Month: June 2015

Abcor, an Australian-owned business designing and supplying fabricated components for the truck, automotive and defence industries, has invested close to $15m in buildings and equipment on the new world-class automated production facility in Melbourne’s north. The new purpose-built plant will create 30 new jobs and operate in conjunction with Abcor’s existing facilities to produce in excess of 12,000 steel bull bars per year annually for Toyota. D’Ambrosio said the partnership between Abcor and Toyota Australia and the establishment of a new manufacturing plant is great news for Victoria. “Abcor’s success is testament to the company’s world class engineering and design capabilities, and a welcome development for the local manufacturing sector and the broader economy,” she said. “The new facility with its highly specialised manufacturing and assembly line equipment valued in excess of $5m has been purpose-built to supply the new generation Toyota Hilux with genuine steel bull bars specifically for the Australian market,” John Kaias, Director of Abcor. “Abcor has a highly talented engineering and design team with a strong understanding of vehicle dynamics and Australian…

Brown’s core business lies in the provision of structural support systems for the events and entertainment industries, where it specialises in the fabrication of metal truss. You may well have seen its products in action, supporting the stage, the lights or the sound equipment at live events ranging from music festivals, to theatre, circuses, or even the AFL Grand Final Parade. Another major client is the television industry, where Brown’s often provide truss for major studio productions. The company will also often pick up more unusual assignments. Last year, the world’s leaders gathered underneath Brown’s handiwork when it supplied lighting rigging for the G20 summit in Brisbane. It has also provided truss assemblies for the original production of Walking with Dinosaurs. With only one competitor operating within Australia, it’s a highly specific market niche that Brown’s has carved out for itself. And it’s…

The James Dyson Award challenges young engineers and scientists around the world to develop their problem-solving ideas. Entrants are encouraged to do more with less, designing with the environment in mind – using fewer raw materials, consuming less energy and creating technology that will perform better for longer. The award runs in 20 countries. The contest is open to university level students (and recent graduates) studying product design, industrial design and engineering. This year the award grows across Asia, with students from Hong Kong and Taiwan able to enter for the first time. “Young people have the power to change the world through engineering,” said James Dyson. “Each year the James Dyson Award sees truly remarkable solutions to real-life problems all approached from different angles. No problem is too big and the simplest solutions are the best - use the award as a stepping stone to take your invention towards commercialisation.” The international prize is $55,000 for the winning student or team, with a further $8,000 for the student’s university…

Melbourne-based Modular Cranes is one of Australia’s leading overhead crane suppliers, offering modular packages for payloads up to 100 tons. The cranes are individually adapted to suit the particular factory layout or application. The family-run business, established more than 30 years ago, supplies quality material handling products to clients all over the country. Modular Cranes works with top crane technology manufacturers such as Advanced Radiotech Corporation, Donati and Street. The company also services cranes throughout Victoria as well as New South Wales, South Australia and Tasmania. A manufacturer of heavy truck trailers approached Modular Cranes with an unusual problem. The company had been successfully using two 22m-wide overhead cranes in its factory. The cranes, traditional single-girder bridge designs rated at 12.5 tons each, were installed on the same set of support beams spanning the entire…

Australia’s agricultural machinery manufacturing is a $2bn industry recording an annual average growth rate of 2.2% over the past five years, according to IbisWorld’s October 2014 Agricultural Machinery Manufacturing Market Research Report, ANZSIC C2461. The report also reveals that the industry employs 6527 people within 866 businesses. Agricultural markets have seen volatile conditions over the past five years, amid unstable commodity prices, weather conditions, production volumes and exchange rates. Nonetheless, three Australian manufacturers of agricultural machinery – GP Graders, Leda Custom Farm Equipment and New Touch Laser Cutting – are booming, with adding employees, exploring new markets, expanding opportunities, and enjoying custom-designed success. GP Graders – Taking on the world Australia’s 2014 Exporter Of The Year and Australian Manufacturing award winner, GP Graders, is this country’s foremost supplier of machinery for grading fresh fruit and vegetables, and the world’s leading manufacturer of cherry sorting and packing machines. Trade and Investment Minister Andrew Robb congratulated the company’s CEO Stuart Payne, at the Australian Export Awards…

Iscar believes it has one such ground-breaking technology on its hands, with the recent introduction of its new SpinJet High-Speed spindle. With the SpintJet, Iscar has set out to transform the rules of metalwork by altering old paradigms concerning investment and production times. By retrofitting a revolutionary SpinJet unit, a regular CNC milling and turret lathe machine is instantly transformed into a high-speed machine (HSM). SpinJet provides a multitude of advantages, including truncated machining times, dramatically increased productivity, improved quality, simplicity, flexibility and not least, a rapid return on investment. Prior to the launch of the cost-effective Spinjet High-Speed spindle, a high level of capital expenditure was required to purchase a HSM that could undertake jobs requiring high rotational spindle speeds. Furthermore, additional floor space needed to be found in order to accommodate the machine tool. The implementation of Iscar’s easy-to-fit SpinJet eliminates the need for any investment in expensive HSMs and allows owners…

The Productivity Commission has found that Australian manufacturers, not only have high labour costs, but also “suffered from high logistics costs”. With components sourced from overseas suppliers, manufacturers are often subjected to long supply chains. This not only affects productivity, but long-term costs associated with poor procurement processes such as wastage and high levels of energy consumption. Successful procurement involves a holistic approach, leaning on stable supplier relationships and local knowledge. The importance of finding the right supplier is now more important than ever to the success of a manufacturer. Leading industry expert Barry Thomas has noted that, “organisations [are] becoming more reliant on procurement to identify the most suitable strategic partners that not only contribute to fostering innovation, but also help to maintain a competitive advantage”. The Australian Procurement and Construction Council (APCC) observed in 2003 that successful procurement processes…

Jig and fixture making also includes gauges, organisational aids and other manufacturing devices. AM produces these tools by adding material in an automated, layer-by-layer process rather than removing material with a cutter or forming it in a mould. Replacing conventionally manufactured jigs and fixtures with additively manufactured ones will reduce the fabrication expense — often by 50%-90% — while reducing labour and speeding delivery. But that financial advantage is tiny when compared to the profit gains that result from production-floor reductions in labour and time to market. According to three owners of Stratasys Fortus machines, one-year profit gains ranged from $60,000 to $230,000 from just a few fixture-related applications. Although traditionally-made manufacturing tools could produce the same financial results, AM’s advantage is that it’s easier and quicker to implement. The result is a deployment of fixtures…

Based in the Bavarian town of Dillingen, Brenner has been a global leader in the foam and elastomer industry for over 25 years due to the company’s ability to cut with high-precision, high-pressure waterjets. Operating 14 waterjets with a range between three and 20 cuttings nozzles per machine, Brenner is able to produce more than 300 million parts per year, mainly high-quality PU or PE foams. With years of expertise combined with state-of-the-art technology, Brenner has been able to secure its position as world market leaders in its product segment. That is one of the reasons Managing Director Mario Brenner turned to Techni Waterjet when the company needed to reduce costs, but keep up the same amount of production with high-quality results. Brenner relied on Techni’s Quantum NXT Electric Servo Pump Dual to accompany its large range of waterjets, not only to keep costs down, but also to reduce noise levels, minimise downtime due to its ease of maintenance, as well as reduce the company’s carbon footprint. Compared to other hydraulic…

All of OSG’s products are manufactured in-house, from the production of tool material, to creation of tool geometry, to the development of OSG proprietary coatings: the three vital elements in the manufacturing of superior cutting tools. This is reflected in OSG’s reputation for such traits and global market standing. Since its beginnings in 1938, OSG’s tap technology has compounded and evolved into the world’s number 1 choice and the benchmark for the global tap manufacturing industry, with one in every three taps supplied globally manufactured by OSG. Many have tried to replicate OSG’s tapping products without success, though this is not the only area where OSG is substantially ahead of its competitors. OSG has also received high acclaim for the development of high-precision, high-value added products for use in automotive and aircraft part manufacture, which demand advanced processing techniques and zero margin of error in various, traditionally difficult-to-machine materials. These are areas where OSG’s knowledge and approach to…

This is recognition, if it was ever needed, of the innovative invention from American mechanic Stephen Morse from Massachusetts back in 1863. However, while the style and general use of a standard twist drill remains close to its original roots, there is a constant requirement to push the boundaries and find new ways to enhance performance, extend tool life and reduce overall costs. Dormer Pramet’s philosophy has always been to provide customers with simple, reliable solutions to support to their manufacturing challenges in an efficient, cost-effective manner. This was a key element in its development of a distinctive feature into the working end of the traditional drill. Continuously Thinned Web (CTW) technology is unique to Dormer Pramet’s rotary drilling range and provides a variety of benefits to support cutting tool life without compromising performance. CTW geometry is a key feature of the newly released R459 multi-material drill for applications up to 8xD, produced under the company’s Dormer brand. Including CTW in the range means it is easier to regrind the drill, ensuring…

The Entrepreneurs’ Infrastructure Programme (EIP), developed from the Enterprise Connect initiative of the previous Government, is a flagship initiative focused on raising the competiveness and productivity of eligible companies at an individual level. The programme forms a part of the Australian Government’s Economic Action Strategy and will deploy more than 100 experienced Advisers and Facilitators, offering support to businesses through three elements: Business Management Business Evaluations – A business assessment resulting in a detailed report and recommendations for improvements. Supply Chain Facilitation – A practical approach to assist companies in interacting with, and supplying into, new and existing markets. Business Growth Services – Access for eligible businesses with high growth potential to specialist advisers, services and connections aimed at accelerating their growth. Business Growth Grants – Small, co-funded grants to…

Keech’s new state-of-the-art 3D printing capability enables the product development team to make 3D models of custom components, using feedback collected directly from customers by Keech’s team of field engineers. “The goal is to precisely meet the customer’s requirements first time, every time,” said Dr Bala Hebbar, General Manager - Innovation and Quality at Keech. The use of 3D printing allows Keech to more quickly test new approaches to challenges like improving the method of attaching a component or decreasing its weight. What would have taken 180 days in the past can now be done in 90 days with the new system. “Previously, we would have had to make a 300kg steel casting of a component and we still wouldn’t know how well it would fit in with the other components in a machine until it was installed on-site,” Bala said. “Now, with our 3D printing capability, we can get a much better…