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, 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