Month: April 2020

The reason Australia’s space industry is expected to grow at an annualised rate of up to three times that of GDP over the decade to 2023-24 is because the space sector is no longer restricted to governments. It is becoming a fast-growing and fiercely commercial sector, driven by falling costs of launch and rapid technology development. This means the time is right for Australian industry to leverage its competitive advantages that can support the growing space economy, including in advanced manufacturing, automation and robotics, and next generation communications. We have amazing companies, from those working in robotics that can support activities in space, Artificial Intelligence that will assist satellite activities, and new rocket technology. However, there are also companies working in a range of manufacturing fields that could apply their trade to space. For example, companies specialising in the 3D printing of metals that could withstand the extreme conditions of space. We’ve seen…

The Federal Government has launched a new voluntary coronavirus tracing app, COVIDSafe, that will speed up the process of identifying people who have been in close contact with someone diagnosed with coronavirus. For more information on the app, visit: health.gov.au/resources/apps-and-tools/covidsafe-app The Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA), peak industry body for innovation technology (IT), backed the app after receiving a detailed briefing from Government. AIIA CEO Ron Gauci said: “Based on this detailed briefing, and understanding that the app does not track your geo-location and that personal data and cyber security concerns have been designed into the app and through government regulations, the AIIA therefore supports the government tracing app and strongly recommends that all Australians download it.” As Australian manufacturers look for ways to assist with COVID-19 equipment and supply needs, many are facing the regulatory challenges of working in the medical sector for the first time. The Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC) has published a set of FAQs…

Demonstrating the power of Aussie innovation and collaboration, the Federal Government’s Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC) has helped facilitate the partnership between Stryker South Pacific and A.H Beard, AmTek Australia, Fallshaw Wheels & Castors, and Varley Group. Registered for use with the Australian Therapeutic Good Administration (TGA) standards, the Emergency Relief Bed has been designed to accommodate patients in respiratory distress and provides critical surge capacity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Karen Andrews said within six days Stryker South Pacific, in partnership with AMGC, mapped a local supply chain to adapt the design, create prototypes and begin production of the Emergency Relief Bed in Australia. “This rapid response is an incredible feat and shows how Aussie companies are quickly working together in the face of this unprecedented pandemic,” Minister Andrews said. “The fact that these beds can be manufactured from readily available components, shipped and stored as flat-packs and then assembled on-site with hand tools demonstrates…

“Unfortunately, a belief among many home-soil manufacturers that overseas competition has killed off Australian manufacturing fuels a public misconception that the industry is all but phased out. But the facts defy the myth,” says Keefe. “Recent statistics show that manufacturing in this country has grown almost every month since October 2015, and 2018 saw 85,000 new jobs created in manufacturing, among the highest of any sector.” Keefe is the head of Melbourne-based electronics design and embedded software development firm Successful Endeavours, whose electronics product excellence and business acumen has seen the company recently notch up its 47th award win. “The biggest barrier to Australian manufacturing is not overseas competition,” Keefe adds. “It’s the mindset of many Australian manufacturers who think that manufacturing products overseas is the only viable option. That may be true for highly commoditised products and where quality and longevity are not the highest priorities. But when you want to produce a highly reliable product, Australian manufacturing changes the sales…

Laguna was founded 21 years ago with the technical knowledge of talented Russian engineer Yuriy Lutskiy and the administrative skills of Klavdiya Antonova. Remaining deeply loyal to its roots, the company has unparalleled expertise in manufacturing complicated and high-precision parts, producing thousands of small workpieces every month. Laguna manufactures everything from connectors through to bolts, screws and much more for the electronics, instrumentation & control, automotive, aerospace, medical, transport and telecommunications sectors. Laguna consistently invests in modern technology to support its customers. Part of its investment strategy has seen the arrival of a Tornos Swiss GT 13. The advanced technical turning centre incorporates six-axis kinematics that make the Swiss GT 13 ideal for the most complex parts on the market. It has also provided Laguna with the required flexibility to expand its business. The Tornos Swiss GT 13 has enabled Laguna to substantially increase productivity, largely due to the machine’s rigidity and high coolant pressure, which evacuates chips and improves machining performance, especially during the machining of dental…

The technology belongs to EVOCRA, a water treatment company formed in Tasmania in 2011. The patented process, known as Ozofractionative Catalysed Reagent Addition (OCRA), literally floats the microplastic out of the water so it can be collected and sent for recycling. EVOCRA’s Managing Director Mark Sykes says OCRA is a solution for many water-based environmental challenges. “Microplastics are plastic items smaller than 5mm that are found in everyday products such as sunscreen, shampoo and detergent,” says Sykes. “Too small to be filtered out in the treatment plants, they wash into waterways where they harm our aquatic wildlife. OCRA offers a positive solution to this complex environmental issue. The technology can be applied as a pre-treatment, that is, before the plastic enters the sewerage system or at the treatment plant to remove the particles before discharge.” Dr Thava Palanisami, a world leader in microplastics research, is working with Evocra: “Evocra was an early entrant into finding a solution for microplastics which is a potential planetary boundary threat. OCRA has demonstrated it has…

Through the Business Portal you can apply for certain government assistance programs, lodge activity statements and pay super guarantee through the Small Business Superannuation Clearing House (SBSCH). The ATO’s Chief Digital Officer John Dardo says the ATO is here to help those needing to set up a myGovID quickly. “In the past week we’ve seen over 800,000 ABNs logging into ATO portals,” said Dardo. “We have also seen over 120,000 ABNs setting up their myGovID to enable them to have online access. We expect to see similar enrolments in the coming week. “If you need to use the ATO Business Portal and you don’t have a myGovID yet don’t worry. Just download the myGovID app and follow the steps. Over 80% of people can set it up without any assistance. If you get stuck, we have instructions and videos on the web and our call centres are able to help.” myGovID is an app you download to your smart device to prove…

One of the outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic is a realisation on how much Australia needs its own robust advanced manufacturing sector. Coming to the aid of a medical system crushed world-wide by the COVID-19 pandemic, ANCA has joined the NOTUS Emergency Ventilator Program, a Grey Innovation-led initiative to rapidly manufacture sophisticated ventilators locally. Banding together with other Australian manufacturing businesses, the consortium harnesses various industry capabilities to make more ventilators locally. “As a business we don’t normally manufacture parts for machines such as ventilators,” said Pat Boland, ANCA Co-Founder and Managing Director. “We were approached to join the initiative and were able to utilise our machine shop to manufacture components and skilled labour to build key sub-assemblies of the ventilators.” ANCA has been one of Australia’s most successful advanced manufacturers for forty plus years – designing, manufacturing and exporting 99% of its highly accurate CNC grinders to the global market. It supplies to a wide range of industries, including the medical industry, and has been classified in the…

Catten Industries is proudly owned and operated by husband-and-wife team Ian and Latinka Cubitt and their three talented adult children: Nicole, Sean and Bianca. A long-term AMTIL member based in Bayswater in Melbourne’s east, Catten is a thriving hub of custom design and creative activity. There is no typical work day for Ian, the company’s Managing Director, and Latinka, its General Manger - Administration, because of the variety of products it manufactures and the industries it supplies. “We are a jobbing shop and new varying jobs come in regularly,” says Ian. “At Catten, there is a constant requirement to innovate and develop new projects.” Ian speaks about some exciting jobs completed recently in the company’s factory: “We made a steel circular spinning apparatus for an Australian Institute of Sport supplier. This is used by high-board divers to practice their pikes and spinning plus it’s helped cut their training time substantially. “We work…

The staff and student team has sewn 100 of the prototype masks as part of a Federal Government initiative to meet potential shortages in safety gear during the pandemic. The design has been through several variations and has now been scaled up for further non-medical trials through AMTIL. If successful, it could soon be produced by local manufacturers. “It’s a fantastic example of agility and collaboration,” said AMTIL Business Adviser Bruno Bello. “RMIT’s ability to provide IP and speed to market with a fantastic product concept has been invaluable.” Dr Scott Mayson, Associate Dean (Research & Innovation) in RMIT’s School of Fashion & Textiles, said their alternative experimental mask was designed to be a comfortable, secure one-size fits all product. “It has been developed specifically to fit a broad range of faces with just one strap and a unique under chin profile that maintained a seal,” Mayson said. “The top panel conforms to the face with minimal pressure around the nose but also allows for expansion when talking or…

The Federal Government’s recent commitment to support an increase in the domestic manufacturing of critical products such as medical supplies is a good start, however there is more that can be done. According to AMCL Chief Executive, Ben Lazzaro, a co-ordinated push to ‘buy local’ has the potential to play a big part in getting Australia back online. “Australia’s economic landscape will be forever changed, however there is an opportunity for federal, state and local governments, as well as Australia’s business community, to take the lead and put policies in place that prioritise genuine Aussie products for major projects, supply contracts and everyday consumables,” said Lazzaro. “Reinvesting in local industry and local jobs through sustainable purchasing policies will go a long way towards helping Australia bounce back.” Research conducted by Roy Morgan Research in 2017 found that while three-quarters of businesses had a preference for buying Australian products, only 26% of those surveyed were found…

The Australian Made Campaign (AMCL) has joined calls for Australia’s business community and all levels of government to adopt ‘buy Australian first’ procurement policies, to help fast-track the country’s resurgence as it plans its recovery from the impact of COVID-19. australianmade.com.au The Industry Capability Network (ICN) reported that it had received more than 600 expressions of interest through its COVID-19 Response Portal in just four weeks since its launch. The COVID-19 Response Portal was launched on 23 March to help businesses keep the supply chain wheels turning during the coronavirus pandemic. To visit the ICN COVID-19 Response Portal, go to: https://gateway.icn.org.au/project/4531/covid-19-response The Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC)’s Manufacturer Response Register has also received over 2,100 submissions from organisations and individuals willing to support all levels of governments in response to the coronavirus pandemic. https://www.amgc.org.au/covid-19-manufacturer-response/ The NSW Government is calling on local manufacturers to help supply medical equipment and hygiene products to essential services workers. If your business can manufacture…

The notus Emergency Invasive Ventilator Program, an initiative led by Richmond-based Grey Innovation and supported by the Victorian Government and Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC), will supply life-saving invasive ventilators and ensure Australia does not have a shortfall amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The program will supply 2,000 units to the Federal Government, and the Victorian Government has announced its intention to purchase another 2,000 units. Grey Innovation, a leading technology commercialisation company, has secured a licence from a prominent global manufacturer to develop ventilators in Australia. At its headquarters in Clayton, BAMS will be manufacturing the test equipment required to check the ventilators. With a time-critical schedule, BAMS will begin delivering some items in the first week of May. With many of the associates putting their hands up to work on the project, they will be working extra shifts and weekends to meet the tight deadlines. Gavin Smith, President of Bosch Australia, is proud the local manufacturing team can play a pivotal role in the fight against COVID-19. “This consortium shows…