Materials Australia Magazine | September 2022 | Volume 55 | No.3

From the President

Welcome to the September 2022 edition of Materials Australia magazine.

Since the last magazine was prepared, things have continued to move at full speed around us. It has been a very busy time for many Materials Australia members, with the northern hemisphere conferences in full swing. In my previous president’s message, I mentioned that I had recently attended two conferences. Since that time, I have attended another two and presented eight conference papers, all of which had been carried over from delayed events in 2020. Inflationary pressure globally is continuing to be a worry for many companies, and the difficulty in recruitment of staff is a global phenomenon. The ‘great resignation’ that has occurred over the past few years during the pandemic is impacting businesses all over the world. It has been forecast for some time that workers born in the mid to late 1950s would be retiring around 2020, but it seems the pandemic has exacerbated the issue, with those retirees suddenly unable to train new employees. At the recent World Congress on Investment Casting, for example, representatives from all over the world told the same story.

A topic that has arisen on multiple occasions recently from existing and prospective Materials Australia members is recognition of Materials Engineering as a discipline within Engineers Australia (EA). Currently, Materials Australia is a Technical Society within EA (as we do not have enough practising people for a separate college). This means that Materials Australia has, for example, aligned our CPD requirements with those of EA to reduce paperwork for people who are members of both. Part of this discussion has been spurred on by the requirement for engineers to be registered in Victoria and other states. I have personally had a lot of experience

with dealing with this topic so thought I might share some insights.

* If a person has a four year engineering undergraduate degree recognised under the Washington Accord, they are immediately able to meet the requirements of Stage 1 competency within EA upon graduation.

* If a person has a three or four year degree that is different to the above (such as a three year science degree plus postgraduate honours), and wishes to become a member of EA then the person needs to apply in writing to EA and have their qualifications recognised as meeting Stage 1 competency.

with the Mechanical College does not mean you are a Mechanical Engineer!

* Most qualified engineers should aim to gain Chartered status. This means you meet the requirements for EA Stage 2 competency, and this usually requires experience in a more developed role where supervision of complex projects may be involved. You can also be included immediately on the National Engineering Register without separate assessment. In some areas of practice, this means that you are able to certify engineering drawings, designs and compliance certificates. Gaining chartered status with EA also makes registration as a professional engineer in states such as Queensland and Victoria simpler.

* Later, people who attain more distinguished professional roles have the option of gaining Level 3 competency with EA (known as the Engineering Executive). This gives recipients chartered status in Leadership and Management together with their affiliated College, if they choose to retain it. If they haven’t already, they may also become registered as an International Professional Engineer and can be included on the APEC Engineer register if they choose.

* For people who attained their degree overseas from a non-accredited university, the person needs to have their qualifications assessed by EA to ensure they meet the competency requirements before working as a professional engineer.

* When you join EA, you choose a ‘College’ to be affiliated with. This is the most contentious issue for materials engineers, since for EA this is the Mechanical College. This affiliation includes not only Mechanical Engineers, but all other engineering disciplines who work in the field, including manufacturing, industrial engineering, and a surprisingly large number of other fields. Importantly, being affiliated

With respect to advocating for Materials Engineering within the engineering disciplines, I take part in the EA meetings on this topic with other technical societies, and currently EA’s position is to maintain the status quo, at least for now.

It’s hard to believe the year is nearly over, but when I think of where we were only 12 months ago to where we are now, it is quite extraordinary. Like many people, I have travelled a lot internationally (having flown over 72,000km this year already), and tried to keep on top of a very busy workload.

The year is quickly coming to a close, and I would like to wish you, your family and colleagues the best of health and to stay safe through the remainder of 2022. We have a lot ahead of us in 2023!

Best Regards

Roger Lumley

National President Materials Australia

Roger Lumley at the World Conference on Investment Casting, Anaheim, USA, 2023

Industry News

RAYMAX:

Achieving Consistent

Topological Superconductors: Fertile Ground

Elusive Majorana

and DST Group Commission Australia’s First 2800°C Thermophysical

20

22

26

Analyser 27

The Australian Research Council Commits $5 million to Establish UOW Centre for Training and Research into the

of Mining

28

HRL Technology Group: What Makes Them Different 29

New Shape-Shifting Material can Move like a Robot 30

PPE Can Be Recycled To Make Stronger Concrete 31

AXT Appointed Australian Distributor for Exaddon’s Metal Additive Micromanufacturing Technology 32

World’s First Spectral CT – Combining Chemical Composition Analysis with Non-Destructive 3D Imaging 33

CSIRO to Create World's Best Respirator for Defence Force Personnel with Australian Business 34

Lastek: Photonics Technology Solutions 35

University Spotlight - Edith Cowan University 36

Feature - Australia’s

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Courses

https://www.materialsaustralia.com.au/training-courses-and-

This magazine is the official journal of Materials Australia and is distributed to members and interested parties throughout Australia and internationally.

Materials Australia welcomes editorial contributions from interested parties, however it does not accept responsibility for the content of those contributions, and the views contained therein are not necessarily those of Materials Australia.

Materials Australia does not accept responsibility for any claims made by advertisers.

All communication should be directed to Materials Australia.

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WA Branch Meeting Report - 11 July 2022 Joint meeting with Australian Corrosion Association

Stainless Steel – Not just a Single Alloy

Source: Stuart Folkard, Principal Materials and Corrosion Engineer, Wood

Stuart Folkard (Principal Materials and Corrosion Engineer, Wood) recently presented to the Western Australian Branch on the topic Stainless steelnot just a single alloy.

Stuart recently returned to the Wood office, having been seconded to Chevron’s Gorgon Foundation and Gorgon Stage 2 projects over the last 13 years. Prior to joining Wood, Stuart spent almost 20 years in the stainless steel industry in South Africa with Columbus Stainless.

The term ‘stainless steel’ refers to a large number of iron-based alloys, each of which has different properties and service behaviour. Stuart’s presentation summarised how the alloys are grouped and classified and provided an overview of each group’s chemical, mechanical and corrosion resistance properties. He also referred to some aspects of fabrication, as well as the typical applications in which these alloys are used.

The defining feature of a stainless steel is that the surface can form a thin transparent protective coating of chromium dioxide, referred to as a passive film. In order to form this film, the minimum chromium content must be approximately 11-12 weight percent. Stuart emphasised that thermal scales and oxides are not protective, and that when the passive film is destroyed, as in welding, the surface must cleaned by pickling, and re-passivated.

The broadest division of stainless steels is based on the predominant crystalline phases present in the alloy: ferrite (bcc), austenite (fcc), and martensite (metastable tetragonal). Stuart pointed out how the major alloying elements (chromium, nickel and manganese) stabilise different crystal phases found in the iron-carbon phase diagram, and how they affect the potential to form the brittle intermetallic sigma phase.

Phase composition in stainless steels is complex, but the Schaeffler diagram provides a convenient approximate summary. This delineates phase

regions against two axes: equivalent nickel content and equivalent chromium content. Commercial stainless steels grades fall into an area in which, depending on grade, the phases present vary from 100 percent austenite, through ferrite and martensite to 100% ferrite. This diagram is particularly useful in specifying welding of stainless steels.

Stuart provided a broad overview of grades and their uses. He described the common ferritic grades 409 and 430, the common (but more expensive) nickel-containing austenitic grades 304 and 316 (‘18-8’: 18% chromium and 8% nickel) and the martensitic grades 410, 420 and 440, which are essentially ferritic grades with high carbon content. The more complex (and generally more expensive duplex grades, such as 2507, contain both austenite and ferrite. Precipitation hardening grades, like 17-4PH are supplied in a soft annealed state and are subsequently heat treated to develop high strength.

Referring to general mechanical properties, austenitic grades are ductile and can be work hardened, ferritic grades are ductile, while martensitic grades are not so ductile, but are amenable to heat treatment.

While it is corrosion resistance that gives stainless steels their name, and they are generally resistant to corrosion on exposed surfaces with intact passive films coverage, they are not infallible. While general corrosion can occur, it is usually easily monitored. The particular issue with stainless steels is the potential for rapid localised corrosion.

One of the common failings of cheaper grades is resistance to pitting corrosion. This occurs when the passive film is damaged at localised points, particularly in the presence of high concentrations of chloride ions. Once a small area becomes anodic, with the remaining (and much larger) undamaged area being relatively cathodic, the corrosion current is increased in the anodic area

leading to rapid penetration (‘pitting’).

The stability of the passive film increases with chromium content, and also with other alloying elements present in various grades. This is summarised by the pitting resistance equivalence number, which relates the influence of other elements to that of chromium.

Another common type of corrosion failure is crevice corrosion, as can easily occurs under bolt heads. Again, the large cathodic area presented by the non-corroding external surface drives rapid corrosion under the head, where it might not be visible.

The third common form of localised corrosion of stainless steels is stress corrosion cracking, to which austenitic stainless steels are susceptible. The presence of ferrite in duplex grades means that growth of stress corrosion cracks in the austenite can be arrested when they encounter ferritic grains.

Another mode of failure is intergranular corrosion, which can occur when carbides are deposited in grain boundaries adjacent to welds.

Stuart concluded with a review of common applications of stainless steels. The bulk of production is of cheaper ferritic grades, which are widely used where the objective is aesthetic; the highalloy grades, including duplex grades, make up about 25% of production.

After the conclusion of his talk, Stuart’s expertise proved to be in high demand as he answered audience questions at this well attended meeting.

L to R: Schree Chandran, Stuart Folkard

WA Branch Meeting Report - 8 August 2022

Joint meeting with Australian Foundry Institute

Weld Repair of 1960s Low Alloy Cast Turbine Casing with Microstructure Replication

Source: Louise Petrick, Senior Welding Engineer, Materials & Welding Solutions

Louise Petrick recently presented a case study for the Western Australian Branch on Weld repair of 1960s low alloy cast turbine casing with microstructure replication.

Louise is a Senior Materials and Welding Engineer with Materials and Welding Solutions. Prior to this, she provided materials and welding consulting support through Weld Australia, where she worked for six years. Her power generation experience started at Eskom in South Africa, where she spent eight years, and continued after her move to Australia with two years at Synergy, supporting Muja Power Station. Louise started her engineering career at Highveld Steel and Vanadium after completing a research masters on welding and corrosion of stainless steel (at the University of Pretoria) before moving to Mintek, working on corrosion research.

The case study concerned weld repairs to three steam turbine casings so that they could be de-mothballed and returned to service, with an expected additional service life of at least 15 years. The turbines had been in continuous use for around 20 years from the late 1960s and had been mothballed for nearly 20 years after that. They had been cast from a proprietary Cr-Mo-V low alloy steel, made at a time when there was limited capacity for control of tramp impurity elements.

They had been operating in the temper embrittlement, and creep, temperature range for around 150,000 hours (longer than their 100,000-hour design life), and had also been subjected to low cycle fatigue through around 150 cold starts over that time. Non-destructive testing revealed manufacturing defects, cracks, and a number of cosmetic carbon steel weld repairs.

Louise became involved as a specialist

welding engineer after the maintenance team attempted a weld repair with nickel, expecting that this relatively ductile metal would accommodate any stresses induced by welding. It did not. The result was nearly disastrous, with deep cracking occurring in the cast metal surrounding the filled area.

The welding specialist team was brought in see if the situation could be remedied. Initial testing showed that the cast metal had a Charpy impact energy absorption of about 5J – tougher than a cracker biscuit, but so brittle as to require exceptional care as a candidate material for weld repair.

The prescribed solution, developed jointly with the maintenance team and the OEM, was to excavate the cracked material and undertake a full weld repair with post-weld heat treatment to match microstructure. In a few areas, the excavation required machining away 90% of the 80mm casing thickness.

The process selected was manual metal arc welding with the smallest available electrode of similar composition, with minimal penetration and a prescribed pattern of overlapping beads so that each deposit normalised the underlying ones.

The practical challenge was how to achieve this. The solution was to bolt the two halves of the casing together, to avoid distortion. However, this meant that the welder had to work inside the casing, which was stood vertically, with steps to give the welder access. The additional complication was that the casing had to be heated to around 200°C (with ceramic bead heaters). This meant that the welder had to wear a full heat-reflective suit, and each member of the welding team could only lay one rod before exiting the casing.

After each layer of deposit had been completed, the casing was allowed

to cool to 100°C for magnetic particle inspection. After completion of the repair, the casing was heated to 700°C (with ceramic bead blankets), held for around four hours, cooled under control to 300°C and finally allowed to cool under the unheated blanket.

It all worked, and the passing of time has proved that desired life extension had been obtained.

Louise illustrated her presentation with photographs of casings, the welding being undertaken and photomicrographs of replicas showing the microstructures, including defects, cracks, grain boundary precipitates and creep voids.

The very engaged audience had many questions for Louise, and one in particular drew a most emphatic response. This concerned excavation of the cracks prior to welding. Working with such a brittle metal, grinding was absolutely not an option; grinding simply propagated the cracks.

Louise explained that when this work was done in 2006, Eskom had a fully integrated operational, maintenance, R&D and internal consultancy structure. Whether such an ambitious repair could (or would) be undertaken with outsourced repair capacity and outsourced consultancy remains an intriguing question.

L to R: Schree Chandran, Louise Petrick, John Wootton

QLD Branch Report - 6 July 2022

ICEFA IX Wraps Up Six in a Row for Dr Richard Clegg

Source: Dr Richard Clegg

The 9th International Conference on Engineering Failure Analysis (ICEFA IX) was held online from 11 to 13 July 2022. Organised jointly by Elsevier and the journal, Engineering Failure Analysis, and originally scheduled to run in-person in 2020 in Shanghai, the conference was postponed a number of times due to the pandemic. Unfortunately, an in-person conference in Shanghai was also not achievable, so the joint Chairs of the conference; Queensland Materials Australia Member and CMatP Dr Richard Clegg of Queensland University of Technology (QUT) and Explicom, and Professor Zhen-Guo Yang of Fudan University in Shanghai, worked hard with the team at Elsevier to make the conference a success. While ICEFA had not been run in an online only mode before, Elsevier has had considerable experience in virtual conferences since the beginning of the pandemic.

The total number of delegates was 225, with 124 oral presentations and 118 poster presentations. The conference also had five plenary lecturers: three from China, one from Portugal and one from Brazil. The conference was well supported by the Chinese Failure Analysis Institution of the Chinese Mechanical Engineering Society, with many delegates from China in attendance. Programming the conference over many time zones presented a challenge, particularly to ensure that no-one was being asked to present at 3am.

The Chairs were grateful to the commercial sponsors who helped support the conference and contributed some very interesting presentations through the sponsors session. Although the conference committee look forward to the return of in-person events, the tools now

available to run online conferences are impressive and worked well.

This was the sixth ICEFA Conference that Dr Clegg helped organise, the first being in 2010 in Cambridge, United Kingdom. The ICEFA conference series first started in Lisbon in 2004 and was organised by Dr Dai Jones, the former Editor-in-Chief of the journal Engineering Failure Analysis.

As Dr Clegg took over the role of Editorin-Chief in 2009, this came with the responsibility of helping organise the conferences. In 2022, a new Editor-inChief of Engineering Failure Analysis was appointed, Professor Cesar Azevedo of the University of Sao Paulo. Dr Clegg will continue his affiliation with the journal as a member of the Editorial Board and Honorary Editor and is looking forward to having more time to pursue other projects back in Australia.

QLD Branch Report

Materials Selection, Choice and its Importance to Engineers – Andy Reilly

Source: Dr Richard Clegg

In conjunction with Engineers Australia, the Queensland Branch of Materials Australia hosted a presentation on 6 July by Andy Reilly of Total Materia, entitled Materials selection, choice and its importance to engineers.

Andy has over 30 years of engineering software experience, particularly with CAD, CAE, PLM and enterprise materials tools and processes.

Total Materia is a Swiss-based company that has developed an online database and software system for the

management of engineering materials data. It is now one of the largest materials databases in the world. Andy discussed the importance of managing the materials selection process and materials data for modern engineering firms, particularly from the perspective of managing IP and compliance issues. He also introduced the capabilities of the Total Materia system and how it can integrate with modern CAD and CAE systems.

As Andy is based in the United Kingdom,

so the presentation was available by webinar. It is very exciting that the technologies available at Engineers Australia can enable us to hear from speakers from around the world without needing to travel. Over 360 people registered for the presentation, with over 200 attending the talk live, with many choosing to view the recording after the event. The talk was followed by a lively discussion, moderated by Dr Richard Clegg. The Queensland Branch of Materials Australia is grateful to Andy for his time and expertise.

Dr.Richard Clegg

SA Branch Report South Australian Branch Visits Defence Science and Technology’s Research Engineering Division

Source: Colin Hall

Defence is becoming a major focus for South Australia. The construction of the Hunter Class Frigates, the service life extension of the Collins Class submarines and the Future submarines are three majors programs—just to name a few.

The focus of the Defence Science and Technology (DST) group on the six new STaR Shot programs has also brought greater focus on research and force structure alignment (https://www.dst. defence.gov.au/strategy/star-shots).

With this also comes the strategy of expanding DST’s collaborative effort with universities and industry partners. Underpinning this activity will be enhanced material science requirements—a perfect match with Materials Australia and its members.

The Materials Australia South Australia branch recently visited the Research Engineering department at Edinburgh. Research engineering delivers specialised engineering, design and fabrication solutions to DST, Defence and industry. Their areas of expertise are:

Electronic engineering and fabrication

• Complex electronic hardware design and fabrication

• Surface Mount Assembly Technologies

— automatic loading, assembly and inspection of printed circuit boards in prototype quantities

• Software engineering with embedded or hosted software

• Firmware and printed circuit board design

Mechanical engineering and fabrication

• Complex mechanical engineering, design and fabrication

• Design and development of complex electromechanical systems

• Additive manufacturing — metallic and polymer 3D printing capability

• 3, 4 and 5 axis simultaneous machining for complex geometries

• Sheet metal, welding, model making and carpentry Microengineering

• Microfabrication

• Micro-packaging and metrology

• Laser micromachining

We spent around an hour touring their facilities, including their cleanroom facilities for their

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electronic fabrication processes and the additive manufacturing area with their extensive metal and plastic printing capability. It was a great tour that was enjoyed by all. We even left with a gift, the team had some bottle openers additively manufactured for us. Given the limitation to numbers we will look to run this visit again later next year.

Above: A gift of an additively manufactured bottle opener. Below: SA branch members after the visit to DSTG

21st - 23rd June 2023 | The University of Sydney

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS

Abstracts

21st - 23rd June 2023

The University of Sydney

The 3rd Asia-Pacific International Conference on Additive Manufacturing (APICAM) is the not-to-be-missed industrial application focused conference of 2023.

The 5th Asia-Pacific International Conference on Additive Manufacturing (APICAM) is the not-to-be-missed industry conference of 2023. APICAM was created to provide an opportunity for industry professionals and thinkers to come together, share knowledge and engage in the type of networking that is vital to the furthering of the additive manufacturing industry.

APICAM was created to provide an opportunity for industry professionals and academic researchers to come together, share knowledge and engage in the type of networking that is vital to the furthering of the additive manufacturing industry.

Some of the leading minds in the industry will give presentations on pressing issues and the ways in which innovations can navigate challenges. Important areas such as 3D printing and additive manufacturing in the automotive, biomedical, defence and aerospace industries will be covered by experts from each respective field.

Some of the leading minds in the field of additive manufacturing will give presentations on pressing issues and the ways in which innovations can navigate challenges. Important areas such as applications of additive manufacturing in the, biomedical, defence and aerospace industries will be covered by experts from each respective field.

The event is being curated by Materials Australia, the peak Australian materials technology body, which has drawn on its considerable pull in the industry to create a world-class event that is a must-attend for anyone involved in the additive materials industry.

The purpose of this conference is to provide a focused forum for the presentation of advanced research and improved understanding of various aspects of additive manufacturing.

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS

You can submit an abstract in the following areas of interest:

TO

Additive Manufacturing Defence Application

Additive Manufacturing Green/Clean Energy

Abstracts are able to be submitted in the following areas:

Additive Manufacturing Space Application

Additive Manufacturing of Metals

Additive Manufacturing PostProcessing

Additive Manufacturing of Polymers

Additive Manufacturing of Concretes

Bioprinting and Biomaterials

Advanced Characterisation Techniques and Feedstocks

The main features of APICAM 2023 will include presentations by experts as well as workshops that will help attendees sharpen their skills and then be able to pass on this knowledge to other industry professionals. The event has been designed to allow for ample networking time so that important knowledge-transfer can take place and partnerships can be created that will enrich the industry.

The APICAM2023 organizing committee is seeking abstracts for either an oral or poster presentation.

Enquiries:

Tanya Smith | Materials Australia

+61 3 9326 7266 | imea@materialsaustralia.com.au

www.apicam2023.com.au

Enquiries: Tanya Smith | Materials Australia +61 3 9326 7266 | imea@materialsaustralia.com.au

Computational Modelling of Thermal Processes for Metallic Parts

Ceramic and Concrete Additive Manufacturing Design, Qualification and Certification

Part Design for Additive Manufacturing Failure Mechanisms and Analysis

Digital Manufacturing

Emerging Additive Manufacturing Technologies

Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Materials

Metal Additive Manufacturing Modelling and Simulations

New Frontiers in Additive Manufacturing Process Parameter and Defect Control

Polymer Additive Manufacturing Sustainability

Process-Microstructure-Property Relationships

Testing and Qualification in Additive Manufacturing

Asia-Pacific International Conference on Additive Manufacturing

VIC | TAS Branch Report - 2 September 2022

24th Annual Technologists' Picnic

The Design Parameters of Bicycles Used For Travel, with an Historical Perspective

Guest Speaker: Noel McFarlane

The 24th Annual Technologists' Picnic was well attended, with Materials Australia members from Geelong and Melbourne joining those from Ballarat to welcome Noel McFarlane as our guest speaker. Noel very generously flew in from Tasmania for the event.

Noel gave a personal and interesting presentation on the historical development of a touring bicycle. Noel has been involved in the Australian bicycle industry for nearly 50 years and was pleased to share his knowledge with attendees.

Noel emphasised that the essential qualities of a touring bicycle are reliability, stability under heavy loads, ease of

repair in isolated locations and comfort during long hours in the saddle. Consequently the key criteria for a road racing bike—namely the need for lightness and manoeuvrability— are secondary considerations in a loaded touring bike.

Noel personally road tests all of the components that he uses in the construction of his ‘Vivente’ touring bikes. He enjoys seeking out challenging road surfaces in different countries on which to test the bicycles; an enviable and necessary requirement for continuous improvement.

There were several questions from an appreciative audience that included interested members of local cycling clubs. The questions related to the type of materials used in the construction of the frame, forks, brakes, drive assembly, tyres, lighting, handle bars and saddles.

In answering all of the questions, Noel confirmed that the guiding principle is that the material selection and types of components must primarily improve the reliability and performance of the bicycle within a reasonable cost.

Noel was loudly applauded for his excellent presentation and his generosity in travelling from Tasmania for the event. He was then thanked by representatives of the five participating groups and presented with a fluid expression of appreciation.

Above: The traditional thanks to the guest speaker from the participating groups.

(L to R): John Everton (EA), Graham Sussex (MA), Peter Darveniza (AusIMM), Noel McFarlane (Guest Speaker), Gary Bunn (Convenor), Alan Cooke (AFI), Scott Wade (ACA).

Right: The cosy Charlie Napier Hotel was filled to capacity for Noel McFarlane's presentation.

An appreciative Gary presents Noel with a bag of Ballarat gold.

MATERIALS AUSTRALIA

NSW Branch Report

Source: Dr Rachel White

The latter part of this year is full of events for the New South Wales (NSW) Materials Australia Branch.

On 20 September, our Certified Materials Professional miniconference was held once again. The speakers this year included:

Dr Yi-Sheng (Eason) Chen (University of Sydney) who spoke about hydrogen embrittlement in alloys

Dr David Harrison (Galvanizers Association of Australia) who spoke about atmospheric corrosion exposure testing of zinc alloy coatings in a C5 environment

Waldemar Radomski (Plastral) who spoke about welding techniques for plastic and composite materials

Dr Mark Reid (ANSTO) who spoke about neutron diffraction for the measurement of residual stress in additive manufacturing

· Dr Olga Zinovieva (UNSW Canberra) who spoke about process-structure-property modelling in laser powder bed based additive manufacturing

In October, the University of NSW (UNSW) student materials society (MATSOC) will be running a careers event. The committee will be supporting this event, along with the Australian Ceramic Society.

We are excited to announce that our popular student presentation event will be held as a hybrid event this year. This will take place in early November and we are currently confirming a venue at UNSW. Each year we have a number of undergraduate students present their work. Prizes from branch sponsors are awarded by a judging panel. We will advertise the date when it is confirmed.

Fundamentals of Metallurgy and Additive Manufacturing

17 to 19 August 2022

Materials Australia NSW branch held its annual Fundamentals of Metallurgy and Additive Manufacturing training course from 17 to 19 August 2022 in a virtual format. The course was co-sponsored by the ARC Industrial Transformation Training Centre in Surface Engineering for Advanced Materials (SEAM) at Swinburne University of Technology. Attracting industry and academic attendees from South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales, the event covered a range of different topics related to traditional metallurgy and additive manufacturing.

The course consisted of an introduction session chaired by NSW Materials Australia president, Dr Rachel White followed by three days of lectures by Professor Huijun Li and Professor Madeleine du Toit from the University of Wollongong, and Dr Nima Haghdadi from UNSW Sydney. The course was closed with a Q&A and open discussion session hosted by Professor Madeleine du Toit and Dr Nima Haghdadi.

Despite all the efforts to make this event interactive and success in attracting interstate attendees, we all miss the good old days when this course was facilitated in-person and provided an opportunity for demonstrations and lab tours. We hope this can happen next year.

The Light Metals Technology (LMT) Conference is a biennial event that focuses on recent advances in science and technologies associated with the development and manufacture of aluminium, magnesium and titanium alloys and their translation into commercial products. The conference presents an opportunity for academic researchers, students and industry to discuss cutting edge developments and to facilitate new collaborations.

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS

You are invited to submit abstracts on topics within the themes of Net Shape Manufacturing, Solid State Transformations and Mechanical Performance, and Translation to Applications.

For example, but not limited to:

> Alloy development

> Solidification and casting

> Thermomechanical processing and forming

> Machining and subtractive processes

> Mechanical behaviour of light metal alloys

> Corrosion and surface modification

> Advanced characterisation techniques

> Joining

> Applications in bio-medical, automotive, aerospace, and energy industries

> Simulation and modelling

> Integrated computational materials engineering

Opportunities for sponsorships and exhibitions are available for both APICAM2022 and LMT2023.

Enquiries: Tanya Smith Materials Australia

+61 3 9326 7266

imea@materialsaustralia.com.au

CMatP Profile: Professor Gwénaëlle Proust

in New Mexico, USA. Her research focuses on understanding and modelling the relationships between manufacturing, microstructure and properties of materials.

Where do you work and describe your job

Gwénaëlle Proust is a Professor of Materials Engineering at the University of Sydney. She started there in 2008 as a joint lecturer in the School of Civil Engineering and the Australian Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis. Gwénaëlle studied in France and the USA and worked as a post-doctoral research associate at Los Alamos National Laboratory

I work at the University of Sydney where I share my time between the School of Civil Engineering, where I am a Professor, and the Sydney Manufacturing Hub for which I am the Academic Director. I have different responsibilities and duties with these two roles. I coordinate and teach a Unit of Study on Materials for the first-year students in our Bachelor of Engineering program, and I supervise honours and High Degree Research students on different research projects, some of which are in collaboration with industry.

I also oversee a Core Research Facility specialising in Additive Manufacturing, the Sydney Manufacturing Hub. This entails supervising technical and administrative staff, liaising with different offices at the university

to ensure the good running of the lab, networking with industry to promote additive manufacturing as a new solution to be included in their production lines, facilitating academic research projects, and carrying out my own research on material and technology development in this new and exciting field of additive manufacturing. What I like the most about my job is that each day is different.

What inspired you to choose a career in materials science and engineering?

When I started to look for an engineering program for my undergraduate studies, I was originally thinking of studying chemical engineering as I had enjoyed chemistry classes in high school, especially organic chemistry.

Then I saw an engineering school that was offering materials science and engineering, as well as some chemistry classes (like polymer chemistry, corrosion, adhesion and so

on). The university also offered some manufacturing classes which, for me, seemed to be more applied than what was offered at the other chemical engineering programs I had looked at. I decided to apply to that materials science and engineering school and was accepted in their program. I enjoyed the variety of subjects that were offered. There were some very interesting hands-on laboratories that developed my passion for working in a laboratory.

My passion for research developed while I was studying for my Masters of Engineering in the USA. Originally, I move to the USA to gain some international experience and improve my English. I was thinking of staying there for two years maximum.

Eventually this turned into an eight-year long trip during which I obtained my PhD and worked at—in my opinion— one of the most iconic research places, Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Who or what has influenced you most professionally?

That is a difficult question to answer. I have had the chance to work with many great researchers since I started my research career. I had two fantastic supervisors for my PhD, Professor Surya Kalidindi and Professor Roger Doherty. Their ethics, dedication and innovative minds were quite an inspiration for me. They were also really supportive during my studies and provided me with great opportunities to pursue my career in research.

I was also very lucky to work along great minds in Los Alamos. I especially want to mention Professor Irene Beyerlein with whom I collaborated. At that time there were not many women in our research group so being able to see how successful and brilliant she was gave me quite a lot of hope for my career.

Which has been the most challenging job or project you’ve worked on to date and why?

I think the new role I have as the Academic Director of the Sydney Manufacturing Hub has been my biggest challenge so far. It forced me to get out of my comfort zone and to take more risks in my career.

I had to start interacting with different interlocutors than the traditional

academic crew I was used to. I had to take on new responsibilities and to become more engage with other aspects of the university life. It has been so rewarding to work in the Sydney Manufacturing Hub—I have no regrets taking on the challenge.

What does being a CMatP mean to you?

Being a CMatP means being part of a group of people with common interests and goals. It is also important as a recognition of the work I have done to reach my present role at the University of Sydney.

What gives you the most satisfaction at work?

I enjoy working with my team at the Sydney Manufacturing Hub and my colleagues in Civil Engineering. I have managed to build a very supportive and stimulating network at the university such that I can thrive in my work.

What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?

I think that would be the one I received from one of my mentors at the university who told me not to wait for opportunities to come to me, or for someone to tap on my shoulder, but to make my own opportunities and be more assertive. I think that’s advice

that everyone should follow. It has been quite rewarding for me to put it into practice.

What are you optimistic about?

There are many open research questions in the field of additive manufacturing. The Australian Government has made advanced manufacturing one of its priorities, so research support is available to progress in this field. I think materials scientists and engineers are well positioned to advance manufacturing in Australia and many opportunities exist for us to thrive.

What have been your greatest professional and personal achievements?

I would have to say that my personal and professional journeys have been quite successful thus far. I have lived on three different continents, made friends from all over the world and have a great job. Can’t complain!

What are the top three things on your “bucket list”?

Because I haven’t been able to travel as much in the last two years as I would have liked to, my bucket list at the moment is made of places I want to visit. The three firsts on my list are: Scotland, Peru and Iceland. Hopefully I can start on that next year.

Our Certified Materials Professionals (CMatPs)

The following members of Materials Australia have been certified by the Certification Panel of Materials Australia as Certified Materials Professionals.

They can now use the post nominal ‘CMatP‘ after their name. These individuals have demonstrated the required level of qualification and experience to obtain this status. They are also required to regularly maintain their professional standing through ongoing education and commitment to the materials community.

We now have over one hundred Certified Materials Professionals, who are being called upon to lead activities within Materials Australia. These activities include heading special interest group networks, representation on Standards Australia Committees, and representing Materials Australia at international conferences and society meetings.

A/Prof Alexey Glushenkov ACT

Dr Syed Islam ACT

Prof Yun Liu ACT

Dr Karthika Prasad ACT

Dr Takuya Tsuzuki ACT

Dr Olga Zinovieva ACT

Prof Klaus-Dieter Liss CHINA

Mr Debdutta Mallik MALAYSIA

Prof Valerie Linton NEW ZEALAND

Dr Rumana Akhter NSW

Ms Maree Anast NSW

Ms Megan Blamires NSW

Dr Phillip Carter NSW

Mr Ken Chau NSW

Dr. Igor Chaves NSW

Dr Yi-Sheng (Eason) Chen NSW

Dr Zhenxiang Cheng NSW

Dr Evan Copland NSW

Mr Peter Crick NSW

Prof Madeleine Du Toit NSW

Dr Azdiar Gazder NSW

Prof Michael Ferry NSW

Dr Yixiang Gan NSW

Mr Michele Gimona NSW

Dr Bernd Gludovatz NSW

Mr Buluc Guner NSW

Dr Ali Hadigheh NSW

Dr Nima Haghdadi NSW

Dr Alan Hellier NSW

Prof Mark Hoffman NSW

Mr Simon Krismer NSW

Prof Jamie Kruzic NSW

Prof Huijun Li NSW

Dr Yanan Li NSW

Dr Hong Lu NSW

Mr Rodney Mackay-Sim NSW

Dr Matthew Mansell NSW

Dr Warren McKenzie NSW

Mr Arya Mirsepasi NSW

Dr David Mitchell NSW

Mr Sam Moricca NSW

Dr Anna Paradowska NSW

Prof Elena Pereloma NSW

A/Prof Sophie Primig NSW

Dr Gwenaelle Proust NSW

Prof. Jamie Quinton NSW

Mr Waldemar Radomski NSW

Mr Ehsan Rahafrouz NSW

Dr Mark Reid NSW

Prof Simon Ringer NSW

Dr Richard Roest NSW

Mr Sameer Sameen NSW

Dr Luming Shen NSW

Mr Sasanka Sinha NSW

Mr Frank Soto NSW

Mr Michael Stefulj NSW

Mr Carl Strautins NSW

Mr Alan Todhunter NSW

Ms Judy Turnbull NSW

Mr Jeremy Unsworth NSW

Dr Philip Walls NSW

Dr Rachel White NSW

Dr Alan Whittle NSW

Dr Richard Wuhrer NSW

Mr Deniz Yalniz NSW

Mr Michael Chan QLD

Prof Richard Clegg QLD

Mr Andrew Dark QLD

Dr Ian Dover QLD

Mr Oscar Duyvestyn QLD

Mr John Edgley QLD

Dr Jayantha Epaarachchi QLD

Dr Jeff Gates QLD

Mr Payam Ghafoori QLD

Dr David Harrison QLD

Miss Mozhgan Kermajani QLD

Dr Andrii Kostryzhev QLD

Mr Jeezreel Malacad QLD

Dr Jason Nairn QLD

Mr Sadiq Nawaz QLD

Mr Bhavin Panchal QLD

Mr Bob Samuels QLD

Dr Mathias Aakyiir SA

Mr Ashley Bell SA

Ms Ingrid Brundin SA

Mr Neville Cornish SA

A/Prof Colin Hall SA

Mr Nikolas Hildebrand SA

Mr Mikael Johansson SA

Mr Rahim Kurji SA

Mr Andrew Sales SA

Dr Thomas Schläfer SA

Dr Christiane Schulz SA

Prof Nikki Stanford SA

Prof Youhong Tang SA

Mr Kok Toong Leong SINGAPORE

Mr Madhusudhanan Jambunathan UK

Mr Devadoss Suresh Kumar UAE

Dr Shahabuddin Ahmmad VIC

Dr Qi Chao VIC

Dr Ivan Cole VIC

Dr John Cookson VIC

Miss Ana Celine Del Rosario VIC

Dr Yvonne Durandet VIC

Dr Mark Easton VIC

Dr Rajiv Edavan

VIC

Dr Peter Ford VIC

Mrs Liz Goodall VIC

Mr Bruce Ham VIC

Ms Edith Hamilton VIC

Dr Shu Huang VIC

Mr Long Huynh VIC

Mr. Daniel Lim VIC

Dr Amita Iyer VIC

Mr Robert Le Hunt VIC

Dr Michael Lo VIC

Dr Thomas Ludwig VIC

Dr Roger Lumley VIC

Mr Michael Mansfield VIC

Dr Gary Martin VIC

Dr Siao Ming (Andrew) Ang VIC

Dr Eustathios Petinakis VIC

Dr Leon Prentice VIC

Dr Dong Qiu VIC

Mr John Rea VIC

Mr Steve Rockey VIC

Miss Reyhaneh Sahraeian VIC

Dr Christine Scala VIC

Mr Khan Sharp VIC

Dr Vadim Shterner VIC

Dr Antonella Sola VIC

Mr Mark Stephens VIC

Dr Graham Sussex VIC

Dr Jenna Tong VIC

Dr Kishore Venkatesan VIC

Mr Pranay Wadyalkar VIC

Mr John Watson VIC

Dr Wei Xu VIC

Dr Ramdayal Yadav VIC

Dr Sam Yang VIC

Dr. Matthew Young VIC

Mr. Mohsen Sabbagh Alvani WA

Mr Graeme Brown WA

Mr Graham Carlisle WA

Mr John Carroll WA

Mr Sridharan Chandran WA

Mr Conrad Classen WA

Mr Chris Cobain WA

Ms Jessica Down WA

Mr Adam Dunning WA

Mr Jeff Dunning WA

Dr Olubayode Ero-Phillips WA

Mr Stuart Folkard WA

Prof Vladimir Golovanevskiy WA

Mr Chris Grant WA

Dr Cathy Hewett WA

Mr Paul Howard WA

Dr Paul Huggett WA

Mr Ehsan Karaji WA

Mr Biju Kurian Pottayil WA

Mr Mathieu Lancien WA

Mr Michael Lison-Pick WA

Mr Ben Miller WA

Dr Evelyn Ng WA

Mr Deny Nugraha WA

Mr Stephen Oswald WA

Mrs Mary Louise Petrick WA

Mr Johann Petrick WA

Mr Stephen Rennie WA

Mr James Travers WA

Why You Should Become a Certified Materials Professional

Source: Materials Australia

Accreditation as a Certified Materials Professional (CMatP) gives you recognition, not only amongst your peers, but within the materials engineering industry at large. You will be recognised as a materials scientist who maintains professional integrity, keeps up to date with developments in technology, and strives for continued personal development.

The CMatP, like a Certified Practicing Accountant or CPA, is promoted globally as the recognised standard for professionals working in the field of materials science.

There are now well over one hundred CMatPs who lead activities within Materials Australia. These activities include heading special interest group networks, representation on Standards Australia Committees, and representing Materials Australia at international conferences and society meetings.

Benefits of Becoming a CMatP

• A Certificate of Membership, often presented by the State Chapter, together with a unique Materials Australia badge.

• Access to exclusive CMatP resources and website content.

• The opportunity to attend CMatP only

networking meetings.

• Promotion through Materials Australia magazine, website, social media and other public channels.

• A Certified Materials Professional can use the post nominal CMatP.

• Materials Australia will actively promote the CMatP status to the community and employers and internationally, through our partner organisations.

• A CMatP may be requested to represent Materials Australia throughout Australia and overseas, with Government, media and other important activities.

• A CMatP may be offered an opportunity as a mentor for student members.

• Networking directly with other CMatPs who have recognised levels of qualifications and experience.

• The opportunity to assume leadership roles in Special Interest Networks, to assist in the facilitation of new knowledge amongst peers and members.

What is a Certified Materials Professional?

A Certified Materials Professional is a person to whom Materials Australia has issued a certificate declaring they have attained all required professional

standards. They are recognised as demonstrating excellence, and possessing special knowledge in the practice of materials science and engineering, through their profession or workplace. A CMatP is prepared to share their knowledge and skills in the interest of others, and promote excellence and innovation in all their professional endeavours.

The Criteria

The criteria for recognition as a CMatP are structured around the applicant demonstrating substantial and sustained practice in a field of materials science and engineering. The criteria are measured by qualifications, years of employment and relevant experience, as evidenced by the applicant’s CV or submitted documentation.

Certification will be retained as long as there is evidence of continuing professional development and adherence to the Code of Ethics and Professional behaviour.

Further Information

Contact Materials Australia today: on +61 3 9326 7266 or imea@materialsaustralia.com.au or visit our website: www.materialsaustralia.com.au

GLOBAL STEEL HEAT TREATMENT

RAYMAX: Making Light Work for You

Source: Sally Wood

Since 1992, Raymax Lasers has connected those working in science, manufacturing, and industry with precise and sophisticated lasers to achieve their goals.

How does Raymax do it? They start by first investigating the complex outcome you’re looking to achieve:

• Does a unique material need to be cut, welded or cleaned?

• Do you want to improve your production process?

• Do you have a research goal?

Raymax works across a diverse range of industries and sectors:

• Material Interaction Research: laser evaluation and laser process development

• Solutions for Scientific Research: lasers, lithography, spectrometers, and custom optics

• Manufacturing: additive and bionic manufacturing, metal cladding and part repair, heat treatment, infrared and blue lasers, welding and cutting

• Micromachining and Microstructure Engineering Applications: thin wire stripping and processing, surface profiling and modification, metal ablation, micro-

sized welding and cutting

• Hyperspectral Imaging: optical identification

• Product Marking: tracing and identification, anti-counterfeiting and security

can improve operation in ways you might not have imagined possible.

Technical excellence is balanced with commercial interests to ensure that the equipment that Raymax assists you with meets your exact requirements.

Once the most fit-for-purpose and costeffective solution has been identified, Raymax ships and installs the laser or laser equipment for you. They will even train your team on your laser system, leaving you to sit back and relax, thanks to the reliable Australian-based service and support Raymax provides.

Raymax is a secure TRAC compliant company with international ethical accreditation.

The Raymax mission: Making light work: Delivering the best laser and photonics solutions to advance Australian and New Zealand industries and R&D organisations.

When you partner with Raymax Lasers, you’ll be working with a team of physicists and factory-trained engineers – leaders in the supply of laser solutions and optronics equipment. We’re experts in material interaction research.

Wherever possible, Raymax works to introduce you to new technology that

The Raymax vision: Facilitate Australian and New Zealand industry to set the global benchmark for excellence and innovation with lasers.

Further Information www.raymax.com.au T: +61 2 9979 7646

The fifth International Materials Innovations in Surface Engineering (MISE) conference will be convened in Brisbane, Australia. The conference will be located at the state-of-the-art St Lucia Campus of the University of Queensland: only seven minutes from the centre of Melbourne.

MISE2023 features eminent academic and industrial plenary, keynote and invited speakers who encompass the engineering modification of a material’s surface to improve its performance.

The conference will cover topics such as:

• Coatings and Thin Films for Extreme Industrial Environments

Surface Modification for Industrial Applications

Surface Modification for Biomedical Applications

• Modelling and Simulation related to Surface Engineering

• Vacuum Deposition Coatings and Technologies: PVD and CVD

• Thermal Spray Coatings and Technologies

Weld Overlays and Technologies

Laser Processing and Technologies

• Characterisation of Surfaces, Coatings and Films

• New Horizons in Coatings and Thin Films

• Educational and Training of Early Career Researchers in Surface Engineering Case Histories for Surface Engineering, including Failure Analysis

Abstracts

Abstracts open 1 November 2022 and can be submitted online through the MISE website - www.mise2023.com.au

• Guidelines and an abstract template can be downloaded

Sponsorship and Sponsorship and Industry Displays

A number of limited sponsorship packages will be available. There will also be opportunities for sponsors to reserve space to exhibit their products and technologies. Please see the MISE2023 website for details.

Why should you participate in MISE?

• Networking opportunities to kick-off and maintain your research profile

• Interacting with leading, global industrialists to promote future activities Contribute to your Continuing Professional Development (CPD) portfolio Learn of the emerging manufacturing technologies that are on the near-term horizon

• A post-conference intense workshop

• Plus, the weather and climate in Brisbane during spring is fantastic!

Enquiries

Tanya Smith | Materials Australia

+61 3 9326 7266 | imea@materialsaustralia.com.au

St

Essential Tools for Achieving Consistent Quality in Additive Manufacturing

Source: ATA Scientific Pty Ltd

Australia’s Additive manufacturing (AM) industry is off and running, transforming the way we produce and distribute goods. Also known as 3D printing, AM allows complex parts to be produced, on-demand using digital files in a one-step build process. In the heat of the COVID-19 pandemic, 3D printing stepped up to provide solutions during severe disruptions in supply chains ranging from personal protective equipment (PPE) to emergency dwellings to isolate patients. From aerospace to automotive engineering, and from the medical to the dental industry, AM is an evolving technology revolutionising industries across the country.

Why Do Your Materials Matter?

3D printed structures are usually built layer upon layer, so consistency in the final product relies on the consistency of the materials being laid down. For powder bed AM processes where a laser or electron beam fuses the raw materials together (such as selective laser melting, electron beam melting, and binder jetting), the quality of the finished component will depend on the properties and behavior of the metal, ceramic, or polymer powder being applied. Poor powder quality can produce defects in the end part including pores, cracks, inclusions, residual stresses, and sub-optimal surface roughness, as well as compromise throughput. To avoid these issues, the relationship between material properties, processing performance, and endcomponent properties need to be assessed.

What Makes An Ideal AM Powder?

High purity powders that pack consistently with high density are associated with the production of consistentquality components with fewer flaws, while good flowability enables the powder to spread evenly and smoothly across a bed to form a uniform layer with no air voids. Smooth, regularly shaped particles tend to flow more easily than those that are irregular and/or rougher, because of reduced interparticle friction and a lower risk of mechanical interlocking. Similarly, spherical particles tend to pack more efficiently than those that are irregular, giving rise to higher bulk densities. The forces of attraction between particles increase with decreasing particle size, therefore fine metal powders usually flow less freely than coarser powders. Thus, optimising particle shape and including both coarse and fine particles (finer particles fill the interstices left by larger ones) can enable maximum packing density and maintain good flowability.

How Does The Production Of Metal Am Powders Affect Their Properties?

Most metal powders used in AM are produced by gas atomisation, where a feedstock is melted and ejected through a nozzle into a high-pressure gas stream to create droplets. The size of particles produced can be controlled by varying process parameters such as gas pressure, melt properties, nozzle design, and gas-metal ratio. However,

Figure 1: Laser diffraction measurement using Malvern Mastersizer 3000.

the resulting powder is not ideal for AM processes, which require a narrower particle size distribution to produce a consistent powder layer of the correct thickness. Additional processes like ‘scalping’ can remove oversize particles but these reduce yield and therefore increase the cost of AM powders. Unwanted features such as satellite formation, where small and larger particles fuse or agglomerate during atomisation can impair flowability and packing. More spherical particles can be produced by Plasma Atomisation or the Plasma Rotating Electrode Process (PREP), but at a higher price. What’s more, when using recycled powders, the risk of mechanical damage, oversized particles, or surface oxide layer formation increases. So, to take full advantage of AM’s sustainability benefits while ensuring that their materials don’t compromise final part quality, manufacturers must ensure they can reliably characterise and optimise their materials.

How Do You Measure Particle Size and Shape Reliably?

Laser diffraction

With a measurement range from 0.01 to 3,500µm, the Malvern Mastersizer 3000 is the particle sizing technology of choice for most AM applications, particularly at smaller size ranges; from <25µm used in Metal Injection Moulding to up to 1mm used in Hot Isostatic Pressing. Particle size distribution (PSD) is determined using Mie theory from the measured angular dependence of the scattered light as a collimated laser beam passes through the sample (Figure 1). Large particles scatter with high intensity at narrow angles relative to the incident beam, while the signal generated by smaller particles is weaker but extends to wider angles.

The Mastersizer 3000 is highly automated and offers high-throughput analysis with minimal manual input. It is highly efficient at revealing the presence of any small quantities of oversized or agglomerated material that could cause a powder sample to be out of specification. Insitec

is an online system that deliver real-time particle size monitoring for automated process control. It can be used either to monitor particle size evolution during atomisation, grinding, or spray drying, or at an end-user facility for automated powder handling and recycling (Figure 2).

Figure 3 shows measurements for four fractions of metal powders, made using both wet and dry dispersion on the Mastersizer 3000. Both wet and dry dispersion are suitable for analysing metal powders to validate the primary particle size and should give equivalent results. Wet dispersion offers an alternative particularly when particles carry ignition risk or health and safety concerns. For the <150µm fraction, there is a noticeable discrepancy between the wet and dry measurements. This is likely due either to fine particles adhering to larger particles in the dry state which may impact powder flowability, or a difference in sampling.

Figure 3: Comparisons of wet and dry measurements for four stainless-steel 316L powder samples. Red trace shows dry PSD and green trace shows wet PSD. Each trace shows the average result over five measurements.

Figure 2: Schematic of a gas-atomisation process for manufacturing metal powders, showing the points where laser diffraction can be employed.

Dynamic Image Analysis

The Malvern Hydro Insight offers dynamic imaging which can be integrated with the Malvern Mastersizer 3000 to give particle shape information at the same time as particle size measurements. Particles suspended in a flowing stream by the laser diffraction dispersion unit flow through the Hydro Insight and are then photographed by a high-resolution digital camera. The images are stored for viewing and converted to a digital format for real-time image analysis and quantification of size and/or shape (Figure 4). Large numbers of particles are measured quickly with all three particle dimensions captured due to the random orientation of the particles. The Hydro Insight can detect small numbers of oversize particles or contaminants that laser diffraction alone may miss and help to troubleshoot or optimise laser diffraction methods. It also provides a built-in algorithm for correlating particle size data with sieve analysis which tend to correlate better than equivalent circular areas or spherical

diameters reported by laser diffraction, especially when dealing with non-spherical particles.

Static Image Analysis

The Malvern Morphologi 4-ID combines all the benefits of automated static imaging with chemical identification of individual particles by Raman spectroscopy in a single measurement. It captures individual images of tens of thousands of particles from approximately 0.5 µm to > 1mm and calculates component specific size and shape parameters, including circularity, elongation, convexity, and solidity (Figure 5). Because the position of each particle is recorded, particles of interest can be revisited with higher magnification for a more detailed study. It can also support customised classifications to examine features such as satelliting.

Conclusions

The size and shape of metal powder particles affect powder bed packing and flowability. In turn, these features impact the build quality and final properties of components manufactured using AM. As such, understanding and optimising particle size and shape is critical to the success of powder-bed AM. Laser diffraction and automated image analysis are complementary tools that can be used to characterise and optimise metal powders for a range of powder-bed AM processes.

Contact us for more information today: ATA Scientific Pty Ltd +61 2 9541 3500 enquiries@atascientific.com.au www.atascientific.com.au

Reference: Exploring the role and measurement of particle size and shape in metal additive manufacturing https://www.malvernpanalytical.com/en/learn/knowledge-center/ whitepapers/wp20210727particlesizeshapemetalam

Figure 4: Images of metal powders, captured by Hydro Insight.

Figure 5: Particle classifications for an AM metal powder using the Morphologi 4.

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Topological Superconductors: Fertile Ground for Elusive Majorana Particle

Source: Sally Wood

A recent FLEET review has accelerated the search for Majorana fermions in iron-based superconductors.

The elusive Majorana fermion, or ‘angel particle’ was proposed by Ettore Majorana in 1937, and simultaneously behaves like a particle and an antiparticle.

Searching for new exotic matters or particles is an important job in the world of physics.

The Majorana fermion surprisingly remains stable rather than being selfdestructive and promises information and communications with zero resistance.

Together, this research addresses the rising energy of modern electronics, which already accounts for 8% of global electricity consumption.

In addition, Majorana zero-energy modes in topological superconductors have made those exotic quantum materials the main candidate for realising topological quantum computing.

The Angel Particle

The fundamental particles such as electrons, protons, neutrons, quarks, and neutrinos each have their distinct antiparticles. Conventional fermion and anti-fermions constitute matter and antimatter and annihilate each other when combined.

“The Majorana fermion is the only exception to this rule, a composite particle that is its own antiparticle,” said Professor Xiaolin Wang from the University of Wollongong (UOW), who is a corresponding author on this research.

Despite the intensive searching for Majorana particles, the clue of its existence has been elusive for many decades. This occurs because the two conflicting properties render it neutral and its interactions with the environment are very weak.

While existence of the Majorana particle is yet to be discovered, it may exist as a single-particle excitation in condensed-matter systems where

band topology and superconductivity coexist.

Dr Muhammad Nadeem is a FLEET postdoctoral researcher at UOW, who said there has been increased research in in these particles in recent years.

“In the last two decades, Majorana particles have been reported in many superconductor heterostructures and have been demonstrated with strong potential in quantum computing applications.”

A new type of material called ironbased topological superconductors was reported several years ago hosting Majorana particles without fabrication of heterostructures, which is significant for applications in real devices.

“Our article reviews the most recent experimental achievements in these materials: how to obtain topological superconductor materials, experimental observation of the topological state, and detection of Majorana zero modes,” said the study’s first author and UOW PhD candidate Lina Sang.

In these systems, quasiparticles may impersonate a particular type of Majorana fermion such as ‘chiral’ Majorana fermion. This moves along a one-dimensional path and Majorana ‘zero mode,’ which remains bounded in a zero-dimensional space.

When condensed-matter systems, which host Majorana fermions, are experimentally it helps researchers to steer the engineering of low-energy technologies.

The Genius Who Disappeared

Ettore Majorana was an Italian man described as “the greatest theoretical physicist of our time” by the father of the nuclear age, Enrico Fermi.

It is believed Majorana was the first scientist to propose the notion of neutrons but failed to publish his findings.

He was highly sought after on the international stage, including offers to work at the Universities of Cambridge

Scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) images: edge of FeSe/STO, with inset atomicresolution STM showing the topmost Se atom arrangement and crystal orientation.

Corresponding author ISEM Director Prof Xiaolin Wang (University of Wollongong).

and Yale. However, he refused both opportunities and rarely showed up to his University of Naples teaching role. He was known as a scientific trailblazer who would retreat and silence himself when he was urged to publish his breakthroughs.

First author FLEET PhD student Lina Sang in the labs at the Institute for Superconducting and Electronic Materials (ISEM), University of Wollongong.

NETZSCH and DST Group Commission Australia’s First 2800°C Thermophysical Property Analyser

Last month, NETZSCH together with DSTG Platforms Division Team led by Dr. Wyman Zhuang in Melbourne commissioned the first ultra-high temperature thermophysical property analyser in Australia.

The NETZSCH LFA427 Laser Flash Apparatus commissioned in DSTG, allows the determination of material thermal diffusivity and conductivity from room temperature to 2800°C.

This critical research facility will provide vital thermophysical property data to empower the Defence’s highest priority research programs in extreme environment materials research.

Further information:

Mr. Andrew Gillen, NETZSCH ANZ Product Manager

Email: Andrew.Gillen@netzsch.com

Pictured (from right): Marco Attia (DST Group), Dr Jiunn Jieh Lee (ANZ Service Manager, NETZSCH Australia Pty Ltd), Andreas Strobel (Global Head of Service, NETZSCH Gerätebau GmbH), Michael Forsey (DSTG/RMIT Research Assistant).

Dr. Wyman Zhuang, DSTG Discipline Leader-HighTemperature M&S Experimentation

Email: wyman.zhuang@defence.gov.au

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The Australian Research Council Commits $5 million to Establish UOW Centre for Training and Research into the Future of Mining Equipment

Source: Sally Wood

The University of Wollongong (UOW) will be the headquarters of a new ARC Training Centre for Innovative Composites for the Future of Sustainable Mining Equipment.

UOW Vice-Chancellor Professor Patricia Davidson said the Illawarra is the perfect setting for a centre focussed on sustainable mining. “Wollongong has deeply held roots in mining and manufacturing, and this training centre will be the perfect launch pad for global collaboration and innovation,” she said.

The mining equipment, technology, and service (METS) sector is estimated to add more than $50 billion and 80,000 new jobs to the Australian economy by 2030.

“Our state of the art engineering and technology hubs will offer the perfect environment to train the future minds of mining and to find solutions to revolutionise an industry that contributes 15 percent of Australian GDP,” Professor Davidson said.

The transformation of the sector towards a more efficient, costeffective, innovative, sustainable and digital operations require safer machinery and equipment, which is able to operate in deeper mines and harsh environments.

Over the next five years, the ARC Training Centre will train and produce engineering graduates to be highly qualified professionals that feel empowered to take on future challenges in the METS sector. Together, they will solve complex problems in the development of novel steel composites, innovative mining equipment, and sustainable mining processes.

Distinguished Professor Zhengyi Jiang from UOW’s School of Mechanical, Materials, Mechatronic and Biomedical Engineering, will lead the new facility.

The Centre aims to train industryfocussed researchers in advanced manufacturing of new-generation

mining equipment and sustainable mining technology. In addition, researchers will undertake a broad research agenda:

• Developing new-generation innovative composites for mining equipment that can be applied in practical harsh working environments. These areas include usage in deep mining, with the goal of significantly reducing environmental issues and improve worker health.

• Developing advanced manufacturing technology of innovative mining equipment and smart mining technology to significantly advance the Australian mining industry with enhanced safety, reliability, and efficiency of operations.

• Improving Australia's international standing for developing the innovative mining equipment materials, manufacturing processes, and facilitating the mining automation and safety in mining processing technology.

• Strengthening the engagement of research, manufacturing and mining industries and enhancing the international competitiveness of the Australian mining industry.

Professor Jiang said the Centre will bring together a team of world-class researchers and industry leaders to train a workforce to meet the future skills demand.

“This Centre, by working with industry, will improve and streamline the research and development process, building a solid national network to address the needs of the mining equipment manufacturing, enhancing sustainability, and making a safer mining environment.”

“The Centre will support Australian industry to maintain its position as a world leading innovator in the METS sector,” Professor Jiang said.

The Centre’s program of industry

integrated research will focus on innovative steel composites, coupled with work integrated learning, and will empower graduates to develop unique solutions to complex problems. Above all, it will incorporate value-added technologies and products into the Australian METS sector.

Professor Jiang is the Head of the Advanced Micro Manufacturing Research Centre, and the Coordinator for the Rolling Mechanics Team at UOW. In both roles, he brings a suite of experience and knowledge to educate and inspire the next generation of researchers.

HRL Technology Group: What Makes Them Different

Source: Sally Wood

HRL is a leading specialist testing, engineering and innovation services company delivering a range of comprehensive and bespoke services aligned to your specific technical and commercial objectives.

Their overriding purpose is to dramatically improve the reliability, efficiency, and sustainability of your assets, products, and processes to transform your business, saving you time and money, while enhancing operational performance.

HRL operates across coal and gas generation, mining and resources, renewable energy, chemicals and water, manufacturing, products and retail, and transportation.

Asset Integrity, Reliability, and Materials Engineering

HRL specialises in high-temperature, high-pressure systems. Keeping your

assets up-and-running, optimising maintenance expense and capital spend, and investigating failures. Their services include advanced on-site inspection and testing, design verification, asset life, condition and risk assessment, forensic failure investigation, materials selection, advanced materials, and ‘owners engineers’ partnerships.

High-Tech Testing, Engineering and Digital Capability

HRL doesn’t just have the best experts in the business, they also have unique, high-end specialist facilities and equipment, including:

• Fully-equipped NATA and ISO accredited chemical, metallurgical, and mechanical testing laboratories containing highly advanced specialist equipment

• Specialised on-site asset testing equipment, including advanced NDT,

multi-channel flow detection, in-situ pulverised fuel particle sizing and strain gauging

• Applied R&D pilot plant scale-up facilities

• Advanced desk-top modelling, including piping flexibility, finite element analysis, computational fluid dynamics, combustion optimisation, and process simulation

• Digital platforms for big-data analysis and asset monitoring and optimisation, including remote combustion tuning

• Proprietary algorithms and an extensive internal database containing hundreds of years of expertise

For further information: www.hrlt.com.au or call 03 9565 9888.

Positions Vacant

and Metallurgists Experienced or Graduate

As a Metallurgist or Engineer you will deliver a suite of services including, but not limited to; liaising closely with customers to understand and scope work requirements, preparing detailed project plans, producing cost estimates and proposals, overseeing project delivery, preparing and presenting reports to clients as required. Your technical expertise will be condition assessment of complex components and high temperature pressure equipment, providing material selection advice, conducting failure analysis, materials testing and inspection. Experience with engineering assessments, fatigue and creep life assessments, risk-based inspection and experience in the field of welding will be viewed favourably.

New Shape-Shifting Material can Move like a Robot

Source: Sally Wood

Engineers have developed a new class of smart textiles that can shape-shift and turn a two-dimensional material into 3D structures.

The team from UNSW Sydney’s Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, and Tyree Foundation Institute of Health Engineering (Tyree iHealthE), led by Dr Thanh Nho Do, have produced a material which is constructed from tiny soft artificial ‘muscles.’

These ‘muscles’ are long silicon tubes filled with fluid, which are manipulated to move through hydraulics. They are surrounded by a helical coil of traditional fibres and can be programmed to contract or expand into a variety of shapes depending on its initial structure.

The research team, who published their latest findings in Scientific Reports and Soft Robotics journals, believe the new smart textile could have a wide range of applications in many different fields.

“These ‘smart fluid textiles’ take the advantage of hydraulic pressure and add the fast response, lightweight, high flexibility and small size of soft artificial muscles,” Dr Do said. “In effect, we have given our smart textiles the expansion and contraction ability in the exact same way as human muscle fibres.”

There is widespread use for this innovation, including as a compression garment in medical and health scenarios, as a wearable assistive device for those needing help with movement. It can also serve as a shape-shifting soft robot that can aid the recovery of people trapped in confined spaces.

The UNSW Medical Robotics Lab team’s smart textile can either be attached to existing passive material, or the artificial muscles can be inter-woven with traditional yarn to create an active fabric.

“Our smart textiles can be programmed to perform various desired motions and deformations such as shape-shifting structures from 2D to 3D. This material has significant

benefits as it is made from miniature soft artificial muscles which offer a thin, flexible, and highly conformable structure,” Dr Do said.

In addition, the research team believe the development can lead to new medical compression devices. For example, it can help with low-profile devices and lead to better medical outcomes for patients with poor blood circulation.

“Athletes also use compression garments to recover at a faster rate and reduce muscle soreness after training, and our smart textile has potential to be utilised in that area. We envision our material could be used to develop soft exoskeletons to enable people with disabilities to walk again or augment the human performance,” Dr Do added.

Soft Robots

As well as wearable devices, the team are also excited by the opportunity to develop so-called soft robots, which can perform a range of useful tasks.

The study’s first author, Phuoc Thien Phan collaborated with researchers in the Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, and the School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering on this breakthrough.

“Traditional robots are effective when working in structured environments,

In a paper published in Scientific Reports, the UNSW team showed different approaches to create smart textiles from artificial muscle fibres. Image supplied by authors

but they are quite rigid and encounter problems dealing with unknown contexts of changing environments,” he said.

Unlike traditional robots, these devices can change their shape or start off as a two-dimensional flat material and access small spaces before morphing into a three-dimensional object.

Scientia Professor Nigel Lovell said these robots offer a major point of difference.

“Soft robots utilising our smart textile can shape shift and be implemented as a lifting mechanism, such as when rescuing people from collapsed buildings or other hazardous environments, or as a soft tubular gripper—in our experiments we could lift objects around 346 times the material’s own weight.”

The UNSW team's smart textile enables fabric reconfiguration which produces shape-morphing structures such as this butterfly and flower that can move using hydraulics. Image supplied by authors

PPE Can Be Recycled To Make Stronger Concrete

Source: Sally Wood

Engineers at RMIT University have developed a method to use disposable personal protective equipment (PPE) to make concrete stronger, providing an innovative way to significantly reduce pandemic-generated waste.

The RMIT team is the first to investigate the feasibility of recycling three key types of PPE – isolation gowns, face masks and rubber gloves – into reinforcement materials in structural concrete. The studies found shredded PPE could increase the strength of concrete by up to 22% and improve resistance to cracking.

The RMIT School of Engineering team’s industry partner, Casafico Pty Ltd, is planning to use these research

findings in a field project.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, an estimated 54,000 tonnes of PPE waste has been produced on average globally each day. About 129 billion disposable face masks are used and discarded around the world every month. The research brought a circular economy approach to the challenge of dealing with healthcare waste.

“We urgently need smart solutions for the ever-growing pile of COVID-19 generated waste – this challenge will remain even after the pandemic is over,” said Kilmartin-Lynch, a ViceChancellor’s Indigenous Pre-Doctoral Fellow at RMIT. “Our research found that incorporating the right amount of shredded PPE could improve the strength and durability of concrete.”

In three separate feasibility studies, disposable face masks, rubber gloves and isolation gowns were first shredded then incorporated into concrete at various volumes, between 0.1% and 0.25%. The research found:

• Rubber gloves increased

compressive strength by up to 22%

• Isolation gowns increased resistance to bending stress by up to 21%, compressive strength by 15% and elasticity by 12%

• Face masks increased compressive strength by up to 17%

The next step for the research is to evaluate the potential for mixing the PPE streams, develop practical implementation strategies and work towards field trials.

The team is keen to collaborate with the healthcare and construction industries to further develop the research.

The RMIT research team: Dr Rajeev Roychand, Dr Mohammad Saberian, PhD scholar Shannon Kilmartin-Lynch, Professor Jie Li and Professor Kevin Zhang. Credit: RMIT University.

The RMIT team’s concrete that was made using PPE. Credit: RMIT University.

AXT Appointed Australian Distributor for Exaddon’s Metal Additive Micromanufacturing Technology

By Dr Cameron Chai, AXT PTY LTD

AXT is proud to announce that it has been appointed the official distributor for Exaddon, a Swissbased manufacturer of metal additive micromanufacturing (µAM) technology. Their systems are ideally suited to printing complex metal geometries in the range 1 to 1000 µm with sub-micrometre resolution.

Exaddon’s CERES µAM print system utilises localised electrodeposition to deposit metals such as gold, silver, platinum, copper and nickel. It can directly print structures on conductive substrates including electrical circuits. Furthermore, the system can operate in a standard laboratory, and printed structures require no post-processing, unlike other techniques used for microfabrication at similar size scales.

The CERES µAM technology has been proven in areas such as microelectronics, micro materials characterisation and the emerging field of neural interfaces that use 3D printed needles or pillars to connect computers to the human nervous system. It has also been found to be a superior alternative to multistage lithography microfabrication, producing materials with superior strength and durability with no need for post processes such as etching.

Richard Trett, AXT’s Managing Director, said of the new distributorship, “Additive manufacturing is a rapidly growing field in Australia. We identified Exaddon as an excellent fit for our audience, with novel technology that offers wide scope for publishing.”

Edgar Hepp, CEO of Exaddon, commented, "As a Swiss company, we strive to provide outstanding technology combined with great customer support based on expertise and experience. For us it was an obvious choice to appoint AXT as our distributor in Australia; they have intimate knowledge of their local market, and crucially, an excellent reputation for adopting cutting-

edge technology such as our own. We are convinced AXT will represent the unique technology we provide at Swiss quality standard.”

For more details about Exaddon and their metal additive micromanufacturing systems and AXT’s complimentary 3D printing technologies and related imaging and analysis products, please visit https:// www2.axt.com.au/3DP-MASep22.

Spectral CT is the first and only analytical capability for micro-CT systems. Micro-CT users now have the best of both worlds: non-destructive in-situ imaging and material composition information of the entire sample, inside and out with this new development from TESCAN.

Spectral CT provides chemical information at any point within a sample, complementing TESCAN’s state-of-the-art structural imaging capabilities. With Spectral CT materials scientists can now see the most subtle changes in material composition and purity, and low contrast materials, such as polymers, can be differentiated from each other, which is not possible using micro-CT alone.

Spectral CT is unique in that it not

only measures how many x-rays are stopped by a sample, but it also counts the individual x-ray photons. By dividing these photons based on their energy in different bins, the spectrum can be analysed, enabling the attenuation coefficient of the sample to be precisely calculated. This allows the user to calculate densities and see contrast between different materials that are invisible using traditional micro-CT. The user can also identify unknown minerals based on k-edge imaging, remove artefacts from traditional CT scans, or calculate concentrations of different substances

in a sample.

Spectral CT is an option that is available with TESCAN’s UniTOM XL, a versatile, multiscale micro-CT system for high-throughput experiments on a diverse range of samples, and CoreTOM, for multi-scale micro-CT investigations in earth sciences. It can be added to existing TESCAN UniTOM XL or CoreTOM instruments without compromising any of the system’s features. It is a complete hardware/ software solution that is integrated into the micro-CT system for extreme ease-of-use, with only one click needed to switch between structural and spectral information.

A full software suite features acquisition, reconstruction and analysis of spectral data.

CSIRO to Create World's Best Respirator for Defence Force Personnel with Australian Business

Source: Sally Wood

During the First World War, soldiers were given primitive gasmasks that filtered out toxic gases. Contemporary respirators provide minutes of protection against dangerous chemicals before defence force personnel need to swap out the absorbent canister. However, this is set to change after CSIRO was recently awarded its largest contract to date.

The national science agency is fasttracking the development of new protections for the Australian Defence Force (ADF). Scientists have been working with chemical, biological and radiological agents to further develop and commercialise the ADF’s worldleading respirator technology.

Dr Larry Marshall (CSIRO’s Chief Executive) said the $8.6 million Defence Innovation Hub contract is a critical part of maintaining a secure Australia and region.

“We are using science to create real-world solutions, working with Australian industry to build sovereign capability and turn brilliant ideas into something ground-breaking to protect our troops. We are aiming to develop a respirator that will be the most capable in the world,” said Marshall.

The single canister device is a change from existing technology, and provides protection for longer periods, and against more potential threats. In addition, it will significantly reduce exposure to a broad spectrum of toxic industrial chemicals. The technology uses metal organic material rather than carbon based absorbent material to provide more effective protection against a broader range of contaminants

CSIRO will be working with the Melbourne-based chemical manufacturing business and porous material’s producer, Boron Molecular, and Brisbane-based, Veteran Owned EPE Trusted to Protect, to develop the respirator, as well as Monash University.

Professor Matthew Hill is a CSIRO researcher, who has been studying porous solids for around 10 years and

has developed an efficient and costeffective manufacturing process.

“By combining our expertise in nanofibers and porous solids, we’re developing a technology that will protect our military personnel from weaponised toxic chemical gases and vapours and give them a greater chance to safely complete their mission,” he said.

This innovation combines nanofibers and porous solids to soak up hazardous gases like a sponge. Nanofibers are super-light filters that can stop dangerous particles from getting through. By incorporating porous materials into respirators, toxic industrial chemicals can be adsorbed before they affect the wearer.

Dr Oliver Hutt is the CEO of Boron Molecular, and said his company was excited to be involved in the development of the leading-edge sovereign capability.

“We’ve worked with CSIRO for many years on various projects, but it’s particularly rewarding to be involved in the development of a technology that will help keep our military safe.”

Hutt’s organisation is a chemical manufacturing business and porous materials’ producer.

Similarly, the Brisbane-based and Australian Veteran Owned business, EPE Trusted to Protect, is the lead commercial partner on the project and is manufacturing the canisters.

“We are excited to work with CSIRO and Defence Science and Technology Group to ensure that the product produced is not just the best technologically but also operationally meets the needs of service personnel,” said Warwick Penrose, who is EPE’s Managing Director.

The company specialises in using advanced technologies to protect service personnel. These services include bomb response robots, counter chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear capabilities.

Penrose said the team was looking forward to delivering the canisters

The single canister provides both protection for longer periods and against more potential threats than other respirators.

The respirator will be critical to the nation’s first responders.

The Defence Innovation Hub contract will further develop and commercialise the world-leading respirator technology.

to defence personnel and first responders.

“Ultimately, we are excited by the prospect of getting this product protecting the service men and woman of Australia, our allies, as well as the first responder community,” he said.

INDUSTRY

Lastek: Photonics Technology Solutions

Source: Sally Wood

Lastek is the Australian and New Zealand distributor for over 70 leading laser, imaging, and photonics technology companies.

Their high quality product portfolio includes such leading companies as Toptica, Ocean Insight, Thorlabs, Gentec-EO, Raptor Photonics, Ekspla, Abberior Instruments, Light Conversion, Laser Quantum and many more. Their principal areas of operation are:

Lasers: Lastek is the leading supplier of lasers and photonic sources to the scientific industry in Australia and New Zealand, representing some of the world's leading manufacturers and suppliers, including solid state, ultrafast, industrial fibre, tunable, gas, microwave, micromachining, drive electronics and light sources.

Safety: Lastek offers an extensive range of equipment and services designed to cover all aspects of laser and LED safety, including protective eyewear, laser enclosures, beam dumps, interlock systems, warning signs and curtains.

Optics: Lastek offer a huge range of optics and optical components from the world's leading precision optics companies, including lenses,

windows, mirrors, fibre optics, prisms, and photonics components.

Spectroscopy: Lastek offer the world's most advanced and versatile spectroscopic instruments backed by the most experienced support in the industry, including raman, optical, fluorescence and mass spectrometres.

Microscopy: Lastek offers the most advanced microscopy and imaging systems to Australian and New Zealand customers, including two photon and light sheet microscopy, OCT, nanoscale cultureware and illumination systems.

Detection: Lastek offers a very wide range of detectors and instruments for measuring light from some of the world's leading suppliers and manufacturers. From simple photodiodes to the most complex cameras, Lastek can help.

Motion: Lastek offers the most advanced motion and positioning systems from leading suppliers including ALIO Industries, LG Motion, Mad City Labs, New Scale Technologies, piezosystyems jena and more.

Helmut Fischer – World Leader in Precision Instruments for Coating Thickness

Measurement, Material Analysis and Testing

Lastek proudly introduced precision measurement instruments from the Helmut Fischer Group. Helmut Fischer is an innovative leader in supplying high-value products in industrial, process and laboratory measurement technology. Our products include instruments for measuring coating thickness, microhardness as well as material analysis and testing.

Handheld Instruments: Portable instruments for onsite measurements with interchangeable probes. Measure coating thickness on metals, electrical conductivity of metals, ferrite content in welded products, sealants on anodic coatings on aluminium, finding pores and defects on enamel, paint, rubber, bitumen and plastics.

Metrology: Lastek offer a wide range of advanced instrumentation for precision metrology, including: holographic microscopy, interferometry, autocollimators, fibre photometry, laser speckle imaging, magnetic induction, eddy current, magnetic method, beta backscattering, Coulometric method, electrical conductivity, and X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF).

Established in 1988, Lastek operates from a large, fully restored factory located in the former University of Adelaide’s Commerce and Research Precinct at Thebarton.

Further Information www.lastek.com.au/

T: +61 8 8443 8668 or (within Australia) 1800 882 215 E: sales@lastek.com.au

Edith Cowan University: West Is Best When It Comes to Results in Materials Science

Source: Sally Wood

Edith Cowan University (ECU) is Australia’s leading public university for student experience.

Edith Cowan University (ECU) is Australia’s leading public university for student experience.

Pupils highly endorse ECU for its teaching quality, academic resources, skills development, and the overall undergraduate experience.

Professor Steve Chapman is ECU’s Vice-Chancellor, who said the university seeks to lead the educational experience across both physical and virtual learning environments.

“I am heartened to see these results—the fact that in the midst of the pandemic our international undergraduate students rated their ECU study experience so highly—

reflects the extremely hard work and collaboration that all our staff put in to prioritising the student experience,” he explained.

The university boasts three stateof-the-art campuses across Western Australia—each offering a vibrant place for studying and learning. It also offers a vast array of courses and research opportunities.

Materials Science Leading ECU’s Point of Difference

Researchers are committed to uncovering the next generation of Australia’s sharpest, smartest, lightest, strongest, and greenest materials.

At the Materials Research Group, interdisciplinary research teams design, synthesise, and characterise a range of new materials.

Researchers work across lightweight alloys, and their composites; functional nanomaterials; corrosion behaviour materials; and biomaterials.

The university offers four key themes under the Materials Research Group:

1. 3D printed metallic materials

2. Biomedical titanium alloys and composites

3. Nanocrystalline lightweight alloys

4. Nanomaterials for water treatment

Across these four areas, researchers are partnered with end-users who need solutions to their complex problems.

The Group uses many advanced techniques for its research. These include atom probe tomography; x-ray diffraction; thermal analysis; and transmission electron microscopy.

Together, this research offering seeks to bridge the gap between knowledge and practice; discover new and efficient materials; avoid fatigue and corrosion; and position Australia as greener and smarter materials powerhouse.

For example, the university recently scored a state government grant to design technology that teaches defence force robots to read hand gestures.

Working alongside leading artificial Intelligence companies, ECU researchers want to replace remote controls, which are currently used by defence personnel, with unmanned machines and hand gestures.

The team will be led ECU’s Dr Syed Zulqarnain Gilani, and will incorporate the latest materials science thinking to work with robotics companies, and technologies manufacturers.

“Optimising the present-day utility of robotics technology in the Australian Defence Force requires integrating robots into the human operating environment where they can be at least partially controlled by a human operator,” Dr Gilani said.

ECU encourages support from students and industry who are seeking solutions in the materials science space.

From The Laboratory to The Real World

Konica Minolta Australia delivers 3D printing, software, services, and robotics based on demand from the local market.

The company uses its position in the supply chain to connect people and businesses with high-end outputs. In 2018, Konica Minolta was awarded the Human Rights Award in Business by the Australian Human Rights Commission.

ECU directly benefits from its partnership with Konica Minolta.

Researchers have access to three advanced 3D printers worth more than $400,000.

The technology can produce stronger and lighter parts that are fully functional from design to production within 72 hours.

Dr Ana Vafadar is using one of the devices, the Markforged Metal X, for the design and manufacture of innovative heat exchangers.

She said the collaboration is part of ECU’s commitment to an advanced additive manufacturing hub for local industry.

"This advanced manufacturing method has significant potential to facilitate the development of highefficiency heat exchangers due to the complex, geometric freedom this manufacturing technique offers,” Dr Vafadar said.

There no one-size-fits-all approach to 3D printing. As such, ECU researchers are seeking to be at the forefront of technology with multiple machines to ensure the best experience.

Matthew Hunter works in the innovation of products at Konica Minolta, where he said the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for manufacturing processes to be brought back onshore.

"Helping ECU build its advanced manufacturing hub by providing 3D printing equipment, as well as collaborating on training and engagement days, will assist Konica Minolta in demonstrating the value that additive manufacturing has in the local market," he said.

Major Funding Boost to Tackle Microplastic Microplastics are one of the most significant and serious pollutants in Australian waters.

These tiny particles travel from kitchen and bathroom sinks, showers, and other drainage systems, and enter the ocean. They are often confused as seaweed or algae among sea life.

Dr Masoumeh Zargar from ECU’s School of Engineering is investigating new ways to remove dangerous microplastics from water supplies thanks to a prestigious Australian Research Council (ARC) grant.

Her research will support ongoing work on developing new types of membrane filters for use in water treatment plants to remove microplastics from water supplies.

“Microplastics have multiple known and potentially numerous unknown environmental and health risks. Around 10% of all plastics we produce pollute the marine environment and can cause enormous damage to the ecosystem of oceans” she said.

“Unfortunately, our existing wastewater treatment plants aren’t properly designed to remove these tiny particles from water so they either end up in our oceans, rivers and lakes or even in our drinking water.”

As a recipient of the Discovery Early Career Researcher Award, Dr Zargar’s research will attract over $410,000 across the next three years.

The research will combine advanced structural and surface modification techniques including the use of nanotechnology, together with innovative analysis of prototypes.

This will provide fresh insights into the development of large-scale integrated membrane systems in industry.

Professor Caroline Finch is ECU’s Deputy ViceChancellor (Research), who welcomed the ARC’s round of funding.

“This research tackles an important issue affecting our environment and the health and wellbeing of Australians and potentially people around the world.”

“The combination of innovative engineering solutions to a complex environmental problem is an outstanding example of the world class research happening at ECU,”

Professor Finch explained.

The research project will also fund the scholarship for one PhD student, and bring a suite of international partners from the United Kingdom, Belgium, and Qatar to the table.

Dr-Masoumeh-Zargar

Computational Technology Molding a Grand Future in Architecture

A recent report has found solutions in the fight against discarded ‘ghost’ nets and other fishing marine debris in northern Australia.

The research was conducted by the environmental not-forprofit organisation TierraMar and the UNSW SMaRT Centre, who uncovered sustainable methods to detect, collect, transport and responsibly dispose of ghost nets.

“Ghost nets are fishing nets that have been lost at sea, abandoned or discarded when they have become damaged,” said Professor Veena Sahajwalla from the UNSW SMaRT Centre.

“Discarded fishing equipment can cause pollution such as microplastics and entangle marine wildlife and damage reefs, silently killing,” she added.

Marine debris accumulates in the Gulf of Carpentaria off northern Australia, which is recognised as a global marine debris ‘hot spot.’

“Four of the six marine turtle species found in Australian waters are listed as threatened under Australian environmental legislation and they are regularly found entangled in derelict fishing nets,” Professor Sahajwalla said.

Self-sustaining solutions are critical for ghost nets and marine debris in northern Australia.

Meanwhile, reducing the reliance on government support to clean-up and dispose of the debris depends on the ability to create high quality products made from waste.

“There is an opportunity to develop a range of high-quality homeware and building products made directly from ghost nets and marine debris coming out of northern Australia,” Professor Sahajwalla said.

“The products, such as ceramic tiles, could creatively reflect the unique cultures, artistic values and connections to country by local communities,” she concluded.

Students to Work Together to Explore Solutions to the Scourge of Microplastics

Tiny specks of plastic, known as microplastics, are found across the length and breadth of the food chain.

In fact, they are in the air, soil, ocean, and in the food that is served on the dinner table each night.

Over 70 students from the University of Wollongong (UOW) recently took part in a science, medicine, and healthfocussed education day to develop transferable skills that seek to uncover solutions to the microplastics problem.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Patricia Davidson said she was thrilled to see students coming together to brainstorm solutions to an issue that has urgent impacts for the planet and humans.

“For more than two years, we haven’t been able to hold many of these sorts of events, where students can work collaboratively in person, rather than via a screen.”

“This is such an important and urgent issue, and demands interdisciplinary perspectives,” she said.

Students worked in teams to answer one overarching question: how do we determine the effects of microplastics and reduce the impact of plastics on the environment and human health?

Undergraduate students were invited to attend the event, where they garnered important lessons covering multiple perspectives: legal, scientific, economic, cultural, social, and political—as well as to think creatively and critically.

The 3D pattern works to deflect water away from the windows.

Image courtesy of RMIT University.

The final product. Image courtesy of RMIT University.

UOW researchers and industry partners, with expertise in the areas of ocean and food security, climate change, policy, and textile production, also contributed to the day. The event was held on 19 July where prizes were awarded to participants with groundbreaking ideas.

World First Self-Calibrated Photonic Chip: An Interchange for Optical Data Superhighways

Research from Monash and RMIT Universities has found a way to create an advanced photonic integrated circuit. Whether it is turning on a television or keeping a satellite on course, photonics is transforming the way Australians live.

This research builds crucial links between data superhighways and revolutionises the connectivity of current optical chips. Together, it replaces bulky 3D-optics with a wafer-thin slice of silicon. The photonic chips can transform the processing capability of bulky bench sized utilities onto fingernail sized chips.

This recent development, published in the prestigious journal Nature Photonics, can warp-speed the global advancement of artificial intelligence and offers significant real-world applications.

For example, it can lead to safer driverless cars that are capable of instantly interpreting their surroundings; allowing artificial intelligence to diagnose medical conditions more rapidly; and make natural language processing even faster for apps such as Google Homes, Alexa and Siri.

The project’s lead investigator, Professor Arthur Lowery said this breakthrough complements the previous discovery of an optical microcomb chip that can squeeze three times the traffic of the entire National Broadband Network through a single optical fibre.

“We have demonstrated a self-calibrating programmable photonic filter chip, featuring a signal processing core and an integrated reference path for self-calibration.”

“Self-calibration is significant because it makes tunable photonic integrated circuits useful in the real world; applications include optical communications systems that switch signals to destinations based on their colour, very fast computations of similarity (correlators), scientific instrumentation for chemical or biological analysis, and even astronomy,” Professor Lowery explained.

UNSW Sydney to Help Drive Semiconductor Capability in NSW

UNSW Sydney recently joined a consortium to drive sovereign semiconductor capabilities. The Semiconductor Sector Service Bureau brings together leading experts to support critical local industries, including health, defence, and telecommunications.

Minister for Science, Innovation and Technology Alister Henskens said the semiconductor sector had been identified as a local strength. “From computers and smartphones to military communications and medical devices, semiconductors, also known as ‘chips’, drive the technological devices we use every day and are indispensable to many global supply chains,” he said.

The initiative will expand the state’s semiconductor industry and grow its potential as a future export market.

“The semiconductor industry has been an engine for economic growth over the last 60 years and the S3B represents an enormous opportunity to secure a brighter future for NSW by accelerating our participation in the global semiconductor market,” Henskens said.

Associate Professor Torsten Lehmann from UNSW’s School of Electrical Engineering and Telecommunications will lead the university’s involvement in the program. He said he was excited to have the opportunity to help expand the semiconductor sector in NSW.

“Compared with other parts of the world like Europe, Australia’s semiconductor sector is comparatively small. This is a fantastic opportunity to grow the sector here and given our talent and education levels, we should be a much bigger, global player in this space.”

The program is funded by the NSW government and will be located at Cicada Innovations, in the heart of Sydney’s Tech Central Precinct.

UNSW will join the Semiconductor Sector Service Bureau to boost NSW's capability in building semiconductors. Image courtesy of UNSW Sydney.

Low Temperature Nanoparticle Ink

A simple and versatile nanoparticle ink could help the next generation of perovskite solar cells to be printed at scale and become the dominant force in commercial photovoltaics. The ink is made from tin oxide and can be used to help selectively transport electrons in solar cells—a crucial step in generating electricity.

Other prototype devices built with this method have recorded power-conversion efficiencies of 18%, which is among some of the best for a planar-structured perovskite solar cell processed at low temperatures.

CSIRO principal research scientist Dr Doojin Vak said perovskite solar cells can be manufactured by industrial printing. “While the process is inherently low-cost, the cost of every component still counts. This work demonstrates a great way to contribute to ultra-low-cost manufacturing of perovskite solar cells in the future.”

Perovskite solar cells already rival the efficiency of their established silicon counterparts. They are more flexible and require less energy to make. Other synthetic approaches for tin oxide require high pressure, high boiling points and may also need multiple processing steps. This rules them out of contention for cost-effective manufacturing at industrial and commercial scale.

The nanoparticle ink can be made through microwaves, which limits the commercial potential of printable perovskite solar cells.

Monash University’s Professor Jacek Jasieniak is a senior author on the paper, who said the microwaves synthesise suitable nanoparticle inks in an efficient manner. “[It] provides a major step forward towards achieving high efficiency perovskite solar cells that can be reproducibly printed while also minimising fabrication costs."

New Nanotech Imaging Tool May Allow Smartphone Disease Diagnosis

Scientists have developed a low-cost microscopic imaging device, which is small enough to fit on a smartphone camera lens. This breakthrough has the potential to make mobile medical diagnoses of diseases affordable and accessible. The detection of diseases often relies on optical microscope technology to investigate changes in biological cells. However, these investigation methods usually involve staining the cells with chemicals in a laboratory.

Researchers at the University of Melbourne and the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Transformative Meta-Optical Systems are seeking to miniaturise phase-imaging technology using metasurfaces, which are a few hundred nanometres thick.

“We manufactured our metasurface with an array of tiny rods – nanorods – on a flat surface, arranged in such a way as to turn an invisible property of light, called its ‘phase’, into a normal image visible to the human eye, or conventional cameras,” said lead researcher, Dr Lukas Wesemann.

This innovative technology could one day lead to at-home disease detection, where images are sent to a laboratory anywhere in the world.

“These phase-imaging metasurfaces create high contrast, pseudo-3D images without the need for computer postprocessing. Making medical diagnostic devices smaller, cheaper and more portable will help disadvantaged regions gain access to healthcare that is currently only available to first world countries,” Dr Wesemann said.

Professor Ann Roberts from the University of Melbourne also co-authored the report. She said it was an exciting breakthrough in the field of phase-imaging.

“It’s just the tip of the iceberg in terms of how metasurfaces will completely reimagine conventional optics and lead to a new generation of miniaturised devices,” said Professor Roberts.

Printable flexible solar panels © Nick Pitsas. Image courtesy of CSIRO.

This new technology could allow people to use the camera on their smartphone to diagnose diseases. Image courtesy of TMOS.

New Capability Supports Advanced Laser Additive Manufacturing

ANSTO’s capabilities to support additive manufacturing recently improved with the installation of the first-in-theworld custom-built powder laser metal deposition system. This technology can be used for in-situ experiments at the Australia Centre for Neutron Scattering.

It grants researchers with the tools to undertake neutron measurements during powder-fed laser additive manufacturing. It is expected to provide real-time information about the deposition process to enable further optimisation.

“We have a great technical and design team that pushed the boundaries of what could be achieved for this important area of research. For the first time, we can characterise and manufacture in-house,” said Professor Anna Paradowska from the University of Sydney.

Although some refinements are needed to facilitate ease of operation and potential use on the other neutron instruments, the research team’s development of the sample environment system is a technical achievement.

“This new sample environment capability greatly enhances to measure the evolution of stresses in a 3D printed material, and will assist us in optimising solidification whilst minimising defects, which is crucial in advanced manufacturing. The first experiment on Kowari has been completed and we are extremely pleased with the initial results,” said Chris Baldwin, a sample environment professional officer.

LMD is an additive manufacturing process in which a laser beam is used to form a melt pool on the surface of a metal object. It can be used to produce 3D parts or repair existing components, such as high-strength steel aircraft or civil structure components.

New Research Partnership to Address Corrosion Under Insulation

PETRONAS Research and Curtin University recently entered into a research partnership to address corrosion in the oil, gas, and petrochemical industries. In line with both parties’ sustainability goals, the collaboration strives to discover innovative solutions for corrosion mitigation to reduce carbon footprints and operational expenditures.

Corrosion under insulation (CUI) is among the costliest forms of corrosion in the industry. Studies have shown that the petrochemical industry spends about 10% of its total maintenance and repair budget on piping systems and pressure vessels for insulation-related corrosion.

The project’s technical advisor and PETRONAS Principal Scientist Dr Azmi Mohammed Nor said collaborative partnerships like this, are the key to future success.

“[It] is key to accelerating innovation and progress in technology, such that both sides benefit from opportunities to work on relevant technologies and apply solutions in the real world.”

“CUI is one of the industry’s major material challenges. The research and development of advanced coating materials is believed to be the best approach to address the issue, while reducing operations and maintenance costs, as well as unscheduled shutdowns in the long run,” he added.

The research has direct environmental benefits by eliminating the need to replace steels, reducing energy loss, and preventing the leakage of harmful and toxic chemicals into the environment.

Lead researcher Dr Kod Pojtanabuntoeng, from the Curtin Corrosion Centre, said both parties would develop new and innovative materials under the scheme.

“This coating with insulation properties offers potentially significant benefits such as detecting corrosion easier and quicker, while reducing manpower and improving efficiencies for the oil, gas and petrochemical industries.”

Some of the team members who supported the design and build of the new system for the Kowari instrument. Image courtesy of ANSTO.

PETRONAS Research and Curtin University recently entered into a research partnership to address corrosion in the oil, gas, and petro chemical industries. Image courtesy of Curtin University.

Liquid Platinum at Room Temperature: The ‘Cool’ Catalyst for a Sustainable Revolution in Industrial Chemistry

Researchers have recently used trace amounts of liquid platinum to create cheap and highly efficient chemical reactions at low temperatures, which opens a pathway to dramatic emissions reductions in crucial industries.

This FLEET study focuses on platinum, which is combined with liquid gallium to extend the earth’s reserves of this valuable metal, and potentially offer more sustainable solutions for CO2 reduction. Platinum is very effective as a catalyst but is not widely used at industrial scale because it is expensive. Most catalysis systems involving platinum also have high ongoing energy costs to operate.

Dr Jianbo Tang from UNSW likened it to a blacksmith using a hot forge to make equipment that will last for years. “If you’re working with iron and steel, you have to heat it up to make a tool, but you have the tool and you never have to heat it up again.”

“Other people have tried this approach but they have to run their catalysis systems at very high temperatures all the time,” Dr Tang said.

Until now, there has not been an affordable ratio when trying to manufacture platinum components and products for commercial sale.

Dr Md. Arifur Rahim, is the lead author from UNSW Sydney, who said scientists have been able to miniaturise catalyst systems down to the atomic level of the active metals for over a decade.

“To keep the single atoms separated from each other, the conventional systems require solid matrices (such as graphene or metal oxide) to stabilise them. I thought, why not using a liquid matrix instead and see what happens,” said Dr Rahim.

An atomic view of the catalytic system in which silver spheres represent gallium atoms and red spheres represent platinum atoms. The small green spheres are reactants and the blue ones are products – highlighting the catalytic reactions. Image courtesy of Dr Md. Arifur Rahim, UNSW Sydney.

Global Hunt For Dark Matter Arrives In Australia

Located one kilometre underground in the Stawell Gold Mine, the first dark matter laboratory in the Southern Hemisphere is preparing to join the global quest to understand the nature of dark matter and unlock the secrets of our universe.

Officially unveiled in late August, the Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory (SUPL) will be the new epicentre of dark matter research in Australia.

Lead researcher on the project University of Melbourne Professor Elisabetta Barberio said dark matter has been eluding scientists for decades. “We know there is much more matter in the universe than we can see,” Professor Barberio said.

“With the Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory, we have the tools and location to detect this dark matter. Proving the existence of dark matter will help us understand its nature and forever change how we see the universe.”

With Stage 1 now complete, the lab is ready to host the experiment known as SABRE South to be installed over the coming months, which aims to directly detect dark matter.

SABRE South will run in conjunction with the complementary SABRE experiment taking place in Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, Italy. These experiments are designed to detect Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs), one of the likely forms for dark matter particles.

The Australian and Victorian governments each gave $5 million in funding for the building of SUPL, and this funding was boosted by the Australian Research Council awarding a $35 million grant for the development of a Centre of Excellence for Dark Matter Particle Physics.

Liquid gallium and three solid beads of platinum, demonstrating the dissolution process of platinum in gallium described in the research paper. Image courtesy of Dr Md. Arifur Rahim, UNSW Sydney.

PhD student Madeleine Zurowski with lead researcher Professor Elisa betta Barberio in the Stawell Underground Physics Lab. Image: Olivia Gumienny and the University of Melbourne.

BREAKING

Discovery Could Inspire New Way to Detect Brain Abnormalities

Scientists have taken a promising step towards a new generation of accurate, affordable and portable devices to detect concussion, epilepsy and dementia.

An international research team has developed a laserbased diamond sensor that can measure magnetic fields up to 10 times more precisely than standard techniques. This innovation could pave the way for improving existing magnetic-field sensing techniques for mapping brain activity to identify disorders.

Around 250,000 Australians live with epilepsy, while nearly 500,000 Australians have some form of dementia. The study was led by the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics (IAF), who worked with RMIT University experts in diamond sensing technology.

“Our breakthrough was to make a laser from the defects,” said Professor Andrew Greentree. “By collecting all the

light—instead of just a small amount of it—we can detect the magnetic field 10 times more precisely with our sensor compared with current best practice.”

Today’s magnetoencephalography, or MEG, technology is expensive to install and needs to operate at ultra-cold temperatures with liquid helium and patients must remain still.

“Current MEG machines are huge devices, with dedicated facilities, and they require magnetic shielding around them as well,” Professor Greentree said.

MEG technology based on the new diamond-laser sensor would be smaller than contemporary devices, operate at room temperature and could be fitted to patients who can move around.

“We really want to have something that we can place on a patient's head and we want them to be able to move around—and there’d be no need for expensive liquid helium to operate such a device,” Professor Greentree concluded.

REACH to Drive Australia's Green Manufacturing Revolution

The nation's largest recycling and clean energy advanced manufacturing ecosystem at Deakin University will play a crucial role in rebooting Australia’s manufacturing sector.

Deakin is working with industry, government and education partners to establish a multi-billion-dollar bioeconomy, which is creating scalable pathways for renewable energy and recycled materials, and technologies from the laboratory to commercialisation.

This research undertaking will take place at the Recycling and Renewable Energy Commercialisation Hub (REACH).

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese recently formalised Australia's commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 43% below 2005 levels by 2030.

As such, REACH will facilitate greener supply chains and accelerate business success as international markets move from a throughput economy to a circular economy.

The initiative capitalises on Deakin's strengths in battery technology, carbon fibre, hydrogen, recycling and biomanufacturing, as well as those of Australia's national science agency CSIRO, industry, university and TAFE partners.

It will drive innovation and job creation in Victoria, with projections of more than $1.4 billion in revenue and 2,500 jobs in the next decade.

Alfred Deakin Professor Julie Owens said this creates a stronger incentive for industry to invest in research and technologies to reduce landfill waste and reliance on fossil fuels.

“It will bolster onshore research, development and production opportunities to ensure the sector is more globally competitive,” Professor Owens said.

The program is backed by a $50 million Australian Government Trailblazer Universities Program grant, and support from industry and university partners pushing the total value to $380 million.

Dr Marco Capelli, one of the co-researchers, in the ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics laboratories at RMIT University. Image courtesy of RMIT University.

Today's magnetoencephalography (MEG) technology is very sensitive, but also bulky, expensive to install and needs to operate at ultra-cold temperatures with liquid helium and patients must remain still. Image courtesy of RMIT University.

Australia’s Aeronautical and Space Materials Market Takes Full Flight

Since the Wright brothers took their inaugural 12-second flight in 1903, air travel has taken to new heights.

From the fuel-efficient Boeing 787 Dreamliner to the double-decker Airbus A380, materials science plays a critical role in the development and maintenance of these widebody jets.

Today’s modern aircraft are transforming the way in which people travel and connect with each other.

Aerospace materials are also getting smarter, greener, and lighter, which is paving the way for longer non-stop commercial flights, and travel that is out of this world entirely.

As the private sector accelerates the journey into space, manufacturers rely on materials that boast outstanding properties. They need to endure immense stress, ionising radiation, and withstand extreme environmental factors.

There are also some missions— like low earth and geostationary orbits—that offer a range of other obstacles around safety and longevity.

To overcome these challenges, researchers connect with industry representatives to bring theory into practice.

Aerospace materials are typically made

up of metal alloys, and polymeric based materials. These materials are tested and analysed for their performance, temperature-control, and ability to survive hostile environments.

For example, researchers have found that polymers can shield against the impacts of severe radiation because of their high hydrogen properties and light weight. Similarly, nanotubes can increase the strength of polymers to enhance their electrical and thermal conductivity.

According to Dr Larry Marshall (Chief Executive, CSIRO), “Science becomes real in the hands of visionary partners like Boeing who are willing to embrace science to support the development of a whole new sustainable and resilient industry that supports a green recovery.”

For example, CSIRO researchers and end-users are investigating the use of hydrogen in commercial air travel to increase sustainability, which in turn, will reduce costs. By 2035, hydrogen may provide deeper decarbonisation when used alongside existing airport and aircraft infrastructure.

Dr Marshall believes it could then support a complete transition from conventional jet fuel around 2050. "As we see travel resume, hydrogen

presents a key solution to enable a sustainable recovery for the industry using liquid renewable fuel, and to grow future resilience from threats like oil shocks.”

CSIRO swung into action as the COVID-19 pandemic brought the international and domestic travel industry to a grinding halt, with a suite of new research offerings.

Likewise, the industry itself was forced to reconsider their paradigm and recover to a different ‘normal’.

The Chief Executive Officer at Qantas Domestic and International Andrew David said the aviation sector was heavily impacted by the spread of COVID-19.

“Early in the pandemic we were 11 weeks from bankruptcy and have since posted $6 billion in losses and over $24 billion in lost revenue.”

“But because Qantas came into the pandemic in a strong position, and as a result of making some very difficult decisions, we’ve been able to weather the storm,” he said.

As the sector emerges from the depths of global lockdowns, carriers are demanding low weight, yet stronger aircraft that boast a high strength-toweight ratio.

The global aerospace materials market is expected to reach US$57.9 billion by 2026, according to the research and advisory firm, MarketsandMarkets.

The market will also to grow by 8.8% year-on-year from 2021 to 2026, and offer new opportunities for highperformance materials, sustainability, and cost-effective travel.

The Age-Old Problem of Fatigue

Fatigue is the most common way in which aircraft structures and engine components are damaged. In fact, aircraft fatigue causes over 50% of all metal component failures.

Researchers have found the most common type of damage on a Boeing 747 jet was fatigue cracking (58%), corrosion (29%) and then impact damage from events like bird strikes (13%). The study examined 71 Boeing 747s with an average of around 30,000 flying hours.

Aerospace materials are subject to a range of fatigue:

• Cyclic stress fatigue occurs by the repeated application of loads to the material

• Corrosion fatigue: occurs by the combined effects of corrosion and cyclic stress loading

• Fretting fatigue is the progressive deterioration of materials by smallscale rubbing movements that cause abrasion of mating components

• Acoustic fatigue is caused by highfrequency fluctuations in stress caused by noise

• Thermal fatigue is caused by fluctuating stresses induced by the thermal expansion and contraction of materials owing to thermal cycling

Aerospace engineers are tasked with selecting and development materials with a high tolerance to these types of fatigue. Increasingly, there are other challenges like cost, longevity, and sustainability.

How are Manufacturers Overcoming Challenges in the Sector?

Aeronautical and space components need exceptional strength and resistance to a range of extreme conditions. As such, the aviation industry is making deliberate efforts to crack down on sustainable practices.

Boeing and Airbus—the world’s biggest aviation manufacturers—are using their slick designs to reduce payload and fuel on long-haul flights. The two manufacturers are placing materials and process science at the core of their business to drive their change.

Boeing has used carbon-fibrereinforced polymer composites in its Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which has made lighter airframe components a reality. This has led to a 15% reduction in fuel and makes the Dreamliner up to 25% more efficient than other similar aircraft.

Boeing is also a participant in the United Nations’ (UN) ‘Decade of Delivery’, which supports a global push to protect the planet. The program runs in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“Boeing’s support for the UN SDGs shows that every single day our employees lead with purpose and are part of something bigger,” said Boeing’s Chief Sustainability Officer Chris Raymond.

“These goals ensure that the world is moving in the right direction together toward a more sustainable future and it illustrates that Boeing is working hard to earn trust among our stakeholders,” he added.

Like aeronautical and space components themselves, the environmental impact of fuel is also an important consideration for scientists and engineers.

As such, Qantas and Airbus recently signed a landmark agreement to fast-

track Australia’s sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) industry. The US$200 million agreement will bring SAF production to Australia and cut greenhouse gas emissions by around 80%. This fuel can be used in contemporary aircraft, with no modifications to engines. Qantas has committed to using 10% of SAF in its mix by the end of the decade.

“Aviation is an irreplaceable industry, especially for a country the size of Australia, and one that’s located so far away from so much of the world. Future generations are relying on us to get this right so they too can benefit from air travel,” said Qantas Chief Executive Alan Joyce.

“The aviation industry also needs the right policy settings in place to ensure the price of SAF comes down over time so that the cost of air travel doesn’t rise,” he added.

SAF can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to 80% over their life cycle when compared to conventional jet fuel.

Industry Partnerships are Taking Off

Aerospace components and materials rely on a swift research-into-practice loop, where end-user driven challenges are met with a suite of opportunities.

The Institute of Frontier Materials, which is based at Deakin University’s Melbourne campus, has a growing body of researchers who are working on carbon fibres to bring tailored functionality to industry partners. These fibres can change colour, as well as absorb and store energy.

Boeing rolls out the first 787-10 Dreamliner built for Singapore Airlines at its Final Assembly facility in North Charleston, South Carolina. (Josh Drake photo). Photo courtesy of Boeing.

“Our focus is the development and implementation of surface modification techniques that allows us to install a chemistry on the fibre surface that is for a specific application. At the moment it’s a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach,” said Professor Luke Henderson, who is the research team leader.

The surface of carbon fibres is typically inert, and little will respond or react with it. This is a challenge for the final material.

“We have given carbon fibres new and previously-thought-impossible functionality,” Professor Henderson said.

The research team has been funded and supported by a range of high-level partners, including: Boeing, SABIC, Solvay, Fortescue Metals group, Rolls Royce, Ford USA, Gen2Carbon and CASS Foundation. In addition, the Australian Research Council have supported the group.

Carbon graphite is black and, in the past, there were only two ways to change the colour of carbon fibres— either painting the surface or weaving the fibres with a dyed fabric. However, Deakin researchers made modifications to the fibre that turned the carbon fibres into an electric blue colour.

According to Deakin University Materials Chemistry Professor Luke Henderson, “The real kick is that it works by the same mechanism as nature’s way to generate blue colours. Blue in nature is very hard to generate with a pigment—what it does is use the wavelengths of light to interact with each other.”

“It’s the same way that butterflies and peacocks generate their iridescent blue. So we went with a bio-inspired colour generation theme rather than a pigment approach,” Professor Henderson said.

Likewise, leading researchers at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), are deep into addressing the challenges that extreme environments have on aerospace components.

ANSTO is looking at the role that novel nuclear-based energy-generation systems can have on a range of settings, like corrosion, oxidisation, high temperatures, and radiation. The research covers how nickel-

Gilmour Space Technologies.

based superalloys can be included in aerospace materials to withstand temperatures above 500°C.

Meanwhile, reinforced carbon—carbon composites can used for thermal and thermal-shock shielding, which is a gamechanger for the space shuttle’s nose. Lastly, ultra-High Temperature Ceramics are being considered for their strong covalent bonds, which can endure a melting temperature above 2,500°C and boast a good oxidation resistance.

This research is translating into practice, as private technology developers begin reaching for the stars.

For example, Gilmour Space Technologies is developing new capabilities for launching small satellites into space. The Queenslandbased startup is one of Australia’s leading space companies, as they pioneer innovative hybrid propulsion technologies with the goal of providing lower cost access to space.

“We are designing, developing and building a launch vehicle to take small satellites into space, and we are doing this in Australia,” said Adam Gilmour (Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Gilmour Space Technologies).

“It has always been incredibly difficult and expensive to send anything into space, but thanks to the last decade of technology advancements, satellites that used to be the size of a fridge can now be made in the size of a microwave,

with perhaps the same or better capability.”

“This rapid technology advancement caught the industry by surprise. Many of the major aerospace companies have been building bigger and bigger rockets, and we saw the opportunity to provide smaller launch vehicles to transport this new generation of smaller satellites to space,” Gilmour said.

Opportunities to Reach New Heights

The Australian aerospace sector relies on a strong pipeline of next generation thinkers who can drive change and develop Australia’s interest in this emerging area.

As global space supply chains bounce back from the height of COVID-19 lockdowns, they are becoming more gloablised. Meanwhile, innovation is accelerating at an unprecedented pace.

As such, there has never been a more exciting time to jump on board the space bandwagon and launch into a new stratosphere of opportunity.

CSIRO is at the forefront of aeronautical and space innovation in Australia through the National Space Mission for Earth Observation, which is a $1.2 billion program to design, construct, launch and operate four new Earth observation satellites.

“The recent launch of our CSIRO Centre for Earth Observation provides a dedicated facility for satellite-derived

data, including data gathered from our tasking and acquisition time on the NovaSAR satellite, the first time Australian scientists have ever been able to drive an imaging satellite,” said Dr Larry Marshall (Chief Executive, CSIRO). “We are committed to continuing to grow a diverse and robust space industry in Australia, including bringing our world-class science, technical solutions, and partners to the table.”

The Australian Government is also supporting 20,000 new jobs by 2030, which will triple the nation’s space industry to $12 billion. As part of this ambitious target, there are opportunities in:

• The commercialisation of rocket technology

• Nano and small satellites

• Launch vehicles and facilities

• Propellants and fuels

• Position, navigation, and timing tools

• Communication technologies

• Aerospace medicine

There are already several aeronautical and space projects in the works,

including a $150 million Moon to Mars initiative, which is linking Australian researchers with NASA to go back to the Moon, and beyond, to Mars.

There is also the $65.7 million Fast Tracking Access to Space initiative, which will get Australian technologies into space sooner. It also seeks to position Australia as a leading nation for space launches.

The International Space Investment initiative will unlock new space opportunities by working with India’s space industry. It is supported by a $3 million boost for broader international partnerships.

Finally, the Australian Taxation Office is helping businesses secure investments in the sector by sharing guidance and support.

Ground communications for our share of the NovaSAR-1 satellite will be managed by the Centre for Appropriate Technology (CfAT), Australia’s first and only Aboriginal owned-and-operated ground station provider. Image: Surrey Satellite Technology. Image courtesy of CSIRO.

CfAT technicians put the finishing touches on the satellite dish for the earth ground station in Alice Springs. Image: Ekistica Ltd. Image courtesy of CSIRO.

Australia Shoots for the Stars

Source: Sally Wood

The aeronautics and space sector constantly develops new tools like additive manufacturing, or novel components to take to new heights.

The Innovative Launch, Automation, Novel Materials, Communications, and Hypersonics (iLAuNCH) program is bringing 23 industry organisations and three universities under the same roof to develop Australia’s space program.

This sovereign capability will grow Australia’s commercially viable civil rockets; rocket manufacturing; and in-space hardware like satellites and communications.

The University of Southern Queensland, Australian National University and University of South Australia will lead the charge.

Professor Peter Schubel from the University of Southern Queensland’s Institute for Advanced Engineering and Space Science said iLAuNCH will operate as a national space commercialisation hub.

"Our industry partners have identified

$3.65 billion in economic benefits associated with the 18 core iLAuNCH commercialisation projects, which will accelerate Australian IP to market, and the development of a Space Engineering Degree that will create a pipeline of skilled, job ready engineers into this exciting high-value, highgrowth sector,” he said.

The University of Southern Queensland is the nation’s only institution with end-to-end rocket manufacturing capacities. This includes everything from design to launch capabilities.

Meanwhile, the Director of the ANU Institute for Space Professor, Anna Moore said the three universities have valuable space research specialties.

“This opportunity is an amazing first step toward ensuring Australia's sovereign space capability grows well into the future, and we're delighted to be partnering with the University of Southern Queensland,” she said.

It is expected to generate over $3.65 billion in economic benefits across the region and Australia.

Space launch system manufacturing. Photo courtesy of Boeing.

Space launch system manufacturing. Photo courtesy of Boeing.

AML3D to Develop 3D Printed Components for Boeing

Source: Sally Wood

AML3D Limited recently received an additional purchase agreement to develop and produce 3D printed components for aviation powerhouse, Boeing.

The key components involve extensive printing of high-strength aluminium, and an intensive testing program. This is comparative to the testing of structural components and aligned with the requirements of AS9100D quality assurance for ‘fly’ parts.

As a global aerospace company, Boeing develops, manufactures, and services commercial airplanes, defence products and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries. The company uses the talents of a global supplier base to advance economic opportunity, sustainability, and community impacts.

The AML3D purchase agreement for $140,000 will be received from Boeing on standard commercial terms. These parts will be manufactured using AML3D’s proprietary Wire Additive Manufacturing (WAM) process.

AML3D’s Managing Director, Andrew Sales said the components will be tested and validated for the basis of near-term future work. “AML3D is excited to continue working with Boeing, and cementing our relationship with one of the world’s largest aerospace companies through our proprietary WAM® process.”

“This purchase contract is a major step in our journey and will provide the Company further opportunity to now validate and produce parts on time and to specification for a high-quality Tier 1 customer, which is further endorsement of the adoption of our proprietary WAM® 3D printed solutions and core to our Strategy for the Company in the coming years,” he added.

The agreement follows a visit and technical discussions with Boeing’s Director of Global Additive Manufacturing in March.

The agreement is a sign of Boeing’s commitment to innovating for the future. It also aligns with the company’s core values of safety, quality, and integrity.

AS9100D:2016 Certification for Aerospace Parts

AML3D has also recently implemented the Aerospace Quality Management System AS9100D:2016 Accreditation. This accreditation is essential and unlocks the potential for the company to manufacture ‘fly’ parts for use in aircraft. This makes AML3D the second 3D wire feedstock additive manufacturing company to achieve the Standard, which offers significant competitive advantage when bidding for contracts.

“Implementation of AS9100D certification will further demonstrate AML3D’s commitment to delivering the highest quality components into the aviation, space and defence industry,” Sales said.

The AS9100D:2016 Standard provides the framework for world-class

business growth through a risk and opportunity-based process approach to managing the business.

“This is an important step in our growth strategy for the company as we pursue high-value contracts for aerospace,” Sales explained.

The accreditation process is expected to be completed in the second half of the 2023 financial year, at a cost of approximately $25,000, with funding sourced from the company’s recent ‘growth initiative’ capital raise.

The process neatly aligns with AML3D’s focus on enhancing the quality of its products and service, and enhancing customer satisfaction.

“We are excited to further progress into the aerospace industry with our technology, further validated by this certification,” Sales said.

AML3D hopes the accreditation will expand its potential customer base, support decisions for existing clients, procure more components, and refer more customers to the company.

Andy Sales, Founder and Managing Director of AML3D.

Global Aerospace Company Partners with Australian Manufacturer of Composite Tanks

A collaborative partnership between Lockheed Martin, Omni Tanker, and the University of New South Wales (UNSW) will commercialise world-first composite tank technologies.

This innovative research program seeks to solve the challenges of using composites for the transportation and storage of liquid hydrogen. It has a range of applications on the ground, in the air, underwater and in space.

The project was recently announced as part of the Federal Government’s Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC). The co-funded initiative is worth $1.4 million and will put a range of local technologies to the test.

Christopher Hess is the Head of Industrial Development at Lockheed Martin Australia, who said the AMGC’s support will go hand-in-hand with the ongoing collaboration between UNSW and Omni Tanker.

“Lockheed Martin invests millions of dollars every year into R&D programs with our Australian industry and research partners to solve real challenges facing our Global Supply Chains.”

“We have had a long-standing research collaboration with UNSW and Omni Tanker, and we are grateful for the support of the AMGC as we now look to commercialise these cutting edge, Australian-developed composite tank technologies for a number of Lockheed Martin and NASA applications,” Hess added.

The project will combine nanoengineering technology developed by UNSW in partnership with Lockheed Martin and Omni Tanker.

Together, the team will develop two new operational scale propellant tanks for storing cryogenic liquid fuels for commercial and civil satellite programs.

• A ‘Type IV’ fluoropolymer-lined carbon fibre composite tank

• A ‘Type V’ linerless carbon fibre composite tank

These tanks will draw on Omni Tanker’s patented OmniBIND™ technology and be equipped for a range of environments.

David Ball is Lockheed Martin Space’s Regional Director Australia and New Zealand, who said the tanks are lightweight, cost-effective, and resistant to microcracking.

“As the world increasingly looks to hydrogen for emission-free energy, containing and transporting it in a safe, cost-effective and economic manner remains extremely challenging.”

“The space industry is particularly interested in the development of linerless composite tanks for their weight efficiency and durability, which represent the cutting edge of composite pressure vessel manufacturing,” he added.

In all, this research has the potential

to support Australia’s sovereign space capabilities, strengthen space-faring allies and partner nations, and make important technological contributions to future space missions.

The project builds on the recent work of UNSW researchers, who discovered carbon fibre composites that can withstand liquid hydrogen temperatures without matrix cracks.

The research was led by Professor Chun Wang, who said this is a challenge that has, up until now, prevented mass-market adoption of these materials for such applications.

“This new technology is the result of an outstanding collaboration and partnership between UNSW, Lockheed Martin and Omni Tanker over the past four years. It is wonderful seeing our research achievement is now moving closer towards commercial success and generating social and economic impact in Australia and beyond,” Professor Wang said.

Linerless liquid hydrogen tank

Large carbon fibre composite pressure vessel

FEATURE – Materials Engineering in Manufacturing

Aeronautical and Space Materials

Additive Manufacturing Company Titomic Awarded $2.325 Million Grant

Source: Sally Wood

The Melbourne based additive manufacturing company, Titomic has been awarded $2.325 million as part of the Federal Government's Modern Manufacturing Initiative (MMI).

This funding will enable Titomic to create a range of new material blends and offer high-performance coatings for Australia’s growing space sector. The company will primarily focus on environmentally sustainable components, and how they can be incorporated into practice.

Herbert Koeck is the Chief Executive at Titomic, who said the collaboration allows his company to offer the custom Cold Spray Additive Manufacturing (CSAM) technology systems into partner supply chains.

“This project allows us to show our unique capability to use industrial scale additive manufacturing to create world leading ‘low carbon footprint’ green titanium and high-performance coatings for satellites and space vehicles,” he said.

The company specialises in the creation of large-scale additive manufacturing techniques, and hopes to use its CSAM technology to fabricate complex material blends for radiation shielding and hypersonic protection.

The MMI grant is one part of a planned project expenditure of $4.65 million, which allows Titomic to build and commercialise space vehicle parts using green titanium, and a range of other high-performance coatings.

Titomic will work with Swinburne University of Technology, and the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) to conduct a series of tests to prove that its demonstrator parts can be used within its Titomic Kinetic Fusion technology.

“This MMI space-based applications grant is a huge step forward for Australia’s manufacturing sector,” said Professor Alan Duffy, who is the Director of the Institute for Space Technology and Industry at the

Titomic's 5.5 meter 3D printed titanium rocket. Image courtesy of Titomic.

Swinburne University of Technology.

“This takes the longstanding collaboration between Titomic and Swinburne University of Technology to a new level, building Australia’s reputation as an innovative and highvalue space manufacturing nation and we welcome companies and researchers to access this national space manufacturing facility in Victoria,” he added.

Swinburne will receive the TKF1000 additive manufacturing system from with an Industry 4.0 additive manufacturing platform embedded within its Kinetic Fusion Technology (KET).

“Our supply of a TKF1000 System to Swinburne University of Technology with its Industry 4.0 additive manufacturing platform to drive high-value technological and material developments, will also accelerate space and manufacturing sector growth in Australia, creating highvalue jobs, and attracting local investment,” said Herbert Koeck from Titomic.

Together, this unlocks the potential for researchers and students to grow

Australia’s advanced manufacturing and space sector capabilities.

This industrial-sized, metal 3D printer will pave the way for new avenues for specialist additive manufacturing processes.

“We can build lighter, stronger and more capable structures of incredible complexity that will allow Australian companies to leapfrog ahead of the competition in building for space,” Professor Duffy said.

The TKF1000 machine will be one of two in the world. The British research and technology institution, TWI currently houses the other.

Professor Pascale Quester is the ViceChancellor and President Swinburne University of Technology, who said the MMI grant offers educational and economic benefits to Australia.

“Having the TKF1000 additive manufacturing system in the heart of Swinburne’s Hawthorn campus offers our students direct access to a world-leading technology facility in the growing advanced manufacturing and space sector—it’s a learning experience you cannot find anywhere else in Australia.”

FEATURE – Aeronautical and Space Materials

Boeing and RMIT to Research Space Manufacturing Capability

Boeing and RMIT University recently signed an agreement to scope the future of materials research and process innovation capabilities, alongside Australia’s growing space sector.

Boeing is a trailblazer in the aviation space and is seeking to expand its relationship with research institutions like RMIT.

Boeing Defence Australia Director of Aerospace Engineering and Production, Paul Watson, said Australia’s burgeoning space sector requires the ongoing production of complex, low volume, bespoke components not suited to conventional manufacturing techniques.

“This partnership will develop new knowledge in advanced manufacturing technologies which will not only stimulate the development of a local fabrication capability but will also expose Australian industry to space export markets as part of Boeing’s global supply chain,” he said.

The research undertaking positions Boeing—one of the first companies to venture into the commercial aviation market—at the forefront of the next frontier to build a strong sovereign space manufacturing capability.

Boeing already has a longstanding relationship with RMIT, which offers a launchpad into industrial solutions dedicated to growing Australia’s space sector.

RMIT’s Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation, Professor Calum Drummond AO, said the research and development will be undertaken at RMIT’s Space Industry Hub. “Our ultimate goal is to maximise opportunities for commercialisation of the products that we co-develop with Boeing,” he said.

The Hub, which was launched in 2021, offers a tangible pathway for local businesses to grow their skills and export globally.

“Leveraging Boeing and RMIT’s joint expertise and facilities, we believe we can unlock boundless future

opportunities for Australian industry,” Professor Drummond said.

In 2019, Boeing signed a statement of intent to invest in research and development activities with the Australian Space Agency.

The agreement focussed on the several key areas:

• Space situational awareness

• Space manufacturing and materials

• On-orbit image processing

• Space launch and hypersonics

• Remote spacecraft operations

• Antimicrobial surfaces for space systems

• Virtual reality and augmented reality in space

Boeing also offers a number of scholarships to Australian university students, where they can sharpen their skills and become part of the next generation of aerospace innovation.

In 2021, four Boeing-funded grants were awarded to local students in a strong sign that the sector is gaining

Above: The WSG-11+, will be added to the US military WSG network in 2024. It is hoped that collaborations with Australian industry will lead to support opportunities within Boeing’s global supply chain. Image courtesy of: Boeing

Left: RMIT University is a world leader in the devel opment of advanced manufacturing technologies for aerospace. Image courtesy of: RMIT

pace and momentum.

Aaron Johan was one of the first to receive a Boeing scholarship after knocking on the door of the aviation sector for many years.

“I’ve had a fascination with aircraft— fixed and rotary wing—since I was about 10 years old,” he said.

“When I left high school I didn’t have the financial means to pursue an aeronautical engineering degree so I moved to Victoria to be a commercial aircraft mechanic but wasn’t successful in getting a position.”

“I returned to Queensland to study at Aviation Australia but the financial support I had secured fell through before I could start. It was then I met with Boeing and they offered me a scholarship,” he explained.

Boeing is on the hunt to leverage the knowledge it has fostered through this program, and other research partnerships, as it casts its efforts towards a growing role in the sector.

Aeronautical and Space Materials

Testing Time for Australian Space Hardware Manufacturers

Source: Sally Wood

A new funding round has been provided to the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), which will grant local manufacturers with access to onshore facilities that are currently only available in Europe and the United States.

While Richard Branson and Jeff Bezos have leaped out of this world, travelling in space remains a risk for the masses.

Space infrastructure, like satellites need to withstand the extremities of space, where they are exposed to conditions quite unlike anything on Earth.

This latest ANSTO grant of $665,000 will propel Australia into a worldleading space centre with facilities to test payload, components, and hardware prior to their deployment into space.

It forms part of the Federal Government’s $2.5 million investment towards the National Space Qualification Network (NSQN), which brings industry and academia under the same roof to provide certification for satellites and other space-bound technologies.

The Head of Research Infrastructure at ANSTO, Dr Miles Apperley said the NSQN partnership will tap into local talent.

“It’s incredibly exciting to see this collaboration in our space industry and this partnership will put Australia firmly on the global stage,” he said.

“It will bring together all the experience and knowledge from each organisation to offer a well-oiled mechanism for space companies to conduct product testing on Australian shores. The space industry has created a rapidly growing need for innovation in Australia. It has the potential to create new jobs and businesses for the next generation and I can’t wait to see how the industry continues to grow over the coming years,” Dr Apperley explained.

ANSTO boasts a range of ion beam, x-ray, and gamma-ray irradiation capabilities, which allows researchers to test materials used in space components.

This latest round of upgrades will maximise the efficiency of prepping electronics for the extreme environment of space.

Dr Ceri Brenner is ANSTO’s recently appointed Leader of the Centre for Accelerator Science. She said the new funding would enable ANSTO to apply its considerable knowledge to the area of space testing and qualification of electronic devices.

“Nearly all products that go into space,

like rocket ships and satellites, are operated by technology.”

“If the technology malfunctions, that product is in real trouble. For all the obvious safety and financial reasons, manufacturers want to be certain that when they launch a product into space, it can withstand the harsh climate it’s entering,” she explained.

For example, ANSTO recently commissioned a new beamline to support space research relating to the impact of galactic cosmic radiation on astronauts.

This places ANSTO in a unique position, where they have the expertise, the equipment, and the knowledge for this much-needed program to be a success.

Dr Brenner believes Australia’s young but enthusiastic space industry is counting on these initiatives to thrive.

“And that is where ANSTO and its partners can step in with our testing capabilities. We can help provide that certainty with our instruments and techniques. Rigorous testing sees the product exposed to radiation, vibrations, extreme temperatures and vacuums, to ensure it is space-ready.”

The high energy heavy ion microprobe at ANSTO. Coupled with an accelerator system, this unique scientific instrument is capable of producing a highly focused beam of accelerated ions with a spot size down to sub-micrometre dimensions. Image courtesy of: ANSTO.

Jetting Off with 3D Printing

Source: Sally Wood

Jet engine components can take anywhere from six months to two years to complete. This is a significant challenge, particularly because of the rapid development of technology and designs in the aviation industry.

However, Australia’s national science agency CSIRO, have created the world's first 3D printed jet engines. These devices were created by using different additive manufacturing technologies and were then successfully combined into a finished product.

“I have worked with the aerospace industry for about 25 years with companies such as Rolls-Royce and Airbus,” said Xinhua Wu, who is the Director of the Monash Centre for Additive Manufacturing.

The Arcam Electron Beam Melting printer was used to print the engines, alongside cold spray technology, which printed a variety of jet engine components. The device allows materials to be 3D printed at a relatively high rate.

“Arcam is one of the world’s leading places for 3D printing of aerospace components. Data put us at the forefront of the international arena for 3D printing,” Professor Wu said.

The jet engine is part of a successful list of other additive manufacturing success stories like mouthguards, horseshoes, and bikes. In fact, the metal 3D printing market is expected to be worth $10 billion by the end of the decade.

Researchers and industry trailblazers connected at the Lab 22 manufacturing facility in Melbourne to prove that these parts can be made in a matter of days. The Lab 22 facilities offers a range of important services, including:

• Metallic 3D printing

• Advanced machining for improved profitability

• Surface engineering for enhanced performance

• Laser assisted additive deposition

Laser heat treatments

“It was our chance to prove what we could do,” Professor Wu said. “But when we reviewed the plans we realised that the engine had evolved over years of manufacture. So we took the engine to pieces and scanned the components. Then we printed two copies.”

The research initiative was supported by additional funding from the Science Industry Endowment Fund (SIEF). This

fund invests in scientific research that is in Australia’s long-term national interests. The fund specifically seeks to support collaborative links between science, research and tertiary organisations. Knowledge and ideas for the next generation of thinkers and leaders is at the core of SIEF.

In addition, Amaero Engineering— one of Monash University’s partner organisations—has made the technology available to Australian industry representatives.

“The project is a spectacular proof of concept that’s leading to significant contracts with aerospace companies. It was a challenge for the team and pushed the technology to new heights of success—no one has printed an entire engine commercially yet,” said Ben Batagol from Amaero Engineering.

Australia’s manufacturing sector relies on strong research partnerships to bring the latest technology to life and remain competitive on a global scale.

The research is part is part of a larger integrated group of facilities that are used for Australian research.

Researchers are encouraged to share their ideas and connect with other industry thinkers to bring out-of-thisworld ideas to life.

3D Printed Jet Engine © Monash University, Centre for Additive Manufacturing.

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BASICS OF HEAT TREATING

Steel is the most common and the most important structural material. In order to properly select and apply this basic engineering material, it is necessary to have a fundamental understanding of the structure of steel and how it can be modified to suit its application. The course is designed as a basic introduction to the fundamentals of steel heat treatment and metallurgical processing. Read More

HOW TO ORGANISE AND RUN A FAILURE INVESTIGATION

Have you ever been handed a failure investigation and have not been quite sure of all the steps required to complete the investigation? Or perhaps you had to review a failure investigation and wondered if all the aspects had been properly covered? Or perhaps you read a failure investigation and wondered what to do next? Here is a chance to learn the steps to organise a failure investigation Read More

MEDICAL DEVICE DESIGN VALIDATION AND FAILURE ANALYSIS

This course provides students with a fundamental understanding of the design process necessary to make robust medical devices. Fracture, fatigue, stress analysis, and corrosion design validation approaches are examined, and real-world medical device design validations are reviewed. Further, since failures often provide us with important information about any design, mechanical and materials failure analysis techniques are covered. Several medical device failure analysis case studies are provided Read More

METALLURGY OF STEEL FOR THE NON-METALLURGIST

This course provides essential knowledge to those who do not have a technical background in metallurgical engineering, but have a need to understand more about the technical aspects of steel manufacturing, properties and applications.

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PRINCIPLES OF FAILURE ANALYSIS

Profit from failure analysis techniques, understand general failure analysis procedures, learn fundamental sources of failures. This course is designed to bridge the gap between theory and practice of failure analysis.

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HEAT TREATING FURNACES AND EQUIPMENT

This course is designed as an extension of the Introduction to Heat Treatment course. It discusses advanced concepts in thermal and thermo-chemical surface treatments, such as case hardening, as well as the principles of thermal engineering (furnace design) Read More

NEW - INTRODUCTION TO COMPOSITES

Composites are a specialty material, used at increasing levels throughout our engineered environment, from high-performance aircraft and ground vehicles, to relatively low-tech applications in our daily lives. This course, designed for technical and non-technical professionals alike, provides an overarching introduction to composite materials. The course content is organised in a manner that guides the student from design to raw materials to manufacturing, assembly, quality assurance, testing, use, and life-cycle support Read More

METALLURGY FOR THE NON-METALLURGIST™

An ideal first course for anyone who needs a working understanding of metals and their applications. It has been designed for those with no previous training in metallurgy, such as technical, laboratory, and sales personnel; engineers from other disciplines; management and administrative staff; and non-technical support staff, such as purchasing and receiving agents who order and inspect incoming material.

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PRACTICAL INDUCTION HEAT TREATING

Taking a fundamentals approach, this course is presented as an introduction to the world of induction heat treating. The course will cover the role of induction heating in producing reliable products, as well as the considerable savings in energy, labor, space, and time. You will gain in-depth knowledge on topics such as selecting equipment, designs of multiple systems, current application, and sources and solutions of induction heat treating problems Read More

TITANIUM AND ITS ALLOYS

Titanium occupies an important position in the family of metals because of its light weight and corrosion resistance. Its unique combination of physical, chemical and mechanical properties, make titanium alloys attractive for aerospace and industrial applications. Read More

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