 2020

Coronavirus – Advice for businesses

Australia is continuing to closely monitor the ongoing outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a novel (new) coronavirus (COVID-19). Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that can cause illnesses from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV). The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the outbreak of COVID-19 as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. While the majority of confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported from Mainland China, cases have been reported in many other countries and regions, including Iran, Italy and South Korea. Cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Australia. You can access the latest information on COVID-19 from the Australian Government Department of Health. Currently in Australia, people most at risk of contracting the virus are people who have either been in a high-risk country or region recently, or been in close contact with someone who is a confirmed case of coronavirus. Managing the risks from COVID-19 The model Work…
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March 12, 2020

William Buck: Will proposed changes to the R&D Tax Incentive drive Australian manufacturing offshore?

The revised Bill which will be considered by Parliament early this year (and if enacted expected to apply to all claims from 1 July 2019), could be a significant barrier for the growth of many companies such as the manufacturing sector that rely on government support like the R&D Tax Incentive for much-needed cash-injections. Disappointingly, the proposed R&D Tax Incentive changes could decrease the benefits available to manufacturing companies performing legitimate R&D activities in Australia. The most impacted would be companies with an aggregated turnover (i.e. which includes the turnover of all grouped entities) above $20m that will be subjected to a new more complicated R&D intensity test. This test, if it results in a low ‘R&D intensity’ score (‘R&D intensity’ measured by eligible R&D deductions divided by total company expenses) could…
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