February 3, 2022
In an Australian and industry first, the agreement between the two Adelaide-based companies will see Tindo and Reclaim PV working towards a sustainable solution to address the problem of solar panels going to landfill when they’re disposed of – a problem that could amount to 100,000 tonnes of modules by 2035. The agreement comes as Reclaim PV continues to add partners to its national recovery and recycling network and commences recycling at its Lonsdale facility in Adelaide, and Tindo Solar installs an upgraded production line in its new factory. Shayne Jaenisch, Chief Executive Officer of Tindo Solar, said while his company did not have an immediate solar panel landfill problem because Tindo products were made to last 25 years, Tindo Group’s installation business took hundreds of end-of-life panels from roofs every month, to be replaced by Tindo Solar panels, which presented an opportunity to direct the old panels to Reclaim PV facilities. “We have partnered with Reclaim PV because as Australia’s only…
November 1, 2021
Hosted by TV presenter and author James O’Loghlin, the ceremony was attended online by stakeholders in the innovation ecosystem from across government, private enterprise, the investment and scaleup community. This year’s winners included manufacturing company FormFlow, cybersecurity specialists Haventec, and telehealth solution provider Coviu, which took home not only the Medtech & Pharma Award but also the title of Australian Technology Company of the Year. Of the 11 winners, five were led by female founders, highlighting the growing representation of women in deeptech. They include Coviu, iVvy, Plaetos, Goterra and Sound Scouts. Strong themes also included renewable energy, the circular economy, telehealth, bushfire resilience, emergency management, personal security and artificial intelligence. This year’s winners were: BlockTexx (NSW) – Circular Economy Award Coviu (NSW) – Medtech & Pharma Award + Australian Technology Company of the Year FormFlow (VIC) Advanced Manufacturing Award Goterra (ACT) – Food & Agribusiness Award Haventec (NSW) – Cyber Security Award iVvy (QLD) – Smart Cities Award Microbiogen (NSW) – Energy Award Plaetos (VIC) –…
November 1, 2021
SPARTAN is Hypersonix’ fifth-generation scramjet. It is a fixed-geometry self-igniting hydrogen-powered scramjet capable of accelerating from Mach 5 to Mach 12. SPARTAN’s fixed geometry means it has no moving parts, so the design lends itself to 3D printing (3DP). This reduces both the cost and time to produce the scramjet, while potentially adding to reliability and performance. Additive manufacturing allows the creation of parts that have a complex design, and is perfect for light-weighting, which is essential for the space industry. SPARTAN uses green hydrogen for fuel, so creates no CO2 emissions. The hydrogen fuel also allows Hypersonix to utilise regenerative cooling on the combustor, in turn allowing the use of readily available high-temperature alloys in place of more expensive and complex high-temperature composites. David Waterhouse, Managing Director and co-founder of Hypersonix said: “The use of additive engineering to manufacture a scramjet engine will fundamentally disrupt the cost structure of scramjets and an important step in providing more affordable access to hypersonic flight. We are very proud of Australia’s world…
October 12, 2021
Opening in the first half of 2022, the Simulator will provide compelling virtual worlds for vehicle development engineers and expert drivers in test and evaluation of new vehicle designs. Additionally, the associated infrastructure will allow advanced virtual vehicle prototyping design and testing, driver training, and automotive research and development. Deakin Vice-Chancellor Professor Iain Martin and Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research Professor Julie Owens welcomed the announcement of funding for the new platform by the State Minister for Training, Skills and Higher Education Gayle Tierney. Professor Martin said the Next Generation Simulator will provide the first dedicated and most advanced research infrastructure for driver-based and autonomous mobility technologies in Australia. “This is an exciting initiative and a powerful demonstration of what can be achieved when academia works collaboratively with government and industry partners,” he said. “This crucial infrastructure project will position Geelong as a global leader in the industry and make a substantial contribution to Deakin’s deep commitment to the economic and…
October 12, 2021
In the 11th year of the Competition, leading innovators in energy, smart cities, circular economy, manufacturing, health, food & agritech, mining and engineering, cyber security, disaster & emergency management and social impact are represented in the prestigious shortlist. The finalists were selected from 41 semi-finalists, who were all provided access to personal mentoring, a highly rated International Growth Masterclass and a deep dive growth program. The ATC21 finalists are: Avertro, NSW. Avertro delivers a SaaS platform that focusses on the business benefits of cyber security to help leaders articulate and quantify the value for the whole organisation. BlockTexx, NSW. BlockTexx has created a solution to the problem of textile waste – recovering polyester and cellulose from textiles and clothing. Change Foods, VIC. Change Foods use precision fermentation and advanced manufacturing methods to produce bio-identical dairy proteins and fats required to make cheese and other dairy products without using animals. Coviu, NSW. Coviu is a leading video telehealth solution, powering simple, secure and feature-rich…
February 4, 2021
Uncertainty is arguably what most business leaders fear most. But when you launch a new company aimed at building the first supersonic passenger jet since the Concorde, you need to embrace it, be agile and think big. That’s the story behind Boom Supersonic, an aerospace company located near Denver, Colorado. Boom is a growing company with a big idea – to make supersonic air travel mainstream. Earlier attempts at commercial supersonic flight were unable to achieve sustainability, economically or environmentally. However, advancements in technology and the growing prevalence of global travel create a market opportunity for Overture, the company’s flagship airliner. Overture will be the world’s fastest airliner and will cut long-distance flight time almost in half, making it possible for more people to go more places more often. To bring it to life, Boom has embraced 3D printing in nearly every facet of the aircraft’s development. Big ideas come with big challenges What Boom is trying to accomplish isn’t for the faint-hearted. The last time paying passengers flew supersonic, with Concorde, it was a government-driven, Cold War-era prestige…
February 4, 2021
In Australia, most high-head hydro energy – such as Snowy Mountains Hydro, for example – has already been harnessed, and in most cases large civil infrastructure is required to create dammed reservoirs. However, there is an opportunity for low-head hydro power generation to become more accessible and with lower barriers to entry, while being sustainable. Kinetic NRG’s modular turbine design will be able to generate power from existing streams, irrigation channels and discharge canals. “We have been helping Kinetic NRG with composite solutions for their hydroelectric turbine,” says Paul Falzon, General Manager at ACS-S. “They were very impressed with the quality and dimensional accuracy we could achieve with the highly complex part. As an added bonus, we were also able to take out 70% of the blade mass compared to the steel design! The key advantage of using composite materials in Kinetic NRG’s turbine is its mass savings,…
February 4, 2021
In the past 36 months, more than 50 Bodor laser systems have been installed within Australia by Industrial Laser, who will now be stepping back from system machinery sales and concentrating on assisting resellers and end users with high-level support for all brands of laser systems. Laser Machines recognised Industrial Laser as a premium laser service provider with several laser field engineers, combined with Australia’s largest stock holding in laser consumables. The two companies have signed an agreement with Laser Machines utilising Industrial Laser’s local resources for the installation and support of all Bodor laser systems going forward. Adam Kibel, Director of Laser Machines, said: “ This resource allows our customers to enjoy the very best service and after-sales support from a company that has been dedicated to this industry for over 20 years. I believe no company can look after laser users better than Industrial Laser, and we want the very best for our customers.We also have dedicated local Bodor factory engineers supporting our service partners.” Miles Wang, Sales Director of Bodor Laser Australasia…
February 4, 2021
Researchers at Monash University’s BioPRIA, Department of Chemical Engineering and School of Biological Sciences have created medical gowns for healthcare workers and first responders using paper laminated with a coating of polyethylene – a lightweight thermoplastic. Paper has never been used to produce medical gowns with viral protection. However, this innovation could see the mass rollout of high-quality PPE to vulnerable communities across the world. Machine-glazed, bleached and newsprint papers were laminated with polyethylene coatings of different thicknesses, before being characterised for their potential use as medical gowns for healthcare workers and COVID-19 patients. The findings show paper could be the missing element in creating alternative materials for PPE to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and keep people safe. “The global pandemic, spike in demand, and shortage of traditional PPE materials suitable for viral transmission protection has driven researchers, virologists and biomedical experts to collaborate and explore low cost alternative materials…
January 25, 2021
Carel and Muriel Leussink founded Leussink in 1977, initially operating out of a humble home garage in Unanderra, New South Wales. Today it is a second-generation family business offering complete design, fabrication and machining services and solutions for clients over a wide spectrum of industries. It prides itself on delivering world-leading after-sales service, maintaining close client liaison to ensure expectations are met or exceeded on each job. It is equally renowned for machining bespoke components, fabrication or projects manufactured to turnkey operational level, leveraging years of skills and experience. “At Leussink we genuinely believe in local manufacturing,” says Jason Leussink, the company’s Managing Director. “Of course, in our industry, it is not always possible to buy 100% Australian made materials, but where we can, we do buy Australian and support other organisations that have the same philosophy.” The company’s boasts a wide range of capabilities including CNC machining, milling and turning, wire cutting, surface grinding, design, metal fabrication,…
January 25, 2021
The National Circular Economy Roadmap found innovation is crucial to realising Australia’s largest economic gains, which will come from designing new products and materials, including through advanced manufacturing, and in embracing new business models that will create domestic and export markets for waste streams. This could more than triple job creation from resource recovery in Australia, where the recycling sector currently generates 9.2 jobs per 10,000 tonnes of waste, compared with only 2.8 jobs for the same amount of waste sent to landfill. Increasing Australia’s recovery rate by just 5% would add an estimated $1bn to GDP. The Australian Government’s ban on the export of waste last year creates an opportunity for a new circular economy strategy that turns landfill into economic returns. CSIRO Chief Executive, Dr Larry Marshall, said science and technology can drive Australia’s next wave of economic opportunities. “Australia is among the world’s best in advanced manufacturing and environmental research, and that unique science can turn industry and…
January 25, 2021
According to power and automation company ABB, the addition of a VSD can reduce energy consumption by as much as 60%. This means that, if a 90kW motor in continuous operation is combined with a VSD, financial savings can amass to over $16,000 per year. A VSD can help achieve these savings by better catering for the needs of a specific application. Traditionally, induction motors run at fixed speeds and are suited to applications that require a constant motor output speed, such as in pumps or fans. Yet sometimes, varying motor output speeds are preferable to meet the changing requirements of the load, such as in fans, pumps and precision tools. Also known as a frequency converter or adjustable speed drive, a VSD is able to control the speed and torque of the motor to better match the process requirements of the machine it is driving. It is the…
January 25, 2021
Scientists from UNSW Sydney have developed a ceramic-based ink that may allow surgeons in the future to 3D-print bone parts complete with living cells that could be used to repair damaged bone tissue. Using a 3D-printer that deploys a special ink made up of calcium phosphate, the scientists developed a new technique, known as 'ceramic omnidirectional bioprinting in cell-suspensions' (COBICS), enabling them to print bone-like structures that harden in a matter of minutes when placed in water. While the idea of 3D-printing bone-mimicking structures is not new, this is the first time such material can be created at room temperature – complete with living cells – and without harsh chemicals or radiation, says Dr Iman Roohani from UNSW’s School of Chemistry. “This is a unique technology that can produce structures that closely mimic bone tissue,” he says. “It could be used in clinical applications where there is a large demand for in situ repair of bone defects such as those caused by trauma, cancer, or where a big chunk…
