Australian-made 3D printers will be installed on Australian Navy vessels in a trial of in-situ advanced manufacturing. Announced on November 21, the Department of Defence will invest $1.5 million in the Supersonic Deposition 3D printer pilot, a world first. The printers will be used on patrol vessels to streamline maintenance processes, as Minister for Defence … Continue reading Australian-made 3D printers to be installed on Navy vessels →

At the World Engineering Convention held in Melbourne this week, day two was kicked off with a panel discussion based on a simple question: Is the future of engineering human? The panel featured Meredith Westafer, senior industrial engineer at Tesla, John Sukkar, director of engineering design at CISRO, and Felicity Furey, co-founder of Power of … Continue reading Is the future of engineering human? →

Titomic have unveiled the world’s first 3D printed high-performance titanium rocket. Demonstrated at FormNext, a 3D printing trade show in Frankfurt, Germany, the rocket is a scaled version of Australian rocket company Gilmour Space’s ERIS-S rocket. Titomic created the rocket using its Titomic Kinetic Fusion (TKF) 9000 platform. The manufacturing process was undertaken in Melbourne … Continue reading Titomic launches 3D printed rocket →

An Australian company has developed a solution to the rise of silicosis in those who cut and shape manufactured stone. Instead of reducing airborne dust particles through water, or by extracting them from the air with a vacuum, the tool extracts the silica dust during the cutting process. Named The Edge Powercutter, the tool has … Continue reading New power cutter to prevent silicosis →

The Australian Industry & Defence Network (AIDN), has chastised the implementation of the Australian Industry Capability (AIC) Program, for not including Australian manufacturers. With announcements of subcontracts from defence prime contracts going to overseas manufacturers, Lester Sutton, national board chair of AIDN, said that the federal government needed to review the AIC program. “The current … Continue reading Lack of Australian industry involvement in defence contracting criticised →

The potential for a next generation material to be used to revitalise Australia’s manufacturing industry, and grapple with climate change at the same time, was the focus of discussions at the Graphene + Smart Cities Conference in Melbourne. Held at Swinburne University of Technology on November 19, the conference assembled those who are exploring the … Continue reading Graphene conference calls for government support for advanced materials →

NSW has outlined a plan for its economy to grow to a trillion dollars in 2040, with advanced manufacturing named as one of five key sectors. Designed by the NSW chief economist, Stephen Walters, the NSW 2040 Economic Blueprint sees the state’s growth being driven by investment from innovative and globally competitive businesses, as treasurer … Continue reading Advanced manufacturing to drive NSW’s trillion dollar economy →

The providers of Australian Apprenticeship Support Network (AASN) services from 1 February 2020 have been announced by the federal government. These organisations provide support services for apprentices and apprenticeship providers, such as manufacturing businesses which take on apprentices. These support services include advice, administrative support, payment processing, and targeted services for individuals who need additional … Continue reading Apprenticeship support providers announced for 2020 →

A new digitisation initiative at HSV’s facility in Clayton, Victoria, will enable the automotive manufacturer to increase their performance by a fifth, according to Minister for Industry, Science and Technology, Karen Andrews. “What’s so exciting about this announcement is that it demonstrates the benefits of going digital in all types of industries. By increasing the … Continue reading HSV invests in digitisation →

A new form of 3D printing, a where the object can transform under certain conditions, has been use to create “living” plastics or polymers. The research, conducted by scientists from UNSW and the University of Auckland, could enable the creation of a new class of materials. The materials respond to light or water and can … Continue reading Researchers print “living” polymers →

Australian explosives manufacturer for mining and civil applications, Orica, has partnered with Swedish mining equipment company Epiroc to automate the delivery of blasting technology. The two companies will collaborate to create a semi-automated explosives delivery system. By automating the delivery of explosives, the companies hope to make mining safer and more productive, particularly in underground … Continue reading Partnership to automate drilling and blasting →

Cloncurry, in North West Queensland, will be the site of Australia’s first drone testing facility, with Boeing signed up to test their drones. The announcement is part of the Queensland government’s $33.3 million investment strategy, North West Queensland Economic Diversification Strategy Implementation Plan 2019-2021. While the state government acknowledged that minerals will continue to be … Continue reading Boeing to test drones at North West Queensland airport →

Canberra-based manufacturer, CEA Technologies, has won a $137 million contract to supply short range ground-based air defence radars. The advanced radars will provide ground forces with defence from sophisticated air threats, as Minister for Defence Industry, Melissa Price outlined. “This air defence capability combines world leading Australian radar technology with a highly effective air defence … Continue reading Local radar manufacturer selected for ground based systems →

Swinburne University has installed a new collaborative robotic system, in a world-first full digitalised inspection system for defect detection in carbon fibre composite production. The system, called DrapeWatch, is installed in the university’s Industry 4.0 Testlab in 2020, as part of the Factory of the Future facility. Swinburne has implemented the system in collaboration with … Continue reading Swinburne implements carbon fibre defect detection AI technology →

Volgen has manufactured the 5000th bus at its facility in Dandenong, Victoria. The bus body builder, the largest in Australia, delivered the Optimus Low-Floor Route Bus to Ventura Bus Lines. The event leads the company to come full circle, as the first bus ever made by Volgren, the VG001, is also owned by Ventury. According … Continue reading 5000th bus manufactured at Victorian site →

Manufacturers creating products for the farming and agricultural sectors have been awarded funding under the latest round of Accelerating Commercialisation grants. A low energy tag, produced through a collaboration between James Cook University, CSIRO, the Queensland Government, and industry partner Ceres Tag, has received $700,000 to commercialise their technology. The tag can trace livestock for … Continue reading Agtech manufacturers receive commercialisation funding →

German car manufacturer, BMW, has selected Beckhoff Automation as the global standard supplier for Industrial PC (IPC) technology. The agreement, announced on November 14, will tie the two companies together until 2030, and Beckhoff will supply BMW facilities worldwide, across sites including Germany, Brazil, China, India, South Africa, the UK, the US, and Mexico. The … Continue reading German auto maker selects global provider of IPCs →

Australian brick manufacturer has acquired US brick manufacturer Redland Brick. At a price of $48 million, the purchase covers four manufacturing sites across the US, one in Pennsylvania, and Virginia, and two in Maryland. Redland Brick encompasses brands such as Cushwa, KF, Harmar, and TruBrix, brands which will enable Brickworks to grow across North America, … Continue reading Australian brick manufacturer expands US operations →

Bioenergy in Queensland has received a boost via the state government’s Waste to Biofutures Fund (W2B Fund). Two projects in the state have been announced on November 14, one a biogas-solar electricity project, and the other an agricultural waste to bioenergy project for the powering of electric cars. The biogas plant will be part of … Continue reading Projects turn biowaste into industrial energy →

3D printing manufacturer, Amaero Engineering, has announced a new shareholder offer, with the hope to raise at least $6 million. The additive manufacturing company grew out of Monash University and the Monash Centre for Additive Manufacturing. The company made headlines in 2013 for 3D printing a jet engine and Aerospike rocket, the first worldwide. In … Continue reading 3D printing company begins IPO process →