Industry News

Trade disruptions due to COVID-19 have forced more companies to move to onshore their supply chains and the closure of borders has halted skilled migration, with lasting impacts likely for years to come. IBSA Group CEO Sharon Robertson said many more job opportunities, as well as skills-based apprenticeships, are likely to be created due to more companies manufacturing in Australia rather than abroad. “Governments are also committed to substantial funding to re-skill our workforce in response to these challenges which is incredibly encouraging and exciting for Australia’s manufacturing and related industries,” said Robertson. “Now is the time for all of us invested in skills training in Australia to be bold and determined, to propose and, most importantly, get stuck into implementing practical solutions that will deliver relevant, dynamic training programs that meet the skills needs of current and emerging employers and industries. These solutions need to attract school leavers, the unemployed and current workers to the real skills-based career opportunities available.” IBSA Group recently undertook a six-month consultation process with employers and other…

Built by Bosch Australia’s Manufacturing Solutions Division (BAMS) team, working closely with Ellume’s engineering team, the two lines were tested at Bosch’s plant in Melbourne, before installation at Ellume’s facility. A further 16 lines will be built at Bosch and bound for Ellume’s new US production plant in Maryland, scheduled to open later this year. The Washington Post reported on 1 February this year that the US Government had awarded a US$231.8m contract to Ellume to supply 8.5m of its Rapid at Home COVID-19 Tests. These products have been produced in Australia to date, and when the Maryland site is running, it will have the capacity to produce over 15m tests per month. Ellume’s founder and CEO, Dr Sean Parsons, told the Post that he believes that scaling up production will allow Ellume to reduce the test’s price (currently at US$30 a test). By manufacturing the tests in the US, Ellume will no longer have to ship them from Australia. To date more than one million tests…

The Liverpool Plains area of north-west NSW is highly productive agricultural land. There are crops such as wheat, corn, sorghum and cotton crops, sheep graze the hills surrounding Spring Ridge, and the Caroona and Killara cattle feedlots are significant contributors to the local economy. Machinery plays a vital role. Critical tasks must be performed in narrow timeframes and no farmer can afford to have an unproductive machine creating costly downtime. Andrew Holland runs Spring Ridge Engineering with his father Chris, who started the business around 40 years ago, originally manufacturing planting machines. “In recent years growers have adopted new machines with advanced technology,” says Andrew. “The transition to automation has meant Spring Ridge Engineering has moved from manufacturing machines to supplying parts and accessories, fabrication of specialised components, and engineering services to produce replacement parts and make repairs. Harvest time is extremely busy and no one can wait longer than necessary to get a machine back in operation.” The need for specialised fabricated parts has kept Spring Ridge Engineering busy. It needed…

Congratulations. You are taking part in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0) – you are making history. Although you may have heard Industry 4.0 terminology, you may be wondering what it is all about. Well, here’s a quick introduction. The First Industrial Revolution occurred with the discovery of steam power in the late 1700s and early 1800s. This led to the mechanisation of factories, increased productivity and reduced costs – the cost of cotton yarn decreasing by 90%. The Second Industrial Revolution occurred in the early 1900s when the likes of Henry Ford utilised electricity to mass-produce cars via assembly lines. Again, this increased productivity and reduced the cost of manufacturing. The Third Industrial Revolution, in the 1970s and 1980s, was the result of advancements in computers and automation. It is now superseded by the Fourth Revolution, fuelled by advancements in networks, the Internet of  Things (IoT) and connectivity. The promise, yet again, is to increase productivity and reduce costs…

The untapped potential of ocean wave energy is vast – it has been estimated that the power of coastal waves around the world each year is equivalent to annual global electricity production. With over 35,000km of coastline, Australia is ideally placed to tap into this power source. Analysis shows Australia could produce twice its current electricity output by harvesting just 17% of its wave energy. But the challenges of developing technologies that can efficiently extract that natural power and withstand the harsh ocean environment have kept wave energy stuck at experimental stage. Now a research team led by RMIT University has created a wave energy converter that is twice as efficient at harvesting power as any similar technologies developed to date. The innovation relies on a world-first, dual-turbine design. Lead researcher Professor Xu Wang said wave energy was one of the most promising sources of clean, reliable and renewable power. “While wind and solar dominate the renewable market, they are available only 20-30% of the time,” Wang…

With 15 years industry experience, Barrett joins AMGC from Industry Capability Network (ICN) where she held positions as Operations Manager and Business Development Manager for the NT. In her new role, she will lead the joint five-year, $8.75m NT/AMGC program to fast-track investment and commercialisation of advanced manufacturing opportunities across the Territory. Barrett remarked: “As a proud Territorian, I cannot wait to get to work and build a stronger, more diverse manufacturing industry not only across the Top End but also in our regional centres. Over the past 15-years I have seen first-hand the potential of NT businesses. A program such as this is exactly what we require to spur innovation, investment, and prosperity for the region. I look forward to getting to work with AMGC and the Northern Territory Government.” The NT/AMGC program delivers on the recommendations of the Territory Economic Reconstruction’s final report, which will see: AMGC establish an office in Darwin, which will house the dedicated Territory-based Director who will be supported by AMGC’s…

BNNTs are a game-changing technology set to disrupt countless industries. They are around 100 times stronger than steel and 50 times stronger than industrial-grade carbon fibre, while being as light as carbon fibre. They are many times more thermally conductive than copper, yet they do not conduct electricity, making them perfect for electrical heat sinks. They provide excellent radiation shielding, for applications ranging from protecting astronauts in space, to protecting healthy cells during cancer radiation treatments. BNNTs are translucent, meaning they can be mixed with a range of materials - even glass - without greatly affecting the appearance of the final product. They are stable up to 900-1000 deg.C, are super-flexible and can be bent over 90° for thousands of times without failure, and they are non-toxic. PPK Group’s suite of businesses includes: BNNT Technology Limited. Manufacturing the world’s highest-quality BNNTs. Li-S Energy Limited.…

For some of the companies which have booked space at AMW, it may be their first time ever exhibiting at a trade show. Others may be returning after not exhibiting for a long time, and may be a bit “rusty”. And others still may be seasoned exhibitors who take stands at several trade shows a year. But for every business or organisation that takes part in an industry exhibition, that handful of days on the stand itself are only a part of the process. It could be a missed opportunity if you haven’t put in the work of preparing in advance. As the old quote goes, “The person who fails to plan, plans to fail.” So what steps can you take ahead of a show like AMW? Here are some handy tips. Consider what you want to achieve There are many reasons to exhibit in a show like AMW, and it’s important to establish exactly what outcomes you’re hoping to…

At present, exports from engineering enabled industries (excluding mining) total $92bn or 29% of total exports in Australia; we have five academic institutions ranked in the top 50 in the world for engineering and technology; and 2.61 million Australians work in engineering and engineering-enabled industries — around 22% of the job market. From LiDAR to robotics and satellite technology, Australia has a multitude of companies operating on a global scale and exporting our hardware innovations to the world. The Australian advantage As we continue to manage the challenges of the pandemic, Australia has the opportunity to leverage existing strengths to enable the growth of world-leading engineering-enabled solutions, both for domestic and international markets. Historically, Australia has maintained a global reputation for strength in heavy industries including mining, construction, infrastructure and agriculture. Arguably, our energy and resource sectors have been major drivers of the economy for 30 years, and despite the effects of COVID-19, we have maintained…

The Digital Innovation and SME Hub (the DISH) will help businesses survive and thrive by combining Deakin’s research, education and partnership capabilities to provide support services and technologies to help drive business growth in a post-COVID world. The repurposed and redesigned space at the University’s Burwood campus will concentrate on SMEs in sectors such as manufacturing, healthcare and trades. Businesses that partner with the DISH will have access to health checks conducted by Deakin’s Faculty of Business and Law, the School of IT and partner organisations to identify new product opportunities, funding, cashflow and efficiency improvements, and potential new markets. The DISH will also host post-COVID bootcamps, innovation workshops, rapid hackathons and research and development opportunities to help businesses adapt to a digital world. The project is expected to create 122 direct jobs by 2025, while more jobs are expected to be created in the SMEs participating in the program. The Victorian…

Funding of between $20m and $200million is available, covering up to 33% of eligible project expenditure. Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Christian Porter said the Government will strategically invest in projects that will help manufacturers to scale up and create jobs, with investments targeted at projects within the six National Manufacturing Priority areas. “As a Government we plan to harness Australia’s manufacturing capability to drive job creation and spur private investment, especially as we chart our economic recovery from COVID-19 and build our future resilience,” Minister Porter said. “Through the Collaboration Stream, we are determined to co-invest in industry-led proposals that will transform our National Manufacturing Priority areas, by encouraging manufacturers to move up the value chain to higher value, higher margin activities, including drawing on our world class research. “This is at the heart of our $1.5bn Modern Manufacturing Strategy, which is all designed to support Australian manufacturers to scale-up, build resilience, become more competitive and create the jobs we need not only…

A joint venture between the Bionics Institute and The University of Melbourne, and located in St Vincent’s Hospital, Neo-Bionica actually already commenced operations in June this year. The purpose-built, highly specialised laboratory is equipped with the latest clean-room technology, cutting-edge robotic equipment, enhanced 3D printing and precision engineering tools that are needed to develop and manufacture prototype medical devices for clinical trials. The driving force behind the new facility, Bionics Institute’s CEO Robert Klupacs, advises that Neo-Bionica will provide Australia with the capability to build clinical-grade medical devices, increasing the speed from initial concept to clinical application. On a site tour of the facility, there’s a cabinet near the entrance displaying a range of medical devices developed by the Bionics Institute in collaboration with other organisations and now by Neo-Bionica researchers. Among the items on display, there are: an electrode designed to stimulate the vagus nerve, for use in the treatment…

Like many companies involved in supplying recreational equipment, AL-KO is benefitting from travel restrictions that are seeing Australians holidaying and staying in their own backyards. Sales of RVs and associated products have skyrocketed this year and AL-KO is riding that resurgence and the resultant interest in getting out on the road and exploring new destinations. The company is best known for its high-quality running gear range, which includes axles, brakes, and suspension products. AL-KO also offers a wide range of accessories, as well as supplying suspension and carriage components to various motorhome and caravan chassis manufacturers. Look under any of the leading RV, caravan and off-road camper trailer brands and chances are that AL-KO parts will be fitted. In addition to the RV market, it produces specialised axles for trailers for a diverse range of agricultural machinery such as transporting combine harvester headers and suspension and running gear for lighting and access towers. The company has a long and…