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Emerson has launched its AVENTICS™ Series XV pneumatic valves. These valves are designed with interoperability in mind to provide machine builders across multiple industries and factory automation applications with a flexible and cost-effective valve platform. The new valves are ideal for global machine builders and end users, with universal threads and other features supporting regional standards and global availability. Series XV valves provide higher flow rates in a compact valve package, enabling more efficient and flexible pneumatic system performance for factory automation, automotive and tyre, and food and packaging applications. This helps manufacturers boost productivity and allows them to offer products customised for specific markets and customer preferences. “In all industries, manufacturers need high-performance technology that gives them the agility and flexibility to stay ahead of rapidly changing market demands,” said Wolf Gerecke, director of product marketing for Emerson´s machine automation business. “The new AVENTICS Series XV pneumatic valves deliver that performance with optimised flow, a wide range of valves and an extensive portfolio of accessories.” Series XV valves include the XV03, which provides flow volumes of…

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), postal and courier pick-up and delivery service charges rose 5.7% in the June quarter, driven by rising fuel costs and labour market volatility. That’s why it’s more important than ever for SMEs to ensure they pack and ship their stock cost-effectively. Seemingly insignificant mistakes, such as incorrectly labelling or sending one large package exceeding the shipping dimension compared to separate smaller boxes, could result in business owners being charged 150% more than the original cost. “Mistakes that lead to surcharges can significantly increase the original shipping price by up to 150%,” Interparcel CEO Steve Zammit said. “A courier charge might initially be $10, but something done during the manufacturing process could add a surcharge for special or manual handling ranging from $12 to $70, depending on the weight and any special handling requirements.” Zammit lists nine packing mistakes that every business owner should avoid, from the manufacturer stage to business expansion. Shipping seven costly…

Injectronics, Australia's leading automotive remanufacturing and repair specialist, has launched an innovative 48-hour turnaround service designed to help workshops clear bays faster and get cars back on the road. This new service guarantees rapid, reliable, and cost-effective repairs for various electronic components, allowing mechanics to speed up repairs and minimise delays for customers across Australia and New Zealand. Workshops are under increasing pressure to improve efficiency and minimise inflationary costs. Injectronics’ latest offering fills a critical market gap for high-quality, fast repairs. This service aims to support mechanics by providing customers with a more reliable and affordable alternative to new components. A key highlight of this new 48-hour turnaround is Injectronics’ recent move to a state-of-the-art facility in Keysborough. This facility is four times the size of its previous Hallam operations, allowing the company to increase its capacity significantly. Alongside this expansion, Injectronics has invested in modernising its processes with cutting-edge technology to automate the repair process. This advanced setup enables rapid diagnostics and remanufacturing of components and ensures the highest standards of quality and precision in…

The importance of integrating engineering data with other enterprise systems cannot be overstated for engineering and manufacturing firms. Imagine your CAD models, drawings, and BOMs flowing seamlessly between departments without constant manual effort. This type of integration streamlines the entire design-to-production process, making it more efficient. As a CAD engineer, you can concentrate on your designs. At the same time, routine tasks like file management, revision control, and data synchronisation are automated, giving you more time to innovate and solve complex challenges. Autodesk Vault is a leading data management solution designed specifically for engineering teams. It provides secure storage, version control, and easy access to CAD data. When integrated with other enterprise systems, like ERP and Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC), Autodesk Vault transforms into a powerful engine for streamlined workflows and enhanced data synchronisation across departments. Integrating Autodesk Vault with ERP unlocks advantages such as increased data accuracy, streamlined processes, and faster time to market. coolOrange tools—powerGate and powerSync—are designed to maximise these benefits, ensuring seamless communication between Autodesk Vault, ERP, and ACC. With these solutions, your team gains a…

Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, has opened a $6.8m facility in Clayton, Victoria. The facility is dedicated to bringing its printed flexible solar technology out of the lab and into the real world, helping to meet the growing demand for renewable energy across sectors. CSIRO’s flexible solar cells are printed on thin plastic films, unlike traditional silicon solar panels. This makes them lightweight and portable, making them suitable for various applications in urban construction, space, defence, mining, emergency management, disaster relief, and wearables. CSIRO Executive Director, Digital, National Facilities and Collections, Professor Elanor Huntington, said the cutting-edge CSIRO Printed Photovoltaic (PV) Facility is the newest addition to CSIRO’s suite of critical infrastructure that enable the industries of tomorrow – in this case, a thriving Australian flexible solar manufacturing industry. “Through CSIRO’s new Printed PV Facility, industry partners can access both researcher expertise and specialised equipment to improve and apply flexible solar technology in novel ways, anywhere there is sunlight,” Professor Huntington said. “It’s exciting to see the techniques that enabled another great CSIRO invention…

The Albanese and Minns Labor Governments are jointly investing more than $60m over five years to establish the Hunter Net Zero Manufacturing Centre of Excellence at TAFE NSW’s Tighes Hill campus in Newcastle. Both the Albanese Government and Minns Labor Governments are investing $28.1m, with a further $5.27m in federal funding to support the centre. This will accelerate the development of a Higher Apprenticeship model focused on the advanced skills required for net zero manufacturing. The upgraded Centre will play a pivotal role in building up new skills for workers across the Hunter, investing in their future. “The Hunter region is a powerhouse for energy and manufacturing,” said Premier of NSW, Chris Minns. “We are proud to partner with the Albanese Government to deliver this training centre, so the local community and industry have the skills needed to benefit from the energy transition. “We are getting on with the job of delivering three TAFE Centres of Excellence in NSW, a key part of our commitment to provide fully subsidised training to an additional 1,000 apprenticeships a year in advanced…

The Australian Government has legislated changes that tightened restrictions under the thin capitalisation provisions. In this article, we explore what this could mean for Australian manufacturers. What is thin capitalisation? Thin capitalisation rules aim to limit Australian debt deductions, such as loan interest, line fees or other borrowing costs. The overarching policy intends to avoid profit shifting by multinational entities through excess debt deductions in Australia. For manufacturers, we see that these companies constantly grapple with thin capitalisation: Australian manufacturing companies that are expanding and have overseas subsidiaries Australian manufacturing companies that are foreign-owned and growing in the Australian market, or a combination of the above. The thin capitalisation provisions are commonly triggered when one of the above entities has total debt deductions exceeding $2m in a tax year. If the total debt deductions of the company and all its associates for that year are below $2m, these rules do not apply. Before the recent changes, our experience was that many Australian manufacturers relied upon a ‘safe harbour’ ratio test. This broadly allowed debt deductions to…

Since a group of local private investors purchased the MaxiTRANS trailer business in September 2021, the company has focused on setting the business up for long-term sustainability. “We embarked on a significant transformation journey when we purchased the trailer business, to create a new era for the future of the company and the trailer manufacturing industry in Australia,” said Greg L’Estrange Freighter Group, Executive Chairman. “The journey started with a $50m investment into our Ballarat site. This investment has seen the introduction of a range of state-of-the-art equipment and an expansion of the facility's overall footprint, transforming it into a modern manufacturing environment. Completing the upgrade puts the business in a position to continue evolving with the changing needs of our customers long into the future.” This is a new era for our business. Changing our name to Freighter Group better reflects who we are as a business and our vision for the future. As the preeminent trailer brand in Australia, Freighter has a rich history, with origins dating back to 1946, and has continued to build a strong…

Australian innovator Products For Industry (PFi) is introducing what is believed to be a world-first pure titanium cross-flow membrane solution, which has uptime, environmental, and yield benefits compared to traditional wastewater treatment methods. After more than ten years of development, this fully evolved and tested product is now entering service in Australia with a leading beverage company, which will use the new technology to separate solids from liquid streams in various stages of the waste stream process. “This solution is game-changing for the food and beverage industry, particularly beverages and spirits, because titanium allows for a lower footprint and longer times between Clean In Place (CIP), thereby reducing downtime,” said PFi managing director, Gavin Dunwoodie. PFi is a locally owned and operated business servicing the industrial sector, offering a full suite of in-house capabilities to support manufacturers with machine automation products, systems and solutions, from concept to production. “With traditional membranes made of ceramic or plastic, back-pulsing and cleaning often creates problems, so the overall lifetime of the equipment is reduced,” added Dunwoodie.…

This article was first published in the AugSep2023 issue of AMT magazine. To keep the topic front of mind, we are republishing here to keep the conversation going. Advanced Robotic Technology (ART) is an Australian machine manufacturer and distributor concerned with machine safety. Director David White is most certainly not the only manufacturer with concerns.  He says, “The huge volume of imported machinery coming into Australia with lack of adequate safety equipment and proper training and information is extremely concerning to us.” Fibre laser cutting machines have revolutionised manufacturing with their precise cutting capabilities. However, using open Fibre laser cutting machines can pose significant risks that are often overlooked. In this article, we will shed light on the dangers of 1070nm laser emissions on the retina and explore why people don't blink when exposed to this radiation. We will also discuss the importance of awareness among business owners in Australia and the personal and legal repercussions that may arise in case of injuries. Additionally, we will highlight the measures necessary to ensure…

Electric cars are becoming increasingly common on Australian roads, and industrial players are investigating their use in commercial fleets, with one recent study from the University of Michigan finding electric trucks can reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions by between 13% and 35% Research firm IDTechEx expects electric trucks to become a US$15bn industry. Could the same change transform mining? If so, we're a long way off—a 2022 study said only 1% of industry power came from electricity—but plans are accelerating. Several Australian industry players and their supply chain partners are members of the Electric Mine Consortium, a think tank driven by the mission to accelerate progress towards a fully electrified zero-CO2 and zero-particulates mine. As a spokesperson from automation technology provider Rockwell Automation told us, mine site tools are fertile ground for adopting wide-scale electric power. “Most mines are in places with lots of renewable energy, and many are a long way from the grid and have to run generators,” he said. “It's…

Australia’s manufacturing industry, employing around 900,000 people and contributing approximately $100bn to the national GDP annually, is pivotal. Additive Manufacturing (AM), commonly known as 3D printing, is transforming the landscape by enabling the creation of complex geometries and customised products across various sectors, including defence, aerospace, healthcare, automotive, construction, and fashion. AM is expected to expand rapidly over the next decade, significantly driving Australia’s economic and technological advancements. The AM market reached $14.7bn in 2023, with a growth rate of 13%. Recognised by the Australian Federal Government as part of its Critical Technologies within the advanced manufacturing and materials technologies field, the AM market is expected to continue expanding. Additionally, the AM industry is projected to grow rapidly, with revenues expected to hit $25bn by 2025. This growth is attributed to hardware, materials, software, and services advancements. This expansion underscores the importance of developing robust standards to help ensure quality, safety, and innovation. Standards Australia’s National Committee MB 028 – Additive Manufacturing is actively collaborating with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), which has a unique partnership agreement with ASTM International…

Blade Pile, a top supplier of screw piles for Australia’s residential construction, began in 2007 in Southeast Queensland, producing locally at their Burleigh Heads factory and have since grown steadily. The management team realised that their traditional fabrication processes incurred high costs and challenged their competitive advantage. In 2022, Blade Pile recognised the opportunity to automate its production processes in its new purpose-built Yatala site using a TRUMPF TruLaser Tube 5000, automated material handling, and robotic welding. The Blade Pile Group manufactures, supplies, and installs a wide array of steel piles and piling accessories for the construction industry throughout Australia and New Zealand. Blade Pile is recognised as a leader in residential piling products and foundation systems. Our technical innovation and inventive approach to piling has provided our customers with a range of industry-leading products alongside our network of engineering and installation support services. Blade Pile encountered a pressing challenge: to differentiate their product in the market and control costs. Robotic welding was part of the solution. Robotic welding provides consistent welding results…