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20 Why additive manufacturing is more important than before

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30 Endeavour Awards 2020: It’s happening!

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6 Editor’s Note

24 Air Purification Systems

31 Endeavour Awards Finalists

8 Comment

25 Women In Industry

38 What’s New

13 News@MM

26 Belts & Lubricants

40 The Last Word

16 Issues & Insights

27 Compressors

20 Industry Focus

28 Manufacturing Strategies

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12 Sensors

15 Products

COVID-19: The Industry’s Response

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13 Components

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During the COVID-19 crisis, it has become clear how much Australia has relied on foreign imports for essentials – just as much as for other countries to rely on our products. No matter what the argument is, and how it goes, we cannot simply dislodge ourselves from the global supply chain across every industry and that’s a fact.

However, we can learn to be less dependent on it by renewing our focus on the local manufacturing sector at the moment by encouraging local manufacturers to innovate and produce locally, and encouraging the purchase of Australian-made goods among those living here.

In the news, there have been a few examples of local manufacturers

trying to find a way through this challenging period like that of Grey Innovation who has been producing ventilators as part of the fight against COVID-19. While this is a direct response to the COVID-19 situation, there is hope that there will be others who will adapt and follow through as well.

Also, from now onwards, PACE magazine will be released together with Manufacturers’ Monthly, binded together as a supplement, on its usual schedule.

PACE readers can now enjoy double the exciting and industry leading news from around the country for manufacturing, automation and control. We are excited and we hope you are too!

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MANAGEMENT >> TECHNOLOGY >> SOLUTIONS

20 Why additive manufacturing is more important than before

24 Essential air purification systems

30 Endeavour Awards 2020: It’s happening!

19/05/2020 10:53:46 AM

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Comment

SYED SHAH – Managing Editor, Manufacturers’ Monthly

Why COVID-19 could be a catalyst of change for the good

O

NCE again, the call has gone out for Australia to become more self-reliant when it comes to manufacturing, and that the powers needed to tap into the under-utilised potential of small- to medium-sized facilities.

In our Issues & Insights piece this month, we talk to several small to medium enterprise CEOs and senior staff and gauge the state of the industry especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is an argument that seems to rear its head once or twice a year, usually driven by a sector within manufacturing (SMEs) that sometimes feel they are an afterthought when it comes to the bigger picture.

However, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the landscape on several fronts, according to the 6 JUNE 2020 Manufacturers’ Monthly

people we spoke to for the article.

For a start, although certain parts of the industry such as food and beverage, streaked ahead in terms of production, the Performance Manufacturing Index (PMI) fell by 17.9 points to 35.8 in April, which suggests the underlying strength of the manufacturing sector has been weakened.

While this may be the case, the pandemic also highlighted that Australia, along with quite a few other western economies (the US being the most obvious example), not only relied on overseas manufacturing to meet its needs (mostly for face masks and sanitisers), but that such reliance could leave a shortfall.

And this is where some in the industry see the best news. Why not use COVID-19 as a benchmark to

reset the manufacturing industry in terms of being more self-reliant, as well as being a leader in advanced technologies?

This month, we also highlight the case for additive manufacturing/3D printing. Again, the COVID-19 pandemic has put this form of manufacturing under the spotlight. This is because additive manufacturing offers yet another avenue for Australian manufacturing to be self-reliant.

It wasn’t that long ago that 3D printing was a peripheral form of producing products that seemed niche. Now it is starting to enter the mainstream. In this issue, we talked to several additive manufacturing aficionados about its place in the current climate and its potential as a substantive contributor to the manufacturing economy.

While all the bells and whistles of a 3D printer look cool and futuristic, and you can pump out some interesting products, the CSIRO has warned against thinking that 3D printing is an easy solution to manufacturing needs.

The machinations are a little more complicated than people think, and if you want a particular product that meets certification standards, then you have to be sure the processes being used are up to scratch.

The article also points out that there is still some scepticism among certain manufacturers about the benefits of 3D printing, but it is here to stay, and now a lot of companies are working on ways it can be integrated into their processes.

It will be interesting to see where the technology ends up over the next 12 to 18 months. manmonthly.com.au

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Comment

GEOFF CRITTENDEN – CEO, Weld Australia

The essential nature of welding

W

ELDING is one of the most ubiquitous processes on the planet. It is fundamental to the construction of bridges, high-rise buildings, mining equipment, ships, and even household appliances, such as fridges and washing machines.

Next time you’re driving down the road, take a look around you – crash barriers, light poles, road signs, the re-bar in the concrete bridge, even the very car you’re driving. All of these elements rely on welding.

Welding played an enormous role in the second industrial revolution.

Without welding, we wouldn’t have the modern motor car, high-speed trains, or jet planes. We wouldn’t be able to generate power. We wouldn’t have advanced manufacturing facilities. Our world today simply wouldn’t look the same.

Welders build the very world in which we live.

However, it’s not just the pervasive nature of the welding process that makes it so essential – welding is also vital to the strength of Australia’s economy.

Essential to employment Australia’s welding and fabrication industry is responsible for the employment of over 78,900 people, 91 per cent of whom are employed on a full-time basis.

While not an absolute, part-time and casual roles are more likely to be more insecure than full-time roles, and do not always afford employees with the same types of benefits. Generally, full-time, high-quality roles reflect a stronger industry and greater competition for employees. With an overwhelming percentage of Australian welders employed on a full-time basis, it is clear the industry is strong, and an essential provider of secure employment opportunities.

Essential to innovation Australia’s welding and fabrication industry is highly diverse, with a large number of businesses that boast a total output capacity of over 1.6 million tonnes per annum. Approximately 94 per cent of businesses operating within Australia’s welding and fabrication

industry are small enterprises with less than 20 employees.

Small businesses are an important source of innovation in Australia’s economy. With a proven ability, capacity and agility to respond to changes in today’s competitive global marketplace – particularly when compared to their larger competitors – the role of small businesses in boosting innovation, productivity and efficiency is vital.

Through innovation and expansion, small businesses are a solid source of employment and competitive edge for Australia’s economy on the world stage.

Essential to downstream industries With its highly diverse profile, welding is critical to myriad aspects of Australia’s economy. It is a key player in various economically significant downstream and related industries.

In Australia, three industries are the main consumers of steel fabricated products, comprising almost 90 per cent of all demand.

These industries are: • Construction at 50.3 per cent • Manufacturing at 20.5 per cent • Mining at 17.2 per cent Combined, these three industries purchased over $11.6 billion of steel fabricated products in 2013-2014.

The construction, manufacturing and mining industries are all essential to the strength and prosperity of Australia’s economy and, without welding, none of them would be able to operate.

Construction industry Since around 2007, the construction Industry Value Add has grown at 3.8 per cent per annum. Based on data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, employment in the industry has grown from around 933,100 persons to nearly 1,098,500, making construction the single largest employing industry in the Australia economy. The construction industry generates over $360 billion in revenue, making it responsible for around 9 per cent of Australia’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). And, welding is an essential input.

Welding is essential to many structures.

8 JUNE 2020 Manufacturers’ Monthly

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The welding processes set out in Australian and International Standards are crucial and need to be adhered to strictly.

Manufacturing industry Manufacturing directly and indirectly employs over 10 per cent of the Australian population. With manufacturing industry output amounting to over $110 billion annually, this is equivalent to approximately 6 per cent of Australia’s GDP. And, welding is an essential input.

Mining industry Historically, the mining industry has been important to Australia’s wealth and prosperity – a trend that continues today. Mining contributes approximately $248 billion per annum and employs over 350,000 people. And, welding is an essential input.

The role of compliance It is because of the all-pervasive and essential nature of welding that compliance is so vital.

Welding is often mistaken as a simple process. In reality, welding requires immense skill. The engineering principles that inform the process are unbelievable. Welding requires both highly skilled craftsmen and scientists who are able to solve complex engineering problems.

Welding requires strict adherence to all applicable Australian Standards.

It is impossible to undertake complete verification of a welded joint without destroying it. Unfortunately, inspection after completion does not manmonthly.com.au

guarantee weld serviceability. As such, quality must be built into the welding process, right from the very beginning.

Welding must be done correctly the first time. A weld cannot be adjusted once it is complete. The only course of action is to scrap the weld entirely and start again. As such, the welding processes set out in Australian and International Standards are crucial – they must be followed exactly.

If Australian and International Standards are not followed exactly, then there is a significant chance that a structure will fail.

The problem is, a huge proportion of welding in Australia does not comply with Australian Standards.

This is because welding is an extremely forgiving process. With a bit of practise, just about anyone can join two pieces of steel together. The thing is, these pieces of steel might stick together for five, 10 or even 20 years – but they might not. And, when they fall apart, invariably, someone gets hurt.

In Australia, you’re not allow to drive a car, connect a gas pipe, or install a new light fitting without a license. Yet, you can fabricate and erect enormous steel beams, construct a bridge for thousands of cars to travel across every day, or fabricate caravans to be towed down busy highways— all without a license. It defies all health and safety requirements.

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Comment

DAVID CHUTER – CEO and managing director, IMCRC

Australia’s manufacturing future – the industrial shift needed

L

AST month, I wrote of the importance of leadership in manufacturing during the COVID-19 pandemic, exploring five imperatives: recognising and protecting value drivers, prioritising breakthroughs, collaborating on shared problems, mitigating risk through co-funding programs and building resiliency through local supply chains. Where to now as we start emerging from the worst of this crisis?

to do our best; we must do what is required”, and that is what we must do to refashion Australian manufacturing and build our industrial capability and capacity. Organisations such as the IMCRC have been pushing these values and concepts for some time, but often uphill with calls to action and investment only being heeded by the most willing and ambitious partners.

So, how do we do what is required?

As the COVID-19 crisis evolves, it is challenging the old order and forcing

where manufacturing is much more vital.

We need, first and foremost, to see manufacturing as both a vertical industry sector and a horizontal enabler for most primary Australian industry sectors, in terms of key enabling technologies, supply chain capability, accelerating digitalisation and the uptake of Industry 4.0 and associated new business models. We need to balance short-term and critical initiatives with longer-term strategic

There is a need to reflect on opportunities for value creation across multiple platforms during this challenging period.

“Never waste a crisis,” said Winston Churchill – something I tried to apply in three decades of automotive manufacturing. We must not waste this one. What is old is now new; what was once unfashionable is now fashionable.

Concepts and virtues such as leadership, collaboration, innovation, ingenuity, and, dare I say, even local manufacturing, are not just in vogue but important and necessary. Churchill also said, “sometimes it is not enough 10 JUNE 2020 Manufacturers’ Monthly

questions about what sort of future we want for Australian manufacturing and for industry in general. We must look at what is required of businesses, research organisations and government to create a thriving, relevant, resilient, and globally integrated manufacturing sector.

In the past few weeks, the views of society and industry have rapidly changed and if there is to be a “new normal”, then it appears to be one

needs linked to a compelling, engaging vision for our future that is clear on “races that we can win”, both locally and globally.

And we will need to test this through the lens of industry sovereign capability and needs, perhaps in collaboration with New Zealand.

While much focus is rightly on the medical, pharmaceutical and health sector, we also need to reflect on needs and opportunities for value creation,

investment, jobs and prosperity in bio, energy and fuels, minerals, food and agribusiness, construction, defence and space, as well is in digital platforms and cyber. We have worldbeating capability and exemplars in all of these areas, and need to upscale by design.

We need manufacturing – and industry generally - to be attractive to investors, businesses, researchers, government, current and future employees (think school children and the parents that influence what they will do) and to the community. And we need this attraction to be both local and from overseas to insure and assure our future relevance and economic prosperity.

All of which can and should have manufacturing front and centre, both to design, engineer, make and service, and also to enable and lead. It is time to build sufficiency of capability and scale and to create both the future of work and the jobs of the future.

Professor Roy Green (Chair of the new Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing Hub) has put forward (much more eloquently than me) the need for the establishment of a new National Industrial Strategy Commission to develop national priorities in consultation with industry sectors, aimed at growing “industries of the future” with new technologies and business models. I would add to this argument some key ingredients for success in Australia.

First, a strong focus on small and medium sized businesses (SMEs).

SMEs make up the very large majority of most industry sectors, and manufacturing is no different.

If strategies for Australia are to work, they need to work for SMEs in terms of leadership development, collaboration, investment in design, innovation, R&D, talent and competitiveness. This will need larger companies to actively help develop and promote smaller ones and government programs to incentive and catalyse the right manmonthly.com.au

Local manufacturing is not just in vogue, but important and necessary. behaviours, rather than propagate entitlement or protectionism. Catalyst organisations like IMCRC have shown this is possible, with much of the $200 million manufacturing R&D investment portfolio being led by Australian-owned SMEs. Second, the leadership and management maturity and capability of SMEs in Australia needs to be lifted.

To do so, greater emphasis needs to be directed towards showcasing what good leadership looks like in a fast-moving, rapidly digitalising world. In my experience – and not just in Australia – the single common denominator in businesses who “can and do” versus those that “can’t and don’t” is the quality, willingness and

ambition of SME leadership. A strong focus on management and leadership education and development would complement the more traditional focus on workforce and trade skills.

Third, effective collaboration – even in competition (as long as it isn’t collusion) – across all business sizes will be critical in achieving a sustainable manufacturing future.

We know peer to peer learning works. Also, recent mask, ventilator and hospital bed local collaboration initiatives have demonstrated that we already have the skills and know-how.

Perhaps this might also open the floodgates for collaboration between business and the research community.

Fourth, a focus on breakthrough

innovation – as distinct from invention – that reshapes business models and create new products and services that can be sold locally and internationally. Key to both innovation and continuous improvement is the rapid adoption in Australia of digital manufacturing technologies and the uptake of Industry 4.0 and associated business models. This will be key to deliver much needed step changes in competitiveness, while enabling superior value to be both captured and created. R&D is a critical element of innovation, however not all innovation is R&D – just look at companies such as Atlassian who have built global software platforms and created new and valued business models.

Finally, purposeful research in science and technology, including frontier technologies, is important to not only rebuild the economy, but to fuel the “races that we can win”.

We are blessed with an abundance of academic resources in Australia – we need to better utilise these and be clear on what activities are to be industry and market led versus research and discovery pushed. Scale matters, however this is diminished by duplication of resources and effort and fragmentation of incentive programs.

To bring all these ingredients together, and looking overseas for success models, a proven approach involves the creation of a national network of technology, innovation and collaboration hubs,

at scale, with both multinationals and SMEs working in safe spaces with researchers. Such examples include the Manufacturing USA Institutes and the UK’s High Value Manufacturing Catapult Centres, that both spearheaded long term national industrial and manufacturing strategies, and incentivised significant investment well beyond the initial government support.

This is a breakthrough opportunity for Australia, and it is the type of ‘good different’ thinking and planning we will need to not waste this crisis – IMCRC has a blueprint for how this can work in Australia and build on existing resources.

Where do we start? Significantly, we already have a vision for where we could go – the 2019 CSIRO NAB Australian National Outlook paints a compelling outlook vision for Australia by 2060, with key building blocks being both a national industrial shift and significant investment and growth in manufacturing. It is a great read, especially for a manufacturer!

And while COVID-19 has created new optics through which we need to view both risk and opportunity, there has arguably not been a more compelling time in Australia to do what is required and build a new, attractive and outward looking industrial and manufacturing future.

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News @MM Australian manufacturing icon Bisalloy Steel turns 40 Australian manufacturer of highperformance quenched and tempered plate steel products, Bisalloy Steels, will celebrate 40 years in business.

The company began operations in Wollongong in 1980, and quickly forged an outstanding reputation throughout Australia and other parts of the world for its market-leading high-wear and high-strength Bisalloy branded products.

Employing over 80 people locally and a further 160 internationally, the company has grown considerably since its inception and now not only services Australia, but a growing number of international markets.

Bisalloy Steels managing director, Greg Albert, said the company’s innovation, talented staff and loyal customer base for its ongoing success.

“Achieving 40 years in business is a wonderful milestone and as a company we’re immensely proud to have an Australian manufacturing base that produces world-class

The company began operations in Wollongong in 1980, and quickly forged an outstanding reputation throughout Australia. products,” he said.

The company was listed on the ASX in2003, and counts some of the world’s leading mining, quarrying and exploration companies, industrial and commercial equipment manufacturers, defence organisations and others amongst its clients.

To facilitate continued global growth, the company has majorityowned distribution channels in

Indonesia and Thailand, as well as distribution networks in the United Arab Emirates, South Africa and in China.

It’s penetration into Asian markets was strengthened in 2011, when the company established a 50/50 joint venture with Shandong Steel.

The partnership made Bisalloy Shangang (Shandong) the sixth largest steel company in China, and the

second largest premium quench and tempered brand in China for wear and structural steel markets.

The company also complements its range with product supply partnerships established in Europe, Scandinavia and most recently North America.

“Over the years we’ve worked hard to adapt to market needs and have developed a range of products that are extremely well regarded and trusted by our customers across a range of industries,” Albert said.

“Our high-strength steels have enabled our customers to design products that would not have otherwise been possible.”The Australian production site based in Wollongong has the capacity to produce over 60,000 tonnes per annum, with all products exceeding Global International Quality and Testing standards.

The production facility also has international certification for Safety and Environmental Management, as does its facility in China.

Defence signs agreement with Gold Coast space company The Australian Department of Defence and Gold Coast company Gilmour Space Technologies have joined forces to work together on space technologies under a new strategic agreement.

The leading hybrid rocket launch provider is developing lower-cost, reliable and dedicated rockets to launch small satellites into low earth orbits.

The new partnership between Defence, science and technology and Gilmour Space will research defence-related technologies including propulsion, materials and avionics technologies, to help develop a three-stage hybrid rocket that will launch small payloads and satellites.

Minister for Defence, Linda Reynolds, said this new collaboration demonstrates the manmonthly.com.au

federal government’s commitment to innovation and supporting Australian defence industry.

“Technology advances have allowed rocket systems and launch service providers to offer access to space at a greatly reduced cost and infrastructure footprint,” she said.

Minister for Defence Industry, Melissa Price, said the agreement would open the door for Australian space companies to provide space capabilities to Australia’s defence force and commercial customers.

“Recent advancements in the capabilities of micro and nanosatellites, small satellite constellations and additive manufacturing present a unique opportunity for Defence and Australian industry,” she said.

Member for Fadden, Stuart Robert, said there is potential for more local

The agreement would open the door for Australian space companies to provide space capabilities to Australia’s defence force and commercial customers.

work as a result of Defence’s strategic agreement with Gilmour Space.

“Gilmour Space Technologies hopes to leverage their work with Defence to undertake more onshore

manufacturing of rocket systems and components which, with further investment, could create up to 50 additional jobs by the end of the year,” Robert said.

Manufacturers’ Monthly JUNE 2020 13

News @MM Vic manufacturer to produce locally made gowns A family-owned Victorian business is the first Australian manufacturer to adapt their supply chain to produce medical grade surgical gowns for frontline workers against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Clets Linen & Co Pty Ltd, which normally specialises in linen and garments for hospitality and other industries, will provide 3,750 disposable isolation gowns to the National Medical Stockpile in its first production run.

Industry, science and technology minister, Karen Andrews, said Clets Linen’s willingness to adapt to the challenges brought by COVID-19 demonstrates the agility and capability of Australia’s Textile, Clothing and Footwear (TCF) industry.

She believes the new domestic supply chain will support skilled TCF workers “beyond the short term”.

Disposable isolation gowns are made from non-woven polypropylene fabric and constructed using specialised materials and processes.

“This is a big win for Australian manufacturing and contributes to building sovereign capability in the supply chains most affected by COVID-19,” she said.

“In addition to securing supplies

of medical grade isolation gowns to the Stockpile, the federal government has been working hand in glove with the TCF industry and the states and territories to establish a domestic manufacturing footprint.”

Disposable isolation gowns are made from non-woven polypropylene fabric and constructed using specialised materials and processes, including ultrasonic welding machinery and highly skilled operators.

Clets Linen managing director, Lisa Pachos, said it was important to assist front liners during times of need.

“It will be good to get manufacturing back into Australia to get us to stand on our own two feet,” she said.

Clets Linen is a family owned Australian manufacturing business, which has been operating from its factory in Heidelberg, Victoria since 1994.

The contract is the result of ongoing discussions between the federal government, the TCF industry and industry groups.

WA produces 10,000 face shields for frontline healthcare workers The University of Western Australia (UWA), Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, WA Department of Health and Adarsh Australia have manufactured 10,000 face shields to protect frontline health workers responding to COVID-19.

The project aims to meet the needs of healthcare workers to effectively support the COVID-19 emergency without risking their own lives.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration-approved shields

The prototypes were taken through to production with assistance from local industry and the Department of Health.

14 JUNE 2020 Manufacturers’ Monthly

have started production through the Department of Health at a factory in Malaga.

UWA vice-chancellor professor Jane den Hollander said it was vital to provide expertise to support the Department of Health and community groups working on the frontline of the COVID-19 response.

“UWA is delighted to make this strong contribution to the pandemic response through the academic research and expertise of our worldclass researchers and medical facilities,” she said.

“Health workers are working around the clock to keep our communities safe, but they too need to be kept safe so we hope this initiative to produce large volumes of PPE will play a significant role in this.”

Associate professor Brendan Kennedy and Dr Lachlan Kelsey from UWA’s School of Engineering and the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical

Research, designed the prototypes of the shields, working collaboratively with the chief scientist of Western Australia professor Peter Klinken.

The prototypes were taken through to production with assistance from local industry and the Department of Health.

The venture is led by the East Metropolitan Health Service’s Centre for Implant Technology and Retrieval Analysis, which will also oversee production and ensure shields meet high standards of safety and quality.

Professor Kennedy said the engineers and project partners had seen an urgent need to support healthcare workers with personal protective equipment (PPE) equipment.

“During this pandemic a lot of PPE has been in short supply and face shields are one of the items critical to protecting health care workers,” Kennedy said.

“It’s vitally important that we protect frontline health workers and ensure that they don’t risk their lives as they care for others.

“Only through protection of those responding to the pandemic can we ensure we enable those people to do the best job they can in keeping us safe.”

Perkins director, professor Peter Leedman, thanked the community for supporting the early stage of development of the face shields.

“We are extremely grateful to the many members of the community who offered their support when the biomedical engineers were first developing designs for the face shields,” he said.

“This has been an extremely collaborative effort amongst both organisations and the wonderful people of Western Australia, and we have been overwhelmed by the response.” manmonthly.com.au

News @MM Australia’s only respirator manufacturer upscales production Australia’s only respirator manufacturer has upscaled production and increased training for advanced manufacturing at their North Sydney facility.

CleanSpace Technology, an Australian company that designs and produces next-generation respirators such as the CleanSpace HALO, the first respirator to be designed in consultation with healthcare.

The proprietary technology was designed by ex-ResMed biomedical engineers, who created respirators that delivered high level protection in an easy to use and comfortable system.

CleanSpace CEO Alex Birrell said the company was proud to be supporting doctors and nurses in

their efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“One thing that remains constant is the confidence we have in the technology and its ability to protect workers facing airborne contaminates that risk their health and safety,” he said.

“Our deployment had to be reliable and fast, effectively reducing time required by the frontline workers.”

Before the COVID-19 crisis, CleanSpace HALO was protecting the lives of thousands of frontline healthcare workers globally.

Birrell said the advantages of reusable systems with superior protection and a secure supply chain made the manufacturer an attractive and reliable vendor for

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The proprietary technology was designed by ex-ResMed biomedical engineers. many Australian and international hospitals.

“The need is very real and very urgent, we have had to quickly adapt our manufacturing to respond

to the need,” Birrell said.

Initial risks around airfreight, with restricted commercial flights, were overcome with assistance from Austrade, DFAT, IFAM and DHL.

18/5/20 5:07 pm

Manufacturers’ Monthly JUNE 2020 15

Issues & Insights Why Australian manufacturers need to onshore their technology Australian manufacturers have proven that they can commercialise home-grown technology to create profitable businesses. Caroline Tung speaks to local manufacturers to find out why onshoring is critical to the country’s future.

A

USTRALIAN maker of electric vehicle chargers, Tritium, is trying to fix a problem that many manufacturers in advanced technology are facing.

The company, founded by three PhD students in Brisbane in 1999, is at the forefront of a resurgence of onshore manufacturing in Australia.

Today, it specialises in electronic energy technology, with a focus on electronic vehicles, renewable energy and battery management.

Tritium CEO, Jane Hunter, who was recently appointed to the role after heading up Boeing’s PhantomWorks division, believes there is a strong business case for high-end manufacturing in Australia.

She said it was important that Australian businesses learn to commercialise and develop their

own technology and turn it into a business.

“It’s really critical that Australia learns to do that rather than offshore everything, or just take the attitude that Australia can’t do manufacturing,” she said. “I think that we’ve been very quick to dismiss out abilities in that regard.”

One of the key challenges is sourcing engineers with highly specialised skills, according to Hunter.

“We have incredibly smart engineers here in Australia, and we should keep them here by creating jobs for people in the high end of those technology areas,” she said.

“That’s not going to happen if we take IP and sell it offshore and allow a foreign company to do the development work.

“This sort of company is exactly

Tritium CEO Jane Hunter.

where we want to be, which is growing Australian jobs and engineering capability in Australia, high-end jobs and niche areas to the

Titomic is involved in encouraging long-term collaborations between industry, universities and research centres.

16 JUNE 2020 Manufacturers’ Monthly

point that we really tap the market out in some of those areas.”

The electronic energy technology developed by Tritium is now being used in Australia, New Zealand, the UK, US, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Norway.

The company, which produces chargers for electric cars, has launched a 175-kilowatt IDC charger called the RT175, a 350-kilowatt charger called the PK350, along with a hard version called the PK175. The new Veefil-RT 50, a 50-kilowatt modular scalable solution, is also being released this year.

Hunter credits the strength of the company to the advanced technology and a team of highly specialised mechanical engineers, power electronic engineers and harness engineers.

“There are a core group of people who are really critical to what we do with highly specialised skills, which are really hard to attract in Australia and hard to find,” Hunter said. manmonthly.com.au

Issues & Insights “We’re talking about skills which are very highly sought after and not common. We have a great core of engineers that we can rely on to do the new product development.”

Hunter sees similarities between her current role and her former job, where she oversaw the building of prototypes of autonomous drones.

“Coming out of aerospace and moving into this EV area, we’re still learning about the technology, maturing it, maturing the manufacturing process, and the development process is actually quite similar,” she said.

“The way that you learn is iterative. You will have some failures during your learning, and then you pivot, and you go left or you go right, and that area of processes, technology development, is actually very similar between the two industries.

“The parameters and the drivers are the same.”

Drawing on her experience in technical leadership, Hunter aims to unite the team and work together to grow under the same strategic direction.

Hunter draws on past leadership roles in a number of corporations as a former CFO at Boeing, as well as senior management roles in information and communications technology, procurement, legal, and finance.

“There’d be very few areas of the business where I don’t have a very steep understanding of and I’ve also led technical teams of engineers in manufacturing,” she said.

Thinking about commercialisation and its outcomes for the business is a priority for Hunter.

Pivoting in times of need During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Australian Government has encouraged manufacturers, through various partnerships and funding schemes, to adapt their supply chains to produce Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

Speaking to Channel 7’s Sunrise, Minister for Industry, Science and Technology, Karen Andrews, said South Australian packaging manmonthly.com.au

The electronic energy technology developed

by Tritium is now being used in Australia, New Zealand, Europe and North America.

manufacturer, Detmold Group, was a prime example of businesses adapting to current market demands.

The company has delivered the production of millions of face masks from its Adelaide factory – 100 million for the National Medical Stockpile and another 45 million for the state.

“This is absolutely pivoting at its best,” Andrews said. “They’re going to be employing an extra 160 people or so in there.”

Minister Andrews said in a recent interview with ABC News Breakfast that it was important for the public to understand the government has made “incredible changes” in a

short space of time.

“Let’s understand that these are unprecedented times,” she said. “I think the important thing is that a lot of action has been taken, and we have made it very clear that the money will start to flow as quickly as we possibly can.”

The government is focused on “cushioning the blow” for Australians who have lost their jobs or have had their hours reduced.

“Our big businesses are out there looking at what they can possibly do to retain the workers,” she said. “We want to make sure that employers have the workers ready to step back in, and we need to make sure that employees are ready to go.”

Minister Andrews also acknowledged that Australia needs to stop relying on exports from China and India, and that Australia has learnt a lot from the coronavirus crisis.

“I think what the coronavirus has proven to us is that it’s wrong for us to be totally reliant, or even reliant …on supply chains that bring products from overseas,” she said.

“The positive thing that’s come out of this is a demonstration that we have a very strong manufacturing base, and that they can pivot really quite quickly, they can upscale.”

South East Melbourne Manufacturers Alliance CEO Vonda Manufacturers’ Monthly JUNE 2020 17

Issues & Insights

Titomic managing director Jeff Lang is involved in pushing for a capital growth fund for small to medium businesses.

Fenwick said onshoring would benefit the Australian economy.

Among the benefits are local, accessible supply chains, retaining skills, knowledge and capability in Australia, and allowing local companies to engage in innovative research and development (R&D) in partnership with universities.

“The multiplier effect for manufacturing has been shown to be greater than any other sector; fostering on-shore manufacturing creates direct jobs which in turn flow into the economy and drive further employment,” Fenwick said.

She believes the government needs to extend their focus beyond medical supplies and PPE. “To focus on just medical equipment and pharmaceuticals fails to recognise the importance of having broad-based, robust and resilient supply chains within Australia,” Fenwick said.

“Robust supply chains and the critical part played by SME manufacturers needs to be considered when developing a new 18 JUNE 2020 Manufacturers’ Monthly

manufacturing industry plan. Our standard of living, our national sovereignty depends upon it.”

Industrial-scale additive manufacturer, Titomic has been actively involved in pushing for further investment opportunities for SMEs. Titomic managing director Jeff Lang is involved in pushing for a capital growth fund for small to medium businesses.

The Business Growth Fund aims to create a private sectorowned fund to provide ongoing equity for small businesses across a range of sectors, with investment from Australian banks and superannuation funds.

The model is expected to follow similar measures set by international precedents, such as in the UK, where the Business Growth Fund established in 2011 invested $2.7 billion into various sectors across the economy.

Lang is currently working with small businesses on how they could potentially implement the federal

government’s stimulus packages.

“In the manufacturing sector, it is estimated 85 per cent of all manufacturing businesses are SMEs,” he said.

“But unfortunately, when the federal government approaches key advisors on what to do in manufacturing, they never go to the SMEs. I find that disturbing to me as a proud Australian, why we continue to push this agenda.”

Lang said Titomic is “front and centre” pushing for small- to medium-sized enterprises and is involved in lobbying the cause in Canberra.

“What I’m concerned about with the current stimulus packages is the money will go to the normal regulars that will not feed its way down to SMEs and the general public,” he said.

According to Lang, the government needs to reconsider how to reinvigorate the sector, or risk losing sovereign capability.

He believes Australia is in a position to do an economic reset to

build that capability.

“I think it’s a great opportunity for Australia to reset what we actually do in the country and to reinvigorate our manufacturing, but very strongly into two principles,” he said.

“The first principle being taking advantage of local resources that we have, and more importantly, using advanced technologies to really push front and centre on the global stage.”

Lang was recently in discussions with the German government, who look upon Australia for mineral resources. He said there is an export opportunity around “green steel” that is produced from hydrogen.

“Australia has the best renewable resources, and if we look heavily upon that in the future, Australia could be producing our iron ore from hydrogen to create green steel,” Lang said.

“Instead of selling our dirt, we should really start building value chains around those commodities, and then build local manufacturing industry around that, too.”

He believes it is important that Australia starts replacing cheap labour with advanced technologies and automation processes, which has proven to include more workers overseas.

“We’ve painted is this dystopian where automation and AI is going to take people’s jobs away,” Lang said.

He said according to a study in Germany, when a robot is placed into a manufacturing centre, it creates 3.6 jobs.

Titomic is also involved in encouraging long-term collaborations between industry, universities and research centres.

“It’s in a transitional period, but we’ve got to get to the point where the top students in Australia getting graduated are ready to enter into the workforce,” Lang said.

“I think it’s wrong for Australians to say that Australia doesn’t have the capability to do advanced manufacturing.

According to Lang, one of Australia’s biggest problems is that although the country is really good manmonthly.com.au

Issues & Insights at developing advanced technologies, the labour costs of manufacturing are high compared to China and other developing economies.

“What we’re not good at doing is being competitive on mass production against China and these other guys, where they’ve got cheap labour.”

Lang hopes Titomic is setting an example of how to take advantage of local resources and apply them for the production of advanced technologies.

“We can really create an independence within our sovereign capability to be a standalone country that’s self-sufficient,” he said. “I think that’s really important that Australia looks forward into that area.”

Manufacturing revival during COVID-19 Despite the Performance of Manufacturing Index (PMI) jumping to 53.7 per cent in March,

with domestic manufacturers of food, personal care, and other essential items having led the way in increasing production, manufacturing as a whole did take a hit during the crisis.

It fell by 17.9 points to 35.8 in April, recording the largest monthto-month fall in the 28-year history of the index.

Australian manufacturing contracted at its worst pace since April 2009 (anything below 50 indicates a contraction in the economy). With that in perspective, the need for onshoring becomes more critical.

Recently, a group of Australian manufacturers secured a $31.3 million contract from the federal government to build ventilators as part of Australia’s response to COVID-19.

Two thousand ventilators will be made under the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC) and the Victorian

Australia has the best renewable resource, and if we look heavily upon that in the future, Australia could be producing our iron ore,” Lang said.

“Instead of selling our dirt, we should really start building value chains around those commodities, and then build local manufacturing industry around that too.”

government’s Emergency Ventilator Program.

Andrews said the program was another example of Australian industry and the private sector working with the Government to ensure critical supply of medical equipment during the crisis.

The grant is in addition to the $500,000 Grey Innovation had received from the Victorian

government to lead a consortium of manufacturers to produce the ventilators.

Several AMGC members, which include ANCA and Marand, will assemble thousands of parts, with Bosch will manufacture the test equipment for verifying the ventilators.

The supply, to commence in June, will be 99 per cent Australian made.

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Manufacturers’ Monthly JUNE 2020 19

Industry Focus 3D printing to thrive during COVID-19 and beyond 3D printing is on the advent of significant growth, and leaders in manufacturing are seeing disruption as an opportunity during the COVID-19 crisis. Caroline Tung spoke with some of them to find out more.

I

T is a common belief that you can make almost anything you want when it comes to 3D printing.

Bits and pieces ranging from a splint for a broken arm, a bulldozer part that has split or cracked, to a malfunctioning part on a navy ship patrolling high seas in the Middle East, can be remade with relative ease compared to a

traditional replacement.

The 3D printing process, also known as additive manufacturing, is currently being adopted to solve some of Australia’s supply shortages during COVID-19.

Industry organisations such as the Innovative Manufacturing CRC (IMCRC), CSIRO and industrial-scale additive manufacturing company

Titomic are at the forefront of promoting 3D printing technologies and advocating for its growth.

IMCRC CEO, David Chuter, said 3D printing, particularly for plastics, has never been more relevant.

“I think there’s a much greater awareness, certainly in the media, of many companies who are mobilising for help with very quick

manufacturing of products in Australia that would not be possible without 3D printing,” he said.

“The ability to have 3D printing means you can respond to manufacturing needs in very shortterm time frames.”

The ability to 3D-print unique products for customers in real time such as hospitals to support

CSIRO’s Lab22 is working on future developments to underpin a growing metallic additive manufacturing sector.

20 JUNE 2020 Manufacturers’ Monthly

manmonthly.com.au

Industry Focus health care and making bottle tops for hand sanitiser has been provided “huge opportunity” for competition in the domestic market, according to Chuter.

“The challenge in the plastics space is to make a traditional injection mould tool takes several weeks of design and manufacture before you can your first part,” he said.

“You can make one part, refine the design, make the second part and really optimise the design very, very quickly to get products into market, and that’s been really under the spotlight in terms of responding to the COVID-19 crisis.”

The South East Melbourne Manufacturers Alliance (SEMMA), a peak industry group representing manufacturers in Melbourne’s south east, has been calling for better government policy and decision making to maintain viable manufacturing.

In a statement released in April, SEMMA CEO, Vonda Fenwick, said a greater contribution by the manufacturing sector towards the country’s GDP will create strong economic growth to drive the creation of well paid, high value jobs.

“To ensure that our collective focus remains fixed upon the manufacturing ‘engine room’ of our economy, we recommend implementation of national targets to increase the manufacturing contribution to GDP from the current 6.9 per cent to 10 per cent by 2025 and minimum 15 per cent or better by 2035,” she said.

Recently, Australian health care brand Asaleo Care began 3D printing, pushing tubes on-site for their own assembly lines.

Challenges posed by coronavirus meant freight for the tubes, which were normally Swiss-made and imported, went into shutdown.

Another example of a company to take advantage of 3D printing is Australian manufacturer of metalbased AM technology, Speed3D. Together with Charles Darwin University, they formed the Advanced Manufacturing Alliance (AMA) in 2017 to train soldiers how to design and print parts from computer-aided manmonthly.com.au

Lab22 provides research and technology expertise to manufacturers using metal additive manufacturing in their daily operations.

design (CAD) software.

Printers make metal parts by leveraging metal cold spray technology to produce industrialquality parts in just minutes, rather than days or weeks.

The process harnesses the power of kinetic energy, rather than relying on high-power lasers and expensive gasses, which allows 3D metal printing in the field at affordable costs.

The program aims to increase parts available to the army compared to what the regular supply chain can provide.

The CSIRO has continued working on products as part of an ongoing partnership with Titomic during the COVID-19 pandemic.

CSIRO research program director, Dr Leon Prentice, said although the speed and efficiency of 3D printing meant tools are more accessible,

Working with companies like Oventus Medical, Anatomics and Titomic, Lab22 has demonstrated the benefits of metal additive manufacturing to the Australian industry.

people thought the process was simpler than it actually was.

“If you want something to be really robust and tough and you want it out of metal in particular, the machines are more complicated,” he said.

“To make it into a manufacturing process, into something that’s useful, and particularly something that can be certified or structurally sound or applicable for purpose, can be a more difficult process.”

The CSIRO works on certification and control of processes with manufacturers so businesses can make what they intend to make.

Prentice said a big part of the CSIRO’s focus is helping 3D manufacturing become additive manufacturing.

“One of the big advantages of added manufacturing is you can change your part with each one that you make,” he said. “It can be customised even down to the individual person or application.

The CSIRO has been working with Titomic on a $2.6 million project to develop cold spray technology Manufacturers’ Monthly JUNE 2020 21

Industry Focus

The cold spray additive manufacturing process accelerates solid particles of material, in powder form, faster than the speed of sound. and looking at ways to build large structures ¬– in some cases up to 36 metres long – from the process.

“The beauty of this process is you can do all sorts of creative things and change your composition of your material,” Prentice said.

“Either inside to out, or along its length, you can just shift what you’re doing, and you’ve got all the design flexibility of adding material in.”

Titomic CEO, Jeff Lang, said factors that attracted him to cold spray technology was the reduced carbon footprint and machine time.

“One of the luxuries we’ve had with cold spray is that we’re not limited to using expensive powder that is required in normal 3D printing,” he said.

In 2010, Lang’s company began collaborating with the CSIRO produce large volumes of titanium powder. The project was supported by federal and state governments, as well as funding from industry partners.

“Our job was to look at how we can use large volumes of titanium powder in additive manufacturing processes,” Lang said.

Lang said the company focused 22 JUNE 2020 Manufacturers’ Monthly

on cold spray because it was a technology that had been used for more than 30 years, and already had been validated in high-level areas and in other applications as a repair process.

“No-one ever considered it for additive manufacturing for building a part up,” he said.

He believes although traditional 3D printing is “amazing”, it is “notoriously slow and costly” when compared to modern additive manufacturing.

“It’s something like 10 times the cost of traditional subtractive manufacturing, where you might have a block of metal, but you then machine away at the material to get to the finished part,” he said.

While metals 3D printing was adopted quickly in the medical space for products such as orthopaedic implants, the additive manufacturing process has produced complex and strong products from materials like titanium.

“One of the patented technologies we licenced off CSIRO was the process that uses continuous titanium pipes but directly from the powder without process,” Lang said.

Such forms of manufacturing are considered hard to produce using other traditional methods.

“Those companies that have been early adopters of 3D printing will be the ones most able to respond quickly to find not just opportunity in a crisis,” Chuter said.

“I see that heralds a very significant growth and future for 3D printing in Australia as part of a major activity to rebuild manufacturing capabilities and local supply chains in our country.”

He said companies where additive manufacturing has been a longtime process will actually help with building supply chains in Australia.

Lang said innovation in cold spray technology has opened up new areas of engineering.

“We’re seeing more and more applications for this technology where we can peer two similar metals or two dissimilar metals together,” he said.

“I think we’re well and truly on the path of going about the right way in certifications.

“There’s a lot of people in traditional engineering, certainly in aerospace engineering, that think

basically 3D printing is a bit of a scam, and it was never going to achieve what they want.”

Titomic is focused on the industrial scale of the manufacturing that is comparative with traditional.

“A lot of our patents actually done both with the CSIRO and independently ourselves, are patents around multi-metal,” Lang said.

“You can have a part that might have more than one metal in it and combined layers, which can’t be done any other way, we can use a late melt metal with a high melt metal.

“All of a sudden that opens up huge opportunities for the next generation of mechanical engineers or aerospace engineers to look at new ways to of dong it.”

The company has continued to operate under COVID-19 with the US Department of Defence.

At a time when businesses struggle to get “normal quantities” of parts, Titomic has found opportunity with disruption to the current supply chain.

“We’ve got a lot of new interest now from nuclear industries within nuclear power generation,” Lang said. “They also use a huge amount of titanium pipes, and we’re very heavily reliant upon China for that supply chain.”

Titomic has also made use of the new technology for creating carbon fibre parts for sustaining commercial aircraft production and currently has a partnership with Airbus.

“One of the key limited capabilities with our technology is not only can we build parts very fast, and to structural requirements,” he said, “we can peer two very similar metals together, which you can’t do on normal melt base process.”

Prior processes to join two metals together by welding involved a trade-off on the melt temperature being very similar.

Lang said it was important that advanced technology is still relevant to traditional manufacturing.

“I think what I’m proud of the most is out Australian ingenuity, we’ve got that pioneering spirit, but more importantly, we’re very focused on sustainable manufacturing and growing our technologies.” manmonthly.com.au

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software for good products

Air Purification Systems Manufacturers should consider their internal air environment while reassessing their OHS & W commitments in a post COVID-19 return to work Proline Australia director Richard Bills spoke with Manufacturers’ Monthly about the importance of state-of-the-art air purification systems that may assist in preventing the spread of viruses, including the common cold and COVID-19.

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HE COVID-19 pandemic has challenged all sectors of the economy, and governments around the world have taken unprecedented actions to curtail its spread. Despite these efforts, there have been many more than 4 million confirmed cases at the time of writing.

The virus is believed to be more contagious than the seasonal flu and can be transmitted up to 48 hours prior to an infected person developing symptoms. This can have a detrimental impact on staff within businesses and have serious financial consequences to the business itself.

All businesses need to urgently develop appropriate occupational, health, safety and welfare (OHS &W) strategies to allow their workforces to return safely to work.

One such aspect requiring attention is the internal air quality environment. Ventilation is important but can be costly in terms of compensating temperature control and may also result in the introduction of unwanted outside particulates within the workplace such as diesel emissions and pollens etc.

Proline Australia is the National Distributor for Healthway Inc, a highly successful US manufacturer specialising in air purification. It’s patented disinfection filtration system (DFS) technology was developed using a US Government grant to combat germ warfare. The high-energy grid creates a microbiostatic condition that not only captures viruses but prevents micro-organisms from living and growing inside the filter.

Proline Australia Director Richard Bills said DFS technology offered an air purification level that exceeded the standard HEPA 13 filter, commonly 24 JUNE 2020 Manufacturers’ Monthly

used in Australia, by 40 times.

“The HEPA 13 standard requires 99.97 per cent removal of particles down to 0.3 micron,” he said. “Our systems remove 99.99 per cent of particles down to as low as 0.007 micron.

“0.007 micron is smaller than the smallest known virus.” Covid-19 is known to be approximately 0.12 micron, rendering most HEPA based air purifiers ineffective against viruses.

The company offers solutions for all applications from portable units to integration into most existing air conditioning systems.

Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems alone do little to remove ultrafine particles, according to Bills. “Many air conditioner filters are only designed to remove larger particles, generally 3-10 microns”.

In a recent paper presented

by Professor Lidia Morawska, of International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health (ILAQH), School of Earth of Atmospheric Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, titled: Airborne transmission of SARSCoV-2: The world should face the reality, it said, “Small droplets exhaled by an infected person can travel distances of metres or tens of metres in the air and carry their viral content”, suggesting that adequate control measures be implemented in workplaces via ventilation and air purification.

“Healthway’s DFS filtration has been proven to be 99.99 per cent effective against removing airborne modern flu’s including H7N3 (recently bird flu UK 2006), H1N1 (swine flu Mexico 2009), and H7N9 (bird flu China 2013), so that gives us a lot of confidence that we are in a position to

propose a similar rate of removal for COVID-19,” Bills said.

In fact, when COVID-19 was announced, and Wuhan was identified as the originating source, 140 DFS units were installed in Wuhan hospitals to combat the virus.

“With our technology, we’re able to use an open architecture filter, allowing greater air flow and less pressure drop, and yet still removing all types of particulates down to 0.007 micron,” he said.

“Not only that, because of the greater air flow, the filter lasts longer, so there’s less filter replacements, and up to 50 per cent saving in energy compared to HEPA as well.”

Proline Australia currently offers the Deluxe portable model as well as integrated units such as our super V and will soon introduce two brand new models, to be released this winter.

Larger units generally require a tailormade solution.

Customers include households, offices, waiting rooms, dental laboratories, medical industry, food industry, gymnasiums, entertainment venues and the mining sector.

“We’re excited to work with

Proline Australia currently offers the Deluxe portable model as well as integrated units. industry to promote these air quality improvement products to workplaces around Australia, greatly improving the workplace environments for benefit of all employees and companies. Our products aren’t sold through retail outlets so any enquiries can be made directly to Proline Australia,” Bills said.

DFS technology offered an air purification level that exceeded the standard HEPA 13 filter, Proline Australia director Richard Bills said.

manmonthly.com.au

Women in Industry Atlas Copco’s Bremmell calls on young engineers to push boundaries Regional manager Lisa Bremmell spoke with Manufacturers’ Monthly about her unconventional path to becoming a leader at Atlas Copco.

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ISA Bremmell didn’t follow the conventional path to become an engineer, and neither does she profess to be formally trained.

Twenty-four years ago, after gaining some exposure to the profession while serving in the Royal Australian Air Force, she successfully interviewed for an operational role at Siemens.

Bremmell worked for more than a decade with Siemen’s telecommunications division, before transitioning to managerial roles at BlueScope Steel and Rockwell Automation.

She believes her role as regional manager within the industry would not have been possible almost a quarter of a decade ago.

“To actually control a region was something I thought was more than aspirational,” she said.

Bremmell calls herself a “frustrated engineer”, who has been interested in how things work for her whole life.

“I purposely sought out roles that would have an industrial technical focus, because I believe that gives you so much exposure to so many facets of business,” she said.

Bremmell feels that young aspiring engineers need to push beyond their comfort zone and seek the right answers.

“Very early on in my career, I had a senior technician with a great breadth of experience say to me, ‘look you seem like a really nice person, but you’re not technical, and I have shoes older than you, so how can you tell me what to do,” she said.

“You’ve got to work at it. I’m a firm believer that you can’t command respect and trust. You have to earn it by actions and the way you conduct yourself on a daily basis.

“I’m happy to say that the same manmonthly.com.au

person, several years later, was one of my strongest advocates in the team.

“One of the things I really enjoy is undertaking the role of trades assistant for the day, let people know you want to understand what role they play in the team, build your credibility, and show that you’re not afraid.”

A relatively new starter at Atlas Copco, Bremmell credits the company for their faith in her abilities.

“They were just accepting. They historically probably had people from the industry that have worked their way through, so I come at it from a different angle.”

Her ultimate vision for the team in Western Australia is to become the national flagship, which she hopes to achieve by building relationships with clients through good and bad times.

The team has field engineers in Perth, and remote technicians in Kalgoorlie and Karratha.

“I believe we have an incredibly strong but small team,” Bremmell said.

“Ultimately, to grow our footprint especially in our remote areas is something that I’m very keen to do, and I’ve had experience over the years in growing remote teams successfully.”

Bremmell, who was recently appointed a diversity ambassador with the company, said inclusion and diversity within Atlas Copco are not considered merely motherhood statements, and that is something she is proud to be associated with.

“I really feel that I am included, I’m not a token,” she said.

Bremmell said inclusion and team building has been part of her daily highlights during the first six months.

Incorporating other avenues of communication has been an

important part of servicing clients during COVID-19. One of the main challenges is keeping employees safe during on-site visits for maintenance work.

“Working from home isn’t an option in our environment, because it’s on-site repairs, breakdowns, preventative maintenance, so it’s about keeping our people safe but still allowing them to do what they need to do,” she said.

“Where we can employ technology, be that via applications, online solutions or video conferencing platforms we’ve adopted quickly, and am more reliant on those than ever in this

changing face of social distancing interactions in a business sense.”

“We’ve not only got our internal requirements and processes that we’ve put in place, but we also have to fit in with our clients.

“Our clients can be everything from hospitals through to mine sites. And they’ve all got different degrees of implementation.”

It hasn’t always been an easy path for Bremmell, who believes young engineers should not be afraid to ask questions and not be afraid to roll up their sleeves.

“If you show genuine interest, people on a whole want to share their experience with you,” she said.

Atlas Copco Western Australia regional manager Lisa Bremmell.

Manufacturers’ Monthly JUNE 2020 25

Belts & Lubricants Volt belt leads the charge in ATEX environments The Gates Poly Chain Carbon Volt belt is the only belt on the market that meets the ISO 9563:2015 standards.

T

HE explosive nature of grain and flour dusts is welldocumented, with some of the worst industrial accidents in the world caused by explosions from dust clouds. Research published in the US additionally reveals that 50 per cent of all explosions from combustible dusts in the 20th century occurred in grain silos and flour mills.

Dusts from wheat are particularly dangerous, as the source of heat required to ignite them is minor.

Not only are accidents relating to static electricity common and can cost businesses millions of dollars in equipment and production losses, they also pose significant risks to workers.

This is why it is so important that the componentry on food and beverage (F&B) applications that involve the handling of grain and flour, are designed to dissipate static electricity. Just as recently as May 2018, a flour mill in New South Wales experienced an explosion that left one worker injured and a whole section of the mill seriously damaged.

Moreover, safety codes for the avoidance of hazards due to static electricity are vital and are constantly updated in industrial environments. The international standard ISO 9563:2015 defines the requirements for antistatic synchronous belts in the workplace, specifically for new belts intended to be used in an explosive atmosphere or in situations where there is a fire risk.

According to Steve Hittmann, who is the national product manager for Mechanical Drive Systems and Belt Drives at CBC Australia, the electrical resistance of synchronous belts used in food and beverage applications that handle grain or flour in their processing, cannot be understated.

26 JUNE 2020 Manufacturers’ Monthly

“Components like roller chains simply cannot be used in these environments. A roller chain is metal to metal and produces sparks.

But even a standard timing or V-belt will produce static electricity,” he explains. “Combustible dust in any food and beverage plant that involves baking or the handling of grain is a real hazard. And while there are a number of synchronous belts available for power transmission in these applications, the industry-leading Gates Poly Chain Carbon Volt belt is by far the safest on the market.”

Importantly, Hittmann points out that the ISO 9563:2015 is limited to new belts only. Despite this, the Gates Poly Chain Carbon Volt belt holds to the standard over the entire lifespan of a belt.

“Antistatic power transmission belts should not just be meeting this standard when they are new.

That poses a significant risk to any ATEX (ATmosphere EXplosible) environment,” Hittmann states.

“To ensure the highest level of safety, their capacity to safely dissipate static electricity should meet those ISO 9563:2015 requirements over the lifetime of the belt.”

Iain Street, the business development manager of Power

CBC works together with the Gates engineering team to ensure that the Volt belts are working at their optimum.

The Gates Poly Chain Carbon Volt belt holds to the ISO 9563:2015 standard over its entire lifespan.

Transmission for Gates Australia in NSW, concurs with Hittmann’s statement. He further acknowledges that the Poly Chain Carbon Volt belt is the only belt to actually meet this level of safety.

“The Gates Poly Chain Carbon Volt belt is the only belt on the market that meets the ISO 9563:2015 standard over its complete lifespan,” he explains.

“Industry standards don’t define the used belt conductivity, and typical rubber belt conductivity declines rapidly with use. The safety risks of this in volatile environments – such as those common to food and beverage applications that involve the

handling of grain or flour – are very significant.”

The Gates Poly Chain Carbon Volt features patented staticconductive fibers that safely transfer static electricity to carbon tensile cords – away from the driven side of the application. According to Street, this makes it the “safest and strongest option for applications in ATEX environments.”

“No other rubber or polyurethane belt can match it,” he further asserts. “As part of the world-recognised, industry-leading Poly Chain belt system, the Carbon Volt also offers the advantage of higher horsepower, reduced drive size and lowered component costs.”

As a national distributor of Gates Australia, CBC also work together with the Gates engineering team to ensure that Volt belts are properly installed and working at their optimum.

“It’s a partnership through and through,” explains Hittmann. “We’ll consult with Gates engineers on the correct design and tensioning of the Volt belts, using the Gates DesignFlex Pro software. We’re also committed to the safety of our customers in their workplace, so making sure these are set up right is of utmost importance.” manmonthly.com.au

Compressors Reliability of your compressed air system during challenging times Ceccato Compressors’ business line manager Sume Perera explains to Manufacturers’ Monthly about the importance of operating reliable machines during economically challenging times.

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ELIABILITY means the quality of being trustworthy or of performing consistently well.

It is more important than ever for the manufacturers the reliability of their compressed air system during challenging times.

Business line manager for Ceccato Compressors, Sume Perera, tells Manufacturers’ Monthly while purchasing decisions for small-tomedium-sized businesses are often driven by cost, it is important not to compromise the reliability side by qualifying and selecting components that will give value to the customer.

“One of the big questions when it comes to these medium-sized businesses is that their purchase decision is driven by the capital expenditure,” he said.

“Often, we see the customers are attracted to the low cost, and with that comes the value for the product.

What they compromise there is the reliability factor of their investment.

“This why we wanted to come up with a product that is ticking that reliability box, and also it is affordable and very competitive in that market.

This is why we put so much emphasis into the reliability of the equipment.”

Suitable for SMEs The new Ceccato DRM series compressors are built keeping reliability in mind designed and manufactured in their Italian production plant, designed and produced in-house since 2018 with latest production technology.

The product is targeted towards small-to-medium-sized manufacturers across various industries, such as woodworking, food and beverage, manmonthly.com.au

packaging, automotive, metal fabrication.

“Our commitment is that none of our customers have a poor experience using our products,” Perera said. “If you compromise the reliability of the machine, that leads to poor customer experience, and then we have a serious decline in the engagement side with our other products we try to market.”

The DRM range element has a proven track record in the field with the use for other models. Good noise perception due to low RPM and optimised for below <10 bar application with industry leading Specific Energy Requirement (SER) levels.

Greater reliability with gear box transmission The selection of these gearbox transmission also allows us to have the noise level of the compressor at the very low level.

“You don’t have to change the belts from time to time. And then also the belts can wear out, and then it can break or it can slip, and by eliminating that, we increase the reliability.

“Today in the market, most of the 30-37 kilowatt machines are beltdrive machines. The reliability is a problem.”

Perera said the removal of need to replace belts greatly increases the compressor’s reliability factor.

“You don’t have that problem any more with the gearbox transmission unit, and then with the three to five per cent more efficient, the right selection of the gearbox also reduces the energy cost.”

The precision designed gearbox yields about a 30 per cent reduction

The removal of need to replace belts greatly increases the compressor’s reliability factor. of thrust load on element bearings that increase the reliability of the compressor to ensure lower maintenance costs.

“Thirty per cent of thrust load can be nullified or written off by using a gearbox transmission,” Perera explained. “In this DRM design, we have used a gearbox as so precisely calculated, and it reduced 30 per cent of that thrust load induced by the drive motor.”

“The gearbox we have selected is also about three to five per cent more efficient than a belt-drive transmission of the same kilowatt size. The selection of these gearbox transmission also allows us to have the noise level of the compressor at the very low level.”

Reliable OEM makes reliable products Ceccato’s DRM series compressors are equipped with SIEMENS branded TEFC IE3 efficiency motors with Class F insulation and IP55 protection ensuring lower energy consumption.

Perera said making the right investment with the high reliability factor is very, very important during financially challenging times for manufacturers.

“As a manufacturer, what we wanted to do was not to compromise that reliability side, but at the same time, carefully qualifying and selecting components that will also give the value to the customer by selecting our products,” he said.

“When your resources are so limited, and if you have to shut down

the plant for a couple of hours a day because of an unreliable machine you purchased, it’s going to have a huge impact for a medium-sized business.”

The variable speed drive version of the DRM series is equipped with the world-renowned Danfoss Inverter that has Australia-wide aftermarket support.

Ceccato compressors use brands that are very carefully qualified for extended time periods before final selection.

Increased reliability through remote monitoring User friendly ES4000 Touch controllers are used with DRM series air compressors to remotely control function, check pressure drops and when the machine is due for service.

Four-inch touch screen display with full control that Protect the machine with sensors and algorithms.

Clear overview on machine parameters and remote monitoring via ICONS built in GPS communication allows to visualise service intervals and warnings.

“Before it breaks down or shuts down, it will deliver several warnings before,” Perera explains.

“More often, the customer finds out about a problem with a compressor when the machine shuts down physically, because that’s the time that it goes into the compressor installation then has a look inside the compressor.

“What happens with remote monitoring is when the machines triggers the alarm, that there is something wrong.”

Manufacturers’ Monthly JUNE 2020 27

Manufacturing Trends Finding a path during challenging times Results of the first survey by South-East Melbourne Manufacturers Alliance to assess the impact of COVID-19 are in, and they are “sobering”, according to CEO Vonda Fenwick.

Decision making regarding purchasing of Australian Made or imported goods needs to acknowledge not just price comparisons but total cost.

SEMMA CEO Vonda Fenwick addresses members at a recent networking event in 2019.

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RECENT survey by South-East Melbourne Manufacturers Alliance (SEMMA) has revealed the impact of the coronavirus on the Victorian manufacturing sector.

The survey, conducted in March, titled SEMMA COVID-19 Survey: Impacts of COVID-19 on your business, contained six questions related to the impact 28 JUNE 2020 Manufacturers’ Monthly

of the pandemic and government response towards helping small to medium-sized businesses.

Information focused on the impact on supply chains, revenue loss, increased costs, staff reductions, loss of sales and preferred forms of government assistance, and showed that 81 per cent of businesses were impacted by the pandemic.

SEMMA CEO Vonda Fenwick said the survey results were “quite sobering”, given a number of their member organisations, anecdotally, believed they were “doing fine”.

“One of the bigger impacts in terms of revenue, was that we had 70 per cent say their revenues had dropped, and there are another 11 per cent who said that they expected their revenues to be impacted within the next couple of weeks to a month,” she said.

The survey also revealed 49 per cent of manufacturers had stood down staff or reduced working weeks to three or four days.

Another 18 per cent of businesses indicated that job cuts would be necessary if no relief was in sight.

About 47 per cent of the respondents said they were having issues with imported material and were concerned that the situation would “get worse”.

SEMMA is calling on the federal government to introduce a proactive import replacement program, one which is ambitious and broadbased, not just restricted to medical equipment.

Fenwick said the pandemic has highlighted the importance of onshore manufacturing, particularly at the political level, but also in the community more broadly.

“I think it is vital for government to recognise just how important it is to have robust supply chains, not just for medical equipment, pharmaceuticals and personal

protective equipment.

“Without that, we really are vulnerable. I think that the scope needs to be widened significantly.

It’s a lot broader than just medical equipment and oil,” she said.

“A narrow focus fails to recognise the social benefits and economic importance of maintaining and growing our broad-based manufacturing sector,” Fenwick said.

“Decision making regarding purchasing of Australian Made or imported goods needs to acknowledge not just price comparisons but total cost.

“If we have jobs onshore, we have people employed. If we’ve got people employed, we’ve got all the social benefits that flow from that.”

There are huge economic benefits to making sure that we have people employed, and there are also the benefits of retaining the capability, skills, and knowledge in Australia, said Fenwick.

SEMMA will run a second survey to find out whether businesses have benefitted from various government stimulus packages and subsidies, and what the subsequent impacts have been.

“We’re hoping that businesses have been able to retain employees and that the number and the percentage that have actually had to put people off, or go to shorter weeks, may look a bit more optimistic because of the initiatives by the state and federal governments,” Fenwick said. manmonthly.com.au

Manufacturing Trends

ABECK Group founder and managing director Peter Angelico with SEMMA CEO Vonda Fenwick.

SEMMA wants to see more locally produced content from manufacturers, and that SMEs can get greater access to government contracts.

Fenwick said although there are

manmonthly.com.au

policies highlighting the desirability of sourcing Australian products, it was not always reflected in government purchasing decisions.

It is realistic to expect that there is pressure put upon purchasing and

procurement groups to ensure they get value for money, but that should not mean just considering price “ “I think the value for money equation has to be extended to look at all the benefits that we get from buying Australian, from making sure that we get local manufacturers involved.”

Fenwick believes the survey was useful to quantify how quickly coronavirus had impacted local manufacturers, which enabled SEMMA to have a conversation with government.

SEMMA’s survey results were recently presented to Jobs, Innovation and Trade Minister, Martin Pakula, and Gabrielle Williams, Minister for Women, Prevention of Family Violence, Aboriginal Affairs and long-time supporter of SEMMA, and a number of other MPs representing the southeast metropolitan region.

“The first five survey questions were to do with impact, the last question that we had in our survey

was what the government could do to support manufacturers,” said Fenwick.

Options in the survey for government support included looking at a wage subsidy for every at-risk employee.

“By the time we had our closing date for the survey, the federal government had actually announced their $130 billion Job Keeper package, so we were really delighted to see that,” Fenwick said.

While Fenwick said assistance that has been offered to date, at both the state and the federal government level is welcomed, the beneficial impacts on manufacturers are yet to be quantified.

“We will be able to do that once the results of our second survey are in. The assistance to businesses ranges from small cash injections through refund of Payroll Tax through to support like the Job Keeper payments. We are keen to see how beneficial this support has been to manufacturers.”

Manufacturers’ Monthly JUNE 2020 29

EndeavourAWARDS FINALISTS 2020 The show must go on Despite the challenges that the manufacturing sector faces, Manufacturers’ Monthly is proud to showcase the finalists of the 17th Endeavour Awards.

T

HE finalists for Australia’s most prestigious manufacturing awards have been announced.

The Endeavour Awards 2020, now

in its 17th year, sees a high calibre of entrants representing Australia in an international capacity with innovative ideas, new technologies and the best in supply chain strategies.

In both good and challenging times, Australian manufacturing has always something to offer in terms of excellence and innovation. Despite the onset of the COVID-19 crisis,

this year’s finalists showcase what Australia has to offer the world in manufacturing.

Here are the categories and finalists: Sponsor:

TECHNOLOGY APPLICATION AWARD Companies are assessed on the extent and quality of a company’s use of smart factories implementing Industrial IoT applications to assist in the areas of operations and manufacturing.

1) Automated Turnkey System – Mexx Engineering Pty Ltd

The automated turnkey system developed by Mexx Engineering for the food and beverage industry are purposely built with independent subsystems that can perform tasks consistently for a longer period of time – 24 hours a day if required.

This turnkey system enhances the manufacturing of food and beverages by fully automating the bagging, debagging, conveying, palletising, and depalletising processes.

It improves the speed of production and enhances operational efficiency and provides businessprocess improvements and nextgeneration tools that assists the knowledge worker by removing repetitive, replicable, and routine tasks.

Additionally, the servo technology used in this turnkey system can work with 25 per cent less power than induction motors when operating over a wide speed range and is built to function in various harsh environments.

30 JUNE 2020 Manufacturers’ Monthly

2) Titomic Kinetic Fusion (TKF) – Titomic

TKF has been optimised to produce the world’s largest additively manufactured shapes and parts at industry-leading deposition rates.

TKF starts with a substrate and builds these parts up to near their final form, requiring only minor machining, meaning material waste is minimised, and costs are reduced due to reduced production times and reduced material costs. Moreover, the TKF process does not melt metal, meaning TKF Systems can use lessrefined, more cost-effective metals which are often more affordable than billet material, even when factoring high-performing metals like titanium.

This unique combination means that TKF provides a commercially viable technology that reduces waste by up to 90 per cent, and greatly reduces manufacturing costs, all while increasing manufacturing output productivity and unlocking unique manufacturing capabilities.

3) FRAGTrack – Orica Mining Services FRAGTrack is a state-of-the-art fragmentation measurement tool designed to provide rapid insights into the outcome of the blasting process. The advanced vision technology improves productivity through fragmentation profile analysis, facilitating blast optimisation for downstream impact.

FRAGTrack automatically analyses the rock that is produced after the blast to determine what should happen to the material. Using the latest optical sensing technology, the fragmentation characteristics of the rock can be determined, and waste rock can be sorted from the valuable ore.

Unique hybrid 2D/3D technique provides automated high-quality stereoscopic fragmentation image analysis, allowing continued high performance in variable lighting, material colour, and textured environments.

4) MyCelx – OLEOLOGY

OLEOLOGY has been able to reduce waste and far excel the water quality by utilising the simple fixed chemistry in a filter called MyCelx.

OLEOLOGY’s system has been able to remove the pervasive contaminant from the process water PLUS remove other hydrocarbons and organ metals and enable water recycling onsite.

This eliminates trucking waste/ produced water offsite, reduce the use of potable water, lower the OPEX to treat water on site and is customised to also discharge to the environment.

The MyCelx technology has been proven to reduce costs in just removal of hydrocarbons and other organic metals in the process water.

The MyCelx filter is chemically bonded with the MyCelx polymer to capture up to two to three kilograms of oil and other contaminants in one single filter.

5) Carbon Fibre Robotic Preforming Cell - Special Patterns The Preforming Technology enables dry unidirectional (UD) carbon fibre and carbon fibre veil (6gsm) to be automatically trimmed, placed in the correct position with correct orientation and formed into the desired shape in an automated cell that can produce six parts at a time.

The cell was developed to take the difficulty of accurately cutting, handling and shaping carbon fibre away from human operators. This improves productivity, speed and efficiency, while providing costsavings and input reductions. manmonthly.com.au

EndeavourAWARDS FINALISTS 2020 ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTION OF THE YEAR This category evaluates finalists on how their development, technology or initiative has made a positive impact to environmental sustainability in manufacturing.

1) Centre for Infrastructure Engineering - Western Sydney University

3) Protectiflex – Tyre Stewardship Australia & Flexiroc Australia

In this project, they have focused on the configuration of building integrated photovoltaic systems, particularly solar roof tile, that has the potential to reduce the building energy consumption substantially.

The developed product could be used to construct the roof of a house, which would produce electricity from the sun with less interference with the indoor environment.

Form stable phase change material (FSPCM) is incorporated into the mortar mixture of the roof tile, which increased the thermal mass of the base material. With higher thermal mass, the material will absorb more heat to change the temperature by 1°C. This allows the integrated solar cells to work at lower temperatures for a longer period.

Sprayed Protectiflex is a blast and ballistic mitigating cementitious building product comprised of Tyre Derived Product (TDP) aggregate and is manufactured by a conventional concrete batching plant and applied as a sprayed concrete-like material.

Applied to a building wall as a coating, it provides protection against extreme blast and ballistics, and can be retrofitted into existing structures or integrated into new builds.

It has application in blast and ballistic protection as well as the safety of building assets, critical infrastructure, and personnel.

2) Automated Concrete Test Laboratory - Mexx Engineering Pty Ltd Integral to the design of the Automated Concrete Test Laboratory is its Closed Loop Technology which provides full recycling of water within each cabinet tank module. Each module contains sufficient water to operate its own tank in all combinations of load capacity. The water used in performing automated concrete testing is recycled water. Its cabinet tank module is self-regulating making it environment friendly and sustainable. The system is designed to process concrete samples, manage safety and control interaction of both operator and robotic arm. manmonthly.com.au

4) LieNA – Lithium Australia NL The LieNA process can improve recoveries, reduce the footprint of mining operations, lessen environmental impacts and enhance sustainability.

LieNA consists of a caustic digestion process followed by acid leaching to recover the desired lithium chemical. Because no roasting is required, LieNA is a more environmentally friendly solution to processing spodumene.

With its ability to process fine and contaminated spodumene that would otherwise go to waste, LieNA has the potential to not only expand current hard-rock lithium resources, thereby reducing mining costs, but also enhance the sustainability of spodumene production and the subsequent manufacture of lithium chemicals.

5) Waterlink SmartMESH and NB-IoT Technology – Successful Endeavours

The Waterlink SmartMESH and NB-IoT loggers allow you to log water, waste or any pulse monitoring application with a self-contained and battery operated device that does not require an electrician to install and does not require a IT department to get it integrated, so the total cost to engage with these new logging technologies is significantly lower than conventional devices.

Both the NB-IoT loggers (a SIM card per device with a 15-year battery life) and the SmartMESH loggers (10year battery life, only 1 or 2 SIM card per site) represent a total of cost of ownership of time far below any other device on the market today.

Waterlink SmartMESH and NB-IoT Technology – Successful Endeavours (successful endeavours) The Waterlink SmartMESH and NB-IoT loggers allow you to log water, waste or any pulse monitoring

application with a self-contained and battery operated device that does not require an electrician to install and does not require a IT department to get it integrated, so the total cost to engage with these new logging technologies is significantly lower than conventional devices.

Both the NB-IoT loggers (a SIM card per device with a 15-year battery life) and the SmartMESH loggers (10year battery life, only 1 or 2 SIM card per site) represent a total of cost of ownership of time far below any other device on the market today.

6) SENSEI – CSIRO SENSEI® is a multi-sensor system for continuous, in-situ monitoring of water quality in both urban and remote areas. The patented solidstate sensors are based on advanced materials science, integrated into a single probe, and measure pH, redox potential, conductivity and temperature. SENSEI® requires no ongoing calibration, little maintenance, operates for many months even in harsh conditions, and replaces manual sampling systems that provide limited data. Continuous data streams are transmitted in real-time, with various options for data transfer including satellite communication. SENSEI® improves environmental sustainability significantly by enabling fast detection of contaminants. This prevents environmental pollution, risks to health and costly remediation.

Manufacturers’ Monthly JUNE 2020 31

EndeavourAWARDS FINALISTS 2020 Sponsor:

OUTSTANDING START-UP AWARD This category evaluates companies on what they bring to the manufacturing sector.

Black Sky Aerospace Black Sky Aerospace (BSA) has developed superior propulsion

systems with more efficient, cost effective manufacturing. BSA Solid Rocket Motors (SRM) are a sovereign capability to support the growth of space development in Australia and provide an alternate supply without rigorous foreign regulatory restrictions. Additionally, BSA’s SRM also delivers capabilities for Defence, cutting red tape and exorbitant costs previously incurred with importing.

NISKA Retail Robotics As leaders and pioneers in retail robotics, Niska is at the forefront of introducing robots into the retail space. Niska has developed and launched a first of its kind Robotics retail solution designed to be highly entertaining and aiming to reverse the decline in brick and mortar outlets.

Sponsor:

GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN INTEGRATION OF THE YEAR This category evaluates nominees on their unique experience or products that allow them to successfully access the global supply chain.

Helitak Fire Tank – Helitak Fire Fighting Equipment

It’s innovative with a robust and lightweight carbon fibre design, while it fits to existing hardpoints without any modifications. It’s effective with superior drop pattern and multiple drop capability, with greater capacity due to lightweight construction.

battery charger is available in 25A and 40A models.

Invar36 Tool – Titomic

Debagging and bottle conveying system – Mexx Engineering Pty Ltd

REDARC BCDC In-vehicle charger – REDARC The REDARC BCDC In-vehicle

Helitak has designed an efficient, compact, reliable and cost-effective unit known as the Helitak Fire Tank. The expandable on filling and retractable on empty tanks design also provided the added advantage of delivering water with a mechanical force due to the shape of the tank, something that is not available in any other tank in the world.

32 JUNE 2020 Manufacturers’ Monthly

charger charges an auxiliary battery bank to 100 per cent simultaneously through the alternator, while driving, and through solar panels using its inbuilt Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) solar regulator.

It includes patented charging profiles suitable for charging AGM, Gel, Standard Lead Acid, Calcium and LiFePO4 batteries. This 12V

point to provide the industry with a new tooling option using TKF industrial scale metal additive manufacturing, improving tool performance, part production and reduced lead times.

When Titomic signed a partnership agreement with US-based Ascent Aerospace (Ascent) for the execution of commercial opportunities to deliver the unique capabilities of Titomic’s Kinetic Fusion (TKF) for Ascent’s associated aerospace customer base.

Part of the two phased partnership included the company’s delivery of an Ascent customer approved Invar36 tool, produced using the TKF9000 metal additive manufacturing system, and to perform a test and production feasibility trial. Titomic has conducted extensive research and development of metal tooling for the aerospace and defence industries and has now reached an inflection

Mexx Engineering installed the Debagging and Bottle Conveying System in New Zealand at a milk processing plant in Dunsdale.

The Debagger will reliably unseal bagged products, pick and place them into a conveyor in preparation for further processing. This system can be manufactured either as a stand-alone OEM product or fullyautomated turnkey system as part of a larger production line.

The Bottle Packaging Turnkey System is a seamless automated machine that minimises environmental impact and maximises performance while ensuring the safety of its operator. With this system, a manufacturing company can produce a consistent high-quality end product without compromising productivity. manmonthly.com.au

EndeavourAWARDS FINALISTS 2020 Sponsor:

EXCELLENCE IN MANUFACTURING SKILLS DEVELOPMENT The award is all about the companies’ manufacturing skills development programs.

1) CMSE - Certified Machinery Safety Expert – Pilz Australia & New Zealand

CMSE - Certified Machinery Safety Expert is a qualification that’s recognised worldwide and provides a sustainable 360° overview of the field of machinery safety. It is marketed heavily on the Pilz website and to their clients.

Pilz believe that anyone dealing with plant and machinery should have up-to-date information on machinery safety. The Pilz “Competence Development” approach came about as a direct result of customer needs to allow their employees to follow a clear path in machinery safety, which would ultimately result in a formal qualification. Our modular approach means a tailor-made programme can be designed to suit each individual within an organisation.

2) APR.Intern – Australian Postgraduate Research Intern

strategy, the Skills Development Program was born.

4) Manufacturing Skills Development program – Supashock APR.Intern is marketed to the manufacturing industry through strategic business development and highly personalised client liaison across all states, targeted partnerships and omnichannel national brand awareness campaigns.

In 2019, APR.Intern deepened its impact within the manufacturing sector by partnering with the Innovative Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre (IMCRC). This relationship enables IMCRC to provide manufacturing businesses with a subsidy of up to $10,000 towards the cost of each PhD student placement. Not only does this partnership increase the accessibility of PhD research placements to manufacturers from a financial perspective, it also allows APR.Intern to cross-promote with IMCRC’s member network.

markets, distributes, and sells essential, everyday consumer products and is the only Australian manufacturer of feminine hygiene products.

The site views growing and building skills of its manufacturing and support team as a key competitive advantage and critical to being competitive in the FMCG market as well as maintaining an edge against our competitors imports from lower labour cost countries, but structure need to be put into place to capture, share and asses knowledge – and hence as part of the site 2019

Our manufacturing skills development program is marketed through our collaboration with high schools and TAFE SA. We target students participating in Certificate III in Engineering (Mechanical Tradesperson) or school students in Years 11 or 12 who wish to undertake an apprenticeship.

We also offer Engineering internships from the University of Adelaide, Flinders University, and the University of South Australia and the Department of Defence for selected students for a period of up to three (3) months.

3) Deepening Operational Skills at Asaleo Care Springvale - Asaleo Care Asaleo Care is a leading Australasian personal care and hygiene company.

The Company manufactures, Sponsor:

EXCELLENCE IN GROWTH This award recognises the growth within a manufacturing company, through either consistent financial, people or market growth – important for achieving sustainable consistent growth over the long term.

(Due to the sensitive commercial nature of the products and services done by these companies, we have not gone into detail about them.

However, readers are free to reach out to these companies about their services at any time.)

1) NOJA Power Continued investment and focus on R&D to ensure NOJA Power products represent leading edge technology for its global electricity utility customers.

NOJA Power’s products are used today in 92 countries worldwide and diverse customer base provides new manmonthly.com.au

growth and stable demand for their manufacturing facilities.

2) Supashock Following product development work, prototype development and trials for Rheinmetall Defence Australia in 2015/16, in 2017, Supashock entered a

unique partnership with Rheinmetall.

The partnership has allowed Supashock to expand into two facilities, one used as their main headquarters and the other used as their main manufacturing premises. Supashock have been actively improving processes and investing in new equipment in all

areas of the business from engineering, manufacturing, electronics, quality, IT support, marketing, accounts, and administration.

This write up has gone to print prior to the closing of the extended nomination timeframe, and there may be further finalists.

Manufacturers’ Monthly JUNE 2020 33

EndeavourAWARDS FINALISTS 2020 Sponsor:

AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRIAL PRODUCT OF THE YEAR This category evaluates companies on what they bring to the manufacturing sector.

The award evaluates companies on their Australian made or designed products and their points of difference to other available products designed for industrial application.

1) Automated Turnkey System – Mexx Engineering Pty Ltd

a fully automated turnkey system for the food and beverage industry include Autobagger System, Bottle Palletiser System, Debagger System, Conveyor System, Continuous Bottle Turner and Vision System. This turnkey system is designed with industry 4.0 in mind. It’s equipped to handle automatic guided vehicle or AGV.

2) Carbon Fibre Robotic Preforming Cell - Special Patterns Automated systems designed, engineered and installed

by Mexx ENDEAVOUR AWARDS Engineering are state-of-the-art and APPLICATION sophisticated machines. We take a systematic approach in developing the most efficient and cost-effective Australian Industrial Product of the Year solutions that suit2020 our customers’ manufacturing needs.

The independent subsystems of

orientation and formed into the desired shape in an automated cell that can produce six parts at a time.

3) DB Ultimate distribution board – APS Industrial PS DB family of distribution boards are the only range purpose-built to house market leading Siemens circuit breaker technology.

The DB Ultimate comes with a unique, removable pan assembly.

Designed exclusively by APS Industrial in partnership with German enclosure manufacturer Rittal, this unique feature of a removeable gear tray allows for the board enclosure to be mounted, while the board is designed and wired to fit a customer’s requirements.

The APS Industrial “DB” distribution board portfolio offers unparalleled flexibility with the world’s best technology and components.

Robotic systems are inherently more efficient and can save on manufacturing cost, however some processes can be very difficult to automate. The Preforming Technology that we have developed enables dry unidirectional (UD) carbon fibre and carbon fibre veil (6gsm) to be automatically trimmed, placed in the correct position with correct

Ph: (07) 5571 5733 | 28 Harrington Street, Arundel, Qld 4214 info@mexx.com.au | mexx.com.au

Sponsor:

MOST INNOVATIVE MANUFACTURING COMPANY AWARD This category evaluates nominees on their unique experience or products that allow them to successfully access the global supply chain.

The award evaluates nominees’ products and their points of difference to other available products designed for industrial applications.

1) GCX Linear – ANCA

Gear power skiving is revolutionising the gear manufacturing process, 34 JUNE 2020 Manufacturers’ Monthly

it is 5-10 times more efficient than shaping, more flexible than broaching, can produce both internal gear and external gear.

ANCA brings a complete solution for manufacturing and sharpening skiving cutters as part of a comprehensive gear cutting tool package. The GCX Linear will set the new benchmark for skiving cutter grinding. Adapted from ANCA’s proven top- of-the-range CNC grinder platform, the GCX Linear adds tailored features to finish all operations for skiving cutters and shaper cutters in a single setup.

With a five axis CNC grinder powered by LinX linear motor technology on X, Y and Z axes, the GCX Linear also comes with features specially designed for skiving cutters and shaper cutters.

2) DecoFloor - DECO Australia

DecoFloor, DECO Australia’s worldfirst timber-look aluminium flooring product, aims to revolutionise the construction manufacturing industry by introducing a hardwearing, realistic timber alternative floorboard which disrupts typical conceptions of timber floorboards and how they can be used.

Because DecoFloor is made from durable solid aluminium, the innovative design as removed issues such as cracking, warping, swelling, rotting and deterioration issues found with real timber floorboards, allowing more design flexibility and the ability

to achieve a timber-look floor in areas where this may not have been possible previously, such as high-moisture areas such as laundries. It is also certified as a non-combustible material, providing a fire-safe flooring option; a breakthrough solution for areas with strict construction codes, such as egress paths.

3) Black fire-retardant silicone seals – Jehbco Silicones

manmonthly.com.au

EndeavourAWARDS FINALISTS 2020 Jehbco Silicones has developed a black fire-retardant silicone extrusion that can be used in the rail industry. Fire retardant substances that can be used as an additive in raw materials are usually white or a light colour and by introducing a black solid silicone fire retardant product onto the market companies are able to offer more aesthetically pleasing designs to their customers/ designers.

The development of this product was in response to changing legislation worldwide regarding fire-retardant products, but also with the idea of safety first and foremost for people.

5) FRAGTrack – Orica Mining Services

6) Automated Concrete Test Laboratory – Mexx Engineering Pty Ltd

4) Successful Endeavours Successful Endeavours has the ability to deliver small quantities of loaded PCBs with fast turnaround and high mix. This actually meets many of the objectives of Industry 4.0 but done on a small scale. Now our customers can get their first initial units into the field at a cost that is affordable to them.

MM team, this one is quite long and technical. You may want to read it yourself to try to extrapolate on this rather short summary.

manufactured and built on more than 20 years of investment in R&D, the system uses binocular cameras and an innovative proprietary hybrid 2D/3D image processing algorithm to deliver rapid insights, safely and accurately. Specifically designed for durability in the harshest mine environments globally, it handles temperatures from below minus 40 to above 55 celsius.

FRAGTrack state-of-the-art automated rock fragmentation measurement device, delivered as part of Orica’s BlastIQ Digital Mine Optimisation Platform suite, captures, analyses and reports realtime fragmentation data digitally for optimising blast operations, improving downstream productivity and tracking overall operational performance in mining and quarrying.

Australian designed and

The Automated Concrete Test Laboratory is a disruptive innovation that creates a new market, value network and eventually disrupts an

existing market within the concrete industry.

Mexx Engineering strives to balance economic, environmental and social objectives by designing energyefficient OEM machines and turnkey systems. The water used in performing automated concrete testing is recycled water. Its cabinet tank module is self-regulating making it environment friendly and sustainable. The system is designed to process concrete samples, manage safety and control interaction of both operator and robotic arm.

The Automated Concrete Test Laboratory ensures the curing samples are testing according to National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) standards.

SAFETY SOLUTION OF THE YEAR This award evaluates companies on how their development, technology or initiative that ensures safety is paramount and the central focus.

1) HV2 Barrier – Saferoads The HV2 Barrier is a temporary unanchored steel crash barrier,

designed to protect road workers as well as road users. It offers high containment and low deflection

and is fast and simple to deploy and retrieve. This improves the safety of the team deploying the barrier.

It is the only barrier in the world to successfully pass MASH TL-4 crash testing without requiring any anchoring or pinning to the road surface. This means that the HV2 Barrier can be used to reliably protect road workers in speed zones up to 100km/h.

2) PSENscan – Pilz Australia & New Zealand The PSENscan can be configured to have an initial warning zone of up to 40m from the sensor, allowing a worker or supervisor to be notified, via an audible signal that they are entering a manmonthly.com.au

risk zone.

Moving closer to the sensor, a protected field range of between three and five-and-a-half metres can be established at which a robotic process can be halted.

Manufacturers’ Monthly JUNE 2020 35

EndeavourAWARDS FINALISTS 2020 3) Sentinel Vision AI System – PRM Engineering Services The Sentinel Vision A.I. System is a pedestrian detection warning system for mobile machinery and heavy vehicles. The system uses the latest in

artificial intelligence and pedestrian recognition to detect when a pedestrian is in a machine’s blind spots or enters hazardous zones near mobile machinery and warns both the operator and the pedestrian.

4) VOH450 – Liquip The VOH450 series manhole cover meets the latest revision of Australian Standard AS2809:2020.

The VOH450 has been manufactured to withstand the enormous targeted forces inflicted on a tanker in the regrettable event of a rollover or severe rear end shunt from another vehicle.

The newly designed VOH450 series manhole cover is the first of its kind to comply with newly applicable confined space requirements while passing the stringent double drop test suited for Australian road conditions.

BEST INDUSTRIAL IIOT APPLICATION This award evaluates companies who have used an application used in smart factories, to improve the manufacturing process.

1) FRAGTrack – Orica Mining Services FRAGTrack is a state-of-the-art fragmentation measurement tool designed to provide rapid insights into the outcome of your blasting process. Our advanced vision technology improves productivity through fragmentation profile analysis, facilitating blast optimisation for downstream impact.

The smart triggering system ensures only valid samples are collected and processed. Eliminating

sampling bias and increasing sample frequency.

Unique hybrid 2D/3D technique provides automated high-quality stereoscopic fragmentation image analysis, allowing continued high performance in variable lighting, material colour, and textured environments.

FRAGTrack’s sophisticated triggering mechanism ensures only valid results are captured for analysis, ensuring decisions are made on valid information at all times.

2) Accumulatos – Accumulatos Accumulatos unit is the only one of its kind to offer various smart industrial IoT services in an economical price in a compact manner with IP65 targeted enclosure. It can take digital and analogue voltage inputs (with current measuring next generation units under development), which allows Accumulatos to provide a wide range of sensor compatibility users may choose to use, such as to measure temperature, humidity, vibration, movement and light.

Sponsor:

MANUFACTURER OF THE YEAR

From the numerous entries received across all categories of the 2020 Endeavour Awards, one trailblazer stands out for outstanding innovation in the areas of technology, management and product development. All finalists for the 2020 Endeavour Awards are eligible for Manufacturer of the Year.

This year’s Manufacturer of the

36 JUNE 2020 Manufacturers’ Monthly

Year Award is proudly sponsored by Bestech.

Bestech delivers a wide range of products for university and research laboratories as well as various applications in manufacturing, military, mining, steel, rail, construction, automotive, chemical, pharmaceutical, food and water industries.

MANUFACTURER OF THE YEAR

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AUGUST 2020 – ERP SYSTEMS Business intelligence is crucial in decision making and data is a plant manager’s most important tool in ensuring an efficient operation. But with so much data available, how are modern leaders to make sense of it all?

In August 2020, we will look at the enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, to highlight what tools are available to support improving uptime in manufacturing operations when operations need it most in this COVID-19 crisis.

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: 01 July 2020

To book contact DANILO CORTUCCI now danilo.cortucci@primecreative.com.au | 0434 419 663

What’sNew MSA lifting magnet sales and residual magnetism How does residual magnetism affect your lifting magnet?

Residual magnetism occurs when a magnet fails to turn completely off. The magnetic flux results from a circuit being created between the rare earth magnets inside and the steel body of the magnet. The level of residual magnetism depends on the shunting technology and the magnet design.

The following three examples show the effects of residual magnetism found in lifting magnets and prove why magnets with no residual magnetism remain the safest.

Extreme residual magnetism • Extreme residual magnetism will cause the magnet to collect ferrous particles and debris even after it’s been turned off.

• Debris will likely cause an air gap on subsequent lifts and may permanently score the magnet. This can significantly de-rate the magnets SWL (Safe Working Load) and the magnet could fail a pull test.

• High risks of hand injuries if the operator tries to separate the magnet from the load.

• The material being handled will also be damaged by any debris stuck to the magnet.

No residual magnetism • This magnet uses active shunting technology, which allows it to be turned 100 per cent of the way off.

• It is the safest type of magnet and is also unlikely to retain ferrous debris after being de-activated.

• In the event of damage to the working surface, replacement pole shoes can be fitted using basic tools in your workshop.

MSA Pro-Lift and Magswitch Lifting Magnets are designed to have a clean break of magnetic flux when switched off.

MSA ensures the highest industry safety standards of their industrial lifting magnets while maintaining ease of use.

Company: MSA Magnetics Phone: (02) 4272 8180 Web: www.msamagnetics.com.au

Low residual magnetism • A good quality passive shunting magnet has a small amount of residual magnetism, although not enough to risk hand injuries.

• The magnet will still require regular inspection for debris, however, you can expect it to collect much less than the first magnet.

Mouser Electronics’ ADcmXL1021-1 vibration sensor for industrial systems Mouser Electronics, the industry’s leading new product introduction (NPI) distributor with the widest selection of semiconductors and electronic components, is now stocking the ADcmXL1021-1 vibration sensor from Analog Devices. Based on Analog Devices’ microelectromechanical system (MEMS) sensor technology, the ADcmXL1021-1 module is a complete sensing system that monitors for early indications of possible machine fatigue and failure specifically in industrial and transportation equipment to help reduce repair costs and maintain a high level of productivity.

of Things (IIoT) and Industry 4.0 applications such as vibration analysis systems that monitor and diagnose machine or system health, as well as safety shutoff sensing.

Analog Devices’ ADcmXL1021-1, available from Mouser Electronics, is a single z-axis vibration monitoring subsystem designed to simplify the development of smart sensor nodes in condition-based monitoring (CBM) systems. The device incorporates a wide-bandwidth, low-noise MEMS accelerometer plus an analog-todigital converter (ADC), high-performance signal processing, data buffers, record storage, and a user interface that easily works with most embedded processors.

The device’s signal processing includes high-speed data sampling (220 kSPS), 4096 time sample record lengths, filtering, windowing, fast Fourier transform (FFT), user-configurable spectral or time statistic alarms, and error flags.

As an authorised distributor, Mouser Electronics is focused on the rapid introduction of new products and technologies, giving customers an edge and helping speed time to market. Over 800 semiconductor and electronic component manufacturers count on Mouser to help them introduce their products into the global marketplace. Mouser’s customers can expect 100 per cent certified, genuine products that are fully traceable from each manufacturer.

Company: Mouser Electronics Phone: +852 3756 4700 Web: au.mouser.com

Mouser also stocks the EVAL-ADCM-1 evaluation kit, which includes the ADcmXL1021-1 module, a breakout board, an ADcmXL interface board, a Cypress Semiconductor EZ-USB FX3 board, and necessary cables. Engineers can connect the kit to a PC to access evaluation software for effortless configuration of the module, register setup, data display, and data logging.

The ADcmXL1021-1 uses an ADXL1002 MEMS accelerometer with ultra-low noise density (26 µg/√Hz) to support excellent resolution. With a wide bandwidth of DC to 10 kHz, the device enables tracking of key vibration signatures on many machinebased platforms. The ADcmXL1021-1 offers a high operating input range of ±50 g, making it suitable for vibration measurements in high-bandwidth Industrial Internet

38 JUNE 2020 Manufacturers’ Monthly

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Brought to you by

ICP Electronics Australia presents iEi’s new Mustang-MPCIE-MX2 computing accelerator card ICP Australia is proud to introduce iEi’s New Mustang-MPCIE-MX2 Computing Accelerator miniPCIe Card with two Intel Movidius Myriad X vision processing units (VPU), providing a flexible AI inference solution, designed to execute two topologies simultaneously.

The Mustang-MPCIE-MX2 card includes two Intel Movidius Myriad X VPU, providing a flexible AI inference solution for space limited and embedded systems.

• power efficiency, approximately 7.5W; • operating temperature 0°C~55°C (In TANK AIoT Dev. Kit); • powered by Intel’s OpenVINO toolkit.

Company: ICP Electronics Australia Phone: (02) 9457 6011 Web: www.icp-australia.com.au

VPUs can run AI faster, and are well suited for low power consumption applications such as surveillance, retail and transportation, as its power consumption is 7.5W. This highly flexible product supports Intel’s OpenVINO toolkit for the optimisation of pre-trained deep-learning models such as Caffe, MXNT, ONNX, and Tensorflow.

With the advantage of power efficiency and high performance to dedicated DNN topologies, it is perfect to be implemented in AI edge computing device to reduce total power usage, providing longer duty time for the rechargeable edge computing equipment.

Key features: • miniPCIe Form Factor (30 x 50 mm); • 2 x Intel Movidius Myriad X VPU MA2485;

Backplane Systems Technology presents iBases’s ET876 COM Express Type 10 CPU module Backplane Systems Technology is proud to present iBase’s ET876 COM Express Type 10 CPU Module featuring extended temperature and ECC Support.

The ET876 COM Express Type 10 CPU Module (R3.0) supporting Intel’s energy-efficient Atom Processor E3900 series, Intel Celeron Processor N3350 and Intel Pentium Processor N4200 utilises multi-core processor technology for high-performance computing and flexible programmable graphics, making it ideal for today’s IoT, industrial automation, and transportation applications.

[i-Temp Support]; • onboard DDR3L Memory with ECC Support; • 1x Intel® I210IT PCI-E Gigabit LAN; • supports TPM (2.0), eMMC5.0 (optional); • wide-range operating temperature from -40°C to 85°C. Company: Backplane Systems Technology Phone: (02) 9457 6400 Web: www.backplane.com.au

The highly integrated ET876 comes in a compact form factor (84 x 55mm) and matches the performance requirements of cost-effective, small footprint embedded systems.

It benefits from the Intel Gen9 Graphics Engine featuring DirectX 12, OpenGL 4.3 and OpenCL 2.0 to deliver stunning graphics and 4K resolution output, as well as simultaneous display combinations of DDI and LVDS or eDP. Connectivity options on the carrier board can include 8x USB 3.0, 2x USB 3.0, and 2x SATA III. All models support Gigabit connectivity, 4GB DDR3L with ECC standard, TPM hardware security and up to 32GB of eMMC storage.

ET876 operates with an extended temperature range of -40°C to 85°C for remote outdoor deployments depending on the processor used and runs both Linux and Windows 10 operating systems.

Key Features: • onboard Intel Atom x7-E3950, 2.0GHz or x5-E3940, 1.8GHz or x5-E3930, 1.8GHz

manmonthly.com.au

Manufacturers’ Monthly JUNE 2020 39

The Last Word

INNES WILLOX – Chief Executive, Ai Group

Getting through the crisis In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, manufacturing industries were hit hard and had to restrategise quickly. Innes Willox explains.

I

N the first weeks of March, as the health and economic effects of the pandemic deepened, it quickly became apparent that overseas supply lines for vital medical and safety products had been cut.

In many cases there were few local manufacturing alternatives.

I know of one importer who successfully ordered one million masks from China only to have that order cancelled due to a competing order from the US for 100 million of those same masks.

The nation scrambled, manufacturers retooled to produce urgently needed supplies and there was a concerted effort on the part of governments and manufacturers to come together nationally to identify ways to swiftly ramp up local production.

This has led in more recent weeks to manufacturing gaining more public and political attention than at any time for a generation. We are now asking how sure are we of reliable supplies of food, medicine, fuel and hospital equipment? We are seeing how well-capitalised firms with diverse customer bases can plough on when others quickly close. We are hearing of cosmetics companies and brewers making hand sanitiser and defence equipment companies making ventilators. We have rediscovered what is in fact a big employing section of the economy many had disregarded or relegated to “sunset” status. We have found it resilient, resourceful and highly skilled. And really useful.

And that’s a good thing.

The shortages of vital equipment also generated an important debate about Australia’s management of global supply chains. We have brushed up against hard lessons about overreliance on single sources of imports. We should not forget the wealth that we have accrued as a trading nation, and from not 40 JUNE 2020 Manufacturers’ Monthly

attempting to make everything ourselves. The reconciliation of these competing pressures lies firstly, in understanding what is strategically important and secondly, in valuing diversity of supply and flexible capacity underpinned by solid foundations in innovation, science, engineering and basic manufacturing nous.

Hopefully it heralds a more permanent revaluing by the community and political class of the industrial sector of the economy and manufacturing in particular.

Thanks to the Prime Minister and the National Cabinet, and unlike other countries, manufacturing was fortunately able to continue operating in Australia during shutdowns alongside other industries such as construction and parts of retail.

Manufacturing does not rely on people gathering in unregulated crowds for social or consumption purposes. Like much of the industrial sector of the economy, manufacturing was able to adopt hygiene and social distancing protocols and continue to operate, not unaffected by any means, but not closed by official order. It kept its head down, kept its hands clean and kept its distance. It experienced relatively little by way of transmission suggesting strongly that it was the right call to keep manufacturers operating.

Prior to COVID-19 two challenges stood out for local manufacturing – skills and energy – and they haven’t gone away.

The rush to working from home and on-line interaction has highlighted the importance of learning and applying new skills immediately. This reflects a trend that was already occurring in chunking learning into more discrete units aligned with workplace needs – a more rapid cycle of “learn and apply” than the traditional model used in vocational education, based on 2 or three-year courses and qualifications.

We have brushed up against hard lessons about overreliance on single sources of imports.

We should not forget the wealth that we have accrued as a trading nation, and not from attempting to make everything ourselves.

This trend to micro-credentialing is likely to pick up speed.

Another effect has been to highlight the role that STEM skills play in underpinning our standard of living – whether it is through health research, IT support or retooling engineering firms to make respirators.

The COVID-19 economy has been driven by caring and STEM skills.

A third effect is to reappraise the benefits of work-integrated-learning, the most traditional example of which are apprenticeships and traineeships – learning on the job, rather than before the job. Again, this trend was already emerging across a wide range of industries that were starting to see the advantage of simultaneous learning and working rather than expecting learning before employment.

Energy will be a critical part of the future of Australian manufacturing.

Local power and gas prices have plunged along with the global economy, giving a small silver lining for energy users amid very dark clouds.

Equally, energy prices could rebound later if recovering oil prices translate to higher gas prices, or we mismanage the next wave of retirements from our ageing coal generator fleet. But Australia could build a more durable energy advantage, by reforming and investing now to deliver an energy system that can sustain durably low prices; and by radically improving our energy productivity. Capital investment and upskilling can help many businesses get much more value

from each unit of energy consumed.

Governments and stakeholders are increasingly aware of the opportunity this presents both to boost postpandemic growth and to put that growth on a stronger foundation.

In the most ambitious energy vision, Australia could be able to radically expand its energy-intensive industries based on competitive advantages: the economic logic that has made it more efficient to send our energy and mineral resources overseas for processing could flip in a decarbonising world, making Australia a logical place to produce metals cleanly and cheaply. Much work will be needed if that is to come to pass.

In the past month while manufacturing businesses have been operating, they have still been doing it tough. Ai Group’s Australian Performance of Manufacturing Index for April saw the worst activity levels in the survey’s near three-decade history. As our economy returns to work, the hope is that the orders which have dried up in recent weeks will once again pick up and those businesses which have been able to keep operating will be in the box seat for the recovery.

We will hopefully also have a new appreciation of the value locally based manufacturers bring to the economy and of diversity in our international supply chains and a reassessment of the ways that public sector decisions can be leveraged to extend areas of competitive local supply. manmonthly.com.au