Innes Willox

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 →

MTPConnect and the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to work together in undertaking activities to accelerate the growth of advanced manufacturing in the medical technology, biotechnology and pharmaceutical (MTP) sector in Australia. Both MTPConnect and AMGC have been established as part of the Federal Government’s Industry Growth Centres … Continue reading Collaboration set to boost Australia’s advanced manufacturing sector →

Strategic metals company TNG has signed a key Memorandum of Understanding with Sumitomo Electric Industries (SEI) and Energy Made Clean (EMC) to collaborate on the promotion, development and growth of Australia’s Vanadium Redox Flow Battery (VRF) market. Under the MoU, TNG will work together with SEI and EMC to review all of the potential applications … Continue reading Australia’s vanadium redox flow battery market set for growth →

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 →

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 →

“Australia’s performance in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) in the science, reading and mathematics skills of 15 year olds is nothing short of a crisis,” Ai Group Chief Executive, Innes Willox, said in response to the release by ACER of the latest report PISA 2015: A first look at Australia’s results.

Industry minister Greg Hunt met with executives from some of Australia’s major energy companies yesterday to discuss the “looming shortage” of the resource for manufacturers.

The manufacturing sector enjoyed its second straight month of growth – described as a “more convincing expansion” than October – in November’s Australian Industry Group Performance of Manufacturing Index survey.

A new report from Forrester has identified and compared the top 11 IoT software platform providers for this quarter. According to the report, IBM, PTC, GE and Microsoft lead the pack, while  AWS, SAP and Cisco Jasper offer competitive options, and LogMeIn, Ayla Networks, Exosite and Zebra Technologies lag behind. Forrester evaluated vendors based on 25 … Continue reading The top IoT software platforms for 2016 →

ASX-listed Australian hearing implant manufacturer Cochlear has lost a court case in the US over two disputed hearing aid patents. In a ruling delivered last Thursday, the [US] Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled in favour of the Alfred E. Mann Foundation (AMF), confirming that defendants Cochlear infringed on two claims of AMF … Continue reading Cochlear loses US patent appeal →

Boral has entered into a binding agreement to acquire US building products maker Headwaters. The US$2.6 billion deal is subject to shareholder approval and regulatory approval, and is expected to complete in mid-2017. Based in Utah, Headwaters is a leading manufacturer of building products and one of the largest marketers of fly ash in the … Continue reading Boral cements its acquisition of US building products maker →

Geelong, Victoria’s second city, has emerged as an area of great expertise for advanced materials – particularly carbon fibre composites – in recent years. Brent Balinski spoke to Quickstep’s Carl De Koning about the company’s New Technology division, headquartered at Waurn Ponds.

A forensic accountant has alleged that dairy processor Murray Goulburn may have overstated its earnings and even lost money in the last financial year. It was claimed in early November that its treatment of the milk supplier support program in its accounts was wrong. This in turn has led to dairy farmers doubting whether they’ll get repaid, … Continue reading Did Murray Goulburn overstate its earnings? →

Australia’s manufacturing sector has returned to growth by a slim margin, according to the Australian Industry Group’s Performance of Manufacturing Index.

“Ai Group has today launched its new graduate employment service in Canberra which aims to tackle the catch-22 dilemma where graduates can’t find a suitable job without experience and employers can’t find job-ready graduates with experience,” Australian Industry Group Chief Executive, Innes Willox said.

Electricity is a major cost for many manufacturers and a business-critical requirement for all. Price and reliability matter. And right now both seem to be under a cloud. In South Australia, contract prices have been increasing sharply, and short-term spot prices reached extraordinary highs in July.

The lower Australian dollar since 2013 has helped Australian businesses and the rebalancing of the economy, with US 75 cents a “sweet spot”, though more needs to be done to lift competitiveness, according to a new survey by the Australian Industry Group. The Ai Group’s 248-company CEO survey,  Business Responses to the Australian Dollar, found … Continue reading Dollar helping but competitiveness lift needed: report →

Australia’s manufacturing sector has grown for the 13th straight month, the best streak since 2014, strengthening to 56.4 in the Australian Industry Group Performance of Manufacturing Index results.

The result from Saturday’s federal election is still not known, with vote counting to continue tomorrow and neither Coalition or Labor currently having enough seats to govern in their own right.

The Australian manufacturing sector experienced its 12th consecutive month of growth, according to the Australian Industry Group’s Performance of Manufacturing Index for June.