Manufacturers’ Monthly Jun 2018

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MANAGEMENT >> TECHNOLOGY >> SOLUTIONS

JUNE 2018

A radar beam focused like a laser!

The future is 80 GHz: a new generation of radar level sensors

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MANAGEMENT >> TECHNOLOGY >> SOLUTIONS

JUNE 2018

PLAYING THE POWER GAME

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Embracing change in manufacturing

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Highlights from NMW 2018

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Diversity leads to better returns

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24 Compressors@MM

31 Motors & Drives

7 News@MM

27 Precision Tools

32 Women In Industry

14 Manufacturing Excellence

28 CAD/CAM

33 Endeavour Awards

16 Energy Management

29 Safety@MM

35 What’s New

20 NMW 2018

30 Measurements & Control

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Behind the cover The Climate Council recently reported that Australia may be “on the cusp of an energy storage boom,” as the cost of energy storage solutions is falling rapidly, making renewable energy storage solutions more and more competitive with the leading gas plants.

Meanwhile, GFG Alliance is investing $700 million on a solar-hydro battery plant to support its in-house solar farm at Whyalla Steelworks. The project is particularly significant as it could set an example for other Australian steel manufacturers – a sector highly affected by the rise in energy prices.

In this issue of Manufacturers’

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MANAGEMENT >> TECHNOLOGY >> SOLUTIONS

JUNE 2018

A radar beam focused

a laser!

Monthly, we havelikeasked experts, including those from CSIRO, the Climate Council, the Department of Environment and Energy and the Energy Efficiency Council about how manufacturers can benefit from the developments in the renewable energy technologies and how they can manage their energy costs more efficiently.

We also caught up with Matthew van der Linden, managing director of Flow Power, at theNational Manufacturing Week (May 9-11), where he explained how renewable corporate Power Purchasing Agreements are the key to keeping business power costs down.

PLAYING THE POWER GAME

The future is 80 GHz: a new generation of radar level sensors

The latest cutting-edge technology from the world leader: the unsurpassed focusing of VEGAPULS 64. This enables the radar beam to be targeted at the liquid surface with pinpoint accuracy, avoiding internal obstructions like heating coils and agitators. This new generation of level sensors is also completely unaffected by condensation or buildup and has the smallest antenna of its kind.

Simply world-class! www.vega.com/radar

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Embracing change in manufacturing

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Highlights from NMW 2018

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>>

Diversity leads to better returns

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Manufacturers’ Monthly JUNE 2018 5

Comment

SYED SHAH – Managing Editor, Manufacturers’ Monthly

In Space & Diversity

I

n 1967, former Australian engineer, Karl Zalkauskas, launched Australia’s first satellite – that he and a team for the former Weapons Research Establishment (WRE) designed and built – into space.

Dubbed WRESAT, the mission would assist the understanding of the upper atmosphere on climate and weather and also tested techniques ahead of launching trials for the European Launcher Development Organisation (ELDO).

Manufacturers’ Monthly caught up with him last year and he shared with us a little bit about how that came about. He said that it was his job to design and develop the apparatus that would collect samples of air and iron and “there just so happened to be a rocket going spare after the Americans re-entered testing”.

Talks of an actual space agency was played up at the 68th Annual

6 JUNE 2018 Manufacturers’ Monthly

International Astronautical Congress that was held in Adelaide last year and then a few months later, Australia launched the Buccaneer Cube satellite into orbit and Zalkauskas told us that to imagine Australia owning its own space agency is “exciting and would be another big leap forward”.

And then in May this year, it finally came to fruition.

When Federal Treasurer Scott Morrison announced the 2018-19 Federal Budget, the government affirmed its decision to set up its own space agency with up to $41 million committed to the project – nearly double from its past expenditures. To date, the investments in space tech have been small when compared to the amounts available to NASA in the US, Russia’s Roscosmos, and the European Space Agency (ESA), which all boast multi-billion-dollar budgets.

Still, this is a small, positive step

forward to greater things in the future. There is a lot of potential to be explored and capitalise on, in what the government describes as a US$340 billion a year global industry.

This move looks to be part of the government’s aim that was broached strongly during the Astronautical Congress in Adelaide about investing in moving the Australian space industry. Hence, it is no surprise that the Australian Technology and Science Growth Plan that was revealed in this year’s Budget, the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science will be getting a $5.7 million packet in 2018-19, $9.8 million in 2019-2020, $11.8 million in 2020-21, and A$13.7 million in 2021-22.

In addition, the National Space Agency will be set up and have a $260 million funding that will be provided from 2018-19. The agency will look after all home-grown space

activities for Australia. Fifteen million dollars will be provided from 20192020 to establish the International Space Investment project. The aim is to create employment and business opportunities for locals with space projects.

Besides taking Australia to the stars, on a more sensible and down to Earth move, the government has pledged $4.5 million over the next few years to get more women to invest and focus on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) related education and careers.

With the growing interest and proof through government-based studies that diversity brings about greater productivity and returns in the engineering sector, the government has finally made an official move to lure women in to STEM industries.

This will include a newly appointed Women in STEM Ambassador who will go to schools to promote the benefits of STEM to girls, a 10-year roadmap for increasing female participation in STEM and a STEM resource kit.

However, in some places it takes more than just two to clap. To get the diversity engine moving, all hands need to be on board. This includes not just the government, schools and industries, but also associations and supporting bodies.

In this light, companies like Prime Creative Media has long recognised the difference that gender diversity can bring to the Australian economy.

In its fifth year now, the Women in Industry Awards that it organises seek to continue to break down the gender barriers and stereotypes around STEM-related businesses and create new possibilities for the next generation and beyond.

This year’s Awards is proudly sponsored by Atlas Copco, BOC and CSR and will be crowning new stars who look to go past the stratosphere of excellence in their respective fields. To get a chance to meet the next generation winners, you can still grab your tickets from the Women in Industry Awards and Conference website at womeninindustry.com.au manmonthly.com.au

News@MM Titomic signs MoU with Fincantieri Australia

The MoU, Titomic’s first for the marine sector, begins with immediate effect and will last for 12 months.

Australian metal additive manufacturing company, Titomic Limited has announced it has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Fincantieri Australia.

The MoU, Titomic’s first for the marine sector, begins with immediate effect and will last for 12 months.

The MoU will enable Titomic to work with Fincantieri to evaluate the potential for the company’s

additive manufacturing process, Titomic Kinetic Fusion, to be used in Fincantieri’s manufacturing activities.

Titomic’s signing with Fincantieri explores the company’s proprietary processes to complement and improve existing manufacturing process and is the start of a synergistic partnership.

Jeff Lang, CEO and CTO of Titomic said, “This agreement with Fincantieri marks a significant milestone for

for The Future Frigates SEA 5000 program.

Titomic was awarded Best Maritime Innovation award at Pacific 2017 International Maritime Exposition. This MoU affirms Titomic’s entrance into the shipbuilding and offshore industries. The initial R&D phase will take place at Titomic’s Melbourne facility.

Dario Deste, chairman of Fincantieri Australia said, “We are pleased to partner with Titomic, an innovative advanced manufacturing company, to pursue new technological development, continuous improvement and value creation for all our stakeholders.

The significance of this partnership examines how we can introduce new manufacturing technologies to make Australia sovereign in advanced naval technology and improve our solutions on the world-wide market.”

future shipbuilding and industrial scale additive manufacturing.

Titomic’s signing with Fincantieri to evaluate our Titomic Kinetic Fusion process will not only add value to existing manufacturing and repair activities, it will lead to the creation of next generation high tech vessels.”

With 20 shipyards across four continents, Fincantieri S.p.A is the leader in cruise ship design and construction, and a reference player in all high-tech shipbuilding industry sectors – from naval to offshore vessels, from high-complexity special vessels and ferries – to mega-yachts, ship repairs and conversions, systems and equipment production, and aftersales services.

Fincantieri also carries out maintenance and refurbishment of cruise ships – a major and growing international industry. The company is also one of the shortlisted bidders

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News@MM Future-proofing the Australian SMEs The first series of FUTUREMAP workshops, a business diagnostic tool designed to help small and medium enterprises’ transition to Industry 4.0, was held in parallel with the National Manufacturing Week from May 9-11.

The three-day workshops were facilitated in collaboration between the Australian Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC), the

Australia needs to compete on value, rather than on cost according to Jens Goennemann, MD of AMGC.

Innovative Manufacturing CRC (IMCRC) and the Commonwealth Entrepreneurs Program.

The interactive FUTUREMAP workshops provided Australian SME manufacturers with an opportunity to identify areas of focus and potential investment to transform and futureproof their business in a rapidly digitalised world.

As part of the workshops, IMCRC’s CEO, David Chuter, guided the participating manufacturers through an interactive session to map the current state of their business and identify where they can lift their awareness, competitiveness and build resilience against 13 key areas of industrial and advanced manufacturing competitiveness.

He noted that the objective of the FUTUREMAP is to help companies map their current state and also to understand where they aspire to be

in two years’ time. The program also highlights areas for development and investment and introduces further support opportunities.

At the end of the 90-minute interactive session, wherein the business-owners answer to questionnaires designed specifically for the Australian SME manufacturing sector, the participants receive an assessment report, showing their current state in all of the 13 key areas. The report also connects participating Australian manufacturing SMEs with further educational materials and access to a broad eco-system of supporting government organisations and programs.

Jens Goennemann, the managing director of AMGC, said the idea of a cooperation between the IMRCR, the Entrepreneurs Program and the AMGC was to help change the trend

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in Australia’s manufacturing sector and empower the businesses to grow in areas of advanced manufacturing.

“Australian manufacturers cannot compete globally in terms of cost.

Australia is not good at that, and we will never be. They need to compete on value, rather than on cost,” Goennemann said.

“Our study, of more that 3,000 global businesses, has found that the top 25 per cent of successful global businesses invest highly on research and development. They also offered something in addition to manufacturing, be it an additional service or research and development or something else,” he said.

The FUTUREMAP workshops facilitated at NMW were the first of such workshops organised in Australia and similar workshops are planned in other states and territories in the future.

News@MM NSW supports fintech startups with exchange opportunity The NSW government is offering ten NSW financial technology (fintech) startups the chance to go on an intensive one-week business development program in India from 24–29 June 2018.

NSW Minister for Trade and Industry Niall Blair said the program was the first to be supported by a twoyear $1.58 million partnership set up between NSW and India to enhance the state’s startup, technology and advanced manufacturing sectors.

“This fantastic partnership was announced during the Premier’s recent trade mission to India and I’m delighted that we’ve made quick progress to get the first partnership program underway.

“This is an outstanding opportunity for NSW entrepreneurs who are developing their ideas, who want to learn from India’s best and brightest and who want to explore one of the world’s most dynamic technology and startup markets,” he said.

Blair said the new partnership was a great opportunity to develop NSW and India’s increasing economic and cultural ties.

“The trade of goods and services between NSW and India is worth

approximately $1.8 billion annually, including coal, metals and textile fibres as well as education.

“The new partnership gives us another platform for growth – to build engagement in innovative, knowledgebased industries and to create strong connections for our startup communities.”

Based out of Zone Startups in Mumbai, the one-week program will provide an introduction to the India market, facilitate meetings and networking sessions with local startups and potential partners, and provide guidance on how to take a business global.

Zone Startups is located at the Bombay Stock Exchange and is the only independent startup accelerator and entrepreneurship platform to be supported by India’s Department of Science and Technology.

Successful NSW applicants will receive return economy flights to Mumbai with up to seven nights’ accommodation plus a five-day, personally curated startup program that will include meetings with Mumbaibased multinationals and startups and opportunities to meet and pitch to the local fintech community.

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News@MM Federal government to review Small Business Digital Taskforce report The taskforce charged with ensuring the nation’s 2.1 million small businesses make the most of digital technology has delivered its recommendations to the Australian Government.

The Small Business Digital Taskforce has handed its final report to the Treasurer, Scott Morrison, and the Minister for Small and Family Business, the Workplace and Deregulation, Craig Laundy.

The government is considering the report and its recommendations.

Chaired by Mark Bouris, the taskforce was set up to identify the opportunities to small business from increasing their participation in the digital economy.

“Many small businesses are delaying, ignoring or simply are unaware of the opportunities that

digital technologies may offer them,” Bouris said.

“There is a lot going on out there to support small business but much of it is uncoordinated and this makes it challenging for a small business owner to navigate through.

“Over four months, members of the taskforce talked with suppliers and vendors of digital solutions, met with a variety of state and federal government agencies, and heard the views of dozens of industry associations and small businesses and drew on extensive user-centred research.”

Bouris said the taskforce believed there was an opportunity to better coordinate the digital advice and support that is provided to small businesses and to leverage the existing trusted adviser relationship

small businesses already have with their accountants and industry associations.

Laundy, who was a member of the taskforce, drew on his family business background to provide insight into the challenges that many small businesses face when adopting digital technologies.

“I get that change scares people, but this is a change that we have to communicate to small and family businesses that if you adopt and embrace digital technologies, there are not only productivity and profitability gains but hopefully you’ll get more time to spend on the things that matter to you,” Laundy said.

As part of the taskforce’s work, 11 video case studies were developed of businesses that are taking advantage

of digital technologies. They include a Melbourne solar panel business, a Canberra plumber, a Berrima winemaker, a Brisbane pool products wholesaler, a Wollongong arborist, a Sydney-based mobile hair dresser and an accountant from Toowoomba.

The taskforce was set up to identify the opportunities to small business from increasing their participation in the digital economy.

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News@MM Australian space industry to get a boost The federal budget 2018 announced on in May includes more than $300 million government investment to kick-start Australia’s space industry and develop core satellite infrastructure.

The government has announced plans to establish the first Australian Space Agency with funding of $41.0 million over the next four years. This funding includes $15.0 million dedicated to partnering with international space agencies to enable Australian businesses to compete in the global space economy.

The space industry has reacted positively to the news. Patrick Neumann, chief scientist at Neumann Space welcomed the announcement at his speech in the National Manufacturing Week, noting that the funding, though small, will help the small space technology companies in Australia link with global investors.

Space technologies underpin the long-term competitiveness of many other industries, including communication, agriculture, mining, oil and gas. This investment is part of the government’s plan to create new high-growth opportunities in Australia, create new industries and long-term, high-wage, high-skill jobs.

The government will also be investing more than $260 million to develop worldleading core satellite infrastructure and technologies, including better GPS for Australian business and regional Australians and improved access to satellite imagery.

Neumann told Manufacturers’

Monthly that the developments in global positioning system could greatly benefit various industries, including agriculture, mining and defence; “particularly in a country as vast as Australia.”

Under the package, $160.9 million will deliver a Satellite-Based Augmentation System (SBAS) (the technology underpinning GPS) to improve the reliability and the accuracy of positioning data from five metres to 10 centimetres¬¬ across Australia and its maritime zone.

A $64 million investment in the National Positioning Infrastructure Capability (NPIC) will complement SBAS to improve GPS to an accuracy as precise as 3cm in areas of Australia with access to mobile coverage.

Academics and space researchers have supported the government’s initiative. “We can’t afford to get stuck on Earth when everyone else is going to the stars. Australia can finally step up and participate as an equal with other nations,” Flinders University space archaeologist, Dr Alice Gorman said.

“The European Space Agency has nine centres and NASA runs 11 which support spaceflight programs. Large chunks of the private sector rely on them, but our model has to be different.

“This is an investment which allows us to compete in the global space race, and the Space Industry Association of Australia predicts we can increase our share in the market from 0.8 to four per cent within 20 years,” she added.

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Manufacturers’ Monthly MAY 2018 11

News@MM Demand for Australia’s energy resources rising The 2018 edition of the Australian Energy Resources Assessment (AERA), released in April, shows that domestic and international demand for Australia’s energy resources continues to rise, although the energy mix is changing.

AERA, developed by Geoscience Australia in collaboration with the Department of the Environment and Energy and support of the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, reports that Australia continues to have the world’s largest known economic uranium resources, the fourth largest coal (black and brown) resources and substantial conventional and unconventional gas resources.

According to the report, there is good potential for further growth of the non-renewable resource base through new discoveries. Identified resources of crude oil, condensate and liquefied petroleum gas are more limited and Australia is increasingly reliant on imports for transport fuels.

Australia also has plentiful and widely distributed wind, solar, geothermal, wave and tidal resources.

Hydro energy resources have been extensively developed, and wind, solar and bioenergy resources are increasingly being exploited for electricity generation. Although

adoption of offset technologies (geothermal heat pumps, solar hot water) has gradually increased, the other renewable energy resources remain largely untapped for electricity generation.

The report predicts that utilisation of renewable energy will continue to increase significantly to around 2020, reflecting government policies (e.g. the Renewable Energy Target) and falling installation costs. Advances in renewable energy generation and storage technologies and better mapping of resource potential will be important for continued uptake, and so will technologies and policies for grid integration.

Minister for Resources and Northern Australia Matt Canavan said the report indicated huge potential for investments in energy resources.

“Australia has in excess of 3,500,000 petajoules (PJ) of Economic Demonstrated Resources (EDRs) like coal, gas, oil and uranium. EDRs are resources assessed as potentially viable for future development by industry. This is nearly 600 times Australia’s total primary domestic energy consumption,” Canavan said.

“Together, coal, gas, oil and uranium make up more than 20 per cent of Australia’s total exports and are projected to earn around $90 billion a year over the next five years alone.

“AERA confirms that we have substantial conventional gas resources, primarily offshore, and significant unconventional gas resources onshore.”

“To meet the needs of both industry and everyday Australians, it’s essential that we continue to invest in our gas sector,” Canavan said.

“That’s why the Australian government has invested $90 million in gas security, reliability and affordability, which includes a $26 million program designed to accelerate new supplies from onshore gas developments to the domestic market,” he added.

The AERA report indicated huge potential for investments in energy resources.

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News@MM Western Australia set to get another large lithium refinery Western Australia Lithium, a joint venture between Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile (SQM) and Kidman Resources, is planning to build a new lithium refinery in Kwinana, south of Perth.

The refinery could produce about 40,000 tonnes per annum of lithium carbonate and/or lithium hydroxide from the mineral processed at the

proposed mine and concentrator at Mt Holland, south-east of Southern Cross.

On Friday, WA Lithium announced signing an agreement to enter into an Option to Lease with LandCorp for the selected site.

The construction of the refinery is set to start in mid-2019, subject to satisfactory studies.

Western Australia premier Mark

McGowan and the state minister for mines and petroleum Bill Johnston also announced the state budget would include provisional funding of $5.5 million to the Minerals Research Institute of Western Australia (MRIWA), to support development and manufacturing of technology metals and renewable energy sources.

The refinery could produce about 40,000 tonnes per annum of lithium carbonate and/or lithium hydroxide.

“The state government will continue to support the development of renewable energy technologies, and the $5.5 million in provisional funds will be made available to the MRIWA if it is successful in the bid to establish a New Energy Industry Cooperative Research Centre in WA,” McGowan said.

MRIWA will invest the funds, if successful, in its bid to establish a New Energy Industry Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) in WA. The New Energy Industry CRC’s objective will be to create value, through industry-led research, and drive global demand for local products, services and solutions.

“Western Australia is the world’s largest producer of lithium, and the announcement today cements our state as an investment destination for downstream processing,” the state minister for mines and petroleum Bill Johnston said.

“Our reserves of lithium, nickel, cobalt and other metals, required for new energy technologies, combined with our technical skills and our close proximity to Asia, means WA is well-placed to capitalise on the growing battery market,” he added.

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Manufacturers’ Monthly JUNE 2018 13

Manufacturing EXCELLENCE Pushing forward: helping manufacturers embrace change A business event organised by Western Sydney Business Connection in Sydney brought together more than 200 manufacturers, technology experts, local government officials and finance and banking specialists. Tara Hamid reports.

More than 200 participants attended WSBC’s business leader luncheon, “Manufacturing and Innovation in Western Sydney.”

F

ROM 3D printers that can print bones, muscles and cartilage using the patients’ stem cells to printable solar cells and bioprinting with seaweed, breakthrough technologies are opening new doors for industrial development in all sectors, as it was demonstrated at a recent event organised by Western Sydney Business Connection (WSBC) in Sydney.

With the fast-growing developments in areas of artificial intelligence, the internet of things

14 JUNE 2018 Manufacturers’ Monthly

(IoT), and robotics, more and more businesses are finding it essential, even vital, to come out and take advice from technology experts to find out how they can keep up with the changes and to benefit from their opportunities.

It was in this spirit of collaboration that local manufacturers, scientists and technology experts, local government officials and finance and banking specialists came together at WSBC’s business leader luncheon, titled “Manufacturing and Innovation in

Western Sydney” on May 3.

The program was designed to help attendees – some 200 to 250 participants – examine how manufacturing in Australia and Western Sydney competes and how effective the current strategies are in ensuring that manufacturers in western Sydney remains competitive.

The ideas discussed provide lessons for manufacturers across the country.

St.George Bank was one of the event sponsors, with the University of Wollongong’s industry matchmaker, Advantage SME, and

William Buck chartered accountants and advisors as the other partners.

Matthew Kelly, head of Manufacturing and Wholesale for St.George’s NSW division, told Manufacturers’ Monthly how St.George has adopted a unique industry model that helps manufacturers take the most benefits from new innovations in their respective industries.

“It’s not just about banking, it’s about bringing value-added solutions to manufacturers. These solutions are in the areas of energy efficiency, manmonthly.com.au

ManufacturingEXCELLENCE energy assessments, research and development (R&D) reviews, and discussions around government grants and other opportunities that are available.

“St.George Banking Group is collaborating with its partners to help bring new innovations to the manufacturing sector across Australia through its family of brands, including St.George in NSW, ACT and Queensland, Bank of Melbourne in Victoria and Bank of South Australia in South Australia,” Kelly said.

While the details of these programs aren’t announced yet, Kelly says manufacturers have already welcomed the support offered by the bank. “We are the only bank in Australia that’s focused on the manufacturing industry and we plan to remain in this sector for the long term to see manufacturing businesses in Australia grow and prosper.”

Helping manufacturers take advantage of technological advancements to come up with innovative sales models and to add value in their respective sectors was a major theme in the programme.

“While it is widely suggested that manufacturing is dying, many would argue that manufacturing is in fact not dying, but that all industries around the world are undergoing a period of change, and that they are evolving. That’s where

innovation comes in. As disruptive technologies and economic realities give rise to emergence of new markets, [remaining competitive] requires innovation,” WSBC president, Brenden Noney, said in his opening speech.

David Chuter, CEO and managing director of the Innovative Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre (IMCRC) spoke to participants on how local manufacturing companies need to think differently, adapt and invest in order to maintain a competitive edge.

He emphasised the importance of investing in R&D by manufactures to help bridge the gap between fragmented sectors.

“Only 4 per cent of companies in Australia are currently engaging with universities for R&D. This means that 96 per cent of manufacturers have a golden opportunity to change the way they think or how they collaborate,” he said.

He also urged manufacturers to diversify their services sector – a process he referred to as servitisation.“Servitisation is a buzz word in manufacturing today. It simply states that when you provide a service that is fundamentally enabled by what you make, that service is also what you sell to your customers.

“Less than 30 per cent of manufacturers are actually in

The Australian National Fabrication Facility (ANFF) and the University of Wollongong showcased some innovative 3D printing projects.

manmonthly.com.au

This is the concept of servitisation: service for sale, enabled by manufacturing products.

This is where the future of opportunity is for Australian manufacturing. the business of selling services.

These services could be design, engineering, logistics or after-sales.

It could also be in the IoT, which allows you to connect the devices to be able to collect and share data.”

“If you are a manufacturer or retailer and you have a product that’s a one-off, you compete either on your price, quality or features. But what the IoT allows you to do now, is to look at how you can create smart equipment, understand how the customer is using the product in the field, and deliver solutions that help make the customer financially more successful,” he said.

Citing examples of selling models designed by Rolls-Royce, Microsoft, Apple and Michelling tyres, he demonstrated how international companies are coming up with selling models that enable them to sell services rather than simply selling products, thereby maintaining an ongoing relationship with their clients.

“This is the concept of servitisation: Service for sale, enabled by manufacturing products. This is where the future of opportunity is for Australian manufacturing,” he said.

Bringing focus to the fourth industrial revolution, known as Industry 4.0, he invited manufacturers to invest their resources on innovation, collaboration, global focus, sustainable relevance and leadership capabilities to be able to benefit from transformations in their respective industries.

To help manufacturers in going through this transition, the IMCRC has come up with a pioneering program, the FUTUREMAP, which was put into motion at interactive workshops during this year’s National Manufacturing Week (May 9-11).

A business diagnostic tool specifically developed for Australian small to medium (SME) manufacturers, FUTUREMAP enables participating manufacturers, through either one-on-one structured discussions or as part of interactive group workshops, to map the current state of their business and identify where they can lift their awareness, competitiveness and build resilience against 13 key areas of industrial and advanced manufacturing competitiveness.

As an example of manufacturing companies benefiting from innovation and collaboration, managing director of NowChem, John Lamont talked about how his traditional chemical manufacturing company sustained a period of change and transformation.

Established in 1977 in Sydney, NowChem (Nowra Chemical Manufacturers) found itself at the risk of closure in the 1990s, when many chemical manufacturers in the region were shutting down at the face of global competition.

NowChem’s survival strategy was a mix of moving to higher-value productions and mechanisation.

The company expanded into pharmaceutical manufacturing since 2003 and through collaboration with Advantage SME they managed to mechanise their processes and educate their staff.

“Fifteen years later, we still have our traditional chemical manufacturing sector, but we have also added pharmaceutical and the high-value products. We have added a child-care product line that has grown from a $50,000 business to a 700,000 business in just 5 years, all of which is generated from exports to China and other countries,” Lamont said.

Manufacturers’ Monthly JUNE 2018 15

Energy MANAGEMENT Going about cost-effectiveness in energy While some major companies in Australia are investing on renewable energy generation and storage to keep production competitive, there are some solutions for all companies in managing their energy costs. Tara Hamid reports.

A

recent report by the Climate Council, “Fully Charged: renewables and storage powering Australia,” found that Australia may be “on the cusp of an energy storage boom,” as the cost of energy storage solutions is falling rapidly.

The report, published in February, describes how the cost of energy storage technologies is falling fast and becoming competitive with peaking gas plants, particularly in light of the domestic gas prices tripling over the past five years.

Batteries, solar-thermal and pumped hydro technologies are more fexible and can respond faster to changes in supply and demand than traditional coal and gas plants, and therefore can enhance the reliability of Australia’s grid.

The cost of lithium-ion batteries has fallen by 80 per cent between 2010 and 2018 and may halve again by 2025. In the early 1990s, lithium-ion batteries were as high as $10,000/kWh, falling to $1,000/kWh in 2010 and then to just $400/kWh in 2015. By 2017, costs had fallen even further to $209/kWh. Lithium-ion batteries are not

About 46,000 businesses have now installed a total of 1GW of PV across Australia, according to SunWiz.

the only battery technology falling in cost. Advanced lead acid batteries and flow batteries are also experiencing rapid cost reductions.

Australian energy storage company Redflow will soon be introducing its new zinc-bromine flow battery product – ZBM2 for telecom, commercial and industrial and grid-scale applications at the Australian Energy Storage Conference and Exhibition in Adelaide (May 23-24). The flow battery technology has already proved to deliver savings in residential applications.

Meanwhile, some major Australian companies are already 16 JUNE 2018 Manufacturers’ Monthly

investing heavily in renewable energy. The biggest such investment is currently being carried out in South Australia by steel tycoon, Sanjeev Gupta, whose company GFG Alliance acquired Arrium steelworks last year and announced plans to make Whyalla Steelworks in South Australia profitable with the help of renewable energy generation and storage.

Gupta’s company later purchased a majority stake in ZEN Energy through his family-owned company, the SIMEC Group and rebranded the joint venture SIMEC Zen Energy. In March this year, SIMEC Zen Energy announced manmonthly.com.au

EnergyMANAGEMENT plans to begin construction on a 120MW/140MWh solar-pumped hydro battery storage facility – the world’s largest battery – to support its 80MW solar farm, being built at Whyalla Steelworks.

While the first solar farm to be developed by GFG Alliance will only supply power to the local steel works, the company has already projected plans for another 200MW solar farm, which will be connected to the grid and supported by pumped hydro storage facilities.

Creating competitiveness with renewables The project is particularly significant as it could set an example for other steel manufacturers in Australia, a sector highly affected by the rise in energy prices.

When the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission (ACCC) released its preliminary report into Australia’s electricity network in October last year, it noted that the high energy prices were hampering international competitiveness for large manufacturers such as Bluescope Steel.

BlueScope had forecasted in 2016 that its energy prices would more than double in just two years, from $59 million in 2015-16 to $145 million in 2018-19.

While other projects might not

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have made such big headlines, or involved such huge investments as GFG Alliance’s $700 million solar-hydro battery, many smaller companies and organisations have begun taking control of their energy costs by generating their own renewable energy.

The Department of Environment and Energy provided Manufacturers’ Monthly with a list of recent examples of businesses that have deployed their own installations.

These include Sydney Markets Limited, which opened a solar installation comprising 8,594 panels with a capacity over 3MW to provide around 11 per cent of their annual energy consumption, and Sun Metals Corporation, having announced plans to commission a 124MW solar facility which will provide for one third of the power needs of its zinc refinery near Townsville, Queensland.

SunWiz, an Australian solar consultancy, estimates that 46,000 businesses have now installed a total of 1GW of photovoltaic systems (also known as PV or solar power system) across Australia. This is equivalent to 30 per cent of the total volume of PV installed in the country.

Solar PV is currently the most popular source of renewable energy for Australian business, according to the Australian Renewable Energy Agency’s (ARENA’s) report, “The

business of renewables,” with over 70 per cent of users having it in their energy mix. Wind energy is the next most common, followed by biomass/biogas.

Surveying more than 90 of Australia’s largest public and private companies, ARENA found that that just under half (46 per cent) of big businesses in Australia currently use renewable energy, but the usage is low – with renewables making up less that 10 per cent of the energy mix for the majority of these users.

Power Purchase Agreements Despite ARENA’s warning that a significant proportion of Australian corporates are missing an opportunity to capitalise on the considerable medium to long-term benefits from renewable energy, many businesses are still hesitant to adopt on-site power generation.

For these businesses, Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) offer a suitable solution to increase their use of renewable energy and enjoy the cost benefits.

“The two most effective ways for businesses to increase their use of renewable energy are either by owning and building a wind and solar farm themselves or signing a power purchase agreement with a renewable energy developer, who will construct a renewable energy project in return for

the business contracting to buy the electricity,” a spokesperson from the Climate Council told Manufacturers’ Monthly.

As part of a PPA, businesses sign a contract to buy electricity at a certain price from a particular renewable energy project for a set period of time. Typically, under power purchase agreements, the electricity from contracted renewable energy providers is not directly used by the manufacturers but provided to the grid on their behalf.

Some recent examples of such companies, according to a Department of Environment and Energy’s spokesperson, include Carlton and United Breweries, that signed a 12-year PPA with German renewable energy developer and wholesaler BayWa to provide 74,000MWh of renewable energy annually from its solar farm in Mildura, Victoria; a consortium of businesses including Telstra, ANZ, Coca-Cola Amatil and the University of Melbourne entering into a PPA covering the 226MW first stage of the Murra Warra wind farm near Horsham, Victoria; and Adelaide Brighton signing a PPA with Infigen Energy for the supply of electricity from its 182MW Lake Bonney wind farm to the Birkenhead and Angaston cement manufacturing plants and Klein Point Quarry on the Yorke Peninsula in South Australia.

Manufacturers’ Monthly JUNE 2018 17

Energy MANAGEMENT Renewable PPAs are already at the heart of many corporate energy strategies in Europe and North America, with companies like Google, Amazon and Facebook recognising the fact that they offer both long-term price security and are one of the fastest ways to reach sustainability goals. Electricity retailer, Flow Power, offers similar benefits to Australian businesses.

Manufacturers’ Monthly caught up with Matthew van der Linden, managing director of Flow Power, at this year’s National Manufacturing Week, where he explained how renewable corporate PPAs are the key to keeping business power costs down – in some cases helping customers to cut energy costs by up to 45 per cent compared to fixed rates.

“Australian businesses have seen significant power price rises in the last year. This is especially true for manufacturers that rely on large quantities of energy to power their operations. PPAs are the solution. They give businesses the opportunity to lock in low prices for the long term,” van der Linden told Manufacturers’ Monthly.

“There is currently a great disconnect between what goes on in the generation side and what goes on in the supply side. That issue is going to get more complicated as

Many companies and organisations have begun taking control of their energy costs by generating their own renewable energy.

6,000MW of renewable energy is set to enter the market in the next few years under the Renewable Energy Target (RET). The disruptions in power generation will lead to making the fixed-contract market less feasible.

“Instead of signing variable contracts at two or three year intervals, businesses that sign PPAs agree to purchase power from a

renewable source at a wholesale price for up to 10 years. It’s a cost-effective way to secure longterm price security, reliability and support renewable generation.

PPAs can also be integrated with energy management strategies such as demand response to yield even greater savings.

“Manufacturers need to look at how they consume power and

determine their energy needs from there. Most manufacturers will undertake the bulk of their energyintensive activities in the middle of the day – a time when solar power is cheap and in abundance. Whereas wind can provide reliable power throughout the day.

“It also pays to be connected to the signals of the power market.

Energy management strategies

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EnergyMANAGEMENT such as demand response can help businesses better understand where their costs are coming from and adjust their operations accordingly,” van der Linden said.

Managing demand Managing the demand side to control energy costs has been repeatedly emphasised by energy specialists. CSIRO energy research director, Glenn Platt told Manufacturers’ Monthly that the first solution all manufacturers should look for is to reduce their consumption before looking for alternative supply sources.

“If you can use less energy, it’s always a good start. You should also look at what time of the day and how much energy you are using. So the timing of your energy consumption is very important.

Because if most of your energy consumption is during the day, then you don’t need batteries. So you could put solar panels on the roof and they make lots of electricity in the middle of the day. Whereas if most of your energy consumption is late in the day, or in the evening, then you may need to install batteries,” Platt said.

“At CSIRO, we work on helping consumers, including manufacturers, reduce their energy consumption.

We are working on developing

and testing battery systems and deploying those in industries.

Battery systems are probably best used only by manufacturers who have high demand charges. This is because in high demand periods, sometimes your energy bill will adjust for the amount of energy used in a very short time, and this is where batteries can have a significant impact on the energy cost,” he said.

Patrick Hartley, research director of the oil, gas and fuels research program at CSIRO, also suggests that manufacturers use demandresponse methods to adjust their power utilisation and consumption depending on what is happening in the market.

“This way you basically match your consumption to the best possible prices you can get for the power that you need. It’s kind of a rolling adjustment to that consumption,” Hartley said.

While the solutions discussed all focused on electricity solutions, the same approach can be used to control energy prices for gas, oil and coal intensive industries.

According to the Australian Energy Update 2017, produced by the Department of the Environment and Energy, 41 per cent of energy consumed by the manufacturing sector in the year 2015-16 came from

gas, 23 per cent from electricity, and 13 per cent from renewables.

Coal and oil each accounted for 12 percent consumption in the sector.

As Luke Menzel, the CEO of the Energy Efficiency Council shared with Manufacturers’ Monthly, “Energy efficiency and productivity is a way of taking back some control, as is getting more out of every unit of energy behind the meter.

“Many businesses have opportunities to use gas more efficiently. In Australia, we know there is a big gap between average performance and the best performers in terms of energy productivity,” he said.

“Research commissioned for the Federal Department of Industry found that when they ranked the activity of big energy users cutting their energy waste, the top 20 per cent of companies pursued energyefficiency projects that resulted in four times more energy savings than average.

“Those 20 per cent of companies that were proactive about pursuing energy-efficiency improvements, and have been less exposed to price hikes in gas and electricity markets,” Menzel said.

A report by ClimateWorks in November last year suggested that demand-side improvements, including energy efficiency and

switching from gas to alternative low carbon energy sources, is the best solution to the current gas crisis – one that has been largely overlooked to date.

ClimateWorks is an expert, independent adviser acting as a bridge between research and action in renewable solution. The report, titled “Solving the gas crisis,” found that implementing energy-efficiency measures and fuel shifting could reduce demand for gas by 321 petajoules across the country in 2030 – a quarter of the gas use otherwise expected.

Whichever way that manufacturers choose, be it on-site power generation and storage, corporate power purchase agreements, or demand-control methodologies, there are consultants that can assist them in their choice, based on their unique needs.

But, as CSIRO’s Glenn Platt warned, “The choices are complicated and there are many variables to consider. You should look for independent advisors and make sure they are not simply trying to promote their own product.

“Look at where your energy is going, what are your consumption patterns, and then you can make a much more informed decisions regarding what’s the best option for you,” he said.

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Manufacturers’ Monthly JUNE 2018 19

NMW 2018 NMW 2018: Compact but with impact This year’s National Manufacturing Week featured an increase in interest in the 3D printing field and more advanced technologies in manufacturing. Manufacturers’ Monthly was there to get the latest in the industry.

N

ATIONAL Manufacturing Week (NMW) has reaffirmed its status as Australia’s most important and established manufacturing showcase, with early indicators pointing to another successful industry event in 2018.

Held last week in Sydney, NMW 2018 showcased the transformation of the manufacturing industry into a thriving ecosystem heavily focused on collaborative and integrated technologies. With the nation’s manufacturing industry experiencing continuous growth for 19 consecutive months, National Manufacturing Week reflected the newfound optimism within the industry; with over 4,500 visitors flowing through the event.

This year, NMW 2018 was colocated at Sydney Showground with the Safety-First Conference & Expo and Inside 3D Printing Conference & Expo.

Exhibition director Robby Clark said the success of NMW 2018 lays the foundations for an even bigger showcase event in 2019 that will be held in Melbourne.

“With continued enthusiasm and optimism among the industry to foster strong partnerships, embed new technologies into products and business models, and expanding operations beyond domestic shores, the future for manufacturing in Australia is looking exceptionally bright,” Clark said.

“We are proud to continue supporting the manufacturing industry – a strong pillar in our nation’s ongoing prosperity – through collaboration, innovation and education.”

This year’s event attracted more than 200 leading companies showcasing the latest technology advancements, with industry leaders in attendance including 3M, Bosch

20 JUNE 2018 Manufacturers’ Monthly

This year, NMW 2018 was co-located at Sydney Showground with the SafetyFirst Conference & Expo and Inside 3D Printing Conference & Expo.

Rexroth, Bilby 3D, St George Bank, Alfex CNC, Atom, ECI Solutions, Farley Laserlab, Headland Machinery, HG, Konica Minolta, Millsom Hoists, NHP, Nikon, Renishaw, Supagas, Techni Waterjet, and WAGO. Seminars at NMW 2018 were presented by organisations including the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC), Innovative Manufacturing CRC (IMCRC) and the Entrepreneurs’ Programme. This was the FUTUREMap breakfast event that was repeated over three days.

The interactive FUTUREMAP workshops provided Australian SME manufacturers with an opportunity to identify areas of focus and potential investment to transform and future-proof their businesses in a rapidly digitised world.

As part of the workshops, IMCRC’s CEO, David Chuter, guided the participating manufacturers

through an interactive session to map the current state of their businesses and identify where they can lift their awareness, competitiveness and build resilience against 13 key areas of industrial and advanced manufacturing competitiveness.

Jens Goennemann, the managing director of AMGC, said the idea of a cooperation between the IMRCR, the Entrepreneurs Program and the AMGC was to help change the trend in Australia’s manufacturing sector and empower the businesses to grow in areas of advanced manufacturing.

“Australian manufacturers cannot compete globally in terms of cost. Australia is not good at that, and we will never be. They need to compete on value, rather than on cost,” Goennemann said.

He mentioned that their joint study of more that 3,000 global

businesses has found that the top 25 per cent of successful global businesses invest highly on research and development. These businesses also offered something in addition to manufacturing, be it an additional service or research and development or something else.

Live demonstrations also gave attendees a unique opportunity to trial new technologies such as DXC Technology’s augmented reality (AR) equipment: HoloLens, DAQRI smart helmet, RealWear HMT, and facial recognition cameras.

NMW 2018 also presented an engaging conference program, officially opened by Senator Michaelia Cash, with more than 50 world-class speakers and representatives from organisations such as Austrade, the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre and Dresden Optics.

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Lee Bilby, COO from Bilby 3D Other keynotes included that of Stephanie Fahey, Austrade CEO who reiterated that advanced manufacturing in Australia is growing from strength to strength and reminded how much the industry is still contributing to the economy.

“Advanced manufacturing in Australia is on the rise. Manufacturing contributes $9 billion to exports every single month, and 30 per cent of our total exports, and employs 1.3 million people in Australia, which is 10 per cent of our workforce,” said Fahey.

“But looking at the companies that contribute to exports, only 5 per cent of the advanced manufacturing firms drive 99 per cent of our exports. This means two things to me: the first is that we have got huge upside.

“We have opportunity for our advanced manufacturers to build their capacity and move into export. And the second thing it says is that there’s an opportunity for companies to enter the supply chain.

Chris Bilby, CEO of 3D printing company, Bilby 3D commented that 3D printers have become hugely popular in the industrial marketplace.

“The prices of 3D printers have dropped over the years. The equivalent for a 3D machine we were selling at $2,500 in 2013-14 is now selling for $1,500. It even has touchscreen, Wi-Fi and many other features. In terms of running costs, filaments produced by us have stayed the same price for four years,” said Bilby.

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Milestones at NMW 2018 The Manufacturing Work Health and Safety (WHS) Sector Plan 2018-2022 was officially launched by Matthew Kean, Minister for Innovation and Better Regulation, and Elizabeth Tosti, Director Metropolitan Operations and Sector Initiatives at SafeWork NSW. This is a new bi-partisan agreement to ensure ongoing workplace health and safety within the manufacturing sector.

The launch of a new industry event to the NMW family from 2020 – Advanced Manufacturing Expo (AMX) was another highlight. It focused on advanced manufacturing processes and practices, the three-day exhibition will showcase the latest in advanced manufacturing technologies and solutions, adjoined by a world-class conference to attract the highest-level delegates to attend.

This year’s panel discussions were also a highlight at NMW 2018, with industry leaders offering thought-provoking opinions on opportunities and challenges in the manufacturing industry.

Most notably, the Weld Australia panel highlighted new welding technologies that are expanding opportunities in the healthcare, defence and aerospace sectors, while the Australian Manufacturing Forum’s panel brought together experts from Innovative Manufacturing CRC, Retriever Communications, Australian machine tool specialist ANCA, Transition Group and Redarc to discuss digital transformation in the manufacturing sector.

Manufacturers’ Monthly JUNE 2018 21

NMW 2018 Mission: Space Australia is planning to increase its footprint in the global space industry, with the Budget 2018 setting aside funds to establish a national space agency. Tara Hamid investigates what the announcements mean for the existing players in the civil space industry.

It’s official. Australia will have its own space agency. The funding is small, some might say too little, too late. But then again better late than never. If space is infinite, so one would like to think are the opportunities in it.

This year’s Federal Budget dedicated $41 million over the next four years towards establishing a national space agency. The fund also includes a $15 million investment for Australians to take part in international space projects. In addition, the Government will spend $260 million to develop core satellite infrastructure and technologies.

What the Government is hoping to achieve through these investments is to help increase Australia’s share in the $430 billion global space economy, estimated at the time of drafting the space white paper in 2017 to be 0.8 per cent, to at least the equivalent of Australia 1.8 per cent share in the global economy. The Space Industry Association of Australia had last year announced that the space sector in Australia produces $3-4 billion in revenue annually, only 8 per cent of

which comes from exports.

When Patrick Neumann, chief scientist for Neumann Space, delivered his speech on the current activities and future potential in the “nascent civil space industry” to the audience at National Manufacturing Week, he pointed out that to achieve that target, Australia needs to identify niche markets in the global stage in order to get a foothold.

“Space is global, so we need to look at global sectors. Australia does not have enough domestic demand to justify a large space industry, so we need to be able to sell on the global stage. Sectors such as Pay TV and electronic equipment are either highly monopolised or not our strong-points.

There are smaller and newer sectors, however, that are more open. These are the areas we need to identify in order to increase our share in the global space economy,” he said.

Manufacturers’ Monthly spoke to Neumann about the current state of the civil space industry and what the government’s new investment would mean to the sector.

MM: Tell us about your company and what you are currently working on.

PN: We at Neumann Space are commercialising the results of my PhD in plasma physics, which focuses on developing a plasma thruster for use in space.

While doing my PhD at the University of Sydney, some of the measurements I did indicated that plasma moved in excess of 23 km per second, under the conditions that I was measuring it. I thought wow, we could make a rocket motor out of that.

My PhD involved testing 11 different materials as fuels to see which ones worked best and under what conditions. It showed that under the right conditions, this device produced thrust more efficiently than any propulsion system in use in space today. Our rocket helps keep satellites in the correct orbit for longer, while needing less fuel; and also to allow satellites to transit from one orbit to another orbit using less fuel, so that you can launch less mass into orbit, creating great saving in rocket fuel cost.

MM: What have you achieved so far in terms of commercialisation?

PN: Nothing yet, but we have been developing designs and working on solving the various problems that currently exist in our system. We are scheduled to launch our technlogy into space in 2020 and have our system tested outside of a space station as part of Airbus’s new Batrolomeo mission platform. We have received widespread attention from major international players, primarily from their engineers and supervisors, but until it is pre-tested in space, no one can be sure that it meets the requirements.

MM: What was the process you went through to get the deal with Airbus?

PN: We attended many conferences and met with people. In one of these conferences, we came across the person behind the Batrolomeo mission platform and found the platform to be perfect for us. In this platform, we pay Airbus and they give us the safety reviews and operational reviews that we need to comply with.

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Assuming everything works out, then the payloads get taken to space on one of the regular supply missions and installed using a robotic arm.

This way we can use electricity and communications via the space station resources. So it’s much simpler and more cost-efficient for us than having to build and launch our own small satellite.

MM: Do we currently have the technologies necessary to have our own space agency in Australia?

PN: Yes. Australia has all of the technologies, either currently in use or under development, to do its own space mission. There are groups working on launch sites and launch vehicles, so you can send things off to space. There are people working on the hardware, so that you actually have something to put into space.

There are people working on the communications and ground stations, so you can get the data back. And there are other people working on what’s referred to as the support segment. These include testing infrastructure, mission assurance and the legal aspects. But most of these companies are currently fairly small; many of them in the start-up phase. They need collaboration from manufacturers to develop their capabilities.

MM: What is your reaction to the new announcements by the government?

PN: I’m really happy with the announcement of the new space agency, because this way there will be a single point of contact to tie everything together, and to be the voice from the government saying: “These are the things we consider to be in the national interest.” One of the obvious outcomes of the budget announcement is refinements on the global positioning system (GPS) technology. So that autonomous navigations, especially for agriculture and logistics, can be done more efficiently and more cost-effectively.

Also the $260 million investment for innovative technology will help quite a lot. There are a number of Australian space companies that have raised a fair amount of venture capital finance and done small-scale proof of concept. They need to find clients in order to demonstrate that their business models work before they can raise additional funds. An example is the South Australian company, Myriota, that is looking at direct-toorbit satellites and Internet of Things (IoT) via satellites. They recently closed a $15 million funding round, including Boeing HorizonX, Boeing’s venture capital wing. One of their pilot projects was a very simple sensor to measure the amount of water in the water tanks for a large cattle grazing property in

Patrick Neumann, chief scientist for Neumann Space.

Kimberly region of Western Australia.

The region being remote, it was not possible to do this using a 3G mobile phone network. A satellite phone would also be incredibly expensive. Myriota’s solution is a very simple communication device that communicates to a small satellite orbiting at around 600 km, that signal gets bounced between satellites and then down to the ground station.

So the client could get information from the water tanks once or twice a day.

MM: So, does Australia’s geography adds to the importance of satellite technology for our country?

PN: Yes. Australia is the sixth largest country by land area. We have the third largest Exclusive Economic

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Zone after France and USA. This means we have approximately one-eighth of the earth’s surface area under our Exclusive Economic Zone, as prescribed by the United Nations Convention. We should keep an eye on those. It’s hardly possible using just ships and aircraft.

The earth observation mission helps farmers know what part of the field needs more fertiliser, or how much water is being taken out of the irrigation network, where and by whom. This is really difficult to do in a country the size of Australia.

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Manufacturers’ Monthly JUNE 2018 23

Compressors @MM Energy efficiency shines Bright Kaeser Compressors assists Bright Print Group in selecting the most energy efficient compressed air system configuration to meet their current demand for compressed air.

B

RIGHT Print Group (Bright) is a family owned and managed national printer with operations in Sydney and Newcastle. Full colour printing, digital print, binding and finishing are just some of the superior printing services that Bright has to offer.

Using the latest technology and sustainable printing practices, they are able to deliver a broad spectrum of end products to their customers, such as: business cards and magazines, to posters, point of sale materials, books and brochures.

At Bright’s purpose-built factory in Wetherill, NSW, compressed air is used extensively in the manufacture of these products. From the printing presses, laser cutters and guillotines to the laminating and the stitching and trimming machines, compressed air plays an integral role.

In recent months, Bright has expanded its operations by introducing wide format printing, as well as through the acquisition of a commercial print and promotional item company. Both of these developments have not only changed their demand for compressed air, but the company acquisition also meant that they inherited an additional compressed air system.

Operating an energy efficient and lean manufacturing facility In light of these changes, it was clear to Debbie Burgess, joint managing director and fourth generation Bright printer, that in order to continue to operate an efficient manufacturing facility, the compressed air system needed to be assessed.

As an ISO9001:2015 and ISO14001:2015 accredited company (the international quality 24 JUNE 2018 Manufacturers’ Monthly

and environmental standards respectively), operating an efficient facility is of paramount importance to Bright. Since this was the case, the company has also implemented a number of further environmental initiatives over the years. Most recently all employees underwent training to achieve Level III Lean Manufacturing certification. This initiative assisted the company in developing a super-efficient manufacturing facility.

The first step they took in order to assess their compressed air requirements, was to undergo a comprehensive compressed air demand analysis audit. Burgess said, “We decided to have an audit done so we could better understand what we needed in order to efficiently operate the compressed air system.”

With this in mind, Kaeser Compressors was invited to perform a complete Air Demand Analysis (ADA) on the existing compressed air system that would then be analysed using the Kaeser Energy Savings System (KESS).

are then analysed using the KESS. This advanced software developed

by Kaeser Compressors, does not simply come up with one solution, but offers the most efficient and economical one from several possibilities. The ADA and KESS together can provide a realistic forecast of the energy savings that can be expected from a proposed

compressed air system.

An effective compressed air system should provide maximum availability at all times. Particular attention is therefore given to ensure that the system solutions presented are designed to deliver outstanding dependability and performance.

In Bright’s case, precise data

Saving energy and money with ADA and KESS The first stage when planning any compressed air system is to determine the actual air demand in order to meet this as efficiently as possible. The computer-aided ADA from Kaeser, allows meaningful and accurate data to be gathered regarding compressed air system performance. By simply wiring the ADA logging equipment to the existing compressors electrical cabinet, Kaeser is able to pick up various digital signals for load and motor running, as well as logging the pressure. From this information, the true compressor performance can be established.

The resulting air consumption profiles gathered from the ADA

Kaeser was invited to perform a complete Air Demand Analysis (ADA) on the existing compressed air system.

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Compressors@MM - which showed the actual power consumption and energy efficiency of their existing compressed air systems - was therefore gathered from the ADA, and then analysed using the KESS in order to simulate system options. As a result, Kaeser was able to present two configurations with an efficiency comparison. This information assisted Bright in selecting the right compressed air system design to efficiently meet their compressed air and budget requirements.

Bright chose to keep their existing Kaeser Aircenter 15 and to replace the ageing and inherited compressor with a new Kaeser Aircenter 25.

The Aircenter from Kaeser is an all-in-one compressed air system, incorporating a high efficiency rotary screw compressor, refrigeration dryer and air receiver, all in one compact package. At the heart of every compressor lies a premium quality Kaeser rotary screw compressor block

and energy saving Sigma Profile rotors. Designed for maximum energy efficiency, the Kaeser Sigma Profile can achieve power savings of up to 15 per cent compared to conventional screw compressor block rotor profiles. In addition, these compressors are equipped with a premium efficiency IE3 class drive motor which complies with and exceeds prevailing Australian GEMS regulations for 3 phase electric motors. For Bright this would translate into more compressed air for less energy consumption. Ideal at point of use, the sound adsorbing compressor enclosure additionally keep operational sound levels to a minimum ensuring a pleasant work environment.

The result of undergoing the ADA and KESS for Bright was reduced energy costs and considerable environmental benefits.

Burgess said, “With the recent developments to our business that are now taking us into new markets

and increasing the depth of services we offer, it was important that we found a compressed air solution that would be able to meet our new requirements now and for the next 5 to 10 years.”

She added that by undergoing the ADA and KESS with Kaeser, they were able to graphically

and monetarily see – in terms of investment and energy costs - what the best options were.

“Kaeser has always delivered the best solution to us, and we are certainly pleased with the final configuration which is already proving to be reliable in operation,” said Burgess.

Bright Print chose to replace an ageing compressor with a new Kaeser Aircenter 25.

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Manufacturers’ Monthly JUNE 2018 25

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Precision TOOLS Finding the best solutions in metal finishing Robert Bartrum, general manager Suhner Australia talks about how manufacturers could improve cost-effectiveness in their metal finishing processes.

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UHNER, a Swiss company, has been delivering metal abrasive solutions globally for over a century. Their Australian subsidiary, Suhner Australia, has been active since 1994, trading Suhner’s range of metal finishing tools and abrasives across Australia.

Manufacturers’ Monthly got in touch with Robert Bartrum, general manager of Suhner Australia, to talk about how their products benefit Australian manufacturers.

“We specialise in the niche market of metal finishing. We are about solutions, as much as we are about products. We bring three elements to our market: power tools, manufactured in Germany and Switzerland; high-quality abrasives, that are sourced from all over the world; and thirdly, our expertise,” he told Manufacturers’ Monthly.

Suhner Australia puts a lot of emphasis on providing solutions, as they believe choosing the right method and tools can help manufacturers optimise their processes.

“Manufacturers often only look at the base prices, such as the cost of purchasing an abrasive rather than considering how using a certain tool or abrasive can help them do the work more efficiently and save time.

“Our aim is to help manufacturers reduce the time it takes to do metal finishing by choosing the correct tools, abrasives and methods.”

Having a wide range of power tools and abrasives enables Suhner to provide a suitable solution for every application. Suhner recently released their new 2018/19 trade catalogue, which acts as a reference guide for metal work tradesmen.

The catalogue breaks down the range of Suhner power tools by application as well as power versions – including battery, electric, air and flexible drive –making it easy to choose the right tool for each job.

The catalogue also sets out the range of abrasives by application, as well as sets the speed ranges suitable for a particular application, matching the abrasives with the correct Suhner tool.

“Our experience is that abrasives, whether they are carbide burrs, abrasive belts or heavy duty grinding discs, are often run at the incorrect speed resulting in excessive wear, poor surface finishing and in extreme cases, danger to the operator. By using the charts set out in the Suhner Catalogue you can avoid these issues.”

New products launching in 2018 Suhner is expanding their flexible

Suhner is launching new product ranges in 2018, including ASC 22 die grinder (left), Rotomax 2.0 drive system (middle), and the C-series electric tools (right).

drive systems, by launching a new range of Rotomax electronic control machines in 2018.

The new Rotomax 2.0, which will be launched by June 2018, features constant but adjustable speed between 500 and 13,000 Rpm, suitable for stainless steel and aluminium fabrication and finishing.

“Rotomax 2.0 is a very unique tool, in that the motor is separated from the working hand-piece. The major benefit of this design lies in safety, as the motor is kept away from the operator.

The other factor is maintenance, as the design helps reduce wear and tear to the electric motor. It also reduces fatigue in operators due to its low hand-piece weight and low vibration,” Bartrum said.

Suhner is also introducing a new battery tool, the ASC 22, which is an on-site die grinder for use with burrs

and stones up to 10mm diameter.

For the electric tool range, Suhner will be introducing the new “C-series” range from July this year, offering good power to weight ratio, low vibration and long brush life with onboard brush life monitoring.

The new SUNmic micro grinding family offers infinite speed control with very light hand pieces, making them ideal for small component finishing and intricate polishing.

Suhner also offers a comprehensive range of belts in most materials, ranging from ALOX material for simple processes to high stock removal ceramics or constant grit belts such as compact grain.

The Suhner SUN-Press range offers light grinding discs, fillet weld grinding and finishing as well as a comprehensive range of shapes and points to access difficult areas.

Suhner’s C-series electrical tool is ideal for grindign and polishing metal tubes.

Suhner has a wide range of abrasives, including grinding and cutting disks, carbide burrs, non-woven points, wire brushes, and abrasive belts.

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Manufacturers’ Monthly JUNE 2018 27

CAD /CAM Online product database for design engineers Hydraulic components manufacturing company, STAUFF, has created an online database of computer-aided design (CAD) models for its 40,000-plus products. The company’s national marketing manager, Con Prandalos, talks about how the database helps design engineers.

The CAD database enables systems designers and engineers to access STAUFF products to integrate into their drawings.

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TAUFF has been developing, producing and marketing hydraulic fluid components and accessories for over 50 years. The company’s manufacturing and design is headquartered in Germany and its products are distributed in more than 40 countries.

Having been present in Australia for over four decades, STAUFF has branches in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and Wollongong.

The company’s sales and distribution offices are also supported through a national network of authorised distributors and stockists.

Manufacturers’ Monthly got in touch with STAUFF’s national marketing manager, Con Prandalos, to talk about the company’s products and services.

“STAUFF’s products provide portto-port solutions, from the component level, filter systems and filter elements for fluid media, pressure test systems, hydraulic accessories, flanges, tube connectors and quickrelease couplings, clamping systems for pipes, hoses and cables, machined parts through to value-adding 28 JUNE 2018 Manufacturers’ Monthly

services,” Prandalos said.

“While manufacturing and design are carried out in Germany, we also offer value-added services in Australia. If you buy components such as tubes and clamps from us, we offer value-added services such as assembling the parts, bending tubes, forming and custom systembuilt solutions.

“STAUFF facilities and products are covered by Quality and Performance approvals from Lloyd’s Register QA, SAI Global, Bureau Veritas, DNV GL,” he added.

systems designers and engineers to access STAUFF products in 2D and 3D and other file formats to integrate into their drawings and specifications for system designs and applications,” Prandalos said.

“For designers, this eliminates the complicated measuring and drawing of components, as well as the need to import third-party formats that are not fully compatible to the users design file requirements.

“This saves valuable time and costs during the design process. For example, when system elements are integrated with other components.

Each CAD model is permanently linked with the corresponding manufacturer’s reference and order code, which can be transferred into the parts list and easily communicated to the purchasing department,” he said.

The files provided are native CAD formats, which are compatible with all common design and engineering software (e.g. SolidWorks, CATIA, Pro/E, Inventor, AutoCAD), as well as most neutral data formats (e.g. DWG, DXF, IGES, STEP).

Using the online database, design engineers have access to CAD models

of tube connectors, test couplings, filter housings, pressure gauges and other tank and container accessories, which are prerequisites for the design of hydraulic lines and systems.

The STAUFF CAD online database is publicly available to access by via the company’s website.

In addition to the CAD database, STAUFF also has its detailed product catalogue as a free app for mobile devices available through the usual channels: Google Play Store for Android and Apple Store for iOS devices.

On over 1,700 pages, the 10 individual catalogues offer all details for around 40,000 standard components. This information is relevant and useful for machine and systems design engineers as well as technical purchasers of hydraulic line components and accessories when comparing and selecting product characteristics and properties, dimensions, material information, order designations and much more.

By going to www.stauff.com, users can access up-to-date product information on the STAUFF catalogue app that is publicly available.

Taking the database online STAUFF recently expanded its CAD online database with additional industrial fastening components for pipes, tubes, hoses, cables and other flexible and rigid components.

With these new CAD online database additions, users now have unlimited direct access to 3D models and 2D drawings of hundreds of additional products and configurations made from plastic, steel and stainless steel.

“The CAD database has enabled

In addition to the CAD database, STAUFF also has its detailed product catalogue available as a free app for mobile devices.

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Safety @MM Avoiding mishaps with safety barriers Safety barriers can prevent accidents and injuries at industrial plants by isolating moving equipment and directing movement of personnel. The Australian Trellis Door Company specialises in safety barriers for the industrial sector.

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ROM robotic arms to coiling machines and conveyor belt systems, industrial spaces are inundated by moving equipment that pose a potential risk to the health and safety of people working around them.

Using safety barriers and fencing systems is therefore a preferred solution, as well as a regulatory necessity in most industrial plants trying to keep up with workplace safety requirements.

The Australian Trellis Door Company (ATDC) specialises in safety barriers, which are ideal for restricting access to heavy plant and machinery and preventing injury from moving parts.

Established in 1985, ATDC offers a wide and flexible range of safety barriers and fencing systems that find applications in factories, warehouses and other environments where accidental falls and slips pose a risk to people.

Flexibility is an important parameter for most clients in deciding which safety barrier to choose. The layouts of industrial plants and warehouses are often changing, with new machines being deployed or put out of operation. In some cases, fencing systems are required for afterhours or temporarily restricting access to some areas.

For these purposes, there is a need for safety barriers that can be easily expanded, retracted and moved flexibly within premises as the need for safety and access control arises.

ATDC’s expandable safety barriers are trackless and are manufactured to operate on heavy duty thermoplastic bottom castors, making them portable, easy to manoeuvre and mobile.

In addition, they are modular and can therefore be manufactured to unlimited spans, securing the widest possible openings.

The expandable safety barriers can be made to a maximum height of 2.5 metres. As an alternative to a manmonthly.com.au

completely mobile unit, the barriers can also pivot or rotate up to 270° so as not to restrict clear opening width.

ATDC offers numerous wallmounted and/or floor mounted locking solutions, as well as the added feature of lockable bottom wheels, all of which enhance the level of security offered by these safety barriers.

These options can be tailored to the particular requirements of each individual workplace. These expandable safety barriers can also be used to secure elevated work platforms as well as lift shafts and open pits. Digital card readers allow for 24-hour access for selective staff and employees.

Assessing safety While determining what barrier system is best suited to their needs, companies should first consider the safety of their personnel.

“It is important for the products to be safe from an OH&S perspective.

The trackless safety barriers being mobile, they can be wheeled away and stored when they are not needed.

It is therefore also important that they can be moved easily and safely,” ATDC’s director, Jonathan Kaplan told

Manufacturers’ Monthly.

“ATDC is at the forefront in safety and testing requirements for trackless barriers. All of our products are independently tested for safety,” Kaplan said.

It was in view of their responsibility towards safety that ATDC engaged Compliance OH&S to complete a Work Health and Safety risk assessment on their mobile trackless barriers five years ago.

The purpose of the risk assessment was to identify safety hazards related to the supply and use of the barriers and to check the compliance with the relevant legislation. The assessment helped ATDC to improve its product document to include the appropriate control measures.

ATDC also had its expandable safety barriers independently tested by a NATA-approved facility, which confirmed that they passed the majority of the requirements set by the Australian Standard 4687-2007 for temporary fencing and hoarding.

The test process included simulated climbing test, where a 65-kg weight is suspended from the barrier to simulate a person climbing the barrier.

The barrier also went through an

impact test, where various locations on the barrier were subjected to an impact force of 150J. The test results showed no sign of material failure or fracture.

“For applications that aim to protect persons from injury by machinery, a person’s hand should not be able to pass through the safety barrier,” Kaplan said. ‘Therefore, ATDC’s design engineers have developed a double diamond mesh system, making it virtually impossible for a human adult’s hand to reach through the barrier.”

ATDC sells its safety barriers in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Canberra and many more regional centres across Australia. A team of experts from the company visits the project site and assesses the layout and application of the safety barriers before installation.

The company’s products have been deployed on many nationalscale projects such as the Australian National Maritime Museum, the Telstra national contract, the Woolworths Plus Petrol national contract and the Dick Smith Electronics national contract.

ATDC’s expandable safety barriers are modular and can therefore be manufactured to unlimited spans.

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Measurements &CONTROL Leak testing: moving beyond the bubble test Components and assemblies in all industrial sectors must be tested as fit-for-purpose before being dispatched to market. Manufacturers’ Monthly spoke to Bestech’s product specialist Daniel Isbister on how manufactures can save time and cost by choosing the right solutions.

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N almost all industries, be it the automotive sector, the gas appliances industry, the pneumatic industry or medical devices industry, components and assemblies need to be tested for leakage, flow rate, blockage, etc.

While many processes have been automated in today’s modern production lines, the manufactured parts still have to be inspected by old laborious methods in many stages to ensure they are free from defects such as porosity, cracks, faulty assembly, poor-seals or poor-fit.

Slow inspection often means sample testing –instead of 100 per cent testing– with some production faults still going unnoticed. In other cases, 100 per cent testing means using skilled personnel, wasting valuable time and cost. The constant drive for efficiency and quality, and in some cases the tightening of pollution laws, have increased the need for automatic inspection in the area of leak testing.

The oldest methods of leak detection are based on a method to determine the loss of content as the evidence of a leak. Traditional method, such as bubble test involve pressurising the item and immersing it in water and watching for bubbles.

Some other alternatives are pressurising the item and painting the surface with a search fluid (such as soapy water) and watching for frothing or filling the item to a known pressure and watching for this pressure to decrease, as the evidence of a leak.

Modern techniques have refined the old forms, and added some new ones. The latest models of leak detection instruments offer accurate test results by using sensitive pressure sensors that can detect loss of air pressure as low as fractions of a Pascal. Manufacturers’ Monthly spoke to Daniel Isbister, a product specialist from Bestech to find out about the latest leak detection 30 JUNE 2018 Manufacturers’ Monthly

Bestech is the sole supplier of leak detector instruments developed by UK-based Furness Controls in Australia and New Zealand (ANZ).

devices and what manufacturers need to know before purchasing one.

Bestech specialises in distributing sensors, transducers, signal conditioners and test systems from global manufacturers in both Australia and New Zealand. The company also offers quality customer service for all its products.

Since 2009, the company has been the sole ANZ supplier of leak detector instruments developed by UK-based Furness Controls – one of the world’s oldest pressure decay leak detectors that entered the global market as early as 1966 and reached Australia in early 1990s.

“Extremely sensitive and accurate differential pressure sensors and leak-tight valves are at the heart of Furness Controls’ leak testers. Both were developed in-house for their first tester and have been continually improved over the last 50 years,” Isbister said.

“By measuring the loss of air pressure using the differential pressure sensor and internal valves, instead of a drop in the overall pressure, the same sub-pascal resolution leaks can be achieved at testing pressures from a few millibars up to 30 bars. Furness Control’s leak testing range is supplemented with high-quality low-pressure calibrators,

ultra-low differential pressure transmitters, manometers and air-flow measurement.”

With the leak detection instruments from Furness Controls, the manufacturers can carry out a wide range of test types including leak, blockage, ramp, coarse and pressure, all in one instrument.

“For example, a cooling radiator requires testing at a pressure of 1.5 bar and -800 mbar of vacuum for integrity. A blockage test may also be carried out to ensure that there is no restriction to flow through the radiator core. Using this versatile and automated leak detector will provide the manufacturers with significant cost savings over time,” Isbister said.

Finding the right solution With such a wide range of components and assemblies that require testing, how can manufacturers decide which leak detector best meets their specific requirements?

According to Isbister, the manufacturers should ask themselves a couple of questions to help them identify the right solution: “Is a standard leak test sufficient? Does the part have a flow path through it? Is there a lift pressure or closing pressure

to consider? Can the part be assembled without key components being present? What stresses will the part be subjected to during services? What level of automation does the leak tester need to control, and is it appropriate to displace the role of a PLC?” Depending on the answers to these questions, Bestech can help to decide which testing methodologies and settings are appropriate as part of the testing process.

“The basic model, FCO 730, provides standard leak, blockage and coarse leak test functions, which are appropriate in most cases. However, if the users need to conduct a more complex test sequence such as ramp, permfill, dump-leak or Input/output (I/O) test, they may need to choose a higher-tier model, such as FCO750 or FCO770.

“The advanced models also provide capability for multipressure-level-testing, data logging, touch-screen control and graphical display. They could be useful for testing complex machinery, which require multiple test configurations and flexible control. Flow and continuous-flow leak testing require use of the FCO732, FCO752 and FCO754 models,” Isbister said. manmonthly.com.au

Motors &DRIVES DataFactory: A drive to fix DataFactory manager Darius Kowalewksi explains how consulting with electrical engineering experts can help manufacturers save on costs during systems downtime.

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HEN it comes to electrical motors and systems, DataFactory has the electrical engineering know-how to fix problems that no other Australian company can – and at half the cost.

As DataFactory founder and manager Darius Kowalewksi explains, these are valuable skills to possess, especially when customers are committed to strict production timeframes and suffer serious penalties if a drive or motor breaks down. DataFactory can prevent these companies from losing money if a production line stops.

“People come to us because there is a shortage of skills caused by the manufacturing moving overseas, a process that started some 20-30 years ago – whereas we still have that expertise,” he said.

“The manufacturing companies that are here rely on overseas sources of knowledge, but if something happens and you need to fix the problem urgently, emailing to and fro doesn’t work. Customers need someone locally based who can move fast, which is where we come in.”

When it started in 1986 in

DataFactory founder and manager, Darius Kowalewksi.

Swapping and replacing drives is not a trivial issue, you need an engineer with a good knowledge of drives and this is our niche.

Melbourne, the company originally designed drives, namely Australia’s first insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) drive, but with an influx of overseas competition, they decided to focus on the service side of operations from 1997 onwards. Their clients are now Australia-wide and they can provide repairs within 24 hours – which usually equates to half the time and half the costs of a machine’s manufacturer.

“Swapping and replacing drives is not a trivial issue, you need an engineer with a good knowledge of drives and this is our niche,” Kowalewksi said. “We have a test system onsite and are very well equipped.”

It is common for companies to send their drives to DataFactory from remote parts of Australia as they specialise in obscure and complex drives, but have the ability

DataFactory provides repairs for electronic variable speed drives, servo drives, AC drives, DC drives, electronic inverters, complex electronic boards and monitors.

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to repair, replace, or replicate and retrofit all types.

Kowalewksi recalls as one of DataFactory’s top engineering achievements, the design and installation of the MA Set for the Colonial Tramcar Restaurant in Melbourne, which is one of the city’s major tourist attractions.

“In 1986, we re-designed the electric installation on the first restaurant tram as the original design was not working well. In the process, we designed a very reliable MA Set, which converts 600VDC overhead tramline voltage into the standard three-phase 415VAC system that is used to power up the air conditioner and the kitchen appliances on the tram.

“The design was successful and we proceeded to build three more restaurant trams using the same concept. One of them, Tram 937, is still in use 12 years after we built it and 32 years since we built the first one.

“The trams are W-class, a vintage family of trams designed and built in Melbourne in the 1920s and 1930s; so retrofitting them with a modern power equipment was not easy. We count this project as an example of our engineering abilities in power electronics,” he said.

Kowalewksi explained that when the DataFactory team – comprising an engineer, technician and electrician – first work on a motor drive, they spend the time to properly understand how it functions. Once they have understood the fundamentals, they can fix a drive quickly, or will have gained the knowledge to replicate it.

“People use systems from all around the world and we are the

specialists who can repair and service these drives here in Australia. It doesn’t matter what sector it is – from satellite dishes to special food production to manufacturing lines – we can fix them,” Kowalewksi said. “In the rare instance where we can’t fix it, we will advise the customer on what to do.”

DataFactory fills a gap in the servicing market, as few Australian manufacturing plants have engineering expertise in-house. The DataFactory facilities include a fullyequipped lab, test area and large stocks of spare parts.

Having specialised knowledge of Computer Numerical Control (CNC) servo drives, DataFactory has invested heavily in testing equipment and has several databases on drives that date back as far as 1989. The company also has the ability to reverse-engineer drives and can simulate onsite conditions using a 100-hour test.

DataFactory provides Australiawide repairs for electronic variable speed drives, servo drives, alternating current (AC) drives, direct current (DC) drives, electronic inverters, complex electronic boards and monitors. They are specialists in CNC machines and have expertise in retrofitting and re-engineering control systems.

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Women IN INDUSTRY AWARDS 2018 Gaining the competitive edge Manufacturers’ Monthly caught up with Geoff Gavan, HR business partner, Atlas Copco Compressors to find out more about why the Women in Industry Awards matters a lot for the business.

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his June will see the fifth edition of the Women in Industry Awards where the invaluable contributions of women in Australia who have achieved success through their leadership, innovation and commitment to the various STEM driven industries will be showcased through a series of keynotes and breakout sessions. This will be followed by the Awards Night to recognise and reward the women in Australian businesses who are driving change across the industry.

In this month’s issue, Manufacturers’ Monthly spoke to Geoff Gavan, HR business partner from Atlas Copco Compressors, one of our proud sponsors for the Women in Industry Awards Rising Star of the Year Award about the power of diversity in the workplace and how it can give any business the competitive edge.

MM: There are fresh opportunities emerging around advanced manufacturing. How important is this to attracting highly skilled women into Australia’s manufacturing industry?

GG: I think the importance of attracting women into our manufacturing industry goes far beyond our ever-changing manufacturing techniques. Sure, there’s the old comments that women typically multitask more successfully than their male counterparts, however the real benefits are in the diversity of approach to a problem, or a solution.

For the same reasons that cultural diversity is necessary in creating a High performing team, women are also required. It’s not the country of birth, gender, or other attribute to a person that makes the difference.

Instead, it is the diversity that is so powerful in innovation, and necessary in creating emotional engagement across a business when trying to implement.

32 APRIL 2018 Manufacturers’ Monthly

MM: Are there traditional workplace narratives in the manufacturing industry that needs to be overcome?

How has an organisation like Atlas Copco Compressors viewed this and ensured diversity in its workplace?

GG: I think that there are old school perceptions in where “the line is” with regards to trash talk in all industries, however it’s probably a little more noticeable in manufacturing (specifically shop floor manufacturing). The old boys club mentality still lingers. Of course, the behaviour is not accepted by many/any manufacturers today, however I think there is an underlying obligation to try to protect women in the industry from the behaviour that used to occur. Atlas Copco (like most other manufacturers) approach this in a couple of ways.

First, we have a zero tolerance to any behaviour that is crude, discriminatory, bullying, or isolates an individual. Diversity is our greatest asset. Secondly, we continue to refine our position advertisements, and participate in movements (like Women in Industry) to try to encourage more women to join the team. We are actively trying to overcome the past perceptions and ensure that we are attractive (as an employer and as a manufacturer) to some of the industry’s best women.

diversity that we are low on.

If we can fill our employment pipelines with the correct diversity, then the rest will take care of itself.

Every Atlas Copco employee is in charge of their own destiny, and our ongoing coaching and review process tries to ensure that everyone is taking appropriate steps (learning/ experience/etc) to reach their goals.

MM: With regards to question 3, what kind of mentorship programs are in place?

GG: Atlas Copco has set up a program for female engineering students to participate in our business in the form of paid internships. We have now had several students pass through our organisation and their feedback about the training and mentoring they have received is very positive. We hope that these

young women come back to us once they have completed their engineering studies.

MM: How important is an event like the Women in Industry Awards to an organization like Atlas Copco Compressors?

GG: The Women in Industry Awards provides Atlas Copco with an opportunity to publicly showcase the value our business places on diversity in our workforce. Our participation in the Women in Industry Awards also flows into our broader employment branding strategy and our employee engagement levels. We are confident that over time, our diversity strategy will allow us to be seen as an employer of choice and to attract the best candidates from the broader labour market.

Atlas Copco believes in appointing the best person for any role regardless of diversity.

MM: What has the organisation been doing so far when it comes to grooming future leaders and what kind of role does gender diversity play in this aspect?

GG: Like most organisations, we track our diversity across an array of characteristics. We believe in appointing the best person for the role despite their diversity characteristics.

The real work is performed in tailoring the ads, and candidate sourcing strategies to ensure that we are an attractive company for the manmonthly.com.au

Endeavour AWARDS The power of flexibility: a company’s strategy for growth Manufacturers’ Monthly spoke to IDM Instruments managing director, Tommy Halmos, on how flexibility and diversity in product development and services has helped the company meet customer needs.

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HE latest report published by the Australian Manufacturing Growth Centre, (AMGC) in April this year, titled “Building resilience in Australian Manufacturing,” recommended three strategies to all manufacturers seeking to improve their performance: superiority, diversity and flexibility.

The report suggested that flexible firms have agile business structures that allow them to shift their production towards adjacent industries and products to maximise their profits.

Manufacturers’ Monthly reached out to Tommy Halmos, managing director of IDM Instruments, whose company has taken a flexible approach to the production and distribution of testing and measuring instruments.

IDM Instruments specialises in the design, manufacturing and supply of testing and measuring instruments.

The company supplies its products to a range of industries, including packaging, polyurethane, foam, bedding, furniture, plastics, paper, and textile industries.

Additionally, the company provides various services to the defence

IDM Instrument’s F0025-universal testing machine.

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industry and supplies its testing and measurement equipment to universities and other educational establishments.

“Our instruments are used to test different aspects required for quality control and cost-reduction of a final product, with reference to recognised standards. We also conduct in-house custom CNC machining and fabrication based on the customers’ specifications,” Halmos said.

The secret to IDM Instruments’ success and growth lies in its ability to adapt to its customers’ needs, either through developing new products or coming up with new ways of providing services.

“Over the years, we have focused on refining and improving the designs of our products as the need arises.

As a service-driven company, we also provide tailored solutions to customers. As customer requirements and needs become more specialised, they sometimes require equipment that is not readily available or offered by other companies.

“As we work on improving our designs to meet customer-specific needs, this also helps us become more

IDM Instruments specialises in the design, manufacture and supply of testing and measuring instruments. flexible as a company. As customers’ needs change, we adapt to be able to meet these needs, and this helps the company grow both in capabilities and in customer relations,” Halmos said.

Remaining agile and connected to new technology developments is another important aspect of growth for a company like IDM Instruments.

“We keep ourselves up-to-date with new technologies and market demands by attending and researching global conferences and trade shows, through webinars and seminars and through supplier’s marketing tools. We use the knowledge and technologies gained through these platforms in the functionality of our designs, as well as how we manufacture our parts and products. We also look at what new material and processes are in development, and how our testing equipment could be of benefit.

“When a client contacts us with a broad requirement, such as testing the strength of raw foam needed for a mattress, we break down and analyse the problem with our engineering team and see how we can effectively fulfil the client’s needs. Through continuous communication and feedback, we then come up with a design and inform the customer of our solution,” Halmos said.

IDM Instruments has its

headquarters in Australia, where its in-house designs, fabrications and products are manufactured. The company also supplies and distributes complementary equipment for its products.

Apart from a strong presence in the domestic market, IDM Instruments generates as much as 65 per cent of its revenues from exports to markets in Asia, Europe and the Americas. The company is now looking at increasing its presence in the Asian market, with plans to establish a foothold in India.

IDM Instruments was a finalist in the category of Exporter of the Year in last year’s Endeavour Awards, organised by Manufacturers’ Monthly in May 2017. Endeavour Awards 2018 will be held on July 12 in Melbourne, bringing together manufacturers from across Australia.

Currently the company has three new products in the pipeline, all of which are in the design phase. These include a laboratory heated press with 600x600mm platens and maximum temperature of 500°C, a mattress rollator with added foam compression, and a customised sliding table for band saws.

IDM Instruments also takes on custom builds and is running several general machining jobs for local companies.

Manufacturers’ Monthly JUNE 2018 33

HVAC

July 2018 Issue

As energy prices continue to dominate headlines next to worker safety, having ef cient and reliable heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems (HVAC) has never been more important.

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MANAGEMENT >> TECHNOLOGY >> SOLUTIONS

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JUNE 2018

A radar beam focused

PLAYING THE POWER GAME

In July 2018, we willlikespeak a laser! with equipment and services providers who are offering viable solutions for every size of manufacturing operations.

The future is 80 GHz: a new generation of radar level sensors

The latest cutting-edge technology from the world leader: the unsurpassed focusing of VEGAPULS 64. This enables the radar beam to be targeted at the liquid surface with pinpoint accuracy, avoiding internal obstructions like heating coils and agitators. This new generation of level sensors is also completely unaffected by condensation or buildup and has the smallest antenna of its kind.

Simply world-class!

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

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Embracing change in manufacturing

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Highlights from NMW 2018

To book contact NICK BAKER now nick.baker@primecreative.com.au | 0414 217 190

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Diversity leads to better returns

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What’sNew

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Energy-efficient pump drive solutions SPEED control balanced to actual requirements greatly enhances the energy efficiency of pump systems. NORD Drivesystems supplies complete pre-assembled distributed drive units for a wide performance range up to 22 kW. In addition to energy savings of up to 60 per cent, users benefit from reduced noise emissions, low wear, and increased plant service life.

NORD Drivesystems’ integrated pump drives can store up to four operation modes which can be displayed and changed directly at the control unit. The SK 200E series features frequency inverters suitable for pump applications that require precise adjustments of power output. These inverters are compatible with mains voltages worldwide.

NORD configures complete drive systems for various application areas (IP55/IP66, ATEX zone22/3D), and its integrated process and PI controller functions enable the fully-automated control of process variables as well as compensation of disturbances.

This is applicable both in stand-alone and mobile applications as well as in complex setups with several drives.

Operation is straightforward and flexible via control terminals, bus, or via an optional potentiometer that enables adjustments directly at the inverter. In addition, the customised parameters can be quickly exported to other units via a pluggable storage module, the system bus, or Ethernet interfaces.

Company: NORD Drivesystems Phone: (03) 9394 0500 Web: www.nord.com

New coupling systems for effective torque transfer THE German company SGF (Suddeutsche Gelenkscheibenfabrik Gmbh), specialising in torque transmission and anti-vibration solutions, has launched new SGFlex-3F and TENBEX-ECO Series coupling assemblies designed to effectively transmit torques from 100 Nm up to 40 kNm. The new products utilise SGF’s trademark Tenpu fibre technology – a combination of cord inlays vulcanised within select rubber compounds that operate in tension rather than pressure or shear load.

This tension load principle ensures that the Tenpu fibre reinforcement transmit the majority of the torque whilst more efficiently reducing noise and vibration, providing improved tolerance to shock loads and compensation of radial, axial and angular misalignments. The couplings have a high power density ratio resulting in considerable reduction in installation space and weight.

The SGFlex-3F Series, with pilot bore flanges or flywheel adaptor, are designed to connect a single shaft, two shafts or a flywheel to a shaft.

Several size options are available depending on installation requirements.

The series is suitable for nominal torques from 100 Nm to 3240 Nm. The TENBEX-ECO series is a SGF link coupling system available for two types of application connections: Type F for a direct connection to an engine, and Type D for a shaft-to-shaft connection. This series is suitable for nominal torques from 4.8 kNm to 40 kNm. Company: SGF Asia Pacific Phone: (03) 9791 9393 Web: www.sgf.de

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Manufacturers’ Monthly JUNE 2018 35

What’s New Michell Instruments re-launches high-precision hygrometers MICHELL has re-launched its S8000 precision hygrometer range with improved features, common user interface and new look.

The chilled mirror hygrometers from Michell cover a dew-point range from -100°C dp to +120°C dp, using both integral and remote sensors. The remote sensors can survive environmental temperatures up to +120°C, so can often be positioned directly at the point of interest.

The new S8000 series instruments now use the same intuitive, touchscreen HMI, making it easier to use and configure. For multi-instrument users, the common interface makes it simple to switch between models. A complete range of communication options are now available on all models, giving the option of USB, Ethernet, RS232 or RS485. All models feature data logging to SD card as standard for convenient standalone operation.

The S8000 RS has an accuracy of ±0.1°C dew point, which can measure dew points down to -90°C with no need for additional cooling. Typical applications range from use as a calibration reference, to industrial settings where precise control of humidity is critical, such as semi-conductor manufacture.

Company: AMS Instrumentation & Calibration Phone: (03) 9017 8225 Web: www.ams-ic.com.au

Powered air respiratory protection for welders

ThinManager offers flexibility for production facilities

AWS’s 3M Speedglas Welding Helmet 9100XXi Air with the 3M Adflo PAPR gives welders up to eight hours powered air respiratory protection combined with a large viewing area with Speedglas True-View.

Featuring external grind and memory mode, welders can seamlessly switch between grinding and welding tasks with the press of a button without needing to lift the welding helmet and break the positive pressure seal.

Adflo PAPR system provides a Required Minimum Protection Factor of 50, providing excellent protection against certain welding fume, gases and vapours.

NHP delivers ThinManager from Rockwell Automation, a software platform for production applications that enable secure, centralised configuration and deployment of applications and content to every personal computer, thin client, mobile device and user.

ThinManager has a powerful visualisation and authentication features; allowing users to reduce the maintenance and downtime by simplifying the management of all devices and users.

This software platform centrally manages applications and visual sources, all from a single user interface, which is designed to be customised and present the content in a digestible way.

ThinManager offers control and security in a sustainable and scalable platform, supporting a wide range of authentication devices like smart cards, RFID (radiofrequency identification) cards and fingerprint scanners.

Company: Australian Welding Supplies Phone: (02) 94390111 Web: www.awsi.com.au

Company: NHP Phone: 1300 NHP NHP Web: www.nhp.com.au

36 JUNE 2018 Manufacturers’ Monthly

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Mission computer with removable SSD and specialised I/O options Company: Metromatics Phone: (07) 3868 4255 Web: www.metromatics.com.au

ACROMAG’S ARCX embedded computer is compatible with industry standards and shock and vibration tested, making it a deployable solution for a range of industrial, military and aerospace applications.

The ARCX is customisable and SWaP-optimised. Available in single or double PMC/XMC expansion site versions, this small embedded computer has thick circuit boards and advanced thermal management to allow the computer to operate under hostile conditions.

The ARCX has input/output (I/O) features to meet any application; including FPGA, analogue/digital, counter/ timer, serial communication, multi function I/O and 10 gigabit Ethernet.

The computer also offers unique expansion features, such as PMC/XMC/Mini PCIe/mSATA slots for specialized I/O, memory, and FPGA modules.

The front panel can be modified to accommodate customer-specified secondary connectors - such as: antennae, GPS, WiFi, and other wireless interfaces. The ARCX also has a removable solid-state-drive for data security.

Acromag is represented in Australia and New Zealand by Metromatics.

Olympus’s videoscope offers 3D stereo measurement for critical component inspections THE ability to see inside an engine or other confined space without having to take it apart can save both time and money during inspection of critical components.

Olympus manufactures videoscopes that enable inspections without causing damage to the delicate parts of equipment.

The iPLEX NX is the latest videoscope to be released by Olympus in Australia and incorporates high quality optics with bright illumination aids.

“The optics have been combined with an intricate but robust mechanical network, allowing fine articulation to improve usability,” Sean Fogarty, senior sales specialist at Olympus, said.

The iPLEX NX is equipped with 3D stereo measurement capability over a much larger area than conventional scopes. This functionality saves time and increases efficiency, especially when inspecting larger defects in aerospace components.

The larger field of view (FoV) and greater depth of field (DoF) yields a measurement area four times wider than conventional scopes.

Advances in image quality not only support accurate measurements, but also increase the probability of detection (PoD).

The iPLEX NX has a tip to target range of 4-60 mm, meaning flaws can be observed in the most inaccessible areas such as heat exchanger tubes or turbine blades.

Navigating through tight spaces can be achieved by the operator with a combination of flexibility and control, protected by abrasion resistance afforded by a 42-strand tungsten mesh.

These advances enable the operator to easily direct the probe tip to visualise more of the component than previously possible, with direct sensitive control of articulation throughout the full 360° range.

The iPLEX NX has also improved operational efficiency by merging inspection and measurement capabilities into a single operation.

Historically, the time-consuming flaw inspection workflow required two different tips manmonthly.com.au

to ensure accuracy. The videoscope features an upgraded CCD allowing for much greater resolution yielding a bright, high-quality image. Combined with a highilluminance laser diode, more details become visible and thorough inspections can be carried out at a wide angle with a single screen view.

Company: Olympus Australia Phone: 1300 132 992 Web: www.olympus.com.au

Manufacturers’ Monthly JUNE 2018 37

The Last WORD

BEN CARROLLLL – Minister for Industry and Employment, Victoria

Victorian manufacturing is on the up Minister for Industry and Employment, Ben Carroll, shares his thoughts on the state of Victoria’s upward growth in manufacturing this year.

D

espite some naysayers who were predicting the death of manufacturing after the closure of car manufacturing, Victoria is seeing a real resurgence in the primary sector.

Our manufacturing sector is still the cornerstone of our economy – and it continues to create jobs and boost our economy in a range of sectors.

It is not just us saying that.

Figures from the Australian Industry Group shows Victoria has recorded its 15th straight month of manufacturing growth, the longest run of consecutive growth in nearly two decades.

This growth hasn’t happened by accident. It is thanks to the Labor Government’s steadfast support for the 13,000 manufacturing businesses across the state who employ more than 286,000 Victorians.

Since November 2014, we’ve

invested more than $120 million to support our manufacturing sector, creating more than 5,000 jobs and driving more than $1.4 billion in private investment.

Those jobs are more than just numbers on a page.

Each job created represents a Victorian who can support their family, build a comfortable life, and develop a strong sense of pride in their valuable skill set.

There is a great sense of satisfaction and belonging that comes from making something from parts and pieces with your two, bare hands.

Workers are doing this across our priority sectors, including the food and fibre, construction, defence, new energy technologies and medical and pharmaceutical sectors. These are the workers who need our support in our modern economy, and we’ll continue to do just that.

Why? Because manufacturing in Victoria is a $27.7 billion industry, delivering exceptional and cuttingedge products and boosting exports and contributing to the economic growth across the state and our nation.

This success is funded on a depth of expertise spanning research, design and engineering, which flows through to world-leading production systems capabilities and advanced manufacturing technologies.

Rapid technological advances mean that building on Victoria’s existing manufacturing capability is more important than ever.

These rapid advancements are supported by our Future Industries Fund – a core part of the Labor Government’s strategy to get Victoria back to work, support investment, exports and jobs.

We have invested more than $250 million in our future industries, to

get our state moving again.

For four years, Victoria’s economy was in sleep mode. We knew that new investments in infrastructure were needed to get Victoria back on track.

From level crossing removals to the Melbourne Metro Tunnel, it has been a driving force in our economy, creating new opportunities for local businesses and creating new jobs here in Victoria.

Following our announcement of a $13.7 billion infrastructure blitz in this year’s budget, the number of jobs set to be created through the Labor Governments infrastructure projects has reached 75,000. That’s 75,000 new local jobs, right here in Victoria, thanks to our investments.

Victorians can be confident that with a Labor Government in charge, jobs will be created, lives will be changed and no one will be left behind.

Manufacturing in Victoria is a $27.7 billion industry.

38 JUNE 2018 Manufacturers’ Monthly

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