Month: December 2015

Manufacturing drives innovation and technological change. It accounts for a quarter of Australia’s private sector R&D expenditure. Manufacturing is the sector that contains and advances the skills and capabilities that prescribe membership in the ranks of the advanced nations of the world. For research and innovation, manufacturing provides the essential ground from which future streams of products and incomes can emerge. Furthermore, without a manufacturing base, Australia would need to import more consumer and capital goods, reinforcing our chronic inability to run a positive trade balance. Additional borrowing to do so, together with the repatriation of resource profits, would expose serious vulnerabilities in our external position. So manufacturing matters – more than ever – and every local manufacturer can contribute to keep our manufacturing base up and running. This country’s innovative capacity in the advanced manufacturing sector is also in strong demand in global supply chains within the high-growth Asia-Pacific region. Australia’s capabilities tend to be focused on high-technology, high-value-add, and high-skill…

With a brand promise of “We make electronics work”, and 16 major technology and business awards under its belt in the past six years, Successful Endeavours is both the company’s name and its nature. Since being named City of Casey Business of the Year in 2010, Successful Endeavours has won a succession of regional, state and national awards, with two of its products recognised at the 2015 state and national iAwards for leading-edge technological innovation. While the high-quality and innovative products that Successful Endeavours makes are driving increased profits for its client manufacturers, the “exponential” mindset of its entrepreneurial owner Ray Keefe is just as important in fuelling the success of this growing business in an industry where others are downsizing, going offshore or closing their doors. “Contrary to what many believe, electronics design and product development in Australia is both practical…

Ferno’s world-leading products in patient transport, safety and vehicle intelligence systems will be incorporated into the emergency medical vehicles that Byron Group builds and supplies to ambulance and emergency services, mining companies and the Australian Defence Force. The Ferno and Byron Group alliance will combine technologies to create an ambulance that is a world-first, making it safer for paramedics to treat patients in transit, helping to enhance patient care and providing operational efficiencies and savings. “Ferno’s Integrated Patient Transport System (IPTS) and Acetech vehicle intelligence systems will transform emergency medical vehicles and ensure Australia remains a world leader in ambulance manufacturing,” said Leigh O’Brien, Byron Group’s Chief Commercial Officer. “These revolutionary features will allow communication and data about the patient and the ambulance’s position to be shared with the emergency departments of hospitals in real time, like never before. For patients, seconds count. Information is critical. This technology will save valuable minutes in information flow to hospitals about what is happening in the…

When Miletic began his career with Boeing in the 1990s, the aviation industry was at the precipice of tremendous change. Although designers still produced paper drawings for each aircraft, 3D CAD was emerging as an alternative. With the 777 aircraft, Miletic was part of the first team to design and build an aircraft using 3D CAD as the master model. The next step was the 787: the first aircraft designed without paper using Model Based Definition (MBD). Everyone from supply to production worked from digital models. The design process realised incredible new efficiencies with this move. Today, Miletic urges the AEC industry to recognise the efficiencies it too stands to gain from a digital transition. His decades as a Boeing executive gave Miletic an appreciation for the art of integrating solutions across industries. Since founding MEMKO in 2007, Miletic has been more focused than ever on that goal. MEMKO provides technology solutions, engineering and training for industries including aerospace and defence, as well…

The measures announced under the Agenda have been designed to transform Australia’s economy and drive prosperity and competitiveness, according to Industry, Innovation and Science Minister, Christopher Pyne. “Innovation and Science are two sides of the same coin, and this Agenda will bring them both together: driving jobs, growth and investment and igniting a national ‘can-do’ attitude,” said Pyne. The Minister announced various measures to support innovative businesses, grow private sector investment in research commercialisation, and increase the flow of venture capital to high potential start-ups. “We’ll ensure our best ideas are realised by co-investing in the $200m CSIRO Innovation Fund and $250m Biomedical Translation Fund,” Pyne said. “These funds will support private investment in spin-offs and startups to develop and commercialise promising outcomes from Australia’s research. We’ll invest a $8m in a network of incubators helping start-ups get the resources, knowledge and networks they need to take their ideas to the world.” Industry leaders were broadly supportive of the Agenda. AMTIL CEO Shane Infanti noted a number of positive initiatives in…

To meet this demand, Kennametal Precision Surface Solutions has released Extrude Hone EVO, the next generation of electrochemical machining (ECM) solutions featuring proprietary generator technology capable of delivering from 3kW to 100kW of power depending on machine configuration. “Additionally, EVO delivers another exclusive added value: electrochemical machining without stray machining attack,” says Bruno Boutantin, Kennametal Precision Surface Solutions Global Marketing Manager. “Customers will enjoy the highest surface finish quality for improved component performance.” ECM is used in contouring, radiusing, polishing, deburring, and flow tuning applications. Essentially, ECM is a subtractive method that works on the principle of anodic metal dissolution. Each part to be machined requires a cathode for selective material removal on the workpiece. The cutting speed is equal to the DC current applied to the part. The lack of contact between the tool and the workpiece is important. An electrolyte solution (NaCl or NaNO3 in water or glycol base) handles charge transfer in the working gap. The resulting electron current releases metal ions from the workpiece. The amount…

3D printing is great, assuming that all you need to do is print one material for one purpose, and that you’re okay with it taking a few tries. However, the technology is still far from where it could be in reliably producing a variety of useful objects, with no assembly required, at a viable cost. In recent years companies have been working to tackle some of these challenges with multi-material 3D printers that can fabricate many different functional items. Such printers, however, have traditionally been limited to three materials at a time, cost as much as $250,000 each, and still require a fair amount of human intervention. However, researchers at MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab (CSAIL) say that they’ve found a way to make a better, cheaper, more user-friendly printer. In a paper accepted at the SIGGRAPH computer-graphics conference in September, a CSAIL team presented a 3D printer that can print ten different materials at once…

A comprehensive showcase of manufacturing innovation, information and inspiration, NMW 2016 will maximise value for trade visitors by co-locating with the Inside 3D Printing Conference and Expo, as well as Safety First Conference and Expo. When it was last held in Sydney two years ago, NMW attracted some 6,000 visitors (nearly half of whom were senior executives or engineers), who rated the event highly. In fact, an independent survey found that eight out of 10 NMW visitors left with plans for investing in technologies or services they’d seen at the event. NMW 2016 will build on its track record, with a new focus on emerging opportunities through its co-location with Inside 3D Printing Conference & Expo, the Sydney edition of the world’s largest 3D printing event. Inside 3D Printing will give industry a first-hand look at how 3D printing is revolutionising manufacturing, medicine, aerospace and other industries with opportunities to engineer create new products more quickly, locally and innovatively than ever before. NMW will also be co-located with the Safety First Conference & Expo, Australia’s one-stop safety…

The Bloodhound Project’s aim is not only to break the sound barrier but also to be the first land vehicle to exceed 1,000 miles per hour (1,609km/hr). At this speed it will be travelling the length of 4.5 football pitches every second. The majority of the cockpit and nose is made from carbon fibre reinforced epoxy. During the record attempt the car will experience more than 20,000kg of skin drag. However as the nose tip is on the ‘leading edge’ it will experience a greater proportion of this load, at up to 12,000kg per square metre. Although the outer surfaces of the polyhedron appear flat, there are in fact subtle curves that contribute to the aerodynamics. Renishaw calibrates the laser that it uses to make the part to an accuracy of ±50 microns over the 250mm bed so it is able to reproduce accurately the geometry in the CAD model. The hollow pocket depth is 130mm, and it tapers. If the nose tip is to be machined, as a deeper cut is made, a thicker…

The Australian construction industry contributes $150bn (10%) to this country’s GDP. Of this, the prefabricated housing sector provides just $4.6bn, or 3%, of the residential housing market, according to the Manufacturing Excellence Taskforce of Australia (META)’s Prefab Housing Hub. With an estimated total of 155,000 houses built in Australia each year, prefabricated houses – including kit and transportable – account for just 4,650 of these. Shortened from “prefabrication”, prefab refers to any part of a building manufactured at a place other than its final location. PrefabAUS is the peak body for Australia’s off-site construction industry, with a diverse membership of almost 200 companies. PrefabAUS CEO Warren McGregor explains that the group’s members include manufacturers of prefabricated buildings, architects, building designers, other construction and supply chain professionals, affiliated industry associations and research groups. “Around 50 % of our membership is in Victoria and with the downturn of the auto industry, some automotive engineers are finding opportunities…

The Australian PMI expanded for a fifth month in November, rising 2.3 points to 52.5; readings above 50 indicate expansion in activity, the distance from 50 indicating the strength of the increase. This result continued the longest run of expansionary readings since 2010. Five of the eight manufacturing sub-sectors expanded (that is, they were above 50 points in three-month moving averages): wood & paper products (up 3.2 points to 67.2); textiles, clothing, footwear, furniture & other (down 4.9 points to 52.0); petroleum, coal, chemical & rubber products (down 0.1 point to 57.4); non-metallic mineral products (up 5.4 points to 58.0); and food & beverages (up 2.7 points to 52.4). However, the machinery and equipment (down 1.9 points to 43.1), metal products (up 0.9 points to 49.0), and very small printing & recorded media (up 1.0 point to 47.6) sub-sectors all remained in contraction. Of the seven activity sub-indexes, only stocks fell below 50 points (down 3.3 points to 47.6). New orders (up 3.3 points to 53.2) and sales (up…

According to Arnold Mouw, APMEC’s Inaugural Chairman and Managing Director of Dayco Australia, said the Council is meeting the needs of innovative and determined Australian automotive manufacturers. The APMEC’s aim is to bring together member companies that are successfully proving that Australia’s automotive industry will not die when Ford, Holden and Toyota close their plants in 2017. “The APMEC has been established to support, guide and establish opportunities for all companies that manufacture automotive products,” said Mouw. “We want to inspire business to explore the diverse opportunities available. We want to encourage them to take the next step beyond local manufacturing, and begin exporting their products. “Australian manufacturers have some great advantages. We have all the core ingredients for success: a great skilled workforce, good infrastructure and financial systems, and accessible sophisticated design, engineering and production techniques - and now an Australian dollar that is more export--friendly. “We are all well aware Ford will close in October 2016, and GM and Toyota the following year. There has…

The Melbourne-based company, which specialises in hi-tech tool and cutter grinders, was also named the winner in the Manufacturing category. Co-founder and Director Pat Boland accepted the awards on behalf of ANCA. Trade and Investment Minister Andrew Robb made the announcement at the awards ceremony held to honour the achievements of Australian businesses in international markets. “ANCA has been a leader in its field for 40 years and in that time it has significantly expanded its export markets and is on track for a record year of growth,” said Robb. “They’ve hired 160 new employees to meet the increasing demand for their products, and are proof that Australia has a very healthy future manufacturing high-quality and innovative products.” ANCA exports 98% of its products to customers such as Boeing, Sandvik and Rolls Royce. ANCA machines are used to make tools that are used to make products such as planes, cars, smart phones and medical products. On receiving the major award, Boland thanked the team at ANCA and his co-founder Pat…