Product News

In January this year, a deadly red imported fire ant (RIFA) was discovered in Tasmania in an Australia Post parcel that originated in Queensland. First discovered in Australia in 2001, the highly invasive species can wreak havoc wherever they spread, destroying animals that nest, feed, or simply go near the ground. Fire ants have now established colonies in Southeast Queensland with the pests jumping the border with their discoveries in northern NSW. The USA failed to prioritise their eradication program and it now costs the industry and agriculture sector US$7bn a year to manage. Fortunately, Australia has access to a locally developed solution that has been proven. “The challenge is to drive its wide adoption,” said Sundew Solutions CEO, David Priddy. His company has spent ten years developing, testing, and refining a treatment to deal with fire ant infestations. The company’s ANTagonistPRO rapid response large area treatment is currently Australia’s only approved spray treatment that can be applied rapidly over large surface areas by tractors, utes, quad bikes, and other farm vehicles equipped with…

Hare & Forbes Machinery House has expanded its footprint, opening a new store in Adelaide, South Australia. This exciting development marks a significant milestone for the family-owned Australian business as it seeks to serve its customer base in the region better. The new store, boasting over 4,300sqm, will offer a wide range of machinery and equipment catering to various industries, including metalworking, woodworking, automotive, and fabrication. This is the fifth Hare & Forbes Machinery House store, with existing branches in Sydney, Perth, Melbourne and Brisbane. “We’re really pleased to be trading in Adelaide finally,” said Rick Foster, General Manager. “This project has been in the plans for almost five years. It’s really exciting for us to invest in a brick-and-mortar store in a new location.” The new store's launch underscores Hare & Forbes' dedication to innovation and growth and its ongoing commitment to providing industry-leading solutions to its customers, as it has done for over 90 years. Through its extensive product offerings, knowledgeable staff, and dedication to customer service, Hare & Forbes aims to become the go-to destination for engineering…

Brothers Steve and Grant Frisken used to have regular phone hookups on Sundays. Steve, an optical physicist, worked in the telecommunications industry, and Grant led the software development for a corneal topographer (using reflectance light to measure the front surface of the eye). Grant knew that if you could find a way to keep the eye perfectly still, then optical coherence tomography (OCT) would have a whole new life in the ophthalmic field, beyond imaging the back of the eye. If you could remove motion artefacts (caused by the eye's movement), then the micron-level accuracy of OCT could be used to measure the critical surfaces at the front of the eye. These are the measurements you need for the precision of cataract and refractive surgery and monitoring other important ophthalmic eye diseases such as myopia and keratoconus. Grant challenged Steve to devise a new way of using OCT to image the eye, knowing that eye movement will always be present. They…

Every four minutes, someone in Australia is hospitalised with a head injury, with 24 per cent of all concussive episodes caused by sport. The time taken for a patient to be diagnosed with concussion has largely been based on rudimentary field assessments, and diagnosis is often delayed as patients are transported to scanning equipment in hospitals. As a result, the potential for misdiagnosis or delay in treatment is high. With support from AMGC, Headsafe will change this, with the introduction of a ‘brain scanner in a briefcase’ dubbed Nurochek. Nurochek is a world-first device able to be deployed in mobile and clinical settings for rapid assessment and response to head injuries at the point of injury and at treating doctors or clinics. Verified extensively in the United States and Australia, this USA FDA-cleared portable headset uses patented technology to measure the brain’s electrical activity and sends the results to an online AI algorithm for analysis and later to the ‘cloud’ for secure storage. In a two-minute assessment, Nurochek will…

Surface morphology is an important property for many high-tech surfaces with features as small as a few nanometers and surface roughness below one nanometer. The Nanite Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) from Nanosurf is the tool of choice for surface analysis of all shapes and sizes of workpieces. It delivers nanoscale precision measurements and is small enough, at less than 48x87x61mm, to allow integration into virtually any imaginable environment. The NaniteAFM is a versatile tool that can be used across various industries, from nanotechnology to data storage and precision optics. Its ability to unveil intricate nanoscale surface details, including sub-nanometer roughness, makes it invaluable for diverse applications such as ceramics and glass analysis. The NaniteAFM is designed for ease of use and integration. Its compact, robust design, with a tip-scanner, two inspection video cameras, and an on-board approach motor, fits into an exceptionally small footprint. It contains everything needed to operate independently, making integration a breeze. With just 300cm3 in space and a stable docking site, you can mount the AFM and start using it right away. The NaniteAFM uses a dovetail…

In Australia's vast and varied landscape, where long distances separate cities and regions, the transport sector plays a pivotal role in connecting communities and driving economic activity. However, with growing concerns about climate change and environmental sustainability, a pressing need to decarbonise this crucial sector is needed. Recognising this urgency, Australian trailer manufacturer Borcat Trailers has taken a significant step towards sustainability by embracing Capral Aluminium's LocAl® Green lower-carbon aluminium. Borcat Trailers, a renowned name in the Australian trailer manufacturing industry, has built its reputation on quality, durability, and innovation. Committed to reducing its environmental footprint, the company has partnered with Capral Aluminium, a leading supplier of aluminium products, embracing LocAl® Green lower carbon aluminium as the new standard for extruded aluminium supplied into its business. Capral's LocAl® offer includes two lower carbon aluminium options: LocAl® Green with carbon emissions of 8kg CO2e/kg Al* and LocAl® Super Green at 4kg CO2e/kg Al* - amongst the lowest carbon aluminium available globally. The carbon emissions in primary aluminium production range from under 4kg CO2e/kg Al to over 20kg CO2e/kg Al, largely dependent upon…

As Southwell Lifts & Hoists prepares to celebrate its 80th anniversary in 2025, it stands as a testament to enduring innovation, resilience and excellence in engineering. Let’s take a comprehensive look at the historic milestones, significant achievements and enduring legacy of a company that has been a cornerstone of the vertical transport industry in Australia. The early years: founding and initial growth Founded in 1945, Southwell Lifts & Hoists began its journey in the post World-War-Two era, a time when industrial growth was paramount to rebuilding economies. The company's inception was rooted in addressing the burgeoning need for reliable lifting solutions in various industries, including manufacturing, construction and logistics. With a vision to deliver high-quality, dependable products, the founders laid a strong foundation that would support decades of innovation and growth. In its early years, Southwell focused on manufacturing simple hoists and lifts designed to meet the immediate needs of local businesses. The company's commitment to quality and customer satisfaction quickly garnered a loyal customer base, setting the stage for future expansions. Technological advancements and product diversification…

The Combi-LC is Combilift’s latest innovation supporting the global shift to renewable energy. As demand in this sector ramps up, there is a constant need to handle increasingly large loads and this machine answers the call. Blades for onshore wind turbines typically measure up to 80 metres long, but the latest LC model goes one step further. While making light work of onshore blades, the LC can handle lengths of up to 115 metres and weights of up to 70 tonnes – the kind used for larger offshore wind farms. In 2022, Australia’s Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen, announced the identification of six priority areas for offshore wind – Gippsland, VIC; Hunter, NSW; Southern Ocean, VIC; Illawarra, NSW; Bass Strait, TAS; and Indian Ocean off Bunbury, WA. This announcement solidified the need for the Combi-LC for the wider energy and manufacturing sectors. However, the size and weight of each blade is only half the issue for Siemens and other…

Since the first range of Okuma CNC Double Column Machining Centres were introduced in 1966 they have set the industry benchmark with more than 10,000 units sold to date worldwide, surpassing all competitors with the long-time Okuma cultural ethic and success. Within the Australian and New Zealand market, the first Okuma double-column machining centre was delivered to a customer in Christchurch, New Zealand in 1981 and this machine remains in active service. Since that time forty-two have been installed with a record-breaking seven being installed and commissioned within the current 2024 year. Ideally suited to a broad range of industry segments the Okuma Double Column Machining Centres are now extensively used in industries such as rail, heavy transport, mining, hydraulics, industrial machinery, tool & die, gas & fuel, power generation and general engineering, among many others. Leading specialist engineering supplier, Steelrod Pty Ltd in Queensland has substantially increased its capacity by adding a second high-speed Okuma Double Column Machining Centre (DCMC) to their workshop. Their first Okuma DCMC was an Okuma MCR-BII with a table capacity of 45 tons with the…

There’s a lot of work going on at Ego Pharmaceuticals (Ego), equating to a huge investment in their future. As they grow their capacity to provide quality skincare to the world, they also work passionately towards operating within even more sustainable means. This complete refurbishment of Ego’s production at their Braeside site, costing $100m, will increase production capacity by 100% and create 90 new jobs. The company is also extending the Distribution Centre in Dandenong South; increasing capability and capacity to support local and fast-growing export markets. Ego produces more than 150 dermatological skincare products, with brands including QV, SunSense, Elucent, MOOV and Aqium being stocked both locally and across more than 15 countries. Key export markets include Asia, the Middle East and the United Kingdom; with exports now making up half of the sales. From humble beginnings 70 years ago in a laundry in suburban Melbourne, Ego has grown into a leading global brand with more than 730 employees in 15 countries, including more than 400 staff in Victoria. Sustainability Measures Right up front,…

Let's delve into the world of the 'K-factor'. This term, coined by journalist Alberto Ronchey, former Italian minister of cultural and environmental heritage, has an interesting history. It was initially used to describe the lack of change in political forces in the early 1950s of republican Italy. However, in our context, the K-factor represents something entirely different. It symbolises MG's ability to innovate its offer, specifically the K-model, an innovative plate rolling model for which our company holds the patent. But why a new model? To understand the reason for the K model, we have to refer to a customer who chose two models, namely the 4-roll plate bending machine model K2020C (14mm rolling capacity and 10mm pre-bending capacity) and the 4-roll plate bending machine model K3042G (34mm rolling capacity and 42mm pre-bending capacity). So why choose an innovative model? The answer lies in its configuration: already in the current 4-roller models, the minimum straight side is 1.8 times the thickness of the sheet being processed, which saves…

SPERONI’s hardware and software solutions in the fields of tool presetting, tool measurement and tool management are the top choice for leading companies in the manufacturing sector, thanks to the company’s innovative outlook and its products’ precision, longevity, ease of use and ‘Made in Italy’ guarantee. All SPERONI products are equipped with state-of-the-art technologies and are Industry 4.0 ready. Digital manufacturing is the goal of all companies: from logistics to measurement, up to data transfer to machine tools, the exchange of data between controls and tool management systems is fundamental to allow for the improvement of the whole production process, from the tool room to the production. INTELLIGO, the tool management software developed completely by SPERONI, realises these concepts by allowing the management and real-time integration of all services and devices tied to the tool resource in an effective and centralised way. INTELLIGO includes all functions for the optimisation of the shop-floor activities tied to the tool resource: stock management, location management, cost management, tool assembly/disassembly and…

Composed of site visits across August and September, the 2024 Medtech Manufacturing Roadshow is a rare opportunity to get up close and personal with the cutting edge of Victorian medtech and experience our sector's manufacturing capabilities first-hand. Hosted by the Australian National Fabrication Facility (ANFF), Bosch Australia Manufacturing Solutions, and Cell Therapies*, the Roadshow offers valuable insights for both industry and students. Students can discover our sector's range of career pathways and internship opportunities, helping them chart a course from graduation to success. Professionals and entrepreneurs can learn more about the advanced manufacturing capabilities in our sector, helping them select the right partner for their next project. Places are strictly limited! Please note some events are intended for specific industry or student audiences. We look forward to seeing you there!   Bosch Australia Manufacturing Solutions REGISTRATION LINK 2.30 to 5.30pm – Thursday, August 22nd 1555 Centre Rd, Clayton VIC 3168 Transport from city centre available   Australian National Fabrication Facility REGISTRATION LINK 2.30 to 5pm – Thursday, August 29th…