AMT DEC 2021

DEC 2021

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CONTENTS

Volume 21 Number 06 DEC 2021 ISSN 1832-6080

FEATURES AUTOMOTIVE & MOTORSPORT Aussie aftermarket sector steams ahead Simulation speeds rollcage design process What can we learn from the great chip famine?

How 3D printing makes McLaren go faster EVOS: EV charging, made in Brisbane Where can F1 in Schools take students?

Hangsterfer’s: A racing finish

42 48 50 52 54 56 60

ROBOTICS & AUTOMATION Forklift safety: Is hi-vis the best we can offer?

Lorch – Bringing cobot welding to ANZ Tool for safer human-robot collaboration Perfume robots

62 64 66 67

FORMING & FABRICATION Press brakes – Why you need a seven-axis machine Metals leader partners with ipLaser

68 70

MATERIAL REMOVAL Upton Engineering – Performance through precision

74

CUTTING TOOLS Advances in CNC tech fuel need for digitised tools 7 The impact of alignment on steel turning processes

6 80

AGRICULTURE, FOOD & BEVERAGES World first: 3D printing parts for Aussie meat processors Strong growth for food, grocery manufacturing Meeting the need for extremely dry compressed air AM case study: AGCOM

86 87 88 90

STATE SPOTLIGHT: NSW TAFE NSW gets tooled up with Suhner Sharp Tooling commissions large Okuma machine

94 95

WORKHOLDING Haubex: Lang Technik’s latest innovation Autowell – Vices for any machining setting

96 97

WASTE & RECYCLING Improving plastic recycling with hyperspectral imaging Recycling pioneer named NSW Australian of the Year Integra Systems – What is Circularity by Design?

Foamex: Recycling polystyrene & closing the loop A smarter way of dealing with plastic

98 99 100 101 102

PLASTICS, COMPOSITES & ADVANCED MATERIALS Lockheed Martin partners with Omni Tanker Heat, mould, repeat: The benefits of thermoplastics

104 105

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

8 10 12 14 16

INDUSTRY NEWS: Current news from the Industry

18

VOICEBOX: Opinions from the manufacturing industry

28

PRODUCT NEWS: Selection of new products

34

ONE ON ONE: Dr Mirjana Prica

82

COMPANY FOCUS: Agerris – Pioneers in their field

92

AMTIL FORUMS

106

AMTIL INSIDE: The latest news from AMTIL

110

MANUFACTURING HISTORY: A look back in time

118

AMT DEC 2021

42 Aussie aftermarket sector steams ahead Worldwide cuts in auto production, coupled with global semi-conductor shortages, are causing delays in new vehicle releases for an Australian aftermarket sector keen to manufacture accessories. Nonetheless, business is booming for some companies.

82 One 0n One Dr Mirjana Prica is the Managing Director of Food Innovation Australia Limited (FIAL), the Food and Agribusiness Growth Centre. She spoke to AMT

86 World-first: 3D printing equipment parts for Aussie red meat processors The AMPC, Markforged and Konica Minolta’s service model will help red meat processors print equipment parts. The world-first capability will potentially revolutionise equipment maintenance.

92 Agerris – Pioneers in their field Agerris is an automation company doing groundbreaking work in the agricultural sector.

The company’s main product is Digital Farmhand, an autonomous, solar-electric 4WD cart.

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FROM THE EDITOR WILLIAM POOLE

Beating the Big Quit There’s usually plenty of food for thought at AMTIL’s AGMs, and this year’s event was no exception, with a fascinating keynote from Julie Toth and some great additional presentations (see page 112). One thing that also caught my ear was a question from the audience, concerning skills shortages and the “Great Resignation”. I’d been hearing the latter phrase here and there but never quite knew what it was about. So I looked it up.

Editor William Poole wpoole@amtil.com.au

So, the Great Resignation – also known as the Big Quit – is a trend that began earlier this year, where workers have been quitting their jobs in numbers much higher than usual rates.

The trend has been particularly remarkable given that it has been taking place amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Usually in times of economic, political or social upheaval, resignation rates tend to fall as people cling to the stability of paid employment – this year, paradoxically, the opposite has been the case.

Sales Manager Nicholas Raftopoulos nraftopoulos@amtil.com.au

There are various interpretations. The pandemic has undoubtedly prompted many people to re-evaluate their employment situations, their career plans and life goals. The shift to homeworking has fuelled workers’ expectations of greater flexibility and work-life balance, often bringing them into conflict with employers who want staff back in workplaces as economies reopen. There are also more material factors at play – with wages in many countries having stagnated for decades, changing employers is often one of the best ways to get a pay rise.

Admittedly, resignations have been most widespread in service-dominated industries, and the trend has been most prominent in the US. But the phenomenon has been observed world-wide and across numerous sectors. And the signs are the trend is only intensifying. So, given our industry’s longstanding struggles to find and retain skilled workers, the question for Australian manufacturers is: should we be worried?

One recent study definitely suggests the answer is: yes. The Boyle Consulting Employee Engagement Survey canvassed managers, supervisors, customer service representatives, fitters, technicians and apprentices in the manufacturing, mechanical repair and mining sectors, and found that disengaged employees are costing business owners tens of thousands of dollars per year. Notably, 50% of workshop employees are disengaged and do not feel part of a team, and 19% of workshop employees are highly disengaged.

Rob Boyle, Director of Boyle Consulting, commented: “The greatest frustrations of workshop employees are poor communications, a lack of empowerment, not being recognised for good work, and an overall lack of involvement in decisions affecting skilled shop-floor workers.”

While the research shows the costs of poor staff engagement, it also shows the value of investing in this area. Those workshops with the most engaged employees were found to generate 11% higher customer satisfaction and 43% greater productive workforce efficiency, which translated to $75,000 more labour recovery per productive worker per annum.

Contributors Carole Goldsmith Brent Balinski

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 PEFC™ Programme for the Endorsement of Forestry Certification Chain of Custody certified from sustainable forests Contact Details AMT Magazine AMTIL Suite 10, 5 Corporate Boulevard Bayswater VIC 3153 AUSTRALIA T 03 9800 3666 F 03 9800 3436 E info@amtil.com.au W www.amtil.com.au Copyright

With COVID-19 still affecting us all, and the Great Resignation continuing to gain momentum, focusing on your people looks like a sound investment for 2022.

© 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

With this being our last edition of AMT Magazine for 2021, I’d like to finish up by thanking our readers, contributors, contractors and advertisers for their support over the last 12 months. On behalf of myself, Nicholas, Gabriele and Franco, and all of the AMTIL team, I’d like to wish all our readers and everyone involved in Australian manufacturing a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

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 $185.00 (ex GST) per annum.

Contact AMTIL on 03 9800 3666 for further information.

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AMT DEC 2021

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010

FROM THE CEO SHANE INFANTI – Chief Executive Officer AMTIL

Women are making their mark in manufacturing With the re-appointment of Brigitte Stavar as AMTIL President I thought it prudent to write about the impact that Women in Manufacturing have and the new initiatives that are encouraging more and more females into our industry.

Brigitte has been instrumental in guiding us through the past two years of her tenure. When she was first appointed to the role in December 2019, for those who can remember back then, we were in the middle of firestorms all around the country putting pressure on us as a nation to survive. Then we had the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact that had across all states, with lockdown after lockdown, the uncertainty of what the next Government regulation was and the impact these decisions would have. It has been difficult times trying to run a “services” business with member benefits almost non-existent during this time. We launched a new show, Australian Manufacturing Week, that replaced National Manufacturing Week and Austech as our premier Manufacturing show in the country, and subsequently have postponed it twice due to COVID. As President, Brigitte has worked with our team to manoeuvre through these minefields and get us back in a position focussed on providing great member benefits. She was also a driving force in getting us to invest in our own building and rebrand the organisation over recent months. I welcome Brigitte to her appointment for another term as President and look forward to working with her over the coming years.

Regarding Women in Manufacturing pathways, it is good to see a number of initiatives being developed.

UNIQ You is one such initiative. Companies from around Australia are throwing their support behind this innovative new platform recently launched in Queensland, set to foster impactful conversations that will change the game for female representation in male-dominated industries.

UNIQ You is a groundbreaking service and online platform that connects high school girls (and their guidance and career officers) with industry advisors drawn from sectors under-represented by women. Thirteen corporate foundation partners, selected from industries that have less than 40% representation of women, have signed on for the pilot program in Queensland: Aurecon, BMD, Boeing, Hutchinson Builders, Origin, Oz Minerals (SA), Seqwater, Shell’s QGC Business, Skedulo, Tesserent (VIC), Urban Utilities, Ventia and Yurika.

Female advisors from the 13 corporate partners across Australia will give their time to provide industry insights to grade 9 to 12 highschool girls from 30 schools through personalised one-on-one video calls. By connecting girls with relatable female role models across a diverse spectrum of industries, it is expected that their queries and curiosity around career pathways will be answered.

UNIQ You was officially launched on 16 November. The service aims to connect over 600 girls with 100 female advisors across 10 industries in the first year, with national expansion set firmly in their sights. For more information go to www.uniqyou.com.au.

Another great initiative is the Women in Manufacturing Mentoring Program being managed by William Buck, Rigby Cooke and the Commonwealth Bank in conjunction with AMTIL. It recently had a soft launch at AMTIL’s AGM on 28 October with a formal launch to take place on International Woman’s Day, 8 March 2022. It is being driven through the strong leadership of women in all four organisations, all making their mark on the growth of women employed in our industry.

AMT DEC 2021

The purpose of the Women in Manufacturing Mentoring Program is to link manufacturing consulting leaders with a manufacturing commercial leader to listen, share experiences and support development towards achieving career aspirations. The Mentoring Program aims to support, encourage and facilitate learning, development and the expansion of personal networks.

Everyone’s mentoring experience will be different, reflecting individual aspirations, preferences and motivation. The mentor relationship will provide: • Opportunity to gain guidance and advice from a consulting leader • The chance to discuss and reflect on development opportunities • Development of broader relationships • Expansion of personal networks • Sharing of career aspirations.

The program will run over a 12 month period with mentors and mentees meeting a minimum of six times, either in person or virtually.

Once the initial 12 months period ends, support will continue to be provided by way of a rolling alumni program. I encourage any females who would like to be involved in the program to contact Sarah McCormick at smccormick@amtil.com.au In addition to this initiative with our Partners William Buck, Rigby Cooke and the Commonwealth Bank, AMTIL also has plans to run a number of WIM events next year, including a networking activity at Australian Manufacturing Week being held from 8-11 June at the ICC Sydney in Darling Harbour.

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012

FROM THE MINISTRY THE HON ANGUS TAYLOR MP – Minister for Industry, Energy and Emissions Reduction

Building a stronger manufacturing sector It is an honour to have been chosen by the Prime Minister to take up ministerial responsibility for Industry. Industry is a perfect fit with my other responsibilities of Energy and Emissions Reduction. As Minister, I am building on the work of my predecessors to ensure we have a strong local manufacturing sector that is growing and creating more jobs.

The Morrison Government’s $1.5bn Modern Manufacturing Strategy is at the heart of our efforts. It is helping to build manufacturing scale, strength and sovereign capabilities, while expanding market opportunities. It is a key part of our National Plan to rebuild the economy and create jobs as we recover from COVID-19.

The nation’s manufacturing capability is already strong, but we want to make it much stronger in key areas where Australia has a comparative advantage. In particular our focus is on the six National Manufacturing Priority areas: resources technology and critical minerals processing; food and beverage; medical products; recycling and clean energy; defence; and space.

Through an industry-led approach to manufacturing development, we are on track to be internationally recognised as a high-quality and sustainable manufacturing nation, competing on value, quality and product differentiation.

There’s more to do, but we are already seeing results. There are now over one million Australians employed in our manufacturing sector. This is the first-time manufacturing employment has been above one million jobs since 2009. More than 91,000 manufacturing jobs have been created in the last three months, and 80,000 more jobs in manufacturing than there was at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. This strong result for the quarter takes manufacturing jobs above pre-COVID levels.

But we need this momentum to continue. To support continued growth in our manufacturing sector we need to ensure a strong supply of affordable, reliable energy into the decades ahead. Central to this is the Government’s gas-fired recovery, which complements our Modern Manufacturing Strategy. Delivering lower energy costs is a key part of the strategy.

Australia’s competitive advantage has always been based on affordable, reliable energy and a reliable gas supply is an essential part of that energy mix. Gas is a key provider of energy and electricity to Australian industry and homes. It is also an essential input in the production of many goods, such as plastics for personal protective equipment (PPE) and fertiliser for food production.

The manufacturing sector depends on gas, which made up 42% of its total energy use in 2019-20, according to the latest Australian Energy Statistics. Australia is blessed with plentiful reserves of natural gas, but action is needed to increase production or we will be faced with higher prices, disruptions in supply and unplanned outages. We have seen recently in the United Kingdom that reliance on gas imports, constrained gas supplies and a prolonged wind drought has caused an energy crisis. Australia’s gas-fired recovery plan aims to deliver more gas where it is needed at an internationally competitive price.

This does not come at the expense of renewable energy or reductions in emissions. Gas complements the use of renewables, firming up energy supply when the wind doesn’t blow and the sun doesn’t shine.

Existing gas pipeline infrastructure will also be key in the roll-out of low-emissions technoologies, such as clean hydrogen and biomethane. Alongside other technologies such as batteries and pumped hydro, gas will help Australia to reach its emissions reductions targets, while keeping the lights on and electricity prices low.

AMT DEC 2021

The Government is continuing to strongly support the rollout of renewable energy and the development of new energy technologies, as the Prime Minister and I have outlined in Australia’s Long Term Emissions Reduction Plan. Since 2017 over $35bn has been invested in the renewable energy sector – 7,000 megawatts of new renewable energy capacity was installed in 2020 alone.

As at 30 June 2021, through ARENA and the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, the government has invested more than $11.2bn into 822 clean energy projects with a total value exceeding $39bn.

But renewable energy is variable – we must have on-demand, dispatchable power to back it up.

The Australian Energy Market Operator last year projected that up to 19,000 megawatts of new dispatchable generation would be needed by 2040 to complement and firm increasing levels of variable renewables.

The Government has implemented major new measures to build reliable supply. At the heart of our endeavours is our $1.38bn investment in Snowy Hydro’s 2,000 megawatt Snowy 2.0 pumped hydro project, which is on track to deliver the largest electricity storage facility in Australia. The Government has complemented this with a $600m investment in Snowy Hydro’s Hunter Power Project, a new 660 MW gas power station at Kurri Kurri in New South Wales.

These strategic and targeted investments are designed to fill gaps in the market and ensure there is sufficient dispatchable capacity available when and where it is needed, while creating jobs and opportunities for the region.

On 28 September this year it was five years since the state-wide blackout in South Australia. It caused widespread disruption and shut down 80% of businesses. The blackout was a stark reminder of how much we rely upon a stable electricity supply and how important it is that the system is maintained as it absorbs increasing levels of variable renewable energy.

The Government’s approach will keep the lights on across Australia.

Our Modern Manufacturing Strategy, complemented by our gas-fired recovery and our balanced and sensible approach to renewables and reliable, affordable power will continue to deliver economic benefits for Australian businesses and manufacturers.

I am very pleased to be part of these efforts and look forward to meeting the challenges ahead so we can build a stronger economy, create more jobs, and take more of our quality products to the world.

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014

FROM THE INDUSTRY TENNANT REED – Principal Adviser National Public Policy, Australian Industry Group

Glasgow: What it means for industry The complex COP26 Glasgow climate summit had one overarching job: “Keep 1.5 Alive” – to inspire stronger emissions reduction commitments to maintain the possibility of keeping the rise in global temperatures below 1.5°C. Major progress was made. Before Glasgow the International Energy Agency estimated that announced policies worldwide would lead to 2.1 degrees of global warming if fully delivered. Then came a flurry of announcements from nations, regions and businesses. Midway through Glasgow the IEA said that the latest commitments, if fully delivered, would bring that down to 1.8 degrees.

In other words 1.5 is alive, though very much on life support.

Success now depends on further strengthening pledges and implementing what’s already been committed. That has big implications for Australia, and for Australian industry.

Start with ambition. Most countries adopted stronger goals for 2030 and for long-term net-zero emissions in the run-up to Glasgow, and more deals were done during the conference. India, among the largest absolute emitters and the lowest emitters per capita, committed to net-zero emissions by 2070 – slower than some, but a dramatic advance. All the major economies now have net-zero goals, as Australia now does.

Unlike Australia, most have also strengthened their 2030 commitments. At Glasgow all nations agreed to come back with higher 2030 pledges in the coming year, and to bring ministers together every year to 2030 to push ambition further. Whatever the politics in Australia, the issue isn’t going away.

Commitments impacting Australia’s coal exports were also rife.

While the agreed global call for a ‘phase down’ of unabated coal power was a source of last-minute drama, much more significant was the concrete deal done by the EU and US to finance South Africa’s accelerated exit from coal power. Indonesia, the secondlargest coal exporter behind Australia, signalled its interest in a similar deal. The agreement between China and the US also included coal phase down. Despite high export prices today, Australia will likely need alternate sources of export earnings in the years ahead.

One bright export hope is hydrogen, which has many potential applications in a decarbonised world, and could be made in enormous quantities in Australia as and when demand materialises.

But it was clear at COP26 that a great many nations share Australia’s aspiration to the title of “hydrogen superpower”. Chile has even better sunshine and an aggressive national hydrogen strategy. Kenya is seeking investment in the production of hydrogen as a bunker fuel for global shipping. Many countries would like to be the Saudi Arabia of hydrogen, very much including Saudi Arabia.

Australia will need to be on the ball to get a go.

On the hydrogen demand side, maritime fuel may emerge faster than anticipated given increasing policy asks in Europe, commitments by individual shippers and their major customers, and moves at the International Maritime Organization. Japan is very actively pursuing hydrogen opportunities, though their official thinking remains dominated by light transport and baseload power applications that are less plausible than chemistry, metals and heavy transport.

Steel saw major developments around the COP. Industry analysts highlighted that 71% of the global blast furnace fleet – more than 1,000 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) of capacity – requires reinvestment by 2030, and another 176 Mtpa of new capacity will also be needed. Technically sound and economically viable clean pathways are needed. Hydrogen direct reduction of iron seems poised to offer this, with samples of zero-emissions steel from SSAB’s Hybrit project passed around at COP. By contrast, no carbon capture & storage steel projects are currently proposed

AMT DEC 2021

worldwide. The EU-US agreed shortly before COP both to disarm their Trump-era metals tariffs and to design a trade deal to shut out dirty steel from participating markets.

A key barrier to industry investment in clean materials and products has been lack of firm demand willing to pay the existing cost premium. The First Movers Coalition, initiated by the World Economic Forum, the US and 34 corporate partners, firms up commitments to clean shares of procurement in steel, trucking, shipping and aviation. Government policies to close cost and competitiveness gaps are also emerging, including the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism and industrial carbon contracts for difference.

Finally, COP26 achieved a long-awaited deal on the rulebook for Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, a focus of intense global business interest for the last six years. Article 6 sets out rules for global emissions trading and strong accounting for linkages between national policies. Whether Australia is going to export carbon abatement locked up in our forests, soils and subsurface, or import carbon units to ease our own transition, Article 6 now provides the legal framework. The final rules were hard-fought and offer strong protections against double-counting and reasonably low transaction costs. We’re unlikely to see a flood of cheap and dodgy units, but may see interesting arrangements between countries such as stapling carbon transactions to flows of physical goods.

On one front COP26 definitely failed: the chief negotiators from Mexico and Russia offered the head UK diplomat a bottle of tequila and vodka respectively if they could complete the COP on Friday 12 November as planned. The UK had to content itself with local Scotch when the final deal was gavelled through on 13 November.

But in other respects Glasgow was a significant success – another hefty lift as the world gradually bootstraps itself into success on climate. There’s much for industry to digest, and more to come at COP27 Egypt in 2022.

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FROM THE UNION STEVE MURPHY – National Secretary Australian Manufacturing Workers Union

Jobs, industry and climate change After watching our Prime Minister in Glasgow and his half-hearted announcements on electric vehicles and investment in low-emissions technology since he has returned, there can no longer be any doubt that our current Government is not doing its bit to prevent catastrophic climate change.

Don't just take my word for it; a report from the Climate Council found that our Government is doing the least of any developed nation when it comes to action on climate change. This Government's inaction on climate will not only raise the risk that we will face increased global temperatures and the associated increases in server weather events – it leaves our nation unprepared to deal with the realities of a low-emissions future.

With the US, the EU and other major trading partners looking at imposing carbon tariffs, our failure to invest in decarbonising our energy system and shifting our manufacturing industry to lowemissions technology is a huge risk to workers and communities that rely on those jobs.

The only thing worse than Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s Government’s woeful performance on preventing climate change is their support for the workers, businesses and communities that will be affected by this energy transition. The longer they put their heads in the sand and deny that urgent action is required, the harder that transition is going to be and the harder it will hit us.

But we’re not sitting on our hands and waiting for the Government to come to the rescue – we’re taking action and setting a standard that we’d like to see replicated around the country. That is why the AMWU is a proud member of the Hunter Jobs Alliance.

For those who haven’t been acquainted with the Hunter Jobs Alliance, I’ll take you through why we saw a need for it, and how we came to build it.

After the 2019 election, where we saw fossil fuel-reliant communities express their economic anxieties at the ballot box, everyone had an opinion on what went wrong, or what needed to be done.

The problem, as we saw it, was that workers had been completely alienated by politics and used as scapegoats for fossil fuel companies and conservative politicians to shield their inaction on climate. What became really clear to me, through our work on the Hunter Jobs Alliance, was that framing matters. How we define and talk about a problem shapes the way people feel about it, and what’s possible for us to respond to it.

So we got to work on building a solution that brought workers’ together to start talking about how we could work together to solve the problems that the political class have been unable to resolve.

How could we deliver solidarity and social justice by working with the whole community?

One Saturday in the month after the last election, I assembled a group of AMWU delegates in our Western Sydney offices. We spoke together and heard ideas from some leading thinkers on their ideas for solving the challenges that faced our members and their communities. We spoke honestly about how they wanted their union to respond to climate change.

It was a challenging conversation, given a lot of our members make their living off the fossil fuel supply chain. I remember one delegate who stood up and said: “It’s not like I wake up every day and look forward to polluting the environment. If there was a job that I could use my skill-set on, and get a decent wage, I would move tomorrow.

I am loyal to my family, not coal.”

After those meetings, our union decided that we were sick and tired of waiting and that we wanted to reach out and do something concrete for our members and their communities.

AMT DEC 2021

From there, the Hunter Jobs Alliance was formed – a coming together of nine unions and four environmental organisations.

We worked hard to establish the goals of the Alliance and I’d like to focus on a few of those now: • Ending the Climate culture wars. Move past the convenient “Jobs vs Environment” framing that only helps those who want to do nothing about either jobs or the environment, and show how the change in our economy can be used to the advantage of working people and their communities.

• Advocating for labour-intensive, low-carbon projects in the Hunter Valley.

• Establishing a new, strong, clear voice for workers and communities about the future of our economy.

We’re still at the start of our journey with the Alliance, but we’ve made some important early gains.

We’ve learned to walk towards discomfort – we’re not here to speak to the converted. We need to change minds, engage with workers where they are, and help win them over to help us plan for the future. We need to challenge underlying assumptions – not through lecturing, but through earnest efforts to understand, and respectfully resolving those disagreements together.

Through those difficult conversations, we’re getting a really clear picture of what workers want our response to climate change to look like. They want better training and job security for themselves and their kids, they want to see investment in their communities, and new opportunities to use their skills while they earn a decent wage in a secure job. But most of all they want a plan. They want a vision for how things can get better and the things that they love – their family, their community and their region – can be protected when times are tough.

Our Government is offering these workers nothing but empty promises, so the AMWU and the Hunter Jobs Alliance are proud to step in and start doing this important work.

We know that we need climate action and job creation.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Hunter Class Frigate Program rolls out first steel unit Over 28 tonnes of Australian steel rolled off the production line at the Osborne Naval Shipyard in Adelaide in October with the completion of structural manufacture of the first steel prototype unit for the Hunter Class Frigate Program.

The 217sqm unit, which has a bigger footprint than the average Australian house, was moved from the shipyard’s primary manufacturing hall into the next stage of production, to be outfitted and consolidated (with the addition of three more units) into the first prototyping block. The prototype unit is one of four in the first representative ship block and is the first to have been blasted and painted, cut and constructed in the new Shipyard. This particular unit and block are located in the middle of the ship and would contain the Officer’s Accommodation.

BAE Systems Maritime Australia Managing Director, Craig Lockhart said: “This is a significant production milestone for the Hunter frigate program and an important start towards establishing shipbuilding capability across the Osborne Shipyard. Osborne is one of the world’s most technologically advanced shipyards, a purpose-built modern manufacturing facility built for the digital age to deliver next generation anti-submarine warships by a highly skilled Australian workforce equipped to use Industry 4.0 technologies.”

BAE Systems Maritime Australia will build nine of the world’s most advanced anti-submarine warfare frigates for the Royal Australian Navy. The prototyping phase commenced in December 2020 and program mobilisation continues at pace with more than 1,300 people now working across the program including 35 apprentices and 26 graduates. The Hunter program will create and sustain 5,000 jobs over the life of the program.

Steel for the prototyping phase of the Hunter program has already been procured from Bluescope AIS at Port Kembla, NSW and structural steel from Infrabuild in Whyalla, SA. The Hunter program has already placed around 40 contracts with Australian businesses

to support design and prototyping. Around 20 further contracts will be awarded to support prototyping, including ship outfitting, gaskets, wholeship eyeplates, insulation and deck coverings.

Lockhart added: “Critically, the manufacture of the first unit has put into practice this step-change to shipbuilding programs of the past, as our employees test the full productive capacity of the yard maximising our ability to build high quality ships through our pulse line process utilising robotics that enable high quality welds and zero defects. This ensures an enduring and uniquely Australian sovereign industrial capability that supports Australia’s continuous naval shipbuilding strategy for future generations.” www.baesystems.com

Calling all Manufacturing Mates Mates in Manufacturing is a new suicide prevention program aimed at supporting the mental health of workers in the manufacturing industry.

Suicide affects us all. The suicide of a friend, family member or workmate can be devastating across the whole community and particularly at work. More than 3,000 Australians die from suicide each year; of these 75% are men. It’s a leading cause of death for people in the 25-39 age group.

The pandemic has brought mental health issues into the forefront. Despite the devastating number of workers infected with COVID-19 in workplaces, Safe Work Australia has reported that nearly one in every five COVID-related workers’ compensation claims were generated on mental health grounds. In manufacturing, with many predominantly male or multicultural workers, there have been barriers to discussing mental health as openly as possible.

Mates in Manufacturing has been set up to remedy the challenges of suicide ideation and mental health more generally.

Bringing together employers and unions and drawing on the expertise of the Mates organisation, Mates in Manufacturing will deliver critical workplace training, building a peer-based program within workplaces and developing knowledge within the industry to address these problems. Funding has been secured from both the NSW and Federal Governments for research by Western Sydney, Deakin and Melbourne Universities, to ensure

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the programs are fit for purpose. Undertaken as a partnership between employers and unions in the sector, Mates in Manufacturing started its rollout in November ahead of its official launch on 10 December.

Members of the steering committee overseeing the project come from manufacturing industry leaders like Downer Group, OPAL, UGL, Stramit and Thales.

They are joined by the Australian Industry Group, with workers represented by the Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union (AMWU), the Australian Workers' Union (AWU) and the United Workers’ Union UWU. The partners recognise that suicide prevention and improving mental health support transcends traditional workplace issues and that by working together we stand a better chance of making positive change.

If you and your company operate within the manufacturing industry and want to get serious about confronting suicide and mental health challenges, as part of an evidence-based industry partnership through this workplace program, the Mates in Manufacturing program would welcome your involvement as part of this process.

To start a conversation, contact Dave Henry at matesinmanufacturing@gmail.com

INDUSTRY NEWS

Amiga Engineering lands order for 3D printing on SPARTAN scramjet Queensland aerospace company Hypersonix Launch Systems has placed an order with Victorian manufacturer Amiga Engineering for the additive engineering build of the SPARTAN scramjet.

SPARTAN is Hypersonix’s fifth-generation scramjet. It is a fixed-geometry self-igniting hydrogen-powered scramjet capable of accelerating from Mach 5 to Mach 12.

SPARTAN’s fixed geometry means it has no moving parts, so the design lends itself to 3D printing. This reduces both the cost and time to produce the scramjet, while potentially adding to reliability and performance.

Additive manufacturing allows the creation of parts that have a complex design, and is perfect for light-weighting, which is essential for the space industry.

SPARTAN uses green hydrogen for fuel, so creates no CO2 emissions. The hydrogen fuel also allows Hypersonix to utilise regenerative cooling on the combustor, in turn allowing the use of readily available high-temperature alloys in place of more expensive and complex high-temperature composites.

David Waterhouse, Managing Director and co-founder of Hypersonix said: “The use of additive engineering to manufacture a scramjet engine will fundamentally disrupt the cost structure of scramjets and an important step in providing more affordable access to hypersonic flight. We are very proud of Australia’s world-leading heritage in hypersonics and the ability of Australian companies to work together to demonstrate of sovereign capability in this new space technology.”

Additive manufacturing is one of the key elements mentioned in the Federal Government’s Modern Manufacturing Strategy, which among others includes priorities such as space, defence and clean energy. The SPARTAN scramjet is being manufactured under an Accelerating Commercialisation grant that the Federal Government awarded Hypersonix in August 2020. Under this grant, Hypersonix is building a flight-ready scramjet engine and fuel system.

Hypersonix has been able to leverage the growing global hydrogen economy to repurpose off-the-shelf high-pressure composite hydrogen tanks. Hypersonix completed shock tunnel testing of SPARTAN in March 2021 and has completed the final design and thermal modelling of the scramjet. The project is on budget and in schedule and due for completion in March 2022.

“In a demanding industry such as aerospace, additive manufacturing offers the cutting edge in component manufacture capable of creating very complex parts in some of the most exotic materials,” said Michael Bourchier, Managing Director and founder of Amiga Engineering. “With thousands of hours of research and development in every part, the aerospace industry settles for nothing but the best.

We are extremely excited to work with Hypersonix Launch systems on the world’s first 3D printed fixed geometry scramjet engine.” www.hypersonix.com.au www.amigaeng.com.au

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INDUSTRY NEWS

ECU unveils new engineering labs Boosting local manufacturing capabilities and finding new solutions for Australia’s green energy future are some of the exciting possibilities on offer with the opening of Edith Cowan University’s (ECU) three new engineering laboratories.

ECU recently unveiled the $10m state-of-the-art engineering facilities, which are designed to drive innovative research and strengthen Western Australia’s manufacturing, green energy, technology and mining industries. The facilities will deliver an enhanced focus on industry collaborations and discoveries, while offering real-world experience for the next generation of engineers.

ECU Vice-Chancellor Professor Steve Chapman said the laboratories will provide exceptional new opportunities for industry partnerships: “Our facilities are aligned with both industry and the WA State Government's commitment to boosting local manufacturing and securing Western Australia's sustainable energy future.”

The laboratories feature cutting-edge technologies and equipment, including Western Australia’s only GE Concept Laser metal 3D printing system in partnership with global mining company South32.

“Combined with ECU’s world-class research and industry-focused expertise, these new laboratories aim to offer creative answers to our world’s most challenging and pressing questions,” said Chapman. “The laboratories reinforce our commitment to engaging with industry to provide remarkable outcomes for them but also delivering real-world experience and connections for our students.”

The three laboratories include industry-grade tools and technology that will boost capabilities and research in a range of areas, including: • Advanced Manufacturing Hub. One of Western Australia’s leading facilities in 3D printing technologies and advanced additive manufacturing. The Hub will enable rapid prototyping and production of critical components in the manufacturing industry, lifting local skills and capacity.

• Renewable Energy Lab. Featuring a comprehensive range of green energy infrastructure and grid control technologies, the lab enables frontier research into the integration and management of renewable energy sources to support Australia’s green energy future.

• Sustainable Energy and Resources Lab. With state-of-the-art technologies unique to Western Australia, the lab supports ground-breaking research into carbon capture and storage, and underground hydrogen storage systems to deliver solutions to the challenges facing the oil and gas industries.

The laboratories strengthen ECU’s world-class engineering facilities, which have seen the School of Engineering ranked among the world’s best 175 universities in the 2022 Times Higher Education World Rankings. www.ecu.edu.au

Australia’s 11 best tech scale-ups crowned Eleven of Australia’s best emerging technology companies have been crowned winners at the Australian Technologies Competition (ATC) national awards ceremony, held virtually from Melbourne on 26 October.

The ceremony was attended online by stakeholders in the innovation ecosystem from across government, private enterprise, the investment and scale-up community. This year’s winners included manufacturing company FormFlow, cybersecurity specialists Haventec, and telehealth solution provider Coviu, which also took the title of Australian Technology Company of the Year.

Of the 11 winners, five – Coviu, iVvy, Plaetos, Goterra and Sound Scouts – were led by female founders, highlighting the growing representation of women in deep tech. Strong themes also included renewable energy, the circular economy, telehealth, bushfire resilience, emergency management, personal security and AI. This year’s winners were: • BlockTexx (NSW) – Circular Economy Award • Coviu (NSW) – Medtech & Pharma Award + Australian Technology Company of the Year • FormFlow (VIC) Advanced Manufacturing Award • Goterra (ACT) – Food & Agribusiness Award • Haventec (NSW) – Cyber Security Award • iVvy (QLD) – Smart Cities Award • Microbiogen (NSW) – Energy Award • Plaetos (VIC) – Global Social Impact Award • Presien (NSW) – Mining Technologies Award

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• Sound Scouts (NSW) – Alumni Achievement Award • XDI Cross Dependency (SA) – Disaster & Emergency Award Patrick Mooney, Executive Chair of competition organiser Impact Tech Ventures, said: “We’re delighted to celebrate this year’s winners and also showcase Australia’s emerging diversity in tech. We aim to find the best Australian scale-ups, provide them with the best mentoring and growth support possible and connect them with relevant international partners. This year’s winners provide timely solutions to many of the most significant challenges and opportunities that Australia faces.”

Entrants for the ATC go through a three-stage judging process, receive free mentoring, submit a concise business plan and take part in a highly rated International Growth Masterclass. They also have access to deep dive programs on key growth topics and key markets. The final step is a pitch in front of an independent panel of judges and a live audience.

The 2021 ATC is sponsored by the Federal Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources, Victorian Departments of Environment, Land, Water & Planning and Jobs, Precincts & Regions, Accelerating Commercialisation, METS Ignited, the Australian Space Agency, IMCRC, AustCyber, FIAL, MTPConnect, NERA, NSX Australia and FB Rice. Partners include AMTIL, the CSIRO, SBE, LaunchVic, Cicada Innovations, MTAA, Heads Over Heels, HKTDC, WIT, NCTCE, Hatch Quarter, ACBC and AOEG. www.austechcomp.com

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INDUSTRY NEWS

ICN partners with Australian Made Industry Capability Network (ICN) has joined up with the Australian Made Campaign as an Industry Partner, in support of a shared commitment to increased growth in Australia’s commercial and manufacturing sectors.

ICN provides manufacturers with connections, contacts and advice to help unlock opportunities across Australia and overseas.

At its heart is ICN Gateway, which connects manufacturers to projects across Australia and New Zealand. A network comprising suppliers, buyers, government and market analysts, ICN Gateway helps Australian manufacturers access new opportunities.

opportunities to grow and expand: “Since being created over 30 years ago, ICN has helped local manufacturers find over $30bn worth of contracts to keep them working and growing.

This partnership strengthens our work in fostering and supporting local manufacturers, ensuring the Australian manufacturing sector continues to be a driver of economic growth in Australia.”

By creating a profile on ICN Gateway, Australian Made licensees can be listed on a publicly searchable database, search project opportunities and submit expressions of interest for individual projects. This database also provides a hub for project owners to identify potential suppliers, including Aussie manufacturers. With a number of ICN subscribers already proudly showcasing the green and gold Australian Made logo on their ICN Gateway business profile, the establishment of a formal industry partnership works to foster a stronger local manufacturing environment.

Ben Lazzaro, CEO of Australian Made, believes it has never been more important for Australian manufacturers to be supported, especially when venturing into new projects and markets: “With a renewed focus on bringing manufacturing back to Australia, the ICN Gateway provides local manufacturers with the opportunity to access new projects and expand their offering into new markets.

Australian manufacturers produce products to some of the highest quality standards in the world. This partnership works to promote these Aussie makers and help them leverage their Aussie credentials both here and overseas.”

Warren Jansen, Executive Director of ICN Limited, said ICN’s core purpose lay in its desire to provide manufacturers with

www.icn.org.au www.australianmade.com.au

IMCRC Design Robotics project wins Excellence in Innovation Award The ‘Design Robotics for Mass Customisation’ team at the Innovative Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre (IMCRC) has won the Cooperative Research Centre Association’s 2020 Award for Excellence in Innovation.

The award recognises outstanding research collaborations that address industry-specific problems for the benefit of Australian industry and the economy. With funding from IMCRC, Brisbanebased company Urban Art Projects (UAP) embarked on an $8m robotics research project in partnership with Queensland University of Technology (QUT) and RMIT University in 2017. By investing in robotic vision systems and developing smart user-interfaces, UAP streamlined its ability to manufacture bespoke artwork and architecture pieces in Australia.

As part of the project, UAP also opened its factory to local manufacturing SMEs to share research outcomes and education on how robots and other emerging technologies can assist in manufacturing high-value products. This ‘open innovation’ approach led to the formation of the Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM) Hub in Brisbane.

QUT Associate Professor Jared Donovan, who accepted the award on behalf of the Design Robotics team, thanked all participants: “In the IMCRC Design Robotics project, we set out to ‘Make Robots See’ – to combine the power of robotic vision and design-led manufacturing to enable highly custom and bespoke manufacturing.

As a researcher, it has been an absolute honour to have worked with such a fantastic industry partner as UAP. I also want to thank the teams at IMCRC, RMIT and QUT. Without you this would not have been possible.”

Matthew Tobin, Founder and Managing Director of UAP, said the project had been transformational for UAP: “The outcomes and cultural change that working with QUT, RMIT and IMCRC has delivered to UAP have fundamentally changed the way we think about manufacturing and will continue to influence our digital transformation in the years to come. We think about the University staff as explorers, and we think about the IMCRC framework as a discipline. Both those things add great value to our transformation journey.”

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David Chuter, CEO and Managing Director of IMCRC, congratulated the Design Robotics team on their achievement: “The Excellence in Innovation Award is a well-deserved acknowledgment of UAP’s bold move to break with design manufacturing tradition, and the Design Robotics team that pushed so many boundaries by pairing human creativity with the efficiency of robots. With many CRC projects, you only start to see the impact years later. The Design Robotics project is different; not only has it already helped UAP to achieve a greater competitive advantage, but also by being the catalyst for establishing the Advanced Manufacturing in Robotics (ARM) Hub where manufacturers can explore robotics and designled manufacturing.” www.imcrc.org www.cooperativeresearch.org.au

INDUSTRY NEWS

BOC and Redkite: A partnership that stands the test of time AMTIL member BOC was the first corporate to partner with children’s cancer support charity Redkite, back in 1998.

Today the partnership is stronger than ever and has made a real impact on childhood cancer support in Australia, helping fund critical emotional and mental health support, financial assistance, and information and resources to help families throughout the long and traumatic cancer experience. Over the 23-year partnership, BOC has raised more than $2.4m for Redkite.

“Redkite and BOC have always had a similar philosophy, based on providing practical help when it’s most needed, as well as a deep commitment to community and looking after families who are doing it tough,” said Monique Keighery, Redkite’s CEO. “BOC’s generosity over the years has helped us achieve significant change that has made a real impact on the lives of children and their families.”

BOC offers an innovative employee giving program, Hero time, which allows team members to take leave and donate the leave pay for those hours to Redkite.

Employees are also encouraged to take part in Redkite fundraisers, such as Redkite’s first national Sun-Up Challenge, for which BOC was headline sponsor.

In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, BOC implemented a virtual Wellbeing Event. Employees around the country pledged to complete a physical activity and BOC matched their entry fees and

GREEN

paid $5 for every kilometre completed. The Wellbeing Event was such a success that it ran again in 2021, this time with BOC paying $1 for every minute completed. BOC raised more than $25,000 for Redkite through this initiative alone.

One particularly passionate employee is Melbourne-based Andrew Wesley, Reliability and Improvement Manager for BOC South Pacific. The keen triathlete and kayaker has undertaken some amazing personal challenges for a good cause, including the New York Marathon.

“Life is about the memories and friendships you make along the way and fundraising for Redkite via the NYC Marathon has given me some of the very best,” says Andrew. “Not just the event but the people I met and interacted with along the way – people from Redkite, from within my local community, and within BOC, who have all been amazing in their generosity, support and sincerity.

The fundraising gave me an additional purpose. It made me feel valued, appreciated, and filled me with an enormous amount of gratitude.” www.boc.com.au www.redkite.org.au.

BOC’s Redkite team running the New York Marathon, with Andrew Wesley on the right.

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GOVERNMENT NEWS

Victoria: Funding boost for defence industry’s digital future The Victorian Government has unveiled new support for Victorian defence industry companies to transform their operations by deploying digital technologies.

Minister for Industry Support and Recovery Martin Pakula in October announced the $1.36m Smart Enough Factory program that will support small-to-medium-sized businesses in Victoria’s defence industry to modernise design and manufacturing processes. Delivered by DMTC Limited (formerly the Defence Materials Technology Centre), the Smart Enough Factory program will assist participating businesses to adopt digital technologies, overcome barriers such as costs, skill shortages or security vulnerabilities, and create opportunities to enter defence supply chains.

With an aim to boost digital and Industry 4.0 capabilities, the program uses advances in data-driven production to enhance businesses’ operational performance and manufacturing productivity, leading to more efficient processes and significant cost savings. The pilot program is underway with Victorian small businesses Australian Precision Technologies, AW Bell, Ronson Gears, APV Corporation and Heat Treatment Australia. The fullscale program will run from the end of the year for an initial period of three years, with up to 20 Victorian defence businesses each year to reap the benefits of the program.

The program will also take on up to eight undergraduate or postgraduate interns a year from Victorian universities through a scheme administered by the Defence Science Institute (Victoria) to provide technical support, offering them valuable

work experience, defence industry exposure and possible future employment. By embracing advanced technology, the program will ultimately boost participating businesses’ prospects of participating in multi-billion-dollar defence programs, meaning more jobs and investment for Victoria’s defence sector.

“We’re supporting our defence industry to become ever more responsive, adaptive and connected – ensuring we lead the way in advanced manufacturing, innovation and technology,” said Minister Pakula. “This program will help defence businesses to grow and transform, supporting jobs and economic growth and cementing Victoria’s status as the advanced manufacturing capital of Australia.”

DMTC Limited Chief Executive Dr Mark Hodge added: “This program is not just about getting companies to the starting line, it’s about putting companies in a better position to compete and win work. It’s about tangible actions to put industrial capability in Australian hands.”

Victoria’s defence sector contributes up to $8.4bn to the state’s economy each year, employing around 24,000 people in 6,300 businesses that manufacture equipment and provide services for defence activities.

Victorian businesses can express interest in the program at: dmtc.com.au.

Queensland: $7.1bn bid to become train building powerhouse The Queensland Government plans to deliver the largest investment in train infrastructure in the state’s history to create jobs and rebuild the economy.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on 20 October announced $7.1bn to boost the state’s train manufacturing industry and build and operate 65 trains, transforming Queensland into Australia’s rail manufacturing powerhouse. Delivering the Rail Expansion Program is projected to create up to 3000 jobs in construction and manufacturing across Queensland in the lead-up to the 2032 Olympics.

“We’re investing in manufacturing to create long-term, secure jobs in regional Queensland,” said Palaszczuk. “At the election, we committed $600m to build 20 new trains in Maryborough. It’s now clear we’ll need a full complement of trains to cater for growth in years to come. That’s why we’re committing to build all 65 trains, right here in Maryborough. My government is making great progress on Cross River Rail - building Brisbane’s first underground rail system.

Manufacturing the trains is the next step.”

Treasurer Cameron Dick added that investing in Queensland-made trains would create long-term quality jobs for many years to come: “This investment in publicly-owned manufacturing facilities will support thousands of jobs well into the future. Importantly, this commitment will include minimum local content requirements, along with the best industry standards, meaning we’re supporting Queenslander workers.” Under the plan, the 65 six-car passenger trains will be built in Maryborough for use on the South-East Queensland rail network.

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The trains will be built in a $239m purpose-built manufacturing facility to be constructed at Torbanlea, north of Maryborough.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said the rail investment would lock in secure jobs and training opportunities for a generation of Queensland workers: “We are delivering a pipeline of work over the next decade that will support up to 800 construction and manufacturing jobs here in Maryborough. First, we will construct a purpose-built, publicly-owned train manufacturing facility at Torbanlea. Not only are we delivering trains, this $7.1bn investment includes new rail infrastructure in the South-East and ongoing maintenance of Queensland’s newest fleet.”

Under the Rail Expansion Program, three train manufacturers are competing for the existing contract to build 20 trains in Maryborough and will have an opportunity to bid for the increased order for 65 trains. Those companies are train manufacturers Alstom, CAF and Downer Rail. A preferred supplier to build the 65 trains is expected to be named in the second half of 2022, with construction of the Torbanlea train building facility to follow. The investment will also mean Rockhampton will be part of the supply chain to build trains in Maryborough.

Cross River Rail is on track for first services to begin operating in 2025. www.qld.gov.au

GOVERNMENT NEWS

Western Australia – $1m boost for medical products manufacturing A new voucher scheme from the MTPConnect WA Life Sciences Innovation Hub will see a major boost for medical products manufacturing in Western Australia.

Under the scheme, five Western Australia-based companies have been awarded a total of $450,000 to accelerate innovation projects requiring advanced manufacturing capabilities. Matched with cash co-contributions of $600,000, the initiative is injecting more than $1m into WA’s medical technology, biotechnology and pharmaceutical sector to drive job creation and economic growth.

Awardees include: • OncoRes Medical Pty Ltd. With a focus on improving the accuracy of breast-conserving surgery, OncoRes Medical is driven by a mission to eliminate repeat operations after breast conserving surgery. OncoRes Medical is developing key preproduction manufacturing activities in WA, advancing their development of a novel diagnostic imaging system that guides surgical clearance of cancer in breast conserving surgery.

• Proteomics International Pty Ltd. Established in 2001, Proteomics International is recognised as a leader in the field of proteomics, developing and commercialising diagnostic tests for chronic diseases. The company is developing WAbased manufacturing capability of the PromarkerD diagnostic, which can predict the onset of diabetic kidney disease in patients with Type 2 diabetes.

• SynGenis Pty Ltd. Perth start-up SynGenis was established in late 2020 and now operates a large facility in Bentley Technology Park to manufacture high quality oligonucleotides (DNA and RNA) for the Australian and New Zealand market, and international customers. The company is seeking to expand their existing oligonucleotide manufacturing capabilities in WA to include ISO and GMP certification.

• VeinTech Pty Ltd. VeinTech aims to eliminate the guesswork associated with cannulation, the most common invasive medical procedure. Their solution is a handheld ultraportable proof-of-concept prototype developed in partnership with a WA-based manufacturer to assist with visualising veins.

• VitalTrace Pty Ltd. Committed to empowering obstetricians and midwives to deliver the greatest outcomes for their patients, VitalTrace is developing a highly accurate biosensor to improve the safety for mothers and babies during childbirth.

The voucher will support key pre-production manufacturing activities in WA. MTPConnect Managing Director and CEO, Dr Dan Grant, congratulated the five successful companies.

“Manufacturing medical products is a national priority so we’re supporting these promising projects to develop their medical devices and diagnostics,” said Dr Grant. “Each project is aiming to improve the health and wellbeing of Australians and if we can help them along the commercialisation pathway through our voucher initiative, these companies will also continue contributing to the state’s burgeoning innovation ecosystem.”

The voucher initiative, announced by Health and State Development, Jobs and Trade Minister Roger Cook MLA, is being made available through the MTPConnect WA Life Sciences Innovation Hub, which is co-funded by MTPConnect, the University of Western Australia and the WA Government through the New Industries Fund.

All projects are due to be completed by 30 May 2022. www.mtpconnect.org.au

Tasmania – New space tech fund announced The Tasmanian State Government is supporting local businesses to explore and enter the fast-growing space economy, which is set to grow nationally to $12bn and add 20,000 more jobs by 2030.

Michael Ferguson, Minister for Science and Technology, on 12 November announced the Tasmanian Space Technology Seed Fund, which will co-invest with businesses to adapt, extend or develop new technology and services for the space economy.

Launching in the first quarter of 2022, the $500,000 fund will provide two rounds of competitive, matched grant funding to eligible Tasmanian businesses, including start-ups.

“This is a great opportunity for Tasmanian businesses to enter an industry that captures the imagination like no other,” said Ferguson.

Following the signing of an MoU with the Australian Space Agency in late 2019, the Tasmanian Government has strengthened its space research infrastructure capabilities in the fields of Space Domain Awareness, Space Medicine and Life Sciences through key partnerships with business and academia. The next step in the plan will seek to propel Tasmania’s industries into space by

driving innovation, developing local space capabilities, increasing investment in R&D, and creating new STEM and highly skilled jobs.

Further details of the fund, including guidelines will be announced in the New Year. www.tas.gov.au

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Why can’t Australia make mRNA vaccines? Because we don’t make enough ‘deep technology’ companies The delays Australia has seen in the roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines this year highlight a weakness in our national innovation system, and its inability to support and nurture “deep technology” ventures. By Julian Waters-Lynch.

Caught out by its strategy to bet on COVID-19 vaccines that could be made in Australia, the Federal Government is now scrambling to manufacture mRNA vaccines locally. Its “approach to market” strategy has effectively asked companies how much government money they need to do so. But even with subsidies, this plan will take years.

So why can’t Australia make the mRNA vaccines?

That’s not actually the right question to ask. The crucial issue is why Australia hasn’t been producing the type of companies that can make mRNA vaccines. Why don’t we produce more start-ups like BioNTech or Moderna – the two companies that developed and brought the mRNA vaccines to market?

Answering this question is important not just to vaccines but to the whole range of “deep technologies” that will shape economic development and sustainability in the 21st century. Technology is generally defined as the application of new knowledge for practical purposes. Deep technology is slightly different. It refers to the type of organisation required to bring certain types of technological innovation to fruition.

It is more accurate to talk about deep technology ventures. BioNTech and Moderna are two such examples. Both are relatively young companies — BioNTech was founded in Germany in 2008, Moderna in the US in 2010 — that have brought to market a technological solution underpinned by substantive advances in scientific research, engineering and design. Deep-tech ventures span advanced materials, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, blockchains, robotics and quantum computing. A few are now household names, such as Tesla and SpaceX, but most fly under the radar of public awareness, as Moderna and BioNTech did before the pandemic.

They include synthetic biology companies such as the Ginkgo Bioworks and Zymergen, which can program organisms to create completely new biologically-based materials for use in manufacturing.

These “biofoundries” can produce everything from biodegradable plastics, to new protein-based foods, to probiotic microorganims that improve human health. There are advanced engineering companies such as Carbon Engineering and Climeworks, working on ways to suck carbon dioxide from the air to use for industrial purposes.

There are experimental energy companies such as Commonwealth Fusion Systems and Helion, which are working on making the holy grail of clean energy technology, nuclear fusion, a reality.

Australia’s problem with deep technology ventures isn’t to do with the quality of our science and research. We produce, per capita, nearly twice as many scientific research papers as the OECD average. We also have some great support structures, such as the CSIRO, the national research and science agency, and Cicada Innovations, the deep-tech venture incubator in Sydney.

The problem is our inability to take our scientists’ knowledge and turn it into innovative ventures. Other countries are much more successful at this. Britain, Germany and France, for example, all publish fewer research papers than Australia per capita but produce far more patent applications — a key indicator of potential research commercialisation. The US produces nine times as many per capita.

Australia’s primary challenges here are related to the culture of innovation and entrepreneurship and our current mechanisms for long-term venture funding.

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Deep-tech ventures usually require longer time horizons to translate new scientific insights into commercially successful products. Few universities are set up to see this process through. Public funding mechanisms prioritise basic research leading to publications, not the entrepreneurial processes required to find a market fit for a new product or solution. Nor are venture capital funds — the normal providers of seed funding — well placed to fund deep technology ventures. This is partly because the science itself can be difficult to understand. Also many funds prioritise ventures that can “exit” through an acquisition or public offering within ten years.

The complex science and length of time needed to commercialise deep tech mean many good ideas die in the so-called “valley of death” — the gap between initial seed funding and sustainable revenue generated from product sales. This gap is filled in some countries by investments from sovereign wealth funds, more “mission”-oriented government programs and even prizes. Australia has yet to emulate these solutions.

These issues help explain why Australia’s investment in R&D as a portion of GDP over the past decade has declined, from a peak of 2.3% in 2008 to 1.8% in 2019. That puts us below the OECD average (2.47% in 2019), well behind innovation leaders such as Israel (4.9%), South Korea (4.6%) and Taiwan (3.5%). In 2020 only 12 Australian companies were listed among the world’s top 2,500 R&D leaders (as ranked by EU Industrial R&D Investment Scoreboard).

This compares with Taiwan (88), South Korea (59) Switzerland (58), Canada (30) and Israel (22).

Australia’s future economic prosperity depends on our ability to translate scientific advances into innovation and entrepreneurship.

Technological innovation is the only driver of economic growth over the long term. MIT professor Robert Solow won the 1987 Nobel Prize in Economics for his work demonstrating this point.

To correct our trajectory requires more “patient” capital. We are one of the world’s wealthiest nations on a per capita basis, but too much wealth is locked up in property ($8 trillion) and superannuation funds ($3.8 trillion), opting for “safer” investments. If just 0.1% of superannuation assets were allocated to fund deep technology ventures, Australia would have a fund about as large as the nation’s entire current venture capital pool invested in the past financial year.

We also need leadership around a shared vision of the benefits of deep technology entrepreneurship. Not enough Australians recognise the importance of science and technology in driving both economic prosperity and addressing global challenges. Some are even suspicious that technology causes more problems than it solves.

But these ventures will be crucial to addressing pressing development and sustainability challenges, including climate change. Tomorrow’s economy and society will be built with today’s scientific breakthroughs in deep technology ventures.

Dr Julian Waters-Lynch is a Lecturer in Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Organisational Design at RMIT University.

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

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VOICE BOX OPINIONS FROM ACROSS THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY

How manufacturers can make the most out of Active Intelligence The manufacturing sector faces a plethora of opportunities by effectively using Big Data. Paul Leahy examines how data can be used to achieve responsible production, augment product engineering through smart automation, drive predictive maintenance, and adapt to the industry’s changing demands?

The benefits of technologies such as Big Data and artificial intelligence (AI) are increasingly apparent; when deployed appropriately there’s no denying their potential impact on an organisation’s bottom line. According to a study by Partners, businesses are reaping the rewards of Big Data and AI, with successful business outcomes almost doubling in the past half decade from 49% to 96%. More and more businesses across sectors are increasing their use of data, with 99% of businesses surveyed by NewVantage shown to have invested in data initiatives. The value of investments in Big Data has also increased 10-fold between 2011 and 2021, and this number is expected to reach US$100bn by 2026.

The implication is clear: businesses across sectors are aware that optimal data-harnessing can deliver great value. To achieve this, however, they will need to tap into the right technological framework.

Conserving natural resources has emerged as a non-negotiable priority for businesses in the face of the growing climate crisis.

According to experts, we will cross the point of no return within the next two decades if necessary measures are not implemented on a large scale. As such, manufacturers across the world are switching to responsible production by adopting sustainable practices. Companies are exploring greener alternatives to generate energy, while focusing on resource and energy conservation. For instance, Australian supermarket Coles has reduced its coal power consumption by switching to 70% clean, renewable energy, and has signed multiple wind and solar power purchase agreement (PPAs) to fulfil its commitment to becoming 100% renewable electricity by 2025.

This is where something like Qlik’s Active Intelligence Platform comes in, as it helps create in-the-moment awareness of the business through real-time information to trigger immediate actions. Manufacturers can use this framework to maximise the efficiency of their sustainability initiatives. Active Intelligence analyses up-to-date information sourced from an extensive Internet of Things (IoT)-driven framework that can help companies accurately calculate the rate of resource usage and depletion. It can also help them forecast and determine the quantity of raw materials required to achieve the delivery targets that are subject to change in a volatile market landscape, especially in the post-pandemic era.

The seamless workflows enabled by Active Intelligence improve the interactions and flow of data between manufacturers, distributors and retailers for more accurate and efficient decision-making and demand projection.

The insights generated can also be used to minimise wastage while sourcing materials from the primary sector. These insights can empower manufacturers to enhance the intermediate processes, ensuring optimal utilisation of non-renewable resources. Therefore, the intricate analysis performed via Active Intelligence can help companies come up with innovative strategies that reduce and recycle materials to create alternative sources of revenue – boosting overall profitability.

Traditional design procedures involve many levels of scrutiny and fault testing that are not only difficult to maintain manually but can also lead to human errors. Top manufacturers leverage the power of automation and analytics to overcome this challenge while

optimising the efficiency of product engineering generative design.

A vast amount of data is involved in the process – and the greater the volume, the more efficient the algorithm. Active Intelligence can help companies leverage dynamic content and logic through AI and machine learning (ML) to drive innovation while minimising costs and time as well as eliminating errors from the production process.

To give an example, a company designing a three-legged chair can feed a detailed design brief into generative design software. The Active Intelligence-powered AI/ML algorithms then come up with all possible configurations and, aligned with ergonomic constraints fed by engineers, produce the best set of solutions. Following the testing phase, the system finalises the optimal solution.

Machine breakdowns are costly affairs – not only because of the cost incurred to replace/repair the machine but also in terms of hours lost due to the operational disruption. What compounds the challenge is that, in the absence of the right technology, predicting equipment failure is difficult. As per a 2018 study, unplanned downtime, or part maintenance, upgrades or repairs cost manufacturers US$50bn a year.

Active Intelligence can empower manufacturers to achieve this.

Industrial machines generate huge volumes of real-time and historical data – which can be analysed with AI/ML to predict and trigger proactive maintenance. In doing so, manufacturers can ensure peak performance and business continuity. Top companies such as Mitsubishi Electric are already using intelligent, interconnected systems to drive predictive maintenance, minimising costs and downtime while augmenting productivity and responsiveness.

While the COVID-19 pandemic is a one-off event, disruptions in the supply chain are a regular occurrence. Armed with the power of Active Intelligence, manufacturers can determine with precision how much further they should advance a delivery date in line with the delay in procuring the raw material. Besides calculating how disruption will affect their operations, both in terms of time and finances, Active Intelligence can help businesses to determine the regions/markets where they can divert their supplies to – or source their raw materials from – to mitigate the negative effects on their unit economics.

For instance, Active Intelligence empowered Qlik customer Multipack, an Australian packaging services provider, to strategically scale up and down its operations in line with fluctuating demand during the pandemic. By reducing decision-making time from days to minutes, the platform helped Multipack take just-in-time decisions to efficiently streamline its production processes.

Using systems like Active Intelligence to eliminate operational bottlenecks and optimising processes, industries can start to gain superior financial benefits. Utilising technology to collate, combine and analyse incredible volumes of information will allow enterprises across sectors to make optimal business decisions that ensure they effectively navigate the post-pandemic, increasingly digital-first business ecosystem.

Paul Leahy is Country Manager – ANZ at Qlik. www.qlik.com

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VOICE BOX OPINIONS FROM ACROSS THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY

Why manufacturing firms must ramp up their contractor management approach The COVID-19 pandemic and its resultant disruption have highlighted the need for manufacturing businesses to take careful steps in the management of on-site contractors. By Stephen Darracott.

The coronavirus pandemic continues to disrupt businesses and our communities. Nevertheless, the Australian manufacturing sector is thriving. With ongoing restrictions and lockdowns in some regions, manufacturing companies should look for technology solutions that can help them help increase safety and security at their sites.

One area that can’t be underestimated is managing contractors, casual workers and visitors. It has always been important to know who is working onsite. It’s also essential to make sure contractors and casual staff have had required training, and health and safety inductions. Furthermore, manufacturers need to ensure that contractors are licensed and insured before letting them get to work. In the past, this has usually been done using manual, paperbased forms and processes. However, this approach is prone to error and can make it difficult to accurately determine who was onsite at any given time; a key requirement of the Government’s COVID-19 safety requirements.

COVID-19 has emphasised the importance of being able to securely manage contractors and visitors to manufacturing facilities.

Contractors can often move between various manufacturers, which makes it even more important to be able to accurately trace their movements if an outbreak were to occur. The nature of their movement means that contractors could even be an infection vector, making it all the more important to be able to accurately pinpoint where they were, how long they were there for, and whom they came into contact with.

Modern solutions to address these challenges include digital visitor management systems. These are cost-effective yet highly efficient solutions that track contractors and include more information than would be possible with manual sign-in sheets or other forms of confirmation. This lets manufacturers dramatically improve safety and compliance within their facilities while simultaneously achieving a return on investment in the digital visitor management system through reduced overheads and administrative costs involved in managing contractors.

For example, a digital visitor management system can include a kiosk placed at the facility’s entry or reception. Placing it close to office staff can help ensure that all visitors and contractors sign in on entry, using the system, without having to dedicate resources to sign them in and conduct inductions. By removing the need for dedicated staff members to manage visitors, manufacturers can lower costs and redirect those workers to more valuable, growthoriented tasks.

Some systems can include elements such as temperature checks to lower the risk of infected people entering the business. The same system can automatically notify staff onsite if a contractor’s temperature is high so they can determine whether that person should be allowed onsite. This can help protect the business and all its workers during COVID-19 outbreaks and it can also help prevent the spread of other infectious diseases such as influenza. Deploying these solutions now can futureproof the organisation against other health events.

COVID-19 requirements are far from the only reason manufacturers should invest in digital visitor management systems. These systems provide an added layer of support when it comes to keeping contractors and other visitors safe onsite. Like the Government’s

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COVID-19 check-in application, a digital visitor management system can use a QR code to direct contractors to a sign-in page.

Visitors can even pre-sign in using a dedicated website, saving time once they arrive onsite. The manufacturing firm can request specific information from the contractor, including details regarding accreditations or licences. Before they can finish checking in, the manufacturer can require contractors to complete a site induction or safety checklist.

Digital visitor management systems provide a snapshot of who is onsite at any time and also ensure that all contractors and visitors have completed the necessary inductions. In case of emergency, it’s also easier to determine who should be onsite so that, if anyone is missing, first responders can be alerted and can start searching for them sooner.

The latest digital visitor management systems store all of this information in a secure database in real time. This means the information can only be accessed by authorised users, protecting the privacy of contractors while ensuring the business has the information it needs to keep everyone safe.

The need for more effective ways to track and trace visitors and contractors to manufacturing facilities has been accelerated and highlighted by the pandemic. However, there are many other benefits that digital visitor management systems can provide to manufacturing firms. These include cost reductions due to less time spent managing visitors, and increased ability to manage the health, safety, and security of the entire workforce, including contractors.

While the manufacturing industry faces a bright outlook, recent events have shown that it’s impossible to predict the future. It’s important for manufacturers to prepare for potential events by modernising their visitor and contractor management processes for increased accuracy and control, without increasing costs.

Stephen Darracott is Vice-President and Country Manager at Pitney Bowes Japan, Australia and New Zealand. www.pitneybowes.com

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VOICE BOX OPINIONS FROM ACROSS THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY

Electric vehicles: Australia’s unexpected boom industry Despite slow consumuer take-up and public scepticism, electric vehicles are well-suited to the Australian market, manufacturers here are poised to capitalise on a booming market. By Stephane Marouani.

The perception over recent years has been that Australia is not suited to electric vehicles (EVs) due to their perceived range limitations and the long distances we have in Australia. As a result, the adoption of domestic EVs here has fallen behind that of other countries.

However, the reality is Australia’s EV manufacturing industry is booming, because this market is incredibly well-suited to EVs. Firstly, our renewable energy capacity (mainly solar) is growing at a world-leading pace, with the ability to provide a cheap and easily deployable recharging network. Moreover, a lot of major Australian industries lend themselves to EV deployment.

For example, the use of EVs such as utes or trucks in the mining industry makes absolute sense. It is significantly safer (especially in underground conditions), but the vehicles are also cheaper to maintain, with fewer mechanical parts subject to wear in harsh conditions. Many mines in Australia are remote and already have plans to begin operating their own micro-grids, renewable energy plant and storage batteries for their needs. The same applies to both forestry and farming equipment.

As a result, we’re seeing Australian start-ups booming in the electrification space, with the growing need for specialised vehicles in mining (SafeScape), farming, construction and forestry (DC Equipment), and even aviation (MagniX).

So, what is it about Australia that has led to this boom?

• Engineering experience: Following the departure of the automotive OEMs a few years ago, Australia now has a pool of very experienced automotive engineers who have decided to innovate and create their own start-ups, rather than relocating internationally.

• Renewable energy research: For years Australia has hosted the world’s largest solar EV race, leading to significant innovation in the market. For example, the first solar-powered luxury sedan, from a company called Lightyear, had its infancy in the Darwin-to-Adelaide Bridgestone World Solar Challenge.

• Industry/university collaboration: Universities such as UTS or UNSW have been collaborating with businesses to drive electrification research and innovation, which means local innovations in EVs came years ahead of those from mainstream EV manufacturers. As far back as 2013, I had the opportunity to drive the first battery-powered electric Holden Commodore, developed by Melbourne-based start-up EV Engineering.

• Overlap with motorsports: We are seeing automotive suppliers such as MOTEC increasingly transitioning their motorsport racing experience across to the EV industry.

The McLaren Speedtail Hyper-GT is the British auto manufacturer’s fastest road car ever. Near the end of testing, a prototype of the sleek gas-electric hybrid sports car hit 403kph at the Johnny Bohmer Proving Grounds, NASA’s runway in Florida. Specs for the 2020 production model say that it can go from 0 to 300kph in 13 seconds. To charge the lightweight battery whenever the aerodynamic three-seat vehicle isn’t in use, McLaren partnered with Lumen Freedom to use the Australian company’s Wireless Electric Vehicle Charging (WEVC) system. The Speedtail is the first vehicle in the world to incorporate it.

Although inductive (or wireless) charging is becoming more common for phones, smartwatches and other small devices, Lumen Freedom’s wireless system for the Speedtail represents a unique solution for EVs, according to the comapany’s General Manager Rod Wilson and software team lead Radek Pesina.

For Lumen Freedom, the Speedtail project is just the start. Its production-ready system has the potential to transform automotive design, transportation and even the power grid.

So what does the future hold for the Australian EV industry?

Moving forward, I expect to see an ‘OEM-isation’ of the EV industry.

We will start to see the industry moving from large players, such as Tesla, doing everything itself (because as one of the pioneers of the industry, it had to invest in its own R&D – especially in battery development) to a more traditional model, in which the traditional large manufacturers assemble components from specialised suppliers.

We’ll continue to see growth in Australian start-ups innovating in areas such as battery techonology, battery management, motors, controllers, wireless charging plates, solar charging roofs and so on. We will also see, as volume rises and technology improves, the EV industry diversifying from high-volume passenger cars to specialised industry-focused vehicles or even “restomod” electrification of existing vehicles. For example, more and more small suppliers, including in Australia, provide crate electrification conversion to either classic cars or industry-specialised vehicles.

• Funding and investment: We shouldn’t underestimate the importance of funding in supporting the industry. The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has been supporting EV innovation with the investment of a $200m-plus fund targeting charging technologies and infrastructure.

Australia has a unique pool of engineers and researchers who can combine experience and expertise in electrification, automotive and industry. I don’t think we will see a major car manufacturer coming back to Australia soon, but we can certainly expect a thriving EV supply chain and specialised EV industries here thanks to our engineering excellence, our unique needs and our immense potential.

One example of an Australian business making waves in the EV industry is Lumen Freedom.

Stephane Marouani is Country Manager – ANZ at MathWorks au.mathworks.com

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032

TECH NEWS

US/Australia: World’s first total, durable artificial heart

Australia: AM – Developing high strength wire coil

Monash University and BiVACOR (based in the US, with R&D/ software facilities in Qld) are leading a consortium to develop and commercialise the world’s first durable total artificial heart. It is a completely new design and could revolutionise the use of artificial hearts. Instead of trying to replicate the way a real heart pumps, the device uses a single spinning disc to drive blood to the lungs and body. With the high-tech rotary pump levitating between magnets (MAG), there’s virtually zero mechanical wear. The left and right vanes are positioned on a common rotor to form the only moving part: a magnetically suspended double-sided centrifugal impeller. The lack of other moving parts means the rest of the heart can be made from ultra-robust titanium. The Artificial Heart Frontiers Program will develop and commercialise it. This will be achieved initially with the Australian-born BiVACOR Total Artificial Heart.

AML3D is disrupting metal part supply chains using patented Wire Additive Manufacturing (WAM). The company recently partnered with the Institute for Frontier Materials to develop high strength wire feedstock alloys suitable for high strength wire feedstock 3D printing and welding markets. The partnership will support specific designs of alloys that will deliver high strength wire coil for printing, with no need for subsequent post-processing. The new technology is anticipated to open new target industries. For example, AML3D and Deakin’s recent high strength aluminium–scandium wire feedstock project targets expansion into the marine, defence and aerospace sectors, with opportunities existing in the Asia Pacific, European and North American markets as well as creating opportunities for bespoke wire feedstock sales.

Hospital Health/Science Focus/mixed

USA: Wooden knife three time sharper than stainless steel The sharpest knives are made of either steel or ceramic which must be forged in furnaces under extreme temperatures. Now, engineers have developed a more sustainable way to make sharp knives: using hardened wood. The method makes wood 23 times harder, and a knife nearly three times sharper than a stainless-steel table knife. The material can also be used to produce wooden nails as sharp as conventional steel nails. Unlike steel nails, the wooden nails are resistant to rusting. Wood is made up of only 40%–50% cellulose, with the rest consisting of hemicellulose and lignin. The team removed the weaker components while not destroying the cellulose skeleton. After removal of the lignin, wood becomes soft and flexible. Heat and pressure is then applied to the chemically processed wood to densify and remove the water. After the material is processed and carved into the desired shape, it is coated in mineral oil to extend its lifetime.

AML3D

Australia: Unbreakable glass Cracked phone screens could become a thing of the past thanks to breakthrough research to produce next-gen composite glass for lighting LEDs and smartphone, TV and computer screens. The innovation enables the manufacture of glass screens that are not only unbreakable but also deliver crystal-clear image quality. This is a huge step forward in perovskite nanocrystal technology as these nanocrystals are extremely light, heat, air and water-sensitive. And previously, researchers were only able to produce the technology in the bone-dry atmosphere of a laboratory. The team developed a revolutionary process to wrap or bind the nanocrystals in porous glass to stabilise the materials, enhancing efficiency and inhibiting the toxic lead ions from leaching out. Millions of tiny holes are injected with the nanocrystals and stay protected, wrapped inside. The technology is scalable and opens the door for many applications.

University of Qld/ABC Researchers at the Uni. Of Qld are developing a process to embed perovskite nanocrystals into glass

University of Maryland

Hong Kong: Supreme titanium alloy properties through AM Scientists have successfully developed a super-strong, highly ductile and super-light titanium-based alloy using AM. Metallurgists consider a lack of uniformity (heterogeneity) in alloys undesirable because it results in bad properties such as brittleness. However, the team found that a certain degree of heterogeneity can actually produce unique microstructures that enhance the alloy’s properties. Their method involves the melting and mixing of two different alloy powders using a focused laser beam. By controlling parameters during the 3D printing process, the team successfully created the non-uniform composition of the elements in the new alloy in a controllable way.

The resulting alloy is very strong but ductile and lightweight. While stainless steel is generally 7.9 grammes per cubic cm, the new alloy is only 4.5 grammes per cubic cm (40% lighter). These excellent properties are promising for structural applications such as the aerospace, automotive, chemical, and medical industries.

University of Hong Kong

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Canada: Liquids moving without fluid loss A newly developed polymer coating that allows for certain liquids to move across surfaces without fluid loss could usher in new advances in a range of fields, including medical testing. The new technology can directionally transport not only water droplets, but also low surface tension liquids that easily spread on most surfaces. The innovation has important implications for microfluidics, a field where small quantities of liquids are transported within tiny channels, often less than a millimetre wide. This technique has many applications, one of them being to miniaturise the standard analytical tests that are currently preformed in chemical laboratories. The new coating enables low surface tension liquids to be transported over distances of over 150mm without losing any of the liquid, about 15 times longer than currently possible.

University of Toronto

TECH HEADING NEWS

Australia: Cosmic rays - Solving deadly mining problems

and copper – currently presents a big technical challenge due to the high operating temperature in EVs. The team is working on a leadfree solder that doesn’t degrade under high temperature; achieving this by adding nanoparticles and micro-alloying which enhances the properties of solder and reliability of solder joints. Early results indicate the new materials should be more resistant to cracking over a product’s lifetime operating in a harsh environment.

Liverpool John Moores University

USA: A robot that finds lost items

Mining tech startup mDetect - a spin-out from Swinburne - has received a $1.5m grant from the AMGC to commercialise its worldleading solution for one of the most dangerous and environmentallydamaging problems in mining globally: the failure of tailings dams (in 2019, 270 people were killed in Brazil due to a tailings dam collapse). Until now there have been no detectable early warning signs from deep within the walls. mDetect uses sub-atomic particles from space (muons) to detect weaknesses in dams; patenting new detectors, that scan solid rock, revealing different density structures. Muons are made when cosmic rays slam into atoms in Earth's atmosphere. They travel far before decaying - passing through almost any substance and penetrating far below the Earth’s surface (potentially down to 2km). OZ Minerals will deploy the device at their tailings dam at the Carrapateena Province in SA and commercial opportunities in other fields have been opened.

Researchers have developed a fully-integrated robotic arm (RFusion) with a camera and radio frequency (RF) antenna attached to its gripper. This fuses visual data from the camera and signals from the antenna to find and retrieve objects, even when they are buried and fully out of view. The prototype relies on RFID tags, which are cheap and battery-less. Because RF signals can travel through most surfaces, RFusion is able to locate a tagged item within a pile. Using machine learning, the robotic arm automatically zeroes-in on the object’s exact location, moves the items on top of it, grasps the object, and verifies that it picked up the right thing.

The camera, antenna, robotic arm, and AI are fully integrated, so RFusion can work in any environment without requiring a special set-up. This could have many applications in manufacturing and warehouse environments.

MIT

Swinburne and mixed

USA: Self-healing cracks in ceramics Researchers have discovered that a class of ceramics called MAX phases (which are uniquely layered), can self-heal cracks even at room temperature. They have shown that these engineered ceramics form natural faults or kink-bands during loading that can not only effectively stop cracks from growing, but can also close and heal them. So far, self-healing of cracks in ceramics has only been achieved at very high-temperatures by oxidation and that is why self-healing of cracks at room-temperature by kink-band formation is remarkable. When the researchers viewed the deforming sample while applying loading, they observed that there were kink-bandlike defects that formed in the material. More interestingly, they discovered that the material within kink-bands rotate during loading which not only form a barrier against crack propagation but also eventually close and heal the cracks. “We have had self-healing soft materials and polymer composites, and now, remarkably, ceramics” said Program Director Siddiq Qidwai.

“The heart device is unlikely to fail, and the patient is able to rely on their implanted artificial heart to pump the blood they need for the rest of their life.” Daniel Timms, CEO and founder of BiVACOR. The company has raised a further $22m to develop its world-first durable total artificial heart as a viable alternative to heart-transplantation for end-stage heart failure.

The company is poised to take the technology to the first Australian patients.

Texas A&M

UK: New solder extends life of EV electronics A new form of solder made with the addition of microalloying elements and nanoparticles is expected to extend the lifespan of electronics in Electric Vehicles (EVs). The weakest link for electronic devices are usually the solder interconnects. Lead has traditionally been the base metal of solder but, due to its toxicity, is nearly phased out. Its most common replacement – an alloy of tin, silver

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PRODUCT NEWS

Markforged: Expanding the possibilities for 3D printing Markforged has unveiled the new FX20 production-ready 3D printer, as well as its ULTEM 9085 filament, increasing the potential applications for 3D printing in demanding industries like aerospace and automotive.

The new hardware prints the flame-retardant, high-performance thermoplastic material with ULTEM 9085 filament in combination with Markforged’s proprietary Continuous Fiber Reinforcement printing technology for high-strength, heat-resistant, and higherperformance parts that can meet the needs of the most demanding industries such as aerospace, defence, automotive, and oil & gas.

The FX20 is precision-designed and sensor-driven to deliver accuracy, quality and reliability to fabricate parts directly with the click of a button. Markforged’s biggest, fastest and smartest printer, the FX20 pairs size and throughput to make larger parts at incredible speeds. This new technology, alongside high-temperature printing capabilities, elevates the Digital Forge platform from accessible industrial-strength composite manufacturing to robust production applications.

The FX20 has a heated build chamber capable of maintaining a temperature up to 200 degrees Celsius and the capacity for parts up to 525mm by 400mm by 400mm in size. The FX20 is up to eight times faster than the default settings on Markforged’s existing composite printers and prints nearly five times larger builds than its next largest printer, the X7.

Bringing together ULTEM 9085 filament with Markforged’s proprietary Continuous Fiber Reinforcement technology will help manufacturers move from augmenting manufacturing operations with composite 3D printing to replacing entire segments of the supply chain by bringing strong, accurate parts that solve demanding, end-use applications right where needed.

Vestas Wind Systems, a global leader in sustainable energy solutions, plans to use the FX20 with existing Markforged composite materials and the new ULTEM 9085 filament with continuous fiber reinforcement to print stronger, higher volume parts.

“The Digital Forge has given Vestas a powerful platform to circumvent expensive, multi-step, and time-consuming conventional manufacturing methodology,” says Jeremy Haight, Principal Engineer at Vestas. “When you factor in design iterations, these conventional parts are obsolete in a year or two. With the FX20 and ULTEM 9085 [filament], we will be able to design and manufacture larger, stronger parts, press a button and take that part right off the print bed to use it immediately with the confidence that it is very durable and robust.”

Printing the ULTEM 9085 filament with Continuous Fiber Reinforcement expands the advantages manufacturers can realise through additive technology. Adding the FX20 to the Digital Forge platform addresses a broader set of needs and applications. The FX20 and ULTEM 9085 filament are expected to ship worldwide in the first half of 2022. www.markforged.com

Hypertherm: Revolutionary single-piece cartridge consumable for new plasma systems Hypertherm has announced three new air plasma systems called Powermax SYNC. This next generation of Powermax65/85/105 systems feature built-in intelligence and a revolutionary single-piece cartridge consumable.

Powermax SYNC and its SmartSYNC torch replaces the traditional five-piece consumable stack-up with a single colour-coded cartridge. Technology embedded in each cartridge automatically sets the correct amperage, air pressure, and operating mode and lets operators know when a new cartridge is needed. Additionally, controls on the SmartSYNC torch allow operators to adjust the amperage and change the cartridge without returning to the power supply.

The cartridge is manufactured as a single piece so everything within it is perfectly aligned and optimised. As a result, the Hypertherm cartridge for Powermax systems will last up to twice as long and deliver cleaner cuts versus traditional consumables. The cartridge can even track data, like starts and arc-on time, to identify trends and make a user’s operation more efficient.

“The Powermax SYNC series delivers incredible ease of use, a lower operating cost, and better performance than any other air plasma before it,” said Erik Brine, General Manager of Hypertherm’s Powermax team. “We are excited to introduce what is truly a groundbreaking new product to the fabrication industry. This simplified operation serves to help fabricators address many of

AMT DEC 2021

the toughest challenges they face today by eliminating operator errors, downtime, troubleshooting, waste, and training time, while offering the same industry leading reliability all Powermax systems are known for.”

In keeping with Hypertherm’s commitment to offer technology updates to owners of its older plasma systems, Hypertherm engineers have developed an adapter for Duramax and Duramax Lock torches. This will enable owners of the Powermax45 XP and Powermax65/85/105 to enjoy some benefits of the cartridge consumable platform, such as faster change-outs, easier ordering and inventory tracking, longer life, and improved cut quality. www.hypertherm.com

PRODUCT NEWS

Mazak launches new QTE Series turning centres equipped with SmoothEz CNC Yamazaki Mazak’s new QTE Series of high-speed, high-accuracy CNC turning centres are equipped with SmoothEz, the latest generation of MAZATROL CNC, which allows for easy set-up, programming and operation.

MAZATROL SmoothEz CNC combines three easy features – Ez Machining, Ez Operation and Ez Setup – to deliver outstanding productivity, accuracy and, in turn, profitability. Ez Machining offers machine users high-speed, high-accuracy machining with thermal compensation control, delivered by Mazak’s Thermal Shield, to maximise accuracy by automatically compensating for temperature changes in the machining area.

Ez Operation includes QUICK MAZATROL for fast conversational programming, with a 38cm touch screen and intuitive operating system that can be customised according to the operator’s preference. By integrating Mazak’s Smooth CAM Ai and Mazatrol Twins, a virtual copy of the machine can be replicated in the office for enhanced set-up. Collective management of machine data is synchronised between the factory and office with Smooth Project Manager to conveniently manage data required to execute machining programs – including tool data, workholding, system coordination, parameters and workpiece 3D models.

Additionally, Smooth CAM Ai can dramatically reduce programming time with Solid MAZATROL to automatically generate a program from a 3D model using Ai deep learning to determine the optimal process from past programs.

The simple and compact QTE Series, which is manufactured in Mazak’s Singapore factory, is designed to fit into even the smallest

machine shop, but with no compromise on power. The QTE Series is equipped with a powerful 5,000rpm built-in spindle motor that is capable of ultra-high-speed acceleration and deceleration delivering high-efficiency, highaccuracy machining. Since there is no loss of power through mechanical transmission, the built-in-motor delivers more power during cutting, while vibration is minimised during high-speed operation to ensure exceptional surface finishes and maximum tool life. Two turret selections are available with a 12-position drum turret as standard and an eight-position turret as an option. Each utilise a 25mm turning tool shank size. The QTE Series also comes equipped with an NC tailstock – providing support for the workpiece during the machining process – to improve accuracy and workpiece finish.

The tailstock is controlled by servo motor and ball screw, a method that is much superior to manual carriage movement or hydraulic / pneumatic positioning.

The QTE has a tool eye as an option for automatic tool measurement and in-cycle tool breakage. This helps the machine to further enhance productivity and profitability by reducing tool set-up time.

The QTE is also equipped with a number of environmentally friendly and cost-saving measures, including automatically turning off the machine worklight and backlight if no operator is present, and the option of automatic chip conveyor stop when the machine is not operating. www.johnhart.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.

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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 www.mtiqualos.com.au

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PRODUCT NEWS

LAPP: Electromagnetic interference protection with SKINTOP BRUSH range Electromagnetic interference can be harmful to data transmission and can inhibit factory automation and Industry 4.0 processes aimed at providing quick and accurate transfer of information.

According to LAPP, to create electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) compliant data transmission cables, the data and control signals should be locked in a Faraday cage. By forming a continuous covering or mesh of a conductive material, a Faraday cage blocks electromagnetic fields from reaching inside its shielded area. As a global leader in cables, connectors and Industry 4.0 enabling technologies, LAPP designs a range of EMC-compliant connection options for interference-free data transfer performance.

• The cable is centred, fixed, strain-relieved, and hermetically sealed in one step.

LAPP Australia, which has direct access to more than 20,000 products from the global LAPP range, is introducing its latest SKINTOP BRUSH series of cable glands, designed to be installed safely, quickly and easily and to offer optimum EMC protection.

“To present a solution to these issues, LAPP’s EMC cable glands ensure that the copper shielding braid at the transition into the enclosure is applied to the earth potential all around and without gaps,” explains Pullinger. “In this way, the cables and wires are connected in an EMC-compliant manner and can safely keep out interfering signals from the outside.”

“The SKINTOP MS-M BRUSH, for example, has a 360-degree brass brush, which provides low-resistance contact between the shielding braid and the gland, without causing any damage to the shielding braid,” explains Simon Pullinger, General Manager of LAPP Australia. “From the point of view of EMC, the design of cable glands, cables and connectors must be such that the connection between the cable shield and the earth potential has a low resistance. Ideally, the cable shield, together with the cable gland and the metallic enclosure wall, establishes a closed connection.

“LAPP’s SKINTOP BRUSH series is especially suitable for flexible cable diameters. The products can be installed quickly and easily while at the same time providing a high clamping range for copper shielding braids.”

Advantages of LAPP’s SKINTOP BRUSH series include: • Thousands of ring-shaped brush hairs reliably protect data streams from induced interference signals from outside.

• A large, variable clamping range makes assembly and disassembly easier and faster.

Earlier cable technologies used a shielding braid that is twisted into a pig’s tail, and only fixed at one point in the enclosure by a few fine wires. In the worst cases, this generates a high impedance over a short distance, making it less suitable for an EMC-compliant solution.

A further hurdle is posed by painted or powder-coated enclosures, which make a direct connection to the metal enclosure wall difficult.

LAPP’s SKINTOP BRUSH series has been specifically designed to provide the perfect Faraday cage environment, and protect cables against any outside electromagnetic interference. The range includes: • SKINTOP MS-M BRUSH, which provides reliable EMC protection even after dismantling and reinstallation, as the shielding braid is not damaged by the brass brush.

• SKINTOP BRUSH ADD-ON, an innovative EMC extension that is the world’s first patented, active EMC locknut. It cuts into the enclosure and at the same time offers an optimal, lowimpedance 360-degree shield contact.

• SKINTOP BRUSH ADD-ON 24, an EMC protection supplement ideally suited to cable bushing systems. It features a visible, large-area shield contact, optimum, low resistance 360-degree shield contact, and simple dismantling. www.lappaustralia.com.au

Sullair air audit service saves businesses thousands Sullair is offering a complimentary air audit service that promises to assist companies in running their operations more efficiently.

By assessing their current mechanical setup Sullair can see where energy is being lost – and offer custom solutions that aim to bring down operational costs – something which is undoubtedly front of mind for Australian businesses following an extremely difficult two years. It poses the question to the customer ‘Are you pumping money into thin air?’ and asks them to consider an air audit by way of solution for unnecessary overheads during a time of unprecedented budgetary pressure.

The service, which is generally free of charge (additional costs may occasionally apply depending on your system requirements and/or location), is available no matter where you are in the country and is run by trained Sullair technicians. Aside from the obvious cost benefits, it also promises to give customers a greater understanding of their set-up moving forward.

Shael Esler, National Service Business Manager for Sullair Australia, explains how the air auditing process works: “There could be a number of factors at play in causing valuable energy loss including air leakages, the condition of different machinery

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being operated in tandem, or even the energy level at which a machine runs during the day, versus at night. We look at the hours the machines are running, the equipment they have on site, the hours the equipment runs. We then collect data from that audit and help our customers to forward-plan based on the results. It really has a positive impact on customers building their budgets and almost always helps reduce energy bills.”

The Sullair air audit service is a flexible offering that can work for both large and small setups across a number of industries. Key benefits include: • Helping customers to improve the efficiency of their system, saving them money, time and energy.

• Helping customers gain a better understanding of their system and its needs, aiding them in making smarter equipment choices moving forward, meaning more productivity and efficiency. www.sullair.com.au

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PRODUCT NEWS

TCL Hofmann – Tackling supply chain uncertainty with 3D printing innovations TCL Hofmann has been appointed as a Stratasys Platinum Partner in Australia and New Zealand as it seeks to help Australian enterprises continue their digital manufacturing transformation journeys.

TCL Hofmann joined the Stratasys channel network in 2019 and has supplied leading-edge 3D printing technologies to manufacturing companies and organisations to help them upscale their businesses and optimise results. With strong teams in Melbourne and Sydney, and sister company TCL Hunt in New Zealand’s major cities, TCL Hofmann’s success has developed from the broad supply of quality products to a range of industries through to the highest levels of service and advisory, pre and post-sale support, and servicing.

COVID-19 has had an unprecedented impact on the manufacturing industry, testing the resilience and flexibility of manufacturers across the globe as they deal with high levels of uncertainty in production scheduling, raw material sourcing and workforce dependency.

TCL Hofmann has demonstrated its ability in delivering a strong customer service experience, and its appointment as a Stratasys Platinum Partner comes at a time when more and more Australian enterprises are embracing 3D printing. Organisations such as Cobalt Design, the Walkinshaw Andretti United (WAU) motorracing team and Bendigo Tech School have successfully adopted Stratasys technologies.

Award-winning product development group Cobalt increased its industrial design and prototyping agility by bringing two Stratasys F-series 3D printers in-house, for look-and-feel conceptualisation, mock-up development, form-fit-function tests and customer presentation purposes. While working with clients to overcome technical requirements, engineers at Cobalt leveraged the F170 and F270 3D printers to visualise geometries of clients’ requests using real thermoplastics such as ABS, TPU, and carbon-fibre infused plastics. Coupled with a Technology Adoption and Innovation Program sponsored by the Victorian Government and customer support and post-sale application consultation from TCL Hofmann, Cobalt delivers high-quality prototypes and impeccable designs to its clients.

While engineering companies gain prototyping and design capabilities with 3D printers, manufacturers find high-performance 3D printing materials helpful in replacing tools that have malfunctioned or are difficult to obtain. An example such as the supercars champion WAU demonstrates that FDM 3D printers can produce high-strength fixtures and end-use vehicle parts that are tailor-made to endure the extreme demands of motor-racing.

“3D printing technology is essential in the way we build and manufacture development parts for our supercars, so our entire team is excited to have the right tools at hand to be able to chase the ultimate glory,” said WAU Team Principal Bruce Stewart.

Working with a partner that can offer industry knowledge, innovative solution and a local footprint in the manufacturing world has brought extensive benefits to both Cobalt and WAU. However, as well as catering to these organisations’ imminent needs, 3D printing also demonstrates significant potential in preparation for future challenges and new roles.

Innovation hubs such as Bendigo Tech School are inspiring the next generation of engineering and advanced manufacturing workers with cutting-edge 3D printing technology. The Stratasys J55 Prime is a full-colour, high-fidelity professional 3D printer, with tactile, functional and sensory capabilities that allows Bendigo Tech School to enhance its innovative prototyping and entrepreneurship programs with expert application knowledge from TCL Hofmann.

Bendigo Tech School uses advanced STEM knowledge and skills to empower Victorian school students to develop the skills and capabilities they need for jobs of the future. The J55 is a resourceful tool that inspires students, teachers and staff to create original designs and acquire problem-solving skills through 3D printing.

Bendigo Tech School is thrilled to partner with TCL Hofmann to bring its full range of 3D printing technology closer to local educators and student initiatives, thereby nurturing the next generation to follow careers in STEM-related industries. www.tclhofmann.com.au

Aluminium cutters bring extra dimension Dormer Pramet has launched a new range of solid carbide end mills for aluminium and non-ferrous materials.

The additions within its Dormer S6 assortment include three and four-flutes cutters, along with several smaller diameters to its existing two-flutes offering.

The S6 assortment is particularly suited to precision and highspeed machining of aluminium and its alloys. All geometries provide high-quality surface finish, making the range suitable for airframe assembly, automotive and die & mould applications, particularly for prototyping.

All three-flute designs (S650, S614 and S654) offer smooth cutting action and reduced stress on the spindle. A four-flute option (S662) includes various corner radius designs, reinforcing the end teeth for a stronger performance.

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A differential pitch option is available on select cutters, reducing vibration, maximising productivity and tool life, while a positive rake angle enables a smooth cutting action, reducing the risk of work-hardening.

The S654 cutter features a neck recess to help avoid contact with the wall in shoulder operations and an NRA profile to break swarf into manageable smaller pieces, reducing spindle load and increasing metal removal rates. www.dormerpramet.com

PRODUCT NEWS

RMIT launches Associate Degree in Digital Technologies (Advanced Manufacturing) RMIT University has announced an exciting opportunity for workers to get involved in an Advanced Apprenticeship program supported by the Federal Government.

Digital disruption is reshaping the way we live, work and learn and we are seeing rapid changes in the skills landscape. The COVID-19 crisis has further exposed vulnerabilities and critical skills shortages across a range of sectors and has highlighted the need for rapid responses to ensure economic recovery. However, the pandemic also demonstrated that Australians are skilled up for Industry 4.0 and are equipped to thrive in a digitally-enabled world.

RMIT has limited places for existing workers to undertake the Associate Degree Digital Technologies (Advanced Manufacturing) fully funded by a Federal Government grant (at no cost to the student or employer). The program will begin in March 2022 with a cohort of students, and will run over three years part time. Organisations can nominate more than one employee to participate in the program if they are employed in a relevant role and are willing to commit to the three-year program while remaining in employment with your organisation. The Associate Degree in Digital Technologies (Advanced Manufacturing) program covers emerging

digital manufacturing technologies that will deliver the essential skills and knowledge required by Industry. This program directly aligns with initiatives by the Federal Government to incorporate Industry 4.0 technologies into Australia’s manufacturing sector, using transformative technologies to connect the physical world with the digital world.

In this qualification, students will be trained with emerging technologies including Industry 4.0, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), additive manufacturing, digital twinning, Supply Chain 4.0, Mindsphere, Smart Manufacturing, robotics, mechatronics, automation & process control, software applications and cyber-security for industrial networks.

The program is an advanced apprenticeship to teach students high-level specialist knowledge and skills to prepare them for industry jobs of the future or upskill. Alternatively, students can exit after three semesters over one-and-a-half years with a diploma qualification. www.rmit.edu.au

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PRODUCT NEWS

Cloud power – Kinetic ERP for Manufacturers Epicor has released the latest version of Epicor Kinetic, its cloud-based ERP platform for manufacturers. The new updates follow the company’s aim to build best-in-class Industry Cloud solutions to give manufacturers even more power to streamline operations and boost profitability.

As manufacturers contend with an array of challenges including operational efficiency, supply chain disruption, workforce complexities, and changing customer expectations for digital connectedness, the need for flexible, insights-driven industry productivity solutions has never been greater. In fact, according to the latest Epicor Industry Insights Report 2021, 94% of business leaders surveyed stated the cloud is critical to future-proofing their business, and 82% said COVID-19 had accelerated their cloud migration plans.

The latest release of Epicor Kinetic addresses these challenges head-on, and is built to deliver a variety of capabilities that bring the back-office into the hands of frontline business users – including expanded cloud options for large manufacturers, new features to improve insight and productivity, and an enhanced user experience.

Epicor Kinetic now offers a new Epicor Cloud Enterprise Services package for large manufacturers that contend with uniquely complex bills of materials (BOMs) and Material Resource Planning (MRP) requirements. With the new services package, large manufacturers gain greater control and flexibility to manage multiple plants and facilities worldwide on a scalable and secure cloud platform. The solution also delivers state-of-the-art computing power, customisable cloud infrastructure,

and access to premium support expertise to accelerate sophisticated global manufacturing processes.

An array of newly integrated, industryfocused modules and upgrades are available in the latest release, delivering greater capability for quoting, estimating, and eCommerce. Features include: • Integration of Epicor CPQ (the new name for KBMax): Epicor CPQ delivers an impactful visual buying experience on the web to easily handle complex product rules, automatically sync bill of operations and materials, and speed up time to quote through to production. Epicor CPQ is also available with Epicor Commerce Connect, the eCommerce solution built for Epicor Kinetic users.

• SecturaSOFT: Epicor Kinetic connects to the SecturaFAB estimating and quoting tool for metal fabrication manufacturers, delivering graphical representation and nesting logic that significantly speeds the quote generation process. Customers benefit from optimised runtimes, welding costs, complex cutting operations, and more.

• Amazon and eBay Connection: Epicor EDI, a B2B integration module, connects Epicor Kinetic to

Amazon and eBay, enabling users who enter large numbers of orders to automate order entry processing.

The integrations also provide realtime inventory visibility and expedited fulfillment.

With a variety of user experience upgrades across the platform, the latest release provides a more personalised experience to improve engagement and productivity.

From customisations to enhanced low/ no-code configurations within the Epicor Application Studio tool, every upgrade can be adopted at a customer’s own pace to minimise business disruption. This upgrade is complemented with more than 56 new hands-on trainings that are seamlessly integrated into the platform. www.epicor.com/australia

WIDIA – M1600 face milling for various set-ups WIDIA has announced the release of the M1600 face mill for roughing to semi-finishing operations in steel, stainless steel, cast iron and nodular iron materials.

With 16 cutting edges and a smart insert design, the M1600 performs in various machining conditions including low-power machines, unstable, non-rigid set ups, long overhangs, weak machines or weak fixture conditions.

“Face milling is one of the most common machining operations, so we designed a versatile and cost-effective solution that delivers substantial improvements in metal removal rates in steel and cast iron for our customers,” said Anna Kim, Indexable Milling Global Portfolio Manager at WIDIA. “The M1600 represents a turnkey solution for general engineering, energy and automotive customers who want to reduce their face milling tooling inventory and increase their machining outputs.”

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designed for cast iron materials and performs best in dry applications but can also be used in wet conditions. The universal WU20PM grade can be used for the machining of steel, stainless steel and high-temperature alloys in both dry and wet applications.

The 16-edged, precision-ground insert with a positive geometry enables low cutting forces and low power consumption resulting in higher tool life and an excellent cost per edge. The M1600 has one universal insert geometry in three versatile grades: WP35CM, WK15CM and WU20PM. The WP35CM grade targets all types of steels, while the WK15CM grade is

The ‘smart’ insert design features a seating surface below the cutting edge that promotes smooth chip flow and reduces cutting forces on the tool. The insert also has a curved cutting edge and is axially positive resulting in reduced power consumption.

These key design features coupled with 16 cutting edges make M1600 an economical face milling option. M1600 face mills are available in six metric diameter ranges between 50mm and 160mm. www.widia.com

HIGH-SPEED, HIGH PRODUCTIVITY

MB-5000HII

Horizontal Machining Centre

Okuma MB-5000HII is a high-speed, thermally-stable horizontal machining centre that offers quick acceleration, short tool change time, and high power to improve productivity.

Compared to the previous model, this machine’s powerful cutting capabilities and high-speed automation increase productivity and reduce cycle time by 25 percent, while the 20 percent smaller footprint maximizes valuable shop floor space.

MODEL Travels (X-Y-Z) Table Spindle Speed Tool Storage Floor Space

PUT ALL THE PIECES TOGETHER, OKUMA JUST MAKES SENSE

MB-5000HII 760 x 760 x 810 mm 500mm x 500mm 15,000min-1 (26kW) 64 tool (Disc type) 2540 x 5620 mm

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AUTOMOTIVE

Aussie aftermarket sector steams ahead

Worldwide cuts in automobile production, coupled with global semi-conductor shortages, are causing delays in new vehicle releases for an Australian aftermarket sector keen to manufacture accessories. Nonetheless, some companies are still steaming ahead, and business is booming. By Carole Goldsmith.

Global sales of automobiles are projected to fall to just under 70 million units in 2021, down from a 2017 peak of almost 80 million, according to a recent report from Statista, Automotive Industry Worldwide. However, Isabel Wagner, Research Lead at Statista, forecasts that the global automotive industry will grow to just under US$9 trillion by 2030, with new vehicle sales expected to account for about 38% of this value.

International carbon reduction initiatives such as the Paris Agreement have led to several countries enacting stricter emission controls on new vehicle models. Wagner reports that automakers are beginning to expand their business into the electric mobility sector, with one in three new cars sold expected to be driven or assisted by an electric battery by 2025. The COVID-19 crisis has caused work stoppages in the automotive and other industries globally, though many factories have recently reopened. The pandemic has also caused a shortage of semi-conductor chips for many industries, including the auto sector. The Statista report predicts that electronic systems will account for half of the total price of a new car by 2030.

The Auto Innovation Centre (AIC) is an initiative of the Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association (AAAA), with support from the Federal and State Governments. Luke Truskinger, Managing Director of the AIC, agrees with the Statista research that, with fewer vehicles being made globally and amid the semi-conductor drought, new car production is greatly delayed.

“The waiting times for new vehicles can be over 12 months,” says Truskinger. “The Australian auto aftermarket sector relies heavily on having new cars available so they can manufacture products for these vehicles. We have a lot of work coming up with the release of the new Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series, expected this December.

Aftermarket companies are waiting for its release to get on top of the LandCruiser’s accessory market for their customers.”

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The AIC has purchased a LandCruiser, and upon delivery will strip it down and 3D scan it. Aftermarket companies will be able to purchase the data to help their own product development, instead of needing to purchase or gain access to a 300 Series themselves.

The AIC will then assist companies to install their products to the LandCruiser for research & development (R&D).

Truskinger, who trained as a mechanical engineer and has an extensive career in automotive engineering, adds that the AIC has state-of-the-art equipment to carry out testing for stability control, brake and custom dynamic vehicle testing on newly developed aftermarket products, to Australian Design Rule (ADR) requirements.

The AIC’s Victorian branch, located at the AAAA’s national office in Mulgrave in Melbourne’s south-east, opened in December 2019.

The South Australia satellite AIC, launched in April 2021 to support SA aftermarket businesses, is conveniently located in Edinburgh Park, in Adelaide’s north, near like-minded companies such as hyper-car manufacturer Brabham Automotive.

“At the Melbourne AIC, we have a fleet of vehicles on-site, plus equipment that enables us to conduct a range of product-level testing including vibration, tensile strength, hydraulic durability, and a shock dyno,” explains Truskinger. “Although we focus on automotive, our equipment can be used by any industry requiring this type of testing.”

Using its premium-quality scanning equipment, the AIC engineering team take 3D scans of the latest new vehicles on site, which enables aftermarket manufacturers to jump straight on to the next stage of their product development.

“As an example of how this works, we will tear down and scan a new vehicle and produce a high-quality data pack that is vital to the design of a frontal protection system,” advises Truskinger.

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Luke Truskinger, Managing Director of the Auto Innovation Centre (AIC).

The AIC’s Victorian branch in Mulgrave, south-east Melbourne, opened in December 2019.

“If the customer is developing roof racks, towbars, service bodies, suspension systems, brakes, exhausts, or virtually any other component, we also have data packs to suit, or can generate as required.”

A group of 24 Australian automotive aftermarket manufacturers and service suppliers are listed as ‘AIC Champion Companies’ on the AIC’s website. Truskinger explains that each champion contributed to the feasibility study for the AIC as a centre for excellence for the automotive industry, showing just how much they support the industry.

Continued next page

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AUTOMOTIVE & MOTORSPORT

Every towbar produced by Allin is custom-designed for the vehicle to which it will be fitted.

The AIC has a range of state-of-the-art equipment to carry out various vehicle testing processes to assist aftermarket manufacturers.

Continued from previous page

“The AIC is very grateful to these champions for their contribution to the initial study,” he says. “And for their ongoing involvement in our centre, sharing valuable knowledge with each other and with our other customers.

Speaking on the many opportunities for manufacturers in the auto aftermarket, Truskinger advises: “During the pandemic, consumers have been spending a lot more money on accessorising their vehicles and on holidaying in Australia. Our customers are also telling us that due to long delays in imported goods, Australianmade vehicle accessories are in high demand both now, and hopefully in the future”

Allin Towbars – Business is booming Business is booming for Adelaide manufacturer Allin Towbars – one of the Auto Innovation Centre (AIC)’s Champion Companies. Allin has achieved a 25% growth in sales in the past 12 months, and employee numbers have increased from 20 to 30 in the past five years.

Managing Director Penni Donato emphasises that 30% of the company’s employees are female: “Although they are not working in trades and manufacturing at the factory, but in customer service and in administration, we are certainly open to training both male and female apprentices in fabrication and auto electrical work.”

Allin supplies the automotive trade and general public with towbar design, engineering, manufacturing, supply and installations. Its employees manufacture hundreds of types of towbars, custombuilt for many different vehicles. These towbars are fitted directly to the car, either at the workshop, from mobile vans, or by resellers in their workshops. The company is a one-stop shop supplying rear steps, SmartBars, Bull-Bars, electric brakes, dual-battery systems, towing mirrors plus other caravan and 4WD accessories. They are also proud stockists and installers for ARB, SmartBar and Redarc.

Allin was established in 1946, with Donato’s father Ron Gynell buying the business in 1983.

“When Dad passed in 2014, there was no succession plan in place,” she recalls. “Our accountant told us to either run the company ourselves or see it fold, so my three sisters and I decided to give it a go operating the business. I was the only one with a bit of management background, and even though engineering and fabrication wasn’t my skill set – I worked in food technology before Allin – I took on the management role. Kimberly (Gynell) is a silent partner, while Kylie (Walden) handles accounts and Samantha (Smithson) does the online store and marketing. Our brother-in law Grant is Operations Manager for our towbar installation area.”

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Allin’s factory in Richmond, South Australia.

“I quickly realised that the ‘blokey’ culture was pretty toxic and there were many things that needed to change in the business.

So I decided to take on the MBA at Adelaide University and do the job with increased management skills and knowledge. That took me four years to complete and it was a very steep learning curve.”

Donato completed the MBA and a Company Directors course in 2020, and slowly but surely, a change in mindset began to emerge at Allin: “Suppliers and customers returned and we helped empower the employees to grow the business.”

Donato explains how every towbar produced by Allin is customdesigned for the vehicle to which it is fitted: “Each towbar is specially designed for each model. That is why mass-produced imported products are not suitable, as there’s no such thing as a universal towbar. It takes us five days to make a new design towbar for batch production, which includes design, fabrication, and ADR testing. There’s also the wiring component, if the towbar’s being connected to a caravan for example, to power up the fridge and other electrical parts. That’s why we employ auto electricians as part of the installation team.”

Allin has recently expanded its engineering services with two mechanical engineers on its team now. It is also a licensed testing facility to carry out ADR static testing, which enables Allin to do towbar load testing independently and for its customers.

The AIC has been a very valuable facility for Allin, says Donato: “We all have the same problems, such as the guys building the bull-bar at the front of the car and us building the towbar at the back. You start pulling things apart, and all of sudden, the sensors don’t work and you can’t get them back together. Rather than us spending a month trying to work out what the problem is, it’s easy to call the lab and ask if anyone else has had this same problem. Then we can share the solution, and it’s all about the aftermarket manufacturers, collaborating and sharing information.”

AUTOMOTIVE & MOTORSPORT Allin Towbars is owned and managed by four sisters (from left): Samantha Smithson, Kimberley Gynell, Kylie Walden, and Managing Director Penni Donato.

Looking forward, expansion is part of Allin’s short-term strategy.

“Whether we stay here, move or expand part of the business, is all on the cards,” says Donato. “We’ve already started to sub-let a storage place locally because we’re bursting at the seams. PostCOVID, we have grown 25% thanks to the caravanning and 4WD demand, and the increase in Australian motor enthusiasts buying our Australian-made towbars and products. We are widely known as a female and family-friendly business with a fun, positive “cando” attitude that radiates throughout the organisation.”

Walkinshaw – Delivering 9,000 vehicles per year Walkinshaw Automotive Group’s Managing Director Joel Stoddart is widely known in the Australian automotive sector as the expert to go to about Holden Special Vehicles (HSVs). He’s spent most of his career, spanning some 20 years, leading engineering, operations and product planning at HSV, until Holden closed its doors in 2020, and Stoddart took on his current role.

“We were making around 3,000 HSVs annually,” says Stoddart.

“But now we are producing around 9,000 different vehicles each year here at Walkinshaw. Most of those are left- to -right-handside drive conversions for our customers, including General Motors Specialty Vehicles (GMSV), and some of the most popular vehicles sell for up to $160,000.

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Joel Stoddart, Managing Director of Walkinshaw Automotive Group.

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Walkinshaw’s Clayton site consists of three buildings, comprising 6,500sqm of engineering and design facilities, and 25,000sqm of advanced manufacturing across three assembly lines.

Continued from previous page

“We also do a performance up-fit for Volkswagen. They supply us with a complete vehicle and we transform it, enhancing the interior, wheels, tyres and suspension. Volkswagen is now co-branding with Walkinshaw with the release this year of the Volkswagen Amarok Walkinshaw W580, a four-door light commercial vehicle.

That’s really big for Walkinshaw, co-branding with such a wellknown global company, and there’s even a ‘Walkinshaw Station’ TV commercial by Volkswagen promoting the W580.”

Racing car driver and automotive entrepreneur Tom Walkinshaw teamed up with Holden in the late 1980s to produce HSVs and so Walkinshaw Automotive Group was born. Since Tom passed away in 2010, his son Ryan and widow Martine have served as directors of the company, which remains privately owned by the family. Located in Clayton, in Melbourne’s east, Walkinshaw today employs more than 700 people.

In 2018, the company purchased New Age Caravans, which has an additional 300 employees in Epping, in Melbourne’s north. New Age has quickly integrated Walkinshaw’s automotive expertise in engineering, design and manufacturing to introduce a new level of innovation to the recreational vehicle industry. The Walkinshaw Andretti United and Walkinshaw Racing side of the business offers the racing car industry excellence in engine development and race car restoration, as well as operating a successful Supercars team.

With a comprehensive design studio and advanced engineering facilities with a team of 65 engineers, Walkinshaw offers a wide range of advanced manufacturing services to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Walkinshaw’s Clayton site consists of three buildings, comprising 6,500sqm of engineering and design facilities, and 25,000sqm of advanced manufacturing across three assembly lines. The company prides itself on its tear-down, production and end-of-life testing, which meet or exceed OEM quality benchmarks.

“When OEMs ask us to design a special-edition vehicle, we can do that from the design concept to a full-sized car, and work collaboratively with them to bring niche vehicles to life,” advises Stoddart.

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Walkinshaw offers a wide range of advanced manufacturing services to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).

“The future is exciting for Walkinshaw with plans for working with OEMs including electric and autonomous vehicles on the horizon.

We are always looking for new opportunities and it’s great to be keeping the Australian automotive industry alive.” www.autoic.com.au www.allintowbars.com.au www.walkinshawgroup.com

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Simulation speeds rollcage design process The need for speed is what racing is all about. However, before cars even make it onto the tracks, the teams, vehicle fabricators and component manufacturers must ensure that the vehicles are safe – and adhere to the strict regulations set forth by the appropriate governing bodies.

Just ask Brett Longhurst, owner and Managing Director of Bremar Automotion. Based in Carrum Downs, Victoria, his company provides simulation, testing, validation, and design optimisation services to customers across many industries, including automotive and motorsport.

In particular, Bremar is accredited by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) the world governing body for motorsport, to certify vehicles’ rollcages using finite element analysis (FEA). This accreditation enables the company to independently certify rollcages for competition use both here in Australia and internationally.

Life savers Rollcages protect occupants from being injured in roll-overs and other accidents that sometimes occur in the heat of competition.

They can vary greatly in design, depending on the level of racing and the type of racecar. For example, a rollcage for the Australian V8 Supercar Series – based around General Motors and Ford production cars – is very different from a rollcage built for off-road racing vehicles.

Depending upon the type of vehicle and race category, there are also different requirements on which bars, materials and types of reinforcement are used.

“The rollcage regulations that we work to generally depend on the vehicle weight,” says Longhurst.

He adds that the grade of material often governs the complexity of rollcage design. For instance, a cage made out of lower-grade steel will usually require thicker material and more tubes, which generally leads to a heavier structure. A higher-grade steel such as chromoly, however, has a much higher strength, so the tubes can be thinner to reduce the overall weight of the rollcage structure, but would come at a greater cost for materials and fabrication time.

Bremar Automotion created this rollcage design concept and CAD overlay for a Side By Side (SxS) off-road race buggy.

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“Like any engineering design, the factors affecting product development, such as weight, strength and cost, are always playing off each other and have conflicting impacts on the design,” continues Longhurst.

Design and certification When customers approach Bremar Automotion about developing a new rollcage, the first step in product development is often to perform a 3D scan of the vehicle and/or its interior to determine where the rollcage will be placed. The Bremar team then packages specified vehicle sub-systems and components within a CAD model – including information on the driver and steering wheel, among others – and provides an initial rollcage design and tube sizing.

In some cases, a mock-up of the rollcage is created with plastic tubing to ensure that the driver can get into and out of the car, that there’s sufficient head clearance, and that the rollcage is not impeding the driver’s ability to steer or reach vehicle controls. It’s often difficult to judge these ergonomic factors in CAD, so a physical mock-up in the vehicle is often the simplest and most accurate way for the driver and team to confirm it meets the requirements.

Once the team is satisfied with the design, a drawing of the rollcage is submitted to the governing body for the racing category.

“Before we go through the process of doing the analysis and building the rollcage, we want to get confirmation that it is actually compliant with all other aspects of the regulations,” says Longhurst.

Once the governing body provides in-principle support for the design, Bremar creates FEA models of the rollcage, applies the various load cases, and assesses the results against the required acceptance criteria. If the rollcage doesn’t initially meet the requirements, the analyst can easily alter the design by thickening a tube or placing a bar in a different location and rerunning the simulation.

Once the design has been approved, the rollcage is built by the customer or manufacturer. If there are any changes made during the build process, Bremar updates the simulation models and does another round of FEA to ensure that the final as-built structure is still compliant with all the requirements before issuing a certification report.

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Rollcage and test fixtures designed in CAD, and the physical test setup.

Matching simulation to physical testing To obtain accreditation for the FIA’s “Technical List no.35”, Bremar was required to construct and test a full-size rollcage by applying the FIA’s specified rollcage loads to the structure. Destructive testing was used to confirm the accuracy of the company’s computer modelling methods, and to demonstrate competency to the FIA.

The company, for example, is now conducting virtual wind tunnel testing. It performs external aerodynamic analysis on vehicles and aerodynamic components using HyperWorks Virtual Wind Tunnel, and is using Altair AcuSolve to perform fluid flow analysis on engine manifolds and brake ducts, among other components.

Bremar engineers developed a rollcage design for a vehicle weighing approximately 1,200kg and conducted the necessary simulations to ensure it met FIA requirements. They then had the cage constructed ready for physical testing, where it was instrumented with multiple sensors and gauges to measure deflection and strain at various locations during the different tests. Loads were applied as per the FEA simulations, which were in the order of 10 tons.

Multi Body Dynamics (MBD) simulation is also heavily utilised at Bremar to model complex automotive mechanisms such as seating, suspension and steering systems, and even to simulate the handling of complete vehicles and large truck combinations on rough road surfaces. These MBD analyses are also able to generate loads on components, which can be fed into detailed FEA stress and fatigue analysis models, as is commonly used for Bremar’s work in the aftermarket suspension and GVM (gross vehicle mass) upgrade industries.

Additional tests were also conducted in excess of the FIA requirements in order to further validate Bremar’s FEA modelling methods, with loads in excess of 20 tons resulting in over 75mm of deflection in the rollcage structure.

Bremar correlated the results of the physical testing with its nonlinear FEA simulations, which were performed using Altair RADIOSS. According to Longhurst, there was a close correlation between the physical structure and computer simulations, providing a high level of confidence in Bremar’s FEA methods for rollcages and other similar structures.

The efficiency factor The time and cost required to perform physical testing of any product, component or system can often be prohibitive. However, simulation methods such as those that Bremar utilises for its rollcage certifications enable its customers to optimise and validate their designs before ever making a physical part, providing enormous efficiency gains in terms of development time and costs. Moreover, correlated simulation results demonstrate that the products will perform as predicted.

Many small and medium-sized companies, including racing organisations, don’t have access to leading-edge resources such as this, which is where Bremar fits in, providing the technology and services that bring its customers up to speed in the way they’re designing, developing and manufacturing their products.

“We sell software we use,” says Longhurst. “So we can support our clients either through consulting services, or by helping them develop their own in-house capability through software sales, training and mentoring.

“I think it’s a real strength, and one of Bremar’s differentiators, that we can bring such a broad range of technology and ‘big company’ experience into these businesses. It enables the use of advanced simulation methods, along with modern design and manufacturing techniques – and allows customers to realise actual time and cost savings on their projects, which is always really rewarding to see.” www.bremarauto.com

Longhurst says: “That gives us a high level of confidence that we can use simulation to develop and validate designs, and that our analysis methods are providing accurate results.”

Pushing the boundaries After more than 15 years operating in the industry, and staffed by a team with decades of simulation experience in large automotive OEMs, Bremar has seen simulation capabilities advance over the years.

“When we started our company, we were performing more basic analysis for our customers,” says Longhurst. “Now, with advancement in the software and greater awareness of computer aided engineering (CAE) in general, I feel we’re really pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved and increasing the reliance on simulation for our clients.”

Altair Virtual Wind Tunnel enables engineers to analyse a Speads RS10 sportscar to assess downforce and radiator airflow.

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What can we learn from the great chip famine?

On 19 August 2021, Toyota, the world’s largest car manufacturer by volume, announced it would cut production by 40% in September, in response to the global shortage of microchips. For some experts, this announcement confirms the worst is yet to come from the great chip famine. John Young assesses what’s in store next for manufacturing.

The automotive sector has been hit especially hard, but few will escape the clutches of the global chip shortage. Recent predictions, unfortunately, suggest the worst might be yet to come.

Singapore-based Flex, the world’s third-largest electronics contract manufacturer, recently released a pessimistic forecast predicting the crisis will last for at least another year. A similar prediction was made by the head of Intel, which itself manufactures chips.

So, how did we end up like this?

Anatomy of a perfect storm The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc in global value chains but is only one factor in this multi-faceted drama. The current situation is the outcome of a perfect storm of demand and supply factors, a storm that has decimated what with hindsight looks like a house of cards.

On the supply side of the equation, the following statistic demonstrates the scale of reliance on a small number of Asian chip manufacturers. As much as 70% of the world’s semiconductors are manufactured by just two companies, Taiwan Semiconductor (TSMC) and Samsung. In retrospect, economic historians will probably balk at the world’s overreliance on one or two companies for the supply of a component that is crucial to so many technologies.

The supply has also been disrupted by an unfortunate series of disasters, from a drought in Taiwan, to a flood in Texas, to a fire in Japan. It may be disputed whether these were natural disasters, or consequences of climate change brought about by human action.

One supply side factor that is certainly man-made is the ongoing US-China trade war. In anticipation of the measures introduced during the administration of former president Donald Trump, Chinese tech giants like Huawei had been stockpiling chips in preparation for future shortages.

On the demand side of the equation, we can see the impact of COVID-19 more clearly. Lockdowns led to a surge in demand for consumer electronics, while automakers scaled back production, expecting that the economic downturn would mean fewer sales of new cars.

When demand for new cars rebounded strongly at the end of 2020, the automotive sector, which relies on a fragile just-in-time supply chain, moved to rebook the orders it had previously cancelled.

However, the foundries were already operating at full capacity to meet the increased demand and automakers found themselves queuing behind the electronics manufacturers who had taken their place. The final straw on the demand side of the equation was the sharp rise in Bitcoin prices in early 2021. This had a knockon effect on demand for the graphics processing units that are used for mining the digital currency, adding further strain to the semiconductor shortages.

However, semiconductor manufacturing is uniquely complex and expensive. The entry barriers are astronomically high, with upfront investments of more than US$10bn required to set up a foundry and a minimum wait of three years to become production-ready.

Over 90% of the world’s advanced chips are produced in Asia and recent moves suggest that region will remain the powerhouse for many years to come. US semiconductor manufacturer GlobalFoundries, the third-largest chipmaker in the world, recently announced a fresh US4bn investment in Singapore.

What next for manufacturing?

With no quick-fix solution on the horizon, manufacturers might find that they will have to halt or slow production, but they might also change their approach to equipment purchases. The price of new equipment that uses semiconductors is set to rise. Manufacturers could consider postponing expensive equipment upgrades, by adopting alternative strategies.

The crisis is not expected to abate any time soon, with some of the more gloomy forecasts predicting that these supply and demand issues will not be resolved fully until 2023. Actions by Western governments are indicative of one potential outcome: a move toward reshoring production.

Now is a pressing time to make sure your factory’s obsolescence management plan is up to date. If equipment is set to rise in cost due to the chip shortage, then postponing or delaying full system overhauls for the next year or two – until the situation recovers a level of normalcy – might be a preferrable option.

The logic behind reshoring is clear, given the strategic value of semiconductors and their role in military applications. US President Joe Biden has passed an executive order in response to the crisis and pledged US$37bn to cover the short-term costs of rebuilding and securing US supplies.

It is also a good idea to carry out a full audit of all equipment and components, so you can plan ahead for potential shortages of parts. Pairing with a reliable automation parts supplier like EU Automation will mean you can source obsolete equipment parts and keep legacy equipment running longer.

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AUTOMOTIVE & MOTORSPORT

Another viable strategy is to retrofit your legacy equipment. Many automation parts like variable speed drives or smart sensors can be retrofitted to existing legacy equipment, giving your facility the benefits of greater automation without the higher capital costs of full system overhauls.

Of course, the wider lesson in all of this is to diversify your supply chain. Although extensive reshoring might not be likely, there is some talk or regionalisation emerging in response to this crisis. We have seen the benefits of having sites in four strategic locations – the UK, the US, Germany and Singapore, allowing us to remain agile in the face of shocks to our supply.

In every crisis lies a lesson and an opportunity. Toyota was able to hold on without halting production for longer than many other manufacturers, in part because it revised its strategy following the Fukushima nuclear disaster of 2011. Let’s hope that manufacturers can derive important lessons from the great chip famine of 2021, and leave global value chains better prepared for the next storm that will inevitably come.

John Young is Sales Director (APAC) at EU Automation. www.euautomation.com

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How 3D printing makes McLaren go faster Since its founding by Bruce McLaren in 1963, McLaren Racing has relied on state-of-the-art manufacturing technology, so it was no surprise when it teamed up with Stratasys to push its use of additive manufacturing (AM) to the next level.

The competitive nature of Formula 1 (F1) racing pushes teams to develop the best solutions possible in their quest to reach the winner’s circle. Using tools like AM, F1 racing has become an inspiration to other enterprises on how to maintain the lead in their own industry.

In F1, every gram of weight is critical. But simply cutting weight is not the only thing the McLaren team has to watch out for. The safety of the driver is of utmost importance as well. For this reason, it’s crucial for engineers to ensure they are meticulous in their approach regarding how loadbearing features of the car’s suspension are bonded together. Too much adhesive and the car will be slower, giving the other teams a chance to pull ahead. Too little adhesive is not an option either.

In one clever example, McLaren printed clear surrogate suspension parts to practice the bonding process. The clear material lets technicians see how the adhesive spreads when parts are pressed together and provides visibility to the integrity of the bond joint – something that’s not possible with opaque materials.

They can refine the technique with the right amount of adhesive, safeguarding against an insufficient amount but also eliminating excess weight.

By taking advantage of the VeroUltraClear material on the Stratasys J850 PolyJet printer, McLaren successfully used transparent 3D-printed test parts to ensure their bonding processes are accurate before the final components

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enter production. Using AM for innovative solutions like this helps McLaren finetune manufacturing processes, reducing costs.

“This tool allows us to quickly verify the bonding process integrity between a composite suspension wishbone and its mating metal end fitting,” says Neil Oatley, Design & Development Director at McLaren.

“Using AM, rather than machining metal or polymer, allows us to achieve a component quickly with less personnel involved. Less time, fewer people, less material, less wastage.”

The J850 printer enables McLaren to create high-resolution wind tunnel models for aerodynamic research. The technical team uses them to make small mechanical adjustments to prototyped parts. This results in a race-ready car faster than testing iterations on full production vehicle components. Using PolyJet technology gives McLaren the ability to reduce time from initial design to physical part, and offers something other technologies cannot – flexible, durable parts.

The flexibility of certain PolyJet materials allows the team to make small mechanical adjustments in the wind tunnel to find ideal solutions without having to rebuild the parts. Using GrabCAD Print software, engineers can vary the stiffness of different regions of the model. This adjustability reduces time spent producing and finishing parts for the wind tunnel and allows more time for designing and testing.

“Speed is as crucial off the track as it is on the track,” says Piers Thynne, Executive

Director – Operations at McLaren Racing.

“An F1 car is made up of around 16,000 parts and on average, one part is upgraded every 15 minutes, so speed of production is really key. From the traditional first race of the season in Australia to the final race in Abu Dhabi, we expect 85% of the designed parts of the car to change. It is a constant race against time not only on the track but in the factory too.”

Printing production parts Like other race teams, McLaren uses composites for aerodynamic parts of their racecars because they’re lightweight but strong. In some cases, however, there isn’t time to fabricate these parts due to the hours required to make new lay-up tools and cure the composite material. The need for alternative parts that are light but strong and stiff led McLaren to employ 3D printing instead, using FDM Nylon 12CF material. This composite thermoplastic contains chopped carbonfibre, resulting in parts with exceptional strength and rigidity.

Although traditional composites may result in a lighter part in some cases, the time savings afforded by 3D printing makes the extra weight worth it.

In one example, McLaren was able to go from CAD model to physical part in just five days, for a task that previously took 29 days. Instead of racing with inadequate parts on their car for numerous races, engineers were able to have optimised 3D-printed parts on the vehicle for the next week’s race. 3D printing saved approximately 25% in cost compared with

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traditional counterparts. This improved workflow means McLaren can replace critical components in time for the next race, increasing overall performance and reducing expenses.

Composite 3D-printed parts must go through McLaren’s rigorous quality tests just like their traditional counterparts.

The value of 3D printing and GrabCAD Print software is the ability to adjust print settings as needed to optimise the part, and makes it extremely easy to assign different toolpaths to individual portions of the CAD model. GrabCAD Print works with all common CAD formats and allows users to leave manufacturing notes on the part to help with communication between engineers and machine operators.

The bottom line: Cost For many manufacturing businesses, time is important but ultimately cost is king.

McLaren F1 has found that 3D printing production parts turns the economics completely on its head. It’s not only faster to print, but in some circumstances, it’s cheaper. The reason lies in the fact that by eliminating tooling from the manufacturing process, a major source of cost has also been removed.

This was the case in the development of front brake ducts that help channel air into the braking system and manage the flow entering the front of the car. These parts not only resulted in a 60% faster lead time but were also 86% cheaper.

F1 cars are noted for their aerodynamic features. They enhance performance by providing additional downforce to keep the car stable, create dirty air to disturb competitors’ cars, and cool heat-critical components. However, when the car isn’t moving, certain components still need airflow. Since the vehicles do not have large radiator fans like those found in production automobiles, they need forced supplemental airflow when the car is parked.

McLaren cools the rear of the engine bay using 3D-printed parts. They’re used when the car is stationary, such as when in the garage, between practice runs, or prior to the start of the race. To neatly interface with an electric fan inlet, McLaren prints parts that mate appropriately into the original

design of the car. This keeps the engine and its airflow-dependent components from overheating and damage. McLaren produces only two or three sections of their duct design per year. Instead of resorting to traditional manufacturing processes such as composite assembly or metal fabrication, they save time and expense by 3D printing them.

satisfying multiple objectives: protection for equipment; lightweighting for easier usability; and easy customisation for ergonomic comfort and safety. This type of application is not limited to tool covers, but also fixtures such as conformal soft jaws and testing equipment. McLaren has learned the only thing that limits the application is the imagination.

“Essentially this allows us to build a very complex part quickly and without tooling,” Oatley explains. “We can iterate design details to hone in on the best-performing ergonomic solution very quickly without investing in multiple tooling options to arrive at a final design, before we commit to long term production composite components.”

Some of the more difficult parts to make on F1 cars are composite tubes and ducts.

Fabricating these parts usually requires complex tools or clamshell moulds. But both methods have drawbacks and in some cases, the parts can’t even be made with traditional tooling. In this situation, McLaren uses sacrificial cores to make the parts. The soluble core forms a mould of the duct’s internal shape, and is 3D printed using ST-130 sacrificial tooling material.

The mould is then wrapped in carbonfibre.

Once the composite material is cured it’s immersed in a dissolution tank where the sacrificial mould dissolves, leaving behind the desired composite duct. This application is a fast, simple way to make small batches of custom, high-performance parts and is a great alternative to the time and cost of making traditional tooling.

Tooling Every profession has specialised tools, with equally specialised price tags. F1 racing is no different. One such tool is the wheel gun, which removes and installs the car’s tires during a pitstop faster than you can blink. This tool needs to function efficiently and repeatedly since the average pitstop is about 2.5 seconds. In F1, a few extra milliseconds during a pitstop can mean dropping position or losing the race entirely.

It’s a critical piece of pit hardware and needs to be protected. But it also has to be ergonomic to allow the tire changers to do their job smoothly and without strain.

To achieve both goals, McLaren 3D printed a custom wheel gun shell. Rugged FDM thermoplastic material prevents the expensive electropneumatic gun from being damaged as it’s moved around the pit area. Along with that, 3D printing’s design freedom lets McLaren configure the shell for maximum comfort and usability.

It’s a perfect example of how FDM technology is a good fit for tooling,

McLaren maximises 3D printing’s capabilities to get better results and go faster. But it’s not some specialised technology limited to only F1 racing teams. Rather, it’s a tool that virtually any business in any industry can leverage to improve processes and ultimately, the bottom line. McLaren exemplifies how 3D printing benefits one company. But any business could just as easily reap the same advantages. www.stratasys.com.au www.objective3d.com.au www.mclaren.com

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EVOS: EV charging, made in Brisbane EVOS, a start-up specialising in charging for electric vehicles (EVs), recently secured $1.7m in funding to design and manufacture its home and fleet charging equipment in Brisbane.

The investment will enable EVOS to commercialise its chargers and energy management software platform in Australia and export them to the world, with interest already expressed in its offerings abroad.

One of the two major investors in EVOS is Autostrada, which has 30 years of manufacturing experience in the automotive sector in Australia. EVOS was founded by Marcelo Salgado, now its CEO and Chief Commercial Officer; Seshan Weeratunga, Chief Experience & Innovation Officer; and Chris Crossman, Chief Technology Officer.

The founders have significant experience in the EV sector, having held senior positions at Tritium, one of the world’s leading EV DC charging manufacturers, based in Brisbane. Salgado and Weeratunga each held executive roles at the company, while Crossman was a founding member of Tritium’s engineering team and recently worked for Boeing.

“We’re looking forward to using this investment to commercialise our products and deliver Australian businesses and the world an easy solution to their home and workplace charging needs,” says S algado.

“Australia has an exceptional engineering and manufacturing track record, and EVs and charging offers the nation an opportunity to continue that tradition in a new sector. Our investors feel the same way, and we can’t wait to take our solutions to homes and fleets across Australia and into overseas markets.”

The funding will be used to hire a further nine engineers to build out and finetune the company’s home and fleet chargers as well as its software platform. The EVOS Fleet Home 22 AC Charger and the dualcharge equivalent, the EVOS Twin, are designed and engineered in Australia and built to meet the requirements of homes and fleets, and to be easily installable at homes. Vehicles are stationary for most of the time and AC charging allows businesses and fleets to utilise idle time at night (up to ten hours) or during work hours to charge cars as economically as possible.

The EVOS ecosystem manages the best time, speed and rate to charge vehicles, reducing demand on chargers and the cost of upgrading infrastructure.

“It’s designed to be simple to install and uninstall, so even employees could uninstall a charger in their garage,” says Crossman.

“It can withstand outdoor weather conditions, is IP65-rated and updates to the underlying software are delivered over the air via Wi-Fi. But more than that, it’s safe and it’s reliable for homes and fleets alike.”

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The founders of EVOS: Chief Technology Officer Chris Crossman; Chief Experience & Innovation Officer Seshan Weeratunga; and CEO and Chief Commercial Officer Marcelo Salgado.

Each AC Charger will be manufactured in Brisbane through Circuit Solutions, Autostrada’s manufacturing arm.

“Circuit Solutions’ manufacturing line is 100% powered by solar,” said Weeratunga.

“As governments look to achieve net-zero targets, they should look towards EVs and ultimately EVOS to help them get there.”

EVOS’ patent-pending Smart Start system provides a simple way of managing EV charging without the need for RFID tags, smartphone apps or fuel cards. Designed with fleets in mind, Smart Start allows EVOS and its customers to collect rich data from the driver, car, charger and grid, providing a 360-degree view of the energy used in electric fleets. It can also automatically authenticate the vehicle, with the following benefits: • Reduces cost by eliminating third-party authentication software.

• Only allows authorised cars to utilise the asset.

• Enables roaming on EV charging networks.

• Allocates details of the energy used to a connected vehicle account for invoicing.

• Can be used as a payment system on other networks.

“We’ve had significant experience in this space and one of the biggest challenges we saw for everyday drivers and fleets alike is not only a lack of charging infrastructure in Australia, but the fact that using chargers can be overly complex,” says Weeratunga.

“When a driver went to a charger, they might have to download a specific app simply to be invoiced. From a fleet perspective the hassle and time it can take to manage multiple accounts for its fleet was a significant hindrance to EV rollouts.

“Our solution addresses those issues immediately. The additional benefit of our Smart Start platform is that it can be used to manage the payments on other charging networks; it’s not tied solely to managing EVOS chargers.”

The NSW Government recently allocated $33m to transition the government fleet to EVs, while the Victorian Government has pledged to inject 400 EVs into its fleet by 2023. The South Australian government is aiming to have its fleet fully electric by 2030, as is Tasmania. While these purchases will prove a boon for auto dealers, the true benefit will be realised for the nation once those fleet vehicles are sold off and a resale market emerges. With that, EV adoption should accelerate exponentially, according to Salgado.

“Once we have a true resale market, we’ll see the cost of an EV go down significantly for the everyday family, and with that we’ll need more purpose-built home chargers for those families to take advantage of one of the key benefits of owning an EV: charging at home,” he says. “There is an emerging market in Australia and our technology directly addresses the key hindrances holding it back.” www.evos.com.au

Made in Melbourne With increasing innovation and automation, the challenges for manufacturers to continually improve and maintain a profitable, competitive business is a fine balancing act that can be steadied with the right guidance.

For more information or to book your William Buck Hour, please contact us.

William Buck are the accountants and advisers to Australian Manufacturing Techology Institute Limited (AMTIL) and preferred supplier to its members, chosen because of the dedicated manufacturing team that specialises in a range of services customised to the needs of the Manufacturing industry.

Some of the services William Buck can help you with include: — R&D tax incentive applications and eligibility advice — Application of feedstock, supporting activities and substantiation advice relating to R&D — Export market development grant applications Cost accounting for accurate pricing — Employee incentive structuring — Financial risk assessment — Profit forecasting on projects — Commercialisation of R&D — International import or export tax structuring — International operations tax structuring — Merger and acquisition due dilligence — Exit strategies — Business valuations — Succession Planning — Separating and protecting family and business wealth — Initial Public Offering (IPO) — Outsourced CFO roles — Audit of external financial reports — Strategic business planning — Business industry benchmarking — Monthly financial reporting, preparation and analysis

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William Buck offers a one hour session to check your business is operating at it’s maximum capacity and asking the right questions is important in determining the direction a business will take. We will guide you through a detailed discussion structured around a range of key fundamentals including financial management, funding, people, regulatory requirements and personal wealth strategies.

The end result is a fresh perspective and a focused strategy to help you move forward.

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Where can F1 in Schools take students?

A remarkable (young) Australian story Thomas Agars lived and breathed the F1 in Schools Technology Challenge throughout his secondary education from 2008 to 2012. In 2012 he was a member of the World Championship winning team “Cold Fusion”, with whom he manufactured and raced the record-setting car.

At a very young age, Thomas knew he was born to be an engineer.

Using the spare material found in his father’s shed, Thomas would construct anything and everything, using his ability to observe existing designs and recreate them. From remote controlled cars/ aircraft to bridges and everything else in between. There was always an ongoing project for him to work on.

Thomas Agars is now seeking fresh opportunities in the aerospace industry in Australia.

It therefore seems inevitable that Thomas would be drawn to the F1 in Schools STEM Challenge. Established by the Re-Engineering Australia Foundation (REA Foundation) in 2003, F1 in Schools is the world’s foremost student competition for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Each year more than 17,000 schools in 51 nations take on the challenge of developing the world’s fastest miniature F1 car.

“After meeting the head technology teacher, Stephen Read, during a Brighton Secondary School open day, I was immediately drawn towards the F1 in Schools challenge,” Thomas recalls. “I would stay at school, alone at first, for as long as I could, teaching myself how to use CATIA V5, designing ‘my first car’. I quickly picked this up and before long I was leading the design of cars competing in the national competition.

“At first, it was a struggle, as the level of competition within Australia alone is phenomenal. After several years of near wins, I took away unique learning experiences each competition. Above all else this experience taught me the importance of teamwork and collaboration.”

Among his peers in the 2012 champion team “Cold Fusion”, Thomas became known for pushing the limits within the competition, innovating, and approaching every problem with enthusiasm. As a testimonial to Thomas’ out of the box thinking, during his final year of competition he explored new ways to squeeze every ounce of performance out of the car.

One innovation was to exploit a loophole within the regulations to include an articulated nozzle towards the rear of the car to maximise forwards acceleration. At the time, this had never been seen in the competition, and improved the lap times significantly. In the following years, other teams from all around the globe successfully implemented them, synonymous to the KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) technology used in real F1 cars. For several years, teams developing KERS repeatedly broke speed records, a team from Brighton Secondary School being the current world record holders.

“I believe I can speak on behalf of all F1 in School alumni that this learning experience isn’t easy to convey via traditional textbook teaching,” Thomas adds. “However the F1 in Schools challenge nails it on the head.”

F1 in Schools – A significant value proposition Through his success in the F1 in Schools challenge in 2012, Thomas was awarded a full scholarship to complete a Masters of Aeronautical Engineering at the City University. He was one of the first Australian recipients to take up this scholarship, traveling halfway around the globe as a 19-year-old to set up a new life in the UK. As a freshman student at City University, he was picked out by the leaders of the Formula Student team ‘City Racing’ to assist with the manufacture of their car. On top of Thomas’ talent, he also proved

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to be resilient in character. To sustain the significant living costs of London, he worked night shifts at the local pub. Later in his degree he was able to support himself by working as a research assistant within the university’s transonic wind tunnels.

“By far the most valuable learning experience during my studies was actually just the act of living independently abroad with all of the challenges that presented me,” Thomas remarks. “It provided the catalyst to which I developed my character and multi-cultural perspective on the world. Because of my time abroad, I have made friends from all over the world.

“It was about this time, 2015-2016, that I started really taking notice of the developments made by SpaceX, successfully vertically landing their Falcon 9 rocket. I was absolutely awestruck, I knew that this is where I wanted to end up, working in the aerospace industry. Thankfully, my trajectory within my education was nominal and on course to this goal.

“However, I also wanted to expand my problem-solving ability by learning essential programming skills within Python, Arduino and MATLAB. I did this through a series of self-lead projects, and implemented custom AOA sensors within my work at City University.

In addition to my formal education in aeronautical disciplines, I found myself absorbed in orbital mechanics and space vehicle design.”

Thomas graduated in 2018 with first-class honours, topping his class. In his final year, his exceptional design and CAD skills became very apparent when he successfully led the design of a fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to compete in the British Model Flying Association (BMFA) competition. The UAV is now on display within the aeronautical labs at City University to set a topquality example for future students.

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Thomas (centre) with F1 in Schools World Championship winning team “Cold Fusion” in 2012.

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The F1 in Schools STEM Challenge sees teams from schools all over the world compete to develop the world’s fastest miniature F1 car.

Thomas maintains that all these accomplishments had their origin in his participation in F1 in Schools: “For starters, the opportunity to study abroad was only possible because of my involvement with F1 in Schools. Moreover, the technical and collaborative foundation the challenge provided has shaped my development ever since.”

Fast forward two decades and Thomas’ childlike curiosity and need to learn remain one of his core qualities. Since completing his tertiary studies, he has spent two years working in the UK for a clean-tech start-up called Gyrotricity, developing renewable and rapid electric vehicle charging technology.

“I consider myself very fortunate to have had all these opportunities, the last two years being no exception,” he says. “I have been able to seriously expand my professional skillset at Gyrotricity.

Embracing the start-up mindset, starting from nothing, building up core technology from the conceptual phase right through to manufacture and commissioning, I have been involved in all steps along the way. There is something so exciting about being dropped in the deep end and rising to the challenge.”

The fully integrated HRP–1 system includes: • FANUC LR Mate 200i D, 7 kg cap., 6-axis robot arm • Base stand and parts table • Robot electrical interface box • CE-compliant safety guard fencing • End-of-arm parts gripper (single gripper standard; double gripper available)

• Part spring pusher ✓ No complex connections ✓ No third-party integration ✓ Direct Haas Control Visit haas-australia.com, or call 1300 20 12 30 for more information.

Thomas is now back in Australia seeking fresh opportunities in the country’s rapidly growing aerospace industry.

“Long-term my goal is to become an industry-leading engineer in the 21st Century space boom,” he concludes. “With so many new aerospace initiatives within Australia, I am confident it is the place to be right now. I cannot wait to see what the future brings, and I hope to be a part of the success I am sure Australia will experience in the space industry.” www.rea.org.au

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Deakin’s new vehicle simulator – from virtual prototyping to virtual testing Deakin University aims to accelerate Australia’s vehicular technologies into the future with the world’s most advanced Next Generation Motion Simulator and automotive design and testing platform.

Opening in the first half of 2022, the Simulator will provide compelling virtual worlds for vehicle development engineers and expert drivers in test and evaluation of new vehicle designs. Additionally, the associated infrastructure will allow advanced virtual vehicle prototyping design and testing, driver training, and automotive research and development.

Deakin Vice-Chancellor Professor Iain Martin and Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research Professor Julie Owens welcomed the announcement of $5m in funding from the Victorian Government for the new platform.

Professor Martin said the Next Generation Simulator will provide the first dedicated and most advanced research infrastructure for driver-based and autonomous mobility technologies in Australia.

“This is an exciting initiative and a powerful demonstration of what can be achieved when academia works collaboratively with government and industry partners,” said Martin. “This crucial infrastructure project will position Geelong as a global leader in the industry and make a substantial contribution to Deakin’s deep commitment to the economic and social development of regional Victoria.”

Professor Owens said the Next Generation Simulator will help build a highly skilled Victorian-based workforce in advanced mobility technologies through the creation of new markets and export opportunities: “Deakin is a local university with global impact. Together with our partners, we translate our research into commercial, economic and social outcomes that help improve the future opportunities of our communities. “The platform will be an important addition to the world-class motion simulation facilities at

Deakin’s Institute for Intelligent Systems Research and Innovation (IISRI) on our Waurn Ponds Campus, and will offer a unique asset to researchers, manufacturers and students in Victoria and Australia more broadly.”

According to Professor Saeid Nahavandi, Director of IISRI and the Next Generation Simulator project leader, IISRI is the ideal home for this development: “IISRI has a proven track record of developing strategic partnerships including with over 500 business, industry and government agencies around the world. In addition to cost-effective virtual vehicle design, test and evaluation by automotive experts, we’re pleased to provide internship opportunities and bespoke motion technologies training for higher education students and industry partners alike.”

Existing Deakin partners including Ford, Qantas and smaller technology providers are expected to use the facilities to expand their skills in simulation, generate IP and develop next generation prototypes. This will anchor further jobs in Geelong as the facility will assist Ford Australia to become the global vehicle design, test, and evaluation hub for multinational Ford Motor Company.

Furthermore, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) will be offered access through a dedicated engagement program to the cuttingedge simulation technologies, consulting and expert services, and engineering support to expediate their growth into internationally competitive businesses. The new facility is expected to extend motion simulation technology-based research and innovation into new applications from road safety to shipping, helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. www.deakin.edu.au

Kinetic to bring all-electric buses to Melbourne Melbourne-based company Kinetic has been awarded a $2.3bn contract that will introduce 36 electric buses to the Melbourne’s public transport network.

Kinetic will introduce 36 fully electric buses to the network by mid-2025, including five by June next year to jumpstart the State Government’s pledge for all new public transport buses to be zero emissions from 2025. More than half of the franchise fleet, 341 of the 537 buses, will be replaced with low- or zero-emission vehicles over the term of the franchise.

manufacturing expertise in these emerging technologies,” said Public Transport Minister Ben Carroll. “The roll-out of 36 electric buses early on in this partnership will accelerate our pledge for all new buses from 2025 to be zero emissions and, importantly, will contribute to the learnings of the three-year Zero Emissions Bus Project.”

The new environmentally friendly electric and hybrid buses will be made at Volgren’s Dandenong South facility, supporting jobs, boosting the local economy and helping to build Victoria’s engineering, design and manufacturing expertise in these emerging technologies. A minimum fleet target of 60% local content will apply to the electric and hybrid buses. Learnings from the early introduction of electric buses will add to the findings of the State Government’s threeyear, $20m Zero Emissions Bus Project which will start early next year. “We are jumpstarting our push for a zero-emissions bus fleet in Victoria to benefit the environment and help build our engineering, design and

Kinetic, which operates SkyBus and runs local bus routes across Australia and New Zealand, will operate a third of Melbourne’s metropolitan bus network under the new contract. Kinetic bought SkyBus in 2014 and now operates urban, regional, school and airport bus services across Australia and New Zealand. Adam Begg, Co-CEO of Kinetic, commented: “With a leadership team that has grown up catching buses in and around Melbourne, this is an incredibly exciting announcement for us to partner with the Victorian Government to modernise the city’s bus experience and deliver benefits to the whole community.”

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www.wearekinetic.com

AUTOMOTIVE & MOTORSPORT

Demmeler unlocks creative possibilities for renowned car restorer Renowned car restorer Brian Tanti uses his Demmeler table system from Leussink Engineering in numerous ways, including holding and fixing, as well as for hammer forming parts.

“It allows me to be really creative,” explains Tanti.

“The more I use it, the more uses I find for the Demmeler table. For me, it’s the product that keeps on giving. As well as holding and fixing, I also use the matrix of the table to help with design.

It enables me to 3D print tools and then copy them into the matrix of the table. I’ve also used it as a makeshift milling machine by clamping a magnetic welder to it.”

Tanti first discovered Leussink’s Demmeler table system several years ago when he was setting up a workshop for his then-employer Lindsay Fox. When he parted ways with Fox in 2018 after 30 years, he contacted engineering company Leussink to assist with the setup of his own workshop in the Sydney suburb of Artarmon. Brian Tanti’s Workshop, as his business is now known, was looking for a versatile fixturing table system to hold and fix parts in place, and called on Leussink to assist.

Brian Tanti’s Workshop restores old cars that can be valued up to $9m, so Tanti’s work requires him to produce parts and repairs of a very high standard. All of the work is completely bespoke. Tanti creates replacement parts from scratch using wooden formers, which he designs the structure around. As such, he needs tools and equipment that are accurate and dependable. Before he discovered the Demmeler table system, Tanti made do with the equipment that

was available, including a rudimentary table that was designed for use in the automotive smash trade. Tanti is also a qualified coach builder, a trade that harks back to the days when wealthy people commissioned the building of a coach to be pulled by a horse. Tanti uses his coach building skills in hand-making parts for cars.

“The Demmeler system holds the metal sheet in place while I give it form,” he says. “Back in the 1950s, 60s and 70s, there were a lot of handmade cars, so it’s quite authentic to be producing parts in this way.

“From my experience of Leussink, they don’t just sell products and step away. The engineers at Leussink provide problem-solving capability and personal insights for my business. Their advice is really rich. They’ve also helped me with the digitising of 3D objects and then generating new parts. They recently assisted with the restoration of an old German power hammer, which adds a layer of authenticity when I’m restoring vintage German cars.

“Many fellow car restorers who visit my workshop think that the Demmeler system is totally beyond their budget, but the basic table is really affordable for most situations and is so versatile that it pays for itself.” www.leussink.com.au www.briantantisworkshop.com

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Hangsterfer’s: A racing finish Manufacturers supplying the automotive industry – and in particular the motorsport sector – must balance exacting quality requirements with increasingly stringent regulatory standards. Metalworking fluids from Hangsterfer’s Laboratories are one way they are meeting those demands.

Picture a machine shop that is free from dangerous chemicals and harsh odours, while also enjoying increased productivity and high levels of employee health & safety.

Now imagine parts fresh off the machine with a finish that looks like they have been polished. One might wonder how this can be achieved. The answer is simple: Hangsterfer’s.

Since 1937 US-based company Hangsterfer’s Laboratories has been committed to producing high-performance metalworking lubricants that are environmentally friendly and operatorsafe. Hangsterfer’s coolants are certified with the top international safety standards pertaining to hazardous substances and chemicals – REACH, RoHS, VOC and Globally Harmonised System (GHS) – and have additionally gained approval for use in industries such as medical, defence and aerospace. GHS regulations require products to have the appropriate safety data sheets and pictograms for all hazardous materials. However, Hangsterfer’s coolants are free of hazardous ingredients and as such, do not require pictograms depicting any potentially harmful substances.

“The manufacturing industry has increasingly come under scrutiny by regulatory agencies around the world for the use of hazardous chemicals,” explains Edward Jones, Chief Operating Officer at Hangsterfer’s Laboratories. “Strict bans and regulations are growing, and many raw materials – including boric acid formaldehyde condensates, secondary amines, and hazardous forms of chlorine – may be made redundant.

“Many metalworking fluids using such chemicals will eventually face drastic formula changes, if not total elimination.

Formulation changes in specialty coolants may render them redundant in certain applications that require such approvals as aerospace industry.”

The absence of harsh chemicals in its coolants does not mean Hangsterfer’s has had to compromise on performance.

Quite the opposite. Its coolants still provide superior lubricity and consistently deliver extended tool life, as well as lower RA (Roughness Average) surface finishes.

The latter factor is of particular importance to those manufacturing parts for the automotive and motorsport industries where aesthetics holds equal importance to part-functionality.

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Among those who can attest to this are the teams at NSW businesses Concept Machine Works, Custom Plenum Creations, and MSC Products Australia, who manufacture aftermarket parts for the automotive and motorsport industries.

Concept Machine Works – Streamlining processes For smaller business owners such as Brenton Sgro, owner-operator of Concept Machine Works, the quality of the product can make or break a business. Although the Laverton-based machine shop recently celebrated its second year in business, Sgro won’t rest on his laurels.

“You have to be the best you can be, otherwise you’d have to shut up shop,” he explains. “It’s what you do to survive.

People are spending a lot of money on these products, so they want it to look good. No one wants to put something subpar in pride of place.”

Although you will often see parts for motorcycles, such as Royal Enfield and Harley-Davidson, being created at Concept Machine Works, this is not all they produce, making their choice of coolant all the more important. As Hangsterfer’s 5080 semi-synthetic coolant is approved for both aerospace and medical applications, Concept Machine Works is able to run the same coolant for all their products, including medical prototypes.

When asked how switching to Hangsterfer’s 5080 semi-synthetic coolant has aided the production process, Sgro notes it has helped streamline the process and extended tool life. However, it was the finish that first impressed him the most.

“The first thing I noticed when I switched to Hangsterfer’s was the finish, especially on aluminium,” says Sgro. “I’ve had people ask where I get the parts polished when it’s just been finished straight off the machine.”

Sgro goes on to describe his experience using Hangsterfer’s 5080 semi-synthetic coolant while face milling: “It left a mirror finish and you could see rainbows from the light reflecting off it. It was amazing.”

While Sgro goes to lengths to make sure his products are dimensionally accurate, he has garnered plenty of attention based on the appearance of his products, even receiving international interest.

“Having people in other countries recognise the quality and the finish of them, and then asking me to quote jobs for them,” Sgro adds. “It’s a surreal feeling.”

Custom Plenum Creations – Time to shine Another machinist who sets a high personal benchmark for quality is Ariel Banco, Director of Wollongong-based Custom Plenum

AUTOMOTIVE & MOTORSPORT making 120 holes per hour, makes a huge difference.”

The improvements continued for the team, who do all their anodising on site.

“Hangsterfer’s 5040 doesn’t leave a film all over everything, so we can run the machine into the night and leave it sitting for 10 hours after finishing,” says Cumming. “It still washes off super easily and we don’t have to hit it with a degreaser.

“We haven’t had any issues with Hangsterfer’s. No rust problems; we’ve reduced man-hours, and we can achieve a good finish more quickly.”

Livetools – Making the connections Their profession is not the only thing that links Sgro, Banco and Cumming. When asked how they came to make the switch to Hangsterfer’s coolant, the universal response was, ‘Arthur’.

Creations, which primarily manufactures billet intake manifolds and carbon-fibre plenums. When switching to Hangsterfer’s, Banco also noticed an increase in tool life but saw instant results in the finish, which is paramount when machining parts for the automotive industry.

Located in Mangrove Mountain on NSW’s Central Coast, MSC Products Australia makes CNC-machined parts for dirt, adventure, and road bikes, specialising in steering dampers. Unlike Sgro and Banco, Cumming was actively seeking to change coolant.

“People think that if it looks good, it must be good,” says Banco. “The customers we do work for are competing to stand out and they want something shinier than the rest, and they want it to be better than the last thing they saw. We’re always pushing the standards because this industry relies a lot on how things look.”

“Supply was the main reason for switching coolant,” he explains. “Running five machines, we needed a reliable supply.”

MSC Products Australia – Increased productivity The emphasis on the appearance of a product is also echoed by Vaughan Cumming, Director of MSC Products Australia. As Cumming puts it, “The eye eats first.”

In addition to source reliability, the team at MSC Products Australia found there were more advantages to using Hangsterfer’s, including increased productivity.

“Before switching coolants, we were also having issues with drilling and tapping M4 threads in aluminium,” Cumming recalls.

“We were often breaking taps randomly; it was totally unpredictable. Our only solution was to coat the tap in oil and hope for the best. “After we switched to Hangsterfer’s the problem was solved, which when you’re

As the Director of Livetools, Arthur Alexiou has been the driving force behind these customers trialling Hangsterfer’s coolant in their machines, but it was ultimately the results it provided that converted them.

“These guys were already using top-ofthe-line coolants, and for all intents and purposes weren’t having the major dramas you’d expect someone would have in order to switch,” Alexiou explains. “As anyone who’s ever been through the process will tell you, it’s a massive undertaking to swap out your coolant. It’s time-consuming and not fun, but it’s worth the effort when you’re getting incredible results without the hazards.

“And it’s not just limited to the automotive and motorsport industries,” Alexiou adds.

“We’ve seen customers who specialise in a host of different industries have exactly the same response when they switch to Hangsterfer’s.”

Hangsterfer’s Australian line-up, distributed

by Livetools from its base in Carrington, NSW, offers a wide range of metalworking fluids for a range of manufacturing sectors and operations – foremost being automotive, aerospace, medical and machine shops.

In a world where quality is paramount, the need for high-performance lubricants no longer means operator health and environmental sustainability need to be compromised.

Hangsterfer’s top-ofthe-line coolants deliver proven superior performance while allowing manufacturers to make smart strategic decisions, futureproofing their coolant, and delivering on improved health & safety for employees. www.livetools.com.au www.hangsterfers.com www.conceptmachineworks.com www.customplenums.com www.mscmoto.com

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Forklift safety: Is hi-vis really the best we can offer?

Forklifts are a commonly used piece of equipment in many manufacturing facilities, and they are also highly dangerous, yet many of the risk mitigation methods routinely employed are unsophisticated and ineffectual. We can do better, writes Barry Hendy.

We have all seen the politicians on the evening news, touring a factory and wearing their obligatory hi-vis vests. Almost every factory that I visit requires that we put one on. It is the accepted safety practice in any workplace where there are forklifts in operation. I appreciate the concern for safety, but I am amazed that we accept this as the best we can do to protect us from one of the most dangerous pieces of equipment in a factory.

When we design any piece of automation equipment we are obliged by both law and morals to take all reasonable and practical actions to ensure the safety of everybody who comes into that plant. We undertake a detailed risk assessment and classify all the possible risks we can identify. For each risk we assess the likelihood of the occurrence (LO) happening, the frequency of exposure (FE), the degree of harm should it happen (DPH), and the number of people at risk (NP). (See breakout box below) The rating in each factor is then multiplied to give a Hazard Rating Number (HRN): HRN = LO x FE x DPH x NP and that number classifies the risk.

If we run a risk assessment against a plain old forklift being driven around in a factory, the risk assessment would probably look something like this: • Likelihood of occurrence: We know forklifts are dangerous so you would probably say: LO = 8.

• Frequency of exposure: The forklift is operating all day so: FE = 5.

• Degree of Harm: We all know a forklift can kill: DPH = 15.

• Number of Persons: That depends on your operation, but let’s say you have at least 3 people moving in your factory: NP = 2.

Our HRN = 8 x 5 x 15 x 2 = 1,200. A clearly unacceptable risk.

So, what are our mitigation actions? How do we bring this risk down to an acceptable level?

We require all forklift drivers to be licensed so the drivers understand the dangers and know how to control the vehicle. This will reduce the Likelihood of Occurrence, at least for a while until the driver becomes a bit complacent. We can paint some lines on the ground, perhaps put in some bollards and walkways and institute some pedestrian rules. Maybe that can reduce the number of people at risk, and maybe the frequency. We can instruct our staff and visitors to always make eye contact with the driver to be sure they have seen you.

And then we require a hi-vis vest. Apparently, this will make me more visible to the driver, but I have to say if the driver can’t see me without the vest, I think we really have a much bigger problem.

I am not comfortable that the main protection between me and that deadly piece of equipment is a hi-vis vest.

At best, these actions will reduce our HRN to something like 2 x 4 x 15 x 1 = 120 – still Very High!

Our responsibility as system designers is to then reduce this rating as much as practical and typically aim to get the number under 10.

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Safe Work Australia statistics tell us there are around five fatalities and 1,000 reported incidents in Australia each year involving forklifts. This is a significant and serious safety risk, and yet the best we can do to mitigate this risk is to wear hi-vis!

ROBOTICS & AUTOMATION When looking to mitigate a risk, the “hierarchy of hazard control” is typically referenced. This directs that our most effective and preferred mitigation is elimination or substitution to remove the risk, and that personal protective equipment (PPE – ie. the hi-vis vest) is the least effective control method.

rated controls and central fleet management systems to enable fast deployment, flexible configuration, reliable operations and – most importantly – a high level of safety.

The autonomous vehicle will always travel at a safe speed and within its limits – it certainly will not be rushing to get to its lunch break. The mapping and fleet management system will allow zones to be designated as ‘slow down’, and you can be confident the vehicle will not become complacent – will always slow down. The 360-degree view area scanner will continuously monitor the area with no blind spots. The 3D Lidar camera will always be looking ahead for obstructions and not be distracted by a mobile phone.

The risk assessment on an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) will of course be subject to the actual deployment, but a vehicle like the OTTO 1500, with its area scanners and 3D sensors, is going to be highly unlikely to cause an injury, and then only a minor injury, while it remains constantly present to the same people.

HRN = 1 x 5 x 1 x 2 = 10 Under this assessment, the risk is low despite the AMR transporting loads up to 1,900kg at up to two metres per second.

So, what can we do better? Thanks to the latest sensor, battery, and computing technology, we can now substitute the dangerous forklift with a significantly safer material handling system – an autonomous material handling vehicle with Category 3-rated safety features.

We have seen the traditional Automatic Guided Vehicle (AGV) successfully deployed for many years, providing safe and productive material handling in a range of industries. However, AGV deployments are rigid, expensive and complex, so they have not been an option for most facilities. The latest generation of autonomous vehicle brings a range of safety scanners, vision systems, industrial safety

The industry is having trouble deciding exactly what to call these next-generation AGVs with acronyms using some combination of Intelligent, Autonomous, Vehicle, Mobile, Robot… We are going with AMR. Whatever you call them, they provide a viable and effective substitution option to mitigate the Unacceptable-rated risks of the forklift. As engineers we are obliged to take all practical actions to reduce industrial risk.

And maybe, just maybe, we won’t have to be relying on the hi-vis vest as a key mitigation tool for one of the highest risk machines in our factories – the forklift.

Barry Hendy is the Managing Director of Andrew Donald Design Engineering (ADDE). www.adde.com.au

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Lorch – Bringing cobot welding to ANZ Lorch Schweißtechnik (Lorch) leads in the design, development and application of advanced welding technologies, operating at the cutting edge of Industry 4.0 to develop smarter solutions for tomorrow’s industrial challenges.

It is a well-known fact that the welding industry is facing a global shortage of skilled welders. In Australia and New Zealand, we know this only too well. Top welders are in very high demand and command substantial annual salaries.

Many experienced qualified welders are now over 45 years of age, and Millennials or Gen Z are not queueing up to enter the industry in sufficient numbers to even replace the aging welders of today.

Lorch’s welding cobots offer a fast, efficient and flexible welding solution that is well suited to small-to-medium businesses.

The harsh reality is that the situation is not going to get any better in the foreseeable future. Significant demand is building for qualified welding operators in the mining, defence and manufacturing sectors.

Competition for the limited welding resources is intense and requires premium rates to be paid to attract and retain the best available talent.

Small to medium manufacturing businesses are finding it hard to compete in this environment, with many struggling to find and retain crucial welding personnel. Add to this the constant cost pressures and rapidly advancing technologies, and the industry faces a situation where there is a “perfect storm” building.

Today, however, the game has changed, with the advent of new cobot (collaborative robot) technology. Based in Stuttgart, Germany, Lorch has had a dedicated team in place developing and optimising welding with cobots for many years now, providing cutting edge, new solutions for companies facing these issues.

Cobot systems are typically more cost-effective than industrial robots and offer a quick return on investment.

It’s important to note cobot welding is not a replacement for industrial robotic welding. Cobot welding from Lorch is a new technology segment that is different from industrial robots in many areas:

• Ease of use: Fast set-up times and simple programming enable much smaller production quantities to be cost-effectively welded.

• Size, weight & portability: Cobots are small, light and relatively portable.

They are designed to be used in the general work environment, in close proximity with people.

• Safety: Cobots operate at human speed and have unique integrated safety features, enabling close interaction with people with minimal dedicated safety guards or external protection – and in some cases none.

• Intelligence: Lorch’s Cobotronic software creates a simple-to-operate welding system that is typically programed by the welder or shop floor operator.

• Speed and versatility: Lorch’s advanced Speed Processes deliver

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perfect welding in all positions, removing the need for complex and expensive jigs and fixtures.

• Low capital investment: Cobot systems are typically more costeffective with a quick return on investment.

In contrast to a welding cobot, an industrial robot is designed for high production quantities, needs a highly trained robot technician to program, is not portable, requires extensive safety guards and barriers, and typically requires expensive jigs and fixtures.

Lorch has developed a strong partnership with Universal Robots, a global leader in collaborative robot technology. What differentiates Lorch from any other manufacturer is its intelligent Cobotronic software and its advanced welding power source technology. Lorch takes the cobot and creates a purpose-built, fully

integrated, ultra-safe automated welding solution. Every detail is meticulously optimised specifically for multiple forms of welding.

The end result is a fast, efficient and flexible welding solution that meets the requirements of Industry 4.0 and which is ideal for small-to-medium businesses producing smaller production quantities.

Lorch’s systems are simple to use and deliver dependable productivity and consistent premium-quality welding performance.

Cobots are new tools that are helping to address the ongoing shortage of welders, closing the skills gap, driving productivity, efficiencies and reducing costs. Cobot welding is growing at an exponential rate across Europe. Lorch’s cobot welding solutions are now coming to Australia and New Zealand, with sales demonstration/ application and training centres set up with accredited Lorch partners across the region, as well as fully-trained Lorchcertified service infrastructure for back-+up and support. www.lorch.com.au

ROBOTICS & AUTOMATION

Magneto inspection robot wins WHS award Perth-based robotics company Nexxis was recognised at the IFAP CGU SafeWay Awards in October, winning an award for its Magneto-EX robotic crawler technology.

The Innovation in WHS Award recognised Nexxis’ innovative technology revolutionising worker safety in industrial environments. Designed and developed by Nexxis in conjunction with CSIRO’s Data61 division, Magneto is a versatile, spider-like, climbing inspection robot able to negotiate hazardous and confined space inspections, without a human operator. The multi-limbed, spatially aware device has been created for use in high-risk settings, including the oil & gas industry – eliminating risk for humans.

Nexxis Founder and Director Jason De Silveira said he was delighted with the award and paid tribute to everyone involved in the design and development of this worldleading technology: “Magneto represents a major leap in safer inspections for the oil & gas industry, as well as other sectors where there is a need for hazardous, confined-space inspections. The cuttingedge technology behind the robot enables internal visual inspection of assets and more detailed data to be gathered.”

Magneto is capable of integrating intelligent autonomous control systems and is

designed to carry a wide range of sensors, remote visual inspection cameras, and maintenance tools. Improved accessibility, frequency and accuracy of inspections enabled by Magneto will lead to reduced environmental and safety risks, targeted and immediate maintenance and repairs, faster decision-making and longer operational life of assets.

Magneto. The grant recognised the value Nexxis is bringing to resources technology and critical minerals processing, one of the Federal Government’s six National Manufacturing Priorities.

Commercial production of a robot crawler that can perform complex inspections will be a breakthrough innovation in the Australian technology sector.

Nexxis is focused on the commercialisation of the inspection robot, launched in August 2021 and expected to be available to the market as early as 2022. Earlier in October, Nexxis won a $675,000 Commercialisation Fund grant from the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC) to assist with commercialisation of

“Our goal is to deliver leading-edge inspection, testing and measuring robots – among a range of other equipment – at fleet scale to Australia and the world across a range of industries,” said De Silveira. “The AMGC Commercialisation Fund is helping us take those next steps.” www.nexxis.com.au

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Web-based design tool for safer humanrobot collaboration The safety of people interacting with robots Is a top priority, especially when humans and robots are working side by side instead of being separated by safety fencing. Cobot Designer is a new web-based design tool from the Fraunhofer Institute for Factory Operation and Automation (IFF) that helps companies design their cobots, minimise the risk of accidents and increases employee safety.

Humans and robots are sharing workspaces in more and more sectors, whether that be manufacturing, logistics or medicine.

Safety plays a major role in this. Up to now, range-finders on robots have prevented severe impacts or crushing when collisions occur, but these sensors do not function when humans and machines have to stand close to each other – for example during subassembly.

This requires other solutions.

Teams of Fraunhofer IFF research scientists have developed the Cobot Designer, which ascertains the robot speeds that ensure safe collaboration. The web-based design tool helps programmers design cobots safely. The project was contracted by the German Social Accident Insurance Institution for the Woodworking and Metalworking Industries (BGHM).

Anyone acquiring cobots for their business must perform a legally required risk assessment. Companies must identify specific potential hazards and foreseeable misuse by employees beforehand.

The maximum speed a robot is permitted to reach is measured when it is certified for safety. A special device measures impact forces and pressures that act on anyone who comes into contact with the robot. The limits from the ISO/TS 15066 standard may not be exceeded. Otherwise, the robot’s speed would have to be reduced to prevent injuries to employees caused by clamping or impact.

The Cobot Designer enables businesses to reduce engineering work significantly when implementing human-robot collaboration (HRC) applications.

Such measurement is costly and requires expertise. The robot must be programmed and built. According to Dr Roland Behrens, research scientist at the Fraunhofer IFF, small businesses in particular cannot afford this. Moreover, measurements are taken too late since the robot has already been purchased.

“Our Cobot Designer for digital hazard prevention comes into play here,” says Behrens. “Companies can use the interactive tool before a making a purchase to assess whether the robot’s speed suffices to perform a particular job productively and, above all, safely. The amount of force is contingent on the robot’s speed.”

If limits are exceeded, productivity subsequently suffers. Behrens adds: “Let us assume the robot has to presort a pallet in one minute.

If the speed has to be reduced by 50% for safety reasons, the cycle time increases to two minutes, reducing the robot’s economic efficiency 50%. That’s why being able to perform an economic feasibility analysis before purchasing a robot would be desirable.”

The Cobot Designer prevents bad purchases and more potentially necessary measurements. Using the design tool will enable businesses to reduce their engineering work significantly when they implement future human-robot collaboration (HRC) applications.

“The goal is to use computer simulation, as the Cobot Designer does, to dispense with measurements entirely in the future” The Cobot Designer tool is available for free on www.cobotplaner. de to anyone designing an HRC workstation, and runs on all browsers. The Cobot Designer is easy to use; the user merely has to enter the parameters for the robot, the hazard and the tool used – for example, a gripper. The Cobot Designer then automatically computes the effect of contact between a human and the robot, as well as the robot’s maximum permissible speed. The tool also provides the option of loading proprietary, custom robot models, for which parameters no longer need to be entered.

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Users can combine different robots, hazard situations and tools with the design tool, thus compiling and continuously expanding a catalogue.

Various biomechanical robot and hazard models provide the technological basis for the tool. The user can combine different robots, hazard situations and tools, thus compiling and continuously expanding a catalogue. All the data entered can be downloaded and reused at a later time. To ensure data protection, inputs are not stored on the Cobot Designer’s server.

The biomechanical model precisely simulates the extent to which clamping and impact stresses would affect a person. It comprises all 29 relevant body parts where a person can feel pain. The model draws from the results of the one-and-only human subject study in the world to ascertain biomechanical limits, which was conducted by the Fraunhofer IFF and contracted by the German Social Accident Insurance DGUV and the BGHM. The Fraunhofer IFF validated the results of the Cobot Designer’s simulation experimentally in stress tests with human subjects, together with physicians from Otto von Guericke University Hospital’s Traumatology Clinic and with the involvement of the appropriate ethics commission. The tests ran from 2015 to 2019. www.fraunhofer.de/en www.cobotplaner.de

ROBOTICS & AUTOMATION

Perfume robots sniff out next big opportunity at Tonsley A South Australian firm that is developing automated technology for the flavour and fragrance industry is moving to Tonsley Innovation District.

Worth more than US$24bn worldwide, the flavour and fragrance market involves the infusion of new products with specific smells and tastes in order to enhance the customer experience. Applications include anything from fine perfumes, shampoo, toilet paper, hand sanitiser, candles and cosmetics to laundry detergent, chocolate, beverages and car upholstery.

Accurate Dosing Systems manufactures purpose-built robots to accurately measure out thousands of aromatic oils that are used in the creation of formulas for specific flavours and fragrances.

Currently based in Lonsdale, the company is relocating its operations to a brand new tailored facility at Tonsley. The idea is to utilise Tonsley’s collaborative, entrepreneurial culture and international network to grow the firm’s global reach and impact, while tapping into the extensive automation expertise within the district to elevate the business’ approach over time.

Masoud Bahmai, co-founder and Managing Director of Accurate Dosing Systems, says the move to Tonsley will enable his team of engineers to work alongside like-minded specialists in highvalue manufacturing and partner with the higher education sector to innovate new designs for the company’s advanced range of ‘dosing’ robots.

“Our most high-end robot, Quanta, is the ‘Ferrari’ of our robot range and is able to generate a sample scent or flavour 30 times faster than a conventional dosing robot, allowing formulas to be created in seconds instead of hours,” says Bahmai. “This means we can help manufacturers batch-produce flavoured items and come up with new samples in a significantly condensed timeframe, which enables us to be the first to respond to a client briefing on a new flavour or fragrance and which is, quite simply, a game-changer for the industry as a whole.”

The appeal of Tonsley was compelling for the Accurate Dosing Systems team, given the opportunity to move into a custom facility that, once completed by March 2022, will provide a showroom, increased office space and an impressive welcome for clients.

“Having clients come and see us at Tonsley Innovation District will give us a wonderful customer interface, and one that says ‘We are part of networked innovation community and we make world-class products’,” says Bahmai. “Our Tonsley headquarters will also help us attract and retain talent in engineering and automation, as we are situated alongside global automation firms such as SAGE, Rockwell and ZEISS while also being co-located with Flinders University’s innovation hub. We hope to grow our team of five engineers to about 20 engineers over the next five years, so being located in a place where we can expand effectively over time will be crucial to our ongoing success.”

Vince Rigter, Renewal SA Project Director for Tonsley Innovation District, welcomes the arrival of Accurate Dosing Systems, the first of its kind to join the Tonsley community, and believes the ever-increasing number of automation experts on site will have a significant positive impact on SA’s competitive advantage in this sector.

“Once again Tonsley is demonstrating that a culture of community and shared access to infrastructure, talent and emerging knowledge across the innovation sector is what manufacturers want and need in order to accelerate the development of their products and grow the scale of their operations and output,” says Rigter. “Tonsley not only facilitates trust-based networks between organisations with common ground, but breaks down traditional barriers between industry, academia and the Government so that genuine crosssector collaboration and innovation can co-occur more rapidly.

“The arrival of businesses such as Accurate Dosing Systems supports and expands the existing innovation ecosystem at Tonsley while providing the company with a fertile environment for sustainable growth, job creation, technological advancement and increased commercial success. That is great news for local manufacturing and for our state’s economy.”

Accurate Dosing Systems is Australia’s only manufacturer of dosing robots for the flavour and fragrance industry, with its nearest competitors based in Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands and France. Established four years ago by Bahmai and his two cofounders, Mark Pitcher and Andrew Fotheringham, the company began with a single prototype design for the original Quanta robot and found early success at the 2018 World Perfumery Congress in France. The firm now exports its dosing robots to food and fragrance manufacturers across the world.

The robots developed by the Accurate Dosing Systems team have helped transform a traditionally labour-intensive industry into one offering high accuracy, short manufacturing lead times, reduced cross-contamination and a small machine footprint.

“Unlike the robot designs of some of our international competitors, our Quanta robot is compact, attractive and light,” says Bahmai.

“This means it can be assembled in a multitude of spaces, which is part of our commitment to providing flexible and practical dosing solutions. People may not realise that a fine fragrance can contain up to 120 different ingredients, so a superior level of automation is required to measure and dose raw materials in the right quantity, while protecting a client’s intellectual property and maintaining the highest product standards possible.

“Between us, the team has more than 50 years of accumulated knowledge of the flavour and fragrance industry and we are leveraging this to develop the best dosing technology in the world.

We know that our new home at Tonsley will give us the platform we need to future-proof our business and take flavour design and production to a new level.” www.renewalsa.sa.gov.au www.accuratedosingsystems.com.au.

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Press brakes – Why you need a seven-axis machine There are four common but crucial factors that dictate the potential for success and growth of every sheet metal fabrication workshop in the world: Consistency, Accuracy, Efficiency and Speed. When it comes to the press brake, the latest generation of seven-axis machines tick all four of these boxes.

With the ever-present march of time and technology, and the veritable abundance of machinery and technology out there to choose from for businesses to stay ahead of the game, the difficult part these days is deciphering what is truly worth investing in and what is simply the same old tech with a new paint job. It’s so important for anyone in business to understand the difference between something that is just new, and something that is a genuine improvement on the way things have been, and the way things are currently being done. Something that provides that edge to ensure that your business is not falling behind, because in today’s day and age, falling behind could very well mean being left behind.

New advancements in the development of hybrid machine tools, incorporating both servo and hydraulic-driven systems, have resulted in a wave of incredibly intelligent machinery for the sheet metal and steel fabrication sector globally. This is great news for business owners in the industry, because it is helping to counter the rising cost of freight and raw materials by reducing waste through the minimisation of errors during fabrication.

Accuracy Automation means accuracy. Of course, there is no denying the benefits and the necessity of experienced human operators who have developed their skills over decades. However, when that hands-on knowledge can be combined with the ability to automate the processes and parameters needed for the day-to-day manufacturing of your products, it is an extremely powerful advantage to have.

The AccurlCMT EuroMaster series provides this advantage through the Delem CNC controller, offering complete automation of almost every aspect of the machine. Once entered into the controller, all axes are automatically adjusted to accommodate the required dimensions. Ensuring superior accuracy compared to conventional machines.

For added safety, the AccurlCMT EuroMaster series comes equipped with the Australian-made laser guarding systems from Lasersafe as standard, and can also be optioned up to include automatic laser angle measurement and correction to even further increase accuracy. For additional

peace of mind, the CNC controlled, automatic crowning in the bed eliminates the bowing effect from occurring in the middle of the machine.

Efficiency A more reliable machine is a more efficient machine. Reducing downtime and energy consumption is at the forefront of machine tool technology. Being ready for Industry 4.0 is crucial for those looking to maximise production as it makes the monitoring of the machines’ operation and status far more accessible, and the servo/hydraulic hybrid generation of seven-axis press brakes allows for greatly improved energy efficiency and oil consumption.

The ePrAX control hybrid system employed in the Industry 4.0-ready AccurlCMT EuroMaster series is an innovative servo drive that reduces energy consumption by up to 70%, and the brushless motor allows for precise control over the movement of the ram, resulting in using a minimum amount of oil and energy. The difference in results for energy consumption between the ePrAX system compared to a conventional 135-ton press brake is substantial.

One particular category of machinery that is benefiting from these advancements is the press brake, and the latest machines in this category mean business. The new generation of seven-axis, CNC-controlled press brakes tick all four boxes of that crucial checklist for the success and growth of sheet metal fabrication workshops.

Consistency The advanced levels of automation delivered by the new generation of seven-axis press brakes ensure that your bends are inline with set parameters, time and time again.

This dramatically decreases the chance for potential human error, resulting in increased production levels and a more consistent end result on the product. For example, the Industry 4.0-ready AccurlCMT EuroMaster series – supplied in Australia by Complete Machine Tools – utilises a combination of both electric servo-motor and hydraulic drive systems throughout the range.

Most notably, the servo motor-driven backstops offer previously unseen levels of reliability and performance that eliminate the need for manual intervention for repositioning of the material. Coupled with the quality of their Italian-manufactured back gauge fingers, this provides vastly superior accuracy.

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The AccurlCMT EuroMaster series comes equipped with the Australian made laser guarding systems from Lasersafe as standard, offering added safety.

FORMING & FABRICATION

Speed

Complete Machine Tools’ facility in Seventeen Mile Rock, Queensland

Simplicity reduces errors and means less need for corrections, meaning faster production times, getting those jobs out the door and to the client as fast as possible without compromising on quality. The new generation of seven-axis press brakes are the simplest to operate yet, and the working operation speeds of the machines save valuable time. Under test conditions the AccurlCMT EuroMaster series has delivered incredible results.

The most valuable commodity every business owner and in fact every person on the planet possesses is time. Through next-generation automation and superior componentry and tooling, the AccurlCMT EuroMaster series seven-axis press brakes are designed to give you back just that: time. The highly flexible machine is the latest evolution in the AccurlCMT press brake range, offering new technical innovations in combination with proven technology and the know-how to provide a level of product and service that that can be relied upon, to deliver superior consistency, accuracy, efficiency and speed.

Ticking all of the boxes, the seven-axis press brake is a machine that stands out when it comes to deciding on an upgrade of your old machine or to purchasing the new equipment that your business needs to meet the increasing demand the industry is seeing – particularly in Australia. And the best part is, they don’t break the bank.

The pricing offered on this generation of press brakes is extremely reasonable and well worth the investment, especially when compared to their five-axis counterparts – the difference in price between the respective size machines is quite low.

Given the increase in productivity and reduction in running costs these machines are capable of delivering, the AccurlCMT EuroMaster series of seven-axis press brakes makes a strong case. It enables the user to potentially take on additional, and possibly even larger, jobs they otherwise would not have been able to accept.

importance of knowing that the technicians providing the support for the machinery are the same technicians that assemble the machine and prepare it for delivery cannot be stressed enough, providing the peace of mind that comes with knowing you’re getting someone who knows the machine inside out if you need them.

As with any machine you purchase, warranty should be standard, and follow up-service and support are crucial. At Complete Machine Tools, all AccurlCMT EuroMaster press brakes come with a 24-month warranty on parts and a 12-month warranty on labour. The

If you are in the market for a new press brake, and have been tossing and turning over the decision, a seven-axis machine could be the way to go to make sure your business isn’t left behind. www.completemachinetools.com.au

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Metals leader partners with ipLaser in industry expansion Like the man who famously liked a shaver so much he bought the company, a fan of cutting-edge Australian technology has given it a major boost by investing his expertise and industry leadership into its future in the Americas.

Unlike Victor Kiam, who was drawn into Remington by a close shave, the new North and South Americas Director for Australian laser technology pioneers ipLaser is in it to expand the future capabilities of laser cutting – already one of the world’s fastestgrowing industries. Felipe Lechuga was already highly successful with his company Lemaco Corte Laser, headquartered in Chile, when he began his relationship with the Australian company.

Lemaco was supplying finely engineered laser-cut metal components to Chilean companies in demanding industries such as aerospace, automotive, construction and electronics. Lechuga hit the headlines at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, using his decades in laser cutting and sheetmetal manufacturing to provide a “Made in Chile” solution to the lack of respirators.

“Becoming a director of ipLaser and expanding the reach of our time-saving laser quotation technologies was a short step for me,” he says. “I have always been a geek for technology, software and machines, particularly where they make the job easier and more efficient. This is exactly what is happening with the technologies of ipLaser, which is creating opportunities for thousands of laser cutting workshops to substantially grow their business, without substantially growing their costs.

“You might think the actual laser cutting is the hardest part of running a laser cutting business. But the work behind the scenes, such as preparing quotations, is often the biggest limitation on businesses expanding and reaching their full potential. That was why ipCompute (parent company of ipLaser) feels like a natural place to be. I had a great relationship with the founders Ivan Cooper and Peter Olle since the beginning of our conversations, and was really impressed with the way they took their practical experience, from 20 years work on the factory floor, and used technology to turn it into a gamechanger for the laser cutting industry.”

It was a natural step for Lechuga to go from a customer to becoming a Director of ipLaser. Its cloud-based laser cutting quotation platform is designed to meet the requirements of busy modern laser job shops by enabling accurate, consistent and timely quotations for complex parts requiring multiple processes. Lechuga was familiar with the global respect for ipLaser long before he formally joined, having used the quotation technology in his own business. ipLaser’s latest innovation is 3D-comptible laser cutting quotation software that typically more than halves the time and manual input required by companies to prepare precise estimates for their services. This next-generation technology, which offers major advances on more time-consuming two-dimensional quotation technology, opens the door to major expansion of workshops by reducing the number of steps in the quotation process.

The ipLaser cloud-based technology suite – which can automatically process three-dimensional engineering and production graphics provided by customers – not only automates business processes and saves time, but also transforms and expands opportunities for the huge and rapidly growing number of laser service providers.

Ivan Cooper, Managing Director of ipLaser, explains: “It does this by enabling laser cutting businesses to respond to customers’ needs more quickly and to reach many more prospective customers than previously in a given time. The new process – which we believe is unique in the global market – goes far beyond saving time and costs, to fundamentally change and improve the way a business built around laser cutting can grow.

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Felipe Lechuga has joined ipLaser as its new North and South Americas Director.

“Laser cutting is one of the world’s fastest-growing industries, with the machine market alone expected to exceed US$7bn by 2024, as major industries adopt this fast and accurate technology that flexibly responds to the digital revolution of Industry 4.0.”

Lechuga says ipLaser’s technology is also a boon for laser cutting customers, because of the time it saves and because of the precise record it automatically keeps on parts ordered and delivered.

“We’ve been using ipLaser for more than four years now,” he says.

“Initially we used it just for internally prepared quotations because our primary goal was to be able to send fast, consistent quotes to our customers. About one year in we started using it for external (or customer-prepared) quotes. This, for certain customers, is a great benefit since they can have a price on the spot, whenever they need it, without depending on us to process their request.

“Now the latest 3D module has opened new possibilities for us, improving the way we service our customers. Before we had to ask them for 2D drawings, or they had to wait a long time for us to prepare a quotation for them when supplying us with 3D assembly files.”

According to Lechuga, using ipLaser offers many benefits: “First there’s consistency. No matter who prepares a quote, the rules

FORMING & FABRICATION governing it are embedded within the system (defined by the manager), so the price is always going to be the same. Also, we are now able to quote much faster, even when our workloads are way higher than back in the day of manual quoting. And the system is flexible, enabling some customers to prepare the quotes on their own and tweak quantities, materials, thicknesses in a couple of minutes, so as to optimise their jobs.

“Our own laser cutting business managed to free the technical office from processing hundreds of parts drawings that would never make it to cutting, since in a typical job shop less than 50% of the quoted items are ordered. This allows the expensive time and resources (such as CAM software) of the technical office to concentrate on the jobs that actually get ordered.” ipLaser’s technology differs from conventional 2D-based laser quotation technologies as it can be fed full 3D schematics of a product and precisely sift out all 2D sheet metal surfaces required to be cut, by a laser workshop of any size and complexity. The automated 3D process eliminates many previous obstacles to the use of 3D encountered by laser cutting companies, whose services are delivered in a 2D sheet metal environment, using surfaces that must be extracted from 3D drawings.

Cooper says previous challenges in the conversion included high cost and time demands: “3D packages are expensive, trained operators are expensive, and finding the time to train people (if they have no prior experience) is hard too.”

Before adopting the technology, Lechuga’s approach to quoting was typical of a one-machine shop: “I figured out the cut length and number of ‘piercings’ (where the machine starts a new cut). From each drawing we had to estimate using a CAD software. Then I entered those numbers in a simple spreadsheet I prepared myself that had the piercing times and feed rates for every material we processed. It worked, but it was painfully slow in operation, timeconsuming to set up, and didn’t take into account factors such as

machine acceleration. Plus, at the end, you had to export a PDF from the spreadsheet, and we didn’t have a database of all the quoted jobs.

“Later we made a tailored software that was a sophisticated version of this spreadsheet that had a customer database and was able to directly output a PDF that we could email to the customer. Materials and cutting times came from our machine’s CAM software so we loaded our technical office with jobs estimating and the like. I had to prepare the quotes myself, so I couldn’t delegate this task to anyone because all the pricing criteria was only in my head! I spent many years without being able to spend a single day without sending quotes… including holidays!”

Lechuga says that, because ipLaser’s software was specifically built for laser-cutting job shops by people involved in this market, it adapts to users’ needs better than any other multi-purpose tool.

“A screwdriver will always work better than a Swiss knife – it is perfected for the job!” says Lechuga. “Also, our software works with any brand of machine you have or may have in the future. This way, we can grow with our customers no matter what machine they decide to buy in the future.

“Our new ipLaser software Toolbox is a suite of tools that are simple yet powerful, and it’s permanently growing in its features and capabilities. It is supersimple to set up – and flexible. In the Americas, there is a wide range of different job shops with different needs, so the modular concept of Toolbox makes it very easy to tailor the set of tools that each particular customer may need. Plus, new tools can be accessed by the customer if they need them further on.

“All of our customers throughout the Americas will always have the latest version of the software and no investment needs to be made up front! Everyone has access to all of the new features, and we help them grow, as we grow with them.” www.iplaser.com

DISCOVER WHAT AN OMAX ABRASIVE WATERJET CAN DO! OMAX Waterjets streamline operations by reducing your need for multiple machines, secondary processes and extensive employee training. OMAX Waterjets are the perfect complement to your shop. The flexible tool cuts like a saw, machines like a lathe, contours like a mill and shapes like a wire EDM. Learn more today.

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New Quantum ESP delivers hyper-pressure Techni Waterjet’s new Ultimate Series of its Quantum Electric Servo Pump brings the benefits of “hyper-pressure” waterjet cutting, without the costs this usually entails.

A few years ago, the ever-evolving waterjet cutter took an important step in its technological evolution. In the drive to achieve faster cutting speeds, hydraulic intensifiers were employed, increasing the maximum pressure from 4,100 bar to 6,000 bar.

Despite the “hyper-pressure” delivered by these intensifiers, a downside soon emerged in the form of significantly higher operating costs. Drawbacks such as the early failure of high-pressure components, higher maintenance costs, and increased downtime minimised any advantage these new pumps initially promised. As a result, the design of check valves and seals had to be changed to ensure increased service life while allowing for higher pressure.

As one of the most experienced waterjet manufacturers in the world with more than 30 years in the industry, Techni Waterjet tackled these issues head on. Working behind the scenes to develop a new Quantum Electric Servo Pump (ESP) that could generate hyper-pressure without significantly increasing costs. Today, after substantial R&D investments, Techni Waterjet has proudly launched its new Ultimate Series.

Techni Waterjet’s experienced engineers didn’t just focus on creating wear parts that would last longer under hyper-pressure. The team went further and designed a system that was even simpler and faster to maintain than any traditional waterjet cutting pumps. They developed patentable cartridge-style check valves that are readily accessible and can be changed within minutes, and ensured that no special tools would be required to access and replace any hyperpressure components, including the seals. Through numerous patentable features, the Ultimate Power ESPs offer both longevity and ease of maintenance, ensuring the customer receives all the benefits of hyper-pressure without the downsides.

“As pressures increase, the lifetime of mechanical parts reduce at an exponential rate,” says Darren Reukers, Managing Director at Techni Waterjet. “This meant that in order to achieve a similar lifetime for parts at hyper-pressures to those experienced at traditional waterjet cutting pressures, a 300% increase in lifetime is required for any given pressure. The development of the revolutionary seal and check valve designs to achieve this required more than 12,000

hours of testing and trialing of approximately 100 different design iterations. We are now confident to have found the right balance between price, ease of maintenance, and service lifetime.”

In addition, thanks to Techni Waterjet’s patented direct servo technology, the Ultimate Series ESPs can achieve hyper-pressure while keeping power consumption to a minimum.

Techni Waterjet has brought a range of new advantages into the world of 6,000-bar hyper-pressure. To cut faster not only means faster turnarounds, but also reduced abrasive requirements, through earlier job completion and the use of a cutting stream with higher power density. Abrasive usage contributes to more than 50% of the overall operating cost of a waterjet, so the Quantum Ultimate Series offers a short payback cycle.

Today’s leading corporations are making sustainability and low emissions a KPI in their business models and their mission statements. Governments are incentivising investments into green technologies. Quantum is currently the only waterjet pump to fully meet these new eco-friendly criteria – it is future-proofed technology. Acccording to Techni Waterjet, its new Ultimate Power ESPs are the most efficient waterjet cutting pumps available on the market, using less resources for every metre of cutting. www.techniwaterjet.com

BekaMak bandsaw delivers precision, productivity The BekaMak BMSY-540CGH semi-automatic, double column and swivel head bandsaw has been designed for manufacturing industry, engineering shops, steel fabrication and steel merchants.

Available from Hare & Forbes/Machinery House, the European-made BMSY540CGH offers many features that deliver high precision and impressive productivity.

It has a 750mm x 540mm rectangular capacity and a double column structure for heavy duty cutting to length of structural steel beams and sections. The machine is also equipped with an inverter variable speed blade control, a hydraulic top clamp for bundle cutting and a swivel head for mitre cutting up to 60 degrees. A two-degree blade incline further improves cutting performance.

A hydraulic blade tension device with blade breakage detection enables precise blade tensioning, while linear guideways provide long-term cutting precision and durability. There is a vibration dampener control for adjusting the cutting pressure of the bow to suit different materials. An optical material height sensor eliminates

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air cutting time on multiple cuts, enabling the blade to lower quickly and start the programmed cut feed rate immediately as the blade contacts the material.

A digital readout display assists mitre cutting accuracy, while a laser line zero setting for the initial blade contact makes set-up fast and easy. Bundled material to the machine’s full capacity is securely clamped by large 500mm high vice jaws, and the full stroke cylinder vice makes it easy to change the clamping size to suit the steel being cut.

Optional accessories include an in/out feed roller conveyor system for heavy material handling, and a powered swarf conveyor. Other BekaMak bandsaw models are available with the capacity to process material sizes up to 910mm by 750mm. www.machineryhouse.com.au/B141

FORMING & FABRICATION

TruPunch delivers output upgrade for Sheetmetals Limited New Zealand-based fabrication shop Sheetmetals Limited recently purchased a TruPunch turret punch from Headland Machinery in a bid to ensure a quality end product with improved customer lead times.

Originally established in the 1930s, Sheetmetals Ltd (SML) was acquired in 1983 by Kerry Dines, Director and Owner of Dines Group of Companies. SML is a fabrication business focused on architectural design, facades, structural steel products, balustrades, handrails and all other building components such as cabinets and including retail and office fit-outs. SML currently employs over 21 people and works with all kinds of sheet metal such as stainless steel, mild steel, aluminium, brass, bronze across multiple industries.

A proud Australian manufacturer of diverse bespoke metal products for 68 years.

Claden Williams, General Manager at SML, discussed the compay’ recent purchase of a TRUMPF turret punch.

“We’ll be using the TruPunch for improved customer lead times and to ensure a quality end product,” says Williams. “We originally wanted to buy a smaller punch; however, with the growth projection of the company we wanted a machine that could grow with us, and would not need to be replaced too quickly.”

Williams joined the company over seven years ago, starting off in project management and then progressing to the General Manager position. He has focused heavily on streamlining operations, workflows and trying to improve work efficiencies since joining the company.

EXTENSION

TORSION

COMPRESSION

“We chose the TRUMPF product due to the high-quality reputation and output, but also due to Colin Brown (Digital Solutions and Applications Specialist at Headland),” Williams adds. “He’s provided us with great support from the beginning, whether that’s through the installation process, training, technical support, software or automation advice, he’s a great person to work with and easy to get along with.”

Many of SML’s customers use TRUMPF equipment, so Williams opted for the same brand to get consistent quality. The SML team also requested TRUMPF due to their comfort with the operating systems and software. With the new machine, the company will be able to go after more work in the perforated sheet area for buildings and ceilings, balustrades, facades and other products for the construction and architectural industry.

“Previously, we outsourced the perforated sheet manufacturing,” Williams explains. “We wanted to bring this in-house primarily to speed-up timelines and have the ability to provide greater support to our customers.”

SML is facing similar business challenges to a lot of manufacturers.

With apprenticeship programs having been essentially stopped some years ago, the company is struggling to find new talent.

“It’s hard to get the right people that can grow with the company and learn the new technology,” says Williams. “When you have the latest equipment, that certainly helps to attract the right people that want to work with that technology.

“I’m all about time management, it’s important to me that we as a business set up each job in the most efficient and cost-effective way, where you stop and start each job is important. I’m expecting to save a lot of set-up time with the new punch in addition to the efficiencies gained through the advanced technology.”

Get in touch today…

T +61 7 3271 3500 E sales@marshalliance.com.au W marshalliance.com.au

www.headland.com.au www.sheetmetalsltd.co.nz

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MATERIAL REMOVAL

Upton Engineering – Performance through precision Founded five years ago, the development of Upton Engineering and Manufacturing, a young Australian-owned family business based in Gladstone region of central Queensland, is soundly based on ‘Performance through Precision’.

Formed in March 2017 by Mitchell Upton, the company has made remarkable growth and now employs 25 people in a smart precision-quality engineering shop, offering the full suite of services of a modern front-line engineering and fabrication company. Upton Engineering places a strong emphasis on embracing new technologies and processes towards Industry 4.0 manufacturing, specialising in high-tolerance precision components to set them apart. The company is continually investing in the latest precision equipment.

“My parents were in the precision engineering business for many years and had retired when I commenced the business, so their expertise and assistance has been an enormous help to me, particularly in the early stages, and this is on-going,” says Mitchell. “Having operated on Okuma machines during my apprenticeship and early career, I purchased second-hand machines when starting out on my own, but I have just added to these with the purchase of my very first new Okuma machine, a GENOS L3000-eMYx1000 CNC lathe with OSPP300LA-e,” advised Mitchell.

According to Mitchell, his personal experience on the Okuma machines proved that they were user-friendly, solid, well setup and reliable precision machines. The back-up from the company was always professional and highly regarded in the industry. The aftermarket support even on the older machines was always excellent, and on the odd occasion when parts were required there was always a good quick turnaround on availability and service.

Consequently, Okuma was a relationship Commissioning the new Okuma GENOS L3000-eMYx1000 CNC lathe at Upton Engineering and Manufacturing.

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he wanted to retain in the longer term.

The GENOS L3000-eMY CNC horizontal lathe offers the broadest range of configurations in the GENOS lathe line.

The generous Y-axis travel enhances the customer’s potential for even further productivity when machining complex parts. The GENOS lathe range also features an integral spindle for powerful, high-precision CNC machining. These onesaddle lathes are strong with a compact footprint, and are ideal for cutting a wide range of materials with ease. Built on a one-piece, cast-iron base with a horizontal way system, hand-scraped headstock and tailstock mounting surfaces, the GENOS machine provides stability, rigidity and accuracy for a variety of applications.

“With the commissioning of the new machine it provides us with greatly enhanced new capability, particularly with the benefit of the longer bed length capacity,” says Mitchell. “The initial week’s training with John Baker from Okuma was fantastic, and additionally with Okuma’s 12 months bottomless training package inclusive, we look forward to taking advantage of the ongoing support from John to enhance our employee productivity with our new purchase.”

The components that Upton Engineering produces on the Okuma machines are very diverse, from small items to heavy industrial components, with a constant requirement for high precision. Equally diverse is the company’s customer base, which includes clients in defence, aerospace, oil & gas, mining and resources, motorsport and energy.

The advantages described by Mitchell with the commissioning of the new machine include quicker processing, increased capacity and capabilities and more processes in one operation, with timesaving benefits. 3D modelling and rapid prototyping is also integrated into the machining capabilities area of the business.

“Operators on the machines are always excited with the introduction of new advanced machinery and are keen to line up to expand their knowledge and to experience the advances in technology,” Mitchell explains. “This also has positive outcomes for job security as they witness the company investing in its long-term future.”

While there has been spending in the CNC machining area, investments have also been strong in the fabrication area of the business, with a heavy focus on the latest techniques, technologies and training. This enables Upton Engineering to meet a full range of Australian welding standards: AS1554:1 to 6, AS/NZS 1665, AS/NZS 3992 and ASME IX standards, with ISO in progress. Comprehensive fabrication services offered by the business include medium-to-heavy fabrication and complex assemblies, through to structural and process piping. The company’s experience covers a wide range of exotic materials, from Inconel to Bisalloy performance steels, stainless steels and higher-tensile materials – with facilities set up for largescale manufacturing and production.

Now certified to ISO9001, in the final audit stages of AS9100 accreditation, and with ISO 3834 just commenced,

MATERIAL REMOVAL

John Baker, Sales-Application Engineer (QLD) for Okuma Australia, and Mitch Upton, Managing Director of Upton Engineering, with the new machine.

Upton Engineering is actively seeking new markets with an emphasis on defence and aerospace, with the added capability of new materials.

To ensure that skilled trades personnel are available in the future, Upton Engineering invests heavily in training and currently has five apprentices under training. Those interested in apprenticeships are sought through close liaison with mechanical engineering students at university, word of mouth and Facebook advertising, while at the same time establishing dialogue with high school careers advisors and the introduction of students to opportunities within manufacturing through visits to the machine shop.

The new Okuma GENOS L3000-eMYx1000 CNC lathe in operation.

Mitchell views the current state of the economy in Queensland and across Australia as positive – especially for manufacturing in the wake of the realisation due to the COVID-19 crisis that Australia cannot and should not rely on overseas suppliers and skills. This applies in particular to heavy industry, where more and more enquiries are being received as a result of shipping delays and inconsistency of supply when relying on overseas manufactured components.

Upton Engineering & Manufacturing has some exciting new projects coming up in 2022. Although it currently primarily services Queensland-based customers, there is a longer-term objective to develop export

business in the future. “Okuma Australia is actively involved in the promotion and support of precision engineering throughout Australia and New Zealand,” said John Baker, Sales-Application Engineer (QLD) Okuma Australia. “And it is exciting to see the development and energy within a young and dynamic company such as Upton Engineering and Manufacturing.

Their top priority is to continually exceed customers’ expectations on quality and performance, a philosophy dear to the heart of every Okuma employee, and we wish them continued success.” www.okumaaustralia.com.au www.uptonengineering.com.au

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CUTTING TOOLS

Advances in modern CNC technology fuel the need for digitised tools As advances in CNC machine tool technology continue to change the face of advanced manufacturing, the digitisation of cutting tool design is becoming more and more essential.

Rows of computerised numerical control (CNC) machine tools sharing a workspace with industrial robots that transport machined parts, accompanied by a minimal number of machine operators, are already a common characteristic of the modern metalworking plant or machine shop. CNC machines are the catalyst that created progressive advances in computer data engineering that have enabled this new reality. Advanced multi-axis machines facilitate the production of very complicated shapes with minimal set-ups.

Advanced milling and turning capabilities, combined together in multitasking machines, open new opportunities for effective process planning. Innovative CNC metal cutting systems are on the verge of single set-up, full-part production – the ultimate dream of every manufacturer.

A quantum leap in CNC technology is enabling a practical understanding of machining methods that had been theoretical for a long time, such as power skiving. The progress made in the world of computerised numerical control is impressive. It has impacted related spheres such as workholding and toolholding – as well as the diverse world of cutting tools.

So, what are the expectations of the machine tool producers from the cutting tool producers? What are the requirements that modern cutting tools must meet? How should tool manufacturers be driven when planning their production program for the near future?

The answer is simple … the next generation of tools must be better! To cut faster, to provide higher tool life, to ensure better surface finish and more.

These are obvious and undoubted demands, which every tool manufacturer needs to contend with to assure its future.

However, the progress in CNC technology has highlighted one more feature in tool design – the digital component. This virtual element has turned into an integral part of the cutting tools of tomorrow.

The contemporary evolution of smart manufacturing is based on network technologies. In a smart factory, CNC machines perform under real-time conditions and combine mutual information exchange from an environmental context that blends both the real and the virtual worlds. The systems interact with the context via the Internet of Things (IoT).

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Recent advances in the world of CNC technology have impacted related spheres such as workholding and toolholding, as well as the world of cutting tools.

For example, the real world shows the position of a cutting tool and the acting cutting forces, while the virtual world specifies 3D tool paths during an operation combined with predetermined machine stock allowance. Subsequently, the real and virtual worlds find themselves in a cutting tool where they naturally complement each other.

A digital tool component possesses vast amounts of information or data. Its elements are comprised of 3D and 2D models, estimated tool life, accumulated cutting time, possible limitations such as maximum rotational speed, optimal machining data and additional essential information. Tomorrow, the gates of a smart factory will be closed for tools without such components – consequently cutting tool manufacturers have started to prepare and adapt for changes. The virtual element is now focusing on the development of new tools and tooling solutions.

For centuries, technical drawings were considered a common language for defining tool features. Computer aided engineering (CAE) and CNC systems require another means for data exchange. Co-operative efforts of world specialists from various engineering and scientific fields have resulted in the creation of the ISO 13399 standard, which specifies computer representations of information related

to cutting tools and their holders, which forms the lexicon base of the language.

Adherence to this standard means that the platform for a tool’s digital component remains independent, and computerised systems can utilise the data seamlessly.

This new standard is merely the first sign. The smart factory will require additional smarter manufacturing systems and smarter tools for these systems. Information about tool properties – such as the remainder of its tool life period, a specific tool identification, or service limitations – necessitates uniform rules for specifying the information and its computer representation – like the ISO 13399 standard, yet much more comprehensive. These will require the intensive co-operation of companies and governmental institutions.

Today, a cutting tool customer expects to receive not only a tool as the physical product, but also quick access to accompanying information such as virtual assembly options for collision checks, finding the optimal tool configuration, clear machining data, and learning how changing cutting parameters will reflect on tool life. This has already formed the virtual tool component, and its significance will only grow.

Iscar is aware of the key importance of tool digital elements. The company’s latest developments relate to both cutting tools

CUTTING TOOLS

While technical drawings were for a long time the common language for defining tool features, computer aided engineering (CAE) and CNC systems require more sophisticated means of data exchange.

The contemporary evolution of smart manufacturing is based on network technologies, in which systems interact with the context via the Internet of Things (IoT).

and the tool’s informational essentials as well. Tool assembly options in 3D and 2D formats in Iscar’s electronic catalogue; Neo-Ita, the Iscar digital tool adviser; online engineering calculations; and Matrix, the automated tool dispenser that is an integral part on the shop-floors of a smart factory – these are just a few examples of the tooling virtual environment.

From technologists working on process planning, to engineers designing tool assemblies or preparing the tooling part of a complex key project, 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 data from tool manufacturers to integrate with the customer’s software.

Iscar’s electronic catalogue provides a digital twin representation of the tool assembly based on the ISO 13399 standard. This guarantees the successful communication between current and future software support in a digitised smart factory. The virtual assembly ensures fast, reliable simulation of the operation – as well as collision (interference) avoidance – by checking and 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 by use of the tool assembly model may be also considered an effective instrument for jig and fixture design. In addition to milling, drilling, and threading virtual

Iscar’s 4 PRO is an online product information and machining recommendation tool that makes tool and insert information availaible at the user’s fingertips.

tool assembly options, Iscar has recently introduced the turning tool assembly function, which expands the range of its electronic catalogue’s digital services.

The Iscar tool adviser, which assists users in selecting the right tool, has now been rejuvenated under the brand name Neo-Ita. It features advanced analytics based on artificial intelligence and a bigdata platform. The upgraded adviser version utilises new capabilities such as new machine brands, material libraries, integrated machining calculations, and the ability to export p21 files as an integral part of tool recommendations.

One more useful digital assistant is 4 PRO‎ – an online product information and machining recommendation tool that makes tool and insert information availaible at the user’s fingertips. The 4 PRO scans the 2D data matrix barcode on an Iscar tool or insert packaging label while assuring access to the necessary data on a CNC shop floor. Diverse 4 PRO options provide product geometrical information presented in accordance with the ISO 13399 standard, and tie together inserts and tools to match up with recommended cutting speeds and feeds. The 4 PRO also bonds the insert geometry and its coating to the correct type of metal, allowing better choices at the planning stages of a given process.

Intelligent CNC machines, network technologies, real-time information exchange and virtual twins of physical objects are the necessary bricks for building manufacturing in the era of Industry 4.0. Digitising cutting tools will ensure that tools will be used in smart factory environments. www.iscar.com.au

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Keeping me up to date with our industry AMT is one of the magazines I do actually look forward to reading, it keeps my finger on the pulse and up to date with which industries and technology streams are alive...

We do receive a lot of magazines, but AMT undoubtedly is top of my reading list. The first thing that I do is write the initials of all senior management in the company to which the magazine needs to circulate to. Keep up the good work AMT. Charlie Eilbeck, Owner EILBECK HEAVY MACHINING CENTRE

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READERS AMT the No. 1 trusted industry publication.

For information or advertising rates visit www.amtil.com.au or contact Nicholas Raftopoulos, Sales Manager on 03 9800 3666 or email nraftopoulos@amtil.com.au AMT proudly owned and published by Australian Manufacturing Technology Institute Limited (AMTIL)

CUTTING TOOLS

Guhring sharpens its edge Chip jamming and swarf sticking to the cutting tool can create a major impact upon productivity and machining performance when machining soft, tough and high-alloyed materials. To eliminate this problem, Guhring has developed the new RF100 Sharp Series of solid carbide high-performance end mills.

Recognised as Guhring’s sharpest solid carbide milling tool to date, the new RF100 Sharp delivers high-quality machining results with unparalleled swarf evacuation on the most challenging of materials.

Not only does the new RF100 Sharp demonstrate extremely smooth cutting action and chip removal, but it is also an extremely flexible end mill that is suitable for slotting, ramping, roughing, helical milling, finishing and trochoidal cutting. The smooth cutting action combined with the potential to be used in a wide variety of applications makes the new RF100 Sharp the end mill of choice on challenging material types.

With a rake angle of 12 degrees, the end mills can be applied to materials with high ductility and tensile strength from 300 to 900N per square millimetre. This makes the four-flute end mills suitable for machining steel, stainless steel, aluminium, aluminium alloys and other challenging materials. The performance of the new RF100 Sharp is derived from a tough carbide grade that combines with an AlCrN coating to prevent tool breakages under the most demanding of conditions, while the coating technology increases the wear protection, regardless of the cutting speed.

Complementing this composition is a geometry that has an optimised facet that dampens vibration, smooths the cutting action and increases tool life. This tool life improvement is further enhanced with a corner protection chamfer that increases stability and edge strength during the most difficult of machining applications.

The RF 100 Sharp is available in three versions - an extra-long design long (DIN+) that is an extension on the long (DIN) version, but has an even longer cutting edge and there is also a standard

length end mill. The RF100 Sharp with the standard and long (DIN) are available in diameters from 1 to 3mm in 0.5mm increments with the range including all common sizes up to 20mm diameter.

Depending upon the chosen diameter, the RF100 Sharp is supplied with an overall length from 50mm to 104mm with a flute length from 3mm to 41mm.

The longest tools in the range have a long neck to facilitate reaching into difficult to machine areas. With the longer series tools, the overall length ranges from 50mm to 126mm with a combined flute and neck length that ranges from 5.5mm on the 1mm diameter tool through to 75mm on the 20mm diameter variant. This increases the reach and flexibility of the series significantly, enabling end users to reach into cavities and difficult to access surfaces whilst retaining unsurpassed chip clearing. www.guhring.com.au

Walter presents new CBN grades Walter has launched two new indexable insert grades for turning ISO K materials. The new WBK20 and WBK30 CBN grades have been developed specifically for the finishing of cast iron and heavy interrupted cutting.

The impressive new WBK20 grade has a grain size of just 3.0μm, which makes it perfect for the high-performance finishing of cast iron, whereas the new WBK30 with a grain size of 10.0μm makes it the perfect choice for productive turning in ISO H designated materials, especially when finishing with a heavily interrupted cut.

The two new CBN grades have been manufactured from a next-generation substrate with a high CBN content that has the flexibility and durability that makes the grades suitable for rough and finish turning of sintered steels. The WBK20 indexable inserts are ‘tipped’ and this ‘CBN tip’ is securely applied to the corners of the indexable insert employing modern vacuum brazing methods.

This guarantees adhesion and performance even under the most challenging of machining circumstances.

In contrast, the WBK30 grade is made from a solid CBN substrate that allows manufacturers to

achieve higher cutting speeds and subsequently higher productivity rates when cutting cast iron. The performance of these new arrivals far exceeds existing carbide grade indexable inserts in terms of cutting speeds and feeds as well as tool life.

In addition to the high-precision manufacturing technology applied to the new grades, a strong micro-geometry on the cutting edge also contributes to the high quality, productivity and process reliability of the turning insert. This microgeometry is matched to the respective application of the Walter insert grades. Walter is offering the new WBK20 and WBK30 CBN insert grades in all of the popular ISO sizes and insert corner radii, thereby completing Walter’s extensive CBN turning range. The exciting new grades are particularly beneficial for users from the automotive industry, general mechanical engineering and the energy industry sectors. www.walter-tools.com

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CUTTING TOOLS

Sandvik Coromant – The impact of alignment on steel turning processes What do an ancient Roman war strategy and Sandvik Coromant’s ISO P steel turning grades have in common, and how can this help increase your machine shop’s output? Rolf Olofsson, Product Manager at Sandvik Coromant, explores how the coating and substrate of carbide grades can make a huge difference in the efficiency and productivity of steel turning processes.

A common misconception in the metal working industry is that machining steel is simple. Experienced machinists know that turning ISO P steel is anything but. First among many concerns is the breadth of materials in the ISO P classification, which range from ductile low-carbon steels to high-alloyed.

Secondly, the hardness of different steels ranges significantly from one end of the spectrum to the other. The type of application varies and so do machining conditions in workshops. Evidently, steel turning is challenging and given all variables, the task of selecting a grade to cater to the wide range of properties exhibited by ISO P steels is even more daunting.

Grade of all trades

Sandvik Coromant has launched two new ISO P steel turning insert grades, GC4415 and GC4425.

For any such grade, fracture resistance is paramount – as is a cutting edge capable of delivering the hardness needed to resist plastic deformation induced by the extreme temperatures present in the cutting zones.

Moreover, the grade must be equipped with a coating that can prevent flank wear, crater wear and edge build-up. Importantly, the coating must also adhere to the substrate; if it does not stick, the substrate is exposed, leading to rapid failure.

Given this array of demands, it is crucial to understand the structure of a steel turning grade in order to make an informed decision when picking one for your application.

Structure of a carbide insert All carbide grades contain a cemented carbide core, also known as a substrate.

The substrate defines the toughness and strength of the grade. Resistance to plastic deformation can also be attributed to it.

The cemented carbide substrate is usually covered by a few layers of coating such as titanium carbonitride (TiCN), alumina (Al2O3), titanium nitride (TiN) that give the insert its edge toughness, adhesion and wear resistance properties. The recipe for superior resistance to different kind of wears – flank, crater and edge build-up; adhesion to substrate; and improved tool life – lie in the microscopic details that go into designing the coating layer.

Roman shield wall In conventional alumina coating, crystal growth direction is random. If the growth in

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All carbide grades contain a cemented carbide core, or substrate, which defines the toughness and strength of the grade.

the coating layer can be controlled to ensure all crystals line up in the same direction, it results in superior wear resistance.

To help you understand the power of crystal alignment, let’s consider an example from Roman history. When the ancient Roman legions went on a siege, they frequently deployed a shield wall — the Testudo

formation. In this formation all shields were aligned and tightly packed avoiding any vulnerable gaps. The shield wall helped the Romans resist oncoming aggression while advancing.

The alignment of crystals in a coating layer works in a similar way: the closely packed uni-directional crystals act as a shield and

CUTTING TOOLS

Conventional CVD alumina coating with random crystal orientation.

provide better resistance against difficult conditions at the cutting zone.

Uni-directional crystals Sandvik Coromant’s research & development (R&D) experts have found a way to control the crystal growth in the alumina coating, to ensure all crystals line up in the same direction, with the strongest part towards the top surface. This patented technology, known as Inveio coating, is a technical breakthrough that gives inserts a new level of wear resistance and tool life.

The tightly packed uni-directional crystals create a strong barrier towards the cutting zone and chip. This helps Inveio-equipped grades greatly improve resistance to crater wear and flank wear. Another desired impact is that heat is more rapidly led away from the cutting zone, helping the cutting edge stay in shape for longer times in cut.

Overall, what you get is a predictable tool with a long tool life.

With the introduction of the second generation of Inveio technology — featured in Sandvik Coromant’s latest steel turning grades GC4415 and GC4425 — the benefits of uni-directional coating have been further enhanced. Improved crystal orientation makes for an even more consistent performance and significantly improved wear resistance.

Intermittent cutting operations Now that we’ve discussed the first two considerations for selecting an insert grade – namely the substrate and the coating – let’s briefly look at the third: performance during intermittent cutting operations. This is an important requirement as it helps us to avoid any sudden insert breakages.

Look for inserts that have undergone posttreatment: a process in which very fine, sharp ceramic particles are bombarded on

to the insert coating. Imagine a hammer striking on the coating to reinforce and strengthen it. Inserts that have undergone effective post-treatment perform well during intermittent cutting.

New GC4415 and GC4425 grades Sandvik Coromant has launched two new ISO P steel turning insert grades recently.

The grades GC4415 and GC4425 are ideal for manufacturers operating in mass and batch-production set-ups. Equipped with a new substrate at their heart that is reinforced by Inveio technology, the two grades offer reliable performance and superior wear resistance. In addition, the grades’ new post-treatment is found to boost performance in intermittent cutting operations, avoiding any sudden breakages, and enabling both insert grades to outperform over a broad application range.

Customers have been able to implement higher cutting speeds (Vc) and multiplied feed rates (Fn) with these grades. In one case, a general engineering manufacturer subjected a 4140 pre-heat treated steel workpiece to multi-directional external roughing with the GC4425 insert.

Compared with using a competitor’s ISOinsert for the same process, the customer was able to achieve a 100% productivity increase, with a reduced cycle time of 50% as well as a 30% cost reduction.

Machining ISO P steel is tricky. By keeping a few considerations in mind when selecting a grade such as substrate toughness, and amid new technological advancements in the area of material science and tooling technology, it is possible to make a huge difference in your steel turning efficiency and your machine shop’s overall productivity. www.sandvik.coromant.com

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ONE-ON-ONE

Dr Mirjana Prica is the Managing Director of Food Innovation Australia Limited (FIAL), the Food and Agribusiness Growth Centre. She spoke to William Poole.

AMT: Firstly, what is FIAL, why was it established, and what are its objectives?

Mirjana Prica: Food Innovation Australia Limited (FIAL) is a not-for-profit industry-related organisation that was established under the Department of Industry as part of their innovation agenda through the Industry Growth Centres initiative. We are an industry-led organisation built to consult and deliver to the food and agribusiness sector in Australia.. In terms of our purpose, we were set up to catalyse the growth of the sector globally. It’s really to increase the share of Australian food in the global marketplace.

We work across three pillars that we believe are the – excuse the pun – ingredients for success. The first is knowledge. We believe firms need knowledge – not just information, they need knowledge.

As part of that knowledge pillar, we do research, we do analysis, we identify opportunities.

So in our Project 2030 report - Capturing the Prize - we showed that our sector is currently sitting at $59bn gross value add, roughly 4% of GDP in Australia, but it has scope to be a $200bn sector by 2030. Under that report, there are 19 growth opportunities.

What’s really exciting about that report is not only have we identified where the growth is, we’ve also identified what needs to happen.

We’ve developed roadmaps for each of those 19 opportunities. We engaged about 100 leaders across the industry, as well as some researchers, and we outlined what needs to happen to unlock that value across each of those 19 opportunities. What’s exciting for us is there’s a pathway forward, it’s about growth, it’s about value-adding. And what’s exciting is, if we champion the initiatives, there are an additional 300,000 jobs to be created across those categories, on top of the 550,000 that we currently have in the sector. So there’s growth, there are jobs, it’s really exciting.

What’s also exciting about that piece of work is that when the Prime Minister launched the Modern Manufacturing Strategy last year, the Government identified six priority areas that were of essential importance to the country, and food & beverages was one of those. And the work we’ve done on Project 2030 has been heavily referenced in the roadmap that was developed. So what we’re saying to the industry is: if you’re applying for funding, here’s a valuable source of information you can use to make sure your market data is correct, make sure you’ve identified where the growth opportunities are, and some of the challenges to unlock that. So that’s one of the pillars: knowledge.

The second is capabilities. We do a lot around market- and innovation-readiness. We work on transforming businesses, helping them to understand how to innovate. We did a partnership with Mars, called the Seeds of Change Accelerator. We had an expression of interest around the country where we had hundreds of applications. The idea of the program was to get small companies and big companies working together, but also to help small companies, through the resources of Mars, to really access the capability that large corporations have to address inhibiting growth obstacles. Six companies went through the program. One of them, Grounded, makes cheeses from hemp and cauliflower.

As a consequence of going through the accelerator, they’re now trading in New York. That’s just one example, and there are others.

So we do a lot around market- and innovation-readiness. That’s the second pillar.

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The third pillar is connections. We connect companies to funding and to researchers, because obviously to lock in some of the key potentials, science and technology underpins it, and most businesses don’t have that capability in-house. We do a lot of brokering in terms of connecting businesses to researchers. We also help companies connect to customers in the market. And the last 18 months have been critical with COVID and the inability to travel. We’ve been one of the first in the sector to lead what we call virtual meet-the-buyer events. We’ve connected about 400 Australian export-ready companies to over 500 buyers from about 40 markets. There’s been over 1,000 one-to-one virtual meetings online, and millions of dollars in transactions. It’s a great win-win.

What we use to facilitate this connectivity is what we call the Australian Food & Beverage Catalogue. It’s a virtual catalogue online that profiles Australian export-ready companies. And we have hundreds of buyers from about 40 odd markets who can look through that catalogue. That’s the starting point of the engagement.

So the three pillars are we work across knowledge, capabilities and connections, and we believe that’s the key to success in getting companies to catalyse their business growth.

AMT: How has COVID-19 impacted the sector? What have been the big lessons from the pandemic as well?

MP: I think the big lessons from the pandemic have been that you need to always have a backup plan, particularly in terms of raw material supply. A lot of the micro-ingredients that go into making foods come from overseas and therefore if there’s a disruption in terms of shipping, as there has been, you need alternative sources of supply. That’s caused a real problem for the industry – access to the right ingredients to be able to manufacture. Most of what we grow and produce is actually exported, but we still need some ingredients to come in, because we don’t have the economies of scale to produce them in Australia. We don’t have the volumes, labour’s expensive, electricity is expensive. You need to be able to compete on a global scale if you’re going to manufacture. So I think the first lesson is about procurement, and ingredients.

Secondly, think about your customer base and market diversification.

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. It’s sort of all business sense, business smarts – there are some things you just don’t do. A smart business person would have a diversified market and be spreading their profile and exposure.

And I think the third lesson is to just be open and not so rigid.

Be agile. The shocks that the food and agribusiness sector experiences… we had the bushfires, we’ve had drought, we had mouse plagues, we’ve had geopolitical tensions that have caused ripples of anxiety across the industry. And then we’ve had COVID. So there really is no normal. They say we’re going to get back to business as usual, but the norm is that there is constant change.

So businesses that build systems and processes that mean they can respond to these shocks and pivot quickly, they’re the ones that have succeeded.

AMT: It seems like a sector where resilience is incredibly important.

MP: Yes, and these businesses are quite resilient. You know, prior to COVID the sector was $61bn, and last year we hit $59bn. And that could be also cyclical because it relates to seasonal things that are beyond your control. So the sector is quite resilient,

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companies do pivot. But we did observe that some companies did struggle during the pandemic. I think the key message is: never be complacent. You’ve gotta be ready and you’ve gotta be agile and open and flexible.

What we’ve found is that when you’ve got a crisis, it’s really forced companies to innovate and do things differently. And we have seen that: companies who had been growing a variety of sorghum, because they were targeting a market in China, all of a sudden that market was a bit precarious, so they quickly pivoted to now looking at gluten-free type beverages. But that wouldn’t have happened if the tension had not appeared. And I congratulate them. They’re open they’ve pivoted, and that’s just the nature of doing business.

What was really good to see across the sector, as well as the resilience, was that everyone came together for the common cause to make sure that we had enough food to feed Australia. And also making sure we didn’t lose some of the food that we did grow and produce, to make sure it still went to a market, to a home. It wasn’t ploughed back into the ground. It’s a nice feeling working for the food industry because you know, we’re making sure everyone’s alive.

AMT: What are some of the big trends shaping the sector over the next few years?

MP: I think, food security, both from the perspective of making sure the food is safe to eat, and the ability to supply, the consistency in supply.

We’re also seeing that consumers are becoming increasingly discerning. Consumers are smart, and why are they smart?

Because they’ve got information to their hand. Whether it’s credible or not is another matter, but in the old days we didn’t have information at our fingertips – these days we do. Consumers are becoming increasingly sophisticated, they’re becoming smarter in their choices, they’re being selective about their choices. On top of that, we’ve got population growth. We won’t have enough food on the planet to feed every mouth in 2050, so we have to be creative.

But the rising consuming classes have introduced some interesting challenges because greater disposable income means people want to eat more energy-dense food. They’re being more selective about the protein type they’re eating.

There’s also a real issue around social license to operate. People want to know the provenance - where their food’s come from. How many miles has it done? Has it travelled around the world five times before it’s gotten to me? What’s the carbon footprint? Is the animal being treated humanely? So businesses who operate in this space have to be conscious of being connected to their end customer, but they also have to be mindful of the global dynamics that are shifting the mindsets and the purchasing power of consumers. It’s a very interesting time.

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ONE-ON-ONE AMT: What are the big opportunities for Australian manufacturers in food and agribusiness supply chains?

MP: So out of the 19 opportunities that underpinned the $200bn by 2030, 11 of those are pre-farm gate and seven of those are postfarm gate. Things like direct-to-consumer models. Energy smart food – how we introduce efficient systems that create electricity around food, refrigeration, manufacturing processes. Or things like targeted eating. Targeted eating is all about formulating products to meet your requirements. What level of fat do you want? How salty do you want the product? Do you want high levels of sugars?

Targeted eating as a category is $20bn in 2030 – that’s a big chunk of that $200bn. And there are lots of opportunities like that.

In terms of manufacturing, one thing we are noticing is that a lot of food manufacturers can’t get engineering to do the types of tooling required to create specialty products. For example, Natural Evolution is a company in Queensland, they’re banana growers historically. Rob Watkins, the owner, was driving home on the plantation one day and he ran over some green bananas that had fallen on the ground. He saw a big plume of dust, and the idea for converting green bananas into flour was born. He has now gone on from taking the flour from green bananas, to pulling out various ingredients within the bananas that have valuable properties, such as resistant starches. But the problem he faced was he didn’t have an engineering firm that could do all the engineering required.

Fortunately, he’s a bit of an engineer himself, so he was able to create a world-first automated technology that takes green bananas and converts them into value-added flour and value-added banana ingredients.

So I think engineering capability is a big opportunity. If you think about food processing, each business has a unique manufacturing line. It’s quite bespoke. You need to have that capability that allows you to put all the pieces together to create your product.

Another opportunity is around protein. The world’s hungry for proteins at the moment, we can’t get enough. Obviously, plantbased products are getting a lot of air time at the moment. The challenge with plant-based products is that it either comes from pulses, or wheat, or canola, or soybean. So how do you isolate the protein and make it as pure as possible, with the right functionality to suit the end application? That’s a real opportunity for the manufacturing sector or for people who are skilled in that way: to develop processes that allow you to take a raw material, a commodity, do something to it, fractionate and segregate it into its valuable ingredients that then can be used. That’s a real engineering challenge.

Also, a lot of the dairy technology that we have, some of it just sitting derelict in plants around Australia, could actually be repurposed to meet some of those requirements. A lot of the technologies used in dairy – for example processing to create cheeses, or caseinates, or whey powders – are quite applicable to creating these plant-based proteins. So that’s a real opportunity.

Then of course, you’ve got new products coming onto the market.

You’ve got insects. Circle Harvest, for example, grow insects on food waste, and then they convert that into valuable nutrients such as protein. What they need is automation in their processes.

The other area that’s exciting is around food waste and loss.

That’s a massive opportunity for Australia. Billions of dollars are just lost every year, either through processes, or consumers are not being mindful, or products just losing their shelf life. There are losses across the value chain, which creates an opportunity. For example, we’ve worked with a company called Gekko Systems.

They’re creating anaerobic digesters. They’re taking waste streams from multiple sources – dairy farms, piggeries – and taking that effluent and converting it into electricity, but also fertiliser. What’s great about that technology is it’s modular. They’ve created those modules in a container, you can put the container on the back of a truck and take the solution to the problem, whereas in the past you

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had to ferry all the waste to one central point. So it’s clever. There’s lots of engineering, lots of capability required around that in terms of how you manufacture such a confined, concise modular unit.

I think the food industry has got lots of exciting opportunities, we just need to have the resources to chase them.

AMT: What about challenges? What are the obstacles for manufacturers looking to diversify by getting into this sector?

MP: The biggest challenge in our industry is that of the 180,000 firms operating in the sector, two-thirds are what we call farmers and growers; of the remaining 60,000, 98% of them are SMEs. What that means is they don’t have the economies of scale to be able to build, and then to actually compete. Issues of scale are a big problem in Australia.

Another issue is that we don’t have many large Australian-owned firms. A lot of the larger firms that operate in our sector are foreignowned. Therefore, their investments are directed from a global perspective: they’ll invest because it makes sense, but it’s usually for the homegrown market, it’s not because they’re trying to grow exports.

Thirdly, in terms of the sector, what would be exciting is if we had the food part more closely connected to the agriculture part, because they provide the raw materials that go into food and beverages. It’s that whole-of-value-chain perspective. And that’s what our Project 2030 report does. It says it’s not pre-farm gate or post-farm gate that’s most important. In terms of their contribution to the economy, they’re both the same; in terms of jobs, they’re about the same.

What we’re saying is, if you’re going to really value-add, you have to be connected to your end customer, you have to understand what they want, but then you have to make sure you can source the right raw materials to have the right manufacturing conditions to then deliver for your customer. It’s not pre or post-farm gate, it’s and. We need both.

AMT: Tell us about your professional background and how you ended up in this role.

MP: I’m a scientist by training. I did my PhD in physical chemistry, on artificial diamonds. I taught in Australia and in the UK, then I worked in CSIRO, in the food division. And then I got a job at George Weston Foods. My specialty has always been in commercialisation, entrepreneurship, creation, taking something to market. I then went overseas and worked for Associated British Foods, a large British company that owned George Weston Foods, where we set up one of the largest ingredient supplies in the animal feed sector. And then I came back to Australia and managed an operation for George Weston Foods.

And then I got this gig, setting up this business. It covered all my background: I’m a scientist, I can talk heavy science; I’ve also taught people; but I’ve also done business development and strategy; I’ve managed a business; but then I’ve created a business. So it’s quite a nice spectrum of experiences. And that allows me to, I suppose, do my job quite effectively.

AMT: And what is the most satisfying aspect of the job?

MP: The fact that I’m working to ensure that Australia has a food industry into the future. And food is essential for life, so I say I work in the most important and most exciting sector in the world. I’m able to give back through my experience to ensure we have a food industry for the future. And making sure we work together – it’s not one person, we’ve got to come together, contribute collectively, put aside our differences for the good of the industry, the good of our communities, the good of Australia, and others will benefit as well around the world. It makes me feel good knowing I’m working for a good cause. www.fial.com.au

Real Business Real People Real Members John Hart is proud to be a founding member of AMTIL. Our continued and active participation is fostered by the enthusiastic and engaging staff at AMTIL. Their staff have an intimate understanding of our industry from all perspectives and provide a valuable resource of skill, knowledge, and experience.

There are many benefits that come from AMTIL membership, the most valuable of which is its people.

Mark Dobrich, John Hart

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

1311AMTILNOV21/MD

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World first: 3D printing equipment parts for Aussie red meat processors The Australian Meat Processor Corporation (AMPC) has been working with Markforged and Konica Minolta to establish an industry-owned additive manufacturing service model to help red meat processors across Australia print equipment parts. The world-first capability has the potential to revolutionise equipment maintenance in the industry to help ensure a continuous supply of meat products.

Additive manufacturing or 3D printing has been around for about a decade; however, new uses for the technology are constantly being discovered. This led the AMPC to investigate its potential in meat processing facilities. The AMPC is the research & development corporation for the red meat processing industry in Australia.

In a high-volume environment such as a meat processing plant, parts such as bolts and rollers can often wear or break.

As in any industry, time is money, and if a part fails the result is lost productivity and expensive down-time until a replacement part can be sourced and installed. With 3D printing, the industry can benefit from faster part replacement, creation and refinement.

“Meat processors rely on a multitude of equipment, with multiple components,” explains Chris Taylor, CEO of the AMPC. “Even a small component failure can be a costly exercise. The ability to simply print a replacement part could drastically reduce downtime and minimise the need to wait for parts, reducing the chance of supply being at risk.”

The collaboration between the AMPC, Konica Minolta and MarkForged involves a three-year, multifaceted programme via which it is hoped that the benefits brought by additive manufacturing will be realised at meat processing plants across Australia. The collaborative programme will see two mobile non-metal industrial 3D printing machines (both Markforged X7 carbon-fibre printers) shipped to Australian processing plants.

Processing staff will be trained to use the machines so that they can assess whether buying a permanent unit would be a good investment. The units will remain on site for a period of four to eight weeks then before rotating onwards to another plant. These units can create pre-metal prototypes for assessment as well as producing nonmetal parts.

“We are very excited about bringing Markforged’s Digital Forge to AMPC and AMPC’s members to support maintenance, repair and operation needs,” says Richard Elving, Director of Sales Asia-Pacific at Markforged. “Supply chain issues can be costly and time-sensitive, and with these tools in place, AMPC will provide a competitive advantage to its members

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that enables processing facilities to react quickly to solve problems right on the manufacturing floor.”

Konica Minolta will provide on-site support to help the meat processors understand and leverage the benefits that the technology can deliver.

“The need for sovereign capability for the Australian supply chain, coupled with Australian government support for local food and beverage manufacturing, has resulted in organisations looking to adopt innovative practices,” says Matthew Hunter, Innovation Product Marketing Manager at Konica Minolta. “Konica Minolta Australia is proud to partner with AMPC in getting this world-first capability off the ground.”

As part of the programme, a metal printing 3D industrial unit (metal X system) will be setup at Konica Minolta’s Sydney facility that will be dedicated to manufacturing parts for red meat processing. Plastic prototypes made at each processing location can be sent to this hub to be manufactured out of stainless steel and other metals in as few as 24 hours. A red meat 3D parts database library will ensure that all parts are subject to rigorous quality controls.

Hunter adds: “When it comes to meat processing, there are a number of challenges for equipment maintenance.

This includes the use of old equipment with limited spare part availability and the need to produce custom parts. 3D printing helps address these challenges. Through the database, AMPC’s member organisations will have access to intellectual property to expediate and streamline their repairs processes.”

With the ability to produce rapid prototypes using 3D printing as well as to manufacture one-off 3D parts, meat processors will also be able to modify equipment and/ or equipment components to suit their own specific needs by making changes to tooling, fixtures, brackets and actuators.

Currently many of these modifications, customisations, and consolidations simply cannot be done using the traditional techniques available.

Taylor concludes: “The processing sector is part of an ecosystem that performs best when all parts are optimised.

Although established and dedicated for Australian red meat processors, AMPC will make the 3D printing hub available for other Australian food, agriculture, and manufacturing sectors to evaluate their needs and opportunities for 3D printing within their supply chains.” www.ampc.com.au www.markforged.com www.konicaminolta.com.au

AGRICULTURE, FOOD & BEVERAGES

Strong growth for food, grocery manufacturing amid export gains Australia’s food and grocery manufacturing industry has grown by 4% to almost $133bn, according to new data from the Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC), with a rise in the value of exports driving the performance.

Releasing the latest State of the Industry report, which analyses data for 2019/20, AFGC CEO Tanya Barden said the increase in food and grocery exports – up 7.9% on the previous financial year to $41.3bn – showed the importance of export markets to local manufacturers.

“In a period affected by drought, bushfires and the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Australian food and grocery manufacturers demonstrated their resilience and resourcefulness by growing the value of this vitally important industry, particularly in overseas markets,” Barden said.

On the domestic front, COVID lockdowns spurred an increase in consumption through super-market channels, although this was dampened by a reduction in sales through food service channels such as restaurants and convenience stores.

“While the lift in sales is a positive for the industry, it hides the fact that businesses have in-curred increased costs due to several factors including the COVID-related expenses of maintain-ing safe workplaces, operational changes to meet increased demand and address supply chain disruptions, a tripling of sea freight charges and increases in commodity and packaging prices,” Barden said. “These cost increases follow a decade where costs have grown at double the rate of wholesale prices and there is a need for the industry to recoup costs going forward to main-tain viable operations.”

• A 12.1% increase in the value of imports to $39.9bn.

• A slight increase in food and grocery’s share of total Australian manufacturing, up 0.4% to 32% • A slight decline (0.2%) in total industry employment to 270,801 people.

Growth in sales to China were a key driver of exports, with a significant increase in meat ex-ports and a notable 18% increase in human pharmaceutical products, lifting the value of that high-value-added export to $6.6bn. Barden said increasing exports of high-value products is a key goal for Australian food and grocery manufacturing, as outlined in the Sustaining Australia report.

The State of the Industry report also shows a 5.2% increase in capital investment in the period, but despite this modest increase, capital investment is still well below the levels needed to achieve the vision of doubling the size of the industry by 2030, as set out in the Federal Gov-ernment’s Modern Manufacturing Strategy Food and Beverage Roadmap, and in AFGC’s report, Sustaining Australia: Food and Grocery Manufacturing 2030.

“The State of the Industry data adds to indepth analysis of the industry done by the AFGC and provides a clear picture of the challenges and opportunities for Australia’s food and grocery manufacturers,” she said.

The AFGC’s State of the Industry represents a detailed analysis of Australian food and grocery manufacturing performance and this latest edition provides a snapshot of the industry in the early stages of the COVID19-related disruption.

“We have said that, with the right policy settings to encourage investment, Australian food and grocery manufacturing can double in value to $250bn by 2030,” she said. “Important decisions to encourage investment need to be made now so that the industry can secure a strong future and help the Australian economy rebound from the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Among key findings of the report are: • A 7.9% increase in the value of exports from the food and grocery manufacturing indus-try to $41.3bn.

Reversing a decade-long trend of stagnant investment in the industry is critical to longterm success, Barden said, as is ensuring near-term stability with a more rational approach by retail-ers to cost pressures than had occurred over the last decade.

www.afgc.org.au

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Food & beverages: Meeting the need for extremely dry compressed air Reliable, efficient compressed air treatment is essential in meeting the stringent air quality standards required in the manufacture of food & beverages. Kaeser Compressors’ latest dry-running rotary screw compressors, featuring the patented i.HOC rotating dryer, not only provide a dependable source of quality compressed air with pressure dew points as low as -30 deg C, but does so energy-efficiently within a space-saving design.

There are some demanding applications in the food & beverage industry that require extremely dry compressed air. Generally speaking, the drier the air needs to be, the lower the pressure dew point required, and the lower the pressure dew point, the higher the level of complexity, space requirement and cost involved. However, for those applications needing to attain extremely dry compressed air to a negative pressure dewpoint of around -30 deg C, Kaeser Compressors presents an integrated and intelligent solution that is energy-efficient and space-saving.

Where extremely dry and clean compressed air is required, Kaeser’s dry-running rotary screw compressors, featuring an i.HOC (integrated Heat Of Compression) dryer, may be just the solution.

Here, the dryer is integrated within the dry-running compressor.

In this dryer design the desiccant is contained in a drum, through which the compressed air flows in an axial direction. Desiccant regeneration and compressed air drying take place continuously, within a single pressure receiver. However, the drying and regeneration sectors are separated, both structurally and in terms of process. Slight pressurisation of the drying sector ensures that once dried, the compressed air does not reabsorb moisture from the regeneration air flowing by in the adjacent sector.

A Kaeser dry-running rotary screw compressor featuring the patented i.HOC rotating dryer.

In i.HOC dryers, desiccant regeneration takes place continuously, using the heat that already exists in the hot compressed air.

Following the final air compression stage in the compressor, the hot compressed air is not sent to the compressor’s second-stage coolers and lost, but it is diverted directly to the drying sector of the integrated rotating dryer before it exits the compressor. The heat arising as a result of compression of the air is therefore also used for desiccant regeneration. This heat is freely available without cost, as no additional energy is required for the drying process. This translates into maximum efficiency and outstanding drying reliability.

The perfect interplay between the compressor and dryer also avoids additional energy costs, which are unavoidably incurred in the case of conventional desiccant dryers, which use additional, external energy for desiccant regeneration.

Modern i.HOC units also guarantee reliable and stable maintenance of low pressure dew points to -20 deg C, and under special conditions even to -40 degrees Celsius.

In integrated rotation dryers, the attainable pressure dew point is determined by the compressed air inlet temperature in the drying sector and the available regeneration potential, which depends on the mass flow of regeneration air and its temperature. The i.HOC dryer therefore uses the entire mass flow of hot compressed air available at the end of the second compression stage for regeneration purposes. This is why it is referred to as a “full stream” rotation dryer.

The higher regeneration potential of full-stream rotation dryers is especially advantageous when it comes to high cooling medium temperatures at the regeneration air cooler, low compression ratios in the compressor and – in partial-load operation – more consistent and significantly lower pressure dew points.

The attainable pressure dew point will fluctuate with the temperature of the ambient air (insofar as it acts as a cooling medium) – and this effect is especially pronounced in air-cooled compressors with

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The i.HOC dryer is integrated into Kaeser’s dryrunning rotary screw compressor.

integrated rotation dryers. For instance, if temperatures temporarily peak around 40 deg C in the inlet area during summer months, it may be necessary to enhance the rotation dryer’s regeneration potential during this time, to avoid exceeding a required pressure dew point of -20 deg C. Here the discharge temperature of the i.HOC full-stream rotation dryer following the second stage (i.e. the regeneration air temperature) can be increased by a controlled bypass around the first compression stage cooler. The regeneration air temperature (and consequently, the regeneration potential) increases to ensure maintenance of the target pressure dew point. Using the bypass to increase the regeneration air temperature to meet process requirements makes sense – especially as the conventional technology available on the market for electrically heating the regeneration air consumes significantly more energy.

When it comes to meeting stringent air quality standards reliably and energy-efficiently, a dry-running compressor with an integrated rotation dryer is an excellent choice for users with a certain usage profile: demanding requirements in terms of compressed air quality and pressure dew point consistency, relatively little installation space and challenging environmental conditions. au.kaeser.com

AGRICULTURE, FOOD & BEVERAGES

Enmin: A key ingredient in Fine Food’s continued growth For more than 40 years, Victorian-based Enmin has been building custom vibratory and material handling solutions for a myriad of applications and environments. The company’s knowledge and expertise in this area has seen their list of customers grow to include most of Australia’s leading food industry manufacturers.

One of Enmin’s long-term customers is leading snack manufacturer Fine Food Holding (FFH) based in Keysborough, Victoria. The company was established around seven years ago by FMCG (fastmoving consumer goods) specialist Jim Leckey and his partners.

Together they shared a clear vision of developing and producing a range of innovative, high quality, specialty snacking products.

To say the company has been successful is something of an understatement. From starting with just six employees, FFH now has around 250 staff with the company supplying both domestic and export markets including the US and Europe.

FFH offers an extensive range of premium snacking crackers that include wafer crackers, seeded crisps and seeded flatbreads.

Combining grains, fruit, nuts and herbs, the biscuits are an ideal partner for cheese and other toppings. In keeping with current customer trends, a gluten free range is also available. The company supplies its products to a broad range of outlets including major supermarket chains and specialty deli shops across Australia. The export market accounts for around 20% of total revenue and is likely to increase in the future.

The company’s phenomenal growth is directly related to its significant investments in R&D. ‘Rapid innovation’ is essential in this market to develop new products that cater to an increasingly sophisticated palette of health-focused products that the market demands.

A mechanical engineer by trade, complemented by a number of business qualifications, Leckey has been intimately involved with the FMCG category all his working life. He has worked across a diverse range of food categories that includes soft drinks, dairy, sauces and baking products. “I’ve had a long association with Enmin spanning 15 years and in particular with General Manager Anthony Gallaher,” he says. “When we started FFH we needed a range of vibratory equipment and other material handling solutions and time was of the essence. My previous dealings with Enmin provided me with the confidence that they could meet our equipment requirements and crucially our time frames. We were not let down.”

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Over the last few years Enmin has supplied FFH with an extensive and diverse range of food-handling equipment including biscuithandling systems, vibratory feeders, cheese-depositing systems, biscuit-breaking equipment, conveyors and operator work platforms.

“As our business has expanded, Enmin has evolved with us and they’ve proven to be a great business partner,” Leckey adds. “One of Enmin’s key strengths is their ability to design and fabricate a customised product that suits our specific production needs. When we’ve needed a piece of equipment to solve a particular issue they’ve always taken on the challenge and ultimately provided us with a high-quality bespoke unit.

“We choose Enmin products due to their superior design, high quality and proven reliability, backed up with excellent customer service.

The quality of the finished product is always outstanding and meets all our hygiene standards. Our equipment runs 24 hours, six days a week – we can’t afford anything but the best and Enmin equipment meets that requirement and provides exceptional up-time.”

Increased demand for Enmin’s products and services has necessitated a move recently to a larger factory in Braeside, Victoria.

These new premises are three times the size, allowing Enmin to increase production capacity, bring more of the manufacturing process in-house and offer a broader range of support services. www.enmin.com.au www.finefoodholdings.com.au

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Additive Manufacturing Hub case study: AGCOM AGCOM made use of 3D printing in the development of a prototype mobile processing machine for hemp crops, with assistance from AMTIL’s Additive Manufacturing Hub. The hemp industry is worth more than US$3bn globally, and is expected to grow significantly over the coming years. The cultivation of industrial hemp was only legalised in Australia in 2017, and as a result our development of locally produced hemp fibre, seed, and oil-based products for global markets lags the rest of the world. Currently, the major constraint to market development in the Australian hemp industry is the lack of hemp processing facilities.

AGCOM was established in 2006 as an agricultural business. Over the years, AGCOM has been involved in the engineering, design and development of machinery for the primary industry sector.

Within the hemp industry, AMCO has accumulated a solid base of technical knowledge and expertise in processing equipment, built up over many years through collaboration with partners from Canada, America, and Australia.

This knowledge has now been transferred to an engineering design for the development of a prototype mobile hemp processing machine (decorticator). The decortication process efficiently separates the short, woody interior fibres from the soft, long outer fibres of the hemp plant, each of which are used in the manufacture of a diverse range of industrial and consumer products.

The challenge The project involved the design and development of a mobile hemp decorticator for transportation to and on-farm use within cropping regions around south-eastern Australia. The equipment’s mobility will enable the stalks of freshly harvested hemp crops to be separated into their long and short fibres and processed on-farm.

The final system will be mounted onto a specialised trailer which can be moved from paddock to paddock and site to site.

A key feature of this versatile system is its non-reliance on mains power, which will avoid the double handling of the crop and the costs of its cartage to a processing facility, which, depending on the location, could be several hundred kilometres away. As the decorticator is connected to its own power supply, harvested hemp stalks can be processed in paddocks on farms with no access to electricity. Bypassing the double handling and transport of unprocessed hemp stalks also means that the long and short fibres separated by decortication can be shipped directly to businesses for manufacture into end-user products across multiple industries, including motor vehicle fit-out and in building and construction.

Most decorticators currently available can only process hemp stalks that have been pre-softened by retting. This is a naturally occurring microbial process that facilitates the separation of the long and short fibres when the harvested material is left in the paddock to partially decompose for several weeks prior to decortication. Retting greatly increases the time lag between harvesting and decortication, decreasing the value of the final product.

3D modelling of the conveyor

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3D modelling of the three-rotor hemp crushing processor.

The project has been divided into three stages due to its size: feasibility; engineering design; and manufacturing. It is now in the second and most critical phase of design, with the aim of achieving a fully manufacturable system that can be commercialised.

A major constraint that AGMCOM faced was ensuring the final product was manufactured cost-effectively and identifying any needed adjustments and alterations to the design before fabrication.

The initial concept engineering design has been developed and requires final adjustments to achieve the project’s objectives. The objective is to optimise the design by identifying any adverse product processing issues that could hinder the achievement of a high-performance system. The final design goal is the development of a cost-efficient processing system capable of extracting and separating long and short fibres from hemp stalks ready for use in various industrial and domestic applications.

The decorticator will be mounted on a truck and trailer combination, in compliance with national road dimension standards, enabling its transportation predominantly around south-eastern Australia. It is therefore essential that during the design phase the decorticator is created in accordance with these standards, which is why the 3D modelling and printing is such an important element in this process.

The solution The major obstacle AGCOM needed to solve was ensuring there was space to enable the mobile machinery to process the material adequately. By 3D printing scale models of all the components, it

AGRICULTURE, FOOD & BEVERAGES was possible to establish the critical components and assimilate them to the finished machine. Although computer design provides informed mechanical structures, with all components having been 3D printed, AGCOM could identify major problems that need to be solved to achieve an efficient machinery process.

There are many examples of this, where critical components could be evaluated and all the engineers participating in the project were able to assess the fine detail. A good example of this was in the development of the three-rotor hemp crushing processor.

How the Additive Manufacturing Hub helped Additive manufacturing has enabled AGCOM to bring the project forward to the end of its second phase. It helped all participating parties to conceptualise the final result, improving efficiency, accuracy, and communication. It also meant that AGCOM did not need to go to foundries to begin the design/manufacturing process from the ground up – which would have been both very costly and time-consuming. By instead using the 3D printed model as guidance, AGCOM was able to order the required components and parts to begin manufacturing:

It has been possible to use additive manufactured parts have been able to be used to test the manufacturing process for the machine.

In addition additive manufacturing enabled AGCOM to assess the ease of assembling each of the components into the machine, and of removing spare parts that are subject to wear and tear. Many variations of component options have been tested through 3D printing, allowing for rapid conclusions to be drawn, thus speeding up the full machine designs

The outcome Through the use of additive manufacturing, AGCOM has been able to construct intricate parts and test them for clearances. In addition, fixing components could be printed, allowing testing for easy access and safety along with durability from the likelihood of wear and tear.

• To evaluate critical design flaws prior to manufacture.

The final result is a completed 3D printed scale model of the mobile decorticator and its components. The AGCOM team and all participating parties now have clarity and understanding as to how the entire concept will come together. The scale model enables the team to demonstrate the concept to potential purchasers and users of the machine.

• To evaluate occupation health & safety (OHS) issues.

www.amhub.net.au www.amcogroup.com.au

• To evaluate construction component options.

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COMPANY FOCUS

Agerris – Pioneers in their field Think about robotics & automation and the mind typically turns to industrial robots toiling on production lines, but these technologies have applications far beyond the factory. One company doing groundbreaking work in the agricultural sector is Agerris. By Brent Balinski.

Agerris’ Digital Farmhand is an autonomous, solar-electric four-wheel drive cart designed for smallholder farms.

Though Australia lags behind other developed nations in terms of robot use in its factories, there are parts of the economy where our local automation has led the world. Self-driving trucks in Rio Tinto’s mines and the world’s first automated port at Brisbane are two reasonably well-known examples – each involving the work of experts at University of Sydney’s Australian Centre For Field Robotics (ACFR).

“Australia’s always punched above its weight when it comes to automation,” says Professor Saleh Sukkarieh. “We’ve always been the country to look at when it comes to automating mining or stevedoring or logistics. The fact we have lots of constraints in this country kind of pushes us down that path and it makes it a great ground for that.

There’s some really good companies, really good robotics research institutions, and a desire to see automation.”

Sukkarieh began at the ACFR as a graduate student in 1997, and served as its Director from 2007 until 2018, when he stepped back to take agricultural robotics R&D into the private sector. He still oversees PhDs and research on environmental robotics a day or two a week, but “the other 250%” of his time is spent as CEO of Agerris.

The company’s main product is Digital Farmhand, an autonomous, solarelectric four-wheel drive cart designed for smallholder farms. It can currently cover between three and five hectares a day while building maps, gathering intelligence on soil and crops, and weeding without chemicals. At only 300kg or so, it is far gentler on the soil than a tractor, and with none of the greenhouse emissions.

The Professor of Robotics and Intelligent

AMT DEC 2021

Systems – Agerris is a contraction based on ‘ager’, Latin for ‘field’, and Robotics and Intelligent Systems, RIS – was first drawn to agriculture through research on drone identification of woody weeds. Years of smart farm-themed work supported by organisations including Meat & Livestock Australia, Horticulture Innovation Australia and others was spun out in April 2019, with the official launch of the agtech business following a $6.5m seed round.

According to Sukkerieh, a long-time researcher and first-time entrepreneur, things are progressing better than expected. Instead of building a couple of robots for trials, the team now has 14 Digital Farmhand commercial prototypes out in the field.

Out on the farms (the current focus is vegetable growers), the owners quickly overcome the shock of a new machine that is both smaller than they’re used to and non-diesel-powered, as well as being able to go eight to 10 hours up and down rows on a single charge.

Scaling up

“That firstly takes them by surprise,” says Sukkarieh. “And then they can see the benefit of the fact that all you do is just plug this in and it has one-tenth the moving parts that a tractor would have because there are much less moving parts, no oil, fuel, lubrication, nothing like that”.

The company’s machines cannot yet harvest anything physical, but their sensors are constantly collecting data from crops and soil, with this processed into maps and analytics down to the level of individual plants.

“Initially we were just focussing on the robot weeding,” Sukkarieh adds. “But then when you start to provide them with the crop analytics, they could see significant benefits that came out of that process.”

The data can be used to chart the rate of growth for plants, for yield prediction, and to detect diseases before they spread.

“We’ve learnt a lot about how to manufacture efficiently. We’ve learnt a lot about operationalising and putting it onfarm and making that work.”

Initial units were designed and built by the Agerris team, with structural parts made overseas, with Agerris then turning to Chess Engineering as its manufacturing partner. The ag-tech start-up creates its mechanical, mechatronics and software designs in-house. As the company started to scale up, it handed these over to Chess to make the product more robust and help with design for manufacturing.

“They also integrated some of the motordrive units,” adds Sukkarieh. “And our role then was to kind of integrate the rest of the electronics and sensors and get the bot working.”

Getting to the manufacturing stage has provided lessons for the team.

“When you start off, you do a lot of customisation and you’re trying to build a product that would be useful across some different use cases, and as time goes on, you learn how to solidify on some of those thoughts and focus on locking in certain designs,” explains Sukkarieh. “You can see that if things work out and we scale further, that you end up with a bit more of a common design architecture, which is

093 easier to build, easier to manufacture, and I think that’s probably where the future focus is. So how do you do this in a way that is easy to build and hence cheaper to build?

Because obviously those costs go on then to the farmers.”

The company has recently been engaged in a $5m capital raise to move into highervolume production, reach new markets, and continue R&D. Part of the R&D program involves working vertically into agriculture, including plans to harvest crops as well as understand them. Picking presents a two-fold problem, according to Sukkarieh: environmental, and technological.

Robots have been in factories since the 1960s, where they work in structured environments, generally unable to adapt to changed circumstances and simply going through a pre-programmed set of instructions. A farm is not so structured: row widths aren’t standardised; every farm is different; and outdoor conditions (light, temperature and other environmental factors) are always changing.

On the technology side, produce is tricky to get a handle on for a robot: it’s delicate, can be obscured by branches and leaves, and the way humans grasp is more impressive than we take for granted, says Sukkarieh.

“The perception system of a human being is quite phenomenal, and the internal models that we have in our brain are phenomenal: when we try and predict where the fruit is, what angle we should pick it from, how we should pick it, how soft do we grab it, etc.

So all those things into the technical space are important to capture.”

What everything’s tending towards Farm labour is short at the best times, and pandemic-related border closures have

worsened this. In October, NSW Farmers President James Jackson said: “We’re getting into a pretty tough spot with a lot of crops. We need up to 16,000 farm workers and we need them now.”

Professor Saleh Sukkarieh, CEO of Agerris.

COVID-19 “hasn’t been rosy for anyone” according to Sukkarieh, who says that while interest in robotic farming has increased, his company has itself had lower access to labour and components sourced through its supply chain.

For agriculture, it is arguably a sector in need of reinvention. While Australia exports 70% of what it grows, and its farmers are sometimes referred to as among the world’s best in terms of efficiency, the average age of a farmer is 58.

Technology is one possible way to attract younger talent into the sector and the regions where it’s needed.

In the same way that modern manufacturing – high-skilled, high-tech, highly-removed from the dirty, giant factories of yesteryear – might be a more appealing possibility for a person planning their career, there are similarities with this new farming paradigm.

Agerris is focussed on the lighter, nimbler end of the industry – solar electric-powered and based on a vision of people working alongside teams of robots, each perhaps specialising on a different task: tilling, cultivation, weeding, and so on. Rather than being based on giant farms, giant machinery and physical strain, it might be based on giant volumes of data, and the exercising of creativity to solve problems based on this.

Time will tell how the sector adapts to its challenges, and what its future workforce looks like. Sukkarieh sees the nascent agricultural robotics genre being helped

along by smaller, more powerful, electric vehicles with better endurance, with bespoke systems easier to produce through improvements in 3D printing, and with more powerful processing meaning each robot is smarter and more capable on-farm.

“You can imagine what everything’s tending towards, which is a smarter, more nimble platform that can do precise activities onfarm and hence reducing the environmental footprint,” he says. “The only thing I think that hasn’t changed is the amount of capital that’s available in the industry to be able to kickstart and push through automation.

“And if that was available in this country, there would be no reason why you wouldn’t be able to see, in a decade’s time, fully autonomous farming activity, from planting through to harvesting in certain commodities.” www.agerris.com

The Digital Farmhand can currently cover three to five hectares a day while building maps, gathering intelligence on soil and crops, and weeding without chemicals.

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STATE SPOTLIGHT

NEW SOUTH WALES

TAFE NSW gets tooled up with Suhner Suhner Australia has supplied its metal finishing stations to TAFE NSW to help provide its students with access to quality professional tools as they learn to master metal finishing.

Six Suhner Complete Metal Finishing Stations were recently delivered to TAFE NSW Newcastle, the latest instalment in a roll-out that commenced in 2018 with Wetherill Park, in an enduring TAFEindustry partnership of over 20 years. The modular units consist of a free-standing, metal storage cabinet on wheels, divided into draws for fast and easy access, with much of Suhner’s leading metal polishing tools and abrasives.

The Rotomax 2 Flexible Drive machine forms the cornerstone of the unit. This tool allows apprentices to choose from 124 speed settings between 500rpm and 13,000 Rpm, four different abrasive tool head options, and infinite power and flexibility with world-class safety features. The station also features the popular Suhner UTC tube polishers and USK straight grinders, with a complete range of Suhner Electric power tools .

“With the Suhner Metal Finishing Station, TAFE NSW apprentices have access to the highest quality tools and abrasives available that allow them to concentrate on learning the processes and skills involved with metal polishing and finishing,” explained Robert Bartrum, General Manager of Suhner Australia. “Suhner also helps ensure that TAFE NSW apprentices are right up-to-date with current best practices.”

Lucas Archer, a teacher from the Advanced Manufacturing Trades section at TAFE NSW Wetherill Park, said the longstanding relationship with Suhner meant graduates were getting the best industry-aligned training using top-of-the-line equipment: “TAFE NSW is proud to be working with Suhner Australia to give our students the very best hands-on training with the latest in metal finishing systems. We’re working hand-in-hand with industry to ensure our graduates are job-ready with the knowledge and skills employers want to get the job done.”

The finishing stations will be incorporated into TAFE NSW Newcastle’s Metal Finishing Module, in a similar fashion to the

installation at TAFE NSW Wetherill Park in 2018, and used by apprentices involved in a range of courses including sheet metal working and fabrication.

Apart from supplying tools, Suhner works closely with TAFE NSW to provide regular, free on-site workshops and seminars to help apprentices identify the right tools, abrasives and techniques to achieve the desired metal finish. This has been a continuous process for more than 20 years with ‘TAFE NSW Seminars’ undertaken across Greater Sydney as well as Wollongong, Newcastle and even interstate.

“We are looking forward to continuing our partnership with TAFE NSW, and helping train and prepare apprentices for the challenging demands of Australia’s now-growing manufacturing sector,” Bartrum added. www.suhner.com www.tafensw.edu.au

Thales to invest $6.5m to expand precision manufacturing in regional NSW Thales Australia will invest $6.5m in the first phase of an industrial plan to transform its Lithgow Arms facility in regional New South Wales.

Phase 1 of the plan will establish a modern manufacturing and integration hub for the design, development and precision manufacture of next-generation weapons systems for the Australian Defence Force (ADF), industrial partners and export customers.

Building on Lithgow Arms’ distinguished, century-long heritage of producing world-leading small-arms and weapons systems for the ADF, this phase of the new development will integrate both traditional precision manufacturing and digital technologies, including 3D printing, automated electro-plating and other metal treatment capabilities. It will also include a new purpose-built live firing test and evaluation capability to support systems integration, and the acceleration of research & technology development of digitised small-arms and weapon system platforms.

The development will expand the world-leading precisionmanufacturing capability of Lithgow Arms to support new sovereign manufacturing partnerships for strategic ADF programmes,

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including the recently announced partnership with Rheinmetall Defence Australia to manufacture key components for Rheinmetall in support of the Australian Defence Force Land 400 program.

The precinct will also provide facilities to enable collaboration across research institutions, SME partners, and key industrial partners to create the soldier systems and small arms of the future, and secure the next generation of manufacturing and engineering skills in Lithgow and across the Central West.

“Lithgow has been the home of small arms manufacturing for over a century,” said Corry Roberts, Vice-President – Land at Thales Australia & New Zealand. “Transforming Australia’s manufacturing capability benefits Australia’s self-reliance and evolves the capability of the broader Australian advanced manufacturing sector, which is essential in growing local jobs, and delivering advanced capability advantage to the ADF.” www.thalesgroup.com

NEW SOUTH WALES

STATE SPOTLIGHT

Sharp Tooling commissions large Okuma machine Wetherill Park-based Sharp Tooling has continued its policy of offering something special while keeping ahead of the market, with the recent commissioning of one of Okuma’s largest five-axis CNC vertical multitasking machines.

Founded in 1986 by Managing Director Albert Carrion, Sharp Tooling’s strong investment policy has helped it maintain an enviable position in advanced general engineering. Its latest purchase is an Okuma VTM-2000YB model, with OSP-P300SA-H controller, and accessories including a Capto C8 60-tool automatic tool changer. The five-axis machine has a 2,400mm swing capacity with a 1,400mm turning height. The machine is so large, Okuma engineers from Japan as well as locally assisted in its installation.

“This is my second Okuma machine,” says Carrion. “I have been overwhelmed with the technical support, information and training we continue to receive for this machine, even under COVID-19 conditions. This is the largest Okuma machine of its type in Australia and its precision, outstanding rigidity and five-axis capabilities will take us into new markets. We now have the capability of new large general engineering jobs, with opportunities to provide even greater service. I have always strived to offer something special for my customers and we can now offer large machining jobs in different materials.”

Sharp Tooling frequently produces more than 50,000 parts per year, for clients throughout Australia in industries such as mining, construction machinery and energy, and significant indirect exports of components. Expansion plans into larger components are well advanced, with customers showing a strong preference for Australian-manufactured components.

The Sharp Tooling team with the new Okuma machine: Kevin Flores, Technical Engineer; Albert Carrion, Managing Director; and Kyle Carrion, trainee.

Quality and service have always been a focus of Sharp Tooling.

Modern machinery allows the company to offer short lead times, with a Kanban system tailored for clients with special requirements.

A dedicated team of 22 skilled personnel operate under a flat management hierarchy with continuous training. With a range of multi-tasking machines supported by two-axis CNC lathes, manual lathes and milling machines, surface and cylindrical grinders, and the new five-axis machine, the company is well placed to meet future demands and realise its expansion ambitions.

For the team there is great excitement about the new machine, as Carrion concludes: “It is providing a greatly enhanced experience for our engineers, new skills training, new products and a future with secure employment.” www.okumaaustralia.com.au

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WORKHOLDING

Haubex Automation System: Lang Technik’s latest workholding innovation For German workholding specialist Lang Technik, product innovation is something that is firmly embedded in its DNA. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that the company recently launched a range of new products at EMO Milan – the world’s premier trade fair for the metalworking sector, held in Italy in October.

Over the years Lang Technik has been responsible for numerous workholding innovations that reduce costly changeover time, reduce operator workload and maximise productivity. The New Lang Haubex Automation System carries on that lonstanding tradition.

The Haubex transforms a tool magazine into a flexible and costeffective automation solution for small batch production that can be adapted to almost any CNC machining centre. The heart of Haubex is a workholding hood, which serves as a carrier system for the latest development of Lang Technik’s renowned Makro-Grip five-axis vice.

The clamped workpiece is exchanged from the tool magazine like an ordinary tool. By automatically changing the clamping device from the tool magazine, Haubex uses the existing capacities of the milling machine and manages the whole process completely, without an in-feed unit or robot.

“The new Haubex system offers all CNC mill centre owners a simple, flexible and inexpensive entry into the world of automation,” says Matthew Williams, General Manager at Dimac Tool, Lang Technik’s agents for Australia and New Zealand. “The system is designed to keep your CNC machine cutting for longer periods, thus avoiding the need to have an operator standing in front of the machine while allowing continuing machining over break periods.”

Makro-Grip enhanced Another new product that Lang Technik unveiled is an evolution of its Makro-Grip Contour jaws. The company has been supplying innovative contour jaws for clamping profiles and pre-machined parts for many years, but this new magnetic version enables soft jaws to be changed without any tools in a matter of seconds.

When it comes to positioning the contour jaws, Lang Technik’s proven form-fit technology is utilised. The compamny’s form-closure technology provides the highest holding forces with low clamping pressure for five-face machining worldwide. The form-fit between the serration of the clamping jaws and a matching contour in the soft jaws allows for accurate positioning of the contour jaws. Finally, magnets pull the contour jaws towards the clamping jaws to provide a firm and secure fit.

“These new magnetic contour jaws, which alleviate the need for tools to change soft jaws, is another example of Lang Technik’s relentless pursuit of maximising productivity,” Williams explains.

Productivity upgrades Lang Technik’s existing Preci-Point quick change collet chuck for ER50 collets has existed for a long time. Now, in response to increasingly widespread demand, Lang Technik has introduced a new version to suit ER32 collets, which are readily available in most machine shops. The chuck offers excellent handling characteristics and ideal accessibility during machining thanks to its slim design.

The new chuck can be used to clamp round parts and is equipped with clamping studs for a quick set-up process using Lang Technik’s zero-point clamping system.

Lang Technik’s patented Quick Point zero-point clamping system allows for a one-time installation. Once the base plate is mounted and aligned to the machine tool table and the zero point is defined, workpieces and fixtures can be built quickly and accurately.

AMT DEC 2021

“The zero-point system provides a huge boost to productivity, reducing typical changeover times from one to two hours to just several minutes,” says Williams.

The final new release is an evolution of Lang Technik’s Quick-Point Plates – a product that the company observes has often been copied but never equalled. Designated ‘96 Module Plates’, multiple QP-Plates are aligned to each other to allow one actuation screw to clamp multiple connected QP-plates. This results in significant benefits in operations utilising larger vises such as the Makro-Grip Ultra, where they are able to span two or more QP-Plates that require aligning. This removes the issue of accessing multiple actuation screws that could otherwise be difficult to access.

Williams concludes: “These new products reinforce Lang Technik’s reputation as the worldwide leader in design and development of workholding solutions for almost any clamping requirement from raw material to the finished workpiece. Because all Lang Technik products come from the one place, they are perfectly matched, and interfacing problems with other systems do not exist. The modular building system and the multitude of combinations and capabilities are the reason that their workholding systems can be used in almost any machining centre.” www.dimac.com.au

WORKHOLDING

Autowell – Vices for any machining setting Autowell of Taiwan has a wide range of high-quality, match-ground machine vices to suit the workholding needs of general machining, CNC machining and production workshops Where high clamping force is needed, the ALQ Series Power Vice with its patented Mechanical Boost System is an ideal choice.

Unlike traditional hydraulic vices, the Autowell mechanical boost system is fully protected against the ingress of dust, chips or coolant, eliminating the need to maintain or replace hydraulic seals.

Another feature of the ALQ Series is the patented Force Adjustable System, this system allows the operator to choose from four preset clamping forces to suit differing components or materials needing higher or lower clamping pressure. Once the clamping force has been set, it will remain set and repeat, preventing damage to components from excessive pressure.

In addition to a wide opening the ALQ also has an outer jaw design which increases the capacity even further by allowing workpieces to be clamp over the top of the standard jaws. Extended lifetime of the vice is assured as it is manufactured from rigid and tensile ductile iron with flame-hardened slide surfaces and carburised, heat-treated jaws to HRC54. The ALQ is suitable for use on vertical or horizontal machining centres on the machine bed, tombstones or other fixtures.

For use on manual milling machines or CNC machines, the ATW Series has proven to be popular because of the wide openings it offers: 226mm on the Model 689; and 265mm on the larger Model

810. As with many of the Autowell machine vices, the ATW features the Wellock Anti Lift Mechanism to prevent deflection and lift.

The jaw plate positions can be changed, offering four different clamping positions, and the bearing system is sealed to minimise damage from swarf and coolant. With a high manufacturing tolerance of 0.01mm, multiple vices can be used for fixturing long or large-area components.

To increase efficiency and productivity of CNC machining centres, Autowell offers the TLD Series Double Station. This vice can be used for clamping two workpieces of the same size or dissimilar sizes, plus the centre jaw can be removed to allow clamping of a single, large-size workpiece.

The added advantage of being able to reposition the jaw plates allows for six different clamping configurations, and if required the standard jaws can be quickly removed and replaced with custom soft jaws. An added feature of the TLD Series is Pressure Equalisation, which ensures the same clamping force is applied to both components at the same time, even if they are differing shapes or sizes. To further reduce cycle times, once set, the moveable jaw will return to the same position when unloading and reloading parts.

All Autowell machine vices are manufactured to a high tolerance and match-ground. Whether they have just been purchased or for years to come, they will remain suitable for multiple workpiece clamping applications. www.whitelawtooling.com.au

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WASTE & RECYCLING

Improving plastic recycling with hyperspectral imaging Plastic waste has become one of Australia’s greatest environmental concerns. Recycling discarded materials is a critical challenge, and one in which the implementation of hyperspectral imaging technology offers benefits.

Unfortunately, our use of plastic products is one of ‘make, take, and throw’, without thinking of its long-lasting impact on the environment. A recent CSIRO report, Advanced recycling technologies to address Australia’s plastic waste, showed human consumption of plastic over the period of 2016-17 reached some 3.4m tonnes. However, the following year, Australia managed to recycle less than 10% of all this waste!

Reducing plastic waste is critical to our environment and our economy. Australia can no longer export waste to China, so we must find ways to deal effectively with it ourselves. Today, only half of our end-of-life plastics are recycled – some is compressed to go into landfill, taking decades to breakdown while exuding dangerous gases; some is incinerated; polluting the air; while other waste finds its way into the ocean with devastating consequences on bird and marine life. However, there is a way to rectify this by building a circular economy through effective plastic recycling processes.

Due to plastic’s flexible usage, not all discarded plastic is the same, with differing chemical structures used to make different products.

Plastic drink bottles are made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET); pipes made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) are installed in plumbing applications around our homes; while low-density polyethylene (LDPE) is used in consumable products such as plastic bags, food packaging and coffee cups. Discarded plastics received at garbage centres are generally transported as mixed loads to mechanical recycling plants, where sorting process removes other waste. However, this process can be greatly improved with the implementation of hyperspectral imaging technology.

Hyperspectral imaging cameras are used across Europe to improve identification of plastics in mixed garbage. The camera can capture both the spatial and spectral images of each item, making separation easier. Due to their chemical structure, all plastic types have unique spectral properties that cannot be identified by an RGB camera or human eye. Commonly used plastics have unique spectral properties, but due to their similar chemical structures, the spectral differences are small, sp high spectral resolution is required.

Using spatial resolution, a HySpex camera can separate even small plastic pieces passing along a conveyor belt at high speed. The spectral differences identified during data analysis provides the basis for a robust classification model that can be used with every mechanical sort. Originally developed for defence purposes by NEO in Norway, HySpex cameras are being applied in such diverse tasks as identifying ore patterns in mining sites, or finding nematodes in fish fillets.

Governments are recognising the need for innovative technology in this area, with recently released grant funding encouraging recyclers to find new ways to capture the value of our plastic waste and build a circular economy through effective recycling. A circular economy is one where plastic waste must be recycled into new products. The Australian Packaging Covenant has set targets for a true circular economy to be reached by 2025.

To reach a true circular economy requires adopting technical innovation to improve current practices of mechanical recycling, and even to adopt advanced recycling techniques. Both of these recycling processes have a part to play. The most common form of recycling in Australia is mechanical recycling, where plastic is separated from other garbage, then chopped, washed, and melted into granulates for extrusion into new plastic products.

AMT DEC 2021

But more than that can be achieved where gains are measured in real economic value. An amazing example of innovation can be found in NSW, where one company is taking broken down plastic waste and using an environmentally friendly process to convert it into bio-crude oil. Advanced recycling such as that being used by the processing plant in NSW, recovers the chemical building blocks that make up the plastic product.

When we think of plastic waste, we usually think of plastic bottles.

But polymers are used in many other things, such as clothing, carpets, packaging, toys or car seats. These are all amenable to recycling. This is where advanced or chemical recycling works in partnership with mechanical recycling, as it can handle problematic items that have for many years gone into landfill, leaving plastics to contaminate the environment for decades.

Introducing innovation to improve current garbage sorting systems is the first step to better processing. Indeed, mechanical recycling is more effective when the waste is sorted into plastic that is suitable for mechanical processing, and those that require separation for advanced processing. In Europe, according to a 2020 study, mechanical recycling was used to process more than 5m tonnes of waste. Now HySpex hyperspectral imaging cameras are offering innovation to the process of separating plastic types, providing the building blocks of a circular economy.

Sorting plastic waste is problematic, not just for households, but for waste recycling companies dealing with mixed plastic waste.

Hyperspectral cameras offer an innovative solution for recycling companies in sorting plastic waste that might be used more effectively to the benefit of both our environmental health and the economy. HySpex hyperspectral imaging cameras support plastic recycling processes with high-quality, customised, industrial-scale turnkey solutions. www.raymax.com.au

WASTE & RECYCLING

Waste & recycling Recycling robot could pioneer named NSW help solve soft plastic Australian of the Year waste crisis Professor Veena Sahajwalla, Director of the UNSW Centre for Sustainable Materials Research and Technology (SMaRT@UNSW), has been named as the 2022 NSW Australian of the Year, in recognition of her pioneering research into waste, turning it into a new generation of green materials and products.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet presented the award on 15 November at a ceremony attended by her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC QC, Governor of NSW. As founding Director of SMaRT@UNSW, Professor Sahajwalla was recognised for her outstanding work as an internationally recognised materials scientist, engineer and inventor who has revolutionised recycling science and advocated for STEM and sustainability locally, nationally and internationally.

Professor Sahajwalla also heads the new ARC Microrecycling Research Hub and the Australian Government’s new National Environmental Science Program Sustainable Communities and Waste Hub. She is renowned for pioneering the high-temperature transformation of waste in the production of a new generation of green materials. “I couldn’t believe I was nominated, let alone win the title of the 2022 NSW Australian of the Year,” said Professor Sahajwalla. “It is such a privilege to receive this award, and to live, work and have a family in Australia. This means so much to me and is a reflection on the wonderful people I’ve had around me. I am so passionate about my work and team at the UNSW SMaRT Centre, where we have been pioneering the science of microrecycling and developing new ‘waste to product’ technologies.

“Promoting STEM [science, technology, engineering and maths] and greater sustainability continue to be extremely important to me.

And as I engage with many people every day, I see these issues are generating a community and industry groundswell that we should embrace to help our society collectively tackle the challenges we face, to improve our environmental, social and economic wellbeing.”

UNSW President and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ian Jacobs said: “Veena’s work in using waste as a resource to help us achieve a sustainable future reflects UNSW’s service to society, our quest to find practical solutions and the academic rigour that underpins great advances – knowledge by heart, hand and mind.

“Veena’s work is a great example of our shared aspiration, and a part of what has led to our collective achievement today. I offer my heartfelt congratulations to all in the UNSW community – students, staff, alumni and supporters – who, by sharing a commitment to our vision, share in our global success.” www.smart.unsw.edu.au

Engineering researchers are developing a unique method to increase the recycling of soft plastics by creating a smart robot that can identify, sort and separate different types of recyclable waste.

Despite an improvement in plastic recycling in recent years, landfill remains a growing issue. Soft plastics like cling wrap and plastic bags are a major contributor to the problem, with 94% going to landfill in 2016-17.

Working alongside industry partners as part of a Federal Government Cooperative Research Centre Project grant, researchers from the Centre for Internet of Things (IoT) and Telecommunications at the University of Sydney are developing a unique method to increase recycling of soft plastics – by creating a smart, automated robotic system that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to sort recyclable waste.

The team includes Professor Branka Vucetic, Professor Yonghui Li, Associate Professor Wanli Ouyang, Dr Wanchun Liu and Senior Technical Officer Dawei Tan from the School of Electrical and Information Engineering.

“The recycling robotic automation system will use AI and computer vision to learn how to identify different forms of recycling waste, effectively learning how to ‘see’ and ‘sort’ waste, to create separate waste streams and maintain soft plastics’ purity so they can be recycled,” says Vucetic.

The researchers are working with waste management companies IQRenew and CurbCycle, technology developers Licella, Mike Ritchie and Associates, and Resource Recovery Design to develop the system. The system will be integrated into IQ Renew’s material recovery facility as part of CurbCycle’s soft plastic recovery program, an Australian initiative that involves household collection of recyclables that are segregated into bags prior to placing them into their kerbside recycling bin.

“Not only does our project divert household soft plastics from going to landfill; by creating a solution for the collection and sorting of waste with our industry and research partners, we’re also creating a sustainable supply chain that takes rubbish from households to end markets,” says Ouyang. “The robot will identify ‘CurbyTagged’ bags and differentiate sources of plastic, separating soft plastics from the fully co-mingled recyclables.”

After being separated from other waste, the soft plastics will be used for various purposes, including advanced recycling into oils and other valuable chemicals. www.sydney.edu.au

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WASTE & RECYCLING

Integra Systems – What is Circularity by Design?

When Integra Systems announced a new partnership with Dutch manufacturer Brink Industrial last December, it was a momentous step for the Broadmeadows-based manufacturer on a number of levels.

As well as providing a boost to business development and new business opportunities for Australian and Dutch co-manufacturing, the partnership also provided a platform for Integra to demonstrate its commitment to the development and growth of the circular economy as a fundamental design principle in manufacturing in Australia.

Speaking at the announcement, Dai Forterre, Senior Policy Officer for Economic Affairs with the Netherlands Embassy in Canberra, explained that while developing business opportunities for Dutch manufacturers in overseas markets is a prime focus of his responsibilities, an equally important part is identifying companies that share his and the Embassy’s vision for creating sustainable ways of doing business.

“Sustainability is an important part of [the Dutch government’s] economic, as well as our foreign policy, more broadly,” remarked Forterre. “I spend my time not just in what you would call economic diplomacy but what I call ‘green diplomacy’ and that’s where this really important collaboration meets – it’s a balance between economic innovation and development, and the adoption of sustainability ideas.

Circularity has been an important agenda point, so it’s really wonderful for us to see entrepreneurs taking up the mantle and using it to drive innovative business models.”

With words and phrases like ‘circularity’, ‘circular design’ and ‘circular economies’ being used more frequently, it’s worth taking a moment to explain what it actually meant by circularity or the relatively new concept in Australia: Circularity by Design.

An introduction to circularity Circularity is a remarkably broad term. It can best be described as a framework for an economy that is restorative and regenerative by design. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation is one of the world’s leading advocates for the advancement of circular economies, and expands on the notion of circularity in the following terms:

was naturally imbued in its ethos. Only now has the concept come to be known it as ‘circularity’. Take, for instance, the following examples.

Many of the products which Integra produces are designed in modular or kit form for flat-packed transportation. Kits can be assembled and disassembled on-site. Due to more efficient use of haulage space, this reduces transportation costs and waste, which subsequently results in reduced carbon emissions.

In the manufacturing process, Integra applies its knowledge of metals to select the most suitable material for its customers’ projects. The company does this to not only ensure the right product fit, but also the correct strength and durability, which leads to minimal defects and waste from product failure.

Integra’s engineering space relies on ‘smart’ machine technology, which includes servo electric press brakes that automatically shut down when not being used, reducing energy consumption with the use of Punch IT coil lines. Integra’s fibre optic laser and compass technology utilises the highest speed laser head available, delivering the fastest cutting speed at maximum efficiency.

All metal off-cuts and scrap are systematically collected and sent to an accredited recycling specialist.

Circularity has always been a focus of product designs at Integra, and the company plans to continue making it more prominent in everything it does in the future: designing with an eye to waste reduction; employing modularity to maximise the scope for reuse or redeployment; and seeking possibilities to manufacture with recycled materials wherever possible.

Reduce, reuse, remake, redeploy and recycle. That is circularity. www.integrasystems.com.au

“Looking beyond the current take-make-waste extractive model, a circular economy aims to redefine growth, focusing on positive society-wide benefits. Underpinned by a transition to renewable energy sources, the circular model … is based on three principles: design out waste and pollution; keep products and materials in use; and regenerate natural systems.”

In essence, a circular economy aims to keep resources in use for as long as possible and then, at the end of their operating life, find ways to recover and regenerate those products and materials.

From a circular design perspective, it means designing products that are versatile, and using environmentally friendly processes and materials that have the functionality to be incorporated and repurposed on multiple occasions in the future.

Integra’s commitment to circularity Integra has always embraced circular design – or Circularity by Design – in many practical, achievable ways. Interestingly enough, the company’s processes didn’t fit a ‘slogan’, yet circular design

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Paul and Erika Hughes of Integra Systems signed an agreement last November with Dutch manufacturer Brink Industrial to embark on an international circular product manufacturing partnership.

WASTE & RECYCLING

Foamex: Recycling polystyrene and closing the loop Building product supplier Foamex has upgraded its plant in Bayswater North, Victoria, with a recycling machine allowing it to recycle polystyrene efficiently from building customers, other industry, and members of the public.

Foamex has been in business for nearly 40 years and employs over 150 people, manufacturing polystyrene products in five states. The Foamex plant has received a $250,000 upgrade with the installation of the state-of-the-art recycling machine, greatly increasing the efficiency of how the company recycles.

“The machine combines the function of crushing, compacting, and pelletising into one step, reducing manual labour, and increasing the amount of product we can recycle,” says Justin Kelsey, General Manager for Victoria & South Australia at Foamex.

Foamex collects scrap polystyrene from several sources including: excess product and offcuts from building sites; offcuts from the factory floor; commercial recycling agreements Foamex has with customers such as packaging clients; and the general public via recycling bins at Foamex plants.

For the building industry, Foamex supplies bags for clean-up onsite and works closely with contractors to pick up unused waste or end-of-use EPS, and transports it safely to Foamex’s manufacturing facility. With its packaging industry clients, particularly those in food transport, when Foamex delivers its packaging products, the driver also picks up the used polystyrene packaging and brings it back to the plant for recycling.

“We are getting an increasing number of members of the public dropping off polystyrene packaging often used to transport electronic items at our depots in Victoria and South Australia,” adds Kelsey. “We have bins at our depots to drop off the unwanted often bulky clean polystyrene for recycling. We inspect all the packaging to ensure it is free from any sticky tape, food or other contaminants because it needs to be clean for our recycling machine.”

The recycled material is used in the manufacture of polystyrene products that are either expanded or extruded. Foamex is currently recycling about 450kg of polystyrene per week.

“Minimising our impact on the environment will always be at the forefront of our business,” Kelsey concludes. “Our environmentallyfriendly approach can be seen throughout the organisation – from how we manufacture our polystyrene, recycling offcuts and waste, and working with our customers to ensure unwanted polystyrene is brought back to our facilities for repurposing.

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“As an industry leader and long-serving member of Expanded Polystyrene Australia (EPSA), we take our social responsibilities seriously and carefully consider how our business impacts the environment and society. We are constantly reviewing our processes to ensure a more efficient way of doing business.” www.foamex.com.au

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WASTE & RECYCLING

From recycling to upcycling: A smarter way of dealing with plastic Researchers have developed a clean and cost-effective way to upcycle used plastic, transforming it into valuable nanomaterials and high-quality fuel.

Globally only about 20% of waste plastics are recycled. Finding ways to improve on that figure remains a challenge as recycling plastic cleanly can be expensive and usually produces lower-value products, often making it financially unviable. The new method from researchers at RMIT University can produce high-value products from plastic – carbon nanotubes and clean liquid fuel – while simultaneously upcycling agricultural and organic waste.

A carbon nanotube created through the new upcycling method, magnified 35,000 times.

The team’s two-step process converts organic waste into a carbonrich and high-value form of charcoal, then uses this as a catalyst to upcycle the plastic. According to lead researcher Associate Professor Kalpit Shah, upcycling two massive waste streams through one circular economy approach could deliver significant financial and environmental benefits.

“Our method is clean, cost-effective and readily scaleable,” says Shah. “It’s a smart solution for transforming both used plastic and organic waste – whether tonnes of biomass from a farm or food waste and garden clippings from household green bins.

“We hope this technology could be used in future by local councils and municipal governments to help turn this waste into genuine revenue streams. With Australia banning export of waste plastic from next year, it’s vital that we explore sustainable and costefficient alternatives beyond recycling. Upcycling plastic with homegrown tech would enable us to draw the greatest possible value out of our limited resources and bring us closer towards a true circular economy.”

High-value nanomaterials The export of unprocessed single resin/polymer plastics will be banned from 1 July 2022 under new Australian laws designed to phase out export of waste plastics, paper, glass and tyres.

Australia’s national recycling target is for 70% of the country’s plastic packaging to be recycled or composted by 2025, but a recent report found just 9.4% of plastic was recycled in 2017-18.

Recycling and clean energy is one of six national priorities in the Federal Government's Modern Manufacturing Strategy.

The new plastic upcycling approach offers a sustainable alternative for the production of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). These hollow, cylindrical structures have exceptional electronic and mechanical properties, with applications across a broad range of sectors including hydrogen storage, composite materials, electronics, fuel cells and biomedical technologies.

Carbon nanotubes are in growing demand, particularly in aerospace and defence, where they can facilitate the design of lightweight parts. The global market for CNTs has been projected to reach $5.8bn by 2027.

The new method starts with converting agricultural or organic waste to biochar – a carbon-rich form of charcoal often used for improving soil health. The biochar is used to eliminate toxic contaminants – such as poly-cyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) – as the waste plastic is broken down into its components of gas and oil. The process eliminates those contaminants and converts plastics into high-quality liquid fuel.

At the same time, the carbon in the plastic is converted into carbon nanotubes, which coat the biochar. These nanotubes can be exfoliated for use by various industries, or the nano-enhanced biochar can be used directly for environmental remediation and boosting agricultural soils.

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The study is the first to use low-cost and widely available biochar as a catalyst for making contaminant-free fuel and carbon nanomaterials from plastic. Shah, the Deputy Director (Academic) of the ARC Training Centre for Transformation of Australia’s Biosolids Resource at RMIT, says that while the study only investigated one type of plastic the approach would be applicable to a range of plastic types.

“We focused on polypropylene as this is widely used in the packaging industry,” he explains. “While we need to do further research to test different plastics, as the quality of the fuel produced will vary, the method we’ve developed is generally suitable for upcycling any polymers - the base ingredients for all plastic.”

The experimental study conducted at lab scale can also be replicated in a new type of hyper-efficient reactor that has been developed and patented by RMIT. The reactor is based on fluidised bed technology and offers significant improvement in heat and mass transfer, to reduce overall capital and operating costs.

The next steps for the upcycling research will involve detailed computer modelling to optimise the methodology, followed by pilot trials in the reactor. The team from RMIT’s School of Engineering is keen to collaborate with plastic and waste industries to further the research and investigate other potential applications of the upcycling method. www.rmit.edu.au

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The vision of the AM Hub is to provide an industrydriven network of users, suppliers and supporters that will foster and grow the use of Additive Manufacturing technology in Australia.

Promote and market additive manufacturing sector capabilities.

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

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PUMPS & VALVES PLASTICS, COMPOSITES & ADVANCED MATERIALS

Lockheed Martin partners with Australian manufacturer of composite tanks Global aerospace giant Lockheed Martin, Australian manufacturer Omni Tanker and the University of New South Wales (UNSW) are engaged in a collaborative partnership to develop and commercialise world-first composite tank technologies, thanks to a grant from the Federal Government’s Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC).

The co-funded project, announced in June as part of AMGC’s Commercialisation Fund launch and worth a total $1.4m, will utilise two revolutionary home-grown technologies to solve the challenges of using composites for the transportation and storage of liquid hydrogen with applications on ground, in the air, underwater and in space.

Combining nano-engineering technology developed by UNSW in partnership with Lockheed Martin and Omni Tanker, and Omni Tanker’s patented OmniBIND technology, the collaboration will result in the development of two new operationalscale propellant tanks for storing cryogenic liquid fuels for commercial and civil satellite programs: a “Type IV” fluoropolymer-lined carbon fibre composite tank; and a “Type V” linerless carbon fibre composite tank, both of which are suitable for high pressures, and the extreme cryogenic temperatures required for liquid hydrogen as well as oxygen, hydrogen peroxide and hydrazine.

Christopher Hess, Head of Industrial Development at Lockheed Martin Australia, acknowledged the support of AMGC and welcomed the opportunity for ongoing collaboration with UNSW and Omni Tanker.

“Lockheed Martin invests millions of dollars every year into R&D programmes with our Australian industry and research partners to solve real challenges facing our global supply chains,” he said. “We have had a long-standing research collaboration with UNSW and Omni Tanker, and we are grateful for the support of the AMGC as we now look to commercialise these cutting edge, Australian-developed composite tank technologies for a number of Lockheed Martin and NASA applications.”

David Ball, Regional Director – Australia & New Zealand at Lockheed Martin Space, confirmed the development of composite tanks that are lightweight, cost-effective and resistant to microcracking and permeation represents a unique, innovative technological solution with significant space applications.

“As the world increasingly looks to hydrogen for emission-free energy, containing and transporting it in a safe, cost-effective and economic manner remains extremely challenging,” said Ball. “The space industry is particularly interested in the development of linerless composite tanks for their weight efficiency and durability, which represent

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A large carbon-fibre composite pressure vessel constructed using Omni Tanker’s OmniBIND technology.

the cutting edge of composite pressure vessel manufacturing.

“These advances have the potential to support the growth of Australia’s sovereign space capabilities, strengthen exports to space-faring allies and partner nations, and make an important technological contribution to future space missions particularly in on-orbit storage, launch and deep space exploration. Dr Jens Goennemann, Managing Director of AMGC, commented: “Creating a lightweight vessel for transporting liquid hydrogen at minus 253 deg. C is no simple thing – whether you’re moving it along a highway or to outer space – but it’s Australian knowhow that is making it possible. That’s why AMGC is supporting Omni Tanker and its collaborative partners to engineer and manufacture a solution to this problem and offer it globally.”

The project builds on a recent invention by the research team at UNSW led by Professor Chun Wang, which enables carbon-fibre composites to withstand liquid hydrogen temperatures without matrix cracks – a challenge that has, up until now, prevented mass-market adoption of these materials for such applications.

“This new technology is the result of an outstanding collaboration and partnership between UNSW, Lockheed Martin and Omni Tanker over the past four years,” said Professor Wang. “It is wonderful seeing our research achievement is now moving closer towards commercial success and generating social and economic impact in Australia and beyond.”

With its significant experience in the development and commercialisation of strong, lightweight composite transport vessels, Omni Tanker has the know-how

A linerless liquid hydrogen tank.

and technology to translate the recent research innovations for a myriad of applications.

“This next phase in our collaboration with Lockheed Martin and UNSW is a landmark development that sees Omni Tanker’s seamless thermoplastic lining technology enter the aerospace sector,” said Daniel Rodgers, CEO of Omni Tanker. “The OmniBIND technology has made inroads to revolutionising the safe and efficient movement of challenging liquids within the chemical transport sector. Now the growing need to decarbonise the energy industry, and the reusable low-earth-orbit satellite market, have the potential to drive major utilisation for these new technologies.”

Dr Luke Djukic, Chief Technical Officer at Omni Tanker, added: “We are excited to work with Lockheed Martin and UNSW on this groundbreaking project, which leverages our patented technology. It is also a credit to the talented Australian engineering team that we have assembled at Omni Tanker.” www.amgc.org.au www.lockheedmartin.com www.omnitanker.com www.unsw.edu.au

PLASTICS, COMPOSITES & ADVANCED MATERIALS

Heat, mould, repeat: The benefits of thermoplastics You’ve probably come across thermoplastics in packaging, where their superb mouldability allows the material to be shaped to fit around any product, but the design possibilities of thermoplastics allow them to venture into a variety of other applications. Kim Sjödahl explores the properties of thermoplastics and the industries they’re advancing.

AMTIL PRODUCT E-BLASTS

Thermoplastics are polymers that become highly flexible when heated, and hard when cooled. Their structure consists of monomer chains with weak bonds between them that can break upon heating.

Thermoplastics can be heated and cooled a number of times without losing much of their chemical or mechanical properties.

When heated, they can be moulded into virtually any shape.

For example, a thermoplastic composite could be pultruded into a flat structure, and then bent afterwards to create a curved shape. Thermoplastics can also be shaped through injection moulding. In this manufacturing process, plastic pellets are loaded into a barrel where they are melted and injected at pressure into a mould cavity, which fills and solidifies to create the final product.

Injection moulding can be used for more than just a standalone part, as it opens the possibility of over-moulding. During this process, additional components are moulded around an existing part to add to the overall structure. It’s essentially adding one layer over another.

Thermoplastics can be over-moulded onto a different material, such as a metal, to create a top layer with advantageous aesthetic and performance characteristics.

This could involve, for example, creating a softer handle for a more comfortable grip on a tool, such as a hammer. It’s also possible to over-mould a thermoplastic on top of another thermoplastic part, which melts them together to create a strong bond that removes the need for gluing.

Moulding the market Thermoplastics are advancing the composite market, with a report by MarketsandMarkets predicting the thermoplastic composites market size to increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.5% to reach US$31.8bn by 2025.

Thermoplastics have the potential to create advanced products for a variety of applications, and because of this, Exel Composites is developing its thermoplastic offering. For example, as part of Exel’s olive picking system, thermoplastic thread connectors are over-moulded onto the picking rods so that they can easily be fitted to the handle.

Exel is also using the material in electric fences for animal enclosures, where thermoplastic parts, such as the sharp peg that helps the fence enter the ground and the holders for the electric wire, are overmoulded onto a thermoplastic rod to create a durable bond.

While thermoplastics prove a valuable material for containing and protecting products of all shapes and sizes, their benefits span far beyond the packaging industry. The ability of thermoplastics to be melted and remoulded into practically any 3D shape unlocks a plethora of design possibilities, making them influential in a wide range of industries.

Kim Sjödahl is the Senior Vice-President – R&D and Technology at Exel Composites. www.exelcomposites.com

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The report outlines the ability of thermoplastics to be moulded and remoulded as a key reason for their popularity growth, along with their recyclability. Thermoplastics can be easily recycled at the end of their use cycle as their polymer chain does not degrade

significantly when melted down, so the material can be reshaped into a new product without diminishing its performance.

IT’S ALL IN THE NUMBERS 9OOO

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FORUM COMPLIANCE

Environmental management of industrial chemicals in Australia Laura Whiteman explains the new national register of hazardous chemicals – called the IChEMS Register - where chemicals will be categorised into one of seven schedules, based on their environmental hazard. It is hoped the Register will be available early in 2022.

Industrial chemicals in Australia have always been tightly regulated, with the current focus on health and physical hazards. However, environmental hazards for these chemicals have not been subject to regulations previously. This lack of regulation has led to the development of the Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management Standard (IChEMS) by the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment. This standard aims to create a national approach to the management of environmental risks that arise from the use of industrial chemicals. The standard will cover the use, storage, handling and disposal of environmentally hazardous chemicals.

Australia regulates chemicals based on their use type, and there are four chemical regulators which govern at the Federal level. Industrial chemical use is defined as being any chemical which doesn’t fit under the other three regulators. Chemicals can have multiple use types and are managed as follows: • The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority manages agricultural chemicals and veterinary medicines.

• The Therapeutic Goods Administration manages medicines, biologicals and medical devices and maintains the Poisons Standard.

• The Food Standards Australia New Zealand develops ingredient, additive, vitamin and other foodstuff standards.

• The Australian Industrial Chemicals Introduction Scheme (AICIS) regulates the importation and manufacture of industrial chemicals in Australia – and covers any chemical that is not regulated under the above three authorities.

Determining the scheduling for each chemical Under the new IChEMS, there will be a register of hazardous chemicals – called the IChEMS Register, which will work alongside the AICIS. To determine the scheduling for each chemical, the Federal Minister for Environment, Sussan Ley, will use AICIS risk assessments, Stockholm Convention documentation and other appropriate sources. The Minister will then use advice from the Advisory Committee, public consultations and/or State and Territory Environment Ministers to assist in making a scheduling decision. Chemicals that currently have AICIS assessments may fast-track through this process. Chemicals will be categorised into one of seven schedules, and the decision recorded on the Register.

Chemicals on the Register may be identified by the CAS ( Chemical Abstracts Service) name and number; International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) name; molecular formula or the chemical’s AICIS approved chemical name (AACN).

The seven schedules being adopted categorise substances based on their hazard to the environment. As the schedule number increases, the threat of environmental harm increases, thus triggering more extensive regulatory standards. The Draft for the “Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management (Register) Principles 2020” indicates that Schedules 1 to 5 will also consider the Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling, also known as the GHS classification of the chemical. In particular the acute or chronic aquatic toxicity, and if the chemical is hazardous to the ozone layer. Chemicals on Schedule 1 have very low or no hazard

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Users will be expected to use the information on the Register when designing their products and ensure they meet all requirements listed on the Register. A consistent, national approach will make it easier for industry to manage and comply with the requirements. to the environment, and there will be only basic risk management measures for these chemicals. Schedule 7 chemicals are those that pose a significant, often irreversible, risk to the environment, and are generally chemicals that are bioaccumulative, toxic or persistent.

These chemicals will be prohibited from import, manufacture and use. Introducers and users will be expected to use the information on the Register when designing their products and ensure they meet all requirements listed on the Register.

Development of the IChEMS is a two-stage process. Phase one was the creation of the legislation and getting it passed through the houses of parliament. This phase began back in 2015, with the draft legislation developed over the following three years. It went to public consultation in 2020 and passed by parliament in March 2021.

Phase two of the process is getting the IChEMS incorporated into the legislation of each State and Territory within Australia. They can adopt the Register with or without modification. A consistent national approach will make it easier for industry to manage and comply with the requirements. The hope is that Phase two will be complete and the IChEMS register available early in 2022.

Recommended action items The industry needs to be aware of this upcoming change to industrial chemical regulation in Australia, as it will impact all industrial chemical manufacturers and importers. Companies will need to ensure that they check their chemicals against the IChEMS Register once it becomes available. If chemical scheduling restrictions cannot be met, more environmentally friendly chemicals must be considered.

Laura Whiteman is a senior regulatory specialist at UL, which provides innovative material and regulatory data solutions to facilitate a transparent and sustainable product supply chain.

With fully automated chemical compliance software platforms, industry-leading data resources and an unprecedented global network of regulatory expertise, UL removes barriers and solves critical challenges to help companies stay one step ahead of global regulations.

For the latest regulatory news and important industry updates, sign up for UL’s monthly regulatory newsletter. www.ul.com/services/solutions/chemical-data-management customerservice.anz@ul.com Ph: 03 9846 2751

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FORUM FINANCE

Identifying the intangible assets in your manufacturing business Knowing that employers will respect and promote diversity is not only decent, but good for business. Greater diversity in teams is more likely to advance innovation and avoid “group think” outcomes, explains Jeffrey Luckins.

Manufacturing is a process of evolution, it continues to progress and re-invent itself, in Australia the movement towards Advanced Manufacturing has become the norm, which is reflective of the use of innovative technology to improve products or processes.

While physical assets, tools, machinery and instruments will continue to be a key to success of manufacturing enterprises, the inescapable truth for any business is that the drivers of wealth creation are to be found in its intangible assets.

An analysis of the enterprise value of businesses less their tangible asset value, across a vast array of industries (except for investment and banking entities) reveals that 80% of the real value of a business is held with intangible assets such as acquired goodwill, brand names, trademarks, customer lists and the like, as opposed to tangible assets.

The shift in value paradigm from tangible assets to intangible assets began in the early 20th century with the growth and dominance of stock exchanges around the world, mergers and acquisitions and the focus on how brands (like Coca Cola for instance) were able to generate huge revenue streams and therefore cash inflows on the back of consumer loyalty. Business valuations progressed from an analysis of balance sheets to a focus on sustainable earnings and consideration of valuation methodologies to determine the extent to which cash flows could be generated from the value of intangible assets.

Consider where the underlying value of intangible assets exists within an enterprise and it can be grown and supported for wealth creation. Especially where the predominant value of intangible assets for an enterprise is driven by its brands, trademarks, internally developed technology, systems and secrets.

Underlying intangible asset value of enterprises This value is found in an organisation’s culture, its people, and its purpose.

Leading American business magazine Forbes partnered with market research firm Statista to compile a list of the World’s Best Employers in 2020. They surveyed 160,000 full-time and part-time workers from 58 countries working for businesses with operations in multiple nations or regions. Participants were asked to rate their willingness to recommend their own employers to friends and family and to rate their satisfaction with their employers’ COVID-19 responses and score their employers on image, economic footprint, talent development, gender equality and social responsibility.

Unsurprisingly, the top 10 companies listed as “World’s Best” include Big Tech giants Samsung (1), Amazon (2), Microsoft (4), Apple (6), Adobe (7) & Alphabet (8). Excepting that there is substantial acquired goodwill intangible assets on their respective balance sheets, especially as they have grown and acquired smaller competitors along the way, the fundamentals of these enterprises is that they have a culture and purpose which attracts the best talent and branding which attracts very loyal customers.

There is nothing new in these fundamentals, but the key issues to consider is how and what to invest in and what to do differently to attract and retain the best talent, develop these people and ultimately build the brand to sit above competitors.

Ironically, the following two areas I’ll focus on are the “intangible elements” behind the intangible assets: • Rebuilding team and culture • Diversity, equity and inclusion In other words, these are the real intangible assets to focus on – people and culture.

Rebuilding team and culture As we emerge from an extraordinary two years of challenges, employees can be feeling disconnected from their teams, disillusioned, stressed, concerned for the future, and perhaps unsupported or alone. Even if regular Zoom meetings were held, these can lack a level of communication, learning and support that comes from physically being together. In addition, many employees had to home school their children or assist with their learning to some extent, care for elderly parents and experience other challenges that nobody predicted or prepared for. The fallout post COVID-19 will involve many employees making choices to leave their current roles seeking alternative employers or roles where work life balance and flexibility are a given, where greater support and understanding is provided, including for learning, career advancement and benefits available.

Rebuild your organisation’s culture means investing in people and technology to allow people to work where they perform best and to enable participation in a range of activities which promote rebuilding teams, supporting positive culture and assisting employees to fulfil their potential.

Diversity, equity and inclusion Perhaps this should be referred to as empathy, because when you consider the feelings of your team members, their perspectives on the culture and performance of the enterprise, their ability to communicate their thoughts, be heard, respected, and engaged with, that’s what we are talking about.

Knowing that employers will respect and promote diversity is not only decent, but good for business. Greater diversity in teams is more likely to advance innovation and avoid “group think” outcomes.

Moreover, it creates a culture of merit, higher performance, and a more enjoyable workplace.

Your call to action Enterprises should focus on these intangible qualities of rebuilding team and culture, diversity, equity and inclusion as priority because being the employer of choice will attract the best people and having the best people enables an enterprise to achieve optimal outcomes.

Afterall, these intangible elements are the drivers of business success and the intangible assets you should value so highly.

Jeffrey Luckins is a Director in the Audit & Assurance Division at William Buck – a leading firm of accountants and advisors www.williambuck.com.au Ph: 03 9824 8555

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FORUM HR

Reigniting manufacturing and skills development post-COVID We have before us a great opportunity to reignite Australia’s manufacturing sector and take advantage of the optimism amongst businesses and industry associations. And skills development must be a key focus writes Sharon Robertson.

Trade disruptions due to COVID-19 have companies working to onshore more of their supply chains and the closure of borders has largely halted skilled migration, demanding a fresh approach to sourcing skilled labour.

A highly skilled workforce is the cornerstone of a strong economy, and the pandemic has provided Australian manufacturing with renewed opportunities to reclaim sovereign capability across manufacturing. However, if it is to become the cornerstone of Australia’s economic future, skills development must be a key focus.

In the words of Australian Industry Group CEO Innes Willox, “You don’t have industry if you don’t have skills.”

Earlier this year, IBSA Group released its Scaling up: Delivering Modern Manufacturing through a Skilled Workforce report to further the conversation around the skills needs that Australian industry and its workforce require to deliver a vibrant, modern manufacturing industry, and the actions needed to rebuild our economy.

In putting together the report, IBSA conducted an extensive series of research and national industry engagement which sought the views of industry stakeholders who are active in a wide range of manufacturing sectors.

Over 500 stakeholders participated, representing thousands of businesses.

The data and findings were analysed to develop the report, which identified the priority actions needed, and proposed strategies, to ensure Australia has the highly skilled workers required to support modern manufacturing.

IBSA found a strong and clear consensus from manufacturers, training organisations, peak bodies and unions operating within the sector that a skilled workforce is vital to achieving a competitive manufacturing industry able to address Australia’s most critical needs. It also found a real sense of confidence amongst participants regarding the future opportunities that exist within the sector, and strong support for the Scaling Up report’s key recommendations.

These include increasing sovereign capability, addressing national skills shortages, investing in new technology and new skills, increasing skills system responsiveness, the need for greater collaboration between industry, VET providers and higher education, and workforce development that prioritises the upskilling and reskilling of workers.

In terms of sovereign capability, industry has emphasised the current strength of Australian manufacturing capability, both in the six priority areas identified in the Federal Government’s Modern Manufacturing Strategy but also in more traditional manufacturing sectors. If there is to be significant expansion, it will require the development of a workforce strategy that supports both the onshoring of production and supply chains for essential goods.

Establishing a Workforce Development Strategy for modern manufacturing, that has apprenticeships as the bedrock of entry-level training and prioritises the reskilling and upskilling of existing workers, is needed to deliver the framework for advancing the sector. This will lead to more work-based learning and apprenticeship training opportunities that create pathways to higher skills development.

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There is no doubt that the manufacturing sector wants to see a system of apprenticeships that incorporate extensive STEM-based skills and provide qualifications equating to a diploma or advanced diploma. For greater recognition of apprenticeships as pathways to higher qualifications and higher learning, and more collaboration between industry, VET and Higher Education sectors need to create synergistic skills development pathways.

Embracing new opportunities in areas we have a competitive advantage, requires building a workforce skilled in product development, new technologies, design and prototyping, along with gaining efficiencies through sustainability and collaborative skills.

This will enable the development of integrated, innovative systems and business models across subsectors and design, production and distribution teams, as well as between training organisations and industry. Most critically, industry must be allowed to lead this process through the establishment of priorities and the setting of standards.

Governments are also committed to reskilling our workforces which is incredibly encouraging and exciting for Australia’s manufacturing and related industries. In addition, the recently announced Skills Reforms to the Vocational Education System provide a welcome opportunity to overhaul the system.

Now is the time for all of us invested in skills training in Australia to be bold and determined. To work alongside industry and to propose and, most importantly, get stuck into, implementing practical solutions that will deliver relevant, dynamic training programs. These programs must meet the skills needs of current and emerging employers and industries, and attract school leavers, the unemployed and current workers to the real, skills-based career opportunities available in manufacturing.

There is no doubt that the Australian manufacturing sector is ready to share its expertise, energy and insight to position the sector and the Australian economy for continued productivity and prosperity for generations to come. With a renewed sense of confidence, it stands ready to take back its sovereign capability and invest in developing highly-skilled workforces that support modern manufacturing and associated industries.

Sharon Robertson is CEO, IBSA Group. The IBSA Group is a notfor-profit organisation in the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector, dedicated to shaping workforce skills for the future. IBSA Group incorporates a Skills Service Organisation, which develops training packages and qualifications for the manufacturing sector, and Australian Training Products, which designs and develops high-quality accredited learning and assessment resources. IBSA Academy also forms part of the Group and offers non-accredited professional development for training practitioners.

IBSA Group is committed to supporting the VET sector within Australia and globally, through working with stakeholders across industry, government and training providers to enable the workforce of the future. www.ibsa.org.au

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FORUM LAW

Succession Planning Case Study: A family affair No one can work forever. Whether you run a small or large business, at some point you will retire or wind down your involvement. Julia Cameron explores the importance of a succession plan.

The operational demands of running a family business can be allconsuming, but it is vital that owners take the time to assess their future needs.

A solid succession plan can drive the growth of the business, reduce taxes, set the stage for retirement and a generational transition.

We recently assisted a family-owned manufacturing business implement its desired succession plan. The following case study sets out how our cross-practice team came together to provide workable solutions to enable our client to keep the business in the family and avoid irreparably damaged sibling relationships.

The business • Manufacturing business founded by the patriarch whose two sons, Dave and Steve, worked in the business with him.

• On the patriarch's death, the two sons continued to run the business harmoniously for a number of years with an understanding that they were equal owners of the business.

• The business was owned in a discretionary trust with a corporate trustee.

• The brothers had agreed that if one of them passed away, the surviving sibling would inherit the business, and each trusted the other to look after the widow of the deceased brother.

• There was a life insurance policy on both of their lives that paid 50% of the policy to the business and 50% to the deceased brother’s widow (a buy/sell was also in place).

Objectives • Protect the brothers and the business.

• Maintain an income stream for their families.

• Ensure the business can be passed down to the next generation.

• Formalise the agreement between the brothers in a legally enforceable contract.

The challenge • Cracks started to appear when Dave’s wife raised concerns about her future lifestyle and financial needs if Dave died.

• While the brothers did not want their wives getting involved in the business, they wanted to ensure the wives were taken care of after they died.

• The business structure (a discretionary trust) was inappropriate to enable the business and its assets to pass to the next generation.

brothers’ wives which would ensure them a lifetime dividend if the brothers died while still a shareholder.

3. Shareholders’ agreement – this document set out:

a. the composition of the board and how decisions were to be made

b. what happened on the death of the brothers

c. a first right of refusal to buy out the other’s interest in the business if the other brother wanted to sell.

We also prepared new Wills for Dave and Steve that dealt with the transfer of the business and ancillary documents providing instructions to the executors as to what is to happen when one brother survives or on the death of both brothers.

What to think about • Does the existing structure enable ownership of the business and its assets to be passed on to the next generation?

• Are there governing documents in place which deal with disputes, incapacity and death?

• Do all the family members who work in the business get along? Are there underlying problems that haven’t been addressed? Who wants to continue in the business?

The solution

• If your business partner dies, do you want to be in business with their spouse or children, or do you want the opportunity to buy them out of the business?

We provided the client with three strategies designed to secure the succession of their business moving forward:

• Will you and your family continue to receive an income stream upon your retirement?

1. Corporate restructure – the business was rolled out of the trust and into a company. The rollover mechanism avoided a capital gains tax liability on the transfer of the business to a new structure. The two brothers would each own an identifiable 50% share in the company which now owned the business.

Need to know more?

2. Future income – the company’s constitution provided for the issue of shares to the brothers, which provided a lifetime income via dividend when the brothers were no longer actively involved in the business and an issue of shares to the

Rigby Cooke’s team can guide you through the succession planning process by advising you on all of the necessary considerations.

Whether you require business or individual succession planning, we will help you identify the best strategy tailored to your personal circumstances.

Contact: Julia Cameron, Partner – Corporate & Commercial T +61 3 9321 7807 E JCameron@rigbycooke.com.au

AMT DEC 2021

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AMTIL INSIDE

Well, what an interesting 12 months we have had!

From an industry perspective, most of our members didn’t miss a beat with many manufacturers picking up work that otherwise might have been brought in from overseas if not for a global pandemic and the impact it has had on importing and exporting product.

So right through the past year and a half we have seen manufacturing very upbeat and, as a result, investment in technology has been higher than we might have expected. The majority of our Technology Supplier members have experienced very good sales during these uncertain times.

Unfortunately though, for AMTIL, the challenges of trying to provide services to our members over the past 12 months has been trying to say the least.

We had the opportunity to develop our flagship event, Austech, into a more broader show than just covering machine tools and ancillary equipment. So we launched Australian Manufacturing Week, incorporating Austech and a number of other zones including Robotics & Automation, Welding, Additive Technology, Manufacturing Solutions and a dedicated Australian Manufacturing Pavilion. We were very excited to be bringing this new event to the marketplace, originally expecting it to run in May 2021. We made the difficult decision in October last year to postpone this event until March 2022 which was disappointing, as we had nearly sold all the space and the appetite for an exhibition appeared strong. This decision had a major impact on our finances as you will see from the financial report and the significant loss we incurred.

Furthermore, in September 2021 we made the even more painful decision to postpone this event again, until May 2023. The potential for a lockdown or other COVID-related decisions and the financial impact that would have on our business was deemed too great to ignore.

So from a risk management perspective the Board made the decision to postpone our Melbourne event and look to run a smaller event in Sydney mid 2022. Both shows - Sydney 2022 and Melbourne 2023 - are almost sold out and we are now looking forward again to being able to deliver strong exhibitions over the coming two years.

We also had challenges in delivering our other events around the country due to differing state positions, lockdowns and our ability to travel. We ended up delivering 12 virtual events or webinars, eight networking events and two social golf days. We also had eight other events postponed or cancelled due to COVID over the past 14 months. Hopefully our members got to enjoy the benefits of these events and hopefully we have less trouble in the future in putting them on.

On a positive note, the advertising support we received from our members in regard to our bi-monthly 120-page AMT magazine is sensational. We are very proud of the regular feedback we receive which iterates AMT is very well regarded and respected in the industry and I would like to thank our members who have supported our magazine over the past year.

We have been much more active on social media with almost daily news and information being shared through Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram. This move has allowed us to have even more focus on great Australian stories and positive news. We also continue to keep our members up to date with our regular Hotspot communication and E-newsletters.

Finally, during all this, we decided to purchase a new office and move. We also took the opportunity to rebrand AMTIL and create a new logo and image. So it’s been a busy time, even if the output has not been what we would have envisioned late last year. I would like to take the opportunity to wish everybody a great festive season and look forward to coming back refreshed in 2022.

Shane Infanti, CEO AMTIL

AMT DEC 2021

AMTIL HEADING INSIDE

AMW 2022 – Where technology meets innovation Preparations are well underway for the inaugural Australian Manufacturing Week exhibition, taking place in Sydney in June 2022.

Owned and operated by AMTIL, AMW is Australia’s premier manufacturing solutions event. Under the theme ‘Where technology meets innovation’, AMW 2022 will take place at the International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney) in Darling Harbour from 7-10 June 2022.

“We’re getting very excited about the way the work on AMW has been going,” says Kim Banks, Head of Events at AMTIL. “The response from industry has been incredibly positive, with the exhibition space already fully booked apart from a handful of stands.

This is a really big, important new venture for AMTIL, so we’re really thrilled with the enthusiasm for it that we’ve seen out there.”

AMW will occupy more than 9,000 sqm of exhibition space at the ICC Sydney, with more than 140 organisations taking stands to showcase the latest manufacturing technologies, processes and support services. Six dedicated zones will cover a range of specialised aspects of the modern manufacturing landscape: • • • • • •

Additive Manufacturing Australian Manufacturers Pavillion Machine Tools & Ancillary Equipment Manufacturing Solutions Robotics & Automation Weld Solutions

While AMW is a brand new event, AMTIL can bring plenty of experience in staging industry exhibitions to ensure the 2022 show will be a success. Since 2000, AMTIL has operated Austech, Australia’s premier advanced manufacturing and machine tool exhibition. The last Austech exhibition – held in Melbourne in May 2019 – was attended by industry professionals from across Australia and around the world, with more than 170 organisations showcasing state-ofthe-art manufacturing hardware, software and support services.

Going forward, Austech has now been incorporated into AMW, an

exhibition encompassing all aspects of the manufacturing industry in Australia. AMTIL took the decision to launch AMW after Reed Exhibitions announced in mid-2020 that it was ceasing operation of its National Manufacturing Week (NMW) exhibition. NMW had been held annually since 1999, at venues alternating each year between Sydney and Melbourne. AMTIL had enjoyed a long partnership with Reed, with all Austech exhibitions having been co-located with the NMW show since 2000.

The discontinuation of NMW was seen as an opportunity for AMTIL to develop a more extensive event that demonstrates the full breadth and diversity of the manufacturing industry in Australia today.

With AMW, AMTIL is widening the scope of its exhibitions portfolio with a comprehensive showcase of the state of manufacturing in Australia today.

“Our ambition for AMW has always been to not just create a fantastic platform for the industry, but for it to become a real celebration of manufacturing in this country,” said Shane Infanti, Chief Executive Officer of AMTIL. “It’s been great to see so many companies coming onboard by signing up to be part of our inaugural show in Sydney next June. I think it’s going to be an unmissable event for anyone connected to Australian manufacturing.”

Visitor registrations for AMW 2022 will open in late February. AMTIL will be making regular announcements between now and the start of the event about its plans for the show, so it’s worth keeping an eye on the AMW website as well as its social media channels for the latest updates.

“It’s good to be heading into the Christmas break knowing that we’ve got a packed show lined up,” adds Banks. “It means that when we come back in the New Year we can just really focus on getting as many visitors in as possible. I think everyone at AMTIL is very excited about delivering something really great for our industry.” www.australianmanufacturingweek.com.au 1382V4AMTIL

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

Our Partners. Our Members.

Your Benefits.

www.amtil.com.au

AMT DEC 2021

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PUMPSINSIDE AMTIL & VALVES

AMTIL AGM provides snapshot on the economy AMTIL held its annual general meeting (AGM) on 28 October, with the online event opening via an in-depth look at the economic outlook for Australia and its manufacturing industry.

The opening keynote address was given

by Julie Toth, Chief Economist at the Australian Industry Group. In addition to her work for AiGroup, Toth is an advisory board member at Swinburne University’s Centre for Transformative Innovation, a panel member of the Melbourne Economic Forum, and a member for the Economic Society of Australia’s Economic Policy Panel.

Toth’s presentation, ‘The State of the Nation and the Future of Our Economy’, offered a wide-ranging examination of the economic landscape in Australia today, covering the outlook for GDP growth and the prospects for our postCOVID recovery. The presentation also focused specifically on the current state of play for the manufacturing industry, taking in issues such as capital investment, international trade and the labour market, as well as assessing the impact of government policies in these areas.

Following Toth’s talk, there were two additional presentations. The first covered a new initiative to promote Women in Manufacturing, launched by AMTIL in conjunction with its corporate partners William Buck and Rigby Cooke Lawyers, along with Commonwealth Bank. Sharon Grice, Director of Tax Services at William Buck, and Julia Cameron of Rigby Cooke Lawyers gave a presentation

explaining the aims of the Women in Manufacturing program and how to get involved. Next was an update on the Federal Government’s Export Market Development Grant (EMDG), with Berrin Daricili, Manager of R&D Incentives & Grants at William Buck, detailing some of the recent changes to the scheme and what they mean for manufacturers.

ANNUAL REPORT 2020/2021

After the morning’s presentations, the AGM itself took place. AMTIL President Brigitte Stavar gave the welcome address, after which CEO Shane Infanti delivered his report on the association’s activities over the last year and its plans for the future.

In addition to the regular AGM business, there was an acknowledgment of AMTIL’s Milestone Members, who have been with the association for 10 and 20 Years.

“I would like to take the opportunity to thank all our members who have been involved in our activities over the past 12 months,” said Infanti. “Your input is valued highly. I would also like to thank the Board and Directors of AMTIL, who have given such good guidance and support to the association over a long period of time. To all the staff at AMTIL, your commitment and dedication to the members is valued highly by myself and the Board. I thank you sincerely and look forward to the coming year or two with great anticipation.” www.amtil.com.au

New look unveiled for AMTIL brands AMTIL has undertaken a major rebranding exercise encompassing all of its activities.

The rebranding brings a fresh look and feel to all of AMTIL’s marketing and communications ma-terials, first and foremost with a striking new logo for the association itself. Additionally new artwork has been developed for all of AMTIL’s portfolio of brands, including the Australian Manufacturing Week (AMW) exhibition; AMT Magazine; the Additive Manufacturing Hub; and the ManufactureLink industry directory.

A key aspect of the rebranding project was to build stronger connections between all of AMTIL’s sub-brands, through increased visual and typographical consistency throughout the various ele-ments. The new branding has been rolled out across the organisation, from its websites to busi-ness cards and stationery – and of course to the signage on AMTIL’s new offices.

AMTIL’s decision to revamp its branding was prompted by a desire to project a more dynamic, forward-looking image, with the previous logo having been in place. At a time when great changes are under way both for AMTIL and for Australian manufacturing, it was felt that now was the time for an update that set the association up for the future.

“This is an exciting time for AMTIL,” says CEO Shane Infanti. “We’ve just moved to our new headquarters and we’re just about to launch our new exhibition - AMW. There’s a lot going on for us, and there’s a lot going on for the industry as we start to move into a postCOVID world. So it seemed like the perfect opportunity to freshen everything up.” www.amtil.com.au

AMT DEC 2021

AMTIL INSIDE

New home for AMTIL AMTIL has completed the relocation of its headquarters to a brand new office building in Bayswater, in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs.

AMTIL’s new premises is located across two levels and 300 sqm in a newly-built complex in Bayswater, right in the heart of one of Melbourne’s key manufacturing heartlands. The office has been fitted out with a bright, modern design, with an emphasis on promoting staff interaction and collaboration. The office area includes height-adjustable desks and large screen monitors for all members of the team, to support productivity and staff wellbeing.

AMTIL had been based at its old premises in nearby Wantirna for more than a decade, and it had served the organisation well over the years. However, it had become clear that the old offices would not be suitable for AMTIL as it moves forward with its current strategy, and that a new base would be required to accommodate future growth.

An extensive search was undertaken of potential locations around Melbourne, till the site in Bayswater was identified as meeting all the necessary criteria. The purchase was completed earlier this year, after which work got underway on the time-consuming process of preparing the site, ahead of AMTIL officially moving in late September.

“It’s great that we’re finally all moved in at our new premises,” said Shane Infanti, CEO of AMTIL. “Relocating is a big undertaking, especially when you’ve been somewhere as long as we were in Wantirna. But it’s actually been a good chance to have a clearout and a bit of a reset, and now we’re in, I think the team is settling in very well. We’re looking forward to welcoming our members for a visit when they are in the area.” www.amtil.com.au

New mentoring program for Women in Manufacturing launched AMTIL has teamed up with its corporate partners William Buck and Rigby Cooke Lawyers, as well as Commonwealth Bank to create a new program promoting and supporting Women In Manufacturing.

Manufacturing has historically been a maledominated sector and that largely remains the case to this day. However, the situation is changing – more and more women are entering the sector and taking on leadership roles at successful, highprofile manufacturing businesses, while young girls are increasingly opting for STEM (science, technology, engineering & mathematics) subjects at school as they consider careers in this industry.

However, progress remains slow, and more needs to be done if Australia is to remain globally competitive in an industry where attracting talented staff is critical to success. Our industry needs to find ways to encourage young women to consider a career in manufacturing, and to ensure that women who are already working in the sector feel confident that they are being given the opportunities to thrive.

The aim of the Women In Manufacturing mentoring program is to provide female leaders in the manufacturing industry with access to mentoring and networking opportunities, strengthening the community of women in the industry. The new program is designed to provide business acumen and soft skill mentoring to female leaders in the manufacturing industry and provide a forum for women to build strong relationships with business leaders from across the sector.

If you are interested in joining the program or signing up to receive more information, please register via the online form and you will be contacted in the coming months with further information. Use the link below or the QR code to register. https://bit.ly/3qOKcUK

AMT DEC 2021

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AMTIL INSIDE

New Members AMTIL would like to welcome the following companies who have signed up as new members of our association.

KEMPPI AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

PMK ENGINEERING PRODUCTS

PROSHOP ERP

13 Cullen Place SMITHFIELD 2164 NSW

27 Tulloch Drive WELLINGTON POINT 4159 QLD

52 Linacare Drive BUNDOORA 3083 VIC

www.kemppi.com

www.pmkep.com.au

www.proshoperp.com

AMTIL Events – Social start to 2022 AMTIL is preparing to get 2022 off to a busy start as Australia continues to open up after two years of lockdowns, with a series of social and networking events lined up around the country.

AMTIL will be holding Maximise Your Membership networking events during February. These events will offer an opportunity to learn about AMTIL’s latest initiatives as well as to network with contacts from across the industry.

• Sydney, NSW Thurs 10 Feb, 6.00pm – 9.00pm • Adelaide, SA Tues 15 Feb, 6.00pm – 9.00pm • Perth, WA Wed 16 Feb, 6.00pm – 9.00pm • Brisbane, QLD Tues 22 Feb, 6.00pm – 9.00pm • Melbourne, VIC Thurs 24 Feb, 6.00pm – 9.00pm All of these events are free to AMTIL members with a $45 admission fee for non-members. Finger food and drinks will be served at all events.

Tee up for Golf Day AMTIL’s ever-popular annual Corporate Golf Day and Lunch will be taking place on 8 April at its regular venue of Riversdale Golf Club in Melbourne. The Golf Day will consist of a four-ball ambrose event with participants invited to nominate teams of four. The event will also include a light breakfast, lunch and drinks, plus trophies, prizes and giveaways.

Golf will get underway at 7.30am, with lunch served up as the golf finishes at around 1.00pm.

• Friday 8 April 2022 7.00am – 2.30pm Riversdale Golf Club Cnr Huntingdale Road & High Street Road Mount Waverley Victoria 3149 Places at the Golf Day are limited, and preference will be given to AMTIL members if demand exceeds availability.

Any individuals who book to play will be placed in teams by the organisers. AMTIL would like to thank William Buck Chartered Accountants & Advisers for their generous support as the major sponsor of our Corporate Golf Day. All attendees at any AMTIL events must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

On arrival, please follow the directions of venue staff, check in using the COVID-19 app and present your vaccination status. Appropriate measures are being implemented at all AMTIL events to ensure they are conducted safely. Moreover, AMTIL may be forced to make changes to scheduled events at short notice – anyone planning to attend should always register in advance and be on the lookout for updates from AMTIL. To book your place at any of AMTIL’s upcoming events, please visit the Events page on the AMTIL website. For more information, please call 03 9800 3666. www.amtil.com.au/Events

REAP THE BENEFITS OF AMTIL MEMBERSHIP Contact us to learn more www.amtil.com.au AMT DEC 2021

Hotspots is proudly owned and managed

by AMTIL

Need help looking for the missing piece?

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.

www.amtil.com.au/Membership/Hotspots

Over 1,000 people every month receive a regular, 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. 1285AMTIL2016/1

116

INDUSTRY CALENDAR Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, many industry events world-wide have been postponed, rescheduled or cancelled, while both domestic and international travel has been severely disrupted, with many countries’ borders still closed at time of going to print. Readers are advised to check direct with all event organisers for the latest information. For up-to-date advice on coronavirus, visit: www.health. gov.au/health-topics/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov. For more events, please visit www.amtil.com.au INTERNATIONAL IMTEX India, Bangalore 20-26 January 2022

PLASTIC JAPAN Japan, Osaka 11-13 May 2022

EXPOMAC Brazil, Curitiba 16-19 August 2022

www.imtex.in

www.plas.jp/en

www.expomac.com.br

ASIA MOULD China, Guangzhou 3-5 March 2022

METAL SHOW & TIB Romania, Bucharest 11-14 May 2022

www.asiamold-china.cn

www.metalshow-tib.ro

CAMBODIA INT. MACHINERY INDUSTRIAL FAIR Cambodia, Phnom Penh 25-28 August 2022

ALL ABOUT AUTOMATION Germany, Chemnitz 8-9 March 2022

TOLEXPO France, Paris 17-20 May 2022

www.automation-friedrichshafen.com

www.global-industrie.com/fr/tolexpo

SIMODEC France, La Roche-sur-Foron 8-11 March 2022

INTERMACH/MTA ASIA Thailand, Bangkok 18-21 May 2022

www.salon-simodec.com

www.intermachshow.com

M-TECH Japan, Tokyo 16-18 March 2022

PM CHINA China, Shanghai 23-25 May 2022

www.japan-mfg.jp

http://en.pmexchina.com

MACH UK, Birmingham 4-8 April 2022

SIMTOS South Korea, Seoul 23-27 May 2022

www.machexhibition.com

www.simtos.org

3D PRINT CONGRESS France, Lyon 5-7 April 2022

METALLOOBRABOTKA Russia, Moscow 23-27 May 2022

www.3dprint-exhibition.com

www.metobr-expo.ru

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING Russia, Minsk 5-8 April 2022

ROSMOULD Russia, Moscow 7-9 June 2022

Iwww.metalworking.minskexpo.com

www.rosmould.ru

TORNITURA Italy, Bergamo 7-9 April 2022

METEF Italy, Bologna 9-11 June 2022

www.tornitura.show

www.metef.com

CCMT CHINA China, Shanghai 11-15 April 2022

FABTECH CANADA Canada, Toronto 14–16 June 2022

www.ccmtshow.com

https://canada.fabtechexpo.com

ATX WEST USA, Anaheim 12-14 April 2022

M-TECH Japan, Tokyo 22-24 June 2022

www.atxwest.com

www.japan-mfg.jp

HANNOVER MESSE Germany, Hannover 25-29 April 2022

MANUFACTURING EXPO Thailand, Bangkok 22-25 June 2022

www.hannovermesse.de/en

www.assemblytechexpo.com

FABTECH Mexico, Monterrey 3-5 May 2022

ALUMINIUM CHINA China, Shanghai 6-8 July 2022

https://mexico.fabtechexpo.com

www.aluminiumchina.com

INTERTOOL Austria, Wels 10-13 May 2022

MANUFACTURING SURABAYA Indonesia, Surabaya 13-16 July 2022

www.intertool.at

www.manufacturingsurabaya.com

AMT DEC 2021

www.chanchao.com.tw/CIMIF

MMMM India, New Delhi 25-27 August 2022 www.mmmm-expo.com

IMTS USA, Chicago 12-17 September 2022 https://www.imts.com

MAKTEK EURASIA Turkey, Istanbul 26 September-1 October 2022 www.maktekfuari.com/en

WELDING BRNO Czech Republic, Brno 3-7 October 2022 www.bvv.cz/welding

MOTEK Germany, Stuttgart 4-7 October 2022 www.motek-messe.de

BI-MU Italy, Milan 12-15 October 2022 www.bimu.it

IMT Taiwan 19-21 October 2022 www.imttaiwan.com

EUROBLECH 2022 Germany, Hanover 25-28 October 2022 www.euroblech.com

ATX Canada, Montreal 9-10 November 2022 www.admmontreal.com/en

TUBE INDIA India, Mumbai 23-25 November 2022 www.tube-india.com

METEC INDIA India, Maharashtra 23-25 November 2022 www.metec-india.com

INDUSTRY CALENDAR HEADING LOCAL INTERNATIONAL MINING & RESOURCES CONFERENCE MELBOURNE, MECC 31 JANUARY–2 FEBRUARY 2022 Experts and educators from over 100 countries in Australia’s largest mining event.

CEMAT MELBOURNE, MCEC 19-21 JULY 2022 Trade fair for materials handling, intralogistics and supply chain management. www.cemat.com.au

AUSTRALASIAN WASTE & RECYCLING SYDNEY, ICC 24-25 AUGUST 2022 Innovative products and sustainable solutions to collect, process and recycle waste smartly.

AUSTRALIAN SPACE SUMMIT 24 MARCH 2022 SYDNEY, THE STAR Delivers insights and market intelligence to help shape business decisions and provide topical information of the space sector.

www.awre.com.au

MEGATRANS2022 MELBOURNE, MCEC 24-26 AUGUST 2022 Freight and logistics industry. Artificial Intelligence (AI), robotics, automated racking, telematics and route optimisation, warehouse automation, intelligent fleet systems.

www.spaceconnectonline.com.au

AUSTRALIAN AUTOMOTIVE AFTERMARKET MELBOURNE, MCEC 7-9 APRIL 2022 The latest vehicle repair and servicing equipment, replacement parts, tools and accessories.

www.megatrans.com.au

WASTE EXPO MELBOURNE, MECC 26-27 OCTOBER 2022 Offers waste management, sustainability, clean energy and energy management info..

www.autoaftermarketexpo.com.au

DESIGNBUILD MELBOURNE, MCEC 10-12 MAY 2022 Trends and strategies shaping the architecture, building, construction and design sector.

www.wasteexpoaustralia.com.au

www.designbuildexpo.com.au

AUSPACK SYDNEY SHOWGROUND 17-20 MAY 2022 Food, beverage and pharmaceutical processing and packaging sector. www.auspack.com.au

FOODTECH GOLD COAST CONVENTION & EXHIBITION CENTRE 7-8 JULY 2022 The latest advancements in food and beverage manufacturing

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HISTORY

Big wheels & little wheels – the story of UK-born Australian Sir Laurence John Hartnett (1898 – 1986) Australia’s “Father of the Holden” and much more

PART 46

"HAVE YOU GOT THE GUN?”

During WW2, Laurence agreed to Gen.MacArthur’s suggestion for a secret, hazardous flight from Australia to Honolulu to change America’s negative perception about Australia’s ability to make war equipment. After surviving airplane engine malfunctions, a forced detour and a harrowing friendly-fire near-disaster, Sir Laurence landed safely in Honolulu. Now on to Washington to convince our ally.

A

great Boeing flying-boat (or it could have been the Giant Hughes) so big we could crawl into the wings, took us on to California. A transcontinental train delivered us, later in the week, to Washington, our destination.

The day Bill Wasserman (the leader of the American Lend-Lease Mission) and I arrived in Washington, a New York Herald-Tribune correspondent was waiting to interview us. We told him of the encouraging progress Australia was making in her war industries, but we stressed that additional American aid, particularly in the supply of machine-tools, was urgently needed to increase our output of munitions - for both Australian and American needs. We had come to the U.S. to hasten the delivery of that equipment and to get more planes and other finished goods for Australia under Lend-Lease.

The message was published. From coast to coast. Americans knew that we were in America and we had come to get as much help as they could give, as fast as it could be sent.

America in mid-1942 was only just getting herself into gear for war.

We in Australia realized the Americans would give first priority in all things to their own forces, and we were very careful not to come to them as beggars looking for whatever crumbs and scraps they would throw us. Bill Wasserman and I set·out to convince them that, in every sense, Australians were partners with America in the Pacific War. Although small, we were well organized. We could help America by supplying her forces in the area with food, housing, medical care and maintenance.

In my bags I had details of inventions, ideas and schemes we were applying in Australia to increase our production and fighting efficiency. I reasoned that you must always give something if you want to get something back. So, before I left Australia, I collected from industry and the Services a selection of things we wanted to show the Americans: things that would not only be useful to them, but which, we hoped, would impress them with the capabilities and ingenuity of Australians.

One of these items was an Austen sub-machine gun, the Australian version of the British Sten gun. It was an amazing production job, that gun. At the outbreak of war we had been desperate for a light sub-machine gun, and, when we got the first Sten sample from England, we decided to produce it by short-cut methods that had never even been tried in munitions. We set out to save time in production without sacrificing fire-power or reliability. We diecast most of the components and rifled the short barrel by putting a broach through it and then drawing it on a formed mandrill. It was therefore very easy, quick and economical to produce, and the firing tests showed it lost nothing in performance.

Bill Wasserman was very impressed with it. He was anxious for the American Army chiefs to see it, and suggested that I show it to General George Marshall, the U.S. Army Chief of Staff. I put it in my briefcase with two clips of ammunition for my appointment with the General.

The guard at the entrance to the building said, "Who are you?"

I showed him my pass and credentials and then he pointed to the briefcase and asked "What's in that?" "A tommy-gun," I said.

''Ha, ha, ha! Oh, yes, a tommy-gun'' he chortled. "It really is a tommy-gun," I insisted. But he still thought I was joking and said, "0K sir, you are clear."

Wasserman was waiting in the ante-room outside the General's office. "Have you got the gun?" he inquired. I patted the briefcase conspiratorially. We went in, and Bill did a wonderful selling job, telling General Marshall about some of the things we were doing in Australia. He mentioned the gun as one example. "Let the General see it, Larry," he said.

I took it out of the case, laid it on Marshall's desk and showed him how quickly the diecast components could be disassembled and put together again. I fitted and refitted the magazine and handed the gun to him. General Marshall picked it up and cuddled it professionally. The Austen gun was the gimmick we needed to arouse the General's interest in us and our problems. He helped me by arranging meetings with some other top Army men who, he thought, would be interested in the Austen gun and other military equipment we had developed in Australia. Everywhere I went, at every conference I attended, I had something from Australia to contribute: an idea, a technique, a short-cut. This helped tremendously to win their support for our needs, and before long the stuff we wanted began to roll out to Australia in an increasing flow.

To be continued…

This is an extract from ‘Big Wheels & Little Wheels’, by Sir Laurence Hartnett as told to John Veitch, 1964. © Deirdre Barnett.

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