Material Removal

**This story originally appeared in the April 2026 edition of AMT Magazine** “Everything on this planet, at one point or another, has been screened… we’ve been doing screen media for well over 50 years as a business,” Multotec Australia VP sales and service Grahame Hopkins says. Whether it’s for the purposes of accurate product sizing or removing impurities or other undesirable materials, the creation of screens to filter food, extracted materials and other material is a well-established component of materials processing. With that broad experience comes a clear view of the persistent risks faced by operators working on screen decks, particularly when it comes to panel change‑outs. “One of the biggest problems with screen media is potential risk or damage to product and people,” Hopkins explains. Most screening decks use screening panels that are traditionally bolted or hammered into place, or installed using either a clip or pin system, and have to be prised out using a screwdriver.“So everything's working on lever and pinch points, fingers, hands, etc, and then obviously the…

The Northern Territory manufacturing ecosystem will soon access the latest surface cleaning technology for metal and other materials through Darwin-based services company Wurrba (pronounced Wataba), with co-investment from the Northern Territory Government and managed by the AMGC. Wurrba’s adoption and deployment of cutting-edge laser surface cleaning technology will mark the first time this calibre of technology is permanently available in the region, as companies previously required to engage with interstate or international suppliers for laser cleaning services. Founded in 2020, Wurrba is an Indigenous-owned, managed, and operated project management business that delivers comprehensive end-to-end solutions in construction, remediation, and maintenance throughout the Northern Territory. In collaboration with laser cleaning experts, Wurrba will also aim to tackle the challenges of operating such equipment in the heat and humidity of the Northern Territory, while also enhancing local staff’s skills in the operation, maintenance, and sustainment of the precision equipment. “Laser cleaning will become a critical enabler for the NT’s manufacturing and wider industrial ecosystem,” explained Raphael Clarke, Founder of Wurrba. “Through the adoption and deployment of this advanced technology, Wurrba…

Specialist engineering company AG Engineering Solutions has invested in the latest Okuma CNC Lathe technology to provide a marketing edge and increased capability. Formed in 2010, the private family business AG Engineering Solutions specialises in new work and the maintenance and refurbishment of major plant and equipment for leading mining companies, paper mills, the steel and recycling industries, etc. and has become the go-to company for the fast replacement or refurbishment of equipment, design advice, fabrication and preventative maintenance programs. “With this type of work we are called on to produce one or two off engineering solutions on our machines where size capacity, speed and easy programming are all critical factors,” said Managing Director Sam Guccione. “Our work is time critical as a breakdown in any of our clients’ major plants costs enormous amounts of money, so an Okuma machine that can produce an outcome in one process rather than multiple processes proves to be a great advantage,” he said. The latest Okuma CNC Lathe model LB4000EX x2000 is being commissioned. This is the company's first Okuma machine, and there is…