MM Nov 2020

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NOVEMBER 2020

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MANAGEMENT >> TECHNOLOGY >> SOLUTIONS

NOVEMBER 2020

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28 Ensuring safe access at every facility

30 Why every manufacturer should have a defibrillator on site

36 New pavements built from old tyres

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Copyright Manufacturers’ Monthly is owned by Prime Creative Media and published by John Murphy. All material in Manufacturers’ Monthly is copyright and no part may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means (graphic, electronic or mechanical including information and retrieval systems) without written permission of the publisher. The Editor welcomes contributions but reserves the right to accept or reject any material. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy

Manufacturers’ Monthly Contents 6 Editor’s Note

28 Equipment Safety

38 Software

8 Comment

30 Safety

40 Lubricants

17 News@MM

32 Manufacturing Strategies

43 What’s New

24 Industry Focus

34 Compressors

46 The Last Word

26 Lifting Solutions

36 Sustainable Manufacturing

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The opinions expressed in Manufacturers’ Monthly are not necessarily the opinions of, or endorsed by the publisher unless otherwise stated. © Copyright Prime Creative Media, 2019 Articles All articles submitted for publication become the property of the publisher. The Editor reserves the right to adjust any article to conform with the magazine format.

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The COVID-19 pandemic has opened up a new era for manufacturing in Australia, with the federal government announcing $1.5 billion towards the Modern Manufacturing Strategy. Australian manufacturers have stepped up to the challenge of adaptation. The Association for Manufacturing Excellence (AME) helps organisations and individuals achieve their Lean manufacturing goals and respond dynamically to changes.

Find out about the latest training and how you can develop your company’s “Pathway to Excellence” with the

Lean Sensei tool. We also spoke to Bailey Ladders about their new Modular AccessExperts System.

The MAS in moving construction offers a flexiblePrefabricated and safe solution to reach those hard to reach places.

Speaking of safety, sudden cardiac arrest is a leading cause of workplace death in Australia. We spoke to ZOLL Medical about the importance of having a high-quality defibrillator at your manufacturing facility. We also spoke to Tyre Stewardship Australia about their latest innovation projects.

Find out more about permeable roads combilift.com made of recycled tyres on page 37.

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MANAGEMENT >> TECHNOLOGY >> SOLUTIONS

NOVEMBER 2020

A peerless solution for the efficient handling of high value, long and awkward loads, Combilift is a perfect fit for steel and metals, timber and contrete fabrication industries.

Equipped for stamina over large sites, our solutions are a practical alternative to overhead cranes even when ground conditions are poor.

DELIVERING LEAN MANUFACTURING SKILLS IN THE ONLINE ERA

From our straddle carriers, which can lift and transport up to 120 tonnes, to our most compact pedestrian stackers, there is a Combilift for any lifting and handling task, in every industry.

Cost effective Time saving

Safest, high quality handling Fast installation

IMAGE CREDIT: Dominic Loneragan

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28 Ensuring safe access at every facility

30 Why every manufacturer should have a defibrillator on site

36 New pavements built from old tyres

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Comment

SYED SHAH – Managing Editor, Manufacturers’ Monthly

The place beyond $1.5bn

P

RIOR to the global pandemic, manufacturing in Australia had already been on the move towards the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies because of the increasing need for efficiency and product differentiation. Still, the adoption rate was not going as quickly as many had hoped and associations such as the IMCRC and the AMGC have pushed strongly for it year on year. Then, following the pandemic, the supply chain landscape changed very quickly.

Some businesses thrived because they pivoted well while others are still looking to find an adequate footing. Help plans from the federal and state authorities came in the form of funds and grants, but none so much as targeted as the most recent $1.5 billion Modern Manufacturing Strategy that will be invested over the next four years.

Amid the COVID fracas, for many,

6 NOVEMBER 2020 Manufacturers’ Monthly

it is a welcome injection on top of the other relief funding for businesses like the JobKeeper and JobSeeker Payment programs. Sectors covered would be the resources and critical minerals processing, medical products, recycling and clean energy, defence and space. Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, said that the strategy was the core of the government’s JobMaker plan to help the country recover economically from the COVID recession. From a funding perspective, he looks to be headed in the right direction. Shadow ministers like Louise Pratt and Brendan O’Connor, while acknowledging the relief, have labelled it as an “insult” to the industry because of substantial slashings to R&D tax incentives over the past few years that could have potentially put the industry on the backfoot.

Regardless, the pandemic has been a stern reality check for

the country’s economy and the manufacturing sector in particular.

There have been stronger calls for the Made in Australia products now more than ever, not only in the food and beverage sector but across everything else. Last month, following NSW Premier’s comments about Australians “not being good at building trains”, there were strong reactions from the manufacturing community. Geoff Crittenden, Weld Australia’s CEO urged longterm procurement commitment from state governments so that rail industry manufacturers will have the confidence to reinvest in their own capabilities and strengthen the industry from within, to create jobs and support local families.

In the interviews with our valued partners during the later part of 2020, they have mentioned that one of the most important things to survive the pandemic was to keep supply chains

stable. Stock of high-value parts is more critical than ever because sea, land and air freight services have been affected and are constantly recalibrating to suit the changing conditions to the safety requirements during this period. So, it is also timely, in this newly announced Budget that there is a $107.2 million Supply Chain Resilience Initiative that will look to bolstering domestic and global supply chains from a local perspective.

In all, the government’s investment is a great opportunity, especially for those in the listed focus sectors (as per the Budget), to scale up.

Hopefully, the strategy leads manufacturing in Australia to be more competitive, resilient and innovative moving forward. From a manufacturing standpoint, it is great that the government has renewed its push in the sector, so any more addons to this investment moving forward will surely be welcome too. manmonthly.com.au

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We have provided capital to kick-start many innovative, real-world applications for tyre-derived products such as Protectiflex (a blast mitigation cementitious mix), water permeable pavements, cattle and rail crossing mats, concrete road barriers and reinforced crumb rubber concrete.

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Comment

GEOFF CRITTENDEN – CEO, Weld Australia

Measurable gender diversity targets in industrial sectors essential to post COVID-19 economic recovery

W

ELDING has always been male-dominated. The trade conjures up images of burly men handling heavy machinery in dark, dirty, spark-filled workshops.

But, with the advent of automation and other advanced welding technologies, this image is becoming more and more antiquated; welding is a far less dangerous, arduous job than ever before. Increasingly, Australia’s world-class workshops are light, bright and clean. High-tech equipment manufactures cuttingedge parts for the likes of the aerospace and defence industries.

As the welding industry has evolved, so has the demand for employees. The welding industry doesn’t just want more women; it needs to more women to survive.

According to the latest job demand data from the National Skills Commission (released in July 2020), around 30 per cent of recruiting employers are having difficulty filling their vacancies. And this is despite relatively low recruitment rates and an increase in the number of job seekers since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Respondents indicated that “lack of applicants” was the most common problem (mentioned by 44 per cent of employers), followed by “applicants lack experience” (27 per cent), and “applicants lack technical skills” (20 per cent).

This lack of skills and experience is little wonder, given that successive state and federal governments have slashed funding to TAFE. And, under one of the most ridiculous policy experiments ever undertaken

by Australian governments – the marketised delivery system – TAFE is now forced to compete with private providers for student dollars. TAFEs simply do not have the capacity or capability to upgrade or modernise courses and curricula, or to develop new qualifications designed to

8 NOVEMBER 2020 Manufacturers’ Monthly

There is an increasing number of job vacancies for structural steel and welding trades. capitalise on the emerging needs of advanced manufacturing.

This lack of skilled workers is compounded by the fact that over 35 per cent of Australia’s existing welding workforce is aged over 45 years. This heavy proportion of older skilled trade workers, particularly welders, puts into focus the looming issues that industrial sectors are likely to face when baby boomers finally reach retirement age – welding positions will simply become impossible to fill, particularly given the projected increased demand.

In fact, 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.

It is little wonder that welders are expected to be more in demand than ever. There are several large-scale, high-value projects on the horizon,

from the federal government’s $90 billion Naval Shipbuilding Program, through to major infrastructure projects such as the $12bn Sydney Metro project, and the $5bn Melbourne Airport Rail Link.

Add to these the major projects that federal and state governments are fast-tracking in effort to bolster the economy post-COVID-19 – like the $10bn inland rail project, the Marinus Link between Tasmania and Victoria, and the expansion of Olympic Dam in South Australia – and the demand for welders is galvanised.

And yet, the number of welding trade workers in Australia dropped by eight 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.

How to solve the looming workforce crisis So then, what is the solution to this looming workforce crisis?

Increasing diversity in the

workplace is possibly the best way to alleviate the looming skills shortage.

Every effort needs to be made to encourage women to become welders.

At the moment, women account for less than one per cent of Australia’s welding and fabricating workforce. This is a staggering statistic. To put this into perspective, on average, women comprise 48 per cent of Australia’s entire workforce.

Greater participation of women will not only benefit the industrial sectors, it will boost Australia’s economy.

We only have to look to history to see how the greater participation of women in the workforce can boost both the industrial sector, and the overall economy. Throughout World War II, with men conscripted and the workforce considerably depleted, women were actively recruited into jobs that had always been male dominated.

Fictitious characters such as “Rosie the Riveter” and “Wendy the Welder”, symbols of a newfound feminism, were created to empower and inspire women to take up trades. Women were trained in a variety of trades and worked manmonthly.com.au

in factories and shipyards, such as those at Fishermans Bend in Melbourne, building fighter planes.

In total, 200,000 women joined the workforce during World War II, forever transforming the role of women in society. Female workforce participation increased 31 per cent between 1939 and 1943.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has revealed the budget will be in the red by $184.5bn in 2020-2021, marking the largest deficit since World War II. The participation of women in the industrial sector played a significant role in the World War II economic recovery – it must do so again now.

The benefits of a career in welding for women The rise in women’s employment rates since 1974 has improved Australia’s economic activity by 22 per cent, but perhaps more significantly, the personal gains afforded women by boosting their workforce participation have been immense.

Providing a wide range of viable career opportunities for girls and young women has been critical to ending the cycle of employment disadvantage and disparity.

There are many advantages are 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.

In addition, a career in a trade like welding can open up opportunities for women start and run their own businesses as a pathway to financial security and independence.

More and more, welding is becoming a high-tech trade. The modern welder must be skilled in robotics, computer programming and engineering. They must have an affinity for maths and science, as well as artistic and spatial skills that enable them to quickly and easily conceptualise ideas.

Plus, they must have the patience and temperament for precise, manmonthly.com.au

A career in welding can open up opportunities to run a business. exacting work. Given all these specialist skills, welders have access to extremely well-paid jobs that offer the flexibility and mobility that modern women –particularly working mothers – need.

Encouraging women into the welding trade The federal government recently announced that it will invest $1.2bn to support Australian businesses to employ 100,000 new apprentices or trainees as part of Australia’s COVID-19 economic recovery plan.

From early October 2020, businesses that take on a new Australian apprentice will be eligible for a 50 per cent wage subsidy, regardless of geographic location, occupation, industry or business size.

This investment by the federal government provides a major opportunity to increase the number of female apprentices in the welding industry. It is the perfect time for women to explore new industries, new career pathways, and new horizons.

Weld Australia is asking, if not demanding, that the federal government set a target to achieve much-needed improvements in the gender composition of Australia’s trades. We call on the federal government to ensure that 30 per cent of all new apprentices and trainees funded through their recently announced $1.2bn investment are offered to women.

Now is the time for positive action.

It is the only way that Australia’s economy will recover post COVID-19.

A 30 per cent target should come as no surprise to the federal government. According to the government’s own Workplace

Gender Equality Agency, in an increasingly competitive and global operating environment, gender equality is critical to an organisation’s success. It improves business performance, decision making, innovation and even recruitment – all factors essential in rebuilding our economy.

Overcoming barriers to entry To help overcome one of the major barriers to women entering the welding industry – a lack of engagement and information about trades careers at school – Weld Australia has launched an exciting, innovative pilot – the New South Wales Advanced Manufacturing School Outreach Program.

Supported by the New South Wales government, with funding provided through the Department of Education’s Vocational Education and Training Program for Secondary Students, this brilliant program is being rolled out across 16 state schools.

The program is designed to not only showcase welding, but to demonstrate the possibilities made available by modern, advanced software and systems.

It has a complete STEM application, and demonstrates how advanced technology fits into modern manufacturing.

Students who participate in the program will have access to augmented reality welding simulators for the first time, allowing them to fast track and maintain their welding skills in a completely safe environment.

While new to Australia, these types of programs have been in place overseas for almost a decade.

Since 2011, the American Welding Society has promoted careers in welding at careers expos and schools in more than 25 states, using virtual welding simulators. In 2012, the US Manufacturing Institute launched a mentorship for a new generation of female workers.

In the US, Women Who Weld, Weld Like a Girl, and other similar initiatives have taken this one step further. Rather than encouraging women to embark on standard

training programs—traditionally dominated by men—brand new training programs have been established. These programs feature alternative instruction models, classes exclusively for women (many of which are taught by female instructors) and subsidised costs.

Weld Australia is committed to ensuring that Australia develops and maintains a world-class, modern welding workforce. To facilitate this, greater engagement in STEM skills and emerging technologies by our high school students is essential. We need governments across Australia to support and fund school outreach programs, as well as new, innovative programs tailored specifically for women, that encourage careers in STEM, such as welding.

The benefits of a wide labour pool The welding industry and the broader industrial sector will see enormous benefits in employing greater numbers of women. Welding is not, and cannot be, an occupation that is only available to men. After all, the best talent is drawn from wide labour pools.

Australia must tackle workforce development in a new way. If women fail to join Australia’s welding labour pool, it will become too shallow. Our industrial, manufacturing and infrastructure sectors will flounder. The Australian economy will suffer.

In a post COVID-19 world, irrespective of how much funding the federal government invests in training and apprenticeships, Australia’s economy will not recover unless we maintain 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.

Manufacturers’ Monthly NOVEMBER 2020 9

Comment

SIMON DAWSON – Director Industrial Transformation, IMCRC

PhD internships in Manufacturing: Creating practical pathways to Industry 4.0

E

NCOMPASSING technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), robotics, 3D printing, automation and predictive analytics, Industry 4.0 has changed how manufacturing industry is operating.

Yet, as this rapid transformation in technology gains momentum in Australia, manufacturers are still cautious in taking “the first step” and struggle at times to find the right people to help them begin their Industry 4.0 journey.

Recognising these challenges, IMCRC has partnered with

Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute’s (AMSI) all-sector, alldiscipline APR.Intern program to bring unique PhD talent to the manufacturing workplace, putting new Industry 4.0 technologies and digital business models in reach of Australian SMEs. Over the past year, the partnership has seen students who have just completed their PhD in areas such as computer science and mathematics, as well as specialist technologies like additive manufacturing, gain hands-on industry experience.

More importantly the program gave manufacturers a platform to connect with emerging talent enabling them to jointly explore opportunities, adopt new technologies and streamline processes through shortterm, tightly focused projects.

Offering a different perspective Highly trained in their respective fields, PhD students bring a unique set of problem solving and analytical skills to the manufacturing table.

They possess deep knowledge and

sound research capabilities enabling them to approach a task or industryspecific problem from a different angle. This diversity of thinking can be critical to helping businesses make important break throughs in research and development (R&D), planning and execution, leading to innovative outcomes.

When engineering company Varley Group wanted to explore Industry 4.0 technologies for their organisation, they reached out to APR.Intern and IMCRC to help them find the right person to help them

Industry 4.0 has changed how the manufacturing industry is operating in today’s context.

10 NOVEMBER 2020 Manufacturers’ Monthly

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Highly trained in their respective fields, PhD students bring a unique set of problem solving and analytical skills to the manufacturing table. make this breakthrough. Deakin University PhD student Mojtaba “MJ” Izadi was identified and brought on board with his unique skills and expertise.

Under the supervision of Pierre Sidorow, Varley Group’s business improvement manager, MJ led a project to investigate the impact of virtual reality on manufacturing and how it could potentially be used to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of Varley’s existing manufacturing processes. To exploit the full potential of the technology, MJ also reviewed the suitability of different organisational concepts to establish a more collaborative, co-operative and collective manufacturing environment.

“MJ’s research opened our eyes to the future direction by exploring processes underpinned by the adoption of technology. The research has enormous potential for

advanced manufacturing processes, new materials and significant cost savings,” said Sidorow.

Bringing new thinking Throughout the internship MJ was supported by his academic mentor Professor Bernard Rolfe of Deakin University. This supervisory support helped stretch MJ’s and the project team’s thinking as well as manage expectations and ensuring that agreed project goals and milestones were met. His direct involvement also provided Varley Group access into the bigger pool of research expertise available at Deakin University which – if and when needed – helped address arising problems.

The direct involvement of a research organisation opens the doors for exciting discussions – especially around Industry 4.0, where the possibilities are endless.

By collaborating and tapping into

researcher’s expertise, manufacturing businesses have a unique opportunity to discover why, how and in what way Industry 4.0 technology can help transform their business.

Varley Group CEO, Jeff Phillips, commented that MJ’s research has been of great value to the business and could help shape the next 20 years of Varley Group’s industrial development, saying, “Varley now has a positive stepping-stone to move towards an improved future – one that embraces Industry 4.0.”

Bridging the gap and accelerating business transformation Collaboration is one of the most powerful catalysts when it comes to the uptake of Industry 4.0. With new technologies developing at such a rapid rate, bringing in experienced capabilities able to provide a rapid acceleration in thinking has to be a good thing, especially when grant support is available to help reduce

the costs to the business.

“Our partnership with the IMCRC is transforming industry-university engagement in the manufacturing sector. Varley is an inspiring example of a business bringing on PhD-level research expertise to accelerate R&D and deliver manufacturing innovation.

Our short-term PhD student internships offer a cost-effective solution for businesses, of all sizes, to experience the benefits of academic collaboration,” said Lisa Farrar, APR. Intern national program manager.

So far, IMCRC collaboration with APR.Intern has proven to be beneficial to both PHD students and the manufacturing businesses that place them. Six PhD students have successfully completed an internship position. Three students were offered full-time employment at the end of the internship – MJ being one of them. Following the internship’s success, Varley Group offered MJ fulltime employment in a newly created role of Technology Improvement.

An opportunity not to be missed Australian Postgraduate Research Intern – APR.Intern - is a non-for-profit, government supported program that connects innovative businesses with Australia’s brightest research talent through short-term PhD student placements. Over three to six months, businesses are able to fill skills gaps and benefit from rapid R&D results while retaining all IP. In addition to an Australian Government 50 per cent rebate, the partnership between APR.Intern and IMCRC offers manufacturers up to $10,000 in funding support. This brings down the cost of a 3-month PhD student placement to $5,000 for IMCRC affiliated organisations and $7,500 for nonIMCRC affiliated organisations.

Business Benefits: • Rapid Results in 3-6 Months

Manufacturing businesses have a unique opportunity to discover why, how and in what way Industry 4.0 technology can help transform their business.

Quick outcomes through high-impact research projects • Access Government Funding R&D rebates available through APR.Intern • Retain Intellectual Property All project-related IP remains with the business • Fill A Skills Gap Fast-track innovation with PhD student and mentor expertise • Minimal Administation No HR costs, all facilitation by APR.Intern The time to tap into PhD expertise to fast-track an Industry 4.0 project and bring their unique skillset to the manufacturing table is now. The APR.Intern offer expires on 31 December 2020.

Find out more at (https://aprintern.org.au/business-info/costs-rebates/ partnerships-imcrc/)

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Manufacturers’ Monthly NOVEMBER 2020 11

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Comment

CHRISTOPH VON SPESSHARDT – Executive Director, German-Australian Chamber of Industry and Commerce

German-Australian Chamber offers practical ways to bring innovators together

A

S the federal government announces its budget and manufacturing strategy, the German-Australian Chamber of Industry and Commerce (AHK Australien) translates collaborative opportunities into actionable items.

On September 17th, coinciding with the first meeting of the Chamber’s Innovation and Start-up Committee, the federal government announced its investment in new energy technologies. Just recently, Germany has signalled strong interest in hydrogen produced in Australia.

Late September, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced a $1.3 billion, five-year manufacturing strategy, ahead of the federal budget. This plan not only focusses on manufacturing capabilities but also on the commercialisation of ideas, helping to turn them into Australian exports.

We welcome this development for the Australian industry. Both announcements highlight the importance of bilateral cooperation.

With strong ties to Germany in the manufacturing and renewables sector, our countries have a lot to offer each other.

Key chamber initiatives in 2020: • The chamber introduces its Innovation and Start-up Committee, including key industry partners and universities.

• German-Australian virtual business delegations for the mining, renewables, and marine industry go ahead in October/ November.

• Newly elected board, with Dr Jens Goennemann, managing director of the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC) as chair.

• The Chamber submits feedback to “Australia’s Technology Investment Roadmap” of the Australian Government, aiming to strengthen the cooperation between Australia and Germany in this sector. manmonthly.com.au

Germany and Australia have strong ties in the manufacturing and renewables sector.

Innovation and Start-up Committee The German-Australian Chamber supports our bilateral relationship by offering meaningful and practical ways for both countries to engage.

Some of these ways include our recently launched Innovation and Start-up Committee, bringing together industry, start- and scaleups, R&D institutes, and universities.

Chair of the committee is Karen Zwissler, Government Affairs and Business Development at SAP. This initiative is also supported by bilateral institutions such as the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), resulting in a broad understanding of business opportunities.

“With a vast amount of industries and organisations in our membership base, finding new ways to bring innovators together is the next logical step,” said Dr Michael Zettinig, director of governmental affairs and communications at AHK Australien.

“Collaborative opportunities abound, so the focus of our work is to translate this into actionable items.”

The collaboration between both countries on various hydrogen projects received a lot of attention in recent weeks. Other areas of shared interest include our focus industries and specific events with partner organisations such as the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre, led by the German-Australian Chamber’s

chairman of the board, Dr Jens Goennemann.

Delegations Apart from supporting German companies and subsidiaries in Australia, the German-Australian chamber also has a great interest in facilitating and establishing new relationships between both countries.

One example is our delegations, which offer a unique opportunity for German companies to find business partners in Australia. Provided with market and feasibility studies by our consulting team, we then carefully plan these delegations with matchmaking being the goal.

Even though COVID-19 has thrown a spanner in the works of face-to-face business travel, we nevertheless will be hosting three business delegations this year.

From mining over to a maritime delegation in November, all events present an opportunity to learn more about the respective industries in both countries. German companies showcase their innovative products and share their experience in the mining supplier sector, and Australian counterparts give insights into the Australian industry from a miner’s perspective.

During our mining conference, Australian mining experts and professionals give in-depth information about the trends and developments within the industry

focusing on advanced mining technologies and automation in mining.

Given the manufacturing package mentioned earlier, now is a fantastic time to collaborate and exchange technologies. As a bilateral chamber, we believe that the GermanAustralian business community can significantly support Australia’s exciting development in these sectors.

About AHK Australien The German-Australian Chamber of Industry and Commerce (AHK Australien) is the first point of contact for all bilateral business matters. With offices in Sydney and Melbourne, AHK Australien has been a partner for German companies and subsidiaries in Australia, as well as Australian companies, for over 40 years. The chamber is a member organisation for German and Australian companies. As part of a global AHK network, AHK Australien is also the official representation of German companies in Australia and cooperates with potential partners to develop market-entry strategies.

AHKs are the key players of German foreign business development on behalf of the Federal Republic of Germany. The AHK Australien is supported in part by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy based on a decision of the German Bundestag. Find out more at https://australien.ahk.de/en.

Manufacturers’ Monthly NOVEMBER 2020 13

Comment

VONDA FENWICK – CEO, South East Melbourne Manufacturers Alliance

An open letter to the federal government

S

EMMA is absolutely delighted that the Federal Government has developed a vision for Australian Manufacturing: “For Australia to be recognised as a high-quality and sustainable manufacturing nation that helps to deliver a strong, modern and resilient economy for all Australians.”

We are gratified that the government has recognised the critical importance of a robust manufacturing sector to the economic health of the economy. The ‘silver lining’ of the COVID crisis is that not only government ministers, but the community more broadly, has recognised that the ability to produce essential products on-shore can literally be the difference between life and death. ‘Australian Made’ has a new aura and desirability; it has risen to a new level of consciousness in purchasers’ minds.

Out of the COVID crisis has not only come the realisation that manufacturing on-shore is important, given the risks to overseas supply chains from pandemics and geopolitical instability, but that we actually have the capability to produce high-tech, highly-engineered components and assemblies.

Manufacturers in the South East of Melbourne queued up to be considered to supply respirators, ventilators, PPE and sanitiser.

People offered to form consortiums with traditional competitors and to quickly deliver significant numbers of respirators. These manufacturing SMEs demonstrated exceptional capability, responsiveness and flexibility (ability to pivot).

We were also very pleased to hear the Federal Government’s announcement about the $1.5 billion Modern Manufacturing Strategy. Though, given the size of the sector, $1.5 bn over four years will not be sufficient to achieve the “Manufacturing Led Recovery”. $1.3 bn is allocated for the “Modern Manufacturing Initiative” which has three streams.

• Manufacturing Collaboration Stream … “for very large projects”.

14 NOVEMBER 2020 Manufacturers’ Monthly

• Manufacturing Translation Stream … commercialising good ideas.

• Manufacturing Integration Stream … looking at supply chains.

The structure, delivery and intent of these ‘streams’ is not yet apparent however what is clear is that they are intended to support the “National Manufacturing Priorities” – 1. resources and critical minerals processing; 2. food and beverage; 3. medical products; 4. recycling and clean energy; 5. Defence; and 6. space.

We believe that the government could, and should have, looked more broadly at the reality of Australian manufacturing. This non-exhaustive list demonstrates that there are many products produced in Australia, which are essential to our lives. A broadbased approach to the MMS/MMI/ MMF funding, coming out of the COVID recession, until June 2022, could have generated real investment and real jobs: 80 per cent of manufacturing positions are full-time.

MMI will operate on a co-funding basis – our SEMMA members have advised that such a dollar for dollar Investment Incentive would give them the confidence to invest coming out of COVID. The Manufacturing Strategy includes round 2 of the Manufacturing Modernisation Fund, which operates on a dollar for dollar investment model. However, only $52.8 million of the total $1.5 bn has been reserved for the fund.

As an example of how an enterprising SME might benefit was described to me by one of our members keen to invest in new equipment in order to continue to make products in Australia.

“We are seeking funding to purchase a New Fibre Laser with loading and unloading capability ($1.6m). Expanding on our existing business it would enable us to become more competitive and win more work, this machine is capable of cutting materials which our current equipment cannot.

It would also help secure a customer that we are working with, to win their business. They are the only Australian manufacturer of their current product.

They have been facing strong competition from imports and are working with us to reduce costs as they would like to keep the products made in Australia. “ “We are also considering a new Automated Folding Machine ($1.2m).

The current Press Brake folding is too labour intensive and slow and will not give us the competitive edge to compete against imports.

We are very keen to secure this customer and prevent him from

going overseas: investing in these two machines, should increase our revenue by of $2m plus p.a. and employ an additional 10 staff.”

Many companies, like our SEMMA member, are not in the Winners Circle – they are not on the list of 6 National Manufacturing Priorities under MMI. Perhaps our member will be able to apply for MMF Round 2 to modernise and keep products in Australia. At the time of writing we are not sure – we need to see the detail of the offering, but our fear is that $52.8m will not extend far, especially if limited to the government’s hand-picked “winners”.

This limited priority list effectively rules out manufacturers in: Adhesive Manufacturing Agricultural Machinery and Equipment Aircraft (non-defence) Manufacturing Architectural Aluminium Product Boiler, Tank and Other Heavy Gauge Metal Container Manufacturing Composites - Fibreglass Concrete Product Construction Machinery Cut and Sewn Textile Product Electric Lighting Equipment Electrical Equipment Electronic Equipment Fabricated Metal Product Fixed Space Heating, Cooling and Ventilation Equipment Glass and Glass Product Lifting and Material Handling Equipment Machine Tool and Parts Manufacturing Motor Vehicle/Truck Body and Trailer Manufacturing Nut, Bolt, Screw and Rivet Manufacturing Paint and Coatings Polymer Product Pulp, Paper and Paperboard Pumps and Compressors Railway Rolling Stock Manufacturing and Repair Services Rigid and Semi-Rigid Polymer Product Sanitary Paper Product Manufacturing Structural Metal Manufacturing Sheet Metal Manufacturing Scientific Equipment Steel Pipe and Tube Manufacturing Textile Manufacturing Transport Equipment Wooden Furniture and Upholstered Seating manmonthly.com.au

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News @MM $1.5bn to manufacturing to rebuild the economy The federal government has launched a new era of Australian manufacturing with a $1.5 billion injection, as part of the JobMaker Plan to rebuild the economy, create jobs and recover from the COVID-19 recession.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the new funding will be invested over the next four years in the Modern Manufacturing Strategy to make Australian manufacturers more competitive, resilient and able to scale-up to take on the world.

“We make things in Australia. We do it well. We need to keep making things in Australia. And with this strategy, we will,” Morrison said.

“The COVID crisis opens a new chapter for Australian manufacturing as a revitalised source of high-wage jobs, valuable exports and national income.

He said the Modern Manufacturing Strategy is at the heart of the JobMaker plan.

“It starts with creating a stable and competitive business environment to grow our all parts of our manufacturing sector, but it does not end there,” he said. “It will play to Australia’s strengths, improve collaboration and commercialisation, and create a sector that is modern, dynamic and highly skilled.

“Through this strategy, we are determined to ensure government, industry and the research and education sectors are all working in the one direction to build scale in our manufacturing sector.”

He re-emphasised that manufacturing is “critical” to Australia’s economic future and to the prosperity of the regions and to the capabilities that underpin the success of many other industries.

Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Karen Andrews said this strategy reflects the lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as extensive work with industry before that.

“Our manufacturers have risen to the challenge to deliver during COVID-19 and now we’re unlocking their potential to deliver for our future,” Andrews said. manmonthly.com.au

“By playing to our strengths, strategically investing and boosting the role of science and technology in industry, we can open up new markets and take more of our quality products to the world.

“This Strategy sends a clear signal that not only is Australia open for business, but we mean business.”

The centrepiece of the strategy is the $1.3 billion Modern Manufacturing Initiative (MMI), which will see the government strategically invest in projects that help manufacturers to scale up and create jobs.

The MMI will support projects within six National Manufacturing Priorities which reflect Australia’s established competitive advantages or emerging areas of priority: • Resources technology and critical minerals processing • Food and beverage • Medical products • Recycling and clean energy • Defence • Space “This is about Australia playing to its strengths and the government strategically investing in areas of manufacturing where we know we have an edge and that can deliver the jobs we need,” Andrews said.

Industry will be engaged to codesign tailored road maps for each of the priority sectors to set clear goals over the next two, five and 10 years, and identify the barriers and opportunities that will guide action and investment.

During an interview with the ABC, Shadow Minister for Employment and Industry, Brendan O’Connor, backed the six manufacturing priorities.

The strategy will also address the competitiveness of individual manufacturers in our priority sectors, with a $52.8 million expansion of the Manufacturing Modernisation Fund.

The COVID-19 crisis has also highlighted the need to better understand and address our supply chain issues and opportunities.

A $107.2 million Supply Chain Resilience Initiative will support projects that address an identified

The federal government will strategically invest in projects that help manufacturers to scale up and create jobs through the Modern Manufacturing Initiative. supply chain vulnerability.

“This is about incentivising industry to take advantage of opportunities to provide both domestic and global supply chains with critical products,” Andrews said.

Innovation and Science Australia will be repurposed as Industry Innovation and Science Australia, to provide a long-term perspective on growing the manufacturing sector and strong industry advice to government throughout the implementation of the strategy.

The government is also comprehensively reviewing existing industry programs to better align them with the strategy. “As part of this, we will provide an additional $50 million to the Industry Growth Centres initiative to support projects in the priority areas out until the end of June 2022,” Andrews said.

This strategy builds on the work across government to improve economic conditions for business, including streamlining regulation, cutting red tape and cutting input costs. A key part of that will be cutting energy costs as outlined in the Gas-fired recovery statement on 15 September 2020.

Ai Group chief executive Innes Willox welcomed the announcement.

“It is gratifying that the federal government has clearly recognised the role of manufacturing in the economy and committed to creating the right conditions for industry

growth through policy areas such as taxation, skills and training development, energy, innovation and deregulation,” he said.

Manufacturing employs around 860,000 Australians, and prior to the pandemic, generated more than $100 billion in value for the economy each year and over $50 billion in exports.

It is also a large driver of research and development. Manufacturing contributes around a quarter of total R&D investment in Australia, roughly four times its share of the economy.

Manufacturing is particularly important to regional economies, in places like the Hunter, north and central Queensland, Tasmania, and regional Victoria.

Morrison said over time, Australian manufacturers have largely moved on from mass production of standardised goods.

“Long gone are the days of trying to compete with labour-intensive, lowcost manufacturing economies,” he said. “Gone too are any pretensions of protectionism as a viable strategy for domestic manufacturing.

Manufacturing in Australia has been transformed and will continue to transform, today it is more agile, more dynamic and less monolithic.

“Today’s advanced manufacturing enterprise stretches from the labs doing the research and development, the skilled workers doing the design and engineering, through to sales, marketing and after-sale services.”

Manufacturers’ Monthly NOVEMBER 2020 17

News @MM Titomic to deliver samples for Lockheed Martin & RMIT research program Titomic has entered into a commercial research and development agreement with RMIT to be conducted on behalf of Lockheed Martin – a major aerospace and defence company.

The study will assess the capabilities of Titomic Kinetic Fusion (TKF) to create structural satellite parts made from a highperformance metal. Titomic’s participation in this joint research project will analyse the various capabilities of both traditional and additive manufacturing methods relative to radiation shielding within satellites.

“Titomic is excited to be involved in this RMIT joint research initiative alongside the global defence and aerospace prime, Lockheed Martin, which will provide significant mutual

benefit for all involved. As we demonstrate the unique capabilities of Titomic Kinetic Fusion for the additive manufacture of satellite structures, using high-performance metals and superalloys, we are also enabling exponentially faster production to reduce lead-times for the space industry, from months to hours, compared to traditional processes,” Titomic managing director, Jeff Lang,ssaid.

Under this research agreement, Titomic will manufacture highperformance, metal demonstration samples for satellite parts using its industrial-scale additive manufacturing process, Titomic Kinetic Fusion. This research project may also lead to commercial opportunities for Titomic within the space and defence sectors

following the successful validation of the additively manufactured demonstration satellite parts.

The small satellite components (cubes) market for commercial and government applications in the

main areas of telecommunications, broadcasting, and data communications, with the market size anticipated to grow from US$4.18bn in 2018 to US$18.30bn by 2026, at a CAGR of 20.28 per cent.

A study will assess how Titomic Kinetic Fusion can be used to create structural satellite parts made from a high-performance metal.

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18 NOVEMBER 2020 Manufacturers’ Monthly

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News @MM Manufacturing research partnership to tackle harmful biofilms Novel solutions for biofilm infections are the focus of a collaborative research agreement between the University of Sydney, Whiteley Corporation and the Innovative Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre (IMCRC) which started in 2018. UNSW Sydney joined the project in 2020, significantly increasing the academic manpower available to the project.

Over four years, more than $5 million will be co-invested in the research and development of new therapeutic treatments for biofilm mediated infection by IMCRC, University of Sydney, UNSW and medical and industry manufacturer Whiteley Corporation.

Announcing the participation of UNSW in the project, Greg Whiteley, said the extra resource and skill set will significantly increase the project’s ability to develop and commercialise a series of combination therapies.

“Building on the early findings

by Associate Professor Jim Manos and his team at the University of Sydney’s School of Medical Sciences and Charles Perkins Centre, and with UNSW’s expertise in the development of novel antimicrobials used in disinfectants, we are accelerating our development efforts to bring new biofilm removal solutions faster to market,” Whiteley said.

The UNSW team, led by Professor Mark Willcox, will be developing and manufacturing anti-biofilm peptide compounds to be included in formulations created by the University of Sydney, that can be used as treatments for wounds and cystic fibrosis. The peptide compounds are either targeted at biofilm disruption or biofilm inhibition and can aid in the development of new treatments to reduce microbial load for wounds to improve healing.

The new patented compounds are manmonthly.com.au

Biofilms formed by microorganisms on living tissue cause morbidity and mortality in humans and animals. added into formulations by Whiteley Corporation and then go back to both UNSW and the University of Sydney for further testing.

Professor Mark Willcox, who is a Professor and Research Director, Chair, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee at the School of Optometry and Vision Science, welcomes the opportunity.

“We are delighted to be part of this CRC and the research team. Translating our compounds into new treatments to reduce microbial biofilms of people with cystic fibrosis and wounds is a real motivator for us and helps us expand the use of our antimicrobials,” Willcox said.

Professor Willcox, a medical microbiologist who has worked for many years in the area of infections on/related to medical devices, will

be joined by Professor Naresh Kumar, who is an expert in the field of natural products chemistry and focuses on research into the discovery and development of novel bioactive molecules. Completing the team is post-doctoral research fellow Dr Renxun Chen. Chen has been working in a cross-disciplinary field encompassing chemistry, material science and microbiology, to develop new antimicrobial coatings to prevent infections on medical devices and implants using novel antimicrobials.

IMCRC CEO and managing director, David Chuter, applauded Whiteley’s continued commitment to research collaboration.

“We have seen the project going from strength to strength and are delighted to see Whiteley Corporation expanding the research

team by bringing on board UNSW. The project will benefit from the addition of their global expertise in medical research and evidencedbased approach to further practical solutions crucial to successfully manufacturing and commercialising the new formulated products,” he said.

Biofilms formed by microorganisms on living tissue cause morbidity and mortality in humans and animals. They also form on inanimate medicalrelated surfaces such as catheters, implants, medical instruments and almost all dry surfaces, where they pose a significant infection risk for patients. Biofilms can also be found on non-medical surfaces such as in pipes and on boat hulls, are expensive to remove and cause damage to surfaces.

Manufacturers’ Monthly NOVEMBER 2020 19

DO YOU KNOW THE DIFFERENCE? WHAT IS SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST (SCA) ?

WHAT IS A HEART ATTACK ?

Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) occurs when an electrical malfunction of the heart causes it to suddenly stop beating.

A heart attack occurs when blood flow to the heart is impeded due to a blocked artery.

SYMPTOMS

SYMPTOMS Symptoms of a heart attack can vary, sometimes coming on suddenly and sometimes starting slowly and persisting for hours, days, or weeks. They can include pain or discomfort in the chest, back, or jaw; shortness of breath; cold sweats; and/or nausea and vomiting. Unlike with cardiac arrest, the heart does not usually stop beating.

Symptons of SCA come on very suddenly.

A victim of SCA will collapse and lose consciousness. Victims have no pulse and will be gasping or not be breathing.

Without treatment, death can occur within minutes. SCA victims should be connected to an automated external defibrillator (AED) as soon as possible.

Electrical Malfunction

Blocked Artery

An AED can analyse a person’s heart rhythm to determine whether an electrical shock is needed to defibrillate the heart. Some rhythms do not require a shock, but in all cases, the rescuer should perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

If the artery is not unblocked quickly, the section of the heart not receiving oxygen-rich blood because of the blockage begins to die. The longer a person goes without treatment, the greater the damage can be.

I S Y O U R W O R K P L A C E P R E P A R E D F O R S C A? Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is unexpected and frightening, but it can be treated. Do your part to prepare your colleagues by offering CPR training and ZOLL AEDs in the workplace. ZOLL AEDs with Real CPR Help® technology provide rescuers with real-time feedback to ensure the best possible CPR and will deliver a shock if necessary. In matters of life and death, be prepared to help save a life.

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News @MM PPE warehouse expansion for Townsville The Queensland state government will expand Townsville PPE warehouse to store a reserve of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and critical health supplies for the state, as part of its new critical supply strategy that has been recently announced.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Health and Minister for Ambulance Services Steven Miles said the implementation of the Queensland Government Critical Supply Reserve (QGCSR) Strategy would protect against future supply chain disruption by addressing key learnings from systemic global market failure seen at the peak of the pandemic.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has placed pressure on PPE stocks across the world,” Miles said.

“Queensland was prepared, and we have managed well so far but we want to make sure that no matter the situation, our health workforce has the protection they need.

“Our doctors, nurses, emergency workers and other frontline staff

deserve to have access to the necessary supplies and equipment to keep them safe and ensure they can care for the community.”

“This expansion in Townsville will double the size of the current location, to house vital supplies including masks, gowns and gloves.”

Member for Townsville Scott Stewart said the new warehouse will mean better access to critical supplies for North Queensland and surrounding regions.

“This is about protecting our healthcare workers,” Stewart said.

“Having critical supplies readily available to protect our healthcare workers and frontline services is vital to ensure they can care for our community while keeping safe themselves.

“We are investing in North Queensland to ensure critical supplies are available when and where they are needed, meaning faster deliver times with stock dispersed across the state.”

Member for Thuringowa Aaron

The Queensland government has increased the supply of PPEs for the city.

Harper said the strategy is part of the Palaszczuk Government’s plan for economic recovery in the state.

“Procurement for the QGCSR will include a commitment of up to 25 per cent of locally manufactured PPE, creating job opportunities for Queenslanders, here in Townsville,” Harper said.

“This strategy will also enable

the delivery of vital infrastructure, strengthen Queensland’s industries and enable future growth, which are key foundations of our Unite and Recover plan for Queensland jobs.

“While this strategy will be critical to our ongoing success in fighting COVID-19, it will serve Queensland and our frontline staff well into the future.”

Call for industry to partner TAFE NSW following $154m investment in Meadowbank campus NSW Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education Geoff Lee has launched an Expression of Interest process for industry and universities to partner with TAFE NSW in the design and delivery of its Digital Technology Centre of Excellence at Meadowbank.

The NSW Government is investing $154 million to transform TAFE NSW Meadowbank into the first digital technology-focused campus – and university and industry partnerships will play a key role in aligning the Centre of Excellence to current and

Centres of Excellence will establish an innovative training environment that can support collaborative learning models.

manmonthly.com.au

future skills needs.

Lee said the TAFE NSW Centres of Excellence are game-changers for education and training in NSW. “We are very excited to work with partners in this new way. I encourage organisations and universities to think about the skills their workforce of the future will need to compete on a global scale,” he said.

“As the signature training hub for future technologies and digitalisation at TAFE NSW, the new Centre of Excellence will help to address the rapidly growing and evolving digital economy and break down sectoral divides between vocational education, higher education and industry.

“This latest announcement at Meadowbank shows TAFE NSW is leading the way when it comes to partnering with industry to meet

the skills needs of the economy and ensure the people of NSW are job-ready.”

Centres of Excellence will establish an innovative training environment that can support collaborative learning models, including the co-design and co-delivery of skills training with TAFE, industry and universities, and provide practical, relevant training for students in modern, purpose-built facilities and simulated workplace environments.

The Digital Technology Centre of Excellence will design and deliver training in future technologies and digitalisation including artificial intelligence, big data, gaming, cloud computing, cyber security, and programming. The Expression of Interest process commenced today and will continue to 26 October.

Manufacturers’ Monthly NOVEMBER 2020 21

News @MM “Buy Australian Now and support Aussie jobs” campaign by AMCL to support locally-made products AMCL’s “Buy Australian Now” campaign encourages Australians to exercise their preference for locally made product through a range of media.

The Australian Made Campaign Ltd (AMCL) is calling on all Australians to “Buy Australian Now and support Aussie jobs” with its new campaign encouraging Aussies to back local makers and growers and buy Australian-made products in the lead-up to the festive season.

An extension of its “It’s never been more important to Buy Australian than right now” initiative launched in June, the campaign seeks to impact the purchasing decisions of Australians to drive support for Australia’s manufacturing industry and local jobs.

The latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show Australia’s unemployment rate in August was at 6.8 per cent with 921,800 Australians out of work and a further 11.2 per cent underemployed. Manufacturing 22 NOVEMBER 2020 Manufacturers’ Monthly

now employs 843,900 people in Australia, a drop of 50,000 since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“A thriving manufacturing sector is critical to Australia’s economic future and prosperity. It continues to be a tough year for some of our Australian manufacturers and growers, so rallying behind these businesses is essentially one of the most Australian things we can do.

Every dollar spent on locally made and grown products has a direct impact on the livelihoods of Aussie growers and manufacturers, as well as the wider community,” said Australian Made chief executive, Ben Lazzaro.

“By buying Australian right now, not only are you getting products grown in our clean, green environment and made to the highest of manufacturing standards, you are also pumping money back

into the economy, creating jobs, strengthen local industries and supporting local communities.”

With Christmas fast approaching, AMCL’s “Buy Australian Now” campaign encourages Australians to exercise their preference for locally made product through a range of TV, radio, out-of-home, print, online and social media ad placements.

“The pandemic has caused the many benefits of buying Australian Made to be brought into sharp focus, and there has been a significant increase in consumer appetite for Aussie products,” Lazzaro said.

For decades the Australian Made logo has helped consumers to exercise their preference for local and identify genuine Aussie products, so it’s no surprise that more and more brands are choosing to promote their Australian

credentials this way.”

Recent Roy Morgan Research found almost all Australians (99 per cent) are aware of the Australian Made logo and 92 per cent trust the logo as an identifier of genuine Australian products. 97 per cent of Australians associate the logo with the support of local jobs and employment opportunities, 95 per cent with safe and high-quality products, 89 per cent with the use of ethical labour and 78 per cent with sustainability.

Shoppers are encouraged to “Buy Australian Now” and look for the iconic green and gold kangaroo logo – Australia’s most trusted, recognised and widely used country of origin symbol.

Consumers can also visit Australia’s biggest online directory of genuine Aussie products at www.australianmade.com.au. manmonthly.com.au

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IndustryFocus Creating the Pathway to Excellence for Australian manufacturers The Association for Manufacturing Excellence (AME) speaks with Manufacturers’ Monthly about adapting the Pathway to Excellence training events during the COVID-19 pandemic, ahead of the Australian launch of its Lean Sensei assessment tool.

T

HE Association for Manufacturing Excellence is celebrating the 20th year of its Australian Chapter. In an open letter to AME members, president Barry McCarthy has encouraged members to show their support for Australian manufacturing and manufacturing excellence by attending the AME Toronto 2020 Virtual Conference.

In October, the association will launch a new series of training events, made up of webinars, coaching, activities and lectures.

“What we’ve done over the past three or four months is build a really strong online presence running weekly webinars. We’re getting really

good attendance from different parts of the world as well,” McCarthy said.

“We found during COVID-19, in redesigning our business, we’ve been able to get more people involved than we have before. We’re probably in a stronger position and from a training perspective.”

Webinar, workshop and practitioner series will include sessions based on topics such as innovation, leadership, Lean manufacturing and business operations during COVID-19.

AME vice president, Tim Odokeychuk, said the COVID-19 pandemic has allowed the Australian Chapter to become aligned more closely with the parent

company in the US. “For the Pathway to Excellence (program), we’re working really closely with AME in North America, and this has brought us much closer,” he said. “We recognise there are teams coming together, and a good part of our membership engages us to network and hear from their concerns.”

The association has conducted 22 webinars since May to support its member base and network. Sessions were kept free for members and nonmembers, with the understanding the pandemic has posed a difficult time for businesses.

“Allowing people to get that learning and training during this

time, especially while working from home, is also a good opportunity for us to get access to a wider audience as well in a virtual setting,” said AME business manager, Laura Robertson.

The AME network currently has 210 members across Australia and reaches 2,300 organisations through its database. This year, memberships were extended for three months to support current members.

According to Robertson, the organisation has had really good engagement and response, but also gained a better understanding of what its member groups want and the issues they’re facing. Following that, it then has shaped its programs around those issues and problems.

The AME Lean Sensei will assist manufacturers streamline their operations in conjunction with a new Pathway to Excellence program.

24 NOVEMBER 2020 Manufacturers’ Monthly

manmonthly.com.au

IndustryFocus How to use the AME Lean Sensei 1. Evaluate your operations Have 5 to 10 key staff members or key knowledgeable associates come together in one room. Include people who have little to do with direct responsibilities for your improvement program activities. Discuss each question and arrive at a letter grade for each answer. The AME Lean Sensei should be used as a systematic process for your team to improve. It is not a survey to be given to all employees but should be used by a team that has some familiarity with basic lean principles.

A+ Best in class – World-class benchmark A Excellent - Sustainable with great results

Manufacturing executives can share ideas and network as members of the Champions Club.

B

Good results – Definitely going in the right direction

C

On the journey - Some process gaps but striving for improvement

D

More gaps than achievements – Definite area for improvement

F

No achievements in this area – No process documented or followed

2. Understand how you rank against the benchmark Once you select a letter grade for every question, the app will populate the dashboard and report card automatically. With this information, you can

“It’s been very broad. A lot of it has been around employee engagement and employee development, but also a lot of the lean tools as well. We are now introducing workshops,” explained Robertson.

In addition, AME has started to introduce more learning events, workshops in a virtual setting, roundtable discussion groups, including Lean Sensei assessments.

“We have a lot of feedback from the companies in relation is how can our events support all areas of their organisation, so we have developed a model,” said Robertson. “While restructuring this model, we’ve created a members portal where we’ve saved recordings and slides for those who can’t attend.”

Lean Sensei The AME Lean Sensei is a selfassessment tool used in conjunction with the Pathway to Excellence webinar events series to help leadership teams and individuals develop operational excellence strategies. Since 2016, any organisation can do a complete 360-degree assessment of their excellence journey.

AME is starting the first facilitated Lean Sensei assessments in November, while keeping track of the problems solved, methodologies used, the practitioners, and how AME’s collateral corporate members manmonthly.com.au

are trying to engage with each other.

“We get a team together and essentially see where they fit in terms of different key elements,” said Odokeychuk. “For example, and very important to now, how resilient is their supply chain? How they partner with their suppliers as opposed to command and control, and ultimately, get to a point where they’re moving up the maturity scale – this helps an organisation form a baseline, and from there, they have a starting point.”

“They can focus on a couple of key gaps, because, following that, they get a report card, and then they get a dashboard – and we’re also building all of the resources that AME offers behind it, such as the recorded webinars that we’ve done, training sessions, and also specific training courses as well,” Odokeychuk explained.

“If we think of all the different areas we are covering off, it is not just in the manufacturing business, but from the perspective of management systems to peoplecentric leadership, health and safety operations, knowledge base, all the way to product development.”

The Champions Club, which will launch in Australia this year, mirrors the North American initiative. The key benefit for members is the opportunity to meet and network with peers who have similar problems and responsibilities on a

easily see your improvement maturity strengths and weaknesses.

3. Develop improvement plans for the future The letter scoring is the easy part of the AME Lean Sensei. To truly get the most benefit from the tool you must take the next step. Document where you are today and develop plans for where you want to be in the future! The app encourages you to document and support your assessment for both your successes and the areas you need to improve.

4. Celebrate your lean journey There is no end to the continuous improvement journey. It’s important to review and celebrate your progress along the way!

monthly basis.

“The Champions Club is where members will be able to share common challenges, or even visit each other’s facilities over time, and to form this cohort of leaders of manufacturing in Australia,” said

Odokeychuk. “That’s the framework.

The aim is to connect a company’s journey with the AME Lean Sensei and link the Pathway to Excellence to individual career growth.”

For more information on the Lean Sensei and AME courses please visit ame.org.au

The AME network currently has 210 members across Australia.

Manufacturers’ Monthly NOVEMBER 2020 25

Lifting Solutions

Timber Building Systems has used a Combilift multi directional C Series since 2018 to improve safety and efficiency at its plant.

Heavy lifting made easy Combilift CEO and Co-Founder, Martin McVicar, and Timber Building Systems production manager, Darren Wylie, speak with Manufacturers’ Monthly about the benefits of Combilift’s materials handling solutions in the modular manufacturing sector.

I

NCREASING space, improving safety and speeding up the process for transporting products onsite are important considerations in the pre-fabrication business.

Pre-fabrication, or modular manufacturing, has been around in Australia for a number of years, and responds to the difficulties in finding skills and labour for onsite construction. This is a challenge in Australia as well as in many developed countries. Combilift CEO and co-founder, Martin McVicar, believes the Australian market is a major driver for growth in modular manufacturing.

“Assembling buildings from prefabricated modules enables construction to occur within a controlled factory environment.

This allows for greater automation and improved quality management, as there are fewer variables that can affect the construction process,” he said.

The three most common types of materials used in the modular construction sector are steel, timber and concrete, and Combilift’s product 26 NOVEMBER 2020 Manufacturers’ Monthly

portfolio is designed to improve safety and efficiency for manufacturers needing to handle these large and potentially tricky loads.

“Take steel for example.

It’s typically a long product, so using conventional forklifts to move it around a factory is going to be problematic. Using our multidirectional forklifts enables these loads to be transported laterally which not only saves a lot of valuable space but also enables much safer handling,” McVicar said.

Larger and oversized elements such as prefabricated concrete sections can be even more challenging to handle, and the Combilift straddle carrier range has proved to be an efficient and costeffective solution. With capacities from 20t up to 125t, these are ideal alternatives to heavy-duty reach stackers or cranes, as they have a light unladen weight and are exceptionally manoeuvrable.

“Our forklifts and straddle carriers are all designed for indoor and outdoor operation. So, as well as being able to lift and move any

segment of a modular building within the manufacturing area, whatever size or shape, they can also transfer finished elements to loading areas for despatch,” McVicar said.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Combilift has seen an increased demand for its multidirectional forklifts, with requests flowing in from the healthcare, residential and education sectors. “In many countries around the world, schools are struggling to implement social distancing in classrooms, so they are adding additional portable buildings to their existing premises. and this is same in the healthcare sector,” McVicar said. “We were already seeing growth in the residential sector before COVID-19, but healthcare, clean room and commercial applications are now expanding too.”

“Modular manufacturing is a sector that can really benefit from the wide range of products we now offer,” he continued. “This mix, that can be used across one facility, now includes our pedestrian operated

forklifts which are compact, can move easily around busy manufacturing areas, and offer a very safe environment for personnel. There is a growing demand for models such as the Combi-WR4 multidirectional pedestrian reach stacker.”

“We are starting to see increasing interest from larger manufacturers who are creating fully built modular segments, which basically leave the factory complete, and interest in the Australian market has grown in the last couple of months,” Mc Vicar said.

Improving safety and efficiency for Australian manufacturers Australian prefabricated building manufacturer, Timber Building Systems (TBS), part of the Meyer Timber Group of companies, has been using the Combilift multi directional C Series since 2018.

Having taken delivery of the first Combilift ever delivered to Australia almost 20 years ago, the Meyer Timber Group continues to benefit from the increased productivity and space savings afforded by the manmonthly.com.au

LiftingSolutions multidirectional forklifts, and more recently, for modular construction.

Prefabricated wall panels and all components are prepared onsite in order to increase the speed of build.

The product is then lifted straight onto a packing truck.

“It’s certainly about increasing space and safety within the warehouse, but it’s also increasing the speed of getting the product onto site, because normally, people have to use an overhead gantry within their warehouse or facility. There are some cost savings associated with being able to do a single lift from the floor straight onto the back of a truck,” McVicar said.

“One of the biggest issues we have is the length of materials we have – our wall and floor panels average about nine to 10 metres long,” TBS product manager Darren Wylie said.

“The multidirectional capability of our Combilift helps move these around our plant more efficiently,” he said. “When we used a conventional forklift, because the lengths were so

manmonthly.com.au

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Combilift has seen an increased demand for its machines, with requests flowing in from the healthcare, residential and education sector.

long, and our aisleways were about the same size, we weren’t able to easily move them around. When we did, because we had equipment laid on the shop floor, we had to lift loads of timber up high and transport them over workstations, which posed a risk

to workers nearby on the production lines. From an OH&S point of view it’s now much safer with the Combilift, as it travels sideways along the aisles.”

McVicar projected growth for modular construction is already

taking place in Australia, with companies such as TBS one of many in the movement across Australia and the Asia-Pacific region.

“With the COVID-19 pandemic, Australia definitely takes a big portion of that growth,” he said.

Manufacturers’ Monthly NOVEMBER 2020 27

Equipment Safety Improving safety, building trust Bailey Ladders has been a trusted Australian brand for more than 60 years when it comes to safely working at heights. Bailey Ladders marketing and product manager, John Chinn, speaks with Manufacturers’ Monthly about its heritage of safety.

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NSURING workers return home safely each day is the most important aspect of all modern-day workplaces. Sadly, however each year we still see cases of workers dying or being seriously injured from workplace accidents.

The Bailey Ladders brand has been providing safe access solutions for more than 60 years in Australia and New Zealand. Safe access when working at heights is the key focus for Bailey Ladders and their parent global company Werner Co. “One of the biggest causes of workplace injuries and deaths each year in Australia are falls from heights. It doesn’t necessarily need to be from that high either,” Bailey Ladders marketing and product manager, John Chinn said.

The advantage of the MAS is that it allows for flexibility.

“Our manufacturing process is quite unique in the Australian market in terms of how we make the ladders. Our Pro range of ladders – which is our premium range meant for the tradesmen – uses a technique called punch lock, where we don’t use any rivets.

“The great advantage of this is rivets can tend to work loose over time under frequent use. We don’t have that issue, which gives them more durability and makes them safe for longer.”

Data from Safe Work Australia studies, published in the Workrelated injury fatalities – Key WHS statistics Australia 2019 report, found that falls, trips and slips together account for the second highest cause of workplace injuries. In 2018, falls

from heights accounted for 13 per cent of all fatalities at work, the third highest cause of death.

Chinn said it is important that durability forms part of the safety factor.

“A ladder that wears out quickly can become unsafe quickly, but using the punch lock construction, the ladder lasts longer and is safer for a longer period of time, and actually decreases total life cost of the product,” he said.

“Here at Bailey ladders we aim to provide the safest possible solutions for workers needing to work or perform duties off the ground. The advice is always to do a work risk assessment to first try to eliminate the need to work at height, however it is often not possible or practical

and the only solution is to use a portable ladder or work platform.”

The company supplies ladders and access solutions for a wide array of trades and industries through hardware or industrial retailers and the brand can be seen on worksites and on top of utes across Australia.

“When you mention ladders to people, they often think of construction sites and builders renovating houses, but this is just a fraction of the ladders used around the country. Just about every workplace in Australia will have some quantity of ladders on site, be it in an office or in a processing plant, and all workplaces have a duty of care to ensure the safety of those using them,” Chinn said.

As part of after-sales service, Werner Co provides retail customers and their users with training courses around safety and skills and ladder selection. The courses are tailored on a case by case basis to suit different access needs of the customer.

“If the customer is more interested in maintaining the ladders and inspecting them to keep them in a safe condition, then we’ll tailor a course around that,” Chinn said.

“If the customer is just interested in making sure that staff are trained to use the ladder safely, we tailor a course around that aspect.”

Reducing the risks When conducting a risk assessment for tasks to be carried out at heights, Chinn advises applying the hierarchy of control for working at heights, which gives levels of control starting at high levels and reducing control the further down the hierarchy you go.

The five levels of control most used when dealing with working at heights are: • Level 1: Eliminate the risk, e.g. work from the ground; • Level 2: Fall prevention. e.g.

28 NOVEMBER 2020 Manufacturers’ Monthly

manmonthly.com.au

EquipmentSafety

The MAS enables users to take the standard Access Platform Ladder and add extension modules to create a mobile platform.

physical barriers, EWP’s, etc; • Level 3: Work positioning. e.g. travel restraint systems; • Level 4: Fall Arrest Devices, e.g. inertia reels, catch nets, etc, and • Level 5: Admin controls and

ladders. e.g. signage, permits, industrial ladders, etc.

“Staff working at heights should be trained and the correct equipment should be provided to safely achieve the task. At Bailey Ladders, we

design and build products that strictly meet the requirements of the Australian portable ladder standard AS 1892,” Chinn said.

The company has continued putting innovation into the design and manufacture of its products over many years, and recently introduced a modular system for creating work platforms around equipment and machinery.

Bailey Ladders created the Modular Access System (MAS) around the existing Access Platform Ladder, which enables users to take the standard Access Platform Ladder and add extension modules to create a mobile platform into numerous configurations.

“You can use the modules to create a long straight platform or use corner ‘Plus’ platforms to wrap around corners and machinery,” Chinn said. “Most of these configurations are straightforward, however when complex configurations are required, we assist the customers in the design and configuration process and offer

advice on safe work methods.”

The advantage of the MAS is that it allows for flexibility, the modules are all flat packed and simply bolt together like flat packed furniture.

Prior to the system, manufacturers would need to have something custom designed and fabricated for the specific application. This system means the user can simply unbolt and reconfigure for a new application.

When overhauling machinery and equipment the system can be quickly dismantled and flat packed away until the next scheduled shutdown.

“The system is an excellent choice for applications that need to be temporary or portable. There is a vast array of applications in numerous industries and we foresee users continuing to expand their systems as they find new applications in their particular industrial environment,” Chinn said.

To discuss your particular application for the Bailey Ladders Modular Access System, contact 1300 760 717 or visit the website www.baileyladders.com.au

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Manufacturers’ Monthly NOVEMBER 2020 29

Safety Is your manufacturing site prepared for a sudden cardiac arrest?

Over 33,000 Australians suffer from a sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) each year and sadly, less than nine per cent will survive. SCA is a leading Australian killer. It does not discriminate. It can strike anyone, at any time, age and fitness level.

S

UDDEN cardiac arrest can be brought on by many factors. Strenuous work, a fall, being hit by a falling object or any other trauma to the body can trigger a cardiac event. Working in the manufacturing industry means working around a lot of machinery, people and demand due to the high volume of products that need to be produced per day. Manufacturing workers often need to be lifting, carrying or putting down crates or boxes as well as operating machinery which is why the manufacturing industry is consider a high risk of work-related injuries and illnesses including sudden cardiac arrest.

It is extremely important for manufacturing sites to have AEDs available onsite to be used in the event of a sudden cardiac arrest High quality CPR and defibrillation through an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) are crucial to the survival of a SCA. While on a

manufacturing site, you should never be more than a three-minute round trip from an AED to ensure effective and rapid treatment should a medical emergency occur. This could mean multiple AEDs for larger sites to ensure that no matter where an incident takes place, an AED can be located and retrieved for the victim’s best chance of survival.

In the event of a SCA, every minute is crucial; with each minute that passes by, the chances of survival decrease by 10 per cent.

In most communities, the average time for emergency services to arrive on scene is 7-14 minutes and for the victim of SCA, this could be too late. Manufacturing sites are often in hard to reach areas and with the addition of onsite obstacles, could make it more difficult for emergency services to reach the victim. Therefore, it is extremely important for bystanders or work colleagues to act immediately. If the manufacturing site is equipped with an AED, anyone onsite could use it to provide immediate highquality CPR and a potentially life-saving shock.

Every workplace needs an AED By placing AEDs throughout a facility, a company is taking out an insurance policy that may never be used, but one that provides critical protection should SCA strike – as seen in the case of Ricki Avery, who survived an SCA because of the availability of an AED on site.

SCA survivor Ricki Avery and Ambulance Victoria community capability and response coordinator Danielle Saxton.

30 NOVEMBER 2020 Manufacturers’ Monthly

Commitment to safety saves employee’s life Ricki Avery is no stranger to managing crisis. As a supply chain professional in the supermarket

Having the defibrillator available and the actions of my Coles colleagues when I passed out are the reasons I survived my cardiac arrest. Their support was amazing, and it makes me feel part of the Coles family. fresh foods industry, he works hard every day to ensure the freshest meat is delivered to the stores’ shelves. Having been recruited by his employer from the UK about five years previously for his supply chain expertise, Ricki regularly handles challenging situations with confidence and grace, keeping both his employer and its customers happy and satisfied.

But none of that crisis management experience could have prepared Ricki for the morning of July 18, 2019, when he suffered sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) at work.

Fortunately, his employer, Coles Group, was prepared.

When Ricki stepped off his bike after his spin class that morning, he felt a little light-headed. “I remember I didn’t feel well after my class, but I shrugged it off, knowing I had a lot to take care of at the office,” says Ricki. He went upstairs to his desk at the Coles Store Support Centre (SSC) just outside of Melbourne, Australia.

Ricki was meeting with his colleague, Erick Salgado, in the busy balcony area when he felt a sudden pain in his chest and collapsed.

Given Ricki’s jovial personality, Eric at first thought he was kidding around, but Ricki’s lack of responsiveness quickly made it clear that he was in serious danger. Eric’s colleagues immediately sprang into action, calling the paramedics and

starting chest compressions.

Fortunately, Coles had installed several ZOLL® automated external defibrillators (AEDs), which both Ricki and the paramedics credit for saving his life. “I don’t remember anything from when the chest pain began until I woke up as the medics were carrying me into the ambulance,” Ricki recalls. “It took them about 20 minutes to resuscitate me and restart my heart. I’m thankful that I didn’t suffer longterm brain damage.”

Connecting the dots “I had chest pains and went to the hospital back when I lived in the UK, but the doctors couldn’t figure out what was wrong,” he says. While Ricki was at the hospital in Melbourne following his collapse, he suffered two additional SCA incidents. This led doctors to a diagnosis of cardiac arrhythmia, a condition in which the heart beats irregularly, either too slowly or too fast. They did surgery to implant a pacemaker that regulates his heartbeat, and he hasn’t had any issues since.

Ricki, his wife, Lisa, and his grown children, Alannah and Harry, are all immensely grateful that he not only survived the SCA but has fully recovered. He’s back to working full time, but his doctors are recommending light exercise, such as walking, rather than the rigorous spin classes he used to do. manmonthly.com.au

Safety “Now that I’m in my 50s, I understand the importance of taking care of myself and my health in the right way, including exercising and eating well,” says Ricki.

“Having the defibrillator available and the actions of my Coles colleagues when I passed out are the reasons I survived my cardiac arrest,” he adds. “Their support was amazing, and it makes me feel part of the Coles family.”

A new outlook Prior to Ricki’s SCA, Lisa had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

During that stressful time, he promised himself that he would exercise and get healthy so he could take care of her during her treatment. The combination of his wife’s illness and Ricki’s SCA have changed his outlook on life.

“You can’t take life for granted,” he says. “I’ve learned that my family is the most important thing in my life, and I’m drawing closer to them.

About six months after my cardiac

Having an AED on any site can increase the chances of surviving SCA. arrest, I went back to the UK to see my family for the first time in several years. My mother isn’t doing well, and I was so happy to see my family and my wife’s family -- they warmly embraced me. This makes me realise

how important we are to each other and how much our relationships matter.”

He is grateful to the first responders from the Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB) for their efforts.

MFB firefighter Thomas Farrelly told a local TV news station, “It’s really satisfying to see him up and about and so healthy. His colleagues saved his life.”

Ricki also feels immense gratitude toward Coles – by having the ZOLL AED Plus® available when he most needed it, providing financial support for his wife while he was in the hospital, and supporting him upon his return to work – and toward his co-worker, who had the courage to step in and provide CPR before the ambulance arrived.

“Coles has installed defibrillators in all supermarkets, and they are regularly used in an emergency,” Ricki reports. “I am very proud to work for Coles, as they really stepped up to support me and my family and continue to support the people in our local communities by having defibrillators in every store.”

For more information on ZOLL AEDs, contact us on 1800 605 555 or visit www.zoll.com.au

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Manufacturers’ Monthly NOVEMBER 2020 31

ManufacturingStrategies Managing risk in a manufacturing renaissance Michael Beaumont, group manager account engineering at FM Global, explains four keys areas of risk mitigation for manufacturers.

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OVID-19 has exposed critical gaps in our domestic capability to remain resilient as a nation and weather global storms. From questions over Australia’s capacity to ramp up production domestically when needed, to the viability of “picking winners”, the conversation around manufacturing has reached a new level.

In late September, the Prime Minister announced a multibilliondollar manufacturing strategy which he said would be the centrepiece of a five-year plan to create millions of jobs, growing and re-shaping the Australian economy as it recovers from the pandemic.

Advanced manufacturing will be the focus of the manufacturing revival strategy. John Pollaers, chairman, Australian Advanced Manufacturing Council, describes advanced manufacturing as “using advanced technology to make manufacturing simpler”.

While the next generation of advanced manufacturing is likely to look different from the assembly lines of the past, the risks and

challenges industry must consider to ensure any new operations are resilient from the outset, whether they are starting from scratch or retooling existing operations, are both similar and different.

As one of the world’s largest commercial property insurers, using an engineering-based approach to reduce risk for our clients, FM Global has decades of experience in supporting manufacturing businesses in managing risk. Here are several key risk areas that must be kept front of mind by those beginning or re-tooling operations towards advanced manufacturing.

Cyber risk In many ways, a cyber-attack can be similar to a pandemic in its impact.

It can severely impact multiple locations at once, disrupting them or taking them completely offline.

Data shows that manufacturers are increasingly falling prey to cyber attacks. According to a Deloitte study, Cyber risk in advanced manufacturing (2016), 40 percent of manufacturing firms experienced a cyber-attack in 2019. Out of them,

FM Global has decades of experience in supporting manufacturing businesses in managing risk.

32 NOVEMBER 2020 Manufacturers’ Monthly

38 percent of them suffered over $1 million in damages.

We advise that those managing cyber risk in the manufacturing sector must focus on three key areas – physical security, industrial control systems and information security.

Physical security has often proven to be a common reason why manufacturing is a soft target.

Globally, almost two-thirds of the physical security deficiencies we’ve found have been in this sector.

Meanwhile, many industrial control systems were designed and installed before the cyber-threat was truly appreciated and understood, and as such security was much less of a concern than efficiency.

For those existing manufacturers adding more advanced technological capabilities on top of these existing legacy systems, this should be a high priority concern.

With any further push towards greater automation, cloud computing, data analytics and other technologically- driven trends within the factory, the complexity manufacturers face from a cyber risk perspective will increase, as this further tightens the relationship between Information Technology and Operational Technology (IT and OT).

Similarly, cyber vulnerabilities may also be further exacerbated by the more widespread culture of remote working, since more people are looking to control operations and access systems remotely, potentially blurring the line between IT and OT even further.

Intellectual property also looks set to become a more attractive target for cyber attackers in an advanced manufacturing environment.

Boards and leadership teams looking to ensure their businesses are protected effectively must implement products, processes and educational initiatives taking each of these risk areas into account.

FM Global group manager account engineering, Michael Beaumont.

These should be reinforced with appropriate insurance coverage based on a holistic view of cyber risk.

Equipment breakdown Equipment breakdown is another key risk for all manufacturing operations. For those establishing new operations, or re-tooling existing ones, understanding how newly introduced pieces of equipment work, the risks each represents, and an appropriate maintenance schedule, will be critical.

There’s a strong case for adopting online monitoring of certain pieces of equipment – rather than time or a process-based maintenance program – as evidence increasingly shows that equipment failures can occur randomly throughout the life of a piece of equipment, contributing to unplanned downtime.

By allowing businesses to gain a more accurate picture of the health of their critical equipment, online monitoring can enable manufacturers to replace parts in a planned way, reduce maintenance outages and minimise unplanned downtime. manmonthly.com.au

ManufacturingStrategies With so many factors to consider as they re-shape the supply chain to navigate disruption and meet evolving customer and stakeholder expectations in 2020 and beyond, it’s never been more important to take a datadriven approach to strengthening supply chains.

Supply chain risk The reality is that while we can bolster manufacturing in Australia through targeted interventions that will add economic activity and jobs, while increasing local resilience, reliance on external, global suppliers is a fact of business.

For any new or evolving manufacturer looking to establish resilient and productive operations, building resilient supply chains should be a key priority.

Coronavirus has made clear the

fragility that can exist within supply chains but this was clearly an issue long before COVID-19.

On average, companies worldwide experience supply chain disruptions that last a month or longer every 3.7 years, even prior to the pandemic, according to a recent McKinsey report, Risk, resilience, and rebalancing in global value chains (2020). A single prolonged production-only shock would wipe out between 30 and 50 percent of one year’s earnings

before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) for companies in most industries.

With so many factors to consider as they re-shape the supply chain to navigate disruption and meet evolving customer and stakeholder expectations in 2020 and beyond, it’s never been more important to take a data-driven approach to strengthening supply chains.

Some resources that can help include the FM Global Resilience Index, which ranks countries according to 12 key drivers of resilience, and our Natural Hazard Maps. Insights can also be gained via exercises such as supplier engineering visits, risk analytics and assessments of your core supplier’s own business continuity plans.

Knowledge is power – in this case, the power to preventatively minimise your chance of a serious disruption to your manufacturing output, reputational damage and lost market share.

Management of change The management of change will be critical to any new or existing manufacturing looking to move into advanced manufacturing.

Without it, any organisation, including manufacturers, are likely to experience significantly more disruptions.

Following the “Seven Rs” - from “who raised the change?” to “what is the reason for the change?”, “what are the risks involved?” and ‘what is the relationship between this and other changes?’ – can bring some discipline to change processes and reduce the likelihood that new additions to the manufacturing plant will lead to costly problems down the line.

With Australia on the brink of a manufacturing resurgence, placing emphasis on these risks and approaches will ensure that the sector is resilient and ready to support the country’s next phase of growth.

manmonthly >> SOLUTIONS MANAGEMENT >> TECHNOLOGY .com.au

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Manufacturers’ Monthly NOVEMBER 2020 33

Compressors Atlas Copco: we’re here when you need us Atlas Copco is here for customers and is open for business throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

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TLAS Copco Australia is taking steps to ensure it is still providing the best possible service to customers, despite the challenges presented by COVID-19.

The company regularly reviews its contingency plans and follows the latest health authority and government advice to reduce risks for employees and customers.

Keeping vital equipment serviced to improve up-time and reduce the risk of breakdowns is important, and the service team is still able to perform scheduled services.

Atlas Copco is currently reacting to breakdowns in their normal timely manner, and will continue to do so.

Sales teams are still available to make site visits if required. However, where appropriate, the company is using its unique presentation tools to supplement meetings online using Teams or other software.

Below you will find a short update of the company’s actions on both the people and supply chain side of the business. On the people side, Atlas Copco is committed to protecting employees, customers and local communities. The company is doing everything possible to ensure it does not add to the spread of the virus.

This includes: • Setting up company, national and

The Atlas Copco service team is still able to perform scheduled services during COVID-19.

•

• •

•

global crisis committees who are engaging each other and external partners to stay on top of any developments; putting in place procedures to ensure employees are working within social‐distancing guidelines; a clear international and domestic travel policy; a clear quarantine and isolation procedure for people who have symptoms, and who may have been exposed to the virus; a meeting etiquette protocol in place for all internal and external meetings, including guidelines Atlas Copco is committed to protecting employees, customers and local communities.

34 NOVEMBER 2020 Manufacturers’ Monthly

for essential workers who visit customer sites and • extended safety guidelines for any service technicians working on a customer’s site.

All offices remain open (virtually or physically) and are available for calls, emails and other inquiries. The team in Australia continues to work at full capacity with adjusted shift patterns and improved sanitisation procedures to ensure continuity in operations. There are currently good stock levels (parts and machines) in Australia. Atlas Copco is a global manufacturer, and as much as COVID-19 is unprecedented, the company has a model that was built in line with agile principles. The team proactively works to develop alternative options that enables the company to continue to fulfill orders, even during the most challenging of circumstances.

Atlas Copco’s supply chain continues to work at full capacity.

During this pandemic, disruption to the supply chain has not reached a critical level due to the procedures put into place, and the company is prioritising orders for critical businesses. The company currently has good stock levels in Australia, and at this stage, does not anticipate disruption within

stocked product portfolio.

Local and global teams are meeting daily. Atlas Copco thanks you for being a customer and assures you that it is taking every step possible to ensure the well‐being of employees, customers and the wider community – while working to ensure business continuity.

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No matter what your air compressor need is, Atlas Copco is sure to have the right solution suitable for your production. Some of the industries that it caters to include food manufacturing, water treatment, the wine industry and all other industries requiring compressed air, vacuum or nitrogen. Atlas Copco continues to make developments to their technologies to ensure that you are receiving the best out of your compressed air system. manmonthly.com.au

Compressors Ceccato Compressors most innovative and energy efficient compressor to date, the DRD75 IVR PM Ceccato Compressors are proud to introduce the revolutionary DRD75 IVR PM. This compressor is the company’s most innovative and energy efficient compressor to date.

Energy savings are taken to the next level of up to 45 per cent as the drive train is combined with the variable speed technology.

A highly efficient motor pushes energy efficiency to new heights to improve energy savings.

In-house designed interior permanent magnet motor The interior permanent magnet motor of the DRD75 has been designed in house and rated at IE4 super premium efficiency. The highly efficient motor pushes energy efficiency to new heights resulting in major energy savings. Downtime is minimised and productivity increased as the permanent magnet motor is completely maintenance free. Optimal cooling is guaranteed at all speed and conditions as the interior permanent magnet motor is oil-cooled.

Motor paired with the latest screw elements The interior permanent magnet motor is paired with the latest screw elements in the DRD75. The reliable and efficient screw elements have been designed and produced in-house and together with the motor rotate as one functional unit. This one rotating functional unit results in zero manmonthly.com.au

transmission losses. This integrated design stands out compared to other direct drive set up as it is coupling free and requires no maintenance.

Variable speed technology results in energy savings Make energy savings with the DRD 75 IVR PM as the imperium variable speed technology regulates the motor speed. The imperium inverter is designed in-house and matches the compressed air supply to the actual demand perfectly. This ensures that no energy is wasted, which will cut down your energy bill and spare the environment.

Monitor key parameters with the easy to use graphical controller Also designed in-house is the graphical controller with a large 4.3-inch screen for easier operation for the user. The controller always monitors key parameters to ensure safe operation. Many possibilities

are introduced with the integrated icons connectivity including remote monitoring, energy savings, increased productivity while ensuring the highest reliability.

Quality filtration increases the reliability of the DRD75 IVR PM The reliability of the DRD75 IVR PM is further increased using quality filtration. Dust particles are prevented from entering and damaging internal parts of the compressor with the two-stage air filter. The oil quality is maximised with the oil filter in the DRD75 IVR PM. The energy efficient radial fan provides optimal cooling air at a low noise level. The fan has been strategically placed at the side of the compressor.

Two separate cooler blocks reduce the risk of thermal shock To reduce the risk of thermal shock

and increase reliability, the DRD75 IVR PM includes two separate cooler blocks with one for air and one for oil. These cooler blocks are mounted on gliding rails for easier access when cleaning and making service a one-person job. All components of the DRD75 IVR PM have a long lifetime and are easy to reach for faster service and minimised downtime and increased productivity.

Speak to Ceccato Compressors today The DRD75 IVR PM is a revolutionary compressor that has been designed to make your production more successful. With this compressor you will see a reduction in your energy cost of up to 45 per cent, increase your productivity and ensure the highest reliability for your operation. Speak to an expert today about the DRD75 IVR PM on 1300 555 284 or send us an email at mlbsalesandservice@airtechnology. com.au Manufacturers’ Monthly NOVEMBER 2020 35

Sustainability Innovation solutions for end-of-life tyres Tyre Stewardship Australia is investing $6 million to fund manufacturing-focused projects.

CEO Lina Goodman and Flexiroc CEO Gary Bullock speak with Manufacturers’ Monthly about recycling old tyres for use in the manufacturing sector.

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YRE Stewardship Australia (TSA) plays a leading role in bringing together government, industry, manufacturers, researchers and recyclers in partnerships to improve market conditions to better manage end-of-life tyres (EOLT) and drive growth of domestic Tyre Derived Product (TDP).

But while TDP such as crumb rubber for use in roads, playground surfacing, and even as an additive into explosives, have been developed, market demand for those products is far outweighed by the volume of waste tyres – around 56 million produced in Australia every year.

This is why TSA has invested almost $6 million to fund projects –

including research and development – that lead to higher volumes of EOLT being processed into TDP, while brokering connections between the sectors relevant to gaining market entry and investing in early stage commercial opportunities.

“TSA-funded research is successfully evolving into commercial markets and infrastructure that will ensure consistent, ongoing consumption of Australian tyrederived product,” TSA CEO Lina Goodman said. “Our projects focus on progressing from an idea to a bona-fide, successful tyre-derived advanced manufacturing product. It’s exciting to witness the evolution from research into real world impact.”

Two manufacturing research projects funded by TSA are at the forefront of this evolution.

Protectiflex is a product that uses recycled rubber tyres to produce a spray-on concrete that is blast, ballistic and fire-resistant.

TSA has partnered with Flexiroc and the University of Wollongong to conduct a series of simulation and field tests to demonstrate how the spray-on composite creates blastresistant walls.

Flexiroc managing director, Gary Bullock, said the spray-on application can be applied to both new and existing walls and buildings to develop or enhance their blast, ballistic and fire-resistance ratings.

“ProtectiFlex has applications across a range of sectors including defence, government, critical infrastructure, petrochemical and retail,” he said.

year, Australia’s most prestigious manufacturing awards in the Environmental Solution category.

The product itself is environmentally sound (recovered tyre use, light weight, reduced quantity compared to alternative materials), with an estimated 635 tonnes of tyre derived product per year consumed, based on projections across multiple end markets.

Although narrowly missing out on the accolade, the market leads for Flexiroc were exponential in civil engineering applications, critical infrastructure, petrochemical, and mining and defence industries.

Recently, Flexiroc partnered with the Department of Defence to undertake further research. The company views the technology as highly promising, given the breadth of markets, performance results, and the absence of competitive alternatives for the

Not only do permeable pavements sustain urban vegetation, they can help increase groundwater recharge, reduce surface runoff, decrease the risk of flash-flooding and help with the treatment of storm water.

Protectiflex is manufactured using recycled rubber tyres to produce a spray-on concrete that is blast, ballistic and fire-resistant.

36 NOVEMBER 2020 Manufacturers’ Monthly

“When subjected to extreme blasts, ballistics and impact, conventional concrete masonry materials can create deadly shrapnel. We saw a need to create an innovative, eco-friendly and costeffective concrete-like material to meet security and safety design.”

Goodman hails Protectiflex a “game changer”.

“This innovative product made from recycled tyres could potentially save lives,” she said.

Protectiflex was shortlisted for the Endeavour Awards this

applications in question.

A TSA-funded research project, in partnership with the University of Melbourne, has produced similar success with permeable pavements manufactured from recycled tyres. In 2016, through one of its earliest research projects, TSA partnered with the University of Melbourne to prove the viability of permeable pavements.

The research team was able to formulate a mix to test as a permeable pavement in an experimental setting. Based on the manmonthly.com.au

Sustainability

Protectiflex has undergone field tests at the University of Wollongong. results, the University of Melbourne was awarded additional funding to conduct a large-scale field trial in Adelaide with the City of Mitcham.

This high-tech paving material, made from 50 per cent used tyres,

was installed at St Mary’s carpark in the City of Mitcham. It was a major field trial in sustainable urban drainage design.

“Not only do permeable pavements sustain urban vegetation,

they can help increase groundwater recharge, reduce surface runoff, decrease the risk of flash-flooding and help with the treatment of storm water,” Mayor of the City of Mitcham, Dr Heather Holmes-Ross said.

Goodman said the trial would use four tonnes of tyre-derived aggregates – the equivalent to diverting 500 passenger tyres from the waste stream.

“The use of end-of-life tyres as an aggregate blend for permeable pavement is an innovative application. If we can create the right product that is cost effective, skid resistant, durable and flexible. We have the potential to use around 300,000 end-of-life tyres a year in local government infrastructure – a great contribution to the development of markets for Australian recycled tyre product.”

TSA is supportive of funding innovative and emerging manufacturing projects utilising Australian TDP. On the 30th of June 2020, TSA funded almost $2 million in civil infrastructure and advanced manufacturing projects.

Its refreshed website offers a new knowledge hub dedicated to sourcing recycled products that use Australian TDPs, exemplifying TSA’s leadership as a conduit for all TDPs and applications.

A successful TSA-funded research project with the University of Melbourne has produced permeable pavements manufactured from recycled tyres.

manmonthly.com.au

Manufacturers’ Monthly NOVEMBER 2020 37

Software Wearable contact tracing solution on the cards The Contact Harald Bluetooth card is a smart contact tracing solution for workers in high-risk work environments.

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HE stark and swift arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic has challenged Australian workforces to take a number of necessary precautions to stop the spread of the virus.

While supply chains internationally have suffered, Australia’s manufacturing has introduced a number of necessary control measures to ensure workplaces are COVIDSafe.

Since the first Australian case of COVID-19 was confirmed in January, states and territories have focussed on tracing the origins of each infection.

Australian-based company Safedome incorporated its proven Bluetooth technology into developing Contact Harald, a contact tracing system that was introduced to the market in June 2020.

No larger than a credit card, Contact Harald is a wearable device that provides proximity tracing without the need for Wi-Fi, GPS or a smartphone.

The card only records proximity information when there is more than one Contact Harald card within 1.5 metres for more than two minutes – removing the need for geolocation driven tracking and providing a

Manual methods of contact tracing can be flawed and time consuming.

38 NOVEMBER 2020 Manufacturers’ Monthly

simple solution to trace any cases of COVID-19.

“The team at Contact Harald developed this product as we saw how traditional, manual methods of contact tracing can be flawed, time consuming, reliant on memory recall,” Contact Harald director, health & product Elissa Reid told Manufacturers Monthly.

“Contact Harald is a wearable, proximity tracing technology that works within ‘closed environments’ such as aged care, manufacturing, construction and education settings.

“A key benefit of Contact Harald is the speed at which contact tracing is actioned, which can be highly effective in the effort to stop the spread of COVID-19 and other communicable diseases.”

Reid said Contact Harald offers a major advantage for facilities in rural areas without Wi-Fi or other ITrelated infrastructure.

“There is no requirement for Wi-Fi or any other IT infrastructure; ideal for large sites where working conditions are such that one or more workers are within 1.5 metres and for prolonged periods of time in order to fulfil the requirements of their job,” she said.

The Contact Harald cards record proximity information when two cards are within 1.5 metres for more than two minutes.

While protecting workers from transmitting COVID-19, Contact Harald also protects the privacy of staff who use the contact tracing cards.

Contact Harald’s HIPAA and GDPR compliant software is a secure and private platform that allows data stored on the card to be securely uploaded.

“Contact Harald is not an app,” Reid said. “It does not require downloading anything onto personal or work phones where there is a risk to accessing personal/confidential information via hacking or access to metadata.

“Our product deidentifies each participant, no personal information is stored on the wearable card.

By implementing Contact Harald in your workplace, it is demonstrating a clear message that keeping staff safe is the priority.

With the world continuing to operate under the guise of a ‘COVID Normal’, Contact Harald’s solution provides a safe and simple solution to manage the health risks of the pandemic.

“Unfortunately, COVID-19-related challenges are going to be ‘the new normal’ for the foreseeable future,” Reid said.

“A smart contact tracing solution is vital for organisations navigating the new workplace health and safety challenges and obligations that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought about.”

One of the businesses that have adopted Contact Harald’s smart solution is luxury chocolate maker Koko Black.

The festive season has remained the busiest for the company, with the Contact Harald cards allowing them to not fear a COVID-related workforce reduction.

“Contact Harald gives us confidence that as we get closer to Christmas, we’re not going to have an event that pushes us off the rails,” Koko Black chief executive officer Nick Georges said.

“You only need to shut down for a few hours and you’ve lost far more than that.”

After trying a number of solutions that prevent pinpoint accurate tracing, the company has enjoyed a sigh of relief since adopting the Contact Harald solution.

“And while there’s no direct payback per se, there are employee morale benefits. Staff were worried but seeing this tool and the company’s diligence had a positive impact,” Georges said.

Contact Harald is also looking forward to opportunities where it can provide its tried-and-tested solution that can stop the spread of COVID-19.

“We are receptive and excited to see what opportunities and applications come about as we continue to establish our brand and product in the Australian and global market,” Reid concluded. manmonthly.com.au

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Lubricants Reducing the cost of poor lubrication Manufacturers’ Monthly speaks with the John Sample Group and SKF Australia about educating customers on good industrial lubrication practices through their business partnership.

A

CCORDING to industry studies and data, lubrication contributes approximately one to three per cent of the overall cost of a manufacturer’s maintenance budget.

However, the impact that poor lubrication can have on equipment in terms of premature failures can amount to 50 per cent at its highest and become very costly, causing unnecessary downtime for manufacturers.

The John Sample Group, through its JSG Industrial Systems subsidiary (JSG) uses its vast application engineering resource base, as well as OEM factory specifications, to determine the correct lubrication system needs for customer applications.

The company provides access to a complete service for the supply of lubrication systems covering system scoping, design, installation and commissioning through a national installation network with comprehensive after sales support.

JSG has been a distributor for SKF’s Lincoln lubrication systems since 1961, and is SKF’s largest lubrication system partner globally.

JSG takes to market, the complete range of SKF lubrication solutions and combines this with inhouse engineering expertise and extensive application experience to deliver solutions tailored specifically to address customers’ needs,” JSG Industrial Systems national sales manager, Italo Marcantonio, said.

JSG became strongly linked with SKF when SKF acquired the Lincoln Group in 2010. JSG has been involved in the delivery of highquality lubrication systems to various markets for more than 50 years.

Since the acquisition, SKF has maintained a strong relationship with JSG – forming a business partnership that has flourished and grown over

40 NOVEMBER 2020 Manufacturers’ Monthly

SKF provides knowledge in relation to handling and storage of lubricants.

the past 10 years.

SKF south-east Asia manager, David Antonelli, said JSG’s engineering expertise and design capabilities, installation and servicing – as well as its stockholding and presence in the Australian and South East Asian regional markets – are factors that make the company valuable as a distributor.

“The only way to approach a lubrication problem is to understand the application, know the options available to address the problem, and then have the capability and expertise to design and engineer a system solution,” he said.

“JSG Industrial Systems has vast experience and knowledge in all facets of industry, and when they’re onsite with a customer can identify the right lubrication practices for that customer.”

One of the key causes of machine failure occurs when incorrect quantities and type of lubricant make its way into a machine, Antonelli said.

He believes not enough attention is paid to good lubrication practices.

“Correct quantities of lubricants are essential for optimum bearing performance. If you over lubricate a bearing, it can cause increased heat due to the bearing having to work harder to push through the grease,” he said. “Over lubricating can also cause seals to fail, thereby, starting to introduce contamination.

Conversely, under lubrication can cause increased heat due to metal to metal contact.”

Antonelli said achieving optimum lubrication is all about preventing metal to metal surface contact. The two main ways to improve lubrication are associated with storage and handling, and the correct application of the lubricant.

Educating the customer SKF strives to educate its customers about the importance of good lubrication. The company has conducted studies for as long as they have manufactured bearings to investigate the causes of premature bearing failure.

“Our studies and other independent studies indicate that

up to 50 per cent of premature bearing failures are a result of poor lubrication,” Antonelli said. “So, what is poor lubrication? Basically, it’s contamination of the lubricant, it’s over and under lubrication, it could be incorrect storage of lubricants, incorrect handling of lubricants and any cause of cross contamination.”

SKF, in conjunction with its distributors, provides knowledge in relation to handling and storage of lubricants.

“One of the things I’ve noticed since working in this industry is that lubrication is extremely important for the operation of machinery and rotating equipment,” Antonelli said.

“Delivery can come simply in the form of a grease gun, or a single point lubricator, or it could be a fully automatic lubrication system, depending on what the application is and what the customer’s expectations are. “In terms of storage and handling, it’s trying to eliminate the introduction of contaminants into the lubricant prior to being introduced into the rotating parts of a machine”. manmonthly.com.au

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What’sNew

COVID-19 Testing Shelter Australia’s first inflatable MOBILE TESTING Shelter empowers outdoor testing for COVID-19 to be a simple, safe and effective operation.

Giant Inflatables Industrial believe that Covit-19 testing needs to be highly visible for people to get the message loud and clear. Our extensive experience in creating quickly deployable emergency response shelters sparked our idea to assist the Medical Testing industry to be agile and responsive.

Testing needs to be highly visible for the public to get the message and comfortable for the testing teams to work in.

With these simple variables in mind our team have built a range of Self Erecting Emergency Inflatable Tents that are designed to be simple and quick to deploy.

Unlike ridged frame conventional tents and shelters in common use now our temporary shelters and Drive through emergency tents can be effectively deployed by inexperienced personnel.

Giant Inflatables Industrial is regarded as the industry leaders in inflatable portable rapid response shelter systems. The significant cost and time saved by our inflatable temporary structures highlight their role as the future for the industry.

With over 32 years of multi-industry experience our inflatable products are developed and collaboratively created to suit even the most complex of situations.

Our highly specialised design team includes staff with many years of on and off-site engineering and operational experience. Our years of applied knowledge ensures all our cutting edge inflatable products are not only up to your rigorous standards but comply with Australian and international standards as well!

With safety, compliance and usability at the forefront of all our Inflatable medical tents and Rapid deployment shelters, our unique team of designers, engineers and developers provide all our clients with a complete and comprehensive service. With operational certificates and product documentation, Weighting diagrams and wind

rating tables, you can be sure your product not only works a treat but is safe and comfortable to work in as well.

Key features: • footprint = 9.75m x 7.4m; • weight when packed = 160kgs; • enclosed space =18 sqm; • covered apron space = 30 sqm; • deployment time = 4 minutes; • inflation type = constant air; and • ready to operate complete system.

Company: Giant inflatables Industrial Web: www.giantinflatablesindustrial.com.au Phone: (03) 95882626

Cerades: a desiccant revolution by Atlas Copco Some innovations change everything. Cerades, the first-ever solid desiccant, developed and patented by Atlas Copco, Cerades revolutionises desiccant dryer design, efficiency and performance. And that changes everything for you. You’ll enjoy better air quality, lower energy bills, lower service costs, and a nice little perk of health and environmental benefits. Adsorption dryers have always used towers filled with thousands of small desiccant beads to absorb the moisture in compressed air. The new CD 20+-335+ is the first dryer to feature Cerades.

As a solid desiccant, Cerades eliminates the downsides inherent to the tiny beads in conventional dryers: Air flow inefficiency - and extra power consumption as a result, operational decay, installation limitations due to size, and environmental and health hazards created by desiccant dust.

• Cerades saves energy and greatly reduces operating costs because the air flows straight through the desiccant tubes.

• Cerades decays much less than traditional desiccant, which ensures a consistent dew point and high air quality.

• Decomposing desiccant beads create a fine dust that is both an environmental and a health hazard. Cerades eliminates this dust problem, which also reduces extra filtration requirements and maintenance costs.

• Because Cerades is vibration resistant, it can be mounted horizontally. This is especially beneficial in the transportation sector.

• Cerades can handle a higher airflow and dryers can therefore be built smaller.

This saves space in production facilities and compressor rooms.

• While most dryers are designed to work at no more than 70 per cent to 80 per cent, the CD+ can operate continuously with 100 per cent airflow.

manmonthly.com.au

Cerades is now available exclusively in Atlas Copco’s new CD+ 20-335 sizes. It features all the benefits that the new solid desiccant from Atlas Copco has to offer.

The CD+ 20-335 range also provides users with the option of adjusting their dew point to specifically meet their requirements and applications.

Company: Atlas Copco Web: www.atlascopco.com/en-au/compressors/products/air-dryers/desiccant-air-dryers/ cd-plus-with-cerades Phone: 1800 023 469

Manufacturers’ Monthly NOVEMBER 2020 43

What’sNew

Brought to you by

PCD Adapters: time-saving termination from Treotham ILME has enriched the range of PCB interface adapters, enlarging the connectors’ application in the electronics sector.

The new entries of the CIF series allow a precise cabling and an easy mounting as well as a reduction of the wiring costs, offering an efficient installation in power electronics or signal applications.

The adapters are designed for printed circuit boards with thickness up to 2.4 mm and are provided with gold or silver plated contacts.

The best product can be selected according to the customers application requirements.

The new available solutions include: • CIF Q05 2.4: 5 poles, 10A/250V, compatible with CQ 05 inserts.

• CIF Q07 2.4: 7 poles, 7,5A/250V, compatible with CQ 07 inserts.

• CIF Q12 2.4: 12 poles + PE, 7,5A/250V, compatible with the special dedicated CQF/M 12 CIF inserts with PE contact equipped with rear one mm diameter pin for the mating with the PE contact of the adapter.

The installation can be completed with the dedicated interface contacts for each of the adapters. The new PCD adapters are available from Treotham Automation.

Company: Treotham Automation Pty Ltd Web: www.treotham.com.au Phone: 1300 65 75 64

ICP DAS’ ECAT-2057P EtherCAT Slave I/O module with isolated 16-Ch Source Type DO ICP Australia is proud to introduce ICP DAS’ ECAT-2057P EtherCAT Slave I/O Module with Isolated 16-Ch Source Type DO. The ECAT-2057P is equipped with the EtherCAT protocol and installed by Daisy Chain connection which allows flexibility in device installation and reduces infrastructure and operation costs.

The EtherCAT Slave I/O Module can be deployed in the network topologies such as star, line, or ring. The isolation input and output design protect the ECAT-2057P against harmful interferences and environments.

ECAT-2057P is built-in with isolated 16 source-type Digital Outputs. The output status can be obtained via the processed data or from its LED Indicators. It has been passed and verified by the conformance test tool, therefore it can be operated by eligible EtherCAT Master or configurator with ease and then implement all kinds of applications easily.

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

Key features: • On the fly processing: EtherCAT; • Powerful MCU handles efficient network traffic; • 2 x RJ-45 bus interface; • Distance between stations up to 100 meters (100BASE-TX); • Support Daisy Chain connection; • Ethercat conformance test tool verified; • Removable terminal block connector; • LED indicators for the I/O status; • Built-in isolated 16-Ch source-type DO; and • ESD protection 4 KV contact for each channel.

44 NOVEMBER 2020 Manufacturers’ Monthly

manmonthly.com.au

FEBRUARY 2021 – 3D PRINTING 3D printing has gone from being a novelty, to having practical applications – and a clear role – in most modern manufacturing operations.

In February 2021 we will look at how 3D printing is revolutionising the industry, and profile those companies who are providing and supporting 3D equipment across Australia.

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

Booking deadline: 18 December 2020

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

The Last Word

INNES WILLOX – Chief Executive, Ai Group

Meeting the challenges – the reality check so far Like many countries, Australia was affected by the global pandemic, socially and economically, but the different industries within the country have since learned to adapt quickly to survive. Innes Willox, chief executive of the Ai Group, explains more.

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ROM the start of the global pandemic, manufacturers and businesses around the world have stepped up, rising to the challenge to retool production lines, protect their employees and families, and national industry associations have driven policy and operational solutions to support the COVID-19 response and help our countries recover. Right from the start, Ai Group has exchanged ideas and experiences with counterpart organisations across the word.

In the early days the focus was on the basics: What businesses can remain open; how to ensure employees can work; is it even safe to go to work; and the challenges of balancing health and economic priorities. Each country had a different approach to shutdowns with most countries nominating essential services, which sent Australian companies into a panic before our own lockdown, with everyone desperate to justify why their business or industry should be deemed essential.

What the global shutdowns clearly demonstrated was that governments, even as they tried to make the right decisions, have very little understanding of the supply chains underpinning their economies. For example, NZ allowed hot water system manufacturers to remain open, but not the steel companies that supply critical materials.

Fortunately, Australia used a negative list – initially closing those industries deemed to be greatest risk for infection, but not a critical part of the food supply chain. However, experience overseas should have alerted us to the greatest risks: meat processors and aged care facilities. In this case we failed to learn from the errors of others. All federations were challenged by the realities of the division of responsibilities and regulatory powers, often causing more disruption to domestic supply chains than any international threat.

We’re at a point in the crisis

The relationship that governments around the world have with their manufacturing sectors and industry bodies has also changed for the positive.

46 NOVEMBER 2020 Manufacturers’ Monthly

where there is political pressure to re-examine supply chains with a more protectionist approach and a push for domestic manufacturing.

However, as most supply chain managers will attest, making everything locally isn’t actually a solution to creating a resilient supply chain. If you only have one supplier or customer, it doesn’t matter if they are next door or on the other side of the world, they represent a potential risk. This is a challenge that is confronting industry associations around the world, ensuring that we assist companies to meet their obligations to the local economy, while not dismantling the global trading system.

There have been some shared lessons in this. First and foremost, all associations worked hand in glove with their national and regional governments to manage the economic crisis driven by the health crisis. This relied on us to communicate clearly to governments what was happening

on the ground and what policies were required to support workforces and supply chains. Conversely, we were also the main interlocuter to business on the regulations and support packages being rolled out.

The relationship that governments around the world have with their manufacturing sector and industry bodies has also changed for the positive. A conversation with international colleagues early in the pandemic that would usually have been about the problems with the World Trade Organisation, was completely dominated by questions and comments on the availability of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), border controls, quality standards and supply chain pressures. Many of the pain points that manufacturers have been complaining about for years, suddenly became a problem for governments and health authorities.

As grateful as businesses are for the payroll and liquidity assistance that formed most governments’ response to shutdowns, there is an awareness that at some point the decoupling from government support will need to start. The challenge that now confronts policy makers and associations is to ensure that the re-opening of economies and winding down of support creates an environment that enables those who can to do, without leaving those who can’t behind.

Feedback from other associations highlights the benefits that will come from the COVID-19 Pandemic, in particular a better understanding of the flexibility within workforces and the possibilities of working from home which will inform policy development for years to come.

The leap into the digital workplace that was often talked about, but rarely optimised, has fundamentally changed working relationships with members and governments. manmonthly.com.au

RESILIENCE MEANS NOT WORRYING ABOUT “WHAT NOW?” AND INSTEAD, FOCUSING ON “WHAT’S NEXT?” The choice to be resilient has never been more important for a business to make. Today, resilience means choosing a different approach to insuring your commercial property. Above all, it’s choosing to navigate the business, personal and risk complexities you face to ensure you move your business forward. Which is why Resilience is a Choice.

RESILIENCE IS A CHOICE.

© 2020 FM Global. All rights reserved.

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