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CONTENTS

Volume 22 Number 04 AUGUST 2022 ISSN 1832-6080

FEATURES AUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURING WEEK 2022 REVIEW The Sydney show was an amazing success

40

INDUSTRY 4.0 Trailblazing at Herston Biofabrication Institute What’s coming to Industry 4.0?

AM unlocks Industry 4.0 possibilities Navigating disruptive technologies in manufacturing Improving manufacturing with anomaly detection Overcoming obstacles of industrial automation Cloud as the connective tissue of Industry 4.0

52 54 55 56 57 58 59

COMPRESSORS & AIR TECHNOLOGY Specialty gas, Australian made for energy security Air spring actuators and airbags

62 64

ENERGY & SUSTAINABILITY Ocean-energy market innovation hub for WA Sunscreen for roads Sense and sustainability

67 68 70

STATE SPOTLIGHT: VICTORIA Data for every body Nanofabrication system

74 76

ADVERTISING FEATURE Markforged & Centor Global: A sliding door moment

80

MATERIALS HANDLING Intelligent workflows for gear grinding

84

WASTE & RECYCLING Preparing for climate disasters AI driving zero waste Tackling planned obsolescence Recycling solar panels 91

86 88 90

SAFETY Cranes wired for safety, pre-use tests and digitised insights

92

CUTTING TOOLS The Neologiq sequel The new generation of micro drills Cutting tool data provider and digital assistant

96 98 99

FORMING & FABRICATION Making smaller better

101

MATERIAL REMOVAL Micro Accuracy Modern punching: Metal processing easy Big Kaiser tooling technology Innovative consumables for mass finishing operations

104 105 106 107

REGULARS

Australian Manufacturing Week 2022 Review The show sprawled over 4,300sqm at the Sydney ICC over 4 days, with 170 exhibitors attracting 6,000+ visitors, presented the latest manufacturing technologies, products and processes.

52 Industry 4.0 A range of articles coving all aspects of the new manufacturing standard. This includes prosthetics, additive manufacturing and anomaly detection technology.

72 One on One: Aliza Knox Aliza Knox is the former Head of APAC Twitter, APAC and has held leadership positions for APAC at some other dynamic tech companies such as Google APAC and Cloudflare.

76 Innofocus Photonics Technology

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

6 8 10 12 14

INDUSTRY NEWS: Current news from the Industry

16

VOICEBOX: Opinions from the manufacturing industry

26

TECH NEWS: New and interesting technology

32

ONE ON ONE

72

COMPANY FOCUS

40

Innofocus has created the world’s first intelligent 3D laser nano-fabrication system and services both academia and high-end industry.

78

78

AMTIL FORUMS

106

The Holloway Group

AMTIL INSIDE: The latest news from AMTIL

110

INDUSTRY CALENDAR

120

MANUFACTURING HISTORY: A look back in time

122

The Holloway Group of companies are passionate advocates of the power of Australian manufacturing and are dedicated to bringing manufacturing back to Australian shores.

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FROM THE EDITOR PAUL HELLARD

There really are reasons to be cheerful There are examples of pivoting and reinvention of Australian manufacturing companies, pushing through the crises. We have the tools and knowhow to come out the other side using new, clean technology, even find new markets.

When speaking about the situation facing the Australian economy in the last couple of weeks, Reserve Bank Governor Philip Lowe conceded the way ahead was not for the fainthearted, “even for those of us who have a job”. Philip Lowe’s job is to ensure a “soft landing” for the economy after a dire couple of years. The trouble is the global situation keeps getting worse. There are more bumps in the road ahead than before. There are more than five major ‘unpredictable influences’ at play right now where consumer behaviour, risk assessments, re-insurance, industry confidence and policy outcomes react in negative ways.

“We’re trying to get supply and demand to increase at the same rate, and achieving that is quite difficult,” Lowe said. “It’s possible that at the same time, the unemployment rate will rise, but I don’t think it needs to rise.”

The inflation rate is at around 5.1% but the Reserve Bank has said it’ll be closer to seven by the end of the year. Official interest rates will be up at 4% just as Australians are stepping out for a Christmas break.

Editor Paul Hellard phellard@amtil.com.au Contributors Carole Goldsmith Brent Balinski Drew Turney 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

KPMG predicted in their report of 2020, Our New Reality: Prediction After COVID19, the way Australians work, buy and interact generally has changed and will continue to morph.

This in turn is driving previously unimaginable transformation of the local manufacturing industries. Supply chain concerns have invigorated the onshoring and reshoring of manufacturing projects. Great examples are Med-Con Pty Ltd, the Manildra Group and Ego Pharmaceuticals, ramping up production of surgical gowns, face masks, ventilators and sanitiser throughout this crisis, to keep hospitals, PCR outlets and other clinics supplied.

AMT Magazine is printed in Australia under ISO140001 Environmental Certification using FSC™ Mix certified paper sourced using sustainable tree farming practices

The Australian Reserve Bank has a pretty good record of edging interest rates without flattening the economy. While there have been historic missteps, which may have contributed to that 1990-91 recession “we had to have”, later on, the Reserve Bank lifted the cash rate by 1.5% and we dodged the dotcom recession. Again, the Global Financial Crisis dance was largely avoided here in Australia during 2008-09 when interest rates were hedged in increments by the Reserve Bank, and Wayne Swan gave us all cash bonuses to keep the economy moving. Those times are gone, and this time it is different.

Contact Details AMT Magazine AMTIL Suite 10, 5 Corporate Boulevard Bayswater VIC 3153 AUSTRALIA

But there are reasons to be cheerful. And hopeful. After the Federal Election we just had, there is also a groundswell of change happening right now. Just recently, the NSW Budget included $703.4m investment to establish the Future Economy Fund. This will help accelerate R&D and commercialisation opportunities across the State and build on NSW’s R&D Action Plan. Lately, Australian quantum computing manufacturer, Silicon Quantum Computing (SQC), also announced they’d developed a functional quantum processor. This will now be used to model complex molecules such as pharmaceuticals, or materials for batteries to give us a better understanding of the way the world works at an atomic level. The quantum devices created for the initial demonstration were constructed at sub-nanometre scales and the tech used here is an example of what can come out of dedicated research.

At the AMW trade show in early June, there were so many examples on the stands of pure genius, mixing nanotech development and additive manufacturing technology. Even if some organisations don’t see it as a priority, there's a compelling case for adopting sustainable, circular economic business models in this country. Many Australian companies have made the change to electric vehicles in their fleets. They utilise solar panels and batteries to run electric motors, to keep assembly lines working sustainably and cheaply.

What we are seeing in the local manufacturing industry is an eyes-open approach of quick adaption. At AMW, we saw and heard of great examples of pivoting and reinvention to get everyone through the COVID crisis, equipped to come out the other side using clean technology, into new markets not even dreamt of before.

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 $185.00 (ex GST) per annum.

Contact AMTIL on 03 9800 3666 for further information.

1653AMTAUG2022

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FROM THE CEO SHANE INFANTI – Chief Executive Officer AMTIL

Australian Manufacturing Week was a great success Australian Manufacturing Week, held in Sydney at Darling Harbour from 7th – 10th June, was a great success with the feedback from 170 exhibitors and 6099 visitors alike telling us so. I thought I would take the opportunity to thank the many organisations and people that it takes to bring a show of this size together.

To our loyal exhibitors, all 170 of you, the show obviously would not exist if you did not put the hard work in to showcasing your products. But just as important, the efforts to make the show look great are much appreciated. We had 28 custom built stands and 29 company banners rigged from the ceiling which certainly added to the great look and feel of the event this year.

To the International Convention Centre staff, we knew we had a very tight deadline to get the show in with us not able to have an extra day of move in due to another show before us. To Dewi and Stephanie, our Event Managers, thank you for working with us to deliver such a quality event. To our Operations team Jimmy, Hermann, Rick, Adrian and James, I love your problem-solving attitude. We’ve got an issue – let’s get on and fix it. To our Logistics and Dock team, Mike, Alby and your crew for the control in getting large freight in and out of the docks as efficiently as possible, even if it is 3:00am on the morning of the show and we are still bringing in a six-tonne machine just cleared through customs! To Helen, our BDM, thanks for everything in the lead up and sorry you were not able to see the show in person due to your overseas trip. To Marc, food and beverage consumption is so hard to predict. Do we cater for 500 or 2,000? Thanks to you and your staff getting it right most of the time.

To our Security Manager, Mike, Jessie, Tee, Fiona and his team. You have good staff always willing to give a smile and be polite.

Great work. To all the rest of the ICC staff – we look forward to working with you again in 2024.

To all our friends at Harry the Hirer, you have a great team. I think we may have had a crew of close to 100 people laying carpet, putting up shell scheme, electrics, rigging, furniture, custom stands. It is a much bigger operation than many think.

Many thanks to Igor, Corinne, Luke and your team looking after the build. To Travis, Steve, Derek and the team looking after electrics and rigging, another great job.

To Dana, thanks for making our show look great with the custom builds.

To the two Michaels, Stubbs and Barker, Tony, Heath and the team at GEL for organising the freight and logistics as good as ever. We certainly had some challenges this year having to freight forklifts, cranes and drivers up from Melbourne because

AMT AUG 2022

Stuart Ayres,(left) NSW Minister for Enterprise, Investment and Trade, with Shane Infanti, CEO of AMTIL.

we couldn’t get them in Sydney! Thank you for being available any time day or night.

Sector 5 didn’t get much use this year but definitely will in Melbourne next May.

fluids. To Marc at AGE Electrical for testing and tagging everything on site. To Scott at Air Liquide and Sami at BOC for providing the gas services during the week.

F Wood & Son have been doing the plumbing and air on our show forever.

Thanks to Paul, Bryan and your crew for another well-organised move in and move out.

To the NSW Government, especially Lindsay, Colin and Julie. Your support for our show and the special functions on site involving your people was much appreciated. We look forward to doing it again with you in future years.

To LUP Events, this is the first time we have used you for our registration process and you didn’t disappoint. To Jenny, Gemma and your team, all our thanks for your efforts in the lead up, on site and post show in assisting our exhibitors with their lead generation and retrieval.

To Gordon and Ignatius at Infrabuild for managing our scrap metal recycling. We look forward to working with you again. To Christian at Cryocut, thanks for the supply and removal of the cutting and grinding

Finally to my staff – Anne, Franco, Gabriele, George, Greg, Julie, Kim, Koulla, Nick, Paul, Sarah – a great effort and a great result. Well done team.

Australian Manufacturing Week 2023 will be held from 9th – 12th May in Melbourne at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

For more information go to australianmanufacturingweek.com.au

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FROM THE MINISTRY THE HON Ed Husic MP – Minister for Industry and Science

Quantum technology is the new manufacturing As Minister for Industry and Science I am keenly aware of how these two areas of my portfolio complement each other. Scientific research and technological advances are essential to development of Australian industries, including manufacturing.

My first official function as minister in early June was at a science event and on that occasion and at science events since I have also taken the opportunity to speak about industry. The Australian Government has a plan to rebuild manufacturing capability across industry sectors.

We want Australia to be known as a smart nation which makes things that are valued both domestically and internationally. We want to be makers, not takers of manufactured products.

Australia has the capability and the capacity to be a world leader in advanced industries, but we need to effectively apply these attributes. We need to be able to compete and succeed at the highest levels. Our competitors are applying technology in ways that will transform their economies and we have to do that too. At the same time we need to cooperate with like-minded countries to solve common problems.

The government aims to create a sense of national purpose, with governments, industry and researchers working together, supported by the Australian people. A big issue we have had in Australia for a long time is the brain drain. We produce so many bright people, so many innovators, but we need to be able to keep them here to help develop our industries.

Exciting things are happening in science which will have profound implications for industrial development and have the potential to provide much more work in Australia for our home-grown talent.

For example, our nation is at the forefront in the development of quantum computing and the Australian Government aims to make sure we continue to go from strength to strength in this everexpanding sector. This is because quantum technology is a big deal. It will be a game changer that allows us to move beyond the capabilities of current technologies.

Quantum computing harnesses the laws of quantum mechanics the rules which govern the behaviour of the smallest things in the universe like atoms and subatomic particles. It will deliver results far more quickly and efficiently than classical computing.

Potential quantum computing applications include artificial intelligence, defence and advanced manufacturing. The Australian Government is committed to backing critical and emerging technologies like quantum. As part of the National Reconstruction Fund the government has set aside $1bn in a Critical Technology Fund that will help support the evolution of local quantum companies.

We are also providing $4m for up to 20 PhDs in quantum research to support universities establish national research and education partnerships.

This will help to support home-grown innovation and production in areas like engineering, data science, software development, AI, robotics and quantum.

Australia’s Chief Scientist Dr Cathy Foley is leading the development of a National Quantum Strategy, building on the development of the quantum industry roadmap she led at the CSIRO. She is doing a great job and I look forward to continue to work with her in the future.

The quantum strategy will identify priority areas for investment and focus on commercialisation opportunities, supply chains and the development of skills. It will foster coordination and collaboration around efforts to grow Australia’s quantum ecosystem.

AMT AUG 2022

The quantum technology sector is growing exponentially globally and is predicted to reach $2.25bn by 2026 from $550m in 2021.

This figure will continue to grow dramatically and we are well placed to make the most of our opportunities.

Australia has only one-third of 1% of the world’s population but accounts for 4.2% of global research in this field and 11 of Australia’s universities rank above the global standard for quantum technology research.

I want Australia not only to make the most of its home grown talent in quantum but to be a destination for talent from overseas.

We have six centres of excellence in Australia where quantum is at the core of their endeavours but I want the whole nation to be seen as a centre of quantum excellence. As the go-to nation to get the job done.

The reason why I continually stress the importance of technology in the economy is that it builds sharper, stronger businesses.

The Australian Government has great confidence that our nation can be a place that makes things and employs cutting edge technologies to do so. We need, as a country, to back ourselves more.

With government, industry and researchers working together we can create clear pathways for new and emerging technologies to support world class industries.

Australia’s leadership in quantum is a model for what we can do with technologies across the board. Australians got in early and have applied themselves with great dedication and ingenuity.

Quantum is a shining example of what we can do to lay the foundations for a new era in our nation’s industrial development. industry.gov.au

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AMT magazine represents the interests of companies specifically in the machine tool, precision engineering and ancillary equipment sectors – whether they are manufacturers, importers, distributors, or general manufacturing technology companies.

AMT magazine is produced by the industry, for the industry, specifically focused on: • Exposing your business to the right markets • Targetting the key decision-makers • Instilling effective brand awareness • Growing your business.

For further information contact Nicholas Raftopoulos, Sales Manager on 0431 753 381 or email nic@amtil.com.au

*Controlled circulation is monitored and confirmed by the Circulation Audit Bureau (CAB).

www.amtil.com.au/amt

012

FROM THE INDUSTRY INNES WILLOX – Chief Executive Australian Industry Group

Gas demand roadmap needed given dire supply outlook Global conflict and a self-inflicted tight market means Australia faces high gas prices and uncertain supply for as far as the eye can see.

Today and for some time to come, gas is an essential fuel for houses and industry and a critical feedstock for products that make our economy work. It has always been seen as the best bridge between fossils and renewables as we grapple with emissions targets while seeking energy security. It has been a desperately needed backup power source as coal plants broke down this winter. And that backup role is expected to remain important in an ever-more-renewable power grid, even as the use of gas for bulk power declines sharply.

But the invasion of Ukraine has upended the future of the Eastern Australian gas market, and the roles of gas cannot be taken for granted. Europe is racing to get itself off Russian gas before it is simply cut off. Japan is facing pressure from Russia over its own gas imports. International markets look tight for a long time to come, and could easily fall into greater chaos at any moment. That means trouble for Australian gas users, and not just through the incredibly high prices that futures markets say will be with us for years.

The adequacy of supply is also threatened. The most recent Gas Statement of Opportunities projected that by 2030, one third of local gas demand in Eastern states would be met by flexible LNG imports. But in the wake of Ukraine we may not be able to secure a regasification ship; we will pay an international price for any gas we get; and if Europe-Russia confrontation escalates far enough we may find it hard to access imported gas at all. The future market balance needs to be rethought.

The Government’s recent extension of the gas export control trigger to 2030 is prudent but just one of the steps needed given the range of threats facing gas users. Emergency export control powers – while not desirable to have to use – do belong in the toolbox.

The gas trigger was originally designed to respond to the risk of actual local scarcity driven by East Coast export overcommitment.

The current design makes it impossible to use in response to the extreme and damaging prices now facing gas users. It's appropriate that the Government will consider redesigning the trigger to be more useful with respect to extreme prices. In the meantime, extending the current trigger gives a modicum of comfort given the potential for future expected supply to fall below demand.

Future supply risks involve a small chance of brief shortfalls in the next couple of winters; expected heavy reliance from 2027 onward of LNG imports that may not be available or affordable given geopolitics; and the central-scenario expectation of shortfalls from 2030 if there are no new supply- or demand-side developments.

Export controls are not a great solution to these risks. They would be disruptive to invoke, with consequences for our allies and our reputation. But they are important to maintain as an emergency response option if all else fails. That should include rewriting them so they could be invoked rapidly if necessary in response to a wider range of supply threats and extreme price conditions. An extended and reformed trigger can be a useful part of a broader strategy to meet energy users' needs.

More local supply may help, but only so much. NSW’s Narrabri gasfields are already built-in to the gas market projections, despite being not quite a done deal. Victoria’s onshore conventional gas reserves, yet to be commercially explored, could deliver up to one seventh of the gas currently expected from imports. More unconventional gas from Queensland and the Northern Territory would come at an international price and via major new pipeline investments.

AMT AUG 2022

We may need all of that new gas. But the more that we can replace or avoid through electrification, efficiency, biogas and hydrogen, the better off we will be – and the easier our emissions goals will be to meet.

Gas market projections already assume substantial reductions in gas demand efficiency and fuel switching. But those expectations are not yet matched with government policies to deliver them. It is past time for governments to grasp this nettle and strengthen policies for gas alternatives.

Victoria’s initial effort through its Gas Substitution Roadmap is nuanced and reasonably technology-neutral, unlike the push by the ACT to simply electrify all homes. In fact, one size will not fit all, and Ai Group welcomes Victoria’s openness to the full range of long-term replacements for gas.

The Roadmap also emphasises voluntary measures, with those business and residential gas users who can move to alternatives given help to do so through the Victorian Energy Upgrades program.

Those users who can’t switch – or would rather not – aren’t forced to move and would benefit from reduced pressure on wholesale markets.

This push is much more cautious than some had hoped and others feared. It is a first step. More work is foreshadowed over the coming year, including consideration of a NSW-style renewable gas certificate scheme. Costs and benefits of detailed options will need thorough scrutiny.

But we should have no doubts about this: Eastern Australia’s gas problems cannot be solved on the supply side alone. We need to look to cheaper, cleaner and more secure ways to deliver the services that natural gas provides today – and soon. High prices, looming insecurity and high emissions make it urgent to start gradually tapering our reliance on gas. aigroup.com.au

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

A National Reconstruction Fund is what Australia needs The election of Anthony Albanese’s Labor government is the first time in a long time that a new government has come to power with a positive vision for the future of our industry.

After a decade of a Liberal/National government, whose attitude to the manufacturing industry wavered from neglect and disdain, to active antagonism, we now have a new opportunity to get our industry growing.

As an industry, we will need to work together to ensure that the promise of this new government becomes a reality.

At the very least we’ve got a partner in government who have committed to put their money where their mouth is when it comes to the importance of making things in Australia.

The headline project is obviously the $15.2bn National Reconstruction Fund, which hopes to attract an additional $30bn of investment in domestic manufacturing across a range of sectors. This is exactly the sort of investment that our industry will need to modernise and secure our place as global leaders in new and emerging technologies.

For too long, our nation has not taken full advantage of our access to vital natural resources, easy access to cheap energy and a highly skilled workforce. These are three crucial ingredients for an advanced manufacturing industry that many other nations can only dream of. But despite these advantages, we’ve spent decades underinvesting in our domestic industry, seemingly content to dig up and sell resources, watching jobs and investment leave our shores.

It is worth a quick review of where those investments will be made and how they are likely to impact our industry.

After the recent shocks to our domestic electricity market – requiring the government to step in and run it themselves – the $3bn investment in our electricity network is probably the best place to start.

If we want to be a manufacturing powerhouse in the years to come, it will need to be driven by low-cost, lowemissions energy. Luckily, we’ve got better access to vast pools of renewable energy than any of our competitors – we just need to get it built. The Powering Australia policy will help to unlock billions in renewable energy investments to deliver an electricity network that will be more resilient, produce fewer emissions and drive lower prices.

That will help to establish the first key plank for a modern manufacturing industry.

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Next is the $5bn that has already been earmarked for the key industry sectors which will be the core of our manufacturing sector for decades to come, including:

receive quality training, higher wages and secure work that they deserve as important partners in the future success of our industry.

•

$1.5bn for medical manufacturing – already a big strength in Australia, but something which we can (and should) broaden and deepen, particularly coming out of the pandemic;

That is why I am very pleased to see that the new government has established plans to improve all three of these important issues for workers not just in manufacturing, but across the economy.

•

$1bn for resources so we can move up the value chain and develop domestic industries in green steel and aluminium;

•

$1bn for critical technologies like AI, robotics and more to ensure that we’ve got a presence in this growing part of the manufacturing industry;

I am looking forward to seeing how Jobs and Skills Australia, together with the Australian Skills Guarantee, will improve the skills of our existing workforce and deliver a pipeline of skilled apprentices needed for a growing industry.

•

$1bn to invest in advanced manufacturing processes to help to secure existing jobs and businesses by helping them to update their capital;

•

$500m for agriculture, forestry, fisheries, food and fibre so that we’re making the most of these primary resources and adding value here in Australia before we export to the world.

But all this money will only deliver a good outcome if it results in more good quality jobs for the highly skilled workers that are the backbone of our industry. That means that manufacturing workers will need to

The AMWU has fought for a long time to ensure that all workers doing the same work, at the same workplace, are paid the same wage. The new government’s Same Job, Same Pay guarantee will end the abuse of labour hire and contractors and improve the job security of all Australian workers, which is long overdue.

So, while there is a moment of opportunity for our industry, with a new government bringing a fresh approach to industry support, its success is by no means assured. We must work together to get our industry growing again to deliver the quality, secure, high-skill, high-wage jobs that have been a feature of our industry in Australia. amwu.org.au

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Aussie Quantum IC First quantum integrated circuit manufactured in Australia at the atomic scale.

In a world-first, Australian quantum computing manufacturer, Silicon Quantum Computing (SQC), has announced they have developed a quantum computing chip that integrates all the necessary components found on a classical computer chip but at the atomic scale, making up a functional quantum processor.

Industry and Science Minister Ed Husic, who was on the Kensington campus for the announcement of a significant technical breakthrough by UNSW Professor Michelle Simmons and the team at Silicon Quantum Computing (SQC), said the latest development is evidence of Australia’s superiority in the space.

“I want to tell you how much what you do means to the country,” said Mr Husic, referring to the SQC team gathered at the event. “You are contributing over a long period of time to something that is a big deal not just for the country, but for the world.”

Mr Husic acknowledged the work of Prof.

Simmons and the SQC researchers who announced the development of the world’s first integrated circuit manufactured at the atomic scale.

“Our quantum capabilities are clearly world-leading and building on the proud history of research excellence,” Mr Husic said. “It is a clear sign that our companies, our entrepreneurs and our researchers are some of the world’s best.”

Keeping quantum research in Australia Mr Husic also highlighted the government’s commitment to keeping talent in Australia.

The government has announced an investment of $1bn in the form of a Critical Technology Fund as part of the broader National Reconstruction Fund. This will help to support home-grown innovation and production in areas like engineering, data science, software development, AI, robotics, and quantum.

To ensure the continuous growth and supercharge the quantum computing industry, the government is providing $4m for up to 20 PhDs in quantum research to support universities as they establish national research and education partnerships.

“I want the world to know what you are doing, and I want to fight every single day to stop anyone leaving this country that’s involved in quantum,” Mr Husic said. “I want the world to come here, instead of us going there.”

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Mr Husic pointed to a range of statistics that show Australia punches well above its weight when it comes quantum research.

Australia accounts for 0.3% of the world’s population, but it accounts for 4.2% of global quantum research. Quantum technology research by Australian researchers is cited 60% more than the global average. Eleven Australian universities rank above the global standard for quantum technology research.

Prof. Simmons, founder and director of SQC, described the technical breakthrough as the biggest result of her career. “This has never been done before and nobody else in the world can do it,” Prof Simmons said. “It is a hugely exciting result and what is even more exciting for us is having done that, we have seen that classical roadmap and that we know the commercial devices that are within the next five or six years.”

Prof Simmons and researchers from SQC used the integrated processor – known as an analogue quantum processor – to accurately model the quantum states of a small, organic polyacetylene molecule, proving a pathway to creating new materials that have never existed.

The advancement is a major step for SQC and its customers to construct quantum models for a range of new materials, from superconductors, materials for batteries, pharmaceuticals, or catalysts.

“One of the most promising potential uses of quantum technology is to use one quantum system to simulate other

quantum systems. In this work, the authors considered a chain of ten quantum dots and used them to emulate the so-called SSH model,” said Dr. Charles Hill, Senior Lecturer In Quantum Computation at The University of Melbourne.

This big step forward has come less than a decade after the team’s 2012 declaration that it had fabricated the world’s first singleatom transistor and has been achieved two years ahead of schedule.

“This is a remarkable piece of engineering,” adds Hill. “The quantum devices used for this demonstration were fabricated with sub-nanometre accuracy. This experiment paves the way for larger and more complex quantum systems to be emulated in the future.”

“This is history in the making,” said UNSW Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Attila Brungs. “Today’s news puts SQC and UNSW researchers even closer to their goal and reinforces this University’s position at the forefront of quantum technology. It is the culmination of many years of hard work and is an exemplar of the power of collaboration.”

SQC is a private company formed in 2017 through a joint initiative with the Commonwealth government, UNSW Sydney, Telstra Corporation, the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, and the NSW government. sqc.com.au

INDUSTRY NEWS

Record-breaking industrial auction result Pickles strategy proves that the ‘sum of the parts is greater than the value of the business’. and On-Highway Tippers and Dogs. And when a business wins a tender, they need these assets immediately in order to fulfil the engagement.

Pickles has delivered the largest sale from a single vendor of industrial assets seen by the auction industry since the onset of COVID-19, with the total value of the assets over $22.5m.

In what is described as the strongest market for civil construction and earthmoving equipment ever witnessed by the Australian auction industry, the result has been largely driven by the current lack of global supply with large lead times on new equipment, the shortage of parts, used stock availability, and government spending on infrastructure projects.

Pickles Finance and Advisory Executive, Aiden Hsu, says the business is witnessing unprecedented returns across the whole used equipment market and that there is no better time than now for businesses and individuals to be selling underutilised or aging assets.

“Pickles has facilitated the retirement of an increasing number of generational businesses using our auction platform.

The strength of the used equipment market is continually proving that the ‘sum of the parts is greater than the value of the business’ with assets yielding a

greater return sold piecemeal at auction as opposed to the sale of a business as a going concern,” says Hsu. In this recent auction, under instruction from Wordament the liquidators of the Norris Group, Pickles sold over a thousand assets. These ranged from civil construction, transport, and waste recycling equipment to drones and light commercial vehicles, with many assets selling more than new prices.

“With an increasing number of tunnel, road, and rail projects – not to mention continuous flood repair work in Queensland and Northern NSW – there is demand for assets like Motor Graders, Skid Steers,

“The simple fact is, Australia is in the midst of a national asset shortage. There are severe shortages of late model/lowhoured equipment in the marketplace, which is driving prices sky high. In several instances, we secured sales over 130% of the asset’s original price for some of the used assets in the Norris Group Liquidation Auction,” says Hsu. “Pickles Advisory plays a critical role in providing tailored asset realisation strategies to ensure an Insolvency Practitioner’s duties are met by providing the optimal return to creditors. We understand each appointment is unique and the importance of working with our clients to ensure the right solution is delivered.

“Many Australian companies have opportunistically offloaded their fleet to unlock equity given the market’s optimal conditions,” Hsu adds. pickles.com.au

ipLaser automated quotation system Young laser guns fire up interest in time-saving quoting automation at Australian Manufacturing Week. every time, which helps build customer loyalty,” says Cooper.

A company bringing laser and plasma cutting quotation automation to Australia and globally has drawn strong interest at Australian Manufacturing Week as the industry feels the bite of labour shortages. ipCompute, which includes ipLaser and Tempus Tools, spoke with industry professionals, who were typically taking 15 to 30 minutes to produce a quote, depending on the complexity of the job, and the quality of the drawings provided by the customer. With ipCompute’s latest ToolBox quoting automation software suite, each quote can be done as quickly as 90 seconds. “People are usually sceptical that quoting can be done that quickly, but once they have a demo, then they can see the power of the ToolBox software suite.

Completing so many more quotes in an hour is particularly useful, given the average win rate of a laser job shop quote is about 30-40%,” says ipCompute Co-Founder and CEO, Ivan Cooper.

“Our research shows that you can win an additional 5-10%, without extra costs, by providing the quote within an hour,” he said.

Cooper and his ipCompute’s co-founders have a combined 100 years of experience

Skilled labour shortages drive demand for user-friendly software

in the laser industry, from operating job shops to designing and installing machines across the globe. They have used this practical, hands-on experience to shape the development of their quoting automation software, to ensure it responds to the real needs of job shops in Australia and around the world. With all this experience behind them, they have brought together highly experienced young code writers to make the most of the latest in technology to build a powerful system.

“Another major issue we’re addressing is inconsistent quoting. If three different people in one organisation quote a job, what are the chances there will be three different prices? Using ToolBox, you can configure rules to suit your business needs, and then consistent pricing is delivered each and

As ipCompute staff spoke with people at AMW, a clear theme emerged – Australian manufacturers are concerned about labour shortages. “In particular, there’s a shortage of skilled labour at the moment, and many businesses are struggling to secure or retain staff with the right training in CAD/CAM software, ERP/MRP software, estimating, and quoting,” said Cooper. “ToolBox can help these businesses continue to quote jobs, because the software has been designed to be intuitive to pick up and user-friendly for ongoing use. It’s typically all set up in 30 minutes, and ready to start quoting,” he said.

ToolBox features a built-in folding calculator and unlimited secondary processes, such as powder coating, tapping, and welding, thereby eliminating the need for solid modelling systems. It opens solid models, flattens them, and calculates the cost of cutting and folding automatically. iplaser.com

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Space Machines Company secures launch services deal with SpaceX SpaceX is to carry Space Machines' Optimus Orbital Transfer Vehicle as part of its April 2023 mission.

Space Machines Company (SMC), the Australian in-space transportation and logistics startup, has secured the support of SpaceX as a launch partner to carry its Optimus Orbital Transfer Vehicle (OTV) to space as part of its April 2023 mission. SMC's Optimus OTV is one of the largest commercial spacecraft designed and manufactured in Australia. It is a testament to the innovation of Australia's space tech sector and the sovereign capability being built by SMC. The 2023 mission will demonstrate the 270kg Optimus OTV’s ability to deliver in-space logistics services and will reinforce SMC’s strategy as a last-mile delivery services provider. The 2023 mission will also see SMC deploy solutions for foundation customers. The Optimus spacecraft’s assembly and integration will occur at the Space Machines Company facility within the University of Technology Sydney’s (UTS) Tech Lab and will demonstrate Australian sovereign access to space capability.

More than 6,000 active and inactive satellites are currently in orbit, and by 2030, there will be more than 100,000. Space will increasingly need infrastructure and logistics services to support and manage the exponential growth in satellites and debris around the globe. SMC's development of a local space logistics capacity is critical to ensuring Australia can meet this growing challenge and manage its satellites in space.

"Logistics is the new frontier in space innovation. Space-based technology underpins a lot of the daily conveniences Australians have come to expect such as weather forecasting, emergency management, internet access and online banking. To support and fully commercialise the potential of in-space service delivery, the right logistics infrastructure needs to be in place. Space Machines is leading the development of Australia's capability in this critical area and we are thrilled to be taking the next step in the commercialisation of our service with SpaceX," said Rajat Kulshrestha, CEO of Space Machines Company.

Minister for Enterprise, Investment and Trade Stuart Ayres said the NSW Government applauded Space Machines Company on its continued development and investment in Australian space and satellite technology. “Space Machines is at the forefront of Australia’s space technology and the NSW Government is proud to support its work,” Mr Ayres said. “Having previously supported the company through our Going Global Space to the USA Export Program, and as part of a remote delegation for IAC 2021, Space Machines continues to demonstrate its global value proposition and ability to advance technologies that Australians have the privilege to enjoy every day. “We rely on space and satellite technology to mitigate, manage and respond to natural emergencies, broadcast information, communicate with our loved ones, use the internet and control our finances. This latest mission sounds fascinating and I’ve no doubt that its work will help drive improvements and solutions that put Australia at the forefront of this critical need.”

The SpaceX deal follows SMC’s expansion to India, with the opening of new offices in Bangalore to foster technological collaboration between the two countries. The company has also deepened its executive and advisory teams with two key appointments. Mark Ramsey joins Space Machine's executive team as Chief Operating Officer (COO). Mr Ramsey has nearly 20 years of experience in the Space and Defence sectors, including Executive Director and General Manager of SITAEL Australia and executive roles at Lockheed Martin, Thales Alenia Space, BAE Systems and NewSat. He is deputy chair and current director of the Space Industry

AMT AUG 2022

Association of Australia (SIAA). In addition, Anthony Kittel founder and CEO of advanced electronics manufacturer, Redarc Electronics, joins SMC as an Advisory Board member.

SMC is strengthening its position as a key regional player in the space industry as it looks to capitalise on the Federal Government's $1.16bn commitment to bolster Australia's space industry. Federal initiatives such as the 16-year earth observation national space mission and the new Defence Space Command will deliver new commercial opportunities to the sector, providing space tech startups with additional support to further innovation and collaboration on a global scale. spacemachines.co

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Softmed: Hiring of displaced Ukrainians supports war-devastated country Australia’s largest PPE manufacturer, Softmed, has recently employed 15 displaced individuals who have escaped the war-torn country of Ukraine.

The new employees will be working across different areas of manufacturing within the factory. Softmed has ensured that the workers are assigned to carry out tasks they have previous experience in, whilst giving them the opportunity to up-skill.

General Manager Sergiy Tsimidanov says he has personal ties to the shocking events happening in Ukraine.

“I am from Donbas in the Southeast of Ukraine; it is upsetting to see my country at war. I want to be able to help in any way I can. We are providing these people with so much more than a job, we are giving them the resources to start their lives again in Australia,” said Tsimidanov.

The 15 new employees will be joining an already multicultural workforce of 300-400 staff. Softmed prides itself on its culturally

inclusive work environment with 11 different languages being spoken within the facility, including Brazilian, Arabic, Japanese, Russian, Spanish, and Ukrainian. Softmed has shown its dedication to supporting the public, first through its efforts to supply crucial PPE gear during the height of the pandemic, to now doing its part to help the people of Ukraine.

Tsimidanov says the company wants to help the people of Ukraine by providing employment opportunities that allow them to integrate smoothly into the Australian workforce. The privately owned company was created by two immigrants, so they understand the firsthand struggles new residents to Australia can face when leaving their home country. Softmed cannot wait to support the 15 newest additions to their team settle into their new role and home. softmed.com.au

Big benefits from small scale projects Scale-ups and start-ups collaborate for rapid prototyping and micro manufacturing project in Mackay.

A new pilot project for the Mackay Isaac Whitsunday (MIW) region will see participating local businesses design and produce their own printed circuit boards, electronics, and sensors in a shared micro manufacturing facility located in Mackay’s CBD. The Rapid Prototyping and Micro Manufacturing Collaborative Pilot project seeks to remove a significant gap in the design and manufacture of small-scale electronic products and pave a pathway for scale-up and start-up businesses to grow and diversify.

The project, funded by METS Ignited and Mackay Regional Council, is being facilitated by Split Spaces and Resource Industry Network and adds to the already impressive manufacturing capability and diversification efforts of the MIW region. The collaboration is actively seeking additional partners to join leading industrial IoT company Vayeron in utilising a new robotic Pick and Place machine to produce printed circuit boards, electronics, and sensors in a shared facility at Split Spaces to gauge the viability of a common micro manufacturing facility for the region.

The new clean room facility holds a NeoDen pick-and-place machine for circuit board assembly in printed circuit board manufacturing.

A robotic placement head picks up electronic surface mounted technology components and places them on a printed circuit board, then a soldering oven reflow station completes the process. With headquarters in Mackay, globally focused technology company Vayeron was the first business to come on board with co-founder and CEO Ryan Norris saying the project boasts many benefits for local METS businesses. “It means we have a local capability to develop new product designs, prototype and manufacture them; not just for our local market but for our international customers,” he said.

Split Spaces Community Manager Tegan McBride said the project was a significant milestone for manufacturing capability and diversification of the MIW region and was in line with Australia’s transition to Industry 4.0. “The ability for our region to perform high tech manufacturing, alongside our existing manufacturing sector,

AMT AUG 2022

shows the potential for our region to service new customers, bigger projects, and boast a more diverse industry base. The success of the pilot project could also provide a solution to certain supply chain issues experienced by SMEs and start-ups in the past couple of years,” Ms McBride said.

Resource Industry Network General Manager Dean Kirkwood said the project was an extension of some of the great work already being undertaken by the organisation’s members. “It reinforces the potential that this type of manufacturing has for the region and provides a ready-to-go platform for other businesses to undertake diversification. “The good news is that there are still places available in the project so if you want to investigate this line of manufacturing for your business, get in contact today.

“This project encourages a collaborative approach among local businesses, and we look forward to it driving innovation and helping facilitate entry into new markets for our SMEs,” Mr Kirkwood said.

Mackay Regional Council Mayor Greg Williamson said council, along with a number of key partners, was proud to support this innovative and cutting-edge project not just for our region, but for Queensland and Australia. “The Rapid Prototyping and Micro Manufacturing Regional Collaboration Pilot Project is a real collaboration between industry, government and business to provide an opportunity to prototype, trial, and manufacture right here in Mackay,” Mayor Williamson said. “The 12-month trial will provide important information about the demand for the project, future viability and will guide the project operations for the future,” he said. METS Ignited CEO Adrian Beer describes these projects as critical enablers for our region. “We have a rich supply of skills and capability embedded in our regions. This project enables our regional capability to expand and scale, which will not only benefit Queensland but our entire economy,” Mr Beer said.

The Rapid Prototyping and Micro Manufacturing Collaborative Pilot is part of the METS Ignited Bowen Basin Cluster Program. greaterwhitsundayalliance.com.au

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Using a SIMPLE solution to solve complex manufacturing problems A tailored approach to developing manufacturing solutions specific to regional communities has been announced.

The University of Southern Queensland will lead the Sustainable Industry Manufacturing Planning for Long-term Ecosystems (SIMPLE) Hub, focused on developing new products and processes to support regional manufacturing priorities such as waste recycling/ upcycling, with the outgoing Federal government announcing the Regional Research Collaboration program funding. $3.35m has been earmarked for the SIMPLE Hub with University of Southern Queensland as project lead and partners Southern Cross University, University of Queensland and West Virginia University, USA. University of Southern Queensland Vice-Chancellor Professor Geraldine Mackenzie welcomed the announcement. “This project builds on our research strengths and industry partnerships focused on regional opportunities to enhance manufacturing in a sustainable way, thereby building capacity both for the University and our region,” Professor Mackenzie said.

Project lead Associate Professor Polly Burey said regional Australia faced obstacles and opportunities that needed approaches tailored to non-metropolitan settings.

“Manufacturing contributes about 6% of Australia’s GDP, covering a range of industry sectors such as recycling/clean energy, food and beverage, the resource sector and more,” Associate Professor Burey said.

“External factors such as COVID-19 and extreme weather events have exposed the vulnerability of national and global supply chains that keep the manufacturing industry moving, including getting products to customers (for example, food on grocery shelves or building supplies for the construction industry).

“There is a great deal of work being done in this space, but a tailored approach is needed to develop solutions specific to

A view of USQ's SIMPLE Hub Hypersonic Lab.

AMT AUG 2022

regional communities and build cross-sector industry ecosystems that support new circular economies.”

Associate Professor Burey said the SIMPLE Hub would simplify regional research collaboration in manufacturing by bringing a range of initiatives under one umbrella.

“Together with multi-sectoral industries, we can develop new products and processes to support regional manufacturing priorities such as waste recycling/upcycling,” Associate Professor Burey said.

“Our current external partners include Oilfield Piping Systems, Darling Downs Health, Jennmar, Impacts, Venlo, Plungie and Australia Sunlight group, and we also have the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) and CSIRO on the advisory committee.”

Associate Professor Burey said the SIMPLE Hub would also create a workforce pipeline to support the sector, with a focus on training of industry-ready researchers.

“Ultimately, we want to train and empower the innovators for regional manufacturing industries into the future,” she said.

“From undergraduates to PhD, postdoctoral researchers and beyond, the program researchers will be supported to develop advanced technical research skills and future career strategy.

“As part of the strategy we will engage with summer research scholars to work on multi-disciplinary research teams and co-locate with industry partners in implementing their research projects.”

The Regional Research Collaboration program funds research collaboration between universities, industry and other higher education providers, improving support for regional areas by strengthening rural research capacity. usq.edu.au

GOVERNMENT NEWS

Night-time solar Manufacturing thermoradiative diode semiconductors to capture photons to generate electricity.

Australian construction tech company PT Blink has continued to deepen its leadership bench with the appointment of renowned digital product pioneer Paul Kouppas as Director of Product Innovation. Kouppas brings to PT Blink more than 20 years’ experience in successfully leading teams to build and launch cloudbased solutions including Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) applications and products spanning wearables, web, mobile and Internet of Things (IoT).

It may sound like a contradiction in terms, but Australian researchers have made a major breakthrough in "night-time solar" technology.

In what they claim is a world first, a team of researchers from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) has demonstrated that solar power can be generated at night.

"In a sense, we've only been dealing with half of the opportunity, when we use photovoltaic solar cells to collect sunlight [during the day]," project leader Associate Professor Ned Ekins-Daukes tells ABC RN's Drive.

In a new study published in ACS Photonics, the team used a thermoradiative diode (a semiconductor sensor found in existing technologies like night-vision goggles) to capture photons leaving Earth along the infrared spectrum and converted them into electricity.

Australia is one of the world's biggest adopters of rooftop solar. Since 2001, the number of customers with solar panels has ballooned to more than 3 million. And in 2021, there was a

record uptake of more than 3,000MW of rooftop solar installed by Australian householders.

Professor Ekins-Daukes stresses this new "night-time solar" technology is still very much in its early days.

"We've just demonstrated that this is possible. Right now, the device we've made is relatively low power. [But] this is to be expected when you're at the very early stages," he says.

“I’m excited to be joining such a unique and ambitious technology company as PT Blink with a clear mandate to benefit all stakeholders in the construction process,” says Kouppas.

“Combining proprietary software and structural hardware technology enables us to offer a collaborative, end-to-end solution from design to manufacture and integration. I look forward to evolving the platform with the team to enable anyone, anywhere to build faster, safer, better and with less waste.”

Kouppas joins PT Blink most recently from leading games engine platform Unity Technology and combines expertise in digital engineering and building information modelling (BIM), real-time 3D experiences in the AEC industry.

“Paul Kouppas brings invaluable perspective and capability to our development team at just the right time,” says PT Blink CEO, Ashley Brinson. “He really gets our mission to create a frictionless experience that maximises the benefits of the Blink DMITM methodology for all stakeholders in our ecosystem. ptblink.com

Victorian company to send baby formula to the US after approval.

Australian company Bubs will send more than a million cans of baby formula to the US to help ease a critical shortage.

An Australian baby formula company has sealed a mega deal to send more than a million tins to desperate parents in the United States, with President Joe Biden spruiking the deal on Twitter himself.

“I’ve got more good news: 27.5 million bottles of safe infant formula manufactured by Bubs Australia are coming to the United States,” Biden tweeted.

Bubs Australia manufactures its baby formula product, including goat’s milk formula, at a Dandenong factory in Melbourne’s southeast. Founder and chief executive Kristy Carr started the business in 2006 from her kitchen table in Sydney’s northern beaches.

The company has recently secured approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), allowing it to export six of its baby formula products to the US to help fill the country’s dwindling shelves. About 500,000 tins are ready to be sent to the US from Bubs Australia’s Dandenong factory, with another 750,000 being produced for export in the coming months. In mid-June, the second aircraft, containing around 85,000 tins of Bubs Infant Formula, under ‘Operation Fly Formula’ will depart Melbourne to Columbus, Ohio.

All six Bubs Infant Formula products, plus two Aussie Bubs Toddler Formula products, will be distributed to about 800 Walmart stores in around 20 US states.

The FDA recently relaxed some importation rules for infant formula to deal with the shortage. Previously, 98% of the baby formula consumed in the US was made within the country.

“We were actually the first infant formula manufacturer in the world to submit our application to the FDA under this new infant formula enforcement discretion policy,” Carr said.

“This was a very unique opportunity, a substantial deal and a turning point for Australia.”

Carr said Bubs Australia already distributes formula for toddlers in the US, meaning the company had already been through many of the rigorous regulatory processes required to export products to the US. She said it would otherwise have taken up to three years to gain FDA approval.

A major US baby formula manufacturing facility in Michigan was closed in February following reports of rare bacterial infections in four infants, worsening a shortage that began with pandemic supplychain issues.

“This week, we’re seeing reports of up to 70% of brands out of stock [in the US],” Carr said. “This is something that the Biden administration and the FDA are all taking very, very seriously and are pulling out all measures to be able to rectify the situation very quickly.”

The shortage has caused a deep wave of alarm amongst US families. “I think it’s a really important time for an Australian quality food manufacturer that is clean and safe and reliable supply chain to be able to step up and help relieve some of those shortages,” Carr added. bubsaustralia.com

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INDUSTRY NEWS

New flour mill bringing manufacturing jobs to Ballarat A major investment by one of the largest food manufacturers in Australia and New Zealand is creating a jobs boost in Ballarat, thanks to backing from the Andrews Labor Government.

Minister for Industry Support and Recovery Martin Pakula has announced the Labor Government’s support for George Weston Foods’ new Mauri flour mill in Ballarat and production expansion across regional Victoria.

The $132.9m investment by George Weston Foods will create 220 jobs in Ballarat – which includes a transfer of 46 jobs from an existing flour mill in North Melbourne.

Building the new, state-of-the art flour mill in the Ballarat West Employment Zone will create up to a further 320 jobs during construction. ‘’We’re supporting investments like this because they help strengthen the local supply chain and Victoria’s position as a leader in food manufacturing,” said Minister for Industry Support and Recovery, Martin Pakula. “A major company like George Weston Foods choosing to expand in Victoria will drive economic growth in our food manufacturing sector and create new jobs across the state.”

George Weston Foods’ new investments across Victoria include a new national Tip Top boutique bakery in Bendigo, relocating its Golden Crumpet manufacturing line from Adelaide to Dandenong, upgrading its Don KRC business in Castlemaine to grow exports and expanding its Yumi’s plant in Hallam to increase production.

As well as securing the company’s long-term future in Victoria, the expansion will also support more than 1,300 Victorian businesses and farmers who supply and work with George Weston Foods.

“We are excited to be investing in the future of sustainable agriculture and food production in Victoria,” added George Weston Foods

Chief Executive, Stuart Grainger. “This new flour mill, together with other investments, enables us to continue to grow our Tip Top, Abbotts, Don and Yumi’s brands whilst also being better able to serve the needs of our Mauri customers.”

The company will join many other successful regional food manufacturing businesses in the Ballarat West Employment Zone, including Kookas Country Cookies and Luv-a-duck.

George Weston Foods employs 3,000 staff across eight sites in Victoria and is one of the largest private sector employers in the state with half of its workforce employed in regional Victoria.

Victoria has the largest and most established food and beverage manufacturing sector in the nation, valued at around $38bn and employing around 72,000 people. development.vic.gov.au

Contactile raises $3m to accelerate development of tactile sensor technology Technology tackles complexity of human manipulation, enabling robotic dexterity.

Australia-based company Contactile has closed $3m in seed funding to develop and pilot tactile sensors that give robots a human sense of touch and enable robotic dexterity. The round was led by Silicon Valley's True Ventures with participation from Flying Fox Ventures, Radar Ventures and UNSW Founders, the last of which is a program launched by the university where Contactile's three co-founders developed the company's core technology.

What makes Contactile's sensor technology superior is its ability to measure 3D forces and torques, partial slip and friction — all essential parameters for enabling robotic dexterity.

“To hold an object without letting it slip from our grasp, we squeeze it with our fingers,” said Dr. Heba Khamis, Conctactile co-founder and CEO. “When an object is heavier, we squeeze harder, and when an object is slippery, we squeeze harder. People know how hard to squeeze an object because they can feel the weight and the slipperiness by touching the object. But robots haven't been able to feel these things before now.”

Khamis co-founded Contactile with Benjamin Xia, CTO, and Associate Professor Stephen Redmond. The three co-founders have been developing tactile sensors together for eight years, beginning at UNSW Sydney, where they each studied or taught, and performed research in electrical, software and biomedical engineering. Together, they've developed deep expertise in human tactile physiology, artificial tactile sensing, signal processing and machine learning, and control.

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“We're delighted to partner with True and this amazing group of investors, each of whom brings deep experience in different aspects of rapidly scaling businesses,” said Khamis. “They understand the massive opportunity in robotics and the need for smarter, more flexible and more reactive robots that can help do the jobs that are too dull, dirty and/or dangerous for people to do.”

While robots currently on the market can pick up and place items, they must be precisely programmed for every object they encounter; they cannot adapt to pick up new objects without new, more advanced programming. As such, their behaviour is un-humanlike and incapable of complex manipulation. Opening jars, turning door handles, and even operating tools are triumphs. Contactile’s technology enables robotic grippers to autonomously handle objects never before encountered but also to perform more complex manipulation through touch sensor feedback, enabling robots to use their ‘hands’ in a more flexible, versatile way.

Contactile is looking to solve both short-term and long-term problems – from warehouse fulfillment – e.g., autonomous gripping of thousands of unique products in a grocery store – to space applications – for example, versatile robots for building infrastructure on planets other than Earth. contactile.com trueventures.com flyingfox.vc

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VOICE BOX OPINIONS FROM ACROSS THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY

Let's be prepared for the next big thing How increasing investments in risk resilience can help Australian organisations avoid pre-pandemic unpreparedness.

Helen Sutton, Senior Vice President of EMEA & APAC Sales at Dataminr gets ready.

The lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic continue to surface—chief among them is the need to improve risk preparedness as it plays a critical role in ensuring business resiliency.

It’s a lesson that Australian organisations learned early on. Before the pandemic, two in three of those organisations had a continuity plan in place, but only half of the plans included a pandemic scenario.

This left them vulnerable to both the effects of COVID-19 and the pandemic’s cascading risks, such as supply chain disruptions, staffing shortages and spikes in cyber crime.

However, even after a pandemic fueled two-plus years, investment in business resiliency remains relatively low among Australian businesses, according to a recent study of more than 300 Australian corporate security decision makers. The study, which was commissioned by Dataminr and conducted by Antenna, surveyed the decision makers on how their business has managed risk and resilience over the last 18 months—and which risks they expect to continue to face throughout 2022.

Let’s take a look at the study’s key findings and what they reveal about Australian organisations’ ability to navigate today’s evergrowing risk landscape.

Detecting risks and disruptive events While 75% of organisations believe that business risks have dramatically increased, a third are still not confident about their ability to identify risks and events in real time. And, only 19% strongly agree that their organisation has the ability to comprehensively and continuously discover risk indicators that may impact their business.

This is concerning given that the importance of identifying and reacting to business risks in as close to real time as possible has grown exponentially—and the types of risks organisations are faced with are increasingly complex. Corporate security leaders can stay ahead of such risks with real-time alerting tools like Dataminr Pulse.

For example, with Pulse, our Australian corporate security customers know first and react faster to potential threats and crises as Pulse detects these risks far in advance of traditional public information sources. In return, many customers have reduced the financial damage associated with being unprepared for major crises and disruptions.

Focusing on the right risks The study found that over the past two years Australian businesses have mostly built resilience around COVID-19 risks. This created a significant blindspot as attention must also be paid to the plethora of other risks that continue to threaten business operations and continuity.

Here’s how Australian corporate security leaders prioritized risk: •

COVID-19 related risks, 67%

•

Staff retention, 45%

•

Supply chain disruption, 40%

•

Cyber crime, 40%

•

Climate change, 25%

•

Unknown risk, 20%

Unknown risks are those that have not yet come to light. And while hard to anticipate, Australian corporate security leaders that embed real-time information tools into their workflows can easily spot such risks and determine the potential impact of each.

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Investing in risk management 64% of Australian organisations are confident that they have what they need to effectively manage risk in 2022, yet almost a third have zero investment in risk resilience. This indicates a significant disconnect between what businesses have invested in (or not) and the level of confidence each has compared to the reality of the market.

This gap puts Australian businesses at risk of returning to prepandemic levels of unpreparedness. It’s not enough to believe the right risk management strategies and capabilities are in place.

Significant investment in risk management tools and strategies is a must if organisations are to have the flexibility and preparedness needed to remain resilient in the face of known and unknown risks.

Also key is how responsibility for risk management is distributed throughout an organisation. 72% of Australian organisations have given existing employees additional risk management roles and responsibilities and 71% have created a risk management team.

This is a positive sign as it indicates Australian businesses are relying less on external experts and resources (50% hired external professionals), choosing instead to focus on upskilling employees and spreading responsibility for risk management across multiple functions.

While Australian businesses have made progress in strengthening their resiliency, the study shows us that many still have a fair amount of work to do to be truly resilient.

Download the report from: https://explore.dataminr.com/c/ covid-19-and-business-resilience-in-2022 dataminr.com

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VOICE BOX OPINIONS FROM ACROSS THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY

Innovations for the future of Australian manufacturing Are Australian manufacturing companies ready for what is required to come back from the brink?

Greg O'Loan, Regional Vice-President (Australia and New Zealand) for Epicor Software, looks at the trends.

It will come as no surprise to anyone that Australia is no longer the manufacturing powerhouse it was in the 1950s and 1960s.

Manufacturing currently makes up only 6% of Australia’s GDP, and as a country we only produce 68% of what we use. In fact, the OECD recently ranked Australia last in manufacturing self-sufficiency amongst OECD countries.

Real time manufacturing data can also enable companies to diagnose problems and take corrective actions, allowing them to find solutions and iron out issues before they occur.

Nor is Australia unusual in this regard. Since the 1970s, companies in the US, Europe, and Australia have outsourced their manufacturing to countries that are able to provide better value for money when it comes to production. In recent years however, there has been a subtle shift. The US-China trade war, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine have resulted in shortages of everything from commodities like oil and wheat, to technological staples like microchips and semi-conductors.

Use robotics, automation, and interconnectivity to save on costs

A study by McKinsey in November 2021 found that up to 90% of companies were looking to onshore some of their manufacturing processes, and with the new Australian Labor Government promising to invest $1bn in Australian manufacturing, the local manufacturing sector might well be ready to stage a comeback.

A boom in manufacturing will ultimately be good for the Australian economy, and as the dust clears from this year’s Australian Manufacturing Week, here are five ways that Australian companies can help create the future of manufacturing:

Play to manufacturing strengths Australia has already seen significant growth in the creation of renewables, the manufacturing of industrial machinery with sophisticated or make-to-order production lines, and the production of fabricated metals that use local materials. In addition, the previous Coalition government invested heavily in aerospace and defence manufacturing, which has in turn led to significant growth in these sectors.

Australian companies could follow their European counterparts manufacturing specialist, high-end biotech and green technology products. However, a world in which Australia produces electric vehicles, solar panels, and pharmaceuticals for the rest of the globe, we would require the current Australian Labor Government to create a supportive government policy that provides the incentives that the corporate sector needs to justify substantial investments.

Boost productivity by capitalising on the latest technology As Australian companies consider onshoring their manufacturing, this can often be a good opportunity to introduce technological innovations into the production process in ways that boost productivity by using less labour and space.

In particular, companies that are able to harness the latest technology, such as digital twinning, predictive maintenance, and 3D printing techniques can lower their production costs and improve their environmental sustainability. While the factories of the past were focused on streamlining their production systems and processes, the factories of the future will be driven by data.

Data analytics tools such as scenario analysis and probabilistic modelling can help connect the top floor to the shop floor, giving companies better insight on their manufacturing operations.

Having a smart factory floor means that companies will be able to optimise their inventory planning, manage their stock, and ensure optimal order fill rates, all of which will keep customers happy.

While global shortages, supply chain issues, and inflation are all pushing companies to bring their production lines back onshore, the process can be complex.

Companies that are looking to bring their production lines back onshore will have to contend with issues such as energy and energy costs, and manufacturers will consequently need to find cost savings to compensate for the increased expense.

Introducing robotics into a production line can help to save on labour costs, while shifting to cloud-based connectivity can help to improve scheduling, and Australian companies that are looking to onshore are already bringing these technological innovations into their production lines. The shift towards smart machines and digital connectivity has been evident for some time now, with a Gartner survey in 2020 finding that 47% of companies intended to increase their investment in IoT. The importance of this trend was very much reflected in this year’s Australian Manufacturing Week, and as the benefits of automation and end-to-end connectivity have become increasingly obvious to companies around the world, Australian manufacturers will need to adapt if they do not want to be left behind.

Address labour shortages within the Australian manufacturing sector For Australian companies looking to onshore their manufacturing operations, the high cost of labour, and the ability to attract and retain talent will be key challenges. The labour shortage is real, and Australia still lacks the highly skilled staff that it needs to create and sustain a modern manufacturing sector.

Australia as a country will need to reconsider the role of skilled migration in addressing this issue. However, this is a long-term strategy that will require time to implement. In the meantime, Australian manufacturers can work on retention strategies, and continue to invest in upskilling their existing staff.

Here again, technological innovations can be a useful aid. Cloud technology can help companies to stay competitive by making it easier for employers to offer staff members the flexible, work-fromanywhere environments that they have become used to. Advances in virtual and augmented reality make it easier for manufacturers to train their workers while they’re on the job. In addition, building data analytics and visualisation into company software allows employers to have better oversight of staff performance, enabling them to make faster and better staffing decisions.

With all of this in mind, the crucial question then for Australian companies: Are you ready for the manufacturing comeback? epicor.com

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VOICE BOX OPINIONS FROM ACROSS THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY

Debt collection woes How manufacturing businesses can prevent bad debt. Emma Berry, Business Development Manager at CreditorWatch gives some well-heeled advice.

For the vast majority of business owners, debt collection is not something you want to spend too much time dealing with. Whether you’re in it, chasing it, or just trying to stay one step ahead of it, you probably feel that the hours grappling with outstanding payments could be better spent working on your business.

But the fact is, debt is an inevitable by-product of being in business.

The minute you start extending credit and dealing with multiple stakeholders, you are exposing yourself to credit risk. It’s only a matter of time before unpaid invoices and debt collecting agencies are part of your daily routine. While this is true of all businesses, there are certain aspects of the manufacturing industry that make it especially high risk.

The longer a debt remains outstanding, the harder it is to recover.

In this article, we will share advice on how you can use due diligence measures like requesting a credit check or credit score to keep your manufacturing business from being sunk by bad debt.

Reliance on complex supply chains

How to prevent bad debt and get paid faster

Running credit checks on all your business partners is the most effective way of reducing credit risk, but that’s often more complicated than it sounds. The manufacturing industry is particularly susceptible to credit risk, and recent global events have made it even more so. Part of the reason for this is that many manufacturers are heavily reliant on global supply chains, which often involve a complex network of contractors and sub-contractors, second and third-tier suppliers, and various other stakeholders. Keeping tabs on all of them is a huge undertaking.

While you can’t eliminate all credit risk, you can minimise the severity and frequency of bad debt and limit its ability to impact your business. The most effective way to do this is by first of all performing a thorough credit check for every business you deal with before extending credit to them. The second is to optimise your debt collection process, which will allow you to recover your money quickly wherever possible.

Delving into the credit history of each of these entities takes time and money. For this reason, many manufacturing companies don’t request a credit report or credit score for their partners and customers, or they will only request them for the companies they deal with directly, assuming those companies will perform their own due diligence. Needless to say, this isn’t always a safe assumption, and what you don’t know absolutely can hurt your business.

Staff shortages Another problem in the manufacturing industry is that, unlike other sectors, the majority of the work cannot be performed remotely.

While the COVID-19 pandemic saw some entire industries move to a remote working model, this was not possible for manufacturers.

In order to create their products, staff and materials need to be on site. Staff shortages can lead to serious disruptions with farreaching consequences.

Financial mismanagement Along with these challenges, manufacturers are subject to the same issues arising from financial mismanagement that can befall any business. Poor communication, weak credit policies, and inefficient debt collection procedures can lead to outstanding bills and missing payments. Many business owners will not even notice that a particular client’s payments have become increasingly unreliable until they receive notice that that client has liquidated their business.

Credit checks are indispensable when it comes to safeguarding your business against bad debt. However, there is no such thing as zero risk. Even when all necessary precautions are taken, you can still find yourself holding the check when the unexpected happens.

This is why efficient debt collection needs to be a cornerstone of your financial strategy.

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Due diligence CreditorWatch offers a number of highly effective tools for the purpose of due diligence. Our comprehensive credit reports provide you with a detailed financial history of all the businesses you are dealing with.

RiskScore, the most predictive credit score on the market, takes data from our 55,000+ customer base and over 11m trade lines to calculate with accuracy the likelihood of a company defaulting on their payments in the next 12 months. A Financial Risk Assessment evaluates a company’s financial health and their chances of leading your business into financial hardship.

Monitoring and debt collection tools Our systems include interactive trade programs like DebtorLogic to keep you updated about changes to the financial health of your partners and customers. You can also set alerts so you are notified of any adverse behaviour or high-risk indicators, such as court actions or default notices from other companies. You can then prioritise collections for those businesses and change your payment terms to stay ahead of bad debt.

AI technology is used to automate the debt collection process, saving time and money associated with the administrative costs of trying to recover bad debt. Periodic reminders, overdue notices, letters of demands, and official payment default notices let your customers know you’re serious, and the CreditorWatch name carries the weight to get their attention. Our customers average a 53% increase in recovering payments when they use the CreditorWatch logo on their statements.

So much of the manufacturing sector depends on events in the wider world, but credit checks and debt collection are two factors you don’t need to leave up to fate. creditorwatch.com.au

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VOICE BOX OPINIONS FROM ACROSS THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY

Moving to the cloud and S/4HANA with the right data Brent Paterson, Managing Director Australia and New Zealand, SNP Group has some advice for manufacturers about the move to SAP S/4HANA. In 2027, organisations using SAP’s enterprise resource planning (ERP) central component (ECC), along with other legacy products, will no longer provide support for these products. While SAP may potentially issue bug fixes or patches in exceptional circumstances after this date, manufacturers who haven’t transitioned to a new ERP solution could be opening their business to security and operational risks. Finding a new solution is essential to avoid these risks and, whether moving to SAP S/4HANA or a different cloudbased solution, it's important to make this move sooner rather than later.

While it may be tempting to wait until the 2027 deadline, doing so will reduce the amount of time available to make a wellplanned and staged transition before support stops altogether. For manufacturers who choose to delay, the quality of decision-making may be impacted with an increase in cost and a challenge to find SAP partners who are available to manage the process.

Instead, manufacturers should start the planning process now so that the transition can occur in an orderly and low-risk manner.

Starting with the end in mind How the transition is conducted is less important than achieving the organisation’s goals once the transition is complete. There is no one-size-fits-all approach that manufacturers can take to get to S/4HANA. Instead, it’s essential to start with those end goals in mind and consider what the organisation is looking for from its ERP architecture. Then, the transition plan can be mapped out in a way that delivers maximum value.

For example, if a manufacturer is looking to make faster decisions around which products to make or which suppliers to use, then they need to be able to examine relevant data and use the insights from that data to make better decisions. To achieve this, they need to understand what data will be required, then ensure that data is migrated over to the cloud and S/4HANA. Most manufacturers, especially if they’ve been using ERP and other manufacturing management solutions for some time, will have a massive amount of data on hand. Most of this data will remain relevant to the business and should be moved across to S/4HANA. For example, it could include manufacturing quantities and sales, logistics information, supplier data, and more. This information is invaluable for strong decision-making.

However, migrating all of the organisation’s data may not be feasible.

Migrating non-essential data can incur costs around infrastructure and data storage. It can also increase the amount of downtime that occurs when the manufacturer cuts over from the old system to S/4HANA. This should be a key consideration for manufacturers because every moment that a facility isn’t operating costs money, and the delays in being able to supply products can potentially damage the organisation’s reputation.

The importance of minimising downtime With downtime being so costly on a number of fronts, manufacturers must find a way to minimise downtime in the S/4HANA transition.

With data playing a key role in how much downtime occurs, it’s crucial to determine what data must be migrated and to seek a deployment that minimises disruptions. Ideally, this should include near-zero downtime.

Near-zero downtime is challenging but can certainly be achieved.

It hinges on a carefully considered data migration plan, which prioritises high-quality data that can be put to use to drive stronger decision-making. Data shouldn’t necessarily be automatically carried over from existing ERP systems. Instead, the deployment team should analyse historical data and identify the most valuable data to migrate well before making the transition.

This can seem like a daunting task for manufacturers whose core business is not data management or technology migration, but making products. Diverting resources away from manufacturing activities towards the transition to S/4HANA can compromise the business’s ability to grow and protect its revenue streams while transitioning.

For this reason, it’s crucial to work with a data transformation specialist who can help manufacturers understand their data and determine how to treat that data before transitioning to the cloud and S/4HANA. The right partner will help manufacturers maintain compliance over supply chains and maximise the benefits of their ERP solution. For manufacturers who rely on SAP now, and who will rely on S/4HANA in the future, it’s also important to choose a partner with deep expertise in S/4HANA and data management to achieve the best possible outcomes. snpgroup.com

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VOICE BOX OPINIONS FROM ACROSS THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY

Albanese's Made in Australia future calls for a localised and resilient supply chain The need to redevelop our supply chains has grown exponentially by a geopolitical environment that is becoming more hostile to global trade, says Paul Soong, Regional Director at E2open ANZ. The topic of supply chains has quickly moved from a subject for the board room to something now discussed around most people’s kitchen tables. Global threats from COVID and diplomatic trade tensions have exposed companies to costly disruptions, trickling these expenses down the consumer with headline inflation in Australia spiking to a startling 5.1% between March 2021-2022. With the general public now intimately aware of how fragile our supply chains can be, they are swinging to leaders who are making developments in supply chain resilience and optimisation, and businesses must follow. Our new Albanese Government has created big plans for the supply chain industry, developing a local spending and procurement program worth $15bn under its ‘Made in Australia’ Plan. Pertaining to small and large businesses alike, this is an opportunity to utilise our local markets, pathways and partners and leverage innovative technologies to mitigate the risk of future external impacts through a more robust network.

Identifying alternative sources The need to redevelop our supply chains has grown exponentially by a geopolitical environment that is becoming more hostile to global trade. Overseas suppliers of key resources are becoming major supply chain vulnerabilities and organisations have even had to adjust to shorter leading times and a much faster turnover of goods as a direct result from changing consumer demands. Diversifying supply chain partners will ultimately help ease the pressures businesses are experiencing across the networks by providing sources that allow for greater visibility, control of goods and the ability to resolve problems quickly. However, despite these clear benefits, it is the consumer that is ultimately driving this case in Australia.

According to recent research from Roy Morgan, 90% of Australians aged over 14 say they are more likely to buy products made in Australia, which is a sharp 88% increase over the past four years.

Consumers have been becoming well aware of the environmental and health benefits of local goods and have shown a greater willingness to support local businesses. Looking towards suppliers that are sustainably sourced and developed will help build consumer confidence that is needed more than ever with the consumer sentiment index dropping nearly as low as the levels seen in the height of the pandemic.

It’s clear that companies who don’t build new commercial relationships as part of their core value proposition will feel the impact in terms of both reputation and revenue in the future.

Optimising Australia’s manufacturing sector With businesses now looking to new, more reliable suppliers, there is still little growth or options offered in our manufacturing sector.

Currently, 98% of trade in Australia is connected to or reliant on sea freight in some way which has led to businesses becoming heavily reliant on distant suppliers. This over-dependency ultimately led to the demise of Australia’s manufacturing sector with its GDP falling from 30% in the late 1950s, to a shrunken 5.5% in 2021.

Of course, Australia did not feel the true impacts of this until the last two years with barriers faced in getting goods on and offshore causing a ripple effect along the entire supply chain. According to the OECD, Australia ranks last in manufacturing self-sufficiency and without support to advance this sector, Australia will remain in this vicious

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cycle of high vulnerability in times of crisis and poor supply chain visibility. It is now no longer about competing with other countries but instead we must focus on becoming resilient. A new report from the Centre of Future Work reveals that $180bn in new sales, $50bn in additional GDP and over 400,000 new jobs can be achieved if we rebuild our manufacturing sector back to a size proportional to our national needs. While it seems our sector is far from reaching this goal, the government’s initiative will provide an opportunity for the manufacturing sector to finally transform and become resilient.

Investing in a $1bn Advanced Manufacturing Fund, the main efforts will focus on rebuilding Australia’s industrial base that will create new capabilities to develop transport, resources and renewables. The key to this plan is creating local job opportunities and implementing advanced technologies such as AI and automation so that each stage of the supply chain has more granular accuracy lending abilities. Such a significant investment in labour and local resources will finally allow for businesses to diversify their operations in more robust relationships.

Where automation technologies fits in Whilst the lingering impacts from the pandemic are still a challenge for supply chains, businesses are at their strongest when using technology to find innovative solutions to problems. The Labor government’s Critical Technologies Fund of $1bn will give the manufacturing sector the well-needed boost to implement sophisticated AI technologies to optimise their operational and industrial processes and ensure visibility across the supply chain.

A key challenge for manufacturers is the high costs and labourintensive tasks that are required across multiple stages of production.

However, AI and robotics technology can enable companies to automate these routine activities to lower costs and allow for human resources to be optimised in a more valuable and effective way.

Through predictive learning, AI can forecast demand for products and pricing efficiently and identify failures at a granular level, to allow for more streamlined operations with minimal business disruption.

With this technology set to greatly transform how manufacturers operate, its main purpose will be in refocusing human effort to create more innovative results and solutions that will significantly advance the sector.

The solution is clear and strongly supported by our federal government: redefining our networks, applications and use of data can achieve greater supply chain velocity, minimal disruption of goods and a future economy of resilience. e2open.com

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VOICE BOX OPINIONS FROM ACROSS THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY

CX-led digital transformation will deliver market success to Australian manufacturers One of the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak has been the acceleration of Australian manufacturers’ digital transformation initiatives. Jason du Preez explains.

The outgoing Federal Government recently committed $750m towards turbocharging advanced manufacturing, recognising that Australia needs to have more on-shore capabilities.

In addition, the Federal Government will invest $44m in four new artificial intelligence (AI) and digital capability centres, with grants of up to $11m available for groups that “apply AI in ways that either advance the national manufacturing priorities set out under the Modern Manufacturing Initiative, or the Digital Economy Strategy’s digital growth priorities.”

The pandemic has fundamentally changed how we work and live, and has driven accelerated adoption of digital channels such as eCommerce and social commerce across multiple industries.

Australian manufacturers have pivoted their businesses to ride out the challenging environment. Many have responded to rapid change by shortening their supply chain, placing emphasis on justin-time deliveries, and creating value for their customers. While this started before the pandemic, the trend towards direct-to-consumer selling (D2C) has accelerated and is set to continue.

The pandemic has put a universal pressure on the need to maximise convenience and speed. Regardless of where your company operates or manufactures its goods and services, manufacturers that remain frozen with a fragmented, outdated, and incomplete view of their customers will see their competitors accelerate away from them and create an insurmountable gap that cannot be closed.

Advantages of digital transformation Manufacturers that invest in digital transformation to significantly improve the accuracy and completeness of their customer data will improve customer retention and acquisition and increase revenue share. CRM systems enable manufacturers to intuitively store customer details, such as addresses, telephone numbers, key contacts, purchase history and more. This data can be particularly beneficial to sales agents as it allows them to understand a manufacturer’s customers better and identify opportunities to drive additional revenue.

Innovations in Artificial Intelligent (AI) have moved the dial on customer experience (CX) efforts. AI is single-handedly putting CRM back at the heart of CX, providing the foundational technology needed for manufacturers in Australia to drive engagement and deliver experiences that keep customers coming back for more.

Many Australian manufacturers are still wrangling ERP systems with limited functionality. Others who have moved to using a CRM, haven’t integrated their CRM with other ERP systems to create a uniformed data view.

With marketplaces more competitive than ever, customers are in the driver’s seat, not businesses. That’s why manufacturers must do all they can to stand out from the crowd, or risk finding themselves irrelevant.

One way that Australian manufacturers can differentiate is by consistently providing an amazing CX. By doing so, businesses can even look to add a price premium. According to research by PwC, valued customer experiences can allow companies to charge up to a 16% price premium on products and services, and reap the benefit of improved customer retention from increased loyalty.

By consistently providing an exceptional customer experience, manufacturers can boost customer retention, improve customer satisfaction and increase up-selling and cross-selling.

Manufacturers need to be consistent with their customer experience approach across every customer touchpoint/channel. This is increasingly important as firms roll out new ways to connect with their customers such as eCommerce websites, self-help portals and automated chat facilities.

It’s no good providing a stellar experience when the customer first reaches out and then falling short with your online ordering offering or after-sales service. Once customers have had an exceptional customer experience, they expect it for every interaction regardless of the medium or channel.

Customer interactions should always be consistent, personalised and customised. For manufacturers, acknowledging the customer’s history with the business is paramount. Manufacturers need to have mechanisms in place to quickly bring up basic information such as how long they have been a customer, their purchase history/ preferences, any issues they’ve had in the past. Having this digital intelligence ensures a seamless overall customer experience.

CRM data can also be used in the development of new products and solutions based on customer needs. Such tools automatically capture customer information and instantly present it in an intuitive way, so the departments that need to take advantage of it can do so effortlessly.

The key to creating an amazing CX is knowing your customer.

By collecting high quality customer data and ensuring it can be easily retrieved and used, manufacturers can understand their customers’ needs and deliver products and services across multiple channels. Digital transformation efforts that are customer-centric ensure an optimised CX ultimately improve customer retention and increase revenue.

Jason du Preez is Senior VP, Asia Pacific, SugarCRM sugarcrm.com

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TECH NEWS

USA: Diamond mirrors for high-powered lasers

Australia: SPEE3D's ‘revolutionary’ cold spray nozzle

Most mirrors used to direct laser beams in high-power continuous wave (CW) lasers are made by layering thin coatings of materials with different optical properties. But if there is even one tiny defect in any of the layers, the powerful laser beam will burn through, causing the whole device to fail. Now, researchers have built a mirror out of diamond. By etching nanostructures onto the surface of a thin sheet of diamond, the research team built a highly reflective mirror that withstood, without damage, experiments with a 10-kilowatt Navy laser.

Previously SPEE3D machines printed copper, aluminium and aluminium bronze. But now, after the release of the Phaser nozzle, even hardier materials including stainless steel, titanium, highstrength aluminium and nickel-based carbides may be printed.

Using compressed air, the PHASER nozzle can effectively deposit material four times faster than the speed of sound at much hotter temperatures, up to 800 deg.C - without the reliance on nitrogen and helium for cold-spraying. With Phaser, printing in a vast range of new materials is possible. This nozzle enables the rapid creation of more parts for industries in severe conditions, high stress, shock loads, and abrasive environments, in industries such as space, defence, auto racing, mining, and maritime.

Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences

SPEE3D

Illustration of a high-powered continuous laser hitting nanostructures on a diamond mirror.

Canada: Direct sound printing a potential game-changer Most 3D printing methods rely on light or heat-activated reactions.

Now a new technology called direct sound printing (DSP) has been developed, which uses soundwaves to produce objects. DSP relies on chemical reactions created by fluctuating pressure inside tiny bubbles suspended in a liquid polymer solution. If a certain type of ultrasound with a certain frequency and power is used, very local, very focused chemically reactive regions can be created.

The bubbles are “reactors” to drive chemical reactions to transform liquid resin into solids or semi-solids. The reaction time is so brief the surrounding material is not affected. DSP’s versatility will benefit delicate equipment, as well as aerospace, as ultrasound waves penetrate opaque surfaces, allowing maintenance of parts deep within an aircraft’s fuselage.

Concordia

International: Materials for storing flammable industrial gases An international research team involving the CNRS, Air Liquide and the University of Kyoto has demonstrated the very promising capabilities of a new family of materials for storing flammable gases such as acetylene. These new materials are nanoporous and flexible and can be modified to improve the adsorption of small molecules at the temperature and pressure conditions required for industrial applications. Scientists demonstrated their ability to capture and release acetylene - for a given volume, they could store and release 90 times more acetylene. It is even possible to recover 77% of the gas stored in a cylinder – far more than with existing porous materials. These materials belong to the family of Metal-Organic frameworks that form nanoporous crystal structures. The MOFs studied during this work have the peculiarity of being flexible, and thus offer two states: "open" and "closed", facilitating gas storage and release respectively.

CNRS

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Ireland: 100% electric foiling workboat Artemis Technologies has launched its 100% electric, high-speed foiling workboat prototype on Belfast Lough, Ireland, bringing the company one step closer to providing high-speed zero-emission maritime transport to the masses. The 11.5m vessel named “Pioneer of Belfast” is powered by the revolutionary Artemis eFoiler® system, which enables the prototype to fly over the water, using significantly less energy than a conventional workboat and includes high-speed recharging technology. This prototype, a first of its kind in the commercial workboat sector, is the largest electric foiling vessel in the world. Electric-powered hydrofoils, attached to the hull with vertical struts, hoist the boats above the water. The vessels are then pushed upwards by these underwater wings, being driven up and out of the water as they pick up speed, enabling the boat to travel almost silently as its hull is no longer being forced to part the waves, reducing operating costs dramatically.

Artemis Technologies/Sky News

Germany: World's first urban bike made from recycled plastic igus has unveiled the world’s first urban bicycle made from recycled plastic and will make the concept and components available to all bicycle manufacturers. The concept of a robust, durable urban bike made entirely of plastic, from frame to bearings to toothed belt is a world-first. The bike can be kept outdoors in all weather and be cleaned with a hose. As all components are made of plastic, no part of the bike rusts, even the gears – bicycle gears made of plastic were unthinkable. Lightweight, lubrication-free high-performance plastics

TECH HEADING NEWS are used in all parts of the bicycle. All of the components have integrated solid lubricants which ensure low-friction dry operation – without lubricating oil. The first model should be available by the end of the year. Other versions, such as an e-bike, have also been planned. igus

doesn’t propagate smoothly, making it hard to accumulate the amount of energy needed for the resin to solidify. A solution was attempted that would allow fabrication of objects without losing the advantages of the 3D printer. The solution was quite simple.

First, they used a video camera to observe the light’s trajectory through the resin and then designed computer calculations to compensate the light-ray distortion. They programmed their printer to run these calculations and correct the light rays, ensuring the amount of energy needed to solidify the resin would be reached at the desired spots. By adjusting the computer calculations, the engineers were able to print objects in opaque resin with almost the same precision as for transparent resin.

Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)

USA: Dissolving implantable device relieves pain without drugs No corrosion, maintenance or lubrication: igus presents the world's first urban bike made from recycled plastic.

Saudi Arabia: World’s largest solar steam plant Saudi Arabian Mining Company (MA’ADEN) and industrial solar steam specialist GlassPoint have signed a MoU to develop the world’s largest solar process heat plant. The 1,500MW solar steam facility, to be developed at MA’ADEN’s Alumina refinery, aims to help MA’ADEN achieve sustainability goals by reducing carbon emissions by over 600,000 tons annually. The new facility will be known as MA’ADEN Solar 1 and will allow steam, produced through solar power, to refine bauxite ore into alumina. Saudia Arabia has unveiled the Saudi Green Initiative (SGI) to advance the country’s sustainability efforts, last year announcing a first wave of more than 60 initiatives amounting to a $186bn investment to accelerate the green economy across Saudi Arabia and beyond. The MOU will allow the company to enter a new phase of growth, helping a range of industries to decarbonise.

A team has developed a small, soft, flexible implant that relieves pain on demand without the use of drugs. While other cooling therapies and nerve blockers have been tested, all have limitations that the new device overcomes. The biocompatible, water-soluble device works by softly wrapping around nerves to deliver precise, targeted cooling, which numbs nerves and blocks pain signals to the brain. It contains a liquid coolant that is induced to evaporate at the specific location of a nerve and tiny microfluidic channels.

One channel contains the liquid coolant. A second channel contains dry nitrogen. When the liquid and gas flow into a shared chamber, a reaction occurs that causes the liquid to promptly evaporate. Simultaneously, a tiny integrated sensor monitors the temperature of the nerve to ensure that it’s not getting too cold, which could cause tissue damage After the device is no longer needed, it naturally absorbs into the body.

Northwestern University

The Engineer

USA: Robot overcomes uncertainty to retrieve objects Building off previous work, MIT researchers have developed a new system – FuseBot - that can efficiently retrieve any object buried in a pile. As long as some items have RFID tags, the target item does not need to be tagged for the system to recover it - the algorithms reason the probable location and orientation of objects under the pile. Then FuseBot finds the most efficient way to remove obstructing objects and extract the target item. This reasoning enabled it to find more hidden items than a state-of-the-art robotics system, in half the time. This, plus its use of RF signals, gave FuseBot an edge over the system that used only vision. FuseBot extracted the target item successfully 95% of the time, compared to 84% for the other system. It accomplished this using 40% fewer moves, and was able to locate and retrieve targeted items more than twice as fast.

MIT

At its widest point, the tiny device is just 5mm wide. One end is curled into a cuff that softly wraps around a single nerve, bypassing the need for sutures.

“Currently, the intermediate modulus carbon fibres are only available from overseas supply chains that face frequent disruptions. By developing these fibres on Australian soil, Thales is establishing an innovative capability that can be applied to other small arms products across civil and defence sectors” - Graham Evenden, Thales Australia’s Director, Integrated Weapons & Sensors, in relation to Australianmanufactured bespoke carbon fibres by Thales Australia for overwrapped gun barrels which will reduce the thickness of the gun barrel, resulting in a lighter product with increased precision. The collaboration with Deakin will develop a niche, high-quality product with significant export opportunities.

Switzerland: Objects 3D-printed in opaque resin A 3D-printing method has been developed that uses light to make objects out of opaque resin in seconds. Whereas most 3D printers work by depositing a material layer by layer, this one uses a volumetric method. Until now transparent resin was used, but now, opaque resin was attempted. The challenge is that the light

Production of carbon fibre

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PRODUCT NEWS

Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligences’ Absolute Arm at full protection Extra protection with world’s first IP54-rated measuring arm from Hexagon.

Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division has announced the introduction of full IP54 protection for its latest range of Absolute Arm models, together with other usability improvements and compatibility with the HxGN SFx | Asset Management service. From ultra-high-accuracy probing with the Absolute Arm Compact to highproductivity 3D laser scanning with the Absolute Arm 7-Axis and Absolute Scanner AS1, every new Absolute Arm model will be fully equipped for the demands of measuring and monitoring in the most challenging measurement environments.

An IP54 protection rating is a market first for portable measuring arms and comes alongside a further environment-related improvement that sees the system’s maximum operating temperature increased to 45°C. Together with the Absolute Arm’s already excellent portability and versatility, these updates complete a package that is perfect for the demands of the hot and dusty environments into which metrology-grade inspection is increasingly being taken in locations all over the world.

“In the last few years, we’ve seen a migration in where our arms are being used,” explains Anthony Vianna, Product Director Portable Measuring Arms at Hexagon. “Whereas once most arms would sit in a nice clean metrology room, today we see them used on shop floors, in foundries, and close to machining

centres. That’s why this update to the Absolute Arm is so important – we want our customers to go into those environments and more with total confidence that they can measure anywhere.

And this pairs with another trend we’ve seen in the last few years – the popularity of the Absolute Arm with smaller customers who maybe don’t have the infrastructure of larger companies, including things like adequate air conditioning in measurement areas. Of course, the world is changing, and new markets are appearing all the time, so it’s important to us that we listen to those customers and deliver improvements that are meaningful for them.”

On-site measurement with the Absolute Arm is further facilitated in these new models by the significant connectivity improvements Hexagon has delivered since the current generation was first launched. With the CP-W Wireless Pack – also IP54 rated – every Absolute Arm boasts full-speed performance all the time, even when high-speed scanning over a wireless connection. This is yet another feature that makes the Absolute Arm the perfect portable measuring arm for non-traditional measurement applications that require taking metrology beyond the quality room. hitechmetrology.com.au

Certification of Crosbe grout and mortar Specialised Australian grout & mortar manufacturer Crosbe achieves first product certification under new PT Scheme.

Australian manufacturer of cementitious grouts & mortars Crosbe has received product certification for the production and supply of pre-bagged grout material to CARES Appendix APT03 for use in post-tensioning systems.

Post-tensioning is a form of active concrete reinforcement widely used in commercial buildings, infrastructure, and residential apartment blocks as it provides design flexibility and speed of construction. The new CARES Australian Post-tensioning Scheme covers both safety-critical installations as well as products entering the supply chain.

Crosbe company founder and Managing Director Albert Haddad says that the Crosbe team is “very supportive of the rigorous certification process and encouraged by a scheme that raises the standard of quality, professionalism and safety within the industry.” In developing the scheme, CARES engaged with a range of stakeholders including structural engineers, major contractors, clients, the Post-Tensioning Institute of Australia (PTIA), and the Australasian Certification Authority for Reinforcing and Structural Steels (ACRS).

Extensive public consultation was also undertaken by CARES on the scheme’s technical requirements to ensure the needs and expectations of all stakeholders were addressed.

The new scheme covers: •

Production and supply of prestressing anchorages for posttensioning systems

•

Production and supply of prebagged grout material for use in post-tensioning systems

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•

Supply and installation of post-tensioning systems in concrete structures (excluding highways structures)

•

Registration scheme for competent post-tensioning personnel.

Several documents deal with various aspects of posttensioning of flat slabs; however, none comprehensively deals with the technical aspects of post-tensioning in building construction. As a result, CARES has produced a model specification as a guide to specification writers, which takes account of regional specifications and state building control requirements.

A similar CARES PT scheme to the new one recently launched in Australia has been operating successfully in the UK since 1999.

Crosbe has several specialist products that have been developed and manufactured in Australia for post-tensioning.

“Our range of post-tensioning products are made on-site at our state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in the Sydney suburb of Seven Hills. We follow strict quality control plans and utilise our in-house NATA lab to ensure our products consistently meet key performance criteria,” added Haddad. crosbe.com

PRODUCT NEWS

A Mazak for Metzke in WA A big Mazak for a big West Australian mining equipment manufacturer World-leading manufacturer of drilling equipment for the mining industry, Metzke Pty Ltd has invested in Mazak's VTC-800/30SR vertical traveling column CNC machining centre, ideal for manufacturing extremely long and heavy workpieces.

Professional Measuring Instruments

The Mazak VTC-800/30SR is a highly versatile machine with a large working envelope, 3m of X-axis and 800mm Y-axis travel. The machine features a high speed 40 Taper spindle and a swivel spindle head (B Axis). The swivelling head provides B-axis movement for reduced set-up times and the optional Mazak NC-Rotary Table makes available full simultaneous 5-axis machining of complex features and contours for further enhanced productivity.

The roller gear cam design swivel head and rotary table delivers improved accuracy and repeatability due to the backlash free design, which allows the machining of complex features and contours. With an optional table partition, the long machine table can be transformed into two separate work areas.

The machine also delivers fast rapid traverse rates to reduce noncut times. Metzke was founded in Perth, Western Australia in 1978 and has established itself as a leading designer, manufacturer and supplier of RC drilling equipment, RC sampling systems and drilling consumables.

Metzke supplies mining and drilling companies worldwide with innovative solutions, setting the standard in the manufacture of drilling equipment.

Metzke's reputation in design and innovation has seen most of the major international capital equipment manufacturers utilise Metzke to design and supply safer drilling technologies for their products.

Metzke has a long and ongoing association with John Hart and Mazak, going back to 1991 when they purchased their first Mazak, a Quick Turn 28 lathe which is still in operation today.

Matzke chose the latest Mazak over other brands because they already had Mazak machines that have been operating in the business successfully for over 30 years.

Metzke also stated that the increased machining capability plus the ability to bring existing sub-contract work in house were the main drivers behind this latest Mazak investment. The Mazak has a longer bed length and a partition that allows multiple jobs to be run consecutively, thereby improving productivity and output capabilities.

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.

Metzke will be utilising the Mazak VTC-800/30SR for low to medium volume machining of parts that would otherwise require multiple set-ups, such as parts for exploration drill rigs, down hole drilling consumables and sampling systems.

The large table area allows for multiple set ups and the large 48tool magazine with tool ID software saves time setting up tools.

The factory fitted touch sensor significantly improves set up times.

The fifth axis gives greater machining capability and flexibility and Virtual machining software reduces programming time and improves training outcomes.

Metzke was impressed by the comprehensive proposal by John Hart, outlining all of the key operating and safety features, along with the costings involved, making the purchasing decision a very well-informed process. John Hart backed that up with world-class installation, commissioning and training which were key to ensuring that the new machine was operating as efficiently as possible from the get-go. metzke.com.au johnhart.com.au

Available now at:

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PRODUCT NEWS

The key to more sustainable watchmaking PolyCrystalline Diamond (PCD) veined CoroDrill 862 micro drill offers a way forward for manufacturers.

Can luxury watchmaking go green? While there’s a growing onus on watchmakers to be more sustainable, they must also fashion masterpieces of micro engineering from some of the world’s toughest materials, like ceramics. But these materials can cause serious issues with regard to tool life.

James Thorpe, Sandvik Coromant’s Global Product Manager, explains how its CoroDrill 862 micro drills can give enhanced wear resistance for more sustainable production.

Perhaps the most extreme recent example of sustainable watchmaking is the socalled Garbage Watch by Vollebak, a radical design-led British clothing brand that makes clothes and accessories using emerging materials with new technologies and processes. Vollebak says its products are ‘of the future’ while also being sustainable. Despite its name, the Garbage Watch is a coveted made-to-order item that has featured in the world’s top design publications.

“I thought, you must be able to build a watch out of e-waste,” Vollebak cofounder Nick Tidball told Esquire magazine earlier this year. Esquire’s article mentions findings from the UN’s Global E-waste Monitor report that a record 54m tonnes of electronic waste was generated by all industries globally in 2019, which was up 21% in five years. Precious metals with a value of $1.7bn were recovered from this e-waste, but this was only 17% of the total recyclable amount. The overall value of the precious metals would have been closer to $10bn.

This figure shows how far the industry is falling behind in making full use of recyclable e-waste. But steps are being made to rectify this, including by watch manufacturers.

Let’s look at another e-waste material: ceramics. This is solid compounds that consist largely of inorganic and non-metallic components bound by strong chemical bonds. They are fully-recyclable and are becoming more popular among watch designers. According to SwissWatchExpo, advantages of ceramics include their exceptional hardness, especially when compared to steel and gold, and they are a good material for all-black watches which continue to gain in popularity.

But ceramics are often very difficult to machine. As confirmed by a study by the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the BMS College of Engineering in Karnataka, India, it states, “Machining of ceramics is also plagued by surface damage, excessive tool wear, and edge chipping when machined using conventional techniques.”

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Ceramics are tough to machine but increasingly used in all-black luxury watches.

BMS College’s report identifies achieving dimensional accuracy and minimising collateral damage, such as surface cracks, as the main challenges of machining ceramics.

BMS continues: “Nonconventional techniques such as electric discharge machining (EDM) and abrasive water jet machining are characterised by poor surface finish and excessive occurrence of pits, respectively,” and neither obstacle is conducive to sustainable manufacturing. How can watchmakers overcome these challenges?

Drilling ceramics The answer lies in more wear-resistant tools. Sandvik Coromant has evolved its tool offering by introducing two new micro drill families to its product range, CoroDrill 462 with -XM geometry and CoroDrill 862 with -GM geometry, which each offer a wide range of cutting diameters and lengths. Both tools are designed to be ideal for precision machining in industries dealing with small parts, while also offering more sustainable performance.

In particular, each tool is designed to offer superior wear-resistant properties that deliver outstanding performance with challenging materials within all ISO applications areas, including ISO P, M, K, N, S, O and H. This is further enhanced by the option of purchasing the micro drill with a polycrystalline diamond (PCD) vein cutting edge. Based on successful tests of PCD drills on micro parts made from platinum, Sandvik Coromant has found that PCD is up to 100 times more wearresistant than solid carbide and, in addition, is more accurate and can produce tighter tolerances than solid carbide tools. The tools are also suitable for machining

ceramics and semi-fired ceramics. In one test, a Sandvik Coromant CoroDrill 862 tool with a veined PCD cutting edge was used in a horizontal machining centre to drill 8.38mm deep blind holes in an alumina ceramic workpiece, a fine ceramic material well-known for its chemical and physical stability, with no pecking. The tool was run at a diameter (Dc) of 1.70mm, a cutting speed (vc) of 53m/min and a feed rate (fn) of 0.025 mm/z.

In the end, 933 holes were drilled, and the hole quality and tool life were both excellent.

Aside from these results, the key takeaway is the lifecycle advantages of the CoroDrill 862 micro drill. Customers can achieve longer-lasting, reliable, and predictable performance that better-complements the plant’s sustainability strategy. Sandvik Coromant’s engineers also recommend PCD to those seeking to drill micro-sized holes in notoriously difficult-to-machine materials, such as titanium, aluminium, glass and ceramics.

As with macroscale applications, the importance of coolant must also be considered in microscale applications like watchmaking. It’s critical to have quality coolant delivery to effectively evacuate chips when performing deep-hole drilling with micro tools.

The features and performance of veined PCD for extended tool life, are shown to overcome the machining challenges posed by tough materials like ceramics.

Sandvik Coromant’s expanded CoroDrill family of tools show that more productive and sustainable production processes are available and can help contribute towards a greener future for watchmakers. sandvik.coromant.com

PRODUCT NEWS

Mi-CON modular conveyor Extensive conveyor range another part of Enmin’s equipment portfolio.

The role of the Bag Compaction Conveyer is to assist with shaping and conditioning the bag to achieve the maximum net volume of material, thereby maximising profit. This process in turn improves bag presentation for packaging and a reduction in transportation costs through greater space utilisation.

Whilst Victorian-based Enmin is an acknowledged leader in the manufacture of vibratory equipment, perhaps less well known is the extensive range and types of conveyors they also manufacture.

These include models that improve bag presentation to maximise net volume, improve packing utilisation and reduce shipping costs.

Enmin’s Mi-CON modular conveyor is the first ever hygienically designed full washdown system to offer multiple standardised components.

The flexible modular design coupled with a range of standard parts and components, ensures suitability for multiple applications.

Mi-CON is the only conveyor system on the market that can be delivered flat packed in a box, allowing fast and cost-effective delivery and simple installation by the customer’s maintenance team.

It can also be delivered to the customer partially complete or fully complete for quicker installation and commissioning.

The Mi-CON is available in Plus, Mini and Reversing models. Other Enmin conveyors include Accumulation, Bag Flattening and Compaction models.

Accumulation Conveyors serve two prime functions: one being bulk storage of product and the other having the ability to slowly meter the product into subsequent handling operations.

Anyone involved with vertical bag filling, knows that in many cases the result is a pear-shaped bag which causes subsequent packaging into cartons or onto pallets more difficult. To overcome this problem the Enmin Bag Flattening Conveyor when incorporated into the conveyor line automatically shapes the filled bag using Enmin’s unique controlled vibration and pressure action. This in turn provides a reduction in transportation costs through greater space utilisation.

All Enmin conveyors are manufactured to comply with the stringent hygiene standards of the Australian Food and Pharmaceutical Industries. The simplicity of the design results in ease of cleaning and minimal maintenance. Like all Enmin products, their robust construction guarantees outstanding reliability and durability.

“Our range of conveyors can be integrated into any production line and are designed to maximise production efficiencies and condition bags for optimum volume content and improved packing utilisation. Coupled with our extensive range of vibratory equipment, drives and controllers we can design a complete materials handling line for just about any application and environment,” Gallahar concluded. enmin.com.au

● Beautiful Quality Spot Welds ● Eliminate Distortion & Misalignment ● Minimise Sanding & Grinding ● Reduce Setup & Process Time ● Achieve Weld Position Accuracy

● No Burn on Stainless Steel Welds ● “Easy Setting” Touch Screen Control ● Select Material Type ● Select Material Thickness ● Start Welding with Confidence

Models to Suit most Applications including Aluminium Manufactured in Japan by Koyo Giken Co., Ltd MySpot® is produced in a variety of sizes and configurations, including pedestal style.

Please visit www.koyogiken.co.jp/en/ for detailed information & latest technology

Jim’s Machines and Accessories Authorised Sales & Service Agents Australia and New Zealand Call: +61(0) 414 646 212 Mail: info@jimsmachines.com.au

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PRODUCT NEWS

Australian company Elsight frontrunner in drone delivery revolution Look up in the sky! Is it a bird, a plane or pizza? - as drone delivery of KFC, Roll’d and Coles takes flight in Australia, and Domino’s looks to restart its air-drop service in New Zealand.

There’s likely to be a smorgasbord of other options on the drone delivery menu, with an Australian-listed company already a forerunner in the more advanced US drone delivery sector.

As businesses battle over last mile delivery, major players in retail, food and healthcare around the world are turning to the convenience and cost efficiencies of drones.

While drones have been around since the mid-1800s, COVID19 and the subsequent rapid take-up of online shopping has accelerated their lift-off into the daily lives of people across the globe.

Other tailwinds for drones include greater consumer demand for speedy delivery, plus mounting concerns about the financial and environmental costs of road transport.

The global drone transportation and logistics market is now projected to reach $70bn by 2028, from $21bn in 2021. That’s a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.4% during 2022-2028, according to MarketsandMarkets analysis.

So far in Australia’s still nascent drone delivery sector, KFC is partnering with Wing (a subsidiary of Google owner Alphabet) to air-drop fried chicken in the Brisbane suburb of Logan in a trial, with Wing hoping to expand to more suburbs soon. In Canberra, Roll'd Vietnamese food chain’s drone delivery service is becoming a hot favourite.

Also in the national capital, supermarket giant Coles is collaborating with Wing so customers can get 250 grocery items delivered by drone in a pilot program that started in March.

Given main rival Woolworths puts a lot of its efforts into luring away Coles’ customers, it’s highly possible that Woolies will follow Coles’ lead. Across the ditch, Domino’s is again investigating drone delivery in NZ after lifting the payload capacity to 3.5kg and expanding production. This latest initiative follows the roll-out of the world’s first pizza delivery by drone from one of its New Zealand outlets in 2016.

Major Chinese companies such as Alibaba and JD.com have been using drones to deliver items to customers in hard-to-reach rural areas since before 2017. They’re also used, for example, by leading Indian food delivery company Zomato. Also in India the World Economic Forum’s Medicine in the Sky initiative is delivering vaccines and medicine to remote areas by drone.

Doctors Without Borders has tested them to help tackle tuberculosis in Papua New Guinea and Ebola in Liberia, the Vaccine Alliance GAVI has also used them to deliver vaccines in regions without infrastructure necessary for conventional delivery, while Drone Delivery Canada last month received approval to air-drop medicines to remote First Nations communities.

Drone race heats up in USA As Amazon refines Prime Air, a drone delivery system it says will safely get packages to customers in half an hour or less, Wing is collaborating with Walgreens to enable participants in a pilot program to order health and wellness products. However, it’s Walmart that’s become the frontrunner by teaming up with Virginia-based drone startup DroneUp. The retail behemoth has already started to deliver items to eligible Walmart customers by air in as little as 30 minutes.

Late last month, Walmart announced it was scaling up its Delivery on the Fly service with industry leader DroneUp into six states, making it the United States’ first large-scale drone delivery program.

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This means as many as four million households will be able to get supplies from Walmart delivered by drones by the end of the year as Americans rely on the convenience of air-drops for everyday items.

While early pilot projects delivered households lots of COVID19 test kits, Walmart says its top delivery item in one location is now Hamburger Helper. The charge is the equivalent of $5.70 per delivery, with a weight limit of up to 4.5kg.

Testament to how seriously the 4,700-store retailer takes drone delivery and DroneUp’s expertise is the equity stake it acquired in DroneUp earlier this year.

The Australian connection Providing backbone connectivity technology to its customer DroneUp is Australian listed company Elsight through its Halo technology. As a key enabler of DroneUp’s service offerings, Halo delivers what it calls “connection confidence” from Line of Sight (LOS) to (Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS). This applies not just for retail deliveries in the US, but for wide-raging products in any environment, for any drone/unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) use case.

Elsight CEO Yoav Amitai says the Delivery on the Fly expansion marks an exciting step forward in drone technology. “If you look at the speed with which Walmart rolled out its technology just a few months after investing in DroneUp, and has now scaled up that service, it shows how efficient and market-ready the solution is,” Amitai says.

“It’s a nascent industry that’s still evolving and the tech is not yet even close to its full potential in terms of how it can change daily lives for people around the world,” adds Amitai. “Once regulators start to clear all the bottlenecks, the take-up of drones will really accelerate.”

Deeply engaged in the US drone industry, Elsight collaborator DroneUp is as an official representative on the US Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) Aviation Rule Making Committee (ARC). “I think that is two years or so away, and then we will see a revolution, as we did when the internet expanded from defence to commercial and personal use,” Amitai says. elsight.com

PRODUCT NEWS

‘Sharkskin’ makes planes faster, smoother, cheaper A sharkskin-inspired coating on planes will save thousands of dollars per flight and slash carbon emissions.

HBS-Bolt

™

The Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) announced a $5.6m investment in MicroTau’s ‘sharkskin’ technology developed with the help of the Australian National Fabrication Facility (ANFF).

Class 8.8 | Hot Dip Galvanised

Sharks famously swim smoothly and quietly, helped by their unique skin with thousands of overlapping layers of tiny ‘scales’ or denticles to reduce their drag in the water. If people remember the full body suit Ian Thorpe wore in Atlanta on his way to Olympic swimming glory, they’ll know what this is about.

Blind & Hollow installation

Mimicking this structure on airplanes reduces turbulence, increases flying speed, and cuts fuel emissions and cost. Unfortunately, it is excruciatingly difficult to replicate the microscopic grooves and bumps with traditional manufacturing.

MicroTau has solved this puzzle using specialist laser manufacturing technology to rapidly produce the shark skin pattern in a lightcurable material onto large, self-adhesive patches. The funding announcement will allow them to scale-up manufacturing and grow their team of scientists, engineers, and business development specialists.

MicroTau founder Henry Bilinsky says the expanded team will pursue certification to produce parts for wide-body aircraft, bringing his film a step closer to market.

High shear capacity and large grip range make the HBS-Bolt™ suitable for many steel connections.

ONE SIDED INSTALLATION BEFORE

“Were we to apply our film to an Airbus A380 today, a single flight from Sydney to LA would save $8,554 in fuel and 18,018kg of CO2 emissions. Thousands of dollars per flight adds up to millions over the life of the aircraft,” Bilinsky explains. “That’s just using current technology to retrofit an existing plane. We could see efficiency improvements as high as 10% as we refine the design.”

Bilinsky’s idea for ‘Direct Contactless Manufacturing,’ which creates microscopic ridges called ‘riblets’, was the winning entry in a 2015 US Airforce open innovation competition. But making his idea a reality would be a hugely challenging process.

AFTER

“We need hundreds of square metres of 50-micron riblets to cover a plane wing, so we have to work at the micro and macro scale at the same time,” Bilinsky explains.

To solve this problem, MicroTau turned to ANFF-NSW’s Research & Prototype Foundry based at the University of Sydney.

KBB88GH

M8 - M20 2202021

The Foundry has a million dollars of highly specialised manufacturing equipment available to researchers and industry, funded by the Australian government through NCRIS, the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy, State Government and the University of Sydney’s Core Research Facilities program.

Nadia Court, the technical director of the Research and Prototype Foundry, says MicroTau is the kind of success story they were created to help.

“We have a public library approach, so anyone with a safety certificate can book to use this machinery. We charge companies a fee per hour, but start-ups like MicroTau can use NSW government tech vouchers to cover their time,” says Court.

“MicroTau’s optical components are made with a Heidelberg Laser.

The same laser is used by physicists studying the movement of individual light particles and bio-medical researchers simulating the movement of blood through tiny capillaries. MicroTau is a wonderful example of the creative, clever community we want to see in Australia.”

QUALITY FASTENERS SINCE 1935

hobson.com.au

microtau.com.au Bolt Tension | Anti-Vibration | Product Reliability | Traceability

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AMW 2022 REVIEW

AMW 2022 Sydney After three full years without a show in Sydney, the stage was set for a showcase of the latest manufacturing technology and cuttingedge innovation, as the inaugural Australian Manufacturing Week (AMW) exhibition took place at Darling Harbour in Sydney. The show sprawled over 4,300sqm in two halls at the International Convention Centre, over four days, with 170 exhibitors attracting 6,000+ visitors. This major trade show presented the latest manufacturing technologies, processes and support services.

Owned and operated by AMTIL, AMW is Australia’s premier manufacturing solutions event. Under the theme ‘Where technology meets innovation’, AMW 2022 attracted larger crowds and exhibitor interest than expected. Floor space was almost entirely booked out well before the end of last year. AMTIL has operated Austech for over 20 years, Australia’s premier advanced manufacturing and machine tool exhibition. The last Austech – held in May 2019 in Melbourne – was attended by industry professionals from across Australia and around the world, with more than 170 organisations showcasing state-of-the-art manufacturing hardware, software and support services. This year, Austech was incorporated into AMW, an exhibition showing off the latest innovations, technologies, and equipment in the advanced manufacturing sector in Australia.

Several major exhibitors had massive deliveries of machines that ran full-pelt during the exhibition. Robots welded and grabbed, 3D printers formed, sculpted and gathered. So many people visited, met and spoke with new connections.

There were several events running alongside the trade show, including one-day conferences for the Society of Plastics Engineers, the AMRF Manufacturing Technology Conference and an Industry

Breakfast sponsored by William Buck Accountants and Advisors.

There was also a networking event for Women in Manufacturing sponsored by Integra Systems and an Exhibitor and Visitor Happy Hour sponsored by Autodesk.

It can’t go without saying, that AMW 2022 has taken place during a period of resurgence for Australian manufacturing. The pandemic has reinforced the belief among the general public that a strong manufacturing sector is essential to our country’s future prosperity.

The industry has been quick to regroup and rebound from the initial shock of the pandemic. Despite subsequent outbreaks and lockdowns, it has maintained a steady upwards trajectory ever since.

AMW covered off every aspect of manufacturing technology, from the largest assembly line cutting tools, down to the smallest medical, nanotech and aerospace additive manufacturing applications.

State-of-the-art support systems, software and accessories were also featured.

There were six dedicated zones in the show, which included Additive Manufacturing; Australian Manufacturers Pavillion; Machine Tools & Equipment; Manufacturing Solutions; Robotics & Automation; and Weld Solutions.

This was an amazing weeklong celebration of all things manufacturing. Thank you Sydney! A special thanks to all the exhibitors and visitors who made this event a resounding success.

Well done, thank you for coming, and we will see you in Melbourne next year for AMW 2023. australianmanufacturingweek.com.au

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Events and Networking The AMRF Make the Future event started upstairs on the fifth level, well away from the show floor, with an opening by the Hon. Minister Stuart Ayres. The entire one-day event was presented by the NSW Government and the Western Parkland City Authority. The brief for this massive facility is exciting on so many levels. Stage One will be the next generation fabrication district in Western Sydney, built in the new Bradfield City, and aiming to be opening in the third quarter of 2023, next year.

The full-scale AMRF will incorporate advanced electronics and semiconductor manufacturing to service defence, aerospace and emerging industries taking advantage of the cutting-edge research being spoken about at the presentation. Mining and construction, aerospace and space research, defence and renewable energy production is also being spoken about, as well as a mixing of those categories. There is also a search going on for industry partners to develop a New Education and Training system to help train up new or developing teams in your organisation. The Western Sydney International Airport will be built and active right next door.

The Women in Manufacturing event was introduced by our very own Kim Banks, Head of Events with AMTIL, known as the steady hand behind the scenes. Kim Banks has steered the team producing Austech for many of the last 20 years. Banks and Erika Hughes, Commercial Director at Integra Systems gave out points to the surprisingly large crowd of women gathered for the networking opportunity. Standing in the middle of the crowd, hearing the many stories about business ideas, mountains climbed, and contracts won, makes it obvious that these are brilliant, valuable members of our industry.

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Austech Machine Tool Zone Gravotech Australia The first stand we visit at the Austech Machine Tool Zone is manned

by Mark Duncan, Sales Manager Identification at Gravotech Australia.

It sets the tone: Duncan is positive. The main issue at the moment is keeping up, in no small part to supply bottlenecks. And enquiries on the first day are coming thick and fast. “We’ve had about 48 leads so far this morning,” Duncan tells us. “For our type of business that’s pretty good. I think we’ve done some shows where that’s all we’ve got.”

Gravotech is in 77 countries, offering laser, mechanical, scribing and dot peen marking solutions. It designs, makes and supplies the machines for this, as well as software and consumables. The results can be seen everywhere from architectural signage to laser markings on medical devices to ensure their traceability and identification.

“We deal with everything from hospitals to research centres to trains and rail, equipment manufacturers – just about anywhere that needs a mark, a part identification or a sign, we’re there,” Duncan explains.

“They’re our customers.” Customers are busy and so is his company. “Everyone seems to be fairly upbeat. I think the biggest issue people are seeing is supply issues,” he adds. “Everyone’s held back – we can’t get machines in, there’s pressure on pricing at the moment. So, a lot of people are pushing hard. But it is what it is.”

Techni Waterjet Techni Waterjet is an Australian company which has been building water jet machines for over 30 years. Sales Manager Glen Langdon found that having a product branding at the show, reiterates to the customers the quality of a Techni product. “They've seen the growth of our technology over those 20-odd years,” he says. “It's important for us to be here and to see our existing customers. It’s so good to get out after a couple of years. It’s quite an experience coming back to meeting people again, shaking hands and thinking, where's the hand sanitizer?”

Langdon recognises that's where the customer gets the most benefit from a trade show. “People can physically watch the machine cut, see the product that it cuts, and then relate that to their business,” he says. “Now, you can look at things online. It's just an online thing.

But be able to stand next to a machine, watch it cut, hear the noise, understand its efficiency. There's nothing better than seeing it with your own eyes. And that's what this show does.”

Laser Machines Compact options are a good match for Sydney shops, reckons Russell Treverton of Laser Machines. Though his company, the sole Australian agent for Bodor Laser since early last year, is headquartered in Melbourne, he’s based in Sydney.

“We find that there’s a lot of smaller workshops and real estate is quite expensive, so with this one here it’s just a single table that comes out forward from the machine – it gives the opportunity to put it into a smaller factory and still be workable,” he tells us of the highlight at MT12, Laser Machines’ stand.

“It’s a nice clean unit, so when properly extracted all the fumes are kept tucked away and the workshop stays clean.”

The Bodor i7 machine does indeed look a space-saver for such machine shops, with its pull-out table and 3,048 x 1,524mm working envelope that can be sealed back in to save a user’s lungs and eyes from smoke and laser radiation. According to Treverton, it’s best at stainless steel sheet work but also handles more exotic materials. “It does everything; it’s just a good all-rounder,” he adds.

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Laser Things Alex Dickinson started Laser Things four years ago, he explains, and made the decision in 2019 to go along to Austech. “And that paid off 10 times,” he tells us. “It took maybe two years for the sales to really show up. It’s hard to [precisely] gauge sales at a show like this… And we’ve brought our A-game for this one.”

Dickinson explains that the company – which sells and services fibre and CO2 laser machines, as well as spare parts, consumables and associated equipment – has brought a big collection of its products to stand MT31 at AMW. Dickinson says that after a few hours on day one of the expo things are good and brisk, and like others at the International Convention Centre, he’s very happy that expos have returned. “We’ll be at every show,” he says. “We’ve already booked five times the size for next time. We’re putting in a laser next year.”

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McNeall Plastics Our final stop at the Austech Machine Tool Zone on Day One is to McNeall Plastics, a specialty engineering and manufacturing firm dealing with specialty plastics. The company’s Chris Tite and Nathan Brown confirm that the show has begun briskly. “We’ve given out lots of business cards and had a lot of information come back our way, so a lot of good contacts we can follow up on,” says Tite.

“There’s a lot of foot traffic from a lot of industries,” says Brown, adding that “it’s interesting to see that people have an interest in what we do as an option. The company works in general and specialty plastics, including polyurethane, PEEK, and UHMWPE, and has a proprietary cast nylon, AustLon, which it offers as a superior replacement for aluminium, copper, bronze, steel, brass and other metal parts.

It’s yet another on-the-ground confirmation of what month after month of economic surveys have told us: manufacturing has consistently expanded (with a lull over the Christmas break) since the worst of the Delta variant, but is being held back by labour and supply constraints.

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Manufacturing Solutions Zone LEAP Australia Pty Ltd LEAP Australia specialises in the latest software technology but this year at AMW there’s a large steel mining fan on their stand. Business Line Manager, Paul O’Shaughnessy uses an iPad to demonstrate - on the fan - how companies in manufacturing can benefit from Augmented Reality (AR): “AR overlays digital information on the real world. It's similar to Virtual Reality (VR) but has a number of advantages in industry. VR completely immerses you so you’re cut off from the real world, but with AR you still see your surroundings overlaid with extra digital information.”

“AR has many uses in manufacturing, such as sales and marketing.

Many of our customers sell large machines that are difficult to bring to trade shows. AR gives potential clients an impressive 3D demonstration of how a machine operates, even if that specific machine is not here at the show. AR can also provide step-by-step training instructions to guide you on how to operate new machines, in place of a pdf manual. Here we can use a tablet to overlay 3D instructions on the real fan, highlighting key parts and showing IoT gauges in context.”

O’Shaughnessy uses an iPad to overlay additional fan components that were not on display (due to the weight of shipping the entire assembly). “You can also have X-Ray vision to see moving parts inside the fan and display the correct sequence for removing screws and other parts during maintenance.”

“There’s been a lot of interest this week in our technology and we are hopeful of seeing more Australian manufacturers roll this out after AMW.”

Raymax Applications Raymax's Technical Director and physicist, Dr Cedric Chaminade is busy on their stand explaining how the laser optical head with process control that's on display, works: “This is used for metal cladding which is a process of depositing metal for repairs. We have laser cladding solutions with up to 35kW continuous Near-IR laser power and the highest to date at 25kW delivered to Australia soon. It's primarily used in mining, gas & oil sector for refurbishment of hydraulic cylinders and other large metallic shafts.”

“For 30 years in business, we've been supplying and servicing our sophisticated lasers and photonics equipment to a wide range of industry sectors, across Australia and New Zealand.”

Dr Chaminade adds that additive manufacturing is an important part of the business. “We have installed hundreds of lasers in the field for wine bottle marking. Nowadays lasers are extensively used in metal 3D printing with multiple laser sources mounted in almost every industrial machine. We’re also designing and supplying laser systems for applications as diverse as cladding, welding, cutting, micromachining, photo-polymerisation.”

Photo-polymerisation is the curing process that’s characterised by the use of ultraviolet (UV) light for the manufacture of relatively small 3D objects and microfluidic devices for example.

Raymax has a wide range of advanced manufacturing and industrial laser processing solutions, with laser consulting and engineering advice for clients. Hyperspectral imaging, custom optics and lithography are among its many photonic equipment solutions.

Industrial Laser Surrounded by many interested AMW expo attendees - mainly engineers - Industrial Laser’s Technical Director, Richard Ladley is demonstrating the IPG Photonics Laser Welder. He describes it as the world’s first portable hand-held welder for manufacturers.

“This is the first time it’s been demonstrated in Australia and we are showing its exceptional features. These include ease of setup and use plus it’s fast and a very useful tool for specialised welders working in production.”

Industrial Laser is the Australian agent for IPG Photonics hand-held laser welder, advises Ladley: “That means, as well as selling the machine and its technology, we can also provide support, training and service for it.

“We’ve had a phenomenal response to our hand-held laser welder at this expo and we are hopeful to get 20–30 sales from the show.

Also, we are already booked into the welding zone for next year’s AMW in Melbourne.”

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Made in Melbourne With increasing innovation and automation, the challenges for manufacturers to continually improve and maintain a profitable, competitive business is a fine balancing act that can be steadied with the right guidance.

For more information or to book your William Buck Hour, please contact us.

William Buck are the accountants and advisers to Australian Manufacturing Techology Institute Limited (AMTIL) and preferred supplier to its members, chosen because of the dedicated manufacturing team that specialises in a range of services customised to the needs of the Manufacturing industry.

Some of the services William Buck can help you with include: — R&D tax incentive applications and eligibility advice — Application of feedstock, supporting activities and substantiation advice relating to R&D — Export market development grant applications Cost accounting for accurate pricing — Employee incentive structuring — Financial risk assessment — Profit forecasting on projects — Commercialisation of R&D — International import or export tax structuring — International operations tax structuring — Merger and acquisition due dilligence — Exit strategies — Business valuations — Succession Planning — Separating and protecting family and business wealth — Initial Public Offering (IPO) — Outsourced CFO roles — Audit of external financial reports — Strategic business planning — Business industry benchmarking — Monthly financial reporting, preparation and analysis

Want to know more? Book your William Buck Hour

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The end result is a fresh perspective and a focused strategy to help you move forward.

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Australian Manufacturers Pavilion The General Manager of Ronson Gears, showed through the range of wheels, fitted cogs and spiral screws that the company produced. From the smallest order of spare parts for old machines, in whatever medium, to mass production of assembly line gears.

They are servicing companies across the world, ranging from aerospace to mining. Ronson Gears brought along an extensive range of items as examples of the manufacturing services they offer. From turning, milling, gear cutting, grinding and measuring with industry leading quality and precision.

Sutton Tools is one of the larger stands in the Australian Manufacturing Pavilion. I spoke to General Manager Peter Rollauer about his impressions. He said it was very pleasing to see that so many like-minded manufacturing companies had come along to show what they have to offer and to be part of the biggest show in the industry. “We're positioned within the Australian Manufacturers Pavilion, and that's really important to us because it allows us to showcase our Australian-made products at the very same time all of these other people can showcase their Australian-made products. The stand worked out well with regard to the Australian Manufacturers Pavilion. We were in a good position with plenty of foot traffic,” he said. “Yes, we sold well already and have captured well over 200 leads which we are working through right now.”

Rollauer noted it was important for Sutton Tools to be part of a bigger group. In fact, he felt he could go further and gather these Australian companies to do something regularly with them and to help promote each other and learn more about their businesses as well.

There are real, quantifiable financial benefits attributed to the AMW Map My Show as far as Rollauer is concerned too. “We've customers coming to our stand who have added us electronically to their AMW Map My Show agenda. So, they’ve followed an electronic agenda on their App, and we've had something like 1,800 customers add Sutton Tools to their agenda, which is fantastic. We’re also capturing their details through the scanning system that AMTIL have introduced into this exhibition. That's been really positive for us.”

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“It's been 100% worth it,” Rollauer concluded. “I can categorically say that with no hesitation that it's been 100% worth it for Sutton Tools to be exhibiting at Australian Manufacturing Week.”

John Lawson, the National Business Development Manager from DonoBrace, is full of momentum and plans for the construction of pylon and braces for all kinds of roofing and bridgework. The parent company, Donovan Group has been helping solve engineering challenges since the 1960s. At the AMW show, they are showing off the DonoBrace G830 system This new bracing system, was invented and was brought out to be on display at the AMW show.

Lawson explained that the load is taken by the Brace, and there doesn’t need to be as much steel used in the pylon. They’re working with Monash University; they’re helping with certification on their carbon saving. Green steel is where they’re coming from.

At the Epicor stand, the company demonstrated their logistics software in quite a unique way. Instead of watching the screen at the batch of jobs pushing through their processes, (which is fine and good), how about a slot car race to illustrate how jobs are progressing? For the purposes of entertainment of course, visitors can see how the jobs pile up, and turn corners, in a completely different way at AMW.

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Additive Technology Zone The Additive Manufacturing Zone showcased the latest advances of 3D printing in all its forms, featuring users, suppliers and the many active researchers.

High strength, high temp PEEK polymer seals and Rollers in PACF polymer are being manufactured using FFF technology. 3D Metalforge's 'end to end' AM services expertise is a clear market differentiator in the Additive Technology Zone.

The compact Additive Engineering stand was literally buzzing with people. All interested to dig into the details of the titanium, SWaP-C, biocompatible medical devices that are being delivered ready for surgery for their clients. Additive also develop for their aerospace market specific carbon-fibre parts for wings, engines and propellors.

Innofocus Photonics is at the cusp of a new industry in Australia. Fully patented nanofabrication builds can now ingrain data into surfaces.

It might be fully invisible QR systems, IP data of one-off creations or histories of each and every item that comes off an assembly line.

“My team has been continuously receiving enquires from both academia users and industry partners about the machines,” CEO Frank Yeo told me after the show. “The design and prototyping services that we may offer, have been very popular. The nanophotonic devices can be used for advanced sensors in the mining industry. The nano-fab capability can be adopted in miniature sensors in consumer products which the sensor was previously made manually, how the cooling film can be applied to sustainable supply chain.”

Medical applications include sheer-cut optic-fibres the width of a human hair, which can then have a full resolution lens for a video feed cut into the tip. The most astonishing invention shown to me

by Innofocus was a material which looked like it had a rainbow

sheen built into it. But what you can’t see, was giving the material the most extraordinary properties.

“We are not reshaping the material, but instead, introducing a new component structure,” says Yeo. “The big difference is that we change the characteristic of the material. This cooling film will not only keep you cool, but can also be used to minimise power.”

Houses, trucks, shipping containers. Clothing in the tropics. Passive cooling, reflecting 95% of the heat, back out away from the surface, merely by the presence of the nanostructure built into the surface of the film. If you want information about this project, and the people behind it, turn to page 76.

Bilby 3D has been in the additive manufacturing game for over a decade, drawing on engineering and material sciences knowledge to develop many world-first applications for the medical, military and manufacturing industries.

Bilby 3D’s Lee Bilby told me about a medical research client, which led her to reveal a personal story. At the start of the pandemic, living on a farm, she found herself struck down with a viral infection of the brain which didn’t allow her the use of her legs or her voice. “There was no way to treat a viral infection of the brain other than putting antibiotics in your mouth and hoping for the best,” she said.

Her client Philip Boughton from Global Surgical Innovation has invented a 3D printed substance which dissolves in the body and leaves no by-products. “So, they can inject this into my temple and cure what I had,” she said casually. At least, that is the aim when the procedure is at live trial stage. Bilby’s role in this medical research is more as a facilitator. “They tell me what they want to create, and I help them to make it happen,” says Bilby. “And that is the best part of my job.”

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Welding Technologies Zone Weld Australia Training Manager, Guy Brooks demonstrates how Weld Australia’s trainers use Augmented Reality (AR) for training and skill development. Projected on a large screen at the back of their stand, he shows the simulated welding and how it can provide live feedback on trainee’s welding skills.

“We are working with the NSW Department of Education and Training to roll out welding simulators in high schools. We also work with TAFE colleges nationally to launch Advanced Welder Training centres and are currently running a pilot program with Corrections Victoria to upskill prisoners. Skill building welding workshops and seminars are also offered for members and non-members.”

achieve high-quality welding results. It’s all about enabling Australian manufacturers to stay in business by improving productivity and lowering their costs,” advises Keye with a smile.

OLP Robotics is a system integrator for Universal Robots and the We Cobot and Lorch cobot welding systems and are also an authorised reseller of the Robot master offline programming software package and Demmeler welding benches. The company is well-equipped to provide sales and technical support, as well as robot programming services to companies across the Asia Pacific region.

Kolarc Welding OLP Robotics Located on the Leussink AMW stand, OLP Robotics is a robotic integration company specialising in industrial automation. Two of the company’s Directors: Russell Melville and Shaleesa Keye, are demonstrating a Universal Robots UR10e collaborative robot (cobot) holding a welding torch, to a large group of onlookers.

They are highlighting the benefits of coupling the cobot welding system with a Demmeler bench for accurate welding applications.

A simulation showing a digital twin of the setup demonstrates how the motion was programmed using offline programming software, taking advantage of the high accuracy of the Demmeler table and tooling. Cobots are industrial robots that are designed to work safely alongside humans compared to traditional industrial robots that must be secured behind safety guards and screens.

“Cobot arms can be integrated into a wide range of applications, and where suitable, provide significant benefits over industrial robot installations,” Melville explains: “These benefits include: Fast payback (average of 12 months), cost reduction, flexibility, mobility, easy programming, simple installation and safe human – robot collaboration.”

Keye explains the safety features of cobots: “Torque sensors in the joints monitor the forces on the cobot during operation, so that if the cobot encounters interference such as a collision with an object or operator, the cobot will go into a protective stop and cease motion.

“The cobot on display here is very easy to operate and program. It can be driven using arrows on the touch-screen interface, but an even easier method is using the free-drive function which allows the operator to physically drag the cobot and welding torch to the desired position.”

She adds that there’s a shortage of welders globally, so cobots are helping to reduce reliance on skilled welders, and are especially suited to small to medium enterprises (SME) that don’t have the budget or space for a traditional industrial robot system. “Our engineer is not a trained welder, but he can use this machine to

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Three engineers and directors of Kolarc Welding Australia - Al Alparslan, Max Tutuk and Jay Karaova are very excited to promote Kolarc’s range of welding machines at AMW to the many visitors at their stand.

They’re the Turkish welding machine manufacturer’s Australian agents. Kolarc manufactures European Standard MIG/MAG, TIG, MMA and SAW welding machines in one mega facility for manual and robotic applications.

As the Kolarc Australia team, we provide technical support, training and local after sales service to our customers on the full range of Kolarc welding machines. We saw an opportunity in the market to compete with well-known big brands and the prices for our machines are very competitive.” advises Alparslan.

On the AMW expo, Alparslan advises that they have made some great contacts during the show and have had many enquiries about their machines.

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Robotics & Automation Zone Konica Minolta

Lincoln Electric

“We're at Australia Manufacturing Week primarily to generate leads and have conversations with the manufacturing community around 3D printing and material handling as well,” explains Drew McKinnon, National Marketing Communications Manager, at Konica Minolta.

“We have a wide range of 3D printers and additive manufacturing solutions that can help manufacturers, but also we've got material handling, automated mobile robotics as well on show today.”

“There was a lot of excitement, a bit of apprehension, but a lot of excitement,” says Paul Smith, Marketing Manager for Lincoln Electric Australia. “And the customers are all very happy. So, I think people are coming out of COVID, and they're looking for technology.

People are looking for ways to cover the labour shortage; the technology to cover that shortfall.”

“It's been fantastic so far, he adds. “We've really enjoyed our time here. This is the third day, so we're looking forward to another day and a half of AMW. In terms of crowds, the crowds have been amazing, we’ve had lots of foot traffic through and lots of conversations that we know are going to result in further opportunities and interesting collaborations with manufacturers out there as well. So far, it's been fantastic.

“Konica Minolta has been coming to AMW for about six or seven years now, obviously, COVID-19 is allowing a bit of a gap there. But we're generating about three times as many leads as we managed last time, so it’s a big improvement. You can't afford to miss out. It's really important to be here. We’ll be back in Melbourne for 2023.”

“We're seeing a huge interest in technology, and I think that's driven through the lack of available people to work, a lack of welders. There's a big interest in how we can subsidise or train welders quicker. We can provide equipment that can do the welding with fewer skilled operators. And that's what we've got on show here today.”

They're really good quality leads coming through. As I say, there's a lot of interest in technology. And the leads aren't just asking for brochures, they're actually asking for quotes, which is very pleasing.

From the results so far this week, I'm very pleased that we came to Sydney and we're definitely going to be there in Melbourne. We are already booked in and we're looking forward to Melbourne because Melbourne is traditionally a manufacturing town. Just a big thank you to AMTIL for putting on a great show. Thank you.”

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SPACE SALES NOW OPEN! For enquiries please contact Anne Samuelsson (Head of Sales) On 0400 115 525 or email asamuelsson@amtil.com.au

THE JOURNEY TO INTELLIGENT MANUFACTURING

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Trailblazing at Herston Biofabrication Institute Navigating robotic surgery and regulatory changes with patient-matched manufacturing.

Point-of-care manufacturing promises a path to locally produced devices custom-fit to patient features. It encapsulates many of the latest trends - industry 4.0 connectivity, additive manufacturing, advanced imagery, and uses a logistic-friendly distributed manufacturing model. The devices produced build on significant technological advances to support clinical intervention including robotic surgery. While the promise is strong, it is important to get it right: patient health is on the line therefore the device produced must still meet the same safe and effective standards as mass produced items.

The goal of medical device regulation is safe and effective products.

Typical regulation is often framed around tight quality control of massproduced validated designs whereas personalisation was often enabled through custom-made exemptions. New, readily available advanced manufacturing tools are enabling mass customisation alongside measurable processes allowing products that greatly exceed the prior custom low-volume artisanal scale. In recent years there was rapid increase in volume of custom-made products. Since the custom-made exemption pathway provided limited regulatory oversight, regulators identified a need for novel ways to navigate this new manufacturing landscape. They identified a new class of device, patient-matched, where the intended purpose of the device is the same while the controlled production process has steps that are adapted on the individual patient level prior to manufacture. The overall goal was to enable mass personalisation of devices along with their potential health benefits while maintaining low risk levels.

Australia is a good place to be developing point-of-care manufacture pathways with its fast response to regulatory path changes as well as its participation in global additive manufacturing standards development in ISO/TC 261. Australia through the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is a leading player in patient-matched regulation reform. Australia has already begun implementation of reforms which largely follow the 2020 published global harmonisation approach. While other areas such as the USA’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have published guidelines for additive manufacturing devices and are consolidating feedback from their discussion paper on possible point-of-care implementation models. It appears the FDA may still be some time away from legislating regulatory changes. Many stakeholders are watching to see how the different models perform as people work to develop effective pathways together.

Herston Biofabrication Institute (HBI) in Brisbane is one of the Australian groups ‘trail blazing’ to set up systems, processes and testing to find a path through the developing regulatory landscape in a healthcare setting. Currently, HBI through Metro North Health have set up systems to deliver custom-made devices, radiation therapy boluses (ARTG: 355606), anatomical models (ARTG: 355288) and have others in the pipeline including surgical guides and brachytherapy devices.

If process, knowledge, and risk are managed well, excellent state of the art results can be achieved as demonstrated recently with a robotic surgery case. A young patient had a large tumour on their kidney that was sitting precariously close to significant blood vessels. Without clear knowledge of the relative locations of the kidney, tumour, and vasculature, there was substantial risk of compromising the blood vessels during surgery and leaving cancer cells behind.

Robot-assisted surgery is a fascinating technology where robotic arms that hold cameras and surgical instruments are inserted in a patient and a surgeon controls the robotic arms while seated at a computer console near the operating table to perform a procedure.

Robotic surgery enables many benefits such as enhanced dexterity,

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Creation of the digital 3D anatomic model showing the patient’s anatomy from the MRI scan in the 3 anatomic planes and a sliced 3D representation in the bottom right. Kidney (yellow), arteries (red), veins (blue), tumour (green).

greater precision with faster recovery and minimal scarring. While use of the robot during kidney surgery offers these benefits, there are still challenges of limited tactile feedback for identification of pulsating arteries, the ever-present challenge of distinguishing normal from pathologic tissue, and the identification and dissection of the renal artery are performed without anatomical landmarks.

To overcome these limitations, the current standard of care relies heavily on a surgeon’s skill in mentally reconstructing the twodimensional pre-operative images into a 3D space and their ability to recall and align the mental model during the operation.

Use of patient-matched devices could support the surgeon in this challenging task.

Anatomic models are 3D representations of human anatomy and are one of the most prevalent patient-matched medical devices. They offer non-controversial benefits in enhanced visualisation, inform surgical approach, improved patient-clinician communication, and increased patient understanding.

Given the complex location of the patient’s tumour it was decided to use an anatomic model to enhance surgical visualisation of the specific anatomy. HBI designed and produced the kidney models by first transforming the patient CT images into a 3D virtual model using Mimics, a state-of-the-art software in medical design and visualisation. From the digital model they brought the device from the digital world to the physical by 3D printing the model using the Stratasys J750 3D printer.

The successful point-of-care development, supply, and use of the kidney anatomic model for the robotic surgery is a demonstrator that navigation of the changing regulatory environment can lead to clinical success. For these benefits to spread across further surgical platforms, there is a clear need for transparent exploration of solutions for regulatory conformity. This must involve diverse input from health providers, manufacturers and the regulatory bodies during this time where novel regulatory paths for point-of-care manufacture are being forged. When acceptable paths are found there is an imperative to communicate them, so others might follow safely. Ultimately this knowledge sharing may fast-track improved patient care through mass personalisation. If we can continue to navigate the regulatory landscape effectively and efficiently, it can unlock patient benefits such as those seen through the enhanced navigation for robotic kidney surgery. herstonhealthprecinct.com.au/partners/herston-biofabricationinstitute

INDUSTRY 4.0

Key to unlocking maximum value from Industry 4.0 Combining IT and operations will shake out performance, results and value.

No matter how efficient your production output is, if Industry 4.0 technologies are not used to capture and visualise the data of these processes, true manufacturing success cannot be realised.

Established in 1965, MTM Pty Ltd is a proudly Australian familyowned parts manufacturer that supplies components to all parts of the globe. While the company is primarily an automotive parts supplier, it has expanded to cater for rail, recreation, water conservation and safety.

“Our product range is vast and as our operations have grown, so has the need for an equally-advanced system to capture and visualise the data produced on the factory floor,” explains Darren Symington, MTM Information System Manager. For many years MTM relied on File Transfer Protocol (FTP) modules for data transfer.

Here, they would manually connect to the Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) on the machine to create a file every time they made a part. Thereafter, data would be manually extracted and be used to populate the databases. This system, used for various processes such as making bookings and calculating cycle times, had many drawbacks.

‘That lightbulb moment’ The data collection and visualisation system was based on slow, unreliable industrial hardware and could only be accessed from outside the factory via a Virtual Private Network (VPN). It also occasionally impacted MTM’s production output. “If the FTP system failed to collect the data every two hours, we would end up with over 15,000 files to download at night, and it would take 5-10 seconds to download an individual file. Because a part would be completed on average every 4.5 seconds, the data collection process would not index this information in time and workers would still be trying to extract the previous night’s data when it would be time for the next run to begin,” Symington says.

Darren describes the day that he met with Jim Wallace, Sales Manager of Balluff Australia as a ‘lightbulb moment.’ “We had been using a manual FTP integration for each line to accommodate each unique process. This was however inefficient, time-consuming and became increasingly complex as the company grew and we were required to look at up to 40 different portals to analyse the data.”

Wallace, who is a member of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) advocacy group Open IIoT, helped Symington and his team integrate the code that they had been running to transmit previously into Balluff’s Industry 4.0 technologies using JavaScript Object Notation(JSON). JSON automatically captured 10,000 records per second and uploaded the data to the database every five seconds.

This meant that the database was being populated with real-time measurement and this data visualisation could be accessed from anywhere.

Industry 4.0 implementation simplified operations The first step in Industry 4.0 implementation at MTM required the team to transmit their existing data into easy-to-use, automated data capturing tools. “As part of Balluff’s Mold Tool ID system, we fitted a Balluff Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) tag on each tool and a reader to each of MTM’s press machines. The system writes the number of operations to the tag so each tool knows exactly how many operations it has done, so if the tool is swapped out, this data is not lost because it is held in the RFID tag. As the press moves back and forth, the reader increments the number of operations count on the tag and then reads this back to make available to the controller dashboard and as a JSON file,” says Jim. “This data was then visualised by MTM in the form of a mobile app, allowing them to access a whole new range of insights into their business

that they had not had previously.” The second major Industry 4.0 implementation involved the installation of a ‘Smartlight’ system on the factory floor (a part of the Mold Tool ID system supplied by Balluff) to alert operators when tools needed maintenance – turning a light orange when the time was approaching and red when maintenance was overdue. The Smartlight system was linked to a TV screen in the MTM Toolroom so that the staff could easily see where each tool was in the preventative maintenance cycle. The system is also linked to an email alert system to ensure efficiency.

Automation ensures accuracy and reduces labour costs “There are many benefits we’ve seen to our business since taking the plunge and starting the Industry 4.0 journey, but one of the most crucial benefits is that all our data capturing, recording and analysing processes are automated using a single system,” says Symington.

“To add to this, manually entering data can have an inaccuracy rate as high as 38% but by automating the process we have 100% accuracy, reducing wastage and time spent on administration processes.” While MTM has operations in several different countries, design and advanced manufacturing still happens locally. As Australia has comparatively high labour costs, smart automation that reduced the reliance on physical manpower was needed to make local production financially viable and allow the company to continue to compete globally. “The Balluff Industry 4.0 implementation turned out to be less expensive than we’d originally anticipated, and it has already paid for itself in terms of improved production and reduced labour costs,” says Symington.

Win-win across departments “The benefits of the implementation have been felt across our entire business. The ‘Smartlight’ maintenance system has been great for factory operations and those of us in IT have loved the insights we can extract from the data – based on this success we’re going to prioritise IIoT integration across the plant,” he adds.

Symington says that the detailed data insights have also been unexpectedly helpful for the sales department as it integrates into MTM’s Enterprise Resource Management (ERP) system. “We can tell how many actions each tool has performed thanks to the RFID reader and reference this back to our ERP system for sales reporting.

The automated data capturing shows us exactly which customer has received what parts and enables us to alert a salesperson when a tool is nearing the end of its lifespan, allowing for better forward planning.”

Finally, Symington recommends that manufacturers hoping to experience similar benefits from Industry 4.0 implementation begin by ‘automating their pain point.’ “The process isn’t as overwhelming or as expensive as it seems from the outset, so long as you have an experienced IIoT consultant such as Balluff to guide you along the way. Once you’ve decided what you’d like to get out of your data, they can help you find the IIoT solution to make this happen as simply as possible,” he concludes. mtmauto.com

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INDUSTRY 4.0

What’s coming to Industry 4.0?

Low-code hyperautomation software a part of the accelerated digital transformation.

Janus, the Roman god of new beginnings, is represented by a double-faced head, one facing the past and the other facing the future. Taking inspiration from this, manufacturers looking to accelerate their digital transformation in 2022 should also consider the impact of 2021. So, what technology should manufacturers be looking to adopt? Johan Jonzon, co-founder and CMO of edge analytics pioneer Crosser, shares his insight on the digital technology to watch over the next year.

One thing that’s certain this year is that the pandemic-induced waves of disruption to operations are far from over. According to a survey conducted by Info-Tech Research Group, 47% of respondents expect a long-term change to the way we work. For many manufacturers, this change takes the form of an accelerated digital transformation.

Raconteur predicts that by 2025, 463 exabytes of data will be produced globally each day. That’s a huge increase from 2020’s daily 2.5 exabytes. It’s clear that data is going to explode over the next few years, so organisations need to be ready to unlock its value and adopt a data-driven mindset. For a successful digital transformation, manufacturers must consider how to use this data for improved decision making, better productivity and growth. So, what’s coming next?

Living up to the hype Hyperautomation was heralded as one of Gartner’s Tech Trends in 2021, but will it continue in 2022? In theory, the concept of hyperautomation sounds relatively simple — to automate as many processes as possible across an organisation. However, in practice, reaching a hyperautomated state is a slow-burning challenge.

Contrary to traditional automation, which focuses on individual processes, hyperautomation looks holistically at an organisation.

It involves eliminating data silos and integrating business systems.

With robotic process automation (RPA) central to the process, hyperautomation also involves artificial intelligence (AI), process mining and streaming analytics. By integrating each of these technologies in unison, manufacturers can achieve end-to-end automation of their business for increased efficiency.

However, unlike some other digital transformation trends, hyperautomation is not something that can be implemented quickly.

Connecting data from every system within a business, including the factory floor, IT systems, sales applications and supply chain management tools is challenging. Each of these systems may operate on different protocols, produce data in different formats, and generate values at different time intervals, which all needs to be unified. With the complexity of hyperautomation clear, it's likely that throughout 2022 we will see manufacturers continue to implement their hyperautomation strategy and pioneers will start to unlock its value. In fact, Gartner predicts that 85% of hyperautomation adopters will continue their efforts and investment in 2022.

Eliminating coding confusion Low-code software has been around since the 1980s, but a combination of factors will lead to further growth in 2022. It eliminates the need for vast coding knowledge within a business.

Instead, it takes a visual approach and uses functions like ‘drag and drop’ to allow non-developers to visually create the process that they are trying to create without the need for code.

There is a dual challenge facing all industries today that will mean we see the rise of low-code software in 2022. Skills shortages have been a problem for most sectors globally for a few years now — according to McKinsey, 87% of companies either already have a shortage of digital skills or are anticipating one in the next few years.

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On top of this, the pandemic placed unprecedented levels of pressure on already under-capacity IT teams, which were tasked with facilitating a rapid shift to remote working and increasing automation on the factory floor to keep the workforce safe. And according to Mulesoft's 2021 Connectivity Benchmark Report, the pressure on IT is showing no signs of stopping. On average, IT teams were expected to deliver 30% more projects in 2021 than 2020. At the same time, less than four in 10 teams completed all projects asked of them.

Accessibility through APIs Ensuring a seamless digital user experience (UX) is essential for manufacturers looking to upgrade to Industry 4.0. All more often, employees are expecting the same quality of UX at work as they are at home, presenting manufacturers with the challenge of competing with the UX of tech giants like Facebook and Amazon.

Simplicity and usability have presented a need for technology that can be built up quickly by members of an organisation outside of the department. 2022 will see the rise of the business technologist — employees who sit outside of IT but still create technology for commercial use.

With the need for seamless UX that suits business technologists, manufacturers should expect to see a rise in the composable business model. Composable business models based on the idea that all business processes can be created using a set of interchangeable, modular building blocks.

Using the philosophy of composable business and reusable APIs, 44% of organisations are developing plans to enable non-IT users to integrate data sources to gain actionable insights into their facility’s operations. With the acceleration of the digital transformations showing no signs of slowing down, adopting this technology in 2022 will allow manufacturers to empower their IT teams and business technologists alike to streamline their operations using prebuilt APIs, for more efficient operations.

For manufacturers looking to adopt any of these technologies, Crosser’s suite of low-code solutions can support your digital journey. The Crosser Platform allows the real-time analysis and automation of any data source, while Crosser IPA — industrial process automation — is a hyper automation essential, allowing non-developers to design intelligent workflows and integrate siloed systems across all business functions.

The unpredictability of the last couple of years has prepared businesses across all sectors to expect the unexpected.

Manufacturers have had no choice but to integrate technology to make their operations more flexible, scalable and digital. But like any innovation, new digital technologies are never far away.

So, preparing for what’s next will help manufacturers to gain a competitive edge and keep their digital operations at the edge of innovation. crosser.io

INDUSTRY 4.0

Additive manufacturing unlocks Industry 4.0 possibilities Industry 4.0 guiding principle is the interconnectivity of new technology.

The concept of Industry 5.0 – developing Artificial Intelligence to work alongside robots and smart machines - has been an increasing topic of conversation in the global manufacturing landscape.

However, several key manufacturing insiders have argued that Australia still needs to get to grips with Industry 4.0 before we can move on to the next phase of industrialisation. “The guiding principle of Industry 4.0 is the interconnecting of new technology to improve efficiency and productivity,” explains Nick Psahoulias, Managing Director of Beckhoff Automation and member of Open IIoT. “This requires manufacturers to scale-up their operations by adopting Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technologies on the factory floor and unfortunately, many local manufacturers are still lagging behind in the digital transformation process.”

Open IIoT hopes to encourage more local manufacturers to join the manufacturing digital revolution and help them realise the practical benefits of embarking on this process. Open IIoT is an initiative of some of Australia’s most prominent automation brands – SMC Corporation ANZ, Beckhoff Automation, NORD DRIVESYSTEMS, Balluff, ZI-Argus and KUKA Robot Automation. The cohort believes that in order to help manufacturers unlock IIoT opportunities for commercial value, it is first crucial to cut through the jargon and dispel misconceptions surrounding this topic.

Truly modern, flexible manufacturing One such ‘practical’ technology taking the Australian manufacturing sector by storm is the rise of additive manufacturing (AM). As a definition, AM is a transformative approach to industrial production that enables the creation of lighter, stronger parts and systems thereby minimising waste.

It uses data from Computer-Aided-Design (CAD) software or 3D object scanners to direct hardware to deposit material, layer upon layer, in precise geometric shapes, to create an object. The technology can be used to build or repair advanced metallic structures such as replacement or customised machine components and aircraft engines. The design freedoms acquired through AM methods such as 3D printing provide designers with countless opportunities to optimise parts for performance by removing the material and design limitations imposed by traditional manufacturing methods. 3D printing also provides opportunities for unitisation and cost savings where previously joined parts are made into a single unit. By harnessing the power of automation and computer-generated design, AM is set to become a core component of the Modern Manufacturing movement. “A key benefit of these emerging Industry 4.0 technologies is that they offer new ways to manage our productive assets, amplify our human asset contributions and significantly improve the product’s relationship with customers,” says Psahoulias.

Environmental advantages of additive manufacturing “A potential advantage of AM is the role that it may play in helping Australia meet the global goal of reducing our carbon equivalent emissions by 50% by 2030; and by 100% by 2050.” Traditional manufacturing is a significant global contributor to climate change.

“It results in massive waste and emissions that could be reduced if a more modern, technology-driven approach to manufacturing is followed,” Psahoulias adds. The good news is that research has indicated that AM is more sustainable than conventional manufacturing methods and has a reduced impact on the atmosphere and the environment.

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INDUSTRY 4.0

Industry 4.0: navigating disruptive technologies in manufacturing Advanced technologies and services can have a transformative effect in cost, product quality and productivity, substantially increasing the bottom line for manufacturing companies. Peter Chambers, Managing Director of Sales at AMD Asia-Pacific and Japan spells it out.

In recent years, the Asia-Pacific and Japan (APJ) region made remarkable strides in accelerating Industry 4.0 adoption. In fact, according to GSMA Intelligence, a definitive source of mobile industry insights, forecasts and research used around the world, “countries in Asia Pacific have established frameworks on a national level, recognising the potential of Industry 4.0 to help prepare economic structures for greater productivity and resilience” with dedicated official task forces in various markets including Japan, Korea and Singapore. The same report provides a summary of Industry 4.0 visions in several nations, listed below: •

Australia has instituted an Industry 4.0 Taskforce that works through its Testlabs initiative to collaborate with industry to improve the competitiveness of the manufacturing industry.

•

Japan’s Society 5.0 focuses on mobility, healthcare and caregiving, manufacturing, agriculture, food, disaster prevention, and energy.

•

Malaysia’s Industry 4.0 policy framework focuses on labour productivity growth, manufacturing contribution to the economy, innovation capacity, and high skilled jobs.

•

Singapore’s key strategies include: transforming facilities and operations, R&D partnerships to develop new talent, and collaborate with manufacturing communities.

Evident in many of the national Industry 4.0 priorities stated above, the manufacturing industry across the region is poised to benefit significantly from the Industry 4.0 vision, which places a great emphasis on innovation-driven manufacturing.

In order to efficiently capitalise on what Industry 4.0 technologies have to offer, design and manufacturing enterprises across the region are beginning to move away from legacy systems and traditional processes, to take advantage of next-gen technology to automate, improve and streamline processes. A study by Deloitte supports this transition, reporting that digitally mature companies enjoy a wide range of specific benefits arising from their digital transformations that include, but go well beyond, the bottom line.

As a substantiation, Deloitte’s 2020’s digital transformation study found that companies with higher digital transformation maturity reported 45% net revenue growth.

Elevating performance in core manufacturing workloads Cost, product quality, and productivity are the three core pillars in the manufacturing industry; greater efficiency across all three pillars will be a never-ending journey. Advanced technologies and services can have a transformative effect across all three pillars, substantially increasing the bottom line for manufacturing companies.

In a general sense, manufacturing firms are turning to High Performance Computing to support various workloads within the manufacturing domain, including Computer Aided Engineering (CAE), Electronic Design Automation (EDA) and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) workloads. High performance computing can help manufacturers at every stage of product development, from running advanced design simulations to automating processes and predicting maintenance issues. There are multiple solutions with different capabilities to suit very specific workloads. In AMD alone, customers can choose from our EPYC processor family, our Ryzen, Threadripper PRO family and now, the AMD EPYC 7003 processors with AMD 3D V-Cache technology.

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Peter Chambers

Other considerations: Reduced power and security While the aforementioned points delved into the technical aspects of the manufacturing industry and the role of technology in elevating multiple workloads, there are various other considerations that could lead to a better cost-quality-productivity balance, including energy efficiency and security considerations.

With regard to the reduction of power, it is a key consideration with significant long-term positive impact not just to the environment, but also to the organisation’s Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).

To illustrate, AMD EPYC 7003 Series processors with AMD 3D V-Cache uses up to 30% less power, and will enable you to save an estimated 123.53 metric tons of CO2 which is an estimated equivalent carbon sequestration of 49-acres of forests annually.

Not just that, with the power efficiency provided by the AMD EPYC 7003 Series processors with AMD 3D V-Cache, use up to 30% fewer servers and reduce three-year TCO by up to 30% compared to servers without V-Cache technology.

Enhancing security is an ever-evolving venture with no finish line, especially for the manufacturing industry. As smart factory initiatives continue to proliferate across the global footprint of manufacturers, cyber risks are expected to continue to increase. In fact, according to a study by Deloitte and the Manufacturers Alliance for Productivity and Innovation (MAPI), 48% of manufacturers surveyed identified operational risks, which include cybersecurity, as the greatest danger to smart factory initiatives. The study also states that many manufacturing companies are seeing an increase in cyber related incidents associated with the control systems used to manage industrial operations.

Conclusion The COVID-19 pandemic initially slowed digitisation efforts not just in APAC, but on a global scale. About 38% of manufacturers surveyed by Deloitte pressed ‘pause’ on smart factory investments as of August 2020. Nevertheless, by 2021, 80% of manufacturers reported that smart factories are key to their future success, according to a Plex report. Investment will likely continue to pour into the sector, and it is time now, more than ever, to invest in the right tools and resources to elevate the manufacturing sector in line with Industry 4.0 goals. amd.com

INDUSTRY 4.0

FormFlow steelforming FormFlow and Deakin are to commercialise two Industry 4.0 innovations for steel forming Geelong manufacturing start-up FormFlow and Deakin University have successfully concluded a research collaboration with outcomes delivering new commercial solutions for the steel forming industry. The project, supported by the Innovative Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre (IMCRC), was designed to establish an Industry 4.0 manufacturing cell to control and optimise FormFlow’s corrugated steel bending process.

However, while undertaking fundamental research into the solution, the project team identified additional outcomes that would deliver greater efficiencies.

The first is a 2D laser system that monitors the cross-sectional shape of sheets before and after bending and enables the manufacturer to perform continuous quality control. The second is an Industry 4.0 manufacturing cell capable of producing a corrugated corner bend from a flat sheet of steel. Matthias Weiss, Senior Research Fellow at Deakin University, said having the flexibility to adjust the scope of the project enabled the team to develop completely unexpected, but more effective, solutions. “Our research still focused on creating a high-volume manufacturing cell, but instead of implementing equipment to monitor and control the bend, we designed a new technology and forming process called the in-phase continuous corner (IPCC),” he said.

“IPCC means we no longer need to compensate for differences in steel corrugations or work with fixed lengths. We can instead take a flat steel sheet and form an easy-to-install bend in continuous lengths.” Dr Matthew Dingle, FormFlow’s Managing Director, said industry had already shown significant interest in both products.

“Roll forming manufacturers are looking to FormFlow’s 2D laser system because it enables continuous, real-time quality control.

The laser automatically measures the key parameters of the steel and provides the necessary data, something that is currently a manual, time consuming process,” he said.

“The project outcomes have also contributed to our FormFlow Living business, which designs, develops and manufactures high-value, affordable modular housing using innovative building systems.

“To scale up FormFlow Living’s delivery model, we will soon offer the building systems to customers under license and are also establishing our first regional manufacturing hub in South West Victoria later this year.”

Dr Matthew Young, Manufacturing Innovation Manager at IMCRC, congratulated FormFlow and Deakin on the successful completion of their research collaboration.

“By starting with the research fundamentals, FormFlow and Deakin were able to justify their non-traditional approach to problemsolving and develop products of significant benefit to Australia’s sheet metal manufacturing industry,” he said.

“Once commercialised, FormFlow’s groundbreaking smart technologies will help standardise and validate suppliers’ material inputs and FlormFlow outputs, creating affordable, high-quality products with minimal waste.” imcrc.org

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Overcoming the obstacles of industrial automation implementation Arkadiusz Grzegorek, Head of Automation-Maintenance Division at TME sets out the solutions and implications of Industry 4.0.

The ADAM-4520-F RS-232 to RS-422/RS-485 converter module from Advantech

The benefits that can be derived from Industry 4.0 adoption are widely understood. Through this, it will be possible to transform the way in which factory production lines, processing plants and warehouse operations function daily. In many cases, however, the financial outlay involved is likely to prove problematic. Companies looking to employ such technology will need to do so while keeping the related expenditure to a minimum. The following article will look at how this goal can be achieved.

According to leading analyst consultancy Statista, the worldwide industrial automation market is going to experience substantial growth over the coming years. Having already generated more than $175bn in revenue during 2020, it is expected to hit the $265bn mark by 2025 – which equates to a 9% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over that period. Fortune Business Insights predicts that this 9% CAGR will remain beyond that timeframe, resulting in a total annual worth surpassing $355bn by 2028.

Advantages of Industry 4.0 and cost implications Through widespread implementation of Industry 4.0, elevated levels of efficiency will lead to better use of assets and increased output.

This in turn, means that orders can be fulfilled quicker to keep pace with customers’ demands. In addition, it will be possible to improve product quality and reduce wastage.

Another aspect of Industry 4.0 that is going to be pivotal is the ability to continuously monitor the key parameters of different items of machinery. This will allow any issues affecting overall performance to be investigated and addressed accordingly. It will support predictive maintenance activities too - so that any component parts that are in need of replacement can be identified before causing costly interruptions in production workflows.

It must be acknowledged however, that industrial equipment will remain in service for protracted periods of time. Largescale investments that have already been made mean that such equipment cannot be replaced within a short timeframe. The question therefore is how to get the most out of Industry 4.0 while keeping the associated costs down.

Before embarking on migration to a smart factory arrangement of some form, the cost implications will need to be fully understood.

In situations where there is only limited available budget to fund this work, companies will need an alternative to wholesale replacement of existing machinery. They must therefore look for a means via which they can adequately upgrade it instead.

Connectivity solutions and the attributes needed Any hardware that is intended to bring next generation connectivity to legacy industrial equipment or instrumentation must be straightforward to install of course. Space constraints may also need to be considered. Likewise, it is paramount that this hardware is aligned with the application environment into which it is being placed. It will need to exhibit the robustness necessary for it to cope with the uncompromising working conditions that industrial applications are certain to subject it to. Extreme temperatures, shocks and vibrations, as well as the threat of electro-static discharge (ESD) strikes and potential liquid ingress must all be safeguarded against. Only solutions that have these properties, and can ensure ongoing reliability, should be selected.

Enabling convenient communication between items of equipment supporting different serial interface standards, the Advantech

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ADAM-4520-F is an RS-232 to RS-422/RS-485 converter module capable of delivering 115.2kbps data rates. By attaching one of these units to equipment that was originally fitted with RS232 interfacing, it is possible to convert the RS-232 signals into isolated RS-422 or RS485 signals. Through its use, communication distances of up to 1200m can be supported and as many as 32 different nodes connected. There is no need to change any of the software, thereby facilitating the upgrade process. As well as having 3kV galvanic isolation, this module has a built-in surge protection mechanism. An operational temperature range of -10°C to 70°C is covered. Supplied in a compact ABS enclosure (with 70mm x 122mm x 30mm dimensions) it can be DIN rail or panel mounted.

Supporting the Modbus TCP protocol, the Brainboxes ED-588 Ethernet gateway allows existing industrial equipment to interact with the enterprise infrastructure further upstream. It offers a robust and intelligent ‘control side’ device that provide the interface to systems on the factory floor environment, commonly referred to as ‘process side’. It has eight non-isolated digital input and eight non-isolated digital output channels. The Ethernet port enables data to be transferred at 100Mbps rates. This DIN rail-mounted unit is supplied in a compact form factor (with dimensions of 101mm x 128mm x 22.6mm), so only takes up minimal cabinet space.

These units can be attached to a 24V supply and are housed in insulated polyamide casings which are IP20 rated. It may be used to control fans, solenoid valves, reed switches, lamps, or motors.

In addition, the gateway can deal with data coming in from a multitude of different sensors. There is no software needed, as the unit can be accessed from a web browser. Since it is installed as a COM port on a Windows PC, it has full backward compatibility with older equipment models. Short circuit and ESD protection features are incorporated, as well as over-temperature shutdown.

An operational temperature range of -30°C to +80°C is supported.

Conclusion For a large proportion of industrial operations, there is still a major disjoint between what happens on the factory floor and what takes place at the higher levels. If the advantages of embracing higher degrees of automation are to be fully leveraged, then this needs to change. Through retrofit options, like the ones mentioned in this article, the route towards Industry 4.0 does not actually need to be that complicated or expensive. Using the industrial converter modules and smart sensor plug-ins supplied by TME, it is possible to renovate longstanding industrial operations and start bringing them into the next industrial era. tme.com/au

INDUSTRY 4.0

ÖLFLEX Expanded Ambient Temperature cable LAPP high ambient heat cabling range delivers durability and reliability across diverse process needs.

Expanded ranges of high-ambient heat cabling are being stocked locally by LAPP Australia to assist companies in their Industry 4.0 digital transformation by shortening delivering times and increasing technical backup services for the globally respected ÖLFLEX range.

The LAPP ÖLFLEX Expanded Ambient Temperature cable range is engineered for demanding industrial environments including foundries, commercial baking equipment, food and beverage heat processing technologies, steel mills, mineral processing involving heat processes, glass factories, furnaces, other high temperature applications.

LAPP’s heat resistant wire features silicon and finely stranded tinned copper for high quality functionality and high levels of heat protection.

“High temperature cable options include resistance to UV-radiation, abrasion, and tears,” says LAPP Australia Managing Director, Simon Pullinger. “Further options include outstanding resistance to oil and weather, and high flame resistance.”

“As with the broader ranges of LAPP ÖLFLEX cables, our heat resistant wire cables are flexible and stand up to harsh industrial environments to keep factories and processing plants running,” he says.

LAPP Australia high ambient temperature ranges, above, and food and beverage and resources and metals applications, below The Australian branch of the German global leader in cabling and connectivity solutions, LAPP Group, has more than more than doubled its inventory of locally stocked product lines, from 1,500 to more than 4,000, since setting up in this country just four years ago. Over that time, LAPP Australia has also expanded staff nearly

fourfold (from six to 22 specialists and growing) to provide industrybest levels of supply service and engineering expertise.

The ÖLFLEX HEAT cables feature: •

The ability to maintain electrical and mechanical properties in extreme heat and cold to ensure uninterrupted power in severe conditions.

•

Durable materials, including cross-linked polymers, silicone, fluoropolymers, and fibreglass.

•

Cross-linked polymer cables that deliver increased thermal resistance, as well as resistance to corrosion, abrasion and a range of operating fluids like solvents and detergents.

•

Silicone cables that exhibit hydrolysis and UV resistance.

•

Resistance to chemicals.

The LAPP Australia ÖLFLEX range includes single and multi-core cables in different diameters, weights, temperature ratings, and resistance types.

Simon Pullinger says “LAPP’s commitments to the markets it enters are always in-depth, long-term and backed by an uncompromising customer focus and dedication to client service. These values of LAPP globally have remained constant since its establishment by Oskar Lapp in 1959 and through its evolution into a global family of companies bound together with the same strong principles.”

LAPP products are sought by customers seeking the assurance of top-quality products and systems that meet global compliance standards and are fully traceable back to the point of manufacture. lappaustralia.com.au

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COMPRESSORS & AIR TECHNOLOGY

Master Controllers in next-gen compressed air management systems Since their inception, master controllers have played an important role in increasing the efficiency of compressed air stations. The latest generation of these intelligent control systems from Kaeser represents a further evolution.

Adaptable and easy to operate, Master Controllers are able to monitor and control an entire compressed air system, whilst producing data that can be utilised for numerous purposes. The result? Reduced energy costs, increased convenience, enhanced operational security and additional functionality - such as predictive maintenance and life-cycle management.

The drive towards efficiency, reliability and energy savings and sustainable usage of resources, increasingly compels developers and users to optimise existing compressed air solutions ever further. Modern air stations are comprehensive systems, including compressors, cooling systems, dryers and filters. Even the individual components have auxiliary systems, such as ventilation or coolingwater systems. Moreover, stations are often incorporated into heat recovery processes to achieve optimal use of the available energy.

The range and number of individual components that make up a complete compressed air system can therefore be considerable.

Compressed air management systems such as the Sigma Air Manager 4.0 are the centrepiece of a modern air station.

Complex systems such as these require an organising hand to guide them, which is where master controllers such as the Sigma Air Manager 4.0 come into play. By monitoring the individual components and optimally coordinating the interaction between them, these controllers transform the individual ‘players’ into a truly cohesive team that operates reliably and efficiently.

Latest generation of management systems The very latest controllers are true management systems which act like master controllers, yet are capable of much more. They gather information regarding the connected components, measurement points via Ethernet and can transfer a limitless amount of such data to a centralised control system for evaluation.

The various methods used to gather information means that the data can be used in a range of ways, with the ultimate aim of optimising the compressed air system. For example, whilst also ensuring maximum operational reliability and efficiency, the compressors and treatment components are switched on and off as needed, or operate at partial load, so that compressed air volumes and quality always remain in step with actual demand.

Management systems additionally monitor all other relevant system parameters, such as the temperature and pressures in the compressor and compressed air treatment system, as well as ambient conditions. This means the control system can also check whether the compressor cooling is performing as required and whether environmental conditions (temperature, pressure) are consistent with requirements.

The latest generation of compressed air management systems, such as the Sigma Air Manager 4.0, now provide a range of enhanced benefits with a view to achieving optimisation of the entire system. Photo credit: Kaeser

monitoring enables the creation of predictive maintenance schedules. Monitoring can take place either internally within the company, or via an external service provider. For some years now, providers of compressed air systems have offered operators the option of remote monitoring. This means that they not only benefit from continuous monitoring of the operating parameters for their daily compressed air generation, but the system is also constantly checked and rechecked from a life-cycle management point of view. In this way, any increase or decrease in requirements can be identified early on and the air station optimised accordingly.

Documentation and management

Where heat recovery systems are used, all associated parameters are also integrated into the management system.

Management systems collect data regarding air consumption and heat recovery. Based on such data, costs are automatically calculated and can be assigned once again to the various individual components within the system. These functions, including visualisation, are accessed via the web using standard browsers without the need for any additional software.

Predictive maintenance

Conclusion

However, progress is not restricted to system operation alone.

Maintenance represents a key area to consider when it comes to maximising cost-effective compressed air production. It goes without saying that poorly maintained systems with contaminated coolers or filters, for example, also operate with impaired specific package input power.

Compressed air management systems such as the Sigma Air Manager 4.0 optimise the compressed air supply and require no additional software to provide valuable cost-monitoring information.

Such management systems not only control the compressors in accordance with compressed air demand, but also monitor the compressed air system as a whole, as well as any associated auxiliary systems, for optimum efficiency. They also offer enhanced data evaluation options, coupled with predictive maintenance, remote monitoring and life-cycle cost management, which in turn delivers improved reliability.

The latest management systems therefore also take maintenance parameters into account and include them in overall optimisation strategies. Over the long-term, predictive maintenance not only reduces both energy consumption and costs, but also helps boost value-retention of the system as a whole. Moreover, complex

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au.kaeser.com

COMPRESSORS & AIR TECHNOLOGY

Protect your compressor Changing your air compressor filter will protect your system.

Just as our lungs filter out contaminants in the air we breathe, air compressors rely on air filters to remove large debris, dirt, and other atmospheric air contaminants. Because of this, air filtration is critical for producing clean compressed air and ensuring a long product life for your compressed air system.

Aside from oxygen, atmospheric air contains water vapor, dust, dirt, and various other particles dependent on your operating environment. Additional contamination occurs if you are operating an oil-lubricated, reciprocating, or rotary screw compressor instead of compressor technology that delivers oil-free air, like a centrifugal air compressor.

Since one cubic foot of compressed air contains millions of dirt particles, removing this contamination through a high-quality air filter will avoid damage to your compressor and keep valves from swelling. Otherwise, this will inevitably lead to increased vibration and a reduction in service life.

Understanding air filter terminology Below are the standard terms you will find when reviewing and comparing air filter elements.

Particle Size Efficiency (PSE) This measures the specific micron sizes in diameter and determines the air filter's ability to remove particles.

Micron (micrometre) This is a unit of measurement (one-millionth of a metre). For a particulate to be visible to the human eye, it needs to be at least five microns large. Therefore, the efficiency at which an air filter can capture microns is one of the most critical aspects when choosing an air filter.

Arrestance The percentage of debris or dust, by weight, that a filter element can stop.

USA MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) This rating indicates how efficient a filter is at removing particulates and preventing them from entering the air stream. The higher the MERV rating, the more effective the filter is at trapping smaller particulates. However, it comes at the cost of creating more resistance to airflow, thus reducing system efficiency. The lower the MERV rating, the less effective the filter is at removing smaller particulates, but there is also less disruption in the airflow with these lower-rated filters.

European Efficiency Class EN1822:2019, EN779:2012 & EN779:2002 Similar to MERV, this rating was created for consistent air filter testing. The factory test ensures the air filter achieves the specified efficiency of removing debris.

Types of filters For most compressed air systems, there is a primary or pre-filter element and a secondary or final filter element. The primary filter is the first line of defense against debris and is typically replaced more often to ensure the highest level of contamination is removed.

The secondary filter serves as the second defense catching the smaller particles that made it through the primary filter. High dust environments like paper mills and textile factories will benefit from higher efficiency and higher micron filters to ensure the air going into the air compressor is free from the debris generated within the factory.

Environments with low dust can use standard air compressor filtration elements with a longer product life than the higher efficiency and higher micron level filters.

New FS-Elliott air filter solutions We have recently launched our Change on the Go filters, which allow operators to change the filters without turning off the compressor and disrupting production. These filters are available in standard or extended life options.

Keep in mind that when purchasing an air filter, paying attention to the efficiency rating, filter material, and the efficiency of trapping microns will save you money both in the short and long run. And following OEM guidelines for replacing filters is essential to protecting your investment as well as maintaining air pressure and reliable system operation.

Select the right air filter for your application Determining which air filter is right for you depends on your compressor application, what products you produce, the amount of pollution in your operating environment, and specific industry regulations. fs-elliott.com

Does reporting SLOW YOU DOWN? Book a FREE demo and find out how JOBBOSS2 can help.

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Specialty gas, Australian made for energy security Mitigating supply risk in hydrocarbon processing for Australian companies.

Energy’s centrality to Australia’s economic growth is well recognised, and the importance of securing an uninterrupted energy supply vital for numerous local businesses where hydrocarbon processing is part of their supply chain. Examples of hydrocarbon processing are found in the compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquified natural gas (LNG) sectors. Specialty gases as utilised in the hydrocarbon process for safety, process control and compliance, have historically been imported into Australia, however, global supply chain issues are now affecting Australian companies that have traditionally relied on overseas suppliers.

Steps to safeguard supply security include generating awareness of domestic specialty gas production to ensure a more energysecure future for Australian businesses.

Coregas is the only Australian industrial gases company manufacturing locally and distributing specialty gases throughout Australia and New Zealand, including calibration gases, chemical gases, process gases, purging/inerting gases, electronic gases and instrumentation gases.

“No other sector Coregas serves has such a diverse and precise range of requirements, and we have invested many years in developing our quality product range, certification, expertise and responsiveness to serve the needs of this industry,” said Alan Watkins, Executive General Manager at Coregas in Australia.

Forecast to grow at a healthy compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.9%, specialty gases are critical in Australia, being used in industries ranging from heavy industry and manufacturing, to healthcare and laboratories.

“The global supply chain continues to be impacted by current devastating events and recovery from Covid-19 lockdowns. These world events are increasing global supply chain pressures with significant shipping delays, increased freight costs, forex fluctuations and shutdown of factories.

Producer prices are also expected to soar and to flow onto the end consumer. Without access to specialty gases, businesses are being forced to stop operation as they are unable to calibrate and certify their plant equipment is operating correctly,” said Watkins.

“As an Australian gas manufacturer which meets all Australian and globally recognised standards, Coregas can ensure supply of critical specialty gases with comparatively significantly less lead time compared to importing. For example, a 20-parts component hydrocarbon gas mixture can be produced within three weeks locally

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compared to three months from importing.

It makes sense to support local Australian businesses.”

Coregas supplies a range of specialty gases and related gas control equipment used in the hydrocarbon processing industry.

Applications include high purity gases for laboratory analysers; ISO17034 accredited calibration gas mixtures for emissions monitoring and process control; bump test gases for gas detection safety equipment and high precision gas control equipment to deliver gases securely from the cylinder to point of use.

Coregas’ pedigree in specialty gases for hydrocarbon processing applications is unrivalled in Australia. “The Coregas team has been Australia’s specialty gases experts for over 25 years. We have more than 100 years of accumulated experience in our team of NATA-approved signatories for our ISO17025 and ISO17034 accreditations,” says Watkins. In addition, Coregas’ sales and customer service teams both have experts dedicated to specialty gases who can assist with technical queries and offer product selection advice. It is this level of expertise, along with Coregas’ Australian made gases, speed of delivery, and package sizes that differentiates them from other suppliers.

In other hydrocarbon processing applications such as crude oil refining, it is common to use liquid mixtures to calibrate analytical instrumentation. Coregas’ broad range of hydrocarbons can be used to produce liquid hydrocarbon mixtures in cylinders. The huge range of specialty gases that Coregas can offer to various hydrocarbon processing operations are, importantly, Australian-made. “We produce the gas components for many of them at our air separation unit located in Port Kembla,”

said Watkins. “From those pure gases, we then fill a range of high purity gases or gas mixtures in cylinders in our advanced technology laboratory in Yennora. From this location, near Sydney, we transport the gas cylinders to locations across the country, and export to international markets.”

In the environmental monitoring and analytical calibration market, speed of delivery is often as important as quality.

Coregas has standardised certain high volume products to be made from stock and are available for despatch next day.

Coregas has also tailored its production and ordering processes for calibration gases that are made to order to ensure conformance to customer bespoke requirements, to minimise the wait time for delivery.

Package size is a critical, and often forgotten aspect of the specialty gas supply chain.

“For the laboratory, a larger floor-standing calibration gas mixture (G size) cylinder will be preferred. This allows the technician to run as many tests as possible from a single cylinder,” said Watkins. “For in situ testing, users prefer portable cylinders. For these smaller packages we now find that there is market preference for high pressure refillable gas cylinders because they are much more environmentally sustainable than so-called ‘disposable’ cylinders.”

The move towards buying locally has never been more important for Australian companies, as supply chain issues put critical capabilities at risk. Coregas has jumped at the challenge to meet the demands of Australian specialty gas users and actively encourages businesses to reduce the risks from future disruptions that are certain to occur, and mitigate global supply chain risks by buying Australian. coregas.com.au

COMPRESSORS & AIR TECHNOLOGY

Pilot Air for Luna Park Sydney’s Luna Park ride development team called on Pilot Air to upgrade its compressed air system.

When it comes to serious quality and reliability, Pilot Air has built a reputation that sees large operators turn to them for all their compressed air needs. The team at Sydney’s Luna Park ride development did just that when two of the big-ticket rides needed the supply, installation and commissioning of air compressor systems and pipework.

Tendering began in February 2021 for a number of ride upgrades, and Pilot Air was engaged to create an air compressor system and air pipework solutions for two of the park’s most iconic and popular ride attractions.

The team conducted a comprehensive site visit, undertaking a diagnostic discovery of the park’s Boomerang ride.

As a feature ride with dynamic size to weight ratios and high-velocity execution, the complex air compressor system and air pipework needed to be intrinsically accurate with a robust system that would successfully perform under the stresses and demands of the ride’s platform.

“Luna Park Sydney has a long and very successful relationship with Pilot Air. We have full faith in the air compressor systems supplied by Pilot Air, so when it came time for the large-scale ride development process at Luna Park Sydney, naturally we turned to them for their expertise and thorough understanding of our needs and the demands of our equipment,” said Chris Pierce, Maintenance Manager at Luna Park Sydney.

Providing air compressor systems for heavy-duty needs Armed with the technical specifications from the ride’s technical experts, Pilot Air supplied a 5.5Kw Rotary screw compressor with a 600L vertical air receiver and TFD 15 dryer. Additionally, the installation required all the associated pipework and fittings.

Pilot Air created a customised plug-andplay air compressor system that met the demands of the project and delivered it within the tight scheduling constraints.

Pilot Air followed the successful installation of the air compressor system for the Luna Park Boomerang ride with a larger and more complex installation for one of the park’s most popular and iconic rides – the famous Big Dipper.

“These guys have an excellent reputation,” said Pierce. “They are very proactive in their preventative maintenance activities, which ensures minimal downtime. They provide clear information on the asset lifecycle and complete transparency on any new development and capital expenditure.

Having this level of knowledge is critical to our asset planning and budgeting requirements.”

The Big Dipper required a robust and powerful air compressor system. The team at Pilot Air customised a solution that not only filled the specifications but also solved a spatial and access problem. Due to the ride’s location within the site, they needed to supply a customised 37Kw variable speed rotary screw compressor with a 1000L verticle air receiver. Additionally, the system required the TFD72 Dryer and approximately 120m of pipework and fittings.

team was instrumental in assisting other contractors in fulfilling their obligations and the project showcased our teamwork skills and knowledge of complex installations,” said Tony Featherstone, National Sales Manager at Pilot Air. Pilot Air has been servicing industry and business for over 40 years. Many members of the team have been with the company for the best part of two or more decades.

Delivering projects like this one for Luna Park are opportunities for Pilot Air and the team to showcase their experience and expertise in providing outstanding solutions for compressed air needs.

The Big Dipper air compressor installation was a significant process that required a number of days. Complicating the installation was the delivery timeframe of the unit. Made in Italy, the customised system was overdue on delivery and Pilot Air was fast to act.

“Pilot Air has the infrastructure to supply, install and commission air compressor assets, making them the subject matter experts in this space. Their service levels and communication strategies enable any installation to be handled seamlessly,” said Pierce.

“We installed a temporary solution for the park’s operator that could manage the demands of the Big Dipper until the unit arrived. The installation workaround created by the team was highly effective in solving a difficult problem and keeping the project on track. The team needed to work in collaboration with other trades and technicians who had been contracted to complete other works. The Pilot Air

With air compressors through to compressed air storage, treatment and distribution, combined with our comprehensive spare parts inventory, Pilot Air will have what you require. If the standard compressed air products aren’t suitable, the crew offer custom-built solutions to meet individual requirements. pilotair.com.au

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Air spring actuators and airbags Air Springs supplier steps up to help break supply chain blockages and rocketing costs besetting mining, energy and heavy transport operations.

Crushers, conveyors, belt sweepers, vibratory equipment are areas where air springs are used in challenging applications where reliability and resistance to grime are critical. The same highly robust air springs go into the suspensions of big trucks working on the same mining, quarrying, materials handling, ports and energy sites.

A company that has spent more than 40 years building up its national network to supply air springs used to process and transport goods is now helping industry avoid the need to expensively import urgently needed components as they wear out and need replacement.

Air Springs Supply P/L supplies global quality brands of air spring actuators, isolators and air suspension components including Firestone Airride™ airbags used as OEM equipment by major truck manufacturers, as well as original and crossover replacement actuators and isolators for conveying and processing equipment.

The company - which is Australia’s leading supplier of air springs for heavy transport and industrial use – has worked hand-inhand with industry over the past two years to help ensure supply in difficult times so Australian companies can maintain production in the face of surging container prices that have risen more than 500% in some cases.

These rises and other costs have hit the mining, quarrying, transport, ports and bulk handling industry and their contractors hard - “For the first time, the cost of shipping a container on the world's busiest shipping routes, such as those from China to Europe, surpassed nearly $A14,000 over the last year, a rise of more than 500% on the year before,“ says Air Springs Supply Technical Product Manager James Maslin.

“High demand for physical goods thanks to government stimulus, easing of coronavirus travel restrictions, consumer demand from people staying at home and a global shortage of cargo containers has increased congestion and delays at the world's ports and pushed up shipping costs to our customers.

“This is the last thing our industry customers needed, because they have had it all in the last 12 months – COVID disruptions, labour shortages, road, rail and port bottlenecks, floods, climate disruption and international instability pushing up energy and transport costs,” says Maslin.

Firestone air spring types, including rolling sleeve and convoluted models, left, and

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Air Springs Supply’s latest and expanded national headquarters in Sydney in which it invested to help ensure continuity of supply of OEM and replacement air springs. The company has a nationwide service, supply and technical backup network established more than 40 years.

In response, Air Springs Supply has kept its supply lines open and operating as closely to normal as possible, even during the severest covid lockdowns and in the face of ensuring the best-available levels of its own stock from the US and Europe.

Despite the ongoing issues, the company has benefitted from strong investment in reinforcing its coast-to-coast supply chains in recent years, including a national headquarters twice as big as previously in which it has built up inventories and supply chain resilience.

OEM and crossover types This in turn has benefited the company’s air springs supply network – the country’s biggest – in supplying the scores of types of actuators, isolators and airbags used throughout the industry for applications ranging from conveyors, crushers, vibratory equipment and processing plant, through to the Arride™ suspension isolators of a type that that are used to keep the country’s biggest trucks rolling safety down the highway.

“Not only does Firestone technology naturally replace Firestone brand products in a wide range of OEM truck suspension and process machinery actuation and isolation equipment applications, but also premium quality Firestone parts often easily cross over with Goodyear, Conti, Rexroth, Norgren and similar components incorporated globally by other OEM manufacturers,” says Maslin.

Firestone air springs also replace damaged or worn out traditional actuators for motion and fluid control applications that previously used pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders involving internal moving parts that can break or wear, particularly in grimy or wet environments. Air springs have no such internal moving parts.

This product interchangeability helps companies adapt to changing circumstances without breaks in production - “We all need to be self-reliant in industry because we know a lot of the current problems aren’t going to go away tomorrow: virus outbreaks are something we have to learn to live with, climate change is an ongoing challenge and international political disruption is something we are all too aware of.”

Maslin says simplicity is one of the many reasons why cost-efficient Firestone air springs, in individual load capacities from 40-40,000 kg, offer top reliability for fixed and mobile plant including: • • • • • • • • •

Conveyors Crushers Processing plant Belt scrapers Lift tables Vibrating packers and screens Shaker tables Solating technology Heavy vehicle and work vehicle suspensions

Maslin says that if heavy industry wants to improve uptime performance – while also solving noise pollution issues in busy grimy plant – Air Springs Supply offers easilyinstalled alternatives to brittle, breakable and noisy metal springs. airsprings.com.au

COMPRESSORS & AIR TECHNOLOGY

Kaeser FBS 720: Next milestone Kaeser recently expanded its FBS series of rotary screw blowers with the inclusion of the FBS 720 models.

The Kaeser FBS 720 represents the next milestone in the development of oil-free compression blower technology, designed especially with water industry applications in mind.With a flow rate of 18 to 72 m³/min and pressure differentials from 0.3 to 1.1 bar, as well as a selection of motors ranging from 45 to 110 kW, the innovative FBS series continues the success story of its smaller sibling, the EBS series, whilst setting new standards in terms of energy efficiency, space-saving design and automation.

The SFC version is equipped with a frequency converter and a synchronous reluctance motor – a slip-free design that combines all the advantages of highefficiency permanent-magnet motors with those of robust, service-friendly asynchronous motors. Thanks to variable speed control, the flow rate can be adjusted as required and a control range of 1:4 is achieved, allowing exceptionally dynamic operation.

The STC version is now equipped with an energy-saving IE4 Super Premium Efficiency motor, which reduces energy consumption and therefore costs, making the STC version more efficient than ever before. On both versions, power transmission from the motor to the airend takes place via lossfree and maintenance-free gearing, which results in an improvement of up to 7% in specific package input power as compared to the previous model. The complete

machine achieves an efficiency range that represents the pinnacle of performance for this particular segment. In order to ensure that the specified performance figures are translated into reality, Kaeser guarantees performance in accordance with the strict tolerances of the ISO 1217-C/E standard.

Furthermore, efficiency remains constant across the entire control range and flow rate is virtually unaffected by pressure fluctuations. This allows the blowers to be precisely regulated and adjusted at all times via the master control system, achieving even greater energy savings and ensuring seamless integration with other control technologies.

Despite the compact dimensions of the FBS, Kaeser has succeeded in dispensing with the requirement for maintenance access from one side, thereby permitting side-by-side installation. This results in considerable space savings, particularly when operating multiple blower systems.

FBS rotary screw blowers are delivered ready for immediate connection, including controller and frequency converter or stardelta starter. All units are CE and EMCcertified, thereby minimising the planning, construction, certification, documentation and commissioning costs for planners, operators and plant manufacturers. Last but not least, highly effective sound and pulsation damping ensure exceptionally quiet operation. kaeser.com

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ENERGY & SUSTAINABILITY

Product innovations for the future Combined friction stir welding and machining processes, scalable manufacturing system for micro-technology and high-productivity twin-spindle machining – are just three of the new product innovations by the CHIRON Group that focus on productivity, efficiency and sustainability.

Combining FSW and machining

High dynamics and stability plus a large working chamber with a twin-spindle concept and a spindle distance up to 1,200mm – this is the 22, 25 and 28 Series from the CHIRON Group. Offered by ETG, the new machines are primed to set a new benchmark in terms of productivity and precision in this size range.

In addition to double-spindle applications such as battery and e-motor housing manufacturing, these new series are also fully capable of massive machining applications starting with solid blocks.

The extremely stable portal design forms the basis for high precision while the well-thought-out working area and user ergonomics enable flexible integration of a wide range of automation solutions for production process reliability.

The CHIRON Group and ETG are now offering a ground-breaking manufacturing

system for the microtechnology sector that provides high-precision automated machining of workpieces with maximum dimensions of 50 x 50 x 50mm.

The combination of a Micro5 with a Feed5 handling system will form an ideal plug-and-play solution once it enters series production. Feed5 offers increased autonomy for automated workpiece handling with a six-axis robot. Capacities for Micro5 and Feed5 projects are currently being expanded.

One process that may not be particularly well known is Friction Stir Welding (FSW): reliable, efficient and sustainable manufacturing technology for creating pressure-tight and media-tight connections between two materials. FSW is fundamentally suitable for applications involving the joining of aluminium or unrelated materials. Friction stir welding technology also enables car manufacturers to relocate electrical modules to the wet areas of vehicles.

The first CHIRON Group projects using this combination are already underway at a technology partner company, resulting in the first turnkey machining centres such as the MILL 2000 machining centre that offers combined FSW and milling technology. chiron-group.com

Emission Statement Australia submits new emissions target to UNFCCC. New Energy Apprentices in the jobs of the future; $10m New Energy Skills Program to provide additional training pathways; the introduction of declining emission baselines for Australia’s major emitters, under the existing Safeguard Mechanism.

The Australian Government has lodged an updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) secretariat. This is part of Australia’s obligations under the Paris Agreement.

The updated NDC commits Australia to a more ambitious 2030 target. We are going to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 43% below 2005 levels by 2030, which is a 15% increase on Australia’s previous 2030 target.

This also reaffirms Australia’s commitment to net zero emissions by 2050; it commits the government to providing an annual statement to parliament on progress towards these targets; restores Australia’s Climate Change Authority as a source of independent policy advice.

It reflects the government’s resolve to urgently step up action and work alongside global partners to tackle the climate crisis.

The government will implement new policies across the economy to drive the transition to net zero.

This formalises Australia’s pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 43% below 2005 levels by 2030, and will put Australia on track to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. When Parliament resumes, the Government will seek to enshrine these targets in legislation, providing the certainty

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industry and investors have been seeking.

This plan will create more than 604,000 jobs, most new jobs to be created in the regions, and will spur $76bn of investment.

“Updating Australia’s 2030 emissions reduction target is a promise our Government made to the Australian people,” said the Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese.

The Government’s comprehensive set of policies include: $20bn investment in Australia’s electricity grid to accelerate the decarbonisation of the grid; an additional $300m to deliver community batteries and solar banks across Australia; up to $3bn investment in the new National Reconstruction Fund to support renewables manufacturing and low emissions technologies; powering the Regions Fund to support the development of new clean energy industries and the decarbonisation priorities of existing industry; a further $100m to train 10,000

Also, Australia’s first National Electric Vehicle Strategy, to reduce emissions and accelerate the uptake of electric vehicle; doubling the existing investment in electric vehicle charging and establish hydrogen refuelling infrastructure – to $500m; the application of new standardised and internationally-aligned reporting requirements for climate risks and opportunities for large businesses; a commitment to reduce the emissions of Commonwealth Government agencies to net zero by 2030; restoring the role of the Climate Change Authority, while keeping decision-making and accountability with Government and introducing new annual Parliamentary reporting by the Minister; and a bid to host a future Conference of the Parties in Australia with an offer to Pacific partner countries to co-host.

“The new target reflects my Government’s resolve to urgently step up the pace of action, and work alongside global partners and particularly with our Pacific family, to tackle the climate crisis and keep 1.5-degrees within reach,” the Prime Minister concluded. industry.gov.au

ENERGY & SUSTAINABILITY

Ocean-energy market innovation hub envisioned for WA south-west World-first Integrated Ocean Energy Marketplace will demonstrate the true potential of ocean energy.

This major project will demonstrate how ocean energy can solve end-users’ energy challenges. The two-stage project will start with an online platform to help match markets to energy solutions.

The second phase will see a pilot-scale, offshore integrated grid system developed near Albany. A visionary, WA-based project has been unveiled as part of a bold stepchange to accelerate the adoption of integrated ocean energy.

Launched in early May at the Australian Ocean Energy Group’s Market Summit in Hobart, the feasibility study will look into developing a two-stage Integrated Ocean Energy Marketplace (IOEM). The first stage will feature a digital platform and knowledge base, used to model various integrated renewable energy systems and to propose bespoke energy solutions for ’blue economy’ market users. The second stage will see the development of a physical, visitable marketplace situated near Albany, showcasing an integrated ocean energy microgrid, which will enable these market customers to see, interact with and gather real-time information about ocean energy solutions.

Driven by the Australian Ocean Energy Group (AOEG) cluster, which was established with support from NERA (National Energy Resources Australia) in 2018, the IOEM will show end-user markets how ocean energy can meet their needs, leading to the increased adoption of wave and tidal energy, increased accessibility to technology and increased understanding around affordability.

By bringing together global technology providers, renewable energy contributors and specialist suppliers with transitioning energy customers, the IOEM is focussed on scaling, commercialising and de-risking the ocean energy sector.

AOEG Cluster Manager Stephanie Thornton says currently Australia’s energy markets are largely unaware of the benefits of integrating ocean energy with other renewables, including offshore wind.

“We need to address this and raise the market’s awareness of the benefits of multipurpose offshore energy parks that can optimise energy planning solutions as well as deliver low carbon solutions to marinebased industries and communities," said Thorton.

“We’ve identified there are four main barriers to the adoption of ocean energy

— awareness, accessibility, affordability and commercial project delivery. The IOEM project has been designed to address these challenges head-on and directly connect key end-users to technical solutions in development. Through the IOEM we hope to demonstrate our vision.

We believe seeing leads to understanding and understanding underpins adoption.

This philosophy is at the heart of AOEG’s vision for the marketplace.”

The IOEM project’s first stage is a virtual marketplace and learning centre, providing a forum for mutual understanding of the energy needs of end-users and the ocean energy ‘systems-based’ solutions. Through simulation, this digital marketplace will draw data from existing wave and tidal energy projects, to mix and match endusers to proposed ocean energy system integrations and potential providers.

The second stage is the construction of a physical marketplace where ‘seeing is understanding.’ Using an integrated microgrid approach, a working, pilot-scale ocean energy system will be created as a world-first offshore energy marketplace.

This interactive innovation hub will demonstrate the efficacy, economic and social value of integrated offshore energy solutions as a key complement to Australia’s net zero goals.

The ocean energy microgrid will include a combination of wind and wave energy converters, solar (onshore and/or offshore), storage and application technologies including green hydrogen production, desalination capability and EV charging.

A database of ocean energy device capabilities for market-ready technology application will also enable potential endusers to understand the strengths of an integrated system, identify and model their particular energy requirements and be matched to integrated offshore energy options that best fit their future energy transition needs. Working with an associated project development partner, end-users can then design, cost, procure and develop stand-alone or integrated energy solutions for commercial applications.

NERA’s Ocean Energy Program Manager Alex Ogg, says the lack of awareness about the potential of generating power from integrated tidal, offshore wind and wave energy must be addressed.

“Despite the fact that it has an almost limitless potential to produce clean energy more consistently and predictably than any other source, energy from our oceans has been too often overlooked,” said Ogg. “What also sets ocean energy apart is its ability to be integrated with other renewables — from discrete blue economy applications today to multi-use offshore energy parks in our future — adding huge value, consistency and complementary energy to the renewable supply. We’re now seeking partners who share our vision to help us turn the vision into reality and help make ocean energy be a leader in the transition to a sustainable future for all,” added Ogg. oceanenergygroup.org.au

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Sunscreen for roads Rubber from used tyres acts like sunscreen for roads and halves the rate of sun damage when mixed with bitumen, new research has found.

RMIT University engineers collaborated with Tyre Stewardship Australia (TSA) to reveal a bitumen blend that is both UV-resistant and withstands traffic loads, with the potential to save governments millions on road maintenance annually.

Unlike much outdoor infrastructure – such as playground equipment and outdoor furniture – roads are not designed with any sun protection, making them prone to cracking and potentially unsafe to drive on. Australian states and territories spent nearly $2.9bn on road maintenance in 2019–2020, according to the National Transport Commission.

The invention also provides a promising sustainable solution to Australia’s used-tyre crisis. Used tyres in Australia have been subject to an export ban since December 2020, which means new methods for recycling and reprocessing them locally is increasingly important.

While research efforts have focused on improving the durability of roads in terms of traffic load, thermal ageing and weather-related events, sun damage has received little attention – until now.

The new study led by Associate Professor Filippo Giustozzi at RMIT University provides a sustainable solution to UV protection for roads, with results published in the Journal of Cleaner Production.

“We found that the ageing trend is actually slowed down when you add crumb rubber, which is recycled from scrap tyres, into the top layer of a road,” Giustozzi said. “This acts so effectively as a sunscreen for roads that it actually makes the surface last twice as long as regular bitumen. We knew that UV would be a factor in road degradation, but not by what degree or how to protect against it, as nobody has really been looking at this aspect.”

Associate Professor Filippo Giustozzi is a leading road engineer focused on delivering practical and readily implementable research outcomes.

Credit: RMIT

RMIT is one of the few universities in Australia to have a UV machine for asphalt studies, which can simulate weather-related ageing and is usually used for testing outdoor furniture paints.

Giustozzi’s team used this machine to simulate the long-term effect of solar degradation in the lab on bitumen with different concentrations of crumb rubber: from a low concentration of 7.5% to a medium of 15% and a high of 22.5%.

After a month and a half of continuous exposure in the UV machine – equivalent to about a year of Melbourne’s UV radiation – they measured the changes in bitumen’s chemical and mechanical properties.

Giustozzi said bitumen mixed with the high concentration of crumb rubber from recycled tyres showed 50% less UV damage compared to regular bitumen.

While using more rubber was better in terms of UV resistance, Giustozzi said it was also important to balance this with mechanical performance. “You don’t want something that is UV resistant but not truck resistant,” he said. “We found adding between 18% and 22% of crumb rubber generates an ideal balance in terms of improving rut and fatigue resistance to traffic loads, while resisting UV ageing.”

A sustainable solution to Australia’s used tyre crisis Used tyres in Australia cannot be exported, making new methods for recycling and reprocessing them locally increasingly important.

But TSA CEO, Lina Goodman, said while Australia produced around 450,000 tonnes of end-of-life tyres in 2021, only around 70% of those were recycled or reprocessed, making it a critical problem to solve. “We are encouraged by the research in showcasing the viability and benefits of using crumb rubber from end-of-life tyres, not only in roads and civil infrastructure, but across multiple sectors,” Goodman said.

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The UV machine used during testing. Credit: RMIT

“We’re excited to collaborate on this project with industry and leading researchers at RMIT University. A multi-organisational approach paves the way for innovation and the opportunity to turn this resource into a value-added product.”

Giustozzi said an added advantage of crumb rubber was that it was already widely in use, including in some roads, but that the councils and state authorities using it were not aware of this ‘sunscreen’ effect revealed in the research. “We hope this research will change that and open new opportunities,” he concluded. tyrestewardship.org.au

ENERGY & SUSTAINABILITY

Capral makes solid climate pledge Capral has committed to reach net zero emissions by 2050. This target will be based on achieving net zero Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions and is underpinned by emerging and breakthrough technology options.

The scientific community has clearly stated the need to reach net-zero global CO2 emissions by mid-century to limit global warming to 1.5°C and to reduce the destructive impacts of climate change on human society and nature.

As a major aluminium supplier, Capral’s buying strategies and corporate activities will demonstrate the goal for Capral to work towards sustainability best practice underpinned by a commitment to the United Nations SDGs. Capral recognises that in the world in which we all live, the company must act wisely to protect the environment and the broader society while working in the interests of stakeholders and customers.

“We have an absolute commitment to our staff, customers, stakeholders and the communities within which our facilities operate to ensure we are eliminating sources of emissions within the value chain of our business,” says Michael O’Keefe, General Manager – Marketing & Technology, who oversees Capral’s National Sustainability Committee and roadmap. Organisations around the world are recognising that this is a decision that cannot wait any longer and Capral is no different, we are proud to make this commitment and confident in our ability to achieve it.”

O’Keefe explains that Capral’s Net zero commitment will in the first instance focus on Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. Scope 1 emissions are direct emissions from company-owned and controlled resources. In other words, emissions released into the atmosphere as a direct result of a set of activities, at an operational level. Scope 2 emissions are indirect emissions from the generation of purchased energy, from a utility provider. In other words, all Green House Gas

(GHG) emissions released in the atmosphere, from the consumption of purchased electricity and gas.

“Our focus is very much on eliminating the source of emissions. We intend to do this by improving our plant and equipment, implementing new technologies and embracing more sustainable practices across our organisation. Working with our upstream supply partners we will continue to look for options to incorporate more low carbon aluminium in our value chain and where feasible embrace circularity principles,” says O’Keefe.

Reaching net-zero emissions will also require neutralising Capral’s residual GHG emissions with an equivalent amount of carbon removals. Capral recognises that an effective neutralisation strategy involves removing carbon from the atmosphere and storing it for a long-enough period to fully neutralise the impact of any GHG that continues to be released into the atmosphere. As an overarching safeguard, Capral also recognises the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet. “In recognising the UN SDGs, we implement environmental and social safeguards in our operations and decision-making process to ensure we continue to develop our position as a socially and environmentally aware organisation,” O’Keefe adds.

Capral recognises that robustness and transparency are essential to the net zero 2050 commitment and will continue to disclose environmental impact and progress towards achieving their Net Zero target publicly as part of their annual and midyear reporting cycles. capral.com.au

Zinc-bromine flow batteries Redflow is pleased to announce that after extensive testing, their zinc-bromine flow battery energy storage solution can be used with Sol-Ark’s hybrid inverters.

Sol-Ark, based in Texas, USA, is a solar and energy storage technology company building innovative inverters that effectively manage solar panels and batteries used to create reliable on and off grid applications. Sol-Ark’s product line is UL-1741-SA certified, fully approved for grid connection in the US including meeting the demanding grid connection standards that apply in California.

The integration testing was completed at the Redflow Integration and Testing facility in South Australia by Redflow’s Battery Management System architect, Simon Hackett and demonstrates complete compatibility between Redflow’s ZBM3 zinc-bromine flow battery and Sol-Ark’s product line of advanced hybrid inverters for solar PV and energy storage. Redflow CEO and Managing Director, Tim Harris said he was pleased that Sol-Ark’s North American codeapproved products are now certified to be integrated with their energy storage system and believes that this is an important step in the execution of their US growth strategy.

“Integration with Sol-Ark’s well established product line enables Redflow to deploy its zinc-bromine flow batteries in the United States SME and C&I markets, creating exciting opportunities for Redflow and Sol-Ark to work together to deploy new smaller scale systems across the US, and deliver sustainable and environmentally friendly renewable energy storage solutions," Harris said. The Sol-Ark 5K, 8K, 12K and 15K products integrate solar PV arrays, 48V DC battery

storage, grid and generator connections in a single cost-effective, outdoor-capable, wall-mounted device. For larger storage systems, up to 12 Sol-Ark devices can be clustered together to service large site deployments, like manufacturing plants or offices. Tom Brennan, founder, CEO and CTO of Sol-Ark is pleased to see the successful completion of integration testing as he sees the potential role of flow batteries to be an important part of the future energy storage eco-system.

“Our compatibility with the innovative Redflow zinc-bromine flow battery demonstrates just how adaptable and powerful our platform is. From small to large commercial installations, our innovative product range is the enabler of scalable and sustainable renewable energy deployments in this rapidly growing market,” Brennan said.

Redflow’s 10 kWh 48V ZBM3 is the world’s smallest production zinc-bromine flow battery. It is non-flammable, can operate at high temperatures, and uses easily sourced and fully recyclable components. It can be charged to 100% and discharged to 0% every day. With the ability to easily combine in parallel multiple ZBM3’s to deliver any required energy storage size.

“The integration testing between Sol-Ark’s product line and Redflow’s batteries was simply seamless. With a simple CANBus connection between the Redflow BMS and the Sol-Ark inverter, everything just … works,” Hackett said. sol-ark.com

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ENERGY & SUSTAINABILITY

Sense and sustainability One small step for smart meters, one giant leap for climate change in Australia.

An international leader in home intelligence and real-time smart electricity monitoring, Sense is setting up operations in Australia to help the country achieve Net Zero emissions sooner.

Michael Jary, the International Managing Director for Sense, announced the establishment of a local operation in Australia within a year, where the company sees strong potential for its AI technology to be embedded with the next generation of smart energy meters.

Sense will establish local electricity retailing and manufacturing partners for its AI technology that uses machine-learning algorithms to analyse high-resolution electricity data, providing a breakdown of individual domestic electricity consumption to an appliance level in real time.

“Whilst first generation smart meters have made huge strides in digitising the energy sector, they have not fulfilled their true potential.

With an excessive focus on the unit cost of the meter alone, these first wave devices could have done much more,” says Jary. “But second wave meters can and must do so much more. They will be affixed to walls until 2040 so they need to be future-proofed.”

Sense technology, which can be embedded into the smart meter, provides data vital to flexible grid management including provision of energy disaggregation information in real time that radically advances grid management to increase flexibility and cut infrastructure costs.

“This will be critical to the electrical energy transformation happening now in Australia, in which individual homes and the grid will be called upon to facilitate the move away from fossil fuels, while accommodating growing trends such as full electric vehicle penetration, heat pumps in most homes, widespread distributed generation, and fluctuating renewables,” says Jary.

Australia’s existing smart meter technology needs to be upgraded to deliver a low carbon energy transformation to domestic homes.

Real-time device detection at the individual appliance level is in the national interest, and it reduces household power bills.

Jary said embedding of Sense’s AI technology into smart meters, where it processes high-resolution waveform data in real time, would be a relatively small step for each of Australia’s approximately ten million households, but would have a major impact collectively on reaching Australia’s Net Zero goals sooner.

“Modest upgrades to the next generation of smart meters will allow them to embed Sense technology and run sophisticated AI algorithms. By deploying AI to the grid edge, homes can become more efficient and flexible and we can cost-effectively accelerate the energy transition now happening in Australia,” said Jary, adding that homes account for 25% of total electricity consumption in Australia.

“Sense’s AI technology, which can be readily incorporated into next generation smart meters produced by Australian manufacturers, helps consumers save energy, enables demand-side flexibility, and identifies anomalies on the grid. It also prepares homes to cope with the coming household electrical transformation, including full electric vehicle penetration, heat pumps in most homes, widespread distributed generation, and fluctuating renewables. For a relatively minor investment to incorporate this technology into next generation meters produced in Australia, the benefits will be outstanding, providing consumer-controlled savings, and competitive advantages for electricity retailers and meter manufacturers, and a new level of grid flexibility that will be vital as Australia progressively transitions away from fossil fuels.

“There is huge scope to improve smart metering in Australia by adoption of technology which is already being deployed in the US,” he said in a preamble to Australian Energy Week, a major annual conference and expo for the energy industry, bringing together

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International Managing Director for Sense, Michael Jary

generators, networks, retailers, end-users, and government, helping to shape the energy transition.

Michael Jary’s mission in Australia includes introducing the technology to electricity regulators, electricity retailers, and other major organisations involved in the energy transformation. Sense has already formed partnerships with other national and global organisations involved in this process, including Schneider Electric, which is an active participant in the global energy transformation.

“Australia needs to provide intelligence in the home that engages consumers, optimises for cost and carbon, and reduces the capital and operating costs of the grid. Such technology needs to be highly scalable, and dramatically more cost-effective than previous offerings. It needs to be able to balance the grid, and reduce and shift the peaks,” he said.

“It needs to engage, not enrage, the consumer by making them a partner in identifying energy waste, tracking electricity costs and saving money on their bills.”

Sense's load disaggregation samples power more than 10,000 times per second, then uses high resolution waveform data analysis to track device activity in homes down to individual appliances, even those that aren’t smart.

“In very simple terms, it ‘listens’ to electricity signals to identify the unique signatures of various appliances and electrical devices in the home. Based on this electricity data, it can tell you where usage and waste is occurring in real time. This is a huge advance on previousgeneration technologies, which were unable to break down usage at an appliance level and couldn’t share information with consumers until the next day at the earliest,” says Jary.

“To deliver net zero in time to substantially help avert climate change, Australia’s next generation smart meters have a vital role to play. But decisions made now could make or break the drive to net zero,” says Jary, who is seeking to partner with local energy suppliers to advance smart metering to the next level.”

“The energy-saving potential in Australia is huge – that’s why we are setting up here. There are more than ten million homes in Australia, each consuming about 5,000 kWh per year.”

ENERGY & SUSTAINABILITY

“The combination of electrification and a low-carbon power grid is the right path to decarbonisation in Australia. But unless we engage consumers, and enable energy efficiency and demand flexibility, we will be forced to build substantially more capacity into the grid at enormous expense,” says Jary.

Consumer engagement “We have arrived at a crucial juncture where we decide whether the smart meter saves the ice caps or mostly saves on the administration of quarterly billing. By investing in enhanced processing, comms, and memory, smart meters can become computation modules that are able to intelligently manage the home and interface with the grid. The return on these final few microchips will dwarf the additional cost.”

“To function for decades, the next wave of meters to be installed must be designed to manage a much more challenging grid. They need the capability to cope with full electric vehicle penetration, heat pumps in most homes, widespread distributed generation, and fluctuating renewables. Balancing the grid is inconceivable without control, insight, and engagement at the grid edge,” he says.

“As retailers and policymakers make decisions about next generation smart meter deployments, it’s important to understand the role that these new meters can play in consumer engagement, potentially making or breaking the success of energy efficiency and demand response programs.”

“Peoples’ day-to-day lives in their homes have a big impact on how these programs work, including when and how much energy they use. We can’t afford to neglect customer engagement and still expect to succeed.”

Michael Jary says that while it’s “generally believed that you cannot engage with consumers about their energy, our experience differs.

On average, customers engage two to three times a week with the

Sense app even after a year of usage. That’s immeasurably more than a standard energy portal.”

“Consumers initially use the technology to save money on their bills. But it soon becomes an indispensable tool for managing their lives and homes. There are important safety and security aspects to capabilities afforded by next-generation smart meters with embedded Sense AI technology.”

“Knowing what appliances are on or off in the home is incredibly useful data. Many people experience anxiety because they can’t recall whether they left an iron or stove on. Sense can reassure them or help avoid a devastating incident in the home.”

“Sense technology can also help control appliances throughout the home, with smart home integrations such as Hue smart lightbulbs and TP Link smart plugs, which can control connected devices from anywhere you have an Internet connection.”

“With engaged customers, energy retailers can transform the relationship, surprising customers with lower bills, enhanced safety and providing an array of compelling services, which will drive up acquisition and grow loyalty.” sense.com

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ONE-ON-ONE

Aliza Knox is the former Head of APAC Twitter, APAC and has held leadership positions for APAC at some other dynamic tech companies such as Google APAC and Cloudflare. Paul Hellard spoke to her at home in Singapore.

Prior to forging a career in tech, Aliza Knox spent decades as a global finance and consulting executive and is now a Board Director as well as a Senior Advisor for Boston Consulting Group. Awarded 2020 APAC IT Woman of The Year, she has recently launched her new book titled ‘Don’t Quit Your Day Job’.

AMT: What drove you to write 'Don't Quit Your Day Job'?

Aliza Knox: I’ve been doing a lot of casual mentoring via one-off coffees. If there’s one idea I learned from tech, it’s that things need to be scalable. Also, I don’t really like coffee. So I thought I’d write down a lot of what I share in these sessions. In the climate of #TheGreatResignation, many people believe they need to quit their jobs to get what they want. I don’t think that’s always the case, so I want to explain my views on how to get what you need from your career and your life. The title doesn’t mean you should never quit, only that you may not need to quit.

AMT: Can you share some of the mindshifts in the book?

AK: One of the key mindshifts is that you need to nurture your relationship with your career, just as you do with a partner.

Once upon a time the mindset was that work was just something you did to earn money for whatever you needed, whether that be housing or raising kids or your equestrian passion.

We’ve moved through phases, which included finding meaning and fulfillment, and maybe even fun in your job, to looking for missiondriven companies, to then having work fulfill your passions. I think that sets too high an expectation for most people.

For some, it works out that everything they want in life is fulfilled in their career, but for most it doesn't. People are multi-faceted, and have different aspects to their life.

This means that a career probably cannot deliver on everything you need, as is the case with a life partner. If you're in a relationship with another person - marriage or long-term relationship or even a short term one - most therapists will tell you that you cannot expect that person to fulfill all your needs.

To be honest, most people are in their career even longer than they're in a relationship, maybe until the age at which they stop working. In my case, I've worked about 40 years, and I've been in my current relationship for about 34. Very early on, I learned not to put all my demands, all my personal needs, on this one person, in my case, my husband.

I also talk about your career and your life being on the same side and to stay away from that word, “Balance.” That word, when talking about Work and Life, brings up visions of a seesaw, and that means, if one side goes up, the other side goes down. I admit, I don't think you can do absolutely everything you want, all the time, even if you never slept. But, as in the case with Cindy Carpenter, who carved out time to Chair The Bread and Butter Project in Australia because she cared deeply about the refugee situation, it not only fulfilled her personally and did not detract from her role

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running her business. It actually added to her career by attracting attention from new clients. This can also apply to parenting while building a career.

I found myself able to have kids and to keep going with my work at Boston Consulting Group. I'm not saying everybody should do this, but I don't like the idea that people who are new to parenting feel that they must make an either-or decision. In the book, I share the example of Suzy Nicoletti, who had convinced herself she couldn't do those two things at the same time, but ultimately gave it a try (with some nudging). She went on to become the Head of Twitter in Australia and New Zealand and recently move to run Yotpo across APAC - oh, and she's had three kids while doing this.

AMT: Tell me about your move from banking across to technology.

AK: I was living in the Bay Area in Northern California, which includes Silicon Valley. We'd had the first dot-com boom and bust.

I was at a meeting between VISA and Google where I met Vint Cerf, one of the real founders of the Internet. I followed up on the meeting appropriately for business and then I thought, I just met this amazing guy at an amazing company. Maybe I should take action.

And so I wrote another note to him, this time from my personal email. I said that I hoped I wasn’t being too audacious and that I liked financial services and certainly hadn’t mastered it, but had been in it for a long time, but that I felt like I was missing out on a new industry. I noted I was new to online media and to tech but was keen to be part of it and learn. He responded and that led to me moving to Google. Google went through all my credentials to make sure I was appropriately smart/capable but then they asked, ‘what do we do with someone like you?’ I said all my roles, from being a partner at Boston Consulting Group to running the Commercial Card at VISA international, involve sales and product. Ultimately, I took on a sales role responsible for about two thirds of the Asia Pacific revenue.

AMT: Talk to us about your other ways of using serendipity in business.

AK: There is the kind of serendipity where Kate Moss, who became supermodel, was spotted in a New York airport. I'm still waiting for that and get hopeful very time I show up at Kingsford Smith. But the kind of serendipity that I talk to people about is not that passive. It's opportunity, plus action. When I met Vint Cerf I could have said, “Oh, it's nice to meet you,” and have left it at that. And he might not have responded. But I seized the opportunity to reach out, which led to a career pivot for me. I really encourage people to be open minded and think about when opportunities present themselves.

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AMT: I loved that story about when you moved to Manhattan for your first job at a bank. Tell us how you fulfilled some life needs with an attached work function.

AK: When I arrived in New York, I started looking for a place to go swimming. I wanted a 25-yard pool to do laps because I really needed that daily physical release. Swimming pools are not a common feature in Manhattan’s city landscape. But there was a huge brand-new gym and pool at New York University just a few blocks from where I lived. The catch was I had to be an NYU student to use it. Even though I had just finished university and was in a bank training program, hence tired of studying, I decided to take a class at NYU so that I could swim. My employer would pick up the fees as long as I earned good grades. It turned out to be like a free gym, with homework attached. It also delivered an MBA, which I did not need then, but which enabled me, later to get the job at Boston Consulting Group in Australia.

I didn't foresee that job. I didn't know that I wanted to be a consultant. I didn't even know what consulting was. So in a way, it was just serendipity, as well as further proof that work and life aren’t on opposite sides.

AMT: Managers and CEOs are always working longer hours than others appreciate. I know they are also looking for guidance.

AK: There are periods in life where you may need to work long hours, no doubt about it.

If you're a new employee at many professional services firms or investment banks, if you’re a CEO, or if you're an owner or founder, work may take most of your time. So maybe you have a little bit less time during some periods for the rest of your life. But I do believe that it’s a high bar for a career to fulfill all your passions and all your needs. So, you probably need to allow time for some other activities. There are always trade-offs. You can't work all day and be with your kids all day.

Everyone talks about how much more productive we've become during the pandemic. And in a way we have, because of course many people saw their commutes disappear and could use that time. On the other hand, the blurring of boundaries between home and work may be what's causing a lot of the burnout that we see today. The productivity increase seems to be partly due to the COVID-driven expectation that we could reach out to people at any time.

Overworked CEOs and managers need boundaries, and it’s important for them to model these for employees as well. I have always been committed to work, but there are times that I'm not on email or not at the premises. Although it sometimes sounds like the more hours you spend at the office, the better, usually there is some sort of limit to how productive you can be. You need to figure out where that point of diminishing marginal returns is and do other things instead. Is it 12 hours at the factory or in the business, or 10 or eight? Set that boundary and let employees in on it as well. That way, employees also optimise what they contribute when they are working, but don't burn out.

Right now, retention is the ‘new black’. Keeping employees is especially important in a time where there’s a tight labour market and people are switching jobs with greater frequency. One cause of people switching is burnout (already addressed). Another is a desire for flexibility. People are also seeking pay rises. But I think what’s most important - and what comes through loud and clear in recent McKinsey research, is that employees still want their companies to value them and managers to be invested in their development. By setting boundaries, not only can CEOs take care of themselves, but they can also show employees that they value them and don't want you to burn out. Many other things are important too, like providing insightful and actionable feedback, as well as training to demonstrate that they want to help their employees develop.

AMT: Can you tell me about the book overall in brief?

AK: My six essential mind shifts when put into practice, will set you up for long-term success and longevity in your career. Although the modern workforce may be changing rapidly, these strategies for rising and thriving are proven, and will stand the test of time. They will also provide you with a road map to excel in your career and love the life you’ve designed at the same time.

Aliza is donating all her profits from the book to Vital Voices, a non-profit organisation that works to elevate women’s leadership around the world to push for progress.

Aliza Knox: www.alizaknox.com Vital Voices: www.vitalvoices.org

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STATE SPOTLIGHT

VICTORIA

Data for every body An Australian company is making waves in markets from uniforms to retail apparel thanks to a unique and homegrown 3D scanning system, and hopes to lead a new paradigm in accurate body measurement in the bargain. By Drew Turney.

Imagine all the things you could do with an accurate digital representation of your body. Bodd has, and the Melbourne-based company is putting it into practice.

It starts with a body-scanning turntable device, which creates a complete set of measurement data via a very user-friendly, nonintrusive process. The subject simply steps onto the scanner's rotating platform, accesses the controls through a touch screen, stands with feet slightly apart and hands slightly away from the sides and rotates slowly for about a minute. Various optical lenses and data capture hardware devices then capture a broad and constantly expanding suite of possible anatomical detail.

Bodd is pursuing a range of applications and markets from the worlds of clothing and customised wearable garments, through to health-related information. In the uniform retailing sector, Bodd’s technology is disruptive to existing business models and is a lead field of application. The possibility of eliminating waste in the retail fashion and apparel sector has a very compelling environmental impact (more below).

Founders Rob Fisher and Dave McLaughlin were exposed to 3D body scanning in the custom tailoring business. They formed Bodd in 2017 with the knowledge they'd gained and set about building a robust and precise body data system – existing technologies like hand scanners just weren't accurate enough. The result was the Bodd 3D scanner, manufactured in Melbourne by Bosch Australia, with software and technology developed by Bodd in partnership with leading academic organisations like UTS, Swinburne University and RMIT. Bodd Chief Operating Officer John Lake says implementing other sorts of measurements and further improving the scan is a high priority (in one example, the team is currently working on improving the scanning of feet). "We want to be known for having the best and most complete dataset around. It'll let us add value or access different opportunities in a range of channels," he says.

The scan produces a range of raw data files, from which partners can extract measurements depending on the channel or product.

Double The Value But Bodd isn't just a scanner maker, it's a Software as a Service (SaaS) provider. The scan is pivotal, but Lake is just as effusive talking about the digital infrastructure Bodd deploys to manage what's done with it afterwards. Crucially, the process isn't to share raw data files with partners, but let them get only what they need by giving their systems the means to interface with the data in the Cloud.

Such seamless integration with clients and partners is Bodd's unique selling point. A little processing is done on board the scanner, but it's all delivered, managed and synthesised into products and services in Bodd's cloud platform. That also means updates to firmware and functionality can be pushed out to the entire scanner fleet immediately.

Obviously, body measurements are among the most personal data we have, so there are very serious privacy issues at stake. That's the primary reason why Bodd doesn't share the entire raw data set of a subject's scan – the value proposition for partners is in being provided with just what they need.

"The whole topic of privacy and data security and the ownership of that data is extremely important," Lake agrees. "We're working with very significant people in the Privacy and Security space to make sure we are a safe and responsible data custodian for the person being scanned. Our systems are designed to implement emerging

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global best practice in privacy and security by design and default, including ensuring that scanned individuals understand and control how their measurements are used and shared. We have architected our data handling and user consent processes to empower users and so that we are ready to comply with new regulation of biometrics and data privacy in jurisdictions that we are targeting for in our international expansion."

One such advisor is renowned data business lawyer Peter Leonard of Data Synergies and Chair of the Regulatory and Advocacy Working Group at The Association for Data-driven Marketing and Advertising. Leonard is one piece of the puzzle making sure Bodd's entire infrastructure – from the user interface on the scanner, to the measurement data in the Cloud, to the user authorisation mechanism for sharing their measurements with suppliers that a user wants to deal with – is built to be clear and reliably trustworthy, as well as complying with the most exacting laws around the globe and meeting expectations of Bodd customers operating the scanners.

Bodd data ecosystem management works in practice by delineating data acquisition, transport and storage. After measurements are taken by the scanner, measurement data is not accessible by anyone – not even Bodd – until it's fully uploaded to the secure Cloud platform, any residual information on board the scanner is removed after file transport. Once there, Bodd's Cloud architecture secures the data, letting only approved partner APIs interface with it for specific information. Imagine you walk into a major retailer or

VICTORIA brand experience store and use their Bodd scanner for your best sizing. The resulting data is sent to Bodd's Cloud, and the sales assistant uses their own sales or marketing system to request connectivity only with the elements of the data that will deliver your accurate size.

STATE SPOTLIGHT Bodd Chief Operating Officer John Lake

Markets Bodd is concentrating so far on four major markets: Uniforms In the uniform sector Bodd technology provides substantial cost advantages for uniform retailers. A single 60-second Bodd scan removes manual measurements and try-ons, and facilitates improvements to retailer core business processes by linking into enterprise software systems for more efficient order processing.

Substantial cost savings can be achieved for both the retailer and lost time savings for their clients.

Health Bodd is a revolution for manufacturers of compression garments, or providers of fitness services. Bodd’s next gen body scan technology, offers the potential for custom compression garments to achieve precise compression regimes, and confer specific health and fitness related properties. Differing compression regimes are required for travel, recovery, or performance sports. For providers of health and fitness related services, an accurate 3D body scan can be used to complement fitness program development or achievement of goals.

Custom Wearables When it comes to customised wearable items such as protective wear for sports, or body armour for services personnel, the better the fit, the greater the benefits and performance. Bodd makes it possible to tailor customised wearable items to the individual with high levels of precision. An accurate body scan can provide the data necessary to allow new manufacturing technologies to be applied to the manufacture of customised wearables, opening up a new world of efficient and cost-effective mass customisation. Lake talks about a North American sporting and equipment chain that has over 800 stores. It represents a very exciting market for a company offering accurate body scans because it allows the store to offer every customer who walks through the door protective garments on a custom basis.

Fashion and Apparel In April 2022 the Australian Bureau of Statistics said the clothing, footwear and personal accessory market in Australia was worth a little over $2.9bn – quite an opportunity for anyone dealing in body data.

Any time a shopper buys an outfit, the Bodd scanner provides a potential new level of engagement that gives them more confidence in the process. In one of Bodd's pilot programs in Asia, people getting accurate size recommendations in store after being scanned doubled in store conversion rates. A retailer can then nurture a customer relationship across channels because – armed with accurate measurements – they'll shop both in store and online with more confidence. But the real killer app is waste reduction.

According to Bodd, ecommerce apparel returns due to sizing issues is worth half a trillion dollars globally, with an additional $550bn spent on delivery and logistics for returns.

"There's a terrible trend we see in online shopping where people aren't certain about their size so they'll buy a size above and a size below and return the ones they don't want. It doesn't cost them but it's terribly damaging for the environment," Lake says. "We see our solution as making a very strong green contribution to retail."

Blue Sky The areas Bodd is targeting so far are only the beginning, and Lake and his colleagues are aware that accurate 3D body data could open countless new opportunities.

The company's sizing algorithms can work together with machine learning to make better predictions of garment selection based on the measurements of subjects on a collective basis. Lake mentions possible futures of people having their measurements in secure digital wallets to release whenever they wish on an ad hoc basis for new apps with compelling body data services.

But whatever the future holds, Bodd is grasping it with both hands. It's in negotiation with potential customers that might mean requirements for thousands of units in Australia and internationally – sales teams in the US and UK signal aggressive targeting in North America and Europe.

And for a next-gen, high tech product with accompanying digital infrastructure designed and built in Australia, that's not bad.

Bosch Australia’s Manufacturing Solutions Group has a reputation as a leading supplier of automation and equipment solutions, more traditionally associated with large corporate enterprises and multinationals. Perhaps less known is their interest and deep involvement in supporting the success of Australian start-ups.

To this point, Bodd as an agile and innovative small enterprise is benefitting strongly from the world’s best practice manufacturing expertise, processes, systems and engineering rigorousness that can be accessed via Bosch. bodd.io bosch.com.au

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STATE SPOTLIGHT

Nanofabrication system Innofocus has created the world’s first intelligent 3D laser nano-fabrication system and services both academia and high end industry. Paul Hellard sifts through the tiny details.

Melbourne has another quiet achiever in nano-manufacturing.

Researchers at Innofocus Photonics Technology have developed the world’s first 3D Insitu Refractive Index Characterisation System for Nano-fabrication, the world’s first Intelligent laser nano-manufacturing system, the world’s first fully encrypted nanocolourful digital ID tags system, and also the world’s first nanoprinted cooling film which runs without power.

Frank Yao is the CEO of Innofocus Photonics Technology. As a cutting-edge technology company, Innofocus is committed to creating greater value for scientific research, green energy alternative solutions, advanced manufacturing transformation, and new material applications. The typical application domains Innofocus is in, include ultrathin flat lenses, digital colourful ID tags, nanophotonic devices, miniature micro-optical components, graphene photothermal materials and solutions. Building an entirely new area of photonic laser creatives, Innofocus prints in 3D at the nanoscale.

Fabricating with complete IP rights and independent manufacturing capabilities in the fields of optics, photonics, electromechanics, optoelectronics and automated software systems. AMT spoke to Yao at the AMW show in Sydney.

A lot of manufacturing in Australia is either very traditional big manufacturing projects, using laser to cut product or conduct additive manufacturing. But actually there's another area, and Yao likes to call it nanomanufacturing. “Nanomanufacturing really can shape a new foundation. I think Australia has this cool capability and we want to jump into this to be a leader in this area,” he said.

The efficient fabrication technology developed and adopted by Innofocus can produce highly accurate, cost-effective and highly stable graphene films based on the principle of photo-reduction.

This technology can develop broader prospects for scientific research in the fields of optical device fabrication, solar power thermal conversion, information encryption, sensing and optical communications and the development of new energy technologies.

“We have a cross-disciplinary team with skills and experience in AI vision, machine learning, precision control, laser nanofabrication, opto-electronics, and photonics,” said Yao. “We’ve put all these technologies and engineering experience together and built a machine that can print miniature devices and new materials with nanoscale structures.”

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Now in the fifth year of running his company, Yao is visibly proud the team has more products launched. “With the several days of communication with customers, industry partners and government sectors here at the AMW show, we’ve found that people are starting to understand what nanofabrication is,” said Yao. “Now we can talk about why we need nanofabrication and how nanofabrication can change people’s daily lives.”

Innofocus would like to push a new era of nanomanufacturing.

When they used to talk about nanofabrication, people thought it was still in the laboratory. But now they have the technology and the enabling equipment, and fabrication is being done on a broad range of materials to create different applications, using this nanotechnology. “We would like to reinvent manufacturing with nanoscale precision to really kickstart a nanomanufacturing era,” stated Yao.

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STATE SPOTLIGHT

Cooling film The difference between the other manufacturing capabilities and nanofabrication is that this is not reshaping the material. An entriely new material with different characteristics is being created. The process is introducing 2D and/or 3D nanostructures into a material like polymer, ceramic, glass, crystal, diamond and graphene.

“The fundamental difference is we change the characteristics of the material,” Yao explained. “We are creating new materials and functions not achievable before.”

The cooling film works without electricity consumption, because Innofocus has fabricated nanostructures in the film. So, it can continuously do what is called radiative cooling or passive cooling.

The cooling film continuously emits heat from its surface. This material reflects more than 99.7% of the UV away (tested and certified by ARPANSA, Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (www.arpansa.gov.au/uv), and this generates sustainable cooling power 24/7 without using electricity. The cooling film cools down the object inside where it is wrapped.

An example of its broad applications is perhaps on a truck or on sea freight containers, or an energy storage system, data centres, or like huge battery banks. The cooling film would always be cooling down the object inside and protecting the life cycle of the product inside.

This will save energy. Another suggested example is a boarding bridge at an airport. That is a huge power consumption.

Think about the energy used in refrigerated energy storage containers in the field. They have four large 15-kilowatt air conditioning units.

Putting the cooling film onto them is not only saving energy. In a disaster location, the power may well be cut, but the film works all the time with no power. The power of this cooling film is an equivalent of 150 watts per square metre in specific environments, and will dynamically increase if the object to be cooled is working at a high temperature.

“It is an entirely green manufacturing process,” adds Yao. “We are very proud to have the mass production ready for this cooling film in Australia. We are collaborating with many more industry partners to

facilitate the application tests and formulating commercial solutions.

As long as you can take the heat away from the surface, your product underneath will stay cool.”

So many more applications, more materials can be made. The structures on the surface are incredibly small, they visually diffract white light into a rainbow. A demonstration of wearable cooling device they showed is a vest and a hat for using outdoor under the hot sun. While it can be used in many miniature devices, it can also create huge applications.

Innofocus’ Nanoprint 3D Intelligent Laser Nanofabrication System is at the stage of developing the technology to now manufacturing products. innofocus.com.au

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COMPANY FOCUS

The Holloway Group The Holloway Group of companies are passionate advocates of the power of Australian manufacturing and are dedicated to bringing manufacturing back to Australian shores. By Paul Hellard.

Matthew Holloway been Managing Director at the Holloway Group for over a decade now, working his way through the business from being a die setter on the factory floor to the organisation’s leading executive. Under his vision and guidance, the company has expanded from a single business entity, specialising in the manufacturing of plastic storage containers, to a portfolio of seven brands and now a major player in the recycled plastics, sustainability, and innovation arenas.

AMT: So, tell us the Matt Holloway story.

Matt Holloway: The Holloway Group is effectively a familyowned organisation. My old man was a tool maker by trade, back in the eighties. And as tool maker, he bought an injection moulding machine and started to contract-mould stuff for a bunch of different clients, from swizzle sticks for cocktails, right through to thong straps.

Straight out of school, I did civil engineering and hated it. Didn't know what I wanted to do for quite some time. And then, I jumped in the factory floor, this would have been around 2005. I started off as a die setter for three or four years, mould-setting was taking the moulds in and out of the machines, working overhead cranes, all that type of stuff. I learned a lot of skills around robots and starting machines up and then jumped into sales. I had a sales cap on for a few years as Business Development Manager for the contract moulding business. Years later, the incumbent CEO fell ill, and I was thrust into this leadership position and the rest is history!

AMT: Western Sydney is about to explode with the Advanced Manufacturing Research Facility. How do you see the future of that area?

MH: One of the Holloway Group brands, Ausdrain™ specialises in stormwater management and urban design. The business of implementing projects and infrastructure to make greener cities and conserve our most precious commodity: water. I think that's a big part of what we're seeing in Western Sydney at the moment. It's all over the East Coast as well. We have a huge demand for residential housing and that's what has kept our economy fluid over the last couple of years, really it’s the building sector. We're coming up with solutions to provide all stakeholders in the building and landscaping supply chain, products to make their life a lot easier. And everything we’re doing now, has a real sustainable approach to it, closed-loop type of applications with our recycling business, as well as BIAX, AusDrain, GeoHex. Group Tooling is like an engineering arm of the Holloway group. In this business, we do a lot of fabrication. That’s the brand that really delivers our injection moulds. Pulse 3D is a 3D printing company.

This one's kind of reverse-engineered that go-to-market strategy where we're trying to build a market to then enable us to pull the trigger on infrastructure there. So that's going quite well, and we also have the business called Plasmar and this is a really cool outfit.

We're turning soft plastic waste into rural fence posts, dunnage and sleepers.

At that point, 2008, we were doing a tenth of the revenue we do now, and were very much a contract moulding business. We had a couple of our own product lines, and that was really when the overseas competitive landscape was brutal, everything was being manufactured overseas. Everyone was procuring everything abroad, due to cost. I've just made a very concerted effort in building our own proprietary offering.

Holloway Group is leading Australian plastics industry in automation, utilising robotics to minimise labour costs in a forever tightening manufacturing market. Our 15 machines utilise either 3 or 6-axis robots to extract parts from the machines, which enables our skilled operators to often work on two or three machines at one time. Our robots also guarantee consistency of cycle time, ensuring we can give our customers the most competitive price.

And we've now morphed from that contract moulding business.

The injection moulding process really doesn't resonate with a whole lot of people. It's more the products that we sell and just by default, we have that feather in our cap where we can manufacture our own products rather than subcontracting it out to companies like the contract moulding business.

At the moment, the business does 300-tons worth of recycled polypropylene a month. And I would say 80% of that comes from overseas. So, we really set out to take control of our own supply chain and build demand inhouse to be able to effectively start to service our own companies through our own recycling facility.

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China stopped importing our soft plastics a few years ago.

And they're now about to stop importing our hard plastics as well.

So, what to do with all this plastic, you ask? We’ll be set up to be able to cater for that increased demand locally.

Matthew Holloway

We set up a business called NewGen Recycling, and this has a unique value proposition. The conventional recyclers will say to companies out there. ‘Yeah, look, we're a recycler, but we're only interested in your hard plastics. We can't do anything with your soft plastic.’ So, what NewGen sets out to do, we've got some commingling intellectual property where we can say, we can take all plastics, hard, soft, anything you've got, we take it inhouse, we commingled it all together. And then we put it through an extruder with some new tooling and we make fence posts and dunnage for the rural sector, for the building industry.

AMT: How do you see the next ten years for manufacturing in Australia?

MH: I believe Australian manufacturing is well and truly back on the map. I think COVID has demonstrated the lack of sovereign capability Australia has. We're so reliant on external supply chains.

And I think the last six months has shown building costs going through the roof. A container coming out of Malaysia used to be $4,000, and it's over $20,000 now. The federal government and the consumer needs to back Aussie manufacturers now. We can produce quality, cutting-edge innovations right on our doorstep rather than ordering abroad. I think we’re truly back on the map and the next 10 years is going to be really strong for Aussie manufacturing.

When companies like Holloway, and other people in other industries are finding capital to invest in themselves and then people to come out with new technologies and new ways of doing things, I think there should be a really positive outlook. hollowaygroup.com.au hollowaygroup.com.au/our-brands plasmar.com.au

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A D V E RT I S I N G F E AT U R E

Markforged and Centor Global excel in that sliding door moment Centor Global Services creates doors and windows with precision engineering, while 3D printing the complex pieces in-house with Markforged 3D printers.

Centor Global Services is a Brisbane-based private company with a global reach. They manufacture high-end doors, screening systems and door hardware for the housing market world-wide. They manufacture their products at factories around the world, but when it comes to the technical components, they create them quickly on the Markforged 3D printers at a press of a button.

Set among industrial roads, railways and overpasses, Centor’s office is an oasis in a lot of respects. Maybe it was quieter seventy years ago when the Centor office opened, but there is a respectable calm about the place when AMT visited just after the Sydney AMW show in June.

Dave Chappell, Group Manager, Product and Engineering for Centor Global Services showed us through the facilities. Centor's in-house Product Design Centre is responsible for the design and testing of products available around the world. Centor were the first to come up with designs to make folding doors weatherproof and strong enough for external openings. “That was the mid-90s,” explains Chappell. “Ten years ago we set up distribution in the United Kingdom and a reseller in the US as well.” Centor now manufacture in Brisbane (Australia), Chicago (USA), Stryków (Poland) and Nanjing (China) and distribute products around the world.

Centor knew that manufacturing the finest sliding door track would lead to a solid high-end market. They produce in-door screens and the hardware for the doors, with double- and triple-glazed windows.

Markforged is a differentiated player in the advanced manufacturing sector and assisted Centor’s engineers and industrial designers to quickly come up with solutions.

Initially, when Centor’s engineers wanted to accelerate innovation with R&D prototyping, they were stifled by lead time challenges.

The lead times to make each prototype were simply too long, and there was never time to squeeze in enough iterations. They had to bite the bullet much earlier in the design process. But bringing in Markforged printers allowed them to modify prototypes and print new models overnight. Ever since, Centor has been able to arrive at the best design to bring to tooling — allowing them to make better products.

When the COVID-19 pandemic started, Centor used additive manufacturing to battle supply chain challenges, with many parts they needed becoming difficult to procure. During this time, they expanded the number of parts they printed, branching out into 3D printing more composite and metal end-use parts than ever.

As soon as they jumped into this hugely complex area, they stole a solid market.

“We then embarked on a journey we called integrated doors,” says Chappell. “We’re Australian, we love design, we could do everything with eight-gauge wire, we could, pretty much, make 100% of everything. We asked our designers, what would a folding door be like, if you were given no constraints? No limits to the design and construction?” The resulting Centor hardware systems offer architects, and homeowners the innovative products they require. They combine durability and flexibility and from the

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feedback they receive, the doors continue to operate smoothly for decades. “The doors for the Australian market are designed here in Brisbane and with help from Markforged’s knowhow we are now investigating printing metal parts,” says Chappell. “In order to produce the more complex plastic parts, we of course turn to the Markforged 3D printers, inhouse, because we can just print them.”

Centor makes these doors in Chinese factories for the Asian market, in Poland for the European market, and Illinois for the US and Canadian market. They have to make the doors where the customers are, to keep freight costs down.

In the assembly line downstairs, the small team is putting together doors with impressive accuracy. There are parts of hinges, cogs, lefts, rights, jambless, doubles and combos, because the range is so heavily customised. The whole system of parts is generated depending on what features are required in the end product, and this is fed through a database when the final quote is provided.

“To bring costs down, to accelerate the production speed, we listened to our jig operators down on the floor, here in Brisbane” says Chappell. “We started by generating tool holders and parts for the jigs from our new Markforged 3D printers.” Centor has four factories around the world, and the smart thing to do was to 3D print four times as many, and distribute around the world with a vision to have 3D printers in every factory in the future.

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“A normal company would have to deal with five other companies to make these doors, but we do the lot,” he quips. “We’re still very much Australian, but that doesn’t mean we have to do everything here.” Centor aims at the top 5% of the residential market only.

There are also many parts of the assembly line down here which have been 3D printed to streamline the construction and passage of the whole range of product that comes past. “Markforged 3D printers aren’t just good at creating parts of the doors,” Chappell explains. “The team get the designers to whip up modifications to the entire workshop.” With the Markforged printers in their office, ready to go, the designers can focus on high-value, end-use manufacturing applications, printed at the point of need.

Markforged 3d Printers When Centor introduced the Markforged 3D printers about nine years ago, it was like opening up the world to the designers. They now have three Composite 3D Printers in the design office. Instead of staring at a 2D plan, or a 3D model on a screen, they could ‘Just Print’. Simplicity of the workflow enables them to focus on the design. “They were a little tentative at first, because consumables cost a little bit, but the immediate payback was an acceleration and accuracy in idea generation. The Markforged 3D printers took no time at all to set up, and they are used a lot more than the paper printer which sits alongside,” says Chappell. “Because there are no constraints to what they can do, they just go for it.”

The medium in the Markforged Onyx can be plastic or a carbon fibre-filled nylon, which are both applied from a continuous roll. The designers use the Markforged Digital Forge, the central digital inventory that holds designs that can be printed on demand at any location around the world. Eiger reinforces a work culture of innovation because barriers to testing and trying new designs are reduced. STL files are exported straight out of Solidworks and real-world parts can be ready for handling the morning after pressing the ‘Print’ button.

Centor is investigating printing in metal with Markforged 3D printing but for the moment, they do all their plastic 3D printing in-house.

Markforged offers real world applications in local manufacturing to overcome supply chain challenges, reduce manufacturing costs, speed up the time to market and increase innovation.

Read more about the benefits of 3D Printing for manufacturers, and why now is the time for businesses to invest in additive manufacturing: centor.com markforged.com

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MATERIALS HANDLING

FlexLoader M family brings the power of modularity to machine tending Smart robotic machine tool tending cells with standardised modules offer expansion to meet changing future needs.

ABB has launched a new family of modular machine tending application cells for the metals industry aimed at maximising flexibility and machine utilisation while minimising lost productivity caused by unforeseen production stoppages. Featuring six different versions, the FlexLoader M family offers a variety of ways of loading and unloading machines based on the size, shapes and amount of the workpieces being handled, making it ideal for applications such as foundries and die casting operations producing multiple types of products in varying quantities.

“As customers demand greater variety and shorter delivery times, metals producers need to have a manufacturing process that can respond quickly and offer the flexibility to achieve high mix, low volume and batch size one production,” says Andrea Cassoni, Managing Director for business line General Industry for ABB Robotics. “FlexLoader M is accelerating this move by providing a single unified machine tool tending platform offering the flexibility needed for handling a wide variety of production demands, whilst also improving productivity by eliminating the time, cost and disruption traditionally associated with production changes.”

The launch starts with Tray and Conveyor variants, with further variants due for release over the coming months. The FlexLoader M Conveyor uses a simple but powerful vision system to enable easy loading of workpieces with complex shapes, providing the flexibility to handle a variety of workpieces with a single cell. The FlexLoader M Tray is a drawer solution offering easy machine tending. With a minimal footprint that allows it to be located almost anywhere, it is ideal for handling a variety of workpieces with variable shapes such as cubes, cylinders, plates and pipes.

Featuring standardised interchangeable modules, the FlexLoader M offers a flexible and expandable solution for a wide variety of machine tending applications including lathes, mills, CNC and machining centres. A key benefit is the ability to use the same base machine, exchanging in and out feed modules as requirements change. The FlexLoader M’s modular approach makes upgrading and scaling up easy, with just one to two days needed on average for installation and commissioning.

The FlexLoader M meets the demand from manufacturers for a simple automated solution that produces more workpieces in less time. The FlexLoader M robot cells are extremely user friendly and quick to program, even without specific robotics expertise. A smart wizard enables new workpieces to be programmed in less than five minutes with no vision programming expertise required, while changeover between pieces which are already programmed

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is possible in less than one minute, making “Batch Size One” production a reality. The simplicity of the programming software means that full operator training can be completed in less than half a day, further reducing the time needed to put the cell into operation.

The FlexLoader M can reduce labour costs for machine tending processes by up to 90%, with one operator able to handle up to 10 cells simultaneously. The automated system delivers machine utilisation of over 97%, compared to 40-60% in manually operated machines.

All the variants can be equipped with a vision system that identifies the workpiece’s position and gives commands to the robot, machine tools and other cell equipment such as air cleaning stations, part marking, deburring and measurement systems. The vision system can use either a 2D camera or 3D sensor depending on the application.

The FlexLoader M also incorporates data-based optimisation features, including remote monitoring, enabling operators to monitor, troubleshoot and optimise their robot systems, while its vision software provides added functions including condition monitoring, fleet management and performance and order management.

The FlexLoader M will replace ABB’s current family of FlexLoader cells, which have established a reputation for providing reliable and predictable output. Delivering benefits including higher machine tool utilisation and the opportunity for lights out production through unmanned operation, FlexLoader cells have proven their ability to deliver a much faster return on investment whilst giving users a sustainable competitive advantage. new.abb.com/products/robotics/application-cells/flexloader

MATERIALS HANDLING

Plug-and-play conveyor Interroll presents new plug-and-play conveyor platform for automated production environments.

With the new Light Conveyor Platform (LCP), Interroll is expanding its range of products with a platform-based material-flow solution that significantly increases the productivity of manufacturing processes. Designed as a plug-and-play modular system, the LCP allows all system integrators to implement scalable belt conveyor sections very easily in order to quickly meet customer-specific automation requirements for material flow. The high quality and availability of this solution is ensured by, among other things, the use of technical products that have already proven themselves hundreds of thousands of times with users worldwide.

Efficient material feed and discharge play a crucial role in realising the productivity potential of manufacturing cells, assembly and packaging stations. At the same time, rapidly changing process environments in many other industries require flexible conveyor solutions that can easily adapt to new requirements. This is what the Interroll’s new material flow solution for system integrators and plant engineers achieves: Corresponding LCP-based belt conveyors can be easily assembled from factory-preassembled and predefined modules without any engineering effort, and can be put into operation quickly and safely via an autonomous machine control system, optionally without an additional programmable logic controller (PLC). Depending on customer requirements and application, however, connection to an external PLC with userspecific programming is also possible.

Interroll's LCP is designed to transport smaller conveyed goods, as well as boxes or polybags weighing up to 50kgs. The conveyors, which can also handle inclines or declines, are driven by compact and energy-efficient drum motors that have an efficiency of over 85%, keeping energy consumption and energy costs very low. The fully modular system can be planned and assembled very easily and conveniently on the PC monitor using Interroll's popular Layouter tool. This drastically reduces project lead times and the necessary effort for system integrators. In addition, the predefined module sizes in different lengths and widths create the best conditions for fast production and delivery times.

Interroll's LCP offers perfect conditions for decisively increasing the productivity of production cells as well as assembly and packaging stations through efficient material feed and discharge.

During the development of the new platform, great importance was also attached to maximum workplace safety and a pleasant working environment. The new LCP was extensively tested before market launch, subjected to extreme endurance and load tests, and developed according to Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DMFA) standards. It features an integrated emergency shutdown at the push of a button, complies with all relevant safety regulations and has a quiet noise level during operation. interroll.com

Kennametal’s KCK20B and KCKP10 indexable milling grades New grades offer higher wear resistance and longer tool life, increasing productivity in cast iron and compacted graphite cast iron machining.

Kennametal has introduced the KCK20B and KCKP10 indexable milling grades for higher wear resistance and up to 30% longer tool life when machining cast iron and compacted graphite iron components. Both grades offer higher productivity and consistent, repeatable performance during roughing, semi-finishing, and finishing operations.

Available for many indexable milling product lines, the new grades come with a golden top layer for fast, easy wear identification, ensuring maximum tool life for each cutting edge.

“The new grades feature High-Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering (High-PIMS) technology that provides a smoother insert surface and optimal layer adhesion for less flank wear – one of the leading causes of insert failure,” says Gil Getz, Product Manager, Kennametal. He notes that the new coating technology also increases cutting edge strength. “The result is high-performance milling in a broad range of cast iron alloys, including grey cast iron, ductile cast iron, and compacted graphite cast iron.”

Flank wear comparison: KCK20B on the left and another grade on the right. Flank wear limits tool life when machining cast iron and compacted graphite cast iron. KCK20B and KCKP10 grades provide longer tool life, boosting productivity significantly.

KCK20B and KCKP10 are suitable for wet or dry cuts. These include rotor hubs used in windmills, pump housings, steering knuckles and gear housings for heavy equipment, and automotive components like crankshafts and cylinder heads. While KCK20B delivers higher productivity in roughing and semi-finishing operations, KCKP10 is applicable for finishing operations, but also works exceptionally well when profiling and copy milling cast iron and steels up to 45HRC. “For customers where high tooling cost and downtime associated with tool changes are especially important, KCK20B and KCKP10 grades promise to increase tool life tremendously,” says Getz. “And for those who wish to increase throughput, the new grades deliver there as well. Either way, it is a win-win for any shop machining cast iron.” kennametal.com

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Intelligent workflows for gear grinding ETG discusses Kapp Niles platform and open standards utami and GDE. High volume production requires uncompromising quality with increasingly shorter processing times. Machines are already technically advanced and great cost savings are no longer to be found among the processing techniques, but rather within upstream and downstream process stages such as set-up, measurement and communication between machine and measurement equipment.

Here, the Engineering Technology Group (ETG) discusses the Kapp Niles platform that can tie together and automate these processes to further streamline productivity thanks to open standards such as umati and GDE. There are different approaches to further increase the efficiency of production processes by integrating as many process steps as possible into one machine. However, from a technical point of view, this is very complex and inflexible, and thus unreliable. This is why KAPP NILES and ETG choose a different path. “Instead of integrated machines, we rather envision integrated production chains with as little manual handling between individual chain links as possible,” says Konstantin Schäfer, Head of Product Management at Kapp Niles. “We continue to develop from a pure machine manufacturer to a provider of solutions.”

This becomes apparent in the growing measurement technology sector, Kapp Niles Metrology. What’s more, the existing portfolio is being optimised for production systems to communicate with each other. In particular, through the new KN assist platform, Kapp Niles and ETG can support the user with the control system software KN grind from project planning through to production.

KN grind, a hands-on control system

KN assist: the bigger picture

As part of the project-related configuration, all required processing options are combined in one workpiece project. With the step-bystep intuitive user interface, concrete project data is collected. In a virtual set-up process, the user selects the gear type and the suitable tools from a component set. Each step is displayed on a conventionalised machine.

The result of the above is the KN assist platform. Thanks to HTML5 programming, KN assist runs without any further software requirements on a PC and mobile devices alike. All the user does is call up a single address on the Intranet and thus is granted access to the system through their browser or an app. The data exchange takes place via the standard interface OPC UA (Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture) facilitating machineto-machine communication with very little effort. As an overview of the overall system array, KN assist uses the open data exchange format such as GDE (Gear Data Exchange) and umati (universal machine tool interface), developed by VDW in cooperation with project partners.

Upon request, KN grind also offers technological suggestions.

“Unlike with previous releases, critical or incorrect values are displayed to the user,” Volker Zenker, Software Development Manager at Kapp Niles explains. “A sequential control allows for a straightforward compilation of workflows via drag and drop. This comes in very handy for complex processing of workpieces with multiple processing positions within one project. These generated sequences can be used for automated processing as well as for set-up sequences. The need for softkeys is replaced by a touch screen control panel display. All new machine generations feature this control system.”

No data security compromises Compared to highly automated production centres, it seems like a relic of the early days of industrialisation if operating personnel have to walk from the measurement room to the machine to carry over measurement reports to manually type in corrected values.

The fact that this is still practised within a high-tech environment is due to the extremely high safety standards of users such as the automotive industry that has so far circumvented simple data integration. Moreover, the use of USB sticks is strictly prohibited.

Another factor has been the lack of consistent data transmission standards to allow for secure data integration. That is why Kapp Niles has developed solutions that no longer require the installation of invasive software and thus allow users to always retain control over their data. Applications that go beyond direct machine control are programmed in HTML5. This allows the user to apply them on both classic computers and mobile end devices.

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This allows the exchange of basic gear/toothing data, modifications and assessments among manufacturers. Furthermore, the operating states of all machines in the plant are displayed. This gives each user from every location a production overview. An even more complex application is the data management of all componentspecific parts such as clamping, dressing and grinding tools. Until now, component set-up data had to be manually entered at the machine to avoid the possibility of supplier data carriers accessing the production areas.

In future, RFID or 2D codes will be attached to dressing rolls, worms or clamping tools that can be read by the machines. This reduces set-up times considerably and allows components to be identified.

Storage locations, service life, clamping cycles or assignments to a project in planning can be conveniently documented this way.

In doing so, the response time to service requests and internal processes is reduced.

Quicker response times to service requests The customer expects prompt service in the case of a service request or system malfunction. However, the classic chain of messages is comparatively slow. Machine operators detect an error, notify the service department, and describe the problem.

MATERIALS HANDLING

The service department then contacts the manufacturer – and so on. In following this process chain, information can get lost, or displays can be misread. Moreover, the machine manufacturer will have to collect, update, and analyse the data first. Conventional data transmission via the internet would be feasible. However, it is considered insecure by most users. Kapp Niles has taken remedial action for this process where the customer can now initiate the contact in KN grind system. “The service request can be initiated via a button on the display of the machine or via the web interface of any mobile end device,” describes Christian Füger, Manager of Sales Service. “This allows the service manager, operator or planner alike to respond without delay.”

The service request is sent to Kapp Niles directly via a TÜV-ITcertified VPN connection. Diagnostic data and log files of the relevant machine will be provided to the customer upon explicit release, without losing the royalties over the process and the data.

Currently, the response time is around 12 hours. In other time zones without local representation, 24 hours at worst. “We strive for endto-end service with a response time of two to four hours,” Füger says. “This can be done, as all information such as commission numbers, error patterns and measurement reports are already provided along with the service request.”

Turbo for the measurement technology As previously indicated, the portfolio now also includes machines for production-related measurements, as significant time savings can also be achieved for follow-up work of grinding processes. During the classic process, random workpiece samples had to be taken from production to be carried to the measuring machine usually located in a different hall. Depending on the workload, the results would usually be available about 15-20 minutes later. Afterwards, the measurement report had to be taken back to the machine to

manually type in the corrections. To reduce these times, Kapp Niles is drawing on multiple factors. The measuring machines are also designed for product-related applications and they can do without a climate chamber.

The individual axes and the workpiece are monitored via sensors for temperature compensation purposes. Air springs absorb vibrations to ensure the measurement accuracy meets the highest standards, even in high volume production. “The machines can be accessed freely by the operator from three sides, and thus is also suitable for automated loading,” says Gerhard Mohr, Managing Director of Kapp Niles Metrology. Flexible positionable counter holders are provided for the measurement of wave-shaped parts. In addition, the machines can be converted for a new workpiece in seconds with a quick change clamping system. Automation also contributes to time savings. The direct connection between the grinding and measuring machines is known as the ‘closed loop’ within the sector. The measuring machine provides data not only in form of reports but also as GDE dataset.

In the first version, these are the typical correction variables (fHa, fHß, tangent length correction /pitch correction) which will change in the case of a temperature increase or tool wear. Compared to manual input, this data can be imported and analysed much quicker and with fewer errors via OPC UA in KN grind. If a new measurement result is provided, the operator will be notified and receive correction suggestions. “What happens here is not a pure TARGET/ACTUAL comparison,” says Christian Graf from the Kapp Niles Software Development Team. “On the contrary, the operator receives the prepared measured values, which allows him to decide whether and how he will intervene. Based on the project, automated tracking is another option.” kapp-niles.com

SPRINGS WIRE FORMS PRESSED PARTS SPECIALTY COATINGS

Australian manufacturer of bespoke metal products marshalliance.com.au

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Preparing for climate disasters While climate change is not a controllable phenomenon, hazardous waste facilities can prepare themselves for emergencies by developing clear, effective plans. By Jonathan Sharp, the CFO of the Environmental Litigation Group in the US. This article is republished with kind permission from the Waste Advantage Magazine.

Climate change is undeniable as a global phenomenon, occurring since 1800, when the Industrial Revolution was at its peak. It is taking place right before our eyes, and its effects — higher temperatures, extreme weather, rising sea levels, and warmer oceans — are visible, tangible, and measurable. The cause of climate change is primarily environmentally damaging human activity, such as burning fossil fuels, cutting down forests, and using internal combustion engine vehicles as our main transportation mode.

Besides taking a toll on the environment, climate change also wreaks havoc on the waste management industry. Numerous hazardous waste facilities are in low-lying coastal areas, vulnerable to damage from cyclones, flooding, and erosion. These weather phenomena are becoming more frequent due to climate change. The extreme weather caused by climate change can trigger industrial disasters such as explosions, fires, and major chemical releases that can affect both workers and nearby communities.

Unfortunately, most hazardous waste facilities in the country are not prepared to handle a potential industrial disaster triggered by climate change. The regulations in this respect are very lax.

Climate change is inevitable and will become more problematic for hazardous waste facilities, particularly for those susceptible to being struck by extreme weather such as cyclones and floods.

However, while climate change is not a controllable phenomenon, hazardous waste facilities can prepare themselves for emergencies by developing clear, effective plans.

How natural disasters triggered by climate change pose a risk to hazardous waste facilities and nearby communities Federal and state regulators have been significantly underestimating the real threat of unregulated tanks, while policymakers have been ignoring the promised benefits of thorough protections, such as those awaiting approval for decades for hazardous waste tanks.

Full of hazardous chemicals, these tanks seem to be everywhere in our landscape — hidden in industrial parks, manufacturing facilities or towering along railways and waterfronts. Nevertheless, those located along coastal areas have the highest risk of being hit by a natural disaster caused by climate change, as their location increases their vulnerability.

One of the most dangerous and costly mistakes hazardous waste facility managers can make is failing to secure the hazardous waste for the impact of natural disasters triggered by climate change. This is because climate change can impact hazardous waste facilities both directly and indirectly. For instance, improper waste management, such as waste blocking drainage, which exacerbates flooding during rainfall events, can reduce a city’s ability to deal with extreme weather events. Consequently, all waste management systems must be designed to be resilient to climate change. The following are some ways in which climate change can impact the collection, processing, and disposal steps taken by waste management systems: •

Sea level rises: It may cause narrower collection routes, increase the need for sorting and recycling to minimise storage needs, and deteriorate the impermeable lining;

•

Flooding: It may block or make completely inaccessible the collection routes, increase the need for enclosed or covered sorting facilities, and increase leakage on dumpsites because of heavy rain;

•

Extreme heat: It may increase foul odour and pest activity, overheat sorting equipment, and increase the risk of fire at disposal sites, particularly when drought is present as well;

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•

Powerful storms and wind: It may cause temporary flooding of and diminished access to roadways and ports for waste collection, the closure of the facility due to infrastructure damage, and reduced access to collection and landfill access routes due to damage and debris.

The correct waste management procedures for some of the most common hazardous substances According to federal law, chemical waste must have storage, containers, and labeling. All hazardous waste containers must be kept closed during storage, except when it is necessary to add or remove waste.

Containers must be maintained in good condition, more specifically with no rust, dents, or leaks, and must be compatible with the hazardous waste they contain. As for labeling, both federal and state laws require labels to list the container’s contents. Subsequently, the label must be marked with a waste accumulation start date, generator name, room location, and container contents.

There are some day-to-day items people use in offices, shops, and laboratories that contain hazardous components, so it is forbidden to throw these objects away in the “regular” rubbish. If handled adequately, most of these items can be recycled to help reduce the total cost of waste disposal. These items fall within the “universal/ special wastes” and contain the following substances.

Mercury Hazardous waste facilities must store mercury containers inside a larger container with a tight-fitting lid and place oil-absorbent matter around it to protect the container from breaking or sudden shocks. Numerous products, including thermometers, manometers, thermostats, and other pressure gauges, contain mercury, a very toxic heavy metal.

These instruments and elemental mercury, which is mercury in its natural form, must be disposed of by contacting your local municipality or solid waste district if you are a small business or individual. Furthermore, some towns and solid waste districts hold hazardous waste collection days every year. Mercury poisoning can lead to symptoms such as headaches, kidney damage, and muscle weakness. It can be deadly, which is why it is recommended to handle mercury-containing products with the utmost care.

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Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) Facilities that handle hazardous waste may store PCBs in vacuumsealed moisture barrier bags. Once widely used in electrical components such as transformers, capacitors, voltage regulators, switches, bushings, and electromagnets, PCBs are no longer present in modern items.

Nevertheless, you may have old objects containing these chemicals in your house that you wish to dispose of. Like items containing mercury, it is forbidden to throw PCBs-containing waste in the “normal” trash. Instead, you should contact your local municipality or solid waste district, which will guide you in this regard. PCBs exposure is strongly associated with malignant diseases such as melanoma, liver cancer, gall bladder cancer, gastrointestinal cancer, and brain cancer.

Asbestos Depending on whether they are friable or non-friable, hazardous waste facilities may store asbestos in different ways, such as isolating the friable products to prevent carcinogenic fibres from escaping.

Between the 1920s and the 1980s, asbestos was widely used in more than 3,000 different items, from boiler insulation and floor tiles to hairdryers and fake snow. If your house was put up before the 1980s and you have not renovated it, it most likely contains asbestos somewhere. Asbestos exposure can cause numerous life-threatening diseases, including lung cancer, asbestosis, and mesothelioma.

your facility’s risk for each natural disaster. For instance, a hazardous waste facility on the Pacific Coast has a higher risk of being affected by earthquakes, wildfires, and mudslides. On the flip side, a facility on the Atlantic Coast is more likely to encounter cyclones and flooding. Next, you should determine emergency response roles, such as who will make essential decisions during a natural disaster, who will be responsible for managing hazardous waste, and who will assist during removal.

Another important tip is to safeguard your waste. Before a natural disaster strikes, the facility manager can take practical steps to prevent waste from leaking inside the facility and outside among the neighbouring communities. If possible, remove excess hazardous waste from the facility before a dangerous weather phenomenon hits. If you must deal with a container leak, the crucial steps are identifying the spilled material and securing the container for cleaning.

For safety, you must monitor the entire process to ensure timely and precise communication, proper documentation, and appropriate procedures. Finally, you should implement a post-incident response process. It will help ensure the facility has taken the required steps to lower further risk after a natural disaster.

Plan your emergency response depending on the natural disaster your hazardous waste facility is most likely to encounter: Storms and wind: Frequent collection at scheduled times, based on weather forecasts, which reduces the risk of waste bags being carried away into the streets or waterways by heavy rainfall, heavy wind, or landslides;

How to prepare properly for natural disasters caused by climate change as a hazardous waste facility.

Drought: Fire-safety structures for landfills, including periodical cover with dry material;

To minimise the risks of injury, environmental harm, or regulatory penalties, a successful and effective response to a natural disaster requires vast expertise and knowledge of hazardous materials and waste management. Often, a good natural disaster plan involves an emergency response to one or more types of spills, such as fuels and chemicals. First, a critical task for developing a plan to handle natural disasters caused by climate change entails identifying unknown substances, spill containment, proper waste handling, and cleanup. Before establishing any steps, it is necessary to understand the definition of hazardous waste. The EPA deems hazardous waste as “waste with properties that make it dangerous or capable of having a harmful effect on human health or the environment.”

Sea-level rise: Make sure the location of new waste disposal sites is not vulnerable to sea-level rise estimated over the lifetime of the site;

Hazardous waste has ignitable, corrosive, reactive, or toxic characteristics. To determine whether a product is a hazardous waste, review its safety data sheet, manufacturer information, label, and ingredients. Subsequently, you should come up with emergency response by considering several key factors. You should assess

Extreme heat: Decentralise waste transfer stations to allow access to smaller waste collection vehicles and shorter trips for each worker; Flooding: Prevent waste obstructing the drainage system by achieving universal waste collection and reducing litter by placing segregated street bins.

Develop your own plan While the rules concerning how facilities that store hazardous waste are still lax, each facility can develop its own emergency plan to use in the event of a natural disaster triggered by the inevitable climate change. By using the ideas presented here and by doing more research, the leading team of such a facility can create a strong, foolproof plan to handle extreme weather events. wasteadvantagemag.com

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AI driving zero waste Artificial intelligence drives the way to net zero and waste in manufacturing.

Aaron Yeardley works as a Carbon Reduction Engineer for Tunley Engineering. He combines his role with completing his PhD in Chemical Engineering at the University of Sheffield. Yeardley specialises in gathering data from clients and performing carbon calculations to present carbon footprints. He then works with the client providing solutions to help reduce their carbon footprint.

He utilises his expertise in data analytics, machine learning and python coding to achieve these goals.

Aaron Yeardley

The fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0) is already happening, and it’s transforming the way manufacturing operations are carried out. Industry 4.0 is a product of the digital era as automation and data exchange in manufacturing technologies shift the central industrial control system to a smart setup that bridges the physical and digital world, addressed via the Internet of Things (IoT).

Industry 4.0 is creating cyber-physical systems that can network a production process enabling value creation and real-time optimisation. The main factor driving the revolution is the advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. The complex algorithms involved in AI use the data collected from cyber-physical systems, resulting in “smart manufacturing”.

The impact that Industry 4.0 will have on manufacturing will be astronomical as operations can be automatically optimised to produce increased profit margins. However, the use of AI and smart manufacturing can also benefit the environment. The technologies used to optimise profits can also be used to produce insights into a company’s carbon footprint and accelerate its sustainability. Some of these methods are available to help companies reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions now. Other methods have the potential to reduce global GHG emissions in the future.

Scope 3 Identification Scope 3 emissions are the emissions from a company’s supply chain, both upstream and downstream activities. This means scope 3 covers all of a company’s GHG emission sources except those that are directly created by the company and those created from using electricity. It comes as no surprise that on average Scope 3 emissions are 5.5 times greater than the combined amount from Scope 1 and Scope 2. Therefore, companies should ensure all three scopes are quantitated in their GHG emissions baseline.

However, in comparison to Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, Scope 3 emissions are difficult to measure and calculate. This is because of a lack of transparency in supply chains, lack of connections with suppliers, and complex industrial standards that provide misleading information. The major issues concerning Scope 3 emissions are as follows: •

Reliability of data – This includes the variability in data quality between supply chains and the uncertainty in carbon emission factors used to calculate GHG emissions.

•

Double counting – Emissions can easily be double counted as supply chains of companies become interconnected. For example, transportation of a product for one company is also transportation of material for another company.

•

Fair attribution of total supply chains – Given the total GHG emissions for a supply chain have been successfully counted, what is the fair responsibility of each actor in the supply chain?

AI-based tools can help establish baseline Scope 3 emissions for companies as they are used to model an entire supply chain. The tools can quickly and efficiently sort through large volumes of data collected from sensors. If a company deploys enough sensors across the whole area of operations, it can identify sources of emissions and even detect methane plumes.

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Digital twin optimisation A digital twin is an AI model that works as a digital representation of a physical piece of equipment or an entire system. A digital twin can help the industry optimise energy management by using the AI surrogate models to better monitor and distribute energy resources and provide forecasts to allow for better preparation. A digital twin will optimise many sources of data and bring them onto a dashboard so that users can visualise it in real-time. For example, a case study in the Nanyang Technological University used digital twins across 200 campus buildings over five years and managed to save 31% in energy and 9,600 tCO2e. The research used IES’ ICL technology to plan, operate, and manage campus facilities to minimise energy consumption.

Digital twins can be used as virtual replicas of building systems, industrial processes, vehicles, and many other opportunities. The virtual environment enables more testing and iterations so that everything can be optimised to its best performance. This means digital twins can be used to optimise building management making smart strategies that are based on carbon reduction.

Predictive maintenance Predictive maintenance of machines and equipment used in industry is now becoming common practice because it saves companies costs in performing scheduled maintenance, or costs in fixing broken equipment. The AI-based tool uses machine learning to learn how historical sensor data maps to historical maintenance records. Once a machine learning algorithm is trained using the historical data, it can successfully predict when maintenance is required based on live sensor readings in a plant. Predictive maintenance accurately models the wear and tear of machinery that is currently in use.

The best part of predictive maintenance is that it does not require additional costs for extra monitoring. Algorithms have been created that provide accurate predictions based on operational telemetry data that is already available. Predictive maintenance combined with other AI-based methods such as maintenance time estimation and maintenance task scheduling can be used to create an optimal maintenance workflow for industrial processes. Conversely, improving current maintenance regimes which often contribute to unplanned downtime, quality defects and accidents is appealing for everybody.

WASTE & RECYCLING An optimal maintenance schedule produced from predictive maintenance prevents work that often is not required. Carbon savings will be made via the controlled deployment of spare parts, less travel for people to come to the site, and less hot shooting of spare parts. Intervening with maintenance only when required and not a moment too late will save on the use of electricity, efficiency (by preventing declining performance) and human labour. Additionally, systems can employ predictive maintenance on pipes that are liable to spring leaks, to minimise the direct release of GHGs such as HFCs and natural gas. Thus, it has huge potential for carbon savings.

Research has shown that underpinning the scheduling of maintenance activities on predictive maintenance and maintenance time estimation can produce an optimal maintenance scheduling.

The work optimised the scheduling by minimising costs based on plant layout, downtime, and labour constraints. However, scheduling can also be planned by optimising the schedule concerning carbon emissions. In this situation, maintenance activities can be performed so that fewer journeys are made and GHG emissions are saved.

IoT circular economy The internet of things (IoT) is the digital industrial control system, a network of physical objects that are connected over the internet by sensors, software and other technologies that exchange data with each thing. In time, the implementation of the IoT will be worldwide and every single production process and supply chain will be available as a virtual image. Open access to a worldwide implementation of the IoT has the potential to provide a truly circular

economy. Product designers can use the information available from the IoT and create value from other people’s waste. Theoretically, we could establish a work where manufacturing processes are all linked so that there is zero extracted raw materials, zero waste disposed and net-zero emissions.

Currently, the world has developed manufacturing processes one at a time, not interconnected value chains across industries. It may be a long time until the IoT creates the worldwide virtual image required, but once it has, the technology will be powerful enough to address losses from each process and exchange material between connected companies. Both materials and energy consumption can be shared to lower CO2 emissions drastically. It may take decades, but the IoT provides the technology to create a circular economy.

Conclusion AI has enormous potential to benefit the environment and drive the world to net-zero. The current portfolio of research being conducted at the Alan Turning Institute (UK’s national centre for data science) includes projects that explore how machine learning can be part of the solution to climate change. For example, an electricity control room algorithm is being developed to provide decision support and ensure energy security for a decarbonised system. The national grid’s electricity planning is improved by forecasting the electricity demand and optimising the schedule. Further, Industry 4.0 can plan for the impact that global warming and decarbonisation strategies have on our lives. tunley-engineering.com

5G garbage trucks driving the future of smart cities A new 5G project will use high-resolution cameras and GPS sensors attached to waste trucks to rapidly detect road and roadside assets that require maintenance.

An interconnected network of garbage trucks could be the new frontline in repairing local roads, thanks to a research collaboration between Swinburne University of Technology and Brimbank City Council that utilises the 5G network and the Internet of Things (IoT).

The project will see high-resolution cameras and GPS sensors attached to Brimbank’s waste trucks. The rich data captured from these connected devices will be sent in real-time to a cloud-based system that can create an easy-to-use map of assets that require maintenance, such as road signs, bus shelters or damaged roads.

This will drastically reduce the time it takes to identify, document and fix issues, removing the need for costly manual reporting and auditing, and saving up to 50% of asset auditing costs.

Supported by $1.18m in funding from the Federal Government’s Australian 5G Innovation Initiative and working with Optus, the project will also help demonstrate how 5G can reliably support the needs of smart cities around Australia.

Bringing the Internet of Things to life Director of Swinburne’s Factory of the Future and Digital Innovation Lab, Associate Professor Prem Prakash Jayaraman, says the project presents unique challenges that 5G and IoT technology can help solve. “Swinburne is bringing together researchers, government and industry to co-create safe, resilient solutions for smart and sustainable cities. Together, we are enhancing access to services, places and economic opportunities, and improving quality of life,” Jayaraman said. “We are delighted to be working with the forwardthinking Brimbank Council, and utilising Swinburne’s leading capabilities and world-renowned expertise in Internet of Things and digital innovation to demonstrate a solution that can be used in cities across Australia and around the world,” he added.

“Residents have told us via the Community Survey that improving the appearance of Brimbank’s roads, road signs, bus stop shelters and roadside spaces is a high priority,” Brimbank Mayor Cr Jasmine Nguyen said, warmly welcoming the partnership.

“This innovative 5G-based project offers us a quicker and more efficient way to identify which assets need maintenance, and to get the information to the work crews. Simply put, this project will help Council respond faster to assets that need maintenance.”

Cutting-edge technology The stereo vision and depth cameras attached to the garbage trucks will collect 3D perception data at a rate of 900mbps. For comparison, average mobile download speeds in Australia in 2020 were around 43mbps.

To add extra complexity, the garbage trucks travel across every street in the council area each week and need to transmit the data in real-time while moving at varying speeds.

This makes the environment perfect for testing the capabilities of the super-fast 5G network, while also helping maintenance teams work more effectively. As part of the project, maintenance teams will be able to get information directly on their phones and upload proof of maintenance performed on the spot.

With more than 900km of road under maintenance and an estimated $15m to $20m spent every year of maintaining and improving road and roadside assets in Brimbank alone, it is hoped that the project will not only improve the lives and safety of local residents, but also help councils around Australia save millions.

Reprinted courtesy of Swinburne University of Technology swinburne.edu.au

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Tackling planned obsolescence Short equipment lifecycles can be overcome to help the environment.

According to DoSomething.org, 20 to 50 million metric tons of e-waste are disposed of worldwide, every year. Planned obsolescence plays a huge part in this, by increasing the likelihood of manufacturers throwing older equipment away, which is costly and time-consuming. Here, Jon Young, APAC sales director at global automation parts supplier EU Automation, explains why manufacturers should improve how they source obsolete parts, to keep existing equipment up-and-running and operate more sustainably.

Planned obsolescence, when the end of a product’s usefulness is in-built by the manufacturer, takes four main forms.

They are contrived durability, prevention of repairs, perceived obsolescence and systematic obsolescence.

An example of contrived durability is when Apple, in 2018, admitted to purposely shortening the lifespan of its products to make way for newer models by slowing down older models through software updates. Prevention of repairs also begins with the manufacturer, when products become increasingly difficult to repair, leaving customers with no choice but to replace them entirely.

Perceived obsolescence is typically found in retail, for instance, when the media promotes trends to make older children’s toys less desirable than newer items.

Systematic obsolescence, on the other hand, is common in machinery.

environment, particularly for countries where its landfills have limited space. For example, Australia’s Melbourne landfill is predicted to last only five more years, while Singapore’s only landfill site will be full by 2025.

of equipment would benefit their customers long-term, encouraging loyalty. OEMs can gain profits through resale, repair, upgrade and rental services without the need for creating excess waste.

Put simply, as equipment gets older it becomes more difficult to source exact components, usually of a certain model or serial number, for replacements or repairs.

This strategy gives manufacturers the opportunity to bring newer equipment to market and upsell it.

While it’s possible to create new landfills, a longer-term solution is needed — especially as a lot of “e-waste” is actually not waste at all. According to DoSomething.org, much of it is “whole electronic equipment or parts that are readily marketable for reuse or can be recycled for materials recovery.”

More haste, more waste

Could tackling planned obsolescence be the key to reducing e-waste?

For example, manufacturing equipment like CNC and grinding machines can be refurbished multiple times, extending its lifespan to provide customers with a better return on investment. But, in order achieve this time and cost-effectively, plant managers need to improve how they source replacement parts.

Outdated equipment creates several disadvantages. 52% of manufacturing employees, surveyed by Atomik Research on behalf of Shire Leasing, said that outdated equipment regularly hindered their work. In fact, 47% said more than half their factory equipment was used less than four months per year on average, due to it being outmoded.

Disposing of this equipment is the obvious choice for many manufacturers.

DoSomething.org reports that discarded TVs, computers, peripherals – including printers, scanners and fax machines – mice, keyboards and cell phones totalled about 2.37m short tons of e-waste in 2009 alone. This huge amount of unnecessary waste has significant implications on the

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France is leading the way in penalising planned obsolescence. The country has passed laws that require businesses to disclose their environmental impact and follow mandatory rules on eco-design and product updates. The law states that, “Planned obsolescence means the techniques by which a manufacturer aims to deliberately reduce the life of a product to increase its replacement rate. It is punishable by two years’ imprisonment and a fine of [the equivalent of A$457,000].”

While France’s law might seem harsh, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) themselves can also benefit by, instead, shifting their focus to aftersales support.

Better support with repairs and upgrading

This is where working with an automation parts supplier can be beneficial. Parts can be sourced to specific serial numbers to ensure compliance with older equipment in a fast turnaround. For example, EU Automation offers international delivery of its obsolete industrial parts in 48 hours or less, meaning that manufacturers can better plan equipment repairs while minimising production downtime.

By finding alternatives to simply disposing of plant equipment, manufacturers can help put a dent in the 20 to 50 million metric tons of e-waste disposed of worldwide every year. In doing so, they can also keep their production environments as productive and sustainable as possible. euautomation.com

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Recycling solar panels Aussie solar panel recovery company focused on diverting solar panels from landfill.

With Australia powering ahead as a solarpowered nation, a major environmental problem is looming. An important circular economy opportunity is also emerging to manage this issue.

Solar panels at the end of their useful life have the potential to become a hazardous waste management issue if disposed of in landfill where materials in the panels can leach into soil and groundwater.

According to Rob Gell of Solar Recovery Corporation, many solar panels are currently ending up in landfill. Similar to all electronic waste from retired technology, solar panels contain hazardous materials and when disposed of incorrectly are dangerous to the environment and human health.

“Some states have banned solar panels from landfill, but by 2030 millions of solar panels could end up in landfill unless we have universal legislation and programs to manage this valuable material. In our efforts to generate sustainable energy, we have potentially caused another massive headache,” Gell said.

“Solar panels are expected to operate usefully for two or three decades, however, evidence suggests that damage from storms, reduced performance and other issues typically reduce their lifespan, requiring them to be replaced sooner than expected.

“Humidity in Australia seems to be a particular problem. The optimum running lifespan of a solar panel is approximately around 10 to 15 years and installation of solar panels on rooftops and in large solar farms has been rising in Australia since 2010. Nearly three million households have rooftop solar. In 2020 there were 378,451 residential installations alone, the most in the industry’s history.

“This means that the number of solar panels nearing their end of life is about to significantly rise, resulting in a serious e-waste problem for our country and the planet.”

Gell states that Australia must stop dumping panels and instead look to recover the valuable materials as part of the circular economy.

“Dumping solar panels is not the answer, there is a solution available now. This is why the Solar Recovery Corporation has launched - to ethically and sustainably retire solar panels,” Gell explained.

“Using our European-designed technology, we are able to recover more than 99% of materials from end-of-life solar panels.

“The raw materials can then be used in other manufacturing streams participating in the circular economy model and breaking the traditional, unsustainable linear economic model of take, make, consume, and waste.

“The computerised mechanical processing separates and prepares the materials instantly ready to be used in other manufacturing streams. The recovered glass, plastic, silicon, copper and aluminium are all valuable resources.”

Solar Recovery Corporation is accepting end-of-life solar panels now in Townsville and Biloela, Queensland. The first processing centre with the European cutting-edge extraction technology will be located in Central Queensland and will commence processing by end of August this year.

Further sites are earmarked for regional locations Australia-wide. Solar Recovery Corporation has formed a partnership with European company, La Mia Energia (LME), which manufactures clean technology built to process end-of-life solar PV panels.

“We are focused on diverting 100% of all end-of-life solar panels from landfill so the materials can be recovered for use in other industries,” Gell said. “There is a secondhand market for end-of-life solar panels.

While this market does assist to address

social issues, the risk is that if not properly monitored for compliance with relevant regulations and industry requirements, it could become another environmental issue – which would also result in the loss of valuable resources.

“We are effectively creating a new industry in Australia – a circular economy industry for end-of-life solar panels. Our regional processing centres will create employment supporting industries and growth in new sectors.

“Solar panel installers, waste management companies, asset managers, and anyone involved in solar panel installation, management and removal – as well as every household, must be aware that endof-life solar panels need to be disposed of properly so that their component materials can be reused.”

Solar Recovery Corporation Solar Recovery Corporation is a wholly Australian-owned business that has partnered with European company, La Mia Energia (LME), which manufactures clean technology to process end-of-life solar PV panels providing this technology and management systems in Australia.

The patented clean technology recovers over 99% of materials from end-of-life solar PV panels without the use of chemicals, thermal processing, or pyrolysis. The recovered materials are valuable materials that can then be repurposed within the manufacturing industry. This reduces the amount of sourcing for virgin material and its resulting environmental damage. srcorp.com.au

Increase your competitive edge MODERNMANUFACTURINGEXPO.COM

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Cranes wired for safety, pre-use tests and digitised insights Dropped loads are one of the most frequent safety hazards associated with overhead cranes, says the world’s largest crane service organisation, Konecranes.

Preventable hazards are most commonly the result of one or more of the following factors: poor operator training, improper rigging technique, an incorrect lifting device, overloading the hoist, and side pulling. So says the Konecranes Service organisation which services all brands of cranes used globally and is the original service provider for both Konecranes and Demag equipment.

The global crane manufacturer and service provider, whose representatives service more than 600,000 items of lifting equipment under contract worldwide, is a world leader in digitisation technologies for crane maintenance, safety and efficiency, including its CheckApp, used for daily inspections.

In addition to any tests, training, and inspections required by local laws or regulations, five key basic pre-use recommendations can enhance crane safety and help avoid dropped loads.

1. Test run the crane the full length of the runway and bridge span to ensure no obstructions will interfere with the crane travel motions. Test that all motion’s travel speed match the designed specifications.

2. Turn the crane off, engage the hoist ‘up’ switch: the hook should not rise.

Engage all other motions to ensure no movement is possible. Turn the

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mainline switch back on and raise the hook to test the upper limit switch. All travel and hoist motions should match the control labelling directions.

3. Check that the wire rope is properly seated. Ensure that it is not twisted, kinked, or damaged. Check all other limit devices for proper functionality.

4. Train all crane operators on the functionality of all new cranes.

5. Provide proper inspections and maintenance as required by local regulations and recommended by the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM).

Konecranes CheckApp digitally enhances safety and efficiency These are just a few of the safety checks that should be performed before operating a crane. Konecranes CheckApp for Daily Inspections is a digitised way to perform these inspections and includes 15 points to check. Daily inspections are a statutory requirement in several countries and good practice for any crane operator. Konecranes CheckApp for Daily Inspections is an easyto-use app for crane users to quickly and easily record their findings when performing pre-shift and/or pre-lift inspections.

Inspection results can be viewed on the ‘yourKONECRANES’ customer portal.

Besides providing an audit trail of daily

inspections, the information can help users recognise potential asset-specific safety or production risk issues and identify workplace improvement opportunities.

It can also help identify needs for operator training as well as deviations in following local safety and other site rules.

Konecranes CheckApp for Daily Inspections has been designed to help crane users quickly and easily record their findings when performing pre-shift and/or pre-lift inspections.

It gives a cost-effective, digitalised way for recording and retrieving daily inspection data that can be used for internal auditing and compliance. Daily inspections are a statutory requirement in several countries.

The daily inspection is a user’s – or crane operator’s – own assessment of the condition of an asset and environment for safe use. It is not an expert’s examination of the condition of an asset or component.

Konecranes CheckApp for Daily Inspections follows the guidance set in the ISO 9927 standard and in applicable statutory regulations.

The app can be downloaded for free on the Apple AppStore and from Google Play for Android devices — on a mobile or tablet.

Company personnel can use their own or shared company-provided devices to perform the daily inspections. konecranes.com

SAFETY

New safety standards for solar installs Energy Safe Victoria (ESV) has welcomed a new Australian Standard that will strengthen the safety of solar photovoltaic (PV) installations.

The new Standards are now in effect. They allow solar installers to keep pace with innovations across the solar industry, while reducing the risk of house fires.

The key change delivered by Standard AS/NZS 5033 focuses on direct current (DC) isolators, which provide an additional safety mechanism that shuts down solar PV systems in case of an emergency.

In Australia, DC isolators are typically installed on roofs next to solar panels, which exposes them to rain, wind and other elements. In some cases, incorrectly installed DC isolators or those damaged over time can pose a potential fire hazard.

The new Standards reduce that risk by providing installers with different options on how solar panel systems can be isolated and no longer mandates the installation of an isolator on the roof for all installations.

ESV representatives chaired the committee that delivered the new Standard, which was initially published last November, and included a six-month transition period.

This period has now expired. Victoria leads the nation in solar installation safety, with stringent, industry-leading standards put in place when Solar Victoria launched in 2018 that prompted a lift in safety standards industry-wide that have set the Australian benchmark.

Since the beginning of 2020, audits of solar systems installed under the Victorian Government’s Solar Homes Program have found the number of unsafe installations has dropped from 2.2% to zero due to education and training provided to industry, along with enforcement by Victorian Government agencies including ESV. In March, ESV and Solar Victoria also launched the Show Your Solar Some Love campaign. “As more people take up solar, ESV will continue to work to ensure all solar systems are installed safely and efficiently,” said ESV Commissioner and Chairperson Marnie Williams. “We’ve played a major role in the delivery of these new Standards, which protect Victorians from house fires

and damage caused by exposed DC isolators. We’re also calling on all Victorian solar users to ensure their systems are serviced by a licensed A-Grade electrician at least once every two years.”

Regular servicing reduces the risk of failure and fire, which is a risk particularly among older, unserviced solar systems. Servicing by a licensed A-Grade electrician at least once every two years mitigates the risk and ensures solar PV systems are working safely and efficiently.

Servicing includes electrical testing of the components that make up a solar panel system, as well as a thorough visual inspection to ensure the integrity of equipment and cabling. It also includes the clearing of debris and leaf litter under the solar panels and around the inverter.

People should also be aware of unlicensed workers offering solar cleaning or maintenance. esv.vic.gov.au/campaigns/solar-safety

Victorian regulators take 2022 Build Aware campaign to the Latrobe Valley Four Victorian regulators have taken their Build Aware campaign to the Latrobe Valley, ensuring construction workers are meeting safety, environmental, building and plumbing compliance obligations. including the requirements to identify ‘highrisk’ crystalline silica work.

Energy Safe Victoria (ESV), WorkSafe, the Victorian Building Authority (VBA) and Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) visited worksites providing operators with information on laws that protect the community and the environment.

The initiative, run between 30 May and 3 June, focused on the Latrobe Valley, working to educate and call out issues.

Inspections were carried out across the Latrobe Valley to ensure compliance with safety, environmental, building and plumbing standards.

Build Aware has previously targeted regional areas including Shepparton, Bairnsdale, Ballarat, Wodonga, Geelong, Bendigo and Warrnambool. Joint activities delivered by the regulators include industry trade breakfasts, joint inspections and educational presentations to local TAFE students.

“The new Environment Protection Act has given EPA greater power to protect the environment and community and every Victorian now has a legal responsibility to take reasonable action to do the same,”

said EPA Regional Manager Gippsland Zac Dornom. “You also have the power to report illegal waste disposal – it’s a way of protecting the environment and ridding the industry of the dodgy operators who compete unfairly with legitimate builders.”

During the inspection week, ESV compliance officers focused on dangers related to No Go Zones and the need for construction workers and machinery operators to be aware of overhead and underground electrical assets.

WorkSafe checked for risks associated with exposure to asbestos and crystalline silica dust and reminded employers and workers of the changes to the OHS regulations,

“Exposure to hazardous materials such as asbestos or crystalline silica dust during demolition or construction work can lead to serious and life-threatening illnesses,” said WorkSafe Director Construction and Earth Resources Matthew Wielgosz. “Duty holders will be reminded that, since 15 May 2022, changes to OHS regulations mean businesses making dust when working with materials containing crystalline silica must identify and document any highrisk silica work and the measures used to control those risks.”

The VBA again checked building and plumbing works as part of its Proactive Inspections Program, aiming to reduce non-compliant building and plumbing work. The EPA ensured the construction and demolition industries are aware of their responsibilities when it comes to waste management at building sites. vba.vic.gov.au worksafe.vic.gov.au esv.vic.gov.au www.epa.vic.gov.au

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SAFETY

Look up for safety’s sake ESV repeats powerline safety message following serious Bendigo incident.

Energy Safe Victoria (ESV) is pleading with Victorians to look up and be aware of their surroundings following an incident northwest of Bendigo, where a farmer contacted with overhead high voltage powerlines.

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Ensure an ESV-registered spotter is on hand when working near overhead powerlines.

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Display Look Up and Live stickers on any machinery or equipment which is raised overhead.

For the past decade, ESV’s Look Up and Live campaign, has warned machinery operators – especially farmers - to be aware of their work environment and check for powerlines before work commences.

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Remember that powerlines are more difficult to see at dawn and dusk and that electricity can jump gaps.

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Be extra aware in rural areas as overhead powerlines are predominantly single conductor lines that are difficult to see and easy to forget.

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If machinery does hit powerlines, operators should stay inside the vehicle and call for help.

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If it is not safe, for example in case of fire, jump clear from the vehicle, keep legs and feet close together and landing both feet on the ground. Then shuffle with both feet staying close together to a distance more than 10m away. NEVER touch the vehicle and the ground at the same time.

•

Bystanders and spotters should also stay at least eight metres away, as they can still be shocked when approaching the vehicle.

“We are thinking about the farmer and his family and hope he’s able to make a full recovery. Unfortunately, this incident could have been avoided if he’d been more aware of his surroundings before starting work,” stated ESV Commissioner and Chairperson Marnie Williams.

“It’s so easy to forget that the simple act of looking up before you start work, could save your life or the life of a co-worker.”

Recently, ESV launched its 2022 Look Up and Live campaign, after 58 powerline-related incidents took place in January and February.

In 2021, ESV also reported 214 incidents, 34 of which involved high voltage lines and four causing serious injury. Of that 214, a total of 141 involved overhead powerlines and 73 underground.

Below are a few simple safety tips to avoid an incident occurring: •

Understanding No Go Zones, rules and distances for safety clearances near overhead powerlines.

esv.vic.gov.au

Enmin’s SAT and FAT tests for safety Enmin’s rigorous focus on compliance ensures minimal rectification work and maximum operator safety.

For over 40 years, Enmin has been designing and building an extensive range of vibratory equipment and materials handling solutions for a myriad of applications and environments. The company’s vast knowledge and expertise in this area has seen their list of customers grow to include most of Australia’s leading food industry manufacturers.

Since its inception, Enmin has taken a no compromise approach to safety and its extensive experience of the materials handling industry has seen it develop products that have safety at its core. All the equipment that Enmin manufactures at its factory in Braeside is designed with a clear focus on operator and electrical safety and ergonomic design to maximise operator efficiency and minimise fatigue.

“There are a number of Australian industry safety standards that need to be met. In addition to that, all our customers have additional requirements to suit their particular operating environment – different sites have different needs. Our aim is to accommodate all possible standards,” said Enmin General Manager, Anthony Gallaher.

“Because we are a local manufacturer we can offer a Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) where a customer can come and inspect the equipment and make any minor changes before being shipped; this includes supplying our own risk assessment certificate for further peace of mind. As a result, this ensures that when customers run their own SAT (Site Acceptance Test) we find minimal or no rectification work is required to get it ‘system ready,’” he added.

“Certain countries will be designing and building equipment with only price in mind. Very often this does not meet even the most basic safety standards. Couple that with little on-the-ground support, and it will ultimately cause a lot of problems which often delays

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the installation of the equipment leading to unproductive hold-ups and additional costs,” Gallaher continued.

Enmin’s Hopper Feeder and Mi-CON elevating conveyor are two of the company’s most popular products and are perfect examples of the company’s safetyfirst focus.

“Very often companies may think that imported equipment meets the Australian standards, but that is often not the case.

Also, whilst it may be fit for a company’s needs today it may not be right for the long term as their business evolves,” Gallaher added.

“Whilst lower cost equipment from overseas may initially seem an attractive proposition, it is ultimately false economy. The rectification costs and time involved to ensure the unit meets Australian safety standards is significant. And if a company does decide to cut corners on operator safety, they are literally walking a tightrope – things can go horribly wrong. Getting the right safety up front is a small price to pay for security and safety long term,” Gallaher said.

“Many other benefits accrue when buying locally made equipment: prompt delivery turnaround, the ability to work closely with us during every phase of the project and the opportunity to easily add to or modify equipment years later as production needs change.

And of course, being a local manufacturer means we are only a quick phone call away to immediately respond to any customer technical query or provide service and parts support throughout Australia,” he summed up.

“The reassurance that comes with having safety built in and the knowledge that the equipment is fit for purpose from the start far outweighs any price difference. In terms of peace of mind, time savings and return on investment, there is simply no comparison,” Gallaher concluded. enmin.com.au

SAFETY

Reven industrial air cleaning vital for R&I Instrument & Gear Reven air cleaners keeps both CNC parts and the air clean at R&I Instrument and Gear.

Melbourne-based R&I Instrument & Gear is a precision machining/ engineering company that supplies a range of specialised components to OEMs in a number of niche markets including medical and scientific instruments, defence and aerospace industries. The company is a registered Quality Endorsed Company meeting both requirements for ISO 9001:2015 and AS9100D. Established in 1948 by Bob Brown, Jeff Rowell and his wife Joyce took over the business in 1978. In 1993 their son Andrew Rowell took over as the Operations Manager and is currently General Manager. In 1999 the company came under the control of the Hardman family as a sister company to Hardman Bros Pty Ltd – a company that is involved in industrial type power transmission applications.

Some of the high-precision parts that R&I manufacture are used in medical devices such as automated blood testing and laser eye surgery machines. In addition, a variety of components for the aerospace industry are manufactured; these include search lights for rescue helicopters along with a range of other defence-related products.

The company prides itself on the many long-term relationships they have established over the decades. These include Agilent Technologies, Aim Lab Automation and Ellex Medical.

A customer of Dimac for a number of years, R&I recently purchased their second Reven Compact cleaning table.

Reven has been specialising in industrial air cleaning for decades and the company’s knowledge in the field of air cleaning has grown continuously. Their expertise is reflected in numerous internationally protected patents, design protection rights and unique technologies.

All Reven products are designed and constructed in Germany.

“The compact Reven table is particularly versatile due to the fact that it does not require any electric power supply as the cleaning is performed by compressed air - making it ideal for the cleaning and inspection work of CNC parts,” Jeff Rowell said. One of the key features of the Reven cleaning table is that it features Reven’s

patented high-performance X-CYCLONE separating system which is integrated into the table.

The X-CYCLONE technology, now into its fifth generation, was developed for the separation of airborne substances including fluid and fine dusts. The system is entirely mechanical without any auxiliary energy required and contains no disposable products or filters that need to be replaced. It is a sustainable air-cleaning concept thanks to the use of cleanable separators. As a result, the operating and maintenance costs are considerably lower compared with conventional air cleaners.

A lifetime guarantee is offered on the X-CYCLONE basic separator elements and the corrosion-resistance of the enclosure.

“The health and safety of our workers is critical for us. We use solvents to clean parts and Reven’s integrated air cleaner ensures that fumes and other invisible superfine particles are filtered. This aspect was a key reason for us selecting the Reven brand,” Rowell continued.

“In addition, when parts are being cleaned by the air blast, the residue coolant and chips from the workpiece are also captured, with coolant recovered, therefore keeping the work area clean from coolant and chips,” he added.

“We’re really pleased with the Revens. They’re very user-friendly and simple to operate. It ensures the workspace air is kept clean, improves operator safety, and has boosted our productivity. Best of all they cost nothing to run.”

In addition to the cleaning tables, R&I have a number of Reven mist extractors fitted to various machines. They also purchase other workholding products from Dimac including Lang Technik MakroGrip 5-axis vises.

“I’ve always received great service and support from Dimac and the fact they’re a local supplier with a long-established history and range of quality brands are the key reasons I’ll continue to use them,” Rowell concluded. rigear.com.au dimac.com.au

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CUTTING TOOLS

The Neologiq sequel “Where Innovation Never Stops!” is the slogan that appears on the walls of the production facilities at ISCAR headquarters and has been synonymous with the company for several decades.

The COVID-19 pandemic did not interrupt the innovation process, and between 2020-21 ISCAR introduced the NEOLOGIQ marketing campaign comprised of advanced cutting tools and tooling solutions for modern metalworking.

The significant changes in manufacturing, such as intensive digitising, the shift to electric drive in the automotive industry, and growing precise workpiece fabrication, have elicited new demands for cutting tools.

Notwithstanding, the accelerated pace of changes sharpens the demands and requires more ISCAR NEOLOGIQ products that answer to modern age machining.

“Machining with No Boundaries” is the NEOLOGIQ mindset.

Holemaking news CHAM-IQ-DRILL, the family of assembled drills that mount exchangeable carbide heads, is now upgraded with new heads in the diameter range of 33-40mm.

These heads can be mounted on any drill possessing the appropriate pocket size. The main feature of the new heads is a multifunctional cutting geometry, which enables effective drilling of various engineering materials such as steel, stainless steel, heat-resistant special alloys, and titanium (ISO P, M, and S groups of application) assuring hole precision within IT10-IT9 accuracy grades. ISCAR’s customers will benefit from using the new heads which guarantee to maintain less stock of tools for machining diverse materials.

The ISCAR LOGIQ-3-CHAM (Fig.1) is also based on the concept of exchangeable carbide heads with three flutes for improved productivity and is now supplemented by new carbide heads for achieving a nearly flat bottom hole. Flat bottom holes are necessary for screw head sockets, spring seats, washer ports, etc. The heads ensure drilling up to an eight-hole depthto-diameter ratio without a pre-hole. The new design facilitates generating holes with a nearly flat bottom by use of a single pass.

The heads are mounted on existing LOGIQ3-CHAM tools that significantly expand the application range of the family and reduce inventory costs.

So, how do you increase the drilling depth? Use a longer drill?

MODUDRILL is a family of modular drills with replaceable carbide heads that carry indexable inserts and provide an alternative solution. Mounting an exchangeable extension holder on a drill body increases the drilling depth by an additional 200mm

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Fig 1. 3-flute LOGIQ3CHAM drills provide nearly flat bottom holes

when machining holes in a diameter range of 33-40mm.

In high-speed reaming, a combination of a carbide reaming head with a rolling device in one single tool results in a short operational time for achieving accurate hole diameter along with a mirror-like surface finish.

Key aspects in turning A modular tool concept is the way to reach high versatility. NEOSWISS (Fig.2), a new tool system with quick-change heads, follows this concept. There are different types of heads for indexable inserts. The system is suitable for turning, parting, grooving, and threading applications.

By use of a unique high-clamping-force mechanism, the heads are mounted on a toolholder. The mechanism provides an accurate cutting edge position each time and uses high position repeatability. The system intended mainly for Swiss-type machines enables removing heads and replacing inserts within the tight confines of CNC machining centres.

ISCAR has developed a new lever dual lock securing mechanism for improved clamping rigidity intended for ISO turning inserts. The new design, referred to as the COMBI-D-LOCK family, combines the advantages of two conventional clamping methods using a lever and a top clamp. An insert is locked in two directions from the top and the bottom. This provides better stability and rigidity, and in comparison, to the conventional lever improves tool life and increases productivity.

LOGIQ-F-GRIP features a new highly advanced tool family for parting solutions.

The central component of the family is a robust tool block that mounts a 4-pocket adapter. There are cases when the rib, a reinforcement element of the block, interferes and prevents clamping the block on typical turret positions. NEOLOGIQ overcomes this problem by providing additional blocks with the rib placed on the alternative side of the block. The revolutionary LOGIQ-F-GRIP parting system was designed to achieve extra stability and vibration-resistant high productivity parting and grooving operations. The highly engineered LOGIQFGRIP is an assembled tool block that comprises a unique durable holder and a high-stiffness quad blade with pockets for mounting inserts.

Innovations in milling NEODO S890 (Fig.3) is a family of 90-degree indexable face mills for rough and semi-finishing operations. The mills mount durable square double-sided inserts with eight cutting edges. NEODO S890 facilitates face and square shoulder milling while providing an additional option for milling close to shoulders where there are workpiece or work holding fixture constraints. ISCAR customers have requested additional corner radii and tool diameters, therefore, this tool family was expanded with additional pressed-tosize inserts with a 0.8mm corner radius and cutters in diameters 32 and 25mm including endmill design configurations.

CUTTING TOOLS

Fig. 3. A 90-degrees NEODO S890 face millt.

Fig. 2. A NEOSWISS turning tool carries a quick-change head with indexable insert.

A durable double-sided round insert is now available. The combination of an innovative pocket design and a special peripheral shape of the insert provides reliable insert clamping and fail-proof insert indexing.

Depending on the depth of cut, there are up to six insert indexes on each side (up to 12 indexes total). When indexing, there is no need to remove the insert clamping screw.

The main application of the new cutters is for rough and semi-finish milling complex surfaces, especially in die and mould, power generation, and aerospace parts.

The range of solid carbide endmills has been expanded by adding new tool diameters and corner radii.

Upgrading toolholders ISCAR SPINJET (Fig.4), a family of coolantdriven high-speed compact spindles for small diameter tools, intended to upgrade existing machines to high-speed performers, is now supplemented with Micro 90 intended for miniature rotating tools in milling, drilling, countersinking, thread milling, engraving, chamfering and deburring operations. Micro 90, made of a solid titanium shell and assembled from only six parts, enables rotating velocities that range from 35,000 to 53,000rpm while the main machine spindle remains idle.

The chuck thickness is a factor that limits the working space of a tool. This factor

often causes increasing the tool overhang to reach a machined surface. A novelty in X-STREAM, a family of thermal shrink toolholders, is a series of slim design chucks to eliminate such a restriction.

The new chucks follow ISCAR's coolant jet channel technology providing direct coolant supply to the tool cutting edge.

Changes in metalworking technology place new demands on cutting tools. To meet these demands, cutting tool manufacturers develop new products to assure increased performance. The industries' response to the products sprouts new requirements.

ISCAR's NEOLOGIQ campaign is based on new tools that were developed in accordance with customers' input. You can expect more NEOLOGIQ sequels to assure advanced machining in the new era of metalworking. iscar.com

Fig. 4. A Micro 90 coolant-driven high-speed compact spindle ensures extremely high rotating velocities.

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The new generation of micro drills Sandvik Coromant launches new tools for precision machining.

Sandvik Coromant has launched two new microdrill families specifically designed for precision machining. The CoroDrill 462 with -XM geometry and the CoroDrill 862 with -GM geometry support industries that demand small parts manufacturing, such as medical, automotive, electronics and aerospace. Designed to cover a variety of workpiece materials, the new drills offer precise performance where accuracy is key.

Devices across several industries are shrinking in size. This can be seen most clearly in electronics, with modern devices offering greater capabilities in smaller packages. Elsewhere, in medical device manufacturing, the rising trend of minimally invasive surgery — using techniques that minimise the size and degree of incisions a surgeon makes — demands surgical tools are more intricate. As the size of technology scales down, and its level of sophistication scales up, manufacturers demand tools that can produce smaller, more complicated parts.

Drilling specialists generally use the term micro drilling when describing holes smaller than 3.00mm in diameter. This can refer to holes often encountered in the electronics industry where workpieces are just a few hundredths of a millimetre thick, but more common applications include the aerospace industry, mould and die-making and medical equipment manufacturing.

The CoroDrill 462 and 862 are the next generation of micro drills from Sandvik Coromant. Available in new geometries to offer a wide variety of cutting diameters and lengths, the drills boast an increased product range compared to previous assortments.

The drills have been specially adapted to overcome challenges of micro drilling. For instance, much like macroscale applications, it’s critical to have quality coolant to effectively evacuate chips when performing deep-hole drilling with micro tools. Both the CoroDrill 462 and 862 can easily drill hole depths of up to nine times diameter (xD) when using external coolant, and a through-coolant option is also available for drilling diameters of 1.00mm and above and hole depths of up to 16xD. Not only does the effective use of coolant help the tools to drill deeper holes, but it also extends the tools’ life and reduces the risk of chip jamming.

Individually, the CoroDrill 462 offers high performance hole making up to 3.00mm. Ideal for drilling both blind and through holes, the drill is capable of machining a variety of ISO materials, including ISO P, M, K, N, S, O and H. With a drill depth of 6xD, the CoroDrill 462 offers manufacturers a versatile drilling solution.

The CoroDrill 862 is ideal for making holes from 1.00mm to 3.00mm in diameter in all materials, when used with internal coolant. In addition to conventional drilling, the CoroDrill 862 supports a variety of other drilling activities, including cross holes, stack drilling and drilling convex and concave surfaces.

In addition to being off-the-shelf solid carbide tools, both the CoroDrill 462 and 862 are available for customisation. As part of the range, Sandvik Coromant has made it possible to configure the tools based on diameters, usable length, step-diameter length and shank diameter, for manufacturers who require a bespoke approach to micro drilling.

Furthermore, customers have the option of purchasing the CoroDrill 862 with a polycrystalline diamond (PCD) vein cutting edge. PCD is up to 100 times more wear-resistant than solid carbide. In addition, PCD tooling is more accurate and can produce tighter tolerances than solid carbide tools. Therefore, customers seeking to drill micro-sized holes in notoriously difficult-to-machine materials, such as titanium, aluminium, glass and ceramics, should consider PCD. “The CoroDrill 462 and 862 mark a new era for micro drilling,” said James Thorpe, Global Product Manager at Sandvik Coromant.

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“We’ve made significant upgrades since the launch of our last micro drills, with the aim of delivering more options to our customers.”

“In today’s manufacturing landscape, whether you’re producing luxury watches or aerospace parts, the demand for intricacy is greater than ever,” says Thorpe. “As products get smaller and with more complex components, we recognise that we too need to adapt and make our drills capable of machining smaller holes. The applications that demand micro drilling are extremely varied, which is why we’re offering more customisable options in addition to a wider variety of standard tools.”

The CoroDrill 462 and 862 will replace Sandvik Coromant’s existing R840 and current 862 micro drill assortments. sandvik.coromant.com

CUTTING TOOLS

Cutting tool data provider and digital assistant Building and using e-catalogues are a key to staying updated to ISO standards.

A company catalogue is the best source for becoming acquainted with the company products. The term ‘catalogue’ derives from the ancient Greek word ‘list’. Originally, a product catalogue was a printed document listing all the products a company offered.

Later, the catalogue incorporated more reference data, general recommendations for using products, and additional related technical information. In cutting tool manufacturing, these supplements presented the initial cutting conditions, accessories, mounting and regrinding instructions, troubleshooting, and technical information.

In electronic versions of the hard copy catalogue, there are of course significantly expanded capabilities, and many more search options. A user-friendly utility software of e-catalogues facilitates optimised product search, filtering functions, visual assets, and reference data.

These days, conventional paper catalogues only provide the key dimensions of a cutting tool, an indexable insert, a tool holder, and spare parts and consequently do not offer enough information. This data provided the basis for computer assisted engineering (CAE) systems, assuring a platform for independent data exchange. The global world features more intensive data transfer, and the gathering pace of digital era processes are inevitably leading to substantially increased unified data representation when building digital information for the metalworking industry.

An important step in unifying digital information related to cutting tools and tool holders is derived from the ISO 13399 standard. Following the guidelines of this standard ensures data uniformity, makes the digital twins understandable for real and virtual components of manufacturing systems, and supports real-time information exchange between the components. An ISO 13399-compatible CAE system downloads tool data directly from computer-based clouds to provide instantaneous online information. Therefore, meeting the requirements of ISO 13399 is the key feature of an effective cutting tool e-catalogue.

The e-catalogue has built-in functions that facilitate the effective processing and filtering of information catered to customer needs.

The virtual tool assembly comprises a cutting tool, indexable inserts or exchangeable cutting heads, a tool holder, extensions and reducers which help with pre-machining anti-collision planning.

The tool assembly enables the download in a CAE system for virtual machining simulations to optimise cutting strategy, collision checking, improving tool configuration and other procedures for technological machining processes.

Notwithstanding, the e-catalogue connects with data sources such as optimal tool selection and access to e-commerce functions. This makes the e-catalogue an inseparable subsystem embedded in a world of information technologies associated with the cutting tool manufacturer.

E-CAT assembly options enable generating digital twins in 3D and 2D formats for all main product lines: milling, hole making, and turning. ISCAR's e-catalogue links to the New ISCAR Tool Advisor (NEOITA), which recommends the best tools for a given application.

Alongside the NEOITA app is the Machining Power Calculator that estimates power consumption and cutting forces during machining, the Productive Geometries for finding inserts of alternative cutting geometry, the Grade Optimiser for the quest of equivalent cutting material grades, and the FAQ section with answers on frequently asked questions. Also, various search options facilitate finding tools, inserts, toolholders or accessories according to a designation, a family, a brand name, and more. The ISCAR E-CAT informs the customer about company promotions, provides test reports and other useful data, and is available from the simple-to-use ISCAR WORLD app, a virtual ‘one-stop shop’ for IOS and Android platforms that integrate all ISCAR online apps and interfaces.

In metalworking, the cutting tool e-catalogue is firmly rooted as an effective and diversified source of vital information and creative possibilities.

Printed catalogues remain in demand as many customers stay avid users of paper catalogues for reasons associated with readily available information, and not relying on internet connectivity. Cutting tool manufacturers continue to provide both product catalogue versions in electronic and printed versions. For this reason, printed catalogues will continue to be available.

There is no doubt that the digitisation of metalworking will bring the use of e-catalogues to the forefront of technology while providing additional functional values for the metalworking industries. iscar.com

Due to the progress in mobile phone technologies, the cutting tool e-catalogue has advanced, thus providing access to tool information from virtually everywhere and delivering access to virtual tool assemblies.

Another undeniable advantage of the e-catalogue, compared to the traditional paper catalogue, is its ease of maintenance. Changes can be made instantaneously online, anytime.

By using the e-catalogue, customers can receive an STP file independently with a ‘.p21’ extension that meets the requirements of ISO 13399 standard to transfer data for CAE systems.

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FORMING & FABRICATION

Large diameters, tight radii: Tube bending machines for H-P Products Schwarze-Robitec tube bending machine is customised for a quick tight job.

US automotive supplier H-P Products was experiencing high stress readings due to a major job with tight bending radii of up to 1xD, short cycle times and compatibility with existing tools. The German tube bending machine manufacturer SchwarzeRobitec responded to the complex issue with a powerful CNC 160 E TB MR. The commissioning took place in the middle of the pandemic despite strict regulations.

Thanks to short distances between the customer in Ohio and the SchwarzeRobitec branch in Michigan, the job was a success.

Founded in 1945 and headquartered in Louisville, Ohio, H-P Products, Inc. manufactures a wide range of tubular products for large diesel engine, fire truck, construction equipment and agricultural equipment industries from air intake systems to exhaust and cooling components to structural components. To bend large tubes in particularly tight radii, the company now relies on a machine from Schwarze-Robitec. With the fully electric CNC 160 E TB MR, H-P Products is replacing another model from the German manufacturer after more than 20 years of continuous service.

Schwarze-Robitec designed the CNC 160 E TB MR for two different tool sets, each with two grooves. One of the bending tools bends tubes up to 127mm in diameter at a bending radius of about 1.1xD. The other tool bends tubes up to 101.6mm even at the even tighter radius of 1xD. The tighter the tubes can be bent for the automotive industry, the more compact the engine and exhaust system can be designed.

This challenge prompted H-P Products to purchase the new tube bending machine from Schwarze-Robitec. The closer the ratio of tube diameter to bending radius, the higher the load that the tube bending machine must withstand in the process.

The Cologne-based expert designs its machines precisely for this demanding 1xD bending: The decisive factor is sufficient rigidity of the entire system as well as the stability of the individual tool components in relation to each other. The CNC 160 E TB MR withstands this exceptionally high stress, even over a long period of use.

In addition, H-P Products brought in the requirement to produce parts in a very short time with high repeatability - a typical requirement in the automotive

industry, which is focused on short cycle times. The machine achieves this thanks to the intelligent NxG control.

The motion sequences of all axes are optimally coordinated during bending, thus minimising the production time per part.

It was also important that tools previously used at H-P Products could continue to be used on the new machine. This compatibility and flexible use of the tools is guaranteed by the tube bending expert for the Ohio-based company.

Schwarze-Robitec put the large machine into operation in the middle of one of the peak phases of the pandemic, despite worldwide contact and travel restrictions.

This was possible because the company has its own branch office in Grand Rapids in the US state of Michigan. While the experts at the headquarters in Cologne provided intensive support for the entire project, from consulting and development to execution, the US team was able to carry out the commissioning on site at the customer's premises in the neighbouring state. In this way, customer support interlocked optimally in a digital way and in person. schwarze-robitec.com

The CNC 160 E TB MR withstands the exceptionally high stress of 1xD bending, even over a long period of use.

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FORMING & FABRICATION

Making smaller better CoroDrill 862 with -GM geometry supports quality in small part machining.

Steve Jobs’ philosophy that “We’ve got to make the smalls things unforgettable” is getting truer each year as big electronics players like Intel, Samsung and TSMC squeeze more functionality into the smaller devices and printed circuit boards (PCB) they produce. But this progress presents challenges in applications like micro drilling, as manufacturers must strike a balance between quality and productivity when machining tiny components. Here, James Thorpe, Global Product Manager at the leader in metal cutting Sandvik Coromant, explains how the new CoroDrill range of micro drills can help.

According to Fortune Business Insights, the global market for electronic manufacturing services (EMS) is expected to rise from $504.22bn in 2022 to $797.94bn by 2029. At the same time, electronic parts are getting smaller. The need for shrinking digital circuits is clear as they can do more processing in less time and pack more storage space in the same volume. Other examples include consumer demand for higher resolution screen displays that are achieved with smaller and more numerous pixels.

The growing need for smaller electronic parts presents real challenges for manufacturers, including in processes like micro drilling that involves producing holes smaller than 3mm in diameter. Micro drilling techniques are used to produce components ranging from aerospace components, hydraulic valves, watch cases and medical devices to surgical instruments, electronics, actuators, sensors, navigational systems and more.

But what are the challenges? In particular, manufacturers are increasingly required to machine small, intricate components from difficult-to-machine materials like Inconel, stainless steel, ceramics and titanium. It can be difficult to machine these materials cost-effectively while maintaining the utmost quality – indeed, flawless surface finishes are as important for aerospace components as for fibre optic connectors.

To compete in the growing EMS markets, manufacturers must maintain the highest levels of quality control, while also reducing any issues in the production process that can cause excess scrap or downtime. How can manufacturers rise to these challenges, while remaining competitive? The answer lies in high performance drilling solutions.

Longer-lasting tools Manufacturers have found that micro drills can exhibit inadequate tool life when machining tough workpieces, like those

Shrinking digital circuits can do more processing in less time, and pack more storage space in the same volume.

made from ISO M materials. In these cases, the design, geometry and type of coating of the drill significantly impacted their performance and durability.

setting was used in each case, a cutting diameter of 2.5 mm (Dc) with a speed (vc) of 40 m/min and a feed rate of 0.04 (fn) mm/z.

In response, Sandvik Coromant has introduced two new micro drills: CoroDrill 462 with -XM geometry and CoroDrill 862 with -GM geometry. The tools are ideal for precision drilling in industries that deal with small parts such as medical, aerospace, automotive, general engineering, electronics and watch-making among others. This range of micro drills are available to support machining in all ISO materials, P, M, K, S, O and H. The new geometries offer a wide range of cutting diameters and lengths.

The result was the competitor’s tool produced 630 holes before reaching tool life. CoroDrill 862 meanwhile produced 1,260 holes, a more than 100% increase in tool life over the competitor’s drill.

In other words, the quality of the micro drill makes all the difference to quality of the final machined product. But to what extent? To answer this question, Sandvik Coromant performed a test.

Quality output Sandvik Coromant tooling specialists compared the performance of a major micro drill competitor’s tool against the CoroDrill 862 with -GM geometry.

Each tool was run in a DMG Mori Seiki Milltap 700 machine, for the purpose of drilling blind holes in an ISO M 316L stainless steel workpiece. The same tool

Sandvik Coromant’s engineers recommend that customers seeking to drill micro-sized holes in notoriously difficult-to-machine materials, such as titanium, aluminium, glass and ceramics, should consider polycrystalline diamond (PCD) coating for extended tool life in these demanding applications. It’s also critical to have quality coolant to effectively evacuate chips when performing deep-hole drilling with micro tools.

These features have clear advantages for manufacturers’ overall operational expenditure (OPEX), and can also help manufacturers strike a balance between quality versus productivity when micro drilling tough materials like ISO M. In doing so, to paraphrase Steve Jobs, they can ensure the small things are unforgettable for all the right reasons. sandvik.coromant.com

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SS Engineering Services commissions its third Okuma machine Expanding engineering company located in Bundaberg, Queensland has commissioned its third Okuma machine.

SS Engineering Services Pty Ltd first opened its doors in 2009. It is located in Kensington, Bundaberg and has steadily developed over the years. The treasured family business has just commissioned its third Okuma machine a GENOS M660 Vertical Machining centre with OSP300MA Control.

Okuma was the machine of choice with reliability and accuracy the principle factors. Owner, Scott Svensson had worked on Okuma machines during his apprenticeship and knew how reliable and accurate they were and this has become more important given the clients the company has established over the past thirteen years.

Providing clients with engineering services including CNC Turning and CNC Milling, fabrication, product development, prototype design and reverse engineering plus general engineering services, the company today services a diverse range of clients. These include mining, agriculture, aviation, horticulture, earthmoving, automotive, medical, also the renewable energy sector plus general engineering.

Svensson and his team also take full advantage of the 12 months’ unlimited training offered by Okuma and the Queensland Okuma team provide fast and reliable service from their Brisbane base.

“My engineers know the Okuma machines well allowing job sharing and flexibility. The new machine will give us increased capacity which will be a great help, especially at present when we have a mountain of work on. It also opens up new markets where we could not quote on in the past,” Svensson said.

“Retiring an older alternative brand machine, the selection process for the new machine considered a number of factors and we

couldn’t go past the back-up service, spare parts availability, quality and reputation of Okuma in the market, echoed by other engineering shops in Queensland,” he said.

“Our Okuma Queensland branch is proud to work with SS Engineering in the supply of quality machine tool options, service and application support,” said Queensland Branch Manager John Baker. “We are looking forward to working with Scott and his team to achieve the full potential of the new GENOS M660” he said.

SS Engineering Services currently has a busy workload supporting the industries in the area but is always open to further opportunities and Svensson has plans in the longer term to add another two machinists to supplement the current workforce he employs at the facility. okumaaustralia.com.au ssengineeringservices.com.au

BeAM Machines A new generation technology for Additive Manufacturing.

Introducing DED or Directed Energy Deposition is making a difference to the life and usability of parts. DED focuses thermal energy to fuse materials by melting them as they are being deposited. Materials such as Stainless steels, Titanium alloys, Nickel alloys and Stellites can all be applied using this process. But the real advantages of DED processes is in the variety of industrial applications including extending the life of parts by providing wear resistant coatings, repairing broken or damaged parts, multi-material applications, creating additional structures on pre-existing parts, and building new parts from precise complex geometry.

The system that fulfills this task are BeAM Machines, first developed in France with recent operations commencing in Cincinatti USA with AddUp who offers a complimentary technology of Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF) systems. BeAM provide two models, the Modulo 400 and Magic 800. These 5 axis machines have been designed and manufactured for industrial purposes and sympathetic to customer requests. They are modular, upgradable and offer high performance. Modulo 400 for example, has a 640 x 400 x 400 mm build volume, a process module with 5-axis kinematics, the DED deposition nozzle, powder tight enclosure and air extractor and filtration unit offering exceptional safety operational standards.

Additional peripherals of extra hoppers, an automatic tool changer, controlled atmosphere and a touch probed can be added in.

The whole system able to fit into a shipping container, enabling transportation and operation in remote locations.

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BeAM’s DED process can produce metal parts in ‘near net shape finish’ that require no supports during the build. While the advantage of this process means less post processing and less material waste a key advantage is in fabrication. New sections can be formed, added on to old parts giving them a new purpose or worn pieces can be replaced to extend the part life. Recently, a hybrid part was produced to demonstrate the exceptional use of DED. First, using an AddUp PBF system to build the base skirt of a piston out of steel using lattice structures to reduce weight but not performance.

Then BeAM DED technology was applied to add rings to the top of the piston in Inconel 625, a different material providing better performance at a higher temperature.

All BeAM machines offer automated quality assurance software that displays real-time data on a screen, compatible with 4.0 platforms.

Some 80 different parameters can be observed including gas flow, torque, powder consumption, porosity, and so on. Should a spike in the data output be observed, the print can be halted, and the problem fixed. In this way the sensors act as a monitoring device in real time.

BeAM DED can be used for component repair, adding features, multi-material applications and producing near-net shaped parts and components. The machine utilizes traditional CNC controls and ISO G-code, meaning the tools your skilled workforce is already accustomed to using are built in. raymax.com.au

MATERIAL REMOVAL

IMCRC project brings ANCA and CSIRO together ANCA and CSIRO developing novel 3D printing technology to manufacture cutting tools Australian industry will soon have access to an innovative cutting tool manufacturing platform, thanks to a research collaboration between leading tool manufacturer ANCA and Australia’s national science agency CSIRO. The nine-month, $928,000 project, which is supported by the Innovative Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre (IMCRC), is developing a new additive manufacturing process for tungstencarbide tools. The additive manufacturing technology will enable affordable, high-performance tools to be manufactured using one platform, replacing the current production process of mould pressing, sintering, brazing and grinding.

Now in the advanced phase, the research is focused on refining the additive manufacturing technology ahead of ANCA taking the hybrid manufacturing platform to market. Dean McBain, Research & Technology Manager at ANCA, said the project had the potential to transform the way tungsten-carbide brazed insert tools were made in Australia and across the world. “ANCA’s collaboration with IMCRC and CSIRO has accelerated the development of an innovative additive manufacturing technology which we believe has the potential to disrupt the $2.2B global cutting tool market,” he said. “Successful completion of this project will allow ANCA to commercialise the new hybrid additive manufacturing machine platform, grow our workforce and revenue and fill a significant gap in the global tooling market.”

Dr Kathie McGregor, Research Director for Advanced Materials and Processes at CSIRO, said the project would make metallic additive manufacturing technologies more accessible to Australian industry.

“In keeping with CSIRO’s role of providing high-end research

and development (R&D) support to the Australian industry using state-of-the-art equipment and world class know-how, we have collaborated with ANCA to further develop a unique technology,” she said. “We expect the outcomes may enable ANCA to diversify and grow its business and provide a boost to the local economy in terms of additional job opportunities and export income.”

Dr Matthew Young, IMCRC’s Manufacturing Innovation Manager, said IMCRC was pleased to be supporting ANCA’s innovation, and in turn, contributing to the growth of Australia’s advanced manufacturing ecosystem. “As ANCA and CSIRO’s R&D partnership demonstrates, additive manufacturing can generate significant benefits for Australian manufacturers, reducing costs and improving speed to market,” he said. “Once developed, this revolutionary technology can be applied to a range of cutting applications, creating significant global export opportunities and furthering ANCA’s position as a market-leading manufacturer of cutting tools and equipment.” imcrc.org anca.com

Replace awkward ballscrews with Lifgo innovative gear units and precision racks

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Smart and robust modular units offer designers the opportunity to tailor projects to meet unique needs at low cost.

Lifgo enables rapid design and ease of system development for complex projects. Offers reliability and capabilities that transcend traditional product designs and boundaries, securing a competitive advantage.

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MATERIAL REMOVAL

Micro Accuracy μ (micro) Accuracy and automated complete machining is a factor of success.

Over 40 years Havlat Präzisionstechnik GmbH has developed from a one-man garage workshop to become a competent partner in precision machining. Its 250 experienced specialists make the familyrun business in Zittau, Germany, one of the biggest employers in the region.

With around 80 machine tools in a production area of 14,000m², Havlat guarantees the trouble-free production of precision components and assemblies for machine tool construction and energy technology. For many years the company has trusted in productive and efficient CNC technology from DMG MORI, a fact further underscored by three of the latest purchases: a DMC 125 FD duoBLOCK with grinding capability and 12-station rotary pallet storage system, a DMC 210 U μPrecision with pallet pool and a TAIYO KOKI – vertical grinding machine with pallet changer and loading station. In order to ensure maximum machine availability, Havlat has concluded a DMG MORI Full Service agreement for all three models.

Service is further optimised by the online portal: my DMG MORI.

μ-accurate precision components Key industries like aerospace and medical use extremely accurate machine tools.

This level of accuracy is based on core components such as the machine bed, slideways and table. “We specialise in the production of such demanding μ-accurate precision components,” explains Lars Friedrich, Managing Director of Havlat. The process begins early on with consultation and planning: “We support in particular customers who have no production of their own with our expertise with regard to feasibility and process optimization.”

Havlat sees itself as a holistic partner, so it also offers assembly and ensures on-time delivery.

Complete machining with CNC technology from DMG MORI in threeshift operation An ultra modern shop floor that Havlat utilises over three shifts is the backbone of production, where 25 models from DMG MORI, among others, are in operation.

The machines range from universal models such as the DMU 50 through to large DMC Portal machining centres and CTX gamma TC turn-mill centres. “It has long been our goal to produce components in as few clampings as possible,” says Production Manager Norbert Heinz of the production strategy. That is why 5-axis milling and 6-sided complete machining are integral parts of production. “Fewer reclamping

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operations mean shorter idle times and therefore higher productivity,” sums up Lars Friedrich. The same is true for automation solutions with the aid of robots and pallet changers. “We have found a partner in DMG MORI that supports us in all areas – whether μ-precise milling, turning or grinding and also in the field of automation and service.”

TAIYO KOKI CVG 6: pallet changer with loading station and tool magazine for up to six grinding tools Havlat offers its comprehensive service by using a wide range of machines from DMG MORI. Even grinding – which has been part of the company’s offering for 20 years – is carried out in part on models from the machine tool manufacturer. The Vertical Mate 85 from TAIYO KOKI has been in operation since 2016. “The quality and repeatability of the TAIYO KOKI machine impressed us so much that we hit the jackpot again with our latest expansion of capacity,” recalls Lars Friedrich. DMG MORI installed a CGV-6 at the beginning of 2019.

The vertical grinding machine from TAIYO KOKI grinds inside diameters of between 50 and 600mm and outside diameters up to 600mm. Another advantage compared to other grinding machines is the pallet changer for up to three pallets and the tool magazine: “It means we can use several grinding tools with a single spindle.”

DMC 125 FD duoBLOCK – milling, turning and grinding to 0.4 μm Ra Grinding also found its way into the milling area when Havlat put a DMC 125 FD duoBLOCK into operation, also in 2019. The machining center is equipped with grinding capability. “So we have the possibility to turn, mill and finally grind rotary tables or docking flanges, for example,” explains Norbet Heinz. The grinding cycle enables internal, external and face grinding as well as dressing of the grinding wheel. “We

achieve surface qualities down to 0.4μm Ra and circularity of 5μm.” Thanks to this complete machining, the company can produce complex precision components competitively. The twelve-station rotary pallet storage unit also plays its part, adds Lars Friedrich. “It allows us to set up during machining and so utilise the full capacity of this machine with minimum idle time in three-shift operation.”

DMC 210 U μPrecision – 13 μm volumetric accuracy Havlat recently installed its third machining centre, a DMC 210 U μPrecision that is designed specifically for precision.

Its volumetric accuracy is 13μm and its positioning accuracy is 4μm in all axes. “The purchase resulted from the demanding requirements of customers,” explains Lars Friedrich. “As our components are essential for the precision of machine tools, we want to get the maximum quality from our machines.” The pallet pool with five stations was, of course, decisive for the purchase of this machine as well.

my DMG MORI: Absolute transparency in service The fact that innovation also optimises service is illustrated by the introduction of my DMG MORI. The online portal enables customers to send damage reports simply at the touch of a button. “Screen shots and videos can also be attached, so the service technicians can get a better picture of a respective case,” says Norbert Heinz describing the procedure. In this way the message reaches the right service technician quickly. “We get an online confirmation and can track the status of the service process transparently at all times.” The detailed description also prevents unnecessary travel, because the DMG MORI Service can order the necessary spare parts in advance before the technician sets off. havlat.de

MATERIAL REMOVAL

Modern punching technology makes complex sheet metal processing easy and attractive The punch as a metal working tool offers overlooked advantages, including supporting and enhancing traceability in a sheet metal product. By Tom Bailey, TruBend Series press brakes technical specialist for TRUMPF Inc. Looking around the fabrication industry in general and the trends in sheet processing techniques in recent years, it sometimes appears that punching is becoming less relevant as a technology, mostly because laser-cutting equipment becomes faster, more flexible, and more reliable each year.

It wasn’t that long ago that sheet metal parts with long, straight cuts (like those made all the time in the production of panels, trays and frames) or parts requiring a large number of holes were obvious candidates for punching. Now, the best solid-state lasers can often outrun a punching machine on the long straight cuts and on the perforating, without the need for any tool setup or maintenance.

Even though processing speed heavily favours the modern laser-cutting tool, the punch as a metal working tool brings a great deal of often-overlooked advantages.

The most obvious advantage is the ability to form metal in addition to cutting out geometry. The classic image of the punch is the machine making countersinks, knockouts, and louvers all day long. Forming opens up many more possibilities than that though, and one of the most distinctive formed features on a sheet metal part is an emboss. Embossing might consist of a product name or a logo formed into the metal to create a 3-dimensional and tactile feature on the finished product. Embossing can also take other forms though. A common example is the tread pattern.

Formed tread patterns are typically added to deck plates and steps to create a safe stepping surface because smooth sheet metal does not provide much traction, especially if it gets wet or oily. Tread patterns can also give boxes and covers a more rugged appearance that might be desirable in the finished product. The traditional way to make these parts is buying sheet metal that is pre-formed with a tread pattern. This has the advantage of being quick and easy, but also has some limitations. Tread patterned sheets will have treads everywhere, in a uniform pattern, which means any parts cut out of those sheets will also have treads everywhere across the surface. Because the pattern is uniform across the sheet, it’s hard to control exactly where the treads will fall on the cut parts coming out of the sheet. The types of materials and thicknesses available from sheet suppliers also may not be ideal for the application at hand.

Forming tread patterns on a punch offers interesting advantages, including flexibility in the type and thickness of material used. The pattern of treads can begin and end where desired on the part; and the tread pattern can also be aligned to the part instead of being randomly determined by the nesting arrangement. You can also move away from the traditional diamond-pattern treads and emboss a variety of different styles of treads.

Forming tread patterns on a punch from regular sheet stock will occupy time on the machine but can have some interesting advantages. The type and thickness of material used is flexible. The pattern of treads can start and stop where desired on the part; the tread pattern can also be aligned to the part instead of being randomly determined by the nesting arrangement.

Further, we can go beyond the traditional (and familiar) diamond-pattern treads and emboss a variety of different styles of treads, depending on the functional or aesthetic requirements of the product.

More aggressive tread patterns can be used in demanding industrial applications: The steps of an oil-soaked catwalk should provide a positive grip for a work boot.

On the other hand, treads that are used to create visual appeal can become more varied and unique, which often for the end customer winds up being the most important aspect of owning the product.

A new twist on an old technology Forming processes on a punching machine can also be used to support and enhance traceability in a sheet metal product.

Embossing tools can be used to create alphanumeric strings that are completely indelible and will stand up through years of use, so that part numbers can be read easily throughout the life of the product.

While embossing numbers is more visually appealing, dot-peening can also be used to flexibly create alphanumeric characters and any other shape you might need.

Part numbers, alignment aids and service

instructions can all be permanently marked on parts with a dot-peening process, and quickly changed as needed due to product revisions. In a new twist on an old technology, dot-peening can also now be utilised to create two-dimensional matrix codes. By mechanically adding a dot matrix code to a sheet metal component, important information can be encoded in a small area that can be easily read by anyone using a scanner (such as a smart phone with a camera). For example, the dot matrix might encode the link to a website that allows the product user to view and purchase spare parts just by holding their smart phone up to the code.

These are just a few examples of how mechanically formed features can make finished goods more useful and attractive for the end customer. In some cases, it can even mean the difference between a product that blends in with the competition and one that stands out. While the laser-cutting machine as a tool delivers unparalleled productivity, and high flexibility when it comes to making geometry, there are a whole range of sheet metal features that can only be added as a secondary process to a laser-cut part. On the other hand, machine tools that combine punching capability with laser versatility might just represent the ultimate thin sheet processing solution: The machine that really can do everything and deliver a fully featured and finished part right from the flat stock material.

About the Author: Tom Bailey is TruBend Series press brakes technical specialist for TRUMPF Inc. fandmmag.com

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MATERIAL REMOVAL

Big Kaiser tooling technology Manufacturing in the sub 5µ range. Focusing on the production of components for machine tools as well as main spindles, SPL Präzisionsfertigung GmbH in Germany demands the utmost in precision.

The production of main spindles requires the utmost precision, accuracy and care, so from the very beginning, SPL has regularly invested significant resources into employee training and state-ofthe-art technology. In 2019, SPL took the decision to build a brand new, air-conditioned production hall, purchasing a high-precision machining centre from Hermle together with all the necessary tools and accessories. This investment enabled the company to stay on top of precision manufacturing, enabling the production of spindle housings, which are now an essential segment in its product portfolio.

"We started with just 14 workers and today we employ 30 highly skilled employees,” Andreas Pilz, the Managing Director of SPL Präzisionsfertigung GmbH said. “We produce all manner of parts for turning, milling and grinding spindles as well as special spindles and test bench spindles.”

Tolerances starting at just ≤ 0.005mm For the task of finish machining prismatic parts or spindle housings, SPL has also purchased a Hermle C62U 5-axis machining centre.

“We made the decision to invest in a state-of-the-art machine and I remember writing to various machine manufacturers, but Hermle was the only supplier not discouraged by our demanding specifications and strict accuracy requirements,” explains Pilz.

“This cutting-edge 5-axis milling machine meets the most stringent demands in terms of machine kinematics and positioning accuracies, which are necessary for our production in the ≤ 0.005 mm range,” Pilz adds. SPL utilises fine boring heads from BIG KAISER to ensure that the bearing bores in the spindle housings also meet their tight precision tolerances.

True partners for the highest precision requirements “It was while machining a test workpiece at the headquarters of the machine manufacturer Hermle in Gosheim, that we first saw the fine boring heads from BIG KAISER in action. The quality of the bores was second to none and convinced us from the very outset that BIG KAISER was the optimal choice. We would not only be purchasing a high-precision tool but also gaining access to expert technical support and assistance from Jochen Renz, Technical Manager of Customer Service at BIG DAISHOWA, the sister company of BIG KAISER in Germany. This was extremely important for us, particularly concerning our strict parameters such as rotational speeds, cutting and feed rates,” explained Andreas Pilz.

Digital fine boring heads - the first choice SPL relies heavily on the digital EWE fine boring heads from BIG KAISER. “The industrial components that SPL produces are very expensive. So, it makes logical sense to rely on the proven quality provided by BIG KAISER’s digital fine boring heads. We would use them regardless, even if only to eliminate reading errors in the very tight tolerance ranges under which we operate,” points out Enrico Müller, Application Engineer at BIG DAISHOWA. “Another advantage of digital fine boring heads is their ultra-fine handling accuracy. High-precision machining requires the utmost care and cleanliness. When manufacturing in the micron range, the machine, as well as the tool, must also ideally be in the micron range. In our situation it is a clear-cut case - no ifs, no buts, no room for compromises,” Pilz sternly stresses his conviction.

BIG KAISER has a modular system that covers all diameters and lengths. Fine boring heads can be adapted in a modular fashion to diameters and boring depths with various adaptations. The HSK-A 100 tool interface and the solid extensions provide high stability

AMT AUG 2022

during spindling even at greater depths. Due to the system’s vertical tool infeed design, errors caused by tool deflection are prevented and the achieved cylindrical shape of the bores is less than or equal to 0.005mm.

Impressive bore lengths to 800mm The EWE fine boring heads feature high-precision insert holder diameter adjustment. Since SPL spindle diameters range from 60 to 400mm and bore lengths can reach up to 800mm, bridge tools from the 318 series are also used. The 318 series is suitable for various applications such as roughing, finishing, tenoning and face grooving. It is based on aluminium bridges of varying lengths that can be combined with a variety of aluminium and steel components for roughing and finishing configurations. The tool components are plugged onto the bridges at specific points and bolted in place.

The precise positioning of the components on the bridges together with setting scales for the fine boring heads allows for fast and easy diameter setting.

80% time-saving in roughing operations At SPL, BIG KAISER spindle tools are also used for roughing operations on an MTE milling machine. However, in this application, two cutting edges are utilised on the tool, not just one as is the case with finishing. "Mr. Müller, who has worked together with us on the project from the very beginning, came up with the great idea, right on-site, that we could try roughing using a two-flute cutter on our MTE. As a result, our machining speed is now five times greater than before with the milling tool. This is important, we're talking about an 80% time improvement, not to mention a better surface finish and reduced costs," explains Pilz. Now, 15 fine boring heads from BIG KAISER are in use at SPL - for fine boring of bearing bores and for roughing during re-boring. "We could not be more satisfied with the results. The tools, the service as well as the advice are all top-notch, there is simply no other way to put it. Our industry places the highest possible demands on us in terms of precision, accuracy and quality.

Nevertheless, with the tools from BIG KAISER, coupled with their consulting competence and on-site support, success is practically guaranteed. In this case, we are also a little proud that we've earned our place in the ≤ 5µ range," Pilz concludes. bigkaiser.eu/en

MATERIAL REMOVAL

Innovative consumables for mass finishing operations Simple steps to improve finishing results, sustainability and efficiency.

When it comes to achieving the required quality of products by surface refinement, mass finishing technology can be used for a broad range of different finishing tasks. With its comprehensive R&D activities, Rösler Oberflächentechnik GmbH continues to generate new technical highlights not only for the machine technology but also for the respective mass finishing consumables. Three recently introduced products make it possible to significantly improve the finishing results, the process consistency, the cost-efficiency and sustainability of mass finishing operations. At the same time, they open the door for new applications, for example, the finishing of complex, cup-shaped work pieces.

Mass finishing technology can handle all kinds of surface finishing tasks ranging from the simple deburring/edge radiusing and surface grinding to high gloss polishing of mass- produced bulk goods and single components. It can even create special effects on the surface of the work pieces. Of course, like any other industrial processes, mass finishing operations must comply with all kinds of requirements such as high-quality standards, process stability, work piece traceability and cost-efficiency. More recently optimal resource use and sustainability have become a focal point in numerous industries. And finally, the rapidly growing automation and digitisation of manufacturing operations also calls for specially adapted solutions for mass finishing operations.

For decades Rösler Oberflächentechnik GmbH has met these challenges with comprehensive research and development in the equipment sector as well as in the fields of process and automation technology and consumables. Rösler is producing all its consumables in-house. “We study the technical trends and requirements in numerous industries and markets extensively,” says Rüdiger Böhm, global R&D Manager at Rösler. “Our findings are then systematically utilised for the development of innovative products to provide a significant incremental value to our customers and to expand the application range for the mass finishing technology.”

MultiShape makes the impossible possible Such an innovation is the new MultiShape ceramic media.

Compared to all other products currently available in the market, this media has a patented shape without any flat, parallel surface areas. On the one hand this unique design prevents media lodging in the work pieces, which can occur particularly in case of complex work pieces. Such lodged media can severely affect the finishing process and must frequently be removed by hand. On the other hand, the shape with its rounded surface allows the surface refinement of work pieces, which to-date could not be handled by mass finishing at all or only with very complicated operational setups. This includes components with difficult-to-reach surface areas like tight radii, undercuts, notches, and slits, which can frequently be found in stamped and bent components. The unusual ceramic media also allows the effective and homogeneous finishing of external and internal surface areas on tube segments and cupshaped components like housings and deep drawn parts.

Compared to traditional ceramic media, the new product is also characterised by a faster and more dynamic motion of the work piece/media mix and a higher material removal rate. This results in up to 10% shorter finishing times. The new media represents a significant contribution towards higher productivity and costefficiency. Another important attribute of the MultiShape media are its uniform wear characteristics. This excellent shape retention feature allows a longer media use, which is positively affecting the operating costs. The grinding intensity can be adjusted to the respective finishing application through different ceramic compositions.

Mass finishing without foaming Unwanted foam is a common phenomenon in mass finishing processes with plastic media, even with foam-reduced media versions. Foaming can be problematic because, acting as a buffer between the work pieces and media, it reduces the grinding performance and material removal rate. This can diminish the process stability, and the processing aim can frequently no longer be achieved within the defined cycle time. Moreover, the foam containing metal and media fines contaminates the surface of the finished work pieces. The foam also causes a deterioration of the process water cleanliness, requiring a higher compound dosing rate and forcing the user to replace the process water more frequently.

Last-but-not-least, foam discharged from the mass finishing machine contaminates the working environment. In the past the users tried to control the foaming by adding special chemical compounds. But this was not very successful, caused additional costs and reduced the process sustainability.

With its non-foaming plastic media, the so-called “N” version, the R&D Department at Rösler has now developed a better solution.

“Prior to introducing the product in the market, we conducted extensive field trials with special pilot users,” says Christian Höhn, Head of Technology Management at Rösler. “The trials proved convincingly that the non-foaming plastic media has the same grinding characteristics and performance as the standard product.”

The trials also demonstrated that with the newly developed media, the mass finishing processes are running much more stable, and the required results are achieved in shorter cycle times. This positive effect regarding cost-efficiency and sustainability is augmented by a longer usable life of the media and process water and a reduced compound usage.”

“Because of the disruptive foaming many users had been using ceramic media, even though this was not the best option. For these users the non-foaming plastic media version is a great opportunity to optimise their finishing processes,” concludes Höhn. All plastic media in the comprehensive Rösler portfolio are available in the non-foaming “N” version.

Dust-free drying with organic drying media The third new development in the consumables sector in 2021 allows a significant reduction of the dust occurring during drying processes utilising organic drying media such as maizorb. Even in small quantities the liquid, easily dispensable, Anti-Dust additive significantly reduces the formation of dust. Depending on the operating times and work pieces, the additive can be manually added or dosed fully automatically. The Anti-Dust additive is employed in drying operations for metal and plastic components, whenever organic drying media is used. Without negatively impacting the drying performance it guarantees absolutely spotfree surface finishes. At the same time, dust residues on the finished work pieces and the surrounding area are minimized. This also represents a huge step towards a clean, low-dust working environment.

“Because it is purely organic and complies with the prevailing food standards, the Anti-Dust additive also represents a significant contribution towards a cleaner environment,” says Rainer Schindhelm, Division Manager of consumables production.

Increasing the productivity of the mass finishing technology, improving overall sustainability and reducing CO2 emissions; these are the main goals of the development work at Rösler in the year 2022. Various solutions from the sectors equipment technology and consumables are already being tested by various customers. rosler.com

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FORUM LAW

New government’s proposed workplace relations reforms Stephanie Shahine and Simone Caylock outline many of the proposed reforms which will require amendments to the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (FW Act) and in turn, changes to the role of the Fair Work Commission (Commission).

It has now been over two months since the Australian Labor Party (ALP) was successfully elected into Parliament. As part of the ALP’s pre-election campaign, they proposed a number of reforms in the workplace and industrial relations space which, given the election outcome, the Albanese government is now likely to pursue.

These proposed reforms are outlined below.

Gig workers The ALP has promised to expand the jurisdiction of the Commission to allow it to hear matters which pertain to all forms of work which are ‘employee-like’, including ‘gig workers’. This means the Commission may soon be able to make orders on the minimum standards of work for those workers and determine what rights and obligations may apply to the engagement.

Casual employees Currently, if there is no firm advance commitment to ongoing work and if the employee and employer agree to this, then the employment relationship will be defined as casual under the FW Act. The ALP is seeking to amend the definition of a casual employee to restore the common law definition which takes into account the employee’s actual pattern of work.

Labour-hire Under the ‘Same job, same pay’ campaign the ALP proposed that workers who are engaged via labour-hire companies should receive the same rate of pay and conditions as workers who are employed directly by the host employer. It remains unclear at this stage how this proposal would be implemented however, in order for it to be enforceable the jurisdiction of the Commission and/or Fair Work Ombudsman will need to be expanded to allow for enforceability and accountability.

Fixed-term contracts The ALP intends to implement a cap on the length of fixed-term contracts of 24 months. In order to implement this, the FW Act will need to be amended. It remains unclear what will be included in this provision of the FW Act if this legislative change is adopted.

The ALP has flagged that this provision will prevent employers from employing an individual on a fixed-term contract if it exceeds 24 months. Or this provision will limit fixed-term contracts for the same role to two consecutive contracts, including renewals, of two years.

There will be a mechanism for exceptions in limited circumstances however, it remains unclear what those exceptional circumstances may be or how they would operate in practice.

Superannuation Currently, any unpaid superannuation entitlements must be pursued through the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). The ALP has proposed legislating superannuation into the National Employment Standards (NES) in the FW Act which would enable the Fair Work Ombudsman to pursue unpaid superannuation on behalf of workers.

Secure Australian Jobs code A Secure Australian Jobs Code will be introduced which would apply to government contracts. This Code will include guidelines

AMT AUG 2022

regarding job security, fair and reasonable wages and conditions and compliance with the Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012.

New federal ‘wage theft’ laws Currently, only the State of Victoria has ‘wage theft’ laws which are in force. The ALP is seeking to pass national ‘wage theft’ laws which will result in criminal penalties for all Australian employers if they are found to be deliberately and dishonestly underpaying employees.

Implementing the remaining recommendations in the Respect@Work Report The Morrison Government implemented some of the recommendations arising from the Respect@Work Report and introduced the Sex Discrimination and Fair Work (Respect at Work) Amendment Act 2021 as a result (see related article here). The ALP intends to implement the remainder of the recommendations in the Respect@Work Report and seek to legislate the right to 10 days paid family and domestic violence leave in the NES.

Measures to address the gender pay gap The ALP is seeking to strengthen the ability of the Commission to order pay increases for workers in low-paid, female-dominated industries. It is also seeking to close the gender pay gap by introducing legislation which will impact employers with more than 250 employees. Employers in this category will need to report their gender pay gap publicly, prohibit pay secrecy clauses in employment contracts and/or policies and give employees the right to disclose their pay if they so choose to.

Consultation on portable entitlement schemes for certain industries In consultation with state and territory governments, unions and industry, the ALP is seeking to develop portable entitlement schemes for Australians in certain industries. Specifically, it is focusing on industries which have high instances of ‘insecure work’.

Another key point to note is that the ALP is seeking to abolish the Registered Organisations Commission (ROC) and the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC).

What’s next While it currently remains unclear how these reforms would be implemented, we expect further details on the proposed legislative reforms to be released after the Federal Government has consulted with business, employer groups and unions in the coming months.

Rigby Cooke Lawyers’ Workplace Relations team can assist you to better understand how these developments could impact your business and assist with understanding your obligations as an employer.

Stephanie Shahine is Associate, Workplace Relations, Rigby Cooke Lawyers.

T: +61 3 9321 7839 E: SShahine@rigbycooke.com.au Simone Caylock is Partner, Workplace Relations, Rigby Cooke Lawyers.

T: +61 3 9321 7894 E: SCaylock@rigbycooke.com.au rigbycooke.com.au

FORUM OHS

The wait is over: a glance at Western Australia's WHS Act The Work Health & Safety changes reflect perhaps the largest transformation of WHS laws in WA to date.

Ian Bennett and Aimee Dash explain.

Western Australia’s Work Health and Safety Act 2020 (WA) (WHS Act) is now in operation. After much anticipation and a delay in commencement, Western Australia has now joined all other Australian jurisdictions (except Victoria) in the adoption of harmonised work health and safety (WHS) laws which took effect on 31 March.

The new WHS Act repeals WA’s previously enforced Occupational Safety and Health Act 1984 (WA) (OSH Act) applying to most workplaces and associated safety provisions for other specific work environments.

The WHS framework adopted in WA is largely aligned with the national model WHS laws that have been in operation and progressively implemented in other jurisdictions since 2012. The primary aims of the model scheme include greater consistency and consolidation of obligations in ensuring workplace safety, reducing regulatory burdens and offering stronger protection to workers. The changes reflect perhaps the largest transformation of WHS laws in the state to date.

Overview The WHS Act is directed to requiring all persons (corporate or otherwise) involved in a work arrangement to do what is reasonably practicable to address potential risks to health, safety and wellbeing.

In this regard, the framework adopts broader notions of a ‘person conducting a business or undertaking’ (PCBU), ‘officers’ and ‘workers’, as attracting duties, which is a move away from traditional concepts of employment as being the genesis for obligations given that work relationships can now take a myriad of forms. There are also ‘up’ and ‘down’ stream obligations on persons: involved with control of workplaces, fixtures, fittings or plant at workplaces; persons who design, manufacturer, import, supply, install, construct and/or commission plant, substances and/or structures, and persons who provide services relating to WHS matters.

Duty Holders The persons who hold duties are slightly different by virtue of the utilisation of broader concepts and notions under the WHS Act that include: •

a PCBU that may include a sole trader, partnership, company, unincorporated association or government department, and the duty is to take all reasonably practicable steps to ensure the health and safety of workers

•

an officer is an individual that may include a director or secretary of a corporation and a person who makes or participates in making decisions that affect a whole or substantial part of the business or undertaking, and the duty is to exercise due diligence, and

•

a worker is an individual that may include an employee, volunteer, contractor, sub-contractor, apprentice, trainee or student on work experience and workers have a duty to take reasonable care.

Significant changes and developments The WHS Act imposes a more expansive obligation on ‘officers’ (which is not limited to individuals holding particular formal titles).

Ultimately, an officer’s potential liability is not contingent upon

that of the PCBU. An officer is expected to demonstrate ongoing ‘due diligence’ by virtue of six specified components: •

acquiring and keeping up to date with WHS matters

•

understanding the nature of the PCBU’s activities, hazards and risk

•

ensuring the availability of appropriate and adequate resources and processes

•

receiving and responding to information about risks and incidents in a timely manner

•

implementing processes for ensuring compliance with applicable WHS duties and obligations, and

•

verifying the effectiveness of the systems, processes and resources utilised.

Introduction of offence of industrial manslaughter Although not a ‘default’ feature of the model WHS laws, the WHS Act has introduced the offence of ‘industrial manslaughter’ in WA (joining other model jurisdictions including Qld, the ACT and the NT).

The most serious potential penalties under the WHS Act apply with respect to the offence of industrial manslaughter, which may be up to a maximum of 20 years imprisonment and a fine of $5m for an individual, and a $10m fine for a body corporate.

Preclusion on insurance for penalties The WHS Act expressly precludes and prohibits insuring against WHS penalties that may flow from offences. In this regard, it is an offence to purchase insurance or indemnify another for WHS fines.

However, this does not preclude insurance products that may support and assist with associated costs (such as legal expenses).

Regulatory and enforcement powers WorkSafe remains the relevant regulator under the WHS Act and has many of the same powers to monitor, investigate and enforce compliance with respect to workplace health and safety.

Additionally, the limitation period for the commencement of prosecutions is two years from the date of the offence (one year less from that which existed under the OSH Act).

The new WHS framework in WA represents a significant change and it may take some time for adjustment and associated compliance.

Accordingly WorkSafe has also issued a Statement of Regulatory Intent - emphasising that it will be adopting a predominantly ‘supportive and educative approach’ to potential compliance issues over the next year.

Now is an opportune moment for workplaces to reflect on existing governance systems and consider any potential enhancements.

There may be a need to update current procedures to reflect the new WHS laws in place in WA. If your workplace requires any assistance or would like to discuss these changes, please feel free to contact Sparke Helmore Lawyers.

Ian Bennett is Special Counsel, Sparke Helmore Lawyers Ph: 02 9373 1445 Aimee Dash is Senior Associate, Sparke Helmore Lawyers Ph: 08 9288 8003 sparke.com.au

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FORUM COMPLIANCE

Australia updates Dangerous Goods Code Laura Whiteman and Kevin Skerrett explain the latest update to the Australian Dangerous Goods Code for those transporting dangerous goods within Australia.

As part of the maintenance of the Australian Code for the Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road & Rail (ADG Code), the National Transport Commission (NTC) recently released ADG Code Edition 7.8 for Transport of Dangerous Goods in Australia by Road and Rail.

The newest edition is intended to commence 1 October 2022, and become mandatory beginning 1 October 2023. The NTC updates the ADG Code every two years. While the NTC maintains and updates the codes, each state and territory in Australia must adopt them into its own dangerous goods transport laws. The states and territories also have their own Competent Authority to advise on labelling, packaging, quantities and placarding.

The latest edition of the ADG Code aligns with the 22nd revised edition of the United Nations recommendation on the Transport of Dangerous Goods Model Regulations (UN 22) while maintaining some particular Australian provisions. The NTC produced two documents to go with the new ADG Code: “Overview of differences between 7.7 and 7.8” and the “ADG 7.8 Explanatory Document”.

To keep the ADG Code in line with UN 22, the NTC updated various definitions, wording and formatting where they differed from the UN Model Regulations. The entire document reflects these changes, including websites, standards and the terminology for pressure vessels. Definitions also now appear on a single, consolidated, alphabetical list. Interestingly, the reference to the Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) has changed from the current edition to the ninth revised edition, which lines up with UN 22. Australia is currently in transition from GHS Revision 3 to Revision 7. Users should check these changes to see if they apply to their products.

Previous exemptions may no longer qualify

•

Multiple updates to UN number entries, including: -

Corrected packing instructions.

-

Amended classifications.

-

New entries.

-

Deleted entries.

-

Amended proper shipping names.

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Excepted quantities.

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Special provisions.

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Updated historical errors in portable tanks and bulk containers.

Some dangerous goods are subject to special provisions, which have also undergone updates. Of note, these include the requirement for lithium batteries installed in equipment to be in strong outer packaging. Updates also affect the special provisions for damaged and defective batteries, portable fire extinguishers, ethanol, classification of environmentally hazardous substances, and the removal of the requirement to obtain an exemption from the Component Authority for transport of unodourised LP gas, propane or butane when transporting in South Australia. When packing dangerous goods, the packing instructions are necessary for compliance. Updates to packing instructions include updates for the maximum net mass of packagings, outer packagings for waste gas cartridges, additional types of drums and jerricans added to permitted packing types for clinical waste, and additional requirements for damaged or defective lithium cells or batteries.

The requirement to include a telephone number with the lithium battery mark no longer applies, though the previous mark with the phone number can be used until December 2026.

Updates include a few changes to the exemptions for small consignments (Table 1.1.1.2). Among them are changes to the quantity limits for Division 5.2 products. There are now different quantities for liquids and solids, organised by Types B or C and Types D, E or F. Dangerous goods with a limited quantity (LQ) of 0 are now excluded. The exempted table no longer includes Division 4.2, as those substances cannot be transported as LQs. These changes could mean that some consignments previously eligible for these exemptions will no longer qualify. One significant change is that consignments exempted under this table are exempt from all ADG Code requirements.

Vehicles carrying a placarded load must have emergency information. The current standard from Standards Australia, Dangerous Goods — Initial Emergency Response Guide (HB:76), was updated in 2010. In 2021, Standards Australia updated it to Australian and New Zealand Emergency Response Guidebook (ANZ-ERG) 2021. The ANZ-ERG is freely available on the NTC website. It is primarily based on the Canadian Transport Emergency Centre (CANUTEC) 2020 Emergency Response Guidebook and will undergo regular updates.

For the Classification of Dangerous Goods (Part 2 of the ADG Code) and in the Dangerous Goods List, there have been a few significant changes:

This article does not discuss all the changes to the ADG. If you transport dangerous goods within Australia by road or rail, check whether any of the changes affect your products. Download the latest edition of the Dangerous Goods Code from the NTC website at: www.ntc.gov.au/codes-and-guidelines/australian-dangerousgoods-code.

•

The addition of concentration limits for transport of samples that are Division 5.1, Packing Group III, due to their low hazard.

•

For inorganic oxidising substances, the concentration of the inorganic oxidising substance in the mixture, complex or salt must be less than 30% by mass.

•

Additional entries for self-reactive substances and organic peroxides in packagings.

•

Changes to definitions and concentrations for environmentally hazardous substances.

•

Lithium button cell batteries installed in equipment (including circuit boards) no longer need to provide a test summary.

AMT AUG 2022

Recommended action items:

Laura Whiteman and Kevin Skerrett are senior regulatory specialists at UL Solutions, a global safety science leader providing innovative material and regulatory data solutions to facilitate a transparent and sustainable product supply chain. With fully automated chemical compliance software platforms, industry-leading data resources and an extensive global network of regulatory expertise, UL Solutions helps remove barriers and solve critical challenges to help companies navigate global regulations. www.ul.com/services/solutions/chemical-data-management Email: customerservice.anz@UL.com Ph: 03 9846 2751

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FORUM OUTLOOK

Government grant highlights importance of manufacturing to Australia’s sovereign capability Australia’s once thriving manufacturing industry has been in decline for several decades, but the push to rejuvenate the sector could generate $50bn in additional GDP and create more than 400,000 jobs. By Dr Chris Hegart.

Sovereign capability was a key issue in the recent federal election, particularly in terms of Australia’s manufacturing industry. Worldleading advanced manufacturer, ANCA, has seen the highs and lows of Australia’s manufacturing industry firsthand since it was established in 1974.

The Melbourne-based company utilises complex technology to create and improve products used in everyday life such as cars, medical devices, airplane engines and even mobile phones.

“The COVID-19 pandemic really shone a spotlight on the importance of a strong local manufacturing industry to ensure Australia’s sovereign capability,” said ANCA Chief Executive Officer Dr Chris Hegarty. "The offshoring of Australia’s manufacturing capability over recent decades meant we were particularly susceptible to firstly skills shortages and secondly the global supply chain issues that arose due to the pandemic.”

Manufacturing was the largest employer in Australia in the 1980s, accounting for 16.5% of the workforce, but this figure has declined significantly, with less than one million people now working in the sector, accounting for just 6.4% of the workforce.

Manufacturing’s contribution to GDP has also been in decline since it peaked at just under 30% in the late 1950s and 60s.

Today, manufacturing’s contribution to GDP has shrunk to around 5.5%, with the decline most pronounced since 2008, partly due to an inflated exchange rate following the resources boom.

The manufacturing trade deficit has also more than quadrupled since the turn of the century, now standing at $180bn per year.

Compared to other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries, Australia has the highest dependency on manufactured imports and the lowest level of manufacturing self-sufficiency, leading to serious deficits in Australia’s sovereign capabilities.

A 2020 report by the Australia Institute's Centre for Future Work shows renewal of Australia’s manufacturing sector could generate as much as $180bn in new sales, $50bn in additional GDP and more than 400,000 jobs. The previous Liberalled government launched a $2.5bn Modern Manufacturing Strategy, which saw a number of grants promised to manufacturers.

The recently elected Labor government also made a pre-election pledge to launch a $15bn National Reconstruction Fund, aimed at boosting investment in manufacturing, creating jobs and growing local capacity.

While a renewal of the sector could be a boon for employment, a shortage of skilled workers highlights further risk to Australia’s sovereign capability.

“You can’t build back the manufacturing industry if you do not have the workforce with the required skill sets,” said Chris.

“Finding and retaining skilled workers has become increasingly difficult, particularly during COVID when our international borders were closed, which prevented us from being able to import skills to address shortages.

“Building skills at home is the first step to ensuring Australia’s sovereign capability and highlights the importance for government

and industry to work together to establish vocational education and training programs ensuring the workforce can grow with the industry.”

A recent report by Engineers Australia showed that demand for engineers hit a 10-year high last year, further highlighting the ongoing skills crisis.

One way to potentially help plug the skills gap is through automation, which can remove repetitive tasks, reduce demanding workloads and allow employees to focus on more critical work or upskill themselves in other manufacturing processes. Automation not only has the potential to help address the skills shortage, but also help improve production efficiency and reduce costs.

A recent report commissioned by tech giant Google found automation could deliver a $2.2 trillion boost to Australia’s national income. The report found automation could help boost productivity by 50% and add another $1 trillion to economic output, while a $1.2 trillion boost would be provided from transitioning Australia’s workforce to higher skilled occupations.

Next generation automation for the cutting tool industry Automation has largely been seen as the domain of early adopters, but ANCA is now providing solutions to global customers that allow nearly every company, no matter its size, to reap significant benefits through beginning, or expanding, their reliance on automation.

ANCA’s technology provides customers with the ability to automate large sections of the CNC process.

For ANCA, the end goal is automating the entire tool production process. Right now, many elements of the process can be handled more efficiently and more accurately through the latest technology.

The ANCA Integrated Manufacturing System (AIMS) is a significant step towards this ultimate end goal.

AIMS is a modular manufacturing system that offers the flexibility to target areas that will most benefit from automation or build an entirely connected production line.

It is entering the market at a time when most employers are finding the pool of skilled operators to perform specialised tasks is constantly diminishing.

For cutting tool manufacturers, AIMS is on the forefront of innovation, bringing Industry 4.0 factory wide integration to the industry. Rather than separating workflow across discrete production elements, it’s a solution for considering the factory as a single machine.

ANCA is a thriving business with over 1,200 employees and a world leading manufacturer of CNC grinding machines, motion controls and sheet metal solutions.

It was founded in 1974 in Melbourne, Australia where the company still has its global headquarters. ANCA has offices in the UK, Germany, China, Thailand, India, Japan, Brazil and the USA as well as a comprehensive network of representatives and agents worldwide. www.anca.com For further information contact: Johanna Boland Group Corporate Communications Manager Ph: +61 407799779 E: Johanna.Boland@anca.com

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AMTIL INSIDE

What is the difference between branding and marketing?

Having just come off a great exhibition in Sydney and the continued advertising opportunities in our AMT magazine, I am quite often asked the difference between marketing and branding by our members.

Now let me preface this by saying I am certainly no expert in this area so I am relying on my basic understanding along with the results of my Google searches.

Branding is the practice of shaping a business’s brand identity. When you create a brand identity, you give your business character and provide a complete narrative on what you offer, why you do it and where it all leads. It’s also about who you’re speaking to (your target audience), how you choose to communicate with them, and providing meaning to their experience with you. Part of your brand identity is represented visually through branding elements such as your logo, colour palette and fonts. But it’s very much about the overall experience you provide your customers and what you stand for.

Marketing is the practice of promoting and selling products or services. It encompasses disciplines including market research, advertising, sales and (of course) branding.

Marketing involves specific and proactive strategies to reach your target audience, turn them into loyal customers and grow your business.

If branding is the author, marketing is the publisher, so to speak. While creating a brand identity comes before creating marketing strategies, the two have shared goals.

So, it’s not a question of marketing versus branding, rather how one complements the other.

Your brand identity is the foundation of all your marketing plans. Without a meaningful logo, you can’t make an ad. Without a brand persona, you can’t have a unified tone of voice in your social media captions. It’s natural for people to want a reason to pay attention to you, so the emotional value in your branding comes before the actual value of the product or service. Your brand identity is like a toolbox that your marketing team takes from, depending on the objective.

Marketing strategies are expected to deliver on short-term sales goals. Your customer might discover you through an ad campaign, but they need a reason to trust you. A branding agency uses branding principles to build a connection with your customers and create your story, while a marketing agency piques their interest and gets more people to listen to you. A good branding and marketing company crafts strategies around a long-term business plan to keep your brand relevant for years to come.

A lot of companies don’t understand the difference and hence don’t do a particularly good job at either. Again, it’s not about branding versus marketing because they don’t compete. The main difference between marketing and branding is that branding answers the questions “who” and “why” and marketing answers the question of “how” – different but equally necessary answers.

I hope that helps answer the title question.

Shane Infanti, CEO AMTIL

AMT AUG 2022

AMTIL HEADING INSIDE

Don't forget to maximise your AMTIL membership Networking The AMTIL State Networking dinners were a great chance for members to reconnect. The Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Melbourne networking dinners were staged at city venues, with around 200 members in total attending the series of networking events around the country.

Save the Date: The AMTIL Annual General Meeting will be on Thursday 13th October 2022 at Riversdale Golf Club, Mount Waverley, Victoria. This event will take the form of a Breakfast Meeting followed by presentations and networking.

AMTIL 2023 Corporate Golf Events Victoria Friday 17th February 2023 This Ambrose event will once again be hosted at the picturesque Riversdale Golf Club in Mount Waverley, Victoria.

The happy crowd at the AMTIL Networking Event in Adelaide held recently

Join us for a morning tee off followed by lunch and presentations.

All abilities welcome. Plan a team of four or opt to be placed in a team by the organisers. Places are limited and preference will be given to AMTIL members if demand exceeds availability.

New South Wales Expressions of interest are also being accepted for a mid-2023 NSW Golf Event. Please email AMTIL Head of Events Kim Banks if you are keen to be involved.

For more information visit amtil.com.au/events

Riversdale Golf Club, Victoria 1382V4AMTIL

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

AMT AUG 2022

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AMTIL INSIDE

0PEN II0T

AUTOMATE

Want better insight into your supply chain?

Unlocking Industry 4.0 technologies is crucial – and Open IIoT has the key!

Learn more by scanning the QR code

1800 465 348 www.romheld.com.au

New Members AMTIL would like to welcome the following companies who have signed up as new members of our association.

CAPITAL EQUIPMENT MACHINERY SALES

1/10 Renewable Chase BIBRA LAKE, NSW 6163 capitalmachinery.com.au

GEAR CUTTING & MANUFACTURING (AUST) PTY LTD

43B Access Way CARRUM DOWNS, VIC 3201 gearcutting.com.au

IDW CADCAM SOLUTIONS

88 Kendall Street BELLBIRD, NSW 2325 idwcadcam.com.au

TITOMIC LIMITED

365 Ferntree Gully Road MT WAVERLEY, VIC 3149 titomic.com

CNC-TECH SERVICES PTY LTD

AUTOMATED SOLUTIONS AUSTRALIA

2-16 Superior Drive DANDENONG SOUTH, VIC 3175

Unit 2, 80 Hogarth Road ELIZABETH SOUTH, SA 5112

cnctech.com.au

automatedsolutions.com.au

AMT AUG 2022

AMTIL FOOTY TIPPING 2022 IT'S TIGHT AT THE TOP!

How crazy is the 2022 season getting! The Cats and the Magpies have won nine in a row, the Bulldogs score a come from behind win over the Dees and the Tigers – according to their coach – are (interpret it as you wish) beating themselves! There's been talk and confusion on how to adjuducate a head-high tackle… better figure it out quick before someone rips off Collingwood player, Jack Ginnivan's head off – pretty poor showing by the umps for not protecting the player – regardless whether he plays for it or not. There are no certanties as to who will finish top 4 or moreso who will be part of the September action. Tipping wise, similar story with pretty much everyone in the Top 10 still in contention to take the chocolates.

The next few weeks will test those brave enough as to who will blink first. Till next time… Sanchez ROUND 19 1 Tungaloy Australia 2 Nick Sear 3 Raff - (Parish Eng) 4 murf56 5 blsmithy 6 Saint Schmick 7 Mottdiggitydog 8 Shane Infanti 9 Modern Tools 10 Kingsman

120 (405) 119 (371) 119 (421) 118 (362) 118 (374) 118 (418) 116 (419) 116 (429) 116 (449) 116 (459)

Real Business Real People Real Members Why am I a member of AMTIL? Aside from supporting our industry through membership of our peak body, I find the developed network of like-minded companies and individuals invaluable. As an engineering and manufacturing group we all face similar challenges. Often when issues arise I am able to pick up the phone and discuss a problem or get advice from other members who all share our common values and goals of seeing Australian manufacturing prosper.

Peter Sutton, Sutton Tools

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

1311AMTILPS

amtil.com.au

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INDUSTRY CALENDAR Due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, many industry events world-wide have been postponed, rescheduled or cancelled. Readers are advised to check with all event organisers for the latest information. For the latest international travel advice, please visit www. health.gov.au/health-topics/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov INTERNATIONAL EXPOSAL Brazil, Curitiba 16-19 August 2022

STAINLESS STEEL WORLD The Netherlands, Maastricht 27-29 September 2022

IMT Taiwan, Kaohsiung 19-21 October 2022

expomac.com.br

stainless-steel-world-event.com

imttaiwan.com

TECH INDIA India, New Delhi 25-27 August 2022

MICRONORA France, Besancon 27-30 September 2022

EUROBLECH 2022 Germany, Hanover 25-28 October 2022

techindiaexpo.com

micronora.com

euroblech.com

FIMM Peru, Lima 26-28 August 2022

ALUMINIUM EXHIBITION Germany, Dusseldorf 27-29 September 2022

ADVANCED MANUFACTURING USA, Minneapolis 2-3 November 2022

fimmperu.com

aluminium-exhibition.com

advancedmanufacturingminneapolis.com

TECHNI-SHOW Netherlands, Utrecht 30 August – 2 September 2022

BIOMEDEVICE BOSTON USA, Boston 28-29 September 2022

WARSAW INDUSTRY WEEK Poland, Warsaw 7-9 November 2022

technishow.nl

biomedboston.com

industryweek.pl

IMTS USA, Chicago 12-17 September 2022

ALL ABOUT AUTOMATION Germany, Chemnitz 28-29 September 2022

FABTECH EXPO USA, Atlanta 8-10 November 2022

imts.com

automation-chemnitz.de

fabtechexpo.com

AMB Germany, Stuttgart 13-17 September 2022

SAUDI FASTENER & MACHINE TOOLS EXPO Saudi Arabia, Riyadh 2-5 October 2022

JIMTOF Japan, Tokyo 8-13 November 2022

messe-stuttgart.de/amb/en

PHARMA ASIA Pakistan, Karachi Expo Center 13-15 September 2022 pharmaasia.com.pk

INTERMACH Brazil, Joinville 13-16 September 2022 intermach.com.br

MACHTECH & INNOTECH EXPO SOFIA Bulgaria, Sofia 13-16 September 2022 machtech.bg

SMART FACTORY South Korea, Busan 21-23 September 2022 smartfactorykorea.com/busan

KOREA METAL WEEK South Korea, Goyang 21-23 September 2022 korea-metal.com

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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

PART 50

SHOULD I BE IN THE SHELTER?

Laurence’s overseas adventures during the hectic days of WW2 continue: there was an unco-operative industrialist in the US, successful subterfuge in Ireland and German Luftwaffe dog-fights over London.

I

worked as a sort of emissary-at-large for Australia during those months in America and Canada during WW2 – sending a flow of reports and cables to Canberra and Melbourne – where I was asked to chase up many specific items of equipment and information. In every case but one I was able to satisfy the Australian needs. My one failure was a request for information about a patented exhaust-blower on aero-engines. We were making the Pratt and Whitney engine at Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation and the designers believed this new gadget would give the Pratt and Whitney more punch. I found it was made by General Electric, which held the patents. I arranged to have lunch with the president, a Mr. Herod in New York. He was coldly pleasant and very reserved – quite unlike most of the American industrialists I had met. During lunch I adopted a direct approach, saying: "I understand you hold patents on the new aero-engine exhaust-blower. My people in Australia believe it will be of great help to us. We want to incorporate it in our aircraft engines. Will you give us a helping hand?''

His reply shocked me, after the open-handed treatment I'd been getting all over America. "No, I won't" he said – just like that! "Why?" I asked. "Well, it's taken us a long time to develop. We're supplying all that's required here, and I can't see any benefit to us in opening our books to you." If Washington instructed him to help us, he said, he "supposed" he'd have to respond, but there would be charges imposed and strict licensing conditions.

Those four months in America were hectic and the technical wavelength made so much possible. During meetings with senior men of the U.S. Navy or Air Force, there was always that common interest in the best equipment and how to get it made quickly and efficiently.

When I felt I had done as much as I could in the U.S. and Canada and felt confident that the lines of supply for munitions would not be cut short again, I decided to go on to England to do a similar job over there. The Americans got me on to a flying-boat and we had an uneventful trip across the Atlantic to Shannon, Ireland.

The Irish were neutral and they were keeping a close watch on the airport for anyone obviously in the fighting forces. Civilians were allowed in, but Servicemen risked being interned in an Irish camp for the duration. Irish officials boarded our flying-boat immediately we landed, and asked, "Is there any combatant on board?" Some of us, I realised, were naval and army officers, but we were all in civilian clothes. There was a chorus of: ''No. We're all civvies.'' But an Irish Customs man spotted a U.S. naval officer's cap on the rack above one young man's seat. He pulled it down and said, "Whose cap is this?" "It's mine" the American said. We all watched, holding our breath.

"If you're a civilian, why have you got a U.S. Navy cap?" the Irishman asked. Unabashed, the American replied, "Well, it's really my brother's cap. He left it at home while he was on leave recently and I'm taking it back to him in England." "What's your brother's name?". The American gave a name, and the official said, "That's right, it's got his name in it. It must be his brother's.'' And he put the cap back on the rack, winked at the American and moved on.

He knew the cap really belonged to the passenger, and he knew he was an American naval man going to Britain on duty, but he had done his part as a "neutral" Irishman by asking his questions.

Training on the British 3.7inch Anti-Aircraft gun in London's Hyde Park, 1939. Designed by Vickers-Armstrong, it was considered the finest weapon of its class during WW2.

After breakfast, the R.A.F. picked me up in a flying-boat and flew me to England. We touched down in Dorset, in time to watch the vapour-trails of a dogfight high overhead. Then on to London, and more dogfights in the sky. I booked into the Berkeley Hotel opposite Hyde Park, and looked out of my window to find a battery of 3.7inch anti-aircraft guns was set up almost within spitting distance in Green Park. The Germans came over that night and the 3.7s opened up with a frightening din at 2 a.m.

I lay in bed wondering if I should go to the air-raid shelter in the basement. I could hear bombs falling in the distance. I picked up the house-phone and said to the desk clerk, "Hey, should I be down in the shelter?" He said, "No, sir, it isn't quite that hot yet.

There's nobody in the shelter yet. You wouldn't want to be the first down there, would you?" His calm voice was reassuring. I agreed I didn't want to lead the rush, but minute by minute I could hear the explosions coming nearer. Just when I'd decided to swallow my pride and go down to the shelter, even if I were first in, the phone rang and the clerk said, "You'd better come down now, sir. We've put the decoy in." The decoy, I discovered, was a staff man who went in first so the guests could follow without losing face.

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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