Month: October 2021

Opening in the first half of 2022, the Simulator will provide compelling virtual worlds for vehicle development engineers and expert drivers in test and evaluation of new vehicle designs. Additionally, the associated infrastructure will allow advanced virtual vehicle prototyping design and testing, driver training, and automotive research and development. Deakin Vice-Chancellor Professor Iain Martin and Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research Professor Julie Owens welcomed the announcement of funding for the new platform by the State Minister for Training, Skills and Higher Education Gayle Tierney. Professor Martin said the Next Generation Simulator will provide the first dedicated and most advanced research infrastructure for driver-based and autonomous mobility technologies in Australia. “This is an exciting initiative and a powerful demonstration of what can be achieved when academia works collaboratively with government and industry partners,” he said. “This crucial infrastructure project will position Geelong as a global leader in the industry and make a substantial contribution to Deakin’s deep commitment to the economic and…

Late last year, the only undergraduate course in Australia purposefully designed to recruit and ‘upskill’ industry experienced tradespeople and technology experts to become qualified Vocational Education and Training (VET) and Technologies secondary school teachers was closed. What makes the closure of this program of particular concern to industry is that it has come at a time when the nation is gearing itself – more so than any other time in Australia’s history – for an economic recovery that is dependent on young people wanting to pursue trade and technologies-based vocations. The Federal Government has promised a “pipeline of skilled workers to support sustained economic recovery”, but in order to generate this pipeline, we need appropriately skilled and qualified teachers with industry expertise and a deep knowledge of pedagogy (the science of teaching and learning) to nurture young people’s curiosity and their desire to enter trade and technical career paths after completing their…

Metalmaster garage presses range from 10 tonnes up to 50 tonnes in terms of capacity. They are ideal for home workshops or mechanical repair shops, and are well suited to the needs of engineering and light manufacturing applications. The popular Metalmaster 20-tonne HP-20PP Workshop hydraulic press has a robust design and is constructed from industrial-grade C channel. The press has an adjustable sliding cylinder ram, a pressure gauge calibrated in both metric and imperial, and bending vee plates. The 20-tonne hydraulic ram and pump unit are also easily removed for use on other pressing jobs outside a workshop, such as straightening or bending. The HP-20PP hydraulic press features an adjustable sliding head, allowing up to 320mm of travel between the centre of the vertical posts. To accommodate offset pressing jobs, the user simply loosens the clamping plate bolts and the head of the press can be moved sideways. The Metalmaster HPF-50 trade press includes a…

With the University of Queensland (UQ) and Queensland University of Technology (QUT) on board, the facility will bring together researchers, clinicians and advanced manufacturers to accelerate global medical technology organisation Stryker’s R&D initiatives in Australia. IMCRC has been collaborating with Stryker since 2017, co-investing in an $18m Australian medtech manufacturing research project that is set to transform the way physicians surgically treat tumours and bone cancer. The five-year R&D collaboration between Stryker, IMCRC and five of Australia’s leading research organisations – RMIT University, the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), University of Sydney, University of Melbourne, and St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne – has incorporated 3D printing, robotic surgery, design and advanced manufacturing. The success of the project has catalysed further investment by Stryker in Australia, including for this new R&D facility. David Chuter, CEO and Managing Director of IMCRC, congratulated Stryker on demonstrating strong industry leadership with this investment, and said the new facility represented the right framework for collaboration, industry growth and transformation…

In the 11th year of the Competition, leading innovators in energy, smart cities, circular economy, manufacturing, health, food & agritech, mining and engineering, cyber security, disaster & emergency management and social impact are represented in the prestigious shortlist. The finalists were selected from 41 semi-finalists, who were all provided access to personal mentoring, a highly rated International Growth Masterclass and a deep dive growth program. The ATC21 finalists are: Avertro, NSW. Avertro delivers a SaaS platform that focusses on the business benefits of cyber security to help leaders articulate and quantify the value for the whole organisation. BlockTexx, NSW. BlockTexx has created a solution to the problem of textile waste – recovering polyester and cellulose from textiles and clothing. Change Foods, VIC. Change Foods use precision fermentation and advanced manufacturing methods to produce bio-identical dairy proteins and fats required to make cheese and other dairy products without using animals. Coviu, NSW. Coviu is a leading video telehealth solution, powering simple, secure and feature-rich…

BMT Chief Executive Officer, Bradley Beer, said that many existing assets owned by a business can be depreciated, and there could be thousands of dollars’ worth of unexpected tax deductions held in surprising items. “As a general rule, if an asset is used to produce income, it can be depreciated,” said Beer. “And in more than twenty years of operation, the team at BMT has seen it all.” Beer said that BMT reviewed all the depreciable business assets its site inspectors have seen and noted some of the most specific – and obscure – items identified. Banana ripening bags were listed as specific and little-known assets that yield significant deductions for banana plantation business owners. “A banana farm can claim a surprising amount of depreciation on their banana ripening bags,” said Beer. “The average first full year deduction comes to $16,000, and the cumulative five-year deduction comes to $37,333.” While one might expect the tools, equipment and infrastructure associated with beekeeping to be depreciable, some would be surprised to learn that…

Vibration issues are often present in machining operations where there is a high length-to-diameter ratio or if the machine tool itself is aging. The challenge for “mass-dampened tools” is the change of the vibration frequency on machining tools due to change in the cutting conditions such as tool wear, condition of the machines moving parts, and the variation of work piece materials. For these reasons traditional mass-dampened tools require the tuning of the mass damper to optimise performance. An out-of-tune condition can make the vibration problem worse in the form of tool chatter, which is often solved by reducing cutting speed or depth of cut, or increasing feed per revolution. The team at MAQ in Sweden studied the effects of vibration on the machining process and in 2015 developed a method of measuring a polymer’s frequency-dependent stiffness. They found that some polymers exhibited an increase in stiffness where there was an increased frequency, and it is the results of this study that were incorporated into the development of…

According to The State of Ransomware in Manufacturing and Production 2021, the practice of backing up data could be a reason why this sector was also the most affected by extortion-based ransomware attacks, a pressure technique where attackers don’t encrypt files, but rather threaten to leak stolen information online if a ransom demand isn’t paid. The survey studied the extent and impact of ransomware attacks during 2020. The ransomware findings for the manufacturing and production sector include: 36% of the businesses surveyed were hit by ransomware in 2020. 9% of ransomware victims were hit with extortion-based ransomware attacks, compared to a global average of 7%. The average ransomware recovery cost was $1.52m, less than the global average of $1.85m. “The sector’s high ability to restore data from backups enables many companies to refuse attacker demands for payment in the case of traditional, encryption-based ransomware…

With manufacturing contributing over $20bn pa to the Queensland economy and employing more than 170,000 people, the Queensland Government is committed to helping foster new growth and transition existing businesses into sustainable and successful advanced manufacturers to ensure the continued growth of the industry. In the words of the Queensland Government itself, its vision for the Queensland manufacturing sector is for it to be “… international market leaders in the delivery of advanced manufacturing technologies, systems, products and services that are innovative, sustainable, and embedded in local and global supply chains” by 2026. This vision drives its strategy of supporting advanced manufacturing, which in Queensland, includes sectors such as: Defence industries. Food, beverage, and beef processing. Mining equipment, technology, and services. Precision agriculture. Rail manufacturing. Renewables and hydrogen. Resource recovery High value sectors While there are many areas in the manufacturing industry, four sectors have stood out as high-value emerging areas to watch in…

Rail manufacturing has returned to the Midland area in Western Australia, 27 years after the old Midland Railway Workshops closed. World-class railcar manufacturer Alstom is building a fleet of 43 trains for the Public Transport Authority of Western Australia (PTA) at its new METRONET train manufacturing facility in Bellevue, east of Perth. This is part of the $1.3bn, 10-year contract that the WA State Government signed with Alstom in December 2019 to supply 246 new METRONET railcars. Alstom commenced operations at the PTA’s new facility this May. The site’s official opening in June was attended by WA’s Premier Mark McGowan and the Minister for Transport Rita Saffioti. This is an exciting time for new rail manufacturing in WA, and the first of the new trains will be delivered to the PTA next year, much to the delight of all the passengers who will ride these super-smart, innovative new trains. The project will create around 200 new jobs in WA, including for apprentices and Indigenous Australians, to manufacture, test, commission and…

In its first-ever white paper, ‘Unlocking Australia’s Hydrogen Opportunity’, the Australian Hydrogen Council – peak body for the Australian hydrogen industry – charts the path to the country achieving net zero emissions with the assistance of the emerging hydrogen industry. “The billions of dollars of future GDP envisioned in the National Hydrogen Strategy will only be realised with a significant down-payment,” said Dr Fiona Simon, CEO of the Australian Hydrogen Council. “The Australian Government has, and will have, no choice. Doing nothing is not a valid option. “We recommend that the Australian Government establishes a Net Zero Fund, with an initial allocation of $10bn. The Net Zero Fund will help to close the economic gap for applications that are hard to abate without hydrogen, like steel, ammonia production and heavy transport. Driving large sources of demand will scale up the industry and drive down costs.” The fund would be administered by a Net Zero Authority, created for this purpose, with power to cover…

“Freighter has never given me any grief in 25 years,” says David. “They have always accommodated in helping me achieve what I wish to achieve with my business needs. The quality that Freighter makes and the durability of these trailers is very good.” Symons Clark is one of the oldest transport and logistics businesses in South Australia, with its roots dating all the way back to 1875. With a fleet of over 90 trucks and 176 trailers, the business provides transport, bulk haulage, container services, warehousing and distribution and equipment hire across the South Australian market, along with transport services to major cities along the east coast. “The majority of our trailers are from MaxiTRANS, made up of Freighter, Hamelex White and Lusty EMS units,” David says. “Our first trailer was a 40-foot tri-axle Freighter trailer and we continued to buy the same model for some years to cart shipping…