Month: June 2021

Next month we’ll be holding two special ‘Christmas in July’ celebrations, in New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria. The events are an opportunity for you to socialise and network in a relaxed setting – bring your partner and colleagues and share in some mid-year Christmas cheer. The Sydney event will consist of a dinner cruise in Darling Harbour, with a luxury private dining experience against one of the best backdrops in Sydney. The Victorian event will be held at Carousel in Melbourne, with guests enjoying a three-course meal and drinks, as well as live music. Full details are as follows: AMTIL 2021 NSW Christmas in July Dinner Cruise Wednesday 21 July 2021 7:00pm – 11.00pm Darling Harbour, Convention Jetty, Morpheus Cruises, Sydney, NSW 2000. AMTIL 2021 VIC Christmas in July Dinner Function Thursday 22 July 2021 7:00pm – 11.00pm Carousel, 22 Aughtie Drive, Albert Park Lake, VIC 3205. Tickets for both events are $65 for members of AMTIL or the Additive Manufacturing Hub, and $129 for non-members. For the Victoria event, Corporate Tables…

Together with the University of Sydney and Curtin University, the Centre is focusing on broadening the knowledge of Australian welding industries and occupations, current controls being used and the effectiveness in risk mitigation. SafeWork Director, Research and Evaluation, Skye Buatava said it is important to understand which intervention strategies are effective in reducing people’s exposure to harmful welding fumes. “The long-latency period for occupational cancers and diseases, can cause a significant challenge to establish a direct connection between welding fume exposure and lung cancer,” said Buatava Lead researcher Professor Tim Driscoll added: “Welding is a cross-industry technology and there is limited knowledge about this high-risk activity and the risk profiles among welders in Australia. We want to know who is being exposed to these fumes, and what their levels of exposure are. This information is needed so appropriate control measures can be designed that minimise exposures as much as possible.” The research is being undertaken in a bid to learn how different workers or industries use personal…

Naval Group has a century of experience in submarine design and construction in France and around the world, and is now transferring that expertise and knowledge to Australia under the Strategic Partnering Agreement. The Naval Group Australia staff who travel to France spend up to three years receiving on-the- job training, before returning home to continue work on the Attack Class. They will then form a core of local experts who will assist the development of the next generation of Australian staff. Naval Group Australia Chief Executive Officer John Davis said the transfer of expertise from France to Australia was boosting local skills and capacity for submarine design and construction. “This is just one of the fantastic opportunities which exists for Australian workers as part of an Attack Class submarine project which is creating hundreds of rewarding local jobs,” Davis said. “The Australians who are going to…

Operating a spindle with high rotation speed and gaining the optimal balance between the provided speed and torque is the main task of high-speed engineering. The spindle’s performance depends on a variety of different factors. One of the main factors relates to the design concept of a single- or combined twin-motor bearing system, seal components, and a tool retention method. When machining, the spindle is not in direct contact with the workpiece but interacts with it through another technological system – the cutting tool. This connection acts as a conductor and should transform the impressive capabilities of a high-speed spindle into improved machining results. Another element between the cutting tool and the spindle is the toolholder that is fitted into the spindle. A poor performance from this small assembly, consisting of the cutting tool and toolholder, may reduce the function of the spindle to…

Brisbane-based Graphene Manufacturing Group (GMG) will manufacture battery prototypes for watches, phones, laptops, electric vehicles and grid storage under a research agreement with scientists from UQ’s Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN). Professor Michael Yu, Dr Xiaodan Huang and postdoctoral student Yueqi Kong devised technology to make graphene into more efficient electrodes for powering batteries, which has been patented and licensed by UQ commercialisation company, UniQuest. AIBN Director Professor Alan Rowan said UQ was delighted to partner with GMG to translate scientific ideas into commercial solutions through the development of more efficient and greener batteries. “After several years of dedicated research into improving the aluminium ion battery, we are excited to be at the phase of developing commercial prototypes for more sustainable, faster-charging batteries,” Rowan said. “Testing showed rechargeable graphene aluminium ion batteries had a battery life of up to three times that of current leading lithium-ion batteries, and higher power density meant they charged up to 70 times faster. The batteries are rechargeable for a…

The May result represents the index’s highest monthly result since March 2018 and the fourth highest since the Australian PMI commenced in 1992 (readings above 50 points indicate expansion in activity, with higher results indicating a faster rate of expansion). All six manufacturing sectors in the Australian PMI expanded in May and at a faster pace than in April. The strongest results were in the sectors that directly supply the construction sector, including building materials (up 3.8 points to 66.4), machinery & equipment (up 0.2 points to 64.7) and chemicals (up 2.1 points to 65.7). Six of the seven activity indices in the Australian PMI expanded, with only the exports index indicating a contraction (down 9.9 points to 48.9). Production (up 0.9 points to 64.5), employment (up 3.3 points to 61.3) and new orders (up 1.5 points to 64.9) accelerated into very strong expansion. “Australia’s manufacturing sector maintained its rapid pace of expansion in May fuelled…

Two initiatives are now being developed and discussed and they are outlined below. Young Industry Ambassador Program A Young Industry Ambassador Program will generate an interest in a career in manufacturing. Imagine 50 young people from our industry who have the passion and drive to speak to other young people about their journey and experience so far. The intention is to have these ambassadors go through a public speaking course to give them the confidence and skills to present themselves. WIN. Imagine hundreds of high schools around the country that are on a database for communication around manufacturing careers and thus having the opportunity to have a Young Ambassador come and talk to their students. Imagine career advisors being better educated about the many career options available through our industry. WIN. Imagine 100 advanced manufacturers around the country prepared to open their doors and have school groups come for a plant tour. The intention will be to cover the costs of travel for…

“Using this technology, the cost of a quarantine project could be lowered by 80% in comparison to traditional construction, and 55% compared to prefabricated solutions,” says Ahmed Mahil, co-founder and CEO of Luyten. “Ready to be fitted with utilities and plumbing, these accommodation facilities would be aesthetically pleasing and liveable within just a couple of days. The months, and even years, some projects can take to be constructed is now redundant – the new age of construction is upon us.” According to Mahil, the construction industry is at a tipping point after a century of stagnation, and Luyten’s technology, which began as a passion project between university mates, has the capacity to shake up the industry: “Just as Ford changed the game with the Model T, Luyten has changed the game with the Platypus mobile 3D concrete printer. The affordability of the Platypus will make it an essential part of the equipment tool kit that small and large…

The OnRobot range of robotic arm grippers, sensors and tool changers makes it faster and simpler to automate tasks such as packaging, materials handling, machine tending, assembly, and surface finishing. With its new partnership with OnRobot, John Hart aims to provide effective solutions to help small and mid-sized manufacturers optimise their processes and grow their businesses, with greater flexibility, higher output and improved quality. According to John Hart, collaborative automation has levelled the playing field for small and mid-sized manufacturers, and as robots become easier to buy and implement, the tooling has become the vital element in adapting for a wide range of applications. OnRobot’s product range features a wide assortment of tools for collaborative applications, including: electric, vacuum and magnetic grippers, the award-winning Gecko gripping technology, force/torque sensors, a 2.5D vision system, screwdriver, sander kits and tool changers. Headquartered in Odense in Denmark, OnRobot also has offices in Los Angeles and Dallas in the US, Soest (Germany), Barcelona (Spain), Warsaw (Poland), Budapest (Hungary), Shanghai (China),…