Manufacturing

Boeing has unveiled a new unmanned electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing (eVTOL) cargo air vehicle (CAV) prototype that will be used to test and evolve Boeing’s autonomy technology for future aerospace vehicles. It is designed to transport a payload up to 500 pounds for possible future cargo and logistics applications. “This flying cargo air vehicle represents another major … Continue reading Boeing’s new unmanned cargo air vehicle prototype →

Students attending Victoria’s 10 Tech Schools will have access to better learning programs thanks to a new partnership with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). The strategic partnership will support the delivery of leading science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education in Victoria through the Tech Schools initiative. According to a Victorian state … Continue reading Vic tech schools to deliver programs with CSIRO →

The Andrews Labor Government is taking action to double the value of Victoria’s annual goods exports to India to almost $1 billion over the next decade. Premier Daniel Andrews unveiled Victoria’s India Strategy: Our Shared Future ahead of his first official visit to India this week. Andrews said, “This blueprint is all about expanding our footprint in … Continue reading Vic gov unveils strategy for trade with India →

Former CSIRO scientist, Dr Nico Adams, has been appointed as the new Director of Swinburne’s  advanced manufacturing facility, the Factory of the Future. Dr Adams has a background in materials and manufacturing informatics, and holds degrees from Oxford University and the University of York. Prior to his appointment at Swinburne, Dr Adams was a senior … Continue reading Former CSIRO scientist to lead Swinburne’s Factory of the Future →

Australian battery company Redflow Limited has successfully started manufacturing core components for its zinc-bromine flow batteries at its new production facility in Thailand. Recently, Redflow began producing electrode inserts made of HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene) plastic on the production line at the factory in the Hemaraj industrial estate, south-east of Bangkok. The electrode inserts – produced … Continue reading Redflow starts manufacturing of first battery components at Thai factory →

Local manufacturer Ellex, a manufacturer and export of medical devices, has officially opened a new, purpose-built machinery facility, corporate headquarters and manufacturing plant at Mawson Lakes. The development has expanded the company’s manufacturing footprint and will increase production of devices to diagnose and treat glaucoma, diabetic eye disease, secondary cataract, age-related macular degeneration and vitreous … Continue reading New Ellex manufacturing facility to boost exports and create jobs →

Swinburne researchers have secured $3.45 million in funding to continue work on a project investigating energy storage alternatives using graphene oxide – the lightest, strongest and most electrically conductive material to be discovered and reportedly, according to the researchers, has the potential to revolutionise manufacturing across all industries. Researchers at the university will receive the … Continue reading Swinburne researchers receive $3.45m gov grant for energy research →

Earlier this week, Toyota Motor Corporation has announced that it will market more than 10 all-electric vehicle (EV) models globally in the early 2020s. It also said that the investment on the battery development will most likely exceed 1.5 trillion yen (A$17.4bn) through 2030. With tightening global regulations on emissions and to counter its market rivals … Continue reading Toyota to ramp up manufacturing of battery EV models by early 2020s →

Three Geelong businesses have been able to transform their operations, buy new equipment, employ extra staff and retain their current workforce thanks to $2.3 million from the Victorian State Government. Minister for Industry Ben Carroll visited Flat Glass Industries Geelong last week, which, with the state government’s Local Industry Fund for Transition (LIFT), has successfully started … Continue reading Jobs and manufacturing in Geelong gets a LIFT →

The Victorian State government is strengthening health and safety regulations to better protect Victorians who work with lead. According to a press release by the state government, Minister for Finance Robin Scott will introduce changes to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017 to ensure Victoria’s safety standards for lead work reflect national best practice. Scott … Continue reading Woking with lead: Vic gov to improve health and safety standards →

Schneider has committed to sourcing 100 per cent renewable electricity and is throwing light on the doubling of its energy productivity. In a press statement, the company mentioned that it strongly believes it cannot go renewable without ensuring optimisation of its energy system first. The newly announced commitments are yet another step-in Schneider Electric’s journey … Continue reading Schneider commits to 100 per cent renewable electricity by 2030 →

Researchers at the University of Wollongong (UOW) have designed and built a customised 3D bioprinter that promises to revolutionise treatment for people with Type 1 Diabetes. According to UOW, this is an Australian first. The printer will be capable of delivering insulin-producing islet cells from a protective bioink into a printed scaffold suitable for transplant. … Continue reading UOW 3D bioprinter offers hope for diabetes treatment →

Australia’s manufacturing industry has the highest energy intensity in the world, according to research by the International Energy Agency (IEA). Data also indicates that the industry in Australia is the only one to demonstrate an increase in energy between 200 and 2014 compared to over major manufacturing countries, including Germany, France, the UK and US. The … Continue reading Australian manufacturing world’s ‘most energy-intensive’ →

Kibaran is set to build its pilot plant for producing battery-grade graphite following outstanding results of feasibility study it conducted on downstream processing of graphite from its Epanko Graphite Project in Tanzania. The study found that production of battery-grade graphite using Kibaran’s proprietary purification technology would be low-cost and environmentally friendly. The feasibility study was … Continue reading Kibaran to construct pilot overseas graphite manufacturing plant →

The Victorian state government is helping local companies impacted by the closure of automotive manufacturing transform the way they do business and open up new opportunities. Minister for Industry and Employment Ben Carroll visited Holden Special Vehicles in Clayton to announce $662,000 worth of assistance to 16 businesses under the Automotive Supply Chain Transition Program. Carroll … Continue reading Vic gov support for auto manufacturing →

The Westpac-Melbourne Institute SME Index (the Index), which examines the economic health of Australian small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), shows business confidence is in slight positive territory heading into the holiday season. The Index rose from 100.7 in Q3 2017 to 101.8 in Q4 2017. The uplift in confidence is being supported by a solid improvement … Continue reading SME sentiments positive heading to the close of 2017 →

Ansell has announced that it has, through its subsidiary Ansell Healthcare Products LLC, reached an agreement to acquire gammaSupplies, a company that specialises in Validated Sterile RABS/Isolator long gloves. Headquartered in Florida, gammaSupplies Sterile long gloves are used in pharmaceutical and biologic manufacturing facilities around the globe. gammaSupplies was founded in 2010 to fill the … Continue reading Ansell to acquire gammaSupplies →

Airbus, Rolls-Royce, and Siemens have formed a partnership which aims at developing a near-term flight demonstrator which will be a significant step forward in hybrid-electric propulsion for commercial aircraft. The E-Fan X hybrid-electric technology demonstrator is anticipated to fly in 2020 following a comprehensive ground test campaign, provisionally on a BAe 146 flying testbed, with … Continue reading Airbus, Rolls-Royce, and Siemens partner to take next step in hybrid-electric propulsion development →

Bosch Australia and Monash University have partnered to support Victoria’s standing as Australia’s premier agriculture state and home of innovation. Minister for Agriculture Jaala Pulford visited the new AgTech Launch Pad facility being established at Bosch Australia’s Clayton headquarters, with one hectare allocated to a smart farm for cutting edge research and development. Pulford said: … Continue reading Bosch, Monash partner to farm smart data →

Last week, Rockwell Automation rejected a third bid offer valued at US$29 billion (A$38 billion) from Emerson Electric. Rockwell said that the proposal, which was unsolicited, did not match the value of the company and the bid did not outweigh the risks for an acquisition to happen. The third bid followed two earlier bids this year Emerson announced … Continue reading No third time charm for Emerson’s $38bn takeover bid of Rockwell Automation →