AMT FEB/MAR 2022

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CELEBRATING 20 YEARS of keeping our industry informed

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ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: SUCCEEDING IN THE GLOBAL DEFENCE WORLD ARTIFICIAL INTELLIG ENCE: SUCCEEDING IN THE GLOBAL DEFENCE WORLD

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AEROSPACE & DEFENC

E Renewable Energy & Clean Tech State Spotlight: Tasm ania

AEROSPACE & DEFENCE Renewable Energy & Clean Tech State Spotlight: Tasmania

WHERE TECHNOLOGY MEETS INNOVATION • AUSTRALIA’S PREMIER MANUFACTURING SOLUTIONS EVENT

SYDNEY 7-10 June, 2022 ICC SYDNEY

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Australian Manufacturing Week is proudly owned and operated by AMTIL

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ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: SUCCEEDING IN THE GLOBAL DEFENCE WORLD AEROSPACE & DEFENCE Renewable Energy & Clean Tech State Spotlight: Tasmania

WHERE TECHNOLOGY MEETS INNOVATION

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AUSTRALIA’S PREMIER MANUFACTURING SOLUTIONS EVENT

SHOWCASING THE LATEST IN MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGIES AND PROCESSES ACROSS 6 PRODUCT ZONES

AUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURING WEEK is the industry exhibition encompassing all aspects of manufacturing in Australia. AMW will showcase the latest in manufacturing technologies and processes, with a strong focus on innovation and digital transformation.

AMW will be a week-long celebration of manufacturing in Australia today.

For more information visit WWW.AUSTRALIANMANUFACTURINGWEEK.COM.AU

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CONTENTS

Volume 22 Number 01 FEBRUARY 2022 ISSN 1832-6080

FEATURES AEROSPACE & DEFENCE Defence – Leading the way with AI and smart factories Machining composites for aerospace components Helimods takes off with AMGC investment New Australian imaging tech for aircraft stress Swinburne AIR Hub: Aerospace future Composites to protect the troops Digitalising defence design Lovitt Technologies Australia – In full flight D2N reaches for the skies with Airspeeder

42 48 50 51 52 53 54 57 58

AMT 20TH ANNIVERSARY Flashback to our history and journey

60

FORMING & FABRICATION ToolBox: boost for Industry 4.0 laser jobshops Demmeler for Fleet vehicle modification Rotary machine: Bending cell for fully automated process

72 73 74

ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING CNC Design – Inside the Virtual Smart Factory Team Penske creates winning results with AM AM design protects buildings from impact damage Craft Health: 3D printing tablets with ViscoTec

76 78 79 80

CUTTING TOOLS Machining superalloys Advanced roughing strategies

82 86

STATE SPOTLIGHT TASMANIA Ignite Digi – From Hobart to the world Artisan welding sparks manufacturing revival Incat Tasmania – Faster, lighter, cleaner

88 89 90

RENEWABLE ENERGY Raymax – Partnering with Sunswift Wave energy tech to decarbonise aquaculture Extracting twice the power from ocean waves Setting new standard for sustainable solar rails Tindo Solar joins recycling program

94 96 97 98 99

MATERIAL REMOVAL Okuma launches new HMC Dimac: Instant solution for lights-out production

102 103

MOTORS & DRIVES ANCA: Beyond common actuation The old and new in motor maintenance

104 106

MATERIALS HANDLING Konecranes’ new oil analysis

107

COMPRESSORS & AIR TECHNOLOGY Cutting carbon emissions with Stuff Insider energy saving information BOGE converts refrigerant dryer to new refrigerant

108 110 111

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

42 Defence manufacturing – Leading the way with AI and smart factories Australian defence manufacturing is advancing rapidly through advanced practices, enabling success in the global defence sector.

92 Company Focus: 5B – Quantum of solar With a team of renewable energy experts who care about making solar projects cheaper, faster and smarter, 5B is reinventing solar energy from the ground up.

96 ACS Australia – Engineering wave energy tech to decarbonise aquaculture The future of clean renewable energies is leveraging the limitless motion of ocean currents to generate electrical power. ACS Australia is bringing critical composites engineering capabilities to major renewable energy projects in this sector.

100

PRODUCT NEWS: Selection of new and interesting products 34 COMPANY FOCUS: 5B – Quantum of solar ONE ON ONE: Kane Thornton

92 100

AMTIL FORUMS

112

AMTIL INSIDE: The latest news from AMTIL

116

One-on-One: Kane Thornton

MANUFACTURING HISTORY: A look back in time

122

Kane Thornton is the Chief Executive of the Clean Energy Council. He spoke to AMT

AMT FEB 2022

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008

FROM THE EDITOR WILLIAM POOLE

Recover, rebuild… repeat I’ve got to say, sitting down to write this column, I’m getting a distinct sense of having been here before.

This time last year, when we were finishing for the first edition of AMT for 2021, Australia was coming back from Christmas holidays which most people really needed – more so than usual – a decent break after a challenging 2020. The year had been dominated by the COVID-19 crisis, lockdowns and social distancing, and the social and economic fallout from the pandemic. As people returned to work last January, there was some cautious optimism at the prospect of a return to something like normal, tempered by an awareness that COVID-19 was still very much out there in the world – if not, at that point at least, in Australia.

Fast forward 12 months and … here we are.

So as we get back to work, what can manufacturing businesses do to prepare for another year of uncertainty, as well as to seize the opportunities that lie ahead? A new report from CSIRO and the Business Council of Australia (BCA) attempts to answer that question.

Entitled ‘Unlocking the innovation potential of Australian companies’, the report sets out to reveal the strategies Australian business leaders need to drive the nation’s recovery and future resilience from COVID-19, attempting to identify the most effective habits of highly innovative companies.

The report looks at existing research on ways that organisations can become what the authors describe as ‘innovation-active’. From small or medium-sized enterprises right through to large corporations, innovation-active companies are twice as likely to report increased productivity than non-innovating companies, and almost all are able to point to tangible benefits such as improved customer service or increased revenue.

The report draws on interviews and case studies from executives at some of Australia’s most innovative companies, including the likes of Atlassian, Boeing, Cochlear, Dow, Dulux Group, GE, Incitec Pivot, and more.

The conclusion, according to CSIRO Chief Executive Dr Larry Marshall, is that Australia’s world-class science and research can supercharge Australian industries by collaborating to build real-world solutions. And the report cites a number of interesting case studies that illustrate its core points.

Boeing, for instance, is collaborating with more than 35 Australian-based companies to commercialise uncrewed aircraft technology for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), while Cochlear is working with universities and start-ups to commercialise new implant therapies for epilepsy and sleep apnoea. Woolworths and GrainCorp are co-investing in FutureFeed to commercialise a livestock feed developed by CSIRO scientists to reduce methane emissions. And Telstra and Microsoft are using Australia as a testing ground for telecommunications technologies to accelerate technology development and adoption.

According to BCA Chief Executive Jennifer Westacott AO, giving businesses the right tools to innovate, collaborate and turn world-class ideas into new jobs and industries will be crucial to securing our economic future: “Australian businesses are some of the most adaptive in the world, and our research institutions are globally respected. As we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, we have to take a team-Australia approach to double down on our advantages, drive commercialisation and turn our ideas into jobs.”

As 2022 gets underway, COVID-19 still casts a long shadow over our lives. But time and time again, this pandemic has shown how Australian manufacturers are not just of solving problems, but of turning them into opportunies. So let’s get to work.

You can check out the report ‘Unlocking the innovation potential of Australian companies’ at: www.bca.com.au/reports_papers

Editor William Poole wpoole@amtil.com.au Contributors Carole Goldsmith Brent Balinski Sales Manager Nicholas Raftopoulos nraftopoulos@amtil.com.au Publications Co-ordinator Gabriele Richter grichter@amtil.com.au Publisher Shane Infanti sinfanti@amtil.com.au Designer Franco Schena fschena@amtil.com.au Prepress & Print Printgraphics Australia AMT Magazine is printed in Australia using 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 © Australian Manufacturing Technology (AMT).

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

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

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

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

Subscription to AMT Magazine (and other benefits) is available through AMTIL Associate Membership at $185.00 (ex GST) per annum.

Contact AMTIL on 03 9800 3666 for further information.

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FROM THE CEO SHANE INFANTI – Chief Executive Officer AMTIL

COVID is inevitable but where are our leaders With AMTIL recently having to cancel another series of events this February due to complications with COVID and travel, I thought it would be insightful to share a (slightly edited) post from Gary Fitz-Roy, Managing Director of Expertise Events, and his thoughts on the challenges and obstacles we are facing.

It sounds like Groundhog Day. The threat of COVID spreading faster than a brush fire and again creating uncertainty and lack of confidence around events. This has certainly been emphasised by the diminished attendance at Christmas and New Year Events. Even the crowds at the post-Christmas sales were down considerably.

Has the pent-up demand waned or is everyone just being super cautious?

It is clear that governments, both State and Federal, are hoping herd immunity will control the Omicron variant as it continues to spread. And with the exception of Emperor MacGowan, all Premiers seem to accept no more border closures, and based on reports out of South Africa, where it was first detected, maybe it is on its way down and maybe the Premiers are making the right decision, but will it set the event industry back another six months?

But firstly, a first-hand report re COVID, which was my Christmas gift on December 25th. At first I was mortified as it stuffed our Christmas plans, but in hindsight timing is everything and importantly it happened at a time when we had no events on, therefore no impact, and that is definitely the positive side.

Is there a silver lining? Well the experts say it’s unlikely I will get it again, so that at least creates some confidence for me personally, however on reflection there are many things racing through my mind.

1. Staff – How do we as an industry manage staff returning to the office or events in early 2022? Under the current health orders whole teams could be taken out the day before an event opens? And what happens if someone on staff comes out with COVID mid-event?

2. Exhibitors – How flexible do we need to be? Can we keep refunding or transferring space costs, furniture hire, stand builds, and how are venues going to treat rental? Already calls and emails are being received for shows in February and March with people saying they have COVID and need to cancel their booking. Their contagious period is over in 7-10 days, so how does this affect next month or later?

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3. Visitors – Given that various events over Christmas and New Year were poorly attended, lack of visitor or attendee confidence will be a major issue.

All three aspects have something in common and that is something I have raised for two years: CONFIDENCE. To address the above issues we need an industry approach. But are the exhibition industry associations up to taking a leadership role? It is time for them to wake up, stop living in a fantasy land, tackle the issue and stand for something.

It has been suggested on a number of occasions that we need a national campaign underwritten by Government and supported by the industry extolling the benefits of LIVE events to build the story and confidence for businesses to exhibit or sponsor and for buyers to attend … learn from what we have just witnessed over the past few weeks and the last two years, it’s scary.

Even if it starts at a grass roots level a bit like the #expoready campaign which received wide support, but whilst funding is requested let’s have a campaign that sends the combined message. Just like the Chinese zodiac signs we need to create the year of Events.

The following quote maybe should be scribbled on associations and the industry’s walls: “The first step toward success is taken when you refuse to be a captive of the environment in which you find yourself”.

We need to be good shepherds and look at how we ALL get through, and this starts with an understanding of what they need help with as per the above points covering staff, exhibitors and visitors. And then what we put in place to rebuild, as 2022 is currently looking more shaky than we all had hoped for.

If companies struggled last year with staff overlay, this year COVID could be taking more of the workforce out. There are currently discussions about shows being pushed back to later in the year and it’s not even through the first month of 2022.

We need to have learnt something from the past two years, it’s time to dig deep, it’s not over, so step up or step out – has the industry got the fortitude, energy, fight and depth to do it? The clock is ticking and even post-COVID, I for one won’t be throwing the last two years away; as to do so would be admitting defeat.

For the full editorial from Gary Fitz-Roy please go to https://specialevents.com. au/so-covid-is-inevitable-but-where-areour-leaders/

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012

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

Testing the resilience of our manufacturers Manufacturing is transforming rapidly around the globe and Australia is no exception. New technologies and methods of production are shifting the focus from mass production to more bespoke, advanced, and higher value-added manufacturing. Design and associated service delivery are now as important as the production process itself.

The Government’s vision is for Australia to be recognised as a highquality, skilled and sustainable manufacturing nation that supports a modern and resilient economy.

The ability to make things here, and do it well, will drive investment and innovation, grow our exports and create new jobs, including critical high-skilled jobs.

The lessons learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic have provided a powerful impetus to increase our self-sufficiency in key sectors, including vaccine production and defence.

The pandemic has presented a number of big challenges which our manufacturers have overcome with ingenuity and agility. Many Australian industries have rapidly embraced digital solutions to continue operating.

But just when the worst of the crisis seemed to be passing, the Omicron variant has put severe strains upon workforces and supply chains. It is yet another test of the resilience of our manufacturers but they can be assured of the Government’s ongoing support as we deal with this crisis.

We are working hard to keep energy costs down for industry, cut red tape and generally create a positive business environment.

Since the announcement of the $1.5bn Modern Manufacturing Strategy in October 2020, the Government has been supporting Australian manufacturers to scale up, innovate and access new markets.

As at 15 December 2021, the Strategy has delivered over $309m to fund 176 Australian manufacturing projects across the National Manufacturing Priorities of Space; Medical Products; Resources Technology and Critical Minerals Processing; Food and Beverage; Defence and Recycling and Clean Energy.

Combined, these projects are valued at $906m which will drive new manufacturing activity, investment and create jobs.

Successful recipients include Noumed Pharmaceuticals which was awarded $20m towards construction of a new $85m state-ofthe-art manufacturing facility for prescription and over-the-counter medications.

Sabrini Foods was awarded $1.4m in funding to become the first local manufacturer to transform Australian dairy into extended shelflife frozen paneer, overcoming one of the constraints to export.

Victorian-based Pact Group was awarded $20m to support its world-leading recycling technology. This investment will help create more than 900 jobs and divert around 125,000 tonnes of plastic waste from landfill each year.

Significant investment also been provided to the defence sector to help access new local and global defence supply chains.

A capable and advanced defence industry is vital to our national security and our response to natural disasters and other emergencies.

The development of domestic defence industries will not only strengthen our protection against external threats, it will lead to innovations in other industrial areas.

Our commitment to this sector included a $16.2m grant to Hofmann Engineering in December last year. It is a family-owned company based in Western Australia. The funds will help the company establish its advanced sovereign defence manufacturing centre and training facility for apprentices and graduates.

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On 30 June 2021, the Government launched both the MMI Collaboration Stream and the Supply Chain Resilience Initiative.

The Collaboration stream is the largest component of the MMI with $800m available to provide co-funding of up to one third of eligible project costs – supporting large-scale projects that will help transform manufacturing sector by increasing collaboration, and building scale to enhance growth and competitiveness in the six National Manufacturing Priority areas.

The $107.2m Supply Chain Resilience Initiative will strengthen Australia’s ability to access critical products and inputs, better positioning us to respond to future supply chain disruptions.

Under Round one of the Supply Chain Resilience Initiative, 26 projects in medicines and agricultural production chemicals will share in $33m of funding. This includes backing Australia's only local manufacturing site for critical intravenous (IV) medical fluids, Baxter Healthcare. The company will receive up to $2m to support the manufacture of more than 50 million units of life-saving IV medicines used in the ICU, emergency rooms, operating theatres and oncology wards around the country.

Round 2 of the Supply Chain Resilience Initiative opened on 6 December last year and will support the critical areas of semiconductors and water treatment chemicals.

Under Round 2 of the Manufacturing Modernisation Fund (MMF) announced in June 2021, 84 businesses across the country were awarded $55m for projects with a total value of $254m. The MMF supports small to medium manufacturing businesses to innovate, develop new technologies and create new high-skilled jobs. This builds on the outcomes of the first round, which provided over $40m to support 172 projects.

We are also supporting Australian small to medium manufacturers to commercialise new innovative products and processes through the $30m Commercialisation Fund, administered by the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre.

We will continue to work closely with industry to position Australia as a globally recognised, high-quality, competitive and sustainable manufacturing nation.

COVID-19 has highlighted the importance of strengthening our sovereign manufacturing capabilities and securing reliable supply chains. The Government is providing the framework to enable this.

Our policies and targeted investments are helping ensure Australia's essential needs continue to be met. They are also supporting our manufacturers to innovate, adapt and grow. Our manufacturers are leading the way, transforming the economy and putting Australia at the forefront of modern manufacturing nations.

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014

FROM THE INDUSTRY INNES WILLOX – Chief Executive Australian Industry Group

All at sea: Australia’s supply chain vulnerabilities The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed deep weaknesses in the operations of global and domestic supply chains and laid bare many Australian vulnerabilities as an island nation with 98% of trade and most jobs connected to or reliant on sea freight in some way.

There is a complex series of activities that ensure a supply chain works.

Retailers communicate with distributors, distributors connect with manufacturers, and manufacturers engage suppliers of materials and components. On the transport side, there is involvement with shipping lines, airlines, trucking and delivery companies, all of which are facilitated through ports, airports, warehouses, and distribution centres.

Ai Group has released a report that seeks to explore current business experience associated with supply chain pressures (particularly as they relate to sea freight), and connected impacts in other areas of policy with the aim of identifying possible constructive solutions and pathways forward.

Supply chain chaos has been created by a combination of factors including the increase in global demand for goods; lengthy lockdowns and infections of workers; a global shipping container shortage; reduction in shipping services and port skipping; Australian industrial action; and rising costs. Freight rates have reached unprecedented levels, with rates on key global trade routes around seven times higher than they were about two years ago.

This situation is projected to only moderately ease by 2023 and beyond.

demand (27% of businesses), COVID-19 (8% of businesses) and input cost increases (8% of businesses).

These pressures can undermine our economic recovery from the pandemic and ultimately dampen economic growth.

While the supply chain problem is obvious, the solutions are less so.

We also asked businesses to rank their priorities for improving the reliability and resilience of their supply chains for 2022, with 28% of businesses relying on increasing inventories to ensure inputs are available and in stock when needed. Just over one quarter (26%) will not take any action – due in part to the longevity of existing contracts, difficulties finding alternative suppliers, no improvement from finding alternative suppliers, existing processes delivering satisfactory results and having not yet reached a level of critical inconvenience.

Supply chain problems should be assessed by how essential the goods are to the wellbeing of Australians and how critical they are to the production of an essential good or service whether for domestic consumption or for export.

For example, while Australia is self-sufficient in food production, we do require essential inputs for the agricultural, food processing and transport industries to maintain supply to consumers. Freight constraints can also undermine other areas of policy, such as the strain felt by recyclers who are struggling to manage the rising cost of material exports. This is running the risk that we may lose some recycling capability and jobs altogether, given we are lacking in capability to process and/or market these materials.

There is increasing concern about geostrategic tensions, trade conflicts and their associated unknowns. This creates real risks for businesses reliant on distant suppliers and generates an incentive to change the way they do business, and to avoid over-dependency on particular countries or regions (especially those where trade or diplomatic tensions exist).

We asked businesses whether their ability to source inputs in 2021 had changed compared to 2020 and almost two-thirds (65%) reported that sourcing their usual inputs was much more difficult in 2021 than in 2020.

Given the disruptions in 2021, just over half (52%) of Australian businesses expected their ability to source inputs would continue to be disrupted in 2022, with 17% feeling more optimistic about sourcing supplies in 2022. 27% expected no change to their ability to source inputs in 2022 compared to 2021, but it is unclear whether this is a cause for optimism, or an indication businesses are expecting the same problems and pressures to continue.

Other primary factors impacting businesses in October 2021 included: activity restrictions (24% of businesses), increased

AMT FEB 2022

Reports of onshoring may be overstated with only 14% of businesses choosing to find new suppliers within Australia and even less, 12%, conducting a search for suppliers globally. 10% of businesses plan to renegotiate existing supply contracts as their first priority, and for 7%, the first response is to bring production in-house.

When asked what their second action would be, just under a third (30%) of businesses indicated they would look to renegotiate existing supply contracts. Finding new Australian suppliers was the second step for a quarter of respondents (25%) and building inventories a second priority for 16% of respondents.

While we may not be able to control the global factors negatively impacting supply chains, we should not shy away from looking inward and improving our own domestic performance and efficiencies.

The recently announced Productivity Commission inquiry into Australia's Maritime Logistics System is a positive development that will further identify the impacts that go beyond the productivity on our wharves, the reliability of our supply chains and the high prices faced by businesses and households.

Hopefully, determined actions recommendations next year.

will

follow

the

report's

A copy of the report, Australian Supply Chains: State of Play, is available on the Ai Group website: https://www.aigroup.com.au/ news/reports/2021/australian-supply-chains-state-of-play/

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

Opportunity for renewable manufacturing to lead the way In July last year, wind towers were loaded onto trucks in Portland and headed slowly down the Princes Highway to be installed at the Ryan Corner windfarm. This won’t surprise many readers, who know about the world-leading wind farm manufacturer and the highly skilled AMWU members who work there, located in Portland.

What many readers will find surprising is that those wind towers were not made in Australia at Keppel Prince in Portland, but rather imported from overseas and delivered by boat to Portland docks for unloading. It is always disappointing to see anything imported from overseas when it can be made right here by Australian workers, using Australian steel.

What is perhaps even more galling is that those wind towers were being installed at a wind farm that is being underwritten by a longterm power purchase agreement from the Federal Government’s Snowy Hydro 2.0 scheme.

When I found out about the plans to import wind towers for a project funded by the federal government, I got in touch with the Minister and the local member – Dan Tehan. There was still time to solve the problem and ensure that at least some of the towers for the project were built locally. But despite all their rhetoric, when it came time to put their words into actions and put Australian workers first, they failed.

Their decision put the jobs of 150 high-skill, high-wage jobs in regional Victoria at risk for a tiny improvement in the project’s bottom line. Estimates placed the increase in cost from building the towers locally to be around 2% of the overall cost of the project, requiring only a 0.5% increase in the cost of the energy generated by the wind farm. That’s absolute peanuts compared with the importance of supporting this growing industry and these vital jobs.

If that wind farm had been underwritten by the Victorian Government’s Renewable Energy Target, it would have required 64% local content, 90% locally milled steel and for 90% of the jobs during the operational phase to be held by local workers. Because this farm was underwritten by the Federal Government, all those workers, their families and our regional communities missed out.

Time and again we’ve seen state and federal governments buy things from overseas for a lower price ending up paying more for an inferior product. The NSW ferries that are filled with asbestos and that don’t fit under bridges, trains that don’t fit the platforms or through tunnels, and trams out of action for 18 months with extensive cracking are just some examples.

Renewable energy projects are not immune from similar failings.

Last year news broke that the Stockyard Hill wind farm – supported again by the Federal Government through their Large-Scale Renewable Energy Targets – had extensive cracking in its Chinesemade wind turbines. Yet again Australian workers have missed out and we’ve been left with substandard products that don’t work.

Another sad Australian story in renewable energy is Tindo Solar, Australia’s only solar panel manufacturer, who is struggling to beat out cheaper imports from countries that will do anything to dominate the global market in renewable manufacturing.

There is huge demand for solar panels in Australia – from roof tops to utility scale – and our researchers have been at the cutting edge of solar technology for decades. Thanks to those advantages, we had a domestic solar industry ready to take off in the early 2000s.

But thanks to illegal market manipulation via the dumping of cheap solar panels at below their cost of production, and a lack of investment and support from the Federal Government, that industry

AMT FEB 2022

never got off the ground. So now, panels built with Australiandeveloped technologies are employing millions of workers around the world, while we import almost all of the solar panels that go on Australian roofs.

The Howard-Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison approach to industry policy has failed, it is time for a new approach that puts Australian workers and Australian businesses first and gives them the best opportunity to compete on the world stage. Governments around the world are doing everything they can to give their local businesses and workers a leg-up so that they can win the good-quality, high-skill, high-wage manufacturing jobs that our low-carbon future will be built on.

In Australia, our Government seems intent on sitting on its hands and hoping that “the market” will create the jobs, wages and living standards that Australian workers deserve. Ten years with no wage growth, increasing insecure work and a huge drop in apprenticeships shows that this just isn’t working and sells our country short.

As I mentioned in my last column, it is time to move beyond the climate wars and focus on what we can all be doing to deliver better jobs and a secure future for our country. The world is moving towards a low-carbon future and unless we start doing that to, we’ll be left behind.

We’ve got all the ingredients we need to be a global manufacturing powerhouse in a low-carbon future. If we stick our heads in the sand we will continue to miss out on the opportunities to create and secure industries and manufacturing for the future. It isn’t the politicians and their resource industry backers that will suffer, it will be the working men and women in our suburbs and regions and the struggling local businesses who will watch their jobs and opportunities travel offshore.

We can’t afford to allow that happen.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Sydney’s “factory of the future” ready to drive innovation A $25m facility has been launched to drive innovation and foster industrial output in the heart of Sydney’s Tech Central. The facility is a foundational node for complementary facilities that support the NSW Government’s projects at Western Sydney Aerotropolis and Western Sydney parklands.

Located in the Engineering precinct of the University of Sydney’s Darlington campus, the Sydney Manufacturing Hub is a new manufacturing-focused research facility that will work alongside industry to deliver cutting-edge R&D in additive manufacturing and materials processing. It is geared to enable concept-to-production demonstration capabilities, including advanced pre- and postprocessing of materials for faculty, students, small and mediumsized companies, and, if needed, larger companies to experience and leverage metal 3D printing and advanced manufacturing.

The Hub provides capabilities for design; topological optimisation; 3D printing of metals, ceramics and polymers; as well as postprocessing heat treatment, advanced characterisation and more, paving the way for new technology in industries like aerospace, autonomous vehicles, biomedical, defence, maritime, and robotics.

University of Sydney Vice-Chancellor Professor Mark Scott AO said the University has continued to demonstrate its capability as a R&D leader in the region by working closely with both the public and private sector: “The Sydney Manufacturing Hub is a key demonstrator for what’s ultimately possible when government, industry and higher education work together on high-impact technologies. This is evidenced not only through the establishment of this new research facility, but also via our collaborative projects in Greater Sydney, particularly the Western Sydney Parklands and Aerotropolis.”

Director of the University of Sydney’s Core Research Facilities Professor Simon Ringer said the Sydney Manufacturing Hub would drive the state’s ‘Industry 5.0’ revolution: “Advanced manufacturing is making the previously impossible possible. Key industries will benefit from these technologies through the reduction of material waste, simplified supply chains, and an independent capacity to create materials, components and even whole machines – all of which weren't possible using traditional manufacturing. Using these technologies we could soon see Australian-designed and built space rocket engines, hypersonic vehicles, satellites, eco-active

building and construction, and fast tracking of the electrification revolution in propulsion. It will even be transformative for areas like health – our team has recently leveraged additive manufacturing in the production of custom orthopaedic implants to help with patientspecific needs. We are witnessing a dramatic disruption in how materials are made that’s driving research breakthroughs.'

“On one hand, we are looking at the periodic table with fresh eyes – additive manufacturing lets us combine elements to make new materials with entirely new combinations of properties at scale. On the other hand, additive and advanced manufacturing has made manufacturing more accessible, with digital workflows making it easier for local companies to enter competitive global markets.”

The research facility places Sydney at the centre of a new skills based development and puts the gears in motion for the state’s advanced Industry 5.0 output. The facility will provide specialised consulting, fabrication activation and training to its industrial partners, providing both guided and autonomous access to the facilities for the purposes of testing, research and fabrication. www.sydney.edu.au

BAE Systems lands new $80m F-35 contract BAE Systems Australia in December was awarded a new F-35 Air Vehicle Support Services (AVSS) contract to establish sovereign maintenance and supply-chain support for the Australian fleet at RAAF Bases Williamtown in New South Wales and Tindal in the Northern Territory.

“We are delighted to build on our contribution to the global F-35 program with this additional support for the RAAF,” said Andrew Gresham, BAE Systems Australia Managing Director, Defence Delivery. “We will be leveraging our years of experience in fast jet sustainment working side by side with the RAAF to deliver aircraft availability and capability requirements.”

Maintaining and sustaining the global F-35 capability will create around 360 new direct jobs at BAE Systems Australia over the next 10 years and develop a specialist supply chain across Australia of more than 70 SMEs by 2025. BAE Systems has provided fast jet maintenance and upgrades to RAAF aircraft from its Williamtown facility for almost three decades and employs nearly 460 people in the precinct. The new AVSS contract will employ 46 BAE Systems Australia staff, providing direct, on-the-

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ground support to RAAF personnel sustaining the F-35. The company will have around 130 people working to support F-35 aircraft maintenance by the end of the year, having also recruited 25 former Jetstar technicians during the downturn in commercial aviation caused by COVID-19.

As a key partner and integral part of the industry team with Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems delivers up to 15% of each fifth generation aircraft globally.

This includes the advanced manufacture of the aft fuselage, empennage, and crucial components from our facilities in the UK and Australia, and advanced electronic warfare capability from our US business. Parts of the vertical tail, corrosion prognostics and avionics are manufactured by BAE Systems in South Australia. www.baesystems.com

INDUSTRY NEWS

CSIRO, Boeing launch new five-year $41m R&D partnership Improving sustainability and using digital technologies to boost productivity are among the focus areas of a new five-year research program launched by CSIRO and Boeing, the world’s largest aerospace company.

Building on 32 years of joint research, the new agreement will see the partners invest up to $41m across areas of mutual interest. CSIRO Chief Executive Dr Larry Marshall said the Boeing relationship represented a success story of science partnering with industry to create impact.

“CSIRO has existed for more than 100 years to help industry solve its greatest challenges and create a prosperous society,” Dr Marshall said. “Our partnership with Boeing is a shining example of that, science delivering real solutions for aviation and aerospace industries and creating economic benefits for Australia and jobs for Australians that we know from our history will continue to deliver value for decades.

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“The next five years will see our science really move the needle on innovation to create sustainable solutions that deliver the great challenge of lowering emissions while expanding our economy at the same time – but that’s what science does.”

CSIRO has been named Boeing’s Supplier of the year on four occasions: 2011, 2016, 2017 and 2018 in the Environmental category. The parties have made numerous breakthroughs since first partnering in 1989. These include CSIRO’s ‘Paintbond’ technology, which has been applied to more than a thousand Boeing aeroplanes around the world, saving millions of dollars in maintenance costs.

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Greg Hyslop, Chief Engineer of The Boeing Company and executive vice president of Boeing Engineering, Test & Technology welcomed the partnership: “Years of research and development is at the core of every critical innovation in aerospace. Our new multiyear agreement with CSIRO will lead to a more sustainable aviation industry, building upon our decades-long partnership that has already produced so many significant advancements for Boeing and our customers.”

Over the years CSIRO and Boeing have invested more than $200m on joint research projects. The strong relationship with CSIRO was a key factor in Boeing choosing Australia as the location for its largest research & development operation outside the United States.

CSIRO’s Chief Technical Advisor to Boeing Shravan Singh said the next few years would see the organisations ramp up projects focused on using AI, machine learning and creating digital twins to improve efficiency and lower costs.

“There is also huge potential to use CSIRO’s deep expertise in sustainability to reduce environmental impacts right across the value chain from airplane manufacturing, right through to optimising times around flight operations,” said Singh. www.csiro.au www.boeing.com.au David Pook, BR&T-A Melbourne Centre Manager, and Shravan Singh, CSIRO Senior Technical Adviser to Boeing.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Toyota opens state-of-the-art product centre in Altona Toyota Australia has opened a state-of-the-art Product Centre at its Centre of Excellence (CoE) facility in Altona, Victoria.

The new Product Centre brings together all of Toyota’s local planning, design, engineering and evaluation teams in the same facility, ensuring the world-class Australian teams will continue to design and develop unique products for the Australian and global markets. These teams were behind such models as the HiLux Rugged X and HiLux Rogue. The new facility will allow for an unmatched level of collaboration across departments.

Mike Rausa, Vice President Product, Guest and Aftersales Operations at Toyota Australia, said the new facility would give the product design, engineering and evaluation teams even more opportunities to create exciting products.

“We’ve already seen what our planning and development teams are capable of, with vehicles like the HiLux Rugged X and HiLux Rogue proving to be popular here in Australia and creating accessories that are adopted in markets around the world,” Rausa said. “We wanted to retain and build on the capability developed during our long history of vehicle manufacturing, providing a highly collaborative environment that would allow Australian design and engineering expertise and know-how to be utilised within the broad Toyota family. The new Product Centre delivers just that, keeping jobs, skills and career paths grounded in Australia.”

The Product Centre is housed inside the former powertrain manufacturing building that produced over 2.5 million locally built engines from 1978 to 2017, ensuring that Toyota’s positive impact on the local economy will continue. It reflects the desire of Toyota Motor Company global President Akio Toyoda, who stated that he wanted to leave a legacy at the Altona manufacturing site, and of former Toyota Australia President and Chairman Max Yasuda, who had a vision to create a centre that built better ways of working – with highly skilled people creating excellent products.

Toyota Australia Product Planning and Development General Manager Rod Ferguson said the new Product Centre would foster

an environment for Australia to spearhead exciting new projects for the local market and beyond.

“Our design and engineering teams are highly utilised by Toyota affiliates around the world, thanks to their exceptional ability to create products that resonate with customers across the globe,” Ferguson said. “Having previously been based at multiple facilities around Melbourne, consolidating the product teams on one site in a state-of-the art facility, alongside other business functions, will foster a level of collaboration that hasn’t been possible before.

The new Toyota Product Centre ensures Toyota’s legacy of locally developed products will continue for decades to come.”

Toyota has invested about $40m in the construction of the Product Centre, forming part of the $150m overall investment in the CoE. The CoE also houses the industry-leading Hydrogen Centre and hydrogen production, storage and re-fuelling facility, which will help in the creation of sustainable mobility solutions, with the capacity to produce up to 80kg of hydrogen per day while serving as a commercial-grade refuelling outlet for commercial and passenger fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs).

Governments urged to have confidence in Australian manufacturing Weld Australia has called on governments to have confidence in Australian manufacturing in the wake of several faults in New South Wales’ trams and ferries.

All 12 trams that normally run on the Central to Dulwich Hill line were decommissioned in November. Major cracking was found in the trams, which were manufactured in Spain. The trams only came into service in 2014 and are already out of warranty, which means New South Wales taxpayers could be liable to foot the repair bill.

“We need a commitment from our governments to increase levels of local content for all procurement decisions. We need to bring home the manufacture of goods like trams and ferries.

There really is no reason for our Governments not to onshore this manufacturing work—Australian manufacturers are ready, willing and more than capable.”

This was quickly followed by the suspension of the Newcastle light rail after a mechanical issue was identified in the trams, which were built by the same Spanish manufacturer behind the Dulwich Hill fleet. A number of cracks were also recently discovered in the hull of one Sydney’s new Manly ferries. An independent report identified several welding defects onboard the Balmoral—one of the Emerald-class ferries, which were built in Indonesia and China.

Manufacturing is a key contributor to the Australian economy.

According to the Federal Government’s Australian Manufacturing Performance Report, manufacturing contributes $100bn to the Australian GDP every year, employs around 1 million people, and is responsible for an astounding 26% of all business expenditure on R&D in Australia.

Weld Australia CEO Geoff Crittenden said: “Australian manufacturing, fabrication and welding companies are globally competitive and more than capable of delivering infrastructure like Sydney’s trams and ferries on time and, more importantly, in accordance with all relevant international Standards.

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“Australian manufacturing is world-class,” said Crittenden. “We need our Governments to recognise that local manufacturers, fabricators and welders have the capability and capacity to deliver their local asset and infrastructure needs. Government procurement decisions must prioritise Australian manufacturing.” www.weldaustralia.com.au

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INDUSTRY NEWS

USQ, Wagners breaking new ground Engineering makes things easier, accessible, innovative, and cost-effective. This concept is key to the partnership between the University of Southern Queensland (USQ), Wagners Composite Fibre Technologies (CFT) and Allnex Composites The partnership started in 2019 through a $10m Cooperative Research Centres program, to produce cutting-edge innovation in composite manufacturing. Their newest innovation has reimagined a fundamental production process from concept design and now mass production.

solution. “This is an innovation that took our pultrusion technology to the next level, ensuring we are at the forefront of global composite manufacturing,” he said. “The new process not only saves time, money and environmental waste but also, by optimising the joist and shape, improves flexural performance by approximately 35%.

Historically Wagners CFT bonded two square profiles to produce rectangular sections for use as joists in structures such as bridges and boardwalks. However, sanding and bonding was an expensive and time-consuming process. After years of research & development (R&D), Wagners CFT is now able to produce high-performing large, hollow rectangular composite profiles through a novel pull-winding process at its composite manufacturing facility in Toowoomba.

This technology will also be replicated for manufacture in their new facility in Texas, USA. These composite profiles are an alternative to steel, aluminium and timber due to their non-corrosive, resilient, lightweight, high strength and neutral electromagnetic nature.

“This project demonstrates our commitment to research and development. We continue to invest in new product lines and production efficiencies to ensure the continued growth and expansion of our Composite Fibre Technologies business.” USQ’s Professor Peter Schubel, Executive Director of the Institute for Advanced Engineering and Space Sciences, said the University’s long-standing relationship with Wagners held great potential for industry.

Michael Kemp, General Manager – New Generation Building Materials (NGBM) at Wagners CFT, said through R&D, the partnership with USQ and Allnex had produced a cost-effective and efficient

“Our interests are well aligned and the ongoing collaboration means that we will continue to contribute to the civil composites sector, as well as other high growth areas of composite pultrusion such as telecommunications,” he said. www.usq.edu.au www.wagner.com.au

Businesses set to put 57% more resources into environmental sustainability Sustainability could be the major focus of Australia’s post-pandemic recovery, with new research revealing Australian businesses, on average, will put 57% more budget, time and people towards environmental initiatives.

The findings come from the 2021 Australian Business Assurance Report by risk management consiltancy SAI Global, based on a survey of 328 Australian executives. The report found that 85% of businesses are already taking measures to reduce their environmental impact. Waste management seems to be the leading, and most manageable concern: 57% of executives say their organisations are reducing waste management processes including reusing, refurbishing, recycling and disposal.

Businesses are also focused on reducing their emissions. Almost half (48% of businesses) are reducing their energy consumption, 24% are increasing local sourcing and 23% are reducing travel and product transportation.

Large organisations (more than 501 employees) seem to be taking charge in reducing emissions, with two thirds (66%) focusing on reducing their energy consumption, compared with 41% of small businesses (fewer than 50 employees). More than a quarter (29%) are reducing their travel and transportation emissions, compared with 21% of small businesses.

Saeid Nikdel, environmental management systems expert at SAI Global, believes the COVID-19 crisis has caused a fundamental shift in the current trajectory and presented an opportunity for businesses to rebuild more sustainably.

“The global pandemic has presented many challenges to businesses, but the silver lining of the crisis is that it allows us to rethink our future and build resilience to other challenges such as climate change,” says Nikdel. “The pandemic also hastened the transition to a hybrid working model, which has resulted in employees avoiding unnecessary face-to-face meetings as well as domestic and global travel, in turn, reducing fossil fuel depletion and the associated impacts on climate change. As we emerge from the pandemic, it’s imperative that businesses looking to

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put more resources toward environmental sustainability create a multi-faceted approach that focuses on a range of measures.”

Less common are taking measures to improve efficiency of resource-heavy processes, which only 17% of businesses are acting on, and improving end-of-life treatment of products, chosen by 14%. “While many businesses say they are taking strides to reduce their waste management, energy consumption and emissions, not enough businesses are taking a holistic approach to environmental sustainability to also look at the lifecycle of their products, better uses of raw materials and natural resources, and better utilisation of space. The end-of-life treatment of products, how they are stored and how raw materials are acquired and extracted all have an impact on a company’s environmental impact and should be considered when developing an environmental strategy.”

To help them with this strategy, almost a third (31%) of businesses said they will review their environmental policy. However, Nikdel believes this is not enough: “An environmental policy is simply a statement that outlines an organisation’s commitments to sustainability. Whereas, adopting an environmental management system, such as the ISO 14001 standard, will improve an organisation’s ability to develop and implement policies, objectives, procedures, and governances to deliver environmentally responsible and sustainable business practices.

“When an organisation successfully certifies to a management system, they don’t just focus on their own people and their own organisation. To properly address sustainability, businesses are best to look across their entire operations, to their suppliers and partners, to ensure there is environmental consideration in the production, design, transportation and disposal – the full lifecycle – of their products or services.”

INDUSTRY NEWS

Dan Grant steps down at MTPConnect After more than three years as Managing Director and CEO of MTPConnect, Dr Dan Grant is leaving the organisation and Stuart Dignam has been appointed to the interim CEO role.

Dr Grant was appointed as CEO of MTPConnect, the Growth Centre for Australia’s Medical Technology, Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical sector, in July 2018 when the organisation was responsible for the $15.6m Growth Centre Project Fund and a $10m granting program from the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) with a team of six. MTPConnect today has more than $180m in project funds under management, including five programs delivered for the MRFF, and a team of 24.

with longer-term certainty for MTPConnect, the time is right for me to pursue new opportunities and spend more time with my family.”

MTPConnect’s six strategic funding programs have so far seen $95m committed to 145 projects across Australia. These investments have yielded an additional $566m in industry contributions and flowon external investment. MTPConnect has also assisted research institutes and SMEs with their translational and industry-focused grant applications, with 64 MTPConnect-assisted projects securing grants worth $307m.

Dr Grant says the time is right for a change: “I am so proud of our team at MTPConnect. Together, we’ve built the organisation to be a significant player in Australia’s medical products landscape. When you look at the funding allocated through our granting programs, the additional contributions provided by industry, the flow-on external investments and the money secured through grant reviews, MTPConnect has contributed to $968m flowing into Australia’s medical products sector. With such strong outcomes secured, along

MTPConnect Chair Sue MacLeman thanked Dr Grant for his contribution to MTPConnect and the growth of the sector: “When Dan was appointed, he was tasked with taking our organisation to the next level, a challenge he’s met and exceeded. Due in no small part to Dan’s contribution, MTPConnect is making a real difference to Australia’s medical products sector, supporting innovative projects across the country with funding, driving enhanced collaboration between research and industry and boosting commercialisation outcomes. On behalf of the Board, I sincerely thank Dan for his leadership, passion for the sector and hard work and wish him all the very best for the future.

“In recognition of our success to date, the Government has approved an additional one year of operation for MTPConnect, and other Growth Centres, through until 30 June 2023. This means our MTPConnect team can continue its fantastic work in supporting the development, manufacturing, translation and commercialisation of medical products and innovations, and the workforce skills needed to drive those outcomes.”

The MTPConnect Board will undertake a search for a new CEO. MTPConnect’s Chief Operating Officer, Stuart Dignam, has accepted the role of interim CEO. www.mtpconnect.org.au

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Elexon Electronics named Moreton Bay Region’s Business of the Year AMTIL member Elexon Electronics has proudly accepted the inaugural Advanced Manufacturing Excellence Award and has been named Business of the Year in the 2021 Moreton Bay Region Business Excellence and Innowvation Awards.

Operating for more than 15 years, Brendalebased Elexon Electronics has continually evolved in response to both changing customer needs and developments within the mining, medical and defence industries, while also being a passionate contributor to the Moreton Bay regional community.

It received its award in a ceremony delivered by Moreton Bay Region Industry and Tourism (MBRIT) in partnership with Moreton Bay Regional Council.

“Being recognised in the sector of Advanced Manufacturing is quite an achievement especially during this challenging year,” said Frank Faller, CEO of Elexon Electronics. “It recognises our outstanding performance and is our testament to our continuous development. It also marks an important return of customer confidence, shifting

from a dependence on overseas suppliers to homegrown manufacturing talent and capability once again.” The event featured 58 finalists across 12 categories, after a record number of businesses from a diverse range of sectors were nominated.

The winners were decided via a judging process involving 40 expert judges, who evaluated nominations based on industry world best-practice.

Taking out the top award, Elexon Electronics said it was honoured to stand alongside the other highly acclaimed local participating businesses. It also praised the collaborative atmosphere in the region, which promotes healthy competition and inspires excellence. www.elexonelectronics.com

IMCRC catalyses over $230m to advance Australian manufacturing The Innovative Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre (IMCRC) announced in December that it has catalysed to date more than $230m investment in manufacturing innovation, research and development (R&D) across Australia. enabled, agile and adaptable robots, UAP founder and Managing Director Matt Tobin said UAP had been adopting advanced manufacturing techniques and robotics, enabling the company to re-shore much of its production to Australia.

The announcement coincided with the release of IMCRC’s Annual Highlights Report, which summarises the CRC’s achievements for the 2020-21 financial year and includes interviews and case studies with executives from leading manufacturing businesses, startups and small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

IMCRC has established a unique manufacturing investment portfolio of 70 industry-led R&D projects that delivers a seven-fold multiple on the Commonwealth cash invested. To date, eight projects have been successfully completed, already furthering the collective research outcomes that will bring substantial economic value and high value jobs to Australia’s manufacturing industry. IMCRC CEO and Managing Director, David Chuter, said the achievements highlighted the CRC’s unwavering commitment to the transformation of Australian manufacturing.

“As an industry-led CRC, we incentivise and enable forward-thinking businesses to collaborate with Australian universities and the CSIRO to develop, scale up and realise new ideas, products and services,” said Chuter. “Our business model is designed to catalyse manufacturing innovation and R&D projects of strategic importance

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to our industry and research partners. It centres around safeguarding government and industry funding by requiring partners to set clear strategic and commercial outcomes from the outset and by putting in place processes to overcome barriers to collaborative success.

“As more IMCRC projects reach completion, I am optimistic about what could be achieved using the IMCRC business model at scale to drive further Australian manufacturing innovation and transformation, particularly with Australian SMEs, who represent around 80% of our industry project partners.”

One of the projects completed in 2021 is the Urban Art Project (UAP) Design Robotics Project. Since receiving $1.2m in project cash funding from IMCRC to develop vision-

“The IMCRC has been a catalyst for fundamental change in our business.

Industry 4.0 technologies, such as the robotics we are integrating into our processes, are changing manufacturing,” Tobin said.

“Without investment in these types of research partnerships, Australian industry will lose all ability to transform, and the impact on our global competitiveness will be devastating.”

The research collaboration with UAP, the Queensland University of Technology and RMIT University also directly led to the $18m Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM) Hub in Brisbane.

Ian Macfarlane, IMCRC Chair, said success stories like UAP were a testament to the efforts of the industry and research partners and the IMCRC team’s ability to rally organisations together and develop collaborative solutions at pace. www.imcrc.org/annual_highlights

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GOVERNMENT NEWS

SA establishes Australian Space Park A pipeline of exciting local jobs for both now and the future have been further secured amid the massive announcement that South Australia will be the site for the nation’s first dedicated space manufacturing hub.

The establishment of Australian Space Park aims to cement South Australia as the nation’s Space State and provide a vital manufacturing link to the local space industry value chain. Four companies are partnering with the South Australian Government to develop the space sector in South Australia through the purposebuilt facility: Fleet Space Technologies, Q-CTRL, ATSpace and Alauda Aeronautics.

With the Australian Space Agency and Mission Control already based in Adelaide, the Australian Space Park will boost space manufacturing capability and capacity by initially co-locating four space manufacturing companies in a purpose-built facility with a focus on collaboration and production of small satellites and their payloads, rockets, electrical vertical take-off and landing vehicles (eVTOL), and supporting componentry and technical systems.

Premier Steven Marshall announced the State Liberal Government would be contributing a $20m investment in the Australian Space Park, which is anticipated to create approximately 220 highly skilled space industry roles within the first two years of operation, further building out the Space ecosystem in South Australia as the national centre for this emerging industry. Discussions with the Adelaide Airport are ongoing as a potential location for the Park.

“The creation of the Australian Space Park signals our commitment to the South Australian and Australian space sector by bridging the gap between research and development and prototyping to production at scale,” Premier Marshall said. “The Hub aligns with Australia’s space strategy that aims to triple the space sector’s contribution to GDP to over $12bn per annum and create up to an additional 20,000 jobs by 2030. It is fantastic to have four amazing companies partner with the South Australian Government on this initiative.”

Adelaide Airport has been identified by the industry consortium as an ideal location for the Australian Space Park due to its proximity to traditional aerospace companies and the central business district and innovation precinct, Lot Fourteen, which is home to a growing community of space companies. Adelaide Airport Managing Director, Mark Young, said the Airport Business District offered excellent connectivity with national and international users.

“We’re excited to be identified as the potential site of the Australian Space Park,” Young said. “In addition to our central location, we offer suitable land opportunities both for the hub as well as room for growth and to attract like-minded businesses keen to play a role in the growing space sector.”

As the centrepiece of the nation’s space endeavours and building upon South Australia’s strong starting position in the New Space economy, the state is presently targeting an annual growth rate in the space sector of 5.8% over the next decade. www.invest.sa.gov.au/australianspacepark

ReMade in Australia tackles waste The Federal Government has launched ReMade in Australia – a national campaign urging Australians to recycle more, and show how they can help create jobs and protect our environment.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced ReMade in Australia on 6 December, saying it was a critical step in giving Australians the confidence to recycle more and to buy products manufactured with recycled content.

“We are taking responsibility for our waste, we put a stop to it being shipped overseas as someone else’s problem and we have made recycling one of six national manufacturing priorities,” said Morrison. “Australians are doing the right thing and they want to be assured that the efforts they make in recycling at their homes and workplaces are delivering real outcomes, from the roads they drive on to the sunglasses they choose to wear.

“We need to recycle even more and this campaign will help consumers and business understand the benefits that recycling can deliver for our environment and for jobs. ReMade in Australia builds on the pride we all have in Australian made and the pride we take in doing the right thing for our environment.” Minister for the Environment Sussan Ley said

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that recycling can reduce pressure on our environment and create Australian manufacturing jobs: “The Morrison Government is driving a billion dollar transformation of Australia’s waste and recycling industry, through the Recycling Modernisation Fund. We are seeing governments and industry investing in the commissioning of new plant and equipment, and our waste export bans are driving fundamental change. ReMade in Australia will help Australians understand the ways they are contributing through both recycling and the choices they make at the checkout.”

Assistant Minister for Waste Reduction and Environmental Management Trevor Evans said that now was the right time for Australian businesses and consumers to think ReMade Australia: “This campaign taps into the pride Australians have in doing the right thing for the environment.

At a time of year when people are buying gifts and unwrapping tonnes of packaging, it is all the more important to have recycling front of mind.” www.awe.gov.au/remadeinaustralia

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williambuck.com

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VOICE BOX OPINIONS FROM ACROSS THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY

CSIRO: Every dollar invested in R&D creates $3.50 in benefits for Australia Each dollar invested in research & development (R&D) would earn an average of A$3.50 in economy-wide benefits for Australia, according to evidence compiled in a new report from CSIRO. By Katherine Wynn, Jasmine Cohen and Mingji Liu. Many Australians know research & development drives economic growth and improves our well-being and prosperity. However, few could describe the size of the relationship between Australia’s research & development spending and economic growth, or compare this to performance on other typical investment returns.

Examples of future industries that could be unlocked by research & development in Australia include the quantum technology and hydrogen industries. Examples of emerging technologies that could change the way Australians work and live include artificial intelligence and robotics.

This is significant, given that recent figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that business spending on research & development as a proportion of GDP is just half the OECD average, and the lowest it has been since 2003.

We hope our analysis will raise awareness of the value of this kind of spending, and its importance for Australia’s economic recovery and long-term resilience. Investing in innovation now is crucial for the future.

In consultation with government and academic stakeholders, our team at CSIRO Futures, the strategic and economic advisory arm of Australia’s national science agency, used a new yet simple economic approach to quantify the return on investment in overall research & development spending for Australia.

By adapting a method originally developed in the US, we calculated return on investment by defining the relationship between domestic gross spending on research & development, and the growth in per capita gross domestic product (GDP) that follows as a result. This method encompasses both successful and unsuccessful research & development investments, and quantifies only monetary benefits (excluding non-monetary social and environmental benefits).

Our approach also accounts for delays between research & development investments and payoffs, and for the capital costs of integrating research & development into the economy. For example, an innovation of new computer software must be built into existing computer systems, and might therefore take a decade before its use becomes widespread.

Overall, we calculate that one dollar of research & development investment creates an average of $3.50 in economy-wide benefits in today’s dollars, and a 10% average annual return for Australia.

By removing the considerations of delays and capital costs, we can also calculate an upper boundary on our estimate – that is, the maximum theoretical return on investment barring any hurdles along the way. This unadjusted result, which does not account for the additional time and costs associated with integrating research & development into the economy, is estimated as creating $20.80 in economy-wide benefits, and a 104% average annual return for every dollar spent on research & development in Australia.

Even with our conservative estimate of $3.50 return on the dollar, the expected benefits of investing in innovation are high compared with many other types of investments. For example, Australia’s 10year government bond returns have historically averaged around 7% per year. Private investments in the ASX200 stock index have typically yielded around 10% annually.

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“We hope our analysis will raise awareness of the value of this kind of spending, and its importance for Australia’s economic recovery and long-term resilience. Investing in innovation now is crucial for the future.”

Perhaps even more significantly, even our conservative estimate of $3.50 return on investment suggests research & development has a cost/benefit ratio well in excess of $1 to $1. This means there is a strong economic case for this kind of spending.

But research & development investment is risky, right? This may be much less of a problem at a national level. While cost or time overruns are never favourable for any investment, building this uncertainty into our findings shows that research & development investment remains economically viable even if this happens.

Results from sensitivity analysis demonstrate that if the costs of research & development spending or delays of payoffs increase by 20%, the most conservative (combined adjustment) results only fall to $3.30 return on investment, with annual yields of 9.5% (at lowest). These are still strong returns.

Our findings imply that so far, Australian innovation investments – whether they be in new products and services or in creating new industries – have been well worthwhile, and that increasing future investment could capture substantial economy-wide returns.

As our estimates only capture the economic benefits of innovation, actual returns are likely to be much higher when also considering the broader social and environmental benefits of Australian research & development.

Dr Katherine Wynn is Lead Economist at CSIRO Futures, the strategic advisory arm of Australia's national science agency, CSIRO. Jasmine Cohen is an Economic Consultant at CSIRO Futures. Mingji Liu is a Senior Economic Consultant at CSIRO Futures. This article was originally published by The Conversation. www.theconversation.com www.csiro.au

Jasmine Cohen

Mingji Liu

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VOICE BOX OPINIONS FROM ACROSS THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY

The evolution of manufacturing leadership Australian manufacturing may be facing a resurgence, but it must learn from the past to face the challenges of the future. In the first of a two-part series, Jack Parr looks at the history and evolution of manufacturing leadership.

In 1990, manufacturing companies drove the world economy, yet in just three decades, service companies have come to dominate – companies with well-defined leadership principles. In this time Australian manufacturing has gone from 14% to 6% of GDP. Technological change, globalisation and political inaction were driving Australian manufacturing to near extinction.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created an opportunity for resurgence, but we cannot repeat history. Manufacturing must now be a sector that can manage the economic, environmental and social challenges of the next 30 years. Manufacturing must evolve again through new leadership, new management and new principles. It is said one must learn from the past to prepare for the future.

The Industrial Revolution of the 18th century created the mechanised manufacturing company and initiated an economic and technological transformation. It saw the rise of the owner-manager, who exploited workers of all ages in the drive for production and profit. It took over a century for Frederick Winslow Taylor to establish a new relationship between workers and management. His 1911 book ‘The Principles of Scientific Management’ has been declared one of the most influential books of the 20th century, laying out scientific methods to improve the efficiency of labour. Taylor stated: “In future it will be appreciated that our leaders must be trained right as well as born right”.

In 1916, a French mine manager, Henri Fayol, complemented Taylor’s work through his concise ‘14 Principles of Management’.

The subsequent decades saw the study of worker motivation, the ‘Psychology of Work’, become the focus for productivity improvement. Elton Mayo’s famous ‘Hawthorne Experiments’ of the 1920s, demonstrated how increased attention to the worker and their environment could have a positive effect on productivity. The work of socio-psychologists like Hertzberg, McGregor, and Maslow with his famous Hierarchy of Needs, all contributed to understanding employees’ motivation to improve business performance.

The late 1960s and early 1970s saw the rise of computerisation, which increased the efficiencies of both the shop floor and office. A new generation of managers implemented ‘Modern Management’ techniques through the writings of Peter Drucker, lifting management thinking to the strategic level. Regarded as the founder of modern management, Drucker encouraged managers to think about the purpose of an organisation and define it through the Mission Statement.

Strategic Management now analysed the business in terms of goals, processes and objectives. George Doran proposed that these objectives needed to be ‘SMART’ – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Timely. Business was competitive and business schools recommended ancient texts like Sun Tzu’s ‘Art of War’ and Machiavelli’s ‘The Prince’ to endorse this competitiveness.

In 1976, Hewlett Packard implemented the Japanese strategic tool ‘Hoshin Kanri’, prompting other organisations to implement such tools. Organisations started to focus their goals and objectives into a set of strategic principles – unique propositions covering products, people and customers.

In the 1980s, two international organisations – one Japanese, one American – built their enduring success on two unique but different

sets of business principles. In Japan, over the course of 20 years, Taiichi Ohno, the pioneer of the Toyota Production System and the inspiration behind Lean Manufacturing, changed the manufacturing process from ‘scientific’ to ‘systematic’ – with standardisation and continuous improvement at its core. While this was Toyota’s specific strategy, they were surprisingly willing to share it with the world.

Their reasoning lay in the core principle of continuous improvement: “By the time others get to understand and apply it, we will have moved further forward.”

Jack Welch became CEO of General Electric in 1981, having joined the company straight from university in 1960. One of his main principles was “Don’t manage – lead change before you have to!”, demonstrated by the fact that over the next 20 years, he transformed GE from a US$25bn appliance manufacturing company into a US$130bn conglomerate offering products and services. Welch also had strong principles on strategic positioning, with “If you don’t have a competitive advantage – don’t compete”.

If GE were not one of the top two companies in a product sector, he pulled out.

Welch’s principles on people, however, were controversial. He believed the bottom 10% of employees each year were nonperforming and should be publicly identified and fired. Welch explained that “Public hangings are teaching moments … worth a thousand CEO speeches.”

‘In Search of Excellence’ became the seminal book on leadership in the 1980s. Written by Tom Peters and Robert Waterman, it was based on distilling the performance of 43 successful US companies down to eight high-performance principles. Peters’ message was that leaders should focus on action, customers and people. He said “Management is about arranging and telling – leadership is about nurturing and enhancing”, and “Allow people to make mistakes, learn and grow”. Leadership was also based on communication “The best leaders … almost without exception and at every level are master users of stories and symbols!”

In the 1990s Rosabeth Moss Kanter prophetically questioned “Could giants learn to dance?” The answer would certainly appear to be ‘No’ if the previous giants of Australian manufacturing are to be the guide. This is not the article to debate the reasons for the decline of our manufacturing sector, but it is fair to say that a focus on minerals rather than manufacturing, a lack of government foresight, and archaic industrial relations all played a part.

The pandemic has created a new opportunity for Australian manufacturing. The industry can build a new citadel, a new light on the economic hill. But it must be founded on a new set of business principles, not repeating the past but now based on innovation, agility and co-operation. The challenge going forward is for all in manufacturing to develop, advocate and implement these principles!

Jack Parr is the Coordinator for the Vernier Foundation, a charity aimed at funding and supporting, STEM education in schools. The Foundation is the charitable arm of the Vernier Society, an organisation that for nearly 80 years has worked to support Victorian Manufacturing. www.vernier.org.au

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VOICE BOX OPINIONS FROM ACROSS THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY

Saving through smarter energy use Manufacturers are constantly challenged to do more with less, but one area leaving the handbrake on in terms of progress is the industry’s reliance on fossil fuels. They stand to benefit from smarter energy use. By Jordan Griffiths.

Australia’s manufacturing industry spent $5.3bn on electricity in 2019, more than the combined spend of mining, transport, utilities and construction. Of this consumption, 45% of energy consumed by manufacturing is derived from natural gas and 22% comes from coal, while renewables only account for 28%.

The writing’s been on the wall for fossil fuels for a considerable time now. Continuing to rely on natural resources to maintain growth exposes a business to serious risks, not just to its public image, but also exposes its tangible and intangible value. If the environmental arguments alone aren’t rousing enough, the price of renewable energy now rivaling those of fossil fuels means that manufacturers can make huge financial savings by getting a handle on their energy usage.

There are two ways manufacturers can go about saving with smarter energy use: they can switch to renewable energy; or they can find ways to cut down on the amount of energy they need to continue operations. These aren’t mutually exclusive strategies, and there are multiple factors to consider when finalising an approach.

Electrification is growing in popularity, and as the cost of carbon rises, renewable energy costs drop – driven by the introduction of global emissions reduction targets. It’s not necessarily feasible for every operation to be electrified, but as technology matures, we’ll see more processes adopt that approach, especially those with low CO2 emissions. For example, 28% of steel globally is produced using electric furnaces, which require as little as a fifth of the energy required for a traditional blast furnace.

Our north star for sustainability transformation is a ‘Triple Zero’ concept, focusing on zero loss, zero harm and zero waste. In Australia, significant industries are increasingly applying this strategy when it comes to smarter energy use. Australia’s mining sector has long been a vital part of the country’s economy; however, the environmental damage caused by large-scale mining is threatening the sector’s future. The Granny Smith gold mine in Western Australia is a standout example of the industry addressing this issue, by installing one of the world’s largest renewable energy microgrids to support extraction and smelting processes. Powered by more than 20,000 solar panels and supported by a 2 MW/1 MWh battery system, the innovative system reduces the mine’s fuel consumption by 13%.

Elsewhere, South Australia is driving green hydrogen innovation, following up its recent Hydrogen Export Prospectus with an announcement from State Premier Steven Marshall, to provide $37m in state funding for upgrades to the $240m Eyre Peninsula Gateway Hydrogen Project, which features a 75 MW electrolysis plant. The project will ultimately increase sovereignty in Australian domestic markets reliant on green hydrogen and ammonia, as well as expanding green export opportunities.

Aspiring to adopt green energy is a good starting point; however, most businesses are struggling to get a foothold. In Australia, businesses can buy renewable energy directly from a solar or wind farm using a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). These agreements allow businesses to buy renewable energy on a long-term contract, often at a cheaper rate.

The other strategy, cutting down on existing energy usage, can be trickier to facilitate in an existing business. Energy will always be needed in manufacturing, and the nature of some processes are more energy-intensive than others. It’s up to every industry to

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encourage more energy efficiency and demand for carbon offsets, which then drives investment into renewables. Manufacturers can aid this cause by re-evaluating the product itself through a triplezero lens, in order to futureproof operations; as well as reviewing the time of day operations can take place, in order to efficiently tap into lower energy market prices.

In the long term, manufacturers can look to the Circular Economy mode for guidance, which aims to decouple business growth from the use of scarce resources. The core theme within this model is the concept of resource recovery, or a more succinct way of putting it: recycle and upcycle.

Resource recovery sees businesses recover embedded value at the end of the production cycle, in order to become a supplier for another production cycle. To understand and capture the full business opportunity of the Circular Economy, manufacturers need to embed recycling into processes as early as the design stage. In this new environment the unit cost of resources becomes less of a factor because instead of using additional resources to manufacture new goods, companies and customers use what’s already in the market. Focus shifts from producing things from virgin resources to transferring existing products between users and transforming used products into new ones.

A perfect example in the Australian manufacturing sector is the partnership between Cleanaway, Pact Group and Asahi Beverages to build a $45m polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic bottle manufacturing plant in Albury – the largest in Australia. Once it’s fully operational and online, the plant is slated to process the equivalent of one billion bottles a year, producing recycled PET pellets that will be used to manufacture new recycled packaging material.

Not every manufacturer is in a position to invest so significantly in reforming its byproducts, but every business can start adopting green energy in some way or form. It can seem intimidating but once you start thinking about how to separate your business’s growth and goals from reliance on fossil fuels, incorporating sustainability into your business processes will become second nature. Not only will the environment thank you for it, but so will your bottom line.

Jordan Griffiths is Managing Director – Operations at Accenture. www.accenture.com

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VOICE BOX OPINIONS FROM ACROSS THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY

Why artificial intelligence will be key to unlocking success in 2022 The last two years have inflicted major disruption for Australian manufacturers. Data intelligence will be critical as businesses look to rebuild , and those that don’t put artificial intelligence (AI) at the core of their strategies will fall behind in 2022, writes Haley Glasgow.

The pandemic has upended the manufacturing sector and put the spotlight on Australia’s reliance on global supply chains. Lockdowns made it impossible for many manufacturers to access the staff, sites and equipment necessary for maintaining operations and filling orders, according to the Australian Manufacturing Growth Centre.

At the same time, the pandemic highlights the need to build a local manufacturing sector as the nation looks toward COVID-19 recovery. So much so, that one in two manufacturers intend to bring operations back to Australia within the next three years.

Following market volatility caused by COVID-19, reshoring is a step in the right direction for Australia’s manufacturing sector. However, four in five (82%) senior employees in the sector are underprepared to compete in a digital economy. Businesses need to fast-track e-commerce channels to overcome competition from imports and online sources. Leveraging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and digital selling is one way to achieve exactly that.

As companies look to build resilience and effectively reshore operations, here are three reasons why Australia’s manufacturing sector should harness AI in 2022:

Reduce customer exposure to market volatility COVID-19 has resulted in a shortage of goods, and consequently higher prices. In addition, many manufacturing companies experienced logistical challenges as a result of restrictions on the movement of people.

With increased supply chain disruption comes increased market volatility, which is set to be a challenge into 2022. But customers don’t want to feel this instability. Understanding how the supply chain will impact both inflation and the end-to-end components of a company will put manufacturers in the position to solve volatility earlier, ultimately reducing customer exposure and providing a more predictable experience.

For example, COVID-19 disrupted the oil & gas industry two-fold, first due to failed agreements on production cuts, and second because of slowed demand from travel restrictions. By leveraging dynamic pricing and data-driven insights to predict how the oil & gas market might fluctuate over the course of a year, companies can set their prices accordingly to account for those fluctuations.

The same principal applies to manufacturing. By calibrating between peaks and troughs, prices – already set in the middle – will remain stable, while the company remains smart and profitable.

This will have a knock-on effect. Having less volatility to worry about means customers will have a better experience. They will feel more engaged with the company. And as a result, customers lean toward repeat engagement with a brand based on that positive experience.

Maximising opportunities around reshoring operations During the pandemic, Australian manufacturers struggled to manage their supply chains, with full lockdowns in many countries from which materials are typically sourced, including China and the UK. This exposed Australia’s dependence on offshore supply

chains. But the more positive side of this is that there has been a significant shift in confidence toward onshore capacity in Australia.

As a result, we can expect to see more companies reshore operations in the next couple of years, as manufacturers look to gain greater company agility, diversify revenue streams and riskproof their supply chains. One in two Australian manufacturers (55%) have indicated they intend to reshore their operations to Australia by 2023, while almost one-quarter (22%) have already made the move and reshored at least part of their operations. This is according to PROS’ Australian Manufacturing Outlook Survey.

Surprisingly the biggest appetite for reshoring has been from Western Australia, the Northern Territory and South Australia, as these regions focus on creating local jobs and growing priority sectors such as downstream lithium processing, defence and space.

As Australian manufacturers look to reshore, it’s imperative they lead with a digital strategy. Now is the time to leverage technologies like AI and digital selling to support the local industry boom. This will help overcome one of the primary constraints for Australian business leaders – competition from imports and online sources – to drive company growth.

Overcome pressure of pandemic pricing COVID-19 has driven supply chain and freight disruptions, as well as inflation, resulting in market and pricing volatility across the board.

Manufacturers can no longer rely on their typical pricing structures and manual practices, which can lead to lagging, unreliable and error-prone pricing, to maximise revenue.

Beyond that, how manufacturers price a product has a knock-on effect on customer experience. While increasing prices by 10% to optimise margins might sound good in theory – especially during COVID-19 recovery – this could lose a potential customer to a competitor offering the same product at a lower price. On the other hand, manufacturers that don’t account for rising costs experience undue margin leakage.

Instead, manufacturers must embrace a digital mindset and leverage AI-based price optimisation and management to deliver profitable prices informed by market conditions and co-ordinated across all sales channels. These capabilities will allow manufacturers to deliver tailored, market-relevant prices in real time, ensuring personalised buying experiences and creating a streamlined pricing strategy in 2022 and beyond.

Manufacturing always involves an element of risk. This is especially true in the context of the pandemic where we’ve seen supply chain shortages heavily impact pricing and material availability. But with investment in innovative tools like AI, and collaboration with the government and industry, manufacturers will be one step closer to recovering operations and improving the buying experience for customers.

Haley Glasgowis Head of Strategic Consulting & Alliances, APAC at PROS. www.pros.com

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TECH NEWS

Canada: Unbreakable glass inspired by seashells Scientists have developed stronger and tougher glass (a glass and acrylic composite material that mimics nacre/mother of pearl).

Instead of shattering upon impact, the new material has the resiliency of plastic and could be used to improve cell phone screens, among other applications. The new material is three times stronger than normal glass, and more than five times more fracture-resistant.

The scientists took the architecture of nacre and replicated it with layers of glass flakes and acrylic, yielding an exceptionally strong yet opaque material that can be produced easily and inexpensively.

They then made the composite optically transparent. By tuning the refractive index of the acrylic, it seamlessly blended with the glass to make a truly transparent composite. It is planned to improve it by incorporating smart technology, allowing the glass to change its properties, such as colour, mechanics, and conductivity.

McGill University

Australia: Self-healing 3D printed plastic repairs itself Engineers have demonstrated a way to help 3D printed plastic heal itself at room temperature using only standard LED lights via the addition of special powder to the liquid resin. Full healing takes approx. one hour and the process actually makes the repaired plastic even stronger than it was before it was damaged. The powdered additive is a trithiocarbonate, known as a reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) agent which was originally developed by CSIRO. There are other processes like this, but they rely on thermal chemistry and typically it takes around 24 hours and multiple heating cycles. And an oven is required which is heated to high temperature – preventing the repair of the plastic material in situ (it would need to be disassembled). With this system, the broken plastic can be left in place and the light shone on the entire component. Only the additives at the surface of the material are affected.

part of the RAF’s Project MARTIN and has the potential to save 8090% of carbon per flight, supporting the RAF’s vision that synthetic fuels will have a major role in powering the fast jets of the future. The high-grade aviation gasoline ZERO® SynAvGas was developed in just five months and ran successfully in the aircraft without any modification to the aircraft or the engine. The engine manufacturer Rotax’s measurements and the test pilot’s observations showed no difference in power or general performance compared to standard fossil fuel.

UK Govt

Australia: Australia's largest rocket engine test Rocket engineers at Gilmour Space Technologies have greeted the new year with a successful 110-kilonewton test fire of the most powerful rocket engine ever developed in Australia. The 75-second test was a major milestone for Gilmour Space, which is developing Australian Made rockets that will, over the next five years, be capable of launching 300 to 4,000kg satellites and payloads into low earth and other orbits. Such satellites could be used to detect bushfires, help fertilise crops, and improve phone or internet coverage.

The company is in talks with the Canadian government and the Australian Space Agency about bushfire-detection satellites.

Gilmour Space/ABC

Japan: New tool detects precursor combustion instability Combustion engines remain at risk of fatal damage by a phenomenon called "combustion oscillations," where pressure fluctuations inside the engine become large. Now, researchers have developed a novel tool to detect a precursor to combustion oscillations using machine learning and a dynamical systemsbased approach, opening doors to the prediction and prevention of related fatal engine damage. The team conducted combustion experiments with varying fuel flow rates in a staged multisector combustor and used the data from these experiments to train a machine learning algorithm called 'support vector machine’. This allowed them to classify the combustion into three states－stable, transitional, and combustion oscillations.

3D printed items treated with a trithiocarbonate, such as this violin, can self-heal when placed under UV light.

Tokyo University of Science

UNSW School of Chemical Engineering

USA: A robotic hand with a gecko-inspired grip

UK: World record flight powered by synthetic fuel The RAF and Zero Petroleum have won a Guinness World Record for the world’s first successful flight using only synthetic fuel. In a world-first, an Ikarus C42 microlight aircraft completed a short flight powered by synthetic gasoline at Cotswold Airport late last year.

Zero Petroleum’s synthetic UL91 fuel is manufactured by extracting hydrogen from water and carbon from atmospheric carbon dioxide using energy generated from renewable sources. This innovation is

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A robotic gripper - “farmHand” – has been created that can grasp with delicate strength. Combining adhesives based on gecko toes with a customised robotic hand, the manipulators are both dexterous and strong and capable of handling a wide variety of items, from raw eggs to an angle grinder. The adhesive creates a strong hold via microscopic flaps. These flaps create a Van der Waals force, so the adhesives can grip strongly but require little actual force. It is not sticky nor leave a residue. The finger pads are made of a collapsible rib structure that buckles with little force,

TECH HEADING NEWS printed via binder jetting are initially porous when removed from the print bed. They can be strengthened by infiltrating the design with an additional material. This second step provided an eight-fold strength increase, making a polymer sand composite stronger than any known building materials, including masonry. Few polymers are suited to serve as a binder. The key finding was the unique molecular structure of this PEI binder.

DOE/Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Australia: Vaccine needle-free

A close-up of the hand performing a highly hyperextended pinch on only the top of an egg.

no matter the location or angle of contact. The hand’s tendons are crucial as well because they enable a hyperextended pinch. While many robotic hands and clamps will pinch objects in a “C” shape, farmHand pinches with the end of its fingers pressed pad to pad.

This gives the adhesives more surface area to work with.

Stanford

USA: Drilling through undrillable rock A semi-autonomous tunnelling robot called Swifty, created by a San Francisco start-up Petra, has demonstrated through a test that it can drill through the hardest rocks on Earth by boring a 61cm tunnel through 6.1m of Sioux Quartzite using super-heated gas. This attempt would normally destroy drilling equipment. The company previously used plasma to melt the rocks but the extreme heat turned the rocks into lava.

This made Petra turn to colder options. Its robot has sensors attached to small rods which The robot’s progress through touch the rock, but the excavation Sioux Quartzite at a rate is carried out by applying heat of 2.5cm per minute, uses and gas. It can create 46-152 machine vision and can reverse out of the tunnel it drilled. cm diameter tunnels through the hardest geologies with a non-contact thermal drill that melts any type of rock by heating a mixture of gas to apply heat above 982° C. The company claims that no method has been able to tunnel through this kind of hard rock until now and that the cost of tunneling through bedrock to bury underground lines is reduced by 50-80%.

Interesting Engineering

USA: Polymer discovery gives 3D-printed sand super strength Researchers have designed a novel polymer to bind and strengthen silica sand for binder jet additive manufacturing. The printable polymer enables sand structures with intricate geometries and exceptional strength – and is also water soluble. It is cheaper and faster than other 3D-printing methods and enables the creation of 3D structures from a variety of powdered materials. Instead of ink, the printer head uses a liquid polymer to bind a powdered material, such as sand. The binding polymer is what gives the printed sand its strength. The team tailored a PEI binder that doubled the strength of sand parts compared with conventional binders. Parts

Vaxxas, a Queensland biotechnology company is using its HDMAP High Density Microarray Patch technology - a patch with thousands of vaccine-coated microprojections that is applied to the skin for a few seconds - to efficiently deliver vaccine to the abundant immune cells immediately below the skin surface. The microprojections also trigger natural immuno-cellular alarms that cause vaccine components to be rapidly trafficked to lymph nodes eliciting a robust immune response. The company uses proprietary dry-coating technology that can eliminate or significantly reduce the need for vaccine refrigeration during storage and transportation easing the resource and logistics burden of maintaining the vaccine "cold chain".

Vaxxas axxas' HD-MAP is readily fabricated by injection moulding to produce small patches each with thousands of very short (~0.25mm) microprojections.

USA/International: New ultrahard diamond glass synthesised An international research team has synthesised a new ultrahard form of carbon glass with a wealth of potential practical applications for devices and electronics. The type of bond holding a carbonbased material together determines its hardness. For example, soft graphite has two-dimensional bonds and hard diamond has three-dimensional bonds. The synthesis of an amorphous carbon material with three-dimensional bonds has been a long-standing goal. Because of its extremely high melting point, it’s impossible to use diamond as the starting point to synthesise diamond-like glass.

However, the research team made their breakthrough by using a form of carbon composed of 60 molecules arranged to form a hollow ball (buckyball) which was heated just enough to collapse its soccer-ball-like structure to induce disorder before turning the carbon to crystalline diamond under pressure. The team used a large-volume multi-anvil press to synthesise the diamond-like glass.

Carnegie Institution for Science

“We averaged an astounding one inch per minute in a geology usually excavated by dynamite … no tunneling method has been able to tunnel through this kind of hard rock until now.”

Silicon Valley startup Petra’s CTO and Tesla co-founder Ian Wright. “Our non-contact method is the next evolution of tunneling and will usher in a new age of undergrounding utilities.” Petra CEO and co-founder Kim Abrams. Petra recruited Wright to help improve the thermal spallation drilling technology it was working on. The result is “Swifty,” a semiautonomous boring robot.

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PRODUCT NEWS

Easier, smoother, quicker – Fanuci’s new handheld laser welder Handheld laser welding machines are increasing in popularity for the many benefits they offer compared to conventional welding. Fanuci is a well-known European company with extensive experience in the design and manufacture of laser welders with a clear focus on high quality and user-friendliness.

Available in Australia from Applied Machinery, the Fanuci laser welder provides high-speed welding coupled with a far superior, smoother weld line. It features low heat input, small deformation, large penetration depth and good repeatability. The unit offers low energy consumption and is virtually maintenance-free.

“Fanuci’s wobble welding technology ensures that operators can achieve a consistent and aesthetically pleasing weld,” says Daniel Fisher, Sales and Marketing Manager at Applied Machinery. “The quality of the weld presentation can eliminate the need to clean-up the weld with a secondary process – which in turns saves time and money.”

The laser source offers a high photoelectric conversion rate, improved beam quality, a wide frequency modulation rate, intensified energy density, extended lifespan and stable performance. The automatically controlled laser head features a movable lens, making it possible to correct material imperfections. The variable size of the spot results in a much better formation of the weld; something that up until now has not been available with manual laser welding using traditional heads.

For maximum operator convenience, all models are equipped with the fully automatic PRO EasyWire wire feeder that is integrated

with the software to further boost productivity. The system allows users to work with 0.8mm-1.6mm filling in ‘push’ or ‘pull’ mode.

Another unique aspect of all Fanuci models is LaserWELD – an operating system that combines high performance with intuitiveness and ease of use. The welding controls are displayed on a colour touch screen, which allows users to set all the necessary parameters depending on the user's needs. The system remembers programs for given types of welding or materials in accordance with the production profile. If necessary, users can turn off the PRO Wobble function from the desktop and use a laser with a point or line spot.

There are three models in the range: a 1,000W model, a 1,500W model and a 2,000W model. Prices start from $29,900 plus GST. “Given its capabilities, build quality and unique features, we expect to find a ready-made market for the Fanuci laser welder in Australia,” Fisher adds. “Companies can now take their welding to the next level with a far superior weld, coupled with increased productivity and reduced operating costs. We expect the first Fanuci welders to arrive in early 2022; we’re really excited at the great interest we’ve received so far from our customers.” www.appliedmachinery.com.au

Bestech: Printing with precise print head positioning control Precision requirements in the manufacturing industry are completely revolutionising the process of obtaining highdefinition prints.

However, printing intricate geometries over surfaces of materials like glass or ceramics poses the challenge of positioning the print head at the right place and distance for unmatched accuracy in prints. In particular, the process of generating finely detailed structures on the surfaces is highly sensitive to the misalignment of the print head as even subtle variations in prints cannot be tolerated.

head to obtain the utmost quality prints.

The combination of the sensor and an integrated controller allows measurement in dynamic printing processes. The sensor significantly detects even the smallest objects by focusing a small light spot on the object.

Manual position control of the print head might present challenges in acquiring quality prints due to erroneous distance measurements. This degrades the integrity of the final printed product. Therefore, a precise control system for positioning the print head in place is as significant as selecting the right printing technique to improve accuracy in prints.

Regardless of changing surface brightness or colours, the sensor provides stable output due to Active Surface Compensation (ASC). The sensor offers a measuring rate of up to 4kHz and a measuring range of 10mm to determine the distance of the print head from the surface at various points. With a repeatability of 0.5μm, the measured data can be transferred to the control system via the RS422 interface.

The acquired data can be analysed to determine the edges and the surface tilt for precise positioning of the print head.

To cater to this printing requirement, Bestech offers an extensive range of smart laser triangulation sensors from Micro-Epsilon.

These sensors serve the purpose of precise distance measurement of objects from the surface. Using optoNCDT 1420 sensor from this category simplifies the task of position monitoring of print

The non-contact distance measurement performed by the sensor is independent of surfaces, thus making it suitable for a variety of manufacturing applications. The parameter set-up is quite easy with presets and a quality slider in high-volume applications that require impeccable precision. www.bestech.com.au

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Cable-less Data Collection

Promotes Smart Factory by Collecting and Managing Measurement Data Advantages of Introducing U-WAVE Centralized Data Management

Higher Efficiency Data can be input by single button operation! Since there is no need for manual input misinput does not occur.

Efficiency is greatly improved!

Cost Reduction Effect

Measurement data can be managed centrally! “Visualization of quality” helps prevent the generation of defective products!

Easily connected to the Digimatic gage* currently in use! A system configuration reducing the initial and running cost is possible. * Some models of U-WAVE-TM/TC are not applicable.

U-WAVE resolves measuring process issues!

Up to 99 gages can be connected to 1 receiver

・ ・ ・ ・

Receiver Digimatic gage

M.T.I. Qualos Pty Ltd 55 Northern Road, West Heidelberg VIC 3081 Ph: 03 9450 1900 sales@mtiqualos.com.au www.mtiqualos.com.au

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PRODUCT NEWS

NUM – New CNC software simplifies five-axis machining The latest version of Flexium software from CNC specialist NUM includes an enhanced RTCP (Rotation Tool Centre Point) function with tool vector programming that significantly simplifies the usage of five-axis machine tools.

As one of the original developers of RTCP, NUM continually enhances the function to meet the changing needs of machine builders and end-users. The company’s implementation of RTCP includes twenty-four predefined kinematic configurations and its Flexium+ CNC systems can accommodate different kinematics on the same machine – for example, when different milling heads are needed.

NUM’s basic RTCP function, invoked by ISO code G151, offers a number of user-specified variants. The function can be activated with an inclined coordinate system or after a positioning move.

In either case, the CNC system automatically calculates the mechanical offset to ensure that the tool centre point is always in touch with the defined workpiece surface while the rotary axes are moving. The RTCP function can also be activated by the actual positions of the rotary axes.

Until now, programming five-axis machines has often been considered an onerous task. The rotary axes are usually programmed directly with their angular position, which has the advantage that the position of the machining head can be imagined when viewing the part program. The disadvantage, however, is that the part program depends on the kinematics of the machine, and cannot be transferred to another five-axis machine without modification.

The tool vector programming option of NUM’s RTCP function enables the direction of the tool to be determined by the vectors’ components along the X,Y and Z axes, rendering the part program independent of the machine kinematics.

In some circumstances, aligning the workpiece to be processed on the machine can be a complex procedure. In these cases, to increase productivity, instead of moving the workpiece, NUM’s

Flexium+ CNC system can now compensate for positioning deviations (including angles) by applying appropriate correction values. The workpiece remains misaligned, but the CNC system is aware of the deviations and compensates for them automatically.

NUM’s Flexium software (version 4.1.00.00 or higher) now features a special HMI (Human-Machine Interface) to allow the corresponding correction values to be entered. The coordinate system resulting from the shifts and rotations is called a ‘Balanced Coordinate System’ (or BCS) and the compensation function is known as 3DWPC (3D workpiece compensation).

Additionally, the software now includes a function to help machine users accelerate the roughing operation’s tunings and then achieve optimal surface finishes. Invoked by ISO code G732, the new function simplifies parameter optimisation and automatically computes pre-settings for roughing and finishing, with adjustable smoothing levels. The machine operator can select a range of attributes – such as profile tolerance, permissible chordal error and segment length – and invoke an optional smoothing algorithm to reduce mechanical shock and smooth the workpiece surface.

To further help machine operators achieve optimal results, NUM has also introduced a new algorithm that keeps the pivot point at constant speed. Part programs generated by CAD/CAM systems invariably comprise a multitude of small G01 segments – in the case of rotary axes, these are often distributed inhomogeneously – resulting in speed variations which affect surface quality. The new algorithms maintain constant speed at pivot points during the movement of rotary axes, allowing the discontinuities to be smoothed, resulting in an improved surface. www.num.com

AESUB: Sparkling clean for optical measurements With the new scanning spray from AESUB, transparent and reflective components can be matted directly onto measuring equipment, speeding up the entire measurement process.

The scanning of reflective and transparent components is a challenge even for modern sensors. To be able to measure the components, they are matted using special sprays. The problem used to be cleaning the components after scanning. Conventional sprays stick stubbornly to the surfaces and are difficult to remove.

Removal is time-consuming and the components are frequently rendered unusable in the process. Even sophisticated measuring equipment can be damaged by permanent adhesive sprays.

Using AESUB’s range of self-evaporating scanning sprays, components can be directly sprayed in the measurement area.

Within seconds, high contrast values that the scanner can easily record arise on the surface as a result of a thin, white layer. The layer thickness ranges between 1µ and 15µm. The matting layer is dry to the touch so that the components can be handled and repositioned during the scanning process. Reference points can be directly placed on the layer. They hold significantly better than conventional sprays.

There is no need to clean components with the new scanning sprays from AESUB. The spray mist does not even contaminate the surrounding area, because the matting layer sublimates – in other words it evaporates on its own. Depending on the spray version,

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the sublimation time is between four and 24 hours. Measuring capacities can be significantly increased because the AESUB sprays reduce the previously required preparation and post-treatment of glossy and transparent components to a minimum.

All AESUB scanning sprays are free from titanium dioxide, which is hazardous to health. The self-evaporating AESUB scanning sprays contain no pigments. www.aesub.com

PRODUCT NEWS

Shaft turning in just one operation with Neidlein face drivers Manufactured in Germany, Neidlein face drivers enable shafts to be turned in one set-up between centres allowing the entire surface of the workpiece to be machined which in turn boosts productivity.

Neidlein face drivers are mechanical clamping systems whereby workpieces are clamped centrically using a movable centre pin. By using a mechanical system, not hydraulic, it guarantees that there is no movement of the part datum point. Temperature fluctuations that usually affect hydraulic face drivers have almost no effect on the Neidlein driver. The face drivers are power operated by the thrust of the tailstock.

Because the centre is securely clamped in position once the workpiece has been gripped, heavy cuts with high concentric accuracy can be achieved. The centre point’s spring-loaded feature means that variations that may occur in the depth of centre drilling are of no concern.

The face drivers’ self-centering ability enables workpieces to be loaded in the machine and clamped in only a few seconds. With Neidlein face drivers, machine downtime is kept to an absolute minimum. It is also possible to load and unload machines automatically.

The easy change out of drive pins and centres also simplifies the operation; they are replaced on the machine without disassembling the driver head. The special mechanical system of the Neidlein face driver compensates for non-perpendicular workpiece end faces.

Rough sawn pieces out of square by as much as three degrees are still driven effectively. Versatile mounting configurations allow quick and easy change over from chucking to face driving.

Available in Australia and New Zealand from Dimac Tooling, Neidlein face drivers are suitable for turning, grinding, milling, hobbing and other primary and secondary turning applications. Dimac is Australia and New Zealand’s largest supplier of CNC accessories and workholding solutions and the distributor for many leading CNC accessory and workholding brands. These include Kitagawa power chucks, Freddy coolant recyclers, Lang Technik five-axis vises, Reven air cleaners, Hydrafeed barfeeders and Royal’s Rota-Rack.

“Selecting the right driver style and mounting configuration is largely a function of machine type and how often changeovers will occur,” says Paul Fowler, Managing Director of Dimac Tooling. “But no matter what type of machine or frequency of changeover, Neidlein’s expansive range will ensure we can supply the right face driver.

Because Neidlein face drivers enable the entire external contour of the workpiece to be machined in a single operation, second operations are eliminated and costly part handling is reduced. From a productivity and cost efficiency perspective they are a must-have for any machine shop.” www.dimac.com.au

scanCONTROL LLT3010

Smart Laser Line Scanners for Precision Scanning in Metal Additive Manufacturing scanCONTROL compact laser line scanners reliably detects the finest details in an object. It comes with an intelligent integrated evaluation for automated measurement of profile properties without the need for PC • • • •

High-speed measurement of up to 10kHz Measuring area up to 200x300 mm High-powered & blue laser options HDR data acquition and improved autoexposure for difficult surfaces

Contact us below to speak with our engineers or visit www.bestech.com.au.

Email: enquiry@bestech.com.au

Phone: (03) 9540 5100

GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY LOCAL SUPPORT AMT FEB 2022

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PRODUCT NEWS

ABB: Industry-first smart factory solution for steel melt shop operations ABB has launched ABB Ability Smart Melt Shop, the first smart factory digital application for the metals industry, designed to increase melt shop productivity, save energy and improve employee safety, with payback within six months.

Based on advanced digital algorithms, the new solution is unique in that it offers not only powerful real-time ladle tracking but also automated crane scheduling and a predictive thermal modelling engine. The tracking engine follows ladle movement via cranes and transfer cars in real time. Radar and laser positioning technologies provide accurate visualisation while reducing hardware footprint and maintenance needs compared to radio-frequency identification (RFID) solutions.

The automated crane scheduling includes job forecasting, route planning and automatic acknowledgement of jobs. This will enable steelmakers to move towards autonomous operations by eliminating manual co-ordinations, with increased safety in hot zones due to lower footfall.

The thermal engine function uses ladle thermal history from the tracking engine and forecasted heat movement from scheduling engines to predict the thermal loss during ladle transfer and predicts the correct lift temperature at ladle furnace. This results in better superheat compliance at the caster, eliminating caster slowdowns, hence increasing productivity. Steelmakers can expect ABB Ability Smart Melt Shop to help increase superheat compliance to enable 4%-5% higher casting speeds to improve productivity and reduce arcing by five degrees Celsius per heat in ladle furnaces for increased energy and cost efficiency.

ABB Ability Smart Melt Shop has already been installed by JSW Steel Ltd, India’s leading steel company, where it has been integrated into a wider expansion at Dolvi Works plant in Maharashtra state. It is expected to increase the company’s EBITDA profit by around $2m per annum through 4% higher casting speeds, time savings of one working day per month and additional output equating to 24,000 tons a year.

“We’re proud to launch ABB Ability Smart Melt Shop – the first of its kind in the metals industry, enabling steelmakers to digitally connect all processes and moving equipment in the melt shop, achieving synchronised operations and removing bottlenecks in production capacity,” said Tarun Mathur, Global Product Manager, Metals Digital, ABB. “The digitalisation of core processes will drive new levels of productivity, safety and sustainability outcomes for the metals sector.”

The application uses all standard communications protocols, employs ABB’s multi-layered defence-in-depth approach to cybersecurity and is compatible with both ABB and third-party systems. Benefits of ABB Ability Smart Melt Shop include higher productivity, improved energy efficiency and increased safety. www.abb.com/au

Hypertherm unveils Production Manager for ProNest CAD/CAM nesting software New release of Production Manager, an optional module for its ProNest advanced CAD/CAM nesting software.

This web-based module is designed to improve productivity, maximise machine up-time, boost on-time delivery, and increase material utilisation.

Production Manager seamlessly integrates with Hypertherm’s EDGE Connect CNC, to automatically capture machine data without the need for operator intervention. In addition, it displays real-time production data so team members across an organisation can track the status of job orders, the production schedule, and pending inventory requirements.

Additional features include: •

Dashboard view. Intuitive dashboard view provides production stats and trends in one view. Colour-coded status alerts help users quickly understand the on-screen information while an interactive display allows users to drill down for additional insight.

•

Real-time information. Real-time machine data from the CNC is transferred to Production Manager. This enables users to track job progress from pending, to in-production, to actual completion time, making it easier to respond to customer inquiries and forecast the production schedule.

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• Flexible intervention. Cancel or hold orders to add or remove parts based on last-minute changes. Users can view machine backlogs and ensure loads are evenly distributed across cutting machines in a way that optimises the production schedule.

• Remote access. Makes it easy for users to access Production Manager via a computer, mobile phone, or tablet anytime and anywhere users have a secured network or VPN connection.

“Production Manager takes the guess work out of an organisation’s daily operation by connecting everyone to the same information, in real-time to drive business cohesion and continuity,” says Tom Stillwell, Product Marketing Manager for Hypertherm software products. “Production Manager is also a great example of how Hypertherm hardware and software products work together to provide customers with new levels of automation and efficiency, something that is increasingly important as companies move toward a more digital shop floor. Production Manager further extends ProNest’s reach across organisations by interfacing with all aspects of the cutting operation including sales, customer service, procurement, and management.” www.hypertherm.com

PRODUCT NEWS

Technofast – Cutting maintenance time on materials handling machinery Split bearing setters from Technofast Industries cut the time taken to maintain conveyors and other materials handling machinery by removing the need to disassemble a whole machine to replace worn bearings or to reset bearing preload to ensure optimal reliability.

The EziTite split bearing setters are part of a broader range of EziTite bearing setters proven in service worldwide, in applications ranging from conveyors to loaders and vibrating machinery, in industries including manufacturing and metal working, food & beverage, resources and energy, mineral processing, ports and construction machinery.

“Major bearing manufacturers estimate that about 16% of bearings fail prematurely because of poor fitting,” says Technofast CEO John Bucknell.

“Breakdowns are expensive, and rework under demanding production schedules can prove particularly frustrating. So we developed the EziTite Bearing Setter range to employ precise hydraulic power to guide bearings into place effortlessly, providing optimum preload as required, giving safe, user-friendly operation with accurate bearing mounting and high repeatability to ensure reliability.”

The latest split bearing setter designs – which are custom-engineered for particular applications – offer further advantages in that the split design can be placed over the shaft and used for bearing preload reset without having to disassemble a whole machine.

“In high-volume and demanding applications, with narrow windows

of opportunity for scheduled maintenance, savings of hours at a time can amount to major sums at ports, primary process factories, mines and energy plants, for example,” says Bucknell.

The EziTite Bearing Setter range has been designed with the operator in mind, to ensure trouble-free operation with minimal physical effort. It offers readily available optional extras for particular applications encountered over a wide range of uses, extending from Asia, Europe and the USA. The split design bearing setter is one of a range of features of EziTite Bearing Setters range, including: a dial gauge mounting point as standard; a visible maximum stroke indicator; custom thread sizes; and designs for individual applications.

The EziTite Bearing Setter is screwed by hand onto the shaft or adaptor sleeve until the base is tight against the bearings’ inner race. Hydraulic pressure is then applied through the nipple fitting on the top or side of the nut body into the sealed chamber, forcing the piston and the nut body apart, thus driving the bearing onto its tapered mount. Once the desired bearing drive has been achieved and the pressure is released, the Bearing Setter can be removed and replaced with a standard locking nut. www.technofast.com

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PRODUCT NEWS

Kemppi adds powerful 535 welding model to MasterTig range Kemppi has released the latest addition to its MasterTig family – the MasterTig 535 ACDC GM. It is the most powerful TIG welding source in the Kemppi portfolio. Apart from providing welders with greater choice, the 500A welder delivers excellent performance, welding characteristics and functionality.

The MasterTig 535 ACDC is a world-class solution that offers true mixed TIG capability so that welders can use the machine to weld a wide range of materials regardless of whether they are heavy or thin metals. The inverter welding power source has a maximum welding current of 500A at 40% load and allows welding in AC TIG, DC TIG and MMA mode.

The MasterTig 535 ACDC has been designed with the professional welder very much in mind. The machine has a large, easy-to-use, interactive digital display panel.

What’s more, its Weld Assist feature lets welders set up faster to help increase productivity. Welders select the material thickness, joint type and welding position so that Weld Assist can help them determine the best parameters for the welding task. It also provides recommendations for the electrode size, filler wire, gas flow, groove type, pass profile and travel speed.

Welders can also weld up to 30% faster, thanks to the MasterTig 535’s Double Pulse function. Double pulse accelerates the travel speed in DC hand welding and mechanised applications. This not only allows welders to power through work, it reduces distortion levels and delivers excellent weld appearance. Double Pulse also reduces heat input by 20%, helping to minimise welding costs.

The machine’s MicroTack function lets welders complete multiple, repetitive tacking on thin sheet applications quickly and without forgoing quality or the visual appearance of the weld.

The MasterTig 535 also features 99 memory channels so that users can set and save a range of parameters for fast retrieval. The ability to save customised settings means quick and easy set-up to help save precious time, while increasing productivity.

In addition, the MasterTig 535 ACDC lets users enjoy the magic of wireless remote control. With the HR45 bluetooth handheld remote control or the FR45 wireless footswitch, users can control the welding power source and select memory channels from a distance of up to 100m.

Other advanced features of the MasterTig 535 ACDC include iTEC, which is engineered ignition technology. This ensures a reliable arc start every time and is particularly useful with long torch extensions for site welding or precise thin materials and low current applications. The Optima AC feature is a customised waveform that combines the best of the traditional sine and square forms. It improves welding quality while reducing the noise level in AC TIG welding by 20%.

The machine is highly energy-efficient. The new MasterTig Cooler MXL (1.7kW) features increased cooling capacity. Dynamic gas and water cooling ensure optimal temperature control and power efficiency. It is also built to last. Designed using strong, energy absorbing, recyclable plastics, the machine’s structure also incorporates impact bridges that protect the power source from everyday knocks. www.kemppi.com

UniCell – New configurations for production, testing processes esmo Group has released new configurations of its UniCell cross-industry compact automation housing solution, for manufacturers looking to improve productivity levels, production stability, and occupational safety.

The UniCell enclosure is an all-in-one offering that enables manufacturers to streamline and optimise their processes. Highly standardised yet fully customisable, the modular solution can be deployed on stand-alone machines or in a network of complex systems. Depending on the user’s requirements, these automation housing units can be configured to perform specific production or testing tasks (for example in joining operations, handling, assembly or inspection), flexibly catering to a variety of automation needs and comfortably tackles the most challenging demands.

Given its versatility, the UniCell is relevant for all industries and is most suitably applied on small to medium-sized components that require mid-to-high cycle rates. The automation cell boasts a sophisticated, innovative safety and lighting guidance system, which enhances occupational safety on the shopfloor while boosting productivity. Furthermore, the UniCell modules are easy to operate, maintain, and transport around the production facility.

“With the UniCell, we’re offering manufacturers a sophisticated enclosure that integrates a comprehensive safety concept,” says

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Lars Ingenhag, Head of Business Unit Automation at esmo Group. “Its modular design also promotes scalability and facilitates quick installation, which translates to short delivery and assembly times — especially useful for customers who cannot afford extensive downtimes.”

The UniCell comprises a robust and sturdy welded machine frame made of high-rigidity steel, offering optimum damping/shock absorption of dynamic robot motions, even at the highest traversing speeds and force/load impacts. The plug-andplay system includes customer-specific interface preparation as an option, with a user-friendly HMI touch display that enables convenient system control with standard, interfaces (OPC UA) that are pre-requisites for Industry 4.0. Equipped with pressure control systems, its enclosed cell allows optimised accessibility for maintenance and cleaning operations, with a comprehensive integrated safety concept. The control cabinet can be integrated into a system substructure, with storage options for robotics and vision controllers. www.esmo-group.com

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With one operation panel to control both the machine and robot, operating the ARMROID is seamless and efficient, with easy-to-use controls to best suit your needs.

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AEROSPACE & DEFENCE

DEFENCE MANUFACTURING

LEADING THE WAY WITH AI AND SMART FACTORIES Australian defence manufacturing is advancing rapidly amid new innovations in artificial intelligence, Industry 4.0 and the digitalisation of smart factories. Australian manufacturers are using these advanced practices and succeeding in the global defence world with innovation and precision. By Carole Goldsmith.

DMTC Limited is working together with Australian defence manufacturers assisting in their capacity and technology development in digitalisation, artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, Industry 4.0 and the Internet of Things (IoT) – including smart factories. Spanning an 11-year career at DMTC, Deepak Ganga is currently Head of Program Management, where he leads the Enterprise Program Management office, responsible for business transformation and the strategic alignment of DMTC’s programs.

“We have expanded a lot recently,” says Ganga. “As well as traditional defence R&D projects, we are also working on technologies with applications in related areas like health sciences, AI, robotics, IoT and Industry 4.0. During the last two years, we’ve been working behind the scenes on our program governance framework and to standardise processes. We’re now developing more software to digitalise project management tasks, as well as automating the reporting that we need to continue to do to demonstrate the value we provide to our stakeholders.”

DMTC collaborates with many innovative Australian industry, research and government partners, delivering enhanced defence and national security capabilities, while strengthening the Australian industrial capacity. Formerly known as the Defence Materials Technology Centre, DMTC was set up in 2008, initially with seven years of grant funding from the Federal Government. The Melbourne-based organisation now operates as an autonomous business with income generated from competitive contracts with multiple government departments, security agencies and industry partners across Australia.

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“Collaboration still underpins everything we do,” says Ganga.

He describes a current DMTC defence collaborative project using additive manufacturing as a repair technique for aircraft components.

“Instead of ordering a new part, it’s demonstrating the schedule and cost benefits of the technology to allow for the worn part to be removed from the aircraft, repaired and built back up using 3D-printed titanium, steel and other metals. and then recertified for use on the aircraft. There are several partners involved in this project including: defence and aerospace manufacturer RUAG Australia, the Defence Science and Technology Group, the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology organisation (ANSTO), as well as Swinburne and RMIT Universities.”

The Victorian Minister for Industry Support and Recovery, Martin Pakula announced on 4 October that its $1.36m Smart Enough Factory program will support small to medium-sized businesses in Victoria’s defence industry to modernise design and manufacturing processes. DMTC is delivering the Smart Enough Factory program to 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 demonstrates that advances in data-driven production can enhance businesses’ operational performance and manufacturing productivity, leading to more efficient processes and significant cost savings. The pilot program is already underway with Victorian businesses Australian Precision Technologies, APV Corporation, AW Bell, Heat Treatment Australia and Ronson Gears.

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“This is an example of a technology transfer activity around digitalisation,” explains Ganga.

“The approach that we take is that we don’t sell companies a tool, we provide them with a training tool and a training experience so they can consider their own digitisation strategy and ultimately improve their digital literacy. These manufacturers can start to learn about adopting digital technologies on their manufacturing machines and how to utilise the data coming from those technologies.

“An example of this would be putting sensors on a machine to record information about throughput, downtime and the like. The real value for a small business involved in the program is how you can utilise low-cost and low-code equipment, in a secure way, to translate that information into either a more efficient manufacturing process, or to adjust workflows and extract business value out of that information. That’s key to the whole industry 4.0, AI and IoT concept.”

The first pilot program started in July last year with these five Victorian defence companies, and concluded in December. The next cohort of five manufacturers will be in regional Victoria, focused around Bendigo or Ballarat.

Deepak Ganga is currently Head of Program Management at DMTC.

DMTC collaborates with industry, research and government partners, delivering enhanced defence and national security capabilities, while strengthening industrial capacity.

“Four cohorts of up to five Victorian manufacturers will be participating in the program annually,” says Ganga. “So that’s 60 SMEs over the three years that we can put into the program, and that’s only in Victoria. Manufacturers that want to participate in this program can express interest via our website.”

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AEROSPACE & DEFENCE AW Bell’s facility in Dandenong, south-east Melbourne.

Continued from previous page

AW Bell – Award-winning casting solutions AMTIL member AW Bell won the Manufacturing and Advanced Materials Export Award at the 2021 Australian Export and Investment Awards last November. The award takes a prime place at the entrance of the Victorian metal casting and precision engineering business.

“It is a great recognition of the innovative work that our team has been doing the past 10 years,” says Sam Bell, the company’s CEO. “We are also very grateful to our partners, suppliers, customers and ongoing government support.”

Leading defence primes are among AW Bell’s many valued customers for its precision manufacturing of components, which it supplies for defence land vehicles, submarines, F-35 fighter Jets, missiles, gun mounts and targeting systems. Northrop Grumman Corporation (NGC), BAE, Marand (ground support equipment), Levett, Raytheon, Pratt & Whitney and Lockheed Martin are its key customers for the F35 jet components. AW Bell manufactures and supplies high-strength aluminium castings for the aircraft’s camera housing and decoy measure housing.

Among its many other precision defence products and global defence clients, AW Bell also supplies Thales (Bushmaster) and Rheinmetall (Boxer CRV-Australian Government Land 400 Phase 2 program) with ammunition feeds, hinges and armoured steel components. These are used on defence vehicles Bushmaster, Hawkeye, Boxer CRV and Scout.

As one of the first five Victorian defence manufacturers participating in the Victorian Government’s Smart Enough Factory program, it has been a valuable learning curve on energy consumption and waste for AW Bell. The 70-year-old family-owned business has installed a 284kW solar power system on the roof of its its 10,000sqm purpose-built facility in Dandenong, in Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs. Sam advises that the solar system only provides 20% of the power needed for its manufacturing operations.

As part of its engagement with the Smart Enough Factory program, digital analysis was undertaken of the peak energy use on two of the company’s essential, but older machines – the analogue autoclave and the furnace.

Sam advises: “From this analysis, we can see that we have a substantial amount of electricity waste in our use of these machines, negatively impacting our environmental footprint, our AW Bell CEO Sam Bell with the Manufacturing and Advanced Materials Export Award the company won at the 2021 Australian Export and Investment Awards.

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AW Bell produces a range of components for sectors including aerospace and defence.

productivity and overall business performance. Utilising the data from the Smart Enough Factory, we are now working out the most effective ways of using the equipment and hope to reduce our energy consumption by over 68,000kWh per year.

“This project has given us a lot of valuable information that we can implement on other machines for further improvements. The Victorian Government and DMTC have upskilled our staff, teaching them how to set up visual production dashboards which has helped us further our industry 4.0 capabilities.”

With a team of 94 employees, the business is going from strength to strength. As well as the defence industry, it also supplies to the space, aerospace, biomedical, mining and commercial sectors in Australia and globally.

Mounted on the canteen wall at AW Bell’s plant are wooden patterns of components that Sam’s grandfather Allan William Bell built after he started the business in 1952.

AEROSPACE & DEFENCE “We started off as a pattern shop making patterns for the automotive industry,” says Sam. “Now we produce some of the strongest aluminium investment casting in the world for the aerospace and defence markets using our specialised aluminium casting process called ABE.” Today, Sam’s father Geoff is the company’s Chairman. After completing degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Business Management from Swinburne University in 2006, Sam worked in the USA before returning to Australia to take on a position as a Process Improvement Manager at AW Bell.

“My father wanted me to get some real-world industry experience overseas before taking on a job at the family business,” he explains.

On a detailed factory tour, Sam explains about the investment casting process. He points to a wax pattern, which has the same geometry as a finished part: “From the customer’s design, we create a wax pattern that is a replica of the finished part but slightly larger. We coat this wax pattern in a ceramic material, creating a ceramic mould around the pattern. We melt the wax out of the mould creating a cavity.

“Once the wax is removed from the completed shell’s interior, we place the shell in the oven to preheat before casting, normally at around 1,000deg C. The metal is melted in the furnace after it passes the required metal specification and then it’s poured into the hot shells, which are then left to cool down.”

When the metal has solidified, the ceramic mould is removed and the part is ready for inspection. This not only includes a visual and dimensional check but also testing anomalies by dye penetrant, magnetic particle and a radiography test.

The AW Bell machinery division is another success story for the AW Bell group; it was a recipient of the US-based Investment Casting Institute’s 2019 Innovator of the Year Award for designing and manufacturing seven new-to-market pieces of equipment in a two-year period. The company continues to further expand its automation and robotics range and these machines are exported throughout the world.

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AW Bell’s plans for the future include setting up Australia’s first titanium investment casting facility over the next three years.

“That expansion in the business we hope, will support opportunities in Australian Defence through the guided weapon ordinance enterprise as well as helping our aerospace and biomedical customers,” Sam explains. “We made the move across to defence manufacturing in 2007 and it took us seven years to get established.

It has been very challenging but very rewarding supplying to the defence prime companies. The more Australian manufacturers work in the defence sector in this country, the stronger the Australian defence industry will be.”

Angus Macdonald 0459 864 726 amacdonald@interlease.com.au Clare Sainsbury 0450 167 619 csainsbury@interlease.com.au

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www.interlease.com.au

AW Bell’s state-of-the-art foundry produces some of the strongest aluminium investment casting in the world.

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The Australian Army has completed successful field trials of a WarpSPEE3D metal 3D printer from SPEE3D in the Northern Territory.

Army technicians using the WarpSPEE3D metal 3D printer.

Continued from previous page

SPEE3D – 3D printing on the front line AMTIL member SPEE3D is enabling the Australian Defence Force to print vital parts and tools while stationed out in the field in remote locations.

“The challenge for defence personnel is that they are often deployed in remote locations anywhere in the world,” advises Byron Kennedy, co-founder and CEO of SPEE3D. “You fly planes transporting supplies and soldiers to remote locations. You’ve got a limited amount of material that you can carry. Obviously, food, water and supplies take priority, and parts of things that may break are at the bottom of the list. What the Defence Department was looking for is the ability to build parts wherever they’re deployed, to support shortening the supply chain.”

SPEE3D was able to offer a solution, in the form of its WarpSPEE3D 3D printer, the world’s first large-format metal 3D printer to use patented cold spray technology.

“We presented the technology to the Australian Defence Department a couple of years ago and they took a high level of interest in our 3D printers,” says Kennedy. “SPEE3D has since deployed printers with army forces around Australia and globally.”

Following a successful metal 3D printing field trial with the Australian Army, the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) installed its own WarpSPEE3D metal printer at HMAS Coonawarra Navy Port in Darwin, in November 2021. This makes the RAN the latest Australian defence service with the capability to print its own metal parts, on land or at sea, and on demand.

“Since June last year, we have sold our printers into multiple locations in the USA,” Kennedy continues. “And one, a LightSPEE3D machine, was sold through Penn State University, which is directly linked to the US Department of Defence. We build all our machines in Melbourne and ship them to the US.” Kennedy co-founded SPEE3D with Steven Camilleri eight years ago.

They had first met seven years previously when completing their Masters in Engineering and participating in the Charles Darwin University’s World Solar Car Challenge team. As well as its Melbourne and Darwin sites, the company has sales offices in the UK, the US and Germany.

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The Army has used the WarpSPEE3D metal 3D printer to produce various components for military equipment in the field

“The business has expanded rapidly in the past six months, employing 20 more people, bringing the SPEED3D team to 50 people. We’ll continue to grow over the next year also. Our machines are sold world-wide and we have a specialist team that provides machine service and maintenance to clients across Australia and globally.”

Kennedy is very positive about the future, noting that COVID-19 is impacting the business both positively and negatively. Shipping costs have increased from $8,000 a container 12 months ago and are now costing three times as much. Transport and delivery times have also increased from six to around 16 weeks to the US. These challenges are also impacting many of the company’s potential customers.

SPEE3D’s founders: CEO Byron Kennedy and CTO Steven Camilleri

“The supply chain disruption is making customers more aware of 3D printing to build their own parts,” says Kennedy. “On the negative side, it makes it hard to build and ship the machines, as everything gets delayed. So, it’s a blessing and a curse at the same time.” www.dmtc.com.au www.awbell.com.au www.spee3d.com

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AEROSPACE & DEFENCE

No surprises when machining composites for aerospace components When manufacturing aerospace components, holemaking is a high-stakes job, especially when components are being machined from tough composite or stacked materials. Aaron Howcroft of Sandvik Coromant explains why his company’s CoroDrill 863 high-performance drill could prove essential if manufacturers are to drill holes, without any unwelcome surprises.

When drilling holes in most aerospace components, manufacturers have three chances of getting the hole correct – after which, it will be impossible to rework the hole within the required design specifications. If just one hole misses those three chances, by diameter, surface finish or delamination, the entire component will need to be scrapped. Given the enormous value of aeroplane components, holemaking is a risky business. That applies especially when drilling composite materials, which place new demands on machining.

Holemaking has emerged as one of the most common machining processes when working with composites. Machining composite materials – which combine two or more materials with different physical and chemical properties – involves cutting, or fracturing, of the fibre part of the material. If this is done incorrectly then layers of the composite material peel away from where they belong. This is known as delamination, and according to Sandvik Coromant’s customers, it is the most limiting factor in their production.

Delamination affects hole quality and repeatability, the quality and integrity of the final product, and manufacturers’ profits. I say integrity, because better hole quality is vital for preventing component failure and is very much determined by the manufacturing processes that are used for machining or finishing the holes.

The amount of heat generated during composite machining also becomes significant. The material’s poor heat conduction and the absence of chips pose risk to the resin that holds the material’s fibres together. In other words, the machining of composites illuminates weakness in the machining process that might otherwise be overlooked.

These weaknesses are emphasised by the growing range, and unpredictability, of composite materials available on the market.

This makes competitive machining a challenge.

Why am I mentioning this now? Well, hole quality is now arguably more important than ever in the era of COVID-19. According to research by Euromonitor International, around 50% of companies plan to reshape their digital strategies. One-third of respondents in Euromonitor’s Voice of the Industry survey 2020 said they will accelerate investments into automation tools – so, those holes need to be made correctly in unmanned lights-out scenarios.

Therefore, manufacturers need to keep rethinking how they go about drilling composites.

Predictable wear We’ve established that hole surface integrity is a real concern for aerospace manufacturers. But, what role can tools play in addressing these concerns? And how can a better drill benefit an automation strategy?

First, let’s look at the ideal that manufacturers are striving for. They want holes that are of good quality, consistent and repeatable. Of course, any tool will wear out eventually, but this wear must be consistent and predictable from tool to tool.

I can’t emphasise enough the importance for predictable wear.

Usually, a CNC machine will be programmed to pull out the tool at the point of failure. So, if the lifecycle of the drill is not consistent then, in a terrible-but-realistic scenario, you could cut the tool life

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Holemaking is critical to the quality and performance of aerospace components, and arguably more important than ever in the era of COVID-19.

of most of the products you buy by 50%. When Sandvik Coromant supplies a drill to its customers, we must be able to guarantee that the drill will last for a predictable number of minutes, whatever the circumstances – every time!

This is why Sandvik Coromant developed its CoroDrill 863-O high performance drill for composites, including carbon fibre reinforced (CFRP) and glass fibre reinforced (GFRP) materials. The drill has been designed with a focus on industries that make wide use of composite materials and demand more feet of material drilled per tool – like the aerospace industry, which uses composite materials for manufacturing aircraft frames and other parts.

To develop the CD863-O tool – the O represents composite-only applications – the first thing we did was apply it to the material in aerospace that is most prone to delamination. Specifically, unidirectional laminate with no peel-ply or woven back, which is most commonly used in aerospace wings and fuselage. We digitally mapped the delamination to determine exactly how much delamination we experienced over the life of the tools.

The computer system was set with very tight tolerances, meaning the amount of delamination we’d accept in any given hole. From the resulting data, we could optimise essential aspects of the drill’s design, like the angle of the helix – or the spiral groove around the drill. A higher helix benefits chip evacuation, so can help reduce delamination on the exit side. In contrast, too high a helix can separate layers in the composite material on the entry side. Either way, this can result in layers or fibres overhanging the hole.

Other key features of the CD863-O are its profile and its grade.

Composite materials are not homogenous, and the appearance of any new material on a production run presents unique challenges; its own thickness, type of composition and so on. The CD863-O’s superior features are designed to tackle any material.

AEROSPACE & DEFENCE Tools like the CoroDrill 863-O drill can helping manufacturers fully automate their processes.

Well-equipped robots and field testing The wider CoroDrill 863 family is already benefitting manufacturers’ automated production set-ups, both in CNCs and robots on the production line. Because it’s available in carbide, polycrystalline diamond (PCD) and CVD-coated options, the drill can be left to machine all kinds of difficult material types – composites, aluminium, titanium, heat resistant super alloys and stainless steels – in unmanned or lights-out processes.

Once out of the laboratory, the performance of the CD863-O was put to the test by drilling holes into a carbon fibre workpiece. Carbon fibre is a popular choice of material in aerospace applications as engineers look to make lighter aircraft structures, thanks to the material’s superior strength-to-weight ratio.

A component with an average thickness of 6.37mm (0.25 inches) was subjected to two sets of drilling with a CD863-O geometry, which uses our own variant of CVD called O1AD for improved wear resistance in composite materials. First, the workpiece was machined with a 863-O drill with a cutting diameters (DC) of 6.37mm; and then secondly, it was machined with a DCs of 4.85mm.

Then there is the issue of grade. Carbide drills are well suited to machining aerospace components because carbide strengthens the tool through the cutting geometry and the shank. This optimises the cutting action and maximises clearance and material evacuation.

However, because of the abrasive nature of composites, carbide also wears quickly. This is problematic, especially in automated production setups.

To overcome this, the CD863-O has chemical vapour deposition (CVD) technology. CVD is a very hard tool material that is ideal for machining composites and stacked materials. Applying CVD layers across the entire cutting edge can give much longer tool life and, due to CVD’s low coefficient of friction and high conductivity of heat, the tool’s cutting edges are less susceptible to built-up edge (BUE).

Since CVD remains sharp, this removes heat and has low friction and minimises the tendency for problems in holes.

So, the CVD grade is preferable where hole count is high and higher productivity is required.

In both sets and with all tools, the CD863-O showed excellent results. A total of 400 holes were drilled in the carbon fibre at a DC of 6.37mm and 560 holes at 4.85mm, even still at an early stage in their tool life the results matched laboratory testing remarkably well.

Using Sandvik Coromant’s Capacity Data Management system, which is a system for predicting and forecasting tool life for our customers, we accurately estimated a safe tool life. Overall, this demonstrates the product’s capabilities in providing excellent tool life, reduced tool changes, and repeatable and reliable performance in composite machining. Importantly, all of the holes had low levels of delamination upon entry, or exit, throughout both test runs.

It’s clear that dedicated cutting tools are critical to achieving success in holemaking – especially in components made from composite or stacked materials. Tools like the CD863-O drill can also play a crucial role in helping companies fully automate their processes, even when machining tough composite materials.

Aaron Howcroft is Global Product Manager at Sandvik Coromant. www.sandvik.coromant.com

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Helimods takes off with co-investment from AMGC Australian aerospace technology manufacturer HeliMods, with assistance from the Federal Government’s Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC), has partnered with Siemens to leverage its Xcelerator software portfolio to fully digitalise its entire product design and manufacturing process, making it the first company of its size in the Australian aerospace sector to do so.

The implementation of Closed-Loop Manufacturing (CLM) across its manufacturing capability using Siemens’ Manufacturing Execution System (MES) will enable HeliMods to achieve development and production of high-complexity, high-value, scalable solutions using a single digital thread across the entire product lifecycle.

The implementation of the software was enabled by a $350,000 co-investment grant from the AMGC and will support HeliMods’ global and local growth trajectory in aerospace, defence, air ambulance and other key industries. In total, the project will see an investment of $808,543 from combined AMGC, industry and in-kind contributions. The announcement was made at HeliMods’ premises in Sunshine Coast by Federal MP Andrew Wallace “Thanks to this project, HeliMods is now the only Australian business with Defence Production Approval that is using such a Closed Loop Manufacturing system, offering Australia a unique new sovereign defence industry capability-based right here on the Coast,” said Wallace.

The MES solution will also help HeliMods reduce development timeframes and costs and increase efficiency while also allowing increased levels of product innovation. HeliMods was recently approved by the Australian Defence Aviation Safety Authority (DASA) as one of only two active organisations in Australia to receive DASR 21, Section A, Subpart G – Military Production Organisation Approval (MPOA) status, establishing HeliMods as the only Australian business with Defence Production Approval that is leveraging this unique combination of digital technologies.

Commenting on the announcement, Will Shrapnel, HeliMods Founder and Managing Director, said: “With these digital tools we can take our innovations to the world. As we grow in strength and market scope, it is critical to leverage the high-tech manufacturing technology that enables highly streamlined work, freeing up our talent to focus more on product innovation.”

The new system will enable HeliMods to connect to physical manufacturing infrastructure anywhere in the world without the requirement for person-centric links. It also provides complete product traceability, oversight and data trust for high-security industries such as defence.

Siemens Australia’s Chairman and CEO Jeff Connolly congratulated HeliMods on its growth to date and the recent implementation, saying: “HeliMods is a great example of Australian ingenuity and innovation that has flourished using digital technologies. What we see time and time again is that those companies investing in digitalisation and automation to create technology with purpose can compete with anyone in the world.

“HeliMods have continued to innovate not just what they produce but how they produce it. This means increased speed, flexibility, efficiency and better outcomes for the world such as their onetouch stretcher system for search and rescue helicopters. And with support of Federal Government programs such as the AMGC, these companies can get a leg up, grow faster and bring their great innovations to life.”

Dr. Jens Goennemann, Managing Director of the AMGC, acknowledged that an increasing number of Australian manufacturers are looking for new ways to drive innovation, productivity, and competitiveness, and that funding plays a key role in supporting this intention: “Commercialisation of Australian innovation is critical to the growth of the industry. However, beyond

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the support with co-investment, our intention as an industry-led organisation is to provide the right-fit support for businesses that are scaling up. In the case of HeliMods, it’s collaboration with industry experts like Siemens that sets them up for future growth.”

The MES agreement extends Siemens’ existing relationship with HeliMods that has seen HeliMods use Siemens’ software to design and deliver the world’s-first Powered Aero Loader (PAL) to customers such as Ornge, an air ambulance and medical transport organisation in Canada, and helicopter fleet transformation services to RACQ LifeFlight in Queensland.

Utilising Siemens’ NX computer-aided design (CAD) software, integrated with Teamcenter Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) software, both from Siemens’ Xcelerator portfolio of software and services, HeliMods has interactively designed all product components and leveraged the diverse array of advanced software integrations available, such as computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) and computer-aided engineering (CAE) to effectively iterate and create optimised product solutions for its customers. www.amgc.org.au www.helimods.com

AEROSPACE & DEFENCE

New Australian imaging technology to provide better insight into aircraft stress The LTS-640V is a digital imaging machine little bigger than a DSLR camera that provides real-time imagery that helps quantify material stress and detect fatigue cracks that could prove dangerous if unchecked.

The LTS-640V is designed to be used during the certification stage before an aircraft is approved for commercial or military use. The capability it provides will allow for a potentially more streamlined certification process, and should help eliminate some of the surprises that can occur during testing of a new aircraft structure.

The technology was developed in collaboration with scientists at the Australian Department of Defence where a prototype of the technology has helped support sustainment of the F/A-18 Classic Hornet, and more recently provided Lockheed Martin Aeronautics with valuable new information during structural certification testing of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

The Australian invention is the first of its kind, providing real-time fusion of stress and visible spectrum imaging – in effect merging the visible with the invisible.

“This inspection approach is based on the ‘thermoelastic effect’; put simply, when you squash something it heats up, when you stretch something it cools down,” said a spokesperson for the Department of Defence. “Think of magic spray which is often used to treat sports injuries – it’s the stretching or expansion of the gas as it leaves the aerosol can that provides the cooling effect. Unlike magic spray however, the temperature changes we’re dealing with are tiny, thousandths of a degree, but we can still detect them, and quite

easily using the advanced algorithms at the core of this technology.” This capability has a significant role to play in helping aircraft designers and operators better understand how an airframe performs under load.

“The technology can improve our ability to quantify stresses, particularly in structurally critical areas where traditional technologies have very limited capability,” the spokesperson added.

With $275,000 of grant funding, the design team at 1MILLIKELVIN, manufacturer of the LTS-640V technology, has transformed this groundbreaking capability into a robust commercial product.

“We are looking to help streamline and improve structural validation processes across the global defence and aeronautics industries’, says Kheang Khauv, Managing Director of 1 MILLIKELVIN. “This technology has been used to support the Classic Hornet and has demonstrated in the F-35 full scale durability test program how it can improve the way designers validate modelling of complex airframe components. We are proud our advanced technology is making a contribution to Defence capability.”

Potential applications of the technology extend well beyond aviation, with potential customers including a wide range of industries both in Australia and around the world. www.1millikelvin.com

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Planes, rockets, drones and flying taxis: Swinburne’s AIR Hub to drive future of aerospace Swinburne University of Technology is launching an Australian-first Aerostructures Innovation Research Hub (AIR Hub) with the support of $12m in funding from the Victorian Government’s Higher Education State Investment Fund.

Led by Swinburne, AIR Hub will bring together the best of Victoria’s aerospace research, design and manufacturing leaders to work with industry on real world design and manufacturing problems for the next generation of air mobility. Swinburne’s Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Pascale Quester said that Swinburne was delighted to launch the AIR Hub. “This initiative perfectly encapsulates Swinburne’s vision of bringing people and technology together to build a better world,” she said.

“I am very excited by what our experts, working closely with our valued partners, will be able to achieve for the aerospace sector.

Working closely with the aerospace industry, AIR Hub will create innovative materials and manufacturing processes for passenger planes, air cargo, as well as the space industry. It will also accelerate electric clean energy vertical take-off and landing air vehicles – or eVTOL– more widely known as ‘flying cars’ or electric helicopters.”

Unmanned aerial vehicles or drones could travel further to deliver supplies to remote places, and eVTOL could become the future in a ‘flying Uber’ concept of transportation.

As part of the design and manufacturing process, AIR Hub will use artificial intelligence, augmented reality, virtual reality, machine learning and collaborative robots to support Australia’s worldleading capabilities to manufacture aerostructures.

“AIR Hub will bring researchers and industry together to collaborate on real-world problems,” said Dr Adriano Di Pietro, Swinburne’s AIR Hub Director. “By using the latest technologies in digitalisation, automation and advanced materials, we will reinforce our industry partners’ position in the global aerospace industry and accelerate innovative technology development. This contribution to air mobility is vital to Australia’s future, connecting our people and communities.”

AIR Hub is a truly global technology, research and manufacturing collaboration, with industry partners Boeing, Quickstep, CableX, Furnace Engineering, Shoal and Marand Precision Engineering, plus research partners CSIRO, Monash University and Germany’s University of Stuttgart and ARENA 2036 combining with Swinburne’s research teams.

The AIR Hub will foster new talent and upskill the existing workforce to increase job opportunities in the aerospace and space sectors for Victorians in the post COVID-19 period. Facilities across Victoria, including the Swinburne-CSIRO Industry 4.0 Testlab for Composite Additive Manufacturing in Clayton and the manufacturing sites of key industry partners, will support AIR Hub’s research & development activities.

AIR Hub is working on lightweighting and automating the production of space systems like the rockets used to launch satellites. Lightweighting, the manufacturing of parts to achieve better fuel efficiency and handling, and faster production could save thousands of dollars per launch, opening up business opportunities in the lucrative global space industry for Australian companies.

“AIR Hub will also work closely with Swinburne’s Victorian Hydrogen Hub (VH2) to research and develop capacity for hydrogen storage on aircraft and eVTOL air vehicles, enabling them to make use of green fuels of the future to help meet global zero-emission targets,” Professor Quester added. www.swinburne.edu.au

LAND 8116 program to deliver defence manufacturing jobs for Geelong Australian military systems will be built and maintained in Victoria, after Hanwha Defense Australia plans to establish its advanced manufacturing facility – the Hanwha Armoured Vehicle Centre of Excellence.

Hanwha Defense Australia was successful in its bid to deliver the Commonwealth’s LAND 8116 program in Victoria, creating 300 highly skilled local jobs in design, engineering and manufacturing. The $1bn LAND 8116 program, announced by the Federal Government on 13 December 2021, will establish a fleet of locally built and maintained self-propelled howitzers. Supply chain businesses will directly benefit from working with Hanwha and their global partners, generating more local jobs, investment and export opportunities.

Hanwha Corporation is South Korea’s largest defence company and also operates in aerospace, fintech, mining and clean energy.

Hanwha Defense Australia was established in 2019 and is headquartered in Melbourne.

The Victorian Government in January 2021 signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Hanwha to formalise a long-term partnership to support the establishment of Hanwha’s defence manufacturing operations in the state.

Hanwha is also one of the final two bidders to deliver the Commonwealth Government’s Land 400 Phase 3 Infantry Fighting Vehicle program in Victoria. A PWC report commissioned by Hanwha estimated that the program’s manufacturing effort will generate $5.7bn in total economic impacts in the state.

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Richard Cho, Managing Director of Hanwha Defense Australia, commented: “We thank the Victorian Government for its continued support as we grow our Australian workforce in Victoria for these important national security projects.”

Victoria is already home to word-leading defence companies including SYPAQ Systems, Moog Australia and Segula Technologies.

The Victorian defence sector contributes $8.4bn to the economy each year, employing around 24,000 people in 6,300 businesses.

The sector provides services and manufactures defence equipment across military vehicle production, maritime design, aerospace components, digital and cyber security, and munitions. Minister for Industry Support and Recovery Martin Pakula congratulated Hanwha Defense Australia on its successful bid.

“Victoria is the manufacturing state and this project will further boost our capabilities, creating hundreds of jobs and delivering benefits across the supply chain,” said Pakula. “This decision reinforces the strength of Victorian advanced manufacturing and the skills of our workers.”

AEROSPACE & DEFENCE

Composites to protect the troops To deceive the enemy regarding your presence, position and intentions in the battlefield, military concealment plays a vital role. This is why camouflage netting support units are manufactured to withstand heavy loads, to be dismantled quickly, and to be able to function in extreme environments. Patrick Loock discusses the design considerations behind these support units and how their composition is optimised for function.

In harsh environments, for example where heavy rainfall or snowfall is likely, soldiers need the reassurance that their presence can remain concealed. Composite telescoping poles are chosen to support camouflage nets over alternative materials like aluminium because of several advantages such as lighter weight and speed of assembly. The composite tubes must therefore combine the strength and durability needed for support with the lightweight flexibility to be able to carry heavy loads.

To achieve these properties, careful consideration goes into every stage of manufacturing, from choosing the reinforcing fibres to the manufacturing process itself. So, what are these considerations and how do they ensure the end product is fit for purpose?

Choosing the composite material Early applications for fibreglass date back to World War II, where design engineers used it for aircraft radomes. Since then, armed forces across the globe have used fibreglass in a variety of applications because of its corrosion and weather resistance, competitive cost, and design flexibility.

For camouflage netting support units, fibreglass is chosen for its excellent tensile strength meaning it can resist high forces that may pull other materials, like metal, apart. Fibreglass is also a great insulator with a low coefficient of thermal conductivity of 0.3 watts per metre/kelvin . Alternatives like aluminium are much higher at approximately 200 watts per metre/kelvin. On the battlefield, where thermal imaging cameras are commonly used to identify the position of the opposition, fibreglass is largely undetectable.

The material itself is not the only design consideration for composites in military applications. Fibre alignment provided by the manufacturing process also plays an important role.

Strength from fibre alignment Because of the specific helical fibre alignment it provides, the best process for manufacturing camouflage netting support units is pullwinding. Reinforcing fibres, mats, and fabrics are guided together before being saturated with resin. Ultimately, this produces fibre alignment combining both crosswise and unidirectional fibres, resulting in thinner tube walls and the strength and stiffness required for support.

With other materials, such as aluminium, the camouflage netting support units are painted a desired colour to help with concealment.

However, rough handling of support units may result in colours chipping away, reducing concealability. To protect colour integrity and ultimately, the concealment of soldiers, colour pigment or dye — usually NATO green or sand — is impregnated directly into the resin. This provides pigmentation across the width of the tube wall so that the same colour exists even if deep scratches are made in the tube.

Choosing the right telescope solution Resin choice is critical in reinforcing the mechanical properties of a composite. Thermoset resins are used for camouflage netting support units because the resulting composite can keep its shape throughout its lifespan. They also display better chemical resistance compared to others, like epoxy.

Composites for military applications need a degree of flexibility to cope with varying weight loads and extreme temperatures, from -40 to 80 degrees Celsius. Because composites are more tolerant of stretching, they are more likely to absorb impact without damage and less likely to shatter under stress. Even if a bullet punctures the support unit, the structure allows the tube to function well. What’s more, composites are rust-free, making it resistant to water and ideal for use in wetter terrains.

Choosing a trusted manufacturer While it may be more convenient to use the cheapest telescoping pole available for other applications, in the military the stakes are a lot higher. It is crucial, then, that composite manufacturers have tailor-made solutions crafted especially for protecting our troops.

By collaborating alongside a trusted composite manufacturer, soldiers can be equipped with a lightweight, portable, and rugged composite system that can withstand rough handling and extreme environmental conditions.

Patrick Loock is segment business owner for products and applications at Exel Composites. www.exelcomposites.com

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Supacat – Digitalising defence design As the Australian Defence Force (ADF) sought to modernise its land assets and vehicles, military vehicle design company Supacat began consulting with PhoenxPLM digitalisation experts to devise a response to the project.

Established in Australia in 2012, Supacat is a compact prime in land systems servicing the Asia-Pacific market. The company does a lot of the design and development of military vehicle technology and components. It has its own vehicle platform that it provides to Defence, and it supports Rheinmetall with its defence projects such as LAND 400. Supacat’s core competencies are engineering and integrated logistics for products. PhoenxPLM is a leading consultancy partner for digital transformation for manufacturing businesses in Australia and New Zealand. It identifies opportunities across all industries participating in the manufacturing sector.

Everything it does is focused around aligning business goals with outcome-driven technology built for digital transformation.

David Kretschmer, Rheinmetall Partnership Lead at Supacat, and Kevin Metcalf, Principal Engineer and Teamcenter PLM Lead for Supacat, discussed the processes and engagements that the two firms collaborated on and then discusses what success looked like as well as what’s next for Supacat.

AMT: What is the LAND 400 project?

David Kretschmer: In 2016 the Government announced support to modernise Australia’s defence capability. What that came to look like was a $270bn budget, and within it, provision to upgrade the Army’s armoured vehicle family. There are several projects within the armoured vehicle modernisation program, such as the LAND 400 Phase 2 project which, will replace the ASLAV (the Army’s current Australian Light Armoured Vehicle) with Rheinmetall’s eight-wheeled Boxer Combat Reconnaissance Vehicles. Supacat assisted Rheinmetall with the demonstration of their vehicle to the Australian Army, and we now support them in the design and production of these vehicles.

AMT: What Government Funding and Support was available?

DK: The Government is committed to ensuring Australian businesses like Supacat are at the heart of the $270bn investment in defence. Defence companies bidding for contracts were required to demonstrate commitment in their tender responses by building a team of Australian businesses, such as Supacat, into their bids and project activities. There were also a range of grant funding initiatives to support small-and-medium enterprises to enhance their capabilities. Supacat was successful in applying for a Sovereign Industrial Capability Priority grant to help fund the implementation of Siemen’s Teamcenter PLM platform.

AMT: Why was it necessary to embark on a digitalisation project, and why did you end up choosing Teamcenter?

DK: For Supacat, digitalisation enhances our capability to work on largescale defence engineering programs.

Teamcenter enables us to scale and handle a larger volume of work without the risks and inefficiencies of manual processes. The governance and management of technical data was a big part of it.

Teamcenter has allowed us to move away from manual processes – we can now rely on consistent version control and approval workflows. Teamcenter in our world can be likened to Microsoft Word. You can’t do your job without Microsoft Word. Teamcenter is our Microsoft Word; it is enablement software.

My team needs the right tools to do the job properly. Automating workflows and data management routines has been a big win for the business. Teamcenter allows our team of engineers to deliver more and deliver better, which is obviously good news for our customers.

Kevin Metcalf: The security element and speed of Teamcenter were the two most appealing benefits. The ability to segregate individual projects and more finely control staff access has enhanced

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security and protection for intellectual property (IP). We have more control over the project now, whereas that had been challenging to manage across various departments when working with Windows Explorer.

Supacat had been considering Teamcenter since we first started using Siemens NX CAD, which is close to five years now. It had always been something aspirational for the business. As our projects got larger, the burden of manual workflows became unsustainable.

We were using Windows Explorer and spreadsheet to manage the

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checking, approval and release of product, which was incredibly manual, slow and prone to error.

AMT: Was there internal resistance to change?

KM: Implementation has been very well received by the team. The team was included in the requirements and design phase, and we also engaged PhoenxPLM to run user training for everyone. We were sensible with the scale of the initial deployment. Teamcenter has so much functionality, but we kept to the basics, focusing on good data management and key workflows. One of the success factors was not overwhelming the team with functionality. We have laid strong foundations for future enhancements.

The benefits of Teamcenter were immediately felt by the team. There were even some unanticipated benefits. The design engineers have much better integration with the CAE analyst engineers because Teamcenter has automated so much of the handover of technical data. Before Teamcenter, we had rudimentary version control and inter-team communications. There was often a lot of discussion and emails, and it would take up to a week to transfer a project across to the CAE team. Now, the CAE team logs into Teamcenter and there are very few follow-up emails. This has been a significant improvement to the speed and accuracy of technical handover between the two teams.

AMT: Tell us about how the implementation was undertaken.

KM: We started with the foundational basic workflows that PhoenxPLM put together for us. We also came up with a number of workflows that were different from the original requirements as we learned more about Teamcenter’s functionality.

PhoenxPLM provided a lot of coaching in parallel to their implementation. I went on their administration courses, which, with assistance from PhoenxPLM, allow me to develop workflows myself.

We are now able to make improvements to existing workflows and develop new workflows. I’m looking to extend Teamcenter workflows further into our CAE analysis team, and into our supply chain/production management team.

Teamcenter has enhanced our ability to manage technical configuration baselines. Our manual processes limited the traceability between what the design team created, what was sent to the CAE analysis team, and what was delivered to the customer.

Before Teamcenter, we were copying multiple files and putting date stamps on things. We now take digital snapshots of the design at various points in time and have full confidence they’re going to be accurate, and version-controlled. The CAE analysis team can now start work from a technical baseline and get notified of any changes made to the design. This allows concurrent engineering design and analysis activities. The productivity gains are significant. Not only

do we have better design feedback and iterations – the customer benefits from reduced project delivery times. Speed and accuracy of data have been by far the two of the most significant benefits we have realised.

DK: Prior to Teamcenter, it would take several weeks for the team to deliver a technical snapshot to the customer. Once Teamcenter was in, it took Kevin a day to provide a snapshot. And we had full confidence the snapshot did not contain configuration errors. There are two immediate payoffs from that enhancement. My project costs are reduced, and the customer receives an excellent outcome. As a business supporting large defence projects, that outcome cannot be overstated.

KM: Prior to Teamcenter, we would manually extract information from NX into a spreadsheet to track the status of every single part within a product. Not only were we double-handling information, we also had to maintain that spreadsheet over the project to keep it up to date so we knew what the status of everything was at that time, and how close we were to completion.

We estimated that maintaining that BoM (Bill of Materials) spreadsheet was about three weeks of full-time effort on a large project. With our Teamcenter implementation, we’ve ensured that the information inputted into the CAD environment gets mapped across to Teamcenter and is visible in the Teamcenter Structure Manager. This has replaced our spreadsheet and the manual BOM management processes. Not only have the time savings from this change been significant, but it has also eliminated another source of potential quality issues.

AMT: What does the future look like for Supacat?

KM: There is more we can do to improve our CAE analysis processes. For example, we’re looking at extending workflows and developing more automation routines. Document management we have only really lightly touched on, and there’s more we can do in that space. There is also functionality in NX CAD that would be beneficial in future projects, particularly Weld Assistant Tools.

DK: My focus is on our customers, and that’s where my strategic priority lies with Teamcenter. I’m very happy with the implementation and the benefits gained so far. Kevin has a solid roadmap for extending Teamcenter functionality, and PhoenxPLM will continue to support our Teamcenter journey. Teamcenter is a great asset – we’ll continue to leverage it further for our endeavours in supporting defence capability.There is a lot more functionality that Teamcenter has that we’d like to use, but we’re taking small steps and making sure we implement everything at the right time, getting the most benefit out of what we are using. www.phoenxplm.com.au www.supacat.com

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Lovitt Technologies Australia – In full flight One of Australia’s true world-class manufacturers, Lovitt Technologies Australia continues to invest in manufacturing capacity and capability.

Lovitt Technologies Australia is a leading manufacturer of complex, precision engineered, structural components and assemblies for commercial, business and military aerospace platforms. Central to the company’s current and future success is the selection and use of best in class CNC machining equipment.

Flying in the face of the impact of the pandemic on Australian business and the economy, the company made two very significant investments during 2020 and 2021: a Mazak Vortex e-1600V/10 five-axis machining centre, and a Mazak Variaxis i-700 MPP five-axis machining centre equipped with a Mazak Multiple Pallet Pool (MPP) – all supplied by John Hart.

“COVID-19 has had an impact on our business, but our vision and commitment are long-term,” says Bruce Ramsay, Manufacturing Director of Lovitt Technologies Australia. “Our decision to invest in these machines was driven by a combination of seeing a market for larger structures where we felt we had something to offer, and the need to do existing work more efficiently to remain competitive.

“We considered all brands with an Australian presence for each requirement, but Mazak had the product that suited our requirements best.” The jumbo-sized Mazak Vortex e-1600V/10 is a full five-axis machining centre, ideally suited for processing large, highly complex parts, such as structural components and assemblies for aerospace applications. The machine comes with a two-pallet changer that provides unattended operations and off-cycle part set-up. This simple, efficient form of automation allows operators to load, unload and inspect parts on one pallet while the machine works on the other undisturbed.

Reflecting on the Vortex investment, Ramsay comments: “The Mazak Vortex e-1600V/10 was purchased to take the next step up in size of product we could offer. It has delivered cycle time savings due to being more suited to some existing product. It has also gained us access to bid lists due to its larger size.”

The Mazak Variaxis i-700 vertical machining centre features advanced multiple-surface, simultaneous five-axis machining capabilities for accurately processing parts with complex profiled surfaces in single set-ups. Paired with a Mazak Multiple Pallet Pool (MPP), the system can keep running 24/7.

Lovitt’s Manufacturing Director Bruce Ramsay (left) with Team Leader Luke Meggs, showing off the company’s new Mazak Vortex e-1600V/10.

Ramsay adds: “The reason behind the Mazak Variaxis i-700 18 pallet MPP was to do existing work more competitively with zero set-up costs from batch to batch. The 18 pallet MPP is enabling regular lights out machining.”

Both of the new Mazak machines are being used to efficiently produce complex monolithic structures such as frames, bulkheads, hinges and cranks. These products are typically difficult, with datum surfaces and various other hard-to-get-at features that must conform to stringent geometric tolerances.

At the cutting edge of aerospace Originally founded in 1954, Lovitt Technologies Australia began manufacturing tooling for Australia’s automotive industry, and has evolved continuously, branching into fields as diverse as

The Mazak Vortex e-1600V/10 with two pallet changer and 162 tool magazine.

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AEROSPACE & DEFENCE Loading a job in the Mazak Variaxis i-700 and Multi Pallet Pool.

communications, defence and food & beverages. Today the aerospace industry accounts for around 98% of the company’s business.

Still a locally-owned family business to this day, the company operates its machining and assembly works on a companyowned site in Greensborough, Victoria, where it employs a team of more than 70 full-time staff. Complementary to this is the group’s processing facility, Electromold, which is located in Thomastown, north Melbourne, where it employs a further 40 staff.

In the commercial aviation sector, Lovitt Technologies Australia is a key supplier to Boeing, manufacturing parts of the trailing edge for the most technically advanced commercial aircraft in the world – the Boeing 787 ‘Dreamliner’. It also produces components for the 747 and 737 airliners. In addition it supplies some components for smaller commercial aircraft such as the Gulfstream business jet.

In the defence segment, the company supplies parts of the floor structure, bulkheads and the engine mounts for the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter (JSF), as well as parts for the Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet and F15 Eagle fighter jets, the V-22 Osprey V/STOL military transport aircraft, P-8 Poseidon and the CH47 Chinook helicopter.

ECI Webinar Series For over 20 years, M1® software has been empowering manufacturers worldwide to manage operations efficiently and profitably, and grow their businesses.

Lovitt Technologies Australia purchased its first Mazak, a Variaxis 630-5X vertical machining centre, back in 2013. The machine is still going strong today and frequently achieves more than 5,000 hours of titanium machining per year.

Asked about the support the company has received from John Hart, Ramsay remarks: “Despite not yet having sirens on vehicles, the John Hart crew are responsive, knowledgeable, and follow through on questions and problem-solving. When you have equipment that frequently spends over 140 hours a week of actual machining, speed and knowledge in service becomes very important.” www.johnhart.com.au www.lovittech.com.au

If you’re looking to untangle your scheduling spaghetti or achieve better accuracy around quoting, check out the ECI webinar series.

Go to www2.ecisolutions.com/m1web or email us for more info au-marketing@ecisolutions.com

Bruce Ramsay (right) and Team Leader Ian Hodgkinson with Lovitt’s Mazak Variaxis i-700 and 18 pallet Multi Pallet Pool.

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D2N reaches for the skies with Airspeeder What Formula 1 brings to track-based racing cars, Airspeeder brings to the ultimate performance flying car. It’s hard not to read that sentence twice, but Airspeeder is the most exciting sport to hit the skies and yes, it involves flying cars.

Airspeeder’s comms requirements are taken care of by sports industry comms specialists D2N. Jason Owen, Managing Director of D2N, explains: “Airspeeder and the engineering team at sister company Alauda Aeronatics reached out to us as they knew of our reputation in the sports industry and were looking for a comms solution for their new race program. They were developing a flying racing car series and were in the test and development stage. This in turn called for a communication system between the pilot, who flies the aircraft remotely, the engineers and the flight test director.”

Alauda’s engineers initially wanted a comms system to cover two applications for the forthcoming EXA remotely piloted racing series and the Airspeeder crewed electric flying cars races. These were firstly the research & development (R&D) of the vehicles with a pilot, and secondly a number of engineers who all communicate as a group.

The second application was also required to take care of a race management team that would ultimately manage the actual running of the races.

“Race management need the ability to communicate with each team as a group to dynamically respond to racing condition changes,” Owen continues. “To meet all of their requirements we suggested they invest in a high-end radio system as this would take care of the teams’ needs and form the foundation of the race management solution moving forward.”

The comms solution proposed and supplied

by D2N consists of Hytera PD662 radios and Raytalk noise-cancelling headsets.

Owen adds: “We also built some custom wiring set-ups for the pilots so they could key up the radio whilst flying the vehicle.

The headset we provided for the pilots allows for the connection of multiple radios and a race control channel. The evolution of these clever pieces of kit come from our long history of developing and supplying specialist headsets for motorsport.”

Looking to the future, Airspeeder and Alauda will also require future communications post testing for racing, much like an F1 team has comms with their driver, as their prototype aircraft in turn develop into manned aircraft.

“This second, comms post testing, stage is a longer-term solution but needs to be implemented in the near future for testing,” says Owen. “The maximum distance for this part of the solution at this stage would be 1km to 2km and this would grow to over 5km in time.”

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Considering Airspeeder is a relatively new sport with incredibly unique and specific requirements, the technology partnership with D2N has been seamless thus far.

Owen remarks: “We tried to deliver over and above as we not only solved their initial comms challenge but also put them on a path where systems can be repeated and scaled to suit their operation as more teams come on board and the governance of race management requirements grow.”

As Airspeeder grows in stature and popularity, the awareness around the sport has also been growing at an astonishing pace, as has its technical and comms requirements.

“For most of this year, it has all been about R&D and test flights of the actual vehicles,” Owen concludes. “D2N is already an integral part of this amazing sport as we have supplied them with super reliable communications and a solution built to suit and futureproof their operations. Airspeeder and Alauda have the advantage of our

many years’ experience providing comms to motorsport and they appreciate that this is a big plus for them. Also, many comms suppliers get wedded to one comms manufacturer brand, whereas the D2N approach is to think about the application before any brand is discussed. As a result, we have always delivered on every requirement and every promise for this amazing new flying motorsport.” www.d2n.com.au

www.airspeeder.com

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Read all about it!

It was September 2001 at our Annual General Meeting when we floated the idea of producing our own magazine.

We had already established Austech as a major trade show in the country and felt it was a great opportunity to own and control the editorial and dialogue being raised by our members.

It was unanimous when we asked for a show of hands from the membership on whether they would support AMTIL launching a magazine focused solely on the metal working and engineering sector – and hence the AMT Magazine was born.

At that time, for those of you with good memories, there were competing magazines such as Metalworking Magazine, Factory Equipment News and Manufacturers Monthly. These were all well established and respected publications so we knew we were entering a competitive marketplace.

We managed to employ Tony Douglas as Advertising Sales Manager.

Tony was working for Reed Publishing on the Metalworking Magazine and already had a good relationship with a lot of our members so we hit the ground running. Jim Moon was employed as Editor and Monica Vaughan as Publications Coordinator.

Roll forward three years to February 2005 and we had a massive move to a monthly 84 page issue and upped our circulation to 7,000. John Leah was our new editor and Gabriele Richter had replaced Brigid Fahey (who replaced Monica) as Publications Coordinator, a position she still holds today some 17 years later.

The role of Advertising Sales Manager has been held by a number of people over the twenty years with Michael Allan replacing Tony Douglas, followed by Dan Duncan, Anne Samuelsson and now in the capable hands of Nick Raftopoulos.

We had another significant change to our format in June/July 2017 when we reverted back to a bi-monthly publication and increased our page count to 120 pages per issue. We took the opportunity at this time to tweak our masthead and give the magazine a fresh look. We also included the words Your Industry. Your Magazine on our masthead as well. It was important to us that our members recognised and took pride in the fact that this is their’s. That they own the industry association that owns the AMT magazine.

October 2021 we had another refresh of our masthead in line JUN JUL with a new AMTIL logo and move to our new headquarters at the Bayswater Business Precinct. So therein lies our journey. Over the coming pages we have included a chronological montage of images that include some of our past covers, some Austech Review great Aussie innovations and stories, technical articles, women in manufacturing, one on one interviews, exclusives, AMTIL events and a look over some of the advertising for our other flagship product, Austech. It too has had a twenty year journey to now be Australian Manufacturing Week. We also have some articles from long term members as they document their twenty year journey with us. Please enjoy the images and stories.

AustrAliAn MAnufActuring technology

Our sights were set on a 64 page bi-monthly issue to be launched in February 2002, and so our journey began.

The support we had from our members in regards to advertising and editorial was immense. It enabled us to produce a high quality publication, on good stock, distributed to 5,000 people around the country.

In February 2012 we had a change in Graphic Design with Franco Schena taking over from Graphic Heart as our Designer. This just happened to coincide with our ten year anniversary and we celebrated in style with our members at the Carlton Brewery.

shipping & Logistics

state spotlight: Western australia Cutting tools additive Manufacturing advanced Materials & Composites Motors & drives Forming & Fabrication Material removal

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We have been very fortunate to have had some great editors work on our magazine. Barbara Schulz joined us in 2006 and spent four years with us before handing over to Martin Oakham in 2010. And of course William Poole has now been editor since April 2012 and is about to clock over ten years in the role.

Nine years after we started, in February 2011, we changed our masthead. By this stage we were producing a monthly 96 page issue – a massive undertaking for such a small team of people. Our philosophy was simple. Provide good content, strong editorial with local stories, a controlled and relevant circulation list and value for money for our advertisers. This philosophy started in February 2002 and continues to this day.

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Your IndustrY. Your MagazIne.

2022 sees AMT with a new masthead design due to the overall rebranding of AMTIL. It was decided to keep the font treatment of AMTIL's key flagship products consistent. : ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SUCCEEDING IN THE GLOBAL DEFENCE WORLD CE AEROSPACE & DEFENTech

Renewable Energy & Clean State Spotlight: Tasmania

Best choice.

Cutting. Bending. Automation.

Higher performance thanks to automation Intelligent automation solutions from Bystronic, when combined with a laser cutting, sheet metal, or tube processing system , ensure that the material handling is perfectly matched to high process speeds. They optimize processes and workflows, accelerate the material flow, and thus enhance machine utilization while simultaneously increasing safety.

BySmart Fiber + ByTrans Extended

bystronic.com

AMT 20TH ANNIVERSARY FEATURE Since our first issue of the AMT Magazine back in February 2002, there have been many changes and challenges for our manufacturing sector. 20 years on, AMT has seen many changes as well. Over the coming pages we look back at some of the highlights.

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JUNE-JULY 2002 The SyTech engine: Cheaper than conventional engine components…this technology transforms oscillating piston into a rotating crankshaft motion.

NOVEMBER 2007

JUNE-JULY 2004 In this

issue we celebrate our manufacturing stars at the Hall of Fame Gala Dinner, we looked at Australia’s top export destinations, profiled Harrop Engineering as our Company Focus and interviewed the Society of Manufacturing Engineers – US President Rick Peters, along with a complete review of Austech 2004.

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MATERIAL REMOVAL MACHINE TOOLS AUTOMATION/CONTROL CUTTING TOOLS/WORKHOLDING METROLOGY

MARCH 2008

SEPTEMBER 2006 Welcome to the world of Nano.

Small scale, big impact. Producing gears that an ant can hold in it’s hands.

New safety standards and developments in technology might soon allow safe robot and human interaction on the plant floor.

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Robotics

Machine Tools

CAD/CAM

With SafeMove, ABB offers a solution that cuts the cost of robot installations by replacing mechanical safety equipment with electronics and software.

“The only chance for manufacturing enterprises in Australia is to go for modern technologies.” Dr Thorsten Schmidt, CEO for Sales and Service, Gildemeister AG, Germany.

Adelaide-based FCT Flames has created the most watched man-made flames in history.

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MATERIAL REMOVAL TECHNOLOGY – AUTOMATION & ROBOTICS – CAD/CAM – METROLOGY & INSPECTION

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Manufacturing on the move

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JUNE 2010

your industry. your Magazine.

Once again, Austech has proved itself as the leading showcase for products and processes for the advanced manufacturing and machine tool sectors, demonstrating the drive to innovate is firmly at the top of companies’ agendas. The mood was both high spirited and encouraging, reinforcing the belief in a bright future.

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Sheetmetal

The wind tower industry has placed unprecedented demands on the rolling productivity and precision, with rolling machines now operating at previously unheard of levels.

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Material Removal New demands facing the mould and die toolmaking, automotive and production sectors have driven a market for more general yet highly dynamic high speed multi-axis machines.

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Automation & Controls

Advances in robotics control software and feedback systems are enabling robots to be increasingly used in material removals applications.

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AUTOMATION & CONTROL – MATERIAL REMOVAL TECHNOLOGY – SHEETMETAL – COMPRESSORS

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Aerospace: A global industry poised for take-off

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sep11 AUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY AUGUST 2009

Manufacturing for Motorsports Advanced manufacturing technologies are the key to a sustainable competitive advantage to win races.

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The Fantastic Voyage – PP 324494/0042

Drag Racing

Sydney-based Sainty Engineering created a unique three-valve per cylinder overhead cam 7000hp engine – an engineering masterpiece.

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Company Focus

Holinger is one of the best known names in the Australian motorsport manufacturing industry, having built up a thriving business from nothing over the past three decades.

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A Medical pipedream or emerging reality?

A winning formula

Nanotechnology offers huge possibilities

The partnership with John Hart has resulted in the Holden Racing Team enjoying one of the most comprehensive small design and manufacturing facilities in Australia.

Story p64

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MATERIAL REMOVAL TECHNOLOGY – SHEETMETAL – ABRASIVE MACHINING/SAWING – MOTORS&DRIVES

Medical Manufacturing > Nanotechnology > Rapid Prototyping > Material Removal > Lean Manufacturing

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SEPTEMBER 2009 The Innovation, productivity, speed, flexibility and continuous improvement are key ingredients to success in the constantly evolving world of motorsports. Our look into this industry sector was fascinating, along with a company focus on Holinger Engineering and a look at the partnership between John Hart and the Holden Racing Team.

FEBRUARY 2012 10 year anniversary edition of AMT – connecting, informing and growing.

SEPTEMBER 2011 How nano is revolutionising medical diagnostics.

23/8/11 4:21:17 PM

FEBRUARY 2014 Always a Hit! AMTIL members at our Corporate Golf Day. apr14 AustrAliAn MAnufActuring technology

your industry. your Magazine.

Agriculture – Fresh ground for manufacturers PAGE 40

.Agriculture .Additive Manufacturing .Cutting Tools .Welding .Recruitment & Training

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AUGUST 2017 We dive into the Australia mining industry and the growth expectations.

AustrAliAn MAnufActuring technology

SEPTEMBER 2014 AMTIL’s new Additive Manufacturing Network got up and running in the last month, with a series of events held across the country in conjunction with CSIRO

Your IndustrY. Your MagazIne.

Dec Jan /17

Agriculture, food & BeverAge Business Management

Cutting tools Forming & Fabrication Material removal robotics & automation Composites & advanced Materials Materials Handling

JUNE 2016 The future of Australian additive manufacturing

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DECEMBER 2017 October 2017 marks the ending of car assembly in Australia and how has the industry responded, the implications for manufacturers, supply chains and what does the future hold?

AMT 20TH ANNIVERSARY FEATURE AustrAliAn MAnufActuring technology

OCTOBER 2020 One-on-One with Professor Bronwyn Fox, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research and Enterprise) at Swinburne University of Technology

Your IndustrY. Your MagazIne.

Oct NOv

FEB MAR 2020

Medical

construction & infrastructure state spotlight: Queensland additive Manufacturing Forming & Fabrication Cutting tools Material removal software safety

NEW FRONTIERS: SPACE RACE 2.0 TAKES OFF

AEROSPACE & DEFENCE Industry 4.0 State Spotlight: Tasmania

AUGUST 2021 New technique breaks the mould for 3D printing medical implants.

Clever lawyers for a clever industry.

Mention your AMTIL membership to receive member discounts with us.

www.rigbycooke.com.au

For more information contact Julia Cameron: E: JCameron@rigbycooke.com.au T: + 61 3 9321 7807

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AMT 20TH ANNIVERSARY FEATURE

DIMAC TOOLING

IMTS

What a great milestone for the AMT magazine to reach 20 years, serving and supporting our industry; ironically it also matches, within months, a 20 year journey at Dimac from when I joined the company. While Dimac has traded since the mid fifties, the last 20 years has been the most growth-orientated in terms of developing our product offering, training and development of our team, growing and supporting our sales network and in the last five years relocating to Dandenong South VIC with a determined focus around improving productivity for CNC machine tool owners and users.

IMTS Machinery originally began in 1994 based in Melbourne for the main purpose of servicing laser cutting systems around Australia.

Since then, we have expanded across Australia and New Zealand and have been offering the complete range of sheetmetal machinery from leading European manufacturer Prima Power for the last 20 years.

A key strategy has been to acquire, offer and support the bestin-class products from around the world that allow our customers to have confidence and be rewarded for selecting solutions that suit the requirement, function effectively and are reliable over their long lifetime. We have also modernised, and continue to do so in our manufacturing facility where we machine our full range of Soft Jaws and are very proud to have been making these in Australia for more than 40 years now along with custom-designed Top Jaws for all sorts of workholding challenges. Our future is also looking promising as new younger mindsets enter the business with one of these recent employees, Matthew Williams, now established as a part owner in Dimac.

We have been proudly associated with AMTIL since they began and have seen a great deal of change within the Australian Manufacturing environment, which we are lucky to have an organization such as the team at AMTIL to keep us up to date about, along with providing support when required.

We have been an AMTIL member since its inception and never missed exhibiting at their great trade shows and promoting our solutions in the AMT magazine and look forward to a continuing close relationship with AMTIL well into the future.

In addition to the supply and service of sheetmetal machinery, IMTS Machinery is also the leading supplier of laser consumables from IIVI and Hypertherm, along with high quality turret punch tooling from Pass Stanztechnik AG across Australia and New Zealand.

Prima Power is focussed on creating energy-efficient sheetmetal machinery. Known as Finn Power until 2012, they have been at the forefront of fiber laser cutting systems, servo-electric turret punching and bending systems since the early 1990’s. Servo electric motors cost up to 65% less to run than traditional hydraulic systems and cost much less to service annually. Some other manufacturers are only now just starting to use servo-electric motors, but Prima Power has a 30-year head start on them.

IMTS Machinery is a company which focuses on our customers’ real requirements and we use our vast experience to guide the customer to the best, most suitable outcome for them. Our focus is not to sell the most powerful and fastest product to the customer, we know no two customers are the same and the same product does not suit every customer.

Our team takes the time to get to know the customer’s needs and then come up with the best solution. Knowing that we have the Prima Power modular product behind us gives us confidence that we can then help the customer increase the capacity of their machines as their production grows.

IMTS Machinery is excited for what the Australian Manufacturing industry future has in store, along with some exciting projects coming up for IMTS and our customers in 2022 and beyond. Our future looks really strong. With our high quality and strong supplier partnerships, along with the support of AMTIL we believe our future is very bright.

D&D BARRY D&D Barry commenced business in January 1987 and originally worked for the first year from premises in Thirlmere NSW. We then moved a short distance to Narellan where we remained until 2008. Outgrowing these premises we moved to our current location in Smeaton Grange which is conveniently located just a short hop southwest of Sydney.

The business began as an Engineering Supply company including a range of tooling aids from WDS Components of the UK. In 1992 we became the Australian distributor for Ganter Griff from Germany who manufacture a large range of machine elements, in 2005 D&D Barry was appointed an Australian distributor for E&G (Elsa plus Ganter) which is a joint venture between Elesa of Italy and Ganter of Germany who now have distributors world-wide.

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In 2012 D&D Barry made the decision to concentrate our attention on representing the following world class companies Ganter from Germany, Elesa from Italy, WDS Components from the U.K. and Jergens Inc from the U.S.A. . With this in mind we sold the general engineering side of the business and built up the stockholding on machine elements and tooling aids so as to be able to offer quick supply of product. D&D Barry has had steady growth over the years despite some quite testing times being experienced during this period. We have been a proud member of AMTIL for over 20 years and would like to acknowledge the help this has been to promote our growth due to exhibitions that we have participated in and advertising in the AMT magazine.

We would like to congratulate AMT magazine on their 20th anniversary.

Hotspots is proudly owned and managed

by AMTIL

Look further from a higher vantage point.

•

You need a specific component made, but don’t have the capabilities in house.

•

Your company has landed a major project, but your workshop or your workforce just aren’t big enough to handle the volume required.

•

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

HotSpots is a service designed to connect AMTIL members with opportunities to help their businesses grow. That piece of work that you need done might be just the sort of opportunity they’re looking for. And by featuring that opportunity as a HotSpot, you gain access to a wealth of Australian manufacturing capability and expertise.

Our regular AMTIL HotSpots email goes out to over 1,000 people every month, making HotSpots an incredibly powerful way to reach large numbers of key decision-makers from across the manufacturing sector.

Provided your opportunity meets our criteria for listing, inclusion in AMTIL HotSpots is free. If you have something you feel will meet our criteria, please forward it to AMTIL for assessment by emailing info@amtil.com.au with the subject line HOTSPOT. www.amtil.com.au/Membership/Hotspots

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MODERN TOOLS When Phil Caruso purchased Modern Tools in 1996 there were only three main product lines. What impressed him the most about the business was the products they were offering were of top end quality, they had an excellent distributor network and a good customer base.

Having previous experience in the Machine Tool Industry working for Herless Machinery as General Manager for over 20 years with more than 40 product lines, Phil thought this opportunity would be an easy transition and it was. After a few years we expanded our range of products and hired more staff. Our goal has always been to offer high quality products at a reasonable price with exceptional after sales service.

JOHN HART 20 years is a long time, yet it seems to have passed so quickly.

Our industry has seen much change over the last two decades.

Ramped economic growth and sharp downturns delivering a cycle of opportunity and good fortune, and times of great challenge. Our industry has faced and overcome these challenges through hard work, determination, and prudent investment. It has developed unique resilience; an ability to adapt to the ever-changing landscape that is manufacturing in Australia.

At John Hart we have seen an increasing uptake of advanced manufacturing technologies. In particular, the adoption of CNC multi-tasking machines, CNC 5-axis machining, and automated machine tool tending is at an all-time high. Such world class solutions from leading brands such as Mazak, Fanuc, and Agile Robotic Systems equip our industry with the capabilities to meet the challenges they face and provide the flexibility and efficiency that their market and customers’ demand.

One thing that has helped our business grow is the Austech Exhibitions. We have always exhibited and the staff at AMTIL have been excellent. Phil can still see Shane and Kim walking around the shows with a mobile phone in one hand and a 2 way radio in the other. These Trade Shows provide great exposure for any business and we highly recommend participating in them.

One of many and great triumphs was getting an order for over 65 Machines from a TAFE in NSW. This by far as we understand it, was one of the biggest orders placed by quantity.

We have seen the Manufacturing Industry change so much over the last 40 years, including so many toolmakers close their doors due to cheap alternatives from China. However, the Sheet Metal and Fabrication area has always been strong. With CNC Machine Tool sales exploding in the 1990’s and Laser Cutting Machines, 4 Axis, and 5 Axis Milling and turning centres in 2000. This was the turning point for our Industry because we could make it quicker and cheaper so we became more competitive with the rest of the world.

As Phil looks forward to retirement in the near future we are sure the next owners will also embrace the strong values that Modern Tools is renowned for. The future for us is, that we will continue to expand our range to suit customers demand and help create a better Manufacturing Industry like never before.

We thank AMT magazine for their support over the past 20 years and for providing our industry with a quality, informative, and valued publication. As AMT Magazine celebrate 20 years, John Hart is celebrating its 75th year of proving world class, advanced manufacturing solutions to the Australian Manufacturing Industry.

John Hart is proud to be a founding member of AMTIL and to be a part of the success story of our manufacturing industry.

HI-TECH METROLOGY Founded in 1992 by Managing Director Ian Martin, Hi-Tech Metrology began its 30 year journey supplying and supporting world leading measurement technologies throughout Australia and New Zealand. From that point on, an ever-growing range of technologies coupled with a strong focus of after-sales services, Hi-Tech Metrology has grown to become the largest specialist supplier of metrology solutions throughout the region.

As a founding member of AMTIL 20 years ago, Hi-Tech Metrology and AMTIL have enjoyed a close working relationship, whether it be the Austech exhibition or the various print and digital media platforms, ensuring the market is up to date with the latest metrology technologies from our range of hardware and software solutions for any measurement or reverse engineering demands.

Hi-Tech Metrology is made up of three integrated business units – Products, Services and Projects. These business units have all been developed to help and support clients with any of

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their measurement needs. Whether it is new system purchases, support of existing systems or provision of contract measurement services from our projects team, we maintain the same goal as the day we were founded - to provide world class products, services and solutions to our customers.

Given the agile nature of industry today, Hi-Tech Metrology have a broad range of technologies including Stationary, Portable and Vision Coordinate Measuring Machines (CMM), Laser scanning solutions, Surface and Form systems, Photogrammetry, Laser Tracker, Active Motion Tracking and more; all of which can be customised and optimised to suit specific applications.

As manufacturing evolves, Hi-Tech Metrology continues to develop innovative and cost-effective solutions to suit this everchanging landscape. We congratulate AMTIL on 20 years of the AMT magazine.

AMT 20TH ANNIVERSARY FEATURE

ROMHELD In June 1995 Cass and Julie van Weelderen and Peter Hope established Romheld Australia to market hydraulic clamping tooling to the local car industry. We started in a borrowed office with a shared fax machine, a ‘brick’ phone and a single supplier - Roemheld GmbH. In 2010 We changed the name to Romheld Automation to better reflect what we did. With a little forward planning and a lot of luck we expanded the automation side of the business and so survived the demise of the car industry without ill effects. Now we are well established in most Australian manufacturing industries

and with more than 30 suppliers are recognized as a reputable supplier of reliable, high quality workholding and automation tooling.

We are always on the lookout for new products and technologies to achieve our goal of helping Aussie industry to stay up to date and to be competitive globally. Many companies are onshoring leading to a substantial increase in enquiries and order intake so we plan to increase our staff numbers this year. Integrity, reliability and repeatability are our core values.

Romheld has been a member of AMTIL since it was formed and congratulate them on 20 years of AMT.

COMPLETE MACHINE TOOLS

ISCAR

Originally VS Machine Tool Centre based in South Africa, founder Vincenzo Salerno migrated the family and business to QLD Australia in the Summer of 1998. Re-naming the company to Complete Machine Tools, the business has been a part of the rollercoaster ride that is the engineering and manufacturing industry for the last 42 years.

Being proud members of AMTIL from the very beginning, Complete Machine Tools has supported Australian businesses for the last 22 years with a wealth of first-hand experience in machine tools, culminating to over 70 years combined expertise across the team.

Iscar Australia has had an interesting journey over the last 20 years, the main shift was a move away from 98% distribution through third parties to 98% direct to the end user. This change offered the ability to work directly with local manufacturers, speeding up information flows and changing our business model from a ‘Cutting Tool Supplier’ to an ‘Industry Solutions Provider’. This rapid change provided many challenging and exciting opportunities for the Iscar team, with a continuously evolving dynamic that prioritises customers as ‘technical partners’ focussing on shared goals and achievements.

As the advances in technology marched forward and the metalworking sector continued to grow, so has Complete Machine Tools, expanding upon the original 840 sq/m premises in 2014, with the addition of the 1700 sq/m factory location. Vincenzo’s son and now Director of the business Enzo Salerno, described the last 22 years as “Insane. It’s been a whirlwind, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Iscar Australia’s turnover has tripled in the last 20 years, proof that technical partnerships based on collaboration and knowledge sharing is the winning formula. Iscar Australia has continued to expand our team, offering market leading technical knowledge and support; this expansion will continue as technology advances with the innovative adoption of cyber-physical systems, automation, and cloud-based AI cyberspace.

Complete Machine Tools recently launched its NSW location, with plans to expand upon the company’s presence there in the very near future. The Implementation of more modern systems within the business, allow the company to be run and operated from anywhere in the world, providing faster and more efficient response times for both current and future clientele.

Being part of the IMC family owned by Berkshire Hathaway, Iscar has maintained a family-owned feeling through the direction of IMC President Jacob Harpaz and Iscar CEO Ilan Geri.

With clear objectives for the future and steadfast core values for the business, we operate to best assist our customers and look after them. To do that you need more than a quality, long lasting product.

You also need the team, the experience and the flexibility to provide effective and timely support, and that is the core of our business.

Finally, Complete Machine Tools would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the AMT magazine on its 20th Anniversary, and to thank them for providing a platform for us to tell a brief account of our story so far. Here’s to the next 20 years.

The Iscar mantra is ‘Where Innovation Never Stops’, resulting in a continuous flow of innovative products from the large investment in research and development. This provides Iscar with high performing metal cutting products that the industry has come to expect.

Iscar Australia has regular national meetings, ensuring the national team can get together to discuss industry direction and future strategies. As the advanced manufacturing industry continues to change, it is important to be at the forefront in the shift in manufacturing with the ability to adapt quickly. Industry feedback and the ability to reach a large proportion of the market is paramount; this is one of the reasons why Iscar Australia will be exhibiting at Austech in Sydney 2022 and Melbourne 2023. Iscar Australia has enjoyed the support of AMTIL and continues to work closely with AMTIL to enhance industry in the exciting times to come.

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AMT 20TH ANNIVERSARY FEATURE

MTI QUALOS Since the inception of M.T.I. Qualos Pty. Ltd. in 1946, then called simply 'Qualos (for quality) Machine Tools Pty. Ltd.', our product lines have changed a great deal. Sourcing leading precision machines and tooling has been the backbone of the company's longevity and success.

When Qualos was established just after World War II by founders John L.T. Pring MBE and the late Tod Waite, the company supplied, serviced and provided spares for machine tools, which were in high demand. The site was located in North Melbourne and start up capital totalled 3,000 pounds.

Mr. Pring maintained the essence of the original business and expanded to become the sales agent of a number of imported machine tool manufacturers. He built up strategic distribution channels, initially in Victoria where much of Australia's manufacturing was based. The next step was to expand the product range beyond capital equipment to the supply and sales of a broad range of small tool products including precision instruments such as micrometers and calipers. A masterstroke for Qualos was when Mr. Pring negotiated sole supply rights in Australia of all Mitutoyo product lines.

In 1974 Mr. Ian Smith joined the company having worked with a Qualos distributor. Soon after Qualos was renamed M.T.I. Qualos Pty. Ltd. - Machines, Tools and Instruments.

Although growth had been constant, major challenges have included dealing with a downturn in machine tool demand as Australia's automotive industry has progressively reduced in size.

Also, given the relatively small size and growth of the Australian market, there has been a natural shift from supply of capital equipment to accessories.

In 1986, Mr. Smith purchased the then recently retired John Pring's shareholding. In conjunction with Max Ammann, who initially replaced Mr. Pring as Managing Director, he set the company in the direction in which it continues today.

M.T.I. Qualos has achieved a record for measuring instrument supplier Mitutoyo, having gained the highest International percentage of market share outside Mitutoyo's own domestic market. Behind the scenes, M.T.I. Qualos draws on the skills of a team of about 30 employees from Melbourne and Sydney.

When AMTIL was established in 2001, M.T.I. Qualos recognised the potential of an industry body to both promote and represent the interests of manufacturers and suppliers to this industry, and as such became a foundation member. We wish Shane and his dedicated team at AMTIL all the best for the future and thank them for their tireless work over the last 20 years.

OKUMA AUSTRALIA The 20th Anniversary of the AMT publication is a milestone and AMTIL is to be congratulated on clearly establishing this publication as a leading contributor to the industry in highlighting manufacturing excellence in Australia.

Twenty years ago the manufacturing industry was primarily based on business revolving around automotive companies in Australia but signs were appearing around this time that this business was contracting. The Australian manufacturing industry needed to diversify, be more creative and invest in machines for shorter runs to meet new markets.

This changed the industry as suppliers needed to provide more sophisticated precision machines to cater for new business opportunities in Defence, Medical and high end Mining operations.

There was also a move to more automated machines that did not require constant manning, thus making Australia more competitive.

In line with business trends, Okuma Australia broadened its equipment and automation products to include Overhead Gantry Loader Systems, Standalone Floor Robot Cells, portable RoboJob systems and Okuma’s own Armroid/Standard systems, all designed to improve productivity.

Over the years Okuma has continually upskilled its staff with higher levels of training and has drawn on the skills of our Japanese parent company. There was also an increased requirement to train our customers and Okuma planned for a much closer engagement with its customers overall based on the company’s philosophy of ‘Monozukuri’ – the art of making things better than ever. Today our customers rely on us to always be pro-active and engaging resulting in a win-win outcome that has proven to be much more enjoyable and beneficial for both Okuma and our customers.

The future looks bright for both Okuma and its customers as these closer relationships have ensured that we all understand the outcomes required and work together to meet these. It has allowed us to protect the highly respected Okuma brand in the market as a true market leader. Although the GFC and COVID have both had an impact over the last 20 years, the Okuma vision of strong respect and support for its customers is evident every day.

Okuma facilities and training are constantly being upgraded, providing new opportunities for staff including apprentices. Support from Okuma Japan includes regular meetings with executives and engineers from Europe, USA and Asia sharing their ideas on new models and performance upgrades for the future to further enhance customer outcomes with cutting edge technologies and productivity developments.

Okuma Australia proudly supports AMTIL through the AMT magazine, exhibitions, seminars and networking functions and wishes the publication continued success in the future.

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Keeping me up to date with our industry AMTIL has been a part of our business for a number of years.

Being involved with an experienced group that gives support is important to me and that’s what AMTIL delivers constantly.

The AMT Magazine is placed in our lunchroom for the team to look at. It keeps us up to date with the latest equipment and machinery and has assisted us with sourcing suppliers’ contacts and solutions which have resulted in increased productivity.

David Murphy, Managing Director TRJ ENGINEERING PTY LTD

APPROX

31,500

READERS AMT the No. 1 trusted industry publication.

For information or advertising rates visit www.amtil.com.au or contact 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)

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FORMING & FABRICATION

ToolBox – Speed, accuracy, consistency boost for Industry 4.0 laser jobshops A new laser cutting and fabrication quoting tool suite is being introduced to Australasia and the Asia-Pacific to save job shops time, and keep quotes accurate and consistent, no matter who is preparing them.

Toolbox can also provide an innovative 3D unfolding service, whereby it can be fed full 3D schematics of a product and it will select precisely all the 2D sheet metal surfaces required to be cut by a laser workshop. It’s also possible to create the drawing without using any CAD software, using Toolbox’s Quick Part parametric parts library. Quick Part has a broad range of customisable parts, including brackets, flanges, gussets, and plates that can be adjusted to the specific needs of the user.

“ToolBox is designed to put the tools in the hands of small laser cutting and fabrication workshops that are looking to grow their business,” says Felipe Lechuga, President of Tempus Tools. “It helps with cleaning drawings, part creation or extraction, and laser cutting calculations, so the business can quote more jobs and expand its operations. With the shift to Industry 4.0, slow quoting processes just aren’t competitive anymore, so job shops need new tools to get the job done faster, more accurately, and with total consistency.”

The laser cutting market is growing due to its importance to vital industries such as automotive, aviation, architectural and construction products, defense, engineering electrical, manufacturing, metals, mining and energy, shipbuilding and textiles.

“Customers in these demanding industries need fast quotes. ToolBox empowers job shops, particularly smaller ones, to win more projects through quicker turnaround times,” says Lechuga.

ToolBox allows the user to select shapes, sizes, quantities and materials, and can also provide a folding quotation service by calculating the estimated time to run the press brake for the part’s requirements. Key parameters are all configurable by the user.

“Configuring parts for folding can be done either by manually inputting parameters, or by selecting fold or bed lines directly from the CAD drawing for calculation,” explains Lechuga. “Using ToolBox’s simple, userfriendly interface, users can feed these useful calculations into ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), MRP (Material Resource Planning) and other systems quicker. And, you don’t need someone with a highly specialised CAD skillset. Anyone in the business can use ToolBox to create fast, accurate and consistent quotes.”

In addition to the suite of new tools being released, Lechuga says Tempus Tools will

AMT FEB 2022

provide the service and back-up to assist job shops with getting the most out of their new software.

“Just like with any new product, users may have only purchased the software to perform a particular task – and they may not realize it can save them time in several other areas, too. So, the Tempus Tools support team will be on hand to show new users just how powerful the new suite can be. Plus, we’re consistently working on new tools to further drive efficiency gains for laser cutting businesses, so the Tempus Tool team will keep users updated with new options that will help speed up quoting.”

•

Quick Part, which can create parts using its parametric parts library. Users can select from a wide range of parts and customise them by dimension, diameter and the relative shape of the geometry. Quick Part allows parts to be created without the need for CAD software. Drawings can once again be exported as DXF or DWG files.

•

3D Model Sheet Metal Extractor, which can view and explode 3D model files within the ToolBox 3D viewer.

It can automatically detect material type, thickness, and part quantity.

It then extracts all 2D sheet metal components for calculation. Extracted parts are once again able to be exported as DXF or DWG files.

•

Calculation, which encompasses both processing time and pricing, allowing a quick response to customers, without having to laboriously add data manually into an ERP or MRP first.

Time-saving tools The new Tempus Tools ToolBox suite is comprised of four key time-saving and labour-saving components: •

Drawing Doctor, which can import, view and interact with 2D CAD files, and can fix most problematic drawings without requiring a CAD system. It can extract parts (even those inside other parts), split multi-part drawings, and remove unnecessary entities like title blocks. Cleaned drawings can be exported as DXF or DWG files.

“The culmination of these tools is that the job shop can create a fast quote, send it out to the customer with their branding, and continue generating more new business,” says Lechuga. www.tempustools.com

FORMING & FABRICATION

Fleet vehicle modification experts use Demmeler table system for accuracy Fleet vehicle modification experts, Minecorp Australia has used the Demmeler table system from Leussink for more than 10 years to manufacture jigs for products and prototypes in its R&D division.

Brisbane-based Minecorp Australia is an industry leader in fleet vehicle modification, working across many industry sectors, including military & government, mining & resources, construction & civil, services & utilities, and hire leasing and dealers.

work practices that are part of an extensive internal safety system.

The company uses the Demmeler tables and accessories to firstly produce prototypes for clients, including rollover protection systems (ROPS), tray bodies, tool & service boxes, and vehicle accessories. Once a design is finalised for a client, the Demmeler system is used to produce a jig that will then be used over and over to manufacture the item.

With its products, Minecorp also focuses on safety, with items like ROPS that are put into a vehicle to protect the occupants.

Once again, the quality and accuracy are paramount. Minecorp, as the name suggests, was originally focused primarily on the mining industry, but has since diversified. The company started working in the defence sector about five years ago, working both directly with the Department of Defence, and through the Department’s Prime contractors.

“By manufacturing our jigs, we free up the table for other work, particularly for R&D and prototypes,” says Minecorp Australia’s Business Manager, Sheree Lamont.

For example, in the manufacture of the roll-over protection systems (ROPS) for a vehicle, a jig is used to ensure the tubing is in the right place and is cut and fabricated accurately to fit.

“The jig needs to be made accurately so we get the same result every time,” Lamont explains.

Minecorp’s R&D team uses the Demmeler system to produce new jigs several times a year. Many of the jigs, which can cost up to $40,000 to manufacture, get used over and over again and are stored in purposebuilt racking to be accessed as required.

Minecorp produces new jigs when new model vehicles are released.

“The Demmeler system is part of that safety system because when a staff member is using the table and the jigs, they are not taking shortcuts,” Lamont explains.

“The Demmeler system allows us to get it right the first time, every time by producing new jigs for new products,” says Lamont.

“The fact that we bought the two Demmeler tables more than 10 years ago and have not had to replace them is testament to their quality.”

According to Lamont, the Demmeler system is also essential in creating accurate prototypes for new and existing clients.

“Our R&D guys go straight to the Demmeler table when a new prototype is required. They know that the corners will be perfect with a square edge every time,” she added. “We also use a range of Demmeler accessories, that have been supplied by Leussink over the years, with the system. These include table extensions, clamps, angles and tooling that allow us to ensure accurate and effective design and measurement. Leussink has provided advice over those years to ensure we have the latest accessories to get the most out of our system.” Minecorp Australia has a strong focus on safety. This starts with safe

Recently Minecorp Australia supported Rheinmettal with fabrication of components for Landforces 2021 in Brisbane. As there were a number of custom parts, the Demmeler table was an essential engineering tool to establish the correct dimensions and aid in fabrication.

“When working with the Department of Defence you need a high level of compliance and quality,” says Lamont. “We already had that from our mining experience.

We understand the need for quality and producing items that will operate in harsh environments and remote locations.” www.leussink.com.au www.minecorp.com.au

CIRCULAR WASTE REMOVAL SYSTEMS CIRCULARITY All bins designed using circularity principles & recycled materials CUSTOMISABLE

MODULARITY Modular design for interchangeability, improved cleaning & circular processes

SPLIT

ERGONOMIC

Interchangeable modules for customisable waste streams

Equipped with quick change systems & optional mobility wheels

OPTIONS Split waste removal systems can be configured with 2, 3, 4 or 5 waste compartments in various sizes Paxa waste removal systems: Small (23L) or large (65L) with bamboo or recycled plastics lid Waste removal streams: general waste, recycling, organic waste, cups & paper

Australian-Made

Integra Systems embraces Circular Economy principles and practices to help rebuild a greener planet

PAXA Email: integratransform@integrasystems.com.au Phone: (03) 9359 3133 Visit: www.integratransform.com.au

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FORMING & FABRICATION

Rotary machine as bending cell enables fully automated process Expanded to a bending cell, the CNC 40 Rotary from Schwarze-Robitec ensures an overall process that combines all work steps before, during and after bending in a highly efficient manner.

Fully automatic, efficient, and processreliable – bending cells show their advantages particularly in large-scale production. They reduce cycle times and perform bending tasks with maximum precision. The CNC 40 Rotary from Schwarze-Robitec’s High Performance series can also be easily expanded into a bending cell. Thanks to its freely rotating bending head, it realises even complex tube geometries without collisions. All of the steps related to tube processing – from tube feeding to loading and unloading of the machine to postprocessing – are automated. Each bending cell is designed by Schwarze-Robitec to be highly customised to the user’s production requirements.

The CNC 40 Rotary bends tubes made of all common materials such as aluminium, titanium, copper, steel, and stainless steel with a diameter of 6mm to 38mm. This also applies to tubes with already preformed contours. Thanks to its rotating bending head, the rotary function offers the particular advantage that tubes can be bent in both left and right bending directions in a single operation.

For users who want to rely on fully automated production, the CNC 40 Rotary can be upgraded to a bending cell. The advantages of this option, which is open to all CNC bending machines, quickly become clear.

Fully automated for constant, plannable production Bending cells with CNC-controlled tube bending machines are mainly used in automotive production, and increasingly also for the production of electric cars.

They are also used in industries such as refrigeration and air conditioning. In this way, different tube systems are produced, such as exhaust pipes, injection and cooling water lines, or even currentcarrying conductor rods with complex tube geometries.

In order to produce such elements, often with extremely small bending radii, users must manufacture in short cycle times and yet with high precision. A fully automated bending cell gives them the advantage of a particularly constant and plannable production chain. This is because Schwarze-Robitec combines all of the work steps before and after bending according to customer-specific requirements into an efficient overall process.

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Individual requirements determine choice of systems Depending on the area of application, the tube feed in the bending cells can be carried out via different systems, for example belt conveyors, bunker or chain conveyors. With regard to the loading of the tube bending machine, Schwarze-Robitec also offers its own systems such as swivel and gantry loaders. On the other hand, the tube bending specialist also enables the integration of robots from a wide range of manufacturers.

Furthermore, the loading can be supplemented by a wide range of additional functions – for example by systems for tube separation and sorting or for weld seam detection. The individual requirements of the user determine which loading handling system is optimally suited to the production process.

The bending process is followed by tube unloading and, if required, further tube processing. Here, too, Schwarze-Robitec can implement the different variants of unloading handling in a part-specific manner – for example, the tube is transferred from the machine with the robot to the conveyor belt or via a chute into the customer-specific container. Throughout the entire process, an overall cell control system ensures a constant and uninterrupted bending process.

Every bending cell is designed by SchwarzeRobitec specifically for the customer’s needs and with the selection of exactly fitting systems. Intensive consultation and coordination throughout the project lead to the optimal design of the system.

“When implementing a bending cell, we act as a general contractor,” says Bert Zorn, Managing Director of Schwarze-Robitec.

“The customer receives everything from a single source, from the idea to the finished bending cell in operation. The linchpin at all times is the very individual specifications and features of his production process: we align the entire system layout to them and design a unique, customer-specific system.”

To this end, Schwarze-Robitec relies on decades of experience and profound expertise in tube bending – and at the same time is ideally equipped for future tasks.

While individual tube systems are currently still mainly produced in large quantities, the trend is moving towards automation of bending processes for small batches – combined with significantly more complex processes and sophisticated software solutions. The tube bending machines from Schwarze-Robitec are therefore optimally designed both mechanically and in terms of software for integration into bending cells and for customer-specific adaptation. www.schwarze-robitec.com

Step up to Extreme Dynamic Fiber Laser Cutters

6g Acceleration and Speeds up to 5m/s are just the beginning.

Poland’s leading machine tool manufacturer Kimla offer laser power up to 15KW as well as flexible machine sizes of 1m x 2m up to 3m x 10m and 2.5m x 12m. Kimla also boast innovative solutions including ink print heads, automatic nozzle changer, third pallet table, co-ordinate measurement scanner for part duplication, tube cutting adaptor and lights out automation packages.

Scan the QR code to learn more or visit www.laserthings.com.au/pages/videos

p. +61 3 9770 4910 e. sales@laserthings.com.au

www.LaserThings.com.au

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ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING

CNC Design – Inside the Virtual Smart Factory Designing and building some of the biggest 3D printing machines in the Southern Hemisphere, CNC Design has now established its Virtual Smart Factory (VSF): a versatile gantry-based additive manufacturing system to produce large parts for industries such as construction, mining, entertainment, aerospace and defence.

Founded in 1984, CNC Design is a leader in motion control and drive-based solutions throughout Australia, New Zealand and South-East Asia, and has established itself as one of the world’s foremost specialists in developing and retrofitting CNC machinery.

CNC Design is based in Nunawading, Victoria, and in the last few years the company has been building and supplying very large volume 3D printing and machining systems for thermoplastics, concrete, and wax.

In addition, CNC Design is the exclusive representative for Siemens machine tool products in Australia and South-East Asia, and has partnerships with Güdel and Comau. The company has an extensive service, sales and engineering network in the Asia-Pacific region, with more than 175 people located in its offices in Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. The team at CNC Design has completed more 2,500 projects in 30 countries.

Big area additive manufacturing Drawing on its extensive experience in CNC systems and gantryrobot technologies, CNC Design developed its Virtual Smart Factory (VSF) range of big area additive manufacturing (BAAM) machines at its R&D centre for additive and machining technologies in Melbourne, with the machines assembled in its Thailand facility. CNC Design has already supplied some of the largest additive manufacturing machines in the world, making parts up to 30m in length.

The VSF is a flexible solution for the additive manufacturing of large parts that are commonly used in construction, aerospace, mining, defence, and other industries. Applications that CNC Design’s technology has been involved with to date have included: •

Printing of moulds for thermoforming.

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Printing and machining of moulds for the leisure sector, including for recreational vehicles (RVs), sculptures and art pieces for theme parks.

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Moulds for pre-casting concrete and glass-reinforced concrete (GRC) parts for the architectural and construction industry.

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Making tools for composite and fibreglass industries, covering different types of resin transfer moulding (RTM) and infusion moulding, with the potential to be used in several other industries.

Process and materials CNC Design’s giant VSF Composite printer boasts a number of advanced features, including: •

Multi-temperature zone extruder (patented) for melting and extrusion with servo motor control for high dynamic performance and throughputs up to 220kg/hr

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Nozzle rotation unit with temperature-controlled roller to flatten and compress print bead for maximum bonding strength.

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Vacuum pellet drying and conveying system with high performance and energy efficiency for continuous printing.

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Axis print speeds up to 20m/min with rapid axis speeds of up to 60m/min.

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Changeable nozzles from 3mm to 30mm in diameter.

•

Thermal control of the print process for optimum print speed and quality

The VSF pellet-based 3D printer is currently available in three sizes: the smallest model comes with a 19mm screw diameter print head, which deposits up to 12kg per hour (based on reinforced

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CNC Design’s Virtual Smart Factory (VSF) can print in a wide range of thermoplastic fibre reinforced materials.

ABS material). The next level up is the 30mm screw diameter print head which puts out up to 70kg per hour of material with a typical bead that is 16mm by 4.5mm. The biggest print head comes with a 60mm screw diameter, which gives it an output capacity of 220kg per hour with the bead width of 50mm and height of 15mm. In between sizes can be manufactured depending on the customer application requirement.

CNC Design’s VSF system is compatible with a wide range of printing materials, covering amorphous and semi crystalline polymers, with melting temperatures up to 400 degrees Celsius. Depending on the application, there are a wide range of reinforcement fibres available including glass, carbon, Kevlar and basalt fibre, plus hemp and other bio-based fibres. Printing nano composites will be the next area that the R&D team at CNC design are focusing on, which will be thermoplastic composites with additives/fillers like graphene, clay, carbon nanotubes and other nano materials with interesting and unique properties. Some of the materials that have been used by customers to date include: •

ABS reinforced with 30% glass fibre. This material offers light weight coupled with various useful mechanical properties such as impact resistance, toughness, rigidity when compared with other common polymers, and high dimensional stability.

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ABS reinforced with 20% carbon fibre. This material is lightweight and has good mechanical properties including impact resistance, toughness, rigidity compared with other common polymers, and high dimensional stability.

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Polycarbonate reinforced with glass or carbon fibre at 20%.

This offers temperature resistance and is intrinsically flame retardant, with high impact resistance, dimensional stability, and abrasion resistance.

ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING

Composite moulds made with 3D printing and five-axis high-speed milling in the VSF Composite cell.

Construction using 3D printing combines digital building information modelling (BIM) technology with additive manufacturing techniques to allow free-form construction.

to a significant saving in time and labour. Another unique feature of this building was that a tenth of the printed material consists of recycled materials.

In 2019, Witteveen+Bos used CNC Design’s VSF Prefab Concrete Printer to set up an apartment module printing station at the Singapore Housing & Development Board (HDB)’s Centre of Building Research.

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Thermoplastic vulcanisate (TPV). Combining the characteristics of vulcanised rubber with the processing properties of thermoplastics, this also offers good sealing and resistance to heat and fluids.

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Ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA). This features good lowtemperature properties, good clarity and gloss, lowtemperature toughness, stress-crack resistance, and resistance to UV radiation.

CNC Design continues to undertake research into a range of other materials for future applications.

Projects Siam Cement Group (SCG) is one of the largest cement and building materials companies in South-East Asia. In late 2020, SCG 3D printed a 102sqm building in Thailand using CNC Design’s VSF Onsite Concrete printer. The VSF Onsite Concrete printer is designed to be easily relocatable while retaining high speed and precision for printing. This allowed SCG to print intricate textured surfaces on the walls of structures it was constructing. Using conventional methods, this would have required complex moulds and formwork to achieve a similar design. Additionally, the construction of the wall took around five days and required five operators, which amounted

Another client of CNC Design is Witteveen+Bos, which is a frontrunner in the implementation of concrete 3D printing in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry and a pioneer in the development, design and engineering of 3D printed concrete structures. Singapore Housing & Development Board (HDB) is a public housing authority and is responsible for the development of 81% of the housing in Singapore. In 2019, Witteveen+Bos used CNC Design’s VSF Prefab Concrete Printer to set up an apartment module printing station at the HDB Centre of Building Research in Singapore. For Witteveen+Bos, this milestone proved the viability of its efforts in the field of 3D printing for construction. The VSF Concrete Printing System enables printing of unique concrete elements up to 9m long, 3.5m wide and 3.8m tall. Globally, there is a great demand for housing, and concrete 3D printing could help to meet these demands.

Currently, the design and fabrication of concrete building elements using the conventional method of precast production is timeconsuming and requires high labour content. Besides, the moulds used in the construction will be discarded, resulting in material wastage. Construction using 3D printing, on the other hand, combines digital building information modelling (BIM) technology with additive manufacturing techniques to allow free-form construction without the need for moulds or forms, thereby reducing the environmental burden of material waste. The method also opens new opportunities for creating geometric forms that would be near impossible to create with traditional methods.

The VSF concept has been applied to machining, handling and additive manufacturing not only for concrete, but also for wax, foam, high-temperature plastics and composites. The VSF system uses the Sinumerik One CNC controller, which is the flagship control system from Siemens, with its ability to handle multiple technologies and multiple operations from a single system. Coupling the Sinumerik One with Güdel three-axis cartesian gantry modules as the mechanical platform allows CNC Design to make VSF machines that can be scaled up to 70m in the X axis, 6m in the Y axis, and up to 3.2m in the Z axis. The VSF system is also available in the form of 6-axis industrial robots combined with linear track motion for smaller print volumes. www.cncdesign.com.au www.virtualsmartfactory.com

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Team Penske creates winning results with additive manufacturing Using 3D printing solutions from Stratasys, Team Penske turns ideas into reality – ready for the racetrack.

In automotive racing, Team Penske is synonymous with winning.

Its legacy has been forged by the leadership of founder Roger Penske and a team of individuals and partners dedicated to producing champions. Hundreds of race wins, pole positions and scores of national championships accentuate their commitment to excellence.

However, for Team Penske, achieving that kind of performance means constantly asking how things can be done better, and technology is a cornerstone of that cause.

“Technology plays a big role in racing today.”

Those are the words of Team Penske President, Tim Cindric.

According to Cindric, technology isn’t invented at the racetrack but rather, it’s demonstrated there.

One technology that Team Penske has fully embraced is additive manufacturing. Using Stratasys 3D printing solutions, Team Penske turns ideas into racetrack reality much more quickly than previously possible. Highlighting its impact in race strategy preparation, Cindric adds: “It gives us more ideas of what’s possible.”

That’s understandable since for Team Penske, manufacturing solutions cover a lot of ground.

Team Penske’s Production Manager Matt Gimbel discusses the installation of a 3D printed rearview mirror housing.

additive

“When we first started using 3D printing in the early 2000s, we were mainly using it to support our wind tunnel model program,” says Matt Gimbel, Production Manager at Team Penske . “Since then, it’s evolved into many different things. It’s evolved into jigs and fixtures, washout tooling in our composites department, and race car components.”

Time pervades every aspect of Team Penske’s world, from IndyCar lap times to how long it takes an engineer’s idea to become reality.

One of additive manufacturing’s most valuable qualities is the ability to quickly vet those ideas through a print-and-adjust design approach.

“We’re trying to ... update these cars as fast as possible,” says Andrew Miller, Composites Engineer at Team Penske. “Being able to 3D print components, we can quickly run through multiple iterations and it saves a lot of time.”

Gimbel adds: “If we can’t get things done as quickly as we need to, then we’re losing to another team that can get their improvements to the race track faster. 3D printing allows us to take those ideas and turn them into actual parts, parts that maybe couldn’t even be made by any other manufacturing methods, and get them to the race track.”

In addition to speed, both FDM and PolyJet additive solutions provide the accuracy and reliability that’s needed.

“When we’re producing components, we’re very confident in the design and the capability that these designs are providing, which enable us to get to the track a lot faster,” says Miller.

Pinpointing the greatest value of 3D printing for Team Penske is challenging, given its scope of use. But if you ask Gimbel, it’s the ability to use parts right off the printer for their race cars. He cites the development of a carbon monoxide filter that feeds fresh air to the driver as an example.

“The new design was originally intended to be made in carbon fibre,” he says. “But once we printed the parts and did our testing, we realised that not only is this a great design but the material that the part was made in was actually good enough to be raced in the race car.”

Although additive manufacturing isn’t a new technology for Team Penske, Gimbel thinks they’ve only scratched the surface.

“The future for 3D printing in the racing industry has a long runway and it’s really wide open. I don’t think anyone really knows what the full potential of 3D printing is,” says Gimbel.

Cindric sums the experience up this way: “Typically, all of our competitors end up with the same solution at some point in time.

But we need to be on to the next solution, and Stratasys helps us get to the next solution quicker.

“This technology allows us to use the least amount of time to take an idea and put it on the racetrack in the most reliable and efficient way.”

Team Penske made this carbon fibre part using a 3D-printed layup tool.

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www.objective3d.com.au www.stratasys.com www.teampenske.com

ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING

QUT: Running shoe material inspires 3D-printed design to protect buildings from impact damage A material used in running shoes and memory foam pillows has inspired the design of a 3D-printed product that could help protect buildings from collision damage and other high impact forces, equivalent to a car travelling at 60km per hour.

Dr Tatheer Zahra from the QUT Centre for Materials Science and QUT School of Civil and Environmental Engineering used off-the-shelf bioplastic to 3D print geometric shapes that mimic the behaviour of auxetic materials.

“Rather than flattening when stretched or bulging when compressed, auxetic materials expand or contract in all directions at once, which makes them highly energy-absorbent and load resistant,” Dr Zahra said. “But existing commercial auxetic material is expensive and not locally available, so I designed geometric shapes that achieved the same behaviour.”

Dr Zahra said 3D printing auxetic geometries could potentially replace steel and fibre-reinforced polymer mesh reinforcements in composites, and could also be used as a flexible and widely applicable protective wall render. She said the energy absorption would be equivalent to a 20mm thick reinforced composite protective render over a full-scale building wall, which could potentially withstand the impact force of a car travelling at 60km/hr.

“At scale, composites embedded with these geometries could theoretically resist high impact or shock energy caused by gas explosions, earthquakes and wind forces, and car collisions. In Australia, there’s an estimated 2,000 vehicular crashes each year.

Direct building damage cost at 2.5% would put the damage bill at about $38.65m/year for housing.

“Since vehicles also crash into apartments, office buildings, restaurants and convenience stores, this cost of building damage would probably be higher. Loss of life would be the highest cost.”

Dr Zahra said protection for masonry walls was especially important because it was an essential part of most commercial and residential buildings. “Masonry is a very cheap material that is resilient to noise, heat, and has better fire protection properties compared to wood or steel, but its mortar joints weaken the overall structural strength. If auxetic geometries were embedded into the mortar to make protective composites, they would also be protected from microorganisms and temperatures over 60°C, and should last the design life of the structure.”

Proven at lab scale, Dr Zahra now aims to test the designs on full scale masonry and concrete structures at the QUT Banyo Pilot Plant.

“The designs would be good prospects for commercialisation through additive manufacturing because the production process is flexible and materials are readily available,” Dr Zahra said. “3D printing would also allow us to change the material, size or design of geometric shapes to suit different structures and load requirements.” www.qut.edu.au

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Craft Health: 3D printing tablets with ViscoTec Based in Singapore, Craft Health Private Limited has acquired a vipro-HEAD 5 print head from ViscoTec in its 3D printers for the 3D printing of its nutraceutical and pharmaceutical products.

Craft Health is a healthcare research & development company committed to 3D-printed personalised healthcare. When it began looking for an accurate and precise print head for the manufacturing of personalised tablets, it came across ViscoTec. The solution that it needed had to comply with any regulatory requirement for manufacturing of nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals.

The ViscoTec print head vipro-HEAD convinced with its technology: using the endless-piston principle, it is possible to achieve accurate and precise dosing of Craft Blends – a proprietary mixture of different GRAS excipients for 3D printing and various controlled release profiles.

Other advantages of ViscoTec are the stepper motor version in the print head, that allows easy integration to already existing gantry systems for 3D printing. Moreover, the wetted and non-wetted surfaces can be clearly separated and cleaned accordingly. To meet the requirements of Craft Health, the wetted surfaces of the viproHEAD were customised and refabricated using SS316L material to comply with FDA regulations.

Dr Seng Han Lim is the co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Craft Health. He discussed his company’s adoption of the viproHEAD as part of its production processes.

AMT: Can you please describe what it was you needed when you began this process?

Outside view of the Craft Health 3D printer including the ViscoTec print head.

Seng Han Lim: Our Craft Blends must be printed in the desired volume or geometry based on the individual requirements of the active ingredient. We are using multiple print heads, and so the Craft Blends containing different active ingredients can also be combined onto a single tablet, depending on an individual’s requirement.

Different Craft Blends can also be employed to control the rate of release of active ingredients into the body.

Hence, a unique and personalised tablet can be 3D printed for the individual, considering the combination, type, dose, and release profile of active ingredients required. The end product is a personalised tablet for the individual, for both nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals.

AMT: What were the challenges with this particular application?

SHL: The precision and accuracy of dosing during 3D printing is the main challenge due to the compressive nature of paste or semisolids being used. With controlled extrusion and retraction function, the Vipro HEAD 5 allows precise and accurate dosing of the material being 3D printed, allowing the final product to be of high uniformity.

Reusability of the print head is also difficult if the wetted surfaces are hard to clean or consist of materials that are reactive, absorptive, or additive. The limits of printing according to our experience in the past were the accuracy and the precision of dosing

The 3D printing process of the personalised tablets.

AMT: How did ViscoTec meet your requirements?

SHL: ViscoTec was totally open to the modification of the wetted surface materials of their 3D print head to an FDA compliant SS316L material. And the established endless piston technology allows us to achieve exactly the accurate and precise dosing of the printing material we have been searching for. So ViscoTec made it possible for us to get a print head that can comply with FDA requirements of being non-reactive, non-absorptive and non-additive on the one hand. And on the other hand, we received an accurate and precise print head for 3D printing of personalised tablets.

Melvyn Teo, the Managing Director of ViscoTec Asia, and his team, were open and supportive to new ideas on modifications to comply with any regulatory requirement for manufacturing of nutraceutical or pharmaceutical. ViscoTec Asia was also very prompt in technical or other administrative supports.

The ViscoTec vipro-HEAD print head in two different sizes.

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www.viscotec-asia.com www.crafthealth.me

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Machining superalloys requires super-effectiveness Superalloys have become one of the most widely used engineering materials for a long time due to their hightemperature strength and corrosion resistance. However, their poor machinability poses challenges for manufacturers.

Superalloys – metal alloys which reflect their complex alloyed structure – feature extremely high elevated temperature strength, and therefore often are referred to as high-temperature superalloys (HTSA) or heat-resistant superalloys (HRSA).

The history of superalloys started with the development of gas-turbine engines that required reliable materials for high operating temperature ranges. As a result of intensive research and progress in metallurgy, modern superalloys provide a long service life for working temperatures more than 1,000 deg.C. Understandably, the largest superalloy consumers today are aerospace and marine engine producers. Superalloys are also very common in the medical industry, which effectively use them for prosthetic implants in orthopedic surgery. In addition, superalloys have become widespread in power generation and the oil & gas industries as crucial materials for essential parts of various devices.

A jet engine blisk machined with Iscar’s CutGrip systems. Superalloys are key materials for turbojet and turboprop engines of modern aircraft.

pressure cooling (HPC), minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) and even cryogenic cooling has successfully been introduced.

This has taken the productivity of machining superalloys to a new level.

However, as in the case of titanium alloys, the key element for improving the productivity of superalloy machining is a cutting tool that directly removes material layers from a workpiece that produces chips. A cutting tool features the tool material and its geometry, which determines the tool’s success or its failure.

Exceptional high-temperature strength and corrosion resistance are the undeniable advantages of superalloys. However, there are two sides to the coin: superalloys are not only highly priced, but their machinability is poor, which can pose challenges to manufacturing.

The specific cutting force that characterises the resistance of the material to chip removal and defines the mechanical load on a cutting tool is high for superalloys. Although the main difficulty is heat, superalloys have poor thermal conductivity. Elemental and loose chips, which are generally generated when machining superalloys, do not provide adequate heat dissipation from the cutting zone. A tendency to work hardening makes the situation worse.

Manufacturers deal with various superalloy workpieces: cast, wrought, sintered, and so on. The workpiece fabrication methods also have an impact on machinability.

For example, the abrasiveness of forged workpieces is higher than cast ones and substantially lower in comparison with sintered workpieces.

Consequently, a cutting tool is under significant thermal and mechanical load, which dramatically reduces tool life.

Therefore, in machining superalloys, the cutting speed directly connected with the heat generation during chip removal is considerably lower when compared to other common engineering materials such as steel or cast iron. The direct result of the cutting speed limitation is poor

AMT FEB 2022

Iscar’s recently introduced M3M (left) and F3M (right) chipbreakers for ISO standardised turning inserts, designed specifically for ISO S and ISO M groups of application.

Machining a femoral knee implant component with a Multi-Master endmill and exchangeable taper barrel head.

productivity. Hence, overcoming machining difficulties and increasing productivity are the main challenges for the manufacturer of superalloy parts.

According to ISO 513 standard, superalloys – together with titanium alloys – relate to the ISO S group application. Depending on the prevailing element, superalloys are divided into three types: iron (Fe), nickel (Ni) and cobalt (Co) based alloys. Machinability drops in the specified order; from the ironbased alloys, which can be compared with austenitic stainless steel, to cobalt-based alloys that represent the most hard-to-cut materials in the group.

Increasing the efficiency of machining superalloys has become the focus of various scientific research and technological improvements. Their result was a significant advance in producing superalloy components. Manufacturing has effectively embraced new machining strategies and innovative methods of cutting coolant supply, such as high-

Today, coated cemented carbides are the most common materials for cutting tools for machining superalloys. The development of a carbide grade, in which strength and wear resistance will be mutually complemented is a tricky process that requires an appropriate carbide substrate, coating composition, and coating method.

To the amazement of those who believe that the breakthrough possibilities in this direction are almost exhausted, cutting tool producers continue to create new effective carbide grades. Additionally, in machining superalloys, ceramics – another tool material that enables substantially increased cutting speeds – are already in active use.

If tool materials are connected mostly with material sciences and metallurgy, cutting geometry is more in the tool design field.

Ensuring high-performance geometry requires deep engineering knowledge and technology skills. On the one hand, to minimise heat generation and work hardening, a positive rake angle, a large enough clearance angle, and a sharp cutting edge are needed. On the other hand, such a shape weakens the cutting edge that should withstand a considerable

CUTTING TOOLS

The new benchmark in production metrology.

By Alicona.

That´ s metrology!

mechanical load. Therefore, the correct designed cutting-edge condition becomes a critical success factor.

Sintered carbide inserts have the advantage of enabling complex chip forming and chip breaking shapes for insert rake faces. Today, computer modeling of chip formation and pressing processes using finite element methods provide an effective tool to optimise the shapes that are already in the design stage. In solid endmills, a variable pitch design results in improved vibration strength. Cutting edges of these endmills are produced by grinding operations, and to eliminate flaking and edge defects, strict adherence to technological process requirements is highly important.

Cutting tool manufacturers such as Iscar pay a lot of attention to improving their product portfolios intended for machining superalloys.

Iscar’s carbide grade IC806, which was introduced over the last few years for face grooving superalloys and austenitic stainless steel, was successfully adopted

by Iscar’s threading and deep drilling lines.

This grade has a hard submicron substrate and PVD TiAlN/AlTiN coating with postcoating treatment according to Iscar’s Sumo Tec technology. IC806 provides notable resistance to flaking and chipping and maintains reliable and repeatable results.

In machining superalloys by solid carbide endmills and exchangeable heads, grade IC902, which combines ultra-fine grain substrate and nano-layer PVD TiAlN coating, ensures extremely high wear resistance and prolongs tool life. This

grade has demonstrated very good results in producing devices for replacement knee and hip joints that are made from difficultto-cut cobalt-chrome alloys.

Iscar has significantly extended the range of products for ISO S applications made from various cutting ceramics such as silicon nitride, SiAlON, and whisker-reinforced grades. The newly introduced ceramic items have replenished both indexable inserts and solid endmills.

The latest rake face designs F3M and F3P for ISO standard turning inserts are intended specifically for hard-to-machine austenitic stainless steel and superalloys.

Their positive rake-angle geometry reduces the cutting force and ensures smooth cutting action, while the set of deflectors on the rake face improves chip control.

www.alicona.com

Milling cutters with indexable round inserts from ceramics provide considerably increased cutting speeds for higher productivity.

µCMM is the first purely optical 3D coordinate measuring machine.

As a user, you measure dimension, position, shape as well as roughness of complex components and tight tolerances with only one sensor.

Length measurement deviation: E=(0.8+L/600) µm.

In ceramic double-sided inserts for turning and milling tools, Iscar has added new chamfered and combined (chamfered and rounded) cutting-edge condition options for tough applications.

Iscar has enriched the range of solutions intended for high-pressure cooling by new indexable cutter bodies and tool holders.

For example, thermal shrink chucks with polygonal taper shanks, which have coolant jet channels along the central bore, have been replenished by the toolholder product line.

The need for increased productivity in machining superalloys is a continuous challenge for cutting tool manufacturers, and new effective tool developments are likely to come in the near future.

Available in Australia @Met Optix, Web: www.metoptix.com.au Phone: 1300 363 409

www.iscar.com.au

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Walter presents Tiger·tec Gold for milling and drilling Walter has released its new Tiger·tec Gold PVD grade WSP45G, a cutting tool material that it claims pushes the boundaries of coating technology in terms of application, performance and materials.

In addition to their compatibility with Xtra·tec XT, Walter BLAXX and M4000 milling cutters systems, Tiger·tec Gold PVD indexable inserts can also be used in Walter indexable insert drills such as the D4120. This now makes these tools not only suitable for ISO P steels but also difficult-to-cut materials from the ISO S and M material groups.

According to Walter, the multilayer coating system is the only one of its kind in the world. The new TiAlN-Al2O3 multilayer coating makes the WSP45G hard with additional toughness and therefore tremendously resistant to abrasive wear and high temperatures. A special mechanical post-treatment process improves resistance to thermal cracks and fracture and protects the cutting edge from micro-spalling. The light gold-coloured ZrN top-coat of the multilayer system makes it easier to detect wear and therefore, improves process reliability. Unused cutting edges are reliably identified and this makes it possible to exhaust the full potential of the indexable insert.

Potential fields of application for the new Tiger·tec Gold PVD grade include demanding machining tasks such as the cutting of heat-resistant alloys and materials with difficult cutting properties. The new Tiger·tec Gold PVD grade also excels in challenging conditions such as interrupted cutting. In the case of milling, the new Tiger·tec Gold PVD grade is also suitable for challenging applications such as long overhang machining or the machining of parts with delicate clamping arrangements, while indexable drilling, inclined entry and exit machining operations will benefit from the new grade.

Depending on the material and application, the new Tiger·tec Gold PVD grade achieves performance improvements of up to 75% in ISO P materials and average gains of 47% in ISO P, M and S materials. Whether it is the machining of turbochargers in cast steel, fasteners and chassis parts in titanium or components in nickel-based alloys as encountered in the automotive, energy and aerospace industries, the WSP45G grade offers an impressive process improvement solution. www.walter-tools.com

Milling expansion for difficult-to-machine materials Dormer Pramet has launched a new generation of solid carbide five-flute end mills, specifically for dynamic milling in general machining and die and mould applications.

The company’s S7 assortment covers a wide range of operations in a variety of steels, cast irons and difficult-to-machine materials, including stainless steels and super-alloys. These latest additions, S770HB, S771HB, S772HB and S773HB, offer increased feed rates up to 25%, compared with four-flute cutters. All feature a positive rake angle for smooth cutting action and to reduce the risk of workhardening. An AlCrN coating provides thermal stability, reduced friction, excellent wear resistance and prolonged durability, while a small corner radius and cuttingedge design gives a stable performance and prolonged tool life.

The S771HB and S773HB cutters are suitable for narrow pocketing, trochoidal slotting and profiling applications. These end mills include a chip divider to break swarf into manageable smaller pieces, helping to reduce spindle load and increase metal removal rates. This provides a 50% bigger width of cut compared to tools without a chip divider. A neck recess helps avoid contact with the wall in shoulder operations, while through coolant improves welding resistance and enables a wide range of processes, especially for difficultto-machine materials. The S770HB and

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S772HB are more suitable for profiling, trochoidal slotting, and semi-finishing applications, offering maximum productivity due to optimal metal removal rate and reduced machining time. Meanwhile, Dormer Pramet has added three multiapplication high-performance cutters within its S7 range for use on both CNC and conventional machine tools. The new additions – S722HB, S765HB and S768 – support most common operations, such as slotting, plunging, contour milling, ramping and copy milling in various materials, including medium strength steels, stainless steels and super alloys.

These four-flute cutters have a specific tooth design for improved chip evacuation.

The AlCrN and Titanium Silicon Nitride

(TiSiN) coatings support longer tool life, higher cutting speeds and increased heat resistance, making them ideal for dry machining.

Finally, Dormer Pramet has added a new solid carbide cutter to enhance its assortment of end mills for hardened steel above 49HRC. The S561 is specifically for high performance milling in a variety of applications, including die and mould machining. This four-flute end mill features a specific tooth design for improved chip evacuation. A sharp cutter for hardened steel (52-70HRC), the S561 offers excellent surface finishing, while a gash land design helps to improve strength and chipping resistance. www.dormerpramet.com

CUTTING TOOLS

WIDIA launches versatile M1600 face milling platform WIDIA has announced the release of the M1600 face mill for roughing to semifinishing 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, WIDIA Indexable Milling Global Portfolio Manager.

“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.”

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 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 ‘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

FIX8 – Heavy-duty turning with eight cutting edges per insert Kennametal has released the FIX8 heavy-duty turning system, delivering maximum metal removal rates. The FIX8 turning system increases productivity of any heavy-duty turning operation, providing the lowest cost per edge while reducing cutting forces up to 15%.

“FIX8 is designed to cover a wide range of applications, including turning and facing, smooth surfaces, interrupted, and heavily interrupted cuts,” says Matthew Fuerst, Product Manager at Kennametal. “From medium depth-of-cut to roughing in steels, cast iron, and challenging materials like stainless steel, FIX8 handles it all. Even extreme feed rates of up to 1.4mm and depths of cut up to 12mm are possible with FIX8.” The tangential design of the FIX8 insert features a rigid clamping system that pulls the insert securely into the pocket seat, offering superior stability that enables the insert to withstand large cutting forces and vibrations for optimal performance. The insert is also supported by a replaceable carbide shim, protecting

the pocket against deformation and damage. The FIX8 tool holder features precision 3D coolant technology, supplying sufficient coolant precisely where needed.

Three coolant nozzles are directed to the rake face, controlling temperature, chip evacuation, and supporting chip formation.

Coolant exit holes in two different locations are directed toward the flank of the insert, controlling the heat in the cutting zone and prolonging tool life. FIX8 provides excellent chip control for any heavy-duty turning application while increasing tool life. The insert design reduces cutting forces and power consumption, making it ideal for any low horsepower lathe. www.kennametal.com

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Advanced roughing strategies – Faster through optimised toolpaths Toolpath optimisation, through the use of CAM systems, has been commonplace for decades. In the last 10 years, shops have begun to pair that capability with relatively new machining strategies and specially designed milling tools to optimise rough-machining operations. By Rob Mulders.

Dynamic milling or advanced roughing are typical descriptions of this time- and cost-saving strategy. These CAM-based strategies are ones that centre on a cutting tool’s arc of contact and its average chip load. By adapting the tool’s arc of contact via its CAMgenerated toolpath, roughing speeds are increased, effectively controlling process temperature, applying higher feeds per tooth, and increasing depths of cut to significantly shorten overall part machining cycle times – all without placing any additional strain on machine tool spindles.

Arc of contact and thermal load in relation to cutting speeds A cutting tool’s arc of contact is an independent variable that influences thermal load on the tool and is the key to optimised roughing operations. The maximum arc of contact on any tool is 180 degrees (its diameter). At a full arc of contact, the radial cutting depth (or cutting width) is the same as the cutter diameter, and represented by ae (radial depth of cut) = Dc (cutter diameter).

In adapting the arc of contact, shops can reduce the heat generated during roughing. As radial depth of cut decreases, so does a cutter’s arc of contact. A smaller amount of contact results in less time in cut and, therefore, less heat between the tool’s cutting edges and the workpiece. What occurs at the same time is the tool’s cutting edges have more time to cool from the time they exit the cut, revolve and re-enter the cut. These lower machining temperatures, in turn, allow for increased cutting speeds and shorter cycle times.

based rough-machining strategies, it is this tooling that addresses the key issue of chip control along with necessary flute and length requirements.

•

Classic roughing. Jabro-HPM (high-performance machining) cutters are specifically designed to rough machine at their full arc of contact and take heavy depths of cut for extremely high-volume material removal applications. These cutters feature special geometries for high performance in specific materials.

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All-round machining. To cover a wider range of workpiece materials, Seco has developed the geometries of its JabroSolid² 500 series of cutters and the JSE560 series has been developed specifically for optimising rough-machining strategies while respecting the all-round material focus. In the JS560 series, features have been added to provide extra stability and reduce tool deflection, while at the same time secure material removal is guaranteed.

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Dynamic milling / advanced roughing specific geometries.

For deep pocket and 3D shape advanced roughing/dynamic milling, tool lengths are typically between three and four times diameter. Since the demand is increasingly present, especially in more challenging materials such as stainless steel and titanium alloys, Seco has also developed the advanced roughing, multi-flute series, JS720. This tool is an excellent choice to utilise the full CAM and machine potential while at the same time guaranteeing a secured advanced roughing process.

Average chip thickness and physical load A cutting tool’s average chip thickness is based on physical load and maintained through a combination of feed per tooth and arc of contact adjustments. Because chip thickness constantly changes during cutting, the industry uses the term average chip thickness (hm). A full 180-degree arc of contact will generate the thickest chips at the centre of the cutter’s width. So, a smaller arc of contact – less than 90 degrees (ⱷe, engagement angle) – reduces the chip thickness and allows for increased feed per tooth (fz) as a compensation.

For example, consider a 10mm diameter cutter slotting (full arc of contact), at 50% of its full arc of contact (5mm), the cutter is generating its largest average chip thickness/heaviest physical load.

In the first 90 degrees the cutter is up-milling until a maximum chip thickness (fz) is reached and continues with the second 90 degrees in down-milling where the chip thickness decreases again to 0. If, for example, the ae drops (ae < 0.5xDc) to 1mm (10%), average chip thickness will become smaller, allowing faster roughing by applying increased fz. While the cutter removes less material, it does so much faster.

Also, there is less tool and machine spindle strain generated when compared to taking heavier radial cuts at slower feed rates. In dynamic milling roughing applications, a lower AEMX (radial depth of cut) also allows for an increased APMX (axial depth of cut) for even faster material removal.

Cutter designs for optimised roughing While most cutting tool suppliers offer products designed for specific materials, others such as Seco Tools also develop tool geometries for advanced machining methods. In the case of CAM-

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When a consistent arc of contact is maintained, end mills typically develop a more evenly distributed wear on their flutes. This results in much more predictable tool life. However, long cutters produce equally long chips that can be difficult to evacuate from cutting zones and from the machine tool.

To create chips that are smaller and more manageable, both Seco’s all-round advanced roughing geometry JS564 and specific ISO M&S advanced roughing geometry JS720 cutter designs feature chip splitters. These are tiny grooves on the tool’s cutting edges and reliefs. The grooves spaced apart at a distance equal to 1 X DC (cutting diameter). So a 40mm-long, 10mm-diameter cutter would produce chips no longer than 10mm that are quickly evacuated from the cut zone and eliminate the risk of jamming machine tool chip conveyor belt.

CUTTING TOOLS

Rules of thumb when dynamic milling •

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Arc of contact and flute count. When applying a small arc of contact, the more flutes a cutter has, the faster it can feed and the higher the productivity. Feed speed equals the number of cutter flutes, multiplied by feed per tooth, multiplied by spindle speed. While roughing cutters typically are considered to have, at most, four flutes, Seco’s offering consists of four, five and multi-flute geometries. When the process is controlled and the machining strategy allows relatively small radial depths of cut, the use of these multi-flute tools can be a massive efficiency gain.

Complex part shapes. In straight-line machining paths (side milling), the arc of contact, once set, remains unchanged.

However, with a more complex part shape, such as one that includes inside and outside radii, inconsistencies arise concerning the set arc of contact. When a cutter finishes a straight cut and engages an inside radius/corner, its arc of contact will increase, meaning cutting parameters no longer coincide with the current arc of contact. If toolpaths fail to adjust for these situations, the results will be chatter, vibration, and even cutter breakage.

Toolpaths and tool-diameter to part dimension ratio. Today’s CAM packages offer toolpath strategies specifically for inside/ outside radii shapes where changing arcs of contact occur along with conventional toolpaths. These software packages automatically apply different feeds to control the arc of contact and keep chip loads consistent. To maintain arc of contact, these CAM packages employ (similar to) trochoidal machining and peel milling techniques when entering a radius or more narrow area in the part. Next to the chosen toolpaths, the CAM packages often reduce L movement significantly to even further reduce cycle times. When using an optimised roughing toolpath and maintaining a consistent arc of contact, the cutter’s radius can match that of the inside radius being cut without risk of cutter overload, grabbing or overcutting. This capability allows shops to remove more stock in the roughing pass, thus reducing the amount of stock the finish pass has to cut – all of which translates to faster machining cycle times.

Workpiece material. Optimised roughing strategies also apply to specific workpiece materials. Seco has conducted extensive testing with steel, stainless steel, cast iron, titanium, aluminium, and steels with hardnesses up to 48 HRc. Seco typically recommends that shops first apply a 10% to 15% AEMX to the diameter ratio for normal materials (P1,2,3,4,M2, K2), and a 5% AEMX for the more tough-to-machine materials (S2, S12, M4, P12, H7). Seco has established optimised speed and feed data for these specific arcs of contact and these can be generated with the help of Seco’s cutting data software. Shops can apply increased amounts of ae than is recommended, but then cutting speed, along with feed per tooth, should be reduced gradually.

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Coolant. When roughing strategies are applied to difficultto-cut materials such as stainless steel and titanium, coolant should be applied to the complete length of the cutter – top, middle and end. Cooling the complete cutting edge is important. When cutting steel and cast iron, shops should use compressed air at maximum pressure to blow chips away.

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Controls & CAM. Most advanced roughing or dynamic milling programs must be generated externally, not via the machine controls. Often CAM suppliers offer add-ons or additional modules that allow toolpath optimisation. When programming at a machine, shops can manually enter arc of contact data that Seco has established, but only for simple straight-line roughing operations or fixed trochoidal cycles.

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Field tests. One Seco customer experienced the benefits of optimised roughing strategies and toolpaths for an automotive component. Not only did the shop slash overall part cycle time from 8.5 minutes to 1.1 minute, it also boosted tool life from 80 parts to 250 parts per cutter.

Arc of contact and average chip thickness are keys to optimised rough-machining operations. Through special CAM software packages specifically for toolpath optimisation and dynamic milling methods, today’s manufacturers can manipulate/control a cutting tool’s arc of contact and maintain consistent loads. In so doing, they effectively control process temperature, apply higher cutting speeds and feeds per tooth and take increased depths of cut to significantly shorten overall part machining cycle times.

However, manufacturers must keep in mind that optimised roughing requires the right CAM packages for external programming.

And while most cutting tool suppliers offer products for specific materials, few develop tool geometries for the particular advanced machining cycles and tool paths required.

With the right cutter and those dynamic cycles, manufacturers can increase metal removal rates by as much as 500% when compared with traditional machining methods.

Rob Mulders is Product Manager – Solid End Mills at Seco Tools. www.secotools.com/au

Machine. Lighter machines, normally unable to handle heavy roughing cuts, can simply reduce the arc of contact and use a trochoidal machining path now. Doing so reduces cutting forces and lessens the need for high machine power, yet still generates high productivity results by applying large depths of cut. While doing so potential large investments can be saved and roughing cycles can be executed on the existing machinery.

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STATE SPOTLIGHT

TASMANIA

Ignite Digi – From Hobart to the world Tasmanian high-quality specialist company Ignite Digi manufactures and sells premium camera and gimbal accessories to many of the world’s biggest film and television productions including Disney’s Mulan, Deadpool 2, Marvel’s Venom, A Star is Born, HBO’s True Detective and many film, television and Netflix programs.

Crafted by industry professionals for industry professionals, Ignite Digi’s products work in tandem with leading professional-level cameras to unlock their full potential with enormous time saving benefits for users throughout the world. The entire accessory and cable range is designed, manufactured and assembled in a stateof-the art facility in Hobart, Tasmania, with exports representing more than 95% of the company’s sales.

Established in 2013 by cinematographer Tom Waugh and aeronautical engineer/gimbal operator Chris Fox, Ignite Digi was originally formed to provide aerial cinematography services including building unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and camera support systems for camera set-ups to enhance footage and productivity on set during film and television productions. The founders combined their skills, with Fox’s experience in engineering and camera movement complementing his role as chief engineer and machinist, while Waugh’s advanced knowledge in cinematography and problem solving have proven ideal for his role as managing Ignite Digi’s sales, customer service and solving complex questions to ensure the right tools are on hand for the task.

With the introduction of cheaper UAVs and drones into the market, Waugh and Fox realised they were no longer competitive in building UAVs and concentrated their development skills in the design and advanced development of a range of gimbal and high-end camera cables and accessories, which have been developed from a gimbal and camera operator’s perspective.

Ignite Digi’s founders Tom Waugh (left) and Chris Fox at the handover of the company’s new Okuma MB4000H horizontal machining centre.

From the outset the company has had a strong relationship with Okuma and has just commissioned its third Okuma CNC machining centre, investing in a second Model MB4000H machine as the company expands and diversifies into further precision components to service local markets. The company’s two Okuma MB4000H horizontal machining centres are each eqipped with a 10-pallet pool automatic pallet changer (APC) and 146 tool magazines.

“We have always found Okuma great to deal with, from their original recommendations to today,” says Fox. “They have worked closely with us and their installations and training have been exceptional – even under COVID-19 restrictions. Today our entire product line is produced on Okuma machines, which are working 24 hours, seven days per week, and are stable and precise, consistently producing accurate parts.”

“Okuma offers a high level of support to all Tasmanian manufacturing customers with the provision of our standard 12 months unlimited application support for all new Okuma machine installations,” adds Mark Richards, Branch Manager – Victoria and Tasmania at Okuma.

“We also host special Okuma training seminars in Tasmania which will be initiated once again, post COVID-19 restrictions.”

Ignite Digi was the winner of the Advanced Manufacturing Award for Tasmania in 2019. During the COVID-19 pandemic, with hospitals and front line workers requiring high levels of support in terms of personal protective gear, the company modified an open source design for protective face shields from Europe and modified this for injection moulding for high-volume production. Ignite Digi has now produced 20,000 protective shields, donating more than half to hospitals in Tasmania.

Ignite Digi remains at the forefront of advanced manufacturing in Tasmania, with some of the most cutting-edge manufacturing capabilities in the state. The company recently hosted a delegation from the Tasmanian Minerals, Manufacturing and Energy Council (TMEC), whose mission is to ‘promote a globally competitive

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Ignite Digi manufactures a range of premium camera and gimbal accessories for film and televions industry professionals.

minerals, manufacturing and energy sector to enable sustainable operations in a safe and environmentally responsible manner’.

“The skills and dedication of this small team at Ignite Digi is exceptional and has undoubtedly led to its success internationally in a high technology business sector,” says Okuma Australia’s Managing Director, Dean McCarroll. "Okuma is proud to have been part of this success as we work together to advance engineering capabilities of Australian and Tasmanian companies.” www.okumaaustralia.com.au www.ignitedigi.com.au

TASMANIA

STATE SPOTLIGHT

Artisan welding sparks North West Coast manufacturing revival Once a vibrant industrial hub, Tasmania’s North West Coast region has struggled as the era of globalisation hit the local economy hard. However, for lifelong residents such as Ethan Bligh, an emerging specialist manfacturing base in the region is creating meaninful new career opportunities.

“People are drawn to places,” says Ethan Bligh. “We have a natural connection with some and not others, a bit like friends. Some of us are born in the places we are meant to be. From these places the things we do, the things we create, make a difference around the world.” Ethan was born on the North West Coast of Tasmania, in family with a history in the region. Like most kids around him, he spent a lot of time on the beach. He camped.

“I lived outside, and I want to give this opportunity to my kids,” he says. “Living here on the coast I can do that. I can’t imagine living anywhere else.”

Not long ago, the North West Coast of Tasmania was one of Australia’s industrial heartlands. The people of the region mined, grew, processed, and made a lot of commodities and commercial products and shipped them to the mainland and the world. Then, something changed. Globalisation made it easy for international companies to relocate to more affordable labour markets.

Distribution added a cost to Tasmanian exports. Companies relocated and closed their operations on the North West Coast. This had a profound effect on the region, its economy, and its culture.

But something else was happening in parallel with these changes.

In 1975 Dale Elphinstone, a young diesel mechanic, began tinkering in his father’s shed in Burnie.

“We did it,” Dale often says, “because we didn’t know we couldn’t.”

What did Dale do? Rather than manufacture something to compete with the world on price, he invented and manufactured equipment only he could make: underground, precision mining vehicles.

Companies operating in Tasmania and around the world needed it, and Elphinstone grew into a global company. Dale’s daughter, Kelly Elphinstone, still refers to what they do as “hand-crafted”.

This hand-crafted approach to quality has infiltrated North West Tasmanian, and all Tasmanian, manufacturing. It’s become a special feature of the education system and it was an invitation to Ethan.

“At school I didn’t know what I would do,” he says. “I tried a couple of things. One of my teachers suggested I give a trade a go – welding. This helped me notice the opportunities on the coast. This encouraged me to stay.”

Another West Coast entrepreneur, Diane Edgerton, CEO of Direct Edge, often says she doesn’t need welders. She needs artisan welders. This is what called to Ethan, an invitation to do precise and meaningful work in a place he loves.

“As a young bloke I saw an opportunity here. I took it, I ran with it.

Some of my mates stayed and some did not.”

The spirit of creating and making special things is at the heart of why Ethan chose to stay on the North West Coast. But there’s another spirit, of co-operation and togetherness. This is a place where a teacher can encourage you to become an artisan welder, where your friends are for life.

Specialist welder Ethan Bligh.

“My mates mean a lot to me,” says Ethan. “Mateship is important in my community. We look out for each other. It’s supportive. It always has been.” Tasmania is not for everyone. But for ambitious and enterprising people who love nature it’s often exactly what they are looking for.

“There are new people who’ve moved here, lots with young families and they are welcomed, many are my friends.”

Artisan manufacturing is a growth industry in Tasmania. Clients and customers know they can buy from anywhere. When they choose Tasmanian, they choose high quality, precision, and safety.

They also choose to have a relationship with real people who are devoted to these outcomes. Tasmania has made a strength of its isolation, by becoming a workshop – a place of invention. This is how it competes with the world: with hard work, ingenuity, and with products and solutions that can not be found anywhere else.

“I’m proud of what we make in Tasmania,” says Ethan. “I’m so very proud to know what we make is used across the world. I find it amazing where things we make end up, to be part of this supply chain. One day I may want to start something of my own – maybe.

I feel like there is community support for doing something. There is opportunity here.”

Reprinted courtesy of TASMANIAN.

www.tasmanian.com.au

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STATE SPOTLIGHT

TASMANIA

Incat Tasmania – Faster, lighter, cleaner As founder of the world-renowned shipbuilder Incat Tasmania, Robert Clifford has followed one dream: to promote travel by ferry, through an emphasis on efficiency and elegance.

In school, Robert Clifford built a model of Bluebird, Donald Campbell’s record-breaking speedboat. At the time he went to and from school on a ferry, and loved being on the water every day. Then the era of the two-car family, and Hobart’s Tasman Bridge, put an end to the Tasmanian ferry industry.

But Clifford knew where he wanted to be.

“I wanted to be on the water,” he says. “But I couldn’t make a living in sailing. I had to go fishing, even though I didn’t want to be a fisherman.”

It wasn’t an easy life, going after scallops and crayfish on small boats. He carried a dream, from childhood, of building something – of returning to a time when we travelled on ferries. So he started a ferry business.

“It wasn’t successful,” he says.

Clifford’s ferries only made money as a tourism business, taking visitors on night cruises. The cruises were going so well they had two boats running. Then in early January 1975, a bulk zinc ore carrier hit the Tasman Bridge. It was an immediate tragedy, with 12 deaths, and an economic disaster for Greater Hobart as there was no way to cross the River Derwent. Hobart’s east-west connection had been broken.

“We immediately started at 6am the first day the bridge was down,” says Clifford. “Our record day was 29,000 people on two boats, literally working 24 hours a day. A week after we started I rang my boat-building friends: ‘You better get the material together for another boat’. We had one built within six months, a second within 12 months, and a third within two years.”

Then Clifford thought back to Bluebird, and hired a hovercraft. It was only one-third of the size of the other boats but it went twice the speed.

“We were able to charge double the fare. People were happy to pay more to get there quicker.”

However, the hovercraft wasn’t quite right. Its maintenance and operational costs were too messy. Clifford realised the boat he really wanted didn’t yet exist.

“We immediately set out to design a catamaran to do double the work of the other boats at twice the speed,” he explains. “It went 26.1 knots, better than we anticipated. It could serve more passengers in a given time, with a smaller crew. It was all about faster, more efficient boats.

“We realised: this is the beginning of something pretty big.”

Clifford’s first prototype did what he needed it to do, but it was, in his words, a pretty ugly-looking boat. He thought about his customers, people who admired efficiency as he did. They tended also to admire elegance.

“We could make a more beautiful boat, more attractive, more curved lines like a speed boat – more modern. The first two boats were rather ugly. Ugly doesn’t sell.”

By the time they were building the third boat it was aluminium, with lovely lines and curves. It was fast, attractive, lightweight, and fuelefficient. It could operate with a smaller crew.

“It turned what was a good idea into a very good idea,” says Clifford.

The company that would over time come to be known as Incat Tasmania is still in the business of efficiency and elegance. Clifford and his team at Derwent Park are always looking for ways to run faster, lighter, and cleaner.

“We are a research company, really,” he says. “If we look to the future now, clearly fossil fuels are on the way out. I feel at this stage there is more to do: more efficiency. We could lead electric ferries on the world market. We have a major advantage over every other shipbuilder in the world. Ours are already lighter and take less power than any other ship. We have an opportunity ahead of us to move on to bigger and better things.”

Clifford is thinking about batteries. He’s thinking about building his boats in a state that generates more renewable electricity than it uses.

“I don’t feel we’ve reached the top,” says Clifford. “We could be at the beginning of something really extraordinary. We can carry thousands of tonnes of cargo with less power, with our electric ships. We can move people with zero carbon.”

Robert Clifford, Founder and Chairman of Incat Group.

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Reprinted courtesy of TASMANIAN. www.tasmanian.com.au www.incat.com.au

Real Business Real People Real Members New Touch Laser Cutting have been members of AMTIL since 2001.

This membership has resulted in many benefits from access to experienced professionals who I often seek second opinions and advise from, to helping us grow our business via networking events, advertising in AMT and appearing at Austech, by far the best manufacturing magazine and exhibition in Australia. AMTIL have put us in contact with many business specialist in all fields who have offered invaluable support and assistance over many years. On behalf of myself and the whole team at New Touch Laser Cutting I would like to thank AMTIL for many great years of service, assistance, help and friendship.

Brad Drury, New Touch Laser Cutting

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

1311AMTILBD

amtil.com.au

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COMPANY FOCUS

5B – Quantum of solar With a team of renewable energy experts who care about making solar projects cheaper, faster and smarter, 5B is reinventing solar energy from the ground up. By Brent Balinski.

It is the week of launch day at solar system innovator 5B’s new headquarters and clean tech campus at Mascot, a few kilometres south of Sydney’s CBD. After a quick look at its warehouse and proving ground, we walk past a big pile of unboxed monitors and desks that are yet to have chairs wheeled under them. The mood is friendly but urgent. There is a place to get into shape, an event for hundreds fast-approaching, and stuff everywhere.

Last year was a breakout one for a company moving at a rate that guarantees this article – written in mid-December – won’t include important recent events. 5B gained a presence in three new countries in 2021, is in the middle of a $50m capital raise at the time of writing, and has just announced that it has acquired its manufacturing partner since 2018, IXL Solar.

“We used to manufacture internally three years ago and then IXL took it all on,” explains CEO Chris McGrath, who co-founded the company in 2013 with Eden Tehan. “ And now we’re kind of bringing it back in.”

He adds that though it will be taking on assembly of its groundmounted solar arrays – which are rapidly deployable and then redeployable, and which fold and unfold, piano accordion-like – the vision is not to be a volume producer itself. It’s about helping enable a massive, planet-wide shift towards abundant, cheap solar energy.

Rather than a pure manufacturer or designer or builder or some combination of those, 5B sees itself as a technology company, and the enabler of an ecosystem of components, logistics, deployment, assembly, operations and maintenance, and deployment partners.

“To stand up manufacturing partners when you don’t have your own internal expertise is really hard,” McGrath adds. “You know, you’d try and take someone to do something that you don’t know how to do yourself. So we kind of always maintained our best-in-class example internally, but it’s small-scale.”

The company’s system has some similarities to prefabricated construction, which has been blurring the boundaries between manufacturing and the building sector in recent years. The units 5B produces, called Mavericks, transfer the labour away from the construction site and into a factory. The prewired steel-and-concrete arrays with solar panels (the latest version has 48-50 kilowatt capacity) stack four per 40-foot shipping container, and greatly cut installation time, according to 5B.

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This is no small thing for utility-scale, off-grid sites, for example mining clients looking to decarbonise their energy supply in remote locations, says Chief Technology Officer Simeon Baker-Finch.

“One person in an air-conditioned telehandler can deploy a solar farm,” he explains. “At the deployment of a 5B Maverick solution, you won’t see hundreds of people scurrying around like ants in the 40-degree heat trying to construct a solar array. When you get to really large-scale scale projects, it has benefits that you don’t realise.

With the conventional alternative, ‘Where are the toilets going for 4,000 people? Where’s their kitchen? Are you giving them wifi?’”

As an illustration of 5B’s growth, in mid-December its headcount stood at 188, up from roughly 30 staff in August 2020. It counts 52 projects completed and 32 megawatts deployed using its products so far, but as in the example above, single projects in the scale of gigawatts are where the future lies.

Manufacturing is not something that needs to be done at massive volumes within 5B’s own factories to get to such individual projects, but manufacturing is nevertheless a vital enabler.

Factory and field Solar Cable’s 20GW Australia-Asia PowerLink (AAPL) project was announced in 2019, and was memorably described as “completely batshit insane” by Atlassian co-founder and Sun Cable backer Mike Cannon-Brookes. He went on to add that the “engineering all checks out”, and 5B has an important role in the project. The Mascotheadquartered company is the preferred technology supplier for the 20 gigawatt solar farm portion of the AAPL project near Elliot in the Northern Territory.

A transmission cable running for hundreds of kilometres to Darwin, a big battery at the city of between 36 and 42 gigawatt hours, and a 4,200km undersea cable to Singapore are also planned.

According to Sun Cable it could provide up to 15% of Singapore’s electricity needs, and will be producing power for Darwin in 2026 and for export to the Asian city state the year after. 5B would set up a Maverick assembly site at Darwin for the $30bn-plus project, for which construction is scheduled to begin in 2024.

There is a wide gap between the size of solar projects 5B has supplied for so far and AAPL, and a big automation and innovation drive lie ahead. The IXL Solar acquisition and the new R&D facilities

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at Mascot are important in this. Having shorter distance between manufacturing products, testing, and designing is a huge benefit in industrialising, for 5B themselves now, and to hand over to manufacturing partners later.

“Removing the trip wires, a rapid failure, rapid feedback loop back to the product design, which is really critical, as opposed to a pure manufacturing capability,” adds Baker-Finch of what having a pilot manufacturing line, R&D and test facilities at the one site brings.

The company is on “a pretty aggressive cost-out and optimisation curve” and past the “low-hanging fruit” with testing.

A site at Kurnell, about a half-hour drive away, was the previous proving ground for Mavericks. Baker-Finch remarks: “It’s a bit of a hassle to get there. On my first day on the job I went over. It’s not that easy to get through a lot of iterations. And we know that we just need to get through a lot to optimise.”

He adds that there is a lot of work to do to improve everything from cost competitiveness, to embedded emissions, to evolving the product to be compatible with automation equipment.

“So the advantage of having a co-located prototyping workshop and then pilotline-level automation tools is valuable, and I don’t think we could achieve what we want to achieve without it.”

In terms of the field, 5B has a roadmap in place for robotics to assist handling and installation. Other R&D work involves simulating projects and the logistics around them, as well as collaborations with University of NSW on topics such as understanding thermal management and solar farm performance. (Baker-Finch is a rare ANU alum on the technical team, which has a heavy representation of ex-UNSW engineers.) When asked about possible copycats for what is not an obviously complex product, Baker-Finch says that products and processes are patented, with trade secrets adding another layer of IP protection. Then there’s the speed at which the company is operating, building an ecosystem outside itself – as well as a rich store of intelligence and expertise within it – that would keep them ahead of anyone trying to copy them.

The accelerating rate at which new solar infrastructure is being created is clear. In 2012, the first utility-scale solar farm in Australia, Greenough River Solar Farm, was built (using IXL Solar frames). Its capacity was 10 megawatts, or one-hundredth of one gigawatt.

Australia’s total large-scale solar capacity in 2020 was 3.9 gigawatts, or less than a fifth of what Sun Cable hopes to build at one site alone.

Carbon border taxes for exports created with high-emissions fuels will make large-scale renewable energy more appealing to industrial businesses in our region, and will likely encourage investments in high-voltage cables attached to clean energy-generating infrastructure.

After years of fossil fuels being among the nation’s top exports, the optimists believe Australia can remain an energy-dealing powerhouse. It would be particularly welcome news if you believe we missed out on the last solar boom.

Sometimes UNSW’s development of PERC solar cell technology – which now represents more generation capacity added worldwide than any other source – is cited as a squandered national opportunity.

About 70% of the world’s solar panels are made in China, with just one manufacturer here.

Does the 5B team see the new solar era, which they’re helping enable, as one that will mean a lot of manufacturing activity? Yes and no. Again, manufacturing is an important part of the mission, but producing everything in-house isn’t.

“It’s about enabling all those people who make the current infrastructure or are interested in getting into solid infrastructure … a chance to do it by providing the recipe,” explains Baker-Finch of 5B’s approach, which they plan to roll out around the world.

He adds that there is “a pretty good opportunity” to localise manufacturing in service of the burgeoning utility-scale and emerging gigawatt-scale Australian solar market. The opportunity rests, according to Baker-Finch, in the automation of 5B Maverick manufacturing and the development of a local supply chain, including by using locally produced green steel.

“With the field robotics and automation we’ll just continue to evolve our IP in the machine that builds the machine,” Baker-Finch explains.

“And then, with this yield optimisation layer, the machine that builds the machine that builds the machine and so on.”

McGrath agrees that this era of solar energy represents opportunities through Australian green steel. The main mission for 5B, though, is helping drive down the cost of solar energy, with a $15 per megawatthour price attached to projects their “base case” for 2030.

The gigawatt economy

“We will have a significant amount of local manufacturing in Australia through partners, because it will make sense over time,” he says.

“But as to how much that happens and why, for us it’s more about making solar really cheap, get it into the world faster, and that opens economic opportunities for countries and economies. And all of the real value-added, jobs and economic growth, comes from what we do with that energy, not necessarily how you made it.”

Commenting on the trillions to be invested in infrastructure and 5B’s role in this, McGrath says: “What the solar market in the world needs, and what the solar market will build, is 30, 40, 50 terawatts … over the next 30 years. We can’t afford to be replicating the industrial capability that already exists, just to try to make our slice of the pie bigger. We’re very much ‘bigger pie’ mentality. For us, that means knowing what we do well and then collaborating with people who do [what they do] well.”

www.5b.co

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RENEWABLE ENERGY & CLEAN TECH

Raymax Applications – Partnering with the Sunswift Racing team The Sunswift Racing team at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) is a group of innovators, comprising both students and staff, who are working together in the research & development of solar electric vehicles.

The broad aim of the team is to redefine sustainable transport.

However, they are probably better known for their success at competing in the World Solar Challenges. Since 1996 the teams of students and academics have built six solar-powered vehicles to enter these challenges – and most recently have been hard at work on the development and manufacture of car number seven.

With some 45 people in the Sunswift team all contributing in different ways, the primary aim is to show the world that innovative technology is available today, not in years to come, and they are setting about to demonstrate their ideas and applications. Subteams make up the construction sections of the car-building group, comprising mechanical, electrical, computer science, photovoltaics – in other words, solar cells – and systems engineering. Each of these groups has a defined task that also provides them with opportunities to develop skills that they can use in future work environments.

For example, the photovoltaics team is tasked with designing and optimising performance of the solar array to generate power for the vehicle as it moves along the roadway. Relying on CAD programs, the team must ensure that the solar cell power system provides adequate energy generation, along with monitoring the environmental conditions such as temperature changes and irradiance quality, from which data can be recorded as a form of diagnostic benchmarking.

Ahead of the first shakedown test of the car, a number of engineering tests are run during the Challenges to gather data for research purposes. One such data form is telemetry. When analysing the power requirements needed to drive a solar car, measurements are gathered from three different points: the power required to accelerate the car; the power required to climb a hill that needs extra energy; and the power used to overcome the drag or resistance, created both by the tyres on the road as well as the aerodynamic drag. One key aim of the teams is to minimise drag.

A member of a British team has managed to analyse the telemetry data from a car and provided useful efficiency yields that can be used by other teams in their development program.

Linking up with industry Heading up the UNSW Sunswift team is Professor Richard Hopkins.

With a background in Formula 1, Hopkins has already been involved in some 28 eight chassis builds and plies his knowledge in overseeing the teams and the construction of car number seven.

To achieve the team’s goals, partnerships with industry are formed to assist the production process, and to support the students as they build car number seven. In building partnerships with industry, Hopkins has had some interesting successes. One recent industry partnership was with Audi, who when approached to provide a set of headlights, found it easier to give the university a whole car.

As SLM Solutions has extensive experience in testing new innovations, followed in the last few years by a wide installed base among European car manufacturers, the company was a suitable choice for building the student-designed parts using a selective laser melting process. In the automotive industry, SLM Solutions multi-laser systems are being used to print aluminium brackets containing cooling channels. These carry circulated water to provide a heat shield next to an electric pump. Another popular development has been the creation of 3D-printed brake calipers that use lightweight material that reduces running costs. These

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Members of the Sunswift mechanical team holding 3D printed suspension struts for both the front and rear.

parts can withstand incredibly high temperatures and exceptional stress levels, yet still satisfy automotive standards in Europe and the USA. This breadth of experience in the automotive parts sector meant Raymax Applications, the Australian distributor of SLM Solutions’ laser systems, was approached to support the mechanical team responsible for the Sunswift Racing chassis, interior, exterior and moving parts. Raymax was asked to provide advice and assistance with the design and 3D manufacture of the suspension struts.

The students completed the designs and provided the CAD drawings. The drawings were sent to Germany for a 3D build in an SLM 500 multi-laser system. The metal used was aluminium, chosen for its light weight, which is essential to the build of the solar-powered car; lightweight parts would help to reduce the overall load, which in turn would reduce the amount of energy required to keep the car going.

The parts were configured to fit onto single build plates to maximise the time for production. While CAD design provides the foundation for the part, it is essential to consider the way parts are organised on the build plate and the number of supports required. Recently SLM Solutions has released Free Float technology, which enables fewer supports to hold a part, minimising both the amount of metal powder needed as well as reducing the degree of post-processing that will be required.

A post-processed suspension strut for the Sunswift car.

RENEWABLE ENERGY & CLEAN TECH Suspension atruts on the build plate of an SLM 500 3D printer.

As the automotive sector grows, demands by the industry mean new developments in processing bring about changes in selective laser melting systems. Using 3D printed aluminium and titanium parts is fast becoming the ‘norm’ in car manufacturing today, specifically for the proven weight reductions it offers, which in turn decreases fuel consumption.

Collaboration is critical It is essential the Sunswift teams work closely together either at UNSW or the workshops of their partners. To ensure co-ordination of the build, the mechanical team had to work closely with both the electrical and photovoltaic systems groups, making sure the parts that they design and build adequately accommodate each team’s need to successfully fulfil their separate tasks.

In previous races the UNSW Sunswift teams have had great success with their cars – uniquely named Violet (due to the car’s colour), Eve, Ivy, Two, Three and One. Now Number Seven is well on the way, with the 3D printed parts received from Germany and fitted into the car. The whole group is hoping to compete in the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, a 3,000km race from Darwin to Adelaide right through the centre of Australia, competing against other university entrants from all around the world. Hopefully, given their efforts, their success is assured. www.raymax.com.au

www.sunswift.com

IMCRC collaboration to develop green hydrogen storage solution The Innovative Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre (IMCRC), advanced materials startup Rux Energy and the University of Sydney have joined forces on a collaborative research project that will deliver game-changing Currently, the inability to store H2 efficiently is preventing it from being widely used as a zero-carbon fuel. To combat this, the Sydney-based research project, which commenced in March 2021, has developed new metal-organic frameworks for the highperformance adsorption of H2. The new materials are set to be integrated into field-ready tank prototypes for trials and testing with SME and large industry partners in 2022, with the overall goal to deliver affordable green hydrogen for heavy and long-distance electric vehicles by 2025.

Rux Energy Founder and CEO Dr Jehan Kanga said the IMCRC activate funding had enabled Rux Energy to onboard the resources and expertise needed to develop the materials and safe and efficient storage of dispatchable H2.

“We’ve been able to use our recent findings as proof points to approach industry about new projects and look to globally relevant areas of expansion, including aviation and marine, which, along with trucking, would contribute to abating at least 12% of carbon emissions,” Dr Kanga said. “What began as a $100,000 investment has catalysed more than $4m in investments over the next three years, which speaks to the success of the collaboration.”

University of Sydney Professor Cameron Kepert highlighted that safe and efficient dispatchable storage of H2 represents one of the central challenges on the road to the Hydrogen Economy: “Research at the University of Sydney is driven by the big picture, so we’re excited to be involved in a research collaboration exploring something as time sensitive and globally relevant as the delivery of cost-effective green energy.”

University of Sydney DECRA Fellow Dr Lauren Macreadie emphasised how the collaboration provided unique career opportunities in the global advanced materials industry: “From day one, Rux embedded our students and postdoctorate researchers

Rux Energy Founder and CEO Dr Jehan Kanga, University of Sydney Professor Cameron Kepert and University of Sydney DECRA Fellow Dr Lauren Macreadie.

into their team, providing invaluable hands-on experience and setting them up for long-term success.”

David Chuter, IMCRC’s CEO and Managing Director, said that IMCRC was particularly pleased to be co-funding the development of game-changing affordable green energy within Australia.

“Rux Energy and the University of Sydney have had an incredibly fruitful research collaboration over the past nine months, making significant headway towards the commercialisation of affordable green energy,” he said. “The initial findings into efficient H2 storage are a testament to what can be achieved in Australia when we invest in commercially focused R&D though fast moving projects and collaborations.” www.imcrc.org www.sydney.edu.au

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ACS Australia – Engineering wave energy tech to decarbonise aquaculture The future of clean renewable energies is ‘catching a wave’ into aquaculture, leveraging the limitless motion of ocean currents to generate electrical power. The primary focus is to decarbonise the resource-intensive offshore operations of the aquaculture industry, which traditionally have relied upon diesel generators for power.

Advanced Composite Structures Australia (ACS Australia) is a key participant of the Blue Economy Cooperative Research Centre (Blue Economy CRC), bringing critical composites engineering design and manufacturing capabilities to major renewable energy projects in the aquaculture space.

The most recent projects to be announced involve the design and manufacture of renewable energy devices taking advantage of advanced composites technologies. In partnership with the Blue Economy CRC, headquartered in Launceston, Tasmania, Carnegie Clean Energy and other industry experts, ACS Australia is progressing the development of two major projects: the MoorPower Scaled Demonstrator project; and a Mooring Tensioner for wave energy converters.

MoorPower Scaled Demonstrator project Global aquaculture is moving operations further offshore, presenting a challenge to access clean renewable and reliable offshore energy.

Moored feeding barge facilities rely on diesel fuel generators for power out at sea, leading to high operating costs and carbon emissions. The MoorPower project aims to solve this problem by leveraging the surrounding environment and convert wave motion into electricity – an untapped clean energy source flowing around moored barges.

The $3.4m MoorPower scaled demonstrator project was officially launched in October 2021 and runs over two years.

The project is funded with support from the Blue Economy CRC and in collaboration with partners Carnegie Clean Energy, Huon Aquaculture, Tassal Group, DNV, University of Tasmania, Climate KIC, Australian Ocean Energy Group, AMC Search, University of Queensland and ACS Australia. Carnegie Clean Energy will operate the MoorPower technology demonstrator at its research facility in North Fremantle, Western Australia.

The MoorPower project concept was developed by Carnegie Clean Energy with the goal of decarbonising the energy needs of offshore operations, particularly in the aquaculture industry. MoorPower is similar in concept to Carnegie’s ‘CETO’ technology, but in this case energy is harvested from the wave-induced movement of a moored barge rather than a submerged buoy. The movement of the barge drives a power take-off (PTO) system that converts the wave motion into electrical energy.

On course to reduce the carbon emissions of offshore aquaculture operations, this project aims to address two major challenges: •

Wave energy is an untapped renewable energy resource, but its levelised cost of energy (LCOE) must continue to reduce to trigger significant uptake. Ocean Energy Europe (OEE) forecasts a significant opportunity with a €653bn market potential by 2050. Fostering development of wave energy technologies facilitates the Blue Economy CRC vision of supporting aquaculture with offshore renewable energy and supports the commercialisation of wave energy by validating new markets and advancing technology.

A components schematic of the MoorPower system (image courtesy of Carnegie Clean Energy).

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Michael Reynolds - Senior Engineer at Advanced Composite Structures Australia, working on the design of composite components for wave energy converters (image courtesy of ACS Australia).

•

Aquaculture is moving further offshore in response to growing demand, deepening environmental concerns, conflict with key stakeholders, and access to suitable sites. Other offshore industries are also developing in a diverse sustainable blue economy. However, significant challenges to overcome include the availability, safety, reliability and environmental aspects of energy supply.

The project is currently in the development phase at ACS Australia with prototyping of composite components and manufacturing processes being developed. With more to come over the coming months of the project, ACS Australia looks forward to sharing more via its website and social media channels.

Mooring tensioner for wave energy converters Preceding the MoorPower project, this $1.6m Wave Energy Converter project was launched in 2020 and targets the efficient and cost-effective conversion of wave energy into electrical energy.

ACS Australia is designing and manufacturing key composite components that will demonstrate the novel energy storage element, the Mooring Tensioner, in turn enabling the use of efficient rotary electrical generators for Wave Energy Converters (WECs).

ACS Australia is working on the Mooring Tensioner project in collaboration with Blue Economy CRC partners Carnegie Clean Energy, University of Queensland and Climate-KIC. ACS Australia is delivering high-performance, lightweight and durable fibre reinforced composite components related to the Power Take-off unit, enabling easy integration into space-constrained WECs while meeting the durability and environmental requirements. The project

RENEWABLE ENERGY & CLEAN TECH

Senior Engineer Johannes Straub laying-up a glass fibre composite component for prototype development of wave energy converter project (image courtesy of ACS Australia).

Composite mooring tensioner for wave energy converters (image courtesy of Carnegie Clean Energy).

aims to deliver efficiency advantages, significantly enhancing WEC technologies, and contributing towards the supply of lowcost energy to onshore grids, offshore platforms, and aquaculture operations.

systems and reducing carbon emissions in aquaculture,” says Paul Falzon, General Manager at ACS Australia.

“We are inspired by the opportunity to work with Carnegie Clean Energy and the Blue Economy CRC project partners to develop advanced engineered composite mooring tensioners for Wave Energy Converters, enabling the evolution of renewable energy

ACS Australia’s talented team of engineers and technicians are continuously being challenged by a diverse range of projects where advanced composite materials are being applied. The team’s passion for advancing the technology of composites into sustainable renewable energy systems can be seen in their product development work with the Blue Economy CRC partners, among others. www.acs-aus.com

New clean energy tech extracts twice the power from ocean waves Researchers have developed prototype technology that can double the power harvested from ocean waves, in an advance that could finally make wave energy a viable renewable alternative.

The power of coastal waves around the world has been estimated as equivalent to total global electricity production. With over 35,000km of coastline, Australia is ideally placed to tap into this power source. Analysis shows Australia could produce twice its current electricity output by harvesting just 17% of its wave energy. But the challenges of developing technologies to efficiently extract that power and withstand the harsh ocean environment have kept wave energy stuck at experimental stage.

A research team led by RMIT University has created a wave energy converter that is twice as efficient at harvesting power as any similar technologies developed to date. The innovation relies on a worldfirst dual-turbine design.

“While wind and solar dominate the renewable market, they are available only 20-30% of the time,” said lead researcher Professor Xu Wang. “Wave energy is available 90% of the time on average. Our prototype technology overcomes some of the key technical challenges that have been holding back the wave energy industry from large-scale deployment. With further development, we hope this technology could be the foundation for a thriving new renewable energy industry.”

One of the most popular experimental approaches is to harvest wave energy through a buoy-type converter known as a “point absorber”. Ideal for offshore locations, this technology harvests energy from the rise and fall of waves, and is generally costeffective to manufacture and install. However, it must be precisely synchronised with incoming wave movement to efficiently harvest

the energy. This usually involves an array of sensors, actuators and control processors, complicating the system and undermining performance and reliability.

The RMIT-created prototype needs no special synching tech, as the device naturally floats up and down with the swell.

“By always staying in sync with the movement of the waves, we can maximise the energy that’s harvested,” Wang said. “Combined with our unique counter-rotating dual turbine wheels, this prototype can double the output power harvested from ocean waves, compared with other experimental point absorber technologies.”

The device has been developed by RMIT engineering researchers in collaboration with researchers from Beihang University in China. Two turbine wheels, stacked on top of each other and rotating in opposite directions, are connected to a generator. The generator is placed inside a buoy above the waterline to keep it out of corrosive seawater and extend the device’s lifespan.

The prototype has been successfully tested at lab scale and the research team is keen to collaborate with industry partners to test a full-scale model, and work towards commercial viability.

“We know it works in our labs, so the next steps are to scale this technology up and test it in a tank or in real-life ocean conditions,” Wang said. “Tapping into our wave energy resource could not only help us cut carbon emissions and create new green energy jobs, it also has great potential for addressing other environmental problems.” www.rmit.edu.au

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Setting a new standard for sustainable solar rails Capral Aluminium is used widely throughout Australia by a variety of industry sectors and in a diverse range of applications. In recent times, growing demand for locally sourced aluminium to service the solar sector has led to Capral considering the best way to support this growing industry.

You might not realise that when solar panels are fitted to the roof of homes or commercial buildings, the panels are typically installed using a series of aluminium rails. The rails allow for consistent and regular fixing to the roof structure and deliver a robust and streamlined way for panels to be installed.

As homes and businesses choose solar to improve their carbon footprint and reduce energy consumption, it is important to consider the full life cycle of the solution. While considerable research has been done into the payback period, life cycle and emission offset for solar panels, you would rarey ever see news coverage about the impact of the many thousands of kilometres of aluminium solar rails spanning the roofs of Australian homes and businesses.

When it comes to solar and environmental sustainability, credentials matter. That’s why Australian-manufactured Mill Finish aluminium solar rails are fast becoming a material of choice for Australia’s expanding solar industry. Locally manufactured Mill Finish aluminium solar rails provide a more sustainable and economical solution for the Australian solar industry. The entire life cycle analysis is impacted positively, with reduced energy consumption in the manufacturing process. Meanwhile the environmental footprint is further improved with the reduction of carbon emissions by not anodising the solar rail extrusion. Additionally, the sourcing of locally manufactured Mill Finish aluminium extrusions further reduces carbon dioxide emissions, by minimising the impact of sea and road freight. If your business is in the solar industry, your environmental and sustainability credentials matter.

Traditionally, anodised aluminium has been the default choice for installing aluminium solar rails, however research undertaken

by Capral demonstrates that this additional finishing process is unnecessary for the use of aluminium in this application.

Michael O’Keefe, General Manager – Marketing and Technology Solutions at Capral, comments: “For years the solar industry has been choosing anodised solar rails, often imported, for use in Australian solar panel installations. We wanted to investigate how

we could reduce the carbon footprint of the aluminium used by this sector and quickly came to realise the anodising process was not adding any value to the end product but was certainly increasing the energy consumption and waste implications of the product.”

What sets locally manufactured Mill Finish aluminium solar rails apart?

Their sustainable credentials. Locally manufactured Mill Finish aluminium solar rail extrusions require reduced energy consumption to manufacture, when compared to anodised extrusions, they are fully recyclable, and reduced greenhouse emissions in both manufacture and supply contribute to their optimal life cycle analysis. They’re the ideal fit for a renewable industry!

to anodising for customers choosing to match solar rails to their roof colour.

•

They’re dependable: Mill Finish aluminium solar rails perform equivalent to anodised extrusions in the field, maintaining the material’s structural properties.

•

They’re competitive: Sourcing locally supplied Mill Finish aluminium solar rails enables our industry to source materials at the most competitive price, with surety of supply.

•

They’re Australian: Sourcing locally manufactured Mill Finish aluminium solar rails allows the Australian solar rail industry to supply quality materials and support Australian jobs.

Why choose Mill Finish aluminium solar rails •

•

They’re greener: Mill Finish aluminium solar rails create dramatically less toxic waste than anodised versions and are fully recyclable – a win-win for the environment.

They’re fully compliant and quality assured. Purchasing Australian Mill Finish aluminium solar rails ensures quality assurance and compliance. Mill Finish solar rails are strong, corrosion-resistant, lightweight and durable.

•

They’re plentiful: Australian Mill Finish aluminium solar rails are ideally suited for providing supply on demand, with stock readily available.

•

They’re versatile: An extensive range of colour options is also available. Powder coating is a far greener alternative

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Mill Finish aluminium offers physical properties and durability that are equivalent to anodised aluminium, and meets all Australian standards. The product is also more sustainable and costeffective, making it the optimal choice for Australian solar rails.

By using Mill Finish aluminium in the solar industry, Australia’s manufacturing sector can ‘walk the talk’ – saving money and the environment.

RENEWABLE ENERGY & CLEAN TECH

Partnering with Clenergy and The Solar Cutters – who with their ‘Cutter Rail’ brand are specialists in the development, manufacturing, and marketing of solar mounting gear – Capral has worked hard to demonstrate that Australian-manufactured Mill Finish solar rails offer a more sustainable and economical solution for Australia’s rapidly expanding solar industry. Cutter Rail is part of the PVezRack series from Clenergy.

Finish aluminium reveals dramatically reduced energy consumption, carbon dioxide emissions, toxic waste and water consumption when compared to anodised versions. Best of all, this eco-friendliness doesn’t come at the expense of quality, with the product delivering impressive performance. Morever, because Mill Finish solar rails can be rapidly sourced locally, the environmental footprint from supply and transportation is even further reduced.

The energy required to produce anodised solar rails is around seven times that to produce Mill Finish solar rails. Life cycle analysis of Mill

www.capral.com.au

Tindo Solar joins Australian-first solar panel manufacturing, recycling program Australia’s only domestic solar panel manufacturer Tindo Solar has committed to a recycling program with Reclaim PV that will see close to 100% of solar panels recycled and reused in the industry.

In an Australian and industry first, the agreement between the two Adelaide-based companies will see Tindo and Reclaim PV working towards a sustainable solution to address the problem of solar panels going to landfill when they’re disposed of – a problem that could amount to 100,000 tonnes of modules by 2035. The agreement comes as Reclaim PV continues to add partners to its national recovery and recycling network and commences recycling at its Lonsdale facility in Adelaide, and Tindo Solar installs an upgraded production line in its new factory.

Shayne Jaenisch, Chief Executive Officer of Tindo Solar, said while his company did not have an immediate solar panel landfill problem because Tindo products were made to last 25 years, Tindo Group’s installation business took hundreds of end-of-life panels from roofs every month, to be replaced by Tindo Solar panels, which presented an opportunity to direct the old panels to Reclaim PV facilities.

“We have partnered with Reclaim PV because as Australia’s only domestic solar panel manufacturer, we recognise that a fully sustainable energy system requires a solution for its waste product, which in our industry is disused panels,” said Jaenisch. “Reclaim PV’s processes allow for a whole-life cycle approach to solar panels – meaning they needn’t become landfill. It’s a really important development in the energy transition and one that we’re very proud to be a part of.”

Reclaim PV’s recycling system follows a three-stage process of manual separation, then thermal separation, followed by a chemical process that sees close to 100% of the solar panel recycled. The result is recovered aluminium, silicon, copper, silver and glass – as well as recovered glue constituents – that are then re-used in the manufacture of new products.

Currently, the 2% of the panel that can’t be recycled is the junction box. Reclaim PV is working with a leading university to find a solution for this remaining part of the panel.

“We are proud to be partnering with companies such as Tindo Solar who have the ability, and want to create and accelerate the endto-end recovery and recycling of solar panels,” said Clive Fleming, Director and Founder of Reclaim PV. “Waste is never waste. It is a resource, and we just need to treat it as such. This is the key concept of the circular economy – that nothing is wasted, and everything is reused as part of a continuous cycle. But this doesn’t work unless we’re all playing our part.” www.tindosolar.com.au

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ONE-ON-ONE

Kane Thornton is the Chief Executive of the Clean Energy Council. He spoke to William Poole.

AMT: Tell us about the Clean Energy Council? How long have you been in operation, how many members do you have, and what kinds of companies make up your membership?

Kane Thornton: The genesis of the Clean Energy Council (CEC) can be traced back to the Solar Energy Industry Association (SEIA) which first established renewable energy industry accreditation in 1993.

In 2002, another industry association merger took place with the Australian Eco-Generation Association (AEA) to form the Australian Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE). By this time, industry regulation had been established, with Australian Standards for the renewable energy industry in place and conformance with these standards a requirement for all design and installation work in the industry.

In 2007, a decision was made by members of the BCSE and the Australian Wind Energy Association (AusWind) to merge. It was decided that there were too many competing voices and that the industry needed one strong, united voice. The two organisations became the Clean Energy Council, and we’re the peak body for the industry.

We represent and work with nearly 1,000 of the leading businesses operating in renewable energy and energy storage, including the emerging sector of renewable hydrogen, and are committed to accelerating Australia’s transition to a clean energy future. Clean Energy Council membership is open to companies which work in and support the clean energy sector.

AMT: What activities does the Clean Energy Council engage in on behalf of its members?

KT: The Clean Energy Council represents and works with Australia’s leading renewable energy and energy storage businesses, as well as rooftop solar and household battery installers, to further the development of clean energy in Australia. We do this through policy analysis and development, and advocacy, working closely with governments to increase demand for clean energy products while working with members and our industry to improve standards and maintain integrity continually.

The Clean Energy Council also holds events throughout the year, including large conferences, networking events, member-only briefings and roundtables, along with technical forums.

AMT: There’s been a lot of comment recently about energy transition in the wake of the COP26 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow. What was your view on COP26 and Australia’s participation in the summit?

KT: I don’t think anyone could be surprised by what transpired from an Australian perspective in Glasgow.

The pressure that was on Australia in the lead-up to COP26 to take stronger action on emissions reduction will only continue as we get closer to COP27. There is a clear expectation from the international community that Australia commits to a new, more ambitious 2030 target aligned with the Paris Agreement temperature goal.

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AMT: What is the current outlook for the clean energy sector in Australia?

KT: The speed of the transition to renewable energy is quite remarkable, and thanks largely to the fact that we have an abundance of wind, solar and water – which are the cheapest source of clean energy.

This transition is occurring at pace off the back of Australia’s state and territory government leadership countering the lack of a strong climate and energy policy from the Federal Government.

It could be improved by addressing grid connection challenges, which remains the most significant challenge facing large-scale renewable energy projects, with substantial delays and changes in technical requirements impacting projects.

AMT: What measures do you think governments should be providing to support the sector?

KT: Faster progress on building the transmission backbone for a 21st Century energy grid should be number one. Reform has been slow and a lack of transmission investment is now becoming a major impediment to a smooth and low-cost energy transition.

AMT: What opportunities exist in the clean energy space for Australian manufacturing companies? And how do they go about seizing those opportunities?

KT: There exist opportunities in wind, solar, battery, pumped hydro and transmission across both manufacturing and recycling.

In manufacturing, local opportunity could exist in steel in tower manufacturing (wind towers or transmission towers) or steel pipe manufacturing (pumped hydro); nacelle and hub assembly (wind); solar farm infrastructure such as piles or trackers; or battery pack assembly (or potentially manufacturing). In recycling, Australian businesses might think about disassembly of turbines, electronic recycling, photovoltaic (PV) panel collection and recycling, and battery recycling at the minerals processing sites.

To seize those opportunities I would recommend getting engaged in the Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) processes underway in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, and to build relationships with local developers and engineering, procurement & construction (EPC) contractors looking for ways to meet local content requirements.

AMT: Rising energy prices are often cited as a key challenge for Australian manufacturers. What do you think the solution is?

KT: There are two key factors critical to driving down energy prices.

The first is to ensure we are developing the lowest-cost forms of energy generation, and that’s very clearly renewable energy supported by energy storage complemented by a strong network.

Secondly, and dictated by basic supply and demand, is that we need to ensure we are bringing online enough new supply ahead of the imminent closure of old generation to ensure the market is well supplied and costs remain competitive and lower.

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AMT: Tell us about your professional background.

KT: I have been working in clean energy now for nearly 20 years after a brief career in IT. Most of that time has been in policy and advocacy, contributing to and driving some of the policy outcomes and reforms that have become central to the development of clean energy in Australia. I have over that time also developed my management, leadership and governance skills and enjoyed contributing to a range of government and non-government advisory and non-executive board roles over the years.

AMT: What is the most satisfying aspect of the job?

KT: Seeing Australia double the amount of our electricity coming from renewable energy over the past five years has been incredibly rewarding. Now seeing us on the path to running the whole country on renewables and establishing Australia as a clean energy superpower fills me with great hope for our future. Getting to work with some incredible people across the industry and 70 great professionals at the Clean Energy Council is also a big motivator for me. www.cleanenergycouncil.org.au

Seeing Australia double the amount of our electricity coming from renewable energy over the past five years has been incredibly rewarding.

Now seeing us on the path to running the whole country on renewables and establishing Australia as a clean energy superpower fills me with great hope for our future.

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MATERIAL REMOVAL

Okuma launches new MA 8000H horizontal machining centre Okuma Corporation has developed the new MA 8000H horizontal machining centre with a pallet size of 800mm by 800mm. Equipped with abundant power saving functions and eco friendly technologies that operate autonomously without human intervention , this new product strongly support s user efforts to decarbonise, while enhancing the ability to meet various automation requirements.

A wide range of large-scale machining applications are undergoing remarkable changes as decarbonisation accelerates, such as in the semiconductor manufacturing, renewable energy and electric vehicle (EV) markets. For these applications, Okuma offers horizontal machining centres with outstanding production capacity that also contribute to decarbonisation for the entire supply chain. To achieve significant increases in production capacity, the new MA-8000H was designed with the following goals to reduce carbon, labor shortages, the difficulties with the passing on of in-house technology, and to solve other challenges customers face on the factory floor.

Machining autonomously Okuma’s Thermo Friendly Concept allows the machine to autonomously maintain stable accuracy without requiring specific measures against thermal deformation that accompany excessive power consumption.

It provides excellent accuracy stability without relying on excessive ambient temperature control from airframe cooling systems and factory air conditioners to maintain accuracy.This contributes to overall factory power savings with Okuma’s original idea of “accepting temperature changes”. The operating time needed for machine warm up and dimensional compensation has been significantly reduced, and the power consumption of the machine itself has been reduced.

highest level in its class. The set-up station has 16 ports while the workspace area has seven ports. This makes it possible to do more independent fixture operations, and various user requirements like multiple auto-robotic part load/unload operations are met with collision avoidance between the tool and the fixture during fixture operations in the workspace area.

Improved labour productivity

Excellent chip discharge performance enables long-run continuous operation without cleaning the chips inside the machine. The smooth in-machine covers minimise chip accumulation for easier and clean in-machine chip washing of residual chips. A sludgeless tank option drastically reduces the frequency of coolant tank cleaning by reducing stagnation, sludge is automatically and efficiently collected.

This dramatically reduces time and effort needed to clean the tank, which relies on human labour. Moreover , coolant life becomes longer and the coolant eventually becomes a waste liquid after use, which reduces environmental impact. The sludge recovery rate is 99%, with no cleaning of the coolant tank or replacement of coolant for three years.

The MA 8000H features more hydraulic and pneumatic supply ports to fixtures that automatically clamp workpieces, to the

The optional AI Machining Diagnosis Function monitors the machining status and automatically retracts the tool when

The ECO suite plus Next Generation Energy Saving System analyses and reduces carbon dioxide emissions. ECO Power Monitor allows the operator to check power consumption and emissions per operation on the spot. Improvement is possible by analysing the emissions of each device.

ECO Idling Stop, an intelligent energy saving function that uses Okuma’s Thermo Friendly Concept, allows the machine itself to judge the necessity of stopping cooler idling while maintaining high accuracy.

Both high accuracy and power savings are achieved .

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AI detects an abnormality. Damage to the workpiece due to sudden tool breakage prevented, and the loss required for work recovery is drastically reduced.

Improved production capacity for large components The work envelope has been expanded by 27%, with fortified support for heavy workpieces further expanding the range of workpiece applications. The installation floor space saves space while expanding the work envelope by expanding all the travels, supporting a maximum load capacity mass of 3,000kg. Highly efficient machining is achieved with a lineup of powerful spindles that use roller bearings designed for a wide range of workpiece materials.

The MA 8000H horizontal machining centre has a maximum spindle speed of 10,000 min, torque at 652/349 Nm, output of 45/30kW, and a maximum chip volume of 1,157 cubic centimetres. A suction feature for excess coolant in the spindle instantly removes residual coolant from tools. When changing tools, an air blower is used to remove the residual coolant from the tool and in the spindle in a process that takes just 0.5 seconds. The tool change time has has also been substantially reduced. www.okumaaustralia.com.au

MATERIAL REMOVAL

Hydrafeed Barfeeder and Royal Rota-Rack: Instant solution for lights-out production Barfeeders are an effective way to increase the productivity of any CNC turning centre and can be retrofitted to any entry-level CNC machine as well as multi-tasking turning centres. However, not all barfeeders are created equal.

The Hydrafeed Barfeeder offers a number of key benefits over other brands in the market to further enhance productivity. A key feature of the Hydrafeed Barfeeder is that it is a full servo-driven barfeed eliminating the need for compressed air. The Hydrafeed also has the versatility to accommodate different bar diameters and lengths including random bar lengths. Suitable for both bar or shaft feed, it also has an automatic back stop function controlled by an existing foot switch.

“One of the other key features is that once you’ve set a bar size and saved the setup, you never have to open the cover again,” says Paul Fowler, Managing Director of Dimac. “Simply call up the program from the touch screen and the Hydrafeed will set itself on centreline automatically, thanks to the servo drive bar lifter mechanism.”

The Hydrafeed is quick and easy to set up and enables machine shops to run small batch jobs without excessive set-up times.

The touchscreen is clear and simple to read and a wide variety of models are available

says Fowler. “It allows you to keep your machines running long after your last employee has left for the night or over the weekend. As a result, a machine shop’s competitiveness in the market is greatly increased.”

to suit any application. The product is CE certified and comes with a comprehensive 12-month warranty. While the Hydrafeed is an excellent method of increasing productivity, it is when it is paired up with the Royal Rota-Rack that even more production efficiencies are achieved. Dimac is the exclusive distributor for the patented Royal Rota-Rack; a cost-effective device that safely collects finished parts as they come off a CNC lathe, enabling machine tools to run unattended for extended periods of time.

“With a Hydrafeed Barfeeder and a Royal Rota-Rack working in conjunction, you can add a massive dose of extra productivity,”

Rota-Rack can be powered using the Hydrafeed’s existing power source, eliminating the need for a separate power supply. For optimum convenience no machine interface is required, electrical or mechanical; the unit simply plugs into a 240v AC outlet. The unique rotary spiral gently guides finished parts to the centre as the turntable rotates and a low-friction UHMW material covers all contact surfaces for superior part protection.

“Best of all, the Hydrafeed and Rota-Rack can be retrofitted to any entry level CNC machine providing a unique automation solution that will improve both productivity and efficiency whilst protecting the finished product,” Fowler adds. www.dimac.com.au

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MOTORS & DRIVES

Linear progression: Going beyond common actuation methods for greater productivity From harsh environments to automated warehousing, tubular linear motors can offer a range of significant benefits.

This article looks at the three most common kinds of actuation compared to tubular linear motors, which are gaining currency in manufacturing, logistics and elsewhere due to their precision, speed, efficiency and other benefits.

There is stored energy and there is kinetic energy – or movement.

Motors turn the first into the second. As with everything else, ways to create movement have evolved. One comparatively recent kind of actuation, tubular linear motion, is gaining in favour in applications as diverse as machine tool building, factory automation, packaging, printing and material handling.

ANCA Motion is an Australian developer and manufacturer of motion control systems, hardware, and software, including for its sister company, ANCA CNC Machines. ANCA CNC Machines has used LinX tubular linear motors for its globally-renowned tool and cutter grinders since 2014, introducing them in their FX Linear and MX Linear tool grinding machines.

Customers have also welcomed the better surface finish, increased efficiency and improved reliability gains at reduced operating cost in their machines incorporating LinX tubular linear motors within the precision toolmaking industry, where micron-level resolution, as well as throughput, are important.

In the Australian context, energy, labour and other inputs are high.

According to a 2019 estimate, Australian electricity and gas prices have roughly doubled since the year 2000. Finding labour has also been one of the biggest issues in Australian manufacturing. any way to lift the productivity of a workplace and its staff deserves consideration.

Pneumatic Pneumatic actuators have a history going back roughly to World War Two. Today they’re a factory staple, used to quickly (and noisily) move between two set points. Pneumatics are well-understood and widely-used, though they are also inefficient.

They’re a major user of electricity in factories. According to one estimate, using compressed air to perform a task directly takes 10 times the energy of using electricity directly, due to the creation of waste heat. Depending on the size of a factory, getting compressed air to a source might require multiple compressors and/or a complicated reticulation system. Leaks throughout such a network are expensive. One major bottleneck they can create is their inflexibility. Recalibrating air pressure between different batches can sometimes take hours.

ANCA Motion’s LinX motors, on the other hand, work on servobased, closed-loop control, and changing set points is quick and painless, meaning minimal time between one batch and another. They have an integrated position sensor with 10um of resolution, eliminating the need for an external encoder and simplifying system integration, and also allowing for higher quality and throughput.

The saving on energy costs quickly offsets the upfront cost, and a payback period versus pneumatics is generally 18 months.

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Ballscrew At more than a century old, ballscrew motion goes back even further than pneumatics. It is still around, and used in a broad set of applications, from power steering to moving robotic arms. It is an indirect drive method, using a nut and thread to turn rotational movement into linear movement.

Ballscrew motion has its usefulness, proven by its longevity, but also its shortcomings. It is unable to accelerate and decelerate quickly.

The contact between moving parts creates wear and friction, and requires lubricants, which can become a source of contamination.

Wear also leads to increased maintenance costs and a decrease in performance over time. Another source of problems is backlash, or lost motion, which is caused by the necessary gap between the thread and nut.

LinX motors are much more nimble in comparison, with no backlash due to their direct-drive nature, and resulting in zero friction between their forcer (a sleeve with copper coils) and shaft (a sealed stainless steel tube containing magnets.) The lack of friction means less wear and better longevity, and better quality for tools or whatever other product they are involved in making.

LinX motors are also capable of achieving velocities as high as 10m per second, meaning a major boost for productivity.

Flatbed linear Flatbed linear motors (often simply called linear motors) are regularly described as an unrolled version of a rotary electric motor, with the rotor (containing magnets) the stationary part and the forcer (containing coils) the moving part.

Non-factory examples include maglev trains and railguns. Within industrial settings, such linear motors have found their high precision, velocity and force abilities applied to scenarios such as

MOTORS & DRIVES

Tool surface finish ground by a LinX®-powered machine

Tool surface finish ground by a ball screw machine

material handling and in machine tools. A major way they improve on ballscrew motion is by having no backlash or reversal error.

the company supplies standard LinX linear motors in two ranges: M-Series (continuous force of 80 N to 287 N, peak force of 1200 N) with IP 66 rating and S-Series (continuous force of 335 N to 630 N and peak force of 4270 N.) with IP 67 rating.

A downside to this kind of direct drive motor is its inability to be used in harsh environments. Mechanical stress and heat are also generated due to the attractive forces between the rotor and forcer. This can require use of a separate chiller to control, which in turn increases the total cost of ownership. The strong downforce causes extreme wear of the motor’s railings and it requires frequent replacement.

The answer to this, tubular linear motors, makes full use of magnetic flux, and has greater thermal stability and an increased lifespan due to no contact between forcer and shaft, with zero attractive forces due to LinX motor’s symmetrical design. These features make it suitable for use in harsh applications. This leads to a lower total cost of ownership and better precision.

Australian engineering heritage, global reputation

ANCA Motion has decades of experience in developing motion control solutions and partners with customers to develop custom solutions. This is supported with a local team of engineering, sales and service experts ready to help expand Australia’s sovereign manufacturing capability. www.ancamotion.com

AUTOMATE

ANCA Motion’s linear motors were originally developed to give ANCA CNC Machines an edge in a highly competitive global industry. ANCA is a world-leader in CNC tool grinding technology, with a series of world firsts since beginning in 1974. It exports almost all of what it makes at its Melbourne headquarters.

The LinX series has a heritage in tool manufacture, but it has a growing list of customers the world over, and the motors are used across various industries in diverse applications. These include pick-and-place, labelling, pressing, reject sorting, stacking, transfer, line distribution, and many other material handling applications within automated warehousing.

Besides LinX, ANCA Motion offers a range of servo drives, humanmachine interfaces and control systems. As well as custom motors,

1800 465 348 www.romheld.com.au

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MOTORS & DRIVES

The old and new in motor maintenance From pumps to fans, machine tools to conveyor belts, motors are the backbone of manufacturing in many sectors.

However, the annual cost of running a motor can be up to 10 times the purchase price. John Young looks at four key areas where you can improve your motor maintenance.

In any industry, motors are major consumers of cost and energy.

In addition to the high maintenance costs, it is estimated that more than 65% of electrical energy in industry is consumed by motors.

Manufacturers of motors are working hard to produce ever more efficient motors and governments the world over are introducing regulations to encourage their uptake.

Whether you are looking to lower the cost of running your facility, reduce the risk of unplanned downtime, or reduce the carbon footprint of your manufacturing operations, here are some useful factors to consider when maintaining your motor.

A need for speed control Variable speed drives (VSDs) are an increasingly popular way of allowing manufacturers to achieve cost savings and energy efficiency gains. Without a VSD, the motor will always operate at full speed but the use of a VSD will match the speed to the application.

A VSD also prevents current surges and the potential damage that these can cause.

Although the initial cost of a VSD might seem high, they can reduce electricity consumption by up to 55%, therefore providing a substantial return on investment in the long run. In addition to energy and cost savings, VSDs help extend the service life of your motor and reduce the maintenance costs.

traditional condition monitoring. For example, the Omron K6CM motor condition monitoring device constantly monitors the condition of three-phase induction motors and detects in advance errors that might have resulted from ageing and wear. It does this by monitoring temperature, vibration, current and insulation resistance.

Perhaps you are still put off by the higher upfront cost, or maybe space requirements mean there is less room for a VSD? In this instance, a soft starter may be a good option, depending on your application. These typically cost half or a third as much as VSDs and are smaller too.

Stay clean and warm

As the name suggests, soft starters are limited to the start-up, where they provide a smoother acceleration, allowing the motor to start more gradually. They do this by limiting and controlling the initial inrush of current.

Across-the-line starting of induction motors is accompanied by inrush currents of up to seven times higher than running current and starting torque of up to three times higher than running torque.

The increased torque results in sudden mechanical stress on the machine. As with VSDs, greater control over the speed can help promote the longevity of your motor.

Smarten up monitoring An experienced plant engineer can monitor the condition of a motor to look for signs of potential problems. Temperature, vibration and noise levels are all things that can indicate both the cause and symptom of a problem.

Excessive heat can be a cause of problems. In fact, the majority of the most common motor problems can be traced to overheating.

One thing to bear in mind is that the life of the motor winding insulation is halved for every 10deg Celsius of additional heat to the windings.

While experienced plant engineers are attuned to the signs and symptoms of potential issues, the latest connected devices can take condition monitoring to another level, reducing the risk of unplanned downtime from motor failure. This is especially beneficial in safety-related systems that are designed for 100% machine availability.

Having devices that can constantly monitor key indicators can provide more timely warnings of potential problems, as well as further insights into equipment performance, complementing

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Many of the staples of a traditional maintenance program still hold their value, despite the added benefits of technology like smart sensors. Keeping your motors and the environment they operate in clean and dry will always play a vital role in ensuring a long service life.

Dust and other particles can contaminate the motor. Abrasive particles will wear down components over time. If they are conductive, they can also interfere with the current. An obstruction in the fan, such as dirt and grime on the heatsink, can lead to overheating. In liquid-cooled motors, excessive dirt can clog piping, also leading to overheating.

Motors should be kept warm as well as clean. As a motor cools, moisture can enter. Moisture and humidity can contribute to corrosion of the components. Moisture also has the potential to weaken the insulating material, so steps must be taken to reduce this risk.

Find a reliable parts supplier When things do go wrong, you need to be able to act quickly.

Whether it is an obsolete component or an entire motor that needs replacing, time spent waiting for new parts to arrive is prohibitively expensive.

The cost of downtime is especially high in those industries, like food & beverage, where the product risks being spoiled. In these instances, partnering with a supplier that has a track record of quickly sourcing and delivering parts is not only beneficial, but essential.

If your maintenance program incorporates the tips included above, you will hopefully not be needing to order replacement parts too frequently. However, it is always best to make sure that when something needs replacing, you have the partnerships in place to resolve issues swiftly.

John Young is the APAC country director at EU Automation. www.euautomation.com

MATERIALS HANDLING

Konecranes’ new oil analysis detectives reveal dark secrets inside gearboxes Well-lubricated gears mean cranes can perform efficiently, with considerably reduced wear and tear over time. To keep crane oil at optimum levels and to integrate oil changes efficiently into maintenance schedules, Konecranes is introducing its new Oil Analysis service to Australasia and the Asia-Pacific.

As a global leader in crane maintenance – with more than 600,000 pieces of lifting equipment of all makes and models under service agreement worldwide – Konecranes is offering Oil Analysis as a supplement to its service agreements. When combined with routine inspections and preventive maintenance, the cost of doing an Oil Analysis can be kept very low.

“Good managers know that the key to changing a crane’s oil is finding a good balance of not too late (when it may impact on performance, cause additional wear, or even screech in protest), and not too early (when it will add unnecessary cost, without delivering a benefit,” says Mark Beckwith, Australian Service Operations Manager at Konecranes. With a crane’s gear case sealed off, it means visible signs of wear and tear are hidden from view, as the crane continues performing vital tasks for industries such as manufacturing, automotive, construction, public and private infrastructure, logistics, metals, steel, mining and energy, waste-to-energy and utilities.

“This is where Oil Analysis comes in – it will tell you what kind of oil is residing in your gear case, and whether it conforms to the manufacturer’s recommendation for your crane,” explains Beckwith.

“All oil naturally degrades through usage, so even with oil that is exactly the right type and viscosity, there will be an optimal time to perform a change. To keep costs to a minimum, Oil Analysis can help plan these changes to occur during routine maintenance.

“Don’t wait for your gearbox to start whining at you – by then it may be too late. The right oil change at the right time can mean equipment will perform for longer.”

Oil Analysis identifies three key findings To properly analyse a crane’s oil condition, a qualified Konecranes technician will pull an oil sample in just a few minutes, even from a sealed gear case. A small tube is inserted over the opening where the oil is added, or through the plate or cover used for inspection access. If this is performed during a mandatory crane inspection, or routine preventative maintenance, the test is performed with no loss of time, and at minimal cost.

Oil Analysis will identify three key findings: 1. The kind of oil residing in the crane. It will determine if it is the correct oil, according to the crane manufacturer’s recommendations, and if it is at the correct viscosity for the operating environment. Beckwith explains that viscosity requirements for cranes in cold climates can be substantially different from those operating in hot climates. In general, synthetic oil is suitable for a wider range of ambient temperatures than mineral oil with the same viscosity grade.

Beckwith adds that cranes that operate 24/7 will have different requirements to cranes used intermittently, where the oil begins colder on start-up.

2. If the oil is degraded or contaminated. If this is the case, it may not be doing an adequate job of lubricating the gears, which may be causing premature wear and reduced crane performance.

3. If there are any wear metals present. This is a clear sign of gear wear, says Beckwith: “The degree of contamination also gives clues to the severity of the problem – often long before any outward symptoms, such as unusual noises, are present,” he says.

“Over the lifetime of a crane – which can often span more than 20 years – Oil Analysis gives maintenance teams the opportunity to identify problems early, before they lead to unplanned downtime or safety problems,” adds Beckwith.

Reporting and integration with maintenance services In the final analysis, Konecranes Oil Analysis operates as an inexpensive backchannel that reveals the secrets a gearbox may be hiding. With this information, maintenance managers can plan with Konecranes experts the optimal time for oil replacement, gearbox repairs, overhauls or the future modernisation needs of equipment.

If warranted, a Safety Notification that notes any urgent problems is delivered to the customer before the equipment is returned t o operation. Typically, after seven days, a detailed, but easy-tointerpret colour-coded report is made available online, accessed through the yourKONECRANES customer portal, or delivered as a pdf.

“Oil Analysis brings big benefits when part of a preventive maintenance program – such as Konecranes’ CARE Preventive/ Predictive Maintenance program – and is an essential part of predictive maintenance,” says Beckwith. www.konecranes.com.au

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COMPRESSORS & AIR TECHNOLOGY

Hot off the press! Cutting carbon emissions with Stuff New Zealand’s leading media organisation Stuff, is on track to see a 40% reduction in compressed air associated power consumption at its Petone Print Plant.

The reduction is being achieved by implementing recommendations provided from auditing the compressed air system including: upgrading compressed air equipment; adding an Industry 4.0-ready compressed air management system; and implementing an air leak management programme.

Stuff Limited is New Zealand’s leading media organisation. Its flagship news website stuff.co.nz is well known, but Stuff also owns and prints a large portfolio of New Zealand’s best-loved magazines and newspapers. This includes national, metropolitan and regional newspaper titles, including the Sunday Star-Times, the Press and The Dominion Post.

Stuff prints its newspapers and magazines across two print plants located in Petone and Christchurch. Both plants are continuously striving to improve processes and technology to reduce the impact they have on the environment. This is part of the company’s wider commitment to being a sustainable business. Part of this commitment includes reducing its emissions. Stuff became a signatory of the Climate Leaders Coalition in 2017, and in 2019 set an ambitious target to reduce its Scope 1 (fleet fuel) and Scope 2 (purchased electricity) emissions by 25% by 2025.

The print plants have already made great headway in contributing to these targets, and they were recently recognised for their efforts, winning a ‘Kodak Sonora Plate Green Leaf Award’ in 2019. This award recognised their world-class environmentally friendly initiatives and projects undertaken to reduce energy consumption.

Compressed air system audit reveals energy savings potential A key focus for the Petone print plant in the past year has been its compressed air system. Compressed air is an essential utility used to power around 80% of all the machinery onsite. This includes the very large multi-story print press that produces the majority of newspapers published by Stuff.

Compressed air is an essential utility used to power around 80% of all the machinery at Stuff’s Petone print plant.

When the dryer in the existing compressed air system failed, the exorbitant price to replace it – along with the extremely high service costs to maintain the system as a whole – led the Stuff team to investigate the site’s compressed air requirements, in order to establish potential alternative compressed air supply solutions.

Recognising that compressed air is also one of the largest consumers of electricity on a plant, Brendon Tarrant, Engineering Manager at Stuff, was keen to see if energy savings could be made.

To understand the site’s precise compressed air demand, Tarrant engaged an energy consultant, who data-logged the entire compressed air system over a period of 10 days. This included installing flow metres that monitored and measured air consumption and waste. The data was then analysed and showed: •

The existing compressor was grossly oversized for its requirements.

•

Compressed air leaks were accounting for 70% of total compressed air being used.

•

The absence of a master controller in the existing compressed air system meant Stuff had zero visibility as to whether the system was running efficiently.

With a reliable and efficient Kaeser compressed air system already in place at the Christchurch print plant, Tarrant decided to contact Kaeser Compressors for a solution for the Petone print plant.

Implementing audit recommendations Utilising the information from the data logging, Kaeser was able to recommend a much smaller package that would meet the site’s

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The ASK 40 T rotary screw compressor, with integrated refrigeration dryer, delivers the compressed air required at standard and peak times.

requirements most efficiently and precisely. This included an ASK 40 T rotary screw compressor with integrated refrigeration dryer, which would deliver the compressed air required at standard and peak times, along with an SM 16 T rotary screw compressor with integrated refrigeration dryer, which would provide the required compressed air when demand was low.

COMPRESSORS & AIR TECHNOLOGY For Stuff, implementing a SAM 4.0 has meant that they can view all performance data for the entire compressed air system. And what’s more, they don’t even need to be in the plant room! Thanks to secure network technology they can view all data remotely from a PC, tablet or phone at any time and any location.

Stuff provided Kaeser with remote access to the SAM 4.0, allowing them to observe the system’s behaviour after installation and to see if adding a recommended additional air receiver was required and would make the system more efficient.

Data was remotely downloaded from Stuff’s SAM 4.0, and analysed using the Kaeser Energy Savings System (KESS). This demonstrated that adding another air receiver would be beneficial in improving the system’s performance and energy efficiency. Furthermore, it highlighted that minor adjustments such as relocating the pressure sensor would help with better regulation.

After implementing these recommendations, the engineering team at Kaeser once more accessed the SAM 4.0 and updated the configuration file, taking into account the additional receiver. This would allow the SAM 4.0 to recalculate the new buffer volume of the system.

To ensure complete control and transparency, a Sigma Air Manager 4.0 (SAM 4.0) was installed.

Kaeser designed the SM and ASK series compressors with optimum energy efficiency in mind. The energy-saving Sigma Profile rotors inside the compressor block, as well as the use of premium efficiency IE3 motors, contribute significantly to the energy-efficient performance of these compressors. The addition of the internal Sigma Control 2 controller, reduced internal pressure losses and a unique cooling system, all combine to push the boundaries of efficiency even further.

The T models selected for Stuff come complete with an integrated and energy-efficient refrigeration dryer. Aside from being a compact and space-saving option, the integrated refrigeration dryer operates at a high level of efficiency thanks to its energy-saving control, whereby it is only activated when compressed air actually needs to be dried. As a result, the required compressed air quality is achieved with maximum energy efficiency.

To ensure complete control and transparency, a Sigma Air Manager 4.0 (SAM 4.0) was installed. This next-generation, Industry 4.0-ready compressed air management system links all compressed air generation and treatment components together. It utilises adaptive 3-Dadvanced Control to make air generation and treatment even more intelligent, reliable and efficient by analysing all operating data on an ongoing basis. It then simulates alternative actions and calculates the perfect compressor combination for optimum energy efficiency.

Data was then taken again from the newly configured SAM 4.0 and analysed. This demonstrated that the changes had significantly improved the system’s overall specific power, decreasing it by 5%.

Moreover, the lower the specific power, the more energy efficient a compressed air system will be.

Finally, requiring a 100% redundancy system, Stuff additionally opted to integrate a second ASK 40 T into the compressed air system.

Reduced power consumption means reduced carbon emissions With the system installed and up and running for over a year, Stuff is on track to meeting its 2025 emissions target. In FY21 Stuff has achieved a 20% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions from its FY19 baseline.

“Following the recommendations from the data logging and advice from Kaeser Compressors, we installed the new compressors, air receiver and SAM 4.0,” says Tarrant. “In addition we are now also working through fixing the air leaks around the plant. Our aim in doing this was to reduce our power consumption and service fees.

“So far, we have reduced our power consumption by 31% and this year alone we will save around $10,000 in electricity costs and $10,000 in service fees. With work still to be done, we anticipate that we will be able to reach a total 40% reduction in power consumption.” au.kaeser.com www.stuff.co.nz

The Kaeser SM 16 T provides compressed air when demand is low.

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COMPRESSORS & AIR TECHNOLOGY

‘Release the Pressure’ – Insider energy saving information Pneumatic processes account for around 20% of all factory power consumption. However, when air is optimised, it becomes a gamechanger that is proven to improve energy efficiency.

In a recent white paper, SMC’s Industry Projects Manager for Energy (EU), Andy Still, shared his thoughts on how companies can optimise their energy efficiency in-line with one of the industry’s best-kept secrets. While it is possible to introduce compressed air efficiencies, today, some plants still suffer from 20 to 50% leakage rates as well as other forms of wastage.

Bill Blyth, Energy Conservation Group Manager at SMC Corporation ANZ.

It’s common knowledge that the typical operating pressure (for main compressed air lines) in industrial plants is around 7 bar. However, not so commonly known is that by simply lowering the pressure to 5 bar, facilities can reduce their energy consumption up to 15%.

Dropping the pressure to 4 bar offers savings of up to 29%.

“The global understanding of pressure reduction is that it will affect performance,” Still explains. “Although this statement is true for some equipment, it must be said that most processes can operate efficiently at reduced pressures.”

Bill Blyth, Energy Conservation Group Manager at SMC Corporation ANZ, echoes this sentiment saying that while performance remains critical in every plant, SMC has found an effective and reliable way to reduce pressure without compromising output: “The objective is to make sure that 1) the available power is utilised in an optimised way and 2) to smooth the demand peaks.”

Identifying the issues Globally, SMC’s energy saving team can carry out an energy saving audit designed to address these opportunities. In just a few days, without interrupting operations, an audit is carried out.

“The first step is to evaluate the compressor’s operations and address the filtration components and air distribution to ensure the system will not exhibit unnecessary pressure drops and deliver efficient flow across the entire pneumatic circuit,” says Still.

SMC determines the air quality by carrying out an air quality analysis.

“Then, we investigate various process operations throughout the site, identify opportunities and quantify existing waste. Finally, our experts investigate any equipment exhibiting increased air demand, and identify compressed air inefficiencies and energy costs.”

These initiatives determine any existing conditions as well as existing and potential minimum pressure requirements for a plant’s compressed air system.

Based on the outcome of the energy saving audit, SMC provides recommendations and solutions – including estimated costs to eliminate inefficiencies and assure system reliability when reducing pressure and flowrates.

“So often, companies think that the outcome of an audit will incur significant expenditure,” says Blyth. “This is not always the case.

In many instances, it is possible to reduce the operating pressure, reduce the flowrates and eliminate waste without the need for any significant system upgrades.”

Still adds that the order of priority must be: 1. The elimination of waste (including leaks).

2. The smoothing of flow peaks.

3. The reduction in excess pressure.

4. The realisation of improved energy efficiency at each of the components.

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The elimination process “Much like a car in need of a service, if a pneumatic system is not properly maintained, costly issues can arise” Blyth explains.

Regarding the elimination process, Still says: “We identify waste, often simply by repairing seals or tubing for instance. However, this action only acts as a temporary improvement. Further leaks will inevitably occur, and small leaks will eventually become larger ones.

There needs to be a policy in place that assures leak repair as an ongoing, continuous project. A leak detection system (as simple as an inline flow monitor) can easily identify future leakage with associated costs and wasted energy.”

When looking to components that generate excessive compressed air demand, Andy says that air blow systems must be considered.

“These can account for around 42% of global compressed air consumption and if not optimised can compromise the entire plant system efficiency. To help counter this issue, as an example, we can provide a solution that reduces air blow consumption up to 85%, through more efficient air control technology or investigate alternatives to replace the air blow system.”

This choice involves a small investment, but the fast return is due to the typically high consumption of air blow equipment. It is also important to consider vacuum systems, which represent 9% of global consumption. Example being a vacuum unit featuring SMC’s energy-saving digital pressure switching enables plants to reduce air usage by 93%.

“A next step, and not such a complicated one, will be to optimise any single machine components” says Still. “Small improvements can generate big gains.”

“Consider the stroke, connections and the mounting of a cylinder.

The correct sizing here is key,” adds Blyth.

The installation of a digital gap checker in machining applications (for workpiece placement confirmation) can also make a notable difference as it provides a 60% reduction in air consumption.

This detection principle ensures a flow rate of 0 L/min when the workpiece is seated in its fixture. The combination of reduced operating pressure and system improvements brings huge savings in energy consumption – usually around 75%. www.smcanz.com

COMPRESSORS & AIR TECHNOLOGY

BOGE converts refrigerant dryer to new refrigerant Sustainability is a top priority for BOGE. The company is aware of the current environmental challenges and is therefore committed to making environmentally-friendly products.

With this in mind, the compressed air specialist has converted its DS-2 refrigerant dryer in the lower power range to refrigerant R 513A. This has much lower global warming potential than the refrigerant previously used but does not compromise on performance in any way. The result: an extremely energy-efficient dryer series with the lowest CO2 footprint on the market.

Meeting the climate objectives means finding solutions that are environmentally-friendly and, most importantly, reduce greenhouse gases. This applies to the compressed air industry too. In order to optimise the CO2 footprint of its refrigerant dryers, BOGE has begun using a new refrigerant, R 513A, instead of R134a for its DS-2 series in the power range up to 10 cubic metres per minute. This reduces the GWP value (Global Warming Potential) by around 60%: from 1,430 to 573. The CO2 equivalent, ie. the impact the substance has on the climate compared to carbon dioxide, also decreases accordingly.

The greenhouse effect of the new refrigerant over the 100-year period studied is much lower than before. Furthermore, BOGE refrigerant dryers generally require less refrigerant than similar models by other manufacturers, which also has a positive effect on the environment. Another advantage of the DS-2 series: the refrigerant circuit is hermetically sealed. This means that the mandatory testing stipulated in F-Gas Regulation EU 517/2014 is not required. This in turn means that the refrigerant dryer not only offers environmental benefits, but financial ones too.

The F-Gas Regulation aims to reduce emissions from the industrial sector by 79% by 2030. One of its focal points is reducing the emissions of fluorinated greenhouse gases (F-gases) in the EU. A phase-down process is underway, whereby the fluorinated greenhouse gases emitted in the EU are to be reduced from 100% (based on the annual average from 2009 to 2012) to 21% by 2030.

During the first phase, refrigerants with a GWP value greater than 2,500 have been prohibited since January 2020. In the second phase, F-gases with a GWP value over 750 may not be used from 2022; in the third phase F-gases with a GWP value above 150 must not be used from 2030.

tightness test. Depending on the category, this ranges from quarterly to annually and can be costly. As BOGE DS-2 refrigerant dryers both feature a hermetically sealed refrigerant circuit and have a CO2 equivalent below 10 tonnes, they are not subject to mandatory testing.

The heavy-duty aluminium heat exchanger is highly efficient. The coolant circuit is also designed to the highest quality standards. Low losses together with a low coolant requirement means low operating costs that are unmatched. This makes the refrigerant dryers from the DS-2 series the most energy-efficient on the market compared to systems with the same flow capacity by other manufacturers.

By converting to refrigerant R513A, BOGE has demonstrated its clear commitment to climate protection and sustainability. The reduction of approximate 60% in the global warming potential of its DS 4-2 to DS 100-2 refrigerant dryers speaks for itself. Moreover, operators will not have to compromise on performance. This means BOGE can guarantee the future supply of compressed air of the highest quality. www.boge.com.au

As refrigerant dryers fall into the category of stationary refrigeration equipment, special rules apply to them. For example, the refrigerants currently used must only have a GWP value below 2,500. However, by converting to R 513A, BOGE is getting ahead of the game and replacing the old refrigerant before it is legally obliged to do so. The regulation also stipulates if and how often the stationary refrigeration equipment has to undergo a leak

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These products are issued by Bank of Queensland Limited ABN 32 009 656 740 AFSL 244616 (BOQ). The current Product Disclosure Statements or terms and conditions for these products are available on request. Before making a decision, you should consider whether or not these products are appropriate for you. Terms and conditions and eligibility criteria applies.

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FORUM EDUCATION

Does education require a new approach?

We are teaching students to remember but not to understand. Insights into this trend – based on experiences by Roger La Salle – are explored here.

Let me preface this article by citing some astounding findings from personal experience.

Trends in performance in reading, mathematics and science

Some years ago I gave a lecture to final year electrical engineering students at one of our top-rated universities. Before the lecture I was told approximately 80 students were taking the course. When I entered the room, just four students - presumably the good ones - were present, as predicted by the lecturer.

I commenced by asking the most simple question of these final year electrical engineering students: “What is the frequency of the mains power in Australia?”.

NOBODY knew the answer.

More recently I was exploring some innovations with a company CEO whose son was present and eager to participate.

It turns out this delightful well-mannered lad had just completed second year in electrical engineering at a Canberra-based university.

I also asked him the same question. Again, he did not know the answer.

Further I probed: “I wonder how we could get hydrogen from water?”. The lad, I repeat a delightful well-mannered young man who informed me he was most keen on his studies, had no idea what I was talking about. I suggested to him electrolysis, again he had no idea what I was talking about, but then said, “Oh yes, I think we did that in first year but I don’t remember”.

I recall saying to that lad, I don’t remember it either but I understand physics and electricity and the composition of water and with such an understanding it’s easy to “connect the dots”.

Memory is not required, instead an understanding of the simple building blocks of nature, physics, electricity and science; that’s all that is needed.

Therein lies the problem. We are teaching people to remember but not to understand.

If the world worked like that, all we would need in our lives is Google. A platform that provides answers but not insights.

Pictured are some graphs of our OECD education rating over past years of 15-yearold students, those now being primed for entrance to university. Note the downward trajectory - in particular Science in 2012.

This is the measured outcome despite the multi-billions of dollars spent on education and the so- called “Building the Education Revolution” of the Rudd/Gillard years.

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A quote attributed to Julia Gillard in 2010 was: ".. already one of the most heavily scrutinised programs in the nation's history" and that “…the program was the ‘centrepiece’ of an economic stimulus package that helped to ‘ensure that a generation of Australians weren't consigned to months or years of joblessness’”. * Whilst we may lament the decline in education, it’s hard to blame the universities that have such low and ever-falling standards of students as input material. But that is not the end of the story. In recently speaking with a former lecturer he laments that the length of some courses have been increased, and not in final year, but in first year in an attempt to get students to the starting post to hopefully commence learning.Universities have simply reacted to the conditions presented by Governments going back decades.

In essence universities had to become selfsufficient, largely self-funded businesses.

The result has been a dramatic decline in standards to enable virtually any attendee to emerge with a degree. The call to action for universities today is to win students at any cost, preferably overseas full fee-paying students, some even with little or no English skills. Our educational institutions have become money-hungry student sausage factories. A colleague, now a retired lecturer, cites courses deliberately “dumbed down” to allow even the most incapable of students to win a degree.

From my experience, this is the way I see the state of education in Australia today.

Unless some change occurs universities will trash their reputation and in the longer term cease to be able to attract any wellintentioned overseas student, except

perhaps for those seeking to acquire permanent residency status. Something I am told is widely sought after.

So what’s the answer?

Perhaps a better question is what is not the answer; and that is have universities so conditioned to the need for self-funding to change their modus-operandi. I suspect the model and mindset is now too deeply embedded to change. What we need to do is create a complete new set of elite learning institutions, given a new title far removed from the word “university” that are tasked with teaching by understanding. By examining outcomes with students being required to “connect the dots” and solve problems to be rewarded with real and valued qualifications. Such qualifications would be a testament to a student’s ability to think, properly understand the world we live in and how it fits together. The principles of basic physics, engineering and the digital world are well understood.

It’s from that understanding, not memory, that great strides forward can be made.

References: *Gillard, Julia (13 April 2010). "New taskforce an extra check on spending".

The Australian. Sydney.

Retrieved 16 April 2010.

Roger La Salle, trains people in innovation, commercialisation, marketing and the new emerging art of Opportunity Capture. Several of Roger’s own inventions are displayed in technology museums in Australia. In 2005 he was appointed "Chair of Innovation" at Queens University in Belfast. Roger created "Matrix Thinking"™, now used in more than 29 countries. www.innovationtraining.com.au Ph:03 9866 3272

FORUM

WA

OHS

Metal fabrication company fined $600,000 over burns to worker The serious injury suffered by a young man in 2018 resulted in a heavy fine imposed on a sheet metal fabrication company in WA. Worksafe WA reports on the neglect, the failure to remedy the deficiencies and the resulting fine – one of the highest in the state.

A Welshpool sheet metal fabrication company has been handed one of the highest ever fines under WA’s workplace safety laws.

PGQW Pty Ltd– previously known as Boxline Industries Pty Ltd – and its Manager Bradley Michael Shackleton have been fined a total of $650,000 over an incident in 2018 in which an employee suffered serious burns.

PGQW pleaded guilty to failing to provide and maintain a safe work environment and, by that failure, causing serious harm to an employee.

The company also pleaded guilty to two breaches of the Occupational Safety and Health Regulations 1996, namely failing to ensure the workplace had Material Safety Data Sheets readily available and failing to ensure there was adequate labelling of a hazardous substance.

The fine The company was sentenced to a global fine of $600,000 and ordered to pay $2682.50 costs in the Perth Magistrates Court.

Bradley Shackleton was fined $50,000 (and also ordered to pay $2682.50 costs) because the offences occurred with his consent and/or were attributable to his neglect while he was acting in the capacity of manager.

In November 2018, a new and young employee of PGQW was tasked with orbital sanding around 30 metal sheets after applying kerosene to the sheets to produce a non-reflective and corrosion-resistant finish.

The deficiencies The employee was not provided with adequate induction, training or supervision to perform this task. Further, he was not provided with or wearing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) such as an apron, and was applying kerosene from an unlabelled plastic bottle which was splashing onto his clothing as the sheets were sanded.

Because appropriate PPE was not provided, the same work shirt contaminated with kerosene was worn the following day.

He was then tasked to weld shipping container locking handles, and was not instructed to remove the kerosene-splashed shirt he was wearing, nor was he provided with PPE. Soon after he started welding he felt his shirt get hot. When he lifted his welding mask he saw his shirt was on fire, and his pants subsequently caught fire. It took some time to locate a fire extinguisher, which was subsequently used to put out the flames.

The injuries The employee suffered burns to 30% of his body, including his face and ear, chest and arms, stomach and torso and both thighs.

He has since undergone 13 surgeries and will need more in the future.

At the time of the incident, PGQW had not established any safe systems of work for orbital sanding with kerosene or provided adequate induction, training or supervision to its employees.

PGQW had received prior Improvement Notices for providing insufficient safety induction, training and adequate labelling of hazardous substances.

An unfortunate example WorkSafe WA Commissioner Darren Kavanagh said today the case was an unfortunate example of a workplace that did not provide any sort of protection for workers despite the fact that safe alternatives were available and simple to implement.

“The young man involved was not properly advised of the risks associated with kerosene, including its hazardous and flammable properties, and was not told how much kerosene to use or instructed to wear any personal protective equipment,” Mr Kavanagh said.

“Other companies have stopped using kerosene and were either sanding the sheets dry or using a non-flammable alternative, and this alternative was actually present in this workplace yet was not used.

“The company had no system to ensure adequate induction for new employees, proper instruction and training was sadly lacking, supervision was effectively nonexistent and safe systems of work were not in place.

“Other companies have stopped using kerosene and were either sanding the sheets dry or using a non-flammable alternative … yet this was not used” “This is despite the fact that WorkSafe inspectors had visited the premises on several occasions and had issued a large number of notices.

“Mr Shackleton, who was managing the workplace, was aware of the lack of induction, training, supervision and PPE and failed to take any action to remedy the situation.

“He consented to actions that contributed to the hazard and neglected to do anything to make the workplace safer for employees.

“The level of penalty imposed on the company and the manager reflects the seriousness of the neglect involved and the fact that a young man has suffered terrible injuries.”

WorkSafe’s collaborative approach with industry, employers and the workforce is focused on influencing the commercial environment in Western Australia to ensure the achievement of best safety and health outcomes in the workplace.

Its mission is to inspire employers and workers to ensure workplaces are safe through partnership, education and enforcement.

Worksafe WA is a party to the Australian Work Health and Safety Strategy - a framework for the Commonwealth, state and territory governments, industry and unions, and other organisations, to work together and improve work health and safety.

Ph: 1300 307 877 www.commerce.wa.gov.au/worksafe

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Cash management forecasting is the key to a sustainable business Failure to properly manage cash flows is the key reason for business liquidations and indeed within the first five years, most businesses will indeed cease to exist. Jeffrey Luckins explains.

Speaking as a company auditor, one of the key procedures we perform to conclude our opinion on financial reports and address the going concern basis, is devoted to determining whether the company can pay their debts as and when they fall due, which is a key solvency requirement for businesses looking forward one year ahead. Indeed, we take the forecast cash flows and we flex them to address locked-in commitments, potential (new) sources of cash inflows and any other potential movements of cash over the next year. We want to know in a worst-case scenario, how it is possible for the business to survive? All business owners should adopt the same philosophy that we do to survive and to thrive.

Surprisingly, our observations are that cash flow management has a low priority in businesses or where it is implemented, the quality, timing and usefulness of the reporting is negligible at best.

Here’s the problem: forecasting is an inexact science and even when it is conducted, the quality of information supporting assumptions in the modelling can be weak or inconsistent with reality where insufficient research and due diligence is conducted.

The result being that business owners place low reliance and faith in forecasting, preferring to address cash management issues on an ad hoc as needs or weekly basis.

Your first goal should be determining that the going concern basis is supportable to enable the business to survive in the short-term (ie the next year). This exercise may lead you to increase banking facilities, inject new equity, factor trade receivables, reduce shortterm commitments or realise assets to enable sufficient working capital to be employed in the business.

Medium term thinking should be about investing in the business to build its critical mass and profitability - making a stronger business which is resilient to short-term term challenges. This forecasting may enable you to focus upon proactively implementing incentives and promotions which build a consistent loyal client base, improved decision-making around decisions to replace equipment or indeed to extend the life of existing equipment, acquiring a new business, negotiating with suppliers, and refinancing or communicating with your financiers.

Forecasting tools There is now more choice than ever for cashflow forecasting tools.

Some software programs appear quite impressive in terms of their visual outputs, however the pros and cons of each solution can be difficult to weigh up. Many software tools have limitations, so it is important to ask the right questions before buying. For example, some forecasting software does not interface with popular accounting systems or exports only hardcoded numbers to other programs such as Microsoft Excel.

When to use a spreadsheet for forecasting Like other software programs, Microsoft Excel has limitations and potential issues when it comes to using it as your key forecasting tool. These issues include the risk of accidental errors and reusing templates that are no longer fit for purpose. However, the risk of errors can be minimised through well-designed spreadsheets with

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the appropriate checks and balances. Excel is still probably one of the best options for small-to-medium business in the following cases: •

Deciding on whether to finance a specific project.

Starting a new product line or taking on a new contract that requires investment.

•

Preparing for an acquisition. When preparing for an acquisition it is important to understand the cashflows of the target business to determine an appropriate offer price and to understand the combined value of your business and the target by modelling expected synergies.

•

Preparing for sale or a partial divestment. As the value of a business is based on its future cashflows, both the potential buyers and you will want to see and understand the forecast cashflows to determine an appropriate price.

•

Deciding whether to replace equipment or extend the life of existing equipment. Both scenarios can be modelled out over a specific period and compared based on net present value (NPV).

•

Valuing your business. Forecast cash inflows and outflows are a key input for a valuation based on the discounted cashflows (DCF) method of valuation.

•

Simple monthly, quarterly, or yearly forecasting.

Spreadsheets are very useful for setting up forecasting at regular intervals regardless of what interval you choose. The chosen intervals can then be easily rolled up into a yearly overview.

Once a forecast is prepared in Excel, different scenarios can be built in to allow the end user to see and compare the result of these scenarios in the one table. One scenario may include what would happen to the profit and cashflow if the sales volume of a product line increased by say 10%.

When to avoid spreadsheets for forecasting The more complex the forecasting becomes due to multiple locations, business units, foreign locations and currencies, and high levels of assumptions or sensitivities, the more it becomes apparent to implement a dedicated forecasting software solution.

Don’t give up on Forecasting Failure is not an option for forecasting cash flows; consider outsourcing this task if you lack the in-house skills to develop the modelling and interpret the results. Your survival as a business is on the line and assuming you have covered this risk, the opportunity to build your business and maximise profitability becomes the key objective. Whichever way you consider it, cash management forecasting is not negotiable for your business.

Jeffrey Luckins is a Director in the Audit & Assurance Division at William Buck – a leading firm of accountants and advisors.

This article was co-authored with Lauren Morcom. www.williambuck.com Ph: 03 9824 8555

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Vaccination status and the Privacy Act Businesses across Australia continue to grapple with ways to prevent and manage COVID-19 in the workplace, including compliance with ever-changing Government mandated vaccine requirements and implementing workplace vaccination policies.

As a result, businesses continue to collect sensitive information about employees, contractors and other visitors to the workplace, including vaccination status information and medical certificates.

Information about a person’s vaccination status and medical certificates are ‘personal information’ which must be collected, used and disclosed according to Australian privacy laws, including the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (Privacy Act) and associated Australian Privacy Principles. The following outlines the key principles to be aware of and considered regarding privacy obligations when collecting this type of information.

In what circumstances can businesses collect vaccination status information about employees, labour hire workers, contractors, volunteers, candidates and other visitors?

Vaccination status information is ‘sensitive information’ about an individual and is afforded higher protection under the Privacy Act. This means, generally speaking, a person’s vaccination status must only be collected if: • •

the information is necessary for one or more of the business’ functions or activities; and the individual has consented.

Businesses may need to collect vaccination status information to prevent and manage COVID-19 in the workplace. When considering worker vaccination information, applicable workplace laws and contractual obligations will impact whether collecting vaccination status information is necessary for a business’ functions or activities.

Vaccination information collected ‘just in case’ or for a purpose achievable without the information, will be harder to justify.

There are circumstances when consent is not required, including where: • •

collection is required or authorised under Australian law; or information is necessary to prevent or lessen a serious threat to the life, health, safety or welfare of any individual or to public health or safety (and is impracticable to obtain consent).

Laws requiring and authorising the collection of vaccination status information can include public health orders and directions made by State Governments.

When relying on the “required or authorised by law” exemption, the law will dictate what information is to be collected. In most cases, it will be sufficient to sight an individual’s immunisation certificate or history statement confirming full or partial vaccination status and make a record of doing so. It is not necessary (nor recommended) that businesses collect and store a copy of the certificate/statement.

In summary, worker vaccination status information may be collected if a public health order or direction is in place requiring that information. If neither applies, where a lawful and reasonable vaccination direction has been given to workers, you can request evidence of vaccination if you consider this reasonably necessary and you have obtained their consent. In all other cases, businesses may collect vaccination status information if necessary for one or more of the business’ functions or activities (including preventing and managing COVID-19 in the workplace) and the individual consents.

These principles apply equally to other sensitive information, including medical certificates provided by individuals who have a medical contraindication and may be exempt from vaccination requirements under law.

Collection notice and transparency It is essential for businesses to be transparent about why vaccination information is being collected and to comply with Australian Privacy Principle 5 (APP 5). APP 5 requires businesses that collect personal information to take reasonable steps to either notify the individual of certain matters about the collection or to ensure the individual is aware of those matters at the time personal information is collected (or as soon as practicable thereafter).

Compliance can be achieved by providing a Collection Notice, which is a statement that sets: • • • • •

why the information is being collected; how it will be used; who it will be disclosed to; whether it will be disclosed overseas; and whether the collection is required or authorised by law.

Importantly from an HR perspective, employers cannot rely on the employee records exemption to exclude them from providing a Collection Notice to employees. The Full Bench of the Fair Work Commission has previously confirmed that the employee records exemption does not apply until after the information has been collected and held within the employee record.

Businesses must distribute a Collection Notice to all employees, contractors, labour hire workers, volunteers, candidates for employment and visitors to the workplace when collecting vaccination status information. It can also help obtain valid and informed consent, where required.

What should businesses do now?

While vaccination in the workplace directions can be confusing, the associated privacy obligations are relatively straightforward.

If your business chooses to or is required to collect vaccination status information about employees, contractors and other visitors to the workplace, we recommend the following : •

• •

•

•

always provide a Collection Notice (APP 5 compliant) to individuals whose information is collected (including employees); only collect personal information necessary to prevent or manage COVID-19 or that is required by law; once collected, personal information should only be used or disclosed within and outside your business on a “need-to-know” basis and for the purposes outlined in the Collection Notice; have clear policies and parameters for destroying/retaining personal information and only retain for as long as necessary and for the purpose it was collected (do not hold indefinitely); and ensure the information is securely stored.

Rigby Cooke’s Privacy & Data Protection team can assist businesses with understanding your requirements or provide practical advice to help your business comply with its obligations under the Privacy Act, State Directions or public health orders.

Ian Rosenfeld Partner - Corporate & Commercial T: +61 3 9321 7850 E: Ian.Rosenfeld@rigbycooke.com.au Emma Simpson Senior Associate - Corporate & Commercial T: +61 3 9321 7805 E: Emma.Simpson@rigbycooke.com.au www.rigbycooke.com.au

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AMTIL INSIDE

AMTIL staff settled into new home As can be seen from a few photos below, AMTIL has completed the relocation of its headquarters to a brand new office building in Bayswater, in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs and the staff have settled in nicely to our new home.

AMTIL’s new premises is located across two levels and 300sqm 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 almost 20 years and 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.

It’s great that we’re finally all moved in at our new premises and staff are back at their desks after extensive periods of working from home. The impact that has had on staff morale and productivity has been noticed and I am very happy to have everybody back in the office, working together, smiling and enjoying each others’ company. www.amtil.com.au

Shane Infanti, CEO AMTIL

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AMTIL HEADING INSIDE

Visitor registrations opening soon for Australian Manufacturing Week 2022 Online registrations for visitors to the inaugural Australian Manufacturing Week exhibition, taking place in Sydney in June 2022, are due to open on 15 February.

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. The opening of registrations marks a significant milestone in the build-up to the exhibition. Preparations for AMW 2022 have been marked by high levels of early interest, with the floor space almost entirely booked out well before the end of last year.

“We’re thrilled to be finally opening up visitor registrations for AMW,” says Kim Banks, Head of Events at AMTIL. “The response from exhibitors has been incredibly positive, with stands selling out much faster than any of us had expected. We think that’s indicative of the appetite out there in the industry for a show of this kind, and hopefully that will be reflected in the interest from visitors.”

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. The exhibition will be segmented into six dedicated zones that will cover a range of specialised aspects of the modern manufacturing landscape.

The Additive Manufacturing Zone will feature the latest innovations from the fast-evolving world of 3D printing, from companies such as RAM3D, while the Australian Manufacturers Pavillion will showcase some of the most innovative manufacturing businesses operating today, including Marand Precision Engineering and Marsh Alliance.

Exhibitors such as Automated Solutions Australia and Epicor Software will be displaying their products in the Robotics & Automation Zone,

while the Weld Solutions Zone will feature the latest welding cobot technology from Lorch, and much more. The Austech Machine Tools & Ancillary Equipment Zone will host a comprehensive range of the latest metalworking and machine tool technology, including state-ofthe-art cutting tools from Iscar Australia. Finally, the Manufacturing Solutions Zone will offer optimised solutions to the most common challenges experienced by manufacturers.

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.

Australian Manufacturing Week 2022 will take place at the International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney) in Darling Harbour from 7-10 June 2022. For more information and to register your intention to attend, visit the AMW website at: 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

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AMTIL Events – Book now for Golf Day Tickets are available for annual Corporate Golf Day and Lunch, one of the most popular events in the AMTIL calendar.

The ever-popular Golf Day and Lunch will be taking place on Friday 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.

AMTIL Golf Day 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.

scheduled events at short notice – anyone planning to attend should always register in advance and be on the lookout for updates from AMTIL.

All attendees at any of AMTIL’s 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

www.amtil.com.au/Events

To book your place at the Golf Day or at any of AMTIL’s upcoming events, please visit the Events page on the AMTIL website. For more information, please call 03 9800 3666.

HotSpots – Need a helping hand?

Have you ever had a bit of work that needed doing, and you just didn’t have the time or resources to get it done yourself? That’s where AMTIL HotSpots can help out.

Perhaps your business is involved in a big project, but your workshop or your team just isn’t large enough to handle the volume required. Maybe it’s a specific component you need made, but you just don’t have the necessary capabilities in-house. Or perhaps your business is diversifying into an area where you need a bit more expertise from outside the company. Finding the right organisation to help is often the biggest part of the problem, and that’s where HotSpots can simplify the process.

HotSpots is a service specifically for AMTIL members, providing information and resources concerning our industry and the workplace, as well as useful services for your business. Many of the items featured are available exclusively to AMTIL members only. HotSpots is designed to connect AMTIL members, informing them of the sorts of opportunities that could help their businesses to grow.

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Details of current Hotspot opportunities go out in a regular email, which also includes information about significant issues affecting our industry, details of AMTIL services, upcoming networking and social events, and advice on ways to help you improve your business. HotSpots is an incredibly powerful way to reach large numbers of key decision-makers from across the manufacturing sector. HotSpots has proved hugely popular, and AMTIL is keen to make it even more effective.

So next time you have a piece of work that needs doing, don’t waste time – get in touch and get HotSpots working for you. And don’t forget, the connections that HotSpots makes work both ways. If you’re looking for opportunities for work, HotSpots is designed to help you find them. Keep an eye on Hotspots by visiting the AMTIL website. You’ll need your AMTIL membership to log in and find out more details about each individual listing.

If you are interested in gaining access to HotSpots or you have something you feel will meet our criteria for listing, please forward them on to AMTIL for assessment by emailing info@amtil. com.au with the subject line HOTSPOT. For more information, please contact AMTIL’s Corporate Services Manager Greg Chalker on 03 9800 3666, or gchalker@amtil.com.au. www.amtil.com.au/Membership/ Hotspots

AMTIL INSIDE

AMTIL ushers in the Festive Season AMTIL ran a number of celebrations for its members during December to ring in the Christmas season at the end of a long, hard year.

Events took place in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. The biggest event was at the Aerial Reception Centre in Melbourne on 2 December, where more than 130 guests tucked into a three-course meal, drinks and entertainment. Celebrations were also held at Kingsleys Woolloomooloo in Sydney on 8 December, and at Massimo Restaurant in Brisbane on 9 December.

All of the events drew a strong turnout.

AMTIL events such as these would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors Interlease, Rigby Cooke, Sterna GL and William Buck.

Brisbane

“It’s been a nice relief being able to get back to holding proper social events recently after two years of lockdowns, and it felt pretty important to be able to get together with our members to celebrate Christmas,” said Sarah McCormick, Events Coordinator at AMTIL. “I think everyone who came along gave really positive feedback, and we’re looking forward to running a lot more social and networking events in the New Year.” www.amtil.com.au/events Melbourne

New Members AMTIL would like to welcome the following companies who have signed up as new members of our association.

AUSTRALIAN ADDITIVE ENGINEERING

CENTRAL INNOVATION PTY

EXIM ENGINEERING PTY LTD

Factory 1, 42 McArthurs Rd ALTONA NORTH 3025 VIC

Level 3 Bld 2, 20 Bridge Street PYMBLE 2072 NSW

22 Johnston Court DANDENONG SOUTH 3175 VIC

www.additiveengineering.com.au

www.centralinnovation.com

www.eximengineering.com.au

GLYCOL SALES AUSTRALIA

AI-NC

HMS EQUIPMENT

PO Box 136 LILYDALE 3140 VIC

3/27 Hodgson Street BRUNSWICK VIC 3056

59 Glenwood Drive THORNTON NSW 2322

www.glycolsales.com.au

www.ai-nc.com

www.hms-group.com.au

AICIP

THRYVE BUSINESS MENTORING

FANTID PTY LTD

PO Box 52 PARKVILLE VIC 3152

2/54 Albion Avenue MIAMI QLD 4220

99-105 Boundary Rd PEAKHURST NSW 2210

www.aicip.org.au

www.thryve.net.au

www.hasmot.com

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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 ALL ABOUT AUTOMATION Germany, Chemnitz 8-9 March 2022

TOLEXPO France, Paris 17-20 May 2022

MANUFACTURING SURABAYA Indonesia, Surabaya 13-16 July 2022

www.automation-friedrichshafen.com

www.global-industrie.com/fr/tolexpo

www.manufacturingsurabaya.com

SIMODEC France, La Roche-sur-Foron 8-11 March 2022

INTERMACH/MTA ASIA Thailand, Bangkok 18-21 May 2022

EXPOMAC Brazil, Curitiba 16-19 August 2022

www.salon-simodec.com

www.intermachshow.com

www.expomac.com.br

M-TECH Japan, Tokyo 16-18 March 2022

TECH INDUSTRY 2022 Latvia, Riga 19-21 May 2022

www.japan-mfg.jp

www.techindustry.lv

CAMBODIA INT. MACHINERY INDUSTRIAL FAIR Cambodia, Phnom Penh 25-28 August 2022

MACH UK, Birmingham 4-8 April 2022

PM CHINA China, Shanghai 23-25 May 2022

www.machexhibition.com

http://en.pmexchina.com

3D PRINT CONGRESS France, Lyon 5-7 April 2022

SIMTOS South Korea, Seoul 23-27 May 2022

www.3dprint-exhibition.com

www.simtos.org

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING Russia, Minsk 5-8 April 2022

METALLOOBRABOTKA Russia, Moscow 23-27 May 2022

www.metalworking.minskexpo.com

www.metobr-expo.ru

TORNITURA Italy, Bergamo 7-9 April 2022

ROSMOULD Russia, Moscow 7-9 June 2022

www.tornitura.show

www.rosmould.ru

CCMT CHINA China, Shanghai 11-15 April 2022

METEF Italy, Bologna 9-11 June 2022

www.ccmtshow.com

www.metef.com

ATX WEST USA, Anaheim 12-14 April 2022

FABTECH CANADA Canada, Toronto 14–16 June 2022

www.atxwest.com

https://canada.fabtechexpo.com

HANNOVER MESSE Germany, Hannover 25-29 April 2022

LASYS Germany, Stuttgart 21-23 June 2022

www.hannovermesse.de/en

www.messe-stuttgart.de/lasys/

FABTECH Mexico, Monterrey 3-5 May 2022

M-TECH Japan, Tokyo 22-24 June 2022

https://mexico.fabtechexpo.com

www.japan-mfg.jp

INTERTOOL Austria, Wels 10-13 May 2022

MANUFACTURING EXPO Thailand, Bangkok 22-25 June 2022

www.intertool.at

www.assemblytechexpo.com

PLASTIC JAPAN Japan, Osaka 11-13 May 2022

SMART FACTORY South Korea, Seoul 24- June 2022

www.plas.jp/en

www.smartfactorykorea.com

METAL SHOW & TIB Romania, Bucharest 11-14 May 2022

ALUMINIUM CHINA China, Shanghai 6-8 July 2022

www.metalshow-tib.ro

www.aluminiumchina.com

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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

SAUDI FASTENER & MACHINE TOOLS EXPO Saudi Arabia, Riyadh 2-5 October 2022 www.fabxsaudi.com/saudi-fastners

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

INDUSTRY CALENDAR HEADING LOCAL AUSTRALIAN SPACE SUMMIT SYDNEY, THE STAR 24 MARCH 2022 The new Australian Space Summit. This event will deliver relevant insights and market intelligence to help better shape business decisions and will provide topical information for the full breadth of the space sector.

AMW INCORPORATING AUSTECH 7-10 JUNE 2022 SYDNEY ICC The AMTIL Board in September made the decision to reschedule AMW/Austech from March 2022 in Melbourne, to 7-10 June 2022 in Sydney, in response to recent developments relating to the latest outbreak of the COVID-19 Delta Strain.

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AUSPACK SYDNEY SHOWGROUND 17-20 MAY 2022 Southern hemisphere’s largest event in the food, beverage and pharmaceutical processing and packaging sector. www.auspack.com.au

WORKPLACE HEALTH & SAFETY SHOW MELBOURNE, MCEC 25-26 MAY 2022 Live, interactive two-way learning experience with a trade show,talks and interactive forums, led by the industry’s best. Held with the Australian Institute of Health and Safety’s National Convention, this Show brings together the world’s best practice in workplace health and safety

FOODTECH GOLD COAST CONVENTION & EXHIBITION CENTRE 7-8 JULY 2022 Featuring the latest advancements in food and beverage manufacturing, plus a new conference stream and exclusive networking events. www.foodtechqld.com.au

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 Showcases innovative products and sustainable solutions to collect, process and recycle waste more smartly. www.awre.com.au

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AMT FEB 2022

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122

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 47

STILL CONVINCING AN ALLY

WW2: Laurence is still in the US meeting its top brass in order to change its perception that offering Lend Lease war materiel to Australia would be a waste. Only a personal presentation of what Australia had already done could change this illusion. Laurence is fully armed.

I

n the US, everywhere I went - I had something from Australia to contribute: an idea, a technique, a short-cut. This helped tremendously to win America’s support for our needs.

One development that was of great interest to the Americans was a new concentrated emergency ration developed by Sir Stanton Hicks at Adelaide University, who had done valuable work in creating palatable, highvitamin field rations for our troops. His new ration contained dried apricots and everyone agreed it was very pleasant to eat. The Americans wanted all the details we could give them. These we gladly gave - and I handed out dozens of slabs, which they started to nibble straight away. Our experience in combating tropical fungi on radio and electrical equipment in the islands also enabled me to give the Americans much help in the development of their own tropic-proofing materials.

These two-way discussions were of great value to both sides: information from me and equipment for Australia from them.

The personal contact overcame many initial misunderstandings which had caused PM Curtin and MacArthur such headaches.

Here's an example: We in Australia desperately needed machine-tools to help our output of eighteen-inch airborne torpedoes, but the Lend-Lease people said flatly: "No. We're not going to help you. The eighteen-inch torpedo is no good. We've given it up." I couldn't understand this. We were making the British Beaufort aeroplane, the ideal torpedo-carrying aircraft, and we knew the eighteen-inch torpedo was just perfect for the Beaufort. But the Americans wouldn't buy that argument. "Our Navy tells us the eighteen-inch torp is a dud. You can forget it". But I refused to accept that, and asked for a conference with the Navy experts who had condemned it. This was arranged and I attended a meeting which included an admiral and four captains of the U.S. Navy. They said: ''You can take it from us, Mr. Hartnett, this torpedo is a lemon.

We had it in the First War and it did more damage to us than to the enemy. It was erratic, inaccurate and darn dangerous.

We feel so strongly about this that if you're making the eighteen-inch torpedo we'll do everything we can to stop you." I was still mystified. I knew how good our torpedo was. "There's some mistake here," I said. ”I’m talking about the eighteen-inch

In 1942 the US was short of prisms and lenses and whilst in the country, Laurence was asked if an order could be placed in Australia. In the brief space of two years, Australia had achieved a reputation for both quality and quantity. The order was accepted and the supplying laboratories were the Commonwealth Solar Observatory, the Munitions Supply Lab, and the Uni. of Melbourne’s Optical Annexe. In 1943 the US asked if Australia could supply a larger order of 1.3 million optical parts. Pictured are two men operating equipment in Prof. Hartung’s University of Melbourne, Optical Munitions. Dept. University of Melbourne Library, Optical Munitions, 1940-42.

Vickers-type torpedo with a compressedair vessel and a very powerful engine.'' One of the Americans sat up like a shot. ''Wait a minute! Our eighteen incher was an electric torpedo. This one's probably different."

Another American, who'd been silent until then said, "Come to think of it, gentlemen, it was an eighteen-inch aerial torpedo that sank my ship at Pearl Harbour. There was nothing wrong with that one, I can tell you!"

The committee then realized we'd been talking about two entirely different types of torpedo, and they changed their tune completely. They invited me to visit their torpedo-making plant at Richmond, near Washington, and did everything possible to offset their earlier mistake. And they told Lend-Lease there was now no objection to our making the weapon and the Americans gave us top priority for the twenty-odd machine-tools we wanted. We were friends with the U.S. Navy from then on.

America was very new to the war, and was almost completely without experience of

the type of war she would be fighting in the tropics. We had been forced to learn the hard way, and some of our developments in machine-tool operations were news to them. But once I had explained our ideas, and they tested and proved them, they began to realize we weren't such babes in the Antipodean woods after all. But in those first few weeks it was very hard going.

At my first meeting with the Lend-Lease administrators I got a very cold reception.

They virtually knocked back 60-70% of our requests, and most of their objections were based on misconceptions of Australia and the problems of war in the Pacific.

One comment from a top Lend Lease official sums this up: “You're wasting your time and effort on a lot of things. You talk glibly about making all these shells and ammunition for a variety of guns, but we know you can't do it!”

Laurence was about to prove them wrong.

This is an extract from ‘Big Wheels & Little Wheels’, by Sir Laurence Hartnett as told to John Veitch, 1964. © Deirdre Barnett.

AMT FEB 2022

To be continued…

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