Member News

The Open IIoT group – a cohort of Australia’s most prominent automation brands – has been hard at work since their last showing at Australian Manufacturing Week (AMW) Melbourne in 2019. Most notably they have launched the ‘Industry 4.0 and Beyond’ Podcast, featuring the group’s signature style of ‘cutting through the jargon’ as they discuss the latest trends in IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) and advanced manufacturing. The podcast releases episodes monthly and features Jozef Ceh of SMC Corporation ANZ and Wade Leslie of KUKA Robot Automation as hosts. Representatives from Open IIoT member companies (Beckhoff Automation, NORD DRIVESYSTEMS, Balluff, and ZI-Argus) appear as member guests. To ensure a diverse range of perspectives and expert industry insights, the members are regularly joined by partners and industry experts from a multitude of manufacturing sectors, as they discuss new technologies and the unique challenges and benefits of Industry 4.0 implementation. Episodes to date approach a diverse range of topics, including how Industry 4.0 can help Australia get back on track to meet its recycling goals; the role of IIoT in creating ‘smart’…

Without bracing, you don’t have a building. It’s a ubiquitous part of the construction industry, and yet many traditional bracing systems require difficult logistics and time-consuming installation. Tension-only rod bracing offers an alternative – ultimately saving time, effort, and costs across the board. You may know the basics of tension bracing – but how does it actually function? And is it really worth transitioning away from bracing methods that have been used for years? In this article, we’ve taken an in-depth look at how different bracing systems work – both for the building and for the people creating it. Traditional bracing systems for lightweight steel frame structures involve planning and calculations from structural engineers, complex logistics management, and precise installation on site. DonoBrace is the tension-only rod bracing system from Donovan Group that offers a different perspective. How does bracing work? Fundamentally, a bracing system uses compression and/or tension to hold a structure’s portal legs in place and support the weight of the building. For example, two of the most common systems are equal-angle bracing…

The Kübler Group is a leading global specialist producing position and motion sensors (including encoders), slip rings and transmission technology, counters and other process devices. The company is flagged as one of the 100 most innovative medium-sized companies in Germany for the fourth time running, in 2022. At the newly opened facility in Melbourne, Lothar Kübler noted the company’s year-on-year increase in revenue of just under 20% recently and added that the most important element is their manpower. For the size of the company, with a good 500 employees worldwide, the strongly developed international sales and application network, as well as a high R&D share, are very important competitive advantages in international business. In addition, at the end of 2021, Kübler set up an incubator team focused on digitalisation and Industry 4.0 solutions. Kübler Group is a leading global specialist for position and motion sensors (including encoders), slip rings and transmission technology, as well as for counters and process devices. The company also supplies products and solutions for industries such as elevator…

The MHGP gives local manufacturers a new opportunity to get financial help for business-expanding initiatives, which will create more good jobs and better services in the region. The funding boost, which was secured in the 2022/23 Queensland Budget, meant even more manufacturers would have financial support as they modernised and transitioned to manufacturing 4.0 processes. These grants are an opportunity for manufacturers to become more productive, build advanced manufacturing capabilities and create the jobs of the future through: technology adoption skills and training business development advanced robotic manufacturing hub services. Grants between $10,000 and $500,000 are available for eligible manufacturing small to medium enterprises in the Cairns, Townsville, Central Queensland, Mackay and the Gold Coast regions. To date, the MHGP has awarded more than $13 million to co-fund 49 projects in regional areas, including for business development, technology adoption, skills and training across the five eligible regions throughout Queensland. Following a review of Rounds 1 and 2, the application process for Round 3 has been simplified to ensure as many people as…

The highly anticipated National Reconstruction Fund has passed the upper house, passng the Senate after many hours of debate, with the Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese calling it “one of the biggest ever investments in Australian manufacturing.” The Greens agreed to back the legislation after they struck a deal with the government earlier this month to include amendments that explicitly rule out using the fund to invest in coal, gas and native forest logging. Independent senators David Pocock and Lidia Thorpe as well as the two senators from the Jacqui Lambie Network also agreed to back the Fund. "Australia's commitment to industrial transformation received a boost this week with the passage through Parliament of the National Reconstruction Fund (NRF) Bill," Innes Willox, Chief Executive of the national employer association Ai Group said. "The NRF is a vehicle that could help position Australia to benefit from the digitalisation, automation, artificial intelligence and the clean energy revolution that is remaking global industry. It could be used to seize emerging opportunities in areas where we have demonstrated or potential competitive advantages. "The…

What would be better than having a mobile App on your phone with you on the AMW2023 show floor with all your selected companies, their stands, where they are and what they are showing. Registrations are now open for Australian Manufacturing Week (AMW2023), held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) from 9-12 May 2023. Organised and run by the Australian Manufacturing Technology Institute Limited (AMTIL), AMW2023 will occupy more than 10,770 square metres of exhibition space at the MCEC, with over 340 organisations taking stands to showcase the latest manufacturing technologies, processes, and support services. Don’t miss out!  Register online now at australianmanufacturingweek.com.au First of all, Download the AMW Expo mobile app for your device from your preferred store, and log in using the same details you used to create your MyShowPlanner profile as the show approached. You can now log in to the App and everything will be there for you on your phone or your networked iPad or tablet. Search products that are of specific interest to you. View the entire Exhibitor list. Research relevant Product Zones. Navigate the Show…

At full capacity, the large-scale lithium-ion battery cell production facility in Geelong, Victoria, will generate up to 30GWh of storage capacity per year for electric vehicles and stationary energy storage markets. Construction will begin in the second half of 2023, with the goal of producing batteries equal to 2GWh annually in the second half of 2024 and 6GWh by 2026. As operations expand to full capacity, the factory will employ an estimated 1,500 to 2,000 workers directly. Recharge Industries and Accenture are now moving the project into the detailed engineering phase, which will lay the foundation for the facility’s construction. During this period, Accenture will advise on the facility layout, including utility planning and set-up of the production lines. The company will assist in procuring and shipping the required equipment, conduct final tests of all line equipment, and provide ongoing process and product engineering support to improve battery production. Production equipment for the first 2 GWh production line has already been secured with…

Bonfiglioli signaled new investment into Australia with the opening of its new regional office in Cranbourne West, Victoria recently. The special event saw key customers, local staff, and company leaders from Bonfiglioli’s head office in Italy all in attendance. The premises is fitted with 40kW of solar power and covers an expansive 1,800m2, of which warehousing and production make up 1,400m2. The new premises will facilitate the local assembly of all light and medium-duty products, freeing the Sydney factory up to concentrate on heavy-duty products. “This allows us to expand our stock holding locally and to better serve our customers across the local regions,” comments Martin Broglia, Managing Director for Bonfiglioli Australia. Closer to our customers Broglia explains that this strategic move brings the company closer to its customers and is largely underpinned by the need to continue decentralising its assembly facilities, following significant growth over the COVID-19 pandemic. “We continue our upward trajectory and are hyper-focused on offering local assembly and support around the country. Our investment in product innovation and customer relations is what truly sets us apart.” Products in…

A new Hydraulink hydraulic hose, fitting and service franchise in Malaga is led by a mechanical engineer with qualifications and experience to save time and ensure optimum standards of safety and compliance for major industries there. Hydraulink Malaga, led by franchise operator Jignesh Patel in northern Perth, is centred on a major industrial area serving industries such as mining, earthmoving, construction, materials handling, manufacturing, waste management, plant hire, agriculture, road and rail, transport, and marine. “This region in the City of Swan, designated a strategic industrial area for Western Australia, will be ideally served by a franchise operator with the local and international experience of Jignesh Patel,” says Hydraulink National Franchise Manager Wayne Abbott. Jignesh Patel is a heavy-duty diesel mechanic with a diploma in mechanical engineering and more than 20 years’ experience in India, the Middle East, Africa and Perth, where he moved to in 2008 to work for a global leader in heavy machinery with operations throughout Australia. “Jignesh’s experience in power plant and heavy machinery has been at the top world standards level of service, compliance and safety,”…

Registrations are now open for Australian Manufacturing Week (AMW2023), held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) from 9-12 May 2023. Organised and run by the Australian Manufacturing Technology Institute Limited (AMTIL), AMW2023 will occupy more than 10,770 square metres of exhibition space at the MCEC, with over 340 organisations taking stands to showcase the latest manufacturing technologies, processes, and support services. Don’t miss out!  Register online now at australianmanufacturingweek.com.au There are also two co-located shows alongside AMW 2023.  Deeply related to the manufacturing industries, namely Plastics and Electronics. The Plastics and Medical Applications is a one-day conference held by the Society of Plastics Engineers Australia-New Zealand Section on Wednesday 10th May. This One-Day Conference is in collaboration with AMTIL, AMW2023, BioMelbourne Network and the Medical Technology Association of Australia (MTAA). To register for the One-Day Conference, go to: plastics.org.au Make use of the Early Bird fees for this One-Day Conference before 1st April 2023! ElectroneX is a two-day electronics show being held alongside the AMW exhibition. Visitors are now able to see…

In a modern machine shop 5 axis simultaneous machining in the most demanding materials doesn't seem to be a problem anymore. We have adopted complex CAD systems, and machine controls, navigated demanding setups and can achieve reaching high tolerances, so why does coolant remain a mystery to some companies? Is coolant a necessary evil? A machine shop that has never experienced the full benefit of coolant will typically only want these three factors: A coolant that does not rust the machine. A coolant that will not go rancid. Cooling of the cutting tool. Coolant is more than just a liquid to reduce the temperatures of your workpiece and cutting tool. When the optimal cutting fluid is selected and mixed correctly, it will reduce cycle times by eliminating the need for secondary tapping compounds and cutting speeds. It will also increase tool life and increase and improve surface finish. Mixing and maintaining your coolant Just like running your cutting tools at the right feeds and speeds, coolant has parameters. Correct mixing and maintenance of coolant is not hard but there are steps every machine shop…

Increasing efficiency, lowering emissions, and reducing your environmental footprint are the driving forces behind our unrelenting investment in innovation. It is what allows us to continue to set new standards in compressed air and gas generation performance and sustainability. We are fully committed to being part of the solution for a better tomorrow and therefore we have set two science-based targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement. Our first science-based target is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from our direct operations and from the energy we purchase, to keep the global temperature increase to maximum 1.5 °C (2.7 °F). We will achieve this by switching to low-carbon energy in our own operations. Our second science-based target is to reduce emissions generated in up- and downstream activities, outside of our own operations, to keep the global temperature increase well below 2 °C (3.6 °F). We will focus on increasing our products’ energy efficiency, and on making them increasingly powered by electricity. But the biggest reduction would…

VSD compressors have been designed to produce air as needed. The speed automatically adjusts so production of air matches real-time demand – perfect for those whose need for air fluctuates throughout the shift. This is where the ‘potential’ energy savings come in.  Unlike a Fixed Speed Compressor which runs at a constant speed until turned off, the VSD will decrease in power when not in use. Which should save you on power costs, in theory. However, there are so many variables, you may not see any savings at all. VSD compressors are most efficient when running between 40 and 80% load. Outside this, the air-end is running beyond its optimum. VSDs are also sensitive to adverse atmospheric conditions. The quality of power supply, voltage and frequency also needs to be considered. So, unless you are running at optimal load, working in a cool and clean environment with a clean and uninterrupted power supply, then a VSD is probably not for you. When VSD compressors fail,…