After introducing the World-Renowned Absolute System to Digimatic Calipers, Mitutoyo now announces a further major breakthrough in electronic Caliper Design.
The New COOLANT PROOF Caliper achieves an Ultimate Dust/Water/Coolant protection level.
The COOLANT PROOF Caliper can be used in tough workshop conditions where at present only a mechanical Vernier Caliper can be used.
The CubeBOX CNC automation system by Tezmaksan Robot Technologies revolutionises machine tending with continuous operation, cost-effectiveness, and flexibility. It can increase productivity greatly by offering unmanned production both during and after normal hours, reducing downtime, and reducing the reliance on skilled production staff. Its user-friendly interface and RoboCAM software are the keys to the CubeBox’s efficiency, simplifying setup and programming, and allowing effortless adaptation to production changes. The system’s flexible design enhances efficiency by being able to tend to multiple machines at the same time and requiring minimal work to move from machine to machine as the need requires.
Multi Pallet Automation
•5 DRAWER STACKER FOR WORKPIECE LAYOUT
•SAFETY LIGHT CURTAINS ON OPERATOR LOAD SIDE
•SCHUNK DUAL GRIPPER SYSTEM
•CLAMPING SURFACE CLEANING WITH AIR BLOW NOZZLE
•SICK 2D LASER SAFETY SCANNER
•ROBOCAM SMART AUTOMATION SOFTWARE
•SUITABLE FOR TENDING UP TO 2 CNC MACHINES
•SUITABLE FOR CNC LATHES OR MACHINING CENTERS
Made in Turkey Made In Türkiye
DN Solutions fourth-generation DNM Series vertical machining centres boast enhanced productivity, reliability, and several eco-friendly features. Over 50,000 units sold globally attest to the series' durability and performance across industries like automotive and aerospace. DN’s new models offer faster tool changes, improved servomotors, and thermal displacement compensation for greater precision and productivity. Operator-friendly upgrades include a larger coolant tank, better chip handling, and advanced EZ WORK software. Eco-friendly innovations, such as grease lubrication and power-saving features, reduce energy consumption and maintenance costs. The design enhances visibility, accessibility, and operational efficiency.
DNM 4th Generation
• FANUC I SERIES (0I-PLUS) CONTROL
• EZI GUIDE I CONVERSATIONAL PROGRAMMING
• 8,000 - 12,000 RPM SPINDLE SPEED
• BT40 SPINDLE TAPER
• DUAL CONTACT (BIG - PLUS) SPINDLE NOSE
• AUSTRALIAN SERVICE
Australia’s premier manufacturing solutions event is coming to Melbourne in 2025. Explore leading solutions, demo the latest technology, and learn from Australia’s top voices in manufacturing and technology.
Dedicated product zones and a curated speaker series, if its cutting-edge it’s at AMW.
6-9 MAY, 2025 • MCEC, MELBOURNE
4 DAYS • 24,000SQM • 16 BAYS • 400+ EXHIBITORS
AMSL AERO
Powering ahead with green hydrogen innovation and design excellence.
YOUNG MANUFACTURER OF THE YEAR Afnan Siddique speaks about the passion of his profession, the team he gets to work with, and the work he does at BOSCH.
INNOFOCUS 3D LASERPRINT
Celebrated
The quiet achievers at EMP describe the
OKUMA MACHINE + EXPERT INSTALLATION
= HAPPY CUSTOMER
Smiles say it all as businesses experience the smooth transition from delivery to full operation, knowing they can rely on quality Okuma service and precision installation. Join the growing community of happy customers who trust Okuma to deliver excellence every time!
Okuma built CNC machine and OSP control
100% Okuma Japan owned
Locally delivered Okuma genuine parts
Outstanding field service and support
Local factory trained service engineers
Repair facilities in Melbourne and Sydney
Excellent machine delivery record
National full service facilities
Free unlimited training support for all new machine installations (first 12 months)
PUT ALL THE PIECES TOGETHER, OKUMA JUST MAKES SENSE
PAUL HELLARD
Changes
Energy costs, keeping businesses alive, and traversing possible trade wars.
Thank you for reading my editorials. In these quick missiles, you might have noticed my obsession with economics, the onshoring of our manufacturing, and the origins of the energy used to power Australia’s industries. I reference many independent media outlets, such as The Conversation, Project Syndicate, ASPI and Reuters, as well as organisations like the Australia Institute and the Superpower Institute and other trusted sources, such as CSIRO and AEMO.
The latest draft of the CSIRO’s GenCost report has assessed Australia’s future electricity generation costs and once again found that renewables have the lowest cost range of any new-build electricity-generating technology. The report focuses on cost estimates for new-build electricity generation, storage, and hydrogen technologies. It provides business leaders and decision-makers with updated capital costs and data comparisons for planning and financing studies.
Professor Ross Garnaut has long advocated for Australia to harness its natural advantages—such as abundant sunshine, wind, and land—to lead the world in renewable energy production, export, and innovation. He has also offered investment guidance to the Future Fund.
The New Energy Trade report intimates that Australia investing in Japan, South Korea, China, India, and Germany has a higher chance of reaping future funds than not. The report provides a world-first analysis of likely international trade in clean energy and finds that Australia could contribute up to 10% of the world’s emission reductions while generating six to eight times larger revenues than those typical from our fossil fuel exports. As the years pass, exporting gas and coal will lose value as our buying clients shift to renewable projects. Finighan focuses on Australia’s international trade role in helping the world reach net zero emissions at minimum cost to our economy. He says Australia should be the low-cost producer of renewable energy, exporting most of it to the world and earning a good living. We have more than enough abundant open spaces, without sacrificing food-growing pastures or populated areas, to generate solar or wind energy at a genuinely massive rate. Finighan finds we can produce “essentially limitless low-cost green electricity”. The required solar and wind farms would occupy about 0.6% of our land mass.
Transporting that electricity overseas is prohibitively expensive, but using some of it to produce energy-intensive products like iron, steel, aluminium, and urea before exporting them could be a valid solution. Australia could become that foundry and quarry along the way and profit from expanding our manufacturing industries. The future world trade in clean energy will involve energy embedded in ‘green’ products. This will mean Australian-manufactured iron products will become part of our export market and our new comparative advantage. It does surprise me that some mainstream media ignore many of these studies.
Talking of Murdoch and the second US Presidency, whatever the Trump Administration chooses to do in the first half of 2025 will strongly influence how manufacturing in Australia continues or reinvents itself. The worst-case scenario for Australia would be picking sides in a future trade war. Treasurer Jim Chalmers notes that we have more at stake here than most. Probably more than anyone else, given our economic and strategic relationship with the US and, meanwhile, our deep economic relationship with China.
As Australian manufacturing morphs into the future, there will always be much to read and digest. If you would like me to include more of the deep dives in the pages of AMT, please let me know. This is your magazine, part of your AMTIL membership, so get in touch and let me know what you want me to cover in future issues.
Editor Paul Hellard phellard@amtil.com.au
Contributors
Paul Hellard
Drew Turney
Sales Manager
Pavla Thomas pthomas@amtil.com.au
Publications Co-ordinator
Caroline Robinson publications@amtil.com.au
Publisher AMTIL info@amtil.com.au
Visual Communications Manager
Franco Schena fschena@amtil.com.au
Prepress & Print
Printgraphics Australia
AMT Magazine is printed in Australia under ISO140001
Environmental Certification using FSC® Mix certified paper sourced using sustainable tree farming practices.
Contact Details
AMT Magazine
AMTIL
Suite 10, 5 Corporate Boulevard Bayswater VIC 3153
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 $210.00 (ex GST) per annum. Contact AMTIL on 03 9800 3666 for further information.
DANIEL SMITH, D&D SMITH, PADSTOW,
Dollar for dollar, the Yawei HLF series fiber lasers are in a league of their own, providing possibilities for all size companies across the laser cutting sector.
Featuring high quality componentry, they offer multiple benefits including high speed, extreme accuracy and consistency of cut, combined with low operating and maintenance costs.
Plus, you get the expert advice and support that only an experienced local supplier like Applied Machinery can provide. We’re a true machinery partner - just ask Daniel Smith. Real Service. Real Support. Real People. That’s Applied Thinking.
The pulse of manufacturing technology
Skills shortages, safety and climate reporting are amongst the top-of-mind issues for the manufacturing technology industry, according to CEOs around the country, and AMTIL’s new strategic plan is aligned.
In an opportunity to take the pulse of the industry and refine AMTIL’s strategic planning, AMTIL has conducted policy roundtables across Australia. We were delighted to have hosted ~15% of the C-suite AMTIL membership using the boardroom table format, and members provided valuable insight into their lived experience and brought forward their top issues for discussion. Five roundtables were conducted, one in Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, Sydney and Brisbane, supported by William Buck.
The top three issues—skills shortages, safety, and climate reporting—have been woven into the new AMTIL Strategic Plan 2024 – 2026 (The Plan). Based on this important information, AMTIL has set a new work plan for the New Year, which will include a few new offerings.
AMTIL’s principle activities, to promote and support the manufacturing technology industry in Australia are to: provide industry resources, services and platforms, and proactively and reactively advocate to governments on policies relating to the manufacturing technology industry.
While our vision and mission remain steadfast, The Plan identifies strategies that will enable us to provide a unique value proposition to our members and to support development of the broader industry. These strategies will build our service offering, maximise value and ensure longterm sustainability for the industry and the organisation. The face of manufacturing in our nation has fundamentally changed over the past decade, driven by developments in technology (especially robotics and digitalisation), the pandemic revealing our
Vision
AMTIL’s vision is to be the leading industry body advancing manufacturing technology in Australia.
Mission
AMTIL’s mission is to foster a strong and sustainable manufacturing technology ecosystem in Australia through representation, advocacy and the provision of resources and services to its members and industry. lack of sovereign capability, and ‘whole of industry’ structural reform evolving to allow us to remain globally competitive and specialise as a high tech, high quality, low quantity jurisdiction, as opposed to commoditised industry, with costs being pushed down. It is now being ‘pulled’ by the transition to net zero and decarbonisation and a push towards safer workplaces. Industry resources are a bedrock for an industry organisation. It is well-documented and anecdotally shrill that the industry's lack of skills and talent is holding it back.
Skills Summit
AMTIL will hold an inaugural Skills Summit in Canberra in June. Scoping has commenced, and this is envisaged to be a workshop that brings together likeminded industry organisations to develop a plan to ‘move the dial’ via collaboration, information sharing, and alignment of efforts in the same direction.
Safety
Equally, workplace (and machine) safety was the most often raised issue in membership discussions and the top three roundtable topics. AMTIL will approach this issue by promoting safety in manufacturing
in three ways: Lead by example, with new provisions for exhibiting at Australia Manufacturing Week; Develop and deliver a roadshow of educational events around the country with key experts; and the development of resources for employers to share with their Team.
Climate reporting
With global community sentiment, new policy opportunities and regulatory changes all pushing toward net zero, ESG reporting and sustainability – as well as mandatory reporting for large companies imminent - all organisations with a view to the future are asking how they should approach such a complex topic. This is especially so for the heartland of today’s manufacturing sector, who are SMEs. These companies lack internal resources to investigate and deliver reporting but are being asked more and more to provide it.
AMTIL will kick off the year with a round of ‘climate reporting roundtables’ in February and later in the year, commence development of support resources on sustainability reporting. amtil.com.au
AI as a Service
Australian technology companies are winning export orders with AI and machine learning applications developed in house.
The question of how and to what extent critical technologies like artificial intelligence will change the way the world works is still being debated. What most people agree on is that there will be significant productivity gains – and that early movers and adopters will be the biggest beneficiaries.
With world-class research and development capabilities across sectors like AI, quantum technologies, advanced manufacturing, and autonomous technologies, Australia is in the vanguard of critical technologies uptake. Our R&D expertise, together with strong collaborative networks and the growing availability of private capital funding, has enabled a thriving innovation and start-up ecosystem.
Australian technology companies are winning export orders with new AI and machine learning applications developed in house.
Firms operating in the material fabrication, transport and packaging sectors have recognised AI’s potential and are investing accordingly.
In construction, for example, we are now seeing technologies at work that can lay bricks, build walls and even 3D-print entire structures. AI and automation are expected to generate up to $600bn a year towards Australia’s GDP by 2030.
To optimise the productivity gains and further create new economic opportunities, the Australian Government is devising a National AI Capability plan.
To be developed by my department in consultation with industry, the capability plan will:
• Review how existing state and federal government support mechanisms work together to hinder or enable, Australia’s AI ecosystem;
• Look for ways to boost private sector innovation and investment in AI capability;
• Identify areas of research and innovation strength across universities and business for future industry growth;
• Explore new areas of comparative advantage in key sectors, for example in agriculture and mining;
• Work to accelerate AI literacy, identifying new skills, training and re-training.
It will also identify areas where sovereign capability or infrastructure is required for Australia to get the most out of AI technologies. The capability plan will complement a range of initiatives and strategies the Australian government has implemented over the past two and a half years. The $15bn National Reconstruction Fund, for example, includes $1bn for critical technologies like AI and has begun making targeted investments in Australian businesses.
Since its first investment in November, the NRF has provided more than $160.5m in funding, with a pipeline of investments on the way.
Our $392m Industry Growth Program has just negotiated its first year of operation, awarding over $26.5m across 20 startups and SMEs so they can develop, commercialise and market their novel ideas. One of these firms, Userdoc, has received $250,000 to further develop an AI-powered software requirements platform for the global software development market.
So that SMEs can integrate AI across their businesses safely and responsibly we’ve set up four AI Adopt Centres which will provide free specialist services to SMEs in National Reconstruction Fund priority sectors across Australia.
The ARM Hub AI Adopt Centre will support businesses to learn more about AI and robotics, and what they need to leverage AI effectively, particularly in the field of manufacturing.
For a fee, the Centre will also offer an AI-as-a-service model that is fully cloud-based and supported by the ARM Hub.
ARAIN (Australian Regional AI Network) will provide free practical AI advice, awareness, and education for small business, with a focus on those operating in the forestry, agriculture, fisheries, and renewable technology sectors.
SAAM (Safe AI Adoption Model) will have an online hub of free tools and practical resources to help SMEs capitalise on the benefits of AI while minimising exposure to risks.
SMEC AI (Small to Medium Enterprise Centre of Artificial Intelligence) will deliver free one on one consultations and short courses in AI with a focus on medical science, agriculture, renewables, and low emissions tech.
Through their SME AI Studio programm the Centre is working with SMEs to develop new AI products to solve industry problems.
Our goal with AI has always been to minimise its potential harms and to build public trust so we reap its full benefits. In September, we continued our commitment to safe and responsible AI use by publishing a consultation paper proposing mandatory guardrails to shape AI’s use in high-risk settings. The more than 300 written submissions we receive, along with other feedback, will be considered as we develop and refine our approach further.
Fully realising AI’s massive potential means providing support in all the right areas. The National AI Capability Plan is a crucial step in that direction.
I encourage manufacturers to work with my department as we develop the plan to drive further investment in our already impressive AI capabilities. industry.gov.au
INNES WILLOX – Chief Executive Australian Industry Group
Productivity challenges
Getting out of our deep productivity hole starts and finishes with our people. Innes Willox sets out the challenges ahead.
Equipping Australians, young and old, regardless of their background, with the skills they need to thrive in a rapidly changing world is the golden key to our prosperity. It is vital to simplify the tax code and reduce its burden, cut red tape, build essential infrastructure, unshackle our workplaces, encourage investment, and promote innovation. Still, their success depends on Australians’ skills to take advantage of their benefits.
Companies large and small recognise the challenges of digitalisation, decarbonisation, demography, and diversification and are taking the lead in improving the skills of their workforce. Working smarter with the resources we have is critical to building our wealth.
A new Australian Industry Group report shows that businesses— from electronics and automation companies to food processing and everything in between—are investing in the skills of their people, blue, white, and purple collar, to build the productive, competitive, and innovative workplaces of the future.
Incentives for employers of all sizes and apprentices are key to raising commencements and improving completion rates. The mismatch between our national needs and the aspirations of our Gen Zs tells us that career counselling needs a drastic overhaul to provide more engineers and fewer influencers. A skills taxonomy, currently being developed through Jobs and Skills Australia, would help, and a National Skills Passport, which would make it easier for employers to obtain information about skills, needs to be prioritised. Progressing work on the outdated Australian Qualifications Framework is also vital.
A solid grasp of foundation skills is essential to improving productivity. Nine in 10 employers said low levels of literacy and numeracy were lowering productivity. Everyone—state and federal governments, employers, unions, and workers—needs to do their part to solve the Rubik’s Cube of productivity. Since the pandemic, we have stood still. At the economy-wide level, we produce only as much per hour as we did in 2019. Our labour productivity is stuck in 2016. This helps to explain why many Australians are experiencing an ongoing decline in living standards. We are trapped in what feels like a never-ending cost-of-living crisis.
In the 25 years to the end of 2003-04, labour productivity grew at an average annual rate of 1.8%. Over the past two decades, it has averaged 0.8% annually. If we had instead continued to achieve 1.8% growth and everything else remained unchanged, our economy would have been about 11% or more than $268bn, larger than it is now. That extra output would have helped close the demand/supply gap that the RBA tells us is pushing up homegrown inflation. This means goods and services cost more, and mortgage rates are higher for longer. What can be done? A policy environment that makes it easier for individuals and businesses to improve their productivity, wages and living standards.
Raising education and skill levels from primary school to tertiary education and throughout a person’s working life, whether in management or on the shop floor, directly impacts their ability to find work and be paid more. For example, 79% of Australians with a non-school qualification were employed this year, compared to 58% without. People with a postgraduate degree earned around twice as much as those without.
We have identified two main elements to lift skills across the board: system reform and architecture and targeted program and policy settings. Employers need access to readily available resources to reskill and upskill their staff. Noting that most future jobs will require a combination of vocational and theoretical skills, more innovative models are desperately needed.
Businesses are looking to do their bit. A food processing company in Melbourne with 500 employees has focused on improving workers’ skills. Three years ago, there was no onsite training; now, most have completed or are undergoing Cert III qualification. Staff turnover has dropped from 30% three years ago to less than 20%, and the employee engagement score has risen from 35 to above 90. Leadership training is paying off for an electronics company in South Australia. It has helped increase staff engagement and retention levels, with the KPI on people promoted internally to 20% from 15%.
There are many more stories like this. The will is there, but we need the tools and ambition to be a more productive nation – meaning better living standards for every Australian. aigroup.com
Machining solutions for the aerospace industry
How do we contribute to innovation?
By developing efficient component manufacturing processes for current and emerging new aerospace materials. This is done in close cooperation with our clients and industry partners.
GLENN THOMPSON – National President of the AMWU
Dock tensions
Challenges facing the Australian continuous shipbuilding program.
Australia’s continuous shipbuilding program is the cornerstone of our nation’s defence strategy, designed to sustain a sovereign naval capability and secure critical maritime infrastructure. However, this ambitious endeavour faces several significant challenges, particularly in workforce development, alongside project management, technology integration, and supply chain resilience issues.
A primary hurdle is the lack of a sufficiently trained and skilled workforce and a vertically integrated approach by government, industry, and unions to meet the program’s demands. Shipbuilding requires highly specialised skills in welding, naval architecture, systems engineering, and advanced manufacturing. Despite recent government initiatives to promote vocational training and apprenticeships, the domestic pool of qualified workers remains inadequate. The aging workforce exacerbates this issue, as many experienced professionals are nearing retirement, leaving a gap in our national expertise.
Developing the necessary skills within our existing workforce requires substantial investment in education and training programs. Shipbuilding unions, led by the AMWU, have been campaigning for a tripartite approach to utilise continuous shipbuilding programs to develop engineering centres of excellence that build a skilled workforce across the whole economy. However, retention of newly trained workers is a persistent challenge. A tripartite approach between government, unions, and industry is the only way to meet this challenge head-on — from developing the worker pipeline, apprenticeship completion, and the skills program demands.
Australia’s shipbuilding precincts, such as Osborne in South Australia and Henderson in Western Australia, also face regional disparities in workforce availability. Multi-employer precinct
agreements at Osborne and Henderson are key to ensuring a sustainable workforce, fair industry wages, and worker mobility between projects.
Many skilled workers are concentrated in urban centres, making it difficult to attract talent to these specialised locations. To mitigate this issue, relocation incentives and infrastructure investments are needed, but such measures require time and resources to implement effectively.
Adopting advanced technologies, such as automation, artificial intelligence, and digital twins, is integral to modern shipbuilding. While these technologies enhance efficiency and precision, they also demand new skill sets. Identifying the gap between traditional trade occupational profiles and cutting-edge technological expertise is a pressing challenge. Education programs must adapt quickly to prepare workers for these emerging requirements.
Promoting diversity within the workforce — including increased participation of women, Indigenous Australians, and people from underrepresented communities — will expand the talent pool and bring fresh perspectives to the industry.
By investing in education, embracing technological advancements, fostering a supportive work environment, consistent employment arrangements and workforce mobility — Australia can build a sustainable and skilled workforce capable of meeting the program’s ambitious goals. Today's Strategic action will ensure the program’s long-term viability and contribution to national security and economic resilience.
Working together with the government, unions, and industry is the only way to plan and meet this challenge head-on.
amwu.org.au
Designed and Manufactured in Italy and Finland.
Punch Laser Combi
Punch, cut, form, tap and mark in one machine
UTILISE THE RANGE OF PRIMA POWER PUNCH AND LASER COMBINATION MACHINES TO ELEVATE YOUR BUSINESS
Punch Genius PG1225 or PG1530
Combi Genius + Compact Express
Punch Genius + Automatic Part Stacking
Combi Genius + Part Stacking Robot
Combi Genius + EBe panel bender
Robotics WA
The Cook Labor Government has opened Australia's robotics and automation headquarters in Perth's north.
Developed with a $28m Cook Government investment, the Australian Automation and Robotics Precinct (AARP) at Neerabup is a global destination for technological innovation.
It provides the ideal environment for testing, research, and development in autonomous solutions, remote operations, and robotics. It is also committed to advancing zero-emissions technology.
The state-of-the-art facilities at AARP HQ will enable local, national, and global companies to test and develop robotics and automation technology without interrupting their daily operations.
Organisations can now use one of AARP's seven test beds and have development teams working on backend software in the HQ, all while connecting with their head offices or other offices worldwide - from the AARP in real-time.
The precinct's strategic location north of Perth is part of the Cook Labor Government's reforms to drive WA as a leader in industrial-scale innovation. It will support a range of industries and technologies, including mining and resources.
WA wind
The AARP HQ features:
• co-working space with sit/stand desks and monitors for plugand-play connection;
• five four-person offices with sit/stand desks and monitors for plug-and-play connection;
• maker space;
• warehousing;
• labs for testing and development;
• fully equipped event spaces for networking robotics and technology demonstrations and
• meeting rooms and a training facility.
The AARP provides industry innovators and researchers critical opportunities to accelerate technology development, testing, and scaling. It is part of the Cook Labor Government's strategy to grow and diversify Western Australia's economy and create quality jobs for the future. Early forecasts suggest that the AARP will contribute between $450m and $600m in economic benefits to Western Australia by 2030. theaarp.com.au wa.gov.au
Western Australian Government and Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre launch wind energy manufacturing co-investment program.
Western Australian businesses seeking to participate in the local wind energy manufacturing supply chain can apply for coinvestment, which can cover up to 50% of eligible project costs, under the Wind Energy Manufacturing Co-Investment Program.
The funds will be made available through a co-investment and advice program co-created by the WA Government and AMGC, with $8m allocated by the WA Government under the initiative to enhance local businesses' capacity and capability in wind energy, manufacturing and servicing supply chains.
Priority areas include manufacturing wind tower foundations, anchor cages, nacelle components and assembly, transmission poles, specialised trailers (transport), capacity building for replacement parts and servicing and refurbishing centres.
“The Wind Energy Manufacturing Co-Investment Program is a testament to our commitment to creating a sustainable future for Western Australia,” said WA Science Minister Stephen Dawson.
“Supporting local businesses to engage in the wind energy supply chains positions the state to reap the benefits of the energy transition while supporting our economic diversification.
“Whether it’s helping new businesses to upgrade their accreditations or assisting companies to pivot or scale their operations, this funding will play a crucial role in enhancing our State’s advanced manufacturing capabilities.” Said Dawson.
The co-investment program consists of two streams:
• Market entry stream: Capability-focused, indicative project size $20K-$60K (co-investment contribution $10K-$30K). This stream supports pre-qualification and accreditation processes, niche software, process improvement, etc.
• Market growth stream: capacity and capability focused, including capital and/or operating expenditure. Indicative project size $500K-$1m (Co-investment contribution $250K-$500K). This stream supports plant and equipment enhancement (up to 25% of total project cost), R&D projects to create a competitive advantage, and associated investment in ‘market entry’ projects.
The managing director of the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre, Dr Jens Goennemann said, “Western Australia is home to very skilled manufacturers currently engaged in the mining, minerals, and energy space.
“The Wind Energy Manufacturing Co-Investment Program will focus on identifying local capabilities that can be turned towards opportunities in wind energy generation. In doing so, the WA Government and manufacturers will develop a broader and more capable manufacturing base while serving domestic renewable energy needs,” said Goennemann.
Applications to the Wind Energy Manufacturing Co-Investment Program will be open, continuous, and competitive until available funding has been exhausted.
Manufacturers interested in applying for funds under either of the two program streams can register to attend in-person information sessions as well as access written guidelines and a pre-recorded webinar via https://www.amgc.org.au/wind-energy-program/ Over the past eight years, AMGC has facilitated more than 500 national collaborations and co-funded over 161 industry projects, creating more than 4,300 jobs nationwide. It has invested over $137m of combined industry and Government funds into manufacturing projects, resulting in an estimated $1.62bn in additional national revenue. amgc.org.au/wind-energy-program
AMRF ready
Western Sydney businesses on track to benefit from Advanced Manufacturing Readiness Facility.
Bradfield City Centre’s advanced manufacturing revolution is underway, with the Advanced Manufacturing Readiness Facility’s (AMRF) first project signed, sealed and delivered. The AMRF is a NSW Government facility designed to accelerate innovation across the manufacturing sector. Businesses can utilise AMRF’s expertise and world-leading advanced manufacturing equipment to innovate their products and production processes to scale up and grow their business.
Western Sydney engineering company Marley Flow Control is the first business to complete a project with the AMRF. The time-study project identified operational efficiencies in Marley Flow Control’s manufacturing processes that could generate up to six times the current productivity of the business and an estimated 15%-20% reduction in production costs.
Keen to build on this increased productivity, Marley Flow Control are now working with the AMRF to develop a new product design. Marley Flow Control specialises in cooling tower manufacture and maintenance, flow control engineering (including pumps and piping), large-scale fan manufacturing, laser alignment and facilities maintenance.
Marley Flow Control is a Western Sydney engineering company specialising in cooling tower manufacture and maintenance, flow control engineering (including pumps and piping), large-scale fan manufacturing, laser alignment and facilities maintenance.
“Marley Flow Control is excited to collaborate with the Advanced Manufacturing Readiness Facility (AMRF) on the first project,” said Marley Flow Control Director, Gareth Jones. “Working with the AMRF, tapping into their engineering expertise and expert knowledge to improve our manufacturing processes and ways of working, will enable us to increase productivity and reduce costs. Simple changes could make a massive difference to our operations.
We see this as the beginning of a long partnership with the AMRF to help develop our product offering. We’re proud to be one of the first to access this world-class manufacturing development centre right here in Western Sydney.”
AMRF is a key part of the NSW Government’s strategy to grow the advanced manufacturing sector in Western Sydney and beyond.
Net Zero Board
It also anchors the new city of Bradfield, which will be located in the heart of the Aerotropolis and will be home to high-quality jobs in advanced manufacturing and education training.
The pipeline of current AMRF projects spans high-priority industries such as aerospace, agriculture, defence, energy, MedTech, and more.
“The AMRF is a NSW Government strategy to accelerate innovation and grow businesses in Western Sydney, and we’re delighted to announce the completion of our first project,” said Bradfield Development Authority CEO, Ken Morrison. “Western Sydney is home to one of the largest concentrations of manufacturing businesses in Australia, and the AMRF is a resource to support them in innovation, growth, and providing more jobs.
With the AMRF, homegrown manufacturers have an exciting opportunity to transition to new ways of doing business or creating high value components for the next generation of advanced technologies.” bda.nsw.gov.au
The Australian Government has appointed the Net Zero Economy Authority Board, and commencing operations.
The Board will guide the Authority as it drives investment in workers and communities to build a Future Made in Australia. Board members were selected based on their deep collective experience across regional development, the trade union movement, business, industry, Indigenous advocacy and climate change policy.
The appointed members are:
• Dr Iain Ross AO, Chair;
• Mr Tony Maher; President of Mining and Energy Union;
• Mr Mike Mrdak AO; Chairperson of NEC Australia and New Zealand;
• Ms Anna Skarbek; CEO of Climateworks Centre;
• Ms Zoe Whitton; Managing Director at Pollination;
• Ms Michele O'Neil; President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions;
• Professor Robynne Quiggin; Professor University of Technology Sydney.
The Board will determine the Authority’s strategy and objectives and be responsible for its effective and efficient performance. It will work closely with Chief Executive Officer, Mr David Shankey.
"Under the guidance of the Board, the Net Zero Economy Authority will ensure the shift to net zero emissions by 2050 happens fairly for all Australians, including in our regions at the frontline of the transition," said Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen. "The Net Zero Economy Authority Board will play a crucial role in setting the strategy and focus for the Authority, providing their expertise to ensure we fully realise the benefits of global decarbonisation.”
The Authority will be pivotal to delivering Australia’s net zero economic transformation and supporting workers and regions through change. netzero.gov.au
ProPlanAI
Hexagon’s new AI-powered automation slashes machine tool programming time by 75%.
Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division has unveiled ProPlanAI, an automated computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) programming tool that cuts the time it takes to program factory machine tools by 75%. Powered by Microsoft Azure services built into Hexagon’s cloud-based Nexus connectivity and collaboration platform for discrete manufacturers, the new artificial intelligence technology is the next step in the evolution of CAM programming, enabling machine shops to achieve operational excellence at scale.
ProPlanAI was unveiled at the Microsoft Ignite Conference in Chicago. Hexagon’s AI application uses Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI Service, Azure Cosmos DB, and Azure Databricks to help manufacturing businesses of any size apply their institutional knowledge more quickly, easily, and thoroughly. It uses artificial intelligence (AI) to automate time-consuming process planning.
ProPlanAI, due to launch in Q1 2025, will ‘learn’ from the data created by a company’s CAM programmers. This will enable manufacturers to automatically explore existing programming information to predict ideal outcomes tailored to a company’s preferences, production capabilities, and needs. Available within Hexagon’s popular desktop CAM software and powered by Nexus, ProPlanAI will continuously learn and adapt, ensuring programs are as efficient and productive as possible. “In a highly competitive market, productivity on the factory floor is crucial,” said Chuck Mathews, General Manager for Production Software at Hexagon. “While
many machines are now automated, their programming is often long and laborious and requires highly skilled professionals who are spread thinly. We have collaborated with Microsoft to leverage their powerful AI capabilities through Nexus, so manufacturers can boost productivity by allowing their programmers to focus on complicated tasks where their knowledge has the greatest impact.
“Because manufacturers use their own pool of data to build programmes, suggestions automatically reflect the knowledge and experience of individual businesses, as well as the parts they produce and the machine tools they use. This ensures that new staff members can be quickly brought up to speed, while also ensuring that there is no knowledge drain when a person leaves a company or retires – something that is vital in an industry facing a skills shortage.”
“Microsoft’s collaboration with Hexagon is driven by a shared belief that we can transform manufacturing productivity,” added Clare Barclay, President, Enterprise and Industry, Microsoft EMEA. “It’s rewarding to see how the AI capabilities provided by Azure are empowering expert CNC programmers with productivityboosting automation while also helping new users to upskill faster. This is exactly the sort of transformation AI can bring to the industry, and we are excited to see Hexagon apply its manufacturing expertise to transform workplace productivity throughout the value chain with its Nexus platform.” In addition to streamlining part programming, the technology could help businesses identify latent standard
practices, provide notifications about deviations from company programming standards, and better use product manufacturing information (PMI) embedded in design files for even more automated CNC programming.
AI-powered chat support
ProPlanAI will also feature a co-pilot to guide people through setting up a machine and present programs that work for them. They also offer support and guidance –for example, tips on using the software, processes to make a specific part, and the best machining strategy– so users can use chat functionality to ask particular questions and launch commands.
ProPlanAI has already been beta-tested by several industry experts, including RODIN Machining. The company is on a journey towards complete unmanned production for milling, turning, gripper and material handling, loading and unloading machines, and tool change.
From Q1 2025, ProPlanAI will be available to customers who use Hexagon’s ESPRIT EDGE CAM software. Customers can add ProPlanAI to their package via an add-on subscription.
This ProPLanAI announcement results from Hexagon’s strategic partnership with Microsoft, announced in April 2024, to redefine manufacturing with cloud technology. Nexus is Hexagon’s connectivity and collaboration cloud platform, which was developed for discrete manufacturers. hexagon.com
Modulate
Fully sealed containerised switchroom delivers space, compliance, and safety benefits.
A leading Australian electrical company has found a solution that delivers Standardscompliant, safe, and portable switchrooms to sites for its major projects nationwide. The electrical project specialist worked with Modulate Group to create a fully sealed containerised switchroom that can easily be moved from site to site. The customised switchroom houses a motor control centre, variable-speed drive, distribution board, transformer, local control station, fire indication panel, and remote switching panel.
Modulate manufactures customised containerised buildings at its 20,000sqm production facility in Mayfield, near Newcastle, NSW. Production and customisation to different needs are handled in-house. “Electrical switchrooms are some of the more complex containerised buildings we manufacture. We ensure they meet strict AS3000 Standards, other relevant safety Standards, and any clientspecific requirements,” said Jack Adams, General Manager, Modulate.
“The customer placed a high importance on safety and quality from the start, and they were clear with their requirements. Not only did they want to meet all relevant Standards, but they wanted to maximise internal space, which is an area where Modulate sets itself apart from other portable offices,” he added.
The electrical switchroom was fully sealed to keep out dust and moisture, and temperature control could be achieved through three air conditioning units integrated into the roof to save internal space.
“Two units will be operating, and the third is a backup in case one of the others fails. The system will be set up to maintain an overall temperature below 25 degrees Celsius, with a calculated heat load of 20.432 kW,” explained Adams.
Safety and Standards Compliance
Modulate containerised buildings, configured from the standard of approximately 6m, 9m, and 12m container
templates, are cyclone-rated structures with a design life of 25 years under heavy use and low maintenance.
To add further safety features to the switchroom, installed features included:
• An emergency push bar door for a quick exit – a requirement for all switchrooms;
• A larger size, fire-rated door (2.3m high and 1.0m wide);
• As a second exit, the original shipping container’s exit (on the opposite side of the switchroom to the main door) also has a push bar added;
• A full fire detection system and fire extinguishers;
• Fireproof flooring made from compressed fibre cement;
• Emergency exit lights for additional visibility;
• A recess to maintain optimal canal bend limits for safety and optimised cable efficiency.
“Due to the nature of switchrooms, with electrical equipment, heat, and high voltages, these extra features mean that it is fully Standards compliant, and the customer can meet their duty of care to employees and visitors that entire the portable building,” said Adams.
Maximising space and controlling the internal environment
A pressurisation fan is a key consideration in keeping the internal space free of dust, debris, and moisture. The pressurisation fan and the air conditioning units are all interlocked with the fire detection system and will automatically shut down in the event of an alarm.
“A skillion roof allowed us to embed components that were essentially hidden within the roof cavity, thereby maximising space inside the switchroom,” said Adams.
“All of the doors are insulated, lined, and sealed for a true pressurised space, meeting one of the customer’s key requirements,” he added.
This custom-built portable containerised switchroom is one of hundreds of Modulate buildings, including site offices, ablution units, workshops, storage rooms, lunchrooms, bathrooms, cafes, and other customised options for industries such as mining, energy, infrastructure, construction, government projects, defence, and water and power utilities. modulategroup.au
Mammoet SK6000 crane
World’s largest fully electric land-based crane completes operations testing.
Mammoet’s SK6000, the world’s strongest land-based crane has been tested for fully electric operation. It now offers zero-emission capability to projects taking place anywhere in the world. Through this innovation, Mammoet is demonstrating its commitment to helping customers reduce the emissions profile of large projects. The technology also reduces the noise generated by crane operations, resulting in a better work environment where communication is more manageable.
In turn, large projects are made safer, cleaner and more accessible to finance. The SK6000 can now operate directly from grid power or at sites without power network access or supply stability issues via batteries or hydrogen generators. Testing was carried out using two 600kWh Battery Boxes from power supply specialist Bredenoord, connected in series to deliver 1,200kWh; around the same output as 20 electric cars.
Connection took a day shift, in parallel with test weight reconfiguration activity. This proves that the use of batteries has minimal impact onsite operations. Battery packs capable of operating the SK6000 are becoming widely available in standard 20ft shipping container form factors, which can easily be mobilised to and from the site.
“Thanks to this test we can now say that the SK6000 operates fully zero-emissions on-site,” Niek Bezuijen, Global Sustainability Advisor at Mammoet, said. “Electrification isn’t a matter for the future of heavy lifting – it is needed now, and through innovations like this, Mammoet can help its customers lead on safety, efficiency, sustainability and cost”.
AML3D in the USA
The SK operates directly from the grid by plugging into a medium voltage network – commonly available in heavy industry. At port facilities, so-called ‘shore power’ connections, typically used to prevent cargo vessels idling at port, can power the crane.
Battery functionality offers a further option, with the additional benefit of being chargeable from lower power networks. The significant periods between individual ring crane lifts allow battery packs to recharge.
Hydrogen generators can be used where neither grid nor battery power is an option, for example, at remote sites without significant infrastructure. With the SK6000 electric functionality confirmed, Mammoet can now offer customers in the offshore wind sector a fully zero-emission, low-noise marshalling service.
Oil and gas projects benefit from eliminating carbon impact during the heaviest lifting scopes, simultaneously realising the largest possible economies of scale from modular construction methodologies.
In the nuclear sector, reduced noise levels will enhance safety at complex new build sites while allowing projects to deliver lowcarbon energy sustainably.
This project was part-funded by the Subsidieregeling Schoon en Emissieloos Bouwmaterieel in the Netherlands, a research and demonstration fund to develop zero-emission initiatives at construction sites. mammoet.com
South Australia-based AML3D opens a Technology Centre in USA, with expansion plans in 2025.
AML3D’s technology centre is open and in production. One ARCEMY industrial metal 3D printing system is on-site at Stow, OHIO. A second system will be installed later in the year. Plans to install additional ARCEMY systems at the Stow facility, which would increase its capacity, are progressing. AML3D has already delivered A$16m of US contracts ahead of an expected surge in US Defence spending on additive manufacturing. AML3D’s US manufacturing capability also supports new opportunities to expand into the US Energy and Defence Aerospace sectors.
The Stow manufacturing hub is already operational and working on an initial A$2.27m order from the Tennessee Valley Authority, the largest public utility in the USA. The expansion of Stow is to meet an expected step change in US Department of Defense spending on advanced additive manufacturing solutions to support the US Navy’s Submarine Industrial Base. The increase in capacity at Stow will also allow AML3D to continue its expansion into the wider US Energy and Defense Aerospace sectors.
AML3D’s US ‘Scale up’ strategy, launched in early CY2023, has already delivered over A$16m of contract wins. The opening of Stow, with plans to rapidly expand manufacturing in the US, is expected to improve AML3D’s ability to quickly and effectively meet US customers’ needs and accelerate the US “Scale-up” strategy. Under the leadership of Pete Goumas, President of US Operations, Stow is the base for AML3D’s direct sales, administration and technical teams in the US, which will leverage the existing and planned US manufacturing capacity to accelerate growth.
“Our expanding US manufacturing footprint also frees up capacity at our Australian facility,” AML3D CEO Sean Ebert said. “We already have runs on the board with recent contract wins to support the Australian Government’s Defence Science and Technology Group.
The rollout of our “Scale up’ playbook in Europe is at an earlier stage. Still, we are directing funds from our recent capital raise to establish and ARCEMY system in Europe to take advantage of the demand signals we see in the UK, which are similar to those that supported our move into the US market.”
US-based manufacturing is also a prerequisite for accessing lucrative contracts restricted by the US International Traffic in Arms Regulations (‘ITAR contracts’) and other US-only controlled information Defence contracts. AML3D has Manufacturing License Agreements in place to support the US Navy and Boeing, including compliance with US Government regulations supporting ITAR contract access. AML3D’s US manufacturing hub will also position the Company to take advantage of the new Trump administration's expected policies to support US-based manufacturing.
“The official opening of our fully operational US technology centre in Stow, Ohio is an inspiring moment in the evolution of AML3D,” AML3D President of US Operations, Pete Goumas said. “We can now super-charge our US ‘Scale up’ strategy, not only in support of the US Defence sector and, in particular, the US Navy submarine industrial base but also the US Energy and Defense Aerospace sectors.” aml3d.com
Brisbane health-tech company WearOptimo has unveiled the initial $7m phase of its Advanced Manufacturing Facility (AMF), paving the way towards releasing its first Microwearable sensor. Custom-built in Brisbane, the AMF is the first facility in the southern hemisphere, pioneering the use of Nanoimprint Lithography (NIL) for health-tech.
Its unveiling marks a major milestone along the company’s journey to having its first product – a hydration Microwearable sensor – on shelves, opening up global markets with a potential value of more than $5bn.
“WearOptimo’s vision is to create global healthcare solutions that are accessible and affordable, and this new manufacturing capacity is central to that ambition,” said founder and CEO Professor Mark Kendall. “The AMF’s use of NIL will allow us to rapidly advance our Microwearable technology towards the release of on-the-shelf sensors that are scalable for widespread deployment, at a low cost per unit.
“When operating at full capacity it will allow production of up to 30 million sensors annually, which will be used by everyone from elite athletes to aged-care residents and in industries ranging from the military to resources.” It’s also technology that bolsters Australia’s sovereign manufacturing capacity.
But it wasn’t always in the plan.
Pre-COVID-19, WearOptimo had been looking for an established manufacturing centre offshore. But as the challenges of the pandemic intensified, the company decided to reshore manufacturing and create a custom-designed production facility in Australia.
Securing almost $1m from the federal government’s Modernisation Manufacturing Fund, on top of its own capital, WearOptimo bought a cutting-edge Nanoimprint Lithography system from Europe.
The 10 tonnes of equipment were built to specification and flown to Australia, where they have been installed as the centrepiece
of the AMF, which was also supported by a state government grant. WearOptimo Chief Technology Officer Dr Anthony Brewer said the company’s decision to use NIL took it beyond more common industry usages such as semi-conductors, and optics and displays.
“In identifying and pioneering health tech as a novel application for Nanoimprint Lithography, we have created a unique facility in the southern hemisphere,” Dr Brewer said.
“Our pilot manufacturing line is the only installation of its kind in Australia, and likely the only one in the world dedicated specifically to health-tech.” It’s a theme of innovation inherent in WearOptimo’s Microwearable technology, advancing the next generation of wearable technology. “Unlike today’s typical wearables, which sit on the skin's surface, WearOptimo’s Microwearable sticker-like sensors have microelectrodes that reach just a hair’s width into it,”
Professor Kendall said.
“This creates access to biosignals that allow for improved monitoring and intervention where time is critical.” While the technology has myriad applications, first cab off the rank is a hydration Microwearable sensor, which has completed validation trials and will next focus on usability studies and field trials with elite athletes.
“While the Microwearable sensor platform has applications across many markets, we have chosen first to focus on the critical issue of hydration monitoring,” Professor Kendall explained. “What a lot of people don’t realise is less-than-optimal hydration can have severe, even fatal, health consequences but often goes undetected, especially given the crudeness of traditional measurements such as the colour of urine.
“Our Microwearable sensor provides continuous, non-invasive monitoring, allowing for timely intervention. This gives it significant global relevance.” wearoptimo.com
SPEE3D in PON challenge
The XSPEE3D printer has been tested as part of the US Department of Defense’s Point of Need manufacturing challenge. proving that we can also successfully print parts in the coldest of environments, helping to support the DOD's goal of expanding manufacturing capabilities in austere environments."
SPEE3D has proven that its XSPEE3D system can successfully operate in a subzero environment and produce parts with comparable material properties to those made in a laboratory environment. As part of the Office of the Secretary of Defense Manufacturing Technology's Point of Need Challenge (PON), SPEE3D was selected to develop, demonstrate, and test its Cold Spray Metal Additive Manufacturing (CSAM) equipment with partners from the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) COMET Project and Philips Federal.
The PON project was managed by LIFT, the Detroit-based Department of Defense Manufacturing Innovation Institute. It concluded that the XSPEE3D system is well-suited to support the DOD's goal of expanding expeditionary manufacturing capabilities in extreme cold weather environments for battle damage repair and large metal component production.
"The positive results of the Point of Need Challenge demonstrate that the XSPEE3D can print metal parts from anywhere – and in any weather conditions – with the same successful outcomes," said Byron Kennedy, CEO of SPEE3D. "Previously, we partnered with the Australian Army and showed that our technology can print parts in the extremely hot, rugged Australian bush. Now, we're
The US Army's Cold Region Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) hosted the PON challenge in Hanover, New Hampshire, in late 2023. The program showcased technologies that will keep service members combat-effective in extreme temperatures and exhibited systems that can be deployed in cold weather. These systems close supply chain gaps and enable warfighters to manufacture and use critical equipment on demand in the harshest environments.
"The Point of Need challenge winners have proven to be champions of research and innovation and are helping drive the United States military's technological advantage through the latest advanced materials and manufacturing process technologies," said Noel Mack, Chief Technology Officer, LIFT. Through SPEE3D’s innovative work, they have proven that the technology to support the warfighter exists and can be placed closer to where they need it to achieve their missions successfully.”
spee3d.com
AI Edge
How manufacturers can build an edge with AI. By Enzo Compagnoni, regional vice president and general manager, ANZ, Red Hat.
We’re well into the fourth industrial revolution, with companies using industrial robots to accomplish everything from battery production to delivery fulfilment with minimal human intervention. Against this backdrop, the opportunities for manufacturers are huge, but barriers remain.
The capabilities introduced by industrial robots are further enhanced by adopting artificial intelligence (AI), which is fast becoming a key must-have tool in competitive differentiation. In Australia, the robotics and automation market is projected to boost productivity by 50% to 150%, contributing an estimated $170 to $600bn per year to GDP by 2030, according to the federal Department of Industry, Science and Resources (DISR). Recognising these technologies' economic imperative, the DISR advocates for increased investment in AI applications for robotics.
AI has many use cases in manufacturing. For instance, integrating AI with visual inspection systems can improve quality control and worker safety. Moreover, it can be used on the factory floor to make processes more efficient by monitoring and analysing data coming from industrial machines.
A question of distance
Although AI has the power to transform the factory floor, AI models need a lot of data to work properly. This can become problematic in an industrial setting, where the equipment producing the data might not be near the necessary infrastructure to process it, whether onpremises or in the cloud. Improperly managing this data can impact the efficacy of AI applications in manufacturing contexts, where real-time processing is often essential.
This is where edge devices come in. Edge devices are nodes on a network that perform computing at or near a user's or data source's physical location. They exist across almost every industry, from the point-of-sale (POS) machine in a grocery store to the robotic arm building a car in a factory. They provide particular value in this manufacturing setting. Until recently, few edge devices possessed the kind of processing power needed to handle AI models in a standalone environment. This meant that even with edge devices in place, manufacturers have been somewhat limited by latency — the time it takes for data to be sent from an edge device to central computing infrastructure for AI processing and back again.
Sharpening the edge
Fortunately, things are changing. Some factors have made AI at the edge a feasible proposition for manufacturers, even in highly complex environments. The devices needed to run AI models at the edge have become far more powerful, as have the software and systems supporting them. Additionally, the large language models (LLMs) used to train AI applications —called ‘large’ for a good reason — are shrinking. There is a push for the development of smaller LLMs for AI applications, specifically for the edge. There is also the ongoing fusion of information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) infrastructure, which is demolishing data silos.
At the same time, when you embed AI in edge devices, you need an application platform that scales with them. Fortunately, the enterprise-grade open-source edge platforms and tools needed to manage large volumes of data and computational processes in an industrial setting have advanced rapidly, making AI at the edge far more attainable.
Setting the technical stage
When it comes to open source platforms, lightweight Kubernetes layers are one of the most significant factors driving AI capabilities at the edge. These layers are used for deploying and optimising AI workloads at the edge. An open-source container orchestration platform, such as Kubernetes, automates many of the processes involved in deploying, managing, and scaling containerised applications.
This is important for AI at the edge because platforms that can extend Kubernetes capabilities to edge computing environments allow manufacturers to use existing tools and processes designed for other computing infrastructure, such as the cloud, while easing the burden of configuring, deploying, and provisioning even the largest edge environments.
Building an edge
Now that the essentials are in place to develop fully-fledged AI processing at the edge to drive manufacturing efficiencies and insight, the opportunity to expand upon the current use cases and delve into new areas of differentiation presents itself. However, unified data, technical collaboration, and open standards will be necessary to make the most of the technology.
According to Deloitte, manufacturing generates about 1,812 petabytes (PB) of data every year, exceeding several other notable industries like communications, finance, and retail. This sector has massive amounts of information that can be harnessed to improve processes and streamline production lines.
With this wealth of data, manufacturers have new opportunities to enhance their operations. For instance, using predictive analytics on real-time Internet of Things (IoT) data powered by AI and machine learning can significantly improve efficiency and equipment availability, ultimately leading to increased profitability.
With the rapid advancements in AI's capabilities and interoperability at the edge, those manufacturers that are most ready to adapt to the changes by embracing the technological grounding to support it will be best positioned to build a lasting competitive edge. The key is meeting the technology where it is now and getting ready for where it will go next. redhat.com.au
OPINIONS FROM ACROSS THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY
Digital skills gap
Cisco and Rockwell Automation work together to close the digital skills gap in manufacturing and mining.
Cisco and Rockwell Automation have announced they are broadening their “partnership for purpose” by creating the ‘Digital Skills for Industry’ program to start a new digital skills offering initially targeting the manufacturing and mining industries. The skills program is unique as it combines IT & OT curriculum in cybersecurity, networking, IoT, data science, AI, programming and automation technologies. The aim is to improve digital literacy in industry, help accelerate career growth and talent attraction, boost productivity and bridge the growing digital skills gap in these industries.
To compete globally, mines and manufacturing facilities must switch to more flexible and agile operations powered and enabled by digital technology. To do so requires workers capable of using these technologies, but there is a critical shortage of these skill sets. The Manufacturing Skills Alliance estimates that 120,000 workers will be needed to increase their digital literacy by 2033 to close the gap.
Innovative manufacturing and mining increasingly rely on deploying cutting-edge technologies such as IoT devices, AI, digital twins, robots and cobots, and big data analytics. As the need for digitisation increases, these industries face several challenges. Alongside this, there is a growing need for a workforce skilled in digital technologies and intelligent manufacturing and mining processes. Continuous training and education are necessary to assess the value of, apply, and continue to support these rapidly evolving technologies.
The Cisco State of Industrial Networking 2024 reports over 1,000 respondents across 17 countries globally were surveyed. The number one external concern cited by 42% of respondents regarding obstacles to growth was the shortage of skilled workers. Compounding the issue further, 32% of respondents noted that the third highest obstacle to growth from an internal perspective is employee retention. Finally, technology is seen as an enabler, rather than an alternative to, the workforce by firms operating in the industrial sectors. The number one way 42% of respondents are mitigating internal risks is through upskilling/reskilling employees. The importance is evident; further details can be found in the Cisco State of Industrial Networking 2024 report.
These observations are strongly echoed in Rockwell Automation’s similar annual survey of 1,567 decision-makers from 17 top manufacturing countries. These manufacturers reported that knowledge of intelligent technology and cybersecurity practices are two top skills required to remain competitive. However, having workers with the skills to implement and optimise these technologies was among the top three obstacles to adoption. Notably, 94% of these employers expected that deploying these new technologies would increase the hiring and repurposing of workers because these technologies can amplify the existing workforce and maintain quality against a backdrop of employee turnover.
Now is the time to upgrade systems to digital platforms, better leverage data embedded in their systems, and take advantage of AI. Many organisations use these and other emergent technologies to maximise workforce potential, reduce risk, increase quality, and deliver sustainable growth. To boost productivity and stay competitive, the Australian industry needs to act now and invest in these technologies and the workforce to implement and optimise them.
“As we move into the AI era, we are witnessing a transformation similar to many we have seen in the past, in which industries have the opportunity to leverage technology for productivity and efficiency gains. Industry requires the skills to take advantage of this significant opportunity. At Cisco, we’re building on 30 years of experience in the skilled industry, and now, in conjunction with Rockwell Automation, we’re expanding those skills from the IT floor to the shop floor. The task here is to unlock the potential of the existing workforce to augment skills and attract the next generation of workers,” said Ben Dawson, Vice President of Cisco Australia & New Zealand.
“Skills shortages are holding manufacturers back. Attracting skilled employees and training the workforce to adapt to new systems and software will be vital for success in the coming years. In recruiting the next generation of employees, according to our State of Smart Manufacturing research, 67% of businesses in Australia and New Zealand rate knowledge of smart technology extremely or critical,” said Anthony Wong, Regional Director, South Pacific, Rockwell Automation.
‘Digital Skills for Industry’ program
In July 2024, Cisco and Rockwell Automation signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) pledging to close the digital skills gap in manufacturing across the Asia-Pacific region through our social impact programs, including the Cisco Networking Academy.
Rockwell Automation recognises that the need for talented new employees has become more important as older workers retire and new automation technologies require new skills. To mitigate workforce challenges, Rockwell Automation helps its customers develop an automation training strategy that can be deployed with support via virtual or instructor-led courses. These courses incorporate a variety of fundamental and product-specific automation technology topics to deliver a training solution directly to the plant floor, classroom, or desktop. cisco.com rockwellautomation.com
Anthony Wong, regional director, South Pacific, Rockwell Automation, centre, participates in Cisco’s ANZ State of Business panel discussion
Gigafactory Tindo
How a single gigafactory can be a catalyst for Australia’s solar manufacturing industry. CEO of Tindo, Richard Petterson fills in the empty spaces.
Despite being the birthplace of solar photovoltaic technology, Australia should have taken advantage of the early opportunity to establish a manufacturing industry. While China invested, Australia imported its panels, depending on international suppliers to power our energy transition and missing out on the jobs and economic benefits a domestic industry would have brought.
Yet, the energy transition is just getting started. Solar deployment is set to skyrocket in the coming decades, with the Australian Energy Market Operator’s Integrated System Plan forecasting rooftop solar alone to increase threefold by 2050.
The importance of solar to the energy transition can’t be overstated. That gives us a second chance to develop a solar manufacturing industry in Australia – and ensure more of the benefits of the renewables revolution stay onshore. With state and federal governments waking up to this fact and committing to invest in scaling the industry, we have a unique chance to reinvent and reestablish Australia’s position in solar manufacturing.
Since 2011, Tindo has been producing high-quality, Australianmade solar panels. Over the years, we’ve refined our processes and developed products engineered to withstand Australia's harsh weather conditions. We are proud to be Australia's only solar panel manufacturer, a position we do not take lightly. This position gives us the privilege of moving forward with plans to build Australia’s first solar panel gigafactory.
While this is ambitious, it’s an equally critical step that can drive us to reclaim our technological heritage and stimulate economic growth and innovation. Thankfully, the government has also recognised the opportunity – and the risk of not acting now – with its Solar Sunshot program, which provides $1bn to support PV manufacturing.
The government’s commitment to scaling up solar energy is a critical step towards addressing the urgent need for a robust domestic manufacturing sector. The ambitious goal is to produce 20% of the nation’s future solar panel demand locally.
Currently, Tindo’s manufacturing facility in Adelaide can produce 150 megawatts of panels per annum. Our proposition to scale up to 1 gigawatt would be a game changer in Australia's solar manufacturing landscape. The gigafactory, with an estimated investment of $90-100m, will produce around 7,000 high-quality
panels daily. We also anticipate $300m in annual economic activity, with the capacity to scale our workforce from 65 to around 300. This means transforming the local industry, local communities and local economies.
The ambition to significantly increase our domestic production capacity depends on more than just building a gigafactory. It also requires overhauling our supply chain infrastructure.
Historically, sourcing essential materials, like aluminium frames and glass, has presented significant challenges domestically. However, at a 1GW scale, we will have the volume that will attract Australian manufacturers of those components to become suppliers, creating further benefits across the value chain.
Our recently announced partnership with Australian firm Capral Aluminium is just the first example of this. We are exploring other opportunities to source other materials from local suppliers – and we’re looking forward to seeing how Sunshot can support the whole supply chain.
We want Tindo and Australia to once again be at the forefront of solar innovation, strengthening the local supply chain. We have forged partnerships with leading educational institutions, including the University of New South Wales, the University of Adelaide, and the University of South Australia. These collaborations are crucial for driving innovation within the renewable energy sector and commercialising cutting-edge advancements.
These strategic partnerships are essential for optimising our supply chain and supporting the launch of innovative solar modules like the Walara Series—the first of its kind in Australia. Engineered and manufactured locally, the Walara Series introduces n-type and bifacial technologies, which are new to Australian manufacturing. The path forward is clear: embracing domestic production is crucial to meeting our green energy targets. Tindo’s proposed gigafactory represents an ambitious first step, but success is dependent on ensuring that our supply chains are robust enough to meet our country's growing demands.
Starting with our Gigafactory, we can see a bright future for solar manufacturing and the supply chain in Australia. tindopv.com.au
Resilience in ERP
Building resilience in Australia’s heavy industries to thrive in a challenging economy. James Robinson, Head of Services for Asia Pacific at SYSPRO.
Australian companies are proving that heavy industrial manufacturing is viable onshore and can thrive here with the right strategies. The discussion must now shift from questioning whether Australian heavy manufacturing can succeed to showcasing how it is already driving success through innovation, efficiency, and digital transformation.
How ERP can increase competitiveness
Australian manufacturers are under pressure from multiple fronts, including shifting consumer demands, evolving technologies and unpredictable supply chains. Competing internationally is even more challenging for Australian heavy manufacturers, given the country’s higher labour costs and geographical distance from major markets. However, ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems are helping companies overcome these challenges by enabling them to optimise operations and build resilience. ERP systems integrate critical business functions, such as procurement, production, inventory management and financial reporting, into a single, centralised platform. By streamlining data and processes, ERP solutions enable manufacturers to reduce waste, cut costs and make informed, data-driven decisions.
For example, an Australian manufacturer leverages ERP technology to gain real-time visibility into its supply chain, allowing it to identify bottlenecks before they escalate into costly disruptions. With this insight, production schedules can also be optimised based on demand forecasts, ensuring resources are used efficiently while minimising downtime. This results in enhanced productivity, reduced costs, and a more competitive position in domestic and international markets.
Shifting from volume to high-value manufacturing
Rather than trying to compete with low-cost manufacturing hubs in other parts of Asia, Australia’s manufacturing future lies in highvalue, specialised heavy industrial production. ERP systems will play a crucial role in this shift by enabling manufacturers to move beyond volume-based production models to focus on quality, precision, and customisation. With an ERP system, manufacturers can fine-tune their operations to deliver high-quality, value-added products tailored to customer needs. This focus on specialisation creates competitive advantages that are harder for volume-based manufacturers to replicate. For example, customised machinery components, precision engineering products, or advanced materials can command higher margins while establishing Australia as a leader in niche manufacturing markets.
Additionally, compliance with local and international regulations is crucial for export manufacturers. ERP systems help companies manage cross-border regulatory requirements efficiently, ensuring they meet Australian and global standards without compromising safety or performance.
Building resilience with an ERP system
Disruptions caused by wars, trading sanctions and natural disasters have demonstrated how vulnerable global supply chains remain. Many manufacturers, reliant on single suppliers or specific regions, were at risk of severe production delays. In response, Australian companies are turning to ERP systems to build more resilient operations. ERP platforms provide the tools to diversify sourcing strategies, manage inventory effectively, and respond dynamically to market changes. For instance, if a critical supplier becomes
unavailable due to unforeseen circumstances, ERP systems can identify alternative sources in real-time, ensuring minimal disruption to production.
Inventory management improves agility
Inventory management is another area where ERP systems shine. ERP software helps manufacturers avoid overstocking or understocking materials by providing real-time insights into stock levels. This agility allows businesses to respond quickly to sudden shifts in demand or supply disruptions, ensuring continuity and minimising financial losses.
However, resilience is not just about managing short-term disruptions but also about building sustainable, future-ready operations. Modern ERP systems allow manufacturers to integrate cutting-edge technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning into their operations. These technologies enable automated workflows and intelligent decision-making, helping businesses avoid potential issues and ensure smooth, efficient production.
The key to thriving in a competitive future
ERP systems do more than help businesses keep pace with global competitors. They empower Australian manufacturers to lead the way in high-value, high-quality production. With a strategic focus on specialised manufacturing, companies can leverage ERP systems to deliver customised solutions, meet regulatory standards, and optimise their operations. This approach ensures that Australia remains a competitive force in global production.
ERP technology provides manufacturers with the resilience and flexibility necessary in a volatile economic environment where disruptions and challenges are inevitable. Businesses that adopt ERP systems are better positioned to navigate uncertainties, seize new opportunities, and build sustainable, future-ready operations.
Conclusion
The future of Australian manufacturing is bright for those who embrace digital transformation and focus on high-value production. ERP systems will enhance operational efficiency and ensure resilience, competitiveness and long-term growth.
As the conversation shifts from whether local production can succeed to how it already is, ERP technology will continue to play a central role in ensuring Australia’s heavy industries thrive in an everchanging global economy. syspro.com
China: Driverless roboshuttles
In Q2 2024, seven out of 11 companies in the worldwide roboshuttle sector were manufacturers. Three companies in China have participated in large-scale testing over the past two years. Success in these trials could pave the way for other companies and incentivize new startups to emerge.
The automotive industry's automation levels can range from level 0 to level 5, from sole reliance on driver control to completely driverless vehicles. Roboshuttles and autonomous buses will likely strive for level 5 operation as a long-term goal, but they are currently aiming for level 4, where driverless operations can occur within specific areas.
Compared to most buses, roboshuttles are designed to be minor, with not-too-large capacities, making them ideal for deployment in larger numbers within small areas. Operating under Level 4 driving conditions, they are driverless, efficient, and comfortable, accommodating up to 22 passengers. Despite being smaller than a minibus, the extra room allowed by having no driver means their six-metre length can hold a greater capacity.
Commercialisation can be tricky for roboshuttles, with many deployed on trial but needing help to progress further. Since 2020, the number of players has declined from over 25 to just 12, with most companies still in the early stages of development in 2023. Lack of government funding and sufficient public interest will make it tricky for roboshuttle players to reach more extensive trials and proceed to commercialisation, with many exiting the market after the first, smaller trials.
The limited number of players within the market indicates the large number of investments required for autonomous buses to become mainstream—even with government subsidies. The regulatory challenges companies face, alongside the increased challenges and slow progress of level 4 systems in larger buses, are also factors slowing down commercialisation.
Live Science
USA: The other cost of AI
Every time generative artificial intelligence drafts an e-mail or conjures an image, the planet pays for it. Making two images can consume as much energy as charging a smartphone; a single exchange with ChatGPT can heat a server so much that it requires a bottle of water to cool. At scale, these costs soar. By 2027, the global AI sector could annually consume as much electricity as the Netherlands, according to one recent estimate. And a new study in Nature Computational Science identifies another concern: AI's outsize contribution to the world's mounting heap of electronic waste. The study found that generative AI applications alone could add 1.2 million to five million metric tons of this hazardous trash to the planet by 2030, depending on how quickly the industry grows. Such a contribution would add to the tens of millions of tons of electronic products the globe discards annually. Cell phones, microwave ovens, computers, and other ubiquitous digital products
often contain mercury, lead, or other toxins. When improperly discarded, they can contaminate air, water, and soil. The United Nations found that in 2022, about 78% of the world's e-waste ended up in landfills or at unofficial recycling sites, where labourers risk their health to scavenge rare metals.
The worldwide AI boom rapidly churns through physical data storage devices, plus the graphics processing units and other high-performance components needed to process thousands of simultaneous calculations. This hardware lasts anywhere from two to five years — but it's often replaced as soon as newer versions become available. Asaf Tzachor, a sustainability researcher at Israel's Reichman University who co-authored the new study, says its findings emphasise the need to monitor and reduce this technology's environmental impacts.
To calculate just how much generative AI contributes to this problem, Tzachor and his colleagues examined the type and volume
of hardware used to run large language models, the length of time that these components last and the growth rate of the generative AI sector. The researchers caution that their prediction is a gross estimate that could change based on a few additional factors. For example, more people might adopt generative AI than the authors' models anticipate. Hardware design innovations, meanwhile, could reduce e-waste in a given AI system. Still, other technological advances can make systems cheaper and more accessible to the public, increasing the number of uses.
Nature Computational Science
Japan: Experts reveal how revolutionary technological advances could use the sun to source hydrogen fuel
Splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen using solar energy holds the promise of genuinely renewable fuel – but until now, it hasn’t been feasible outside the laboratory. Writing for Frontiers in Science, renowned experts in the field outline crucial new advances that could make solar production of hydrogen fuel a reality and call for more research and the development of standards and regulations to take green fuel from proof of concept to practical solution.
In the future, we could fuel the world with sunlight and water, using sunlight to derive hydrogen fuel from H2O. Currently, most hydrogen used as feedstock and fuel is derived from natural gas and, therefore, doesn’t help us eliminate fossil fuels. But Japanese scientists are leading the way towards a future powered by hydrogen, with new, easily-manufactured photocatalytic sheets and a proof-of-concept panel reactor that shows that it is possible to refine hydrogen fuel from water at scale.
“Sunlight-driven water splitting using photocatalysts is an ideal technology for solar-to-chemical energy conversion and storage, and recent developments in photocatalytic materials and systems raise hopes for its realisation,” said Prof Kazunari Domen of Shinshu
University, senior author of the article in Frontiers in Science.
“However, many challenges remain.”
We need photocatalysts to use sunlight to split water into oxygen and hydrogen. Under light, these catalysts promote chemical reactions that split the water. The photocatalyst breaks water down into hydrogen and oxygen in one-step excitation systems. These systems are simple but inefficient, with a shallow solar-to-hydrogen energy conversion rate. More efficient at present are two-step excitation systems, where one photocatalyst evolves hydrogen from water, and the other evolves oxygen from water.
“Obviously, solar energy conversion technology cannot operate at night or in bad weather,” said Dr Takashi Hisatomi of Shinshu University, first author of the study. “But by storing the energy of sunlight as the chemical energy of fuel materials, it is possible to use the energy anytime and anywhere.”
Frontiers in Science
China: Squishy, stretchy power sources in our future
According to a new study, stretchy, self-healing lithium-ion batteries could be a viable power source for wearable mobile phones, soft robotics, and electronic skin. Researchers at Jilin University in China have made small, stretching batteries that can power an LED light. Still, they say their work shows great promise for building future stretchable and wearable electronics. Professor Xiaokong Liu, the senior author of the research, says the work provides a viable strategy for designing stretchable and self-healing energy storage devices. They have built their prototypes out of long polymer molecules, connecting each one with nitrogen-carbon bonds. These bonds can bind the battery's positive and negative electrodes together, acting as electrolytes and allowing charged particles to move between them.
The most surprising thing about these batteries is that they can still provide steady power while being stretched, even if cut in half because they heal and grow back together. <<squishylithium.png>>
Supramolecular Materials
Australia: Making seawater evaporate faster than freshwater hailed as a significant breakthrough in desalination technology
Up to 36% of the world’s eight billion people currently suffer from severe freshwater shortages for at least four months of the year, and this could potentially increase to 75% by 2050, threatening the survival of humans. Researchers from the University of South Australia (UniSA) have already demonstrated the potential of interfacial solar-powered evaporation as an energy-efficient, sustainable alternative to current desalination methods. However, they are still limited by a lower evaporation rate for seawater
compared to pure water due to the negative effect of salt ions on water evaporation. UniSA materials science researcher Professor Haolan Xu has now collaborated with researchers from China on a project to develop a simple yet effective strategy to reverse this limitation. By introducing inexpensive and common clay minerals into a floating photothermal hydrogel evaporator, the team achieved seawater evaporation rates that were 18.8% higher than pure water. This is a significant breakthrough since previous studies all found seawater evaporation rates were around 8% lower than pure water.
“The key to this breakthrough lies in the ion exchange process at the air-water interface,” Prof Xu says. “The minerals selectively enrich magnesium and calcium ions from seawater to the evaporation surfaces, which boosts the evaporation rate of seawater. This ion exchange occurs spontaneously during solar evaporation, making it highly convenient and cost-effective.” Considering the global desalination market – which numbers around 17,000 operational plants worldwide – even slight declines in desalination performance can result in the loss of tens of millions of tons of clean water.
Advanced Materials
Australia: EPE Oceania and
Lunar Outpost Oceania collaborate for the Australian lunar “Roo-ver” project
AMT has to mention this Lunar project, especially in the Aerospace issue. The ELO2 Consortium is an unparalleled collaboration of industry and leading research groups across Australia focused on space exploration. Universities, SMEs, and industry giants have contributed to accomplishing this mission, harnessing expertise from all states and territories.
Together, they will pioneer Australia’s lunar exploration by delivering a fully designed, manufactured, and tested rover in Australia. This will demonstrate the country’s technical leadership and engineering prowess. The selection of ELO2 follows its remarkable achievements in the preliminary design process. During this process, the Consortium partners, who received four million dollars of funding from the Australian Space Agency, developed and rigorously tested four rover prototypes. As the Grantee, EPE Oceania brings a 25year legacy of trusted partnership with the Commonwealth and leadership in Defence, national security and extreme environment robotics technology.
Lunar Outpost Oceania's co-lead leverages expertise in cuttingedge space robotics and exploration to spearhead the mission’s technical success and support the commercialisation of the Consortium’s technical developments from Australia into the growing global space supply chain. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to represent Australia on the global stage and to contribute to the international advancement of lunar exploration,” said the Consortium co-leads.
Key technologies under development for the mission include advanced manufacturing, novel materials, extreme environment robotics, AI and autonomous systems, advanced sensors, power systems, communications, human-machine interface for remote operations and thermal management.
Terrestrial application of these critical space technologies builds on Australia’s existing strengths in remote operations and resources, building critical capabilities in Australia that can be exported to international markets. Work on the mission will begin immediately as NASA finalises launch details with the Australian Space Agency. Once on the Moon, the rover will undertake a science mission to understand the lunar surface and support Australia’s contribution to the Artemis Program.
Leading international welding equipment manufacturer Kemppi has released a new, formidable MIG/MAG welding machine that is simple to use for demanding jobs. The X3 FastMig offers highquality industrial MIG/MAG welding with straightforward operation and a user interface.
The X3 FastMig Synergic and Pulse MIG/MAG welding machines are the quickest way to complete high-quality welds in wide-ranging welding and fabrication environments. The X3 FastMig Synergic and Pulse models feature simple and precise control with a new icon-based user interface that saves time with a fast setup and easy parameter selection.
The X3 FastMig series also features a wide range of pre-installed welding programs for quick and quality welding results, including wire diameters from 0.8mm to 2.0mm. The X3 Pulse has 67 welding programs, and the X3 Synergic has 42 welding programs, covering Fe, Ss, AlSi5, AlMg5, CuSi3, Fe Metal, Fe Rutil, and FC[1] CrNiMo filler wires.
The X3 FastMig Synergic and Pulse are powerful performers that are brutally effective without compromising on quality. The Synergic offers 420 amps at a 60% duty cycle, and the Pulse 450 amps. With so much grunt, both the Synergic and Pulse are perfect for industrial welding, where capable, accurate, and reliable welding equipment is essential.
Both models have two power source options for gas- and watercooled welding. In a water-cooled power source, the cooler is integrated into the power source.
The X3 FastMig Synergic and Pulse have a robust-build and durable wire feeder with dual-wall construction and a 4x4 wire drive mechanism for effective use in various working conditions. They have been designed for all-day heavy welding but are also simple enough for lighter, precision-focused tasks.
Combi Genius
The X3 FastMig is a powerful and productive yet simple MIG/MAG welding machine for industrial welding.
Wide range of accessories
For user convenience, the X3 FastMig can be complemented with several optional accessories, depending on the need. Accessory selection includes 2- and 4-wheel trolleys, on-torch and handheld remote controls, a wide selection of cables, and a boom hanger.
“The new X3 FastMig Synergic and Pulse are true workhorses and highly effective MIG/MAG welding machines. Built tough for industrial and demanding environments, they are extremely easy to use to help maximise productivity and deliver quality welds,” explained Stuart Orr, Sales Director, Kemppi Australia.
In addition to the MIG/MAG welding processes, the X3 FastMig series includes MMA and gouging processes, five memory channels, cable calibration, integrated storage for parts in the wire feeder’s side door and a safety lock. kemppi.com
IMTS Machinery and Prima Power announce the arrival of the new and improved Combi Genius® into Australasia.
Designed to meet the growing demand for highly flexible, efficient punch and laser technology, the Combi Genius offers best-in-class servo-electric 30-tonne punching force, up to 1000 holes per minute, now with 6kW of fibre laser power.
Key features of the Combi Genius include high tooling capacity. A very customisable turret design allows up to 400 standard or 384 indexable tools to be used in one tool setup. The economical 3, 4 or 6kW fibre laser resonator offers the greatest flexibility in cutting capacity for an extensive range of sheet metal products. The Combi Genius allows punching, laser cutting, forming, tapping, and flexible part marking in one machine, supported by Prima Power's advanced NC Express nesting software. The Prima Power Tulus Cell HMI, with its user-friendly interface, makes operation straightforward and intuitive. The easy-to-learn system covers the full range of Prima Power machines, streamlining operator training and use. The modular design allows seamless integration with various automation modules for loading, unloading, picking, sorting, and stacking. This flexibility means the system can grow with your production needs. Perfect for processing many materials and shapes, the Combi Genius offers its user the greatest amount of flexibility, making it an ideal solution for diverse production environments.
IMTS Machinery, the exclusive supplier of Prima Power products in Australia and New Zealand for over twenty years, is excited to offer this extremely flexible solution to customers looking to enhance their sheet metal production capabilities.
Prima Power is a leading global provider of advanced manufacturing solutions. It specialises in modular automated machinery and Industry 4.0 software. Prima Power is also the leader in servo-electric combination machines, with over 25 years of experience in this technology. With its headquarters in Italy and production plants in Finland and North America, Prima Power has a significant global presence. It provides both standard and customised solutions to meet the evolving needs of modern manufacturing companies.
Prima Power designs and manufactures high-performance machines for automotive, white goods, brown goods, aerospace, and sheet metal processing industries.
Prima Power is known for innovation and offers turret punch presses, fibre laser cutting systems, bending systems, and flexible automation systems. The company focuses on efficiency and precision and helps businesses improve their production capabilities and reduce their environmental impact. imts.com.au
Aquamat i.CF
KAESER Compressors’ Aquamat i.CF is the first intelligent oil-water separator.
With the intelligent Aquamat i.CF, KAESER Compressors has redefined condensate treatment. Available for delivery volumes up to 90 m³/min, this new oil-water separator is now equipped for the first time with the Aquamat Control internal controller, which undertakes active process management while simplifying maintenance planning and making service work cleaner.
Wherever compressed air is generated, condensate constantly forms as a byproduct. Before this condensate can be disposed of as wastewater, its oil must first be separated. Conventional, passive oil-water separators work according to the principle of gravity: accumulating condensate trickles through a filter, which then absorbs the oil. Now, the Aquamat i.CF has completely redefined condensate treatment by actively and intelligently ensuring maximum process and functional dependability.
Dependable, resource-friendly operation
The internal Aquamat Control controller is completely new. It operates by monitoring the condensate level in the oil-water separator; when the maximum level is reached, the condensate is forced through the filter cartridges by light bursts of compressed air. This has the advantage of using the absorption capacity of the cartridges much more effectively. The result is reliable, resource-friendly operation of the Aquamat i.CF, even when operational demands are high. In the unlikely event that a problem arises, the controller recognises it and issues a notification.
This active mode of operation permits – for the first time – the remaining service life of the filter cartridges to be determined, dependent on load. The network-capable Aquamat Control controller not only facilitates maintenance planning for the oilwater separator, it also guides the operator through the necessary work steps. A further intelligent design feature is that, thanks to pressurisation of the cartridges, they are already empty when the
Guill Cam-Lock
time comes to replace them, making them much lighter to handle. The overall design of the Aquamat i.CF sets new standards when it comes to hygiene. No contact with the condensate is necessary when changing the cartridges and the
free, thereby protecting both the environment and service
The Aquamat i.CF is available in five new model variants for compressors with eight to 90m³/min delivery volumes. For
added practicality, all models use cartridges of the same size. This considerably simplifies spare parts stocking and supply, thereby saving time and money. The five model variants' different capacities are achieved by connecting multiple cartridges in parallel; this modular design concept enables simple, retrospective adjustment of the respective capacity.
The Aquamat i.CF is certified and approved by the Berlin Institute for Construction Technology for state-of-the-art treatment of compressor condensates containing mineral and synthetic oils. This provides operators the highest possible level of technical and legal security. au.kaeser.com
Guill Tool recently announced the availability of its Cam-Lock design on various crossheads.
The Guill Cam-Lock is the same as the one supplied on their Bullet product and will be provided on additional heads, where applicable. This allows quick and easy assembly and disassembly of the crosshead and eliminates the socket head caps screws. Removing and replacing the internals can extrude a different profile in minutes rather than hours. Since the cam lock resets the internals in the right configuration every time, there's far less chance of error, compared to the assembly and misalignment issues with socket set screws.
The Cam-Lock offers several features such as: it takes only ½ turn to remove and install the deflector tip and no fastening hardware is required. Additional features include fast tool changes (threaded retaining ring for the die and threaded tip retainer), dies remove from the front and tips from
the back, tooling retainers for gum space adjustment, vacuum connections, simplified cleaning and reduced downtime and operating costs. guill.com
ZERO-EMISSION ELECTRIC HYDROGEN FLIGHT
AMT Editor Paul Hellard spoke with AMSL Aero Co-Founder, and Vertiia inventor Andrew Moore about the eVTOL and how his early life shaped his view of the use of air transport.
AMSL Aero, a zero-emission aircraft designer and manufacturer, has been completing test flights of Vertiia, Australia’s first passengercapable, emission-free, long-range electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.
The craft has been designed to travel up to 1,000 kilometres on hydrogen at a cruising speed of 300km/h with zero-carbon emissions. It can carry up to four passengers and a pilot. AMSL Aero’s Vertiia customers plan commercial flights following certification and regulatory approval planned in 2027. Vertiia is an Australian-designed-and-manufactured eVTOL, the new generation of aircraft that takes off and lands like a helicopter but flies fast and smoothly like a fixed-wing aeroplane.
“My Dad was in the Navy and always spoke about flying off aircraft carriers,” explained Andrew Moore. “I grew up on a farm that had an airstrip. In the vastness of outback NSW, you had the ‘bank
run’, the ‘mail run’, and medical and pathology supplies all having to be flown in. Growing up, I felt like aviation was everything. The alternative was nine hours driving on not-always-safe gravel roads, which could be cut to two or three hours in an aircraft.”
Moore grew up to join the Navy and became an Aerospace Engineer while in the forces. He was involved with peacekeeping in the Solomon Islands, and posted on what was called a helicopter ship. This ship was an amphibious landing platform. It was also a hospital ship with hangar-shared facilities. “The front end of the hangar was part of the hospital facility, so it could be used for either, depending on what was going on,” Moore described. “I was heavily involved in aviation, and managed the flight deck and operations around that aspect. But I was already having a strong connection into the medical world.”
When Moore left the Forces, he joined a small company called Total Aerospace Solutions (TAS), working closely with the medical community. “One of the key projects was to build a great medical fit-out for an effective flying ICU.”
When Moore left TAS more than 15 years ago, it was clear to him that Australia’s medical system depends on being able to transport patients by air. When he considered starting AMSL Aero, a couple of things needed immediate attention for the national interest, and one of them was finding a better way to transport patients, especially in a country as big as this.
“The reality is, despite my upbringing, where most people are, there aren’t airstrips. Where the patient flights, medical transport and other work happens, they do a lot of work between airports, but the patient has to get there first,” Moore described. “It would be best if they didn’t have to do that. It would be much better to land directly where the patient is and pick them up. Many patients move from hospital to hospital; every hospital has a helicopter landing site.”
Local design and manufacture
This concept vehicle is designed and assembled here in Bankstown, NSW with components manufactured by various local companies. “We have composite parts made by Australian companies such as Innovation Composites, CST Composites, and Quickstep Holdings, and others.”
AMSL Aero uses many of these carbon fibre composites in unique areas. “There is a different design configuration that allows them to do things not viable for other design concepts,” explains Moore. Their use of the box wing design, initially invented in 1898 by Lawrence Hargrave, was tested thoroughly. “We went through significant configuration studies, looking at all these options to meet a long list of requirements. Ultimately, the box wing met most of those, so we chose it. That allows us to do things slightly differently from others and select unique manufacturing methods. Automating the manufacturing process would be a bit lower cost and more straightforward. And that's one of the key parameters we've always considered. It's great to build a high-performing VTOL aircraft, and some applications need it, but it needs to be on a pathway without a large amount of capital expenditure.”
The engineers at AMSL Aero propose a combination of conventional aerospace materials, such as carbon fibre composite, but using them in a slightly unconventional way. Some methods adopted along the way include infusion methods for certain parts. “We have used film winding for structural components and other more traditional aerospace manufacturing methods, like pre-impregnated composites under a vacuum,” Moore explained. “On a prototype, we used some aluminium alloy, selected for specific corrosionresistance and stiffness reasons. But there are always opportunities to move to a higher spec, reduce weight, and achieve better performance in the next generation or on a production aircraft.”
Contnued next page
Continued from previous page
Power to weight
The hybrid Vertiia aircraft has an electric motor with a battery, a hydrogen fuel cell, and a tank. These days, you can buy batteries that have an energy density of about 250watt/hours per kilo. “Some good ones are coming out of the power tool industry, and some of those have found their way into other applications,” Moore added.
“The sorts of battery cells we use are quite different from what they use in automotive. They require higher power than some of those automated applications do.”
“With a hydrogen tank, you can achieve energy density in the order of 1000watt/hours per kilo because you've got the hydrogen fuel cell piece, and then you've got the hydrogen tank. If you want to go further, make the hydrogen tank slightly bigger.
“You need to be able to travel a certain distance and follow up for that equation to be beneficial. But the fact is that for almost every application that we spoke to customers about, they already wanted and needed that sort of range. And so, within six months of starting the company, we started exploring hydrogen as an option to increase the range of our aircraft. In recent years, you can store hydrogen as a liquid in a composite tank, achieving a weight efficiency unheard of with any other form of energy. Nothing comes close to that, and then it becomes how much of a system you need to convert that hydrogen into electricity.”
Electrified aviation using zero-emission, locally-made hydrogen has the opportunity to flip all that on its head completely, and we can see an operating cost that is better than airlines in an equivalent per kilogram of payload or per passenger metric. And that's truly game-changing. The zero-emission solution will have an order of magnitude lower cost than the fossil fuel version.”
Vertiia will cruise at 300km/hour, and its range will be up to 1,000km on hydrogen power. AMSL Aero holds international patents for Vertiia, protecting its core technological features, including its unique wing tilting mechanism, box wing design and flight control system.
Vertiia is an eight-electric motor tilting wing aircraft that can operate from a helipad or similar size landing site. The craft can connect regional hubs, and due to the small number of seats, it can conduct on-demand (unscheduled) services to reduce excess capacity (empty seats).
Futures
AMSL Aero plans to revolutionise patient pickup in Australia. eVTOL aircraft have already attracted attention in the Philippines and New Zealand.
“There are enormous opportunities to improve the lives of people here in Australia and anywhere with transport infrastructure challenges,” described Moore. “Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, East Timor, Solomon Islands. Walking from Dili to a remote village could take days, but with a Vertiia, you could be there in an hour.”
This year, AMSL Aero received deposits for 26 Vertiia aircraft orders from civil customers, including 20 from Aviation Logistics. Aviation Logistics operates the Air Link, AirMed, and Chartair brands, which offer passenger services, aircraft charter, air freight, and aeromedical flights across Australia.
“There are so many broad opportunities to change the way we deliver healthcare,” Moore added. “Sometimes, an autonomous aircraft could fly to where a patient is. The aircraft may be joined by a medic or someone else, who would return with the patient. There could also be different models for air transport. So, it could change how transport happens across the nation. Now, we know there are a lot of regulations that make it easier to have a pilot on board when you have passengers on board. And so we're building our aircraft from the outset to be certified for a pilot on board for those applications.”
Vertiia can also be remotely piloted, and there are many applications with no regulatory barriers to its operation. There's work to be done, but there are no barriers to its use under specific applications. They could be remote area cargo, remote pilot firefighting, potentially remote crop dusting, surveillance, and search and rescue-like activities. Some of those situations can be serviced right now without any regulatory changes. You could even pre-position a remotely piloted aircraft to meet any location's daily surge or seasonal demand. amslaero.com
SECO
An aerospace pylon is a true collaborating process.
Aeroplane pylons attach aircraft engines to the wings. The development of this critical component involves collaboration with specialists and industry partners, with Seco playing a leading role.
Joe Gooding and Gary Meyers explain more.
Pylons are not the most noticeable part of an aircraft. Hidden from view by covers, they are critical for structural integrity and, thus, safe and reliable aircraft operation.
“There are one or two engines per wing, with up to four pylons to attach each engine,” explains Joe Gooding, a UK-based Seco Development Engineer, who supports customer projects with tooling and component machining strategy suggestions. “The pylon is made from titanium that’s often forged and then machined to the required dimensions and tolerances.”
“The aircraft manufacturers use titanium for structural components. It is the best material and the safest option for those aircraft parts,” adds Joe’s colleague, Gary Meyers, Global Product Manager for Solid Milling, based in Sweden.
“There are many applications involved in manufacturing a pylon,” he continues. “From face milling to copy milling strategies, indexable tools, solid carbide tools, drilling, reaming, and new barrel type machining developments for component finishing. The parts are challenging to machine and often have forging inconsistencies and deep pockets that are hard to reach. Being safety critical there are also very tight tolerances and finishing requirements.”
The importance of collaboration and innovation
Gooding and Meyers have been working together for many of years. Their shared belief is in the value of a collaborative, crossindustry approach. Particularly with customers who have fewer inhouse resources and are looking for complete solutions for tooling development, machining planning, component fixturing, staff training and toolpath programming support.
There are two aspects to this process – Seco, its customers (Tier One suppliers and aircraft OEMs) and other industry partners need to collaborate to develop the correct solutions. The other is the constant need for innovation and partnerships to improve processes, which led Seco to establish its Innovation Hub concept.
“If you look at the machining of the pylon, Seco makes the tools to machine the parts. What makes it different here is the people available at the Innovation Hub. They have knowledge and contacts with the CAM manufacturers, the coolant and the companies that make the work-holding devices. We also maintain relationships with universities that study these materials' machining," Gary Meyers explains.
“So, it is a great portfolio, and there is nothing on the pylon that we can’t machine. We are competing at a world-class level. It is more than the tool. We have people like Joe and Innovation Hub colleagues who know how to apply the processes and the tools. They know the customers’ issues and needs, and that gives us the advantage for these types of components.”
In turn this drives quality. The company is involved in it at the earliest possible stage rather than coming in at the end of a machining project for an already defined application.
“We look at the titanium structural components to see what customers need, match it to our portfolio, and add what we need to develop longer tool life and boost the customer’s productivity,” says Meyers.
“In product development and R&D we have an effective triangle with the customer and the team at our Innovation Hub with deep relationships. This helps us to get to the core of what it is they want to achieve. That is beneficial for the customer and for us.”
Changes in machining
The civil aerospace industry is slower to embrace changes such as the use of alternative materials including 3D-printed parts. On a pylon development there are many safety tests to satisfy before anything can be introduced. Titanium still reigns supreme. Nevertheless, the industry is gradually changing.
“Robotisation and digital technologies are coming in, and we are developing a digital offer to match this,” says Joe Gooding. “Some companies are looking at minimum quantity lubrication MQL and even oil-free CO2 methods in the cutting process. Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing, where the plate is welded with a titanium wire arc to build the desired template pylon shape, is also starting to develop, and may affect pylon manufacture in the future. It always comes down to consistent part quality – it must be the same every single time.”
And, adds Gary Meyers, “When it comes to being a tooling company, if you have already heard about a new trend in the market, you are already too late because it takes years to catch up. The important thing is to be connected and in touch and understand the customer needs early on, so
In essence, Seco has the critical skills, infrastructure, industry connections and solutions to keep making this crucial component for years to
Tooling setup example with pylon
Katherine Bennell-Pegg
Australian astronaut and Director of Space Technology at Australian Space Agency, Katherine Bennell-Pegg, on the benefits of a STEM education.
When asked to list three career options in secondary school, Katherine only listed one—Astronaut—and she refused to add any others.
With her parents' encouragement, Bennell-Pegg researched what she would need to do to become an astronaut. The pursuit of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) subjects was a huge part of her trajectory. In her final year, she worked hard at school, studying Math, English, Chemistry, Physics, and Economics. She also participated in a range of extracurricular activities that targeted a career in space: aerobatic flying lessons, amateur astronomy, sports, and debating.
In 2007, Katherine graduated from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Aeronautical Engineering (Space) and a Bachelor of Science (Advanced) in Physics. During her studies, she kept busy completing internships as a mechanical engineer, physics researcher, and later as a computer programmer. She was also an Australian Army Reservist, a volunteer in the NSW SES, and a traveller to India with Engineers Without Borders.
Over the next decade, Katherine worked across Europe on a range of space projects, such as: human spaceflight missions and technologies, facilities for the International Space Station, debris removal concepts, scientific studies, Earth observation, and space exploration missions.
During this time, Katherine had two daughters with her husband, Spacecraft Systems Engineer Campbell Pegg. The family returned to Australia in 2019, to join the Australian Space Agency, where both Katherine and Campbell accepted roles. Katherine worked as the Assistant Manager of the Chief Technology Office for three years before becoming the Director of Space Technology for the Agency.
“I have always dreamed of being an astronaut. When I was young, it was for the adventure. Still, after more than a decade working in space it’s now because I know its role in tackling real-world problems and developing new knowledge that can benefit our society, environment, and science,” Katherine said.
In 2021, Katherine took a giant stride toward becoming an astronaut. As a dual UK citizen, she could apply to ESA’s new call for astronauts. Out of 22,500 eligible applicants, she was one of only 25 people to successfully pass all selection stages.
Katherine, along with the five ESA astronaut candidates, began basic astronaut training at the European Astronaut Centre in Germany in 2023. “I want to use this experience to open doors for Australian scientists and engineers to utilise space for their discoveries, to inspire the pursuit of STEM careers, and show all Australians that they too can reach for the stars.”
Later that year as an employee of the Australian Space Agency, Katherine was invited by the European Space Agency (ESA) to undertake Basic Astronaut Training in Germany, becoming the first international astronaut candidate to do so.
Space exploration has always catalysed STEM innovation, from developing new technologies to advancing our understanding of the universe. Since graduating as an astronaut, Katherine has travelled the country, sharing insights with school students and passionate industry leaders. She’s visited schools, universities, and the odd corporate event.
"UniSQ is doing such great things in space, from work at the Mt Kent Observatory, to what the team’s doing with the UniSQ-led iLaunch Trailblazer and some amazing research coming out of the Space and Defence research flagship,” added Katherine, who the University awarded an Honorary Doctor of Engineering.
“When I was a child, like many others with the astronaut dream, I never dared hope that I could do it representing my country because we didn't have an Australian Space Agency, let alone an astronaut program,” she said. “It’s an incredible honour to be recognised in this way by UniSQ as someone who’s contributed to the field of space in Australia.” shared Dr Katherine Bennell-Pegg.
She believes it's an exciting time to be an astronaut because of what's happening in space research globally, but particularly all the activities happening here at home in Australia. In April 2024, Katherine graduated from her astronaut training to become Australia’s first female astronaut. She is also the first person to train as an astronaut under the Australian flag.
UniSQ and iLAuNCH Space Program Director Associate Professor Matt Richardson said recent advancements in space exploration, a renewed focus on STEM education, and people like Katherine advocating for the sector meant the dreams of “the Space Generation” were undoubtedly within reach.
“It used to be the case that Australian kids could dream of going to space, and it might have seemed a bit far-fetched, but that’s simply not the case anymore,” said Associate Professor Richardson.
“So many of the people I’ve spoken to are drawn to space and STEM more broadly because they want to help; they are worried about climate change, natural disasters, quality of life, and conflicts around the world,” she said.
“A career in STEM allows you to be part of the solution. You don’t have to despair about the problem if you apply yourself in STEM.
“It’s been humbling to realise the impact my astronaut graduation is having far beyond just myself, far beyond even the space sector. Helping to unlock opportunities for our researchers and inspiring the next generation is an amazing privilege,” Katherine shared. space.gov.au unisq.edu.au
Australian Space Agency
Space industry growth
Strengthening Australian space ingenuity with critical tech at Myriota.
Leaving no stone unturned or without internet access, a local space company is set to reinforce national network technologies through a new Australian Government grant. Myriota, a South Australian satellite telecommunications company, has received $25m from the National Reconstruction Fund (NRF) to improve connectivity in remote locations outside traditional internet coverage areas.
“NRF is backing Aussie know-how to help manufacture critical technologies in this country,” said Minister for Industry and Science Ed Husic. “South Australia is helping the country not only rebuild its manufacturing muscle but also sharpen its edge with new technologies and industries, as seen at Myriota.
“In a country as vast and remote as ours, communications and connectivity is absolutely crucial. Backing investments like this is pivotal to achieving that."
Developing innovative, sovereign Australian space technologies
Myriota’s satellite-based IoT network technology gathers field intelligence through sensors in applications ranging from AgriTech to mining to industrial monitoring. The investment will boost the expansion of the company’s network technologies and infrastructure, scaling its Australian-based manufacturing of advanced satellite communications modules and hardware for global export.
"By investing in companies such as Myriota, we are helping to commercialise Australian innovation that directly translates into high-skilled jobs and creates significant benefits for regional Australians,” said Martijn Wilder AM, Chair, National Reconstruction Fund Corporation. The $25m investment is expected to create 100 highly skilled jobs in South Australia, including engineers, software and hardware developers, and data networking and satellite communications professionals. It is also expected to supercharge sectors like mining and agriculture nationwide.
“These investments in Myriota will support our hyper-growth and continued role as a leader in democratised satellite connectivity.
It will ensure our advanced manufacturing stays here in Australia, helping to diversify the Australian economy while delivering up to 100 highly skilled jobs with the opportunity and expertise to drive global impact,” Myriota CEO Ben Cade said.
The telecommunications provider is reshaping the IoT industry with its accessible, affordable, and scalable technology. It is the first South Australian recipient of the Federal Government’s $15bn NRFC, which supports seven priority areas of the Australian economy. This is the NRFC’s first investment in the space industry. By redefining the limits of satellite connectivity, Myriota is democratising access to critical data insights that help producers and governments reduce operating costs, maximise margins, and minimise environmental impact. Myriota’s global partner, Grundfos, is the world’s largest supplier of industrial pumps and pump monitoring solutions. It offers a Solar Connect solution that delivers insights on remote pump and tank infrastructure to ensure livestock are never without water.
In high-risk industries, Myriota’s technology is delivering critical solutions. For example, US-based One-Tank’s SkyTracker is a self-contained explosion-proof tank monitor device that can track consumption and detect gas leaks in propane tanks. Australia’s RF Technologies is pioneering military-grade expandable sensor units for versatile applications that are designed and made in Australia. These applications are just the tip of the iceberg. Technology research consultant Gartner predicts that expenditures in the IoT market will nearly double to $991bn by 2028. Myriota will use this latest investment to supercharge global expansion and boost its advanced manufacturing capability within Australia, readying the company and its commercial partners to meet this exponential growth in global demand.
Earlier in 2024, Myriota received a $1.5m grant from the Australian Space Agency through the Moon to Mars Initiative Demonstrator Mission Grants. This investment will develop an Australian-made compact communications payload to support IoT services in harsh off-world environments. nrf.gov.au myriota.com
Black Sky
Black Sky Industries launches in Australia with multi-million dollar facilities to boost sovereign defence industry capability.
Defence industry and technology company Black Sky Industries has formally launched in Australia. It announced the establishment of its multi-million dollar headquarters in Logan, southeast Queensland, as well as launch, test, and manufacturing facilities throughout Western Queensland. Black Sky aims to significantly accelerate the production capability of sovereign-scaled rocket motors and defence systems.
Black Sky Industries, formerly Black Sky Aerospace, is Australia’s only sovereign developer and supplier of solid rocket fuel and solid rocket motors to the defence sector. It was founded by aerospace, defence, and manufacturing industry veterans Blake Nikolic, Karl Hemphill, and Dr Vu Tran, who co-founded the $3bn-plus technology startup Go1.
Black Sky aims to create hundreds of advanced manufacturing and defence industry jobs over the next decade. Recent key hires include former L3Harris Technologies director David Johnson as general manager and Stephen Delo, a veteran of enterprise development and defence innovation.
Black Sky is reimagining how rockets are designed, developed, and manufactured at scale. As a local producer of ammonium perchlorate (AP)—crucial to conventional solid rocket motors used in aerospace and defence industries—Black Sky produces solid rocket propellant and motors and offers its homegrown, proprietary Wagtail Rocket Assisted Take-Off (RATO) technology for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and drones.
Cortex1, Black Sky’s proprietary software platform, underpins all aspects of its operations, from research and development and manufacturing to powering products and platforms, including
Optimus Viper
launch control, tracking and mapping through data-driven propellant formulation and characterisation technology using artificial intelligence. “At Black Sky, complex rocket manufacturing is done with a high degree of innovation, security and safety but at a much lower cost than others. This has the potential to save Australia and our allies billions of dollars and ensure taxpayer funds can be utilised in other areas,” Nikolic said. "We innovate, move quickly, and deliver results. We achieve what others won't even attempt, imagine the unimaginable, and bring it to life. Like traditional technology and software companies, we strongly focus on product velocity, a concept we think will be essential in future defence technology development." blackskyindustries.com.au
Space Machines Company unveils a rapid-response space security platform at a commercial scale.
In an era where safeguarding space has become paramount to preserving the rules-based global order and ensuring ongoing international prosperity, Space Machines Company (SMC)unveils a breakthrough in space security technology. The company unveiled Optimus Viper, a rapid-response spacecraft variant designed to provide immediate, high-fidelity intelligence and protection for critical space assets.
Operating at distances less than 10 kilometres from target satellites, Optimus Viper delivers the kind of detailed, actionable intelligence about critical space infrastructure that, until now, has been impossible to achieve. This announcement signals a fundamental shift in space operations, introducing the world’s first distributed, hyperscale production approach to delivering rapid on-orbit response for both national security and commercial space assets.
Based on lessons learned from the launch of SMC’s inaugural satellite Optimus aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket earlier this year, Optimus Viper represents a fundamental shift in space security architecture. This agile 200-kilogram class “space first responder” can deploy within 24 hours of launch and operate within 10kms of target satellites, combining enhanced autonomous capabilities with Solstice OS (Space Machines AI-driven orbital operating system) to deliver a dynamic, adaptive space presence that becomes more capable as it scales. The platform’s multi-mission flexibility enables rapid reconfiguration for different objectives, from space domain awareness to precise orbital monitoring.
In a world-first announcement that democratises access to space asset protection, SMC is introducing commercial pricing for proximity inspection at $2-3M USD per inspection in Low Earth Orbit (LEO)—a fraction of the tens of millions it can cost currently. This dramatic shift in economics makes advanced space security accessible to both government and commercial operators while supporting the expanding commercial space economy.
SMC plans to expand its Australian manufacturing capabilities to produce Optimus Viper Rapid Response Vehicles (RRV) at speed and scale. The company will manufacture these sophisticated vehicles for 1/10th the current cost for such capability—a paradigm shift in space economics that makes distributed space security financially viable for the first time. This approach delivers resilience through increased distributed and dynamic capabilities, an expanded space industrial base, and reduced total cost. spacemachines.com
L-R: Black Sky Industries Founders Dr Vu Tran, Blake Nikolic and Karl Hemphill.
Fleet Space ExoSphere sent up
Fleet Space has launched two new satellites on SpaceX’s huge Transporter 12.
South Australia-based Fleet Space has licensed, manufactured, and activated its new ExoSphere product to enhance its technology for detecting underground minerals from space. This will enable mining companies to accelerate the search for minerals and cut costs by reducing their reliance on invasive land surveying.
The SpaceX Transporter 12 rideshare mission carried 130 other payloads in a massive lift in mid-January.
The Fleet Space product has earned recognition as one of Australia’s fastest-growing enterprises, with clients such as Rio Tinto and Core Lithium, conducting over 250 successful surveys across five continents.
"With ExoSphere, we can quickly make real-time decisions, getting into positions where we can define drilling targets quicker,” said Andrew Bennett, Exploration Manager at Core Lithium. “When you can accelerate exploration programs, you are accelerating your discovery, which is a game changer for exploration.”
“These new technologies integrating artificial intelligence and big data are essential to tackle the dual challenges of space exploration and climate change,” Fleet Space Technologies founder Flavia Tata Nardini is quoted as saying. “By making these new capabilities rapidly deployable in a way that complements modern mining operations on a global scale, ExoSphere is charting a course to transform the exploration sector and accelerate mineral discovery before net zero targets fall permanently out of reach,” she said. Advanced 3D subsurface imaging and AI analysis tools are used in the ExoSphere project, which collectively has the potential to transform the industry sustainably.”
“The convergence of innovation in space, AI, and 3D subsurface imaging represents a foundational pillar of the core technology set that will enable humanity to build permanent research stations on the moon, Mars, and beyond,” said Matt Pearson, Fleet’s chief exploration officer.
“The flywheel we’ve created, by continuously enhancing the subsurface understanding of Earth through the global deployment of ExoSphere simultaneously, drives advances in the technology needed to build highly scalable, data-driven exploration systems for new worlds.”
Fleet Space Technologies, with a compound annual growth rate of 582% over three years, is top of the Fast 100 class for 2023. explore.fleetspace.com/exosphere
Industrial Door Solutions
Swing Door
PVC Rolls
Electric planes
Getting electric planes off the ground. By Dr. James Jeffs, Principal Technology Analyst at IDTechEx. and certified batteries are produced in such small numbers. Finally, owners must also consider the carbon impact of running an electric plane. An electric vehicle’s green credentials are highly dependent on the country's grid mix, that is, the methods it uses to generate electricity. Operating an electric plane in a European country with a clean energy mix would reduce CO2 by more than 90%. However, in the US, where lots of fossil fuel is still used to produce electricity, the reduction is only 56%.
It is no secret that the weight of batteries makes building electric planes an engineering challenge. But then IDTechEx’s report “Sustainable Future Aviation 20252045: Trends, Technologies, Forecasts” predicts that almost one-quarter of planes sold in 2045 will be battery-electric powered. The report also highlights the scale of the challenges faced by electric aviation, with weight, range, ownership costs, and even carbon footprint all needing consideration. Despite this, IDTechEx believes that current technical trends combined with achievable business use cases will generate significant electric plane uptake in the future.
When building an electric aeroplane, the primary challenge is energy density. This is the amount of energy the battery contains per kilogram. Traditional fuels like AV Gas are energy-dense at around 43MJ/kg or 12kWh/kg. By comparison, the best battery technologies today are around 0.3kWh/kg, meaning they are 40 times heavier for the same amount of energy. Thankfully, electric propulsion is much more efficient than internal combustion, which helps to offset this deficit, but not enough. Electric planes are heavier than their internal combustion rivals and have significant range reductions, typically 80-90% less.
In addition to heavy batteries, the intense usage they will experience in an aeroplane application will likely shorten their usable life span. This creates a cost of ownership issue. While owners will save considerably on fuel, they will likely need to replace the battery more often than they service and replace engines. The replacement rate and cost are likely higher, while electric aircraft
Conventional take-off and landing aircraft are among the most technically challenging vehicles to electrify. Enormous energy requirements and strict limits on vehicle weight and safety make some routes unviable. Nevertheless, smaller high-traffic routes and general aviation (GA) are good candidates for battery electrification, and the incredibly low penetration as of 2024 gives a robust growth outlook until 2045.
Electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) is an emerging branch of urban mobility that is in the early stages of development. As of 2024, most deployments were pilot and small-scale demonstrator projects, but IDTechEx expects that cargo applications and air taxis will begin to see more substantial adoption in the early 2030s as regulatory and technical hurdles are overcome.
Despite the challenges, IDTechEx’s research finds that there are pathways to improving the situation. New and emerging battery chemistries could more than double the energy density of aviation batteries, while modifications to the airframe could allow greater battery weights. Larger
batteries also mean less intense use, which, combined with further battery development, will deliver longer cycle lives and better OpEx and TCO benefits. Renewable energy production is growing globally, providing better access to a lowcarbon energy supply.
Even with the current technological limitations, today’s technologies can produce two-seat planes with a flight endurance of one hour. While this might sound extremely limited, the report also explains several use cases where a onehour flight can provide significant value.
Small two- and four-seat planes, classed as general aviation, have various uses, from passenger transport in island hopping to crop dusting. Within their pantheon of applications, there is a good selection of use cases where one hour of flight time is satisfactory, and the potential operational cost benefits of electrification are attractive.
Not only is the range a limitation, but since there is no widespread recharging infrastructure for electric aircraft, any use case should either return to the point of origin or be valuable on one predefined route.
One business case that meets these tight constraints is flight schools. Basic pilot training starts in two-seat, general aviation planes. Lessons are typically an hour long with a break in between. This can be handled with technologies today, and it is one of the first business cases that IDTechEx is expecting to take on electrification. From the flight schools’ perspective, they stand to benefit from lower energy costs, simpler
maintenance and upkeep, and even less prioritised but nice additions, like less noise around the airfield.
What about hydrogen and SAF
Despite the success of batteries in the automotive industry, and the admirable technological improvements they have shown, it will be almost impossible for battery-electric aircraft to achieve the ranges of existing jet fuel airplanes. The batteries will simply be too heavy, especially for commercial airliners, which need to burn tens of tonnes of fuel before landing to hit their maximum landing weights. This weight limit leaves scarcely a few tonnes of wiggle room for batteries to occupy. A narrow-body aeroplane like the Boeing 737-10 requires around 100MWh to get its entire range. A battery this size would weigh hundreds of tonnes. Even future battery technologies like silicon-anode, metal-anode, or aluminium air will likely be too heavy. As such, a complete range with battery power alone is a near impossible.
Hydrogen has great promise thanks to its gravimetric energy density; at 39.3kWh/ kg, it is three times as energy-dense as jet fuel and more than 100 times as energydense as today's lithium-ion batteries. This can be hugely exciting until its volumetric limitations are understood. Even in liquid form, hydrogen occupies nearly four times the volume of jet fuel for the same energy. The limiting factor is getting enough storage volume on the aeroplane to make it worthwhile. It is also limited by the need to be cryogenically cooled to remain a liquid or pressurised to have proper volumetric energy density as a gas. Despite these limitations, this report explains how hydrogen can be used strategically to fulfil significant air travel demand. For these larger journeys, the industry must use hydrogen and SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) to decarbonise. Hydrogen offers fantastic energy density in terms of weight but occupies huge volumes, creating challenges around storing enough of it on the plane. Conversely, SAF is a direct drop-
in replacement for traditional fuels, but production is complicated and limited. It is already entering plane service as a blended fuel with companies certifying for 100% SAF flight.
Technology exists to build a hydrogen aeroplane; the industry is just demonstrating the technology, certifying, scaling, etc. A process that is going to take many years. But even if hydrogen and electric planes were ready today, the industry would still need SAF to decarbonise by 2050. There is currently a fleet of around 25,000 commercial airliners in use today, and some of them will still be around in 30 years, such is the long life of these aeroplanes. Business jets and general aviation are even worse. This report finds there are planes in use today in the US that were built more than 80 years ago. The only realistic option to fully decarbonise by 2050 is to adopt SAF for airframes that are built today, but still be in use then.
Other factors, in addition to ageing airframes, will still necessitate SAF. Today's maximum range of planes is unlikely to be reachable with hydrogen, meaning some routes will be indefinitely confined to kerosene-like fuels. Additionally, some airports won't be able to afford new electric and hydrogen fuelling infrastructure and will have to use SAF as a drop-in alternative.
idtechex.com/SustAviation
BUMAX® premium fasteners provide high strength and excellent corrosion resistance.
Their cost-effectiveness compared to titanium makes them critical for aerospace and defense applications.
HOBSON
3D printing in microgravity
Research blasts off towards future space factory development.
Researchers at a Scottish university have taken one small step towards a future where orbital factories can 3D print future tech on demand in space. Dr Gilles Bailet of the University of Glasgow’s James Watt School of Engineering has been awarded a patent for a new system that overcomes the challenges of 3D printing in zero gravity. His technology was recently rigorously tested during a series of trips on a research aeroplane called the ‘vomit comet’.
Dr Bailet says that solving the challenge of 3D printing objects in low-gravity environments could pave the way for orbital fabricators capable of producing parts and components that could be assembled into novel equipment in orbit never seen before.
That equipment could include solar reflectors to generate zero-carbon power for transmission back to Earth, improved communication antennae, or drug research stations that can create purer, more effective pharmaceuticals.
For several years, Dr. Bailet has been working on a prototype 3D printer better suited for use in outer space. Instead of the filaments used in earthbound 3D printers, it uses a granular material developed by the team designed to work effectively in microgravity and the vacuum of space. The unique properties of the material allow it to be drawn reliably from the prototype’s feedstock tank and delivered to the printer’s nozzle faster than any other method.
Dr Bailet and his colleagues are also exploring methods of embedding electronics into the materials as part of the printing process. This could create functional components for use in space devices and recyclable space systems.
“Currently, everything that goes into Earth’s orbit is built on the surface and sent into space on rockets,” Dr Bailet said. “They have tightly limited mass and volumes and can shake themselves to pieces during launch when mechanical constraints are breached, destroying expensive cargo. If, instead, we could place fabricators in space to build structures on demand, we would be freed from those payload restrictions. In turn, that could pave the way to creating much more ambitious, less resource-intensive projects, with systems optimised for their mission and not for the constraints of rocket launches.
“Additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, can produce remarkably complex materials quickly and cheaply. Putting that technology in space and printing what we need for assembly in orbit would be fantastically useful.
“However, what works well here on Earth is often less robust in the vacuum of space, and 3D printing has never been done outside of the pressurised modules of the International Space Station. The filaments in conventional 3D printers often break or jam in microgravity and in vacuum, which is a problem that needs to be solved before they can be reliably used in space. Through this research, we now have technology that brings us much closer to doing that, providing positive impacts for the whole world in the years to come.”
In November, their prototype demonstrator proved effective in microgravity as part of the 85th European Space Agency parabolic flight campaign, which was conducted in collaboration with Novespace in Bordeaux, France.
The team took their test kit on three flights, which provided them with more than 90 brief periods of weightlessness at the apex of rollercoaster-like sharp ascents followed by rapid descents. This physical challenge has earned the planes that fly the routes the ‘vomit comet’ for their effect on passengers’ digestive systems. During each 22 seconds of weightlessness, the team closely monitored the prototype’s dynamics and power consumption, which showed that the system worked as designed in the challenges of microgravity.
Dr Bailet added: “We’ve tested the technology extensively in the lab and now in microgravity, and we’re confident that it’s ready to perform as expected, opening up the possibility of 3D printing antenna and other spacecraft parts in space.
“3D-printed space reflectors, like those developed by my colleague Professor Colin McInnes’ SOLSPACE project, could gather energy from the sun 24 hours a day, helping us reach net-zero with an entirely new form of low-carbon power generation.
‘Similarly, crystals grown in space are often larger and more well-ordered than those made on Earth so that orbital chemical factories could produce new or improved drugs for delivery back to the surface. It has been suggested, for example, that insulin grown in space could be nine times more effective, allowing diabetic people to inject it once every three days instead of three times a day, as they often have to do today.”
Dr Bailet and his team are now looking for funding to help support the first in-space demonstration of their technology. They are also leading efforts, supported by funding from the UK Space Agency, to ensure that future in-space manufacturing projects do not contribute to the growing problem of space debris.
The development of Dr Bailet’s in-space manufacturing project is supported by funding from the University of Glasgow’s Glasgow Knowledge Exchange Fund and the EPSRC Impact Acceleration Account. The programme is supported both via the RAEng Chair in Emerging Technologies of Professor Colin McInnes and the RAEng Proof of Concept award. gla.ac.uk/explore/sustainability/ research/solspace/
Made in space
In-flight supplement production to support long-haul astronaut health.
An Adelaide startup has adapted its worldfirst bioreactor technology for deployment in space, meaning biological supplements essential for human health in zero-gravity environments could be produced en route to Mars or beyond, rather than transported or resupplied from Earth.
Proteins like insulin, vital to maintaining astronaut muscle mass, bone density and overall cell function, could be produced as needed - preventing health issues like muscle atrophy and bone loss that astronauts would otherwise encounter on future long-term space missions.
OmnigenIQ cofounder and chief science officer Tiffanwy Klippel-Cooper says applications for the technology are dualpurpose across space and Earth, from the biological production of therapeutic proteins to support astronauts to the onsite creation of surgical consumables or antibodies to aid disaster relief on our own planet.
“We're passionate about enhancing human health outcomes - especially in regional and remote places - and there is hardly a more remote place than space,” says Klippel-Cooper. “We're excited about what this could mean for mission autonomy on longer-term space travel, and supporting the health of astronauts as we push further into the unknown." OmnigenIQ are one of four early-stage startups from South Australia, Victoria, Japan and India hurtling into SA’s space ecosystem after completing Australia’s first space accelerator program, Venture Catalyst Space. They bring the tally to 40 space startups the program has supported since 2018, representing $43m in declared funds from investments, grants, and 240 jobs.
South Australian Space Industry Centre Director Space Dr Catherine Grace, says the program’s national and global reputation for attracting innovative space startups ensures a reliable source of growth in the state’s space ecosystem.
“The Venture Catalyst Space program is a pivotal launchpad for local innovation and continues to empower space start-ups to scale-up and transform their cutting-edge ideas into sustainable space businesses,”
Dr Grace says. “The talent that emerges from the program year-on-year ensures a consistent pipeline of space startups with high investment potential.
“This is generating significant economic benefits for our state and is helping build critical space capability, further reinforcing South Australia’s position as an incubator for space innovation and technology.” Access to new and more affordable space
technologies is enabling smaller enterprises to enter the sector, reinforcing the critical role of acceleration programs like Venture Catalyst Space. Craig Jones, UniSA Deputy Director: Business Incubation says diversification is key as the space-related product and service market expands.
“Witnessing innovative early-stage startups redefine what’s possible continues to amaze me,” says Jones.
“We’re increasingly seeing investment interest in dual-use space technologies and services, meaning the technology has application in space as well as genuine capacity to solve terrestrial challenges.
“Each year, we see applications from passionate space entrepreneurs that push the boundaries of innovation; they are driven to build something that will have great impact in the world.”
The Venture Catalyst Space program is supported by South Australian Government funding through SASIC and delivered by the University of South Australia’s Innovation & Collaboration Centre (ICC). In May, UniSA’s ICC and the Australian Centre for Business Growth (AUCBG), in partnership with SASIC, launched the first Growth Ramp space scaleup pathway. The six-month program supports space companies with between five-11 employees that are ready to scale. Venture Catalyst Space launched in 2018 to support the growth of South Australia’s space industry by providing early-stage technology-based space startups with the skills required to create a globally scalable enterprise.
2024 Venture Catalyst Space cohort OmnigenIQ (formerly KC Research & Solutions)
Adelaide, Australia
OmnigenIQ is developing the first selfcontained protein purification and bioreactor system for deployment in space. The system synthesises proteins vital to maintaining muscle mass, bone density,
and overall cellular function, addressing health issues like muscle atrophy and bone loss experienced during long-term space missions. The system reduces reliance on transport and resupplies from Earth, lowering payload weight and reducing cost.
RapidBeam
Victoria, Australia
RapidBeam is developing a rapidly scalable network of satellite communications terminals to unlock the full commercial capabilities of satellites, allowing huge amounts of data to be captured and delivered to the ground.
Zharfire
Tokyo, Japan
Zharfire is leveraging satellite imagery to support Australian viticulture efforts and combat climate change impacts, identifying grapes' sensitivities to terroir factors like rain and temperature to improve fruit quality and yield. Combining satellite macroclimate data with ground-truth microclimate insights informs immediate tactics as well as long-term strategic plans.
Onnes Cryogenics
Hyderabad, India
Onnes Cryogenics is developing nextgeneration fuel tanks for spacecraft and launch vehicles made from carbon fibrereinforced plastic. This material is lighter and thinner than existing metallic tanks without compromising strength, also enabling mid-space satellite refuelling.
The six-month Venture Catalyst Space accelerator program runs annually between May and November. Find out more about the program at icc.unisa.edu.au/space
The first cohort of the Growth Ramp space scaleup pathway completed their six-month program between May and November 2024.
centreforbusinessgrowth.com/sponsors/ space/
2024 Venture Catalyst Space startup participants: (L-R) Ben Rowley (ICC), Michael Boundey (OmnigenIQ), Tiffanwy Klippel-Cooper (OmingenIQ), Jordana Blackman (OmnigenIQ), Craig Jones (ICC), Adi Rajendran (front row, RapidBeam), Dr Ram K Aluru (back row, Onnes Cryogenics) and Justin Too (Zharfire).
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence is a transformative, foundational technology like the steam engine and electricity. If developed to its full potential, AI can create opportunities for people worldwide, enable businesses, power economic growth, advance science, and help humanity make significant strides toward achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Unlocking AI’s potential for all, through global collaboration. Carme Artigas, former secretary of state for digitalisation and AI of Spain, is co-chair of the UN High-level Advisory Body on Artificial Intelligence. James Manyika, president for research, technology and society at Google and Alphabet, is co-chair of the UN High-level Advisory Body on Artificial Intelligence. analyse, and promote research. It would also publish an annual report on AI-related capabilities, opportunities, risks, and uncertainties. The report could enhance transparency and inform policy debates and decision-making by highlighting areas of agreement and identifying topics that require further study. The panel could also conduct focused investigations into specific issues, such as how AI could be used to discover new materials or treat neglected diseases.
But realising AI’s potential requires addressing the risks, complexities and inequities currently limiting access to its benefits. First, we must rethink our approaches to global cooperation and governance. Nowadays, too many countries are left out of key policy discussions. Notably, a sample of significant non-UN international AI governance efforts found that only seven countries had participated in every one. In comparison, 118 countries—primarily in the Global South—had not been included. The international community can and must do better.
Over the past year, we have co-chaired the UN secretary-general’s High-level Advisory Body on AI, a group of 39 individuals from government, civil society, the private sector and academia representing various regions, genders, age groups and disciplines. Together, we developed a set of principles and recommendations for international AI governance, aiming to ensure that the technology serves the public interest by grounding it in human rights and international law. To engage diverse perspectives and voices, we involved more than 2,000 participants from every region, consulted more than 1,000 experts, reviewed 250 written submissions and held more than 100 virtual discussions.
As our report explains, this moment presents a unique opportunity for the international community to lay the foundation for harnessing AI's potential, addressing key governance shortcomings and capacity gaps in its development, deployment, and use, and enabling a more equitable AI ecosystem. To this end, our report offers seven concrete recommendations for fostering global cooperation, closing governance gaps, and creating new mechanisms to enable all countries to benefit from technological advances.
Even among experts, AI’s technical and social trajectory remains the subject of fierce debate. This makes sense, given that AI is still in its early stages with its capabilities, applications, and uses evolving rapidly. However, uncertainty should not lead to inaction. Instead, it underscores the need for adaptable guardrails that can evolve with the technology and our understanding of it.
Therefore, governance efforts must be rooted in technical expertise and global perspectives. Our first recommendation is to establish a truly international scientific panel on AI, bringing together experts from diverse disciplines and backgrounds. This panel would collaborate with global organisations and initiatives to collect,
In addition to knowledge sharing, many countries need better access to essential AI resources like computational power, inclusive and representative training datasets, skilled talent, and a global data framework. To this end, we recommend establishing a global AI fund to support data sharing, build digital infrastructure, nurture local AI ecosystems, and foster entrepreneurship.
We also propose creating an AI capacity development network to expand global access to talent and expertise and make progress toward the SDGs. To ensure standardisation, regulatory alignment and coordinated approaches to ethics and safety, we recommend establishing an AI standards exchange and an inclusive policy forum for discussions about AI governance. These initiatives would build on the work of UN agencies and other international efforts, promoting interoperability and cross-border collaboration. Effective coordination will be vital. To achieve this, we propose establishing a small, agile AI office that reports directly to the UN secretary-general. This office would act as a central hub, connecting and integrating various institutional initiatives. By linking efforts led by regional organisations and other stakeholders, it could reduce the costs of cooperation and streamline collective action.
Putting these institutional structures in place can pave the way for a more inclusive approach to AI governance. This is crucial to preventing the emergence of an AI divide, as well as expanding global access to education and health care while unlocking the full potential of emerging technologies.
While guarding against AI’s potential harms and misuses is critical, it is just as important to seize the opportunities the technology creates to achieve the SDGs, drive scientific breakthroughs, and fuel economic growth. Realising these benefits will require building trust, improving communication, and expanding capacity across many sectors—areas where the UN is uniquely positioned to facilitate cooperation. We hope our report triggers an urgent global conversation about how AI can help create a more sustainable and inclusive future for all.
Rockwell Automation speaks up about how AI will augment, not replace, workers. By Jim Montague, Executive Editor of Control magazine and The Journal.
Many people are concerned that automation is going to take away jobs. However, in light of today’s rapidly shifting technologies, supply chain disruptions, and millions of already unfilled jobs, there will likely be plenty of work for everyone, even if job descriptions change and retraining is necessary.
“Rockwell Automation wants to expand human possibilities,” explained Cyril Perducat, CTO at Rockwell Automation. “And when we talk about the future and things like robots on the plant floor, we’re not talking about removing people from the equation. We want to augment existing people and their capabilities.”
He added, “There are a lot of buzzwords today, including artificial intelligence (AI), but they aren’t just about technology. They’re about creating the right experiences for people. There’s no way to invest in the future without making tools usable for people.” Perducat made these remarks during his closing keynote address at the 2023 Automation Fair® event in Boston.
Strategies for Challenges
Perducat reported that it’s important to start by examining the individual challenges each industry and company faces. Manufacturers want stable production, but many demands are quickly evolving. Many cars are built as almost unique models, and many pharmaceuticals are produced using increasingly individual specifications.”
He added that the second big challenge is supply-chain volatility and shortages of raw and finished materials, such as semiconductors. These ramped up during the COVID-19 pandemic and have continued more recently due to the ongoing war in Ukraine and other geopolitical turmoil. These upheavals and uncertainties have been accompanied by increasing cybersecurity risks.
“Cyber probes, intrusions and attacks typically come from malicious actors targeting manufacturing sites and infrastructure,” he said. “These challenges are why users need to stay agile and optimised, and maintain high productivity.”
To help users develop valuable responses to these multiple challenges, Perducat outlined present and future conditions from four angles: agile, optimised, resilient, and sustainable production.
First, flexible machines supporting fast changeovers will give way to reconfigurable manufacturing systems that enable simplified updates. Plus, digital twins for machine and production-line design will evolve into digital product life-cycle integration that enables constant evolution.
“This is about making data available and networks plug-and-play, so users can get increasingly granular views of what’s happening in their processes,” Perducat explained. “This can also enable the development of digital twins for specific processes or equipment.”
For example, suppose a user can understand the six or seven primary variables driving production and the primary elements characterising its physical and digital reality in real time. In that case, production can be continually revised and optimised.
“This intersection between digital twins of products and their production lines is important because optimisation now also provides a foundation for re-optimising processes later or customising more ‘batches of one’ product,” he said.
Second, materials considerations in the present will become product life-cycle designs in the future. Renewable energy sources become fully integrated along with carbon capture and other viable energy models. Machine learning (ML) and analytics will be modernised for closed-loop optimisation.
“All consumable raw materials and other resources can be optimised in the same ways as the processes that use them,”Cyril Perducat, CTO, Rockwell Automation, speaking at the 2023 Automation Fair event
“ChatGPT and other large language models can enable optimisation in much less time. This gives users the copilot they need to drive production in the right direction.” — Rockwell Automation CTO Cyril Perducat discussing the rapidly advancing capabilities of AI.
“Consequently, these considerations will also become part of product designs. This means they’ll need more data for closedloop systems so product designs can help reduce consumption and contribute to sustainability. Likewise, we can look at scheduling energy-intensive production tasks when solar energy is readily available.”
Perducat added that Rockwell Automation wants to use AI for closed-loop optimisation of complete production lines and facilities.
“Even though many of today’s tools aren’t fast enough, users can still look to make operational adaptations.”
“AI allows users to not focus so much on the data, and instead, concentrate on opportunities for optimisation. Its algorithms are better than traditional methods at predicting variations and optimising for better outcomes. AI can work at all levels, so we’re developing AI tools and building blocks. The programmable logic controllers of the future will all have native AI capabilities to simplify operations and data analytics in devices.”
Third, supply chains will be strengthened by being made more adaptive and part of integrated ecosystems, which can automate and integrate all material movement. Meanwhile, present cybersecurity directives to identify, protect, detect, respond and recover will be joined by zero-trust architectures and enhanced threat detection.
“The plant floor must adopt the same cybersecurity practices for its people and equipment as information technology (IT), including zero-trust,” added Perducat.
Fourth, to further simplify things on the human front, Perducat reported that predictive maintenance systems will add naturallanguage interrogation to help users.
Similarly, assistive features in design tools will offer AI-enabled code sharing, collaborative generation and verification. Autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and intelligent conveyance will be advanced by robots that can perform all types of material movement.
“Why look at multiple screens and trends if you can just ask the system what changes have happened as a production system shifted from point A to point B? Experienced users know where to look, but the large-language models underlying ChatGPT mean rookies no longer need to learn as much about what data to capture and use,” he explained.
“ChatGPT and LLM can do these tasks and enable optimisation in much less time. This gives users the copilot they need to drive production in the right direction. It also lets everyone share the code and knowledge of their best developer and verify that they’re following best practices and company standards, which is a huge aid to user experience,” he continued.
“This is also how AI and generative AI can enable robots to act as moving sensors, improve movement of materials and systems, and further augment people.”
Endeavor Business Media publishes the Journal From Rockwell Automation and Our PartnerNetwork™ rockwellautomation.com
The AI Frontier
Four top trends shaping engineering in 2025. By Stephane Marouani, Country Manager at Mathworks Australia.
AI is pivotal in reshaping engineering paradigms, offering tools and methodologies that enhance precision, efficiency, and adaptability across various domains. Engineering leaders looking to stay ahead in the AI race should focus on advancements in four key areas: Generative AI, verification and validation, Reduced-Order Models (ROMs), and control system design.
Trend #1: GenAI moves onto block diagrams, 3D models, and flow charts
While the initial focus on text-based GenAI continues to influence software-centric workflows, its impact on engineering tools with higher-level abstractions must catch up. In 2025, we expect continued progress in applying GenAI to “no code” engineering tools such as block diagrams, 3D models, and flow charts. These tools enable engineers to graphically represent complex systems, effortlessly edit components, and manage the inherent complexity. Further, they are essential to engineers’ productivity and validate the engineers’ confidence in system-level performance. Integrating GenAI with these tools will increase their productivity while keeping the interfaces familiar to end users. More tools in this space will integrate AI copilots that can understand engineering models and assist in their design and management.
Trend #2: Engineers Leverage Verification and Validation for AI Compliance
Industry governing bodies are introducing AI compliance requirements, frameworks, and guidance as the integration of AI into safety-critical systems in automotive, healthcare, and aerospace applications accelerates. In response, engineers must prioritise Verification and Validation (V&V) processes now to ensure their AI components are ready for deployment under all conditions and meet potential reliability, transparency, and bias compliance standards.
V&V is crucial for verifying the robustness of deep learning models and detecting out-of-distribution (OOD) scenarios, particularly in safety-critical applications. Robustness verification is crucial because neural networks can misclassify inputs with minor, imperceptible changes, known as adversarial examples. For instance, a subtle perturbation in a chest X-ray image might lead a model to incorrectly identify pneumonia as normal. Engineers can provide mathematical proof of a model’s consistency and test these scenarios using formal verification methods, such as abstract interpretation. This process enhances the model's reliability and ensures compliance with safety standards by identifying and addressing vulnerabilities.
Out-of-distribution detection is equally important, as it enables AI systems to recognise and appropriately handle unfamiliar inputs. This capability is vital for maintaining accuracy and safety, especially when unexpected data leads to erroneous predictions. The ability to discern between in-distribution and out-of-distribution data ensures that AI models can defer uncertain cases to human experts, thereby preventing potential failures in critical applications.
Focusing on V&V allows engineers to comply with AI frameworks and standards while advancing product development within their industry. A proactive compliance approach ensures that AI systems are reliable, safe, and ethically sound, maintaining a competitive edge in a rapidly evolving landscape.
Trend #3: The Rise of AI-Based Reduced Order Models in Engineering
The trend of using AI-based Reduced Order Models (ROMs) is expected to grow, driven by advances in AI technology and computational power. Engineers leveraging these models will enhance system performance and reliability, as well as the efficiency and efficacy of system design and simulation.
The primary driver behind this shift is the need for engineers to manage increasingly complex systems while maintaining high levels of precision and speed. Traditional computer-aided engineering (CAE) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models are accurate but computationally heavy and suboptimal for real-time applications. AI-based ROMs address this by cutting computational demands while maintaining accuracy. Engineers can use these models to simulate complex phenomena more quickly, facilitating faster iterations and optimisations.
Furthermore, AI-based ROMs' highly versatile ability to adapt to varying parameters and conditions enhances their applicability across different scenarios. This adaptability is particularly valuable in the aerospace, automotive, and energy fields, where engineered systems often involve intricate physical phenomena that require detailed modeling and simulation. For example, engineers designing and testing aircraft components, such as wings or engines, can simulate aerodynamic properties and stress factors more efficiently, allowing engineers to iterate and optimise designs quickly. Additionally, AI-based ROMs can adapt to various flight conditions, making them versatile tools for testing multiple scenarios using the same model. This capability accelerates the development process, reduces costs, and enhances the reliability of the final product.
Trend #4: AI Breaks Down Barriers in Complex System Control
AI’s continued integration into control design will transform the field, particularly in managing complex systems and embedded applications. Traditionally, control system design relied on firstprinciples modeling that required deep knowledge and understanding of the system. Data-driven modeling was largely limited to linear models that are valid only in a small part of the design envelope. AI is transforming this landscape by enabling the creation of accurate nonlinear models from data. This enables the creation of highly accurate models that combine first principles and data and are valid over the entire operating range. This advancement allows for better control of complex systems.
Simultaneously, the growing computational power of microcontrollers is facilitating the embedding of AI algorithms directly into systems. This integration is particularly impactful in the consumer electronics and automotive industries, where highly responsive systems are becoming the norm. For instance, AI is embedded in power tools to monitor and react to environmental changes, such as sudden material density shifts that could pose safety risks. These tools use embedded AI to autonomously adjust their operation, enhancing safety and performance.
The convergence of AI with complex system control and embedded systems ushers in an era of more robust, adaptive, and intelligent control design. Engineers can now create systems that learn and adapt in real time, providing unprecedented precision and efficiency. AI-driven solutions address traditional control problems, paving the way for smarter, more integrated systems across various engineering domains.
Engineers should be excited about AI’s continued maturation and progression. The fusion of physics insights with AI models will enhance transparency and adaptability, reducing the “black box” nature of traditional approaches. The democratisation of AI tools enables engineers to access advanced capabilities more easily. These advancements will elevate AI's role in engineering and enable technical professionals to build better-engineered systems more rapidly and effectively. mathworks.com
Brooks on AI fire safety
The future of fire safety: Using AI to predict and prevent fire hazards. By Cathy Brand, CEO at Brooks Australia.
As fire safety technology evolves, new solutions are redefining security across domestic and industrial settings. The global fire protection system market is expected to expand by US$14.58bn between 2024 and 2028, with artificial intelligence (AI) significantly shaping these advancements.
At Brooks, with our parent company EI, we continue to develop fire safety solutions with broad applications in every changing world. With a growing focus on integrating fire alarms with other essential safety and building management systems, future developments will likely prioritise enhanced user experience through greater personalisation and automation - creating systems that align seamlessly with daily routines and proactively address human needs. Over the last decade, AI and big data have transformed many aspects of life, bringing sophisticated innovations to the building and construction industry. AI applications in fire detection, risk assessment, and predictive fire analysis are on the rise, making fire safety technology more intuitive and seamlessly embedded in our lives. With advances like real-time fire detection systems, AI may soon allow us to predict and prevent fire hazards before they even emerge.
Fewer false alarms with AI technology
Unwanted alarms can undermine trust in fire detection systems, making it crucial to reduce their occurrence. Advanced systems address this with features like dust and insect protection, delay mechanisms for disturbances, adjustable sensitivity, specialised detection algorithms, and self-learning functions that adapt to environmental changes. Throughout my time as CEO of Brooks Australia, a leader in fire safety systems for 50 years, I have had the privilege of watching this industry evolve - and with the rise of artificial intelligence, the future has never looked more promising, and I’m proud that Brooks is at the forefront of this transformation. Brooks commercial fire systems have integrated AI technology to further minimise false alarms. The system continuously analyses data, selecting the best algorithm and adjusting dynamically. With 36 hours to 20 days of monitoring, they ensure optimal performance. Manual algorithm selection is also available for defined environments, offering flexibility and reliability.
How AI is shaping the future of fire safety
Looking ahead, fire safety technology is likely to be defined by increasingly sophisticated AI and automated systems in the next
twenty years. For our field of electronic fire products and solutions, this could mean the development of real-time fire detection systems equipped with AI to predict and prevent potential hazards before they arise. Smart systems may deliver instant alerts and in-depth analytics, enhancing both safety and response time.
AI is increasingly being used to enhance fire safety engineering and firefighting practices. To elevate the design, monitoring, and management of fire safety in buildings, this integration is being explored in three primary areas.
1. AI-based smart fire safety design: This approach uses AI models trained on large fire databases to predict fire behaviour in real time. The AI can simulate complex fire scenarios, significantly reducing the time and costs associated with traditional fire modelling techniques like CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics). It can also optimise design parameters such as fire size and ventilation to ensure compliance with fire safety standards.
2. Building fire digital twin: The concept of a "digital twin" involves creating a virtual representation of a building's fire safety system. By integrating Internet of Things (IoT) sensors and AI, this system can provide real-time fire detection, simulate fire behaviour, and assist emergency responders by predicting how a fire will develop and affect different building areas. The system can also offer insights into preventative measures and improve evacuation planning.
3. Super real-time fire forecast: AI-driven forecasting predicts the evolution of fire incidents and critical events, such as flashovers or structural collapses, with lead times of five to ten minutes. This forecast aids firefighters and emergency responders by providing vital information to guide their interventions, reducing response times and improving safety. A self-healing sensor network is suggested to ensure continuous data transmission during a fire event.
Early fire risk detection is crucial in high-density environments like workplaces, where thousands may occupy a single building.
AI technologies are set to revolutionise fire safety by providing faster, more precise risk predictions, enhancing real-time incident monitoring, and supporting innovative firefighting strategies. As AI advances, its role in optimising fire safety design and response will become indispensable. brooks.com.au
Bremer Park extrusions
Capral and Rio Tinto find success in closed-loop recycling trials.
Capral has successfully trialled the recycled-content billet supplied by Rio Tinto at Boyne Smelters Limited (BSL), using 50 to 100 tonnes of post-production aluminium scrap from its Bremer Park extrusion plant in Southeast Queensland. The scrap was remelted and cast into billets, resulting in a new product with a minimum of 20% recycled content. This creates a new era of environmentally conscious local aluminium production. Capral is exploring options for incorporating this sustainable material into its product offer. This closed-loop approach not only minimises waste but also reduces carbon intensity of extrusions produced from such billets. This trial has successfully demonstrated the potential of a Made in Australia closed loop aluminium solution, in line with the Australian Government’s Future Made in Australia policy. The entire production process has been done entirely in Australia, from raw materials of bauxite and alumina to primary aluminium production, to Capral’s extrusion process, to Rio Tinto’s remelting of scrap into finished recycled billet product.
"Whilst Capral recycles the vast majority of our scrap, it must be sent offshore for processing and typically ends up in different types of products than what we would normally produce. We are excited to be working with Rio Tinto, our main domestic supplier, on this project; hopefully, in the not-too-distant future, we can recycle all of our scrap locally and use it to support circularity within the Australian aluminium industry,” said Luke Hawkins, Capral Divisional General Manager of Industrial Solutions and Supply. By supplying postproduction scrap to Rio Tinto, Capral closes the loop, ensuring that valuable materials remain in circulation in Australia and are converted into useful products. For Capral, the arrangement provides a strategic avenue to manage its waste stream efficiently while enhancing its sustainability credentials.
"The industry drives us to incorporate recycled content into our supply chain. We've worked hard to introduce LocAl and LocAl Super Green, our lower carbon aluminium offer, and the addition of this aluminium material with 20% recycled content is another important step in our evolving procurement strategy towards delivering more sustainable aluminium to Australian manufacturers," added Hawkins.
Blending post-production recycled content with virgin material results in a billet that meets high-quality standards required by various industries such as construction and transport. This approach demonstrates the viability of closed-loop recycling and challenges traditional notions of production efficiency and resource utilisation.
Capral is Australasia’s only Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) certified extruder and is committed to procuring and managing aluminium within the Value Chain. capral.com.au
Made on the Gold Coast
Community battery and EV charger factory unlocks skills, jobs, and research for Queensland’s EV and tech future.
eLumina has officially opened Australia’s first factory capable of producing community lithium batteries and EV chargers, with the first model set off the production line in 2025. The new $20m Manufacturing and Development Centre on the Gold Coast will strengthen Australia’s energy storage sector and help meet global battery demand. The factory will produce 300 batteries and EV chargers a year and support up to 300 jobs on the Gold Coast.
eLumina's CEO, Lisa Marsh, said, “We are extremely proud to officially open our factory here in Yatala on the Gold Coast. We are ambitious about supporting 300 highly technical and sought-after jobs, and we’re proud to partner with TAFE Queensland to support the training and pathways into these jobs.”
Importantly, these jobs will be critical in shaping Australia’s tech and energy future. Tech Council of Australia CEO Damian Kassabgi said, “Queensland, particularly on the Gold Coast, is emerging as a tech hotspot and a manufacturing hub. Our goal is to have 1.2 million tech workers in Australia by 2030, and we’re proud to partner with Australian organisations like eLumina, whose jobs support the renewable energy sector.”
A key challenge is connectivity across Australia, particularly in regional and rural areas. eLumina’s partnership with Addelec is supporting the deployment of their battery-integrated EV chargers with a focus on regional connectivity.
Addelec's General Manager, Chris McPherson, said, “When we look globally, especially at places like Europe with a high uptake
of EVs, they’re navigating smaller and more densely populated areas. When we zoom out to the sheer size of Australia, we need to take a different approach.” “Considering existing power challenges across Australia, and in turn we hope to see an uptake in EV users across Australia,” McPherson said. eLumina now has their sights set on manufacturing of these batteries, looking to the future of manufacturing in Queensland. “Our goal is for our next factory to be three times the size with the potential to employ up to 300 people directly and support many more.”
“Our factory diversifies Australia's manufacturing industry, building economic resilience, contributing to energy sovereignty, and strengthening a ‘Gold Coast Made’ economy.”
“We’re proud to be contributing to Australia’s energy future through pushing the dial forward on battery storage to secure Australia’s energy future and support the transition to net-zero,” Marsh said.
eLumina is an Australian-owned company manufacturing worldclass lithium battery energy storage systems and battery-integrated electric vehicle chargers. It offers a wide range of battery energy storage systems in various capacities to cater to the diverse requirements of industrial and commercial settings. Operated by Australians with a global presence, eLumina’s dedicated team of engineers strives to create a one-stop shop for innovative energy solutions, redefining energy interactions and preparing businesses for the new generation of energy infrastructures.
eluminaglobal.com
ESG help
Emerson solution reduces energy costs, and carbon emissions for manufacturers.
Emerson has launched its new Energy Manager solution, a preengineered hardware and software offering designed to simplify industrial electricity monitoring with quick setup and intuitive operation. Ready out of the box, the Energy Manager solution monitors asset energy use in real-time, allowing manufacturers to gain deeper insight into energy consumption and operating costs, lower carbon dioxide emissions, and maximise energy and operational efficiency.
Most manufacturers, including original equipment and industrial manufacturers, consumer packaged goods companies, and food and beverage producers, face mounting pressure to increase productivity while reducing energy use and environmental impact. Yet industrial machinery is energy-intensive, consuming high power even when idle. To better meet efficiency and sustainability goals, operators need the best possible visibility into their facilities’ energy use to address waste and inefficiencies.
Emerson’s Energy Manager solution provides real-time energy measurements, allowing plant managers to quickly view detailed values and identify savings opportunities, such as idle consumption and peak loads. The software’s easy-to-use dashboard provides asset-specific energy use, associated costs, and CO2 emissions for up to 10 endpoints (expandable to 50 endpoints with a license).
This level of visibility gives organisations greater control over identifying idle machines and optimising machine schedules during off-peak hours. This reduces electricity use across the plant floor and significantly lowers overall utility costs. Most facilities can reduce energy waste by up to 10-30% and carbon emissions by up to 15-30%.
Highly scalable and easy to integrate with new or existing energy meters, the Energy Manager solution makes it easy to commission and quickly realise a return on investment. The software is either
Artemus Group
preinstalled on edge hardware, such as the PACSystemsTM RXi2-BP industrial PC, or as a stand-alone application that can be installed in a virtualised environment. “Reliable, accurate monitoring of energy costs and emissions is becoming invaluable to organisations,” said Eugenio Silva, intelligent automation product manager with Emerson’s discrete automation business. “Our new Energy Manager solution gives operators, facility managers and corporate sustainability teams greater visibility and deeper understanding of energy consumption and operating costs at all times. This can better position companies to track and reach targets, comply with regulations, and reliably reduce environmental impact.”
For more extensive media and utilities monitoring, the Energy Manager can be paired with the Emerson Compressed Air Manager to provide a streamlined view of energy costs and compressed air usage of machines across a production line, factory and site. emerson.com/en-us/catalog/emerson-energy-manager emerson.com
Howard Smith Wharves installs large-scale solar array as it maps a green pathway.
Howard Smith Wharves by Artemus Group took another step toward its goal of becoming the most sustainable precinct in the world this month by installing 179kW of rooftop solar panels.
After engaging Origin Zero, Howard Smith Wharves commissioned an energy audit and kitchen electrification study in its ambitious quest to reduce emissions by 44% by June 2026, compared to 2022 levels. It has already diverted 97% of its waste from landfill, with this energy audit another avenue to reduce emissions and support its sustainability mission.
Following the audit, Origin Zero proposed the rooftop solar and power factor correction (an adjustment of the power supply systems to enhance efficiency) to achieve immediate supply-side emissions savings of 7.2% across the precinct’s restaurants, cafes, bars, event spaces, hotel and brewery.
Luke Fraser, CEO of Artemus Group, says that sustainability is his top priority. “These two quick and simple solutions drastically reduce our emissions, so we jumped at the opportunity. We aim to become the most sustainable precinct in the world, and we’re proud to continue to partner with industry leaders who support us in achieving our goal.”
“It’s exciting to continue redefining sustainability in hospitality as we work collaboratively to raise the industry standard to support national emissions reduction targets and help the country toward net zero by 2050.” Mr Fraser said.
Liam McWhirter, Origin Zero’s GM of Enterprise and Strategic Partners, said,
“We’ve worked closely with Howard Smith Wharves to understand their business needs and identify the right solutions to help them achieve their ambitious sustainability goals.”
The audit found that using a heat pump to supply chilled water to the precinct could offset 625,700kWh of natural gas, reducing emissions by 4.3%, the biggest demand-side potential emissions reduction for the precinct.
“Our next step is to establish a plan to replace our gas appliances, obtain designs for chilled water heat recovery, and buy the green power we need – as well as implementing some other changes the audit identified that we can make for smaller gains, like optimising fans in the car park,” Mr Fraser said.
“It’s our vision at Howard Smith Wharves to become the most sustainable precinct on the planet. We want to redefine the sustainability benchmark in Australia's hospitality industry.”
artemusgroup.com origin.com.au
oneKloudx
Building smarter and greener futures in renewable energy manufacturing.
The renewable energy and clean technology industries are at the forefront of the global transition to sustainable energy systems. Solar farms, wind turbines, battery storage solutions, and emerging innovations in energy optimisation are reshaping Australia’s energy landscape. Yet, the sector’s rapid growth comes with unique challenges.
To remain competitive, companies in this space must manage complex project portfolios, meet stringent environmental and regulatory requirements, and integrate cutting-edge technologies. Achieving these goals requires more than innovation—it demands operational excellence powered by advanced systems. NetSuite, with its cloud-based enterprise resource planning (ERP) capabilities, is enabling renewable energy businesses to streamline operations, enhance compliance, and position themselves as leaders in sustainability.
Managing complexity in renewable energy
The renewable energy industry is defined by its complexity. Companies often manage diverse projects across multiple locations, each with unique financial, operational, and regulatory demands. Coordinating resources, tracking project progress, and ensuring profitability require a unified approach.
At the same time, compliance pressures are mounting. Renewable energy companies must adhere to international standards such as ISO 14001 for environmental management and local requirements like the Australian Privacy Act 1988 and Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) standards. Keeping pace with these regulations is essential, but managing compliance manually or with disconnected systems can drain resources and expose companies to risks.
The need for rapid innovation adds another layer of complexity. Emerging technologies like IoT-enabled smart grids, AI-powered energy management systems, and advanced battery storage solutions must integrate seamlessly with existing workflows. With the right systems, businesses can stay caught up on competitors who can adapt more quickly.
How NetSuite empowers renewable energy companies
NetSuite’s cloud-based ERP platform offers a comprehensive solution to these challenges, specifically designed to support the renewable energy and clean technology sectors.
• Global Access and Collaboration: As a cloud-based system, NetSuite provides secure, real-time access to critical business data from anywhere. This capability is essential for decentralised industries like renewable energy, where teams often work across multiple locations and projects.
• Real-Time Data Insights: NetSuite centralises operational, financial, and project data into a single platform, creating a single source of truth. Real-time dashboards allow businesses to monitor project progress, financial performance, and resource allocation, enabling informed decision-making.
• Scalability for Growth: Whether a company is scaling operations, entering new markets, or adding new project portfolios, NetSuite’s scalable design supports growth without the need for extensive IT infrastructure upgrades.
• Streamlined Compliance: Built-in tools simplify compliance with regulatory requirements, from sustainability reporting to emissions tracking. NetSuite automates reporting processes, ensuring accuracy and reducing the administrative burden on teams.
• Audit Trail: In addition to compliance automation, NetSuite’s audit trail features provide transparency and accountability, essential for navigating the regulatory landscape of renewable
energy. Australian businesses often focus on meeting local regulatory requirements, such as the Privacy Act 1988 and Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) standards, alongside international standards like ISO 14001 for environmental management. NetSuite assists businesses in complying with the Privacy Act 1988 by implementing robust data protection measures, including data encryption, access controls, and secure data storage solutions. Additionally, NetSuite's environmental management features align with the ISO 14001 standard, enabling organisations to monitor and improve their environmental performance systematically
• Customisation and Integration: The platform supports customised workflows and integrates with industry-specific tools for energy management, environmental tracking, and project reporting. This flexibility ensures that businesses can tailor NetSuite to their unique operational needs.
NetSuite also supports the integration of emerging technologies. Its modular and scalable design allows businesses to seamlessly incorporate innovations such as AI and IoT, enabling them to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving market.
Preparing for a sustainable future
As the renewable energy and clean technology sectors continue to grow, companies must adapt to changing market demands, emerging technologies, and increasingly stringent regulatory requirements. NetSuite offers the agility and reliability to navigate these complexities and seize new opportunities.
With its advanced compliance management tools, real-time analytics, and scalable design, NetSuite empowers businesses to streamline their operations, enhance accountability, and focus on driving innovation. By enabling companies to integrate their systems, optimise processes, and effortlessly maintain compliance, NetSuite ensures they are well-positioned to lead in building a smarter, greener future.
Renewable energy and clean technology businesses are reshaping the energy landscape and setting the standard for sustainable practices worldwide. With NetSuite as their trusted platform, they can overcome challenges, accelerate growth, and contribute meaningfully to the transition to a cleaner planet.
oneKloudX.com.au
FPR Energy
CSIRO solar venture nets record seed funding to accelerate clean energy transition.
FPR Energy, a new venture from CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, has secured $15m in seed funding to commercialise nextgeneration solar thermal technology to help reduce industrial emissions, accounting for 20% of Australia’s annual carbon footprint.
The company was launched today with global advisory and funds management firm RFC Ambrian and utility leader Osaka Gas, raising the most extensive seed funding for a CSIRO co-founded venture.
FPR Energy aims to cut emissions in heavy industries such as mineral refining, steel, cement, and chemical production using CSIRO’s particle-based Concentrated Solar Thermal (CST) technology, which can produce temperatures up to 1200 degrees Celsius—an industry-first.
The technology uses abundant and low-cost ceramic particles to store sunlight as heat, enabling long-duration energy storage to support industrial processes, green fuel production and reliable, dispatchable power.
CSIRO Energy Technologies Research Director Dr. Daniel Roberts said FPR Energy is a significant step in meeting the growing demand for renewable solutions in hard-to-abate heavy industries.
“FPR Energy is building on years of solar thermal research, demonstrating CSIRO’s commitment to supporting emissions reduction using impact-focussed science and technology,” Dr Roberts said.
“Diversifying how we harness Australia’s abundant solar resources will help develop a low-carbon economy and support economic growth and job creation in the Hunter region. Helping heavy industries to transition to cleaner energy sources is essential to reaching Australia’s net-zero emission targets,” he said.
FPR Energy plans to develop a 50-megawatt thermal demonstration plant with up to 16 hours of integrated thermal energy storage. The plant aims to prove the commercial viability of FPR Energy’s CST technology at a utility-scale. Osaka Gas, a major Japanese utility operating in Australia, brings valuable knowledge and expertise to advance CST technology to market. It offers energy, heat, and electricity solutions tailored for the Australian resources sector.
Hiroki Tanaka, Head of Osaka Gas's next-generation business development department, said he was excited to collaborate with CSIRO and RFC Ambrian to create and offer unique solutions for industries.
"Emission reduction and affordability of energy are often a dilemma for many industrial energy users, and this particle-based CST and possibly thermal energy storage can offer practical solutions for them,” Tanaka said.
"Throughout our history, we have been contributing to low carbonisation by switching heat sources from coal, fuel oil to gas with efficient energy solutions. We are thrilled to bring our knowledge to help FPR Energy to create real-life solutions for industrial customers.”
Rob Adamson, Chair of RFC Ambrian, said he was delighted to partner with CSIRO and Osaka Gas to launch FPR Energy.
“The decarbonisation of high-temperature industrial processes is crucial, and particle-based CST technology stands out as a highly promising solution, offering both high-temperature heat and longduration storage at competitive costs,” Adamson said.
“FPR Energy’s technology embodies Australian innovation in solar technology and is designed for scalable, local manufacturing.” csiro.au fprenergy.com.au
Afnan Siddique wins the Victorian Young Manufacturer of the Year at the Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame 2024.
AMT: Thanks for your time, Afnan. Congratulations on the award. What was your initial reaction when your name was read out?
Afnan Siddique: I was surprised, happy, and grateful. It was genuinely a lovely feeling. It was an honour to be recognised as the Young Manufacturer in 2024 in Victoria, which has a rich history in manufacturing. The other finalists' stories were astounding, so I didn’t expect to win the award.
As I stepped onto the stage, I couldn’t help but think of my parents back in Bangladesh. When I started pursuing my Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering at Swinburne University here in Australia, they had their qualms, fearing AI would be a threat to my job prospects. The news of my award brought them to tears. I’m glad that I was able to show them that their hard work raising me and their sacrifices somehow paid off. Ultimately, Mum and Dad are my biggest catalyst and the reason I am where I am today.
AMT: Can you share about your journey from a student to Bosch Australia Manufacturing Solutions?
AS: I have always had a great passion for mechanical engineering. When I was a second-year student, I signed up as the Lead Powertrain Engineer for Team Swinburne Formula SAE, putting my head together with a dozen engineering students to build and commission a full powertrain system for the 2022 Electric Vehicle. This car was one of the first 4WD entries in Formula SAE Australasia and brought Swinburne their best-ever result. However, one of my main goals was to secure an engineering internship. I took on an unpaid opportunity at a ‘screw pal’ company, where I gained hands-on experience in mechanical design. Then, I saw a job opening in Bosch Oceania's student recruitment program. It was a one-year full-time work placement, which meant I would have to find a way to balance my final year study. I knew Bosch had a huge Student Program, with around 80 students around the Clayton campus at any given time. However, I didn’t want to get my hopes up, because I wasn’t sure they would take international students for this highly competitive program. I did jump up when I received their admission letter.
So, I became a Solutions Engineer Student at Bosch Australia Manufacturing Solutions (BAMS), a division of Bosch that focuses on building machines, production lines, and other manufacturing solutions for customers. It was like a dream for me to be able to work on a wide range of projects, even as a student.
Not long after I came on board, the pandemic hit, making it tough for us to support Australian manufacturers, especially during lockdowns. That was when I took the lead on developing BAMS's
first physics-based Digital Twins architecture, which allowed us to virtually commission machines, saving time and resources when we could not conduct physical site visits. In May 2023, BAMS management asked me to present my Digital Twin solutions at a prestigious conference in Suzhou. As the only student presenter at the conference, I felt incredibly privileged to have been given such an excellent opportunity.
After graduating, I was offered a full-time position at BAMS.
AMT: What’s your working day like at Bosch Australian Manufacturing Solutions?
AS: Since joining Bosch 3.5 years ago, I’ve taken on quite a number of roles, all within BAMS. My current team, specialising in robotics vision and simulation, is the youngest engineering team in the division. We call ourselves “The Everything Else” department, as we're responsible for using the latest technologies to identify and address gaps in all the engineering processes.
My typical days involve working with the robotic arms, vision systems and other industrial automation devices and machines. A significant portion of my time is spent on configuring devices, coding, and commissioning. Another core part of my role is to understand the needs of the different engineering disciplines and help integrate the subsystems and processes together. Often, I find myself leveraging tools like simulations and digital twins to aid this process. Since developing our first Digital Twin architecture, we’ve taken a big leap towards standardising the workflow and making Digital Twins not just “nice to have”. It is an important, increasingly becoming inevitable tool to merge the physical and digital worlds, enhancing manufacturing efficiency and innovation. I genuinely believe that Digital Twins will be shaping the future of Australian manufacturing, and I’m so excited about it.
AMT: What sort of industries have Bosch applied the Digital Twins to?
AS: At its core, Digital Twin is a virtual replica of a physical asset, simulating all features and behaviours of the real machinery. With the support of virtual sensors, the system will constantly generate data, which through Digital Twin architecture, will be easily understandable, enabling the users to track the real-time operational status, spot errors, predict failures, and make data-driven decisions. That said, any industry that involves a complex automation system can use Digital Twins, from MedTech and renewables to food and beverage, etc. At BAMS, we have applied the technology to not only bespoke production lines, but also single-purpose machines built based on our customers' unique needs. Our customers can range from a startup looking for a machine to realise their innovative ideas to well-established companies doing mass production.
AMT: What kinds of freedom do you have at Bosch about what you work on?
AS: The freedom to put forward new ideas, mobilise resources, and push boundaries. Needless to say, I don’t think many companies in the world let a student like me to lead a project in such a cuttingedge technology as Digital Twins a few years ago. I learn a lot from the experienced engineers on the ground, and from Bosch’s online community hubs – there are hundreds of them, where people around the world ask questions and share their wisdom. With the vibrant culture of learning and sharing here, I’ve had the chance to explore advanced robotics, simulations, and digital systems. And within Bosch Oceania, BAMS is compared to a startup, where we have the agility to try new ideas and unprecedented approaches. The most rewarding part of my job is the opportunity to work on impactful projects, many of which are fuelled by our customers’ groundbreaking innovation. It is also inspiring to work alongside passionate and talented individuals who are dedicated to technological advancements. boschmanufacturing.au
3D laser nanoprinting
Australia can be a world leader in nanomanufacturing. Frank Yao, CEO and founder of Innofocus, views the markets.
3D laser nanoprinting technology advancements present unprecedented opportunities for developing a robust nanomanufacturing ecosystem. In Australia, leveraging this cutting-edge technology can transform various sectors, including healthcare, photonics, electronics, energy, agriculture, and materials science, and propel the nation to the forefront of global nanotechnology innovation.
This paper briefs the government, sector leaders, and the public on the potential of 3D laser nanoprinting, its current state, prospects, and the strategic steps required to establish a thriving nanomanufacturing ecosystem in Australia.
The promise of 3D laser nanoprinting
3D laser nanoprinting is an advanced form of additive and subtractive manufacturing that enables the creation of intricate nanostructures with exceptional precision, complexity, and throughput. This technology uses focused laser beams to manipulate materials at the nanoscale, onethousandth the size of a human hair, either by adding material (additive manufacturing) or removing material (subtractive manufacturing). It fabricates complex 3D nanostructures crucial for applications in photonic devices, biomedical implants, micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS), and nanostructured materials with unique properties.
The potential of 3D laser nanoprinting lies in its ability to produce structures with nanoscale precision, which is essential for developing next-generation devices and materials, according to Fact.MR, the global 3D-printed nanocellulose market, is estimated at US$21.89bn in 2024 and is forecast to reach US$85.23bn by 2034, advancing at a CAGR of 14.6%.
Australian-made breakthroughs in 3D laser nanoprinting
3D laser nanoprinting holds immense potential for revolutionising nanomanufacturing but has remained predominantly a laboratory technology due to several critical challenges. Achieving and maintaining nanometre-scale precision and accuracy requires sophisticated equipment, experience, and expertise, limiting its use to a few specialists and affordable only for well-funded luxury labs.
Throughput and scalability are inversely related to fabrication accuracy; as accuracy reaches nanometre (nm) limits, success rate, throughput, and scalability decrease significantly. These challenges and the lack of standardised regulatory frameworks have kept 3D laser nanoprinting a hidden
treasure in laboratories for over 25 years. Innofocus, an Australian company specialising in photonics technology, has made significant advancements in 3D laser nanoprinting, contributing to establishing a nanomanufacturing ecosystem in Australia. Its nanomanufacturing capabilities are based on significant original technological breakthroughs developed over the past six years, including:
• Systems capable of fabricating 3D nanostructures with a resolution better than 100nm (1,000 times finer than conventional 3D printing technologies), enabling the production of intricate structures for photonics, electronics, and biomedical devices;
• Parallel fabrication technology allows simultaneous processing of multiple laser focal points, increasing manufacturing speed and efficiency and making nanomanufacturing viable for mass production;
• Integration of AI and machine learning algorithms to optimise the nanoprinting process. These include surface autolanding and surface tracing AI-vision technologies, ensuring precise and efficient manufacturing;
• In-situ characterisation and feedback. Innofocus nanoprinting systems include the only in-situ 3D refractive index characterisation modules. This technology enables real-time, high-resolution imaging of fabricated nanostructures, allowing immediate adjustments during the printing process;
• User-friendly systems capable of turnkey operation reduce the dependency on expert knowledge and make technology more accessible.
Innofocus's technological breakthroughs have significantly advanced 3D laser nanoprinting, improving precision, reliability, and scalability. This makes nanomanufacturing more accessible and closer to industry-scale applications.
Global landscape of 3D laser nanoprinting
Germany and Sweden have established leading expertise in 3D laser nanoprinting, setting benchmarks in precision and scalability. Despite their advancements, limitations such as restricted material species and compromised throughput remain. The potential and market size for 3D laser nanoprinting are vast. Australia, through our pioneering work, could lead the next wave of nanomanufacturing by leveraging Australian-made 3D laser nanoprinting technology.
3D laser nanoprinting is a transformative technology with the potential to revolutionise various sectors by enabling the creation of highly precise and complex nanostructures. Significant advancements can be achieved in areas such as biomedical, energy, agriculture, optoelectronics, sensing, communications, quantum technology, and integrated devices.
3D laser nanoprinting can revolutionise tissue engineering and drug delivery systems in the biomedical sector. It can fabricate scaffolds with precise nanostructures that mimic the extracellular matrix, promoting cell adhesion, growth, and differentiation. Nanoprinted devices can also be used for controlled drug delivery, targeting specific sites within the body to improve therapeutic efficacy. For example, researchers have used 3D laser nanoprinting to create biodegradable scaffolds that support bone tissue growth, enhancing outcomes in
bone regeneration. In the energy sector, 3D laser nanoprinting can enhance solar cells and battery technology through nanostructured materials. This can increase the efficiency of photovoltaic cells by increasing light absorption and reducing energy losses. Nanoprinting can also produce electrodes with high surface area and improved electrochemical properties, resulting in batteries with higher energy density and longer life cycles. In agriculture, 3D laser nanoprinting facilitates precision agriculture and controlled pesticide delivery. Nanoprinted sensors can provide farmers with real-time data to monitor soil health, crop growth, and environmental conditions with high sensitivity and specificity.
Nanoparticles designed for controlled pesticide delivery can reduce chemical use, minimise environmental impact, and improve crop yields. This technology can impact the optoelectronics field by creating complex photonic structures. It enables the fabrication of waveguides, photonic crystals, and microresonators, which are essential for modern optoelectronic devices.
3D laser nanoprinting also enables the creation of extremely sensitive biosensors and environmental sensors. Nanoprinted biosensors can detect highly sensitive biological molecules, enabling early diagnosis of diseases and patient monitoring. At the same time, ecological sensors can monitor pollutants and toxins in air and water with high precision.Enhancing optical communication components and antenna technology means nanoprinting can create optical fibres, modulators, and switches with improved performance, supporting high-speed data transmission relevant to the communications sector. In quantum technology, 3D laser nanoprinting is pivotal for producing high-precision qubits and other quantum devices. This technology can also create quantum sensors that exploit quantum mechanical effects to achieve unparalleled sensitivity and accuracy. In the case of integrated devices, 3D laser nanoprinting enables the fabrication of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and nanoscale components for integrated circuits.
MEMS devices, such as accelerometers and pressure sensors, benefit from the high precision and complex nanostructures achievable with nanoprinting, improving their sensitivity and functionality. The creation of nanoscale components enhances the performance and miniaturisation of electronic devices, contributing to the advancement of modern electronics.
Benefits of nanodevices
Nanodevices produced through 3D laser nanoprinting significantly improve performance and energy consumption.
Precise control over material properties and structural features at the nanoscale enables the creation of devices with superior performance characteristics.
Nanostructured materials can exhibit enhanced electrical conductivity, thermal stability, and mechanical strength, essential for high-performance applications. The ability to fabricate energy-efficient components such as low-power sensors, high-capacity batteries, and efficient photovoltaic cells can significantly reduce energy consumption, contributing to sustainability and enhancing overall efficiency and functionality.
The innovations from Innofocus have made these advancements practical and scalable, positioning nanomanufacturing for widespread industrial adoption and significant societal benefits.
A thriving local ecosystem
A comprehensive strategic approach is necessary to harness the full potential of 3D laser nanoprinting and establish a robust nanomanufacturing ecosystem. This involves fostering collaboration, supporting innovation, ensuring a skilled workforce, and making the technology accessible to many users.
Strengthening collaborations between universities, research institutions, and private companies is crucial for developing and commercialising 3D laser nanoprinting technologies. These partnerships facilitate the transfer of knowledge and resources, accelerating innovation and applications. Innofocus has established the Nanomanufacturing Practice Centre (NMP) and a new plant, which serve as hubs for innovation and provide state-of-the-art facilities and resources for researchers and industry professionals.
Robust financial support and favourable government policies can significantly reduce SMEs' economic barriers to adopting nanoprinting technologies. Government initiatives like grants, tax incentives, and subsidies can spur innovation and enable wider adoption. Establishing innovation hubs and incubators can provide startups and SMEs with the necessary infrastructure and support to develop and commercialise nanoprinting solutions.
Building a skilled workforce is essential for successfully implementing and advancing 3D laser nanoprinting systems. Educational institutions must establish specialised training programs in nanotechnology and precision engineering. Integrating these programs into university curriculums will equip students with the skills and knowledge required to operate and innovate in nanoprinting. Ongoing professional development and training for industry professionals can help them stay current
with technological advancements and best practices. Developing standardised protocols and regulatory frameworks is critical to ensure the safety, reliability, and quality of nanomanufactured products. Standardisation can facilitate the smoother integration of nanoimprinting technologies into existing manufacturing processes and boost consumer confidence. Regulatory frameworks should address product safety, environmental impact, and ethical considerations to ensure the responsible, sustainable use of nanoimprinting technologies.
Highlighting successful applications and case studies of 3D laser nanoprinting can demonstrate its potential and encourage broader adoption across industries. Showcasing achievements can inspire other sectors to explore the technology’s capabilities and invest in its development. Success stories can be shared through industry conferences, publications, and media outlets to reach a broad audience. Investing in ongoing R&D ensures that the technology remains at the cutting edge, addressing emerging challenges and seizing new opportunities. This includes developing related technologies in other sectors, such as advanced materials, AI integration, and improved manufacturing processes. The nanomanufacturing ecosystem can continuously evolve and expand its applications by staying ahead in innovation.
Creating platforms that provide shared resources, technical support, and collaborative spaces where different industries can experiment with and implement nanoprinting technologies. These platforms can help integrate nanoprinting into diverse fields, from biomedical to quantum technology, enhancing overall industry capabilities.
Australian-made 3D laser nanoprinting technology offers novel solutions to longstanding challenges across various sectors. Australia can harness its potential to create technology-enabled economic growth and sustainable social and environmental benefits.
This revolutionary approach can transform diverse industries, from biomedical to optoelectronics, enhancing performance, reducing energy consumption, and fostering innovation. Through strategic initiatives and continued support, Australia can lead the next wave of nanomanufacturing and set new technological advancements and sustainable development standards.
This article is republished with kind permission from the Industry Papers at InnovationAus.com innofocus.com.au innovationaus.com
Additive manufacturing in flight
The technologies that grew out of 3D printing are here to stay. The task now is to demonstrate that there are safe ways to build aircraft in the future. Robert Wilson writes for Flight Safety magazine.
If Michelangelo were alive today, he might not have been bothered with a hammer, chisel, or block of stone. In the Renaissance, the only way for an artistic genius to create a masterpiece of sculpture was to chisel away at unyielding raw material. That was subtractive manufacturing—start with a block of marble and finish with a statue of David. Additive manufacturing is the opposite, making the statue – or, more relevantly for aviation, the component or component assembly – out of many tiny pieces of material. A Lego statue of David could technically be called a piece of additive manufacturing (putting aside questions of artistic merit). Still, in the 21st century, the process of joining materials to make objects from three-dimensional model data has grown in sophistication, scope and potential.
What used to be called 3D printing is now a suite of manufacturing techniques delivering unprecedented advantages in performance and cost while promising gains in safety. And it’s here now: if you have recently had a dental crown fitted over a decayed tooth, you probably have a piece of additive manufacturing in your head.
Additive manufacturing requires the same effort to produce a complex shape as a simple one. This ‘complexity for free’ makes it possible to improve the designs of many conventionally made parts and assemblies. Weight reductions of 3040% are typical when switching from a welded or cast aluminium assembly to an additively manufactured one. Strength can be increased simultaneously by adding material to low-stress areas and removing material from low-stress areas in the computer-aided design process. Additive manufacturing requires a different economy of scale than conventional manufacturing. Its digital and decentralised nature is compatible with local production and small product runs (no jigs or tooling needs to be changed). It also allows rapid prototyping and responsive design iterations, reducing the waste of expensive materials.
Science Direct reports that the additive manufacturing market has experienced significant growth. It projects a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.2% until 2026. The global additive manufacturing market is forecast to reach approximately US$76.20 billion by 2030, with an expected CAGR of 20.9% from 2022 to 2030.
The additive ecosystem
Additive manufacturing for the fuel nozzles of General Electric’s LEAP engines
resulted in a fuel nozzle that weighs 25% less and is made up of fewer subparts, requiring less resources for assembly.
The GE Catalyst engine that will power the new Cessna Denali aircraft has more than 30% of its components made using additive technology, providing benefits for efficiency and weight. The GE9X engine that will be flown on the Boeing 777X has 228 additive-manufactured components that weigh 30% less than conventionally produced versions and contribute to a 10% efficiency improvement over previous versions of the engine. “Most rocket engines leaving the planet these days are additively manufactured,” Bruce McLean, chief engineer at the University of Sydney’s manufacturing hub, says. “You can print a 20,000-pound thrust engine that you can comfortably hold in two hands.”
Novelty, opportunity and
challenges
Boeing’s vice-president of additive manufacturing, Melissa Orme, says additive manufacturing is starting to change engineering culture but warns the transition must be safety-focused.
“By culture, I refer to the ‘additivefirst’ mindset when engineers embark upon a new product design,” Orme told Chicago's 2021 Rapid + TCT conference. “The transition to this cultural mindset is necessary to achieve the full benefit of additive manufacturing when inserting into new products. As a community, we cannot simply demand this cultural transformation; rather, it must be earned through a deep
understanding of the science of AM and by creating databases that demonstrate repeatable and reliable performance.”
Repeatability is also a concern for CASA and other national aviation authorities. Safety requires every component used on an aircraft to meet its design specifications, including strength, fatigue, corrosion resistance, and flammability resistance.
“The key word is repeatability,” CASA Principal Certification Engineer Darryl Taylor says. “That means getting a consistent level of strength and flammability resistance and being assured the technology isn’t introducing variability,” he says. “We are short of the data we need to progress in the same way as we can for conventional techniques.”
CASA Manufacturing Inspector Adam Williams says the challenge is control of the variables in the process.
“We have long established consensus standards for material properties for alloys and composites, whereas, for additive manufacturing, there aren’t any established consensus standards at the moment,” he says. “The novelty of AM means a lot of ‘homework’ must be done to establish standards to ensure consistency and repeatability,” he says.
Taylor agrees that drones could be the appropriate aircraft to test and validate additively manufactured components. “They don’t have to be certified, carry no people and are not allowed to fly over populated areas.” He expects data from
civil and military drone operations will inform the development of standards for crewed aviation. Additive manufacturing can replace entire assemblies with single parts.
Rohan Salgado, the regulator’s Design and Manufacturing Oversight Manager, says that CASA is neutral about new manufacturing technologies. “From CASA’s perspective, any component or process used in the manufacture or repair of an aircraft has to meet the applicable airworthiness requirements,” he says. “That is a basic principle, whether the process is traditional or new.”
While additive manufacturing techniques can be astonishingly fast, Salgado says the approval process for additively manufactured components necessarily takes longer to ensure safety.
It’s essential to remember acceptance of traditional methods, which now include composite manufacturing, didn’t happen overnight, he says. “It took a while for composite manufacturing methods, standards and compliance to be settled, but now they are established standards. Additive manufacturing will get there.”
The GE Catalyst engine that will power the new Cessna Denali aircraft has more than 30% of its components made using additive technology.
Beyond 3D printing
There are seven additive manufacturing techniques in widespread use, and at least 22 variations on these.
Material extrusion
This is the most common additive manufacturing technique in which thermoplastic material is pushed through a heated extrusion nozzle and deposited layer by layer to build an object. Material extrusion is also known as fused filament fabrication and fused deposition modelling. This is how low-cost hobby 3D printers work, but material extrusion is also used in aerospace, automotive and medical applications to quickly produce prototypes and parts.
Sheet lamination
Also called laminated object manufacturing, this process involves joining or laminating sheets of material. It helps build durable 3D objects with complex geometries. Materials, including paper, are bonded with adhesives and heat and then cut with computernumerically controlled lasers or blades to produce the 3D object.
A variant of sheet lamination is ultrasonic additive manufacturing, which ultrasonically binds layers of metal sheets to metal substrate surfaces.
Binder jetting
This method uses two elements: a powderbased material and a liquid binder that acts as an adhesive between layers of the powder. Like an inkjet printer, a print head deposits alternating layers of build material and binding material. After each layer, the printed object is lowered on its build platform. Binder jetting works with ceramics, composites, sand, and plastics.
Material jetting
In this technique, a printer head selectively deposits thermoplastic droplets, which are then cured using an ultraviolet light source. Directed-energy deposition
This technique melts metal powder or wire using a laser or electron beam. The melted material is then placed where it is needed to create parts. It is commonly used to repair or add material to existing parts.
Powder-bed fusion
This technique uses a heat source, such as an electron or laser beam, to melt and join powder to create three-dimensional objects. Powder-bed fusion can generate both plastic and metal parts. The beam heats a thin (typically 0.1 mm) layer of powder, after which the build platform lowers by a corresponding amount, and the process repeats.
Variations on powder-bed fusion include direct metal laser sintering, selective laser sintering—which compacts the material without melting it—and selective laser melting. Electron beam melting is used for metals, but it requires a vacuum for the beam to operate.
Vat photo-polymerisation
A vat or container filled with photosensitive liquid resin is exposed to a light source to create solid objects. It is, in some ways, analogous to a 3D photographic print. The build platform lowers from the top of the tank as, layer by layer, an ultraviolet light source selectively cures the liquid resin to produce the object. When finished, the object is submerged in a chemical bath that washes away excess resin and cured in a UV oven to increase its stability and strength. Forms of vat photopolymerisation include stereolithography, digital light processing and continuous liquid interface printing. flightsafetyaustralia.com
Originally published in Flight Safety magazine. Republished with permission from the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority available under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license (CC BY 4.0).
CT for AM at AXT
Computed Tomography for Advanced Manufacturing. Dr Cameron Chai and Peter Ailey from AXT lead us through the tech.
With Australia's high labour cost, most highvolume manufacturing has moved offshore. As a result, there has been a shift towards low-volume, high-value manufacturing, with Australian manufacturers adopting more advanced manufacturing methodologies such as additive manufacturing. This has necessitated a similar shift to advanced nondestructive testing for quality control, with computed tomography answering the call.
Computed Tomography (CT) is a nondestructive 3D imaging technique analogous to CAT scans performed on humans. It is perfectly suited to inspecting manufactured components, especially those with complex geometries and internal structures. CT can be used to check dimensional accuracy (vs. CAD drawings), identify invisible defects beneath the surface to external inspection techniques, and investigate failures or process control and optimisation.
CT inspection allows users to identify and characterise unwanted porosity in three dimensions.
Origins of CT
Initially developed for medical applications in the 1970s, CT is now used more extensively in materials science, nondestructive testing (NDT), quality control, failure analysis, and geological materials investigation. In these applications, it is ideally suited to revealing subsurface defects and structures or checking manufacturing tolerances. Although CT has been used extensively in medical applications for decades, it has taken much longer for it to become more widely accepted by the materials science and NDT communities. This is because these applications require much higher resolutions to produce meaningful data and to reveal minute defects. Higher resolution means more data, which requires better data storage and more powerful computers to process the data. In more recent times, artificial intelligence (AI) has also played a role in processing data.
Modern CT Systems
CT systems can range from small benchtop instruments and run-throughs to much larger systems catering to components and assemblies in the metre-plus range. Some systems are designed for QC applications in industrial environments and will happily live out on the factory floor where they can be integrated into your workflow. Also, depending on the smallest feature you need to detect, CT’s can offer sub-micron resolutions.
The Diondo d5 CT system can cater for samples up to 500mm x 1300mm tall.
CT and radiography
In NDT, a CT system is similar to a digital radiography (DR) setup in that a sample is mounted on a stage, or manipulator, between an X-ray source and detector. X-ray photons pass through the sample, and images are collected on the detector. For DR, you generally collect one image at a time that only shows one particular slice, or projection, through the sample.
How does CT work?
CT runs on the same principle as DR. However, after each image or tomograph is acquired, the sample, or sometimes the source and detector, is rotated slightly, and another image is taken, effectively slicing up the 360 degrees (sometimes less) of rotation. Finer slices result in more projections and better resolution. As mentioned, higher resolution results in more data and longer collection times. High-resolution scans can run into several thousand projections. Once a full rotation is completed and you have collected your data set (e.g., tiff stack), you can then use reconstruction algorithms to ‘rebuild’ the combined stack of projections, generating a 3D image of your sample. DR is a powerful tool in its own right; however, CT enables you to locate specific features within your sample precisely.
Powerful software allows the operator to analyse and manipulate the data in many ways. Packages such as Volume Graphics can easily rotate and look inside for cracks and defects, reconstruct and deconstruct
regions of interest, take measurements and perform other metrological operations. These software packages also allow you to automate repetitive tasks and often incorporate Automated Defect Recognition (ADR). As the name suggests, ADR can analyse the 3D dataset, look for particular flaws, and then report back to the operator, potentially with pass/fail options. More sophisticated packages also offer finite element analysis capabilities, which can be beneficial in product design.
Finite elements stress simulation performed directly on a CT scan.
Resolution and voxels
We often refer to the dimensions of 2D digital graphics in terms of pixels, with a pixel being the smallest single definable element. In 3D computer-generated renderings, the smallest element is a voxel, which can be likened to a 3D pixel or a combination of volume and pixel.
In industrial systems for more significant parts, a typical voxel size of 50µm to 200µm can be used on items like automotive gearboxes. Micro CT voxel sizes in the sub-micron range can be achieved on smaller samples in the range of pharmaceutical tablets. Still, a series of images can be stitched together, effectively providing analysis of larger objects.
These higher resolutions require high magnifications, and the X-ray source is typically very close (as close as possible)
Schematic representation of how a CT scans a sample.
to the sample. Variables such as field of view, detector pixel size, X-ray focal spot size, magnification, etc., can influence the resolution of a CT scan.
You may also hear about temporal resolution, which relates to how quickly a CT can create a complete image slice. In industrial environments, temporal resolution may be viewed more critically as it influences throughput. Otherwise, it can be essential to monitor processes in real time, and high temporal resolutions could be beneficial in preventing a rapid event such as brittle failure from being missed.
Application areas for CT
As mentioned, CT is most commonly used in quality control (QC) applications, where it is ideal for manufacturers of lowvolume/high-value components. In these environments, destructive testing of small percentages of parts is unfeasible, and CT can also be used to check the dimensional accuracy of manufactured parts.
Another alternative application is reverse engineering. For example, parts no longer in production can be converted into CAD files, and the parts can be used to produce 3D models. CT has also found application in product development where it can be used to see inside components, e.g. cast components, to show pores that may result from improper mould filling. This knowledge can help manufacturers optimise processing parameters or mould designs to encourage better molten metal flow.
Advantages of CT as an inspection tool
CT has the advantages over other NDT inspection techniques in that:
• X-rays can penetrate through complex 3D structures;
• Can easily reveal internal structures and features;
• Can see below the surface;
• Can reveal defects such as pores, voids and cracks;
FMI Building Innovation
FMI BI’s journey to composites and metal printing with Markforged. been outsourced, mainly to China. “This was a lengthy and expensive process, and because many of our product innovations involved proprietary designs, we had some concerns about protecting our intellectual property,” said Stark.
Founded in 1968, FMI Building Innovation (BI) is one of New Zealand’s leading innovators, manufacturers, and suppliers of world-class building solutions for a wide range of residential and commercial customers. With its headquarters and main manufacturing site in Auckland and additional production facilities in Christchurch, the company employs more than 250 staff.
FMI BI’s first involvement with 3D printing dates back five years, when the company acquired an inexpensive printer to explore the medium's potential, primarily in an R&D role. Work in those early years showed that, in principle, additive manufacturing could make a valuable contribution to their design and manufacturing processes. FMI BI’s market research indicated that industry leader Markforged could supply printers and consumables that would meet the company’s exacting standards, and X7™ composites and a Metal X™ metal printer were acquired in 2023.
FMI BI’s extensive and constantly expanding product range strongly emphasises the need to design, prototype, and manufacture new parts accurately, cost-effectively, and within a reasonable time frame. This posed severe problems for the company before the adoption of 3D printing.
Peter Stark, FMI BI’s Head of Services, explained that while the design of all new parts was carried out in-house, the production of prototypes had previously
• It can be used to check dimensional tolerances against specifications;
• In metal additive manufacturing, it can identify regions that may not have sintered.
Summary
CT is becoming an increasingly popular method of nondestructively inspecting components. Various systems are now available that can accommodate parts of varying sizes. CT instruments are primarily used to perform quality control checks rapidly, but they may also be used in product development or even reverse engineering.
Unlike most other imaging and metrology techniques, CT can see beneath the surface of components, revealing cracks, flaws, pores and other defects. This makes it an invaluable quality control tool, particularly for high-value components manufactured in small volumes. axt.com.au
“Bringing the process inhouse has reduced the timeframe, from initial design to finished product, from months to days. The cost savings are significant, too. A prototype that would typically have cost us NZD60,000 to outsource can now be produced in-house for a quarter of that price,” he said. Peter Stark said an additional benefit of having an inhouse printing capability was that FMI could carry out short runs of new components to build some initial inventory to meet client requirements before transitioning to full production. This would typically involve runs of up to 1,000 units, putting products into customers hands months earlier than would have been possible previously - an important consideration in the construction industry, where time is money.
“It also means we can thoroughly test new components to ensure they meet the required industry standards before we commit to purchasing injection mould tooling,” he said. The in-house facility also
enables FMI to create fast and effective solutions to client problems.
“A customer recently encountered an issue with some window units exposed to extreme weather conditions. We pinpointed the problem, designed a solution that would have been considered ‘over-engineered’ by normal standards, and produced parts for the customer, all within a few days. Our ability to react to site issues and quickly develop solutions in-house using 3D printing is an important selling point for us,” said Stark.
“In my view, the best word to describe what additive manufacturing has brought to FMI is ‘agility’,” he said.
fmi.co.nz markforged.com
Bilby3D on Mingda range
How industrial 3D printers can transform the metal forming industry.
The metal forming industry relies heavily on precision, durability, and cost-efficiency.
Traditional manufacturing methods, such as casting, milling, and forging, require extensive tooling, long lead times, and significant financial investments. 3D printing is revolutionising this space by enabling rapid prototyping, tooling production, and custom part fabrication at a fraction of the time and cost.
The new Mingda industrial 3D printer range—featuring the MD-400D, MD600D, and MD-1000D—is particularly wellsuited to support businesses in the metal forming sector and the manufacturing industry. These printers offer large-format capabilities and exceptional material versatility, enabling companies to digitise their production workflows and minimise reliance on expensive traditional tooling.
Key benefits
• Rapid Tooling Production: Print cost-effective tools, dies, and fixtures quickly for testing and small production runs.
• Large-Scale Prototyping: Create full-scale prototypes with massive build volumes, reducing lead times and costs.
• Support for Composite Tooling: Use advanced materials like carbon fibre-reinforced filaments for strong, lightweight tools.
• Customisation and Low-Volume Production: Produce bespoke parts and tools without additional tooling costs.
• Open-Material System: Experiment with various filaments to meet specific mechanical and thermal requirements.
• Cost and Time Savings: Lower production costs and speed up workflows compared to traditional methods.
• Consolidate Components: Combining several components into one reduces assembly steps, minimises complexity, and shortens production time.
• Overflow Production Capacity: Ability to create additional tooling when a production line is at its limit.
Applications:
• Forming Dies and Moulds: Companies can 3D print prototype forming dies using composite filaments
to test designs before creating expensive final metal dies.
• Jigs, Fixtures, and Gauges: To support manufacturing workflows, custom assembly tools and quality control gauges can be rapidly produced.
• Machine Tooling Prototypes: Before machining precision tools, companies can test the dimensions and tolerances using full-scale 3D printed prototypes.
• Custom Replacement Parts: Manufacturers can quickly produce replacement components for metalforming machines, reducing downtime and costs.
• Prototype Metal-Formed Components: Large-format printers like the MD-1000D allow companies to print prototype parts for validation before the expensive metal-forming process begins.
By adopting these printers, companies in the metal forming industry can digitise their workflows, achieve greater agility, and maintain a competitive edge. The Mingda MD Series of 3D printers offers a powerful, versatile solution for businesses seeking to reduce costs, enhance efficiency, and unlock the full potential of additive manufacturing. Whether your focus is on rapid prototyping, custom tooling, or large-scale production aids, the MD-400D, MD-600D, and MD-1000D are designed to deliver the precision, reliability, and flexibility needed to stay ahead in today’s competitive manufacturing landscape. Interested in learning more about how the Mingda 3D printers can transform your business? Contact Bilby3D today to explore your options and discover the perfect solution for your metal-forming needs! b3d.com.au
As
—
—
—
Drone Design at EVOK3D
Revolutionising drone design and manufacturing with additive technologies.
Drones are increasingly becoming indispensable in the aerospace and defence sectors, driving mission-critical operations ranging from surveillance to search-and-rescue. As the demand for more agile, adaptable, and high-performance drones grows, so does the challenge of designing and manufacturing components that meet these exacting requirements. While effective for simpler geometries, traditional manufacturing methods often struggle to meet the complex demands of modern drone systems, especially when it comes to lightweight yet durable designs. Additive manufacturing (AM) is transforming the industry, unlocking new possibilities in speed, design, and functionality for the next generation of drones. At EVOK3D, we enable our clients to overcome these challenges by leveraging Additive Manufacturing (AM). AM's flexibility allows clients to create intricate designs, such as internal cavities and lattice structures, achieving significant weight reduction without compromising strength. Additionally, the capability to rapidly prototype and iterate designs accelerates the product development process, reducing timelines from months to weeks.
The role of HP MJF and nTop in drone design
Design and prototyping are crucial in developing high-performance drones, where factors such as weight, strength, and functionality are critical. Traditional manufacturing methods are often limited to producing complex, lightweight, and durable parts. HP MultiJet Fusion (MJF) and nTop’s design tools offer a transformative approach to the design and production of drone components. They enable manufacturers to seamlessly transition from functional prototyping to end-part production without changing processes or materials.
nTop: Advanced generative design for optimisation
nTop’s computational design platform enables engineers to create highly optimised components for drone systems. At its core, nTop uses generative design principles to explore a wide range of potential geometries based on performance criteria. This approach allows for simultaneously testing multiple design candidates, optimising for factors such as structural performance, material efficiency, and weight reduction.
One of nTop’s standout features is topology optimisation, which removes unnecessary material from a design while ensuring the part can withstand the required mechanical stresses. Using finite element analysis (FEA) simulations, nTop determines the most efficient material distribution for drone components like arms, frames, and structural supports. This results in lightweight designs without compromising strength and durability.
Moreover, nTop enables the creation of lattice structures and internal channels—innovations that significantly reduce part weight while maintaining the necessary strength for flight. For example, drone frames and battery compartments can be designed with internal lattice structures to minimise weight without compromising structural integrity. These complex geometries are easily fabricated with HP MJF, ensuring that even the most intricate designs are possible.
nTop’s multi-material design integration is another key capability. This feature allows engineers to design components incorporating multiple materials with different properties for different areas of the same part. For instance, rugged materials can be used for areas of a drone component requiring high-impact resistance, while lightweight materials can be used where weight reduction is a priority. This precision ensures that components perform optimally in their specific roles.
HP MJF and materials selection for drone manufacturing
Once the optimal design is finalised using nTop, HP MJF brings these designs to life. HP MJF’s precision and versatility make it an ideal choice for manufacturing drone components, especially when complex geometries are involved. One of the key materials used in HP MJF is PA12, a versatile and durable material known for its high strength-to-weight ratio, excellent chemical resistance, and surface finish. PA12 is particularly effective for components like frames, arms, and structural parts that must withstand stress and wear during flight.
PA11 is often selected for specialised applications requiring additional durability. Known for its exceptional toughness, it is perfect for parts subjected to high mechanical loads or harsh environmental conditions.
HP MJF offers further design flexibility by enabling features such as thin walls, internal geometries, and improved surface finishes—all essential for producing high-performance, lightweight components. Unlike traditional manufacturing, where support structures are often required, HP MJF can produce parts without the need for additional support, allowing for greater design freedom and faster production.
One of the most significant advantages of HP MJF and AM in general is the ability for manufacturers to go directly from functional prototyping to end-part production. Traditional manufacturing methods often involve lengthy lead times, delaying testing and production phases. With additive manufacturing, engineers can produce prototypes in days, test them in real-world conditions, and adjust based on feedback in hours.
This rapid iteration cycle is invaluable when developing drones for specific operational requirements. Whether designing a drone for surveillance, search-and-rescue, or industrial inspections, customisation is often necessary to meet unique mission needs. In traditional manufacturing, these changes could require expensive retooling and weeks of production downtime. With HP MJF, modifications can be made quickly and cost-effectively, resulting in faster time-to-market and reduced overall costs.
Furthermore, HP MJF ensures that even complex drone components meet stringent design specifications. Whether a lightweight frame or a sensor housing, the high-quality surface finish and intricate details achievable with MJF make it an ideal solution for aerospace applications.
Testing, prototyping, and iteration in drone development
Testing is a vital stage in the development of drone systems. Once components are designed using nTop and produced using HP MJF, they undergo rigorous testing to ensure they meet the demanding requirements of aerospace and defence industries. Unlike traditional methods, AM allows for faster and more flexible testing, enabling engineers to iterate quickly and refine designs based on real-world performance.
Through HP MJF, functional prototypes are produced rapidly, allowing for mechanical and environmental testing. Components such as drone frames, arms, and battery compartments undergo tests for tensile strength, impact resistance, and fatigue durability.
Parts made from PA12 and PA11 undergo extreme environmental testing to ensure reliability in harsh conditions, such as high temperatures, humidity, or exposure to UV light.
Customisation for mission-specific applications
AM's ability to customise designs for specific use cases is one of its most significant advantages. Whether developing a drone for high-altitude inspections or underwater surveillance, AM enables engineers to adapt the drone design to suit specific mission needs. For instance, drones intended for high-altitude operations may require aerodynamically efficient designs, while those used underwater may need additional corrosion-resistant coatings.
Thanks to additive manufacturing’s flexibility, these customisations can be implemented quickly. Engineers can test prototypes, incorporate feedback, and refine designs within weeks.
Once the design and prototyping phases are complete, scaling production is seamless with HP MJF. MJF's precision and repeatability ensure that the final product maintains the same high level of quality throughout large-scale production. This is crucial for aerospace and defence applications, where reliability and consistency are paramount.
The materials selected—PA12, PA11, and others—offer the durability required for extreme operating conditions, ensuring that components remain functional in high-stress environments. nTop’s generative design ensures that each component is optimised for weight, strength, and functionality, while HP MJF’s capabilities allow for consistent, high-quality production, making it an ideal solution for both low- and high-volume manufacturing.
Conclusion
The integration of HP MJF and nTop’s design tools is revolutionising drone component design, testing, and manufacturing for aerospace and defence applications. As the exclusive partner for HP 3D Printing in Australia, EVOK3D is at the forefront of this technological shift, empowering manufacturers with cutting-edge, cost-effective solutions that meet the industry's rapidly evolving needs. By embracing additive manufacturing, aerospace and defence sectors can accelerate innovation, optimise component performance, and maintain a competitive edge in an increasingly dynamic market. evok3d.com.au
HP Jet Fusion 5600 Series Industrial 3D Printing Solution
Collaborating to build a new industry
Sometimes, there is a societal need that manufacturing still needs to fill. Drew Turney reports that the best way to do so might be to create a pre-competitive industry hub.
If you want to replace livestock with urban transport, you invent the car. If you want to make it impossible for the USSR to destroy your military communications, you invent the internet. You invent the iPhone to create an ecosystem of apps controlled by finger swipes. In those examples, Daimler-Benz, DARPA and Apple hit upon tools we didn't know we wanted. But what about the opposite? What if the capability to make investors rich or save lives exists, but the manufacturing industry needs help finding the business case?
A group of US engineers, bioscientists, and medical companies faced this challenge when they decided to realise the potential of manufacturing replacement human organs.
We've already 3D printed organic structures at the research level, and we can create precise digital models of livers, bones, or kidneys on a computer. How can we combine these to make them affordable, elevating the quality of life for millions with diseases affecting specific body parts, like diabetes or renal failure?
To find out, the Advanced Regenerative Medicine Institute (AMRI) was born. ARMI is a pre-competitive hub founded by the US Department of Defence for US$80m. Participants working together and sharing results and IP is the only way to make the technology affordable and scalable. No body or researcher has the expertise, equipment, capital, or risk tolerance to go it alone. Its purpose is to advance the (bio)technology and make it financially viable. Then, we'll have a thriving 3D-printed organ industry.
But while the philosophy of an industry-generating research/ business hub is sound, we live in a world of jealously guarded commercial assets and trigger-finger litigation. How can a group of people or companies – some competing for future spoils –collaborate seamlessly enough for the greater good? How do you set up the legal structure and carve up the emerging responsibilities and advantages?
The Advanced Timber Hub, headquartered at the University of Queensland, was funded by commercial partners and the federal government through the Australian Research Council. Worth $18m over five years, it was established to further the use of timber in the mid-rise building market. Timber is a substitute for steel, which participants think will mean lower construction costs and healthier, low-carbon buildings.
Every pre-competitive industry collaboration needs a big question. ARMI's is to commercialise 3D-printed human organs and tissues. Still, Advanced Timber Hub is even more concise: to have timber occupy 20% of the market in Australian mid-rise buildings (it's currently around 1%).
Research Hub Director Professor Keith Crews describes the Hub as a body inside the university that administers the ARC grant and 'a connecting point between industry and academia'. There's a signed agreement that we'll run it the way the ARC wants, and our partners sign up with a collaborative research agreement. It sets the framework for how the organisation will function regarding governance structure and how IP will be shared."
Crews talks about multiple rounds and schedules of KPIs and reporting that needs to be done back to the ARC ('we've got millions of dollars of taxpayers' money – there's a high degree of accountability and transparency'), but essentially says he and his staff run it like a cashflow positive company, doing everything an auditable for-profit operation does.
Work the problem
But if the formal structure sounds easy, getting members to work together can be another matter. The ARC Advance Timber Hub has over 30 projects and close to 50 partners, and although Crews says the whole process has been relatively painless, he articulates what we're all thinking; "You can ask 35 companies to sign one agreement but each time a lawyer looks at it you can imagine what they do."
We're also not talking about companies in a given industry all moving in roughly the same direction. The Hub has economists, industrial psychologists, wood scientists, engineers, architects, and even people who assess the interventions necessary to change government policy. "Our team is very diverse and very multidisciplinary," Crews says.
One of the secrets to its success has been the deliberate and conscious design of the collaboration framework. From day one, the Hub held regular workshops and meetings with everyone to define and scope out projects, get everyone on board about what they were addressing, and establish the KPIs to report to backers. "That's what the hub's all about," Crews says, "seamless communication across the network."
But when the goal is to produce advances that will have a quantifiable commercial benefit and lead to a flourishing new industry, who would want to share them with future competitors?
Sharing results will be different in every case, and it's normally hashed out at the agreement stage. However, the reason to get involved in an industry/research hub is often the slightly less tangible promise that it will improve things overall.
In ARMI's case, the goal is to ease burdens like diabetes and heart disease. For the Advanced Timber Hub, the goal is to build better, smarter, and use renewable materials, with knock-on effects like expanded regional employment and safer construction techniques.
As a university research program that's publicly funded, most of what emerges is released into the public domain immediately. Still, Crews says specific findings might have restrictions before being shared through mechanisms like NDAs. "You might be the first cab off the rank using IP for a specific period before we publish it so the industry is going to see the results you produce with it, and most member companies are comfortable with that," he says.
ATH Research Hub Director Keith Crews
But best of all, industry/research hubs work and in very measurable ways. Benzo Lee, co-founder of Chinese box-making equipment manufacturer Autoboxup, joined an industry hub to develop a new metal alloy, dividing the research among four other collaborators.
“It led to a breakthrough we all benefitted from, sharing the development cost and reducing individual risk,” he says. “One project received staged funding tied to specific milestones, and the second round of $100,000 was released when we showed a 30% increase in the prototype's efficiency.”
He adds that the five participants pooled $500,000 (an amount none could afford) and developed a prototype in 24 months, usually taking 36 months.
But once there, what then? You've done it; you've started an industry. Does everyone shake hands, switch off the hub's phone number and website, and fiercely compete against former partners?
The endpoint is as varied as the original purpose. The ARC Advance Timber Hub (currently projected at six years from its 2022 inception) will see the ARC step back and assume the field it invested in is selfsufficient and healthy. In other examples, partner companies might sign further development or partnership deals, employ researchers to further the work in-house, etc.
Philosophical approach
Industry/research hubs have many fans. The people we contacted for this story who've participated in them were almost poetic in their responses.
Just some were 'to truly invent an industry, you need the vision to see beyond the horizon, the courage to share the map, and the wisdom to navigate uncharted waters together', 'the key to success ... is understanding that collective progress often precedes individual profitability' and even 'building a pre-competitive cluster is akin to choreographing a ballet – it demands an intricate balance between fostering cooperation and spurring competitive momentum.'
WHAT WE DO
Indeed, someone else said the balance between cooperation and rivalry needs 'constant attention', with agreements setting clear boundaries to share resources and milestones.
VirtualStaff365 is a leading Australian outsourcing specialist. We resolve business challenges by providing remarkable solutions and talented internationally located staff to work from their home.
Keeping the shared mission in mind also helps defend against fragmentation of priorities – especially with a formal schedule of check-ins and catch-ups. And for investors, patience is key – most people we asked cautioned that commercialisation takes longer and that investors should be 'patient'.
Above all, everyone agrees that the most critical resource is humans, not facilities, equipment, or even money. Mentorship is just as significant a contribution as finance, and collective knowledge and ability spur creativity.
Save money. Save time.
VirtualStaff365 is a Melbourne based outsourcing specialist providing talented offshore staff.
We help manufacturers get their office work done, for a fraction of the cost.
roles and prices* include:
Once we know your business needs, we provide you with a range of high-quality candidates in the Philippines and elsewhere for you to interview. You select a candidate that best suits your team, and we look after the rest. Our services include Candidate recruitment and shortlisting Time and Attendance (including timesheets and screenshots) Payroll and related administration Staff retention and performance management
Capture that, and you can ask some contemporaries to join you, tap into funding (the ARC's 2024-25 budget is $397.6m) and invent a whole new manufacturing industry yourself. rockwellautomation.com armiusa.org
We help you monitor your recruits around the clock, giving you the time and freedom to focus on your business goals.
VirtualStaff365 is a leading Australian outsourcing specialist. We resolve business challenges by
Counting the cost
ESG and Climate Reporting: A guide for manufacturers. Graham Spring, Senior Partner and Business Advisor, William Buck.
Manufacturing businesses constantly face the dual challenge of driving growth while meeting stringent environmental standards. With rising interest from both consumers and regulatory bodies, adopting sustainable operational practices has never been more crucial. Staying proactive not only positions your manufacturing business ahead of the curve but also brings about potential cost savings, mitigates risks and boosts stakeholder confidence. As new regulations loom, embracing sustainability has shifted from being a choice to an imperative.
Measuring sustainability poses significant challenges due to its complex, multidisciplinary and often subjective nature. However, with the support of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) indicators, a company’s sustainability performance can be more accurately assessed. There’s no universal strategy when it comes to ESG indicators, so businesses need to identify those that align most closely with their specific operations. Given the rapid advancements in climate change, manufacturing businesses are gearing their sustainability focus toward measuring and managing their carbon output.
Carbon accounting
Accurate carbon accounting allows organisations to analyse their carbon footprint by source and identify the areas of their operations or supply chain that contribute the most to emissions. This can facilitate decisive action to mitigate these impacts and prepare for upcoming regulatory requirements. Middle-market businesses are increasingly adopting a focus on the climate impact of their organisation’s activities as a critical factor in their supply chain management and stakeholder communications.
To be certified as carbon neutral, your entity must comply with the Climate Active Carbon Neutral Standard. This process begins with applying for and maintaining a license agreement with Climate Active. Then, calculate your organisation’s GHG emissions to determine your carbon footprint. Next, developing and implementing an emissions reduction strategy. Any remaining emissions can be offset by purchasing carbon credits. Your carbon neutral claim is then independently validated by a third party. Finally, once Climate Active has assessed all reporting documents, certification is granted.
Why is it key to
business strategy?
Governments worldwide are implementing various policies such as emissions trading
programs, energy taxes, and emissions and energy efficiency regulations to reduce carbon emissions. In Australia, mandatory climate-related financial disclosure for manufacturing businesses will begin in phases starting on 1 January 2025 for large entities, with smaller and middle-market businesses required to report from 1 July 2027. Even if your business in Australia isn’t directly facing carbon emission regulations, your supply chain partners likely are or will be soon. These regulations will have significant operational impacts, making it critical for manufacturing businesses to be prepared.
Stakeholders and investors are also becoming increasingly interested in how organisations are positioned in this area relative to their competitors. To remain competitive and succeed in the long term, Australian manufacturers are starting to better understand and manage their carbon emissions for several reasons, including:
• Managing carbon risks
• Identification of carbon reduction opportunities
• ESG reporting
• Preparing for upcoming regulation
• Positioning as leaders in combating climate change
• Managing and reporting your emissions is crucial to maintaining partnerships and staying competitive
in a world where sustainability is increasingly critical.
• Undertaking a Carbon Accounting Assessment
When assessing a business’ carbon output, the approach should address the following four key factors:
• Scope: Establishing a baseline and defining operational boundaries, including the identification of direct and indirect emissions.
• Measure: Collecting and reviewing datasets based on well-established practices and Carbon Protocol standards.
• Strategy: Minimising your climate impact includes operational efficiencies, supply chain, procurement, and waste reduction improvements.
• Reassess: Ongoing reporting for performance evaluation, regulatory compliance, and strategic realignment opportunities.
Integrating sustainable practices is essential in today’s eco-conscious world, especially with impending regulations. Managing your carbon footprint aligns with global standards and positions your manufacturing business as a leader in sustainability. This approach enhances your brand, satisfies stakeholders and ensures compliance. williambuck.com.au
BUMAX
BUMAX provided the customer TNO with critical fasteners that overcame their galling issues.
TNO has developed an Adaptive Secondary Mirror for NASA’s Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) in Hawaii. The IRTF is a 3m infrared telescope located at an altitude of around 4,200m at the summit of Mauna Kea on the island of Hawaii. Designed for maximum performance in the infrared portion of the spectrum, it takes advantage of the excellent visibility, minimal water vapour and low thermal background that characterise the atmosphere above Mauna Kea. The University of Hawaii and the University of California Santa Cruz realised the secondary mirror upgrade project.
During the integration phase, a manufacturing error required TNO to immediately find a fastener solution so that the integration could proceed.
“We realised that some of the holes in the supporting structure of the secondary mirror assembly had been machined to the wrong dimension,” explains Arjo Bos, Systems and Mechanical Lead Engineer at TNO. “We tried standard A4 screws but had immediate issues with galling. We needed a fast solution to overcome our galling issue with an extremely tight schedule and some dependencies with other projects.”
Delivery and assembly within 24 hours
TNO contacted Pim Oome, the BUMAX Business Development Manager for the Benelux region, who quickly understood their needs and placed an expedited order.
Within 24 hours of contacting BUMAX, TNO had received a batch of BUMAX® DX 129 EPK screws at their facility in Delft and had installed them in the secondary mirror assembly.
“BUMAX saved the day at a point in our project when we needed to have no delays,” claims Matias Kidron, Project Manager at TNO. “The next-day delivery of the screws was quite a feat and was greatly appreciated by our entire project team and enabled us to stick to our schedule.”
Anti-galling properties
This application's BUMAX® DX 129 EPK fasteners were a special variant of the BUMAX standard high-performance DX 129 product grade. DX 129 EPK benefits from even higher surface hardness, making them almost impervious to galling. DX129 EPK also has the advantage of lower surface roughness and a cleaner finish to the fasteners, which eliminates the need for any potential additional lubrication in applications where contamination or outgassing may be of concern.
The high-strength nature of BUMAX® DX 129 EPK screws was not essential, but it is an appreciated property by TNO.
“Quickly obtaining anti-galling screws was the most important thing for us, but the high strength properties of the BUMAX fasteners is a nice bonus that gives us a piece of mind when astronomers are integrating the mirror,” says Bos.
TNO’s adaptive secondary mirror, with a diameter of 244 mm, was installed at the IRTF in April 2024. The mirror is based on hybrid variable reluctance actuator technology, which uses small actuators behind it to push and pull it to deform its shape. This allows the mirror to correct for the distortion of the atmosphere, ensuring the IRTF’s view of celestial bodies is as sharp and detailed as possible.
“At TNO, we have a long history of working with adaptive secondary mirrors with a proven track record in the lab, but we have been looking forward to demonstrating our innovative technology on a telescope,” says Bos. “We would certainly use BUMAX screws for other critical connections where galling is an issue, and high strength is desirable. This goes beyond our telescope projects at TNO to include other potential space-related applications that we are working on, such as satellite instruments that undergo extreme force during launch,” concludes Bos.
A solution for the world’s largest optical telescope
BUMAX screws have also been used on the European Southern Observatory Extremely Large Telescope (ESO ELT) in Chile, which required a high-strength, corrosion-resistant solution. bumax-fasteners.com hobson.com.au tno.nl/en
The NASA Infrared Telescope Facility near the summit of Maunakea in Hawaii.
Industry 1.0
The resistance that forged my family’s future. Greg Perry, the Head of Sales – Automation at Marand, reveals a family history linked to that first industrial revolution.
In today’s world, there’s a lot of buzz about what the future holds in the era of Industry 4.0 and how it might transform our work and personal lives. The excitement is palpable as people eagerly anticipate the positive impacts of emerging technologies. But technology change wasn't always met with open arms. Reflecting on the past, I realise how the resistance to Industry 1.0 had a profound and lasting impact on my family’s future.
Industry 1.0 began in the 18th Century, marking the dawn of the Industrial Revolution between 1760 and 1840. This revolution wasn’t a sudden change; it unfolded gradually across various industries as mechanisation took hold.
In the 18th century, one of the main Autumn and Winter tasks for farmworkers, particularly ploughmen, was threshing— separating the grain from the stalks of corn by beating it. This laborious task was crucial for their livelihoods. However, in the late 1820s and early 1830s, a wave of change swept through the agricultural world as farmers began introducing horse—or steam-powered threshing machines to do this work more efficiently and require less labour. While the arrival of these machines was a marvel of innovation, it came at a great cost. Large numbers of farm labourers found themselves unemployed, their skills suddenly rendered obsolete by mechanisation. The resulting unemployment and low wages, coupled with poor harvests in 1829 and 1830,
created a perfect storm of hardship in the east and south of England.
Faced with these dire circumstances, the labourers fought back. Fuelled by a deep sense of injustice, protests and disturbances erupted. The protesters, seeking to spread fear among landowners and protect their identities, adopted the fictitious name Captain Swing. This era of unrest became known as the Swing Riots.
The protesters threatened farmers with letters demanding higher wages or, at the very least, a halt to wage cuts. They also insisted that farmers abandon using threshing machines, which they blamed for their hardship. As the protests intensified, acts of defiance escalated: machines were broken, hayricks set ablaze, and farm buildings torched. The first threshing machine destroyed by swing rioters known as ‘machine-breakers’ was on the night of Saturday, August 28, 1830. By the third week of October, the destruction had spread rapidly, with over 100 threshing machines destroyed in East Kent alone. Initially, magistrates were lenient, imposing a mere three-day prison sentence on one group of seven machine-breakers. However, as the uprising continued and the situation grew more volatile, the authorities responded with increasing severity. The penalties became harsher— some perpetrators were executed, others imprisoned, and many were transported to the distant penal colony of Van Diemen’s Land (now Tasmania). In total, 19 people
were executed, 505 were transported, and 644 were imprisoned. And this is where my personal story begins.
David Wareham, my great-great-greatgrandfather, was a humble ploughman from Water End, Basingstoke, southwest of London. He was known for his skills in ploughing and milking, but his life took a dramatic turn when he became involved in the Swing Riots.
On December 22, 1830, David and eight others were charged with unlawfully assembling in the parish of Wooton St. Lawrence. They were accused of creating a great riot and disturbance and of feloniously stealing a sovereign from Harris Bigg Withers, Esq.
The trial was swift, and the jury returned a guilty verdict against all the prisoners. When it was time for judgment, the judge called David Wareham and Richard Rampton and addressed them, saying,
"Richard Rampton and David Wareham, your lives will be spared, but the cases of the other prisoners who have been twice convicted of a capital felony are too serious for me to take upon myself to hold out any hope for them that their lives will be spared. Public justice requires that you should not be allowed to remain in this country any longer.” The judge sentenced David to deportation to Van Diemen’s Land to serve seven years.
On the 6th of April, 1831, David boarded the ship Proteus at Portsmouth alongside 112 other rioters, described as “ignorant & misled Englishmen termed Rioters, who had overthrown order, & violated public security.” After a gruelling sixteen-week journey, they arrived at Van Diemen's Land on the 3rd of August, 1831.
David was assigned as a convict servant to James Crear, a retired naval officer and landowner in Campbell Town. Life in servitude was harsh, and David, despite his situation, found himself in trouble. Twice, he was punished with 50 lashes— once for disobedience and gross neglect of duty and another time for stealing a quart of milk. Little would David have expected on that November day in 1830 at the age of 25 when he joined other “mislead Englishmen
riotously assembling” against the machines that threatened their way of life, that his life would change forever and that he would never again plough another sod or set foot on native English soil. David Wareham’s resistance to the dawn of Industry 1.0, the first wave of industrialisation, began a new
chapter in our family’s history. His unwilling journey to Van Diemen’s Land made him the forefather of multiple generations of Australians—descendants living through the era of Industry 4.0, the latest chapter in technological progress. marand.com.au
Blow moulding machine
Beckhoff Technology solutions enhance blow moulding machine performance for ElectriTech
ElectriTech recently completed a major retrofit of a Techne blow moulding machine, utilising advanced automation technology supplied by Beckhoff. By leveraging Beckhoff’s cutting-edge solutions, this project showcases both companies’ shared dedication to improving performance, reliability, and safety in industrial machinery.
ElectriTech, a Melbourne-based electrical engineering company with over 20 years of experience, specialises in automating machinery for the plastics, cast and timber industries. Over the years, the company has invested significantly in the development of injection and blow moulding applications, applying production IP across numerous machines.
Anthony Briffa, Managing Director of ElectriTech explains that successful injection and blow moulding requires precision and consistency to regulate parameters such as temperature, pressure, position and cycle times. However, some plastic moulding machines – especially those produced before 2010 - face technological limitations. It’s for this reason that ElectriTech opted for IPCs (Industrial PCs) over traditional PCs, as Briffa explains: “Many traditional plastic moulding machines relied on discrete controllers for complex operations, along with PLCs or microcontrollers for sequencing and HMIs for operator interface. Today, IPC technology can combine all these into one integrated controller.”
The use of fully fledged IPCs offers numerous advantages, including a standard user interface and the ease with which they can be integrated into an IT environment. When it came to deploying IPCs, ElectriTech chose Beckhoff Automation Australia as its business partner, believing it had the most suitable product offering and support personnel.
Retrofitting a blow moulder
Most recently, the partners collaborated on a project involving a full control and safety retrofit of a four-head Techne blow moulding machine used for producing hollow plastic parts. In addition to the electrical upgrade, ElectriTech’s team also conducted a detailed examination of the machine's mechanics, including full testing of the hydraulic and pneumatic systems. They identified and replaced worn components to ensure high reliability standards.
Additionally, ElectriTech integrated a new pneumatic manifold valve distribution setup using an EtherCAT network, leveraging Beckhoff's technology to further improve the machine’s efficiency and reliability.
The retrofit project also focused on enhancing safety standards by introducing dual-channel emergency stop buttons, guard locking sensors/switches, and dual hydraulic and pneumatically monitored dump valve interlocks via Beckhoff safety terminals. This significantly bolstered the machine’s safety measures, bringing it into line with modern safety standards. “With Beckhoff hardware and TwinCAT software, we have combined all operations and movements into a single PC-based control solution, keeping everything integrated and seamless,” Briffa notes. With both companies equally committed to performance, reliability, and safety, Mike Banda, the Business Development Manager for Beckhoff Automation Australia, believes that this strong business partnership will continue to evolve.
“At the end of 2024, we will proudly celebrate four years of a dynamic and mutually beneficial partnership with ElectriTech. From early discussions in 2021, it was clear that ElectriTech needed a technology provider with a solid Australian presence and the agility to tackle diverse integration requirements,” he says.
Banda adds that Beckhoff’s modular and flexible technology gives ElectriTech the agility to tackle a broad range of integration requirements. We are flexible in our approach and offer adaptable, scalable solutions.”
Beckhoff’s understanding of the plastics industry sets them apart
Briffa highlights the benefits of Beckhoff’s TF8550 HMI Framework –specifically designed for the plastic industry and a solution that the company has deployed.
“The fact that Beckhoff were able to supply their ‘TF8550 HMI Framework’ - specifically created for the plastics industry, streamlined our processes and enabled us to effectively and seamlessly integrate this product into our projects,” he says. “This framework provided a whole toolkit of animated objects that could be dropped straight into our HMI application as a NuGet package, and work with minimal configuration.”
Graphic objects within the visualisation can be configured for extrusion lines (temperature input/display), for blow moulding technology (wall thickness editor, arrow diagram), for injection moulding machines (table editor, graphic actual value/setpoint display), and much more.
“It was quite obvious just from this library that Beckhoff have had many years of experience in the plastics industry,” adds Briffa.
But perhaps best of all is Beckhoff’s “try before you buy” philosophy regarding licencing. By allowing users to generate a series of trial licenses, programmers can thoroughly test each library before committing to their purchase.
Banda looks forward to the future success of the partnership. “We do not doubt that they will continue to offer a premium service leveraging their competent workforce and Beckhoff’s automation technology.” beckhoff.com/en-au
A little ray of sunshine
Surge of confidence for Aussie SME manufacturers as sales revenues rise 4.5%.
The quarterly Unleashed Manufacturing Report showed a positive outlook across Australian manufacturing industries, where average sales revenues increased by 4.5% across all industries (June 31 2024, to September 31 2024).
New figures suggest that strong sales have also encouraged small and mid-sized firms to increase stock levels in anticipation of a further surge in sales.
The figures, published in the Manufacturers’ Health Index by inventory management software provider Unleashed, are based on an analysis of around 1,300 SME manufacturers.
Unleashed Head of Product Jarrod Adam said Australian manufacturers had been waiting for a break in the economic clouds, and these positive metrics could be the start of good news for the sector.
“To see sales revenue rise is a welcome relief for struggling SME manufacturers. The last few years have been tough, and as a result, we have seen businesses carefully strengthen their sales pipeline, manage overstock and generally upgrade their business health. Because of this, we believe many Australian manufacturers will be in a strong position to take advantage of the change in economic fortunes,” Adam said.
Unleashed’s report analyses business performance across 12 manufacturing subsectors in Australia, New Zealand, and the UK. It draws on the live sales, inventory, purchasing, lead time, and profit margin data managed within its cloud software platform to assess the sector's overall health.
The key positive metric for Australian manufacturing this quarter was the rise in average sales revenue across all industries. Sales revenue rose 4.47% this quarter and was up 16.98% compared to Q3 three years ago.
The increase for sales revenue is evidence of confidence rebuilding in the manufacturing SME Manufacturing Industry, Adam said.
“Sales revenue is the lifeblood of any business, particularly in times of economic uncertainty. To see this metric rise will be a welcome relief to many businesses that have been feeling the pinch of inflation and will allow them to take advantage of a better economic climate,” Adam said.
Purchase Orders strong
Adding to the positive outlook was that purchase orders were very strong across the board. On average, purchase orders were up 8.6% across all industries in Q3, and up a very significant 23.7% compared to Q3 three years ago.
An uptick in purchase orders positively predicts future revenue for manufacturing industries with longer sales cycles. Combined with climbing revenue overall, including standout performers in the Beverage, Clothing, Footwear, and accessories industries, Australian manufacturing appears to be turning a corner compared to the same period last year.
Profitability down, but not out
One of the negative metrics is that profitability (measured as Gross Margin Return on Inventory, or GMROI) is down -8.36% on average this quarter. However, this is likely a temporary flip side of upcoming gains. Taken in the context of rising sales and purchasing, the profitability reduction likely reflects elevated inventory investment by manufacturers, which is yet to be sold. Whether this additional stock represents yet-to-invoice sales or simply prepares for forecasted demand, it will likely improve profit margins over time.
“While profitability measures past performance, purchase orders point to the future. As a whole, the report does not condemn future profitability. It shows a good news story for the Australian manufacturing industry, as we are seeing businesses put a difficult period behind them, and look towards a brighter future,” Adam said.
Excess stock is holding steady
On average, excess stock levels have held steady, up 0.6% in the last quarter. Taking a longer view, excess stock is up a whopping 27.70% compared to the same quarter three years ago, in the heat of the pandemic. While holding more inventory than required is an expensive exercise for manufacturers, Unleashed’s Adam reiterated that overstock is a positive indicator of future sales for Australian producers.
“With the exception of industries with perishable products, an intentional stockpiling of goods indicates a fresh level of confidence amongst Aussie producers. After the post-pandemic overstock crisis, Australian manufacturers were trying to empty their warehouse shelves and free up capital. What we’re seeing now, coupled with an increase in purchase orders for future sales, is that local manufacturers are feeling confident about the future,” said Adam.
Construction building back strong
In the construction manufacturing industry purchase orders were up 9.45% — a particularly promising sign for an industry where there is often a large delay between ordering and revenue
“These metrics show an industry that has struggled of late beginning to trend towards a more positive outlook. Construction can be the ‘canary in the coalmine’ for broader economic trends, often the first to be impacted by negativity, but also the first to see the benefits of the rebound. With that in mind it should be good news for the broader manufacturing sector that Construction is starting to lead a turnaround,” Adam said. unleashedsoftware.com
Electric Motor Power
Axial Flux Motors: Transforming propulsion for a wide range of applications.
In the relentless pursuit of a sustainable and technologically advanced future, AMTIL member Electric Motor Power in Bayswater has recognised that one innovation is emerging as a game-changer across multiple industries. The Axial Flux motor is reshaping the landscape of transportation, energy, and automation, with a compelling promise of a future where efficiency can continue to be improved.
Hristos Matheou is the Operations Manager at Electric Motor Power. His father, Charles, started the company in 1989, making brushed motors for pumps and air conditioning systems, and then they expanded to brushless motors in 2006. “They have greater application for a wider range of industries as the world evolved and you get more autonomous vehicles,” said Matheou. “We now design for applications that didn’t exist 20 years ago. The product's next iteration is the Axial Flux motor, and this is where Reza Faramazi comes in. He joined us last July from the University of Adelaide with a PhD in motor design.”
Reza is an electric motor expert and an enthusiastic proponent of why axial flux motors are compelling for industries seeking advanced and sustainable motor solutions.
Axial flux motors are used in diverse industries, including robotics, automation, aerospace, and renewable energy. They offer versatile solutions, from robotic manipulators to automated manufacturing systems, high-precision positioning platforms, and renewable energy generators.
The new design has emerged as a transformative innovation with profound implications for various applications, including aerospace, electric vehicles (EVs), marine propulsion systems, and autonomous vehicles.
Efficiency redefined: Understanding the core advantages
Axial flux motors are a type of electric motor that differs from traditional radial flux motors due to their unique design and arrangement of magnetic flux. The magnetic flux flows parallel to the motor's axis, as opposed to the radial flow in traditional motors, which ultimately allows for a more compact, quieter, efficient, and lightweight motor.
Their compact size, however, doesn’t impact efficiency. Their short magnetic paths help reduce energy losses, leading to better overall performance. Their flat and compact design also facilitates effective heat dissipation and cooling. Axial flux motors are also well-suited for regenerative braking systems. This is due mainly to their ability to convert kinetic energy back into electrical power during the braking process, contributing to their overall efficiency, adaptability, and capacity to conserve energy.
When space is a critical performance factor, axial flux motors are hard to beat. Their high torque density means they can generate significant torque relative to their size. Regarding converting electricity into a spinning torque, axial flux motors are as efficient as standard radial flux motors. The big difference is the axial flux motor’s smaller size and lighter weight for any given power output, making them a game changer for various uses and industries. The electric vehicle (EV) revolution is undergoing drastic changes, and axial flux motors are steering the industry into a new era. Their high-power density not only extends the range of electric vehicles but can also accelerate charging times and enhance overall performance. Leading automotive manufacturers such as Mercedes-Benz, Ferrari, and Renault have been integrating axial flux motors to redefine the driving experience as we know it.
Robotics and automation: The robo revolution
Axial flux motors are catalysts for innovation in robotics and industrial automation. Their compact size and high power density make them perfect for developing and applying agile and versatile robotic systems, unlocking new possibilities for automation across many industries. The design of axial flux motors creates a lower rotor inertia. This lower inertia facilitates faster acceleration and deceleration of robotic joints, enhancing their overall agility and control. Robots equipped with axial flux motors can quickly respond to changing environmental conditions and navigate complex terrains and smaller spaces more efficiently and precisely.
Fast Forward: A future in flux
A lot of EMP’s work is customised to the client’s requirements. “So we will have a range of tooling for motors of different sizes, and then we will adapt the winding to suit the customer's specific requirements,” explains Matheou. “We keep our overall costs down by not customising every single component. We'll have a standard range of housings, shafts, and flanges, and we do the design work in-house to fit those parameters and adjust for the winding. Sometimes, if the client has specific weight or size restrictions, you must try to find a way to use a smaller motor and ensure it won't overheat.
Materials
“Most of the design upgrades are done by upgrading the materials we use,” explains Reza Faramarzi. “For example, when we go for high-frequency applications, we want to use different types of laminations and not traditional steel. We want to use highperformance amorphous and cobalt steel. This is mainly for highspeed applications. Depending on the number of the poles, it can also be high frequency. “Their main advantage is very low iron loss—almost half of traditional steel with a 0.5mm thickness. This saves many losses, improving efficiency and the saturation level. The saturation level is quite high for cobalt and lower for amorphous steels.
L to R: EMP Founder, Charles Matheou, Reza Faramazi, EMP Design Engineer and Hristos Matheou, EMP Operations Manager.
Interior coils in the Axial Flux motor.
“Magnetic saturation occurs when a material, like iron, reaches its limit for handling magnetic energy. If the magnetic energy exceeds this limit, the material can’t hold any more and loses its strength. This can cause the material to overheat, melt, or burn. This limit is called maximum saturation.
“Cobalt has a high level of saturation. Some materials, like aircraft applications, like when you go for the highest speed and where your high frequency depends on the number of poles, there’s a lot of saturation there, so you must use material that can tolerate that. There is another material we want to use, a composite. We use SMC, which is called Soft Magnetic Composite powder. There are composite powders with different grades for making them in different configurations, pressures, and binders to glue them together. All of these factors will change the performance of that final product.”
Futures
Like anything, the axial flux motor, while promising a greener, cleaner, faster future, isn’t perfect. While these motors offer numerous advantages across numerous industries and applications, from motoring to marine and military, their unique design poses manufacturing challenges.
The choice of materials is also crucial for their performance. Magnetic materials and materials used for the motor's structure and winding impact factors like efficiency, reliability, and cost. Another factor limiting the market's growth is the highly technological manufacturing process. Refining the process to ensure precise alignment of the motor’s components while maintaining a high manufacturing accuracy and quality level can be more demanding than traditional motors. Supposing industry predictions are anything to go by. In that case, the axial flux motor market is one to watch, predicted to grow at a CAGR of 10.8% and be valued
at US$870.65m by 2027, with the automotive industry driving the demand. Electric Motor Power has identified the enormous benefits of harnessing this technology and believes it is an exciting time to be part of a transition to cleaner, green energy, committing to investing in the research, development, and manufacturing of these motors. Investing in axial flux motors allows Electric Motor Power to support other Australian and international businesses. Other projects in that range of sectors are in growth industries such as electric vehicles, in-wheel applications for e-bikes, and other projects that require high power density and lower weight within their systems. This investment also gives Australia a sovereign production capability for government and defence applications for rotating machines, including turrets, periscopes, and gimbals. Only a few companies worldwide have the same design and production capability. This, in turn, can support Electric Motor Power’s export capability, allowing Australian manufacturing to compete with global motor manufacturers. This has the potential to uplift local parts suppliers. This technology can help the company reduce its carbon footprint and assist other Australian start-ups gain a foothold in their industries by offering them the best motor technology for their projects. The team has been dedicated to working on various construction techniques (single/multi-rotor/stator) and the comparative use of various materials, such as amorphous vs. SMC vs. steel, to produce a modular system that meets various performance requirements without incurring high custom modification costs for multiple applications.
While integrating this into the business is still a step-by-step process, it’s a promising one that includes continued R&D, motor design software to analyse different concepts, and building prototypes for proof of concept on motors of different sizes and internal configurations. The process also includes tooling for the commercialisation of the product, with the ultimate goal of providing a unit that is affordable for end users in volume production.
Aviation and aerospace: The sky is the limit
Rolls-Royce’s electric aircraft, the Spirit of Innovation, is the world's fastest electric vehicle. Its propeller is driven by three compact and light axial flux motors, which contribute to aerodynamics and can significantly reduce the aircraft's weight.
The aerospace industry is already benefitting from the allure of axial flux motors. Battery Electric Aircraft (BEA) concepts have been leveraging the motors' lightweight and efficient design to redefine electric propulsion systems. Thanks to their adaptability to different aircraft configurations, they can be used for traditional fixed-wing aeroplanes or unconventional vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft, paving the way for faster, greener, and more efficient air and space travel. emppl.com.au
Rolls-Royce's electric aircraft, the Spirit of Innovation
Packserv Australia
Packserv is the largest rental machinery provider to the FMCG packaging sector and a global distributor of the highest quality packaging machinery.
As Packserv approaches its 18th year as a local packaging machinery supplier, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the company’s journey and the opportunities for Australian manufacturing. Over nearly two decades, Packserv has earned its reputation as a trusted manufacturer of filling, capping, and conveying machines and a distributor of high-quality printing and labelling equipment.
“We are one of the last local manufacturers in Australia to build this type of machinery,” Nathan Wardell, Managing Director of Packserv Australia added. With three generations of experience in packaging machinery, Wardell designed the first Packserv machine in his garage for a wellknown pharmaceutical company.
Packserv’s commitment to quality is evident in its high standards, maintained using premium materials such as 316 stainless steel and 6061-grade anodised aluminium. With a 'buy for life' philosophy, Packserv’s machines are engineered for longevity when properly maintained. As customer needs evolve, Packserv offers trade-in options for equipment upgrades, and traded-in machines become part of its rental fleet.
Packserv remains a strong advocate and supporter of the Australian-made movement. The company collaborates with technology and academic institutions to advance innovation, constantly raising industry standards. Their commitment to innovation has been recognised with awards such as the ABA100® Winner for New Product Innovation in the 2024 Australian Business Awards and the 2024
@AUManufacturing Top 50 Most Innovative Manufacturers. “We’ve invested significant time, energy, and resources into developing our in-house manufacturing capabilities,” said Wardell. “This reduces our reliance on third parties and international supply chains, ensuring we can provide local support and technical expertise. It’s a significant opportunity for Australian manufacturers that need onshore servicing and support.”
In recent years, rising inflation and economic pressures have pushed many manufacturers out of the market or forced them to consolidate. However, some businesses have capitalised on the less competitive landscape. Given the current economic challenges, Packserv has seen increased demand for its rental and rentto-buy options. Packserv is one of the few Australian companies offering packaging machinery rentals, rent-to-buy options, and comprehensive client support. This approach is particularly appealing for businesses looking to minimise capital expenditure.
“We provide flexible rental terms, including short- and long-term hire options, with no minimum hire period, accompanied by full support, and the freedom to cancel at any time,” explained Wardell. “Clients can still purchase equipment outright, opt for rent-to-buy, or take advantage of our new bundled packaging machinery finance packages through our finance partner Finlease.”
These options help customers preserve cash flow while immediately accessing the necessary machinery. Packserv’s flexible model has become a lifeline for many
manufacturers, enabling them to stay agile in a volatile market. This adaptability allows businesses to maintain operations without the upfront financial strain of purchasing new equipment outright.
Due to recent economic pressures, some businesses have reverted to importing machinery. However, Packserv provides a reliable alternative. “Businesses are waiting months for overseas machinery that often doesn’t work when it finally arrives,” Wardell said. “Our locally manufactured equipment is available immediately, helping Australian businesses avoid long lead times and keep their operations running smoothly.”
Wardell emphasises the importance of supporting local manufacturing, not just for economic resilience but also for maintaining a robust national industry.
“We’re here to give manufacturers the tools they need to succeed. By keeping production local, we can help Australian businesses stay competitive and resilient in global challenges.” packserv.com.au
Nathan Wardell Managing Director Packserv
Metalworking gear motors
Bonfiglioli solutions put power into the local metalworking industries.
Australia’s metalworking industries are integral to the country’s economy, supplying key sectors ranging from defence and transport to construction and infrastructure. The steel industry, for example, employs around 120,000 Australians.
With Australia poised to become a green superpower and drive the global reduction in emissions, the metalworking industry will continue to play an important role. As part of its Future Made in Australia plan, the Government is prioritising the green metals industry, specifically the production of low-emission iron, steel, alumina, and aluminium.
“As a long-standing manufacturer of solutions for the metal sheet handling industry, supplying innovations that meet the sector’s changing requirements, Bonfiglioli is well-positioned to support customers,” said Martin Broglia, MD of Bonfiglioli Australia and New Zealand, recently.
The company offers an extensive portfolio of dedicated solutions for metal cutting, bending, punching, and forming and shaping.
Bonfiglioli supplies a wide range of Planetary Hydraulic or Electric gear motors with controls, ensuring optimal performance in metal plate rolling or profile bending applications.
The 300 Series Roller Drive, featuring a wide range of ratios and reinforced output shaft bearings, easily handles shock loads up to 2,000,000Nm. It delivers exceptional torque control. “With its modular design, flexible input options, multiple output configurations and accessories, this drive is a great option for heavy-duty metal plate bending,” said Broglia.
Meanwhile, the company’s BX Series Asynchronous IE3 Three Phase Motor offers reliable, balanced and robust performance and energy efficiency. “This is a complete solution, with a power range of up to 355kWh and rotor balancing,” said Broglia. “It features thermal protection and ventilation, anti-corrosive paint coatings, IP56 protection and anti-condensate heaters. It’s available with built-in brakes for all power options and sizes.”
Bonfiglioli’s Active Cube Series Premium Frequency Inverters are also ideal for metal plate rolling or bending applications, enabling highly customisable drive control and higher productivity. With a power range of up to 1200kWh, it delivers advanced brake control, multi-drive synchronisation and torque control. “This inverter is easily installed and has energy recovery braking functionality – sending recovered electricity back to the grid,” explained Broglia.
He reiterated that Bonfiglioli’s portfolio is not the only thing that sets it apart; the company’s global network and
commitment to customer support and service also contribute to its success.
“Through our international network, we ensure that customers can enjoy Bonfiglioli’s top-quality solutions anywhere. We have invested in our local presence, expanding our Sydney and New Zealand facilities to meet the growing demand for our solutions and services,” stated Broglia. “Our dedicated services, co-engineering expertise and after-sales support continue to make us one of the metalworking sector’s most sought-after partners.”
bonfiglioli.com/australia/en
Martin Broglia, MD of Bonfiglioli Australia and New Zealand
300 Series
BX Series
Active Cube inverter
Performatec Australia
A story of transformation in Australian manufacturing: Pioneering excellence in CNC machinery solutions.
Performatec Australia's journey involves innovation, adaptability, and a steadfast commitment to supporting Australian manufacturers and fabricators.
Established in 2004 as Performance Cutting Supplies, the company initially focused on supplying high-quality abrasive garnet to the manufacturing sector. Just before 2007, it recognised opportunities for growth and diversification and rebranded as Performance Waterjet. This pivotal shift reflected its growing expertise in waterjet technology and its ambition to address more complex manufacturing challenges. Around this time, Performance Waterjet achieved its first significant technological milestone by developing the abrasive sludge removal system (ASR). This groundbreaking solution demonstrated its commitment to solving industry-specific problems.
In 2008, Performance Waterjet expanded into the waterjet parts market, further consolidating its position as a comprehensive solutions provider. By 2009, strategic partnerships with global leaders such as H2OJET and KMT Waterjet enabled Performance Waterjet to strengthen its expertise and market presence in waterjet technology. These collaborations enhanced its product offerings and underscored its reputation for delivering innovative and reliable solutions tailored to the needs of Australian manufacturers.
The sale of Performance Waterjet’s first waterjet system in 2013 marked a significant milestone and set the stage for ongoing progress. By 2015, the introduction of 5-axis waterjet systems demonstrated the company’s flexibility. By 2016, it had expanded into the food industry, underscoring its commitment to delivering practical solutions supported by reliable service. In 2018, Performance Waterjet’s appointment as the Australian distributor for Flow Waterjet, the largest worldwide manufacturer, further strengthened its position and broadened its market reach.
In 2024, Performatec was born with a rebrand that symbolised its evolution from a specialist in waterjet systems to a purveyor of advanced CNC cutting and folding machinery. The name, derived from Performance Manufacturing Technologies, reflects this broader mission to deliver integrated solutions tailored to diverse industrial needs.
Global
partnerships that define quality
Strategic partnerships with world-leading manufacturers such as Flow Waterjet and Baykal underpin Performatec's reputation as a provider of high-quality CNC machinery. These collaborations enable Performatec to offer advanced technologies that meet the evolving demands of Australian manufacturers.
Flow Waterjet: Leaders in precision cutting
Flow Waterjet, founded in 1974 by former Boeing scientists, pioneered waterjet cutting technology. With innovations such as the world's first abrasive waterjet system and the HyperJet® pump rated at 87,000 psi, Flow has set the global standard for precision and versatility in material processing. Over its five-decade history, Flow has delivered more than 15,000 systems across 100 countries.
Performatec's partnership with Flow Waterjet ensures Australian manufacturers have access to this industry-leading technology. Flow's waterjet systems cut virtually any material, such as metals, composites, glass, or stone, with impressive accuracy while preserving structural integrity. Backed by Performatec's local expertise and support network, these systems empower businesses to tackle complex cutting challenges confidently.
Baykal: A legacy of excellence in metalworking machinery
Founded in the early 1950s, Baykal has grown into one of Europe's largest and most respected manufacturers of sheet metalworking machinery. With over 70,000 square metres of production facilities and a workforce of 650 skilled employees, Baykal combines decades of engineering expertise with cutting-edge innovation. Baykal is renowned for its precision engineering and quality craftsmanship. All machines are designed, manufactured, and assembled in-house at their state-of-the-art facilities in Turkey, ensuring strict quality control at every stage. The company holds ISO 9001 certification from TÜV NORD and was the first Turkish machine-tool manufacturer to meet European CE safety standards. Today, Baykal exports its products to over 100 countries,
TASMANIA
maintaining a strong reputation as a leader in press brakes, guillotines, laser-cutting machines, and other advanced metal fabrication technologies.
This legacy of innovation and reliability aligns perfectly with Performatec's mission to deliver high-quality solutions tailored to the needs of Australian manufacturers. Performatec provides endto-end support for Baykal equipment. From supply and installation to operator training and lifetime technical assistance, the company strives to ensure clients can fully leverage their machinery investment to boost production and significantly lower overheads.
Meeting the needs of an evolving industry
Performatec's evolution reflects its deep understanding of the challenges faced by Australian manufacturers. By combining its partnerships with Flow Waterjet and Baykal with its customer service and technical support expertise, Performatec offers an extensive range of CNC machinery designed to enhance efficiency and precision across industries such as construction, defence, fabrication, and food processing.
The company’s product portfolio includes:
CNC Waterjet Cutting Machines - Ideal for intricate cuts across various materials.
CNC Fibre Laser Cutters - High-speed profile cutting solutions that minimise waste while maximising productivity.
CNC Press Brakes - Essential for accurate metal bending and folding tasks.
Hydraulic Guillotines - Engineered for powerful yet precise sheet metal cutting.
This comprehensive offering positions Performatec as a partner capable of addressing immediate production needs and long-term operational goals. Performatec supports manufacturers with an
extensive, well-maintained inventory of spare parts and accessories valued at over $3m. By providing same-day dispatch, clients can minimise downtime and ensure seamless operations. Performatec’s stock is a trusted resource for Australian manufacturers, from consumables to critical machine components.
Further enhancing its service capabilities, Performatec recently opened a state-of-the-art machinery demonstration centre in New South Wales. This facility allows clients to experience the latest CNC technologies through regular open-house trade shows and hands-on demonstrations available throughout the week. The demonstration centre serves as both an educational hub and a space for manufacturers to explore tailored solutions that meet their needs.
Reflections on the manufacturing sector
The story of Performatec reflects the broader shifts happening in the Australian manufacturing industry. Companies today are pressured to adopt advanced technologies to maintain competitiveness while balancing operational costs and efficiency. Performatec's transition from a specialist supplier of waterjet technology to a more comprehensive provider of CNC machinery solutions parallels those broader industry trends.
Their journey also underscores the importance of adaptability and customer-focused growth. Performatec's expansion, driven by client needs and an evolving market, symbolises how manufacturers must continuously innovate and adapt to thrive in a rapidly moving, increasingly technology-driven landscape.
By combining advanced tools with tailored support, Performatec aims to strengthen the resilience of the Australian manufacturing sector, ensuring that companies are equipped to handle current and future challenges.
For more information or to explore their product offerings, visit their website or contact their team directly. performatec.com.au
ISCAR’s LOGIQUICK
Back to high-speed drilling with SUMOCHAM heads.
SUMOCHAM, a complete line of drills with exchangeable carbide cutting heads, is one of ISCAR's most innovative and successful products. Founded at the turn of the century, this family is known for being one of the significant developments in ISCAR's product range.
The SUMOCHAM line is intended for high-speed drilling and is well-regarded for its productivity, reliability, usability, and versatility. It addresses a common challenge in drilling operations: the timeconsuming process of changing the entire drill. With SUMOCHAM, only the drilling head needs to be replaced, which can be done quickly, without regrinding, and without any additional setup procedure. This NO-SETUP-TIME design concept allows the head replacement without withdrawing the drill from the machine spindle, significantly reducing downtime.
Over the years, ISCAR has continued to expand and upgrade the SUMOCHAM line and its derivatives, introducing new features and innovations to improve performance and productivity further. Therefore, it is understandable that the LOGIQUICK campaign should have noticed the continued development of such practical and popular drilling tools. Predictably, the new designs that enhanced the company's hole-making portfolio were of interest to manufacturers involved in metal cutting.
ISCAR's assembled drills with exchangeable three-flute heads have already received enough space for discussion. Hence, we can limit ourselves to mentioning that this concept has enabled ISCAR to create a family of counterboring tools, which seems promising. Combining the SUMOCHAM with a MULTI-MASTER connection substantially expands the product range, providing new options for finding optimal tool configurations.
In addition, the development of the line can be seen in various directions. One is QUICKDRILL – a family of drills with exchangeable carbide heads designed primarily for machining under challenging conditions, such as entering or exiting slanted surfaces, drilling through cross holes, etc. Each drill in this family features a robust head securing mechanism that incorporates the SUMOCHAM selfclamping principle and a side lock screw (Fig. 1). The drill body is made from high-grade steel. It includes a specially shaped flute to optimise the strength characteristics of the body's cross-section. Dual nozzles deliver a large volume of coolant directly to the cutting zone, maintaining uninterrupted coolant flow. Additionally, the head's specially designed geometry significantly enhances the drill's ability to withstand unfavourable machining conditions. Moreover, the nearly straight and polished flute facilitates using the drill on lathes as a stationary tool, allowing for smooth chip evacuation.
MODUDRILL, a family of modular hole-making tools, has expanded with new replaceable heads designed for relatively large diameters between 30 and 40 mm. These products feature two fully effective cutting edges: one SUMOCHAM head at the centre and two trigonshaped indexable inserts on the periphery (Fig. 2). In the modular assembly, the newly introduced replaceable heads enable stable and productive drilling up to an 8:1 hole-depth-to-diameter ratio without the need for a pre-drilled hole.
Another exciting development relates to the ongoing evolution of the miniature-part-machining sector and the growing demands for improved performance of small-sized tools. ISCAR's PICCO products, specifically designed for various micro-machining operations providing high accuracy and fine surface quality, are well known on the market and have received good marks from manufacturers. According to the design concept, a typical PICCO tool comprises a steel holder and a carbide cutting part inserted into the holder. The primary application range of these products
relates to turning and parting, grooving and threading, and this explains the popularity of PICCO as an efficient tool for Swiss-type machines and small CNC lathes.
The LOGIQUICK campaign has unveiled intriguing additions to the PICCO line that show great promise. The primary focus of these new additions is to make the carbide insert suitable for holemaking operations. One of the latest products is a solid carbide drill equipped with a shank designed for PICCO connections. The drill's internal channels facilitate direct coolant flow to the cutting edge, improving cooling, lubrication effects, and chip removal. Additionally, its slim design enhances accessibility, allowing for machining in hard-toreach areas.
The following new development integrates SUMOCHAM and PICCO into one advantageous solution. It is represented by a durable body with the PICCO connection that mounts an exchangeable SUMOCHAM drilling head (Fig. 3). The internal coolant supply, exceptional dimensional repeatability during head replacement, and high versatility due to the body's compatibility with a wide range of heads make this product worth mentioning.
The third PICCO enhancement aims to improve internal turning (boring) and chamfering operations performance. It introduces a new insert for PICCO holders with three effective cutting edges. Like the previously discussed products, this insert utilises internal coolant channels to improve chip control and extend tool life.
In hole making, the MULTI-MASTER concept of an assembled tool with exchangeable solid carbide cutting heads secured in the tool body with a threaded connection has especially attracted attention when drilling at shallow depths. The efficient three-flute design of the LOGIQ-3-CHAM drill geometry, coupled with the exceptional robustness of the MULTI-MASTER approach, has resulted in a new productive solution for shallow-depth drilling applications (Fig. 4), precisely when machining materials that generate short chips.
Continuing the review of the latest LOGIQUICK products, other new developments in the holemaking field should also be mentioned. These include slim hydraulic chucks that enable high rotational speeds and feature impressive runout repeatability, double-chamfer guide pads for deep-hole drilling tools to ensure smooth entry and improve surface finish, and extra-long solid carbide drills for machining cast iron (ISO K application group).
The digital component of a drilling tool has expanded its offerings with a new function for e-catalogue users: the Geometry Checker. This tool lets users quickly and easily select the correct drilling heads for various operations.
Summarising the above, it is evident that the new LOGIQUICK development in holemaking continues advancing the company's successful lines. It reaffirms ISCAR's distinctive hallmarks: a commitment to enhancing customer profitability by creating highly versatile tools that utilise high-performance cutting. iscar.com
hg medical
Micro-precision milling cutter impresses in the medical sector.
Grade 5 titanium (Ti6Al4V) is considered a super material par excellence. Implants made from this material are sturdy, but also lightweight and biocompatible, do not trigger reactions or allergies, do not rust, and are not magnetic. However, grade 5 is also something else: very difficult to machine.
The Micro Diver from Gühring cut through all the difficulties for the medical device manufacturer hg medical. Hg medical from Raisting (Upper Bavaria) manufactures 95% of its components from grade 5 titanium. These include various bone plates, bone screws and implants for orthopaedic and general surgery. And yet, however impressive grade 5 titanium is in practice, it is also extremely challenging to machine: Due to the high toughness of the material, high cutting forces occur during chip formation and there is also a risk of chips sticking to the cutting edge. In addition, titanium has extremely poor thermal conductivity: The temperatures up to 1200°C that occur within the cutting zone are also conducive to tool wear.
Cutting edge chipping on a bone plate
These were the problems facing hg medical in the manufacturing of a grade 5 titanium bone plate: Chippings began appearing on the cutting edges of the milling cutters used after just a short amount of time. So, the head of the milling workshop, Florian Lukats, contacted his tool supplier, who has been advising hg medical on machining problems for 20 years: “Gühring is a good partner and has a broad portfolio of products in the tooling sector,” Lukats confirmed. “Even when we need solutions quickly, we can always rely on Gühring to deliver.”
Gühring has greatly expanded its expertise in the field of medical technology in recent years, especially about the design of tools and processes for tricky components. Tools are individually tailored to the customer and tested at the in-house test centres. “This allows us to prepare the process to achieve the best results for the customer and provide them with both tools and an individually adjusted machining strategy so that they can get started right away,” explained Daniel Laqua.
As a Gühring application technician, he is in charge of designing products in the micro-precision tools group – including for hg medical. When he heard which material needed to be processed in this case, a specific Gühring tool immediately came to mind: “The RF 100 Micro Diver is our top tool for special alloys in the micro range,”
said Laqua. “Grade 5 titanium is a real challenge, but the Micro Diver meets it with the right geometry and its high substrate and coating hardness.” He had already achieved very good results with the micro high-performance milling cutter, especially in the field of medical technology.
Effective cooling in the micro range
With the RF 100 Micro Diver, Gühring offers a high-performance tool for machining challenging materials in the micro range. One of the most impressive features of the micro-precison milling cutter is its innovative internal cooling: The shank contains internal coolant ducts arranged in a pitch circle around the cutting wedge. During milling, they supply the flow of coolant into the cutting zone. Cooling as effective as this is indispensable, especially for grade 5 titanium, as it is needed to reduce the high temperatures during milling and thus extend the tool life. Another key criterion for tools used to machine titanium is reliable chip removal. As Christian Sieker points out, the RF 100 Micro Diver also scores points here. Sieker is the Gühring product manager for micro tools. “The optimised tool surfaces ensure that chips do not stick in the flute but are removed safely.” The tools provide an extra smooth layer to achieve this. “In addition to protecting against abrasive wear, this has the advantage that the tension between
the chips and the tool is significantly lower, which also reduces the thermal load on the cutting edges,” said Sieker.
Customer-specific carbide from Gühring
However, although the RF 100 Micro Diver achieves excellent results in most applications, it could only partially showcase its strengths in a specific application. Why was that? The component in question is a small, very thin plate that cannot be optimally clamped. As the milling cutter travels along it, the plate vibrates, causing small impacts that the carbide cannot absorb. The milling cutter starts to chip. But in this case, Gühring has a clear advantage over many other tool manufacturers, as Laqua explains. “We produce the carbide for our tools and can therefore adapt the individual components perfectly to suit the machining job.” As such, the experts at Gühring designed a carbide substrate that gives the tool a high level of toughness and heat resistance – ideal, even when under high dynamic cutting forces. Complemented by a Gühring coating for good gliding properties and additional wear protection.
Double the tool life, hardly any wear
The Micro Diver was tested for approximately 1100 minutes until it showed initial signs of wear on the cutting edges and had to be replaced. The feed rate was also more than twice as high with the new tool, which significantly impacted the machining time per component. For hg medical, this means lower set-up costs with consistent quality and, as a result, considerable cost savings. At the same time, the surface quality has even been improved in some areas. Florian Lukats from hg medical is impressed: “Titanium is known to be a material that is hard to machine, but thanks to the excellent cooperation with Gühring, we were able to stabilise the milling process.” For him, this is further proof of the good working relationship with Gühring: “As our tool supplier, Gühring has been involved in the growth of hg medical from the outset, as we have an advantage over competitors thanks to such stable milling processes.” hg-medical.de/en/ guhring.com.au
Gühring Product Manager Christian Sieker (left) introduces Mike Stutenz from hg medical to the RF 100 Micro Diver.
Innovations in cutting tools
How Sandvik Coromant is solving machining challenges for the aerospace industry.
Composite materials have emerged as game-changers across multiple industries, revolutionising manufacturing with their lightweight, high-strength properties. In this article, Bruno Gardes, Head of Sales and Customer Application Support, Business Unit Solid Round Tools at global metal cutting leader Sandvik Coromant, examines the unique challenges of machining composites materials in aerospace manufacturing and outlines the research and development (R&D) efforts of Sandvik Coromant to support this sector.
For over eight decades, Sandvik Coromant has epitomised excellence in providing cutting-edge tools and expertise to the metalworking industry. A significant milestone in Sandvik Coromant's trajectory was its foray into producing cutting tools tailored for composite materials. This venture was catalysed by the aerospace industry's shift towards composite usage for weight reduction, driven by aerospace industry programs like manufacturing the Boeing 787 Dreamliner (B787) and Airbus A350 XWB (A350).
Demands for lighter aircraft
The B787 is a long-range, wide-body airliner developed by Boeing in the early 2000s. It was conceived as a replacement for the Boeing 767 and was designed to offer improved fuel efficiency and range. Notably, the B787 incorporates a high proportion of composite materials in its construction, making it lighter and more fuel-efficient compared to traditional aluminium aircraft.
Like its Boeing counterpart, the Airbus A350 incorporates advanced composite materials extensively in its airframe.
Composites such as Carbon fiberreinforced polymer (CFRP) and Glass fiberreinforced polymer (GFRP) offer aerospace manufacturers a compelling alternative to traditional metals, such as aluminium and steel, due to their superior strengthto-weight ratio and corrosion resistance. By integrating composites into aircraft structures, manufacturers can significantly reduce weight, emissions, and payload capacity. Additionally, composites offer greater design flexibility, enabling the creation of aerodynamic shapes and structures that enhance overall performance.
Research & development
The technical intricacies of machining composites require a nuanced and multifaceted approach. Sandvik Coromant has intensified its R&D efforts in this area, acknowledging these challenges.
PPT joins RJS Tech
Prestige Precision Tools Pty Ltd joins the RJS Tech Group.
Prestige Precision Tools Pty Ltd is thrilled to announce that it is now part of the RJS Tech Group, kicking off an exciting new chapter focused on innovation and quality. Since 1999, Prestige has built a reputation for top-notch, Australian-made precision tooling, and that legacy only gets stronger as it joins the RJS Tech Group. A recent push to expand tooling capabilities has seen significant investments in cuttingedge technology, all aimed at better meeting customer needs and delivering quality you can count on.
The Prestige team’s commitment to excellence gets a boost with Mark Franklin joining as the new Manufacturing Manager. Mark Franklin is a big name in the world of precision tooling, with over 30 years of international experience in process engineering and manufacturing. Known
Part of this endeavour includes creating a specialised engineering team for composite machining. This team operates in Sandvik Coromant’s labs, which are equipped with various machinery, including ADUs, hand drilling machines, and CNC equipment. The ADUs, or Automatic Drilling Units, are particularly noteworthy workhorses in these setups. In the labs, the research process begins with prototyping and rigorous testing using the exact stack materials provided. Through capability tests, the team’s engineers can validate for his ability to turn production capabilities around and roll out advanced tooling technology, he has led the Prestige team to secure ISO 9001 certification and set the stage for more growth and excellence under the RJS Tech Group banner. With new resources and skills, Prestige has added a suite of ANCA CNC grinding machines to its lineup. These machines work alongside the existing Walter CNC machines to increase precision and flexibility. A new Platit coating plant— unique to the southern hemisphere— offers industry-leading surface treatments for tougher, longer-lasting tools. Product quality and consistency are also improving, with new OTEC polishing machines ensuring every tool meets high standards of finish and precision. To maintain quality control, Prestige has also brought
and some far smaller. The clientele also spans different industries, providing a unique opportunity to continually learn, develop, and cross-pollinate the industry with more effective and innovative methods of composite machining.
As the aerospace industry continues pursuing lighter, more efficient aircraft, composite materials' significance and challenges cannot be overstated. Through intensive R&D, Sandvik Coromant has pioneered advancements in composite machining technologies. From PCD tooling to the groundbreaking veined PCD technology and the integration of AM, Sandvik Coromant continues redefining composites' possibilities for aerospace manufacturing. sandvik.coromant.com
in advanced tool edge measurement analysis from Bruker Alicona, allowing them to zero in on performance with exacting attention to detail. These updates and Prestige’s recent ISO 9001 certification show a commitment to ongoing improvement and high standards. With support from RJS Tech Group and a talented team, Prestige is set for growth that builds on its roots while looking to an innovative future. Together, Prestige Precision Tools and RJS Tech Group are pushing the Australian tooling industry to new heights of quality and capability. With a shared drive for advanced technology, skilled craftsmanship, and dedication to getting the job done right, they're shaping a bright future for the industry.
rjstechgroup.com.au
Milestones for TRJ
Ten years of AMTIL membership for TRJ Engineering. And 50 years under the belt as well.
TRJ Engineering just celebrated ten years of AMTIL membership and 50 years of business last April. General Manager David Murphy told AMT that his father started TRJ in 1974, and David took over about 25 years ago.
“The business has moved from Keysborough and expanded out of sight over those years,” he said, “and only in the past eight years has it settled into one considerable site here in Hallam.”
Back then, TRJ joined AMTIL to discover what was happening in manufacturing in Australia, Murphy said. “TRJ was getting bigger, and I was looking at how to get support for myself and my team because we’ve evolved with the business. I wanted to see what was out there that could help TRJ with its training and support. AMTIL could direct me to people who eventually became part of the TRJ business and its growing needs. I continue to use AMTIL, but now it’s a call to the team, and I have a great relationship with them.”
TRJ has been a part of the Manufacturers Pavilion with the AMW shows here in Melbourne, where they’ve had some success. “I’ve attended dinners with other businesses where we could network and receive advice from lawyers and other people, but the thing recently that we have loved being a part of is the CNC operator’s employment program with Greg Chalker at AMTIL and Chisolm Institute. This showed me what training was available for my team. Ultimately, we employed some great people from this trial. I see this as a key tool for engaging and training our team in the future.”
TRJ Engineering has a pretty good client base, which is a great position to be in. “We're doing a lot of work for train and tram building for Victoria at the moment, so we've got an excellent relationship,” said Murphy. “I think we're the only fabricator that is the preferred supplier, and that’s opened up many doors. TRJ Engineering has also built welding jigs and rotating jigs and a lot of that type of work for these projects.
“We've also had a longstanding relationship with a local southeast Melbourne refrigerated transport company, where we build between 80 and 90 B-Doubles for them per year and have done so for a long time now,” added Murphy.
“We're building two different trailers for them now. We've got a 12-pallet trailer and a 16-pallet trailer, which we used to build 12-pallet trailers only. We've separated the two and are building trailers of both sizes. So that's worked out well.” Regarding the kinds of robotics, most of the gear at TRJ are CNC machines. They also have a rotary laser cutter, a flatbed laser cutter, and an old machine centre, which does the job well. “All the brake presses are CNC. The rotary laser has been an enormous asset for TRJ. They can now cut RHS, angle, pipe, handrails, balustrades, and basic shop fittings. This purchase has improved out deliver on-time performance and accuracy for our clients.”
TRJ was one of the first engineering businesses in Melbourne to purchase a laser cutter, in 2002. “This was a real progression for the business from profile cutting,” explained Murphy. “We’ve had a few through the journey, but the flatbed laser has become a key tool for our business. We bought a rotary tube laser from Applied Machinery two years ago. This has improved our delivery performance immensely. Getting jobs to fabrication has improved dramatically.” TRJ also just bought a laser welder in the last six months. They are still in the learning phase, but what Murphy has seen produced so far has impressed him. “The laser welder was purchased from INTERMACH, and their support has been great,” he said. “It is a tool all fabrication shops will need as the technology improves and we can weld safely. I can see more of these being purchased,” added Murphy.
A 3D scanner was purchased a few years ago. It helps gather the dimensions of sample parts. “We also use it to scan sites where some work is to be installed. It's impressive to get a scanned model of a stair and bring it back to the shop, where we can add handrails and know what we send to the site is accurate. Once again, these are the tools that are evolving the business.”
The good news is that TRJ hasn’t ever been this busy. “We haven't slowed down,” said Murphy. “We are pretty good at strategising, and because we're not a next-day company, we're building ongoing stuff. When work comes in, we plan and execute, which helps us decide what jobs to pick and when.”
trjengineering.com.au
A Class Metal Finishers
After 20 years of AMTIL membership and 30 years in business, A Class Metal Finishers is calling it a day.
A Class Metal Finishers opened in 1989 as a business run by the Wood brothers Greg, Phil and Rodney, and their families in Adelaide. The brothers' foundational skills were developed in previous employment with South Australia’s then-largest electroplating supplier, Associated Metal Improvements (AMI).
At that time, AMI was heavily focused on high-volume processing for the manufacturing sector. Still, the brothers became aware there were many smaller manufacturers and vehicle restorers not being serviced. This was the basis for them starting the business.
“We broke all the business survival records - like, 80% of startups don’t make it to the end of year one,” stated Amanda Wood, Director at A Class Metal Finishers. “Only 20% of those who do survive their first year make it to five years, and so on. The odds of making it to 30 years are quite staggering.” With 20 Years of AMTIL membership under their belt, A Class Metal Finishers used the connections to stay in touch with those in the same industry, to keep informed about new technologies and those bringing new vitality into industry.
By 2007, the company was employing 80 staff across four divisions dedicated to decorative plating, functional coatings, chrome parts restoration, and a large division focussed on motorcycle wheels exclusively. From 2007 onwards saw a severe decline in market demand as more and more of the larger component producers in the manufacturing sector were lured offshore (primarily to China) by lower cost/cheaper labour availability. Before the sale of the plating divisions earlier in 2024 there were 25 staff employed across the plating and restoration division. There and now 11 people in the Restoration division (which is winding down and will likely be closed during 2025).
Sadly, a succession of the remaining restoration division to a new owner has eluded the company - primarily due to the quirky nature and diversity of the restoration processes and skills involved. The company carries heavily the disappointment that its closure will bring to the automotive restorers community who have depended on the high-quality services in plating, polishing and surface repairs that A Class has supplied for many years under Greg Wood’s leadership. But the time has come for Greg to move on to other things in life. aclassmetal.com.au
Improving your company’s productivity and your product quality
At HACO, we strive for innovation and excellence, with efficient solutions and the best price-quality ratio. We are the reliable, flexible total supplier for machine tools, translating Haco’s global expertise locally.
Haco Laser Systems combine precision and performance to redefine metal cutting. With advanced technology, they deliver unmatched accuracy and efficiency for any project. Cut smarter and faster with Haco.
Range from 6mm up to 32mm cutting capacity and 3000mm up to 6000mm cutting length. Haco Guillotines offer precision, power, and reliability for all your cutting needs.
Our Haco innovative CNC range of press brakes with capacities ranging from 40T to 600T and working lengths up to 10000mm are executed with minimum 3-axis and go up to 12 axis plus automated robot integration.
BOMAR bandsaws –European manufacturer of a complete range cost-effective and high-quality bandsaws.
Could you spend $8m in 13 weekends?
Running a four-car team in the Supercars Championship is a monumental task, requiring exceptional drivers and engineers and an unparalleled level of preparation and fabrication.
Brad Jones Racing (BJR) is among the most respected teams in the Supercars Championship, Australia’s premier touring car racing series. Based in Albury, NSW, BJR was founded by brothers Brad and Kim Jones. They successfully competed in various racing series throughout the 1990s before entering the Supercars championship in 2000. Supercars is known for its high-intensity races and technical demands. In 2023, it introduced its current Generation 3 Chevrolet Camaros and Ford Mustangs.
These purpose-built race cars require thousands of bespoke parts and retain very little of their production models. Running a four-car team in this elite series, as BJR does, is a monumental challenge and requires over 50 full-time staff.
Managing four cars means preparing, maintaining, and sometimes wholly rebuilding them between race meetings, which requires extraordinary resources and precision. Running one car for the entire season will cost BJR around $2m if all goes well. The immense fabrication and engineering effort behind the scenes at BJR is critical to its success, and its partnership with Hare & Forbes Machineryhouse plays a pivotal role in enabling this.
Hare & Forbes Machineryhouse supplies BJR with a range of workshop equipment, and their collaboration with BJR ensures that the team has access to state-ofthe-art machinery, service and support. At the heart of BJR’s operations are four CNC machines, including an advanced DN Solutions LYNX 2100LSYB - CNC Turning Centre and a VC630/5AX, 5-Axis Machining Centre. These DN Solutions machines allow BJR to produce complex and precise components in-house, which is crucial for their GEN 3 Camaros. The team manufactures over 630 parts for their Supercars, showcasing their ability to meet the high demands of Supercars racing. By producing components on-site, BJR reduces lead times, ensures total quality control, and when the rules allow, creates a competitive edge. With all the parts on hand, the team can assemble a complete race car in as little as five days. Starting from scratch, one car will take six weeks to build. Of course, this doesn’t include the thousands of hours of design beforehand.
The manufacturing team at BJR includes four full-time employees and three fabricators, led by Production Manager Danny Sims. Together, they utilise DN Solutions CNC Turning and Machining Centres and Bodor Laser machines,
which provide precision cutting for intricate parts. The team boasts an impressive range of machinery, which includes a Bemato Surface grinder, Bekamak Metal Cutting Bandsaw, Metalmaster Guillotine, Metalmaster 28 series welding table, and an array of brackets jigs and fixtures.
The Welding table is a crucial piece of equipment, allowing the team to build and repair several chassis and suspension components to exact measurements using pre-made jigs. Brad has released a series of short-form YouTube videos over the last couple of years, explaining a lot of mechanical, fabrication, and engineering aspects of the team. Check them out next time you’re surfing.
Beyond their cars, BJR also fabricates category-specific components for other Supercars teams, such as billet wheel nuts, wing supports, and bumper bar brackets. This additional production highlights the reliability and versatility of their tools and equipment.
The scale of operations at BJR’s workshop is staggering. After a race weekend, the cars will spend days travelling back to the Albury base from all over Australia. Once
the team has unpacked the trucks, the race cars undergo a complete teardown and rebuild, with every part inspected, repaired, or replaced, as needed. The time spent in the workshop during the racing season is often limited, meaning components must be fabricated from scratch within tight timeframes. The precision and efficiency of the DN Solutions CNC machines and other Hare & Forbes Machineryhouse equipment ensure that BJR can meet these challenges head-on.
The partnership between BJR and Hare & Forbes Machineryhouse is not just about tools and equipment. For BJR, having reliable machinery at their disposal allows them to focus on what they do best: competing at the highest level of motorsport. For Hare & Forbes Machineryhouse, supporting a team like BJR demonstrates the capabilities of their products in one of the most demanding environments imaginable.
BJR’s dedication, resourcefulness, and innovation are a testament to the spirit of motorsport and the strength of a true partnership. machineryhouse.com.au
Busy workshop photos during the BJR open day.
Andre Heimgartner racing his Gen 3 Camaro Supercar at the Vailo 500 in Adelaide.
THAT’S APPLIED THINKING FOR 2025.
One of Australia’s leading high-end, high speed fiber lasers. World class componentry and build quality, whilst still offering excellent value for money.
PBH Series CNC Pressbrakes.
Simply put, one of Australia’s favourite CNC pressbrakes. Precision manufacturing and high end components with hydraulic crowning compensation. Available from 50 ton through to 3000 ton capacities.
Combine the practicalities of a punch press for your forming needs, with the speed and accuracy of a laser for profile cutting of the same part. Tapping head and automation options available for your volume work.
6m to 12m capacity with chuck sizes from 150mm to 600mm. Small profiles through to heavy structural profiles. Bevel cutting and automation options are available to suit your requirements.
Robotic Bending Cell.
Automate your repetitive pressbrake jobs with a smart bending cell from Yawei. Robots and accessories from Kuka, Yaskawa and Estun to suit all budgets and applications. Save time and money, whilst improving efficiencies.
For maximum return and efficiencies, utilise the speed and precision of a Yawei CNC panel folder. With sheet capacities up to 3000mm and automation options available, there’s a Yawei panel folder to suit most applications.
With every Yawei machine you get the expert advice and support that only a local supplier like Applied Machinery can provide. With over 30 years’ experience, and thousands of satisfied customers across the country, we’re here for the long term. Real Service. Real Support. Real People. That’s Applied Thinking.
Specialist niche market engineering company moves to advanced technology.
Specialist engineering company AG Engineering Solutions has invested in the latest Okuma CNC Lathe technology to provide a marketing edge and increased capability.
Formed in 2010, the private family business AG Engineering Solutions specialises in new work and the maintenance and refurbishment of major plant and equipment for leading mining companies, paper mills, the steel and recycling industries, etc. and has become the go-to company for the fast replacement or refurbishment of equipment, design advice, fabrication and preventative maintenance programs.
“With this type of work we are called on to produce one or two off engineering solutions on our machines where size capacity, speed and easy programming are all critical factors,” said Managing Director Sam Guccione. “Our work is time critical as a breakdown in any of our clients’ major plants costs enormous amounts of money, so an Okuma machine that can produce an outcome in one process rather than multiple processes proves to be a great advantage,” he said.
The latest Okuma CNC Lathe model LB4000EX x2000 is being commissioned. This is the company's first Okuma machine, and there is an air of excitement amongst the engineers who are experiencing its full potential, the advanced technology it comes with, and its many more valuable functions.
This Okuma CNC Lathe, with its two-metre bed length, gives AG Engineering Solutions a much larger CNC machining capacity.
As the company name suggests, this is not just a machine shop but one where professional engineers and skilled tradesmen investigate the reason for a component failure and seek to provide engineering design solutions to avoid future failures and costly plant production downtime. This sets the company apart and its experience and contribution to engineering solutions is highly valued by its many clients. With in-house CAD/CAM AG Engineering Solutions also has the capability of designing and fabricating special purpose machines.
“The majority of our work is low volume requiring fast turn-around of components to their original specifications and our experience and advice we provide sets us apart in the industry, particularly in special applications,” said Sam Guccione. “The selection and investment in the latest Okuma CNC Lathe was based on an outstanding industry name, the robust nature of the machine, the advanced technology and the quality output which allows us to be a step in front. This is particularly important in the niche market in which we operate,” he said.
There is a total staff of fourteen, including one apprentice, and the company is engaged in servicing clients throughout mainland Australia through indirect export work.
With the right equipment and experienced staff, AG Engineering Solutions can solidify its business in the niche refurbishing and manufacturing market and is forecasting steady growth in the future. “AG Engineering Solutions is in a strong position to take full advantage of the technological advances and the training we offer to solidify its strong market presence. It is early days yet with the new Okuma machine but the AG Engineering Solutions team members are excited about this investment and see it as a positive indicator to their future and that of the company,” said Andrew Rankin, Okuma Sales Engineer- Victoria and Tasmania. okumaaustralia.com.au
Lepol Metal
Novarc Technologies Spool Welding Robot.
Established in Mordialloc, Victoria, Lepol Metal has been a cornerstone supplier for the construction industry for over 45 years. Lepol specialises in offsite steel manufacturing, metal work, piping systems, stainless services, prefabrication, and on-site support for the mechanical services industry. Their commitment to delivering efficient, cost-effective, and high-quality customised solutions has streamlined construction processes across various commercial, industrial, and critical infrastructure sectors.
Navigating operational challenges
But given the pace of their growth, the difficulties of expanding a skilled workforce, and the industry's ever-increasing demands for more consistent, high-quality welds within shorter time frames, Lepol began a search for an innovative solution that would satisfy these market demands while operating within a limited physical footprint. Enhancing Lepol’s mechanical service capabilities, particularly in pipe welding, required evaluating several options. Lepol Metal chose the Spool Welding Robot (SWR) from Novarc Technologies. Its compact design allowed for tremendous spatial flexibility. The SWR's ability to consistently deliver high-quality welds resulted in a sizable increase in welding efficiency. The SWR’s seamless integration into Lepol’s operations marked a transformative step towards heightened productivity and efficiency.
Quantifiable results
“Integrating Novarc’s SWR has yielded a significant increase in daily welding output, substantial financial savings and high-quality, consistent welds. It has also mitigated the skilled labour shortages and enhanced operational capacity,” said Luke Gordes, owner of Lepol Metal.
Increased productivity
Before implementing the SWR, Lepol averaged between 50 to 60 weld inches daily. They now achieve, on average, between 250 to 300 weld inches per day. Gordes added, "On a particularly productive day, we’ve reached up to 351 weld inches,” representing a 400 – 500% increase in daily welding output. “Lepol can now complete projects in a fraction of the time compared to what we achieved before the SWR.” The SWR's user-friendly interface has also helped reduce the impact of a skilled labour shortage. Lepol employed an 18-year-old operator with no welding experience who quickly mastered the SWR. The previous reliance on skilled welders was reduced through the user-friendly SWR interface. Within a short training period, the SWR operator can perform at a level previously unattainable by manual welding.
Enhanced operational capacity
The Novarc Spool Welding Robot has enabled Lepol to take on a significantly higher volume of work without increasing the size of its workforce. Roughly 75% of Lepol’s pipe welding is now completed using the SWR, considerably increasing their operational capacity. Lepol can now take on larger projects, offering clients shorter completion times with consistently high-quality welds. Those capabilities have directly contributed to increased business opportunities and revenue.
Lepol Metals has leveraged cutting-edge technology to establish new industry standards. Its commitment to delivering high-quality, customised solutions has reinforced its reputation as an innovative leader in its field. The integration of the Novarc SWR has allowed Lepol to establish a new benchmark for efficiency and quality in the mechanical services industry.
lepolmetal.com.au novarctech.com
Aluminium & manganese
New comprehensive shot blast solutions for components in electric vehicles.
Due to the rapidly growing demand for components for electric vehicles, Alupress GmbH, a renowned manufacturer of innovative aluminium and magnesium die-castings, had to increase its shot blasting capacity. For this purpose, the company purchased a continuous feed spinner hanger blast machine, including a power & free transport system, from Rösler. The custom-engineered equipment design guarantees effective but also gentle de-flashing of the workpieces without the risk of warping. Aluminium, with its relatively low bulk density, allows significant weight savings in producing components for electric vehicles, resulting in an expanded battery operating range. Therefore, the number of components produced from this light metal, made by diecasting and other production methods, is rapidly growing. Another goal for components for electric vehicles is to create complex but, at the same, thin-walled designs, which allow additional weight savings. This also applies to the housings for different control devices manufactured by Alupress GmbH in Hildburghausen, Germany. At the Italian subsidiary of the Alupress AG in Brixen the growing demand from the automotive industry necessitated the investment into a new shot blast machine specially adapted to the strict customer requirements.
Automated all-around solution minimises the risk of workpiece warping
The shape and wall thickness of the aluminium and magnesium die-castings demanded a shot blast process that treats the components gently without warping them. At the same time, the shot blast operation had to be quick and run fully automatically. After the shot blast process, the components pass through a cleaning device and undergo a quality control check before they are packed and shipped. Therefore, besides the shot blast machine, the project scope also included a transport system that conveys the components automatically through the de-flashing and cleaning stations. Alupress chose Rösler as a partner for this critical project because of the convincing quality and productivity of the equipment as well as the excellent after-sales service. Another reason for working with this supplier was that Rösler had proven its technical competence in processing delicate workpieces in another similar project. Moreover, for many years, Alupress has utilised shot blast
machinery from Rösler and, therefore, knows this equipment's quality, productivity and reliability. To ensure gentle but fast and effective de-flashing in a continuous flow, the constant feed spinner hanger shot blast machine, model RHBD 13/18-So, is equipped with eight special turbines, each with an installed power of 11 kW. The turbines contain extra wide throwing blades generating an extensive blast pattern. Furthermore, contrary to the standard placement of the turbines on one side of the blast chamber, the turbines were placed on both sides. This duplex turbine placement and the broad blast pattern generate a gentle blast operation, significantly minimising the risk of warping. However, the high blast media throughput needed for efficient de-flashing and cleaning light metal components ensures a fast and effective shotblasting operation.
Another feature for preventing workpiece warping is that the workpiece carrier, holding 60 to 80 components, not only rotates during the entire shot blast process but also oscillates back and forth in three positions. This guarantees that flashes and burs are safely removed, even in difficult-to-reach areas like undercuts. To prevent the blast media – tiny aluminium cut wire – from being sucked out of the shot blast machine by the exhaust airflow and to maintain the required optimum operating mix, the dust collector and the cascade air wash separator were technically modified. Of course, the wet dust collector fully complies with ATEX requirements. Necessary maintenance work is facilitated by multiple connections for cleaning equipment at different sections of the shot blast machine.
Ergonomic features for improved employee health
A power & free handling system ensures easy and troublefree transport of the workpieces. At the load/unload station, the height of the workpiece carrier can be adjusted to the height of the respective operator, thus allowing ergonomic and comfortable working conditions. Moreover, generously laid-out buffer sections in the transport system permit continuous operation, even during breaks and rest periods. To ensure the absolute safety of the personnel, all hazardous areas around the shot blast machine are equipped with safety mats instead of the usual sensors and enclosures. rosler.com
The continuous feed spinner hanger shot blast machine RHBD 13/18-So is a perfect solution for shot blasting large volumes of housings for control devices in electric vehicles without warping the workpieces
Cobot welding
Kemppi on the advantages of cobot welding in metal fabrication.
Cobot welding is a game-changer for the manufacturing industry. A flexible solution that can be tailored to the needs of individual firms, it delivers numerous benefits, including increased productivity, quality control, cost efficiency, scalability, real-time monitoring, and an enhanced working environment.
Cobot welders automate the welding process and work alongside humans to perform welding tasks. Cobot welders can help boost production output by working continuously with minimal maintenance and without the need for breaks. They can handle repetitive tasks quickly and more intricate work efficiently, improving productivity. Plus, requiring minimal oversight and monitoring, they can free up workers to focus on more complex or higher-value tasks.
“Cobots have the capability to run 24/7 and to also work in automated cycles,” says Stuart Orr, Sales Director, Kemppi Australia. “As a result, they can enhance manufacturing processes and deliver significant productivity benefits.”
Consistent welding quality
Cobot welding systems also precisely control welding parameters such as temperature, pressure, and so on. This results in more uniform welds while minimising the potential for variation in quality. Kemppi, a leading global welding manufacturer, has an extensive range of cobot-ready welding solutions, including the Master M 353, Master M 355 and Master M 358, and the X5 FastMig and X5 FastMig Pulse.
Cost efficiency
Thanks to the accuracy of cobot welding systems, they tend to reduce material waste and, hence, overall production costs for manufacturers. Cobots can also lead to the need for less manpower on the shop floor as they can easily handle a range of tasks and, therefore, help reduce labour costs. Further, unlike traditional manufacturing equipment, cobots are often less expensive. Because they require less integration and infrastructure, they can result in a faster return on investment.
Manufacturers also have significant choices when it comes to choosing a cobotic welding solution that aligns with both their needs and budget. For instance, manufacturers who do not require their cobotic welding system to be frequently reprogrammed can consider a more cost-effective option such as the Kemppi Master M 353 and 355 models. For those needing a system for more intricate cobot applications and superior performance, the Kemppi X5 FastMig series offers sound value. Cobots may also be the answer in a tight labour market. “In the current welding labour shortage environment, cobots are a viable option that allow manufacturers to access the welding skills they need and maintain control over their operations with a low capital investment,” said Orr.
Flexible and scalable
Cobots are also highly flexible and adaptable, accommodating the shifting demands of various manufacturing environments. “They can be quickly reprogrammed for welding tasks or product designs, which is especially beneficial in small-batched or customised production runs. They are also scalable. When the manufacturer’s production volumes increase, additional cobot welders can be quickly and easily integrated into the existing system,” said Orr.
Real-time monitoring
Today, many cobots are equipped with sensors and software that collect data in real time about the welding process. This allows manufacturers to monitor weld quality and performance and make any desired adjustments to optimise welding processes.
Kemppi’s WeldEye is a comprehensive and universal welding management software that helps optimise production processes. WeldEye consists of various modules that can be combined with any equipment brand to provide live monitoring. The ArcVision module, for instance, when combined with the Kemppi Master M 358 or X5 FastMig, provides real-time monitoring and data insights from the cobot welding station that can be accessed directly within the cloud-based platform.
The information ArcVision provides can be visualised in customisable tables and graphs. Manufacturers can then adjust welding parameters on the fly to reduce the likelihood of errors, ensure quality output and maximise uptime. The data can also help identify areas for improvement to optimise the welding process.
Enhanced working environment
Cobots can also help minimise human exposure to welding hazards such as heat, smoke, fumes, and UV radiation. Metal fumes produced during the welding process can be hazardous when inhaled. They consist of microscopic particles of hot metal and gases and can contribute to carcinogenic conditions.
Cobots can make welding environments safer and meet Australia’s tightening welding fume exposure standards because they can remove workers from direct exposure to welding arcs. This, together with on-torch fume extraction solutions, such as the Kemppi Flexlite GF series, extract the welding fumes straight from the torch nozzle to provide workers with a safer and cleaner environment.
Easy to use
Cobots are typically easy to operate and require little programming experience. Most cobot welding manufacturers also provide training and support.
“Our cobot welders are user-friendly and do not require the operator to have any deep or specialised programming knowledge. They have an intuitive interface, which helps make operating them simple and easy. In essence, their simplicity helps empower manufacturing firms to be more productive and efficient,” explained Stuart Orr. kemppi.com
Cobot welding with ABB and the Kemppi Master M.
Kemppi’s cobot-ready welding machines.
Pronal CLT
Super-tough cushions safely get to the bottom of tricky lifting problems posed by portable and mobile plant.
Mining, construction, energy exploration, and infrastructure groups are becoming ever nimbler in moving plant, people, and resources over major distances as opportunities decline at one site and open up in more profitable areas.
This has led to a new generation of transportable technologies and plant, including portable buildings and transportable facilities that need to be safely lifted for trucking to new destinations.
“Such vital facilities can include accommodation, maintenance, engineering, testing, and medical facilities, extending through to containerised energy management and electronic technologies associated with electrification and automation of sites,” says Pronal elastomer engineering specialist Vinh Lam, of Pronal exclusive Australian national distributor Air Springs Supply Pty Ltd.
A problem associated with such lift and shifts is creating access gaps under loads for safe lifts onto transport, particularly where space around the load may be limited, or site conditions may involve soft or variable substrates that preclude the initial use of hydraulic or mechanical lifts with high point loads.
Even on hard surfaces, using crane or forklifting techniques to create the initial lifting gap may damage hard concrete or tarmac surfaces, unless a working gap is first created for optimally safe access beneath heavy structures, or structures that may have been in place for some time.
“Heavy processing equipment and portable structures often need to be raised to a low height to enable safe clear access so forklift tynes, crane strops, or standard lifting equipment or vehicles can do their work of loading onto transport,” says Vinh Lam. “The lifting gap is important, because it enables heavy lifting equipment to get through beneath the base of the load to ensure a balanced and safe lift”.
One solution to such issues is provided by Pronal seamless inflatable lifting cushions, incorporating the strength of aramid fibre coated with rubber, a combination featuring the same super-tough fibre used in body armour, racing tyres, and racing sails.
Low profile, high capacity
The Pronal CLT series of such cushions, in individual capacities of 1-65 tons, is engineered to offer lower profiles than conventional lifting bags (down to 2025mm, depending on application). The Pronal cushions, inflated at up to 8 bar, also offer 20 per cent greater lift capacity, because of their robust construction
from thread layers coated with chemicalresistant elastomer, hot vulcanised, under pressure, in one operation.
The interlocking surfaces of the lifting bags also deliver stronger gripping when bags are stacked to increase their lifting range beyond individual bags’ strokes of 85500mm, depending on the model chosen. They are designed for ease of handling and use, with inflation either by compressors of the type found on worksites or simple air cylinders. Removeable inflation connectors can also be fitted.
“They are an optimally safe lifting technique that spreads the load of the initial lift by conforming with irregular surfaces and load shapes during inflation while providing controllable and powerful lifting in accordance with standard lifting techniques, including:
1. Progressive controlled lifting (recognising optimum lifting power of airbags is attained before they reach maximum stroke. (So, the lower the stroke, the higher the load that can be supported, in accordance with typical practice of adopting repeated low stroke lifts where necessary).
2. Stabilising load at each planned lift point, typically with wedging, cribbing or chocking, after which the lift is advanced incrementally to enable capture of the load.
3. Capture the entire load at each planned new height level, typically with chocking to ensure maximum stability and safety as the lift moves through each of its cycles.
All Pronal high-pressure lifting bags meet or exceed European and international
standards for such bags. They are essentially the same types of Pronal cushions used internationally for lifting and rescue work during local and international emergencies, when they have been used to hoist entire aircraft, trucks, and locomotives, as well as heavy rock and debris.
Vinh says the Pronal CLT cushions’ construction of aramid textile coated by rubber, further increases their safety coefficient and resistance to penetration. Weight for weight, aramid textile is five times stronger than steel and superbly suited for repetitive work in harsh environments, including construction, energy, industrial, resources, and civil engineering sites.
With profiles down to 20mm, and a maximum operating pressure of 8 bar, Pronal cushions can be used in confined spaces underneath inaccessible loads ranging from engines and containerised plant, through to foundations of bridges, buildings, machinery, pipeline structures, and resource development rigs requiring lifting for inspection and repair.
“Instead of considerable investments in custom-engineering a conventional lifting platform, it may be well worth considering the simple principle of pneumatic actuation,” said Vinh. “This can be particularly so when working in confined spaces, such as gullies, trenches, mines and construction sites where there is little room to manoeuvre.
Pronal’s latest cushions – featured on its new Australian website are also easily transportable by road or air, and reusable when relocating plant and machinery into new sites. airsprings.com.au
TurboBlast
EXAIR’s TurboBlast Safety Air Gun with Gate Valve offers power with variable force.
EXAIR’s TurboBlast Safety Air Gun is a revolutionary air gun designed to tackle the most challenging cleaning and blowoff applications in industrial settings. With the help of an easy-adjust gate valve, the TurboBlast can be fine-tuned to meet the user’s specific needs on the fly. This dynamic air gun is the perfect combination of power, comfort and safety, making it the ideal solution for blowoff applications requiring maximum force, such as removing stubborn or heavy debris like slag and flash, part drying or cooling from a distance, as well as heavy-duty cleanup in busy facilities.
The TurboBlast features a cast aluminium handle with a rugged elastomer grip that’s not only UV—and chemical-resistant but also insulated from heat or cold. The light touch activation trigger creates a powerful blast of air and includes a “Dead Man’s” grip that turns the air off if the air gun is dropped. The TurboBlast was also designed with operator comfort in mind, featuring a soft-grip handle and ergonomic design suitable for extended periods of use. All models include an integrated nozzle guard for added safety.
Available from Compressed Air Australia, the TurboBlast is available in multiple different flow rates with extensions up to 1.83m) long for difficult-to-reach areas. The TurboBlast Guns are the most powerful air guns from EXAIR and complement our
VariBlast Precision, VariBlast Compact, Soft Grip and Heavy Duty Safety Air Guns. All EXAIR Safety Air Guns are CE compliant and meet OSHA standards. caasafety.com.au
Invest in our thermal and cryogenic insulation solutions to save up to 45% on your
The Australian business AI advantage
Leading with fairness, innovation, and responsibility.
AI is often referred to as an emerging technology, but it has been around for a long time. The key difference now is that ChatGPT has propelled it into the mainstream, and its use of natural language has made it immediate and accessible.
This opens up many new opportunities to unlock value by bringing together people from different disciplines, such as the risk and product teams, to work with AI.
“Everybody has a part to play, and we’re seeing rapid deployment of things that previously would have been the preserve of only a few limited specialists”, said Dan Jermyn, Chief Decision Scientist at CommBank. CommBank has built a chatbot to help staff get quicker IT service. Introducing this kind of innovation would have been significantly more difficult even a few years ago because of the time and specialist skills required.
Jermyn described AI as a very powerful tool for managing risks, keeping people safer and for other positive outcomes but cautioned it needs to be “responsible AI”.
Three lenses
CommBank ensures it makes responsible use of the technology by looking at it through three different lenses.
Firstly, a cultural lens. What are you setting out to do with AI, and what is its impact?
Secondly, measurement — creating a basis to measure whether the project had the intended impact.
“AI can propagate really quickly; it can do incredible things, but it can be quite complicated,” said Jermyn. “You’ve got to be clear at the outset. How will I know and show that this thing had the output I wanted it to have?”
The third lens is transparently explaining how the model works and how the outputs were achieved. This is very important to show that the AI model does not have any unintended biases.
Government regulation
Governments also have an important role in ensuring that AI regulation is risk-based and encourages innovation and the practical use of AI.
Bill Simpson-Young, CEO of the Gradient Institute, a research organisation that works to build safety, ethics, accountability and transparency into AI systems, agreed.
“It’s not just about minimal regulation, it’s about the right regulation that makes everyone’s lives better,” he said. “It means you don’t have so many hard decisions.” The Australian government adopted the OECD principles for responsible stewardship of trustworthy AI when released in 2019 and released its tenets for AI Ethics based on these. In 2023, it released a guide on practically applying those in business — Implementing Australia’s AI Ethics Principles — which Simpson-Young helped develop.
Things you should know
Future-proofing workforce skills
“It’s not just about minimal regulation, it’s about the right regulation that makes everyone’s lives better. It means you don’t have so many hard decisions.” - Bill Simpson-Young, CEO, Gradient Institute.
Simpson-Young noted that most knowledge workers will use AI for a large part of their jobs, that much knowledge work will be done by AI, and that people who thrive in this environment will have two skills.
“Firstly, make sure you’re good at being human,” he said, adding the second skill is knowing how to supervise AI, which means understanding how it can go wrong and when to trust the technology — and when not to.
Jermyn emphasised that the introduction of large language model AI means the technology is no longer only accessible to AI experts like data scientists but is now used broadly across industries and occupations around the world. He gave the example of prompt engineers, who focus on the questions and language needed to interact with generative AI.
“One of the most important things is to make sure everybody gets an opportunity to engage because, within a large organisation like ours, everyone has an important role to play” said Jermyn. commbank.com.au/manufacturing
This article is intended to provide general information of an educational nature only. It does not have regard to the financial situation or needs of any reader and must not be relied upon as financial product advice. You should consider seeking independent financial advice before making any decision based on this information. The information in this article and any opinions, conclusions or recommendations are reasonably held or made, based on the information available at the time of its publication but no representation or warranty, either expressed or implied, is made or provided as to the accuracy, reliability or completeness of any statement made in this article.
This article is sponsored by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia ABN 48 123 123 124.
Tax Incentives
Is your manufacturing business eligible for the R&D Tax Incentive? Berrin Daricili, William Buck’s Principal in R&D Tax Incentives and Grants, lays it out.
The Research and Development (R&D) Tax Incentive is an Australian government initiative designed to encourage businesses to invest in innovation. This incentive is particularly beneficial for the manufacturing industry, which often involves significant research and development activities to improve or create new processes, products, and technologies. This article will explore the R&D Tax Incentive, its eligibility criteria, and examples of eligible and ineligible activities specifically tailored for the manufacturing industry.
What is the R&D Tax Incentive?
The R&D Tax Incentive program provides tax offsets to eligible companies conducting R&D activities. It aims to boost competitiveness and productivity across the Australian economy by encouraging businesses to undertake R&D that might not otherwise be performed due to cost constraints or the risk of failure. For manufacturing companies, this can mean substantial financial support for developing new products, improving existing processes, experimenting with new materials, or utilising existing materials in new ways.
The incentive is in the form of a tax offset (rather than a grant) received upon lodgement of the tax return. The incentive is:
• A 43.5% refundable tax offset for companies with a 25% tax rate and aggregated turnover of less than $20m.
• A non-refundable tax offset of between 33.5% – 46.5% for companies with an aggregated turnover of over $20m. The tax offset rate will depend on the company’s corporate tax rate and the proportion of the company’s R&D expenditure to total business expenditure.
Eligibility criteria
To qualify for the R&D Tax Incentive, a company must meet several criteria:
• The applicant is an Australian tax resident company;
• The R&D activities are conducted in Australia, and;
• The company incurs at least $20,000 of eligible R&D expenditure during the income year.
The company must also conduct at least one ‘core R&D activity’ during the income year, which involves:
• Generating new technical knowledge;
• Facing technical uncertainty where outcomes cannot be known in advance;
• Conducting experimental activities based on established scientific principles.
Supporting R&D activities that will aid the core R&D activity but do not involve experimentation may also be eligible. These can include preliminary research, project management, and data collection.
Examples of eligible activities
In the manufacturing industry, eligible R&D activities might include:
• Developing new products: Creating a new type of machinery that increases production efficiency;
• Process improvements: Experimenting with new materials to reduce production costs or enhance product durability;
• Prototyping and testing: Building and testing prototypes to refine product designs and manufacturing processes;
• Software development: Developing software that integrates with manufacturing equipment to deliver new automated functionality.
Eligible R&D expenses can include:
• Employee salary and wages;
• Labour on-costs such as superannuation, workers compensation, and payroll tax;
• Contractor expenses;
• Depreciation of plant and equipment used in R&D activities;
• Payments to research service providers and cooperative research centres;
• Overhead expenses such as rent, electricity, telephone, and internet;
• Travel expenses relating to attending technical conferences or on-site testing.
Examples of ineligible activities
Not all activities qualify for the R&D Tax Incentive. Examples of ineligible activities include:
• Routine testing and quality control: Standard quality checks and routine testing do not qualify as they do not involve experimental activities;
• Market research: Activities aimed at understanding market trends or consumer preferences are not considered R&D;
• Production and distribution: The costs associated with the general production and distribution of goods and services are not eligible;
• Management studies: Studies related to business management or efficiency improvements that do not involve scientific or technological experimentation.
The R&D Tax Incentive is a valuable tool for manufacturing companies in Australia. It provides significant financial support for innovative activities. Companies can leverage this incentive to drive innovation and improve their competitive edge by understanding the eligibility criteria and maintaining detailed records. Whether developing new products, improving processes, or experimenting with new materials, the R&D Tax Incentive can help manufacturing businesses thrive in a competitive market.
William Buck’s specialist R&D tax team offers a range of tailored R&D Tax Incentive compliance and consulting services designed to assist businesses with navigating the complex R&D Tax Incentive environment in Australia and ensure compliance with all regulatory requirements.
For more information, please get in touch with Berrin Daricili, Principal, R&D Tax Incentives & Grants, Berrin.Daricili@ williambuck.com or (03) 9824 8555. williambuck.com
Geelong manufacturing
Strengthening Australia's sovereign defence industry: Government facilitation a key piece of the puzzle. Jennifer Conley is CEO of the Geelong Manufacturing Council.
In the rapidly changing landscape of global defence and advanced manufacturing, Australia’s future capabilities will depend on the strategic support of the Australian Government. To be self-reliant in times of crisis, we must be able to maintain and sustain our defence forces locally, with the technological and manufacturing capabilities to design and build the advanced systems that our military relies on.
A critical role the government can play is linking large defence prime contractors with innovative small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) manufacturers to support local supply chains and enhance business capability. For Geelong, world-class facilities like Hanwha’s Armoured Vehicle Centre of Excellence (H-ACE) will catalyse manufacturing and capability opportunities for local SMEs. Based at Avalon Airport, this asset provides the platform to accelerate and sustain innovative local manufacturers’ development of technologies to support our national defence.
The opportunity to have a major defence prime operating in our region is a direct result of Hanwha Defence Australia winning two contracts with the Commonwealth—the $1bn contract to manufacture and supply the AS9 Huntsman vehicles and the $5bn contract for 129 Redback infantry fighting vehicles. Production of the Redback program is expected to ramp up in 2025, and the fleet is scheduled to be delivered in full by 2028. The challenge is, then, what next? How do we ensure that these investments—not just the major ones in infrastructure but also in regional skills and capability—continue to grow beyond 2028?
Why Government facilitation is critical
It’s no accident that the H-ACE facility is located at Avalon. The airport’s history in aerospace and defence manufacturing stretches back to the construction and testing of the Canberra Jet Bomber Aircraft in the 1950s.
Avalon is now home to major organisations across multiple industries and the biennial Australian International Airshow (coming in March 2025). This event features Australia’s largest international aerospace and defence exposition, attracting over 800 companies and thousands of industry and defence leaders from more than 20 countries. The H-ACE facility has already provided significant opportunities for Australian companies to collaborate with Hanwha in the future development of next-generation defence systems, including robotics, advanced materials, and electronics.
This is important for a couple of reasons. Australia’s key industrial challenges boil down to two deficiencies:
1. The narrowness of our trade and industrial structure, based mainly on the export of unprocessed raw materials;
2. Lack of scale in our businesses generally - and specifically in manufacturing – to invest heavily in the R&D required.
This second point is deliberately addressed by the ASDAM group— Australian Sovereign Defence and Advanced Manufacturing— which has consolidated ownership of leading-edge Australian manufacturers, including Marand and Levett Engineering. The group continues to expand with the purchase of TAE Aerospace and RUAG Australia (now Rosebank) and its latest acquisition of Quickstep Holdings Limited, agreed in late December. Large enterprises can drive export growth and technology transfer for our SMEs. This increases Australia’s industrial complexity, solving both of our national challenges above.
Examples abound. Precision component manufacturer Levett Engineering has been awarded a contract with Kongsberg to stack frames for naval strike missile capability. Marand’s customers have included Lockheed Martin (for over twenty years), the prime developer of the JSF Strike Fighter aircraft, as well as BAE Systems, Honeywell, Pratt & Whitney, and BHP.
Readers of these pages will understand the importance of manufacturing for Australia in terms of its power to drive innovation and technological value beyond the companies themselves—key elements of our productivity performance—while contributing to our external trade and value-added. There are also flow-on impacts to our research sector, which is not always fully understood.
As innovation expert Professor Roy Green has pointed out, we must ask ourselves, “How long will the taxpayer continue to fund research into solar energy, aerospace, microelectronics, advanced materials, nanotechnology and biotechnology when the industries that use these high-level skills to innovate and make new products have disappeared?” Our Productivity Commission has already questioned public support for science and engineering when the benefits of resulting knowledge accrue to other nations.
Foreign-controlled prime contractors supplying the Australian Government can do a lot more to drive value to local suppliers, but strong relationships necessarily take foresight and time. Hanwha Defence Australia, as our newest prime, is an endeavour that, given the right guidance, introductions, and endorsements from its Commonwealth customer, will critically benefit Geelong and Australia’s economic development.
Notably, the benefits will extend beyond defence. Local businesses engaged in the supply chains of international primes can diversify into commercial aerospace, energy, advanced robotics and a myriad of other advanced technologies and applications.
However, without extensive Government facilitation, especially in defence opportunities, Australia’s advanced manufacturing capabilities risk stagnating.
For the H-ACE facility to fulfil its potential, it requires ongoing, strategic support to ensure a steady pipeline of programs and partnerships that can serve national and international interests.
Geelong Manufacturing Council hosts the biennial Manufacturing Excellence Celebration & Awards Dinner on Thursday 27 March, held on the sidelines of the Australian International Airshow. geelongmanufacturingcouncil.com.au
Six trends
Shaping the industry of the future. By
Hubertus Breier, Board Member for Technology and Innovation LAPP.
To keep up with the industry's growing needs, products, processes, and services need to constantly become faster and better. As part of this rapid growth, connectivity solutions are being tested. Technology experts at LAPP see six key trends that will shape the industry.
1. Direct Current (DC) Technology
It will make an important contribution to the success of the energy transition and to greater sustainability. This is because experts have established that the use of DC grids significantly reduces energy consumption in existing systems by avoiding conversion stages. The need for copper for the three/four-core DC cables and ACDC converter devices is also reduced. DC grids in factories also contribute to a lower peak power at the supply connection to the grid and reduce the load here. LAPP is therefore a pioneer in the development of cables and wires for low-voltage DC grids for industrial applications and already has a large portfolio of connection solutions for industrial DC grids.
LAPP is setting a good example and showing what the first steps could look like. For example, the cooperation between LAPP and Fraunhofer IPA led to the development of a scalable DC network concept for a production site expansion in France. This concept increases efficiency and enables the integration of PV systems for sustainable grid concepts. This pioneering conceptual work supports the transformation of the factory power supply towards direct current and promotes efficiency and sustainability.
Australia is one of the leading countries globally for solar panels, so there is a huge opportunity for industry to capitalise on solar energy—on factory roofs, for example—to enhance its sustainability credentials.
2. Digitalisation
One hundred eighty-one zettabytes (181 followed by 21 zeros) is the forecast for the digital data generated worldwide in 2025. How can this gigantic amount of data be transmitted quickly and stably? Copper cables alone cannot cope with this—the solution: light, or more precisely, fibre optic cables. Therefore, a futureproof communication infrastructure in the factory with fibre optic cables is essential. Today, there are already implementations such as fibre-tothe-curb, where the fibre-optic connection is laid to the distribution box in front of the house or factory.
Fibre-to-the-machine is the next logical step in connecting the highly networked machines in the factory with sufficient data transmission capacity. LAPP already has a wide range of fibre optic cables and connectors for almost every industry and application. New additions to the portfolio are the field-attachable EPIC® DATA FFC-LC connectors and EPIC® DATA FFC-SC connectors for GOF fibre optic cables.
3. Single Pair Ethernet (SPE)
Of course, copper-based data transmission is still the dominant solution in the industry. Since 2019, LAPP has been a member of the SPE Industrial Partner Network e.V. The association of wellknown companies is a central information and exchange platform for SPE and helps the technology achieve a breakthrough. The aim is to connect the field level (e.g., sensors or actuators) to the cloud via the Ethernet protocol. The aim is to replace previous fieldbus systems with the more modern protocol and pave the way for the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).
LAPP is expanding its portfolio to include innovative SPE solutions to meet market requirements at an early stage. The ETHERLINE® T1 FD is suitable for continuous-motion use in the drag chain –successfully tested for over three million bending cycles. Ethernet Advanced Physical Layer (Ethernet-APL), partly based on SPE, was developed especially for demanding applications in the process industry.
4. Miniaturisation
The trend towards miniaturisation is continuing in many areas of industry. Applications are becoming more compact, installation spaces smaller, and more and more data and power connections have to be plugged into the smallest of spaces.
The EPIC® POWER M12 connectors have addressed and consistently realised these market requirements. The application areas for the new EPIC® POWER M12L and M12K connectors are diverse. For example, they are suitable for collaborative humanrobot solutions, so-called “cobots”, which work together with humans in production or in the warehouse. The technical properties of the connectors were simulated during development using virtual models. The two series M12K for power transmission up to 630V/12A and M12L up to 60V/16A were put through their paces virtually even before the first 3D printed model was created.
5. EMC Compatibility
In the smart factory, machines and systems are becoming increasingly networked. As a result, the issue of electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) is becoming increasingly important. Particularly in industrial systems where frequency converter-controlled motors are used, unwanted currents can increasingly occur on the potential equalisation cables (PA) or protective earth cables (PE). These unwanted currents can affect neighbouring data lines and their data quality during transmission, trigger fault circuit breakers incorrectly or even lead to increased corrosion effects in building structures.
A new, innovative cable design from LAPP reliably reduces leakage currents and makes a decisive contribution to improved EMC in machines and systems. The ÖLFLEX® FD Servo zeroCM motor cable has been optimised for leakage currents using a special stranding process and makes an important contribution to the EMC optimisation of frequency-controlled drive systems.
6. Sustainability
Users are also increasingly looking for environmentally friendly and energy-efficient cable connection solutions. With ETHERLINE® FD bioP Cat.5e, LAPP already has a cable with a sheath made from a partially bio-based TPU sheath material in its range. This is now followed by the ÖLFLEX® CLASSIC FD 810, the prototype of a cable with a sustainable PVC sheath. LAPP is also investigating initial approaches to the use of recycled material, both in the production cycle and the use of “cable scrap”. In addition to the product-related sustainability approaches, transparency and documentation of the product carbon footprint are important. lappaustralia.com.au
AMCRC progress
The final stage of the Additive Manufacturing CRC bid is completed.
On Tuesday, December 10, the Additive Manufacturing CRC bid team completed their Round 2 application, including an interview with the CRC Advisory Committee.
CRC Grants provide funding for medium to long-term, industryled research collaborations. The CRC Program supports industry, research and the community in two ways.
CRC Grants support medium to long-term industry-led collaborative research for up to ten years. CRC Projects (CRC-P) grants – support short-term, industry-led collaborative research for up to three years.
CRC Grants provide funding for collaborations to solve industryidentified problems. They must be medium—to long-term industryled collaborative research programs that aim to improve Australian industries’ competitiveness, productivity, and sustainability.
The CRC Grants include an industry-focused education and training program, including a PhD program that builds capability and capacity. They also increase research and development (R&D) capacity in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and encourage industry to adopt research.
Factors such as COVID-19 disruptions and geopolitical tensions have exacerbated issues related to offshoring and supply chain vulnerabilities. In this context, Australia’s role in a new manufacturing landscape necessitates a transformative approach that leverages technology, innovation, and strategic investments to revitalise the sector and position it as a leader in sustainable manufacturing.
Led by Susan Jeanes (Chair) and Simon Marriott (CEO), the AMCRC team comprised Frank Wagner(Research Director), Jennifer Loy (Education Lead), and Kathie McGregor (Interim Program Lead).
Industry and network partner representatives Lorraine Maxwell (Chiroiu) (AMTIL), Matthew Wall (Boeing), and John Barnes (The Barnes Global Advisors) joined them.
Two days before the interview, the team met in person in Canberra to prepare. Greg Spinks and Jennifer Lieu from Consulting & Implementation Services (CIS) supported them with mock presentations and Q&A sessions. Special thanks also go to Milan Brandt and Matthew Young (PhD) for their assistance during this crucial phase.
The Additive Manufacturing CRC team thanks all our partners for helping us reach this significant milestone. We eagerly await the announcement of the outcomes from Round 25 and wish all other bidders luck.
amtil.com.au amcrc.com.au
Climate reporting roundtables
Mandatory ESG reporting and sustainability reporting questions answered.
What is ‘climate reporting’ and how does it affect your business? What is the difference between ESG reporting and sustainability reporting, and how will it impact your business in the coming years? What must you know, even if the new reporting regime does not capture you? These are just some of the questions on the minds of AMTIL members.
According to ASIC, under the sustainability reporting regime in the Corporations Act, large Australian businesses are required to prepare a sustainability report (also known as mandatory climate reporting). However, the requirement goes well beyond large businesses. We are already seeing ‘scope three’ reporting required for government grants, and SMEs are being asked by investors and companies they supply to require various types of ESG reporting. So, where do you start?
AMTIL, in collaboration with Commonwealth Bank, will organise these 2.5-hour roundtables nationwide. They are free, member-only events aimed at C-suite members.
These events will offer an expert overview and endeavour to answer your questions about climate and sustainability reporting and ESG. Overview of ESG reporting, climate, sustainability reporting: what is it and how does it impact SMEs, and the new regime requirements in the Corporations Act
Dates
Hosted by CBA. Venues are to be confirmed and will be centrally located.
Melbourne: Wednesday, 19 February 2025
Sydney: Tuesday, 25 February 2025
Newcastle: Wednesday, 26 February 2025
Adelaide: Wednesday, 5 March 2025
Brisbane: Wednesday, 12 March 2025
Perth: Wednesday, 26 March 2025
We look forward to seeing you at this event. commbank.com.au amtil.com.au
Tisthe season
AMTIL’s end-of-year celebrations rolled down through with Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne events.
Brisbane’s The Parlour venue at Inchcolm Hotel in Spring Hill shone brightly for the first AMTIL member’s Xmas get-together early in December. About 25 members met with the AMTIL CEO, Lorraine Maxwell and Exhibition Director, Kim Banks. They all enjoyed a sumptuous dinner and drinks at the Grazing Station, one of many attractions for the occasion. The weather was perfect.
A week later in Sydney, NSW AMTIL members descended on the Heritage Lounge in the Heritage Precinct, Parramatta for an end-of-year celebration. They enjoyed some tasting plates from Parramatta’s first Japanese fine dining experience, 'Oribu' and drinks, at this very well-attended social networking event.
On Thursday, 12 December, our Membership Events Manager, Dea Stavar, pulled out all the stops and made the AMTIL office come alive. The weather was perfect for the Melbourne AMTIL members’ Christmas party event at our offices in Bayswater. About 55 members filled the sunny carpark, the entry, our boardroom, and our office spaces, and it was great to see so many people during the day and into the evening. Once again, this was a tremendous opportunity to network, catch up and renew connections after such a busy year. amtil.com.au
Partnering with AMTIL
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 Greg Chalker on 03 9800 3666 or email gchalker@amtil.com.au
Our Partners. Our Members. Your Benefits.
Succession Planning
AMTIL shows its dedication to delivering value for its members.
AMTIL is proud to serve as a pivotal resource for Australian manufacturers, offering a wide range of services designed to support and strengthen the industry. As part of our commitment to our members, AMTIL offers tailored guidance on critical business strategies, such as succession planning and business sales. Manufacturers planning to transition or exit their businesses can rely on expert advice and competitive commercial rates from AMTIL-trusted firms like William Buck, Australia’s leading SME/ mid-market-focused financial advisory firm, to provide comprehensive support through the complexities of this important process.
The case for Advatek
Advatek is a precision manufacturing and engineering services company based in Bayswater, Victoria, and a proud member of AMTIL. Founded in 1995, it has spent over 25 years building a reputation for excellence in producing specialised parts for the medical, aerospace, and telecommunications industries. Today, the company is renowned for its high-precision manufacturing of micro parts, primarily serving the growing medical sector.
In June 2024, Advatek’s owners, Gary McBean and Kevin Edmonds, approached AMTIL seeking advice on planning a successful exit. Their goal was to sell the business and ensure its legacy would continue—servicing its loyal customer base and positioning it for future growth in a rapidly evolving market.
The Process: Tailored advice and strategic execution
The transaction process was initiated in July 2024, with Vivek Miranda, Partner at William Buck Corporate Finance, working closely with Gary and Kevin to assess their business’s exit readiness and options. This involved identifying Gary and Kevin’s key objectives, determining an appropriate valuation of Advatek, and designing a process to maximise buyer interest. As a volume manufacturer for one of Australia’s top medical device companies, Advatek presented a desirable proposition to industry and private equity parties, with strongly profitable financials and a solid reputation in the market.
William Buck’s corporate finance team took a proactive and strategic approach to finding the right buyer. They reached out directly to a curated list of 88 potential buyers while also marketing the business anonymously through platforms like SeekBusiness. This dual approach generated 26 expressions of interest from serious buyers. The team expertly guided these prospects through
a comprehensive due diligence process, including managing a data room, facilitating site visits, and organising management presentations.
The result? Six formal offers from wellqualified buyers ensured Gary and Kevin had a selection of options. After careful consultation with the owners, the team moved forward with the negotiations and facilitated the transaction, which was completed in October 2024 – just four months after the process began.
The Successful Outcome: Advatek’s legacy continues with Aldus Group
The successful buyer, Aldus Group, a global manufacturing and engineering company headquartered in Sydney, expressed great enthusiasm for the acquisition. Aldus Group is committed to expanding its precision engineering capabilities and enhancing its service offerings across various industries.
Gary McBean from Advatek shared his satisfaction with the transaction: "Joining Aldus is a great opportunity for Advatek to maintain our established legacy while continuing to grow. Our shared values and commitment to quality and reliability make this partnership a natural fit. With Aldus' expertise, resources, and infrastructure, we are well positioned to grow, enhance operational efficiencies, and continue delivering our customers the highest level of service."
"We are excited to welcome Advatek to the Aldus family,” said Daniel Black, General Manager of Aldus Group. “This acquisition allows us to broaden our precision engineering capabilities and strengthen our ability to serve customers across a wider range of markets. It aligns perfectly with our mission to become the partner of choice for precision engineering solutions."
Why choose AMTIL and William Buck Corporate Finance for your exit strategy?
Advatek’s successful sale is just one example of how AMTIL, in partnership with advisors like William Buck Corporate Finance, can help manufacturing business owners achieve their goals. Selling or transitioning a business can be complex, involving many moving parts, including valuation, negotiation, and due diligence. With AMTIL’s extensive network and William Buck’s expertise, you can rest assured that you will receive the best possible advice and guidance to maximise the value of your business and ensure a smooth transition to the next chapter.
By working with AMTIL and William Buck, business owners can unlock numerous benefits:
• Personalised Succession Planning: Crafting a strategy that aligns with your vision for the future of your business.
• Maximising Business Value: Identify key value drivers and ensure your business is positioned for maximum sales profitability.
• Smooth Transaction Execution: Guiding you through every step of the process, from finding the right buyer to finalising the deal.
Contact AMTIL or Vivek Miranda (Partner, William Buck Corporate Finance | e: vivek. miranda@williambuck.com) to learn more about how we can help you successfully navigate the sale or transition of your business. Let us help you secure your company’s future while maintaining the legacy you’ve worked hard to build.
William Buck charges commercial rates for its services; bespoke and to be agreed directly with William Buck.
williambuck.com
New Members
ThermoBlanket specialises in industrial heating solutions, primarily offering IBC (Intermediate Bulk Container), drum, and composite heating blankets that ensure efficient temperature management across various applications. The company offers a catalogue of 44,000 specialty tools to complement its heating solutions, focusing on anti-sparking, anti-drop, non-magnetic, and 1,000V insulated ranges that meet high safety and technical standards. We also offer high-capacity magnetic mounting solutions and versatile and reliable equipment attachment options for diverse industrial settings. Our sub-brand SenSite sensors for advanced environmental monitoring address the needs of agriculture and industry. This comprehensive range makes ThermoBlanket a leading heating, monitoring, and technical tooling solution provider to various manufacturers.
THERMOBLANKET
20 Pilgrim Place
BRACKEN RIDGE, QLD 4017
thermoblanket.com.au
Wild Tech is an end-to-end digital transformation partner that leverages a unique industry-led approach combined with market-leading platforms to build Australia’s next generation of digital operating models. The company empowers companies to achieve growth and efficiency by implementing advanced IT systems, cloud migration, ERP and CRM solutions, and data analytics.
For Wild Tech, the evolution of transformation starts with a deep understanding of industry requirements. That means listening to be a step ahead, ensuring that end-to-end business processes and organisational maturity are considered in light of the nuances of each platform and their ability to deliver on the promise of genuinely transformative technology.
VirtualStaff365 is a leading outsourcing specialist based in Melbourne, with key management here in Australia. We provide talented staff offshore to work from their home in the Philippines.
In today’s competitive landscape, leveraging offshore outsourcing can be a game-changer. With VirtualStaff365, you can significantly reduce operational costs while maintaining high-quality production standards.
Our agency specialises in connecting manufacturers with reliable offshore staff in a variety of office-based roles. These include CAD operators, Supply chain, Inventory planning, Scheduling, Accounts and many more. Contact us to see how offshore outsourcing can elevate your business and position you for success in the global market.
VIRTUALSTAFF365
Suite 5, 69-71 Rosstown Road CARNEGIE, VIC 3183 virtualstaff365.com.au
BrainStorm is a software company that specialises in two areas. It helps distribution and manufacturing businesses organise their ERP technology and assists scaling businesses in implementing and integrating their software systems.
They do what they do because too much offthe-shelf software doesn't solve the business problems it is intended to solve. BrainStorm has saved its customers over $150m in the past year.
Your strategic partner in premium wholesale welding supplies, Welding Automation, proudly supports the Australian manufacturing industry in maximising efficiency and precision. As a 100% Australian-owned and operated business, we leverage a well-established global supply chain network to source and import the highest-quality products directly from industry leaders worldwide. Our specialty range includes robotic welding peripherals, robot torch cleaning stations, advanced wire delivery systems, tungsten grinders, electrodes, and other consumables like anti-spatter. At Welding Automation, we pride ourselves on delivering premium quality products from global leaders to the Australian market. Our range helps our partners optimise their manufacturing processes and stay ahead in the ever-evolving industry.
WELDING AUTOMATION
3/32 Taunton Drive CHELTENHAM, VIC 3192
weldingautomation.com.au
Flavour Makers is an Australian Manufacturing success story and a leading innovator in the food industry. Specialising in creating exceptional flavours and ingredients for a wide range of products, the company's flexible capabilities are a unique attribute. The group of companies covers Wet sauce, Dry mixes, and Retort production.
Committed to quality, creativity, and sustainability, the company partners with brands and food manufacturers to develop unique taste experiences that resonate with consumers globally. Flavour Makers offers a broad portfolio of own-brand finished products, from concept to finished product, with culinary experts, food scientists, and market specialists collaborating to bring bold, authentic tastes to life, delivering memorable culinary experiences.
WILD TECH
Level 63, 25 Martin Place
SYDNEY, NSW 2000 wild-tech.com.au
BRAINSTORM
10 Donnington Drive
D’AGUILAR, QLD 4514 brainstormit.com.au
FLAVOUR MAKERS
223-225 Governor Road
BRAESIDE, VIC 3195 flavourmakers.com.au
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many industry events world-wide were postponed, rescheduled or cancelled. Readers are advised to check with all event organisers for the latest information. For the latest international travel advice, please visit smartraveller.gov.au For more events, please visit amtil.com.au/events
INTERNATIONAL
ATX WEST
USA, Anaheim 4-6 February 2025 imengineeringwest.com
TOLEXPO
FRANCE, Lyon 11-14 March 2025 global-industrie.com/en/home-visitors
ASIAMOULD
CHINA, Guangzhou 25-27 February 2025 asiamold-china.cn.messefrankfurt.com
METEF
ITALY, Bolgna 5-7 March 2025 metef.com
PLAST IMAGEN
MEXICO, Mexico City 11-14 March 2025 plastimagen.com.mx
MACHINEERING
BELGIUM, Brussels
26-28 March 2025 machineering.eu
INTRALOGISTICS ROBOTICS & AUTOMATION
FRANCE, Paris
1-3 April 2025 sitl.eu
ADVANCED ENGINEERING
SWEDEN, Goteborg 2-3 April 2025 advancedengineeringgbg.se
STAINLESS
CZECH REPUBLIC, Prague 2-3 April 2025 stainless2025.com
MANUFACTURING WORLD NAGOYA
NAGOYA, Portmesse 7-11 April 2025 manufacturing-world.jp/nagoya/
INTERMOLD ASIA
JAPAN, Osaka 16-18 April 2025 intermold.jp
AISTECH 2025
USA, Nashville 5-8 May 2025 aist.org/conferences-expositions/aistech
CONTROL 2025
GERMANY, Stuttgart 6-9 May 2025 control-messe.de
MADE IN STEEL
ITALY, Milan 9-11 May 2025 radonexhibition.eu/trade-shows/made-insteel/
WIN EURASIA 2025
TURKEY, Istanbul 28-31 May 2025 win-eurasia.com
EASTEC
USA, West Springfield 13-15 May 2025 easteconline.com
METALFORUM POZNAN
POLAND, Greater Poland 3-6 June 2025 tradefairdates.com/Metalforum-M4773/Pozna
MANUFACTURING EXPO 2025
THAILAND, Bangkok 18-21 June 2025
manufacturing-expo.com
AUTOMATICON 2025
POLAND, Warsaw 24-27 June 2025 itm-europe.pl
LASER WORLD OF PHOTONICS
FINLAND
24-27 June 2025 world-of-photonics.com/en/trade-fair/
ALUMINIUM CHINA 2025
CHINA, Shanghai 9-11 July 2025 aluminiumchina.com
MANUFACTURING WORLD TOKYO
JAPN, Makuhari 9-11 July 2025 manufacturing-world.jp/tokyo/
AI MANUFACTURING & SCADA
TECHNOLOGY (AIMST) 2025
USA, Pittsburgh 25-27 August 2025 aimanufacturingconference.com/
SCHWEISSEN & SCHNEIDEN ESSEN
GERMANY, Rhine-Westphalia 15-19 September 2025 schweissen-schneiden.com
METEC
THAILAND, Bangkok 17-19 September 2025 metec-southeastasia.com
EMO HANNOVER
GERMANY, Hannover 22-26 September 2025 emo-hannover.de
CMTS CA CANADA, Toronto 29 Sept – 2 Oct 2025 cmts.ca
MANUFACTURING WORLD 2025 OSAKA JAPAN, Osaka 1-3 October 2025 manufacturing-world.jp/osaka/
WESTEC 2025
USA, Anaheim, CA 7-9 October 2025 westeconline.com
ADVANCED DESIGN & MANUFACTURING EXPO
CANADA, Toronto 21-23 October 2025 admtoronto.com
2026
EUROGUSS
GERMANY, Nuremberg 13-15 January 2026 euroguss.de
SIMODEC 2026
FRANCE, La Roche-Sur-Foron 2-6 March 2026 en.salon-simodec.com
KONEPAJA
FINLAND, Tampere 17-19 March 2026 konepajamessut.fi
INTERTOOL
AUSTRIA, Vienna April 2026 intertool.at
MACH 2026
UK, Birmingham 20-24 April 2026 machexhibition.com
INTERPLAS
UK, Birmingham 2-4 June 2026 interplasuk.com
ALL ABOUT AUTOMATION
GERMANY, Messe Straubing 10-11 June 2026 allaboutautomation.de
EUROBLECH
GERMANY, Hanover 20-23 October 2026 euroblech.com
JIMTOFF
JAPAN, Tokyo 26-31 October 2026 jimtof.org
DIGITAL BUILT WORLD SUMMIT
SYDNEY, DOLTONE HOUSE
DARLING ISLAND
18-19 FEBRUARY 2025
Explore how the integration of design models, reality capture imagery, IoT sensor data, and other sources into dynamic 3D immersive infrastructure is transforming project delivery outcomes and asset operations. Featuring 40 experts from across the built environment, utilities, energy, mining and transport who’ll share their experiences and highlight how digital thinking can drive more value from data, optimise infrastructure performance and deliver better outcomes for business and society. digitalbuiltworldsummit.com
ENERGY EXCHANGE AUSTRALIA PERTH CONVENTION & EXHIBITION CENTRE
11-13 MARCH 2025
Energy Exchange Australia (EXA) builds on the strong legacy AOG Energy has established but with a modern outlook and new opportunities. Held annually in Perth, it’s a meeting place for thousands of professionals to connect, learn, network, and harness opportunities in the Australian energy market, driving us to a decarbonised future. exaexpo.com.au
WA MAJOR PROJECTS CONFERENCE PERTH CONVENTION & EXHIBITION CENTRE
19-20 MARCH 2025
The 14th Annual WA Major Projects Conference will take place on March 19 and 20, 2025 at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre. Attracting 250 delegates, the State’s premier major projects and infrastructure conference will provide a highlevel platform to discuss key projects and topics centred on WA’s infrastructure pipeline. expotradeglobal.com/events/ wamajorprojects
AVALON AIR SHOW
GEELONG, AVALON AIRPORT
INDUSTRY: 25-28 MARCH 2025
GENERAL PUBLIC: 28-30 MARCH 2025
AVALON – The Australian International Aerospace & Defence Exposition – a major trade exposition for Australia’s aviation, aerospace and defence industries.
AIRSHOW – The International Airshow – a three-day, action-packed public spectacular with breathtaking public flying displays and an amazing array of static aircraft. airshow.com.au
AUSTRALIA TOOL GRINDING EXPO BRISBANE SHOW GROUNDS
29 APR-1 MAY 2025
Australia, renowned for its high-quality development and welcoming immigration policies, is embracing technological advancements and supporting local manufacturing. Technology-based companies establishinbg a presence in Australia and promoting the export of Australian products worldwide.
Don’t miss this opportunity to network with industry professionals and explore cuttingedge tools and grinding technology. atge.com.au
FOODSERVICE AUSTRALIA 2025 MELBOURNE CONVENTION & EXHIBITION CENTRE
18-20 MAY 2025
Foodservice Australia has just run in Sydney and was a huge success, connecting thousands of industry buyers with the latest food, drink and equipment.
Next year the show will be running in Melbourne from 18-20 May 2025. There will be over 450 exhibitors and special events, including the Chef of the Year, National Restaurant Conference and Aged Care Catering Summit. foodserviceaustralia.com.au
REGISTRATIONS NOW OPEN
WHY I LEFT GM-H
Hartnett bought a Willy Overland, stripped it down to the chassis and had his team build a body on modern lines.
Why should my war job for Australia worry them?
Because the Du Ponts are very often under fire in the United States for alleged breaches of the Sherman Anti-Trust Laws, and after wars, the Du Pont organisation has been subjected to the most searching Senate and Congressional inquiries. Their chief executives are grilled mercilessly on the profits made, how those profits were distributed, how the war contracts were obtained, who got them, and so on. As one of the Du Ponts once said, “as soon as the United States stops fighting the enemy, it declares war on the Du Ponts.”
The Du Ponts have learned the hard way that to come through these inquiries as painlessly as possible, they must not be caught doing anything that can be construed as ‘rigging’. So when the Du Ponts learned that I (indirectly an employee of the Du Pont empire) was directing the Australian Government department, which was responsible for large war-production contracts, and that GM-H (a partly-owned subsidiary of Du Ponts) was obtaining major orders while, at the same time, I was managing director of GM-H, the news must have been enough to shock them all into early coronaries.
When I visited the United States during the war, Harry Phillips, then GM regional director for the Pacific zone, looked up from some Australian reports he was reading in his office, and said, '”You know, Larry, you’ll never get away with this–and neither will we.”
“What are you referring to?” I asked.
“This war job you've been holding down all these years: Director of Ordnance Production. All the major projects for GM-H are coming from your Directorate: the two-pounder gun, the six-pounder, the twenty-five-pounder, torpedoes, tanks, trucks ... “
I laughed and said, “Oh, there were a lot more projects than that, Harry!” “Yes. Well, I don't think it's funny,” he said. “When this war's over there'll be a Parliamentary inquiry down in Australia that will make your name and General Motors stink to high heaven. You wait and see. There'll be publicity of the worst kind and it'll all get back here in the headlines, too. You don't know what you've let yourself and us in for.” I said, '”Harry, you're worrying for nothing. It doesn't work that way in Australia. You're too close to the American witch-hunting methods. No one in Australia considers that GM-H and Larry Hartnett have done anything but a very good job for Australia. And that is the true picture.
"I have not directly given one dollar's worth of Government business to GM-H. It has been passed on to GM-H by what we call Boards of Area Management, which select the contractor best equipped for the production requirements. At my request, all my shares and properties have been in trust by a senior Government official since the first day I took on the job. Believe me, you and General Motors have nothing to fear.” I didn't convince him though, I'm sure of that. He gave me a pitying look as though to say, “You poor fool! We know what'll happen; we've been through it before.”
Other GM people said similar things to me. I sensed trouble when I met some Du Pont top brass while on my Washington mission for the Australian Government. My dealings with them on behalf of the Ordnance Directorate gave them a glimpse of the authority I had.
Reports about Hartnett would have gone humming along the wires to the board rooms of Du Pont de Nemours and General Motors. Even then, I’ll wager, the decision could have been taken to get Hartnett out of Australia as soon as possible after the war, and before the big quiz began.
Since now we’re playing a game of ‘informed guesses’, I’ll throw in one more possible reason for my replacement: allegations were made to General Motors that I had gone ahead on my own initiative and produced a new car in Australia without telling them about it. Well, that allegation was, in a very literal sense, true. I had no sinister or selfish motive, but I am sure, that a sinister slant was given to what was told to New York. The fact is that immediately after the war, the engineering department at GM-H, for the first time in years, had nothing to do. I was holding the production side together by taking every kind of stop-gap order we could get, but the engineering department was much more difficult to keep occupied. So, knowing that we would eventually make an Australian car, I told the engineering department, “Let's get some practical experience in car designing, and have some fun at the same time.”
I told them to buy a car, strip it down to the chassis and build a body on modern lines. They bought an old Willys Overland for £200 and, in high glee, drove it into the plant. The designers and the engineers went to it, and designed and built a beauty. It was valuable practical experience for them, enabling them to try out many ideas. The total cost was about £5,000, including the labour of the ten to fifteen people who worked at it. The experimental car served its purpose: it enabled me to keep those key men on the pay-roll, and it·gave us several very good ideas to be incorporated later in the Australian car. But how that information was twisted by those people, or, more likely, I suspect, by the person in GM-H who relayed the story to New York! Had I considered it important, I would have told General Motors what I was doing. But it was such an innocent venture, with such a practical purpose in view, that I didn't even consider telling them.
Later, I heard a story which went something like this: "You know, Hartnett had a nerve. While he was putting up his case to General Motors, he had already designed a car, and had produced a prototype.” A set of pictures of the experimental car, which I'd ordered for an album somehow-by some hand in the mail to New York. To the uninitiated, those pictures would have been sufficient proof that Hartnett had made a car in Australia without telling New York. (Incidentally, those pictures show that our experimental job, in body design, was away ahead of the first Holden.)
Eventually, the Holden project got underway. And then, when the cables and the letters from Hartnett to Detroit, and from Detroit to Hartnett, began to fly, with Hartnett holding out for his and his men's demands for shape and styling, no doubt General Motors' top men thought, “Aha, this figures! Larry's already designed his car, and he's sticking out for the style he wants.” Of course, they were wrong. Any recommendations I made on the body styling had been previously discussed and approved by GM-H engineers and the enthusiastic team in Woodville's engineering design department.
As a market leader we are proud to support a professional organisation such as AMTIL and the AMT magazine. They have excellent reach and recognition in our industry and it provides a strong channel to our customers and our industry stakeholders. DEAN McCARROLL, MANAGING DIRECTOR OKUMA AUSTRALIA +
