March 4, 2016
“Within 20 years, there will be a seismic shift in how we manufacture for the aerospace and defence industry,” states Brian Neff, a major investor in Sintavia, an advanced manufacturing company using SLM Solutions 280HL dual laser system for the production of parts for aerospace and defence. A recent study funded by the US Department of Energy’s Advanced Manufacturing Office demonstrated that aircraft weight can be reduced by 7% by replacing conventional means of manufacturing with additive manufacturing — an astonishing number for an industry where the majority of weight efficiency improvements are one or two percentage points. However, this is not the only industry that can benefit from smart uses of 3D printing techniques in additive manufacturing, finding more opportunities presents an exciting challenge for Australian manufacturers. Beyond the hype 3D printing has become a household concept - the public’s fascination in the subject boosted…
March 4, 2016
AAAA Executive Director Stuart Charity believes automotive manufacturing in Australia is not dead: “Although Ford, GM Holden and Toyota will close their vehicle plants by 2017, there is powerful contemporary evidence that innovative Australian automotive manufacturers can compete in today’s international market place.” According to Charity, AAAA members now manufacture and export $800m worth of product a year. Australian products are going to vehicle manufacturers and to the aftermarket in Asia, Europe and the Americas. These products range from precision OE driveline components, to electrical systems and electronic devices, off-road vehicle protection and suspension equipment, and high-performance parts for use on the road and on the racetrack. “This local export success confirms the global market recognises Australian manufacturers’ design, engineering and production quality,” Charity adds. “We encourage all local automotive manufacturers to explore the potential of a new business plan that encompasses export.” To support Australia’s large and diverse automotive manufacturing sector, the AAAA recently formed the Automotive Products Manufacturers and Exporters Council (APMEC). The Council will assist member…
February 26, 2016
Manufacturing is becoming one of the most sophisticated sectors in the world. With advances like robotics, cloud services, increased mobility, more connected devices and 3D printing, technological change presents a formidable challenge – even if the change is for the better. Thanks to such modernised manufacturing processes and continual digitisation, today’s manufacturing company is exploding with critical data. Not only is the volume of data growing, it’s also becoming more dynamic and instant. IT departments have data from traditional sources (structured data) and new streams of digital data (unstructured data) to manage. Your organisation is also presented with the challenge of mining and analysing this data to help the company gain insight and drive action. Struggling with these big data challenges alongside the Chief Information Officer (CIO) and IT team is, perhaps surprisingly, the CFO. It is common to retool a machine for greater…
February 26, 2016
The Monash Centre for Atomically Thin Materials (MCATM), a joint initiative between Monash’s Science and Engineering faculties, is an international hub for research in novel atomically thin materials such as graphene. The multidisciplinary centre brings together world-leading expertise from across Monash with national and international partners and industry. With state-of-the-art facilities and technology, it offers a platform for researchers to gain a deeper understanding of how atomically thin materials integrate with each other or with other materials, to achieve engineering solutions and realise new applications to meet the needs of the Australian manufacturing industry. What is graphene? Graphene is a plane of carbon just one atom thick arranged in a hexagonal lattice reminiscent of a honeycomb. Graphene is the basic constituent of graphite, which consists of graphene…
February 26, 2016
Electric car drivers love the summer, because in the winter, the vehicle’s range declines markedly due to the additional energy demanded by the heating system. Electric cars generate next to no heat compared with conventional passenger vehicles, which produce more than enough engine heat to warm the interior. Electric cars therefore require an additional electric heater, powered by the same battery that provides the engine with energy. “In the most unfavourable case, you can only drive half the usual distance with the car”, says Serhat Sahakalkan, Project Manager at the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA in Stuttgart, Germany. Researchers at the IPA have now developed a film-based panel heater, which quickly provides a comfortable warmth in electric cars more effectively than electric heaters – particularly on short journeys. The heating concept is based on a film that is coated with conductive carbon nanotubes…
February 26, 2016
One aspect of saving money is being aware just where savings can be made. However when you’re busy running your own business it can be difficult to find the time to discover just where you can make these savings! This is where we at Make It Cheaper will help you and your business. By simply sending us a copy of your energy bill we can assess your current rates, efficiency, network tariff and power factor. We can negotiate the best rate for your next contract and assess your efficiency all at the same time. We’ve partnered with AMTIL because, just like AMTIL, we want to help you save money on your energy bills so that the dollars saved can be put towards something more worthwhile for the business. One way that we at Make It Cheaper can help reduce your businesses energy outgoings is by analysing the power factor of your business to ensure that your business is using energy in the most efficient way. By…
February 26, 2016
The Aussie Invader 5R is being built in Perth, WA by land speed legend and Driver Rosco McGlashan OAM and his team. The rocket-powered title contender features the world’s fastest wheel, capable of withstanding speeds of 1,000mph (1,600km/h), and a 200,000hp rocket engine featuring a liquid oxygen and bio-kerosene injector interface system. The campaign is progressing well with the body of the vehicle now constructed and key components such as the wheels and the motor being produced in Australia. Aussie Invader 5R will run on four solid, tireless aluminium wheels, each weighing 140kg, spinning independently and capable of rotating at 10,000rpm. The car’s rocket motor is capable of producing 28,000kg of thrust, making it the world’s most powerful car. McGlashan and the car will break the sound barrier by close to one and a half times and will be travelling faster than a bullet fired from a handgun. McGlashan said that much of the work involved in the Aussie Invader 5R was pushing the boundaries of vehicle engineering and a range of Australian…
February 19, 2016
Economic theory promotes the view that: All economic activities aim to directly or indirectly satisfy human needs. Human needs are satisfied through the consumption of goods and services, produced via the engagement of economic activities. Human needs are satisfied to a greater extent when more goods and services are available for consumption. Satisfaction is greater when the cost of commodities (goods and services) is lower. The cost of goods and services can be lower when their production is more efficient. Productivity is a measure of the efficiency of production of goods and services, or the ratio of outputs to inputs in the production process: Productivity = Production Outputs / Production Inputs Higher productivity is generally considered to be a source of competitive advantage. Productivity is generally viewed as a macro-economic measurement. However, the principles can also be applied as a micro-economic measure of…
February 19, 2016
Since its inception in 2003, Triple Eight has grown to become one of the largest and most successful motor racing teams in Australia. The team has dominated the country’s premier motorsport, the V8 Supercars Championship – an international touring car racing championship that draws crowds of over 150,000 spectators and several million TV viewers – winning the title six times. Triple Eight also won the Bathurst 1000, Australia’s version of Le Mans, five times. Apart from a renowned team of drivers, Triple Eight has more than 30 race technologists, engineers and technicians working behind the scenes to produce next-generation vehicles that help the team cement its position. In late 2013, to keep the team’s momentum going, Triple Eight introduced a series of new-specification touring cars with the debut of the Red Bull Racing Holden VF Commodore. This introduction was made possible, in part, as a result of the company’s use of 3D printing. Speeding up concept modelling The V8 Supercars Championships have strict rules and regulations on what…
February 19, 2016
If so, information sessions have been scheduled for Thursday 25 February 2016 in Melbourne. These free AusIndustry information sessions may help you decide whether to go ahead, and what you need to do to make a competitive application. The Next Generation Manufacturing Investment Programme supports eligible businesses to bring forward capital investment projects, helping them to establish or expand their high-value manufacturing operations in South Australia or Victoria. In Round 2, businesses will be able to apply for grants ranging from $500,000 to $2.5m, for up to one-third of their total eligible project costs. The programme is competitive and merit based. The assessment process will consider: The net economic benefits the projects will deliver to South Australia or Victoria. Evidence of high value manufacturing, such as a focus on technological innovation, advanced manufacturing processes and a highly skilled workforce. Value for money, including evidence of the impact grant funding would have on the project going ahead and the outcomes achieved. Round 1 of the Next Generation Manufacturing Investment Programme supported 26 businesses from a wide range of manufacturing sectors,…
February 19, 2016
Key to this year’s program are co-located events, high-profile industry figures presenting case studies and new ideas, as well as exhibitors from around the world with innovative products and services. To enhance the value of attending for industry professionals, NMW 2016 will be co-located with headline events showcasing new possibilities for manufacturers, including the Safety First Conference & Expo. Safety First is a one-stop safety event that provides a rare opportunity to see safety solutions and talk with leading safety thinkers. NMW will also co-locate with Inside 3D Printing Conference & Expo, the Australian edition of the world-leading event that will bring new strategies, stories of success and more to help local companies make the most of game-changing 3D printing technologies. Inside 3D Printing will showcase next-generation 3D printers and companies that can help businesses open up new worlds of possibility. The showcase will include Konica Minolta Business Solutions’, with 3D technologies that help companies create working prototypes, parts and custom-made products in a fraction of the time currently required, with industry leading…
February 19, 2016
The AutoCRC assists Australian companies to participate in the global automotive market. Through its two divisions: Business Excellence and Research (currently the Automotive Australia 2020 CRC), the organisation also provides a link between the automotive industry and universities across the country, enabling final-year engineering students to get on-the-job placements and potential future career options. “Our co-operative research centre is focussed on developing technologies relevant to the global automotive industry,” says AutoCRC CEO Ian Christensen. “The Business Excellence division’s role is to help auto suppliers improve their operational and business processes to be more competitive globally. This is more important than ever, as the big three auto manufacturers, Ford, Holden and Toyota will all have closed their Australian auto manufacturing operations by late 2017. “ Christensen explains that the AutoCRC’s annual spend is $12m. Its funding is derived on a 50/50 basis from Federal Government and individual auto companies that participate in its projects. He describes an innovative research program that AutoCRC facilitated recently where South Australia-based Precision Components teamed up with the…
February 12, 2016
Founded in 1981, GSA is the largest independent Governor service facility in the Australasian region, specialising in Woodward, Diesel Kiki, Zexel and Heinzmann governing equipment. Boasting a workforce with more than 120 years of collective experience in the design, manufacture, service and repair of governing equipment, the team at GSA is considered specialist and leader in Governor technology for the South-East Asian region. The company services a range of valued customers in the power-generation, sugar milling, mining, oil & gas, and transport industries, both throughout Australia and internationally. With an advanced, well-equipped workshop, freely available spare parts and a team of enthusiastic, proficient staff, GSA is capable of providing efficient and high-quality service and repairs for all forms of governing equipment. GSA’s workshop facilities include a full range of quality machine tools and a large stock-holding of Australian-made spare parts, which enables it to ensure a high level of service. GSA’s 3,600sqm facility has…
