AMT OCT/NOV 2018

AUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY YOUR INDUSTRY. YOUR MAGAZINE

OCTINOV18

What you could achieve next week...

MEDICAL 1 x laser

2 x lasers

4 x lasers

RenAM 500Q multi laser metal additve manufacturing system See reverse for more information

Construction & Infrastructure State Spotlight: Queensland

Reinvent how you manufacture with the RenAM 500Q RenAM 500Q is Renishaw’s new quad laser AM system. It features four high-powered 500 W lasers, each able to access the whole powder bed surface simultaneously.

RenAM 500Q achieves significantly higher build rates without compromising quality, vastly improving productivity and lowering cost per part.

• Full field of view for all lasers for optimum production efficiency • Enhanced gas flow to provide consistent high quality processing • Faster turn-around between builds with improved automated powder and waste handling systems

For more information visit www.renishaw.com/renam500q

Renishaw Oceania Pty Ltd 6 – 7 Gilda Court Mulgrave Vic 3170 Australia T +61 (3)9521 0922 F +61 (3)9521 0932 E australia@renishaw.com

www.renishaw.com

AUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY YOUR INDUSTRY. YOUR MAGAZINE

OCTINOV18

MEDICAL Construction & Infrastructure State Spotlight: Queensland

THE COMPACT PRECISION PLASMA

WITH BIG CAPABILITIES 1250

Dynamic Cut Control (DCC) on all Hypertherm models, Software control of cutting amps and air pressure, error messages from the plasma unit displayed on the Swiftcut control screen and varied cutting speed control from the console for improved cut quality. INDUSTRY 1st UNIQUE TO SWIFT-CUT

NEW RELEASE!

Priced from $17,990 ex GST

Available from

www.machineryhouse.com.au Specifications are subject to change without notice. All pricese exclude GST and are valid until 30-11-18

05_AMTIL_011018

Swifty 1250 is a compact new CNC plasma cutting machine with big capabilities.

It’s versatile, portable and easy to use opening up a world of possibilities and offering great value for smaller workshops. It cuts all steels, cast iron, brass, copper & aluminium.

HEADING

Digital Torch-Height Control (DTHC)

Soft Sense material height sensing, perfect for thin materials

Cut metal up to 16mm depending on the plasma unit selected

• 1250 x 1250 cutting area

Integrated laptop stand

• Up to 16mm pierce and cutting capacity

Laptop not included

• 240 or 415 Volt power • Water tray for efficient control of sparks & fumes • Smooth motion linear V wheels • Digital torch height control • Breakaway head eliminates damage to torch

Water tray for efficient control of sparks & fumes

• Swifty CNC software is standard, Import and Convert DXF drawing files to Swifty machine code, includes a 2D parametric library of common shapes as standard

Laptop Stand

Soft Sense Height Control

Laptop not included

Breakaway Torch Head

We Can Match A Machine To Your Production Requirements MODEL ORDER CODE

SWIFTY 1250 P9004

Cutting Table Capacity Plasma Cutting Unit

1250 x 1250

1250 x 1250

1250 x 1250

1250 x 1250

Unimig Razor Cut 45

Hypertherm 45XP

Unimig Razor Cut 80

Hypertherm 65

No

Yes

No

Yes

8

12

16

16

25% @ 45A 60% @ 29A 100% @ 22.5A

50% @ 45A 60% @ 41A 100% @ 32A

40% @ 80A 100% @ 50A

50% @ 65A 100% @ 46A

Compressed Air

Compressed Air

Compressed Air

Compressed Air

240 / 15

240 / 32

415 / 30

415 / 20

2 Years

3 Years

2 Years

3 Years

$17,990

$20,500

$18,450

$22,500

$19,789

$22,550

$20,295

$24,750

Duty Cycle (Typical)

Input Voltage

Type Volts / Amps

Power Source Warranty

PRICE PRICE

ex GST inc GST

NSW

(02) 9890 9111

1/2 Windsor Rd, Northmead

SWIFTY 1250 XP P9007

mm

mm

Cutting Gas

SWIFTY 1250 P9006

Type

Dynamic Cut Control (DCC) Thickness Cutting Capacity

SWIFTY 1250 XP P9005

QLD

(07) 3715 2200

625 Boundary Rd, Coopers Plains

VIC

(03) 9212 4422

4 Abbotts Rd, Dandenong

WA

(08) 9373 9999

11 Valentine St, Kewdale 05_AMTIL_011018

Xpert Tool Changer Intelligent automation for fast and precise tool changing

ByStar Fiber Fiber laser cutting without compromises

Save the Date Bystronic Australia Automation Day 29 – 30 November 2018, 9:30 – 2:00pm 4 Latchford Street, Cranbourne West VIC 3977, Australia

Mobile Bending Cell Mobile automation for high-speed bending

ByTrans Cross Modular automation for loading and unloading laser cutting systems

Cutting | Bending | Automation www.bystronic.net.au

008

CONTENTS

Volume 18 Number 05 OCT/NOV 2018 ISSN 1832-6080

FEATURES MEDICAL Collaboration - Key to success in Australia’s life-sciences Driving success: Out of the car and into the pharmacy Cochlear opens new manufacturing facility AM for patient-specific implants Tiny tools make a big difference Harmful bacterial films targeted Global collaboration for 3D printed field test kit

46 50 52 54 56 57 58

MATERIAL REMOVAL Achieving top quality with tech excellence

60

ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING The Additive Manufacturing Hub – Building it better Additively manufactured custom cutting tools Seatools: Quality models from 3D Systems Using 3D metal printing to revolutionise Oz manufacturing

68 70 72 74

STATE SPOTLIGHT QUEENSLAND Queensland: Invested in manufacturing A centre of excellence, far from the madding crowd

78 80

FORMING & FABRICATION Larsen increases capacity with new Bystronic system Networked tube bending = time benefits in shipbuilding

82 84

CUTTING TOOLS Connected next-gen tools to new gen MCs Creating a new cutting tool – concept to spindle Real-time data for process optimisation Mastering the challenges of hard-turning Seco offers manufacturing analytics

86 88 90 92 94

CONSTRUCTION & INFRASTRUCTURE XLam – Shaking up construction with Timber 2.0 Advanced manufacturing thrives at ManuFutures

96 98

COMPRESSORS & AIR TECHNOLOGY Oji Fibre Solutions opts for Kaeser

100

ADVANCED MATERIAS & COMPOSITES Pushing ‘print’ on large-scale piezoelectric materials Graphene-infused concrete – Aust. breakthrough

103 104

46 Collaboration - Key to success in Australia’s life-sciences industry Driven by factors including health tech development and commercialisation programs, Australia’s lifesciences sector is booming, with investment at an all-time high and growing.

64 One-on-One Dr Charlie Day, CEO of Innovation and Science Australia, spoke to AMT about his organisation’s objectives and how it is assisting Australian manufacturers improve their innovative capacity.

76

REGULARS From the Editor From the CEO From the Ministry From the Industry From the Union

10 12 14 16 18

INDUSTRY NEWS Current news from the industry

22

VOICEBOX Opinions from across the manufacturing industry

34

PRODUCT NEWS Our selection of new and interesting products

40

ONE ON ONE Dr Charlie Day

64

COMPANY FOCUS Global Manufacturing Group

76

AMTIL FORUMS

106

AMTIL INSIDE The latest news from AMTIL

110

MANUFACTURING HISTORY – A look back in time

118

AMT OCT/NOV 2018

Global Manufacturing Group – Continually adapting The recently announced Boxer Combat Renaissance Vehicles project represents a step into defence and a new chapter for the constantly-evolving metal manufacturing business Global Manufacturing Group.

96 XLam – Shaking up construction with Timber 2.0 XLam’s new cross-laminated timber plant is the most technologically advanced in the Southern Hemisphere.

With its highly innovative product, it is taking on the Australian construction industry.

HEADING

REAL PEOPLE, REAL PASSION -

DISCOVER OKUMA

Okuma strive to partner with you from the very first meeting, guiding you through project planning and supporting you throughout implementation, training and after-sales care.

Okuma Australia: • • • •

offers an extensive machine tool range are a single source machine & control supplier provides unlimited applications support for 12 months has a Japanese factory trained engineer on staff providing a direct link back to the Okuma factory in Japan • employs highly trained and skilled engineers in every state • provides Automation solutions to suit every workshop

Discover the Okuma difference

“The good thing about Okuma is the technical support, service and training - is unlimited.”

Ken Horner - Managing Director, KH Equipment

WHEN YOU DEAL WITH OKUMA, YOU’RE DEALING WITH THE EXPERTS.

010

FROM THE EDITOR WILLIAM POOLE

Getting your story out there This magazine is about manufacturing; it’s not a magazine about producing magazines about manufacturing. So as a rule I try to avoid discussing how this magazine is produced in the magazine itself. But sometimes rules are there to be broken, so bear with me just this once. There is a point, I promise.

Not long ago the postman delivered an unexpected package to AMTIL’s offices. Inside was a box, one of those posh boxes available at expensive stationery shops, with a little card bearing the logo of a well-known international petrochemical company. Inside, on A4 letterhead, was a press release about a product from the company’s engine lubricants division. Also in the box was a small pump-action bottle labelled “hand sanitiser gel”, again with the company’s logo. Inside the bottle were... mints. Well they look like mints. So far, no-one’s been keen to try one. Probably something to do with their being labelled “hard sanitiser”, from an oil company.

Confused? Yep, me too.

I mention this to show how even big corporations can get the basics wrong. The press release itself did little to connect the various elements: lubricant, hand sanitiser, mints. In fact it didn’t convey a clear message about any of those things. There were no contact details for follow-up questions. There was no option to access an electronic version of the press release – Mints? yes. USB stick? Dropbox link? No. Above all, there was no obvious link to AMT, its subject matter and its readership. For all the effort and expense, it all seemed completely irrelevant.

Now this was a weird case, but it was far from unique. AMT receives hundreds of editorial submissions every week, and it’s startling how often they fumble the basics. We get promos for upcoming events that don’t specify a venue or date. Opinion pieces that don’t provide the author’s name or position (useful for establishing why the author’s opinion matters). And heaps of press releases that don’t provide contact details for the company behind them – why make so much effort to reach readers, but not help those readers reach you?

It’s a shame, because getting an article published in print or online is a great way of getting word out about your business and your products. It’s cheaper than advertising. It lets you go into more detail, to convey more complex messages. It needn’t be too hard either: maybe 30 minutes of typing. Keep everything simple; short, clear sentences; as one old boss of mine would say: “Just imagine you’re explaining it to a mate.”

And contrary to a widely held misconception, it’s not just for the big boys, the corporates with PR departments or professional agencies on retainers. There are plenty of smaller companies telling their stories very well indeed, many of them in this magazine.

To support this activity, AMTIL has launched the AMTIL Press Centre, a new section of its recently relaunched website (www.amtil.com.au) – you can find it under the News tab of the homepage. As well as providing a home for AMTIL’s own media releases, the Press Centre is a platform where AMTIL members can publish their own material. Our aim is for the Press Centre to become a key resource for media outlets seeking content about manufacturing in Australia. We’ve also gained access to a database of more than 375,000 journalists worldwide, and going forward we’ll be distributing all material on the Press Centre to media outlets around the globe.

If you’re an AMTIL member (and if you’re not, why not?), you can submit a press release by logging into the AMTIL Members Only area and clicking on the tile marked Press Centre.

Just fill in the online form, add your logo – you can even attach pictures. We’ve even included a handy set of guidelines on creating effective press releases. So start getting your story out there now.

YOUR INDUSTRY. YOUR MAGAZINE.

AUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY

Editor William Poole wpoole@amtil.com.au Contributors Carole Goldsmith Brent Balinski Sales Manager Anne Samuelsson asamuelsson@amtil.com.au Publications Co-ordinator Gabriele Richter grichter@amtil.com.au Publisher Shane Infanti sinfanti@amtil.com.au Designer Franco Schena fschena@amtil.com.au Prepress & Print Printgraphics Australia AMT Magazine is printed in Australia using FSC® mix of paper from responsible sources FSC® C007821 Contact Details AMT Magazine AMTIL Suite 1, 673 Boronia Rd Wantirna VIC 3152 AUSTRALIA T 03 9800 3666 F 03 9800 3436 E info@amtil.com.au W www.amtil.com.au Copyright © Australian Manufacturing Technology (AMT).

All rights reserved. AMT Magazine may not be copied or reproduced in whole or part thereof without written permission from the publisher.

Contained specifications and claims are those supplied by the manufacturer (contributor)

Disclaimer The opinions expressed within AMT Magazine from editorial staff, contributors or advertisers are not necessarily those of AMTIL. The publisher reserves the right to amend the listed editorial features published in the AMT Magazine Media Kit for content or production purposes.

AMT Magazine is dedicated to Australia’s machining, tooling and sheet-metal working industries and is published monthly.

Subscription to AMT Magazine (and other benefits) is available through AMTIL Associate Membership at $165 (inc GST) per annum.

Contact AMTIL on 03 9800 3666 for further information.

1402AMTOCT/NOV2018

AMT OCT/NOV 2018

XLTbend

Complex parts made easy

Easy Operation Automatic part programming Single operator

Innovation made in Germany

RAS XLTbend

Highly flexible UpDown bending For those who form complex precision parts even in

• Hybrid vacuum gauging system

small batches, the XLTbend is a perfect fit. The XLTbend

• ViN (Virtual Navigator): Precise part positioning

considerably reduces the amount of labour and setup

• Latest generation Bendex 3D bending software

time typically required for large parts. The UpDown

• Deep box bending: 300mm high tools

folding capability eliminates the need to flip parts and

• Easy handling of large parts

allows a single operator to work efficiently.

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012

FROM THE CEO SHANE INFANTI – Chief Executive Officer AMTIL

Australian manufacturers flying the Aussie flag at IMTS 2018 A number of AMTIL member companies were in Chicago in September for IMTS 2018, the International Machine Tool Show, one of the largest machine tool and manufacturing technology exhibitions in the world.

AMTIL regularly sends a delegation to the major overseas exhibitions and this year it was IMTS in the USA. AMTIL had a booth within the International Associations area of the show, alongside manufacturing assocations from countries all over the world. As well as enabling us to provide information and advice about manufacturing in Australia to anyone who came by the stand, it offered the opportunity to network and interact with those other associations, sharing insights about the state of the industry and exploring opportunities to collaborate.

Moreover, having a fixed presence on the exhibition floor meant we were able to support any Australians who were visiting the show, offering a port of call where they could drop by for a chat and a coffee – our team were pleased to bump into a fair few familiar faces from back home during the week of the show.

Nicholas Rehfisch, Managing Director of John Hart, and Danny Flude, General Manager of John Hart Global Solutions, with the AgileFlex robotic loading system.

Australian companies were also making their presence felt in the exhibition, with the ANCA Group, Techni Waterjet and John Hart all having prominent stands.

Agile Robotic Systems, part of the John Hart Group, enjoyed the global release of their AgileFlex robotic loading system at IMTS. Designed and manufactured in Melbourne, the AgileFlex has the key benefits of being compact, easy to use, flexible and affordable. Getting parts quickly to and from the CNC machine tool is a major step towards maximum productivity for small and large CNC machine shops and so the AgileFlex is another great example of a leading Australian company designing and exporting a world class technology to the global market.

“We are really excited to be showcasing our world class capabilities at IMTS 2018,” says Nicholas Rehfisch, Managing Director of the John Hart Group. “The AgileFlex is the next step in pre engineered machine loading technology”.

The ANCA Group had two stands at IMTS this year (for ANCA CNC Machines and ANCA Motion). On the ANCA CNC stand they launched the CPX Linear, a blank preparation grinder that utilises a magnetised tubular linear motor for precision control and minimal backlash.

This new technology for manufacturing

AMT OCT/NOV 2018

ANCA Group CEO Christopher Hegarty launches the CPX Linear at IMTS 2018

tool blanks secures ANCA’s position as one of the world’s leading suppliers of CNC grinding machines.

ANCA Group CEO Christopher Hegarty says: “Our company is committed to advancing technology and the CPX Linear is another example of this. Our team dedicates itself to designing leading edge solutions so that the industry can continue to evolve.”

IMTS is owned and managed by the Association for Manufacturing Technology (AMT) and they were very pleased to report that the show exceeded their expectations with over 120,000 registered visitors from 117 countries. Now that truly is an International Manufacturing Technology Show. I’d like to congratulate AMT on their success in organising such a spectacular event, yet again.

HEADING

DMU 50 3rd Generation

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speedMASTER up to 20,000 rpm or up to 46 kW and 200 Nm (standard: 15,000 rpm, 21 kW, 111 Nm)

Exclusive Technology Cycle

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Vibration and torque monitoring of the process

More about DMU 50 3rd Generation dmu.dmgmori.com

014

FROM THE MINISTRY THE HON KAREN ANDREWS MP – Minister for Industry, Science and Technology

Australia makes its mark in advanced manufacturing Across Australia, manufacturing businesses are embracing new approaches and transforming the way they operate: they are making new products, accessing new markets and creating new jobs. As the new Minister for Industry, Science and Technology I want to deliver a strong message to all manufacturing businesses: the Morrison Government is backing you. We believe that manufacturing is critical to our prosperity now and will be even more so into the future.

While I am proud and excited to be the Minister for all industries, I can say that I am particularly excited about and focused on the activity happening in manufacturing businesses and other traditional sectors. Of course there have been and will be challenges, but our economy is getting stronger because we’ve put in place policies to back our businesses, boost exports, build new capabilities and make new investments.

There is more to be done but I have been pleased to see almost 48,000 new manufacturing jobs created in the 12 months to May 2018. Lead indicators are also showing positive signs. AiGroup’s Australian Performance of Manufacturing Index (PMI) stood at 56.7 points in August, the 23rd month and longest consecutive run of expansion in manufacturing since 2005.

While these numbers tell an improving story, this story gets even more promising when you combine the numbers with examples of the amazing work that is happening in the manufacturing sector right around Australia. The Australian Government’s Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC) has just released a report on 21 of the projects it is funding. The report highlights real-world examples of Australian companies that are making their mark through advanced manufacturing and the clever adoption of digital technologies.

Reading through the projects, it is hard not to be inspired. Take Quickstep for example. The AMGC has helped Quickstep qualify to make carbon fibre fenders for a European automotive manufacturer.

Quickstep’s method offers simplified tooling, quicker production from material to finished part, and less capital investment compared to traditional alternatives. The concept has attracted interest from other luxury European and British car makers. The project’s impact is significant. The potential export value of Quickstep’s work has been estimated at $25m, and it could generate 30 new high-skilled jobs as production scales up.

Then there’s the ground-breaking work being done by the Evolve Group. Marco Engineering, as part of the Evolve Group, is partnering with a customer and the University of Queensland in a fast-tracked project to redesign and relaunch a range of plastic bottle products.

The final product will be the world’s first 100% leak-proof plastic bottle under most conditions, including position and temperature.

These are exactly the brand of success stories the AMGC was established to create. The Growth Centre was set up by the Government in 2015 to develop a dynamic and export-focused manufacturing sector full of businesses applying advanced knowledge, advanced processes and advanced business models to create real success, real jobs and real opportunities for growth.

These factors are vital to achieving success in the increasingly global and sophisticated manufacturing environment.

AMTIL PRODUCT E-BLASTS

AMT OCT/NOV 2018

The AMGC is fulfilling the Government’s vision of driving cultural change and increasing the sector’s competitiveness. Through the AMGC and other initiatives we’re growing and fostering globally competitive industries, supporting the building of a strong scientific capability in this country, enhancing innovation and commercialising new ideas.

My portfolio is focussed on helping Australians maintain and increase the skills needed for the jobs of tomorrow to secure our future prosperity. Our policies and initiatives are helping the economy and businesses to transform.

The Growth Centres, including the AMGC, are helping Australia transition into smart, high-value and export-focused industries, and working with industry sectors to build stronger futures for themselves.

As we can see, innovative companies are already embracing new technologies and developing high value-added products and services for the global market place – and they are reaping the rewards.

It is encouraging to see these success stories; it is even more encouraging when you combine them with some of the pleasing job and growth numbers. Together, they show that the future is bright for manufacturing in Australia.

And I can assure you that, in my new portfolio, I am committed to ensuring manufacturing remains competitive and creates jobs and opportunities for all Australians. I look forward to working with many of you in the future and I can’t wait to get out and meet with manufacturers – like the ones featured in the AMGC’s report – over the coming months.

The Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre report is available at: www.amgc.org.au

AUDIENCE

IMPACT

OUTCOME

RESULTS

9000+

20.02%

4.89%

STATISTICAL REPORTING SUBMITTED

TARGETTED CONTACTS

AVERAGE OPEN RATES

AVERAGE CLICK THRUS

www.amtil.com.au

AMTIL1305

Call Anne Samuelsson on 0400 115 525 or email asamuelsson@amtil.com.au for all enquiries.

The Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre has released a report on 21 projects it is funding… real-world examples of Australian companies that are making their mark through advanced manufacturing and the clever adoption of digital technologies.

Reading through the projects, it is hard not to be inspired.

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016

FROM THE INDUSTRY INNES WILLOX – Chief Executive Australian Industry Group

Industry 4.0 and Australia’s manufacturing future The core technologies of Industry 4.0 are not new – microchips and wireless networks, for example, have been with us for decades. What is different is that these capabilities are now so cheap and simple that they can be made ubiquitous. Intelligence and connectivity can be integrated as standard in every machine in a factory, every piece of supporting infrastructure, and every product that goes out into the marketplace.

Industry 4.0, however, remains a new concept to many in Australia.

But businesses around the world are ahead of us. We need to start understanding what it can do for us. It should be clear by now that Industry 4.0 and advanced manufacturing are not the domain of a few self-consciously high-tech businesses making microchips or aircraft. These are technologies that can transform any manufacturer, and indeed every sector of the economy. Ai Group firmly believes every manufacturer can realistically aim to become an advanced manufacturer.

Making the most of these technologies involves more than buying kit and learning how to use it. Innovating your business model can be just as important. Rolls Royce extended their role and their business model well beyond the factory gate, moving from sellers of engines to providers of propulsion services: they get paid for the outcomes and value-adding services they provide, not just for the hardware that goes out their door. Nespresso revolutionised both the coffee machine and instant coffee markets by borrowing a business model from the shaving and personal printing industries.

So what should businesses keep in mind when pursuing Industry 4.0?

First, be open. There is much that is new under the sun. Look at the full range of technologies available to your business, talk about them with vendors, and be ready to experiment with smaller-scale trials and incremental additions to your equipment and systems. Your current practices – indeed your whole current business model – may not be the best for the future. What else is possible?

Second, be rigorous. Think clearly about the underlying business problems you are trying to solve, rather than jumping straight to particular solutions that may not speak to your actual needs. And consider carefully the new needs you will have as your business adopts Industry 4.0 technologies. Do your employees have the right skills – not just the operators who will have different machines, but support staff and managers? Are your own suppliers and customers making similar moves, and will your systems talk to theirs?

And back in April 2016, the Federal Government established the Prime Minister’s Industry 4.0 Taskforce to broaden awareness of Industry 4.0 and accelerate the pace of its diffusion. Part of the initial effort was to build official and ongoing links between Australian industry and the German Platform Industrie 4.0. The Taskforce has achieved this, but also much more.

Its good work will continue in a new form as the Industry 4.0 Advanced Manufacturing Forum. While this initiative retains strong relationships and engagement with government, the Forum is convened by Ai Group, and works closely with the AMGC, the IMCRC, AustCyber, Engineers Australia, Standards Australia, Swinburne University, and the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union. I chaired the first meeting of the new-look 4.0 Forum last month, and it is already developing a vigorous agenda to advance industry and ensure that stakeholders work together effectively.

Government is neither the first resort nor the final arbiter for the fate of manufacturing in Australia. What happens in boardrooms and on shopfloors is more central. But public policy can play a role, for good or ill, in whether we succeed. There are at least three things that government can do to make success more likely.

Third, look for help. There is a lot of information, advice, collaboration and support available in different forms for would-be advanced manufacturers. Indeed, there is so much that it can be confusing.

The first is to keep manufacturing in the economic story government presents to itself and the nation. Too often Treasuries have written the sector off and focused on mining and services. But resources cycles highlight the value of a diverse economy, and expectations of decline will be self-fulfilling if they lead smart young people to steer away from a career in manufacturing.

Ai Group itself has launched an ‘Industry Transformation’ web page with a wealth of information for members about 4.0, skills, workplace relations issues and links to frequent webinars and other events we host – including a range of short courses across the country designed to develop Industry 4.0 capability and strategy inside each business.

Secondly, those smart young people will be in shorter supply unless we invest effectively in skills. Debates about curricula, structure and funding for schools, vocational education and training, and universities should not be a playground for culture warriors of the left and right. They are central to the economic future of Australia.

There is a lot going on beyond Ai Group too. For example, the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC) shares member expertise and can co-fund sector-significant technology adoption projects up to 50%.

Finally, government needs greater stability. Nationally we are edging out Italy and Japan for the number of Prime Ministers we’ve burned through this decade. Policy swings wildly from one election to the other. Long-term planning by business becomes more difficult when government priorities are overturned with every change of personalities.

The Innovative Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre (IMCRC) connects industry and leading university researchers to conduct multi-year research projects, and backs them with Commonwealth matching funding. Its Futuremap tool is an excellent online selfassessment system that walks your business through the concepts and capabilities of Industry 4.0, business model innovation and leadership development.

AMT OCT/NOV 2018

Let’s see what progress can be made on the public front. Industry can only make its voice heard, not make the decisions. What we can do is look clearly at the opportunities of Industry 4.0, and seize them through experimentation and investment. I am confident that we will rise to the challenge.

An improved design makes the already outstanding Perfomax drill even better. Innovative features – such as a new flute design, wave pattern and laser hardening – add strength, stability and accuracy to ensure consistent performance and dependability for all applications.

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018

FROM THE UNION PAUL BASTIAN – National Secretary Australian Manufacturing Workers Union

Electric Vehicles – A new approach for a new industry The development of the market for electric vehicles (EVs), in the global context of a carbon-constrained future, provides the federal and state governments with an opportunity to secure Australia a place in a growing global market.

This industry will provide high-skill, high-wages jobs now and in the future and the global race is on to secure them.

The governments of other nations are already taking steps to encourage their own industries to flourish. Without government support, the domestic industry – already reeling from the end of the conventional vehicle manufacturing industry – will miss out on this incredible opportunity. We have the skilled workers, we have much of the key infrastructure. What we need is for government to invest in this industry and grow Australian advanced manufacturing and secure the good jobs of the future.

The outcome of this mission-based project may not be a passenger EV industry; it may result in a domestic industry that produces heavy vehicles, specialty vehicles or the supply of critical components to a global supply chain. The aim of this approach to industry policy is to set a broad goal, create incentives to facilitate collaboration, attract interest and investment from the private sector, while government continues to take an active role in monitoring the project as it develops.

A new approach to industry policy

Australia is the 13th-largest economy in the world, but our economy is very simple – we currently rank 69th on the Economic Complexity Index, below Kazakhstan and Georgia. This is down from 45th in the mid 1980s. To reverse this, we need to ensure that we capitalise on our natural advantages and export sophisticated manufactured goods, rather than simply digging up or growing primary products and putting them onto ships. As the home to a large portion of the world’s supply of lithium and other component minerals, battery manufacturing is an opportunity to improve the complexity of Australia’s economy. As part of a mission-based approach as set out above, developing a battery industry would not only show that we’re serious about creating manufacturing jobs, it would lay the foundation for a more advanced and complex economy. It would put Australia at the centre of an important and rapidly growing, technologically advanced supply chain for household batteries, industrial-use batteries, as well as batteries for the vehicles of the future. We have significant expertise in cutting-edge battery technology in Australian universities and defence industries and we should use it to build a home-grown industry.

There is significant interest in the issue of EVs around Australia with reports on the industry from the Victorian and Queensland Governments, and ARENA in the last 12 months. The hallmark of the vehicle manufacturing industry, more than almost any other industry across the world, is government involvement and support. It was the case here, before the current government’s decision to close down Australia’s industry, and remains the case in each nation in which car manufacturing takes place today. There is no reason to believe that the manufacture of EVs will be any different to conventional vehicles in this regard.

It is easy to see why governments around the world support their vehicle manufacturing industries. They are large employers, who pay good wages, provide stable jobs, engage significant supply chains and produce some of the most complex goods in the world.

Vehicle manufacturing relies heavily on research and design, invests heavily in training and infrastructure, and produces a significant export commodity. There is no reason to believe any of this will change for EVs. We believe that EV manufacturing is an ideal candidate for a new approach to building and sustaining valuable domestic industries.

We believe that the Government should investigate taking a missionbased approach to industry policy in order to develop an EV manufacturing industry in Australia.

Understanding mission-based industry policy Mission-based industry policy is based on the idea that it is government’s role to solve the problems faced by its citizens and their communities. This is achieved through strategic public investment aimed at driving innovation and cross-sectoral collaboration.

This requires a reimagining of the public sector into a dynamic, risktaking, active participant in the multi-decade life of a mission-oriented, strategic public investment project. The Government does not “pick winners” but aims to rely on experts and industry to work together to achieve defined and incentivised public policy outcomes. Public investment would reward innovation, collaboration and success while engaging with the private and non-government sectors to achieve its desired outcomes.

The Mission – Develop an electric vehicle manufacturing industry in Australia The mission-based model aims to engage a much wider range of participants to build a new industry.

The success of this approach depends on experts and organisations outside the traditional scope of the vehicle manufacturing industry being engaged.

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With its abundance of renewable energy, Australia also has the potential to be an energy export powerhouse with the emergence of hydrogen-fuelled vehicles. As the process of creating hydrogen is energy-intensive, the only environmentally sustainable way to produce it is with renewable energy. Australia – through the CSIRO – is already a world leader in the technology required to safely produce, store and transport hydrogen. The Government should be investing in this technological advantage to ensure that it meets its potential and develops into a globally significant industry and delivers good new jobs to Australian workers. An established hydrogen manufacturing industry will not only support EV manufacturing in Australia but may also play a role in providing energy security to Australia and the world.

Australia is uniquely placed as a country with a ready supply of skilled workers capable of building a world-class EV manufacturing industry.

As a result of the closure of Australia’s conventional automotive manufacturing industry, there are many workers capable of supporting the development of an electric vehicle industry in Australia.

The global race is on to secure the high-skill, high-wage jobs that will be delivered by EV manufacturing. It is time for the Government to make sure that Australia gets its fair share.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Business pressures erode SME confidence The Westpac-Melbourne Institute SME Index (the Index) for the third quarter of 2018 has fallen over the past year, with Australian SMEs facing pressures on many fronts. However, the Index showed manufacturing to be outperforming other industries.

The Index examines the economic health of Australian small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). Small manufacturers outperformed other industries with a net of 35% of SMEs in the manufacturing industry reporting an increase in real business activity in the past 12 months and a net of 40% reporting an increase in sales.

Sentiment for the quarter was heavily impacted by a sharp 12% drop in the Current Conditions Index, which outweighed the Future Conditions Index, which rose by 4%. The deterioration has had a direct impact on bottom lines, with 40% of SMEs reporting a decline in profits over the past 12 months. Pressure is expected to continue with two thirds of SMEs forecasting revenue to be unchanged or lower over the next year.

However, despite the challenging picture, Ganesh Chandrasekkar, General Manager at Westpac Small Business Banking, noted significant bright spots, with many businesses looking to expand their operations. “We are hearing from our customers that they are finding current conditions tough,” said Chandrasekkar. “But despite this, over a quarter of small businesses are planning to expand their operations including enhancing their products and services and breaking into new markets. This is really positive and there needs to be more support from government, industry and big businesses to help the ambitions of small business owners.”

The Index found specific sectors, including those that have been facing declines, are seeing an increase in activity and sales.

“Small manufacturers and the health services sector are the outperforming sectors with around 45% expecting revenue to improve further in the year ahead,” Chandrasekkar added. “A net of 35% of SMEs in the manufacturing industry reported an increase in real business activity in the past 12 months and a net of 40% reported an increase in sales.

“We’re seeing a re-emergence in the manufacturing sector moving away from big production lines towards other activities in the value chain like designing, recycling and packaging. In fact 90% of this sector is looking to enhance or create new products and services.

This is another positive sign.”

Over half of SMEs have taken steps to future-proof their business, with many investing in strategy and planning (57%), implementing operational efficiencies to boost productivity (57%) and training up staff (55%).

“It’s optimistic to see many small businesses are investing in their future,” Chandrasekkar said. “With the right support and knowledge, I believe all small businesses can continue to adapt, thrive and drive our nation forward.”

IMCRC and Fraunhofer form Industry 4.0 partnership The Innovative Manufacturing CRC (IMCRC) and Germany’s Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft have signed a framework engagement agreement aimed at increasing awareness and uptake of Industry 4.0 within Australian manufacturing.

Fraunhofer is considered the leading organisation for applied research in Europe, working collaboratively with companies, publicsector bodies and institutions to develop strategies, business models and solutions for digital transformation. The agreement establishes a broad framework governing IMCRC and Fraunhofer projects focusing on the exchange of knowledge and the proliferation of Industry 4.0 technologies and research.

Future projects governed by the framework could include collaborations, technology transfers, joint research projects and exchanges. The agreement also recognises IMCRC as the preferred portal for Fraunhofer engagements on Industry 4.0 within both Australia and New Zealand.

IMCRC’s CEO and Managing Director, David Chuter, said the partnership with Fraunhofer is intended to accelerate the awareness and uptake of Industry 4.0 technologies and innovative business models by Australian manufacturers.

“IMCRC is committed to transforming Australia’s manufacturing industry from its reliance on capital and labour-intensive production, to an industry realising new commercial opportunities driven by innovation in all aspects of manufacturing,” said Chuter. “The agreement with Fraunhofer formalises the work already well underway to drive collaboration between Australia and Germany to promote the uptake of Industry 4.0 and other advanced manufacturing best practices and methodologies, particularly with Australian SME manufacturing companies.”

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The agreement builds on a close working relationship IMCRC has established with the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO (Fraunhofer IAO) – a key advocate of Industry 4.0 in Germany.

Together, both organisations are co-developing a set of specific educational material and workshops that transfer practical expertise to get SMEs on the journey for digital transformation.

Innes Willox CEO of the Australian Industry Group, Chair of the Industry 4.0 taskforce in Australia and Director of IMCRC, said the relationship between the organisations had grown from strength to strength over the last three years, with Fraunhofer contributing to initiatives that had already started to benefit Australian industry.

“The IMCRC has been working with Fraunhofer since 2015, so we are delighted to establish this formal arrangement to broaden the opportunities for collaboration going forward,” said Willox. “This also represents an important initiative within our overall research and innovation strategy for Industry 4.0 in our region to catalyse investment in advanced and digital manufacturing.”

Frank Wagner, Head of Strategic R&D Cooperation at Fraunhofer IAO, said: “We see significant potential for Australia’s manufacturing sector to increase both its competitiveness and global relevance through uptake of Industry 4.0 and advanced and digital manufacturing best practice, and this will continue to strengthen research and innovation links with Germany.”

INDUSTRY NEWS

Industry excellence on show at Victorian Manufacturing Showcase Victoria’s best and brightest manufacturers converged on Geelong on 12 September for the 2018 Victorian Manufacturing Showcase.

Held at the GMHBA Stadium, home of the Geelong Football Club, the event brought together hundreds of local manufacturers under the theme ‘Evolve.Grow.Prosper’. Ben Carroll, the State Minister for Industry and Employment, officially opened the event, which provided a chance for leading industry figures to share their experience and knowledge with smaller manufacturers.

“Manufacturing has a bright future in Victoria – and we’ll continue to back local businesses – so they can create jobs and boost our economy,” said Carroll. “The Manufacturing Showcase brings some of our best and brightest manufacturers under one roof – and highlights the diversity of the multibillion-dollar industry.”

The Showcase featured a wide array of speakers discussing a broad range of subjects. Professor Saeid Nahavandi of Deakin University gave the keynote presentation ‘Manufacturing & The Future’, examining the current wave of disruption under Industry 4.0, and looking forward to the next wave, Industry 5.0. He was followed by Vanessa Kearney, Commercial Manager at Viva Energy, who gave an account of the work she led to improve productivity at Geelong Refinery, for which she won the inaugural Woman Manufacturer of the Year award at this year’s Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame Awards. Businesses in transition were the subject matter in the next two presentations – from Nicholas Kerr of Farm Foods and Steve Garner of Keppel Prince Engineering. The initial sessions concluded with a panel discussion on ‘Women in Manufacturing’, with Kearney returning to discuss the issue alongside Lyn George, Corporate Director at Austeng, and Karen Hapgood, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Science Engineering and Built Environment at Deakin.

Following a break for morning tea, a second panel discussion looked at ‘Advanced Materials and Collaboration’, with Lyn George once again taking the stage alongside Derek Buckmaster of Carbon Nexus, Carl de Koning of Quickstep Holdings, and David Peart of Geelong Manufacturing Council. Then there were individual presentations from three highly accomplished Victorian manufacturing companies: Dean

Haritos from the MH Group of Companies; Vanessa Katsanevakis of Sussex Taps; and Jake Dingle of Carbon Revolution.

As well as the speaker program the Showcase also featured an exhibition area with more than 40 displays showcasing locally made products. In summing up at the end of the day’s presentations, Grant Anderson, Executive Director of the Industry Capability Network, ICN (Victoria), thanked all the speakers as well as the companies and organisations who had participated in the event.

“What an outstanding attendance we’ve had here today. It reflects the interest in the manufacturing sector in Victoria,” said Anderson.

“Our ability to develop, manufacture and export, and to create value for this fantatic country, is truly inspiring. Our speakers today really show what is possible when there is passion to improve and make a difference.”

Victorian manufacturing is currently thriving, recently recording 17 months of consecutive growth in the Ai Group’s Performance Manufacturing Index – the longest run of expansion ever.

Manufacturing contributes $27.7bn to the Victorian economy, with over 13,000 businesses employing more than 280,000 people. It also exported $18.16bn of manufactured goods in 2016-17.

The Geelong region is home to almost 10,000 workers in manufacturing in fields like carbon-fibre, chemicals and refining, advanced fibres, industrial textiles, defence, agribusiness and transport.

Land Forces presents $30,000 innovation awards Seven Australian organisations and individuals have been rewarded for innovation in the defence industry field at the 2018 Land Forces exposition in Adelaide on 5 September.

Australian Minister for Defence, the Hon. Christopher Pyne, presented the 2018 Land Forces Innovation Awards in five categories, from 18 finalists.

• National Innovation Award: Boeing Defence Australia.

• SME Innovation Grant: DroneShield Limited.

• Young Innovator Award: Angus Bean (DroneShield).

• Innovation Award for Combat Equipment and Mobility: DMTC Limited and Planet Innovation.

• Innovation Award for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) and Cyber: Boeing Defence Australia.

Award winners received a trophy, while the winners of the SME Innovation Grant and the Young Innovator Award received cheques for $15,000 each. All 18 Australian innovators shortlisted for awards were featured at Land Forces 2018 in a

dedicated Innovation Awards Showcase. This was the third Land Forces to feature the Innovation Awards, developed by Land Forces organiser Industry Defence and Security Australia Limited (IDSAL). The awards are open to Australian companies or the Australian subsidiaries of overseas parent companies.

The innovation can involve a new product or service or a new approach to business, with entries judged on their understanding of user needs.

“The Land Forces 2018 Innovation Awards recognise the growing pool of research and innovation evident in the Australian defence industry, and the commitment to take concepts all the way from brilliant idea to tangible products and services,” said Land Forces 2018 CEO Ian Honnery. “This year’s record 31 entries reflect recent greater focus on Australian innovation from industry, Defence and government.”

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INDUSTRY NEWS

University of Sydney teams up with Airbus A new agreement between the University of Sydney and world-leading aeronautical manufacturer Airbus will connect leading experts with Australia’s future engineering talent.

The University’s Faculty of Engineering and Information Technologies has joined the Airbus Global University Partner Programme, the only Australian university to be part of the programme. The partnership allows the University and Airbus to collaborate in a number of areas: • Funding students and activities, enabling participation in innovation programmes at Airbus facilities around the world, where students will use their university learning to tackle industry challenges, learning more about the aeronautical industry.

• Giving aerospace, mechanical and mechatronics engineering students access to Airbus’s 100-strong campus team.

• Allowing students to partake in global exchanges such as the annual Airbus Airnovation Summer Academy.

A total of 22 universities in 12 different countries currently participate in the programme. The University’s Faculty of Engineering and Information Technologies Dean Professor Willy says the new partnership complements what students learn on campus.

“This program gives students the best available insights into the opportunities available in the aviation and aerospace industries,” said Zwaenepoel. “It’s a two-way street. The University’s mechanical, aeronautical and manufacturing engineering program is the highestranked in Australia. We’re confident Airbus will benefit from having

access to talented students who are learning about the latest research in areas ranging from aerospace structures to flight guidance, navigation and control.”

Zwaenepoel signed the partnership agreement with Airbus Australia Pacific Vice-President Capability, Malcolm Benfer, on 2 August in Sydney. A local signing ceremony in Sydney will be followed by a formal signing in November at the Zhuhai Air Show in China and will mark the commencement of the Airbus Global Partner Programme.

In China, Zwaenepoel will finalise the agreement with Thierry Baril, Chief Human Resources Officer, Airbus.

Siemens and Swinburne launch MindSphere centre for Australia Swinburne University of Technology’s campus in Hawthorn will house Australia’s first demonstration and application centre for a cloud-based open Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) operating system in conjunction with Siemens.

The centre will enable students, academics and industry partners to collaborate and cocreate local and global projects on a cloudbased platform Siemens calls MindSphere.

The partnership is an extension of Siemens’ $135m product lifecycle management (PLM) industrial software grant to Swinburne University announced last year “Data is being described as the oil of the 21st century,” said Jeff Connolly, Chairman and CEO of Siemens Australia. “Ninety percent of the data in the world today has been created in the last two years and 5.5m new ‘things’ get connected every day. However, the value is in being able to refine that crude data and turning it into usable business information. This requires sophisticated platforms that simplify and enable the process. It also requires skilled people coming through the system, which is what this facility and the partnership is all about.”

MindSphere, the IIoT solution connecting physical manufacturing, energy and infrastructure assets to the virtual world, already has over one million connected devices and systems worldwide. Located in Swinburne’s Factory of the Future, the new centre is unique in its industry and business engagement model in the tertiary sector – opening the campus to industry and businesses for co-creation, while facilitating education, training and research. Students, academia and industry will have access to cloud-based software that has already

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helped organisations across the world connect their products, plants, systems and machines to harness the wealth of their data generated by IoT with advanced analytics.

Swinburne’s Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research & Development), Professor Aleksandar Subic, said the centre will provide an environment for industry and students to co-create, develop and demonstrate the capabilities and outcomes made possible using MindSphere.

“The centre will facilitate the creation of applications in advanced manufacturing, smart cities and transport, health and other areas,” said Subic. “This is an important stage in the implementation of our Industry 4.0 Strategy. Students across the entire education and training continuum, from apprenticeships across bachelor’s and master’s programs and all the way to PhD research, will be developing and using this technology for different industrial applications as part of their learning in collaboration with industry,” said Professor Subic.

Connolly added: “Preparing for the Fourth Industrial Revolution involves more than just developing technologies. It requires a holistic co-operation between industry, academia, standards bodies, research, government and organised labour. What we are doing here is providing a practical environment for students and industry to experience first-hand the potential of a full digital enterprise.”

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Headland launches Advanced Manufacturing Division Headland Machinery has launched an Advanced Manufacturing Division, aimed at helping to enable Australian manufacturers to reap the benefits of a new era of manufacturing.

The Australian Advanced Manufacturing Council defines advanced manufacturing as a family of activities that either: depend on the use and coordination of information, automation, computation, software, sensing, and networking; and/or make use of cutting edge materials and emerging capabilities enabled by the physical and biological sciences, for example nanotechnology, chemistry, and biology. This involves both new ways to manufacture existing products, and especially the manufacture of new products emerging from new advanced technologies.

Manufacturing in Australia accounts for almost a significant proportion of jobs across the country, with approximately 253,000 people employed in the industry. Embracing advanced manufacturing technology is crucial for the ongoing profitability of the industry, and the strength and diversity of the economy.

Headland’s new Advanced Manufacturing Division boasts an extensive portfolio of product lines including Trumpf metal 3D printers and laser welders, VisiConsult Inspection/CT/X-ray scanners, and Voxeljet investment casting and industrial 3D printing (sand and plastic), and Mimaki colour 3D printers.

Annaliese Kloé, Managing Director of Headland, says: “We’re thrilled to have partnered with such reputable suppliers within the industry to bring this division of innovative product lines to the Australian market. We want to help our new and existing customers to embrace this new era of manufacturing and seize these technologies, processes and practices to improve their productivity and competitiveness.”

The Trumpf advanced manufacturing range consists of both laser metal fusion (LMF) metal 3D printers and laser metal deposition (LMD) technology. The current machine line-up from Trumpf includes the TruPrint 1000, the TruPrint 3000, and the TruLaser Cell 3000.

VisiConsult is a leading supplier for customised and standard x-ray inspection and computed tomography systems. With cutting edge technology and unmatched flexibility, VisiConsult provides premium-quality inspection solutions, setting new industry standards.

Voxeljet is a leading manufacturer of 3D printing systems for industrial applications, specialising in powder-binder-jetting of plastic and sand. The Voxeljet range includes the VX1000 and the Vx4000, offering an array of solutions for different industries based on requirements and size.

Mimaki offers colour 3D printers with 10 million colours, UVcurable inkjet technology, water soluble support material and a large build area. Highly effective in the industrial product, signage and education market, it allows full-colour models to be produced cost-effectively. The Mimaki high-resolution colour 3D printer creates exceptionally beautiful objects with vibrant colours.

There will be opportunities to see a live demo of the Mimaki colour 3D printer at Headland’s annual Oktoberfest event, at its offices in Burwood, Victoria, on 18 October. To book a demo, register at: www.headland.com.au/mimakidemo

Physicist appointed as CSIRO Chief Scientist Australia’s national science agency has appointed Dr Cathy Foley to the position of CSIRO Chief Scientist – a unique role which will help champion science, its impact and contribution to the world.

Dr Foley is a world-renowned physicist and science leader most noted for her work developing superconducting devices and systems which have assisted in unearthing over $6bn in minerals worldwide. Dr Foley started in the role at the end of September. She said her priority will be promoting science, STEM and women in science.

“Australia’s future prosperity will be fuelled by science,” Dr Foley said. “Science which creates new industries, new jobs and shapes the minds and aspirations of our future leaders. We can’t keep thinking about science as something which is locked away in a lab. It connects and drives everything we touch and do. I’m looking forward to not just spreading the word, but helping shape the science agenda and raising the profile of the role of women in STEM.” Dr Foley is currently the Deputy Director and Science Director of CSIRO’s manufacturing business unit. She has been an advocate for women in science, for the communication of science and science education over the past 30 years. She is credited with helping to create LANDTEM, a technology which uses superconductors to detect minerals deep underground. In 2015, Cathy and her team were awarded the prestigious Clunies Ross award for the innovation. CSIRO Chief Executive Dr Larry Marshall said Dr Foley was an incredible leader and scientist.

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“Cathy is a great contributor, with a passion for turning excellent science into powerful solutions for Australia,” he said. “I am looking forward to seeing her make this role her own, and bringing the voice of CSIRO science to help Australia navigate a path to prosperity through global disruption.”

Dr Foley was awarded a Public Service Medal on Australia Day in 2003. In the same year, she won the Eureka Prize for the promotion of science. In 2013 she was awarded the NSW Premier’s Award for Woman of the Year. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Physics in the UK, Past-President of both the Australian Institute of Physics and Science and Technology Australia that represents 65000 Australian scientists and a Fellow of the Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) and past national winner of the Telstra Business Women’s Award for Innovation in 2009.

She joined the CSIRO Division of Applied Physics in 1985 as a National Research Fellow, being promoted to Senior Research Scientist in 1991, Principal Research Scientist in 1996, Senior Principal Research Scientist in 2000 and Chief Research Scientist in 2008.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Vernier Foundation addresses future of work The future of work and the skills and capabilities required over the next two decades were the big themes of the Vernier Foundation’s ‘Annual Youth Forum’, held on 9 August at Kooyong Tennis Club in south-east Melbourne.

The Foundation is the charitable arm of the Vernier Society and was established with the aim of encouraging young people into careers in engineering and manufacturing. At the Forum, the audience, largely comprising young people from Year 7 to Year 11 along with Vernier Society members, enjoyed presentations by four speakers, each offering perspectives on the challenges and opportunities created by the future paradigms of work.

The first speaker was Shona McPherson from the Foundation of Young Australians (FYA), a non-profit organisation with the express aim of “backing the next generation of young people who are going to rethink the world and create a better future”.

McPherson began by asking “What do you want to be when you grow up?” She also expanded on the changing nature of work, explained that the FYA’s latest research showed that future workers will change jobs and careers much more frequently than past generations and will therefore need to relearn new capabilities. McPherson also stressed that digital literacy, bilingual skills, critical thinking and creativity, and a strong foundation in STEM subjects were key skills for the new workplace.

Dr Mark Easton, Associate Dean at RMIT, dicsussed how new joint projects between industry and RMIT were opening up new applications for automated technologies, helping to make workplaces safer and more productive. With his particular specialism in material science, Easton also showed some of the new medical applications opened up by additive manufacturing, specifically in the

treatment of bone cancers. The next speaker, Dr Mike Brown of Latrobe University, drew on his own experience as an apprentice to explain how tertiary education, particularly through the TAFE sector with its strong links to industry, can offer an alternative and equally satisfying pathway into engineering and manufacturing careers. Brown also described the importance for school STEM teachers to have strong industry links and pursue new teaching methods (through Latrobe) for the skills of the future.

The final presentation offered an industry perspective from Dr Steve Dowey - the Technology Manager for Sutton Tools.

Dowey explained how the Internet of Things is driving a Fourth Industrial Revolution, and demonstrated how technology was opening up new ways of looking at productivity. He showed how he could monitor the real-time performance of machines in the Sutton factory while at the event, but stressed that companies don’t need to be really smart to take advantage of these emerging technologies – they just need to be ‘smart enough’,

taking a steady incremental approach to increase productivity cost-effectively. The presentations were followed by a short Q&A session with the panelists. The Foundation also gave out prizes for a competition where two schools – Dandenong High School and Peninsula Grammar School – who in 80 words or less were asked to write “I want to become an engineer because…” It was noted that the entries all had a strong philanthropic message in the entries: “to build environmentally friendly homes so we can live in peace with our planet instead of destroying nature”; “to resolve problems in our society”; “to invent things that will amaze the world”; “to help people with diseases”; and “to build a better future”.

While not attempting to offer a panacea to the challenge of future work, the event highlight the need for educators, academia and industry to work closer together in inspiring Australia’s young people to realise that engineers and a vibrant manufacturing industry are essential to our future global prosperity.

Innovation award for Successful Endeavours AMTIL member Successful Endeavours picked up a major award at the IoT Impact conference and exposition in Sydney on 10 September.

Supported by IoTAA (IoT Alliance Australia), IoT Impact was a two-day learning event held on 10-11 September at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS)’s Faculty of Engineering & Technology. IoTAA is the peak industry body representing IoT in Australia, with more than 420 participating organisations and 800 individual participants working to accelerate the adoption of IoT across the Australian economy and society.

The IOT Awards were held at UTS’s brand new Tech Lab, in an event that coincided

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with the official opening of the facility. There were three IoT Impact Awards, presented for Enablement in IoT, Industry in IoT, and Innovation in IoT. Successful Endeavours won the Innovation in IoT Award for its work on the IND Technology EVFD system, which detects faults and problems in SWER electrical distribution systems to help prevent bushfires.

Based in Berwick, Victoria, Successful Endeavours designs electronics products that are intended to be profitably made in Australia. Examples of its IoT technology

include water & waste management, metering and monitoring, smart cities sensor suites, air-quality monitoring, fault detection, tracking, counting and lighting.

IoT Impact was conceived to help Australia business executives understand and plan for the impact of the Internet of Things (IoT) in Australia. The exhibition featured around 50 exhibitors from Australia and around the world, ranging from start-ups to global companies, showcasing their innovations and technologies.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Manufacturing gets a resilience boost at 2018 AMTIL National Conference ‘Strategies for Manufacturing Resilience and Growth’ was the theme at the 2018 AMTIL National Conference, on 22 August in Melbourne.

Held at Leonda by the Yarra, the oneday conference brought together around 150 delegates from across Australian manufacturing. Over the course of the day they got the opportunity to learn ways in which they can build resilience in their businesses and in their professional and personal lives. The Conference offered a program of expert speakers from across manufacturing and beyond, examining everything from automation for small manufacturers, to developing effective leadership skills, and much, much more.

The day’s presentations got underway with a keynote address from Michael Grogan, Director for Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales for the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC). Grogan discussed recent research by the AMGC, which found that Australia has one of the most volatile manufacturing industries in the world.

He cited companies such as ANCA, Marand Precision Engineering, Lovitt Technologies Australia and Sutton Tools as examples of Australian manufacturers that exhibit the three attributes of resilient manufacturers: superiority, diversity, and flexibility.

“The good news is that when you focus on resilience, you can also become more competitive,” said Grogan. “There’s no doubt there is a cost involved with building your resilience. But the question is: when that next downturn comes, or when that customer drops us, what is the cost of not having taken those steps to ensure that degree of resilience?”

One market where resilience is vital, and where the opportunities for growth are significant, is the defence industry, and this was examined in the second presentation of the day. Rick Shalders is the Director of the Industry Development Unit (IDU) at Raytheon Australia, and he discussed some of the opportunities to work with the US defence giant. He outlined the IDU activities in promoting the engagement of Australian SMEs in his company’s supply chain, and what sort of challenges those companies can expect to face.

“The bottom line is you must win on merit,” Shalders explained. “It is not an easy road. It takes time, it takes a lot of effort, and it may take extra funding. But there are a lot of agencies out there that

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will help you, both Commonwealth and state, and each of the Primes has an organisation like us.”

Michael Grogan

Technology, leadership and personal growth After a short break, the remainder of the morning sessions were split into two streams, exploring the themes of technology and leadership. The first technology session was led by Peter Hook, National Sales Manager for Bosch Australia Manufacturing Solutions, who offered some insights on Industry 4.0, digitalisation and the relevance of automation for small businesses.

He described some of Bosch’s recent projects in this area, and some of the support and funding options available to companies taking steps to digitalise their own operations.

“We are putting together pilot programs around the world running Industry 4.0 applications,” said Hook. “So as we learn about Industry 4.0 and what it really means, we’re developing more products and services related to that.”

Meanwhile, the first session of the leadership stream saw Ian Cattanach, Director – Business Advisory at William Buck, offer some advice on how to structure your manufacturing business for growth and profitability. He gave comparisons between different posssible approaches, such as standard company structures or the various trust options, and examined issues ranging from tax relief on research & development (R&D) through to estate planning.

“When I sit down with a client to discuss structures it’s not about the here and

now,” Cattanach stressed. “You really need to look at what [the business] might look like in five or ten years time. You have to look at what the end goal is.”

The second technology session looked at the fast-moving field of additive manufacturing. Alex Kingsbury of Additive Economics provided a round-up of the latest advances in the technology and the growth in its usage. She also gave a snapshot of the current status of additive manufacturing in Australia.

Kingsbury focused in particular on how additive manufacturing is moving beyond its initial take-up in making one-off parts for prototyping.

“One-off parts are great, but that’s not really the commercial future of the technology,” she explained. “The commercial future of the technology is in doing production. We’re looking at what’s being produced, what’s being put into production. And because of the nature of the technology, it’s possible to produce really complex shapes, and that enables a whole lot of applications in a lot of different fields.”

INDUSTRY NEWS Rick Shalders

Claire Madden

Session two of the leadership stream was led by John Downes, Strategic Mentor and Managing Director of acorro.

Downes explained how leadership styles are a function of fear, love, desire, and intuition, and looked into ways to build the leadership, communication and relationship-building skills that are the foundations for inspiring high-performing teams.

from author, social researcher and media commentator Claire Madden.

Technological advances and changing lifestyles are creating widely differing attitudes and expectations among the emerging millenial workforce. Madden shed light on what these incoming generations want from a workplace, and how you can create a culture that engages them successfully.

“For me, leadership is about courage,” said Downes. “It’s about having a vision and having the courage to share that vision. It’s about having the curiosity to understand where I add value. And it’s about actually having the humility to know that I can be wrong, I will be wrong, and knowing that every time I will learn from it.”

“All the generations need to learn from each other,” said Madden. “The strength that we can build in our teams is as multi-generational teams, where we have the experience of baby boomers, of Generation X and Y and Z, all working together.”

After that it was time for lunch, and more networking among the delegates. As the afternoon sessions got underway, the focus moved more towards personal resilience and growth, and how you can get the most out of yourself, and the people you are working with.

Opening up proceedings was Gary Bertwistle, best-selling author of ‘Who Stole My Mojo?’ and a leading expert on innovation and creativity. Bertwistle invited the audience to reflect on which businesses and business leaders have ‘mojo’, that spark of energy and creativity that drives them to high levels of achievement. He explored the qualities that set these organisations and individuals apart, and the lessons we can all apply in our own working lives.

“When you think about these people, the number one attribute is that they can envisage a future that doesn’t exist yet,” said Bertwistle. “What’s the dream? What can you see as a leader that doesn’t exist yet, that you can see that no-one else can see? That’s what these guys do.”

If resilience in business is about being ready to take on whatever the future holds, then a key component of that is becoming equipped to engage the upcoming generations that will provide the workforce of the future. This formed the basis for the next presentation,

Finally, the closing session featured Deanna Blegg, endurance athlete, entrepreneur and motivational speaker, who shared her own personal resilience story in conversation with Conference MC - Warwick Merry. Having represented Australia at the Commonwealth Games in the triathlon, Blegg was diagnosed with HIV in 1994, when she was 24. Refusing to be defeated, Blegg instead went on to become a champion in the World’s Toughest Mudder endurance contest, while also having two children. A further setback came at the age of 46, when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, but after an arduous treatment process, Blegg again overcame illness and is still competing in athletics events to this day.

“Everyone’s been through tough times,” said Blegg. “And you have two choices: to be a victim or to be a survivor. You can let it have that negative effect, or you can say ‘Right. This has happened.

How am I going to get through it?’ And just by making that choice, it just changes something in your brain, it fills your body with positivity, and then you become solutions-focused.”

Building networks As well as the speaker program itself, the Conference featured exhibition stands from a number of organisations servicing the manufacturing sector in Australia. Exhibitors included Applied Machinery, Dimac Tooling, Leap

Warwick Merry interviewing Deanna Blegg

Australia, Recruit Australia, Renishaw, Rigby Cooke Lawyers, Phoenix PLM, and the Conference’s main sponsor – William Buck.

“The speakers today gave a real holistic view of resilience in manufacturing; it was really well put together in terms of the program,” said Estelle Pentland, Marketing Manager at William Buck. “For us as a sponsor that’s what we try to talk about all of the time. Having a stand has been a great opportunity for people to come and talk to us. We like to be visible in the manufacturing space so it just gives everyone a chance to have that face-to-face contact. It’s definitely been worthwhile.”

Daniel Fisher of Applied Machinery also felt that exhibiting at the Conference had been a valuable activity: “It’s been fantastic. We’ve spoken to a few good contacts that we haven’t met before, about current and upcoming projects they’ve got going on. The day’s been really positive.”

Throughout the event, there were abundant opportunities for delegates to make new acquaintances and catch up with existing contacts. As well as a series of networking breaks during the day, the event was followed by a cocktail function with drinks and refreshments.

As AMTIL CEO Shane Infanti brought the Conference to a close, he thanked the delegates for taking time from their schedules to attend.

“It’s been a terrific day,” said Infanti.

“We’ve had a lot of members here, and a lot of non-members, which is very pleasing to see. A big thank you to our major sponsor William Buck, and our other corporate partners AGL and Association Insurance Australia. Thanks to all our speakers, to all our exhibitors, and to our MC - Warwick Merry. Thanks finally to the AMTIL team, particularly our Events Manager Kim Banks. And look out for our upcoming events, including our flagship Austech exhibition next May. We’re looking forward to a really good event next year.” www.amtil.com.au/events

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GOVERNMENT NEWS

Investment in CSIRO innovation fund boosts jobs and innovation The CSIRO Innovation Fund has has made nine investments in companies in its first year, supporting hi-tech industries and creating more than 100 new jobs.

The Fund was established as part of the Federal Government’s National Innovation and Science Agenda to commercialise earlystage innovations from CSIRO, universities and other publicly-funded research bodies around Australia. Capital raising for the Fund has realised $232m, exceeding its target for private sector investment by $32m, with $132m raised through private investment, $70m from Government and $30m from CSIRO. “The CSIRO Innovation Fund helps turn Australia’s world-class research into new businesses, new opportunities and new jobs,” said Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Karen Andrews.

“The Fund has already invested in nine companies and three more are close to being finalised. These companies have, for example, created satellite sensor networks, autonomous vehicles, quantum computing and digital healthcare solutions. They have created jobs and are opening up new areas where Australian companies can take on the world.”

CSIRO Chief Executive Larry Marshall added: “Australia has outstanding science but translating that science into real products, real jobs or growing entire new industries remains a challenge.

CSIRO can be the bridge to help more great Australian inventions

flourish and our Innovation Fund is delivering returns to invest in even more critical research for future breakthroughs.”

Managed by Main Sequence Ventures, the Fund has attracted investors including Hostplus and the University of Melbourne. Main Sequence Ventures partner Mike Zimmerman said: “We are proud and excited to partner with investors that share our belief that significant global companies can come from the important work happening in Australia’s publicly funded research organisations.”

The Fund’s current portfolio includes satellite communication company Myriota, telehealth start-up Coviu, and Baraja, which is developing technology for driverless cars. Sam Sicilia, CIO of Hostplus said: “We believe Australia’s new competitive advantage is our ability to translate technology and innovation, as well as scientific discovery, into commercial products and services to export globally.

Our investment with Main Sequence Ventures allows us to see what is coming, not just from emerging startups but also reaching right back into the labs. With the world rapidly changing around us, and the competitive landscape shifting very swiftly, we look to invest in the industries of tomorrow and the way Main Sequence Ventures builds its portfolio gives us new insight.”

WA in bid to revitalise rail manufacturing The Western Australian Government has named Bellevue in eastern Perth as the preferred site for the new METRONET railcar manufacturing facility.

The proposed manufacturing facility will also be co-located with the Public Transport Authority’s next railcar depot, where Transperth will carry out maintenance of the broader train fleet. Located just 1km from the historic Midland Workshops, which for nearly a century provided hundreds of railway jobs for workers and apprentices, the new production facility site in Bellevue will bring significant employment opportunities to the area.

“It’s exciting we are in a position to bring trains well and truly back into the Midland precinct at a new purpose-built facility in Bellevue,” said Premier Mark McGowan. “METRONET is not only a worldclass public transport system, but will create new opportunities for local workers. The key target of 50% will help revitalise WA’s manufacturing industry and put WA jobs first.”

Over the next decade, the facility will be used to assemble much of the extra 246 railcars required to service METRONET projects and replace ageing trains on the Transperth network. A Development Application for the depot facility on the same site is currently before the Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority, with approval expected in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, three consortia have been shortlisted to participate in a tender for the supply of the new trains: Alstom Transport Australia Pty Ltd; Momentum West (CAF and UGL); and EDI Rail – Bombardier Transportation Pty Ltd. A supplier will be selected in early 2019 and a key consideration will be their ability and commitment to manufacture or assemble 50% of railcars in WA. The successful proponent for the railcar construction contract will have input into the final design of the facilities at Bellevue, and construction work will start in 2019.

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The first stage of the project involves the delivery in 2021, of 102 new railcars (17 six-car sets) to service the new METRONET projects as they come online. A follow-on order for 144 railcars (24 six-car sets), to replace the ageing A-series railcars, will also be included in the tender and are expected to be delivered between 2023 and 2028.

“The Midland area is entering a very exciting era - projects like the Bellevue Rail Extension, new Midland Station, redevelopment of the historic workshops, and now the return of rail production to the area, are all starting to gain momentum,” said Transport Minister Rita Saffioti. “The Midland-Bellevue area will be involved in the production of new trains and their ongoing maintenance works, creating sustainable local jobs for local people and supporting ongoing expansion of our vital passenger rail network.”

Commonwealth Government Entrepreneurs’ Programme partnering with AMTIL

It’s all about you.

Incubator Support

The Entrepreneurs’ Programme (EP) 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 will deploy over 100 experienced Advisers and Facilitators, offering support to businesses through three key elements: 1. Business Management 2. Innovation Connections 3. Accelerating Commercialisation 4. Incubator Support The Incubator Support initiative will provide funding to incubators to deliver support services to Australian start-ups with an international focus.

Funding will be available to support the establishment of new incubators in regions or sectors with high innovation potential, and for existing incubators looking to expand their services. Funded incubators will deliver a range of activities designed to improve the prospects of commercial success of innovative start-ups, allowing them to realise their economic potential faster than they otherwise would.

The initiative will support entrepreneurial activity and contribute to the development of the innovation ecosystem, including in Australia’s regions.

The Incubator Support initiative provides funding through two components, both of which require matched funding from applicants.

Support for New and Existing Incubators: • to help develop new incubators in regions or sectors with high potential for success in international trade, and • to boost the effectiveness of high performing incubators, including funding support to expand their services and/or develop the innovation ecosystem.

Support for Expert-in-Residence: • to provide access to top quality research, managerial and technical talent through secondments of national or international expert advisers who will improve their chance of commercial success in international markets.

Every business has different needs.

www.amtil.com.au

1302AMTILEP05

To find out what the Entrepreneurs’ Programme can do for you, call 13 28 46 or visit www.business.gov.au or contact Greg Chalker 03 9800 3666 or email gchalker@amtil.com.au

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VOICE BOX OPINIONS FROM ACROSS THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY

ANCA made its own robot – And here’s how ANCA will soon launch a new AR300 SCARA (Selective Compliance Assembly Robot Arm). Tom Nathan, New Products Development Manager at ANCA, provides a peek behind the scenes of how his company develops new products.

Things are changing fast in our increasingly digitised world and manufacturing is no exception. The hot topic of the last few years, Industry 4.0, is a collection of no fewer than nine technologies revolutionising the way things are made. Nine revolutions, all at once.

Every sector and every supply chain is being shaken up. The electrification of cars, for example, will see parts per vehicle shrink from over 2,000 to less than 20. For those making these parts, or the tools that make these parts, there are big implications.

According to research by the International Federation of Robotics, in 2015 the number of industrial robots increased 15%, and growth will continue by double-digit percentages through to 2019.

At ANCA, we supply the automotive, electronic, medical, aerospace and many other manufacturing verticals, and it’s our business to meet their fast-changing needs. We keep a close watch on market trends, and our salesmen and application engineers are constantly visiting customers’ factories. In fact, many of our own product ideas are born out of bespoke solutions to customer problems.

About three years ago we decided that, although we were solving these problems, it was time for a review. We looked at our product development process from end to end to find efficiencies and ensure that the entire organisation was considered at each stage of the journey. Innovation, as they say, is a team sport.

We introduced a new product roadmap platform – called Aha! – which allows idea sharing and intra-company collaboration in a more transparent way. Innovation is not just for engineers, and great concepts can start with or be defined by anybody.

The formal side of new product development begins with our Design Quality Engineer (DQE), who will go as far back as possible with our customer and machine data. They’ll establish what’s worked well in the past, set parameters, establish dos and don’ts, and act as “the conscience of the project”.

Back in 2014 we introduced our Linear FX range of tool-grinding machines, and we suspected, based on our customer data, that there was a yawning gap in the market for inexpensive automation.

Around 10% of customers at the time had purchased automated loaders; however, with 50% of customers now using such loaders with machines, the demand for a cost-effective loading solution gained traction.

Many lower-cost automation solutions utilise simple pneumatics as a method of actuation. The trouble with pneumatic loaders, however, is their inflexibility. Our AR300 robot allow users to reprogram the solution, use it for tasks other than machine loading, and is IP67-rated to keep coolant out and prevent failure. This new loader can be applied to all sorts of other niches, including fastmoving consumer goods settings.

To develop the best robot, we worked closely with our local suppliers on aspects such as electronics, pneumatics and consumables. We spend 10% of our annual turnover on research & development projects and often collaborate with universities to develop our latest technology. We ask universities if they can contribute on our problem space, and on occasion, their bright researchers put forward technology they might want applied in one of our machines.

Industry-based learning programs are also important to us and the engineers from those placements have made a major contribution to our new robot offering.

There was a lot of failing fast over the product’s development cycle. We’d never built a robot before. From system architecture to mechanical design to electrical design to software, it was all from scratch, spanning three generations of machine and countless iterations over these.

At the end of it, we’ve learned a lot, and have arrived at a worldclass product with awesome and far-reaching potential. This is the next step in ANCA’s proud history of investing in developing new technology that will ultimately help our customers get ahead in their markets. www.anca.com

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AMT & AMTIL Digital Media Kit 2018 Call Anne Samuelsson at AMTIL on 03 9800 3666, mobile on 0400 115 525 or email asamuelsson@amtil.com.au

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VOICE BOX OPINIONS FROM ACROSS THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY

Three things Industry 4.0 will change about how you work The Fourth Industrial Revolution. Smart manufacturing. Digital transformation. Industry 4.0. Call it what you will, the current trend for automation and data exchange in manufacturing technologies is disrupting how we produce and deliver goods today, and transforming the manufacturing workplace of tomorrow. By By Terri Hiskey, Vice-President – Product Marketing Manufacturing at Epicor Software Corporation.

There is strong evidence that at an economy-wide level, business investment in digital technologies results in higher productivity over the long term. Manufacturing processes that were once standalone and analogue are becoming increasingly digitised. This facilitates development of “smart factories” that are significantly more flexible, transparent and customisable. A recent Epicor study found that over half of global businesses are assigning a high priority to IT investment.

The adoption and deployment of Industry 4.0 within Australia has the potential to significantly improve the competiveness of the advanced manufacturing sector. In 2016, the Prime Minister’s Industry 4.0 Taskforce was announced, with an initial aim to connect Australian and German industry leaders to collaborate and share information on Industry 4.0. The Taskforce now plans to create a network of Industry 4.0 testlabs, built in partnership with industry leaders to improve the competitiveness of Australian manufacturing industries through adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies and workforce transformation.

So there’s no doubt that Industry 4.0 will soon have an impact on your workplace if it hasn’t done so already. With machine learning capabilities and connected equipment enabling businesses to automate the production line, humans can up-skill, take on new duties, add greater value, and focus less on repetitive tasks. They can therefore expect to be employed in more interesting, challenging roles in the future, helping their personal development and growth.

When sales teams, management, and production line staff alike can access real-time information like this, they can optimise conditions on the plant floor and improve orders and production output. In short, sharing data makes manufacturing more agile, bringing the days of moving in silos to an end.

2. ‘If you want it like that, you’ll have to wait longer’ Industry 4.0 is dawning a new age of personalised manufacturing, combining customised production with the speed and on-time delivery expectations of today’s consumers. This is the age of the customer, and customers demand bespoke products, fast.

One of many companies putting this into practice is German cereal manufacturer MyMuesli, which makes personalised breakfast cereal for customers out of a collection of 80 different grains, nuts and fruits. The very fact that a product like muesli can be customised on a grand scale is testament to the rapid progression of Industry 4.0, and to MyMuesli’s successful digital transformation.

Intelligent and integrated systems play a vital role for manufacturers that want to put their customers first, delivering instructions to machines about specific customer orders as they progress along the production line, in an inversion of normal manufacturing. In the case of MyMuesli, each package moves around the factory on an intelligent product carrier, which tells filling machines what to add to each muesli box according to individual customer orders.

3. ‘A machine can’t do it better than me’

According to a recent survey by the Ai Group, the relatively low use of networked technologies (as proxies to IoT) suggests Australian manufacturing is still in the early stages of embracing the technological foundation of Industry 4.0. Digital investment is very important for manufacturers that wish to increase their Industry 4.0 capability.

Industry 4.0 requires a cultural change in the way humans work with machines. Not only will employees be able to work closer across different departments, sharing real-time data and insights to make accurate decisions in the workplace; they will also be able to have some tasks automated by machines, allowing them to work on new, less tedious tasks instead, and crunching delivery timescales.

Industry 4.0 will involve a significant shift in how people work – specifically their mindsets, habits and remits. Here are three such workplace attitudes that will need to change.

This involves a significant change in the industrial environment, a fresh approach to workplace dynamics. One example of this change is the 45,000 robots recruited across Amazon’s 20 fulfilment centres. Taking instructions from digital databases and ERP systems, and working alongside Amazon employees, these robots pick and haul packages weighing over 300kg at the fast pace needed to keep up with customer demand. They do a job that wouldn’t be safe for humans, and staff can expect their job roles to become more digital and less manual as a result.

1. ‘That’s not my remit, talk to a different department about it’ Industry 4.0 is breaking down the traditional silos that separate the different departments within a business, with enterprise resource planning (ERP) software playing a crucial role. ERP software acts as a single-source for business intelligence in the age of Industry 4.0, presenting employees with real-time data when they need it, bringing departments closer together. That data might include information about the status of a project, updates on a partner’s requirements, or analytics about customer trends or equipment maintenance schedules. For example, jet-engine makers GE and Rolls-Royce now routinely collect data from their products as they fly around the world to schedule maintenance. In doing so, they stand a better chance of reducing aircraft downtime and keeping up with customer demand.

While the technologies associated with Industry 4.0 are transforming business processes, an often-overlooked challenge is managing the inevitable shift in workplace dynamics, which is crucial to supporting the successful integration of Industry 4.0 technologies.

The three points above are fitting examples of attitudes that need to shift, as manufacturers break down barriers between departments, embrace customisation, and work in tandem with machines. It’s up to employers and their teams alike, to embrace these changes and change their mindsets, as they grow their businesses in the Industry 4.0 world. www.epicor.com/australia

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VOICE BOX OPINIONS FROM ACROSS THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY

Seven essential characteristics of a high-performance team Every business aspires to get the best out of its people, but how do you get them working together effectively, and what are the key attributes of the best high-performance teams? By Ian Ash. measures. There is no substitute for clearly defined and documented objectives. These need to be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-specific) and are typically simply stated so that the associated measures are easily derived and reported on by all members of the team. Mistakes are admitted and lessons learned from these.

I wonder how many readers of this article have ever been part of a high-performance team? I suspect many may well have been part of a team that produced great results, or a team whose members enjoyed working with one another, or perhaps one in which the team felt that they were engaged in something really worthwhile, but these things alone do not constitute a high-performance team. Sure, they can be indicators of great performance but participation on a high-performance team is a rare and very special experience.

Over the decades I have worked in various different teams across a range of industries and organisations and have been privileged to have been part of what I consider a “highperformance team” on just three occasions.

Although each team operated in quite diverse domains, with different objectives and unique team members, the common, consistent element between each team was a feeling of effortlessness and invincibility – stretch goals and outcomes were achieved seemingly without any real struggle, it was a genuine pleasure to be working together, and there was a shared belief that there was nothing this team could not achieve.

Watch a high-performance team in action from the outside (such as in sport) and the experience appears similar – a high level of confidence and self-belief in which results appear to be achieved almost naturally, effortlessly. You know when you are part of a genuine high-performance team as you can sense it and feel it.

These feelings of effortlessness and invincibility were indicators that something special was going on, but they were not the fundamental reasons why these teams were so successful.

So what factors constitute a real highperformance team? I have given considerable thought to the three highperformance teams I experienced, and have derived seven essential characteristics. These things do not come about easily, so I would like to elaborate on each below. It is important to note that all these characteristics need to be in place, not just a subset.

1. Solid and deep trust in each other and in the team’s purpose. There is a strong and unerring belief that the

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team’s objectives are worthwhile and that everyone will play their part. Each person knows they can rely on every other team member to do whatever is necessary to fulfil their specific role and provide assistance and support whenever required.

2. Everyone brings the best version of themselves. It is not necessary that everyone performs at the same level (indeed this is virtually impossible since nearly all teams have varying skill sets, experience and abilities) but what is critical is that each team member performs to the best of their ability. High-performance teams are necessarily well led. I once heard an excellent definition of leadership as “bringing the best out of yourself and in others”, so clearly high-performance teams have first-class leadership as an essential, integral part of their composition.

3. Roles and responsibilities are welldefined and agreed. It is hard to over-emphasise the importance of this since a lack of clarity about who owns what leads to confusion, duplication and tasks left undone; it also compromises the ability to provide due recognition to team members. In our work as business advisors, we find this factor consistently differentiates high-performing businesses from the rest.

4. Expectations and outcomes are clearly understood by everyone and people hold themselves and each other accountable through well-defined

5. Differences are embraced and respected – everyone feels free to express their feelings and ideas. At the heart of this characteristic is respect and clear communication within a safe environment. Nothing is offlimits, but communication is open and constructive with due consideration to the way in which information is communicated.

6. The team shares common values.

Shared values are at the heart of every great culture, they define standards of expected behaviour and are the bedrock of effective relationships. As Peter Drucker states, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast”. In other words, no matter how good the strategy is, it will be resisted unless the team culture is aligned with it.

7. People have fun. High performance is highly correlated with enjoyment since it is hard to go the extra mile if you are not having fun and your heart is not in it. Taking the time to enjoy the journey leads to a natural affinity with where the team is going.

In the work we have done with our clients on high-performance teams, we have used the above as a basis for deriving quantitive (subjective) assessments of where teams felt they rated with respect to each of these elements at a particular point in time. From there we were able to work with the teams to derive the key areas on which to focus to drive improved team performance, and work towards the ideal high-performance team.

Ian Ash is the Managing Director of OrgMent Business Solutions, providing business advisory, coaching, mentoring and training services. www.ombs.com.au

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VOICE BOX OPINIONS FROM ACROSS THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY

Trade wars will boost digital manufacturing Much has been written about the US’s increasingly combatative stance on trade under President Donald Trump. But while his policies have drawn considerable criticism, one sector likely to benefit is additive manufacturing. By Joshua M Pearce.

The US is in multiple international trade wars.

After President Trump ordered higher taxes on some Chinese imports, the Chinese retaliated. The trade dispute now involves as much as US$200bn worth of Chinesemade goods. Trump has also targeted the EU, Canada and Mexico with tariffs. Most economists disagree with this approach, and nearly all predict the trade wars will raise prices for American consumers on a wide array of products.

As an expert in distributed digital manufacturing, I see clearly that one industry stands to gain significantly as these economic conflicts escalate: 3D printing, the process of using digital blueprints to make real physical objects by precisely adding material one thin layer a time. High-end manufacturers have adopted 3D printing as the technology has matured, but there are also low-cost systems consumers can use to save money as prices of everyday purchases climb.

Significant savings Stroll through any aisle at Walmart and you will notice that a lot of what you can purchase comes from China and is made from plastic, because it simply costs significantly less due to China’s expertise in manufacturing.

Even five years ago, using a 3D printer to create products at home could beat the costs of Chinese-manufactured products by 90% or more. A recent study I co-authored found that even inexperienced consumers could make their money back from investing in a $1,250 3D printer within six months. By printing just one product a week over the course of five years, a consumer could not only recoup all the costs associated with buying and running the printer: They would save more than $12,000. These savings only increase as trade wars raise prices higher.

A sharing and supportive community For those new to 3D printing at home, there is a strong culture of sharing, where people with design skills share the digital instructions needed to print their creations on free online databases like MyMiniFactory, Thingiverse and Youmagine. There are millions of free designs already available, including jewelry, artwork, musical instruments, household items and tools.

After purchasing a plug-and-play 3D printer – for between $200 and $1,000 – consumers can use a 3D design search

engine like Yeggi to scour dozens of databases for free designs, download the design files, open them and click ‘Print’.

Most consumer items have many variations available. For example, instead of buying a drone at a store, a person could download and print one of the more than 1,900 free quadcopter designs available online. Using a 3D printer in this way is the same as using an office paper printer, though you do need to assemble more complex products like drones and scientific tools.

It gets better. Many designers let users create new custom variations of basic templates by adjusting a few parameters with free software. Freely customisable products include orthotics and artificial breast prosthetics that normally cost hundreds of dollars and can be printed for pennies, as well as toys like fidget spinners. Even simple mass-manufactured products like flexible o-rings and cheap toys like action figures, 3D puzzles and masks can be printed for far less than purchasing them from China.

Consumers can 3D-print more valuable products for a lower cost than what is available commercially in part because 3D printing cuts out transportation, packaging and advertising costs along with markups from middlemen along the supply chain.

Changing manufacturing The availability of 3D printers isn’t just giving consumers new options to make final products. It is already showing hints of changing global commerce as profoundly as the current trade wars might.

In fact, many companies that make 3D printers use them to make their own products. Aleph Objects, the small American manufacturer of the Lulzbot printer we used in our studies, actually uses 140 of its own printers to manufacture the 3D printers it

sells. There are dozens of companies selling relatively low-cost open-source 3D printers that can make their own replacement parts.

Even the latest generation of printers from HP has 3D printed parts.

The opportunities go well beyond plastics.

Harley-Davidson, which is moving production outside of the US to avoid retaliatory EU tariffs, uses 3D printers to prototype its motorcycles. With low-cost metal 3D printers following the footsteps of plastic 3D printers, the range of products – including many motorcycle parts – available for DIY manufacturing is set to explode.

‘Onshoring production’ may actually mean 3D printing the products you want in your living room or garage.

And for home consumers concerned that the original China tariff list – much less its expanded replacement – includes extruders that make the plastic filaments most 3D printers use as raw materials, there’s a new solution. My research group just freely released the design of a recyclebot that makes 3D printing filament from postconsumer plastic waste. The device itself is made of mostly 3D printable parts and drops the cost of filament from commercial prices of around $10-$20 per pound to only a few pennies per pound to make it at home. China can never compete with that – even without tariffs.

In the end, Trump may be right: the trade war may drive manufacturing back to the US – just not in the way he predicted.

Joshua M. Pearce is a Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, and Electrical and Computer Engineering at Michigan Technological University.

This article was originally published by The Conversation. www.theconversation.com www.mtu.edu

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TECH NEWS

USA: World’s most wear-resistant metal alloy A platinum-gold alloy - 100 times more durable than high-strength steel, believed to be the most wear-resistant metal in the world, has been engineered. The combination of 90% platinum with 10% gold isn’t new, but the engineering is new. Conventional wisdom says a metal’s ability to withstand friction is based on how hard it is. The team proposed a new theory that says wear is related to how metals react to heat, not their hardness, and they handpicked metals, proportions and a fabrication process to prove this. The mechanical and thermal stability of this alloy is excellent, despite immensely long periods of cyclic stress. It’s no harder than other platinum-gold alloys, but it’s much better at resisting heat. Unexpectedly, a black film (diamond-like carbon) formed spontaneously on top of the alloy.

Diamond-like carbon is one of the world’s best man-made coatings and usually requires special conditions to manufacture, and yet the alloy synthesised this lubricant spontaneously.

USA: Reconfigurable wheels The Reconfigurable Wheel-Track (RWT) was developed at the National Robotics Engineering Center at Carnegie Mellon University as part of DARPA’s Ground X-Vehicle Technology program.

Demonstrations of the shape-shifting wheel-track mechanism illustrate the transition from a round wheel to a triangular track and back again while the vehicle is in motion (wheels permit fast travel on hard surfaces while tracks perform better on soft surfaces).

This ability supplies instant improvements in tactical mobility and manoeuvrability on diverse terrains.

Carnegie Mellon University

Sandia National Laboratories

Germany: Laser engraving for self-cleaning, low-drag aircraft The laser-engraving lotus effect has been known for many years, but now there is another application. Generated by the new DLIP process (“Direct Laser Interference Patterning”), filigree engravings are produced on the external surfaces of aircraft, making surface contamination more difficult. Through the nano and microstructures formed, water droplets do not find enough “grip” on the surface, so they slide off, taking dust and dirt with them. These surfaces have been produced by other technologies in the past, however the coatings age over time, can easily be damaged and do not comply with new EU environmental regulations. The structures produced by the DLIP method, however, may last years and do not raise environmental concerns. The processing speed has been significantly increased: depending on whether titanium, polymers or other materials need to be structured, 1sqm per minute has been achieved (a world record). The laser heads can be integrated into standard industrial machines.

Fraunhofer

Hong Kong: World-first 4D printing for ceramics A team has developed the world’s first 4D printing for ceramics, which are mechanically robust with complex shapes. Ceramic has a high melting point, so it is difficult to use conventional laser printing. The existing 3D-printed ceramic precursors, which are usually difficult to deform, also hinder the production of ceramics with complex shapes.

The team developed a novel “ceramic ink,”(a mixture of polymers and ceramic nanoparticles). The 3D-printed ceramic precursors printed with this ink are soft and can be stretched three times beyond their initial length, allowing complex shapes. 4D printing is conventional 3D printing combined with the element of time, where the printed objects can re-shape or self-assemble over time with external stimuli. The team made use of the elastic energy stored in the stretched precursors for shape morphing. When the stretched ceramic precursors are released, they undergo self-reshaping. After heat treatment, the precursors turn into ceramics. This may be used as a propulsion component in aerospace and other applications.

City University of Hong Kong

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Australia: Cyanide-free gold extraction CSIRO has produced Australia’s first gold using a non-toxic chemical extraction process - providing an alternative to cyanide and mercury. Cyanide is used in more than 90% of global gold production, but increasingly tough regulations prevent or restrict its use due to environmental and health concerns. The technology replaces cyanide with a non-toxic chemical reagent containing thiosulphate, which dissolves fine gold out of ores into a solution which can then be recovered through further processing. A typical cyanide-based processing plant costs around $30m, whereas a plant with the new technology costs as little as $2m. CSIRO has already had commercial success with Barrick Gold Nevada, but Australian company Eco Minerals Research wishes to become the first Australian producer to go cyanide-free. Thiosulphate has proved difficult to master until now - thanks to the patented CSIRO technology.

CSIRO

International: Eradicating instabilities in lasers An international team of scientists believes it has overcome a long-standing limitation in conventional high-powered lasers with a D-shaped laser design that limits beam instabilities. This laser regulates the light emission patterns and eliminates laser instabilities to potentially reduce the degree of fluctuations in the laser output. Inside the D-shaped laser device, light is forced to

TECH HEADING NEWS bounce off mirrors along the irregular shaped walls, making it travel in a disorderly manner. However, this seemingly chaotic method results in a stable pattern of light emission. The findings could be extended to lasers including gas and solid-state lasers.

The Engineer

USA: 3D printed light receptors for “bionic eye” Researchers have – for the first time - fully 3D printed an image sensing array on a hemispherical glass dome - overcoming the challenge of printing electronics on a curved surface. Using their custom-built 3D printer, they started with a base ink of silver particles. The dispensed ink stayed in place and dried uniformly instead of running down the curved surface. The researchers then used semiconducting polymer materials to print photodiodes, which convert light into electricity (with a surprising 25% efficiency rate of light-to-electricity-conversion). These 3D printed semiconductors (with the ability to easily print on a curved surface), shows they could potentially rival the efficiency of semiconducting devices fabricated in microfabrication facilities. The researchers would like to find a way to print on a soft hemispherical material that can be implanted into a real eye.

University of Minnesota

USA: Damage alert via Smart components A new process allows scientists to create fine lines of conductive silver filament that can be embedded into 3D printed machine components while they are being made. These lines, which conduct electric current, act as wear sensors that can detect damage to the part. Any damage to the component, such as wear or abrasion caused by friction from moving parts, would cut into one or more of the lines, breaking the circuit at that stage. The more lines that are broken, the greater the damage. Real time voltage readings allow engineers to assess potential damage and wear to a component without having to take an entire machine apart. The team was able to embed sensor lines that were just 15 microns wide and 50 microns apart (much thinner than a human hair), allowing detection of very minute damage. This innovation is due to an advanced form of 3D printing called Direct Write Technology.

University of Connecticut

USA: Morphing, ‘reversing’ material A new material can transform into complex, pre-programmed shapes via light and temperature stimuli before fully reverting to its original form. Previous efforts have used a variety of mechanisms, however such materials have been limited in size or extent and the object’s state has proven difficult to fully reverse. The material achieves readily programmable two-way transformations by using liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) and a light-activated trigger that can set a desired molecular alignment in advance by exposing the object to particular wavelengths of light. The trigger then remains inactive until exposed to the corresponding heat stimuli. For example, a hand-folded origami swan will remain folded at room temperature. When heated to 93deg.C however, the swan relaxes into a flat sheet. Later, as it cools back to room temperature, it will gradually regain its pre-programmed swan shape. This could have broad applications for manufacturing, robotics, biomedical devices and artificial muscles.

University of Colorado at Boulder

Australia: Hydrogen vehicle breakthrough Toyota Mirai and Hyundai Nexo vehicles are powered by ultrahigh purity hydrogen, produced in Qld using CSIRO’s membrane technology; paving the way for bulk hydrogen to be transported in the form of ammonia, using existing infrastructure, and then reconverted back to hydrogen. This will potentially supply fuel cell vehicles around the world with low-emissions hydrogen sourced from Australia. The membrane separates ultra-high purity hydrogen from ammonia, while blocking all other gases. It links hydrogen production, distribution and delivery in the form of a modular unit that can be used at, or near, a refuelling station. The transportation and storage of hydrogen – currently a complex and relatively expensive process – is simplified, allowing bulk hydrogen to be transported economically in the form of liquid ammonia. “BOC’s innovative engineering team are proud to be collaborating with CSIRO researchers on this technology breakthrough” said Bruce Currie of BOC. CSIRO

“What NASA did to America in the 60s, we’re trying to do to Australia in the new millennium…” James Gilmour, Director, Gilmour Space Technologies - a Queensland.-based spacelaunch company with subsidiary in Singapore. The company is helping pioneer Australia’s space-tech industry by developing low-cost hybrid launch vehicles for the small satellite market.

It builds hybrid rocket engines powered by 3D-printed fuel that could revolutionise space travel and challenge Elon Musk’s SpaceX ambitions by making it much safer and cheaper to get payloads into space.

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PRODUCT NEWS

Freddy Micro Plus – Light, mobile coolant recycling vacuum range The latest member of the Freddy family, the Micro Plus, is lighter, more mobile, and more cost-effective, offering greater versatility than any other coolant recycling system on the market.

Designed and manufactured in the UK, the Micro Plus is made to the same high standards and specifications that make the Freddy range a trusted name in coolant recycling. Unlike many alternate systems, the Micro Plus doesn’t use fragile, often unreliable submersible pumps that take up valuable tank capacity and make it incredibly difficult to clean. This enables the new machine to take on heavily contaminated liquids without damaging parts or machinery that it comes into contact with.

With the ability to pump liquids out, rather than the Micro’s gravity drain, it is now possible to recycle 50 litres of coolant through the machine and back into the sump in just 60 seconds. Available with a 2kW motor, and either a 240v or 110v power source, the motor can generate an airflow rate of 3000 cubic metres per hour with a water in-flow rate of 238 litres per minute and an outflow rate of 100 litres per minute. The airflow is switched from vacuum to pressurise to force filtered liquids out of the holding tank. It is so powerful the 2kW unit can easily pump out into barrels, intermediate bulk containers (IBCs), or overhead storage tanks.

With its remarkably small footprint, 50-litre capacity and weighing less than any previous model, the new Micro Plus is a compact coolant recycling system ideal for smaller businesses.”

In addition to the Micro Plus, Freddy offers an extensive range of models. The Superminor is designed to be easy to maneouvre, featuring a tilt-and-lift design so it is effortless to empty. The Superminor is the only Freddy with interchangeable drums to prevent cross contamination between fluids. The Freddy Micro, like the Micro Plus, has a small footprint, a 50-litre capacity and offers versatility, mobility and affordability. The Freddy Midi has the smallest footprint in the Freddy coolant vacuum range measuring just 620mm in width, making it easy to manoeuvre in all workshops.

Fluid is filtered through a filter bag, available from 1000 down to 5 microns, to ensure the Freddy Micro Plus captures all contaminants from the machine tool. The new Micro Plus is a cost-effective entry point for coolant recovery and comes complete with a 38mm hose and gulper as standard, with the option to upgrade to a 51mm hose if required, as well as a comprehensive 24-month warranty.

The Freddy Ecovac is unique in the Freddy coolant recycling vacuum family, as it is the only vacuum to vacuum out and recycle the coolant continuously using an independent pump for return coolant. The Mark V is one of the largest coolant recycling vacuums that Freddy make, ranging from 310 to 500 litres tank capacity.

It has a tilting filter tank enabling quick and easy emptying of the 60-litre filter basket. The battery-propelled Mark V is the largest in the Freddy range, with a capacity ranging from 500 to 1,000 litres tank capacity. Like the standard Mark V, It has a tilting filter tank.

Easily manoeuvrable on a battery propelled chassis, the Mark V can also be battery operated so it can be used anywhere.

“The cost savings of refiltering coolant are enormous,” said Paul Fowler, Managing Director of Dimac. “Regular filtering means the coolant degrades much slower, therefore lasting longer and requiring less to be bought. And because it remains uncontaminated, the associated WHS risks lessen, and your machine tools live longer.

“Whichever Freddy you choose, you’re guaranteed outstanding quality, ease of use and most importantly longevity,” Fowler added.

“We see Freddys that are almost 30 years old come back to our workshop for an overhaul - once completed, we know they will perform for many more years to come.” www.dimac.com.au

Sutton Tools launches new micro endmill series Sutton Tools latest series of micro endmills overcomes vibration without sacrificing productivity and tool life through careful tool design, micro-geometry and coating.

Available in sizes 0.2mm to 3mm, with various edge profiles such as square end, corner radius & ball nose, the new endmills are ideal for mould & die applications, as well as medical, orthopedic, dental & electronics industries. The key to successful long-reach or depth machining is to minimise or eliminate the vibration produced in the cutting action. Vibration can be detrimental to the tool life of the endmill and lead to poor surface finish. This problem is typically solved by adjusting the cutting conditions to suit the material group, or by improving the machining conditions such as tool holding or clamping.

• Multiple neck lengths per diameter.

• The positive rake angle (10 degrees to 12 degrees) removes material by slicing through the material rather than by scraping, which in turn reduces the power needed to penetrate the workpiece • Geometry and coatings applied to this range provides minimal vibration extending the tool life, in applications ranging up to 62 HRC.

• Neck reduction – to avoid heeling. Improving performance in off-centre contour milling applications.

• TiSiN coating is an extremely wear-resistant, multi-layer coating for high-speed and high-efficiency machining in minimum or zero lubrication. This tough PVD coating increases wear resistance and performance up to 62HRC.

• Reinforced neck design for stability.

www.suttontools.com

Sutton’s micro endmill range overcomes vibration without sacrificing productivity and tool life through careful tool design features, including:

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PRODUCT NEWS

Applied, NCCS hold SolidWorks showcase Applied Machinery and NCCS partnered up on 23 August to co-host a technology showcase event demonstrating the latest advances in CAD/CAM software.

Held at Applied’s offices in Dandenong, Victoria, the event was attended by more than 70 Solidworks users, business owners and engineers. The technology showcase highlighted the ease with which products can go from drawings through to perfect machine files with the power of Solidworks software.

Those in attendance saw a series of technical presentations from the NCCS team, then moved to Applied’s showroom to see how designed parts could instantly be manufactured. A range of machines were demonstrated, including fibre laser cutters, turret punches and pressbrakes, and five-axis CNC machining simulations.

The presentations took in-detail looks at several different software applications. MetaCAM is an industrial CAM software product that allows you to communicate with bending, punch & laser machines on the floor from your computer by automatically generating NC code, supporting a wide range of manufacturers and machine types.

CAMWorks – SolidWorks’s premier, fully integrated CAM system – has all the features and functionality needed to boost machining efficiencies and maximise shop productivity with mill/turn machines.

As the first CAM solution to offer true knowledge-based machining capabilities, CAMWorks leads the way in advancements in Automatic Feature Recognition (AFR) and Interactive Feature Recognition (IFR).

CAMWorks is integrated inside SolidWorks so that any modification made to the design in SolidWorks are automatically updated in the CAM data. NestingWorks is an integrated nesting tool within SolidWorks, which works with both parts and assemblies. After

creating a nest, NestingWorks presents a spreadsheet containing information such as what percentage of the sheet was utilised. Users can specify how many parts they want nested; NestingWorks will calculate how many sheets are required as well as presenting a visual of what the nesting job will look like.

As well as showcasing the latest software, there were opportunities for networking during breaks for food and drinks. Applied staff were on hand to provide information on the machines in the showroom, from brands such as Yawei, Hurco, Weber and Aykapak, while the team from NCCS offered a brief preview of what to expect at their upcoming INNO3D launch event on 10 October. www.appliedmachinery.com.au www.nccs.com.au www.inno3d.com.au

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PRODUCT NEWS

FARO innovates in 3D colour for metrology applications FARO has introduced its next generation of laser line probes (LLPs). The FARO Prizm is the first LLP available that includes the ability to scan in high-resolution 3D colour.

The Prizm is designed specifically to operate as a compact, tightly integrated solution with the FARO Quantum ScanArm arm product family, and extends the FARO tradition of delivering maximum measurement consistency for both direct-to-parts contact and non-contact requirements in every working environment.

The Prizm has certified accuracy for the most demanding metrology challenges.

The colour scan allows users to view and manipulate a detail-rich, 3D colour point cloud model of a part or assembly on a computer screen. This innovation enables parts and objects to be inspected for dimension and surface quality. This is ideally suited for molded parts where colour and surface texture are an essential requirement of the complete inspection, or for identifying splits on stamped sheet metal not detectable with existing technologies.

Fine details including texture, such as weld marks, grinding marks, sandblasting and machining patterns, and even text, can be clearly extracted for identification of key features during the inspection process.

The true-to-life functionality enhances productivity by supporting inspection professionals in driving out dimensional and surface character quality issues that

would otherwise slow the end-to-end the production process.

The introduction of the Prizm rounds out a best-in-class laser line probe portfolio that also includes the FAROBlu LLP and provides users with a unique degree of flexibility to select the option that best fits a specific situation or a specific project.

“Given our extensive experience in metrology as one of the pioneers in portable measurement arms, we understand that monochrome laser line probes are

considered good enough for a wide range of inspection challenges,” stated Pete Edmonds, Vice-President - Factory Metrology at FARO. “However, we take our role as innovator and visionary seriously, so we are determined to look beyond ‘good enough’. With the Prizm colour LLP, we believe that we have reset the expectations of what a high-value portable measurement arm solution can be and should be.” www.faro.com

OMAX confirms broad global release for ProtoMAX OMAX Corporation has announced that its ProtoMAX abrasive waterjet has achieved CE certification, clearing the way for the machine to now be released worldwide.

The ProtoMAX brings all the versatility benefits of large abrasive waterjet cutters in a sleek and economic package that’s well suited to small job shops, engineering classrooms, makerspaces, and personal use. With a compact footprint and comprehensive versatility, the ProtoMAX is an ideal abrasive waterjet for prototyping, educational applications, or as a complement to a larger machine shop. With the CE mark, the ProtoMAX will now be available globally.

Delivering 2068 bar cutting power with a 3.7kW pump, the ProtoMAX can cut metal, glass, plastic, wood, and virtually any other material under 25.4mm thick with a 305mm by 305mm cutting area. The ProtoMAX cuts with no heat-affected zones and no change to the material properties. The waterjet uses a 240V AC outlet and does not require hardwiring. The pump and cutting table are on casters for easy relocation. Work material is submerged under water for clean, quiet cutting that won’t disrupt a shared work space.

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The programming of part files and the cutting operation are controlled by OMAX’s IntelliMAX Proto software. This powerful software makes converting drawings to cutting paths easy. Setting the machine up to cut is quick and simple.

Stephen Bruner, Vice-President of Marketing at OMAX, comments: “It’s easy to program even complex paths on the ProtoMAX. We’ve taken many of the same popular CAD/CAM software features that we use in our industrial waterjet systems and incorporated it into the compact ProtoMAX waterjet. Behind the scenes, the software uses sophisticated waterjet cutting models that predict the jet’s precise behavior when cutting different materials, thicknesses and shapes. But the user interface is simple and straightforward, making it an ideal learning tool for computer-aided manufacturing.” www.protomax.com www.omax.com

PRODUCT NEWS

Brushless DC motor with integrated controller New from maxon motor, the EC-I 30IE is a brushless DC motor that takes a turn away from the Swiss motor company’s traditional designs.

Full range of lasers, systems and automation for OEM’s and end users

The EC-I 30IE motor features a five-wire connection to simplify implementation while still giving a wide functionality. An independent set speed value connection allows for a greater motor operating speed range over the common two-wire approach to integrated brushless motor control. Additional features are a disable, direction and speed monitor output.

The EC-I 30IE has an enclosed design that does not require any airflow through the body for cooling, which makes it suitable for harsh environments typical of the manufacturing industry. Despite the internal motor control board, the motor has still been designed with a shaft on both ends of the body for orientation convenience and is still part of the modular construction program allowing the addition of ceramic planetary gearheads (reduction gearboxes).

The motor is 30mm in diameter and 41mm long including the control unit. It has four-quadrant control, meaning it can control dynamic acceleration and deceleration in both directions. The controlled top speed is 6000rpm from a 24V supply, and the 20W power rating indicates a high power-density ratio.

2kW Fiber laser – twin 3m x 1.5m table 16mm Mild steel, 6mm Stainless and Aluminium

$188,000+GST Melbourne metro installation

www.maxonmotor.com.au

EPIC performance from Lapp’s MH series Lapp has introduced its EPIC MH module systems combining energy, signals and data in one connector.

The modular connector system – which is compatible with the market standard – delivers significantly easier assembly of the modules in the fixed EPIC modular frame, according to Lapp Australia. General Manger Simon Pullinger says the stable frame of the innovative EPIC connector system offers time-saving simplicity and in-service reliability. The EPIC MH modular system can receive power of up to 200 A and voltages of up to 1000 volts. Its data rate is up to 10 GBIT/S and it offers a housing selection out of 138 million housing variations. The flexibility and cost-efficiency of the system makes it highly relevant to applications such as: electronics and communications; measurement, testing and control technology; mechanical engineering and appliances; drive technology and industrial automation; and photovoltaic systems.

Modules are firmly fitted into the MH system frame with a click system, through which every module is assembled with a click.

Foreign modules can be mounted with the Lapp MH red clip. The system delivers high flexibility, with the use of any combination of inserts in one connector. It is universal in application when combined with the broader Lapp families of products, including EPIC housings, SKINTOP cable glands, SILVYN conduits and the comprehensive ÖLFLEX cable products range.

www.lappaustralia.com.au

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Complementing the EPIC MH system is the MH Online tool for the design of individual housings for other EPIC MH Modular system components and other EPIC inserts.

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PRODUCT NEWS

ElastiSense EDS – Contact-capacitive displacement sensor Bestech Australia has announced the release of the EDS capacitive-based contact displacement sensor from ElastiSense.

The EDS sensor is a type of contactcapacitive displacement sensor. The sensing element is made of a hyperelastic elastomer stretchable strain gauge. It is composed of dielectric sheet and deformable electrodes.

During operation, the sensor is stretched by a machine or a structure, which produces a change in capacitance. The displacement value can be calculated based on this change.

Unlike other piston-based displacement sensors, the EDS sensor offers capabilities to measure both linear and off-axis measurement. It also has robust and flexible design that is highly resistant against shock, vibration and installation misalignment. Due to these attributes, the EDS sensor is ideal for applications in harsh industrial environments with minimum costs. This low-cost sensor also has no sliding parts in its design, which further reduce its installation and maintenance costs.

The EDS sensor can be used either as a standalone or as a part of the system together with the other daisychained sensors. It can also be easily integrated into common industrial interface. The sensor generates analog output as current, 4-20mA or as voltage, 0-10V, upon request.

It can also interface with the RS485 network. With fast measurement rates of up to 10kSpS, the EDS sensor is suitable for fast and dynamic measurement tasks.

This groundbreaking technology has already added value in metalforming applications. It is commonly used to detect faulty operations of stamping tools due to the presence of metal slugs. Other potential applications include process automation, structural condition monitoring, predictive maintenance and even R&D. www.bestech.com.au

HR support just got more affordable for smaller businesses Businesses who can’t afford dedicated human resources (HR) professionals now have the opportunity for on-tap HR support, with the launch of Source Legal’s HR Services, based on the law firm’s award-winning retainer-based legal services model.

The new service enables smaller businesses to get the best out of their people and protect their business with tailored HR strategies and processes. It’s the latest innovation from Source Legal, one of the only legal firms in Australia to introduce complementary HR services.

With daily headlines showcasing failures

by Australia’s small business sector when it comes to employment matters, SMEs with limited resources have a hard time staying on top of their legal requirements, let alone invest in their staff to improve productivity and loyalty. Having access to practical, cost-effective HR advice and assistance to better manage performance and compliance is much needed. Getting that on an unlimited basis for an agreed monthly fee – with the backing of specialist employment lawyers – is something that until now may have seemed out of reach for many businesses.

Source Legal’s head of employment law, Sean Melbourne, says: “Introducing HR Services is a natural extension for Source Legal, building on our success in providing in-house style legal support on a monthly retainer basis. It’s also a natural extension for our

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clients, who want HR services on the same basis, with both budget certainty and legal confidence. We know that many businesses find the complex mix of regulations to comply with confusing at best, and even damaging to their business at worst. Being hit with an unfair dismissal claim is one of the top concerns of businesses when they need to let someone go.

“But it’s much more than just compliance.

Attracting and retaining the right people can make or break a business. With so much invested in people, it’s important to ensure Sean Melbourne, Head of Employment that they are supported and rewarded to Law at Source Legal. maximise performance. With this suite of services, provided on an unlimited, agreed price basis, we become the de facto HR department and help our clients look after their people and their business with HR advice and solutions, tailor-made for their organisation.”

Source Legal’s HR Services is headed up by Alison Lodewyke, who has worked for more than 14 years in senior HR roles with leading multinational companies such as PepsiCo Europe and Jones Lang LaSalle, and most recently for a fast-growing medium-sized business. www.sourcelegal.com.au

PRODUCT NEWS

Test lab showdown: plastic ball bearings vs metal bearings in salt water test igus operates the world’s largest test laboratory for plastics in moving applications. More than 12,000 tribological tests are conducted every year at the motion plastics specialists.

These include tests that investigate the use of a wide variety of materials in a wide variety of real-world environments. The lab recently tested xiros flanged ball bearings in comparisn to metal bearings in salt water. The use of lubrication-free and maintenancefree tribo-plastics enabled the xiros bearing to be completely convincing in the experiment.

The engineers of the igus test laboratory filled a container with saltwater from the sea and heated it to more than 80deg Celsius. Then two bearings were put inside for 120 hours: a classic two-hole flange bearing made of metal, and a xiros flange bearing made of xirodur B180, a high-performance plastic that has been optimised by igus for years in terms of wear and media resistance. Both bearings were not completely covered in the test, but exposed to air in order to trigger the corrosion effect.

The test result spoke clearly in the end. After just a few hours, the metal bearing began to corrode. At the end of the test, significant traces of rust were visible on all bearing components, in stark contrast to the plastic bearing. The xiros flange ball bearing was unfazed even after 120 hours in aggressive salt water and high temperatures.

There was no colour change and no trace of rust. This represents a clear advantage, especially in cleanroom applications and use in food and medical technology, where rust poses a hygiene risk.

The xiros ball bearings usually consist of four components: the inner and outer rings as well as the cages made of plastic and the balls made of stainless steel or glass.

Unlike metal bearings, the wear-resistant polymer bearings enable a very smooth, hygienic dry operation without a single drop of lubricating oil, and they are maintenance-free. Their long service life can be easily calculated online.

In addition, the plastic bearings are electrically insulating, temperatureresistant from -40 to +80deg Celsius, non-magnetic and 60% and up to 40% more cost-effective than comparable metal bearings. They are suitable for absorbing medium loads and due to their reliability, and have been preferred by customers around the world for many years in applications such as conveyor belts, labelling, handling and packaging machines as well as in filling machines. www.treotham.com.au

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MEDICAL

Collaboration is the key to success in Australia’s life-sciences industry Innovation, investment and entrepreneurship, along with successful partnerships, are helping Australia’s life-sciences businesses to thrive and prosper. By Carole Goldsmith.

Australia’s life-sciences sector is booming, with investment in the industry at an all-time high. Business and employment growth are highly positive and Australia is recognised globally for its innovation, quality and expertise in life-sciences. This was revealed in the eighth annual Biotechnology Industry Survey, released this July.

AusBiotech, supported by Grant Thornton, conducts this valuable industry survey every year. The research responses this year show that the biotech sector is thriving, with 87% of businesses surveyed expecting to grow in 2018. A massive $1.073bn was raised by Australian biotech companies last year to 31 December 2017, the second-largest amount this decade. Australia is regarded as one of the world’s leading countries for life-sciences innovation, quality and expertise. Investment and interest in life-sciences is growing, with around 140 ASX-listed life-sciences businesses, holding a market capitalisation of more than $50bn.

The life-sciences sector employs 232,200 people across 1,654 organisations, or 1.86% of the nation’s labour force, with the industry employing 69,000 people in 850 companies. These figures compare favourably with the mining sector, which accounts for 1.74% (or 216,500 people). The employment outlook for 2018 has strengthened to the highest on record, with 73% of companies indicating an intention to hire, up from 64% in 2017.

“A convergence of industry maturity, deal flow, regulatory advances, increased capital and development programs makes this the most buoyant I’ve seen the sector in my near-decade-long tenure at AusBiotech,” says Lorraine Chiroiu, CEO, AusBiotech. “The survey data agrees. The opportunity is ours to further build this industry towards its potential as a driver of our economy and quality of life.”

Glenn Cross retired as AusBiotech’s CEO this July after two years at the helm, as well as 10 years as Chief Operations Officer. He reflects on his time at the organisation, during which he has seen a massive growth in the sector.

“We have three times the number of members since 2005, with current membership at over 3,000 and AusBiotech’s staff numbers have increased from five to 15,” says Cross. “Our international outreach has grown substantially with successful AusBiotech investment seminars in Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong and Shanghai over the last two years.”

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Lorraine Chiroiu, CEO of AusBiotech.

Glenn Cross, who retired as AusBiotech’s CEO this July.

Cross will be continuing on a part-time basis at AusBiotech, running Australian and global investment events, and the organisation’s AusEvents, as well as contract-managing scientific events. Cross says that liaison with life-sciences business groups and venture capital investment firms during the Asian-based events has assisted several Australian life-sciences businesses to expand their reach into the Asian market.

“We are running further investment events in Melbourne in October and in Hong Kong and Shanghai next March,” says Cross.

When asked how the med-tech industry is going, Cross responds enthusiastically: “The med-tech sector is booming. It is driven by the increasing number of incubators and accelerators like the Med Tech Actuator in Melbourne and Sydney. Australia also has three excellent health tech development and commercialisation groups – Grey Innovation, Hydrix and Planet Innovation – which are all based in Melbourne.”

Med Tech Actuator – Supporting early-stage innovation As a collaborative national program, the Med Tech Actuator (MTA) gives promising early-stage medical technology companies an accelerated pathway to funding with up to $2.7m equity investment.

This capitalises on Australia’s strengths in medical research, healthcare, clinical trials and advanced manufacturing.

HEADING

Romar can design and manufacture custom plastic and silicone moulded components in its world-class micro-moulding facilities and clean rooms in Sydney and Singapore.

Led by CEO Dr Buzz Palmer and Deputy CEO Dr Vishaal Kishore, MTA started in November last year as a spin-out of the Small Technologies Cluster (STC), an incubator for small tech companies in Melbourne’s East.

“STC is an organisation with a 13-year history,” says Palmer.

“Having worked with over 1,000 start-ups, being part of raising over $400m capital, we learnt a lot about early-stage deep technology

businesses. So we put together a program with a venture capital partner plus product development companies and created a separate vehicle, which is the MTA.” MTA has partnered with leading Australian venture capital fund Artesian to fund the med tech entrepreneurs in the acceleration program.

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MEDICAL Romar Engineering CEO Alan Lipman.

MTA Deputy CEO Dr Vishaal Kishore, and CEO Dr Buzz Palmer.

“What Neil and I mean by collaborative manufacturing is that we are good at certain things and our partners are good at other things, so we combine our strengths to achieve a common goal for our customers,” explains Lipman. A good example of this is Romar’s partnership with MiniFab, the Melbourne-based microfluidic and medical devices manufacturer. “MiniFab has a particular silicone part that we manufacture for them at our plant here in Sydney,” says Lipman.

“Then we send that part to Melbourne where MiniFab completes the manufacturing process and ships the final product to its USA customer. We are experts in silicone manufacturing, while MiniFab is an expert in other parts of the product’s manufacturing process.

That’s collaborative manufacturing where everybody benefits.”

Romar employs 50 people at its plant in western Sydney and eight in Singapore. Working with its Singapore partners, the company can design and manufacture custom plastic and silicone moulded components in its world-class micro moulding facilities and clean rooms in Sydney and Singapore.

Navi Medical Technologies, Finalists at the 2017 MedTech’s Got Talent.

From left to right: Navi co-founders Anya Rosello, Fay Gibson, Elise Sutherland; advisor David Grayden (Stelect); and Navi co-founders Shing Sheung, Wei Sue, Alex Newton.

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“We now run MedTech’s Got Talent (MTGT) a program birthed by STC,” Palmer adds. “MTGT is embedded in a suite of innovation and entrepreneurship programs and includes a 15-month venturebacked, industry-led accelerator program.

Kishore explains how a med tech business can work with MTA to start-up and eventually reach commercialisation: “This depends on where the start-up is in the pipeline; however often the most effective way for new entrepreneurs is via MTGT. Some 95% of MTGT founders are first-time entrepreneurs and half are women.

All participants in MTGT compete for grant funding to develop their ideas, and the grants (which don’t need to be paid back) come from our partners in government and industry.”

Last year’s MTGT competition’s winner - Stelect and 15 other med tech ventures - were admitted to MTA’s 15-month flagship acceleration program in January this year. Stelect’s business was founded by a team including two female engineers. Their winning medical device is designed to assist cardiac surgeons reduce error in stent placement by up to 70%.

“Another example of our micro-manufacturing is the nano-patch technology that we have developed for Vaxxas, for needle freevaccinations,” Lipman adds. “This is currently going through human trials. Several international companies have also approached us to develop nano-patches for other uses.”

After referral by CSIRO, US-based Infusion Innovation’s CEO Babak Nemati chose Romar as its manufacturing partner for its Q-Flo medical device. Nemati had already interviewed 20 other companies in the USA, Europe and Asia for the job. The Q-Flo is a closed, no-drip, valved connector, designed to minimise health workers’ exposure to hazardous chemicals. Off the back of that project, Romar has gained several other USA manufacturing projects.

In partnership with CSIRO, Romar is the only Australian company to offer a DMG MORI Lasertec 65 3D five-axis synchronous laser deposition, welding and milling machine. As the jewel in the crown of Romar’s state-of-the-art advanced manufacturing facilities, the Lasertec 65 combines the flexibility of high-capacity additive and subtractive manufacturing with precise, five-axis milling. CSIRO uses the Lasertec two or three days a month for its research into advanced manufacturing processes.

“When Australia innovates, the world of healthcare changes,” says Kishore. “Great Australian med tech innovations have included ultrasound, spray-on skin and IVF. Our goal is to build the economies of the future, tomorrow’s manufacturers and the next wave of industries, entrepreneurs and ventures, while simultaneously improving the health outcomes for the community.”

Romar Engineering – Collaborative manufacturing Romar Engineering is one innovative Australian life-sciences manufacturer that is thriving via collaborative partnerships. For Romar Engineering’s founder Neil Wilson and its CEO Alan Lipman, collaborative manufacturing is Industry 4.0, the future of the industry. It enables companies to take on projects they couldn’t have delivered on their own and it’s a smart strategy for competing on the global stage.

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Romar is the only Australian company to offer a DMG MORI Lasertec 65 3D five-axis synchronous laser deposition, welding and milling machine.

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Lipman has been Romar’s CEO for almost two years, having come from a background of running medical manufacturing businesses for more than a decade. Among the improvements he has overseen at Romar, Lipman has restructured the organisation, developed new systems and procedures plus engaged Brilliant Digital to design a new, very detailed website.

“We used to get a couple of enquiries a month from the old website,” says Lipman. “Now we get ten enquiries a week, so it is very effective as our main marketing tool.”

On the company’s international marketing, Lipman says: “Neil Wilson and I travel a lot domestically and overseas, so we do all of Romar’s sales and marketing. As well as Singapore, we have partners in Thailand, China and Taiwan. This November, we are attending Medica, the international medical devices and hospital equipment exhibition in Dusseldorf, Germany.

“As a contract manufacturer we want to work with as many partners as possible to grow. The more machines we can get operating, the more we can grow as a global business. Romar has a strong group of young engineers, including our very skilled Production Manager, Rita Nicolas. They are the future of our business. We pride ourselves on building a strong, viable company for all of our customers and employees.”

Baxter Healthcare– Innovation in healthcare production Baxter Healthcare is part of the global enterprise Baxter International, which employs more than 50,000 worldwide. According to General Manager Steven Flynn, the key to the company’s success is its innovative manufacturing practices and the valued programs and services that it provides in partnership with hospitals and clinicians.

Baxter Healthcare produces sterilised products such as IV fluids, irrigations fluids and renal dialysis solutions.

individual patients’ medical requirements. We receive the order and deliver it to the patient, via a hospital or clinic often within less than 24 hours.”

Baxter has a very strong engineering team that is always looking at innovative ways to improve the production processes and develop new systems.

“Our mix-room is a great example of the way we innovate on-site,” says Flynn. “Our engineers and production team designed 12 mix tanks with a production capacity of 340,000 litres. These are fully integrated with value systems that mean there’s no human contact as they are self-cleaning and self-rinsing tanks.

Baxter Healthcare’s General Manager Steven Flynn

Speaking from the company’s Australian head office and manufacturing plant in Sydney’s west, Flynn explains that he has been running the Australian operations for the past three of the 12 years he’s been at Baxter. Trained in mechanical engineering and innovation, Flynn’s early career was in automotive at Holden and TNT. “Baxter’s manufacturing plant here in Toongabbie produces sterilised products such as IV fluids, irrigations fluids and renal dialysis solutions, averaging around 45 million units per year primarily for the Australia & New Zealand (A&NZ) market,” says Flynn. “Our innovative compounding pharmacy operation is also a manufacturing process and we have eight of these centres located across A&NZ, employing 450 people. They are all aseptic facilities registered with the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) in Australia and Medsafe in NZ. Baxter receives prescriptions from hospitals and clinics for chemotherapy, antibiotics, analgesics and parenteral nutrition products plus other items such as operating theatre syringes. It takes sterile licenced drugs, solutions and devices, and its staff manually compound these into a format such as an IV bag, syringe or infusor for administering to patients.

“What’s unique about these products, particularly in the chemotherapy space, is that 80% of these orders have the patient’s name on the label,” Flynn explains. “That is, it’s tailored to the

“Recently, we launched some new medical devices, and one of these provides innovation in renal care.HDX is a brand-new therapy that is enabled by Theranova, a new innovative dialyser for haemodialysis treatment. Baxter has also launched a new Smart IV pump used in hospitals. This pump features a scalable platform and user-centric design that includes an advanced drug library and dose error reduction software to promote patient safety. We have taken a lot of feedback from clinicians and nurses in developing these products.”

Sustainability is a very important part of Baxter’s operations.

The manufacturing plant recycles and reuses its waste streams including PVC. The PVC that can’t be reused is recycled by other suppliers to make products such as garden hoses. Expanding on the factory recycling practices, Baxter appointed a sustainability officer four years ago, who was key to rolling out a PVC hospital recycling program in co-operation with hospital staff and the Vinyl Council of Australia. Baxter provides the recycling collection bins and hospital staff training.

“We are very proud of this program, which spans 154 hospitals across A&NZ,” says Flynn. “The hospital staff are very enthusiastic about recycling. Twenty tonnes of PVC IV fluid bags, oxygen tubing and oxygen masks are collected and recycled every month.

We have also set up a home patient peritoneal dialysis recycling program which over 800 patients currently access. Many have thanked us for collecting both the empty renal dialysis bags plus the cardboard packaging.

“Collaboration is one of our cultural levers at Baxter and innovation is the key to our success. If we didn’t innovate and bring new products and services to the market, partner with clinicians and the hospitals and constantly drive down our costs through innovation, we would not be as successful.” ww.ausbiotech.org www.medtechactuator.com www.romareng.com.au

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Driving success: out of the car and into the pharmacy The curtain has come down on the Australian auto industry, but former workers are finding opportunities in the booming pharmaceuticals and medical technology sector. By Michelle McIntosh.

Assad Ibrahim worked in car manufacturing for 12 years. He started at Ford in Melbourne straight out of school when he was still a teenager, in the body shop, literally putting cars together. “The exterior, the side assembly, the hood, the bonnet, the works,” he says.

Assad did an apprenticeship for a trade in fitting and turning, and then also a diploma in engineering. He went on to work in project management at Ford, working with the newest manufacturing technology in a highstakes, well-paid role.

Then the Australian automotive industry hit the skids. In Victoria, Toyota has now been reduced to a skeleton staff in Altona doing non-manufacturing roles. Ford stopped making cars in Victoria in 2016. Holden shut its last Australian plant, in Adelaide, last year.

It had spanned nearly 100 years; the first Ford factory opened in Geelong in 1925.

The grand era was over.

“We all knew it was doom and gloom,” says Assad. “It was just a matter of when. It was heartbreaking. I put my heart and soul into the company and gave them so much. They gave me so much, too. But I knew I had to get out.”

Assad says he knew he needed to transition into another career, and boiled it down to three manufacturing industries in Melbourne: chemical, food, and pharmaceutical. He didn’t know much about any of them, but by now he knew a lot about manufacturing.

He decided on the pharmaceutical industry.

Where the car industry slowed down then stalled, pharmaceutical manufacturing boomed.

With medical technology manufacturing, it’s now worth almost $13bn in Victoria alone – close to half the state’s revenue from all manufacturing. It employs more than 20,000 people. Monash University’s Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences has established an enterprise called the Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre (MMIC), a joint venture between the University, the State Government and pharmaceutical manufacturers. The MMIC holds workshops where all stakeholders can be updated and informed on the links between the auto industry and the pharmaceutical industry.

The pharmaceutical industry – and the MMIC – hope to attract an influx of degreequalified former auto employees to fill the demand in the booming new sector.

Informed by the auto industry Assad took a job at Pfizer, the huge pharmaceutical multinational with a

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Image courtesy of Pfizer.

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significant set-up in Melbourne. He’s been there 10 years now, one of six who have migrated from the auto industry. His role now is packing and technology manager; he’s currently overseeing a packaging process idea potentially worth millions to the company.

Andrew Hodder, Pfizer’s Site Director at its Mulgrave manufacturing plant and an MMIC advisory board member, says his company, like others, always looks for ways to be more effective.

“We’re taking these colleagues from automotive into our environment and getting them trained up in the regulatory framework challenges and the way we do things,” says Hodder. “It helps us be more effective in the way we problem-solve and deal with the manufacturing line. We really take on board the things the auto industry has been very good at doing. We adopt them into our own manufacturing environment. They reenergise our existing workforce.”

Exports of pharmaceutical goods from Victoria rose nearly $1.5bn last year, with the growth driven by blood products to the US and medicines to China. The State Government has prioritised pharmaceutical and medical technology manufacturing as a ‘key priority growth’ sector.

Victoria’s Minister for Industry and Employment, Ben Carroll, says former auto workers have ’transferable skills that are ideally suited to pharmaceutical manufacturing’.

“We’ve always supported ex-auto workers to find new jobs, and by teaming up with global companies like Pfizer and universities like Monash, we’re helping to create even more career pathways.”

Former Ford employee Assad Ibrahim has been with Pfizer for 10 years.

Monash’s Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Associate Professor Michelle McIntosh is the director of MMIC. She says tertiary-qualified staff in project management, design, quality control, engineering, business and science are wanted. She says the similarities between the two industries are “not a connection that may be obvious. But we are trying to draw that out, through MMIC, and shine a light on it. It’s very much part of our mandate to train and develop a workforce of the future.”

For Assad Ibrahim, settled doing major projects at Pfizer’s plant, the transition has been successful.

“It was sad to see the auto industry go,” he says.“But the skills I got from it are incredible.”

Michelle McIntosh is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at Monash University. Reprinted courtesy of Monash Lens. www.monash.edu

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Cochlear opens new manufacturing facility in Queensland Cochlear welcomed representatives of the Queensland State Government on 30 July to unveil its world-class new facility in Newstead, Brisbane.

Founded in Sydney in 1981, Cochlear is a global leader in implantable hearing solutions. The company has a global workforce of 3,500 people and invests more than $150m a year in research & development. Products include hearing systems for cochlear, bone conduction and acoustic implants. Over 450,000 people of all ages, across more than 100 countries, are now able to hear because of Cochlear.

Cochlear has completed the final phase of redevelopment at the Newstead site, which it has owned since 2007 when the company acquired the manufacturing operations of Brisbane company Crystalaid. Currently around 200 people are employed on the site, with 130 working in direct manufacturing and logistics, 40 working in engineering, and the remainder in administration and operations. The new facility has been built for growth in mind, with Cochlear planning to expand and take on more employees, commencing in early 2019, plus ongoing training and upskilling for staff currently employed.

Cameron Dick, State Minister for State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure & Planning, and Grace Grace, State Minister for Education and Minister for Industrial Relations, attended the new facility’s unveiling on 30 July. Dig Howitt, CEO of Cochlear, said: “I am pleased to welcome Minister Dick and Minister Grace to our new facility. We look forward to adding more skilled team members as we expand our advanced manufacturing operations here in Queensland.”

Minister Dick said: “Cochlear has transformed the lives more than 475,000 people across 100 countries and now they will continue their great work with Queensland-built technology.

This investment has enabled Cochlear to redirect more than $20m of work from overseas to Queensland, so not only is our state supporting people experiencing hearing loss but additional staff will be recruited as the facility ramps up.

“More than 27,000 Queenslanders have severe to profound hearing loss, more than 2,100 have a Cochlear implant, and we hope to see many more Queenslanders benefitting from this incredible innovation now happening right here in our state.”

Minister Dick added that Cochlear is the perfect example of Australianheadquartered, globally competitive exporters choosing Queensland to base their manufacturing operations.

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Andy King, Head Coach of Surfing Australia and Cochlear implant recipient; Cameron Dick, Queensland Minister for State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning; Dig Howitt, CEO of Cochlear; and Grace Grace, Queensland Minister for Education and Minister for Industrial Relations.

“This is an important step for the development of advanced manufacturing capabilities in our state, with our growing manufacturing sector already employing 170,000 Queenslanders and consistently contributing nearly $20bn a year to Queensland’s economy,” he said. “This is what our government is focused on creating: the high-tech, high-paid jobs of the future for Queenslanders manufacturing products that create high-value exports for our economy. We want manufacturing businesses in Queensland to set their sights on delivering not only for domestic markets, but also for global markets, and Cochlear is one company grasping that vision with both hands through their Newstead operations.”

In 2017 it was estimated one in six, or approximately 3.6m Australians were affected by disabling hearing loss. In line with global trends, and largely due to the ageing population, this number is expected to rise significantly without effective policy intervention.

Cochlear has invested more than $15m in capital, plant, equipment and labour to enable the Newstead facility to manufacture the latest electronic components used in its implants. This is in addition to products and components used in the external parts of the cochlear implant system like sound processors. Manufacturing staff

will be provided on-the-job training before commencing work on the new production line.

Class 3 implantable medical devices are the most heavily regulated, so every aspect of the Newstead facility has had to be validated and verified to make it fully compliant with global governing bodies. Facility compliance with the regulations enables the export of products to various global markets. Each year over 400 different types of products are produced through a mixture of high tech automation and painstaking manual micro assembly work. In 2017-18, the facility manufactured 1.2m parts and 550,000 finished products for global export.

“Innovation has been essential to Cochlear’s success as an Australian headquartered, globally competitive exporter, and we are delighted this new facility provides us the opportunity to continue our investment locally,” added Howitt. “With Australia’s ageing population, finding solutions for people with severe-to-profound hearing loss is an increasingly important issue to address.

Cochlear looks forward to working with the Queensland Government, continuing our work to make hearing a national health priority and cement Australia as the world leader in hearing health.” Mr Howitt said. www.cochlear.com

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Manufacturing boost for MiniFAB as Pat Boland joins board Global medical diagnostics manufacturer MiniFAB has announced the appointment of Pat Boland as a Non-Executive Director. Boland is co-founder of ANCA, a market-leading global manufacturer of CNC tool grinders.

Boland’s appointment coincides with a number of major investments by MiniFAB in manufacturing capability upgrades, and will give MiniFAB’s medical manufacturing credentials an additional boost. Boland is a celebrated leader in manufacturing, having been awarded the “Engineering Hero” status by the Victorian Government and the Kernot Memorial Medal by Melbourne University. Since establishing ANCA in 1974, Boland has grown the company to over 1,000 people with manufacturing sites in Australia, Thailand, Germany, the US, UK and Taiwan. Like MiniFAB, the majority of ANCA’s revenue comes in export dollars.

Boland is active in the manufacturing industry and has several patents in the field of machine tools. He previously served as President of AMTIL, was a member of the Future Manufacturing

that is also something we will tap,” said Board Chairman Michael Wilkinson. “Our company is poised for some very strong growth and leadership is key to unlocking that potential. Pat is a well recognised and celebrated leader, especially when it comes to manufacturing, which is where the lion’s share of our growth potential exists.

Industry Innovation Council and has a first class Honours Degree in Electrical Engineering from Melbourne University.

“Pat brings a lifetime of experience in Australian-based manufacturing for export markets. He also has experience in expanding a manufacturing base across multiple international locations and

Boland has also expressed great optimism for the future of MiniFAB: “MiniFAB is a perfect example of what can be achieved by an advanced manufacturing business with its sights set firmly on export markets. Just like ANCA, MiniFAB has a tiny local market compared to its export opportunities. The company is already highly successful, but the most exciting thing I see is just how much scope they have for future growth. I see the seeds of something big at MiniFAB.” www.miniFAB.com.au

Deakin researchers discover how to transform jeans into joints Denim jeans could be transformed into artificial cartilage for joint reconstruction thanks to advanced textile recycling methods pioneered by researchers at Deakin University.

Deakin scientists Dr Nolene Byrne and PhD candidate Beini Zeng have discovered how to dissolve denim and manipulate the remains into an aerogel – a low-density material with a range of uses including cartilage bioscaffolding, water filtration and use as a separator in advanced battery technology. Dr Byrne, who completed the ground-breaking work in a joint project with Deakin’s Institute for Frontier Materials (IFM) and the School of Engineering, said the process worked because denim was made from cotton, a natural polymer comprised of cellulose. “Cellulose is a versatile renewable material, so we can use liquid solvents on waste denim to allow it to be dissolved and regenerated into an aerogel, or a variety of different forms,” said Dr Byrne. “Aerogels are a class of advanced materials with very low density, sometimes referred to as ‘frozen smoke’ or ‘solid smoke’, and because of this low density they make excellent materials for bioscaffolding, absorption or filtration. When we reformed the cellulose, we got something we didn’t expect – an aerogel with a unique porous structure and nanoscopic tunnels running through the sample.”

Dr Byrne said she believed the sticky nature of the denim cellulose solution was likely responsible for the unique aerogel structure that resulted, something ideally suited for use as synthetic cartilage.

“That’s exactly what cartilage looks like,” she explained. “You can’t 3D-print that material – and now we can shape and tune the aerogel to manipulate the size and distribution of the tunnels to make the ideal shape.”

IFM’s Dr Wren Greene, who assisted through testing the suitability of the aerogel materials as cartilage-like bioscaffolds, said the similarities were remarkable: “The remarkable similarity in the pore network structure of these aerogels and cartilage tissues – even down to the dimensions, orientations, and density distribution of pore channels – enables these materials to replicate a special type of ‘weeping’ lubrication mechanism used by cartilage to protect against wear and damage.”

Apart from its applications as a cartilage supplement, Dr Byrne said the denim recycling technique would also help contribute to the fight against textile waste.

“Textile waste is a global challenge with significant environmental implications, and we’ve been working for more than four years to address this problem with a viable textile recycling solution,” she said. “With population growth and the development of Third World countries combined with today’s rapid fashion cycles, textile waste is always increasing, leading to millions of tonnes of clothes and other textiles being burnt or dumped in landfill.”

Dr Byrne said the IFM team used an “upcycling” approach to get around costeffectiveness issues.

“One of the main drawbacks of textilerecycling efforts is that any advanced technique requires the use of chemicals, which can then make the procedure less cost-effective,” she said. “We use environmentally-friendly chemicals, and by upcycling our approach to create a more advanced material we can address the limitations affecting other less cost-effective methods. We are now entering pilot-scale trials and look to be at commercial scale within three to five years with industry support.” www.deakin.edu.au

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Additive manufacturing for patient-specific implants To manufacture precise, patient-specific products in the medical industry, one technique that is gaining popularity is 3D printing. Ed Littlewood, Marketing Manager at Renishaw’s Medical and Dental Products Division, discusses medical applications of 3D printing and the potential of the technology to improve procedures and aid patient recovery.

At Madame Tussauds, the famous waxwork museum in London, there is a careful procedure when making a celebrity figure; it involves around 15 artists working on each model for three to four months. The detailed process requires 250 precise measurements before the figure is made; this means that the end result is a lifelike, near-exact replica.

Additive manufacturing or 3D printing is used in a variety of industrial applications for prototyping and manufacturing. The technology uses a range of materials including polymers, ceramics, resins, stainless steel, cobalt chrome and titanium. The additive manufacturing process produces 3D objects from a computeraided design (CAD) file. Objects are built in layers, adding material until the manufactured part is complete. This method offers great design flexibility, which means that highly accurate, bespoke and customised devices can be produced at low cost compared to traditional manufacturing.

The medical applications of additive manufacturing are growing continually. Current uses include craniomaxillofacial (CMF) devices, hip and knee implants, spinal fusion implants, heart stents, neurological drug delivery and external prosthetic limbs. A significant benefit of the technology is the ability to customise and personalise the items produced so that they are patient-specific.

A number of UK NHS hospitals have used additive manufacturing to improve predictability, accuracy, safety and efficiency. Advances in the technology have inspired a number of surgeons to commission additively manufactured patient-specific implants and surgical guides.

Patient-specific implants Creating patient-specific implants via additive manufacturing entails the use of a digital workflow that can benefit several stages of the process including planning. To produce a patient-specific implant, data is acquired from a patient scan, such as a computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. The patient’s data is then imported into CAD, prepared for manufacture, made and then finished.

One such application of additive manufactured implants is in craniectomy and cranioplasty, when a patient has a piece of skull removed to accommodate swelling caused by injury, tumour or stroke. The patient then requires the surgical repair of the bone defect to restore the skull. The surgical repair can be done by

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replacing the original bone section, or by using a custom implant.

If the surgeon chooses a custom implant, it is important that the implant fits correctly, particularly for aesthetic purposes.

The customisation possible with additive manufacturing allows accurate bespoke implant production. This is an advantage for this application because of the irregular shapes of skulls, which can make implants difficult to standardise. Furthermore, the skull and brain are complex and difficult areas to visualise.

A traditional approach to patient-specific implants for cranioplasty would be to form the titanium into shape using a hydraulic press; this would be formed on a model taken from an impression of a patient’s skull. The impression is taken over the skin, which means it is subject to some inaccuracy as the implant will be placed directly on the bone. Alternatively, a plate formed from polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) could be created during the surgery, which adds time to the procedure, or it could be formed prior to surgery, though this requires a more complex sterilising method, as PMMA cannot be autoclaved.

Using a custom, additively manufactured implant offers potential for decreased surgical time and improved implant fit by addressing some of the disadvantages of the aforementioned traditional approaches. However, the real innovation of additive manufacturing for patient-specific implants comes in the shape of custom guides.

When implanting a patient-specific implant, in some cases it might not obviously locate due to a lack of landmarks on the patient’s bone. In this situation, the surgeon can use a placement guide to locate the implant into its correct position.

Surgeons can also use an additively manufactured cutting guide during a surgery to remove bone accurately. Finally, using a cutting guide can also allow bones to be cut with better precision, giving greater surface area contact between mating surfaces, which leads to better osseointegration. Adopting additive manufacturing technology can help reduce surgery time, as observed in the examples below.

Additive manufacturing for cranioplasty In one recent example, a patient presented with a meningioma caused by a benign growth on the left side of the cranium. The CT scan revealed that the growth was expanding into the skull.

The patient required a craniectomy to remove the tumour and a cranioplasty to rebuild the skull.

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PDR, a world-leading design consultancy, designed a patientspecific cranial plate and custom guide for the craniotomy.

Thanks to the design freedom additive manufacturing offered, the implant fitted the precise specification given by the surgeon, which resulted in a good aesthetic outcome with the implant matching the patient’s cranial contours exactly. The patient was discharged in four days and was found to be complication-free.

Additive manufacturing for mandibular reconstruction A recent procedure at the University Hospital of Wales in the UK required complex reconstructive surgery. The patient required a mandible reconstruction due to cancer of the lower jaw, which involved the removal of the left side of the jaw.

The surgeons used a digital workflow and pre-planning to optimise productivity. A section of bone and vascular tissue was removed from the patient’s fibula (leg bone) to reconstruct the sectioned jaw. For the operation to be successful, a perfect fit was required between the two harvested fibula sections and the two remaining healthy sections of the jaw. A mandibular plate was constructed to hold the sections together.

The operation involved additively manufactured cutting and drilling guides, additively manufactured implants and a pre-planned surgical approach. The cutting guides were used to harvest the best section of bone and soft tissue to prevent morbidity and establish a healthy blood supply to aid recovery.

Using additive manufacturing to produce the implant and guides resulted in the perfect fit of bone segments. The complex surgery was delivered with high precision, which aided patient safety. The pre-defined cutting and drilling guides reduced the risks that a freehand operation could present.

The Renishaw Healthcare Centre of Excellence in Miskin, near Cardiff in Wales, contains a facility for the manufacture of medical products under the ISO13485 quality management system.

The facility is focused on the production of craniomaxillofacial patient-specific implants, jigs and guides. Anatomical models are manufactured to complement implant manufacturing in polycarbonate using a fusion deposition machine (FDM) machine.

3D printed models Outside of patient-specific implant production, 3D printing is used to make models for surgical preparation. This provides surgeons with a tangible, 3D model of a specific patient. The surgeon can use this model to simulate an operation – a significant improvement on the 2D information of a scan. This can be useful to surgeons because by allowing them to perform a ‘dry run’ of the procedure – they can confirm the implant design is suitable, meaning that if there is any difficulty in placing the implant it can be resolved before the surgery, rather than during.

3D printed models can also be used for training and teaching, as tissue characteristics can be replicated for normal and pathological examples. This bypasses the traditional training approach and can accelerate the training pathway, giving surgeons the opportunity to practise on complex or uncommon pathologies.

Looking forward 3D printing is a rapidly expanding technology that offers benefits in efficiency, accuracy and ease of customisation. These applications will extend in future, perhaps even to the 3D bioprinting of tissue and organs. Once the technology’s potentials are realised, 3D printing will become increasingly used in medical procedures. www.renishaw.com

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MEDICAL

Tiny tools make a big difference for medical manufacturing Micro endmills are making all the difference in the medical manufacturing industry, but not just for subtractive manufacturing. Jeff Boyd of Sutton Tools sheds some light on his company’s work in this area.

One of the greatest advantages of my role with Sutton Tools has been to gain a perspective of the global manufacturing industry. Over the years, I’ve been able to observe technological trends and advancements across the industrial sector, and in different market segments.

One of these changes has been the way additive manufacturing is replacing subtractive manufacturing in some areas, beginning with the aerospace and medical sectors. Subtractive manufacturing is the process of machining the purchased raw material to precisely required dimensions by removing the excess material. Across the medical industry, where unique lowvolume components need to be produced from expensive and difficult-to-machine materials such as titanium, additive manufacturing is proving to be more effective in both cost and effort.

One of the tools that is proving particularly important and useful for the medical mouldand-die industry undertaking additive manufacturing is the micro endmill. This tiny cutting tool precisely cuts away material for medical device moulds in the orthodontic, orthopaedic and respiratory fields.

At Sutton, we’ve used these tools to help our customers build a range of medical aids. Though smaller than most of our tools, they come in a range of sizes and diameters to suit any number of mould and die projects.

Available in three profiles – Square End, Corner Rad and Ball Nose – from 0.2mm to 3mm, as well as multiple neck lengths per diameter for materials needing a deeper cut, the Sutton Tools micro endmill can machine hardened materials up to 62HRC with exceptional tool life and surface quality.

What often occurs in depth machining is that the rate of vibration increases the deeper the tool cuts because the sound waves become greater. This can cause serious damage to your micro endmill, reducing tool life and ruining the surface finish of the material. These problems are usually corrected by changing the cutting conditions to match the material group, as well as improving machining conditions through tool holding, work clamping or machine spindles.

Our micro endmills have been designed with the consequences of tool vibration in mind, so we’ve made a few changes

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Fig. 1

Fig. 2

to a traditional micro endmill to provide a solution. Rather than the traditional rake angle, which can cause the tool to scrape through the material and cause more vibrations and poor surface quality, the positive rake angle of the Sutton Tools micro endmill – available from 10 to 12 degrees – allows the tool to slice through the material. This makes penetrating the workpiece easier, and reduces the power needed, again cutting operational costs.

When compared to a competitor’s product, we found that stress concentration in our micro endmill was reduced by more than 20%, leading to reduced tool wear and a finer finished product. (See Fig.1) The unique micro geometry of our micro endmills also helps to minimise vibrations and create a smoother surface finish. Each micro endmill has what we call a wiper edge, with a hairline margin that yields 60%70% better smoothness than tools without the wiper edge. Within the medical industry, where moulds require extreme precision for a product to work properly, this aspect of the micro endmill is imperative.

All our micro endmills are coated in a TiSiN PVD coating to increase wear resistance, performance and efficiency in minimum

to zero lubrication. As I mentioned above, for medical device manufacturers making high quantities of unique low-volume components, the coating extends the tool life to ensure more components can be cut at less of a cost in replacing tools and downtime. (See Fig. 2) While tool replacement is an inevitable outcome, the medical industry can benefit significantly from using a trusted cutting tool that is durable and long-lasting, and able to perform under stressful conditions at the lowest cost.

In an industry where efficiency and quality are of the utmost importance, especially for medical components like dentures that require extremely precise moulds, we’re proud to be a part of it and look forward to new innovative means of mould cutting with micro endmills.

Jeff Boyd has some 30 years’ experience in the manufacture, design and application of high performance cutting tools. As Sutton Tools’ Key Market Manager, he is responsible for delivering engineered products and solutions to key accounts in our global markets. www.suttontools.com

MEDICAL

Harmful bacterial biofilms targetted in manufacturing research partnership Novel solutions for biofilm infections are the focus of a collaborative research agreement between the University of Sydney (UoS), medical manufacturer Whiteley Corporation and the Innovative Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre (IMCRC), with $3.5m co-invested in the project over a four-year period.

Biofilms formed by bacteria on living tissue cause morbidity and mortality in humans and animals. They also form on inanimate medical-related surfaces such as catheters, implants, medical instruments and almost all dry surfaces, where they pose a significant infection risk for patients.

Biofilms can also be found on non-medical surfaces such as in pipes and on boat hulls, are expensive to remove and cause damage to surfaces.

The research will be led by Dr Jim Manos and Dr Theerthankar Das from the Central Clinical School’s Discipline of Infectious Diseases and Immunology in the UoS’s multidisciplinary Charles Perkins Centre, and Dr Trevor Glasbey and Dr Greg Whiteley from the Hunter-based Whiteley Corporation. Dr Whiteley says the work would be of major medical significance worldwide.

“Bacterial biofilms cause both human disease and death, and these microbes are also responsible for contamination in industrial and institutional settings,” says Whiteley. “This manufacturing research project aims to commercialise a series of combination therapies being developed in collaboration with the University of Sydney, arising from early findings by Dr Manos and his team.”

Dr Manos, a Senior Lecturer in Infectious Diseases at the UoS, has thanked the IMCRC and Whiteley Corporation and says the partnership will expand on the work of Dr Das, a University postdoctoral fellow who developed a three-part treatment to tackle bacterial biofilms called combination therapy.

“This project will demonstrate how combination therapy can be used to effectively disrupt the formation of biofilm and eradicate underlying bacteria found in the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients, chronic urinary tract infections, diabetic leg wounds, burn wounds, dry and wet surfaces, the food industry and industrial oil, gas and water pipes,” says Manos. “We will bring products to market through the development and application of innovative manufacturing technologies that improve biofilm removal – both in areas of medical importance to improve the lives of people worldwide, and in industry to achieve less waste in food production and savings in the cost of transported liquids.”

Jim Manos, Theerthankar Das and Greg Whiteley

IMCRC CEO and Managing Director, David Chuter, says that incorporating advanced manufacturing technologies and processes into the project will be crucial to successfully commercialise the new formulated products.

Corporation embrace research innovation and invest in advanced manufacturing technologies that will not only benefit the human health sector, but also the manufacturing community in the Hunter Valley.”

“This project takes a new approach to resolving biofilm problems,” says Chuter.

“Applying advanced manufacturing techniques and automating key functions of the formulation development and production process right from the start will provide operational efficiencies and drive commercial outcomes. It is great to see a local manufacturer such as the Whiteley

The partnership follows an initial grant from the UoS’s Commercial Development and Industry Partnerships (CDIP) Industry & Community Engagement Fund and the Whiteley Corporation, used to develop the data for the successful IMCRC submission. www.sydney.edu.au www.whiteley.com.au www.imcrc.org

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MEDICAL

Global collaboration gives rise to 3D printed field test kit A collaboration between South Australia, Texas and Ethiopia is using 3D-printing and design innovation to efficiently diagnose a deadly disease that infects a million people every year.

The kit to diagnose leishmaniasis began trials in July by the Armauer Hansen Research Institute (AHRI) in Addis Ababa, as part of a program to revolutionise the way diseases are tested and treated. Working with Austin-based infectious disease virtual incubator PandemicTech and the New Venture Institute (NVI) at Flinders University in Adelaide, Dr Endalamaw Gadisa has been able to quickly iterate his knowledge of a better way to test for leishmaniasis into a practical, cost-effective design.

Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease spread through sandfly bites. The World Health Organization estimates up to 1m new cases and 30,000 deaths occur annually, usually among malnourished people living in poverty or unsanitary conditions.

Although it can lead to ulcers and death, leishmaniasis is curable if diagnosed and treated early.

Gadisa identified several difficulties in testing for the disease in Ethopia, leading to the need for more effective, practical diagnostic equipment. The difficulties with the current system include the cost of a liquid medium (reagent) for testing, the fragile test tubes used to store the reagent, the challenge of viewing samples under available microscopes, and the length of time to get results, which can be more than a week. He developed a design for a test tube that requires significantly less reagent (10 microlitres versus 25 millilitres) and could provide results in as few as three days, but he lacked the ability to build his prototype in Addis Ababa.

Andrew Nerlinger, Director of PandemicTech, offered to work with Gadisa as one of the incubator’s original pilot projects, and then brought the problem to Matt Salier, Director of Flinders University’s New Venture Institute.

“When I eventually described the project to Matt Salier during the South by Southwest Conference in March 2017, he offered to collaborate and introduced me to NVI’s Raphael Garcia, who ultimately worked directly with Dr Gadisa and me on several design iterations resulting in the prototype depicted in the most recent photos,” Nerlinger said.

The New Venture Institute is located in the Tonsley Innovation Precinct in Adelaide, a sister city of Austin. Salier said the sister city relationship helped start the conversation.

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The test kit to diagnose leishmaniasis began trials in July

“Flinders NVI has had an office presence in Austin for over four years now with our local partner Tech Ranch. I met Andrew from Endura Ventures as he was establishing PandemicTech and we saw an opportunity to apply our design and innovative manufacturing expertise at Tonsley,” Salier said.

Prototyping the design took less than four months and was done on NVI’s Stratasys Objet Connex 3D printer. This allowed various solutions to be considered through a Design-Thinking process before picking the most suitable one to be designed on CAD software.

Salier said the first prototype was created using a clear liquid resin and was produced in three parts: a main body to hold the fluid; a cork on top to plug the culture tube; and a bottom plug that is removable to clean the culture tube. The main body has a central hole throughout the unit, which the plugs connect to, a design choice that means the culture tube is reusable and cleanable.

The design was refined several times to increase the clarity and durability of the main body, the part responsible for allowing diagnosis through microscopic inspection. Different materials were printed for the top and bottom plugs to ensure they could completely seal the main body while remaining easily removable for cleaning and sterilising.

The finished kit, which cost less that A$5,000 to develop, is packed in an offthe-shelf Pelican case with foam laser-cut at the University. The pack also comes with special 3D-printed microscopes that attach to a smartphone camera and convert the phone into a powerful 60x magnification microscope that can collect photos for

diagnostic purposes. The microscope is made by South Australian education startup company Go Micro, also co-located at Flinders in Tonsley. Despite Austin, Adelaide and Addis Ababa each being more than 10,000km apart, Nerlinger said the costeffective collaboration has created reusable high-quality prototypes at a fraction of the typical cost, “for a neglected disease that causes immense morbidity and mortality in the most austere and resource-limited environments in the world”.

“We were also excited that NVI was able to match Dr Gadisa with one of its own technologies, the microscope attachment used on a smartphone that is able to read the results of the leishmaniasis testing,” Nerlinger added. “The new testing device will allow more patients to be treated earlier and decrease the time it takes to obtain a diagnosis. It will also potentially allow health workers to provide a diagnosis to patients while conducting medical work in the remote regions often most impacted by leishmaniasis. If the testing is successful, the opportunity exists to build a financially sustainable social impact company around the testing kit that brings together resources from Ethiopia and Australia.”

Salier said projects like these were exactly why Flinders NVI was always endeavouring to demonstrate how new technologies and business models could address large-scale problems facing society: “We don’t need more software to solve problems already solved 10 times over; what we do need is innovation which has impact, that creates value by applying new approaches to global challenges.” www.ahri.gov.et www.pandemictech.com www.nviflinders.com.au

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MATERIAL REMOVAL

Achieving top quality with technological excellence Demographic growth, increasing life expectancy and an economic upswing are among the key drivers in the medical technology industry – with accompanying implications for mechanical production.

Advances in the orthopaedic field in particular are enormous; hip and knee prostheses and spinal implants are in demand like never before. Around 180 different types of product are being used in the human body nowadays. Interest in diagnostics and surgical instruments is also growing. Amid this growth, economic production of medical technology products is a key issue.

As the leader of technology in machining and as a partner for virtually all notable manufacturers in the industry, DMG MORI plays a key role in enabling implants and instruments to be machined efficiently and above all to meet the high demands on quality. This comprises the entire material mix from high-strength plastic, stainless steel and titanium. to cobalt-chrome and now degradable magnesium alloys. CNC solutions for six-sided turn-mill machining, five-axis simultaneous milling, ultrasonic technology and high-speed cutting are all included in the portfolio, as well as additive manufacturing with powder bed technology, and digital solutions for futureoriented processes in medical technology.

Continuous growth in the market for medical technology has consequences for the giants in the industry. Production areas are getting ever tighter, while at the same time prices for implants continue to fall.

Manufacturers are coming together in order to meet these challenges. The acquisition of Biomet by Zimmer and of Covidien by Medtronic are just two examples in recent years. The trend is towards more efficiency on all levels, especially in the production of sophisticated products such as knee and hip prostheses or spinal implants.

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Integral automated processes boost efficiency DMG MORI is a long-standing partner for manufacturers of medical technology – 12 of the 20 largest players are among its customers – and the company is well acquainted with the special challenges in mechanical production.

“The technological possibilities are not, for example, the limiting factor here,” says Marcus Krüger, Head of the DMG MORI Medical Excellence Center. “Instead, it is the high demands in the certification requirements of medical products that determine the process in medical technology.”

Where production solutions are concerned, it has therefore become more important than ever to integrate digital solutions very early on in the production process: “Barcode readers, the measurement and marking of parts as integrated options in CELOS, and thus also in the production process, will both simplify and accelerate documentation and tracking.”

Automated processes include virtually unmanned production, but also the reading of programmes, quantities and batch sizes in the production environment, as well as feedback to the entire system. Krüger considers automation solutions generally a major trend in a wide range of subdisciplines: “This involves the loading and unloading of single parts and small series in orthopaedics. The focus here is on flexible automations, as it is in the production of medical instruments.”

Due to the high quantities, machining from bar is preferred, as Krüger adds: “The

limited production areas in this sector necessitate space-saving, integrated automation solutions.”

DMG MORI has these in its portfolio in the form of pallet and workpiece handling systems and robotic automation.

The DMG MORI Medical Excellence Centre Using its wide-ranging product portfolio, DMG MORI develops optimum manufacturing solutions for its customers within the medical technology sector. In the DMG MORI Medical Excellence Centre, set up specifically for this purpose at DECKEL MAHO Seebach, the company’s team of experts realise innovative turnkey solutions for both industry giants as well as smaller companies and suppliers that enable cost-effective production. Engineers are involved early in the development phase of customers’ projects. Consequently they learn a lot and integrate the knowledge thus gained in the construction of DMG MORI’s machines and components, in order to design ever more efficient manufacturing solutions.

This was put to the test impressively during the first Medical Days event that took place last June at DECKEL MAHO Seebach.

Customers from Germany, Switzerland and the Republic of Ireland discussed the increase in productivity for medical technology with experts from all fields.

A study undertaken by Avicenne indicates the industry will grow on average by 4.4% in the coming years. This trend will be accompanied by continuous price pressure.

MATERIAL REMOVAL

“Certification issues will also become more acute and will have an impact on production,” adds Krüger. “The challenge we face is exactly that, to overcome such hurdles and to ensure that both the high demands on quality and low machining times are met with innovative production solutions.”

DMG MORI’s range of efficient, highperformance CNC machine tools remain an essential basis for delivering economic automation solutions. Many users prefer a footprint that is as compact as possible, so models such as the MILLTAP 700 compact machining centre and the SPRINT automatic turning machine are in high demand, as well as the DMU 50 and the smaller DMU eVo models for five-sided milling and the NTX 1000 second-generation in six-sided complete machining. With this portfolio, DMG MORI covers a wide range of components in the all important orthopaedic field.

The high demands on quality and the need for shorter machining times are aspects that the entire range of products in medical technology have in common.

“So complete machining is a commonplace topic in the industry,” says Krüger. “In particular complex parts such as knee implants made of cobalt-chrome can be manufactured with maximum efficiency in five-axis simultaneous machining on a DMU 40 eVo linear. speedMASTER spindles with up to 30,000rpm or spindles with up to 60,000rpm for the HSC 20 linear achieve surface qualities that require a minimum of post-processing effort.”

The dynamics and positioning accuracy of the linear drives make these ideally suited to such requirements. With the aid of the PH 10|100 pallet handling system, for example, DMG MORI ensures a high level of productivity in this area for even the lowest quantities.

With its NTX 1000 second generation, DMG MORI also delivers impressive results in the six-sided complete machining of, for example, different components for hip and knee prostheses. The turn-mill centre achieves on just 10sqm what would otherwise require at least two machines in many places. The NTX 1000 second generation derives its unparalleled efficiency from its versatile equipment options. These enable, among other things, parallel machining of the workpieces using a milling spindle and a bottom turret. The solid machine construction ensures highly accurate machining, while the tool magazine with up to 76 stations contributes to a high degree of flexibility in production. Several automation solutions, among them one with integrated six-axis robot for loading chuck parts, round off the equipment options.

The machining of titanium and titanium alloys is also of great importance in medical technology. The MILLTAP 700 performs impressively here with its extreme rigidity, high spindle speeds and intelligent cooling system. Added together, these features guarantee shortest machining times and best surface qualities in the production of bone plates. The WH 3 workpiece handling system enables low manpower

production. The MILLTAP 700 now also machines degradable magnesium alloys with integrated fire-extinguishing system and two-tier flame detectors.

The manufacture of bone screws is carried out under very similar conditions on the automatic turning machines in the SPRINT series. With SWISSTYPEkit, integrated spindle drives – 10,000 rpm for main and counter spindle – and Direct Drive in the X1 axis, the SPRINT 20|8 reduces machining times by 35%. Furthermore, the two tool carriages for a maximum of 36 tools – including up to ten driven tools – enable effortless machining of complex components.

Exclusive DMG MORI technology cycles like 3D quickSET for highest kinematic precision or ATC for top surface qualities complete the range of services for users in the medical technology field. www.dmgmori.com

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MATERIAL REMOVAL

Weber – Sophisticated brush technology eliminates rough edge and blemishes While their quality has improved dramatically in recent years, laser-cut and punched parts still don’t have perfect edges or completely unblemished surfaces.

Weber Grinding Machines offer a solution to this with a range of machines that can grind, round, deburr and descale lasered, punched and nibbled parts, thereby providing perfect surfaces and edges. The technology allowing this is Weber’s sophisticated brush system, comprising multiple brush heads. Three types of brush head are available: a compact planetary head, double-row planetary head, or the multi-rotation brush (MRB).

The Compact Planetary head provides an excellent solution to the problem of large rotating brush systems.

Dividing up the brushes onto several smaller tool carriers minimises machining differences along the operating width of the machine, which occur otherwise.

The DR planetary head provides all-round edge machining across the entire width. This allows for all-round edge machining with cup brushes. In this process, several rotating brushes arranged in groups are given an additional turning motion. This means that the brushes work at the ideal angle on the workpiece.

Weber’s MRB system is ideal for perfect edge machining.

When round brushes are used, several rotating heads are also arranged next to each other. The meshing of the brushes during the combing procedure and two brushes per head create even machining results along the entire operating width. The modular design of the brush heads allows for problem-free machining of each part with the procedure it requires. This arrangement works perfectly for any material thickness starting from 1mm.

“Manufacturers who want to get perfect edges and unblemished surfaces on the metal parts they produce and market, can now do this with a Weber grinding machine,” says Daniel Fisher, Marketing Manager at Applied Machinery.

Weber offers three different machines that cater to different quality requirements and market price points. The entry-level TTSC machine is a compact model for deburring, rounding, descaling and surface grinding with a dry grinding procedure that provides good machining of punched and nibbled parts. The TT deburring machine is Weber’s all-rounder, offering dry grinding that provides perfect results with the highest possible output. Weber’s NLC model is a wet deburring machine specifically designed for surface grinding and for special high-quality material types.

Weber also offers machines for machining heavy plates – in particular the deburring, rounding and descaling of flame-cut and plasma-cut parts. The machining of very thick, heavy sheetmetal parts makes high demands on the machines used for this process. For this purpose, Weber offers the special MK and MKS models. Weber is a German company with an impressive 100 years experience in grinding machine manufacturing. The Weber machine company is synonymous with innovation and high-quality machine construction. Applied Machinery recently celebrated 25 years in business and, in addition to Weber, represents a large range of other premium machinery manufacturers including Yawei, Genox, Hurco, Cosen, Chen Hsong, Alfarobot, Hermle, Akyapak, Pro-Plas, Hyundai-WIA, Kitamura and Polystar.

“Applied Machinery is proud to have been appointed a distributor for Weber machines,” says Fisher. “We are confident that the product will appeal to manufacturers looking to take the quality of their finished product to the next level, and provide those manufacturers with a competitive advantage in the market place.” www.appliedmachinery.com.au

Okuma’s ‘Dream Site 2’ wins Good Factory award Okuma’s ‘Dream Site 2’ parts factory, at its head office in Oguchi-cho, Aichi Prefecture in Japan, has received the 2018 8th Good Factory Award and Monozukuri Innovation Award, sponsored by the Japan Management Association.

In Japan and Asia, the Good Factory Award focuses on effective examples of improvement in factory productivity and quality. Those processes and success factors include positive use of shopfloor know-how, changed worker attitudes, and social contributions as honourable models of the Japanese manufacturing industry. Okuma received the ‘Monozukuri (Manufacturing) Innovation Award’ out of the four award categories.

Okuma was highly commended for its efforts toward the ‘construction of a highly-efficient production system for super high-mix, low-volume (HMLV) applications at a next-generation Smart Factory Dream Site 2 (DS 2) parts factory’. These included: 1. The Dream Site serves as a model for a future factory, blending automation and skilled techniques to perform “mass customisation” in the manufacture of approximately 4,000 machine tool parts, and achieve automated/unattended operations by consolidating the power of improvement through Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and shopfloor activities.

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2. From the start-up of the new factory to improvement activities during mass production, the manufacturing and technology divisions collaborated to build the optimum production system that would be effective throughout the factory.

3. Training workers with skills to supplement machining accuracy that cannot be achieved by automation alone.

4. Promoting innovation to solve problems through various management techniques.

Okuma aims to continue to strive for highly-efficient manufacturing with super HMLV production, and is planning to build moreadvanced smart factories that evolve to meet the diverse needs of its customers. In addition, Okuma will provide the know-how acquired through building smart factories as a service to the global manufacturing industry. www.okumaaustralia.com.au

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ONE-ON-ONE

Dr Charlie Day is the Chief Executive Officer of Innovation and Science Australia (ISA).

He spoke to William Poole.

AMT: Tell us about Innovation and Science Australia (ISA) and its objectives.

Charlie Day: ISA is a board which comprises up to 15 senior leaders from across the innovation, science and research system. It’s chaired

by Bill Ferris, who is the father of venture capital in this country, the deputy chair is Alan Finkel, the Chief Scientist, and we have a range of people from across the science and innovation system. It was set up as part of the “ideas boom” back in late 2015 with the intent of providing independent advice to the whole of government about making the Australian innovation system work better.

Our job really is to provide advice to government about innovation policy and how those innovation policies can make the system work a bit better. We also have a role as advocates for the system; there’s a lot of good news stories, great examples of innovation that we like to celebrate around the country. And we also have a role overseeing some of the key government support programs like the Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) Programme, the Entrepreneurs’ Programme, venture capital programs and so forth.

There’s a range of programs we have an oversight responsibility for, but our primary job is really to provide advice to government to make the system work better.

AMT: What sort of activities does the ISA engage in, in meeting these objectives?

CD: To date, our provision of advice to government has come primarily if you like in large-scale format. So earlier this year we published our report ‘Australia 2030 – Prosperity through Innovation’, which was a long-term roadmap for the Australian innovation system, and outlined in a comprehensive fashion the policies we felt the Government needed to focus on to make the innovation system work better. That was something we spent over a year pulling together; it followed on from a Performance Review of the Innovation, Science and Research System that we released the prior year.

So up till now we’ve generally done these large-scale reports.

Looking now and into the future, we’re tending to work with the Government on specific issues. For example, we’re working with the Department of Home Affairs on visas and talent availability to make sure Australian firms can access the specialised talent that they need, with the Department of Health on rolling out the large-scale project in genomics, but also in supporting the Medical Research Future Fund and the Biomedical Translation Fund, and similar initiatives. And we’re also working with the Department of Industry on the reforms to the Research & Develepment (R&D) Tax Incentive and other programs that support business investment in innovation.

innovation more broadly. And of course government is a key player in the innovation system. So there are lots of different parts of the system, and when you look across different countries around the world, Australia is strong in some parts, but weaker in others.

If you look at one of the metrics that people like to look at, at a macro level, it’s called the Global Innovation Index which is put out by the World Intellectual Property Organization. That was released in July and it ranked us as 20th in the world in terms of our innovation system.

Perhaps a little more relevantly, it ranked us 19th out of 47 highincome countries. So if we think about the high-income countries, Australia sits somewhere in the bottom half of the second quartile.

So we’re not a leader, but we’re not a laggard, we’re somewhere in the middle. And as I say, that aggregate number conceals a bit of variation across the system; there are areas where we’re really good, and areas where we’re not so good.

AMT: What would you say are our strengths, and where do we need to work on improving?

CD: Well like I said we published a review in early 2017, which looked at the performance of the Australian innovation system. And that broadly agreed with what the Global Innovation Index finds, which is that on creating new ideas, Australians are pretty inventive. Our researchers generate publications that are very high-quality and our universities rank very highly for the quality both on the research and the teaching that they do, and that underpins the development of a very large export industry in higher education, which is one of Australia’s largest export industries. So in the generation of new ideas and the university system that surrounds it, we perform really well.

Where we don’t perform so well is in patenting those ideas and transferring them into products and services and then scaling them up into global businesses that are competing on the world stage. On metrics like the high-growth businesses and the amount of venture capital and the rate of new-to-the-world innovation, they’re some of the metrics where Australia ranks much more poorly.

AMT: Focusing on the manufacturing sector specifically, one big issue often is weaknesses in the way industry collaborates with academia and research organisations. What could be done to boost that?

AMT: Where does Australia sit in terms of innovation compared to its international competitors.

CD: Yes, certainly that is an area where Australia on many metrics doesn’t perform particularly well. Although having said that, that is one area where I think our metrics might not be telling us the full picture, because as I travel around the country and talk to companies and to universities, I see some great examples of collaboration. We’ve seen a range of different metrics which suggest that the picture is a bit more complicated and I think we are probably in the middle of the pack rather than the bottom of the pack as some people say.

CD: It’s a slightly tricky question to answer because an innovation system is a reasonably complex beast. It really arises from the interaction or intersection of the education system, of the public research sector but also private research activities, and business

What can we do? Well the good news is that universities are reaching out more proactively. The Government has changed the way it allocates funding to universities to make it more attractive for universities to work with business. And universities are responding

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HEADING

to that: we’re seeing a lot of interest from universities in partnering with business. In the manufacturing space for example, there is some great work going on down in Geelong around Deakin University and the Carbon Fibre Technology Hub. And there are many other examples around the country.

We’re seeing some encouraging trends, but it’s still early days. And the reality is that Australian business as a whole doesn’t have a lot of experience in working with universities because it has been a weakness in the past. There is a bit of a climate and a culture issue and an inexperience of working with universities that I think Australian business needs to work on.

AMT: Is there perhaps a tendency in a way for Australia to talk itself down and take a bit of a glass-half-empty perspective about this when we are probably punching somewhat above our weight in some areas?

CD: I think that is true to a point. And one piece of evidence to support that is if you travel around the world I think you’ll find virtually every country will say they’re struggling with the same kind of issue.

And we can’t all be below average, right? Some people have to be above average.

suppliers and customers are working really closely together to coinnovate, rather than one party taking on all of the load. So listening to and working with your customers is really important.

The other thing where Australia doesn’t rank particularly well on international metrics is in the skills of our managers to manage innovation. There are some real skills and disciplines around managing the process or the risks around innovation, so I would say if you’re a business owner looking to innovate: are you investing in skilling up your management team to oversee that process successfully?

And the third thing I would say is again we see at the macro level that the way to really hone your skills is to play in an export market. The most innovative businesses tend to be active in global marketplaces; global customers are very demanding, and that drives a circle of innovation. So if you’ve got some great ideas or if you’re looking to drive innovation, you need to be playing in those global markets.

Continued next page

I do think that Australia sometimes doesn’t take an objective look and see some of the things that we are good at. And that matters, because I think innovation involves risk-taking, and your level of confidence – your belief that you have the knowhow and capability to succeed – does influence your decisions about your willingness to take risks. That matters a lot.

More generally, in manufacturing, I think there’s a lot of unnecessary pessimism about where manufacturing is going. I see a lot of change going through the manufacturing industry, but I see some great manufacturing businesses that are growing, and I see a lot of businesses that are providing not only the design and R&D services, but also the sales and marketing services that support manufacturing.

I see a lot of positive things happening in the manufacturing space, but I don’t think a lot of the public discussion captures that.

AMT: What advice would you give to an Australian manufacturing business that basically wants to improve its innovative capacity, that maybe feels like it’s got great ideas but doesn’t know how to take those next steps?

CD: What the research shows is first and foremost that the key driver of innovation is understanding the customers’ needs really deeply: listening very carefully to customers and working with them.

Increasingly what we’re seeing in highly innovative countries is that

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ONE-ON-ONE Continued from previous page

AMT: What sort of assistance can manufacturers access to take these steps?

CD: There’s a whole range of programs from the Federal Government, and in fact many state governments also have programs. But certainly I’m most familiar with the Federal Government’s programs that support a range of things whether it’s commercialisation or new technologies, or skilling up managers and giving advice. There are investment incentives available for venture capital and obviously with the R&D Tax Incentive, which although is changing, still offers an incentive for businesses to undertake R&D. And then there’s things like the Export Market Development Grant, which can help businesses that are looking to go global.

So there’s a really wide range. In fact one of the challenges I find talking to people in businesses around the country is just navigating all those different grants and being able to find what’s available. There is a website – business.gov.au – that is the single entry point for those things. That’s a great place to start.

AMT: What does your role entail on a day-to-day basis?

CD: On a day-to-day basis, I lead a team of what’s called the Office of Innovation and Science Australia. And we work with the Innovation and Science Australia (ISA) Board; we provide research and analytical support to the Board to help them frame their advice to government.

The Board comprises active executives or leaders with their own day jobs so they’re part-time, whereas I and my team are full-time, so I do a lot of the running around. I try and get around to as much of the community and the nation as I can. I’m on a plane a lot visiting firms, universities and other players in the space to understand what the issues are, what’s working and what’s not working, and helping to identify gaps or improvements in government policy that we can channel through the Board’s advisory mechanism. So on any given day I can be in all sorts of different places working with a mix of people from across the public and private sectors.

AMT: Tell us about your professional background and how you ended up at ISA? CD: I’m an engineer by training. I went into engineering because I’ve always had a bit of a fascination with technology. But specifically I was always interested in how technology goes from the lab to the marketplace. I’ve always been curious as to why sometimes there are really good technologies that don’t ever find their way into large-scale products, or take a very long time to do that. So I studied engineering, I did a PhD in gas turbine design, and then after a few years in business consulting, I found myself at the University of Melbourne working in their pre-seed investment fund UniSeed, trying to back researchers who were taking their ideas to market.

That led to a 15-year stint at the University working at that businessuniversity interface, taking ideas and trying to get them from the lab into products and services that can compete in the marketplace.

About a year and a half ago the opportunity came to lead ISA, which was a new entity the Government had established and was looking for someone with my sort of background. I was excited to have the opportunity to work with the Federal Government and try to make the innovation system work better.

AMT: What’s the most satisfying part of the job?

CD: One of my favourite quotes is attributed to the sci-fi writer William Gibson who reputedly said: “The future is already here, it’s just not very evenly distributed.” And I have the privilege as I travel around the country, to see people who are working on the future and making it reality. It’s a tremendous privilege to see what really inventive and ingenious Australians are up to every day. It gives me tremendous optimism for our future because I see the talent and the skills that we already have in abundance around the country. I’m reassured that we can find ways to scale up those ideas and spread them more broadly not just across Australia’s economy, but across the global economy; I think there’s tremendous opportunity for Australia. Being able to work with people who are active on the frontier, that keeps me very excited in coming to work every day. www.industry.gov.au/isa

Hotspots is proudly owned and managed

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Your business is diversifying into an area where the expertise available within the company is not sufficient.

HotSpots is a service designed to connect AMTIL members with opportunities to help their businesses grow. Gain access to a wealth of Australian manufacturing capability and expertise. www.amtil.com.au/Membership/Hotspots

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The Additive Manufacturing Hub – Building it better AMTIL has partnered up with the Victorian Government to launch the Additive Manufacturing Hub, a new venture aimed at promoting additive manufacturing technology in Australian, overseen by Alex Kingsbury. Here Alex explains what the AM Hub is and what it aims to achieve.

I don’t need to convince you of the game-changing benefits of the additive manufacturing (AM), do I? If I do, then you need to sign up to the AM Hub so you can see for yourself the great work that is being done right here in Australia.

Alex Kingsbury

So what will this AM Hub funding go towards? Firstly, the AM Hub will have a dedicated person, working exclusively on the AM Hub; this will give the program some much needed energy and effort.

Second, the AM Hub will have its own website, much like the AMTIL website, but focused on additive manufacturing (and not purple, but orange!). With a comprehensive capability directory, the latest news and events, case studies and information. The new website will be the first port of call for anyone seeking information about additive manufacturing technology.

Lastly, the AM Hub will also deliver the ‘Build It Better’ grant, a voucher program for Victorian businesses looking to investigate additive manufacturing. The grant will give up to $20,000 in matched funding to any Victorian business looking to redesign or reengineer an existing product, or even create a new one. The funding can go towards whatever your business needs most: perhaps that is design help, maybe it’s better understanding the market for your new product, or perhaps it’s simply understanding what the true cost of production is? Whatever the assistance required is entirely up to you.

The AM Hub and the Build It Better grant have come at a critical time for Australia. While the rest of the world is steaming ahead with additive manufacturing, Australia is still dipping its toe in the water. With our highly educated workforce and our excellent manufacturing and design capabilities, Australia is extremely well placed to take advantage of this high-value technology, yet we are still somewhat hanging back.

It’s hard to understand exactly why this is the case; however, I think part of the solution is providing the infrastructure needed to support and grow use of the technology. Potential adopters need to be connected to high-quality information and gain exposure to other businesses who have already invested.

We need a co-ordinated, cohesive approach for the additive manufacturing community to eliminate confusion for people who are searching for information. It should no longer be a case of having had a conversation with the right person at the right time who pointed you in the right direction. This is not a system that works; it is an unsophisticated and ad-hoc approach that is extremely inefficient and will hinder and delay potential adopters.

The ‘tipping point’ for additive manufacturing around the rest of the world was in 2012. This was the point at which additive manufacturing generated its own momentum and reached critical mass. It became the train that you couldn’t stop no matter how hard you tried. We haven’t quite got there in Australia yet. No doubt we are doing very well, but we’re just not quite there at present.

In Australia we are still very much in the realm of the early adopters, where bold people with big ideas are making a bet on the future.

These are the businesses that the AM Hub will celebrate over the coming months with our Early Adopter site tours. Early adopters are the nucleus of the additive manufacturing ecosystem. We need to learn from them, and understand how they made additive manufacturing work for them.

I challenge you all to think about whether the Build It Better grant (or indeed, many of the numerous assistance grants that exist in Australia) could help you and your business move into additive

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manufacturing. Working with experts, you may be able to find that one great application that just fits the value proposition of additive manufacturing perfectly. Some things to consider are: is there a component that would benefit from being light-weighted? Is there an application that requires complex or customised features? Is there a product you have that requires excessive labour for assembly? Do you need access to small volumes of exotic or unusual material for your parts?

These are typically great candidates for re-engineering or redesign to make a suitable case for additive manufacturing. When you start exploring the potential for this technology, so often you start to realise the other benefits too – this is the real sweet spot for additive manufacturing. For example: you need only a small volumes of a particular part so it is more economical to manufacture it additively, but when designing for additive manufacturing, you realise it would also be beneficial to skim some weight off the part, which in turn saves you money and improves the part’s performance.

I believe it is important that Australia explores the full potential of this technology, and I would be disappointed if it was not fully examined due to simple, solvable issues such as a lack of good-quality information. So it is right and it is good that AMTIL and the Victorian Government are stepping in to enable businesses to discover how additive manufacturing may work for them. Together with you, Australian manufacturing businesses that have been at the heart of our nation, will cement our position as a global destination for world-leading additive manufacturing technology.

Membership of the AM Hub is free for all AMTIL members (but not limited to AMTIL members). For more information on the AM Hub, please contact Alex Kingsbury, AM Hub Consultant, on amhub@amtil.com.au. www.amhub.net.au

Explore your unlimited possibilities additively The Additive Manufacturing Hub is a $1.85m program that will grow and develop additive manufacturing capability and investment in Victoria. The vision of the AM Hub is to provide an industry-driven network of users, suppliers and supporters that will foster and grow the use of Additive Manufacturing technology in Australia. + Promote and market additive manufacturing sector capabilities. + Expand the knowledge base of additive manufacturing technologies. + A grant program for Victorian businesses to encourage adoption of additive manufacturing technologies. + Support the creation of high quality additive manufacturing jobs. + Be a voice to Government on additive manufacturing sector development.

Companies looking to explore the potential of additive manufacturing, or further expand their use of the technology should register interest via email at amhub@amtil.com.au

www.amhub.net.au 1407AMHUB

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Additively manufactured custom cutting tools Research by the RMIT Centre for Additive Manufacturing, supported by the Defence Materials Technology Centre (DMTC) and Sutton Tools, is breaking new ground in the use of additive manifacturing in the production of custom cutting tools. By Jimmy Toton, Steve Dowey, Songlin Ding and Milan Brandt.

As product design complexity increases and high-performance materials become a necessity, manufacturability generally decreases. These fabrication realities are evident in highperformance components such as turbine discs, blades and vanes made from difficult-to-machine titanium and nickel alloys for the defence and aerospace sectors. Fabrication of these components results in low productivity, and therefore high final component costs.

Custom cutting tools are often required over standard massmanufactured tooling as the latter may not be capable of performing the task, or the current rate of production is limiting profitability.

However, the costs and long lead times associated with custom tooling fabrication often acts as a strain on production and a barrier to their wider adoption.

Additive manufacturing (AM) technologies expand the horizon of manufacturable designs as they have fewer constraints compared with conventional manufacturing methods due to the layer-bylayer manufacturing process. Recently, the knowledge base has matured, to the point where now the capability to manufacture fully functional parts is a reality.

Manufacturers must take full advantage of the opportunities to become or remain competitive, in cases where the current high costs of manufacture are justified. AM has the potential to increase performance, reduce costs and cut lead times for high-value, lowbatch, complex-shaped components such as custom cutting tools.

Custom cutting tools, like profile cutters and multi-point tools, increase productivity because they are designed with the inverse geometry feature of the component they are machining, significantly increasing workpiece-tool engagement and hence facilitating higher material removal rates (MRR) compared with standard massmanufactured cutting tools. They simplify tool paths, potentially eliminating expensive advanced CAM software and saving time in production planning. They also reduce the total number of tools and tool changes needed, minimising production cycles.

Moreover, standard mass-produced tooling may be unable to reach areas in complex components. This is evident in the aerospace and power generation sector, with deep/internal grooving on turbine discs, blisks and engine mounts requiring specialised holders for turning operations.

It is well known that high-performance materials, such as ultra-highstrength steels, titanium and nickel alloys, commonly used in the defence, aerospace and power generation sectors, are classified as difficult-to-machine owing to their low thermal conductivity, and/or excellent retention of mechanical strength at machining temperatures, and/or chemical reactivity with cutting tool materials.

Most issues arise due to the inability of the cutting tools to extract heat from the cutting zone, limiting cutting parameters and hence reducing productivity. However, this problem can be significantly minimised with custom cutting tool geometries that not only increase the MRR but can also, with in-built cooling channels, effectively remove excess heat generated near the cutting zone during machining.

Therefore, the design and fabrication freedom that AM facilitates produces solutions to these problems that are superior to conventional methods such as grinding away large amounts of material from expensive bar stock with limited cooling channel locations, or the initial high expense and long lead times associated with metal injection moulding.

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RMIT’s research: Laser metal deposition of cutting tools There are several approaches to AM custom cutting tools. One involves selective laser melting (SLM) or “powder bed” technology, the second is laser metal deposition (LMD) or “powder fed” technology. SLM builds up finished components layer-by-layer using a laser beam to selectively scan and melt powder coated on a bed according to the sliced CAD data file. LMD is the deposition of a series of overlapping single clads/tracks that make up a single layer. Powder is fed into the melt pool instead of positioned on a bed. The focus at RMIT presently is on LMD. Properties that influence the performance of cutting tool materials are hot hardness, toughness and wear resistance. Hot hardness is one of the most important properties as it pertains to the ability of the material to retain a high yield strength at elevated temperature, resisting plastic deformation of the cutting edge during loading.

Toughness is the ability of a material to absorb energy before fracture – the greater the toughness the better the cutting tool can resist shock loads, chipping and fracturing. The wear resistance of a cutting tool material will vary depending on the underlying wear mechanisms involved, strongly influenced by the workpiece material and the cutting parameters. Notwithstanding, in the context of cutting tools, wear resistance is the material’s ability to resist material loss and therefore changes to the cutting-edge profile over time, effecting the performance of the cutting tool to machine a part to specified tolerances and limiting tool life.

In the context of these desired properties and the intended application, the two materials investigated were Fe-C-Cr-Nb-B-Mo (FCCNBM) and Fe-Co-Mo (FCM) based steels, due to their potential to bridge the mechanical properties gap between high speed steels (HSS) and cemented tungsten carbide (WC-Co) grades.

Process parameters and build strategies were developed that facilitate a uniform and repeatable process to fabricate crack- and pore-free cylindrical bars (see Figures 1-3). Geometry complexity was reduced so the focus was on developing a process that yields a material with the desired mechanical properties yet be easily processed via post grinding into cutting tools. The successful build strategy was designed around a meander nozzle path due to it being more accommodating to implement for cylindrical structures compared to concentric-based methods and faster deposition times compared to raster methods. Using 3D measurements, an optimisation activity was completed which determined suitable track step-over widths and layer heights for uniform layer-by-layer fabrication. This eliminated a common issue of non-uniform layer deposition for LMD-based AM, which causes concave, convex or irregular profiles in the AM component and therefore resulting in a failed build. Lastly, it also produced a build strategy that does not require outer-track/shell deposits, a strategy adopted by many researchers and practitioners for use as a support structure; hence, the developed solution offers reduced nozzle path complexity.

The local and rapid heating/cooling cycles inherent to AM are known to cause residual stress in parts and can lead to crack formation, hence a failed build. The capability to additively manufacture crack-free cylindrical coupons and bars made from FCCNBMand FCM-based steel powders was achieved by implementing high-temperature substrate heating as a technique to reduce residual stress and supress in-situ age hardening during the LMD manufacturing process, respectively.

ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 1. Additive manufacture of cylindrical bars via LMD. Figure 2. An as-built cylindrical bar ~117mm high and 14mm in diameter. Figure 3. A printed bar after centreless grinding down to 12mm diameter. Figure 4. A fabricated four-flute endmill made from an additively manufactured bar.

The effect of substrate heating on the as-built microstructure and hardness was characterised.

The intrinsic heat treatment caused by the cyclic reheating of previously deposited layers, a phenomenon characteristic of the LMD process, was found to enable the precipitation of nanometresized particles within grains, thereby increasing the bulk average hardness of as manufactured samples to ~747 HV. Applying high-temperature substrate heating significantly supressed the formation of these strengthening particles and led to no hardness response with an average bulk hardness of ~430 HV. Post-heat treatment experiments revealed that AM samples respond similarly compared to their commercial powder metallurgy (PM) analogue in terms of hardness. Hardness levels between 900950 HV were measured depending on the heat treatment cycle applied. Solution treatment was found not to be necessary to attain a high average hardness, due to the in-situ quenching during the LMD process. However, solution treatment was found to significantly reduce the variance in hardness measured, reducing the standard deviation and range by 50%-60%. The AM microstructures were found to be finer than that of the PM. Following heat treatment, the ground cylinder was machined into a four-flute endmill (see Figure 4). Tool life tests consisting of side milling Ti-6Al-4V in the mill annealed state revealed that the FCCNBM-based steel is not a suitable cutting tool material in the as-built state (see Figure 5). Endmills made from this material primarily failed via chipping on the outer corner and flaking on the flank faces through a combination of chipping and adhesion wear.

In stark contrast, the milling cutters made from FCM steel performed well achieving a tool life similar to their PM analogue with one AM sample outperforming all conventional tool steels samples. No chipping was observed on AM FCM 3 sample, this being the reason why it had the lowest wear-in stage compared against all cutting tools. Further work is needed to quantify the fracture toughness of these materials as the cutting tool tests show qualitatively that the AM material has a high fracture toughness, desirable in-milling and

Cutting tool tests carried out using AM FCM and FCCNBM bars compared against commercial PM FCM & PM T42 and IM M36 HSS milling cutters.

Failure limit marked in red.

broaching operations. The research completed at the RMIT Centre for Additive Manufacturing has demonstrated that AM FCM steel can be used as a cutting tool material when applied to difficult-tomachine Ti6Al4V. Work is underway to develop the capability to use AM to create near-net-shape complex custom cutting tools that maintain the desired microstructure and consequently mechanical properties. This may lead to a print-to-order capability, which can increase performance, reduce costs and cut lead times for highvalue, low-batch, complex-shaped custom cutting tools.

The authors would like to acknowledge the support of the DMTC. The DMTC was established and is supported under the Australian Government’s Defence Future Capability Technology Centres Program. They also thank Alan Jones (from RMIT University) and Sutton Tools. www.rmit.edu.au/amp

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Seatools exhibits quality with appearance models from 3D Systems On Demand Manufacturing No matter how many leagues under the sea your underwater problem is, Seatools exists to design, build and test custom equipment to solve subsea challenges.

Based in the Netherlands, Seatools is a global provider of bespoke subsea solutions for companies ranging from offshore oil and gas to offshore renewables and aquaculture development. In light of its expansive and diverse scope, Seatools faced a distinct challenge in quickly and effectively communicating its range of custom offerings at the highly attended Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Houston, Texas.

As the largest event in the world for the oil and gas industry, OTC attracts over 2,300 exhibitors a year and counting. Therefore Seatools knew it needed to make a splash with a creative trade show display to ensure a positive return on investment, and that it had to do everything in its power to attract attention and engage new business.

With the help of 3D Systems’ On Demand Manufacturing services, Seatools devised a unique subsea landscape to display seven distinct 3D printed appearance models of its various custom underwater technologies.

Offering expansive prototyping and manufacturing services to support the entire product development lifecycle, 3D Systems’ On Demand Manufacturing experts deliver quick, high-quality parts ranging from fast turnaround advanced prototypes to appearance models and low volume production.

High-quality appearance models As Seatools explored the various options available for achieving scale equipment models, the company first defined the outcome it had in mind. When all was said and done, Seatools needed highquality, highly detailed models that would reflect company standards and withstand transatlantic shipping.

“It was very important to me that the models arrive in Houston in one piece,” says Johan Sol, a member of Seatools’ supervisory board and marketing and business development office. “We are a company that sells high-end equipment with high quality, so if we were to show broken models on the show floor, it would not be in line with the quality we sell to our customers.”

With seven distinct models identified for display and the show deadline looming, speed of production was also a factor.

Due to the extensive time and costs involved in hand-built scale models,

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conventional methodologies were soon ruled out in favour of 3D printing. It was then only a matter of selecting a technology, and Seatools’ careful research pointed to selective laser sintering (SLS).

“The 3D models had to be transported by freight, and we knew from other scale equipment models in the past that they endure a lot of shock loads,” Sol adds After a dialogue with 3D Systems’ On Demand Manufacturing experts in the Netherlands, Seatools confidently opted for high-strength nylon 3D prints produced on 3D Systems’ sPro 230 SLS machines in DuraForm PA. Once 3D printed, the scale models were finished, painted and assembled by 3D Systems’ manufacturing experts and delivered precisely to specification.

Robust scale models on demand Seatools’ choice of SLS technology proved advantageous both in terms of durability and visual appeal. Favoured across industries for the material properties it can offer, SLS is widely used for functional applications, such as snap fits and living hinges, which came in handy for this project. To help Seatools achieve 3D appearance models that matched the company’s quality standards, 3D Systems’ on demand team engineered separate components for each equipment model to paint and piece together into an accurate final assembly.

According to Sol, the results were striking and effective. The diversified scale equipment models survived their journey from the Netherlands to Houston

ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING

3D Printing High Strength Composite Carbon Fibre

“Markforged Print Amazing High Strength Parts” =Continuous Carbon Fibre

Reinforcement With The Strength of Metal

and represented the full sized machinery accurately in appearance and innovation.

Due to the material properties of SLS printing and the ability to achieve thin walls with good strength, Seatools was ultimately able to include more high-quality details than alternative 3D printing technologies could have provided. In addition to allowing trade show visitors to grasp the diversity of Seatools’ offerings, the models reflected the level of care, focus and quality Seatools’ customers can expect when working with the company.

The 3D models far outperformed their original task of helping Seatools avoid getting lost in the trade show shuffle, and played an instrumental role in the company’s exhibition display. Based on his own experience, Sol says there are only a few seconds to catch people’s attention in a trade show setting. The models not only helped Seatools draw a crowd to its booth, but they also enabled the Seatools sales team to make a more effective and interactive sales pitch.

“Our team could use the subsea world to reference the various models and tell a story about the company while showing the diverse capabilities of Seatools,” Sol explains.

Expert craftsmanship and winning customer service From beginning to end, the customerfocused attention and craftsmanship of 3D Systems’ On Demand Manufacturing

experts was central to the timeliness and quality of the final products delivered. Like Seatools, 3D Systems places a priority on understanding and answering the needs of its clients. Throughout CAD file optimisation, 3D printing, painting and assembly, Seatools could rely on 3D Systems for technical mastery, multidisciplinary talent, honest comparisons and collaborative support. The high service level 3D Systems provided unburdened Seatools from all concerns related to scale model production, and allowed the undersea solutions company to focus on its core preparatory efforts.

=Micro-Carbon Fibre With Twice the Strength of Plastics Tools, Jigs & Fixtures

End Use Products

New depths of innovation As a leader in its field, Seatools constantly innovates to solve unique problems. The company treats trade shows no differently and took an insightful approach to sharing the complexity of the work it does for its various global clients. Not only was Seatools successful in clearly and creatively communicating the work it is capable of doing, but the 3D printed subsea world it presented opened the door for inquiring companies to see and understand what Seatools is all about.

“The subsea landscape was really an eyecatcher,” says Sol. “It drew a crowd and helped introduce us to new companies to start building new relationships.” www.seatools.com au.3dsystems.com

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Using 3D metal printing to revolutionise Australian manufacturing Based in Tullamarine, Victoria, Amiga Engineering has expanded its capabilities into the emerging market of 3D metal printing, becoming the only privately owned and operated metal 3D printing service bureau in Australia.

Australia’s manufacturing industry is on the rise again after a tough period in which many businesses ceased operating or moved offshore. Traditionally a competitive and innovative industry, Australian manufacturing is embracing additive manufacturing techniques as a way to increase competitive advantage in the face of cheaper overseas competitors. Manufacturers are reimagining the industry with the help of this emerging technology.

Additive manufacturing technology and 3D printing have been prominent for some time, letting manufacturers make custom products quickly and to a high standard.

This ability to custom-make products onshore and deliver them to customers faster can help local manufacturers compete with offshore companies that must ship products to Australia, which takes time, as well as with those manufacturers clinging to traditional methods, which are costly and just as time consuming.

Since 3D printing doesn’t require expensive moulds and complex equipment setups, it lets manufacturers be more agile in responding to customer demands. Shortrun and customised products are now not just economically viable but a potential source of significant revenue.

When general engineering firm Amiga Engineering decided to take the plunge into 3D printing, it chose a ProX 320 DMP metal printer from 3D Systems/Konica Minolta.

The choice of metal as the material was in keeping with Amiga’s 30-year history of machining pipe flanges, fittings, and other special components for the oil and gas, mining, petrochemical, marine, medicine, and defence industries.

Amiga evaluated potential 3D metal printers from 2011 onwards, and was unable to find a printer that fit its requirements until meeting with Konica Minolta. Konica Minolta’s support services were instrumental in Amiga’s choice of technology, since the business needed to be confident it would be able to deliver on customer expectations without the machine breaking down.

Furthermore, Konica Minolta helped Amiga navigate the implementation process.

The new 3D printer lets Amiga use free geometry to create items that are functional to the upper limits of design rather than being hamstrung by the technology it can be machined on. It’s a heavy-duty alternative to traditional metal manufacturing processes

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Amiga Engineering’s ProX 320 DMP metal printer from 3D Systems/Konica Minolta.

and offers reduced waste, faster speeds, shorter set-up times, and very dense and pure metal parts with leading surface quality.

This satisfied Amiga’s requirement to produce finer-detailed parts, and parts that can consolidate or eliminate multiple components to help reduce assembly times and the associated costs. Amiga was also looking to reduce the weight of parts by using only the material needed to produce the component. The printer can swap materials fast through its cart system, which lets manufacturers use a single machine rather than multiple machines.

Pioneering in this space means Amiga can help set the benchmark for what’s possible for Australian designers and manufacturers.

Starting with applications such as medicalgrade titanium for facial reconstruction and bone structures, Amiga aims to advance into other sectors. Using 3D metal printing to create niche parts means Amiga can provide these parts cheaper, helping organisations in other industries compete more successfully.

From medical and dental applications to aerospace and motorsports, the possibilities offered by the Konica Minolta-supplied printer are enormous. It is equally effective using titanium, stainless steel, cobalt chrome, maraging steel, aluminium, Inconel, and more.

Amiga is using 3D metal printing to provide a one-stop offering for customers by combining traditional and additive manufacturing technologies, delivering a wider range of more innovative, advanced, high-value parts for customers. As customers require more complex, customised, products delivered

Amiga Engineering’s General Manager and Owner Michael Bourchier.

faster and more reliably, the industry is likely to see more players adopting 3D metal printing.

After the successful installation of the first ProX 320 DMP, Amiga now has a second machine in place. It also has a SLM 280HL machine. The company is currently working with titanium, 316SS, Inconel718 and aluminium and cobalt chrome, and is looking at future materials around high-tensile carbon steels for mould design, and duplex stainless steel for special instrumentation and wearing corrosive parts.

In conjunction with Konica Minolta, Amiga held an exclusive additive manufacturing event for Australia’s education and government sector in August to showcase its new metal additive manufacturing service bureau. The event provided individuals at the forefront of the Australian additive manufacturing sector an exclusive insidelook at Amiga’s facilities as well as a chance to review the ProX DMP 320. Konica Minolta also provided an update on new and upcoming additive manufacturing solutions from 3D Systems, and an overview of Konica Minolta’s initiatives, both globally and closer to home. www.konicaminolta.com.au www.amigaeng.com.au

ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING

Bluefrog Design creates life-changing medical device via additive manufacturing Founded in 1990 by Chris Samwell, Bluefrog Design serves a wide range of industries including consumer goods, packaging, transportation and medical. Although its clients’ specialities are diverse, they look to Bluefrog for innovation. medical-grade ABSPlus material, chosen thanks to its stability over time. Due to the round-the-clock capability of the Fortus 3D printer, this process took just three days, a dramatic turnaround for a patient who had been suffering for years.

“Our clients approach us to bring their ideas to life, and to solve problems in ways they hadn’t considered possible,” Samwell explains. “Prototyping is essential to our business, as it proves to clients that our designs are viable. However, when producing these prototypes with traditional methods, we were not only constrained by time and cost, but also increasingly felt the prototypes often lacked the realism our clients demanded.”

Bluefrog needed the freedom to escape traditional design constraints at every stage of product development. It needed to produce fully functional, advanced prototypes with industry-recognised, engineering-grade materials. In a quest to find a solution, the team turned to additive manufacturing.

Bluefrog’s versatility is best exemplified by its ability to solve seemingly insurmountable challenges. The team was recently approached by a young man suffering from paraesthesia, a condition that causes inexplicable burning, tingling or prickling across the skin. The only way to ease his pain was to ensure that his clothes touched his skin as little as possible. Despite interventions from doctors, no solution had been found. It was clear to Samwell

Thanks to the 3D scan of the patient’s body, the team could isolate areas of his chest unaffected by paraesthesia, and determine where on the body the device could be hung. Given that the device would need to be worn every day, they also needed to consider its exact weight and shape. It needed to be organic, easy-to-wear and completely personalised. the patient could benefit from a custom device he could wear with minimal skin contact that would also minimise his skin’s contact with clothing. The device had to be customised to his body, resting only on areas not affected by his condition.

Bluefrog’s team knew this case required a realistic prototype and final product in as little time as possible. They began by creating a complex 3D scan of the patient’s body, which was converted into a 3D-printed prototype on their Stratasys FDM 3D printer. Once tested and modified, the final version was produced in tough,

“Stratasys additive manufacturing offered us the ability to create a lattice-based design with minimal fuss,” says Samwell.

“We were able to reduce the weight of the device even further and save up to 60% of the material that traditional production methods would consume. From testing through to the final part, Stratasys additive manufacturing enabled us to control and optimise the design. We would not have been able to create such a high-performing, unique solution without it. www.bluefrogdesign.co.uk www.objective3d.com.au

SLM opens new HQ in northern Germany SLM Solutions opened its new headquarters in Lübeck, Germany in August. Visitors from around the world were shown the latest SLM technology along with a wide range of selective laser melting samples from the aerospace, automotive, energy, medical and tooling sectors.

The new 25,000sqm facility provides space for around 500 employees, with SLM aiming to reach a production capacity of some 500 machines per year. The company invested approximately €25m into the new headquarters, confirming its intention to remain in Lübeck and to grow its alreadystrong market footing in metal 3D printing.

The new facilities allow SLM to develop improved processes and to streamline production workflow of its current product range: the SLM125, SLM280 2.0, SLM500 and the latest SLM800 system. Spaces have been allocated for customer consultation and training on dedicated machines, as the company shifts from being purely a machine manufacturer to a solutions provider. By forming partnerships with clients it will

provide support and advise on uptake of an SLM laser systems into ‘real’ business operations. Research & development are not being neglected, with a proposed 12-laser SLM Cube system on track to be launched in 2019. The development of the Cube will introduce the largest build chamber on the market of 600mm x 600mm, operating with a minimum of 12 lasers on the track.

Additionally, the company is working on solutions to more easily integrate SLM systems into a customer’s current part production process to support a serial production environment.

Today SLM is technologically well positioned to remain one of the leading players in the metal additive manufacturing sector, offering high-performance systems, ancillary

technologies, metal powders, training and expert service. In Australia the installed base of SLM systems continues to expand with some five universities across the country offering local manufacturers the opportunity to test and trial new product solutions, supported with onsite advice. Local support of customers and business solutions advice to newcomers is provided by SLM-trained engineers and physicists from its Australian distributor Raymax Applications, located in Sydney. Regular visits by SLM’s Global Service Teams of engineers and technicians serves to keep strong relations with SLM in Lübeck, bringing this leading technology to Australian manufacturers. www.raymax.com.au

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COMPANY FOCUS

Global Manufacturing Group – Continually adapting The recently announced Boxer Combat Renaissance Vehicles project represents a step into defence and a new chapter for the constantly-evolving Global Manufacturing Group. By Brent Balinski.

Metal manufacturing business Global Manufacturing Group (GMG) has a reasonably well-defined patch, but the reality is that its work ends up all over Australia.

“We don’t really do much in Brisbane – we leave those guys to look out for themselves,” explains Phil Dowling, Director and one of three owners at GMG. “Anything above Noosa to Rockhampton and west is our catchment. Though we deal with some national clients and some of the things we do for them could end up anywhere, west Australia or Victoria, or New South Wales, we’re not always quite sure where our stuff is going at the time. A truck turns up and takes it away, you know?”

As with the location of its customers, the sector these belong to is subject to revision. What started in rail now takes in oil & gas, mining, medical, defence, and more.

“We draw a pretty long bow,” Dowling says of the industries the company currently serves. “We’re a fully turnkey operation. So if you come to us and say ‘Listen, we want 35 of these’, when we pack them on the truck, they can be fully assembled, fully painted, fully finished.”

The company began in 1982, and Dowling started work as a business development consultant in 2002. After the founder wanted out, Dowling and two others bought GMG in May 2005. Under the trio’s leadership, sales grew from $12,000 a day to around $72,000 at their peak during the LNG boom, and the company opened a second site in Gladstone.

Along the way, GMG has remained committed to improving its facilities, staff and management, and to applying these to whatever challenges it makes sense to. The domain expertise under the two roofs includes programming, welding and fabrication, blasting and painting, cutting and machining, and marine services.

Being flexible “What Australian industry is really good at is small runs, and to stay competitive, you gotta do it quick and smarter and sharper,” says Dowling. Being quick and smart underpins GMG’s success. As with many an engineering house, it’s able to smartly juggle a number of projects, and to commit itself to many different kinds of projects.

“Work in Gladstone has quietened down, it’s a bit of a quiet town since the gas boom finished, but there’s been a bit of infrastructure spend up there with the Boyne smelters – a lot of upgrades and stuff there, which is great,” says Dowling. “The coal mines have started to spend a bit of money again. So there’s little bit of wash through there. Also, in the alumina refinery area there’s a bit of money being

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spent upgrading and fine-tuning some of that. So there’s a bit of a groundswell there, where nobody had spent any money there for a little while.”

The Gladstone branch includes GMG’s marine services division, which has completed projects for CSIRO, making and installing a davit for plankton recovery, and Queensland Alumina, cleaning the ship’s hold back to food-grade standard after removing waste.

“The division revolves around the really big ships… If one of those big ships comes in for something serious, we could have 20 or 30 blokes on that, on a rotating 12-hour shift,” Dowling adds, highlighting the company’s ability to turn on a dime as jobs come in.

GMG was built on supplying railway car parts for Downer EDI and Bombardier; work that continues to this day from the state’s rail manufacturing hotspot of Maryborough. Recent diversification has seen the company branch into a joint venture with Auxilium Systems to make light towers for mining. GMG has also produced aftermarket parts for converting American pick-up trucks, and this has expanded five-fold over the last three years, according to the company.

QUEENSLAND HEADING

The quest for greater levels of flexibility has also encouraged GMG to collaborate more with local manufacturers.

a supplier’,” recalls Dowling. “We were a little bit surprised that we checked all their boxes,’ and they were incredibly thorough, I tell you!”

“We got overloaded a little bit late last year,” explains Dowling. “So we just rang around to a few of the blokes we know in Queensland and said ‘Listen, I got this spare capacity’, and we eventually found a bloke. He was absolutely delighted to do the work.

Cracking the defence market

“That works vice versa for us. If anyone has a breakdown, they call a bloke and say ‘Can you cover us, so that we don’t charge them like a wounded bull?’ We just work with them because we know someone’s going to have to return the favor one day. So there’s that sort of collaboration on capability and capacity.”

Building capability The company’s latest major new capital investment, a Mazak Smooth VTC machining centre, also included a major software upgrade and staff training from Mazak. Training was given to all workers, from apprentice fitter and turners to leading hands and team leaders. The machine has proved to be a ‘sweetheart’ for fitter and turners, and further assisted to adapt quickly to the shortrun jobs Australian customers generally need completed. Dowling estimates it’s brought a 50% lift in productivity for such jobs.

“It’s not as if we’re making the same widget day after day after day,” he adds. “We’ve got to think how we’re going to do this as smart as we possibly can to be competitive on those sorts of small runs.”

In-house skills programs – including apprenticeships, traineeships and cross-training staff – have been invaluable. Employees are shared across the two centres to broaden their expertise.

“If we see an opportunity where it’s going to benefit not only the individual but the company as a whole, then we take it,” says Dowling. “And I think when you do training like that, people have a tendency to want to stay with you, because they’re comfortable in working in that environment and they know their skills sets are increasing.”

GMG has been on its Lean journey since 2005. The company recently shut its factory down for the day and staff were given a Lean refresher course. It has also had a team from Germany’s Rheinmetall visit and inspect the factory for three days.

“They said ‘Look, we’re very impressed. The system is sort of in parallel with the ways we do business. And while we’re here, we’d just like to sign off on a memorandum of understanding for being

GMG was selected as a teaming partner with Rheinmetall, which bidded successfully to build 211 Boxer Combat Renaissance Vehicles for Phase 2 of the Department of Defence’s LAND 400 program. The $5bn project includes roughly two-thirds Australian industry content, and the first 25 vehicles will be made in Germany before production moves to the Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence (MILVEHCOE) at Redbank Industrial Estate.

GMG had previously ‘dipped a toe’ in defence, but had never gained much traction. Being a part of LAND 400 was a three-year effort, and required a sustained commitment to sell GMGs and the state’s capability at seminars and other events.

“It’s probably a bit like Victoria and New South Wales and the regions: no one thinks anything happens, whereas Maryborough specifically is an old engineering town from the turn of the century,” says Dowling.

Asked what GMG will contribute to the Rheinmetall-led project, Dowling says the answer can only be a broad one, and involves components and assemblies that will bolt onto the Boxer. The project has thrown up interesting challenges, such as German paint specifications, drawings in German, and steel specs that Dowling describes as ‘pretty interesting’.

Collaboration so far has been relatively smooth, according to Dowling, who praises the Germans’ language skills and thoroughness. The lag of eight hours is tolerable, and online collaboration has been simple enough. Dowling expects that GMG will establish a specialist defence team shortly, and adds that there may be opportunities to participate with R&D with Rheinmetall in future.

The capital upgrades attached to serving LAND 400 were not massive, though according to Dowling it would represent a small shift in investments in the next six months “just to put us on the leading edge”.

“Rheinmetall will be part of that, with more sophistication with their activities,” he adds. “But the spinoff will benefit all our clients and the industry in general in Queensland.” www.gmqld.com.au

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STATE SPOTLIGHT

Queensland – Invested in manufacturing Queensland is fast emerging as a leader in advanced manufacturing with the sector having a profound influence on the strength of the local economy. With an industry that ranges from food processing, metal manufacturing and aerospace, to defence and medical technology manufacturing, Queensland manufacturers are well placed to becoming an economic powerhouse.

Manufacturing is critical to the Queensland economy. It is the state’s sixth-largest employing industry with more than 170,000 people in the year to June 2018, and is the third-largest employer of full-time workers. Strategy is fundamental to the success and longevity of industry, which is why the Queensland Government has committed significant resources to ensuring manufacturing continues to be a key driver of the state’s economic and jobs growth.

The Queensland Advanced Manufacturing 10-Year Roadmap and Action Plan, the State Government’s strategic vision for the sector, is supporting manufacturers as they transition to advanced manufacturing, increase productivity, improve international competitiveness and access emerging opportunities. Since the launch of the plan in December 2016, the State Government has provided advice and support to hundreds of Queensland manufacturing businesses, helping them make the transition to highvalue, knowledge-based advanced manufacturing.

Utilising industry expertise – The Manufacturing Ministerial Committee The Queensland Government has committed to expand upon its track record of growing the industry and give representatives from across the state’s diverse manufacturing sector – from Queensland niche small manufacturers to multinationals – a seat at the strategy table. A new ministerial advisory committee – equally composed of male and female members – has officially kickstarted its work this year using industry expertise to drive Queensland’s manufacturing sector.

Minister for State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning Cameron Dick hosted the first meeting of the Manufacturing Ministerial Committee in July to identify practical ways to help the sector thrive and create jobs for Queenslanders.

“The Palaszczuk Government is driving manufacturing in Queensland with a strong focus on growing the sector,” said Minister Dick. “But we also know nobody knows manufacturing better than manufacturers themselves, and we want to harness their expert advice to expand that focus as we enter this period of optimism and opportunity for manufacturing in our state.”

The Manufacturing Ministerial Committee has a strong focus on regional Queensland and will address challenges facing the industry and strengthen support for manufacturing in Queensland.

Made in Queensland The Queensland Government is actively attracting manufacturing industries to the state through a range of initiatives including the Advance Queensland Industry Attraction Fund.

The Government is also encouraging local businesses to expand through funding programs like ‘Made in Queensland’, a $40m state-wide manufacturing program dedicated to supporting local manufacturers increase their productivity and competitiveness, and adopt innovative processes and technologies. The program offers matching grants of between $50,000 and $2.5m to manufacturers who must go dollar-for-dollar with the government to fund business improvements. Uptake of the Made in Queensland program has exceeded expectations. An additional $20m was committed to the program as part of the 2017 Queensland Government’s election promise. The Made in Queensland program has, to date, awarded $18.2m, contributing to $47.7m in project value to more than 45 Queensland manufacturers.

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With the help of a Made in Queensland grant, Evolve Group upgraded its machinery to transform its plant into a world-leading, advanced manufacturing facility.

Case study: Evolve Group Evolve Group, an Australian-owned advanced plastics manufacturer located in Crestmead, provides a full range of services from plastic injection, compression, blow and rotational moulding, design and prototyping assistance, through to tool manufacture, component construction and finished goods assembly.

With the help of a Made in Queensland grant, the company has upgraded its machinery to transform it from a traditional blue-collar manufacturing plant into a world-leading, advanced automated manufacturing facility. The move to increase the incorporation of automated systems has enabled Evolve to become so globally competitive that it is reshoring existing manufacturing back from China and other overseas countries to Queensland.

Evolve has retained and is retraining employees in high-value, knowledge-based jobs and its workforce is rapidly growing with every new product it starts manufacturing in Queensland.

Case study: NOJA Power Queensland manufacturer NOJA Power specialises in the research & development, manufacture, sale and service of medium-voltage, pole-mounted switchgear products that manage and protect largescale renewable energy generation. To date, it has installed more than 50,000 automatic circuit reclosers (ACR) in more than 87 countries worldwide. Funding provided through the Made in Queensland program will be used to set up new advanced automated production processes to increase NOJA Power’s production and export capacity.

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NOJA Power aims to use Made in Queensland funding to set up new advanced automated production processes and increase production and export capacity.

It will also enhance NOJA Power’s international competitiveness and profitability by improving product quality, minimising errors, increasing sales capacity and growing market size. It will also protect existing jobs at NOJA Power and create new high-skill jobs to work with new automated test systems and production equipment.

Gold Coast manufacturers Minister Dick recently visited Gold Coast manufacturing businesses who were reaping the rewards of the Made in Queensland government support.

“Our government is focused on driving the manufacturing industry forwards by supporting companies to be internationally competitive and to inject new innovation into their business,” said the Minister.

“And this agenda is working wonders for businesses across the state, including on the Gold Coast and surrounds.

“The Gold Coast is Queensland’s top region outside Brisbane for manufacturing work, with around 21,400 people employed in the industry, so we know this sector is an important economic contributor for this region. We want manufacturing businesses in Queensland to think outside the square and set their sights on a promising future, and we are backing companies across the Coast to grasp this optimism and opportunity with both hands.”

Nerang glass and aluminum manufacturer Patterson Glass is using its $253,160 Made in Queensland grant to purchase four new pieces of equipment including a waterjet cutter, an upright glass washer, an automatic glass racking table and automatic glass-cutting table.

Patterson Glass Director Wendy Wheway said the grant will provide the business with greater capacity to take on bigger projects and give them greater control of quality and output, which will in turn create more opportunity for local jobs.

“This will make us more competitive in the international marketplace,” Ms Wheway said.

As the sole producer of synthetic grass in Queensland, Yatala’s Urban Turf Solutions specialises in manufacturing, fitting and maintaining quality sporting surfaces. The company is set to upgrade its technology and create five new jobs thanks to a $256,579 Made in Queensland grant.

Urban Turf Solutions will use the grant to install a tufting machine to increase manufacturing speed, capacity, reliability and product

consistency, while significantly reducing waste and downtime. The company will be the only manufacturer in the country to be operating this new automated tufting machine which will enable the company to expand at a faster rate.

Currumbin’s Freedom Screens will use its $105,680 grant to manufacture a ZL2 integrated system to enhance adaptability with varying door Minister for State Development, configurations and build an Manufacturing, Infrastructure and automated test jig to improve Planning Cameron Dick. quality assurance, widen its market share and hone its competitive edge. It is anticipated this grant will allow Freedom Screens to put on another six jobs. Two other Gold Coast businesses, Geofabrics Australasia and aluminium manufacturer Knotwood, have also received grants from the program.

Geofabrics, based at Ormeau, will use its $525,466 grant to install and commission new technology to increase automation and to upskill its workforce in the programming, operation and maintenance of the new project equipment, and remove constraints to export market competitiveness and growth. This project is expected to create 12 jobs.

Knotwood has used its $451,563 grant to source, install and commission advanced and automated vertical powder coating plant for aluminium extrusions, which will reduce lead times by 82% and increase sales revenue, as well as creating three jobs.

A renewed sense of optimism is evident in the Queensland manufacturing sector with a government focused on making things happen. The sector will no doubt continue to face challenges, but programs supporting innovation, growth, and international competitiveness, and the geographical proximity to the Asia-Pacific region, the world’s fastest growth market, has put Queensland firmly on the map as the future of manufacturing in Australia. www.statedevelopment.qld.gov.au

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STATE SPOTLIGHT

QUEENSLAND

A centre of excellence, far from the madding crowd

Who would expect to find a world-class gear cutting company in a small city in the heartland of Queensland?

Nobody… that is, until you discover that Gladstone can be likened to Doctor Who’s legendary Tardis, with more going on in there than you might assume looking at it from the outside.

Gladstone is the fifth-largest multi-commodity port in Australia, and the world’s fourth-largest coal-exporting terminal, handling 50m tonnes annually. Major exports include cement products, sodium cyanide, ammonium nitrate, alumina, and aluminium from the nearby Boyne Island smelter. Servicing the industries that export these products – and many others around the country – is Jenmick Gear Cutting & Engineering, a family-owned and operated business.

Established in 1999 by Clifton and Sandra Dimitrov, it is first and foremost a well-equipped machining workshop with the capacity to carry out very precise and complex tasks on its CNC equipment.

From its early days, Jenmick has built an Australia-wide reputation for the quality of its gears, and this dedication to excellence is reflected in its choice of new machinery for its Bassett Street workshops.

The latest machines to be installed are a Joemars AWT3S wire cut machine and a 3-metre Harrison Alpha 1550XS lathe, both supplied, installed and commissioned by 600 Machine Tools.

The AWT3S is the latest in a family of wire cut machines from one of the world’s leaders in this technology. It handles workpieces of up to 210mm by 560mm by 205mm, weighing up to 300kg. Calibrated in mm, it boasts X travel of 350mm, Y travel of 250mm, Z travel of 210, U travel of 80mm, and V travel of 80mm.

The Jenmick team receiving instruction with the new Alpha lathe. Left to right: Dave McDonald,Miguel Vasquez and Clifton Dimitrov.

In electric discharge machining (EDM) technology, a thin single-strand metal wire, usually brass, is fed through the workpiece, submerged in a tank of dielectric fluid, typically deionised water. Material is removed from the workpiece by a series of rapidly-recurring current discharges between two electrodes. The process depends on the tool and workpiece not making actual contact.

“Wire-cut EDM can cut intricate contours or cavities in pre-hardened steels without the need for heat treatment to soften and re-harden them,” says Clifton Dimitrov, Managing Director of Jenmick. “This method can be used with other metals or metal alloys, including titanium, hastelloy, kovar, and inconel.”

As Jenmick extends the capability and capacity of its already comprehensive range of services, Clifton notes that the AWT3S has Windows-based operations, with a very stable power system that increases machining efficiency.

“We are now capable of machining even more complex shapes that would otherwise be difficult to produce with conventional cutting tools,” says Clifton. “And we can cut extremely-hard material to very close tolerances. Our customers all over the country will appreciate our ability to machine very small workpieces where conventional cutting tools may damage the part from excess cutting-tool pressure.

With EDM, there isn’t any direct contact between tool and workpiece and, therefore, delicate sections and weak materials can be machined without perceivable distortion.”

Clifton adds: “Furthermore, a good surface finish can be obtained by redundant finishing paths; very fine holes can be achieved, and tapered holes produced. Pipe or container internal contours and internal corners are achievable down to R .001.”

A good turn The second machine now on line at Bassett Street is a CNC combination lathe from one of the most famous names in turning – the century-old Harrison of Yorkshire in the UK. Clifton notes that the XS CNC combination lathe range is popular for its fast, highquality repeatability, accuracy, and surface finish to exacting toolroom accuracy standards (DIN 8605).

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A gear undergoing cutting operations on the Joemars wire cut machine.

“As we moved into general engineering, our client-base expanded and, accordingly, our workshops implemented a wider range of services,” he says. “For example, in addition to CNC lathes, we now have large radial arm drills, a drill press, and a 100-tonne press. In prototype or production runs, the new Alpha combination lathe, with its Fanuc OiTF control, means that we can now apply our renowned precision to workpieces of up to 3m in length.”

Wally Nujin, Manager of the Brisbane branch of 600 Machine Tools, says: “The ease of operation of the user-friendly Alpha range has been appreciated not only in the workshops of industry, but also in the workshops of education and training centres around the world.

Fast, easy set-up times and simple operation in all modes are the keys to the Alpha’s global success. The series benefits from the ultrahigh speed OiTD CNC control along with Harrison’s own developed Alphalink software.”

Nujin adds: “Now available is the remarkable Alpha XC model. It can execute off-centre drilling and boring, hexagonal milling, and much more. It is a combination CNC lathe that gives workshops the ability to perform secondary operations that usually require machining centres or expensive slant-bed CNC turning centres.” www.600machinery.com.au

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FORMING & FABRICATION

Larsen increases capacity with new Bystronic system With capacity limitations hampering its ability to meet the needs of its customers, Larsen Engineering recently upgraded its workshop with a suite of new equipment from Bystronic. The latest acquisitions are already proving their worth, opening up new opportunities for the business.

Established in 2000, Larsen Engineering is a diversified manufacturer of complex sheet metal componentry, primarily servicing customers in and around Albury & Wodonga, on the border between Victoria and New South Wales. With approximately 50 staff, the company operates from three manufacturing plants totalling around 5,000sqm, located in Baranduda in south-east Wodonga, and in Lavington in north Albury. Larsen provides specialised engineering solutions to a highly diverse client base, with infrastructure, agriculture and defence representing key markets.

Still very much a family company, General Manager Ben Larsen is the third generation of Larsens leading manufacturing in the region, with his father Tim overseeing operations as Director.

“We are a supply chain manufacturer supporting local industries,” says Ben. “We don’t necessarily focus on our own proprietary products, but we supply to all walks of life between Canberra and Wangaratta, with some other work in Melbourne and Sydney every now and again. Our main focus is on laser cutting, but we also have plasma cutting, powdercoating and so on.”

The company has always prided itself on maintaining a competitive edge by investing in the latest state-of-the-art manufacturing technology. This has also seen Larsen expanding the capabilities it can offer, providing a range of secondary services such as metal forming and bending, welding and fabrication, assembly, sandblasting and powder-coating.

“We’ve been quite fortunate in maintaining five or six customers that are our bread and butter,” says Ben. “And we’ve supported these core customers by tailoring our new facilities and infrastructure to service their needs. We’ve grown as they’ve grown, and expanded into specific technologies to provide them with a better service, best supporting their development of products and services.”

Having established a strong customer base and a solid reputation, one problem for Larsen has been in maintaining its ability to stay on top of demand and fulfil the requirements of its clients. Around three years ago the company decided to replace one of its original machines with a new 6kW ByAutonom 3015 fibre (CO2) laser and a ByTrans Extended material loader from Bystronic. For a while this proved sufficient to meet demand. However, as Larsen’s customers grew accustomed to the reliability of service Larsen could now ensure, it wasn’t long before the same problems began to occur once again.

“Basically when we commissioned the ByAutonom 3015 CO2 laser in 2015, we were able to service our existing contracts really well,” says Ben. “As our servicability improved we quickly filled our capacity, causing us to loose our edge on the market once again.”

It was time to for the company to think about investing again.

System upgrade “We’d been running at capacity with our two lasers for almost two years,” explains

Ben. “Our team was working on two shifts with consistent weekend work. It was a very demanding period but our team managed to deliver on our customer’s requirements.

So instead of adding another machine of the same calibre, our team investigated technologies that could futureproof our position and also grow our market share.”

Larsen ultimately decided on a 10kW ByStar Fiber 3015 fibre laser cutting system from Bystronic. The Bystar Fiber can handle a nominal sheet size of 3,000mm x 1,500mm, with a maximum simultaneous positioning speed of 169m per minute.

The machine has been designed to offer maximum operating convenience with a transparent, intuitive process control via the ByVision Cutting user interface.

To complement the laser cutting system, Larsen also invested in two further machines from Bystronic: a ByTrans Extended automatic loading and unloading system, and a ByTower flexible storage tower.

Ben explains: “Essentially we’ve doubled our laser capacity with the new machine.

We also invested heavily in automation for materials loading and unloading and partsorting.”

The ByTrans Extended allows faster jobprocessing by decreasing set-up times, enabling higher machine utilisation. It is a flexible system, suitable not just for storage/return transfer but also for large parts removal, as well as the preparation of plastic protective separators for placement between the metal sheets. The ByTrans Extended also has two cassettes, making the system more autonomous.

Larsen Engineering’s new 10kW ByStar Fiber 3015 fibre laser cutting system in its workshop in Baranduda, south-east Wodonga.

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FORMING & FABRICATION HEADING The new laser cutter has been complemented with a ByTrans Extended automatic loading and unloading system, and a ByTower flexible storage tower.

customer base, where previously they had to be restricted to certain key clients.

“Our dedicated sandblasting and powdercoating facility has been extended to two shifts with the influx of work from the new machine,” says Ben. “Many secondary operations were restricted within the company, they weren’t open to the general market because they were servicing specific contracts with existing customers.

Now we’ve been able to increase capacity everywhere, so now we can service general market rather than just being defined by a select amount of customers.”

The ByTower enables regularly used materials to always be available by storing them directly next to the machine. Both raw material and processed sheets can be loaded or removed easily with a forklift truck. The shuttle table remains freely accessible and is automatically loaded and unloaded, further enhancing machine utilisation.

While the new machinery investments are opening up exciting new possibilities for Larsen, they are also creating new employment opportunities. The company has already made some additions to its head count, with more likely to follow.

“We have already increased our workforce and transitioned many staff into higherskilled positions in preparation for the projected growth.” Says Ben. “The project has created many full-time job opportunites, including six new full-time positions, not only for the laser department, but for the secondary operations which have grown as a result of the expansion.”

“So now we’ve got an additional eight cassettes,” adds Ben. “That makes it a total of 17 stations across three machines that we can pick and choose from, whether that’s for raw material or unloading of parts or unloading waste materials and so on.”

One additional positive factor regarding the installation of the new system has been the service and after-sales support from Bystronic Australia. For Ben, this was important as Larsen had in the past had problems with previous suppliers, to the extent that it was threatening to undermine the team’s confidence in expanding and acquiring new technology.

“Bystronic equipment is great, but you need that support behind you,” he explains.

“If we needed a replacement part, we had previously had to order it from Europe.

Now with Bystronic’s Melbourne sales and service branch we have direct access to inventory of consumables and components that can be despatched same day.

Bystronic troubleshoots quickly, they’re available and they can get their service staff here quickly. The installation was also a relativly seamless process.”

“The project has improved our lead times, which was our ultimate goal,” says Ben. “At full capacity we were failing to deliver five days turnaround for local customers, which meant we were loosing existing work to our cometitors from the metropolitan areas.

Now we can essentially deliver in three or four days with capacity to service urgent orders such as components required for breakdowns.

Capacity gains

“Essentially the new investment has enabled us to meet customer requirements.

We’ve had some contracts that we literally couldn’t take because we didn’t have the capacity for them. So now we’ve been able to shore them up with our customers and provide them with security when it comes to reliability. They know they can get it and they don’t have to worry about how busy we are or if there are other jobs interfering with production schedule.”

The new machinery has provided a big boost for Larsen. It has restored the company’s competitive edge, not just over local businesses providing similar services, but with manufacturers further afield in the big cities.

That increased capacity has in turn extended across Larsen’s secondary capabilities, creating opportunities for the company to diversify its service offering.

Larsen can now offer these secondary capabilities more widely across its

The company is also undergoing an extensive rebranding: “We have done a redevelopment of our logo to reflect a new chapter of Larsen, and modernised of all of our marketing materials and our website.

We’ve also included a video to showcase the vision and philosophy behind our business.”

Given the positive direction the company is moving in, it seems inevitable that Larsen will eventually start to run up against a fresh set of limits on its capacity to meet demand.

However, with the new Bystronic system, Ben is confident that in terms of laser cutting at least, that point is some way off.

“We have been successful in delivering a huge amount of capacity to the market,” he says. “It’s really incredible” Bystronic Australia will be holding an Open House event on 29-30 November at its showroom in Cranbourne West, Victoria. The event will be a chance to meet the team at Bystronic, learn more about the machinery range, and network over food and drink. For more information visit the Bystronic website. www.bystronic.net.au www.larseneng.com.au

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Networked tube bending brings time benefits in shipbuilding In addition to manufacturing bending machines for tubes with diameters up to 400mm, German company transfluid enables greater flexibility with its ‘t project’ software.

Digital solutions are required by the international shipbuilding and offshore industry for efficient planning of resources and processes.

To support that, the high-tech machine manufacturer transfluid combines its bending technologies for large diameter tubes with online networking aimed at practical applications. This is the case with its ‘t project’ software which enables users to calculate the exact orientation of the flanges in advance when bending straight tubes with welded flanges.

Transfluid’s DB 40220-3A-CNC t bend tube-bending machine provides high-performance processing of tubes between 40mm and 220mm.

Mobile measuring tools acquire data on-site, in order to measure template tubes accurately for example. In addition to that, transfluid offers the option of tube end-forming processes with the UMR ‘t form’ rotary tube-forming machine. For instance, it is possible to introduce flared flanges economically and subsequently bend the tube.

“Saving time and money are aspects that we make possible for this industry, when it comes to tube processing”, says Stefanie Flaeper, Director at transfluid. “Our ‘t bend’ CNC bending machine has replaced the need to weld bends onto large tubes a long time ago, as it lowers the production costs.”

In addition to that, the bending systems save up to 60% of the production time for tubes with a diameter up to 400mm.

The fast set-up of the machine, at times in less than 10 minutes, also plays a crucial role.

Equipped with a fully automated CNC control T project Draft contributes to system, the transfluid more time-efficient and more units can process tubes flexible tube manufacturing. with thin and thick walls made from any material, even with radii of 1.5 x tube diameter or more. These tight bending radii are achieved with unrivalled minimal thinning of the tube walls. This leads to benefits also in terms of space onboard the ship.

It is possible to achieve much simpler, cheaper tube processing when the flanges are welded onto the straight tube beforehand, because the welding process is considerably faster at that stage.

With the internal connection to the CAD programs, ‘t project’ bending software can process the isometrics immediately. Flanges can be chosen from a database and integrated in the isometrics, also in terms of bending technology.

for more complex tubes with flanges. All the data is acquired digitally, documented and the data can be transferred online and be available to the technical office, as well as the bending machine.

Once a tube-part has been completed, it can be measured once again to guarantee a smooth installation. This yields an additional time benefit: while tubes are processed with the measurement data that was provided, further measurements can be taken on board at the same time.

A key aspect of tube processing in the shipbuilding industry is the forming of tube ends, like the forming of flared flanges on the tubes.

With the rolling UMR ‘t form’ machine it is possible to shape tubes with diameters up to 325mm. Almost tool-independent, it uses a controlled shaping cone, which can be programmed freely during the task.

Another interesting shaping option is the cylindrical expansion of tube ends, to connect two tubes. The transfluid solution to this challenge is suitable for tubes with a nominal size up to 250. The traditional practice in shipbuilding of welding with two seams on each connection sleeve for large nominal sizes is now redundant. www.transfluid.net

“With the directional bending of the flanged tubes, our solution is able to improve the flexibility of the manufacturing”, explains Flaeper. “The processes clearly become simpler.”

‘t project’ for mobile use on board The tablet version of the ‘t project Draft’ software offers greater freedom for on-site practical applications. It allows the user to acquire data using a very light, portable measuring system. It is therefore possible to collect data, for instance for connector tubes, both the geometries of the process, as well as the flanges and the position of the flanges.

Time savings are particularly significant for this aspect. The process of measuring on board only requires a few minutes, even

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The DB 40120-CNC-VE pipebending machine by transfluid changes tools automatically.

Real Business Real People Real Members Why am I a member of AMTIL? Aside from supporting our industry through membership of our peak body, I find the developed network of like-minded companies and individuals invaluable. As an engineering and manufacturing group we all face similar challenges. Often when issues arise I am able to pick up the phone and discuss a problem or get advice from other members who all share our common values and goals of seeing Australian manufacturing prosper.

Peter Sutton, Sutton Tools

Since 1999, AMTIL has been connecting business, informing of opportunities and growing the manufacturing community.

To be become an AMTIL member contact our Corporate Services Manager, Greg Chalker on 03 9800 3666 or email gchalker@amtil.com.au

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Connecting next-gen tools to new gen machining centres Modern industry demands fast and effective solutions for mass production. The new generation of multi-spindle machining centres responds to this need; they can increase productivity by the simultaneous machining of two to four workpieces. Iscar has correspondingly developed tooling solutions for this type of machine to ensure precision and quality in minimal set-up time.

Tool builders must also adapt to developments in the aerospace, aviation and medical industries that have necessitated machining high-temperature or exotic materials with maximum efficiency.

In particular, the application of coolant with high (or ultra-high) pressure, directly to the working area to increase efficiency and chip flow, requires a suitable tooling solution.

Combined system adjustment

Vertical pick-up turning machines have wide applications for manufacturing of automotive, hydraulic and general industry parts, and their value in maximising efficiency should not be underestimated.

Tools for multi-spindle machining centres Multi-spindle machining centres save space at manufacturing facilities and reduce tool inventory by using combined tools for sequential operations, and decrease set-up time by assembly and adjustment of the same tool for each spindle.

The principal aim for using multi-spindle machines without Z-axis compensation is to facilitate the axial adjustment needed to achieve overlength precision. This ensures part repeatability over all spindles and reduces cutting time, due to a more precise cut pass.

There are several existing methods for this purpose: • Grinded spacers, commonly applied on face milling cutters to provide a simple technique for length adjustment.

• Adjustable wedges on inserts for fine turning of overlapping (sometimes in addition to grinded spacers), commonly used for face milling of the finish operation.

• Tools for drilling or boring operations, with exact hole depth, which can be adjusted by cartridges (there is also an option for radial adjustment). For simple solid carbide drills, the tool can be mounted on an adjustable holder.

• Complex tools, incorporating different types of instruments, which can be combinedly adjusted by some (or all) aforementioned methods. The image below is an example of a tool that performs drilling, chamfering and slot milling, and is regulated by a spacer, wedges and preset screws.

Adjustable cartridges

The adjustment of complicated technical systems to meet customer requirements necessitates additional time and human resources for assembly and fine-tuning procedures.

In general, leading multi-spindle machine tool builders (MTB) prefer to deliver all-inclusive solutions for initial equipment or turnkey projects. These comprehensive schemes save time and cut down on the human resources required for start-up procedures, especially for larger projects. A leading supplier of cutting tools and related accessories, Iscar provides completely assembled, adjusted, balanced and well-packed tools.

MQL applications Minimum Quantity Lubrication (MQL) technology is widely applied to multi-spindle machine tools, as it circumvents the problem of liquid leakage from machine and does not require additional equipment for coolant return. MQL helps to maintain the machine’s condition during continuous usage, improves chip quality, evacuation and recycling, and represents a “green” technology for a healthier environment.

Tools working with MQL have a different design and accessories compared with tools that work with conventional coolant. Iscar’s vast experience working with MTBs who utilise this coolant concept has enabled Iscar to develop appropriate MQL tooling solutions that achieve high-quality functionality in the metal cutting process.

Tools with high-pressure coolant Applying high-pressure coolant in grooving and parting operations provides excellent chip breaking results on all materials, reducing or even eliminating built-up edge phenomenon, particularly when machining stainless steel and high-temperature alloys. To harness these capabilities, Iscar designed a wide range of tools for turning, grooving and parting applications with high-pressure coolant, with different sizes, adaptations and machine interface connections.

The Modular-Grip systems for high-pressure coolant were developed to reduce tooling costs and inventories and take into consideration Iscar’s many years of experience in working with leading MTBs. Co-

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CUTTING TOOLS

operation with significant players in the machine tool manufacturer market has led to the development of standard lines of dedicated tools for each MTB interface, such as VDI, Dovetail, CAPTO, and a wide range of specific interfaces.

A complete solution from cutting edge to machine

How do you structure your business for growth and profitability?

CNC turning machines with disc-type turrets use different interfaces and often require adjustment of the tool’s overhang. Iscar provided an answer to this need with the Multi Connection (MC) JHP line for turning, parting, grooving and threading tools mounted on holders with a bottom-fed coolant system, which allows simple and rigid clamping and is widely used by European, US, Japanese, South Korean, Chinese and Taiwanese MTBs. The multi-connection tools enable clamping on quick-change toolholders and also directly on the turret with different coolant connections. Tools with a jet highpressure coolant outlet also deliver an advantageous performance when conventional pressure is applied.

UHP Solutions Ultra-high pressure coolant (UHP) tools facilitate effective machining of titanium and heat-resistant materials utilised by the aerospace industry, in order to achieve high machining rates while maintaining small chip sizes. Iscar provides a variety of special UHP solutions for different types of machine interfaces and various applications.

Tools with CAPTO connections without automatic tool changers Vertical pick-up turning machine turrets can be equipped with instruments without automatic tool changers, which enables tools to be manufactured with as short an overhang as possible. This in turn increases machining process rigidity and stability, and lowers tool production costs. Iscar has developed dedicated CAPTO blanks without an automatic tool changer flange and with no inner thread, specifically for producing these types of instrument.

Example of a tool without ATC

“Within every business there are key considerations that will create the best environment for growth.”

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Creating a new cutting tool – Concept to spindle New cutting tools are continuously being added into the market, but what is the process to get a product from concept through to the spindle?

Global manufacturer Dormer Pramet tasks its product management and development department with creating new tools every year. One member of the team is product and development engineer Jan Bittner. In January 2015, Bittner joined Dormer Pramet and became part of the company’s project to develop an assortment of high feed milling tools. Almost three years later, a new range of SBN10 cutters and BNGX inserts were launched into the global market. The time taken to introduce a product is an indication of the investment a manufacturer makes to create a new product which will add value to customers for many years.

At Dormer Pramet, the process of creating a new tool begins with its product management department, which identifies the market needs and gaps in the company’s current assortment. Karel Tiefenbach is the company’s Product Manager for indexable milling and he created a concept brief and clear objective for the development team.

Dormer Pramet’s aim was to create an assortment of tools for its double-negative cutters, which allowed high feed rates for increased productivity. The design needed to be for double-sided inserts to maximise the economic value (four-edges) and provide good chip-control, allowing for a higher ramping angle.

At the same time, the tool needed to offer process security and a versatile range for mould and die operations, covering roughing to finishing.

Dormer Pramet has introduced an assortment of BNGX10 inserts for high feed roughing.

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Design concepts Bittner began the process with Jan Vlček from the company’s Product Design & Information department, responsible for all aspects of tool development. This includes creating high-quality data on every tool produced, the design of products and supporting manufacture.

The department’s first task in designing a new high-feed milling tool – later known as SBN10 – was to research what products were already available in the market from competitors and how Dormer Pramet could be different, while still meeting the needs of customers.

“We started with a series of preliminary studies and initial prototype designs, putting a number of ideas forward before we could start to produce samples,” says Bittner. “There are always difficulties and challenges to overcome, but some small changes at this stage can have a big impact.

For example, with one of the first samples created, we realised there was a conflict with an existing patent from a competitor.

With many companies creating new inserts all the time, it is a very crowded market.

“However, we worked with the designer to modify our concept to make it unique, whilst still fulfilling the original brief. This led us to liaise closely with colleagues in Sweden and North America to make sure our designs did not conflict with any patents. We discussed with colleagues in Intellectual Property (IP) how we can make our design unique and this was a new experience to me.

“At each stage, we were in discussions with IP over the design and any slight changes being made. We needed to confirm we were within patent pending at every point and not conflicting with others already submitted.

Eventually we were given the ok to proceed.”

Product testing At the start of the process in 2015, Bittner’s team had a schedule to follow and aimed to launch the BNGX inserts by November 2017. However, there was pressure from Dormer Pramet’s sales teams who wanted it earlier. The aim was to keep the process going as fast as possible, and the team managed to keep to schedule.

By the second quarter of 2016, the team was able to start the testing stage. This included several on-site tests with customers, which Bittner states is the best way to check how good a product really is. The team was confident it was a good product, but no amount of in-house testing can match trying it out in the real world.

“We learned so much from these tests which allowed us to identify areas of further improvement,” Bittner adds. “A test we did with a customer in France involved machining a titanium-bearing, austenitic, chromium-nickel, stainless steel. It is an extremely tough and ductile material. It requires a powerful machine, capable of heavy feeds and slow spindle speeds.

We put it up against a competitor’s high feed milling tool with similar features to our SBN10.

CUTTING TOOLS Dormer Pramet’s new BNGX and ANHX inserts.

The SBN10 cutters are suitable for copy milling, ramping, helical interpolation, slotting and plunging.

“After machining three parts the cutting edge of the competitor’s insert was worn, forcing the operator to index the cutting edge to proceed to production. After machining eight parts with the SBN10 cutter and BNGX inserts, the cutting edge showed minor flank wear and was still in a good condition to continue cutting. In addition to significant longer tool life, the metal removal rate was 20% higher. The customer was so impressed, he immediately bought one cutter and pre-ordered seven more by early 2018.

Dormer Pramet did more than 20 tests with customers in France, Brazil, Poland, China, Italy, the Czech Republic and Germany.

Altogether, five of these tests did not match expectations, so it allowed the team to go back and look at what needed improving.

This was an important process that could only help improve product performance and reduce limitations.

“The crucial part is to react quickly during the testing process, speed is crucial,” explains Bittner. “Any issues need to be eliminated and the design of the tool improved as soon as possible, before putting it back in for more tests.

“In July 2017, we returned to Germany to a customer where one of the tests did not go as well as the others. Going back to the same location meant we could perform the exact same trial in the same conditions as before. This was important to verify if the improvements we made had worked. The application ran very successfully and it was great to show the customer the new and improved version!

“We realised at this stage, we were ready to launch the product into the market. We had further discussions with IP to make sure our patent was in place and everything was prepared. This led to meetings with production to ensure enough inserts were manufactured for the time of launch and liaising with marketing and communications department on creation of all the support material, such as brochures, images, videos, press releases and online content.”

Launching product to market Dormer Pramet launched its range of BNGX inserts and SBN10 cutters in November 2017, almost three years after the initial design brief was prepared. During 2018, the

company’s aim is to manufacture more than 30,000 BNGX inserts, of various different sizes and chip breakers, alongside 450 cutters, in three different variants: end mills with threaded shank; end mills with parallel shank; and shell mills.

“Product development is very much a team effort,” says Bittner. “There are many people from around the world involved in the creation of new cutting tools. From product management to design, to the technology team, production, testing, through to sales and marketing. Each department is not independent from the rest. We are all connected and one area cannot be successful without the support of the rest.

They all must work together to get a product to market.

“Also, any new product created will become the future work for our production department. Sometimes we can be focused on today and what is new now, but it is our job to look at the future and what will be important in five to ten years’ time.” www.dormerpramet.com

Dormet Pramet product and development engineer Jan Bittner.

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Real-time data for process optimisation Industry 4.0, Big Data, the Internet of Things (IoT), digitalisation, networked production – these topics and buzzwords seem to be everywhere. Indeed they are so prevalent that the mere mention of Industry 4.0 is causing uncertainty among many technicians in medium-sized companies, who are unsure what Industry 4.0 will actually mean for their own day-to-day work and their future-proof production strategies and production planning.

Machining specialist Walter decided to tackle the topic area of digitalisation some years ago and, under the Walter Nexxt product line, is offering digital products and Industry 4.0 solutions that are tailored for use in medium-sized companies. It does not have to be, and above all cannot be, the one and only Industry 4.0 solution. Instead, Walter is dealing with a wide range of different levels of the planning and production process. For example, the Comara iCut software for optimising cutting data and the Comara appCom platform for monitoring production processes.

Florian Böpple, Digital Manufacturing Manager at Walter.

Adaptive feed control: Cutting data optimisation via live data Automation, digitalisation and networked processes have been everyday aspects in many areas of industrial production for a long time now. New opportunities for further optimising processes have been created by the increase in performance achieved by hardware and software for collecting and analysing live data. For example, Walter’s Comara iCut software tool is based on the real-time analysis of incoming machine data.

Florian Böpple, Digital Manufacturing Manager at Walter, comments: “Our software developer Comara has not reinvented milling or turning with its iCut adaptive feed control, but has instead focussed on a very specific problem: How can we get the most out of a machine without making major changes to the existing process or carrying out complex and time-consuming programming work?

The result is our iCut software, which can be used to reduce the machining time for milling per workpiece.”

The iCut software is simply integrated into the existing control program and applies the data for the machining process. In the first cut, iCut “learns” the idling output of the spindle and the maximum cutting efficiency per cut. After this, it measures the spindle output up to 500 times per second and automatically adjusts the feed. As a result, the machine operates at the maximum feed that iCut “learned” for each tool whenever possible.

If the cutting conditions change, for example owing to varying mill contact angles and depths of cut, fluctuations in allowance, or due to signs of wear on the

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tool, it adapts the speed and output in real time. With a positive effect, not just focused on the machining time of a workpiece, the optimised milling behaviour also increases process reliability. The forces acting on the spindle are more constant, which increases its service life. If the tool is in danger of breaking, iCut reduces the feed straight away or stops the action altogether.

“We have already achieved astonishing increases in efficiency for customers using iCut,” Böpple adds. “If the machining operation is compatible, a 10% reduction in machining time is always achievable.

We have already managed to reduce machining times by double this amount.

When the quantity is high, this frees up considerable machine capacity.”

Walter iCut can even be used without Walter tools – all that is necessary is for the machine’s system requirements to be met.

Increased reliability and efficiency through transparent machine data The software specialists at Comara tailored iCut to the optimisation of a really specific, narrowly defined process and developed Comara’s appCom software platform to make all the data

that a machine generates during the machining processes usable for process optimisation. This is done as simply and clearly as possible. Comara appCom consists of two components: a PC, which is installed in the machines and integrated in the control system; and the software, which analyses and displays data.

Walter uses the app principle for this.

Even the basic version of appCom features more than 13 applications that can be used to collect and monitor the most important parameters for process optimisation. These include the status of the monitored machines, their productivity, responsibilities and the runtime stability of the programs being run. All important parameters, reports and monitoring data are processed so that they are displayed clearly and are easy to understand.

Individual assignment of access rights Individual assignment determines who can view this data. This means that the machine operators only see data and reports that are relevant to them.

In contrast, managers in charge of production and planning can utilise all monitoring options.

CUTTING TOOLS

All relevant data is arranged clearly and can be analysed or displayed according to different criteria.

In addition to the standard apps, company-specific apps can also be programmed and displayed on appCom. The apps are displayed in a web-based interface, which can be accessed via stationary PCs as well as all common mobile devices. appCom can be used to identify current problems and critical processes and to analyse all of the production processes that take place on a machine.

Parameters include efficiency, costs per tool or per workpiece, and process reliability. This enables live data to be used to optimise and plan production, without having to compile this data manually from various monitoring programs, data formats and data sources. appCom can also be connected to ERP systems. The data that is loaded in this way is processed by the app and linked to the machine data. Another advantage is that appCom operates without the use of a cloud. Data that is critical to the company is located on the appCom PC and the company’s own servers and not

iCut Control

Constant Feed Rate

iCut dynamically adjusts the feed to the cutting conditions. This can reduce the production time per workpiece and increase process reliability.

stored in a cloud, either by Walter itself or by another provider.

The potential offered by monitoring and analysis tools such as appCom is obvious for machining companies, which are usually under pressure with regard to costs and efficiency. However, it is difficult to give specific figures relating to this.

“Various factors determine the potential efficiency and savings that result from

the use of a monitoring and analysis software platform such as appCom,” says Böpple. “The degree of automation and digitalisation of production processes is important, as is how critical the machining operation itself is to the problem at hand.

Example figures for this are inconclusive but we can say that customers who use appCom see a significantincrease of productivity and process reliability per machine.” www.walter-tools.com

Reliable thread turning in tight spaces Walter has completed its MX grooving inserts range with the A60 and AG60 geometries for small to medium pitches.

As with the existing MX geometries (CF5 and GD8 for all grooving and parting off tasks, RF5 for grooving and copy turning), the A60/AG60 inserts are also designed with four cutting edges. The geometries are made for creating 60° partial-profile external threads in a wide range of pitches (0.5–3.0 mm) and are particularly suited to thread turning in tight spaces, like near a shoulder or counter spindle. In addition, the system offers general advantages like excellent

cost-effectiveness or the ability to use all inserts universally with one toolholder on the left and right. The MX system is suitable for all materials and enables insert widths between 0.8mm and 3.2 mm and cutting depths of up to 6 mm. One special feature is the design of the insert seat: due to the self-aligning tangential clamping, the insert is pressed against the contact points when the screw is tightened. A special dowel pin helps with accuracy of fit and simultaneously makes it impossible to mount the insert

incorrectly. That results in a high degree of dimensional stability and repeat accuracy. The fact that the insert contact surface is not ground when creating the cutting edge width, and the entire insert thickness is therefore maintained, also contributes to the high stability of the MX system. Special profiles outside the standard range are offered by Walter from ten pieces and are available via the Walter Xpress service within four weeks.

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Mastering the challenges of hard turning Hard turning has been used for decades to streamline and in many cases eliminate cylindrical grinding operations.

It’s fast, accurate, with a broad assortment of predictable, cost-effective cutting tools available to tame even the most difficult hardened steels, superalloys, and chilled irons. However, as industries continue to develop even more robust metals, cutting tool manufacturers must evolve as well with high-performance tooling to tackle these materials.

Kennametal accomplished this recently with the introduction of its KBH10, a new breed of polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PcBN) hard turning insert designed specifically for the challenges of today’s demanding market place. Helmut Gremer, Senior Engineer for global machining technology, says the new insert complements Kennametal’s existing PcBN grades KBH20 and KB5630 by providing the extreme wear resistance needed to successfully turn hardened metals up to 65Rc, especially where very fine surface finishes are required.

“We’ve seen that many manufacturers are decreasing the allowable tolerances on bearing journals, rings and pistons, gear hubs, and so on,” says Gremer. “For example, dimensional tolerances of 4μm or less are increasingly common, as are surface requirements better than Ra < 0.4μm. This new grade closes the gap for these and other customers that need superior tool life when finishing such parts.”

In one example, a well-known automotive manufacturer was able to more than double tool life—from 150 pieces per edge to 350 pieces—during an internal facing operation on a 140mm-diameter 5115 alloy steel bearing hub that was previously heat-treated to 62 HRC. And a driveshaft producer achieved similar results, increasing tool life from 250 to 450 pieces per edge when turning 58 HRC UC1 (similar to S53) steel on its vertical turret lathes, consistently maintaining a 6 Rz surface finish while doing so.

KBH10 has a unique shape edge preparation that resists crater and flank wear while reducing vibration, even in interrupted cuts.

Making the hard case In each instance, cutting speeds of 180m per minute were used with depths of cut averaging 0.15mm and feedrates ranging from 0.22mm to 0.32mm per revolution. Also in each case, the customer saved thousands of dollars annually in insert costs compared to its existing solution, while substantially reducing downtime due to tool changeovers.

Kennametal’s latest hard-turning solution KBH10 is an uncoated PcBN turning insert that offers high wear resistance and very low cutting forces.

The KBH10 substrate is completely new. Its PcBN composition is designed for up to 20% higher cutting speeds while providing equivalent or in some cases far greater tool life. Kennametal engineers were frequently able to achieve Ra 0.2 and Rz 1 surface roughness, while consistently maintaining the profile and dimensional tolerances noted earlier. And because KBH10 is available in several different geometries and edge preparations, it’s quickly becoming the go-to insert for a wide cross section of manufacturers and their turning applications.

“KBH10 is ideally suited for fine-finishing operations yet is tough enough to handle light interruptions or varying depth of cut operations,” says Gremer. “And because cutting pressure and therefore heat is reduced, crater and flank wear are likewise reduced, extending tool life. There’s also a lower occurrence of the white layer that plagues many hard part machining operations.”

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A classic hard-turning application.

A wide array of insert shapes, sizes and geometries is available.

This last part is accomplished through KBH10’s unique edge preparation. Rather than the traditional waterfall or radiused hone applied to virtually all PcBN cutting tools, Kennametal has developed a special shape that is both sharper and freer cutting than competing solutions yet still tough enough to withstand the rigors of hard turning.

“Five years ago, no one was able to generate edges like this, let alone measure them,” Gremer explains. “But thanks to some fairly recent advances in metrology and machine tool technology, we can consistently produce this hone shape, which reduces passive cutting forces by up to 40%. Together with KBH10’s tougher substrate – also new – we’ve produced an insert that achieves a fine balance between wear-resistance, hardness, and sharpness. www.kennametal.com

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Seco partners with MachineMetrics to offer manufacturing analytics As part of a global initiative to ensure the continued success of its customers, Seco Tools is expanding its customer service capabilities through a partnership with MachineMetrics. MachineMetrics’ manufacturing analytics engine will provide Seco and its customers a technological resource for their advancement into Industry 4.0.

“Seco has always been committed to providing our customers with the best products and services available,” said Ben Alexander, Business Manager Online Services at Seco Tools. “Partnering with MachineMetrics will allow us to not only continue to help our customers learn about themselves but will transform our ability to help them improve their machine tool utilisation and production capacity.” Seco plans to use the MachineMetrics Industrial IoT platform and its manufacturing analytics applications as a cornerstone in its expansion into new technology services. With data provided by MachineMetrics, Seco can apply its extensive experience and engineering capabilities to the continuous improvement of its customers by helping them make data-driven decisions to improve their efficiency and bottom line.

Leveraging Seco’s experience in tooling with MachineMetrics’ data collection capabilities will help both Seco and MachineMetrics customers gain a deeper understanding of what’s happening with their tools in real-time. These insights may include predicting tool life, preventing tool breakages and feed and speed optimisation.

“This partnership offers an exciting opportunity for both MachineMetrics and Seco Tools to demonstrate the value of datadriven manufacturing and analytics to Seco Tools users around the world,” says Bill Bither, CEO of MachineMetrics. “Together, we can uncover industry-first insights into machine tool and tooling optimisation that will enhance the availability and reliability of machines for customers.”

With the MachineMetrics Production Monitoring application, Seco will enable its global customers to gain visibility into their production using an easy to use, do-it-yourself, completely customisable manufacturing machine monitoring system. As a cloud-based platform, MachineMetrics allows manufacturers to collect, monitor and analyse data from any and all types of machines, from anywhere and with any Internet-connected device to track Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) performance, identify production bottlenecks, take action with real-time notifications, predict and prevent costly downtime events, measure process improvements, and enhance shopfloor communications. The historical and real-time machine data collected by MachineMetrics allows users to gain insight into their machine tool health, identify new service needs with analytics and reporting, predict and deliver early warning of potential machine or tooling failures directly in contact with their subcontractors, highlight elevated risk areas that lead to machine downtime, or even determine to take preventative action before it impacts a customer’s machine performance. The information will also provide the necessary data for improving quality to cost ration right from the design phase. “MachineMetrics has provided us valuable insight into our own Custom Products facility in Troy, Michigan, allowing us to reduce our lead-time while improving On-Time Delivery and quality,” said Rob Keenan, President of Seco Tools North America.

“Now, by partnering with MachineMetrics, we see the opportunity to do the same for our customers. By analysing data output from machine tools, we can deploy our technical experts to work closely with our customers to identify bottlenecks and other issues that lead to extended machine down time. MachineMetrics is another tool that enables Seco to take cost out of our customers’ operation while improving their productivity.”

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Despite the excitement surrounding digital manufacturing transformation, the majority of manufacturers still do not have visibility into their production. This lack of transparency leads to underutilised equipment, production inefficiencies, and communication problems that prohibit most manufacturers from optimising their production capacity. The only way to solve these problems are by capturing data, which is the primary driver behind Seco’s partnership with MachineMetrics.

While other monitoring solutions can take months to integrate, over half of MachineMetrics customers are able to install themselves and start capturing data within 24 hours. Based on machine controls and types, MachineMetrics’ unique ability to connect to any type of machine through the control allows them to monitor as many as 100 machine aspects such as temperatures and pressures of loaders, what line of code is running, the current tool in use and much more. www.secotools.com

Double Quattromill 22 boosts heavy-duty face milling Seco’s latest breakthrough in face milling cutters, the Double Quattromill 22, significantly boosts metal removal rates and allows shops to push machine tools to their full milling potentials.

The new cutter, for both roughing and semi finishing, features eight inserts with multiple cutting edges that cost-effectively increase depths-of-cut for high output.

The Double Quattromill 22 comes in 45-degree and 68-degree lead angle versions for depths-of-cut up to 9mm and 11mm, respectively. Unlike those on standard tangential-type face mills, the Double Quattromill 22’s double-sided inserts are extremely free-cutting for lower cutting forces/machine power consumption and longer tool life.

Because of its two lead angle options, Double Quattromill 22 fits into the transitional area between easy and economical cutting. Choose cutter bodies in fixed-pocket and cassette styles, standard or close pitch and metric or inch versions. Seco also applied its new surface texture technology to the Double Quattromill 22’s cutter body flute surfaces for enhanced chip control and evacuation as well as durability.

The Double Quattromill 22 offers three insert ranges with various edges and grade options. The ME12 geometry works with superalloys and stainless steels. The M12 geometry comes in many grades for compatibility with most workpiece materials.

The M18 covers steels and cast irons, which require heavier edge protection.

Victorian Master Builder of the Year 2018 Dulux Merrifield Coatings Plant is the recipient of the Master Builders Victoria, Commercial and Excellence in Construction of Industrial Buildings award Dulux engaged Vaughan under an ECI (Early Contractor Involvement) arrangement to explore all available options and technologies for their Merrifield Facility in Victoria.

Moving to a Design & Construct contract Vaughan completed both the base build and fitout, of what is now the largest coatings factory in Australia and New Zealand.

Highly automated with the latest technology from across the globe the new factory has the capacity to produce in excess of 100 million litres per year, stepping Dulux into the next generation of paint manufacturing technology.

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XLam – Shaking up construction with Timber 2.0 With a state-of-the-art new factory just outside Wodonga, XLam is taking on the Australian construction industry with a highly innovative product and cutting-edge manufacturing processes. By William Poole.

It’s easy to spot XLam’s new manufacturing facility long before you get anywhere near the actual building. As you come off the Hume Highway just west of Wodonga, the factory looms into view, occupying an impressive 12,000sqm in a landscape otherwise largely dominated by green fields. The opening of the factory has been something of a coup for the local community in Wodonga, and it might seem puzzling that XLam chose such a comparatively remote location, out on the border between Victoria and New South Wales, for such a significant investment. But there are several compelling reasons behind the decision.

Firstly, Wodonga sits at roughly the mid-point between XLam’s two key markets, Melbourne and Sydney (with Canberra closer still). In fact, the location will allow XLam to service 80% of the country in an overnight shipment, from all along the eastern seaboard right through to Adelaide. Moreover, the factory is a mere 150km from the Tumbarumba Mill in New South Wales, owned by its parent company Mayflower Enterprises, providing the primary resource: the timber used to make its product, cross-laminated timber (CLT).

Originally developed in Germany and Austria in the early 1990s, CLT is a structural building panel product, made by gluing wooden boards together in layers. Because each layer runs perpendicular to the last, CLT is very strong, with properties that can rival more traditional building materials such as steel and concrete. It is also relatively lightweight, making it easier and safer to work with on construction sites. In addition, CLT panels can be custom-made in precise sizes and shapes in the factory using advanced CNC machinery. Once they reach the construction site, the prefabicated panels just need to be assembled – almost like a piece of flat-pack Ikea furniture – saving time and significant costs.

While CLT has been commonly used in Europe and North America for decades now, it is only recently started to make an impact in the Southern Hemisphere. XLam was first founded in New Zealand in 2010 by brothers Robin and Ian Jack, establishing its first manufacturing plant in Nelson, South Island. The company grew rapidly, and was acquired by Mayflower in 2016. The factory has now been in operation since 5 March and currently employs around 20 staff, with the potential for that head count to rise to 40 when the plant gets up to full capacity.

“The investment in manufacturing Cross Laminated Timber is a game-changer for the Australian construction market,” says XLam’s CEO Gary Caulfield. “We are pleased to be a leader in the new technology and renewable materials innovation space providing efficient building solutions.”

From raw timber to bespoke components XLam’s manufacturing process starts with the arrival of raw timber from the Tumbarumba Mill, cut into rough boards. These are loaded onto the start of the production line for initial inspection, where each board is inspected to check there are no knots or other defects in the wood. Rejected boards are sifted out for use elsewhere, while those that have passed the test are sorted to ensure the grain of each piece aligns.

At the next machine in the line, finger joints are cut into each end of the boards. Glue is applied to the finger joints, with sensors monitoring to ensure a sufficient amount has been used or if more is needed. The individual boards are then connected using a very powerful machine, which rams the finger joints together with immense force, creating an extremely strong bond. After curing of the glued joints, the boards are planed along all edges till they are the exact same width and depth.

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XLam’s new 12,000sqm manufacturing plant just outside Wodonga.

The result at this point is therefore essentially one very long, continuous plank, which is then cut up again into shorter lengths.

XLam can produce CLT panels measuring up to 16m long by 3.5m wide, so boards are cut to those lengths: 16m for boards to be used lengthwise, 3.5m for those running across the panel.

The cut lengths of board are laid out in line to form a layer, with each successive layer oriented perpendicular to the previous one. Panels may have three, five or seven layers, depending on customer requirements. The panel is bonded together with glue and then placed in a hydraulic press to cure and ensure a tight seal between the layers.

The raw timber has now been fully transformed into billets. From there the process moves on into the production of individual parts.

Everything that XLam sends out from its factory is a bespoke component, precision-engineered to meet the specific demands of the customer. Each component will have its particular place within a construction project, designed to slot into place with minimal effort.

Any inaccuracies would lead to delays on the building site, so it is vital that every component is produced to the highest levels of accuracy.

The completed billets are cut to size in a CNC five-axis processing centre built by Hundegger in Germany. This machine features a range of different tools able to perform various different milling cutting operations, with tolerances of as little as 1mm. Each workpiece is trimmed to size, with openings cut for doors, windows and other access points, channels for plumbing and wiring, and joints for connecting adjoining panels on the construction site. Specific shapes can also be produced from the panels – for example a solid staircase can be cut from a single billet.

Once cutting is complete, the components are ready to be shipped off to the construction site for assembly.

One thing that’s striking about the production process is the neartotal absence of any manual handling of the materials. From the point where the boards of raw timber are loaded onto the production line, there is no contact with human hands till the finished components come out at the other end. This high level of automation of the entire manufacturing process has been achieved through significant investment in state-of-the-art manufacturing technology. According to Caulfield, this was a very deliberate move on the part of XLam in designing the new plant.

“As CLT increasingly excites town planners, designers, architects, builders and environmentalists alike, XLam’s growth strategy into Australia brings regional jobs, innovative technology and comprehensive customer solutions,” says Caulfield. “XLam’s

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The XLam plant is highly automated, with minimal manual handling of materials throughout the manufacturing process.

new state-of-the-art CLT manufacturing plant is the most technologically advanced in the Southern Hemisphere using a combination of Industry 4.0 systems integrated ‘smart processes’, including customised ERP and CAD/CAM functionality for efficient manufacturing of product.”

Projects and plans The team at XLam exude a palpable sense of purpose about what they’re trying to achieve with the Wodonga plant. There’s a strong emphasis on the environmentally friendly nature of the product and its production: the panels are made from sustainably managed timber without the burning of fossil fuels, while the plant’s proximity to Tumbarumba Mill helps to minimise the company’s carbon footprint. Considerable attention is also paid to issues such as management of waste or the non-toxicity of the glue used. In addition the company stresses a growing body of research highlighting the health benefits of living and working in built environments constructed from wood.

Everything XLam sends out from its factory is a bespoke component, precision-engineered to meet customer requirements.

The sense of purpose within XLam’s business culture is fitting for a company that’s not lacking in ambition. The construction industry – long characterised by its use of materials and processes that have been established for decades or even centuries – is a market ripe for disruption. With its innovative product and its smart manufacturing techniques, XLam is having a significant impact on the sector.

Despite these lofty aspirations, XLam initially took a cautious approach during the early stages of its operation. However the company has now ramped up production and stands ready to provide projects for the Australian market. The XLam team is candid about the fact they have adopted a continious improvement approach to their product and what can be done with CLT. The company’s main markets include multiple residential buildings such as student accommodation or aged care facilities – buildings that generally have a repetitive floor plate and are relatively easy to make. The private residential market also forms part of XLam’s business, initially through owner-builders seeking to create their own high-end homes.

XLam already has a number of interesting projects in the works. One that stands out is the Hedberg performing arts venue in Hobart, for the University of Tasmania, which will include a recital hall, a studio theatre and various rehearsal and performance spaces. It is the latest in a list of more than 400 completed projects in New Zealand

Completed CLT billets ready for cutting.

and across Australia, and that list is only set to grow now the new plant is operational. When it reaches full capacity, the Wodonga factory could produce around 60,000 cubic metres of CLT each year – enough to build a 10-storey apartment block every week.

Caulfield concludes: “XLam envisages it will be a dominant player in the Asia Pacific region, supplying building solutions to the region with an opportunity for further production expansion to cater to an ever-increasing need for mass timber products.” www.xlam.com.au

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Advanced manufacturing thrives at ManuFutures Earlier this year, Deakin University unveiled its striking new ManuFutures facility. Located on Deakin’s Geelong Waurn Ponds campus, in the epicentre of the Geelong Innovation Precinct, the ManuFutures facility provides a collaborative space for advanced manufacturing organisations. Commercially focused, the purpose-built facility boasts a range of features including a flexible manufacturing production space, laboratory space, serviced offices, meeting areas and a centralised reception.

ManuFutures was built by Vaughan Constructions under a Design and Construct contract. Vaughan has been operational for more than six decades and is one of the most reputable and trusted builders nationwide. The company’s portfolio includes some of the largest and most complex structures in the Southern Hemisphere. Recently, Vaughan completed work on Australia’s largest water-based coatings manufacturing facility for Dulux, in Merrifield, north of Melbourne.

The project presented significant delivery challenges for Vaughan, requiring adherence to a tight project programme and subcontractor co-ordination processes while working on a 325-hectare campus with a population of around 7,312 students. However, strict staging and meticulous project management ensured that the project was constructed without disruption to its surroundings and delivered to the highest standard for which Deakin University is known.

ManuFutures is unique in that it supports organisations during their penetration and growth phases, cultivating maximum growth and success through state-ofthe-art infrastructure and idyllic location.

Tenants have close proximity and access to the University’s world-renowned research and knowledge teams, providing an abundance of resources and a substantial competitive advantage. Housing up to 15 tenants with capacity for 150 people, ManuFutures is surrounded by a variety of like-minded organisations on Deakin’s Waurn Ponds campus, including the Centre for Advanced Design in Engineering Training (CADET), the Institute for Intelligent Systems Research & Innovation (IISRI), and the Carbon Nexus carbon-fibre and composites research facility.

CADET houses some of the most advanced and future-focused simulation and visualisation systems, purposebuilt interactive laboratories and learning environments in the country, changing the way students learn and train to become engineers. IISRI supports R&D in areas such as robotics, haptics, and human machine interfaces, providing practical solutions to real-world problems and develop commercial-ready products and services. Meanwhile, Carbon Nexus has

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established a reputation since its opening in May 2014 as a global centre of excellence in the development of carbon fibre-based manufacturing materials and techniques.

The Waurn Ponds campus is also home to Carbon Revolution, the pioneering Australian company that has developed the world’s first commercialised carbon fibre composite wheel. The campus also houses HeiQ Australia, a joint venture between Geelong biotechnology company Cytomatrix and Swiss textile innovation company HeiQ Materials AG, established in 2014 to develop and manufacture highvalue short fibre materials for domestic and export markets.

While the manufacturing sector has taken a hit in recent years with the closure of several major facilities nationwide, ManuFutures has been established in a bid to reinvigorate the industry in Geelong and the surrounding area. The hub will also contribute to the local workforce, creating high-skill jobs and bringing a high level of manufacturing expertise to the area. The State Government supported the initiative with an investment of $3m towards the

$13m project with the aim of boosting employment opportunities in Victoria.

Significant innovations have already come to fruition at the facility , with the development of FormFlow Bend, a worldfirst metal bending technology, created by FormFlow which is based at ManuFutures.

FormFlow’s access to Deakin University’s resources such as Carbon Revolution fostered collaboration to further develop its products.

Andrew Noble, Managing Director of Vaughan Constructions, has been thrilled to see the outstanding innovations that are being developed at the ManuFutures facility.

“The tenants at ManuFutures are thriving and they are making significant contributions to the growth of Australia’s manufacturing sector,” said Noble. “We are proud to have constructed another facility that is cultivating an environment that is the catalyst for the development of groundbreaking innovations.” www.deakin.edu.au/sebe/manufutures www.vaughans.com.au

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Fire-resistant steel buildings in the frame for QUT Professor Mahen Mahendran of Queensland University of Technology (QUT) has been awarded a quarter-of-a-million dollar grant from the Australian Research Council (ARC) to investigate the fire resistance of common pre-fabricated steel wall systems, with the project ultimately aiming to improve the safety of newly-constructed buildings. wall systems, they can then be included in a national Fire Design Handbook, and we will be in a position to propose improvements to the construction detail of the wall systems, to enhance fire resistance.

Professor Mahendran said the project, in collaboration with the National Association of Steel-Framed Housing (NASH), would specifically examine the fire resistance levels of complex, high-strength Light Gauge Steel Framed (LSF) wall systems, which are being increasingly used in low and mid-rise buildings around the world.

“We are seeing plasterboard-lined LSF walls being used more and more, because they are a cost-effective load-bearing wall, but that has required new wall designs, which involve complex steel stud wall configurations. The real issue is that their fire resistance is not yet fully understood,” Professor Mahendran said. “This project aims to investigate the thermal and structural behaviour of those wall systems when they are exposed to fire, and to also develop a generic model for predicting fire resistance levels of LSF wall systems.”

Professor Mahendran said he was pleased that this project would further increase awareness of fire-resistance levels and make important fire resistance data on

“This research will address one of the most significant current challenges for ensuring cost-effective but fire safe building construction worldwide. QUT’s research team is looking forward to working closely with NASH on this important project.”

LSF wall systems more accessible to the construction industry.

“We want to help make buildings as safe as possible and provide useful information to benefit not only the community, but also the Australian steel industry and the construction sector,” Professor Mahendran said. “Once we have developed fire resistance levels for commonly used LSF

The project is planned to run until June 2021 and will include full scale fire tests at QUT’s Wind and Fire Lab and computer modelling on hundreds of potential wall system combinations. The $258,778 grant was one of several new research partnerships announced under the ARC Linkage Projects scheme. Further details on the Linkage Projects scheme is available from the ARC. In addition to the grant, the project is being supported by NASH with almost $100,000 in funding as well as inkind support. www.qut.edu.au

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Oji Fibre Solutions opts for energy-efficient Kaeser system Oji Fibre Solutions, a leading producer of market pulp, paper and fibre-based packaging, opted for an energy-efficient Kaeser compressed air system in the development of its new green-star rated corrugated cardboard packaging manufacturing facility in Yatala, Queensland.

Oji Fibre Solutions is part of the pulp and paper division of Oji Holdings Corporation – the fifth-largest pulp and paper company in the world. From fresh fruit and produce, meat, poultry, seafood and beverages to reseller and industrial manufacturing – the wide range of industries in Australia and New Zealand that Oji has been supplying innovative corrugated cardboard packaging solutions is immense.

As part of the company’s expansion to its packaging business in Australasia, Oji recently invested into the development of a new 5.8-hectare greenfield site in Yatala.

Complementing the company’s existing manufacturing plants in Melbourne and Sydney, the Yatala site houses a newly constructed 2.4-hectare green-star rated manufacturing facility. From here Oji manufactures and supplies innovative corrugated cardboard packaging solutions to its customers throughout Queensland, northern New South Wales and the Northern Territory.

As part of Oji’s commitment to delivering innovative and environmentally sustainable products, the new facility operates to a green-star rating system. From daylight sensors and a lighting control system to a rainwater harvesting system, Oji implemented a number of initiatives that would assist them in reducing emissions and increasing energy efficiency throughout the operation.

It is no surprise then that, in designing and building the new manufacturing facility, they also chose to invest in the latest and most energy-efficient manufacturing technology.

Energy efficiency was a key criteria for Peter Henley, the Engineering Manager at Oji, when selecting the compressed air system for the new facility. From material handling to the conveyor systems, pre feeders and corrugator, compressed air would be a key utility required throughout the manufacturing process.

After considering a number of vendor packages, Oji chose to invest in a Kaeser compressed air system, consisting of a Kaeser CSD 85 series fixed-speed rotary screw compressor, a CSD 125 SFC Sigma frequency-controlled rotary screw compressor, in addition to a comprehensive compressed air treatment package.

The CSD series of rotary screw compressors from Kaeser push the boundaries when it comes to compressed air efficiency in a number of ways. Developed by Kaeser

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and continuously enhanced ever since, all CSD series models include the low speed Sigma Profile rotary screw compressor block. Equipped with flow-optimised rotors, this achieves power savings of up to 15% compared with conventional screw compressor block rotor profiles.

Energy efficiency is further maximised with the inclusion of an IE3 drive motor, which complies with and exceeds prevailing Australian GEMS regulations for threephase electric motors.

In addition, the 1:1 drive design eliminates the transmission losses associated with gear or V-belt driven systems, as the motor directly drives the screw compressor block. The inclusion of the Sigma Control 2 compressor controller also enables compressor performance to be precisely matched to actual air demand thereby allowing additional energy savings.

In order to meet the fluctuating demands for compressed air at the new manufacturing facility in the most efficient way possible, a frequency-controlled rotary screw compressor was selected as part of the compressed air package. As the lead compressor, it is responsible for supplying the sites initial requirements for compressed air.

In any compressed air installation where a frequency-controlled compressor is installed, this will be the compressor that operates longer than any other unit within the system. The Kaeser CSD SFC series models were therefore built with maximum efficiency in mind and are designed to

avoid extreme high-speed operation. This saves energy, maximises service life and enhances reliability.

Operating pressure can be consistently maintained with +0.1 bar. In turn, the consequent ability to reduce maximum system pressure also reduces energy costs. The relationship between pressure consistency and speed can be viewed directly on the Sigma Control 2 display.

The soft rise in motor starting current from zero to full load without current spikes lead to an almost unlimited motor starting frequency (the number of possible motor starts within a given time period without overheating occurring). The continuously variable acceleration and deceleration significantly reduces component stress.

All Kaeser SFC packages are equipped with Siemens frequency converters.

They provide seamless communication between the SFC control cabinet and the compressor controller, thereby ensuring maximum efficiency at all times.

The additional fixed-speed Kaeser CSD 85 series rotary screw compressor at Oji therefore acts as the lag compressor. This means that it only starts up and produces compressed air when the demand exceeds that which the CSD 125 can produce alone. This therefore ensures that the fixedspeed unit is not operating in a loaded state for extended periods of time. The result of this configuration for Oji is optimum energy efficiency, reducing power costs, by only producing the precise amount of compressed air required at any one time.

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Peter Henley commented: “We have been using Kaeser compressors for some time now on our other sites and they have proven to suit our application and be reliable and efficient in meeting our compressed air requirements. We have also found that they are well suited to operating in the Australian climate.”

The CSD series of rotary screw compressors from Kaeser are available with working pressures 7.5 to 13 bar, motor power 45kW to 75kW, and free air deliveries 5.50 to 12.02 cubic metres per minute with the fixed-speed units, and 1.07 to 12.00 cubic metres per minute with the frequency-controlled units. www.kaeser.com.au

Is your compressed air system meeting air-quality standards?

If you are a manufacturer in the food & beverages, pharmaceutical or electronics industries, then you are no doubt required to meet stringent air-quality standards when it comes to production of compressed air. Ambient air contains water vapour. When the air is compressed, numerous key parameters increase, such as the air temperature, proportion of water vapour per volumetric unit of air and consequently, the air’s dew point temperature – or pressure dew point. Measured in degrees Celsius, it indicates the lowest temperature at which water will not condense out of compressed air – in other words, condensation will result if the air is chilled below the pressure dew point. The lower the pressure dew point, the drier the compressed air.

is required due to the nature of the processes in question, more complex desiccant dryers or combination dryers can be used.

However, these types of dryers involve higher costs as a result of the additionally required materials and increased energy consumption.

In these types of dryers, the compressed air is treated using desiccants, such as silica gel or activated aluminium. During the drying phase, water vapour contained in the compressed air binds to the desiccants. Once the adsorption capacity of the desiccant is exhausted, it must itself be dried out – either continuously or at intervals, depending on its saturation. This process is called regeneration and is responsible for the greater part of desiccant dryer operating costs.

If the compressed air is not dried following the compression process, water can condense when the compressed air cools. It can then accumulate in the downstream compressed distribution air network or even within the realms of the production process itself – which can have even more serious consequences, as water can then damage not only the compressed air system, but also downstream equipment that uses compressed air and the products being produced. Consequently it’s extremely important to exercise due care in selecting the appropriate degree of compressed air drying for the specific process in mind.

In technical terms, regeneration processes are differentiated into chamber and drum processes. In chamber regeneration, the desiccant is usually in granulate form and is contained in two separate pressure receivers. Desiccant regeneration takes place non-continuously and, depending on the type of unit, may employ or waste cold compressed air that has already been dried. In the case of dryers that have been specially adapted to the compressor, hot compressed air supplied directly from the second compressor stage is used for regeneration.

Ultimately, it’s the degree of compressed air drying that determines the drying method, and the cost of drying the compressed air.

Refrigeration drying generally provides the most efficient and costeffective method for most applications, usually ensuring a pressure dew point of +3 degrees Celsius. If a lower pressure dew point

This is an excerpt from the Kaeser white paper ‘Meeting stringent air quality standards’. To continue reading the white paper, scan the QR code below or visit: http:// tinyurl.com/ybgh63yl.

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Maximum energy efficiency at low operating pressure Consistently reduced operating costs on the low-pressure network – with the new Low Pressure Turbo 150, BOGE promises the best efficiency values at an operating pressure up to 4 bar.

In contrast with oil-free screw compressors, lowpressure turbo technology stands out due to its excellent characteristics, compact design and quiet running. With 100% oil-free compressed air, the compressor is particularly suitable for sensitive areas of use such as glass production, fish farming and the chemical industry.

Manufacturing glass packaging, operating fish farms and cleaning production lines for metal processing require large amounts of compressed air up to 4 bar. With the Low Pressure Turbo 150, BOGE enables operators of low-pressure networks to reduce their running costs. The optimum technical coordination of permanent magnet motor, air-guided drive shaft and two-stage compressor system is setting new standards with regard to efficiency in the low-pressure field.

A frequency converter adapts the compressor to the compressed air requirement accordingly. The entire drive mechanism works without a single drop of oil. Oil-free class-0 compressed air is therefore produced. The technology is particularly wear-free and low-

maintenance – there is no requirement for regular oil and filter changes. With its compact design, the Low Pressure Turbo 150 requires less space than comparable screw compressors. Turbo technology is also considerably quieter than oilfree screw compressors.

With its continuous improvement programme, BOGE offers users of the Low Pressure Turbo 150 highly efficient production in terms of energy at all times. The company analyses the machine data in use by the customer and identifies energy-saving potential. On this basis, BOGE continuously develops turbo technology hardware and software that is functionally relevant individually to the customer. Cost-intensive maintenance thereby becomes a thing of the past – the performance of the Low Pressure Turbo 150 is continuously improved. There is no requirement for investment in product optimisation. The customer and BOGE share the energy savings instead. The result: decreasing operating costs and production that is highly-efficient in terms of energy at all times. www.boge.com.au

Compressed air audit reveals potential savings in excess of $300,000 Many industries around the world are waking up to the potential for savings in compressed air generation costs.

While compressed air generation is vital to power production in major industries throughout the world, it has become a constantly increasing cost factor due to rising energy prices. This is of particular concern for Australian industry dependent on keeping expenses down to remain competitive. As a result, compressor manufacturers have been under pressure to provide more cost-efficient, high-performance products and services, but upgrading or replacement of your compressed air plant is not the only answer to curtailing costs.

According to Mark Ferguson, CEO of Southern Cross Air Compressors Australia: “A relatively low-cost, comprehensive air audit of your current system, particularly those that are over, say, five years old, can typically expose wasted energy opportunities of up to 50% - including air leaks and system set-up faults.”

One major company with plants in Australia and New Zealand, guided by a policy of continuous improvement plus a strong commitment towards minimising all adverse impacts on the environment, sought submissions from several compressed air specialists to conduct a full analysis of its compressed air supply system.

Southern Cross was commissioned to undertake a comprehensive audit of the compressed air systems within its Victorian manufacturing plants. The brief was to identify opportunities for improvements in efficiency, reduce operating costs and at the same time further improve the company’s environmental footprint and sustainability.

By eliminating all leaks and other inefficiencies in the system, the audit demonstrated potential annual savings in excess of $300,000 in wasted power over a number of its plants. The same air audit also demonstrated additional potential savings of around $700,000 per annum through the installation of latest technology compressors and ancillary equipment. The audit clearly identified common power wastage issues such as oversized compressors for specific

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applications, inefficient or non-existent sequencing between multiple compressors, flow imbalance through air lines, incorrect pipe sizing causing pressure drop, incorrect pressure settings and undersized air receivers.

The review included a complete compressed air audit of both the supply and demand sides at sites within Victoria. The supply-side audit involved reviewing the size of the compressors, the installation, filters, dryers and receivers, supply pipe sizes, pressure settings and the method of control. Critical ventilation and maintenance programs were also studied to allow recommendations to be made. The demand side audit reviewed reticulation piping to point of use, air leaks, incorrect pressure settings, pressure drops and inappropriate uses.

Using the latest technology ultrasonic flow meter, Southern Cross technicians were able to determine the exact airflow and usage profile on each airline for each shift on all sites studied. With dramatically varying loads, profiles were then established to identify more suitable, cost-effective equipment to ultimately achieve maximum efficiency.

Air leaks on the demand side were identified using an ultrasonic leak detector with every leak tagged, photographed and detailed in a report providing information on leak volumes, corresponding kilowatts wasted and annualised energy costs.

“Today, as part of the global Kaishan Group, we have the resources to identify and rectify energy wastage problems within a huge range of industry application,” said Ferguson. “Our knowledge and capability when applied to Australian industry has the potential to revolutionise the way we generate compressed air now and into the future.”

Matching the right system to each customer application is critical in meeting production requirements while minimising running costs. www.southerncrossaircompressors.com.au

ADVANCED MATERIALS & COMPOSITES

Pushing ‘print’ on large-scale piezoelectric materials Researchers at the ARC Centre of Excellence in Future Low-Energy Electronics Technologies (FLEET) have developed a revolutionary method to ‘print’ large-scale sheets of two-dimensional piezoelectric material, opening new opportunities for piezo-sensors and energy harvesting. Importantly, the inexpensive process allows the integration of piezoelectric components directly onto silicon chips.

Piezoelectric materials are materials that can convert applied mechanical force or strain into electrical energy. Such materials form the basis of sound and pressure sensors, embedded devices that are powered by vibration or bending, and even the simple ‘piezo’ lighter used for gas BBQs and stovetops. Piezoelectric materials can also take advantage of the small voltages generated by tiny mechanical displacement, vibration, bending or stretching to power miniaturised devices.

The study’s authors, from left: Kouresh Kalantar-zadeh, Azmira Jannat, Nitu Syed, Torben Daeneke.

Until now, no 2D piezoelectric material has been manufactured in large sheets, making it impossible to integrate into silicon chips or use in large-scale surface manufacturing. This limitation meant that piezo accelerometer devices – such as vehicle air bag triggers or the devices that recognise orientation changes in mobile phones – have required separate, expensive components to be embedded onto silicon substrates, adding significant manufacturing costs.

However, FLEET researchers at RMIT University in Melbourne have now demonstrated a method to produce large-scale 2D gallium phosphate sheets, allowing this material to be formed at large scales in low-cost, low-temperature manufacturing processes onto silicon substrates, or any other surface.

“As so often in science, this work builds on past successes,” explains lead researcher Professor Kourosh Kalantar-zadeh.

“We adopted the liquid-metal material deposition technique we developed recently to create 2D films of gallium phosphate through an easy, two-step process.”

Gallium phosphate (GaPO4) is a quartz-like crystal that has been an important piezoelectric material since the late 1980s. It is commonly used in pressure sensors and microgram-scale mass measurement, particularly in high-temperature applications or other harsh environments. Because it does not naturally crystallise in a stratified structure, and hence cannot be exfoliated using conventional methods, its use to date has been limited to applications that rely on carving the crystal from its bulk.

Professor Kalantar-zadeh, now Professor of Chemical Engineering at UNSW, led the team that developed the new method while he was working as Professor of Electronic Engineering at RMIT University.

The work was enhanced by a significant contribution from RMIT’s Dr Torben Daeneke, and the extreme persistence and focus shown

by PhD researcher Nitu Syed, the first author of the work.

The revolutionary new method allows easy, inexpensive growth of large-area (several centimetres), wide-bandgap, 2D gallium phosphate nanosheets of unit cell thickness. It is the first demonstration of strong, out-of-plane piezoelectricity of the popular piezoelectric material.

The method developed by the FLEET team comprises two steps: • Exfoliate self-limiting gallium oxide from the surface of liquid gallium – a process made possible by the lack of affinity between oxide and the bulk of the liquid metal.

• ‘Print’ that film onto a substrate and transform it into 2D gallium phosphate via exposure to phosphate vapour.

Applications The new process is simple, scalable, low-temperature and cost effective, significantly expanding the range of materials available to industry at such scales and quality. In addition the process is suitable for the synthesis of free-standing gallium phosphate

Atomic force microscopy imaging of 2D GaPO4 and piezoelectric measurements at varying applied voltages.

nanosheets. The low-temperature synthesis method is compatible with a variety of electronic device fabrication procedures, providing a route for the development of future 2D piezoelectric materials.

This simple, industry-compatible procedure to print large-surfacearea 2D piezoelectric films onto any substrate offers tremendous opportunities for the development of piezo-sensors and energy harvesters.

The study ‘Printing two-dimensional gallium phosphate out of liquid metal’ was published in Nature Communications in September.

Test materials were synthesised in RMIT’s Micro Nano Research Facility (MNRF) using van der Waals exfoliation followed by a chemical vapour phosphatisation. Measurements included Piezoforce microscopy (PFM), which confirmed a high out-of-plane piezoelectric coefficient of 8-10 pm/V, confirmed by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. This is sufficiently high to provide promise for use in 2D-material based piezotronic sensing and energy harvesting.

FLEET studies novel and atomically-thin (2D) materials for their potential use in new ‘beyond CMOS’ electronic devices. FLEET brings together over 100 Australian and international experts, with the shared mission to develop a new generation of ultra-low energy electronics. The impetus behind such work is the increasing challenge of energy used in computation, which uses 5%-8% of global electricity and is doubling every decade. www.fleet.org.au

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ADVANCED MATERIALS & COMPOSITES

Graphene-infused concrete – Australian breakthrough in US$450bn global industry Australian advanced materials technology company Talga Resources has achieved high levels of electrical conductivity in concrete by using an additive developed from the company’s graphene-graphite research & development laboratory in the UK. The breakthrough offers substantial potential in existing and emerging industrial applications, particularly as concrete is the world’s largest construction material by volume.

The concrete samples were manufactured at Talga’s German process test facility and the Betotech (Heidelberg Cement Q&C) laboratory in Germany, using industry-standard cement with additions of Talga’s pristine graphene, graphite and silica-rich by-product of ore processing.

The optimised formulation targeted high electrical percolation at low material concentrations and with potentially lower cost factors. Graphene is a layer of crystalline carbon a single atom thick, with properties of strength, conductivity and transparency that stem from its unique 2D structure.

The samples were tested in-house by a European industrial partner and further measurements were undertaken by Professor Ian Kinloch’s group at the University of Manchester (UoM) in the UK. In the UoM study, the conductivity of samples was measured using electrical impedance spectroscopy in both throughplane and in-plane directions over a range of frequencies. For reference, a standard mortar (without Talga additives or aggregates) was used.

In summary, the UoM tests recorded that the Talga graphene-enhanced concrete had high electrical conductivity (low

resistivity) to 0.05 ohm-cm (Ohm is the measure of a material’s resistance to conduct electricity, the lower the better).

This rating compares to a general resistivity level of around 1,000,000 ohm-cm for the reference mortar at a similar dryness (the background level of moisture can affect electrical conductivity, so samples are measured at the same dryness).

The results have also shown the silica-rich by-product of ore processing is remarkably conductive in itself, tough and highly suitable for use in construction materials.

Trial concrete products developed by Talga are targeting the innovative use of this material, thereby increasing potential economic benefits and sustainability of the future Swedish operation.

“The initial test results show that Talga’s graphene-enhanced concrete achieves such high electrical conductivity that it can act like the heating element of an electric stove,” says Mark Thompson, Managing Director of Talga. “This type of concrete has some exciting, large-volume applications, and in some cases can combine with our thermally conductive concrete.

Furthermore the conductivity is achieved with a very low loading of our graphene, but a larger amount of ore processing by-

products, providing maximum potential for the most cost effective, scalable and ecofriendly development options.”

Applications As concrete is effectively an insulator (does not conduct electricity) in a dry state, adding the function of high electrical conductivity has been a goal of material scientists for a long time. Attempts typically relied on the addition of high loadings of magnetite (iron), steel fibres, synthetic and natural carbons (including graphite) but did not achieve high levels of performance.

In addition the required (high) loadings of active materials tended to cause negative effects on cost, strength, corrosion and abrasion resistance, maintenance costs and weight.

The electrically conductive ‘graphene concrete’ has applications in current markets such as underfloor heating, where it can provide a long-term, lowmaintenance alternative to plumbed hot water installations. Other current applications include the provision of antistatic flooring and EMI shielding (radio frequency interference) in buildings, and cost-effective grounding and lightning strike protection for a range of infrastructure from bridges to wind turbines.

Talga aims to investigate the potential of the electrically conductive concrete for cost-effective inductive (wireless) charging technologies for electric vehicles under dynamic (driving) as well as stationary (parking) conditions.

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ADVANCED MATERIALS & COMPOSITES Traditional plumbed underfloor heating can be replaced by long-life solid state conductive concrete.

Photo: Hanson Australia.

Left: A conceptual underfloor heating/road application.

Below: A Talga grapheneenhanced concrete sample.

A Talga concrete sample after melting 5cm depth of ice from 9v power.

Additionally, as a ‘solid state heater’ the technology may enable more rapid, and environmentally friendly ways of clearing ice and snow from key transport routes and airports compared to the cost of ploughs, salt, de-icing chemicals and wastewater treatment of chemical runoff.

The replacement of widely used salt; as a material cost, its transport and distribution, and its corrosive effect on road/bridge infrastructure and vehicles would be an emergent but high potential application for heatable concrete.

In future, Talga will investigate the potential of the electrically conductive concrete for a cost-effective role in enabling inductive (wireless) charging technologies for electric vehicles under dynamic (driving) as well as stationary (parking) conditions through the increased range of heating, sensing and other conductive concrete functions.

Next steps Talga’s commercialisation strategy is focused on targeted value-added graphene and graphite products covering the energy, coatings, composites and construction sectors. Initial partner work and customer testing is already underway on:

• Lithium-ion batteries and a range of energy storage technologies.

• Metal pre-treatment, marine epoxy and other coatings.

• Cement/concrete additives.

• Epoxy resins for carbon fibre (composites).

These applications and products have been developed over the past two years with global scale industrial and R&D partners, using high-grade graphite ore liberated in successful trial mining from Talga’s whollyowned deposits in north Sweden.

The global concrete market exceeds 5bn tons per year and is worth over USD$450bn per year. Specialty concretes are a subset of this and while having no formal volume that may be attributed to a new product, Talga considers the market for conductive concrete is significant. The company currently has a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the world’s second-largest concrete manufacturer, Heidelberg Cement, focussed on thermally conductive concrete, but is free to explore other market opportunities.

Talga is currently recruiting a Europeanbased commercial team, that will include

construction sector and concrete market experience, to use these test results in commercialisation discussions with a range of industrial partners.

“Talga’s successful tests follow work published by Exeter University showing 146% improvement in concrete strength using graphene,” adds Thompson. “They estimated that a 50% reduction of cement used for the same strength concrete would result in a 446kg/ton reduction in carbon emissions by the cement industry, currently the third-largest industrial energy consumer and second-largest industrial carbon dioxide emitter in the world. Talga is encouraged by these first tests and will move to take the prototype results to potential development partners in the world’s largest construction industry material.” www.talgaresources.com

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FORUM LAW

Modern slavery and the Australian workplace Rob Jackson explains what the obligations will be when the Modern Slavery Bill becomes law in Australia.

Slavery is thought of as something from a past era. However, legislators across the world have passed laws this decade to combat modern slavery, for example, in 2010 California, passed the Transparency in Supply Chains Act. In 2015, the UK followed with the Modern Slavery Act. Australia has also taken the lead. On 28 June, the Senate referred the Modern Slavery Bill to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee for inquiry. It could be law before the year ends.

Why do we need laws to combat slavery in the 21st century?

In Australia, since 2004 there have been reports of over 350 suspected victims in a range of industries, including domestic service (including in embassies), hospitality, construction and the sex industry. The Global Slavery Index 2018 estimates there are approximately 15,000 people trapped in modern slavery in Australia. The United Nations estimates some 40m people are affected by slavery, with half those located in our Asia Pacific region.

Slavery, and ‘slavery like offences’ are already contrary to the criminal law in Australia under the Criminal Code. There have been 55 prosecutions and 21 convictions. Despite this activity, the Modern Slavery Bill was promoted to engage the business community.

According to the Explanatory Memorandum, the law is required to: “….assist the business community in Australia to take proactive and effective actions to address modern slavery. This will help mitigate the risk of modern slavery practices occurring in the supply chains of goods and services in the Australian market.” It describes modern slavery as “…an umbrella term used to describe trafficking in persons, slavery and slavery-like practices, such as forced labour and forced marriage, as well as the worst forms of child labour.”

What will the obligations be, when the Modern Slavery Bill becomes law?

An entity that ‘carries on business in Australia’ with an annual revenue greater than $100m must report annually on the risks of modern slavery in their operations and supply chains. This obligation is set out in the Modern Slavery Reporting Requirement which requires a reporting entity to file a Modern Slavery Statement (MSM) for any year that consolidated revenue is above $100m. The Australian government must also file a MSM. Any entity, not otherwise obliged by the law, may volunteer to file a MSM. The MSM must consider operations on a global basis, not just Australia, and include the supply chain. The law requires a MSM to address key criteria, including: • reporting entity’s structure, operations and supply chains; • risks identified in the operations and supply chains; • actions taken to assess and address risk; • the effectiveness of those actions; and • any other information considered relevant.

The MSM will be registered on a free, publicly accessible website that will host the Modern Slavery Statements Register to promote transparency and the effectiveness of the Modern Slavery Reporting Requirement.

How extensive is the obligation?

It is predicted that 3,000 businesses will be obliged to file a MSM, in addition to the Commonwealth government and its agencies. The Government has committed $3.6m in its 2018 budget to establish

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a dedicated Modern Slavery Business Engagement Unit within the Department of Home Affairs. The operation of the Act will be reviewed after three years.

NSW Meanwhile, NSW has already enacted its own Modern Slavery Act on 21 June 2018. If a business has one employee in that State it will be covered by broadly equivalent provisions. While it will overlap with the proposed Commonwealth Bill, there are some differences, including: • A business with a turnover of $50m or more must file an annual modern slavery statement • An Anti- Slavery Commissioner will be appointed to oversee the legislation, a feature absent from the Commonwealth initiative; • Financial penalties of up to $1.1m in contrast to the proposed Commonwealth law, which relies on naming and shaming those businesses, which do not comply. Offences cover failure to file a statement, when required, failing to publicise a statement or for giving misleading information.

There is a small business exemption for the first 18 months if an employer has fewer than 20 employees.

Next Step If your business has a turnover of at least $50m and one employee in NSW, then you are already covered by State law. If not, and revenue is in the region of $100m within a group of companies, then the Commonwealth obligation will apply.

The purpose is to makes businesses think about how they do business on a global scale, including within its supply chain, and to take steps to eradicate any risk of modern slavery. The UK experience has been slow and patchy with few prosecutions occurring, despite the issue being very prominent.

Much will depend on the resources available, and the desire to prosecute in Australia. The Commonwealth is currently taking a strictly educational approach (however the Labor party strongly criticised the bill for excluding penalties. This may be incorporated into the legislation, if the Labor party forms the government). NSW clearly has prosecution on its mind. Time will tell whether the policies of Commonwealth or NSW will be more effective in combatting what remains a persistent blight on labour and business practices in Australia.

Rob Jackson is a Workplace Relations Partner at Rigby Cooke Lawyers with over 25 years of legal experience. He is an accredited workplace relations law and commercial litigation specialist and a Registered Migration Agent, No: 0533348. Rob is a specialist in employment and industrial relations, occupational health & safety, workplace investigations and employmentrelated migration. Ph: +61 3 9321 7808 Email: RJackson@rigbycooke.com.au www.rigbycooke.com.au

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OHS

Drones in confined spaces: Good for safety and bottom line Rob Korbee explains how current indoor drone technology performs inspections safer, faster and with minimum or no disruption to your process.

Confined space safety We all know that confined spaces present hazards because by definition, they are not intended for human occupation. But exactly how dangerous are they? Hazards may include unsafe oxygen levels, chemical contamination, poor visibility, engulfment, fire and explosion, moving parts, structural hazards, slip, falls, etc. While there is no industry-wide measurement of specific confined space incidents, a recent study* found that in Australia over the period of 2000-2012, 59 deaths were related to confined spaces. The number would suggest that there may have been many more confined spacerelated incidents or near-misses.

How do drones come into the picture?

Drone technology and applications have been developed at a rapid rate in recent years, and the media have informed the general public of many exciting applications. Most people however, are not aware that drones are now able to perform certain tasks indoors.

In a manufacturing environment you may need to inspect your factory roof, processing equipment, assembly lines, utility conduits, or confined spaces like tanks, silos, pipes, furnaces, mills, heat exchangers etc. Using drones for indoor or confined spaces can improve safety in three different ways:

Case study In this case, we were engaged to inspect a large coal-fired boiler – a 50m tall, largely empty furnace where the burners are, and lots of steel tubes for raising steam high up in the furnace and further downstream in the boiler.

Normally, the tall furnace requires very significant scaffolding to inspect burners or steam tubes hanging from the roof of the furnace. The mission was to conduct visual inspections and identify possible defects such as cracks, deformations, erosion damage etc. The Elios drone was deployed because of its ability to navigate the complex and sometimes tight spaces without fear of crashing, because it can lean against objects and get really close and obtain an image resolution of 0.2mm, because it has very good communication signal strength and streams video from its camera back to the pilot and end user for review and navigation and, because it has powerful onboard LED lights for both navigation and adaptive camera lighting. Basically it can fly in pitch-dark. The drone ended up completing around 30 flights and recorded 4 hours of detailed video covering the boiler roof, walls, bottom, burners, and many tubes.

Value proposition So what value did the end user receive from this inspection?

1. Drones are remotely controlled and therefore have a potential to perform tasks inside while you can stay outside.

1. Inspecting the burners with a drone eliminated the need for significant scaffold, which saved cost and time.

2. When the confined space has a large volume or is structurally complex and needs scaffolds or ropes for people to get to certain locations, there is a good chance a drone can fly to that location instead.

2. Not needing to enter confined spaces or use burner scaffolds meant a safety improvement.

3. Drones move around much quicker than people so they can significantly shorten the time we are dealing with and exposed to the hazards of confined spaces. Apart from safety, remotely controlled drones have the ability to reach otherwise inaccessible locations, and can possibly do this without having to interrupt the production process.

4. The drone surveyed a lot of areas in a short time which helped the end user to make early decisions on repair work, with a flow-on effect of improved quality and reliability.

How is an indoor drone different from its outdoor cousin?

Modern outdoor drones rely on a combination of compass, GPS signals and visual line-of-sight (VLOS) for navigation. These drones are not suitable to navigate in or around complex structures beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS). Indoor manufacturing facilities have many electrically powered motors and machinery which cause any drone’s compass to be unreliable due to electro-magnetic interference (EMI); there are many reports of erratic behaviour of drones suffering from EMI. While some drones use obstacle sensing to support navigation, another technology has made collisions with objects its forte by designing a light-weight protective cage around the drone that allows the drone to inspect any space that is large enough to fit into. This article showcases the use and benefits of a collision-tolerant drone, named Elios and specifically designed by a Swiss company for the inspection of indoor and confined spaces.

3. The drone was able to access and inspect additional areas that would not normally be achievable.

5 - Last but not least, one such decision led to a subsequent work scope reduction that instantly repaid the inspection.

What’s next?

We believe the industry has a significant opportunity to use drone technology to improve safety and reduce cost, two business objectives that are often diametrically opposed. Right now drones can be used for remote visual inspections, and in this next year we will also use drones for remote non-destructive testing (NDT). It may only be a matter of time before we see drones repairing things. * Source: “Work-related traumatic fatal injuries involving confined spaces in Australia, 2000–2012” Curtin University Rob Korbee is the founder and director of PowerFox, a business that specialises in indoor drone inspection and testing services with the aim of removing people from the hazards of entering and working in confined spaces. Visit the website to see further examples and news updates and contact PowerFox to discuss your requirements. info@powerfox.com.au or 0407 001 296 www.powerfox.com.au

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FORUM STRATEGY

Planning digital business change for Industry 4.0 By starting to digitise business capabilities and making your business service-oriented, you can ride the wave of Industry 4.0 and position your business to apply the best tactics to respond to market forces and new business ecosystems. By Kamal Salwan, Strategic Digital Partner at Digital Enact.

Industry 4.0 and other digital technologies effectively enable connected and integrated production infrastructure to produce connected products as well as standalone products. Connected customers would expect to integrate such products in their value chains and demand valueadded services. Businesses need to adapt and operate in the emerging connected ecosystem by positioning their products and services to respond to market forces quickly by configuring business models as needed.

Capability-based planning has been used by defence forces all over the world to prepare strategically and enable applying tactics whenever war breaks out. It is best summarised as: “The more you sweat in peace, the less you bleed in war.”

In an Industry 4.0 business context, this effectively means that the more proactively a business enhances its capabilities, adapting to the emerging connected ecosystem dynamics, the more effectively it will be able to deal with the challenges of tomorrow. Embracing digitisation and service-orientation of business capabilities will lead to smooth sailing for the connected future.

trends and trigger disruption to current value chains. Such changes in the industry need to be aptly reflected in one’s business capabilities, since the scenario may change or new scenarios may need to be supported. In a manufacturing business typical top-level capabilities are: • Infrastructure Planning and Lifecycle Management.

• R&D, Product Design and Lifecycle Management.

• Customer Engagement – Marketing, Sales & Support.

• Business Management.

• Operations Management.

• Supply Chain Management.

Digitisation and serviceorientation The digitisation of business capabilities is imperative for enabling organisations to participate in new business models in digital ecosystems. A well-established pattern of digitisation and service orientation is from cloud services as shown in the illustration.

How to do capability-based planning?

A business capability can be defined as a congruent combination of: • People (with their culture, values, training, skills, knowledge) – performing or supervising.

• Process (either manual, or robotic or fully automated process) – using.

• Assets (both movable and fixed physical or digital tools).

Industry 4.0 will automate capabilities or create new alternative capabilities to participate in industrial value chains of the day. However, the disruption rate based on Industry 4.0 and other digital technologies is many times higher than previous transformations. Note, a business could have capabilities from 0% (fully manual) to 100% (fully automated). Capability-based planning can help current capabilities evolve into the required future capabilities by identifying whether to grow, retain or retire current capabilities or create new ones.

Every so often new technologies are introduced to the industry, which set

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Digital infrastructure is commoditised as Compute, Store and Network at the basic level to provide Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). The physical infrastructure or products embed or overlay these technology services to enable smart physical equipment /products.

These IaaS services are further used to realise Platform as a Service (PaaS), such as Big Data/Analytics, simulation, AR/

VR, IoT, AI, machine learning and so on, or Software as a Service (SaaS), such as CRM, order management, ERP, MES, customer support or infrastructure support, marketing, and productivity tools.

A business service is realised by a combination of digital services (PaaS/SaaS) and/or digitally enabled physical product.

This pattern builds a ‘Service-Oriented Business’, unlocking opportunities such as offering value-added services for products’ (aka servitisation); or assets (machines/robot) as a service; or platform business services such as Uber, AirBnB, Manufacturing as a Service (MaaS) and so on.

The operational benefits of digitisation include dynamic configuration; performance monitoring; fault detection, notification, for preventative maintenance; products/service usage accounting for monetisation; and security (both cyber and physical) to the digitised level. The business benefits of digitisation have been seen across many industries in the increased functional capabilities of products and services, significantly reduced costs, regulatory compliance and so on.

The digitisation index of Australian industries places the manufacturing industry at midway on the digitisation scale. There is significant room towards full digitisation in the current landscape.

However, the Industry 4.0-enabled opportunities for connected customers in a smart-X environment (cities, buildings, transport, education, retail, and so on) will see connected products and services even sooner to meet the needs of customers’ digital value chains. This will require agile and interoperable business capabilities, both from an inside-out and outside-in perspective, to ride the wave of Industry 4.0 ecosystems. Think of digitised capabilities as Lego building blocks that can be assembled to design the business structure as needed or as envisaged. The business change from current capabilities to required future capabilities would need to align with business vision and goals and follow outcome driven prioritisation.

In summary, digitising business capabilities and making them service-oriented for both internal and external value chain interactions in the connected digital ecosystem will make business agile and adaptable. www.digitalenact.com.au

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IP

Businesses don’t make inventions, people do.

In Australia: employers do not automatically own all of the inventions made by their employees. But there are precautions employers can take. Belinda Wadeson explains.

Inventions start with people - with the individual inventors, and a patent is invalid if ownership of the invention is not properly transferred from the individual inventors to the official owner of a patent. Fortunately, there are simple precautions employers can take when hiring employees (and re-tasking existing employees) to improve their prospects of owning the inventions their employees make.

Background Generally speaking: - an inventor is an individual who has made an inventive contribution to an invention disclosed in a patent application; - employers automatically own inventions made by employees who are employed to invent; and - if the transfer of ownership is not clear, an assignment document to clarify ownership is advisable.

Case study In a recent Australian Patent Office decision1 an ex-employee successfully challenged his ex-employer’s ownership of a patent application to “Installation of Exterior Panels in a High Rise Building”.

He did not have a lawyer or even make an appearance at a hearing.

The invention relates to installing high-rise façade cladding without using cranes.

Who was the inventor?

Mr Trickett set up Star Walling Solutions Pty Ltd (‘SWS’) to import cladding panels. SWS employed Mr. Kwon as a Warehouse Manager in May 2015.

Mr Kwon provided drawings and information to Mr Trickett’s patent attorney from which a patent application was prepared and lodged in January 2016. It named only Mr Trickett as the inventor and owner.

Mr Kwon claimed he conceived of the invention and showed it to Mr Trickett intending to license it to SWS. Mr Kwon was apparently under the impression the patent application was in his own name.

The Patent Office accepted that Mr Kwon was an inventor: “… I am satisfied that Mr Kwon contributed to the inventive concept. Although there is no evidence on file which sets out what Mr Trickett contributed, conversely it has not been shown that Mr Trickett’s contribution amounted to nothing at all.”

Who was the owner?

Mr Kwon’s letter of engagement stated his duties were: 1. Perform the duties referred to in your Job Description and all duties reasonably requested by the Company. [The Job Description was not put in evidence] 2. Serve the Company well and faithfully, in a conscientious and professional manner and use your best endeavours to promote the Company’s interests and welfare.

3. Follow all reasonable and lawful direction given to you by the Company, including complying with policies and procedures as amended from time to time.

Mr Trickett acknowledged that Mr Kwon was “employed to coordinate importation and dispatch of building panels”. The Patent Office held:

“There is no evidence on file to suggest that Mr Kwon was bestowed any responsibility to invent”.

Accordingly, Mr Kwon’s employer did not automatically own the invention.

Additionally, (and unsurprisingly) a routine confidentiality clause did not transfer ownership from Mr. Kwon to SWS. Mr Kwon’s letter of engagement also stated: “During your employment you may become aware of information relating to the business of STAR WALLING SOLUTIONS PTY LTD, including but not limited to client lists, trade secrets, client details and pricing structures. Confidential information, including client lists, trade secrets, pricing structures and any and all documents created by you in the course of your employment remain the sole property of STAR WALLING SOLUTIONS PTY LTD. You shall not, either during or after your employment, without the prior consent of the STAR WALLING SOLUTIONS PTY LTD, directly or indirectly divulge to any person or use the confidential information for your own or another’s benefit.”

Assuming the references to ‘confidential information … trade secrets … and all documents created by you’ means that ownership of intellectual property and inventions are ‘dealt with’ would be a mistake. The Patent Office explained: “The first line of the confidentiality clause refers to information that Mr Kwon may become aware of. In this respect, this suggests that it is not material that Mr Kwon has created. Moving on to the list of integers, I note that these integers are all confidential or sensitive information of a business or commercial nature, and the term “any and all documents” would refer to information of the same nature.

In this respect, I am not satisfied that an intention exists in this confidentiality clause to include intellectual property, nor do I find the language used sufficient for me to draw such an inference.”

Mr Kwon resigned from SWS in July 2017 and subsequently disputed ownership of the patent application.

As a result of the Patent Office decision, Mr Kwon and Mr Trickett now own the patent application jointly. This is no doubt an unsatisfactory outcome to both parties. Co-ownership can be problematic at the best of times, let alone after a dispute.

Key takeaways 1. Take 20 mins today to read your company’s standard employment contract to check it has both an intellectual property ownership and a confidentiality clause. Update it if needed before hiring or promoting the next person.

2. Consider the company’s risk if existing employee contracts are not also updated.

3. Draft job descriptions to indicate employees are employed to contribute their ideas to the business.

Ownership of inventions and other IP issues can be addressed by contacting Wadeson patent & trade marks attorneys.

Wadeson provides expert intellectual property services, combining engineering and IP experience across a wide range of engineering technologies. Belinda Wadeson is a Mechanical Engineer, and a registered Patent and Trade Marks Attorney belinda.wadeson@wadesonIP.com.au Ph: (03) 9819 3808 www. wadesonIP.com.au 1. William Kyunghwan Kwon v William John Trickett [2018] APO 51

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AMTIL INSIDE

Global Machine Tool Report at IMTS 2018 AMTIL is a member of the Steering Committee for the Global Machine Tool Report & Forecast produced by Oxford Economics. At IMTS 2018 in Chicago in September, the Committee took the opportunity to get together to discuss the report and look into ways in which it can be improved to better serve the needs of the associations’ members.

The Committee’s meeting was one of several that AMTIL representatives attended during the course of IMTS, along with the International General Managers’ meeting run by our US counterparts the Association for Manufacturing Technology (AMT), and the international meeting for CELIMO, the European federation for associations representing importers and distributors of machine tools, tooling and related technology. Being part of these meetings is another way in which AMTIL is developing valuable relationships with its international counterparts and representing the Australian industry overseas.

This year at the General Managers Meeting we saw a number of presentations that highlighted the strength of the global machine tool economy.

Jeremy Leonard, Director of Global Industry Services at Oxford Economics, noted that World GDP is forecast to run at 2.5%-3.0% over the coming three years. India and China still lead the way with GDP growth expectations of 8% and 7% respectively. The USA and Europe are forecast at 1.5%-2.0% during this time. He did premise these figures by saying that the rising protectionism and uncertainty over trade policies in China will impact significantly on GDP growth for China’s major trading partners.

One of the many points that Jeremy made was the benefit to countries that had engaged an investment strategy of 100% accelerated depreciation. Both the USA and Italy have implemented this strategy over the past two years and have seen machine tool consumption increase by 8% and 15% respectively during this time. When discussing this issue with my counterparts from the USA and Italy, both felt it was a critical government decision that has had a significant positive impact on their manufacturing sector. It is definitely something for our Australian government to explore.

We also heard from Bryce Barnes, Global Lead for Manufacturing Solutions at Cisco, about smart manufacturing, Industry 4.0 and emerging technologies. Having heard many definitions of Industry 4.0, I was interested in his version: “Software and systems that capture, transform and visualise process data that leads to business outcomes”. I think this is one of the most simple and accurate definitions I have come across.

Finally, Dr Paul Freedenberg gave us an overview of the current Trump administration’s view towards trade issues. He noted two concerns about Trump. The first was the public statements he makes, which are inflammatory and then get further promoted through social media. They are not a good method of sound negotiation. Secondly, the fact that he is having trade wars with most of the USA’s major trading partners doesn’t leave him with many people on his side. Of the 50 states in the USA, 39 have Canada as their number-one trading partner, and yet Trump is insisting on a total review of the NAFTA. He also intends to impose a flat 25% tariff on all $60bn of imports coming from China. The fact that each tariff and FTA discussion with various countries have no consistency doesn’t seem to matter either. So we will stay tuned for the ramifications of these decisions.

The Global Machine Tool Report & Forecast is available to AMTIL Members on request.

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AMTIL HEADING INSIDE

New Additive Manufacturing Hub to boost industry capability AMTIL has established a new Additive Manufacturing Hub in partnership with the Victorian State Government, to help connect Victorian businesses with breakthrough addivitve manufacturing (AM) technology.

The AM Hub was officially launched on 3 September at the headquarters of Objective 3D in Carrum Downs, in an event attended by Minister for Industry and Employment Ben Carroll and Sonya Kilkenny, the local member for Carrum. The AM Hub will be delivered by AMTIL, and supported by $1.85m from the Victorian Government.

“3D printing is a game changer for manufacturing, which is why we’re backing the technology so more local companies can reap the benefits,” said Minister Carroll. “This new Hub will help local manufacturers innovate, become more productive and excel in future industries.”

AM is a breakthrough technology for advanced manufacturing, helping businesses design and make new high-value products that are not possible using traditional methods. Capability in this form of high-value manufacturing will help to position local businesses for success in future industries such as defence, medical technologies and pharmaceuticals, and transport technologies.

The AM Hub will improve access for local companies to Victoria’s world-class AM infrastructure and promote Victoria as a globally significant destination for AM investment. Victoria is the nation’s leader in AM with more 3D printing machines than any other state.

A key activity within the AM Hub will be to address identified skill gaps within the industry, developing capability in areas such as business case analysis and design for manufacture through Registered Service Providers. To deliver on this, a significant service offered to AM Hub Members will be the ‘Build It Better’ AM Hub Grants Program.

These grants will provide assistance to companies that want to develop business cases for investment in AM technology, undertake design services or re-engineer existing products. Grants of up to $20,000 will be issued to access the expertise of a Registered Service Provider. All grants must be matched with a minimum cash contribution of $1 for every $1 granted.

“AM technology is getting faster and faster, producing more robust production quality and strength components, and manufacturing them at faster and faster speeds,” said Matt Minio, Managing Director of Objective 3D. “One of our biggest challenges is educating

State Minister for Industry and Employment Ben Carroll at the official launch of the Additive Manufacturing Hub.

the market to advise them of the rapid rate of change in AM. If we don’t, Australian businesses run the risk of being left behind.”

Underpinning all the activity in the AM Hub will be a website (www. amhub.net.au) which will include: a fully searchable capability directory of AM Hub members; a calendar of upcoming events; a Press Centre available to AM Hub members for promotional purposes; and a news feed. Case studies will also be developed to promote capability and encourage further uptake by highlighting companies that have invested in AM technology, developed capability or produced new products using AM. “Additive manufacturing is having an impact on product development and manufacturing around the world,” said AMTIL CEO Shane Infanti. “Parts produced by additive manufacturing are going into aircraft, race cars, home and office products, and human beings. We have come a long way since stereolithography was first patented in 1984. But we still have a long way to go to realise the opportunities that additive manufacturing has to offer. The AM Hub will play an important role in realising these opportunities for Victorian businesses.”

For more information on the AM Hub, please contact Alex Kingsbury, AM Hub Consultant, on amhub@amtil.com.au

1382AMTIL

AMTIL is proud to acknowledge its Corporate Partners.

AMTIL’s corporate partners offer a selection of products and services that will benefit our members in their business.

For any enquiries about our Corporate Partnerships, and how they can benefit you, contact Anne Samuelsson on 03 9800 3666 or email asamuelsson@amtil.com.au

Our Partners. Our Members. Your Benefits.

www.amtil.com.au

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Manufacturing turnarounds The manufacturing industry in Australia has faced an array of challenges, notably, technological disruption and global competition. While many manufacturers have seen a decline on their balance sheets, this shouldn’t be the end of an era, but an opportunity to do a ‘one-eighty’ and achieve growth, writes Garth O’Connor Price of William Buck.

According to the Australian Index Group, the next two-year forecast for the manufacturing industry is predicting growth. On the back of this forecast, businesses that have seen a downturn in results should look to seize this opportunity to turn their business around.

an example of a contingent debt. It should be noted that onerous contracts can drain a company’s cashflow and a business restructuring or turnaround may create an opportunity to revisit these poor performing contracts.

The Government is making headway to allow manufacturing to flourish and evolve in Australia through grants and the Research & Development (R&D) Incentive. Furthermore, to promote innovation, the introduction of Safe Harbour Legislation creates a safety net for entrepreneurs to fail – if they act in good faith – and removes the historical stigma attached to insolvency.

Prior to the introduction of Safe Harbour, entrepreneurs facing risk of insolvency only had the option of a Voluntary Administration (VA). Safe Harbour acts as an alternative to VA; parking the risk of personal liability by providing an insurance policy for directors to seek advice and safely engage to restructure. For manufacturers who are impacted by eroding profits, Safe Harbour is an important first step to achieve a genuine turnaround and avoid personal liability.

Am I heading towards insolvency?

Insolvency is defined as not being able to pay debts as and when they fall due.

Factors considered as part of a solvency assessment include: • Availability of liquid assets. Liquid assets are cash and those assets that can be readily converted into cash without effecting the value received (i.e. accounts receivable). Inventory can also be considered a liquid asset in the normal course of business; however, if a company is forced to sell inventory to generate cash flow it may affect the value received for the inventory. Nonliquid assets can include real property, plant and equipment and intellectual property and are rarely considered in a solvency assessment as they cannot be converted into cash in a reasonable period, without affecting the value or disrupting a business’s operations. It is for this reason that a company may have a positive net asset position on their balance sheet but may still be insolvent.

• Funding secured from outside of the company. Overdrafts, equity redraws, asset finance and related party funding can form part of the liquid

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Lessons from a sliding doors moment A recent engagement at William Buck with a textile manufacturer highlights the difference in approach pre- and post-Safe Harbour, but more significantly offers five key takeaways for manufacturers, in what can be described as a ‘sliding doors moment’.

A period of trading losses had eroded the manufacturer’s balance sheet, which had in turn been propped up by related-party funding to maintain the company’s solvency.

assets available to pay debts when they fall due; however, there must be some form of binding commitment for the company to rely on to form part of the pool of available assets.

• Are debts due and payable? The commercial reality of creditors indulging their debtors by informally extending credit terms should be considered; however, written agreement on deferral or forbearance should be sought if it relates to a material debt to the business. On the other hand, a debtor’s simple refusal to pay a debt is not always a clear sign of insolvency if they are refusing to pay due to a dispute or because they willingly want to frustrate the creditor. Claims are not considered when assessing the solvency of a company. A classic example of a claim is a creditor pursuing unliquidated damages for breach of contract. The claim would only become a debt once a precise amount for the breach is calculated and agreed upon (either via settlement or court judgement).

• Future / contingent liabilities. Future and contingent liabilities should also be considered in a solvency assessment.

Future lease payments (committed to under a lease contract) is an example of future liabilities and an obligation to pay an amount at a future date if an event occurs (i.e. providing a guarantee) is

Our initial meeting (pre-Safe Harbour) was to consider whether a formal insolvency appointment – or VA – was an appropriate remedy to the company’s financial difficulties. The focus of a VA to protect a company that’s insolvent or on the verge of insolvency to allow for an assessment of the company’s balance sheet issues and assess whether a restructure of the balance sheet is possible.

A VA could lead to compromising current debt to a level manageable for the company and assisting the company in rectifying the profitability of its business. The director was concerned with the perceived stigma of entering into a VA and opted to go it alone with respect to addressing the company’s balance sheet issues.

Fast forward to post September 2018, and the option of restructuring a company outside a formal insolvency appointment while maintaining protection from insolvent trading action was made available with the Safe Harbour Reform.

The What-If? - Applying the conditions of Safe Harbour Safe Harbour gives protection from insolvent trading claims (made against directors personally) where a genuine turnaround plan is being undertaken that is reasonably likely to lead to a ‘better outcome’ for creditors, than if a winding up was to commence immediately. Protection is available for directors that engage with an appropriately qualified advisor to monitor that turnaround and adhere with their director’s duties.

These include acting with due diligence and care, and not placing their own interests ahead on the company’s.

AMTIL INSIDE

This can be a difficult balancing act. With 95% of manufacturers in Australia being small businesses with 20 people or less, many often have personal assets on the line – either directly, through secured lending against personal assets, or indirectly through the risk of insolvent trading claims.

They must also maintain employee and taxation obligations by keeping them up-todate. It is common practice for companies struggling with cashflow to use their employees and ATO as a form of banker by withholding superannuation, PAYG and GST that won’t necessarily affect trading in preference for paying critical suppliers that could affect operations if supply is stopped.

Manufacturing-specific turnaround initiatives Once Safe Harbour is initiated, there are industry-specific strategies that can aid in a manufacturers turnaround. While there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to a turnaround, common initiatives will include: Improving products: The Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC)’s recent report shows that when it comes to R&D, Australians are doing less than their global competitors. Prior to Safe Harbour, the absence of this safety net historically stifled research & development. Investing in R&D is a viable option for manufacturers to future-proof profitability. The protection of Safe Harbour will allow a director to incur debt in the development of new or improved products, even if there’s a risk of insolvency. Furthermore, manufacturers that also embrace robotics and automate some processes may decrease the labour costs from their businesses.

Diversification: This may include diversifying product lines, customer base, supply chain and geographic servicing. The AMGC report found that many Australian manufactures are domestically focused.

As an example, manufacturers can take advantage of reshoring some production, becoming export-orientated, or building global partnerships along the value chain.

Creating flexibility in cost structures through initiatives such as workforce realignment from employee-based to contract-based (where applicable) and increasing the scalability of manufacturing processes. In doing so, when demand decreases they can be manipulated to reduce unnecessary costs. This initiative is important as the Australian Index Group has flagged an increase in the growth of input costs for manufacturers resulting from disruption in the energy and agriculture sectors.

Making the wrong decision has serious consequences In our example, the director decided against utilising a formal insolvency framework to address balance sheet issues and determined that he could rectify the profitability issues himself. He decided to refinance against personal property to inject working capital into the business – which can be a short-term strategy if the underlying problems of the business are not rectified, and can exacerbate the problems for the company and director in the longer term. The swapping debt for debt was proven to be a band-aid fix; 10 months later, with the profitability issues still plaguing the business and continued losses continuing to erode the balance sheet, the company had

no choice but to appoint a VA when related party funding was ceased. The result for the company was a liquidation of its assets (at a significantly discounted value) and the termination of its workforce. This was because no party had been willing to propose a compromise to creditors or purchase the business because of the damage done by months of unprofitable trading due to the deterioration of relationships with key suppliers, diminishment of the company’s brand due to poor quality control of products, and disruption of supply for customers.

This left the director exposed firstly to personal guarantees to secured creditors and trade suppliers and an insolvent trading claim from the liquidator and potentially other creditors. In the post-Safe Harbour era, the Director could have avoided personal liability with a process that is simple to implement with good advice.

Key takeaways 1. Early intervention is critical.

2. Seek advice from a qualified insolvency professional.

3. A head in the sand approach does not work.

4. There is protection available, even if the plan doesn’t work, as long as the attempt is genuine and there is a reasonable chance of success.

5. Turnaround can be achieved without stigma of formal insolvency event.

If you are unsure of your position, William Buck is able to offer a free informal assessment that will review your position and whether Safe Harbour is a viable option. www.williambuck.com

SAVE THE DATES AND CELEBRATE WITH AMTIL NOV 30 WEST AUSTRALIA CHRISTMAS DINNER BATHERS BEACH HOUSE – FREMANTLE DEC 05 VICTORIA CHRISTMAS DINNER CARLTON BREWHOUSE – ABBOTSFORD DEC 11 NEW SOUTH WALES CHRISTMAS DINNER I’M ANGUS STEAKHOUSE – THE PROMENADE DEC 14 QUEENSLAND CHRISTMAS LUNCH THE JETTY – SOUTH BANK RIVER QUAY

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Strong early bookings for Austech 2019 Preparations are well under way for the Austech 2019 manufacturing technology exhibition, with strong early exhibitor bookings setting the stage for an impressive show next year.

Australia’s premier advanced manufacturing and machine tool exhibition, Austech will take place at Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre from 14-17 May 2019.

AMTIL has always held a ballot to ensure that floor space is distributed fairly among the companies who register early as exhibitors, and recently conducted the ballot to allocate initial floor space for Austech 2019. The ballot revealed high levels of early interest in next year’s show, with exhibitors registering early and committing to large stands on the exhibition floor.

In total, more than 3,600sqm of floor space have already been sold, representing over 70% of the available exhibition area. In addition, the total floor space sold so far accounts for only 65 exhibitors, suggesting that there is a trend among manufacturing technology suppliers towards taking larger stands at Austech 2019.

Space sales for Austech 2019 are currently comfortably exceeding the levels seen at the same point during preparations for the last exhibition, held in Melbourne last year and one of the most successful shows in the history of Austech. As a result of such strong early interest, AMTIL has taken the decision to expand its booking with the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre to accommodate the additional exhibitor numbers expected.

As well as showing strong overall numbers, the ballot showed a high degree of diversity among the exhibitors. As well as Austech’s foundation exhibitors of machine tools and ancillary equipment, strong enquiries have been received for the show’s dedicated technology areas: the Additive Manufacturing Pavilion; the Air Technology Pavilion and the Digitalisation Pavilion.

There has also been strong interest in the Manufacturers Pavilion, an area devoted to highlighting some of the great manufacturing companies working in Australia. “The Austech floor space ballot has always been a great litmus test for overall levels of confidence in the manufacturing industry in Australia,” says Kim Banks, AMTIL’s Events Manager. “We’re gearing up for a great, big show. We anticipate many more bookings of regular and new exhibitors over the coming

months. All the indications suggest we’re in for a bumper exhibition in May 2019.”

Austech 2019 will feature the very latest in advanced manufacturing technology, including specialised equipment areas showcasing additive manufacturing, air technology and digitilisation. As well as manufacturing technology, Austech will also be highlighting some of the very best Australian manufacturing companies in their own dedicated area, the Manufacturers’ Pavilion.

Companies who are interested in exhibiting at Austech 2019 should contact AMTIL’s Events Manager Kim Banks.

Space is selling fast, so companies are advised not to delay to ensure they get a good spot on the exhibition floor. www.amtil.com.au/austech

The following companies have already signed up to exhibit at Austech 2019: • 3D Printing Systems • AB CADCAM • ACRA Machinery • Alfex CNC & Haas • Amada Oceania • Applied Machinery • Benson Machines • Boge Compressors • Bolts & Industrial Supplies • Bystronic • Carl Zeiss Pty Ltd • Complete Machine Tools • Dimac Tooling • DMG MORI • EIF International • Euromac Australia • Evok3D/HP • Fladder Danmark A/S • GWB Machine Tools Pty Ltd • Hare & Forbes • Headland Machinery • Hi-Tech Metrology

AMT OCT/NOV 2018

• Industrial Laser • John Hart • KAESER Compressors Australia • Laser 3D • LEAP Australia • Lightwave Technology • Livetools Pty Ltd • Mastercam Australia • Metal Industries Insurance Brokers • Modern Tools • MTI Qualos • Multicam Systems Pty Ltd • NCCS • Nichol Industries • Okuma Australia • Power Machinery • Punchtech Australia Pty Ltd • Qumac Engineering Services P/L and HS CNC Machines P/L • QARM (OneCNC) • Radius Benders Pty Ltd • Rapid Advanced Manufacturing

• RAM3D • Raxo Machine Tools • Renishaw Oceania • Romheld/Suhner • Sheetmetal Machinery Australia • Sheetmetal Tooling Tech • SigmaTEK Pty Ltd • SolidCAM ANZ • Stamac/Swisstec • Sutton Tools • Techni Waterjet • Thinglab (Freedspace) • Toolprocure Australia • Tungaloy Australia • TXM Lean Solutions • Whitelaw Engineering Machinery • Advanced Robotic Technology • TRJ Engineering • Ultimate Laser • White Industries

AMTIL INSIDE

Fit for the Future – Don’t miss out Tickets are still available for ‘Fit for the Future’, an AMTIL Breakfast Seminar on 18 October, at Riversdale Golf Club in Mount Waverley, Victoria.

The keynote speaker for ‘Fit for the Future’ will be Gihan Perera, a futurist, conference speaker, author and consultant. His presentation will provide a glimpse into what’s ahead and how you can become Fit for the Future, in both your professional and personal life.

Gihan will discuss: the global megatrends shaping business and society; influence and power in the Age of Access; How change is the new normal; and how you can take more control of your own future.

Also presenting will be William Buck’s Dr Rita Choueiri, who will be talking about the R&D Tax Incentive. Rita will go into detail on the scheme and its eligibility, shedding light on what sorts of businesses are eligible to claim.

Following these presentations, AMTIL will be holding its Annual General Meeting.

For more information about any of AMTIL’s upcoming events, please call 03 9800 3666, or email Events Manager Kim Banks on kbanks@amtil.com.au. www.amtil.com.au/Events

AMTIL on show at IMTS 2018 Members of the AMTIL team were over in the US in September to participate in the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) in Chicago.

IMTS, the premier manufacturing technology show in North America, took place at the McCormick Place convention centre on 10-15 September. AMTIL had a stand in the international associations section, with members of the team on hand to answer enquiries from visitors keen to know more about manufacturing in Australia and the opportunities here.

AMTIL routinely attends a number of overseas manufacturing trade shows promoting Australian manufacturing and

supporting our members. Later in the year AMTIL will be exhibiiting at JIMTOF2018, the Japan international machine tool fair, on 1-6 November in Tokyo.

AMTIL will be engaging in a range of activities in support of any members who will be attending JIMTOF. If you plan to visit the event, please contact Shane Infanti on 03 9800 3666 or sinfanti@amtil. com.au for more information. www.imts.com www.jimtof.org

AMTIL CEO Shane Infanti and AMTIL President Paul Fowler, on the AMTIL stand at IMTS.

AMTIL FOOTY TIPPING 2018 As per his ‘great namesake’ Bill Lawry… GOT HIM!, HE’S A GREAT VICTORIAN!! Congrats to Brian Lawry on a tremendous effort in capturing the 2018 AMTIL Footy Tipping prize. It was a tight race where ‘margin’ played its part with ‘Brendan’ and ‘Swannies’ sweeping the minor placings. Football wise, we are now down to the final four.

Incredibly, given their injury-laden season, the Magpies face the mighty Tigers and the Demons look to continue their dream as they face the Eagles on their home turf. Can the Tigers back it up, will the Eagles justify their position? – it could go either way in both games, good luck to all. Until next year, Sanchez!

ROUND 23 1 Brian Lawry 2 Brendan 3 Swannies 4 Bricky 5 Lou 6 Damian 7 Raxo 8 LukeH 9 Wooden Spoon 10 StringyBark

146 (629) 144 (576) 144 (681) 143 (588) 143 (617) 141 (583) 141 (654) 141 (657) 141 (684) 141 (725)

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INDUSTRY CALENDAR

Please Note: It is recommended to contact the exhibition organiser to confirm before attending event More events can be found on AMTIL’s website

INTERNATIONAL TECHNOFORUM Russia, Moscow 22-25 October 2018 www.technoforum-expo.ru/en

Formnext Germany, Frankfurt 13-16 November 2018 www.mesago.de/en/formnext/home

VIIF Vietnam, Hanoi 23-26 October 2018 Vietnam Intl. Industrial Fair www.viif.vn/en

Matelec Industry Spain, Madrid 13-16 November 2018 Industrial/Smart Factory www.ifema.es/matelecindustry_06

EuroBLECH Germany, Hanover 23-26 October 2018 Sheet metal working technology exhibition. www.euroblech.com/2018/english

Metal Expo 2018 Russia, Moscow 13-16 November 2018 www.metal-expo.ru/en

ANNOFER Turkey, Istanbul 25-27 October 2018 www.annofer.com/home-en Inside 3D Printing USA, NY 30-31 October 2018 www.inside3dprinting.com METAVAK Netherlands, Gorinchem 30 October-1 November 2018 www.evenementenhal.nl/metavak Korea Metal Week South Korea, Goyang 30 October-2 November 2018 www.korea-metal.com/en Advanced Engineering UK, Birmingham 31 October-1 November 2018 www.advancedengineeringuk.com SIRE Singapore 1-2 November 2018 Singapore Intl. Robotic Expo www.sire.com.sg

Design & Manufacturing Montréal Canada, Montreal 14-15 November 2018 www.admmontreal.com/en/dm JEC Asia 2018 South Korea, Seoul 14-16 November 2018 Composites exhibition. www.jeccomposites.com/events/jecasia-2018

RMTS India, Rajkot 28 November-1 December 2018 Rajkot Machine Tools Show www.kdclglobal.com/rmts TECH INDUSTRY Latvia, Riga 29 November-1 December 2018 www.techindustry.lv expoAIR Germany, Munich 4-6 December 2018 Aerospace supply chain expo. www.expoair.de Metal Expo Tokyo Japan, Tokyo 5-7 December 2018 www.metal-japan.jp/en Manufacturing Indonesia Indonesia, Jakarta 5-8 December 2018 www.manufacturingindonesia.com

MACTECH Egypt, Cairo 15-18 November 2018 www.mactech.com.eg

iMT Taiwan, Taichung 5-7 December 2018 Intl Metal Technology Taiwan www.imttaiwan.com

INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRIAL FORUM Ukraine, Kiev 20-23 November 2018 www.iec-expo.com.ua/en

INDUSTRIALIS Switzerland, Berne 11-14 December 2018 www.industrialis.ch/en

METALEX Thailand, Bangkok 21-24 November 2018 www.metalex.co.th

Inside 3D Printing Mumbai: 19-20 December 2018 Melbourne: 14-17 May 2019 Brazil: 10-11 June 2019 South Korea: 26-28 June 2019 https://inside3dprinting.com

EMAF Portugal, Porto 21-24 November 2018 www.emaf.exponor.pt

2019

JIMTOF Japan, Tokyo 1-6 November 2018 www.jimtof.org/en

DMP China China, Dongguan 27-30 November 2018 www.dmpshow.com/en

SteelFab United Arab Emirates, Sharjah 14-17 January 2019 www.steelfabme.com

FABTECH USA, Atlanta 6-8 November2018 www.fabtechexpo.com

Metal + Tech 2018 China, Foshan (south China) 27-30 November 2018 www.metaltechchina.com/EN

IMTEX India, Bangalore 24-30 January 2019 www.imtex.in

MITEX Russia, Moscow 6-9 November 2018 www.mitexpo.ru/en

Metallurgy India India, Mumbai 27-29 November 2018 www.metallurgy-india.com

EXPO MANUFACTURA Mexico, Monterrey 5-7 February 2019 www.expomanufactura.com.mx

Taiwan Intl. Machine Tool Show Taiwan, Taichung 7-11 November 2018 www.tmts.tw/en

Russian Industrialist Russia, St. Petersburg 28-30 November 2018 https://promexpo.expoforum.ru/en/

TIMTOS Taiwan, Taipei 4-9 March 2019 www.timtos.com.tw

ARABAL Kuwait 11-13 November 2018 www.arabal.com

Japan Aerospace Japan, Tokyo 28-30 November 2018 www.japanaerospace.jp/en

BLE.CH Switzerland, Berne 5-7 March 2019 www.ble.ch/ble-de

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INDUSTRY CALENDAR HEADING LOCAL Pipeline Repair, Hot Tapping and In-Service Welding Course Sydney 23-24 October 2018 A two day workshop providing an in-depth overview of the various aspects of pipeline modification and repair. www.weldaustralia.com.au/pipelinerepair International Mining & Resources Conference Melbourne Conference & Exhibition Centre 28 October-1 November 2018 www.imarcmelbourne.com TECH4.0XPO Technology & Innovation Trade Show & Conference Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre 31 October-1 November 2018 Australia’s pioneer Industry 4.0 + Technology trade show showcasing 17 free-to-attend conferences including: 5G World;DevOps, Cloud & Developers World; Cyber Security & Big Data Analytics World; Industry 4.0 World; CIO & CTO World; GovTech World. www.techxpo.live Ausbiotec Brisbane Convention Centre 31 October–2 November 2018 Life sciences conference.Covers regulation and reimbursement, new markets, business development and capital access, emerging technologies, clinical trials, regenerative medicine, agriculture & commercialisation. www.ausbiotechnc.org National Construction Equipment Convention Sydney Showground 15-17 November 2018 Australia’s first event for the civil construction and infrastructure sector. With the theme ‘Think Globally, Act Locally.With a focus on infrastructure and cutting edge technology. www.ncecaustralia.com.au

Advertiser Index

Ausrail Canberra, National Convention Centre 27-28 November 2018 Major Australasian rail event which will cover the overarching theme – Rail – For a Better Future. www.ausrail.com

2019 Australian International Airshow/Avalon Geelong, Avalon (Victoria) 26 February–3 March 2019 www.airshow.com.au Australasian Oil & Gas Expo 2019 Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre 13-15 March 2019 Showcasing the latest products and technological breakthroughs for the Australian oil and gas industry. Includes specialised industry zones showcasing the latest in Instrumentation Control and Automation, Asset Integrity, Subsea and Health, Safety and Environment. www.aogexpo.com.au Australian Auto Aftermarket Expo Melbourne Convention Centre 4-6 April 2019 The nation’s most comprehensive exhibition of vehicle repair and servicing equipment, replacement parts, tools and accessories. www.aftermarketexpo.com.au Austech 2019 Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre 14–17 May 2019 Australia’s premier advanced manufacturing and machine tool exhibition. www.amtil.com.au/Austech

3D Systems

67

AGL 41 Alfex CNC

25

Applied Machinery

15

Bystronic P/L

6-7

Complete Machine Tools

81

DMG MORI

13

Emona Instruments

73

Hare & Forbes

4-5

Headland 120 IMTS 29 Industrial Laser

43

Iscar 2-3 Machinery Forum

119

Mastercam 45 MTI Qualos

55, 99

Okuma 9 Precise Machining & Manufacturing Renishaw Oceania

63 Cover

Robert Bosch

59

Sandvik 51 Seco Tools

17

Sheetmetal Machinery

11

Sutton Tools

27

Thyssenkrupp

20-21

Vaughan Constructions

95

William Buck

87

Sheetmetal Machinery

Insert

Headland

Insert

AUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY YOUR INDUSTRY. YOUR MAGAZINE AUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY YOUR INDUSTRY. YOUR MAGAZINE

DECIJAN19

OCTINOV18 AUSTRALIAN

MANUFACTU RING TECHNOLO YOUR INDUS TRY. YOUR MAGA GY ZINE

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YOUR INDUSTRY. YOUR MAGAZINE

AUTOMOTIVE & ROAD TRANSPORT MEDICAL

ADVERTISE IN AUSTRALIA’S NO. 1 ADVANCED MANUFACTURING MAGAZINE Call Anne Samuelsson of AMTIL on 03 9800 3666 or email asamuelsson@amtil.com.au

Nanotechnology & Micro-Machining

Construction & Infrastructure State Spotlight: Queensland

STATE SPOTLIGHT: New South Wales INDUSTRY 4.0

Business Mana gement State Spotlight: Western Aust ralia

Robotics & Automation Software Safety Cutting Tools Forming & Fabrication Material Removal

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HISTORY

Big wheels & little wheels – the story of UK-born Australian Sir Laurence John Hartnett (1898 – 1986) Australia’s “Father of the Holden” and much more

PART 27

PROPELLING AUSTRALIA PART 3 Sounding the warning

It is 1936 and the Australian aircraft syndicate launches its world trip to examine overseas aircraft – while Laurence has some explaining to do.

R

elieved that I was not criticised by the aircraft syndicate for spending £15.000 of its cash without authorisation, we set about organising Lawrence James Wackett’s assignment – the world trip to examine overseas aircraft. He was to travel with a Squadron-Leader Harrison, a technical expert assigned to us by the R.A.A.F., and Wing-Commander Murphy. Group-Captain Dickie Williams intended to go on the trip, but the Italian invasion of Abyssinia (Ethiopia) had begun and Federal Cabinet would not agree to his absence from Australia.

The mission was very closely briefed before it sailed. The objective was eventually to manufacture complete aircraft, primarily for defence. They were to visit every country making interesting aircraft, inspect them and the methods employed and, upon their return, to recommend a course we should pursue. The important thing was to design an aircraft which we could make under licence, but which must follow the latest practices so that the industry in Australia could be founded on the latest methods.

The three sailed off in February 1936. They travelled through the U.S.A., Italy, France, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Holland and England, and returned to Australia in June.

During this time I visited GM in New York.

After I’d been in NY a couple of days, Jim Mooney (President of GM’s overseas division) met me with a grim face. “Larry, Larry, you’re in trouble,” he said. “I think this is where you get kicked out of GM, and I don’t think I can save you. You’ve gone and put GM into the aircraft industry in Australia without authority, and the Old Man - Poppa Sloan, (Alfred P. Sloan, CEO of GM,) is very, very cross. He’ll throw it at you like a brick. You’ll have to fend for yourself, but I’ll do whatever I can to help. I don’t know how to play this one. Sloan has no love for aircraft. GM lost a packet of money when we bought into Fokker, and he can’t think of anything worse than to get us into aviation again - and he’s particularly angry that the first news he got about it was from the newspapers”. Reports of Wackett and Co.’s trip, mentioning the GM-H participation in the syndicate, had been published in New York.

We were both invited to lunch in the executive dining-room, and it wasn’t going to be pleasant. Up to lunch I went, with Jim

1932: fixing a bomb to a British Wapiti plane at Richmond, NSW prior to bombing practice.

Before WW2, the concept of Australia building its own aircraft was ridiculed by many and the British Govt. believed that all of Australia’s aircraft requirements could be provided from Britain. But when WW2 broke out, Britain was hastily putting its own industry in order. Men like Hartnett, Wackett, many industry leaders, and the Australian PM, sensed this and were determined that Australia prepare.

Mooney and a big-time company attorney - John Thomas Smith. In came Alfred P. Sloan, tall, stern-faced, looking as angry as any man I’d ever seen. They served soup first, in silence, and I found difficulty in taking it. Just as I’d finished it, Sloan said, “Well, what in God’s name do you think you’re doing down in Australia, putting us in the aviation business? Eh?” I started to tell the story, emphasizing that at this stage we had only joined a syndicate to investigate, but he jumped in the middle of it and launched into a swift, bitter attack on aviation generally and myself in particular.

“And what do you know about aircraft, anyway?” he growled. I told him that I’d flown planes. Oh, I’d been a pilot? Well, that didn’t make me an expert. What did I know about the accuracy of machining an aeroengine? I’d made aero-engine components and some of the tooling at Vickers for the manufacture of parts for several types of radial and rotary engines. Yes, I understood about aero-engine tolerances. “Well, that’s amazing. Why didn’t I know about this? You know, Mooney, we should have had this guy running Fokker Aviation; we probably would have saved our dough. But that doesn’t alter the fact that he’s put us into aviation down in Australia without telling ... “ At this point John Thomas Smith hopped into the

conversation. He and Mooney had obviously mapped out a plan to save my neck if they could, and right now my neck was on the chopping block.

“Alfred P., you amaze me,” Smith said loudly, stopping Alfred P. in full blast. “All this song and dance about a few thousand bucks in Australia - it’s probably as safe as houses anyway - and here’s today’s Saturday Evening Post, with the centre-spread ad on the Buick – where we left the Fisher name out - how much do you think this damn fool ad with its mistakes will cost us? At least five times the amount Larry Hartnett has put into his aircraft show down in Australia.

Now think that one out, and see things in the true perspective.” Then Smith and Sloan started a cross-table argument about the cost of Saturday Evening Post advertising.

Sloan didn’t mention my aircraft indiscretion again. I owed my job to Jim Mooney and John Thomas Smith that day.

I did feel that I had in some way conveyed that GM-H, an Australian public company, had some responsibility to play a part in Australia’s national needs (in the event of war). I could see the danger ahead and felt it was my duty to call the warning and to stimulate action.

This is an extract from ‘Big Wheels & Little Wheels’, by Sir Laurence Hartnett as told to John Veitch, 1964. © Deirdre Barnett.

AMT OCT/NOV 2018

To be continued…

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