Industry News

In this report, certain generic words such as product and others are used. However it should always be understood that, while manufacturing terminology may be used, the ideas described are equally applicable to service organisations. They may also cover specific elements of a business process, rather than simply the whole business. Many people have the impression that mass customisation is about mass production, and through some magical process allows an unlimited number of variations to be offered to the customer. This is wrong. Mass customisation is about tailoring the offering to the customer, while retaining the lower costs per item that are offered by mass production. This allows SMEs to complete with larger enterprises. Mass customisation is also highly data-driven. Consequently, it is relevant to the ongoing developments in the field of Industry 4.0. From pull to push, and back again Before industrialisation, everything was craft production,…

HP has expanded its HP Multi Jet Fusion 3D printing technology into Australia, announcing iOrthotics as the first commercial customer to purchase an HP Jet Fusion 3D 4200 Printing Solution in the country. Adopting HP Multi Jet Fusion 3D printing technology will allow iOrthotics to become one of the first orthotics manufacturers in the world to have completely transitioned from polypropylene milling to 3D additive manufacturing – a faster, more sustainable method producing custom-made orthotics devices that are significantly stronger. iOrthotics recognised the economic benefits that would flow from digitising their operations and shifting to the market’s most advanced 3D printing innovations to produce products faster, superior in quality and with almost zero waste. “Patients depend upon their orthotics for comfort and wellbeing, so it is only natural that they expect these devices to be strong, sturdy and dependable,” said Dean Hartley, founding Director and General Manager, iOrthotics. “The extensive research and testing we conducted with the University of Queensland provided the empirical evidence that devices manufactured by HP’s Multi Jet Fusion 3D…

Following many years working in the sheet metal industry, Jon Flynn founded Wildcat Industries around 10 years ago. Based in Dandenong, Victoria, the business now employs 20 people across four divisions: high-tolerance sheet metal work; architectural facade work; the manufacture of high-tech wood and gas flue systems; and most recently, Wildcat wood-fired pizza ovens. While the architectural division services clients throughout Australia, the sheet metal work is predominantly Melbourne-based. Wildcat offers custom perforated panels to the architectural, building, construction, interior design and landscaping industry. Flynn already had extensive experience dealing with Applied Machinery having, in his own words, “virtually bought every single piece of equipment to date” from them. “The Applied Machinery people look after me as though they are part of my business,” says Flynn. “The service, support and warranty are very important for me and Applied excel in this area. So the decision to buy a Yawei fibre laser from Applied Machinery was both a…

The Telstra Business Awards offer entrants, finalists and winners a range of benefits and opportunities including a comprehensive Business Benchmark Report with actionable advice and insights, as well as access to exclusive masterclasses and networking events. For the 26th year running, the Awards are giving Australia’s best small and medium businesses (SMBs) and charities a chance to shine among their peers, and to demonstrate that they are ‘that’ business – a leader in their field. Vicki Brady, Telstra Business Awards Ambassador and Group Executive, Consumer and Small Business, said the Awards are part of Telstra’s commitment to SMBs: “As a technology company and trusted advisor to SMBs, we are proud to be able to continue empowering businesses by providing them with the tools they need to enable their future success, and we’re there to celebrate with them with these awards. “From the personalised Business Benchmark Report and networking opportunities, to the national recognition finalists and winners receive, the Telstra Business Awards not only support innovation and inspiration in our business…

Set to run well past 2040, the three-part, continuous build program will include 12 submarines, nine frigates and 12 offshore patrol vessels (OPVs). Canberra hopes it will do away with the cyclical, feast/famine nature of the sector, allowing it to build up muscle tissue, target export markets, and improve the digital literacy of the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) involved. As Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull put it, when the winning Future Submarine bid was finally announced in 2016: “The spin-offs to the rest of the economy will be immense.” The nature and magnitude of spinoffs from this “generations-long national endeavour” of naval work will be known later. However, the efforts needed to grow the SMEs (there are an estimated 3,000 SMEs in the sector, according to the Defence Industry Policy Statement) that will support the endeavour are already underway. The Australian Manufacturing Growth Centre has described the submarine project, properly approached, as offering a “moon-shot opportunity” for…

For the majority of manufacturers, like gas, electricity and water, compressed air will be an indispensable utility to their operation. However, unlike gas, electricity and water, compressed air is more often than not produced the conventional way – via a compressed air system that the manufacturer actually owns. Here, the manufacturer not only pays for the utility itself (the compressed air produced), but at some point in time will have had the capital outlay for the purchase of the compressed air equipment, as well as the ongoing costs to service and maintain the compressed air system. Compressed air contracting presents a viable alternative to investing in, and maintaining your own compressed air system. Here, the end user simply purchases the compressed air they use, in the same way they would purchase gas, electricity or water. And, they can immediately enjoy the advantages…

One such company that exemplifies this is Hizeaero, a South Korea-based aerospace structure manufacturer, which utilises the Faro Edge ScanArm HD to conduct its safety inspections across its projects. Established in 1999, Hizeaero first started supplying aircraft wings to various domestic and international aircraft manufacturers. The company’s operations later expanded to include the entire aircraft manufacturing process, ranging from aircraft assembly to refurbishment maintenance, and the production of aircraft components – such as sheet metal machining and surface treatment. In 2017, Hizeaero set up its third factory, occupying a total area of 11,000 square metres in Busan. Some of the aerospace industry’s biggest names are Hizeaero’s customers. They include Boeing, AVIC International, COMAC, ShinMaywa, ACM, ST Aerospace, Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), Korean Air and Asiana Airlines. A new challenge In 2016, Hizeaero signed a supply contract…

The Entrepreneurs’ Programme is a Commonwealth Government flagship initiative focused on raising the competitiveness and productivity of eligible companies at an individual level. The Programme forms a part of the Australian Government’s Economic Action Strategy and deploys more than 100 experienced Advisers and Facilitators, offering support to businesses through three key elements: Business Management Business Growth Services Supply Chain Facilitation Innovation Connections Accelerating Commercialisation To run a successful business, it’s not enough to have a great product or service. You also need to understand your challenges and continually identify and leverage growth opportunities to improve your business performance. This is where the Entrepreneurs’ Programme can help. The Business Management element of the programme provides practical support to help businesses improve and grow through strong, sustainable strategic business management and business capability. The Business Management element offers: On-site support from an industry specialist Business Adviser or Business Facilitator who will give you objective insights and recommendations aimed at helping you improve and grow your business. Funding through matched grants of up…

GE is investing US$10m globally over the next five years to create a pipeline of additive manufacturing experts to accelerate advanced manufacturing under its Additive Education Program. A hand-picked team of GE specialists evaluated and selected eight universities to receive the 3D printing equipment, with UNSW the only recipient outside the US. “This is a wonderful opportunity for GE to partner with UNSW and continue to grow the design possibilities for Australian engineers,” said Max York, GE’s CEO for Australia. “This collaboration will help UNSW and GE to take the lead in fostering the next generation of additive manufacturing technology in Australia.” Tom Gleeson, General Manager for Global Sales at GE Additive added: “That UNSW would be selected from 250 college and university applications under the GE Additive Education…

At the threshold of Industry 4.0—the technology and innovation Industrial Revolution—we are only beginning to notice a profound shift taking place. The magnitude of this transformation is, according to the founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum, Klaus Schwab, unlike anything that humankind has experienced in history, and the industry poised to lead the Australian economy into the 21st century is advanced manufacturing—an industry in the midst of a historic transformation across the entire industrialised world. The Productivity Commission has already confirmed that the labour market will change significantly over coming years, and while the enormity of…

The Montmorency-based aerospace and defence company has been able to win lucrative global contracts and create new local jobs thanks to support from the State Government. As part of the Future Industries Manufacturing Program, Lovitt Technologies has taken on five new workers and acquired advanced manufacturing technology, including a next-generation computer to create precision aerospace components. The cutting edge technology has allowed the company to extend and secure major new contracts with clients in the aerospace industry such as Boeing and Lockheed Martin. Lovitt Technologies was established in 1954 to manufacture tooling for Australia’s automotive industry. Over the ensuing six decades it has evolved continuously, anticipating the eventual decline of Australian car-making and acting decisively by branching into fields as diverse as communications, defence and food & beverages. Primarily, however, the company has developed a strong niche in the field of aerospace over the last 20 years. Today, aerospace components account for around 95% of the company’s…

One such opportunity became apparent as Productivity Improvers, a Lean consultancy and training businesses, were coming to terms with the loss of the Simulated Work Environment (SWE), a unique training facility that was owned and housed at Caterpillar’s facilities. The SWE had traditionally been used by Caterpillar to teach the Lean manufacturing principals that underpinned its productivity across the world. Productivity Improvers had only recently developed a three-day, nationally accredited training course in Competitive Systems and Practices (Lean) that utilised the SWE. The course had seen attracted demand from industry, and delivered amazing results. “We had to find a practical way to keep the SWE here in the North-West,” says Productivity Improvers Director Clynton Jaffray. “The potential for it to positively contribute to improving the culture and productivity of business in our State was obvious.” One of the biggest advocates for the SWE was Lee…

January marked a 16th month of expanding or stable conditions for the Australian PMI – the longest run of expansion since 2005. For the third consecutive month all seven activity sub-indexes in the Australian PMI expanded, with six accelerating their pace of growth. Five of the eight manufacturing sub-sectors expanded in January (according to trend data), led by the very large food & beverages sub-sector (61.4 points). Large differences in conditions were evident, with the petroleum, coal & chemicals sub-sector recording its highest monthly result in almost a decade (67.9 points) while the textiles & clothing sub-sector recorded its lowest monthly result in a similar timeframe (33.5 points). The input prices (down 1.1 points to 69.7) and wages (down 1.1 points to 59.1) sub-indexes continued to recede from November’s historic highs, while the selling prices sub-index indicated mild price reductions in January (down 4.2 points to 49.2). Manufacturers…