AMT JUNE/JULY 2019

AUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY YOUR INDUSTRY. YOUR MAGAZINE

JUNIJUL19

ARE YOU READY? Find out and you can WIN a 3D Printer* See reverse for details

AUSTECH REVIEW Business Management State Spotlight: South Australia

Speak to an Autodesk expert about your business and the future of making. *Visit www.autodesk.com.au/3D to book your meeting and to enter the draw to WIN a 3D Printer

AUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY YOUR INDUSTRY. YOUR MAGAZINE

JUNIJUL19

AUSTECH REVIEW Business Management State Spotlight: South Australia

r a e Y l a i c n a n i End of F

E L A S L N O & E R O T S IN !

W DEALS ON NO

EZY-SET NC-89 BACKGAUGE CONTROL

3200 X 6mm 6mm CAPACITY

INE!

7.5KW / 10HP, 415V MOTOR

SG-3206E HYDRAULIC NC GUILLOTINE $ EX GST

RAPID BLADE GAP ADJUSTMENT

19,950

ORDER CODE: S918

LED SHADOW LINE

6CRW2SI BLADES FOR STAINLESS STEEL

40 MODELS AVAILABLE HARDENED BALLSCREW BACKGAUGE

44T X 2000mm CAPACITY

4KW / 5.3HP. 415V MOTOR

CNC FASFOLD 202 2-AXIS CONTROL REINFORCED SIDE FRAMES

35° SEGMENTED PUNCH MULTI VEE DIE BLOCK FOLDSAFE SAFETY GUARDING SYSTEM

PB-40A HYDRAULIC CNC PRESSBRAKE $ EX GST

SLIDING FRONT SHEET SUPPORT ARMS

29,400

30 MODELS AVAILABLE

Available at

www.machineryhouse.com.au Specifications are subject to change without notice. All prices exclude GST and are valid until 30-06-19

03_AMTIL_140619

ORDER CODE: S970F

TAKE O T H T 0 3 E N U J E R O F E B L L A T S IN & Y BU ASSET WRITE-OFF! HEADING

TANT

00 INS ,0 0 3 $ E H T F O E G A T N A ADV

NOW! FOR

ER! V O N R U T N IO L IL M 0 5 BUSINESS UP TO $

REAT DEAL G A R O F S U L L A C ?

E MISSED THE DEADLIN 125 TONNE CAPACITY

PUNCH: Ø33 X 27mm SHEAR ANGLE: 152 X 152 X 18mm 18

NOTCHING: 63.5 X 90 X 13mm

IW-125SH HYDRAULIC PUNCH & SHEAR $ EX GST

SHEAR PLATE: 610 X 18mm HYDRAULIC CLAMPING

27,800

ORDER CODE: P177H

18 MODELS AVAILABLE

DUAL INDEPENDENT OPERATION

BUILT-IN DUAL CPU CONTROL

LARGE LCD MONITOR

MAGNETIC BREAKAWAY TORCH HEAD

DIGITAL TORCH-HEIGHT CONTROL (DTHC)

3000 X 1500mm CUTTING CAPACITY SWIFT-CAM STD CAD/CAM PROGRAM HYPERTHERM POWERMAX 125

WATER TRAY

SWIFTCUT 3000WT MK4 CNC PLASMA CUTTING TABLE $ EX GST

46,450

20 MODELS AVAILABLE

NSW

(02) 9890 9111

1/2 Windsor Rd, Northmead

ORDER CODE: P9034

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 03_AMTIL_140619

80 years of system innovation that increases production and peace of mind.

That’s reliability by design. Made in Japan

The world’s most reliable sheet metal machinery since 1916

FIBRE LASERS HIGH ACCURACY FIBER LASER WITH DEDICATED FRAME DESIGN FOR HIGH SPEED

 FIBER LASER LS3015GC Automation

 FG3015TL

Model: BH13530

Australia New Zealand SYDNEY MELBOURNE AUCKLAND

Phone: +61 2 8012 9602 Phone: +61 9 532 9344

www.amtronics.com.au www.amtronics.co.nz

A faster, cleaner cut of stainless with up to 3% hydrogen

NITROGEN GENERATORS  GUARANTEED HIGH PURITY WITH HYDROGEN PURIFICATION SYSTEM  MODULAR DESIGN ALLOWS GROWTH WITH YOUR NITROGEN DEMAND





THE SATURN SERIES

NITRO BOX

Ketec Precision Tooling Your Optimized Sheet Metal Fabrication Solution For over 20 years Ketec Tooling have been dedicated to supplying the perfect solution of durable, high performance tooling with low prices for successful fabricators worldwide.

Ketec supplies tooling types such as:  

Thick Turret

Thick Turret Thick Turret ABS

Thin Turret

 

Thin Turret / Strippit Trumpf Tooling

 

Trumpf Tooling

Murata / Wiedemann Style Salvagnini

Murata Style

World leaders of CNC punch press precision tooling for the sheet metal industry

Punchtech Australia (Pty) Ltd Phone: +61 3 9768 3745 www.punchtech.com.au Subscriptions Available. Call Punchtech for sales, training and support.

008

CONTENTS

Volume 19 Number 03 JUN/JUL 2019 ISSN 1832-6080

FEATURES AUSTECH REVIEW AUSTECH 2019 – Back to its best

42

ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING Unlimit3D – Unlocking additive opportunities The challenges and solutions to large-scale 3D printing RAM3D ramps up production runs in metal 3D printing

60 62 58

CUTTING TOOLS Overcoming challenges of long-reach machining From CAD/CAM to tool assembly: Modern solutions Unravelling the challenge of threading How coolant can improve thread-turning performance

70 72 74 76

STATE SPOTLIGHT: SOUTH AUSTRALIA South Australian manufacturing poised for take-off

80

WELDING SA’s first Advanced Welder Training Centre now open

84

MATERIAL REMOVAL Anthony Machine benefits from quick-change toolholders Cut To Size - New machinery acquisition

87 88

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT Harnessing PhD skills to transform Oz manufacturing Smart agility or knee-jerk response?

Generative design, a long way from home ANCA – committed to growing a skilled workforce Is your ERP provider offering sufficient flexibility?

Getting IP savvy: Managing IP An exit mindset for business owners

90 92 94 96 97 98 99

FORMING & FABRICATION Opie embraces the Internet of Things MASI soars with Hypertherm

100 101

COMPRESSORS/AIR TECH A tradition of innovation - 100 years of Kaeser

102

SAFETY Bunzl Safety – ensuring success

106

42 AUSTECH 2019 – Back to its best With its largest-ever exhibition footprint, and the highest visitor turnout in over a decade, Austech 2019 was one for the record books.

78 David Ridgway David Ridgway – State Minister for Trade, Tourism & Investment - speaks on the manufacturing industry in South Australia and the future for this dynamic state.

82

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

10 12 14 16

INDUSTRY NEWS Current news from the industry

18

VOICEBOX Opinions from across the manufacturing industry

28

PRODUCT NEWS Our selection of new and interesting products

34

ONE ON ONE David Ridgway

78

COMPANY FOCUS Castech –Smart manufacturing

82

AMTIL FORUMS

108

AMTIL INSIDE The latest news from AMTIL

112

MANUFACTURING HISTORY A look back in time

118

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

Castech – Smart manufacturing From embracing innovative new technologies to investing in renewable energy systems, Castech is a SA manufacturer that finds the smart way to do things.

94 Generative design, a long way from home Travel to the outer Solar System calls for more advanced technology than in previous space missions; hence a prototype lander from JPL & Autodesk.

HEADING

DISCOVER THE LATEST IN OKUMA MULTI-TASKING SIMPLE CONVERSATIONAL PROGRAMMING, RENOWNED OKUMA PRODUCTIVITY

FEATURES: 4 Powerful cutting along entire Y-Axis 4 8 Axes 4 2 Spindles 4 2 Chucks, 12” and 15” 4 2 Turrets 4 12,000rpm Milling spindle 4 80 Tool CAPTO C6 4 Distance between centres - 1500 * subject to prior sale

010

FROM THE EDITOR WILLIAM POOLE

Working five to nine Is there something else you’d rather be doing right now? If you’re reading this at work, maybe the answer might be… yes?

That’s not to say you don’t enjoy your job. Perish the thought ... But talk to anyone, in any walk of life, and it’s pretty commonplace to find people contemplating – if not actively working on – a side project that would ideally take the place of their current occupation.

Whether it’s developing a business venture, pursuing a creative passion, or tinkering away on an invention, in any workplace you’ll find people quietly dreaming of giving up the dayjob for something else.

Now a new survey has put some hard numbers on how widespread this is, in our industry.

The study, from the AMP Foundation, found that more than two-thirds (67%) of people working in manufacturing and engineering in Australia are working on side projects aimed at turning their passion into a reality. This has led to the rise of a “five-to-nine” working day, which is seeing a third (34%) of manufacturing workers clocking off work and moving straight into their sidelines after-hours.

The most popular ventures include starting a small business (24%), developing a new technology (19%), and working on artistic or cultural projects (19%). Money was the main thing preventing workers from pursuing side projects, accounting for 41% of respondents, with time constraints (16%) and work commitments (14%) also holding people back.

Women were more likely than men to pursue their passion: 71% of females versus 65% of males are currently working on a side project. Manufacturing workers were found to be at their most productive at the start of the week, with 51% feeling in an inspirational frame of mind on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

And a lot of the time, these side projects aren’t just about personal enrichment – many of those surveyed who were engaged in sidelines were not doing it in the hope of their own individual gain, but for the good of their broader communities. If money were no object, the environment (28%), health (21%) and the ageing population (12%) are the top three societal issues manufacturing workers would look to tackle given the opportunity.

The AMP Foundation specialises in this area. Under its Tomorrow Fund, it gives away $1m in grants each year to Australians working towards goals with community benefit. Previous recipients of the Tomorrow Fund have included: Hunter Johnson, who founded The Man Cave to foster emotional intelligence and resilience in young men; and Justin Chalker, a synthetic chemist and inventor of a polymer made from waste that can clean up oil spills and absorb mercury.

The question is: should businesses be worried? Amid widespread skills shortages, it’s hard enough finding the right staff. The last thing you need is your best people going off to follow their dreams (and potentially setting up competitors to your business). But perhaps this is more of an opportunity than a threat. For a start – without wanting to rain on anybody’s parade – most pipe dreams never really come to fruition in the end.

However, making employees feel supported and encouraged in achieving their aspirations, no matter where they lie, can be a great way to motivate them, and indeed to inspire loyalty. And lots of the best companies do this. I’ve visited manufacturing businesses where management and staff get together out of hours for all sorts of things: tinkering on old cars, collaborating to build boats, or working together on charitable campaigns.

And guess what – they all report great staff retention. It’s like the old saying: happy chickens lay more eggs.

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 bi-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.

1459AMTJUN/JUL2019

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

Think Laser. Think Laser Solutions Full range of lasers, systems and automation for OEM’s and end users

3kW IPG Fiber laser – twin 3m x 1.5m table

21 YEARS OF TRUSTED INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE

$256,000 + GST installed BEST PRODUCT RANGE • BEST PERFORMANCE • BEST PRICES BEST SERVICE • BEST SOLUTIONS EXCLUSIVE AUSTRALIAN AGENT

Agents for: IPG, Precitec, Cincinnati, Sisma, Bodor, Ophir, Primes Cutting • Welding • Marking • Cladding • Laser Metal Fusion • 3D • Scientific • Military Laser spares & consumables

For more information contact Richard at Industrial Laser on +61 (0)3 9796 3055.

E: sales@industriallaser.com.au • www.industriallaser.com.au

AMTJUNJUL19

Demonstration Centre: Unit 20, 17-23 Keppel Drive, Hallam, Victoria Service Centre: Unit 8, 17-23 Keppel Drive, Hallam, Victoria

012

FROM THE CEO SHANE INFANTI – Chief Executive Officer AMTIL

Austech – An outstanding success I am pleased to report that this year’s Austech exhibition was a great success with most exhibitors reporting it as the best show we have run in 20 years. AMTIL, which owns and operates Austech, co-located this year’s show again with National Manufacturing Week, owned and operated by Reed Exhibitions Australia.

In the wash-up of our Austech exhibition there are many people to thank. First and foremost - the 157 exhibitors who put on a fantastic showcase – and the 12,991 attendees from 29 different countries who came to visit Austech and National Manufacturing Week. In addition to the visitors we also had 3,030 exhibitor personnel and over 200 students attend the show.

I would also like to thank our contractors who largely go unnoticed in the overall scheme of putting on such a large event but are an integral part of making it happen. So at the risk of embarrassing some companies and individuals, I write this article to thank them and give our readers some Before the ‘bump-in’ insight into the mechanics of running and then in full flight our show.

Thank you to Michael Begg and his team at Harry the Hirer. The 4-6 months of daily pre-show email communication to ensure every “T” is crossed and every “I” dotted with our team ensured the smoothest move into a show we have had in almost 20 years. Beggy’s unique “Sector” plan, which involved four sectors of carpet lay and stand build over five days, was well received by other contractors and certainly gave us a few laughs along the way. Over 13,000 carpet tiles were laid with a fair percentage of them having to be kicked back into place after being run over by fork lifts! Also thanks to Travis Wall and his team of electricians and riggers. Safety is paramount during our move-in and move-out process and the challenge of having carpet laid, rigging done and crane movements all at the same time (along with everything else) was made easy by the professionalism of the HTH staff. An interesting fact is, that in order to provide power to all the stands and equipment, over 13kms of electrical cable needed to be laid in the carpark prior to the show.

Our logistics contractor Agility Fairs & Events, ably led by the “Freightman” Michael Stubbs, again did a great job of controlling the logistics of freight, loading dock chaos, fork lifts and crane movements. Special thanks to Michael Barker and his team for an outstanding effort. To be on-site from 6.00am until 10.00pm most days and be organised and flexible at the same time takes a great deal of management and patience. The nightly debriefs in Sector Five

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

always came with a few laughs too!

F Wood and Son is our plumbing contractor and well done to Paul Wood and his team on another smooth show. We hope Brian had a good holiday in Thailand whilst the team worked on the show! Thanks to Mandy behind the scenes for getting the administration done.

Thanks to Chris Petropoulos and the guys at Sims Metal, with some late changes to our schedule being easily accommodated.

Another interesting fact is that we recycled nearly eleven tonnes of swarf and scrap metal generated by exhibitors at the show.

Thanks to our gas suppliers, BOC and Coregas, again accommodating some rushed changes to our schedules and late orders being placed. Interesting fact: On the Thursday prior to the show opening, 55 gas packs were delivered to the venue and each morning of the show a number of stands had to have gas pack changeovers.

Thanks to Bruce Emmett at Houghton Australia for supplying and removing over 5,000 litres of cutting fluid and meeting all the exhibitor requirements.

Thanks to Jarrod at JAE Electrical for testing and tagging all the electrical leads.

Thanks to Judith Graham at the Gateway LLEN for pulling the student tours together.

Getting our next generation of employees interested in our industry is a significant

activity. Thanks to Jamie and Alex at Ikon Cleaning for being so accessible each and every day. Cleaning is often a thankless task, so good on your team for having our show looking so good at opening time.

Thanks to Kevin and his team at Australian Security Services. Interesting fact: 732 man-hours of security were provided during the show.

Thanks to the MCEC venue staff and their Operations Manager Jamal Gittens for his appreciation of our efforts. Quite understandingly the MCEC has very strict guidelines and safety considerations and liaising with Jamal to provide a safe working environment provided an excellent outcome.

Jamal is moving on from the venue and we wish him the best for whatever the future holds. Thanks to Claire McGillivray, our Event Co-ordinator at the MCEC, working behind the scenes to help make everything happen. Thanks to our partners, Reed Exhibitions, who we co-locate with. Thanks to Robby Clark and his team for all the assistance pre and post show. Thanks to the operations team led by Emma Blanch for all their efforts and assistance on-site.

Finally, thanks to my team led by our Events Manager Kim Banks on another outstanding show. Our critical path has 131 line items and each one of them has been managed and ticked off on time on budget.

Great effort team!

HEADING

The smart access to laser cutting Leading-edge technology and concentrated know-how.

The BySmart Fiber from Bystronic offers outstanding cutting performance for a wide range of applications. The fiber laser is your opportunity for a fast access to cutting technology.

Now with up to 6 kilowatts.

Cutting | Bending | Automation bystronic.com

014

FROM THE INDUSTRY RACHAEL WILKINSON – Policy Officer, Australian Industry Group

Future skills for innovative industry Technology is driving a business environment that is becoming all about adapting – and in the future we’ll need to innovate continuously to stay ahead of an ever-changing environment.

Considering all of this change, we are often asked what young people will need in the constantly shifting landscape that is the future world of work, and the simple answer is: we can’t possibly know.

That might not seem helpful, but the good news is that we do know enough about increasingly rapid technological advancements and the way they’re changing skills and work organisation to provide some insight as to what young people will need.

A CSIRO report on megatrends for Australia’s future workforce in the next 20 years highlights the need for a shift in mindsets for workers, employers, the education sector and governments to accommodate for the predicted jobs of the future.

While there may be a focus on the types of technology that produce jobs where specialised skills will be valuable, an underlying message is that foundational skills and broad new capabilities will become more important than ever. And sound foundational skills no longer just mean language, literacy and numeracy. They mean analytics, applications, network management, security and privacy, as well as stuff like creativity, problem-solving, advanced reasoning, complex judgement, social interaction and emotional intelligence.

These will become highly important in professional roles of the future.

In terms of the types of work we are likely to be doing, the OECD has reported that the share of high-skill jobs is significantly increasing while the share of low-skilled jobs is decreasing. Companies now require a workforce which not only has expertise in particular disciplines and technologies, but also has a handle on team-building capacity, emotional intelligence, strategic visioning, market analysis and cultural sensitivity.

Finally, contemporary industry requires working with highly technical and complex processes that give individual workers more autonomy and significantly more responsibility.

We used to have models of leadership focused on rigid hierarchies of managers passing questions up and decisions down. As data collection and analysis tools improve through technology, less hierarchy is required. Individual professionals will have increased decision-making responsibility, which challenges our concept of management; leadership will have to come from anyone, regardless of title. It’s clear the jobs experiencing growth require workers with high-level thought and judgement, as was stressed in the International Electrotechnical Commission’s Factory of the Future Report, which says that a company can generate enormous amounts of data, but ultimately it must rely on people to make decisions.

Funnily enough, in a future that looks like a science fiction movie, human capital will be more important than ever. For their part, workers must recognise that it’s not the largest company, it’s not the most successful company, it’s not even the strongest company that will benefit the most from these changes – it’s the most adaptable companies. There’s a message there for the future workforce too: the most adaptable employees will likely be the most successful. A need for adaptable workers with broad skills has already begun to surface in Australian industry.

For the last few years, Ai Group’s own employer surveys have shown that the greatest dissatisfaction businesses have with the employability skills of graduates is in self-management, problemsolving and teamwork. Education and training have been identified as among the most critical factors shaping workforce outcomes in the future.

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

New approaches to education, training, re-skilling and skills use will be key to maximising the benefits of digital and inclusive economies.

Education needs to reflect the workforce – fluid settings rather than traditional – using digital and offline platforms, collaborative spaces, project-based activities – there must increasingly be learning opportunities outside of the classroom.

David Guest’s 1991 article ‘The hunt is on for the Renaissance Man of computing’ (The Independent [London]) was the first to use the concept of a T-shaped graduate. He was talking about someone who has vertical skills – in-depth disciplines or knowledge specific to their area of activity – and who also develops horizontal skills and abilities that are not specific to one area and help make organisations work. These include deep listening capabilities, an entrepreneurial spirit, and being able to communicate well.

Although 1991 was a long time ago, Guest’s summary of the ideal graduate is still pretty much spot on. In 10-20 years’ time, when everybody’s job will have changed to some degree, the characteristics of agility, resilience and flexibility in professional graduates, as in all employees, will be the key to their success in organisations. This will allow organisations to be adaptable, innovative and thrive in complex, unpredictable digital environments.

As stated at the outset, we can’t possibly know what skills are needed for the future. It’s a tough ask, and no one has a crystal ball.

No one has all the answers. And we should be skeptical of anyone who suggests they do. That said, we do know enough to see that being adaptable and developing a diverse set of skills is likely to be the best way forward for anyone, regardless of age.

It used to be the norm to have one skillset and even one job for life.

Let’s face it – that’s not our future. Change is the new normal.

016

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

Electric vehicles show the road ahead for Australian manufacturing Electric vehicle manufacturing is a growth industry internationally. It is one our Government should invest in supporting – it can bring the high-wage, high-skill jobs of the future that our country needs.

I firmly believe that Australia can and should be a country that makes things. There are many who are willing to write off our manufacturing industry, but with the right investment and government policy settings, we have the skills and capacity to be a world leader in advanced manufacturing.

Australia has the raw materials to be an electric vehicle manufacturing hub, with abundant sources of lithium in Western Australia. Lithium is a crucial ingredient for the rechargeable batteries used in a variety of renewable applications, including but not limited to electric vehicles. We should not just be digging up this precious material and exporting it, then buying back the end product. We should be manufacturing the end products here.

While electric vehicle sales are yet to take off in Australia, this does not mean that we should not invest in the businesses that can form part of the global supply chain. In Norway, 49% of new vehicle sales are electric vehicles. They’re aiming for 100% of new vehicle sales to be electric vehicles by 2025. Around the world, more than a dozen countries are aiming to phase out internal combustion engine vehicles by 2030. The demand for electric vehicles and electric vehicle components throughout the supply chain is only going to grow. If the Australian government chooses to induce further demand for electric vehicles by mandating that half of new purchases and leases for its own fleet are electric by 2025, that will help to drive the cost of electric vehicles down domestically and make a target of 50% of new car sales to be electric vehicles by 2030 more achievable.

Despite the fact that the last Australian-made cars rolled off the assembly lines of Ford in 2016 and Holden and Toyota in 2017, in a series of tragic moments for the Australian car manufacturing industry, there are still numerous companies that are active in component manufacturing. Holden, Toyota, and Ford all employ people in their design, engineering, research, and development divisions. Nissan is manufacturing components for its fully electric vehicle, the Nissan Leaf, in Melbourne. Australian automotive component manufacturers exported $862m of goods in 2017-18.

The car manufacturing industry in Australia is far from dead.

Imagine how that sector could grow if we had government investment and co-ordination to support it. Imagine how that sector could grow if the Government were investing in growing domestic demand for electric vehicles. Electric vehicles will become more affordable and more varied as economies of scale come into play and demand goes up. In the same way we have seen the costs of solar panels and home battery-storage systems drop dramatically over the past decade, electric vehicles will cease to be a niche section of the car market. If we don’t develop our research, design, engineering and manufacturing capacity now, we will be behind the eight-ball as the sector expands, and we will miss our opportunity to be a part of this growing industry.

Australia cannot afford to miss out on being a part of this industry of the future. That was why we welcomed Labor’s announcement committing $57m to support the development and manufacturing of electric vehicles as part of its “Electric Vehicle Manufacturing

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

and Innovation Strategy”. The Labor strategy was in line with the recommendations that were handed down by a Senate Select Committee on Electric Vehicles in 2018.

Any government that acknowledges the reality that, around the world, diesel and petrol cars are being phased out and electric cars are being phased in will also make the necessary investments in our national infrastructure – including rapid chargers on our highways. If we do not invest in the networks of the future now, we risk being left in the lurch as major car manufacturers around the world cease to make internal combustion engine vehicles due to collapsing global demand.

Some argue that we should leave the market to decide the winners and losers, and that governments should stay out of industry. I don’t subscribe to that view for several reasons. For a start, other countries invest in their manufacturing, research and development industries – if we don’t, we leave local manufacturers at a disadvantage. Additionally, we already intervene in the market in many other industries, including mining, through the fuel tax credit for heavy diesel vehicles, amongst others. As a country, we need to transition away from internal combustion engine vehicles if we are to do our bit to lower carbon emissions and avert catastrophic climate change. There is no reason why that transition should not provide local businesses with the opportunity to grow, and local workers with the opportunity to work in a future-proofed industry.

When government investment can create high-wage, high-skill jobs; support local businesses; and strengthen local communities, it’s a no-brainer. The return on investment that building industry capacity provides is immeasurable. The global trends are undeniable. Electric vehicles are here to stay. We can either choose to invest in our local capacity to be a part of growing global supply chains, or we can watch this opportunity pass us by.

Australia has always been a proud manufacturing nation, and the expansion of the electric vehicle industry provides us with the chance to regrow our vehicle manufacturing industry. We’d be fools not to take it.

SYSPRO CLOUD Mobile, scalable, accessible, providing synchronized information any place, any time.

SYSPRO CLOUD PROVIDES: Rapid Implementation

Scalability

Mobility

Security

Constant Availability

Peace of Mind

Cost Advantage

Flexibility

Applications can be turned on within a few days, hours, or even minutes.

Allows you to expand or contract, whatever your business needs, with a single phone call.

Access all your data anytime, anyplace, using any device with Internet capability.

With stringent security policies, you can be sure your critical business data is safe in the Cloud.

Updates are seamlessly handled in the Cloud, whilst you carry on with business as normal.

Your mission-critical systems are diligently looked after, with the right skill set.

Because there is no up-front capital investment, it accelerates the time-to-benefit. There are no hidden costs associated with the ongoing maintenance and upgrading of the infrastructure because they’re included as part of SYSPRO Cloud.

HOW

?

does SYSPRO Cloud Work

On-demand

As an IaaS provider, SYSPRO hosts your virtual machine; you keep control of the software, whatever applications, data and operating systems you put on the infrastructure.

Microsoft Azure Available via the Microsoft Azure ‘cloud’ platform, it focuses on security, privacy, compliance, and transparency. Azure runs on a worldwide network across 36 regions.

Upgrades As SYSPRO Cloud is a single tenant application, it allows each customer to maintain and control the timing of their upgrades.

On-going Support

Cloud computing can be tailor-made to your needs and allow you to purchase only the services and number of units necessary.

WHO

If

should consider using SYSPRO Cloud

?

you are concerned about the impact of an on-premise ERP system on your cash flow

you don’t want to acquire and maintain your own infrastructure you want to consolidate multiple site operations without the risk of setting up your own central site you want to quickly and easily scale up or down as required.

value The

SYSPRO Cloud delivers to your business

No upfront IT capital costs Scalability

Support for infrastructure-related issues is provided as part of

ISO 27001 compliant information security standards

the monthly subscription.

Always-on availability

Upgrade whenever you are ready All services, technical support and upgrades included in the monthly services fee.

To find out more visit www.syspro.com or call +61 2 9870 5555

018

INDUSTRY NEWS

Volgren begins its electric vehicle charge Volgren, Australia’s largest bus body builder, has put its first-ever electric bus into production, beginning the company’s move into zero-emission vehicle technology.

The prototype, which will be completed by the middle of June, will be built on a BYD chassis, and include 324 kWh of batteries, enabling a range of more than 250kms on a single charge. The depleted batteries will take between four and five hours to fully replenish with the use of a charger, a system commonly known as overnight or depot charging.

Business Development Manager at Volgren, Jon Tozer, said that the company has been investigating electric vehicles for more than five years and that the prototype itself has been a full 12 months in the making.

“We’ve known for some time that the bus industry was about to go through its biggest transformation in three or four decades,” said Tozer. “And we wanted to approach this shift with the best information at our disposal. We wanted to understand the products, the technologies and the solutions available in the market before beginning our work in earnest.

“In the case of this first electric bus, we wanted to ensure that we built on a known quantity. We didn’t want to conduct a science experiment or work with a conglomerate of part suppliers attempting to provide a solution. We wanted something that will work from the start.”

While the initial capital cost of the bus will be higher than a standard diesel, Tozer noted that there would be significant economies elsewhere: “When you take into account the significant operation saving in maintenance and energy costs per kilometre, as well as the

significant fall in the cost and increase in energy density of batteries over the last few years, we’re nearing the point where total cost of ownership will soon be the same as it is for a diesel, if it isn’t already.

According to Tozer, early industry response to news of the prototype has been positive.

“More operators and agencies are looking to zero emissions buses for the first time and, since announcing this build, we’ve been encouraged by the interest we’ve received from government and private operators,” he said. “Volgren has always specialised in the design, development and application of new technologies. We’ve introduced many revolutionary bus solutions to the market – starting with aluminium bodies. We pride ourselves on providing engineering solutions that meet the developing needs of our customers, and we’re more than ready to take on the challenge of developing the best possible bus body for electric buses.”

The first bus will become available to the market in August after a month of testing, which will be undertaken by Volgren’s engineering department.

“We’re looking forward to the new chapter in the history of the Australian bus industry and being able to offer our customers the latest technology,” said Tozer. “Volgren is open to discussing in detail our project and future solutions available to market with operators.”

AAAA launches new Auto Innovation Centres plan The Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association (AAAA) has unveiled plans to enhance Australia’s automotive aftermarket industry product design and development capabilities.

At the Australian Auto Aftermarket Expo in Melbourne in April, AAAA Chief Executive Officer Stuart Charity announced the establishment of two Automotive Innovation Centres based in Victoria and South Australia. Co-funded by Federal and Victorian Government industry development grants, these state-ofthe-art facilities will provide Australian automotive product designers and manufacturers with the tools, advanced technology, vehicles, expertise and the collaborative environment required to innovate, design and test products for local and export markets. The Centres will also significantly reduce the time and cost in developing innovative new products for domestic and export markets.

“We are confident that these Automotive Innovation Centres will play a key role in ensuring that AAAA member companies are leveraging world-leading technology and best practice when it comes to the development, testing, integration and validation of their products to verify the ongoing safety and compliance of modified vehicles,” said Charity.

The Melbourne Innovation Centre, scheduled to open in late 2019, will support the development of new automotive aftermarket products by Australian advanced manufacturing businesses. This will be achieved by providing them with access to services including

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

base OEM vehicle data and measurements, 3D scanning and printing, measuring sessions, technology transfer and rapid prototyping. In addition, state-of-the-art testing facilities will form a core element of the facility’s offering to the entire industry, along with the delivery of highly specialised training.

The vision for the South Australian facility, which will open in 2020, is to establish a national centre of excellence for dynamic vehicle testing including brake and electronic stability control along with Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) testing, suspension development and load capacity validation.

“The Australian automotive aftermarket manufacturing sector continues to punch well above its weight on the global stage,” Charity added. “Australian automotive aftermarket manufacturers currently turn over $5bn per annum, employ 21,000 people directly and export $1bn per year of locally manufactured product – and these exports are growing strongly.

“The two new Auto Innovation Centres will play a crucial role in the ongoing development of not just world-class, but world-leading automotive aftermarket products and components for the domestic market and for global export markets.”

INDUSTRY NEWS

New RMIT labs to advance materials, manufacturing, fabrication research Two new research laboratories at RMIT University’s Melbourne City campus will focus on developing high-performance advanced materials and improving manufacturing and fabrication.

Researchers will use the labs to improve solar cell technology, battery efficiency, magnesium implants for patients, and water sensing and purification. Professor Calum Drummond, RMIT Deputy Vice-Chancellor – Research and Innovation and Vice-President, said the facilities were set to strengthen the University’s research achievements in areas that would directly benefit industry and the community.

Enabling Capability Platform Directors Professor Rachel Caruso and Professor Ivan Cole with Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Innovation and Vice-President, Professor Calum Drummond.

“Our new labs will give us greater ability to quickly find industryrelevant solutions at a time when the need for energy efficient and high performing materials and advanced manufacturing is increasing exponentially,” he said. The lab opening coincided with RMIT’s new partnership with the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre at the University of Sheffield to collaborate and exchange expertise across advanced manufacturing and engineering.

with applications in cars, planes, buildings and other assets that are currently protected by toxic substances; and developing magnesium implants that break down at the same rate at which bones repair, so that new bone can slowly replace temporary implants in the body.

“We are building up an excellent platform for research, training and capability development in areas of key research strength,” Drummond added The Rapid Discovery and Fabrication Laboratory will be led by Advanced Manufacturing and Fabrication Enabling Capability Platform Director, Professor Ivan Cole. Key research areas will include: developing cheap “lab-on-a chip” sensing technology to detect toxins in water, which will be valuable to developing countries; identifying non-toxic compounds to protect metals from corrosion,

The Advanced Porous Materials Laboratory will be led by Advanced Materials Enabling Capability Platform Director, Professor Rachel Caruso. Key research areas will include: designing batteries with improved efficiency, weight and lifetime, with various applications including electric vehicles; improving solar cells by developing a more compact and flexible thin film with improved efficiency; and developing cost-effective, efficient water purifiers using solar energy to remove organic pollutants and molecules from large volumes of water.

The facilities and equipment are expected to enable high-throughput experimentation, where large numbers of tests run simultaneously, as well as advanced computational modelling.

INFO: VDW – Generalkommissariat EMO Hannover 2019 Verein Deutscher Werkzeugmaschinenfabriken e.V. Corneliusstraße 4 · 60325 Frankfurt am Main · GERMANY Tel.: +49 69 756081-0 · Fax: +49 69 756081-74 emo@vdw.de · www.emo-hannover.de 19150_AMTM_AU_177,5x130_au.indd 1

25.04.19 14:36

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

019

020

INDUSTRY NEWS

Australian innovators sharpen skills at cutting edge of German manufacturing Australia’s advanced manufacturing sector received a boost in April as Austrade and the Flinders University New Venture Institute led representatives from seven Australian businesses to Hannover Messe.

Austrade prepared delegates with a five-day boot camp at the agency’s Berlin Landing Pad. Delegates then took part in the world’s premier demonstration of Industry 4.0 technologies. The seven participating companies represented a cross-section of Australia’s innovative advanced manufacturing sector, with companies encompassing capabilities in Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) for predictive maintenance, automation to maximise efficiency and reliability in manufacturing processes, energy-efficient solutions for industrial applications, and human-centred designs for solutions across web and mobile platforms.

Austrade’s Trade Commissioner in Frankfurt, Steve Rank, said the event was important for Australian manufacturers which want to expand: “Germany is renowned for its engineering and advanced manufacturing excellence, and the country is ranked fifth in innovation globally. As the world’s fourth-biggest economy, Germany is an attractive market for Australian exporters in its own right.”

The pre-show boot camp took place in Kreuzberg, Berlin, at Austrade’s German Landing Pad, which helps start-ups and scaleups to enter European markets and make connections. The fiveday intensive bootcamp included workshops in European market readiness, industry tours, and meetings with thought leaders in innovative manufacturing and potential partners.

The tailored program provided insights into how Industry 4.0 and business digitisation can influence businesses processes and client relationships. It included practical examples of innovation ecosystems present in Europe that help start-ups grow and expand in the global market, as well as opportunities to seek new partnerships and collaborations.

Subsequently, the Australian delegation showcased their products and capabilities at Hannover in northwest Germany. As a premier global event, Hannover Messe provides an invaluable opportunity to learn about the latest advanced manufacturing trends, identify market opportunities and collaborate.

Supported by Austrade and Flinders University, delegates were introduced to major corporations with advanced manufacturing/ disruptive technology needs, including Volkswagen, Siemens, Sweden’s Co-lab ecosystem and Bosch.

“Attending the largest Industry 4.0 fair embedded a critical, global and growth mindset in participating Australian companies and positioned them to compete in a rapidly digitising industrial environment,’ said Matthew Salier, Director of the Flinders University New Venture Institute. “Combining our world-leading content with the inspiration gained from Hannover Messe will place participating Australian companies at the forefront of this transformation.”

Joint project to boost competitiveness Brisbane-based start-up MOVUS, the developer of machine monitoring technology FitMachine, has announced a cofunded project with the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC), that will provide 50 Australian manufacturing SMEs with an opportunity to kickstart their goal of digital transformation.

MOVUS is offering to subsidise 50% of the subscription to the FitMachine Starter Kit for the duration of 12 months. The Starter Kit comprises 10 sensors, an associated WiFi/4G gateway, a selfinstallation smartphone/tablet app and access to the MOVUS platform and dashboard to enable them to minimise equipment breakdowns through sophisticated monitoring.

The FitMachine is a continuous machine monitoring service, specifically designed for fixed rotating industrial equipment including pumps, motors, blowers, fans, compressors, chillers, cyclones, screens, cooling towers, gearboxes, and generators, among others. It uses advanced sensors and artificial intelligence to collect data on the temperature, vibration, noise and so the AI can predict failures in advance. It provides 24/7 monitoring of crucial manufacturing equipment and sends staff advanced alerts on any malfunction or machine degradation in advance.

“We know how critical equipment is for any manufacturing businesses and we want to enable Australian SMEs to get ahead of machine failures in order to improve efficiency, reliability and keep competitive,“ said Brad Parsons, CEO and Founder of

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

MOVUS. “Through a co-funded project with AMGC, a Federally supported initiative, we’re excited our FitMachine technology will help Australian SMEs to get ahead of equipment breakdowns and reduce maintenance costs, by minimising unplanned outages.”

Dr Jens Goennemann, Managing Director of the AMGC, added: “This partnership is an outstanding opportunity for AMGC to get behind an affordable machine monitoring solution to manufacturing SMEs, to help them further boost their business and operations.

The FitMachine Starter Kit project is another way AMGC is looking to support Australian manufacturing to compete globally through innovation, productivity and job growth opportunities, for the benefit of our industry.”

The FitMachine will give business owners, maintenance staff, plant and production managers 24/7 real-time visibility on their equipment. Through the wireless monitoring of the equipment’s performance, staff will know how well equipment is operating and its ongoing condition, which allows them to understand equipment utilisation, plan production ahead and schedule maintenance tasks when needed. www.movus.com.au/amgc

022

INDUSTRY NEWS

Deakin appoints new Advanced Fibre Cluster Geelong CEO Deakin University has welcomed the appointment of leading advanced manufacturing advocate and strategic communications specialist Jennifer Conley as CEO of the Advanced Fibre Cluster Geelong.

The Advanced Fibre Cluster Geelong (AFCG) is an initiative by a group of highly innovative Geelong companies, with the goal of establishing the region as a global centre of excellence for advanced fibre and composites innovation. The Cluster is led by the Geelong Manufacturing Council with support from Deakin University and engineering firm Austeng.

Conley will support Cluster members in generating new opportunities and investment for their businesses and the Geelong community. Other such dedicated cluster initiatives have been shown to be highly successful in spurring the commercialisation of new technologies and creating new revenue streams for companies and their wider regions.

and her work boosting innovation and Australian success in advanced manufacturing, are well known.” Conley comes to the AFCG following two decades working at the intersection of industry, research and government. From 2011 to 2017 she was chief strategy designer, then inaugural Executive Director, for the Australian Advanced Manufacturing Council (AAMC) – Australia’s first privatesector initiative supporting the emerging advanced manufacturing sector.

Deakin Carbon Nexus Director Derek Buckmaster, who is a member of the AFCG board and heads up the carbon fibre research facility at Deakin’s Waurn Ponds campus, said the Cluster had entered a new phase with Conley’s appointment.

“I am very excited to be contributing to some of the most innovative companies and organisations in the advanced manufacturing sector in this country,” Conley said. “These are creative companies gaining access to high value global supply chains with new solutions and products.

Deakin’s role has been pivotal in the development and acceleration of advanced fibre technology so it is perfect that the Cluster will be based out of Deakin’s ManuFutures building.

“We are very excited to welcome Jennifer to this new role,” Buckmaster said.

“Jennifer’s credentials as a leader in the field of industry and research collaboration,

“We know from international experience that clusters work best when there is a geographic concentration – people share knowledge and transfer ideas when they

are part of a neighbourhood, and there is a sense of ideas and solutions flowing more freely. I think we’ll see lots of new opportunities developing out of the Cluster over the next couple of years.”

Geelong Manufacturing Council CEO David Peart said Geelong had all the hallmarks for success in cutting-edge fibre production, as well as a rich history of success in manufacturing: “The members of the Cluster are dynamic companies and Jennifer’s appointment as a senior leader in this field will help accelerate their efforts to become world leaders.”

JSF underpins advanced manufacturing growth in SA BAE Systems Australia has celebrated the production of the 15,000th titanium part produced at Edinburgh Parks in South Australia for the world’s largest defence program, the F35 Joint Strike Fighter. for other critically important Defence programs including the Nulka decoy and the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile.

The range of parts produced in Australia have delivered 500 tail sets which, together with the aft fuselage and horizontal tail sets, make up the rear section of each jet which BAE Systems produces across its global enterprise.

BAE Systems Australia supplies F35 components to both its UK business and to Victorian manufacturer Marand.

Production of vertical tail parts at Edinburgh Parks will continue for another two decades, possibly further depending on global sales of the Joint Strike Fighter aircraft. Securing decades of work on the global F-35 program has underpinned BAE Systems’ investment in bespoke titanium machining facilities at Edinburgh Parks, which was also supported by the South Australian Government. As well as manufacturing a range of products for

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

BAE Systems Australia Managing Director Defence Delivery, Andrew Gresham said: “Australia’s strength is in the ability of manufacturers to excel in the production of highly specialised products. We are undertaking very complex and advanced manufacturing in a way that is cost-effective and globally competitive.

the F35 Joint Strike Fighter, the company also produces bespoke components

“Digitisation will be the next big step change to further improve our competitiveness by allowing us to collaborate seamlessly with our suppliers and partners in real time. This will mean that we can identify and resolve issues faster, improve risk management and optimise production.”

› BATTERY COOLING

› LASER INDUSTRY

› TOOLING INDUSTRY

› E-MOBILITY

› STAMPING/FORMING

› MEDICAL/SCANNER

coolingsystems PRECISE TEMPERATURE CONTROL FOR STABLE PROCESSES

› PLASTIC PROCESSING

OEMs and start ups worldwide rely on technotrans to provide development and prototype service through to serial production for bespoke cooling systems. technotrans group has more than 130,000 reliable systems in markets as diverse as medical, mobile battery, scanning/security, laser and print. Product in the field is supported by a global network with 24/7 customer service for quick help. www.technotrans.com

DEVELOPMENT PARTNER

› development and construction with 3D and simulation tools

› prototype production and long› › ›

term tests in own climatic chamber autarkic operation for pre-series qualification and functional test qualification process of the series devices with field tests CE certification and UL/CSA approval (UL 508A)

NORTHAMERICA Chicago (P)

SOUTHAMERICA Indaiatuba

technotrans technologies pte ltd | Unit 7 / 111 Lewis Road | Wantirna, Victoria 3152 Phone +61 3 9887-5049 | Fax +61 3 9801 1945

EUROPE Sassenberg (P) Baden-Baden (P) Bad Doberan (P) Meinerzhagen (P) Holzwickede (P) Colchester Saint-Maximin Madrid Legnano Hünfeld Langenburg Berlin

ASIA/PACIFIC Taicang (P) Kobe Singapore Melbourne Chennai

024

GOVERNMENT NEWS

Victorian manufacturing on show at Hall of Fame Awards Some of the most innovative, visionary and entrepreneurial businesses and individuals driving Victoria’s manufacturing industry now and into the future were honoured on 14 May at the Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame Awards.

The Awards were presented at a special gala dinner at Peninsula in Melbourne’s Docklands, hosted by ABC broadcaster Virginia Trioli. State Minister for Jobs, Innovation and Trade Martin Pakula congratulated the winners and finalists for their work in continuing to take Victorian businesses to the next level.

“The Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame Awards highlight the strength and competitiveness of Victoria’s manufacturing industry and I want to congratulate all our outstanding winners and finalists,” said Minister Pakula. “Our manufacturing industry is one of Victoria’s greatest strengths and successfully exports, invests and contributes to our thriving economy.”

Inaugural awards were presented to Air Radiators, named the Leader in Innovative Product Development and Commercialisation, and to Holden Special Vehicles, who received the award for Leader in Global Supply Chain Partnerships. Robert Bosch Australia took out the Leader in Industry 4.0 award and Barker Trailers was awarded the 2019 Leader in Workforce Skills Development. For their excellence in leadership and innovation in the manufacturing industry, Rochelle Avinu from Leica Biosystems was awarded the Woman Manufacturer of the Year award, and Nicholas Orchowski from RUAG Australia received the award for Young Manufacturer of the Year.

Columbia Australia collected the Manufacturer of the Year (Small Business) award, while Safetech was named Manufacturer of the Year (Medium Business). The Manufacturer of the Year (Large Business) went to Dulux Australia.

Geoffrey Bell was inducted into the Hall of Fame Honour Roll, in recognition of the evolution and growth of AW Bell, established as a family pattern-making business in 1952. The company now employs 100 people providing unique and one-off metal parts and prototypes for businesses and entrepreneurs. RUAG Australia also became the latest company inductee into the prestigious Hall of Fame.

The Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame has been recognising outstanding businesses and individuals in the manufacturing industry since 2001. Manufacturing contributes over $30bn to the

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

Victorian economy annually, employs more than 270,000 people and competes globally with $19.6bn annual exports in 2017-18. www.business.vic.gov.au/halloffame

Young Manufacturer of the Year Nicholas Orchowski Having completed a Bachelor of Engineering (Aerospace Engineering) at RMIT University, Nicholas Orchowski began his manufacturing career in 2014 as a Materials and Process Engineer at Rosebank Engineering, now RUAG Australia. Nicholas currently works as an engineer in the Advanced Technology and Engineering Solutions (ATES) department at RUAG Australia.

Nicholas continues to play a primary role in delivering innovative additive manufacturing solutions. He has been a team leader on a number of proof of concept projects developed for local and global companies. He was also project lead of RUAG’s Defence Capability Technology Demonstrator program in which he designed and oversaw the commissioning of Laser Additive Deposition systems, a program that has provided RUAG with new capability to restore damaged defence aerospace parts and return them to service. This is a unique capability, delivering cost-effective solutions for the aircraft industry.

Woman Manufacturer of the Year Rochelle Avinu In Rochelle’s 19-year tenure at Leica Biosystems, a medical device company, she has held various roles in multiple teams, including Scientific Project Lead, Global Support and Quality Assurance. Now Manufacturing Manager, she manages over 50 people across five

GOVERNMENT NEWS product lines, shipping worldwide.

Rochelle Avinu started her career as a Medical Laboratory Scientist, working in a hospital laboratory performing the manual process required to enable pathologists to diagnose cancer. With her scientific background and unique understanding of regulations and manufacturing, Rochelle has been successful in increasing productivity while maintaining quality and on-time delivery during a period of rapid growth. She is a passionate advocate for diversity and respect in manufacturing. She was responsible for co-creating a new leadership forum to enable the sharing of experiences and a better workplace, and has overseen an increase in staff engagement. Rochelle holds a Bachelor of Science (BSC) in Immunology and an Associate Diploma in Medical Technology.

Manufacturer of the Year – Small Business Columbia Australia Established in 1956, Columbia Australia has grown to be one of the nation’s leading manufacturers of precision plastic injection moulded parts and metal components for a range of industries. Columbia manufactures products for markets including automotive, renewable energy, electrical and consumer goods packaging.

Located in Cheltenham, Columbia has invested heavily in automation and new digital technologies. Its focus on R&D over the past five years has led to new product development and process improvements, and enabled Columbia to compete at a global scale, including a highly efficient process or machining fuel cell components, which are exported to Europe. The company places strong emphasis on workforce skills and capability, and extensive training is provided so staff can work on both the plastics and metals side of the business.

Key to Columbia’s success is its highly focused management team, dedicated professional engineers, production management and planners, and skilled production staff.

Manufacturer of the Year – Medium Business Safetech Safetech revolutionised the materials handling industry through the development of world-class lifting equipment that puts safety and productivity first. Safetech designs and manufactures material handling equipment, dock equipment, scissor lifts, vehicle lifts, hoists, cranes, lifting devices and palletising solutions from its base in Moe in regional Victoria. Customers come from industries including retail, manufacturing, distribution centres, self-storage, food & beverage, mining and construction. The company applies Lean manufacturing processes, with success underpinned by a commitment to staff training and continued development. The company has also collaborated with universities in Australia and Denmark, and regularly supports interns from Australia and across the globe. Safetech hoists and custom lifts are installed in some of Australia’s most iconic locations including the MCG, Sydney’s Star City, Parliament House, many state theatres, Perth’s Crown Casino and Melbourne’s Shrine of

Remembrance. Since 1988 Safetech has been exporting to international markets including the UK, South-East Asia, the Middle East and New Zealand.

Manufacturer of the Year – Large Business Dulux Australia Dulux is Australia’s leading manufacturer of decorative, powder, texture, protective and wood coatings products, with origins going back to 1918.

Dulux is headquartered in Clayton, where its world-class Technology and Innovation Centre employs a large team of chemists and technologists with expertise in new product development. In Dandenong South, Dulux has manufacturing capability to produce powder coatings, protective coatings and wood coatings. In 2018 the company opened its Merrifield facility in Melbourne’s north, a sophisticated state-of-the-art factory that allows for faster, greener, safer, more precise and more efficient production of water-based decorative paints. Manufacturing is supported by a robust statistical process control regime that provides analytical data used to continuously improve processes.

Dulux is a highly successful advanced manufacturer that continues to evolve and experience revenue growth each year, underpinned by strong investment in science and innovation, often in collaboration with academic institutions.

Company Induction RUAG Australia Based in Bayswater, RUAG Australia is a global leader in the development and manufacture of advanced precision hydraulics, additive material technologies and fine precision machining, with specialisms in air, land and maritime defence and aerospace systems and industrial engineering platforms. A key attribute and competitive advantage enjoyed by RUAG is the strength of its relationships with customers, in particular its relationships and formal service centre arrangements with major component OEMs and global parts distributors. Through collaborations with a range of academia, R&D and industry partners, and delivery into complex projects like the F35 Joint Strike Fighter, RUAG is highly regarded in both the national and international community. RUAG’s continued investment in new technologies and its workforce are central to the company’s sustained growth in revenue and exports.

LEADER IN INDUSTRY 4.0

Robert Bosch Australia LEADER IN WORKFORCE SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

Barker Trailers LEADER IN GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN PARTNERSHIPS

Holden Special Vehicles LEADER IN INNOVATIVE PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND COMMERCIALISATION

Air Radiators HONOUR ROLL

Geoffrey Bell, AW Bell

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

025

026

GOVERNMENT NEWS

Helping SMEs get involved in Defence projects The Industry Capability Network (ICN) Gateway has been updated to include a taxonomy for the Defence sector.

This is great news for companies wanting to be involved with Defence procurement contracts in Australia.

ICN Gateway is used to link suppliers to the buyer by issuing work packages.

The release of the taxonomy introduces a breakdown of the Defence sector industry capabilities into three further category levels making it easier for industry to better articulate their capabilities and in turn receive more relevant work packages.

This new visibility of industry capabilities demystifies the Defence sector and facilitates new business opportunities for Australian industry.

This update comes just in time for industry to express interest in the Hunter Class Frigate work packages leading up to the frigate production in Osborne, South Australia. The taxonomy is designed to enhance Australian Industry Capability (AIC) value and industry participation by enabling the buyer to have a larger and better selection pool of Australian suppliers to award contracts.

ICN will be notifying existing subscribers of the new taxonomy and encouraging them to review and update their company

profile by selecting capabilities listed in the updated Defence industry sector.

Companies not already on ICN Gateway wanting to be involved will first need to create a company profile.

“This is a great opportunity for Australian companies wanting to expand into the Defence Sector.” said ICN Limited Executive Director Derek Lark.

This update to the taxonomy has been designed by a panel of experts from Department of Defence, Department of Industry Innovation and Science, Defence South Australia, Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC), BAE Systems, Naval Group and ICN South Australia.

The taxonomy will continue to evolve as feedback from industry is received. gateway.icn.org.au

WA: New funding program supporting jobs in Collie The Western Australia State Government has announced a new program that will provide grants of up to $2m towards industry-led projects capable of growing and diversifying the economy in Collie, in the south-east of the state.

Applications are now open for the Collie Futures Industry Development Fund, designed to develop new industries and expand existing industries in the Collie region to create more job opportunities for local people. Initiatives from a wide range of sectors that can demonstrate the capacity to make a significant and sustainable impact on the local economy, will be eligible for consideration under the program.

Successful applicants will need to match the funding contribution from Premier Mark McGowan’s Government.

“This is an exciting opportunity to drive economic advancement and create jobs in Collie,” said Regional Development Minister Alannah MacTiernan. “We’re providing financial support to companies looking to establish or expand operations to help smooth the transition for Collie.

This significant investment will be the key to further unlocking Collie’s economic potential, with the funding set to capture new opportunities for the region.”

Mick Murray, Member of the Legislative Assembly for Collie-Preston, added “If you are a business looking to establish a

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

new base or expand operations, Collie is well worth considering. I encourage companies and organisations to take up the opportunity to tap into the millions of dollars in funding on offer through this program and to utilise Collie’s strengths to support your endeavours.”

The Collie Futures Industry Development Fund is the second funding program

delivered through the $20m Collie Futures Fund. The Collie Futures Small Grants Program was launched last year, with successful applicants already receiving support to kickstart economy-boosting, job-creating initiatives through the program.

For more information and to apply for grants, visit: www.swdc.wa.gov.au

Commonwealth Government Entrepreneurs’ Programme partnering with AMTIL

It’s all about you.

Innovation Connections

The Entrepreneurs’ Programme (EP) is a Commonwealth Government flagship initiative focused on raising the competitiveness and productivity of eligible companies at an individual level. AMTIL is a partner organisation working with the Department of Industry in the delivery of the EP. 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 Innovation Connections is a facilitation service to encourage and assist small and medium businesses to access knowledge, engage with researchers and foster innovation. Access to the latest technologies and cuttingedge research and knowledge is critical to help Australian businesses innovate and remain competitive. However, finding the unbiased advice, research and knowledge specific to your business can be challenging.

Innovation Connections offers: •

Support from experienced Innovation Facilitators to help you assess your technical, research or knowledge requirements. These Innovation Facilitators will provide you with unbiased recommendations to help you develop new ideas with commercial potential.

•

Introductions to researchers, technology or knowledge providers to work with you on collaborative projects.

•

Matched grants of up to $50,000 to engage a research organisation to undertake research projects in collaboration with your business.

•

Introductions to researchers, technology or knowledge providers to work with you on collaborative projects.

Every business has different needs.

www.amtil.com.au

1302AMTILEP03

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

028

VOICE BOX OPINIONS FROM ACROSS THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY

The fundamentals of sustainable operating systems The modern business environment is often described as “VUCA”: Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous. To meet these challenges, building organisations that can learn, develop and transform becomes more and more important on a daily basis. Establishing competitive operating systems, inclusive of continuous improvement, is crucial to whether an organisation succeeds or fails, writes Troy Taylor.

It is commonly understood by Lean and TPS practitioners that Toyota’s own production system (the father of Lean) is a product of both Continuous Improvement and Respect for People. Most also understand that within this pair lie five guiding principles: Challenge, Kaizen (Improvement), Genchi Genbutsu (Go and See), Respect and Teamwork. Why then is it so difficult to achieve success?

There are so many books and articles on this topic that you would have thought it would be relatively simple by now to read the material and just follow the instructions therein (even with some adaptation for organisational nuances). Unfortunately, it is not quite so simple.

Much of the writing today only describes the theory of strategy, never really delving deeper into how the necessary (seemingly mythical) mindset required for success manifests itself in practical terms. For example, ask any Lean practitioner, guru, sensei or consultant what the foundations of Lean are, and most will start reeling off at least part of the Lean stability toolset: 5S, standard work, Visual management, TPM and so on. These things are an essential foundation on which an organisation can begin to build a much stronger system, but they are not fundamental to an operating system’s success, longevity and/or sustainability. That requires something much deeper.

So what are the fundamentals?

Continuous improvement 1. A long-term plan exists for the future of the organisation.

2. The current state is continually challenged.

3. Challenges to the current state are focused on process rather than people 4. Problem-solving is habitual across the organisation.

• Consider a long-term vision and goals – This not only speaks to your people but to the community in which you operate.

• Make achievement towards the vision visible – Develop key performance and behavioural indicators that cascade through all levels of the organisation. Have these displayed in critical areas of the business so that communication around them can be challenged openly and honestly.

• Engage your people in achieving that vision – Create a simple, accessible process for continuous improvement and raising ideas. Ensure that the organisation has a structure that will allow for continuous improvement activity. Toyota adopt a 1:4 ratio to facilitate this: one manager to four reports at all levels across the business. This may not be the right answer for your organisation, but having 12-plus people report to one manager will never liberate time for improvement activity and your improvement efforts will always be a struggle. Once continuous improvement begins to happen intrinsically/organically it will become a positive influence on the organisation, liberating more time for growth and further improvement. (For further reading I recommend learning about David Rocks SCARF model to understand how to positively engage with your people.)

A previous client of mine took the time to develop an organisational mantra of “to advance humanity, inspire curiosity”. Bearing in mind this was a bio tech business full of scientists, it just spoke personally to each of the organisation’s people. A long-term goal was also created for the business, which was made visible. The goal was to increase his organisation’s current revenue stream in order to:

2. Mutual responsibility exists throughout the organisation.

1. Liberate the CEO from the current business so he could grow it geographically. This would mean developing staff to fit into a new future structure, a prospect worth working for by all accounts.

3. The organisation demonstrates its commitment to the economy and society in which it operates.

2. Branch out and invest into new areas of biological science.

What self-respecting scientist wouldn’t want to be in on this?

4. There is a demonstrable commitment of the organisation to invest in the development of its people.

The result was that the organisation has aligned, there is open and honest communication across all areas of the business, problemsolving began in earnest and continues on a daily basis, and a Lean mindset has been adopted as each person within the business works collaboratively to reach both their personal and organisational goals. The client has increased revenue and is about to embark on a new venture in the US, the CEO is well recognised and respected in Lean circles, and the organisation has achieved breakthroughs in its industry that has led to it being recognised as the leader in its field.

Respect for people 1. Mutual trust exists throughout the organisation.

5. Challenges to the current state are accepted positively.

These fundamentals are not stand-alone elements, but parts of a larger, complex system, each with their own set of conditions and behaviours that must be met or developed in order to achieve them.

At this point it is interesting to note that for decades, businesses globally have been spruiking that “our people are our most important asset” and that the fundamentals are all about people, but these fundamentals are scarce to non-existent (or at least poorly interpreted) across many industries in which I have worked. As an organisation, success is all about open and honest communication, collaboration and alignment to the biggest picture.

So how do you begin to develop the fundamentals?

• Understand the purpose of your people – What makes them do what they do? This is not about money and never will be; it’s about understanding why your people come to work each day, why they chose the profession in which they work today.

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

This article only brushes the surface of what the introduction of the fundamentals entails, the work that is involved and the results that can be achieved. If you would like to know more then please feel free to contact me.

Troy Taylor is a Lean specialist of more than 20 years; he was trained in the Toyota Production System by Toyota’s own Japanese Lean sensei, whilst bringing a new plant online for vehicle supply to Europe. You can contact Troy at Businessleaner@outlook.com

Materials Services

For all your round bar needs

6061 – Round Bar 25.4mm >508mm

7075 – Round Bar 25.4mm >203.2mm

Grade 5 Titanium Round Bar 25.4mm >101.6mm

thyssenKrupp Materials is Australia’s leading supplier of material to the engineering industry Australia wide.

We offer a large range of quality certified round bars with cutting facilities and are your number one choice when it comes to quality material at competitive prices.

We also hold a full stock range of plate, sheet and square bar, not to mention our in house waterjet for all your profiling requirements.

Contact thyssenkrupp Materials Australia Pty Ltd Unit 2, 7−10 Denoci Close Wetherill Park, NSW 2164, Australia

T: +61 2 9757 7777 F: +61 2 9757 7700 sales.tkmaterials.au@thyssenkrupp.com www.thyssenkrupp-materials-australia.com

030

VOICE BOX OPINIONS FROM ACROSS THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY

The sense test – How human senses are revolutionising industrial robots As season two of the critically acclaimed TV show Westworld came to a close in June 2018, it continued to fuel a conversation around what the robot of the future will look like. While many still believe in the not-too-distant future we will have human-like robots such as those depicted in sci-fi blockbusters like Blade Runner, it will be functionality that dictates the appearance of these machines. John Young discusses how allowing manufacturing robots to see and feel is enabling them to step out of the cage.

When we think of robots, we often think of either clunky metal frames that complete menial tasks, or something so human it is almost indistinguishable to the person standing next to you. Both appearances have their uses though, whether it’s for picking, packing and palletising in a manufacturing plant, or entertaining guests at an amusement park.

Traditionally, robots have been large and noisy pieces of equipment, often posing potential safety risks to the workforce. A new breed of collaborative robots has changed this though, allowing machines to work side-by-side with human employees. This type of robot is now becoming increasingly commonplace on the plant floor, revolutionising the manufacturing process.

In a study carried out by the University of Tennessee’s Knoxville Global Supply Chain Institute, robotics was identified as one of the biggest supply chain disruptors.

Paul Dittmann, Executive Director of the Global Supply Chain Institute and author of the paper, said: “Robots have been around for more than 50 years, but they have become dramatically more dynamic in the last five. They are no longer stationary, blind, expensive and unintelligent, but can work alongside people and learn as jobs change.”

The evolution of the humble robot One of the biggest advances in robotics is the deployment of sensors that allow robots to both see and feel. By integrating and retrofitting sensors to a manufacturing robot, it can undertake much more complicated tasks, which a human workforce may not. The IDTechEx report Sensors for Robotics: Technologies, markets and forecasts 2017-2027 predicts that the market for robotic vision and force sensing is expected to reach over $16.1bn by 2027. These types of sensors are just the tip of the iceberg though.

Drive and control technologies company Bosch Rexroth has recently released a six-axis arm collaborative robot, which uses a capacitive sensor skin to avoid collisions without making physical contact with an object. Featuring more than 120 sensors, the skin allows the robot to stop automatically at a safe speed if it senses an employee has entered its operating zone. Using a capacitive electrical field to detect nearby obstacles, the robot will continue to work once it senses the person has moved to a safe zone.

Scientists in Japan have also added the ability to smell to possible robot senses. Researchers at Kyushu University have developed a robot that can detect odours using a technique known as localised surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), which measures changes in light absorption by gold nanoparticles upon exposure to a gas.

LSPR is a collective oscillation of conduction band electrons in metal nanoparticles, excited by the electromagnetic waves of incident light. While there are robots available on the market that can detect airborne odours already, they are significantly slower at analysing data.

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

Taking the next steps Advancements in both software and hardware have enabled the creation of more advanced robots featuring an array of sensors and processing possibilities. While early robots were limited to performing more menial tasks, this new range of sensors is increasing decision making capabilities with more sophisticated analysis of data.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is taking this one step further, allowing robots to learn from experiences, providing them with a far greater level of dexterity. AI software enables robots to identify specific objects, studying how they behave when picked, pushed and even dropped.

This in turn impacts on how the robot will handle them in the future.

With developments in robotics showing no sign of slowing down, it doesn’t mean older models and technologies are obsolete, particularly given that regularly replacing your industrial robots can be an expensive process. Working with a supplier of obsolete parts such as EU Automation can ensure your plant remains operational and that your robot workforce is as efficient as the day you brought it.

While we may be a few years off from robots running our theme parks, there is no doubt that they are becoming more advanced by the day. With the global market for industrial robots predicted to reach $1.9bn by 2022, robots continue to drive smart manufacturing lines, making production processes more efficient and profitable for investing industries.

John Young is a Sales Manager at industrial parts supplier EU Automation. www.euautomation.com

NLX 2500 | 700 with Gantry Loader GX 10 T

NLX SERIES UNIVERSAL TURNING BMT REVOLVER with 10,000 rpm

ø 80 mm

up to

Bar machining (Chuck components up to ø 460 mm)

INTEGRATED AUTOMATION z.B. Gantry Loader GX 10 T for workpieces up to ø 200 × 150 mm

Find out more about NLX Series nlx.dmgmori.com

Exclusive Technology cycle

gearSKIVING SKIVING

Highly productive machining process: up to 8 times faster than gear shaping!

032

TECH NEWS

UK: Transparent polythene – Strength greater than aluminium The phrase “transparent aluminum” first appeared in the 1986 Star Trek IV movie. Today, transparent aluminium-based ceramics exist (named ALON); however engineers at Warwick Manufacturing Group & Queen Mary Uni. have devised a method of making transparent polythene sheets that have tensile strength greater than aluminium but at a fraction of the weight. Previous attempts resulted in material which is strong but opaque. The new technique, which orients the strands of polymer molecules, enhances the mechanical properties of the cheaper polymer high-density polyethylene (HDPE) to the point where it not only competes with glass, but in some ways, outperforms metals.

This new technique endows strength and resilience while preserving transparency without using additives. It is anticipated that these lightweight, low-cost, highly transparent, high strength and high stiffness HDPE films can be used in laminates and laminated composites, replacing or strengthening traditional inorganic or polymeric glass.

The Engineer/Warwick

USA: New 3D printer uses wood A large and innovative 3D printer could open up new uses for wood.

The new printer will use a roughly 50-50 mix of plastic resins and wood cellulose to create 3D objects, such as boat hulls, custom furniture, bridge parts, and even vehicles. The process begins by breaking wood down into cellulose that is mixed with resins or other material to form tiny beads. The beads are then fed into the printer, which combines them according to a software program into a product that is extruded from the printer. Combining elements of wood with plastic adds strength, and using a printer to create moulds saves time and allows easier and quicker modifications.

The mould is also recyclable. The technology behind the plasticwood printers was initially developed at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Canada: 3D printed glass For the first time, researchers have successfully 3D printed chalcogenide glass, a unique material used to make optical components that operate at mid-infrared wavelengths. This could make it possible to manufacture complex glass components and optical fibres for new types of low-cost sensors, telecom components, biomedical devices and infrared thermal imaging for defence and security. A commercially available 3D printer was modified for glass extrusion and based on FDM (plastic filament is melted and then extruded). Chalcogenide glass softens at a relatively low temperature compared to other glass; therefore the research team increased the maximum extruding temperature of the printer from 260 °C to 330 °C to enable chalcogenide glass extrusion. Alternative approaches are also being explored to print other types of glass and the adding of new extruders to enable coprinting with polymers.

The Optical Society

USA: Largest plane on earth – Space is closer than you think Launching satellites into space is still very difficult. Seattle-based Stratolaunch is attempting to make access to orbit as routine, flexible and affordable as catching a commercial airline flight by using a unique air-launch approach to deliver payloads to multiple orbits and inclinations in a single flight. It successfully completed the first flight of the world’s largest all-composite aircraft - the Stratolaunch - last April. Its dual fuselage design and wingspan is greater than the length of an American football field. The reinforced centre wing can support multiple launch vehicles, weighing up to a total of 226,796kg. “Today’s flight furthers our mission to provide a flexible alternative to ground-launched systems,” Stratolaunch CEO Jean Floyd said following the initial flight last April.

Stratolaunch

University of Maine

France: The robot firefighter that helped save Notre Dame With a wall of flames rapidly advancing, growing on the roof of Notre Dame and threatening the structure’s integrity and the safety of firefighters, the commander of the Paris Fire Brigade made a painful choice. He told his firefighters to retreat. But he had a backup plan: employing a small firefighting robot named ‘Colossus’ which has the ability to enter danger zones where conditions would quickly kill a person. Using a motorized water cannon capable of firing more than 660 gallons per minute, Colossus took aim at the stone walls and began spraying. The robot was credited with lowering temperatures inside the nave and saving the lives of firefighters as an even greater disaster loomed. Manufactured by Shark Robotics, it has a payload of 550 kg, is a tiny 76cm tall, travels at 3.5kph, can climb stairs, is waterproof and is resistant to thermal radiation.

Reuters/Shark Robotics

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

USA: New reactor-liner alloy offers strength, resilience A new tungsten-based alloy (quaternary nanocrystalline tungstentantalum-vanadium-chromium) displaying outstanding radiation resistance has been shown to withstand unprecedented amounts of radiation without damage, which is essential for extreme irradiation environments (ie interiors of magnetic fusion reactors.

“We have never seen before a material that can withstand the level of radiation damage that we have observed for this high-entropy alloy. It seems to retain outstanding mechanical properties after irradiation, as opposed to traditional counterparts” Enrique Martinez Saez, Principal Investigator.

Los Alamos National laboratory

TECH HEADING NEWS to those of the metal part, the waves easily pass through the ice and encased metal and pick up any defects in the part. But the ice must be crystal-clear. A way was found to freeze ice around the part while keeping the ice transparent.

University of Cincinnati

USA: Ultra-lightweight ceramic withstands extreme temperatures USA: Solar power – New material breakthrough A physicist has increased the performance of solar cells to levels never before reached. The ultra-high efficiency material called a tandem perovskite solar cell will soon be ready to debut. Perovskites would replace silicon which up to now remains the preferred material for converting the sun’s light into electrical energy. The finetuning of a mix of lead and tin is advancing the technology closer to its maximum efficiency (23% vs silicon panels’ 18%). Scientists used guanidinium thiocyanate to dramatically improve the structural and optoelectronic properties of the lead-tin mixed perovskite films.

University of Toledo

Israel: First 3D printed heart using patient’s own cells In a major medical breakthrough, researchers have “printed” the world’s first 3D vascularised engineered heart using a patient’s own cells and biological materials. Until now, only simple tissues without blood vessels have been printed. This printed heart is made from human cells and patient-specific biological materials which serve as the bioinks - substances made of sugars and proteins - that can be used for 3D printing of complex tissue models. The use of patientspecific materials is crucial to successfully engineering tissues and organs - to eliminate the risk of implant rejection. At this stage, the printed heart is the size of a rabbit’s heart. After developing it further, the researchers plan to transplant it in animal models.

Tel Aviv University

Researchers have created an extremely light, very durable ceramic aerogel for applications like insulating spacecraft because it can withstand the intense heat of space missions. These materials have been used to insulate industrial equipment since the 1990s, but the new version is much more durable and much lighter and unusually elastic. When it’s heated, the material contracts rather than expanding like other ceramics do. It also contracts perpendicularly to the direction that it’s compressed. So the material is far more flexible and less brittle than current ceramic aerogels which are highly brittle and tend to fracture after repeated exposure to extreme heat and temperature swings. The new material is made of thin layers of boron nitride, a ceramic, with atoms that are connected in hexagon patterns. It withstood conditions that would typically fracture other aerogels.

UCLA

Australia: “World first” waterlanding drone Known as Black Kite, a waterproof drone which can land and takeoff on water, represents a “world first”. It functions even with some level of swell and in all-weather conditions. The drone was designed

by RMIT engineers with Defence Science & Technology Group. It has also been designed to operate with high levels of autonomy in taking off, intercepting and tracking targets, returning to base and landing. Its operating range is up to 3km and can carry a 3kg payload, including a wide range of sensors and speaker and mic system for two-way communication with vessels. The drone has been presented before top US Navy officials and, after nearly 40 test missions and further development, is ready for deployment.

RMIT

Australia: “For the first time ever, corrugated sheets can be used in a roof, wall or elsewhere with the possibility of a perfect seal”. Jens Goennemann, MD, Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC) – commenting on the “worldfirst” FormFlow patented process for bending corrugated metal sheets. This allows corrugated steel to be cold-bent, without damaging the coating or structure of the metal, enabling damage-free 90deg bends. This has the potential for new market opportunities of $1bn pa in the global sheet metal market. AMGC has supported Geelong-based FormFlow’s acceleration to market, with announcements to be made “soon”.

USA: AM – New inspection process freezes parts in ice A novel approach to inspect additively manufactured parts has been developed. Named cryoultrasonics, the AM part is dipped in water and frozen inside a cylinder of ice. The ice acts as a coupling medium, letting ultrasonic waves enter and reflect against the part’s potential defects. The process may have a dramatic influence on industry, ensuring additive manufacturers build reliable parts.

In the past, ultrasonic waves bounced off the angles and curves of AM parts, instead of the potential cracks or defects. With the new method, since the physical properties of ice are very similar

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

033

034

PRODUCT NEWS

Rotoclear Vision – Giving CNC operators remote view into production process Rotoclear has been a leader in spin windows for many years, continually evolving and refining its models to provide maximum cleaning effectiveness coupled with simple installation.

The latest model, the S3, features the world’s lowest installation height of just 34mm allowing simpler installation compared to the previous Rotoclear models. With this latest model the device is always mounted on the inside of the inspection window with safety being maintained. There are different options for installation of different machining centre windows with bolt-on or adhesivemounted versions available.

As with previous models, the device works by a rotating disc flinging off striking coolants and cuttings, whether water-soluble or -insoluble. The spinning window keeps the inspection window clean and thus ensures continuous control of workflow.

The maximum field of view is achieved via a revolutionary and patented drive concept, while high torque guarantees a clear view of the production process even under the toughest milling conditions.

The new S3 model dramatically reduces service and cleaning times; the rotating glass disc as a wear part can be changed in less than a minute without dismantling the entire device. Maximum operational reliability is assured by use of air bleed and low power consumption by use of linear drive technology.

Rotoclear S3 is suitable for all kinds of metal cutting machines such as turning centres, milling machines, in addition to machining centres and test stands. Overload protection, emergency shut-off and soft restart are executed automatically and ensure constant operation.

Now Rotoclear has once again raised the bar with its latest accessory for the S3 unit. Rotoclear Vision features a Wi-Fi camera for wireless monitoring of a machine tools working space. Integrated into Rotoclear, the camera always has a clear view into the machine – just like the operator. The camera’s head is adjustable, so one can focus on the important details of the process.

The camera can connect to any Wi-Fi enabled device. The operator can either log in directly to the camera’s access point or can easily integrate the camera into the corporate network. The camera is available as a complete package and is attached to the integrated connector of Rotoclear and simultaneously powered by it.

“Rotoclear has always led the way in spin window technology and Rotoclear Vision is proof of the company’s innovation and forward thinking,” says Dimac Managing Director Paul Fowler. “The ability to connect the unit to any Wi-Fi enabled device will assist CNC machine tool operators to maximise productivity and reduce the workload in their workplace.” www.dimac.com.au

Threefold universal use – the new X·treme Evo With the X·treme Evo solid carbide drill from its Advance range, Walter is launching the new DC160 product type.

The new release is an all-rounder for every material, machine and drilling application. This can be used universally in three different ways, in all ISO material groups. It is designed for a wide variety of applications such as inclined entries and exits, drilling holes close to the edge of the workpiece or convex and concave surfaces. Furthermore, it is also intended for use with all machine concepts: in machining centres, horizontal or vertical, or in lathes, rotating with driven tools, axial and radial (with angular head), or stationary.

As a first step, Walter is bringing out the X·treme Evo in the variants 3 and 5 × Dc without internal coolant and 5, 8 and 12 × Dc with internal coolant. In addition to the DC160 variant, the drill from the Advance range is also available as the DC260 Advance step drill with and without internal coolant. According to Walter, the greatest strengths of the X·treme Evo lie in its long tool life and high levels of productivity and process reliability.

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

The WJ30ET (full coating) and WJ30EU (point coating) grades are new to the X·treme Evo: A highly tough micrograin substrate combined with Walter’s own TiSiAlCrN/AlTiN multi-layer coating on an AlTiN base layer. Extremely wear-resistant for a long tool life – even while maintaining high cutting parameters.

Another innovation is the thinner web with steep approach angle, along with the fourth land that lies close to the drill tip. The steep approach angle reduces the feed force and increases the positioning accuracy. The deep-seated fourth land is engaged even quicker and consequently optimises drill guidance, particularly for inclined entries and exits. The new type of face geometry on the X·treme Evo creates plenty of room for the chip in the centre and therefore improves chip removal, particularly in soft material. www.walter-tools.com

PRODUCT NEWS

Epicor – Enabling the connected enterprise Epicor has unveiled its vision for the ‘Connected Enterprise’ of the future, to support manufacturers seeking to become more competitive in today’s Industry 4.0 world.

The latest version of its global enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution, Epicor ERP 10.2.400, enables operational environments where factories, warehouses and machines are all connected to improve productivity and competitiveness.

Harnessing artificial intelligence, automation, and analytic capabilities to drive efficiencies across all operational assets, the connected enterprise makes it possible for manufacturers to initiate knowledge-enabled systems that can enhance processes and optimally utilise people and machines. Capable of improving the flexibility and overall effectiveness of a company’s factory and distribution network, the latest version of Epicor ERP offers a powerful platform for manufacturers as they embrace digital transformation.

According to industry analyst IDC, it is predicted that “over 40% of manufacturers will have enterprise-wide digital transformation initiatives in place by 2021”. A truly connected enterprise links production assets and enterprise IT to deliver contextualised information and operational intelligence, improving productivity and performance across the value chain from suppliers to customers.

By bringing together data, analytics and automated control across the factory and the warehouse, and intelligently converging these insights with customers’ and suppliers’ requirements, companies can respond to changes and challenges faster. This, allows companies to reduce costs, improve customer satisfaction, increase revenue, and gain market share.

“With the increasing availability and affordability of IoT (Internet of Things) connected solutions, and technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, companies now have the opportunity to enable dynamic co-ordination and automation between systems,” said Terri Hiskey, Vice-President, Product marketing – Manufacturing at Epicor. “We believe manufacturers are on the brink of creating intelligent production environments within connected digital ecosystems, where systems like ERP act as a digital core around which the entire factory functions as a computer.”

For example, Epicor IoT connects into the Microsoft Azure IoT hub, allowing companies to capture the vast amounts of data from IoT sensors and analyse that data to gain insights that support smarter decision-making. With the latest version of its ERP solution, Epicor is putting technology in place that allows companies to not only connect their operations, but also analyse data collected across the enterprise.

“Connected solutions make it possible for companies to enable smarter decision-making and improve productivity at a faster pace than ever before, added Hiskey. “At Epicor, we believe in designing solutions for the connected enterprise that support not only the way people work today, but how they will work in the future. Thanks to decades of industry expertise, we understand that manufacturers need a solid foundation that helps them take advantage of technology innovations such as IoT, big data, and advanced analytics, as and when they need to gain a competitive advantage. The latest version of Epicor ERP provides that critical foundation.” www.epicor.com

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

035

036

PRODUCT NEWS

Machinery check-ups: your best investment yet?

If you’re in manufacturing, machinery is like the lifeblood of your company. If they got seriously ill or died, your company may not survive either.

Machinery and vehicles are some of the biggest assets that companies own, and protecting those assets is business critical.

In fact, it is one of the best investments in time and money you can make. Like you feel better when you’ve been eating well, you’ll increase the performance of your machines.

For example, the UTAC-CERAM group found that by adding the patented NCH K Kube system to a diesel-fuelled vehicle, it consumed 3.3% less fuel and created 12.1% fewer emissions.

Over one year of commercial use, that resulted in tens of thousands of dollars savings, even after the cost of the system.

But regular check-ups are important too. Companies with heavy machinery or commercial vehicles may check to see if they need to change the oil, but many are left in shock when businesscritical tools break down. This leaves them unable to do business until they can fix the problem.

NCH has been developing industrial maintenance products for 100 years. However, when it comes to their line of industrial greases and oils, they have realised that supplying the best products isn’t enough. To supply bespoke solutions to each individual business, it is essential to do a full root cause analysis on the oil. This looks at the health of the oil and of the machine, and regular testing identifies any deterioration of condition to predict issues before they become genuine problems.

Root Cause Analysis identifies the causes of any problems or events to prevent them from recurring. Oil testing can be

Balluff – Rugged sensors Balluff is expanding its range of sensors for mediacontacting temperature detection in applications such as hydraulic power units.

The new additions to the range consist of a temperature sensor with display, a temperature transmitter, and a PT1000 sensor. The version without display is especially compact and vibration-resistant, whereas the versions with the turnable and highly readable display offer high operating convenience and flexible installation.

Depending on the version, the BFT sensors provide PNP switching outputs, analog signals 0-10V /4-20mA, or work as a PT1000 sensor. They are simple to install by threading into the process using a standard process connection with G- and NPT threads. Integrating them requires just a four-pin M12 plug on the sensor.

Continuous monitoring of process media on machines and equipment contributes greatly to process security. Values that need to be maintained are pressure, level and temperature. When for example in a hydraulic system you need to monitor the temperature of the hydraulic fluid, you can do this reliably using our BFT mediacontacting temperature sensors. Monitoring the temperature within the hydraulic loop guarantees correct fluid viscosity and thereby the best performance of a machine.

Critical process conditions such as a temperature limit can be controlled directly via the switching output. An analog output provides continuous measurement results. The BFT temperature sensors also stand out when it comes to monitoring the cooling water, lubricants and compressed air, making them ideal for a variety of applications. www.balluff.com.au

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

done when there are suspicions of a problem, or on a regular maintenance schedule to ensure solutions are proactive, not reactive. In your business, and at the doctor, early detection can save you thousands of dollars and sleepless nights, because when you catch the problem sooner, it is easier and cheaper to fix, and there is no recovery time. Root cause analysis can tell you: how your oil is performing and when it is time to change it; early warnings of damage or wear in the machine; signs of contamination and its sources; and any by-products of degradation that are present.

Like a doctor diagnosing a disease but not recommending a treatment, a root cause analysis test on its own is not much use.

One poll revealed that nearly a third of lubrication professionals wouldn’t know how to interpret a commercial laboratory’s oil analysis report. To protect your investment, you need to find solutions.

Choosing to get a root cause analysis with a company that offers tailored solutions based on the results is like seeing a specialist.

You’ll get your machinery or vehicles accurately diagnosed, any issues clearly explained and a prescription for how to fix it. NCH Australia offers this bespoke to service to any company looking to future-proof its assets. They have solutions tailored to your needs and experts who specialise in lubricants for your industry. www.nchasia.com/en-au

Coherent launches ExactCut series of precision laser machines ExactCut, the first offering in Coherent’s new ExactSeries of fine materials processing equipment, micromachining systems combine intelligence, integration, and interconnectivity for precision cutting of metals, alloys, sapphire, polycrystalline diamond (PCD), and ceramics.

To significantly reduce integration and qualification time, ExactCut ships with pre-programmed process parameters for the desired application. It’s a ready-to-use solution for demanding manufacturing applications for medical devices, electronics, automotive, and horology. ExactCut also delivers high flexibility for multipurpose job shops.

ExactCut systems combine the latest generation of pulsed fibre laser sources (300W/3kW pulse peak), a high stability granite motion module, and a sophisticated human interface. The intelligent and intuitive software simplifies the entry of parameter and process recipes; this is particularly valuable for short or prototype production runs and rapid changeovers. The ExactCut is designed for easy integration into high volume production, with a variety of interfaces for specialty tooling, rotary or linear stages, part handling robotics, and conveyor belts.

Backed by decades of applications expertise of the combined Coherent and Rofin organisations, ExactCut systems also feature sophisticated remote diagnostics and predictive maintenance, and are supported by Coherent’s worldwide service infrastructure. www.coherent.com

Try generative design for yourself.

Download your free trial here: www.autodesk.com.au/gd

038

PRODUCT NEWS

Omron – New robot enhances human-machine collaboration A new solution for automating most repetitive production tasks is now available, following the release of Omron Automation’s new TM Series Collaborative Robot, designed to facilitate collaboration between humans and machines. necessary. Integrated on-arm vision system further reduces set-up time. The robot comes with built-in vision and integrated lighting for capturing products with a wide viewing angle. Image sensing functions include pattern matching, barcode reading, color identification and more.

Omron’s latest release offers an advanced yet intuitive solution for automating repetitive tasks in manufacturing. With builtin vision and a user-friendly, plug-and-play programming interface, the new TM Series Collaborative Robot works seamlessly with humans to enhance productivity and ensure safety.

The TM Series also boasts compliance with human-machine collaborative safety standards. The robot ensures safe cooperation between humans and machines and reduces installation time by eliminating the requirement for industrial safety guarding.

Designed to enable an innovative manufacturing environment, this highly transportable robot complies with safety requirements for human-robot collaboration specified in ISO 10218-1 and ISO/TS 15066. It can be easily trained to perform almost any repetitive task in any location thanks to a manual teaching function that allows operators to teach the robot with hand-guidance without any need for software.

The TM Series’ programming interface is intuitive and quick to set up. The robot reduces installation and set-up times compared with traditional industrial robots

thanks to a flowchart-based programming interface and intuitive teaching. No prior robot programming experience is

The introduction of the new Collaborative Robot is geared towards manufacturers seeking to boost production and reduce employee fatigue by automating repetitive tasks such as machine tending, loading and unloading, assembly, screw driving, gluing, testing or soldering. www.omron.com

Liner replacement with igus exchange bearing from Treotham The motion plastics specialist igus relies on lubrication-free liners made of high-performance polymers for a silent and precise sliding of linear guides. Recently, igus developed an exchange bearing for the drylin W linear modular kit particularly for a quick replacement of liners in high-frequency applications.

Consequently for example, drylin W linear guides, linear axes and linear robots can be easily retrofitted.

The principle behind it is quite simple: Unlock bearing, push liner out, replace and it’s ready. The exchange bearing that saves time and cost is now also available from Treotham in sizes 16 and 20 for linear guides of the drylin W series, besides the standard installation size 10.

The principle of the replacement bearing is quite simple: first, the side cover of the linear housing is loosened using a screwdriver.

With the free tool supplied, which the users can also 3D print themselves, the liner can now be slid out of the housing and directly removed from the rail. The new lining made of the wear-resistant and abrasion-resistant high-performance plastic iglidur J200 is then clipped onto the rail and inserted into the carriage with the mounting tool. Put the side cover back on the linear housing and the bearing change is finished in no time.

In extreme circumstances, abrasive sand or glass dust can, sooner or later, cause wear of the liners on a linear guide rail. Just like applications in automation, where linear guides and axes are in operation around the clock. For a replacement of the liner, the entire linear carriage had to be slid off the rail. Especially for linear axes or multi-axis linear robots with belt drive, this could only be done through costly disassembly and recommissioning.

In response, igus has developed an exchange bearing made of the highperformance plastic iglidur J200 for the drylin W linear guides. The bearing enables easy replacement directly on the linear rail in few steps. This reduces downtimes, saves set-up costs and ensures 24/7 operation. A

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

practical, free tool enables safe installation of the liners in no time at all. To enable even more users to take advantage of the practical and efficient bearing, the new bearing is also available for installation sizes 16 and 20 in addition to installation size 10.

The practical advantage of this is that the rail is not damaged and the bearing housing can be reused without disassembly of belts or lead screws. A pin located in the middle of the side cover secures the liner in the linear housing. Alternatively, replacement can also be carried out with a screwdriver. www.treotham.com.au

PRODUCT NEWS

Kemppi unveils Gamma helmet range for welder safety and protection Kemppi has launched its new Gamma range of helmets for welders. The personal gear offers welders the best protection for the eyes, face and respiratory system, and it also integrates work lights for clear vision and safety in low-light working conditions.

The Gamma range reduces work fatigue, increases comfort, and helps guard against welding-related health hazards. Designed to deliver maximum protection and safety for welding professionals, the Gamma family now sets the global benchmark.

Intense light and heat from the welding and cutting arcs are known hazards in welding workshops. However, welding also contaminates the surrounding air. Welding and cutting fumes, which contain dangerous elements that are generally not visible to the naked eye, pollute the breathing air and can pose serious health risks.

Typically, welders can breathe 4,000 litres of air in an eight-hour work shift, and if the lungs are unprotected, tiny fume particles can pass deep into the lung structure and can cause serious health risks through longand short-term exposure to contaminated air. The new Gamma series protects welders from 99.8% of airborne fumes and particulates. “The Gamma series, when used together with the new powered filter unit, meets the highest European Total Inward Leakage (TIL) classification for respiratory performance, class TH3 as well as Australian and New Zealand standards,” said David Green, Managing Director, Kemppi Australia. “This places the Gamma series in a category all of its own when it comes to delivering maximum overall protection for the welder.”

Powered from either a battery powered filter pack or an airline breathing source, the Gamma GTH3 respirator models work on the ‘positive air pressure’ principal to exclude dangerous welding fumes, and supply clean and fresh breathing air into the breathing zone. These helmets ensure the welder enjoys a safe, cool and comfortable breathing environment when welding.

Meeting the highest filtration performance for respiratory protection, the belt mounted, battery powered PFU 210e filter pack also offers total freedom of movement around

the worksite, and the supplied air models can be connected to a known breathing air system to meet the local breathing air standards.

Designed from the user’s perspective, the Gamma also provides excellent optical quality and large view areas. LiFE+ Colour auto-darkening welding filter technology enables greater clarity of vision. What’s more, when the welding visor is lifted, a 198sqcm clear impact protection shield provides superb worksite views. These combined features improve work accuracy, increase safety, and reduce eye strain and work-based fatigue. In addition, with their auto-darkening welding filters Gamma helmets are easy to adjust as they include the ‘Remote-RC’ feature. Located on the inside, upper surface of the helmet shell, the remote-control buttons allow welders to quickly and conveniently adjust the filter even when they are wearing the helmet.

Other features that enhance the usability of the Gamma helmets include Axis regulation and GapView functions that deliver fast and convenient adjustment of the viewing area for different working positions. For low light conditions, the XFA models integrate 70 lumen LED work lights to help improve visibility, comfort and safety.

To ensure maximum comfort, the ComFlex headband offers flexibility for the perfect fit to the welder’s individual head shape and preferences. The suspended weight of the helmet is distributed evenly to help reduce fatigue.

Welders can choose from a range of seven Gamma models. They include standard face and eye protection through to the advanced high-class respiratory solutions that provide welders with a safe breathing environment throughout their working day.

The Gamma helmets are suitable for use in all arc-based processes including welding, cutting and gouging, and in grinding and inspection work. www.kemppi.com

High Precision Versatile Laser Sensor for Quality control & Inspection

COMPACT design WIDE measuring range HIGH resolution FAST measuring rate DYNAMIC adaptation to changing surfaces

Optional controller & gateway to connect with any industrial interface

GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY LOCAL SUPPORT Call: (03) 9540 5100 Email: enquiry@bestech.com.au

www.bestech.com.au AMT JUN/JUL 2019

039

NOW THAT’ “We have THINKING.

already seen the positive financial implications of the Yawei; it’s value for money.”

Shane Blewden, Owner - Alliance Metal its extreme accuracy, speed and con Solutions, Kings Park, NSW.With costs, the new Yawei HLF fiber laser is th

Dollar for dollar, the new HLF is in a leagu all across the laser cutting sector; from st environments.

With a quality German built Precitec auto 840DSL controller and a fabricated, stres Precision sheetmetal processing solutions. the rest.

For more information: Call: 03 9706 8066 Email: sales@appliedmachinery.com.au Visit: www.appliedmachinery.com.au

APP054-Yawei-FPC-1.indd 1

PLE TO USE T

SIM

EX

ED CUT SPE TI

C M E A C UR A RE

CY

H

NG

HIG

’S APPLIED

nsistency of cut, combined with very low operating he perfect way to take your business to the next level.

ue of its own, opening upHLX possibilities for companies Launched at Austech, the model is the latest cutting and much, much more, the Yawei HLX series tart-ups through to full production, 3-shift precision fiber laser in the impressive line-up from machine really has to be seen to be believed.

Yawei. The HLX series high speed, high specification Dollar for dollar, the Yawei HLX, HLF and HLE series fiber laser sits at the top end of the laser market fiber lasers rival anything in their respective market and represents an exceptional value proposition for segments and the Applied sales and service o-focusAustralian cuttingmanufacturers head, IPGand laser source, contract cuttersSiemens alike. network has Australia covered – coast to coast. ss-relieved fully annealed frame it really is a cut above Featuring a world class Precitec Pro Cutter Yawei and Applied are slashing barriers to entry autofocus cutting head (zoom also available), a into laser cutting, along with offering established high power 8kW IPG fiber laser source (up to 20kW high end processors, a very attractive, valueavailable), Siemens 840D CNC control, Siemens packed alternative when it comes to replacing servo drive and motors, remote diagnostics aging CO2 machines. Yawei Fiber Lasers – world class performance without the price tag. capability, 6 barrel Donaldston-Torit fume extractor, That’s Applied thinking. patented mixing device for brilliant aluminium

Connect with us socially

22/12/16 9:27 am

042

AUSTECH REVIEW

K C A B S T I O T !

T S E B

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

043

With its largest-ever exhibition footprint, and the highest visitor turnout in over a decade, Austech 2019 – held in Melbourne in mid-May – was one for the record books.

Owned and operated by AMTIL, Austech is Australia’s premier advanced manufacturing and machine tool exhibition. Co-located as always with National Manufacturing Week (NMW), Austech 2019 took place from 14 to 17 May at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre.

As soon as the exhibition opened, the aisles were quickly bustling with visitors and the exhibitor stands were visibly busy, and that strong early attendance continued throughout the duration of the show. By the end of the week, a total of 12,991 people had visited Austech and NMW – the highest overall turnout since 2007, and up by 20% on two years before.

“We’re completely blown away with the visitor numbers for this year’s show,” said Kim Banks, AMTIL’s Events Manager and Austech organiser. “We were already on track for our largest ever exhibition, so it was really important for us to justify the commitment made by our exhibitors by getting people through the doors. The turnout in the end has completely surpassed our expectations.”

Austech 2019 had already began breaking records some time ahead of the actual event. A total of 170 organisations booked exhibition space to showcase their products and services. Moreover, many had taken substantially larger stands than in previous years, meaning the total floor space comfortably exceeded 6,000sqm – a footprint unprecedented in 20 years of Austech exhibitions. Austech 2019 was also the fastest to sell out in terms of exhibition space for more than a decade. And with high levels of visitor pre-registrations, hopes were high for a good turnout ahead of the event.

Importantly, along with the sheer volume of people coming into the show, a high proportion of visitors were key decision-makers with authority for purchasing – 20.18% were business owners, directors, CEOs, managing directors or general managers, while engineering and technical managers made up a further 14.22%. This was also evident on the stands, with many exhibitors reporting high numbers of good-quality sales leads. Best of all, an impressive number of actual sales were made during the show.

One company exhibiting was Dimac Tooling, whose Managing Director Paul Fowler (also AMTIL’s President), was unsparing in his enthusiasm for the way Austech 2019 had gone.

“It’s simply one of the best shows I’ve ever been to,” said Fowler.

“It’s been – as it always is – professionally run. Putting on a show this scale, the biggest we’ve ever done, it’s quite significant how smoothly it’s run. On the very first day, the crowds were already up, and that continued through the rest of the show. The other thing that really seems to characterise the inquiries we’ve got: it’s not a wish, it’s a want. They’re not wishing they could afford this product, they actually want it. I suspect when we do our follow-up after the show, there’s genuine interest and follow-through.”

This year’s show also featured the most diverse array of technologies on show at Austech to date, most notably with the introduction of the Air Technology Pavilion, showcasing the latest compressor systems and associated air technologies. The Digitalisation Pavilion also returned, having made its debut in 2017, exploring the latest innovations in connected manufacturing, while the Additive Pavilion was the place to catch up on the fast-evolving world of additive manufacturing, complemented by Unlimit3D, a conference on additive manufacturing run by AMTIL during the first two days of Austech.

Finally, the Manufacturers’ Pavilion provided a vivid demonstration of the strength and diversity of Australian manufacturing, with more than 20 manufacturing businesses showcasing their capabilities.

“I don’t think anyone would argue with me when I say this has been one of our best ever Austechs,” said AMTIL CEO Shane Infanti.

“Attendance has been great, we’ve had an excellent line-up of exhibitors, and you can see that people have been doing business and investing in the latest technology. There’s been a fantastic atmosphere around the Show and I think it says great things about Australian manufacturing right now. Roll on 2021!” www.amtil.com.au/Austech

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

044

AUSTECH REVIEW

Acra Machinery – Last-minute shopping Acra Machinery had a busy Austech from start to finish, even making one sale in the very last hour of the show – and it was one of the biggest.

The product in question was a JORNS JDB 150, an eight-metre double bending slitter folder. The Swiss-built machine was the first of its particular design to go on sale in Australia, boasting several major new features. So it was something of a coup for Acra to be able to show it off at Austech, where it was generating a lot of interest.

“We had a couple of guys pretty keen,” said General Manager Anthony Feeney. “We actually had two orders. The waiting time on this is like six to seven months. So in the end, with two guys fighting to get it into their factories in a couple of weeks times, it’s a great problem to have.”

While the JORNS machine inevitably occupied a pretty dominant position on the Acra stand, there was plenty more on show as well, including a new plasma cutter from ESCCO, press brakes from Durma, a new line of panbrakes, and a range of bandsaws.

According to Feeney, having so much on display had paid off in terms of leads.

“It’s been a very prosperous week to say the least,” he said. “Even from two years ago, more volume of people, a lot more quality.

We’ve sold quite a few machines from the stand, and like everybody

else we’ll have a lot of quotes and hopefully a lot more potential orders.”

Feeney added that he’d been struck by the scale of this year’s Austech from the moment he’d arrived to set up the Acra exhibit.

“When I first came in here last Friday afternoon, I went ‘wow’,” he said.

“You could just see the sheer size – the floor space, the size of stands. I mean, this is the biggest stand we’ve had in probably 10 years. We were prepared to make that investment, for probably 30% more floor space.

And looking around, I think everybody else has done the same. So it probably shows confidence more than anything.”

Participating in tradeshows like Austech is a big commitment for companies like Acra, with significant potential influence over their business fortunes in the months – and even years – to come. For Feeney, this year’s show was an investment worth making.

“Two years ago was pretty good for us and set us up for that period ever since,” he concluded. “And after this week we’re going to surpass it again this year. So hopefully it keeps going that way.

But first we have to pack it all up and get it all back to the factory, and then get it all delivered over the next couple of weeks. The fun begins now.” www.acra.com.au

Bolts & Industrial Supplies – Time to stop keeping secrets Bolts & Industrial Supplies used this year’s Austech to focus specifically on its extensive range of tooling products.

“The main thing we’ve pushed this year is quality tooling,” said General Manager Andrew Rodgers. “Good value for money. High-production, high-output.

Everybody knows over the last 45 years we’ve sold general workshop consumables and we continue to do that.

But this year we’ve come to the show specifically to push tooling: Daintree, Sutton, Kennametal. The Darex tool sharpening machines, which are going to go gangbusters.”

With two adjacent stands – one for Bolts’ main business, the other for its Fisher Lamco wholesaling venture – Rodgers and his team enjoyed brisk traffic throughout the show, with plenty of potential leads.

“This week at Austech has been fantastic. We’ve had a really goodquality group of leads come through. Everybody is from the industry, so there hasn’t been too much sorting out people who are timewasting. It’s been very good. And there’s a good general feeling of a pickup in the industry. Everybody’s increasing, a good volume of

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

work coming through, and people are happy to spend a bit of money.”

While the positive atmosphere at Austech 2019 reflected the current strength of manufacturing in Australia, Rodgers believes there’s still a lot of difficulty in getting that message out to the public, with the industry’s numerous success stories probably qualifying as one of this country’s best-kept secrets.

“I’ve been saying for a long time that we don’t tell anyone what we do. Everybody I talk to outside the industry says ‘We don’t make anything in Australia anymore’, and I almost get steam coming out my ears. My immediate answer is ‘Yes we do’.

Open up your eyes, drive through an industrial estate and look at how many empty buildings there are; there’s not many. Industrial estates are booming because industry is booming. Australian manufacturing is stronger than it’s ever been. We just need to start telling some secrets. We keep secrets better than James Bond.” www.bolt.com.au

BACK TO ITS BEST!

045

Bystronic – Managing complexity The local appetite for Bystronic’s sheet metal processing equipment has never been healthier, says Norbert Seo, Senior Vice President Market Division Asia & Australia – and nor have customer needs ever been more complex.

Seo made the trip to the second Austech event where Bystronic was exhibiting under its own name. The first, in 2017, followed the Swiss sheet metal giant’s establishment of an Australian subsidiary that year, having previously used a distributor.

“Demand in the Australian market is growing, especially a lot of fabrication and sheet metal industry users,” Seo explained. “They are looking for solutions which were not really focused on by our dealer.”

He added that the Australian market was one of its biggest for the company’s automation offerings, including the entirety of SouthEast Asia and Northern Asia (besides Japan). Austech is also a “really important” event for the company, with around half of its Australian customers located around Melbourne. Of the local customer base, Seo estimates that around 60-70% are job shops, around 20-30% are fabricators, with under 10% in aerospace, as well as a few special vehicle manufacturers.

THE PERFECT SOLUTION FOR

LARGE-PART MACHINING

“Customers’ demands are more focusing on automation to keep labour [inputs] low,” Seo said. “Also the wage rate is getting higher than in the past, so a lot of customers are looking for solutions.”

Customer demands are increasing in complexity. To keep up with this, Bystronic has been busily hiring technical staff such as service engineers. The local service engineering team, for example, now stands at 13.

Where 10 years ago, a client might buy a single, standalone machine for cutting or bending, end users now might want an integrated solution. This includes software that can link everything, “starting from quotation, drawing, cutting, bending, painting, packaging and delivering the part”, as part of a single chain, referring to the company’s BySoft 7 offering.

A feature of the company’s Austech presence was the ByStar 3015 10kW fibre laser unit. According to Seo, this machine has admirers among special vehicle manufacturers, who have to work with special materials that cannot be cut with normal lasers.

“This gives an opportunity to the customer to cut mild steel like a C02 laser,” he said. “Always our customers are comparing CO2 quality against fibre. And fibre was not able to give the same quality as CO2. Now with our new cutting head, plus the BeamShaper function, combining these two modules the customer is able to cut it at almost the same quality as CO2, which benefits the customer through productivity, quality all in one.” www.bystronic.com

NEXT WORKHORSE EC-1600 YOUR The EC-1600 is better than ever, with a faster spindle and tool changer, more rigid castings, and extensive operator-convenience features.

• 50" max part swing with integrated 4th Axis (optional) • Travels: 64" x 50" x 32" • Available with a 4th-axis rotary platter integrated into the T-slot table to provide access to four sides of a part or tomstone, or simultaneous 4th-axis machining.

Configure and price the perfect Haas solutionOF forCNC your shop today, A DIVISION MACHINE TOOLS at www.haas-australia.com

AADIVISION OFALFEX CNC MACHINE TOOLS DIVISION OF CNC AUSTRALIA

1300 20 12 30 | www.haas-australia.com

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

046

AUSTECH REVIEW

BACK TO ITS BEST!

Met Optix – Measuring up for growth Met Optix fielded a diverse line-up of metrology and testing products on its Austech stand, and for General Manager David Eldridge, the mood at the show suggested an industry getting set up for renewed growth.

“I think the industry is fairly strong,” says General Manager David Eldridge. “It’s quite diverse though, in terms of the market segments they come from, where people are working. It’s smaller organisations in general, rather than the larger organisations we saw historically.

But still a lot of interest in manufacturing, a lot of people gearing up to the next level. People who have got a small workshop or a small toolroom, who’ve got some equipment already but they’re looking at the next stage of their development, and how they’re going to measure those parts, in our particular case.”

One of the key products on the Met Optix stand was the COORD3 co-ordinate measuring machine (CMM) from Italy, equipped with a V7 Perceptron laser scanner from the US. “COORD 3 is actually owned these days by Perceptron,” said Eldridge. “So the parent company developed the laser, while the COORD 3 machines are made in Italy in Turin. Interest in that’s been very, very strong this week.”

Also on show was a portable measuring arm from RPS Metrology, as well as a Taylor Hobson Form Talysurf surface profiler.

As with so many Austech exhibitors, the work at the show itself is just the start for Met Optix, with the subsequent weeks and months to be dominated by following up all the leads generated on the stand. But when Eldridge spoke to AMT he was optimistic.

“I think we’re seeing some very positive signs that people are either going to buy or are close to buying product,” he said. “I’m pretty confident we’re going to be able to close a few deals, if not at the show then soon after the show. And those people are from all over Australia as well, not just Victoria. We’re seeing people from Queensland and South Australia here, shopping for equipment.” www.metoptix.com.au

John Hart – World-class solutions John Hart showcased a diverse range of state-of-the-art technology at Austech, encompassing both its established product lines and a number of new items.

“Austech has always been a key date in our diary, allowing us to showcase Mazak’s latest generation of machine tools to a sector which provides the backbone to Australian manufacturing,” said Mark Dobrich, General Manager – Machine Tools at John Hart. “We brought the Variaxis j-500/5X, the Integrex i-200 and the VCN 530-C to the show, as the ideal machines to exhibit Mazak’s innovations in machining productivity, as well as Mazak’s Smooth Technology and the iSmart Factory Solution.”

The state-of-the-art Mazak Variaxis j-500/5X combines a compact footprint with the ability to offer simultaneous five-axis machining across multiple surfaces. Outstanding accuracy is guaranteed by its high rigidity structure, which utilises linear roller guides on all linear axes and roller gear cam on both rotary axes. The Variaxis is equipped with SmoothX, the five-axis version of Mazak’s Smooth Technology, the world’s fastest CNC. The Integrex i-200 is a full five-axis multi-tasking machine that is equipped with a large machining area and a second spindle which makes it truly capable of Done-In-One machining. It is a high-productivity machine with both its main and second spindles capable of 5,000rpm and its milling spindle capable of 12,000rpm.

Designed to process large parts or multiple small workpieces in single set-ups, the VCN-530C vertical machining centre brings advanced technology, performance and value to a variety of metalworking applications. A wide range of spindle options give

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

shops what they need to achieve an effective balance of speed and torque for their machining needs and workpiece materials.

The VCN-530C is also equipped with SmoothG CNC. Smooth Technology acts as the catalyst for Industry 4.0.

At its core is the ability to gather and analyse data, enabling better, faster decisions, improving yield and speeding up production. Mazak’s machines can also all be connected to Mazak’s Industry 4.0 infrastructure: the iSmart Factory Solution, which utilises Smooth Monitor software to analyse factory production and present it visually in real-time.

Dobrich added: “This year we had two exciting new additions to our line-up of world-class solutions: the EOS P 396 Industrial 3D Printer for Plastic Parts and the Agile Flex Robotic Loading System for CNC Machine Tools” Exhibited following John Hart’s recent appointment as Australian distributor for EOS, the EOS P 396 covers the medium-build volume range for plastic parts. This modular and highly productive system allows the tool-free manufacture of serial components, spare parts, functional prototypes and models directly from CAD data.

The Agile Flex is an out-of-the-box robotic loading system, designed and built in Australia and marketed world-wide. Rapid to deploy, compact and easy to use, Agile Flex has been developed to add lights-out machining at a very affordable price to any modern CNC machine tool. www.johnhart.com.au

THE BANDSAW LEADING STEEL MERCHANTS CHOOSE

H-SERIES | Double Column Fully Auto (with covers) Ø260mm — Ø1100mm

E-SERIES | High Performance Ø330mm — Ø800mm

H-SERIES | Double Column Fully Auto (Traditional) Ø260mm — Ø1100mm

P-SERIES | Circular Saw Ø70mm — Ø230mm

S-SERIES | Semi Auto Mitre 460 x 330mm

S-SERIES | Fully Auto Mitre 620 x 350mm

T - 07 3279 3344 E - sales@completemachinetools.com.au W - www.completemachinetools.com.au

Your Partner in Innovation

048

AUSTECH REVIEW

Dimac Tooling – Focused on looking forward Dimac Tooling is one of a small group of companies that have exhibited at every Austech since it first began 20 years ago, but that didn’t mean it was letting things get stale.

On the contrary, Dimac’s exhibit was predominantly based on showcasing its newest products and brands. However, according to Managing Director Paul Fowler, this approach did raise a few eyebrows among visitors to the Dimac stand.

“Some customers have come out and said ‘Oh, where’s your Mitee Bite? Where’s this and where’s that? All the traditional stuff,’” said Fowler. There are some products or families of products we’ve had before, like the Freddy vacuum cleaner, where we’re showing a newer model with different features. But our focus at a trade show is to try and show what’s new.”

As a veteran of Austech since the very beginning, Fowler has seen how the show has changed and evolved over the years. So he’s pretty well qualified to judge how Austech 2019 ranks alongside its predecessors. “I’d say that it’s simply one of the best Austech shows I’ve been to, which is fantastic because AMTIL is celebrating 20 years,” he said. “It’s quite a milestone to have the biggest show ever on our 20th birthday. And it’s a credit to Shane and his team to pull the lot together.

“I’ve talked to a lot of the machine tool dealers, and the optimism – the enthusiasm at the level of inquiries, and the value and the genuineness of the enquiries – it’s really, really good. I’d heard the pre-registration numbers were up and I think that’s been realised.

People have turned up for the show. And the people I’ve asked have been slightly blown away by the sheer scale and size of it.”

With Austech 2019 bringing in the biggest crowds in over a decade, Fowler believes it reflects the way Australian manufacturing has evolved and the resilience it has shown in the face of a challenging few years.

“It’s in good shape, it’s healthy,” he said. “You read a lot of political comments from political leaders and all that, but you really just have to innovate and adapt. The market keeps changing. We don’t have automotive anymore, but in many respects we’re not missing it the way we thought we might. Generally for industry, it’s adapted, it’s innovated, it’s grown up. It’s had to pay attention, it’s had to change. And I think that’s healthy.” www.dimac.com.au

HP – Opening up 3D printing At Austech 2019, HP was demonstrating its new HP Jet Fusion 300/500 Series, the industry’s first 3D printing technology to enable manufacturers and innovators to produce engineering-grade, functional prototypes in full colour or monochrome – in a fraction of the time of other solutions.

The HP Jet Fusion 300/500 series complements the recently announced HP Jet Fusion 5200 series, as well as the existing HP Jet Fusion 4200 series. Customers have the ability to prototype and produce new designs and applications on the same industryleading HP Multi Jet Fusion technology platform.

Throughout Austech, HP 3D printing specialists were on-hand to offer consultation to attendees looking to develop an understanding of the features and capabilities of the HP Jet Fusion 300/500 Series. Its compact design, enhanced workflow solution, and the world’s first integrated and automated materials delivery system allows for greater unattended operation, ease of use, and dramatically increases product efficiency and output.

The HP Jet Fusion 300/500 Series is the latest expansion in HP’s portfolio in Australia, designed to democratise 3D printing, opening up innovation to entrepreneurs, SMEs and educators. Local businesses and educational institutions will be able to create and refine prototypes in-country without having to get them produced overseas, shortening the time required for their creative ideas to reach fruition.

“Australian businesses are primed for the transformation driven

by Industry 4.0,” said Rob Mesaros, Vice President, 3D Printing

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

& Digital Manufacturing, HP AsiaPacific and Japan. “The breakthrough in technologies like 3D printing will allow manufacturers to bring design, prototyping and manufacturing in-house to meet the evolving needs of customers, and ultimately to play a vital role in the reinvigoration of Australia in the global manufacturing value chain. HP is able to help Australian businesses accelerate their journey to digital manufacturing by providing an innovative 3D printing solutions portfolio and strong ecosystem of industry-leading collaborations.”

One local business which HP has worked with is Brisbane-based iOrthotics, the first orthotics manufacturer in the world to have completely transitioned from polypropylene milling to additive manufacturing. With HP Multi Jet Fusion, iOrthotics has been able to create a stronger, lighter but more accurate custom-made orthotic device which costs less to produce, uses less material, and can be delivered to customers in three to five days, from the original two weeks. The company has been able to increase production levels significantly, and is growing its reach nationally and overseas.

HP also showcased Triple Eight Racing, where HP 3D printers are used to print car components engineered in-house. www.hp.com/au

BACK TO ITS BEST!

049

Punchtech – Compelling, interactive display Punchtech had an eye-catching secret weapon in the battle to attract visitors to its stand – a Muratec BB6020 press brake featuring an innovative interactive display.

The BB6020 comes equipped with Murata Machinery’s Videre operator support system, which displays key information for the current job directly onto the upper beam of the machine, allowing the operator to interact with it and control it by touch. It is not, however, a touchscreen, which would quickly be liable to get damaged. Instead, the system uses a projector and sensors to produce the same effect. While the system has been around for a while, Punchtech had the first one in Australia.

“We’re finding a lot of people are interested in this and that’s what brings them on,” added Sharp.

“And from there we introduce them to the rest of our product range, which is from punching machines to the software running them, laser machines, the tools that go in it the abrasives that polish it. Everything in sheet metal, we pretty much do.”

“It’s a bit of a game changer,” says Punchtech Director Jared Sharp.

“Before, you’d got your operator standing in front of the machine with his head looking at the control, and then having to look down at their workpiece, and looking up and down. Whereas with this it’s straight in front of them. And it aligns at a one-to-one scale where the tools go. It really simplifies this process.”

As well as being an interesting piece of equipment in its own right, the BB6020 was also proving a highly effective way of getting people onto the stand, and into a dialogue with the team.

While the Videre system was undoubtedly a compelling visual lure for potential leads, Sharp insisted that there were still people who were at Austech with serious intent to buy, not just to look at the latest gimmicks.

“The inquiries seem solid; there’s not as many tyre-kickers,” he said.

“It seems people are coming with this idea of what they need, what they want. There’s people actually very interested in products and they want to learn more about it. I mean, we’ve been spending hours with people, not just five minutes to check things out. And there’s a lot of competition, so you have to put your best foot forward and prove that you know what you’re doing.” www.punchtech.com.au

The Surftest SJ-210 is a user-friendly surface roughness measurement instrument designed as a handheld tool that can be carried with you and used on-site

Easy to use • 2.4-inch colour graphic LCD with backlight • Simple key layout The Surftest SJ-210 can be operated easily using the keys on the front of the unit and under the sliding cover.

Highly functional • Advanced data storage capabilities • Optional memory card • Password protection • Multilingual support • Stylus alarm An alarm warns you when the cumulative measurement distance exceeds a preset limit.

Contact MTI Qualos today to learn more about the SJ-210 Series.

Extensive analysis and display features • Complies with many industry standards The Surftest SJ-210 complies with the following standards: JIS (JISB0601- 2001, JIS-B0601-1994, JIS B0601-1982), VDA, ISO-1997, and ANSI. • Displays assessed profiles and graphical data In addition to calculation results, the Surftest SJ-210 can display sectional calculation results and assessed profiles, load curves, and amplitude distribution curves.

M.T.I. Qualos Pty. Ltd. 1300 135 539 or email sales@mtiqualos.com.au

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

050

BACK TO ITS BEST!

AUSTECH REVIEW

Manufacturers’ Pavilion: Ronson Gears rolls out its rebranding Now a well-established part of the Austech experience, the Manufacturers’ Pavilion provided a powerful showcase for some of Australia’s very best manufacturing business, and this year it was bigger than ever.

One company exhibiting in the Pavilion for the first time was Ronson Gears from Highett, Victoria. Established by Ronald Charles New in 1954, the company manufactures precision-machined components and gears for industries such as mining, aerospace & defence and more, exporting them worldwide.

Ronson had exhibited at Austech before, but this was its first time at the show in some years, and its first appearance within the Manufacturers Pavilion. For Gavin New, Sales & Marketing Manager and Ron’s grandson, it was a chance to show off the company’s recent rebranding, with a new logo, a revamped website, and a slick corporate video.

“The rebranding came about through the Growth Services Grant under the [Federal Government’s] Entrepreneurs’ Programme,” said Gavin. “Through that, we just went back to square one and did a number of sessions on our strategic direction, and that encompassed an overarching business strategy, a new branding strategy and a cultural strategy. So, yeah, that branding tied into where we wanted to take the business, and really bring out the messaging that we wanted to project to the wider world.” The rebranding also heralds a transition phase currently ongoing in the

company’s leadership team, as Ron’s sons Gordon and Terry step back from the business.

“It’s bringing the new leadership team through, and with that, bringing a new look Ronson Gears,” Gavin added.

“The same family values, same focus on quality, and investment. Nothing’s changed from that aspect. Just a fresh look as Gordon and Terry seek greener pastures in years to come.”

In addition to the rebranding, Ronson has been in a period of significant evolution in terms of capability.

Most recently the company installed a new CNC gear grinder, topping off $2m in investment over the two years in machinery. With so much going on, the Manufacturers’ Pavilion was an opportunity to put the company and what it can do in the shop window.

“It’s been our first time back with Austech for a few years; I thought it was a good time,” said Gavin. “We want to support AMTIL, and the Manufacturers’ Pavilion has grown exponentially over the last few years. The position of the Pavilion itself is fantastic, and by booking early, we’ve had a great spot here with a high-traffic area.

We’ve had good interest, some good inquiries. We’ll definitely look to do it again in two years time.” www.ronsongears.com.au

Headland – Speeding into 3D Headland Machinery is in its 70th anniversary year, and business is good for the family-run firm, which counts some of the country’s biggest industrial names among its clients.

Headland officially added an Advanced Manufacturing division last year, covering scanning and printing technologies. More recently it announced a partnership with Australian 3D printing business SPEE3D, and the Headland stand featured one of the company’s LightSPEE3D machines.

“It’s new technology, and I think these guys are leap-frogging a lot of the hurdles that have been holding people back in 3D printing,” says Headland Managing Director Richard Kloé. “It’s pretty impressive when you see the machine at work.”

SPEE3D’s machines add to Headland’s considerable range of metal additive options, including laser metal deposition and laser metal fusion technologies from Trumpf. SPEE3D’s new Australianmade technology allows for near-net shape copper and aluminium products made by supersonic blasting of powders, with deposition rates up to 100 grams per minute.

Kloé was part of the Headland team at Austech 2019, and he cited strong performances by the company’s CNC, sheet metal and automation divisions as evidence that customers are investing.

“Automation is a huge focus for us at the moment. Connectivity, Industry 4.0, Internet of Things… all of those,” he explained. “The show is part of our research on what is the state of the art in production technology. We’re also using the knowledge from our suppliers, and then we are able to distill that down to our customers.”

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

According to Kloé, Austech is a good place to see where the industry in general is going, as well as to keep track of new technology. He adds that AMTIL’s decision in 2012 to hold the show every second year, rather than annually, has made investing in a stand – which in Headland’s case is a considerable piece of real estate – better value.

“Being every second year I think is a little bit more focused,” says Kloé. “You can justify the expense and then you can hopefully get a number of new leads and customers that are going to purchase based on the exhibit.” www.headland.com.au

Unparalleled performance.

Proven efficiency.

Continuous development.

HYBRID

HYDRAULIC

ELECTRONIC

In a world that changes faster than ever, SafanDarley takes a unique position.

We do not wait for what’s going to happen but react actively to a challenging future full of innovations. We embody the widest and most innovative range of press brake’s in the world. Inventing is in our genes. For us that is the E-volution in sheet metal working.

Fully electric

Dual touchscreen control

The E-standard for Efficiency

No harmful hydraulic oil

The E-standard for Ergonomics

Uses up to 50% less energy

The E-standard for Economy

Up to 30% shorter cycle times The E-standard for Ecology

w w w . s h e e t m e t a l m a c h i n e r y. c o m . a u

The E-volution in sheet metal working

Sheetmetal Machinery Australia Pty Ltd | Tel: +61 (3) 9758 9377 | Email: sales@sheetmetalmachinery.com.au

052

AUSTECH REVIEW

Hi-Tech Metrology – Big interest in large-volume measurement Hi-Tech Metrology came up with an original way to get visitors onto its stand: using the rear section of a Ford Ranger.

The ute tray was there to showcase the MetraSCAN 3D, an arm-free handheld optical CMM scanning system from Creaform. Hi-Tech staff were on hand to give rolling demonstrations of the technology, which proved a key point of interest for anyone passing the stand.

“One thing we’re showcasing here is our large-volume measurement,” said Craig Leckie, General Manager at Hi-Tech. “This device will measure larger products than other shopfloor devices such as ute trays, boats, complete cars, pretty much anything mid to large scale. To be able to digitally capture that information in such a short period of time has huge benefits. There are a host of applications in the automotive aftermarket field such as designing a bull bar to suit the front of a vehicle, reproducing panels and many other accessory fitment tasks. Automotive aftermarket is certainly a strong growth sector for our technologies in Australia right now.”

Apart from showcasing the MetraSCAN 3D, the Ranger display also proved an effective lure for getting Austech visitors to check out some of the other technology that Hi-Tech can offer.

“Yes, it attracts the crowd, and then they move onto the other systems that can apply to them as well,” added Leckie. “We’re showcasing two brand new scanners from Creaform, released in Canada just three weeks ago. On top of that we’re showcasing vision systems, using the latest video, touch probe and laser technology, along with other 3D measurement devices from Hexagon Metrology. Many of our products feature non-contact scanning, but we’re also showing touch-trigger tactile-type measurement as well.”

An example of this was the new Global S Green CMM, on show for the first time in Australia, continuing the theme across the stand of Smart Quality. This new CMM combines the use of tactile probing systems with a laser scanner to provide high accuracy, automated inspection of both prismatic and freeform features.

One key trend emerging in Hi-Tech’s field, which was clearly in evidenced on its stand at Austech, was a rapid expansion from metrology’s roots in quality & inspection into applications in the field of product development and reverse engineering.

“Metrology typically was inspection, but there’s now a lot of emphasis on reverse engineering as well,” explained Leckie.

“Taking an unknown product, scanning it to create a CAD file, and then producing the product. To then go full circle and inspect it once you’ve produced it, using the same equipment, has got a lot of people talking about applications for our equipment.”

With a stand located in the heart of the exhibition floor, and an original, eye-catching way to bring people in, Leckie felt Austech 2019 had been a success for Hi-Tech.

“It’s the same as any exhibition, there’s ebbs and flows, but we have certainly had good visitor numbers,” said Leckie. “And it appears to be a very good level of visitors, with decision-makers and senior managers coming onto the stand. So, yes a worthwhile exhibition to be in.” www.hitechmetrology.com.au

CMTS Sheetmetal Machines – Selling off the stand Normally a decent batch of good-quality leads would count as a good return from a tradeshow. But for CMTS Sheetmetal Machines, owned by Sharon and Michael Schneider, this year’s Austech was all about actual sales.

“I think I’ve got four up my sleeve in all,” said Sharon. “I’ve sold all the Pemserters, the Haegers, the Bollhoff.

We’ve done really well. We’ve got some really good positive leads for all the press brakes as well. We’ve probably got a lot of work ahead of us and lots of quotes to get out, but all the hard work’s paying off and the investment will hopefully be returned.”

CMTS took one of the larger stands within the exhibition, allowing a broad showcase of their product range. These include press brakes from Deratech and Coastone, Pemserter & Haeger installation equipment, PEM fastener products, and Bollhoff-Attexor clinching machines.

“We’ve been pushing quite hard on the press brakes,” said Michael. “That’s why we brought so many in, because we’ve got the hydraulic and electric. To show the differences. And that’s been quite interesting to some people, not knowing the difference.”

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

“Deratech are hydraulic, from the Belgian company, whereas the electric Coastones are out of Finland,” added Sharon. “We can showcase both and help customers with either electrical hydraulic, and they can make the right decision about what they want.”

Michael remarked that the good outcomes they’d been seeing on the CMTS stand suggested that manufacturing businesses were not letting concerns over the imminent federal election get in the way of their plans to invest.

“Normally you would hear people saying ‘Oh, we’re holding off because of the election,’” he said. “I’ve not heard that comment once. It’s like people are saying: ‘We’re just moving on. We’ve got to continue with business.’ That’s been the impression for us. So for us it’s healthy. Our customers are healthy. It’s good. I think it’s really good.” www.cmts.net.au

BACK TO ITS BEST!

Benson Machines – Innovation meets tradition With a history going all the way back to 1908, Benson Machines can lay claim to thousands of installations for Australian customers.

Both Benson Machines’ business and that of its customers have changed a lot in those years, but some traditions endure and were on display at Austech 2019, according to Grant Pickering, National Manager – Additive.

“We have a traditional market with grinding machines, with a representation here,” he said. “I don’t know, but I will venture a guess we may be the only grinding machine in the whole exhibition.

CNC grinding continues to be a major part of what we do.”

053

MINING & PUMPS WATER & AERATION OIL, GAS & ENERGY

WINE & VINEYARDS

DAIRY

FOOD & BEVERAGE MIXER DRIVES ABATTOIRS SHREDDERS

Benson’s focus on reliable, proven suppliers endures as well.

The company’s range includes various grinding, milling, forming, fabrication and casting machinery. Since 2009 – barring a pause – it has dealt in various kinds of additive manufacturing (AM) technology.

“There was a period where I think there was a lot of introspection in 3D printing, seeing where it was going,” added Pickering. “People [now] generally understand additive’s capabilities much better... so we’re back in that market.”

The emphasis on reliable suppliers has become especially important in AM, with an explosion in companies offering machinery, some of which don’t offer the greatest support or pedigree.

“We’re not chasing the next best, latest thing; we’re dealing with mature companies.”

Benson’s stand included printers by Ultimaker, Dremel, DWS and others. Pickering pointed to the finish on a delicate stereolithographyprinted demo piece from a DWS machine as an example of quality.

GENAT AND WOOD™

The only Australian Made Industrial Gearbox for Industry when Reliability Matters

“I’m just leaving this one in its display box so no one crushes it,” he remarked. “They’ve got a lot of patented technologies and very, very nice resolution.

For Benson Machines, customers are spending and the mood is good, with a recent slight slow-down possibly attributable to the federal election lead-up. According to Pickering the positivity was evident at Austech, an event that represented a better return on marketing investment than many other avenues.

“For us to go out and visit the customers and see this number of customers in a short period of time [would be] almost impossible,” he explained. “It makes sense to gather together all the other distributors and present the stuff you’ve been working and operating.

People can actually come and see the machines working. To try and do that as an in-house exhibition, or any other method of social media or YouTube or anything else, it’s just not the same is it? People like to come and touch and feel, and then we can directly talk to them and get direct feedback.” www.bensonmachines.com

Australia Australia

The only company to offer a 5 Year Warranty for all new "Genat and Wood" branded Austraian Made inline helical gearboxes (Conditions Apply)

Engineering Solutions to Empower Your Ideas www.AmigaEng.com.au

Ph: +61 3 9330 0688 E: SalesGW@amigaeng.com.au

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

054

AUSTECH REVIEW

BACK TO ITS BEST!

Alfex/Haas– Connecting with new customers and old ones Alfex CNC Australia had two stands at Austech for its respective divisions, and for Company Director George Buhagiar it proved an opportunity not only to develop new business, but to reconnect with old customers.

“This week, I’ve run into so many customers that I haven’t seen in a long time,” he explained. “Guys that have sort of drifted in and out of our industry. Some guys I haven’t seen for 10 years that’ve come up. So it’s been great in that respect.”

According to George, the return of these old contacts was further evidence of a resurgence in the industry in Australia.

“There was a time when manufacturing was really hurting after the GFC,” he said. “A lot of people moved on to other greener pastures, because it was quite challenging in our industry, and now some of them are coming back. And everything seems to be quite steady. That’s the way I define it at the moment, where everything is traveling at a good steady pace.”

Alfex CNC consists of two divisions: Haas Factory Outlet (HFO) Australia, the agency for Haas Automation, the largest machine tool builder in the US; and Alfex Laser, which specialises in laser technology for engraving, machining and cutting. Each had its own stand across the aisle from each other on the exhibition floor, and as a family business, the team also included George’s wife Maryanne, and their sons Jordan and Christian. “On the Alfex stand, we actually have the largest range of laser marking and cutting products of

any supplier,” said George. “And we have the expertise to go with it, which is important. There are different materials, different applications that require a lot of know-how. Our boys have got a lot of experience, have dealt closely with our suppliers in the US, UK, Italy and Germany. I’d put my two boys up against anybody when it comes to that stuff.”

Meanwhile on the Haas stand, the focus was on the versatility of five-axis and general three-axis machining.

One of the highlight features was the DM-2 hi-speed drill/mill centre equipped with a TRT160 tilting/rotary table, which enables operators to produce complex parts in one set-up, including prepping the face for workholding.

With so much on show on two well-located stands, George and his team had been kept busy all week long.

“I’ve repeated this a number of times now: In past shows, on the Tuesday it generally starts off fairly slow,” he said. “Getting geared up for Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. But this year, even Tuesday was quite steady. In fact, on Thursday night I asked one of our guys “How have you found today?”, and he goes “I thought Tuesday was better”, which is unusual. So it’s been good.” www.alfexlaser.com.au www.haas-australia.com

MTI Qualos - Specialised in precision Now in its eighth decade in operation, MTI Qualos’ continuing focus on precision measurement tools was on display at Austech 2019.

The company was established in 1946 and has been the Australian distributor for Japan-headquartered measuring instrument specialist Mitutoyo since the 1960s. As well as its metrology lines, it also supplies various machine tool accessories and makes PVC doors.

Technical Representative Stuart Fraser looks after small tools at MTI Qualos, which end up used “by engineers, but there’s a little bit of the health industry, medical, defence, mechanics – anyone.” He added that the range is applicable for “sort of anything that you can measure or deal with”.

When Fraser spoke to AMT on day one of the show, it was too early to measure the success of Austech 2019, but he noted that the day had been busy. There had been interest in the Mitutoyo coolantproof range, which were “bread and butter” for MTI Qualos.

One item that was earning a lot of attention on the stand was the Mitutoyo Surftest SJ-410 surface roughness tester, according to Brett Gale, a Sales & Service Manager specialising in their high-end tools. It has a resolution of 0.000125μm (at 8μm range) and offers skidded and skidless measurement. The tester has application across many industries, but automotive has led its adoption, for example, at Nissan Castings.

“It’s over the place, so Monash [University] uses it for 3D printing,” Gale explained. “Other customers use it for aerospace, Nissan uses

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

it for all their engines. So it’s in all the industries, and in medical they use it a lot for their devices as well, like heart pumps, checking the flatness, and so on.”

High-end metrology equipment purchases can take time, according to Gale: “Most people I talk to here will probably make a [purchase] in like five years’ time. A big co-ordinate measuring machine (CMM) is a $100,000 item; no-one’s going to purchase that off the top of their head. They’re going to make sure they’ve got the correct one.” www.mtiqualos.com.au

All of the COASTONE machines are built in Finland, home to Europe’s higher quality machine exports. They are all electric, servo-driven and built to run for decades in most demanding environments.

056

AUSTECH REVIEW

On the plus side – The Additive Manufacturing Pavilion Investment in additive manufacturing (AM) continues to climb: last year the global market for products and services expanded by 33.5%, according to the Wohlers Report. So, too, does the representation of AM solutions and the interest in these at Austech.

Warwick Downing, CEO and co-founder of New Zealand’s RAM3D, was exhibiting at Austech for the third time at this year’s show. He said the novelty to expo-goers of metal AM has worn off, and that’s for the best.

“When we first started coming, 90% of the people probably didn’t know that you could 3D print in metal,” said Downing. “And more people are looking at it as a process to use.”

Downing believes that interest has been good this time around, but the success of the show is something best gauged later: “Part of it is immediate sales but another part is us building our brand. In the past we’ve had giveaways and people still have them from a few years ago, so that’s good to see.” Celia Grace, Director at Raymax Lasers, says there are three tiers of enquiries for 3D printing solutions. Some are still at the ‘wow’ stage; some understand they need to invest to stay relevant in their industry and will invest soon; others are looking at using it for their next product. At Austech, Grace was finding it hard to keep up with the pace of visits.

“There have been moments where you want to devote the time that you’re with the person,” she explained. “And you can see quite a few on the side that you know you really would like to get to.”

Raymax recently began catering to the demand for metal printing solutions – a market that has grown over 40% annually for the last five years – and became distributor for Germany’s SLM Solutions.

Wysiwyg 3D is another repeat visitor to Austech. According to Application Engineer Sam Steel, the interest levels and customers’ creativity with AM have both improved over the years.

“I guess there are more people thinking a little more outside the box,” he explained. “On what they can actually utilise it for, as opposed to just general enquiries.”

Steel was encouraged by the turnout at the event from the first day: “There’s always a fight for work, but it’s encouraging. The numbers through the door already are a good sign. So hopefully the rest of the show is productive.” www.ram3d.co.nz www.raymax.com.au www.wysiwyg3d.com.au

Industrial Laser – Specialist expertise, locally based The local focus of the Austech exhibition is a good match for Richard Ladley’s specialised company Industrial Laser.

“We’ve noticed, at this show especially, that the customers are more concerned about local service and support of products, which is good for local manufacturing/sales organisations of machinery,” said Ladley. “The main thing I’ve noticed is customers don’t want to buy out of China; they want to support locally first, and they’re willing to pay a little bit extra to make sure they get that service.”

According to Ladley, customers are increasingly looking within the country to source machinery, and this suits the technically-focussed Hallam-based company of 10, half of which are engineers. A customer can buy from anywhere in the world, so it all comes down to “who he trusts to keep his machines going”.

Austech was a success for Industrial Laser. When AMT spoke to Ladley on the third day, his team had already made four sales. The show had seen a lot of interest in its CoaxPrinter from Precitec, and for the PierceTec feature, recently added to Precitec’s Pro Cutter. The latter adjusts piercing settings on the job, based on feedback, and had proved highly useful for cutting thick sheet metal workpieces. The company sells and services CO2, fibre and Nd:Yag laser products, and manufactures bespoke solutions where no off-the-shelf option is available.

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

“We do universities and scientific, we do manufacturing, special applications,” Ladley explained. “Defence is too global to get involved with ... there’s normally separate companies doing that. But just on the laser side we sell to those other three.”

Recent bespoke products include a specialised welding machine for imaging company Micro-X and a platinum cutter for XRF Technology.

“Three months before the deadline, they still couldn’t find anybody to make it in the world. With our experience between us, we worked as a bit of a team with their engineers and gave them what they believe and what we believe is exactly what they wanted,” said Ladley, adding that it also offered a solution in the same time zone and communication in the same language. “[And for XRF] we came out with a solution to cut that using the correct type of laser technology which they had never heard of before. So again, it’s local knowledge well, from here, and we gave a solution and they took to it straight away.” www.industriallaser.com.au

BACK TO ITS BEST!

057

Okuma Australia – Looking the part Okuma Australia fielded an impressive display in the centre of the Austech floor, showcasing some of its most advanced technology on a stand decked out in Okuma’s eyecatching branding.

“What we’re trying to do is demonstrate that if you’re in capital equipment of this value, you should look the part. We should look the part,” said Dean McCarroll, Managing Director of Okuma Australia. “If someone’s trying to buy a $600,000 machine, they should come somewhere where they feel like they should. If you’re going to buy an Audi, you go into a nice Audi showroom. So that’s what we’ve been trying to do: show that we’re capable, we’re aware, we’re sophisticated, we’re mature. And then show off the equipment.”

with a definite brand they want to be involved with. We’re not being compared with anybody else; they’ve come to the Okuma stand to buy – or at least investigate – an Okuma. There’s a much better feeling about their seriousness in investing in capital this year.”

For McCarroll, the strong turnout and buoyant mood at Austech 2019 is indicative of a highly positive atmosphere sweeping Australian manufacturing in general.

That equipment line-up included the Genos M460-5AX five-axis vertical machining centre, the LB3000EXII CNC lathe, the MB5000 HII high-speed horizontal machining centre, and the Multus U3000 1SW multitasking machine.

Automation was also a headline feature with the RoboJob TurnAssist 200i-M20, as well as a wide-ranging array of software and connected manufacturing solutions. With more than 30 staff brought in from across Australia, the stand rarely seemed less than busy throughout the show.

“I have to say it’s been a great show,” McCarroll added. “We all know the numbers are up, but I believe the quality is better. People are coming on with a definite idea of what they want to do; almost

“We’re doing well,” he said. “The days when people bothered about exchange rates or governments or elections are over; our customers are too busy for that stuff. They got off their tail years ago. They went offshore to find work and now they’re flat out. They’re attracting great aerospace work, great defence work, aftermarket automotive work, mining equipment, small technical stuff.

“We go to so many shops that are running 24 hours a day, that just do not have enough capacity, that just have to keep investing. And what we’re finding is that people are wanting to invest higher now.

Our average order value is probably about $150,000 higher than two years ago. So I think that manufacturing’s fine, we’re good. It’s a good time, the future’s bright.” www.okumaaustralia.com.au

WHAT'S DRIVING YOUR PRODUCTIVITY? Choose the world's #1 CAM solution for the software and support you need to get more chips on the floor and parts out the door.

COMING SOON Make better parts faster. www.mastercam.com

MILL

LATHE

MILL-TURN

WIRE

ROUTER

Mastercam for

SOLIDWORKS®

DESIGN

Mastercam Australia | 0478 674 970 info@mastercam.com.au www.mastercam.com.au

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

058

BACK TO ITS BEST!

AUSTECH REVIEW

AMTIL – Past, present and future AMTIL’s stand at Austech 2019 was an opportunity to celebrate the past, shine a light on the present, and look to the future of manufacturing in Australia.

On 16 May the stand was the venue for an exclusive networking reception to celebrate the 20th anniversary of AMTIL’s establishment in 1999, attended by members and staff, along with several key industry figures. AMTIL’s CEO Shane Infanti and AMTIL President Paul Fowler were on hand to cut the cake, in what was something of a dual celebration in the midst of a highly successful Austech exhibition.

“It’s hard to believe it’s been 20 years,” said Infanti. “We’ve loved every minute of it, and we’re looking forward to continuing to support Australian manufacturing for many more years to come. And it’s been great that we’ve been able to hold this celebration with Austech 2019 on track to be one of the most successful shows we’ve ever run.”

Established in 1999, AMTIL (the Australian Manufacturing Technology Institute Limited) is the peak national body representing the advanced manufacturing sector in Australia. As well as owning and operating Austech, and publishing AMT Magazine, it engages in a wide variety of activities on behalf of its members and the wider industry. For Austech 2019 it took one of its largest ever stands, with a distinctive design commemorating its anniversary.

While the networking event was a chance to look back on AMTIL’s work in support of Australian manufacturing over the last two decades, the primary focus was resoundingly on the present. AMTIL staff were on hand throughout the week to discuss the association’s current activities, catching up with existing members while also engaging with potential new ones.

Representatives of AMTIL’s corporate partners – AGL, William Buck, and Association Insurance – were also present to advise visitors to the stand on the ways they can support them in their businesses.

“Having our corporate partners with us on the stand and giving them exposure to our members and nearly 13,000 visitors has been great this week,” said Anne Samuelsson, AMTIL’s Head of Partnerships & Sales. “It’s been a really effective way to get the message out about what they can do to help our members. I’d like to thank them all for their time, involvement and participation here at Austech this week, especially as we celebrate our 20th anniversary.”

In addition, the AMTIL stand featured a section showcasing the work of three original equipment manufacturers (OEMs): BAE Systems Australia, Hofmann Engineering and Volgren. Providing a constant point of

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

AMTIL’s CEO Shane Infanti and President Paul Fowler cut the cake at an exclusive event to mark AMTIL’s 20th anniversary.

Jack Parr of the Vernier Foundation.

interest for anyone passing the stand, this section offered an insightful look into the work of three of the most accomplished manufacturing businesses operating in Australia today.

“There’s that classic story of the teacher who took some students to visit an older-looking manufacturing company,” Parr added. “And the teacher tells them ‘If you don’t work hard, you’ll finish up working in here’. Well that’s not true of manufacturing companies today. A lot of them are spotless, 24/7, lights-out, clean, clinical manufacturing, with high technology. The kids need to be told this is a really good place to work.”

Finally, the stand turned its attention to the future of manufacturing, and the young people who will provide its workforce, with a display by the Vernier Foundation.

The Foundation is the charitable arm of the Vernier Society, and its latest venture is to support STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education in schools.

“We currently have two schools, Dandenong High School and Peninsula Grammar, which provide a rolling three-year fund for buying robotic equipment,” explained Jack Parr of the Foundation. “We’re now trying to grow this to support more schools. We’re talking with AMTIL about getting some funding released and that will open up more opportunities.”

According to Parr, the aim in part is to get manufacturing more widely accepted as a valuable and worthwhile career for the employees tomorrow, both in terms of job satisfaction for the individual, and the wider benefits for the national economy.

To help get this message across, the Foundation runs regular events attended by students and industry figures – the next will take place on 8 August at Kooyong Tennis Club. It also has a donation scheme where organisations and individuals can contribute to support its work promoting STEM. “It doesn’t cost much to make one of our minimum donations,” Parr explained. “But if a company made our top donation of $12,000, what we call the Angstrom, they could provide a three-year rolling program.

“We’ve had a really successful career out of manufacturing – me and the collective, the grey-haired and balding guys. So it’s time for us to give back a bit.” www.amtil.com.au www.vernier.org.au

060

ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING

Unlimit3D – Unlocking additive opportunities Held alongside Austech 2019, UNLIMIT3D, a two-day conference on additive manufacturing (AM) and 3D printing, took place at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre (MCEC) from 14-15 May. Conference convener Alex Kingsbury describes some of the event’s highlights.

Sponsored by SYSPRO Australasia and the Additive Manufacturing Hub, UNLIMIT3D took an in-depth look at the industrialisation of AM, featuring presentations from people who have had deep involvement in implementing the technology for real-world production applications. Before a sold-out audience, a series of expert speakers shared their insights into the benefits of applying AM in a modern manufacturing setting, discussing the challenges that can arise, and importantly, how they were addressed.

Getting proceedings underway with the opening keynote address was Bruce McLean of The Barnes Group Advisors, an international AM consultancy based in Pittsburgh, US. With a global reputation as a technology and industrialisation specialist in electron beam melting, and a long track record in the aerospace sector, McLean had plenty of insights to share on what it takes to make a commercially viable business from AM. “Many people buy a machine and just think they’re going to grow a viable business in additive manufacturing,” he said. “It doesn’t work like that; a machine needs supporting infrastructure, and the market needs to be developed before the investment is made.”

The next presenter represented one of the leading manufacturers of AM technology. Mitchell Beness is the regional Product Manager for HP’s 3D Printing & Digital Manufacturing division in the AsiaPacific Japan (APJ) region. He described how HP works with global megatrends and outlined why they entered the 3D printing market with their own technology. Multi-jet Fusion has so far been used for many production parts, giving Beness many examples of businesses which have successfully integrated HP’s technology into their business to share with the audience.

While HP is one of the giants of the AM world, many breakthroughs in the field come from much smaller start-up ventures. One such example is Aurora Labs, a Perth-based outfit whose innovative Rapid Manufacturing Technology is making waves worldwide. Cofounder and Senior Printer Developer Jessica Snelling spoke about Aurora’s journey so far and its plans for the future.

After a short break, sessions resumed with the first panel discussion.

As representatives of three highly innovative new Australian manufacturing businesses adopting AM, Kevin Hazlehurst of Conflux, Robert Thompson of Anatomics and James Woolcock of Bastion Cycles shared fascinating anecdotes on their respective journeys in applying both metal and polymer AM processes into their businesses. They described, step by step, why they are using AM, how they decided what machine to acquire, and then what steps they took to prepare and then utilise their machines.

They were followed by Lee Brindle, Business Manager – Additive Manufacturing at voestalpine High Performance Metals (Australia).

As specialists in the production of high-performance steels and powder metallurgy products, voestalpine aims to become a leading producer of the metal powders that feed the AM industry. Brindle outlined compelling business cases where his company has used conformal cooling with AM for increased efficiency with highpressure die castings.

The last of the morning sessions came from Dr Anna Paradowska, Industrial Liaison Manager at the Australian Centre for Neutron Scattering (ACNS), within Australia’s Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO). Dr Paradowska’s presentation addressed ways to build bridges between industry and academia, an issue of additional relevance when it comes to cutting-edge

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

technology such as AM. Of ANSTO’s outreach she said: “We are opening the door for collaboration with industry and academia. The golden age for ANSTO is yet to come.”

Lunch gave the delegates time to explore the extensive 3D printing showcase on display at the Additive Manufacturing Pavilion within the Austech exhibition. Then the program resumed with Stefan Ritt, Head of Global Marketing at 3YOURMIND, which develops software for managing and optimising AM workflows. Ritt highlighted the software’s ability to automatically choose the best parts for AM production.

Ritt was followed by AMTIL’s own John Croft, Manager of the Additive Manufacturing Hub. The AM Hub is a collaborative venture run by AMTIL to provide an industry-driven network of organisations that will foster and grow the AM sector. Croft gave an outline of the Hub’s aims and activities, and shed light on how it could help ordinary manufacturing businesses.

After afternoon refreshments, the day was rounded off with a high energy pitch session for companies that are looking for 3D printing solutions and are seeking external help. Pitch session participants included: UAP, The Australian Army, LimeLite, Cobalt Design, and Trajan Scientific. Finally, after a packed first day, delegates had a chance to relax and network with their peers in a cocktail reception.

Proceedings on Day 2 of Unlimit3D got off to an outstanding start with Don Moloney from the Department of Defence. Working at Maritime Lifecycle Support within the Navy, Moloney has been a champion of AM, having implemented not only AM on land but also at sea. A fascinating look at how AM saved the Navy millions of dollars by having the capability to replace small parts at sea brought home how AM can revolutionise manufacturing.

ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING

“A 3D printer by itself is just a novelty,” said Moloney. “Supporting it and providing the relevant infrastructure is innovation, which ultimately leads to a manufacturing revolution.”

Moloney was followed by another of the big hitters in the supply of AM systems – SLM Solutions Group. Ralf Frowerk is Global Head of Business Development at SLM, a leading supplier of selective laser melting machines. Frowerk’s presentation gave a hint as to the future releases from SLM Solutions, including a proprietary SLM Solutions software package that eliminates STL files.

Next was Marlene Manson, AM Systems Engineer and Production Manager at Footwork Podiatric Laboratory. Podiatry is one sector where 3D printing is having a huge impact, and Footwork is one company taking the lead and embracing it. Manson showed video footage of every step in Footwork’s production process using HP’s Multi-jet Fusion 3D printing technology. From Manson’s presentation it was clear why AM was such a game-changer for orthotics.

Following a brief break for afternoon tea, Eric Barnes gave a final presentation for the day, on AM at Northrop Grumman. As an Additive Manufacturing Fellow, Barnes has led the development, implementation and strategy for polymer and metallic AM on multiple air and space projects at Northrop Grumman. Drawing on three decades of experience at the forefront of AM innovation, he offered an insider’s view on how a company like Northrop Grumman gets the most out of the technology, and the steps they need to take to ensure it is implemented safely.

After Barnes, there was just time for another pitch session which included talks from the likes of: Titomic, Design and Technology Company, and DI Design. A quote to summarise the day was given

by Eric Teo of Reliance Worldwide – “It’s not about equipment, it’s about people and culture” – highlighting the main challenge for anyone looking to implement AM technology in their business.

Reflecting on his Unlimit3D experience, conference delegate Dr Leon Prentice remarked: “I really liked how there was a commercial focus to [the conference]. Getting the panel up was my highlight.

Getting people to talk about how they’re turning AM into a commercial reality, from the challenges of running high-productivity machines, to managing powder, to quality control, we heard it all here at Unlimit3D.” To adapt a phrase from a well-known politician, this was the conference Australia had to have. The AM industry in Australia is mature enough now that we have practical, commercial knowledge to share. The sooner the hype around 3D printing dies, the sooner we can get on with the business of helping others see how to best utilise this revolutionary technology. Additionally, as Convener of the conference, I got a strong sense of a friendly and welcoming atmosphere amongst speakers and participants. Everyone approached the event with an open and searching mind, looking to learn and to discover; and that my friends, is much better than a recession! www.additiveeconomics.com www.amhub.net.au

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

061

062

ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING

The challenges and solutions to large-scale 3D printing For users interested in 3D printing large parts, fused deposition modelling (FDM) is the most affordable and accessible technology, with an extensively growing range of printing materials. Matt Tyson explores the world of large-scale 3D printing and the technologies and materials used to reliably print large, functional parts, from 250mm all the way up to 25m long.

Most durable and engineering grade plastics can be printed reliably at moderate sizes, but when scaled, many of these materials become much harder to print without advanced printing systems or technologies. Compromises must be made between print time and resolution, and consideration should be given to the desired printing material.

It can be easy Full-size 3D printing with some materials can be fairly straightforward. Polylactide (PLA) can be printed reliably at room temperature and has therefore maintained its reputation as the most popular 3D printing filament. When printing large parts, draughts can certainly cause shrinkage or warping, so a printer with enclosed sides is ideal and a heated bed or printing surface is recommended to maximise bed adhesion.

The main consideration when printing PLA at larger scales is minimising print time with larger layer heights/nozzles and ensuring your bed is perfectly levelled. These two factors are important when printing any material.

For most users interested in printing large and functional products, PLA just isn’t the right material. Certainly a tougher PLA material like PolyMax PLA would provide mechanical properties to rival acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), but many applications at this size also require heat resistance or UV resistance, which is not an inherent property of PLA. Without expensive industrial machines, it was difficult to print large parts with engineering materials, until now.

Nylon (PA) is one of the world’s most popular engineering materials. Nylon filaments have traditionally suffered from warping, but we can now print nylon easily with basic 3D printers. The reason is advanced material development and innovation.

Developed by Polymaker, the PolyMide series of nylon materials are unique and solve the core reason nylon materials warp during printing. Nylon is semicrystalline. and during printing, other nylon materials crystallise too rapidly, forming internal stresses and cracking or warping.

Polymaker developed new warp-free technology that controls the crystallisation rate; as the name suggests parts don’t warp at any size on both simple and industrial 3D printers alike.

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

With no enclosure required, excellent dimensional stability and the inherent strength and heat resistance associated with Nylon 6 66, PolyMide forms the building blocks for large-scale products like the LSEV car from XEV, or the air intake from Custom Import Arts. To print these parts in ABS or polycarbonate (PC) would require a more advanced printer.

with an actively heated chamber, a feature differentiating industrial and professional 3D printers. With an actively heated chamber, internal stress in the plastic is released, preventing warping or cracking. It is important to note adding active heating to an existing 3D printer is not recommended as the electronics in many 3D printers aren’t rated for high-temperature environments.

Heat, heat, heat!

Of course some customer requirements may be significantly larger than what industrial manufacturers currently offer, in these cases custom built solutions are common.

Almost all 3D printing materials can be printed without warping; the key is to understand what environment is required to print each material reliably when choosing your machine. Materials like ABS, PolyCarbonate and acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA) require a high environmental temperature (50-70°C) when printing to maintain dimensional stability and prevent warping at large sizes.

Many 3D printers are enclosed and equipped with the specifications to print materials like ABS. A heated bed heats the printing environment, and an enclosure traps this heat while protecting from draughts. A 3D printer design with a compact enclosure can maintain an enclosure temperature around 40°C, good enough to prevent warping and cracking with some mediumsized objects.

At larger scales, the temperature inside the enclosure will be significantly lower as the heated bed must now heat a much larger area. If we were to print a 200mm squared part, an enclosed 500mm x 500mm x 500mm 3D printer will have a much harder time printing ABS than a 250mm x 250mm x 250mm printer. The key to 3D printing ABS, PC and ASA at large sizes is a printer

Massive 3D printing Recently I visited the SCG 3D printer in Shanghai, an ambitious example of large-scale 3D printing and a successful collaboration between Coin Robotics and Shanghai Construction Group. Even though the current build volume of this massive printer is 144m cubed with a printing area 25m long, there is still room for expansion.

Unlike desktop and industrial 3D printers that feed a spool of plastic filament, the SCG feeds from three hoppers filled with plastic pellets. When printing at this size a single print can easily require 20-50kg of plastic, so spools of filament become impracticable.

The SCG 3D printer can print functional materials like ASA without warping and was recently used to print the first plastic 3D-printed pedestrian bridge. To print parts at this scale without warping, a unique approach was required, combining advancements in 3D printing technology, along with leading material development from Polymaker. To prevent drafts and

ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING

maintain heat, the SCG 3D printer is enclosed with a tent heated to 38°C. During my visit inside the SCG printer, a chair was being printed, so workers had also built a smaller tent with blankets to concentrate heat within the print.

When printing parts the full length of the printer, each layer has already cooled significantly before the extruder returns to print the next layer. To combat this problem Coin Robotics engineered hot air guns that blow 600°C air onto the print, reheating it close to the material’s glass transition temperature. The air guns, combined with a unique extruder stamping system, ensure perfect adhesion between layers. During very large projects like the pedestrian bridge, workers also place blankets over the print to maintain a moderately high temperature.

Currently the projects printed with this machine require UV and weather resistance, plus good mechanical properties, so ASA is the optimal material. To print ASA at this scale, a significantly higher temperature in the enclosure would have been required so Shanghai Construction Group hired Polymaker to develop an ASA material that can be printed without warping in the SCG printer.

Polymaker’s AS100GF, an ASA with 12.5% glass fibres by weight, was one of five materials tested. The glass fibres add strength and more importantly minimise the warping effect that plagues large 3D prints.

Inside the SCG 3D printer I watched as a newer ASA from Polymaker with 20% glass fibres was being tested; I was told this will further reduce the coefficient of thermal expansion to maintain dimensional stability.

To ensure the print adheres to the bed, ASA pellets are glued to wooden planks, which the first layer of the 3D print fuses to; afterwards these planks are removed.

Summary and tips Printing large objects isn’t always as straightforward as purchasing a large 3D printer, importing a 3D file and clicking print.

The nuances between materials become more defined when printing at large scales and considerations should be made regarding the turnaround time and materials you require.

If you are interested in large-scale 3D printing here are some tips.

Print time. With larger objects, print time can rapidly increase if we don’t adjust settings accordingly. Most 3D printers are equipped with a 0.4mm nozzle, which is excellent for printing models and parts. When we print larger parts, this level of detail is not required so a larger nozzle is an effective solution

Many 3D printer manufacturers enclose their machines or add active heating to maintain high environmental temperatures.

and minimises print time in two ways.

A larger nozzle (for example, 0.8mm or 1.2mm) can extrude thicker lines of plastic, and can print thicker layer heights, slashing print time. Moreover, with larger nozzles, layer lines become more prominent and the smallest detail that can be printed changes.

If a section of your project requires 1.6mm thickness, a 0.8mm nozzle will print 1.6mm with two 0.8mm lines, but a 1.2mm nozzle will only be able to print that section with a thickness of 1.2mm or 2.4mm. With a larger nozzle, more plastic is extruded per hour, so it is also important your extruder can reliably heat this extra plastic to avoid clogging or nozzle jams.

High-temperature materials. If you require high heat resistance, tensile strength or weather resistance, chances are the right material for your application will be susceptible to warping without a heated environment.

Tips for buying a large printer: Make sure the machine you are buying will be able to print the materials at the sizes you expect.

In the printer specifications manufacturers only detail if the material can be printed and don’t cover what sizes can be achieved or the reliability to expect. A printer that can technically print ABS may not even print ABS parts that fill half or a quarter of the build volume without warping into the extruder and jamming. PLA is the most popular material and so the majority of 3D printer reviews are written from users who favour printing these less demanding materials. Paying the reseller/distributor to print a sample is a great way to test if the machine you are researching will reliably print the materials you require at the sizes you need.

Tips for users without active heating: There are many users who have already invested in 3D printers without active heating. There are some tricks to print at moderately large sizes in high-temperature materials like PC or ABS. There will always be a limitation on how big you can print without warping but sometimes you can push the printer’s capabilities to meet your needs.

The first key is to completely enclose your printer by closing all doors and lids and preheating the bed for 20 minutes to an hour. With long preheating times, it is sometimes possible to minimise warping.

Take note of the filament’s glass transition temperature; even if your parts are warping you should avoid heating the bed above this temperature. The surrounding environment will be hotter but the increased bed temperature will affect other elements like strength and print quality. Without a controlled and heated environment, internal stresses will form during the printing process. With small 3D prints, the internal stress is enough to impact part performance but won’t impact dimensional stability so to maximise performance the internal stress can be released through annealing.

With large-scale 3D printing, parts will print with more material and therefore more internal stress, which when stronger than your bed adhesion or inter-layer adhesion will release in the form of warping or cracking. Printing with a lower infill will produce parts with less material and therefore less internal stress, minimising the risk of warping. For example, parts printed at 100% infill will suffer from significant warping when compared to parts printed at 25%. Parts should still be printed with a moderate infill (above 20%) as parts printed with a very low infill are more susceptible to cracking.

Additionally you can modify your designs to maximise adhesion with 90° edges rather than fillets or chamfers and hollowing parts of the design.

In some cases these tricks can be used to minimise warping but of course we recommend annealing to release the internal stress, which will maximise your part performance. If your part is still warping with these tips and you can’t afford a 3D printer with active heating, we recommend trying an engineering material like PolyMide CoPA. www.3dprintingsolutions.com.au

Four air guns ensure the print area is always hot for maximum layer adhesion.

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

063

064

ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING

3D-printed tools cut titanium, win top innovation prize High-strength cutting tools can now be 3D printed, potentially saving time and money for aerospace and defence manufacturers.

RMIT University PhD candidate Jimmy Toton received the 2019 Young Defence Innovator Award and $15,000 prize at the Avalon International Airshow for the research, conducted with Defence Materials Technology Centre (DMTC) and Sutton Tools. Because the metals used in defence and aerospace are so strong, making high-quality tools to cut them is a major, expensive challenge. This collaborative project conducted at RMIT’s Advanced Manufacturing Precinct is the first convincing demonstration of 3D-printed steel tools that can cut titanium alloys as well as, or in some cases better than, conventional steel tools.

Jimmy Toton inspects a 3D printed steel milling cutter.

“Now that we’ve shown what’s possible, the full potential of 3D printing can start being applied to this industry, where it could improve productivity and tool life while reducing cost,” Toton said.

The team’s high-performance steel milling cutters were made using laser metal deposition technology, which works by feeding metal powder into a laser beam. As the laser moves and the metal solidifies at the trailing edge, a 3D object is built layer by layer. This additive manufacturing process also allows for objects to be built with complex internal and external structures.

Toton overcame significant challenges in getting the layers to ‘print’ to form strong, crack-free parts as he took this from initial concept through to development. He is now working towards establishing a print-to-order capability for Australia’s advanced manufacturing supply chains.

“Manufacturers need to take full advantage of these new opportunities to become or remain competitive, especially in cases where manufacturing costs are high,” Toton said. “There is real opportunity now to be leading with this technology.”

DMTC Chief Executive Officer, Dr Mark Hodge, said the importance of productivity and cost-efficiency to Australian manufacturers should not be underestimated.

“Supply chain innovations and advances like improved tooling capability all add up to meeting performance benchmarks and

positioning Australian companies to win work in local and global supply chains,” he said. “The costs of drills, milling cutters and other tooling over the life of major Defence equipment contracts can run into the tens, if not hundreds, of millions of dollars. This project opens the way to making these high-performing tools cheaper and faster, here in Australia.”

Dr Steve Dowey, Technology Manager at Sutton Tools, said having Toton working closely with them as an engineering intern during his research was crucial in ensuring industry-relevant outcomes.

“This project exemplifies the ethos of capability-building through industrial applied research, rather than just focusing on excellent research for its own sake,” Dowey said.

RMIT’s Advanced Manufacturing Precinct Director and Toton’s supervisor, Professor Milan Brandt, said the work was a clear demonstration of the technology’s potential: “Additive technology is rising globally and Jimmy’s project highlights a market where it can be applied to precisely because of the benefits that this technology offers over conventional manufacturing methods.” www.rmit.edu.au

Swinburne wins grant for 3DP composites Swinburne University of Technology and its partners have been awarded $1m through the Global Innovation Linkages Program towards a $3.5m project focused on Industry 4.0 manufacturing of high-volume lightweight composites. The project will use a world-first process for 3D printing industrial-scale composites in Swinburne’s Industry 4.0 Testlab.

Carbon-fibre composite manufacture has become a growth area for Australia in the past decade, leading to new export markets.

To maintain this momentum, the key challenge is to increase the rate and lower the cost of production. This can only be achieved by targeted research using the latest technologies in automation and digitalisation. Swinburne has established partnerships with Australian companies and global economies in Germany, Austria and Israel to undertake Industry 4.0 platform capability development.

Fox, has secured this support to expand the scope and reach of their high impact research in the area of automated carbon-fibre parts production using Industry 4.0 technologies and processes.”

“The Global Innovation Program Linkage grant recognises our leadership in Industry 4.0 transformation of the advanced manufacturing sector through collaboration with our partners in Australia and Germany,” says Swinburne Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research & Development) Professor Aleksandar Subic. “This success validates our Industry 4.0 Testlab strategy and development, and deepens our research partnerships internationally, especially with ARENA2036 in Stuttgart and with Fill in Austria.

“Designing and developing Swinburne’s Industry 4.0 Testlab for 3D printing of composites with our industry and research partners is one of the key strategies of the Manufacturing Futures Research Institute, founded two years ago,” says Professor Bronwyn Fox, Director of the Manufacturing Futures Research Institute, who will be the research director of the program. “Our international network of industrially connected researchers enables us to create new global business opportunities for advanced manufacturers in Australia.”

“I am pleased that our research team, led by Professor Bronwyn

www.swinburne.edu.au

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

The project will design and develop products for the ‘New Mobility Transportation’ market as a brand-new, rapidly growing industrial segment in both the aerospace and automotive sectors, where there is a critical requirement for high-volume composites with digital ID.

Multi laser productivity without compromising quality‌

What can you achieve with Renishaw additive manufacturing?

Renishaw multi-laser AM systems open the door to a new world, bringing more applications within reach of AM technology.

RenAM 500Q has four efficiently applied high power lasers that reduce cost per part, while advanced sensors and systems ensure unparalleled processing conditions to deliver consistent class leading performance, build after build.

Unlock your potential and explore the possibilities with Renishaw advanced multi-laser additive manufacturing.

For more information visit www.renishaw.com/multi-laser

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

066

ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING

RUAG, Defence unveil Laser Additive Deposition for high-strength steel repairs RUAG Australia and the Department of Defence have completed a program to develop and demonstrate Laser Additive Deposition (LAD) as a technology for repairing damaged high-strength steel components, proving its capabilities with the full repair of an arrester hook from a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) F/A-18 Hornet.

LAD is an additive material technology which rebuilds damaged metal surfaces. A highpower laser beam creates a melt pool in the surface. Metal particles are injected into the melt pool, and fuse with the surface as it cools and solidifies. Overlapping passes build a 3D deposition structure, which can then be machined to the required shape.

LAD is applicable to the repair of highstrength metal components and structures.

As part of the LAD validation in a real repair situation, RUAG successfully repaired the high-strength steel arrester hook from an RAAF F/A-18 Hornet. The hook had been previously identified as worn ‘beyond safe limits’. LAD technology restored the hook and ensured it met operational and design requirements. At the same time, the full repair significantly improved the component’s return-to-service time, compared with the typical replacement options.

Neil Matthews, Senior Manager for Advanced Technologies and Engineering Services at RUAG Australia, states: “Additive material technologies such as LAD are now critical to sustaining Defence’s equipment in the air, land and sea environments. The long-term cost reductions are significant as the reliable repair of components lowers the overhead attributed to logistics and inventory.” Speaking on behalf of Defence, Khan Sharp, Research Leader for Aerospace Materials Technologies at

F/A-18 Hornet arrester hook, before (left) and after being repaired using Laser Additive Deposition.

the Defence Science & Technology Group (DSTG), added: “To date, Defence and RUAG have recovered more than $6m of Defence equipment using additive material technologies. Reliability and repeatability are the keys to fully leveraging technologies such as RUAG’s LAD and Supersonic Particle Deposition (SPD) repair-andrecover capabilities. Adding additive material technologies to repair capabilities is essential in view of the advanced materials and innovative techniques used in building RAAF’s Joint Strike Fighter, for example.”

Defence and RUAG have a long history of researching additive material technologies; RUAG has 15 years of experience in the development and application of additive material repair technologies. Collaboration between Defence, industry and research

bodies remains an Australian strength.

RUAG Australia is a major industry research centre for the development and application of powder deposition technologies focusing on both SPD (sometimes referred to as cold spray) and LAD for defence applications.

These technologies offer a number of exciting and cost-effective outcomes, particularly in the areas of geometry restoration and corrosion protection. In addition, they enable the restoration of corroded/damaged metallic components and structures to an acceptable structural integrity and functionality. RUAG Australia maintains and operates a fixed and mobile SPD capability as well as a fixed LAD capability. RUAG Australia is a DASA 145, EASA Part 145, CASA 145 approved organisation. www.ruag.com.au

Titomic creates world’s largest titanium UAV Australian advanced manufacturing company Titomic has delivered the largest titanium, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

Measuring over 1.8m in diameter, the UAV was manufactured at Titomic’s R&D bureau in Melbourne, where it operates the world’s largest, fastest metal 3D printer. Measuring 9m x 3m x 1.5m, the TKF 9000 incorporates Titomic’s patented 3D printing technology, Titomic Kinetic Fusion (TKF).

Given its superior strength-to-weight ratio, titanium provides the UAV with a strong, lightweight, ruggedised design and ballistics protection, which will provide durability for reliable in-field use by military and law enforcement and is well-suited for deployment in live combat situations. As titanium’s use is often prohibitively expensive and difficult to fabricate using traditional methods, the prototype demonstrates

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

Titomic’s ability to utilise high-performance materials such as titanium, in applications that previously did not overcome a manufacture cost-benefit analysis, forcing manufacturers to use lower-performance materials in design, such as heavier metals or fragile plastics. The technology is widely applicable to the defence industry and can also create parts such as armaments, traditionally created through metal casting, resulting in reduced production time and increased output.

Titomic Managing Director Jeff Lang stated: “We’re excited to be working with the global defence industry to combine Australian resources, manufacturing and innovation, which will increase our sovereign capability

to provide further modern technology for Australia and its defence force”.

Co-developed with and licenced from the CSIRO, TKF is a patented metal AM process utilising supersonic deposition of metal powders to digitally manufacture metal parts and complex surface coatings of super alloys and dissimilar metals such as nickel, copper, scandium and alloys such as stainless steel, inconel and tungsten carbide. With the unique ability to fuse dissimilar materials, Titomic has unlocked opportunities to engineer parts and surface coatings unobtainable via other manufacturing methods. www.titomic.com

ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING

Orbex, SLM build world’s largest 3D-printed singlepiece rocket engine Orbex has introduced the world’s largest metal rocket engine 3D printed in a single piece, produced on an SLM800 system from SLM Solutions.

Founded in 2015, Orbex develops small satellite launch vehicles. The spaceflight company introduced Prime, its revolutionary, environmentally-friendly rocket at the grand opening of its new headquarters in Forres, Scotland. The novel Orbex launcher not only uses 100% renewable fuel to cut carbon emissions by 90%, and a novel zero-shock staging and payload separation resulting in zero orbital debris, but was also design-optimised for selective laser melting (SLM), helping to create a structure 30% lighter and 20% more efficient than any other launch vehicle in its category.

Orbex aerospace engineers partnered closely with the applications engineering team at SLM Solutions’s headquarters in Lübeck, Germany, to ensure success transferring the design into SLM production – a feat that required the partnership of the equipment provider due to the complexity and size of the component.

Applications specialist Lukas Pankiewicz headed the consulting team inside SLM Solutions to develop a unique set of parameters optimised for this particular geometry. Working closely with the design team at Orbex, Pankiewicz consulted on the various design features and orientation options, while ensuring the part was built successfully with the required material properties and dimensional accuracy.

“Our aim during the process was to fulfill the quality expectations of the Orbex team, keep the functionality of the part and make it suitable for additive manufacturing,” he explained. “Every single support structure used in data preparation has been customised to obtain the best quality in every section of the engine, taking postprocessing into consideration as well.”

The SLM800 large-format metal additive manufacturing system features a 260mm x 500mm powder bed that can build parts 800mm tall, allowing the Prime engine to be built in a special nickel alloy in a single piece. The SLM HUB unpacking system for the SLM 800 integrates contactless powder handling and automated build chamber conveyors to transfer the finished part to an unpacking station designed to remove powder through vibration and rotation.

Pankiewicz ensured a powder removal

strategy was incorporated into the build with purpose-driven delivery channels to be certain as much powder was removed as possible while reducing material loss.

After production, reference samples built together with the engine were analyzed in the SLM Solutions’ metallography lab, where porosity level and distribution were proven to meet the quality acceptance criteria. The rapid iteration times inherent to the SLM process allowed Orbex to realise both time and cost reductions – saving 90% in turnaround time and over 50% in costs compared to traditional CNC machining production.

“This has always been what SLM Solutions is about,” said Dr Axel Schulz, Chief Sales Officer of SLM Solutions. “Members of our team helped invent selective laser melting technology! We’ve always wanted that technology to succeed – which isn’t just about selling SLM machines but creating that paradigm shift for the customer to be successful with their process. SLM Solutions consulted Orbex on how to make the technology best work for them and transferred that knowledge to ensure their successful implementation as they ramp up to production.”

3D Printing Functional

Metal Parts

Markforged combines Metal Injection Molding (MIM) technology with a unique 3D printing platform

Call us now at

Jonas Bjarnoe, Chief Technology Officer of Orbex, stated: “The SLM Solutions team showed true dedication and in-depth knowledge of our work. I’m looking forward to continuing this collaboration in 2019 and onwards. Orbex and SLM Solutions have solved some important puzzle pieces which will change the space business.”

to discuss how you can transform your metal manufacturing processes

Pankiewicz concluded: “I think it is a dream of every engineer to build a rocket and I feel honoured to be a part this project with SLM Solutions and Orbex.”

emona.com.au/markforged

1 800 632 953

www.raymax.com.au www.orbex.space

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

067

068

ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING

RAM3D ramps up production runs in metal 3D printing Leading the way in metal 3D printing in the Southern Hemisphere, RAM3D has been involved in additive manufacturing for 10 years from its base in New Zealand.

RAM3D is a metal 3D printing facility and high-tech manufacturing company producing parts for a diverse array of industries worldwide. The technology has greatly advanced over the past five years and RAM3D has seen a shift from prototyping to include full production work. This is possibly a result of the early adopters of the technology starting to move their projects increasingly through the project stage.

The two key drivers to this transition are: 1. Designers have recognised that the technology opens different design avenues. They can look at the areas of function and load and only place material where it is needed. This design freedom results in a highly optimised part in both functionality and cost.

2. The cost of production by 3D printing has reduced. RAM3D operates four machines; they have been able to cover their overheads and apply the lessons they have learned over time to refine the process and ultimately bring benefits to companies having parts made.

Throughout most of the world, two of the early adopters of 3D printing technology are the high-priced aerospace and medical sectors. This has limited the growth of the industry in other sectors because of the desire for the cost of 3D parts to be more costeffective.

In New Zealand there is limited medical and aerospace markets and RAM3D has focussed on the wider market to meet the price point to make it work. As a result, the market sectors engaged are much broader. The result is some very innovative products.

Case studies One of these innovative products is firearm suppressors. RAM3D has been working in collaboration with Oceania Defence, an early adopter of additive manufacturing technology, to 3D print the most advanced firearms suppressors in the world. After rigorous design, research and testing with Oceania Defence, they have achieved the most desired outcome: a suppressor that is highly efficient, lightweight, compact and, most importantly, cost-effective.

3D-printed firearms suppressors, made by RAM3D with Oceania Defence

RAM3D has been building drone engine parts for another company.

The three-cylinder engine has a weight of 50kg and aircraft wingspan of 6m; it can fly to heights of 5,500m and has a cruise speed of 60 knots. The parts that RAM3D prints for them cannot be manufactured any other way and are printed in Inconel 718, a high-temperature alloy, requiring high precision especially where mass matters. It has printed production runs of manifolds, exhaust mufflers, collectors and more recently engine sumps.

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

Drone engine parts.

Another innovative product is Bastion Cycles’ custom bicycle using 3D printed lugs and carbonfibre tubing. This Melbournebased company’s titanium (Ti 6Al 4V) lugs are a great example of the technology being applied in true mass customisation.

RAM3D started working with Bastion Cycles in 2015 and through collaboration on design has seen over 100 custom bikes made.

RAM3D currently produces 3D printed parts for a few other bike manufacturers on the world-wide stage.

RAM3D uses a variety of advanced materials for additive manufacturing, including: • Titanium 64 (Ti 6AI 4V) – The most common titanium alloy, used for medical and aerospace applications. It boasts the highest strength-to-weight ratio of engineering metals and is extremely corrosion-resistant.

• Stainless Steel 15-5ph – This provides high strength, moderate corrosion resistance and good mechanical properties at temperatures up to 316°C. It is a hardenable stainless steel up to 48 HRC. It is widely used in the aerospace, chemical, petrochemical, food processing industries.

• Stainless Steel 316 – This has excellent corrosion resistance in a wide range of media, which makes it particularly desirable for applications where exposure to salt is an issue. It is mainly used in the food sector, marine and dairy industries.

• Inconel 718 – This is a nickel super-alloy used for hightemperature applications and is used in a variety of industries such as aerospace, chemical processing, marine engineering and oil and gas.

Bastion Cycle’s custom bicycle with 3D-printed lugs.

ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING

Post-processing options Once a part has been 3D printed and the support material has been removed, the part undergoes a media blasting process. Media blasting gives a more uniform finish and it suits most applications where the customer doesn’t require a polished finish. RAM3D often compares the standard finish to the surface of a mandarin orange.

All the company’s titanium printed parts are heat-treated in order to: reduce residual stresses developed during fabrication (stress relieving); and to produce an optimum combination of ductility, machinability, and dimensional and structural stability (annealing).

RAM3D can also heat-treat Inconel 718 and Stainless Steel 155ph.

RAM3D also offers a number of polishing options: • Vibratory polishing. The standard finished part is put it into the vibratory polisher where it is immersed in mixed ceramic media and left for a period of time until it becomes polished. This process can take sharp edges off certain features.

• Hand polishing. This requires a hands-on approach involving grinding, linishing and hand sanding before moving on to buffing and polishing. Many parts are not suitable for hand polishing; it can be quite time-consuming and is a more expensive option.

AEROSPACE

AUTOMOTIVE

DEFENCE

MEDICAL

INDUSTRIAL PARTS

Quality control Quality control is an important part of the design and manufacturing process, with finished pieces needing to be consistently reliable.

RAM3D has developed what the team believes is a key part of quality control; they build tensile bars with every build and test them.

Over the past 10 years this has resulted in literally thousands of tensile tests. They keep all the results and bars to ensure traceability over every build.

This process has enabled them to develop an understanding of the key factors influencing the selective laser melting process, from laser parameters to gas flow and powder quality. Over the years they have built a quality control process that gives them a large amount of data from a single test. The comparison of each test against historical norms tells them very quickly if the build could be out of specification. The best part is it is very cost-effective, helping to keep the costs to customers to a minimum, but they have found the key is the tracking against historical data to quickly highlight even very small variations.

3D printing won’t do everything; it is another tool in the toolbox just like casting and machining. However, when used well, it can create new products and achieve new goals.

The only company in Australia providing Metal 3D Printing, CNC Machining, Fabrication and Industrial Gearboxes in the one location. Efficiency and Quality is what Amiga Engineering provides.

www.ram3d.co.nz

Engineering Solutions to Empower Your Ideas

www.Metal3D.com.au Ph: +61 3 9330 0688 E: Metal3D@amigaeng.com.au AMT JUN/JUL 2019

069

070

CUTTING TOOLS

Overcoming the ongoing challenges of long-reach machining Current manufacturing trends are magnifying the difficulty of creating precision bores and performing turning operations with extended-length tools. Demand for tighter tolerances and unfailing repeatability grows continuously.

New high-performance workpiece materials are more difficult to machine, boosting stress within the machining system. To save time and money, manufacturers are consolidating multiple parts into single monolithic workpieces that require machining of deep bores and turning of complex components on multitasking machine tools.

Manufacturers seeking to overcome these challenges must study all elements of their machining systems and apply techniques and tools that assure success. Among the key elements are machine stability, tool-holding, workpiece clamping and cutting tool geometry. In general, solid fixturing, rigid tooling and careful tool application make up the basic foundation for accurate, productive boring and long-reach turning processes.

Toolholding To maximise rigidity, a boring bar or turning bar must be as short as possible but remain long enough to machine the entire length of the bore or component. Boring bar diameter should be the largest possible that will fit the bore and still permit efficient evacuation of cut chips.

Producers of oil & gas, power generation and aerospace components are prime candidates for updated tooling and techniques because they regularly deal with large, complex parts with features that require the use of extended-length tools. Many parts are made from tough alloys that are difficult to machine and thereby produce high, vibration-generating cutting forces. In general, nearly any manufacturer can benefit from improving productivity and reducing costs in long-reach boring operations.

As chips form and break, cutting forces rise and fall. Variations in force become an additional source of vibration that may interact in sympathy with the tool-holder’s or machine’s natural mode of vibration and become self-sustaining or even increase. Other sources of such vibrations include worn tools or those not taking a deep enough pass. These cause process instability or resonance that also synchronise with the natural frequency of a machine’s spindle or the tool to then generate unwanted vibrations.

Deflection and vibration

A long boring bar or turning bar overhang can trigger vibration in a machining system. The basic approach to vibration control includes the use of short, rigid tools. The larger the ratio of bar length to diameter, the greater the chance that vibration will occur.

Deep boring is distinguished from other cutting operations in that the cutting edge operates in the bore at an extended distance from the connection to the machine. Long-reach internal turning operations feature similar conditions, and both these boring and turning operations can involve holes with interrupted cuts, as is the case on workpieces like pump or compressor housings. The amount of resulting tool overhang is dictated by the hole’s depth and can result in deflection of the boring bar or extended-length turning tool.

Deflection magnifies the changing forces in a cutting process and can cause vibration and chatter that degrade part surface quality, quickly wear or break cutting tools and damage machine tool components, such as spindles, and cause the need for expensive repairs and lengthy downtime. The varying forces result from machine component imbalances, lack of system rigidity or sympathetic vibration of elements of the machining system.

Cutting pressures also change as the tool is periodically loaded and unloaded while chips form and break. Negative effects of machining vibrations include poor surface finish, inaccurate bore dimensions, rapid tool wear, reduced material rates, increased production cost and damage to tool holders and machine tools.

Machine rigidity and workpiece fixturing The basic approach to controlling vibration in machining operations involves maximising the rigidity of the elements of the machining system. To restrict unwanted movement, a machine tool should be built with rigid, heavy structural elements reinforced with concrete or other vibration-absorbing material. Machine bearings and bushings must be tight and solid.

Workpieces must be accurately located and securely held within the machine tool. Fixtures should be designed with simplicity and rigidity as primary concerns, and clamps should be located as close as possible to the cutting operations. From a workpiece perspective, thin-walled parts or welded parts and those with unsupported sections are prone to vibration when machined. Parts can be redesigned to improve rigidity, but such design changes can add weight and compromise the machined product’s performance.

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

Different bar materials provide different vibration behavior. Steel bars generally are vibration resistant up to a 4:1 length-to-diameterof-bar (L/D) ratio. Heavy metal bars made from tungsten alloys are denser than steel and can handle L/D of bar ratios in the range of 6:1. Solid carbide bars provide higher rigidity and permit up to L/D of bar ratios of 8:1, along with the possible disadvantage of higher cost, especially where a large-diameter bar is required.

An alternative way to damp vibrations involves a tunable bar.

The bar features an internal mass damper designed to resonate out of phase with the unwanted vibration, absorb its energy and minimise vibratory motion. The Steadyline system from Seco Tools, for example, features a pre-tuned vibration damper consisting of a damper mass made of high-density material suspended inside the toolholder bar via radial absorbing elements. The damper mass absorbs vibration immediately when it is transmitted by the cutting tool to the body of the bar.

More complex and expensive active tooling vibration control can take the form of electronically activated devices that sense vibration and use electronic actuators to produce secondary motion in the tool-holder to cancel the unwanted movement.

Workpiece material The cutting characteristics of the workpiece material may contribute to the generation of vibration. The hardness of the material, a tendency to built-up edge or work hardening, or the presence of hard inclusions alter or interrupt cutting forces and may generate vibrations. To some degree, adjusting cutting parameters can minimise vibrations when machining certain materials.

Cutting tool geometry The cutting tool itself is subject to tangential and radial deflection.

Radial deflection affects the accuracy of the bore diameter. In tangential deflection the insert is forced downward away from the part centreline. Especially when boring small diameter holes, the

CUTTING TOOLS

cutting forces on a smaller section of the cutting edge than a large lead angle, with possible negative effect on tool life. In addition, a tool’s lead angle affects chip thickness and the direction of chip flow. Insert nose radius should be smaller than the cutting depth to minimise radial cutting forces.

Chip control

curving internal diameter of the hole reduces the clearance angle between the insert and the bore. Tangential deflection will push the tool downward and away from the centreline of the component being machined, reducing the clearance angle. Radial deflection reduces cutting depth, affecting machining accuracy and altering chip thickness. The changes in depth of cut alter cutting forces and can result in vibration.

Insert geometry features including rake, lead angle and nose radius can either magnify or damp vibration. Positive rake inserts, for instance, create less tangential cutting force. But the positive rake angle configuration can reduce clearance, which can lead to rubbing and vibration. A large rake angle and small edge angle produce a sharp cutting edge, which reduces cutting forces. However, the sharp edge may be subject to impact damage or uneven wear, which will affect surface finish of the bore.

A small cutting edge lead angle produces larger axial cutting forces, while a large lead angle produces force in the radial direction. Axial forces have limited effect on boring operations, so a small lead angle can be desirable. But a small lead angle also concentrates

Clearing the cut chips from the bore is a key issue in boring operations. Insert geometry, cutting speeds and workpiece material cutting characteristics all influence chip control. Short chips are desirable in boring because they are easier to evacuate from the bore and minimise forces on the cutting edge. But the highly contoured insert geometries designed to break chips tend to consume more power and may cause vibration.

Operations intended to create a good surface finish may require a light depth of cut that will produce thinner chips that magnify the chip control problem. Increasing feed rate may break chips but can increase cutting forces and generate chatter, which can negatively affect surface finishes. Higher feed rates can also cause built-up edges when machining low carbon steels, so higher cutting feed rates along with optimum internal coolant supply may be a chip control solution when boring these more malleable steel alloys.

Deep hole boring and turning with extended length tools are common and essential metal cutting operations. Carrying out these processes efficiently requires evaluation of the machining system as a whole to assure that the multiple factors involved in minimising vibration and assuring product quality are working together to achieve maximum productivity and profitability. www.secotools.com

Productivity through passive damping tools Steadyline tooling from Seco Tools can enable typical longoverhang operations to be performed twice as fast as with nondamped tools while enhancing part surface finish, extending tool life and reducing stress on the machine tool. The system’s passive/dynamic vibration damping technology makes it possible to accomplish certain applications, such use of tools with L/D ratios greater than 6:1 that would not otherwise be possible even at minimal machining parameters. Turning and boring operations to depths up to 10xD in small and large holes can be reliable and productive.

The Steadyline dynamic/passive vibration control system functions on the basis of an interaction of vibration forces. In operation, a cutting force induces motion (vibration) in the holder. To counter vibration, the Steadyline system employs the properties of an internal second mass engineered to possess the same natural frequency as the external envelope of the bar. The mass is designed to resonate out of phase with the unwanted vibration, absorb its energy and minimise unwanted motion.

In the Steadyline system, the vibration-absorbing mass is positioned at the front of the bar where the potential for deflection is highest, and the mass can damp vibration immediately as it is transmitted from the cutting edge to the body of the bar.

Steadyline also includes short, compact Seco GL cutting tool heads that place the cutting edge close to the damping mass to

maximise the vibration-absorption effect. The system is adaptable to a wide range of applications and is most useful in rough and fine boring as well as contouring, pocketing and slotting.

Seco has expanded its long-reach turning and boring solutions with additions to its series of Steadyline vibration-damping turning/ boring bars and cutting heads. The latest additions include 25 mm and 100 mm diameter Steadyline bars, GL25 turning heads and a range of BA boring heads for roughing and finishing operations up to diameters of 115 mm.

Boring and turning tool heads can be exchanged quickly using the GL connection, which provides centering accuracy and repeatability of 5 microns and 180° head orientation capability.

The 25mm diameter bars with GL25 workpiece-side connection include carbide-reinforced bars for the deepest tool overhang challenges up to 250mm, along with Seco-Capto, HSK-T/A and cylindrical shank machine-side interfaces. Larger 100mm diameter bars accommodate existing GL50 turning heads and incorporate Jetstream Tooling high-pressure coolant technology through BA-to-GL50 adapters.

Where conventional tooling options fail, Steadyline delivers accuracy and confidence in long overhang operations, reducing spindle stress, increasing metal-removal rates, creating smooth surface finishes and extending tool life.

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

071

072

CUTTING TOOLS

From CAD/CAM to tool assembly: Modern times require modern solutions New times dictate new demands for cutting tool manufacturers. Simply supplying tools and assisting in their application, including planning machining operations, is not enough – the modern metalworking industry requires virtual, non-material solutions that will be an essential feature of product lines tomorrow.

The digitalisation of manufacturing, a clear trend today, is one of the distinct technological breakthroughs stimulated by the “Fourth Industrial Revolution” and the implementation of Industry 4.0 standards. The wind of change has already transformed even a relatively conservative industrial sector: metalworking.

As machining remains an essential method in metalworking technology, cutting tool manufacturing, which provides tools for this method, has faced the necessity to meet new requirements. Consequently, the information that specifies the tools should be unified and digitised in the same manner.

Information interoperability is the key to ensuring a relevant data exchange between different components of tomorrow’s smart manufacturing processes.

The ISO 13399 standard specifies data representation for cutting tools and tool holders, in a manner that will ensure platform independence universally. The main target is to create a computer representation of the tools and the holders that is unified and understandable for various elements of metalworking technology, whether they are real or virtual, including CAD/CAM systems.

From technologists working on process planning, engineers designing tool assemblies or preparing the tooling part of a complex key project, and CNC programmers checking a tool path in a CAD/CAM environment, to application specialists optimising machining operations, and even sales managers assisting in selecting a more effective tool – all might spend hours adopting tool manufacturers’ tool data to the customer’s software. Every CAD/CAM user needs to have immediate and simple access to digitised tool data, and this requirement has become of strategic importance in the service provided by a tool producer.

Data transfer Essential data transfer is conducted via a STEP file with a .p21 extension, which stores text code related to the parametric values of the product. In addition, the .p21 file provides the name of the 3D file of a specific product. ISO 13399 stipulates the .p21 file, which can be transferred between computer platforms for CAD and CAM users. Recognising the value of providing accessible and accurate tool

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

data for pre-machining on the shop floors, Iscar incorporated tool assembly options into E-CAT, its comprehensive electronic catalogue. This option enables users to build a tool assembly from various ISCAR products represented in E-CAT and then easily integrate the tool assembly data into their CAD/CAM system. This allows users to continue the analysis of applying the assembly to specific operations with the use of simulation software functions.

E-CAT represents an effective instrument for solving several tasks encountered by manufacturers today. The program integrates an advanced filtering system to enable the selection of the most suitable tools for the operation, based on machining parameters. The tool assembly includes the tool, exchangeable inserts or cutting heads, a toolholder and, if necessary, a reducer or an extension – all of which will optimally meet assembly specifications.

For example, the system recognises whether the toolholder selected will ensure the exact position of a clamped cutter, or whether the position should be changed by the user. A digital twin representation of the tool assembly is generated based on the ISO 13399 standard, which is a guarantee of successful communication between current and future software support in a digitised smart factory.

The assembly ensures ensure fast, reliable simulation of the operation as well as collision (interference) checking, tool path

optimisation, and the design of workholding fixtures. As the selected machining method affects the forces acting on workpieces, and a tool configuration influences the shape of workholding elements, simulating the operation with the use of the tool assembly model may be considered as an effective instrument for workholder design.

The analysis is performed in a virtual manufacturing environment and not on the shopfloor, which minimises and even prevents possible errors during real cutting. The assemblies created are accessible for downloading in both 3D and 2D formats to facilitate the preparation of drawings, sketches, and other engineering documents.

CUTTING TOOLS

E-CAT is simple and user-friendly, and even integrates a CAD function for creating a tool assembly from library elements that reflect standard items from the product lines. The tool assembly model is platform-independent and is intended to be integrated into the user’s own CAM software, to prevent errors during machining. The ability to plan and examine single and multiple tool assemblies in the early stages of manufacturing is an

extremely valuable source of time and cost saving. Iscar believes that ensuring such a possibility should be an integral feature of any cutting tool manufacturer’s product mix. The tool assembly options offer an appropriate and effective answer to the needs of modern metalworking, and more E-CAT tool assembly applications are close at hand to assist metalworking manufacturers in the evolving world of Industry 4.0. www.iscar.com.au

WORLD CLASS

COORDINATE MEASURING MACHINES

No limit to skiving – FLSmidth goes LARGE Based in Airport West, in Melbourne’s northern suburbs, FLSmidth ABON is a leading manufacturer of crushing equipment for the worldwide mining industry.

Established in 1964, ABON joined the FLSmidth Group in 1998 to provide products and services used in mining operations. The main products that the company manufactures include hightonnage and high-availability twin roll sizers, rollerscreens and chain feeders.

These machines crush, screen and feed ores according to size required prior to being transported into the process plant.

FLSmidth ABON’S product lifecycle approach helps customers to reduce emissions, lower operating costs, and enhance productivity based on a unique combination of key products, process expertise and service solutions. With countless technological innovations in engineering, the company has been a leading pioneer in the minerals-handling and minerals-processing industries for more than 50 years.

FLSmidth ABON previously manufactured its shaft components on multiple machines in several set-ups, resulting in long in-process time. After extensive study of the best available tools and machinery from Mazak, working in conjunction with Iscar Australia and Ingersoll Germany, the company has completed development of a unique skiving process that was the first of its kind due to the large module size.

Utilising equipment including the Mazak INTEGREX e1600 multi-tasking machine, custom-designed Ingersoll skiving cutters and specialised tooth milling cutters, FLSmidth ABON developed the process to machine internal gear splines and external gear teeth up to module 20.

With A Mazak INTEGREX e-800H multitasking machine, the largest INTEGREX

BRIDGE CMMS The team at FLSmidth ABON with its Mazak INTEGREX e-800H multi-tasking machine.

ever manufactured for long shaft components, using customer-designed Ingersoll spline-hobbing cutters, inprocess time has been substantially reduced from three weeks outsourcing to several hours.

HORIZONTAL ARM CMMS

“The increase in productivity performance and efficiency not only creates value for our customers but enables us to continually improve and control processes,” explains David Colasante, CNC Manager at FLSmidth ABON. Growth for the resource industries is further expected due to the increasing demand in energy consumption with the economic development in Asia.

FLSmidth ABON’s manufacturing facility is constantly updated with the latest technology manufacturing equipment for product innovation.

“We have achieved the largest-capacity internal and external skiving, and we intend on continuing to do it bigger and better “says FLSmidth ABON General Manager Phillip Mulcahy. “FLSmidth ABON is ideally positioned to offer customers the best solutions and will continue to contribute to mining mineral resources in the future.” www.flsmidth.com

GANTRY CMMS

FOR ADVICE, COMPETITIVE PRICING AND A WIDE RANGE OF CMMS

CALL US NOW ON

1300 363 409 METOPTIX.COM.AU AMT JUN/JUL 2019

073

074

CUTTING TOOLS

Unravelling the challenge of threading Tapping is one of the most demanding, problematic machining applications. Threads are usually made in the last stage of the manufacturing process, and it’s the operator’s job to make sure the process is secure and finished correctly.

Thread quality and tolerance should be constant to ensure tool life is at its maximum with preferably no interruptions.

Johan Bodin, Dormer Pramet’s Product Manager for Threading, discusses the company’s solid taps program, challenges faced by machinists, and the options available to end users.

AMT: What are the different tap designs?

Johan Bodin: There are several tap designs, of which the most commonly used is the straight flute. This design is suitable for blind or though-hole thread production in most materials, especially steel and cast iron. Spiral point taps are recommended for threading through holes as they feature a straight, shallow flute with a point designed to drive the swarf forward.

Finally, spiral flute taps transport swarf back out of the hole, away from the workpiece material, and therefore are primarily used for threading blind holes. A less common but still important part of our threading program are fluteless taps and thread milling cutters.

AMT: What are the different base materials in the taps you offer?

JB: Our broad range of high-speed steel (HSS) taps and dies support a variety of general-purpose applications for use by hand or machine. All common thread forms are available in straight flute, spiral point and spiral flute designs.

Also, our popular Shark Line program of material-specific taps is manufactured from powder metallurgy cobalt steel (HSS-EPM). This offers optimised geometries for high-performance threading in stainless steel, steel, cast iron and non-ferrous material. Solid carbide taps provide the

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

of forming taps is that their highly stable design means less risk of breakage and greater dimensional accuracy. This is critical in applications where a reliable and dependable option is required.

Johan Bodin, Dormer Pramet’s Product Manager for Threading.

highest rates of productivity in hard and abrasive materials up to 63 HRC. Their highly stable design means low risk of tap breakage and optimum process security.

Available in a variety of styles including straight flute, spiral flute and fluteless, with internal coolant options for optimum chip evacuation when threading short-chipping materials.

AMT: What are forming taps?

JB: Forming taps produce a thread by deformation of the component material rather than the traditional cutting action.

This means no swarf is produced and the resultant thread is stronger. Also known as roll form or fluteless, the same tap can be used to create blind and through holes in most material types, including steels up to 1200 N/mm². This makes them extremely versatile. An important benefit

The chamfer design determines the threading depth and type of machining.

Standard forming taps with a chamfer form C, are universal for semi-bottoming below 3xD. A chamfer form E has a lead of 1.5mm-2mm times the pitch, which is the closest for what is called full-bottoming.

Forming taps with through coolant, radial outlets and oil grooves further support toollife and process security. The lubricant is delivered precisely at the point where the forces and friction are highest.

AMT: Why is thread milling part of the taps program?

JB: Thread milling is classified within our taps program as they provide a highly accurate, larger-diameter threading option on CNC machines. Dormer Pramet’s assortment covers M, MF, UNC, UNF, G & NPT thread forms. All provide a high level of security, stability and surface finish.

Extremely versatile, the same cutter can be used in almost all workpiece materials including hardened steels, stainless steels and difficult to machine alloys. www.dormerpramet.com

CUTTING TOOLS

TTD-Tritan – Machining heat exchangers at the next level Heat exchangers are used in a variety of different industries to make heat generated usable for other processes. Most feature a high number of bores, which must be machined to a high degree of accuracy.

Many types of heat exchangers are used in industry. In the case of recuperators, two liquid or gaseous media with different temperatures are pumped into separate circuits. A heat exchange takes place without mixing the media.

Recuperators include bundle heat exchangers, which are usually made of metal and consist of a tube bundle that conducts a medium, and an orifice baffle with a front tube plate through which a second medium flows. Depending on the size of the heat exchanger, the front tube plate has a large number of bores. To ensure that the medium does not escape at this component transition, high requirements are set at the bores with regard to position accuracy and dimensional accuracy.

The triple-edge replaceable head drill TTD-Tritan from Mapal has been tested in the petrochemical industry and produced convincing results when machining a tube plate. On the TTD-Tritan, the tool head and tool holder are joined by Hirth serration.

This connection is easy to operate and particularly stable, so that all the drill reaches the performance level of the solid carbide equivalent. In addition it guarantees the best torque transmission with simultaneous high changing and radial run-out accuracy.

The TTD-Tritan is optimally centred via its pronounced drill tip and ensures very good circularity. In addition, the cost-intensive carbide is limited to the tool head for the replaceable head system, which leads to low tool costs even with large diameters.

The replaceable head system has a positive effect on stock, as the wear parts are mainly limited to the drill heads: as a result, the capital tied up in stock is also reduced.

In a specific case, the customer needs each diameter version in several lengths to machine the different versions of tube plates. The complete Mapal range makes it possible to provide all desired versions. In addition, smaller diameters are served with the solid carbide design. The customer’s tube plates made of carbon steel are drilled

SUPPORTING AUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURERS

into the solid using the TTD-Tritan. The bore diameter is 25.6mm and the bore length is 63.5mm. Here the TTD-Tritan operates with a feed rate 59% higher than the double edge replaceable head drill from a competitor used to date. For the solid drilling operation described, the TTD-Tritan achieves a tool life of a good 53m while the drill previously used only achieved almost 28m.

In addition to this significant increase of 90%, the Mapal tool performs the solid drilling operation in one machining step and only takes 29 minutes for the complete tube plate with 550 bores. In contrast, piloting was necessary in the previous machining process. The tube plate also had to be manually cleaned to remove the partly very long chips after piloting. Overall, the TTDTritan reduces the machining time by 57%.

In addition to the two front tube plates, slightly thinner intermediate plates with the same bore pattern are also installed in shell and tube heat exchangers. These intermediate plates are stacked above one another for machining, spot welded together, drilled and then separated again.

With the QTD indexable insert drill with innovative, patented pyramid tip, Mapal has the optimum solution for even this application in its portfolio. The newly developed indexable insert with pyramid tip has a very small chisel edge and a tip angle of 120 degrees. Furthermore, the indexable insert is self-centering and ensures a controlled bore entrance. The intermediate plates can thus be reliably drilled in a single machining step. www.mapal.com

Performance Series Precise quality High efficiency Economical solution

For our latest special offer email us at digital@sutton.com.au

www.suttontools.com

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

075

076

CUTTING TOOLS

How coolant can improve thread-turning performance Threads are machined features that exist universally, across all sectors of industry. Despite decades of performing thread-turning operations, advances in the process continue to be made, particularly when it comes to challenging materials such as stainless steel, heat resistant super alloys (HRSAs) and titanium. An example can be seen with the development of thread-turning tools that feature both over and under-coolant, the combined precision of which serves to extend tool life, elevate thread quality and deliver the potential to run with higher cutting data. The positive effects stand out even more when machining challenging workpiece materials.

There are many machinability issues with stainless steel (ISO M) and HRSA and titanium (ISO S) materials. With regard to ISO M materials, machinability often decreases with a higher alloy content. And while chip control is fair in ferritic/martensitic materials, it becomes more complex in austenitic and duplex types. Perhaps most troublesome of all is that machining these materials creates high cutting forces in combination with built-up edge and workhardened surfaces. The combination of these factors serves to compromise tool life.

In terms of ISO S materials, the physical properties and machining behaviour of each varies considerably, due both to the chemical nature of the alloy and the structure of the material. For instance, annealing and aging can be influential on subsequent machining properties. It is well established that chip control is challenging, while the cutting forces and power required to successfully machine ISO S materials are quite high.

Keeping cool under pressure It’s clear that the use of coolant when machining ISO M and ISO S materials is vital. However, cutting tool and tooling specialist Sandvik Coromant is able to demonstrate that the specific way in which coolant is applied can lead to a multitude of extra benefits in thread-turning operations.

The focus here is on precision; utilising jets of coolant from different directions (located close to the cutting edge) to serve specific purposes. The technology is evident in the newly extended CoroThread 266 range of tools for external thread turning, which offer precision over and under-coolant to improve process security and maximise efficiency. Over-coolant improves chip formation and removes chips from the cutting area, supporting more secure, trouble-free machining and fewer unplanned stoppages, while undercoolant controls temperature for long and predictable tool life. This configuration of precision coolant also has positive effects on surface finish, further supporting the generation of high-quality threads, while an additional benefit of this innovative technology is that it will allow the tool to run with higher cutting data, therefore reducing cycle times.

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

Process stability Along with precision coolant, process stability is paramount to ensure the turning of threads that are right-first-time. For this reason, CoroThread 266 also features the proprietary iLock interface between the holder and insert, which prevents cutting forces from causing micro-movements of the insert in the tip seat, thus promoting accuracy, surface finish and consistency.

It can even be argued that precision coolant is able to troubleshoot thread-turning issues. For instance, those struggling with chip control and surface quality issues will certainly benefit from the application of over-coolant, which promotes chip evacuation and avoids defects caused by chips. Those with dimensional issues, which are normally attributable to excessive insert temperatures (leading to rapid insert wear), will benefit from the cooling action of under-coolant. In combination – overcoolant and under-coolant – the potential gains are considerable.

During tests measuring average flank wear per part when thread-turning ISO M components, results were compared between standard external coolant and precision over- and under-coolant. Running at 40 bar (580 psi), the amount of flank

wear was noticeably less upon comparing the threads turned using external coolant and those produced with precision overcoolant. Flank wear was reduced further still with precision under-coolant. As a general observation, tool life almost doubled.

Through testing it is possible to see that the use of precision coolant can offer significant gains in insert tool life. This effect has also been witnessed during numerous customer trials.

Customer trial results One customer turning Whitworth pipe threads (G 1¼ inch (3.175cm)) on SS2333 grade stainless steel parts enjoyed a notable gain in tool life against the best competitor product. Moreover, the use of CoroThread 266, even at less than 10 bar (145 psi) pressure, meant that chip control was greatly improved, with chips no longer sticking to the component and/or tool in the same manner as previously. Chips that stick can cause surface damage to the part, or get jammed between the cutting edge and component, leading to potential insert breakage.

Another customer, this time turning UN threads (60°, 3½ inch (8.89cm), 8 TPI) on AISI 422 stainless steel workpieces enjoyed very impressive increases in both tool life

CUTTING HEADING TOOLS

targetted audience 9000+ contacts

impact 20.02% average open rates

outcome 4.89%

average click thrus

results

Aside from challenging ISO M and ISO S materials, in many cases the use of precision coolant technology is recommended in steel (ISO P) components, as demonstrated by yet another customer. Despite low pressure of just 7-10 bar (102-145 psi), a machine shop turning 1 inch (2.5cm) NPT threads (11½ TPI) on AISI 1215 unalloyed steel witnessed a significant increase in tool life.

Ultimately, precision coolant effectively removes heat from the cutting edge and provides the possibility to increase cutting speed and thereby achieve higher productivity, with maintained tool life.

In addition, precision coolant helps to remove chips from component and tool, and improve chip formation, which in turn boosts process security.

Further tests have demonstrated impressive gains in tool life when performing thread turning on 316L stainless steel parts, as well as Ti6Al4V titanium alloy.

www.sandvik.coromant.com

AMTIL PRODUCT E-BLASTS call anne samuelsson on 0400 115 525 or email asamuelsson@amtil.com.au for all enquiries.

www.amtil.com.au

AMTIL1305

Other materials

In tests on ISO P materials, there are marked reductions in flank wear per component when comparing precision over and under-coolant at 40 bar (580 PSI) with standard external coolant application. Tests also show that, although the solution demonstrates benefits at less than 10 bar, pressures of 70 bar will provide optimum results in terms of reduced average flank wear.

and cutting speeds. Operating with highpressure coolant, the customer reports being very satisfied with the outcome, which also offered far better chip control.

statistical reporting submitted

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

077

078

ONE-ON-ONE

David Ridgway is a Member of the Legislative Council of the Parliament of South Australia and the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment in the State Government led by Premier Steven Marshall. He spoke to William Poole.

AMT: What’s the current state of play for the manufacturing industry in South Australia?

AMT: Tell us about what the Marshall Government is doing to support and promote manufacturing.

David Ridgway: South Australia has a very long history of manufacturing, which is transitioning into new, more advanced industries including space, energy and future mobility, and will rely on new materials and processes to be competitive. With more than $50bn in future defence manufacturing happening in South Australia, opportunities for business have never been better

DR: The Marshall Liberal Government is committed to building a dynamic advanced manufacturing ecosystem and strong value chains, creating an environment for businesses to grow from concept to full commercialisation.

Our geographic positioning, topography, climate, long, straight regional roads, world-class manufacturing and technology have positioned the state as a leader for safe autonomous vehicles - it’s worth pointing out that Adelaide is the only city in the world to be currently trialling four brands of autonomous shuttles in public areas.

Adelaide has been chosen by EasyMile as the location for its AsiaPacific headquarters, which is being established this month, and manufacturing will commence in partnership with South Australian businesses later this year.

AMT: What are the biggest challenges facing the industry in the state?

DR: The cyber-physical Fourth Industrial Revolution, or Industry 4.0, represents several unique implementation challenges for industry. It requires targeted investment in new digital technology and engineering-based skills to support the transition towards a modern industrial economy.

A key challenge is that many South Australian businesses are small – 98% of businesses in South Australia employ less than 20 people.

We are committed to helping early adopters of these emerging technologies grow their business through facilitating export and international investment opportunities.

AMT: And what do you regard as the greatest strengths of manufacturers there?

DR: Technology plays a central role in the competitiveness of South Australia’s advanced manufacturing industry, supporting innovation, driving product and service development and improving performance There are great synergies and collaboration between research, industry and education that will enable the state to prepare for industries of the future In emerging technologies such as photonics, nanotechnology, additive manufacturing, advanced materials, robotics and digital technology, South Australia is demonstrating significant strengths in research and development expertise. The state has a unique fusion of talent and technologies that make ideas happen and is a launchpad for forward-thinking businesses to grow across an increasingly competitive global market.

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

I recently joined several South Australian companies displaying at Hannover Messe (Germany) – a great opportunity for our South Australian companies to gain exposure on the world stage. This is the first time South Australia has exhibited at Hannover Messe, and as the only Australian state to exhibit there, we’re committed to being a first mover. It is important for our organisations to connect with global partners, thereby increasing the opportunities to boost trade and investment in the state.

The Marshall Liberal Government has also supported South Australian photonics companies to exhibit at global trade show Photonics West (in San Francisco), facilitating connections between innovative South Australian photonics manufacturers and global corporations.

We are supporting companies to develop their technical capability and business systems through our new Emerging Technology Interest Groups program. With these interest groups we will build closer connections between advanced manufacturers and provide a platform for companies to share their experiences and help accelerate the uptake of new technologies, supported by leading independent expertise present in our universities.

Through our innovation hub, Lot Fourteen, South Australia is developing a dynamic start-up ecosystem with a focus on future industries including manufacturing and design.

A point about making South Australia an attractive place to invest?

Our recently established South Australian Productivity Commission will facilitate productivity growth, unlock new economic opportunities, support job creation and remove existing regulatory barriers.

AMT: Where do you want to see the industry in 10 years time?

DR: In 10 years’ time I would hope that we have a dynamic and specialised advanced manufacturing sector that is really seeing the defence and space industry sectors flourish. With the billions of dollars flowing into our state for the ships and subs builds, along with the National Space Agency, I’d hope that South Australia is a national leader in space industry, satellite manufacturing, frontier materials, photonics and much more. The opportunity to develop and scale up these industries in South Australia is massive.

HEADING

I’d also like to see the pace from R&D (research & development) to market significantly shortened in the years ahead and hope that I would barely recognise the industry due a flourishing innovation and entrepreneurial sector constantly transforming and reshaping the industry to keep us competitive and consistent with global trends.

AMT: Tell us about your professional background and how you ended up in your current role.

DR: I am from the south-east of South Australia and grew up on the family farm. We diversified and grew bulbs for the cut flower industry. Due to biosecurity changes it was necessary to embrace the latest technology to be globally competitive and we eventually became the biggest gladioli supplier in Australia.

This experience in both the agricultural sector and in business gave me the skills to understand pressures on business and the things our State needs to focus on to be internationally competitive. I was interested in politics and a member of the Liberal Party for a long time, and was elected as a Member of the Legislative Council in 2002.

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

DR: I am a passionate advocate of South Australia.

We are the perfect size with a vibrant city that has everything you need. We have magnificent natural landscapes and beaches, outstanding food and wine. Additionally, we have some true ingenuity and innovation that has come out of South Australia. It’s fantastic to be able to tell the world about what a great place South Australia is to visit, live or invest in each day. dtti.sa.gov.au

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

079

080

STATE SPOTLIGHT

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

South Australian manufacturing poised for take-off Manufacturing in South Australia is undergoing a period of rapid transition and growth, with the state becoming a breeding ground for numerous exciting new ventures, notably in the space and defence sectors.

South Australia is home to major defence companies such as BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin and Saab Australia, as well as several emerging space start-ups, including Fleet Space Technologies, Inovor Technologies and Myriota. The state capital Adelaide is home to the Air Warfare Destroyer project and the Future Submarines project, which promises to deliver 12 Attack Class submarines to the Australian Navy to replace its Collins Class fleet.

Micro-X staff working on the DRX Revolution Nano at their Tonsley headquarters in South Australia.

Satellite research centre to advance Aussie space industry The Australian space industry has received a $245m injection with the launch of the Cooperative Research Centre for Smart Satellite Technologies and Analytics, headquartered at the University of South Australia in Adelaide. The national SmartSat CRC will bring together a $190m cash and in-kind investment from 82 industry and research partners with a $55m pledge from the Federal Government over seven years. The $245m in funding for advanced telecommunications and intelligent satellite systems makes the SmartSat CRC the biggest space industry research collaboration in Australian history. Bid leader and University of South Australia Professor Andy Koronios said until now Australian capabilities in instrumentation and communications technologies had not been brought together to capitalise on the exponential growth of the US$345bn space economy.

“For a nation with a footprint covering one 10th of the planet, Australia has had very little presence in space,” said Krononios. “We cannot rely exclusively on the goodwill of other nations to meet our communications and connectivity needs or to monitor our nation and our resources.”

Koronios added that Australia could also no longer rely on terrestrial connectivity as the world started connecting everything from cattle to hospitals digitally with Industry 4.0 applications: “No amount of land-based communication infrastructure can fully solve the digital divide that exists in a massive country like Australia.”

The SmartSat CRC plans to build a flock of satellite assets that Australia can task and control to be the country’s first space infrastructure for connectivity and earth observation. The satellite constellation is envisioned to provide advanced remote sensing capabilities to help Australian farmers, border security and emergency services monitor the expanse of Australia.

“We will create a data freeway in the sky by using new, gamechanging technologies such as laser and quantum communications and artificial intelligence systems,” Koronios said.

The SmartSat CRC bid is the latest in a series of announcements that have cemented South Australia’s position as the headquarters for the space industry in Australia. Late last year Adelaide was announced as the home of the Australian Space Agency, to which a $6m Mission Control Centre for small satellite missions and an educational Discovery Centre was added in March. Last December Southern Launch also announced it would establish a launch facility on Eyre Peninsula, in the state’s west. The South Australia Space Industry Centre, launched in 2017, has been instrumental in helping establish the space sector ecosystem in the state and reports that there are more than 70 companies employing 800 people in the industry in South Australia, including Italian space company SITAEL.

Micro-X to develop mobile X-ray security products for Thales Adelaide-based company Micro-X has signed a contract with Thales Group to develop its mobile X-ray products for security

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

purposes. Micro-X manufactures carbon nanotube X-ray systems that are portable and adaptable for multiple industries and is based at the Tonsley Innovation Precinct in Adelaide’s southern suburbs alongside several other advanced manufacturing companies such as SAGE Automation and Siemens. Under the new contract with Thales, Micro-X will develop multiple image processing systems for defence and security purposes.

Thales is a multinational security company that develops products for aerospace, defence, transportation and security technology markets. Under a six-year convertible bond, Thales is investing $10m in Micro-X with the proceeds designed to develop a selection of the company’s products.

Micro-X’s Managing Director, Peter Rowland, said the deal is a key inflection point in his company’s development and changes its growth trajectory.

“The close, long-term working relationship and collaboration agreed with Thales on technology, manufacturing, product development and sales activities positions us well to propel Micro-X’s value creation quickly,” Rowland said.

Thales and Micro-X will collaborate on the global sales and support of Micro-X’s counter-terrorism Mobile Backscatter Imager of improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Design and development are already underway in Adelaide for the Imager following positive feedback from US and Australian defence forces after a demonstration conducted at the Australian Defence Force’s Counter-IED Task Force.

For the counter-terrorism product, Micro-X will offer direct sales to the US, the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Thales will sell the management buy-in product – manufactured in Adelaide – internationally.

Another product that will be developed further is an airport checkpoint security scanner. After working with the UK Government’s Department for Transport, Micro-X produced dual backscatter and transmission x-ray imaging technology that combines traditional and sophisticated X-ray imaging to provide a clear image of scanned luggage. Thales will use the X-ray scanning technology under license. Micro-X recently unveiled a prototype of the luggage X-ray imaging system at the ‘Future Airport Security Solutions’ (FASS) industry showcase in London.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA Micro-X and Thales will also design and manufacture a new range of ultra-miniature X-ray tubes. These tubes combine Micro-X’s experience in carbon nanotube x-ray sources with Thales’experience in X-ray devices. The tubes will be designed by Thales in South Australia and manufactured in France.

“From airport checkpoints to counter terrorism activities to future medical imaging devices, Thales and Micro-X are on the edge of a historically decisive moment,” said Jean-Jacques Guittard, VicePresident of Microwave and Imaging Sub-Systems at Thales. “In addition to these high-tech synergies, and as a major player in the digital domain, this partnership will give us a technological leap noone else can offer.”

Raytheon to develop NASAMS in Adelaide Raytheon will build its first Australian production facility in Adelaide to enable the system delivery and final assembly of the National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System. The announcement follows Raytheon Australia and Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace’s NASAMS being selected for the Government’s $2.5bn Short Range Ground-Based Air Defence program known as LAND19 Phase 7B. The new Raytheon Australia Centre for Joint Integration will be built in the defence industry precinct of Mawson Lakes in Adelaide with a $50m investment from Raytheon and support from the South Australian State Government.

Australia will become the tenth country to use the short-to-medium range air defence system, which has been integrated into the US National Capital Region’s air defence system since 2005 and has also been adopted by Norway, Finland, Spain, The Netherlands, Oman, Lithuania and Indonesia. NASAMS is comprised of the Raytheon Sentinel radar, the Kongsberg Fire Distribution Centre, and the Raytheon Advanced Medium Range Air to Air Missile. It will replace the Australian Army’s ageing RBS-70 man-portable air defence system.

The Australian-designed and built Thales Hawkei will be used as the NASAMS launch vehicle. NASAMS will also use advanced radar designed and manufactured by Australian-based CEA Technologies.

“NASAMS and Raytheon’s unique EO/IR passive sensor gives Australia one of the most advanced short-range ground-based defence systems in the world,” said Michael Ward, Managing Director of Raytheon Australia.

Mawson Lakes, in Adelaide’s northern suburbs, is one of Australia’s premier defence tech precincts and is also home to BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin and Saab Australia. Adelaide is also home to the Air Warfare Destroyer project and the Future Submarines project, which promises to deliver 12 Attack Class submarines to the Australian Navy to replace its Collins Class fleet.

The new Raytheon Australia Centre for Joint Integration in Mawson Lakes is 20km east of the AWD Techport in Osborne and 15km south of the Edinburgh RAAF base where Raytheon already has a presence. South Australian Premier Steven Marshall said the NASAMS project would create high-tech jobs and supply chain and export opportunities for the state’s defence industry.

ARE YOU OPTIMISING YOUR R&D CLAIM POTENTIAL? William Buck are the accountants and advisers to Australian Manufacturing Technology Institute Limited (AMTIL) and preferred supplier to members. William Buck has a dedicated R&D Incentives team with over 15 years experience consulting in the R&D space. We offer a complimentary consultation to assess your businesses opportunity to make R&D Tax Incentive claims.

In a complimentary consultation we will undergo the following; — Preliminary evaluation of R&D claim eligibility — Review of past R&D claims — Explore opportunities to maximise R&D claims (past and future) — Uncover Accelerating Commercialisation (AC) grant opportunities.

A personal touch backed by relevant experience We work with a wide range of manufacturing clients offering a complete range of R&D, business, tax and advisory services from a network of local offices. This gives our team key insights to the industry and the ability to offer a complete business solution.

To book your William Buck Hour contact Dr Rita Choueiri Dr Rita Choueiri Principal, R&D Incentives Ph: 03 8823 6840 rita.choueiri@williambuck.com

“This significant facility strengthens South Australia’s position as a key strategic hub for Raytheon Australia, one of the largest defence companies in the Australian market,” he said. “It will accelerate growth in the defence sector and supports future Raytheon programs across maritime, aerospace, cyber and systems integration.” www.unisa.edu.au www.micro-x.com www.thalesgroup.com www.raytheon.com/au

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

081

082

COMPANY FOCUS

Castech – Smart manufacturing From embracing innovative new technologies to investing in renewable energy systems to reduce its overheads, Castech is a South Australian manufacturer that always finds the smart way to do things. By Carole Goldsmith.

Castech Managing Director Phil Stoddart (left) and Business Development Manager Jeff Green reviewing foundry operations.

Based in Wingfield, in Adelaide’s northern suburbs, Castech installed 368 solar panels rated at 270 watts on its factory roof-top last June and it has been progressively reducing its power bill by around $3,000 a month ever since. This could save the business up to $36,000 annually in energy costs. The panels are also providing a renewable energy feed of 14,000kWh to Castech’s foundry and Castech 3D, its additive manufacturing spin-off business.

Recent increases in SA’s electricity pricing has had a large impact upon the state’s commercial businesses and Castech was faced with a 64% increase in supply charges, prior to installing the solar panels.

To counteract these rising power costs, Castech’s Quality Manager Brad Walsh says that the panels were installed to cut the massive power bills that the foundry generates and to provide the plant with emission-free energy.

“The panels will never provide the amount of power that we need to run the foundry’s induction furnaces from 7.30am to 4.00pm each day,” says Walsh. “Before the solar panels were installed, our power bills were around $18,200 per month. It’s a big expense up front, as the 368 panels cost the company $124,000, but they will pay for themselves in four years with our reduced power costs.”

Should other manufacturers invest in solar panels or other renewable power sources?

Walsh says that it has to suit their particular

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

operation: “We draw so much power for the foundry and besides, we own the site, so it made good sense to have the panels installed.”

The installation of the solar panels is just one example of the ways the company finds smart ways to boost its bottom line.

Business is booming for Castech. Walsh says that the foundry has so much work on that three extra workers have been employed over the past four months. This brings the employee numbers to around 21.

“The foundry is still the main part of the business and always will be,” Walsh explains. “Castech 3D, which operates on the same site as a separate business, started in early 2017. We wanted to provide customers with a new high-technology side of the business. It is our aim for it to provide around 10% of the company’s income, and customers’ demands for 3D printing jobs are growing progressively. The 3D printing facilities also have benefits for the foundry, as you can print patterns for customer’s components.”

Castech was founded in 1947 by Don Stoddart & Partners as Cu-Base Foundry producing brass and aluminium castings at a site in Woodville. Don’s son Phil Stoddart, the company’s present owner and Managing Director, purchased the business in 1983, and immediately upgraded and modernised operations. The new foundry in Wingfield was completed in 1989 and has been going from strength to strength

ever since. The business is certified under the ISO 9001-2015 Quality Management system.

Walsh, a metallurgist by trade, has been with the company for just over two years.

He did his traineeship and learnt the foundry industry ropes at Port Kembla Steelworks, where he was employed for 14 years.

Walsh then moved to Brisbane and landed a job in the foundry at global mining parts manufacturer Bradken for a few years.

Looking for a career change, he took on a sales role as a supplier to the Australian metals industry for over two decades, before his current job at Castech. He’s been heavily involved in the Australian Foundry Institute for over 30 years and was at the helm as its president for five years.

Manufacturing for multiple sectors “We have a lot of exciting projects happening now in the foundry,” says Walsh. “We have been developing cast aluminium aftermarket accessories for a major automotive manufacturer over the past 12 months.”

Castech has also been working on defence projects for around six years and Walsh says that the defence sector work is expanding all the time: “Currently we are making engine exhaust manifolds for the Royal Australian Navy’s Collins class future submarines through ASC. Castech is also involved in the development of suspension type components for armoured fighting vehicles.”

HEADING

Among its other defence projects, Castech is manufacturing aluminium castings for a leading Australian defence and space company. Personnel from the French Naval Group that’s building the future submarines for Australia have visited Castech several times for discussions about potential projects. Castech is also involved in the architecture sector, making ferrous and non-ferrous castings for a variety of projects and applications.

“We make fluid transfer pumps for many industry sectors,” Walsh adds. “An example is the super duplex stainless pumps which go into a high-corrosion environment.

They range in size from a dinner plate to a desk. We also do a wide range of general engineering casting work, from one-off replacement parts to production runs as required.”

How does Castech get all this work when the company doesn’t do a lot of marketing?

“We are often too busy making things and handling the ongoing orders to always promote the business, although we do get many of the jobs via our website. Phil’s daughter helps with marketing, websites and social media and the company has been going a long time, so we have a good reputation for excellence. The other positive is that in our foundry we work with a wide range of alloys including steel, aluminium, brass and bronze. Most foundries only work with one or two alloys.”

Castech has a healthy order book at present, but they have to be careful with the work they take on, so as to maintain high customer satisfaction.

“The foundry industry does not usually have that situation of having good forward orders, so we are very lucky in that regard,” says Walsh.

Unlike the foundry with its regular on-going customers, the 3D printing side of the business can vary from one-off prototypes to production parts’ print runs, all done in thermo plastic.

“At the 3D business, customers might come to us with a CAD model and ask us to print a prototype,” Walsh explains.

“After it’s made, the customer can evaluate the item and may make a modification to improve it. Recently, we did our largest print run to date, producing 3,900 electronics specialised brackets for a defence and security company. Each batch printed had 99 items on a plate and it took three days of continuous printing to complete the batch.”

Castech 3D has a large-format a medium-sized one and four ones. Walsh says that some 3D businesses in the USA have 50-60 running non-stop.

printer, smaller printing printers

“It’s called ‘lights-out manufacturing’ as no one needs to be in the plant and the machines keep running,” he says. “In our 3D plant, we only really have two people working there at present. 3D printing is mostly not cost-effective for bulk manufacturing of consumer items. If you are talking about 10 to 100 items, then 3D printing can be very cost-effective as highcost dies are not required. All you need is a CAD model that can be reasonably inexpensive to produce. Prototyping is where 3D printing really comes to the fore.”

Walsh explains that Castech exhibited at Austech for the first time this year, mainly to promote and expand the 3D side of the business: “The foundry side is already well known in the industry. On our Austech stand, we displayed several samples of our 3D-printed products. Austech provided many visitors to our stand, with great

David Stoddart (left), Primary Technician at Castech, and Quality Manager Brad Walsh (right) inspecting a 3D printed part from the company’s large-format machine.

exposure to the capabilities of our foundry and our 3D printing facilities.”

Expansion plans On the foundry side, Walsh says that the business is constantly investing in new equipment: “We are in the planning stage of expanding the factory, which also includes getting another furnace, an overhead crane and a new shot blast unit. As we are getting to a limit in production at our current foundry space, we’ve received quotes for another building, to be located at the back of our site. There are also plans in place to buy another mid-sized printer for the 3D printing plant, as the current mid-sized one is used constantly.

“Our 3D plant provides high-tech services to a range of customers from very large organisations to SMEs wanting a prototype for their product. We are also very proud of the fact that we could assist a local lady who came to our plant to see if we could make a cog for her roller door. So, we drew it up on the CAD system and printed it for her for just $35. It would have cost her $1,500 for a new roller door. That epitomises our customer service.”

When asked how Australian manufacturers can succeed in today’s competitive market, Walsh responds: “You have to find the right niche, and you can’t compete with our Asian neighbours. Provide excellence in product quality, delivery and service. And that’s why our foundry is so successful. If you want a quality product delivered on time and you want to talk to someone, we are here to assist you.” www.castech.net www.castech3d.com.au

Quality Manager Brad Walsh on Castech’s stand at Austech 2019.

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

083

084

WELDING

South Australia’s first Advanced Welder Training Centre now open South Australia’s first Advanced Welder Training Centre (AWTC) is now open for business at TAFE SA’s Regency Campus in northern Adelaide.

Equipped with a state-of-the-art augmented reality lab featuring the most advanced welding simulators available anywhere in the world, the AWTC will help ensure local welders are ready to meet the huge demand that will be created by the naval shipbuilding program. It is anticipated that the continuous naval shipbuilding program in South Australia will require around 2,600 tradespeople from 2020 to 2027.

Almost half of this demand will be for welders.

Minister for Education John Gardner and Minister for Industry and Skills David Pisoni were both on-hand at the official opening ceremony today. Minister Pisoni said the state-of-the-art equipment will provide a valuable training platform to supply skilled workers to the Osborne naval shipyard when the program commences next year.

“There are enormous naval shipbuilding opportunities on the horizon that are heading to South Australia and the Marshall Liberal Government is ensuring that we provide the right resources to fill these jobs through appropriate skills and training,” said Pisoni.

“Welding techniques required for shipbuilding are of a higher quality standard than regular welding techniques and these simulators will allow students to practice their technique until they consistently meet the quality standard.”

Minister Gardner was excited to see TAFE SA students gaining skills in areas that lead to jobs: “This new Advanced Welder Training Centre offers an incredible training opportunity for TAFE SA students to learn using the most advanced welding simulators currently available.

These simulators are another example of TAFE SA utilising the latest technology in an educational environment to prepare students with the skills and knowledge for long and successful careers.”

The training delivered at the AWTC will quickly qualify welders to the only industry standard in the world that is accepted in both Europe and America: the ISO 9606-1 stand for qualification testing of welders – fusion welding. ISO 9606-1 is the minimum requirement for working on rolling stock, defence and infrastructure projects.

“This technology is three times cheaper, faster and more effective when compared to traditional training methods,” said Geoff Crittenden, Chief Executive Officer of Weld Australia. “By using this technology, TAFE SA will not only be able to upskill existing welders, but also train transitional workers and apprentices to be part of the defence program.

“Without a doubt, the successful implementation of this innovative training initiative will revolutionise welder training in Australia. It will raise the standard of welder education in Australia exponentially, putting our welder training on par with the best in Europe and America.

“The combination of a curriculum based on global best practice delivered via advanced training technology will help ensure a strong supply of capable welders, both now and well into the future.”

The virtual and augmented reality welding technology increases the rate of engagement in learning and allows students and lecturers to analyse and review welding techniques and performance in a digital environment. The result is that students then perform more effectively in the live workshop environment, where it counts.

Penny Johnston, Director – Defence Industries at TAFE SA, said that there were many advantages for students to use the cutting-edge technology as part of their training: “This new Advanced Welder Training Centre offers an incredible training opportunity for students to learn using the most advanced welding simulators currently available.

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

Minister for Industry and Skills David Pisoni is treated to a demonstration of one of the augmented reality welding simulators.

“The detailed feedback a student receives on their performance on the simulator is instantaneous and increases the rate at which they acquire an understanding of how they can improve. Students analyse the data fed back on their angles, travel speeds and arc lengths to adjust their welding performance and increase improvement.

Students are able to build muscle memory with welding techniques much more quickly and the techniques learned can then be taken to the workshop to be performed in a live environment.”

Weld Australia convened an Industry Skills Group in mid-2017 to prepare a training curriculum tailored for both experienced welders and transitional workers. The courses were accredited by the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA) in late 2017. As a result, TAFEs around the country can now teach the accredited course, with funding provided by their parent State Government.

The AWTC is a partnership between TAFE SA and Weld Australia, representing industry. Weld Australia will work in close collaboration with TAFE SA to ensure the continued success of the project.

WELDING TAFE SA and Weld Australia staff attend the opening of the Advanced Welder Training Centre at TAFE SA’s Regency Campus.

Geoff Crittenden, CEO of Weld Australia, addresses the media at the opening of the Advanced Welder Training Centre at TAFE SA.

Inside South Australia’s first Advanced Welder Training Centre, which is equipped with the most advanced augmented reality welding simulators in the world.

Investing in NT’s skilled workers Weld Australia has called on the Federal Government to invest in the future of local skilled workers throughout the Northern Territory, urging Canberra to establish Advanced Welder Training Centres (AWTCs) in Darwin and Alice Springs.

According to Weld Australia CEO Geoff Crittenden: “The Northern Territory faces a critical shortage of qualified and certified welders, which means, despite local labour content agreements, Territorians are missing out on employment opportunities in gas, defence, infrastructure and resources projects in favour of short-term FIFO (flyin, fly-out) tradesmen.”

With the wind-up of construction work on the Inpex LNG project late last year, the Northern Territory economy is experiencing one of the most severe downturns in recent history. Employment growth dropped significantly over the last ten years, from 6% in 2008, to a deficit of -0.6% in September 2018.

The investment called for by Weld Australia will help prevent future ‘boom and bust’ cycles that are exacerbated when FIFO workers – such as the 10,000 workers that were employed on the Inpex project – leave Darwin at the conclusion of a project.

Crittenden said: “Whilst the national demand for welders is rising, in the Northern Territory it fell by 9.2% in the year to October 2017.

Extrapolating, one could expect this trend to have continued in 2018.

Apprentice completions are in decline as employment opportunities dry up.

“The Northern Territory is in a downward spiral where the lack of skilled welders is driving opportunities away from local companies, which in turn is forcing the number of qualified welders to decline.

Whilst the overall unemployment rate is at 5%, this doesn’t take into account the number of workers that have been forced to look for work outside the Territory.

“With an Indigenous unemployment rate of 18%, the Northern Territory has a pool of labour that, if trained to the appropriate standard, could make a significant contribution to defence projects under the mandatory Indigenous participation program. This could be achieved either directly or through SME participation in project supply chains. Advanced Welder Training Centres in Darwin and Alice Springs could help break the nexus between available skilled labour and employment opportunity thereby facilitating growth in local industry.” www.weldaustralia.com.au

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

085

086

WELDING

Austin Engineering – New robotic welder to boost efficiency and output The commissioning of a custom-designed dual-cell robotic welding system at the Austin Engineering facility in Perth, WA, will lift efficiency, productivity and output: benefits that underpin the specialty customised designs the company manufactures for the mining industry world-wide.

For more than 35 years Austin has designed and engineered unique production and maintenance equipment including dump truck bodies, excavator buckets, water tanks and tyre handlers. Austin-designed equipment has given its customers significantly improved productivity and increased output through designs that have enhanced the operational efficiency and availability of site production equipment.

The new dual-cell robotic welding system, as well as offering the obvious advantages of modern robotic welding technology, includes features to improve overall efficiency and product capabilities. A mobile gantry carrying two six-axis articulated arm robots, each interfaced with a digital pulse welding module, dominates the system. Mounted on rails, the double gantry provides 14m of longitudinal travel and 10m of lateral travel to service the two new side-by-side production cells.

Vertical travel is 2m.

The system includes both online and offline programming capabilities.

Whereas the previous robot could only be programmed once the component was loaded into the cell, all necessary programming can now be completed prior to the job being loaded into a production cell.

The online/offline programming feature, combined with the system’s laser tracking feature increases arc time as the robot can weld without having to stop for any adjustments to the program or the job. An ‘out of position’ weld feature also maintains uninterrupted job progress.

“When fully operational, the new system will lift efficiency, productivity and overall capability throughout the facility,” said Geoff Collins, Operations Manager at Austin Engineering Perth.

The new robot welds marginally faster but Collins says this is only one of the production improvements the system will deliver. He emphasises

that overall improvement will be a combination of a number of productivity inputs and cites the new robot’s capability to work on all products in the Austin Engineering range (the previous robot was restricted to truck floors).

“As well, access to the latest robot welding technology and software, the two side-by-side production cells, which can be loaded or unloaded without interruption to the robot’s work schedule and advance planning functionality, will all add to overall productivity improvement,” he added.

Collins said the benefits to customers will come in the form of shorter lead and turnaround times: “And that should ultimately improve their operational efficiency and productivity.” www.austineng.com

Using rotary friction welding to save time and materials The Advanced Forming Research Centre (AFRC) at the University of Strathclyde in the UK is exploring innovative ways to reduce materials wastage and production time using rotary friction welding.

A welding process that benefits from enhanced integrity of materials, rotary friction welding is fast and highly energy-efficient. It’s currently used across niche manufacturing areas within the aerospace and oil & gas sectors. The AFRC, however, is seeking to change this and explore wider opportunities for rotary friction welding across various applications, with big implications for industry. The AFRC recently acquired two rotary friction welding machines, and the centre’s engineers and technicians are integrating this new capability with other advanced manufacturing techniques. The 125 and 300-ton machines will provide efficient, low-cost solutions for firms requiring high-integrity manufacturing processes in sectors, such as aerospace, automotive and oil and gas. The AFRC has already received significant interest in its new rotary friction welding capability from within its network.

One of the initial projects using the new equipment will see rotary friction welding used alongside other capabilities at the centre to develop a high-performance, high-integrity component

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

for aerospace applications. This combination of highly efficient manufacturing techniques will significantly reduce materials wastage and production time.

Dr Laurie da Silva, Research Associate at the AFRC, who is leading the development of this new capability, explains: “Welding is often regarded in the manufacturing industry as an easy place for a material to fail.

This, however, isn’t the case for rotary friction welding, instead it generates a very strong, high-integrity joint for metallic materials.

We’re working with our members and partners on an industrial research program that will demonstrate the considerable potential of this technology.

“Combining it with manufacturing techniques, such as flow forming, rotary forging and radial forging, we’re aiming to create new hybrid near net shape manufacturing processes for similar and dissimilar alloys. The process is generating lots of interest among our members and partners and presents significant opportunities for our customers.” www.strath.ac.uk

MATERIAL REMOVAL

Anthony Machine reaps benefits of quick-change toolholders For more than three decades, Kennametal’s KM brand of quick-change tooling has been making machine shops more efficient. As customers will attest, KM provides shorter set-up times, greater flexibility, higher machine utilisation, and the ability to meet the industry’s increasingly stringent requirements head on.

One customer is Anthony Machine, based in San Antonio, Texas.

Since 1946, the job shop has served a variety of industries, including oil & gas, mining, transportation and power generation. With all that precision machining experience, there’s little that Anthony Machine can’t handle. However, after the company purchased a pair of NLX 3000 1250 universal turning centres from DMG MORI – the shop’s first Y-axis, live-tool lathes – Anthony Machine’s manufacturing team was challenged with making the most of that new investment.

Kennametal Senior Sales Engineer Mark Davis was there to help.

He explained to the team at Anthony Machine that the best way to reduce set-up times and maximise the new machines’ potential would be to equip them with Turret Adapted Clamping Units (TACUs) and KM quick-change toolholders.

“The TACU system supports everything from KM32 up to KM63,” says Davis. “We offer blocks for both static and driven tools, and can tool up lathes from Okuma, Haas, Mazak, Doosan, and of course DMG MORI – pretty much all of the major machine tool builders, with more coming online all the time. This makes it both easy and cost-effective for our customers to equip more than 80 models of CNC turning centres with a fast, flexible and accurate quick-change toolholding system.”

According to Daniel Goller, Manufacturing Technologist at Anthony Machine, the decision to adopt TACU and KM for the new machines was an easy one.

“Over the years, we’ve built a number of KM-equipped custom toolholders for deep boring and other machining operations on our CNC lathes and machining centers, and we use Kennametal on several of the shop’s manual turret lathes to overcome limitations with available tool positions,” he says. “On more than one occasion, we’ve earned new business because KM was able to achieve tolerances and surface finishes that others couldn’t do with conventional tooling.”

Anthony Machine’s Operations Manager Mohsen Saleh agrees: “The differences are striking. Compared to the traditional wedge and screw-style blocks that come standard on most machines, the KM-equipped TACU units are both faster and more accurate.

We routinely hold tolerances of 0.013 mm, and I’m told that part

Anthony Machine’s Operations Manager Mohsen Saleh and CNC Machinist Setter Mark Garland discuss a workpiece produced on one of the company’s DMG MORI NLX 3000 1250 universal turning centres.

After seeing the benefits of KM on its new NLX machines, Anthony Machine is planning to expand its use of quick-change tooling to other parts of the shop.

size doesn’t change from one clamping to the next. The turret’s less crowded, everything’s easier to get at, and you don’t have the chatter and deflection that you often find with your typical straight shank tools and set-screw type boring bar holders.”

Davis notes: “Anthony Machine’s experience with TACU is what we’ve come to expect from KM. Considering the breadth of the platform, its accuracy, and especially its flexibility, it’s quickly become the de facto industry standard in quick-change tooling.”

Anthony Machine has been using KM throughout the shop for years, so when the time came to equip their new Y-axis lathes from DMG Mori with quick-change tooling, the choice was clear.

Saleh summarises Anthony Machine’s recent success with a bit of company perspective: “We bought our first CNC machine in 1986.

At that time, we were using a well-known competitive brand, and then Kennametal came knocking. What first struck us was their service-oriented attitude. They’ve always been willing to come in and work with us on applications, which together with the quality of their products is why they’ve since become our preferred tooling supplier. We’re always competing against smaller, lower-cost shops, and in order to continue winning new business in this environment, we have to adopt the latest in advanced tooling and machine tool technology. This is what’s given us the edge, and Kennametal is a big part of it.” www.kennametal.com www.dmgmori.com www.anthonymachine.com

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

087

088

MATERIAL REMOVAL

Cut To Size threads the needle with new machinery acquisition A leading Australasian supplier of some of the world’s most advanced engineering plastics has staged a precision installation of advanced machining facilities used to produce top-quality light and strong engineering components and finished products.

Without missing a day’s production, Cut To Size Plastics brought the new 3500kg Morbidelli Author M100F heavy duty CNC router and machining centre from delivery truck tray to factory floor production readiness over two days at its Sydney headquarters.

The new high-speed, vibration-free Italian technology – which offers unmatched finishing quality and rapid production turnaround for the company’s Asia-Pacific markets – was eased into place by truck and crane. With careful planning, it threaded its way among the ongoing production processes, coming to rest besides the machine it replaced, which was still working at full capacity until the switchover.

“This was a real team effort to ensure that the high capacity new machine – which is about 6.5m long installed – could be efficiently threaded though busy factory floorspace among other high-tech machinery, then introduced into production without a hitch,” said Cut To Size Managing Director Laurie Green. The new machine moved smoothly into production in March, to produce high-precision, light and durable machinery parts and complete products engineered from the materials of international leaders in plastics technology for whom Cut To Size is national distributor, including Licharz, Gehr and BeckWefapress. The new machine’s advanced capability is directed at industries such as manufacturing, forestry, food & beverage, timber, mining and mineral processing, transport and process, production engineering and automation applications.

Cut To Size’s latest investment in Morbidelli machining technology complements its comprehensive CNC machining facility at its Yennora headquarters, where it is coupled with GibbsCAM and SolidWorks software to optimise the company’s ability to produce high-quality products from customer specifications and design briefs for local application or export. According to Green, the performance and flexibility offered by the new M100F has resulted in a 60% time saving in machining cycles compared with older technology. Morbidelli (part of the SCM Group) has a history of nearly 50 years of innovation in machining technology.

Customer benefits Benefits to Cut To Size customers of the new machining technology include cost-efficiency, quick changeover flexibility and consistently excellent attainment of global quality standards. The machinery’s rapid

Cut To Size’s team welcomes the Morbidelli machine, installed without any interruption to ongoing production.

The new machine takes its place alongside other precision engineering plastics technology.

working cycle times and reduction of idle times also enhance Cut To Size’s ability to cost-effectively supply high precision components from versatile engineering plastics including Nylon, Acetal, Teflon, UHMWPE, HDPE, PVC and Polypropylene. These materials are widely used to substitute metals in applications requiring light weight, ease and speed of handling for maintenance and parts replacement, low wear, and product contact applications, which also involve resistance to chemicals in the processing operations.

“This new machine is part of our ongoing investment in technology and skills to ensure we have the right people with the right tools to do a comprehensive job for our customers,” says Green.

Cut To Size Managing Director Laurie Green, National Sales Manager Bill Novak and Technical Sales Engineer Swapnil Chavan, reviewing the new Morbidelli machine’s high levels of automation, precision and time-saving.

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

Cut To Size has been supplying engineering plastics to Australian and international customers for more than 40 years. The company is committed to meeting Australian and international quality standards and to working within the guidelines issued by State WorkCover safety authorities. This includes producing durable products that are clean, easy to handle and enhance occupational health & safety (OH&S) conditions in applications such as maintenance and installation of machinery components for industries ranging from food & beverage manufacturing to mining, mineral processing and bulk handling. www.cuttosize.com.au

MATERIAL REMOVAL

No job too small The use of smaller abrasives and supporting tools is growing in shops that are less concerned about stock removal and heavy deburring. By Patrick H Carroll.

The use of smaller abrasives and supporting tools is growing. Many manufacturers in metal fabrication, welding, energy, aerospace and other industries prioritise several features over others. Preferred capabilities include parts with fine finishes, having more control for less “gouging” of parts, and improved ergonomics. At the same time, depending on the application, there is sometimes less concern about stock removal and heavy deburring. Suppliers are offering “small” abrasives such as quick-change discs and flap wheels, mini flap discs, specialties such as cartridge and spiral rolls, square pads, harder mounted points, and more. There are also non-abrasive products available, such as carbide burrs and wire wheels that provide many advantages, including extended life, better control of stock removal in intricate areas, and the ability to be used in higher temperature applications. Along with these new abrasives are new complementary tools, such as mini angle sanders and die grinders, to accomplish more intricate work.

Flap wheels are available in coated abrasives, nonwoven abrasives, or a combination of both, known as interleaf flap wheels. Flap wheels have abrasive wrapped around the core. This allows the flap wheel to conform to intricate shapes and contours while providing a uniform rate of cut throughout the grind. A key characteristic of flap wheels is that they wear away evenly, exposing fresh abrasive cutting points.

Coated flap wheels are best for deburring, nonwoven flap wheels are ideal for finishing, and interleaf flap wheels are best suited for blending applications. Most flap wheels use aluminium oxide abrasive grain for good cut rate and life, and the most popular backing is cotton for flexibility. Flap wheels deburr, blend or finish better than other products due to their unique structure and ability to provide a uniform cut rate. However, flap wheels do not provide the life and overall cutting performance of bonded abrasive mounted points or carbide burrs.

Professional Measuring Instruments

Full range of industry standard measuring equipment with many popular sizes supplied with calibration certificates.

Specialist range of digital ultrasonic & laser measuring instruments and gauges.

Specialty abrasives (specialties) are also available in coated abrasives and nonwoven abrasives. Specialties are used in corners where larger diameter shapes like flap wheels can’t be applied. Specialties remove flash and machine tool marks, and are used for general polishing, edge breaking and removing parting lines. Specialty shapes include coated spiral bands, cartridge rolls, tapered cartridge rolls, square pads, cross pads, overlap slotted discs and bore polishers, as well as nonwoven cross buffs and stars. Each can get into hard-to-reach areas and provide close tolerances, as well as to deburr and finish small hole areas. An example of this functionality is found in cross pads that allow operators to see through the coated area while grinding, giving them a better view of the workpiece and control of the process. Specialties wear evenly, exposing sharp cutting points. The coated abrasive specialties are best for deburring, while nonwoven specialties have better finishing properties. The most popular specialties are significantly smaller than flap wheels. Most specialties use aluminium oxide abrasive grain for good cut rate and life. Popular grits used are 60, 80 and 120 and, like coated specialties, the most commonly seen backing is cotton for flexibility. Unlike flap wheels, the downside is that they are not functional on larger scale areas of contact.

Specific to grinding stainless steel, a line of Norton Merit Pink R928 flap wheels and specialties has been introduced with superior ceramic grain that provides faster cutting and longer life over traditional aluminium oxide products. These flap wheels and specialties also have a polycotton backing for longer life versus traditional cotton backing and offer a grinding aid for cooler cutting on harder-to-grind materials.

Patrick H Carroll is a Senior Product Manager at Norton Abrasives. Reprinted courtesy of Fabricating & Metalworking magazine. www.nortonabrasives.com www.fabricatingandmetalworking.com

Available now at:

www.accud.com.au AMT JUN/JUL 2019

089

090

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

Harnessing PhD skills to transform Australian manufacturing The Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute’s (AMSI) APR.Intern program is making it easier for manufacturing innovators to access specialist research skills, as a new report reveals the sector is among Australia’s top PhD employers. By Laura Watson.

Released in May by AMSI and CSIRO Data61’s student-employer matching platform, Ribit.net, ‘Advancing Australia’s Knowledge Economy – Who are the top PhD employers?’ shows over half of PhD students are hoping to work in industry. One of the biggest factors in this shift is the lack of university-based positions. PhD graduate numbers are overtaking academic demand, with annual completions soaring from under 4000 annually in the year 2000 to almost 10,000 today. This trend has seen some of Australia’s largest business employers emerge as leading PhD recruiters.

Aligned with the nation’s growth sectors, medicine, pharmaceuticals, mining and finance join advanced manufacturing as top employers.

There is also growing demand across emerging industries such as environmental services and media technology and services.

This is good news for big business and SMEs looking for quantitative, analytical and research expertise to drive advanced and digital manufacturing innovation. The scope of roles for PhDs continues to broaden, with global competition driving many firms to diversify their workforce with specialist skills across a range of disciplines.

The challenge is bridging the gap between academia and industry to produce a supply of PhDs equipped to make the transition. Australia’s economy, innovation capability and global competitiveness is dependent on the effective skilling of this workforce to apply specialist expertise within a commercial business environment.

Helping meet this challenge since its launch in 2007 as AMSI Intern, APR.Intern remains Australia’s only national postgraduate internship program. The program has refined a model that benefits both academia and industry. A significant ingredient in its success is its reach across Australia’s academic and industry communities, including strong partnerships across the manufacturing sector.

A powerful doorway between two worlds with so much to gain from each other, the program’s impact on research-industry collaboration is evident. While we are seeing a slow cultural change, universities are increasingly aware of the benefits of industry partnerships and the value of this research as a catalyst for academic success. Similarly, as the afore-mentioned report shows, industry is embracing PhD talent as an innovation accelerator.

“Platforms such as APR.Intern are critical to building pathways between academic research and industry, putting industry opportunities at reach for PhD students and helping industry access the skills they need,” says Gary Hogan, APR.Intern Director and Melbourne Enterprise Professor.

With a long history of perfect research matches to accelerate industry innovation, Australia’s only all-sector, all-discipline PhD internship program has Industry 4.0 sorted. The manufacturing sector is set to benefit from a funding partnership between APR. Intern and the Innovative Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre (IMCRC). Under the agreement, 23 skilled PhD students will

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

An OmniTAINER purchased by global leasing giant Eurotainer leaves Omni Tanker’s factory en route to Germany.

be matched to manufacturing innovators to help drive advanced and digital manufacturing and optimisation solutions.

“We are excited to be partnering on these opportunities to transform the sector, putting new technologies, business models and digitalisation in the reach of manufacturers including big business and SMEs,” Hogan adds.

With manufacturing projects attracting up to $13,000 in IMCRC funding support, as well as a 50% Federal Government Rebate, APR.Intern is an effortless solution for manufacturing industry seeking to harness opportunities within advanced and digital manufacturing.

“These placements bring specialised research skills to the manufacturing table while also transforming university-industry research engagement,” Hogan explains. “It is a win for all, and importantly, a boost for Australian innovation.”

Injecting $28.2m into PhD internships, Federal Government investment in APR.Intern has led to a national-scale program expansion since 2017. A significant win for both universities and industry, the scheme is part of ongoing government strategies to boost the number of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics – critical to reaching Australia’s innovation potential.

Currently, women account for 16% of the STEM workforce, and will play a key role in meeting demand for skill supply as we seek to position Australia as an innovation nation. As well as encouraging female PhD students to apply, APR.Intern is helping stimulate critical national conversation about how the innovation sector can better support gender equity to protect future capability and capacity.

For SMEs looking to advance innovation capability, the program is a gateway to specialist research capability with opportunity to work with both a PhD student and academic supervisor. The best part is the business retains the IP, and with APR.Intern there to look after everything, there is little risk and no administrative burden.

“Low-risk, high-impact, it is the perfect platform for advanced and digital manufacturing leaders to discover the benefits of engaging with skilled researchers,” says Hogan.

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT Thinu Herath is now a valued full-time member of Omni Tanker’s engineering team.

Engineering export success For Dr Luke Djukic, Chief Technical Officer at Omni Tanker, the program was a no-brainer for the composite technology leader.

After being matched to then-PhD student Manudha ‘Thinu’ Herath, the company was able to engineer its way into the European market.

“We were matched with Thinu at a critical time in this project,” says Djukic. “To be able to rapidly and seamlessly tap into his specialised engineering skills made a significant difference for Omni Tanker, and is one of the reasons APR.Intern is so successful.”

Now employed full time with the company, Thinu applied his specialist engineering skills to design a lightweight, safe composite tank for the transport of corrosive and high-purity chemicals, compliant with stringent European standards. As well as structural design, he developed and tested the 4,000-litre tank’s fire protection system. This was later tested in Germany and the tanks are now on the market in Europe and the USA.

For manufacturing SMEs and big business, opening up the world of academic research means greater capacity to lead the advancement of new technologies, working smarter and importantly the ability to compete globally. It is a slip lane onto the innovation superhighway that they can’t afford to miss. With over 52% of PhDs set to enter industry opportunities, there is a ready supply of specialist expertise to drive innovation into the future. Programs such as APR.Intern make it easier to find the right fit for your innovation challenge.

These internships are supported by the Australian Government Department of Education and Training, through the ‘Supporting more women in STEM careers: Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute (AMSI) – National Research Internship Program’. To discover how you can open up your world and accelerate innovation in your business with APR.Intern, visit: www.aprintern.org.au

“Thinu was able to offer a higher level of finite element analysis capability compared to that which already existed in the company,” adds Djukic. “This improved design process efficiency and reduced development time.”

In a world transfixed by the possibilities of technology, automation and big data, industry demand for research only continues to climb.

Strengthened industry-research pathways are critical if companies like Omni Tanker are to flourish in the global market.

With increasing numbers of PhD students looking to open up their world with industry research, opening the gateway for collaboration is more important than ever. As Omni Tanker and Herath discovered, the chance to apply specialist skills to real-world challenges is transformative for all involved.

Unmatched access At the core of APR.Intern’s success in bridging industry and research is the program’s unmatched access to industry and academia with networks across all-disciplines and sectors. The program works with all Australian universities, and with industry partners across defence, telecommunications, environmental conservation and agriculture, banking and finance, medical research and government.

As well as the IMCRC, the program has deepened its presence within the defence and health innovation sectors with partnerships to place interns through the Defence Science and Technology Group, Defence Innovation Network, Defence Science Institute and the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre. Agreements that cement APR.Intern as the leading force delivering PhDs to the commercial innovation frontline.

With PhDs supported through their placements by an academic mentor, APR.Intern is also opening doors for established academic researchers looking to engage with industry innovation. A conversation long overdue with Australia trailing OECD counterparts in research-industry collaboration.

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

091

092

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

Smart agility, or a knee-jerk response?

Speed of response has always been critical in manufacturing. From assembly lines in Henry Ford’s era to today’s modern configuration tools, speed and efficiency have been priorities for profit-driven manufacturers. The idiom “Time is money” could be the rallying cry behind most key manufacturing initiatives — from Lean processes to continuous improvement and ISO compliance. Shaving minutes from work cycles has become paramount. But at what cost? By Helen Masters.

Now, digital technologies have put “agility” in the spotlight. The ability to react to volatility in the market place is critical. However, responding to change is not enough. Manufacturers must also anticipate future trends and strive to predict customer needs to properly prepare and adapt in advance.

While modern technology supports this approach, the continuous rush of uncontrolled change can start to resemble a dog chasing its own tail. Strategy can’t be overlooked because without meaningful objectives, speed of change can be chaotic. As more manufacturers embark on digital journeys, now is the time to pause, consider the ongoing quest for speed and put it into perspective.

A pause to consider Any seasoned veteran of manufacturing remembers the days of apprenticeships, training programs, and job shadowing.

There were no manuals, automated workflows, or timestamps on batches.

But there was a big clock on the wall and foreman with a clipboard. Sometimes, an efficiency expert would be brought in, along with their stopwatch and their zeal for time studies, task analysis, and eliminating worker breaks.

It was rare that a manufacturing plant did not have motivational posters in the breakroom or banners across the entrance reminding workers of the value of safety, quality, and efficiency. The banners seldom preached “Make a customer happy” or “Innovation starts here”, because speed always trumped everything else.

Yet we were incredibly slow, by today’s standards. Technology has continuously redefined timely responses, expectations for turnaround times, and what constitutes a highly productive workday. Even B2B commerce is fast-tracked. Our smart phones, tablets, and apps give us instant gratification as we hit “Purchase” and know exactly when we can expect delivery.

But can engineers specifying custom dimensions for major industrial equipment, like generators, also expect over-night delivery? Do we want mission-critical equipment — like medical devices or mining equipment — to be fast-tracked through testing and inspections? Perhaps not. Some things shouldn’t be rushed.

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

Risks from over-emphasis on speed There are certainly downsides to focusing on speed alone. We know that speed without cautionary restraints or restricted parameters can be hazardous. Giving a customer everything they ask for can destroy margins. The same is true with levels of speed. At some point, acceleration will exceed the return on investment (ROI), costing more to cut that extra hour out of delivery times than can be gained from extra sales or customer loyalty. Someone in the organisation must know where that point is, and make sure the ongoing effort to speed processes retains value and translates to more sales and bottom-line impact. Today, we use the term “agility” when talking about pivoting toward new markets, adjusting the supply chain in response to weather patterns, and anticipating customer needs. Agility implies the ability to move quickly while retaining a firm footing and some degree of grace. It is not rushing at full speed. It is not blindly jumping on every fad. It is the difference between a racehorse running at full force out of the gate and one that paces itself to run the full race and make a powerful surge down the final stretch to win.

Diving into a new niche market or rushing to invest in a trendy product line just because you want to be there first is high-risk if you don’t pause long enough to do the proper due diligence. Technology tools that generate data and forecast trends can help simplify decisions, but they can’t eliminate

the need for C-level setting of priorities and determining focus areas. Having the discipline not to chase every opportunity is essential in today’s landscape that is exploding in bursts of ideas. Not every idea or time-saving short-cut leads to greater profitability.

What level of acceleration is right?

Manufacturers often make rapid decisions that are largely automated, with complex questions streamlined into basic “Go” or “No go” choices. The challenge is knowing when to trust automation and when to route escalations to a human for signoff or personalised intervention. Many technologies have built-in safeguards to keep “fast” answers from being wrong. For example, Configure Price Quote solutions also have limitations built-in so the user cannot exceed safety or engineering parameters.

Every manufacturer must find its own balance of agility, acceleration, automation, and constraint – to conform to its own risk attitudes and growth priorities. The main takeaway from this reflection on the merits and risks of speed is that manufacturers should step on the accelerator to keep pace with market demands — but not abandon common sense when it comes to making short cuts. A strategy is always essential, even if that means pausing the whirlwind of activities.

Helen Masters is the Senior VicePresident and General Manager – Asia Pacific at Infor. www.infor.com

Real Business Real People Real Members I have been associated with AMITL as a member since its inception and have known most of the AMTIL staff for considerable years therefore I feel that I can say the organisation is of the quality the members should be very proud of. AMTIL conducts its activities with the enthusiasm and direction needed to promote Australia’s manufacturing industry across all appropriate sectors of government and industry alike. Their methods are generally of a consultative nature as they seek out inputs from all concerned and then having done so their feedback is informative. Most certainly confidentiality of matters discussed is paramount for the competitive industry we are in and there is never a concern with regards to such matters where AMTIL is involved. Anyone who has ever attended or participated in a AUSTECH exhibition could only attest to the quality of the exhibition and this is as a direct result of AMTIL’s overall co-ordination of the event and their methods of working closely with all involved.

Dean McCarroll, OKUMA Australia Pty Ltd

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

amtil.com.au 1311AMTIL/DM

094

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

Generative design, a long way from home.

Space travel on a scale seldom before attempted calls for a new paradigm in design and engineering, so Autodesk stepped into the breach with the world’s premier spaceflight organisation.

Opportunity is dead.

After being expected to survive for around 90 days, the Opportunity rover transmitted its last signal an incredible 14 years after it touched down on the Martian surface (a few weeks after its partner and identical twin, Spirit).

Last contact with the iconic, 180kg vehicle was on 10 June 2018, before a global-level dust storm cut off its energy source (solar power) and telecommunications. On 13 February, John Callas, Manager of the Mars Exploration Rover (MER) project at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) said in a press release that after over 1000 attempts to re-establish contact, it wasn’t feasible to continue.

Opportunity now rests in state, having given us more scientific insight and inspirational images than we could hope for – not to mention the record for driving the farthest distance in a single day on another planet.

Now, the quest for signs of life in the Solar System continues, and because Mars is only in our backyard in astronomical terms, we have to look further afield, particularly to the moons of the gas giants Jupiter and Saturn. The latter’s largest moon, Titan, for example, has a dense atmosphere that was suspected as far back as 1903 and confirmed in 1944.

But travel to the outer Solar System will call for more advanced technology than those we’ve used for space travel for the last 50 years. Where Mars is 55 million kms away from the Earth at its closest – a trip of about five months – Jupiter lies between 365 and 600 million kms away and Saturn 1.2 billion kms at its closest to Earth. For a trip of over a billion kilometres, we’ll need sweeping changes to suit vastly different mission constraints, and a 2.5m wide, 1m-tall prototype lander created by a collaboration between JPL and Autodesk might be part of the answer.

Have algorithm, will travel This lander concept might be the most complicated project ever built using generative design. When Autodesk approached JPL to suggest working together on the next generation of extraplanetary landers they were open to the idea, but cautioned that incremental performance gains wouldn’t cut it. They needed a paradigm shift.

It was found using the more top-down view characteristic of generative design. The ‘old’ way of designing space-borne landers was to identify components and where they’re located, then manually fashion a structure around the resulting layout.

When provided with the parameters around the components and their position in the craft, generative design came up with the strongest, highest-performing structural framework possible.

One of the most critical gains of many engineering projects is reduced mass, and as you can imagine, that was a very important selling point for JPL. In fact it was when Autodesk told JPL engineers they could bring mass down by up to 30% over the existing baseline design that the project really got their attention.

And nowhere is weight more critical than in space exploration, where every pound is agonised over, deployed and counteracted.

Every extra gram at lift-off weight means more fuel necessary to get the whole thing off the ground, which adds to the weight, which means more fuel in turn, and so on. In fact, every two pounds the Autodesk team saved in the lander reduces the weight of the lift-off vehicle by up to a ton.

And of course, representations of the final generative design can happen much faster than traditional engineering designs. Where

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

traditional methods can take between two to four months for a project of this magnitude and complexity, the Autodesk team compressed the timelines down to just a few weeks.

That doesn’t only make the project faster, it’s more responsive to change. As we all know, the human race has a pretty impressive fleet of sensors and measurement tools throughout the Solar System today, and they’re always reporting back with new information about the conditions the lander has to operate in.

If data from another mission makes us realise a given material might be vulnerable to corrosion or radiation it might throw a long and very expensive research path out the window. Comparatively fast updates to the relevant manufacturing constraints (like materials inputs) in generative design could get you back on track much faster.

Going live Space exploration is a business with its own economic peculiarities, many of which don’t apply to the for-profit manufactured goods sector. In other industries it can be considered a good thing to burn through resources to get to a minimum viable product as fast as possible, using the experience and prototype to build out to your production model.

But for obvious reasons, spaceflight is a one-shot proposition. If your build architecture fails in orbit around Saturn, the nearest technician with a wrench ready to make the necessary tweak is several years (and probably a few more billion dollars) away. Even if it’s a software or drive systems issue it’ll take over an hour for the instructions to reach the craft by radio – a further hour for its confirmation of success of failure to reach us back home, and in the critical minutes of spacecraft landings, anything can happen.

All of which means your first and final build has to be perfect straight out of the gate. And with taxpayers and their political representatives only too ready to pounce at any sign of wasted funds, the pressure is even higher.

To make JPL’s position even more fraught, it finds itself today in what’s very much a business climate complete with competitors like SpaceX, so to not adopt new technology

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

when it’s available is a sure-fire way to be left behind. Like so many other industries have discovered, generative design is a quantum leap forward.

So far, the lander is still a research and development project for JPL, far from sign-off and production in the space program. But

new approaches to designing and making things have taken us from the first extra terrestrial satellite 60 years ago to robots walking or rolling across other planets – who knows where generative design might fit in? www.autodesk.com.au

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

095

96

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

ANCA – Committed to growing a skilled workforce Since 2011, ANCA has been training apprentices in CNC machining, machine building, fault finding and analytical skills, machine commissioning and customer service.

Headquartered in Bayswater, Victoria, ANCA was struggling to recruit young engineers and trades people to join its team. As a privately-owned global exporter of advanced manufacturing technology, with more than 1,000 people around the world, a turnover of $250m and a dominant position in its sector, searching for skilled people was becoming a major business issue.

Commissioning Technician Daniel Shepley (right) with Pat McCluskey, Co-founder of ANCA.

In response ANCA decided to develop its own talent. In January 2011 the company established an apprenticeship program that has been successfully training highly skilled technicians ever since. Set up by ANCA co-founder Pat McCluskey, the program has been designed to offer participants a range of technical training paths in CNC machining, machine building, machine commissioning, fault finding and analytical skills, and customer service.

ANCA currently has 15 apprentices and recently celebrated the graduation of four of these from the program. Commissioning Technician Daniel Shepley graduated from the ANCA Apprentice 2019 program in March and took out the Apprentice of the Year award by the company at the celebration evening.

Of participating in the program, Daniel said: “It feels great to finish my apprenticeship after four years. I have worked in multiple parts of production, learnt different skills in different areas, and met heaps of great people.

“My proudest achievement over the time of my apprenticeship would probably be the first time I was sent overseas. I was sent to Weinheim in Germany for three months to support ANCA’s German branch. It was a challenge working on some unfamiliar tasks but I learnt lots and was happy with the job I did.

Now that Daniel has finished his apprenticeship, his aim is to continue to work in areas of the business that will allow him to learn as much as he can. He is currently working in the commissioning department, and he plans to start an advanced diploma in mechatronics at night school. “The biggest challenge of the program would have to be being sent over to America for six weeks to install new machines and service some older machines out in the field, I worked in various parts of Michigan, Ohio and Indiana,” Daniel added. “Although it was challenging, it was really rewarding to travel to customers and work on their machines - resulting in good outcomes.”

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

Successful candidates start with 12 months of training in ANCA’s Apprentice Training Facility, under the responsibility of the Apprentice Master. In the second year, participants have the chance to be part of a rotation program through various aspects of the business to ensure they receive a comprehensive education and gain exposure to a range of divisions. The first year TAFE requirements are provided onsite by an accredited trainer and for the years following, all apprentices will attend TAFE one day per week during the TAFE terms. At the end of the four years, successful apprentices are trade-qualified in their chosen stream.

“ANCA has a proud history of investing in its people to develop a highly skilled and

engaged workforce,” says Apprentice Master Stuart Gurney. “My apprentices get exposure to CNC machining, precision fitting, electrical testing and grinding applications throughout their four-year program.

“My passion is supporting the next generation of talent to enter the fascinating world of CNC grinding. Far from just being a manufacturing company we sell 99% of our product overseas and compete with German, Swiss, Japanese and US competitors successfully. We are honestly an Australian manufacturing success story. It is very rewarding to see how much my team develops over the four years to graduate with a fantastic career ahead of them.” www.anca.com

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

Is your ERP provider offering sufficient choice and flexibility?

As consumers we want choice, from the cereal we eat to the cars we drive. Every business possesses a unique persona and in itself can be considered a consumer with preferences on how to achieve tactical and strategic goals.

Some of these are reliant on specific business systems or technologies. The needs of business inform the deployment of technology at a pace that makes sense for its sustainable growth, writes Jakes Mantle.

An enterprise resource planning (ERP) system is an integral part of operations, but your requirements of this system would be different whether you are operating a tin can factory in Toronto or manufacturing stereo equipment in Sydney. This means that a one-size-fits-all approach won’t take into consideration the industry nuances at play, nor embrace the individuality of your business that ultimately enables your competitive edge.

The reality is the choices you make right now will affect your competitive advantage and your ability to remain relevant in a rapidly changing business environment.

The aspect of choice should be extended to the selection of elements that make-up the solution whilst also addressing your immediate business priorities as well as offer the potential to extend the solution in with your business development and longer-term strategy.

Although cost remains an important aspect of choosing a new business management system, the desire to self-navigate the technology deployment decision journey is gaining momentum with the relevant decision makers in the business. Ultimately the flexibility of your ERP solution should allow you to implement the solution at an adoption rate that the business is comfortable with and at a rate that is in line with your cash flow.

To this end, an appropriate ERP system should offer you options when it comes to how you prefer to commercialise its use.

At the bare minimum this should include choice on when you pay; either upfront or ongoing, whether you want to lease, rent or own your licenses, and the choice of how you administer the solution and deploy its licensing. All of these elements have an effect on price and you should be able to choose how to structure this in line with your growth projections.

The next consideration is whether you have the choice as to how you deploy your solution? Depending on your requirements you should be able to choose whether your ERP solution is deployed in the cloud, on-premise, or both. This is important in today’s globalised market and the big differentiator is not only in selecting an ERP provider that offers that choice but also

offers the flexibility to change that decision at a later stage.

Another major consideration relates to whether your ERP system offers choice on how different personas within your business engage with the solution. Studies have shown that an engaged workforce, provided with the right systems and tools, increased productivity. One must acknowledge that there are possibly four different generational cohorts within your organisation at any given point. It is therefore a gamechanger to partner with an ERP provider that offers you the choice on the preferred engagement interface for each user’s role and personal preference.

Lastly, it is important to plan for the future of your business. New technologies are disrupting the status quo and digitalisation is opening the door to infinite possibilities – with profound implications to the way companies will do business going forward.

It is therefore becoming increasingly important to ensure that businesses make the right choices regarding their transition to digital by leveraging new methods that add to their competitive advantage.

Research shows that we are in the midst of the next manufacturing revolution and yet we find many manufacturers still on

the sidelines of this revolution struggling to make sense of the shifting landscape.

These businesses may need an ERP provider that embraces key emerging technologies, recognising the importance of keeping ahead of modern architectures and technologies, but that is also critically focused on offering real and practical solutions. It is important to take advantage of emerging technologies where it makes sense to do so, without disrupting your business in the process, and to choose solutions that will solve old, recurring problems as well as new ones.

By embracing new, exponential technologies, such as machine learning, AI, and Digital Citizens, and by implementing a future-fit ERP solution that allows for their incorporation, organisations can make the digitalisation process easier, and open the door to greater efficiencies and growth.

Choice and flexibility are now the paramount for businesses regardless of their size and type of operation. With the right ERP partner, you can safely invest in this technology knowing you are in good hands for many years to come.

Jakes Mantle is a Solutions Director at SYSPRO Australasia www.syspro.com

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

097

98

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

Getting IP savvy: Managing IP in business for a competitive advantage Intellectual property (IP) assets are the property of a business just like tangible assets such as commercial property, inventory, equipment or vehicles. As with physical assets, managing your IP assets effectively promotes competitive advantage, helps establish market presence and assists to increase value to your business. By Shu-Yen Lee. Intellectual property is a broad term that covers a range of intangible assets resulting from creations of the mind, such as inventions, literary works or videos. In a business context, IP arises from the creativity of employees and/or owners, such as text and images on websites, manuals and other documents, inventive processes, products or brand names – just to name a few.

The IP audit

C

D

Copyright

Designs

Intellectual Property (IP)

R

IP can be registrable and nonregistrable, and both types have Trademarks their uses and their place in Patents managing a business. Examples of non-registrable IP may include components such as computer copyright, circuit layout rights, trade secrets chips, integrated circuits or personal and confidential information, while registrable computers. Like copyright, they are IP encompasses patents, registered designs, automatic rights and are not registrable. trade marks and plant breeder’s rights.

• Trade Secrets generally comprise The following list provides a brief description information that enables an economic of the main IP types: advantage over competitors but that is • Patents are registrable rights that protect not easily ascertainable from the product the functionality of a product or process, sold, such as a formula, process, i.e. the way it works, such as the pattern or method. By definition, trade working of an engine or manufacturing secrets are not publicly disclosed and process. are therefore are not registrable. The Coca Cola recipe is an example of a • Registered Trade Marks provide trade secret that was not disclosed for protection for the words, logo or decades. symbols that you use to distinguish your products from others in the marketplace, • Confidential Information is information also known as a ‘brand name’. Trade that is not publicly available for the marks can be registered for business furthering of a specific purpose and is names, product names or domain valuable to a business, such as client names. lists, know-how, business operation and strategies, pricing, marketing, or • Registered Designs protect the research & development (R&D) work. overall visual appearance of products.

Confidential information can include Examples of protected designs trade secrets. include clothing, textile designs, car components or any Apple products; Multiple IP rights can provide layers of protection for a business’ valuable IP assets.

• Plant Breeder’s Rights are a registrable For example, a business can have copyright, right that protects plant varieties that are confidential information and trade secrets new, distinct and stable, such as new to protect its strategies and operation, varieties of apples or potatoes. marketing, R&D work and client information, • Copyright protects the expression of an as well as multiple registrable rights to protect idea, such as original creative works. their products and processes. For example, Copyright is an automatic right that a car manufacturing company may have one commences once the original creative or more patents protecting the working of the work is created and is not registrable engines or other components, trade marks in Australia. Examples of copyright in for the car’s name and logo, and registered the workplace include text on websites, designs to protect the car’s visual shape. It is manuals, CAD drawings, work videos or often recommended to use multiple IP rights photos, and software code. to provide layers of protection for the valuable • Circuit Layout rights specifically protect IP assets of a business. layout plans or designs of electronic

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

To find out what IP you own in your business, you can conduct an IP audit – also known as ‘IP due diligence’. The IP audit is performed with the goal of reviewing all the IP in the business, who owns the IP, and its value. The IP audit should be conducted with a registered patent attorney and representatives from the business in marketing, R&D and management.

In particular, an IP audit seeks to identify the IP and establish a database or register containing information including: • A description and value of each IP asset.

• The owner of the IP and any issues concerning ownership.

• The inventors or authors.

• Associated agreements or contracts, or potential agreements or contracts that will be needed.

• Registered IP right status, i.e. patents, trade marks or designs, or what may be needed to protect those IP rights.

• Potential licensing and associated agreements.

• Plans/Strategies for exploitation and maintenance of the IP assets.

Once this IP database is established, the information can be utilised as part of the organisation’s overall business plan, in particular to: • Analyse the IP and ensure it fits within the organisation’s objectives.

• Determine what action or strategies are to be developed and taken.

• Make recommendations to ensure the IP assets are adequately protected and to reduce protection where IP is not used.

• Ensure continuity in the business in respect of the IP. In summary, managing the IP assets in a business can be a valuable tool to maximising value and potential in your innovative products and processes, and is an important part of an overall business management plan.

Shu-Yen Lee is an Associate, Patent and Trade Mark Attorney at mdp patent and trade mark attorneys. www.mdppatents.com.au

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

An exit mindset for business owners When a business owner is asked if he or she is thinking of exiting their business, the answer can be ‘Yes’ or ‘No’.

The answer, writes Jeff Richardson, should ALWAYS be ‘Yes’.

Let’s start with five reasons you need an Exit Mindset, even if you’re not ready to exit: 1. Eventually everyone exits. The question isn’t ‘If’ you will exit but ‘How’ and ‘When’. An Exit Mindset means when you do exit, it’s on your terms!

2. Even if an exit isn’t on the horizon, an Exit Mindset helps you work on the business, rather than in it. What will make it a more valuable business tomorrow? An Exit Mindset makes your business is a better place for you to be today!

3. An offer may come to you out of the blue. The more prepared you are, the better you’ll be able to respond to the opportunity. Questions you’ll be ready to answer include: Is it a good offer? Am I personally ready to leave the business?

What’s important to me in an exit? With an Exit Mindset you’re always ready to consider an unexpected opportunity.

4. A good business exit doesn’t come quickly. The best exits are the result of long-term planning and execution.

Analyse the value of your business from an Exit Mindset to uncover the real strengths and weaknesses, then set a strategy and execute to maximise value.

With an Exit Mindset you enjoy the benefits of maximum value while you’re in the business, and enjoy maximum sale conditions when you exit.

5. It gives you a ‘True North’. From a management perspective an Exit Mindset gives you a reference point for all your major decisions. With an Exit Mindset you first ask: “How will this action make my business more valuable?”

An exit is not an event, it is a stage in your company’s lifecycle. Business owners often make the mistake of thinking of an exit as an event occurring at a single point in time – “I’m going to exit the business in five years time.”

Big Mistake. A good exit involves careful planning and execution, and takes time. The generally accepted ‘average’ timeframe for an exit to conclude is five years.

Just as your business has a start-up phase, a growth phase, and a maturity phase, it also has an exit phase. And this exit phase has four segments: • Education. Learn about the options, processes, pitfalls, and opportunities to maximise your Exit. With an Exit Mindset you’ll be learning along the way.

• Strategic. Identify areas of your business where you can maximise its value for a potential buyer. With an Exit Mindset, you’ll save significant time in this area.

• Execution. Interviewing and briefing brokers, receiving proposals and strategies, preparing ‘sales’ materials, identifying and engaging possible buyers, meetings, agreements in principal, letters of intent, due diligence, further negotiations, and so on… with an Exit Mindset your execution will be more effective and more efficient.

• Transition. Even when the deal is done, you’re not done. Typically, the buyer will want the owner to stay with the business for some time after the handover. While not 100% mandatory, rejecting an earn-out phase would probably impact the deal. With an Exit Mindset you’ll have carefully considered what’s important to you in an exit, and will negotiate this stressful period with a clear mind.

You need to know your numbers Having an Exit Mindset means working on the parts of your business where you can maximise its value. According to research of more than 45,000 SMEs in the USA, the UK, Canada and Australia, there are eight key factors a business owner should focus on to maximise the value of their business: 1. Financial performance.

2. Growth potential.

3. Dependence on one party.

4. Cash flow.

5. Recurring revenue.

6. Differentiation.

7. Customer score.

8. The owner’s personal impact.

Each factor has a number of influencing elements. As a business owner you need to know how your business is performing against each element so you can focus on the right areas.

So, what does it mean to have an Exit Mindset?

You need just three things: • Commitment. Holding the concept of an Exit Mindset close to your heart gives your head the strength to ‘Stay the Path’, acting only in line with this concept.

• A framework. Making your business ‘better’ is a vague and ill-defined concept. With all good intent, bad decisions can be made if no clear framework for decision making. Set a clear framework based, for example, on the eight key factors research has indicated.

• Understanding. Understanding your personal feelings helps you exit well when the time is right.

You can find out your business’ score on those eight key factors identified among those 45,000-plus business owners. By completing the same questionnaire, a 27-page report is generated specifically gauging the business performance against the eight factors. Owners that complete the questionnaire can get their own company report and build their framework from there.

Access the questionnaire at: www.tinyurl. com/y584l5y5 Jeff Richardson works with business owners as an Exit Mindset Advisor for 12 Months On. www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreyianrichardson

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

099

100

FORMING & FABRICATION

Science fiction to science fact: Opie embraces the Internet of Things Back in the 1960s we imagined the future was a place where cars hovered in space, people could be teleported, and everyone strangely wore fluorescent, matching uniforms. The reality of our technological transformation barely resembles those fantasies, but our forebearers in the 1960s did hit on one fundamental truth: that technology would transform our lives and the way things are produced.

Established in 1962, the Opie Manufacturing Group – an Australian fabricated metal manufacturer, offering a wide range of products and services – has been part of that transformation, and is fully embracing the Internet of Things. Covering over 7,000sqm under roof, Opie Group’s expansive state-of-the-art manufacturing and metal processing facility in Emu Plains, NSW, is one of the largest in the industry.

Tristan Opie, CEO of Opie Group.

The problem Prior to November 2018, Opie Group’s machines were operating independently not only of each other, necessitating manual intervention in the production process, but also of the customer care process, leading to a lack of visibility when it came to understanding what stage of the production process a project was at.

“Previously, we had no data available to determine where our inefficiencies were throughout the production process and where we needed to focus to improve,” explained Tristan Opie, CEO of Opie Group.

The solution Opie Group sought to remedy the piecemeal nature of its production process with automated, round-the-clock service, delivering efficiencies across the production process while transforming the customer experience. Since November 2018, Opie Group has invested in connected machinery to automate their manufacturing processes and customer communications system, which means less idle machine time, ease of production planning, and swift customer care – no more blind spots!

The technology The Internet of Things – the ability to allow machines to communicate with each other – requires the power of interconnectivity and systems technology to bring it to life. Opie Group integrated four essential pieces of system technology that allowed its machines to talk to each other as well as to the production and customer care team.

The first was TruTops Fab, which allows the user to instantly convert jobs into works orders and to start production. Second was TruTops Boost for 2D/3D design and programming of laser, punching, and bending machines. Third was TruTops

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

Calculate. And the fourth was the NetSuite CRM/ERP system for customer data management and finance administration.

The result By connecting their NetSuite CRM system to TruTops Fab and TruTops Boost, Opie Group has control over the entire production process, managing customer orders right through to shipping, with constant visibility of the status of production. Opie Group can now seamlessly send quotes to customers as a result of integrating both TruTops Fab and NetSuite CRM systems with its Trumpf machinery.

With NetSuite CRM, the customer care team can follow up and check on the performance of quotes, giving them full visibility of the process and estimated time to completion.

“If we look at our materials management as one example of one part of the process, previously a person would have to go through the drawings, the bill of material, manually check stock and confirm if we had enough, which could take up to minimum of four hours,” says Tristan. “Now this can now be done automatically in about five minutes.

“We first enter the customer into NetSuite.

We then take the 3D model, drag and drop the model into TruTops Boost, and disassemble the model, which extracts all the items into a bill of materials with a few clicks. It then confirms with NetSuite if all the required raw materials are in stock, and if not, orders more and assigns to the customer project.

“The order is then sent to TruTops Calculate to quote on the jobs. This is then sent

back to NetSuite to send the quote to the customer. Once the customer accepts the quote it’s then sent from NetSuite to TruTops Fab to start production. This part of the process improvement alone has reduced from what used to take four hours to complete to five minutes.”

Thanks to this investment in innovative technology, Opie Group is now enjoying the manufacturing benefits the Internet of Things delivers, such as: • Significant reduction in materials management.

• Real-time data – key metrics are tracked on the dashboard for quick visibility and better customer care.

• Visibility over key business metrics such as: materials management, with significant business gains achieved; win/loss ratios on quotes; identification of recurring parts for more efficient management of materials; and improved sales with easily identification of customer follow-up.

• Anytime, Anywhere visibility – Mobile apps for both NetSuite and TruTops Fab enable anytime visibility of any order for any customer, and offer the ability to enter customer details, quote, and even ship items from the phone.

• Manual labour connected to the production process – manage, measure and track any manual elements within the production process.

“Now we can pinpoint exactly where we need to focus, what needs to be done and how we can fix it,” Tristan concludes. www.headland.com.au www.opiegroup.com.au

FORMING & FABRICATION

MASI soars with Hypertherm’s X-definition plasma system Air travel has come a long way since the days of the Wright Brothers. Raising standards for aviation safety is a paramount concern globally with more than 100,000 flights taking to the sky daily, and proper servicing and maintenance play a critical role in ensuring the safety of crew and passengers.

One such company that makes certain proper servicing equipment and maintenance on aircrafts can be carried out smoothly is Muhibbah Airline Support Industries (MASI). Headquartered in Selangor, Malaysia, MASI manufactures a variety of products for the aviation services sector, including maintenance docking systems, aerobridges, and aircraft parking guidance systems. A subsidiary of Muhibbah Engineering, the first company in Malaysia to achieve ISO 9002 certification in the construction sector, MASI places strong emphasis on quality and safety in every aspect of its operations.

MASI’s strength lies in the design and construction of a full range of aircraft maintenance docking systems. These systems are specialised platforms positioned around the aircraft to allow maintenance personnel to access all areas of an aircraft, providing an efficient and safe working environment. An effective aircraft maintenance docking system enables the maintenance team to perform their jobs better, which then assures people of aircraft functions and safety.

The team at MASI had a good grasp of the aviation industry’s needs, and its innovative systems featured state-of-the-art functions.

To bring them to fruition, the company found the need to invest in a cutting technology that is capable of producing high-quality cut parts at fast speeds, yet requires little or no post-production processes.

The company decided on Hypertherm’s X-definition plasma cutting system, the XPR300, which would allow them to boost production processes significantly without compromising on quality.

The XPR300 features the latest X-Definition plasma technology, which improves its ability to tackle high-precision applications, surpassing the expectations of modern plasma cutting systems to produce highquality cuts in the most cost-efficient manner on a myriad of metal types and thicknesses. In addition, the system boasts Hypertherm’s True Hole technology, which provides MASI with the ability to easily fabricate bolt-ready holes down to a diameter-to-thickness ratio of 1:1.

These advanced features of the XPR300 system addressed MASI’s requirements of a cutting solution that could handle a variety

of plate thicknesses (ranging from 4mm to 40mm) and various types of shape and hole cutting, leading to improved consumable life, and reduction in production times and wastage in materials. This has allowed MASI to register between 10-20% in costsavings – depending on material thickness.

Apart from the cutting-edge features on the XPR300, MASI was also won over

by Hypertherm’s high level of service standards. From the early stages of decision-making through to after-sales assistance, the Hypertherm team offered timely responses and their full support to address MASI’s every concern.

“The XPR300 system has proven to be stable and reliable so far, allowing us to improve our productivity and quality,” said Edward Wong, Technical Manager at MASI. “We expect that it will also eventually help us to reduce the manpower required in the production of parts for the various systems and equipment.”

On MASI’s plans to further improve their processes, Wong added that the company is looking to purchase more cutting machines, and also plans to explore more advanced solutions such as robotic plasma beam cutting lines.

“Judging from the results we’ve seen so far, we’re optimistic that Hypertherm’s advanced cutting solutions will support our endeavor to improve the agility and profitability of our business,” he explained.

“We also look forward to satisfying our customers with consistent and quality products that will allow their maintenance teams to perform their tasks well and ensure safe functioning of aircrafts.” www.masi.com.my www.hypertherm.com

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

101

102

COMPRESSORS & AIR TECHNOLOGY

A tradition of innovation – 100 years of Kaeser Kaeser Compressors is marking an important anniversary this year with 2019 marking its centenary. One hundred years after it was established in Coburg, Germany, the company is now active all over the world including both Australia and New Zealand.

The history of the German compressed air specialist Kaeser Kompressoren truly is a remarkable story. Although many a company gets to celebrate its centenary, they cannot all boast such sustained and continuously positive development.

While the Kaeser product range can be found in action all over the world, the general public rarely come face to face with the compressed air specialist’s products. Only the portable compressors catch the eye, with their black and yellow livery, when used for road construction work. Compressed air stations tend to be hidden away in outbuildings.

Nonetheless, Kaeser compressors are just as likely to be found in power stations in Australia as in Peruvian gold mines, used by aerospace engineers in the US, fish farms in Norway, car manufacturers in Germany, at the CERN particle accelerator in Switzerland, on ski pistes in Austria, on Arabian oil fields or the weaving mills in Asia.

Often considered the fourth utility, compressed air is just as vital as electricity, and no company with an industrial production line can get by without compressed air.

Humble beginnings The story of Kaeser began in a small workshop in Coburg’s Hahnweg.

The old buildings are still standing in which Carl Kaeser senior started producing spare parts and engines for cars, along with gear wheels and special machines for the glass industry, with a team of eight employees and two apprentices in June 1919. Business was soon booming – within a few years, the company was to employ a 150-strong workforce.

However, with Germany partitioned following the Second World War, almost all of Kaeser’s customer base fell by the wayside – most of the company’s clients were located in Thuringia and Saxony, on the other side of the border in what was then East Germany. Taking advantage of the available automotive expertise, production was promptly adapted to a similar category of products: reciprocating compressors. Thus began Kaeser’s successful focus on compressed air. In 1948, the first reciprocating compressor rolled off the Hahnweg production line as the company continued to evolve.

Further challenges emerged during the mid-1960s, in what in retrospect may be described as a major technological shift. Screw compressors came onto the market, and once again, Kaeser spearheaded the change with its very own invention: Sigma Profile. Developed in-house, Sigma Profile is a rotary screw compressor block with a special energyefficient rotor profile that was groundbreaking at the time. Since then, Sigma Profile has been the centrepiece of every Kaeser rotary screw compressor – needless to say, it is also refined on an ongoing basis.

A tradition of innovation This innovative spirit pervades the company to this day, resulting in a steady stream of innovations in compressed air technology, and applying equally to hardware, software and services. From the refrigeration dryer to revolutionary controllers (Sigma Air Manager 4.0); from the portable compressor to completely new business models where the customer basically only purchases the compressed air; and through to digitalisation and Industry 4.0, Kaeser has continued to blaze a trail in the industry for the cost-effective, reliable, efficient generation and use of compressed air, thanks to its innovative, topquality products and services. Most of the company’s production facilities are located in Germany, with sales and service available in every corner of the globe.

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

From its founding location in Hahnweg in Coburg, via its buildings on Carl-KaeserStraße, to its current size (not completely visible in the picture), Kaeser has grown a lot.

COMPRESSORS & AIR TECHNOLOGY

Three generations of Kaeser: company founder Carl Kaeser snr, Carl Kaeser jnr, and Thomas Kaeser with his wife Tina-Maria Vlantoussi-Kaeser.

The company’s early international expansion was a vital aspect of its growth. Its first branch opened in Switzerland in 1978, with Austria and France following hot on its heels. Today, Kaeser has more than 50 of its own subsidiaries and is represented by exclusive contract partners in more than 100 countries. Kaeser employs in excess of 6000 staff worldwide, many of whom have been loyal for decades.

A recipe for success How was this achieved? The company’s secret recipe is an unwavering passion for innovation, sound engineering expertise, close customer contact and an awareness of their needs, combined with exceptional quality standards, a good dose of common sense and the main ingredients: excellent teams and strong family ties. Thomas Kaeser and Tina-Maria Vlantoussi-Kaeser are now the third generation of Kaesers to manage the company, while the fourth has also just come

on board, in the form of their son Alexander Jan Kaeser. However, the emphasis on family does not just refer to the company’s founder and his descendants. All staff are considered family at Kaeser. This is evident in its high apprenticeship rate, well above average, and the extremely long service record of its employees, usually more than 30 years. It is also reflected in the company’s business development: for 100 years without fail, the operating result has been positive – even in 2009, the year of the global financial crisis.

From Anchorage to Auckland, Coburg or Kauai, Kaeser is a familyowned company with strong ties to Germany; it views the entire world as its home turf and offers ‘Made in Germany’ quality from start to finish. The next innovative chapter is just waiting to be written. www.kaeser.com.au

Starting with the first reciprocating compressor, through the reciprocating compressor range, the first screw compressor, to the modern master control system, Kaeser’s range of products and services has steadily grown thanks to constant innovation.

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

103

104

SAFETY

New augmented reality safety guide sparks interest for metalworkers Pro-Visual Publishing has released the latest edition of its Metal Manufacturing Industry Guide to Safety, produced in partnership with the Australian Industry Group, and this year’s edition comes with augmented reality functionality.

Printed in a 1m x 1m format, the Guide is designed to be displayed in a place that is accessible to all workers. In doing so it will help to aid in the promotion of health and safety and serve as a constant reminder to metal workers of potential hazards and threats that could jeopardise one’s safety in the workplace.

This year’s Guide features select topics that have been considered to be of the most importance to metalworkers. The topics this year include: manual handling for transporting materials; welding fumes and their carcinogenic effects; tips for staying hydrated; industrial deafness; and workplace traffic management.

One particularly exciting feature of the Guide is its use of augmented reality (AR) technology, allowing the printed guide to come to life through digital technology. By simply downloading the free Pro-Vis AR app, users can use their smart devices to scan over any AR-enabled content. In doing so, metalworkers can access further resources such as videos to use in induction and training workshops. Thanks to the Guide’s corporate partners, it is possible for the new edition to be distributed free to the metal manufacturing industry.

“I would like to thank all the sponsors of the Metal Manufacturing Industry Guide to Safety 2019-20,” said John Hutchings, CEO of ProVisual Publishing. “Their support has made it possible for the Guide to be distributed free of charge.” www.provisual.com.au

Paralympian shares story of workplace injury Paralympic powerlifting champion Kahi Puru made a huge impact on employees at Real Pet Food Company in Ingleburn, New South Wales, when he visited them to share the story of his workplace injury.

Kahi was 29 years old when he lost his left leg after being crushed by a forklift at work. As a member of the icare Paralympic Speakers Program, he now visits workplaces around NSW to help support a culture of safety at work and drive down workplace injuries.

Kahi Puru (third left) with the team at Real Pet Food Company.

“I’ve experienced first-hand the devastating effect of a workplace injury and the ramifications it has on your loved ones and your workplace,” said Kahi. “By sharing my experience, I can make people more safety-aware. Being able to prevent one workplace injury is worth its weight in gold. I wanted to reinforce with the guys at Real Pet Food that life is precious, and they should never be afraid to speak up about unsafe situations in the workplace.”

Kahi spoke to 35 plant operators, forklift drivers, managers and other support personnel during Wednesday’s night shift at Real Pet Food’s Ingleburn site.

“Kahi’s attitude towards life and the injury he had to overcome definitely made me think”, said Jake De Farria, Freezer Team Leader and Safety Committee member. “His story reminded me that I should never be complacent – there’s so many unexpected things in a workplace.”

Sue Wood, General Manager– Logistics, Manufacturing and Distribution, said she would encourage other employers to invite Kahi into their workplaces: “Kahi is an amazing man and he fully engaged with our team at Ingleburn. We were overwhelmed and humbled by Kahi’s life story and I’d like to thank him from the bottom of my heart for sharing his story with my team and making the issue of workplace safety ‘real’.”

Body stressing is the leading cause of injury for manufacturing workers, which includes muscle strains and back injuries caused by manual tasks like heavy lifting and repetitive movements. Jason McLaughlin, icare’s General Manager – Workers Compensation,

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

said icare’s speaker program was a great way to spread the message of workplace health and safety.

“With almost 11,000 manufacturing workers injured at work in the past 12 months, education, training and tools are crucial in building a safer work environment,” McLaughlin said. “Stories like Kahi’s bring home the ‘why?’ around injury prevention.

“Through the Paralympian Speakers Program and our Protect Together injury prevention program, we’re working with employers to develop practical improvements and build a culture focused on strong safety behaviours.”

Employers can book an icare Paralympian Speaker for their next safety event by visiting: www.icare.nsw.gov.au/icare-speakers-program

1426AMTTRJENGIN

Keeping me up to date with our industry AMTIL has been a part of our business for a number of years.

Being involved with an experienced group that gives support is important to me and that’s what AMTIL delivers constantly.

The AMT Magazine is placed in our lunchroom for the team to look at. It keeps us up to date with the latest equipment and machinery and has assisted us with sourcing suppliers’ contacts and solutions which have resulted in increased productivity.

David Murphy, Managing Director TRJ ENGINEERING PTY LTD

APPROX

31,500

READERS AMT the No. 1 trusted industry publication.

For information or advertising rates visit www.amtil.com.au or contact Anne Samuelsson, Sales Manager on 03 9800 3666 or email asamuelsson@amtil.com.au AMT proudly owned and published by Australian Manufacturing Technology Institute Limited (AMTIL)

106

SAFETY

Bunzl Safety – Harnessing business consolidation and mobility to secure success Bunzl Safety, a subsidiary of Bunzl Australasia, offers workwear, footwear, personal protective equipment (PPE), lifting & materials handling equipment, height safety systems and technical services. With more than 60 years in the business, it is a well-respected brand servicing Australian organisations in a wide range of sectors including manufacturing, mining, energy, heavy industrial, building and construction, healthcare, food processing, government and defence.

As well as providing an array of personal protective gear and onsite materials, Bunzl also offers a selection of technical services that extends the business’s safety offering to deliver a complete, wholeof-site safety solution. It offers a range of options for businesses to confirm the safety of their sites, including equipment testing and servicing, site safety assessments and hands-on education courses to ensure that all staff are proficient in on-site safety.

Bunzl Safety was acquired from Jeminex and had three separate companies which provided workwear, safety equipment, lifting and rigging products. All these three businesses were independent users of Pronto Xi business management solutions – leaving Bunzl Safety with the arduous task of running three distinct systems.

This, combined with differing business rules and processes across the three divisions, created inefficiency, higher costs – and most importantly limited visibility for management about overall operations.

Bunzl Safety decided to undertake an end-to-end consolidation to align processes, aggregate data and transition the business onto one common platform.

“When the early planning for the project was underway, the company evaluated other systems,” says Carolyn Grice, Business Systems Manager at Bunzl Safety. “Ultimately our staff preferred the Pronto Xi environment and based on their previous experience, they were confident that the Pronto Software team had the necessary expertise to guide them through the complex task of aligning business processes and data.

“Also, in terms of training and getting people up to speed, Pronto Xi is easy and intuitive. It didn’t require a lot of time for new users to become confident, and that was an important factor in deciding to stay with Pronto.”

A strong technology partner makes change easier The first subsidiary company began using the latest version of Pronto Xi within 18 months of the deployment decision – and the two remaining subsidiary companies were aligned on Pronto Xi four months later.

“Pronto Software was involved in the process the whole way through,” explains Grice. “We did an enormous amount of work to merge all the data into a single database and implement common business processes. The main challenge was linked to Bunzl staff changes during the course of the project.”

The completion of the consolidation project also marked a new phase for the organisation.

“Bunzl Safety is now in a position to undertake further acquisitions and to grow our business,” Grice adds. “We couldn’t have done that without a common ERP system that enabled consolidation and clarity – and without the assistance of the Pronto Software team at every key step along our journey.”

Gearing up a business to work With its consolidated ERP solution, Bunzl Safety was able to seamlessly manage its safety equipment inventory across all business units. Pronto Xi gave the Bunzl Safety team the visibility they needed

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

to ensure they always had stock to fulfil customer orders at anytime, anywhere. As well as being able to easily confirm where stock was, and how much was to-hand, Pronto Xi also delivers valuable insights about product suppliers and vendors to aid the procurement and ordering process.

Bunzl Safety has 230 Pronto Xi users spanning its back-office functions, warehouse and 50-strong field sales force – many of which often work in rural and remote areas.

“The Bunzl Safety sales team are probably one of our biggest beneficiaries,” says Grice. “They are now able to access the Pronto Xi CRM system to look up the status of orders, update customer notes and review latest activities, even when they are working remotely.

This greatly enhances their credibility and enables quicker decision making.”

The customer service teams are also heavy Pronto Xi users. When responding to a sales enquiry, they are now able to enter the query into Pronto Xi CRM for follow-up and the activity is automatically registered and even available within Microsoft Outlook.

“Customer service is critical to us and Pronto Xi ensures the information we need to respond to requests is available – increasing the speed at which resolution is achieved,” adds Grice.

SAFETY

Third-party integrations fit like a glove Bunzl Safety uses a number of third-party Pronto Xi integrations and aims to automate as many processes as possible.

“Our customers can now enter their orders into the Pronto Xi Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) system and it is automatically synchronised with Pronto Xi for processing and dispatch,” Grice explains. “This is a big win in terms of efficiency and speeds up our response rate. This is critical as many of our customers have staff working in high-risk situations and without the right equipment the job will stop.”

Dispatch is another key integration for the Bunzl Safety team. When an order is entered into Pronto Xi, it will query the freight system to find the best carrier for the order to its destination. The order is then processed and sent using the most appropriate freight company for its final delivery. Bunzl Australasia, the parent company of Bunzl Safety Australia, also has its own business intelligence tool, which is integrated into Pronto Xi for reporting and planning purposes. This allows both entities to generate reports on stock, profit and loss, as well as comparative sales.

Finding safety in a hosted cloud solution Bunzl Safety chose Pronto Cloud to host a range of applications, including Pronto Xi.

“We reviewed a number of hosting schemes but decided on Pronto Cloud because of its price-competitiveness, as well as its unsurpassed Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS) solution,” says Grice.Reliable business continuance is a major requirement for Bunzl Safety, which tests its systems regularly to make sure that if there is an outage, restoration is quick and seamless.

“Pronto Software offers us a great service – and their support team is excellent. Based on this, we recently made the decision to move all our other servers onto Pronto Cloud’s facility,” says Grice. “The Pronto Xi ERP system has created an efficient platform to enable continued profitable growth and the capacity to take on any future acquisition opportunities. For Bunzl Safety, our relationship with Pronto Software is built on the trust that when we need them, Pronto Software will be there to listen and support us as best they can.”

Safety is what Bunzl Safety does. It understands that quality safety equipment not only provides businesses with confidence to operate throughout their day but also offers a higher level of physical comfort resulting in optimised performance. By leveraging Pronto Software’s consolidated and streamlined ERP solution, Bunzl Safety has been able to deliver on its mission to bring head to toe safety to its customers in a cost-effective and efficient manner. www.pronto.net www.bunzlsafety.com.au

1391/2AMTIL

Your advertising never sleeps with AMTIL Market your business 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from only $250 per week.

AMTIL Digital Media Kit 2019 Call Anne Samuelsson at AMTIL on 03 9800 3666, mobile on 0400 115 525 or email asamuelsson@amtil.com.au

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

107

108

FORUM ENERGY

What can a power factor correction unit do for your business?

AGL explores Power Factor Correction and what this could mean for your business, your equipment and the total amount of on-site electricity you use. Rania Ghantous explains.

Many people think that power is power. However, what many business owners don’t realise is that the energy you draw into your site from the grid, which you are paying for, may not all go into powering your machines and appliances. In fact, there is a loss in usable power. This difference is distinguished by two components of power: usable working power and reactive power.

Installing a Power Factor Correction (PFC) unit could enable you to minimise the loss of usable power and reduce the amount paid in demand charges. But what is a PFC unit and how could your business benefit from one?

What is power factor?

reduces kVA demand, which can lead to savings in network demand charges on your electricity bill.

What could PFC mean for your business?

Networks charge large businesses for the demand they place on the electricity grid’s ‘apparent power’. So, if you’re a commercial and industrial customer, it could pay to improve your power factor. By improving your power factor and correcting supply inefficiencies with PFC technology, you could reduce the amount you pay in network demand charges. That way, more of your money can go towards the working energy you’re actually using, with the PFC unit supporting more of your reactive load than your network.

Power factor is a measure of how effectively your site equipment uses electricity. In technical terms, it is the ratio of the working power to the reactive power supplied to your site.

Working power is the power that helps to create heat, light, mechanical motion or other services, measured in kilowatts (kW). Reactive power doesn’t create but rather maintains the electromagnetic field.

It is measured in units of kilovolt-amperes-reactive (kVAr). These two components combine to create the apparent power. Apparent power is measured in kilovolt-amperes (kVA).

Think of it like ordering a large latte. In general, you want more of the liquid (kW), and less of the froth (kVAr) – which represents wasted energy and money.

The liquid represents working power (kW on your bill). This is the power that performs the actual work and can be harnessed to create heat, light or motion. Think of this as the satisfying liquid in the latte you’ve paid good money to drink.

The froth represents reactive power (measured in kVAr). This power maintains the electromagnetic field that makes some equipment run. Just like the froth on the top of your latte – while it’s a good thing to have, it’s not as satisfying as the liquid.

Is PFC for you?

PFC could be an option to generate savings if: • You are a commercial and industrial customer • You see a demand charge on your energy bill • Your site has a power factor of less than 0.95 • You run motors, machine tools, HVAC or refrigeration.

You can easily identify if you are a commercial and industrial customer through the calculation page on your energy invoice. There you will see a line item charge under network costs measured in kVA. Once you have determined that you are paying a kVA charge, you will need to determine what your current power factor is measuring.

What is Power Factor Correction?

Power Factor Correction, or PFC, decreases the gap between the kVA and kW needed at your site. Many network charges are based solely on kVA. The higher the power factor, the more effective your electrical power. Conversely, the lower the power factor, the more effective your electrical power.

Installing a PFC unit introduces an alternative, local and more efficient source of reactive power. This decreases your site’s requirement for reactive power from the electrical power system and therefore

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

At this stage, consider the assistance of an energy efficiency consultant who specialises in PFC. They can conduct an onsite assessment of your premises for PFC potential. This will include providing you with the recommended unit size, based on interval data or monthly peak kVA and power factor. You will also receive advice on site load increases and effects on future power factor as well as assistance with the application for capacity demand tariff changes with your Network Service Provider after installation.

How can AGL help?

Rania Ghantous is Channel Manager, Business Energy Solutions at AGL. AGL’s PFC services include design, manufacture, installation, service and monitoring. Get in touch with an AGL consultant on 1300 361 391, who can walk you through how to interpret your energy data and demand charges and determine if a PFC unit is right for your business.

FORUM

HEADING

STRATEGY

Blockchain and the manufacturing industry From verifying the legitimacy of goods to tracking digital files, the global manufacturing industry is being reshaped by blockchain. And Australian exporters of high-value and information-rich goods are perfectly placed to take advantage of this new digital infrastructure. Dr Darcy Allen, Dr Chris Berg and Professor Jason Potts explain.

Bitcoin was invented in 2008 by Satoshi Nakamoto as a censorshipresistant cryptocurrency built for the internet. With regular fiat money centralised bodies such as banks and governments control the records of who owns what. For bitcoin those records are held in a decentralised blockchain. Blockchains are updated and maintained by a decentralised network. To ensure the transactions and records are correct, economic incentives to continually drive the blockchain network towards consensus.

Applications of blockchain extends beyond records of money.

We rely on trusted third parties to maintain our registries, enforce our contracts, and maintain our records. Entrepreneurs are now discovering which roles carried out by third parties such as governments and firms will be shifted towards blockchain-based decentralised networks.

Blockchain is now being applied to trace goods along supply chains, to give control of medical records to patients, and to create decentralized identities that help people move across borders.

What does blockchain mean for Australia’s manufacturing industry?

At first glance manufacturers produce physical products and then transport those goods to consumers. More deeply, the manufacturing process is heavily reliant on databases of information in multiple directions along their supply chains. This is especially true for advanced manufacturing. When goods and inputs move, information about them must move too. This includes information about the provenance of sub-components and intermediate parts, information about the integrity of rare products prone to counterfeit, and information about ethical standards in production.

It’s harder to produce this supply chain information than you think.

The information must be coordinated between hundreds of parties in the supply chain. Most of those parties don’t know or trust each other. And this information is still often paper-based or siloed within organisational hierarchies. The result is a trail of information about manufactured goods that is prone to error, fraud and loss. And these problems only get worse as supply chains get longer in a globalised world, and manufactured goods become more complex.

Blockchain technology presents a different way to govern supply chain data that centres on the movement of the good itself. Rather than passing pieces of paper between supply chain participants to track goods, information can be recorded in a decentralised blockchain. In practice goods are given a digital representation. Then as the goods move, information about them is timestamped in an immutable blockchain. Importantly this information is stored outside of organisational boundaries, making blockchain an alternative mechanism to solving the age-old problems of provenance and quality. What information is stored in a blockchain could be the historical location of a good, who produced it, how it has been stored, and who has finance on the goods.

Supply chain information extends beyond a single supply chain.

To produce a complex product involves first mining raw materials, transforming those into intermediate parts, before manufacturing of the final good. Blockchains are critical here because they can track goods and components across multiple supply chains, giving more visibility and traceability deeper into complex manufactured goods.

Blockchain supply chains will leverage other frontier technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT). Containers and products will contain sensors to record information such as GPS location and temperature. This information won’t be sent to a centralised party, but recorded cryptographically into a blockchain. This information can help consumers in verifying genuine products, assist producers in creating analytics of consumer demand and ensuring their inputs are legitimate, and governments in ensuring compliance with domestic rules and regulations.

The first and most obvious application of blockchain in supply chains has been in agricultural products such as wine, meat and seafood. The common characteristic of these goods is that they are information-rich. Information about their provenance and stewardship is often hard to verify by observing the final goods, but radically affects the price that consumers will pay.

This means the next wave of applications is likely to be other high-value information-high goods. Goods that are highly-customised, such as 3D printed medical devices, aeroplane parts and pharmaceuticals, are perfectly poised to apply blockchain technology.

Blockchain in advanced manufacturing is more than just tracking goods once they’ve been produced. We can use blockchains to coordinate the highly valuable digital files that sit behind many of these products. How can you ensure that the CAD file being 3D printed was the one originally intended? Similarly, blockchains are being used for intellectual property rights, helping to ensure compliance in an increasingly digital world.

In the physical manufacturing process itself blockchain can be used to record information about the lifecycle of manufacturing equipment.

We can now have more cost-efficient and credible auditable ledgers that extend beyond organisational hierarchies.

What we have proposed here is a general movement away from intermediaries being trusted to maintain information about goods and their production, towards information governance through decentralised blockchain platforms. To be sure, many of these applications are in the trial and experimental phase. But they represent an early fundamental shift in how we organise information across the entire manufacturing supply chain.

Dr Darcy Allen, Dr Chris Berg and Professor Jason Potts are with the RMIT Blockchain Innovation Hub. https://sites.rmit.edu.au/blockchain-innovation-hub Ph: 03 99253927 E:darcy.allen@rmit.edu.au

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

109

110

FORUM LAW

Supplier beware: What to do if your customer won’t grant you an ROT security interest It is common for manufacturers and suppliers in many Australian industries to supply goods to their customers on Retention of title (ROT) terms. This means that the supplier retains ownership of the goods until the goods have been paid for in full by the customer. Emma Simpson and Julia Cameron explain.

Many manufacturers and suppliers have retention of title (ROT) security interests in goods supplied to their customers which must be registered on the Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR).

Sometimes a customer will require ownership in the goods to pass to the customer on delivery (regardless of whether the goods have been paid for), meaning the supplier has no security interest. In these circumstances, suppliers should understand their risk profile in relation to unpaid goods and consider a multi-faceted approach to risk mitigation.

Since the introduction on the Personal Property Securities Act 2009 (Cth) (PPSA), suppliers must register ROT security interests on the PPSR. A properly registered security interest will allow the supplier to recover its goods and enforce its security interest if its customer becomes insolvent or defaults.

Trading on the customer’s standard-form terms In some cases, a customer will require that goods are supplied under the terms of the customer’s own standard-form terms, particularly where the customer is a large retailer. Many customer-form trading agreements require title in the goods to pass to the customer when the customer takes possession of the stock (and not on payment).

These trading arrangements are high risk for suppliers because once the customer takes possession of the goods it becomes the legal owner of the goods. This means that: 1. the supplier does not retain any interest in the unpaid goods and has no right to register any security interest on the PPSR in those goods; and 2. if the customer suffers an insolvency event, the supplier will have no claim against a liquidator or administrator of the customer for the return of any unpaid goods and all of the unpaid goods will become available to the liquidator to meet other secured creditor claims.

Can we change our agreement?

It is important for manufacturers and suppliers to understand their exposure under their trading contracts. This starts with reviewing and understanding the terms of contracts that govern the supply of goods, particularly if those contracts have been provided to the supplier by the customer.

Ideally for suppliers, all contracts should provide for supply of goods on ROT terms and permit registration by the supplier of a security interest on the PPSR in the unpaid goods.

If the contract does not provide for an ROT security interest in the goods, the first (and preferable) course is to immediately request an amendment to your existing trading contract to provide for supply on ROT terms and to permit you to register a security interest on the PPSR in the unpaid goods. Typically, an amendment will need to be documented in writing and properly executed by both parties.

If your customer agrees to amend its existing trading contract, your business will have a security interest in goods supplied after the date of the amendment and must register its security interest on the PPSR.

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

It is important for manufacturers and suppliers to understand their exposure under their trading contracts.

There are strict rules for registering security interests on the PPSR. A successfully registered security interest will give the supplier the benefit of what is known as a purchase money security interest (PMSI) security interest in ROT goods. The benefit of a PMSI security interest is that the supplier will receive a super priority right to recover the supplier’s goods in the circumstances of the customer’s insolvency, ahead of prior registered security interest holders who hold security in the same goods.

If your customer does not agree to amend its trading contract, suppliers can reduce their exposure by: reducing payment terms (cash on delivery is ideal); taking out, or increasing the coverage provided by, debtor insurance; and reducing the value of unpaid inventory in the customer’s possession at any one time to an acceptable commercial level.

Debtor insurance Supplier debtor insurance (or trade credit insurance) provides coverage for suppliers from risk of customer non-payment (whether by insolvency or default). The extent of coverage depends principally on the customer’s financial position.

Recent prevailing market conditions have resulted in increasing reluctance among insurers to extend levels of coverage previously enjoyed by suppliers. In some cases, we are seeing coverage reducing by more than half. This has left many significantly exposed.

Next steps All manufacturers and suppliers should review their current trading contracts to ensure that they retain title to unpaid goods (where intended) and that any security interests are properly registered on the PPSR. If the trading contract provides for title to pass on delivery or collection of the goods, these agreements may need to be renegotiated to better protect the supplier.

Rigby Cooke’s expert commercial and PPSR teams can assist your business with these negotiations and to consider the best risk mitigation strategy for your business for each of your customers.

Emma Simpson is a Senior Associate in our Corporate & Commercial group with over five years of legal experience across a range of commercial matters.

T: +61 3 9321 7805; E: ESimpson@rigbycooke.com.au www.rigbycooke.com.au Julia Cameron is a Partner in our Commercial and Intellectual Property Groups and Manufacturing Industry Group Lead.

Julia has extensive experience in advising brand owners, manufacturers and distributors in their distribution and IP protection. T: +61 3 9321 7807 E:JCameron@rigbycooke.com.au www.rigbycooke.com.au

FORUM

HEADING

OHS

Regulators take a closer look at design You produce a magnificent design for manufacturing plant and still you are prosecuted when a worker hurts themselves. How could this happen? Alan Girle elaborates.

Obligations of designers to ensure the health and safety of people that use their equipment are not new. Design obligations have existed under the harmonised legislation since it was first enacted and before that under individual state and territory statutes. What has changed is that there has been an increasing interest by regulators in the role of designers and how they can influence the behaviour of workers using their equipment. The change was entirely predictable.

In 2002, a specialist structural engineering practice prepared a structural steel design for the framework of the gate, which was installed at a concrete batching plant. The design did not include a stop mechanism to prevent the leaves of the gate coming out of the portals when the gate was manually operated. However, during construction the design fault was identified and the company constructing the gates strongly recommended that the owner install physical stops. On 14 October 2003, the gate had been manually operated and a leaf of the gate fell on a worker killing her. In 2010, the New South Wales Industrial Court imposed a $185,000 fine on the engineering practice. On appeal, the Full Bench of the Industrial Court held that the engineering company had a duty to ascertain what use the gate plant would be put to and to take steps within its power as a designer to ensure safety.

The engineering practice further appealed to the Court of Appeal and argued that designers should not be held responsible for events that occur long after the design was produced. The Court held that a designer whose defective design creates a risk to health and safety will not escape criminal liability because the consequences of the designer’s negligence might have been obviated had a third party intervened in a competent manner.

If a professional adviser or supplier of machinery fails to address a risk at the time of inspection or manufacture, then it does not matter that that risk may be realised in the death or injury of another at a later point in time.

The primary duties under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 that is relevant to designers are to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of workers whose activities are influenced by the designer and other people

who might be put at risk by the design.

Those duties are extended by more specific duties of testing the design and providing information about the purpose for which the machinery was designed, the test results and any conditions for use of the machinery. Those more specific duties are even further expanded by the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011, which creates a number of specific duties for designers, including providing information for the systems of work and competency of operators that are necessary for the safe use of the machinery.

A more recent example of Australian regulators being willing to prosecute professional advisers occurred in February.

The case was decided in the professional advisors favour, but it still demonstrates that the regulator was willing to prosecute. The case arises out of an incident in October 2015 when a water tank containing 2.7 million litres of water exploded during the construction of the Sunshine Coast University Hospital. By 2017, WHS Qld had charged the design company and its principal. In February 2019, all charges were dismissed. The basis of the charge was that the design company had used inadequate bolts in the design and had failed to check the water tank as it filled with water. The case for the defence was that the water tank had not been built in accordance with the design plans, although bolt size had not been expressly identified in the design the defendants had identified the relevant Australian Standard and the design company had not been contracted to assist with the construction of the tank.

The defendants’ case was that if the design

and the Australian Standard had been followed, the water tank would not have failed. After hearing all the evidence, the Court dismissed the charges.. This case is a shining example that being charged does not always mean that the defendants will be convicted. It is also an important example demonstrating that government regulators are more willing to call upon professional advisors in the form of a prosecution to account for their actions.

It is also clear that regulators will expect designers to be involved in the implementation of their designs after delivery.

Designers of manufacturing plants should now be developing systems to ensure that they are protected against prosecution by safety regulators. Obligations under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 cannot be delegated or transferred. Any attempt to contract out of them will be ineffective.

However, it is possible to develop simple checklists to assist designers in meeting their statutory obligations.

With the growing interest of regulators in advisers and designers, it would be wise to attend to this task immediately.

Alan Girle is Director Australian Business Lawyers & Advisors (ABLA). ABLA is an incorporated legal practice that is a wholly owned subsidiary of the NSW Business Chamber. This puts ABLA in a unique position for a legal practice. As a mission-based business, ABLA focusses on your business success and delivering commercially appropriate solutions to resolve your problems.

1300 565 846. info@ablawyers.com.au www. ablawyers.com.au

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

111

112

AMTIL INSIDE

AMTIL awarded Export Hub funding AMTIL recently signed a contract with the Commonwealth’s Department of Industry, Innovation and Science to undertake a Rail and Haulage Supply Chain Export Hub. This project received grant funding from the Australian Government’s SME Export Hubs Initiative.

Project scope and description The project will establish the Rail and Haulage Supply Chain Export Hub to be headed up from Victoria. The project will: • Develop an export strategy for the Export Hub. The strategy will be reviewed annually and updated as required.

• Deliver specialised education, and tailored support services with target market opportunities for SMEs engaged in rail and haulage supply chain commercial enterprise. The services will help participants to develop the knowledge, capability and capacity to successfully export their products and services.

• Provide each SME participant with a personalised assessment, and a tailored approach to building capacity and capability through training, facilitation, and engagement with other group members.

• Target 8 to 10 committed companies to participate in the Export Hub in the first year. SME Membership is expected to change throughout the three-year project period. Some of the SMEs will leave at various points depending on their needs, others will form a core working group remaining the duration of the project, and new ones will join throughout the program, taking advantage of the learnings that have already transpired.

• Include ongoing SME recruitment, with targets of 10 in the first year, 15 in the second and 20 in the third.

• Undertake market research and identify potential international opportunities.

• Manage and carry out export trade missions and follow up activity with Export Hub members.

Project outcomes • Delivery of a robust export program which includes specialised education, tailored support and targeted market opportunities.

• Agents in priority export markets assist exporters through trade missions and guided market visits.

• As the market agents are being identified, formal clusters will be assembled, which will offer a range of workshops.

• Members reaching export readiness receive customised support in the form of direct Austrade feedback and introductions to foreign export markets.

• Successful exporters to feed experience and learnings back into the education system, thus creating positive momentum in the Rail and Haulage Export community.

Any companies in the rail and haulage supply chain which would like more information on this project should email Greg Chalker at gchalker@amtil.com.au

Shane Infanti, CEO AMTIL

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

AMTIL HEADING INSIDE

AMTIL Members Census 2018-19 In his role as AMTIL Member Liaison, Alan Taylor regularly speaks to our members to gauge how their business is doing and assess the overall state of the industry. Here he discusses the findings of our 2018-19 Members Survey.

Our latest campaign had a similar contact threshold as last year, but also saw an unprecedented influx of paid members over the period of the census. At the start of the census AMTIL had a membership of 221, which rose to 282 by the end – a 27.6% increase. Of those 282 members, the total membership comprised 140 manufacturing technology suppliers (MTSs), 120 manufacturing technology users (MTUs), and 22 Industry Supporters (ISs).

The rise in membership appeared to have an impact on the number of call backs. A total of 531 calls were made, but only 34.4% of these resulted in contact being made, significantly down on the 46% of last census. By the end of the census, 183 members had been successfully contacted – a disappointing figure at 65% of the membership. Nonetheless, the number of contacts was similar enough to the last census for comparisons to be made.

The total turnover of the AMTIL members contacted was approximately $5.5457bn. The membership employed 12,186 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees. However, 12 members (7%) said they were unable to get the employees they need; down from 14% of members who were unable to fill positions last year. This is largely because businesses have changed their model to adapt to the number of workers they can get, rather than recruiting the numbers needed.

In terms of how members felt their businesses were performing the chart below gives a breakdown:

Member Performance Report

No Comment: 91 (54%)

Member Performance Report Very Busy: 63 (37%)

with 2,992 FTE employees. This is compared to $684m and 2179 FTE employees last year. Therefore, an “average” AMTIL member in manufacturing would have revenue of about $12m with 44 FTE employees. This is marginally more than the $11m and 35 employees of last year’s census. The annual revenue per employee this year is $267,789.

The amortised data also includes the tiers covered by the 67 contacted members as follows: Tier 1 28

Tier 2 30

Tier 3 17

Tier 4 or lower 5

Curiously 21% (14 in total) of those asked didn’t know what tiers they supplied.

Many of those in the amortised list had their own in-house design capability – 77.7% (49 in total) stated they are able to design inhouse. When it came to intellectual property (IP), however, only about 24.7% of the total revenue was generated by manufacturing members’ own IP. That means that approximately $20.6m was generated by IP held by the manufacturing members contacted.

This is an average of $3.2m per member.

In terms of exports, a mere 7.7% of the revenue was generated by exports. That equates to $61.7m from the manufacturing members, and an average of $979,365 per member.

When looking at additional information extracted from notes, there was not much in the way of consistent comments that point to anything of note. That had partly to do with the increase in new member calls, as the direction of the conversation tended to be different. It’s also a relationship that hasn’t been established, so the new member tends to “sell” their business rather than talk about it the way older members do – new members don’t tend to speak about problems in their business. www.amtil.com.au

No Comment: 91 (54%) Going Poorly: 15 (9%)

1382AMTIL

Very Busy: 63 (37%)

Of AMTIL’s 140 MTS members, just 73 members provided information for our survey. These 73 members had a combined annual revenue $3.35bn and employed 7,808 FTE employees.

Going Poorly: 15of(9%) Members Report InManufacturing the MTU category, 70 werePerformance contacted. Their annual turnover was just over $1bn, and they had 3,262 FTE employees. When looking at the how MTUs felt their businesses were performing, the breakdown (40%) isNo asComment: follows on28this chart:

Manufacturing Members Performance Report Very Busy: 33 (47%)

AMTIL gratefully acknowledges the support of 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

No Comment: 28 (40%) Going Poorly: 9 (13%) Very Busy: 33 (47%)

Going Poorly: 9 (13%)

Probably the most important data collected each year is the MTU data that has been amortised – this excludes manufacturing companies with a revenue below $1m or above $200m. In this set, manufacturers declared combined revenues of just over $800m

Our Partners.

Our Members.

Your Benefits. www.amtil.com.au

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

113

114

AMTIL INSIDE

And the winner is…

Congratulations to Stuart Norris from Blackmans Bay in Tasmania, who was the lucky winner of an iPad Pro in the AMTIL prize draw at Austech in May.

IT’S TIGHT AT THE TOP!

AMTIL was collecting business cards for the draw throughout Austech at its stand in the exhibition. AMTIL CEO Shane Infanti drew the winning card late in the afternoon of the last day of the show. And as luck

would have it, Stuart was still on site at Austech when the result was announced, so he was able to come and collect his prize from Shane at the Austech office.

Start making headlines The AMTIL Press Centre is a service exclusive to AMTIL members, helping you to secure media coverage for your products, services and other activites.

The Press Centre is a member benefit designed to asssit AMTIL members in promoting their businesses, providing an online resource where media outlets will be able to find the latest press releases and media announcements concerning the manufacturing industry and manufacturing techonology in Australia.

have to fill in the online form, pasting the text of your press release into the relevant fields; please also ensure you include your company’s logo. Along with the basic text, you can also upload up to three accompaning image files (in jpg format), as well as as a pdf or Word doc version of the press release.

Any AMTIL member can submit their press releases direct via the AMTIL website.

To submit a press release, log in to the Members Only area of the website (www. amtil.com.au/wp-admin) and click on the tile marked ‘Press Centre’. Then you just

The AMTIL Press Centre can be found under the News tab of the AMTIL website.

For more information, please contact William Poole, Editor – AMT Magazine, at wpoole@amtil.com.au

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

www.amtil.com.au/news/press-centre

It’s been a fairly uneventful first third of the season with a number of teams all in the hunt and managing their injuries to make a charge for the post season extravaganza. It can be said the footy tipping ladder is a similar refletion, although it’s some surprise who sits atop – nice work ‘Lozza’. The Magpies have appeared to maintain their 2018 form and firming as genuine favourites, the Demons are potentially one loss away from securing their snow season getaways. 2017 premiers Richmond have been savaged by an avalance of injuries but continue to quietly rack up wins (keep an eye on them as they’ll only get stronger as the season goes). West Coast are at a ‘pass mark’ but with a string of home games to come they’ll once again feature at the pointy end.

How about those Blues… some preseason fanfare and promise sees them as cellar dwellers but have a few boys on the cusp of turning into men – not the ‘End of the Road’ yet!

Till next time, Sanchez ROUND 09 1 SKN 2 Mottdiggitydog 3 Tungaloy Australia 4 Tiges 5 Aidan 6 Odds on 7 FrankT 8 Magpiemad rules!!

9 Nick Sear 10 Big Mac

55 (200) 54 (187) 53 (181) 53 (288) 52 (200) 52 (243) 52 (262) 51 (155) 51 (168) 51 (181)

Hotspots is proudly owned and managed

by AMTIL

Need help looking for the missing piece?

•

You need a specific component made, but don’t have the capabilities in house.

•

Your company has landed a major project, but your workshop or your workforce just aren’t big enough to handle the volume required.

•

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. That piece of work that you need done might be just the sort of opportunity they’re looking for. And by featuring that opportunity as a HotSpot, you gain access to a wealth of Australian manufacturing capability and expertise.

Our regular AMTIL HotSpots email goes out to over 1,000 people every month, making HotSpots an incredibly powerful way to reach large numbers of key decision-makers from across the manufacturing sector.

Provided your opportunity meets our criteria for listing, inclusion in AMTIL HotSpots is free. If you have something you feel will meet our criteria, please forward it to AMTIL for assessment by emailing info@amtil.com.au with the subject line HOTSPOT. www.amtil.com.au/Membership/Hotspots

1285AMTIL2016/1

116

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 ATX MIDWEST USA, New York 11-13 June 2019 www.advancedmanufacturingnewyork. com DMC DIE & MOULD China, Shanghai 11-15 June 2019 www.diemouldchina.com/en AMERIMOLD USA, Chicago 12-13 June 2019 www.amerimoldexpo.com VIETNAM INDUSTRIAL & MANUFACTURING FAIR Vietnam, Binh Duong New City 12-14 June 2019 www.vietnamindustrialfiesta.com/vimf2019 CHINA INTERNATIONAL METAL AND METALLURGY China, Guangzhou 13-15 June 2019 www.julang.com.cn/english TORNITURA SHOW Italy; Bergamo.

13-15 June 2019 www.tornitura.show IMTOS India, New Delhi 14-17 June 2019 www.kdclglobal.com/site1/services-2 ROSMOULD Russia, Moscow 18-20 June 2019 www.rosmould.ru INTERMOLD Japan, Nagoya 19-22 June 2019 www.intermold.jp/nagoya/english MANUFACTURING EXPO Thailand, Bangkok 19-22 June 2019 www.manufacturing-expo.com METEC Germany, Dusseldorf 25-29 June 2019 www.metec-tradefair.com

MEC SHOW Brazil, Serra 6-8 August 2019 www.mecshow.com.br VIETNAM MANUFACTURING EXPO Vietnam, Hanoi 14-16 August 2019 www.vietnammanufacturingexpo.com TAIMOLD Taiwan, Taipei 21-24 August 2019 www.odm-dmi.com/en CAMBODIA INTL MACHINERY INDUSTRY FAIR Cambodia, Phnom Penh 22-25 August 2019 www.camboexpo.com/cimif PDMEX Philippines, Manila 28-31 August 2019 www.pdmex.weebly.com METALEXPO Argentina, Cordoba 5-7 September 2019 www.metalexpo.com.ar/cordoba2019 SWISS MEDTECH Lucerne, Switzerland 10-11 September 2019 For medical device design/manufacture. www.medtech-expo.ch/en SCHWEISSEN Austria, Linz 10-12 September 2019 www.schweissen.at ALUMINUM USA USA, Nashville, 12-13 September 2019 www.aluminum-us.com EMO HANNOVER Germany, Hannover 16-21 September 2019 www.emo-hannover.de FASTENER EXPO Las Vegas, USA 17-19 September 2019 www.fastenershows.com

MTA VIETNAM Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City 2-5 July 2019 www.mtavietnam.com

MWCS China, Shanghai 17-21 September 2019 www.chinaexpo-fair.com/mwcsmetalworking-and-cnc-machine-toolshow-2019

CHINA DIECASTING China, Shanghai 17-19 July 2019 www.diecastexpo.cn/en

IMEX India, Mumbai 20-22 September 2019 www.imexonline.com

MANUFACTURING SURABAYA Indonesia, Surabaya 17-20 July 2019 www.manufacturingsurabaya.com

INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION FIESTA Malaysia, Johor Bahru 23-24 September 2019 www.industrialroadshow.com/index.html

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

EAM - EXPERIENCE ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING Germany, Augsburg 24-26 September 2019 www.experience-am.com WESTEC USA, California 24-26 September 2019 www.westeconline.com MEDTEC CHINA China, Shanghai 25-27 September 2019 For medical device design/manufacture www.medtecchina.com/en-us CANADIAN MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY SHOW Canada, Toronto 30 September-3 October 2019 www.cmts.ca TOOLEX Poland, Sosnowiec 1-3 October 2019 www.exposilesia.pl/toolex/uk MTA MYANMAR Myanmar, Yangon 9-11 October 2019 www.mtamyanmar.com MAKTEK Turkey, Izmir 9-12 October 2019 www.izmirmaktekfuari.com/en METALEX Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City 10-12 October 2019 www.metalexvietnam.com RUSSIAN INDUSTRIALIST Russia, St. Petersburg 13-15 November 2019 https://promexpo.expoforum.ru/en MACTECH Egypt, Cairo 14-17 November 2019 www.mactech.com.eg FORMNEXT Germany, Frankfurt 19-22 November 2019 https://formnext.mesago.com ASIABLECH China, Chengdu 20-22 November 2019 www.asiablech.com/en METAL TOKYO Japan, Tokyo 4-6 December 2019 www.metal-japan.jp/en-gb.html MACHINE TOOLS INDONESIA Indonesia, Jakarta 4-7 December 2019 www.machinetoolindonesia.com

INDUSTRY CALENDAR HEADING LOCAL ASIA PACIFIC INTL. CONFERENCE ON ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING Melbourne, RMIT University 30 June – 5 July 2019 Includes presentations and workshops delivered by the AM industry for 3D printing and AM in the automotive, biomedical, defence and aerospace industries. www.apicam2019.com.au SECURITY EXPO Sydney, ICC 24-26 July 2019 From the Drone Demonstration Area and Cyber Security Zone, to the ASIAL Security Conference, learn ways to manage, install and integrate your security function. Includes: Access Control & Perimeter Protection, Biometrics & Identification, CCTV & Video Surveillance, Cyber & Information Security. www.securityexpo.com.au FOODTECH QLD Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre 28-30 July 2019 Featuring the latest advancements in food and drink manufacturing, Includes foodprocessing machinery; plant equipment; packaging & labelling; food science & ingredients. www.foodtechqld.com.au SYDNEY INTL. BOAT SHOW Sydney International Convention Centre 1-5 August 2019 The latest information about recreational boating. Includes 4 x display areas & Boating Safety Zone. www.sydneyboatshow.com.au AIMEX Sydney Showground 27-29 August 2019 Asia-Pacific’s intl. mining exhibition. Includes the latest technological advances and innovations in the mining industry. www.aimex.com.au

SAFETY IN ACTION Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre 10-11 September 2019 Australia’s leading workplace health and safety event. Co-located with three conferences. www.safetyinaction.net.au ALL-ENERGY Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre; 23-24 October 2019 Australasia’s largest and most comprehensive clean and renewable energy event. Held in partnership with the Clean Energy Council, provides delegates with access to the latest technology, information and trends for those in the renewables sector. www.all-energy.com.au INTERNATIONAL MINING & RESOURCES EXPO Melbourne Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre 28-31 October 2019 Covers all aspects of mining, from exploration to investment, production to optimisation through to new technologies. www.imarcmelbourne.com CEBIT Sydney Intl. Convention Centre 29-31 October 2019 International trade fair for information technology, telecommunications, software & services. www.cebit.com.au WASTE & RECYCLING EXHIBITION EXPO Sydney Intl. Convention Centre 30-31 October 2019 Showcases the efficient, profitable and sustainable waste and recycling solutions.

Includes seminars & workshops. www.awre.com.au

Advertiser Index AGL 95 Alfex CNC 47 Amiga Engineering 53 Applied Machinery 40-41 Autodesk 1, 37 Bestech 39 Bystronic 13 Complete Machine Tools 45 Complete Machine Tools Services 55 DMG MORI 31 EMO 19 Emona Instruments 67 Eurotec 101 Hare & Forbes 4-5 Headland 120 Hi-Tech Metrology 35 IMTS 15 Industrial Laser 11 Iscar 2-3 Machinery Forum 119 Mastercam 57 Metal 3D 69 M Gamer 89 MetOptix 73 MTI Qualos 49 Nichol Industries 91 Okuma 9 Punchtech Australia p/L 6-7 Renishaw 65 Seco Tools 21 Sheetmetal Machinery 51 Stamac 59 Sutton Tools 75 Syspro 17 technotrans technologies 23 Thyssenkrupp 29 William Buck 81 Air Liquide Australia Insert Sheetmetal Machinery Insert Industrial Laser Insert AUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY YOUR INDUSTRY. YOUR MAGAZINE

AUSTRALIAN

MANUFACTU RING TECHNOLO YOUR INDUS TRY. YOUR MAGA GY ZINE

AUGISEP19 APRIMAY19

BOOK YOUR 2019 ADVERTISING NOW! AUSTRALIA’S NO. 1 ADVANCED MANUFACTURING MAGAZINE

Call Anne Samuelsson of AMTIL on 03 9800 3666 or email asamuelsson@amtil.com.au

MINING & RESOURCES Industry 4.0 STATE SPOTLIGHT: Victoria AUSTECH PRE

VIEW

Shipping, Rail & Logistics State Spotlight: Western Aust ralia

APPROX

31,500

READERS

ADVANCED MATERIALS & COMPOSITES QUALITY & INSPECTION WASTE & RECYCLING PUMPS & VALVES CUTTING TOOLS FORMING & FABRICATION MATERIAL REMOVAL

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

117

118

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 31

DESPERATE TIMES: ESSINGTON LEWIS STEELS THE SHOW

It is March 1940 – six months after the outbreak of WW2 – when Laurence received his telegram appointing him Director of Ordnance Production. With Essington Lewis (Head of BHP) appointed Director-General of the newly formed Department of Munitions. Those munitions had to be made from scratch … and fast!

W

W2 broke out in September 1939. A whole six months later I received a telegram from Australian PM Robert Menzies appointing me Director of Ordnance Production. One of my colleagues remarked, “Well, you stuck your neck out.

You’ve been telling them what’s needed; now you’ll have a chance to show them what’s to be done!” The ball was back in my court. The loss of time before Australia went into action in making its munitions and war materials proved a serious setback and courted disaster.

Essington Lewis (1881–1961) born in South Australia, was an industrialist, GM of BHP, helped establish the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation in the 1930s and was appointed Director of the Department of Munitions durin g WW2.

I arrived back in Melbourne from Woodville (SA) the following day, still not knowing a thing about the organizational set-up for the Ordnance Production Directorate. There had been no advance reports about it in the newspapers, and I had not even heard people mention it. My ignorance, I found, was excusable. So far, there wasn’t an organization.

The War Cabinet had decided in principle that private industry must be harnessed for war production and had broadly laid down a policy.

Various top appointments, including mine, were being made as the first steps to implement the Cabinet decision.

Leila Williamson, my extremely capable and devoted secretary, who had been with me from the time I first arrived in Australia, met me at the train and told me she had heard that the Government had established a “Munitions Office” in Western House, William Street (Melbourne). I went there and asked the liftman for directions.

Even he didn’t know exactly where to direct me. “I’ve heard the Government has taken over the second floor,” he said. “There are a couple of chaps up there now, but I don’t know who they are.”

On the second floor I found Essington Lewis, the stocky, squarejawed managing director of the B.H.P. steel company who had been appointed Director-General of Munitions. Lewis sat behind a bare desk in a bare room. “Hello! I am glad to see you!” he greeted me.

I had the feeling he would have been glad to see anyone.

“What’s it all about? What do we do?” I asked. Lewis grinned and drew up a chair for me. “Well, to be frank, I’m not sure myself yet,” he said, “but, broadly, Cabinet wants to get a lot of munitions made, and you and I and a few others are the ones who will have to do it.”

On 21 May 1940, Lewis said, the PM, Robert Menzies, had invited him to take over the job of setting up the munitions production facilities at the head of the newly formed Department of Munitions.

Lewis would be directly responsible to the Prime Minister, who had taken the additional portfolio of Minister of Munitions.

Lewis was given extraordinarily wide powers. His assignment, essentially, was to bring “total war” to the industrial front - directing the activities of any industrial plant - thereby effecting total mobilization of the country’s resources. Essington Lewis was the man chosen to administer the industrial activity of the nation for the duration of the war. It was probably the most responsible position of its kind ever allotted to an Australian.

These were desperate measures for a free, democratic country to take. But they were desperate times. The British Army in France had been defeated and the survivors evacuated from Dunkirk. France had fallen and a German invasion of Britain seemed imminent. The bulk of Britain’s weapons of war had remained in France. Her soldiers and her civilian Home Guard had little more than bayonets and a few

rifles-and there were not even enough of those to go around. Any hopes we might have had of getting British help in equipping our forces died on the beaches of Dunkirk. And, here in this bare room in Melbourne, facing me across his plain desk, was the man who had been given the awesome responsibility of directing the switch-over of Australian industry from peacetime manufacture to war production.

It’s a tribute to his reputation and abilities that his appointment was unanimously agreed to by both the Government and the Labour Opposition.

Essington Lewis was recognized as the foremost Australian industrial executive. He had a tremendous capacity for work, and this, plus his skill as an administrator, had made him the guiding force in the development of Australia’s iron and steel industry. I had come to respect his abilities during the time we had worked together on the board of the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation. So I came to the Munitions Department with confidence in the man at the top. That confidence was shared by all who worked under him.

Essington Lewis, I have always thought, was typical of steel men.

I had met several of them overseas, and almost regardless of nationality, they were alike. Lewis was always resolute, unruffled by circumstances and never interested in frills or padding. Like his steel mills, his mind moved in an orderly pattern.

With Essington Lewis’ appointment. the whole administrative machinery for making munitions was overhauled. It was detached, administratively, from the Department of Supply and Development, and the new Department of Munitions created.

On the first day it was hard to know where to begin. So much had to be done and there was so little time.

This is an extract from ‘Big Wheels & Little Wheels’, by Sir Laurence Hartnett as told to John Veitch, 1964. © Deirdre Barnett.

AMT JUN/JUL 2019

To be continued…

MACHINERY FORUM NSW Pty Ltd 43 Brodie Street, Rydalmere NSW 2116 Ref. Mr. Heino Windhorst T. +61 411 115585 E. heino@mafosyd.com.au

Automatic compact panel bender

THE FLEXIBLE BENDING SOLUTION.

BUILDING

14-17.05.2019 BOOTH 991

ZERO SET-UP TIME

FULLY AUTOMATIC PRODUCTION CYCLE, MANUAL L/UL

ONE UNIVERSAL BENDING TOOL

EASY USER INTERFACE

THICKNESS RANGE: FROM 0.4 TO 3.2 MM

BENDING HEIGHT: FROM 165 TO 203 MM

METAL FURNITURE

CATERING & HOTELLERIE

Over 3.200 installations in 75 countries, the largest manufacturing plant dedicated entirely to panel benders and 40 years of experience and expertise. salvagninigroup.com

HVAC

An innovator in Australian manufacturing technology since 1949, Headland has been providing world’s best machinery and technology solutions for 70 years.

Today, Headland continues to provide leading edge technology, software and integrations to help manufacturers succeed locally and globally.

Headland: defining manufacturing excellence.

1300 592 061 sales@headland.com.au headland.com.au