Industry News

The Award winners were announced at the Gala Dinner at Palladium at Crown on Thursday 10 August. Now in its 21st year, the annual Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame Awards recognises outstanding achievements in Victoria’s manufacturing industry. After pre-dinner foyer drinks, the room filled to the brim with an estimated 920 people, right on time, even after the many infamous barriers in traffic on the way in for many. These evenings are run with military precision. The field of nominations was full of great people as well. Clearly, they all love their work, their companies and their profession. The food was tremendous too, and Tracy Spicer was light and professional as MC. Thank you to the sponsors and organisers of this fantastic event.   Here they are in order of appearance: Leader in Defence, Aerospace and Space SPEE3D, in Dandenong South, and Byron Kennedy came up on stage to collect.  He said, "It's all in the name. We make 3D, really fast!" Leader in Digital and Advanced Technologies Modra Technology, from Warrigul – Tony Modra came up to collect, saying, “R&D is what…

Australia has an opportunity to develop a sovereign sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) industry, with domestic demand for jet fuel expected to increase by 75% by 2050, according to a new roadmap released recently by Australia's national science agency, CSIRO and Boeing Australia. Unlike conventional jet fuel, SAF is produced from renewable sources – like agricultural waste, animal fats and vegetable oils – and significantly reduces carbon emissions over the fuel’s life-cycle making it a more sustainable alternative for powering aircraft. The Sustainable Aviation Fuel Roadmap builds consensus on developing an Australian sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) industry, identifying opportunities to produce and scale production using Australian feedstocks. CSIRO Senior Manager and lead Roadmap author, Max Temminghoff, said Australia was in a prime position to develop a domestic industry. “By actively working to liberate feedstocks, the roadmap estimates that Australia is currently sitting on enough resources to produce almost five billion litres of SAF by 2025. This could supply nearly 60% of jet fuel demand projected for that year,” Mr Temminghoff…

The Hon Tim Ayres, the Assistant Minister for Industry and Science appeared at Weld Australia’s National Manufacturing Summit, on an unnervingly mild mid-winter morning in Canberra. He spoke of the challenges ahead for Australia. “We must move fast in this changing environment. And everything needs to work together,” he said. After a decade of inaction by the LNP governments, Minister Ayres said his government was ready to sign on to actionable plans. There are some positive moves in the Powering the Regions Fund, the National Reconstruction Fund, Rewiring the Nation, and the Capacity Investment Scheme which was the start of the transformation of industry policy in Australia. What’s needed though, as stipulated by other speakers at the event was the biggest piece of economic policy since the post-WW2 Marshall Plan. The EU, Canada, and the US have all brought their programs into action, pushing manufacturing and construction in the States with their IRA and CHIPS Act. According to the CEO of…

RMIT University’s exciting Discovery to Device (D2D) advanced manufacturing facility will open this September at its city campus in Melbourne. The $16.7m Victorian Medical Device Prototyping and Scale–Up facility will enable entrepreneur start-up manufacturers and researchers to work together to develop new medical technologies for healthcare and diagnostics. Earlier this year, Victorian Minister for Higher Education, Gayle Tierney announced $12.7m in funding from the Victorian Higher Education State Investment Fund (VHESIF) for RMIT’s new facility. D2D Director, Professor Sharath Sriram says that this complex will be the first ISO-accredited prototyping facility in the Asia-Pacific to support rapid translation of partnered and industry-led research projects in wearable, nearable and flexible medical technologies. It will also follow the ISO 13485 standard used in the design and production of medical devices. The facility will be available for universities and industry across Victoria for collaborations on wearables (wireless electronic devices that can be worn as accessories, embedded in clothing or implanted in the body), nearables (smart devices that can sense and send data but don’t need to be attached to a person) and point-of-care…

The Royal Adelaide Hospital’s (RAH) fleet of 25 Automated Guidance Vehicles (AGVs) are responsible for distributing food, linen, waste, pharmaceuticals and stores, 24/7 365 days. The AGV system controls 14 dedicated lifts and services 31 lobbies over 9 floors, including 44 CSSD operating suites. The hospital aisles are shared with staff and other traffic therefore the on-board safety sensors allow the vehicles to avoid personal injury and damage to the payload, surrounding items and infrastructure. The new flexible AGV control system offers many benefits, such as lower operating costs, reduced transport damage and consistent delivery times. Customer requirements A hardware life cycle upgrade was required for the client’s existing fleet of 25 AGVs, located at the RAH. The existing AGV Control System also had limited support from the previous supplier. Technology had taken a significant step forward to a more modern, Window based, smart and easy-to-edit control software system. RA Health provided project consultancy from initial concept, through to design, implementation, and closure stages. MAXAGV confirmed the existing…

Industries such as mining, shipbuilding, and power generation have particular requirements for extremely large nut and bolt fasteners. These pose huge difficulties with applying specified bolt tensions because, for example, a nut weighing thirty kilograms is not going to be tightened with hand tools. These are installed or removed with sledgehammers, stud heaters, or torque wrenches, which might weigh as much as the person using them. Installation of such large fasteners is extremely time-consuming, can be hazardous to workers, and frequently may not result in even tightening of every fastener to the precise tension required for long and safe joint life. Disassembly for maintenance can be equally slow, hazardous, and damaging to equipment and production schedules. A proven best-practice solution is the use of the Technofast EziTite® family of hydraulic fasteners, which are proven in service to tension large bolts. Assembly and removal times are some 15-20 times faster than conventional means, while also cutting downtime and enhancing safety and joint precision. The fasteners are so efficient and swift in operation – including operating in hazardous, hot, underground, and confined spaces –…

These grants will help Australian manufacturers work together on nine large projects worth $1.87bn. Successful businesses receive funding for up to a third of their project costs. Successful projects include establishing an Australian vanadium battery industry, building a facility to turn landfill waste into energy, and making Australia a regional hub for cancer drugs and health analytics. These projects will help build Australia’s manufacturing sector and supply chains. Eight grant proposals were originally approved for funding under this stream. These aren’t proceeding because they no longer meet the conditions of the program. The Collaboration stream is the largest grant program under the $1.3bn Modern Manufacturing Initiative (MMI). Grants between $20m and $200m and up to one-third of eligible project costs, are awarded to large projects that feature or will create an environment that fosters collaboration. Successful projects will help transform the manufacturing industry by increasing collaboration and building economies of scale in the six National Manufacturing Priority areas. The following projects are announced: Gilmour Space Technologies will receive a grant worth over $51.4m; SAAB Australia…

Bonfiglioli’s Calderara di Reno EVO plant (situated near Bologna, Italy) has been awarded ISO 50001:2018 certification for its Energy Management System. Martin Broglia, MD, Bonfiglioli Australia and New Zealand believes that this is good news for customers on local shores too. “It demonstrates the company’s commitment to sustainability,” he said, “which is also evidenced in our innovative approach to the development of energy-efficient products and solutions for the wind, solar and recycling sectors.” A blueprint for energy management This ISO 50001 standard serves as a blueprint for the creation, implementation and maintenance of Energy Management Systems through the use of new technologies, waste reduction and process optimisation. “Once in place, the system enables more efficient energy use at a plant level,” explained Martin. In line with the existing ISO certification, the Bonfiglioli factories have achieved quality, environmental and occupational health and safety standards. “Bonfiglioli has long prioritised environmental responsibility and is taking practical steps to mitigate the impact of the company’s energy consumption,” he added. Pointing to reports that global energy consumption has more than doubled over the past 40 years, and is…

Great Wrap, a Melbourne-based material science company, launches the world's first Compostable Pallet Wrap, made with food waste, to combat the global reliance on petroleum-based pallet wrap and plastic pollution. The Tullamarine facility is home to what will soon be the largest stretch wrap manufacturer in the country. Great Wrap’s 10,000sqm facility in Tullamarine is home to state-of-the-art machinery that will make 5,000 tonnes of compostable stretch wrap in 2023 and 20,000 tonnes by 2025 — which will make them Australia’s largest stretch wrap manufacturer and significantly decreasing the need to import stretch wrap from other parts of the world. In this country alone, we send over 100,000 tonnes of stretch wrap to landfill each year, including cling wrap, catering wrap, silage wrap and pallet wrap. Pallet wrap, the connector of all businesses, is a critical part of the global supply chain. Every day millions of pallets are wrapped to transport goods to their eventual consumer. Unfortunately, very few facilities can recycle petroleum-based pallet wrap — meaning more than 90% goes to landfill. Great Wrap is home…

In today's increasingly globalised world, the strength and resilience of a nation depends on its ability to nurture and grow strategic industries. As demonstrated by the COVID-19 pandemic, countries that can rely on domestic manufacturing capabilities are better positioned to withstand external shocks and rely on a resilient supply chain. For Australia, investing in advanced manufacturing, and the new technologies that bolster the sector is essential not only for economic growth but also for fostering sovereign resilience. At ANCA we define technological progress, or what some call innovation, as achieving more output with less input. More productivity in manufacturing means our customers have more output with fewer dollars invested, more output with less human workforce required, and less energy consumed. And that means Australia can have a competitive manufacturing sector for the domestic and export market. Checklist of action ANCA is calling on governments - at all levels, and of all persuasions - to move their focus to crafting consistent policies to ensure manufacturing capability stays onshore and local businesses can thrive. The…

Deakin University’s expanded $20m ManuFutures hub in Geelong has been officially opened by Victoria’s Minister for Manufacturing Sovereignty Ben Carroll. The hub has doubled in size and will boost regional manufacturing capabilities through the addition of new manufacturing incubator programs, training, and product engineering services, providing opportunities for an increased number of innovation-focused tenants and start-ups. Deakin Vice-Chancellor Professor Iain Martin said that the completion of ManuFutures laid strong foundations for building sovereign manufacturing capability in Victoria. “First established in 2018, ManuFutures showcases Deakin’s commitment to building Australia’s advanced manufacturing capabilities and creating a skilled local manufacturing workforce for the future,” Professor Martin said. Deakin Research Innovations Regional Manufacturing Director Mark Curnow said the completion of the ManuFutures expansion put Deakin at the forefront of manufacturing innovation for entrepreneurs, start-ups and existing businesses. “Our new ManuFutures building includes collaborative working spaces and further rental tenancy bays for manufacturing businesses. It also has an Innoveering Centre that boasts product engineering and development capability, as well as opportunities for research collaboration and integration. “Four manufacturing businesses have already moved into the new spaces as tenants, with room for…

Unmanned vehicles are in something of a renaissance. UAVs have been patrolling the skies of militarily sensitive regions for more than a decade, and regulatory frameworks – to say nothing of the technology – are being hashed out between governments and manufacturers of autonomous road vehicles as we speak, including in Australia. Self-driving fleets of transport and public services vehicles have been mooted in the name of safety and efficiency, and unmanned mining and agriculture vehicles are already in use. One area we don't hear much about however is in unmanned sailing. After an estimated 11 billion tons of goods were shipped by sea in 2021 alone, it's an area you'd think was ripe for development, especially as the ocean is still so little understood when it comes to its influence on global climates and ecosystems. Saildrone is aiming to change that. The Alameda, California-based company builds, designs and operates uncrewed/unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) for a range of applications in scientific and commercial activities, sailing into the…

Some of the most common challenges faced in the Australian manufacturing sector are a lack of real-time visibility into operations, bottlenecks in production, inefficient maintenance procedures, and high operation costs. The cost of information flow remains too high which negatively impacts the competitive edge, yet most manufacturers often struggle with justifying the ROI of having a cohesive Digital Transformation strategy. The piecemeal approach to Industry 4.0 may result in an organisation focusing on non-urgent projects, investing in gear that further adds to the cost of information flow due to the missing alignment and a common strategy. Why is it important to have a Digital Transformation strategy, that is much more than a siloed Industry 4.0 project? Much has been written and discussed about Digital Transformation. The term has been dissected and interpreted in many ways. This ubiquitous term is more than a mere adoption of digital tools and technologies; it signifies a revolution that recalibrates business operations and heightens customer value. The digital revolution moves beyond the shop floor, permeating all business aspects, including supply chain management and customer service.…