Month: September 2017

Large multinationals are often aware about what they are not doing well and are quite open to suggestions from small businesses. Not always being able to move quickly enough, large corporations recognise the value of fast-moving, agile small businesses that are experts in their field and can help them achieve their objectives. Often as a small business owner, the solution you are offering is very niche and your target market is a handful of large multinationals. In that case, there is often no need for a distributor to act on your behalf. It may even be counter-productive to have one. On many occasions, I have been mandated to test the interest of large multinationals in a specific technology. In some cases, small businesses have been responsible for developing a breakthrough technology or a new scientific process. Once again, this new technology or process may only be…

Hargo Engineering Since 1976 Hargo Engineering has been providing specialist precision and repetitive engineering services to its customers across a broad industry customer base. Based in Croydon, in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, the company specialises in CNC turning, milling and machining delivering precision engineering components to industries such as oil & gas, aerospace, defence, electronics and medical. Since its inception, this now-second-generation family business has invested in its people and the latest technologies. Hargo was founded in 1976 by Heinz Gogol in response to a need for precision engineering of small and very small components. And with 16 years’ experience in German engineering supplying the watch industry, Heinz soon built up a reputation for high quality and competitively priced components. Today the company is led by Heinz’s son Frank Gogol who, with his management team, continues to service customers to the high standards set by his father. Frank has also followed Heinz’s lead by continuing to make shrewd investments in technology. Two of the latest acquisitions have…

“During the development of cryogenic cooling with CO2, a large number of tests were carried out using various materials and under real production conditions,” says Schaarschmidt. “Our findings not only proved the general process suitability of CO2 cooling, but that it also increases the metal removal rate by up to 70% without increasing the tool wear rate. If the metal removal rate remains constant, the tool life increases accordingly.” The evidence provided by the experts at Walter is supported by various machine manufacturers and research institutes, including the Institute for Production Technology (IfP) at the West Saxon University of Applied Sciences of Zwickau (WHZ); the Fraunhofer IPT and WZL at RWTH Aachen University; and the Fraunhofer IWU at the Chemnitz University of Technology. For example, when milling high-alloy steels containing nickel – a 70% longer tool life was achieved for these materials, which are typically used in the manufacture of turbine blades and turbine housings. Similar productivity gains were…

FLEET’s research is at the very boundaries of what is possible in modern condensed matter physics and nanotechnology. At the nano scale and smaller, synthesis of atomically thin materials and nano-fabrication of functioning devices will be key to the centre’s mission success. Atomically thin, or two-dimensional (2D), materials are the material of choice at FLEET, a collaboration of researchers from seven Australian universities developing novel electronics and electronic devices that will operate at ultra-low energies. These would replace the silicon of traditional CMOS (complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor) devices in a new generation of electronics in which electrical current can flow with zero, or near-zero, resistance. The driving force behind FLEET is the significant and increasing amount of energy being used in information technology, computing and communication, which already represents 5% of global electricity use, and is doubling every decade. As electrical current traverses the material of normal, silicon computer chips, electrons scatter and consume energy. It’s only a tiny amount…

With the latest IFS Digital Change Survey, released in June, there is cause for optimism in key industries compared with last year. Firstly, the data indicates that Australian organisations are willing to invest in digital transformation. Secondly, we are more likely than our international peers to prioritise investments in enterprise software – a necessary foundation for all digital technologies. While the survey shows that Australian organisations are making progress with digital transformation, concerns remain that we are not investing aggressively enough. Local organisations also face serious skills shortages in key technical areas including cyber security, artificial intelligence and robotics and the Internet of Things. Last year, Australian organisations’ digital transformation strategies appeared to be lagging behind the rest of the world. IFS’ 2016 survey found only 50% of local respondents had a clear strategy for digital transformation. This was fewer than anywhere else, including ASEAN, Benelux, Brazil, China, Finland, Poland, Scandinavia and the US. The global figure was 60% and in…

My lab has used nano-sized building blocks to design a smart material that can perform work at a macroscopic scale, visible to the eye. A 3D-printed lattice cube made out of polymer can lift 15 times its own weight – the equivalent of a human being lifting a car. The design of our new material is based on Nobel Prize-winning research that turned mechanically interlocked molecules into work-performing machines at nanoscale – things like molecular elevators and nanocars. Rotaxanes are one of the most widely investigated of these molecules. These dumbbell-shaped molecules are capable of converting input energy – in the forms of light, heat or altered pH – into molecular movements. That’s how these kinds of molecular structures got the nickname “nanomachines.” For example,…

The Victorian Node is one of eight nodes in the national ANFF network. ANFF-VIC has tools and experts available for training or advice at the CSIRO, Deakin University, La Trobe University, the Melbourne Centre for Nanofabrication (MCN), Monash University, RMIT, Swinburne University of Technology, and the University of Melbourne. Both ANFF-VIC and ANFF national are headquartered at MCN, home to one of the largest open-access cleanrooms in the world. In February, Professor Nicolas Voelcker was appointed as Director of ANFF-VIC and Scientific Director of the MCN. With more than 300 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters to his name, he is a leader in his field of biomaterials engineering. Professor Voelcker’s aim is to increase the interaction between academics and industry drivers within the…

Before discussing digitisation and optimisation, it is necessary for a manufacturer to examine its operations, determine where waste occurs, and develop methods to reduce or eliminate it. Controlling waste is the first step in preparing a manufacturing company for the adoption of sophisticated smart manufacturing strategies. Basics of production economics Manufacturing consists of a series of transformation processes. A shop forms raw material into finished or semi-finished workpieces through a series of individual transformation operations such as forging, welding or machining. A number of individual elements comprise each operation. The basic elements of machining, for example, include the cutting tool, machine tool, fixtures and coolant supply. Together these elements form a machining system that gets support from related equipment and components in a production system. Planning, programming and economic…

AMTIL service partner Rigby Cooke Lawyers recently appointed Accredited Workplace Relations Specialist Simone Caylock to the firm’s partnership. Simone has worked closely with companies within the manufacturing industry for over 10 years, including at the Australian Industry Group. We sat down with Simone to look to the future of workplace relations in manufacturing. AMT: What are the key challenges manufacturers face in managing their workforce and how can they overcome them? Simone Caylock: Attracting and retaining skilled employees, including engaging the next generation of workers, are key challenges. Businesses that are successful in doing so are being proactive, including by: building relationships with schools, training organisations and local councils; identifying career paths for employees (including in overseas operations); and using social media and other tools to promote their business as an attractive workplace and culture by telling their good news story. Many manufacturers are also experiencing challenges associated with an ageing workforce, including concerns around fitness for work, ensuring they have the right…

Parkin’s achievements as a football player and coach are peerless. He captained Hawthorn Football Club to its second premiership in 1971, then coached the team to a flag in 1978. He went on to coach Carlton Football Club to back-to-back Premierships in 1981-82, as well as leading them to a record-breaking number of victories in 1995, which culminated with them again becoming Premiers. Parkin’s accomplishments have seen his talents transferred from the sporting and academic arenas to the world of business. He originally trained as a primary school teacher and has spent over two decades in teacher education. A lecturer in Sports and Exercise Science at Deakin University, he recently increased his media commitments with Foxtel’s AFL coverage as a panel member on the weekly show Fox League Teams and as a regular commentator for ABC Radio. David will discuss “Life: The Importance of Balance in the Life of a Business Entrepreneur”. Date: Thursday 19 October…

A mine’s network of haul roads can either be its greatest asset or its greatest liability. The path to safe and efficient haul road operations begins with understanding what friction is, being able to measure it and knowing how to manage it. A haul road that is dusty when it is dry can become extremely slippery and dangerous due to rain or when sprayed with water to suppress the fugitive dust. Two independent friction concepts are required to effectively manage haul road safety and maintain competent haul road operations: Friction Supply is the available friction where vehicle tyres meet the haul road surface. Typically, when water is applied to haul roads (rain or by water cart to suppress fugitive dust) the friction supply value will decrease by varying amounts. Quality coarse haul road…

State Minister for Industry and Employment Wade Noonan met PhD students at the Woodside Innovation Centre at Monash University on 11 September to get a first-hand look at the Aerospike Rocket Engine. The State Government also announced a $2m grant to develop an additive manufacturing hub so Victoria’s small-to-medium enterprises can benefit from this world-leading technology. “Victoria is the home of manufacturing and a world-class centre for 3D printing technology. We make things, and we’re proud of it,” said Noonan. “This world-leading 3D printed rocket engine is a tremendous example of why Victoria has the most advanced manufacturing capabilities in the nation.” Also known as 3D printing, additive manufacturing revolutionises how components are made. From industrial tooling to customisable and intricate orthopaedic implants – the additive manufacturing process is faster, cost efficient and more complex than traditional methods. The Aerospike Rocket Engine project brings together local researchers working in aerodynamics and combustion and experts from Monash spin-out company Amaero Additive Manufacturing. Two years ago, Monash researchers and their partners…

Most shops evaluate new cutting tools in an effort to reduce machining time, increase tool life, or improve part quality – and sometimes all three. Stellar Precision Components, a Tier II aerospace supplier in Jeanette, Pennsylvania, did it for an entirely different reason. “We’d just taken an order for some Inconel parts,” says Production Manager Edward Frieze. “None of us were really worried at that point about tool life or making a profit on the job – our only concern then was how the heck could we get them shipped in eight weeks.” Opening doors Four decades earlier, Mike Vucish Sr. was working for a manufacturer of naval nuclear components when he saw an opportunity to go into business for himself. He bought some equipment, invited a few students from the technical school where he taught shop class at night, and opened the doors of Stellar in 1978. He continued to work at his day job until his fledgling company was firmly established, but in the meantime brought some family members on board to help…