Product News

Workholding technologies form a critical foundation for companies engaged in precise and efficient manufacturing processes. Industries such as defence, aerospace, medical, mining, automotive, and general engineering rely on these technologies for optimal production efficiency. Access to high-end workholding technology is not just advantageous; it is essential for ensuring smooth operations and high-quality output. Dimac Tooling, Australia’s premier supplier of accessories and premium workholding solutions for CNC milling and CNC turning machine tools, has thrived for well over 30 years. They collaborate closely with clients to grasp the nuances of their operations, enhancing machine performance and human interaction. Each range they offer aligns with their ongoing mission to discover the most effective, safe, and productive methods for securing machine workpieces, ensuring optimal productivity and flexibility. The Lang Workholding range, developed and manufactured in Germany, perfectly embodies these ideals. Lang Technik's premier products are currently utilised by Dimac's prestigious clients, one of which is Australian Precision Technologies Pty Ltd. This advanced manufacturing facility consults Dimac's expertise as their CNC performance partner. These products are designed to…

Precision cutting tools are an integral part of our world at ANCA. Manufacturing just one aircraft will consume hundreds of thousands of cutting tools. Anything you can imagine that might need to be machined will require a grinding machine to provide the cutting tools. Family, fulfillment, and a fascination with technology are all part of a formula that has seen ANCA lead the demanding niche of CNC tool and cutter grinders for a half-century. In its time, the Australia-based global business has made an enormous yet largely hidden contribution to the world, selling over 10,000 5-axis CNC machines to over 2,500 customers. Around 1.1 billion tools have been created using ANCA’s grinders. “You would be very unlikely to find any bit of advanced equipment, anywhere in the world, that hasn’t been touched by a cutting tool which has been manufactured on one of our machines,” explains co-founder Pat Boland, whose company’s customers include Boeing, Rolls-Royce, Iscar, Sandvik, Sutton Tools and many other household names. Boland and Pat McCluskey – then an electrical engineer and an industrial electronics tradesman…

MCHND is a South Australian engineering workshop focused on precision machining using 3D CAD/CAM software and multi-axis CNC machines. The team at MCHND are dedicated to creating intricate components for the exacting demands of space, medical, aerospace, and defence sectors. MCHND is based in Richmond, an inner-west suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. Business partners Jimmy Jolly and Mike Harding admit they work well together. They completed the last half of their toolmaking apprenticeships together at the same company and their friendship flourished. “We are both very different people, but our work ethic is the same,” says Jimmy. “We push each other and get along quite well. It has been a fruitful partnership, something that has been extremely successful for both of us.” Mike’s career spans a few diverse industries including a three-year tenure in the UK’s Formula One sector. He has honed a comprehensive skill set encompassing CAD design, 5-axis CAM machining, 9-axis multitasking machining, manual machining, and astute business management. Jimmy was brought up in an engineering family. His father was a Toolmaker with his own machining business, building historic racing…

The core issues facing supply chains in 2023 – labour availability, capacity, space availability and resiliency – aren’t going away in 2024. But how supply chain leaders address these challenges continues to evolve. Moving into the new year, we are seeing organisations finding new ways around barriers to automation, increasing their investments in established technologies, and seeking new levels of efficiency and productivity through orchestration and artificial intelligence. Here’s a more detailed look at some of the trends we expect to see this year. Removing barriers to automation Smaller and emerging organisations face the same labour, efficiency, and speed challenges as their larger competitors. Yet, they often lack the resources to address these challenges through capital-intensive automation projects, putting them at a competitive disadvantage. In 2024, flexible infrastructure technologies such as mobile robotics and AGVs (Automatic Guided Vehicles) will play a larger role in leveling the playing field. Swisslog’s CarryPick system, for example, is ideal for small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) because it is fast and cost-effective to…

If you weren't aware, autonomous robots (AMRs) moving materials around factory, warehouse and manufacturing floors is a booming business. According to US AMR maker OTTO Motors by Rockwell Automation, it's a billion-dollar market today, with market intelligence firm Interact Analysis predicting growth of 30% per year, with the field projected to be worth almost $6bn by 2027. OTTO Motors' VP of Product Jay Judkowitz says there's an increasing imperative around reshoring manufacturing, and the best method to compete with the low-cost overseas manufacturing we've been using for a few decades is automation; what he calls 'more plants in more places with fewer roles per plant, but more production and a greater number of safer and more fulfilling manufacturing jobs in aggregate'. One of the areas most ripe for savings is in materials handling, with Judkowitz citing research that says it uses about 25% of the workforce, 55% of the floorspace and 87% of the production time in a factory. Showcasing their work in September…

There was a healthy dose of enthusiasm among the stands at AMW2024 today. I reckon people had some good sleeps because the word is this is the day to impress. Like Wednesday, the hours are extended to 7 pm to assist with attendees visiting later in the day, and giving everyone more time to check out every corner of the AMW2024 show. So much going on and there was an uptick in visitors after hours last night as predicted. Among the many scanners on display at the huge Hi-Tech Metrology stand there were some of the very latest solutions, in this case a handheld 3D scanner, an Ametek Creaform Handiscan Elite mounted on a robot arm, which was scan-building a digital twin of an object on a platform for later inspection. There were Hexagon coordinate Measuring Machines, and a range of micron-accurate digital instruments from Trimos, Sylvac and Bowers. Another stood like a surveyor’s LiDAR station on a tripod. That’s where the similarity stops. This Leica Absolute Tracker is able to scope a viewed surface from a…

In August 2023, Elizabeth was inducted into the Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame for Service to Industry. She spoke with Sonya Murphy for AMT. AMT: What were your initial thoughts when you received the Honour Roll at the Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame Awards this year in Melbourne? Elizabeth Lewis-Gray: I was expecting to have been nominated for a regional manufacturing award, or the women in manufacturing award. As the night went on, those awards came up and I wasn’t nominated for them. Then I thought maybe it was the medium manufacturer’s award, but soon realised I hadn’t been nominated for that either. I looked at the program and came to the realisation that I was up for the top gong for the night. It was an exciting, and very special night shared with my husband, daughters,…

Best described as a customer-centric business, Western Australian manufacturing company, Vekta Automation has grown to become one of the most trusted automated machine suppliers for the timber frame and truss industry – both locally and beyond our borders. In 2007, Mechatronics Engineer (and Vekta Automation Managing Director), Ed Serrano spotted an opportunity in the Razer – a linear saw developed for the timber construction industry. After securing the rights to purchase the Razer and its IP, Serrano set up Vekta Automation from an unpowered shed on his Beckenham property. He worked to improve the functionality and performance of the Razer and to reduce the costs associated with its operation. “We were taking on a failed product with a terrible reputation. Every time one of these machines was built, it was done so at a loss. This was a major challenge for us – to spin that around and change the reputation of our core product. But we did it and it has been a hugely challenging and satisfying process,” Serrano said. In addition to the constant innovation of products,…

AXT has built a portfolio of products to suit the demands of industrial and academic customers looking to take their additive manufacturing beyond the limits of domestic systems. Catering to polymer, metal and ceramic 3D printing, we have systems that offer levels of precision superior to filament printers as well as imaging and analysis tools to verify the quality and accuracy of what you have produced. Using DLP (Digital Light Processing) technology, Miicraft 3D printers exceed the limitations of filament printers, producing parts with higher resolution (39µm) with excellent uniformity and surface finish. Boston Microfabrication (BMF) go a step further enabling you to fabricate components with resolutions down to 2µm using PµSL (Photo Micro Stereolithography) technology. Their systems combine ultra-high resolution, accuracy and precision. For the ultimate in polymer 3D printers, the UpNano NanoOne 3D printers allow you to print parts with resolutions down to 170nm. Their 2PP (2 Photon Polymerisation) technology dispels the myth that 2PP printers sacrifice speed for resolution. For those looking to print with metals, Aconity 3D offers modular tailorable laser powder bed fusion systems with printable…

For the steel construction industry, automation and process efficiency are crucial to meet high-quality standards with rapid and certain responses. FICEP, a global leader in automatic steel processing, addresses these needs by offering the combined system featuring the Valiant drilling unit and the Katana band saw. The VALIANT drilling centre VALIANT represents the latest evolution in Ficep's drill line range. VALIANT can position the beam and perform all programmed processes without the need for repositioning. The new extended sub-axis spindle positioning enables simultaneous drilling on all three surfaces even when the holes are not aligned. It can be equipped with three automatic 14-position tool changers, one for each spindle, which provide superior performance and a significant reduction in cycle times. VALIANT automatic systems can be supplied 'stand-alone' or combined with the KATANA band saw system. KATANA has a closed-loop feedback, making it one of the fastest in the market. KATANA can perform high-quality cuts up to 60° mitred cuts in both directions. KATANA is integrated with an automatic unloading device with a magnet that allows the processed short pieces…

Koenig brings you a range of quality and affordable fibre-cutting machines, for metal sheet and tube cutting, press brakes, as well as metal fibre marking, combination metal/non-metal and standard non-metal CO2 laser cutting machines. Our LF60M is our 3-axis tube cutting machine, with optional 5-axis upgrade, making tube cutting faster, simpler and more affordable than ever before. Streamline your production, and get fast and accurate results with a Gweike tube-cutting fibre laser. Don’t waste time drilling and cutting by hand, no more wasted stock! Come and see it cutting in action at our stand today! Ask about the LF60MA with automatic loading and LF60MS with its three-chuck system. The LF3015GA Pro fibre-cutting machine is the king of the show. With a fully enclosed 3.0x1.5m cutting bed and rear exchange table, you can easily unload/reload stock while the machine continues to cut, saving on overall production time. With a built-in airconditioned electrical cabinet this compact unit will slot into your factory in any Australian climate. Talk to Koenig about their different power options and models from 0-30kW and the high-quality BOCI…

One of the most transformative aspects of Techni Waterjet's journey has been its electric servo pump technology innovation. Techni Waterjet’s groundbreaking developments have ushered in a new era of waterjet cutting, with a focus on sustainability and efficiency. By introducing electric servo pumps, Techni Waterjet has not only reduced energy consumption but has also made waterjet cutting more eco-friendly, aligning with the global movement toward 'green' technology. This year marks a significant milestone for us as we proudly celebrate 35 years of manufacturing excellence. To commemorate this achievement, we are excited to offer a special promotion – a turn-key system at our best price ever, exemplifying our commitment to innovation and customer satisfaction." Extraordinary OEM installation, service, and support worldwide While Techni Waterjet's technological innovations have garnered international acclaim, it's their exceptional OEM installation, service, and support that sets them apart in the global waterjet market. An unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction extends far beyond the manufacturing stage. With a deep understanding of the unique challenges and demands of the Global Waterjet market, Techni…

Anthony Albanese has made a major speech in Brisbane where he outlined the creation of a Future Made in Australia Act. The Prime Minister has said on Thursday at the Queensland Media Club, that Australia needs to stay in the global race for jobs. This is legislation that centres on using subsidies to boost domestic manufacturing and guarantee more local jobs. This package covers new and existing projects in Growth Industries like clean energy, batteries, and critical minerals. But this is not a new idea. Massive taxpayer subsidies are on offer to private companies in countries like the US with their Inflation Reduction Act, and also with the EU, Japan, and Korea, even Canada. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in his speech that Australia needed to sharpen its elbows and offer these incentives or risk losing entire industries overseas. This will be a key part of the PM's pitch for a second term in government with an election now around 12 months away. The effort would be consolidating existing efforts under one banner, which included the Hydrogen Headstart, the…