AMT APRIL/MAY 2021

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CONTENTS

Volume 21 Number 02 APR/MAY 2021 ISSN 1832-6080

FEATURES CONSTRUCTION & INFRASTRUCTURE Construction & Infrastucture: Building back better The road to recovery for the construction industry Lobster shells inspire stronger 3D-printed concrete Managing contract risk in a COVID climate SLIK Build – Innovative, affordable home-building

42 48 50 52 54

QUALITY & INSPECTION Automated 3D scanning/inspection of transport stands More than scratching the surface Australian-made game changer for stress-testing

56 58 60

FORMING & FABRICATION Black Lab Design: Growth through flexibility IMTS: Bringing cutting edge machinery to ANZ NZ Tube Mills invests in success with TRUMPF laser

61 62 64

STATE SPOTLIGHT: SA Fleet Space gears up for satellite mass production Electric bus co. gears up for zero-emission growth Dutch deal lays bridge to local manufacturing for SA firm

68 70 71

ROBOTICS Paint automation delivers efficiency gains in defence Glass moulds: Laser tech & AI for new industry standard The relationship between the IoT & Industry 4.0 OnRobot: Powerful electric vacuum gripper How industries can use automation to innovate

74 76 78 79 80

CUTTING TOOLS Iscar: The logic of development Seco: Duratomic range gets three new grades A solid way to overcome microdefects

82 84 86

MATERIAL REMOVAL Tornos backs Gloor Medical in COVID-19 battle Fastenel sharpens its saw service with Vollmer

88 90

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT Women : Challenging the myths around STEM careers 94 Has COVID transformed the role of the manufacturing CFO? 96 Exercising an option in commercial lease?

98 WORKHOLDING Dimac: Solutions to all workholding challenges Leussink expands range with Positioner

42 Construction & Infrastucture: Building back better Despite COVID-19, the construction & infrastructure sector is currently enjoying some of its most promising conditions in years. For innovative advanced manufacturing businesses, there are big opportunities up for grabs.

66 PRP Manufacturing – Three decades of innovation and progress PRP’s expertise in high-volume manufacturing came into play when the pandemic hit, producing 55,000 plastic face shields in four weeks for the Adelaide Hospital. Starting with gaskets, washers & seals, PRP now manufactures for a wide range of industry sectors, producing customised solutions.

74

100 102

MOTORS/DRIVES NORD drives: Optimal protection 103 Emirates Team NZ wins America’s Cup with maxon onboard 104

REGULARS From the Editor From the CEO From the Ministry From the Industry From the Union

8 10 12 14 16

INDUSTRY NEWS Current news from the Industry

18

VOICEBOX Opinions from across the manufacturing industry 28

Paint automation delivers efficiency gains in defence Maximising efficiency is a key priority for manfacuturers in the defence sector. Automation of operations such as paint processing can often be a sound investment that will deliver significant cost savings.

92

PRODUCT NEWS Selection of new and interesting products 34 COMPANY FOCUS PRP Manufacturing – Three decades of innovation & progress 66 ONE ON ONE Ian Cattanach of William Buck

92

AMTIL FORUMS

106

AMTIL INSIDE The latest news from AMTIL

110

MANUFACTURING HISTORY – A look back in time

118

AMT APR/MAY 2021

One on One Ian Cattanach is a Director, Business Advisory at the AMTIL corporate partner William Buck Chartered Accountants and Advisors.

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FROM THE EDITOR WILLIAM POOLE

Time to give offshoring the boot Some good news came out just as our last edition went to print. Good, but also surprising news.

The good news was an announcement from mining billionaire Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest regarding legendary Australian bootmaker RM Williams, which he acquired last year.

Forest said he intended to expand the company's factory in Adelaide and bring most of its manufacturing back to this country.

For me it was surprising news, because to be honest, I hadn’t realised such an iconic Australian brand had been so dependent on offshoring. But there you go: a significant portion of RM Williams products are made outside Australia, in places such as China, South-East Asia, Bangladesh and even Portugal. It’s sad to learn that something as fundamentally Australian as RM Williams perhaps isn’t quite so Australian after all, and welcome news to hear some of that work is coming back.

Now, offshoring isn’t always a bad thing. We live in a connected, globalised world, and we all benefit from that. Usually there’s a compelling business case for sending work offshore – particularly when it’s unskilled, low-margin, low-value-add manufacturing. For example, RM Williams offshores the production of its T-shirts – an area where Australia can’t compete and shouldn’t aspire to.

But it becomes really saddening when the work sent offshore involves advanced, highvalue-add manufacturing, with the potential of creating large numbers of skilled jobs, in a potentially lucrative emerging industry where Australia has several competitive advantages.

And that brings us to another recent news story that was not good, and sadly really wasn’t very surprising.

The Ryan Corner Wind Farm project in western Victoria will involve the manufacture of 52 wind towers. The project site is just 70km down the road from Keppel Prince Engineering, based in Portland - the only wind turbine manufacturer is mainland Australia. So you might reasonably assume Keppel Prince would win that work. But no. Instead, Danish company Vestas, which is managing the build, has given the work to an overseas company. As a result, Keppel Prince may have to make 150 workers redundant.

The news has provoked criticism across the industry. Geoff Crittenden, CEO of Weld Australia, said “Local manufacturers like Keppel Prince cannot win jobs on their doorstep when multi-national companies like Vestas place a premium on price over and above quality and safety.” Much of the criticism has been directed at the Federal Government, who as the ultimate client, omitted to include local content requirements in the contract with Vestas. (You can read a more detailed account in From The Union on page 16.)

It does seem depressingly familiar, to see work going overseas in pursuit of savings that prove relatively negligible compared with the opportunity costs of not buying locally: job losses, poorer-quality imports, and the undermining of Australian businesses and industries. AMT has often emphasised the huge opportunity that clean energy represents for Australia, as indeed has ‘Twiggy’ Forest, who along with bootmaking, has also recently announced big commitments to investing in renewables, green hydrogen and clean steelmaking (see page 29). And the Government itself has listed Recycling & Clean Energy as one of the six National Manufacturing Priorities of its Modern Manufacturing Strategy.

The failure to support Keppel Prince seems quite at odds with that.

It isn’t too late for the Ryan Corner work to be brought back onshore, but time is running out. As Crittenden notes, “The Federal Government must act now to save jobs in regional areas and ensure public safety.”

Maybe it’s time to write to your MP.

Editor William Poole wpoole@amtil.com.au Contributors Carole Goldsmith Sales Manager Nicholas Raftopoulos nraftopoulos@amtil.com.au Publications Co-ordinator Gabriele Richter grichter@amtil.com.au Publisher Shane Infanti sinfanti@amtil.com.au Designer Franco Schena fschena@amtil.com.au Prepress & Print Printgraphics Australia AMT Magazine is printed in Australia using PEFC™ Programme for the Endorsement of Forestry Certification Chain of Custody certified from sustainable forests Contact Details AMT Magazine AMTIL Suite 1, 673 Boronia Rd Wantirna VIC 3152 AUSTRALIA T 03 9800 3666 F 03 9800 3436 E info@amtil.com.au W www.amtil.com.au Copyright © Australian Manufacturing Technology (AMT).

All rights reserved. AMT Magazine may not be copied or reproduced in whole or part thereof without written permission from the publisher.

Contained specifications and claims are those supplied by the manufacturer (contributor)

Disclaimer The opinions expressed within AMT Magazine from editorial staff, contributors or advertisers are not necessarily those of AMTIL. The publisher reserves the right to amend the listed editorial features published in the AMT Magazine Media Kit for content or production purposes.

AMT Magazine is dedicated to Australia’s machining, tooling and sheet-metal working industries and is published bi-monthly.

Subscription to AMT Magazine (and other benefits) is available through AMTIL Associate Membership at $175 (ex GST) per annum.

Contact AMTIL on 03 9800 3666 for further information.

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AMT APR/MAY 2021

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010

FROM THE CEO SHANE INFANTI – Chief Executive Officer AMTIL

Strong early bookings for Australian Manufacturing Week 2022 Bookings have been open for a couple of months now for exhibition space at Australian Manufacturing Week 2022, to be held in Melbourne next March, and I’m very pleased to announce that early sales have been going very well.

Owned and operated by AMTIL, Australian Manufacturing Week (AMW) is Australia’s premier manufacturing solutions event. Colocated with Austech, our longstanding advanced manufacturing and machine tool expo, the inaugural edition of AMW will take place at Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre (MCEC) from 8-11 March 2022. As the largest event covering manufacturing and engineering scheduled to be held in this country, AMW 2022 promises to be an unmissable highlight of next year’s Australian manufacturing industry calendar.

With significant advanced interest from industry since AMW was first announced last July, the opening of bookings has been a major milestone in our preparations for this show. It’s been very exciting to see how strong the interest has been since bookings opened.

There’s going to be a strict cap on available space for 2022, so exhibitors may find themselves jostling for a position amid such high demand for stands. If you are considering participating I would strongly advise you to contact AMTIL promptly to ensure that you secure your place.

AMTIL decided to launch AMW last July following the decision by Reed Exhibitions to cease operation of National Manufacturing Week (NMW), which had been held in co-location with Austech for 20 years. With NMW discontinued, we saw a great opportunity to build on the consistent success of Austech and broaden our events portfolio. Exhibitors who have participated in NMW in the past will find their natural home at AMW. AMW will offer a comprehensive showcase of Australian manufacturing, highlight the full extent and diversity of the industry today, as well as the technologies, processes and innovations shaping its future. Our aim is for it to become more just an exhibition, but the focus of a week-long celebration of manufacturing and the value that it brings for all of Australia.

Exhibitors at AMW 2022 will have the opportunity to present their products and services to some of the most influential decisionmakers from across Australian manufacturing. AMTIL prides itself on the high calibre of visitors it attracts to its events, and visitors to AMW will represent industries such as: aerospace; defence; automotive; marine/shipbuilding; medical, biotechnology & pharmaceutical; petroleum, coal & chemicals; plastics & rubber manufacturing; materials handling & warehousing; recycling; electronics; and telecommunications & IT. With such a comprehensive array of technologies and services on display, the AMW exhibition will be divided into a number of dedicated Product Zones, covering specific segments or aspects of the industry. These specialised areas will help visitors to AMW find the products and services of most interest to them, while giving exhibitors the option to select the most suitable location for their stand. AMW 2022 will include the following Product Zones: • Austech. AMTIL’s longstanding showcase of state-of-the-art machine tools and ancillary equipment.

• Additive Manufacturing. The latest advances in 3D printing, featuring exhibits from users, suppliers and supporters of additive manufacturing.

AMT APR/MAY 2021

AUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURING WEEK

• Digitalisation (IoT). Exploring how developments in digital technology and the Internet of Things (IoT) are ushering in a new era of smart, connected manufacturing.

• Air Technology. Highlighting a range of cutting-edge compressor systems and associated technologies.

• Engineering Solutions. Engineering plays a vital role in modern manufacturing – this pavilion will display equipment and tools for a broad cross-section of engineering disciplines.

• Manufacturing Solutions. Optimised solutions to the most common challenges experienced by manufacturers, from materials handling and warehousing to integrated manufacturing solutions.

• Manufacturing Safety. The latest technologies, products, and services to improve occupational health & safety (OH&S) standards and compliance and reduce safety expenditure.

• Robotics & Automation. Featuring the latest cutting-edge equipment and processes for the optimisation and automation of manufacturing operations.

• Weld Solutions Zone. Highlighting advanced welding processes, with high-quality interactive experiences that demonstrate new developments and applications in the welding sector.

• Australian Manufacturers Pavilion. First launched at Austech 2013, this area showcases the capabilities of some of Australia’s precision engineering and advanced manufacturing businesses.

The AMW website (www.australianmanufacturingweek.com.au) is up and running right now so you can find out lots more about the show there, including full listings of all the companies who have already signed up to exhibit. And if you are thinking of exhibiting, space is selling fast. So don’t delay – you don’t want to miss out.

For inquiries about exhibiting at Australian Manufacturing Week 2022, please contact Anne Samuelsson at: T: +61 400 115 525 E: asamuelsson@amtil.com.au www.australianmanufacturingweek.com.au

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FROM THE MINISTRY THE HON KAREN ANDREWS MP – Minister for Industry, Science and Technology

Putting manufacturing at the heart of Australia’s economy It’s an exciting time to be Industry Minister, unlocking the potential of manufacturing in Australia. I’ve spent the last couple of months visiting businesses and on factory floors, opening the first rounds of funding under the Morrison Government’s $1.3bn Modern Manufacturing Initiative (MMI).

Australia has such rich manufacturing potential, especially in our six National Manufacturing Priorities of Space, Medical Products, Resources Technology and Critical Minerals Processing, Food and Beverage, Defence and Recycling and Clean Energy. While supporting all businesses with the bedrock of getting our economic conditions right, our mission is to scale up these six sectors to grow, take on new overseas markets and employ more Australians.

The grants available through the MMI are about providing coinvestment for industry-led projects to help manufacturers scale up production, commercialise their products and operations, and integrate themselves into new supply chains. We want a resilient and competitive manufacturing sector to be at the heart of a modern Australian economy, so we are setting the stage for local businesses to take on the world.

Our investment is a partnership with Australian businesses to help them open up new markets, increase exports and create new skilled jobs – not just during the recovery from COVID-19, but for generations to come. The MMI investment lift-off began on 19 February when businesses with projects in the space sector were invited to apply for grants.

At the same time as the grants opportunity opened we launched the Space National Manufacturing Priority road map. This road map sets out our vision for growing manufacturing in the sector, which will complement the excellent work already being done by the Australian Space Agency to grow the space economy and create jobs.

Space not only captures the public imagination and opens up new worlds, investment in space technology has practical benefits for our everyday lives. From technology helping emergency workers plan for bushfires and farmers manage their crops, to advances in automation, robotics, engineering and satellite technology, our investments in space will result in new applications that will improve our lives here on Earth.

Take, for example, Canberra business Skykraft, which I recently visited. Skykraft is building small satellite constellations to help improve our communications, travel and banking. It’s highly specialised, high-tech manufacturing at the cutting edge, and like many other Aussie companies Skykraft has teamed up with other local businesses to be part of their supply chain. Fellow Canberra company XTEK is helping produce the special carbon fibre required for the Skykraft satellites.

This is the sort of enterprise and engagement we see in our advanced manufacturing sector right across the board and it’s what we’re backing through our Modern Manufacturing Strategy.

The Strategy also includes a rightful place for medical products.

Australia has pioneered many medical products that have been commercially successful on a global scale, including the cochlear implant, the green whistle pain reliever and the cervical cancer vaccine, and there are significant opportunities to create more Australian success stories. The medical products road map recognises the growth areas of smart monitoring devices and diagnostics, personalised implants and bionics, high-value pharmaceuticals, complementary medicines and cutting-edge treatments like mRNA vaccines.

Australia similarly has world-class resources technology and critical minerals and we want to supercharge and scale up that potential.

AMT APR/MAY 2021

I’ve always said that Australia has for too long dug up our minerals and sent them overseas. Now we want to embrace our resources technology and the processing of our critical minerals so we can value-add here at home – because not only does that open up incredible opportunities in Australia, but even more lucrative export markets overseas.

Funding has also opened in the other three priority areas of Food and Beverage, Recycling and Clean Energy, and Defence – with road maps charting the areas of growth for government and industry investment.

Industry has been the key driver of the manufacturing road maps, while the CSIRO, Industry Innovation and Science Australia and other relevant government agencies have also provided valuable insight. These road maps set out a 10-year vision for each of the National Manufacturing Priorities and they will continue to be built on over time.

The road maps will drive the investments we make under the MMI, which is providing co-funding for large manufacturing projects that have broad benefits across our priorities through three targeted streams: • The Manufacturing Translation Stream will help manufacturers translate good ideas into commercial outcomes and invest in non-R&D innovation.

• The Manufacturing Integration Stream will help manufacturers integrate into domestic and international value chains and markets.

• The Manufacturing Collaboration Stream will provide funding for very large projects that support business-to-business and business-to-research collaboration, in order to build economies of scale.

Across each of the streams we are committed to making science and technology work for industry by fostering collaborative projects involving researchers to help commercialise new manufacturing products and processes. It is vital that researchers, such as those in universities and the CSIRO, work together with industry to advance manufacturing and realise the potential of the priority areas.

Together with industry, researchers and investors, the Government is working to create a new era in local manufacturing that will reap economic benefits for decades to come.

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FROM THE INDUSTRY INNES WILLOX – Chief Executive Australian Industry Group

National Cadet Program needed to help businesses rise from COVID-19 When the COVID-19 pandemic struck a little over a year ago, apprenticeship commencements fell through the floor and young trainees were among the first to have their jobs cut or training cancelled.

Ai Group advocated hard for a program to support apprentices and the Federal Government responded with the Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements program. That program, which has now been extended, provided support for businesses to retain or take on new apprentices. It has been an overwhelming success, which has benefitted more than 100,000 apprentices and trainees.

The new funding announced recently will consolidate these gains and enable more employers to take on their usual annual intake of apprentices and trainees and in many instances increase apprenticeship numbers.

Another Ai Group proposal that will support the creation of a strong pipeline of skills to help lift the economy out of the COVID-19 downturn is a National Cadet Program. Ai Group has urged the Federal Government to use the May budget to fund national wage subsidies in order to assist employers to engage VET and higher education students as cadets and interns.

The rapidly changing work environments and skills requirements thrown up by COVID-19 are best served by learning that is connected to the workplace and closely reflects workplace skills needs, such as work-based and work-integrated learning models.

Apprenticeships are a typical employment-based learning model, but work-based learning includes internships and cadetships, where formal education and training is supplemented by actually doing the work on the job and support from other skilled co-workers.

There is much evidence that combining an employment contract with formal education and training results in better employment outcomes. Benefits of work-based learning include a stronger connection to current workforce needs and better linkages with labour market demand. For employers, such programs create potential long-term employees, in addition to benefits gained through the productive work completed during placements.

The proposed national program, designed and proposed by Peter Dawkins (Victoria University) and David Lloyd (University of South Australia), would require substantial wage subsidies in order to provide incentives to employers to take on cadets at scale at a time of exceptionally high youth unemployment and poor labour market prospects. The program could be developed through Commonwealth/State and Territory partnerships, as well as with Commonwealth Higher Education funding. Existing infrastructure that administers employer incentives and wage subsidies could be expanded.

Another area that could benefit from Federal budget support concerns the need for higher-level skills programs to meet the demands of a transforming economy. Digital transformation has been fast-tracked by the pandemic and it is vital for the recovery that higher-level skills programs are introduced across industry to meet the need for skill levels that are creeping ever higher.

Prior to the pandemic, automation was already disrupting skills, reallocating employment between tasks, sectors and regions.

Labour demand is shifting towards higher-level, more cognitive skills, for which many workers are not adequately trained.

Ai Group’s pre-pandemic research had shown that employers were prioritising managers for digital technology training. This need for management development is likely to have been heightened by the

AMT APR/MAY 2021

acceleration into digital systems by many companies. Businesses are now even more likely to develop new digital strategies that have implications for their workforce development.

The transforming economy will continue to rely heavily on higher education to develop higher critical enquiry. Formal work-based learning programs at higher levels are gaining interest from both industry and potential apprentices/cadets. These approaches have the twin benefit of extending the level of qualification awarded for apprenticeships as well as expanding the scope to non-trade and more para-professional occupations.

There have been two pilots to trial higher apprenticeships.

The Ai Group pilot focused on high-level technical skills in engineering and digital technology. The other was developed

by PricewaterhouseCoopers - piloting an 18-month Diploma of Business in apprenticeship mode for professional, business, information technology and financial services.

In South Australia at the start of 2021, a group of about 20 school leavers have commenced formal training contracts to undertake the Diploma with a range of companies including manufacturers and water and energy transmission companies. One large defence industry manufacturer intends to offer apprenticeships at the Bachelor level once approvals have been obtained.

It is clear that higher education, advanced apprenticeships will greatly assist the needs of industry. However, there are challenges in making higher apprenticeships more broadly available. State Training Authorities currently recognise only VET-level qualifications as apprenticeships or traineeships. Universities in Australia are not familiar with the model. Industrial awards generally do not make provision for them.

Ai Group’s own advocacy on education and training is soon to be given a big boost with the imminent launch of our own Centre for Education and Training. This will be a new research and advocacy body designed to better connect skills development with the needs of industry and the community.

We are working hard to ensure that there is a strong pool of skilled workers ready to contribute to growth and provide meaningful and well targeted jobs and careers as our economy emerges from this pandemic.

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FROM THE UNION STEVE MURPHY – National Secretary Australian Manufacturing Workers Union

Green manufacturing is the future Keppel Prince is one of Australia’s leading renewables manufacturers – producing wind turbines in Portland in Victoria.

They’ve been in the news recently because they’ve had to begin making staff redundant.

This has happened because they’re caught between two visions for the future of our domestic manufacturing industry. These two visions can be encapsulated neatly by the approaches taken by the Victorian and Federal Governments to how they acquire the green power that will power our nation into the future.

Before we get into how we got here, it’s important to reflect on why we’re putting such a focus on these jobs at Keppel Prince.

Every job lost is a tragedy for working people, their families and communities, and we’ve seen workers across the economy loose their jobs before and during the COVID-19 crisis – with more likely on the way now that the JobKeeper program has ended.

A manufacturing-led recovery The reason that we’re focused on these jobs is because they exemplify the manufacturing-led recovery that our country needs. A growing manufacturing industry means a huge range of varied jobs – from design and engineering, to production and maintenance, across a large range of different trades and skills, in the cities, suburbs and regions of Australia.

A growing manufacturing industry will make our country more resilient, and our economy more sophisticated, and deliver the high-skill, high-wage, quality jobs that Australian workers deserve.

Jobs in tourism, education and mining are vital, and these industries will continue to be important for decades to come. But we must improve the sophistication of our economy – particularly our exports – if we want to continue to enjoy our standard of living into the future.

There will be thousands of wind turbines built around the world in the coming decades. Australia can either be an active participant in that market, or we can watch yet another advanced manufacturing opportunity pass us by.

Supporting local jobs The Keppel Prince example shows the difference between governments that “talk the talk” when it comes to Australian-made products and backing Australian jobs – and governments that “walk the walk”.

The Federal Government says it supports Australian-made and backs Australian jobs. However, the reason for the job losses at Keppel Prince is because a $360m deal with Danish company Vestas to build Ryan Corner Wind farm in western Victoria failed to include requirements for Australian steel and local content. That has seen these being purchased from overseas and shipped here, in a move that will only account for a very small fraction of the total build cost.

The role of the Government is important because this facility is effectively underwritten by the Federal Government through the promise to purchase 75% of its output for Snowy Hydro 2.0. This is not a private project at arm’s length from the Government – they could have put any number of requirements on the contract they signed to purchase this power, but they chose not to.

If they had wanted an example of how to deliver local jobs through renewable energy supply contracts, they didn’t have to look very far for an example either. The Victorian Renewable Energy Target (VRET) – supported by the Local Jobs First policy, Local Industry Development Plans and Major Project Skills Guarantees – has seen the VRET deliver thousands of local jobs and hundreds of apprenticeships.

AMT APR/MAY 2021

The Victorian Government is using its procurement spending to build local jobs and skills. That support has helped companies like Keppel Prince to grow and created a demand for highly skilled workers in regional Victoria.

Mandating local content isn’t rare or controversial, it is overwhelming supported by the Australian people, who want to see their taxes being spent in Australia and not sent overseas. Governments around the world provide support to their local manufacturers to help them export around the world. The Australian Government isn’t even protecting the jobs of local workers on projects that are built on the promise of taxpayer-funded income for decades.

The Federal Government should proudly include Australian content requirements in every single contract it signs – and do it proudly.

We need more Australian-made products. Many manufacturing businesses are in outer-suburban and regional areas, and in many cases they are a vital cog that keep these communities going.

The Federal Government could have included local content clauses in its contract but chose not to. It isn’t too late to step in and make sure that these highly skilled workers are looked after – but they need to act soon.

COVID-19 recovery a missed opportunity The Government’s failures to support a green manufacturing future go much deeper than their failure to support the workers at Keppel Prince. A recent Oxford University study had Australia placed last in the world in terms of how the money spent during our COVID-19 recovery will also help us to adapt to the demands of climate change. While countries like France were spending $57bn, South Korea ($54bn), Germany ($47bn) and the UK ($41bn) – Australia is spending just $2bn.

While our Government is trying to lock in a gas-led recovery, the global leaders are setting their economies up as leaders in a zerocarbon future. Germany alone has announced $9bn to develop its hydrogen industry. Australia’s bountiful renewable energy gives us a distinct advantage in creating hydrogen, but unless we can get our skates on, it will be yet another missed opportunity.

Despite pleas from the IMF and a marked increase in global action towards firm action on climate – including suggestions of tariffs on nations who aren’t doing their bit – the Government continues to drag its feet. It will be Australian workers who pay the price with their inaction.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Boeing Loyal Wingman uncrewed aircraft completes first flight Boeing Australia and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) in March completed the first test flight of the Loyal Wingman uncrewed aircraft, the first military aircraft to be designed and manufactured in Australia in more than 50 years.

The flight was conducted under the supervision of a Boeing test pilot monitoring the aircraft from a ground control station at the Woomera Range Complex.

“The Loyal Wingman’s first flight is a major step in this long-term, significant project for the Air Force and Boeing Australia, and we’re thrilled to be a part of the successful test,” said Air Vice-Marshal Cath Roberts, RAAF Head of Air Force Capability. “The Loyal Wingman project is a pathfinder for the integration of autonomous systems and artificial intelligence to create smart human-machine teams. “Through this project we are learning how to integrate these new capabilities to complement and extend air combat and other missions,” she said.

Following a series of taxi tests validating ground handling, navigation and control, and pilot interface, the aircraft completed a successful take-off under its own power before flying a pre-determined route at different speeds and altitudes to verify flight functionality and demonstrate the performance of the Airpower Teaming System design. “Boeing and Australia are pioneering fully integrated combat operations by crewed and uncrewed aircraft,” said Leanne Caret, President and CEO of Boeing Defense, Space & Security . “We’re honoured to be opening this part of aviation’s future with the Royal Australian Air Force, and we look forward to showing others how they also could benefit from our loyal wingman capabilities.”

With support from more than 35 Australian industry teams and leveraging Boeing’s innovative processes, including model-based engineering techniques, such as a digital twin to digitally flight-test missions, the team was able to manufacture the aircraft from design to flight in three years.

This first Loyal Wingman aircraft is serving as the foundation for the Boeing Airpower Teaming System being developed for various global defence customers. The aircraft will fly alongside other platforms, using artificial intelligence to team with existing crewed and uncrewed assets to complement mission capabilities.

Additional Loyal Wingman aircraft are currently under development, with plans for teaming flights scheduled for later this year.

Wohlers Report 2021: Additive manufacturing maintains growth despite pandemic The global additive manufacturing industry grew by 7.5% in 2020 despite the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the latest report from US consultancy Wohlers Associates.

The Wohlers Report 2021 discusses the impact of COVID-19 on the additive manufacturing (AM) industry.

Even with the pandemic, Wohlers Associates found that the industry expanded by 7.5% to nearly US$12.8bn in 2020. However, growth was down considerably compared to average growth of 27.4% over the previous 10 years.

Most established manufacturers of AM systems saw a decline in equipment sales, but many less-established companies grew in 2020. An increase in business by AM service providers supported industrywide growth. Independent service providers worldwide recorded 7.1% growth, resulting in nearly US$5.3bn of revenue from this group.

The Wohlers Report 2021 marks the 26th year of publication of the industry-leading annual report on additive manufacturing (AM) and 3D printing. The study provides trends, perspectives, and forecasts as a tool for decision-making, education, and knowledge acceleration. The report gives readers new to AM a comprehensive understanding of the technology and industry. Veterans of the technology benefit from up-to-date information on growth, recent trends, and important developments worldwide. The Wohlers Report 2021 includes a number of new features, such as:

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• 3D printing of food, medicine, and electronics.

• Pricing of metals and polymers and the hidden costs of AM. • Methods of AM part inspection.

• The pandemic’s impact on the AM industry.

• Compilation of expert reports from 34 countries.

• Tables of AM systems, software tools, service providers, and third-party materials.

The 375-page report includes commentary on 74 early-stage investments and 35 acquisitions and public offerings. AM startups and established companies have received substantial funding in the recent past. One example is Desktop Metal, which received US$575m as part of a merger with a special acquisitions company.

After going public in December 2020, Desktop Metal’s market capitalisation exceeded US$7.5bn in February 2021.

The Wohlers Report 2021 was created with the support of 124 service providers, 113 manufacturers of AM machines, and 24 producers of third-party materials. Eighty-eight co-authors and contributors from 34 countries provided expert views and perspectives. This input, coupled with the experience and data from Wohlers Associates, resulted in a highly detailed and comprehensive body of work on AM. More information on the new report is available here: www.wohlersassociates.com/2021report.htm

INDUSTRY NEWS

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Manufacturers urged to take lead role in skin cancer testing Health experts have called on manufacturing businesses to take a leading role in testing for skin cancer among their workers as cases continue to rise.

Despite a deluge of information on the dangers of skin cancer over the last few decades, Australia remains a global skin cancer hotspot, with mortality rates continuing to rise. Medical authorities have long stated that early detection is key to preventing its proliferation, yet it appears not enough is being done to reverse the numbers. And with many Australians not regularly getting skin checks after hours, there are calls for Australian manufacturing businesses to lead the charge and set up skin testing at work, in the same way that many businesses organise flu injections.

As the most common cancer affecting working-age Australians between 15 and 39 years old, workplace health expert Kristina Billings says “when you consider the amount of Australians, affected by this each year, the workplace really is the best place to start”.

A former employee of food distribution company Monde Nissin is just one example of how workplace skin checks can be ultimately life-saving. In 2019, the company organised for a workplace health program to visit the site and conduct skin checks.

“I thought ‘Okay, I’ll give it a go’,” said the former employee. “They found a suspicious spot so I followed it up with a trip to the doctors shortly after. It turned out to be melanoma. I had the spot cut out as soon as possible. It’s scary to think that, if it weren’t for the program, I probably wouldn’t have gotten checked at all. I’m incredibly grateful.”

Billings, founder of Health at Work, the program that conducted the skincheck, says: “When it comes to health, Australians are unfortunately somewhat nonchalant by nature. So, telling the public to go and get their yearly skin check through plain, repetitive marketing is not effective. It has become white noise. Conversely, the workplace can be a convenient place for employers to role model to their staff the importance of protecting yourself against sun dangers.”

Losing a close friend to cancer was the driving catalyst for Billings to launch Health at Work, a workplace health services provider that conducts thousands of skin checks every year. In 2019, Health at Work conducted 3,440 skin checks, detecting more than 800 suspicious moles, lesions, sunspots and cancers. Of those, 133 (17%) turned out to be melanomas.

“This year, I’m calling on Australian CEOs and HR professionals to join our fight in saving lives – take the lead by implementing skin check programs,” said Billings. “I want Australian workers to feel like getting their skin checked is no skin off their nose.” www.healthatwork.net.au

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INDUSTRY NEWS

AMTIL reveals speaker event plans for Australian Manufacturing Week 2022 AMTIL has released details of some of the additional events taking place alongside Australian Manufacturing Week (AMW) in Melbourne next March.

Proudly owned and operated by AMTIL, Australian Manufacturing Week (AMW) is Australia’s premier manufacturing solutions event.

In addition to the country’s biggest manufacturing industry expo, AMW will feature a number of parallel events to complement the exhibition itself. AMTIL has now revealed that these will include the Future Solutions Stage speaker series, and the UNLIMIT3D additive manufacturing conference.

Taking place in the middle of the AMW exhibition floor, the Future Solutions Stage will offer a glimpse into the future of manufacturing, under the theme ‘Our manufacturing. Our Future’. The Future Solutions Stage program will feature an extensive line-up of speakers from across industry, academia, government and more, sharing their knowledge, expertise and insights.

“AMTIL has regularly held speaker programs as part of our Austech exhibition over the years,” says Kim Banks, AMW Exhibition Manager and Head of Events at AMTIL. “I think it’s something people have come to expect when they visit our shows, and with the Future Solutions Stage we hope to really build on that.”

going on with this breakthrough technology.” AMW 2022 promises to be an unmissable highlight of next year’s manufacturing industry calendar. Co-located with Austech, AMTIL’s longstanding advanced manufacturing and machine tool expo, the inaugural edition of AMW will take place at Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre (MCEC) from 8-11 March 2022.

Meanwhile, the UNLIMIT3D additive manufacturing conference will be returning after its hugely successful debut at Austech 2019. With the theme ‘Strengthening and Securing Australian Supply Chains’, UNLIMIT3D 2022 will focus on the adoption of new technologies, and will be a must-attend event both for those who are thinking about bringing 3D printing into their business, and those who are considering upgrades. UNLIMIT3D 2022 will run from 9-10 March alongside AMW at the MCEC.

“It’s always been our aim for AMW to be more than just an exhibition, and having a strong line-up of compelling speaker events is a key element of that,” said Banks. “There’ll be plenty of further announcements between now and the show, so keep an eye on the AMW website (www.australianmanufacturingweek.com. au) and our social media channels for all the latest news. And if you are considering exhibiting, don’t hesitate to get in touch – the space is selling fast.”

“UNLIMIT3D was one of the big highlights of Austech two years ago,” Banks adds. “Additive manufacturing is obviously a hugely exciting area of development at the moment, and we’re looking forward to delivering a conference next year that really shows what’s

For any inquiries about Australian Manufacturing Week 2022, please contact Anne Samuelsson, Head of Sales at AMTIL, via asamuelsson@amtil.com.au. www.australianmanufacturingweek.com.au

Air Liquide to build new carbon dioxide production facility in Gippsland Air Liquide has entered into an agreement with the Gippsland Basin Joint Venture to build a new purification and processing facility to deliver a supply of high-quality carbon dioxide (CO2) to Australian industries.

As part of the long-term CO2 supply agreement, Air Liquide will build, own and operate a brand new CO2 processing and purification facility. This facility will be constructed next to the Longford Gas Conditioning Plant, owned by Gippsland Basin Joint Venture and operated by Esso Australia, which will capture CO2 from its operations and supply it to Air Liquide for purification and reuse. The Gippsland Basin Joint Venture is a 50-50 joint venture between BHP Petroleum (Bass Strait) Pty Ltd and Esso Australia Resources Pty Ltd. Construction of the new Air Liquide facility and modifications to the Longford Gas Conditioning Plant are expected to begin in 2021, subject to regulatory approvals. Approximately 60 local jobs are expected to be created during the construction phase of the project.

The purified CO2 will serve Australian businesses in a broad range of industries where quality and reliability of supply are a necessity.

This includes food, beverage, water treatment, desalination,

AMT APR/MAY 2021

hospitality, manufacturing and medical industries.

Marcos Etcheverrigaray, Managing Director of Pacific Industrial, Air Liquide, said: “This agreement with the Gippsland Basin Joint Venture demonstrates our shared commitment to contribute to improving the sustainability of our operations. It will help promote a supply of this ingredient which is vital for a great number of our Australian customers.”

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INDUSTRY NEWS

New report reveals Australia’s major digital skills gap New research has revealed a major gap in digital skills across Australia’s workforce, with 87% of jobs now requiring these skills, and a need for 156,000 new technology workers to keep pace with the rapid transformation of businesses.

The findings highlight an urgent need to improve digital skills to ensure economic recovery from COVID-19 and to avoid jeopardising a $10bn growth in the technology, media and communications industries by 2025.

The report, ‘Ready, Set, Upskill – Effective Training for the Jobs of Tomorrow’ was released by RMIT Online, in collaboration with Deloitte Access Economics, following surveys of 1,000 Australian working professionals and employers. The report revealed that three out of four Australians want to learn about emerging technologies, such as cybersecurity and artificial intelligence, and that four in five Australian business leaders think that adopting new technologies is important to achieve business goals.

RMIT Online CEO Helen Souness said responding to Australia’s digital skills gap is a national imperative, and Australia’s economic recovery will rely heavily on the availability of these skills to power business transformation.

“The events of last year have underlined the urgency of bridging this skills gap,” she said. “Australian employers across all industries need to prioritise training and upskilling to transform, survive and thrive in the post-COVID world. This includes shifting their perspective on training to consider it as a core business activity rather than a nice-to-have.

“With four in five Australian business leaders agreeing that adopting new technologies is important to achieve business goals, the decisions we make now will be a key driver of our economic success. What is encouraging is the number of people who say they have extended skills like leadership and critical thinking as we know these enterprise skills are also critical to Australia’s business leaders. What we now need to see is a similar extension of technical skills in our corporate workforce.”

The report’s release comes as many businesses look towards digitisation as a pathway to recover from the impact of the pandemic. While some Australians completed training to meet digital needs, evidence suggests it won’t be enough to fill the gap, with 50,600 Australians reporting a lack of the necessary skills or education as their main difficulty in finding work as of August 2020. Of those surveyed, 29% of Australians reported their critical thinking skills improved over the course of the pandemic, however,

this was not accompanied by a similar improvement in technical skills like coding.

Other key findings from the study revealed: • One-third of respondents felt their job requirements had changed and one in four reported they didn’t have the skills they needed to complete their day-to-day job.

• 61% of respondents reported their skills improved over the pandemic – but these are soft skills rather than digital skills.

• One-quarter of those surveyed said their data analysis skills are not at the level required or are outdated compared with their employers’ requirements.

• More than half of Australians have little to no understanding of coding, blockchain, AI and data visualisation.

• One-third of respondents felt their job requirements had changed with one in four concerned that their job would be made redundant.

• 52% prefer a learning culture over a fun culture at work and 38% of Australians would prefer paid study leave over a promotion.

• 23% of Australians said that learning isn't available in times/ ways that suit them • Work commitments (16%), cost of coursework (11%) and personal commitments (i.e. caring; 8%) are the top three barriers to factors keeping Australians from learning.

Kaeser breaks ground on state-of-the-art new Melbourne facility Kaeser Compressors Australia recently celebrated breaking ground on the construction of its new state-of-the-art head office facility in Melbourne.

Kaeser’s Australian head office has been situated in Dandenong, Victoria, since Kaeser Compressors opened its doors in 1990. After 30 years it became clear that the company was outgrowing the existing facility, and required additional office space, a larger warehouse and a bigger in-house workshop.

A complete transformation of the current facility is now underway, which will both modernise and extend it out to twice its current size. After a number of COVID-19 setbacks, the transformation is well underway and expected to

AMT APR/MAY 2021

be completed by early 2022. Peter Eckberg, Managing Director of Kaeser Compressors Australia, said: “Construction of our new head office facility should have commenced in 2020.

Unfortunately, COVID-19 had other plans!

While the pandemic may have slowed down proceedings it has not stopped the company’s reinvestment plans. Kaeser Compressors has always reinvested heavily into the business and the current pandemic has not halted those efforts. We’re pleased to say that despite ongoing COVID-19 disruptions, we finally broke ground in January.”

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INDUSTRY NEWS

SA tech company Voxon Photonics wins defence work with BAE Systems South Australian company Voxon Photonics has won new work with the Hunter Class Frigate program for its worldleading 3D volumetric display technology.

The company will provide the Hunter Class Frigate Program, as well as BAE Systems’ UK Submarines business, with its bespoke displays to provide 3D visualisation for respective research and technology programs to test situational awareness, systems integration and specialist engineering design applications.

Voxon is a global leader in the manufacture of 3D volumetric display technology and leading provider of volumetric software and content. In late 2020 Voxon, together with BAE Systems, Flinders University and the University of South Australia, was awarded a Defence Innovation Partnership grant to support the advancement of the technology to enable superior decision-making through battlespace visualisation.

Voxon Chief Executive Gavin Smith said: “Voxon would like to acknowledge the support that BAE Systems has given to specialist SMEs like ourselves via the Australian industry Global Access Program team. The team has been highly engaged with us from the beginning and established connections for us with the broader BAE Systems international business.”

Future activities will focus on scalability, ruggedisation and specific operating functions that will have multiple applications in Defence, across maritime, air, space and land domains.

BAE Systems first partnered with Voxon at the Hunter Class Innovation showcase in Melbourne in 2019. The Global Access

Program team has already supported engagement opportunities with potential users, including the research and development team within BAE Systems’ UK Submarines business.

BAE Systems Australia Chief Executive Gabby Costigan said: “Voxon provides truly disruptive, world-leading technology.

Our collaboration with Voxon has and will continue to explore opportunities for the integration of the company’s technology across our programs and has the potential to significantly influence a suite of sovereign industrial capability priorities aligning with key objectives of the global supply chain program. The Global Access Program is providing ongoing support to Voxon and has also implemented new initiatives that will expedite Voxon’s research and development efforts.” www.baesystems.com www.voxon.co

Survey: Three out of ten business see productivity boost from home working Fewer than one in five Australian business owners say that productivity has been reduced with employees working from home, according to the January Sensis Business Index.

The index showed just 18% of owners saw reduced productivity, with 29% seeing an increase in productivity, and 53% saying working from home had no impact.

were also keen to have their employees return to the office fulltime. That was a figure much higher than we had anticipated as in December that figure was just 19%.”

The Finance and Insurance sector saw the biggest uplift with 52% of owners saying productivity increased and 36% within the Health and Community Services sector also experienced productivity gains. The sector with the most significant negative impact was Transport, with a 30% reduction in productivity, followed by Construction at 29% and Wholesale at 25%. The sectors where productivity was unaffected the most were Communications, Property and Business Services at 65%, followed by Hospitality at 62%.

The state that most wanted their workers to return to the office full-time was Tasmania at 57%. The state least demanding their staff come back to the office full-time was Queensland at 35%.

Nearly one in five (18%) of South Australian business owners were comfortable with their workforce working from home fulltime.

Sensis CEO John Allan said the results showed that the vast majority of workers could be trusted to perform their jobs at home: “The fact that nearly one in three businesses (29%) saw an actual increase in productivity will make it hard for employers to force their employees back into the office full-time.”

The survey also looked at owners’ attitude to workers going back into the office, with a split between working from home and working from the office proving to be the most popular at 48%.

“For those wanting to work just from home it will be difficult,” said Allan. “Just 13% of owners were agreeable to this option. 40%

AMT APR/MAY 2021

The Health sector at 57% was highest in returning to work fulltime, followed by Manufacturing at 51% and Hospitality at 48%.

Surprisingly, only 29% of retail owners wanted staff to return fulltime to the office. Transport was the happiest with a hybrid model approach at 61% followed by Retail at 55% and Wholesale at 54%. Construction/Building was most comfortable with a 100% work from home week at 21% followed by Communications, Property and Business Services at 19% and both Retail and Wholesale at 16%.

The survey canvassed 1,000 business owners/managers across all states and across 10 business sectors. It was conducted by data insights platform Glow in the last week of January. Of the businesses surveyed, 22% had 50 employees or more and 53% of businesses had been operating for more than 10 years.

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GOVERNMENT NEWS

New $30m grants program to support Australian manufacturing The Federal Government has announced a new $30m fund aimed at supporting Australia’s manufacturers to turn their good ideas into world-beating realities that create more local jobs.

The fund will be managed and administered by the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC), in collaboration with the five other Industry Growth Centres: AustCyber, Food Innovation Australia Ltd (FIAL), MTPConnect, METS Ignited and National Energy Resources Australia (NERA), and the CSIRO. Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Karen Andrews said the Commercialisation Fund will foster projects that bring industry and researchers together to commercialise new manufacturing products and processes.

Dr Jens Goennemann, Managing Director of the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC).

“Making science and technology work for industry is one of the central pillars of our Government’s $1.5bn Modern Manufacturing Strategy and this fund is just one of the ways we’re delivering on that,” said Andrews. “The Morrison Government is positioning Australia’s manufacturing industry at the cutting edge of innovation and this fund will help bring together the best of research and manufacturing capability to generate commercial outcomes.

“We know that by making our manufacturers more competitive and helping them to take on the world, we will create jobs for Australians – both for the COVID-19 recovery and for generations to come.”

As with all programs under the Modern Manufacturing Strategy, the new fund will support projects within the Government’s six National Manufacturing Priorities. These priorities are: Medical Products, Food and Beverage, Resources Technology and Critical Minerals Processing, Recycling and Clean Energy, Defence, and Space.

Commercialisation Fund grants will be between $100,000 and $1m and must be matched by industry. These smaller-sized grants will complement the larger projects that will be supported through the $1.3bn Modern Manufacturing Initiative.

AMGC Managing Director Dr Jens Goennemann said that the AMGC Commercialisation Fund had been established with the express intention of commercialising and transitioning new manufacturing products and processes.

“For the past five years, AMGC has been working with our manufacturers to identify and support promising manufacturing projects,” Dr Goennemann said. “These projects have resulted in an uplift in jobs, skills and Australia’s global competitiveness and the latest round of funding will allow us to continue the good work.

“This funding supports AMGC’s vision to transform Australian manufacturing to be internationally competitive, dynamic and thriving, with advanced capabilities and skills at its core – in short, we want to help Australia move from being a lucky country to a smart one.”

Projects must include collaboration with a research partner and a minimum of one industry partner. The fund will run over an 18-month period. The first round of funding will provide $20m while a subsequent round will deliver the remaining $10m.

For more information and to apply for a grant go to: www.amgc.org.au/projects

Grow your business with JobMaker Hiring Credit Businesses that create new positions and employ young Australians may be eligible for a new wage subsidy called the JobMaker Hiring Credit, paid by the ATO. Employers that increase both their headcount and payroll can receive up to $10,400 per year for each new job they fill with an eligible employee aged 16 to 29 years, and $5,200 for each eligible employee aged 30 to 35 years. To qualify, new employees must: • Be 16 to 35 years old.

• Commence employment between 7 October 2020 and 6 October 2021.

• Work or be paid for an average of at least 20 paid hours per week during the reporting period.

• Have received the JobSeeker Payment, Parenting Payment or Youth Allowance (except if they are receiving the allowance because they are undertaking full-time study or are a new apprentice) for at least 28 consecutive days (or two fortnights) in the 84 days (or six fortnights) prior to starting employment.

ATO Deputy Commissioner James O’Halloran said employers do not need to satisfy a turnover test and the three-step process to access the credit is straightforward: “The first step for a business is to register. The second step is to nominate their new employees

AMT APR/MAY 2021

and the third is to make a claim. I also encourage employers who need advice to contact their tax or BAS agent, or check out the resources available on our website.” www.ato.gov.au/jobmakerhiringcredit

THE CENTREPIECE OF A WEEK-LONG CELEBRATION OF MANUFACTURING AUSTRALIA’S PREMIER MANUFACTURING SOLUTIONS EVENT IN MELBOURNE 8th – 11th March, 2022 Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre MELBOURNE | AUSTRALIA

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AUSTRALIA’S PREMIER ADVANCED MANUFACTURING & MACHINE TOOL EXHIBITION SIGN UP TO GET REGULAR NEWS ABOUT AUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURING WEEK AT WWW.AUSTRALIANMANUFACTURINGWEEK.COM.AU FOR MORE INFORMATION ON BOTH SHOWS, CONTACT AMTIL HEAD OF EVENTS KIM BANKS AT KBANKS@AMTIL.COM.AU AMW & Austech is proudly owned and run by AMTIL

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VOICE BOX OPINIONS FROM ACROSS THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY

Chief Scientist: Science will drive a post-pandemic manufacturing boom The Government is investing heavily in advanced manufacturing as a key driver of Australia’s economic recovery in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, with science set to play a vital role in this effort. While there will be challenges, it will also create major opportunities both for Australia’s scientific community and for our manufacturing industry, writes Cathy Foley, Australia’s Chief Scientist.

It’s early days in my tenure as Australia’s Chief Scientist but I have already been struck by how central science is to the national policy agenda. I knew this as an observer, but since I took up the post it has become clear how many initiatives are looking to science to lead the way. As we begin to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, Australia is looking to boost its manufacturing capacity in areas such as medical manufacturing and low-emissions technologies including clean hydrogen. This is good news for Australia’s science and research community. It is an enormous opportunity. It is also a considerable challenge and responsibility.

After the pandemic One of the first events with which I was involved as Chief Scientist was a US-Australia Dialogue on Medical Innovation in Response to COVID-19. This was an opportunity to share experiences across the US and Australia, and the conversation touched on some of the topics that will be a focus of my term.

Contributing to Australia’s pandemic response is high on my agenda. This includes not only short-term activities such as the vaccine rollout, but also learning the lessons of the past 12 months.

Australia’s interests will be well served by a greater capability in pharmaceutical and medical manufacturing. I was interested to hear the insights from two significant companies in this sphere, ResMed and CSL. Both have played important roles in the pandemic both locally and globally: ResMed in the manufacture of ventilators; and CSL in the development of therapies and vaccines.

The Federal Government is focused on building Australian capability in medical manufacturing, and I strongly support this work.

The pandemic accelerated global vaccine development, especially in the new field of mRNA vaccines. The technology has potential for other vaccines, including for influenza, and for new treatments for diseases such as diabetes and Alzheimer’s. The Medical Products National Manufacturing Priority road map has identified this area as a growth opportunity.

Beyond medicine The Government’s focus on manufacturing also includes new lowemissions technologies, such as clean hydrogen, and Australian capability in a variety of other sectors. These include resources technology and critical minerals processing, food security, recycling and clean energy, defence and space. I am also deputy chair of Industry Innovation and Science Australia, a board advising the Government in this effort. The Government is also strongly focused on encouraging more commercialisation of research and ensuring Australia gets the benefit of the research and innovation that it incubates.

Much of my time in recent weeks has been spent consulting across government, industry and the science and research communities as I bed down a concrete work agenda. It is already clear that research translation — the ability to get the most value from the excellent research being done in our universities and other institutions — will be a key focus.

AMT APR/MAY 2021

From research to commercialisation I worked at the CSIRO for many years as a researcher in superconducting materials, and was later the organisation’s Chief Scientist. My experience spans the continuum from pure research to commercialisation.

For me, science is where the work starts, but not the whole answer.

Science is creative, hard, exciting, sometimes demoralising and immensely fulfilling and fun. Science can provide the nation with options for the path forward. But we also need engineering, a good business model, user interface and design. Not to mention the social licence to accept, support and pay for the solution.

My job is to ensure the Government has access to the best evidence available as it tackles the challenges we face and drives new opportunities for Australian innovation and industry. I look forward to working with science and the research community, industry and the business community, government and institutions to make that happen.

Dr Cathy Foley AO PSM is Australia’s Chief Scientist.

This article was originally published by The Conversation. www.theconversation.com www.chiefscientist.gov.au

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VOICE BOX OPINIONS FROM ACROSS THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY

What the renewables and technology race means for Australian manufacturing As the US rejoins the UN’s Paris Climate Agreement, what does the renewables race mean for the Australian manufacturing sector? Greg O’Loan argues that energy and technology are intrinsically linked and smart investments in both is the only way for manufacturers to gain a competitive edge.

Fortescue Metals Group’s Chairman and founder, Dr Andrew ‘Twiggy ’ Forrest, surprised a few with his first Boyer Lecture of 2021, highlighting the mining giant’s commitment to renewables, green hydrogen, and ultimately to the production of green steel.

Acknowledging his group’s significant greenhouse gas contribution – two million tonnes a year, more than the entire emissions of Bhutan – Twiggy said the answer is not in stopping mining iron ore, which is critical to the production of steel and to humanity, but instead ensuring that iron ore and steel activity use zero-emissions energy. Twiggy believes green hydrogen – the purest source of energy in the world – could replace up to threequarters of global emissions, if we improve the technology and add scale. He argues that the green hydrogen market could generate revenues – at the very least – of US$12 trillion by 2050.

So, as the US rejoins the UN’s Paris Climate Agreement and Australia’s Federal Government prepares to commit to net zero emissions by 2050, what does the renewables race mean for the Australian manufacturing sector, particularly for energy-hungry sectors such as steel manufacturing? And while we are admittedly still a few years away from net zero emissions, what can manufacturers do today to take ownership of their energy consumption and help reduce the impact of fluctuating energy pricing on their business?

Australia can’t manufacture everything it wants, but it is capable of manufacturing everything it needs. Pre-COVID-19, our country depended on imports to a high degree, which created risk as supply chains were threatened. COVID-19 only highlighted the complexity and fragility of supply chains.

And while Australia has certainly benefited from being an island nation during COVID-19, it has come with added challenges. What 2020 clearly showed was that it is key for the Australian Government to continue to move away from short-term solutions and refuel the Australian economy by investing locally.

This could be particularly beneficial when it comes to energy production, for example. Australia has reaped significant benefits from the ready availability of fossil fuel. It has given energy-intensive industries a competitive advantage. In fact, so much of the success of Australia’s energy-hungry manufacturing sector has been tied to energy pricing.

However Australia’s reliance on fossil fuel-based energy is also an economic vulnerability. Beyond the environmental damages, the consequences for Australian goods manufacturing that have a high carbon footprint could be severe as the world moves towards action for greenhouse gas reduction.

The global push towards renewable energy via the Paris Accord has created a global need – and therefore opportunity – for reductions in emissions and renewable energy developments. Government investment in cheaper, reliable and robust renewable energy alternatives could reduce this reliance and reinvigorate Australian manufacturing.

Moreover, beyond green hydrogen, Australia’s largely uninhabited interior offers significant space to build solar and wind farms, particularly in the mid-west of the country.

By shifting to cost-effective renewables and gaining more control over the production of the energy required to power local manufacturing, Australia can reduce its reliance on overseas providers and fossil fuels, and control its own destiny.

However, Government policy and investment in greener energy is just one part of the puzzle.

Manufacturers focus on energy efficiency for a lot of reasons: sustainability, tax incentives, and of course the cost of running the plant and making products. And while manufacturers can’t control fluctuating energy pricing, there are ways to implement technology smarts to help them reduce their energy consumption.

Smart software can access real-time data to analyse, report and track energy usage, analyse load patterns, production requirements, and resource demands, schedule workloads and improve productivity and reduce pollutant emissions. For example, beacons on air conditioning units and the data that they capture can allow a manufacturing plant’s work area to stay at an optimum temperature while saving energy.

Thankfully, last year only accelerated the rollout of smart technology.

The significant disruption caused by COVID-19 has increased the relevance of Industry 4.0 – the ongoing automation of traditional manufacturing and industrial practices, using modern smart technology such the Internet of Things (IoT), machine learning and artificial intelligence. Investment in technology is now finally seen as a higher priority at board level.

Manufacturing companies are now looking to implement contingency plans to prevent similar disruption in the future, looking at what capabilities are required to continue operations, both in terms of employees, and in terms of plant and equipment.

And this huge uptake of digital transformation, through intelligent, connected, and industry-focused solutions based on deep industry knowledge, only makes energy tracking faster, more seamless and more accurate.

For manufacturers, this is a huge opportunity. These solutions are also naturally scalable and purpose-fit, and accessible for employees, regardless of where they’re working. In my view, energy and technology are intrinsically linked for manufacturers, and smart investments in both of these areas is the only way for them to gain a competitive edge.

As Fortescue’s leadership team makes its intentions clear about becoming one of the world’s largest green energy and product businesses, I have no doubt many others will soon follow, and at Epicor we look forward to accompanying these changemakers on their ambitious journey.

Greg O’Loan is Regional Vice-President for ANZ at Epicor Software Corporation. www.epicor.com/australia

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VOICE BOX OPINIONS FROM ACROSS THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY

A perfect storm for Australian manufacturing – How to ride the wave with emerging technologies Australian manufacturing is set to ride the Fourth Industrial Revolution wave, from the Federal Government’s renewed focus via its Modern Manufacturing Strategy, to COVID-19 fuelling the retooling of our existing manufacturing capabilities. By Helen Wong.

The manufacturing industry in Australia is facing a period of renewal and transformation. With more robotic density in manufacturing factories and warehouses comes the need for connectivity, since there is more data to consume. The ability to have low latency and secure connectivity at high speed is becoming critical to the future of manufacturing.

Local manufacturers are now looking to private 5G capabilities for this low latency and secure connectivity to improve the overall manufacturing process. In fact, some are looking at combining private 5G with optical infrastructure to create test beds for autonomous guided vehicles and autonomous guided robots to increase the accuracy and speed of tracking.

This testing has so far seen many opportunities that go well beyond the initial concepts that manufacturing businesses conceived, including addressing quality assurance, safety of employees, and making sure the right assets are at the right location at the right time. This integration of information with other members of the supply chain downstream brings an overall agility that would not be possible without 5G.

Adding AI capabilities One of the promising outcomes of Industry 4.0 is that advancements in automation are leading to human operators shedding repetitive manual tasks and focusing on maintenance and up-skilling. To realise this goal, manufacturers will continue to collect the troves of machine data that the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) delivers.

They will use artificial intelligence (AI) to analyse these data sets and act on the recommendations that AI delivers.

By way of illustration, manufacturers might already be getting data from a variable frequency drive (VFD) that controls an AC motor in a conveyor system. If that system does not have a native sensor that indicates when and if excessive heat and moisture are present, the operator might not be able to avoid a VFD failure, which could lead to other issues.

Data garnered from machines must be analysed somewhere. Depending on the use case and desired outcome, AI and machine learning (ML) applications can be deployed on-site, on an edge or in the cloud. Manufacturers that leverage AI and ML as part of their digitisation and automation strategy need to take in consideration the requirements (like application performance and latency) for data-driven automation to be successful. After all, what’s the point of gathering information about machines in real time if you can’t act on it quickly?

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How technology enables Industry 4.0 Emerging technologies such as IoT, IIoT, AI, ML, 5G and multiaccess edge computing (MEC) are foundational for creating a solution that supports Industry 4.0 use cases. The promise of Industry 4.0 lies not just in automation but real-time automation at scale. Below are a few ways in which these technologies can help on the plant floor: • Enable predictive maintenance. Product data management (PDM) software uses equipment data to evaluate the performance of assets in real time and minimises costly downtime. When that evaluation happens at the edge (MEC, for example), not only do manufacturers realise the benefits of real-time analytics, but costs are cut by eliminating round trips to the cloud. PDM helps manufacturers that want to be more efficient with their maintenance program and want to avoid downtime surprises.

• Bring in remote expertise. MEC and 5G networks can enable augmented reality (AR), such that a worker on the plant floor can use a smart mobile device to call for (and receive) help from a more experienced technician. AR enables both the remote technician and the on-site worker to “see” the situation on the ground so they can troubleshoot efficiently, which decreases the need for dispatching expensive help to the site.

AR can also layer diagrams of what machine parts should look like and display guided tutorials that workers can use to diagnose problems on their own.

• Better inventory management. Another promising Industry 4.0 use case is real-time inventory management. By tagging raw materials, unfinished parts or finished products with purpose-built sensors, manufacturers gain real-time location visibility of their inventory. This location data can be integrated into warehouse management and supply chain management systems to enable visibility of selected inventory to upstream or downstream suppliers, which in turn helps strengthen supply chains.

The future of smart manufacturing Advanced networking will underpin Industry 4.0, and MEC using private 5G will play a huge role too. While many large enterprises have embraced the promise of Industry 4.0, the democratisation of these technologies is making room for smaller original equipment manufacturers to dive in and reap promising results as well.

Helen Wong is Director of International Secure Network Product at Verizon. www.verizon.com

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TECH NEWS

Australia: Next-gen propulsion system tested

UK: Taxiing towards world’s fastest all-electric plane

An Australian research consortium has successfully tested a nextgeneration propulsion system that could enable high-speed flight and space launch services. The team’s rotating detonation engine, or RDE, is a major technical achievement and an Australian first. It was designed by RMIT University engineers and is being developed by a consortium led by DefendTex, RMIT, University of Sydney and Universität der Bundeswehr in Germany. While conventional rocket engines operate by burning fuel at constant pressure, the RDE produces thrust by rapidly detonating the propellant in a ringshaped combustor. Once started, the engine is in a self-sustaining cycle of detonation waves that travel around the combustor at supersonic speeds greater than 2.5km a second. This type of combustion has the potential to significantly increase engine efficiency and performance.

Rolls-Royce successfully completed the taxiing of its ‘Spirit of Innovation’ aircraft in February; the latest milestone on its journey to creating the world’s fastest all-electric plane. The taxiing is a critical test of the integration of the aircraft’s propulsion system ahead of flight-testing. For the first time, the plane powered along a runway propelled by its powerful 500hp [400kw] electric powertrain and the latest energy storage technology developed to set world speed records and enable a new generation of urban air mobility concepts.

Set to be the world’s fastest electric plane, this pioneering aircraft highlights the value of close collaboration between industry and UK’s government through the ACCEL programme (‘Accelerating the Electrification of Flight).

Rolls-Royce

RMIT

USA: Super-hard metals from nanoparticles A method for smashing individual metal nanoclusters and fusing them to form solid metal has been developed. The metals are up to four times harder than naturally occurring metal structures.

Hammering and other hardening methods are top-down ways of altering grain structure, and controlling the grain size is difficult. This new method results in uniform grain sizes that can be tuned for enhanced properties. The key is the chemical treatment given to the nanoparticle building blocks. Metal nanoparticles are covered with organic molecules called ligands, which prevent the formation of metal-metal bonds. The team stripped away those ligands chemically, allowing the clusters to fuse together with a bit of pressure. Gold metal coins made with the technique were two to four times harder than standard metal. Other properties (electrical conduction and light reflectance) were virtually identical to standard metals. The technique can be used to make any kind of metal using standard equipment.

USA: Morphing nozzle offers new control of fibre alignment Engineers have created a new shape-changing or “morphing” 3D printing nozzle which offers new methods for 3D printing “fibre-filled composites”– materials made up of short fibres that boost special properties over traditional 3D-printed parts. The challenge is that these properties are based on the directions or “orientations” of the short fibres, which has been difficult to control until now. A single printed material was able to transition between anisotropic and isotropic swelling just by changing the nozzle’s shape during the 3D printing process. The approach can be applied for 3D printing many composite materials to customise their elastic, thermal, magnetic or electrical properties.

University of Maryland

Brown University

UK: Self-eating rocket wins support A ‘self-eating’ rocket engine (autophage) which aims to put small payloads into orbit by burning its own structure as propellant has won financial support from the UK Government, hopefully creating launch opportunities in the UK. Autophage engines have already been test-fired using all-solid propellant, but the new funding will underwrite the research required to use a more energetic hybrid propellant: a solid tube of fuel containing a liquid oxidiser. The entire assembly will be consumed from the bottom up, by an engine which will vaporise the fuel tube, add the oxidiser, and burn the mixture to create thrust. The engine will have consumed the entire body of the rocket by the time the assembly reaches orbit, and only the payload will be left.

University of Glasgow

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The morphing nozzle enables 3D printing of fibre-filled composite materials with on-demand control of fibre alignment

USA: A key step towards massproduced printed aluminium parts Desktop Metal and Uniformity Labs have announced the development of a “breakthrough” fully dense and sinterable 6061 aluminium material which will be made available for Desktop Metal’s

TECH HEADING NEWS binder jetting technology. The aim was to develop a low-cost, raw material that would yield a fully dense, sinterabale 6061 aluminium with greater than 10% elongation, improved yield strength and ultimate tensile strength versus wrought 6061 aluminium with comparable heat treatment. The material is a ‘significant improvement’ over prior aluminium sintering techniques, which have required coating powder particles, mixing sintering aids into powder, using binder containing expensive nanoparticles or adding metals like lead and magnesium. This breakthrough represents a major milestone in the development of aluminium for binder jetting and a significant step forward for the AM industry. *ExOne and Ford also announced their own efforts to enable the 3D printing of aluminium 6061 with the development of a patent-pending process.

as a fuel. Swinburne has also partnered with Germany’s ARENA 2036 since 2016 – facilitating joint research projects focusing on light weighting and digitalisation. The Victorian Hydrogen Hub will be connected to a matching facility to be built by ARENA 2036 in Germany, to bring together more than 40 industry partners in Stuttgart. “Australia will be at the forefront in this important research, led by the team at Swinburne and CSIRO” - said Professor Bronwyn Fox.

TCT magazine

The ExOne Company has been awarded a US Dept of Defense US$1.6m contract to develop a fully operational, self-contained 3D printing “factory” housed in a shipping container. Now under development, the rugged 3D printing factory pod would be deployed directly in the field, via land, sea or air, to manufacture parts to support war theatres, disaster relief, or other remote operations.

The printers can produce parts in more than 20 metal, ceramic or composite materials. The contract will focus on improving the ruggedness of ExOne’s binder jet 3D printers for a wide range of operating conditions. Binder jet 3D printing is critical for military use because of its speed, flexibility of materials, and ease of use.

Australia: New Swinburne hydrogen hub Last February, Swinburne Uni of Technology announced a $10m injection from the Vic. Govt to build the Victorian Hydrogen Hub with the CSIRO. The Hub (VH2) is designed to bring researchers, industry partners and businesses together to test, trial and demonstrate new and emerging hydrogen technologies. The Hub would house a demonstration hydrogen refuelling station with hydrogen production and storage facilities, to expand the understanding of hydrogen

Swinburne

USA: Military-grade 3D printing factory in shipping container

ExOne Under development for the US Dept of Defense: the mobile 3D printing "factory"

Graphic impression of the Victorian Hydrogen Hub

Hemp: Stronger than steel – Picking up where Henry Ford left off The benefits of industrial hemp have been reported for many decades. Among the advantages: fibres from Cannabis Sativa can be up to 10 times stronger than steel (hemp fibres have a better strength to weight ratio) with considerably higher bendability, and hemp requires less water and land to grow than other textile materials. For building construction, it is recyclable, non-toxic, biodegradable, light-weight, mould-resistant and breathable (‘Hempcrete’ is a strong, pest-resistant building material which absorbs carbon dioxide as it is manufactured). Various car makers are beginning to use hemp composites in their car panels (eg Renew Sports Cars). And Hempearth Group of Canada is set to build the world’s first plane made from hemp composites and powered by hemp bio-fuel.

Australia’s Agcom

failing to leave a mark. According to henryford.org - the frame, made of tubular steel, had 14 plastic panels attached to it and was 1000lbs. lighter than a steel car. The exact ingredients of the plastic panels are unknown because no record of the formula exists today. It is claimed the panels were made from a formula that, among many other ingredients, included soybeans, wheat, hemp, flax and ramie.

“Our mission at Renew, is to pick up where Mr. Ford left off, yet go beyond ... helping to make not only our cars, but all of today's existing cars carbon negative cars by 2025”. says Bruce Michael Dietzen, founder of Renew Sports Cars.

Recommended viewing: “Hempsters Cannabis Car PILOT” on Youtube for the Renew Sports Cars journey.

Agcom is an Australian company that is now fully focused on the growing, harvesting and production of food and industrial hemp in Victoria, with exciting industrial projects in the pipeline. The company is taking advantage of new cultivation and processing methodologies and the legalisation of the sector by the Australian government … watch this space!

Did you know?

The hemp market was at its peak during the 17th century.

Afterwards, it saw a rapid decline as it was subsequently made illegal in many countries. However Henry Ford spent more than a decade researching and building his “plastic” prototype car which was unveiled in 1941 and was not only constructed from agricultural byproducts including hemp, but was designed to run off bio-fuel. Armed with a sledge hammer, Ford set out to prove that although the material was lighter than steel, it could withstand 10 times the impact - famously whacking the panel of the car and

The car which Henry Ford (right) "grew from the soil". Its plastic panels, with impact strength 10 times greater than steel, were made from flax, wheat, hemp and spruce pulp.

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PRODUCT NEWS

Complete, compact turnkey systems: Kaeser launches latest generation boosters Kaeser Compressors has just announced the launch of its latest generation boosters that cover the 7.5kW to 22kW drive power range.

The new CN C series booster models are complete, compact, energyefficient turnkey systems that are ideal wherever high-pressure compressed air is required such as PET bottle production, process air applications and nitrogen generation. Powerful, compact and quiet, the CN C series of boosters from Kaeser offer impressive performance, dependability and energy efficiency. These innovative complete systems come into play when, for technical reasons, specific points in a production process require a pressure higher than the network pressure.

The CN C series boosters have ben fullly redesigned with a clever new layout. All application-relevant components are provided and configured ex-works for delivery of a complete turnkey system that is ready for immediate operation. With a footprint of only 1.9sqm, they are also compact, keeping the space requirement to a minimum. Moreover, the system is encompassed within a sound enclosure, keeping sound pressure levels down to as little as 71 dB(A). These next-generation boosters are more energy-efficient than ever before. A premium efficiency (IE3) drive motor is fitted as standard. This contributes to cost-effective energy usage, as does the generously dimensioned radial fan, which also serves to ensure reliable temperature control.

CN C series boosters feature separate cooling air flows for the compressor block, drive motor and control cabinet, which are taken in through openings in the right-hand side of the enclosure. Once they have been used for cooling, the streams are combined, then blown up and out through the exhaust air outlet in the top of the

enclosure. This clever design reliably prevents cool inlet air from mixing with warm exhaust air – for enhanced efficiency.

The Kaeser CN C series boosters are service-friendly. All maintenancerelevant components, such as cylinders and venting valves, filters, condensate separators and oil drainage/filler openings are easily accessible thanks to large maintenance doors.

The removable panel on the cooler side allows simple belt changes and provides easy access to the cooler.

For efficient control and monitoring of the compressor operation, the CN C series boosters come with an integrated Sigma Control 2 controller.

This automatically monitors all key values: initial and final pressure; block discharge temperature of the individual cylinders; drive motor winding temperature; oil pressure/level; and compressed air discharge temperature.

A further key advantage of these new booster systems is that they are perfectly matched for seamless networking with their “suppliers” – making them fully compatible with Industry 4.0 environments. This means that CN C series boosters are the ideal solution for such operations as PET bottle production, process air applications, nitrogen generation and the provision of high pressure for testing facilities. The CN C series of boosters from Kaeser Compressors are available with drive powers of 7.5kW to 22kW, and produce flow rates from 0.8 to 8.0 cubic metres/min. Initial pressure is 3 to 13 bar, and final pressures are 10 to 45 bar. au.kaeser.com

Walter AG releases new TC620 Supreme thread mills Walter has announced the introduction of the new TC620 Supreme solid carbide universal thread milling cutter.

High cutting pressure, tool deflection, wear and overall performance are particular challenges when it comes to thread milling. The results of these common issues can be restrictive cutting performance parameters, additional cutting passes, short tool life and even tool breakage. The introduction of the TC620 Supreme cutter overcomes all of these issues.

With the arrival of the new TC620 Supreme, Walter is transferring the functional principle of its T2711 indexable insert thread milling cutter to smaller thread diameters. The hard-wearing characteristics of the WB10TJ solid carbide grade TC620 Supreme ensures tool wear is drastically reduced.

This is further extenuated by an innovative geometry design that minimises cutting forces and the result is significantly higher feed per tooth. The multi-row design concept not only reduces machining time and tool wear, it also improves process reliability.

As a universal thread milling tool that is suitable for materials from steel and stainless through to exotic alloys, this process reliability is particularly pertinent when the TC620 is used with

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more demanding materials such as Inconel 718. Incorporating a through-coolant facility that provides reliable chip evacuation and efficient cooling, the TC620 Supreme guarantees maximum process reliability and consequently, radius corrections are seldom necessary.

Walter is launching the TC620 Supreme for thread depths of 2 and 2.5XD in dimensions from M4 to M20 to cater for the complete needs of the machine shop. The TC620 Supreme is also available in UNC 8 to UNC ¾ dimensions. This seamlessly links the new TC620 Supreme universal thread milling cutter to the Walter T2711 indexable insert thread milling cutter for larger thread requirements. www.walter-tools.com

5-AXISBEAST CONSTRUCTION & INFRASTRUCTURE

Laserline: Diode lasers highly suited to welding Industrial welding processes are enhanced when using diode lasers that are able to weld items from wafer-thin electric contact-sheets, to centimetre-thick sides of ships made of steel.

Today diode lasers successfully meet the challenges of different welding applications required by industry. There are a number of reasons for this. Firstly, the combination of the high power output and small spot size enables optimum gap bridging when welding sections together. Secondly, the laser is designed specifically to generate unusually calm melt pools that leave few impurities by splattering or wavelet forming at the adjoined areas of seams resulting in excellent seam quality. Finally, diode lasers provide the highest energy efficiency of any industry laser, meaning economies of operation are very attractive to workshop applications.

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The key advantage of Laserline lasers lies in the ability of the diode laser to convert electric current without the need for a pump medium.

The laser source is made up of multiple diode stacks consisting of individual diode bars, each designed for maximum reliability in the generation of the laser beam. Using smart patented technology, the beams emitted by the individual diodes are channelled into a single laser beam, coupled to an optical fiber. The flexibility of usage is gained through optional beam profiles and delivery optics.

Built in cabinet or modular forms, the systems are easily integrated while offering two key types of usage. Keyhole welding where components of medium to substantial thickness are to be joined is a typical laser welding task. Here Laserline systems are used widely in welding tailored blanks on automotive vehicles, 50mm thick sides of ships, or offshore wind turbines with only two welding runs – front and back. A second common welding process where low material thickness is to be joined is heat conduction welding. Here diode lasers provide low material distortion and high seam quality, suitable for consumer products such as metallic sinks.

Laserline high-power diode lasers have been embraced by repair workshops across Australia. Applied locally or remotely guided by a robot, they are employed in performing cladding repairs of a wide range of damaged or worn items, such as drills from oilrigs, propeller shafts on ships, or large turbine blades. Welding is a very suitable use for these laser systems, which are economic, clean and safe, and highly suited to the Australian welding industry.

The Haas

UMC-1000SS

Large Travels Big Platter

5-axis machining reduces setups and increases accuracy for multi-sided and complex parts. The large travels and big platter of the UMC-1000SS make it the perfect solution for 3+2 machining and simultaneous 5-axis machining of large parts. And the machine’s standard 12,000-rpm spindle, high-speed tool changer and high-speed trunnion table keep cycle times to a minimum.

Arrange a visit to our showroom and take a closer look at our Haas machines and facilities. Sign up now at: haas-australia.com, or call 1300 20 12 30 for your personalised demonstration.

To ensure your safety we follow DHHS Covid-19 guidelines at all our showrooms.

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A Division of Alfex CNC Australia

Configure and price the perfect Haas solution for your shop today at www.haas-australia.com 85.7x262_UMC1000SS.indd 1

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PRODUCT NEWS

Multi-tasking excellence – Mazak’s new Integrex i-H Series Newly designed for fully optimised machining and easy automation integration, the Mazak Integrex i-H Series brings together the latest advancements in machining to help manufacturers achieve multi-tasking excellence.

The spindle, turret, tool magazine and auto chuck jaw changer feature innovations that improve ergonomics and throughput.

For full “done-in-one” productivity, the Mazak Integrex i-H Series of machines are available in different configurations including machines with a standard main turning spindle, milling spindle and tailstock. The “S”-designated configurations feature second turning spindles, and “ST” machines have a second turning spindle and lower turret with live rotary tool capability.

Standard main and second spindles are equal in power and torque, which allows for mirror-image part processing, and Mazak offers various horsepower, torque and bore size options for both. Spindles are available in standard, high-power and high-speed versions, as well as speeds that range from 12,000 to 20,000 rpm. The spindles maintain their full torque ratings throughout the entire range of spindle speeds. The machines can also be configured with identical turning spindle bore sizes on each side for small-to-medium-size shaft processing.

The Mazak Integrex i-H metal enclosures have been redesigned with flat fronts that simplify maintenance and improve access for peripheral equipment such as bar feeders, articulating robots or gantry loaders. The tool magazine has been positioned at the rear, reducing the overall footprint of the machines. Large-capacity tool magazines and an automatic chuck jaw changer may be added to support automatic operation over extended periods of time.

The Mazak Integrex i-H Series machines also feature Mazak’s Mazatrol SmoothAi CNC, the next generation of Smooth technology.

In addition to the conversational programming power, the Mazatrol SmoothAi control leverages the power of artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms to continually improve machine performance and power innovative tools like smooth Ai Spindle, Smooth CAM Ai, Mazatrol Twins and more.

Mazak’s integrex i-H Series of multi-tasking machines incorporate the ability to adjust to continuously changing part types as well as varying production demands with one machine. www.johnhart.com.au

Guhring launches new threadmill line Guhring has expanded its holemaking and threading product range with the arrival of the MTMH3-Z. An expansion of the Drifter series of thread mills, the new MTMH3-Z Drifter helical drilling thread mill demonstrates impressive performance levels when processing materials up to 66HRc. Combining core drilling and threading in a single operation, the MTMH3-Z Drifter helical drilling thread mill delivers excellent machining results and process reliability when wet or dry cutting all material types. With two oil grooves on the shaft to provide optimum cooling with cutting fluid or air; the range also has a left-hand cutting geometry that stabilises performance during climb milling. This is complemented by the finegrain high-performance carbide composition that gives the MTMH3-Z Drifter stability and performance that is unrivalled.

The special fine-grained carbide is characterised by its high hardness and is optimally suited for hard machining. Supplementing this is Guhring’s special temperature resistant TiSiN coating that prolongs tool life and performance whilst making wet, as well as dry machining possible.

Furthermore, the MTMH3-Z Drifter incorporates a special face geometry with hollow grinding and this generates process-safe core hole drilling and thread milling possible in almost all material types.

With a shank diameter from 3mm to 12mm and a neck relief from 5mm to 40mm, the new thread milling series is suitable for creating threads

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from M2 to M16 on a material range that includes all steels and stainless, duplex, cast and graphite iron, aluminium and Ti alloys.

Suitable for drilling and threading holes up to 2.5XD in a single operation, the MTMH3-Z Drifter can drastically reduce set-ups, cycle times, tool inventory and costs for end-users.

To simplify the process further, Guhring has also developed its CNC Guhro Thread Mill software, which is free to download for Guhring customers.

This innovative software enables users to specify the thread data by selecting from all current thread standards and then inputting the material to be machined. At this stage, the software provides the optimal parameters.

The CNC Guhro Thread Mill software also allows users to record the CNC data according to their required milling strategies and parameters.

From here, users receive their desired CNC programming code and datasheets. The user simply has to import the programming data that is automatically recognised in CNC control units such as the Siemens Sinumerik, Heidenhain, FANUC, Philips, Mazatrol or Hurco. www.guhring.com.au

READY TO AUTOMATE YOUR MANUFACTURING PROCESS? Looking for innovative solutions to stay competitive in a rapidly evolving market? Whether you need support for an existing automated facility or are looking for a new automated solution, Automated Solutions Australia (ASA) can help.

Over 20 years of experience globally in customised system design and integration World-class innovative solutions to improve throughput, quality, and profitability Ongoing partnerships with our valued customers Delivering tomorrow’s solutions, today Let’s talk and see how we can help you! Please call us on 1800 ROBOTS to speak to one of our automation experts.

ASA is a privately owned, wholly Australian company specialising in the design, engineering and integration of flexible automation solutions for the Australian manufacturing sector.

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PRODUCT NEWS

SKINTOP from LAPP: Lead-free brass cable glands LAPP has introduced a new range of lead-free brass cable glands to ensure manufacturers, machine builders and production automation engineers and operators achieve compliance with current global sustainability requirements.

According to Simon Pullinger, General Manager of LAPP Australia, the world market leader for integrated cable and connection solutions will be the first manufacturer in the world to offer cable glands in a lead-free brass version, staying ahead of increasing restrictions on lead use.

Initially, the most popular LAPP cable glands will be available in the new lead-free version, with first products including the popular SKINTOP MS-M and MS-SC-M models, as well as the counter nut SKINDICHT SM-M SKINTOP MS-M. The latter is the first choice for a wide range of applications in machine and plant construction, measurement, control and regulation technology, and where there are tough demands in terms of mechanical and chemical stability.

“It offers optimum strain relief, wide clamping ranges, numerous approvals and a high protection class,” says Pullinger.

LAPP says the SKINTOP MS-SC-M EMC cable gland, with its highly conductive, flexible EMC contact spring, has a low-resistance screen contact for EMC-compliant earthing of the braided shield.

All of these versions will be available immediately from stock in metric sizes M12 to M63. Further product groups are gradually being supplemented with lead-free versions. The previous versions will be still be available from global stock for the time being.

“At the petrol station, we have long since become familiar with the fact that petrol is no longer allowed to contain lead,” says LAPP. “Metallic materials must also dispense with lead as an additive for easier processing, with one exception: up to 4% is permitted in copper alloys, including brass, which is used to produce cable glands.

“As things stand, this exception will expire on 21 July 2021, and it is still unclear whether there will be an extension or a transitional period. If the exception ends as planned, brass will no longer be allowed to contain any lead, as stipulated by the European Directive RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances). In the REACH chemical regulation, lead is also on the candidate list for ‘Substances of very high concern’, which could soon be prohibited.

LAPP does not want to wait around.”

In recent months, LAPP has investigated various lead-free alloys.

This included tests in production to ensure the reliability of the processes and the suitability of the tools. Both the LAPP laboratory and external testing institutions have confirmed that the properties of the new products are comparable with the current versions. This applies to the mechanical properties, corrosion resistance and EMC properties. The lead-free versions also comply with protection class IP 68.

“The lead-free cable glands have seen LAPP successfully tackle the challenges of identifying an alternative material,” says Lisa Schlingmann, Product Manager at LAPP. Although the new material is more complex to process, LAPP decided to include the material in its standard range.

“With the lead-free SKINTOP and SKINDICHT cable glands, LAPP is taking a pioneering role,” added Guido Ege, Head of Product Management and Development at LAPP. “Anyone who is currently planning a machine with a long service life cannot rule out a possible ban on lead. We are already giving our customers the certainty that they will be prepared for the challenges of the future.

“Sustainability is important to us. That’s why we’re already acting now.” www.lappaustralia.com.au

FullStream liquid nozzle for cooling, washing and rinsing Exair’s new 3/8” FullStream Liquid Atomizing Spray Nozzle provides a full cone spray pattern for pressurised liquids, offering an ideal, inexpensive and versatile solution for cooling, cleaning, washing, rinsing and dust suppression applications for industry.

With a vaneless, tangential flow design, the FullStream has wide open internal features to resist clogging while simultaneously producing uniform distribution in a round pattern with medium to large droplets. The compact rightangle design operates at up to 250psig (17.2 bar) liquid pressure, and functions seamlessly with liquids containing particulate.

With FullStream nozzles, the liquid is supplied directly into the body of the nozzle, creating a swirling action within a vortex chamber. This vortex produces the desired spray pattern when the machined nozzle breaks the liquid

AMT APR/MAY 2021

surface tension, and exits the orifice in a round, controlled spray angle.Stainless steel construction provides durability and corrosion resistance, with operating temperatures up to 427 degrees Celsius.

Available from Compressed Air Australia, FullStream nozzles are CE compliant, and are also available in 1/4” with a variety of flow rates. They complement Exair’s large line of Air Atomizing and No Drip Air Atomizing Spray Nozzles. Models come with Exair’s five-year Built to Last warranty. www.caasafety.com.au

This is faster

11 holes per second

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Extreme Dynamic Fiber Laser Cutters 6g Acceleration and Speeds up to 5m/s are just the beginning.

Polish machine tool manufacturer Kimla have developed their own CNC controller with Dynamic Vector Analysis specially to take advantage of the high dynamics of linear drives and high cutting speeds of fiber lasers. This means more, higher quality parts per hour. Innovative solutions including the third pallet table, automatic nozzle changer, touch scanner and flexible sheet storage and automation systems make Kimla your next step in laser productivity and profitability.

Call us on 03 9770 4910 or visit www.laserthings.com.au Fiber Lasers | Productivity Solutions | Laser Consumables | Manufacturing Software | Dust Collection Solutions

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www.LaserThings.com.au

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PRODUCT NEWS

Kennametal introduces new line of PCD tools Kennametal has introduced a new line of polycrystalline diamond (PCD) round tools for aluminium machining that delivers up to 10 times higher productivity than that of carbide tooling.

The new line of drills, reamers and end mills provides exceptional tool life and wear resistance even in very abrasive aluminium alloys and are available with very short lead times.

“Our new PCD round tools line enables our customers to machine aluminium significantly faster, for greater productivity on the shop floor,” says Michael Hacker, Product Manager at Kennametal. “In drilling and reaming operations, these tools consistently perform at cutting speeds of up to 900 metre/min. Milling operations can be performed at an incredible 6.000 metres/min – far higher than nonPCD tooling.”

With through-the-tool coolant capabilities and an MQL-ready interface, these PCD round tools are ideal for both rough and finish machining. Extremely sharp cutting edges and low-friction rake surfaces eliminate concerns over built-up-edge. Low friction machining also produces superior surfaces in finishing operations, such as reaming. Surface roughness of Ra 0.1 to 0.8μm is achievable – far superior to conventional carbide tooling.

The PCD grade KD1410 assures extended tool life and is particularly beneficial in the high silicon content aluminium used to make automotive parts like engine blocks or cylinder heads.

The line of PCD end mills features: • 6mm to 50mm diameter tools.

• Cutting depths up to 50mm.

• Centre-cutting, roughing and finishing geometries.

• Various rake angles.

The PCD drill offering features: • 6mm to 20mm diameter in 0.5mm increments.

• Up to 5 x D. • Imperial and metric sizes.

The PCD reaming portfolio offers: • 6mm to 20mm in diameter in 1mm increments • Through and blind hole versions • For larger diameters up to 42mm, the PCD modular reaming system with KST coupling is available.

“Many of these PCD round tools can also be requested as custom solutions to fit specific customer needs while still maintaining short lead times,” says Hacker. “Kennametal is leveraging its decades of experience with PCD tooling in the automotive industry to make this technology readily available to any manufacturer looking for a cost-competitive and highly productive solution for aluminium machining.” www.kennametal.com

Hypertherm introduces extreme bevel plasma consumables for MAXPRO200 system Hypertherm has announced the release of extreme bevel consumables for its MAXPRO200 LongLife air and oxygen plasma cutting system.

The consumables, designed for mechanised, robotic, and handheld cutting, have an aggressive pointed geometry so the plasma torch can tilt to an angle of up to 66.5 degrees. This makes the consumables ideal for a wide range of jobs including steep mechanised beveling, tube and pipe cutting, structural steel work, pressure vessel construction, and handheld cutting. In addition, it makes it easier for operators to see what they are cutting and gives them better access to beam flanges and areas with limited clearance for better cuts and fewer secondary operations.

The extreme bevel consumables are available for both air and oxygen cutting at 130 and 200 amps. MAXPRO200 owners and

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operators can choose to purchase the consumables separately or as part of a starter kit (part 528058) that includes consumables for all the extreme bevel cutting processes available for this system.

“The MAXPRO200 is a true workhorse for companies demanding great cut quality along with high productivity and low operating costs,” said Jorge Santana, a Hypertherm product manager. “Its 100% duty cycle, combined with 200 amps of power and the versatility offered by both hand and mechanised cutting, make it an enormously popular system. The addition of these extreme bevel consumables creates new opportunities for customers around the world.” www.hypertherm.com

• DEBURRING & EDGE ROUNDING • SURFACE FINISHING • OXIDE REMOVAL ON LASER CUT EDGE (5MM THICK AND ABOVE)

• NO SHARP EDGES • SCRATCH REMOVAL • UP TO 1500MM WIDE PARTS • BETTER EDGE PREPARATION FOR PAINTING & POWDER COATING

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BENDING & FOLDING

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Our Trumpf Press Brakes are capable of bending and folding complex parts to precise specifications, time after time.

We are capable of MIG or TIG welding to code, riveting, sanding or polishing.

We have the capability to fabricate your product, regardless if it’s mild steel, stainless steel or aluminium.

2D laser cutting, Rotary Laser Cutting and 2D & Rotary Laser Marking, we are able to ensure immaculate high-quality finishes.

New Touch Industries (NTi) provide world-class laser cutting, metal fabrication, bending / folding and welding, conveniently bundled in a one-stop shop designed to cater for all your metal needs.

From concept to completion NTi manages projects with certified quality assurance (ISO 9001) to guarantee a high-end result. Our state of the art machinery operate autonomously to provide a smooth 24/7 work flow, promising efficient turn around times.

Learn more at www.newtouchind.com.au, or call us at one of our two locations: Bayswater: 03 9720 8248 sales@ntiv1.com.au

Clayton: 31 Edelmaier St, Bayswater VIC 3153

03 9551 0055 sales@ntiv2.com.au

52A Winterton Rd, Clayton VIC 3168

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CONSTRUCTION & INFRASTRUCTURE

While the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic still hangs over Australia’s economy, the construction & infrastructure sector is currently enjoying some of its most promising conditions in years, spurred on in large part by generous government stimulus measures. For innovative advanced manufacturing businesses, there are big opportunities up for grabs. By William Poole.

The onset of the COVID-19 crisis last year brought with it a wave of pessimistic forecasts about Australia’s economic prospects.

Concerns were focused in particular regarding that key plank of the national economy – the property market. But while Australia did indeed slip into recession, the much-anticipated slump in the property market never materialised. Indeed, in many ways quite the opposite occurred.

ABS figures also showed that in January investors rushed back into the property market. Lending indicators for January found the number of loan commitments for investors soared by 9.4% over the month, having increased by 22.7% over the year. In NSW the value of new loan commitments to investors rose by 6.7% in January – the highest since about June 2018, according to the ABS.

House building approvals surged during the second half of 2020.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), building approvals for houses increased by 14.6% during 2020 compared to 2019, with 117,721 recorded nationally – the highest annual total since 2015. All of the state capitals reported significant increases in approvals; Perth was the top performer, recording an annual rise of 34.0%, followed by Brisbane (14.5%), Melbourne (13.3%), Adelaide (11.9%) and Sydney 7.2%.

At the other end of the construction industry scale the situation is equally promising. As part of its strategy to stem the economic impact of COVID-19, the Government has committed to delivering a $110bn, ten-year pipeline of infrastructure investment. Last June it announced a $1.5bn infrastructure stimulus package, comprising $1bn in funding for shovel-ready projects that could commence within six months, and $500m for Targeted Road Safety Works delivered by states and territories that could be completed within 12 months.

Many analysts attributed these figures to the Federal Government’s HomeBuilder grants program. The HomeBuilder program provided eligible owner-occupiers (including buyers of first homes) with a grant to build a new home or to substantially renovate an existing property. The aim of HomeBuilder was to assist the residential construction sector by encouraging the commencement of new home builds and renovations. Although the initial HomeBuilder offering expired on 31 December 2020, the Government subsequently extended the policy, albeit with a reduced grant, to the end of March.

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As Australia looks towards a post-COVID future, this buoyant outlook across the construction sector is seen as a promising route for the country to find its way out of recession. As a sector dominated by traditional processes and practices, it offers exciting opportunities for innovative businesses, not least advanced manufacturers.

043 New Touch Industries – Overcoming the challenges of infrastructure projects Few people get to see the results of their work out on public display on a regular basis, but for Brad Drury, Managing Director of New Touch Industries, it’s definitely one of the perks of the job . The company manufactured the stainless steel skins adorning the bridge columns on the EastLink motorway in Melbourne, with their striking laser-cut perforations. With New Touch Industries based in two sites: in Bayswater and Clayton, Drury inevitably spends plenty of time on the EastLink, and on seeing the bridges he acknowledges feeling some pride.

“Absolutely,” says Drury. “I think there’s 88 bridges all up. When my kids were younger, whenever we’d drive past the bridges, up near Ringwood or down near the Monash, they’d always call them ‘Daddy’s holes’.”

New Touch Industries has come a long way since the EastLink project was completed in 2008, but it certainly helped put the company on the map. Aside from its sheer scale, the project entailed cutting material to some highly exacting requirements, allowing the company to showcase its knack for overcoming technical challenges.

“We were a much smaller company back then,” Drury adds. “That was actually cut on our first laser. It required an oversized machine; it couldn’t be done on a standard ten by five machine. And we needed to be able to cut Rimex stainless steel with a PVC coating. Back then the machines struggled on Rimex, the PVC wouldn’t hold that well, so it would actually blow up and stop the cutting head. We had a few challenges around that.

“It was ironic the time and effort that went into ensuring there were no scratches on the panels for the opening day photos, yet driving past at 100km an hour you’re never going to see them. They went to a great expense to make sure they were pristine for opening day.”

Drury founded the company back in 2001, originally operating as New Touch Laser Cutting out of one factory in Bayswater, and the company saw significant expansion in the early years, opening a second branch in Clayton in 2006. In 2010, Drury diversified, starting a separate fabrication business, with Alex Vandenbroeck coming in as a business partner to manage it.

“It was a bit of an experiment and I wasn’t sure how it was going to go, so we set up New Touch Fabrications as a separate, arms-length business,” Drury recalls. “But the customers embraced it and saw it was going to make their lives easier. Alex and I initially ran that business separately, and it was a real growth area.”

Eventually Drury was running four businesses across three locations: the two laser cutting branches, New Touch Fabrications, and a separate operation up in Townsville. After a few years of this, he decided to to consolidate the whole operation, getting out of Townsville and merging the laser and fabrication business, with Vandenbroeck becoming Drury’s partner in the merged business.

Finally, the company rebranded as New Touch Industries.

In that time, the company has expanded substantially. From that first factory, the Bayswater operation has progressively extended along the street to occupy the adjoining five units – the site now measuring 130m long overall. Meanwhile the Clayton branch relocated to a much larger site 18 months ago, raising its capacity from two lasers and a press brake, to three lasers, a press brake and fabrication equipment, with room for more. Today New Touch Industries employs between 65 to 70 staff, with significant further recruitment underway. Indeed the business has continued to thrive despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s been quite a growth period,” says Drury. “Admittedly, we ran quite conservative during the lockdowns; when people resigned we didn’t necessarily rush out to replace them. But both branches have shown good growth during this COVID period.”

Continued next page

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CONSTRUCTION & INFRASTRUCTURE

New Touch Industries partners Brad Drury and Alex Vandenbroeck outside its Bayswater plant.

A notable early infrastructure project for New Touch Industries entailed the production of stainless steel skins for Melbourne’s EastLink motorway.

New Touch Industries’s new facility in Clayton.

New Touch Industries recently invested in a new Trumpf fibre laser cutter with a STOPA warehousing system, as well as a Timesaver edge-rounding and deburring machine.

Continued from previous page

Construction & infrastructure is just one of a range of sectors New Touch Industries services, including mining, rail, agriculture, aftermarket automotive, shop-fitting and general engineering – producing everything from machinery components to signage for Crown Casinos.

“We deal with an extremely diverse customer base,” says Drury.

“Basically if it’s made of metal, we probably deal with it.”

Since the Eastlink, the company has continued its involvement in notable infrastructure developments, such as the rail crossing removal program in Victoria, the widening of Melbourne’s Westgate Bridge, and various gas and electricity projects, hospitals and police stations. It has supplied componentry for revolving restaurants in skyscrapers around the world, and has lately seen a COVID-related spike in work for the healthcare sector.

For Drury the challenges in these areas are similar to those in any of the markets New Touch Industries serves: “All sectors have their challenges, but in general, it’s the expectation to always deliver high-quality product on time, and cater for everyone’s different requirements. We’re not mass-producing widgets. We dispatch tens of thousands of components a day. Some will just be one or two, others might be 500. And we could be servicing to a hundred customers a day, all with their own unique requirements. That’s probably the biggest challenge, just keeping everyone happy.”

The key to overcoming these challenges, for Drury, is continuous improvement.

AMT APR/MAY 2021

“We’re constantly looking at improvement opportunities, coming up with new ideas. If you’re sitting idle you’re going backwards. And investment in the latest technology is critical.”

In that area, New Touch Industries has just come through a particularly busy spell. It began around four years ago with the installation of a STOPA warehousing system, supplied by Headland Machinery. Drury had been struggling to find a system that met the business’ requirements for several years. It was only when STOPA introduced some design changes to its hardware that it became viable for New Touch Industries to proceed.

“That was a massive project,” Drury recalls. “The overall system weighs 600 tons fully loaded. We had to knock down walls between factory one and two, engineer a concrete slab that was 1.2m deep, 34m long and 12m wide – and all while we remained open. It was the best part of a six-month project. The guys from STOPA were here for 10 or 12 weeks doing the install.”

That was followed by a new Trumpf fibre laser cutter, again installed

by Headland, which has been linked up with the STOPA system to enable more compact, efficient operations. Recently Headland also delivered a Timesaver edge-rounding and deburring machine. The Timesaver polishes laser-cut components, rounding off any rough edges and giving them a consistent surface finish. When working with mild steel, it also removes oxidisation from the laser cutting operation, allowing a better bond when painting or powder coating the finished part.

CONSTRUCTION & INFRASTRUCTURE Central to FormFlow’s business is a revolutionary process that enables corrugated metal sheet to be bent at sharp, precise angles without stretching or damaging the material or coatings. Matt Dingle and Matthias Weiss devised the FormFlow Bend in collaboration with Deakin University, “The science behind it was developed by a guy called John Duncan who lives in New Zealand,” says Dingle. “He was a mentor for me and Mathias when we were doing our PhDs. It’s based on the mathematics of origami, a clever but deceptively simple process.”

Dingle and Weiss recruited Geelong-based engineering company Austeng to help develop the machinery to validate their concept, before founding the company four years ago with Austeng’s owners Lyn and Ross George.

Continued next page

Recently New Touch Industries has been constructing a robot welding unit with an ingenious enclosure to allow continual operations.

The next addition to the workshop is a robot welder, shortly to come into service. Built around a KUKA robot that New Touch Industries acquired second-hand, the team is currently constructing an ingenious new enclosure that will allow welding operations to run on one side of the unit while the operator can safely unload and reload on the other side, meaning the machine can work more or less continuously.

FormFlow has developed a revolutionary process that enables corrugated metal sheet to be bent at sharp, precise angles.

“We knew the history of the robot,” says Drury. “It had hardly been used. What we weren’t happy with was the enclosure. So I was visiting a friend in Queensland, who had just commissioned a robot welder with a cell he designed, and he was kind enough to give us the plans.”

Regarding future plans, Drury’s focus is on consolidation for the time being, building on the changes that New Touch Industries has brought in over the last few years.

“It’s been a huge four or five years of growth, capital investment and recruitment, so we just want to get back to what we do best: providing laser cutting and metal fabrication services to our clients, without the distractions. I think it’s just time for us to start getting all this investment and hard work we’ve done, and converting that into delivering outstanding quality service and on-time delivery to our customers.”

FormFlow – Reinventing sheet metal forming Anyone strolling through Federation Square in Melbourne in recent months might have noticed something unusual. Displayed there from January to March, the Future Food System was a threestorey building developed by sustainability advocate Joost Bakker to demonstrate his concept of a fully self-sufficient, zero-waste dwelling. Chefs Matt Stone and Jo Barrett took up residence throughout its time in Melbourne, living entirely on food and resources produced within the building. Powered by solar panels, with everything from fruit and vegetables to shellfish grown on site, the Future Food System teems with invention, but from the outside, one of its more notable innovations might easily be overlooked.

Amid the produce growing across the building’s exterior, its cladding was supplied by Geelong start-up FormFlow.

FormFlow has also developed its own specialised machinery for producing the FormFlow Bend.

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CONSTRUCTION & INFRASTRUCTURE

FormFlow’s founders Dr Matt Dingle and Dr Matthias Weiss.

FormFlow’s technology got a prominent showcase as part of the Future Food System, displayed in Federation Square in Melbourne earlier this year.

Continued from previous page

The FormFlow Bend offers a range of benefits. Traditionally, structures using corrugated metal end up with gaps wherever the sheets meet – at corners or roof peaks – which would be concealed with capping and flashing. With FormFlow, corners are clean and elegant – as shown at the Future Food System. Beyond those aesthetic gains, it also offers improved structural strength, as well as environmental benefits, with the airtight seal delivering greater insulation.

“It’s particularly good in things like bushfire-prone areas,” Dingle adds. “It can prevent things like ember attacks, where embers make their way into the building envelope through gaps in the structure.

And in traditional building methods, there’s nearly always gaps in the structure. With our system you don’t get anything.”

Today FormFlow employs 15 staff with an additional cohort of interns and students. Initially based at the ManuFutures manufacturing innovation hub on Deakin’s Waurn Ponds campus, the company moved to a 1,300sqm site in North Shore last August.

While the FormFlow Bend remains the core of the business, Dingle and Weiss haven’t stood still. From the original 90-degree bend and the technology to produce it, the team have gone on to develop ways to produce other bends in corrugated sheet, as well as technologies that add value to it; it is currently working on a laser measuring system for quality inspection.

Finally, FormFlow has moved into prefabricated construction with a building system that brings all these innovations together, while also delivering energy efficiency and eco-friendly construction.

“We’re working on a building system which, with steel as the base material, maximises the environmental benefits,” Dingle explains.

“It’s all about reuse and recycling, and also being able to use recycled content in our base materials.

“The FormFlow Bend is a world first; there’s nobody else in the world doing that. The building system may not be as revolutionary, but I think we’re taking a unique approach to it.”

The company is initially focusing on the residential market, with a range of modular designs that allow high levels of flexibility for customers. In addition, it recently participated in a project to develop emergency shelters for people impacted by natural disasters. This also represents a promising option for mass isolation facilities – an area with considerable potential following recent breaches in the COVID-19 hotel quarantine program.

AMT APR/MAY 2021

FormFlow is now moving into prefabricated construction with a building system that utilises its innovations.

Alongside its innovative products, FormFlow is bringing fresh thinking to the ways it operates. The company is applying the latest practices in advanced manufacturing. Having worked with the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC) early in its development, it recently entered a collaboration with the Innovative Manufacturing CRC (IMCRC) to establish an Industry 4.0-enabled manufacturing cell to enable high-volume production of its building products. “We’re starting down that journey now,” says Dingle. “It’s really about looking at how we can integrate elements of Industry 4.0 into what we do. That’s going to be enormously valuable for us over the next 12 months, particularly with some high-volume contracts on the horizon.”

FormFlow is also employing a smart strategy to bringing its products to market, seeking out industry partners to enter licensing agreements on everything from the basic bend to the prefab building system. Dingle describes its approach as a continuum: the team starts with an interesting idea, embarks on a development cycle from initial research through to a final product or process.

Once confident it is commercially viable, the company will then look for licensing partners.

CONSTRUCTION & INFRASTRUCTURE bespoke machinery. For Dingle, their expertise has been invaluable: “It’s really helpful having somebody just around the corner helping us develop machines, with that capability to turn the ideas into a tangible, workable machine solution.”

FormFlow’s factory in North Shore, Victoria.

“We’ve done that with BlueScope Steel,” he says. “They have an exclusive license in Australia for the 90-degree bend, and as they come online we’ll offer them the new things first: a 60-degree bend, our laser measuring system, our building system. And if they don’t take them on, we’ll go somewhere else.”

FormFlow also works in close collaboration with all its licensing partners. Dingle describes how this works in the case of the building system: “We not only provide the design of a building, we provide all the systems and processes that support it, and we spend enough time with them to make sure it’s up and running properly.”

Collaboration is integral to FormFlow’s business. Given the founders’ backgrounds, the company retains close ties with Deakin. Weiss still leads the university’s Roll Forming Research Group, and FormFlow employs several research fellows and internship students from Deakin. In the last two years, the company has been running a program at Deakin’s school of architecture, which has also resulted in a significant contract for the company.

Austeng is also a key partner. The company has a long track record of working with inventors, startups and universities to help develop

Whether it’s with industry partners like Austeng or Bluescope, universities like Deakin, or organisations such the AMGC or the IMCRC, Dingle believes collaboration is vital for innovative manufacturing businesses like his. “I think we get a bit hung up on intellectual property (IP) as being strategically important. We kind of miss the point. It’s our ability to develop the IP that’s critical. Once we’ve got a clever idea we spend too much time trying to defend it, whereas the strategic advantage is our ability to keep generating new ideas. The more you have these effective collaborations, the more you enhance your ability to do that.”

In terms of plans going forward, the immediate future for FormFlow already looks hectic. For starters, having only just settled into its new factory a few months ago, the company could soon be looking for even larger premises – a move possibly triggered by a significant contract. “At the moment that looks like it might happen this year, so this site is definitely a transition,” says Dingle. “It won’t be our final home.”

In the longer term, the aim is for FormFlow is to retain the core of its business in Geelong, while extending its influence around Australia and even overseas through licensing partnerships, and maintain an emphasis on continued innovation.

“We’re really focused on trying to have these two arms of the business, the R&D side and the production side, both generating revenues independently, without compromising one or the other.

We’ve got other ideas based around the mathematical theory we use for that bend, which would enable us to do things that nobody’s ever seen before.” www.newtouchfab.com.au www.formflow.net.au

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CONSTRUCTION & INFRASTRUCTURE

The road to recovery for the construction industry Despite the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Australia’s construction industry remains resilient, but numerous factors have disrupted activity and reduced productivity. George Maglaras of Stanley Black & Decker discussses how construction businesses must embrace innovation and increase efficiency to remain relevant.

“Jobsite productivity has been a huge challenge due to COVID-19,” says George Maglaras, Sales & Technical Director, Stanley Black&Decker. “This is the result of several factors, including the level of skilled trades able to work on-site at any time, and the shift of resources due to social distancing restrictions.”

The road to recovery will require continual government and private investment to drive the various sectors of the market, supported by the availability of finance. Economic activity generated by increased public-sector investment in infrastructure will not only offset the downturn in private sector investment, but also create the necessary momentum to entice private sector businesses to focus on important areas of commercial building like health and education.

“In a COVID-normal environment, we anticipate higher ‘work done’ volumes than 2020 and see an effort to play catch-up to reign in the delays in construction timelines from 2020,” says Maglaras.

“Hopefully we will see the industry getting back on its feet and fasttracking project starts that will serve the years ahead.”

A substantial number of current and future infrastructure projects continue to underpin Australia’s construction market. The most significant of these already under construction include the $16.8bn WestConnex project in Sydney, the $15.5bn Sydney Metro City and Southwest Project – Stage 2 of the Sydney Metro, the $11bn Melbourne Metro Rail Project (in conjunction with the private sector), and the $10bn Melbourne-to-Brisbane Inland Rail plan.

“The 2021 construction trends will be on safety, productivity and a continuing shift in construction methods and systems, such as an increase in modular construction and pre-fabricated building components that support efficiency and productivity,” adds Maglaras.

An increase in modular construction and pre-fab building In the post-pandemic era, there will be a boost in modular construction and pre-fab building. The manufacturing process is suitable for this time period. Manufactured buildings promote low worker density with plenty of room for social distancing. Prefabricated buildings have the dual advantage of being affordable and potentially temporary, which works well in a time of uncertainty.

Design technology is important “As part of our commitment to continue supporting our products with expert solution and technical advice for all anchoring requirements and design, we have designed software, DEWALT Design Assist (DDA), that makes anchor design compliant to Australian standards an effortless task,” says Maglaras. “Additionally, our dedicated Enterprise Solutions Team is committed to adding value to our customers and construction projects through its proven ability to respond to the demands of ever-changing industry requirements.”

Product innovation will reign Innovations in time saving and fit-for-purpose building products and tools will be key.

“DEWALT stays at the forefront of jobsite innovation,” says Maglaras. “An example of this is our new cast-in anchor, DEWALT Wood-Knocker II+ that we’ve just launched, which solves a current worksite issue and assists with job flow.”

It is not uncommon for all mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) and heating, ventilating & air conditioning (HVAC) trades to prefer using cast-in anchors over mechanical and chemical

AMT APR/MAY 2021

(post-fixed anchors) on an entire project. Cast-in anchors will become even more prevalent in the Australian market over the next few years. This is due to a two-step installation process, first installing DEWALT Wood-Knocker II+ anchoring points onto the formwork before concrete is poured. Productivity gains as a result of the Wood-Knocker II+ are enormous, with no need to drill into concrete, no post-installation issues, no silica dust concerns, and huge labour cost savings.

“We learn from being on the jobsite and understanding associated challenges,” adds Maglaras. “Each innovation we make is driven by a desire for performance, ease of use or productivity.”

Supply chain diversification The construction industry is less reliant on global supply chains, but some projects will continue experiencing sourcing delays. In the medium term, supply chain breaks will recover as approvals and projects start, with the Government stimulating investment to support the construction and renovation segment.

“Suppliers will continue to play a major role in building businesses and influencing success and profitability,” says Maglaras. “It is critical to use trusted suppliers, ensuring that a mutually beneficial relationship is established.”

Health and safety Safety is always a concern, and meeting compliance and transparency standards is an obligatory requirement when it comes to working on major construction projects. In the COVID-19 environment, health and safety is priority. Separation is a particularly difficult thing to achieve on a jobsite, where co-operation and teamwork are the norm, and measures that should be expected include smaller crews and staggered shifts to keep jobsites less crowded, and enhanced equipment and cleanliness protocols. www.dewalt.com.au

CONSTRUCTION & INFRASTRUCTURE

Construction industry gets automated at new Monash University facility A ground-breaking research initiative to improve the quality and productivity of the construction industry using robotic technology has received more than half a million dollars from the Australian Research Council.

Professor Yu Bai from Monash University’s Department of Civil Engineering will lead an interdisciplinary team from seven Australian universities to develop a one-of-a-kind facility centred on structural assembly and construction automation. It will feature a flexible, adaptive design, with space for a team of collaborative robotics in an interactive environment to achieve automated prefabrication, assembly and building.

The outcomes are expected to transform the current labourintensive construction industry to one that uses highly automated and accurate prefabrication processes, with significant benefits to the economy and worker safety. Professor Bai said many industries, such as manufacturing had adopted automated practices to streamline production. However, the construction industry was lagging behind.

“Robotic technology has made significant progress in a number of industry domains in the last several years and construction can benefit from this advancement,” Professor Bai said. “The use of robotic technology can be a game-changing step as seen in other industries such as aerospace and automobile engineering.

“It means the transformation of on-site prototype construction to made-to-measure structural production and the elevation of prefabrication and off-site manufacturing into automated processes.

Furthermore, automating traditional construction approaches can remove workers’ exposure to unsafe tasks and hazardous work environments.”

The new facility builds upon extensive research by Professor Bai and colleagues on modular construction and composites for construction. When combined with robotic technology, this can result in faster, more precise, lower-cost and higher-quality production outcomes. The facility will cover structural design for manufacturing and assembly, lightweight structural materials and connections, construction planning and safety, sensing and monitoring, building information modelling and digital asset management, optimisation of structures and assembly, automation and informatics, and robotic systems and human-robot interaction. www.monash.edu

Australian innovation alive and well in injection moulding industry Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, some great innovations are taking place in the manufacturing sector, like Holloway Group, forging new partnerships to produce a new product for the building industry.

Based in Minto, NSW, Holloway Group is one of the few Australianbased plastic injection moulding companies that can produce large goods. So when its Managing Director and owner Matthew Holloway saw a concrete void filler product that was being imported from China, he contacted the owner to see if they could do business.

“The larger of the two moulds for the Biax product weighs eight tonnes and is 1m x 1m x 900mm, which gives an idea of the scope of this product. That mould, which has just been commissioned, will be used in our largest injection moulding machine to produce the void fillers.”

“As a growing organisation, we are always looking for new opportunities to expand into new industries and to form new business partnerships,” says Holloway. “I read about Biax Foundations’ concrete void filler product in an article on LinkedIn and knew straight away that it was something we could manufacture.”

The Biax system provides a framework and fills a void for concrete slabs in the construction industry. Made from polypropylene, it is connected using the keystone clips that form a grid. Products made from polystyrene have been used in a similar way in the construction industry for many years.

Up until that point, Biax was manufacturing its product in China and importing it into Australia. The freight costs and lead times made this difficult to sustain.

“The Biax system has several advantages over its polystyrene competitors, including its compact nesting ability for freight and storage, and it is not as lightweight so does not blow around on building sites,” Holloway explains. “When foam is cut on site it also ends up in waterways and waste streams and the Biax system eliminates this issue.”

“Not only are we manufacturing the Biax product, but we’ve assisted with the improved design of the void filler, and will be assisting with their supply chain and distribution,” Holloway adds. “Our engineers and industrial designers assisted with a Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and were able to simulate the product using CAD and produce real-time data. The second series design that will be supplied from Holloway Group is a much more innovative product, lighter and stronger than the incumbent design.

Environmental sustainability is a key focus of Holloway Group. The Biax product is made of 100% recycled plastic. Using a void filler also ensures that less concrete is used in the construction process.

It also easily nests together for transport, cutting down on transport costs. Each pod weighs less than 3kg. www.hollowaygroup.com.au

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RMIT: Lobster shells inspire stronger 3D-printed concrete New research from RMIT University shows that patterns inspired by lobster shells can make 3D printed concrete stronger, to support more complex and creative architectural structures.

Digital manufacturing technologies like 3D concrete printing (3DCP) have immense potential to save time, effort and material in construction. They also promise to push the boundaries of architectural innovation, yet technical challenges remain in making 3D-printed concrete strong enough for use in more free-form structures.

In a new experimental study, researchers at RMIT looked to the natural strength of lobster shells to design special 3D printing patterns. Their bio-mimicking spiral patterns improved the overall durability of the 3D printed concrete, as well as enabling the strength to be precisely directed for structural support where needed. When the team combined the twisting patterns with a specialised concrete mix enhanced with steel fibres, the resulting material was stronger than traditionally-made concrete.

Lead researcher Dr Jonathan Tran, a senior lecturer in structured materials and design at RMIT, said 3D printing and additive manufacturing opened up opportunities in construction for boosting both efficiency and creativity.

“3D concrete printing technology has real potential to revolutionise the construction industry, and our aim is to bring that transformation closer,” says Tran. “Our study explores how different printing patterns affect the structural integrity of 3D printed concrete, and for the first time reveals the benefits of a bio-inspired approach in 3DCP. We know that natural materials like lobster exoskeletons have evolved into highperformance structures, so by mimicking their key advantages we can follow where nature has already innovated.”

The automation of concrete construction is set to transform how we build, with construction emerging as the next frontier in the automation and data-driven revolution known as Industry 4.0. A 3D concrete printer builds houses or makes structural components by depositing the material layer-by-layer, unlike the traditional approach of casting concrete in a mould.

The research team in RMIT’s School of Engineering focuses on 3D printing concrete, exploring ways to enhance the finished product through different combinations of printing pattern design, material choices, modelling, design optimisation and reinforcement options.

The most conventional pattern used in 3D printing is unidirectional, where layers are

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The lobster-inspired patterns increase the strength of the 3D printed concrete.

laid down on top of each other in parallel lines. The new study investigated the effect of different printing patterns on the strength of steel fibre-enhanced concrete.

Previous research by the RMIT team found that including 1%-2% steel fibres in the concrete mix reduces defects and porosity, increasing strength. The fibres also help the concrete harden early without deformation, enabling higher structures to be built.

The team tested the impact of printing the concrete in helicoidal patterns (inspired by the internal structure of lobster shells), crossply and quasi-isotropic patterns (similar to those used for laminated composite structures and layer-by-layer deposited composites) and standard unidirectional patterns. The results showed strength improvement from each of the patterns, compared with unidirectional printing, but Tran said the spiral patterns hold the most promise for supporting complex 3D printed concrete structures.

“As lobster shells are naturally strong and naturally curved, we know this could help us deliver stronger concrete shapes like arches and flowing or twisted structures,” he explains. “This work is in early stages so we need further research to test how the concrete performs on a wider range of parameters, but our initial experimental results show we are on the right track.”

Further studies will be supported through a new large-scale mobile concrete 3D printer recently acquired by RMIT – making it the first research institution in the southern

hemisphere to commission a machine of this kind. The 5m x 5m robotic printer will be used by the team to research the 3D printing of houses, buildings and large structural components. The team will also use the machine to explore the potential for 3D printing with concrete made with recycled waste materials such as soft plastic aggregate.

New tech improves sustainable concrete RMIT researchers have developed a new technology to manufacture concrete made from recycled materials that is stronger and more durable than the traditional product.

Recycled concrete aggregates made with everything from coffee cups to building rubble offer huge environmental benefits, from reducing landfill and carbon dioxide emissions, to saving natural resources and boosting the circular economy.

Despite ongoing improvements, however, challenges with matching the strength and durability of traditional concrete have hindered the practical application of these sustainable alternatives.

Now researchers from RMIT have developed a new method for casting prefabricated concrete products made with rubber tyres and construction and demolition waste that are up to 35% stronger than traditional concrete. Professor Yufei Wu from the School of Engineering led the development of the Rubberised Concrete Processing Technology (RCP-Tech) and said it offered an efficient and inexpensive solution.

CONSTRUCTION & INFRASTRUCTURE The concrete is compressed in a customised mould, improving strength and durability.

“This technology can be used to significantly improve the strength, hardness and durability of any type of concrete material, such as rubber concrete, recycled aggregate concrete, and even ordinary concrete,” says Wu. The method involves combining a mix of course and fine aggregates with rubber tyre waste, cement and water, which is then compressed to its minimum volume using pressure in a customised mould.

“By enhancing the properties of the recycled waste without the use of any additional materials, we have developed a feasible and practical solution that addresses the performance issues affiliated with waste recycling in concrete,” Wu adds.

Rubber from waste tyres is the cause of significant health, environmental and landfill problems worldwide owing to its chemical, flammable and non-decomposable nature.

From 2015-16 Australia generated around 450,000 tonnes of waste rubber, 63% of which was sent to stockpiles or landfills and Victoria alone produces the equivalent volume of the Eureka Tower every four years.

PhD researcher and RCP-Tech co-creator Syed Kazmi says the team was now looking to partner with the precast concrete industry to manufacture and test prototypes of products like blocks and roadside barriers, wall panels, beams and slabs.

“The technology can be easily applied in the precast concrete industry and requires very little change to existing manufacturing

processes with the addition of just one extra step in the final stage of production,” says Kazmi. Kazmi and fellow PhD researcher Muhammad Munir presented the technology at the City of Melbourne Open Innovation Competition 2020 where they were finalists. They were also awarded the RMIT LaunchHUB prize for their work. www.rmit.edu.au

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Managing contract risk in a COVID climate With the commercial impacts of COVID-19 still fully to reveal themselves, the uncertainty this creates for manufacturers, suppliers and service providers in the construction, engineering and infrastructure sectors will likely be felt for some time. By Stuart Miller.

While your options to revisit pre-existing contracts with a view to ‘COVID normal’ may be limited, learnings from the last year can and should be put to use when negotiating future dealings.

• How your programming clauses deal with extensions of time, including additional grounds for claiming extra time to complete your contract. This may help to account for:

Ensuring that contracts are negotiated and drafted to account for the impacts of a global event like a pandemic should be standard practice. Whatever form the contract takes – “standard form”, longstanding in use on successive transactions, bespoke subcontract or supply agreement – it should be vetted to allow for all potential COVID-19 impacts. Indeed, at the time of writing (February 2021), Victorian businesses have just emerged from a snap five-day lockdown. The need to address these types of risks remains ever-present.

– Directions by authorities in relation to COVID-19 that impose more or onerous provisions or restrictions than those in place when your contract was signed.

– Direct impacts such as access to your own facilities, other suppliers or to another site.

Courts and tribunals generally will not interfere with otherwise clear contractual terms, even if the agreement places one party in a far more commercially or legally onerous position than the other.

At its most fundamental, this means the objective remains: • Preserving the continuity of commercial relationships in a workable legal framework.

• Minimising or overcoming unexpected interruptions to your ability to deliver on the contract, including interruption to manufacturing at your own premises or an inability to access the supply chains necessary to fulfil your contract.

• Remaining alert to changes to the import and exports supply chain for required materials adopted by governments and their agencies.

• Avoiding or minimising disputes about what the contract says where there is an adverse impact due to COVID-19 or equivalent pandemic.

• Maximising the chances of successful delivery on active contracts.

What should you be factoring in?

Key considerations that should influence contract negotiations and handling any associated contract disputes include: • Whether your business (or its directors) have provided corporate guarantees and the scope of the other party’s rights to call upon those guarantees, including how the underlying contractual rights are drafted.

• When performance guarantees, including bank guarantees and other security, can be claimed upon.

• What other incidental forms of security are included in your contract.

• Whether there are enforceable provisions – either monetary or ‘in kind’ compensation – for any delays.

• How time for performance can be extended or accelerated to make up for any lost time.

• When any suspension provisions can be used, including how they deal with the time and cost impacts of suspension, as well as the appropriateness of the default and termination provisions (as a last resort).

• Whether there is a regime for the scope of manufacture or supply to be varied outside the ordinary course of a variations regime i.e. in special circumstances of delay.

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Keeping your contract alive If your risk allocation and performance mechanics are not set out clearly, your contract will not be as nimble as it should be and it may become more challenging for your business to overcome an event like COVID-19 without adverse consequences.

The scope of any suspension or termination for convenience clauses will be highly relevant, as will any ability of the counterparty to temporarily or permanently seek an alternative manufacturer, service provider or supplier to complete the remainder or part of the contract. Other significant risks potentially impacting upon performance include: • The relevance of workplace health and safety clauses.

• The potential inclusion of “material adverse change” clauses or equivalent, which may give a right to renegotiate or terminate the contract prior to completion, should an event arise that is serious enough to substantially alter one or both parties’ positions. This may be linked to legislative (change of law) risk, regulatory or economic conditions.

CONSTRUCTION & INFRASTRUCTURE • “Force majeure” clauses. There is no automatic right to claim for force majeure – the contract must specifically provide for these grounds. Force majeure clauses drafted post-COVID-19 will need to be specific as to what events in the situation of a pandemic are foreseeable, and which are outside the parties’ reasonable control. In assessing what this type of clause should address, parties should decide on at least the following headline items:

• What the payment regime says about late completion or late or non-delivery.

– Is there a regime for prolonged force majeure, after an initial period? At what point can there be termination for a prolonged force majeure event, as opposed to using the force majeure clauses to “keep the contract alive”?

• Whether the indemnity and liability provisions, including general liability caps and exclusions, have been given a wholesale review to account for the ‘new normal’.

– Can the scope be adjusted?

– What are the obligations to mitigate?

– Can another party be engaged (and on what basis) and what is the consequence for the original party?

There may still be a point in time at which, despite all best efforts in drafting, risk allocation and performance by the parties that your contract would be deemed to be impossible to perform. That could require parties to deal with “abandoned” imported goods no longer required for projects. Additionally, the cancellation of contracts may trigger the need for both parties to make goods and services tax adjustments. Legal principles and legislation relating to the “frustration” of your contract ultimately may determine contractual rights and obligations, however the threshold to establish “frustration” can be difficult to satisfy.

Pitfall “sleeper” clauses Unintended consequences also may arise if insufficient attention is paid during negotiation and drafting to the following:

• Whether your contracts (especially if numerous with the same party or related parties) contain general “set-off” clauses allowing payments to be deducted not only if there is alleged non-performance under the contract in question, but if there are alleged to be other monies owing under other contracts or arrangements.

• The need to have workable dispute resolution provisions that try to maintain as much performance as possible while any dispute is being resolved.

You should also consider whether your contract does what it can, and what it should do, in light of security of payment legislation applicable to the construction, engineering and infrastructure sectors in your State or Territory. While familiarity with security of payment regimes is an industry assumption, this does not detract from the need to ensure that contract drafting and ongoing contract administration is consistent with this.

Stuart Miller is Special Counsel, Construction & Projects at AMTIL corporate partner Rigby Cooke Lawyers. Rigby Cooke’s Construction & Projects, and Customs Tax & Trade teams include experts in construction and infrastructure, manufacturing, supply and procurement. They can provide strategies that are effective and practical guidance regarding the best way to navigate both existing and proposed contractual arrangements that are relevant to your business imperatives. www.rigbycooke.com.au

i4.0 manufacturing digitisation with K4.0 DigiSMART The K4.0 Kiosk has been created to facilitate other manufacturers in achieving digitisation and Industry 4.0 ambitions across their operations.

Features • • • • • • •

65” Touchscreen Operating systems - Windows 10/Linux/Ubuntu Intel Z8300 Quad Core 1.8GHz or equivalent Flip out Keyboard and mouse option Storage drawers Workflow Management Video call capabilities

• • • • • •

Machine connectivity Worker clock in/out Paperless drawings 3D Part interactions Quality Assurance optimisation Australian made

Watch the K4.0 Kiosk in action

E: sales@integrasystems.com.au P: (03) 9359 3133 www.integratransform.com.au/k40 197 Northcorp Boulevard, Broadmeadows, Vic 3047

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SLIK Build – Innovative, affordable home-building Ever since additive manufacturing first started making headlines, the notion of 3D printing houses has regularly been part of the discussion. Over the years, innovators around the world have been making quiet but steady progress in realising the idea. One example is Melbourne start-up SLIK Build.

Tom Macrokanis founded the company in 2018, and with his business partner John Nicolaidis, SLIK Build aims to tackle the ever-increasing problem of housing affordability across Australia.

The availability of affordable housing is a longstanding issue in this country, both from the perspectives of home ownership and affordable rental.

Responsibility for the availability of affordable and social housing supply is governed by state and local governments, and these bodies are exploring ways to create mechanisms that will help to resolve what is a growing crisis Australia-wide. Despite most local councils having strategies in place, they are yet to materialise.

For Macrokanis and Nicolaidis, both research and experience point towards a key underlying issue - the fact that “high construction costs are the inhibitor”. The SLIK Build team concluded that the only way out of this crisis would be to develop an industry specifically designed to service the social housing market segment, thus providing solutions to underlying social issues impacted by lack of affordable and social housing, that can be replicated nationally.

The aim has been to produce a competitive industrial solution using concrete as opposed to mortar through 3D printing technology.

This solution would allow SLIK Build to print conventional concrete rapidly, inexpensively, and with high levels of precision and accuracy.

SLIK Build has created a physical product, innovative technology and a pioneering process of application that disintermediate the traditional development and construction process by removing complexity, while generating productivity and efficiency that will allow elements of the housing creation process to be viewed differently.

According to the team, it sets a new paradigm in manufacturing and construction, designed to build to stock rather than build to order, and that will deliver housing affordably. The company believes its innovative new process of 3D concrete construction will change the way that affordable and social housing is constructed in Australia, among other things.

SLIK Build is rolling out its offering through collaborations with community housing providers, providing a fee-for-service model for its affordable, durable concrete solution. Initially a two-level, four-unit development will be constructed in New South Wales in the fourth quarter 2021. Under the program, the State Government will fund the build directly, and will contract community housing providers to act as housing developers. Within months of the completion of the showcase house, SLIK Build is anticipating that public residential construction approvals will escalate to 1,000 per annum in NSW alone, with additional approvals to follow in each state and territory.

Unlike the majority of current concrete 3D printing companies, which focus on developing proprietary sand and cement mortar blends, SLIK Build’s approach focuses on using traditional concrete blends as 3D printable material. The emphasis on using conventional concrete with aggregate means they can focus on building a printing solution that satisfies the needs of the sector.

The company is currently developing the first mobile robotic system in Australia, with testing scheduled to begin second quarter of 2021. SLIK Build aims to provide 3D concrete printing services to a broad customer base that will include social housing, owner builders and more. “Imagine building your home for under $100 per square metre,” says Macrokanis. “You go to the machine hire factory, pick up your 3D printer, go to your block, set it up on the slab, concrete trucks start turning up, you flick on the printer, and you sit back and watch your home almost grow out of the ground.”

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SLIK Build partners Tom Macrokanis and John Nicolaidis.

With so much happening in the immediate future, Macrokanis and Nicolaidis could be forgiven for leaving longer-term considerations to one side for now. However, they have further ideas up their sleeves. Macrokanis is looking into bringing generative design to their process, along with on-site augmented reality (AR) to improve efficiency. These optimisations will help further reduce cost, with the savings passed on to the customer. Beyond that, the duo remain committed to their company having a genuine positive social impact in Australia.

“Currently around 35% of an average family’s gross income goes to a mortgage,” says Nicolaidis. “If you can bring that percentage down to 25%, what would happen to the economy, when 10% more income can be dispersed into other areas?”

Macrokanis adds: “To be the first company to print a house here in Australia; that’s step one. Then longer term, hopefully is to have been an instrumental part in solving a very large issue in Australia.

However our goal at the moment is focused on just getting the first step done. www.slikbuild.com

Explore your unlimited possibilities additively The Additive Manufacturing Hub is a $1.85m programme that will grow and develop additive manufacturing capability and investment in Victoria. The vision of the AM Hub is to provide an industry-driven network of users, suppliers and supporters that will foster and grow the use of Additive Manufacturing technology in Australia. + Promote and market additive manufacturing sector capabilities. + Expand the knowledge base of additive manufacturing technologies. + A grant programme for Victorian businesses to encourage adoption of additive manufacturing technologies. + Support the creation of high quality additive manufacturing jobs. + Be a voice to Government on additive manufacturing sector development.

Companies looking to explore the potential of additive manufacturing, or further expand their use of the technology should register interest via email at amhub@amtil.com.au

www.amhub.net.au 1407AMHUB

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Automated 3D scanning and inspection of transport stands With more than 35 years of experience in industrial service, Plåtson has constantly cultivated new approaches and developed new practices to provide its clients with ingenuity and expertise.

Located in Oskarshamn, Sweden, the company specialises in creating and streamlining solutions for its customers’ production flows and processes. Plåtson’s industrial service is actually born through extensive collaboration with Scania, the Swedish manufacturer of trucks, buses, coaches, and power solutions, and the company’s neighbour and largest customer.

Scania also uses other types of production stands. They have assembly stands used to move the cabs on the assembly line, and they have paint skids on which the cabs are painted. In each configuration (transport, assembly, and paint), the cabs are mounted on the skids and held by four anchor points.

Plåtson had been facing various challenges that eventually prompted it to look for a new solution for measuring Scania’s transport stands, ultimately reaching a turning point that motivated the industrial service manager to look for an automated system.

With a number of key requirements specified in its technical request, the company’s search finally ended with Creaform’s latest technology, the MetraSCAN 3D-R robot-mounted optical scanner.

High precision is required for both the cabs and the stands in order to hold and maintain the parts securely. Every standing point must be at the right position and must have the right dimension. The quality of Scania’s vehicles depends on it. Nevertheless, the stands are handled manually by forklifts at the factory and can be damaged easily. Once on the production line, if problems are detected, an automated line at Scania detects and changes the faulty skids, which impacts the production workflow. To limit the scrap rate and maximise production, Scania mandated Plåtson to check every stand once in every loop and make sure all of the stands meet the specifications. When defaults are detected, Plåtson proceeds with a repair. In short, no stand leaves Plåtson to go to Scania before the measuring solution has given it the green light.

High-precision stands

Overcoming manual challenges

Scania has several production plants in Europe. The cabs, which are the driver’s compartment, are produced in Oskarshamn, and the vehicle chassis are manufactured in other plants located in the Stockholm area, as well as in Holland and France. Therefore, the cabs have to be transported from Oskarshamn to the other production plants around Europe. To do this in a safe way and in an automatic loop, Scania uses transport skids in which the cabs are locked for transport.

Before using the automated measuring line, the inspection was performed at a manual station on a checking fixture with a ±2mm tolerance. The skid needed to fit in the fixture. If it did not fit, it was considered to be out of tolerance, but it was impossible to know by how much. Knowing with precision what the real problem was and which side was faulty was almost impossible. In addition, the old measuring method could not indicate the actual position of the four critical standing points.

Recently, Plåtson acquired a world-leading automated 3D measurement system in order to secure the accurate measurements required for precision-demanding parts in a very time-efficient way.

Consequently, the company can now provide its customers with real-time follow-ups and measurement data that is available 24/7.

Swedish truck manufacturer Scania mandated Plåtson to check the production stands it uses to mount components and sub-assemblies.

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Plåtson decided to invest in an automated quality control solution, and settled on the MetraSCAN 3D-R robot-mounted optical scanner from Creaform.

The new system enables Plåtson to see any deviation between measurements and compare the results with the CAD drawing.

Before working as the Site Manager of Industrial Service at Plåtson, Pär Henriksson was in charge of logistics at Scania. The innovative idea of having an automated inspection solution was already evolving while he was working there.

“With this equipment, we can choose the right repair method,” says Henriksson.

“I had this vision of a solution with which we could measure the skids in an automated way and have a database where we would keep the quality information about every skid,” he explains. “We could see the deviation between measurements, and we could compare the results with the CAD drawing.”

Once at Plåtson, Henriksson’s new associates considered the initiative to be an excellent idea that aligned with their mission to excel in everything they are doing.

“If you can supply your customers with a solution they didn’t know they needed, then you become a great supplier,” Henriksson adds.

Creaform’s automated quality control solution Plåtson decided to invest in an automated quality control solution to raise the quality of its work and obtain higher precision on its measurements. To do so, the company wanted digital documentation and automatic reading of the skid measurement results. With automatic reading, they could stop writing data on paper by hand, and thus limit errors related to human fatigue or distraction. With digital documentation, the deviation report could be stored in a cloud service that is available to customers in real time. This way, the industrial service team could shorten its lead times and lower inspection costs for its customers.

Plåtson took the decision to test Creaform’s new technology, the MetraSCAN 3D-R. By testing the new control line, Plåtson realised how it could increase the quality of its measurements. Not only could the team know they had a deviation, but also they could know how big the error was in order to conduct the proper repair and correction. At this point, Plåtson knew that investing in Creaform’s automated quality control solution would make it very competitive.

The benefits of automated 3D scanning Because deviation reports are stored in a cloud service, they are available for customers in real time. The benefits of this feature are enormous.

For instance, imagine that Scania faces a problem during production. It conducts a verification and realises that something is wrong with the skids, as they do not match the CAD drawing.

Repair must then be made on all the skids on the production line.

From there, Scania could also look at the complete lot’s inspection report. The repair decision will differ depending on whether there are only a few faulty skids or a complete lot of 2,000 skids with a deviation of ±3mm in one direction. Scania can either calculate how much it would cost to repair all of the skids, or verify if it is possible to adjust the assembly line in order to handle this deviation.

When all the data about each and every skid are available, it is possible to make a better decision by calculating the cost of different solutions. Plåtson is now in a better position to handle this kind of situation.

Comparison to the competition Plåtson found that in addition to its metrology-grade accuracy and operational simplicity, Creaform’s 3D scanning technology is also more versatile than other solutions offered on the market because the MetraSCAN 3D-R can be used to measure many different skids with various sizes and shapes.

“Whatever our robot can reach, we can scan,” affirms Henriksson.

Plåtson can now measure up to 350 skids per day, while other scanning equipment could only measure three to five skids in that timeframe. Therefore, the company has achieved significantly shorter lead times.

Now, Scania has access to quality information regarding the skids.

Moreover, Plåtson can be highly transparent in its inspection and repair services. Indeed, when a company is paid to make repairs to issues that they find through their own inspection, there could appear to be a conflict of interest: the more defects that are listed, the more repairs must be performed. The service company could be asked for justification, and the customer can question if the damages are really that bad and if they really require repair.

Therefore, the new system provides a way to show what is being measured and what is being repaired in real time. With Creaform’s automated quality control solution, everything is now open and transparent.

Future projects For now, Plåtson only inspects the transport skids with the automated 3D scanning solution. However, the situation could evolve further in the future. Scania is interested in including the paint skids and assembly skids in the automated measuring station.

After seeing the benefits of 3D scanning on the inspection and repair of the transport skids, there is significant interest in getting the same measuring system and database for all the other skids.

The goal, of course, is to eliminate skid problems during production.

The solution has attracted a lot of attention because Scania sees the benefits as soon as it logs into the system. It sees what Plåtson can deliver for the transport skids, and it knows that it could get the same results and benefits for the paint and assembly skids.

For sure, as soon as another line is requested, Plåtson will be ready to make the investment, as it knows it will get a valuable return on it. www.platson.se www.hitechmetrology.com.au

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More than scratching the surface – Surface measurement technology and precise positioning Measurements of large surfaces often requires the use of positioning systems that move either the sensor or the sample. The positioning and running accuracy of the movement system are crucial for the measurement results.

By Norbert Ludwig, Managing Director of Aerotech.

Most optical sensors for measuring the surface properties of objects have only a limited field of view. When measuring the surface outside the field of view, either the sensor or the object must be moved or repositioned. It is important to distinguish between the position of the object being measured and the sensor movement, whereby the positioning itself should have as little influence as possible on the measurement result. The higher the sensor resolution and accuracy, the more precise the motion system has to be. In addition to precision, another important requirement in many applications is the degree of automation.

Precise positioning and monitored control Surface analysis is often integrated directly into the production line as a quality assurance process. As is often the case in semiconductor manufacturing, for example wafer inspection or the production of flat panels, quality is assessed after almost every process step, necessitating fully automated in-process inspection with object loading, measurement and subsequent further processing. Control of the motion systems and synchronisation with sensors can generally be described as motion control, and this is exactly what Aerotech has been delivering for 50 years.

The Confocal 3D laser microscope from Keyence.

As an experienced manufacturer, Aerotech offers customised solutions for automated surface measurement technology where high throughput and maximum accuracy are required. Among other things, users benefit from high-performance linear and rotary stages as well as controllers with hardware based real time positionsynchronised triggering of sensors.

Asynchronous errors, on the other hand, are to be considered more as position noise and cannot be easily compensated for. By compensating for the synchronous errors, however, the radial and axial errors can be reduced well below 10nm. The ABRX series is particularly suitable for surface measurements in the nanometer range and of course also as an extension to the SMP measuring platform.

The surface measurement motion platform (SMP) is essentially a composition of various rotary and linear actuators – but in a very compact, space-saving design. The positioning system is particularly suitable for the optical measurement of spherical, aspherical and cylindrical surfaces.

The core component is an air-bearing precision rotary table on which the measurement object is attached using either a vacuum chuck or a clamping device. The sensor itself can be linearly adjusted in the Y and Z planes and can also be tilted with another axis of rotation so that it is always aligned perpendicular to the tangential plane of the target.

Various surface sensors can be integrated via the control software.

The controller offers both digital and analog inputs for this. By selecting the actuators, surfaces can be measured down to the submicron range. This is particularly useful for the precise measurement of optical components in applications with mirrors or lens optics.

High-performance rotation axes for surface measurement in the nanometer range The newly developed ABRX series comprises rotary tables with airbearing rotary axes, available in three diameters, 100mm, 150mm or 250mm, depending on the size of the object and the load capacity. The rotary table is operated directly and reaches rotational speeds of up to 300 rpm.

A special feature are the air-bearings for minimising radial and axial errors, all of which are in a range of less than 25nm. Errors can be divided into two types; synchronous and asynchronous types: The errors that occur periodically with the axis rotation are synchronous.

At the factory, Aerotech has the capability of measuring the

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synchronous errors and then compensating for them either via moving a Z-axis in the axial direction or X-axis in the radial direction and correcting any measured values accordingly.

Simplifying the control of positioning systems The digital control platform Automation1 introduces a new development in the control technology area, which required several years of development time due to its complexity. A range of optimisations are available to users in the measurement technology market, delivering an even higher optimisation potential relating to faster movement and settling times, enhanced position stability and increased contour accuracy.

The improved setpoint generation rate is particularly helpful for surface measurement technology - the update rate of the position can be increased from 8kHz to 20kHz. This enables more rapid and accurate positioning of the sensor head or measurement object.

Faster I/O signals also guarantee almost instantaneous triggering of measuring cycles. With the so-called PSO (Position Synchronised Output), the measuring cycle can be started immediately the defined position is reached. Continuous measurement can also be initiated, whereby the measured values are synchronised with the position data. This results in considerable advantages compared with time-based triggering, since the accelerations or decelerations which otherwise occur can be neglected.

The enhanced signal-to-noise ratio of the amplifiers on the Automation1 platform (whether analog or digital) has significantly improved in-position stability. This results in lower position noise, which is particularly relevant for measuring tasks in the submicron range. In addition, the Hyperwire fibre-optic interface ensures very rapid signal transmission, even over long distances. As an optical signal, it is not susceptible to electromagnetic interference. As an added advantage, a new, intuitive user interface significantly simplifies human-machine interaction.

QUALITY & INSPECTION

The SMP Surface Measurement Motion Platform is a complete multiaxis motion system which delivers an ideal motion platform for surface measurement applications.

Integration of measuring systems using Keyence Aerotech has its own application team dedicated to the integration of measuring systems and positioning systems. An example is the integration of the current Keyence 3D profilometer. Surface measurement is achieved using a light section method (laser triangulation). In this way, contours, unevenness and roughness of components can be measured with a resolution of up to 1µm.

Keyence offers a compact table-top unit with a manual or optional stepper motor driven XY table. In the latest version, the measuring range has been increased to 200mm×100mm×50mm, but this is still not sufficient for some applications, simply because of the load capacity of the table. Subsequently, both users and Keyence have asked to what extent Aerotech can offer a better solution – in the form of extended adjustment/travel paths, a larger Z-axis and a granite table base for a higher load capacity.

For this purpose, Aerotech’s experts have installed a Z-axis with an adjustment range of up to 300mm on a stable granite base.

The measuring head is supported by an adapter bracket. For component adjustment, a cross table is mounted on a granite base.

The X and Y axes are controlled by a stepper motor controller, which is optionally available for the VR5000 3D profilometer. The height of the Z-axis can be adjusted either manually using a handwheel or using a joystick.

Even deeper integration has been achieved with the Keyence VKX1000 3D laser scanning microscope. The laboratory system is also used for height profiling and roughness measurement. However, due to its higher resolution, it offers measurement capabilities in the submicron range, resulting in higher demands on the positioning system. Here, too, there were restrictions imposed by the manufacturer with regard to adjustment paths and load capacity which could be solved with Aerotech’s expertise.

With Aerotech’s laboratory systems, any combination of travel, loads and axis configurations can be realised. Collision protection can also be implemented using a Z-axis sensor. The overall image of the surface to be measured is displayed by Aerotech’s LMA (Laser Microscope Automation) software. Most other functions can also be controlled via the LMA screen, such as movement and positioning of the axes, the link to the Keyence viewer, a teaching procedure for measuring points and also a stitching procedure to subsequently combine the measurement results. In this way, LMA software can be used to fully automate measurement tasks across any component dimensions.

Such forms of integration can now also be realised for complete sets of testing equipment. In a recent customer-specific implementation, a laser line scanner was used as a sensor. The measurement data is recorded and compared with the CAD data using software. Special test dimensions can be visualised directly in the evaluation. The application is already TÜV-approved and guarantees compliance with all machine directives as well as national and international safety requirements. www.aerotech.com

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QUALITY & INSPECTION

"An Australian-made game changer": stresstesting and failure monitoring of structures An Australian innovation, with significant global implications for safety and productivity in sectors ranging from defence and aerospace to civil infrastructure, is rapidly moving towards commercial reality.

1MILLIKELVIN’s technology can identify and measure minute changes in temperature in solid objects that are a direct result of the structural loads (compression and tension) applied to it. For example, it can image complex aircraft structures undergoing fatigue testing, and generate highly accurate and detailed full field stress maps. The system achieves this via small infrared cameras and sophisticated real-time image and data processing to capture high-resolution close-up images of the object and identify critical stress hot spots.

Referred to as MiTE (Microbolometer Thermoelastic Evaluation), the device has been developed under the stewardship of 1MILLIKELVIN and the Department of Defence – the same department responsible for inventing the revolutionary black-box flight recorder. With such lineage, MiTE has the potential to reinvent the way engineers and scientists measure the integrity of structures, with significant implications for safety and productivity.

“As a former salesman for a multinational infrared imaging specialist, I had been aware for some time of this transformative technology under development at Defence – our biggest customer at the time,” explains Kheang Khauv, Managing Director at 1MILLIKELVIN, a start-up spun off from LRM Technologies. “After we formed LRM we jumped at the chance to bring MiTE to market.

1MILLIKELVIN’s MiTE technology can identify and measure minute changes in temperature in solid objects.

“We started collaborating with Defence and our other partners to further develop prototypes for defence, aerospace and commercial application. With this grant, we will now be able to accelerate commercialisation and manufacture MiTE for global defence, aerospace and commercial applications.”

Besides being portable and capable of in-situ monitoring, the solution address a wider market need for smaller, cost effective thermoelastic stress measurement offerings due to economies of scale and miniturisation. As a result, the device is expected to be priced between one-fifth and one-tenth of its competitors. Potential uses of the mini-cam are vast, with it being successfully utilised in analysing stress points in a Lockheed Martin F-35 jet fighter.

According to Khauv, the device could potentially analyse the structural health of a vast array of structures – from rollercoasters to civil infrastructure – as possibilities, allowing for real-time visual insights without the use of thousands of strain gauges and hours of setting these up per test.

The AMGC is supporting the commercialisation of the MiTE camera through a $149,800 co-funded grant. The total project funds will be further boosted by matched industry funding and a further $175,000 in kind contribution. Through the AMGC co-funded grant, 1MILLIKELVIN and its partners will develop a mini-format version of the MiTE camera and move the product from Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 3 to 7 resulting in advanced prototypes ready for in-situ testing and certification with defence customers or researchers.

“The MiTE is a prime example of what can be achieved when industry and research collaborate,” says Dr Jens Goennemann, Managing Director of AMGC. “And in this case, the device joins a long list of defence-derived innovations which have transformed everything from surgery to communications and navigation.

“Of course, invention is not the same as innovation – this requires a team effort to turn R&D into a commercial outcomes. We are thrilled to support this project, not only with funding, but in providing those invaluable linkages between industry and research oganisations to support bringing this revolutionary product to market.”

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The 1MILLIKELVIN team.

Khauv says that collaboration had been the missing ingredient in commercialisation. As impressive as the technology was, it was not something that they could bring to customers on their own.

“Previously to resolve temperature changes of even 20 millikelvin required a big, bulky defence- or scientific-grade machine costing close to a $1m, which only a scientist could operate,” says Khauv.

“This system is much simpler to use, is able to resolve a temperature change of less than 1 millikelvin and could in later stages be deployed in civilian settings.

“Without collaboration we would only ever have a great idea and get nothing done, commercially speaking. Our journey has required us making countless contacts, continuing algorithm and software development work with Defence, partnership with Outerspace for industrial design, and university help for validation.”

Upon completion of the project, 1MILLIKELVIN estimate total revenues of $8m a year by 2025 and the creation of over 11 highly skilled local jobs. www.amgc.org.au www.1millikelvin.com

FORMING & FABRICATION

Black Lab Design: Growth through flexibility Black Lab Design is a fully integrated design and manufacturing facility with capabilities that encompass product design, engineering skills, advanced sheet metal fabrication and the latest multi-material printing processes.

Based in Frenchs Forest, NSW, Black Lab’s focus is on design, manufacturing diversity, flexibility and super-competitive delivery times. Having a skilled, capable team enables the operation to work closely with its customers from concept through development to manufacture and deliver within a critical lead time.

“We are continually trying to find ways to solve traditional problems and challenge the old ways of doing things,” explains Daen Simmat, CEO of Black Lab Design Simmat is a highly experienced industrial designer who is passionate about designing for manufacture and creating effective, fit-for-purpose solutions in a timely manner. He is driven and ambitious to showcase the capabilities of the Black Lab team and the manufacturing industry in Australia.

“When establishing the business, a key challenge was determining how to grow high-value sales of large volumes of diverse high-quality products in a short period, without incurring significant additional capital investment costs,” he explains. “Our strategy is to pursue high-value business across market segments that include major retailers, industrial applications and digital signage. We have been extremely proactive in seeking business with some of Australia’s largest corporations and had enjoyed success by delivering what we promise.”

Daen Simmat, CEO of Black Lab Design.

Educating the market “I have always believed in the need to build close customer relationships and have encouraged customers to visit our factory,” says Simmat. “These events give customers an in-depth understanding of our capabilities, often resulting in constructive suggestions for solutions that add to our efficiency and a better product for the customer.

Black Lab regularly encourages customers and suppliers to spend time in its factory to understand the way the company operates and how their input and suggestions can provide mutual benefit.

“Visitors walk away with an expanded awareness of what is possible by pushing the boundaries,” Simmat adds. “Customer education through hands-on factory experiences is important to us because we know these activities help to build trust and encourage a cooperative environment.

“Visits from our competitors are welcome because we are proud of what we have achieved and take pleasure in sharing information.

More efficient manufacturers help make Australia a better place for successful manufacturing. “

Machinery sourcing On-time delivery and quality products are the prime requirement of Black Lab’s major customers and the company has geared its business accordingly. This means it is highly reliant on having the most efficient machinery, together with the skills to extract maximum machine performance.

“Our customers demand very tight delivery schedules,” says Simmat. “We often need to install new machinery to meet our contractual obligations. Under these circumstances, we can’t afford to wait weeks and months for new production equipment.

“When we sign contracts to supply our goods, we have to be absolutely certain that promised delivery dates are realistic and achievable. Machinery suppliers like Amada Oceania who keep machines in stock locally are critical to our success. Amada Oceania also has support technicians and engineering expertise on hand to ensure fast setup, installation and deployment.

The Amada ENSIS laser with automation at Black Lab Design.

“Our business is growing rapidly because we are one of a few manufacturers who are able to produce and deliver in an environment where shorter time cycles are becoming normal. This is a critical element in our growth and is why Amada Oceania’s machines, service and availability of parts and tooling play such a key role in our business. At the end of the day machine reliability and productivity is all that matters.”

Growth through transition Its business approach has accelerated Black Lab Design’s progress from being a sheet metal fabricator to a complete design and manufacturing facility. It has reached this point by being proactive in gaining business, and by having the machinery, skills and staff that have delivered it 120% growth in the last 12 months.

The business’ staffing levels have increased from 45 people 12 months ago to 100 today, largely due to the company’s ability to respond to market demands. This has been supported by development of its internal skills and resources, as well as cooperative and responsive suppliers of equipment, components and materials.

Commenting on where Black Lab Design goes from here, Simmat remarks: “Our next growth strategy is to increase our production volume by horizontally integrating into processes such as repetitive machining and plastic fabrication, to provide more services to our client base.” www.amada.com.au www.blacklab.design

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IMTS: Bringing cutting edge machinery from Prima Power to ANZ IMTS Machinery has been the sole agent in Australia and New Zealand for Italian sheet metal machinery specialists Prima Power for almost two decades. Simon Stain, Business Development Manager at IMTS, talks about the relationship and the advantages Prima offers for manufacturers in Australia.

AMT: Tell us a little bit about IMTS and how long you have been in business.

AMT: What makes the Prima Power machinery stand out from the competition?

Simon Stain: IMTS Machinery initially began in 1994 servicing laser cutting systems around Australia. Based in Melbourne, we’ve since expanded across multiple states of Australia and New Zealand. We offer the complete range of sheetmetal machinery from leading manufacturer Prima Power. In addition we are also the number one supplier of laser system consumables across Australia and New Zealand, using quality European suppliers. Our laser consumables business is able to supply parts at short notice for all laser system brands, not just Prima Power.

SS: Prima Power machinery is one of the most flexible brands in the sheetmetal manufacturing area. They design their machines with modularity in mind. This means that as the customer grows, their machines have the ability to grow with them. Not all manufacturers or job shops can afford to add new machinery to increase their production and this is where modular systems really help. The customer can add automation to their existing system to increase production without spending a huge amount of money on a whole new system. Prima Power is the leader in this modular technology.

AMT: How long has IMTS been the sole agent for Prima Power?

Prima Power also focus efforts on creating energy efficient machinery. Known as Finn Power until 2012, they have been at the forefront of servo-electric punching and bending systems since the early 1990s. Servo electric motors cost up to 65% less to run than traditional hydraulic systems and cost much less to service annually. Some other manufacturers are only now just starting to use servo-electric motors, but Prima Power has a 30 year head start on them.

SS: IMTS has been representing Prima Power in Australia and New Zealand for nearly 20 years. Prima Power nominated IMTS to solely represent them in this region due to our level of experience with laser cutting systems. This relationship with our colleagues from Prima Power still runs very strong – in fact we regard each other as family.

AMT: What is the history of Prima Power?

SS: They are based in Turin, in Italy, and were previously known as Prima Industrie. Since 1977 Prima has been a leading manufacturer of 2D and 3D laser cutting systems, along with precision laser drilling systems. They have sold more than 18,000 machines around the world.

In 2008 Prima made the decision to purchase Finn Power which was a Finnish sheet metal machinery manufacturer. Finn Power had built a loyal following of customers with their well-known, highly flexible range of sheetmetal machinery. From turret punches through to combination machines, panel benders and press brakes, Finn Power was a very highly sought-after brand for small and large manufacturers alike.

What is less widely known is that in 2012 the name Prima Power was born, being a combination of Prima Industrie and Finn Power.

IMTS is the only agent in Australia and New Zealand with direct access to Prima Power for sales and support – including spare parts, making us uniquely placed to help local manufacturers.

In 2008 Prima made the decision to purchase Finn Power, a wellknown sheet metal machinery manufacturer from Finland.

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In addition Prima Power was one of the first laser system manufacturers to start using fibre technology on their 3D laser systems. This helps our customers keep at the front of technology compared to their own competition and by keeping running costs to a minimum they can compete much easier in the market.

AMT: What would you say are the key ways that make IMTS seeks to differentiate youselves from your competitors?

SS: We are a company which focuses on our customers’ needs and use our vast experience to guide them to the best, most suitable outcome for them. We don’t just try to sell the most powerful and fastest product to the customer; we know no two customers are the same. We take the time to get to know them and then come up with the correct solution.

FORMING & FABRICATION Prima Power designs its machinery with a strong focus on modularity and flexibility.

Knowing that we have the Prima Power modular product behind us gives us confidence that we can then help the customer increase the capacity of their machines as their production grows.

Another major difference is the fact that even our Managing Director and Business Development Manager are involved in the installation and servicing of machines. This keeps our level of knowledge of the Prima product very high. We are completely ‘hands-on’ in all aspects of our business, which gives our customers greater confidence in the abilities of IMTS. Our customers tell us that they keep coming back because they value the level of care and experience the team at IMTS has. Our clients are not just another customer; they handpick IMTS from a range of competitors to help them expand their business with topof-the-line, efficient and flexible machinery. Our customers trust us based on their experience and the recommendations of their colleagues from the industry. www.imts.com.au

Prima Power has pioneered various innovations in sheet metal machinery, including the use of servo-electric punching and bending systems since the early 1990s.

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FORMING & FABRICATION

New Zealand Tube Mills invests in success with TRUMPF laser Based in Lower Hutt, Wellington, New Zealand Tube Mills (NZTM) recently upgraded its workshop with the purchase of a TRUMPF TruLaser Tube Fiber machine from Headland Machinery. Terry Carter, General Manager at NZTM, discussed the company and the impact the new machine has had.

AMT: How long has NZTM been in business?

Terry Carter: New Zealand Tube Mills stared in 1938. Originally, we were focused on producing truck rear-vision mirrors and pram wheels. The production of steel tubing and car exhaust systems followed soon after and took us down the path we are today.

During and following the Second World War there was a shortage of materials, which prompted the company to design and build tube mills capable of producing tubular steel using oxy-acetylene welding. Today, we focus on manufacturing precision carbon tube and an extensive range of stainless architectural food and beverage tube.

Our primary industry these days is horticulture and viticulture – with tubular steel trellising solutions. Export sales have increased steadily over the last three years, from 17% to over 35%. In addition to New Zealand, we sell into Australia and the USA. We also made sales to parts of Europe and even into to Russia, for vineyard posts. So we certainly have our markets covered, which offers greater stability.

AMT: What is the key to your company’s success?

TC: Thankfully we invest a lot of time and money into research & development (R&D) of our own products. We are also big believers in investing in technology to assist us to do the job well. One latest example of this is the TRUMPF TruLaser Tube machine, which we use to build our own products.

AMT: What would you say are NZTM’s greatest strengths?

TC: We are very responsive to the market, constantly monitoring any changes in the market, a change in customer needs. We also have a real “can-do” attitude, right across the board. So it certainly helps get things done, take on new projects or even adapt what we do now to do things better. We also have top engineering and design staff. We focus on training and retaining our engineers and design staff, and they certainly love what they do.

all new business, and has given us sales of over $1m annually in the past two years and growing – this figure is including exports.”

AMT: Why did you choose this piece of equipment over the competition?

TC: We wanted ensure that this significant purchase would last, so quality of manufacture, technical and after-sales support were key drivers. Our view was that TRUMPF and Headland could provide this better than other supply options – this has proved to be the correct choice. In addition, due to the length of product we need to supply, we purchased the largest (longest bed length) TruLaser Fiber of its type now in New Zealand.

AMT: What other types of equipment do you have?

TC: As a tube producer we have dedicated tube mills. In addition we have specialised vineyard post production machinery. This equipment has produced over 3.5 million vineyard posts in the last five years alone. The TRUMPF machinery allows us to produce top quality items in a timely and safe manner. This meets the needs of our expanding customer base and at the same time is increasing our sales.

AMT: What are your thoughts on the outlook for the industry at the moment?

TC: We have been fortunate to have expanded into a space that New Zealand is good at – namely producing top-quality wine and horticultural goods such as apples and berries – so it’s been a little protected for us in terms of volatility. www.headland.com.au www.nztubemills.co.nz

AMT: What equipment have you purchased recently and why?

TC: The TRUMPF TruLaser Tube Fiber machine was the most recent significant purchase. It has allowed us to create a product to supply into the apple orchard sector that we couldn’t have done before. It’s

The TRUMPF TruLaser Tube Fiber machine.

Terry Carter, General Manager at NZTM; Malcom Bewley, Laser Operator; and Malcolm Thomas, Project Engineer/CAD.

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FORMING & FABRICATION

Metal spinner of AFL Premiership Cup kicks goal with Yawei A highly regarded specialist in the area of metal spinning, Victorian manufacturer Tighe Metal Spinners recently invested in two new Yawei machines supplied by Applied Machinery.

Formed in the Melbourne suburb of Burnley, Tighe Metal Spinners is a family-owned company operated by brothers Rod and Jeff Tighe. Early in the 1960s the business moved to Moorabbin where it remained for many years until moving into a brand new 1,600sqm state-of-the-art production facility based in Keysborough in 2014.

CNC5 pressbrake and an HLE-1530 2kW fibre laser. The Yawei brand was recommended by an associate in the manufacturing sector who’d had first-hand experience of Yawei’s excellent quality and performance; this included a very positive report on the back-up and support provided by Applied Machinery.

“We wanted a laser cutter primarily to cut our Tighe Metal Spinners has always been involved circles rather than use a guillotine and circle in the specialised area of metal spinning cutter,” said Jeff and Rod Tighe, Owner/ Jeff Tighe and Rod Tighe, Owner/ (also known as metal forming), a process by Directors of Tighe Metal Spinners, with Directors of Tighe Metal Spinners. “When we which sheet metal is rotated at high speed David Macdonald of Applied Machinery. viewed the Yawei fiber laser at Applied’s factory over a mandrel to form round metal parts for we were amazed at how quick it was and the domestic or commercial use. One of the more unique products fact it could complete the whole process in one operation – and of that the company spins each year is the AFL Premiership Cup – course produce a far more accurate cut. something it has been doing since 1999. Virtually any metal can “We’re more than happy with the Yaweis and the quality of our cuts be spun or formed, including stainless steel, hot and cold rolled and what gets fed into the pressbrake and lathes is A1. It has also steel, aluminium, zinc, copper and brass. Metal products can be opened up new markets and opportunities for us.” spun using one piece of material to produce parts without seams While the Yawei brand was a big attraction, it was Applied’s or welds. Without seams, a part can withstand higher internal or impressive local set-up that cemented the deal. external pressure exerted onto it. CNC technology enables the “The fact they had a good reputation in the market, a full showroom company to provide a diverse range of products with efficiency and where they could demonstrate machines, coupled with large accuracy to specialise in high-quality and intricate machining jobs. numbers of technical service and support staff to provide the all The use of CNC lathes enables one-offs, short runs or high-volume important back-up – that’s what made us buy,” Jeff and Rod added. spinning, whilst faster cycle times provide greater cost efficiencies to “The whole purchase and installation process was seamless; from customers. Common manufactured parts include components for the top down all staff are excellent. Matt Keogh (Technical Manager) ducting, cones, flanges, diffusers, fan panels, cylinders, hoppers, taught us one-on-one, making it easy to introduce the Yawei’s many hemispheres, inlet bells and many other formed metal parts. Tighe features to all our staff and ensuring we got the most out of the Metal Cookware is a wholly-owned division of the company and a machines.” leading manufacturer and supplier of commercial-grade pizza trays, pans and black steel cookware.

The company has grown steadily through the years, both through new customers and the acquisition of a number of smaller metalspinning companies.To handle future growth the company has recently invested in two new Yawei machines: a PBH 110-3100

“Both the Yawei machines have exceeded our expectations,” the brothers concluded. “It has opened up new markets and opportunities for us and will ensure we can continue to offer outstanding customer service and the highest-quality products.” www.appliedmachinery.com.au www.tighemetal.com.au

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COMPANY FOCUS

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

PRP Manufacturing – Three decades of innovation and progress As it prepares to celebrate its 30th birthday, South Australian company PRP Manufacturing is looking firmly towards the future, putting a firm succession plan in place, and developing innovative new technology aimed at streamlining operations in its factory and warehouse. By Carole Goldsmith

PRP produces customised solutions such as rubber products, sponges, thermal insulation, packaging, protective case inserts, enclosures and stencilling.

Based in Dudley Park, in Adelaide’s north-west suburbs, PRP Manufacturing plans to hold a celebration event around June to mark the company’s 30th year in business. Loyal customers who have been buying its products since the company first started will be VIP guests at the event, and PRP’s founder, owner and Director Steve Sernecki is keen to catch up with several long-term clients. He mentions Ken and Christine Bridges, who own B&R Enclosures, a designer and manufacturer of electrical enclosures headquartered in Queensland, with distribution centres worldwide.

“When I first started the business, I asked Christine if B&R would support my new venture,” recalls Steve. “She said yes, and B&R Enclosures has stayed loyal to us for 30 years. We have been supplying them with thousands of gaskets for their electrical enclosures over that time.”

Another company that has been a customer since the very start is Philmac Pty Ltd. The Adelaide-based manufacturer of polyethylene pipe fittings is famous for developing the world’s first press-button toilet cistern – another Australian great invention.

“Philmac also approached us during those founding days to make potable grade rubber washers for their export market, and we still supply them to this very day,” Steve adds. “The count would be totalling several million by now.”

Steve first set up PRP in 1991 as a die cutting specialist operating from a site in Holden Hill. Steve’s son Luke Sernecki subsequently came onboard and today serves as PRP’s Chief Operating Officer.

By 2012 the business had expanded significantly, so a new facility was constructed in Dudley Park comprising a modern warehouse and production facility. Recently the company has been developing a range of new technology and software for its warehouse and factory, based around the 5S workplace organisation methodology.

Toyota first developed 5S, which is founded on five principles starting with the letter ‘S’: Seiri (Sort), Seiton (Systemise), Seiso (Shine), Seiketsu (Standardise) and Shitsuke (Sustain). The 5S principles can be applied to help with organisation in any business setting, manufacturing site or even the home .

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Luke is very excited about the new technology: “We’ve been doing some interesting work in the software space, encapsulating process efficiency, inventory management, 5S Lean manufacturing principles and industry 4.0 technologies, such as sensors and IoT (Internet of Things). Several of our employees are trained and qualified in Lean six sigma and 5S methodologies.

“This software will be an exportable product for our business,” Luke adds. “It monitors all the workflow, production processes, products and warehouse storage. The software also has a QR tracking system to track our inventory from arrival to the warehouse shelves. We have recently been accepted in the Federal Government’s Entrepreneurs’ Programme, so we can continue to work on the software to develop it even further for our business, and for export.”

Getting started in business Steve reflects on how he first embarked in a career in the rubber industry, long before he started PRP: “As a boy from school, I got a job as a clerk at Firestone Tire and Rubber Company, now a subsidiary of Bridgestone. They saw that I was keen, and when I was 18 they offered me a job on the road in sales, as a company representative looking after the automotive side of the business.

“As I matured, my confidence grew. I was gaining a lot of knowledge in the rubber industry and was generating new sales for Firestone, then later with BTR, who purchased Firestone’s interest in Australia.

I decided it was time to set up my own business and have never looked back.”

In his first year of business, Steve had a lucky break. General Motors (GM) approached him through another representative company to build a rubber isolation system for its automotive fuel tanks. He built the prototypes free of charge and GM sent them to its thensubsidiary Opel in Germany for testing.

Steve recalls: “A few months later, two GM representatives came to my small workshop. They asked if I could provide GM with the isolation system for its Commodores, being built in Australia, in line with GM’s quality control.”

067 PRP’s founder, owner and Director Steve Sernecki (right) with his son Luke Sernicki, PRP’s Chief Operating Officer.

PRP Manufacturing’s purpose-built facility in Dudley Park, South Australia.

PRP went on to supply rubber components to GM for more than nine years, and that steady flow of work gave the company enough money to build the business, employ staff and buy more machinery.

Victorian company Australian Made Rubber Pty Ltd also invested in machinery to support the company.

“My father was a little worried when I started the business,” adds Steve. “When it took off, he was proud as punch. Dad worked until he was around 90 and he hand-made some of the tools and jigs we used in the business for many years.”

Having a secure income for the business enabled Steve and his wife Joy to send Luke and his sister Hayley to “get a good education”.

Hayley is an international pilot with Qantas; since COVID-19 hit, she has been doing contract flying. Joy has also been integral to PRP’s success, managing its admin and accounts since the business started.

Luke, who will be Steve’s successor when he retires, is well equipped to take on the head role. He has an MBA and mechanical engineering degree from the University of Adelaide, has studied innovation and entrepreneurship at Harvard University, and has completed short courses in Lean manufacturing, negotiation and coding – to name a few. His career before PRP has been in operations and management, and he also founded his own laser cutting business, StencilSmart.

“As well as Luke becoming our CEO, we have also constructed an advisory board, as part of our succession plan,” Steve explains: “Luke has been developing our new website and we have a great new corporate video, which will promote the business far and wide.”

Has COVID affected the business? Steve says it hasn’t: “No, but when the pandemic hit early last year, the Adelaide Hospital asked us to manufacture 55,000 plastic face shields, which we completed in four weeks. Our expertise in high-volume manufacturing came into play.

“I don’t think anyone realised how serious the COVID pandemic would become. A specialised non-allergenic closed cell foam was acquired, then we set up full quality and medical requirement controls and commenced production.”

Supplying multiple industry sectors Having originally established itself with extensive experience in gaskets, washers and seals, PRP now manufactures for a wide range of industry sectors, including defence, automotive, manufacturing and construction, mining and resources, transport, air conditioning, electrical and medical. Adopting the latest in CNC flat-bed cutting technology, PRP provides a CNC cutting service and produces customised solutions such as rubber products, sponges, thermal insulation, packaging, protective case inserts, enclosures and stencilling. Its clients are located across Australia.

“In the past 12 months, we have made 2,200 different parts for our customers,” says Luke. “One of our current large projects is working with an overseas partner developing an insulating foam product for

Over the last year the company has produced 2,200 different parts for customers across a wide array of sectors.

vehicle flooring for the British Army. We have also fabricated thermal insulation kits and fireproof seating components for use in our national public transport systems.

“Further to this, we create fire-retardant and anti-static protective packaging for many industry sectors, such as defence, medical and construction. Specialised foams is a very important area for us.”

The business employs nine full time and four part-time/casual workers and has recently employed a business development officer, based in Melbourne.

Sustainability is a key focus at PRP and it has recently installed a 23kW solar system on the company’s roof. Additional panels will be added this year to help balance the growing demand for power.

The factory is continuing to operate with a paperless workflow, with PRP’s software and technology enabling this to occur.

“We predominantly use our three flat-bed CNC cutting machines for production and with all things going well, we should have additional machines soon,” says Steve.

Luke explains that PRP’s long-term vision is to create opportunities for its customers: “We will continue to invest in advanced technologies, such as machinery and software, and continue to drive improvement in our production processes and overall workplace. Also, we have an ambitious plan to increase our team to 20 employees and foster a culture that focuses on focusing on our company’s principles and values. These are: staying creative, having a love to learn, showing excellence in our work, and having commitment to each other.”

Meanwhile, Steve is very positive about the future of the business that he has successfully built over the course of 30 exciting years of innovation and progress.

“All in all, we have created a successful business,” he remarks.

“Luke and the team will be going forward with a sound platform and I will still be around to provide advice when they need it.” www.prp.company

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Fleet Space gears up for satellite mass production Satellite manufacturer Fleet Space Technologies has applied for a $5m grant under the Federal Government’s Modern Manufacturing Initiative so that it can jump from building three hand-built nanosatellites a year to mass-producing 50.

Additional support from the South Australian Government will supplement nearly $4m the company is raising itself.

If the grant application is successful, Fleet Space will become a major satellite manufacturing hub and increase its payroll from 31 staff today to 128 by 2024, according to CEO and co-founder Flavia Tata Nardini. Most of the new employees will be engineers and specialist satellite assembly technicians.

Fleet Space has spent $12m since 2015 on research & development (R&D) to develop the world’s most advanced beam-steering antenna and to miniaturise its satellites’ communications payload. These make it possible to deliver its Nebula space-based data network using a 10kg nanosatellite, where previously this level of connectivity was only possible with a 100kg satellite.

The company, which has already launched four nanosatellites, has applied for a $5m grant from the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources under the MMI to help it make the jump. Fleet Space plans to build a new factory with more than double the space for R&D and manufacturing and has partnered with the University of Adelaide’s Institute of Photonics and Advanced Sensing, local company Redarc Electronics, Hawker Richardson in Melbourne, and NSW-based Lintek to build the industrial capability to manufacture these nanosatellites in Australia.

The Nebula service for utilities, mining and energy companies uses satellites to connect sensors monitoring critical infrastructure such as remote mine sites, alternative energy sites, gas pipelines and rurally dispersed electricity pylons with central base stations, 24 hours a day. This also allows operators to conduct geological surveys and operate unmanned vehicles such as drones remotely from a proper control centre, rather than having to visit a distant, inaccessible site.

The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is transforming the ability of Australian companies to manage and control remote assets in real time, says Tata Nardini. She estimates that the full constellation of 140 nanosatellites could generate a lifetime revenue of $1.82bn.

The heart of Fleet Space’s 10kg Centauriseries satellites is its Nebula System, consisting of a smart, lightweight, low-power communications payload and antenna, a ground-based Portal satellite modem, and the Nebula Network Management

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Fleet Space Technologies’ CEO Flavia Tata Nardini (right) with Chief Operating Officer Matthew Pearson.

System. The company designs all of these itself in Adelaide, including the advanced on-board artificial intelligence (AI) system that manages them. However, Fleet Space is forced to get the antenna and some of the complex electronics manufactured by space-qualified specialist suppliers in Switzerland.

capabilities here in Adelaide so that we can kickstart Australia’s space industry.”

In order to achieve seamless global coverage, the company needs a constellation of 140 satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Up to 50 will need to be replaced each year due to the rate of orbital decay associated with LEO as well as battery and solar panel degradation. Three satellites in Fleet Space’s constellation, Centauri 3, are scheduled for launch this year, and with 16 more in 2022-23.

As well as high-precision 3D printers with trained operators, Fleet Space needs to be able to design and prototype complex PCBAs up to 26 layers deep. The best that Australian firms can do at present is 12 layers. Fleet Space currently gets its complex PCBAs manufactured overseas and much of its pre-launch testing must be done overseas too.

“At present, every satellite launched by an Australian company is hand-made, and many of the components come from overseas,” says Tata Nardini. “Our manufacturing rate is very low. Australia lacks many of the manufacturing capabilities its industry needs to build satellite payloads and the satellites themselves. And we certainly can’t produce them in volume.

“We want to establish these manufacturing

Fleet Space’s goal is to be able to manufacture the entire payload in Australia.

That includes 3D printing the advanced beam-steering antenna and designing and manufacturing increasingly complex printed circuit board assemblies (PCBAs).

“Winning this grant would mean Fleet Space and its partners can develop and manufacture the smartest parts of future satellites right here in Australia and provide an Australian service to a worldwide customer base,” says Tata Nardini. “Only a handful of companies worldwide such as SpaceX and Airbus have the capacity to mass-produce satellites. We can join them, if we move quickly.” www.fleetspace.com

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

STATE SPOTLIGHT

Line Zero – Pilot Factory of the Future to bring defence into digital age With car manufacturing having moved offshore and the automotive factories long empty, South Australia now has another industry establishing in its place – naval shipbuilding.

If you happened to be in Tonsley, in Adelaide’s southern suburbs, 13 years ago, you might very well have been standing in the middle of Mitsubishi’s car production line. The shell of the factory left behind when Mitsubishi relocated in 2008 has now been reinvented as the Tonsley Innovation District. Now Tonsley is the home of Line Zero – Pilot Factory of the Future. It’s at this new facility that new technologies, manufacturing techniques and processes are being tested, trialled and adapted for the Osborne shipyard, where nine Hunter class frigates will be built. The Hunter Class Frigate Program is the biggest surface ship project in Australia’s defence history, contributing towards Continuous Naval Shipbuilding capability for the nation.

Australian Industry Capability in support of the Federal Government’s sovereign capability objectives. The pilot factory grew from a collaboration hub for advanced technologies, established with Flinders University in late 2019, which is driving digital transformation through advanced robotics, assistive manufacturing and the application of Industry 4.0. BAE Systems Line Zero – Pilot Factory of the Future is a Maritime Australia and Flinders University collaboration between Flinders University, are working side by side within the pilot BAE Systems Australia and its subsidiary factory, a research & development (R&D) BAE Systems Maritime Australia (formerly sandpit that provides a unique way of ASC Shipbuilding). It marks the beginning AMTIL-ADVERT-MAIN-2020-OUTLINED(FA).pdf 1 17/1/20 am working outside 10:49 a traditional, controlled of an exciting new era for developing defence environment.

BAE Systems Maritime’s Innovation Program Project Manager is passionate about working in a shared environment: “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be part of a defence collaboration that is all about developing capability with a real focus on education. Not only is there a rare opportunity to work so closely with collaborators, it provides an opportunity to change behaviours through education and prove that this new technology works.”

The collaborative style at Tonsley will challenge behaviours, manufacturing processes and administrative systems to embrace Industry 4.0 technologies and deliver a digital shipyard of the future.

From a factory shell two years ago, the innovation district is now a buzzing hive of invention where Line Zero – Pilot Factory of the Future is making a new style of production line. www.baesystems.com www.flinders.edu.au/research/ braveminds/line-zero

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Electric bus company gears up for zero-emission growth The South Australian group behind the manufacture of the Brabham BT62 supercar is positioning itself to become a major producer of electric buses for the emerging Australian market.

Co-located with sister company Brabham Automotive in Adelaide, South Australia, BusTech Group is gearing up to produce at least 60 electric buses for the NSW Government over the next 18 months after its recent inclusion on a list of approved electric bus suppliers. It also has orders for electric buses in Queensland, which it aims to start delivering in the second half of this year. The all-electric buses aimed at the Australian market will use a Proterra battery pack and drivetrain following a partnership with the US company.

Owned by SA-based Fusion Capital, which also owns Brabham Automotive, the company rebranded as BusTech Group in December 2020 following the 2019 purchase of Queensland-based Bustech, bringing it into the same group as SA-based Precision Buses. BusTech Group executive chairman Christian Reynolds says the two manufacturers first collaborated under a joint venture agreement back in 2017.

“We could see the opportunity to take more of a leading position within the bus space so we worked through a transaction to acquire Bustech to look at more of a national manufacturing and supplier footprint,” he said. “Fusion Capital saw the opportunity from the closure of Holden to bring together Tier 1 supply capability to basically look at how we could create a business from the stalled capacity within the vehicle space and that’s what has allowed us to move quite quickly. We went from four vehicles built in 2016 to a run rate now where we are building between 250 and 300 a year.”

BusTech Group has almost 300 staff, with 110 in Adelaide, about 170 at a manufacturing plant on the Gold Coast, and the remainder supporting national fleet operations and business development activities interstate. It also has a Tasmanian manufacturing partner, Elphinstone, which builds the XDi bus, designed and engineered by BusTech, for the Tasmanian market.

Until now, BusTech Group’s commercial production has focused on hybrid diesel/ electric buses, often in partnership with international OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) such as Scania. It is now switching to all-electric buses and has a hydrogen bus in the project scope and design phase. It already has a number of all-electric prototypes, one of which runs on the Adelaide Metro North Adelaide connector route.

The NSW Government recently committed to transitioning its bus fleet to zero

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emissions within the decade, starting with 120 electric buses in 2021, and converting all 8,000 buses by 2030. Reynolds Bustech Group is now looking to establish a NSW manufacturing site following its inclusion on the procurement panel, which was its “most significant milestone to date” in relation to its zero-emission buses. He expects other states to follow NSW’s lead in procurement to the point where zero-emission buses became the baseline.

“We anticipate an acceleration of the market for vehicle replacement and what we’re looking to do is have installed capacity within the market to be able to service that,” Reynolds said. “With the transition to zero emissions there is an opportunity for the market to scale. Our volume could potentially scale up to around 500 vehicles a year, which is where the additional plants come in. I think we’ll end up scaling technical staff here in SA and we’ll scale up manufacturing and support staff in the territories where we are selling product to.”

In SA, Bustech Group took on some former Holden staff around the time of the Elizabeth plant closure in 2017, but Reynolds says the focus now is on attracting skilled expatriates wanting to return to Australia from the UK. He said there was also good collaboration between BusTech and Brabham Automotive staff in Adelaide.

“In the early days we provided a soft landing for a lot of (local) manufacturing staff and engineering staff, which has helped transfer knowledge capability into our organisation,”

he said. “More recently we’ve been hiring Australians from the UK looking to come back home from a COVID-19 exposed position but who wanted to remain in automotive. We’ve brought engineers in from Jaguar Land Rover, McLaren and Aston Martin. The more that we’ve scaled, we’ve become a more attractive proposition for Australians returning home, and they bring new perspectives of niche vehicle manufacture and technology. That’s really helping the team.”

A former Tesla executive, Reynolds says the next 12 months would provide BusTech Group the delivery window for what it had been working on for the past four years: “It’s something that in the post-Holden era is a good demonstration of what’s possible; in the post-COVID era it should give us much confidence that we don’t need to be net importers of technology. It’s an opportunity for us to take matters into our own hands.

“I was part of the Tesla team in the early days that set up the Model S factory on the West Coast of America. The easy decision for Tesla would have been to go to the East Coast but the right decision was to stay on the West Coast because it bred the culture of the group. We have something similar here now – the easy decision would be to replicate the old business model with the new technology but the right thing to do is embrace what this new technology can bring to us in terms of jobs and transformation to see what’s possible.” www.bustechgroup.com.au

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

STATE SPOTLIGHT

Dutch deal lays bridge to local manufacturing for SA firm Adelaide-based Sustainable Infrastructure Systems in March signed a deal with Dutch firm InfraCore to manufacture lightweight fibreglass bridges and jetties in South Australia for the Oceania region. The deal will create up to 25 manufacturing jobs in the first 12 months with production expected to kick off later this year.

SIS specialises in the design, engineering and delivery of projects to customers in civil infrastructure, building & construction, oil & gas, mining, aviation, aquaculture, marine and ports, transport & logistics, and agriculture. Until now it has had its fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) products manufactured in China, North America and Europe.

InfraCore has constructed more than 1,000 FRP structures – from pedestrian walkways to high-volume traffic and harbour bridges – that have been installed in the Netherlands, Belgium, Poland, England, France, Italy, Sweden, Norway, China and the US. SIS imported four of the custom-made bridges and oversaw their installation at Sydney’s Castle Hill Country Club in 2019. The installation process was done in just four hours.

The national centre for the manufacture of lightweight fibre composite road and pedestrian bridges and jetties will initially use foam for pre-forms in the manufacturing process, but SIS plans to change to recycled plastic after it beds down its systems after about 18 months of operation.

Luigi Rossi joined SIS in 2019 and is managing the FRP program for the company; Rossi was previously General Manager of the SA Transport Department and guided some of the state’s biggest infrastructure projects, including the Heysen Tunnels. According to Rossi, the start date for local manufacturing of the Dutch bridges was reliant on the ability of InfraCore engineers to travel to Adelaide from the Netherlands to help set up machinery and train staff.

“We’re hopeful now with the vaccine that we’re able to move forward with that, so whether it’s June, July or August it’s going to be really dependent on that scenario playing out,” Rossi explains. “At the moment we are pricing and providing fibreglass-reinforced products out of Europe, America and China but we want to bring manufacturing here to Adelaide.

“The major opportunity is in the manufacturing and that’s where we’ll look to bring about 25 people on board in the first 12 months.”

InfraCore currently builds its bridges and other structures in its factory in Rotterdam and delivers them prefabricated to construction sites worldwide. The environmentally friendly structures are lightweight and incredibly strong, allowing

SIS Structures Director Nick Wotton and Castle Hill Country Club superintendent Mitch Brooks on one of the newly installed FRP bridges.

for spans of up to 36m with a 100-year design life and maintenance-free system, based on a composite material of structural glass fibres in a thermoset resin matrix.

Under the agreement with SIS, the FRP bridges destined for Oceania will now be manufactured in SA. SIS will also be responsible for the sales and marketing of the products throughout the region.

Rossi says the NSW Government has announced 500 bridges across the state need decks replaced, which is ideal for the FRP product.

“We can replace the deck on those bridges very cost-effectively because the beauty of our product is if you want to replace the deck alone on an ageing piece of infrastructure, sometimes the issue you have is the foundation system can’t take the weight,” he explains. “But our product is only a third of the weight of an equivalent concrete or steel structure.

“We see our product as being ideal for boardwalks and walking and cycling facilities, And anything in the marine space – whether it be a jetty or a bridge – our product is ideal because we are not affected by the aggressive marine environment like concrete or steel is. It will last 100 years plus and there will be virtually no maintenance required.”

SIS is in discussions with potential commercial partners to assist with the capitalisation of its Australian fibre composite manufacturing hub. Rossi

says the ability to manufacture locally will significantly reduce freight costs and lead times for clients and revolutionise the way bridges were manufactured and installed in the region. Once a site is finalised and the manufacturing hub established, the technology involved mean the first bridges could be produced quickly.

“Once we’re set it up it’s very easy to produce a bridge,” says Rossi. “And we’re in negotiations with a local council and we hope to produce SA’s first bridge for a local government within a week (of the manufacturing plant opening). We have done work with the Melbourne City Council and Brisbane City Council previously and we are looking to now offer them this other product on the back of the relationship we’ve already built.”

Marion Derckx, Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, welcomed the agreement between the Australian and Dutch companies.

“The Netherlands Government congratulates SIS and InfraCore on this game-changing partnership,” she said.

“The manufacturing agreement upholds our values in sustainable practices. It demonstrates how significant employment and growth opportunities can be achieved through innovation. As like-minded cultures, the enterprise symbolises Dutch ambitions in the Asia-Pacific region for future international collaborations.” www.sisau.com.au

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Department of Health backs game changing portable CT scanner by Micro-X Adelaide-based manufacturer Micro-X has received funding to develop a game-changing portable brain scanner from the Federal Government’s Medical Research Future Fund.

The scanner will be small enough to be placed in ambulances or Royal Flying Doctor Service aircraft and will give more Australians rapid access to treatment in the crucial first “golden hour” after a stroke. It is expected to revolutionise stroke care particularly for rural and remote Australians who are twice as likely as city stroke survivors to be left with a serious, lifelong disability.

“We are excited to be at the forefront in developing technology which has the potential to radically transform health care for all Australians,” Micro-X Managing Director Peter Rowland said.

“This unique collaboration puts Australia and the Australian Stroke Alliance at the forefront of global best practice in stroke care which may be adopted as the new standard for stroke diagnosis.”

The Australian Stroke Alliance received $40m under the initiative for a five-year program to lay the foundations for a national and equitable approach to the treatment of stroke. Micro-X will receive $8m of that to develop the portable scanner using their unique technology. Stroke patients have a much greater chance of surviving and avoiding long-term brain damage if they are diagnosed and treatment begins within that first hour.

The Frontier Health and Medical Research Initiative allows researcher collaborations to explore bold and exciting ideas that could have a dramatic, global impact on health care. Micro-X, based in the Tonsley Innovation Hub in southern Adelaide, has developed worldleading, proprietary technology for miniaturising x-ray sources. The breakthrough was made possible by the discovery of Micro-X’s patented carbon nanotube (CNT) emitter technology. www.micro-x.com

Toolcraft acquires new COORD3 CMM amid defence growth Amid growing demand from clients in defence and aerospace, South Australian precision engineering company Toolcraft Australia recently invested in a new COORD3 co-ordinate measuring machine (CMM), supplied by Met Optix.

Founded in 1979, Toolcraft is a leading manufacturing and technology development company based in Holden Hill. The 100% Australian-owned company has supplied precision components and assemblies to the defence, aviation, space, hypersonics, electronics, medical and renewable energy industries for more than 40 years. As a top tier aerospace company, Toolcraft partners with world-leading businesses to design, engineer and manufacture advanced products, systems, and technologies.

Toolcraft is an approved supplier for DST Group and many defence Prime contractors, including BAE Systems, Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, Thales and Rheinmetall. With a quality management system accredited to AS9100D + ISO9001 and capabilities extending from bespoke one-off parts to mass production of full-component assemblies, Toolcraft is equipped for any challenge. The company recently established Toolcraft Defence Technologies Pty Ltd to build internal R&D capability for advanced mechanical systems, focusing on energy, hypersonics and laser integration technologies.

In 2020, Toolcraft decided to invest in a new five-axis CMM, not only to enhance its metrology capability, but to increase its capacity and keep up with defence sector growth. The company concluded that the COORD3 brand of CMM represented the best value, quality machine on the market, opting for the extremely popular COORD3 ARES bridge CMM, 16.09.07 size, with a Renishaw controller, PH20/TP20 motorised indexing head and touch probe, along with TouchDMIS CAD CMM software. According to Greg Stevens, General Manager – Innovation & Aerospace at Toolcraft, the new COORD3 CMM has delivered increased capacity and production output through the quality assurance facility. With the enhanced capabilities it delivered, the new machine was instrumental in helping Toolcraft secure a lucrative multi-year defence contract.

Met Optix installed and commissioned the new COORD 3 CMM at Toolcraft with expert support from installation specialist Sachin Kumar, from COORD3’s service centre in New Delhi, India. The Met Optix team were also assisted by its local sales and support partner

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in Adelaide, AISA SA, whose owner Johan Grove worked tirelessly to ensure the installation was successful. Full training in TouchDMIS, as well as on-going on-site and remote software support, were also provided.

“Met Optix did an excellent job managing the CMM installation,” Stevens commented. “It was delivered on time and without issues and their after-sales support has been second to none.”

In addition to the new CMM , Met Optix also upgraded the software on Toolcraft’s two older CMMs so that a common software platform, TouchDMIS, could be operated across all three of the company’s machines. A retrofit program was instigated which involved the EasyCMM product sold by Met Optix. EasyCMM is a disruptive communication software that allows any CMM client software to connect and drive all leading CMM brands.

Looking to the future, further acquisitions could be in the pipeline for Toolcraft, says Stevens: “Should defence orders continue to grow, Toolcraft would most certainly consider the procurement of a second COORD3 CMM.” www.metoptix.com.au www.toolcraft.com.au

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

STATE SPOTLIGHT

Enmin helps Bowe optimise fresh food Based in Dry Creek, in Adelaide’s northern suburbs, Bowe is a leader in the wholesale food service industry specialising in the supply of whole and processed fruit & vegetables to food service businesses and major quick service restaurants (QSRs) across Australia.

Established in 1976, the family-owned and run company aims to support local businesses by sourcing as much fresh produce as possible from farms in the area. Its diverse range of products includes fresh lettuces, carrots, onions, tomatoes, along with ready-mixed coleslaws and gourmet salads.

Safety and quality are critical to Bowe, ensuring produce is delivered in optimum condition. The business is HACCP-accredited and completely focused on continual improvements, including the development and implementation of plant upgrades to ensure the latest material handling equipment and techniques are utilised.

One recent plant update has been the introduction of Enmin equipment. Melbourne-based Enmin designs and manufactures vibratory and product handling equipment that align, sort, spread, sprinkle, size, separate, meter, deliver, blend, weigh and screen a variety of products across food and allied industries.

“Enmin was recommended to us by a colleague in the industry who’d had an excellent experience with the company,” says Bowe’s Manager, Simon Grosso. “Our experience proved the same. The service we received was absolutely excellent. As a result of our discussions we ended up purchasing a de-watering vibratory feeder and a modular incline conveyor (Mi-CON).”

Enmin’s Mi-CON is the first hygienically-designed full wash-down conveyor system ever to offer multiple standardised components, providing maximum flexibility and allowing customers to select what

will best suit their specific product and production needs. All Enmin vibratory feeders are also fully constructed with 304 stainless steel, providing excellent durability and reliability.

“Both pieces of equipment were placed in our ‘high-care’ zone, which requires the highest standards of hygiene – something that Enmin equipment is well known for,” Grosso adds. “The other important fact is that all Enmin equipment works together seamlessly; being of modular construction the Mi-CON can be added to and expanded to in the future as our business evolves.

“Being Australian made was another key factor in our decision to purchase Enmin. Having someone local that can be contacted immediately for service or trouble-shooting issues is a huge benefit.”

Due to the outstanding service and quality of the Enmin product, Bowe has just ordered another Mi-CON conveyor for its lowrisk area; this is a smaller version, which will be used to take raw material from the slicer to the wash tanks.

“The design of the Enmin products met and surpassed all our requirements,” Grosso concludes. “The equipment is designed specifically for the food industry; the standard design of large radius corners eliminates product hang-up and makes cleaning a breeze.

We are dealing with delicate material and it’s essential that the equipment we use has the highest safety and hygiene standards, and this is what Emmin delivers – we couldn’t be happier.” www.enmin.com.au www.bowe.net.au

For those bulky and overweight packages, SternaGL can provide you with a tailor-made solution for your peace of mind.

Phone +61 3 9131 9011 Email info@sternaGL.com

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Paint automation delivers efficiency gains in defence Maximising efficiency is a key priority for manfacuturers in the defence sector. Automation of operations such as paint processing can often be a sound investment that will deliver significant cost savings.

Efficiency programs are commonplace in manufacturing and sustainment programs, particularly in the defence forces and supporting industries. The aim is to produce savings which could be redirected into other priority areas, such as purchasing new equipment or supporting ongoing operations. Understandably, it is extremely worthwhile to seek ways to make infinitesimal gains, even outside those obvious areas where ‘low hanging fruit’ paybacks have already been made, in order to streamline maintenance procedures.

One of the relatively under-explored areas where investment in automation can provide tangible value for money through potential reductions in costs is in paint processing and the rework of parts and capital equipment.

When considering automation, there are some obvious savings in labour and material usage, but digging deeper, there are a myriad opportunities for a significant return on investment that may not be apparent to those who haven’t worked with robotic paint application equipment before.

These improvements include transfer efficiency gains, removal of operators from potentially hazardous environments, a reduction in the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from the process, film build optimisation, and a reduction in rework and repair rates. Exploration of each of these points in detail provides an understanding of where these gains can come from.

Transfer efficiency gains Transfer efficiency refers to the amount of paint that goes onto the surface as a percentage of the overall amount of paint dispensed. Reducing waste at the point source of origin is the most important tool in reducing paint usage.

A typical manual air-assisted application can have a transfer efficiency of around 25%, depending on the shape and surface of the part. That is, for every litre of paint needed to get onto the part, four litres of paint are required. In the process, a huge amount of waste is generated – in this case, three litres. That atomised paint generally finds its way onto the grates, or into a filtration system; it is eventually cleaned off, or finds its way out the stack into the environment.

In comparison, a high-volume low-pressure spray gun can spray with a transfer efficiency of anywhere from 20% to 45%, again depending on the nature and shape of the part being sprayed. Still, this represents slightly over two litres of paint required to get one litre onto the part.

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A gun, or air-atomised applicator, uses highpressure or high-volume air impinging on the fluid to create atomised paint droplets.

These droplets are shaped by the fan air into an elliptical spray pattern, which can be sprayed onto the part. Depending on the amount of paint required to be sprayed, the applicator can have one or more heads to accommodate for high fluid flows.

The advantages of an air-atomised gun are that the high-velocity paint particle can be used to drive coating into recessed areas.

The downside of this is it can also cause a considerable amount of overspray, which is wasted paint.

Where robotics plays an influential role in increasing transfer efficiency is through electrostatic deposition of the paint.

Electrostatic deposition depends on the ability to ground the parts and have a conductive substrate, or conductive coating over the substate. Electrostatics can be employed for either a bell or a gun application. A bell, or rotary atomiser, uses a mechanical shearing action to create the paint droplets. The atomiser spins at between 20,000rpm and 70,000rpm, and it is driven onto the part using shaping air.

As the shaping air is increased, the pattern becomes smaller. The downside of the rotary bell applicator is its limited ability to get into recessed areas.

Advances in rotary atomiser technology have resulted in electrostatic applicators achieving transfer efficiencies upwards of 90%. That means that for every litre of paint that is needed on a given part, only 1.1 litres of paint are required. That amounts to 100 milliletres of paint wasted, versus the three litres lost during a regular hand-applied, airatomised spray, with a huge impact on the emission of VOCs generated, the frequency of cleaning required from overspray, and of course the cost of the material itself.

In recent times, Automated Solutions Australia (ASA) has been involved in some case studies where customers have migrated from an automated high-volume, low-pressure (HVLP) gun application, to a rotary atomising solution. A project for one customer was driven by the fact that the surface area to be painted had increased, and the company was not able to get enough film build in these areas, so it looked into electrostatic rotary atomisers. Using advancements in technology, these rotary atomisers not only delivered the required film build, but also resulted in a 55% saving in paint usage per part. The customer was getting more paint onto the part, as per its requirements, but also saving an enormous amount of paint per part.

These savings aren’t always typical – sometimes they can be as low as 30%,

ROBOTICS & AUTOMATION depending on the complexity of the shape and the grounding of the part. However, the flow-on effects from applying more paint onto the surface where it is required and not onto the grates or into the atmosphere are significant. Typical yields from these systems are also very high – upwards of 85%, subject to the material, booth and oven metrics being held constant within process constraints.

By reducing waste at the point of origin, automation also offers reduced paint consumption, and in turn, reduced solvent usage and emissions. Indirectly, the reduction in the number of rejects and rework of parts also reduces material usage and general overall waste. Where parts may have been rejected due to inconsistent film thickness, robotic applications can provide a stable, consistent film thickness.

Removal of operators from potentially hazardous environments Another factor to consider in the adoption of automation into a paint line is the materials being dispensed onto the substrate.

The nature of a solvent or paint can be determined from its Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) – this will identify whether the product has a serious effect on the human respiratory system. Although operators can wear respirators and take breaks, the best way to avoid a problem is to eliminate it, by removing operators from these potentially dangerous environments.

Flexible automation is the simplest and easiest way to avoid manual pick-up for these parts. In parallel, automation offers opportunities for enhanced throughput, as robots handle difficult, repetitive tasks with ease, and often remove operators from dangerous environments – for example, spray painting and spraying of resins, lacquers and adhesives containing isocyanates.

In manufacturing, it is not unusual for unreacted or partially cured isocyanates to be present in the atmosphere after spraying.

These may potentially be inhaled or come into contact with skin. Spray painters who use two-pack mix polyurethane paints are at high risk of exposure. Isocyanates like HDI used in paints are often also present as pre-polymers and polymeric isocyanates.

Pre-polymers and polymeric isocyanates have the same health effects as free isocyanates when sprayed due to the generation of aerosols and overspray that may be inhaled.

According to Safe Work Australia, a person conducting a business or undertaking must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that workers and other people are not exposed to health & safety risks arising from the business or undertaking. Robots provide an excellent mechanism for eliminating the risk associated with isocynate exposure.

Reduction in VOC emissions into the atmosphere If you take automobile production as an example, a vehicle’s exterior finish represents less than 10% of its cost, but it is responsible for approximately 80% to 100% of the total VOCs emitted in the automotive production process (70% to 80% are from the spray booth, while another 10% to 20% are emitted through the drying oven). Waste reduction isn’t just limited to reduced paint usage and VOCs going out of the stack – it is also directly proportional to scrap rates due to quality improvements. Set correctly, a robot can be your best painter, on their best day, all day every day – optimising VOC reductions in manufacturing operations.

Optimisation of film build A manual operation will often require “too much” paint in a certain area, in order to get paint into a specific area. While a

manual operator may trigger on and off, robots have the capacity to alter fan and atomisation air profiles on the run, or bell speed and shaping air, depending on the type of applicator used. For this reason, film builds can be optimised.

Programs can be written with specific overlaps, to minimise film build variations. It is not usual in a basecoat paint application for automation to be held to requirements for 16 microns, plus or –minus two microns.

Film builds of this nature are required, specifically where the surface is being prepared specifically for radar detection avoidance. Manual painting applications struggle to compete with these exacting film build requirements.

Reduction in rework & repair rates The consistent nature of robotic applications leads to a reduction in warranty recalls, claims and rejections. Rework due to manual error tends to be decreased, as the inconsistent reworks tend to diminish.

The flow-on effect of this can often be reduced inspection requirements, assuming all process parameters are held constant (temperature, humidity, solids content of the paint, and so on). Flexible automation presents opportunities for improvements in quality, and particularly with part-topart consistency through improvements in repeatability.

The combined synergy of these efficiency gains in lifecycle programs is that flexible automation can provide a significant return on investment. The overall return on investment must be considered when weighing up these factors to understand the true benefit of automating your paint line, and whether your company will innovate, or evaporate. www.automatedsolutions.com.au

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Laser tech and AI combine for new industry standard in cleaning glass moulds Automation Innovation made use of ABB robots in the development of AiMC-1000, an automated robotics cell for highintensity laser cleaning in the mass production of glass bottles.

Based in Keysborough, Victoria, Automation Innovation has developed a new turnkey robotic cell laser cleaner that incorporates artificial intelligence and robotic automation as an answer to manufacturers’ needs for a safer, environmentally friendly, and more economical solution to cleaning glass moulds.

In 2020, the glass and glass product manufacturing market size in Australia reached $4.2bn. It’s grown 2.1% in the last five years.

Glass and glass product manufacturing in Australia as an industry continues to increase faster than the Australian manufacturing sector overall. The growth is attributed to increasing investments in building construction, and a heightened awareness of glass as a more sustainable material in comparison to plastic. Glass is also fully recyclable, and lasts several years longer than plastic, which gives the material its conspicuous environmental appeal.

The art behind glass cleaning Glass moulds are used in the manufacture of glass products, and are made up of interlocking parts, small features, and pinhole-sized cooling vents. In glass bottle manufacturing processes, lubricant is used to help release the glass from the mould. This paves the way for surface contamination to build on the mould, which causes product quality issues and requires frequent residue removal every one to two weeks.

When it comes to contaminant removal, methods include ultrasonic (often with the use of chemicals), bead or dry ice blasting. This is then followed by a manual hand polish and remachining of the mould to remove surface imperfections which is caused by the physical cleaning.

Automation Innovation recognised the safety concerns for employees in this manufacturing space and their exposure to cleaning chemicals, as well as the substantial loss in operating costs for manufacturers because of outdated cleaning processes.

This led Automation Innovation to embark on its own research to understand a more advanced way in which it could help glass manufacturers intelligently run their mould cleaning operations, particularly over large product production volumes.

Laser cleaning: Green, intelligent, cost-efficient Automation Innovation has developed the AiMC-1000, an automated robotics cell that delivers superior glass mould cleaning.

The AiMC-1000 incorporates ABB’s IRB 4600-60 industrial handling robot and the IRB 4600-45 laser robot to deliver a safer, chemicalfree, and repeatable cleaning process that would currently be unattainable using traditional techniques.

The AiMC-1000 utilises a higher-intensity laser light to clean the surface of the moulds, ensuring that only the surface contaminant is removed, with minimal damage to the parent mould material.

It facilitates 24/7 operational environment, increased daily clean volume, lower replacement costs, removal of additionally required materials, and the discontinuation of the use of chemicals which avoids harmful environmental impacts. Serious occupational health and safety concerns for workers are also minimised with the reduction of manual handling, the elimination of the need for mildly radioactive ceramic beads that used in other cleaning methods, as well as exposure to noxious fumes, which are now securely contained.

The AiMC-1000 automated robotics cell developed by Automation Innovation.

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Walter Meyler, co-founder and Managing Director of Automation Innovation, with ABB’s IRB 4600 Series robot.

Increasing product output and quality A true adaptation of Industry 4.0, the AiMC-1000 features software that can be linked with mould management systems and supports remote monitoring and reporting. The entire process is controlled by a single operator, who places and receives trolleys to the loading area.

Robotic arms are required to handle the movement of the moulds and manipulate the laser head in order to accomplish the most optimal cleaning finish. This is important because glass moulds have specific needs when it comes to cleaning. Base material should not be degraded as that leads to an increase in the volume of mould and the amount of glass needed to fill it. Closing edges must be preserved to ensure no burrs are introduced to the logo imprint area. The pinhole-sized cooling vents that release air need to be strategically cleaned without leaving residue behind.

It’s both an art and a science, and thanks to the AiMC-1000, glass and glass product manufacturers can experience precision cleaning, product quality improvements, consistent reliability and the certain prevention of mould growth. Aesthetically pleasing, their logos can also now remain crisp and clear.

Sophisticated technology integrating 3D cameras is used with patented software algorithms to live-scan data and cleaning parameters and allow them to be changed as needed. By manipulating the laser characteristics, its pulse energy and frequency, the amount of material removed by a single laser pulse can be controlled with recorded accuracy. Contaminants are vaporised from cavities and channels leaving absolutely no residue.

ROBOTICS & AUTOMATION

An example of a glass mould.

For progressive engineers, fabricators and metal workers to manage your core business, your labour

Touch Screens on the Workshop Floor – Tracking: Jobs, Tasks and Workshop Staff in Real Time

Glass bottles in the moulding process.

50 inch TV Monitors on Office Walls and Workshop Floor Walls – Report: Jobs, Tasks, Staff, Times, Job Status, ... in Real Time

Scheduling is Updated Automatically in Real Time at Job Change

Essential Tool for Production Management to Drive Weekly Production

ABB robotic arms handle the movement of the moulds.

Optional artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities of this system can also be a major benefit. For all AiMC-1000 machines around the world, data is scanned for each mould cleaning process. This data can then be delivered to the cloud, where it goes through an AI processor. Using this information, the algorithm becomes more defined, and smarter each time. That data is then delivered by the Internet of Things (IoT) to other machines across the network ensuring only the highest of standards.

For glass and glass product manufacturers, the AiMC-1000 gives them a completely autonomous and future-proof cleaning system.

With no chemicals or excess waste, automated robotic laser cleaning has become the more cost-effective, green alternative to traditional cleaning methods. Mould lifespan substantially increases as mould growth is eliminated, which helps to lower replacement costs. Industry 4.0 integration capabilities ensure that manufacturers will be able to remotely manage their operations and assets to keep them at the forefront of their industry. www.abb.com www.automationinnovation.com.au

• Software App developed for engineers producing custom one off products or projects, 6 to 200+ workshop staff • Empower Software is simply an App. Cloud & Web based • Empower can interface to any accounting or ERP software • Pricing Low Cost Subscription eg 10 workshop staff is $108 per week • If you use manual time sheets, to record workshop staff times on their jobs 10 workshop staff for example will cost you $775 per week = $37,975 per year, in lost chargeable staff time to fill in daily and admin cost daily to rekey to produce. If you replace your manual time sheet system with Empower then you will save $667 per week saving you $32,683 per year.

• Supplying Australian engineers for 13 years • Available to you on request: info pack and free trial software • Engineering Client Short Videos on youtube.com. In Youtube search: Empower MARs Transport, Empower Peppertree ...

• 90% of engineers using tablets on the workshop floor and the Empower Software App achieve a 20% to 40%+ reduction in time on jobs – therefore a 20% to 40%+ reduction in labour cost on jobs.

• An Engineer with 10 workshop staff is projected to increase production by 80 hours per week, therefore increase revenue by $6,000 per week and (80 hours by $75 per hour overhead cost), therefore increase revenue by $294,000 per year. This $294,000 per year is largely additional profit because overhead costs have been incured in existing production. Your 10 year investment $2.94m additional revenue, largely additional profit.

Sean O’Sullivan

B Com (Hons) Otago University

Founding Director, Empower Software sean@manufacturingandengineering.co.nz +64 27 2284211

AMT Magazine 20/11/2020

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The relationship between the Internet of Things and Industry 4.0 Industry 4.0 and the Internet of Things (IoT) are buzzwords that are often used interchangeably, but while there are strong correlations, they are not the same. Having a clear understanding of the two terms is essential as manufacturing processes adopt a data-driven approach to produce actionable insights. By Scott Ho. The Internet of Things (IoT) includes the integration of digital sensors and networking technologies to devices and systems we use every day in the analogue world. The most famous consumer examples include smartphones, smartwatches, smart thermostats, smart speakers and so on. Traditional versions of these devices have no internet connectivity; however, as IoT has developed they have become connected.

IoT devices have been a big part of our lives for over a decade and continue to grow in influence. In fact according to Transforma Insights, at the end of 2019 there were 7.6bn active IoT devices, a figure which will grow to 24.1bn in 2030.

Beyond consumer households, IoT has an application for commercial use. Prominent examples where IoT devices come into play will be temperature control systems across buildings, trucks and so on. A simple use of IoT devices for commercial purposes is using temperature sensors in trucks transporting perishable goods.

Throughout the truck’s journey, the temperature can be monitored all the way through; and if it begins to rise or fall, necessary actions can be taken to ensure the goods do not perish—thus, saving the organisation money and products.

On the other hand, Industry 4.0 refers to data exchange and automation in the process of manufacturing. The Boston Consulting Group defines Industry 4.0 by identifying nine technologies: 1. Autonomous robots.

2. Simulation.

3. Horizontal and vertical system integration.

4. Industrial Internet of Things.

5. Cybersecurity.

6. The Cloud.

7. Additive manufacturing.

8. Data and analytics.

9. Augmented Reality.

Importantly, these technologies are used in conjunction to establish a “smart factory”, whereby machines, systems and humans communicate with each other to co-ordinate and monitor progress along the assembly line.

The result is lowering costs while enabling the ability to rapidly design, modify, create and customise things in the real world.

This process also considers and reacts to changes in consumer preferences, demand, supply chains and technologies.

Bringing the two together The misinterpretation of Industry 4.0 as IoT comes from the fact that both terms stem from the notion that networked devices provide sensor data and are digitally controlled. Industry 4.0 and IoT do overlap when it comes to digital manufacturing. Both highlight the use of devices, robots, simulations and tools with sensors that produce data.

With that in mind, manufacturers are not isolated, as each manufacturer has its own supply chain and unique set of tools, data, processes and network. Unifying these networks into a broader IoT hub gives supply chains the ability to seamlessly pivot to the changes within the market. This ability addresses longstanding manufacturing issues, including tracing quality issues down a supply chain.

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However, this ability only comes from linking together previously independent devices and systems and security becomes the key challenge for manufacturers.

Increasing use of smart devices requires more accurate tracking of breaches and security violations, with the speed at which this is growing exacerbating the challenge. The industry response to this aspect of the problem is to combine new technologies with standard IT technologies like network security and encryption.

Additionally, a lack of universal industry standards compounds the challenge for IoT and Industry 4.0. Owning multiple smart devices from different brands means that each device will record data in their own format and with their own protocol. Therefore, integrating them into an automated factory will be costly, time-intensive and difficult.

Manufacturing giants including Bosch, the Eclipse Foundation and others have been designing standard communication protocols and architecture like OPC, UA, MQTT and PPMP. These protocols aim to assist smart devices including those on the factory floor using a common architecture to communicate and provide common data formats. Solving the problem of condensing multiple formats into one data model does mean more difficulty for manufacturers, to negotiate and decide which architecture should be universal.

There are additional challenges for Industry 4.0 and IoT, including talent development, IT integration and in some instances, technology immaturity. However, in overcoming these challenges there will be hybrid transitions with older methods and new technologies coming together.

The final consideration The enormous quantities of data generated from these principles offer the opportunity to analyse big data. Decision-making can be supported by data-driven insights to create a competitive advantage.

Search functionality is the foundation of big data and will have a role to play in quickly analysing and understanding the data efficiently and effectively. However, presenting the relevant information will require talent, to interpret the data and glean insights that will assist with the task at hand. Tracking, organising, understanding and finding these components in context will be vital to ensure Industry 4.0 and IoT effectiveness.

In an anecdotal sense, if smart devices are the fingers, arms and limbs, IoT devices are the nervous system, search is the brain, and Industry 4.0 makes everything work together.

Scott Ho is Vice-President – Asia Pacific Japan at Lucidworks. www.lucidworks.com

ROBOTICS & AUTOMATION

OnRobot: Powerful electric vacuum gripper for heavy-duty applications OnRobot’s new VGP20 electric vacuum gripper provides a powerful and versatile solution for challenging palletising scenarios including heavy, bulky and porous surfaces.

According to OnRobot, the VGP20 is the world’s most-powerful electric vacuum gripper able to address a wide spectrum of demanding packaging and palletising applications. Compatible with all leading robot brands, the gripper can handle payloads of 20kg, making it a great fit for a wide range of applications in industries from cosmetics and electronics to pharmaceuticals and food and beverage.

“Our customers asked for a cost-effective, easy-to-deploy vacuum gripper that can pick up bulky, heavy-duty payloads while being intelligent enough to handle a wide range of items, including those with irregular shapes and porous surfaces,” says Enrico Krog Iversen, CEO at OnRobot. “The VGP20 combines power, intelligence and ease-of-use that competes with expensive, complex pneumatic grippers.”

End-of-line operations such as palletising are labour-intensive and costly. Researchers estimate that, on average, labour costs account for 65% of warehouse facility operating budgets, dwarfing the costs associated with utilities, taxes, distribution and rent combined.

On this basis alone, automation is a compelling proposition for companies of all sizes. According to researchers, adoption of automated palletising solutions in the food & beverage sector along is estimated to have increased at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of more than 13% since 2017 and is set to reach US$390m by 2022. OnRobot’s new VGP20 electric vacuum gripper can take on applications that have traditionally been handled by powerful pneumatic grippers – at a fraction of the cost and complexity. While pneumatic grippers require compressed air to operate, the VGP20 is all-electric and ready to go out of the box, enabling companies to save up to 90% on operating and maintenance costs compared to traditional pneumatic gripper deployments.

The VGP20 provides unlimited cup and airflow customisation and multichannel functionality, allowing it to be deployed on multiple items of different shapes and sizes. Additionally, the VGP20 gripper’s builtin intelligence, combined with its easy-to-use software, provides precise air flow control functionality that is beyond the capabilities of traditional pneumatic grippers. This functionality allows users to vary the type of grip used in different applications, such as the soft grip used to handle delicate items to the hard grip required for handling bulky, heavy cardboard boxes with porous surfaces.

The costs of cardboard for packaging has risen by nearly 40% between 2010 and 2020. Moreover, with continued strong growth in demand in the e-commerce sector, forecasts of further cost increases are leading shippers to look for lower-cost options for packaging materials.

Thinner, more porous cardboard and lightweight shipping bags present challenges for traditional automated packaging and palletising.

The powerful, customisable OnRobot VGP20 easily handles these thinner and less expensive packaging materials, allowing shippers to save considerably on both automation and shipping costs.

OnRobot’s VGP20 gripper also provides an option to enable continuous monitoring of the gripper’s air flow. If this option is selected, and the vacuum is interrupted for any reason, the robot will come to an immediate halt and an alert pop-up window will be displayed in the gripper software.

“Efficient packaging and palletising performance is crucial to success for manufacturers, e-commerce and logistics companies. However, labour shortages present an ongoing challenge and performing these jobs by hand is both monotonous and unergonomic,” says Iversen.

“The powerful and versatile VGP20 gripper enables companies to automate these tasks, providing relief to workers while improving overall productivity and quality.”

The global robot grippers market is projected to deliver a CAGR of approximately 15% from 2021 to 2026 as automation adoption increases. The Asia Pacific region will see the highest growth due to rapid modernisation and industrialisation, as well as increasing collaborative robot adoption and Industry 4.0 initiatives.

The Federal Govvernment recently announced its $1.3bn Modern Manufacturing Initiative (MMI), aimed at supercharging manufacturing, growing jobs and building the country’s reputation as a reliable and high-value manufacturing nation. MMI funding will support businesses to adopt new technology and enhance manufacturing processes to boost productivity and competitiveness.

“With Covid-19, we are seeing more Industry 4.0 initiatives in the region,” remarks James Taylor, General Manager, APAC at OnRobot. “Governments are formulating policies to drive robotics and automation forward to strengthen domestic production. We are committed to helping manufacturers adopt automation quickly and easily with our wide range of smart and flexible solutions like the VGP20.” www.onrobot.com

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How industries can use automation to innovate As the world strives to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, industry has a golden opportunity to become a central pillar of global economic recovery. So, what will it take to get us there? By Peter Herweck and Francisco Betti.

Even before the pandemic, industrial productivity growth was moving in the wrong direction – and lingering at just 0.7%. In the second quarter of 2020, amid the global shutdown, global manufacturing output dropped by 11.1%, only recovering somewhat in the second half of the year.

If we’ve learned anything from the disruption caused by COVID-19, it’s that agility and resiliency are essential to modern industry. To see genuine changes in efficiency and sustainability, we need to make bold moves now.

Open is not enough The industrial sector is ripe for disruption. It is dominated by closed, propriety systems that are not designed for flexibility and prioritise vendor lock-in over innovation. On the surface, many automation suppliers talk about “open” technology. However, open automation as it exists today is not open enough, as many suppliers have yet to embrace vendor-agnostic systems, where software from one vendor can run on hardware from another. As a result, industrial enterprises endure unnecessary engineering expense and delays in rolling out innovation. The consequence is reduced agility and lost business opportunities.

Failure to apply truly open, interoperable standards for automation tools is costly on all fronts. It’s a ubiquitous challenge that is holding industrial operations back across the world. It’s in everyone’s interest – from vendors, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and machine builders, to systems integrators and end users – to find a way through the impasse. Ultimately, like many of today’s biggest challenges, it can only be achieved through collaboration.

The price of inertia By keeping technology built on closed, proprietary systems, we are stunting innovation, while crippling productivity from “teamwork” between systems, machines and people. We can no longer accept needlessly big engineering efforts, a lack of modularisation or any barriers to resilience and innovation.

A group of co-workers who cannot communicate cannot be productive. Today’s closed automation systems encounter the same difficulties. They can’t simply integrate or collaborate with third-party devices, nor can they be easily upgraded.

In the current paradigm, industrial businesses and workforces continue to be held back by closed and proprietary systems, hampering the highest priority areas, namely innovation, efficiency, sustainability and agility. We are left with an under-optimised sector, propped up by a damaged global economy.

Industrial crossroads We’ve reached an inflection point. Current industrial automation system architecture has done a good job of advancing industry to where we are today, but to realise the full promise of the Fourth Industrial Revolution we need to fundamentally change our technology model.

We now have the computational power and levels of connectivity necessary to overhaul industrial sustainability and operational ecoefficiency. And with the environmental clock running out, we can’t afford to miss this opportunity to use software-centric and datadriven automation to make meaningful change.

An alternative future is bright. According to Accenture, by 2030 the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) could not only add trillions to the global economy but also increase productivity and efficiency for manufacturers worldwide. A World Economic Forum report in collaboration with Boston Consulting Group (BCG) has suggested

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that 72% of manufacturers see advanced analytics as increasingly important, while 80% believe increased productivity can be achieved through digitalisation and data-driven insight.

Universal automation Just as the IT world has embraced the benefits of open-operating platforms, now it’s industry’s turn. Universal automation is the world of “plug-and-produce” automation software components that solve specific customer problems in a proven way. Think of it as the dawn of an industrial automation app store. The technology already exists to make it possible. The IEC 61499 standard for interoperable and portability can be used to create a standardised automation layer across vendors, similar to the way that the Linux open source operating system helped standardised operating systems across computers.

By removing technology barriers, universal automation allows manufacturing lines and industrial processes to be quickly reprogrammed by engineers as required, even remotely. This heightened agility and productivity is necessary to cater to shifting consumer demand patterns, while also accommodating the limitations brought on by the pandemic.

Plug and produce industrial automation The adoption of the IEC61499 standard for interoperability and portability alleviates many challenges facing industry today. Adoption of a common standard across vendors ensures different hardware and software systems can leverage advanced technologies by communicating with each other.

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Universal automation eliminates many of the pain points of automation adoption. New technologies can be introduced, upgraded and integrated without wasting time and resources for refactoring. By utilising cybersecure IT architectures and technologies natively within a robust automation infrastructure, manufacturers can integrate advanced data-driven applications easily.

The interoperable system also has great potential for maintenance and efficiency. With a single, open and heterogenous automation system, maintenance engineers can rapidly find and fix faults and incorporate innovative maintenance technologies to avoid issues.

This includes proactive and predictive maintenance – the process of repairing a plant asset before it fails. This type of maintenance lowers risk, minimises unplanned downtime, and helps address small faults before they become expensive systematic failures. Indeed, predictive maintenance saves roughly 8% to 12% over preventive maintenance and up to 40% over reactive maintenance.

No one can do it alone The first step towards achieving this new industrial productivity and efficiency is collaboration. We call on the entire industrial ecosystem to come to the discussion table for universal automation. Before any meaningful change can happen, we must build trust, remove adoption barriers, identify new ways to share data and continue innovating using a standardised approach. Only by committing to

advance next-generation industrial technology together can we all share in a better reality for our industries of the future, our people and our planet.

Peter Herweck is the Executive Vice-President and Chief Executive Officer, Industrial Automation at Schneider Electric.

Francisco Betti is the Head of Shaping the Future of Advanced Manufacturing and Production at the World Economic Forum.

This article is reprinted courtesy of the World Economic Forum. www.weforum.org www.se.com

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A different future is within reach. With universal automation, we can achieve intelligent automated operations with production lines attaining self-configuring and self-healing capabilities.

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Iscar: The logic of development In machining, a cutting tool is an element of a technological system that shapes a part by material removal, comprising a machine tool, a workholding fixture and a toolholding device.

Shaping a part is performed by various machining processes using different cutting strategies. Progress in machining tools resulted in modern machines that enable combined and whole process operations; processes that were separated in the past. Moreover, advanced machine tool capabilities enable progressive machining strategies to achieve maximum performance.

The metalworking industry must deal with different engineering materials. Progress in material science and metallurgy brought in exotic new materials, and technologies to create materials with predefined properties. Producing components from such materials has significantly improved the working parameters of parts, but machining has become more difficult.

A cutting tool, the smallest element of the technological system, is the link between the machine and material. To realise the advantages of high-tech machine tools and productive machining strategies, the cutting tool must meet appropriate requirements. Finding a decent answer to the ever-growing demands of modern metalworking is the base for new developments in the cutting tool field.

The metalworking industry has been through a rough time with the COVID-19 pandemic, which has led to a decline in economic indicators for the industry. Hitherto bright prospects were replaced by modest hopes. On the other hand, this has been a time for deeper analysis of industrial trends and forecasts, and planning tomorrow. Progress has not stopped. Metalworking is on the threshold of serious changes, and the manufacturer should be ready to adopt them. The forthcoming changes cannot bypass cutting tool production, one of the more important links in the metalworking chain. Therefore, to have a clear understanding of the direction of industrial progress and the requirements for the cutting tools of tomorrow is a cornerstone to success for a tool manufacturer. It is the key to new tool developments and the demand for a wide range of products.

There are various directions for the development of cutting tools. The “traditional” way is to make the tools stronger, more productive and cost-effective, a reflection on the natural requirement of the customer for a consumable product. Other directions of development are related to advanced manufacturing technologies that have become ingrained in the metalworking industry, whereby available tooling solutions still leave a broad field for improvement.

The course of nature The traditional direction of development considers improving tool performance by introducing innovative cutting geometry, advanced tool material grades, progressive tool body designs to ensure higher rigidity and durability, and so on. It may seem that this direction has almost depleted its resources and does not promise true revolutionary changes. However, cutting tool manufacturers have managed to surprise the metalworking world with substantially new products that provide significant benefits despite the traditional approach to the product design.

An important success factor was the significant growth in scientific and technological levels of tool production, new achievements in powder metallurgy and coating technology, and the introduction of modern systems for inspection and quality control. The considerably increased capabilities of tool design itself, CAD/CAM systems, and 3D modelling, gave noticeable impetus to the realisation of challenging innovative ideas. Technological developments have evolved new machining methods, which require tools to meet stringent new demands. These tools have the ability to cut hard metals while eliminating the need for grinding operations. In milling, these tools are able to contend with extremely high feeds per tooth

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Turning instead of grinding: fine-turning a hard steel part with the use of a tool carrying a PCBN-tipped insert.

(HFM) at high machining speeds (HSM), and are able to perform trochoidal milling with the use of high-pressure coolant (HPC). The design of such tools differs from general-duty tools as they require specific features that characterise the above-mentioned methods and strategies.

Advancements in machine tool engineering have pushed the metalworking industry closer to living out a dream of every manufacturer: complete, one-setup production. The impressive capabilities of the latest multi-axis and multi-tasking machine tools, and and hybrid manufacturing systems, which combine material removal and 3D printing technologies, give evidence of a quantum leap toward one-setup production. A driven-tool option features more and more turning centres expanding their capabilities.

Understandably, this progress has built other requirements for cutting tools, around multifunctionality, tool life, and time-to-failure characteristics.

Attempts to find a cost-effective alternative to solid carbide tools gave a new impulse to designs with exchangeable carbide heads.

Some of these designs even provided a substantial advantage in the high repeatability of the head overhang with respect to the tool. As a result, there is no need for additional adjustment after replacing a worn head, which can be quickly changed without removing the tool from a machine spindle. The “no-setup” benefit opened a source for diminishing machine downtime, and in combination with distinct economic advantages, ensured promising prospects for the exchangeable solid-head concept as a direction of cutting tool development.

The metalworking industry has tightened its requirements for cutting tool versatility and maintainability. This has drawn a good response from the tool manufacturer. For example, a typical cutter with indexable inserts features inner channels for coolant supply through the cutter body. Such a body design is effectively an unwritten tool standard now. Another example is the way cutting tool manufacturers not only strictly specify the necessary torque for tightening insert clamping screws, but also supply dynamometric keys to ensure necessary torque value.

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The Iscar World app now embraces all Iscar online apps, interfaces, and product catalogues.

High-feed milling remains an efficient method for rough machining both on plane and complex surfaces.

Emerging trends and new challenges In the metalworking industry, there are enduring trends that present new challenges for cutting tool manufacturers. The significantly increased use of composites and sintered materials now requires specific cutters, which are customised in many cases.

Precise metal forming and 3D printing are leading to the growth of workpieces that are produced very close to the final shape of a part. This causes a considerable reduction of stock removed by machining operations. Therefore, productive and accurate lowpower cutting on high-power machine tools is rising substantially.

Advanced multi-axis machines are capable of precisely generating complicated shapes via cutting methods. Hence, the metalworking industry is interested in reasonable, effective solutions from the cutting tool manufacturer.

Machining difficult-to-cut ISO S materials, especially ß and near-ß titanium grades and high-temperature superalloys (HTSA), requires low cutting speeds. Growing demands for the components from these materials require the respective increase in output by speeding up machining operations.

As it turns out, the smallest element of the technological system – the cutting tool – becomes a main obstacle to the productivity growth. The search for a resolution to these issues is connected mainly with design and manufacturing. In one way or another, these belong more or less to a traditional and familiar sphere.

At the same time, changes taking place in the industry have presented the toolmaker with tasks of a completely different kind.

Industry 4.0 and the digitisation of manufacturing have brought the virtual world to tool manufacturing. Manufacturers have demanded that the cutting tool be supplemented with a corresponding digital twin and a developed set of information services. This will be a pre-requisite for the smart factory of tomorrow. Without it, the tool manufacturer will remain at the factory gate. Tomorrow’s customer is waiting for active virtual design options that are needed for process modelling, tool assembly integration, concept design of customised tools, and more.

Online marketing will play a core role in this change. COVID-19 has accelerated the influence of online marketing, and the growing demand for online pre-sales services and post-sales support will be expected as a whole spectrum of services by the tool manufacturer.

Consequently, an “All-in-One” digital system – encompassing online marketing, tool data, access to information, generating twin models, engineering and economic calculations, tool life analysis, immediate service, advice, knowledge, competency and more – will all be an integral part of the product range for the cutting tool manufacturer.

Looking for the right answer Of course, tool manufacturers cannot just sit around and wait for things to change; they must be proactive. Iscar is an example of how a leading toolmaking company seeks to meet new industry demands and prepares itself for forthcoming changes. In recent years, Iscar introduced many new innovative product lines through its LogIQ product campaign to provide solutions that reflect industrial trends.

Iscar’s turning product line was enriched with a versatile assembled system comprising of an anti-vibration bar and exchangeable heads carrying various inserts. New inserts from polycrystalline CBN tips were designed to improve performance in turning hard materials.

A lead-edge parting system with multi-pocket adapters and robust reinforced tool blocks opens new horizons for increasing productivity.

Iscar significantly expanded its milling line with a range of tools for HFM and HSM. For machining difficult-to-cut aerospace materials, Iscar specifically developed new carbide grades for indexable inserts and ceramic endmills. Also, newly introduced extended flute cutters with HPC option significantly increased metal removal rates in rough milling titanium.

Iscar’s line of drills with replaceable carbide heads was replenished by a newly designed three-flute head that ensures considerably increased productivity. New solid drills with polycrystalline diamond nibs and wafers provide efficient solutions for drilling composite materials.

The information segment of Iscar’s product program has undergone major changes, with digital tool twins in accordance with standard ISO 13399, virtual assembly options, an optimal tool selection software, a cutting material grade optimiser, various sources of constantly updated information, online purchasing, rich mobile phone applications and many other new functions.

The logic of industrial development demands new high-performance cutters with a developed informational integrant. Striking a complete, organic balance between the material and virtual worlds will soon be recognised in the cutting tool industry and define a cutting tool’s incorporation into advanced manufacturing systems. www.iscar.com.au

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Real Business Real People Real Members New Touch Laser Cutting have been members of AMTIL since 2001.

This membership has resulted in many benefits from access to experienced professionals who I often seek second opinions and advise from, to helping us grow our business via networking events, advertising in AMT and appearing at Austech, by far the best manufacturing magazine and exhibition in Australia. AMTIL have put us in contact with many business specialist in all fields who have offered invaluable support and assistance over many years. On behalf of myself and the whole team at New Touch Laser Cutting I would like to thank AMTIL for many great years of service, assistance, help and friendship.

Brad Drury, New Touch Laser Cutting

Since 1999, AMTIL has been connecting business, informing of opportunities and growing the manufacturing community.

To be become an AMTIL member contact our Corporate Services Manager, Greg Chalker on 03 9800 3666 or email gchalker@amtil.com.au

amtil.com.au 1311AMTIL/BD

CUTTING TOOLS

Seco: Duratomic range gets three new grades As Seco Tools’ patented insert coating technology Duratomic enters its second decade, the company has released three new grades specifically for stainless steel turning.

Among other things, the new TM grades offer customers used-edge detection technology, resulting in increased productivity. More than a decade ago, Seco’s research & development (R&D) specialists realised that nanoscience could be harnessed to develop highly sophisticated coatings that offered thermal and chemical resistance, which could be extremely strong and durable, and which could be designed at an atomically thin level.

The result of their work was a patented insert coating technology that brought a combination of wear resistance and edge toughness to maximise insert grades in the prevention of cracks and breakage. They called it Duratomic. In this, the very first development of Duratomic in 2006, Seco R&D addressed the texturing of atomic layers in critical parts of the coating.

“There are different ways to manipulate the various parts of the coating, and different translations of upper, bottom and center layers for various usages,” explains Mikael Lindholm, Product Manager, General ISO Turning at Seco Tools. “Knowing when and how to do it is what would I call the essence of Duratomic. An early example of the technology proved that the coatings on steel offered a solution in the area of thermal inertia, which was an opportunity for Seco Tools’ automotive industry customers to improve their productivity in the turning area.”

In particular, the evolution to new technology platforms have increased productivity, tool life predictability and process reliability.

These benefits, along with the chromecoloured used-edge detection, help customers prevent insert waste.

“After Duratomic was introduced to the market 10 years ago, we saw an exceptional increase in performance capabilities,” says Lindholm. “And today, by using a Duratomic TP1501 grade, commonly used in the automotive industry, our customers have seen, on average, a further 25% improvement in their performance.”

Fast forward to 2020, and Duratomic has gone from strength to strength. It is present in turning, drilling and milling applications.

“Seco Tools has always been expected to provide exceptional grade performance,” says Lindholm. “We are now in the second generation of Duratomic grades within milling. We recently released our Duratomic MP2501 and MP1501 grades, as well as three new grades within turning

– TM1501, TM2501 and TM3501 -- which are specifically for stainless steel turning.”

All these new Duratomic grades are designed to meet customers’ needs and feature the company’s most recent generation of the technologies, with the possibility of access to chrome usededge detection. The Duratomic TM turning grades improve productivity in a range of materials, from easy, often austenitic stainless steel to demanding high-alloyed, super-duplex stainless steels. The chrome coloured used-edge detection makes it easier to detect any used edge and reduce potential waste.

“In the stainless-steel industry, it’s very common to see recycling, and we would like to offer that support to our customers,” says Lindholm. “There are so many variables, and we have endless opportunities to meet customer requirements. It’s really necessary to understand how to connect the technologies to customer demand and their expectation of an outcome. Our sales units are instrumental in this process, and so is R&D.” www.secotools.com

“Used-edge detection was a challenge that was first identified more than five years ago,” says Lindholm. “A manufacturing customer in Germany asked us how they could make sure that they use all the edges before they recycle the products. We got to work on a solution.”

It was clear to the team at Seco Tools that its customers were focused on achieving the same high performance in their operations while also reducing waste, with sustainability in mind. The development of the used-edge detection answered this demand.

Today, Duratomic continues to evolve.

“Continuous innovation is needed,” says Lindholm. “We have customers around the world: in the EU, North America and Asia, who all have different needs, and we need to meet those today, as well as forecast what they will need in the future.”

Mikael Lindholm, Product Manager, General ISO Turning at Seco Tools.

New ways of recycling have become one area that R&D is exploring.

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CUTTING TOOLS

A solid way to overcome microdefects “Measure twice and cut once” is a common expression in manufacturing, but it’s easier said than done when machining difficult materials. James Thorpe explains how a drill’s design is integral to producing better-quality holes.

Holemaking is the most common of all machining processes, but it is also the one most often taken for granted. Many machine shops see little reason to change or upgrade their existing holemaking setup and have been using the same tools and cutting parameters for years. But, as the unpredictable effects of COVID-19 continue, this is all set to change.

McKinsey & Company’s recent briefing note COVID-19: Implications for business calls the present industry situation a “next normal”, where manufacturers can expect unpredictable and lasting shifts in customer markets. The report advises that “resilience will be needed if manufacturers are to navigate an economically and socially viable path”.

Most manufacturers, for example, are exploring new vendor bases and products.

Consequently, machine shops that once specialised in a certain area of production are now opening their CNC lathes and mills to a wider variety of tough and challenging materials. At the same time, manufacturers must explore new ways to increase profits and reduce cycle times, without sacrificing product quality.

In other words, it’s time for manufacturers to rethink how they go about making holes.

The white stuff Hole surface integrity is a real concern for aerospace manufacturers, or for general engineering companies that want to diversify into aerospace. Better hole quality is vital for preventing component failure and is very much determined by the manufacturing processes used for machining or finishing the holes.

Tooling solutions and cutting edgegeometries in drills are continually evolving to meet the highest standards of manufacturing and part quality. The use of coolant is also improving for reducing heat build-up in the tool. And tests have found that each of these factors can control the so-called “white layer” effect on workpiece materials.

The term “white layer” was coined by a leading global manufacturer in aerospace that is also a customer of Sandvik Coromant. It refers to a thin, ultra-fine grain structure that is observed after component drilling, caused by the heat of the drill.

Not only can the white layer change the surface properties of the material, it was also deemed unacceptable within the customer’s quality management processes.

The manufacturer applies a strict holefinishing process to drilled holes in aerospace components, including turbine discs, compressors, drums and shafts.

That’s why it chose to partner with Sandvik Coromant to investigate why the white layer forms, and how to control it.

It’s important to note that the tests were not only motivated by quality management.

At senior management level, the customer wanted to reduce its overall operational time and increase profits, and do so by eliminating an entire secondary machining process.

Second act The secondary process happens after a hole has been created with the carbide drill and can involve reaming, plunge end or milling to finish the component. The secondary stage occurs mainly to meet surface integrity demands — reducing issues like the white layer — rather than dimensional accuracy, with the exception

Hole surface integrity is a real concern for aerospace manufacturers, or general engineering diversifying into aerospace.

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CUTTING TOOLS With the CoroDrill 860 with -SM geometry, longer tool life and better hole quality are down to the design of the drill.

geometry (CD860-SM), for machining ISO-S grades like super alloys (HRSAs), titanium and Inconel. The latter drill has proven especially popular in aerospace.

With the CD860-GM and CD860-SM, Sandvik Coromant’s engineers applied the ethos that longer tool life and better hole quality is down to the design of the drill.

The CD860-GM has an innovative polished flute design that improves the evacuation of chips, and yields high core strength and reduced cutting forces while drilling. The CD860-SM, meanwhile, has a new grade and optimised and refined point geometry, which further enhances tool life when working with difficult-to-machine HRSA materials. The result is greater hole quality.

of when machining tight tolerance holes.

From an overall cost perspective, the secondary process is even more expensive than maintaining low cutting data, which is the other way to preserve surface integrity.

That is why Sandvik Coromant’s customer wanted to investigate doing away with the process altogether. A supplier with a product that produces a conforming hole to size, without any secondary processes, is in a strong business position to significantly reduce the cost per part.

The investigation into causes, and possible preventions, of the white layer involved four tests involving the drilling of Inconel 718, a high-strength, nickel chromium material material that is popular in the aerospace sector. It was the first time any such investigation had been carried out by the customer.

The tests assessed drilling with two solid carbide drills by Sandvik Coromant, the CoroDrill R840 and CoroDrill R846. Each was run at two different sets of cutting parameters – 58mm/min and 98mm/ min, respectively – and two spin speeds: 829rpm and 757rpm, respectively. Cutting force and torque data were measured throughout the tests, as was the white layer thickness.

Since these tests, the R840 has been superseded by the CoroDrill 860 with -GM geometry, and the R846 has been superseded by the CoroDrill 860 with -SM

geometry. Each of these next generation tools is designed to further enhance the tool life, without compromising hole quality.

The results gave some valuable insights into what causes white layer thickness.

Particularly of note was that the R846 generated less white layer, due to the preparation of its curved and radial-cutting edges. Meanwhile, the straight cutting edges and chamfer imposed on the cutting edge of the R840 are believed to be linked with the increase in cutting force, torque and white layer thickness. Therefore, the drill’s design determines whether high hole quality, with a reduced white layer, can be achieved without sacrificing cutting data.

Not only did the aerospace manufacturer’s tests with Sandvik Coromant reveal interesting insights regarding the white layer, but the company has also been able to eliminate some secondary processes, like reaming and plunge milling, which has resulted in time and cost benefits. What’s more, the results have also validated the design of Sandvik Coromant’s CoroDrill 860 range of carbide drills.

Better by design The range includes the aforementioned CoroDrill 860 with -GM (CD860-GM) geometry, designed to be a good allrounder for drilling challenging ISO P, M, K and H materials across all industry sectors.

It also includes the CoroDrill 860 with -SM

The CoroDrill 860 has already been proven in pre-market tests in a range of sectors.

A mechanical engineering company in France put the CD860-GM to work on AISI 4140 structural steel. It was able to achieve quality holemaking with both a concave and convex entry of the drill, with good straightness and tolerance. The company has since formed a new business relationship with Sandvik Coromant.

Another Sandvik Coromant customer, an Italian general engineering manufacturer, achieved a productivity increase of more than 45% using the CD860-GM when machining the strong, steel alloy 34CrNiMo6, compared with the use of a competitor’s drill. It also achieved 100% greater tool life. Elsewhere, the CD860SM has yielded impressive results in the machining of Inconel 718. In particular, testing undertaken in Katowice, Poland, was able to achieve a 180% improved tool life with the CD860-SM versus the use of the CoroDrill R840.

Whatever the sector — whether it’s aerospace, general engineering or other areas — high tool performance can be achieved if the drill is designed properly for that purpose. Meanwhile, additional online tools like Sandvik Coromant’s CoroPlus Tool Guide can provide further support. By accessing the tool via a web browser and entering the desired workpiece material, hole diameter and depth, users can find the best solid round tool and cutting data for their requirements.

While “measure twice and cut once” drilling hasn’t been achieved yet, the CD860-GM and CD860-SM help manufacturers rethink how they make holes.

James Thorpe is a Global Product Manager at Sandvik Coromant. www.sandvik.coromant.com

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MATERIAL REMOVAL

Tornos backs gas equipment manufacturer in COVID-19 battle Through its longstanding collaboration with Tornos, Swiss manufacturer Gloor Medical was able to meet a rapid increase in demand for components needed in the fight against COVID-19.

For more than 70 years, the core competence of Gloor Brothers, an owner-managed family business based in Burgdorf, Switzerland, has been the regulation of pressure and flow of technical gases.

When the business earned its EN ISO: 13485 Certification in 1994, this competence was extended to medical technology, and it has been continually expanded upon ever since.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for fittings for therapeutic oxygen delivery devices has risen sharply, resulting in a capacity bottleneck in the turning department at Gloor. Thanks to a longstanding collaboration between Gloor Medical and Tornos, both of these leaders in their respective fields were able to react quickly and make valuable lifesaving contributions.

Gloor Medical is an industry-leading supplier in Switzerland in the medical gas supply field, and its services range from the planning and implementation of the pipeline network in hospitals and doctors’ practices, to the fittings for supplying patients with the required medical gases. Its product range covers the supply of medical gases from central gas supply systems to fittings for mobile emergency medicine.

The central gas supply includes automatic switchover of the supply sources with medical gases, the area shutoff and monitoring units, up to the extraction point of the gases for supplying the patients with the necessary medical gases. The range is supplemented by all the withdrawal devices, pressure and flow regulators, and vacuum fittings. Gloor Medical’s products are developed and produced inhouse to provide the flexibility to respond quickly and professionally to special customer needs and to develop and manufacture the required products.

A bank of Tornos Deco machines at Gloor Medical.

Gloor Brothers has maintained a close partnership with Tornos in the field of turning machines for decades. In the 1990s, the management team decided to purchase its first Tornos CNC machine, which is still in operation today for special fittings. Over time, five more Tornos single-spindle sliding headstock lathes were added. These CNC machines play a major role in ensuring that brass parts can be manufactured to the required quality to ensure the reliable operation of fittings in the medical sector.

Andreas Weyermann, Head of Manufacturing at Gloor Brothers, has been delighted with the recent arrival of a brand new Tornos EvoDECO 32, which was chosen for its impressive capabilities and precision.

“Our employees are trained at the Tornos Academy in Moutier,” he says. “When they return from their courses, they have mastered the machine and its programs and can reach their full potential.

That potential is in a continuous process of development as the market is constantly evolving, Weyermann adds: “The coronavirus pandemic has greatly increased the demand for our products. So, we had to increase our production capacity to meet the demand.”

Gloor medical control valves manufactured on the Tornos EvoDECO 32.

In this task, Gloor Brothers can rely on the performance of the Tornos machines, which run at full speed day and night.

All manufacturing phases, from design to the final product, are carried out by the Burgdorf-based company, and quality is monitored throughout the entire process. Precision, flexibility, sustainability and social commitment are a matter of course for Gloor Brothers, and Tornos is a reliable partner in the firm’s goal of daily improvement in these challenging times.

“We still work in one shift, but the machines have a certain autonomy and run unattended for several hours at night in the socalled ghost shift,” Weyermann explains. “Our company currently has about 90 employees, seven of whom are apprentices in the poly-mechanic and commercial clerk professions. In Germany,

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we have a subsidiary in Lübeck, which is active in the sales and services of products for medical technology.”

www.tornos.com www.gloor-medical.ch

MATERIAL REMOVAL

New high-tech machinery boosts Norman G Clark Norman G Clark Pty Ltd has advanced its precision manufacturing capability with the commissioning of the latest Okuma CNC machine cell.

Professional Measuring Instruments

Having celebrated its centennial year in 2019, Norman G Clark remains a proudly Australian, family-owned company. Considered one of this country’s most diversified manufacturing and supply businesses, it services industries such as mining, heavy vehicles, defence and power generation.

The cornerstone of the business is a licencing agreement granted to the company in 1963 by the original Horton Enterprise to manufacture Horton fan clutches, Nexen Air Champ industrial clutches, brakes and tension control equipment. The company also distributes industrial and off-road equipment from principles in USA and Europe. Norman G Clark is an OEM supplier to all of Australia’s heavy transport manufacturers and the defence industry. The company’s capabilities encompass CNC turning, milling and drilling, as well as design and fabrication to customers’ specifications.

The new CNC machine cell incorporates an Okuma Multus B300II Wx900 with an OSP-P300SA Control, a gear-cutting package, a workpiece gauging station, and a Fanuc M710iC/45M robot loading system. It follows the introduction three years earlier of an Okuma CNC LB3000EX-II late with hobbing functionality. Both machines complement an extensive range of CNC lathes and machining centres, plus gear cutting, slotting, broaching and palletising equipment.

“The introduction of the latest Okuma CNC machine cell has made a significant impact on our production, with high-tolerance components now produced on one machine instead of four,” said Liam Mitchell, Manufacturing Manager at Norman G Clark. “With fewer operations required and tooling already in the machine, the overall time saving we have achieved has greatly increased our production capacity and quality output. These are important factors as the company continues to grow. Precision, consistency and high quality are vital.”

Full range of industry standard measuring equipment with many popular sizes supplied with calibration certificates.

Specialist range of digital ultrasonic & laser measuring instruments and gauges.

Mitchell added that the consistently high-quality output of the machines over extended production runs has had a positive impact on the operators, who appreciate their ease of operation and the fact the company is investing in the latest technology. Mitchell also noted the “exceptional” technical support and training from Okuma.

“At Okuma we congratulate this third-generation, 100-plus-yearold company as it continues to grow and invest in the future of manufacturing in Australia,” said Okuma Managing Director Dean McCarroll. “It services a wide spectrum of industries with a broad range of high quality respected products. The business philosophy of Norman G Clark is closely matched with that of Okuma and we look forward to assisting the development of this company as it continues to make history in Australian manufacturing.” www.okumaaustralia.com.au

www.ngclark.com.au

Available now at:

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MATERIAL REMOVAL

Fastenal sharpens its saw service offering with Vollmer When it comes to fasteners, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) equipment, and any manufacturing supply you could think of, it doesn’t get much bigger than Fastenal. With more than 3,200 in-market locations and 15 distribution centres that span four continents, Fastenal is one of the world’s largest industrial supply companies.

Founded by Bob Kierlin back in 1967, the US-based company that started as a small business selling fasteners has exploded into a 20,000 worldwide workforce with ten manufacturing facilities, as well as thousands of branches offering more than 750,000 available manufacturing items.

Despite an unfathomable product range, with unsurpassed availability, it is the ten manufacturing sites with more than 500 staff that sets Fastenal apart from its competitors. With more than 200 staff, the largest manufacturing site is located at the company’s headquarters in Winona, Minnesota, which is also home to two Vollmer circular saw blade sharpening machines.

The story behind Fastenal’s decision to buy two Vollmer machines starts back in the 1980s when the company first started manufacturing and modifying fasteners for its customer base. With tens of thousands of fasteners being modified each month in all shapes and sizes up to a 10cm diameter, Fastenal found the process had an insatiable appetite for burning through highstrength steel (HSS) circular saw blades.

Instead of continually sending increasing numbers of blades to a subcontract shop for sharpening, Fastenal bought its first sharpening machine – culminating in the opening of Fastenal’s sharpening shop in 1995.

With on-site facilities for cold and hotformed fastener production, the 9,000sqm factory quickly evolved its cutting capabilities, adding tungsten carbide tipped (TCT) sawing to its existing HSS cold saws. A wider variety of fastener materials, a production increase and the need for sharpening both HSS and TCT saws led Fastenal to add a series of additional saw blade grinding machines from 1995 through the 2000s.

This investment in grinding machines was bolstered by the decision to branch out to servicing saws for local customers.

As the servicing of blades for Fastenal customers rapidly grew, the sharpening shop added more machines from different manufacturers, and by the late-2000s the company had four grinding machines for sharpening cold saws and another three sharpening machines for servicing TCT blades.

Despite an unwavering commitment to quality and service, the Fastenal sharpening shop started witnessing decreasing quality levels and increasing lead times as continual breakdowns of the ageing machines began

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Members of the Fastenal team with the company’s new Vollmer CHD machine.

to into machine running hours. In addition the machines were running 20 hours a day over two ten-hour shifts from Monday to Thursday, with 12-hour shifts from Friday through Sunday. Fastenal could not afford any machine downtime. Something had to be done!

Investing in Vollmer With four manually loaded cold saw resharpening machines and three TCT saw grinding machines, the seven staff in the department had an output of 20 HSS saw blades and an additional 25 carbidetipped saws each day – an output that yielded a lead time of two to three weeks on saw blade servicing. Not satisfied with its productivity levels and lead times, the costly servicing and repeated repairs of ageing machines and the subsequent knock-on effect of further extending lead times, the situation had to evolve.

The Fastenal engineering team had visited numerous trade fairs and had engaged in several discussions with Shaun Loveless, Regional Sales Manager at Vollmer of America. A major concern for Fastenal was the skill level of the local labour pool, so automation was high on the agenda.

“There is a significant skill shortage in the area and attracting skilled staff is a challenge,” says Scott Rodeghier, Operations Manager in the Fastenal Sharpening Shop. “We knew automation was the route forward and Shaun and Vollmer showed us that route.”

In 2018, Fastenal took the plunge and jumped straight into automation with the acquisition of a Vollmer CHD270 carbide tipped saw sharpening machine with eight CNC-controlled axes and the Vollmer ND230 automated loading station. With the

capacity to store up to 250 saw blades, the four-axis robotic loading system with three loading carriages transformed production almost instantly.

“The guys on the shop floor rapidly learned how to program and use the machine, and we soon got into a rhythm of re-sharpening and servicing special saw blades during the day shift and then loading-up standard geometry saws and batch-run quantities on the ND230 loading station for unmanned overnight running,” Rodeghier continues.

“Immediately, our team got into a cycle where we could process special saw blades by day, do standards and batch-runs overnight and, in the morning, we could unload the finished saws and pack them to be distributed nationwide back to our customers – and then start the cycle over.”

The benefits of the Vollmer CHD270 in facilitating this production cycle has been significant. Firstly, despite having seven older machines, none were capable of processing special geometry saw blades.

The special blades that were still serviced externally were instantly brought back inhouse, giving Fastenal full process control while reducing lead times and dependency on an external supplier – and that’s before factoring in the elimination of subcontract costs.

From a productivity perspective, Fastenal stepped up from processing 25 TCT blades a day to more than 25 on each shift – with the capacity to spare.

“Our extra capacity is created by several factors,” Rodeghier explains. “Firstly, the CHD270 and its ND230 robotic loading system can process between 40 to 60 blades overnight unmanned, giving us

MATERIAL REMOVAL

Fastenal’s HQ in Winona, Minnesota.

Enhancing the service The cost reductions and productivity improvements for Fastenal have been significant. Equally impressive is the lead time reduction, as Rodeghier suggests: “With seven older machines, we had a lead time of two to three weeks. Now with two Vollmer machines we have reduced our lead time to four to five days, with a nationwide next day service if required.”

The new Loroch and Vollmer machines at Fastenal.

However, Fastenal is now taking this service level a step further. With the Vollmer machines, it has the facility to generate hundreds of blade geometries that have been optimised for all material types.

Therefore, the company can consult with customers regarding the performance of their saw blades, and then optimise their cutting performance by tweaking their blade geometries.

Fastenal’s new machines have boosted productivity from processing 25 TCT blades a day to more than 25 on each shift.

cost-efficient production. Adding to this, the blade processing times are at least 35% faster than with the old machines.

Furthermore, the automated wheel dressing and in-process measurement system that automatically probes and compensates for any grinding wheel dressing and saw blade geometry discrepancies takes another 15% to 20% off our setup and processing times.

“The probing cycle also picks up on any brazing errors or tooth issues to eradicate errors. When conducting this cycle unmanned, the CHD270 will identify the error, post an error message, return the blade to the automation station and continue its lights-out operation with the next saw blade. All this took us from 20+ blades a week to 20 blades per shift.

Equally important is that we can now sell this capacity which we were not confident to do previously.”

The instant success of the Vollmer CHD270 resulted in the company ordering the Loroch Solution K850 grinding centre for sharpening, re-toothing and chamfering its metal-cutting circular saw blades. Delivered six months after the Vollmer CHD270 in the spring of 2019, the combination of

the Loroch Solution K850 and the Vollmer CHD270 reduced labour requirement in the saw blade sharpening cell from five staff to just two – replacing seven machines with just the two. Rodeghier remarks: “The two machines have saved us a huge amount of floor space, and we have reduced our headcount in the department, allowing us to relocate skilled staff to alternate tasks.

What we have also found is that we can now attract new staff, as people want to work on the very latest CNC technology that is available.”

Like the Vollmer CHD270 before it, the arrival of the Loroch Solution K850 eliminated the requirement for external subcontract servicing of saw blades, giving Fastenal the flexibility, capability and capacity to produce both standard and special geometry blades.

Despite being a manually loaded machine, the Solution K850 has more than doubled production .

“The Solution machine typically has a blade processing cycle time in the region of 12 minutes,” says Rodeghier. “This means we now have one operator working across both the automated Vollmer CHD270 and the Solution machine.”

“This is something that wasn’t even possible with the previous machines,” says Rodeghier. “We have customers in sectors as diverse as windows and construction through to oil & gas, trailers, and just about any other industry sector. So, having the facility to support all sectors is an exciting prospect.

“Our Head of Maintenance once said to me: ‘The salesman sells you the first machine and the service and support sells every machine thereafter.’ This is certainly the case with Vollmer, their service has been excellent. We even have a ‘dial-in’ service where Vollmer engineers can dial into our machines to remotely investigate possible service or maintenance issues, potentially resolving any problems without even instigating a call from an engineer. And when we fill the capacity of the CHD 270 and Solution K850 machine, we will have no reservations in buying further machines.

“As a sharpening shop, we process over 10,000 solid carbide end mills every month. The service level for the machines processing end mills isn’t even close to the service we receive from Vollmer, so we are already looking at the impressive Vollmer VGrind with its vertically aligned twin-spindle configuration for furthering our ambitions in this department.” www.vollmer-group.com www.fastenal.com

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ONE-ON-ONE

Ian Cattanach is a Director, Business Advisory at the AMTIL corporate partner William Buck Chartered Accountants and Advisors. He spoke to William Poole.

AMT: Tell us firstly about your background and how you ended up in your role with William Buck.

Ian Cattanach: I’ve been in practice for more than 30 years.

I started off at a firm called Bell Partners, which had the original connection with AMTIL. Indeed I’ve continued to act for the family of Bob Corbett, who was the founding chair of AMTIL, and we’ve been AMTIL’s auditor right the way through. In 2013, Bell Partners merged into William Buck, and we brought the AMTIL relationship with us.

Since then AMTIL’s corporate partnership has morphed into what it is today, a much more structured, organised, symbiotic relationship.

AMTIL staff will often refer members to William Buck representatives within our space, and likewise, we’re here to support the broader AMTIL membership, even though they may not be our clients.

AMT: And what does William Buck do?

IC: William Buck is an accounting and advisory firm with offices across Australia and New Zealand. We are over 125 years old and have tax, audit, corporate advisory, wealth advisory, insolvency, and business advisory services lines. I personally sit in the business advisory space, and in the manufacturing team in Melbourne. Our manufacturing specialist team have representatives of all those divisions, to bring a complete picture to any client’s needs.

We have a strong contingent of representatives nationally that work most of their time in the manufacturing space, though they’ll also work with other clients, to give a more rounded understanding and experience. None of the directors within William Buck are exclusively in manufacturing but we’ve always had a strong percentage of clients in manufacturing space. And relationships like our partnership with AMTIL, which dates back to its establishment 22 years ago, underpin that.

AMT: In what ways does William Buck routinely end up assisting manufacturers?

IC: That’s a very broad question. There are elements of servicing manufacturing that are quite unique. We don’t always need to have a deep, nitty-gritty understanding of their business, but we often get involved in assisting them running their businesses more efficiently, product costing, things like that.

John Spender in our Sydney office has developed an introductory program that we’re now launching nationally, called the William Buck Hour. With the William Buck Hour, we basically spend a bit of time with the owners or operators of a business We try and do a bit of a dive into a client’s business, looking at their employees, their accounting system, whether they have a strategic plan or not.

Looking at wealth management, corporate taxes, all those things, making sure they’re online. We take an overall holistic view, but also try and drill down in different areas, so we know what’s going on and where their strengths and weaknesses are, so we can help them improve their businesses. We work off pre-set questions, as well as the anecdotes that come up in the conversation – often the session goes longer than an hour.

Most of our manufacturing clients are family-owned businesses, and as a result we offer services for the family members involved in leading these businesses. We understand the complexities that come with having business and family so closely tied together, and we support business owners with family issues, estate planning, succession planning, wealth management, or individual taxes – as opposed to corporate taxes advice. So whilst we’re focused

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towards manufacturing clients, the actual manufacturing element is only a component of a larger picture. That’s why we find it important for our directors, particularly our business advisory directors, to have a broader knowledge even though we call ourselves manufacturing specialists. Because most of our clients have income tax issues, or maybe land tax issues, structural issues, asset protection issues, and so forth.

I also want to add that we often act in an advisory capacity. If you think about family-owned manufacturing businesses, who do they get to talk to about their business? Who do they have as a sounding board? We try to fulfill that role for a business. For example they might talk to us and say “Look, we’re buying a piece of machinery.”

Not often but occasionally, clients buy a new piece of equipment because it’s sexy, not because there’s necessarily a return on investment (RoI) or a business case being prepared for it. So we normally would ask them “What’s the business case? What’s it going to do for the business, to add value? Is it going to create cost efficiency? What’s the payback?” In some cases that might be in a more formal advisory board, or in some cases it’s simply as a trusted advisor. It’s really just helping with those types of decisions for a business owner, being a bit of a partner with them, and a supporter.

AMT: From your dealings with Australian manufacturers, what do you see as the greatest challenges they’re facing at the moment?

IC: I would suggest there’s a lack of understanding in government as to where they should throw their money, which leads to a fairly confused environment as to how well supported manufacturers are going to be. And one would suggest they haven’t been supported particularly well in a broad sense up until now.

You only need to look at research & development (R&D) for example.

One never knows from one year to the next what an R&D program is going to look like, and how much benefit you’re going to get out of that. The Government announced $1.6m in grants to the manufacturing space months ago, but up until very recently no one had any real certainty as to how that was going to be delivered, whereas manufacturers are crying out for support.

Also, for a lot of the manufacturing clients I’m dealing with, finding skilled employees in the workforce is a real struggle. I’ve got clients who are looking to buy machinery, and they’re basically saying to the people supplying the machine “I’m happy to buy the machinery, but you need to supply a person that can come with it and operate it for me.” That’s a real challenge.

AMT: So what’s needed to help resolve these challenges?

IC: I don’t think it’s necessarily unique to manufacturing, but instability in government, and by that I mean governments that are not prepared to set in place a 10-year-plus timeframe, and secure a bilateral commitment to that plan. There’s too much in the legislative environment that is partisan, and therefore doesn’t give manufacturing, or industry full-stop, the certainty to commit to the longer term. Many manufacturing projects won’t give you an RoI in a two- or three-year timeframe. I’ll come back to the R&D scenario – if you don’t know what the R&D framework looks like in five years, how can you put in place a project that spans that period of time?

AMT: What do you think are Australian manufacturing’s strengths?

IC: I think one aspect that has kind of emerged as a positive of the closure of the automotive industry has been the fluidity with which some manufacturers have been able to reinvent themselves. It has

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been rapid, to say the least. Maybe that’s out of necessity, people needing to reinvent themselves almost overnight to ensure they’ve still got a business, but that flexibility I think is a real positive.

Australian manufacturing is also often very niche. When we talk about manufacturing today, it’s not Ford-factory type businesses; it’s made up of a lot of smaller businesses now. It’s niche and it’s bespoke, which is probably why the industry has held out well despite COVID. COVID shed a light on manufacturing and why we should become more self-sufficient. During that period, it was interesting – a lot of

manufacturers were reviewing their supply chains. They needed to get jobs done and they had to look at where their supplies and materials could come from, because the usual sources were starting to dry out. I think historically there had already been the start of a move back to Australia to some extent. You throw into the mix the uncertainty around supply chains, and it gives us a much greater argument for localised manufacturing.

AMT: Where do you see the industry going in the next few years?

IC: I believe the industry will look to grow, because there are growth plans for it now. In New South Wales, the State Government is putting a lot of focus on Western Sydney and looking to pump a lot more money into manufacturing. It’s investing in manufacturing because it obviously believes there’s an opportunity there where it can stand out. There’s a similar argument in Victoria as well. The automotive closures obviously had a large impact there, and as a result they’ve wanted to throw a large amount of money at it.

I think there’s a lot of confidence in where manufacturing can get to in Australia provided it has the appropriate framework to work within. I think there’s a general desire to make manufacturing work in Australia.

AMT: What does your corporate partnership with AMTIL involve and what do you bring to its members?

IC: We provide what I’d call a “go-to” resource for the AMTIL staff to find solutions for the members. On some occasions that may be of financial benefit to William Buck, but more often than not it’s us finding a solution for AMTIL members through our broader associate network. For example, by no stretch of the imagination do we specialise in People & Culture, or Human Resources, but we’ve got very good affiliations in that space. IT is another one. Having the contacts, whether it’s accounting systems or ERP systems and so forth, we would outsource that work and work with that organisation to ensure the AMTIL member gets the best solution.

The William Buck network is very broad and deep, so we can generally find a trusted individual or organisation to refer someone to, to get the solution. If an AMTIL member gets directed to us – and we tend to be the first port of call – either we can help them internally, or more often we can direct them to a trusted associate who can help with that issue, whether it be finance, law … We could probably direct someone to a plumber, for example.

AMT: Finally, what’s the most satisfying part of your job?

IC: I have a pretty good job because more often than not I turn up to work and really have very little idea what I’ll be doing on that particular day. I don’t know what the next phone call is going to be.

I don’t know how many emails are going to be awaiting me from overnight. And I think that reflects the manufacturing space. Many of the managers and families that run manufacturing businesses spend all day running their business. And when they turn off for a night, if they ever turn off, that’s when they focus on liaising with their external consultants, bouncing ideas off them.

The satisfying part is in bringing client solutions. That can be referring them to someone so that they’re getting the right outcome, or it can be us delivering a solution internally, whether it be helping them buy a business, sell a business, restructure a business, run a business more efficiently. It’s a multifaceted role that most of the staff at William Buck working in the manufacturing space have. www.williambuck.com

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Leading women in Australian manufacturing challenge the myths around STEM careers Australian manufacturing is undergoing a period of radical transformation – today it is one of the nation’s most dynamic industries. However, one metric proves that Australia is not taking full advantage of the industry’s potential – that is its low female participation.

According to research conducted by Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC), one of the key factors contributing to low participation of females in Science, Technology, Maths and Engineering (STEM) is a lack of representation of females in leadership roles in STEM, along with a lack of understanding of all the exciting opportunities manufacturing has to offer.

Dr Heba Khamis, CEO of Contactile.

These findings are echoed in a Federal Government body of research and policy publication titled, Advancing Women in STEM, strategy championed by the Federal Minister for Industry, Science and Technology, Karen Andrews – herself a trained engineer.

“I am passionate about seeing more women taking on STEM careers and working in manufacturing,” said Minister Andrews. “Increasing women’s participation in STEM is not only important for women. It is vital for strengthening our economy and creating the jobs we need for the future.”

Dr Jens Goennemann, Managing Director for AMGC, couldn’t agree more: “AMGC would like to celebrate a number of leading women who challenge the myth that a career choice in manufacturing, or any STEM-related discipline, isn’t for women. Australian manufacturing is the engine room of advancement, underpinning our moves from a lucky country to a smart country and women must play a bigger role.”

Dr Kymberly Talbot is the Managing Director of FELINE, an emerging business based on the Gold Coast focussed on manufacturing advanced high-performance lithium-ion batteries for niche applications. She believes that students need to understand that STEM disciplines are tools that teach you about many things.

“Not just the technical stuff, but also how to analyse a situation – a way of thinking if you like,” she adds. “The adaptability of STEM is significant in these days of changing career opportunities and challenges. These tools are transportable to most aspects of your life, like career changes, travel, banking, and shopping – yes shopping requires analysis when costs are high. I have a black belt in shopping.”

Further research, conducted by the AMGC as part of 10 Ways To Succeed In Australian Manufacturing report, involved focus groups of more than 1,000 students across the nation, in which they were presented with information about what today’s manufacturing industry looks like. Far from the outdated images of blue overalls and dark sheds, manufacturing today is as diverse as the population of Australia, covering every sector of the economy where something is being made. The information provided to all participants resulted in a 47% net increase in interest as a manufacturing career.

Women, in particular, said that having a better understanding of the industry’s opportunities and seeing themselves included in communications about manufacturing had a strong impact on their ‘mental availability’ towards choosing manufacturing as a career path. This was a point reinforced by Dr Heba Khamis, CEO of Contactile, a cutting-edge Sydney based biomedical company specialising in the development of robots with the sense of touch and human-like dexterity.

“Women remain underrepresented across all STEM studies and careers – but that shouldn’t discourage you!” says Dr Khamis. “The only thing that is going to stop you from pursuing a career in STEM is you – if you want it, you can have it!

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“A career in STEM is an opportunity to be on the cutting edge and work with the latest technology. These careers are the fastestgrowing in the world, with high demand, high pay and a high level of job satisfaction.”

Employing over 1.27 million Australians, modern manufacturing has evolved to encompass seven distinct steps along the manufacturing “smiley-curve”, or value chain. These steps encompass roles in research & development (R&D), design, logistics, production, sales (including marketing and communications), service and support.

As such they support a vast array of career options for prospective students, in disciplines that are higher paid and more resilient that those that went before them.

Dr Priscilla Rogers is a serial entrepreneur and industry disruptor.

She is currently working in tandem with her husband is reinventing the way vehicles interact with the road via Victorian company Doftek.

“It was during my Bachelor of Engineering degree at Monash University that I discovered that there were almost endless career possibilities in the fields of STEM,” she explains. “My advice to young females considering a career in STEM is to realise that you can take your career in any direction you like. Problem solving, critical thinking and analytical reasoning are highly desired across many industries.”

For these Australian industry leaders, consideration of a career in STEM was a natural progression, while others stumbled into it.

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT Dr Kymberly Talbot, Managing Director of FELINE.

Dr Khamis remarks: “I have always enjoyed making things and have always been curious about how things work. Even as a child, I was building things with Lego, I wanted my own Meccano set, and I liked to play with JayCar electronics kits.”

“I went to a school careers day when I was about 16, which got me thinking a lot,” says Dr Talbot. “Initially, I thought about the fit between my liking to cook and wanting to build a career for myself that paid well and gave me options. I guess I am passionate about both. For me, my current role in advanced manufacturing is a bolt-on of mechanical and chemical engineering (which helped my cooking) rolled into one.”

Dr Rogers adds: “My interest in science and maths heightened during my high school years. I took comfort in the exacting nature of all my STEM subjects and appreciated that with enough learning and time, I could achieve a ‘right’ answer. This suited my personality well as I have always been focussed on achieving perfection.”

AMGC data suggests that a lack of visible female leaders has an

Priscilla Rogers, Director and Co-Founder of Doftek.

impact on students’ consideration of STEM as a career path. For these leaders, however, inspiration has come from a variety of sources and in some instances has given them a distinct advantage.

For Dr Khamis, it was her father encouraging her to combine her medical science degree with an engineering degree in case the medical pathway didn’t work out.

“It was an excellent move for me!” she recalls. “I loved the engineering degree, and having the medical science background under my belt enabled me to work in biomedical engineering research – once again combining a love for solving problems and a passion for health. Why not consider a career in STEM?” For Dr Talbot, new sources of inspiration arise even now: “My idols were the same as anyone else’s, but hands down, my current advanced manufacturing idol is Elon Musk. I was fortunate enough to see the Tesla Gigafactory in its early days. Then, it was a selfdescribed technology-based start-up – on steroids! Talk about a rocket ride!”

Dr Rogers advises young women to use their perspective as a female to gain an advantage: “Females have an enormous capacity to excel in technical fields. With strong skills in empathy and social and emotional intelligence, females make strong team players and project leaders, and are excellent at listening to customer needs.”

Minister Andrews and another student also called Karen were the first women to graduate with a mechanical engineering degree from Queensland University of Technology. However, the Minister stresses that today things are different: “Girls and women are now taking their rightful place in all sorts of university courses and professions, and I want to see more of it.”

Dr Rogers agrees: “I am a big believer that passion and success are closely aligned. I would recommend that students think of moments when they are really happy and find a career that aligns with that.”

Karen Andrews, the Federal Minister for Industry, Science and Technology (centre), with a group of female engineers.

To learn more about how Australian manufacturing is changing and the people driving the change, visit AMGC’s Manufacturing Academy and hear from leaders from across the manufacturing industry. www.amgc.org.au

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Has the COVID-19 pandemic transformed the role of the manufacturing CFO? Amid all the uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) in the manufacturing sector should be playing a strong, central role, alongside their executive peers, in stabilising the business and positioning it to thrive as conditions improve. By Sanjay Galal.

The CFO is the leader who contributes most directly to a company’s financial health and organisational resilience on a daily basis. The actions that manufacturing CFOs have taken during the pandemic will have put their companies on a sound financial footing and should also help to reduce some of the fear and uncertainty.

Most manufacturing businesses are still in the midst of a stabilisation process, and longer-term preparations for companies to make key strategic moves during the recovery period are underway.

Manufacturing CFOs will be instrumental in engineering the bounceback from the pandemic and are uniquely placed to influence how and when it will be achieved. As the CFO role grows and evolves because of the pandemic, they are becoming more aware of the vital contribution that technology can make to achieving business priorities and mitigating risks during the recovery.

The expanded CFO 4.0 role Cost-cutting, debt collection and revenue expansion are all ultimately traditional key responsibility areas (KRAs) for CFOs, whereas restructuring roles and functions to optimise best employee skills usage reveals an expansion to the CFO that is being called ‘CFO 4.0’. Within these priorities is evidence of the shift to CFO 4.0 ,and 40% of respondents in the SYSPRO 2020 Manufacturing CFO 4.0 Survey Report identified improving visibility into performance and operations, while 46% said they are utilising Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software for automation, data accuracy and reporting.

The most significant aspect of the CFO 4.0 role, as identified by survey respondents, speaks directly to how Industry 4.0 will inform and facilitate CFO 4.0: strategic business knowledge for the ongoing planning, monitoring, analysis, and assessment of all organisational requirements across other functions to meet overall objectives was flagged by almost 80% of respondents, A key CFO task going forward will be evaluating the CAPEX costs of new technology investments versus the ongoing operational costs associated with less-skilled workforces.

Upskilling the workforce is a key focus With Australia’s manufacturing industry set to boom, amid growing innovation and digitalisation, we need to be fully prepared to compete in a global market. The required digital capabilities will be essential for all employees to ensure that Australian manufacturing businesses can take full advantage of the anticipated growth.

Whereas human factors might traditionally have been outside the remit of CFOs in the past, they have a direct causal link to the financial performance of the business. Two complementary trends can be identified: reducing headcount to save costs; and upskilling employees to enable them to add value using new technology.

The upskilling of employees is emerging as a key focus area for manufacturing CFOs and provides further evidence of how the role of the CFO 4.0 will take shape with a focus on highly skilled technicians that understand ERP and Business Intelligence (BI) systems. These technologies were identified in the SYSPRO research as being vital, thanks to the information-gathering, processing and analysis capabilities. In uncertain trading conditions, better, more accurate and more timely data allows for smarter decision making, as well as supporting strategic decisions through trend identification and assessment.

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Automation will reduce costs Whereas a lot of people have been able to work remotely, manufacturing processes cannot easily be distributed from existing locations. Automation will play a key role in reducing manufacturing costs as workforces are optimised and shift towards having fewer but more highly skilled talent available.

Some 83% of respondents identified cost-cutting, including curbing discretionary spending and reducing overheads, as a recovery strategy to boost their businesses through the pandemic recovery period. The emphasis is on investing in technology to make manufacturing smarter and less vulnerable to future disruptions.

The study goes on to reveal that 44% of respondents singled out warehouse and advanced manufacturing process automation as a key focus area. This is to some extent a decision that has been imposed on manufacturing concerns by the pandemic, but it also suggests a longer-term outlook in which many current human roles will be replaced in the name of both efficiency and safety.

Embracing the recovery Although CFOs must manage the tension between short-term COVID-19 responses and the long-term recovery phase of this cycle, it was inevitably found that 69% of respondents stressed that maintaining margins and managing cash-flow were the most important risk-management strategies.

It is becoming clear that the role has already shifted to CFO 4.0 and the Australian manufacturing sector’s impressive response to the pandemic will give CFOs a unique opportunity to cement the gains made. In preparing for the role of CFO 4.0, manufacturers need to embrace technology, empower people through upskilling initiatives, and have a clear business case for Industry 4.0.

Sanjay Galal is the Asia Pacific CFO at SYSPRO. www.syspro.com

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

Offshoring: When saving a few bucks can cost millions There’s no doubt that 2020 was an eventful year. The COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the global marketplace threw a harsh spotlight on the volatility of Australia’s supply chains. And this has all culminated in widespread calls to onshore our manufacturing industry.

According to Josh Budd, Managing Director of McNeall Plastics, the past year has shown that the modes of acquisition, distribution and transportation traditionally relied upon, can no longer be considered as always dependable, available or guaranteed for use.

more frequent disruptions. This type of proactive planning will ensure they are better placed to mitigate or manage any future disruptions. And an ideal way to do this is to return to Australian manufacturers.

“The supply chain issues, which are still being experienced, and perhaps will continue to be for the foreseeable future, have driven many companies to revise their own supply strategies to manage the current volatility as well as protect against inevitable future disruptions,” Budd elaborates. “In fact, we are finding that many industry sectors are aware that, had they relied on Australian manufacturers throughout this unstable time period, they would have been better positioned to weather the impacts of not only the pandemic, but other disruptions to the supply chain too.”

This realisation has prompted many companies to look at ‘reshoring’ their manufacturing activities back home to Australia, to overcome the current challenges of stock availability, a disrupted global supply chain and delayed freight services. While COVID-19 is considered to be a once-in-a-century event, companies should ideally plan their future supply strategy around the assumption of

Josh Budd, Managing Director of McNeall Plastics.

Back in the 1950s and 1960s, manufacturing accounted for approximately 28% of Australian GDP, and 28% of employment. Fast forward to today, and while manufacturing remains a vital part of the economy, it is responsible for just 5% of GDP, and only 5.4% of total employment. For Budd, It’s time to go back in time.

“The importance of a robust manufacturing industry in Australia cannot be overstated,” he says. “It’s no coincidence that in times of war and unrest our manufacturing industry was front and centre, sustaining our economy, driving growth and providing Australians and Australian businesses with the goods and services they wanted and needed, without waiting for the rest of the world.

Manufacturing is more than just an industry. It’s independence, selfreliance and the confidence to know that here in Australia, we can take care of ourselves.” www.mcneallplastics.com.au

Business Succession planning: have you taken control The succession plan for a family business can be complicated, focused and tailored planning is required. There are strategies which can be implemented to mitigate potential risks of dispute between those you leave behind.

These strategies can include: Family Agreements - formalising business owner arrangements Such agreements help to guide decision making, establish governance procedures and stipulate mechanisms to resolve deadlocks.

Buy/Sell agreements Particularly important if there is a non-family member business owner. Covers you in circumstances including death of an owner, providing surviving owners with the option to purchase the deceased owner’s equity.

Importance of succession planning documents Documents can be multifaceted, including agreements, wills, powers of attorney, constitutions, and deeds. Holistic planning is key to family-owned business succession.

Importance of planning and working with key stakeholders Think about what you want, your family wants and expects, what your business needs, and what the perfect outcome looks like.

Next steps: Contact us to help you start your succession planning journey. Together, we can provide business or individual succession strategies that are effective from both a commercial and tax perspective.

Mention your AMTIL membership to receive member discounts with us.

www.rigbycooke.com.au

For more information contact Rachael Grabovic: E: RGrabovic@rigbycooke.com.au T: + 61 3 9321 7826

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Why exercising an option in your commercial lease may not be the best option for your business Options for further terms in your commercial lease provide an excellent safety net for your manufacturing business, but you will lose leverage if you rely on them to secure your next lease term, potentially costing your business significantly more than necessary. Any potential new lease term should be seen as an opportunity to renegotiate. As a tenant you hold all the cards – you just have to know how to play them. By Dylan O’Donnell.

When negotiating a new commercial lease, multiple options for further lease terms are an excellent way of securing a site for a long term, while giving your business the flexibility to relocate or exit the property at regular intervals as may be needed to support future growth, consolidate or respond to merger and acquisition opportunities.

In other words, option periods in your commercial lease provide your business with an excellent safety net. If your business is performing well and the site continues to meet your needs, you have the security of knowing you can stay for at least as long as the option periods last. In a manufacturing context, this long-term certainty is critical for accommodating capital-intensive plant and equipment.

But here is the problem. Far too many businesses treat options for further terms in commercial leases as more than just a safety net and commit to their next term by simply serving the required notice under the lease. This is a significant opportunity lost to renegotiate the lease and reduce your operating expenses, raise capital, remove onerous lease clauses and/or include more favourable lease clauses.

From our experience, most businesses typically begin to think about whether they want to commit to their site for another lease term around 12 months before the date their lease is due to expire or the last date to exercise their option. Then, having made the decision to stay, they serve notice to the landlord exercising the option to lease for a further term in accordance with their lease. If there is a market review provision in the lease, they may have already agreed with the landlord what the new rent will be before exercising the option, or they may be happy to rely on the market rent review provision in the lease to ensure the rent remains at a “fair market rate”.

Here is why that approach costs businesses money they weren’t even aware they could save (especially in today’s environment, where as a tenant you hold even more cards than usual).

A market rent review at the start of your new lease term will never fully reflect the best deals being completed in your local real estate market. First, they will rarely reflect incentives of new leases being entered into (the “effective rent” rate), but rather reflect the inflated, pre-incentive rent rate (or “face rent” rate). Second, even in declining markets where asking rental rates are reducing, there can be a lag between the best deals being completed by tenants and a market rate being determined at that reduced level. A determining valuer will never set a new low benchmark for market rent – this can only be achieved through negotiations between a landlord and tenant.

For manufacturing and other industrial tenants, a “ratchet” clause can also often prevent the rent from decreasing by more than a specified amount, if at all.

Therefore, if you intend to stay at your site beyond your lease expiry, you should always seek to renegotiate the lease, even if you have an option to renew for a further term. This should be done well in advance of your last date to exercise the option, when you have maximum leverage in any negotiations with your landlord (and a safety net to fall back on in case your negotiations are not fruitful).

When renegotiating your lease, the landlord should be considering your offer in the right context of what they would have to offer another tenant in the event you left the property at lease expiry

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(plus the costs they would have to incur to secure that new tenant).

Depending on the market, this might include an extended period of the property being vacant and not generating revenue for the landlord, advertising costs and leasing fees to agents, plus large incentives to the new tenant by way of contributing to plant and equipment or extended rent-free or rent abatement periods.

To create the right context for the renegotiation of your lease, timing is absolutely critical, as is the way your future intentions are portrayed.

If your landlord believes you are seriously contemplating relocating or exiting at lease expiry, and there is sufficient time remaining on your current lease for you to do so, then you are much more likely to create the right context for renegotiation (remember, you do not have to be seriously contemplating a relocation of your business, your landlord just has to believe it is possible that you are).

By renegotiating with your landlord in the right context, you can create a win-win scenario.

Your landlord can avoid all of the uncertainty and cost associated with losing one tenant and sourcing another. You can access the benefits a new tenant would such as contribution to upgrading plant and equipment or a rent-free or abatement period that you cannot access by exercising your option or by relying on the market rent review provisions to set your new rent.

By simply exercising your option, you can easily end up paying significantly more than you should for your next lease term, after taking into account a lost opportunity to receive landlord incentives such as rent-free, rent abatement or capital contributions, or even through less obvious means such as the removal of onerous lease provisions and inclusion of more favourable items. This is why exercising your option for a further lease term may not be the best option for your manufacturing business.

Dylan O’Donnell is a Director of tenant and occupier advisory group Lpc Cresa. www.lpc.com.au

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

Australia to see boost in local manufacture of components and machinery An expert in quality management is forecasting a significant increase in components and machinery made locally under the Federal Government’s Modern Manufacturing Strategy, resulting in improved availability and safety of consumer goods in Australia.

The Government is investing $1.5bn into the Modern Manufacturing Strategy. Manufacturers can apply for a grant to help strengthen their local supply chain, handle mass production, upskill employees, scale up and improve competitiveness.

According to Saeid Nikdel, quality management expert at SAI Global, COVID-19 restrictions across the world have impeded availability of goods due to parts and components held up in international supply chains. The problem has highlighted the Australian manufacturing sector’s dependence on overseas markets for the supply of machinery, tools, parts and product components. Most of the machinery brought into Australia comes from the US and Europe, while product components and parts mostly come from China. In the last 12 months, local manufacturers, assemblers and distributors have faced delays almost twice as long as in 2019.

“These have impacted their ability to produce local goods” says Nikdel. “Manufacturers have also struggled to scale up operations to meet the increase in demand. It has been a wake-up call for our manufacturers, who now realise they must strengthen their supply chains. A number of our manufacturing clients are now looking to produce their own product components in Australia. The growth and strengthening of Australia’s manufacturing sector is dependent on this happening and the Government investment is timely.”

Nearly nine in ten Australians believe we should produce a higher proportion of essential products locally, and 82% think our infrastructure projects should use Australian-made products whenever possible, even if it costs more.

While, most evidently, the growth in production and manufacturing on our shores will benefit our economy, consumers will also see a significant shift towards quality through supply chains, not just improved availability.

“We have higher standards and statutory and regulatory requirements than other countries, benefitting the end user with superior-quality products with safer design considerations,” Nikdel adds. “Safer products will result in minimal incident risks or product recalls, increasing customer satisfaction. Our high safety legislations, codes of practice, and quality standards are the reasons why Australian-made products are so popular in international markets.

As our manufacturers start to produce more locally, they can place a stronger focus on providing quality and safety products and services by certifiying to Quality Management System ISO 9001 and OHS Management System ISO 45001.”

Nikdel is optimistic that government investment will improve its target manufacturing segments: space, resources technology, critical minerals processing, food & beverage, medical products, recycling and clean energy, and defence.

“As demand for Australian suppliers increases, our local manufacturers will also need to boost their workforce and facilities to scale up their operations. Right now, the manufacturing sector has a shortage of skilled machinery operators. The Government’s direct funding of the sector will not only result in new manufacturing areas, but also an increase in skilled workers and manufacturing facilities.” www.saiassurance.com.au

HAVE YOU GOT AN HOUR TO SPEND ON YOUR BUSINESS? IN YOUR LIFETIME YOU WILL SPEND:

27,000

HOURS IN MEETINGS THE ONE HOUR YOU SPEND WITH US COULD BE THE MOST PROFITABLE HOUR OF YOUR YEAR THE WILLIAM BUCK HOUR At William Buck, we know that time is precious, which is why we’ve developed The William Buck Hour. In just one hour, we’ll guide you through a detailed discussion structured around a range of key fundamentals including financial management, funding, people, regulatory requirements and personal wealth strategies.

The end result is a fresh perspective and a focused strategy to help you move forward.

For more information, or to book your William Buck Hour call Jeremy Raniti.

Jeremy Raniti Manager Business Advisory Ph: 03 8823 6838 jeremy.raniti@williambuck.com

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Dimac Tooling – Solutions to all workholding challenges Any company that is involved with workpiece milling has access to Lang Technik’s Makro-Grip technology, which provides a workholding solution to almost any clamping requirement from raw material to the finished workpiece.

The company has been responsible for numerous workholding innovations that reduce costly changeover time, reduce operator workload and maximise productivity. One of the many benefits of using Lang Technik products is their patented Quick Point zeropoint clamping system. This allows for a one-time installation – once the base plate is mounted and aligned to the machine tool table and the zero point is defined, workpieces and fixtures can be built quickly and accurately.

“The zero-point system provides a huge boost to productivity, reducing changeover time from 1-2 hours to around five minutes,” says Paul Fowler, Managing Director of Dimac Tooling, Lang Technik’s agents for Australia and New Zealand.

Two recent additions to Lang Technik’s respected Makro-Grip range of vices are the Makro-4 Grip and Makro-Grip Ultra. The Makro-4Grip allows Lang’s stamping technology to now be utilised for round parts. The stamping is a patented form-closure technology, which provides the highest holding power for five-face machining worldwide. Often referred to as pre-stamping, it involves the workpiece being stamped outside of the machine tool with up to 20 tons of hydraulic pressure.

Clamping scenarios that require high holding power, no work stop in the machining area, or where the danger of workpiece deformation exists, can be mastered with the stamping process. Makro-Grip stamping technology provides tremendous material savings due to minimal clamping edge requirements.

“Makro-Grip stamping technology provides tremendous material savings due to minimal clamping edge requirements,” Fowler explains. “The new Makro- 4Grip means that any company that is involved with workpiece milling of round parts can now benefit from this technology easily and cost-efficiently. Lang’s stamping technology is still the benchmark when it comes to processing raw parts in five-axis machining.”

The Makro-4Grip system consists of universal stamping jaws including stamping inserts for individual positioning as well as matching clamping jaws suitable for all sizes of Makro-Grip vices. The jaws grip the pre-stamped part in four indentations at a clamping height of just 3mm and cover a clamping range from 36mm to 300mm.

The other recent workholding innovation Lang Technik has added to its portfolio is the Makro-Grip Ultra, an innovative clamping system that allows clamping of large parts.

Thanks to the expandability of its modules, Makro-Grip Ultra is capable of safely clamping single or multiple parts of 810mm length and beyond. This capability pushes workholding to new heights and is particularly suitable for mould making and clamping

applications of flat and large parts including deformation-sensitive parts. Different system heights, individually expandable clamping ranges, interchangeable clamping jaw types and a range of useful accessories add to the versatility of the vice.

“Makro-Grip Ultra is extremely flexible and equally capable of clamping, cubic, round or asymmetrical workpieces.,” says Fowler.

“Manufacturers are now able to clamp large, flat workpieces concentrically and combined with the zero-point clamping system allows for changeover within seconds, making it possible to process numerous parts in next to no time.

“Another key advantage of Makro-Grip Ultra is its ability to machine all five faces of a workpiece without changeover. Depending on the requirements of the workpiece the operator can choose between different approaches and configurations for the first and second operation.”

Centre jaws can be used for clamping multiple parts simultaneously – both with serration or plain clamping steps. A special type of centring plate at the inner ends of the base bodies ensures that the spindle has a clearance of 4mm to compensate for workpieces that are not identically long. Each clamping jaw is individually secured by a threaded cap and thus can be moved independently from other clamping jaws allowing asymmetrical and shaped parts to be clamped.

“Makro-Grip Ultra now allows manufacturers to clamp a variety of large parts for which no workholding solution previously existed.

Through its wide range of possible configurations the modular system covers practically any imaginable clamping application.

It’s yet another example of Lang’s relentless pursuit to design and manufacture workholding products that reduce operator workload and maximise productivity.”

The Makro-Grip vice range also includes the Dual-Clamping vice, the Makro-Grip Automation and the Profilo Clamping vice – a clamping system for all shaped parts allowing for the use of different types of profile jaws on one vice body. The Universal Avanti vice offers great handling characteristics and enormous set-up time savings thanks to a quick jaw exchange system. Another unique product in the Lang Technik range is the Cleaning Fan. The fan automatically cleans the machine table, pallet and/or workpieces after the machining process is complete.

Kitagawa BR Series: Unprecedented gripping accuracy Along with Lang Technik, Dimac is also the agent for Kitagawa, which has been supplying power chucks and CNC rotary tables to the global machine tool industry since its founding in 1918.

The Kitagawa standard power chuck is acknowledged worldwide

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WORKHOLDING

AMTIL PRODUCT E-BLASTS

IT’S ALL IN THE NUMBERS

for its quality and longevity and the company has developed a well-earned reputation for designing workholding products that maximise productivity and minimise downtime.

Power chucks are installed on machine tools such as CNC lathes and machining centres to fix a workpiece. The power chuck is equipped with top jaws to fix the workpiece and they are opened and closed by means of a rotary cylinder.

The new BR Series power chucks are the latest offering from Kitagawa providing outstanding gripping accuracy of 0.01mm or less TIR immediately after jaw forming (Total Indicator Reading/ Runout is a measurement of how far the work runs out of true).

Due to its precise accuracy, the BR Series also reduces jaw-lift, providing stable machining quality.

Use of the new Kitagawa optional "Tnut-Plus" provides even greater gripping accuracy, even after detaching and re-attaching your formed jaws. Soft jaws formed using the Tnut-Plus can maintain the gripping accuracy equivalent to just-formed soft jaws even after they are removed from the chuck because they can be reinstalled in the same positions.

“Because no jaw reforming is required, it shortens set-up and changeover time substantially, saving you valuable time and increasing productivity,” says Fowler.

As an example, a machine shop that spends 30 minutes on jaw reforming and undertakes three jaw reforms per day will achieve significant time savings per year. Based on 300 annual working days this could equate up to 450-man hours, which translates to large monetary savings and productivity gains. Four models/sizes are available, and for maximum convenience and cost-efficiency the new BR Series chucks are completely interchangeable with the existing Kitagawa B-200 and BB-200 series.

“The incredibly high-gripping TIR accuracy of the new Kitagawa BR Series power chucks transforms conventional machining methods and will improve any machine shop’s productivity,” adds Fowler.

www.dimac.com.au

TARGETED CONTACTS

18.86% OPEN RATES

12.26% CLICK THRUS

STATISTICAL REPORTING Call Nicholas Raftopoulos to learn more on 0431 753 381 or email nic@amtil.com.au for all enquiries.

www.amtil.com.au

1510AMTIL

Due to the high accuracy of jaw mounting, expensive special jaws are not needed; Dimac’s own locally manufactured soft jaws can be used. Manufactured at Dimac’s manufacturing facility at Dandenong, Victoria for more than 30 years, Dimac soft jaws are precision-engineered and made from 1040 or K1144 carbon steel. Accurate control of slot width ensures minimum runout when refitting soft jaws that have been previously machined.

9OOO

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Leussink expands range with Positioner to complement Demmeler modular fixturing system Leussink Engineering is partnering with US company ALM Positioners to bring the benefits of accuracy and safety together with the Demmeler modular fixturing system and ALM’s positioners. The two systems combined allow users to hold and position multiple parts with one modular kit.

The Demmeler 3D workbench and welding table is a versatile jig and fixtures system for all types of welding and fabrication work.

When paired with an ALM Positioner it can bring a whole new level of safety and accuracy to the workshop because the work can be held in place firmly and rotated. Positioners (which are also sometimes called manipulators) allow 360-degree rotation of parts to eliminate heavy lifting and allow for more comfortable welding.

Leussink’s Managing Director Jason Leussink explains how he went in search of a company that could supply precision positioners to his Australian-based clients.

“We’ve been working with Demmeler for nearly 30 years and have not found a local supplier who can provide the type of product our clients seek,” says Jason. “We were approached by a client who wanted to be able to hold work in place while welding. They fabricate large trailers in their workshop and by using a positioner and the Demmeler system they can achieve the ideal of down-hand welding with safety and accuracy.”

The use of a positioners such as those manufactured in the US

by ALM optimises worker safety and ergonomics by letting motors and hydraulics do the heavy lifting. In many workshops, the lifting is performed using a combination of saw horses, a crane and brute force to manoeuvre a weldment into proper position. Positioners can also eliminate the need for welders or assemblers to use ladders, scaffolding or other equipment to climb on a part or lie under it.

“ALM positioners can lift parts weighing from 450kg to 56,700kg and rotate or tilt them to the desired position in seconds,” Jason adds. “Like much of our work, the pairing of Demmeler and ALM products is not an off-the-shelf product. We work with our clients to understand their requirements and develop a custom solution to fit their unique situation. We can also supply just the ALM Positioner product if that’s the best solution.”

The Demmeler system offers a high degree of precision. It allows the user to set up jigs, and clamp anywhere.

This means that the same job can be repeated over and over and it comes out the same way every time.

The stoppers and clamps are set up at the start of the process, which holds the job in place for welding. Once the job is locked in, it just doesn’t move at all because it can’t. This significantly speeds up fabrication time and improves accuracy. When used in

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conjunction with the ALM Positioner, a job can be held firmly in place and rotated to wherever it is required.

Coupled with 3D CAD software, the Demmeler clamping system can be utilised to reproduce virtual jigs. Equipment such as 3D co-ordinate measuring machines, laser measuring systems, and optical test equipment are used for this purpose to ensure the high precision requirements of the products. This allows users to keep designs electronically and use templates over and over, meaning less storage of physical jigs that take up valuable shelf space. The use of 3D software ensures the same level of accuracy every time, which means an item can be reproduced faster and more efficiently. www.leussink.com.au

MOTORS & DRIVES

Painting, powder coating or nsd tupH? Optimal protection for NORD drives To protect its drive systems from corrosion, chemicals, wear, scratches, impacts and moisture, Nord Drivesystems offers a wide range of different methods for each application area – from environmentally friendly painting to long-life high-performance coatings and the innovative nsd tupH surface treatment.

In almost all industries, it is important to efficiently protect plant and machinery as well as the drive technology used from external influences like dirt, moisture, spray water and aggressive media.

NORD motors and drives are already designed with a high level of protection. Furthermore, high-performance coatings, paints and finishing processes protect the surfaces of drive systems and ensure an aesthetic and uniform appearance.

For paint finishes, NORD uses the latest generation of high-solid paints, which considerably reduces the emission of solvents far below the legally required limits. With up to 80%, high-solid paints contain a large proportion of solid material and combine the emission benefits of hydro paints with the functionality of solventbased coating materials. In addition, the lower solvent proportion of only 20% allows for very short drying times in production – a decisive advantage over water-based coating systems.

For the electrical industry, NORD offers robust and long-life powder coatings. The treated surfaces are resistant to impact, scratches and wear. They are resistant to weather and chemicals and are even more robust than conventional NORD paints. The anti-static properties of the electrically conducting powder paints prevent static charging of the drive technology and so downtimes are reduced to a minimum. A further advantage: powder coatings are free from solvents and make an important contribution to protecting the environment.

In case of stringent requirements on surface and corrosion protection, nsd tupH surface treatment is the technology of choice.

Thanks to a special method, the surface is made corrosion-resistant and harder and makes aluminium behave like stainless steel with regard to corrosion protection. This is not a coating, but a surface treatment that creates a protective layer which is permanently bonded to the substrate material. So nothing can detach or flake off. Damage remains locally restricted and does not spread. The drives are easy to clean and largely resistant to acids and alkalis. It is even possible to use high-pressure cleaners or apply aggressive media.

An nsd tupH treatment is available for most of the NORD modular drive systems made from aluminium. They are not only suitable for hygienically sensitive applications in the food sector but also for various applications in process and pharmaceutical industries. They are typically used on conveyor belts, pumps, mixers or agitators, but also in water and sewage plants and car wash facilities.

Maxxdrive: Heavy-duty industrial gear units For applications up to 250kNm, NORD’s robust industrial gear units are characterised by very high power density, quiet operation and top reliability. The modular system with its multiple options ensures an extremely high level of design flexibility.

Maxxdrive industrial gear units from NORD provide high output torques from 15kNm to 250kNm and are ideal for use in heavy-duty applications such as agitators, belt drives, mixers, mills, drums or crushers. Thanks to the torsionally rigid one-piece Unicase housing, they achieve a longer bearing life than gear casings manufactured from jointed parts and ensure efficient power transmission and high tolerance for peak loads and impacts. Large low-friction rolling bearings ensure extremely high axial and radial load capacities and a long service life. High-precision axis alignment ensures quiet

running. NORD industrial gear units are offered as parallel gear units or as right-angle gear units and cover speed ratios from 5,54:1 to 400:1, as well as up to 30.000:1 with an auxiliary primary stage gear unit. Mounting and fastening can take place on all six sides of the gear unit.

NORD has developed its Maxxdrive XT series 2-stage right-angle gear units especially for applications where low speed ratios in combination with high power performance is required. As standard, the series is equipped with a heavily ribbed Unicase housing and an integrated axial fan. Due to the increased surface and the air guide covers, the cooling air flow is optimised and a very high thermal limiting power is achieved. In many cases, additional cooling is not required. Large roller bearings and centre distances increase the load capacity and service life of the components.

Based on the modular system, NORD plans complete and customised drive systems for heavy-duty operation. This way, attractive solutions can also be provided for price-sensitive industries. This is based on a comprehensive range of frequency inverters, motors, gear units and attached components like couplings, brakes, swing frames and many other options. For example, various versions of drive and driven shafts, mountings, sealing systems, back stops, auxiliary gear units, cooling equipment and sensors for condition monitoring (speed, temperature, vibrations, etc.) are available. www.nord.com

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ANCA Motion: Direct drive actuation made even smoother The steps from ballscrew, to flatbed linear, to tubular linear electric motors each represent improved performance in a few key areas.

An important change from ballscrew to linear motion is going from indirect to direct drive, with no need for gearboxes or belts to create movement. Going from rotary direct motion also means big potential increases in speed and acceleration.

Although ballscrews still have their advantages, there are trade-offs when selecting any type of actuation based on the application, there are some clear areas of superiority when comparing linear versus rotary motion, and manufacturers offer drop-in replacements as a response to this.

One of the standout advantages is dynamism, with much better acceleration and velocity possibilities. With ANCA Motion’s LinX M-Series, a velocity of 10m per second can be achieved, along with a maximum acceleration over 30G. Continuous force range is between 90N and 160N. Another advantage of tubular over flatbed actuation is longer machine life due to there being no contact between moving parts; electromagnetic forces generate the motion, rather than contact between a nut and screw. Going from flatbed to tubular actuation also means greatly improved thermal stability, and therefore less expansion, meaning components and the system will perform with better accuracy.

Heng Luo, Product Manager at ANCA Motion, explains the advantages of the M-Series: “Because the motor is floating in the machine structure, that enables us to put a watercooling jacket around the motor and completely take the heat out of the motor. That’s a vast advantage from a thermal perspective compared to a flatbed.”

Options such as the M-Series are growing in popularity in food and beverage, pharmaceutical and other applications where hygiene is important. The absence of direct contact between parts and the elimination of any need for rail tracks means no need for lubricants, which can risk contamination.

Flatbed motors can be challenging to seal and protect, and tubular motors provide a superior level of protection from material ingress, as well as increased safety levels for the operator. M-Series magnets are also sealed in a stainless steel tube, with an IP 67 rating achieved.

A further area of advantage is the smoothness of tubular motors versus flatbed-style motors. Windings are in an epoxy, with no iron core in the motors’ magnetic circuit. This means no downforces and much less cogging. The M-Series also offers high levels of positional accuracy, with a resolution of 10 micrometres, as well as an integrated position sensor. motion.anca.com

Emirates Team NZ wins with maxon onboard Specialist motor manufacturers the maxon Group has extended heartfelt congratulations to Emirates Team New Zealand after they retained the America’s Cup international yachting competition.

In the historic 36th America’s Cup, the Kiwis have retained the oldest trophy in international sporting history, seeing off Italian challenger Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, in spite of extra challenges including Covid-19, race cancellations and delays. This was the fourth time that New Zealand has triumphed in the America’s Cup and is another victory to add to their three previous successes.

Back in 2018, maxon joined Emirates Team New Zealand as an official supplier, supplying 480W DC motors with 42mm gearbox combinations, and EPOS motor controllers. This particular DC motor combination was selected because of its outstanding power density and ability within even the harshest of environments.

The America’s Cup AC75 Class Rule allows the use of electric motors to operate hydraulic valves, drive clutches, rudders and foils. Teams may also use motors for driving simulator platforms and numerous test jigs.

Creating a boat from simulation and the use of AI technology were big risks for Emirates Team New Zealand, who were frank about the lack of boat-on-boat racing experience in this new AC75 class at the beginning of the Cup. This meant the team had to lift their game and learn fast, taking key lessons out of

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regatta as they moved forwards one race at a time. The risks paid off for the Kiwis who forged a spectacular victory, winning seven races to three.

Brett Motum, Managing Director of maxon motor Australia, said “We’ve been watching the races globally across our offices cheering on Emirates Team New Zealand. We’re proud to have supported Emirates Team New Zealand as an Official Supplier and see them cement their place in history winning this 36th America’s Cup match.” www.maxongroup.net.au

MOTORS & DRIVES

Three steps to energy-efficient motors Electric motors are the backbone of manufacturing, but they are also among the most energy-intensive pieces of equipment. More than 65% of electrical energy in industry is consumed by motors, and the annual cost of running one of them can be up to 10 times its original price. John Young shares three tips to make your motor more energy-efficient.

A major trend in the Asia Pacific electric motor market is the development of electric motors with high power-to-weight ratios.

Sustainability concerns, as well as the necessity to cut costs and increase profit margins, are encouraging manufacturers to invest in the latest energy-efficient technology. However, improving the energy performance of an electric motor does not necessarily mean swapping your trusted favourite for a new one – maintaining it properly and installing a few relatively inexpensive add-ons can be enough to drastically cut costs in the long run.

The right load factor The load factor represents the average load of a motor compared with its capacity over a specific period of time. The load factor significantly impacts the energy consumption of an electric motor.

Motors are most efficient when operating at full or near full load conditions, and the highest energy efficiency is achieved at load factors of 75% to 80%. However, efficiency progressively decreases at a load factor of 50% or less.

As a result, it is essential to install the right motor size for your application. Bigger is not always better — in fact, an unnecessarily large motor capacity will substantially increase your electricity bill.

Variable speed drives Variable speed drives (VSDs) regulate the speed and rotational force or output torque of a motor, so that it matches the speed required by the process it is driving. Without a VSD, your motor will run at full capacity all the time, even when a much lower speed might be sufficient to effectively power your application.

Using a VSD can reduce a motor’s electrical consumption by up to 55%. This means that in some cases, the initial investment for a VSD can be amortised in just a few months. In spite of this, less than 10% of all electric motors used globally are equipped with VSDs.

Switch it off As obvious as this might sound, leaving a motor on when not in use is not only wasteful, it also leads to overheating and ultimately shortens your device’s lifespan. Using an automated switch-off system can be helpful to give your motor a break whenever possible.

To reduce the strain of frequent start and stop, you can also invest in a soft starter. This device can be added to an electric motor to limit the surge of current and torque that characterises the start-up process, to achieve a smoother, more gradual start. Not only will a soft starter reduce your motor’s energy consumption, it will also limit mechanical stress on the motor, its shaft and the power cables.

Improving your factory’s energy efficiency is not always synonymous with replacing your equipment with brand new alternatives. Even though energy efficient motors can be a great long-term investment, with these simple tricks you can cut the energy consumption of your existing devices, while also extending their lifespan.

John Young is the Head of APAC at automation parts supplier EU Automation. www.euautomation.com

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Australia has adopted GHS Revision 7 – Implementation and Implications The UN introduced the Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling (GHS) in 2003. Updated every two years, Australia implemented the 7th revision in January this year. Laura Whiteman explains the changes which are necessary to ensure that Australia stays in line with our major trading partners.

Hazardous chemicals are all around us, and their safe management is crucial. Standardisation of labelling makes it easier for workers to read and understand the hazards of a product, portraying the relevant first aid and safety directions, and what hazardous chemicals it contains. Whilst there are numerous different systems for labelling in Australia (depending on product type), the one used for labelling of hazardous workplace chemicals is the Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling (GHS). The United Nations introduced the GHS initially in 2003 and the first revised edition in 2005. This has been updated every subsequent two years, with the 9th revised edition expected to be released in 2021.

Australia has now implemented the 7th revised edition of the GHS with a 2-year transition period that commenced on 1 January 2021.

The transition period finishes 31 December 2023. During this time, manufacturers and importers may use either the 3rd or 7th Editions of the GHS for classification, labelling and safety data sheets (SDS) of their hazardous chemicals. The transition period allows manufacturers and importers time to make the required updates as well as ensuring that Australia stays in line with their major trading partners. Whilst the implementation of GHS 7 was meant to start in Australia on 1 July 2020, the global COVID-19 pandemic delayed this action. There were two states (NSW and SA) that allowed GHS 7 from July 2020, but it was not Australia-wide.

Several key changes occurred when Australia moved from GHS 3 to GHS 7: • Flammable Aerosols changed to Aerosols. This allows for the incorporation of non-flammable aerosols as Category 3.

• Flammable Gases Category 1 split into Category 1A and 1B. • The flammable gases categories expanded to now include:

– Pyrophoric gas

– Chemically unstable gas A

– Chemically unstable gas B

• A new hazard class for desensitised explosives was added.

• Eye Irritant Category 2B removed from the exemptions.

• Precautionary statements updated.

Moving to GHS 7 has allowed Australia to keep in line with major trading partners and implement best practices. Other countries that are also changing or have already moved to GHS 7 include: • Europe – has already incorporated GHS 6 and 7 into their legislation via the 12th ATP and it came into effect October 2020.

• New Zealand – will start implementation 31 April, 2021 with a 4-year transition period. Their unique HSNO numbering will be abolished in favor of the standard GHS approach. This is a welcome change for the industry.

There are also several countries which have publicly stated their interest in transitioning to GHS 7 and include: • Brazil – proposed regulation October 2020 with a 30-day comment period. The Brazilian Chemistry Committee is still reviewing the comments.

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• Canada – announced 19 December 2020 with a 70-day public comment period. A 2-year transition period is anticipated.

• United States – proposed regulation on 5 February 2021 and available for commenting until 19 April 2021. A 3-year transition program is anticipated.

There are also multiple countries, especially in the Asia Pacific region that are discussing updating to GHS 7, such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan but have not yet issued proposed rulemaking.

There is a cost to industry with the update from GHS 3 to 7. The main ones being updating SDS and labels, as well as reviewing the hazard classifications of products. Businesses which import or manufacture flammable gases and aerosols have the biggest changes to make. For some hazardous chemicals that were using the 2B Eye irritation exemption, they will now become hazardous.

Australia is also starting to join other regions such as the Europe Union and shift away from the use of animal testing data that as of July 2020 is now banned for cosmetics.

As a result, manufacturers and importers will need to turn to alternative methods to animal testing. UL’s Cheminformatics Toolkit is a groundbreaking new method of reducing animal testing, employing a computational method of hazard prediction to generate data where appropriate. With a curated database of 70 million structures and 80,908 chemicals with 833,844 labeled hazard endpoints, this advanced digital solution utilises an advanced algorithm, machine learning, and analysis of millions of chemical combinations to predict chemical hazards. To learn more, visit www.ul.com/resources/apps/ul-cheminformatics-tool-kit Laura Whiteman is a senior regulatory specialist at UL Materials & Supply Chain, which provides innovative material and regulatory data solutions for a transparent and sustainable product supply chain. With fully automated chemical compliance software platforms, industry-leading data resources and a global network of regulatory expertise, UL removes barriers and solves critical challenges to help companies stay one step ahead of global regulations. customerservice.anz@ul.com Ph: 03 9846 2751 msc.ul.com

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Return to normal, or thrive in COVID normal?

Jeremy Raniti explains how the businesses that did prosper during the pandemic all had certain things in common.

There is little doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic has forever changed the way in which businesses interact with customers, suppliers, and advisors. Although each state has experienced varying degrees of uncertainty, all have shared the need to be better positioned to thrive in the new COVID normal. Through lockdowns, delays in supply-chains, zoom meetings, and disruptions to global trade and currencies, we now understand how important it is to have solid foundations in every aspect of one’s business. Predominantly, these foundations can be best described as: • Supply Chain Management and IT Systems • Marketing and Visibility • Financial, Accounting, and Legal advice and advisors • HR and Staff Management By focusing on these four areas of a business, one can expect to identify areas in which the effects of the pandemic have highlighted the need to change how they are managed and operated. The following paragraphs will provide a brief overview of how you can thrive in the new COVID normal.

Supply chain and inventory management A business' performance during the pandemic can almost be split into two. There are those that continued to flourish during the lockdowns or those that struggled to fulfil customer orders and meet deadlines and desired outcomes. Although the pandemic produced constraints that no-one could have accounted for when planning 2020, the businesses that did prosper during the pandemic all had things in common, including: • Seamless transition from face-to-face to the virtual commerce world.

• Knowing their stock levels at any given point in time.

• Ability to identify fast/slow-moving stock, and knowing in advance what the appropriate re-order point was for their inventory.

• Having sufficient job costing mechanisms in place, and were aware of what materials were required and when they needed them.

This emphasises the notion that business needs to be well across the products they sell and stock requirements to fulfil orders, as well as having current and relevant information at their fingertips to make effective decisions. Structuring your business and putting in place the tools to operate this way will allow you to be nimble in the new COVID normal world.

Marketing & Visibility Lockdowns and social distancing equal disruptions to almost all face-to-face marketing. Trade shows are postponed, showrooms are limited by capacity and B2B networking has been minimised.

To be visible in the market, the options have narrowed to be reliant on digital methods. Now is the time to review your online presence, and the customer experience of your clients engaging you through these channels.

While it can be tempting to put a hold on marketing strategy, this is the time to stay the course and redirect your businesses investment in your online presence. Seeking advice from a digital agency on how to maximise your SEO, digital advertising campaigns and social media involvement will equip you with the tools to stay present with your existing and future customers.

Financial, accounting and legal advice and advisors The start of the pandemic, accompanied by the heightening fear of uncertainty, saw the Federal Government do all it could to keep people employed and the economy afloat. This gave rise to stimulus packages such as Job Keeper and Cash Flow Boost for Employers, as well as situations where employment law was adapted to assess the future of workers’ employment.

In addition to this, the pandemic gave truth to the adage ‘cash is king’, and in uncertain times, how to manage the inflows and outflows of funds were even more important. By being in contact with an advisor, businesses were able to keep informed and up to date with the constant stream of news, information, and stimulus packages. They were also able to efficiently assess their cash position, conservatively plan for the short-term future and reassure their staff regarding their employment. This again highlighted the importance of having advisors who are in tune with your business’ affairs to allow for strategic planning through the pandemic.

HR & staffing From a people perspective, the Covid-19 Pandemic has seen a radical shift in “the way we do things”. The majority of businesses have experienced either partial working from home arrangements, or (for some states more than others) complete lockdowns of work premises. The need for businesses to quickly and effectively manage their human resources in a flexible and agile way has become critical to business continuity.

Many staff are now accustomed to working from home (WFH) and are keen to look at more flexible working arrangements postpandemic. The imperative for a business to review flexible work arrangements in light of ongoing business operational need, together with providing a safe working environment for staff will be a key focus for 2021 and beyond.

As always, compliance with relevant workplace laws and standards, effective performance management and development, in addition to the attraction, retention and engagement of staff should continue to be “top of mind”, as business re-establishes within the new “normal”.

Conclusion Although the signs of recovery are positive, the element of uncertainty within each state still lingers with the possibility of a lockdown never too far away. Taking action now and putting into practice what we have learnt through the pandemic to ensure you thrive in the new COVID-Normal is the only option.

Jeremy Raniti is a Business Advisory Manager, William Buck - a leading firm of accountants and advisors with offices across Australia and New Zealand.

Ph: 03 9824 8555 E: jeremy.raniti@williambuck.com www.williambuck.com.au

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FORUM LAW

Updated Environment Protection Laws in Victoria: What it means for the manufacturing industry Greta Walters explains one of the biggest changes to Victoria’s environmental laws.

On 1 July this year, significant new environmental laws will come into effect in Victoria.

One of the biggest changes to be introduced under the Environment Protection Amendment Act 2018 (Vic) is the “general environmental duty” (GED), which is a broad (non-industry specific) duty focused on the general prevention of harm to the environment or to human health. Under the new laws, the Victorian Environment Protection Authority (EPA Victoria) will also have greater powers to enforce the laws and prevent risks to both the environment and human health.

This includes the ability to issue stronger sanctions against polluters.

The new changes will impact many individuals and businesses in Victoria, including those in the manufacturing industry. The GED represents a policy and governance perspective shift in Victoria’s approach to pollution and waste, with a clear focus on the prevention of harm, rather than just managing waste and pollution impacts after they have occurred.

Requirements of the ‘General Environmental Duty’ The GED imposes a new legal obligation on all persons (including individuals and businesses) who engage in activities that “may give rise to risks of harm to human health or the environment from pollution or waste”. Specifically, those persons are required to “minimise those risks, so far as reasonably practicable”. The actions that a business must take to comply with the GED will depend on the scale of its activities, and the nature of the risks it needs to manage.

Importantly, it does not matter if the risks have actually eventuated or not – it is sufficient if the activities may give rise to risks of harm.

The requirement to “minimise” the risks requires the person to either eliminate the risks so far as reasonably practicable (or, if elimination is not reasonably practicable, to reduce those risks).

What is “reasonably practicable” will depend on a range of factors, including: the likelihood of the risks eventuating; the potential degree of harm to human health or the environment; the knowledge attributed to the business (including what the business “ought-toknow” in and about its industry); the availability and suitability of ways to eliminate or reduce the identified risks, and the cost of doing so.

In addition to the requirement imposed by the GED to prevent harm, businesses will still be required (as is currently the case) to manage the impacts of pollution and waste once they have occurred, and notify EPA Victoria of certain pollution events.

Manufacturing Industry – What you need to do Most businesses in the manufacturing industry engage in activities that may (or already do) give rise to risks of harm to human health or the environment from pollution or waste. As such, those businesses need to take proactive steps to comply with the GED. Businesses need to develop a ‘state of knowledge’ – the risks its activities pose, and what it can do (as far as is reasonably practicable) to eliminate or reduce those risks. Businesses also need to develop an ‘action plan’ - as a starting point. This involves: identifying the hazards; assessing the risks; investigating the available technology aids, systems and processes for ‘best practice’; implementing suitable control measures and processes to minimise (or eliminate) the hazards and risks’ providing sufficient information, instruction, supervision and training to staff to enable them to comply with the GED; regularly checking the control measures to ensure they remain effective and appropriate, and updating or changing the control

AMT APR/MAY 2021

measures as necessary over time, both as the business evolves and as new or different hazards and risks emerge. There are various environmental hazards that can commonly arise in manufacturing, including: air contaminants; chemical spills; unreasonable noise; greenhouse gases and environmental emissions, and general and specific rubbish/waste. Control measures need to be put in place to eliminate or reduce the risks posed by these hazards.

Some businesses may already be experienced in risk management, given their existing obligations under Victoria’s occupational health and safety legislation. In these cases, complying with the GED may not present a significant compliance burden.

New waste duties In addition, new, specific “waste” duties will be implemented for waste generators, transporters and receivers, to operate alongside the broadbrush GED. The three main aspects of the additional “waste” duties include ensuring the waste is: properly classified (e.g. classified as “industrial”, “priority” or “reportable priority” waste, each with different duties); property transported, and taken to a lawful place (with appropriate declaration).

Penalties for non-compliance Discharging the GED is not simply a “tick the box” exercise, but an ongoing compliance imperative.

There are significant penalties in place for those who breach the GED: • Criminal penalties including jail terms of up to five years if the breach is deliberate or a repeat offence (an Australian first).

• Civil penalties of up to $3.2m for deliberate or repeated conduct.

• Restorative projects to restore or enhance the environment.

• Cost recovery orders, and • Financial assurances to be set aside as security, to cover remediation and/or clean-up costs.

Timeline to implementation The changes were originally meant to take effect in 2020, but were postponed to mid-2021 due to COVID-19. So, until the GED and other amendments take effect on 1 July 2021, businesses must continue to comply with the current Environment Protection Act 1970 (Vic). It is critical for businesses (and their staff) to fully comprehend their obligations and be prepared well in advance. July is not far away!

Greta Walters is a lawyer at Macpherson Kelley commercial law firm. If you have any questions about how your business will be affected, what specific control measures to put into place, or need assistance to compile your risk management framework documentation, the Macpherson Kelley Trade Team can help.

Contact Managing Principal Lawyer Kelly Dickson or Principal Lawyer Paul Kirton. kelly.dickson@mk.com.au or paul.kirton@ mk.com.au You can also visit the EPA Victoria website for recently-released general guidance relevant to the manufacturing sector - www. epa.vic.gov.au/for-business/find-your-industry/manufacturing www.mk.com.au

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FORUM OHS

The AWU warns of the risk of a silicosis epidemic The Australian Workers’ Union (AWU) has spoken up about the lack of worker protections included in recent reforms recommended by the government’s National Dust Disease Taskforce. The reforms are intended to reduce exposure to crystalline silica and silica dust, which are known to increase the risk of silicosis. Brendan Torazzi explains.

The proposed reforms have limited the scope of protections to only cover stonemasons. Quarry workers, miners, tunnellers, and those in the construction industry were left out of the silicosis reforms. The AWU worries that the government is allowing history to repeat itself, due to its slow response to the threat of asbestos.

Asbestos was officially banned in Australia in 2003, close to two decades after the threat of asbestos became widely understood.

Asbestos exposure is linked to mesothelioma, which is a form of cancer. Hundreds of Australians continue to die from the disease each year.

As with asbestos, silica dust is a potentially dangerous substance with known health risks. Exposure to silica dust may cause bronchitis, lung cancer, and silicosis.

Existing legislation on silica dust exposure Under the current Work Health and Safety (WHS) model regulations, businesses have a duty to manage risks to the health and safety of workers. This includes managing risks associated with silica. The duty includes the need to ensure that workers are not exposed to levels of crystalline silica that exceed the workplace exposure standard (WES). The existing WES for silica dust is 0.05 mg/m3 when averaged over eight hours. The current WES for silica dust was implemented in July 2020. It came after a review completed by the National Dust Disease Taskforce in 2019 and 2020. However, the AWU points out that the new reforms do not reduce exposure limits for the average worker, as they only apply to stonemasons.

The current standards are in line with several other nations, including the US and Canada. It is also lower than the 0.1 mg/m3 limit in the UK. Mexico and Portugal have the lowest limits, with a WES of just 0.025 mg/m3, which follows the latest industry standards.

Companies that produce products containing crystalline silica often recommend keeping dust concentrations below 0.025 mg/m3 in their safety datasheets.

The risks of exposure to silica dust gained increased attention in Australia after the death of a stonemason in Queensland in 2019.

The death came after a state government audit found that 98 workers in the stone industry had contracted silicosis.

The fabrication of installation of stone countertops is the leading source of silica dust exposure. However, the AWU points out that it impacts workers in a wide range of industries. You may be exposed to silica dust when tunneling, mining, or paving. Pottery making also exposes workers to silica. Clay and stone processing machines, hydraulic fracturing, foundry casting, and abrasive blasting also release silica dust. Many construction activities include the risk of exposure to silica.

What is the danger of exposure to silica dust?

Silica is a natural mineral found in stone, sand, concrete, and mortar.

It is also used to make composite stone for tiles and kitchen or bathroom counters. When these materials are crushed, cut, drilled, polished, sawn, or ground, they release dust particles into the air.

The dust particles from silica-containing products are called silica dust. The particles are small enough to become deeply lodged in the lungs, leading to scarring of the lungs. Breathing silica dust may also lead to lung cancer, scleroderma, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema. However, one of the most common threats is silicosis.

Silicosis may be acute, accelerated, or chronic. Workers can contract acute silicosis after exposure to high levels of silica over a short period. The symptoms include severe inflammation and excess protein in the lungs.

Accelerated silicosis develops after exposure to moderate to high levels of silica dust over an extended period. Chronic silicosis occurs due to long-term exposure. It causes shortness of breath and additional scarring. All forms of silicosis are potentially deadly.

Unfortunately, most people are unaware of the dangers of silica dust until they contract it. The AWU aims to change the lack of awareness by addressing the lack of action from the federal government. The current legislation states that employers must monitor the air when exposing workers to potentially harmful levels of silica dust. However, the language in the laws is vague and not easily enforced.

The AWU launches a campaign to protect workers Research suggests that about 6.6% of all Australian workers are exposed to silica dust each year. 3.7% of workers are heavily exposed. One study found that close to one in five people exposed to silica eventually contract silicosis.

Over 350 Australians were diagnosed with silicosis in 2019. The numbers likely declined in 2020 due to the pandemic. However, without action, Australian workers will continue to experience potentially fatal exposure to silica.

Due to the potential threat of silicosis, the Australian Workers’ Union (AWU) launched a campaign aimed at raising awareness and encouraging stricter health and safety regulations. They also want to extend the regulations to all workers, instead of limiting it to stonemasons.

Additional recommendations from the AWU include establishing a compensation fund and health monitoring program for silica sufferers and tougher penalties for breaching WHS laws related to silica exposure.

Hundreds of Australians are diagnosed with silicosis each year. The AWU hopes that the “Silica Kills” campaign can bring these numbers down through tighter regulations on exposure to silica dust.

Brendan Torazzi is the CEO of AlertForce - a registered training organisation specialising in short Health and Safety courses to meet compliance. Brendan also runs the Australian Health and Safety Business Podcast and is the owner of OHS.com.au, an online marketplace for safety courses.

Ph: 1800 900 222 www.alertorce.com.au www.OHS.com.au

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AMTIL INSIDE

Setting our strategic direction At our recent Board Strategy Day, a number of discussion topics were raised for the Board to work through and determine AMTIL's courses of action for the future. A few of these are outlined in brief below as we believe they are important to not only our future as an organisation and membership body, but to the wider manufacturing technology industry as well.

Education and training initiatives We are looking at short, medium and long term initiatives that will address skill shortage issues that exist in our industry. Raising the image of manufacturing as a career opportunity for our younger generation is high on our priority list, along with developing some short courses that will produce CNC operators, which is a particular skill shortage that remains an issue. We are also looking at how we can leverage off our major exhibition - Australian Manufacturing Week – to be held next March, to showcase new and exciting technologies to our secondary students.

Exhibition and event portfolio With the introduction of Australian Manufacturing Week, alongside Austech as our flagship exhibition moving forward, the discussion around timing and location of this event continues to be a subject of strong debate. Currently this major event runs in Melbourne every two years. There is a school of thought that this event needs to run in Sydney and Melbourne so a number of questions need to be asked and answered for our Board to make an informed decision. Along with the show we have an activity program featuring conferences, on-floor activity, networking functions, matchmaking programs and student tours, so there is a lot in the mix to decide on.

Government relations AMTIL is a national body, and therefore having strong relationships at Commonwealth and State level is critical to garnering support for the services and benefits we bring to our members and the industry in general. It is just as important to the Government to have organisations such as ours that can help deliver the right message to industry regarding Government initiatives and strategy as well.

Member value proposition How we improve our value proposition to members is an ongoing strategic issue that we constantly review. Our main services are around promoting our members’ capabilities, providing news, information & knowledge, giving access to supply chain opportunities, business networking and social activities, and government funding opportunities. Australian Manufacturing Week, Austech and our AMT magazine are three flagship benefits that can be built on to provide significant member impetus for the future.

Key industry alliances We are very conscious that our membership, being predominantly a technology supplier base, cuts horizontally across all manufacturing sectors. That is, companies that use technology to make parts and products are supplying into all sectors including aerospace, rail, medical, defence, construction, automotive and more.

Therefore, having strategic alliances with industry bodies that specifically look after those sectors is critical to how we can help and support our members wanting to access them. This will be a key consideration for us moving forward.

This is just a snippet of the discussion topics we are working through. I welcome any issues that our members and readers would like us to consider, so please email me at sinfanti@amtil.com.au if you wish.

Regards

Shane Infanti, CEO AMTIL

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AMTIL HEADING INSIDE

Industry expos: Ten reasons to exhibit Industry exhibitions and trade shows are a great way to promote your business, its products and services, but they can also be a commitment in terms of time and money. Here’s a list of reasons why they can be worth the investment.

1. Get in front of a targeted audience. Trade shows and exhibitions usually attract the key decision-makers from an entire industry. For example, Australian Manufacturing Week 2022 (AMW 2022), to be held in Melbourne next March, will bring together business owners, CEOs, general managers and more from across Australian manufacturing. And they’re there with an intention to buy. There are few better ways to reach your target market.

2. Generate new leads. Having a stand at an exhibition like AMW2022 is a great way to meet and engage new prospects who are ready to give you their time and attention. They may not buy anything at the show itself, but by establishing relationships with these potential customers, you lay the ground for future sales.

3. Enhance existing customer relationships. As well as new business, trade shows are a fantastic opportunity to catch up with your existing clients, find out about their ongoing needs, and talk about how you can help. It’s highly likely most of your customers would visit a major industry event like AMW. And if you’re not there, maybe they’ll go talk to your competitors instead.

4. Sell, sell, sell. Of course at the end of the day, the goal for any business is to make sales. And while that’s not the only reason to exhibit at a show like AMW, it’s a pretty big one.

Plus, while it’s great to have an eyecatching exhibit displaying your latest products, you’ll really get people’s attention if those products have a few ‘SOLD’ signs.

5. Pit yourself against the competition. It goes without saying that if you don’t exhibit at a trade show, your competitors certainly will. The flipside is that by taking a stand, you set yourself alongside your rivals, and if you get it right… set yourself apart. There’s no better way to outshine the opposition.

6. Educate the market. An exhibition stand is a great way to foster awareness of your latest products and services.

If you’ve got a new product, there’s no better occasion for a launch event to roll it out. Exhibitions are also great opportunities to demonstrate technically complex products, so prospective buyers can see it up close and find out what it can do for them.

7. Stay up to date. There are lots of intangible benefits to exhibiting at a show like AMW, such as the opportunity to get more of a sense of what’s going on in the industry right now.

You might use it to investigate new distribution channels. You might gather intelligence on what your competitors are doing.

You should get a strong sense of the mood of the market. And so on …

8. Break into a new market. Any industry exhibition will usually be dominated by established players in that particular sector.

AMW will feature all the big names in manufacturing, for example. But if you’re targeting new industry segments, trade shows are also a great way for you to announce yourself. With the right approach, you can really make your business one of the stars of the show.

9. Show what you can do. It’s not just your products and services that are on show at an event like AMW; it’s your entire business. Potential customers often aren’t just looking to buy this thing or that thing – they’re looking for suppliers they can rely on. Having a stand is a platform for your team to demonstrate they have the expertise and the aptitudes customers are looking for.

10. Be part of something bigger. The biggest trade shows are often more than just a big hall full of products for visitors to buy. AMW aims to be a week-long celebration of Australia’s manufacturing industry. By signing up to take part, you align your brand with that industry. It’s hard to put a value on something like that. But for the price of a stand, it could be a great deal. www.australianmanufacturingweek.com.au

1382V3AMTIL

AMTIL gratefully acknowledges the support of its Corporate Partners.

AMTIL’s corporate partners offer a selection of products and services that will benefit our members in their business.

For any enquiries about our Corporate Partnerships, and how they can benefit you, contact Anne Samuelsson on 03 9800 3666 or email asamuelsson@amtil.com.au

Our Partners. Our Members.

Your Benefits.

www.amtil.com.au

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New recruits join the AMTIL team AMTIL welcomes two new recruits to its team, with the appointment of Nicholas Raftopoulos and Sarah McCormick.

Nicholas Raftopoulos has joined AMTIL as our new Sales Manager, with responsibility for all magazine advertising sales, digital solutions and AMTIL’s corporate partner program. Meanwhile, Sarah has come onboard in the role of Events Coordinator, assisting Kim Banks, Head of Events at AMTIL, in the management of our exhibitions, events and conferences.

Nicholas has a trade background within the printing industry, where he spent the last 21 years. He has a strong record of building strong, long-lasting relationships with customers, suppliers and staff, with demonstrated strengths in sales and marketing as well mentoring, training, and motivating the people he meets. He maintained a high level of customer service and satisfaction within the printing industry, which he hopes to bring to AMTIL and its members.

Nicholas will be taking over from Anne Samuelsson, who has moved into the new role of Head of Sales. Anne will take responsibility for exhibitor booking sales for AMTIL’s upcoming Australian Manufacturing Week (AMW) exhibition and various associated activities.

Nicholas Raftopoulos

Sarah is an experienced event coordinator with a background that includes more than 10 years with Australian Industry Group (Ai Group), where she was involved in organising corporate events and conferences for multiple industries, including manufacturing, government, technology, defence and sustainability and energy. Sarah brings significant expertise in organising multiple activities simultaneously, project management, and event planning.

“I’m very happy to welcome Sarah and Nicholas to the AMTIL team,” said

Sarah McCormick

Shane Infanti, CEO of AMTIL. “Both have outstanding records in customer service.

I am confident they will prove to be great assets to AMTIL as we seek to provide great value and benefits to our members.”

The arrivals of Sarah and Nicholas follow the departure of AMTIL’s membership manager David Mohorovicic, who has left to return to the power generation and heavy engineering sector, where he previously spent a large part of his career.

AMTIL wishes David all the best in his new role. www.amtil.com.au

AMTIL members brave the rain for Golf Day AMTIL members and guests descended upon Riversdale Golf Club in Melbourne on 5 February for our annual Corporate Golf Day. Despite forecasts of heavy rains on the day, play went ahead with only a few showers to contend with. After the last of the teams finished up at the 18th hole, all in attendance enjoyed a barbecue lunch and networking drinks, and the prizes were handed out. Congratulations to the team from AW Bell, who won the event’s main prize. AMTIL would like to thank the event’s sponsors: William Buck; Metal Industries Insurance Brokers;

AMT APR/MAY 2021

BMS Insurance; Automated Solutions Australia; Wadeson IP; Harry the Hirer; Dimac Tooling; and Australian Precision Technologies (APT).

Tee up in NSW While the Melbourne Golf Day went ahead, AMTIL’s plans to hold its first NSW Golf Day in several years were derailed by torrential rains on 19 March. Now rescheduled to 11 May, the AMTIL NSW Golf Day will

take place at Penrith Golf Club. Golf will commence 7.30am (with light breakfast available from 7.00am). Lunch will commence around 1.00pm as golf finishes.

For more information on the AMTIL NSW Golf Day or any of our Events program, contact: events@amtil.com.au. www.amtil.com.au/events The winning team from AW Bell.

AMTIL INSIDE

Welcome return for AMTIL networking events After 2020 was dominated by Zoom meetings and social distancing, AMTIL got back to one of the things it does best in February, with its first social networking events in a year.

Maximise Your Membership networking functions were held in Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne and Perth, with all the events drawing a strong turnout. Those who attended enjoyed a long-awaited opportunity to interact face-to-face, catch up with old friends and make new contacts from across the industry, all while enjoying drinks and snacks. The Melbourne event also included a special presentation for Paul Fowler, Managing Director of Dimac Tooling and former AMTIL president, to mark his confirmation as a life member of AMTIL at the Melbourne event. “It’s been great to get back to holding social events again,” said Kim Banks, Head of Events at AMTIL. “After all the lockdowns of the last year, it felt like there was a real appetite among our members to get back out there among their peers, and the feedback from all of the events has been really good.” AMTIL is now working on a series of further events around the country over the coming year. These include a series of Christmas in July events to be held in Sydney and Melbourne, as well as AMTIL’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), which has been booked in for 28 October at Riversdale Golf Course in Melbourne.

Details of how to register for the AGM will be circulated closer to the event. www.amtil.com.au/events

Adelaide

Melbourne

AMTIL CEO Shane Infanti with former AMTIL president Paul Fowler, who received a gift to mark his becoming a life member of AMTIL at the Melbourne event.

Sydney

Perth

Digital AMTIL – Making connections Whether it’s keeping you abreast of the latest news, or promoting your products and services to a wide audience of potential customers, AMTIL can offer a number of different platforms and channels to help.

Communicating effectively through digital platforms enables companies to communicate to a large, targeted group, increasing brand awareness and generating sales. You can market your products and services via our Product News E-Blast, a single email sent to relevant prospects within our extensive database of industry professionals.

Meanwhile our online advertising packages allow you exposure to key decision-makers from across the industry via the AMTIL website.

Updated regularly, AMTIL’s website features the latest news from across manufacturing in Australia and internationally. In addition, you can receive the latest developments direct in your inbox every Friday with our weekly email newsletter. For more in-depth coverage, AMT magazine is available in electronic format on our website.

Our online directory offers AMTIL members the chance to establish a virtual shop window for their business, in a searchable database that connects you with potential clients. Australia’s most comprehensive online industry capability directory, ManufactureLink allows potential customers to locate providers of custom processes, manufacturing services, service providers to industry participants, as well as suppliers of manufacturing technologies.

With our regular Hotspots newsletter, AMTIL seeks to alert our members to some of the opportunities that exist out there in the industry. It may be the chance to make a sale, a contract up for tender, or the very latest import statistics compiled by AMTIL. If you don’t get Hotspots, you risk missing out.

Finally AMTIL is present and active on major social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Details can all be found on the AMTIL website.

Check it out, and get your business connected. www.amtil.com.au

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New members AMTIL would like to welcome the following companies who have signed up as new members of our association.

ADDEVA PTY LTD 1462 High Street Glen Iris VIC 3146

SABRN TECH 19 Hayman Retreat Craigburn Farm SA 5051

BERRY DESIGN PTY LTD Level 2, 283 Normanby Rd Port Melbourne VIC 3207 www.berrydesign.com.au

TEKDESIGN ENGINEERING PTY LTD 34 Eades Place West Melbourne VIC 3003 www.tekdesign.solutions

PROGRESSIVE 3D 41 Marble Drive Kingston QLD 4114 www.progressive3d.com.au

UNIQUE TOOLING Unit 1, 5 Wenban Place Wetherill Park NSW 2164 www.uniquetooling.com.au

Real Business.

Real People.

Real Benefits.

For information on AMTIL membership and how your business can benefit from being part of Australia’s peak national body for advanced manufacturing, call us on 03 9800 366 or visit www.amtil.com.au

AMT APR/MAY 2021

HELLO MY OL' FRIEND

And so it begins! Round 1 of season 2021 delivered the excitement and what we've been craving – the roar of a crowd at the MCG! You really don't know what you have until it's been taken away, and to hear the thunderous 'BALLLL!!!!' in sync with live play was a great welcome back to the game of Aussie Rules!

Footy wise, well good luck in tipping the card if Round 1 was anything to go by. Sure, the Tiggies did enough to secure another season opener and both Port and West Coast will again feature in September – the standout was the Doggies excitement machine, they really missed an opportunity to embarass the hapless Magpies. How does one of the biggest clubs think they can compete with no big man upfront?

Tips wise, HarleyDavo has exploded from the blocks, good work, with six others close by. Till next time…

Sanchez ROUND 01 1 HarleyDavo1 8 (0) 2 Tungaloy Australia 7 (0) 3 Hawks-Frank 7 (4) 4 LemmyK 7 (5) 5 Raff - (Parish Eng) 7 (6) 6 BSTWJ 7 (9) 7 Rob Tirner 7 (12) 8 Optimisticagain 6 (0) 9 BLUEMARKAGEMON 6 (0) 10 Saint Schmick 6 (0)

Hotspots is proudly owned and managed

by AMTIL

We’re all about teamwork •

You need a specific component made, but don’t have the capabilities in house.

•

Your company has landed a major project, but your workshop or your workforce just aren’t big enough to handle the volume required.

•

Your business is diversifying into an area where the expertise available within the company is not sufficient.

HotSpots is a service designed to connect AMTIL members with opportunities to help their businesses grow. That piece of work that you need done might be just the sort of opportunity they’re looking for. And by featuring that opportunity as a HotSpot, you gain access to a wealth of Australian manufacturing capability and expertise.

Our regular AMTIL HotSpots email goes out to over 1,000 people every month, making HotSpots an incredibly powerful way to reach large numbers of key decision-makers from across the manufacturing sector.

Provided your opportunity meets our criteria for listing, inclusion in AMTIL HotSpots is free. If you have something you feel will meet our criteria, please forward it to AMTIL for assessment by emailing info@amtil.com.au with the subject line HOTSPOT. www.amtil.com.au/Membership/Hotspots

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INDUSTRY CALENDAR Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, many industry events world-wide have been postponed, rescheduled or cancelled, while both domestic and international travel has been severely disrupted, with many countries’ borders still closed at time of going to print. Readers are advised to check direct with all event organisers for the latest information. For up-to-date advice on coronavirus, visit: www.health. gov.au/health-topics/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov For more events, please visit www.amtil.com.au INTERNATIONAL EXPOMAFE Brazil, Sao Paulo 4-8 May 2021

IMTEX/TOOLTECH India, Bengaluru 17-23 June 2021

INTERPLAS UK, Birmingham 28-30 September 2021

www.expomafe.com.br/en

www.imtex.in

www.interplasuk.com

ALL ABOUT AUTOMATION Germany, Hamburg: 5-6 May 2021 Germany, Heilbronn: 19-20 May 2021 Germany, Essen: 9-10 June 2021 Germany, Friedrichshafen 6-7 July 2021 Germany, Chemnitz: 22-23 September 2021

ATX WEST USA, California 10-12 August 2021

EMO 2021 Italy, Milan 4-9 October 2021

www.atxwest.com/en/home.html

www.emo-milano.com

PRECISION MACHINING TECHNOLOGY SHOW USA, Cleveland 10-12 August 2021

TOOL TECH South Korea, Goyang 19-22 October 2021

www.automation-friedrichshafen.com

MACH-TECH Hungary, Budapest 10-13 May 2021 https://iparnapjai.hu/en

INTERMACH & MTA Thailand, Bangkok 12-15 May 2021 www.intermachshow.com/2021/en

METALLOOBRABOTKA Russia, Moscow 24-28 May 2021 www.metobr-expo.ru/en

MADE IN STEEL Italy, Milan 26-28 May 2021 www.madeinsteel.it/en

BUTECH South Korea, Busan 26-29 May 2021 www.butech.or.kr

JEC COMPOSITES SHOW France, Paris 1-3 June 2021 www.jec-world.events

FRANCE AIR SHOW France, Cannes 3-5 June 2021 www.cannesairshow.com

STEELFAB Arab Emirates, Sharjah 7-10 June 2021 www.steelfabme.com

FABTECH MEXICO Mexico, Monterrey 8-10 June 2021 https://mexico.fabtechexpo.com

ALL ABOUT AUTOMATION Germany, Hamburg 9-10 June 2021 www.automation-essen.de

www.pmts.com

VIETNAM MANUFACTURING EXPO Vietnam, Hanoi 11-13 August 2021 www.vietnammanufacturingexpo.com

BLECH INDIA India, Bombay 17-19 August 2021 www.blechindia.com/2021/english

EASTEC USA, Springfield 19-21 October 2021 www.easteconline.com

AI EXPO Japan, Tokyo 27-29 October 2021 www.ai-expo.jp/en-gb.html

KOREA METAL WEEK South Korea, Goyang 1-3 September 2021

PLASTEC USA, Minneapolis 3-4 November 2021 Plastics Industry trade fair/conference

www.korea-metal.com

http://plastecminn.com

MACHINEERING Belgium, Brussels 8-10 September 2021

ADVANCED DESIGN & MANUFACTURING EXPO Canada, Toronto 9-11 November 2021

www.machineering.eu/nl

FABTECH USA, Chicago 13-16 September 2021 www.fabtech-chicago-exhibition.com

EUROSURFAS Spain, Barcelona 14-17 September 2021 www.eurosurfas.com

WESTERN MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY SHOW Canada, Edmonton 14-16 September 2021 www.wmts.ca

CHINA INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRY FAIR China, Shanghai 14-18 September 2021 www.ciif-expo.com

STAINLESS Czech Republic 15-16 September 2021 www.bvv.cz/stainless

ROSMOULD Russia, Moscow 15–17 June 2021

DESIGN & MANUFACTURING/ BIOMEDEVICE USA, Boston 21-22 September 2021

www.rosmould.com

www.biomedboston.com

AMT APR/MAY 2021

www.tooltechkorea.com

www.admtoronto.com

METAL SHOW & TIB Romania, Bucharest 10-13 November 2021 www.metalshow-tib.ro

WESTEC USA, California 16-18 November 2021 https://easteconline.com

2022 MACH UK, Birmingham 4-8 April 2022 www.machexhibition.com

INNOTRANS 2022 Germany, Berlin 20-23 September 2022 Intl. trade fair for transport technology. www.innotrans.com

EUROBLECH 2022 Germany, Hanover 25-28 October 2022 www.euroblech.com

INDUSTRY CALENDAR HEADING LOCAL QLD TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE CONFERENCE BRISBANE CONVENTION & EXHIBITION CENTRE 25- 26 MAY 2021

DESIGNBUILD MELBOURNE, MCEC 11-13 OCTOBER 2021 Trends and strategies shaping the architecture, building, construction and design sector.

LAND FORCES 2021 BRISBANE CONVENTION & EXHIBITION CENTRE 1-3 JUNE 2021 International event showcasing equipment, technology and services for Australian and Indo-Asia-Pacific armies. A forum for key decision-makers, enabling government representatives, defence officials, military procurement managers and senior army officers to network with defence materiel manufacturers, equipment suppliers and service providers.

www.designbuildexpo.com.au

INTERNATIONAL MINING & RESOURCES CONFERENCE MELBOURNE, MECC 25-27 OCTOBER 2021 Includes global mining leaders, policy makers, investors, commodity buyers, technical experts, innovators and educators from over 100 countries in Australia’s largest mining event.

www.landforces.com.au

VICTORIAN TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE CONFERENCE 2021 MELBOURNE, MCEC 16-17 JUNE 2021 Victoria’s largest transport infrastructure conference. Features presentations that discuss the prioritisation, planning and delivery of critical transport infrastructure across the state. Topics covered: Transport, Ports, Roads, Railways & Airports.

AIMEX SYDNEY SHOWGROUND 16-18 NOVEMBER 2021 Showcases the latest mining technology, equipment and services.

AVALON 2021 Deferred to Nov AVALON AIRPORT, 2021 GEELONG, VICTORIA 23-28 NOVEMBER 2021 Deferring AVALON will ensure the event serves its purpose as a powerful promotional and industry engagement forum for business recovery and as a spectacular celebration of 100 years of the RAAF. www.airshow.com.au/airshow2021

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HISTORY

Big wheels & little wheels – the story of UK-born Australian Sir Laurence John Hartnett (1898 – 1986) Australia’s “Father of the Holden” and much more

DROPPING EGGS FROM THE SKY

New Guinea was one of the most horrific battlegrounds of World War II due to dense jungles, intense heat, disease, and fierce Japanese resistance. All these combined to make conditions for the desperate and dying Australians especially dangerous from 1942 when Japanese forces first landed on the island, to war’s end in 1945. In the early phases of the war in New Guinea, and despite winning some hard-fought battles, Australian troops were forced to retreat. They were outnumbered, ill-equipped, and poorly supplied. Desperately needed items included everything from food to medicines, to ammunition, to spare parts.

The brutal Kokoda Trail associated with this campaign has infamously become part of Australian history. An Australian invention, born out of these trials was the “Storepedo”: a torpedo-like, parachuted cannister dropped from a plane.

It proved to be a life-saving invention capable of safely air-dropping much-needed supplies – even delicate ones (and large ones like aircraft propellers) - to desperate Australian and Allied troops. Accurately and safely dropping 200-pound packages was no mean feat! The Storepedo was still in use at the time of the writing of Sir Laurence’s book (1964) and beyond - for emergency relief. The press at the time reported: “Americans using this device say they can drop – from a height of 500 feet – the "Storepedo" within an area of 100 by 300 feet. Impact with the ground crushes the nose of the Storepedo, compressing the air inside. At a given pressure the cone explodes, absorbing all the shock, and leaving the Storepedo intact. Stores as fragile as eggs and electric light bulbs have been dropped successfully”. Another report from 1945 noted: “This invention, details of which have just been released by the Army Department from the secret list, is one of the most simple and most valuable contributions of war equipment

by Australian ingenuity”. During the war, the Australian Inventions Directorate headed by Sir Laurence, tasked the Ordnance Production Directorate to produce this life-saver.

A

typical request from the Armed Services to the Inventions Directorate concerned the problem of getting supplies to the troops. The Air Force and the Army were dropping materials by parachute to men in forward positions, and much of the stuff was being damaged on landing. Parachutes, too, were expensive. The R.A.A.F. and the Army wanted a container that could be shot out of a plane, preferably without a parachute, which could get the stuff down undamaged and in the right spot. Some bright fellow on our staff suggested a welded-wire container. So we found a chap who had been sending in ideas involving welded wire. Our own fellow and the welded-wire man got together and

PART 42

Image courtesy Australian War Memorial

During World War 2, the Australian Inventions Directorate headed by Sir Laurence Hartnett tasked the Ordnance Production Directorate to find a way to supply the Allies with desperately-needed supplies. G.W. Griffiths, on a secondment with the Inventions Directorate, came up with the answer: a shock-absorbent, metal-band reinforced, watertight, cyclindrical container of very hard cardboard, with a hollow nose cone and a small parachute. The nose cone took a proportion of the impact and the parachute was. remarkable for its diameter of only 12ft or a quarter of the normal area. Griffiths named this an 'Aeropak', later named the Storepedo. The design was refined by printing firm Morris & Walker of Melbourne, adding a 3ft cardboard cylinder to carry 250lbs. A drop from 250 feet resulted in almost 100 per cent recovery of undamaged parcels. The Storpedo, test-dropped in New Guinea in 1944, was used

by Australian and US forces in the South-West Pacific and later to supply liberated prisoners of war in Timor following the 1945 surrender of Japan. After the war, the Storepedo was used to supply victims of natural disasters and accidents and to drop medical supplies to remote places.

The Storepedoette “blood bomb” was used by the Red Cross during peacetime for emergency blood delivery. Pictured here, on Bougainville island, Dec. 1944, are officers of the Australian military and the RAAF giving a final check to a Storepedo containing an Auster aircraft propeller which is to be dropped by a "Wirraway" aircraft to a New Zealand pilot the sole survivor of a crash-landing in enemy territory.

came up with some test containers. We went out to Laverton, near Melbourne, and we dropped the things from all heights and with all kinds of loads. There were modifications and alterations, but out of it all came the Storepedo. The gadget became the most widely used dropping canister with the British, Australians and Americans during the war, and it is still used today (1964) to drop supplies to people in disaster areas.

Some of the best ideas came to us from people in the most unlikely occupations. One of the brightest, one which had the Americans and British very excited, was for a self-seeking torpedo. The idea came from a beer-brewing mechanic in NSW.

To be continued…

This is an extract from ‘Big Wheels & Little Wheels’, by Sir Laurence Hartnett as told to John Veitch, 1964. © Deirdre Barnett.

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