Month: August 2017

At this time, the cumulative effects of the slowdown of economic growth throughout the industrialised world and the decision by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) at the end of 2014, not to reduce production to protect prices, were further intensified by the remarkable growth of oil production and slowing global demand. This ‘perfect storm’ inevitably led to a major drop of crude oil price. The effects on oil & gas producers have been dramatic; many previously embarked upon projects that began to make little or no economic sense. To help maintain their profitability or to assist in curtailing their losses, throughout this slowdown, countless companies reduced their expenditure. Many major projects were cancelled or postponed, and proposed mergers and acquisitions in the oil & gas industry collapsed,…

CMMs are complex metrology instruments and must be handled by experienced operators. Acquiring the necessary technical expertise takes significant time, and advanced technicians in quality control and inspection are in high demand. Programming often requires extra time for changes and adjustments, particularly when the program is made for a one-off inspection, such as dye stamping. Moreover, rigid measurement set-ups are essential to get accurate measurements on CMMs. Parts must be carefully fixed and positioned to enable operators to make measurements and ensure quality. CMMs are the no.1 choice for measuring complex parts. Any measurement of complex parts also requires a lot of time to measure all of the features, control the different angles, and inspect the complete shape. In the automotive and aerospace industries quality control regularly involves large parts. Inspecting those parts means several trips back and forth from the production floor to the laboratory, which requires time and…

AMT: What is the Industry Capability Network actually and what are its objectives? Don Matthews: ICN Victoria has been operating since 1984 and is best described as a business network which links Victorian and Australian manufacturers – specifically small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) – into projects. So in many ways we sit between a buyer on the one hand and a supplier on the other hand, and we look to connect them based on capability and project requirements. Effectively, our whole aim is to increase the number of manufacturers in Victoria that are participating in those projects so that the work does not go offshore. Our primary reason for being is to facilitate the Victorian Industry Participation Policy (VIPP) on behalf of the State Government and as such, we are a not-for-profit body. All states and territories – bar Tasmania and New Zealand – have an ICN, and there is a co-ordinating group out of Canberra called ICN Limited (ICNL). AMT: Tell us a bit more about the activities you’re engaged in. DM: Our VIPP team assesses…

The safety of machine tools is a major issue. Complex machinery, high speeds, and high power levels can be a dangerous mixture for the operator. Nevertheless, machine tools are very safe products. Machine tool manufacturers, operators, health & safety experts, policy-makers and international standardisation groups have been collaborating for a long time to reach the current safety level. “For many decades, our companies have proven that they can handle the risks that come with the operation of machine tools”, explains Heinrich Mödden, a machinery safety expert at the EMO organizer VDW (German Machine Tool Builders’ Association). Certainly there is a lot of work still needed, but as Mödden adds: “It pays off, as the number of accidents is continuously declining.” This shows that a high level of safety has already been achieved with traditional design practices. In Europe A major contributor to this trend has been European Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC (MD), which was issued in…

Used today over the entire range of metal-cutting production, the Tool-ID system from Balluff represents the prerequisite for intelligent networking. It also offeres the potential for further optimising tool utilisation and ultimately for continually improving processes and product quality. Machining of aircraft structure components is one of the premium sectors of the industry – not least because it uses the most modern and often difficult to machine materials. In addition to sophisticated aluminium alloys, materials such as titanium or carbon-fibre reinforced composites (CFRP) place high demands on the machining process. In addition, these are preferably thin-wall components, since weight reduction is the top priority in aerospace, that must still achieve the greatest strength and stiffness of the components. Structural components made of light alloys often have complex freeform surfaces and some extremely difficult undercuts. “So-called ‘HPC’, or high performance cutting, is highly demanding in terms of precision and process reliability,’ explains Daniel Weishaupt,…

Tristan Opie is the third-generation CEO of the family-owned company, based in Emu Plains, New South Wales. In 2010, following a quiet few months of business, Tristan invested in a TRUMPF TruLaser Tube 7000 cutting machine, in a move that he described as “a very risky step at that time”. “Just a very few customers realised the possibilities opened up by using the laser to work tubes,” he explains. “But I was sure there was a market for this service. The laser has major advantages as it replaces several steps in the workflow process. In addition, our TruLaser Tube 7000 is so fast that we can achieve considerably lower costs per item.” Opie Group admits that it was a while before the machine turned a profit, but the company’s perseverance was rewarded. Today, no other machine on the shopfloor can compete with the TRUMPF TruLaser Tube 7000 in terms of its utilisation rates. Two TruLaser Tube 7000s and a TruMatic 6000 punch laser machine augment the equipment at the factory, where automation is key. A TRUMPF LiftMaster loading and…

The Siemens software will help develop the workforce of the future across the entire work lifecycle from apprenticeships to PhDs. Jeff Connolly, Chairman and CEO of Siemens Australia, said the grant will support Victoria and Australia by preparing students to participate in the many opportunities that digitalisation provides within the new, globally interconnected innovation economy. “This is about jobs of the future today,” said Connolly. “Our country’s future relies on companies working with key educational and research institutions to get our workforce ready for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The world is changing rapidly through technology and Australia needs to equip our future generations and our existing workforce with the necessary capabilities and tools to make things faster, cheaper and better – ultimately this is about jobs and competition.” The grant includes a co-contribution by Swinburne for initialisation and ongoing interaction with Siemens, and global support by Siemens expert software engineers. According to Professor Aleksandar Subic, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research & Development) and Chair…

The two-day event will bring the sustainability and waste management industry together to discover the latest waste and recycling trends, showcase new innovations, attend high-quality practical seminars and network with key waste and recycling decision makers from both industry and government. First held in 2010, AWRE attracts more than 1,500 attendees from across Australia, New Zealand, Asia, the UK and North America who are looking for innovative ways to collect, sort and process waste from the municipal, commercial and construction sectors. AWRE also features more than 120 industry exhibitors who are available to offer hands-on experience with the latest product releases and deliver on-stand demonstrations. “Showcasing innovation is a key focus of AWRE,” says Andrew Lawson, AWRE Event Manager. “In previous years we have had a range of exhibitors unveiling products and services that address waste and recycling. “We have certainly noticed a change in recycling trends, with smart businesses adapting…

The view is marvelous: black wintry water cutting through snow-covered mountains surrounding a fjord. This is Trondheim, Norway, and it’s where you’ll find the brains behind the next generation of connected Silent Tools+ boring bars. Industry 4.0 and the constant demand for new innovations can be stressful for companies, but in Norway, Sandvik Coromant has created an environment for bright ideas to flourish. It’s no coincidence that competitors are still struggling to produce vibration-free boring bar at lengths above ten times the hole diameter, while the team in Trondheim is testing bars that can handle double that, now with connectivity and software that save valuable time and money for the customers. What’s the secret? “It’s a combination of many things,” says R&D manager Anders Digernes. “We have the full value chain from ideas to complete manufactured products under the same roof, which gives us access to a lot of different competences. Our flat organisational…

This May, the CSIRO released its Mining Equipment, Technology and Services Roadmap, aimed at promoting growth in Australia’s $90bn METS sector. Launching the Roadmap, CSIRO Chief Executive Dr Larry Marshall said: “METS is an important Australian sector and a global leader, but it can’t rely on past successes in a rapidly changing global landscape. The sector must continue to innovate and take advantage of enabling technologies and new business models which are causing disruption across industries.” Developed in collaboration with the METS Ignited Industry Growth Centre, as well as government, industry and researchers, the Roadmap urges companies to take action to unlock key opportunities in the mining sector. It highlights the vital role that the METS sector will play in the nation’s innovation ecosystem to drive change to meet future global mining challenges and metal supplies. CSIRO Mineral Resources Director Jonathan Law says the METS Roadmap identified five key growth opportunities to support the continued success of the…

PVD is a vacuum deposition process that is carried out under vacuum in temperatures ranging from 450 to 600 degrees Celsius, where it produces a very hard thin film on the tool’s surface. For cutting tool applications, metals or alloys are either evaporated by heat or bombarded with ions (sputtered). A reactive gas is added which forms a compound with the metal vapour which is deposited on the tools as a thin, highly adherent ceramic coating. PVD methods include cathodic arc, electron beam, evaporative deposition, pulsed laser deposition and sputter deposition. Not just for cutting tools PVD may be applied to improve the wear performance of components, dental or surgical instruments or scientific tools and devices. According to Natalie Schembri of Surface Technology Coatings (STC), part of Sutton Tools, materials that can be coated include carbides, high speed steels, certain copper alloys, stainless steels and nitridable alloy steels. “As well…

US-based company Hangsterfer’s is celebrating its 80th year as a manufacturer of lubricants for the metalworking industry. Since 1937 it has committed to producing high-performance metalworking lubricants that are environmentally friendly and operator-safe. Hangsterfer’s has worked on ensuring its coolants are safe, securing certification that they are fully compliant with REACH, RoHS, VOC and GHS standards, and thereby gaining approval for use in industries as medical, defence and aerospace. GHS (Global Harmonisation System) has regulations requiring that products are accompanied by the appropriate safety data sheets and pictograms for all hazardous materials. Given that Hangsterfer’s coolants are free of hazardous ingredients, there is no need for pictograms depicting any potentially harmful substance. “The manufacturing industry has increasingly come under scrutiny by regulatory agencies around the world for the use of hazardous chemicals,” explains Edward Jones, Chief Operating Officer at Hangsterfer’s. “Strict bans and regulations are growing and many raw materials – including boric acid formaldehyde condensates, secondary amines, and hazardous forms of chlorine – may be made redundant. “Many metalworking fluids using such chemicals will eventually…

The research, funded by a new three-year $785,000 Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage grant, will be led by Flinders University with industry partner BHP Billiton. The project will focus on exploiting a normal ore body process known as supergene enrichment, says Flinders University Professor of Chemical Minerology Dr Allan Pring. “This groundwater process happens naturally in the top parts of many copper deposits and converts primary copper sulfide minerals, which are expensive to mine and treat, into copper metal,” says Professor Pring. “This means low-grade ore is naturally upgraded into high-grade deposits.” This process has been seen at the historically important copper deposits in South Australia, including Burra, Kapunda and Moonta which helped to establish the State’s economy in the 19th century. “Before we can adopt that process in a large or commercial way, we have to understand the chemistry of these reactions,” adds Professor Pring. “And this can only be done by extensive laboratory experiments using special flow-through equipment my research…