Member News

According to Australian Made Chief Executive Ben Lazzaro, the campaign builds on those deployed by the organisation over the last 12 months. “The ‘Buy Australian’ message has never been more resonant with Aussie consumers,” said Lazarro. “Pleasingly, supporting our local makers and growers continues to be the focus of many as we look beyond lockdowns and restrictions. This campaign seeks to help continue to drive that pro-Australian momentum.” The ‘Buy Australian Now’ initiative will run throughout October and November with the multi-channel marketing campaign spanning TV, out-of-home, print, online and social media. Importantly, the campaign’s TV and radio advertisements feature the hit Aussie track ‘For Now’ from local artist BATTS. Footage from AMCL’s renowned ‘Australian Makers’ video series is also heavily featured throughout the TV ad. “This campaign features Aussie music and behind-the-scenes footage from the local factories, workshops and farms of some of the country’s most innovative makers,” said Lazzaro. “These are real businesses,…

Project i-TRACE will underpin Rail’s Digital Future by providing the foundation upon which the rail industry can build its digital capabilities. A fundamental requirement for success in implementing Project i-TRACE is adding the required GS1 data to products. GS1 is a neutral, not-for-profit organisation that develops and maintains the most widely used global standards for efficient business communication. “We have been providing marking solutions to various industries for over 60 years,” said Adam Nichol, Managing Director at Nichol Industries. “We look forward to sharing our knowledge and expertise with GS1, the Australasian Railway Association (ARA) and the rail industry on the implementing this important initiative.” The rail industry involves a huge number and variety of parts. Based in of Nunawading, Victoria, Nichol Industries was successful in achieving certification due to its broad range of marking solutions along with a detailed understanding of the Project i-TRACE requirements. Its solutions include laser marking machines, dot peen marking machines, labels, and tags, as well as scanners and readers. “We have always considered ourselves to…

In metalworking, typical examples of these systems are unit-built machines and modular fixtures. As for cutting tools, modular structures have proven their efficiency in this area as well, and various tool manufacturers have developed their own modular products that are popular with their customers. The main benefits of modularity are versatility and time-savings. A modular concept facilitates the quick and easy building of an optimally customised cutting tool using an assembly of standardised elements. Hence, customers don’t have to order a costly, specialised tool and wait for months for it to be delivered. If a tool is urgently needed for immediate production, a suitable solution is close at hand. This concept contributes to reducing warehouse stock and diminishing inventory lists that cut manufacturing costs. However, the modular tool concept is not free of disadvantages. The main disadvantage is the decrease of rigidity; an assembly of several elements will not be as stiff as an integral product, and the assembled structure may lose accuracy when compared to a one-piece design. When deciding on…

“We need to get the gas from under our feet.” So said Prime Minister Scott Morrison during a speech in late January, emphasising his plans for a ‘gas-led recovery’ following the COVID-19 pandemic. Morrison has committed a whopping $6bn to the development of gas in Australia, in an economic strategy that is entirely contrary to the interests of the country. Meanwhile, Australian manufacturing is in decline, despite the significant contribution that the industry can – and already does – make towards the economy and the national interest. Our economic recovery should be led by manufacturing. It should take advantage of, and build on, the substantial innovation, skills and technology that are readily available. Government, at all levels, must invest in the manufacturing sector to support its growth. Australia’s COVID-19 recovery cannot be resource-led. It must be manufacturing-led. Now is the time to rejuvenate our manufacturing industry – to make manufacturing a…

The 217sqm unit, which has a bigger footprint than the average Australian house, has been moved from the shipyard’s primary manufacturing hall into the next stage of production where it will be outfitted and consolidated (with the addition of three more units) into the first prototyping block. The prototype unit is one of four in the first representative ship block and is the first to have been blasted and painted, cut and constructed in the new Shipyard. This particular unit and block are located in the middle of the ship and would contain the Officer’s Accommodation. BAE Systems Maritime Australia Managing Director, Craig Lockhart said: “This is a significant production milestone for the Hunter frigate program and an important start towards establishing shipbuilding capability across the Osborne Shipyard. Osborne is one of the world’s most technologically advanced shipyards, a purpose-built modern manufacturing facility built for the digital age to deliver next generation anti-submarine warships by a…

Regional rolling stock across Australia and New Zealand is experiencing a surge in refurbishment programs aimed at extending the usable life of the interior spaces and amenities. Vehicle structure (as well as propulsion, braking and so on) are retained, while rejuvenating and refreshing the interior spaces as a means to upgrading the rolling stock or repurposing it for emerging markets, growing needs or new destinations. The challenge The traditional method of refurbishing a carriage is to produce 2D CAD drawings and imagery to convey the approach, and to then rely on the experience of manufacturing personnel to implement the designs directly into the carriage at full scale. The process is time-consuming due to a range of issues: Components and brackets are often custom-made due to specific designs and low quantities. Solutions often have to be compromised to be suitable for production requirements. Feedback from stakeholders and management is only possible on a full-scale mock-up or an actual first-iteration 1:1 build. Construction of structures in situ…

OTTO Motors, a division of Clearpath Robotics, develops market-leading AMRs that enhance the logistical operations of facilities in order to re-allocate valuable manpower to more specialised tasks. These mobile robot platforms are designed to withstand the day-to-day rigors of industrial environments while maintaining the safety of the human operators around them. OTTO AMRs are being used by Fortune 500 manufacturing companies to deliver cost reductions and operational efficiencies. ADDE has extensive experience developing automation solutions for the Australian industry with robotics and custom engineered solutions. “We see enormous opportunity to improve efficiency and safety in manufacturing and distribution operations with autonomous vehicles,” said Barry Hendy, ADDE Managing Director. “Like traditional robots, AMRs require a complete solution design and tight integration with existing equipment, workflows and data systems. The OTTO range of vehicles and the supervising Fleet Manager system give us a powerful capability to offer turnkey solutions to our clients.” John Stikes, Director – Strategic Alliances at OTTO Motors, added: “As we have deployed our systems…

Metalmaster garage presses range from 10 tonnes up to 50 tonnes in terms of capacity. They are ideal for home workshops or mechanical repair shops, and are well suited to the needs of engineering and light manufacturing applications. The popular Metalmaster 20-tonne HP-20PP Workshop hydraulic press has a robust design and is constructed from industrial-grade C channel. The press has an adjustable sliding cylinder ram, a pressure gauge calibrated in both metric and imperial, and bending vee plates. The 20-tonne hydraulic ram and pump unit are also easily removed for use on other pressing jobs outside a workshop, such as straightening or bending. The HP-20PP hydraulic press features an adjustable sliding head, allowing up to 320mm of travel between the centre of the vertical posts. To accommodate offset pressing jobs, the user simply loosens the clamping plate bolts and the head of the press can be moved sideways. The Metalmaster HPF-50 trade press includes a…

Vibration issues are often present in machining operations where there is a high length-to-diameter ratio or if the machine tool itself is aging. The challenge for “mass-dampened tools” is the change of the vibration frequency on machining tools due to change in the cutting conditions such as tool wear, condition of the machines moving parts, and the variation of work piece materials. For these reasons traditional mass-dampened tools require the tuning of the mass damper to optimise performance. An out-of-tune condition can make the vibration problem worse in the form of tool chatter, which is often solved by reducing cutting speed or depth of cut, or increasing feed per revolution. The team at MAQ in Sweden studied the effects of vibration on the machining process and in 2015 developed a method of measuring a polymer’s frequency-dependent stiffness. They found that some polymers exhibited an increase in stiffness where there was an increased frequency, and it is the results of this study that were incorporated into the development of…

With manufacturing contributing over $20bn pa to the Queensland economy and employing more than 170,000 people, the Queensland Government is committed to helping foster new growth and transition existing businesses into sustainable and successful advanced manufacturers to ensure the continued growth of the industry. In the words of the Queensland Government itself, its vision for the Queensland manufacturing sector is for it to be “… international market leaders in the delivery of advanced manufacturing technologies, systems, products and services that are innovative, sustainable, and embedded in local and global supply chains” by 2026. This vision drives its strategy of supporting advanced manufacturing, which in Queensland, includes sectors such as: Defence industries. Food, beverage, and beef processing. Mining equipment, technology, and services. Precision agriculture. Rail manufacturing. Renewables and hydrogen. Resource recovery High value sectors While there are many areas in the manufacturing industry, four sectors have stood out as high-value emerging areas to watch in…

The event will begin with Toth’s keynote presentation, ‘The State of the Nation and the Future of Our Economy’. Toth joined the Ai Group in 2012, where she heads up the organisation’s economics team, producing economics research, reports, comment and policy advice. She is an active participant in Australia’s national business, industry and economic policy conversations and consultation processes. Toth has clocked up close to three decades of professional research in Australian economics, working across the public and private sector at the ANZ Bank, the Productivity Commission and other Federal Government agencies. In addition to her work for Ai Group, Toth is currently an advisory board member at Swinburne University’s Centre for Transformative Innovation, a panel member of the Melbourne Economic Forum (hosted by the University of Melbourne and Victoria University) and a member for the Economic Society of Australia’s Economic Policy Panel. Following Toth’s keynote presentation, the AGM will be an opportunity to hear about AMTIL’s latest plans and initiatives plus reports on the previous…

Wade recalls how the business has evolved since he joined: “With my background as a toolmaker and understanding precision engineering, we started to develop a customer base that needed high-precision sheet metal. This move was the key driver for sourcing machinery that would give us the accuracy for precision cutting, folding and punching. “Targeting the electronics industry set our business on a solid growth path. We quickly discovered the unmet demands of that industry, and by satisfying its needs, built great customer relationships that boosted our growth. “Visiting a Brisbane machinery show, we were introduced to Amada equipment and invested in our first Amada press brake. The success of our first high-precision machine encouraged further machinery investment that included Amada turret punches, laser cutters and additional folding machines. “A bonus of our new precision capability was the ability to offer our…

Readings above 50 points indicate expansion in activity, with higher results indicating a faster rate of expansion. Contractions in the machinery & equipment and TCF, paper & printing sectors, and a flat performance in the food & beverages sector failed to offset a return to growth in the building and metal products sectors while the chemicals sector continued to expand although at a more modest pace in September. Contractions were concentrated in the south-east corner of the country where outbreaks and lockdowns have been more severe. Of the six manufacturing sectors in the Australian PMI, metal products (up 8.7 points to 54.2), chemicals (down 2.2 points to 54.2) and building materials (up 8.9 points to 51.3) expanded in September, partly due to eased restrictions of construction activity in NSW. Food & beverages stalled (down 6.0 points to 50.5), while machinery & equipment (down 2.0 points to 48.4) and TCF, paper & printing (down 6.4 points to…