Member News

For the majority of manufacturers, like gas, electricity and water, compressed air will be an indispensable utility to their operation. However, unlike gas, electricity and water, compressed air is more often than not produced the conventional way – via a compressed air system that the manufacturer actually owns. Here, the manufacturer not only pays for the utility itself (the compressed air produced), but at some point in time will have had the capital outlay for the purchase of the compressed air equipment, as well as the ongoing costs to service and maintain the compressed air system. Compressed air contracting presents a viable alternative to investing in, and maintaining your own compressed air system. Here, the end user simply purchases the compressed air they use, in the same way they would purchase gas, electricity or water. And, they can immediately enjoy the advantages…

The Montmorency-based aerospace and defence company has been able to win lucrative global contracts and create new local jobs thanks to support from the State Government. As part of the Future Industries Manufacturing Program, Lovitt Technologies has taken on five new workers and acquired advanced manufacturing technology, including a next-generation computer to create precision aerospace components. The cutting edge technology has allowed the company to extend and secure major new contracts with clients in the aerospace industry such as Boeing and Lockheed Martin. Lovitt Technologies was established in 1954 to manufacture tooling for Australia’s automotive industry. Over the ensuing six decades it has evolved continuously, anticipating the eventual decline of Australian car-making and acting decisively by branching into fields as diverse as communications, defence and food & beverages. Primarily, however, the company has developed a strong niche in the field of aerospace over the last 20 years. Today, aerospace components account for around 95% of the company’s…

The Thai Government understands that manufacturing will be a key driver of the country’s long-term economic growth and has been encouraging companies to establish facilities in their territories through tax and other incentives. As a result, the country today has flourishing automotive and aerospace sectors that require suppliers. SK Precision has around 50 people working two shifts servicing their traditional market of cutting carbide tools and PCD tools. “We have been operating for over 20 years and know the local Thai market intimately,” says Tibordee Srikul, President of SK Precision. “We saw an opportunity in the tap grinding segment as until now companies could only source taps from overseas suppliers and that means longer lead times of up to three months and higher cost. Our customers want just-in-time products so they can reduce stock and inventory costs. Having a local supplier who can deliver taps in a short period of time helps them achieve a more efficient supply chain. “Taps are…

Based in Tullamarine, Ferraro is a tight-knit family-run business that supplies more than 25 varieties to some of Australia’s leading food manufacturers including Arnotts, Paddy’s Pies and Goodman Fielder. As production of shredded mozzarella, shredded parmesan and grated parmesan increased, Ferraro needed larger volumes of nitrogen and carbon dioxide gas, which resulted in a new solution to support its modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) process. “Since moving to BOC, we’ve had no gas supply issues and can confidently increase our cheese production knowing that we have the right gas solution,” says John Ferraro, the company’s owner. “We don’t change for the sake of change – but BOC’s offer was competitive and they have really looked after us.” The challenge Ferraro had outgrown its existing gas system from a previous supplier, and now required more nitrogen and carbon dioxide gas flows and larger vessels to support increasing quantities of cheese packs being produced using a MAP process. “We have a single chamber and double chamber machines that need gas all day long,” says Ferraro.…

South Australian-based car battery handle supplier Rope & Plastic Group had a successful business in Australia and the United States before the automotive industry’s decline. However, the company has now begun manufacturing clotheslines. According to owner John Sutton the transition was an obvious choice. “We were supplying car battery company Exide with handles, cases and lids, so it was a very lucrative business,” he explained. “In the meantime about five or six years beforehand we got involved with a company called Mrs Peggs Clotheslines, and started to manufacture, warehouse and distribute clotheslines in China. “About the same time that Exide decided to close down their manufacturing operations, Mrs Peggs came to us and said they were going to take back the business and run it themselves. We had a double whammy.” With the automotive industry offering no real future, Sutton decided to draw on the company’s experience in clothesline manufacturing to design and manufacture his own washing line. The venture was assisted by a $200,000 grant through the SA…

Eilbeck Cranes – Lifting capabilities A third-generation family-owned business in its 110th year in operation, Eilbeck Cranes is now Australia’s largest and most advanced crane manufacturer, towering over the Australian crane market due to its engineering and manufacturing excellence. Today Eilbeck has manufacturing facilities in Sydney, Western Australia, Mackay in Queensand, and a new facility currently under construction in Melbourne, as well as service centres around the country. Eilbeck Director Tom Eilbeck took the bold move in 2015 and invested massively into the development of the Eilbeck Heavy Machining Centre. This daring decision was not only aimed at gaining competitive advantage, but also an investment in the future of Australian manufacturing and the security of future Australian jobs. Investment over the last two years has been significant for this company, with the installation of the Okuma MB8000H CNC horizontal machine centre with OSP P300M control in 2016, followed this year by an Okuma Genos…

Throughout its long history, turning in the conventional direction – namely starting at the end of the workpiece and working longitudinally towards the chuck – has prevailed. Although this technique has proved successful, as the process has matured, ongoing advances in productivity and profitability have been increasingly difficult to achieve. Many are bound by the limitations of traditional turning. For instance, while experienced operators are aware that factors such as small entry angles permit increased feeds, they are restricted to around 90 degrees in conventional turning in order to reach the shoulder and avoid the long, curved chips that small entering angles characteristically provide. In recent years, the advent of…

In high and low-wage countries, interest in the many benefits of industrial robots has never been higher. Released last year, the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) Industrial Robots report showed unit sales figures in 2015 up 15% on the year before, reaching an all-time high of 253,748. Since 2010, technical improvements in robots and automation have turbocharged investment, according to the report. Furthermore, double digit percentage growth is predicted to continue every year up to 2019 . However, within CNC machining, robotics applications have been dominated by machine tending. Overall, the benefits enjoyed by industrial users of robots – such as accuracy, productivity and capacity utilisation – have been under-realised by machine tool users. According to 2012 IFR research, only 1.5% of machine tools were being automated in conjunction with robots . Nonetheless, this trend is starting to shift, with robots becoming increasingly affordable and easy to program – making the technology more accessible to the CNC grinding market. Global influences are also having an impact, such as the South…

Based in Artarmon, NSW, KBW is a family-owned and managed business with over 30 years of experience in vehicle repairs. KBW caters for both vehicle repair insurance and private work as well as specialising in car and motorcycle custom and restoration work. Dedicated to completing work at the highest standards, KBW keeps its team trained in an evolving industry while investing in state-of-the-art machinery to ensure each motor vehicle leaving the shop looks better than ever. From powering air tools to the spray paint booth, compressed air is integral to the operation. Just over a decade ago, an ageing compressed air system prompted KBW’s Manager Charles Koudsy to contact the company’s longstanding compressed air partner Fracks for a solution. Fracks – an authorised Kaeser partner – recommended and subsequently installed an Airtower 11 from Kaeser. The Airtower was a compact compressor solution that incorporated a rotary screw compressor and refrigeration dryer within one housing. This series was…

AMT: Tell us firstly about the Cumberland Business Chamber and its membership. Craig Hingston: Cumberland Business Chamber was formed 30 years ago in the Smithfield-Wetherill Park region of western Sydney, which is home to the largest industrial business park in the Southern Hemisphere. This is a strategic hub representing a board cross-section of the manufacturing and engineering sector. There are over 20,000 people employed here and many of these businesses have been here for decades. Because we are an industrial-centric chamber, as opposed to a strictly geographical one, we attract people from all over Sydney. Our members range from CEOs and management at multinational corporations to owners of SMEs and micro-enterprises. They represent manufacturing and the many sectors which support it. Our purpose is to encourage and stimulate business growth. We are advocates for ‘Support Australian Industry. Buy Australian Products.’ AMT: What sort of services and projects does the Chamber…

Many of us have experienced that nervous feeling you get when you’re following a trailer that has begun to sway and it would appear that at any moment it could fishtail out of control. Worse still is the feeling of a loss of control while negotiating the twists and gradient of the road with a trailer in tow. Both circumstances can be stressful, and for both driver and surrounding traffic, potentially very hazardous. Trailers can easily become unstable and cause accidents when braking, swerving, overtaking, driving in high winds or on difficult roads. In 2016, loss of control accounted for 30% of caravan accident claims, with oversteering and fishtailing among the main causes. The need for a solution to this problem was identified by Bosch’s Australian Vehicle Safety Systems engineering team. This prompted an innovation idea and subsequent R&D project in 2014. The parent company acknowledged the local engineering capability and market opportunity, which led to the establishment of a Bosch global Centre of Competence for…

Many of us have experienced that nervous feeling you get when you’re following a trailer that has begun to sway and it would appear that at any moment it could fishtail out of control. Worse still is the feeling of a loss of control while negotiating the twists and gradient of the road with a trailer in tow. Both circumstances can be stressful, and for both driver and surrounding traffic, potentially very hazardous. Trailers can easily become unstable and cause accidents when braking, swerving, overtaking, driving in high winds or on difficult roads. In 2016, loss of control accounted for 30% of caravan accident claims, with oversteering and fishtailing among the main causes. The need for a solution to this problem was identified by Bosch’s Australian Vehicle Safety Systems engineering team. This prompted an innovation idea and subsequent R&D project…

Iscar’s best cutting tool recommendations and cutting data can be downloaded anywhere and at any time. The Iscar Tool Advisor (ITA) will automatically calculate the preferred cutting tools for the job. All that the user has to do is enter a few machining parameters. The ITA is an Industry 4.0 standard, consisting of a user-friendly, cyber-based tool selection software package that uses a unique mathematical algorithm. The tool selection process maximises productivity and is based on objective technical data as opposed to an intuitive method of search. For this Fourth Industrial Revolution, it is a optimal tool advisor based on application parameters and available machine power. It works in conjunction with Iscar’s electronic catalogue, from where the tool parameters are accessed and used for continuing machine processing. The ITA also includes sub-applications such as machining power, grades and chipformer selection tools. Iscar’s ITA package reduces tooling scenarios while accounting for cutting conditions, workpiece material, machine power and metal removal rates. The ITA places emphasis on customer profitability while assuring the right method of tool…