Month: March 2023

BAE Systems Australia has teamed with local industry to present Australia’s first domestically designed, manufactured and armed VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) Uncrewed Air System (UAS). STRIXTM is being developed by BAE Systems Australia and Perth-based Innovaero and launched today at the 2023 Avalon Airshow in Geelong, Australia. The collaboration brings together BAE Systems’ global expertise in autonomous platforms and its vehicle management system (VMS) technology with Innovaero’s knowledge of aeronautical product design and manufacture in the Australian market. A hybrid, tandem wing, multi-domain and multi-role UAS capability, STRIX could be used for a variety of missions including an air-to-ground strike against hostile targets and persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR). It could also act as a ‘loyal wingman’ for military helicopters. Designed to carry up to a 160kg payload over 800km, STRIX will be capable of operating in high-risk environments. With a collapsed footprint of 2.6m x 4.5m, it could be easily transported in standard shipping. Its VTOL capability means STRIX could be used without relying on an airfield. It could also be operated from a helicopter to expand the mission set and protect…

Louvreclad has been helping leading architects, builders, and developers create some of Australia's most iconic buildings and precincts for over three decades. Specialising in the design, engineering, supply and installation of louvre screens and bespoke façade solutions, Louvreclad services the commercial, public, education, government and multi-residential sectors. The firm's remarkable building exteriors use innovative architectural louvre solutions to help achieve comfortable, healthy, safe and energy-efficient working and living environments. The Queensland-based business is widely recognised for setting new benchmarks for effective and sustainable façade and louvre designs and solutions for the Australian construction industry. Founded and run by the Wright family, Louvreclad has headquarters in Ipswich and project teams in Victoria and New South Wales. The business designs, engineers and fabricates everything in-house; its products are 100% Australian-made. “Aluminium is an ideal match for louvre and façade manufacture,” says Louvreclad design consultant Uddhava Sharplin. “It's one of the most sustainable building materials and is incredibly corrosion resistant. We can often design out a support structure specified in steel and replace it with aluminium. It has great strength if designed and engineered properly.” Uddhava also…

In the mould and die industry, the hyperMILL CAD/CAM suite from OPEN MIND is regarded as an end-to-end complete solution. This is due to its ability to cover aspects such as electrode manufacturing and wire EDM. It is now the introduction of the 5-axis radial machining function that takes centre stage. This function is ideal for the process-optimised production of round moulds where surfaces cannot undergo hand finishing or polishing operations. For components such as blow moulds that are applied in vehicle bumper production or consumer goods bottles, high-quality machined surfaces are critical as secondary hand finishing can introduce optical facets and surface inconsistencies that may appear in downstream processing. The rise in complexity of bottle designs is also increasing the quality expectations put upon blow moulds. There is a wide variety of containers that often have additional features that double up as functional elements. This can include handles, decorations, and individual brand logos. The 3-axis machining of these types of moulds sometimes require very long tools and part re-clamping to mill undercut areas. A 3-axis approach also means that the point where the…