Industry News

There’s a lot of heart and soul in the Tasty Fresh Food Company. There’s the staff, the food and the trucks, and the interface can be the entire community. Since opening in 1979, this little food truck company has expanded from Melbourne into NSW, QLD, and Perth. The logistics are astounding. A proud people person, CEO Colin Lear leaps around the headquarters, from accounts to the boardroom, from the kitchens to the vast hangar where vans shoot in and out, and from the large workshop and garage where eastern Victoria’s Tasty vans are fitted out and gassed up. Colin knows practically everyone in the Ferntree Gully HQ by name. Highly organised chaos greets us as the vans return from a busy day out. Then there’s the setup for tonight’s production. Tasty Trucks has a fully-fitted bakery in the headquarters here as well. “We make all our fresh products here ready to stock our vans tomorrow morning, and we do that in four…

A 130% price increase for a cast steel blank is a challenge for the Albstadt-based security engineers of Assa Abloy. The solution? Do it yourself—with a new machining strategy and tools from Gühring. The result? A 50% cost saving per component is not the only benefit for the company. Whether it’s a cucumber in the supermarket or a steel component in an industrial company, war and a pandemic have made shopping expensive. Assa Abloy, a security technology manufacturer in Albstadt, also felt this. The company usually purchases the housing for its electric strikes from a steel precision casting manufacturer. But about three years ago, it increased its prices by 130%. “Suddenly, it was no longer economical for us to offer these products,” recalled Patrick Matysiak, Deputy Product Cell Manager at Assa Abloy. An alternative needed to be found. Can we reduce prices with cheaper injection moulding from China? Patrick Matysiak had a better idea: “I had a thought: Why don't we switch to free-cutting steel and machine the entire component in-house?" The plan is clear: A new machining centre will…

Together, the two teams will design and develop the world’s most energy-efficient BEL, delivering an innovative zero-emissions solution for heavy haul rail. This will mark a significant step forward to commercialising zero-emissions power system technologies in heavy industry applications. This collaboration draws on Downer’s rollingstock and engineering experience, combined with Fortescue Zero’s decades-long experience as a heavy haul rail operator and expertise in green technologies and zero-emission power systems. “As Australia’s leading provider of rail and transit systems, I couldn’t be prouder that Downer will now be a world leader in helping rail eliminate emissions,” said Peter Tompkins, Downer CEO. “With 150 years of rail experience, including the ability to design, manufacture and maintain rolling stock, as well as through-life-support, Downer is excited about our role in a zero emissions future,” he continued. The collaboration was announced at InnoTrans 2024, the world’s largest rail transport exhibition attended by over 140,000 people from the global rail industry. Members of both teams signed the collaboration agreement, showing on a world stage Australia’s commitment and capability to…

The SICK Ident Gate System automatically identifies inbound goods directly at the loading dock based on shipping labels. The track-and-trace system detects the shipping labels when the worker drives through the gate—without stopping—with a loaded pallet. Thanks to the direct ERP connection, the acquired data are compared with the available order details. A visual loading and status check indicates to the personnel whether the data matches. The Ident Gate System has a modular structure and can be individually adapted. To round off the concept, selected identification technologies such as RFID, 1D and 2D, or even hybrid approaches can be combined with functions for measuring or classifying the containers. In the rapidly evolving world of logistics, where “over $400bn worth of goods are sold based on a measurement,” in Australia alone, efficiency is crucial. As the industry propels towards heightened efficiency, SICK presents technologies that meet these crucial needs, thereby revolutionising the logistics landscape. The Ident Gate System automatically identifies delivered goods based on shipping labels during loading and unloading directly at the loading gate. The data is transmitted to a…

Small businesses in remote and isolated areas in Australia encounter unique challenges when sourcing specialised materials and components for their manufacturing operations. One obstacle is the difficulty in accurately cutting steel plates that exceed a certain thickness. These robust metal plates are crucial for various industrial applications, such as mining equipment, construction projects, and heavy machinery repairs. BEZ Engineering connected with Headland Technology at AMTIL’s Australian Manufacturing Week, and their experts understood the challenges and presented the OMAX Maxiem 1530 water jet machine as a technology solution. Andrew Smith, Managing Director of BEZ Engineering, oversees all business operations and financial aspects. Bez Engineering is a family-owned and operated business in the Pilbara since 2000. The company was initially opened to service the Oil & Gas, Mining and Marine industries in the Pilbara region. The business has undergone many transitions, with a change of directors in 2023. The vision of the business follows Henry Ford’s saying, “Quality means doing the right thing when no one is looking”. This mindset allowed Bez Engineering to be a leader in manufacturing quality products for…

A second-generation family business based in Narangba, Queensland, Steelrod Pty Ltd is a leading specialist engineering supplier to rail authorities and mining companies throughout Australasia and selected export regions. Founded in 1974 by Doug Veneris and celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year, the company continues to expand and is now run by sons Damian and Shawn Veneris as joint Managing Directors. Damian is a qualified boiler maker, and Shawn specialises in the commercial side of the business. Today, the company employs a highly skilled team of more than 55 experienced personnel. Based on the strongest foundations built on quality engineering excellence and delivery performance across a diverse range of engineering capabilities and complex industrial projects, Steelrod has continued to invest in modern state-of-the-art high-end machining centres and has kept abreast of cutting-edge technological developments. In 2008, Steelrod commissioned its first Okuma Double Column machining centre, replacing an older alternate machine. In June this year, it commissioned a second Okuma Double Column machining centre, MCR-A5CII 20x40 with OSP P300MA Control, based on the earlier machine's performance and reliability,…

In the pipe welding industry, advancements in automation continue to provide solutions to the labour gap caused by an acute shortage of skilled welders. Novarc Technologies Inc., a full-stack robotics company specialising in designing and manufacturing cobots and computer vision AI for automated welding applications, has been a pioneer in welding automation since 2013, providing a solution to the welding labour shortage. Weld Australia predicts a shortage of nearly 70,000 skilled welding operators in Australia by 2030. With an aging welder workforce and a need for uptake of the welder trade, there are no simple solutions to the welder demographic. According to Geoff Crittenden (CEO, Weld Australia), a member survey conducted in 2023 found that “labour shortages, and the rising cost of materials, energy and labour remain high on the agenda for the welding industry. Without funding and support from governments at all levels, these challenges will make it nearly impossible for industry to deliver the necessary manufacturing capability required for the Federal Government’s ambitious renewable energy revolution.” Novarc Technologies Inc.'s flagship product is the Spool…

Space Machines Company, an Australian-Indian in-space servicing firm, has forged strategic partnerships with two industry leaders: Ananth Technologies, India’s premier aerospace and defence manufacturer, and Digantara, the leading full-stack space infrastructure company easing space operations and space traffic management. These collaborations mark a significant milestone in Space Machines Company’s mission to revolutionise space operations and traffic management. The partnerships will play a pivotal role in the upcoming Space MAITRI मैत्री (Mission for Australia-India’s Technology, Research and Innovation) mission and the launch of Space Machines Company’s second Optimus satellite. Scheduled for 2026, the satellite will be deployed aboard NewSpace India Limited’s (NSIL) cutting-edge Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV). Space Machines Company’s CEO and Co-Founder, Rajat Kulshrestha, formally announced and signed the two key agreements today at the Bengaluru Space Expo (BSX) 2024 in Bengaluru, India. “These partnerships represent a significant milestone for both the Space MAITRI mission and Australia’s growing connection with India’s space sector,” said Rajat Kulshrestha, CEO and Co-Founder of Space Machines Company. “We’ll work closely with Ananth Technologies and Digantara throughout the Space…

Hazelwood North Solar Farm has been granted planning permit approval for a 450-megawatt solar farm that will power approximately 150,000 homes and prevent 700,000 tons of emissions. The $651m project will create about 500 construction jobs and be more extensive than any solar farm currently operating in the state. As part of the construction plan, the site will be bordered by native vegetation landscaping to screen the facility from the surrounding land visually. The project also includes provision for a large 450-megawatt, four-hour battery energy storage facility that will store cheap solar power during the day and feed it into the grid when needed. Renewable energy made up 39% of energy capacity last year because of the 78 new large-scale projects commissioned to date, delivering 5.34 gigawatts of energy. These projects support Victoria’s nation-leading renewable energy generation targets of 65% by 2030 and 95% by 2035. These renewable energy targets are supported by energy storage targets of at least 2.6 giga-watts by 2030 and 6.3 gigawatts by 2035. “The Latrobe Valley has been the home of Victoria’s energy generation…

Many manufacturing projects involve artificial intelligence (AI), and AMTIL collaborated with Monash Innovation Labs once again recently. They invited AMTIL members to tour the facilities and network with the best minds in the business. Prof. Adrian Neild, Director of the Monash Innovation Labs, presented on industry partnership opportunities. There were guided tours of the Makerspace, the Monash Deep Neuron display, Monash Automation, and Monash Smart Manufacturing with the digital twin systems, as demonstrated by Dr Keenan Granland. To bookend the tours, there was a panel on the critical theme of the evening, ‘AI in Manufacturing, ’ moderated by Monash’s Michelle Willis, with Dr Yunlong Tang from Monash University, Dr Juxi Leitner of LYRO Robotics and Dr Ziejue Chen from CSIRO. Up for discussion were the current developments in AI that are most impactful to the Australian manufacturing sector. Dr Ziejue Chen from CSIRO addressed the security concerns about the data being collected for the AI engine. “The collection can be from just one camera and collected on just one PC, which doesn’t have to be connected to…

As Australia’s Tyre Product Stewardship Scheme reaches its ten-year milestone, Tyre Stewardship Australia (TSA) has reported unprecedented growth in rubber product recycling opportunities across the country. Industry case studies show rubber product users and recyclers in metro, regional, rural, and remote areas are defying challenging economic times to gain value from tyre recycling. “As Australia’s tyre product steward, we provide focused and practical pathways for government, business, and consumers to take action. And they are. They are putting in the hard yards to take us into the future,” Tyre Stewardship Australia (TSA) CEO Lina Goodman says. “We’re seeing more innovation than ever before, and it’s all down to the stamina, staying power and will to do the right thing of those who have invested dollars, time and energy into building Australia’s circular tyre economy,” says Goodman. Currently, 16 tyre and auto brands are investing in circular tyre economy outcomes for Australia by supporting TSA. Eight tyre brands—Bridgestone, Continental, Goodyear Dunlop, Kumho, Michelin, Pirelli, Toyo, and Yokohama—have been doing so since…

Plant managers often have a deep understanding of all the critical operational challenges facing their facility and a broad knowledge of the instrumentation that can help solve them. However, they might only sometimes be aware of the latest innovations that can make their lives easier. For instance, multifunctional monitoring instrumentation simplifies all plant measurement and control processes. Ian Loudon is an international sales and marketing manager at Omniflex, a remote monitoring specialist. Streamlining technology is one of the most effective ways to innovate. In almost every industry, a business will likely opt for a single solution with multiple functionalities over a selection of specialised products—provided it doesn’t compromise on quality. Signal conditioning is no different. Signal conditioning converts physical qualities into readable data that computer systems can process. Often, applications are complex, with multiple specialised components configured to measure an individual physical property, such as line linearisation in tanks. This method quickly becomes impractical across all industries with signal conditioning applications because multiple physical processes require 24/7 monitoring. In an industrial plant environment, physical processes…

According to one of the country's leading geologists and immersive technology experts, a virtual and robotic revolution in Australia’s mining industry could end fly-in-fly-out (FIFO) workers within decades. Virtual and augmented reality, along with automation, are transforming the mining sector, says UniSA Professor Tom Raimondo, allowing more work to be done remotely, saving time, money and removing many of the risks and travel for workers. Professor Raimondo, Dean of Programs for Information Technology and Mathematics at the University of South Australia, is developing VR and AR platforms to enhance core logging with machine learning, create fully digital reconstructions of mining operations, and even simulate the drilling process. MinEx CRC, the world’s largest mineral exploration collaboration, has facilitated this innovative work. It includes projects such as the RoXplorer digital twin, an ultra-realistic simulation of the drill site of the future, and the Exploration Metaverse, a collection of immersive AR and VR platforms for collaboratively viewing and analysing complex mining data with colleagues and experts from across the world in real time. “Globally, it is becoming more difficult and more…