February 24, 2017
As a company formed from a partnership between a manufacturer and an equipment supplier, it’s no surprise that APT places a strong emphasis on forging strong relationships, particularly in the area of technology. It has close partnerships with Okuma, which provides many of its CNC machines, and Iscar, which supplies its cutting tools. Iscar is currently closely involved in APT’s latest investment, with the adoption of M1 material requirements planning (MRP) software. “Because we’re busy it’s great, but when you’re busy, you want to make sure you’ve got data to show how you’re doing day to day,” says Ron Weinzierl, APT’s Business Director. “So we’ll have a system that will drive APT’s efficiency based on data: customer satisfaction, on-time deliveries, quality, and so on.” “And that would be our involvement,” adds Jason Allen, Managing Director of Iscar Australia.…
February 24, 2017
Industry 4.0 represents the digitisation of manufacturing, realising the potential of the Internet of Things (IoT) combined with artificial intelligence and data science. It is something Australian manufacturers need to be ready for, as to some extent, it is already happening. CSIRO has called for Australia’s manufacturing industry to “evolve into a highly integrated, collaborative and export-focused environment that provides high-value solutions” over the next 20 years. It says Australian manufacturers must increase participation in global value chains and invest in and employ sensors, data analytics, advanced materials, robotics, automation, 3D printing, and augmented and/or virtual reality. In 2016, a Prime Minister’s Task Force on Industry 4.0 was established and industry leaders met to discuss private-sector collaboration and the need for a set of common standards. This was consistent with an announcement regarding global IoT standards issued by the German Plattform Industrie 4.0 group and the US…
February 24, 2017
The AMGC on 20 February announced project funding of $250,000 for Quickstep Holdings, a manufacturer of advanced carbon fibre composites. This investment will aid in the development of a competitive carbon composite fender for the European automotive market. The project has the potential to generate export revenue in excess of $25m and see the increase in demand for more high-value jobs in the Geelong area. Previously, the AMGC had announced $250,000 in project funds for the Advanced Fibre Cluster Geelong. The funding will directly support the Geelong Manufacturing Council working in collaboration with Carbon Nexus, a research facility located at Deakin University’s Waurn Ponds Campus. “To make these kinds of significant investments in the region of Geelong sends a clear signal that our manufacturing industry has a strong future in Australia,” said Dr Jens Goennemann, AMGC’s Managing Director. “We are convinced to have the raw talent to compete globally and offer a unique point of difference, and that’s through our technology leadership and value-added services. When we have solutions that global customers want and when our manufacturers offer…
February 24, 2017
The CSIRO Innovation Fund will support co-investment in new spin-out and start-up companies, and SMEs engaged in the translation of research generated in the publicly-funded research sector. The fund, established as part of the Australian Government’s National Innovation and Science Agenda, will comprise a commitment of $70m in government funding, $30m revenue from CSIRO’s WLAN program and additional private sector investment, with a target total value of $200m. CSIRO Chief Executive Dr Larry Marshall said the Innovation Fund was the “final piece in the puzzle”, revealing the vision set out in the organisation’s Strategy 2020, saying: “We have aligned all the pieces: from market roadmaps that guide our science to address the most critical needs; to the ON sci-tech accelerator to help Australia’s scientists apply their science for national benefit; and now we have the Innovation Fund to invest in those ideas and reap the rewards of their success. It’s a virtuous cycle of investment in taking our best ideas from bench-top to beta to…
February 24, 2017
Safe Work Australia has reported on some of the most common hazards faced in metal manufacturing factories or workshops. These include falling from heights, being run over by a forklift, having something fall on workers (for example from cranes or hoists), electrocution, and hands or body parts being caught in machinery. This year’s Guide is designed to increase safety awareness and compliance within the metal manufacturing industry and address some of the most common hazards faced by workers on a daily basis. The Guide covers a range of topics, including: Manual handling of heavy and light loads, and transporting these loads. Machine-guarding safety. Workplace traffic management. Hierarchy of controls. The augmented reality aspect of the Guide creates a space for users to experience and access further information by using the Pro-Vis AR free app. Content and information become interactive and much more engaging, promoting safety as a priority and not something to take lightly. “I would like to thank all the sponsors of the Metal Manufacturing Industry…
February 17, 2017
Held biennially, Avalon 2017 will be held from 28 February to 5 March at Avalon Airport, near Geelong, in Victoria’s west. Avalon 2017’s CEO Ian Honnery expects that this year’s event will be even bigger than the last one in 2015. “The pulling power of our event, both as an aviation spectacular and as a world-class trade show, remains extremely strong,” he says. “The fact that we continue to attract people from across the globe reflects our prestige and international standing. “During the Airshow’s planning and operation, we work very closely with the RAAF, which deploys several hundred people and several aircraft to Avalon. This is a valuable training activity for the RAAF in the deployment and sustainment of a composite squadron. We also work together with the Victorian Government and statutory authorities including the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CAA), AirServices Australia, the Australian Federal Police, the Victorian…
February 17, 2017
Native Tasmanians made daring blue-water hunting trips to offshore islands in vessels made from reeds. Wooden boatbuilding began within days of European settlement in 1803. The colonists’ first vessel was a wooden skiff whose builders could not have imagined the giant, high-speed 120m catamarans that Tasmanians now export to the world. One company, Incat Tasmania, has built 40% of the world’s fleet of large-scale, fast, multi-hull ferries, including the world’s fastest passenger ferry, Francisco. Incat has held the record for the fastest crossing of the Atlantic Ocean for more than 25 years. Other local ship-builders find niches in the design and construction of smaller-scale vessels that take inspiration from Incat’s cutting-edge technology. As Incat’s Prince of Wales Bay shipyard expanded in Hobart’s suburbs in the 1990s, supply companies grew up around it. This group of businesses has now evolved into the Tasmanian Maritime Network, which can provide a one-stop shop for shipbuilders who want access to the latest technology and quality products and services, including training a construction workforce or fitting…
February 17, 2017
Five-axis simultaneous machining is increasingly emerging as a key technology. In addition, automation and combined milling and turning are becoming ever-more important. With nearly 4,000 duoBLOCK machines successfully sold, DMG MORI has dictated this development. The increased trend towards automation is also apparent by the increase of duoBLOCK universal machining centres with pallet changers. One of these models is the DMC 80 FD duoBLOCK, which demonstrates further enhanced flexibility and productivity while boasting improvements of 30% in its core characteristics of precision, performance and efficiency. A re-engineered machine concept The fourth-generation DMC 80 FD duoBLOCK universal machining centre has a newly developed B-axis milling head. It has an extended swivel range of 250 degrees, with a swivel of 70 degrees in the negative direction. The larger axis bearing results in a 20% increase in stiffness. The extended swivel range and reduced interference contour, in conjunction with the cable conduit integrated into the housing, enable an even wider range of customer-specific complete machining operations to be carried out. Idle times are…
February 17, 2017
Ecocentric is the developer of the Numen energy system, which brings together Australian-designed hardware and cloud-based computing with CSIRO’s electrical fingerprint technology to change our understanding of how energy is used within the built environment. Ecocentric founder Paul Lyons said the agreement paves the way for the commercial roll-out of Numen to national and international markets while securing CSIRO as an R&D partner for years to come. “Existing metering-based technologies are designed to support billing, and while some are smarter than others, fundamentally that is their role,” said Lyons. “Numen has been designed from the ground up for a different purpose – to support end users to become as efficient in using energy as possible. With Numen, the ability to become a net zero user of energy is now real.” In addition to reducing electricity bills and carbon emissions, Numen allows end users to get an unprecedented insight into the operation of critical machinery, which reduces operating downtime and maintenance costs. Numen is…
February 17, 2017
A breakthrough idea five years ago by Zack Vader, then a 19-year-old student at the University of Buffalo, has resulted in the creation of a machine that prints three-dimensional objects using liquid metal. Today his company - Vader Systems - is innovating and building the machines in a factory in Getzville, New York State. Zack’s father Scott, a mechanical engineer, is the CEO, while Zack is the chief technology officer. His mother, Pat Roche, is controller. The machine is so novel it could represent a quantum leap in the ability to print three-dimensional objects in metal. Other metal printers exist, but most use a process of laying down powdered metal and melting it with a laser or electron beam. In that process, some particles of the powder do not get melted, creating weakened spots. Several manufacturers have begun to voice their interest in the Vader machine, with one automotive parts maker expressing an intention to eventually buy at least 50 of them. A printer with multiple…
February 10, 2017
Yet again, Austech promises to be the unmissable event this year for anyone with an interest in manufacturing. This year’s show is expected to be bigger than ever, attracting more than 10,000 of the industry’s key decision-makers looking to see the latest manufacturing technology up close. As the show’s organiser, AMTIL is hard at work on preparations for the show and looking forward to welcoming Australia’s manufacturing community when doors open on 9 May. Austech provides a forum for visitors to take a look at the most advanced, cutting-edge manufacturing equipment available today but also to discuss potential applications that will help them provide value-added, innovative and high-tech solutions. The principal focuses at this year’s exhibition will be machine tools for metal cutting and forming, production systems, high-precision tools, CAD/CAM, and accessories. One of the highlights of this year’s Austech will be the Manufacturers’ Pavilion. First launched at the 2013 exhibition, the Manufacturers’ Pavilion highlights the capabilities of Australia’s precision engineering and advanced manufacturing industry, providing a unique opportunity for Australian component manufacturers, precision…
February 10, 2017
The defence sector in Australia is changing, and it’s a very positive outlook – that’s the short story. And Thales in Australia is changing too. It’s changing to be more agile and competitive, and some of our key projects offer evidence of that. Thales is a global organisation with 3,200 people in Australia and more than 60,000 worldwide. We draw on that expertise to manage complex risks, working together in integrated teams. We’re also a long-term investor in Australia, having been here for 30 years. Our business model has changed since I became CEO in 2008. When we acquired ADI Limited back in 1999 it was a vertically integrated organisation that was trying to do everything itself. That just doesn’t make sense. It’s not competitive, efficient or agile, so we’ve moved more work into our supply chain. The Hawkei…
February 10, 2017
The second round of the priming grants component of the Global Connections Fund (GCF) opened on 3 February. The $4.9m GCF is part of the Global Innovation Strategy of the Government’s National Innovation and Science Agenda, and supports global SME-to-researcher collaborations. The priming grants of $7,000 enable Australian SMEs and researchers to meet and collaborate with international partners to progress their ideas. “Linking Australian SMEs with international researchers, and Australian researchers with international SMEs, allows greater international industry-researcher engagement, enabling access to world-class expertise, infrastructure and the global market,” said Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science Senator the Hon Arthur Sinodinos AO. The GCF comprises of two types of grants: priming grants, and bridging grants. In 2016 the Government awarded more than $1.1m in grants under the two components. Under round one of the priming grants, 74 Australian SMEs and researchers received assistance to develop products and services for Australian and international markets. Bridging grants of up to $50,000 are designed as seed funding capital to enable…
