Member News

GST is usually a subject left to our friends and fellow Corporate Partners over at William Buck Chartered Accountants to explore. However, just like the dreaded Coronavirus has been pushing our businesses into new territory, the Deferred GST Scheme being implemented by the Australian Government is forcing our humble logistics firm to delve headfirst into the wonderful world of GST to an extent never seen before. What fun! So, let’s get down to the nitty gritty - What is the Deferred Goods and Services Tax (DGST) Scheme and how can we, as importers, utilise this initiative to help our businesses soften the blow of the pandemic? As the Australian Government ATO website puts it, “As an importer, the deferred goods and services tax (DGST) scheme allows you to defer…

AMTIL welcomes the establishment of the NCCC and looks forward to working with its members over the coming months. The Commission is working across business-to-business and business-to-government networks to unlock resources, break through bottlenecks and fix problems so Australian businesses and communities are supported in the months ahead. I recently met with a few members of the Committee and discussed a number of issues and opportunities that face our sector. I discussed the three key areas that are needed to support the Australian manufacturing industry’s sustainability and growth. The need for us to continue investing in technology, continue developing the skills of our people and continuing to explore market access opportunities are paramount to a strong manufacturing sector coming out of COVID-19. Investment in technology AMTIL’s surveys and statistics have shown a recent decline in investment in capital equipment and machine tools. The last time we saw declines…

Founded in 2002 by Lindsay and Kelly Malley, the company is a contract manufacturer specialising in CNC machining and small-to-medium fabrication. Its extensive range of services also include profile cutting, a robot welding cell, sandblasting and painting utilising both advanced and Lean manufacturing principles. Hydraulic manifolds, tapping blocks, drive shafts, hardened pins and bearings and small-to-medium fabricated assemblies are some of the most common products that are manufactured by Maltec. Maltec’s broad engineering capabilities are evident in some of the more unusual products that the company has manufactured; these include a spear tip, a nozzle for a hydroelectric project and several dog enclosures for Tasmania Police. The company’s client base comprises 40% local, and 60% mainland Australia and overseas. Maltec’s customer base includes many well-known companies such as Caterpillar Underground Mining, Epiroc (formerly Atlas Copco), Elphinstone (CAT OEM, Haulmax, Railmax, SVS) and AQ1 Systems, which produce aquaculture and sensor-based feeding control delivery products. “We make a lot of small…

RUAG is an independent supplier and life-cycle support provider of systems and components on behalf of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and other international air forces, as well as civil aviation, worldwide. The upgrade to its facility will improve productivity and enhance the reliability of the manufacturing process to benefit customer supply chains, including those for hydraulic components for the Joint Strike Force (JSF) F-35 program. Industry 4.0 brings with it the next-level advancement of interconnectivity between devices, equipment, tools, visualisation systems, and their human users within the manufacturing system. It is an optimisation and networking of existing computerised technologies, with a central server to create cyber-to-physical systems for ensuring a smarter, more productive factory. The move to full interconnectivity at RUAG’s Hydraulic Centre of Excellence, housed at its Bayswater facility, generates significantly improved efficiencies as it creates a new human-to-machine interface. Real-time performance data is immediately available at any given moment throughout the manufacturing system…

The Australian PMI recovered by 5.8 points to 41.6 in May, after experiencing the largest single-month drop in the index’s history in April (readings below 50 points indicate contraction in activity, with lower results indicating a faster rate of contraction). The decline slowed across all activity indices in May, except for the exports index which recorded its lowest ever monthly result as many overseas markets essentially shut down. Many manufacturers reported that orders from their regular customers have been delayed or cancelled altogether because of the pandemic. “While less of a fall than we saw in April, the further deterioration of manufacturing performance in May is deeply concerning,” said Ai Group Chief Executive Innes Willox. “From an already low base, manufacturing production and employment fell, and new orders dropped further. Other than the large food & beverages group which experienced a small gain, and the chemicals group which was broadly steady, all sectors of the manufacturing industry went further backwards in May. Manufactured exports…

Blower packages assembled by sourcing components from a variety of suppliers is still quite common and usually a result of adding to the blower as new requirements arise. As an example, a blower is determined to be too loud, so a new silencer is sourced. Perhaps even a sound enclosure is purchased. However, this now means that being inside a box, the blower runs warm, so now the operating temperature must be monitored. Then, perhaps it is determined that the blower needs to make more or less air, so a frequency-controlled drive is installed. The needs grow, and so does the package and its components. There are many versions of these packages in the field and…

The Australian manufacturing sector can achieve significant costs savings, by improving the efficiency of equipment and processes and lowering energy and water consumption. Other effective strategies will include increasing the use of renewables, reducing waste, emissions and packaging, as well as using fewer raw materials. Wind and solar Wind and solar energy are becoming more cost-competitive. This means the transition to clean renewable energies is either in progress or planned by heavy industries. Now that renewables are accountable for an ever-rising share of Australia’s power mix, supplying about 20% of demand, the transition is already in full swing. Australia has the highest average solar radiation per square metre of any continent. Manufacturers, who usually have extensive roof space, can harness the power of the greatest free energy source available – the sun. B&R Enclosures, an electrical enclosures, racks and cabinets manufacturer and a loyal SYSPRO customer, has announced a piloted project at its Brisbane facility by installing a solar energy system. This has provided the company with…

In the coming decade, we will see a change in STEM careers and, consequently, the ways in which graduates will be prepared for them will need an overhaul. Based on an NAE survey of global technology leaders and scholars, STEM careers of the future will be faced with solving four “grand challenges” comprising major technology issues in the areas of sustainability, health, security, and the joy of living. What are some of the areas that teachers, students and parents should track to help create a workforce that is ready to take on the challenges of the coming decade? Below are five of the major trends that we will see affect how university students and independent learners are taught to meet the challenges of the decade ahead. Authentic learning is bolstered by authentic assessment: We are seeing the…

For the first time, researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US have enabled a soft robotic arm to understand its configuration in 3D space, by leveraging only motion and position data from its own “sensorised” skin. Soft robots constructed from highly compliant materials, similar to those found in living organisms, are being championed as safer, and more adaptable, resilient, and bioinspired alternatives to traditional rigid robots. But giving autonomous control to these deformable robots is a monumental task because they can move in a virtually infinite number of directions at any given moment. That makes it difficult to train planning and control models that drive automation. Traditional methods to achieve autonomous control use large systems of multiple motion-capture cameras that provide the robots feedback about 3D movement and positions. But those are impractical for soft robots in real-world applications. The researchers describe a system of soft sensors that cover a robot’s body to provide “proprioception” — meaning awareness of motion and position of its body. That feedback…

Prima Power is a leading specialist in machines and systems for sheet metal working. With manufacturing facilities in Italy, Finland and the US, it delivers machines and systems all over the world. Its range of machinery in this field covers all applications: laser processing, punching, shearing, bending, automation and now additive manufacturing. The Prima family of highly advanced servo-electric solutions for punching, bending and integrated processes is the widest in the world. Prima has been at the forefront of this technology since 1998 and is a world leader in servo-electric machinery. The company is also among the main world players in the 2D laser segment, with a wide range of top-performance, highly efficient machines used in a multitude of fields around the globe. Prima is now one of the only laser system manufacturers able to offer its own solid state diode laser up to 10kW. All Prima products are developed according to a “Green Means” concept, combining sustainability and productivity. Industry 4.0 marks a new era in the history…

The process known as ‘Design Thinking’ has been adopted as standard practice at some of the world’s most successful companies – Apple, Google, Samsung and GE, to name just a few. Similarly, some of the most prestigious seats of learning teach courses in this progressive approach to problem-solving. Rikke Friis Dam, Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Interaction Design Foundation and product designer Yu Siang Teo, explain the main phases of the Design Thinking process as taught at Stanford University’s renowned school design institute: Empathise with your users. Define your users’ needs. Ideate by challenging assumptions and creating ideas for innovative solutions. Prototype to start creating solutions. Test your solutions. As they explain, these steps are not linear: “You should not understand the phases as a hierarchical or step-by-step process. Instead, you should look at it as an overview of the modes or phases that contribute to an innovative project, rather than sequential steps.” Roger Simpson, design consultant and mentor to the team at Integra believes that ‘Design Thinking’ as a…

Markus Stumm, Product Manager for Grooving at Walter, states: “We have significantly expanded our portfolio in recent years. In 2020, we will further strengthen our activities in this field. With the Walter Cut DX18, we are launching a tool with innovative clamping that will set completely new standards.” Conquering a conservative market with innovative solutions Users are particularly conservative when grooving. Stumm explains: “In mass production, when the process is running reasonably well, manufacturers rarely change the tooling system. We have to offer a clear advantage in terms of productivity and cost-efficiency to get to the machine. Problems with process reliability with the existing tools, or when a machining strategy is changed, provide us with an opportunity.” The parameters according to which the decision for a parting-off process and the corresponding tools is made, are machine run times, tool life and process reliability.…

Developed by the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC), the COVID-19 Manufacturer Response Register will bring together manufacturers, suppliers and customers via a self-managed platform. Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Karen Andrews said finding a solution to connect local supply and demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) was at the forefront of the Government’s response to the COVID-19 crisis. “Industry asked for this and we have delivered,” Minister Andrews said. “This digital platform is the missing puzzle piece that will unlock widespread collaboration across the manufacturing sector and boost domestic capability by creating and expanding local supply chains. “The matchmaking platform has already resulted in local businesses pivoting to produce essential medical supplies for COVID-19 – keeping Australians in work and building long-term capability in the recovery phase. Importantly, the platform can be used by hospitals, GPs and community groups to find Australian suppliers of essential products such as hand sanitiser, ventilators and PPE not just now but into the…