Industry News

Built-in conjunction with global aviation fuel products and service supplier Air bp and leading aviation specialists Refuel International in Melbourne, the vehicle will be based at Brisbane Airport, uplifting Jet-A1 for business and general aircraft at the busy international airport. The refueller can carry approximately 16,000 litres of aviation fuel, with all onboard pumps and functions fully electrified, with the management of the systems provided by the proprietary SEA-Drive power system. This system has previously been adapted to electrify a wide range of ancillary functions, such as the hydraulic systems found on refuse vehicles, elevated work platforms, tippers and tilt trays, or the cooling units found in refrigerated delivery trucks. This latest adaptation sees the bulk of the energy for the truck devoted to the fuel delivery task, rather than propulsion for the vehicle. “SEA Electric is proud to be partnering with Air bp on this world-leading project, which sets the standard for environmental credentials and performance, all while showcasing the possibilities of EV technology,” said…

Engineers have discovered a way to replace 100% of conventional aggregates in concrete – such as gravel and crushed rock – with rubber from discarded tyres that meet building codes, promising a boost for the circular economy. The team from RMIT University says the new greener and lighter concrete also promises to reduce manufacturing and transportation costs significantly. Small amounts of rubber particles from tyres are already used to replace these concrete aggregates, but efforts to replace all of the aggregates with rubber have produced weak concretes that failed to meet the required standards – until now. The study published in the Resources, Conservation & Recycling journal reveals a manufacturing process for structural lightweight concrete where the traditional coarse aggregates in the mix were completely replaced by rubber from used car tyres. Lead author and PhD researcher from RMIT University’s School of Engineering, Mohammad Momeen Ul Islam, said the findings debunked a popular theory on what could be achieved with recycled rubber particles in concrete. “We have demonstrated with our precise casting method that this decades-old perceived limitation on using large amounts…

When NSW Ports embarked on a two-year program to rehabilitate the structures and combat corrosion levels at its Bulk Liquid Berth 1 (BLB1), it commissioned Melbourne-based consultancy Infracorr to deliver a bespoke cathodic protection (CP) system. Designing the system presented several challenges because BLB1 houses hazardous gas, petroleum and chemical pipelines that could be at risk of ignition if exposed to unsafe levels of voltages and currents. To safely deliver the system, the consulting firm engaged cathodic protection specialist Omniflex to support the hazardous area and remote monitoring aspects of the CP system design. Over the last decade, reports have established that chlorine-induced corrosion is affecting some of the major structures at NSW Ports, including Sydney Harbour and Port Botany, Australia’s largest container port. NSW Ports commissioned Infracorr to design a CP system for use at BLB1, which is located at Port Botany and houses hazardous gas pipelines. The project also included the repair of defective concrete structures, which were suffering from the effects of corrosion and concrete spalling in the many pre-stressed beams and headstocks of the various bridges…

“Explainable AI is a set of tools and techniques that help us to understand model decisions and uncover problems like bias,” says Stephane Marouani, the Country Manager at MathWorks Australia. “Explainability can help those working with AI understand how machine learning models arrive at predictions, which can be as simple as understanding which features drive model decisions but more difficult when explaining complex models.” AI is transforming nearly every industry and application area. With that comes requirements for highly accurate AI models. These AI models can often be more accurate than traditional methods, yet this can sometimes come at a price. Most advanced AI models are “black boxes” by nature of the underlying neural network techniques where results are hard to trace and it’s difficult to understand the line of reasoning. This is never truer than today in the face of the world’s race to electrify everything and the ubiquitous integration of AI, which are two separate but…

Harnessing the energy from pulsed lasers provides a new tool to improve the reliability and lifetime of metal parts. Laser shock peening offers significantly deeper residual compressive stresses (RCS) than traditional shot peening methods. With the introduction of THEIA, a diode-pumped Nd:YAG laser, Thales enters a new sector, that of laser shock peening, shifting metal fatigue prevention to a higher plane. History indicates ‘shot peening’ (SP) has been used over the past five decades in surface modification to metals and alloys, for the purpose of changing the surface integrity, obtaining superior mechanical properties, preventing metal fatigue, or surface cracking and in so doing improve the service life of parts. The result is a dimpling effect. Following the impact, the recovery process induces residual compressive stresses (RCS) on the surface of the substrate making it stronger and resistant to surface cracking. Shot peening is widely used on various metals and alloys across industrial, aerospace, medical, and automobile sector. Recently laser shock peening (LSP) has been adopted as a more suitable process in critical industries such as nuclear, biomedical and aerospace. In…

Founded in 1985 and acquired in 2004 by Phil Wicks and his son Ray Wicks, Kingsway Confectionery has cemented its reputation as a supplier of quality wholesale and retail confectionery products along with being a prominent co-packing partner for branded and private label products in the confectionery and snack food industries. In 2016 the business relocated to their current premises in Melbourne’s bayside suburb of Seaford. This move facilitated the immediate expansion of the operation and provided the necessary scope for further growth opportunities. In 2020 the need for additional capacity became apparent and the installation of their third production line was commissioned. Ray Wicks has taken over the mantle of General Manager from his now semi-retired father overseeing the day-to-day operations. Wicks is supported by partners Jason Keegan (Production & Warehousing), Niki Totton (Sales & Development) and what they all agree are amazing and committed production and warehousing crew. “While our recognisable expertise is packaging goods, behind the scenes we are problem solvers and a valuable knowledge centre. We pride ourselves on being a trusted and agile business partner, and we are…

The Digital Jobs for Manufacturing Program is open to businesses with a manufacturing presence in Victoria which are on a growth trajectory and are seeking to utilise their existing workforce to apply digital technology to their operations. Global manufacturing is becoming increasingly technology-driven, requiring highly skilled workers and a competitive edge in new techniques. Manufacturing technologies are constantly changing and manufacturers in Victoria need to continuously adapt to maintain their advantage. The Digital Jobs for Manufacturing Program assists Victorian manufacturing businesses adapt to a digital operating environment by providing nominated employees with fully subsidised digital skills training. Funding is available to manufacturing businesses to enroll their employees in a training course in a highly sought-after digital skill. Businesses can select from a list of 12-week online, part-time industry-endorsed courses. Examples include (but are not limited to): data analytics; cloud computing; IT operations and support; web development; digital marketing; enterprise resource planning (ERP); customer relationship management (CRM); or robotic process automation. Grants of up to $5,000 are available per employee and require…

Henkel is slated to produce Loctite polyurethane (PUR) adhesives in Australia from the first half of 2023. The adhesives will be manufactured in Kilsyth, Victoria, to serve the engineered wood industry across Australia and New Zealand. “Purbond adhesives are used globally and have long been the benchmark for innovation and reliability in the engineered wood industry. Producing Purbond locally is an exciting endeavor that opens many opportunities for us to help our customers in Australia and New Zealand to grow,” said Brad Simpson, Sales Manager and Business Unit Manager, Adhesives Technologies, Engineered Wood, Furniture and Building Components. Henkel’s adhesive experts at its Innovation and Application Labs in Sydney and Auckland, help customers explore ways to expedite the time to market and optimise their own production processes for the development of engineered wood solutions. With the production of Purbond in Australia, adhesives production can be customised for specific performance requirements such as fire resistance and for use with modified timbers. “By localising the production of Purbond adhesives, our customers will benefit from reduced lead times from order to delivery, as well as greater supply…

Established in 2016, Zone RV offers a range of Australian-made off-road caravans that combine lightweight composite bodies with class-leading components. Headquartered in Coolum Beach, QLD, the company employs technologies from sectors such as aerospace and maritime to manufacture off-road caravans that are lighter, stronger, and safer. The Zone RV team boasts more than a quarter-century of experience in true composite manufacturing across the marine, aeronautical and civil construction industries. In its ongoing pursuit of improved processes at its production facility, Zone RV recently turned to additive manufacturing as a means of expanding capability and raising productivity. In particular, it was keen to streamline its mould-making operations through the adoption of 3D printing. Following extensive research, the company opted for a VSF122 large-area gantry-based machine from CNC Design, a hybrid additive-subtractive system capable of both 3D printing and machining in composite materials. “At Zone RV we’re always looking for new ways to deliver a better product more efficiently,” Dave Biggar from Zone RV said, “and…

When the Rowley Regis-based subcontract manufacturer was tasked with drilling 55,600 holes in a 3m by 2m press tool recently, it turned to the cutting tool experts from Industrial Tooling Corporation (ITC) and its industry-leading drilling lines. The Black Country manufacturer produces anything from small to large volume batches as well as bespoke tooling, stamping dies, and more from an equally wide range of materials. To ensure the 37-employee toolmaking business can facilitate the production of large tooling projects, the company has a large bed Hurco DCX32i machining centre with a 3.2m by 2.1m bed – the perfect work envelope to accommodate the latest press tool that demands drilling over 55,000 holes in one 25mm thick plate and also a second 50mm thick EN8 steel plate. With 13 CNC machining centres on the shop floor and a range of additional machining technology, the West Midlands company that works in the aerospace and automotive industries among others has witnessed a significant upturn in business since the pandemic. Discussing…

Australian company Hysata’s world-leading hydrogen electrolyser technology has been supported by renowned global investors, as the organisation closes its oversubscribed Series A funding round of $42.5m. Virescent Ventures led the funding round on behalf of the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC), with participation from Kiko Ventures, IP Group Australia, Vestas Ventures (Denmark), Hostplus and BlueScope. Assembling such a high-profile and high-impact list of investors underlines the significance of the transformation that Hysata is bringing to the green hydrogen industry. The Hysata electrolyser operates at 95% system efficiency (41.5kWh/kg), delivering a giant leap in performance and cost over incumbent technologies, which typically operate at 75% or less. This high efficiency, coupled with the simple approach to mass manufacturing and low supply chain risk puts the company on a path to delivering the world’s lowest-cost green hydrogen. “Our mission is to redefine the economics of green hydrogen production through our innovative proprietary electrolyser technology. The support of this international syndicate of clean energy practitioners and investors validates our core technology and our approach…

AMT: You started as CEO at the Australian Logistics Council (ALC) this July. Tell me a little about your career journey until now. Dr Hermione Parsons: My career focus has been on end-to-end supply chain strategy and complexity, planning multimodal infrastructure and solving freight logistics in metropolitan, regional and international markets. Multimodal infrastructure involves two or more types of transport. AMT: To help others wanting to move into supply chain management, what did you study? HP: I completed a Masters of Urban Planning – Intermodal Freight Systems, specialising in integrated port freight logistics at the University of Melbourne. Then I did a PhD at Monash University in end-to-end supply chain in the fresh produce and retail industry. I am also a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. On-the-job training in corporate and government roles related to supply chain has also helped me to gain extensive industry knowledge. AMT: Tell me a little about ALC? HP: ALC represents the major Australian supply-chain…

AMTIL was invited along to witness the 33.BI-MU show in Milan at the famous Fiera Milano Rho trade show buildings in October. This Italian exhibition was dedicated to the manufacturing industry of machine tools, robotics, automation systems, additive manufacturing and subcontracting. Promoted by UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE, the Italian machine tools, robots and automation systems manufacturers’ association. Barbara Colombo is the President of the UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE and she spoke of the momentum showing in the halls. “Although this slowdown has a physiological effect and the level of orders is still high, the fall is to be considered in light of those major factors of destabilisation,” she told AMT. “The context of the rise in price of raw materials, hard-to-source electrical and electronic components, and the energy crisis, the health of manufacturing in this part of Italy is showing the third best for improvements, from 2020 to 2021, behind China and Germany.” The 33.BI-MU showed some of the best…