Member News

The Australian Manufacturing Technology Institute Limited (AMTIL) is the peak national body for the precision engineering and advanced manufacturing sector in Australia. Having a stand enables it to show its support for AMTIL members visiting or exhibiting at NMW, while also providing the opportunity to engage with Australian manufacturing businesses more generally and discuss the ways it can help them. For AMTIL members, ‘Happy Hour’ drinks will be held on the Wednesday and Thursday of the show (9 and 10 May) , from 4.00pm at the AMTIL stand. Any members at the show are invited to drop by the AMTIL stand for refreshments and a chat. AMTIL has a long-standing relationship with NMW, having co-located its own Austech exhibition with NMW for many years, and continuing to do so every second year in Melbourne. AMTIL’s participation in this…

Adding rotating tools to turning centres means you can combine several set-ups in a single machine for a more streamlined and productive machining process. To accomplish this, turn-mill machines were introduced in the 1990s. The initial idea was to enable driving a milling cutter, drill or threading tap on one or more tool positions in the turret to eliminate limitations of polar interpolation and other related programming difficulties. To improve reach, an extra set of ways was added to move the rotating tool across the spindle face. This was accomplished by mounting the tools on revolver sides or on its face, by installing the Y-axis ways on a slanted bed or by using an independent milling head. Both machine tool makers and manufacturers soon recognised the benefits of integrating both milling and turning operations. Today, the Y-axis option has become a…

In CNC systems, the design of a mechanical part and its manufacturing program is highly automated. The part’s mechanical dimensions are defined using computer-aided design (CAD) software, and then translated into manufacturing directives by computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) software. The resulting directives are transformed by post-processor software into the specific commands necessary for the chosen machine to produce the component. What that means, in simple terms, is that the days of “one man, one machine” are now a fast-fading memory. One programmer at a computer console can program, implement, and supervise machine work that would be the equivalent of several operators on lathes, grinders, routers, mills, and shapers in earlier times. Computer-controlled, automated machining methods can achieve reaches, holds, and other actions that human operators and conventional machines typically don’t do efficiently. Generally, lathes and machining centres have two axes, but more sophisticated models have more, allowing for more advanced jobs to be…

Broens began operations in Sydney’s south-west suburbs in 1979. Thriving as a manufacturer providing subcontract toolmaking and general engineering services, it soon diversified into sectors such as automotive, aerospace, medical, mining and heavy industry. In 2007, it took over two companies in Elizabeth, northern Adelaide – Static Engineering and Calbic Engineering – and consolidated them to form Broens SA. By then, Broens was a globally respected provider of design, manufacturing and engineering solutions, exporting to more than 16 countries and involved in projects such as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the F35 Joint Strike Fighter. However, towards the end of 2016, the company was placed into liquidation. At that point Adelaide City Engineering Pty Ltd came into the story. Adelaide City Engineering was formed in 2003 by Timothy Lillie as a new venture. The aim of the business was to provide quality services with continual improvement to its customers while also providing a safe…

Using an innovative and progressive business model, Flow Power tackles the issue of price and environment with a unique offering. Its renewable power, sourced from Ararat Wind Farm, can be used in real time to offset grid electricity consumption, potentially saving thousands of dollars in energy costs. ANCA, a market leading manufacturer of CNC grinding machines, will now buy its power from Ararat Wind Farm through a power purchasing agreement (PPA) to access fixed rates for long-term savings. While very common around the world, this deal is one of the first in Australia. The generation is offset against the business’s use, so that when ANCA uses more than what is generated in an interval, Flow Power sources additional electricity from the wholesale market to power the operation. When ANCA uses less, there is an option to selling the electricity back to Flow Power at an agreed price or back to the wholesale market. “At ANCA we are always looking for…

Australian advanced manufacturing is undergoing one of the most exciting transformations in its history. The advent of new technologies, such as 3D printing with metals, advanced materials such as composites and graphene, digitalisation and the Internet of Things, has meant that there is a great deal of education, support and promotion needed to highlight the benefits of these technologies. Austech runs every two years in Melbourne, and is the only show specifically targeted at the metalworking, machine tool and ancillary market - being held in Australia in 2019. The product sectors covered by Austech include CNC machine tools, sheet metal fabrication equipment, special purpose machines, laser cutting marking and engraving, additive manufacturing & 3D printing, digitalisation, inspection & measurement, automation & robotics and general engineering. National Manufacturing…

The collaborative project, ‘Repair Bot’, will employ robotics and 3D printing, along with complex materials, to enable an automated rapid repair service for plastic car parts. Inspiration for the project stemmed from the need for a technology-driven solution to overcome numerous issues facing the automotive repair industry. These issues range from material wastage, complex and restrictive design elements, the limited availability of skilled labour, and the long lead times and inventory holdings for replacement parts. Tradiebot Founder Mario Dimovski believes the project’s potential benefits go far beyond just the automotive collision industry. “The ability to repair previously non-repairable parts using world-first technology will reduce overall repair times and repair costs,” explains Dimovski. “It will also create real and significant export opportunities and has flow-on benefits for the environment by reducing land-fill. Tradiebot will also deliver new future skills to the industry as more processes become automated.” Research the key to unlocking…

Formula SAE is a competition organised by the Australian branch of the Society of Automotive Engineers in which teams of students produce a prototype for a single-seat racing car and present it to a hypothetical firm for manufacture. The cars compete in a series of track tests. In addition, the teams are judged on the design and cost-efficiency of the car, and on a marketing presentation about their project. Along with the practical experience gained, the programme gives students the opportunity to work together in a dedicated, multi-disciplinary team to produce an impressive vehicle for the competition. The skills of the team are pushed to the limit to ensure that the design and the manufacturing methods used are innovative and robust. The team from Swinburne is made up of students in…

A common mistake by businesses is to treat inventory as a driver of business performance. The theory goes, reduced inventory leads to reduced working capital, which leads to improved return on capital. Unfortunately what usually happens is that reduced inventory leads to reduced customer service levels and increased firefighting in the supply chain, which then leads to lost business, increased costs and reduced profits! The problem with attacking inventory in isolation is that inventory levels are an outcome of how you run your business, not a driver! Good and bad inventory Of course all businesses have inventory they would rather not have. This “bad inventory” is made up of excess and obsolete inventory. Obsolete inventory is stock of products that you no longer make, while excess inventory is stock in excess of that required to maintain your target level of customer service (more about that later). Your business needs a process to manage excess and obsolete stock. The…

Demand for the parts is expanding as lifespans lengthen and aging results in arthritis and osteoporosis. Worldwide trends towards higher body weight and obesity put additional strain on skeletal joints. Changing lifestyles, from a lack physical activity for some to increased sports participation for others, further fuel demand for renewed body parts. Growth of emerging economies is giving greater numbers of people the resources to afford orthopedic devices. The Global Market Insights consulting group predicts that the global orthopaedic devices market will grow to €50bn by 2024. Competition prompts tooling development Orthopaedic devices include hip and knee replacement components, artificial elbow and ankle joints, trauma repair instruments, spinal bone plates and various repair pins, rods and fasteners. Joint reconstruction makes up over 40% of the market, with the majority of that in hip and knee…

Industry 4.0 is the latest phase in digitisation for the manufacturing sector. With increased productivity through intelligent, networked production systems, an Industry 4.0 marketplace means that machines offer their services and exchange information with products in real-time. Using internet or cloud-based platforms for businesses to connect to their machinery enables manufacturers to digitally connect to their own production line, machinery and supply chain. Access to the production control system via tablet or smartphone allows mobile productions planning. Cloud technology provides workers with an insight into the status of productions orders and the machines along with ease when adjusting information such as job orders or production quantities. Industry 4.0 has been driven by four disruptors: a rise in data volumes; increased computational power and connectivity; the emergence of analytics and business intelligence capabilities (for example, new forms of human-machine interaction such as touch interfaces and augmented-reality systems); and improvements in transferring digital…

The laser cutting and fabrication specialists service a diverse range of industries, including automotive, transport, aerospace and shop fitting, among others. With a strong focus on company culture, Laser 3D place high importance on attracting and retaining great staff, with an aim to build upon their knowledge and training where possible. Laser 3D’s CEO Bruce Thomas says that there are three main factors that contribute to the company’s success: technology, customer relationships, and dependable suppliers. Ten years ago, Laser 3D used four different machines from four different suppliers. The company now uses one supplier, Headland, and Trumpf machinery only. Consequently its processes are fully streamlined where possible as all staff members can operate all the machinery in the factory. Technology is critical to automating processes and ensuring quick turnaround times for customers. “We use technology wherever and whenever we can in order to streamline processes,” says Thomas. “We make sure that we fully understand each and every customer’s individual needs. We place high value in our customer relationships…

How does a manufacturer, once considered too small to be regarded as a competitor by larger businesses, become the only major cutting tool manufacturer in Australia, competing globally with the world’s best? The pursuit of excellence has paid off for Sutton Tools, a multi-award winning Australian manufacturing icon that now exports 50% of its Australian manufactured products globally and is the preferred brand for the IPH Group, France’s largest distributor of industrial tools. The company also supplies Rolls Royce in Romania, Triumph Motorcycles in Thailand, Moog Aerospace in the Philippines, and Foxconn in China. Sutton Tools is typical of successful Australian companies that understand the challenges faced when market demand or conditions change, or when opportunities are presented and decisive action is needed. The business is a textbook case for study by any manufacturing business that wants to stay ahead of the competition, while developing a…