Technology News

SOCO, a leading digital transformation specialist and IT solutions provider is excited to announce its second annual industry event scheduled for Tuesday, 14 May 2024, at the Microsoft Sydney Office. Titled “Breaking down the hype around AI and CoPilot for Manufacturers”, the event offers a unique opportunity for manufacturing leaders to explore the paradigm-shifting potential of CoPilot and AI, diving into the possibilities that CoPilot and AI offer in transforming processes for manufacturers and accelerating growth strategies. This event is designed to help participants unlock the potential of modern ERP solutions integrated with AI and CoPilot features, exemplified by Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. The event agenda includes keynote addresses on upcoming manufacturing tech trends and practical insights into leveraging CoPilot for greater efficiency, culminating in a roundtable discussion format that allows participants to gain actionable strategies, enhance visibility, optimise workflow, and foster informed decision-making in a collaborative environment. Donna South, Director of Membership at Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC) commented: “Embracing innovation is essential for the sustainable advancement of the…

Australian Manufacturing Week (AMW2023) is approaching fast! It’s not too late to register to be a part of the action. So many companies will be there to show their best and brightest, their latest and greatest products. REGISTER NOW ONLINE The Future Solutions Speaker sessions for Thursday will begin with a quick-paced run of speakers focussing on the skills and workforce development challenges facing manufacturers Training and Workforce Development support options available for the NSW Manufacturing sector Presented by Stacey Mitchell Bales - Manager and Claire McGregor - Senior Project Officer at Workforce Development, Training Services, NSW Government Future-proofing NSW Manufacturers Presented by Annette Dockerty, Program Lead, SME Engagement The 3D’s Digitalisation, Decarbonisation and Diversification Presented by David K Martin, Ai Group's Director of Emerging Industries and Innovation Training solutions for Industry 4.0 and ESG Presented by Laura Mabikafola, Executive General Manager, SkillsLab and Embedded Expertise (SAGE Group) Sustainability and TAFE NSW training offerings, learnings from Sustainability fellowship Presented by Peter Schreiner,…

Around 22 AMTIL members, many driving out from Sydney, others from further out and indeed some others coming up from Melbourne, attended the tours of Komatsu, and on to Eilbeck Cranes in late February. The first stop was down in Moss Vale for a tour of Komatsu. These companies have been manufacturing mining machinery for the last sixty years. After a business overview presentation, safety briefing, PPE fitting and a run-through of the housekeeping, the group visited the many subassembly areas that collectively make up the underground mining machinery that Komatsu manufactures. The immense workshops were filled with mining equipment being fitted with gear for their next descent into the coal mines around NSW and QLD. Hosted by Moss Vale Site Manager Ben James, and assisted by Senior Business Unit Manager, Bill Turner and National Procurement Manager, Scott Hogan, we were directed into many areas to experience some of the shearers, room and pillar/entry development equipment, including continuous miners, bolting systems, haulage systems, feeder breakers, and many sub-components. We also had the opportunity to view a conveyor system…

The Federal Government has introduced a new round of business grants to startups and SMEs aimed at assisting the renewables and low-emission practices in projects. Minister for Industry, Science and Resources Ed Husic, said recently that companies were invited to submit proposals for ideas that address key challenges in increasing energy efficiency of commercial fishing operations; producing safe drinking water for remote First Nations communities; and researching alternative packaging for the Australian wine market. “We want to challenge small and medium businesses to make a strong contribution to Australia’s circular economy,” said Minister Husic. “These grants are an opportunity to bring Australian know-how to solve some of our most pressing economic and social issues, including renewables and low emission practices.” Funding is also available at a State level to help high-emitting manufacturing and mining facilities in NSW develop and deploy decarbonisation projects, from feasibility studies through to commissioning. Grants of up to $305,000 for high-emitting industries are available. Funding for instance will help NSW achieve significant and sustained industrial emissions reductions by 2030, in line with NSW’s target of net…

In December of last year, the Westpac Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) survey revealed that sentiment among local manufacturers had fallen to its lowest levels since the global financial crisis. This sentiment was mirrored in the New Zealand market with the latest data from Business NZ revealing that the manufacturing sector contracted for the tenth straight month in a row. The results were no surprise, given the ongoing economic uncertainty caused by inflationary pressures, regulatory change and supply chain disruptions. Despite the economic headwinds, I have observed a sense of quiet confidence among local manufacturers regarding business conditions. Data can often be a lagging indicator, and with inflationary pressures likely to ease in the second half of this year, the Australian economy is expected to land more softly than originally anticipated. A recent Grant Thornton study also suggested that local manufacturers have a more positive outlook on the market, with many recording strong sales growth in 2023. This trend is particularly evident for emerging manufacturers that are continuing…

The Australian economy would be $100bn bigger and boosted by 42,000 new jobs by hitting a target of investing 3% of GDP in research and development, new analysis by the nation’s peak body for science and technology has found. Speaking at the National Press Club this week, Science & Technology Australia President Professor Sharath Sriram will make a powerful case for rapidly reaching the 3% target to turn Australia into an innovation nation, reveal how to create an innovation ecosystem that will secure the country’s economic future, and warn of the consequences of failing to do so. Professor Sriram is a research rockstar and a commercialisation champion based at RMIT. His work connecting industry and researchers has created more than $9m in commercial partnerships for his university, and spurred innovations including smart bedding products for aged-care support, a wearable device for continuous molecular monitoring, and miniature biosensors for monitoring respiratory illnesses. He will deliver the address as the centrepiece of STA’s Science Meets Parliament (SMP). Now into its 24th year, SMP brings hundreds of scientists and technologists from all…

AMW2024 will begin with all Seven Zones open and active, all 271 Exhibitors enthused and ready to show their best manufacturing technology at the International Convention Centre in Sydney. The first day of AMW2024 will be full throttle. Don’t miss out!    REGISTER NOW The Seven Zones in AMW2024, each with a particular focus, speciality and technology, are: Austech Machine Tools, sponsored by finlease; Additive Manufacturing Zone; Australian Manufacturers Zone; Manufacturing Solutions Zone, sponsored by The Execution Factor; Robotics & Automation Zone; sponsored by IFS Weld and Air Solutions Zone; and the Plastic Technology Zone. The Future Solutions Speaker Program has proven to be a major attraction at AMW shows. These Sessions will also be focusing on these Opportunities as well as Managing Change, featuring experts from various organisations presenting insights on manufacturing opportunities, including ANSTO, the Department of Industry, Science and Resources, Rigby Cooke Lawyers, the Defence Department, and CSIRO. The huge Sydney event will showcase home-grown advanced manufacturing technology. The event will be a celebration of manufacturing in Australia, highlighting innovation and networking opportunities within the…

If you know anything about motorsport, you will know that Formula 1 is the pinnacle. If you manufacture performance automotive parts, you would be justified in thinking that you have made it, if your parts are on board one of the F1 cars. How impressed would you be with a company that doesn’t just supply one team, but works with the entire field? What if I was to tell you, this same company was also the primary supplier for NASCAR, MotoGP and pretty much every other high-end motorsport category, including our very own V8 Supercars? Would you be surprised to hear that such a company does exist, and they are based in Australia? The company in question is PWR Advanced Cooling Technology, based on the Gold Coast. Originally a side business started by father and son team Kees and Paul Weel after various forays into motorsport categories, including the aforementioned V8 Supercars (or a previous incarnation thereof), they identified a need in the marketplace to design and manufacture high-performance, lightweight cooling systems to meet their exacting…

Pharmaceuticals, foodstuff, healthcare, chemicals and other specialised engineering applications have especially high demands when it comes to compressed air quality. For these sensitive processes, Kaeser Australia has released the latest class 0 oil-free compressor. Recently launched in Australia, the new CSG.1 rotary screw compressors have air flow rates ranging from four to 15 m³/min and pressures up to 11 bar. Customers are offered the choice of air- or water-cooling, and can select an optional integrated refrigeration dryer or an i.HOC (Heat of Compression) dryer. The CSG.1 can be specified as a fixed speed, fixed flow rated machine or, for applications with fluctuating compressed air demand, variable speed controlled “SFC” versions are available with IE5 Ultra-Premium Efficiency synchronous reluctance motors. The risk of potential product contamination by oil from the rotary screw compressor is evaluated and minimised by means of an HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) analysis. Process validation is made easier for the customer, as KAESER’s diligence is confirmed by the TÜV Rheinland in the form of a residual oil class 0 certificate in accordance with ISO…

Australia's landscape is vast and rugged. As a nation thriving on development and progression, Australians demand portable, durable, efficient, and innovative solutions. Enter Sureweld, the country's leading aluminium loading ramps and plant trailers manufacturer and a company synonymous with quality and resilience. Focused on keeping Australian commercial contractors moving, Sureweld has grown exponentially since it was founded in 1976. Its ramps and trailers are 100% Australian-made, using locally extruded aluminium sourced from Capral and manufactured in Wangaratta, in northern Victoria. Sureweld sales manager Gareth Hansen joined his father, Sureweld managing director Carl Hansen, in the business when he left school. He has advanced from dispatch and welding to driving sales and supply relationships. “We manufacture the strongest and lightest weight ramps on the Australian market, on a strength-to-weight ratio,” Hansen says. This isn't just a claim. The company has consistently outperformed its competitors. “We have a ramp with a six-tonne capacity that weighs a little over 50kgs; others on the market weigh 70- to 80kgs,” Hansen points out, emphasising the immense value their products provide to operators who…

Tasmania-based Ignite Digi first opened its doors in 2014, established by Tom Waugh as in-house cinematographer, and Aeronautical Engineer/Gimbal Operator Chris Fox operating and engineering the drone camera platforms. Originally forming as an Aerial Cinematography duo, they built Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) or drones, and modified gimbal and camera setups to enhance their business offering. Today their products have been used on some of the biggest film and television productions around the world: Including Disney's Mulan, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, Marvel's Venom, Amazon’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and many other film, television and Netflix programs. Ignite Digi bought their first CNC machine back in 2017, from OKUMA. “Having just come off a big government job, we were making our own small widgets in our bench to help our jobs along,” explained Waugh. Chris Fox is an aeronautical engineer by training. He self-taught himself the CNC system and the CADCAM process. “We…

What would be better than having a mobile App on your phone with you on the AMW2024 show floor with all your selected companies, their stands, where they are, and what they are showing this week?  The AMW2024 Mobile App is now available to download from your preferred App store, completely redesigned from the ground up, and ready for our big show. Registrations are now open for Australian Manufacturing Week (AMW2024), held at the Sydney International Convention Centre in Darling Harbour. Organised and run by the Australian Manufacturing Technology Institute Limited (AMTIL), AMW2024 will occupy more than 6,570 square metres of exhibition space at the ICC, with over 250 organisations taking stands to showcase the latest manufacturing technologies, processes, and support services. Don’t miss out!  REGISTER ONLINE NOW at australianmanufacturingweek.com.au First of all, Download the AMW Expo mobile app for your device from your preferred store, and log in using the same details you used to create your MyShowPlanner profile as the show approaches. You can now log in to the App and everything will be there for you on…

Space Machines Company, the leading Australian in-space servicing organisation, and U.S.-based Orbit Fab, the leading global provider of on-orbit refuelling services, have entered into a partnership combining their expertise to advance in-space servicing capabilities and establish a sustainable space ecosystem. These integrated technologies will enhance space sustainability through reduced debris and extended satellite lifespans. The partnership brings together two industry leaders from opposite sides of the globe and is defined by the joining of innovative technologies, most notably the installation of Orbit Fab’s space fiducial alignment markers on Space Machine Company’s Orbital Servicing Vehicle, Optimus. These markers will act like QR Codes in space, allowing Space Machines Company to work collaboratively with an approaching vehicle by using the markers to provide valuable position and orientation data, ensuring safe and reliable on-orbit operations. Optimus will provide on-orbit, transportation and other in-space services following its launch on the SpaceX Transporter-10 in early 2024. The success and sustainability of Optimus’ launch will be supported by the attachment of the two ‘fiducial’ markers developed by Orbit Fab. These fiducials, which are…