Industry News

Austech will once again be a must-attend event for manufacturing professionals from around Australia in 2015. Austech will be held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre from 26 to 29 May. As the show’s organiser, AMTIL is looking forward to welcoming the entire Austech community, comprised of more than 10,000 industrial decision-makers, to interact, see the latest technology, and find answers to their manufacturing problems and challenges. Reflecting the strong support from AMTIL members, early results on participating exhibitors is ahead of the Austech 2013 pace, with more than 75% of the overall floor space already booked. “With the recent move to a two-year cycle, early signs indicate that we can look forward to a robust event,” Austech Exhibition Manager Kim Warren said. “Austech is the place to be in May. About 87% of the attendees at Austech are in middle- or senior-management positions. This group is an important audience segment, not just because of its size but also because these professionals play a key role in shaping the…

Boeing forecasts demand between now and 2033 for 36,770 new airplanes, valued at US$5.2 trillion. Of these, 15,500 will replace older, less efficient airplanes. The remaining 21,270 will be for fleet growth, stimulating expansion in emerging markets and development of innovative airline business models. Single-aisle airplanes command the largest market share. Approximately 25,680 new single-aisle airplanes will be needed over the next two decades, driven by fast-growing low-cost carriers and network carriers. The wide-body fleet will need 8600 new planes, with a new generation of high-efficiency aircraft helping airlines open new markets that previously were not economically viable. To meet demand, aerospace OEMs are seeking ways to increase capacity by reducing manufacturing time. A new chapter On 22 December 2014, Airbus opened a new chapter in commercial aviation with the delivery of the world’s first A350 XWB to Qatar Airways. The Airbus A350 represents the latest industry benchmark in terms of reduced noise,…

The Pedders organisation began back in 1950, when Roy Pedder opened Pedders Die-Cast Welding Service at a site on Hawthorn Road, in the Melbourne suburb of Carnegie. Roy, an ex-RAAF welder, began the business by fixing general household items, and with his skills in welding die-cast materials, he soon found his niche in the automotive market, specialising in smash repairs and shock absorbers. Pedders moved with demand and its reconditioning work gained wide acceptance. In 1964 Pedders was mass-producing its own brand of shocks by simply modifying overseas designs to suit local needs. In 1972, Roy’s eldest son Ron took over the running of the company, and two years later he took the next significant step by utilising what the company had learnt in reconditioning others’ shocks, and began designing its own. To support this radical step, Ron understood that the only way to ensure good distribution of his product was to open Pedder’s own stores. Today, Pedders is headed up by Ron Pedder’s eldest son Mark, who took on the role as Managing Director in early…

The list of items needing regular maintenance in your shop is probably long. It probably seems there is always something to be done. Unfortunately, while most shops are great at inspecting items like cranes, forklifts and air compressors, an item that tends to slip through the cracks is the plasma cutting system. It might be that the old adage “the squeaky wheel gets the grease” proves true here. Plasma systems, at least good-quality systems, don’t tend to be troublesome. The systems go about the job day in and day out, slicing through whatever metal is thrown at it, but while your plasma system may appear to work just fine, failure to properly maintain it is quietly impacting its performance and life. Mechanical parts will start to wear out, causing rough machine motion. Part tolerances will deviate. Cut quality, particularly at higher speeds, will suffer. It is kind of like the tyres on your car. To get the best life and performance, you need…

A study led by Professor Amin Al-Habaibeh – of the School of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment – found that by combining infra-red cameras and artificial neural networks it was possible to consistently detect when cutting tools were broken or missing. The technology – which does not require any contact with the manufacturing machinery – could provide live feedback via computer to alert operators in order to help prevent catastrophic tool damage. The study was supervised by Professor Al-Habaibeh and Professor Ahmad Lotfi, of the university’s School of Science and Technology and developed by PhD researcher Milad Elgargni. It has been published by the International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology. Professor Al-Habaibeh, a professor of intelligent engineering systems, said: “This could be a very efficient method for manufacturers to maintain the productivity of their manufacturing lines and the quality of their products in an automated way. The real advantage is that the system can detect problems in real time, which is difficult to achieve by common…

Those who walk through the doors of Australia’s premier advanced precision manufacturing and machine tool show, at Melbourne’s Convention and Exhibition Centre from 26 to 29 May 2015, will have a world of manufacturing opportunities open before their eyes. Of course it takes all areas of manufacturing, including tooling, workholding, software and systems integration, to come together to create a complete solution, but machine tools are one important piece of the manufacturing puzzle. This year, Austech will once again host all the world’s leading machine tool builders under one roof, showcasing the latest machine tool configurations and also stylings that are notably different and fresh. The slowly recovering but still very challenging conditions of the Australian market for machine tools and other equipment make Austech of keen interest to local suppliers. “Given the current conditions inside Australia’s metal manufacturing sector, it’s important that business owners and operators can examine the next investment steps in manufacturing technology they must take to rebuild their competitive position in the global arena,” comments Phil Hayes, Managing Director of Okuma Australia &…

Manufacturing activity was boosted in part by a lift in manufacturing exports off the back of the lower Australian dollar. Readings below 50 indicate a contraction in activity, with the distance from 50 indicative of the strength of the decrease. Three of the seven activity sub-indexes were above 50 points this month. Manufacturing exports expanded for a second month (up 3.0 points to 54.0), while supplier deliveries (up 4.3 points to 52.9) and stock levels (up 6.0 points to 51.4) returned to expansion after contracting in December 2014. Although the new orders (up 3.9 points to 47.6) and production (up 2.7 points to 48.6) sub-indexes improved in January, they both remained below 50 points. Manufacturing sales contracted for an eighth consecutive month (down 1.1 points to 45.3). “While manufacturers opened the new year with reductions in sales, production and new orders, the healthy lift in exports is a welcome sign that the fall in the value of the Australian dollar will be a fillip to the sector over…

As far as AMTIL is concerned we have a number of key activities to focus on over the coming 12 months. Austech, which is running from 26-29 May in Melbourne, is shaping up to be the “Super Show” we expect it to be. Now that Austech only runs every two years, it is apparent that exhibitors are keen to promote the latest technology available to our manufacturing sector and this should allow visitors an excellent opportunity to view and discuss what difference these technologies can bring to their business. Most of our Technology Suppliers have booked space, and with Austech not scheduled to run again until 2017, this year will be a bumper show. Within Austech will be the Manufacturers Pavilion, a dedicated area for Australian manufacturers to showcase their capabilities to an audience expected to top 10,000. This area will also feature OEM’s and multinationals that are keen…

You may simply be participating in a trade show overseas and need some funds in the local currency. Or you may be an exporter, receiving payments from customers in US dollars, yen, euros or sterling. You may even fancy playing the markets a little, moving your money from one currency to the next to hedge against losses and make the most of exchange rate fluctuations. The currency markets are a complicated business, however, so it helps to be able to obtain expert assistance whenever you can. To help AMTIL members negotiate the best deals available on currency exchanges both large and small, Compass Global Markets - the leading Australian foreign exchange specialist - has now been appointed as a service partner for AMTIL. Under the terms of the service partner agreement, Compass will offer all AMTIL members preferential exchange rates, fee-free payments on amounts over $10,000 and a dedicated Account Manager. The team at Compass fully understands the need for Australian manufacturing firms to stay competitive in the global economy. Compass will help increase your business’ competitiveness…

AMT: Let’s start with your professional background and how you came to your current role. SM: Well, I was a Federal Member of Parliament representing the Wollongong area, which of course was a great manufacturing base for Australia. In fact I put myself through university by working in the steel industry, and my grandfather was a coalminer. So in terms of what historically underpinned manufacturing in Australia, I had some background. I represented Wollongong for 18 years in Parliament. I was Speaker of the House, Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Shadow Minister in various areas including terms in Defence and in Trade. After 1996, during my time in opposition, I completed a PhD in economics part time through the University of Wollongong, which examined financial deregulation under the Hawke/Keating Government. I left Parliament and took up various senior roles in universities. I was at the University of Wollongong in Dubai as a chief executive/president, I was Pro Vice Chancellor International here at Victoria University in Melbourne, Deputy Vice…

Researchers from RMIT’s Unmanned Systems Research Team have lodged a provisional patent on the system, which mimics the way feathers help birds detect disturbances in the air. Research supervisor Professor Simon Watkins, said flight testing on a micro plane showed that the system significantly reduced the effects of turbulence. “By sensing gusts and disturbances in air flow through their feathers, birds are able to fly gracefully rather than bouncing around in turbulent air,” said Professor Watkins. “The system we have developed replicates this natural technology, with the aim of enabling planes to fly smoothly through even severe turbulence – just like birds.” The system is based on the concept of phase-advanced sensing, in which flow disturbance is sensed before it results in aircraft movement. This can be achieved by early sensing of the pressures from gust effects on the leading parts of the wing or by measuring the gusts ahead of the wing. Professor Watkins said the system had great potential for all sizes of aircraft and could…

The manufacturing industry across the country is going through an interesting period. At the same time major plant manufacturing is declining, high-tech manufacturing for smaller employers is going through a phase of significant growth. ARRB is a perfect example of this trend. Not only are we the country’s leading roads researchers and advisers, but also a manufacturer of the world’s most advanced road measurement equipment with substantial growth in new product development and international sales. The question is: why do high-tech manufacturers like ARRB continue to buck the trend and succeed, when bigger more traditional players are struggling? Let’s explore this through a case study. Niche manufacturing Pavement cracking and road quality deterioration is a dangerous and ongoing problem that is difficult to effectively monitor and record. Previously, it was done by painstakingly taking pictures of the road and picking out cracks – a tedious process that isn’t truly reflective of…

Belgian robotics technology and solution company RoboJob is a market-leading specialist in the automatic loading and unloading of CNC machinery. It commenced its activities in the ANZ region last year after it reached an agreement with the Australian branch of Okuma, the Japanese market leader in CNC turning and milling machines. Under the terms of their partnership agreement, Okuma is selling, installing and servicing RoboJob automation solutions throughout Australia and New Zealand. RoboJob’s Turn-Assist and Mill-Assist series of equipment are integrated solutions that enable the automatic loading and unloading of turning and milling machines. A key element of each is the interactive controller, whereby basic dimensions are asked for and input by the operator, allowing quick set-up or changeovers to occur, making important short batch work much more viable. Both systems can be used for a wide range of dimensions (standard ø 5 to 400mm) and weights (up until 700 kg). The portability of the equipment between machines is also a major advantage. Once set up, ‘after…