Manufacturers' Monthly March 2023

Atlas Copco celebrates 150 years of innovation and commitment

Atlas Copco celebrates 150 years of innovations

Atlas Copco Group is celebrating 150 years. We have a long history and many achievements to be proud of. We also have an exciting future ahead of us.

Atlas Copco, founded in Stockholm, Sweden in 1873, celebrates its 150-year anniversary.

During a century and a half, Atlas Copco has been driving development and delivering breakthrough innovations to customers in many different industries.

“We are extremely proud of our past, and we continue to shape the future through our technologies and service solutions,” said Mats Rahmström, CEO and President of the Atlas Copco Group.

“Much has changed since 1873 when we were a small local start-up. But I think our founders would recognise our innovative spirit, the passion shown by our employees and our dedication to drive development together with our customers.”

Atlas Copco initially delivered equipment for construction of the Swedish railroad system. Since then, the Group has evolved and today supports customers in many different industries, enabling everything from food production to space travel.

“We have a very strong company culture of welcoming different perspectives and empowering our employees to take decisions,” said Mats Rahmström.

“I believe a large part of our success is built on our ability to adapt, while always focusing on delivering value for our customers.”

We would like to thank all our customers, suppliers, owners, and colleagues acoss Australia and around the world and look forward to good cooperation in the years to come!

Read more about our history by scanning the QR code!

Atlas Copco Compressors 1800 023 469

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Editor’s Note

A growing defence and aerospace industry

INNOVATION through research and development has always been essential for building a strong, sustainable defence industry. Having spoken with a number of industry leaders this year, Australia is in a better position to focus on digitisation of aerospace composite design and production, developing advanced manufacturing technologies and testing methods as well as creating specialised simulation capabilities.

There are more than 250 aerospace companies operating in Victoria alone, with heavyweights like Lockheed Martin, Thales and BAE System contributing in conjuction with smaller SMEs and startups to our overall sovereign capability. Avalon 2023 is a celebration of this growing ecosystem, of which Manufacturers’ Monthly is excited to be media partner to tell these stories.

The first four days of Avalon 2023, from Tuesday 28 February to Friday 3 March, are all about the business of aviation, aerospace and defence. Closed

to the general public, the purposebuilt exhibition halls at Avalon Airport become the region’s largest single aerospace industry networking and marketing event.

The innovation theme carries through to the event’s own Innovation Awards program. At Avalon 2019, seven Australian innovators were presented with Innovation Awards worth some $45,000.

The winners included an SME whose Sapphire Crystal clock has “fast-forwarded” Defence’s Jindalee radar upgrade by 20 years, another whose Non-Intrusive-Flight-TestInstrumentation (NIFTI) package makes it possible to instrument a supersonic aircraft with a “stick-on” test sensor package in a matter of hours instead of weeks, and a young innovator who is using 3D printing technology to build extremely complex rocket motor nozzles that will reduce space launch costs by up to 25 per cent. Four years later, Australian companies are innovating

more than ever, with potential to build capability for the Australian Defence Force, while also offering possible export market opportunities for Australian industry. Shortlisted contenders include a company that has developed the world’s first camera showing the stresses in the structure of an aircraft, a company applying the equivalent of a shark’s skin to reduce drag, and a young algorithm engineer helping to develop autonomous control systems for the next generation of combat drones.

The 2023 edition of Avalon also builds on the space theme, welcoming the Australian Space Agency as a sponsor and exhibitor and will be showcasing Australian companies that are already demonstrating Australian ingenuity and innovation as part of the growing international space industry, while growing this sector as an industry in its own right at home.

The emergence of new technologies and highly efficient launch vehicles means that the space game is no

longer just for governments with the biggest budgets. This democratisation is opening up tremendous opportunities in the development and exploitation of upstream and downstream technologies, some of which have been showcased in this edition of Manufacturers’ Monthly AMDA Foundation CEO Justin Giddings said AVALON 2023 is a welcome return to face-to-face engagement for the Australian aerospace, space and defence community.

“After COVID forced cancellation of AVALON 2021, we are thrilled at industry’s obvious enthusiasm to return to AVALON for 2023,” he said.

“The sheer size and diversity of the industry exhibition, conference program and list of visiting military and civil aircraft will ensure this is the largest and most informative AVALON yet for industry. International delegation interest has been strong, the United States is sending its largest ever contingent of aircraft, and the Royal Australian Air Force is fully committed.”

Avalon 2023 celebrates Australia’s aerospace industry.

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Comment

There is nothing more important than safety. And yet, in 2022, 16 manufacturing industry workers died as a result of workplace injuries. Another 14,663 workers lodged serious claims as a result of workplace injuries.

MANUFACTURING took out the dubious honour of the third most likely industry for serious worker injuries in Australia.

Workplace health and safety can – and should – define a whole raft of actions within the manufacturing and welding industries. Welders and their employers cannot optimise operations, improve productivity and efficiency, or alter procedures without taking health and safety into account. Safety must be the number one priority for every manufacturing industry worker, particularly welders.

Welding can and should be considered a safe occupation; when proper precautions are taken, welders have no cause to fear accident or injury. But when safety isn’t taken seriously in the workplace, welders face a range of potentially dangerous hazards that can cause burns, electric shock, and even fatality.

Within the last few months alone, Weld Australia has been made aware of various accidents and incidents that have seen welders sustain serious injuries. In some instances, the welders were hospitalised for assessment and

treatment, with one requiring two skin grafts. While they recovered, this was more by luck than judgement.

Clothing must be protective

There is a common misconception in industry that cotton clothing is appropriate and safe to wear while welding. While cotton drill is a dense, heavy fabric, it is simply not flameresistant unless treated – it will ignite and burn.

There have been several incidents recently across Australia in which welders’ cotton drill clothing has caught fire, causing serious injuries such as second-degree burns.

Synthetic materials such as nylon and polyester are difficult to ignite, however, when heated, severe melting occurs and the material can adhere to the skin. For this reason, synthetic materials are not suitable to wear when welding. Welders need to be mindful of this when selecting undergarments.

Welders must wear outer garments that have a fire-resistant rating or use welders’ leathers. Weld Australia’s Technical Note Health and Safety in Welding outlines further details.

Exposure to welding fumes must be reduced

In recent years, the welding industry has become increasingly aware of the hazards posed by metal fume produced during the welding process. This fume, comprising of microscopic particles of hot metal and gases, poses serious risks when inhaled by welders.

Some of the known health effects caused by welding fume exposure include fever, stomach ulcers, kidney damage and damage to the nervous system. Welders can suffer from asthma, eye, nose and throat irritation, and even lung infections that can lead to pneumonia. In early 2017, the International Agency for Research on Cancer classed welding fumes as ‘Carcinogenic to Humans’.

It is vital that appropriate strategies are in place to reduce welder exposure to fumes and prevent the long-term health effects that can result from exposure. All welders should receive training on methods to mitigate the effects of weld fume, including positioning themselves to reduce exposure and investigating less toxic alternatives where possible.

Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) systems and on-torch stems capture and

extract welding fume at or close to the source and are a proven way of reducing exposure. All workplaces should have fit-for-purpose LEV systems installed and regularly maintained. In addition, welders should use Powered Air Purifying Respirator (PARP) helmets to minimise their exposure to weld fume. These helmets pull contaminated air through an intake filter on a belt worn by the welder. The air is pushed through a filter that traps contaminants, cleaning the air. The clean air is then pumped up to the welder’s face creating a positive pressure and excluding contaminated air so that they can breathe clean air while welding.

Weld Australia’s Technical Guidance Note Fume Minimisation Guidelines: Welding, Cutting, Brazing and Soldering includes all the information required to help protect workers from the hazards associated with welding fumes.

Electrical safety precautions must Be taken

Electrical safety is another area which must be seriously considered when reducing risks to welders. Electricity is a vital part of welding work, but when mishandled it can result in serious injury and death.

Safety must be our number one priority

GEOFF CRITTENDEN – CEO, Weld Australia

Welding fume exposure can cause fever, stomach ulcers, kidney damage and damage to the nervous system.

Electric shock remains a consistently significant issue, particularly among maintenance welders and those using Manual Metal Arc Welding (MMAW). All too often, the voltage reduction device is switched off, leading to electric shock. Why? Because, time and again, it is reported to Weld Australia that the electrodes are too difficult to start when a voltage reduction device is in use. This is simply incorrect—with the correct arc striking techniques in place, there will be minimal (if any) impact on starting the electrodes.

All welding professionals need to familiarise themselves with processes to minimise the risk of electric shock. Simple actions such as checking that equipment is dry and well maintained, installing shut down mechanisms like

fuses and low voltage safety switches, and using voltage reduction devices can save lives.

Again, Weld Australia’s Technical Guidance Note Welding Electrical Safety includes further details.

Creating a safer industry

Weld Australia is working to educate companies and individuals on the risks associated with welding. We are working to offer sensible, practical and costeffective solutions to help minimise these risks.

In 2019, Weld Australia established the Welding Safety Council to provide a forum for industry and legislative safety authorities to identify solutions to safety problems. The mission of the Council is to maintain the infrastructure required

to identify and analyse welding risk and formulate and execute mitigation strategies.

The Welding Safety Council is currently addressing several areas of concern, including protective clothing, electric shock, and the dangers of welding fume, as well as handheld laser welders and the lack of standards and regulations around their use.

The Weld Australia website was recently reconfigured to enable the issue of Safety Alerts. These Alerts will draw attention to welding safety incidents, including the known causes of the incident and what steps can be taken to help prevent similar incidents occurring.

Weld Australia is developing two comprehensive online training courses

designed to improve safety outcomes across the country. One course is tailored for welders, while the other is aimed at welding engineers and supervisors. These courses cover a raft of activities across a range of welding processes, from electric arc welding and flame cutting, through to topics like welding in confined spaces, at heights, or in hot and humid conditions. These courses will be completed towards the end of this year and made freely available via the Weld Australia website.

Finally, our work on the new resources for the MEM training package will see workplace health and safety take centre stage.

In 2023, our goal is to help ensure every welder makes it home safely at the end of every day.

14,663 workers lodged serious claims from workplace injuries in 2022.

Comment

Advanced manufacturing for sovereign capability in defence

The changing global situation is opening up many opportunities for Australian companies wanting work in the defence sector. Local advanced manufacturers are ideally placed to deliver the highly customised and flexible solutions that tomorrow’s Australian Defence Force will need.

GEOPOLITICAL uncertainty is at its highest since the end of the Second World War. In Australia, this tension has increased the priority of national security and prompted a significant boost to the defence budget. There is also a growing resolve to foster national self-sufficiency and build local supply chains. Sovereign capability and local content are now an important part of the value proposition in defence procurement.

To this end, the Federal Government maintains a list of fourteen Sovereign Industrial Capability Priorities that are critical to our defence forces and need to be supported by Australian industry. The list includes many things that advanced

manufacturers could support, including aerospace maintenance and structural integrity; robotics, autonomous systems, and artificial intelligence; space and Collins class submarine maintenance and technology upgrades; combat clothing survivability and signature reduction technologies; and land combat and protected vehicles and technology upgrades.

As the nation’s largest publicly funded research agency, one of CSIRO’s core responsibilities is to align our scientific work with national priorities. To do this, we work closely with defence to devise leading edge, commercially viable and scalable solutions that will augment Australian defence force capability and

contribute to the security of our nation and our region.

CSIRO delivers defence projects in key areas of opportunity across the advanced manufacturing sector. One field that is of increasing interest to defence is additive manufacturing, or 3D printing. This technology allows highly customised products to be rapidly developed and printed ‘on demand’, potentially slashing costs, supply chain risks and downtime significantly.

At CSIRO, we’re investing in developing and improving metallic additive manufacturing to make Australian businesses more competitive globally. As part of this, we operate one of Australia’s leading additive manufacturing

research centres, Lab 22. An important part of Lab 22’s mission is to work with local manufacturers on new materials for manufacture at scale. Our partners can also access our state-of-the-art machinery and get help from our additive manufacturing experts to optimise build parameters, predict performance characteristics, and successfully commercialise the final product.

For example, CSIRO experts helped local manufacturer, Albins Performance Transmissions to rapidly translate their concept into a working model.

Albins had been asked by military solutions provider, Thales, to make a prototype steering pump bracket for its next-generation light protected vehicle, the Hawkei.

As Albins only had a week to turn the job around, time was of the essence. Our team worked from a digital file of the bracket to manufacture a mould using our Voxeljet VX1000 3D sand printer in just 48 hours. We then used the mould to cast the bracket – all within deadline.

Another similar technology with great potential for defence applications is cold spray which uses a stream of gas to blast metal particles onto a surface, creating a dense, thick coating.

CSIRO has extensive experience with this technology, which can solve the problem of maintaining critical equipment by repairing, rather than replacing, damaged parts.

Another area rich with opportunity is the development of novel or composite materials which have special structural, electrical, or thermal properties.

CSIRO is a leader in advanced materials development. Our capabilities include extractive metallurgy; metal powder production; metal organic frameworks, composite and hybrid materials; and advanced high-performance polymers. We also work with partners to develop new materials and new processes for scale to manufacture.

KATHIE MCGREGOR – Manufacturing Research Director, CSIRO

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

Recently, we assisted CBG Systems to develop a multifunctional composite material to improve its passive fire protection systems which helps maintain the structural integrity of ships and enables emergency evacuation in an onboard fire.

The collaboration resulted in a new fire-resistant cladding, RAC Plus, which can withstand temperatures of over 1000°C. The material is stronger than conventional fire protection coatings, but 50 per cent lighter than traditional metal cladding.

Testing indicates the improved panels can be used on steel ships and aluminium high-speed craft. There are also potential applications in aerospace for battery enclosures, and the civil construction industry.

We are also working with Boron Molecular, EPE, a veteran-owned specialist equipment provider, and Monash University to develop a groundbreaking respirator canister to protect military personnel from weaponised toxic industrial chemicals and vapours.

In this project we are combining our expertise in nanofibers and porous solids and developing a technology that uses an advanced crystal technology, called metalorganic frameworks (MOFs) which have the largest internal surface area of any known substance. While MOFs have an incredibly broad range of applications, in this project they are used to absorb toxic industrial chemicals before they affect the wearer.

The resulting single canister device is a step change from existing technology, as it will protect the wearer for longer periods against a greater number of threats. As well as providing protection from chemical, biological and radiological agents, it will significantly reduce exposure to a broad spectrum of toxic industrial chemicals, also critical to the nation’s first responders.

CSIRO has expertise in many other areas of advanced manufacturing including robotics and automation, which can improve the efficiency and accuracy of manufacturing processes, as well as data analytics, which can be used to optimise production and supply chains. Energy storage will also get a lot of attention as the defence sector increasingly employs smart assets that need to be powered.

In all of these areas, Australian

advanced manufacturing companies have the potential to have a profound impact on Australia’s defence capability in the years to come. In turn, the adoption of advanced manufacturing technologies in the defence sector will force innovation and drive growth in the broader economy.

This will be a very exciting time which should see new industries and supply chains form. It will also create skilled jobs and accelerate the move to a sustainable, technology-driven, globally competitive advanced manufacturing sector.

As Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO will continue to support this growth through leading edge research and working with academic and industry partners to develop solutions that benefit the nation.

We devise and translate innovative science that has significant positive impact on the lives of Australians and people around the world.

You can find out more the ways in which we work with small, medium and large organisations at www.csiro.au/en/work-with-us/funding-programs or learn more about our defence work at www.csiro.au/en/work-with-us/industries/defence.

Cold spray technology can solve the problem of maintaining critical equipment by repairing, rather than replacing, damaged parts.

Senior experimental scientist, Mel Dell’Olio, holds up a sample of the new and improved RAC Plus fire-resistant panels.

News @MM

$3 million MMI grant to boost precision manufacturing capability

Australian advanced manufacturer ANCA has received the first round of funding under the Modern Manufacturing Initiative (MMI) grant from the Federal Government.

ANCA was the successful recipient

last year of a $3 million grant under the MMI, which forms part of the Australian Government’s wider $2.5 billion Modern Manufacturing Strategy.

The funds will be invested in boosting Australia’s sovereign capability with the

installation of a “mother machine” at ANCA’s Bayswater manufacturing facility in Victoria, Australia.

The mother machine will enable ANCA to produce a large number of precision parts and tooling with very high accuracy and consistency for the aerospace, automotive, medical device and electronics industries, among others.

The company supplies advanced tool-making machines and technology to aerospace, medical, automotive and electronic industries, exporting to more

Assistant minister for manufacturing

announce the grant, delivering this advanced manufacturing capability at a time when building sovereign capability

“Over the last decade, Australian exports have slipped down the global value chain as our exports have become

“This grant will enable ANCA to build a new designated precision manufacturing cell and continue enhancing Australia’s sovereign manufacturing capabilities. It will also create an estimated 157 highly skilled jobs during the project and about

ANCA CEO Martin Ripple said the

MMI recognises the importance of a healthy manufacturing industry to Australia’s sovereign capability and funds delivered under the scheme will help establish our unique end-to-end sovereign industrial capability.

“It will not only position ANCA as one of Australia’s most comprehensive providers of end-to-end manufacturing solutions, but also help increase our overall global competitiveness, create additional export opportunities and enable further integration of Australian made products into global supply chains,” Ripple said.

The Federal Government recently committed $15 billion to establish the National Reconstruction Fund, which will support, diversify and transform Australia’s industry and economy. The Government is targeting $1 billion of the National Reconstruction Fund for investments in advanced manufacturing.

“The National Reconstruction Fund is one of the biggest investments in Australian manufacturing capability in living memory,” Ayres said. “The Fund will help secure our long-term capability and drive sustainable economic growth by leveraging Australia’s competitive strengths.”

Quickstep Holdings secures $11.3 million F-35 order

Aerospace and composites manufacturer Quickstep Holdings has secured a purchase order for F-35 vertical tail components from Melbourne-based Marand Precision Engineering.

The company announced that its Aerostructures business will deliver the order in FY24 and FY25 from the group’s Bankstown facility. The customer, Marand Precision Engineering, is a longstanding partner to Quickstep on the F-35 fighter jets program.

Commenting on the award, Mark Burgess, the company’s managing director and chief executive officer, said “Following our multi-year award announcement on 25 August 2022, this additional order means our F-35 vertical

tail production is also underpinned by firm contracts through FY25.

“It is a great testament to the quality and delivery performance of our Aerostructures business, especially in a challenging operating environment, that we have secured this follow-on work. We are proud to support this important international program and continue to explore opportunities for additional volume.”

Quickstep Holdings Limited is Australia’s largest independent aerospace and composite business, with facilities in Sydney, Geelong, Melbourne and Dallas. The group employs more than 280 people in Australia and internationally.

Assistant minister for manufacturing Tim Ayres (left) with ANCA CEO Martin Ripple.

Marand Precision Engineering is a longstanding partner to Quickstep on F-35 program.

News @MM

Australian NIOA acquires U.S. firearms manufacturer

Queensland-based defence contractor NIOA has expanded its global reach with the 100 per cent acquisition of the rifle design and manufacturing company, Barrett Firearms.

NIOA Group CEO Robert Nioa said the two family-owned companies came together out of a shared commitment to quality, innovation, loyalty, and mission.

“NIOA’s association with Barrett dates back to 2008. We have been inspired by the story of Barrett and admire what Ronnie, Chris and the family have built over more than four decades,” Nioa said.

“It’s been a story of hard work, perseverance, and purpose culminating in the delivery of critical capability for the men and women of the US military and its allies around the world as well as exceptional products to law enforcement agencies and civilian markets.

“Together we share the same mission – combining our expertise and family business values will ensure Barrett carries on building the finest products in the world.’’

Nioa confirmed the company would continue to operate under the Barrett brand as a separate division within the NIOA Group alongside NIOA Australia, NIOA New Zealand, the Australian Missile Corporation and the group’s investment in joint venture company Rheinmetall NIOA Munitions.

All management and staff at the Murfreesboro manufacturing facility in Tennessee have been retained and production will continue as normal. Over time it is expected that manufacturing activities in Murfreesboro will be further expanded.

Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Nioa also announced two key leadership appointments – current Barrett president Sam Shallenberger has been promoted to the role of chief executive officer while long-serving Barrett chief operating officer Bryan James becomes president.

Ronnie and Chris Barrett will provide ongoing support as executive advisers to Barrett and the NIOA Group.

Barrett founder Ronnie Barrett said, “Today marks the beginning of a new chapter in the Barrett story. Rob and the NIOA team have great respect

for the legacy Barrett has created as the leader in long range precision rifles. It’s reassuring to know Barrett will be in good hands with a familyowned company that is focussed on manufacturing and delivering worldclass firearms and munitions to a global network.”

Established in 1973, NIOA is the largest Australian-owned supplier of firearms, weapons and ammunition to the Australian and New Zealand defence forces, law enforcement agencies and commercial markets.

Monash leads cutting edge Australian nuclear submarines research

A new study by Monash University researchers will help nuclear-propelled submarines to remain underwater – and undetected – for much longer.

The paper, published in the journal Nature Communications, features lead author Professor Michael Preuss, a world expert in nuclear

materials research who joined Monash University’s Faculty of Engineering in 2020.

It identified a critical corrosion mechanism of nuclear fuel cladding material that is affected by how the material is processed. In nuclear submarines, the ultra-thin material,

zirconium alloy, provides a barrier between the nuclear fuel and the water surrounding it.

Until now, it’s been difficult to accurately predict the lifespan of the cladding, wasting time, resources and potentially, millions of dollars.

“Nuclear submarines are expected

NIOA is a major tenant at the Australian government owned, contractor operated (GOCO) munitions facility at Benalla in Victoria where it is currently manufacturing 120mm munitions for the Abrams tank along with 30mm and 35mm cannon ammunition.

The company is contracted to deliver major weapons programs for the Australian and New Zealand militaries and has recently established an artillery shell forging factory in Maryborough, Queensland in a joint venture with Rheinmetall of Germany.

to run for 25 years without refuelling, which contributes to them being highly undetectable,” Preuss said.

“In order to achieve this it is important to ensure that the life of the material encapsulating the nuclear fuel can be predicted.”

Continued page 14

NIOA Group CEO, Robert Nioa.

News @MM

needed to maintain, and eventually build, nuclear submarines.

“Australia is facing an unprecedented challenge in developing a skill base in nuclear within 15 years in which Australian universities will have to play a key role,” he said.

“And it won’t just be in one or two universities because the challenge is massive.”

To date, he said there was very little research in Australia related to nuclear engineering, and more specifically, nuclear materials.

Monash plans to lead the charge. Its latest research was mostly funded by the UK’s Engineering and Physical Research Council, with Rolls-Royce and Westinghouse also closely involved.

Rolls-Royce, which powers the UK’s nuclear submarines, has also committed to funding two PhD students at Monash, in the area of nuclear materials.

Materials experts within Defence Science and Technology have also commissioned Monash to develop a report on the knowledge and skill base required in the field of nuclear materials.

The research developments come as discussions heat up over AUKUS, the trilateral security pact between Australia, the UK and the US announced last September. Australia is expected to announce which type of nuclear submarines it will acquire in March.

It will be the first time Australia has

operated nuclear submarines, having used diesel-driven submarines – which unlike their more modern counterparts, require regular refuelling – until now.

The submarines would keep Australian waters open and safe, Preuss added.

“The pandemic has demonstrated how vulnerable Australia is because

the supply chain can be very easily interrupted. The submarines would increase the chances that the supply chain will not be interrupted because they’re a deterrent.”

Preuss said the study findings are a timely reminder that Australia must do all it can to begin growing the skills

Preuss said Australia needs a strategy to develop its expertise. As part of the report, Monash will consult academics from various Australian universities, along with research organisations and industry in the UK and the US.

He said corrosion is a huge financial burden globally, costing an estimated $US2.5 trillion each year.

Albanese announces funding for Queensland hydrogen hub

The Federal Government has pledged $70 million to support the development of a renewable hydrogen hub in Townsville.

The competitive Townsville Region Hydrogen Hub program will deliver funds towards projects that accelerate the development of a hydrogen industry in North Queensland.

“This is an important development for Australia and North Queensland. Australia is already one of the largest exporters of energy in the world; a thriving hydrogen industry here in North Queensland will be critical for us to become a renewable energy superpower as well,” said prime minister Anthony Albanese.

“The hub will help secure jobs and economic growth in Queensland, delivering on one of our key commitments, and could also pave the way for exports to our valued trading partners in Japan, South Korea and across Asia.”

Minister for climate change and energy Chris Bowen said, “Green hydrogen will play a crucial role in Australia’s clean energy transformation and create jobs for technicians, tradespeople and engineers, as well as significant opportunities in related businesses and service industries.

“It is important that we support hardto-abate sectors, including heavy industry and transport, to reduce their emissions

The research will help nuclear submarines remain undetected for longer.

The Townsville Region Hydrogen Hub has received $70 million.

and achieve net zero by 2050.

“These regional hubs will give our green hydrogen industry an early-stage springboard to scale, which will help to promote further growth and investment in clean technology.”

With matched funding, the region will see a $140 million investment in renewable hydrogen for the state’s use or to export as fuel, energy generation and storage, or as a chemical feedstock.

The Townsville Hydrogen Hub will create regional jobs, support Australia’s transition to a clean energy economy,

and encourage decarbonisation in hard-to-abate sectors, such as industrial processing and transport.

The government’s investment in hydrogen hubs is now more than $525 million, including the $454 million Regional Hydrogen Hubs program for projects in places like Gladstone, the Hunter Valley, the Pilbara, Port Bonython, and Bell Bay.

The government is also investing $89.5 million to help the transport sector make the switch to hydrogen, including through hydrogen refuelling stations

along Australia’s busiest freight routes.

By 2050, Australia’s hydrogen industry could generate $50 billion in additional GDP and create over 16,000 jobs, as well as an additional 13,000 jobs from the construction of renewable energy infrastructure to power the production of green hydrogen.

Producers, consumers, and potential exporters of hydrogen across industrial, transport, export and energy markets are eligible to apply for the Townsville Region Hydrogen Hub program. Guidelines are available here.

Government funds propel electric planes among other projects

Minister for industry and science Ed Husic has announced $44 million in grants for Australian companies to support 19 collaborative research projects.

These grants have been made under Round 13 of the Australian Government’s Cooperative Research Centres Projects (CRC-P) program. Cooperative Research Centres Projects support companies working to commercialise cutting-edge ideas in collaboration with researchers and innovators.

One of the 19 grant recipients, Dovetail Electric Aviation in Sydney will use its $3 million grant to develop, test and certify the conversion of turbine-powered planes into fully electrically powered aircraft.

The company says it will use electric aircraft for short flights with an eye on developing emissions-free aircraft for use on regional routes in the future.

Minister Husic said Dovetail Electric Aviation is a great example of the highvalue collaborative and industry-led research projects being supported under the CRC-P program.

“Electric aviation has the potential to be a game-changer for regional transport as Australia pushes to meet our emissions targets,” Minister Husic said.

“I am pleased to announce support for 19 outstanding projects through the CRC-P initiative to assist them progress towards commercialisation.”

“Supporting industry, researchers and end-users to work together off the back of great Australian know-how is crucial to delivering real outcomes, creating wellpaid, secure jobs and backing industries

to support our economy,” Husic added.

“Since 1991, the CRC Program has committed $5.6 billion of grant funding to support the establishment of 236 CRCs and 208 of the shorter-term CRC Projects. On top of this, program partners are contributing another $16.9 billion of cash and in kind, which is a tremendous reflection on how much the program is valued.”

Round 13 CRC-P grants involve 57 Australian companies, including 41

well as the National Reconstruction Fund priority areas.

The Australian Government is also taking steps to improve the operation of all CRC programs. The Government has published a schedule of future funding rounds for both the short-term CRC-P grants, and the long-term CRC grants.

“Previous governments kept industry and researchers guessing when these funding rounds would open and would make applicants race to submit

Grants from $30 million to $70 million will be available under an open and competitive application process when applications open in March 2023.

Applicants will be assessed in two stages, with an initial open competitive process. This will be followed by a formal application process for shortlisted applicants.

The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water will provide an information session for potential applicants in the coming months.

about future CRC Program rounds and make it easier for those applying to plan and prepare their applications. By doing this, our aim is to strengthen the quality of submissions even further.”

The CRC-P grants are awarded through a competitive, merit-based selection process, assessed by an independent committee of industry experts. The CRC-P grants support industry-led research projects, offering matched funding of between $100,000

Sydney-based Dovetail Electric Aviation has received $3 million under the CRC-P grants program.

Novel technique could make fuel cells cheaper and more sustainable

Scientists from UNSW Sydney have developed an innovative method for creating nanoscale 3D materials with unique chemical and physical properties.

In the study published in Science Advances, researchers from the School of Chemistry at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) show it’s possible to sequentially ‘grow’ interconnected hierarchical structures in 3D at the nanoscale which have unique chemical and physical properties to support energy conversion reactions.

In chemistry, hierarchical structures are configurations of units like molecules within an organisation of other units that themselves may be ordered.

Similar phenomena can be seen in the natural world, like in flower petals

and tree branches. But where these structures have extraordinary potential is at a level beyond the visibility of the human eye – at the nanoscale.

Using conventional methods, scientists have found it challenging to replicate these 3D structures with metal components on the nanoscale.

“To date, scientists have been able to assemble hierarchical-type structures on the micrometre or molecular scale,” says Professor Richard Tilley, director of the Electron Microscope Unit at UNSW and senior author of the study.

“But to get the level of precision needed to assemble on the nanoscale, we needed to develop an entirely new bottom-up methodology.”

The researchers used chemical synthesis, an approach that constructs complex chemical compounds from

simpler ones. They were able to carefully grow hexagonal crystal–structured nickel branches on cubic crystal–structured cores to create 3D hierarchical structures with dimensions of around 10-20 nanometres.

The resulting interconnected 3D nanostructure has a high surface area, high conductivity due to the direct connection of a metallic core and branches, and has surfaces that can be chemically modified.

These properties make it an ideal electrocatalyst support – a substance that helps speed up the rate of reactions – in the oxygen evolution reaction, a crucial process in energy conversion. The nanostructure’s properties were examined using electrochemical analysis from stateof-the-art electron microscopes provided by the Electron Microscope Unit.

“Growing the material step by step is a contrast to what we do assembling structures at the micrometre level, which is starting with bulk material and etching it down,” says the lead author of the study Dr Lucy Gloag, a postdoctoral fellow at the School of Chemistry, UNSW Science.

“This new method allows us to have excellent control over the conditions, which lets us keep all of the components ultra-small – on the nanoscale – where the unique catalytic properties exist.”

Nanocatalysts in fuel cells

In conventional catalysts, which are often spherical, most atoms are stuck in the middle of the sphere. There are very few atoms on the surface, meaning most of the material is wasted as it can’t take part in the reaction environment.

These new 3D nanostructures are engineered to expose more atoms to the reaction environment, which can facilitate more efficient and effective catalysis for energy conversion, Tilley says.

“If this is used in a fuel cell or battery, having a higher surface area for the catalyst means the reaction will be more efficient when converting hydrogen into electricity,” Tilley explained.

Dr Gloag says it means that less of the material needs to be used for the reaction.

“It will eventually decrease the costs as well, making energy production more sustainable and ultimately shifting our dependence further away from fossil fuels.”

In the next research stage, the scientists will look to modify the surface of the material with platinum, which is a superior catalytic metal though more expensive. About a sixth of the cost of an electric car alone is the platinum powering the fuel cell.

“These exceptionally high surface areas would support a material like platinum to be layered on in individual atoms, so we have the absolute best use of these expensive metals in a reaction environment,” Tilley concluded.

Authors of the study Professor Richard Tilley and Dr Lucy Gloag.

Tritium’s biggest order will deliver fast chargers globally

Australian manufacturer Tritium has revealed that oil and gas giant BP has placed the largest-ever order from a single customer for electric vehicle (EV) chargers.

BP will install the chargers for fleets and the general public in the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, and Australia as it expands its EV charging business, bp pulse.

“As BP’s EV charging infrastructure grows worldwide, Tritium is a natural choice for this order,” said Richard Bartlett, CEO for bp pulse.

“Tritium has a global presence and industry-leading DC fast charging technology – we’re looking forward to putting these chargers to work across three continents.”

Tritium is supplying the chargers for bp pulse as part of a multi-year contract between the two companies, announced in April 2022, for chargers and related services to support BP’s growth in electrification.

“Tritium envisions a world in which fast EV charging is everywhere,” said Tritium CEO Jane Hunter.

“We’re grateful to the BP team for their order and look forward to working together to support bp pulse as they build a reliable, accessible fast charging network around the world.”

BP’s order includes a mix of Tritium’s 50kW RTM and 150kW PKM chargers. Tritium’s RTM is the company’s first modular charger and one of the most advanced DC fast chargers on the market.

Ideal for network operators, dealerships, and the retail and hospitality industries, the RTM uses a single person lift power module system for easier power upgrades, maintenance, and serviceability.

Tritium’s high-powered and modular 150kW PKM charger leverages a pool of shared power to deliver higher charger availability and power output, through Tritium’s innovative micro-grid design. The model is popular across fleets, network operators, heavy commercial

units, retail, and hospitality.

“As a result of BP’s order, Tritium’s industry-leading fast EV chargers will make it easier than ever before for commercial and everyday drivers to join the e-mobility transition,” Hunter continued.

Tritium anticipates manufacturing the chargers destined for BP’s European and American markets in the company’s Lebanon, Tennessee facility, which opened in August 2022 and is expected to reach a production capacity of 30,000

units per year at full maturity.

The chargers for BP’s Australia markets are expected to be manufactured in Tritium’s Brisbane factory, which has a capacity of 5,000 units per year.

This announcement comes two months after Tritium CEO Jane Hunter joined BP CEO Bernard Looney for the Australia launch of BP’s global electrification brand, bp pulse. The executives appeared together to officially open the new bp pulse fast charge points at BP Bayside at Brighton East in Melbourne.

Tritium is supplying EV chargers for bp pulse as part of a large multi-year contract.

News @MM

DroneShield completes $10.9 million placement and SPP launch

Australian counterdrone technology company DroneShield has successfully raised funding via placement with strong support from over ten institutional investors from Australia and overseas.

DroneShield is also undertaking a share purchase plan (SPP) to raise up to $3 million, providing the opportunity for all shareholders to participate in the capital raising.

Net proceeds raised are currently expected to be used to increase DroneShield’s inventory to fulfil larger contracts, as well as scale engineering, manufacturing and sales teams.

The company said it received firm commitments from investors to raise $10.9 million through a placement of approximately 36.3 million fully paid ordinary shares at an issue price of $0.30 per share.

The new shares to be issued under the SPP will be issued at $0.30 per share, the same price as the placement. Each eligible shareholder will be entitled to apply for up to $30,000 worth of shares, with DroneShield’s chairman Peter James and CEO Oleg Vornik fully participating in the SPP to the maximum $30,000.

“This capital raise enables DroneShield to take full advantage of opportunities for rapid growth, following our two record $11 million sales announced in December 2022 and January 2023, as the market demand for counterdrone equipment is rapidly heating up around the world,” Vornik said.

“This is underpinned by rising defence

and security budgets and an increasing role of drone technology in armed conflicts, terrorism and other nefarious applications.”

Settlement of the shares under the placement is expected to take place on Thursday, 9 February 2023, with allotment to occur on Friday, 10 February 2023.

Government introduces reforms to crack down on industrial pollutants

Australia’s biggest carbon emitters will now be forced to reduce their emissions by at least 30 per cent by 2030.

Minister for climate change and energy Chris Bowen has released reforms to the Safeguard Mechanism, which limits the emissions of 215 of Australia’s industrial polluters in oil, gas, mining, and manufacturing industries.

The reforms follow the Labor Government’s climate change bill that was passed in September last year, which ensures Australia’s emissions reduction target of 43 per cent and net zero emissions by 2050 will be enshrined in legislation.

Bowen explained that the 215 facilities were responsible for 28 per cent of Australia’s emissions, therefore, they will be responsible for 28 per cent of

emissions reduction.

“We will start primarily by taking the starting position as the emissions of each facility, and then between now and 2030 we will move to more of an industry baseline,” Bowen said.

“These proposed reforms have been carefully calibrated to deliver the policy certainty and support Australian industry needs through decarbonisation. There is much more to it than that, but these are some of the key points. This is pro-climate, pro-industry, pro competitiveness.”

The reforms to the Safeguard Mechanism have been proposed by industry heavyweights and big businesses, such as the the Business Council of Australia and the Australian Industry Group (Ai Group), to end policy

uncertainty and enable a predictable emissions reduction pathway to net zero by 2050.

The Safeguard Mechanism was put in place by the previous Coalition Government and requires facilities that produce over 100,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases annually (around 215 facilities) to keep their net emissions below a baseline.

The reforms aim to support businesses in reducing their annual greenhouse emissions by 4.9 per cent till 2030 and deliver 205 million tonnes of abatement to the end of the decade, equivalent to cutting emissions from Australia’s cars by two-thirds over the same period.

While major business groups have welcomed the reforms, concerns were

Currently, Droneshield has approximately $19 million of contracted orders, in addition to a cumulative sales pipeline of over $200 million.

The company also recently signed a strategic partnership and investment with Epirus, a high-growth US-based defence technology company.

raised about how local businesses could remain competitive with international counterparts.

“The Safeguard Mechanism positions released by the Government today are pragmatic and take industry input seriously, but clearly there is a lot more work to do over the next few years by government and industry before these major climate policy reforms are fully bedded down,” said Innes Willox, chief executive of national employer association Ai Group.

“A core part of Australia’s climate balancing act is to build our competitiveness for the net zero emissions world that is coming without undermining our competitiveness in the messily transitioning world we operate in today.”

Shares in each case were issued at 30 cents each.

Image credit: Droneshield

NEXT GENERATION WELDERS

Manufacturer Focus

Forging the future of advanced composites

Aeromech was founded to bridge the gap between academia and industry by creating opportunities for big thinkers. Billy Friend sat down with founder and director Joe Bryant to learn about the company’s ambitions to propel Australia into the upper echelon of advanced composites manufacturing.

ManufacturerFocus

FRESH from university, Joe Bryant began his career as an aerospace engineer with Airbus, working on the company’s first composite helicopter, the ARH Tiger. To advance his knowledge on composites, Bryant’s mentor Julien Fabreguette organised for him to work at Airbus Helicopters in France. Here, Bryant learned from start to finish the minutiae of composite materials: manufacturing, assembly and repair at the large-scale plant in Marignane, near Marseille.

Upon his return, Bryant eventually led Airbus Australia’s only composites manufacturing plant, and later on Airbus’ NH90 final assembly and flight line.

“When I became general manager of the plant I got a really good grasp of not only the technical side of composites, but the supply chain, quality, operations and design – all of which were the foundation of Aeromech moving forward,” he said.

product from scratch to solve this specific problem, making a world-first Search and Rescue USV (Unmanned Surface Vehicle)Search and Rescue Go (SARGOTM).

SARGOTM is an unmanned surface vehicle which is designed specifically to be dropped from marine Search and Rescue and Coast Guard aircraft to land safely on top of the ocean’s surface using a parachute. It can then be operated remotely to transport a payload of lifesaving cargo such as a life raft, water, communications equipment, and supplies to a stricken vessel or to people stranded in the water.

“The first checkpoint for me was this has to be self-righting,” he said. “We had certain checkpoints or milestones to achieve along the way, because I was funding this myself. We built SARGOTM as a showpiece and the feedback from industry was ‘Joe, this is incredible.’”

Australian companies that show initiative and innovation to ensure the lives of those at sea have access to technology such as SARGOTM,” he said.

Without the resources and market share of say an Airbus or Boeing, it’s extremely difficult for new companies to absorb costs if there isn’t a clear, concurrent need for a new product in the market. In the case of SARGOTM, market research lead Aeromech to find existing products were designed to be thrown

OHS was a key consideration for the product, with the full payload only reaching less than fifteen kilos. SARGOTM’s only maintenance procedure is being flushed with fresh water, making it easy to manage.

“Because we’re small, we don’t have the massive overheads of the bigger organisations. In order to be competitive in the aerospace industry, you need to know how to manufacture cost effectively, with quality consistency,” Bryant

SARGO ™ is designed to be airdropped and land on the ocean’s surface using a parachute.

Companies are starting to get into the small, nano and mini satellite manufacturing here, it’s going to be an industry which takes Australia by storm in the next 10 to 15 years.

Manufacturer Focus

produce another high quality product and further prove our capability. We are always looking at that next concept that keeps us at the edge of tech,” he said. “If we had to do SEEKER from scratch, it would have taken a long time to put together, but all the gateways were already open with us after SARGOTM It comes down to manufacturing in a smart way by leveraging off those existing networks and suppliers.”

Training courses

domestic and international markets.

“We’ll use that funding to rebrand and reach some of the bigger organisations,” he said. “We are not only looking at coast guards and governments, but also search and rescue suppliers. SARGOTM can be great for cruise ships or ships in the arctic which struggle with supply. There are different avenues in this exciting journey.

“SARGOTM can be modified to anything anyone wants. It has up to two hours of battery life, but you could increase that by fitting in another battery. It was meant to be a platform that we could use amongst multiple industries and can be developed or modified. Things have to be easy – maintenance processes can be complicated and expensive so simplifying for the end user was a priority.”

SEEKER

The patented SARGOTM design made way for Aeromech’s second Australianmanufactured product, SEEKER – a search and rescue unmanned surface vehicle (USV) designed to provide above and underwater surveillance, which is due to be released in early 2023.

extremely high-tech, heavy, expensive and require multiple people to operate.

“I thought, what can we do that is super high quality but low cost, so that if it gets destroyed it’s not the end of the world,” Bryant noted. “We leveraged the design of SARGOTM and modified it to include a set of sensors. We’ve got sonar, a pinger for depth, temperature, underwater and above water cameras and a significant battery life of around four hours. If there’s something underwater 50 metres away, the sonar will pick it up and measure the depth. This is an opportunity for something lightweight to be in the water 50 metres ahead of a big ship arriving at Moreton Bay, for example, to measure the depth and scan for anything in the water.”

A key differentiator for SEEKER is its compact size at less than 15 kilos with only one maintenance policy –flush with fresh water after use. Bryant and his team’s expert lean knowledge and understanding of aerospace manufacturing meant using the same moulds as SARGOTM and adding the necessary modifications. The applications

the department of agriculture could deploy it to assess the risks of rescuing a captured whale in a fish net or customs could survey the area if they don’t want to quickly approach an unknown boat.

“With SEEKER we wanted to leverage what we’d learnt with SARGOTM to

An exciting aspect of Aeromech’s business is its training, setting up courses on advanced composites manufacturing for in person, digital and hybrid intelligence training. With the level of experience at its disposal, the company is setting up an aerospace capability and manufacturing facility in southeast Queensland this year to support the evolving aerospace and space sectors. Aeromech is already providing consulting expertise to a number of government and space organisations to support their understanding of the manufacturing and facilities requirements to manufacture with Advanced Composite Materials. Initially, the idea for a fully portable advanced composites manufacturing plant began for Aeromech’s own products as a way to avoid setting up cleanrooms at exorbitant rates. Bryant soon discovered there wasn’t a complete turnkey facility available for newer companies to leverage.

“We developed the concept inhouse – our fully portable plant has the fridge,

The Unmanned Surface Vehicle weighs less than 15 kilograms.

SARGO™ is a lightweight composite structure.

freezer, workbenches, vacuum, oven,” Bryant said. “I started to see a gap in all things composites and training. There’s very few opportunities for companies because the barriers are so high, so I thought we could use this concept to transport to a company anywhere in Australia that just wants to manufacture parts for three months, then we will remove it. That means all the materials and skill sets are provided within this facility.”

The new concept is set up for educational institutions and/or companies to lease for a period of time, so it’s easier for new players to sign off on a dollar amount per month. In most cases, it’s unrealistic to purchase all the required capital equipment without huge business cases.

“The beauty of it is we have the networks with the supply chain to order the minimum order quantities that someone needs,” Bryant explained. “It’s very, very difficult to manage composites –some suppliers won’t deal with people for less than 10 rolls of fabric or prepreg. With this concept, people don’t have to worry about that. They don’t have to worry about paperwork, work orders, maintenance on the facility or skillsets (it’s very hard to get skill sets for composites). We will provide all that for whoever wants to use it, whether it’s training or whether it’s in house to manufacture composite products for the next 12 months.”

Professor Peter Schubel heads the University of Southern Queensland’s (UniSQ) advanced composites program and supported the establishment of Australia’s first privately-owned, static rocket testing site. In 2021, Rocket Technologies International (RTI) and the UniSQ partnered to build the Helidon facility to boost capacity on home soil and support fledgling rocket manufacturing companies enter the space race.

“Aeromech have partnered with UniSQ to develop an Advanced Composite Manufacturing micro-credential course to support both current and future students and any professional in industry looking to gain a better understanding of advanced composite materials. ,” Bryant said. “We’re also working with TAFE Queensland for students or simply people who want to return to learn about advanced composites. It is all encompassing training from understanding the basics of composites right through to setting up and running an advanced manufacturing plant but we’ll break down the barriers

by bringing a real-life environment to people. When people enter industry – which is coming – they’ll feel like they’ve been there and have that level of confidence. Employers can feel comfortable that these people have been trained to a level that would be expected of an Airbus or Boeing.”

Bryant teased in our interview that aerospace and space manufacturing in Australia is only going to accelerate, so I probed to ask what areas he sees leading the way.

“Companies are starting to get into the small satellite manufacturing here,” he said. “It’s going to be an industry which takes Australia by storm in the next 5 to 15 years.”

Canberra-based space-services company Skykraft recently sent the largest Australian-made payload into space, with five satellites lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, on board a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

The launch will be the first of over 200

ManufacturerFocus

satellites set to orbit the Earth over the next two years that will make global air travel smoother and more efficient. In the same vein, as interest increases in satellites made in Australia, so does rocket manufacturing. Skykraft is just one example of Australian companies on the world’s space stage, but Bryant admitted that the skills and manufacturing aren’t quite there to support huge growth as of yet.

“We don’t necessarily have the advanced composites expertise and understanding of the testing environment to support that yet,” he noted. “The feedback we’ve got from big leaders such as UniSQ and UQ is that students would benefit from more practical training initiatives, aiding their job readiness. There is a significant gap between understanding composites and actually working with composites in the real world. I know firsthand, some of the space organisations are looking to manufacture smaller rockets and people just don’t have the capital equipment or the expertise

and know-how to do that.”

Defence has invested money on future programs to help advance sovereign capability, as composites are being used more on Australian soil. The use of the materials in advanced platforms like space and aerospace has grown every year, as it becomes cheaper with economies of scale as more people know more about the advantages. With young children who are showing interest in engineering and space themselves, Bryant wants future generations to have the tools to progress Australia’s advanced composites ecosystem.

“We’re big fans of giving back – we want to teach high school and tertiary students about advanced composites and where the market is heading,” Bryant added. “We want to leave our footprint here in Australia. I would love to have the legacy of being an organisation who reinvests into the future of students regardless of backgrounds. We want to make opportunities for everybody.”

Aeromech recently signed a partnership with TAFE Queensland for training opportunities in advanced composite materials.

EngineeringFocus

The next generation of aerostructures

The Aerostructures Innovation Research Hub, aka AIR Hub, is moving the needle in aerospace research for Australia using advanced composite materials to design and produce innovative aerostructures. Manufacturers’ Monthly sits down with AIR Hub Director Dr. Adriano Di Pietro to uncover how the AIR Hub’s collaboration between industry and research leverages state of the art facilities and expert teams to produce novel composite structures for the next generation of air mobility.

BETWEEN 1991 to 2015, Australia’s aerospace industry was supported by the Advanced Composite Structures Cooperative Research Centre (CRC-ACS), an Australian Government co-funded research platform. In the late 2000s to early teens, Australia saw huge economic, technological and industry benefits from acquisitions such as the Army’s first dedicated armed reconnaissance helicopter, dubbed the ‘Aussie Tiger.’ Boeing’s presence in Australia also led to significant benefits,

as Adriano Di Pietro, Director of AIR Hub explained.

“The resin infusion technology used on the 787 produced in Fisherman’s Bend and exported into the Boeing supply chain has led to over five billion dollars’ worth of manufacturing exports for Australia,” he said. “That technology was developed through this CRC-ACS with other industry collaboration. We needed something like that again.”

In the years after the CRC-ACS concluded in 2015, a gap in industry

capability began to grow without a coordinated, industry-led applied research group focused on aerospace in Australia.

According to Di Pietro, the Australian aerospace industry led the charge with the government advocating for a research industry collaboration to be set up again, and so the notion of the AIR Hub was staged.

The AIR Hub begun at a critical time for aerospace, where not only had the world changed off the back of the COVID pandemic, but aerospace faced huge

adversity. With borders closed, flights grounded, workforces disbanded and production stopped, the Victorian government was searching for poststimulus and recovery opportunities, especially in higher education, that would support critical technology industries and restart the eco-system engine, from school leavers through to industry experts and big business.

“There is a new challenge with advanced air mobility and the Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS),” Di Pietro said.

AIR Hub helps the next generation to deliver into new aeroplane programs of the future.

EngineeringFocus

“There was an acknowledgment that digitalisation would play a major role and those skillsets weren’t prevalent. There is an existing challenge today – the skills are not present in the Australian supply chain at the moment, nor are they enough across the industry for us to bid into those international opportunities.”

With industry impetus, Swinburne put together a bid to create an industryled applied research group that would act more as an engineering team to deliver solutions, help develop skills, build expertise and translate and qualify technology and digital assets to support Australia in the next challenge in advanced air mobility and future opportunities in civil aerospace. A $12 million grant from the Victorian Higher Education State Investment Fund (VHESIF) was key to getting the hub off the ground and it officially launched in October 2021. Building on Victoria’s history as a leader in the Australian aerospace industry, the AIR Hub aims to be a national champion to create global opportunities through its European and US relationships. In a statement, the Victorian Government said, “led by Swinburne, the AIR Hub is bringing together the best of Victoria’s aerospace research, design and manufacturing to work with industry on real world design and manufacturing problems for the next generation of air mobility. Already, the AIR Hub is fostering new, highly skilled talent and upskilling the existing workforce to increase job opportunities in the rapidly evolving aerospace and space sectors.”

The AIR Hub brings together the research expertise of Arena 2036, ANSTO, CSIRO, Monash University, Federation University and the University of Stuttgart with Australia’s aerospace leaders, including Boeing, Cablex, Furnace, Kite Magnetics, Leidos, Marand, Memko, Quickstep, Shoal, Swoop Aero and Textron Systems Australia.

Di Pietro and his team had observed grant funding models in Germany, France and the US where industry partners had worked with organisations to bridge the gap between Low Technology Readiness Level (TRL) research and the tough road of getting the technology readiness to commercialisation.

“We have fantastic facilities here with huge testing capabilities. We bring this to industry problems, with expertise

to work on the engineering challenges, bridging the gap between invention and innovation,” he said.

The AIR Hub focuses on civil, cargo and aeromedical airliners, urban electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) air vehicles, and advanced composite materials for the space and satellite industries.

Most of the AIR Hub’s team, including Di Pietro, are from industry themselves, which helps when it comes to working with local SMEs and start-ups to boost their global competitiveness.

“We see ourselves more as an engineering team and we try to approach our engagement with industry as industry-to-industry conversations,” he explained. “We talk about projects, deliverables, timeframes, rather than talking about research.”

The AIR Hub acknowledged early on that a healthy ecosystem includes all levels in the value chain, from the small end of town to the big end. Realising a gap in access, funding and collaboration with startups and SMEs, the AIR Hub developed the AIR Pass program. The program is designed for early-stage ventures with a sense of their productmarket fit potential. The program gives a place for prototyping and technology support to achieve a demo, trial or

pilot program with their first or next customer.

For up to six months, the AIR Pass recipient and AIR Hub engineering team work together to rapidly design, build, test, analyse and demonstrate prototypes to customers. Importantly, a focus is put on the customer touch point, to attract future funding and support the startup growth journey through grants or investment. AIR Pass recipients can receive up to $150,000 in prototyping support for demonstration to early customers and up to $50,000 equityfree seed funding for non-prototyping activities to “focus on mission”, giving runway to work with the AIR Hub team to ensure success. When you consider this support is leveraged with AIR Hub’s network of suppliers and organisations, it’s unsurprising to see success stories already coming out of the program.

“Particularly in aerospace, there’s been a gap in funding support for startups that helps with that whole cash flow problem,” Di Pietro said. “We help with prototyping development work, but then we step it up another level following a successful AIR Pass and work on cofunded opportunities in joint proposals. We take a project delivery approach with industry partners which are embedded in our team so it’s a collaborative model.”

Hydrogen fuels

Clean propulsion is another stream which is integral to the AIR Hub’s work, researching and developing capacity for safe hydrogen storage on aircraft and eVTOL air vehicles. The hub recently won a $1.3 million grant from the Australian Government’s Emerging Aviation Technology Partnerships program to develop a hydrogen-powered propelled drone. According to Di Pietro, a number of different industry players are looking to provide the sovereign subcomponents for the project.

The Hydrogen to the Skies (H22S) project will design and integrate a new hydrogen propulsion system into a large-scale drone, working with Australian partners to help spearhead the commercial development of clean, zero emissions uncrewed air systems. The first prototype is expected to be completed before the end of 2023, building on the momentum of AIR Hub’s leading work on Small Hydrogen Aircraft Development and Evolution (SHADE). SHADE is a medium-size (approx. 3.5 metre wingspan) electric-powered UAS which acts as a test bed for new hydrogen propulsion technologies. Instead of a battery, after conversion it will be powered by a fuel cell that generates electricity from hydrogen, with water and

The aerospace industry is embracing digitalisation and Industry 4.0.

EngineeringFocus

Composite Additive Manufacturing at CSIRO’s Clayton site in Melbourne’s southeast creates opportunities for researchers and industry partners to innovate using advanced composite materials.

“When we talk about aerospace, there’s plenty of elements, including software and modelling,” he said. “We’ve decided to focus on deep tech – the hardware and platform piece – because that’s where we see a lot of the supply chain opportunity and where the industry partners in Australia sit right now. We see that composites will always play a key role in aerospace going forward, especially in advanced air mobility where you’ve got powered lift.

“Multifunctional materials and smart structure are one of our core streams of expertise and focus because we see that translation opportunity. There’s industry there with competence, capability and baseload and opportunity from a technology and product point of view.”

heat the only by-products.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research Professor Karen Hapgood said H22S connects Swinburne’s research strengths in aerospace, hydrogen and sustainability to fast-track technology which has the capacity to improve the lives of millions.

“This next generation green technology will not only help decarbonise Australia’s aviation industry but will also have positive effects for our regional communities, emergency services and advanced manufacturing sector,” Professor Hapgood said.

“This funding will help grow Australia’s domestic clean aviation technology capabilities and ensure we can continue to create innovative technology for a better world.”

When asked about hydrogen propulsion, Adriano Di Pietro explained it to be a critical turning point for advanced air mobility in regional Australia because it significantly extends range and payload options, compared with pure battery electric propulsion systems. The H22S project aims to demonstrate how hydrogen propulsion can be commercially deployed, paving the way for the regulatory and operational

developments needed to better connect regional communities.

Further to this, the project will have significant impacts for Australian industry, with the potential for millions of dollars in technology export revenue by the early 2030s.

“The real value we see is there are organisations internationally developing key technologies around the utilisation of hydrogen,” he began to explain. “Australia is a leader in hydrogen production, but the users and consumers of hydrogen are at a minimum. We know that decarbonisation is going to take a number of different solutions – it’s not just about electrification, batteries and solar – there’s going to need to be a diversity in our energy supply. But in aviation, hydrogen really has a role where the energy density of batteries will be limiting.”

H22S will ultimately result in the first UAS platform that is made in Australia.

“We’ve created an opportunity to do collaborative development with industry partners in Australia, not just on hydrogen production, but on hydrogen utilisation technologies: fuel cells, inverters and batteries to integrate them in a use case.”

Advanced composites and Industry 4.0

A strength of the AIR Hub is its access to state-of-the-art facilities, including the Victorian Hydrogen Hub, which is led by Swinburne in partnership with CSIRO and Germany’s AERENA2036. As well as this facility to help drive the hydrogen economy, the Industry 4.0 Testlab for

When Di Pietro references composites, he doesn’t mean exclusively carbon fibre. The AIR Hub is working across a variety of hybrid designs. One example is multifunctional coatings which can provide functionality for different aerospace projects. In order to feed the future manufacturing economy that Australia strives for, expertise and capability in advanced composites must continue to improve.

“For example, carbon fibre tank technology is going to be a key enabler for the entire hydrogen economy,” he said.

Swinburne’s Factory of the Future (FoF) is a business-led engineering facility.

The Swinburne-CSIRO National Industry 4.0 Testlab conducts industrial scale multilayer 3D printing.

“At the moment, we don’t have the highvolume tank manufacturing here which could feasibly service the future hydrogen economy we’re talking about.”

The world-class Industry 4.0 Testlab provides fully digitally supported engineering and manufacturing solutions for parts, processes and entire systems. The entire facility has a digital twin, which is used to undertake visualisation of composite manufacturing for Swinburne’s aerospace partners. The digitalisation is used for prediction, process optimisation and quality improvement and is especially useful in complex design for manufacturing (DFM) in composites.

“We’re doing a lot of work on that digitalisation stream to basically build those digital assets to do DFM for automated composite manufacturing in the Testlab,” he said. ‘An exciting project in that space for us is with Boeing Australia, leveraging their understanding and sophistication to do a lot of testing, characterisation and modelling work.”

After the conversation shifted, Di Pietro explained that the emergence

EngineeringFocus

uncrewed technology, he believes an opportunity exists to walk the path of derisking for different applications.

“UAS is facilitating the certification pathway for new aerospace technology,” he said. “Traditionally aerospace has been a trickle-down industry, with a long way to go to reach applications outside of the classical civil sector. We’ve now got steps along the way and can actually work the other way around.”

For instance, AI and new material technology can be seeded into an uncrewed platform at a small scale to be tested and get feedback to eventually look for certification. The Hydrogen to the Skies project is a perfect example of that.

Testing is at the heart of the AIR Hub and is where it differentiates itself from most research and development institutes. Di Pietro explained that testing can’t start early enough in a development life cycle in order to see the realisation of that product.

experts, facilities and capability together and we’re going out and we’re flying.

“Because instrumentation is key for flight testing – which leverages a lot from industry 4.0 approaches – digitalisation is a big part of it. We’re now seeing that everything that’s being affected by Internet of Things, new comms and AI is feeding into what we can do with flight trialling.”

Opportunities for the young and bright

It’s no secret that the broader manufacturing community faces talent shortages. This is also true in advanced manufacturing, so it’s important for the AIR Hub to give the best possible chance for the next generation to succeed in Australia by exposing them to innovative platforms. Di Pietro and the Swinburne community are changing the perception that young people need to go overseas to work in destinations like Silicon Valley

opportunities locally to support the ‘brain

return from his recent trip to the US.

“As an industry-focused university, we’re taking graduates as engineers on projects and they’re starting to work as professionals on industry-interested projects in aerospace,” he explained. “One thing I’ve come to appreciate in this role is that Swinburne is a huge platform of knowledge transfer management. Through our partnerships, we’re allowing our partners to have access to online and face-to-face courses, specific masterclasses, and training and development, as well as expertise.”

From an educational point of view, the AIR Hub’s deliverables aren’t research papers or reports, they’re work benches and prototypes.

“We’re actually translating fundamental research into tools and platforms that engineering design teams can utilise readily and not have to interpret a research paper in order to understand how they use it day to day.”

Australia is improving its advanced composites expertise and capability.

Events

Indo Pacific to showcase maritime industry

In November Sydney’s International Convention Centre will once again host discussion on the major issues affecting Australia’s defence and commercial maritime community, through the Indo Pacific 2023 International Maritime Exposition.

RUNNING from 7 to 9 November,

Indo Pacific 2023 will combine a three-day conference program, international industry exhibition and formal networking functions, creating a key platform for engagement between naval defence and commercial maritime industries, government and defence leaders, researchers and academia from Australia, the region and around the world.

With a changing strategic focus in the Indo Pacific region, the exposition has never been more timely: the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is acquiring or planning to introduce major new platforms, including a fleet of nuclearpowered submarines, a new family of Hunter class frigates and new offshore patrol vessels. This is in addition to planned upgrades to existing platforms, including an enhanced long-range strike capability, along with associated electronics and communications systems, sensors and munitions.

In response to moves by major players, other navies of the Indo Pacific region are embarking upon similar upgrades, with many acquiring or seeking to acquire new vessels and aircraft, patrol boats, submarines, landing craft, frigates and supporting systems.

The Indo Pacific region, perhaps

more than any other part of the world, is critically dependent on sea lanes for trade and transport and is home to some of the world’s largest shipbuilding nations and busiest ports.

Perfectly positioned, commercially disciplined and internationally focused, Australia is the ideal conduit for promoting into the dynamic maritime markets of Asia and the Indo Pacific.

Signature Maritime Event

Normally held every two years, this 2023 Indo Pacific event follows relatively close on the heels of its 2022 predecessor, returning the event to its usual biennial cycle post-COVID. The 2022 Indo Pacific attracted unprecedented interest: more than 730 participating companies, 25,000 visitor attendances, 39 Chief of Navy Counterparts or their representative from around the world and 115 official defence, industry, academic and government delegations were recorded across the three days.

They attended more than 70 conferences, symposia and presentations, including the Chief of Navy’s own twoday Sea Power Conference, the key IMC International Maritime Conference, and a host of symposia and presentations on the gamut of naval issues, from nuclear

technology to corrosion protection, powerplant developments, satellite data advances and the role of uncrewed vehicles.

Indo Pacific is where Chief of Navy and his service engage with their domestic industry base as well as international suppliers and Navy and defence leaders from the region and globally. The Australian Chief of Navy has traditionally also invited regional partners to join a

program highlighting key elements of strategy, history and culture that will help shape Navy into the future.

Indo Pacific is also a unique opportunity for senior Royal Australian Navy, ADF and Defence leaders to engage with Australia’s allies in a program of planned bilateral meetings, to further understanding of the capability Australia can bring to any coalition. Dedicated Royal Australian Navy facilities at Indo Pacific

Navy’s Sea Power Conference highlights industry’s input into naval capability for today and the future.

Then Chief of the Royal Australian Navy, Vice Admiral Michael Noonan, opens Navy’s Sea Power Conference at Indo Pacific 2022.

Events

provide discreet venues for meetings and briefings, representing a vital platform for quiet military diplomacy.

The Royal Australian Navy has confirmed that its Sea Power Conference will return for 2023, with content and themes likely to be guided by release of the Federal Government’s Strategic Defence Review.

Planning is also underway for another key conference fixture, the 2023 International Maritime Conference (IMC 2023).

The International Maritime Conference is one of the most prestigious and highly respected conferences in the region. Presented by the Royal Institution of Naval Architects, The Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology and Engineers Australia, it focuses on developments in naval architecture, marine engineering and maritime technology across defence and commercial shipping.

In 2022, IMC conference presentation themes ran the course of new technologies for commercial vessels, submarines, surface warships and autonomous vehicles. They covered shipbuilding and sustainment, maritime safety, environmental protection and cyber security.

In 2022 the conference included speakers from the defence, research, commercial and academic sectors such as Professor Emily Hilder, Chief Maritime Division Defence Science & Technology, Jane MacMaster, Chief Engineer, Engineers Australia and Chris Boyd CEng

CMarEng FIMarEST FRINA, CEO of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects.

The conference took a deep dive into the world of digital twin, an increasingly popular part of the IMC program, where panel members from the Royal Australian Navy, Capability, Acquisition & Sustainment Group (CASG), BAE Systems Australia and Gibbs & Cox Australia came together to discuss sovereign digital design and verification.

The interactive panel explored the RAN’s opportunity to develop a sovereign digital engineering ecosystem to digitally develop and verify conceptual and detailed designs of Australian Defence Force platforms to enhance operational capability, responsiveness and efficiency.

Justin Giddings, CEO of AMDA Foundation, organiser of Indo Pacific, said the exposition is proud to once again host the IMC at this year’s event.

“The International Maritime Conference is a stalwart of the Indo Pacific conference program and provides the framework for the important discussion that will take place over three days at the event,” he said.

“This will be the thirteenth iteration of the conference, held in conjunction with Indo Pacific since its inception in 2000.”

Industry’s chance to hear, see and be seen

For industry, Indo Pacific 2023 is a chance to spend three days surrounded by the key players in the region’s maritime community, and to take advantage of an event specifically crafted to help them

promote their products and services.

The combination of Navy, Defence, industry and civil programs attracts and engages personnel at all levels, from Chief of Navy and chief executive officers of major prime contractors to ministers, government agency personnel, uniformed and civil technical specialists, acquisition program personnel, those who conceive and build today’s cuttingedge technologies, and those whose lives may one day depend on them. It has proven the drawcard that brings defence, industry, government and academia together as a community of knowledgesharing agencies, in the national interest.

Operational concepts, new technologies, partnerships and insight have often seen their first light of day at an Indo Pacific conference lectern or presentation stage. And through the event’s networking opportunities and discussion, new ideas have found the support and impetus required to become tomorrow’s in-service capability, export product or standard operating procedure.

The Indo Pacific International Maritime Exposition is specifically

designed and structured to enable and encourage engagement between participants at all levels, through the industry exhibition, specialist conferences, networking events or simply through the sheer concentration of Defence, industry, government and academia on one site.

With formal networking programs and systems, the event’s goal is to produce an event where a problem finds a solution, a product finds a customer, an idea finds direction, or the person, supplier, relationship or data an organisation needs to achieve its goals suddenly materialises.

These outcomes can happen as part of a presentation audience, through industry breakfasts and dinners, in meetings planned and ad hoc and in chance conversations on an exhibition stand. Multi-million-dollar deals can and have resulted from chance conversations while waiting in line for a coffee.

The Indo Pacific 2023 International Maritime Exposition will take place at Sydney’s International Convention Centre on Darling Harbour. To find out more, go to www.indopacificexpo.com.au

Indo Pacific is a key catalyst for industry engagement, with more than 700 participating companies.

Indo Pacific offers industry a platform to see and be seen in pursuing market opportunities in the region.

AUSTRALIAN MADE WEEK

The vast majority of employment in manufacturing is within Australian SMEs. Whether the big or small end of town, Australia is continuing to grow its sovereign capability in an industry which once dominated our industrial landscape.

In May 2022 – we will showcase businesses contributing to Australian manufacturing. The edition is an opportunity for businesses to demonstrate the extent of their services to the industries they serve.

In every edition of Manufacturers’ Monthly, we’re proud to work with our commercial partners on content that helps connect you with your future customers.

Booking deadline: 27 March 2023

To book contact DANNY HERNANDEZ now danny.hernandez@primecreative.com.au | 0431 330 232

Electronic Repairs

A local fix to servo drive repairs

Manufacturers’ Monthly discovers how Data Factory’s reverse engineering helped a Victorian manufacturer get back to business after failed servo drives threatened to halt production.

ORTHOREST Bed Springs manufactures springs for the mattress industry at its production facility in Thomastown.

According to Bill Dimarelos, operations manager of OrthoRest Bed Springs, the company uses unique machines nearly two decades old, whose components are hard to come by today.

So, what happens when a servo drive powering an automated production line breaks down, and the existing model is obsolete and no longer supported in Australia?

Having specialised knowledge of Computer Numerical Control (CNC) servo drives, DataFactory has invested heavily in testing equipment and has several databases on drives that date back as far as 1989. The company also has the ability to reverse-engineer drives and can simulate onsite conditions using a 100-hour test. They can advise if the drive can be repaired and offer a modern replacement unit with detailed change over instructions if it is not

DataFactory provides Australia-wide repairs for electronic variable speed drives, servo drives, alternating current (AC) drives, direct current (DC) drives, electronic inverters, complex electronic boards, and monitors. They are specialists in CNC machines and have expertise in retrofitting and re-engineering control systems.

When disaster struck OrthoRest Bed Springs’ production line just before Christmas, Dimarelos turned to DataFactory through electrician John Pana.

One of the German Socapel servo drives that powered an automated production line in the facility failed, stopping the line and leading to orders piling up. Pana – an independent electrician who has worked with Bed Springs for the last five years – was contacted to resolve the issue.

“We’ve got an all-in-one troubleshooting guide for these drives,” Pana explained. “If it’s a communication error, we’ll come up with a certain number. In this instance, the card – which is the digital segment in the drive – wasn’t powering up at all.”

The issue was eventually traced to a high-frequency transformer in the power supply section, which rendered the drive irreparable.

“I contacted the manufacturing company that made these machines, but all the drives were obsolete,” he said. “You would have to replace all ten servo drives. If you can’t repair the drive or get a spare, you’ve got no choice but to spend thousands to replace them. And there’s the associated downtime that comes with sending someone out from overseas to install and pre-program everything.”

Dimarelos called the incident “catastrophic”; even sourcing second-hand units from wherever they were available, like the United States, would take multiple weeks or months. Not to mention the costs involved in doing so.

Enter DataFactory, an Australian electrical engineering company with the niche expertise to repair, re-program, or replace old models of electrical motors and drives no longer supported by their

manufacturers.

“If an issue has to do with fibre optics or communications, I can fix it myself. But when there are hardware issues, I remove the drives and bring it up to DataFactory,” Pana said, adding that he was lucky to have stumbled upon them online years ago and now works closely with the business.

DataFactory reverse-engineered the power supply section of the drive and designed a new one from scratch. No easy feat, this was then fitted into the drive so it was up and running again.

“If drives are more than five to ten years old, you can’t get parts and it’s very hard to find someone that will do the repairs. Most people won’t or don’t have the expertise to attempt to reverse engineer, they will have to replace the whole card. Swapping and replacing drives is not a trivial issue, you need an engineer with top knowledge of drives and that is DataFactory’s niche.”

This was not the first time DataFactory has helped OrthoRest Bed Springs –their working relationship goes back to

Data Factory tests servo drives at its lab in Nunawading.

2020. Pana was the one who introduced DataFactory to OrthoRest Bed Springs, leading to a long-standing partnership between the two companies.

“I had a previous customer who was also making bed springs, and their drives and sensors went to DataFactory for repairs,” Pana explained. Dimarelos said that Darius Kowalewski, manager of DataFactory, had a unique talent for the digital segment in the drive.

“He specialises in this sort of work and is able to deconstruct and analyse the issue to get the components needed. Simply put, we send the parts to him, he does his magic, and it comes back to us working.”

Kowalewski is a professional electrical engineer, and a chartered member of the Institution of Engineers, Australia.

Pana affirmed that there’s less inhouse engineering expertise these days in Australian manufacturing and therefore, there is a need for expertise in electronics.

DataFactory fills this gap in the

in Nunawading, Victoria includes a fully equipped lab, test area, and large stocks of spare parts.

“It’s very clear that he (Kowalewski) has that mindset of fixing. A shift in recent years is people think if something stops working, they need to throw it away,” Pana said.

“When we’re talking about industrialsized things, obviously, that’s a lot more difficult to do. But that same mentality flows through the whole production chain.”

Bill Dimarelos has also noticed the challenge manufacturing plants face in sourcing electrical expertise to solve problems.

“The skill sets are not there to comprehend these engineering concepts and then be able to resolve them. It’s the kind of work that is quite time-consuming and needs skill and experience which, sadly, is what the industry is losing a lot of. Today, people come up trained in a different world, with a completely different mentality.”

“I’m so thankful that DataFactory is around, and you’ve got some secure help to turn to. I’m sure they have helped so many

A Socapel servo drive installed into a customer’s control cabinet.

Defence Manufacturing

Entering and thriving in defence: industry knowledge is key to success

An increasing number of advanced manufacturing businesses are looking towards the defence industry for opportunities in supply chain participation. Manufacturers’ Monthly learns about the incredible support Systematiq gives to enter and thrive in the defence market.

COMING from a military family, Erin O’Brien’s first job was at the Defence Material Organisation, now referred to as the Department of Defence. Over the years, she has worked on some of Australia’s big projects – including OneSKY Australia™ and Mercedes Benz trucks – which acted as a terrific segue into her role now at Systematiq.

Systematiq is owned by ex-serving members with a large number of exdefence staff from a wide variety of backgrounds. This provides a depth of knowledge that puts the company one step ahead when working with businesses entering the defence industry.

“We’re pretty lucky, we work with a broad range of companies from large organisations to smaller engineering businesses,” she said. “The reason we’ve been able to do this is we all leverage off our networks in industry. By us constantly being honest and upfront with everyone around us about what service and value

we can provide, it’s created a level of trust within the industry.”

As the company’s business development manager in charge of Defence, O’Brien works with the company directors, marketing, account and regional managers and other aspects of businesses to determine an initial growth strategy and identify opportunities. When meeting with clients, her approach is to identify their biggest pain points and provide a solution as to what Systematiq can provide to alleviate those challenges. She has been encouraged by observing a recent increase in Australian Industry Capability (AIC) in all Defence contracts, which means the bigger primes are engaging with smaller companies to get a foot in the door. Advanced manufacturing is certainly gaining momentum on our shores, which is exciting in the wake of supply issues overseas.

“We have all of these amazing sites that were built for manufacturing purposes, then got shut down. If industry

can identify new opportunities and can pivot towards re-purposing these sites, the growth in this area will be extremely advantageous for Australia. Companies are developing local supply chains and using Australian Industry Content (AIC) more to win tenders, because it will help boost local manufacturing, which reduces unemployment in specific areas and helps the whole economy,” she said. An AIC plan is now a pre-requisite for entry into defence contracts.

It can be daunting, time consuming and expensive to dive into the deep end of Australia’s Defence industry. Systematiq uses its reputation and experience to act as a bridge for its clients, who might be unsure of the biggest priorities or be under resourced to compete with other organisations. O’Brien explained that shaping and positioning yourself within the industry is crucial.

“A couple years before a tender is released it’s really important to start that customer engagement so that defence

stakeholders and primes are aware of who you are,” she said. “Defence is very risk adverse, so you can understand they’re going to be more inclined to pick those they know to be reliable.”

Another challenge for businesses is it can take years from the initial Request for Information, through to the tender process or Request for Tender to the decision and mobilisation of delivery. Longer timeframes make managing cash flow and resourcing more difficult, so planning ahead as much as possible can weather the storm of delays and uncertainty.

“I think companies shouldn’t underestimate the power of good planning,” O’Brien added. “Sometimes that is a lot easier to do by engaging with a company like Systematiq to do that market research and analysis to help determine where they sit in the market, where the opportunities lie, and how they can potentially grow.”

Delivering products into a Defence

Systematiq is an expert in project procurement through tender support.

program as part of a supply chain is unlike any other commercial arrangement. Steps to proving a business is risk adverse in the industry’s eyes include becoming ISO9000 certified, providing previous financial history, and evidence that you are locally owned and operated.

According to O’Brien, SMEs need to demonstrate an ‘ability to supply’ and the capacity to support a project through its entire development and delivery. Identifying what partners or suppliers are dedicated to the project as well as a suitable budget and plan to recruit and train can help businesses avoid overloading their workforce. Documenting exactly how the project elements will be delivered is key, but expressing this in the right way can be equally as important.

“Terminology is actually another key factor which a lot of people forget about,” she said. “Defence is almost its own world. They have a specific way of communicating and being communicated to. We often act as a bridge to that world for smaller and larger companies who are looking to enter that market. There is an abundance of information out there, there’s so many Defence papers on where spending is going so it can be hard for customers wanting to branch into the industry in the manufacturing sector to know where to begin.”

O’Brien said tender support is a

DefenceManufacturing

it’s a very different way of working. You have to have a certain level of experience or leadership for providing recommendations and stakeholder management.”

Failing to do what Norton coined as the ‘capture work’ is a common stumbling block for companies responding to Defence tenders.

“You might put the best bid in, but if you haven’t done the business development (BD) work up front, the bid may not matter,” she explained. “Systematiq can support the market capture work at the beginning, positioning the company so that when an opportunity comes out, they are front-ofmind and in the spotlight. It’s not much use if the Commonwealth or the company they’re responding to open the bid and don’t know who they are.”

strength of Systematiq’s and where a lot of her discussions have been over the past

“There’s an influx of companies wanting to bid on Defence tenders, but they don’t have the resources readily available ,” she said. “We act as that support to help them enter Defence so that our clients achieve their business growth and can be part of this dynamic industry.”

Defence tenders and submissions require specialised procurement knowledge

Sarah Norton is Systematiq’s precontracts, bids and proposals manager, supporting companies to deliver numerous complex ASDEFCON tender responses, as well as grant and funding submissions for businesses looking to work in these domains.

The Australian Standard for Defence Contracting (ASDEFCON) is a standardised suite of solicitation and contracting templates, which Defence use to procure goods and services. There are multiple categories of these procurement documents which are tailored dependent on the complexity and value of the procurement. Norton said companies can underestimate the effort required to respond to ASDEFCON tenders.

“You actually need quite a lot of different subject matter experts involved

and compelling manner, but when it’s reviewed by somebody who’s familiar with the format and expectations, it might reveal that they’ve missed the mark in these areas.

“We’re often called in to train businesses in ASDEFCON and take them through the format, how to set the bid up, and the process for running a bid. We are also called upon to supplement their bidding team, where a hybrid team works well so the company doesn’t completely outsource the bid and leverages our expertise with their knowledge.”

Before working at Systematiq, Norton was also at the Defence Material Organisation – now referred to as the Department of Defence – as a scheduler, and subsequently worked in tender and project delivery roles at Pilatus Aircraft and Elbit Systems of Australia. She echoed the sentiment that having deep industry experience helps Systematiq tailor solutions to a customer’s unique pain points and requirements.

“I think when you’ve worked on either side of the fence, you know what sort of standards and expectations there are,,” she noted. “Whilst companies from the outside see Defence as lucrative,

For companies looking to enter the Defence space, Norton noted that a background in responding to government tenders is a useful starting point. Newer companies often begin this journey as part of a supply chain network, working for a prime or a contractor that already has a Defence contract and footprint. Primes go out to market looking to increase their AIC and generally, the level of detail and response requirements in to these aren’t as onerous as tenders directly to Defence.

“If a company can enter into a supply chain network and prove their ability to supply, then it’s easier for them to get into a position where they can actually bid on defence work,” she said.

Every business will have a different entry point and strategy. Norton concluded that Systematiq helps a manufacturer focus on its strengths – manufacturing – while the Defence experts conduct the market capture, tender documentation, and supporting elements that the company might not have the resources and experience with.

“We tailor the solutions to each customer because everyone has different needs and requirements,” she said. “Sometimes customers want to be hands on and manage everything with us, sometimes they want us to manage it all. We deliver a team for our customers that will suit the requirements they’re looking for.”

Systematiq provide consulting services across the country with offices in Melbourne and Brisbane.

Erin O’Brien (left) and Sarah Norton have worked in the defence industry their entire careers.

Defence Manufacturing

How additive manufacturing capabilities can boost Australian aerospace and defence industry growth

Matthew Hunter, national manager, emerging technology, Konica Minolta breaks down to Manufacturers’ Monthly and challenges in growing sovereign capability in Australia’s defence and aerospace manufacturing ecosystem.

THE 3D printing industry has significantly transformed, shifting from prototyping to end-use applications. The increasing ability to create strong, affordable 3D printed parts using various innovative materials has fuelled this transition. Within the Australian aerospace and defence industries, these advances allow local manufacturers to increase speed-to-market and bring component manufacturing back onshore.

Bringing 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, in-house, rather than outsourcing it to offshore providers, creates additional capacity for critical research and development, keeping organisations at the forefront of what is possible.

The aerospace and defence industries face several unique and complex challenges. Additive manufacturing can solve these problems and support both sectors growth and innovation abilities.

Key opportunities in aerospace

In the aerospace sector, Konica Minolta has identified the following opportunities for 3D printing to overcome key challenges: Expenses associated with manufacturing and innovation

The high cost of launching objects into orbit has been a major barrier to the development of space exploration. One contributing factor is the substantial number of parts that are required, which must be made to a high level of quality and precision and able to withstand extreme conditions. To address this issue, the space industry is turning to 3D printing as a more cost-effective and efficient alternative to traditional manufacturing techniques. By using 3D printing, it is possible to speed up the prototyping process and reduce waste during production, leading to significant cost savings.

• Supply chain disruptions

Supply chain disruptions are a

significant challenge within the aerospace industry; however, it also presents an opportunity to explore innovative approaches. 3D printing enables the rapid production of complex parts using a wide range of materials and the creation of intricate shapes not possible with traditional subtractive manufacturing techniques. Additionally, 3D printing can take place locally onsite, reducing the reliance on international suppliers. By embracing 3D printing technologies, the space industry has the potential to develop and strengthen its supply chain.

• Manufacturing complexities

As the demand for objects launched into space grows, so does the cost of manufacturing these products. The production of complex parts at scale through 3D printing technologies keeps costs down without compromising quality. These technologies also enable the production of end-use parts in-house, without tooling, making it possible to create custom and intricate designs efficiently and cost-effectively.

By leveraging 3D printing, manufacturers can streamline the production process and simplify the creation of complex parts. This is particularly important in the development of lightweight alternative parts, such as those for satellites and drones, as they require intricate pieces designed for precise balance and aerodynamics. The design flexibility of 3D printing allows engineers to create custom parts that address specific challenges associated with designing for the aerospace industry and that withstand varying elements and environmental conditions by experimenting with alternate materials and prototypes. 3D printing makes it possible to innovate and solve problems in a way that is not attainable using traditional manufacturing methods.

operational platforms. Breakdowns in the manufacture and flow of goods can lead to availability issues that can severely impact defence readiness. 3D printing technologies offer a solution by allowing end-use parts to be on-demand, helping build and sustain resilient supply chains and improve defence coordination capabilities. 3D printing also offers a solution to supply chain obsolescence, in some instances the original traditional manufacturer no longer exists and can make replacing a small part a costly and time-consuming exercise.

printing can help improve operational readiness by enabling more efficient procurement and shorter production cycles. For instance, defence engineers can use 3D printing to rapidly create prototypes at combat outposts, design new parts, and repair existing ones. By leveraging 3D printing technology, it is possible to enhance the responsiveness and agility of the defence force.

With new materials, more advanced technologies, and costeffective printing techniques, the full capabilities of 3D printing technology are lending themselves to solving these unique challenges.

Industrial gas turbine component built with certified HX parameters.

The benefits of additive manufacturing in aerospace and

There are four major advantages of adopting 3D printing applications in space and defence. These include: espoke manufacturing and

One of the major advantages of 3D printing over traditional manufacturing is the ability to easily create complex and customisable shapes and internal geometries. While conventional methods may require multiple parts to be welded together to achieve a desired shape, 3D printing allows manufacturers to create objects in any shape imaginable, including lattice, honeycomb and hollow structures. This level of design freedom can lead to improved efficiency and cost savings, as well as the creation of lighter and more durable products. It is also precise, repeatable, scalable, and reduces the risk of excess inventory if changes are made to the product design after production.

2. Rapid prototyping

Rapid prototyping, which involves creating a physical model of a product design using 3D printing

DefenceManufacturing

technology, can help defence and space engineers test and refine their designs and materials in a cost-effective and efficient manner. Producing prototypes quickly and at a lower cost makes it possible to identify and address potential issues before mass production, reducing the risk of defects and ensuring the final product meets all necessary specifications.

3. Sovereign industrial capability

By using 3D printing, the space and defence sectors can reduce their reliance on imported parts and instead produce them locally. This not only provides opportunities for Australian businesses to participate in the supply chain but also helps to address vulnerabilities and build resilience in the supply chain. In this way, 3D printing can be a key enabler for the localisation of manufacturing in the space and defence sectors.

4. Improved sustainability

In addition to being a cost-effective manufacturing method, 3D printing is also an environmentally responsible choice for manufacturers. One of the key benefits of 3D printing is the low level of waste it generates compared to traditional manufacturing methods.

This is because 3D printing lets manufacturers create parts using only the material that is needed rather than having to produce copious amounts of excess material that is often discarded during the tooling process. In addition, the materials used in 3D printing are often more cost-effective and can produce parts just as durable as those produced using traditional methods. Overall, the low waste and costeffectiveness of 3D printing make it a responsible choice for manufacturers looking to reduce their environmental impact.

Leveraging 3D printing to drive innovation

Fleet Space, Australia’s only commercial nano satellite manufacturer, partnered with Konica Minolta to scale up Fleet Space’s production of small satellites for low Earth orbit to connect billions of devices, pushing the boundaries of innovation within 3D printing. As a results of harnessing the efficiencies of deploying a smart, in-house 3D printing solution, Fleet Space developed the world’s first 3D-printed, all-metal patch antenna, which delivers ten times more throughput per kilogram of spacecraft.

Fleet Space is one of Australia’s most innovative companies, but innovation often comes at a significant cost. The ability to 3D print with aluminium in a precise, repeated, and scalable method makes volume manufacturing more productive and cost-effective. These efficiencies can unlock capacity for important research and development, providing Fleet Space more time and resources to accelerate product development by focusing on designing prototypes and new parts during downtime from manufacturing the antennae.

3D printing in the defence and space industries allows for exceptional logistic capabilities, enabling these industries to mitigate supply chain risks and respond effectively to changing business conditions. 3D printing also keeps these industries at the forefront of additive manufacturing technology and allows for the implementation of production-stage runs at a fraction of the time and material cost compared to traditional methods.

With Konica Minolta, the aerospace and defence industries can take advantage of the 3D printing revolution and find the right technology for their specific needs including customisation, faster prototyping, reduced waste, and ease of application.

Scalmalloy is a high-performance metal 3D printing material.

Sustainable Materials

Lower Carbon Aluminium for Australian Manufacturers.

In November last year, Capral introduced LocAl®, its own lower-carbon primary aluminium option. Manufacturers’ Monthly investigates why the aluminium expert has invested in providing Australian manufacturers and their customers access to cleaner, greener, more sustainable aluminium for different projects.

IN 2022, Capral committed to reaching Net Zero emissions by 2050 – a significant step change – driving rapid innovation and cultural evolution throughout the business, most notably within procurement and operations.

Luke Hawkins, General Manager of Supply & Industrial Solutions, explained Capral has been considering its sustainability position as well as the market demands for lower carbon aluminium for a couple of years.

“We’ve been progressively looking at supply chain options and considering what we can do to best provide for industry,” he said. “We worked with a multitude of suppliers and smelters around different options and we’re very excited to land at launching these two products. Capral is evolving its supply chain to consider carbon and sustainability as part of its procurement function.”

This consideration has culminated in the new LocAl® offer, which includes two lower carbon aluminium options;

LocAl Green with carbon emissions of 8kg CO2e/kg Al* and LocAl Super Green at 4kg CO2e/kg Al* - amongst the lowest carbon aluminium available globally.

The introduction of LocAl® demonstrates a deliberate shift in Capral’s procurement strategy for primary aluminium billet.

“In 2022, 22 per cent of the primary aluminium billet Capral used in its eight local extrusion presses had a carbon content lower than eight kilograms CO2e per kilogram of aluminium,” Hawkins explained. “Approximately 300 tonnes had a certified carbon content lower than 4 kilograms of CO2e per kilogram of aluminium. This is a strategic change for Capral, driven by our desire to make lower Carbon aluminium accessible to Australian manufacturers. The market is looking for this product, and as Australia’s largest extruder of aluminium, we must make it available.”

Aluminium is often touted as the “sustainable metal”, with its versatility and recyclability earning it this reputation.

However, there are significant variations in the carbon emissions generated by smelters during the production of primary aluminium - one could argue that some aluminium is considerably more sustainable than others.

The main contribution to the carbon emissions of aluminium comes from the electrolysis process used in aluminium smelting. Around 60 per cent of the aluminium sector’s GHG emissions are from the production of electricity consumed during the aluminium

A fact that surprises some is that combined, the four Aluminium Smelters producing primary aluminium within Australia consume approximately 10 per cent of the national energy grid.

The carbon emissions in primary aluminium production range from under 4kg CO2e/kg Al to over 20kg CO2e/kg Al, largely dependent upon the energy sources used. The current global average carbon emission for primary aluminium is approximately 16.8 kg CO2e/kg Al.*

Michael O’Keefe, General Manager of Marketing & Technology, explained at eight kilograms of carbon emissions per kilogram of aluminium, the LocAl

Green offer has 50 per cent lower carbon emissions than the current global average for primary aluminium.

“At four kilograms, LocAl Super Green is 75 per cent lower; this is a significant reduction. It gives Australian manufacturers an important opportunity to make more responsible procurement decisions when they source extruded aluminium.”

In addition to lower carbon emissions, the primary aluminium offered under the Local® brand is sourced exclusively from Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) certified smelters.

ASI is a global non-profit organisation that brings together producers, users and stakeholders in the aluminium value chain. ASI members are committed to the responsible procurement and sustainable production of aluminium. This globally recognised organisation has become the cornerstone of sustainable aluminium procurement for the world’s leading aluminium organisations delivering robust standards and transparency. Capral joined ASI in July 2022.

“Being able to offer LocAl aluminium sourced from ASI-certified smelters gives us the added assurance that the

Capral’s Urban Plus Designer series is a range of high-performance, energy efficient window and door systems.

LocAl® aluminium is available across Capral’s locally made aluminium products.

aluminium we buy has been produced responsibly with consideration given to sustainability and societal impact. It helps us stand behind the product we sell and tell our customers we’ve done the best we can to deliver you a product that has been produced responsibly at all stages in the value chain,” Hawkins said.

“It’s more than just looking at carbon emissions – the ASI is a much broader qualification. We want to demonstrate our commitment and it provides credibility to work with upstream suppliers that have ASR accreditation as well.”

Industry sectors, including construction, renewable energy, transport and marine, are increasingly looking for lower carbon options for their products to meet customer expectations. Capral is now ready to support these sectors with access to aluminium with up to 75 per cent lower carbon emissions than global averages.

Michael O’Keefe noted the many reasons businesses would consider using LocAl for their projects.

“Reducing carbon emissions is critical for our environment, and Capral is proud

to be in a position to deliver the LocAl Green and Super Green to the industry right now so that businesses can actively choose cleaner, greener options for their aluminium,” he said.

In terms of industry response to the new low carbon option, it’s so far so good.

“There’s been lots of interest and we’ve had a number of sales on the products already,” Luke Hawkins said. “The interest isn’t just coming from manufacturers, but it’s often coming from those manufacturers’ customers themselves. There’s now an option to supply the end consumer or purchaser of the finished product with a lower embodied carbon product. Of course, it takes time to educate through the supply chain, but we’re very optimistic around its uptake and initial interest has probably exceeded our expectations.”

LocAl aluminium is available across Capral’s locally manufactured extruded aluminium products including customdesigned aluminium sections, standard extrusions, geometrics, transport sections, solar rail, and marine. LocAl Green will be supplied as standard on

all Capral proprietary window and door systems from November 2022.

“It’s ready. All our customers need to do is ask,” added Hawkins.

video.

Billets of aluminium in one of Capral’s manufacturing plants.

Fabrication

Next generation welding

The next generation of WIA welders have landed. Built with new digital platforms and extensive features, all come with three years warranty and better than ever reliability and performance for the Australian Market.

FOR decades WIA machines have been established as reliable welding solutions for DIY, farming, construction, repair, maintenance, and fabrication applications. Today, WIA’s next generation range is set to exceed the reliability and performance standards set by its predecessors.

Everything about WIA’s new models is new, from the new robust design, smooth silicon dials, higher level of performance, up-to-date digital technology and extensive list of features, every choice that was made was with the user top of mind.

Three new models have also been added, including a highly portable Weldarc 135 stick welder, and a Weldmatic 180 multi-process machine, which has been introduced for beginner to intermediate welders who require a 10 Amp plug. A new Weldmatic 200+ multi-process model has also been added, providing advanced LCD screen technology with pre-set parameters for easy adjustment.

Every model has been completely re-developed and built with new digital technology for enhanced welding

performance, precise arc waveforms, and a more stable arc control. This exciting new platform also allows for potential software upgrades to easily be made in the future.

Product Manager Aleksandr Koshelyev said it’s exciting where we could take these machines. Simple upgrades can be developed and implemented to meet market demands quickly and easily.

With improved arc control, new screen interfaces, and features like program memory and preset welding parameters – the new range is a boon to welders with less experience.

“We wanted to make things simple for everyone,” Koshelyev said. “So, we introduced a user friendly LCD interface to ensure easy set-up process and precise parameter selection. It helps those who are less skilled in welding to set up their machine quickly and get started on the process.

Koshelyev also noted that, when it comes to commercial welding machines, this WIA range has it all. Each machine was built to meet welders’ wants, needs –and more.

Take the all new Weldarc 185 Stick / TIG welder for example, it has been designed with a range of improvements and new features to suit light fabrication, repair, maintenance, farming, and building and construction projects. The Weldarc 185 machine now has a higher duty cycle than

previous models, meaning it will run for a longer period at 185 Amps.

Also, it comes with VRD for safety requirements and Fan on Demand™ which runs in only when the machine reaches its maximum heating point, reducing noise and contaminates. Additionally, it has digital meters for precise adjustment, and is IP23S rated for added environmental safety protection, a requirement for some mine sites.

What truly sets this machine apart is Power Factor Correction (PFC) which makes it tolerant to unconditioned power when generators are used, and tolerant to being operated on long extension leads.

Like all WIA machines, the Weldarc 185 is built with high quality components and comes with three years warranty (power source only), which sets the standard for machines in this category.

The new Weldarc 200 ACDC Stick/ TIG welder is also packed with features. Designed for repair and maintenance, aluminium boat fabrication and motorsports fabrication, the Weldarc 200 ACDC offers precise AC TIG welding of aluminium and comes with Power Factor Correction, Fan on Demand™ and new LCD interface.

From repair, maintenance, lightmedium and heavy fabrication, WIA’s new Weldmatic multi-process range has also been fully re-designed to maximise ease of use, portability, flexibility and reliability.

Choosing the right machine for a particular welding job can be just as important as the technique.

Industrial Tools

Atlas Copco celebrates 150 years of innovation and commitment

THE core of Atlas Copco’s business dates back to the early years of the 20th century, when the Swedish economy was developing, and a modern railway system was under construction. Atlas Copco aimed to offer all types of equipment involved in the building and running of a modern railway . Today, the Swedish company is a world leader, with more than 43,000 employees across 70 countries, securing sales in more than 180 countries.

Atlas Copco’s first foray into the Australian market was through distributor, Hastings Deering. The first recorded sale in 1944 was a Monobloc C4DKV portable compressor which had solid tyres, no gates and started cartridge style. Petrol was still rationed until 1949 when Swedish mining engineer Bengt Gibson was sent to Australia to work with Harold Hastings Deering to set up a sales company. Atlas Diesel was registered as a company and Harold Hastings Deering appointed its Chairman in 1950. The first office was in Sydney’s Kings Cross. By 1953, offices were set up in Kalgoorlie,

Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane, Launceston and Melbourne.

Atlas Copco established itself in the winter of 1950, on the back of the Snowy Mountains Scheme beginning construction the previous year. The gigantic power scheme which entailed not only the drilling of 12 tunnels, (140km in length) but also the construction of 16 dams and seven power stations. As well as providing compressors and rock drills for this project, Atlas Copco’s main customers in the 1950s included the State Electricity Commission of Victoria, New South Wales Railways and the Tasmanian Hydro Electric Commission.

On the first of January 1956, Atlas Diesel changed its name to Atlas CopcoCopco was an abbreviation of the French “Companie Pneumatique Commerciale”. This was also the beginning of Atlas Copco Australia’s interest in the nascent mining industry in Papua New Guinea, through dealer Hastings Deering Diesel.

A quirky example of Atlas Copco’s equipment being used outside of just the factory floor came in in the 1980s,

where palaeontologist Thomas H. Rich was conducting excavations for ten years at Dinosaur Cove in the Victorian Otway Ranges. Rich and his team of scientists often worked in dark and narrow tunnels, which at times were muddy and slippery. Work was also complicated by the excavation site being close to a steep cliff that dropped down to the sea. In conducting excavations, the research group had Atlas Copco’s compressors, rock drills of various sizes and pneumatic tools. From layers of sand, mud and clay, which over a period of more than onehundred million years had been pressed together into hard rock, a new species was discovered. Atlas Copco’s resources were so vital to the discovery, Rich decided to name the species the Atlascopcosaurus.

In 1993, the memorable words of, “the winner is Syd-en-ee” was heard, declaring Australia’s bid to host the 2000 Olympics games a success. The forthcoming Olympics meant the city needed a spruce up and the 170,000 square metres of Harbour Bridge steel needed application of 10,000 litres of micaceous oxide and

rubber to prevent rust. LLA pneumatic hoists were used to position work platforms, grinders with built-in speed governors to remove existing paint, RRC percussion hammers to trim concrete and compressors supplied air for sand blasting.

1998 saw the official opening of Atlas Copco’s current headquarters at Blacktown. Performed jointly by the Swedish Ambassador Goran Hasselmark, and Chairman of Atlas Copco Brian Loton, the occasion saw the unveiling of a plaque, which co-incidentally commemorated 125 years of Atlas Copco’s existence. At the time 600 staff were employed across Australia and New Zealand.

Leading the way in energy efficiency

Energy is on everyone’s mind these days amid concerns about its price, the impact of its emissions and the geopolitical tensions involved in producing it. Atlas Copco is doing its part, but how much can one company do? Quite a lot, when that company is the largest producer of air compressors. Energy efficiency is essential to meeting the climate goals. Atlas Copco’s energy-efficient products are continuously developed and improved to reduce emissions and increase its customers’ competitiveness.

Compressors account for one-tenth of industrial electricity consumption worldwide. Atlas Copco has a powerful role in reducing energy use and the associated pollution. Customers worldwide who use Atlas Copco’s advanced, energy-efficient compressors are significantly shrinking their carbon footprint. Many have slashed their CO2 emissions by more than half using innovative Atlas Copco technologies such as:

• 100 per cent energy recovery compressors

Variable speed drive compressors (VSD) – saving up to 60 per cent on total energy costs

Regardless of the industry, Atlas Copco has effective and efficient solutions for compressed air, oxygen and nitrogen

Atlas Copco’s journey in Australia represents a period of innovation, progress and service. Manufacturers’ Monthly discovers the hallmarks of the company’s legacy in its 150th year.

Atlas Copco is celebrating its 150th year.

IndustrialTools

generation applications.

Innovation and technological progress are key to finding lasting solutions to both environmental and economic challenges. Companies are re-imagining how to create and capture value in this new environment, and Atlas Copco is leading the way.

Community Engagement

Water for All is the Atlas Copco Group’s main community engagement initiative. Through the dedicated and passionate work of volunteering employees, Water for All funds projects which empower people through access to clean drinking water, sanitation and hygiene. Women and young girls are particularly affected by the lack of water and sanitation, so the aim is to positively impact their lives. Since 1984, we have reached millions of people all over the world and there are local Water for All organisations in more than 50 countries. At the centre lies the strong belief that clean water is a human right and all voluntary employee donations to this cause are matched by twice as much by the company.

Inclusive workplace

An inclusive workplace where employees have equal opportunities is the foundation for innovation and lasting results. This is why we prioritise inclusion, strive to increase diversity, encourage mobility, and provide the conditions for our employees’ growth and development. We are committed to promoting equal opportunity in our hiring and promotion processes. We take a firm stance against harassment and other forms of discrimination and have training and processes in place to address any instances of abuse of our code of ethics.

The opportunity for employees to continuously learn and develop new skills is vital. A global competence development platform provides easily accessible learning opportunities.

Transparent and constructive feedback is important while performance and development discussions are followed up systematically. Our employees are encouraged to take on new challenges and to move across geographical, organisational and cultural boundaries. Our internal job market is based on the principle that everyone has talent and can develop further.

Measuring progress

In the Atlas Copco Group, we are committed to being part of the solution for a better tomorrow. This means innovating with a long-term perspective to empower our customers to drive society forward. It means minimising the environmental impact from our operations and products. It means making sure our employees are safe and healthy and that our company stays lean and efficient. We also want to live up to the highest ethical standards, with zero tolerance for corruption throughout the value chain.

To deliver lasting value for all stakeholders, we focus on the following areas for sustainability: products and service, people, safety and well-being, ethics, and the environment. We regard these areas, along with profitability and growth, as necessary to achieve long-term success.

Setting Trends Since 1873

Our innovations have changed the market since 1873 and the world of compressors since the beginning of the 20th century. Here is just a small selection of our achievements as a compressor manufacturer:

1904 - first oil-free piston compressor

1952 - first oil-free screw compressor

1986 - Elektronikon compressor control

1994 - first speed-controlled compressor

2002 - ES energy-saving system with heat recovery

2007 - introduction of R410A environmentally friendly refrigerant

2011 – first manufacturer to be certified Class 0 oil-free

2012 - first energy-efficient nitrogen generator

2013 – Smartlink introduced

2020 - speed-controlled dryer for 100300 l/min

As you can see, much has happened since we were founded in 1873. Still, our innovative spirit and our dedication to drive development together with you, remain the same. We would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude for your trust and collaboration. We very much look forward to our future together.

Atlas Copco Compressors 1800 023 469

Atlas Copco has a long track record of innovation through its history.

Expertise in compressors has been a constant for Atlas Copco throughout the years.

20-21

Sept 2023

Melbourne’s leading construction and major infrastructure event

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Targeted messaging in over 19 industry-leading publications that reach more than 80,000 decision makers across multiple sectors

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Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre

Power Distribution

The heart of power distribution

APS Industrial is set to open a dedicated centre in its Adelaide facility for customising its low voltage power distribution products. Manufacturers’ Monthly learns about the suite of products including the reputable Siemens air circuit breakers.

AS a locally owned and managed company, APS Industrial continues to grow its service and delivery capabilities around the country to complement its diverse portfolio of products.

Five years ago (this month), APS Industrial joined forces with Siemens Australia to become the master distributor for its industrial low voltage electrical and automation products in Australia. APS’ senior management group saw this as an opportunity to provide industry with a new choice and distribution model to access the broadest portfolio of quality products like never before.

As part of this new choice, APS made a commitment to stock around the country and support these products with expert and experienced personnel.

Steve Walton, product manager at APS Industrial for low voltage, power distribution switchgear has been with the business since its inception.

Walton explained Siemens’ rich history in manufacturing and in Australia. For over 150 years

Siemens has been servicing Australian industry, first commissioning the Overland Telegraph Line between Darwin and Adelaide in 1872. For 50 of those years, the German giant has been making air circuit breakers (ACBs), and its leading 3WL range Is a prime example of intelligent engineering.

“Siemens was one of the first manufacturers of ACBs in the world,” he said. “The range has evolved over time to become more intelligent, designed to withstand large volts and switch large currents.”

Industrial operations are becoming increasingly automated, which brings new technologies and stricter standards. Safety is at the core of APS Industrial’s offering, combining this mantra with high system availability and efficient energy consumption. Siemens’ protection devices are rigorously designed to meet the highest of standards, offering both protection functions and ways to integrate the devices into automation environments and collect energy data.

Noted for their compact size and high current load

Siemens’ 3WL air circuit breaker.

APS Industrial’s key manufacturing partners include Siemens, Weidmüller, Rittal, Belden and KATKO.

PowerDistribution

rating, 3WL ACBs are used as incoming feeder, coupler and outgoing feeder circuit breakers and are at the heart of many power distribution systems in industry, buildings, and infrastructure applications. Thanks to their communication capability, they bring increased transparency to energy flow and the status of the plant to guarantee a high level of plant availability.

“ACBs are non-current limiting,” Walton explained. “It’s designed to be able to withstand a high fault level, thus is categorised as a category B device.”

There are three frame sizes for the 3WL range – up to 2000 amps, 4000 amps and 6300 amps. Within those frame sizes, there are both fixed ACBs and withdrawal ACBs, of which the fixed version is predominant in the industrial market.

The volt ratings are another crucial element, which APS Industrial has the facilities to test onsite.

“One of the benefits of the 3WL ACB is it’s a very modular system,” he said. “Siemens allow the end user to do a lot of replacement and repairs themselves. They can buy the components and are allowed to change them with the excellent instructive videos and manuals available. A lot of other brands require customers to use their service agents or return the ACB.”

Depending on the size of the breaker and the current rating, the breakers can have anywhere between 10 to 20,000 operations, meaning some are in operation for up to 30 years.

The rated current module is integrated within the electronic trip unit and as they are easy to replace, the ACBs

have the flexibility to adapt at any time when plant conditions change. Even within a single customer base, there’s often different configurations desired from the ACB. Walton noted rarely do customers request the same breaker, so APS Industrial is being proactive to help its customers.

certified to adapt the Siemens range of ACBs to meet the customer’s requirements and improve our time to market,” he said. “This is an investment focussed on meeting and exceeding the market’s demands for shorter turnaround times.”

that separates it from the market is the communication module that connects the ACBs to higher level management

In addition to customising the Siemens range of ACBs, APS is able to fully customise its exclusive DB offering, APS DB.

DO YOU KNOW A DRIVER OF CHANGE?

WOMEN IN INDUSTRY NOMINATIONS ARE NOW OPEN. Now is your chance to nominate an industry leader who you believe is advocating for positive change and deserves to be recognised.

WOMENININDUSTRY.COM.AU

THURS 8 JUNE 2023

The Women in Industry Awards recognise outstanding women leaders from across Australia’s industrials sector.

What’sNew

New Generation Rugged HMI for Smart Manufacturing & Factory Automation

Interworld Electronics is excited to introduce the HELIO-9C series of rugged industrial all-in-one HMI Panel PCs from Aplex Technology. The HELIO-9C series features a powerful Intel Tiger Lake 11th generation energy efficient Core i3/i5 processor with up to 64Gb of DDR4 RAM. It comes in a range of sizes from 10.1” – 21.5” TFT-LCD and has an IP66 certified front bezel.

The HELIO-9C series has a new modern design, with ultra-narrow frame, slim profile, a fanless silver aluminium chassis and new fast mounting kit. This updated design provides a modern stylish look, decreases system weight, and also improves water and dust protection by eliminating the need for mounting holes on the chassis. It also offers 24/7 reliability, makes it easy to clean, reduces maintenance cost, and provides a long-lasting rugged enclosure.

The optional projected capacitive touch screen with multi-touch support, and anti-scratch surface helps to improve usability, while also providing the screen with tough protection. Optional auto dimming, 1,000nits high brightness, and optical bonding & AR coating, makes the HELIO-9C series perfect for a range of applications, no matter the environment or weather. With such a wide range of display options, choosing the best screen size, resolution, and brightness for your application is easy.

The HELIO-9C series offers a wide range of optional expansions to suit your needs including, Power over Ethernet (PoE), 5G, Wi-Fi 6, CAN bus, as well as additional Serial, LAN or USB ports that can be added.

The HELIO-9C series also offers the optional smart battery backup feature, providing an emergency backup power source to protect data and the system from unexpected power outages. The HELIO-9C series can be panel or VESA mounted, allowing the system to be ergonomically positioned for operator convenience.

Company: Interworld Electronics

Contact Name: Allan Rosen

Phone: 03 9593 7555

Email: ieci@ieci.com.au

Safe And Secure Plant Maintenance with “Key-in-Pocket” system by Pilz

protection against unauthorised machine restart and tampering

Extensive plants often have many danger zones that call for more robust safety demands. The “key-in-pocket” safeguarding system by Pilz protects people from the hazards of an unplanned restart of plant and machinery, allowing for safe maintenance works. This guarantees that hazardous plants cannot be put back into operation while there are people in the danger zone and unauthorised personnel do not gain access.

The solution uses authentication as its core. Operators are given RFID transponder keys with individual permissions. Access will be verified on the safety gate via the PITreader. A security ID is stored in a safe list in the Pilz controller (PNOZmulti 2 or PSS 4000). The machines will then come to a complete stop once access is successful, and operators can carry out maintenance work while holding on to the transponder key (“key-in-pocket”). One or more users may be authorised to carry out different tasks in your plant and machinery. Options range from a simple enablement and user authentication to a complex permission matrix and company-specific coding. Temporary permissions can also be assigned.

Once maintenance is complete, and people are out of the danger zone, everyone must log off via the PITreader to put the plant back into operation. Logging off removes the security IDs from the safe list which was stored earlier during access. Once the list is empty, the machines are enabled and can be put back into operation.

The “key-in-pocket” solution offers an economical, efficient alternative to mechanical lockout-tagout maintenance safeguarding systems, which are attached to all safety gates. It offers a digital maintenance safeguarding system that is flexible in meeting the demands of both safety and industrial security: restart prevention and tamper-proof access control while carrying out maintenance works.

Company: Pilz Australia

Phone: 1300 723 334

Website: www.pilz.com

What’sNew

Sintrones VBOX-3630 Intel® 11th Gen Core™ i7-1185G7E CPU with 4x Gbe LAN On-Board Computer

Backplane Systems Technology recently introduced the Sintrones VBOX-3630. The VBOX-363 is a fanless in-car computer with 5G connectivity, using a 4.4GHz Intel® CoreTM i7-1185G7E CPU from the 11th generation.

The ultra-compact VBOX-3630, with dimensions of 250 x 165 x 55mm, is perfect for confined locations. The system can use M.2 modules for robust communication via 5G, LTE, GPS, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. It has a microphone in, an audio line out, and four independent display outputs. It is ideal for mobile DVR, in-vehicle digital signage, and fleet management.

It also includes a wireless remote control and Smarter Vehicle Power Ignition in a variety of automobiles, trucks, buses, taxis, and forklifts may all be supported by VBOX-3630 in a variety of harsh working environments and weather situations.

Key Features:

• Intel® 11th Gen Core™ i7-1185G7E

Supports Dual 5G / LTE, GPS, Wi-Fi / BT, and CAN Bus Modules

• Wide Range DC Input 9V - 60VDC with In-Vehicle Power Management for EV

Installations

• 1 x 2.5GbE + 3 x GbE LAN Port (M12 and PoE are optional)

Supports 4 Independent Display Outputs: 2 x HDMI, 1 x DP, 1 x DVI-D

• Supports Optional Backup Battery Kit

E13 and EN50155 Certified

Company: Backplane Systems Technology

Phone: (02) 9457 6400

Website: www.backplane.com.au

ICP DAS’s PET-7H24M PoE Ethernet High-Speed Data Acquisition Module

ICP Australia is proud to introduce ICP DAS’s PET-7H24M, which is a high-speed data acquisition device with a built-in ethernet communication port for data transfer over a network, and includes 4 high-speed 24-bit differential analog input channels (128 kHz sample and hold for all 4 channels), 2 analog output channels, 3 digital input channels, 4 digital output channels and 1 encoder input channel.

The module provides a programmable input range on all analog channels, and the digital output can be set to output with short-circuit and overload protection. 1 encoder input channel can be configured as a quadrant, pulse/direction, or cw/ccw input mode.

The PET-7H24M also provides 4 kV ESD protection as well as 2500 VDC intra-module isolation. In addition, the 24-bit ADC includes built-in Sinc3 filtering to adjust the appropriate sampling rate and filter out modulator and signal noise. The PET-7H24M is not only suitable for a wide range of mobile/portable measurement applications, but also for precision signal measurement.

Key features:

4 Differential Analog Input Channels (24-bit Resolution);

• 24-bit ADC with Built-in Sinc3 Filter; Supports Real Sample and Hold;

• Sample Rate up to 128 kS/s;

2 x AO, 4 x DO, 3 x DI and 1 x Encoder Channels;

• Continuous and N Data Sample Data Transmission Mode; A /D Trigger Mode; Software Support;

• Built-In 10/100BASE-T Auto-Negotiating, Auto MDI/MDI-X Ethernet Port; and Option for External Power Supply or POE Supply.

Company: ICP Electronics

Phone: (02) 9457 6011

Website: www.icp-australia.com.au

The Last Word

TIM ODOKEYCHUK – President, AME Australia

Pursuing collaborative excellence for long-term success of aerospace value chains

Tim Odokeychuk, President AME, describes how manufacturers can create their own resilient systems when entering the defence and aerospace markets.

AEROSPACE manufacturing – a global dogfight. Those who have dedicated themselves to success in our critical aerospace sector know very-well the complexities of their operating environment and the challenges they face on a continual basis.

Grappling with environmental factors – varying exchange rates, rising competition shifting bases of operations like MROs, a pandemic severely influencing consumer and commercial behaviour patterns, and rising cyber security risks to IP and assets – presents a myriad of considerations to keep in sight, all-the-while trying to seize opportunities

electric propulsion, replace-in-the-field solutions with additive manufacturing, and the list goes on.

Navigating this landscape and its ‘rules of the game’ can be all consuming for the leaders of our region’s diverse network of OEMs, suppliers and the support service providers as they seek sustainable growth through their partnerships and in their own right - it’s truly a global dogfight but one that presents great opportunities at our doorstep.

An Appreciation of a System

Leadership and quality visionary Dr W. Edwards Deming – who played a vital

principles into his infamous 14 Points and the System of Profound Knowledge – is renowned for emphasising that “the system that people work in and the interaction with people may account for 90 or 95 percent of performance.”

Essentially, the message that Dr Deming is conveying is that the performance of each of our organisations is largely tied to the system we’re either a part of by default or had (usually) only a small hand in creating.

To illustrate this, our Australian aerospace manufacturers and their partners rely on critical aspects which can be largely out of their immediate control,

and support mechanisms that create favourable conditions to operate and thrive in;

• secure supply networks that uphold the security and shared risk and reward commercial values as they do; access to talent with essential and emerging skills who are primed for contributing to the success of the organisation;

and effective pathways to commercialise invested research and development efforts, to name a few.

If these elements of the system are not present and functioning, our leaders and their teams may be finding themselves primarily focusing on limiting loss from the constraints of erratic demand, poor material flow, less-than-desirable quality, a shortage in talent, depleting working capital, deteriorating assets and a general lack of enablement. In other words, they’re likely to be overexerting themselves in a system where they’re stuck working IN the business, not ON it.

If you find yourself in such an operating environment and recognise the imperative to transform your ‘system’ towards an aligned, connected and committed ecosystem to deliver on a shared purpose to create value together – what should you consider before you move forward?

Fly By Wire: Connecting & Optimising The Whole

It’s quite cliché to say that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link but having a strong chain is key to avoiding the risk of sub-optimising which has clear consequences and is ultimately a fundamental impediment to growth (and in more extreme cases – survival) regardless of whether you are a private corporation, part of a Public Private Partnership or even a state-owned enterprise.

Value Chains must be a group linked resources that have the means to create optimal shared benefit with the minimal use of resources. They need to be

Aircraft manufacturing and repair services in Australia generated revenue in excess of US$2 billion last year.

learning organisms that evolving to the changing needs of its environment and ultimate customer.

The design and pursuit of excellence across your value chain is much like having a successful program that puts a craft into service for a full and useful lifecycle. For example:

To be able to fly effectively, any craft needs to be designed to accept loads through all states of its operation, it requires a source of fuel and method of propulsion and a level of aerodynamics that help optimise its energy usage. Similarly, a world class value chain needs to be designed with delivery of its evolving products or services effectively, have infrastructure to resist external forces and to efficiently convert investment of human and working capital into results.

• You need program level measures as well as instrumentation in the craft to understand the health of all

aspects of the craft and the forces the environment outside are exerting and ensure you have the ability to respond to conditions that outside of optimal limits with the appropriate mechanisms & redundancies. Again, your value stream needs to link the demand to control flow of material and information and while being able to predict, signal and respond to needs of the resources and their stresses with mitigations to keep them in peak performance.

• Your craft also needs the means to navigate along a course from one point to its next destination and ability to manoeuvre turned along its journey as storms emerge, oncoming craft are detected. A shared purpose or true north needs to be the guiding beacon for all your partners within your value chain. Not just the next way point or KPI. Together, you need to plot the course and steer through the environment and out of turbulence.

Of course, we know that no design is perfect but, over time, a connected and committed ecosystem will gain improved ways of working together, measuring its performance while anticipating and adapting its business

model to the changing worldeffectively creating its own resilient system prepared for sustainable growth.

“If you wish to go fast, go alone. If you wish to go far, go together.” – Origin Unknown

The design and pursuit of excellence across your value chain is much like having a successful program that puts a craft into service for a full and useful lifecycle

Images: Ryan Fletcher / Shutterstock.com

Protection Devices

From digital production environments to the construction and operation of industrial or commercial buildings, failsafe power distribution must fulfill increasingly stricter requirements. Siemens SENTRON protection devices not only meet these requirements, but also integrate into automation environments and collect energy data to form the ideal solution for safe, efficient power supply.