October 22, 2020
Unpredictable tool life is one of the biggest threats in automotive production, particularly as its operations are so highly automated and use some of the world’s most advanced robotics and automation systems. Downtime is time-consuming, disrupts production and is expensive, so it goes without saying that tool failures should be avoided at all costs. In some instances, manufacturers set the tool change interval to less than the maximum tool life. This approach is normally preferred because material variations in automotive components are minimal. It follows that the tool changes should be predictable, and safer than trying to extend the tool life to manufacture a few more components. For Sandvik Coromant’s specialists, the key to longer tool life is not limited to the amount of time a tool spends in use, but also the drill design itself. This approach led to the development of the CoroDrill 860 with enhanced -GM geometry, a new-design solid…
October 22, 2020
The short-chain revolution and the US-China trade war have caused manufacturing industries to migrate. The previously expected economic recovery was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic, which has forced global manufacturing industries to move towards digitalisation. Taiwan’s machine tool manufacturers, such as YCM, Goodway, Campro and others, use Internet of Things (IoT) technology to transfer real-time information in the workshop, including data such as production progress and machine operation status. Advanced applications such as monitoring dashboards and mobile devices are employed to achieve remote control and management (RCM). Personnel can solve real-time problems without frequently entering the workshop. Meanwhile, by browsing in split-screen, more machines can be managed with less manpower. In addition to RCM, the use of augmented reality (AR) under a 5G technical environment also provides the industry a non-contact management model. Via remote AR, manufacturing support experts can…
October 22, 2020
The material, developed by Australia’s national science agency CSIRO in collaboration with Tasmanian small business CBG Systems, has already been installed on two new ships and used to replace cladding on another. The prototype paneling, called Rapid Access Composite (RAC) Plus, is the first of its kind in the world and uses a thermal protective coating that can withstand temperatures of over 1,000 degrees Celsius and remain structurally stronger than conventional fire protection coatings. The innovative panels are also reversible and can repel water, potentially doubling their service life. The current design is specific for high-speed aluminium ships, but the composite has the potential to be modified for construction products. Weighing about half as much as traditional metal cladding, the resulting reduction in fuel consumption will lower carbon emissions, leading to greener ships across the globe as well as enhancing overall operational efficiencies. The new technology was supported through several Federal Government programs and has created new jobs…
October 20, 2020
Based in Port Melbourne, Sentient Bionics has been developing anthropomorphic robotic grippers for more than half a decade. During that time the company has worked with prosthetic users, hospitals and industry partners to develop a range of grippers suitable to satisfy everyday human and robotic needs. Familiarity, versatility and affordability are at the core of Sentient Bionics’s ethos, and it has developed hands that allow people and robots to interact in a natural and effective way. Additive manufacturing has already been a large part of Sentient’s business, giving it the ability to quickly prototype both adult and child-sized prosthetic mechanical hands. Additive manufacturing’s fast development time has allowed Sentient Bionics to start clinical trials and quickly respond to feedback gained through them with helpful and progressive design changes. While Sentient Bionics specialises in the design and assembly of technology and devices, it has outsourced the manufacturing of components. Although it has some basic desktop fused deposition modelling (FDM) printers in-house, which it uses for rapid prototyping operations, the…
October 20, 2020
Published on 15 October in the journal Nature Communications, researchers demonstrated that the poor fatigue performance of high-strength aluminium alloys was because of weak links called ‘precipitate free zones’ (PFZs). The team led by Professor Christopher Hutchinson, a Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at Monash, was able to make aluminium alloy microstructures that can heal the weak links while in operation (i.e. a form of self-healing). The improvement in the lifetime of high strength aluminium alloys could be 25 times compared to current state-of-the-art alloys. Aluminium alloys are the second-most popular engineering alloy in use today. Compared to steel, they are light (one-third of the density), non-magnetic and have excellent corrosion resistance. Aluminium alloys are important for transport applications because they are light, which improves fuel efficiency. However, their fatigue properties are notoriously poor compared to steel of similar strength. Professor Hutchinson said when using aluminium alloys for transport, the design must compensate for the fatigue limitations of aluminium alloys. This means more…
October 20, 2020
In the first of many local packages to be offered throughout the life of the 50 year program, these specialised pieces of equipment include the steering gear system, weapons handling system and main shaft line and will support hundreds of Australian jobs. In contrast to previous submarine builds that have involved manufacturing similar equipment overseas, this announcement will deliver increased capability, technology and capacity in Australia. Jean-Michel Billig, Naval Group Executive Vice-President Australian Future Submarine, said that the package of work demonstrated Naval Group’s real action to maximise Australian capability and involvement as well as benefit local manufacturing and jobs. “Ever since Naval Group has been chosen as strategic partner for the Attack-class submarine program, we have had a strong focus on ensuring that significant benefits are delivered to Australians and local industry through the 50-year program,” Billig said. “This package, the first of many, demonstrates our clear commitment to Australian industry…
October 20, 2020
As a business owner, it can be tempting to seek short cuts to find your best-fit insurance cover. The internet offers you an overwhelming range of options, but it can be tricky to work out the right cover to suit your business needs (and cheaper is not always the best). You could have then taken out a policy because it was quick and ticked most of your boxes. Maybe the impact of COVID-19 has belatedly made you take to the fine print with a magnifying glass. For example, did you have a chance to check the independence of the comparison website? Social proof might have weighed in on your decision-making too, rather than doing your usual due diligence. Spoilt for choice With millions of individual insurance policies offered through multiple brands, and distribution channels across Australia, insurance brokers are a valuable guide to help businesses determine which policy offers the best fit for their needs. It…
October 20, 2020
The plan, which would see Maryborough become an engine for local jobs creation over the next decade, includes: $600m for 20 new Queensland trains and the infrastructure needed to build them in Maryborough, supporting 690 new jobs. $1m for a business case to replace carriages for the Westlander, Inlander and Spirit of the Outback long-distance services. A continued $300m, 10-year pipeline of manufacturing work in Maryborough to refurbish and maintain the existing QR fleet being delivered by Downer. Continuing $85m investment for Maryborough workers to fix overseas-bought trains. The Australasian Railway Association (ARA) has welcomed the plan. ARA Chief Executive Officer Caroline Wilkie said the commitment to invest $600m to build the new trains formed part of a wider $1bn pipeline to give the sector greater certainty and scale. “This commitment would transform the face of Queensland manufacturing and shows once and for all that trains can and should be built here in Australia,” Wilkie said. “This investment in…
October 15, 2020
The Government recently announced that it will invest $1.2bn to support Australian businesses to employ 100,000 new apprentices or trainees as part of Australia’s COVID-19 economic recovery plan. According to Geoff Crittenden, CEO of Weld Australia, the Government must set a target to achieve much-needed improvements in the gender composition of Australia’s trades. “In a post COVID-19 world, irrespective of how much funding the Federal Government invests in training and apprenticeships, Australia’s economy will not recover unless we maintain our industrial, manufacturing and infrastructure sectors,” said Crittenden. “The only way to do this is to broaden our labour pool by attracting women into trades such as welding. We need a proactive, targeted approach that engages and recruits women into the trades, new and innovative trade training programs designed specifically for women, and measurable gender diversity targets set by the Federal Government. “In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has revealed the budget will be in the red by $184.5 billion in 2020-2021, marking the largest deficit since World…
October 15, 2020
Working with Melbourne-based Amaero Engineering, researchers at CSIRO’s Lab22 Innovation Centre, one of Australia’s leading centres for metallic additive manufacturing, developed the innovative solution using some clever simulations. Sam Tartaglia, Program Manager at Amaero, said the company, which specialises in additively manufactured high-performance parts, saw an opportunity to explore the use of conformal cooling in 3D-printed die cast tooling, using computational modelling. “High-pressure die casting (HPDC) is by far the most popular manufacturing route for mass-produced near-net-shape metal parts,” Tartaglia said. “The process forces molten metal into a die cavity via a series of passages or ‘runners’, which include the ‘sprue area’, to produce a part in the shape of the cavity before the final solidified product is removed. “We were looking to find a solution to a stubborn problem that was challenging one of our clients - the sprue area running too hot. The issue was causing prolonged cycle times, with the die taking longer to cool between shots, and frequent production line stoppages”. Using Finite Element Method computational modelling, the partners explored optimising…
October 15, 2020
On 2 September, data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) confirmed what many people had been expecting for most of 2020: Australia was officially in recession. Gross domestic product (GDP) shrank by 7% in the June quarter, the largest contraction since records began in 1959. With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to have a devastating impact, both here and worldwide, the economic outlook is the bleakest it has ever been since the Great Depression of the 1930s. Confirmation of the recession also intensified a debate that had already been building since the COVID-19 crisis began: about ways to stimulate the economy as we emerge from the pandemic. While the Government’s stimulus measures so far have concentrated on emergency assistance for individuals and businesses affected by the downturn, there is a growing sense that more far-reaching measures will be needed, including funding for large-scale projects in infrastructure such as energy and transport networks. One notable voice backing investment…
October 15, 2020
Joining an elite group of Australian companies that build and export manufacturing technology, John Hart designs and manufactures the systems in its Melbourne facility for local and international markets. With a facility in Cincinnati, Ohio, Agile Robotic Systems offers on-site demonstrations, technical support and sales for the entire North American region. Three levels of machine tending products provide the basis of this innovative success story. The Agile Flex range is an out-of-the-box machine tending solution that is solid in construction, rapid to deploy, easy to use and very affordable. The Agile Modular range offers a flexible machine tending solution created by bringing together pre-engineered modular system components to meet project requirements. Finally the Agile Engineered range offers a fully bespoke solution designed specifically to meet the unique requirements of each project. Known for their advanced design, simplicity of use, build quality and reliability, Agile Robotic Systems come in a range of sizes and configurations to meet the…
October 15, 2020
The recent change to the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) directly impacts manufacturers and sellers of goods that are not generally used for domestic or household purposes. A buyer of an $80,000 industrial motor may now be a “consumer”. Currently, a person or business is considered a “consumer” for the purposes of the ACL if they purchase goods or services for their own use that: Are of a kind ordinarily acquired for domestic, household or personal use or consumption; OR Cost up to $40,000, irrespective of their kind or purpose. A person who on-sells goods or uses them up in the course of manufacturing other goods is not a consumer. But their customer may be a consumer for those on-sold goods or new goods. This definition has been amended by the Treasury Laws Amendment (Acquisition as Consumer – Financial Thresholds) Regulations 2020. From July 2021, the monetary threshold will increase from $40,000 to $100,000. This will, undoubtedly, shake up the traditional…
