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Recognised as Australia’s premier event for the precision manufacturing, engineering and related industries, AMW 2026 brings more than 230 exhibitors together under one roof. From the moment doors open, attendees can see advanced manufacturing solutions operating live, gaining direct and practical insight into how today’s technologies are being applied on the factory floor. With the theme Manufacturing the Future Through Tech Innovation, AMW 2026 reflects the growing urgency for manufacturers to improve productivity, competitiveness and resilience in a rapidly changing global environment. The event is designed to support informed decision-making, allowing manufacturers to compare technologies side by side and engage directly with solution providers. “Australian Manufacturing Week is where technology meets reality,” said AMTIL CEO Lorraine Maxwell. “By bringing together such a broad range of technologies and demonstrating them live, the event enables manufacturers to have meaningful, informed discussions about what will deliver real value in their own operations.” Live technology, in one place Across…

Effective 1 July 2026, the partnership brings specialist publishing expertise and established production timelines to AMT Magazine, ensuring the publication continues to deliver high‑quality editorial outcomes for industry. AMT Magazine has long been recognised as the industry’s magazine. Developed by industry, for industry, it is a trusted source of insight, education and support for Australia’s manufacturing technology community. Through this partnership, AMTIL retains full ownership of the AMT brand and maintains final editorial approval on every edition, while Executive Media delivers production and publishing support. Executive Media brings more than 50 years’ experience in producing high‑quality industry publications, providing added capability and scale to support the magazine’s ongoing success. Continuing strong editorial focus and member value AMT Magazine is published four times per year and remains one of the most effective channels for AMTIL members to share expertise, showcase capability and reach thousands of decision‑makers across the sector. Under the new arrangement, AMTIL’s Team will continue to coordinate all…

**This story originally appeared in the February 2026 edition of AMT Magazine** In Australia’s dynamic manufacturing landscape, financial resilience is not just a strategic advantage, it’s a necessity. With fluctuating demand, rising input costs and global supply chain disruptions, manufacturers face increasing pressure to maintain operational stability while pursuing growth. At the heart of this challenge lies two indispensable financial tools: effective cash flow management and three-way forecasting. Forecasting isn’t just a process of putting numbers in a spreadsheet hoping they’ll predict the future. It’s an opportunity for business owners to work alongside their finance departments and advisors to take a deep dive into the drivers of a business and really understand the cause and effect of change that can move the dial. Cash flow, the movement of money in and out of a business, is the lifeblood of any manufacturing operation. Unlike profitability, which is often measured on paper, cash flow reflects the real-time ability of a business to meet its obligations, pay suppliers, invest in equipment and fund expansion. In short, cash flow management enables manufacturers to…

**This story originally appeared in the February 2026 edition of AMT Magazine** The high speed milling (HSM) of aluminium and its alloys requires cutting speeds at significantly higher than the standard rates. This approach ensures efficient material removal and excellent surface finish and accuracy. While there is no strict definition for what constitutes HSM speeds, it is generally accepted that they range from 1.5 to 4 times more than the typical speeds. Achieving HSM cutting speeds requires operating milling cutters at extremely high rotational velocities, often reaching 30,000 RPM or more. From a design perspective, general purpose milling cutters and cutting tools for high‑speed milling (HSM) of aluminium and its alloys are typically classified as either indexable tools, solid cutters – typically solid carbide endmills (SCEM), or SCEM assembled tools that mount replaceable cutting heads, primarily made of tungsten carbide. Machining at exceptionally high rotational velocity demands that milling tools withstand substantial centrifugal loads, maintain balancing quality, and ensure safety. A key goal is to achieve, at the design stage, a mass distribution…

**This story originally appeared in the February 2026 edition of AMT Magazine** Developed by accident overseas, adopted in Australia after investments from a food packaging printer and today used to restore fast jets – cold spray additive manufacturing (CSAM) technology is, one Melbourne specialist insists, “just another tool” in the advanced manufacturing toolbox. What Rosebank Engineering Senior Manager, Engineering and Projects Jarrod Watts means is that CSAM technology should be considered the same as any other specialist manufacturing process – like semi-automated shot peening or precision multi-axis CNC machining – a highly technical innovation, but one which is accessible to a wide pool of manufacturers. “There’s no doubt Australia is seen as a world leader in this innovative technology,” he says. “We’re no longer just sustaining Australian assets – we’re part of a global supply chain, and technologies like this help us compete and win on a global stage,” he says. “The momentum is certainly building, and the customer base is expanding. People are…

**This story originally appeared in the February 2026 edition of AMT Magazine** Amiga Engineering RFP program manager Dee Bourchier jokes that she decided to hire Jourdan Webb once he brought his own engine components to his interview. “I always tell people, if you’ve made something you’re really proud of, you’re welcome to bring it in… so when he’d brought in miniature engine components that he’d machined up outside of school… we were just like – ‘these are really good… when do you want to start?’” she says. Webb is one of two apprentices named as Manufacturing Apprentice of the Year at the 2025 Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame Awards, having recently entered the fourth year of his apprenticeship as a fitter and turner. But it was a career that almost came to a premature end when his first employer, which he describes as “an old-school valve shop,” closed shortly after he’d completed his first year as an apprentice. “I decided straight away I’d have to look…

**This story originally appeared in the February 2026 edition of AMT Magazine** Daikin Australia has opened a new factory in the Sydney suburb of Chipping Norton which it says will help put local designs and skills at the centre. The new $28.2 million Factory 2 expands Daikin’s capability to produce customised Air Handling Units and Rooftop Packaged Air Conditioners for Australian buyers. Daikin Australia manufacturing general manager Nick McDonald explains the company’s Australian-made ducted units were engineered from the ground up for local clients. “They are designed to suit the Australian home… they have geometry such that they fit inside an Australian roof space, so they’re easy to install. They are designed so they come apart into several pieces, so they can be easily manhandled up into the roof space by our dealer group.” That Australian focus extends to performance in harsh conditions: “If you go to South Australia, the roofs are very hot. The temperature inside the roof cavity can be well in excess of 60 degrees, for example. So our equipment has…

**This story originally appeared in the February 2026 edition of AMT Magazine** Terry Wohlers has provided technical and strategic advisory services on rapid product development, additive manufacturing (AM) and 3D printing for 38 years – to more than 280 organisations in 27 countries. As a principal author of industry-leading publication the Wohlers Report, he has an earned reputation as an industry leader. Here he discusses some of the trends emerging in AM and where Australia can make the most of new opportunities. Looking at AM on a global scale, where does Australia sit? The growth of AM globally has been historically strong. In the past 15 years, it has grown more than 22 per cent on average every year. This past year has not been as strong, but still a growth rate of 9.1 per cent. Of the US$21.9 billion of revenue the sector generated in 2024, about US$3.7 billion is tied to production applications – parts made for final use – a figure which grew by 12.1 per cent last year. Adoption…

**This story originally appeared in the February 2026 edition of AMT Magazine** “It’s really, really interesting seeing how things are made, and what it takes… Now I know and understand much of what was required to assemble things. It’s interesting seeing how things work.” Ten years ago, Melanie Kramer walked away from her retail job at a jeweller in inner-city Melbourne to help her sister Simone and Simone’s partner Brian at Boss Tooling, their year-old CNC machining company in Dandenong South. She’s still there today – running machines which today include two new Okuma 5-axis CNC mills and helping to refine designs on the factory floor to keep processes running smoothly. Both Melanie and Simone say they did a lot of learning on the job, with Simone initially learning management skills at Brian’s family company Cogley Enterprises before the couple branched out on their own. “I didn’t have any skills when I started – I got put in an office and didn’t even know what a purchase…

**This story first appeared in the October 2025 edition of AMT Magazine** A strong sense of confidence in Australia’s precision engineering future has encouraged Redline Engineering to invest in a new 11 pallet, 5-axis Okuma CNC vertical machining centre. The model MU-5000V & Tower APC with OSP-P500MH control is the first of its type – a 5-axis machining centre with a Tower APC an automatic multi pallet system – to be installed anywhere in Australia.  Redline general manager Ken Stuart says he is confident his business will continue to grow manufacturing of its precision engineering components, due in part to the high regard in which Australian manufacturing is held around the world.  This high regard is due both to its quality and the on-time delivery that companies generate, he says. “The service aspect, I think, is becoming really important,” he says.  “Whether it is the culture we have or the way that we engage with the market, you get a sense there's a really strong passion for what we do – solving problems, being innovative, connecting to opportunities…

Now in their 23rd year, the awards recognise the businesses and people whose work in manufacturing contribute to the state’s capabilities. Tullamarine-based Amiga Engineering took out two awards during the state-government sponsored manufacturing awards: Small Business Manufacturer of the Year and one of two awards for Manufacturing Apprentice of the Year. A family-owned business, Amiga offers advanced CNC machining, fabrication, industrial gearboxes, polymer and metal additive manufacturing, including Australia’s largest metal and polymer service bureau. The company, which also won the Small Manufacturer of the Year award in 2023, has pioneered tungsten additive manufacturing for hypersonic and medical platforms, as well as being the only certified manufacturer of Scalmalloy components for aerospace applications. Amiga third year apprentice turner and fitter Jourdan Webb was named one of two Manufacturing Apprentices of the Year, alongside third year mechanical trade apprentice Matilda Robins, who works for Original Engines Co. Amiga said Webb is an adaptable team member eager for complex jobs. He currently handles components made from metal 3D printing using advanced…

Kerr Engineering has added a new double column machining centre to its expanding dedicated machine shop at its base in Henderson, Western Australia.  The company has installed and commissioned an Okuma double column machining centre model MCR-A5CII, joining a range of advanced machines in a building currently being extended to exceed 4,000 square metres.   The expanded machine shop, which includes another eight Okuma models, will take Kerr’s machining, fabrication and paint facility to 8,000 square metres in total, with a further expansion to an additional 2,000 square metre fabrication site nearby set to come.   Since purchasing Kerr Engineering in 2000, owners David and Mark Kinsman have transformed the company into one of the State’s most advanced engineering shops, today specialising in customised metal work, precision machining and fabrication.   Mark said Kerr Engineering had concentrated its development on using machines from Okuma Australia for more than 20 years.   “In doing so we have established a strong partnership with Okuma Australia based on unwavering technical support and the…

Occupying half a nondescript side street in an industrial area of Bayswater, a sprawling medical device research and manufacturing facility buzzes with activity. Inside this complex is SDI Limited, primarily involved in researching and developing, manufacturing, and marketing specialist materials for the dental profession. Founded in 1972, SDI is fast becoming a world leader in specialist dental materials, and has been recognised with multiple export and international awards. History Over 50 years ago, the company's Chairman, Jeffery Cheetham OAM, founded SDI Limited. SDI expanded into composites in the 1990s, and whitening and glass-ionomer cements in the 2000s, now making a wide range of materials for clinicians. SDI Limited’s products compete in the highly regulated medical device market and have full accreditation in each country, including the EU MDR, so they will continue this practice for the foreseeable future. SDI Limited is classified as a medical device company. Those brave enough to visit the dentist every six months will have seen their range of dental products in use. Technology The high-tech devices are mainly…