grants and funding

The new GEMÜ 4242 combi switchbox is suitable for secure and fast applications in most food and other types of process plants. It is small, compact and light, and is ideal for pneumatically operated linear actuators. With its integrated 3/2-way pilot valve made of anodized aluminium or stainless steel, the new combi switchbox 4242 from … Continue reading New switchbox for food processing plants →

Boeing has said that it would cut its B777 production to five a month in August 2017 – a 40 per cent reduction from the current rate of 8.3 a month citing slow sales, according to a Reuters report. To date, Boeing has booked just 468 orders this year, down from 768 last year and … Continue reading Boeing to cut B777 production in 2017 →

NHP has announced a partnership with local IoT experts, Switch Automation, to deliver InfoSyte, an exclusive energy management software solution from NHP tailored for the Australian and New Zealand markets. A powerful cloud hosted energy management platform, InfoSyte has the ability to integrate with energy, water and gas measuring devices along with other facility systems such as building management systems (BMS) and … Continue reading NHP partners with Switch Automation to deliver InfoSyte →

RS Components (RS)  has announced availability of two connectors from Amphenol that are designed to meet the rigorous demands of use in hybrid-electric vehicles (HEVs). Key applications for the new MSD and mini-MSD connectors include high-energy storage systems for the battery Manual Service Disconnect (MSD) used for servicing plug-in HEV (PHEV) systems. The Amphenol MSD … Continue reading Hybrid vehicle servicing connectors now available →

Start planning now to reap the many benefits of connected manufacturing. There’s been a lot of noise over the last two years around the “Internet of Things,” or IoT. However, more recently a subcategory of IoT, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), has been getting a lot of well-deserved attention. This brings together many key … Continue reading The Industrial Internet of Things: Why you need to get up to speed fast →

Chemicals manufactured or imported before January 1 2017 will be allowed to be supplied without having to meet Work Health and Safety Regulations’ labelling requirements, according to Safe Work Australia. Safe Work Australia CEO Michelle Baxter said this was decided in response to concerns raised by chemical suppliers in the lead up to Australia developing … Continue reading Safe Work releases new hazardous labelling regulations →

Most robots achieve grasping and tactile sensing through motorised means, which can be excessively bulky and rigid. A Cornell group has devised a way for a soft robot to feel its surroundings internally, in much the same way humans do. A group led by Robert Shepherd, assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering and principal … Continue reading Engineers develop robot with human-like tactile senses →

Asahi Beverages, comprising some of Australia and New Zealand’s most successful beverage businesses, including Schweppes Australia, Asahi Premium Beverages, Independent Liquor and The Better Drinks Co., has awarded Dematic a contract to build a high bay warehouse storage facility. The warehouse in Heathwood, Queensland, will consist of a satellite storage solution containing six aisles of … Continue reading Dematic wins Asahi warehouse contract →

Australia’s second next-generation warship has been launched in South Australia. The Australian Navy’s latest vessel Brisbane was officially named and launched this morning at Techport, Australia’s premier naval industry hub. Brisbane is the second of three warships built in Adelaide as part of the most complex defence project in Australia’s history – an $8 billion … Continue reading Australia’s second Air Warfare Destroyer launched in Adelaide →

For most forward-looking manufacturing businesses, talent planning is becoming a major focus. Skills gaps continue to grow as a result of an ageing workforce, increasing movement within job markets and the impact of Industry 4.0. Certainly, Ai Group’s own research and policy work supports this conclusion, and it’s echoed by recent market research undertaken by … Continue reading How to build a talent pipeline in the era of Industry 4.0 →

With a precious few exceptions, this year’s annual top 100 manufacturers report from IBISWorld does not make easy reading, as Alan Johnson reports. THE manufacturing industry has always been an extremely competitive industry, and that trend shows no sign of abating in the near future. While not dramatic, the slow decline of Australia’s traditional manufacturing industry looks … Continue reading 2016 Top 100 Manufacturers – Industry’s winners and losers →

According to news.com.au, the makers of so-called “flushable” wipes that cause thousands of dollars of damage to plumbing systems could be facing a class-action lawsuit from disgruntled homeowners. Consumer watchdog ACCC has launched legal action against Kimberly-Clark and Pental, alleging the two companies deceived consumers by marketing wipes as “flushable” and that they would “break up … Continue reading ‘Flushable’ wet wipes manufacturers could be flooded with lawsuits →

Australia’s Defence Industry minister Christopher Pyne has reaffirmed that Australia remains committed to buying the new F-35 Joint Strike Fighter despite US President-elect Donald Trump’s recent comments saying its ‘”cost is out of control’”. SKynews reported that Trump had a go at aircraft maker Lockheed Martin criticising them over Twitter on the program which has … Continue reading RAAF sticking to F-35 despite Trump attack →

ExxonMobil and Bentley Motors today announced a multi-year extension to their global strategic partnership that showcases the performance benefits of advanced synthetic motor oil technology. ExxonMobil and Bentley Motors will also continue their collaboration in motorsports, lubricant sales, marketing and technology. The ExxonMobil and Bentley Motors relationship began in the early 2000s when Mobil 1 … Continue reading ExxonMobil and Bentley Motors extend global partnership →

According to Reuters, Japan’s October core machinery orders rose for the first time in three months to beat expectations- a tentative sign of a pickup in capital expenditure. Core orders, a highly volatile data series regarded as an indicator of capital spending in the coming six to nine months, rose 4.1 per cent in October … Continue reading Japan machinery orders on the up as global manufacturing starts to recover →

ThyssenKrupp, one of the world’s largest steelmakers, has revealed that it was the victim of a ‘massive cyberattack’ earlier this year. The company was targeted by attackers from southeast Asia in what it has described as “organised, highly professional hacker activities”. The hackers were trying to obtain “technological know-how and research results”, according to the … Continue reading Steelmaker loses data during brazen cyberattack →

A new-concept welding facility opened by BOC at its Rocklea site in Brisbane is set to be an exciting new hub for product applications and testing, research and development, and training. The facility will primarily be used to demonstrate the latest in welding, cutting and heating technology and automation and contains the latest generation digital … Continue reading BOC opens new Brisbane tech centre →

Bluetooth 5 has been released (succeeding Bluetooth 4.2), with the upgrade focusing on IoT applications and improved functionality. When compared to the previous version, improvements include eight times the capacity, two times the speed and four times the range. Specifically, Bluetooth 5.0 has increased its data broadcasting capacity by 800 per cent, and doubled its … Continue reading Bluetooth 5 now available for manufacturers →

According to reports, a major naval shipbuilding program in Australia has taken a significant step forward with the appointment of Danish company Odense Maritime Technologies (OMT) to redevelop shipyard facilities in South Australia. The move follows the announcement of French company DCNS as the preferred partner for the design of Australia’s $50 billion Future Submarine … Continue reading Major naval shipbuilding program gains momentum in SA →

A research consortium led by Bosch is developing a novel industrial manufacturing concept. The nine partners on the ReCaM project aim to create a highly versatile manufacturing system. Such systems are needed because production times in modern manufacturing are becoming ever shorter. In addition, demand for customized products is increasing, and the number of variants … Continue reading Bosch & Co retool manufacturing concepts →