The Queensland government will fund and create the first robotics manufacturing hub in Australia. With funding of $7.71 million spread over the next four years, the Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM) Hub will be built with support from the Queensland University of Technology and architectural design company Urban Art Projects (UAP). According to Minister for … Continue reading Queensland commits to robotics manufacturing hub →

Future requirements for workforces to effectively and successfully utilise emerging technology were the subject of statements from a NSW government minister and researcher on July 24. Addressing government, university and TAFE leaders at the University of NSW (UNSW), NSW Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education, Geoff Lee, outlined that boundaries between universities and the vocational … Continue reading Grappling with emerging skills shortage →

Australian students have partnered with a Japanese manufacturer, the Kyoto Institute of Technology, the SUGAR Network, and Design Factory Melbourne to develop a soil supplement spreader for organic farms. Collaborating with manufacturers and designers from New Zealand and Japan, the students from Swinburne Institute of Technology developed a product for the transport, spreading and dispensing … Continue reading Students and industry partner for organic farmers →

The World Economic Forum’s Lighthouse Network has expanded with the addition of 10 new factories. Selected for their utilisation of Industry 4.0 technologies, the plants have all used innovative solutions to increase profits and streamline processes. This announcement takes the number of lighthouse factories to 26, spread across continents and sectors. The World Economic Forum … Continue reading Leading factories commit to sharing innovation →

Earlier in July, the World Economic Forum named 2019 the year of the Robot Carer. Naming the top ten technologies that have the greatest potential for a positive impact on our world, the World Economic Forum’s Expert Network highlighted technologies that manufacturers are creating and driving forward. In addition to robot carers, or social robots … Continue reading World Economic Forum names top ten technologies →

The University of Technology Sydney (UTS) has opened a new biotech production and training facility. The Biologicals Innovation Facility (BIF) is the result of a partnership between UTS, the NSW government and GE Healthcare. The facility includes clean rooms and containment laboratories which will house research into and the development of biopharmaceuticals. Courses for students … Continue reading University, government, and industry partner for new biotech facility →

Solar manufacturers and those involved in the construction of solar farms have a new guideline in Victoria. The planning guidelines will apply to large-scale solar farms, and cover decision makers, solar farm developers, and communities. The document, “Solar Energy Facilities – Design and Development Guideline”, was the product of nine months of development and consultation, … Continue reading Guideline to create certainty in Victorian solar energy →

A partnership between CSIRO’s ON accelerator program and the Menzies Foundation will produce a 12-month fellowship for scientific entrepreneurs. Three fellowships, worth $90,000 each, will enable scientists to translate their research to commercial outcomes, particularly those projects that are in the early stages of commercialisation. While entrepreneurs in the beginning phase of their projects often … Continue reading Quarter-of-a-million dollars for scientific entrepreneurs →

The federal government announced support for businesses through the Incubator Support program on July 23. The three businesses that received funding in this round are from the manufacturing, cyber security, and food and ag-tech sectors. The total funding distributed surpasses $1 million and is designed to enable entrepreneurs to turn their ideas into reality. The … Continue reading Incubator and accelerator start-ups receive funding →

The latest Australian-made buses have begun operating on the streets and roads of Melbourne. Made at Volgren’s factory in Dandenong, the buses are the first arrivals from a $16 million order for 100 new buses. Another 50 buses are currently being built in Ballarat by automotive manufacturer, Oz Press Industries. The local manufacturing of buses … Continue reading Victorian-made buses now on route in Melbourne →

Facial recognition technology that could be used in low-light environments has taken a step forward thanks to researchers from Defence Science and Technology (DST). The technology would also be able to identify people from long distances, up to 250 metres. The research sets the stage for the wider use of facial recognition technology in security … Continue reading Facial recognition technology applied in trying environments →

Greater opportunities for collaboration between Australian manufacturers and Korean health professionals have opened up, thanks to the South Korean “Innovative Strategy on the Bio-healthy Industry”. The strategy, announced in May this year, aims to develop research and innovation in bio health. The four core elements of the strategy include creating a database of information to … Continue reading Strategy enables biotech partnerships between Australia and Korea →

Regional manufacturers in NSW have been targeted for government funding in the NSW government’s Drought Stimulus Package. In three grants, the NSW government provided funding for an industrial park in Bathurst, an industrial precinct in Cobar, and business infrastructure in Gilgandra. In Bathurst, $4.9 million is allocated to build the Kelso Industrial Land Development Project, … Continue reading Drought funding package targets regional industrial capacity →

The South Australian government will provide training for more than 2,600 apprentices and trainees over the next four years. The project will be delivered through the public sector while providing trainees and apprentices to succeed in the workforce at large. The announcement is the latest addition to the Skilling South Australia project which aims to … Continue reading SA public sector takes on apprentices and trainees →

Funding from the Victorian state government has allowed businesses in the state to innovate and pursue advanced manufacturing processes and develop new business models. The Boost Your Business Voucher Program provides small to medium enterprises (SMEs) to find new markets for their products and invest in growing their workforce. The funding is categorised into eight … Continue reading Victorian investment sees manufacturers adopt new business models →

The Queensland government has appointed Julia Herries as the Queensland Trade and Investment Commissioner – Hong Kong. Herries will be the conduit for Queensland businesses seeking to trade with Hong Kong and garner investment from the city-state. Herries will work to strengthen Queensland’s exports of manufactured goods and products to Hong Kong, the total value … Continue reading A new representative for Queensland manufacturers in Hong Kong →

The Australian Industry Group (Ai Group) has backed the Australian Energy Market Commission’s (AEMC) proposed changes to energy rules. In a statement, Ai Group chief executive, Innes Willox, promoted the suggested changes. “Our initial reaction, however, is very positive. Energy users demanded, and the AEMC has responded. There is much work to do before a … Continue reading Industry group backs AEMC changes to demand response rules →

MHE-Demag recently introduced a new maintenance concept to best optimise the service provided to customers whilst maintaining the quality of its products. The concept, named Engineered Service, was introduced during MHE-Demag Australia’s annual service. MHE-Demag’s division manager of service Mark Beckwith launched the concept by explaining it to all in attendance. “Engineered Service avoids the … Continue reading Expertise meets creativity: MHE-Demag presents Engineered Service concept →

On either side of Australia, announcements on July 18 and 19 pointed towards the growth of hydrogen as a potential energy source for local and international consumption. In Western Australia, the WA government launched its Renewable Hydrogen Strategy while opening Canadian energy company ATCO’s Clean Energy Innovation Hub in Jandakot, south of Perth. The Western … Continue reading Hydrogen’s potential as an energy source continues to expand →

A new digital fabrication facility, ProtoLAB, opened this week at Swinburne University of Technology. The lab will house industrial robots for large scale architectural design prototyping. The design of the space is intended to open up the fabrication process to passers-by and allows observation and interest to be garnered by the large windows that open … Continue reading Robotics lab to encourage hands-on Industry 4.0 knowledge →