Month: September 2017

AMT: Tell us a little bit about how METS Ignited was founded and and what you do. Ric Gros: The Australian Government, as part of its Industry Development and Innovation Policy Framework, has established Industry Growth Centres in six sectors that are considered strategically important to the Australian Economy. The METS sector was chosen as one of these segments because of its composition of agile, entrepreneurial SMEs, global competitiveness and growth potential based on Australia’s recognised research capabilities and scale, and its leading-edge mining sector. Australia’s METS sector is globally connected and financially robust. Contributing $86bn gross value to the Australian economy and supporting half a million jobs, the METS sector plays a significant role in the nation’s prosperity. Over 55% of Australian METS companies are exporters and many are world leaders in their markets. Further, the emerging Industry 4.0 will provide a new wave of opportunities for the METS sector. It is the role of METS Ignited to work closely with industry to increase collaboration, implement initiatives that will accelerate…

In this day and age where global competition is rife, productivity and cost-effectiveness are often the key differentiators that can allow companies in the manufacturing sector to stand out among their business rivals. Over the years, manufacturing processes have progressed steadily with the advent of technology, and one of the key aspects of production where metalworking plays an important role lies in the quality of the machinery that is employed. For many equipment manufacturers, sheet metal cutting is a common procedure in their factory. India-based Bharat Foils Limited is one such company. Established in 1975, the family-owned business has a long history in equipment manufacturing, and currently specialises in the production of equipment used in the grain milling industry, spanning the entire process from cleaning to drying, milling processing, and packing. With a strong presence across every state in India with machinery…

The event was run by the Welding Technology institute of Australia (WTIA) for members and non-members of the WTIA in Victoria. Competitors varied from Welding Apprentice’s (Certificate III in Engineering Fabrication trade) to welders and welding instructors. Participants demonstrated exceptional welding skills across three timed events. They displayed extensive knowledge of three different welding processes, materials, and positions and were judged on speed, accuracy, skill and adherence to the welding procedures. The three welds were a horizontal fillet using the gas tungsten arc process on aluminium, a single “V” vertical butt weld 10mm plate using flux core arc welding and a pipe inclined on a 45 degree angle with a GTAW root weld caped by Hydrogen controlled Arc electrodes. The winners Jesse Smolenaars (1st prize), Cameron Runacres (2nd prize), Ben Hoareau (3rd prize) and Jake Adie (4th prize) were awarded for top welds. First place was awarded a special prize from Kemppi Australia with the overall winner crowned “Best Welder in Victoria for 2017”. Prizes were donated by event sponsors BOC, CIG weld, Bombardier and Kemmpi for all…

Jeffrey Owen founded JBO Engineering in 1994. Jeff had previously been a toolmaker, and his business initially specialised in that area. The company was making a lot of rubber moulds in the early years and ended up buying a CNC mill to help with production. However, it soon became clear that there was a lot more work in production machining than in toolmaking. “We decided it was time to perhaps change our outlook a bit, and we shifted from a toolmaking environment to a production environment,” says Jeff, today JBO’s Managing Director. “That was about 18 years ago now. We still make press tools, rubber moulds and plastic injection dies – we just don’t make many of them any more. Nowadays we focus on production machining and manufacturing other peoples’ products.” That ability to shift focus has also encompassed the markets in which JBO operates. Like many Victorian manufacturing businesses, it initially found a lot of work for the car industry, making production press…

Sometimes every thousandth of a millimetre counts – such as with components for the automotive or aviation industry. In order to determine whether the individual component is fault-free and dimensionally stable, digital holography would be the method of choice. However, this method has so far been slow and sensitive to vibrations. It was therefore not suitable for production environments, and only samples could be tested. Fast, solid results Three researchers from the Fraunhofer IPM – Dr Markus Fratz, Dr Alexander Bertz and Dr Tobias Beckmann – have now brought the process of digital holography out of the laboratory and into the production hall. “We have been able to eliminate all the disadvantages and have therefore,…

AAMC Chair John Pollaers welcomed the appointment of Goodsell, currently Head of Manufacturing at the Australian Industry Group, as part of an important strategy to build closer alignment with Ai Group and significantly expand the work begun by the foundation members and executive of the AAMC. Pollaers warmly complimented outgoing executive director Jennifer Conley on her contribution in establishing the organisation. “Jenny built enormous good will for advanced manufacturing among stakeholder networks – indeed among our most influential policymakers – and translated complex issues into clear communications for a broad audience,” said Pollaers. “The CEO-led AAMC has been at the forefront of shifting the conversation around manufacturing as a direct result of that start-up phase. “Mark is eminently qualified to be taking the Council’s work to its next phase of expansion pursuing success for Australia’s manufacturing sector. With almost thirty years with the Australian Industry Group, Mark has a deep understanding of manufacturing and the enormous demands of 21st Century global business.” Ai Group Chief Executive Innes Willox said: “Ai Group is…

In the past, the basic specifications of a machine used to be the key issues for an investment decision, but now the overall performance, ease of use, and flexibility of a machining solution is more important for the most successful companies of today. This applies worldwide and independent of the class of a machine or the industry segment. For this reason, the newest machines from DMG MORI present a portfolio of solutions – with a broad range of technology, software solutions, and applications. The CMX V series of vertical machines represent leading-edge technology at attractive prices. State-of-the-art CNC machine tools must be productive, flexible and easy to operate. DMG MORI designed the CMX V series to exceed these requirements. The modular design of the machines enables fast, flexible configuration according to individual requirements, coupled with hundreds of options and technological solutions designed to create value. DMG MORI has developed the CMX V machine series with the intention to deliver sturdy vertical machining centres that will grow with your organisation.…

According to an entry in the Smithsonian, humans had developed crude toolmaking techniques by at least 2.6 million years ago. Chipping away at rocks made them smaller and sharper, offering various advantages to diet and defence in the lives of early man. Tools for cutting and grinding aren’t the latest idea, but some current trends show we’re entering a new, particularly exciting age. The invention of computer numerical control (CNC) is much more recent than the first attempts at toolmaking, and was a serious step to turning things into an exact science. It has allowed for ever-increasing levels of complexity in end products, the removal of guesswork and human error, previously unimaginable tolerance levels, and ever greater output. Since then, there have been needs from customers that have forced continued innovation by tool grinder manufacturers, including the uptake of new materials and composites, and constantly rising demands from end users for elegance and function in products. Consider the sleek aluminium backing of a smartphone – one component of a modern…

Six of the seven activity sub-indexes in the Australian PMI expanded in August with production (up 2.4 points to 61.4) and new orders (up 8.5 points to 64.3) especially strong (readings above 50 indicate expansion in activity, with the distance from 50 indicating the strength of the increase). Robust expansion in inventories (up 9.9 points to 58.9) rather than sales (down 4.9 points to 50.9) suggests current activity is geared towards future orders and stockpiling rather than for immediate delivery. Seven of the eight manufacturing sub-sectors expanded in August (acording to trend data based on the Henderson 13-month filter), led by non-metallic mineral products (up 3.5 points to 72.3 – its highest monthly level since this sub-series commenced in 2009) and wood & paper products (up 1.7 points to 71.1). These results reflected local demand from the building industry and from food manufacturing and processing (for packaged products). “The alignment of the stars…