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The Laser Genius+ (LG+) benefits from the 30 years of expert knowledge Prima Power has gained from the supply of over 10,000 laser systems to customers worldwide. The machine developments reduce installation time, increases serviceability, and make the overall user experience the best it can be, pushing the boundaries for the manufacturing industry. Built with ease of use and ease of service in mind, the LG+ has a single structure that holds the laser source, chillers, cutting table, and electrical cabinet. Prima Power is one of the only worldwide manufacturers to develop its own electrical components, cutting head, and laser sources. It does all of this from their facilities in Italy and the USA. It is also the only system manufacturer to make its own solid-state diode fiber lasers, with power from 3kW up to 15kW. The Prima Electro subsidiary develops CNC and electrical components, along with the software to drive the machines. wThe LG+ has any customer requirement covered, with various modular automation systems and…

Every manufactured product you can think of, from the coffee you have first thing in the morning and the cornflakes you eat for breakfast, to the computer you use at work, the train home in the evening and the car waiting at the station, and even to the couch you sit on to watch your television with a glass of wine – they are all made by machines that were made by machine tools. Think about that ... just the coffee beans alone require a coffee bean harvester, washing and screening equipment, dry processing, roasting, hulling, polishing, sorting and grading processes. Each one of these processes requires equipment that has significant machining and fabrication work to produce it. And that’s just the coffee beans. So if you have your coffee with milk and sugar, multiply all those processes by three and then include the machine that you have sitting in your kitchen that now allows you to push a button and the coffee is produced. Whilst we may take making a…

While Beihang University’s research highlights “the strong relationship among maintenance strategy, production planning and quality”, Sandvik Coromant is seeing a growing trend where machine tool manufacturers are incorporating process monitoring systems within modern CNC machines. The recent Digital Factories 2020 report by Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) recommends that “Companies must make smarter decisions using predictive analytics and machine learning”, while 98% of manufacturers surveyed in the report said they expect to increase their efficiency through use of predictive maintenance. Meanwhile, the global production monitoring market is expected to grow from $4.0bn in 2018 to $6.4bn by 2023, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.8%, according to Markets and Markets. In line with these trends, predictability has also become increasingly important in the modern turning of steel components.…

Zip Industries has been manufacturing and marketing Australian designed and made instant water systems since 1947. The company introduced the world’s first boiling water tap in 1970, followed in 1975 by the first on-wall instant boiling water heater. Today, Zip employs 160 people at its factory in Condell Park, in Sydney’s south-west suburbs,where it produces a wide range of hot and chilled, still and sparkling water-dispensing products that are exported to the world’s fastest growing commercial and consumer markets. The company’s flagship product, the Zip Hydrotap is also manufactured at this facility. The Hydrotap is an innovative multi-function touch tap that has revolutionised instant water dispensing and has recently made a successful debut in the huge US market. Michael Conyers, Director of Operations, Asia-Pacific at Zip, explains: “The Hydrotap is an appliance with heating and chilling functions and comprises many diverse parts. While our core competencies include sheet metal fabrication, manufacture of this product includes sub-assembly and final assembly of mechanical and electronic…

According to reports by Accurize Research, the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in the tubular linear motor segment worldwide is expected to reach 6.4% by 2026. Growth is particularly strong across the packaging, construction and manufacturing industries. Tubular linear motors are gaining traction in industrial applications, especially in the packaging and medical sectors, since these motors are an ideal replacement for pneumatics as they have a similar form factor but much better efficiency and reliability. Some of the biggest tubular linear motor manufacturers are expanding their product portfolio to offer flexibility in machinery used for sealing and discharge end-use cases. ANCA Motion’s LinX range of tubular linear motors offers improved performance at a competitive cost compared with conventional flat linear motors and rotary motors. Attributes that make LinX an ideal solution are its high speed and acceleration capabilities, modular design, reduced maintenance, standalone thermal stability, and ability to achieve higher IP protection. ANCA Motion primarily focuses on the food & beverage and packaging industries with its range of interfacing products…

All six manufacturing sectors in the Australian PMI expanded in July (readings above 50 points indicate expansion in activity, with higher results indicating a faster rate of expansion), with machinery & equipment (up 0.2 points to 65.0), metal products (up 2.2 points to 62.3) and chemicals (up 1.0 point to 66.1) all reaching record highs. All seven activity indices in the Australian PMI expanded in July, although three moderated slightly from the previous month (see table below). New orders remained in expansionary territory but fell from a record high in June (down 8.1 points to 62.5), while production expanded in most states and territories (up 1.1 points to 61.8) but was lower in NSW due to lockdowns. Some exporters noted difficulty finding empty shipping containers, with the exports index dropping 6.6 points to 53.6. Ai Group Chief Executive Innes Willox said: “While COVID-19 outbreaks and associated restrictions in some states undoubtedly dampened the upswing in activity and shook confidence,…

AMT: Tell us about the origins of Perrott Engineering. John Perrott: Perrott Engineering was formed by my wife and I back in 1974 as a one-man welding and machining business in Atherton. As the company grew, there was a need for us to be nearer to our larger clients so we established a branch in Cairns in 2001, later closing the original business and transferring the operation entirely to Cairns. Today the company employs more than 36 personnel covering a range of skills, and has grown into a specialist hydraulic and lubrication service business and a precision component manufacturing business servicing a broad range of industries across Australia, Papua New Guinea and southern Asia. AMT: What are the current principal areas of business that Perrott Engineering is established in? JP: Marine and mining are…

The user-friendly Aircenter is a complete turnkey system which incorporates a Kaeser rotary screw compressor, an energy efficient refrigeration dryer and an air receiver – all in one space-saving compact package. The space-saving design has long since made the Aircenter the ideal solution where space is at a premium, such as in auto body garages and workshops. For 5.5kW to 9kW requirements, the Aircenter incorporates the Kaeser SM series rotary screw compressor. For maximum efficiency, the SM 10 and SM 16 compressor models both have premium efficiency IE3 motors, and the SM 13 compressor model is now equipped as standard with a super-premium efficiency IE4 motor. These motors comply with and exceed prevailing Australian GEMS regulations for three-phase electric motors. IE4 motors are the technology of tomorrow, with current regulation introduced in January 2015 only requiring the use of IE3 Class motors. For the end user this translates into the best possible compressor performance, reduced energy costs and significantly enhanced…

Military aircraft represent some of the most advanced engineering on the planet, with minimal weight design, precise machining and highly specialised materials all contributing to the high cost of new platforms and spare parts. The incredible price tag associated with maintaining such platforms is a major issue for Australia, where harsh sunlight and coastal corrosion accelerate the need for part replacements in addition to the rigors of service. Australia’s current reliance on legacy systems and overseas suppliers can also lead to aircraft being grounded until suitable replacements are found, presenting major costs in aircraft readiness and reliability. To address this critical problem, a collaborative project led by RUAG Australia and involving Swinburne University, DMTC, the Department of Defence (Defence Science and Technology Group) and the RMIT Centre for Additive Manufacturing is targeting new and innovative technologies for sovereign industrial repair of military aircraft. A key…

Based in Melbourne, Megafun is a designer and project manager of exhibitions and theatre works with more than 23 years of experience in providing creative and technical services to companies, artists and exhibitions around the world. The company specialises in delivering quality theatre and events and creating intriguing and engaging interactive experiences. Megafun was engaged to develop, construct and install a new 3D animated zoetrope in ACMI’s permanent exhibition space. For this new zoetrope, Canadian video game company Studio MDHR was approached to provide the characters and storyline from its Cuphead series of games. While the historical zoetrope concept was a slitted drum, this new variation is a 3D animation. A disc spinning at a set speed is illuminated with flashing strobe lighting. Each flash illuminates a slightly new position of the disc as it turns. By aligning objects and characters at just the right spacing with slight adjustments of position,…

Regarded as a flexible all-rounder, the expanded D4120 indexable insert solid drill line is available in diameters ranging from 13.5mm to 59mm. The product expansion now incorporates the D4120-02 2xD drill and the D4120-03 3xD drills for creating holes from 13.5 to 41.3mm diameter as well as the D4120-04 and D4120-05 4xD and 5xD drills for holes from 17 to 59mm diameter with exceptional productivity and performance. From a dimensional perspective, the 2xD drill has an overall length from 97mm to 228mm with a cutting length of 27mm to 118mm depending on the diameter selected, whereas the 3xD drill has an overall length from 110.5mm to 287mm with a cutting length from 40.5mm to 177mm. The 4xD provides a flute length from 68mm to 236mm with an overall length from 149mm to 346mm, whereas the largest 5xD drills have a maximum cutting depth of 295mm with an overall length from 166mm to 405mm depending upon the damp to selected. The 2xD and 3xD drills…

The build volume of the LC Magna is 510mm by 280mm by 350mm, making it the largest build volume LCD screen-based 3D printer currently available. LC Magna has a 60cm 4K Ultra HD screen, offering unbeatable precision and detail when creating high-resolution, mass-manufactured parts. The screen has been matched with a custom-built backlight. These two elements work together to ensure extremely high print accuracy, delivering amazing detail. Product designers, engineers and manufacturers alike can now benefit from LC Magna’s large build volume capabilities and maximise build plate capacity to increase throughput, speed up assembly production and reduce lead times. “LCD screen-based 3D printers have been the fastest growing area in 3D resin printing,” says Sally Tipping, Sales Director at Photocentric. “This machine sets new standards, making it best in class in almost every respect – it really is a disruptive industry-changing machine.” The hardware and electronics of LC Magna have been designed by Photocentric with high-precision reliability in mind to ensure consistent robust performance. The patented peel…

The first thing you notice when meeting Jamie Howard, Group Managing Director of HMS Group, is his unwavering commitment to Australian manufacturing and his belief in huge opportunities for local industry. With a trade and engineering background and a passion for safety, innovation and training, it quickly becomes apparent how Howard’s philosophy has made HMS Group a success. He describes HMS Group as a proudly Australian company operating in a zero-harm environment, designing and manufacturing safety solutions, while driven by innovative productivity and skills education. “We are about workplace safety,” says Howard. “Manual labour is hard work and it limits the productive life of people. If an autonomous machine like ours can save wear and tear on the human body, that is a great benefit.” The HMS Mini Loader Howard saw a need for a safe solution to removing coal from under conveyors. Previously, removal of spilled coal was a dangerous operation, involving up to five people to shovel coal from underneath the conveyor belt. While undertaking this dangerous operation,…