Manufacturer's Monthly July 2022 by Prime Creative Media

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JULY 2022

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MANAGEMENT >> TECHNOLOGY >> SOLUTIONS

JULY 2022

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JULY 2022

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Manufacturers’ Monthly Contents Copyright

6 Editor’s Note

30 Filtration & Separation

48 Repairs & Services

8 Comment

33 Skills & Training

51 Events

12 News@MM

36 Material Handling

54 Industrial Equipment

18 Manufacturer Focus

39 Metal Coatings & Repairs

57 Industry 4.0

22 Manufacturer Excellence

42 Skills & Training

59 What’s New

26 Ship Building

44 Laminates

28 Events

46 Welding

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The Northern Territory is well known as a service and supply hub in the Australian context. Much of the advanced manufacturing development has taken place in other states, but the Territory is now developing its own ecosystem of innovative thinkers. As always, one of the biggest challenges is commercialising new innovation. Industry has called for better government structures to help advanced manufacturing hit the world stage – reaching the billions of potential customers outside of Australia. With a new government, building the complexity of what we make

should be a focus – Australia ranks 86th in the world in the Economic Complexity Index (ECI), next to Uzbekistan and Paraguay. In this story, we learn about a company revolutionising the maintenance and monitoring of some of the country’s most critical infrastructure. Corrosive Instruments are the first to receive a grant under the new Advanced Manufacturing Ecosystem Fund (AMEF), strengthening investment and commercialisation of manufacturing in the NT. According to the AMGC, the company is one of many to come.

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Comment

SYED SHAH – Managing Editor, Manufacturers’ Monthly

The $15 billion Fund will provide loans, guarantees and equity to support projects.

Labor win brings billions for manufacturing

ITH Labor forming the next government of Australia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is expected to begin delivering on election promises, including a $15 billion National Reconstruction Fund. This is welcome news for manufacturers across the country, who will hope the current government can deliver on its vision for better sovereign capability. The fund will be administered by an independent board with government setting its mandate to drive investment in key sectors. Albanese says it’s the first step to rebuild Australia’s industrial base and boost sovereign manufacturing capability. 6 JULY 2022 Manufacturers’ Monthly

It will provide loans, guarantees and equity to support projects that create secure well-paid jobs, drive regional development, and invest in our national sovereign capability, broadening and diversifying Australia’s economy. “We need to revive our ability to make world-class products and, in the process, create secure well-paid jobs for Australians,” Labor said on its website. “Through the National Reconstruction Fund, Labor will partner with businesses to unlock further potential private investment of more than $30 billion. This investment will play to our strengths supporting new and emerging industries, transitioning existing industries to net zero emissions and by making it

easier to commercialise innovation and technology.” Australia is blessed with natural resources, but the ease of sending manufacturing offshore left us exposed during the pandemic, at the detriment to Australian workers. Now, a surge in local manufacturing means tremendous opportunities are present, but need to be supported by government. Labor says the Coalition government oversaw the loss of 85,000 manufacturing jobs since it came to office. But the ALP’s employment spokesman Richard Marles did not make a specific promise of how many jobs it would restore if Labor regained power. Newly sworn-in minister for Industry

and Innovation, Ed Husic, said the current government wants to support local business. “Labor wants to back the local knowhow that is keen to not just rebuild manufacturing but use our smarts and technology to put our advanced manufacturing potential at the front of the global pack,” he said. Whatever side of the political spectrum you sit on, something we can all agree on is the need to continue to support manufacturing priorities in space, defence, food and beverage, clean energy, resources, medical markets and more. We can only hope the new government rises to the challenge and acts on its promises. manmonthly.com.au

1300 ALTRAMOTION www.altramotionaustralia.com Sydney New South Wales Unit 1, 11 Penny Place Arndell Park, NSW 2148

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Comment

GEOFF CRITTENDEN – CEO, Weld Australia

Combatting Australia’s skills shortage by unlocking women’s workforce participation Australia is facing a critical shortage of skilled workers. To combat this shortage, it is essential that women’s workforce participation is increased, according to Weld Australia.

Research released by Chief Executive Women identified the key elements to encourage women to join male-oriented industries.

EW economic research released recently by Chief Executive Women has found that increasing women’s participation in the paid workforce would address Australia’s current skills shortage and have long-lasting impact on productivity in Australia. The analysis, conducted by Impact Economics and Policy, shows that unlocking women’s workforce participation could fill job vacancies and address critical skills shortages predicted 8 JULY 2022 Manufacturers’ Monthly

between now and 2026. The report finds that halving the workforce participation gap between men and women would represent an additional 500,000 full-time skilled workers with post school qualifications. Job vacancies hit a record 423,500 in February 2022. Engaging women in paid work at the same rate as men could unlock an additional one million full-time skilled workers in Australia. The National Skills Commission estimates the need for 1.2

million additional workers across the economy by 2026. Gender equity and diversity in the construction and manufacturing industry workforce is a persistent problem that exacerbates skills shortages, reduces economic productivity, and constrains innovation. In fact, women account for less than one per cent of Australia’s overall welding and fabrication sector. This is a staggering statistic. To put this into perspective, on average, women comprise 48 per cent of

Australia’s entire workforce. Encouraging the participation of women in male-oriented industries such as construction, manufacturing and welding is long overdue in ending the cycle of employment disparity, gender pay gap, and representation of women in management positions. The research released by Chief Executive Women demonstrates that investing in well-paid, secure jobs, expanding the Commonwealth Paid Parental Leave scheme, making early manmonthly.com.au

childhood education more affordable and accessible, and making workplaces safe from sexual harassment were key to getting women into work. All these measures must be implemented by both our governments and private industry. Weld Australia has long been an active advocate for the participation of women in the workforce, particularly in maleoriented industries like welding. In a post COVID-19 world, Australia’s economy will not recover unless we combat skills shortages, particularly in our industrial, manufacturing and infrastructure sectors. The only way to do this is to broaden our labour pool by attracting women into trades such as welding. We need a proactive, targeted approach that engages and recruits women into the trades, new and innovative trade training programs designed specifically for women, and measurable gender diversity targets set by the federal government. The Australian government has projected that, to 2024, the number of job openings for structural steel and welding trades will be above average. In some states, advertised vacancies have shown substantial increases over the last few years; Queensland has seen welding trades workers vacancies increase by 87 per cent , Western Australia saw vacancies increase by 80 per cent , and Victoria saw an increase of 18 per cent. And yet, the number of welding trade workers in Australia dropped by 8 per cent in the course of just five years; from 75,800 in 2014 to 69,600 in 2019. In addition, completion rates of welding apprenticeships, including a Certificate III in Engineering (Fabrication Trade), continue to fall by as much as 23 per cent annually. Australia will have a shortfall of at least 27,000 welders by 2030. Industry is already at capacity. Weld Australia’s members are turning away work because they cannot find enough welders to complete the work. With experts forecasting a critical minerals mining boom, welders will be even more in demand. From lithium, cobalt, manganese, tungsten and vanadium, through to high purity alumina and silicon, Australia is home to the minerals inputs required for strategic applications like semiconductors and electrification. These critical minerals are essential for defence, aerospace, manmonthly.com.au

wind farms, electric vehicles and battery storage. This mining boom will necessitate vast infrastructure – processing plants with structural steel, pipelines, and pressure vessels – all of which requires welding. With Australian industry already desperate for welders, how will this extra demand be met?

A global perspective This skills crisis is not unique to Australia. By 2023, the United States is predicting that their workforce will need an additional 375,000 welders. To put this into perspective, that is equivalent to the size of the entire welding workforce in America as of 2019. Similarly, in a recent report released by the European Commission, welders and metal workers rank third on the list of occupations with the greatest workforce shortage. The situation is much the same in Asia. For instance, according to data released in late 2021 by China’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, 58 of the 100 occupations with the largest shortage of workers were classified as manufacturing roles, including welders. By 2025, the total number of skilled workers in 10 key areas of China’s manufacturing industry will be close to 62 million, with a talent demand gap of nearly 30 million — a 48 per cent shortfall.

Even with international borders opening post-COVID, immigration is not the answer to Australia’s welding workforce crisis. There is no magic pool of international welders from which to draw on – this is a global skills crisis.

Increasing diversity in the workplace Increasing diversity in the workplace is possibly the best way to alleviate the skills shortage. Every effort needs to be made to encourage women to become welders. Weld Australia is already working on an innovative program designed to increased workplace diversity – a program that starts in high school. Last year, Weld Australia proposed an Advanced Manufacturing School Outreach Program to the New South Wales government. The Program received their support, with funding provided through the Department of Education’s Vocational Education and Training Program for Secondary Students. Over 30 augmented reality welding simulators were deployed in a pilot program in 16 schools across the state. The schools ranged from the Wagga Wagga, Lake Illawarra and Dapto high schools in southern New South Wales, to the Gorokan and Kurri Kurri High Schools in the Lower Hunter region. Based on the success of the pilot program, the

NSW Department of Education ordered a further 20 simulators for another 10 high schools in regional areas including Bathurst, Cobar, Bourke and Broken Hill. This engaging, exciting learning technology provides a very safe and efficient way to teach students skills in a profession where there is high demand. The program encourages participation in STEM learning from a young age – for girls and boys alike. While this is a long-term solution, rather than a quick fix, this program is focused on actively recruiting more women into trades as early as possible. Weld Australia believes this invaluable program should be rolled out nationally. There are many advantages waiting for women who opt for a career in welding. There are significant economic benefits for women in non-traditional trades, from increased choice and availability of jobs, through to improved job security. The welding industry is fast evolving. The advent of automation and other progressive welding technologies are paving the way for the manufacturing of high-tech equipment for the aerospace and defence industries, among others. Welding itself is no longer precarious, dirty work in dark workshops, but the precise work of the technically minded in bright, open workspaces.

A lack of gender diversity in manufacturing slows innovation.

Manufacturers’ Monthly JULY 2022 9

Comment

DR JASON COONAN – Deputy CEO, IMCRC

Australia’s medical manufacturing ecosystem is evolving: here are the opportunities

Australia is growing its medical technology and pharmaceutical ecosystem.

AVING just participated in the AusMedtech conference, I’m excited by the opportunities for companies in the Australian medical technologies, biotechnologies and pharmaceuticals (MTP) sector to establish and grow manufacturing operations in Australia. Over the course of the pandemic, we have seen many of these companies face huge challenges, overcoming supply chain disruptions and contributing to the development of life-saving diagnostics, therapies and vaccines for COVID-19. Indeed, as Australia continues to emerge from the pandemic, it’s clear that Australian MTP companies are already playing a growing role in revitalising our manufacturing ecosystem and growing our economy. The ultimate size of this role, however, will largely be determined by those companies’ ability to embrace contemporary manufacturing technologies, capitalise on sovereign manufacturing opportunities, access appropriate capital and leverage current 10 JULY 2022 Manufacturers’ Monthly

and proposed government investment in research and development (R&D) infrastructure and innovation support programs.

Industry 4.0 adoption is delivering competitive advantages and driving investment worldwide Globally, manufacturers are adopting Industry 4.0 enabling technologies to drive innovation, decrease costs and improve quality and efficiency. Within the MTP sector internationally, manufacturers are investing in smart factories and embracing automation, artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things to transform operations and build supply chain resilience. In addition to the adoption of mature Industry 4.0 technologies, there’s been an increase in venture capital (VC) investment in emerging industrial ventures. Last year was a record year, both by value and number of transactions, for VC investment in manufacturing start-

ups. This was predominantly led by the US and China . When you consider these global trends, and as policies and initiatives shift to focus on building health and economic resilience, how can we work to ensure Australia is able to capitalise on MTP manufacturing opportunities?

Australia is seeking to become more self-reliant We are living in a world facing increased socio-economic and environmental uncertainty. To address the challenges of the future, Australia is looking to develop greater manufacturing self-reliance. And a key point of focus is ensuring we have the capability and capacity to manufacture essential items like medicines and medical equipment. For example, the government’s strategic partnership with Moderna represents a significant investment in our domestic vaccine manufacturing capability. The agreement will support the annual

production of 100 million Melbournemade mRNA vaccine doses and generate hundreds of high skilled jobs. More broadly, the partnership will contribute to the growth of Australia’s biotechnology sector by establishing local supply chains, clinical trials and R&D. To accelerate the journey towards greater self-reliance, it’s important more MTP global enterprises are incentivised to establish manufacturing operations in Australia, creating valuable collaboration and supply chain opportunities for local MTP small to medium enterprises (SMEs).

Australia’s manufacturing innovation ecosystem is being primed for growth In addition to direct investments, the previous Australian Government recently announced a steady stream of grants and incentives designed to build manufacturing capability. There was the $1.5 billion Modern Manufacturing Strategy, which, among other things, is stimulating the research manmonthly.com.au

Prototypes of 3D-printed musculoskeletal tumour . ecosystem, and a host of new programs enabled by the $2.2 billion University Research Commercialisation Action Plan (Action Plan). The Action Plan is designed to catalyse university innovation and industry collaboration. Its initiatives include Australia’s Economic Accelerator, the introduction of a National Industry PhD Program, the expansion of CSIRO’s VC arm, Main Sequence Ventures, and the establishment of the Trailblazer Universities Program. The new Australian Government has similarly identified manufacturing as a priority, and has announced $1 billion investment funds for advanced manufacturing and critical technologies (e.g., artificial intelligence, robotics and quantum computing). There are also a raft of State Government initiatives that invest in catalysing innovation. A recent example being Breakthrough Victoria, a $2 billion fund directed at investing in priority sectors, including advanced manufacturing. Together, these grants and incentives represent billions of dollars of investment into R&D and commercialisation, which local MTP Companies can tap into in order to catalyse growth. In an ideal world we would have more effective coordination of Australia’s manufacturing innovation ecosystem at a national scale, something akin to the UK’s Catapult Network, and more government procurement of locally manufactured MTP products, but these Government initiatives still represent a step in the right direction. Along with Government initiatives, we are also seeing Australia’s superannuation manmonthly.com.au

funds take advantage of investment opportunities in Australia’s growing innovation and start-up sector. Only a few months ago, Unisuper announced it had committed $75 million to earlystage commercialisation fund manager Uniseed. But it’s important to note that Government and superannuation funds can’t do all the investment on their own. For Australia to grow its MTP manufacturing sector to its full potential, we also need to further develop our local Angel and VC capacity, particularly that suited to investing in opportunities comprising industrial ‘hardware-based’ inventions and/or establishing Australian manufacturing operations.

Catalysing world-class manufacturing innovation As an organisation operating at the intersection between industry and research, the Innovative Manufacturing CRC (IMCRC) has facilitated R&D that underlies ground-breaking Australian medical innovations. From patient-specific, 3D-printed bone implants by Stryker to needlefree vaccines by Vaxxas, some of our industry participants stand poised to

commercialise locally made MTP products of significant benefit to Australia and the world. What we have experienced at IMCRC is that with the right collaboration and investment, Australian MTP companies can successfully adopt and utilise Industry 4.0 to establish manufacturing capability leading to high-value products and services, jobs and security. A good example of this is IMCRC’s partnership with global medical technology organisation Stryker. In 2017, Stryker and five leading research organisations embarked on a five-year R&D project to develop a revolutionary treatment for bone cancers using 3D printing and robotic surgery. Stryker found the collaboration to be so beneficial to its innovation pipeline that it committed to establishing its first Australian R&D facility. The facility will unite researchers, clinicians and advanced manufacturers to accelerate Stryker’s R&D initiatives and help establish Australia as a world leader in medtech innovation, digital health, design and manufacturing. In addition to supporting global enterprise manufacturers, IMCRC has enabled many of our SME partners to

realise the benefits of short-term, highimpact R&D. In 2020, IMCRC partnered with Alcolizer to advance the design of its COVID-19 saliva test prototype. By creating a timely and efficient approval process and implementing a milestonebased framework, IMCRC was able to help Alcolizer move from testing to a commercial prototype in only six months. Upon conclusion of the project, Alcolizer secured additional funding from the Australian Government to scale up its Perth-based manufacturing operations to support mass production of the test. As IMCRC draws to a close at the end of 2022, it is heartening to see Australia moving towards a more innovative MTP manufacturing ecosystem through the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies. By embracing new manufacturing technologies, R&D collaboration, Government investment in innovation and sovereign manufacturing opportunities, Australian MTP companies now more than ever have an opportunity to establish and scale up manufacturing and spearhead the development of a globally competitive and resilient MTP manufacturing sector of significant social and economic benefit to the nation.

Victoria is investing in advanced manufacturing for the medical sector.

Manufacturers’ Monthly JULY 2022 11

News @MM Grants available for electric fleets Victorian businesses can now apply for a share of $1.5 million in grants to install electric vehicle charging stations, helping the transition to using zero emissions vehicles. The state government cited that businesses can save up to $500 per month per car in their fleet, saying the turn-over of fleets will flow-on to the second-hand EV market, in turn making them more affordable for Victorians and cutting the cost of living for the community. Transport is one of Australia’s largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for 25 per cent of Victoria’s total carbon footprint. The Labor Government has set an ambitious goal for Zero Emission Vehicles to make up half of all new light vehicle sales by 2030, helping Victoria

halve emissions. The grant program is a key part of the Government’s $19.21 million Acceleration of Zero Emissions Vehicles Adoption package and nation-leading $100 million ZEV Roadmap. Lily D’Ambrosio, Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change, said cars must be a vehicle for change on the path to halving emissions by 2030. “By getting more zero emissions vehicles on our roads we’re reducing transport’s massive contribution to climate change and cutting costs for businesses,” she said. “By supporting businesses with chargers we are slashing emissions and operating costs and building the zero-emission second-hand market, getting closer to our target of half of light vehicle sales by 2030.”

The state government cited that businesses can save up to $500 per month per car in their fleet.

Glass manufacturer takes centre stage in Geelong North Geelong glass manufacturer Viridian Glass will produce 220 panes of architectural glass for the $140 million redevelopment of Geelong Arts Centre. Viridian is equipped with the world’s

most advanced architectural glass processing equipment, playing a vital role in the landmark project that is set to transform Geelong’s cultural and creative heart.

Viridian is equipped with the world’s most advanced architectural glass processing equipment.

12 JULY 2022 Manufacturers’ Monthly

At its purpose-built facility, the company is processing, toughening, ceramically printing, double glazing and laminating the glass panes for the redevelopment.

The Geelong Arts Centre order is an exciting new chapter for the manufacturer and its staff of 75 at the North Geelong facility, while glass manufactured locally also reduces the risk of supply-chain delays on the project which is expected to be completed in late 2023. Lendlease and Development Victoria have partnered with Geelong’s Industry Capability Network (ICN) to ensure that work on the redevelopment is creating local jobs and providing local companies with opportunity for growth. When complete, the Arts Centre will be home to the largest regional performing arts centre in the country. Danny Pearson, Minister for Creative Industries, said when local creativity and local industry come together, great things can happen. “Geelong Arts Centre is not only a cultural and creative gamechanger for Geelong, it’s also providing a massive boost for local jobs and businesses.” “We’re backing Victoria’s multibillion-dollar creative economy so it can keep delivering the jobs Victorians need and the cultural experiences they love.” manmonthly.com.au

News @MM Lockheed Martin Australia strengthens sovereign capabilities across ADF programs Lockheed Martin Australia has confirmed 95 per cent of its 240-strong Future Submarine Program Combat System Integration workforce was successfully redeployed. The company did so by finding new roles to support the workforce that, over the past five years, had been dedicated to furthering sovereign capability. Ninety-two per cent of employee redeployments were designed to continue to strengthen solutions for key Australian Defence Force programs including maritime combat systems integration, weapon systems engineering, radar systems, core simulation and training. Employees were further reinvested across Joint Air Battle Management, Command and Control, Research Science and Development programs. The remaining three per cent of

manmonthly.com.au

New roles were found to support the workforce that had been dedicated to furthering sovereign capability. the workforce were transitioned to the Sovereign Shipbuilding Talent Pool while the balance sought work outside the company. Lockheed Martin Australia and

New Zealand chief executive, Warren McDonald, thanked all employees who had contributed to the submarine program, saying he was extremely proud of what they had delivered.

“Lockheed Martin Australia is honoured to have led the Combat System Integration for the Commonwealth of Australia’s Future Submarine Program since 2016,” he said. “We are immensely proud that over five years, our highly-skilled team delivered on our promise, strengthened our partnership with Defence and the Australian Government and worked closely with the finest in Australian industry and academia.” “We worked collaboratively and successfully with our customer and supply chain to achieve a smooth and efficient transition out of the submarine contract. In parallel, we work closely with our staff to redeploy their valuable skillsets and experience to other priority areas within Lockheed Martin Australia. In doing so, we preserved an important sovereign workforce.”

Manufacturers’ Monthly JULY 2022 13

News @MM Cochlear boosts NSW MedTech manufacturing The New South Wales Government’s $250 million Jobs Plus Program will support homegrown MedTech business Cochlear to expand its footprint in NSW, creating more than 170 high-skilled jobs and supporting the development of nextgeneration hearing implants. Through the support, the world leader in implantable hearing solutions will expand and modernise its advanced manufacturing facility in Sydney’s Lane Cove, cementing the facility’s critical role in Cochlear’s global manufacturing network for the next 10 years. Premier Dominic Perrottet said the investment in Cochlear would boost high-skilled advanced manufacturing jobs in NSW. “Cochlear is a fantastic Australian success story and we are proud to support NSW expansion that will enable improvements to the innovation it delivers across the globe,” Perrottet said. “The company is a prime example of a thriving, R&D driven business, with more than 95 per cent of its revenue coming through its exports to more than 180 countries. Choosing to retain and expand here in NSW is a clear signal of our state strength in the MedTech manufacturing

The $250m investment will strengthen NSW’s advanced medical technology manufacturing capability and create ongoing positions, to enable a pipeline of skilled workers.

industry and I am delighted that the support will enable the company to build the highly-skilled workforce it needs to meet the global demand for its products.” Minister for Enterprise, Investment and Trade Stuart Ayres said the Jobs Plus Program support, including payroll tax exemptions, would create 175 jobs by 2024. “This investment will strengthen NSW’s advanced medical technology manufacturing capability and create ongoing positions, to enable a pipeline of skilled workers,” Ayres said.

“NSW businesses make up almost 55 per cent of Australia’s estimated $6.1 billion medical technology industry and we want to support and accelerate the growth of the sector to create jobs through life-enhancing medical innovations. This support will also enhance our local research and development capabilities, with Cochlear investing more than $100 million in Australia every year to better understand and treat hearing loss.” Cochlear CEO and President Dig Howitt said the Jobs Plus Program played a central role in deciding to revitalise its

advanced manufacturing capacity at Lane Cove. “Cochlear was founded more than 40 years ago and our site at Lane Cove was our first global headquarters and manufacturing facility. With Jobs Plus support, the facility that made our first hearing implants will be making our next generation implants 40 years later,” Howitt added. “Cochlear is part of a thriving medical technology and hearing health ecosystem in NSW that brings significant economic and health benefits to our community. The Jobs Plus Program is backing a sector that will only grow in value over the coming decade.” The Jobs Plus Program, delivered through Investment NSW, provides eligible companies with support, including payroll tax relief, streamlined planning approval and subsidised training programs, along with the provision of free or subsidised government spaces and accommodation. Australian businesses that employ 20 or more staff and international companies with at least 80 employees looking to create a minimum of 30 jobs before June 2024 are eligible to apply for Jobs Plus.

Australian businesses contracted to support first batch of three Hunter frigates Businesses around Australia will manufacture, assemble, and supply thousands of valves for the first batch of three Hunter class frigates, building Australian industry capability that will support continuous naval shipbuilding for future defence projects. Working with the global independent valve company and the Commonwealth, BAE Systems has secured a firm commitment from Score that a significant amount of value ($26m) and contracts will flow through the Australian supply chain. Significant engagement and market analysis was undertaken to ensure a value for money outcome was achieved that maximised benefits for Australian industry. 14 JULY 2022 Manufacturers’ Monthly

Twelve companies from five States will be subcontracted by Score to part manufacture, supply and assemble more than 300 different types of wholeship valves. BAE Systems, Australia CEO, Ben Hudson said the company is committed to maximising opportunities for Australian businesses and thus creating Australian jobs, so we’re delighted a significant portion of valve assembly and testing will be done in Australia, by Australians. “Securing such a significant portion of the valves scope for Australian companies is testament to our teams’ collaboration with industry and the Commonwealth,” he said. “As the Hunter program matures

towards a second batch of Hunter class frigates, there will be opportunities for other Australian businesses to join the valves supply chain. “Growing Australian industry capability is essential to ensure we support Australia’s continuous naval shipbuilding strategy for future generations.” Score Australasia Director, Keith Simpson, said there is a shared commitment to driving sovereign capability by increasing Australian manufacturing content and adding value to the local economy through the entire supply chain. “This is a huge opportunity for Australian manufacturing, and we look forward to working with local

manufacturers, both current and new, in achieving the best possible outcomes for the Hunter program and for Australian industry,” he explained. There are 305 types of valves in each Hunter class frigate, and 5,273 valves per ship. The largest valves are upwards of 400mm bore size, while the smallest is 5mm. Valves are spread throughout the warship in the many different subsystems. At the state-of-the-art Osborne Naval Shipyard in South Australia, BAE Systems Australia will build 9 of the world’s most advanced anti-submarine warfare frigates for the Royal Australian Navy — a formidable fleet of warships critical to helping protect the nation for decades to come. manmonthly.com.au

News @MM Albanese tells China to dump trade bans At the Quad leaders meeting, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has sent a message to China – the global powerhouse needs to lift trade sanctions on Australian imports. The summit in Tokyo was attended by leaders of Japan, Australia, India and the US, where Albanese also discussed concerns over Beijing’s new security pact with the Solomon Islands. Beijing ended a two-year stalemate between the two countries earlier this week, as Premier Li Keqiang congratulating Albanese on winning the election in the hopes of China and Australia having “sound and stable relations.” In late 2020, China suspended Queensland timber imports in a long list of sanctions on Australian products.

Chinese officials sighted detections of live insects in consignments and within a few months, Australian timber imports were largely suspended. Some Australian manufacturers have also had to redeploy their products to other foreign markets. “With regard to our relations, Australia seeks good relations with all countries. But it’s not Australia that’s changed: China has. It is China that has placed sanctions on Australia. There is no justification for doing that. And that’s why they should be removed,” said Albanese. Australia continues to focus on strengthening its defence capabilities – he indicated speaking to US President Joe Biden about the AUKUS alliance on the development of a nuclear-powered submarine fleet for Australia.

In late 2020, China suspended Queensland timber imports in a long list of sanctions on Australian products.

Western Sydney leads advanced manufacturing revolution Western Sydney will be at the heart of Australia’s high-tech manufacturing capability with the investment of $260 million in a national-first shared-use research facility to be built on the doorstep of the new Western Sydney International Airport. The full-scale Advanced Manufacturing Research Facility (AMRF) will be the focal point of the new Bradfield City Centre, the 115ha urban

and employment area next to the airport. Premier Dominic Perrottet said the AMRF will be at the leading edge of Australia’s advanced manufacturing revolution helping to strengthen our economy now and into the future. “We are securing a brighter future of our families and our country, right here in Western Sydney,” Perrottet said. “The NSW Government is building what matters to make Western Sydney

Western Sydney has one of the largest concentrations of manufacturing businesses in Australia.

16 JULY 2022 Manufacturers’ Monthly

an even better place to live, work, learn, play, and raise a family. “The AMRF will create new highpaying jobs of the future in Western Sydney by making Bradfield City Centre the national capital of advanced manufacturing bringing industry and universities together.” Minister for Enterprise, Investment and Trade and Minister for Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said the AMRF was planned to be operational in 2026. “Western Sydney has one of the largest concentrations of manufacturing businesses in Australia. The AMRF will allow manufacturers from Western Sydney the support to transition to new ways of doing business, creating the high value components for the next generation of space, aerospace, defence, and medical technologies,” Ayres added. “It will mean more jobs and more investment in Western Sydney. But even more importantly, it puts Western Sydney at the centre of some of the biggest global industrial trends of this century.” Treasurer Matt Kean said the facility will change the face of manufacturing in Australia on the doorstep of the new International Airport. “The high-tech machines we

are purchasing will give businesses and researchers in Western Sydney access to some of the most advanced manufacturing technologies in the world. “This investment will return dividends for the taxpayers of NSW through private investment and premium jobs as the new city and industries grow together.” Modelled on examples of successful precincts overseas, such as the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre in Sheffield UK, the AMRF will have a manufacturing hall and collaborative workspaces. It will bring together businesses, engineers, and researchers to prove out new technologies, scale up and commercialise. The Western Parkland City Authority will also be releasing the first of a $23 million package of tenders for advanced manufacturing equipment to be installed in the pilot of the AMRF due to open in 2023. The first tender package, released this week by the Western Parkland City Authority, is for precision additive manufacturing equipment to be used in the aerospace, defence, automotive and medical industries. manmonthly.com.au

Manufacturer Focus

Advanced manufacturing blossoming in the top end Corrosion Instruments is establishing a local testing, prototyping, and small-batch manufacturing facility in the Northern Territory. Billy Friend speaks with founder Sam Pattemore about the company’s journey.

ORN and bred in Darwin, Sam Pattemore said he remembers having ideas of potential products and inventions as a child. His father was an engineer, and in turn Pattemore developed a propensity to problem solve – to find different ways of doing things. After studying interstate, a brighteyed engineer returned to the territory to 18 JULY 2022 Manufacturers’ Monthly

begin his career, where he spent several years in the pipeline industry. It was here where the concept for Corrosion Instruments was born. One aspect of maintaining and operating pipelines is cathodic protection (CP) – protecting the structure from corrosion by applying an electric current to it. As the only electrical engineer in the NT branch of the

company, Pattemore was responsible for this process. One day, in the early stages of the job, he was sent out to complete a CP survey with the technicians, who were far more experienced. Their instructions were to turn his watch around, hold the multimeter, wait for the second dial to get to 55 and count down from 5.

After counting down to zero, the next measurement on the multimeter was recorded on a piece of paper. “The technician instructing Pattemore paused for a second and said, “unless the measurement is too high or too low,” Pattemore said. “I asked what happens then? And he explained that you had to keep going until you have the manmonthly.com.au

ManufacturerFocus Highly accurate, simple, automated instrumentation improves CP measurement.

infrastructure, so they could just press a button to record accurate measurements straight to a database avoiding human error. “It become a semi-automated process which resolved measurement errors and improved efficiency” he said. Pattemore spent two years working full time for a pipeline company, while also putting in full time hours at home developing the hardware. In 2018, he focused fully on his idea, working 80-hour and living off savings. After 18 months of this, Sam took a break and worked for a short stint with an engineering firm during this time he learned about investment, start-ups, raising capital and building a business “Stage two of the project was to

Our instruments provide highly repeatable results in applications where traditional means have produced great variation and, at times, a great deal of frustration. take that portable equipment that I’ve made and turn it into an IoT system,” he explained. “So, instead of doing a survey, driving down the pipeline, we could permanently install data loggers and fully automate the process.” After winning a local pitching competition, CrocPitch, run by the Darwin Innovation Hub, Pattemore

gained a six-figure investment from Paspalis Innovation Investment Fund and a handful of other investors. In 2020, the company was formed and commenced development on their IoT system. Corrosion Instruments have now set up a small parts manufacturing shop and is now partnering with a larger electrical manufacturer in South Australia.

Corrosion Instruments is a tech startup tackling the challenges of cathodic protection.

measurement you want, or until multiple measurements are very close. This wasn’t a science, having to repeat this process at 1000+ test points and writing results on a dusty, sweat covered piece of paper – there were lots of elements which needed to be fixed. Trying to take a measurement that needs millisecond precision using a wrist-watch and reaction time this all just left too much room for error.” In 2014, Pattemore began a journey to fix the monitoring and measuring of cathodic protection systems. He made portable equipment to replace the pen, paper and multimeter with a smart phone and a Bluetooth instrument which was made specifically for the task at hand. The operators’ phone maintained a database of all the cathodic protection manmonthly.com.au

Manufacturers’ Monthly JULY 2022 19

Manufacturer Focus

CI’s solution can save huge amounts of money protecting critical infrastructure.

Transforming cathodic protection (CP) Protecting structures like pipelines with CP has previously been seen as somewhat of a “black art,” but Corrosion Instrument’s mission is to change that. The company wants to de-mystify the art of CP measurement through the use of highly accurate, simple, automated instrumentation. “Our instruments provide highly repeatable results in applications where traditional means have produced great variation and, at times, a great deal of frustration,” Pattemore explained. “With a traditional means for measurement, the technician could take a dozen readings and them all be different. They might vary by 20 per cent of the measured value. With our equipment, we could take a dozen readings and they be identical plus or minus 0.1 percent of the measured value.” By removing the guesswork, organisations can have a more definite answer to the question: is the structure protected from corrosion? The system can interpret the data collected continuously 20 JULY 2022 Manufacturers’ Monthly

Companies typically do one survey a year because it’s expensive. With this equipment, you can do a survey every day for a matter of cents per measurement. The equipment can also determine faults or under protection and notify the user within hours. The goal is to extend the longevity of the assets, some of which are worth billions of dollars and many of which are critical infrastructure. from thousands of points and present it in a way the is meaningful for asset maintenance and operation. The CPPro is Corrosion Instrument’s portable CP survey instrument, measuring the protected asset’s potential more than 600 times per second. Using precision GPS timing and powerful data analytics, the device has been designed to automatically measure and record highly accurate instant-off potential. AC potentials, on-potential, a trace of

the interrupt signature, comments and photos are all recorded to a database of the CP test points and assets. The tool connects to mobile phones and interfaces to the CI-Tools app. The CP-Pro is the ideal instrument for in-field survey validation and fault finding. As Pattemore explained, the reduction in costs as by replacing manual surveys with continual monitoring and automated surveys using an IoT system massive – and in the pipeline space, the

stakes are high. “To do a manual survey of a gas transmission pipeline typically costs upward of $50,000 for every 1000 kilometres of pipeline,” he said. “Companies typically do one survey a year because it’s expensive. With this equipment you can do a survey every day for a matter of cents per measurement. The equipment can also determine faults or under protection and notify the user within hours. The goal is to extend the longevity of the assets, some of which are worth billions of dollars and many of which are critical infrastructure. Major pipeline owners in Australia include APA Group, Jemena, AGIG and Santos. “Preventative maintenance can extend the life of the asset whilst also reducing operational costs. Corrosion is generally irreversible and often not practical to repair. If we can extend the life of Australia’s trillion dollars’ worth of buried assets by one percent, that would make a big difference” The technology applies to more than just pipelines, it can be used for large storage tanks, gas and oil wells, transport manmonthly.com.au

ManufacturerFocus infrastructure such as bridges, wharfs, piers, tunnels and fuel systems and underground storage for the defence industry. In addition to monitoring CP, the technology can also monitor induced voltages and currents on buried infrastructure caused by rail, tram and power transmission systems. Subheader: Growing the NT’s manufacturing ecosystem Last year, the Territory Labor Government announced a five-year, $8.75 million partnership with the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC) to administer the Australian Manufacturing Ecosystem Fund (AMEF). AMEF will provide grants to industryled advanced manufacturing projects located in the Northern Territory across the Territory’s priority sectors. Projects need to show to commercialise new products and processes, including transitioning a new product or process from pilot/prototype stage to full commercial operations and support early-stage small scale and pilot research projects in advanced manufacturing.

CI-Tools provides an oscilloscope to easily troubleshoot pipeline issues and interference. manmonthly.com.au

Every project funded under the AMEF requires at least two collaborators - those being a business, manufacturer, supplier, or researcher - with at least one of the entities being Territory based. Charmaine Barrett, AMGC’s NT Director, said there is untapped potential to grow sovereign capability in the Northern Territory. “Since the foundation of the partnership between AMGC and the Territory Government last year, we have already seen an uplift in engagement from local industry with a 500 percent increase in network membership and a growing pipeline of potential projects,” she said. “AMGC knows there is significant potential in the NT to develop new, highly-skilled and resilient jobs by leveraging the region’s vast natural resources, research talent, and manufacturing base to grow the Territories impact both locally and abroad.” Growing the Territory’s advanced manufacturing industry is a key part of our strategy to grow the economy to 40

billion by 2030 and create more jobs. “It’s very well known that we’re a service and supply hub with a smaller baseline of manufacturing,” Barrett explained. “Our work is about expanding the perception of what manufacturing away from just the production umbrella and including the engineers, designers and service industry into how businesses can transition into advanced manufacturing practices. Once they start getting over the initial perception, the innovations happening here are quite mind-blowing.” Minister for Advanced Manufacturing, Nicole Manison said advanced manufacturing will be a major jobs driver of the future in the territory. “This new partnership will provide local manufacturers with the ability to turn their dreams into realities,” she said. “Corrosion Instruments will play a major role in our natural resource sectors, as well as our future water projects. By growing Territory capabilities in advanced manufacturing, we are expanding industries and export opportunities,

creating new opportunities for investors and exciting job opportunities for Territorians.”

First cab off the rank Corrosion Instruments has received the first grant under the AMEF, with $110,000 to establish a local testing, prototyping, and small-batch manufacturing facility to support the local manufacture and commercialisation of its next-generation products. The facility in Palmerston is up and running and is the only one of its type in the Territory. “Without this commitment from AMGC and the Territory Government, we would otherwise have sent the work interstate,” Sam Pattemore said. “The ability to prototype, test and manufacture locally will allow us to expedite commercialisation of future projects, before moving to full-scale production and later export.” “We can prototype many types of electronic equipment. Thanks to the grant we now have the ability to do the prototyping of printed circuit boards (PCBs) here within a day. We’re setting up the infrastructure to be able to do small batch assembly and building automatic test equipment The co-investment will allow for more skilled jobs, with Pattemore expanding his team for the work to be done in the new facility. “Prior to this funding, it was just the four of us. Since then, we’ve hired a logistics and quality officer, an extra software engineer and two casual electronics technicians who are young and wanting to learn,” he said. “We’re building a team of electronics technicians who can do assembly, inspection and calibration.” The company forecasts local manufacture of around 2000 units every year, generating additional revenues of up to $4 million over the first five years of the program. In turn, Pattemore said Corrosion Instruments will be able to grow its local customer base, while expanding its reach into international export markets, with a focus on gas and water security projects. “The company combines rapid prototyping, an inspired mindset lean manufacturing to quickly turn around innovative, high quality projects with customer service at the very core. Manufacturers’ Monthly JULY 2022 21

Internet of Things Digitalising manufacturing operations in a new facility Australian automotive aftermarket service provider MotorOne Group has consolidated its manufacturing into a new, purpose-built facility. Manufacturers’ Monthly finds out how a new project will automate and digitalise processes.

Digitilisation will result in commercial enhancements for MotorOne.

OTORONE Group is Australia’s largest after car care provider and scratch and dent repairer. With a focus on innovation, the company provides solutions to common challenges through automotive intermediaries – a portfolio of brands allows the business to utilise its network and provide strength in numbers. Greg Lewis, CEO of MotorOne Group said prior to this year, manufacturing was the ugly duckling of the business. “We are a manufacturer of a diverse range of products, for the cleaning of vehicles, prevention of paintwork deterioration, protection of interior – you name it, we actually make it,” he said. “In the past, the manufacturing never really was spoken about, because the old plants were small, unattractive old warehouses.” With twelve different business units supporting continued growth, MotorOne needed to iron out inefficiencies in its manufacturing and warehousing. The 22 JULY 2022 Manufacturers’ Monthly

business had four warehouses in Victoria from Bayswater through to Nunawading, all paying rent with four groups of workers, transporting goods in between each other with two trucks. “The loss of productivity was significant,” Lewis explained. “We purpose-built the new facility, so we’re bringing four into one for warehousing. We are now able to bottle, package, label into our warehouse, through to our distribution centre for delivery. It’s streamlined the whole process of what was a clunky operation.” As well as a positive environmental impact from a reduction in transport, the human impact of consolidating into a new Bayswater facility shouldn’t be forgotten. Under the same roof, workers can feel more aligned with a group purpose, as well as the morale boost from entering an intentionally designed, clean building every day. “Our past facilities didn’t reflect the front end of our business at all,” he said.

“In the new facility we have specific demonstration areas for products to our customer base. Customers can visit with a full catalogue on display, seeing the complexities and chemical formulas behind the construction of products. It’s timely for us because we can confidently show off and talk about our manufacturing and how a little Australian company makes world class products.”

Improving efficiency with IIoT In collaboration with the Swinburne University of Technology and supported by the Innovative Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre (IMCRC), MotorOne will harness the Industrial Internet-of-Things (IIoT) to capture and monitor key information on the factory floor at the new chemical plant in Bayswater. The six-month, $295,000 research project automate and digitalise its manufacturing and quality assurance

processes, helping to production processes and support data-driven decision making in real-time. There was a feeling of excitement when Lewis discussed the project, in which MotorOne will replace traditional measuring methods with the accuracy of automation. “The challenge we currently face is that our manual chemical mixing process results in significant variations in final product quality,” Lewis said. “With this project, we are working towards a flexible IIoT solution to improve yield, reduce waste and subsequently bring a more positive environmental impact.” The new solution will allow for closer monitoring of the products as they’re being manufactured, with parameters like mixing time, mixing speed, pH and temperature all assessed in real time. Instead of relying on a test at the end of the process, the added layer of measurement can better identify slight inaccuracies and miscalculation. manmonthly.com.au

Inernet of Things “IoT devices will connect us more directly to the dosing equipment. When you’ve got a complex mix and a complex material structure, you want that direct access, so we’re putting really good control systems into allow for that traceability and control,” he said. “We also might be able to do some process adjustments because we can see exactly what’s happening with the chemical mixing process and the batch as it’s being as it’s being mixed. We can assess the analytics from the whole process and we might learn some things we didn’t know. For example, we might be able to reduce the amount of raw materials that go into a particular

product and still get the same quality results, which saves money. We can adjust our recipes by looking at the data and optimising the process.” This newfound ability to leverage of digitisation will result in commercial enhancements and contribute to the development of new products for an emerging marketplace, Lewis explained. “We’re very excited and we believe this innovation will also enable us to be able to innovate more products to be able to manufacture different types of products for different versions of applications, and maybe not just in the car industry,” he noted. “For example, we make a lot of tech products in the equine

IoT devices will connect us more directly to the dosing equipment. When you’ve got a complex mix and a complex material structure, you want that direct access, so we’re putting really good control systems into allow for that traceability and control.

space. One interesting product our chemist has made is for protecting horse rugs. So rather than replacing horse rugs, we can actually protect them and waterproof them and make them last two, three or four times longer than they normally would. Stepping out of more old-fashioned processes will allow us to continue making innovative products like this.” Peter Hartfield, Chief Information Officer is a Swinburne alumni with 40 years experience in the IT and manufacturing space. Hartfield noticed opportunities for significant improvements for MotorOne, so he approached Swinburne which led to a proposal and co-funding from the IMCRC. “The initial project is to assess what the potential is,” he said. “Once successful, we will then apply the Internet of Things solution to other parts of the business. Our staff are absolutely embracing the opportunity for processes to be digitalised, rather than rely on scales and pouring material. Everyone is excited for the change.” In the current plant, employees use a

large, fixed screen to download recipes and enter ingredients in the tanks. At the new Bayswater building, chemists will have a handheld device where measurements will be entered and recorded automatically. “From an IT perspective, we have the personnel who are equipped to work with this kind of technology,” he said. “When Swinburne is finished with the design we’ll be working closely with them to understand how it’s all been put together and how it gets scaled up to the rest of the manufacturing business.” Swinburne Associate Professor and Research Lead, Prem Prakash Jayaraman, echoed Hartfield’s sentiments that the collaboration will optimise efficiency and productivity. “Over the course of the project, Swinburne and MotorOne Group will work hand in glove to design and build an IIoT solution that seamlessly combines sensing, communication and data analytics,” he said. “By enabling machine-to-machine communication, designing interactive human-machine interfaces and integrating IIoT data with existing

At the new Bayswater building, chemists will have a handheld device where measurements will be entered and recorded automatically.

manmonthly.com.au

Manufacturers’ Monthly JULY 2022 23

Internet of Things

MotorOne will replace traditional measuring methods at its new facility. systems, MotorOne Group is embracing technological innovation and becoming an active part of Australia’s shift towards advanced manufacturing.”

Embracing Industry 4.0 Simon Dawson, IMCRC’s Director, Industrial Transformation said the accessibility to Industry 4.0 technologies is improving. MotorOne’s automation project is an example of a business taking a first step into digitilisation as part of a longer journey, in which IMCRC is contributing $63,000 in co-funding. “It’s becoming easier in terms of costs and complexities for manufacturing businesses,” he said. “At the same time, there is inertia with some organisations, which is why having a collaboration with someone like Swinburne takes the stress out of some of these steps. It’s an interesting balance – there is still reticence in the industry in aligning automation with a business plan. Here you’ve got a really nice combination – MotorOne has a new facility, a growth journey having thought through their business strategy and are helped by 24 JULY 2022 Manufacturers’ Monthly

The readiness assessment module is there to allow organisations to self-reflect, asking how far down the Industry 4.0 journey the are, as well as giving an insight into areas where opportunities exist and whether base foundational tasks need to be prepared for advancement to be achieved. having a partner to add a little bit of extra competence and capability.” Dawson added that by pioneering the design of modular and agile technology, MotorOne Group has the potential to expand its offering and provide the solution to other manufacturing small to medium enterprises for adoption. “These collaborative partnerships between industry and university are invaluable and enable businesses to access the expertise and support needed to more seamlessly introduce and integrate Industry 4.0 into their operations,” he explained. “If a particular solution is

identified for one business it’s important to be able to transfer it across to the broader SME community. Organisations need the confidence to take the next step. Seeing examples of this in not necessarily the biggest companies in the world promotes confidence in the adoption and investment of this kind of technology.” As part of the project, MotorOne Group will participate in IMCRC’s futuremap program and undertake an indepth Industry 4.0 readiness assessment to inform its digital manufacturing strategy. “The readiness assessment module

is there to allow organisations to selfreflect, asking how far down the Industry 4.0 journey the are, as well as giving an insight into areas where opportunities exist and whether base foundational tasks need to be prepared for advancement to be achieved,” he noted. “We can’t go down the Industry 4.0 journey without forgetting it’s about improving what you already have. Identifying factory flow, data management, documentation or process control as an area to improve helps businesses lay the proper foundations for a transition to more automation.” Greg Lewis said in the case of MotorOne Group, the business has a clear vision of where they want to go, which brings exciting prospects. “The opportunity to be involved with other professional organisations to really accelerate the modernisation of our manufacturing will be to the advantage of the first and second-tier customers,” he said. “We don’t talk about this as a short-term investment, this is a five-year plan which will be fantastic for our business.” manmonthly.com.au

ARBS20

16-18 August 2022 | Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre

Source explore cutting-edge products Share unrivalled expertise and solutions Connect network with industry leaders A must-attend event, ARBS 2022 features an outstanding line-up of 200+ national and international manufacturers and distributors. Don’t miss your chance to explore the largest range of HVAC+R and building services suppliers, products and solutions under the one roof. Held over three massive days ARBS 2022 includes access to the highly regarded Seminar Series, now expanded to include the new Intelligent Buildings Technology (IBTech) seminars. The event also incorporates the celebrated ARBS Industry Awards program and gala dinner.

ARBS2022_Visitor_235x297_MM.indd 1

30/5/2022 3:35 pm

Aluminium Shipbuilding

Richardson Devine Marine are specialised builders of lightweight aluminium vessels.

No substitute for quality Richardson Devine Marine Constructions has been building high performance, Tasmanian aluminium ships for more than 30 years. Manufacturers’ Monthly finds out how the company has forged a stellar reputation in conjunction with supplier Capral Aluminium.

ROM Hobart waterfront’s Brooke Street Pier, visitors can be taken to the famous Museum of Old and New Art in a very special ferry. The catamaran is decked out as an evil billionaire’s lair, with an exotic jungle, three bars, wallaby-fur-lined booths and a gold latrine. Built by Richardson Devine Marine Constructions (RDM), “Freya” holds 190 passengers and is custom designed for shallow water requirements. RDM has created Freya for speed, fuel efficiency and a quiet, smooth ride, and its equipment includes a night vision camera for safe evening cruises. Unlike any other vessel in layout or style, “Freya” shows that clients want their boat to be something different to their competitors. From Japan to Africa, commercial operators worldwide seek out RDM’s passenger ferries, luxurious overnight 26 JULY 2022 Manufacturers’ Monthly

cruise vessels, and offshore workboats – each boat built to exacting requirements and specifications. Ron Devine started the Tasmanian business with his business partner Toby Richardson in 1989 from a waterfront Hobart warehouse. The pair now work with a 55-strong team from a purposebuilt shipyard within Tasmania’s shipbuilding precinct on the shores of Prince of Wales Bay. “We’re lucky that In Tasmania we have a boat building tradition,” he said. “Our team is multi-skilled, and proud of what they achieve. We are now working on hull number 79, which means we’ve averaged around two boats every year for 30 years.” RDM’s 1500 sqm construction facility allows for two vessels to be built side-byside, simultaneously while fitting out a

third vessel alongside, on the water. “We can be working on three boats at all stages from keel laying to handover,” Devine explained. RDM’s full-service wharf facilitates final fit-outs and after-sales service; an innovative hydraulically hinged ramp launches and retrieves vessels with ease. Prefabricated modules, frames and components are produced and delivered from RDM’s nearby manufacturing facility where RDM also maintain its stocks of aluminium plate and extrusion. The Tasmanian ship builders choose to use high quality Australian aluminium. Capral has been a longterm partner, supplying RDM since its start-up 30 years ago – today supplying RDM with custom aluminium extrusions, T-bars, aluminium sheet and specialist flat-bars. The lightweight strength of

the aluminium contributes to the high performance of RDM’s craft. “If a catamaran will carry 600 to 700 people, it needs strength and structural integrity, but also needs to be light enough to reach high speeds,” Devine said. “Capral is so much more than just a supplier. Their team in Tasmania are very hands-on, visiting us regularly, continually reviewing their current supply of materials, also considering how new extrusions could impact positively on our overall productivity and operating efficiencies, making it more cost-effective to build our boats.” The strong growth and demand across the Australian naval industry has created a different type of challenge for local businesses using aluminium, who are now faced with supply challenges from material shortages and supplier manmonthly.com.au

Aluminium Shipbuilding Richardson Devine Marine operates from the Hobart waterfront.

capacity. As Australia’s largest producer and distributor of aluminium products, Capral is helping customers like RDM keep up with strong demand. As well as carefully chosen commercial partnerships, Devine added that RDM’s after-sales service is another factor which differentiates it in the market. “Once the design process starts, we present a general arrangement, which is analysed and tweaked to suit the exact needs of the client,” he said. “There’s usually about three months from signing a contract to actually beginning construction on the floor. We take the time to establish what is required.” The craftsmanship and innovation of the RDM team has earned many repeat orders from clients. Devine said Tasmania has always had a strong ship and boat building tradition and industry, attracting, and developing an expert workforce. “Our guys are highly skilled in multiple trades – they can all do anything from welding to a plumbing fit-out. Our team take enormous pride in our reputation for producing high-quality Australian-made vessels that service international waters. We are all genuinely manmonthly.com.au

proud of what we create. We are building our eighth vessel for an African client, have built two for a Japanese client and nine for one Tasmanian operator, World Heritage Cruises out of Strahan.” RDM continually advances the strength and expertise of its team, taking on highly skilled tradespeople and looking out for the next generation joining the industry. Its skills focus contributes to Tasmania’s recognition worldwide as a centre of excellence and innovation in boat and shipbuilding. “It’s about the guys on the floor,” he

said. “They build a quality, Australianmade item for international waters. We are proud of the standard they set.” Current builds include a 53-metre catamaran passenger ferry for African client Azam Marine of Tanzania, to be named Kilimanjaro VIII. The vessel will be longer and broader than the Kilimanjaro VII delivered by RDM in 2019, measuring 53m by 12.5m, with passenger capacity increased from 520 to 620. The new vessel will be delivered in November this year to ferry passengers between the island of Zanzibar and mainland Tanzania.

RDM stands out internationally for its shipbuilding craftsmanship, ingenuity, and service, with its vessels in demand worldwide. While a big part of its success comes down to its customer focus, Ron recognises the real value of a supportive supply partner like Capral. “We work very closely with each of our clients to achieve the design and build best suited to their requirements, it helps immensely to have a partner of Capral’s calibre to work with,” Devine concluded.

From Japan to Africa, commercial operators worldwide seek out RDM’s passenger ferries.

Manufacturers’ Monthly JULY 2022 27

Events Excitement at Avalon returns in 2023 While aviation enthusiasts may wax lyrical about agility and speed in airshow displays at the Australian International Airshow and Aerospace and Defence Exposition (Avalon 2023), industry visitors will study every aircraft for its potential as a business opportunity.

HE first four days of Avalon 2023, from Tuesday 28 February to Friday 3 March, will be all about the business of aviation, aerospace and defence. Closed to the general public, the purpose-built exhibition halls at Avalon Airport will become the region’s largest single aerospace industry networking and marketing event. Avalon is big, by any standard. The 2019 exposition’s trade days broke records, attracting 698 companies from more than 25 nations and more

Avalon 2023 shows the latest in aviation, aerospace, defence and space technologies. 28 JULY 2022 Manufacturers’ Monthly

than 38,000 attendances, including 161 military, industry and government delegations from around the world. It saw 370 of the latest light aircraft, business jets, helicopters, airliners and military aircraft on display, watched some of the world’s most potent machinery put through its paces in daily air displays and attended 36 separate conferences, symposia and briefings on everything from advanced technologies to airport design, major defence acquisition programs, advanced manufacturing

techniques, export opportunities, flight safety and government regulation. And the vast majority will be here again in 2023, including major manufacturers such as Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and Boeing, and suppliers large and small, including many of the 50-plus Australian companies that together have won more than $1.35 billion worth of work on the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. They will come for the opportunities created by the sheer concentration of

industry, government, defence and academia. Avalon 2023 is an industry melting pot for sales, product launches, customer relationship development and market research, for seeking out potential suppliers and for keeping an eye on major competitors. Every Avalon includes formal programs and mechanisms designed to help participants promote to their markets, including: • Specialist conferences and symposia, including conferences of Australian Defence Force chiefs, major government and defence agencies, industry associations and international organisations; • An industry exhibition featuring Australian and international companies, with formal business to business and business to government networking programs; • Australian and international defence, industry, government and scientific delegations, with formal delegation access programs; • Small business and export development programs and presentations; • A prestigious innovation awards program; and • Programs promoting STEM, careers and skilling. Although seasoned campaigners usually arrive with meeting diaries overflowing, the Australian International Airshow and Aerospace and Defence Exposition is still the place where a company’s future can turn on a spontaneous five-minute exhibition stand presentation to a potential customer they may have been chasing for years, or one they discovered as part of the Avalon exposition. And according to Justin Giddings, CEO of Avalon 2023 organiser AMDA Foundation, that is the event’s reason for being. “The Australian International Airshow is specifically designed as a platform for engagement between industry, defence, manmonthly.com.au

Events Avalon provides a shop window for local technology innovators.

The Australian International Airshow is a platform for engagement between industry, government, defence and academia.

government and academia, with formal business-to-business programs to help generate that interaction,” Giddings said. “We have a long track record as the premier aviation, aerospace and defence trade event in Australia and the Indo Pacific region. We provide a shop window for local technology innovators, and we take Australia to the world by bringing the world to Australia. As such we have become an important driver of Australia’s aerospace and defence sector.” AMDA Foundation’s charter is to promote the development of aviation, aerospace and Australian industrial, manufacturing and information/ communications technology resources. Avalon 2023 is a means to that end, providing a major event platform that allows industry associations, businesses and government to simply “plug in” and network as part of the wider aerospace community, because effectively the whole community is there. The event is strong on industry development and has a history of presenting the cutting edge of technology for Australia’s armed forces and civil industry. At Avalon 2015 Northrop Grumman manmonthly.com.au

flew its Global Hawk High Altitude Long Endurance uncrewed aircraft into the event, providing many with their first opportunity to see a military uncrewed vehicle in the metal. Avalon 2017 saw the first in-country public appearance of Australia’s new Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, which returned in 2019 for formal display. Avalon 2019 also hosted the Space Industry Association of Australia’s inaugural Australian Space Industry Conference, designed to chart how Australian industry can play a part in this $400 billion world market. The 2023 edition of Avalon will build on the space theme, welcoming the Australian Space Agency as a sponsor and exhibitor and will be showcasing Australian companies that are already demonstrating Australian ingenuity and innovation as part of the growing international space industry, while growing this sector as an industry in its own right at home. The innovation theme carries through to the event’s own Innovation Awards program. At Avalon 2019 seven Australian innovators were presented with Innovation Awards worth some $45,000.

The winners included an SME whose Sapphire Crystal clock has “fastforwarded” Defence’s Jindalee radar upgrade by 20 years, another whose NonIntrusive-Flight-Test-Instrumentation (NIFTI) package makes it possible to instrument a supersonic aircraft with a “stick-on” test sensor package in a matter of hours instead of weeks, and a young innovator who is using 3D printing technology to build extremely complex rocket motor nozzles that will reduce space launch costs by up to 25 per cent. All have the potential to build capability for the Australian Defence Force, while also offering possible export market opportunities for Australian industry. The Avalon 2023 team also aims to build focus on some of Australia’s critical sectors, such as the aviation maintenance and repair organisation (MRO) sector,

flight safety, regional airlines, business aviation and civil aviation in all its forms. With COVID issues easing around the world, international interest in Avalon 2023 is already strong, as industry welcomes a return to doing business face to face. Avalon 2023 is strongly supported by the Royal Australian Air Force, Australian Department of Defence, the Victorian Government, Airservices Australia, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority and a host of agencies responsible for innovation, infrastructure and industry development. “This is the premier aviation, aerospace and defence event in the region and plays an important role in development of Australian industry,” said Giddings. “We look forward to welcoming the Australian and international community to Avalon 2023.”

Manufacturers’ Monthly JULY 2022 29

Filtration & separation 3M’s high flow capability The 3M High Flow Filter System delivers high flow filter technology in a compact design. Manufacturers’ Monthly speaks with filtration expert Andrew Branson about the advantages of combining filtration efficiency with a smaller footprint.

HROUGH its storied history, it’s clear 3M has held a simple mentality when it comes to manufacturing – believing in technology and innovation to best serve customers. The American company manufactures and converts in Australia at facilities in Blacktown and Guildford, NSW. Worldwide, the company invests 4-5 per cent of sales to bolster manufacturing plants with cutting edge science like robotics, 3D printers and laser cutters. 3M’s High Flow Filter System is a perfect example of innovation converting to practical advantages for customers, as it serves the Australian market so well. Andrew Branson, 3M’s ANZ Senior Applications Engineer, began to explain the company’s mentality when approaching products and how it fits in line with his own career journey. “My love for improving things came from my trade. I enjoy making different things and improving designs,” he said. “I not only enjoying finding new technologies and new ways of improving products, but also finding the right products to match for our customers in applying the technology, whether new or old, to their specific applications.”

High flow ingenuity The high flow system was created to fill a need in the market. In modern industry, finding room for filtration in the plant room is difficult, so 3M created a compact solution which minimises the space while maximising the flow rate. The system is designed to accommodate flow rates of up to 1900 litres per minute in a single 60 inch length filter cartridge. This means customers require fewer cartridges to maintain process flow requirements, and realise reduced operating costs When Branson started working at 3M eighteen years ago, the market was 30 JULY 2022 Manufacturers’ Monthly

offering multiple rounds of a particular cartridge 76 millimetres in diameter. Now, the high flow is larger in diameter and the footprint to achieve the same flow rates takes up three times less space. A compound radial pleat design helps maximise the usable surface area of each filter. The 3M manufacturing process creates the media to produce a more uniform pleat pattern, which, in turn, allows for greater utilisation of the media by evenly distributing the process fluid throughout the entire filter structure, thus enhancing efficiencies “They’re absolute-rated which means that it will take out any of the contaminants of a particular micron, from various sizes, up to 70 microns,” he said. “What we found was when customers had to replace cartridges, they had to manually take out 20 or 30 from the housing. This took up to an hour to simply open the vessel, remove the cartridge, replace them and put the vessel back into service.” 3M saw this common challenge for customers and designed the High Flow Filter System to limit downtime when water or liquids weren’t running. Blown microfiber forms the basis of the filter media, which is manufactured to tightlycontrolled fiber diameter specifications, producing a media with absolute-rated particle retention characteristics. The aim of the game is particle retention – 3M’s cartridge’s polypropylene end caps, outer sleeve, and core protect the pleat structure integrity and provide a robust filter construction. “Bigger diameters in the inside after the filtration, the larger diameter format and specialised pleated cartridges help the flow rate,” Branson explained. “We then found a way just to simply lock the cartridge in – using O-Ring fixing which is far more secure than the old double

The high flow system was created to fill a need in the market.

An ultraviolet system works by actively killing bugs like cryptosporidium and giardia using UV light. But if there’s particles of five microns or bigger in there, then some of those parasites which are harmful to our health become a problem – the kill rates for the UV become less if there’s those particles in there because it gives them somewhere to hide. open-ended – and open the housing. Instead of an hour, the process can be done in around seven or eight minutes. It’s easy as changing a light bulb with the twist-to-lock cartridge mechanism so it makes the change-out process really simple.”

Sanitary housing offer 3M offers housings with 1, 3, 5, and 7 round variations for the 40,60 and 10

inch filters in 316 stainless or in a sanitary housing option for food and beverage applications. The sanitary housing option is a point of difference for 3M, as it continues to support food and beverage manufacturers with scalable solutions. Beer, wine, spirits and bottled water all have a need for consistent quality and flavour – made possible by the right filtration solutions. “We’ve had applications where people manmonthly.com.au

Filtration & separation

3M’s High Flow Filter System converts to practical advantages for customers.

are using town water, but their quality assurance says we want to ensure that we don’t have particles of a particular size,” said Branson. “For example, for your pre-Reverse Osmosis, you don’t want any contaminants into your expensive

A compound radial pleat design helps maximise the usable surface area of each filter. manmonthly.com.au

membranes. We have a system which mitigates risks against this.” “An ultraviolet system works by actively killing bugs like cryptosporidium and giardia using UV light. But if there’s particles of five

microns or bigger in there, then some of those parasites which are harmful to our health become a problem – the kill rates for the UV become less if there’s those particles in there because it gives them somewhere to hide. So you want a reliable product that is going to remove all those micron particles.” Branson explained that the system translates to less headaches for quality assurance departments, knowing there’s reliable clean water through that standard coming into the site, regardless of where the water sources are coming from. “You can also use it in your bottling line,” he noted. “Whether it’s a pre-filter for spring water, whether you’re using it as a pre-filter for beer or wine at a lower scale, it makes sure that your lenticulars and then your final membranes are better protected. It can do the heavy lifting at a very reasonable cost. And of course, if you’re using it in those applications, then the change-out being so quick and easy is an advantage to your throughput and your downtime for your

expensive bottling lines.” The multiple advantages of the system can be used across a variety of industries: • Industrial – municipal water, RO prefiltration, reclaimed water, coolants, nozzle protection, boiler condensate, process water • Chemical – quench water, aquenos salt solutions, final products • Petrochemicals – waterflooding, produced water, enhanced oil recovery, completion fluids, amine sweetening, final products • Electronics – RO prefiltration, process water • Food and beverage – process and blending water, D.E. trap filtration, barrel char removal, final bottling “With 3M, we are constantly improving the technologies that go into our cartridge and the reliability of them is built around our brand,” Branson concluded. “We don’t put things out there which don’t deliver to their full potential. It’s a simple philosophy which you see across the board, not just in filtration.” Manufacturers’ Monthly JULY 2022 31

THREE INTRINSIC VALUES: ACCURACY, RELIABILITY AND EASE OF USE. THE 6X®. OUT NOW! Admittedly, at first glance, you can’t tell what’s inside the new VEGAPULS 6X radar sensor: A high-precision level instrument that doesn’t care if its measuring liquids or bulk solids. Only its colour gives you a hint that it’s going to be great to use.

VEGA. HOME OF VALUES. www.vega.com/radar

Skills & Training Innovative leadership building a sustainable future Saint-Gobain has partnered with Vative to implement Continuous Improvement initiatives across its Australian operations. Manufacturers’ Monthly finds out how forward-thinking and accountability from leadership can transform organisational culture for the better.

LOBAL manufacturer SaintGobain takes 350 years of experience into providing solutions to the flat glass, highperformance materials, construction products and building distribution sectors. Originally a mirror manufacturer in Paris in 1665, the multinational corporation now stretches across more than 70 countries with thousands of employees. In 1972, Flexovit was born as an Australian coated abrasive distribution company in Templestowe, Victoria. By 1990, the acquisition of Carborundum Abrasives placed Flexovit as the country’s largest full-service supplier of quality abrasive products. Almost ten years later, Saint-Gobain purchased the company and changed its name to Saint-Gobain

Abrasives Pty Ltd. Since the 1990s, Australian manufacturing has seen many changes for a myriad of reasons. Saint-Gobain CEO Pacific, Igor Giglio, said the pursuit of Continuous Improvement is a driver for sustained success – and an antidote to complacency setting into operations. “In Australia, we’ve essentially been doing the same job for 40 years,” he said. “Metaphorically speaking, the wheel always has to be round. However, for the past 40 years, we have always tried to improve and innovate – to avoid complacency – especially given the challenges Australian manufacturing has faced over the last 20 years.” Giglio went on to explain that complacency translates to avoidance. “You then avoid the discussion, the

exchange, the problem,” he added. “We challenge complacency by asking the right questions and considering radical changes in mindset. Change has to come with time and you need everyone on board to understand it’s all about the sustainability of the change.” There is no silver bullet for better production, cost savings and an enhanced work environment. Instead, SaintGobain has implemented a Continuous Improvement Framework in its World Class Manufacturing Program (WCM). Continuous Improvement, called Kaizen in lean circles, is a part of lean manufacturing, which is an operating system based on maximising productivity and minimising waste. Giglio described the concept through the analogy of going to the gym. At first, people have a reason

to exercise, whether that’s to lose weight or gain muscle. The challenge comes when they don’t see the results after months of going to the gym because the process takes time and requires consistent effort. “Only after sustained practice do you see the muscles, and you will lose any progress the moment you stop going to the gym.” Introduced by Benjamin Franklin’s writing, the lean concept isn’t new for manufacturers across the world, but its success depends on whether a business can sustain the processes it implements, according to Giglio. “It has to be a part of your DNA,” he said. “It’s not about winning a prize or achieving an end goal. The prize is to win sustainability, customer satisfaction and

Continuous Improvement is a part of lean manufacturing.

manmonthly.com.au

Manufacturers’ Monthly JULY 2022 33

Skills & Training Saint-Gobain is a leader in light and sustainable construction.

reduction of waste, which will lead to a better financial position.” Continuous Improvement isn’t just a set of tools and principles that are thrown onto a production team to implement and drive efficiencies – it is enterprisewide and a part of the organisational culture. To drive that culture, everyone has to buy-in. This is led by the executive team and CEO. “The leadership team at SaintGobain is driven by a common goal and ambition of being the leader of reference in our industry,” he said. “As the only manufacturer of a comprehensive cutting and grinding wheels’ portfolio in Pacific, we collectively believe and strive in providing the most cost-effective price to quality ratio to the market. The COVID-19 crisis has been a good test to our leadership, but a major disruption should always been seen as an opportunity to improve and do things differently.” Giglio noted that Continuous Improvement is a journey – explaining why a business is embarking on a change to usual practices is integral to employee investment. “We had to initially adapt our approach to clarify our overarching objectives, so the ‘on boarding’ of the team could maintain through the journey,” he said. “When we first started WCM, it was sometimes perceived as a ‘top-down push’ by some employees and we were trying to tick the boxes. When it feels like a chore or a burden, it 34 JULY 2022 Manufacturers’ Monthly

becomes ineffective. “The challenge was overcome by simplifying the language, leading by example, while creating a stronger sense of belonging. We finally demonstrated through a few pilot projects the positive outcomes that the program can deliver. “To remain competitive, we had to invest in automation and upskill our workforce. So site Vision and the WCM Roadmap were then cascaded down to all employees. We started to formally collect wastes and losses, and translated this into money. The middle management contributed regularly to the development

of the Single Agenda and the longerterm Vision. Once the Single Agenda was clearly defined, good results were obtained as a result of WCM activities.” Gemba walks is one strategy Saint-Gobain uses to drive a sense of community in its workforce. A Gemba walk usually takes place on the work floor and engages the leadership team with the actual work process and operators. When asked whether Giglio, the CEO, takes part in these walks, he said, “Yes, I do. I need to lead by example. I am challenging myself to do the walk more regularly, too. When employees see the

CEO and executives on the shop floor, it reaffirms that the work is meaningful. We go on a walk every month, the most important thing is engaging with the operators and broader team.” Implementing a Continuous Improvement strategy top-down, bottom-up needs consistent communication across all levels of the organisation and focussed discipline on both the macro and micro objectives. WCM focuses on two key outcomes – operational excellence and customer satisfaction. These outcomes sit on eight strategic pillars which help drive the WCM program: • health and safety • environment and risk prevention • reliability • industrial efficiency • quality and process control • customer focus and service • people development • innovation development and growth In the end, Giglio noted that Continuous Improvement boils down to two key elements – people and communication. “To drive a WCM culture may appear - in a way - pragmatic and simple but these steps will not happen unless the leadership team is visible and engaged,” he said. “We can clearly identify and share the value stream (from the customer’s point of view) and set realistic targets but you must communicate them repetitively and make sure the whole team is on board.”

Saint-Gobain has implemented a Continuous Improvement Framework in its World Class Manufacturing Program.

manmonthly.com.au

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ESSENTIAL SMALL MOLECULES FOR MATTER

Material Handling

The adoption of robotics meant a transition to digitalise and adapt the workshop to enhance the technology.

A productivity game-changer Combilift forklifts have increased efficiency and improved processes for many Australian steel manufacturers. Manufacturers’ Monthly caught up with Des Watkins, managing director of Watkins Steel about the company’s future plans and how Combilift saves time and improves efficiency.

PERATING since 1968, Watkins Steel has serviced clients in the building, mining, and construction industries throughout Brisbane and South-East Queensland. The steel sub-contractor specialises in structural steel and metalwork fabrication, but has adopted robotics and the latest 3D technology to produce a variety of steel structures with increased precision. The business was founded by Des Watkins Senior, and in 2004, his son Des took over the business. Every ten years, Watkins has moved factories and every decade, the company has doubled in size. “By doubling in size and constantly growing, what we found spreading the square metres in our manufacturing facility increased our efficiency by about

36 JULY 2022 Manufacturers’ Monthly

30 per cent,” he said. “But the only we can achieve this is with the Combilift forklifts. Moving away from overhead cranes and having the forklifts driving up the factory – it’s a game-changer. It’s been a revelation for us.”

A forklift to support advanced manufacturing Watkins has invested in an eight-tonne and four-tonne forklift, with another on the way, supporting the company’s evolution from a purely traditional steel manufacturer. In 2014, the company began investing in robotics. The adoption of robotics meant a transition to digitalise and adapt the workshop to better feed the technology. “What determines the efficiency of the robotics is how fast you can get

material into them and how fast you can take material off conveyors,” Watkins explained. “Our big point of difference is we’ve got the excess space, but that’s useless if you can’t use it properly. The only way to use it properly is by adapting to the side-loader forklifts.” Making the change from using traditional gantry forklift to Combilift has made life a lot easier for operations managers on the ground floor, added Watkins. The Combilift CB multidirectional forklift uses manoeuvrability to increase speed, suited to longer length materials such as steel beams. The multi-directional range combines the advantages of a counterbalanced forklift, side loader and very narrow aisle truck in one vehicle. In steel manufacturing, products are often

very long, and with tight workspaces around the fabricators, there is no space to move sideways with traditional cranes. “In short, I’d say that Combilift set themselves apart not only for the quality of their equipment, but how operatorfriendly it is too,” he said. “We have been a traditional steel fabrication business the whole time, but what sets us aside now is the innovation and the equipment that we utilise to make our business successful and a little bit different to a traditional steel fabrication business.” In order to advance its robotics prowess, Watkins introduced laser scanning, creating a digital footprint using the Faro Focus 3D X 130 Laser Scanner to accurately capture the full external or internal detail of any building, site, or environment. As a result, all manmonthly.com.au

Material Handling drawings are accurate before moving to the steel processing and fabrication phase and data is captured with speed and accuracy. Seeing the possibilities for the use of these services outside of the steel industry, Watkins created a new company called Holovision, which provides an extensive range of 3D solutions. “Holovision has grown at a rate of knots, so we now have the Banyo-based company in Melbourne, Mackay, Darwin and North Queensland,” he said. “We’re doing work in New Zealand and have our first job in America next month. I love how fast it’s moving – it does come down to how fast you can get steel in and out which is why Combilift is so beneficial for us.” Laser scanning is powerful technology, able to measure around a million points per second up to a range of 130 metres. A point cloud of millions of surveyed points can be used for a variety of applications in different industries, including site survey and clash detection, volume-metrics, heritage sites, urban planning, building measurement, digital scene documentation and development approval.

Out with the old, in with the new Up until June 2019, Watkins was operating out of one facility in Banyo, Brisbane, and the difficulty at the Watkins Steel has serviced clients in the building, mining, and construction industries throughout Brisbane and South-East Queensland.

Watkins Steel have invested in an eight-tonne and four-tonne forklift, with another on the way. time was the bottleneck caused by the unloading and loading of trailers. “We would have four trailers waiting outside our premises and a truck would take up to three hours to unload, using the traditional method of unloading steel items using overhead gantry cranes,” Watkins noted. Watkins’ Four Step Process – an

award-winning concept– has been implemented to set the business apart from other traditional steel fabricators. It is a unique digital workflow that links an entire steel fabrication and installation process for a project from start to finish, and factors in data such as steel detailing, processing, and installation. The company created the digital workflow by investing in a series of technological equipment that could integrate with Tekla Structures Software for steel detailing. “It involves 3D laser scanning the construction site, and the work area that we’ve been asked to supply steel for. The scanner captures the images of all the hard fixtures on the job site,” explained Watkins. “The second step in the process is the Tekla Structures Software, which is designed to deliver a 3D image of the steelwork that needs to be manufactured, which visualises for the builder or the customer. The Combilift comes in at the third step, and that is the raw processing of materials. The NC1 files, which are developed from Tekla software, are also passed through the third step.”

Pushing innovation further In order to support its recent growth, Watkins has built its own research manmonthly.com.au

and development department. Of the company’s 100 staff, 20 are doing jobs which have only just existed. “With more lines of robotics coming, we’re going to be processing more steel,” he said. “For every line of robotics we commission, we employ an additional 10 people, which is a great argument for robotics creating jobs rather than replacing them. By utilising that technology, there’s massive opportunities in animation, virtual reality and augmented reality. We’ve taken between 3000-5000 man hours per month out of the factory just for the automation and digitalisation process.” Watkins shows complete confidence in Combilift’s forklifts, leaving the ins and outs to his operations manager. “Our team have the discretion to do what they want as long as they answer two questions: will it either make us or save us the cost of the machines. With Combilift, it’s been a no-brainer for us.” Watkins has a vision of end-to-end automation for the steel fabrication process. “There’s not a complete end goal because you can always improve with robotics,” he concluded. “But it still comes down to needing to move steel off the trucks and onto the machines, which is where Combilift has an integral place in the workflow of Watkins Steel.” Manufacturers’ Monthly JULY 2022 37

IBSA MANUFACTURING Developing modern manufacturing through a skilled workforce

Identifying emerging trends and skills shortages Helping Australian businesses transition to advanced manufacturing Converting industry skills needs into national standards Engaging with industry and government Shaping future training and qualifications

“To build sovereign manufacturing capability, industry wants a workforce skilled in product development, new technologies, design and prototyping, along with gaining efficiencies through sustainability and collaborative skills.’’ Sharon Robertson Chief Executive Officer, IBSA Group

ibsa.org.au shaping workforce skills for the future

Metal Coatings & Repairs Brauntell repairs fuel tanks off mining trucks.

Titomic solutions revolutionising safety and performance Manufacturers’ Monthly speaks with Brauntell about how Titomic’s low-pressure cold spray technology can speed up equipment repair whilst providing improved safety.

TARTING as a family business, Brauntell’s new beginnings under managing director Mark Farrell started with half a dozen staff. Dedicated to a vision of technology and innovation, the Hunter Valley based fabrication and maintenance business has grown to just under 100 people, specialising in supporting the mining industry. The business co-manufactures dump truck bodies and mining buckets with a Chilean partner, who designs a fourpiece body which arrives to Australia on standard freight. Innovation and strategy consultant Scott Farrell said Brauntell pieces the equipment together and can deliver them to a particular site. “This is heavy engineering where you can manufacture and repair items up to 100 tonne in the workshop,” he said. manmonthly.com.au

“We also project manage rebuilds on big equipment sometimes using mechanical providers.” Brauntell has worked with Titomic for over five years and has recently become Titomic’s NSW Authorised Service Provider for the mining, manufacturing, water processing, and oil and gas industries. Titomic Authorised Service Providers are companies which have been thoroughly assessed by Titomic and demonstrate extensive market access, strong skillsets, and have been specially trained by Titomic to utilise the cold spray equipment to provide coatings and repair services to the highest levels. These measures ensure the highest quality service and that equipment is regularly serviced and maintained. Cold spray is a process typically

used in the remanufacturing of engine components and restoration of various equipment and surfaces. The system is comprised of a hand-held spray gun, two powder feeders and a touch screen controller in an IP50 case. Using metal powder, compressed air, and singlephase power, it can repair damaged components to original conditions in only a few minutes. Titomic Kinetic Fusion utilises the supersonic particle deposition of metal powders to create industrial-scale parts. To build upon this, Titomic acquired a Netherlands-based cold spray technology company, Dycomet – now Titomic Europe at the end of last year, which has a portfolio of portable cold spray solutions, materials and the provision of servicing, spare parts, and consumables for its systems.

Titomic Europe has offered low and medium-pressure cold spray technology solutions to various industries since 2006. Farrell said the technology is a gamechanger for operations. “It’s somewhat of an intruder into our space,” he said. “We asked Titomic to come up with something that’s handheld as well as robotic, and when they came back with this handheld device, it was the perfect marriage.” The first advantage of cold spray which sprung to Farrell’s mind was safety improvements. As everyone in the manufacturing industry is aware, safety isn’t something to be taken lightly – and Brauntell has seen an immediate impact to be had from using cold spray in their newest projects. The company repairs huge 6000 litre Manufacturers’ Monthly JULY 2022 39

Metal Coatings & Repairs

The Titomic D523 System.

fuel tanks off mining trucks in which they have traditionally had to empty out, make explosion-proof, then transport in a special cradle back to a workshop where they can test and fix the cracks with conventional welding methods. The tank has to be remounted and transported back to the original site, where it can be filled up with diesel and be ready to use. Titomic’s cold-spray technology will allow Brauntell to walk up to the tank in the workshop, while still mounted to the truck, assess the leaks, then cold spray, filling the holes and completing the job on the spot. The low-pressure component of the technology means the maximum temperature is 50 degrees, with no possibility of explosion and no manhandling required “The safety benefits and risk reduction are outrageous,” he said. “Previously we would have to go through all of these now unnecessary steps, but this gun allows us to do it on the spot. We will be using it in the mining industry, but also in a range of other applications. There’s a lot of enduser cases for the technology, especially in corrosion protection.” “For example, we can galvanise in

location post-installation. Instead of a manufacturer sending the steel to a galvaniser, all of the joints which might be affected by sea water, acidic areas, we can fix on the spot.” The process works by firstly cleaning the damaged area from contaminants. Then, a specially selected powder is sprayed onto the surface of the damaged area. Where the material impacts the surface at supersonic speed, it is compressed into a solid layer by the impact energy. Brauntell will be able to coat the existing surface – regardless of metal makeup including glass and plastic, ferrous, non-ferrous and nickel metals – with a variety of corrosion resistant materials. For instance, if a weld repair on a boat or an oil rig is exposed, manufacturers can coat the repair at the end of the process with a non-corrosive coating, virtually galvanising it on the spot. On top of that, cold-spray can metalise plastics and glass manually and robotically whichever is easiest for the user. “There’s a lot of salvage ability, but for manufacturers, the biggest benefit is for

those jobs where they don’t want to leave the shop or invite others in to perform the tasks. They can control their own functions.” With cold spray, Brauntell is targeting process plants, oil and gas, defence, and mining sectors. Around the world, Titomic Europe’s clients include household brands such as Rolls-Royce, Mercedes, Airbus, Siemens, Volkswagen, and several leading universities. Farrell explained that the various offshoring issues are bringing back the desire to manufacture in Australia, so Brauntell is exploring the advantages of cold spray. “The low-pressure machine is somewhat limited in certain applications, but it’s extremely cost-effective and beneficial,” he said. “The manufacturing potential is immense. Even if you use a different process, you can use the low-pressure machine for lastminute applications in a non-heated environment. It’s so effective for coatings, deficits, or touch-up jobs. I think it will be taken up across a lot of different industries once people get their head around its potential.”

Brauntell is looking to bolster its own manufacturing capability.

40 JULY 2022 Manufacturers’ Monthly

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Skills & Training Achieving digital fluency in advanced manufacturing Digital skills are becoming essential across all sectors of manufacturing. IBSA Group explains to Manufacturers’ Monthly the skills development priorities essential to building sovereign capability and economic growth – and what manufacturers can do to improve digital fluency across their workplace.

Digital fluency and digital literacy are two terms which can help manufacturers navigate digitalisation.

ECENT industry estimates show 87 per cent of manufacturing jobs now require digital skills. As the digitalisation of manufacturing is accelerating, workforce skills program developers, IBSA Group said employers have an opportunity to gain from a workforce with the right digital skills through upskilling and reskilling the current workforce and ensuring new entrants have got the necessary capabilities. The demands of digitised manufacturing within more automated facilities using Industry 4.0 require workers to create new solutions and products. Speaking with an array of manufacturers across many different spaces. Manufacturers are often willing to embrace some digital practices, but the transition from traditional operations takes a clear plan and expertise to execute properly. 42 JULY 2022 Manufacturers’ Monthly

Those that have adopted digital technology and trained their workers to utilise it have experienced productivity improvements greater than their competitors who have not adopted the technologies IBSA Group’s Scaling Up: Developing Modern Manufacturing through a Skilled Workforce captures insights from manufacturers, union leaders and peak bodies and shines a light on exactly what challenges are impacting manufacturing in the digital space. The report shows the skills response over the next year will need to be focused on COVID-19 recovery. In the longer term, special efforts in digital literacy, automation skills and data management are needed. Sharon Robertson, CEO of IBSA Group, said there was strong and clear consensus from manufacturers, training organisations, peak bodies and unions

operating within the sector of the need to provide more work-based learning and apprenticeship training opportunities that create pathways to higher skills development. “The clear need for the development of advanced skills from the platform of work-based learning was identified. One of the key recommendations of the report is greater recognition of apprenticeships as pathways to higher qualifications and higher learning,” she explained. “The manufacturing sector wants to see a system of apprenticeships that incorporate extensive STEM-based skills that provide qualifications equating to a diploma or advanced diploma.’’ IBSA identified that existing qualifications in manufacturing sectors need to better reflect contemporary requirements of new technologies, data analysis and compliance awareness. According to Robertson, the adoption of

technology will require non-technical skills in areas other than production as well. Sales and distribution, marketing and logistics are all changing substantially with the implementation of new technologies and associated production processes. “If the recovery out of COVID-19 has shown us anything, it’s that we can’t be slow in responding to the need for change,’’ she said. “Manufacturers have been responsive and flexible in responding to the challenges of the last couple of years. The skills sector needs to be just as responsive to take advantage of the opportunities that lie ahead for Australian manufacturing and the industry’s current and future employees.’’

Drivers of digital fluency Digital fluency and digital literacy are two terms which can help manufacturers navigate the digitalisation of processes. manmonthly.com.au

Skills & Training In the 2020 ‘Global Digital Fluency Study’, Accenture explains digital fluency should be thought of in a similar manner to speaking a language. If someone is literate, they understand the basic tools of speech, such as reading and speaking. However, if someone is fluent, they can create something new with the tools, such as craft a poem or engage in robust conversation. A joint project by the Digital Skills Organisation (DSO) and IBSA Group is underway to establish an industryendorsed definition of digital fluency that reflects Australian manufacturing needs. The project will create a digital fluency standard specifically for the manufacturing sector which reflects the skills workers need to integrate different technologies to create new solutions and products and thrive in a digitally enabled world. The manufacturing industry Digital Fluency Standard will be supported by self-assessment tools and pathways to upskill across a range of job roles. The DSO and IBSA Group are conducting an employer pilot, focused on identifying a more agile response to addressing the digital skills needed by the manufacturing sector. Through working with employers and Swinburne University, a dual sector university providing both vocational and higher education programs, the pilot is codesigning a skills-based approach to assess a person’s existing level of digital skills and determine what support, if any, they need to further develop their skills. DSO Chief Executive Officer Patrick Kidd said that by using and defining skill standards, learners will have something which they can be assessed against, and employers will be given more confidence about the people they employ. “Digital skills have until now been poorly understood by employers, learners, and even training providers. This needs to change, and we want to help guide this transformation.” Industry heavyweights are showing interest in the concept as they continue to adopt more automation. For example, BOSCH Manufacturing Solutions, a global supplier of technology and services, is interested in supporting this project as an example of how high-end companies can contribute their expertise to help democratise digital literacy and fluency skills and embed them further across the manmonthly.com.au

manufacturing industry. By digitally networking many parts of the manufacturing chain – from ordering to dispatch and the upstream supply chain – productivity can skyrocket. Implementation of technology can significantly increase productivity but you still need a highly skilled workforce to maximise that productivity potential. In the case of digital technology that are typical of industry 4.0, this means the workforce must be digitally fluent. However, accessing real-time information on processes through IIoT can provide early warnings on quality or productivity problems and the future is trending only one way. In the automated, smart factory setting, workers need to be digitally fluent as well as literate. Across the Tasman, a study on the New Zealand manufacturing industry predicts that by 2030, the sector is expected to see a significant drop in physical and manual skills and a significant increase in technological skills. In particular, “general equipment operation/navigation” such as assembly line work will decrease the most and advanced IT skills such as coding, programming and cloud computing will see the largest increase. For use in the manufacturing sector, the DSO’s digital fluency standard will

need to be tailored to the concepts of Industry 4.0, rather than just focusing on general IT proficiencies. Employees will also need to know how to identify inefficiencies and stoppages in the production pipeline using real-time data and data analysis.

Strategies for enhancing digital skills The DSO recommends taking a “skills based approach” when it comes to training employees. This approach takes into account the specificity of each individual worker, evaluating their capabilities based on the skills they’ve developed from prior training and experience. It is a reality that some workers are more digitally fluent than others, so patience is required to align everyone with skillsets for the tasks at hand. Regardless of someone’s education, employers can improve a businesses’ digital prowess by clearly articulating job requirements to attract fresh or midcareer professionals, drawing up digital skills maps, reskilling existing employees to a similar level of digital capacity and investing in further skills for career development and skill upgrades. In recent industry research, conducted

as part of the project, employers listed ‘Use software/mobile applications to perform routine and simple workplace tasks’ and ‘Managing and storing information’ as the skills that were seen as the most relevant to the manufacturing sector. With only 4 per cent of employers saying their workers had ‘The ability to interpret information and design content,’ it’s clear that reaching digital fluency isn’t achievable overnight. To help with this challenge, IBSA’s Sharon Robertson concluded that its research clearly shows the critical importance of digital fluency across the manufacturing sector. “The aim is to help clarify what this means in practice for employers, to assist them in their workforce development activities,” she says. “We are encouraging employers in the manufacturing sector to get involved in the project to ensure the outcome is as relevant as possible.” A good starting point is for employers to benchmark their workforce’s digital skills and fluency. Two ways to do this are register your interest for the pilot project by emailing joinus@digitalskillsorg. com.au, or take a short self-assessment survey: https://digitalskillsorg.com.au/ employers/.

Incorporating digital skills into training can be a challenging transition for manufacturing businesses.

Manufacturers’ Monthly JULY 2022 43

Laminates Laminex Australia makes top ten Best Places to Work Laminex Australia has been recognised as one of the best workplaces in the country in the Australian Financial Review’s prestigious BOSS Best Places to Work list 2022, Manufacturers’ Monthly discovers.

AMINEX Australia’s outstanding commitment to providing a supportive, challenging and rewarding workplace has secured it a top spot in the Australian Financial Review’s Best Places to Work list for 2022, ranked at number 10 in the Manufacturing and Consumer Goods Category for the second year in a row. Proudly Australian, the company has been a part of Australian life for more than 85 years and has continued to support the local economy in committing to operate all its manufacturing processes locally. Laminex Australia manufactures high-pressure laminate, compact laminate and wet-area panelling, decorated MDF used for cabinetry doors, raw particleboard and MDF in their various sustainable plants across Australia. As a subsidiary of Fletcher Building, the business has expanded to become one of the largest employers in their domain. To secure a competitive edge as one of Australia’s leading manufacturers, Laminex Australia has invested heavily in its employee-focused initiatives and training, with the hope to cultivate an aspirational working environment for employees. “Our employees are the backbone of our business, so it’s important to us that each staff member feels valued and engaged at work,” Laminex Australia executive general manager Justin Burgess said.

Through a focus on culture, Laminex Australia is passionate about viewing things differently to achieve the best result.

44 JULY 2022 Manufacturers’ Monthly

For the second consecutive year, Laminex Australia has been named one of the Best Places to Work in Australia.

“We are committed to championing innovation through all pillars of our business, from product development through to our internal communications, which has allowed us to cultivate a nurturing, engaging and agile working environment.” The Australian Financial Review (AFR) and BOSS magazine Best Places to Work awards are based on a rigorous assessment process managed by Australia’s leading behavioural science consultancy, Inventium. This includes a written submission and a staff survey examining policies, practices, and programs that help businesses to support their teams. The awards celebrate successful organisations who are pioneering best practices in areas such as wellbeing, flexibility and equality, and pushing the boundaries when it comes to workplace policies and practices. With an underlying focus on culture, Laminex Australia is passionate about looking at things differently to achieve the best result. “Our focus is to innovate and be quite smart, and to lean in and think about how

to compete in a global market,” Burgess said. “I passionately believe we can do that and be successful. I think that creates a unique proposition for us to challenge the status quo and not be afraid to reinvent ourselves, to stay relevant in Australian manufacturing.” This has manifested in its Work from Anywhere arrangement which sees that all non-operational staff can work from any location, every day of the week. The company’s flexible work model has allowed Laminex to employ people from all over the country, rather than being confined to their Melbourne roots, and employees have enjoyed the benefits of spending more time with their families, being able to prioritise their health and save money by eliminating their daily commutes to work. Laminex Australia’s remote working policy has also allowed the company to explore new online tools of communication to ensure its teams feel just as connected as they would working full time in an office. One means to achieve this is the company’s internal LaminexLive TV show, which allows Laminex Australia to educate its

employees on macro trends that will impact the business in a dynamic and engaging way. The interactive learning experience introduces global trends – such as climate change, The Great Resignation, or supply chain issues – and then brings it into a Laminex Australia context with stories from frontline workers who are connected to what is happening. LaminexLIVE has been integral in the company’s ability to keep employees engaged and connected, which is critical to the success of a flexible work arrangement. Laminex Australia’s employee-focused innovation builds upon a well-established workplace culture that spans more than 85 years. “We are incredibly proud to receive recognition for our workplace policies and practices, and we look forward to expanding upon these over the coming years,” Burgess said. “The best is still to come.” For more information about what makes Laminex Australia a great place to work, please visit www.laminex.com.au/careers. manmonthly.com.au

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Welding The ARCAL brand’s most common application is for mild or carbon steel.

Improving safety with high performance welding gases Manufacturers’ Monthly sits down with Air Liquide’s Scott Duncan to find out how its range of welding gases combines safety, quality and production to reduce overall costs.

rc welding is a metal joining process using mainly Argon or Argon and carbon dioxide mixtures as shielding gases. The job is widely used for the fabrication of a wide range of products and structures such as truck trailer bodies, silos, boats, waste bins and compactors, and steel constructions for warehouse frames. Scott Duncan, welding expert at Air Liquide says the company’s ARCAL brand is a dedicated welding gas range which can cover 100 per cent of customer’s welding applications. The five reference products (ARCAL Prime, ARCAL Chrome, ARCAL Speed, ARCAL Force, ARCAL Flux) can cater for any welding application,” he said. “It doesn’t matter what type of wire they use, type of steel, aluminium or transfer mode. There’s nothing a customer isn’t able to do from a welding perspective with those five gases.” The product’s most common application is for mild or carbon steel, followed by stainless steel and aluminium 46 JULY 2022 Manufacturers’ Monthly

projects. A more technical range of ten advanced gas mixtures also exists to assist with more specific welding needs. “It all depends on what the customer wants to achieve,” Duncan explained. “They can focus on different outcomes like faster welding speed, a safer environment, a wider or deeper penetration in which the mixture of different gases will achieve.” These gases are available in cylinders, packs or even in tanks with an integrated mixing unit. Air Liquide’s mixing unit, Liquid ARCAL™ Mixer, is a solution to produce a highly consistent shielding gas mixture for high volume consumers and is particularly beneficial for welding procedures. “The mixer requires no electricity,” he said. “And it can cater for a very high flow rate, up to 100 cubic metres per hour or greater if needed. There’s no buffer tank required and the tolerance of the mixture is very accurate. So if a customer has welding procedures or if a customer is a food manufacturer, they can be sure that

the mixture itself is very consistent day in day out.” The cylinders are another feature which contributes to safety, Duncan said. ARCAL cylinders have industry leading safety features such as our innovative SMARTOP, ALTOP and EXELTO. “Valve protection, certain gauges which read the contents and flow all contribute to it being the safest cylinders on the market,” he said. “Our premium cylinder actually has a dual state regulator which achieves accurate flow and pressure. With a range of features to improve quality, safety, and productivity, businesses can achieve overall cost reduction.” The range of gases can lower the fume reduction that comes from welding, specifically carbon monoxide, which is a toxic gas. As well as this, ARCAL products are designed to minimise spatter from the welding process. “When you reduce the amount of tools workers need to use to clean and operate, you mitigate risk,” Duncan noted. “ARCAL

has valve protection, so if the cylinder falls off it won’t snap. The levers on the valves function as a safety mechanism.” Behind the innovation in which Air Liquide prides itself on, is a strong backbone of technical support. To sit customer-side, the company can leverage off its global network to solve problems. “If customers have any problems, the sales team are readily available. If it becomes more technical, they can contact me. If we need further expertise, we have our technical centre in Japan as well as another couple in France. We have a number of experts in laser cutting, plasma cutting, welding or whatever the nature of the customer’s business.” From the trials that Duncan has done, Air Liquide saves welder an average of $16,000 per every year. What customers can’t put a price on, he said, is improved safety. “Sometimes it’s intangible but accidents can be devastating, so it’s so integral to always maintain and improve the safety of a workshop.” manmonthly.com.au

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Repairs & Services The global brands of Altra Motion provide world class power transmission components.

Maintaining engineered products with expert service Manufacturer’s Monthly sits down with Altra Motion’s national support team to discuss the company’s growing service ambitions and expertise in the Australian defence market.

LTRA designs, engineers, and manufactures quality couplings, clutches and brakes. What sets the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) apart is its diversity of products – with 26 world-renown brands and specialised products. Customers can source multiple components from one company, which provides more convenience, compatibility and simpler procurement management. Diversity in product translates to capabilities in many applications and industries, including marine, defence, mining, energy, food processing, steel, material handling, packaging, shipping and ports, and crane and hoist. Standing firmly behind Altra’s power transmission and motion control products is a strong base of superior service – consolidated in 2012 with the beginning of the company’s service division. The division is rapidly growing to meet customer needs across the country, providing the benefits of direct 48 JULY 2022 Manufacturers’ Monthly

dealing with the OEM. Technical Staff are sourced, factory-trained overseas and developed with broad experience across various key markets both in the workshop and field. Bernard Trevenar, national service manager for Altra’s Service Division, said the OEM has the technical and engineering capabilities to eliminate costly downtime. “If any adjustments are required or small repairs, we carry them out on the spot to ensure that the system is functioning correctly,” he said. “We have increased our stock holdings for service spare parts, creating faster turnaround times for serviceable items. However, there is always room to improve further by understanding our clients’ requirements and providing predictive maintenance.” Trevenar said Altra’s products enable the company to provide service solutions across multiple serviceable items such as

gearing, couplings, brakes and backstops. The manufacturer has three service facilities in Sydney, Perth and Mackay with qualified service technicians to support on-site and workshop requirements – and a new facility is set to open in the next month, providing an even faster response to customer needs. The strategically located facility in Newcastle will support the region. It will be led by its NSW, VIC & TAS Service Manager, Craig Kelly, who has been servicing power transmission products his entire career. On-site, Altra’s Technicians undertake detailed inspections to service products, write a detailed report and ensure everything is operating at the proper parameters based on OEM specifications. “Realising the critical nature of our products, we take a proactive approach to service programs,” Trevenar said. “It gives customers peace of mind knowing that Altra Motion can come to them if a

component is too difficult to disassemble. Because our couplings, brake and clutches are components within a piece of overall equipment or critical infrastructure, every application is different. We work with the customer to provide the correct support, maintenance, and servicing levels and meet their specific requirements.”

Defence capability Daemon Flack, sales manager and product specialist, said Altra goes to great lengths to ensure the product stays at its greatest capacity for its entire life cycle. “The EU has to make sure that if the Altra Product is serviced, the priority should be to have it serviced by Altra, thus ensuring that only genuine Altra product parts are used,” he said. “This gives the product the best opportunity to remain “fit for purpose” for its intended life cycle. Furthermore, if serviced by Altra, the product is returned to the EU with manmonthly.com.au

Repairs & Services full manufacturers’ warranty as to when the product was first procured. A good example is the Hobart Class Destroyers, where Altra has been servicing the hydraulic and braking systems for numerous years. To Altra’s knowledge, the systems have never failed while the vessels have been engaged at sea.” Altra has Australian Industry Capability (AIC) capability, a tremendous advantage in the defence and marine markets. The AIC was introduced in 2016 to provide opportunities for Australian companies to compete on merit for defence work within Australia and overseas. In 2020, the Australian government announced improvements to the enforceability, measurability and accountability of AIC plans in Defence contracts. The changes were made to ensure the AIC Program remains effective in enabling the government’s defence industry policy of maximising the opportunity for Australian industry involvement in meeting Australia’s defence capability needs. So Altra Motion

has a big part to play. “AIC provides opportunities for Altra Australia to compete on merit for defence work within Australia,” Flack explained. “With this in mind, Altra’s Global Manufacturing becomes a sub-contractor and can supply

site and factory product service and aftermarket supply.” Altra Motion can also utilise local manufacturing for ancillary fabricated equipment. Flack added that business and opportunity had increased tenfold in the Defence Market over the last few years.

Realising the critical nature of our products, we take a proactive approach to service programs. It gives customers peace of mind knowing that Altra Motion can come to them if a component is too difficult to disassemble. original equipment into Australia to the Defence Force and affiliated T1 companies, knowing that nationally Altra Australia can supply 100 per cent local support with engineering backup, procurement (including Importation and Exportation), site commissioning,

“AIC compatibility gives Altra Motion Australia more opportunities to be involved with Defence projects at ground or T1 or T2 levels,” he said. “Through past Australian Governments, the Defence Force has suffered from a lack of funding. Consequently, a recent inquiry into the

Defence Force found a lot of equipment was antiquated, needing to be either updated or replaced with new supply.” Altra Motion Australia is contracted to inspect, test, and adjust all brake and hydraulic systems to ensure they are operating within Altra’s original equipment commissioning specifications. In addition, a significant defence project Altra is currently working on has six-monthly inspections on multiple naval ships while carrying out service repairs on the shaft brakes and rectifying issues found as part of the inspection process. Bernard Trevenar concluded that when Altra sells a product, it guarantees support throughout its entire life. “Our customers want to know that they’ll be able to depend on us when they buy a product,” he says. “This leads to greater uptime, as our staff assists during scheduled shutdown periods. In addition, keeping everything in working order avoids potential unwanted delays and downtime.”

Altra Motion has service facilities around the country.

manmonthly.com.au

Manufacturers’ Monthly JULY 2022 49

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Events After years of COVID interruptions, ARBS returns in 2022.

What to expect from ARBS 2022 With Air Conditioning, Refrigeration & Building Services (ARBS) 2022 approaching in August, Manufacturers’ Monthly speaks with ARBS chairman Tony Arnel about what delegates can expect from one of the most respected business events in Australia. Q: It’s been extremely difficult organising any events or exhibits over the last couple of years, how does it feel for person-toperson trade shows to resume? A: With COVID-19 restrictions on travel now removed we are looking forward to reconnecting as an industry in a faceto-face setting. For many of us there has been a large pause on just being able to go to an event, meet up with friends, connect with new people, and network. Knowing that ARBS 2022 is just around the corner is creating a sense of anticipation, and the excitement will only continue to build as the event approaches.

Q: What is the purpose of ARBS for the businesses who are exhibiting? A: ARBS is Australia’s only international air conditioning, refrigeration and building services trade exhibition, to be held over three huge days from 16-18 August 2022, at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC). The exhibition this year has a focus on emerging trends and technologies including smart IoT solutions, automation and control, refrigerants, energy efficiency, and sustainability. ARBS 2022 provides exhibitors an

unmatched opportunity to showcase their most innovative HVAC&R and building service products, services, and solutions to the entire industry under one roof. Q: Who are some of the major players involved in this year’s event? A: We have a large list of major exhibitors including multi-national giants like Daikin, LG Electronics, Fujitsu, Panasonic, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Mitsubishi Electric to name a few. We also welcome the major wholesalers such as Beijer Refrigeration, Reece Group, Airefrig Australia and a host

of international and local manufacturers like Actron Air, Carel Australia, Temperzone, ebm-papst and Seeley International. All the major industry players, together with a huge range of SME suppliers and distributors, will be present at ARBS 2022. Q: Who should attend the event and how can they register? A: ARBS 2022 is a must-attend event for the entire industry as it connects global exhibitors and leading industry experts with contractors, consultants, engineers, technicians, and trades to showcase

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Manufacturers’ Monthly JULY 2022 51

Events the most extensive range of HVAC+R and building services solutions in the southern hemisphere. Registration is now open, is free and grants entry into the exhibition across all three days. Registering in advance is the smart way to avoid the queues as the ticket is sent directly to your mobile phone or email. Register online at www. arbs.com.au. Q: What does the state of Australia’s HVAC&R and building services industry look like after COVID-19? How has it changed? A: COVID-19 changed the way Australians think about air quality. Indoor environment quality, once invisible, is now a priority for businesses committed to the health and wellbeing of their people. The Australian HVAC&R and building services industry is now squarely in the spotlight like never before, elevated in the minds of every Australian. Q: What will the Intelligent Buildings Technology zone (IBTech@ARBS) bring to the event? A: IBTech@ARBS is a precinct within the exhibition and also forms part of the seminar program, dedicated to the very latest intelligent building technologies. Smart innovation is driving the development of new products and solutions for digitised buildings, and today we are witnessing key systems with

greater integration and connectivity. As smart building solutions continue to evolve, they allow property developers and owners to reduce costs, improve energy efficiency and enhance occupant comfort. But smart technology must be complemented with smart people – and ARBS’ strength is in its ability to bring everyone from across the industry together to share ideas and innovations. Q: Why is the industry awards night important in recognising particular businesses? A: The Industry Awards night will take place on Wednesday 17 August at Crown Palladium. Our industry thrives on innovation – and the Awards not only celebrate that innovation but also communicate it to a wide audience so that knowledge is shared and spread. The Awards are also an important night for us to come together as an industry to cheer on our colleagues and competitors, and to celebrate our collective strength. Q: How does the seminar series work? Is it online or in-person? A: Our seminar program will once again be available completely in person. We have a bumper range of diverse learning and updates happening over the three days of the exhibition. Details can be found online at www.arbs.com.au

ARBS chairman Tony Arnel. Q: What can delegates expect from the presentations at ARBS? A: Our seminar program is developed by a committee of experts from all disciplines who are currently involved in the industry. They know what the audience wants to learn right now and the skills needed to tackle the issues ahead on the horizon. The seminars are presented by experts in each area of topic matter and also involve lively panel discussions where solutions can be discussed to common industry problems. Q: What has struck you about ARBS since you were appointed as chairman? Why is it an important tool for industry? A: The sheer size and scale of ARBS has always impressed me – there is, quite simply, nothing else like it in Australia’s property and construction

industry. But what has struck me since becoming chairman is how much people crave face-to-face connection. ARBS is far more than an exhibition. It’s a connector and a celebration of a sector that is mission critical to the health and wellbeing of all Australians. Q: Are there any other interesting features of the event which you can tell me about? What kind of size are you expecting? A: ARBS 2022 will cover more than 15,000 metres square with over 250 exhibitors. We are looking forward to welcoming more than 8,000 visitors over the three-day event. With over 45 seminar sessions, numerous meetings, associations holding AGMs, celebrities signing autographs on stands, and major product launches and competitions, it is a whirlwind of activity.

About ARBS 2022

ARBS is Australia’s only international air conditioning, refrigeration and building services trade exhibition.

52 JULY 2022 Manufacturers’ Monthly

ARBS 2022 takes the health and safety of its exhibitors, attendees, and staff seriously and will operate with a valid Victorian government COVIDSafe Plan. Where: Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) Exhibition dates: 16-18 August 2022 Register: www.arbs.com.au Cost: Exhibition – free of charge, trade visitors only Seminars – costs to be advised with final program Awards Presentation Dinner – costs to be advised

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Industrial Equipment AIP races to assist flood clean-up in Northern Rivers Advanced Industrial Products (AIP) has played a key role in the clean-up process across Queensland and Northern New South Wales during the recent flood event in the region, Think Water Northern Rivers said.

EVERAL weeks ago, Northern NSW experienced some of the worst flood waters in its history, with the city of Lismore and surrounding areas left to deal with significant infrastructural damage. Communities across the region are slowly beginning to rebuild, largely thanks to the support from local businesses offering services and product wherever possible. When Lee Rothwell from Think Water Northern Rivers reached out to Advanced Industrial Products (AIP) for help, there was not a moment of hesitation to assist in any way possible. As a long-standing customer, Think Water knew they could rely on the team at AIP to drop everything and come to their aid. Think Water is a member owned Australian and New Zealand irrigation supply business, offering sale and servicing of water management solutions such as pumps, filtration systems, piping and spray equipment. They work within a broad range of sectors including commercial, agricultural and residential projects, but suddenly came under pressure as the town’s clean-up process was getting underway. With the Northern Rivers other resources being largely inaccessible due to road closures, the lack of available dewatering equipment for their homes and public areas was becoming desperate. As the owner of Think Water Northern Rivers, Lee is no stranger to the region’s flood-prone climate. He explains that in response to warnings from the SES, the town had already begun to prepare during the heavy build-up of rain. “We are surrounded by river networks here with the Tweed to the north, Richmond to the south, Clarence below that and Wilson River to the west. It is sometimes difficult to ascertain the severity of rainfall from where we are on top of the hill, especially because every flood is different due to the different catchments in the area. The difference this time was that all the rivers were already running full, and the soil was 54 JULY 2022 Manufacturers’ Monthly

On hearing that Think Water Northern Rivers was desperate for stock, AIP ensured that everything was delivered in time.

soddened from previous rainfall.” As a result of the severe flooding already taking place in Brisbane, the Pacific Highway was under threat of being cut off from the south, meaning many transport companies were beginning to take their equipment back down to Sydney and off the roads. Lee explains that once the rain stopped and the flood waters began to recede, the extend of the damage became apparent and clean up needed to begin. “Because of the type of service we provide, we work alongside lots of different industries – everyone needs water supply. We are connected with Ballina Shire Council, Lismore City Council, and Tweed Shire Council. All of the infrastructure for municipal sewage and water supply – like the many caravan parks in the area - went under, including all the electrical.” AIP is one of Australia’s most established suppliers of industrial grade hoses, valves and associated fittings. Acquired by Motion Australia in 2019, the company spans across 180 locations and over 1,600 employees throughout Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia. Sustainability is at the heart of what they do, delivering exemplary customer service and forming trust-driven supply relationships with their customer base. “Lee Rothwell from Think Water

Northern Rivers rang me up on the Saturday,” says Mark Hodson, Sales Representative at AIP Brisbane. “Normally I don’t look at work stuff on the weekend that much but with the floods, I was watching the news and suddenly noticed my phone ringing. As soon as I could, I got in contact with our warehouse supervisor and organised to get the order put together first thing Monday morning.” As a well-known and trusted provider of hosing equipment, AIP has been playing a key role in the clean-up process across QLD and Northern NSW. Upon hearing that Think Water Northern Rivers was desperate for stock, Mark got to work ensuring that everything went smoothly to have it delivered in time. “I went down myself to help pick the order – I don’t live too far away from the warehouse, so I made it work. There was no way that courier transport could get through at that time, so we loaded up two utes with all the stock, drove down and exchanged the goods at Chinderah. We met them in the middle essentially, because otherwise it would have been days.” Most of the products Mark transported were from the Powerflex range, along with numerous fittings and accessories required to link and connect the hose pipe. The order included wash down and fire hoses and suction equipment to pump water out of low-lying basements. According to Lee,

the two initial priorities for flood recovery involve rinsing everything down and getting water supply back up and running – both reliant on having enough of the right hosing materials. “The team at AIP were already working to keep up with demand from Brisbane, so we were incredibly relieved when Mark said he could transport the order himself,” says Lee. “We met in a carpark at Chinderah to swap the stock. It was such excellent service, and it gave us an opportunity to support our community in a time of crisis.” As a member-to-member franchise, Think Water relies on strong supply partnerships, such as their one with AIP, to build a network of loyal customers across the area. Knowing that they can trust in the quality of product, designed to supplement expert water management solutions, keeps Think Water in a position to respond quickly. “These are unusual times, so it is important we go that extra mile to support our community the best we can,” reflects Mark. “Lee was extremely grateful for the effort we went to, because for him it was not just a money making thing – he was looking after the community and needed those supplies. We aim to offer service like that all the time, but in this instance, we were happy to go a little bit further.” manmonthly.com.au

Industrial Equipment Walterscheid’s new clutch testing service offers peace of mind Walterscheid, specialists in driveline systems and tractor attachments, have developed a new torque testing rig for overload clutches to eliminate uncertainty and the risk of premature failure.

VERY business wants to get the most life and wear out of their equipment. Higher production rates and reliability lead to a sound return on investment, meaning less expense in the long term thanks to fewer breakdowns or replacements. This is where preventative maintenance comes in – a scheduled program to assess and fix any potential issues before they cause irreversible damage. Depending on the machine or component, preventative maintenance can be carried out prior to installation, and at regular intervals throughout the service life. Systemising equipment performance like this, rather than only carrying out ‘reactive’ maintenance,

has offered industrial businesses a way to assess risk on an ongoing basis. This understanding is what led the team at Walterscheid to develop a newly designed torque testing rig for overload clutches. Walterscheid has been dedicated to servicing Australia’s agricultural market since 1983, specialising in premium driveline systems and tractor attachments. As a Motion Australia owned business, they are pleased to offer diverse, thorough, and relevant services in tandem with a broad product range. Their newly developed torque testing rig has been made available, to eliminate uncertainty and the risk of premature failure. Walterscheid can now carry out detailed assessment on any overload clutch

Walterscheid’s torque testing rig for overload clutches. manmonthly.com.au

Walterscheid’s new torque testing rig supports preventative maintenance and ensures higher performance and reliability. prior to leaving the factory or during maintenance servicing. Correct clutch fitting is a critical safety measure, and this testing procedure can ensure that the equipment is working correctly before use. Andrew Sawyer, business manager at Walterscheid describes how this thorough approach to preventative care ultimately leads to higher performance and necessary reliability in the field. “We received a friction clutch from a primary producer, who urgently required the unit to be rebuilt. He thought there may have been an easy way to repair and save money but once it was stripped down and we added all the parts he requested, the clutch was still not coming up to specification on the clutch tester.” “After explaining this to the customer we advised what was actually required to be done, eliminating all shortcuts to make it right and bring the clutch back to the correct specification and safety limits. The repairs were all completed, and the clutch was tested correct to specification and returned promptly back into service. He was very thankful for the honesty and service turn around to get him back in the paddock.” If a clutch installed on a PTO drive

trips too soon, operators are likely to see repeated unit failure and subsequent production downtime. An incorrectly adjusted overload clutch on Round Baler, Rotary Hoe or Power Harrow systems can be both a safety and financial concern, so the opportunity to carry out thorough testing is an incredibly useful resource. This example of Walterscheid’s transparency and alignment with authentic customer service shows that experiential knowledge is critical in providing effective aftercare advice. Equipment such as the new torque testing rig can allow customers faster turnaround on PTO drive assessment, giving Walterscheid faster leads on the necessary maintenance or replacement requirements. Walterscheid’s ethos of ‘offering new solutions to old problems’ rings true with this introduction of this new solution. Overhauling units is often crucial to achieving longer product lifecyle, but misaligned parts upon reassembly is not an uncommon issue. Having the ability to run thorough testing before a clutch is re-issued can give both the supplier and customer an added level of trust going forward. Manufacturers’ Monthly JULY 2022 55

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Industry 4.0 Carbon fibre wheels incorporate Industry 4.0 PAD printing to enhance the product’s durability and testing.

Revolutionising Industry 4.0 carbon fibre wheels Carbon Revolution CEO, Jake Dingle, and chief technology officer, Dr Ashley Denmead, tell Jade Psihogios how they have evolved the production process of their wheels to enhance the sustainability of their complex carbon fibre product.

ustralia’s movement toward the fourth industrial revolution has been seen as a difficulty due to a lack of manufacturing bases, visible in competing countries. A 2020 report released by Australia Institute’s Centre for Future Work revealed that Australia ranked last with all other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) economies in producing manufactured goods. It disclosed Australia was producing two thirds more manufacturing output than it consumes, making it an underdeveloped and expensive industry. Only in October 2020, when the federal government invested $1.3 billion into its Modern Manufacturing Initiative (MMI), had businesses seen opportunities to commercialise ideas and integrate expensive technologies into their manufacturing. Businesses can now apply

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for grants of a minimum of $1 million to a maximum of $20 million to create jobs, scale up and compete internationally. For Carbon Revolution, it was an opportunity to strengthen the factory and enhance the production of their lightweight carbon fibre wheels and produce sustainably at a faster, more cost-efficient pace. Founded in 2007, Carbon Revolution began with the goal of providing disruptive efficiency technology to all vehicles, with the first single-piece carbon fibre wheel made by hand for a Deakin University Formula SAE race car. Since then, the design of the wheels was iterated many times to become one of the most complex carbon fibre products. Carbon Revolution is now celebrating its 50,000th single-piece carbon fibre automotive wheel, designed to be fitted to the rear of a Corvette Z06. Sold at the Waurn Ponds Victoria Factory, the rear

wheel is the first five-spoke design and the largest wheel to enter production. Carbon Revolution’s CEO, Jake Dingle and chief technology officer, Dr Ashley Denmead, explained how the adoption of web 4.0 technologies enhanced the carbon fibre wheels into an environmentally and cost-efficient wheel that commercialised carbon fibre into a global setting.

Industry 4.0 technology Carbon Revolution’s adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies started early in their origins. This was due to the company prioritising traceability, data, and digital production to make their wheels faster and reduce cost. One of the areas Carbon Revolution applied Industry 4.0 is their tooling, where the carbon fibre moulds are placed and heated before the resin is injected to form a wheel.

Using virtual product development technologies, Carbon Revolution can simulate wheel durability and stiffness and measure control temperatures and pressures during the insulin process and before the wheel emerges from its tooling. Compared to the first wheels, which were made by hand with long cycling times, the production process has become highly automated, Denmead said. “Over the past 15 years, we have iterated this architecture which ensures that carbon fibre piles are placed in the optimal direction to maximise the strength of the wheels as efficiently as possible,” Denmead said. “This makes our wheels much lighter than aluminium wheels and ensures they stand up to the numerous multidirectional forces a wheel is subject to.” However, their main position of adoption is the use of big data and Manufacturers’ Monthly JULY 2022 57

Industry 4.0 Carbon fibre future

Carbon Revolution’s team celebrates the 50,000th wheel sold in front of the Geelong facility. machine learning. Live data analysis and automated recognition of out-ofprocess or in-process data ensure that issues can be identified before a human operator notices them. Automated processes like their high-pressure resin transfer moulding capture data de-risk the production and provide a better understanding of how they can continue to improve the process. “We can use these machine learning platforms to pick up patterns or abnormalities that a human eye wouldn’t see as quickly,” Denmead said. “This means we can rectify issues much sooner, saving a lot of time and money in reducing reworks or scrappage and meaning that we can reliably meet the volume requirements of our OEM customers.” Live data also enables the running of event simulations, working out the optimal way of ensuring tools are still hot when they are transported to different parts of the factory. They can position robots in the optimal place to transfer them onto a conveyer, ensuring safety and efficiency than having a human operator handling a dangerous tool. The adoption of Industry 4.0 technology is crucial due to the wellknown barriers of geography and labour cost, Denmead said. “The way to overcome these is to get smart and efficient, and that’s what Industry 4.0 technology allows us to do,” he said. 58 JULY 2022 Manufacturers’ Monthly

“Innovative manufacturers around the world are adopting these technologies to stay ahead of the curve, and Australian manufacturing companies should not be left behind.”

Case studies To prove the wheels’ efficiency, Carbon Revolution carried out early testing using techniques that were favoured by OEMs. First contacting European OEMs in 2010 to find out what was needed for the wheels’ validation, they conducted testing with the TÜV in Germany to develop a validation program drawing upon both OEM and aftermarket standards. These tests were carried out to ensure the wheels’ performance in impacts like potholes, kerb strikes and fatigue, simulating thousands of kilometres of hard driving, Dingle said. “A good example is Bi-axial fatigue testing, which is performed in a sophisticated rig and uses a robotic arm to press the wheel against a rotating drum, loading up the wheel in both vertical and axial directions,” Dingle said. “The forces are based on laps of Nürburgring racetrack… covering the equivalent of over 300,000km on a vehicle. This test is favoured by the major global OEMs but is typically not part of aftermarket industry testing, so we created our test protocols which encompassed all stringent OEM checks and added extra because we wanted OEMs’ confidence in the strength and

durability of our wheels.” In the development of the recently released C8 Z06 Corvette wheel, GM engineers subjected the wheel to no less than 30 different testing rigs, processes and simulating extreme conditions to ensure the strength and durability of the wheels. “One aspect of any wheel’s validation is to take it through repeated testing cycles at progressively higher loads, excess of what would be experienced in a real-life track or road setting to simulate failure mode,” Dingle said. “Not only were the loads required to simulate failure of these wheels higher than any we have seen, but the way the wheels failed was considered to be safe due to the properties of our carbon composite construction.”

Carbon Revolution currently has six programs in production with three global OEMs – Ford, Ferrari, and General Motors – with a further nine programs in development, including four for electric vehicles (EVs). Carbon fibre allows the production of thin aerodynamic structures without a weight penalty, opening design flexibility for EVs. The low density, high stiffness and damping properties of carbon fibre mean that the wheels can also reduce the transmission of noise, vibration and harshness for the EVs. “We are very excited about the electric future, particularly because our wheels are so well suited to EV applications,” Denmead said. “Many OEMs are going to great lengths to reduce EV road noise, but the solutions involve adding weight to an already heavy vehicle. Our wheels reduce road noise and at the same time offer massive reductions in weight.” The new programs will see the company move from the performance space to supplying wheels for higher volume vehicles, including SUVs and pickup trucks, bringing lightweight carbon fibre wheel technology to a broader cross-section of the automotive space. “Our next 50,000 wheels will be made to the same superb quality as our first, but we will make them faster,” Dingle said. “We are looking forward to achieving many more milestones in the coming years, with new wheel programs entering full production at much higher volumes than previously.”

Carbon Revolution’s CEO Jake Dingle (left) and chief technology officer Dr Ashley Denmead (right).

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Thermal Mass Flow Meters excel in hydrogen (H2) measurement Engineers and plant operators responsible for producing, using, dispensing, or distributing hydrogen (H2) gas will find accurate and rugged flow meter solutions in the ST Series Thermal Flow Meters from Fluid Components International (FCI). These precision H2 calibrated flow meters provide a range of products for any pipe diameter and virtually any installation conditions and require no routine maintenance. Hydrogen is again a focus of global attention as a renewable energy fuel resource. Production processes from fossil sources, biomass and waste and H2O-splitting are capturing worldwide investor attention as brown, green, grey, and blue alternative fuels. It is also a key gas used in ammonia manufacturing in the agricultural chemicals industry, methanol production and other processes. Regardless of the source, accurate, repeatable and reliable flow meters are a critical component in the processes. Hydrogen-calibrated thermal mass flow meters are well suited to meet the conditions of these applications. Thermal mass flow meters work based on the principles of heat transfer. H2 has a very high heat transfer rate and to measure it with high accuracy and repeatability, a thermal flow meter should be calibrated in actual H2. Applying theoretical gas equivalency equations to “correct” readings for H2 are simply inadequate and ineffective for this gas. FCI’s ST Series thermal flow meters are calibrated under customer installation conditions in actual hydrogen to achieve superior installed accuracy and repeatability in their intended application. They are direct mass flow measuring and inherently multivariable providing both flow and temperature outputs. Thermal mass flow meters with their no moving parts design also virtually eliminate wear, breakage and maintenance. The ST series has a wide selection of process connections, including compression fittings, NPT male and female threaded connections, flanges, ball valves, hot taps and more to ensure installation site compatibility. The ST family offers solutions from small, compact meters with basic 4-20mA analogue output to feature-enhanced versions with multiple 4-20mA outputs, digital bus communications such as HART, Modbus, Foundation Fieldbus, and Profibus, in-situ calibration, self-checks, on-board data logging, and more. Furthermore, all FCI ST Series H2 flow meters are direct mass flow measuring, carry global agency approvals for installation in Div.1/ Zone 1 environments, and offer superior ruggedness and long-life with NEMA 4X/IP 67 rated low-copper content aluminium or 316 stainless steel enclosures. Standard turndowns of 100:1 and flow ranges from 0.07 NMPS to 305 NMPS ensure their application versatility. The ST’s transmitter/electronics can be integrally mounted with the flow

body or may be remote mounted to 305m away. They are available in either DC or AC powered versions. Their readout/display options include basic flow rate and totalizer to a best-in-class multivariable digital/graphic backlighted LCD with FCI’s exclusive through-the-glass activated 4-button array. In hydrogen applications with limited straight-runs and/or for operating in transitional flow ranges that can adversely affect accuracy and repeatability, ST Series Flow Meters are also optionally available with and calibration-matched to Vortab Flow Conditioners to ensure installed performance. Company: AMS Instrumentation & Calibration Phone: (03) 9017 8225 Website: www.ams-ic.com.au

O2D500 – Object Recognition Sensor Would you like to check several different objects for their correct position and object properties with just one vision sensor? Whether it is a contour detection or a BLOB analysis, the O2D500 Vision Sensor from ifm can solve a variety of error-proofing and inspection applications throughout the manufacturing process in just one device. The new O2D Vision Sensor is ten times faster with a four times higher resolution and lots of illumination features, making complex applications remarkably easy to solve. Using 2D inspections of surfaces and contours, this vision sensor is able to detect missing retaining clips, threads that have not been milled properly, too much adhesive or incorrectly shaped components. A huge upgrade of the O2D500 is the integration of the complex image processing algorithms into the award-winning software environment, the “ifm Vision Assistant”. Application wizards guide users through the parameterisation process and make it easy for vision system beginners as well as experts, who want to solve simple applications really fast. This is how ifm combines the power of vision systems with the simplicity of a sensor. Company: ifm efector Phone: 1300 365 088 Website: www.ifm.com/au/en

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Manufacturers’ Monthly JULY 2022 59

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