Member News

**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…

Price’s Fabrication + Steel is a family-owned business based in Williams, Western Australia. They specialise in custom-designed agricultural sheds and water tanks, serving the Southern Wheatbelt and Lower Southwest regions. Their shed offerings include machinery, workshop, hay, commercial, drive-through, and fertiliser sheds. Price’s Fabrication + Steel is a strong, well-managed, and successful WA business with a positive outlook.   The challenge Price’s Fabrication + Steel encountered several growth-related challenges and sought external support to help resolve bottlenecks, uncover new opportunities, and enhance overall productivity. An initial visit to the Williams site revealed several areas ready for improvement. Price’s was dealing with a 12-month backlog of orders at the time. Compounding the issue, large volumes of materials occupied valuable space on-site due to long restock times—some items required up to six months to replenish. As a result, the company held six months' worth of inventory at any given time to manage supply chain delays. One of their most persistent issues was design inaccuracy. Transitioning design plans from paper to digital was underway to improve precision, but inefficiencies remained. Additionally,…

Export award-winning, Tauranga-based Oasis Engineering continues to expand its international market as a specialist manufacturer delivering world-leading solutions to those pushing the boundaries of energy and fluid transfer to benefit humanity and the environment. The company initially began as the maintenance division of a soft drink brand but was separated during a restructuring during the 1980s. The new company quickly established a strong reputation as a machine shop that reliably produced high-tolerance precision machined parts in difficult-to-work materials such as stainless steel and titanium. This led to work manufacturing valves and couplings that were required for the new and emerging Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) fuel market for a major CNG supply company and this quickly expanded to every major CNG supplier and to every significant CNG market in more than 40 countries. Today, Oasis Engineering is part of the ELAFLEX Group of Companies of Hamburg and is manufacturing precision CNG, LPG and Hydrogen reticulation products for the world market, with approximately 80% of production going to the USA, 10% to other world markets and 10% to the…

Zinc whiskers can pose significant problems if not addressed. Despite their innocuous name, they can cause considerable disruption in data centres. While monitoring temperature and having an effective layout can mitigate risks, it’s crucial to remain vigilant about this concealed threat. Zinc whiskers are tiny filaments that form on steel surfaces electroplated with zinc. Zinc protects against corrosion, but the molecular stress from the electroplating process causes it to expand and crystallise to relieve the pressure. They start at only a few microns but can grow to several millimetres. It’s important to note that various surfaces develop whiskers at different rates and densities. Zinc whisker growth is unpredictable, but it is believed to be influenced by the conditions during the electroplating process itself. The tiny shards can lead to catastrophic consequences for data centres. They can remain undisturbed for years on floor tiles and other structural supports. While they are more prevalent in older data centres that used electroplated zinc, they can form on this material anywhere, regardless of environmental conditions. Hazards Unchecked zinc whiskers can lead to everything…

In the fast-paced and cost-driven world of manufacturing, businesses often face tough decisions when investing in new machinery. While price is a major factor, cutting costs by opting for non-certified machines can have serious consequences—ranging from safety hazards to costly downtime, regulatory challenges, and limited resale opportunities. Globally, machinery safety regulations have become more stringent, particularly in regions like Europe, where CE certification is the benchmark for compliance. While Australia does not mandate CE certification, the risks of operating non-certified equipment are becoming increasingly evident. What is CE certification, and why does it matter? CE certification, or CE marking, is a European safety and compliance standard ensuring machinery meets rigorous health, safety, and environmental protection requirements. The CE mark signifies that the manufacturer has verified the machine’s compliance with European safety directives, often involving independent assessments and rigorous testing. For manufacturers, CE certification assures that equipment meets a globally recognised standard, minimising the chances of operational failures, safety incidents, and compliance issues. While Australian standards such as AS/NZS 4024 focus on machinery safety, CE certification continues to be a well-regarded mark…

For over 30 years, Dimac has supported manufacturers across Australia and New Zealand with expert workholding solutions that enhance the performance of CNC machines. As a trusted performance partner, Dimac works closely with clients to streamline processes, improve productivity and strengthen operator safety. With tailored solutions that deliver precision, repeatability and efficiency, Dimac helps clients achieve consistent performance while reducing operational costs and driving long-term value. One such client is Marand Precision Engineering — a leader in precision manufacturing that understands the value of continuous improvement. Looking to implement a more efficient workholding strategy, Marand engaged Dimac’s Sales Manager (Victoria and Tasmania), Adrian Crisan, to explore the best fit solution. Challenges in modern CNC manufacturing For over five decades, Marand has been at the forefront of precision engineering, supplying high-quality solutions to industries including defence, aerospace, rail, mining and energy. As the demand for higher efficiency and standardised manufacturing processes grew, Marand needed a solution to: Reduce machine downtime caused by lengthy and inconsistent workholding setups. Ensure part accessibility to optimise cycle times across various CNC machines. Create a universal…