Industry News

With its head office in Tasmania and manufacturing plants in both Tasmania and South Australia, Jayben Group is an OEM company that specialises in powertrain products and light to medium industrial plant and equipment, including design, engineering, and manufacturing for the mining, agricultural, manufacturing, and defence sectors. Since its humble beginnings in 1927, the company has evolved significantly and today, it services clients both nationally and overseas. Determined to continue to provide clients with first-rate products, the company trialled Kemppi’s WeldEye welding management software before fully implementing the solution to effectively control welding quality. The challenge According to Danny Patmore, Fabrication Manager at Jayben Group, the company was not willing to forego quality despite experiencing strong growth. “Since our earliest days, we have been committed to producing high-quality products, and even though we have rapidly expanded, we remain unwavering in ensuring that quality is integral in all stages of the production process, including welding. “Welding is fundamental when you are manufacturing the sorts of parts and equipment that we produce in steel, stainless steel, aluminium and other metals. If the quality…

Safe Work Australia has recently brought in significant changes to the Workplace Exposure Standard (WES) for welding fumes after the Work Health and Safety Ministers endorsed a decision to change Australian legislation. The new law establishes air quality standards for an eight-hour weighted average at just 1mg/m³, an 80% reduction from the previous limit of 5mg/m³. This change represents a significant step towards ensuring worker safety by reducing their exposure to harmful welding fumes. The new limit applies to welders and anyone who works near them. Worker protection in the welding industry has recently faced scrutiny, as serious health issues have been linked to extended exposure to welding fumes, a recognised carcinogen. The quick implementation of this reduction will ensure workplaces actively mitigate the negative health effects associated with welding activities. This decision will also ensure that workers remain committed to their roles without worrying about potential long-term health impacts from their chosen careers. Implications of the WES changes to welding workers and business owners The recent update to the Workplace Exposure Standard (WES) for welding fumes holds significant implications…

Exhaust-free and quiet compressed air production – wherever you need it. That's what you get with the Mobilair electric-drive portable compressors by KAESER Compressors. The drive units of the 132 kW M250E portable compressor consists of a highly energy-efficient IE4 electric motor and a Sigma Profile airend that has consistently proven itself in industrial rotary screw compressors. Depending on the combination and pressure range, the M250E delivers flow rates of up to 25 m³/min at 8.6 bar and 16.2 m³/min at 14 bar. “What sets these units apart from the industrial rotary screw compressors typically installed in closed compressor rooms, is the defining features of a MOBILAIR compressor by Kaeser,” said Ronald van Wyk, KAESER Australia’s Mobilair Sales Manager. “These compressors are purpose-built for outdoor installations, meaning they can withstand wind and weather without any issues – whether it's the body or the controls.” True to its MOBILAIR roots, the M250E is also built to be moved quickly and easily from place to place. The galvanised skids with forklift slots, fitted as standard, and the crane lifting eye are a…

Created with high-mix, low-volume batch production in mind, this tool offers outstanding flexibility across a wide variety of materials, making it perfect for workshops dealing with diverse jobs and varying specifications. One of the biggest challenges for CNC metal cutting SMEs is managing frequent tool changes and maintaining efficiency across various material types. The new Harmony UNI+ addresses this with its unique end gash design, capable of ramping up to 45 degrees in soft steels, in addition to all the other operations typically expected from end mills, such as shoulder milling, full slotting, dynamic/trochoidal strategies, and even plunging/drilling, all with the one tool. The smoother and more efficient machining of complex and intricate applications is crucial for small-batch, custom jobs. This reduces downtime for tool changes and enhances overall productivity. Another standout feature of the new series is its TiSiNos PVD coating. This advanced coating technology guarantees superior performance in steel, stainless steel, and cast iron, while also extending tool life. For CNC workshops that…

Australia’s manufacturing sector performance improved at an accelerated pace in March. Rising new orders supported a renewal of production growth. Job creation also resumed, aiding the clearance of backlogged orders. Meanwhile, purchasing levels were increased for the first time since September 2022, contributing to a significant rise in inventory of purchases. On the prices front, average input prices continued to rise at a steep rate in March, but output charge inflation eased despite reduced optimism regarding future output. The seasonally adjusted S&P Global Australia Manufacturing Purchasing Manager’s Index™ (PMI®) increased to 52.1 in March, up from 50.4 in February. Remaining above the 50.0 neutral mark for the third consecutive month, the latest data indicated that conditions in the manufacturing sector continued to improve in March. Furthermore, the latest headline index was the highest recorded since October 2022. Contributing to the increase in the headline index was manufacturing production, which expanded at its fastest pace since October 2022. The recent acceleration in output growth was driven by rising new business inflows and increased capacity. Australian manufacturers reported receiving new orders at the…

WPF, a company based in Western Australia with operations nationally, is a leader in multi-discipline engineering services for the Australian energy sector. Renowned for handling diverse materials, from carbon steel to exotic alloys like duplex and copper-nickel, WPF serves some of the most demanding energy producers in the world. Their commitment to quality, with stringent internal acceptance criteria, often exceeding code requirements, sets them apart. WPF facilitates material segregation and process integrity while delivering exceptional results by fabricating across multiple workshops in Western Australia and the Northern Territory. Operational challenges The tight labor market in Australia presented a significant challenge for WPF. Skilled coded welders capable of adapting to various conditions and fit-ups were scarce, making it difficult to maintain production efficiency and quality. Furthermore, the high cost and disruption caused by weld repairs, estimated to be similar to North America’s average of $1,000 per weld, added pressure to maintain repair rates below 1%. WPF’s reliance on traditional welding methods also introduced inefficiencies. While their manual processes were effective, scaling production without compromising quality or safety proved challenging. The…

AMTIL sincerely hopes you enjoyed exploring the latest technology and network with industry leaders at Australia’s biggest precision engineering and manufacturing event. AMW2025 has proven to be the largest and most successful manufacturing trade show ever staged in Australia. The feedback has been pretty humbling. The Future Solutions Speaker program, sponsored proudly by the Victorian Government, active over the first three days has now completed, leaving room for the Schools and Skills Summit, where selected technical college students are given the chance to sit down in front of their potential future employers, as potential real-world future employees. After the presentations in the speakers room, groups of 15 or so students were shown around the halls and directed to where they could potentially end up as employees.  They even had badges depicting their ‘Future Employee’ status. The feedback was tremendous. Numbers through the doors will be revealed elsewhere, but suffice to say, the show was a roaring success. There seemed to be extra energy in people at the stands, right up to and even after the…

AXT, a leader in Australia’s X-ray technology landscape, has announced a strategic expansion of its portfolio through a new partnership with German-based X-ray systems manufacturer VisiConsult. This collaboration marks a significant step forward in delivering high-performance, intelligent Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) solutions tailored to Australia’s unique industrial and research environment. VisiConsult brings over 25 years of experience in designing and manufacturing advanced X-ray systems under its VCxray brand. Already relied on across aerospace, defense, energy, and electronics sectors worldwide, their technology integrates automation, robotics, and AI-powered software—such as Automated Defect Recognition (ADR)—to boost efficiency, accuracy, and readiness for the digital future. Through this partnership, AXT and VisiConsult aim to deliver a complete, end-to-end NDT solution portfolio for the Australian market. This ranges from standard catalogue systems to fully customised platforms for sectors like defence and mining, and is rounded out by a robust software ecosystem that supports the full journey from conventional to fully digital inspection processes. At the core of this transformation is VisiConsult’s commitment to enabling the shift from traditional…

Last year, research from IEEFA revealed that electrification could slash energy use in industrial processes, using heat pump technology that is commercially available today. However, adoption remains slow in Australia, with only a few industrial heat pumps (IHPs) deployed here. In contrast, New Zealand is already well ahead of its larger neighbour. New Zealand’s Energy Efficiency & Conservation Authority (EECA) estimates that about a quarter of their country’s potential for IHPs has now been captured. The shift appears to have contributed to a material decrease in coal and gas use in the country’s food and beverage sector. Between 2019 and 2022 (the latest year of available data), coal use in the food and beverage sector decreased by 12% and gas use by 21%, while electricity use increased by 7%. The successes achieved in New Zealand offer Australia a range of valuable learnings if decisive action is taken now. A comprehensive approach was key to success The New Zealand government started supporting the deployment of IHPs in 2013 through the…

Whatever we did is working. I cannot fault the stallholders' passion and enthusiasm at AMW2025. Everyone wants to be here because they know what they will gather in the end—connections, sales, and renewed, happy business relationships. Also, walking along through the crowds, I find a couple of visitors staring intensely at a screen displaying work being done by an OKUMA robotic machine. They know what they’re looking at. They understand the detail and that’s the difference in crowds between this year and the last time AMW was in Melbourne in 2023. The crowd has a more professional flavour. A few measures were put in place this year for registrations, and I think it focused the visitors. Perhaps the fact that the Federal Election was so last weekend (feels like a month ago, right?), so people are now thinking longer term. They know they can plan out til the end of next year and beyond. All day yesterday, today and Thursday, the ever-popular Future Solutions Speaker program continues to roll out intense presentations in the…

After a weekend of elections for the nation, this industry is ready to show off its wares. While everyone else was tearing into their democracy sausage, the exhibitors were bumping into the MCEC, preparing for this show. Tuesday morning and it all looks fantastic. Come 10am, the Hon Colin Brooks, Victorian Minister for Industry and Advanced Manufacturing, opened the AMW2025 show. “Our government is really proud to sponsor this event and to provide such an important platform for the manufacturing sector,” he said. “We hold this advanced manufacturing event in the nation's manufacturing capital. There’s coffee for our culture here and our significant sporting events. Still, Victoria is also home to the biggest employers, with the country's manufacturing sector comprising more than 23,000 businesses and employing some 273,000 people. The manufacturing sectors are the driving force for the state's economy. Contributing 6% to our gross state products, Victoria exports nearly $26bn worth of goods. Our manufacturers are thriving in Victoria with employment in the sector growing by some 10% in the two years to the…

We hope you have registered to discover new manufacturing magic at AMW2025 at the MCEC in Melbourne. The time taken out of the office and warehouses will be richly rewarded with new connections, education and experiences you can only have when you go to Australia’s biggest and most respected manufacturing show. REGISTER ONLINE NOW and check out more details at the AMW site. While the clock ticks down to the opening of AMW2025, why not quickly look at the EXHIBITORS LIST. So many of the largest Australian manufacturers and a great range of up-and-coming SMEs will be present. There are six distinct areas, each with a particular focus within its manufacturing sector. The variety this year is impressive. There’s an Australian Manufacturers Pavilion, and companies supporting manufacturing are in the Manufacturing Solutions. There’s Robotics, Air Compression and Welding, the Additive Manufacturing Zone, and plenty more. During the first three days, there is a comprehensive lineup of speakers addressing various solutions for manufacturers in the Future Solutions Speaker Program. This program received an excellent response last year in Melbourne. You can view the FUTURE…