Member News

Cross Hydraulics is a global leader in the distribution and manufacturing of customer and application-specific hydraulic system solutions for mobile and industrial applications. Their extensive inventory includes pumps, motors, valves, power units, transmissions, and controls. Since 1976, their proficiency, the quality of individual components, and their operational dependability have garnered market recognition. Through ASA’s partnership with Okuma Australia, Cross Hydraulics came to ASA looking for a machine tending solution to tend to an Okuma LT3000 EX 3T3MY. ASA designed the complete automation cell after consulting with Cross Hydraulics to determine the existing pain points and desired outcomes for this investment, including a Modula Vertical Storage System and Hi-Tech Metrology Shop Floor Co-ordinate Measuring Machine (CMM). Cross Hydraulics adheres to environmentally responsible production practices and was looking for ways to reduce raw material, minimise emissions and waste as well as increasing productivity and reduce customer lead time. They were looking for a solution that not only offered the ability to add a second machine to the cell in the future but also the capability for…

Tynbell Sheetmetal, an Adelaide-based provider of fabricated metal products, has invested in new cutting-edge equipment to accommodate growing industry demands. The strategic investment allows Tynbell to operate at the forefront of complex Defence and Aerospace projects. The family-owned sheet metal manufacturer has recently taken significant steps toward expansion and growth, as it looks to the future of precision manufacturing in Australia. Tynbell has taken delivery of a new Bystronic Xpert Pro Press Brake Machine, representing a significant investment in the future while also improving output, safety and energy efficiency. “Our new press brake is designed to process and bend metal faster, with greater flexibility, repeatability and accuracy,” said Tynbell Managing Director, Raymond Fenech. “The machine incorporates cutting-edge technology to meet the demands of the Defence Industry,” he added. Tynbell Sheetmetal extended its manufacturing facility six months ago, in a strategic move to enhance its capabilities, creating more space to accommodate the specific requirements of Defense customers. This expansion was the first milestone in Tynbell's long-term growth journey, as the manufacturer continues to forge its reputation for unmatched quality and precision within the Defence and Aerospace sectors.…

Plastic waste has become one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time. The accumulation of plastic waste in landfills and oceans has reached alarming levels, demanding innovative solutions to tackle this crisis. In recent years, a revolutionary concept has emerged—a game-changing method of plastic waste recycling using an induction furnace. This cutting-edge technology has the potential to transform the industry by bypassing traditional granulating processes and directly converting plastic waste into extruded products. In this editorial, we explore the revolutionary induction furnace and its potential to revolutionise the plastic waste recycling industry. The induction furnace represents a significant leap forward in plastic waste recycling. Traditionally, recycling plastic waste involves a labourious and energy-intensive process that includes sorting, shredding, granulating, conveying, agglomeration and extrusion. However, the induction furnace offers a breakthrough approach by directly processing plastic waste into extruded or form moulded products without the need for these additional processes. This streamlined method not only saves time and energy but also reduces the cost associated with recycling plastic…

This is a worldwide trend driven by several factors - labour shortage, increasing labour costs, the need for maximising uptime, push for 24/7 machine availability and customers demanding shorter lead times. Manufacturers need to be more flexible and responsive than ever before. ANCA has been providing a wide range of automation solutions for many years. One of the recent offerings in this space is the ANCA Integrated Manufacturing System or AIMS for short. AIMS is an ecosystem of individual modules – or building blocks - that could be configured to build a tailored automated tool manufacturing system. Modularity and flexibility mean that it caters to both small and large enterprise-type manufacturers. The system could be designed to be very simple, using a trolley for manual pallet and tool transfer with basic ERP connectivity. It could also be a complex, fully autonomous production solution which requires minimal human intervention. One of the most noticeable components of a fully automated AIMS cell is AutoFetch – the AMR robot responsible for transferring pallets between the setting station called AutoSet, to the tool grinder. It also automatically…

Sus scrofa is one of the most successful environmental and agricultural pests in Australia. Commonly known as feral pigs, their numbers are said to range between 3.2 million and 30 million and they inhabit 45% of the country’s land mass. Farmers and scientists have been working on containment programs for several years, with limited success. These animals reproduce at an alarming rate, destroy livestock, spread weeds, and damage infrastructure. Common food sources for these voracious creatures are food at landfill dump sites and food waste that is being composted. Food waste can contain contaminated animal products (whether legally imported or otherwise) that may not be safe for feeding to domestic or feral livestock. The biggest risk is that pigs may get infected with foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) or African swine fever (ASF). The risks of spreading FMD and ASF through Australian livestock are very high. The 2001 outbreak of FMD in the UK was traced to a small farm that fed their pigs with swill, which is prohibited in Australia. Swill is animal food that contains or has been in contact with, meat products or…

In collaboration with his university colleagues, Barry Grogan has spearheaded the creation of an exceptional solution for companies grappling with the challenges of outsourcing smaller-scale jobs. Frustrated by the prolonged lead times, frequent delays, and subpar quality that often accompany outsourcing, Barry and his team present the innovative 5.0 Robotics CNC Router. This cutting-edge router boasts minimal setup time, uncompromising adherence to specifications, tolerances, and speed, and incorporates renowned components such as Delta, Siemens, and Tekno Motor. Introducing the 5.0 Robotics Model 8 CNC Router—a user-centric marvel poised to revolutionise your operations. As a newly qualified Mechanical and Manufacturing engineer from Trinity College Dublin, like his former classmates, Grogan found there wasn’t much work in Ireland when he completed his degree in 2010. “I didn't stay on to do a PhD,” Barry added. Grogan came to Australia, started working as a Project Engineer, managing projects in stainless steel fabrication and automation in food, dairy and beverages, then moved into a process engineering role in pharmaceuticals. “I was always more hands-on, more mechanical, more engineering,…

It is estimated that around $8T is wasted during manufacturing. This amounts to 10% of the Gross World Product (GWP) – the combined gross national product of all countries across the globe. Clearly, this is not sustainable. Not only is it wasteful, but it also increases manufacturing costs, reduces profits and negatively impacts the environment. The more that waste can be kept to a minimum, the better it is for everyone. Lean-ing into a better way of manufacturing Waste is an unavoidable part of manufacturing, and it is unrealistic to think it can be eliminated completely. But Lean Manufacturing, pioneered in the 1930s, identifies any part of the manufacturing process that doesn’t add value so waste can be reduced, and productivity increased. Digital technology takes Lean Manufacturing to an entirely new level. The method now concentrates on the collection of tools, techniques and principles that have proven to be effective at driving out waste. As well as providing the information needed…

PakTech, the leading producer of sustainable secondary packaging solutions, has announced its official launch in Australia, through which its technology, manufacturing and products will enable the food, beverage, and consumer goods industries to respond to the growing ESG pressures and consumer demand for sustainable packaging and practices. Embracing an entirely circular economy model, PakTech is the leading manufacturer of 100% recycled and recyclable secondary packaging. Later this year, using its proprietary technology, PakTech will have the capacity to manufacture 100 million recycled injection moulded packaging handles for cans, bottles and other containers, annually within Australia. Having experienced significant organic growth in Australia in recent years, the company is now establishing an on-the-ground presence, with a contract manufacturing facility in Victoria and a proprietary partnership with Visy. Through it, PakTech will be able to tap burgeoning demand and fulfill its vision: made in Australia, recycled in Australia, and repurposed again into new PakTech products in Australia. Locally, PakTech’s existing customers include Hawkers Brewery, Billson’s of Beechworth and The Apple Press. Its launch in Australia comes as public demand for sustainable packaging and practices skyrockets.…

Ferag AG, a renowned family-owned Swiss company with over 65 years of experience as a global market leader in material flow systems, and dereOida, an Australian pioneer based in Sydney, producing warehouse automation software with their revolutionary doWarehouse system, are uniting their strengths to offer an unparalleled intralogistics solution to businesses across various industries. dereOida's flagship product, doWarehouse, presents a holistic single view across the warehouse. With the freedom to select any automated system, customers can seamlessly integrate their chosen hardware into doWarehouse, all while benefiting from dereOida's outstanding support services. The doWarehouse system enables the user to streamline processes, enhance productivity, reduce costs and allows for continuous improvement through insightful analytics. Notably, it provides a single source of truth, revolutionises sortation management, replaces cumbersome spreadsheets, and optimises warehouse space utilisation. Ferag AG's legacy as a family-owned Swiss company specialising in intralogistics solutions and the development, design and distribution of material flow systems is built upon innovation, quality, and a commitment to customer satisfaction. With a global presence across 18 countries and a team of more than 600 dedicated professionals, Ferag has consistently delivered…

In today’s competitive economy, manufacturing is all about efficiencies and throughput as they work to supply retailers with consumer goods. However, manufacturers also need to consider environmental objectives and targets, as well as customer expectations. Increasingly, consumers are concerned about the environmental consequences of packaging, with many consumers prefer sustainable, eco-friendly options. Therefore, sustainability must be a priority for businesses. Packaging materials such as paper, wrap-around cases, carton and cardboard require bonding in a fast-paced environment. Ideally, these applications use hot melt adhesives, however, the application process tends to involve high temperatures (typically applied at 177°C) possibly causing health and safety hazards and resulting in high energy consumption. “With more than one-third of carbon emissions coming from electricity consumption, huge emission reductions and therefore savings, can be made by improving the energy efficiency of businesses,” says WWF Australia. When overheated or left in the melter for extended periods of time, traditional hot melts are prone to degradation which can result in charred fragments causing plugged nozzles or pop opens during production. These problems undoubtedly increase machinery downtime and operational costs which hurt the efficiency of manufacturing.…

Advanced Composite Structures Australia (ACS Australia) has partnered with Carnegie Clean Energy together as participants of the Blue Economy Cooperative Research Centre (Blue Economy CRC) to develop the future of renewable energy power generation using the untapped wave energy source of the world’s oceans. Wave energy is consistent, predictable and globally distributed, and can be converted into clean, renewable electricity. For offshore aquaculture, the use of wave energy means less reliance on conventional fuels and a chance to decarbonise operations in remote locations, like barges. Ocean Energy Europe (OEE) forecasts significant growth for wave energy with a $1.09Tn market potential by 2050. Carnegie Clean Energy, based in North Fremantle, Western Australia, develops ocean energy technologies including their wave energy converter (WEC), the CETO® targeting utility-scale power, and artificial intelligence wave predictor technology to capture the most energy out of every wave. Together with Blue Economy CRC partners, they are developing the next generation of wave energy converters, and the key to this development is the Mooring Tensioner Wave Energy Converter (MoTWEC). The ACS Australia team members are composites specialists responsible for the engineering design,…

Leading renewable energy developer ACEnergy is setting its sights on a portfolio of distribution scale Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) as it seeks to expand its project range and support regional communities. The company is also calling for industry collaboration to introduce reforms that will expedite the rollout of renewable energy projects that are critical to the transition to net zero. ACEnergy has assembled an expert team across the development value chain; from land acquisition to grid connection and operation and maintenance, and often holds the assets it develops for the long term. This approach means ACEnergy becomes part of the communities in which it operates, working with local suppliers and providing job opportunities to local people. The initial 50MW/100MWh distribution battery portfolio is currently undergoing planning studies, with sites selected across Victoria and NSW. ACEnergy intends to retain ownership and operate the assets over their life. ACEnergy has picked locations where BESS can work in concert with local grid demand. By coordinating their operation according to the local network demand profile, the distributed BESS will increase network capacity, alleviating curtailment…

Carbitool, known as “The Woodworking Masters,” is a company based in Australia that has been manufacturing carbide tools for the woodworking, cabinetry, joinery, furniture, timber, and panel industries for over 60 years. In 2018, Sutton Tools acquired Carbitool and now offers its services worldwide. Production Supervisor and regrind specialist, Michael Wilson, has over 25 years of experience in manufacturing and grinding special cutting tools at Carbitool. According to Wilson, Carbitool services all kinds of tooling, including metal cutting tools, woodworking tools, high-speed steel tools, carbide tools, and PCD tools. The company can also regrind all major brands of cutting tools and manufacture custom tools that are not available in the catalogue. Carbitool's services cater to various industries, such as aerospace, engineering, plastics, and more, and are available throughout Australia. “We pride ourselves on the quality of the regrinds but I also feel it's important to the customers that they have a quick turnaround of the tools,” said Wilson. “Previously what we've had to do is they would either get hand loaded during the day - so you can regrind one tool, and write the…