Industry News

In the information-driven, cyber-physical environment of Industry 4.0, the digital transformation of the manufacturing industry has brought on an interconnection between data, people, processes, services, systems, and production assets. With this, the volume, velocity, and variety of data that companies manage has increased exponentially. Known as ‘Big Data’, this information is crucial for companies looking to implement data-driven strategies to optimise performance and efficiency, or increase competitiveness. Amidst the excitement and anticipation of potential opportunities that these changes bring, augmented reality (AR) has emerged as a transformative technology that is set to revolutionise manufacturing processes. Valued at U$2.39bn in 2016, the AR market is expected to reach US$61.39bn by 2023, and the applications of AR has evolved significantly since its introduction. Transformative technology for the everyday AR has many applications in today’s society, whether through the use of smart glasses, video and laser projectors, or the overlaying of additional information. AR users can experience a new and improved natural environment, where virtual information is used as a tool to…

Storemasta is a perfect example of an innovative local company that has found great success with out-of-the-box thinking. It has carved out a space as Australia’s leading manufacturer of dangerous-goods storage, supplying its product to a raft of our biggest business names from Coca Cola Amatil and Visy, to Rio Tinto. The company is also actively growing its export market. According to the lobby group, the Advanced Manufacturing Advisory Committee (AMAC), Stormasta is exactly the sort of niche operator that has helped spearhead the sector turnaround. “This is an incredibly exciting time for Tasmania’s advanced manufacturing sector,” says AMAC Deputy Chairman Kent Wyllie. “Not so long ago, there was little positivity around manufacturing, however my observation is that now we are in a period where we are seeing incredible opportunity. Two years ago we were worried about workers getting jobs. Today we are seeing a skills shortage.” The AMAC is charged with guiding the future growth of this sector and is keen to capitalise on Tasmania’s unique advantage as an island state. “We…

By now, you have probably heard numerous predictions for 2020, refering to billions of devices connected to the Internet of Things (IoT) and the masses of data that will be generated. There’s no doubt that the big data created by IoT devices is increasingly driving manufacturing intelligence to generate greater operational efficiencies across the assembly line. It is helping manufacturers to target specific pain points, such as improving machine productivity and maintenance, as well as to predict supply shortages and equipment maintenance needs and failures. Already, 40% of the world’s IoT devices are now used in business and manufacturing. However, the Australian manufacturing industry has been relatively slow to adopt smart technologies, with recent reports estimating we’re sitting at about half the global rate. So why haven’t Australian manufacturers jumped on board the IoT bandwagon? High energy costs and strong overseas competition have created some reluctance to invest…

Australian flight training businesses have always faced challenges in offering adequate simulated training to cadets because of the limited facilities available and a lack of economic resources. Most flight schools can only provide outdoor practices, with minimal indoor simulation training because the cost of the average flight simulation system exceeds most budgets. SynFlyt, a Sydney-based specialist flight simulation company, was formed in 2011 to improve this situation by developing and building its own range of three-degrees-of-freedom (3DOF), full-motion aircraft simulators. SynFlyt’s products are designed to simulate light aircraft, gliders, single-engine jets, touring aircrafts and chase planes. However, finding a way to reduce production costs was no easy task, because everything on the simulators had to be customised. Costs could easily exceed $100,000 for one customised simulator. To tackle this problem, SynFlyt employed a uPrint 3D Printer to produce parts and components for its newly developed simulators. “In the initial phase of selecting a 3D printing solution, Stratasys emerged as an early leader through its outstanding level of service,” says Ross Maclennan, Managing Director and Engineering…

AMT: Tell us firstly about Wohlers Associates and what the company does. Terry Wohlers: Wohlers Associates turned 32 years of age last November. Most of the three decades-plus have been focused on additive manufacturing and 3D printing – terms that are used interchangeably. In the last couple of decades, our focus has been almost 100% on additive, as well as complementary technologies, such as design tools, 3D scanning, and post-processing – things linked in some way to additive manufacturing. The core business is consulting. We work with client companies of all types and sizes. Among them are RØDE Microphones of Sydney, America Makes, Airbus, Honeywell, and many other organisations in 26 countries. An important part of our business is the Wohlers Report, an annual review of the state of the additive manufacturing industry. We’ve been publishing it for 23 years and we’ll be starting our next edition early next year. As many as 80 people in 32 countries help with the report,…

Featuring all of the key machine tool dealers, all under the one roof, Austech 2019 will showcase a vast array of the very latest in state-of-the-art manufacturing technology. With more than 5,800 square metres of exhibition space already booked, visitors to the show will have their work cut out for them just getting round to see everything they need to in the time available. But help is at hand. For this year’s event, Austech’s organisers have partnered up with Map Your Show, specialists in event management software, to create a set of online tools that lets you plan your visit in advance. The tools are accessible right now, so you can start mapping out your movements at Austech right now. To get started, just visit the Austech page on the AMTIL website (www.amtil.com.au/austech). By clicking on the button marked ‘Exhibitor Directory’, users can explore details about all of the…

LANG Technik was founded by Josef Lang in 1982 in the German town of Neuhazen, initially operating as a sub-contractor for the mould-making industry and a manufacturer of general mechanical components. After Josef passed away, his son Guenter Lang stepped in as CEO in 1985. Taking the reins at the age of just 23, it was Guenter who would come to set Lang’s long-term direction, overseeing the company’s transition from contract manufacturing to developing its own products, beginning with the Vario-Tec pin-jaw clamping system in 1997. And Guenter remains very much at the heart of the company’s operations today. “My boss is a typical German inventor,” says Tobias Farr. “He always has some idea of how to optimise processes and manufacturing cycles, and he came up with more and more ideas.” Guenter also took a keen interest in the people side of the business. When Farr joined LANG as a driver in 2003, he was planning to join…

WMF was founded in 1853 as Metallwarenfabrik Straub & Schweizer, and has been part of the French SEB Group since 2016. More than 2,200 employees at the Geislingen headquarters and the nearby Hayingen plant alone are engaged in the development and production of high-quality cookware and cooking knives. Many of these products are still manufactured through the primary and secondary forming of sheet metal blanks, with most of the required tools produced in-house at its tool shop in Geislingen. “For about 30 different knife models alone, we use between 100 and 150 die tools, each consisting of an upper and a lower tool made of hardened hot-forming steel,” explains Hans Brühl, Part Production and Tooling Technician at WMF. To guarantee consistent product quality, the mould makers have to rework the tools after roughly 3,000 strokes. This involves precisely milling and removing approximately 0.5mm of material, a process that is possible up to 15 times…

Although it’s true that larger companies possess more resources, with the right technology, small companies can behave like large ones – while still retaining the agility that makes them perfectly suited to the digital era. Here’s a closer look at four reasons why small-to-midsized enterprises (SMEs) are ideally poised to win big in the 21st Century, and how technology can provide the capabilities needed to do so. Innovation and investment This is the era of innovation—and not just in product design, but also in operational technologies. The Internet of Things (IoT) is driving much of this innovation. Sensor-generated data are paving the way for new offerings that are born from collected and analysed data points. Innovation is also taking the form of new business models, partnerships and co-manufacturing. SMEs are well suited for this type of out-of-the-box thinking. Crowd-sourcing and venture capitalists are helping start-ups execute the next great idea. Technology also plays a part as e-commerce, supply chain visibility, and predictive analytics all…

On 10 December, two F-35A Joint Strike Fighters (JSF) landed at RAAF Base Williamtown in New South Wales (NSW), the first deliveries in what will eventually see at least 72 F-35 aircraft based in Australia. Built by Lockheed Martin in the US, with support from subcontractors from all over the world, the JSF is the largest acquisition in the history of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), and the arrival of the first two planes represented a landmark not just for defence and aerospace in this country, but also for Australian manufacturing. “Australian industry is manufacturing parts that will be fitted to every F-35 in production globally, and more than 50 Australian companies have directly shared in $1.2bn in production contracts to date,” said Steven Ciobo, the Federal Minister for Defence Industry. “Up to 1,500 contractors have worked on the construction of the facilities to accommodate the F-35A at RAAF Base Williamtown, representing approximately $1bn of investment in the Hunter region alone.” In the same week that the two…

State Minister for Jobs, Innovation and Trade Martin Pakula has opened nominations for the awards, which will highlight the importance and strength of the local industry and the bright future of manufacturing in Victoria. The theme of this year’s awards is ‘Industrial Evolution’, recognising individuals and businesses that have demonstrated exceptional leadership and innovation. This year the company award categories include small, medium and large business Manufacturer of the Year awards, as well as Leader in Industry 4.0 and Leader in Workforce Skills Development. There are also two new categories: ‘Leader in Innovative Product Development and Commercialisation’; and ‘Leader in Global Supply Chain Partnerships’. A business will also be inducted to the prestigious Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame. Individuals will be recognised with awards including the Honour Roll, Young Manufacturer of the Year, and Woman Manufacturer of the Year. Victoria’s manufacturing industry contributes over $30bn to the Victorian economy, employing more than 279,000 people. “Victoria’s manufacturing sector is going from strength to strength, and we’re proud to be backing the industry and celebrating…

Manufacturing processes have evolved from craft-made single-item methods to mass production lines and output of increasingly greater numbers of identical parts: a high-volume/low product mix (HVLM) scenario. Most recently, digital technology in programming, machine tool controls and workpiece handling systems are facilitating a manufacturing environment known as Industry 4.0 that enables cost-efficient manufacture of highly diverse parts in small batches: high-mix/low-volume (HMLV) production.In the era of Industry 4.0 it is fashionable to highlight the newest production techniques and digitalisation technologies. However, maximum productivity and cost-efficiency still are based on a foundation of operational excellence. In the present economic environment, manufacturers generally consider speed to be a key indicator of operational excellence. A drawing comes into a facility and eventually a completed workpiece leaves the plant; manufacturers want the time between the two events to be as short…

In all industrial machinery, components add value to the system, and the lifecycle of the system creates an entire value. Digital technologies typically play an important role in analysing data from components and sending this back to the cloud, to what we call a ‘digital twin’. This data can be used to optimise maintenance schedules or improve the performance of the system by changing the way that it is used. Sensors are one of the main methods of data collection, and are commonly placed on parts such as bearings, shafts, axles, bending beams and other moving parts. But they can’t always measure component parts, because of limited space or a lack of availability. To solve this accessibility problem, and revolutionise the way we think about sensors, Schaeffler has developed new technology that allows the industrial or automotive component to be the sensor. Schaeffler’s Sensotect coating system is a directly coated sensor layer that can sit over the…