Industry News

The implementation of Closed-Loop Manufacturing (CLM) across its manufacturing capability using Siemens’ Manufacturing Execution System (MES) will enable HeliMods to achieve development and production of high-complexity, high-value, scalable solutions using a single digital thread across the entire product lifecycle. The implementation of the software was enabled by a $350,000 co-investment grant from the AMGC and will support HeliMods’ global and local growth trajectory in aerospace, defence, air ambulance and other key industries. In total, the project will see an investment of $808,543 from combined AMGC, industry and in-kind contributions. The announcement was made at HeliMods’ premises in Sunshine Coast by Federal MP Andrew Wallace “Thanks to this project, HeliMods is now the only Australian business with Defence Production Approval that is using such a Closed Loop Manufacturing system, offering Australia a unique new sovereign defence industry capability-based right here on the Coast,”…

Between 2000 and 2019, AMTIL operated Austech, Australia’s premier advanced manufacturing and machine tool exhibition. The event was historically co-located with the National Manufacturing Week (NMW) exhibition, run by Reed Exhibitions. When Reed decided in 2020 to cease the operation of NMW, AMTIL saw an opportunity to create AMW, a more extensive event demonstrating the full scope and diversity of the manufacturing industry in Australia today. Austech has now been incorporated into AMW as a specialist zone showcasing the latest metalworking, machine tools and ancillary equipment. The Austech zone will cover a vast spectrum of advanced manufacturing products and processes, including: CNC Machinery, Lathes, Mills. Contract Manufacturing/Precision Machining. Cutting Tools, Tooling & Tool Holding. Forming & Fabricating Machines. Plasma, Laser, Waterjet & Ultrasonic Machines. Ancillary equipment suppliers. A diverse range of companies will be exhibiting within the Austech section of AMW. Founded in 1952, ISCAR has grown from its origins as a small blades factory to one of the world’s leading manufacturers of metalworking tools, and will be showcasing its vast range of innovative cutting tools for…

AMT: Tell us about the Clean Energy Council? How long have you been in operation, how many members do you have, and what kinds of companies make up your membership? Kane Thornton: The genesis of the Clean Energy Council (CEC) can be traced back to the Solar Energy Industry Association (SEIA) which first established renewable energy industry accreditation in 1993. In 2002, another industry association merger took place with the Australian Eco-Generation Association (AEA) to form the Australian Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE). By this time, industry regulation had been established, with Australian Standards for the renewable energy industry in place and conformance with these standards a requirement for all design and installation work in the industry. In 2007, a decision was made by members of the BCSE and the Australian Wind Energy Association (AusWind) to merge. It was decided that there were too many competing voices and that the industry needed one strong, united voice. The two organisations became the Clean Energy Council, and we’re the peak body for the industry. We represent and work with…

What many readers will find surprising is that those wind towers were not made in Australia at Keppel Prince in Portland, but rather imported from overseas and delivered by boat to Portland docks for unloading. It is always disappointing to see anything imported from overseas when it can be made right here by Australian workers, using Australian steel. What is perhaps even more galling is that those wind towers were being installed at a wind farm that is being underwritten by a long-term power purchase agreement from the Federal Government’s Snowy Hydro 2.0 scheme. When I found out about the plans to import wind towers for a project funded by the federal government, I got in touch with the Minister and the local member – Dan Tehan. There was still time…

The pandemic has upended the manufacturing sector and put the spotlight on Australia’s reliance on global supply chains. Lockdowns made it impossible for many manufacturers to access the staff, sites and equipment necessary for maintaining operations and filling orders, according to the Australian Manufacturing Growth Centre. At the same time, the pandemic highlights the need to build a local manufacturing sector as the nation looks toward COVID-19 recovery. So much so, that one in two manufacturers intend to bring operations back to Australia within the next three years. Following market volatility caused by COVID-19, reshoring is a step in the right direction for Australia’s manufacturing sector. However, four in five (82%) senior employees in the sector are underprepared to compete in a digital economy. Businesses need to fast-track e-commerce channels to overcome competition from imports and online sources. Leveraging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and digital selling is one way…

Airspeeder’s comms requirements are taken care of by sports industry comms specialists D2N. Jason Owen, Managing Director of D2N, explains: “Airspeeder and the engineering team at sister company Alauda Aeronatics reached out to us as they knew of our reputation in the sports industry and were looking for a comms solution for their new race program. They were developing a flying racing car series and were in the test and development stage. This in turn called for a communication system between the pilot, who flies the aircraft remotely, the engineers and the flight test director.” Alauda’s engineers initially wanted a comms system to cover two applications for the forthcoming EXA remotely piloted racing series and the Airspeeder crewed electric flying cars races. These were firstly the research & development (R&D) of the vehicles with a pilot, and secondly a number of engineers who all communicate as a group. The second application was…

“People are drawn to places,” says Ethan Bligh. “We have a natural connection with some and not others, a bit like friends. Some of us are born in the places we are meant to be. From these places the things we do, the things we create, make a difference around the world.” Ethan was born on the North West Coast of Tasmania, in family with a history in the region. Like most kids around him, he spent a lot of time on the beach. He camped. “I lived outside, and I want to give this opportunity to my kids,” he says. “Living here on the coast I can do that. I can’t imagine living anywhere else.” Not long ago, the North West Coast of Tasmania was one of Australia’s industrial heartlands. The people of the region mined, grew, processed, and made a lot of commodities and commercial products and shipped…

DMTC Limited is working together with Australian defence manufacturers assisting in their capacity and technology development in digitalisation, artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, Industry 4.0 and the Internet of Things (IoT) – including smart factories. Spanning an 11-year career at DMTC, Deepak Ganga is currently Head of Program Management, where he leads the Enterprise Program Management office, responsible for business transformation and the strategic alignment of DMTC’s programs. “We have expanded a lot recently,” says Ganga. “As well as traditional defence R&D projects, we are also working on technologies with applications in related areas like health sciences, AI, robotics, IoT and Industry 4.0. During the last two years, we’ve been working behind the scenes on our program governance framework and to standardise processes. We’re now developing more software to digitalise project management tasks, as well as automating the reporting that we need to continue to do to demonstrate the value we provide to our…

As a result, businesses continue to collect sensitive information about employees, contractors and other visitors to the workplace, including vaccination status information and medical certificates. Information about a person’s vaccination status and medical certificates are ‘personal information’ which must be collected, used and disclosed according to Australian privacy laws, including the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (Privacy Act) and associated Australian Privacy Principles. The following outlines the key principles to be aware of and considered regarding privacy obligations when collecting this type of information. In what circumstances can businesses collect vaccination status information about employees, labour hire workers, contractors, volunteers, candidates and other visitors? Vaccination status information is ‘sensitive information’ about an individual and is afforded higher protection under the Privacy Act. This means, generally speaking, a person’s vaccination status must only be collected if: the information is necessary for one or more of the business’ functions or activities; and the individual has consented. Businesses may need to collect vaccination status information to prevent and manage…

In any industry, motors are major consumers of cost and energy. In addition to the high maintenance costs, it is estimated that more than 65% of electrical energy in industry is consumed by motors. Manufacturers of motors are working hard to produce ever more efficient motors and governments the world over are introducing regulations to encourage their uptake. Whether you are looking to lower the cost of running your facility, reduce the risk of unplanned downtime, or reduce the carbon footprint of your manufacturing operations, here are some useful factors to consider when maintaining your motor. A need for speed control Variable speed drives (VSDs) are an increasingly popular way of allowing manufacturers to achieve cost savings and energy efficiency gains. Without a VSD, the motor will always operate at full speed but the use of a VSD will match the speed to the application.…

The reduction is being achieved by implementing recommendations provided from auditing the compressed air system including: upgrading compressed air equipment; adding an Industry 4.0-ready compressed air management system; and implementing an air leak management programme. Stuff Limited is New Zealand’s leading media organisation. Its flagship news website stuff.co.nz is well known, but Stuff also owns and prints a large portfolio of New Zealand’s best-loved magazines and newspapers. This includes national, metropolitan and regional newspaper titles, including the Sunday Star-Times, the Press and The Dominion Post. Stuff prints its newspapers and magazines across two print plants located in Petone and Christchurch. Both plants are continuously striving to improve processes and technology to reduce the impact they have on the environment. This is part of the company’s wider commitment to being a sustainable business. Part of this commitment includes reducing its emissions. Stuff became a signatory of the Climate Leaders Coalition in 2017, and in 2019 set an ambitious target to reduce its Scope 1 (fleet fuel) and Scope 2 (purchased…

Geoinventions Consulting Services, in collaboration with Griffith University and supported by the Innovative Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre (IMCRC), has secured $420,000 in cash and in-kind funding to prototype the novel sensors using micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) technology for smart highway applications. Once developed, the multi-functional sensors will measure the stress-strain behaviour and soil-infrastructure interaction of roadways to identify potential risks and safety issues. Barry Kok, Geoinventions’ Operations Director, said the IMCRC activate collaboration would connect Geoinventions with the Industry 4.0 capability needed to deliver the first-ever Australian-made MEMS geotechnical sensors. “This project will help pave the way for Geoinventions to establish itself as a leading Australian geotechnical consultant and instrument manufacturer in collaboration with Australian manufacturers,” he said. “It will also be a catalyst for Geoinventions to migrate from using the conventional ‘one sensor, one location’ ‘vibrating wire’ sensor technology to the proposed ‘multi-sensors, one location’ efficient MEMS-driven sensor technology. This will empower Geoinventions to push boundaries in the competitive business world and make an impact in national and…

You might not realise that when solar panels are fitted to the roof of homes or commercial buildings, the panels are typically installed using a series of aluminium rails. The rails allow for consistent and regular fixing to the roof structure and deliver a robust and streamlined way for panels to be installed. As homes and businesses choose solar to improve their carbon footprint and reduce energy consumption, it is important to consider the full life cycle of the solution. While considerable research has been done into the payback period, life cycle and emission offset for solar panels, you would rarey ever see news coverage about the impact of the many thousands of kilometres of aluminium solar rails spanning the roofs of Australian homes and businesses. When it comes to solar and environmental sustainability, credentials matter. That’s why Australian-manufactured Mill Finish aluminium solar rails are fast becoming…