Technology News

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…

Sustainability topics have continued to rise to near the top of the agenda for many manufacturing CEOs. More and more we are seeing their commitments published along with their investment in delivering environmentally sustainable business. But how well are companies doing, what else can be done, and who’s setting the example? Following SPS 2023 earlier this month, the annual gathering of the manufacturing industry, Alex West, Senior Principal Analyst in Omdia’s Manufacturing Technology practice takes a closer look at sustainable manufacturing in his latest analyst commentary. According to a recent Omdia survey 30% of manufacturers describe themselves as having implemented an environmental strategy with a long-term road map, and this is estimated to increase to 42% over the next 12 months. Companies are allocating additional budget to support these such projects. Target setting is also on the up. In the first six months of 2023, the number of manufacturers having committed to Science Based Targets (SBT) for emissions reduction increased by 40%. However, whilst the focus is fixed and intentions are intensifying, the reality of the…

State-of-the-art printed flexible solar cell technology developed by Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, was successfully launched into space today aboard Australia’s largest private satellite, Optimus-1, on Space X’s Transporter-10 mission. CSIRO Space Program Director Dr Kimberley Clayfield said a major challenge in the development of spacecraft is low-mass, high-efficiency power systems. “CSIRO’s printed flexible solar cells could provide a reliable, lightweight energy solution for future space operations and exploration,” Dr Clayfield said. “If the space flight test reveals similar performance as we’ve shown in the lab, this technology offers significant advantages over traditional silicon-based solar. “Yet another example of CSIRO’s terrestrial expertise being applied to solve challenges in the space domain.” CSIRO Renewable Energy Systems Group Leader Dr Anthony Chesman said eight mini-modules of CSIRO's Australian-made printed flexible solar cells were attached to the surface of Space Machine Company’s Optimus-1 satellite. “CSIRO researchers have been working for many years to improve our solar cell performance using perovskite – an advanced material that is highly efficient in…

The ANU Quantum Optical Ground Station is a telescope that will support high-speed advanced communications with satellites from low-Earth orbit to the Moon and other deep space laser communication. It will also support future research on advanced communications technologies, providing satellite networks with quantum security and global connectivity. With support from the Australian Space Agency’s (ASA) ‘Moon to Mars’ initiative, the station is being upgraded with the latest optical technology that will enable communication between the station and future NASA-crewed missions beyond low-Earth orbit. The station received major funding from the ACT Government’s Priority Investment Program with additional support from the Australian Space Agency, CSIRO and TESAT. ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr labelled the ground station as a key national asset that positions Australia and the Indo-Pacific region to collaborate and compete on the global stage. “Canberra has the capabilities to support space industry success and to take advantage of the enormous investment being…

Hoffmann recently introduced the ZeroClamp zero-point clamping system. Designed to significantly reduce set-up times and increase machining efficiency, the patent-registered new system provides an effective route to producing more components, quicker and at a lower cost. Some features set this reliable and robust work-holding solution apart from other competitor systems. Using the face and taper HSK spindle tooling principle the ZeroClamp clamping pots can achieve a repeatability of +/- 2.5 microns, around ten times more accurate than existing systems. As the hollow, tapered-shank bolt is drawn into the clamping pot the elastic properties of the seating ring expand slightly, allowing the taper to locate positively and the faces of the pot and the pallet or raw material to engage and locate solidly. Subsequently, each fixing point has a break-out force of between 12.5kN and 60kN, depending on the clamping pot diameter. This principle also removes any machining-induced vibration, minimises all thermal effects and compensates for hole misalignments of up to +/-0.1mm as the tapers always compensate towards the centre of the clamping position. The tapered bolts are produced from case-hardened 42CrMO2 steel and are…

Imagine having Gandalf protect your industrial motors. It would be a formidable force to reckon with. Well, according to Freddie Coertze, the ifm moneo Data Science Toolbox has a wizard that can provide just that type of protection – by predicting motor issues through the use of advanced vibration analysis (AVA). “A unique aspect of moneo is that this wizard can help users determine the vibration limits of their motor and predict failure well in advance, so there is enough time to act,” says Coertze, the National IoT Business Development Manager for ifm Australia. “It’s a great way for an industrial business of any size to start implementing a predictive maintenance plan – without the fuss and complexity that is often associated with this process. Because you’re starting just with the motor monitoring.” Unlike other condition monitoring solutions, moneo has been designed for ease-of-use. It is a self-service IIoT platform where the hardware, software and smarts – which are predictive formulas created by artificial intelligence (AI) – come in one package. The AVA wizard is a tool that comes with moneo and can…