Month: November 2018

At Madame Tussauds, the famous waxwork museum in London, there is a careful procedure when making a celebrity figure; it involves around 15 artists working on each model for three to four months. The detailed process requires 250 precise measurements before the figure is made; this means that the end result is a lifelike, near-exact replica. Additive manufacturing or 3D printing is used in a variety of industrial applications for prototyping and manufacturing. The technology uses a range of materials including polymers, ceramics, resins, stainless steel, cobalt chrome and titanium. The additive manufacturing process produces 3D objects from a computer-aided design (CAD) file. Objects are built in layers, adding material until the manufactured part is complete. This method offers great design flexibility, which means that highly accurate, bespoke and customised devices can be produced at low cost compared to traditional manufacturing. The medical applications of additive…

Gladstone is the fifth-largest multi-commodity port in Australia, and the world’s fourth-largest coal-exporting terminal, handling 50m tonnes annually. Major exports include cement products, sodium cyanide, ammonium nitrate, alumina, and aluminium from the nearby Boyne Island smelter. Servicing the industries that export these products – and many others around the country – is Jenmick Gear Cutting & Engineering, a family-owned and operated business. Established in 1999 by Clifton and Sandra Dimitrov, it is first and foremost a well-equipped machining workshop with the capacity to carry out very precise and complex tasks on its CNC equipment. From its early days, Jenmick has built an Australia-wide reputation for the quality of its gears, and this dedication to excellence is reflected in its choice of new machinery for its Bassett Street workshops. The latest machines to be installed are a Joemars AWT3S wire cut machine and a…

To mark the occasion, the company’s entire staff from across Australia was brought together at Alfex CNC’s headquarters in Broadmeadows, north Melbourne, for a company-wide meeting. It was the first time that the whole national team had gathered together in several years. “Having everyone in the same room, created great excitement and pride in what we have achieved together as a team,” said Maryanne Buhagiar, Operations Manager. The following evening, the real celebration began, as the Alfex team, partners and guests were treated to a luxurious event with a grand view of the Melbourne city skyline to mark the special occasion. Esteemed guests included Alfex CNC’s original founders Tony and Linda Boult; suppliers and partners; as well as representatives of AMTIL. “We wanted to share this momentous occasion with everyone who has provided services and guidance to Alfex CNC over the years and helped us on our journey,” said George Buhagiar, Company Director. Tony and Linda Boult established Alfex in 1978, and since then have watched the company grow from strength to strength. As Tony recounted…

Manufacturers need to work with supply chain partners that are ethical, reliable, and stable. Choosing the right partners requires significant due diligence. In an age where consumers vote with their feet and increasingly prefer to purchase from companies that demonstrate concern for environmental and ethical practices, manufacturers can’t afford to find out that their supply chain partners don’t measure up to their high standards. More than half of consumers have declared themselves willing to pay a premium for products from companies promoting social responsibility. A company that promotes this virtue and is then found out to purchase materials from supply chain partners that employ slave labour or child labour, for example, could experience significant reputational damage. By contrast, a company that can prove beyond doubt that each member of its supply chain is ethical and trustworthy, can use this fact…

Kennametal accomplished this recently with the introduction of its KBH10, a new breed of polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PcBN) hard turning insert designed specifically for the challenges of today’s demanding market place. Helmut Gremer, Senior Engineer for global machining technology, says the new insert complements Kennametal’s existing PcBN grades KBH20 and KB5630 by providing the extreme wear resistance needed to successfully turn hardened metals up to 65Rc, especially where very fine surface finishes are required. “We’ve seen that many manufacturers are decreasing the allowable tolerances on bearing journals, rings and pistons, gear hubs, and so on,” says Gremer. “For example, dimensional tolerances of 4μm or less are increasingly common, as are surface requirements better than Ra < 0.4μm. This new grade closes the gap for these and other…

To strengthen the metal additive manufacturing (AM) industry, global engineering company Renishaw has initiated a collaboration with Sandvik Additive Manufacturing to supply the company with high productivity multi-laser RenAM 500Q systems, which will substantially increase Sandvik's printing capacity. This is one of the largest installations to date of Renishaw's latest AM system, the RenAM 500Q. The system features 500 W quad lasers in the most commonly used platform size, enabling a radical increase in productivity, without compromising quality. Working with ongoing support from Renishaw, the investment will complement Sandvik's's existing printing technologies and strengthen its position in the growing additive manufacturing market. The two companies also intend to collaborate in areas like materials development, AM process technologies and post-processing. “Renishaw is a leader and innovator in metal AM and metrology, positioning it as the perfect AM partner,” explained Robin Weston, Marketing Manager of Renishaw's Additive Manufacturing Products Division. “Sandvik is well established throughout the AM value chain, with a leading position in fine metal powder for additive manufacturing and world-leading expertise when it comes to post processing methods like machining, heat treatment and sintering. Our collaboration will strengthen Sandvik's position during a period of rapid growth in the metal…

Metal manufacturing business Global Manufacturing Group (GMG) has a reasonably well-defined patch, but the reality is that its work ends up all over Australia. “We don’t really do much in Brisbane – we leave those guys to look out for themselves,” explains Phil Dowling, Director and one of three owners at GMG. “Anything above Noosa to Rockhampton and west is our catchment. Though we deal with some national clients and some of the things we do for them could end up anywhere, west Australia or Victoria, or New South Wales, we’re not always quite sure where our stuff is going at the time. A truck turns up and takes it away, you know?” As with the location of its customers, the sector these belong to is subject to revision. What started in rail now takes in oil & gas, mining, medical, defence, and more. “We draw a pretty long bow,” Dowling says of the industries the company currently serves. “We’re a fully turnkey operation. So if you come…

The Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association (AAAA) recently announced the establishment of two automotive Innovation Labs based in Victoria and South Australia. Co-funded by Federal and Victorian Government industry development grants, the operation of these new Innovation Labs will be led by the AAAA, providing Australian automotive product designers, manufacturers and start-ups with the the tools, technology, vehicles, expertise and collaborative environment required to innovate, design, test and manufacture for local and export markets. Advanced manufacturing services will be provided, including 3D scanning and printing, measuring sessions, technology transfer, CAD and prototyping. Advanced product development and testing facilities will significantly reduce the time and cost in developing innovative new products. According to AAAA Chief Executive Officer, Stuart Charity, the establishment of these Innovation Labs will grow an industry that is already punching well above its weight on the global stage. “Australian automotive aftermarket industry manufacturers are currently producing parts, components and technology worth more than $5bn each year,” said Charity. “Our companies are world…

More than 20 AMTIL members and associates attended the get-together at the 2KW Bar and Restaurant, with AMTIL CEO Shane Infanti and Business Development Manager Derek Gancar on hand to keep the drinks and refreshments flowing. Also in attendance were representatives from AMTIL’s Entrepreneurs’ Programme team, as well as the Association’s Corporate Partners, AGL and William Buck Chartered Accountants & Advisors. The Adelaide gathering was the first in a series of upcoming holiday celebrations that AMTIL will be holding across Australia over the coming weeks to see out 2018 and celebrate Christmas and the coming New Year. Tickets are still available for all of the events, but places are filling up fast, so don’t delay in booking. Details of AMTIL’s Christmas events are as follows: Perth AMTIL 2018 WA Christmas Dinner Function Friday 30 November, 7.30pm – 10.30pm Bathers Beach House, 47 Mews Road, Freemantle Melbourne AMTIL 2018 VIC Christmas Dinner Function Wednesday 5 December, 7.00pm – 11.00pm Carlton Brewhouse, Cnr Thompson & Nelson Streets, Abbotsford Sydney AMTIL 2018 NSW Christmas…

Oji Fibre Solutions is part of the pulp and paper division of Oji Holdings Corporation – the fifth-largest pulp and paper company in the world. From fresh fruit and produce, meat, poultry, seafood and beverages to reseller and industrial manufacturing – the wide range of industries in Australia and New Zealand that Oji has been supplying innovative corrugated cardboard packaging solutions is immense. As part of the company’s expansion to its packaging business in Australasia, Oji recently invested into the development of a new 5.8-hectare greenfield site in Yatala. Complementing the company’s existing manufacturing plants in Melbourne and Sydney, the Yatala site houses a newly constructed 2.4-hectare green-star rated manufacturing facility. From here Oji manufactures and supplies innovative corrugated cardboard packaging solutions to its customers throughout Queensland, northern New South Wales and the Northern Territory. As part of Oji’s commitment to delivering innovative and environmentally sustainable products, the new facility operates to a green-star rating system. From…

Digital solutions are required by the international shipbuilding and offshore industry for efficient planning of resources and processes. To support that, the high-tech machine manufacturer transfluid combines its bending technologies for large diameter tubes with online networking aimed at practical applications. This is the case with its ‘t project’ software which enables users to calculate the exact orientation of the flanges in advance when bending straight tubes with welded flanges. Mobile measuring tools acquire data on-site, in order to measure template tubes accurately for example. In addition to that, transfluid offers the option of tube end-forming processes with the UMR ‘t form’ rotary tube-forming machine. For instance, it is possible to introduce flared flanges economically and subsequently bend the tube. “Saving time and money are aspects that we make possible for this industry, when it comes to tube processing”, says Stefanie Flaeper, Director at transfluid. “Our ‘t bend’ CNC bending machine has replaced the need to weld bends onto large tubes a long time ago, as it lowers the production…

Established in 2000, Larsen Engineering is a diversified manufacturer of complex sheet metal componentry, primarily servicing customers in and around Albury & Wodonga, on the border between Victoria and New South Wales. With approximately 50 staff, the company operates from three manufacturing plants totalling around 5,000sqm, located in Baranduda in south-east Wodonga, and in Lavington in north Albury. Larsen provides specialised engineering solutions to a highly diverse client base, with infrastructure, agriculture and defence representing key markets. Still very much a family company, General Manager Ben Larsen is the third generation of Larsens leading manufacturing in the region, with his father Tim overseeing operations as Director. “We are a supply chain manufacturer supporting local industries,” says Ben. “We don’t necessarily focus on our own proprietary products, but we supply to all walks of life between Canberra and Wangaratta, with some other work in Melbourne and Sydney every now and again. Our main…

“Our clients approach us to bring their ideas to life, and to solve problems in ways they hadn’t considered possible,” Samwell explains. “Prototyping is essential to our business, as it proves to clients that our designs are viable. However, when producing these prototypes with traditional methods, we were not only constrained by time and cost, but also increasingly felt the prototypes often lacked the realism our clients demanded.” Bluefrog needed the freedom to escape traditional design constraints at every stage of product development. It needed to produce fully functional, advanced prototypes with industry-recognised, engineering-grade materials. In a quest to find a solution, the team turned to additive manufacturing. Bluefrog’s versatility is best exemplified by its ability to solve seemingly insurmountable challenges. The team was recently approached by a young man suffering from paraesthesia, a condition that causes inexplicable burning, tingling or prickling across the skin. The only way to ease his pain was to ensure that his clothes touched…