November 1, 2018

Creating a new cutting tool – concept to spindle

Global manufacturer Dormer Pramet tasks its product management and development department with creating new tools every year. One member of the team is product and development engineer Jan Bittner. In January 2015, Bittner joined Dormer Pramet and became part of the company’s project to develop an assortment of high feed milling tools. Almost three years later, a new range of SBN10 cutters and BNGX inserts were launched into the global market. The time taken to introduce a product is an indication of the investment a manufacturer makes to create a new product which will add value to customers for many years. At Dormer Pramet, the process of creating a new tool begins with its product management department, which identifies the market needs and gaps in the company’s current assortment. Karel Tiefenbach is the company’s Product Manager for indexable milling and he created a concept brief and clear objective for the development team. Dormer Pramet’s aim was to create an assortment of tools for its double-negative cutters, which allowed high…
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November 1, 2018

Seven essential characteristics of a high-performance team

I wonder how many readers of this article have ever been part of a high-performance team? I suspect many may well have been part of a team that produced great results, or a team whose members enjoyed working with one another, or perhaps one in which the team felt that they were engaged in something really worthwhile, but these things alone do not constitute a high-performance team. Sure, they can be indicators of great performance but participation on a high-performance team is a rare and very special experience. Over the decades I have worked in various different teams across a range of industries and organisations and have been privileged to have been part of what I consider a “high-performance team” on just three occasions. Although each team operated in quite diverse domains, with different objectives and unique team members, the common, consistent element between each team was a feeling of effortlessness and invincibility – stretch goals and outcomes were achieved…
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October 25, 2018

One On One – Dr Charlie Day

AMT: Tell us about Innovation and Science Australia (ISA) and its objectives. Charlie Day: ISA is a board which comprises up to 15 senior leaders from across the innovation, science and research system. It’s chaired by Bill Ferris, who is the father of venture capital in this country, the deputy chair is Alan Finkel, the Chief Scientist, and we have a range of people from across the science and innovation system. It was set up as part of the “ideas boom” back in late 2015 with the intent of providing independent advice to the whole of government about making the Australian innovation system work better. Our job really is to provide advice to government about innovation policy and how those innovation policies can make the system work a bit better. We also have a role as advocates for the system; there’s a lot of good news stories, great examples of innovation that we like to celebrate around the country. And we also have a role overseeing some of the key government support programs like the…
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October 25, 2018

Joint $2.6m research project to develop Titomic Kinetic Fusion standards

The Additively Manufactured Titanium Complex Structures Project will focus on enhancing TKF as a transformational technology for the highest standards of aerospace and defence industries as outlined by The Metallic Materials Properties Development and Standardization (MMPDS). The MMPDS is a widely accepted source for metallic material and recognised by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the US Department of Defense (DoD) and NASA. Currently, industries that use laser and electron beam melting processes in metal 3D printing have significant limitations due to the melting of the metal causing layering inclusions, evaporation of some alloys, and thermal distortion within the parts, meaning they cannot be certified for the production of aerospace structures components. The Titomic-led program will create new industry certification standards for the TKF process allowing it to be used for producing aerospace structures in continuation of the already approved processes for repairs on aircraft such as the B-1 bomber, F/A-18 Fighter and Black Hawk and…
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October 25, 2018

Tiny tools make a big difference for medical manufacturing

One of the greatest advantages of my role with Sutton Tools has been to gain a perspective of the global manufacturing industry. Over the years, I’ve been able to observe technological trends and advancements across the industrial sector, and in different market segments. One of these changes has been the way additive manufacturing is replacing subtractive manufacturing in some areas, beginning with the aerospace and medical sectors. Subtractive manufacturing is the process of machining the purchased raw material to precisely required dimensions by removing the excess material. Across the medical industry, where unique low-volume components need to be produced from expensive and difficult-to-machine materials such as titanium, additive manufacturing is proving to be more effective in both cost and effort. One of the tools that is proving particularly important and useful for the medical mould-and-die industry undertaking additive manufacturing is the micro endmill. This tiny cutting tool precisely cuts away material for medical device moulds in the orthodontic, orthopaedic and respiratory…
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October 25, 2018

Weber – Sophisticated brush technology eliminates rough edge and blemishes

Weber Grinding Machines offer a solution to this with a range of machines that can grind, round, deburr and descale lasered, punched and nibbled parts, thereby providing perfect surfaces and edges. The technology allowing this is Weber’s sophisticated brush system, comprising multiple brush heads. Three types of brush head are available: a compact planetary head, double-row planetary head, or the multi-rotation brush (MRB). The Compact Planetary head provides an excellent solution to the problem of large rotating brush systems. Dividing up the brushes onto several smaller tool carriers minimises machining differences along the operating width of the machine, which occur otherwise. The DR planetary head provides all-round edge machining across the entire width. This allows for all-round edge machining with cup brushes. In this process, several rotating brushes arranged in groups are given an additional turning motion. This means that the brushes work at the ideal angle on the workpiece. Weber’s MRB system is ideal for perfect edge machining. When round brushes are used, several rotating heads are also arranged next to…
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October 25, 2018

Amiga Engineering – Using 3D metal printing to revolutionise Australian manufacturing

Australia’s manufacturing industry is on the rise again after a tough period in which many businesses ceased operating or moved offshore. Traditionally a competitive and innovative industry, Australian manufacturing is embracing additive manufacturing techniques as a way to increase competitive advantage in the face of cheaper overseas competitors. Manufacturers are reimagining the industry with the help of this emerging technology. Additive manufacturing technology and 3D printing have been prominent for some time, letting manufacturers make custom products quickly and to a high standard. This ability to custom-make products onshore and deliver them to customers faster can help local manufacturers compete with offshore companies that must ship products to Australia, which takes time, as well as with those manufacturers clinging to traditional methods, which are costly and just as time consuming. Since 3D printing doesn’t require expensive moulds and complex equipment setups, it lets manufacturers be more agile in responding to customer demands. Short-run and customised products are now not just economically viable…
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October 25, 2018

Pushing ‘print’ on large-scale piezoelectric materials

Piezoelectric materials are materials that can convert applied mechanical force or strain into electrical energy. Such materials form the basis of sound and pressure sensors, embedded devices that are powered by vibration or bending, and even the simple ‘piezo’ lighter used for gas BBQs and stovetops. Piezoelectric materials can also take advantage of the small voltages generated by tiny mechanical displacement, vibration, bending or stretching to power miniaturised devices. Until now, no 2D piezoelectric material has been manufactured in large sheets, making it impossible to integrate into silicon chips or use in large-scale surface manufacturing. This limitation meant that piezo accelerometer devices – such as vehicle air bag triggers or the devices that recognise orientation changes in mobile phones – have required separate, expensive components to be embedded onto silicon substrates, adding significant manufacturing costs. However, FLEET researchers at RMIT University in Melbourne have now demonstrated…
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October 18, 2018

XLam – Shaking up construction with Timber 2.0

It’s easy to spot XLam’s new manufacturing facility long before you get anywhere near the actual building. As you come off the Hume Highway just west of Wodonga, the factory looms into view, occupying an impressive 12,000sqm in a landscape otherwise largely dominated by green fields. The opening of the factory has been something of a coup for the local community in Wodonga, and it might seem puzzling that XLam chose such a comparatively remote location, out on the border between Victoria and New South Wales, for such a significant investment. But there are several compelling reasons behind the decision. Firstly, Wodonga sits at roughly the mid-point between XLam’s two key markets, Melbourne and Sydney (with Canberra closer still). In fact, the location will allow XLam to service 80% of the country in an overnight shipment, from all along the eastern seaboard right through to Adelaide. Moreover, the factory is a mere 150km from the Tumbarumba Mill in New South Wales, owned by its parent company…
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October 18, 2018

Additively manufactured custom cutting tools

As product design complexity increases and high-performance materials become a necessity, manufacturability generally decreases. These fabrication realities are evident in high-performance components such as turbine discs, blades and vanes made from difficult-to-machine titanium and nickel alloys for the defence and aerospace sectors. Fabrication of these components results in low productivity, and therefore high final component costs. Custom cutting tools are often required over standard mass-manufactured tooling as the latter may not be capable of performing the task, or the current rate of production is limiting profitability. However, the costs and long lead times associated with custom tooling fabrication often acts as a strain on production and a barrier to their wider adoption. Additive manufacturing (AM) technologies expand the horizon of manufacturable designs as they have fewer constraints compared with conventional manufacturing methods due to the layer-by-layer manufacturing process. Recently, the knowledge base has matured, to the point where…
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October 18, 2018

ANCA made its own robot – And here’s how

Things are changing fast in our increasingly digitised world and manufacturing is no exception. The hot topic of the last few years, Industry 4.0, is a collection of no fewer than nine technologies revolutionising the way things are made. Nine revolutions, all at once. Every sector and every supply chain is being shaken up. The electrification of cars, for example, will see parts per vehicle shrink from over 2,000 to less than 20. For those making these parts, or the tools that make these parts, there are big implications. According to research by the International Federation of Robotics, in 2015 the number of industrial robots increased 15%, and growth will continue by double-digit percentages through to 2019. At ANCA, we supply the automotive, electronic, medical, aerospace and many other manufacturing verticals, and it’s our business to meet their fast-changing needs. We keep a close watch on market trends, and our salesmen and application engineers are constantly visiting customers’ factories. In…
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October 18, 2018

William Buck – Manufacturing turnarounds

According to the Australian Index Group, the next two-year forecast for the manufacturing industry is predicting growth. On the back of this forecast, businesses that have seen a downturn in results should look to seize this opportunity to turn their business around. The Government is making headway to allow manufacturing to flourish and evolve in Australia through grants and the Research & Development (R&D) Incentive. Furthermore, to promote innovation, the introduction of Safe Harbour Legislation creates a safety net for entrepreneurs to fail – if they act in good faith – and removes the historical stigma attached to insolvency. Prior to the introduction of Safe Harbour, entrepreneurs facing risk of insolvency only had the option of a Voluntary Administration (VA). Safe Harbour acts as an alternative to VA; parking the risk of personal liability by providing an insurance policy for directors…
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October 15, 2018

SLM opens new HQ in northern Germany

The new 25,000sqm facility provides space for around 500 employees, with SLM aiming to reach a production capacity of some 500 machines per year. The company invested approximately €25m into the new headquarters, confirming its intention to remain in Lübeck and to grow its already-strong market footing in metal 3D printing. The new facilities allow SLM to develop improved processes and to streamline production workflow of its current product range: the SLM125, SLM280 2.0, SLM500 and the latest SLM800 system. Spaces have been allocated for customer consultation and training on dedicated machines, as the company shifts from being purely a machine manufacturer to a solutions provider. By forming partnerships with clients it will provide support and advise on uptake of an SLM laser systems into ‘real’ business operations. Research & development are not being neglected, with a proposed 12-laser SLM Cube system on track to be launched in 2019. The development of the Cube…
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