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STATE SPOTLIGHT
QUEENSLAND
Evolve Group – Proving the value of Australian design and manufacturing Queensland-based Evolve Group is proving the extraordinary value to the Australian economy of innovative advanced design and local manufacturing, with exports from this multiple-award winning company destined for more than 130 countries. Founded in 1978, Evolve Group’s status as a company at the very forefront of competitive Australian manufacturing has never been more apparent than in its response to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. In a vivid demonstration of the benefits of manufacturing in Australia, Evolve Group was able to provide an advanced design and a commitment to manufacture 100,000 P2/N95 respirators and medical face masks per day, with the construction of a clean room and production commencing within just two weeks. Working closely with local Queensland hospital surgical teams, Evolve Group’s design of a new face shield is now being heralded as the most comfortable face shield in the healthcare industry. Studying how a face shield is used by medical professionals has delivered the outcome of a shield featuring a comfortable gel pad relieving pressure on the forehead of the wearer, a removable vent cap for ventilation, an easily replaced shield with anti-fog and scratch properties, and an ergonomic design for all-day comfort. With the further benefit of one size fitting all, this advanced design medical face shield is already attracting interest from the USA, South Africa and Europe. “So many companies source product from overseas in the belief that it is cheaper,” says Mayer Jung, Evolve Group’s Design & Development Manager. “Yet as a company, we have been successfully reshoring manufacturing to Australia and expanding our exports with a competitive advantage and shorter lead times for our clients.”
required by Evolve Group engineers once the current pandemic restrictions are eased. “In looking at CNC machining centres, Okuma was our first choice based on our experience,” explains Jung. “It is considered to be top of the range and the machine we needed was immediately available.
Evolve Group recently acquired an Okuma MB56VA S15 CNC vertical machining centre.
To meet the critical time frame and the precision tooling required, Evolve Group invested in the latest Okuma MB-56VA S15 CNC vertical machining centre, with an OSP-P300MA control. Featuring an extremely rigid double-column structure and a large bed size incorporating a highspeed 32 position automatic tool changer, the machining centre is providing greatly enhanced additional capacity, consistent precision output that does not require finishing, plus the ability for long multiple unaided production runs. With the COVID-19 lockdown in place, the installation and commissioning were successfully and seamlessly completed remotely, with all training undertaken by Okuma’s National Technology Manager Karl Cory, via online meetings applications such as Zoom and TeamViewer. Further training will be undertaken by Okuma as
“For the operators of the Okuma machining centre there is the ability to produce more tooling in-house. The operating system is good to work with, there is a dramatic increase in utilisation of the machine and the quality of the finished product is exceptional.” “Our company has had a long-term relationship with Okuma and still operates a 20-plus year machine that has served the company well. And back-up service and technical advice from Okuma Australia is amazingly supportive.”
Wide-ranging capabilities Headquartered in Crestmead, in Brisbane’s southern suburbs, Evolve Group has been innovating and expanding its wide-ranging capabilities for many years. Today the company employs a highly skilled team of more than 100 staff, and services a diverse range of markets including medical; automotive; electrical; heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration; building and DIY; plumbing and gas fitting; pool and spa; fishing; industrial; and general engineering.
Evolve Group’s design for a medical face shield has been heralded as the most comfortable face shield in the health care industry.
AMT OCT/NOV 2020
