July 12, 2022
As a society, we’re all working towards shared sustainability goals. Whether that’s to limit global warming as outlined in the Paris Agreement, to make the switch to electrified transport, or as part of nation-specific net-zero targets, the world shares a common objective. Manufacturing needs data-led sustainability goals. In addition to focusing on global goals, manufacturers should have their own sustainability targets and crucially, these must be led by data. The Friedman doctrine also called shareholder theory or stockholder theory is a normative theory of business ethics advanced by economist Milton Friedman. In it, Friedman defines the sole purpose of a corporation as to create the greatest profit possible for shareholders. Today, this explanation is dated and arguably irresponsible. Businesses still want their efforts to generate profit, that’s non-negotiable. However, profit cannot come before people and the planet. Companies of all sizes, from all industries, are now focusing on another non-negotiable…
July 8, 2022
Delivering a high-quality product in an efficient, safe way is key to the success of Australia’s leading aluminium boat and trailer manufacturer, Telwater. The iconic boat building company opened its doors on the Gold Coast in 1988 and has become synonymous with its innovative designs, advanced technology, and range of aluminium boat models. Telwater designs and manufactures four of Australia’s leading aluminium boat brands including Quintrex, Stacer, Savage and Yellowfin Plate. The team consists of expert welders and painters, research and development technicians and many other trades, all committed to the highest quality workmanship. To maintain its reputation as a leading manufacturer, Telwater invests in new solutions to improve efficiency, safety and reliability across its substantial manufacturing operations. Manufacturing multiple boats per day, often to tight deadlines, the team at Telwater relies heavily on welding equipment and gases to deliver high-quality aluminium welds. “If we don’t have a good end-product, there are lots of warranty claims which can be extremely time-consuming for our customers and employees. That is why we continually invest in the latest welding equipment and processes,” said Robert…
July 4, 2022
With inflation growing at its fastest pace in 20 years according to the Reserve Bank of Australia, associated rising costs are arguably the biggest challenge for Australian businesses. This is making it difficult for businesses to price their products correctly and could potentially strain margins and customer relations as these companies either absorb the costs or pass them on to the buyer. The manufacturing sector, in particular, has been under increased pressure, grappling with supply chain disruption, labour shortages and fuel price rises. Almost one in seven manufacturers agree that inflation is likely to remain elevated at the end of 2022, according to a PwC Pulse Survey. And this situation is unlikely to ease over the next two years. If not addressed, we run the risk of further business closures and dampening our national economic recovery from the pandemic. Adjusting pricing strategies now will support manufacturers to contain costs with inflation on the rise. Manufacturers must look to nuanced pricing approaches that allow for pricing adjustments that move as quickly as market fluctuations, to drive…
July 3, 2022
In 2019, it has been estimated that 600,000 implants were produced with 3D printing. Demand-driven by an ageing population, joints wearing out with sports, bone loss with trauma, and medical conditions, it is no wonder the requirement for implants is projected to grow to four million by 2027. Additive manufacturing has been used since the 1990s to customise patient-specific implants. This technique makes surgeries easier with 3D printed surgical guides and also leads to better healing outcomes for the patient. Osseointegration is the medical term for the direct structural and functional connection between living bone and the surface of a load-bearing implant. Because titanium alloy is around three to four times stiffer than bones, biomechanical engineers must tailor the size and shape of the implant’s lattice structure to adjust the pliability of the implant to be closer to the bone’s stiffness. Research has shown the rough texture of lattice structures in implants (that can only be made with 3D printing) promotes osseointegration and facilitates soft tissue and bone regrowth. Metal implants are 3D printed using powder bed fusion technology, including…
June 25, 2022
A significant quality improvement of the de-powdering and cleaning operation for 3D printed components at lower costs and shorter cycle times! A leading manufacturer of recreational vehicles is fulfilling this goal with the purchase of the automated post-processing system, S1 from AM Solutions – 3D post-processing technology. With their innovative designs and powerful drive systems the motor homes, caravans and panel trucks of the Knaus Tabbert AG allow safe, comfortable and sustainable travelling. At its German headquarters in Jandelsbrunn, Bavaria, the company is using its know-how to continuously improve the materials and designs of its vehicles. Naturally, this also includes the employment of new manufacturing technologies such as additive manufacturing (AM). Mario Meszaros, development engineer at Knaus Tabbert explains: “On the one hand we are using the 3D printing technology for creating prototypes. On the other, we are also using additive manufacturing for producing standard components in volume such as the bracket for an alarm system or the hinge mechanism for the swing-out shower stall.” A challenging post-processing task To date, the de-powdering and cleaning of PA 12 components, produced by a…
June 25, 2022
A significant quality improvement of the de-powdering and cleaning operation for 3D printed components at lower costs and shorter cycle times! A leading manufacturer of recreational vehicles is fulfilling this goal with the purchase of the automated post-processing system, S1 from AM Solutions – 3D post-processing technology. With their innovative designs and powerful drive systems the motor homes, caravans and panel trucks of the Knaus Tabbert AG allow safe, comfortable and sustainable traveling. At its German headquarters in Jandelsbrunn, Bavaria, the company is using its know-how to continuously improve the materials and designs of its vehicles. Naturally, this also includes the employment of new manufacturing technologies such as additive manufacturing (AM). Mario Meszaros, development engineer at Knaus Tabbert explains: “On the one hand we are using the 3D printing technology for creating prototypes. On the other, we are also using additive manufacturing for producing standard components in volume such as the bracket for an alarm system or the hinge mechanism for the swing-out shower stall.” A challenging post-processing task To date, the de-powdering and cleaning of PA 12 components, produced by…
June 23, 2022
Not that you would have noticed, because as Con-form Group Managing Director Nigel Cro says, “People will drive along on a highway overpass and there are a lot of things on roofs that you see; now if you don’t see those things, that’s because we’ve done a good job – that’s our goal.” Industrial HVAC systems are heavy and often noisy. Con-form Group provide an engineered solution for the structure to cater for the weight on rooftop installations and additionally deliver acoustic solutions to minimise environmental noise. Con-form Group’s lightweight aluminium plant platforms and screens are now found on industrial, commercial and public infrastructure roofs right around Australia. The Bathurst-based business was established more than 20 years ago and employs approximately 35 staff. In 2014, the Con-form Group team developed an industry-leading lightweight roof-mounting platform system for mechanical equipment. “It was painful to see large structural steel sections getting craned onto roofs laboriously day after day, piece by piece and the danger and the logistics involved,” says Cro. “I remember just looking at…
June 22, 2022
Veolia Water Technologies, a subsidiary of the Veolia group and leading specialist in water treatment, announces the Asia Pacific launch of the Barrel, an integrated plug-and-play reverse osmosis (RO) technology. With increasing demand and rising concerns over scarcity of fresh water in the Asia-Pacific region, the Barrel meets the challenges and expectations of the desalination market while producing fresh water complying with all water quality standards. It is also suitable for wastewater reuse and low-pressure RO applications. The Barrel was selected as a key technology for the first experiment in Europe in wastewater treatment for the supply of drinking water through the Jourdain programme, in France’s Vendee region. The technology has also been in use at the Oman Sur desalination plant since 2019. The Barrel is a multi RO element vessel that is designed to be a plug-and-play system. The carbon steel pressure vessel is manufactured and tested off-site, and is delivered as a single unit, so installation on-site can be fast-tracked and project schedules shortened. In addition, the modular design of the Barrel makes it highly scalable,…
June 17, 2022
The Australian Technologies Competition is an internationally recognised national awards and growth support program for technology scaleups. It comprises a three-stage national competition for sector awards and Australian Technology Company of the Year, high calibre mentoring from successful technology entrepreneurs and senior corporate executives, an International Growth Masterclass and access to partner and investor connection events. The 12 categories of the Competition reflect the enormous capabilities of the Australian technology sector and the more than 250 high-growth companies that have previously reached the semi-finals or finals read like a Who’s Who of Australian ‘deep’ technology. They include Agridigital, BindiMaps, BluGlass, Calix, CancerAid, CIM Enviro, Fleet Space, Gilmour Space, RedEye, Sound Scouts, StormSeal, SwitchDin, Wattwatchers and many more. This year Impact Tech Ventures is partnering with Investible to deliver the program. The early-stage VC has a proud record of investing in, mentoring and supporting tech companies to grow internationally. It is also investing substantially in the Australian ecosystem with Greenhouse — an emerging innovation hub, supported by the City of Sydney, built for climate tech companies…
June 16, 2022
Charlie Eilbeck heads the machining business of Eilbeck Cranes, the parent company which commands 75% of the bespoke overhead crane market in Australia. The machining division opened in 2015 at the site we are touring, which has done well enough to grow its headcount to 40 and open a second workshop (also in Ingleburn). Eilbeck Heavy Machining (EHM) has brought more and more crane component manufacturing in-house, and gone about chasing projects outside of the company. “Building these machine shops has a lot to do with the passion of my father, Tom, because he’s a fitter and turner, and he worked in one growing up. So machine shops allow us to be a very flexible business, but they also come from his heart,” explains the younger Eilbeck. “A lot of what we do is driven by passion. We're not a public company driven by a board of directors where we have to justify when we want to spend three million dollars on a mill. We see opportunity, and we see opportunity in Australia.” If there’s a couple-paragraph…
June 15, 2022
Okuma Australia has been expanding its service and technical support for its current and ever-growing list of Queensland customers in line with the Okuma business Monozukuri philosophy – ‘the art of making things better’. With modern new Queensland premises in Hamilton and a growing team of four engineers and technical support personnel, each with a passion for Australian manufacturing, Okuma Australia is well placed and committed to advance its strong market position in Queensland. Northern Regional Manager for NSW & Queensland, Sydney based Steve Norbis, has more than 30 years in the industry. Steve leads a team of eleven in New South Wales and Queensland and his passion for the industry filters down through the entire team. “We currently have a broad range of advanced technology machine orders in hand and a growing level of enquiries in the pipeline,” said Steve Norbis. “The new team appointments and expanding branch structure will ensure that Okuma’s solid presence in the Queensland market is maintained and supported thus enabling our Queensland team to maintain the level of service our customers currently enjoy and have…
June 10, 2022
The compact Additive Engineering stand was this morning buzzing with people. All are interested to dig into the details of the titanium, SWaP-C, biocompatible medical devices that are being delivered ready for surgery for their clients. Additive also develop for its aerospace market-specific carbon-fibre parts for wings, engines, and propellers. I visited the Zeiss stand to rediscover my cinematic roots. Once upon a time Zeiss just made camera lenses and glasses. Now, Zeiss visualises bone parts for thalamic microscopy, they create diagnostic instrumentation, they also have a precise vision division. They do still make lenses for glasses; they mainly do R&D but their aim is to create bionic eye parts for direct implants. A phenomenal range of applications and all I can think of is the surgeon on Blade Runner. Over at Objective3D, I was shown several examples of 3D models brought together from the VRML and OBJ files, which also include colour data for specific opacity in models. With the polyjet technology, they can now generate photorealistic results out of the 3D printer which truly will replicate the best…
June 9, 2022
A clear sunny morning in Sydney once again. Up on the third floor above the trade show, the accounting firm William Buck was staging a Business Breakfast for manufacturing business owners full of advice I know manufacturers would benefit from, but some things I’m sure some owners don’t want to hear about. “One third of business owners do not have a succession plan,” said Mark Calvetti, Director at William Buck. “There should be more future proofing for businesses, especially manufacturing, because there are so many attached careers to that business. Staff, share-holders and creditors. In fact, 65% of the manufacturers in a recent survey had done no business valuation over the last three years. They had no idea of the value of their business.” Invariably something goes wrong along the way in a lot of business stories. Disputes in family businesses perhaps, in a company without a shareholder agreement. The plea from lawyers speaking this morning, was that manufacturers and owners need to know to do a ‘financial due diligence’ on their nest egg. Be ready for that unforeseen circumstance before it…