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It is a well-known fact that the welding industry is facing a global shortage of skilled welders. In Australia and New Zealand, we know this only too well. Top welders are in very high demand and command substantial annual salaries. Many experienced qualified welders are now over 45 years of age, and Millennials or Gen Z are not queueing up to enter the industry in sufficient numbers to even replace the aging welders of today. The harsh reality is that the situation is not going to get any better in the foreseeable future. Significant demand is building for qualified welding operators in the mining, defence and manufacturing sectors. Competition for the limited welding resources is intense and requires premium rates to be paid to attract and retain the best available talent. Small to medium manufacturing businesses are finding it hard to compete in this environment, with many struggling to find and retain crucial welding personnel. Add to this the constant cost pressures…

Picture a machine shop that is free from dangerous chemicals and harsh odours, while also enjoying increased productivity and high levels of employee health & safety. Now imagine parts fresh off the machine with a finish that looks like they have been polished. One might wonder how this can be achieved. The answer is simple: Hangsterfer’s. Since 1937 US-based company Hangsterfer’s Laboratories has been committed to producing high-performance metalworking lubricants that are environmentally friendly and operator-safe. Hangsterfer’s coolants are certified with the top international safety standards pertaining to hazardous substances and chemicals – REACH, RoHS, VOC and Globally Harmonised System (GHS) – and have additionally gained approval for use in industries such as medical, defence and aerospace. GHS regulations require products to have the appropriate safety data sheets and pictograms for all hazardous materials. However, Hangsterfer’s coolants are free of hazardous ingredients and as such, do not require pictograms depicting any potentially harmful substances. “The manufacturing industry has…

Founded in 1986 by Managing Director Albert Carrion, Sharp Tooling’s strong investment policy has helped it maintain an enviable position in advanced general engineering. Its latest purchase is an Okuma VTM-2000YB model, with OSP-P300SA-H controller, and accessories including a Capto C8 60-tool automatic tool changer. The five-axis machine has a 2,400mm swing capacity with a 1,400mm turning height. The machine is so large, Okuma engineers from Japan as well as locally assisted in its installation. “This is my second Okuma machine,” says Carrion. “I have been overwhelmed with the technical support, information and training we continue to receive for this machine, even under COVID-19 conditions. This is the largest Okuma machine of its type in Australia and its precision, outstanding rigidity and five-axis capabilities will take us into new markets. We now have the capability of new large general engineering jobs, with opportunities to provide even greater service. I have always strived to offer something special for my customers and we can…

We have all seen the politicians on the evening news, touring a factory and wearing their obligatory hi-vis vests. Almost every factory that I visit requires that we put one on. It is the accepted safety practice in any workplace where there are forklifts in operation. I appreciate the concern for safety, but I am amazed that we accept this as the best we can do to protect us from one of the most dangerous pieces of equipment in a factory. When we design any piece of automation equipment we are obliged by both law and morals to take all reasonable and practical actions to ensure the safety of everybody who comes into that plant. We undertake a detailed risk assessment and classify all the possible risks we can identify. For each risk we assess the likelihood of the occurrence (LO) happening, the frequency of exposure (FE), the degree of harm should it happen (DPH), and…

Unlike Victor Kiam, who was drawn into Remington by a close shave, the new North and South Americas Director for Australian laser technology pioneers ipLaser is in it to expand the future capabilities of laser cutting – already one of the world’s fastest-growing industries. Felipe Lechuga was already highly successful with his company Lemaco Corte Laser, headquartered in Chile, when he began his relationship with the Australian company. Lemaco was supplying finely engineered laser-cut metal components to Chilean companies in demanding industries such as aerospace, automotive, construction and electronics. Lechuga hit the headlines at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, using his decades in laser cutting and sheetmetal manufacturing to provide a “Made in Chile” solution to the lack of respirators. “Becoming a director of ipLaser and expanding the reach of our time-saving laser quotation technologies was a short step for me,” he says. “I have always been a geek for technology, software and machines,…

The competitive nature of Formula 1 (F1) racing pushes teams to develop the best solutions possible in their quest to reach the winner’s circle. Using tools like AM, F1 racing has become an inspiration to other enterprises on how to maintain the lead in their own industry. In F1, every gram of weight is critical. But simply cutting weight is not the only thing the McLaren team has to watch out for. The safety of the driver is of utmost importance as well. For this reason, it’s crucial for engineers to ensure they are meticulous in their approach regarding how loadbearing features of the car’s suspension are bonded together. Too much adhesive and the car will be slower, giving the other teams a chance to pull ahead. Too little adhesive is not an option either. In one clever example, McLaren printed clear surrogate suspension parts to practice the bonding process. The clear material lets technicians…

A common misconception in the metal working industry is that machining steel is simple. Experienced machinists know that turning ISO P steel is anything but. First among many concerns is the breadth of materials in the ISO P classification, which range from ductile low-carbon steels to high-alloyed. Secondly, the hardness of different steels ranges significantly from one end of the spectrum to the other. The type of application varies and so do machining conditions in workshops. Evidently, steel turning is challenging and given all variables, the task of selecting a grade to cater to the wide range of properties exhibited by ISO P steels is even more daunting. Grade of all trades For any such grade, fracture resistance is paramount – as is a cutting edge capable of delivering the hardness needed to resist plastic deformation…

Where high clamping force is needed, the ALQ Series Power Vice with its patented Mechanical Boost System is an ideal choice. Unlike traditional hydraulic vices, the Autowell mechanical boost system is fully protected against the ingress of dust, chips or coolant, eliminating the need to maintain or replace hydraulic seals. Another feature of the ALQ Series is the patented Force Adjustable System, this system allows the operator to choose from four preset clamping forces to suit differing components or materials needing higher or lower clamping pressure. Once the clamping force has been set, it will remain set and repeat, preventing damage to components from excessive pressure. In addition to a wide opening the ALQ also has an outer jaw design which increases the capacity even further by allowing workpieces to be clamp over the top of the standard jaws. Extended lifetime of the vice is assured as it is manufactured from rigid and tensile ductile iron with flame-hardened slide surfaces and carburised, heat-treated jaws to HRC54. The ALQ is…

As well as providing a boost to business development and new business opportunities for Australian and Dutch co-manufacturing, the partnership also provided a platform for Integra to demonstrate its commitment to the development and growth of the circular economy as a fundamental design principle in manufacturing in Australia. Speaking at the announcement, Dai Forterre, Senior Policy Officer for Economic Affairs with the Netherlands Embassy in Canberra, explained that while developing business opportunities for Dutch manufacturers in overseas markets is a prime focus of his responsibilities, an equally important part is identifying companies that share his and the Embassy’s vision for creating sustainable ways of doing business. “Sustainability is an important part of [the Dutch government’s] economic, as well as our foreign policy, more broadly,” remarked Forterre. “I spend my time not just in what you would call economic diplomacy but what I call ‘green diplomacy’ and that’s where this really important collaboration meets – it’s a balance between economic innovation and development, and the adoption of…

Today the partnership is stronger than ever and has made a real impact on childhood cancer support in Australia, helping fund critical emotional and mental health support, financial assistance, and information and resources to help families throughout the long and traumatic cancer experience. Over the 23-year partnership, BOC has raised more than $2.4m for Redkite. “Redkite and BOC have always had a similar philosophy, based on providing practical help when it’s most needed, as well as a deep commitment to community and looking after families who are doing it tough,” said Monique Keighery, Redkite’s CEO. “BOC’s generosity over the years has helped us achieve significant change that has made a real impact on the lives of children and their families.” BOC offers an innovative employee giving program, Hero time, which allows team members to take leave and donate the leave pay for those hours to Redkite. Employees are also encouraged to take part in Redkite fundraisers, such as Redkite’s first national Sun-Up Challenge, for which BOC was headline sponsor. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, BOC…

Manufacturing is a process of evolution, it continues to progress and re-invent itself, in Australia the movement towards Advanced Manufacturing has become the norm, which is reflective of the use of innovative technology to improve products or processes. While physical assets, tools, machinery and instruments will continue to be a key to success of manufacturing enterprises, the inescapable truth for any business is that the drivers of wealth creation are to be found in its intangible assets. An analysis of the enterprise value of businesses less their tangible asset value, across a vast array of industries (except for investment and banking entities) reveals that 80% of the real value of a business is held with intangible assets such as acquired goodwill, brand names, trademarks, customer lists and the like, as opposed to tangible assets. The shift in value paradigm from tangible assets to intangible assets began in the early 20th century with the growth and dominance of stock exchanges around…

AMTIL’s new premises is located across two levels and 300 sqm in a newly-built complex in Bayswater, right in the heart of one of Melbourne’s key manufacturing heartlands. The office has been fitted out with a bright, modern design, with an emphasis on promoting staff interaction and collaboration. The office area includes height-adjustable desks and large screen monitors for all members of the team, to support productivity and staff wellbeing. AMTIL had been based at its old premises in nearby Wantirna for more than a decade, and it had served the organisation well over the years. However, it had become clear that the old offices would not be suitable for AMTIL as it moves forward with its current strategy, and that a new base would be required to accommodate future growth. An extensive search was undertaken of potential locations around Melbourne, till the site in Bayswater was identified as meeting all the necessary criteria. The purchase was completed earlier this year, after which work got underway on the time-consuming process of preparing the site,…

“It allows me to be really creative,” explains Tanti. “The more I use it, the more uses I find for the Demmeler table. For me, it’s the product that keeps on giving. As well as holding and fixing, I also use the matrix of the table to help with design. It enables me to 3D print tools and then copy them into the matrix of the table. I’ve also used it as a makeshift milling machine by clamping a magnetic welder to it.” Tanti first discovered Leussink’s Demmeler table system several years ago when he was setting up a workshop for his then-employer Lindsay Fox. When he parted ways with Fox in 2018 after 30 years, he contacted engineering company Leussink to assist with the set-up of his own workshop in the Sydney suburb of Artarmon. Brian Tanti’s Workshop, as his business is now known, was looking for a versatile fixturing table system to hold and fix parts in place, and called on Leussink to assist. Brian…