Month: January 2022

The coronavirus pandemic continues to disrupt businesses and our communities. Nevertheless, the Australian manufacturing sector is thriving. With ongoing restrictions and lockdowns in some regions, manufacturing companies should look for technology solutions that can help them help increase safety and security at their sites. One area that can’t be underestimated is managing contractors, casual workers and visitors. It has always been important to know who is working onsite. It’s also essential to make sure contractors and casual staff have had required training, and health and safety inductions. Furthermore, manufacturers need to ensure that contractors are licensed and insured before letting them get to work. In the past, this has usually been done using manual, paper-based forms and processes. However, this approach is prone to error and can make it difficult to accurately determine who was onsite at any given time; a key requirement of the Government’s COVID-19 safety requirements. COVID-19 has emphasised the importance of being able to securely manage contractors and visitors to manufacturing facilities. Contractors…

Unlike Victor Kiam, who was drawn into Remington by a close shave, the new North and South Americas Director for Australian laser technology pioneers ipLaser is in it to expand the future capabilities of laser cutting – already one of the world’s fastest-growing industries. Felipe Lechuga was already highly successful with his company Lemaco Corte Laser, headquartered in Chile, when he began his relationship with the Australian company. Lemaco was supplying finely engineered laser-cut metal components to Chilean companies in demanding industries such as aerospace, automotive, construction and electronics. Lechuga hit the headlines at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, using his decades in laser cutting and sheetmetal manufacturing to provide a “Made in Chile” solution to the lack of respirators. “Becoming a director of ipLaser and expanding the reach of our time-saving laser quotation technologies was a short step for me,” he says. “I have always been a geek for technology, software and machines,…

The competitive nature of Formula 1 (F1) racing pushes teams to develop the best solutions possible in their quest to reach the winner’s circle. Using tools like AM, F1 racing has become an inspiration to other enterprises on how to maintain the lead in their own industry. In F1, every gram of weight is critical. But simply cutting weight is not the only thing the McLaren team has to watch out for. The safety of the driver is of utmost importance as well. For this reason, it’s crucial for engineers to ensure they are meticulous in their approach regarding how loadbearing features of the car’s suspension are bonded together. Too much adhesive and the car will be slower, giving the other teams a chance to pull ahead. Too little adhesive is not an option either. In one clever example, McLaren printed clear surrogate suspension parts to practice the bonding process. The clear material lets technicians…

A common misconception in the metal working industry is that machining steel is simple. Experienced machinists know that turning ISO P steel is anything but. First among many concerns is the breadth of materials in the ISO P classification, which range from ductile low-carbon steels to high-alloyed. Secondly, the hardness of different steels ranges significantly from one end of the spectrum to the other. The type of application varies and so do machining conditions in workshops. Evidently, steel turning is challenging and given all variables, the task of selecting a grade to cater to the wide range of properties exhibited by ISO P steels is even more daunting. Grade of all trades For any such grade, fracture resistance is paramount – as is a cutting edge capable of delivering the hardness needed to resist plastic deformation…

Where high clamping force is needed, the ALQ Series Power Vice with its patented Mechanical Boost System is an ideal choice. Unlike traditional hydraulic vices, the Autowell mechanical boost system is fully protected against the ingress of dust, chips or coolant, eliminating the need to maintain or replace hydraulic seals. Another feature of the ALQ Series is the patented Force Adjustable System, this system allows the operator to choose from four preset clamping forces to suit differing components or materials needing higher or lower clamping pressure. Once the clamping force has been set, it will remain set and repeat, preventing damage to components from excessive pressure. In addition to a wide opening the ALQ also has an outer jaw design which increases the capacity even further by allowing workpieces to be clamp over the top of the standard jaws. Extended lifetime of the vice is assured as it is manufactured from rigid and tensile ductile iron with flame-hardened slide surfaces and carburised, heat-treated jaws to HRC54. The ALQ is…

Global sales of automobiles are projected to fall to just under 70 million units in 2021, down from a 2017 peak of almost 80 million, according to a recent report from Statista, Automotive Industry Worldwide. However, Isabel Wagner, Research Lead at Statista, forecasts that the global automotive industry will grow to just under US$9 trillion by 2030, with new vehicle sales expected to account for about 38% of this value. International carbon reduction initiatives such as the Paris Agreement have led to several countries enacting stricter emission controls on new vehicle models. Wagner reports that automakers are beginning to expand their business into the electric mobility sector, with one in three new cars sold expected to be driven or assisted by an electric battery by 2025. The COVID-19 crisis has caused work stoppages in the automotive and other industries globally, though many factories have recently reopened. The pandemic has also caused a shortage of semi-conductor chips for many industries, including the auto sector. The Statista…

As well as providing a boost to business development and new business opportunities for Australian and Dutch co-manufacturing, the partnership also provided a platform for Integra to demonstrate its commitment to the development and growth of the circular economy as a fundamental design principle in manufacturing in Australia. Speaking at the announcement, Dai Forterre, Senior Policy Officer for Economic Affairs with the Netherlands Embassy in Canberra, explained that while developing business opportunities for Dutch manufacturers in overseas markets is a prime focus of his responsibilities, an equally important part is identifying companies that share his and the Embassy’s vision for creating sustainable ways of doing business. “Sustainability is an important part of [the Dutch government’s] economic, as well as our foreign policy, more broadly,” remarked Forterre. “I spend my time not just in what you would call economic diplomacy but what I call ‘green diplomacy’ and that’s where this really important collaboration meets – it’s a balance between economic innovation and development, and the adoption of…

Worth more than US$24bn worldwide, the flavour and fragrance market involves the infusion of new products with specific smells and tastes in order to enhance the customer experience. Applications include anything from fine perfumes, shampoo, toilet paper, hand sanitiser, candles and cosmetics to laundry detergent, chocolate, beverages and car upholstery. Accurate Dosing Systems manufactures purpose-built robots to accurately measure out thousands of aromatic oils that are used in the creation of formulas for specific flavours and fragrances. Currently based in Lonsdale, the company is relocating its operations to a brand new tailored facility at Tonsley. The idea is to utilise Tonsley’s collaborative, entrepreneurial culture and international network to grow the firm’s global reach and impact, while tapping into the extensive automation expertise within the district to elevate the business’ approach over time. Masoud Bahmai, co-founder and Managing Director of Accurate Dosing Systems, says the move to Tonsley will enable his team of engineers to work alongside like-minded specialists in high-value manufacturing and partner with the higher education sector to innovate new designs…

The automotive sector has been hit especially hard, but few will escape the clutches of the global chip shortage. Recent predictions, unfortunately, suggest the worst might be yet to come. Singapore-based Flex, the world’s third-largest electronics contract manufacturer, recently released a pessimistic forecast predicting the crisis will last for at least another year. A similar prediction was made by the head of Intel, which itself manufactures chips. So, how did we end up like this? Anatomy of a perfect storm The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc in global value chains but is only one factor in this multi-faceted drama. The current situation is the outcome of a perfect storm of demand and supply factors, a storm that has decimated what with hindsight looks like a house of cards. On the supply side of the equation, the following statistic demonstrates…