Month: November 2019

Security, natural ventilation, ultraviolet (UV) and insect protection, as well as safeguarding from the risk of bushfires – these are just some of the many reasons that numerous buildings throughout Australia are equipped with security window and door screens. Prowler Proof has been manufacturing premium security door and window screens to meet this myriad of requirements since 1984. Remaining proudly Australian-owned and -made, the company delivers the highest-performing doors and screens in Australia thanks to a manufacturing process that includes welding the security door and window screens, making them stronger than any screw or rivet. All Prowler Proof door and window screens are manufactured in the company’s high-tech, fully automated facility in Banyo, Queensland. The factory is currently the only manufacturing facility in Australia that has achieved the rating ‘World Class’ on the PROBE Manufacturing global benchmark, one of the world’s…

Bonfiglioli’s high-quality, rugged drives are engineered and assembled at their headquarters in Glendenning, New South Wales, and are delivered to major projects such as the Melbourne Metro Tunnel, Westgate Tunnel, NorthConnex, Westconnex and Sydney Metro 2, where they power Eilbeck’s cranes and lifting equipment. “Eilbeck’s market-leading status in Australia is due to our consistently high-quality and robust products, ongoing reliability and outstanding backup service,” says Charlie Eilbeck, Head of Eilbeck Heavy Machining Centre. “Having a supplier like Bonfiglioli that shares these qualities is an asset in ensuring safe, efficient and reliable operations.” Eilbeck says the company has a strong focus on short delivery times, reliable service and a tradition of never turning down a problem for being too complex. Consequently it’s rewarding to work with a company like Bonfiglioli with similar values and a focus on innovation and problem solving. “In our business, our cranes are hauling 24/7, so safety and reliability are imperative,” says Charlie. “Clients rely on us for smooth running operations. In addition to hauling products, many of…

Anatomics has developed an innovative solution involving a custom patient-specific kit, SpineBox, that is 3D-printed using EOS’ selective laser sintering (SLS) technology in Nylon 12 powder. The SpineBox kit greatly simplifies minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar fusion surgery (MIS TLIF) and can be adapted to support most spinal fusion techniques. Anatomics is an Australian-owned medical device company that has been manufacturing and marketing surgical products to surgeons locally and internationally since 1996. Anatomics pioneered CT scan-derived surgical implant technology and was first to market with an innovative, quality product that assisted surgeons to produce better surgical outcomes and save valuable operating theatre time. The company’s customers include neurosurgeons, plastic & reconstructive surgeons, oral & maxillofacial surgeons, orthopaedic surgeons, ENT surgeons and thorasic surgeons. Using patient…

There are undoubtedly many benefits associated with the use of AM as a production technology. Manufacturers can not only build complex parts in one piece that were previously impossible, but they can also build stronger, lighter-weight parts, reduce material consumption, and benefit from assembly component consolidation across a range of applications. These advantages have been well documented during the last 10-20 years as AM has emerged as a truly disruptive technology for prototyping and production, invariably seen as enabled by the additive hardware that builds the parts. In reality, however, this is a partial picture, particularly for serial production applications. AM systems are actually just one part — albeit a vital part — of an extensive ecosystem of technologies that enable AM, both pre and post-build. By focusing just on the AM build process, a fundamental part of the production process chain is often overlooked, namely post-processing once the part is out of the AM machine. Manufacturers using (or…

The new redesigned TESTit features enhanced electronics with an even more attractive price point. The new generation of clamping force measuring device is now made up of two parts, the Test Module or measuring unit that changes depending on the specific measurement application, and the IT Module or basic unit. Combining the different variants makes for an extremely flexible solution that can measure almost anything. The updated product can be used on multi-spindle machines, turning centres and machining centres. Moreover, the system incorporates an additional module for measuring and recording the insertion force of hollow shank taper tool holders. The Testit works as a modular system with plug-and-play functions that communicate via the impressive new software that can be viewed on a tablet, via USB stick or as a download. The Testit was only previously available as a complete unit and users bought one Testit for external clamping, another for internal clamping, and – depending on…

At Formnext, in Frankfurt, Germany, Divergent displayed its revolutionary 3D printed suspension and chassis structure - or the front quarter of Divergent’s functional hyper-car that successfully endured 450,000 kilometers of simulated road conditions! One of the latest projects involving SLM Solutions, Divergent utilised the SLM®800, SLM®500 and the SLM®280 to produce the fabricated parts that both are lightweight and engineered for high performance, never before possible using conventional production methods. A strategic partnership between SLM Solutions and Divergent is now being expanded to speed up development and commercialization of the next generation machines, creating a multi-laser machine that offers all the benefits of SLM’s 3D technology aimed at improving manufacturing automotive components and aerospace parts at a faster pace. To begin, Divergent will purchase 5 pre-production machines from SLM to use for system testing and ‘bullet proofing’ in their facilities in Los Angles, California. According to the press release issued by SLM Solutions Group AG, Divergent’s initial factory deployment will require at least 20 next generation production machines when commercially available. Already in 2020, Divergent plans to begin series production of safety-critical structures for OEM customers in both the US and Europe, followed by a rollout of advanced manufacturing…

An experienced prosthodontist specialising in pioneering practical and cost-effective solutions, Hart has made a name for himself as an innovator and leader in his profession. After earning his Bachelor of Dental Science from the University of Melbourne, he built up his expertise working as a dentist in a variety of patient care environments. After earning his Master of Dental Science degree, he was selected to be part of an international team of implantology scholars, an accolade that took him to the University of Bern in Switzerland, where he was mentored by world-renowned faculty member Professor Daniel Buser at the university’s dental medicine clinic and in its department of surgery. Upon returning to Australia and working in both private practice and hospital settings, Hart discovered that he couldn’t find adequate prostheses to serve the functional needs of oncology patients. So, he decided to make those…

Zero-waste manufacturing is, as the name suggests, a method of production that is so efficient that tools are able to be made without sending anything to landfill. Why is this important for toolmakers? Of course, minimising the impact of manufacturing on the environment is an admirable goal. But it’s also true that the materials you use to make cutting tools can be expensive. Reducing waste is more than an environmental concern; it also makes good economic sense. Zero waste is a whole-of-business approach that starts with where you source your materials and ends long after the product has left your warehouse. Although true ‘zero waste’ is not completely achievable yet, there are steps you can – and should – be taking towards a more efficient future. At a basic level, zero-waste manufacturing requires getting the first component (the cutting tool) right, and then maintaining those tolerances and dimensions through the entire production so there is minimal waste/rejection of tools at the end. Factors that will influence the amount of waste…

A family-owned company, Hansen Products has been making fittings and valves since the 1950s. Based in Whangarei, the company originally made brass fittings for the agricultural industry in New Zealand. Known for high-quality products with great tolerances, Hansen continues to make technically advanced plastic fittings and valves for the domestic and international markets. The company believes in ‘Best Installed Value’ and achieves this with in-house R&D, product design, toolmakers, manufacturing, assembly, marketing, sales and distribution. In 2018 the team at Hansen saw there was a gap in their production data and decided to install AspectPL manufacturing productivity software to digitise its production floor. Jon Kirby, Manufacturing Manager, explains how the management team came to the conclusion that implementing AspectPL would benefit production “We were aware of the benefits that AspectPL would provide from our research and site visits,” says Kirby. “We realised that we also wanted to have the team ready to take advantage of the information AspectPL made available – along with the benefits of the scheduling function.” To help…

Founded in 1995, Legend Laser specialises in the design and manufacture of a diverse range of laser marking, micro-machining and micro-tube processing systems. Initially concentrating on the domestic and Chinese markets, the company nowadays serves a worldwide customer base. Based on NUM’s latest-generation Flexium+ CNC platform, Legend Laser’s SRC-610 precision sheet metal cutter combines high dynamic performance linear motors with a pulsed fibre laser, and is expressly designed for 24/7 operation in a standard production environment. The new machine is a 3-axis system with a working area of 1,000mm by 600mm and an above-worktable clearance height of 150mm. It is mounted on a high inertia platform, comprising a large-mass solid granite base with a rigid metal frame. To ensure smooth, burr-free cutting and to prevent any heat-induced deformation of thin metal workpieces, the power output of the pulsed fibre laser is fully synchronised to the cutting operation. The laser has a peak output power of 1.5kW and can cut sheet metal with a thickness of between 20µm and…

For the very first time, the new EDS/EDM35 and EES/EEM37 Smart Motor Sensors offer a whole host of smart functionalities that enable users to both support and implement future-proof edge computing. The motor feedback systems with HDSL in the new EDS/EDM35 and EES/EEM37 product families from SICK can record and store variables such as temperature, speed, and revolutions to create service time charts for condition monitoring. They are also capable of communicating information from the field – the keyword being “edge computing” – in higher automation levels or applications, such as those for condition monitoring. With their ability to independently collect, evaluate, and transmit on-site sensor signals, these smart motor feedback systems become crucial components of digitalised servo-drive solutions. This ensures maximum future security for manufacturers and operating entities alike. EDS/EDM35: Designed for high-performance servo-drive systems The EDS35 single-turn motor feedback system and the EDM35 multiturn variant are designed to meet the highest precision requirements such as those found in…

Metal additive manufacturing (AM) has certainly taken the world by storm. With the ability to create shapes not previously thought possible, this revolutionary, Industry 4.0-enabling technique has backers from a range of different industries all over the globe. However, when metal AM is mentioned, the first thought is usually of a laser-powered machine fusing metal powders layer by layer. Certainly, this has been the predominant technique with a vast amount of machine sales dedicated to laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) since the advent of commercially available AM. But new and intriguing metal AM technologies have been making headway of late and offering a point of difference to the commonly accepted LPBF systems. One such technique is wire-fed additive manufacturing. The concept is very simple: it is based on traditional welding, but rather than welding components together, a weld bead is laid upon another weld bead. This process is repeated until there is a series of weld beads welded successively, such that they create a three-dimensional shape. The process is…

Founded in 1997 by husband and wife team Jim and Artemis Tzakos, Sevaan Group is a cutting-edge metal manufacturer that delivers complete, end-to-end metal fabrication and machining solutions for a range of industries including defence, aerospace, medical, mining, energy, transport and retail. Along the way, it has also played a part in some interesting one-off projects, from helping in the development of an armoured wetsuit to protect commercial divers, to the restoration of the iconic Anzac Memorial in Sydney’s Hyde Park. Sevaan Group has always been quick to adopt the latest manufacturing technology, with a state-of-the-art workshop boasting capabilities such as CNC machining, laser cutting, marking and engraving, welding, sheet metal and steel fabrication, CNC punching, finishing and assembly. Therefore it’s no surprise that the company was one of the first in Australia to embrace Industry 4.0, the revolution currently sweeping manufacturing. “We talk about Industry 4.0 as something very new, very contemporary, but we probably started the journey at least seven…