Coalition Government announces $579m support package for Australian dairy farmers A $579 million support package to help Australian dairy farmers affected by Fonterra and Murray Goulburn’s decision to slash prices has been announced by the Coalition Government. Image credit: http://ift.tt/UIP19U The support plan was unveiled by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, Barnaby Joyce, last week. “I was pleased to meet dairy farmers in Victoria last week and the Coalition wants to send a clear message that the Coalition stands shoulder to shoulder with them,” Mr Joyce said. “The Coalition will be making immediately available $55 million in Dairy Recovery Concessional Loans for Murray-Goulburn and Fonterra suppliers this year, as well as access to $500 million in concessional loans over 2016-17 and 2017-18 years. The recovery loans will be for terms of 10 years.” According to the official announcement, the key elements of the support package are: $555 million in Dairy Recovery Concessional Loans $20 million to fast track the upgrade of the Macalister Irrigation District $2 million to establish a commodity milk price index $900,000 for an additional 9 Rural Financial Counsellors in Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and New South Wales $900,000 for Dairy Australia’s ‘Tactics for Tight Times’ programme Fast tracking Farm Household Allowance applications with 18 more Department of Human Services employees processing claims Appointment of a Department of Human Services Dairy Industry Liaison Officer Redirection of two Department of Human Services Mobile Service Centres to dairy regions Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the money would provide much-needed support for affected farmers, most off whom will lose their profits. “The Deputy Prime Minister has said that the index would introduce greater transparency and market signals in domestic and global milk prices. The Coalition will consult with the industry on the design of the index that would provide dairy farmers with valuable information for use in supply negotiations with processors and to assist in following international price trends,” Mr Turnbull said. Australian Manufacturing

Toyota celebrates sale of nine-millionth hybrid car Toyota has sold nine million Toyota and Lexus hybrid vehicles around the world, including more than 85,800 delivered in Australia. Toyota Corolla Hybrid (pre-production vehicle shown)Image credit: Toyota The world’s leading carmaker has announced that its hybrid vehicles have saved their owners “25 billion litres of petrol”, which would be enough fuel for each of these cars to travel around the Earth. The total fuel savings from these nine million hybrids is not the only advantage, as Toyota has also estimated its hybrid vehicles have resulted in nearly 67 million fewer tonnes of CO2 emissions “than would have been emitted by petrol-powered vehicles of similar size and driving performance.” “Toyota’s hybrid vehicles are renowned for their performance, reliability, durability and exceptionally low running costs as well as their contribution to the environment and to saving precious fossil fuels,” said Toyota Australia’s executive director sales and marketing Tony Cramb in a news release. “In Australia, we are looking forward to bringing Toyota’s full hybrid technology to the country’s best-selling car, Corolla – a move that will further broaden the market appeal of both.” Back in February, Toyota announced that it will introduce the Corolla Hybrid in the second half of this year. The Corolla Hybrid will use around one-third less fuel than its traditional, petrol-only counterpart. The new hybrid Corolla will feature satellite navigation, Toyota Link connected mobility, dual-zone automatic air-conditioning and bi-LED headlamps, as well as a Euro 5 compliant 73kW 1.8-litre petrol engine mated to a 60kW electric motor. The Camry is the best-selling hybrid vehicle in Australia, with 37,879 deliveries, while on a global level the Prius is the best-selling hybrid with 3.7 million sales since its debut in Japan in December 1997. Toyota’s hybrids are sold in over 90 markets in the world. Australian Manufacturing

Evolve Group wins prestigious Good Design Australia Award of the Year 2016 Evolve Group is the winner of the coveted 2016 Good Design Award of the Year. Image credit: Evolve Group (http://ift.tt/1Xd1czG) The Brisbane based product design and manufacturing firm conquered hundreds international superstar product submissions from leading companies such as Tesla, Google, Ford, Miele, Nespresso, Pepsi, Braun, Ryobi, to name just a few. The company shared the win with Cedar and Stuart Anderson, the inventors of the Flow Hive, an innovative beehive which was launched last year via crowdfunding. Their invention works by providing the bees with a partially-completed wall of honeycomb cells which they then complete with their own wax. The bees then fill the cells with honey and cap them, after which the beekeeper inserts a tool into the top of each frame and twists – a move that splits each cell in the honeycomb vertically – allowing the honey to flow freely down to a sealed trough at the base of the frame and out of the hive, without disturbing the bees. Image credit: Evolve Group (http://ift.tt/1Xd1czG) Evolve Group was responsible for the design for manufacture and design optimisation of the Flow Hive product as well as the end to end fulfilment of the global orders. Since late 2015, the company has produced over 20 million parts in their new product development facility and has shipped product to nearly 130 different countries in the world. “With many manufacturers struggling to keep their doors open, we have continued to grow and are reshaping the manufacturing industry in Australia. We have such a rich history of innovation in this country, and there are a lot of great products being designed in Australia but the manufacturing is often completed elsewhere, we are providing Australians with the means to produce their products in Australia and reap the rewards of local manufacturing. The key is concentrating on what we can do well and putting focus on great product design and cutting edge manufacturing technology which will keep Australia’s manufacturing future bright,” said Evolve Group’s Managing Director Ty Hermans. According to Mr Hermans, manufacturing products in Australia is cost effective and also contributes to Australian jobs. “It’s very frustrating every time a project is taken offshore before considering getting a local manufacturer to quote on the work,” Mr Hermans said. “We are actually re-shoring jobs that went to China years ago as we demonstrate the many benefits of working with a local supplier that extend far beyond just cheaper part costs.” Australian Manufacturing

Australia’s food and beverage manufacturing industry to gather under one roof at FoodTech Qld 2016 FoodTech Qld 2016, the new and only trade event for the food and beverage manufacturing industry in Queensland, is approaching fast. Supervisor and manager watching plastic bottles on conveyor beltImage provided Scheduled to take place on 26-28 June at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre in Queensland, the event will offer a close up on new technologies and developments that are crucial to the food processing industry. FoodTech has announced a timetable of seminars led by industry experts and covering trending topics and issues pertinent to the food manufacturing industry. Topics include the importance of pH in food management, emerging ingredient trends, the issue of energy efficiency, industry technology developments on infrastructure, and the increasing demand for food traceability across both industry and consumers. Attendees will have an opportunity to get up close and personal with the country’s best food scientists when the 2016 AIFST Convention co-locates with FoodTech Qld. The annual Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology (AISFT) National Convention is the premier food technology conference in Australia for industry, research, and government organisations locally and overseas. In addition to exploring the latest trends innovations, technologies challenges and opportunities, the convention also provides delegates the chance to hear case studies firsthand on subjects ranging from sustainability and waste to food safety, to the government’s commitment to the food sector. Program highlights include: Andre Teixeira from CSIRO discussing Challenging the Innovation Thought Process, Elliot Chapple from Pozible presenting on Driving Digital Innovation Through Crowdsourcing, and Maja Christiansen of Bruker discussing Mass Spec and Confirmation of Microbiological Pathogens. The event will also be showcasing innovative robots for use in the food manufacturing and processing industries – including a Bot called Kuka – which will be showing off its skills, even holding an iPad for visitors to the Wiley stand (Stand D27). HMPS (Stand B27) is also bringing their robot YuMi to the show – the world’s first truly collaborative dual-arm robot. FoodTech will also feature a short film put together by the creative team at Gelita (Stand H34), detailing the amazing world of gel and its incredible usage. Titled You Can See, the movie will inspire visitors even further about the great industries that FoodTech Qld is catering to. Underlining the importance of food safety, food labelling, and increasingly food traceability, FoodTech will provide visitors with access and insight to the crucial tasks of food and microbial testing, cleaning products and methods, and equipment designed to increase safety and decrease problems. “Take control of the health of your business – and of your customers – through access to information including how to avoid the incredibly common problem of listeria, and products designed to make testing for food allergens,” it says in the press release issued by FoodTech 2016. Australian Manufacturing

BAE Systems wins $62m US Navy contracts to maintain two ships in Jacksonville BAE Systems has secured two contracts from the US Navy for the repair and maintenance of two ships based in Jacksonville, Florida. Image credit: www.baesystems.com According to the company, the two contracts have a combined value of $61.7 million and a cumulative value of $68.6 million, provided all options are exercised. “These contracts are important because they help sustain our workforce, allowing us to continue providing vital maintenance and modernisation capabilities to the Navy,” said David Thomas, vice president and general manager of BAE Systems Jacksonville Ship Repair. “Our dedicated team is eager to get to work on these valuable warships. Our familiarity with them will help us to effectively partner with the Navy to get them back in operation for long, continued service to our nation.” BAE said that the first contract award – valued at $32.5 million – is for the docking selected restricted availability of the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Farragut (DDG 99). “The company will drydock the 509.5-foot-long destroyer this summer and will perform structural and tank repairs, propulsion system repairs, ventilation, and auxiliary systems repairs, as well as preservation of crew habitability systems and spaces,” BAE said in a media statement. “This contract includes options that, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value to $33.7 million. The work is expected to be completed by January 2017.” The second Navy contract, for which BAE received $29.2 million, is for the phased maintenance availability of the Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship USS Fort McHenry (LSC 43). “The company will perform maintenance and modernisation work aboard the 610-foot-long amphibious warfare ship at the Mayport Naval Station, starting in July,” reads the statement. “Work aboard the Fort McHenry includes hull, machinery, electrical, electronics, and piping alterations and repairs. The contract includes options that, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value to $34.9 million. The work is expected to be completed by May 2017.” The company’s shipyards in Jacksonville are full-service ship repair operations. On top of naval maintenance and modernisation work, BAE System’s Heckscher Drive shipyard team is also contracted to provide repair services to several private yacht and workboat owners, while also nearing completion of a 141-foot-long articulated tug barge under construction at the yard. Australian Manufacturing

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop tours Phebra’s manufacturing plant at Lane Cove West Australian-based specialty pharmaceutical company Phebra has thanked Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Federal Member for North Sydney Trent Zimmerman for their visit to the company’s manufacturing plant at Lane Cove West. Left to right: Lane Cove Mayor Deborah Hutchens, Federal Member for North Sydney Trent Zimmerman, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Phebra CEO Dr Mal Eutick.Image provided Phebra CEO, Dr Mal Eutick said the visit provided the company with an opportunity to brief the Minister on its practices for the manufacture of a wide range of critical medicines for the domestic market and how it opened–up new export pipelines around the world. “As an Australian-owned company, Phebra takes a keen interest in the Government’s trade agenda and what it means for our capacity to tap into export markets while still preserving our intellectual property,” Dr Eutick said. “Australia has a lot of potential in the sciences and advanced manufactured and I am pleased to see the Government is committed to addressing the need for developing a skilled workforce to meet these new challenges.” After inspecting the plant, Minister Bishop remarked that Phebra was at the forefront of Australia’s efforts to establish itself as a global leader in the medicines industry. “In the area of pharmaceuticals and medicines, this company (Phebra) is leading the way, and we should be so very proud of it, so that’s what we are seeking to do as a Coalition, grow the economy, particularly in some of these niche and specialist areas, and create more high quality jobs for the Australian people.” Dr Eutick also thanked Mr Zimmerman for arranging the Minister’s visit in Phebra and Lane Cove Mayor, Cir. Deborah Hutchens who also took part in the official tour. Australian Manufacturing

Remote mining town in SA to draw power from hybrid solar and wind systems Energy Developments Limited (EDL) has engaged Hydro Tasmania to deploy its world leading technology in Coober Pedy, SA, to help transform the remote town into a renewable energy township. Image credit: arena.gov.au The Coober Pedy Renewable Diesel Hybrid project involves a hybrid combination of 1MW solar, 4MW wind generation, a 1MW, 0.5MWh battery storage and inverter system as well as a range of additional proven technologies, integrated with EDL’s existing 3.9MW diesel power station in Coober Pedy. The project has been made possible by $18.4 million Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) funding support to EDL. Once Hydro Tasmania’s technology has been deployed, the opal mining town of about 3500 people will draw an average 70% of its energy from solar and wind, and full 100% when weather conditions allow it. Hydro Tasmania’s technologies earmarked for use on the Coober Pedy project were developed for the ARENA-supported King Island Renewable Energy Integration Project, which has reduced the Bass Strait Island’s annual diesel consumption by 60 per cent on average. ARENA CEO Ivor Frischknecht said the Coober Pedy project was a prime example of Australia’s world-leading expertise in devising renewable micro-grid solutions with strong commercial potential. “This is a next-generation off-grid project that’s taking advantage of advanced renewable and enabling technologies being deployed and trialled by Hydro Tasmania across three different projects with $16.3 million total ARENA funding support,” Mr Frischknecht said. “Combining wind, solar, battery storage and smart control systems could provide a blueprint for off-grid communities to access cleaner and cheaper power and achieve energy independence by greatly reducing their reliance on trucked-in diesel. We’re committed to working with Hydro Tasmania to share the learning from its projects, maximising the benefits from ARENA funding and accelerating the rollout of renewable energy in remote Australia.” Under the contract between the two parties, Hydro Tasmania will supply EDL with its proprietary enabling technology, comprised of control, load management and storage systems. Australian Manufacturing

Galaxy Resources and General Mining set to merge Galaxy Resources and General Mining have agreed to merge under a $700-plus million agreement announced on Monday. Image credit: Galaxy Resources website The merger will create a leading diversified global lithium company that will aim to capitalise on the surging demand for the commodity on the market. The agreement values General Mining at approximately $216 million and will see Galaxy acquire all of the issued share of General Mining that it does not already own in a share based transaction by way of an off-market takeover offer. “Under the offer, General Mining shareholders will receive 1.65 new Galaxy shares or every 1 General Mining share held, which represents a 9.4% premium to the 10-day volume weighted average price (VWAP) and 13.5% premium to the 20-day VWAP,” reads the joint statement to the ASX. The two companies are joint venture partners in the Mt Cattlin lithium mine in Western Australia’s southwest. The joint venture was created in 2015, enabling the re-commissioning of production at the mine earlier this year. Since then, the JV partners inked an offtake agreement for 60,000 tonnes of lithium concentrate with two China-based buyers, and additional sales and distribution agreement with Mitsubishi Corporation for spodumene concentrate produced from the mine. Commenting on the proposed merger, Galaxy Chairman, Mr Martin Rowley said: “The arrangement struck between Galaxy and General Mining has enabled the re-commissioning of the Mt Cattlin mine, drawing on General Mining’s financial and technical resources, with Mt Cattlin now poised to deliver first production of spodumene to contracted buyers in the third quarter of calendar 2016,” Mr Rowley said. General Mining Chairman, Mr Michael Fotios said the two companies were an “excellent and natural fit”, given their existing joint venture-owned assets and complementary project development. “Both companies have successful track records of creating substantial value for shareholders and, together, we will retain this focus. Our ability to capture future growth opportunities in the rapidly evolving lithium market will be significantly enhanced by this merger,” Mr Fotios concluded. Australian Manufacturing

Boeing Aerostructures Australia celebrates 500th shipment of advanced manufacturing parts for Dreamliner 787 Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has visited Boeing’s Everett factory in the United States to mark the 500th shipment of critical Dreamliner parts manufactured at Boeing’s Fisherman’s Bend plant in Victoria. Image credit: www.boeing.com.au Boeing’s Everett plant in Seattle is the largest manufacturing building in the world – and shipments of high-end Victorian aircraft components arrive there and at Boeing South Carolina. The company’s Victorian plant is the sole supplier of moveable trailing edges for the 787 Dreamliner – the most technically advanced commercial aircraft in the world. During his visit at the Everett plant, the Premier met Boeing Fabrication Vice President and General Manager Jenette Ramos and the pair discussed Boeing’s partnerships with fifty Victorian suppliers to ramp up production for the Dreamliner program, including local high-tech firms Marand and H&H. “Without the 1200 highly skilled Victorian BAA workers and the many hundreds more across the supply chain, the 787 Dreamliner simply wouldn’t get off the ground,” the Minister said. “It’s been an incredible opportunity to see Victoria‘s world class workmanship on display at Everett, the advanced manufacturing capabilities we offer to aviation is truly unique and it’s important our relationship with Boeing remains strong.” Maureen Daugherty, President of Boeing Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific, said the Fishermans Bend plant is the only Boeing site in the world to apply the unique “resin infusion” system, a carbon fibre production technology that was developed in Victoria to provide significant weight and efficiency savings for the aircraft. “Boeing Aerostructures Australia is a world-class manufacturing facility located in the heart of Victoria and we’re proud of the high-tech ecosystem we’ve developed here,” Ms Daugherty said. “Out of more than 3,000 Boeing employees in Australia, approximately 1,200 of them are engaged in advanced manufacturing and research and development at Fishermans Bend, with a strong local supply chain helping us meet our critical production milestones.” Australian Manufacturing

Metro Tasmania to seek EOI from major bus manufacturers to build 100 new buses Rene Hidding, Tasmania’s Minister for Infrastructure, has announced that Metro Tasmania will be seeking Expressions of Interest (EOI) this July from major bus manufacturers to build the fleet of 100 new buses. Image credit Metro Tasmania Facebook page (http://ift.tt/24fkxij) The new fleet is set to replace Tasmania’s ageing fleet of buses and the project has been dubbed “the single biggest investment in public transport in Tasmania’s history”. “This process will see bus manufacturers engaging with Tasmania’s advanced manufacturing industry with the view to having them built in Tasmania, which will provide jobs for Tasmanians while delivering on our commitment to replace the ageing fleet,” the Minister said. “This represents the single biggest investment in public transport in Tasmania’s history and highlights our commitment to providing a sustainable public transport system for Tasmanians both now and in the future.” Valued at $18 million and fully funded in the budget, the Metro Bus Initiative will see the delivery of 100 new buses to the Metro fleet over four years. This will be a great opportunity to absorb the shock wave caused by Caterpillar’s decision to cease heavy equipment manufacturing in Burnie. Australian Manufacturing

GE Oil & Gas’ new futuristic manufacturing plant in Italy will use robots and 3D printing GE Oil & Gas has invested 10 million euros in its manufacturing plant in Talamona, Italy, where the company has inaugurated its first completely automated nozzle production line and has added a new additive manufacturing line that will use laser technology to 3D print burners for gas turbine combustion chambers. Image credit: http://ift.tt/24flas8 According to the company’s press release, the plant has now been boosted with anthropomorphic robots that are capable of employing 10 different technologies, including electrical discharge machining, measurement, and laser beam welding. With this new technology, GE Oil & Gas will manufacture components that it previously procured from third-party suppliers. “The use of automated production and new techniques like additive manufacturing allow us to develop parts and products more efficiently, precisely and cost-effectively, accelerating the speed at which we can bring product to market. Our investment in these technologies at this site reflects our ongoing commitment to combine cutting edge technology and new manufacturing processes to lower cost and accelerate the innovation, speed and performance of industrial products,” said Davide Marrani, General Manager Manufacturing for business Turbomachinery Solutions at GE Oil & Gas. “Our commitment to ongoing research and innovation is key to meet our clients’ ever-changing needs.” GE has been relying on 3D printing for quite some time now, so any new investment in additive manufacturing comes as no surprise. In 2013, the company opened an additive laboratory in Florence, Italy where it installed its first Direct Metal Laser Melting (DMLM) machine. “The opportunities for the application of additive manufacturing and 3D printing in the oil and gas industry are only just starting to be explored, and it will require an ongoing rethink of component design and production approach,” said Massimiliano Cecconi, GE Oil & Gas Materials & Manufacturing Technologies Executive. “GE Oil & Gas is fostering the development of this technology to produce complex components for gas turbines, while cutting costs, boosting performance and reducing emissions.” The two new state-of-the-art production lines will become fully operational by the start of 2017, GE said. Australian Manufacturing

Rittal boosts automation in enclosure manufacture with new business unit Rittal, the largest enclosure manufacturer in the world and a leader in climate control technology, has created a new business unit – Rittal Automation Systems – that is set to take over responsibility over the product range provided by its sister company Kiesling. Provided image The new business unit will also be in charge of expanding the product line. As far as Rittal’s Automation Systems portfolio is concerned, the company offers a myriad of products, from manual tools and material handling systems to fully automated machining centres, terminal configuration/labelling machines and fully automated panel wiring systems. In a media release to Australian Manufacturing, Michael Mallia, Rittal’s Managing Director for ANZ said that Rittal Automation Systems offers a variety of automation solutions to accelerate individual manufacturing tasks. “Panel building and switchgear manufacturers are looking for ways to improve productivity. And they find them in our portfolio. For example, they can leverage the latest machining technology to increase automation in their value-creation processes,” said Mr Mallia. Provided image “By incorporating Kiesling into Rittal Automation Systems, we now provide the machining and handling technology needed for time – and cost-efficient production – not only for our own systems, but for switchgear and control systems as well. And all from a single source.” Rittal services service a wide range of industries including: LV Electrical Switchboards Food & Beverage Processing Plants Industrial Process Control Systems Mining, Oil & Gas Exploration & Processing Machine Tool & Equipment Manufacturing Computer Processing Equipment Data Centres Outdoor Signalling & Communication Systems Manufacturing Automation Systems For more detailed information, please visit the company’s website at www.rittal.com.au and http://ift.tt/1P9AVPN Australian Manufacturing

MyLEDLightingGuide unveils new high lumen LED High Bay with uplight option MyLEDLightingGuide has announced the addition of a new high powered high efficiency LED High Bay to its product line. Image credit: http://ift.tt/1FJFnQt At 142 lumens/watt, the 300W high bay is DLC Premium Listed, which makes it eligible for the highest rebate available. In addition, it is IP65 rated, produces 42,600 lumens and is backed with a 5-year warranty. According to the press release on the PR Web, smart controls such as motion sensors can easily be added. An option to add up-light is also available, redirecting 7% of the light upwards towards the ceiling. “These units are heavy duty, Massive heat sinks and great robust design ensure years of trouble free use. Further, the response to these high bays has been overwhelming. Customers love them,” said Neil Peterson, VP of Sales at MyLEDLightingGuide.com. “Guiding consumers towards more energy efficient, high in quality products, is our main goal, and we are achieving that by providing consumer a superior product when it comes to LED lighting solutions. We really just want to save some serious energy, all while creating a quicker ROI for our consumers.” Australian Manufacturing

Ergon Energy offers PPA to Mount Emerald Wind Farm Ergon Energy has offered a power purchase agreement (PPA) to Mount Emerald Wind Farm, a joint venture between Ratch Australia and Port Bajool. Image credit: Ergon Energy Retail Facebook page In September 2015, Ergon Energy released an Expression of Interest for renewable energy project developments, inviting developers to put forward their projects for consideration. The power retailer sought to purchase 150 megawatts in renewable energy generation from projects across regional Queensland. The call attracted interest from 22 different proponents, who submitted 51 proposals for projects with a total generation capacity of more than 2000 megawatts. Mount Emerald Wind farm was one of the seven projects lined up for consideration. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk welcomed the PPA offer extended to the project, saying it would help the state government fulfil its election commitment to hit the 50% renewable energy target by 2030. “Under this Government’s commitment to renewable energy, the government-owned Ergon Energy undertook an expression of interest for up to 150MW of renewable energy last year,” the Premier said. “This EOI sought new renewable energy projects that could help Ergon discharge its obligations under the national Renewable Energy Target in Queensland. The opportunity was to support new renewable energy projects in Queensland that can generate renewable energy as well as jobs locally.” Minister for Energy, Biofuels and Water Supply Mark Bailey said the offer of a PPA to Mount Emerald Wind Farm would secure 170MW of renewable energy for Queensland – 20MW more than the EOI had sought. “The project would mean wind energy in Queensland would increase by 15 times, with only 12MW of installed wind energy in our State. To put this project into further perspective, the electricity it could generate could power a city of the size of Mackay,” he said. Australian Manufacturing

ABB says Azipod propulsion system saved 700,000 tonnes of fuel to date ABB announced that its installed Azipod fleet has delivered fuel savings of approximately 700,000 tonnes since its launch, which corresponds to the annual fuel consumption of 700,000 family cars. Image credit: www.abb.com Introduced 25 years ago, Azipod® propulsion is a gearless steerable marine propulsion system where the electric drive motor is in a submerged pod outside the ship hull. The system improves vessel safety, energy efficiency, manoeuvrability and performance, reducing fuel consumption by up to 20% and achieving decimetre accurate manoeuvrability without the aid of tugboats. The system is installed on an extremely wide range of vessels, including the world’s largest cruise ship (6,600 passengers), the most advanced icebreaker, one of the largest crane vessels in Asia, a 105-meter luxury superyacht, and most recently, an innovative cargo transfer vessel. Juha Koskela, the managing director of ABB’s Marine and Ports business said the entire installed Azipod propulsion unit base has accumulated 12 million operating hours in merchant, offshore and special vessel segments. “Our engineers continue to innovate, like they did 25 years ago, to ensure Azipod propulsion meets the demands from a diverse range of ship owners,” Mr Koskela said. “Much has changed in the shipping sector since we introduced the first Azipod but the desire for efficiency, manoeuvrability and reliability remains the same. The fact that Azipod propulsion remains the dominant force in podded electric propulsion shows our commitment to meet our customer’s needs.” Australian Manufacturing

Fonterra announces forecast farmgate milk prices for next season Fonterra has announced an opening forecast farmgate milk price of $4.25 per kilogram of milk solids for the 2016/17 season, which represents an increase of 35 cents on the forecast for the current season. Image credit: fonterra.com The Co-operative – which is required under the Dairy Industry Restructuring Act to announce its forecast milk price at the beginning of each season – said its forecast took into account a range of factors including the high NZD/USD exchange rate, supply volumes from other major dairying regions, current global inventory levels and the economic outlook of major dairy importers. Chairman John Wilson said the strength of the Co-operative’s balance sheet allowed them to increase the advance rate in the first half of the new season. He also announced that the company would be bringing forward payments for this season’s milk, providing “some assistance” with on-farm cashflows. “We are doing this while remaining within our policies and maintaining our financial discipline. The New Zealand dollar is relatively high and is currently impacting milk prices and our forecasts,” Mr Wilson added. “We are expecting global dairy pricing to gradually improve over the season as farmers globally reduce production in response to ongoing low milk prices, however we continue to urge caution with on-farm budgets.” Chief executive Theo Spierings said the global demand for dairy is expected to increase “by two to three per cent a year”, mainly due to the growing world population and the increasing middle classes in Asia. “In addition to global supply growth slowing, we are seeing imports into major dairy markets improving compared to a year ago. China dairy consumption growth remains positive and its demand for imports has been steady over recent GlobalDairyTrade events,” Mr Spierings said. “We expect these drivers to result in the globally traded market rebalancing.” Australian Manufacturing

NUS scientists develop innovative method to 3D-print customised tablet that envelopes multiple medications A team of researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) have discovered a cheap and easy way to “print” customised tablets for personalised medicine. Image credit: news.nus.edu.sg Designed by Assistant Professor Soh Siow Ling and PhD student Ms Sun Yajuan from the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the NUS Faculty of Engineering, the new method of tablet fabrication could allow doctors to combine multiple medications into a single tablet which releases the different drugs at the required rate and time during the day. “For a long time, personalised tablets has been a mere concept as it was far too complex or expensive to be realised,” said Assistant Professor Soh. “This new tablet fabrication method is a game changer – it is technically simple, relatively inexpensive and versatile. It can be applied at individualised settings where physicians could produce customised pills on the spot for patients, or in mass production settings by pharmaceutical companies.” The drug tablet designed by Assistant Professor Soh and Ms Sun consists of three distinct components, including a polymer containing the drug in a specifically designed shape that will determine the rate of release of the drug. “For instance, a 5-prong shape will allow the drug to be released in five pulses over time. By adjusting the shape of the drug-containing polymer, it is thus possible to release drugs at any desired rate,” Asst Prof Soh said. He said the new tablet fabrication method would allow doctors to simply draw the desired release profile in a computer software to generate a template for making tablets specific to a patient’s treatment. The template would then be used to easily produce the desired pills using a 3D printer. “The system is easy to use and does not involve any complex mathematical computation whenever a new release profile is needed. The fully customisable system is able to create a template to print tablets for any release profile,” he added. The NUS team is currently exploring commercialisation possibilities for their novel method. Australian Manufacturing

Microsoft to exit smartphone manufacturing business Microsoft announced it will shed 1,850 jobs as part of its plan to “streamline” the smartphone hardware business, a move which was widely interpreted as the end of the company’s smartphone manufacturing adventure. Image credit: www.microsoft.com The tech giant said the move – which will result in the reduction of up to 1,350 jobs at Microsoft mobile Oy in Finland, as well as up to 500 additional jobs globally – will see the company record an impairment and restructuring charge of approximately $950 million, of which approximately $200 million will relate to severance payments. According to the company, employees working for Microsoft Oy, a separate Microsoft sales subsidiary based in Espoo, are “not in the scope for the planned reductions”. “We are focusing our phone efforts where we have differentiation — with enterprises that value security, manageability and our Continuum capability, and consumers who value the same,” said Satya Nadella, chief executive officer of Microsoft. “We will continue to innovate across devices and on our cloud services across all mobile platforms.” The cuts are expected to be substantially complete by the end of the calendar year and fully completed by July 2017, the end of the company’s next fiscal year. Australian Manufacturing

Freedom Foods inks strategic partnership with leading Chinese distributor Freedom Foods Group Limited has announced a strategic partnership agreement with Pinlive Foods, one of China’s most respected and leading imported food and beverage brand distributors. Image credit: www.ffgl.com.au The two companies established their initial collaboration in 2015 for the sourcing and manufacture of high quality Premium Weidendorf UHT milk (Australian version). “The product launched successfully during the Double 11 promotional period on Tmall.com and continues to grow sales across key general trade e-commerce platforms in China,” Freedom Foods said in a media statement. “Pinlive has recognised Australia as an important source of high quality dairy and cereal products. The reducing tariffs on imported products under the China Australia Free Trade Agreement will increase Australia’s competiveness against other markets. Dairy and cereal products into China will have tariffs reducing to zero over periods of between 3 and 7 years.” Freedom Foods said the partnership agreement will expand the range of Pinlive branded food products sourced directly from an Australian manufacture. “This will include dairy and cereal products with the first of these additional products to launch in China in the 2nd half of the calendar year 2016,” reads the statement. “The agreement with Pinlive is further recognition by leading Chinese food and beverage groups of Freedom Foods’ unique sourcing, manufacturing and innovation capabilities in its expanding dairy, non-dairy and cereal and snack operations.” Australian Manufacturing

ACCC to appeal $1.7m fine imposed on Reckitt Benckiser for misleading Nurofen claims The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) will appeal a $1.7 million fine issued to Reckitt Benckiser, the maker of Nurofen, for making potentially misleading representations on its product packaging. Image credit: ACCC Twitter page Late last year the Federal Court charged the company for engaging in “misleading or deceptive conduct” by claiming that its “Nurofen Specific Pain” products were each formulated to specifically treat a particular type of pain, when this was not the case. In reality, it was proven that each product from the “Nurofen Specific Pain” range contains the same active ingredient – ibuprofen lysine 342mg – which treats a wide variety of pain conditions and is no more effective at treating the type of pain described on its packaging than any of the other Nurofen Specific Pain products. On 29 April 2016, the Federal Court ordered Reckitt Benckiser to pay penalties totalling $1.7 million. However, the ACCC said it will lodge a Notice of Appeal against the court’s decision, arguing that the issued fine does not correspond with the severity of the violation and would not deter the company from attempting to deceive consumers in the future. The consumer watchdog will demand that a “penalty of at least $6 million” be imposed on Reckitt Benckiser to send a strong deterrence message, given the longstanding and widespread nature of the conduct, and the substantial sales and profit that was made by selling the product. “The ACCC will submit to the Full Court of the Federal Court that $1.7 million in penalties imposed on a company the size of Reckitt Benckiser does not act as an adequate deterrent and might be viewed as simply a cost of doing business,” ACCC Chairman Rod Sims said. “This is particularly the case when the judge found that Reckitt Benckiser had made many millions in profits from sales of 5.9 million units of these products at around 8,500 outlets during the relevant period.” Australian Manufacturing

Scottish scientists plan to 3D-print brain tumours in quest for effective drug treatments A team of scientists from the Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh intends to 3D-print tumour-like constructs to gain better understanding of the biology of malignant brain tumours that are responsible for the loss of approximately 5,000 lives each year in the UK. Image credit: http://ift.tt/yftkXjby jk1991 To that end, Dr Nicholas Leslie – a tumour biologist at the University’s Institute of Biological Chemistry, Biophysics and Bioengineering – began working with Dr Will Shu – a renowned 3D printing expert – to carry out the pioneering work which has just been funded by The Brain Tumour Charity. The research team has already developed several types of “brain tumour in a laboratory” in order to study their behaviour and to test drugs to treat them, including taking brain tumour stem cells from patients. However, it soon became apparent that tumours grown in the lab behave very differently from the way they do in reality. Because of this, Heriot-Watt team decided to 3D-print brain tumour (glioma) stem cells and other types of cells isolated from patients’ brain tumours. The team is hopeful that by recreating tumour-like constructs they will get much closer results to human tumours and reduce the current dependence on animal testing. “We have developed a novel 3D printing technique to print brain tumour cells for the first time, cells that continue to grow rapidly, more closely mimicking the growth of these aggressive tumours in real life,” Mr Leslie said. “Our goal is that this should provide a new way of testing drugs to treat brain tumours, leading to new treatments and speeding up the process by which new drugs become available to patients.” Australian Manufacturing

XLam to build cutting edge CLT plant in Australia XLam is investing $25 in a new state-of-the art Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) manufacturing plant that will be built in the Albury Wodonga region in Australia. Image credit: www.xlam.co.nz The 12,600m2 high-tech sustainable timber facility – the first of its kind of Australia – will produce 60,000m3 of CLT each year, which is enough to construct the equivalent of one Forte Melbourne – Australia’s greenest apartment building – every week. CLT is a high tech alternative to concrete, made with sustainable plantation timber. It is manufactured in a range of thicknesses to suit floors, internal and external walls and roofs, and may be utilised as individual components or as a complete structural system encompassing all of these. XLam CEO Gary Caulfield said the company will invest $10 million in the factory and $15 million in equipment. According to him, the investment will create 30 direct and 24 indirect jobs. “For the first time Australian builders will be able to choose a CLT product that is designed and made in Australia from Australian timber, meeting a significant demand in the current market,” Mr Caulfield said. “It’ll also mean the jobs and proceeds stay in Australia, rather than going back to Europe. By building this facility in Albury Wodonga we’ll be in easy reach of Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra via the road and rail networks, and from there Australia wide. We’re eager to work with the Albury Wodonga communities to build an incredible facility, and become an asset to the region.” The plant is expected to be operational in mid-2017. Australian Manufacturing

Struggling South Australian steelmaker to be sold in July KordiaMentha, the administrators of struggling steelmaker Arrium, have announced that the company will be put up for sale in July this year. Image credit: www.arrium.com Since taking over administration of the company on 12 April, KordiaMentha have managed to stabilise the business and have now turned their attention to “future recapitalisation/sale of the Arrium Group”, which comprises of the steelworks, port and mining operation at Whyalla; its Moly-Cop business; and its OneSteel Manufacturing & Distribution segment. “The recapitalisation/sale will be conducted by way of a structured and co-ordinated process, in accordance with the Corporations Act, so as to achieve the optimal outcome for all stakeholders,” KordiaMentha said in a statement. “The Arrium Group of companies are expected to attract genuine interest from numerous credible local and international parties, many of whom have already contacted KordiaMentha to register their interest. A global investment bank will be appointed shortly to advise on the sale of Moly-Cop.” The advisory firm said it is preparing the necessary materials that interested parties will require to conduct due diligence. “These include an information memorandum, audited FY16 financial statements, FY17 budgets and comprehensive data room with relevant up-to-date information, which will be made available to qualifying interested parties,” reads the statement. “It is anticipated that the recapitalisation/sale process will commence in late July 2016 and be largely completed by the end of 2016.” Australian Manufacturing

Rio Tinto announces senior management changes. Rio Tinto has announced the appointment of Stephen McIntosh as the acting Group executive, Technology & Innovation. Mr Stephen McIntosh Image credit: www.riotinto.com Mr McIntosh – who has been with Rio into for three decades – will replace outgoing executive Greg Lilleyman, who will leave the company after 25 years of service. During his time with the company, Mr McIntosh has worked on projects in more than 45 countries spanning the A-Z of minerals and metals. Most recently, he was head of Exploration, leading a 450-strong global team of employees operating in 20 countries. Prior to this, he led Rio Tinto’s Project Generation Group for six years and transformed its activities to build a world-leading team of commodity, technical and ore body knowledge experts. Commenting on the new appointment, Rio Tinto chief executive Sam Walsh said Mr McIntosh will join the company’s Executive Committee with immediate effect and retain the Exploration portfolio. “Stephen is a highly respected member of Rio Tinto’s senior leadership ranks and brings to his new role a breadth of experience across multiple commodities and geographies,” he added. “For a long time now, our T&I function has provided a point of strategic differentiation for Rio Tinto and Stephen will spearhead the Group’s drive for further productivity improvement across the business.” Mr Walsh also thanked Mr Lilleyman for his years of dedication and service, highlighting his immense contribution to the development of the company’s world-class Pilbara operations. “Greg has had a long career with Rio Tinto and played an important role in the development of our industry leading Mine of the Future™ programme in our Pilbara iron ore operations and has led our productivity drive. We wish him well for the future,” Mr Walsh concluded. Australian Manufacturing

Industry-Academia collaboration delivers innovative medical device to battle disease linked to deep vein thrombosis South Australian industry and Flinders University researchers joined forces to develop a new medical device aimed at saving people from a disease linked to deep vein thrombosis. Image credit: Flinders University YouTube channel Developed by Arkwright Technologies with support from the State Government’s Medical Device Partnering Program (MDPP) at Flinders University, the device will enable precise pressure to be applied to the lower legs of patients during surgery to promote circulation and lymphatic drainage and protect against deep vein thrombosis. South Australian Minister for Health Industries Jack Snelling said the new innovation will aim to save people from a condition known as pulmonary embolism – the fifth leading cause of death in Australia – which is caused by blood clots that travel to the lungs from legs, or deep vein thrombosis. “It is rewarding to see South Australian engineers working with industry on inventions that can bring real benefit to the community and create more jobs. There is huge opportunity in South Australia to leverage the knowledge from universities to build local industry capability and provide better healthcare for our State,” the Minister said. “Flinders University is leading the way with this collaborative program which offers not only R&D assistance to take products further along the development pathway, but provide opportunities for consultation with end-users and clinicians to ensure products that are developed provide real solutions for real health care problems.” Arkwright Technologies Managing Director John Arkwright the State Government’s support was pivotal to the development of the device. “Through support from the program, we have been introduced to a local surgeon who has offered to trial our device,” he added. “These kinds of connections are critical, but are often difficult to make without assistance from programs such as these.” The State Government’s Medical Technologies Program – delivered through the MDPP at Flinders University – supports early stage development of new commercially viable, high-tech medical devices through collaboration between industry, researchers, end-users and government. Pharmaceutical manufacturer, The Green Dispensary, is another participant to receive support through the Medical Technologies Program. The company’s nasal delivery device will allow a quick and safe delivery of pain relief and other medications in ambulatory, pre-hospital and emergency market, as well as in the home setting. “What we hope to achieve is a device that can deliver different strengths of nasal drug medications, removing existing requirement of using needles and syringes,” said Green Dispensary CEO Antony Condina. “If successful, this new product will generate 17 more jobs locally, as well as numerous other jobs throughout the supply chain. The support we are receiving from the MTP is very valuable. It will help to improve the device’s current design so it is cheaper to manufacture in South Australia and more effective and easy-to-use by clinicians and patients. This is important for ensuring commercial success of the product.” Australian Manufacturing

Tomcar introduces Australia’s first production electric car Australian automotive company Tomcar has teamed up with innovative electric vehicle technology developer Energetique to develop the country’s first production electric car, the Tomcar LV1. Image credit: www.tomcar.com.au Designed and built in Australia, the prototype Tomcar LV1 has already undergone two years of intense development, with trials of its electric powertrain currently underway in the harshest environments throughout Australia. According to the company, the vehicle is designed principally for the mining industry and is capable of operating reliably in some the most challenging environments for sustained periods, with little or no maintenance. Tomcar Australia’s co-founder and CEO, David Brim, pointed out that over 60% of the car’s components were Australian made. He said the vehicle’s zero emissions and ultra low running costs represented huge safety and environmental savings for the industry. “We have been working with Energetique on this project for over a year, keeping it secret while creating the world’s toughest EV to be built right here in Australia,” Mr Brim said. “The entire vehicle is being developed here, including the unique proprietary software and the powertrain system design. This vehicle is a game changer for the Australian automotive manufacturing industry, an industry that has a bright future thanks to Tomcar.” According to him, full scale production of the zero emissions Tomcar LV1 will commence in November 2016 at the Tomcar facility in Melbourne, with customer deliveries commencing February 2017. Australian Manufacturing

Airbus unveils world’s first 3D-printed motorcycle Airbus subsidiary APWorks has announced the creation of the world’s first 3D-printed electric motorcycle. Image credit: http://ift.tt/1XF1Nck Aptly named “Light Rider”, the motorcycle weighs just 35 kg, which makes it the world’s lightest motorcycle. Silent, emission-free and powerful, the Light Rider is powered by a 6 kW electric motor, accelerating the motorcycle with up to 130 Nm torques. Its frame is built out of aerospace grade aluminium called Scalmalloy, which offers the specific strength of titanium and is strong enough to handle the weight loads and stresses of everyday driving. The use of this light weight material also allowed designers to manufacture hollow frame parts which enabled them the hide most of the cables and other parts that are typically visible on regular motorcycles. “With the Light Rider we at APWorks demonstrate our vision of future urban mobility”, said engineer Stefanus Stahl. “We have used our know how of optimisation and manufacturing, to create means of transportation, that match our expectations: exceptionally strong, impressivly lightweight and of the highest quality,” said APWorks’s Niels Grafe. The company is taking orders for a limited number of 50 motorcycles, costing 50,000 Euros each. Australian Manufacturing

Austal delivers first high speed support vessel to the Royal Navy of Oman Austal Limited announced that the 72m High Speed Support Vessel (HSSV) – the RNOV Al Mubshir – has been delivered to the Royal Navy of Oman on time on and within budget. The 72m High Speed Support Vessel (HSSV) Rnov Al MubshirImage credit: www.austal.com The RNOV Al Mubshir is the first of two 72 metre HSSVs to be delivered to the Royal Navy of Oman under a US$124.9 million design, construct and integrated logistics support contract. The second HSSV is scheduled for delivery to the Royal Navy of Oman later this year. The HSSV is used to support naval operations, including helicopter operations, rapid deployment of military personnel and cargo, and search and rescue operations. Austal Chief Executive Officer David Singleton said the timely delivery of RNOV Al Mubshir demonstrated Austal’s international competitiveness and its capability to design, construct and export high-value defence vessels to new markets from its Australia shipyard. “The HSSV leverages our revolutionary intellectual property and technology in high speed vessels and demonstrate our proven ability as a prime defence contractor to navies across the globe,” Mr Singleton said. “Construction of the second HSSV is progressing well and on track for delivery to the Royal Navy of Oman later this year. Meanwhile, the Henderson shipyard is also busy with construction of two further Cape Class Patrol Vessels valued at $63 million, which will be deployed by the Royal Australian Navy, as well as design work for the recently awarded $305 million Pacific Patrol Boats Replacement Project. Australian Manufacturing

Wyss Institute partners with ReWalk Robotics to develop assistive exosuits for people with lower limb disabilities The Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University has teamed up with ReWalk Robotics Ltd to fast-track the development of the Institute’s lightweight, wearable soft exosuit technologies for assisting people with lower limb disabilities. Image credit: Wyss Institute at Harvard University Conor Walsh, Ph.D. – who is a Core Faculty Member at the Wyss Institute – said the agreement with ReWalk will accelerate the design of assistive exosuits that could help patients suffering from stroke and multiple sclerosis (MS) to regain mobility. “This is a very exciting day for the soft exosuit technology. ReWalk brings commercialisation expertise and experience in the area of wearable robotics and complements our translation-focused research. Ultimately this agreement paves the way for this technology to make its way to patients,” he said. The soft exosuit – a first of its kind soft wearable robot – was developed at the Wyss Institute through extensive prototyping that included the involvement of roboticists, mechanical and biomechanical engineers, apparel designers, and software engineers. Using form-fitting, fabric-based designs that are lightweight and non-restrictive, the Wyss Institute’s soft exosuit uses compact, powerful actuators packaged in a belt to provide assistance to the wearer’s legs in a physiologically relevant manner. These enhanced movements have the potential to assist wearers in walking with greater stability and metabolic efficiency, which could prevent injury and reduce fatigue. “There is a great need in the health care system for lightweight, lower-cost wearable exoskeleton designs to support stroke patients, individuals diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and senior citizens who require mechanical mobility assistance,” said Larry Jasinski, CEO of ReWalk. This collaboration will help create the next generation of exoskeleton systems, making life-changing technology available to millions of consumers across a host of patient populations.” Australian Manufacturing

Ausdrill announces sale of its DTA business to Finland’s Robit Mining services company Ausdrill Limited has agreed to sell its Drilling Tools Australia (DTA) business to Robit Plc for $66 million. Image credit: http://ift.tt/1TCRB2i The company’s Managing Director Ron Sayers said the sale was in line with Ausdrill’s strategy to refocus on its core competencies. “The sale of DTA provides Ausdrill with the opportunity to crystallise considerable value on a portion of the Group’s earnings, generating a profit after tax in order of $35 million and allowing us to further pay down debt,” Mr Sayers said. Robit Plc is a Finnish manufacturer of high quality top hammer products for rock drilling and casing systems for ground drilling. The company exports its range of products to over 200 countries worldwide. “This is an exciting development in the rationalisation of our sector. As Robit is a renowned manufacturer of quality drilling products with an extensive global distribution network, they will be able to service Ausdrill’s drill consumable needs into the future,” Mr Sayers added. The transaction includes DTA’s drill manufacturing and distribution business – which generates annual revenue of approximately $35 million – but excludes the net assets of DTA’s oil and gas and spare parts business, which will be transitioned to other divisions of the Ausdrill Group. According to Mr Sayers, DTA will continue manufacturing operations at its facility in Canning Vale, WA, under a five year leasing agreement, and will also retain the services of all current employees. “I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our employees for their loyalty and service over many years,” he said. “We wish them and Robit every future success and we expect the relationship between DTA and Ausdrill to remain strong going forward.” Australian Manufacturing

UNSW researchers set new solar world record A team of engineers from the University of New South Wales’ Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics (ACAP) has developed a new solar cell configuration that has pushed sunlight-to-electricity conversion efficiency to 34.5%. Image credit: www.unsw.edu.au As confirmed by the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the result marks a new world record for unfocussed sunlight and is almost 44% better than the previous record, which reached 24% efficiency, but over a larger surface area of 800-cm2. The record was set by Dr Mark Keevers and Professor Martin Green, using a 28-cm2 four-junction mini-module – embedded in a prism – that extracts the maximum energy from sunlight by splitting the incoming rays into four bands, using a four-junction receiver to squeeze even more electricity from each beam of sunlight. The record-setting mini-module combines a silicon cell on one face of a glass prism, with a triple-junction solar cell on the other. The triple-junction cell targets discrete bands of the incoming sunlight, using a combination of three layers: indium-gallium-phosphide; indium-gallium-arsenide; and germanium. As sunlight passes through each layer, energy is extracted by each junction at its most efficient wavelength, while the unused part of the light passes through to the next layer, and so on. “This encouraging result shows that there are still advances to come in photovoltaics research to make solar cells even more efficient,” said Mr Keevers. “Extracting more energy from every beam of sunlight is critical to reducing the cost of electricity generated by solar cells as it lowers the investment needed, and delivering payback faster.” ARENA CEO Ivor Frischknecht said the “Power Cube” power tower project was supported by $1.4 million funding from the agency, demonstrating the importance of supporting early stage renewable energy technologies. Image credit: http://arena.gov.au/ “Australia already punches above its weight in solar R&D and is recognised as a world leader in solar innovation. These early stage foundations are increasingly making it possible for Australia to return solar dividends here at home and in export markets – and there’s no reason to believe the same results can’t be achieved with this record-breaking technology,” Mr Frischknecht said. “It’s great to see UNSW is working with another ARENA-supported company in Victoria – RayGen Resources – to explore how the advanced receiver could be rolled out at concentrated solar PV power plants. With the right support, Australia’s world leading R&D is well placed to translate into efficiency wins for households and businesses through the ongoing roll out of rooftop solar as well as utility-scale solar projects such as those being advanced by ARENA through its current $100 million large-scale solar round.” Australian Manufacturing

Stratasys introduces new FDM 3D printer enhancements 3D printing giant Stratasys has introduced four new enhancements to Stratasys Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM®)-based 3D printers, fully optimising select models for creating functional product prototypes, production tools and end-use parts for the most demanding manufacturing applications. Image credit: http://ift.tt/22kRYkf To make the production of complex hollow composite parts easier, the company introduced a new Sacrificial Tooling Solution comprised of its new ST-130 material and new fill patterns. Together, the new material and fill patterns provide faster dissolution, rapid build speed, better autoclave performance and greatly improved tool quality. According to Ryan Sybrant, Director, Manufacturing Marketing and Enablement at Stratasys, the new sacrificial tooling solution is available for the Fortus 450mc and 900mc 3D Printers. “Ideal for automotive, aerospace and sporting goods industries, the new ST-130 material empowers manufacturers of composite parts with an accelerated, more cost-effective option for sacrificial tooling,” Mr Sybran said. Stratasys is also introducing the Fortus 900mc Acceleration Kit which reduces production time and cost for both parts and tooling. Designed for Stratasys’ most powerful FDM 3D printer, this new kit allows very large structures to be 3D printed up to three times faster. The kit will first be compatible with ASA and ULTEM™ 1010 materials. Because aerospace engineers and manufacturers require materials with precise specifications and traceability for prototypes and end-user parts, the company has introduced Stratasys ULTEM 9085 Aerospace grade filaments which are produced according to aerospace specification requirements. “While there is no change from the standard ULTEM 9085 material, the new Aerospace designation allows for full production traceability in compliance with strict aerospace requirements. In addition to the Stratasys Certificate of Compliance, each order of ULTEM 9085 Aerospace grade filament is provided with traceability documentation and a certificate of analysis confirming batch material properties,” the company said in a media statement. “Engineers can begin prototyping sooner – avoiding lengthy time-to-market for new aerospace designs and high costs resulting from late development design changes. ULTEM 9085 Aerospace is also optimised for low-volume or custom tooling applications.” Stratasys also announced that the tough PC-ABS Material will now be available on more Stratasys 3D printers. According to the company, owners of the Fortus 380mc and 450mc 3D Printers will now have the opportunity to use the durable PC-ABS filaments for more challenging applications, such as power-tool prototyping and industrial equipment manufacturing. “We believe that these new enhancements will greatly increase the impact of Stratasys FDM 3D printing solutions, clearly demonstrating a commitment to the ongoing success of our manufacturing customers. Each new feature is designed to address specific manufacturing requirements – including speed, ease-of-use and creation of new industrial applications,” Mr Sybrant added. Australian Manufacturing

SAGE Automation to move headquarters to Tonsley SAGE Automation is relocating its national headquarters to Tonsley in a move that will provide a major boost for Australia’s first innovation district. SAGE Automation’s Facebook page The company has entered a long term lease with State Government to relocate their main operations from Melrose Park to the award-winning Main Assembly Building at Tonsley, where it will occupy 3,000 square meters on the western side of the building. Manufacturing and Innovation Minister Kyam Maher said SAGE Automation will add approximately 120 staff to the total number of people working and studying on the site. “SAGE Automation’s move will bring a significant South Australian company to Tonsley, adding to growing number of people working and studying on the site. The company is investing in the future of Tonsley, with approximately 120 staff to be based there,” the Minister said. “SAGE Automation is one of our biggest success stories with, and sees the collaborative benefits being co-located with other innovative businesses at Tonsley. The company’s focus on innovative industrial automation, best practice LEAN manufacturing and technology driven training aligns with the State’s vision for Tonsley as an operating environment that facilitates high value industry, collaboration, and economic development.” SAGE Managing Director Andrew Downs said the move to the new Tonsley precinct was an excellent opportunity for the company to work side by side with organisations that are driving the industrial future of South Australia. “The transformation of our local industries will rely on innovative technology, so it is an excellent fit for SAGE Automation. We share a rich history with the Tonsley site, having delivered a number of projects for Mitsubishi years ago. A walk through the site today still gives glimpses of the industrial equipment and automation which was the backbone of the Mitsubishi production line,” Mr Downs added. “The SAGE office will be located in the very same spot as the former Main Assembly Building. Our work is delivered by cross functional teams of specialists, and the new facility being built for SAGE at Tonsley, will provide us with an office layout well suited to the collaborative way in which our team work.” SAGE Automation is a privately-owned South Australian company that specialises in complex control and automation projects involving production line automation, bar code and radio frequency identification systems, the manufacture of electrical control panels, safety systems, product and batch tracking, waste reduction systems, manufacturing execution systems and robotics. Australian Manufacturing

Protean Wave Energy successfully deploys pilot WEC at Port of Bunbury Australian wave technology company Protean Wave Energy announced that it has successfully completed the initial phase of Stage One of deployment of the demonstration wave energy farm at the Port of Bunbury in WA, which consisted of deploying a pilot Wave Energy Convertor (WEC). Demonstration of singe Protean WEC at Coogee beach WAImage credit: http://ift.tt/27FMSml The company said it is currently evaluating the performance of the pilot WEC before proceeding with the deployment of additional WECs. “Two additional WECs have been fabricated and are fitted with GPS tracking and remote sensor equipment to collect performance data,” Protean told the ASX. “Performance and environmental data will be evaluated for a pre-feasibility assessment that is targeting the deployment of the Company’s first commercial pilot wave farm.” Protean Wave Energy’s proprietary WEC system is an innovative wave energy technology that is designed to convert all six degrees of wave motion into a usable form of energy. It has been developed to use compact architecture to produce power for a small, low cost, scalable design targeted at keeping the projected cost of energy down and has been designed to be cost competitive to manufacture, deploy and maintain. The company says that its future plans for the Protean WEC include the deployment of a pre-commercial wave farm prior to moving the technology into early commercialisation. Australian Manufacturing

New Ford GT supercar to ride of Aussie-made carbon fibre wheels Ford has awarded Australian wheel maker Carbon Revolution a multi-million dollar contract to supply its innovative carbon fibre wheels for the all-new Ford GT supercar. Image credit: www.carbonrev.com The car maker previously contracted the Geelong-based startup to supply its high-performance wheels to the 2016 Ford Shelby GT350R. Ford said the unique properties of the carbon fibre wheels provided a “remarkable performance improvement” in both the Shelby Mustang and the all-new GT supercar. “Using cutting-edge computer modelling tools, composite structures are optimised to very precise specifications – ensuring carbon fibre wheels lead to an increase in acceleration, braking, vehicle dynamics performance and ride comfort, as well as a reduction in overall weight,” reads the joint media statement by the two companies. Ford has reportedly received more than 6000 orders for the $500,000 supercar, but will only manufacture 500 units. Both the GT supercar and the Shelby Mustang will not be available in Australia because they are only made in left-hand drive. Carbon Revolution employs a smart factory with a radio frequency identification quality tracking system. Each wheel is fitted with a radio frequency identification chip allowing it to be tracked throughout the manufacturing process and service life. This process ensures 100% part tracking, identification and verification of all material batches, processes, operators, processing data and end-of-line testing. “Wheels ready for final inspection are put through 181 additional checks and measured at 2,000 data points. Every wheel completes a three dimensional CT X-ray scan and inspection after it is coated and prepared for shipping to the assembly location for Ford Performance,” read the statement. “Every step in the quality process is tracked and logged by the radio frequency identification chip, and is highly repeatable and controllable – ensuring every wheel is set to the high original equipment manufacturer standards of Ford Performance.” Australian Manufacturing

Nike partners with HP to accelerate production of 3D printed footwear Nike has announced a partnership with Hewlett Packard (HP) to further advance its ability to manufacture 3D printed footwear. Image credit: news.nike.com The footwear specialist is no stranger to additive manufacturing. Last year, the company patented a new 3D shoe printing technology based around the strobel – the fabric or non-woven material that is stitched to the bottom of a shoe upper – and two months ago, it 3D printed prototype custom footwear for sprinter Allyson Felix. The collaboration with HP comes just a day after the multinational information technology company introduced the HP Multi Jet Fusion 3D Printing Solution – the first 3D printer with capabilities geared towards large-scale production. Tom Clarke, President, Nike Innovation, said the move was aimed at scaling the technology to deliver greater performance innovation faster. “At Nike we innovate for the world’s best athletes. We’ve been using 3D printing to create new performance innovations for footwear for the past several years,” Mr Clarke said. “Now we are excited to partner with HP to accelerate and scale our existing capabilities as we continue to explore new ways to manufacture performance products to help athletes reach their full potential.” Australian Manufacturing

Australian Dairy Farms Group wins high recognitions at Dairy Industry Australian Awards Australian Dairy Farms Group announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Camperdown Dairy Company (CDC), has been awarded 28 medals for its high quality dairy products by the Dairy Industry Association of Australia. Image credit: Camperdown Dairy Facebook page “CDC won 15 National medals and 13 Victorian State medals at the Dairy Industry Association of Australia’s 2016 Awards of Excellence, which were presented on 13 May 2016,” the company said in a statement to the ASX. Australian Dairy Farms said CDC won Gold medals at both state and national level plus an additional three national silver awards for its fresh milk products, as well as two national silver awards for Camperdown butter and seven silver medals for its special Camperdown yoghurts. “The Full Cream Homogenised milk produced by CDC was judged the top in its category,” reads the statement. “This milk is processed and packaged as Woolworths Farmers Own brand and sold by Woolworths strict standards.” The full list of the remaining National medals won by CDC includes: Milks Silver – Camperdown Dairy Whole Milk Silver – Camperdown Dairy – Unhomogenised Farmers Own Silver – Camperdown Dairy – Aussie Farmers No Fat Milk Butters Silver – Camperdown Dairy Salted Butter Silver – Camperdown Dairy Unsalted Butter Yoghurts Silver – Camperdown Dairy premium yoghurt – Honey Silver – Camperdown Dairy premium yoghurt – Raspberry Silver – Camperdown Dairy premium yoghurt – Passionfruit Silver – Camperdown Dairy – Vanilla 70g Silver – Camperdown Dairy – Strawberry 70g Silver – Camperdown Dairy – Mixed Berry 70g Silver – Camperdown Dairy – Vanilla 200g Silver – Camperdown Dairy – Strawberry 200g Silver – Camperdown Dairy – Mixed Berry 200g Australian Manufacturing

Smart manufacturing show hints Dandenong and Southeast Melbourne could become Australia’s largest manufacturing centre A smart manufacturing show that was held this week in Dandenong, raised hope that despite the overwhelming setbacks to the automotive and other manufacturing sectors, Melbourne’s South East could still become the largest manufacturing centre in Australia. Gary Castricum, Minister Donnellan, Gabrielle WilliamsImage provided Some of the region’s leading innovators such as Jayco, Bombardier, CSIRO, and Chisholm, as well as nearly 60 exhibitors lined the streets around the Dandenong Civic Centre during the inaugural Smart Manufacturing ’16 – Dandenong and South East Melbourne on Show. Aside from the 25 meter VLocity DMU train that flanked exhibitors, some of the other hot picks that were on show at the one-day event include a 3D printed working bicycle, the world’s smallest ultrasound machine, and emergency housing that can be deployed in a flat-pack. During his speech at the event, Committee for Dandenong Chair Gary Castricum took the opportunity to point out the biggest threat to Australian manufacturing: a “crisis of confidence”. According to him, if this issue remains unchecked, it will most certainly “curtail investment, destroy jobs and hinder ambition.” “We have to be ambitious when it comes to manufacturing. We have to champion people and growth,” Mr Castricum. “Unfortunately, our perception of manufacturing is often distorted by headlines of closure, relocation or sale. The reality is that Australian manufacturing is in many instances a success story of leadership, innovation, commercialisation and local and global expansion. As a nation, we should be encouraging, celebrating and investing in this story to help the sector truly fulfil its potential and the benefits it brings to people’s lives. “Smart Manufacturing ’16 shines a defying light on the status of Australian manufacture by presenting some of the region’s leading innovators such as Jayco, Bombardier, CSIRO, and Chisholm, as well as nearly 60 exhibitors lining the streets around the Dandenong Civic Centre,” he said. Over half of Victoria’s manufactured product come from Dandenong and Melbourne’s South East. According to the media release to Australian Manufacturing, the Committee for Dandenong and its alliance members stated that they intend to turn the region into a “magnet for investment into the Victorian economy, the centre for smart manufacturing in Australia, and a renowned centre for manufacturing excellence on an international level.” Click here for more info about Smart Manufacturing ’16 – Dandenong and South East Melbourne on Show. Australian Manufacturing

Southern Cross Ceramics to enhance its manufacturing capabilities with new digital printing equipment Ceramics tile manufacturer Southern Cross Ceramics has won a $195,247 grant to improve the manufacturing capabilities of its state-of-the-art production facility in Melbourne by acquiring new digital printing equipment. Image credit: http://ift.tt/1rUvn1l In announcing the grant on Wednesday, Victorian Minister for Industry Lily D’Ambrosio said the funding would help create 15 new jobs and assist in transitioning 14 existing staff to new roles. “Congratulations to Southern Cross Ceramics for innovating and supporting the local workforce,” the Minister said. “This grant is about providing support for future industries and helping Victorian workers transition into stronger jobs for the future.” Southern Cross Ceramics is a specialist tile design and decoration company established in 1987. It employs 43 workers and applies innovative manufacturing processes to produce a broad range of high quality ceramic tiles. Australian Manufacturing

Seaford-based Recyclable Packaging to expand its operations and create new manufacturing jobs Recyclable Packaging, the family-owned manufacturer of biodegradable PET and polystyrene packaging, has been awarded a Labor Government grant to expand its manufacturing operations. Image credit: http://ift.tt/yftkXj by Stuart Miles The $300,000 grant was announced yesterday by Minister for Industry Lyly D’Ambrosio, who visited the Seaford-based manufacturer alongside Member for Carrum Sonya Kilkenny. The funding is part of a $1.5 revamp project that will see the company establish an additional manufacturing facility and purchase new machinery that will allow it to develop a new product range to complement its plastic food packaging products across Australia and New Zealand. Ms D’Ambrosio said the funding was awarded under the Andrews Labor Government’s $33 million Local Industry Fund for Transition (LIFT) and would help the company create up to 35 new local jobs. She said the new jobs will provide opportunities to transition retrenched automotive workers as part of the Labor Government’s $46.5 million Towards Future Industries: Victoria’s Automotive Transition Plan. “This plan will support jobs and communities in Melbourne’s north, west, south east and Geelong by making the most of our significant industry knowledge and expertise,” the Minister said. “We are supporting Victorian auto workers, businesses and affected communities by investing in companies that will provide new job opportunities and build skills for the future.” Member for Carrum Sonya Kilkenny congratulated Recyclable Packaging on winning the grand, saying their vision and commitment will drive new investment and jobs in the south east. ”We are investing in the south east to help businesses diversify into new markets, to help workers transition into new jobs and to help our local communities survive and grow,” she said. Australian Manufacturing

Amcor captures top honours at DuPont Awards for Packaging Innovation Leading packaging solutions company Amcor has been recognised by the 28th annual DuPont Awards for Packaging Innovation competition for its leadership in delivering technologically advanced and sustainable solutions for the home care and pharmaceutical industries. Image credit: www.amcor.com The company’s Rigid Plastics segment won a Diamond award in the Technological Advancement, Responsible Packaging, and Enhanced User Experience categories for the development of a 53oz polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottle for Method Products which contains 100% post-consumer recycled (PCR) PET resin. Additionally, Amcor Flexibles claimed the Gold award in the Technological Advancement and Responsible Packaging categories for Formpack® Ultra, a new cold form blister packaging for the pharmaceutical industry. The 53oz sleek, transparent custom container is the industry’s first liquid laundry bottle made of 100% PCR PET. It meets high standards for sustainability with the package’s life cycle energy consumption reduced by 78% and its carbon footprint lowered by 35% versus a virgin PET alternative. “We are delighted to be recognized by DuPont for our commitment to innovation and sustainability,” said Jim Rooney, vice president of sales for Amcor Rigid Plastics’ Diversified Products business unit. “Our primary objective is partnering with customers and creating unique solutions like this 100% PCR PET bottle which delivers major sustainability benefits for Method and reinforces its strong environmental platform.” Formpack® Ultra is a cold form blister product that offers greater elongation than standard cold form solutions, resulting in cavities than can be drawn deeper and with sharper wall angles than previously achieved. This achievement allows pharmaceutical companies to design smaller blister cards or add more cavities without increasing the blister card size. Formpack® Ultra’s superior elongation is possible thanks to “best-in-class” selection of raw materials, advanced manufacturing processes, and extensive quality control. “We are thrilled to be recognized again with a DuPont Innovation Award,” said Andrea Della Torre, R&D director for Amcor Flexibles. “Formpack® Ultra is a technical advancement and supports more responsible and sustainable packaging use across the value chain, while lowering the total cost of goods for pharmaceutical companies. This is the second award this year for Formpack® Ultra, which received an Alufoil Trophy in the Resource Efficiency category from the European Aluminum Foil Association in April.” Australian Manufacturing

PM announces $282m package for defence Prime Minister Turnbull has announced a $282 million package for shipbuilder Austal to build the country’s pacific patrol boats. Image credit: Austal ASX release “The $282 million contract was signed on May 5 with Austal for its shipyard in Henderson, Western Australia, to replace the existing Pacific Patrol Boat fleet and is part of Australia’s new Pacific Maritime Security Program,” Mr Turnbull said. “The contract to build and sustain 19 steel-hulled vessels will create over 120 jobs and secure Henderson as core to the re-elected Turnbull Coalition’s plan for jobs and growth.” Visiting Western Australia on Monday, the Prime Minister said a re-elected Liberal Government will use Australian steel to build the first fleet of naval vessels commissioned in Australia since 2007. “Austal will use Australian high-tensile steel to build the Pacific Patrol Boats – reinforcing our commitment to Australian built ships, by Australian workers and with Australian steel,” the Prime Minister said. “The Turnbull Government is committed to maximising Australian industry across this project and all of our naval shipbuilding projects.” Australian Manufacturing

HP unveils world’s first production-ready 3D printing system at RAPID 2016 Hewlett Packard (HP) yesterday unveiled the world’ first production-ready commercial 3D printing system at SME’s RAPID 2016, the world’s foremost additive manufacturing conference. Image credit: www8.hp.com HP said that its Jet Fusion 3D Printing Solution revolutionises design, prototyping and manufacturing, and for the first time, delivers superior quality physical parts up to 10 times faster and at half the cost of current 3D print systems. “By printing functional parts for the first time at the individual voxel level (a voxel is the 3D equivalent of a 2D pixel in traditional printing), HP offers customers an unprecedented ability to transform part properties and deliver mass customisation,” the company said in a press release. Stephen Nigro, president of HP’s 3D printing business, said the HP Jet Fusion 3D Printing Solution offers simplified workflow and reduced cost for radical prototyping, delivery of final parts manufacturing with breakthrough economics, as well as open materials and software innovation platform that lowers barriers to adoption and enables new applications across industries. “Our 3D printing platform is unique in its ability to address over 340 million voxels per second, versus one point at a time, giving our prototyping and manufacturing partners radically faster build speeds, functional parts and breakthrough economics,” Mr Nigro added. “The new HP Jet Fusion 3D Printing Solution delivers a combination of speed, quality, and cost never seen in the industry. Businesses and manufacturers can completely rethink how they design and deliver solutions to their customers.” The company will initially launch two 3D printers; the lower-cost and lower production HP Jet Fusion 3D 3200 and the HP Jet Fusion 3D 4200. HP claims that its HP Jet Fusion 3D 3200 Printer is ideal for prototyping, offering improved productivity and the capacity to grow usage at a lower cost per part, while the HP Jet Fusion 3D 4200 Printer is designed for prototyping and short-run manufacturing needs, with high productivity to meet same-day demands at the lowest cost per part. The company said that the HP Jet Fusion 3D 4200 Printer will be delivered in late 2016, with the HP Jet Fusion 3D 3200 Printer to be available in 2017. Australian Manufacturing

CIMIC-led consortium wins stage one Canberra light rail contract CIMIC Group companies Pacific Partnership and CPB Contractors, as part of the Canberra Metro consortium, have won the first stage of Canberra’s Capital Metro light rail project. Image credit: wImage credit: http://ift.tt/1IZRQ2z CIMIC’s role in the consortium spans sponsorship, design, construction, operations, maintenance and equity investment. The first stage of the Capital Metro project includes design and construction of a 12km light rail route from the fast growing area of Gungahlin to the city, with 13 stops, depot, road, signalling and preparation works, and the ongoing operation and maintenance of the light rail system. The Canberra Metro consortium includes John Holland, Mitsubishi Corporation, Aberdeen Infrastructure Investments, Deutsche Bahn International, CAF and the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ (BTMU). Under the terms of the contract, CPB Contractors will deliver the design and construction in a joint venture with John Holland, while CAF will supply and maintain the light rail vehicles. MUFG is the financial advisor with funding provided by local and international banks. CIMIC Group’s Executive Chairman and CEO Marcelino Fernández Verdes said the stage one of Capital Metro will generate revenue of approximately $300 million over the design and construction period and $300 million over the 20-year concession period. “Projects such as Canberra’s light rail, and others in the PPP pipeline, are creating demand for the CIMIC Group’s infrastructure investment expertise and major project design and construction capabilities,” he said. “Through Pacific Partnership and CPB Contractors, CIMIC generates competitive solutions, offering clients value throughout the project chain, from development to delivery and long-term asset management.” Australian Manufacturing

Chemson Pacific introduces world’s first 3D printable PVC filament Sydney-based manufacturer of PVC stabilisers, Chemson Pacific, has successfully developed a ground breaking PVC formulation for the polymer-based 3D printing market. Image credit: http://ift.tt/yftkXj by Stuart Miles Conceived, developed and tested in Australia, Chemson’s 3D Vinyl™ PVC possesses true “thermoplastic” 3D printing properties and is specifically designed for use as a 3D printing filament feedstock. “3D Vinyl™ stands to make a significant impact within the Direct Digital Manufacturing market, as its unique qualities remove the constraints formerly imposed on the majority of accessible 3D printing platforms,” the company said in a media release published on the PR Web. “The product will enable these systems to venture beyond the boundaries of rapid prototyping, allowing all users of 3DVinyl™ to develop end-use parts and products in a variety of low-run production deployments.” The 3D Vinyl filament is UV and solvent resistant, fire retardant and has low embodied energy content when compared to incumbent polymer-based filaments. It also has sustainable footprint – requiring 50% fewer fossil inputs – provides improved rigidity and is excellent for generating support structures, which are easily removed. Dennis Planner of Chemson Pacific said the benefits of 3D Vinyl for industrial 3D printing include low melting velocity, excellent flow properties and layer adhesion, heat stability and enhanced durability. “3D VinylTM is a definitive new 3D printing material that will bring a combination of physical properties not available with the current incumbent polymeric materials,” Mr Planner said. “3D Printing is currently one of the fastest growing, value-adding industries internationally and will be an important source of mentally-stimulating career paths and new business growth for the future, which I’m absolutely proud to be a part of. 3D VinylTM brings a new era for the PVC Industry and Advanced Manufacturing, here in Australia and worldwide.” He said the company has formed regional alliances with PVC industry leader Welvic, CSIRO and tertiary bodies to bring 3DVinyl™ to market for the Asia-Pacific region. According to him, the company has also forged a strategic partnership with Functionalize – the US-based leader in functional 3D printing materials – to co-develop conductive, electrostatic dissipative and other specialised formulations of 3DVinyl™, and expand its market reach in North America, Europe and beyond. “3D Vinyl provides a strong, weatherable and durable alternative for conventional ABS use cases, while simultaneously expanding the materials options for the vast market of PLA-only printers,” said Michael Toutonghi, CEO of Functionalize. “We’re excited to partner with Chemson Pacific on commercialisation and distribution of this important new material, and we look forward to functionalising it for a broad range of manufacturing and maker application.” Australian Manufacturing

Bill Shorten unveils $59m plan to create advanced manufacturing jobs Labor has committed to spend $59 million on saving manufacturing jobs in regions affected by motor vehicle production closures. Image credit: www.business.gov.au Yesterday in Geelong opposition Leader Bill Shorten unveiled a $59 million “Manufacturing Transition Boost” jobs package to ensure regions across the nation – including Geelong and Northern Adelaide – continue to have strong workforces and local jobs. “These regions face the prospect of high unemployment and social dislocation after the Liberals goaded the car industry into closing down and leaving Australia,” Mr Shorten said. “This jobs package will provide pathways to new jobs for skilled workers by attracting new business investment in advanced manufacturing. Firms will be given new incentives to diversify into new products and markets and employ automotive workers who have lost their jobs.” Mr Shorten said the end of carmaking in Australia will cripple an entire chain of 160 supply businesses involved in component manufacturing, engineering, design and tooling, resulting in 200,000 lost jobs and a gaping hole in the country’s economy. “It’s estimated that for every one automotive job, 6.5 jobs are generated in associated supply. Modelling suggests that 200,000 people will lose their jobs as a result of closures in motor vehicle production between now and 2017,” he said. “The shutdowns will rip $29 billion from the economy – about two per cent of GDP.” According to him, the “Manufacturing Transition Boost” jobs package would not only revitalise the automotive industry and save thousands of jobs, but would also maintain the stability of Australia’s economy. “Under the Manufacturing Transition Boost jobs package, funding of $10.5 million will help existing automotive businesses develop and implement plans to plug into new supply chains, bring new products to market and improve productivity. This will benefit firms across the nation including in Victoria and South Australia where the automotive industry is concentrated as well as the 16,000 automotive manufacturing jobs in NSW and Queensland,” Mr Shorten added. He said that rather than duplicate programs at the State and Federal level, a Labor Federal Government would leverage the work already done by State Governments and supplement existing state programs, both by increasing the resources these programs can draw on and by expanding their scope. ”In Victoria, Labor’s Manufacturing Transition Boost will expand the Victorian Government’s successful Local Industry Fund for Transition (LIFT) program. With location targeted assistance in North Melbourne, South East Melbourne, West Melbourne and Geelong, this boost will back Victorian workers as they transition to new jobs,” the opposition leader said. “In South Australia, Labor will expand the existing South Australian Government Automotive Supplier Diversification Program (ASDP) through a $15 million investment to expand the program to non-automotive manufacturing businesses in South Australia.” Australian Manufacturing

Aussie researchers develop revolutionary microscope that uses neutrally charged helium instead of light Researchers from the University of Newcastle (UON) and the University of Cambridge (UK) have successfully collaborated to create a breakthrough new microscope which opens a new window into the scientific world. Professor Paul DastoorImage credit: www.newcastle.edu.au The scanning helium microscope (SHeM) uses neutrally charged helium instead of light – which can destroy certain samples due to its electric charge – to allow delicate materials to be accurately imaged for the first time. “Delicate structures such as biological samples suffer degradation under existing microscopes, which means the very act of observation destroys or changes the properties of the samples we are trying to study – it’s quite a paradox,” said Associate Professor Paul Dastoor from the UON, who has been working the new microscope for two decades. “Helium is able to image sensitive structures with zero damage as it is chemically, electrically and magnetically inert, allowing us to now study many surfaces for the very first time,” Professor Dastoor explained. He said the technology could be commercially relevant for broad range of applications and industries, such as defence and healthcare. “Modern defence forces require new coatings and novel thin films in order to stay competitive in the age of electronic warfare,” he said. “The new instrument is an ideal tool for investigating new explosives and other high energy materials such as propellants and pyrotechnics that may become dangerously unstable if studied using existing microscopes.” According to him, the microscope will offer for the first time in mankind’s history the ability to study human samples in their true, unmasked state. “For instance, we’ve already been able to clearly see the actual structure of a membrane because the helium microscope gives detail not previously available. A traditional microscope sees straight through a membrane. We’ve been able to look at the actual structure,” Mr Dastoor explained. “The medical and pharmaceutical applications are very exciting. It will enable a new point of view for things like parasites, cell cultures and bacteria.” Professor Dastoor said the technology could also offer significant benefits for sustainability and the solar energy industry. “Under the energetic beams of traditional microscopes, many of the new solar cells suffer degradation or even wholesale destruction. The new technology allows us to observe and therefore optimise and progress solar cell technology.” “The microscope also has vital applications for the automotive industry, such as the removal of carbon monoxide from exhaust gases. Additional sustainability applications include the investigation of nanoparticles as a means to clean up toxic or even radioactive spills without harming the surrounding flora or fauna.” He said the next challenge was to build a desktop version that could be used in laboratories around the world. “A smaller version of the SHeM opens the door to a new commercial Australian technology; allowing other scientists access to its unique imaging capabilities,” Professor Dastoor concluded. Australian Manufacturing

Alcoa adds the Arcam Q20plus to its 3D printing technology portfolio Arcam announced that lightweight metals leader Alcoa has expanded its portfolio of additive manufacturing solutions to include the Arcam Q20plus, the company’s largest, fastest 3D printer. Image credit: www.arcam.com The Arcam Q20plus is designed for cost-efficient manufacturing of a wide range of aerospace-related components such as aerospace engine and industrial gas turbine components and structural airframe components. It offers the additional advantages of faster build speed and a larger build envelope for printing bigger components or enabling optimal stacking of smaller components. According to Arcam, Alcoa will leverage the printer’s larger size and high output electron beam melting technology to meet increasing demand for complex, high-performance 3D printed parts for aerospace. Magnus René, CEO of Arcam, said the technology will enable Alcoa to print parts directly from a 3D computer model by melting and fusing layers of fine metal powder with an electron beam. “Arcam is proud to support Alcoa, an innovation leader in 3D printing for aerospace, with our cutting edge 3D printing technology,” Mr René said. Arcam is a leading supplier of cost-efficient additive manufacturing solutions for production of metal components primarily for the aerospace and medical industries. Australian Manufacturing

Lithex to acquire game-changing battery technology that enables ultra fast charging Lithex Resources (LTX) has announced plans to acquire Voltape Ltd, an Israel-based company that is developing a cutting edge lithium-ion battery (LIB) technology. Image credit: www.lithex.com.au Voltape’s battery technology aims to drastically shorten recharge times for smartphones and electric vehicles to approximately 6 and 10-15 minutes respectively. According to Lithex, these batteries would be entirely free of carbon and utilise low-cost materials and a uniquely affordable patented production method. Moreover, the company’s batteries will be designed to endure between 10,000 – 15,000 charging cycles, which is approximately 20 times more than today’s batteries. If the deal goes through, Lithex Resources will change its name to UltraChrge Limited and make a number of changes to its Board of Directors, incorporating several Voltape nominees in various executive positions. Australian Manufacturing

University of Warwick students build 3D printed submarine using Stratasys Fortus 3D Printer Six engineering students at The University of Warwick have built a 3D printed submarine which is set to race at the European International Submarine Races in Gosport, UK, to be held on July 6-15. Image credit: mms.businesswire.com The students used a Stratasys Fortus 3D Printer, which allowed them to produce the final manufactured parts 90% faster than using conventional methods, while saving £2000-£3,000 in costs. According to Josh Dobson, Project Leader of the Warwick Submarine team, the “Godiva 2” submarine features numerous 3D printed parts designed to withstand the harsh ocean environment, including the fins, feet, propeller, interior steering components and many other fixings. He said the use of Stratasys’ Fortus 3D Printer has been integral to building the submarine in time for the race, as well as keeping costs within the university’s tight budget. “Our extensive use of 3D printing remains one of our strengths. Our Stratasys Fortus 3D Printer is very much at the heart of our design and manufacturing process, providing significant benefits that simply could not be achieved via traditional methods,” Mr Dobson said. “Using this technology, we were able to 3D print final parts for the submarine 90% faster than using conventional manufacturing and also saved £2,000-£3,000 in manufacturing costs. These are parts that can perform in the harshest waters, which is incredible given the speed and cost at which they can be produced.” The project is part of an academic challenge that asks final year Masters engineering students to build and race a human-powered submarine at the annual European International Submarine Races. It involves designing and manufacturing the submarine, which the students perform under the supervision of WMG’s Dr Ian Tuersley and in their pit area within WMG’s Engineering Hall. Dobson said that in creating the “most 3D printed vessel on the grid”, the team used Stratasys’ advanced ABS-M30 material – ideal for end-use environments due to its strength, functionality and ability to perform under complex shapes. “The material development over the last few years at Stratasys has been integral to the evolution of 3D printing from beyond solely a prototyping tool right through to where we are today; 3D printing parts for direct use on our submarine. All the parts were produced from ABS-M30, apart from the propeller blades which were 3D printed by Stratasys in the USA,” he said. “Having access to this technology gives us the flexibility to produce extremely complex and multi-functional parts cost-effectively and on-demand. For example, our fixing feet are an incredibly complex piece of geometry and have been 3D printed to perfectly fit the hull at virtually no additional cost, yet remain as functional and strong as a traditionally manufactured part. In addition, by creating the part using 3D printing, we’ve reduced material wastage by about 75% compared to machining the part traditionally from a solid piece of metal, which bodes well for a future of more sustainable manufacturing.” Sig Behrens, General Manager, Global Education at Stratasys, congratulated the team on their remarkable achievement. “The Warwick Submarine team is a credit to their university which exemplifies the exciting future of British engineering,” he said. “We are seeing rapid growth in the number of applications that disrupt traditional manufacturing processes to increase speed and reduce costs leveraging our Fortus line for final part production. It’s an exciting future – and for the engineers of tomorrow – it is critical that they learn this technology now as much as possible, as the demand for 3D printing design skills becoming increasingly common.” Australian Manufacturing

Clever cloud tracker that maximises solar PV use enters the market Fulcrum 3D has sold its first CloudCAM cloud tracking systems to utility-scale solar customers, following a pilot project supported by $569,200 ARENA funding. Image credit: arena.gov.au This advanced cloud tracking system combines fit-for-purpose camera hardware with specialised algorithms to predict the changes in energy output of solar photovoltaic (PV) plants. By predicting solar PV output, the technology tells operators to switch diesel generators on before production drops, smoothing energy delivery and potentially allowing more solar to be used. ARENA CEO Ivor Frischknecht said the technology not only reduces the cost of power and the need for battery storage, but also enables increased solar energy yield. “Fulcrum3D’s CloudCAM solution uses ground mounted cameras to track cloud movements. The advanced technology can even track clouds that are layered at different altitudes and moving at different speeds,” he said. “There is potential for this technology to be combined with the next wave of solar PV plants built in Australia, including those seeking funding through ARENA’s $100 million large-scale solar competitive funding round.” Fulcrum3D Technical Director Colin Bonner said the company was delighted to be working with several developers and operators of remote, hybrid PV power stations across Australia to integrate CloudCAM. “Three new commercial solar sites across Australia have purchased CloudCAMs in the last month, including two Epuron sites. The two Epuron sites at Ti-Tree and Kalkarindji in the Northern Territory are the first high penetration PV power stations in Australia to use cloud forecasting to smooth solar power output. CloudCAM has been successfully integrated into the control systems at the two power stations, enabling autonomous operation,” Mr Bonner said. “In addition to increasing revenue, the integration of CloudCAM at the Ti Tree site has seen a significantly lower demand for energy from its storage system, reducing cycling of the batteries and increasing battery life. We have also begun trials on advanced sensors, with ARENA’s support, which aim to increase CloudCAM’s predictive capability in utility-scale solar power stations with large geographical footprints.” Fulcrum3D was established in 2011 by Fulcrum Energy and its partner Orang-utan Engineering to develop, manufacture, market and support remote sensing equipment for solar and wind energy applications. In addition to CloudCAM, the Fulcrum3D product range includes wind monitoring with the compact-beam Sodar as well as solar resource and weather monitoring. Australian Manufacturing

Alcoa announces new executive appointments Lightweight metals leader Alcoa has announced the appointment of Group President of Transportation and Construction Solutions (TCS), Mr Karl Tragl to the position of Group President of Engineered Products and Solutions (EPS), effective 16 May. Image credit: www.alcoa.com Mr Traql will succeed current EPS Olivier Jarrault, who will leave the company after working with Tragl to ensure a smooth transition. Prior to joining Alcoa in February, Tragl was CEO of Bosch Rexroth, a $6 billion automation solutions company with 31,000 employees in 80 countries. During his six-year sting with Bosch Rexroth, Mr Tragl delivered sustainable profitable growth through innovation and significant operational improvements, while optimising the portfolio through key acquisitions and divestitures. Mr Tragl’s career portfolio also includes working relationship with global technology giant Siemens, where he held the position of Business Unit President in the Automation Drives Group. He holds a degree in physics from Friedrich-Alexander University, in Germany, and was awarded a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the University of Kaiserslautern, in Germany. “Karl is the ideal leader to drive the future profitable growth of EPS,” said Klaus Kleinfeld, Alcoa Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “He is an execution-focused leader with a deep technology and engineering background and a strong track record of operational and financial success. Karl is the right executive for this pivotal role as we launch Arconic in the second half of 2016.” Mr Kleinfeld also thanked Jarrault for his 14 years of service to Alcoa. “Olivier’s focus on operational excellence and productivity successfully increased the profitability of Alcoa’s downstream businesses.” he said. “He has played an important role in the transformation of EPS into an aerospace solutions leader.” Australian Manufacturing

AMWU: Navantia contract could “sink” 640 shipbuilding jobs in Adelaide The Turnbull Government’s announcement that Spanish shipbuilder Navantia will construct Australia’s two supply ships has provoked a storm of criticism from the AMWU, which described the move as “a spectacular act of betrayal” of the country’s shipbuilders. Image credit: www.amwu.org.au AMWU National Secretary Paul Bastian said the move to outsource the contract to Spain directly endangered more than 600 jobs at ASC’s shipyard in Adelaide as the shipbuilder faces a major gap in workflow before new work on patrol vessels and frigates begins. “This is a spectacular act of betrayal of our Australian shipbuilders who are facing further job losses while Prime Minister Turnbull sends their jobs offshore. What’s worse is the Government has been talking up its commitment to Australian shipbuilding by instigating a continuous build program for new frigates and Offshore Patrol Vessels, plus announcing an Australian build for submarines, at the same time it was quietly exporting Australian jobs to Spain,” Mr Bastian said. “These supply ships could have filled that gap and given the industry and shipbuilding workers the certainty they need, plus allowing ASC in Adelaide to maintain essential shipbuilding skills. Instead we have Malcolm Turnbull and the Coalition saying they support Australian shipbuilding but doing the exact opposite, signing the contract with the Spanish only yesterday, and without even a media release to mark the occasion.” He said Mr Turnbull’s failure to stand up for Australian shipbuilding jobs was “conclusive proof” that the Prime Minister is running Tony Abbott’s policies for preventing Australian shipyards from tendering for the supply ships. “Malcolm Turnbull has shown his real colours by this decision,” Mr Bastian said. “This is a shameful decision from a Prime Minister who doesn’t care about the jobs of Australian workers. The only job he cares about is his own.” Australian Manufacturing

ExxonMobil Australia announces multi-million dollar investment in Altona Refinery ExxonMobil Australia’s subsidiary Mobil Refining Australia (Mobil) has announced plans to expand Altona refinery’s capacity utilising locally produced crude to meet the region’s growing demand for refined products. Altona RefineryImage credit: corporate.exxonmobil.com The Altona refinery is one of Victoria’s key refinery plants, employing around 350 of the company’s 1,750 Victorian employees and processing up to 13 million litres of crude oil daily into petrol, diesel, aviation fuel, LPG and bitumen. Richard Owen, chair of ExxonMobil Australia, said the project will upgrade part of an existing crude unit to add a pre-distillation step in Altona refinery’s process that will increase the production of diesel and jet fuel. “ExxonMobil Australia is focused on making strategic investments to improve our competitive position and optimise our integrated oil and gas business to support continued supply of high-quality, locally produced fuel products to Victorian businesses and households,” Mr Owen said. The announcement was made at an event attended by Victorian Minister for Industry; Energy and Resources, Lily D’Ambrosio, who endorsed the project as a vote of confidence for business investment in Victoria and the state’s AAA economy rating. “This investment in the Altona plant is another vote of confidence for Victoria’s reputation as a hub for business investment and our strong AAA-rated economy,” the Minister said. “Improvements in infrastructure and energy efficiency will further drive the plant’s economic benefits and contributions to the state, which is great news for Victorian jobs and workers.” The new investment will enable the refinery to increase overall production from 80,000 to 90,000 barrels per day and enhance energy efficiency and environmental performance through the recovery of an additional three megawatts of waste heat. Andrew Warrell, Mobil’s manager of refining for Australia and New Zealand said the company has invested more than AU$370 million in maintenance and other improvements at Altona refinery during the last five years. “We continuously evaluate new opportunities to meet market demands and to enhance the competitiveness of the Altona refinery,” Mr Warrell added. “Our enduring success for nearly 70 years is due to a number of factors, including a highly-skilled workforce and our position relative to local markets.” This is the second major investment ExxonMobil has announced this year in its Victorian operations. In February at Rosedale, the company commenced construction of its 400 million Longford pipeline replacement project which will transport crude oil and condensate between Esso Australia’s Longford and Long Island Point facilities in Victoria. Project construction will commence in May 2016 and is expected to be completed in 2017. Australian Manufacturing

Amcor acquires Plastic Moulders Limited, a leading manufacturer of custom precision moulding Australian-based multinational packaging company Amcor has announced the acquisition of Plastic Moulders Limited, a rigid plastics business that manufactures containers and closures for the food and personal care markets in North America. Image credit: Amcor webpage Plastic Moulders, which operates a single plant in Toronto, has established relationships with a number of large multinational customers and has sales of approximately CAD 35 million. The company brings new technologies including injection moulding and in-mould labelling, which involves embedding the label in the container wall at the same time the container is extruded, thus removing the need for any secondary processes to adhere a label to the container. Amcor CEO and Managing Director, Ron Delia, said the CAD 38 million acquisition will generate considerable synergies in terms of procurement, manufacturing costs and overhead. “The Amcor Rigid Plastics business has significant growth opportunities in market segments outside of the traditional non-alcoholic beverage markets. Our strategy to grow this business includes acquiring companies like Plastic Moulders that provide specialised manufacturing capabilities, which will enable Amcor to broaden our product offering for the benefit of current and future customers,” Mr Delia said. “Total sales into these markets are approximately $500 million inclusive of Plastic Moulders sales, and there are significant opportunities to build on this position with organic growth and further acquisitions. We welcome Plastic Moulders to the Amcor portfolio and are confident that this acquisition will generate strong returns for shareholders.” Australian Manufacturing

Developing new Magnetite Strategy to secure $10bn in investment in SA Resource industry leaders attended a workshop yesterday to develop the South Australian Government’s Magnetite Strategy, which will aim to secure $10 billion worth of committed investment in iron ore mining projects. Image credit: http://ift.tt/yftkXj by dan The proposed Strategy seeks to identify initiatives that can maximise the economic benefits of the State’s vast magnetite deposits. South Australia Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy Tom Koutsantoni said the Magnetite Strategy Workshop – which was hosted by the Department of State Development at the Adelaide Convention Centre – marks the start of the process of identifying opportunities for growth in the sector. He said securing the targeted investment within the next five years would represent a major step toward reaching the target of 50 million tonnes of iron ore exports a year by 2030. “South Australia is blessed with vast magnetite deposits and the aim of this strategy is to leverage that natural endowment and transform it into investment, jobs and exports. If we can capitalise on these deposits and increase the amount of iron ore we export there will also be significant opportunities for growth and jobs in the supply chain around this industry,” the Minister said. “We can’t drag our feet – South Australia needs to plan now so we can capitalise quickly when the inevitable upswing in the commodities cycle happens. South Australia is already recognised as a world-class exporter of copper and we want to see the state also gain a reputation as a source of high-quality magnetite.” According to the Minister, positioning South Australia in the global marketplace as a secure and trusted supplier of quality magnetite product is key to the success of the Strategy. “This strategy will help grow the mineral resources sector and provide jobs and growth in South Australia’s regional and remote communities,” Mr Koutsantoni added. “The long-term Magnetite Strategy also seeks to establish South Australia as the foremost global source of quality magnetite product for steelmaking.” South Australia’s magnetite is a naturally occurring high-grade iron oxide with low levels of impurities that greatly increases the efficiency of blast furnaces. The state currently produces about 1.6 million tonnes a year of magnetite from the Middleback Ranges that is fed exclusively into the steelworks at Whyalla. Extensive magnetite resources have been identified in the Eyre Peninsula and Braemar Province that could dramatically increase the volume of exports from South Australia. Australian Manufacturing

National Manufacturing Week 2016 opens in Sydney National Manufacturing Week (NMW), Australia’s largest showcase of manufacturing innovation, information & inspiration, opened yesterday in Sydney, bringing industry together to see, touch and discuss manufacturing industry solutions. Image credit: NMW Facebook page This year’s event co-locates with the Inside 3D printing Conference and Expo – an event that showcases game-changing 3D printing technologies – as well as with the Safety First Conference and Expo, the country’s first one-stop safety event. NMW 2016 will showcase hundreds of products and services from around the world, laid out in 12 Product Zones focusing on innovative capabilities in Welding Technology, Automation & Robotics, Intralogistics, Advanced Materials and more. Welding Technology Zone – traditionally one of the most-visited areas of NMW – will showcase new offerings from industry leaders including Ensitech, Innovative Welding, Goodwill Precision Machinery, Kemppi, Weldbrush and more. The event will also host live demonstrations of new technologies, giving attendees a real-world insight into how they might help your business move ahead. Highlights of the demonstration program will include Kemppi’s demonstration of their new Pulse Mig welding package, which will be monitored for performance on Kemppi’s KAS3 online welding management system. Australian company Ensitech will also participate in the demonstration schedule, showcasing its easy-to-use and portable TIG Brush® Stainless Steel Weld Cleaning System. “A process that you have to see to believe.” says Ensitech’s Managing Director, Clive White. “The ‘TIG Brush Effect’ is the wide-eyed look of disbelief that people get when they see, for the first time, the TIG Brush’s superior weld cleaning and passivation capabilities. We hope you’ll join us for our demonstration at NMW – and get the ‘TIG Brush Effect’ for yourself!” In addition to the impressive demonstration program, NMW will also showcase a powerful seminar series, in which industry leaders will share new ideas and opportunities. “Among high profile speakers will be Dr Keith McLean, CSIRO’s Manufacturing Flagship Director who will outline some of the ways in which 400 Australian manufacturers are leveraging the national science agency’s research to help them target high value niche markets,” the NWM said in a media release. “There will be a clear focus on reducing operational waste, with speakers including Peter Meakin from the Opie Manufacturing Group sharing strategies for streamlining production, transport and even innovation processes, to free up time and/or resources for new programs.” The event is taking place at the Sydney Showground, Sydney Olympic Park and closes on 13 May. Australian Manufacturing

The future of automation is now: Volvo Group set to demonstrate unique self-driving truck The Volvo Group is set to showcase its self-driving truck for a broader audience for the first time ever. Image credit: news.volvogroup.com The truck is part of a joint R&D project between Volvo Group and Saab’s wholly owned technology consulting company Combitech. The project aims to develop a fully autonomous transport system solution that will create greater business advantages for customers, mainly in the mining industry. This unique truck is a fully fitted out construction vehicle which navigates and operates entirely autonomously both above and underground. It uses GPS technology to continuously read its surroundings and is also equipped with sensors that enable it to navigate around fixed and movable obstacles while gathering data via its transport system in order to further optimise its route and traffic safety. According to Volvo, the truck requires no manual supervision, but rather is part of the customer’s total transport solution that controls the entire production process. “The Volvo Group has been conducting research into autonomous vehicles for several years and we are delighted to have already developed a solution that we believe will ultimately revolutionise the mining industry,” said Torbjörn Holmström, member of Volvo’s Group Executive Board and Chief Technology Officer. “We expect to be able to significantly increase our customers’ productivity while at the same time improving fuel efficiency and safety.” The truck developed by the Volvo Group is one of several research projects being carried out to develop and test various aspects of autonomous solutions. Last year, the Swedish carmaker launched driverless car trials in Australia, which will be followed up with autonomous driving trials in the UK next year. Martin Lundstedt, President and CEO of Volvo said the aim of these projects was to create sustainable transport solutions and improve traffic safety, which benefits both the customer and society as a whole. “Automation is an exciting field of technology where advances are moving quickly. Solutions already exist and we expect to see more autonomous solutions in the future,” Mr Lundstedt said. “But our customers are already benefiting from this technology today since we apply the same principles to our active safety systems.” Australian Manufacturing

Austal USA celebrates christening of US Navy’s 14th littoral combat ship Global defence contractor Austal has celebrated the christening of US Navy’s 14th littoral combat ship (LCS) – the future USS Manchester – at an official ceremony attended by ship sponsor US Senator Jeanne Shaheen and a number of distinguished guests. Image credit: www.austal.com Manchester (LCS 14) is the fifth LCS in Austal’s 11-ship contract valued at approximately $3.5 billion. With its shallow draft of 14 feet, the Austal-built Independence-variant LCS is an advanced high-speed and agile 419-foot aluminium trimaran combat ship that combines superior seakeeping, endurance and speed with the volume and payload capacity needed to support emerging missions. “On behalf of Austal USA’s shipbuilding team, one of the most talented that I’ve ever worked with, we are proud to provide our sailors with an amazing warship that will honour the great city of Manchester as she defends our nation,” said Austal USA President Craig Perciavalle. “We’re equally excited to share this celebration with an amazing patriot in Senator Shaheen who has served in her role as both Governor and Senator, and now gives her spirit as the sponsor to this awesome ship.” Scheduled for launch in mid-May, the future USS Manchester (LCS 14) has a maximum speed of more than 40 knots, a voluminous 28,000 sf mission bay, and a flight deck capable of simultaneously holding two H-60 helicopters. To date, Austal has delivered three ships from its LCS program, with seven other ships currently under construction. According to the company, Montgomery (LCS 8) conducted acceptance trials late last week, whereas Gabrielle Giffords (LCS 10) and Omaha (LCS 12) are preparing for trials. Austal said final assembly is well underway on Tulsa (LCS 16) and modules for Charleston (LCS 18) and Cincinnati (LCS 20) are under construction in the company’s Module Manufacturing Facility. Austal has also been awarded a $1.6 billion block-buy contract by the US Navy to build 10 Expeditionary Fast Transports (EPF), six of which have already been delivered. Australian Manufacturing

BAE Systems signs MTU diesel genset supply contract with Rolls-Royce BAE Systems has awarded Rolls-Royce an equipment contract to manufacture diesel generators for the first three Type 26 anti-submarine warfare ships for the Royal Navy. Image credit: www.baesystems.com BAE said the deal marks the first Type 26 manufacturing contract to be agreed since the UK Ministry of Defence announced a £472 million contract extension in March 2016 to progress the Type 26 Global Combat Ship programme. According to the press release by BAE Systems, each Type 26 ship will require four of the MTU diesel generators based on 20-cylinder MTU Series 4000 engines, which will provide a low-emission solution to the ships’ electrical supply and slow speed propulsion. Each generator set will deliver approximately 3 MW of generated power, enough to power around 6,000 homes. “This is another great step forward for the programme. We are seeing real momentum, with manufacturing contracts awarded to seven supply chain partners for key equipment for the first three ships, and I look forward to continuing to work with the team at Rolls-Royce as we move forward,” said Geoff Searle, Type 26 Programme Director at BAE Systems. “We are working closely with partners across our supply chain in the UK, Europe and further afield. We are pushing forward innovation in the way we design and manufacture warships, harnessing new technologies and processes to make sure we can deliver cutting-edge solutions to meet the Royal Navy’s requirements.” Knut Müller, head of MTU’s governmental business, said the deal means that the core components of the frigate’s combined propulsion system will come from Rolls-Royce: four MTU diesel gensets with 20V 4000 M53B engines, each delivering 3,015 kW of mechanical power, and one Rolls-Royce MT30 gas turbine. The MTU brand is part of Rolls-Royce Power Systems. “The fact that we’re involved with our diesel gensets in this leading-edge project by the Royal Navy fills us with great pride and demonstrates the precision with which Rolls-Royce is able to meet customer requirements,” Mr Müller said. “One key reason for winning this order is MTU’s wealth of experience of combined propulsion systems.” The Type 26 Global Combat Ship is the first newly-designed Royal Navy surface vessel to be equipped with MTU engines, as well as the first time Rolls-Royce has supplied a naval vessel with an MTU propulsion system that meets the requirements of the IMO III emissions directive. Australian Manufacturing

Spain’s Navantia to build Australia’s replacement replenishment vessels The Australian Government has signed contracts with the Spanish state-owned shipbuilding company Navantia S.A. to build Australia’s two replacement replenishment ships. HMAS Success Image credit: www.navy.gov.au The Department of Defence Ministers said the contract award was a matter of priority that will help Australia avoid a critical capability gap as the country’s current supply ship HMAS Success approaches its end of life in 2021. The contract is valued at $640 million, of which $130 millions are expected to go to Australian industry for the manufacture and integration of Combat and Communication Systems, Integrated Logistics Support, and elements of the onboard cranes. In addition to the contract for building the two replacement replenishment ships, the Government also awarded Navantia an initial $250, five-year sustainment contract to be undertaken in Australia. “Australian shipyards simply do not have the capacity to complete the replenishment vessels in the required time and a local build would delay the OPVs, Future Frigates and Future Submarines thereby risking those jobs and capability,” the Department of Defence Minister said in a media statement. Australian Manufacturing

Toyota Australia appoints new Vice President Toyota Australia has announced the appointment of Matt Callachor as its Vice President, responsible for overseeing the company’s non-manufacturing operating arms which include Sales and Marketing, Product Planning and Development, Corporate Services and Finance. Mr Matt Callachor Image credit: www.toyota.com.au Mr Callachor – who has been with Toyota for almost 35 years – is currently working at Lexus International as General Manager in Planning as part of a three year intra company transfer. Prior to his transfer to Lexus, Mr Callachor was the Executive Director of Sales and Marketing at Toyota Australia, a position that he held from January 2010 to May 2013. The new position will see Mr Callachor report directly to President Dave Buttner, while the four Directors responsible for the company’s non-manufacturing operating arms will report to Matt. According to the press release by Toyota Australia, the restructure will allow Chairman Max Yasuda and President Dave Buttner to focus on strategic matters and long term planning, while Mr Callachor will focus on the day to day operations of his responsible areas. Commenting on his appointment, Mr Callachor said: “It brings me great excitement to return to Toyota Australia in the role of Vice President. The company is in the midst of its biggest transformation and it is important that we not only make this the most respectful employee transition, but also that we ensure any changes are as seamless as possible for our guests,” he said. “My main focus will be on ensuring that we continue to deliver great products and services to our guests and create those “oh what a feeling!” moments every day.” Mr Callachor’s appointment will take effect on f 1 June 2016 and he will be based at CHQ in Port Melbourne, Victoria. Australian Manufacturing

Talga commences further testing of its graphite material in Li-ion batteries Advanced materials company Talga Resources has provided an update on testing of its graphite material in lithium ion batteries. Image credit: Talga Resources ASX release “Following significant positive results from battery test-work at German institutes, a new program has commenced at the University of Warwick Energy Innovation Centre in the UK,” the company told the ASX. “The EIC program differs from previous and concurrent German testing in that the work is at industrial rather than laboratory scale.” The company said that in the new program, Li-ion “coin cell” batteries using Talga material have been produced by methods that can be scaled up for the future continuous roll to roll anode preparation. “Fabrication of the battery anodes was successful and performance testing has commenced over what will be up to 1,000 charge-discharge cycles (compared to the previous 100 cycles),” reads the statement. “The Talga material being used in the test batteries is produced from its pilot test facility in Germany using a patent pending process that saves expensive milling and micronising steps common to current Li-ion battery anode manufacture.” Talga also announced that further tests are planned to include production of larger “pouch” batteries and trials of multiple chemistries currently used in the global Li-ion battery industry. The company said that comprehensive data will be released to the market as it is compiled and interpreted post testing, expected over the next two months. Australian Manufacturing

Victorian Government greenlights transfer of gold mining and exploration licenses in Bendigo The Victorian Government has sanctioned the transfer of mining and exploration licenses in Bendigo from Unity Mining to Kralcopic Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of Bendigo-based company GBM Gold. Image credit: www.gbmgold.com.au According to the Minister, the transfer is conditioned on GBM rehabilitating the two largest ponds at the Woodvale within two years and sending only treated water to the site for use in dust suppression. “It’s important the community has confidence that the Woodvale Ponds will be rehabilitated as part of this licence transfer,” she said, adding that the move will create 15 new jobs as the company expands its operations in Bendigo. “This is a great outcome for local jobs, the environment and for the health and wellbeing of the community.” Ms Ambrosio said the new operator has passed the fit-and-proper person test, meets financial stability standard to carry out the currently licensed mining activity and to pay the site’s assessed rehabilitation bond, as required under the Mineral Resources Act 1990. GBM Gold said it intends to reprocess the contents of the mine’s sand and tailings waste to extract further gold that would otherwise be lost to mining by-product. “Reprocessing the tailings also helps with the progressive environmental rehabilitation of the mine site. The rehabilitation works required as part of the licence transfer applies to ponds six and seven at the Woodvale site,” the company stated. “The two ponds cover around 80 hectares, which is about two-thirds of the entire evaporation ponds area. GBM Gold will engage with the local community as it develops its work plan and Earth Resources Regulation, the mining regulator, will discuss site rehabilitation issues with the local community.” Ms Ambrosio said the work of the mining regulator in assessing the licence transfers has been reviewed by independent financial consultants Price Waterhouse Coopers. “The rehabilitation bond was also independently reviewed earlier this year by an EPA accredited auditor from environmental consultants AECOM, and increased to $5.948 million,” she added. Australian Manufacturing

Australian technology at the heart of the world’s largest telescope CSIRO-developed technology will form the core of one of the world’s biggest ever science projects following an agreement with China’s leading astronomical research organisation. Image credit: www.csiro.au The CSIRO has teamed up with the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (NAOC) to assist in the development of the largest single dish telescope in the world – the Five hundred metre Aperture Spherical Telescope (FAST). With a diameter of 500 metres, FAST will not only dwarf the current largest single-dish telescope – the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico – but it will also be able to receive weaker and more distant radio signals, helping to explore the nature, origins and evolution of the universe. CSIRO Chief Executive Dr Larry Marshal said Australia’s national science organisation was tasked with designing and building the telescope’s 19-beam receiver, which is a key component of the system. “Global collaboration is an integral part of CSIRO’s Strategy 2020, as it maps out our desire to deliver science, technology and innovation to new customers and markets, while also delivering benefit back to Australia,” Dr Marshall said. “This is a really exciting project and builds on 40 years of CSIRO collaboration with Chinese industry and research organisations.” He said that unlike most radio telescope receivers, which only allow for one piece of sky to be seen at a time, the CSIRO designed receivers feature many separate, simultaneous beams, making it practical for FAST to search a large portion of the sky for faint and hidden galaxies. “The powerful receiver we’ve created for FAST is the result of our long history developing cutting-edge astronomy technology to receive and amplify radio waves from space,” Acting Director CSIRO Astronomy and Space Science, Dr Douglas Bock said. “Extending our technology and collaboration to China and working on what will become the world’s largest radio telescope really cements our position as a global R&D leader in this space.” Professor Rendong Nan from NAOC said the state-of-the-art instrument would enable astronomers to greatly expand their knowledge of the universe. “FAST will make it possible for us to look for a range of extremely interesting and exotic objects, like detecting thousands of new pulsars in our galaxy, and possibly the first radio pulsar in other galaxies,” he said. Australian Manufacturing

Stratasys 3D printed dresses featured at “Manus x Machina” exhibition in New York Stratasys announced that two of its 3D printed pieces, which are incorporated into dresses by designer Noa Raviv, are featured in “Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology,” a new exhibition that opened last week at The Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET) in New York. Image credit: investors.stratasys.com The exhibition, which is curated by Andrew Bolton, explores the dichotomy between hand-made and machine-made fashion and highlights 3D printed designs from talented designer Noa Raviv’s “Hard Copy” collection, produced using advanced, multi-material 3D printing technology from Stratasys. Mr Bolton said the exhibition aims to break down stereotypes about hand-made and machine-made garments and shows that both can be luxurious pieces of art. “While traditionally assumptions link time-intensive delicate designs to hand-made fashion, technology has caught up and developed so much that nowadays, machine-made clothes are every bit as complex and delicate as handcrafted designs,” he said. “Combining the hand-crafted and machine-made, older designs and contemporary garments, haute-couture and ready-to-wear, the “Manus x Machina” exhibition enables visitors to look at fashion as art, without interference or barriers between the observer and the fashion pieces themselves.” The dresses feature a series of 3D printed black-and-white pieces, enabled by Stratasys multi-material 3D printing technology and hand-sewn on ruffled fabrics and grid-like patterns. Stratasys said these voluminous shapes were produced on its Objet500 Connex3 Colour Multi-material 3D Printer, allowing Raviv to realise her vision of non-symmetrical distorted grid patterns and shapes. “The technological capabilities of 3D printing open new doors to areas of design previously not possible with hand-crafted fashion,” Raviv said. “Through my collection I’ve been able to explore the tension between the real and the virtual, between 2D and 3D, and this inspired me to create imperfect digital images and distorted grid patterns that are impossible to produce using conventional methods.” Naomi Kaempfer, Creative Director, Art Fashion Design, Stratasys, said the company was “very excited” to be part of “Manus x Machina” through its collaboration with Noa Raviv. “The exhibition explores the contrast between hand-crafted and machine-made design, which fits very much within our objectives of showcasing the design freedom that can be achieved using 3D printing technology,” Ms Kaempfer said. “Noa’s work is a prime example of how aspiring designers turn some of the most challenging design concepts into reality.” Australian Manufacturing

LBT Innovations names new CEO Australian developer of clinical and diagnostic technology LBT Innovations announced that Senior Cochlear Limited executive, Mr Brent Barnes, has been appointed as the company’s new Chief Executive Officer. Image credit: http://ift.tt/1lgCb2s Mr Barnes will commence his new role as CEO of LBT Innovations on 8 August, replacing company-co-founder Mrs Luisa Guthrie who had been at the helm of LBT since its establishment in 2004. “Brent offers a rare blend of youth, energy and global business experience. He is ideal choice to lead our firm into an exciting future where LBT’s advanced digital imaging technologies will increasingly deliver major efficiencies for busy laboratories and faster, more accurate results for doctors and patients,” said Mr Robert Finder, Chair of LBT innovations. According to the company, Mrs Guthrie will continue to actively lead LBT for the remainder of her tenure and will continue in a consulting role to assist transitional arrangements for the new CEO. In the short term, she will focus on the work of LBT’s JV for APAS® (Clever Culture Systems AG), finding new commercialisation partners for MicroStreak® and progressing the development of Woundvue®. “I am pleased to be leaving LBT in good health; successful, innovative and dynamic. With a high performing team and a pipeline of innovative technology products, LBT is poised for a robust future under Brent’s leadership. I look forward to watching Brent take the company to the next level,” Mrs Guthrie said. Mr Barnes, who holds a Masters Degree in Project Management from the University of Adelaide and a Diploma of Commerce for the Sydney Institute of Business Technology, has begun his working life with defence contractor Thales. He has spent the past 11 years in a variety of roles with Australian medical device manufacturer Cochlear, including as Area Sales Manager (South Texas) and Director of Operations (Americas). Upon his return from the USA, he was appointed Director, Recipient Services & Operations (Asia-Pacific) and General Manager, Asia Growth Markets and Operations Director (Asia-Pacific). “I am thrilled to be joining LBT Innovations at such a critical period for the company. APAS® is close to market and LBT has tremendous opportunities to further exploit its innovative digital imaging platform, including Woundvue®,” he said. Australian Manufacturing

Decmil secures $46m of defence contracts Decmil Australia Pty Ltd, the wholly owned subsidiary of Decmil Group Limited, has been awarded a number of contracts worth $46 million by the Department of Defence in Western Australia, NSW, Northern Territory and Queensland. Image credit: www.decmil.com.au According to the company, in Western Australia the projects include a combat range refurbishment and bullet escalator trap replacement at Campbell Barrack in Swanbourne, and upgrade to water supply infrastructure at the Bindoon Training Area, asbestos remediation and maintenance works of the hangars at RAAF Pearce in Bullsbrook, civil and infrastructure works at Irwin Barracks in Karrakatta and various refurbishment and remediation packages as HMAS Stirling on Garden Island. In NSW, the company has been awarded sub-contract packages for the installation of stainless steel aircraft fuel lines and construction of new hot refuelling points. Decmil said the upgrade includes the installation of a new fuel control building and associated crew rooms at HMAS Albatross in Parma. According to the company, additional work was also secured at Robertson Barracks in the Northern Territory and Wide Bay in Queensland, where Decmil was already performing various works. Decmil Group Limited offers a diversified range of services to the Australian resources and infrastructure industries. Companies within the group specialise in design, civil engineering and construction; accommodation services; mechanical fabrication; maintenance; and telecommunications. Australian Manufacturing

AMWU’s national train campaign scores $400m contract for Downer Edi and UGL The efforts of Downer EDI workers rallying for more company contracts have finally paid off, with the Queensland State Government awarding the company a new seven-year contract for the overhaul and modification of Queensland Rail’s L-series carriages, the diesel Tilt Trains, train units, locomotives and wheel sets. Image credit: www.amwu.org.au The announcement came just a day after more than 200 local worker and their families attended a “Save Our Jobs, Save Maryborough” meeting at the regional city’s Town hall, capping over a week of intense AMWU campaigning on securing and growing jobs for the area. According to the AMWU, Queensland Rail has negotiated a $400 million contract with Downer’s Maryborough rail centre and UGL in Townsville, with Downer expected to receive up to $300 million of the package. “This announcement proves that when regional communities come together and use their voices, we can achieve great things,” said AMWU Queensland State Secretary Rohan Webb. “Although this announcement is a great step, we will continue to lobby hard to make sure the work and jobs for Maryborough are secured through the process ahead. This announcement doesn’t mark the end of the community campaign, in fact it’s only the beginning. We will continue to mobilise the local community and build support.” AMWU National Secretary Paul Bastian said it was heartening that the Queensland Government was seizing the potential for rail to invigorate local communities, in line with over $11 billion into rail manufacturing and infrastructure by Victoria’s Andrews Government. “We are on the cusp of a new, great era for rail modernization and new rolling stock manufacturing as it re-emerges as the most efficient method and moving both people and freight across this nation,” he said. “The AMWU will intensify it’s efforts to get the next Federal Government to catch up and seize that initiative, as Queensland and Victoria clearly have.” Australian Manufacturing

Researchers create recipe for 3D printing new bones The need for replacement bones is enormous – an estimated 200,000 people need replacement implants due to surgery, trauma or birth defects. Image credit: http://ift.tt/24xQ4xY In an effort to find a better solution than the ones currently available, a team of sciences at Johns Hopkins University has managed to create a new material that can be used to 3D print new bones. According to the official announcement, the new material is a mixture of pulverised decellulised natural bone and polycaprolactone, a biodegradable polyester – the perfect combination of the strength and printability of plastic with the biological “information” contained in natural bone. Polycaprolactone, or PCL, is a biodegradable polyester that is used for making polyurethane. Previous studies have shown that although strong, PCL doesn’t support the formation of new bone well so the scientists decided to combine it with “bone powder”. “Bone powder contains structural proteins native to the body plus pro-bone growth factors that help immature stem cells mature into bone cells. It also adds roughness to the PCL, which helps the cells grip and reinforces the message of the growth factors,” said Warren Grayson, Ph.D., associate professor of biomedical engineering at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. As a natural progression, the team tested the printability of the new material. Using different amounts of the two components, they managed to find the perfect recipe. “In the broth experiments, the 70 percent scaffold encouraged bone formation much better than the 30 percent scaffold,” says Grayson, “but the 30 percent scaffold is stronger. Since there wasn’t a difference between the two scaffolds in healing the mouse skulls, we are investigating further to figure out which blend is best overall.” This new material can be used to 3D printing just about any shape of bone, completely eliminating the need to harvest bones from patients. Australian Manufacturing

Unilever Australia recalls Blue Ribbon ice cream due to plastic contamination scare Ice cream manufacturer Unilever Australia has recalled its 1.25L and 2L tubs of Blue Ribbon ice cream due to fears that the product might contain pieces of plastic. Image credit: Blue Ribbon Facebook page (http://ift.tt/1TxFJKt) The company confirmed that “a very small number of customers” have found pieces of plastic in their ice cream, and decided to recall all flavours of Blue Ribbon sold throughout Australia. “We have been made aware of a very small number of cases where plastic pieces have been found in these products and could present a risk of injury. The affected products have best before dates between 28th April 2017 – 27th April 2018. Consumers are advised not to eat the affected products and should return empty ice cream tubs to the place of purchase for a full refund,” the Unilever said in a press release. “As a precaution, if consumers are unable to see the best before date on any Blue Ribbon plastic ice cream tubs, we advise they return the empty tub back to the place of purchase for a full refund.” The company apologised for the inconvenience caused by the recall, reminding consumers that it has always been focused on their health and safety. For more detailed information, please go to www.unilever.com.au Australian Manufacturing

OZ Minerals announces further investment for proposed Carrapateena copper mine and treatment plant at Whyalla OZ Minerals has announced plans to expand its Carrapateena copper and gold mining project with an investment of $975 million. Image credit: OZ Minerals website In an ASX Announcement, the company said that it aims to begin copper concentrate production at the planned $150 million concentrate treatment plant in 2019. The mine, once fully developed and operational, along with the concentrate treatment plant, are expected to generate up to 400 local jobs over the projected 20 years of operation. “The larger Carrapateena project is very compelling,” said Andrew Cole, Managing Director and CEO. “With such strong financial metrics, we have decided to commence development of the mine’s decline and accelerate the prefeasibility study with a larger 4Mtpa scope with the aim of first copper concentrate production in 2019.” OZ Minerals also inked a non-binding MOU with the administrators of Arrium to explore possible site, infrastructure and port options at Whyalla. South Australian Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis said the proposed project was great news for the Whyalla region. “The State Government has been a big supporter of the technology behind OZ Minerals’ concentrate treatment plant,” he said. “If the processing plant is built in Whyalla, it will be a great outcome for the region creating many local jobs. “The Government will work with OZ Minerals and Arrium to ensure the speediest and best outcome for this project.” The announcement was also welcomed by Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, Christopher Pyne who urged the South Australian Government to move quickly on its assessment of the CTP for Major Project status to give certainty to both Oz Minerals and the people of Whyalla and speed the progress of the project. “This is a welcome boost for Whyalla, following uncertainty created by recent job losses at Arrium and the company being placed into voluntary administration,” Mr Pyne said. “The announcement of a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding between Oz Minerals and Arrium administrator KordaMentha to explore possible site, infrastructure and port options at Whyalla is good news for the city. This project will support the ongoing viability of the Arrium steelworks and tap into Whyalla’s skilled labour force.” Australian Manufacturing

Austal wins $305m Pacific Patrol Boat contract The Commonwealth of Australia has awarded global defence contractor Austal a $305 million contract for the Pacific Patrol Boats Replacement (PPBR) Project. Image credit: Austal ASX release The contract will see Austal construct 19 steel-hulled patrol boats valued at $280 million – with an option for two additional vessels – and provide sustainment support for an initial seven year period valued at approximately $24 million. According to Austal, design work will begin immediately, with construction to commence in the second half of 2017. The vessels will be constructed at the Austal’s shipyard in Henderson, WA, where the company is currently completing construction of the second of two 72 metre High Speed Support Vessels for the Royal Navy of Oman, and two additional 58 metre Cape Class Patrol Boats for the Royal Australian Navy. According to the company, the PPBR contract award will secure approximately 120 direct jobs plus many more in local and Australian subcontractors who have worked with Austal extensively over the years. Support work will be carried out at Austal’s existing contracted facility in Cairns, Queensland, which will engage local subcontractors in the region to deliver support services. The company’s CEOO David Singleton said the contract validated Austal expertise in designing, constructing and sustaining patrol boats for domestic and export customers. “Austal has consistently proven its credentials as an efficient prime contractor and shipbuilder of quality aluminium vessels and we look forward to translating that expertise into the design and construction of steel-hulled vessels,” Mr Singleton said. “Given our extensive facilities at Henderson we will need to make only minor investments in training and equipment to support construction of steel vessels of this size.” He said that the contract also opened up new opportunities for the company to further develop its successful export programs, which have accounted for up to 80% of Austal’s production in the past. “The continuous build program adopted by the Australian Government for the PPBR and planned for other program delivers the Government and taxpayers a more cost efficient vessel construction process as well as sustainable and continuous employment in Henderson which creates the bedrock for further growth,” Mr Singleton added. “We have won this program against significant international competition which demonstrates the competiveness of our Australian design and shipbuilding industry.” The all new Pacific Patrol Boat is based on Austal’s proven patrol boat design platform and is 39.5 metres long with a beam of 8 metres and a loaded draft of 2.5 metres. It is capable of travelling at 20 knots and at 12 knots possesses a 3,000 nautical mile range. Each vessel can accommodate 23 people. Australian Manufacturing

UCSD engineers mastermind innovative bioinspired ground sampler for space exploration A team of engineers and marine biologists at the University of California, San Diego, has developed a claw-like device modelled on the sea urchin’s intricate mouth and teeth that will be used to sample sediments on other plants, such as Mars. Researchers attach the device to a remote-controlled roverImage credit: jacobsschool.ucsd.edu The urchin’s mouthpiece is comprised of an intricate framework of muscles and five curved teeth with triangle shaped tips that can scrape, cut, chew and bore holes into the toughest rocks. Michael Frank, a Ph.D. candidate at the Jacobs School of Engineering at UC San Diego and the paper’s first author, said the urchin’s extraordinary ability to rip through rock could translate to a good sediment sampler for space vehicles like the Mars rovers, which currently use shovels to collect ground samples. “Our goal was a bioinspired device that’s more precise and efficient at grabbing ground samples from different areas, and won’t disturb the surrounding area like a shovel would,” he said. To construct the device, researchers first extracted the urchins’ mouthpieces, scanned them with microCT, essentially a 3D microscopy technique, and analysed the structures at the National Centre for Microscopy and Imaging Research at the School of Medicine at UC San Diego. Engineers then turned the microCT data into a user-friendly file that a team of undergraduate engineering students at UC San Diego used to start iterating prototypes of the claw-like device. The students were able to quickly modify each prototype by using 3D printers in the UC San Diego Design Studio. The device was then attached to a remote-controlled small rover and tested on beach sand, and sand that simulates Martian soil in density and humidity, and delivered very encouraging results. The research group was led by mechanical engineering professor Joanna McKittrick, and also included Steven E. Naleway, Taylor S. Wirth, Jae-Young Jung, Charlene L. Cheung, Faviola B. Loera and Sandra Medina from the Jacobs School of Engineering at UC San Diego; and Kirk N. Sato and Jennifer R. A. Taylor at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego. Australian Manufacturing

Origin Energy inks landmark power purchase agreement with Fotowatio Renewable Ventures Origin Energy has reached an agreement with leading global solar company Fotowatio Renewable Ventures (FRV) to purchase solar power from the proposed 100 MW Clare Solar Farm in north Queensland, which will increase the company’s owned and contracted renewable portfolio to more than 700 MW. Image credit: www.frv.com The power purchase agreement (PPA), which will run for 13 years, will see Origin purchase 100% of the output and large scale renewable energy certificates (LRECs) from Clare Solar Farm, located 35km west of Ayr in northern Queensland. FRV will begin construction on the 300-hectare site later in 2016, with operations expected to commence in 2017. Origin Energy Markets CEO Frank Calabria said the deal follows the signing of a 15-year PPA with FRV for the solar power generated by the 56 MW Moree Solar Farm in northern NSW in March and further signposts the company’s commitment to adding more renewable energy into its portfolio. “The cost of solar is falling rapidly compared to other renewable resources and Origin is well-placed to capture opportunities towards our aspiration to be Australia’s number one renewables company. Now is the ideal time to invest in solar and we have been actively looking for opportunities to diversify and add more renewable energy to our portfolio,” he said. “The sunshine state is ideal for generating solar and Clare Solar Farm is in an optimal location close to existing transmission infrastructure, as is Origin’s DA-approved Darling Downs proposal in south-east Queensland.” FRV Chief Executive Officer Rafael Benjumea described the Clare PPA as “another significant step in achieving FRV’s strategy to develop and build renewable power generation assets across Australia and globally”. “The agreement is yet another Australian market first for FRV and, building upon the successful delivery of the Royalla and Moree solar farms, is a strong vote of confidence in FRV’s ability to deliver large scale solar projects in Australia,” Mr Benjumea said. The landmark PPA was welcomed by Queensland’s Minister for Energy Mark Bailey, who said the agreement would further boosted the State’s credentials as a leader in renewable energy generation. “The Palaszczuk Government’s renewable energy agenda is encouraging investment in Queensland that will develop a renewable energy economy for our State. We are on our way to turning the Sunshine State into the Solar State, to create jobs for regional Queensland and act on climate change,” Mr Bailey said. “The Government is helping to enable projects like this –Powerlink is working with Clare Solar Farm regarding a proposed connection to the grid through Powerlink’s existing Clare South substation. This is no thanks to the Abbott-Turnbull government’s wishy-washy renewable energy policy. I congratulate Fotowatio Renewable Ventures (FRV) and Origin Energy for reaching this agreement, this is yet another step towards reaching the Palaszczuk government’s 50 per cent renewable energy target by 2030.” Australian Manufacturing

AMWU: Coalition budget slap in the face to manufacturing workers The Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) launched a scathing attack on the Turnbull Government on Tuesday, saying its budget “failed to deliver for manufacturing workers” and young people desperately seeking secure employment. Image credit: www.amwu.org.a “The budget’s stated focus on “jobs and growth” is betrayed by no new measures targeting investment in advanced manufacturing industries. There are no additional measures to tackle the flood of dumped imports coming into Australia undermining Australian jobs and businesses,” the AMWU said in a press release. “There is no commitment to strategic industries like steel or new adjustment assistance for automotive workers or the auto supply chain. The budget recognises the crisis of youth unemployment but rather than reversing the $1 billion of cuts to apprenticeship programs the Coalition has overseen since coming to power, it introduces a scheme that will see businesses paid to take on unpaid interns.” AMWU National President, Andrew Dettmer, described the budget as a “slap in the face” to manufacturing workers and their families. “Young workers can expect better paid jobs in Thailand than they can as part of the Government’s PaTH scheme,” said Mr Dettmer. “There is not a single extra cent put into apprenticeship programs and pathways to the high-skilled and secure jobs of our future. Nor is there any plan for advanced manufacturing to ensure we are well positioned for economic transition,” he said. He pointed out that the budget came on the day the RBA cut interest rates to their lowest ever level, citing falling prices and a weakening economy. “The government’s own numbers, as well as the RBA’s actions, tell one story while the government’s rhetoric in the budget tells another,” Mr Dettmer added. “This is a budget that has a disturbing class warfare element to it, with tax cuts for the top quarter of income earners as well as large companies, but nothing for ordinary people besides empty promises disguising cuts to programs like medicare (almost $1 billion), higher education ($2 billion) and industry skills ($250 billion).” Australian Manufacturing

3D printing in space is now a reality – Made In Space’s AMF printer installed on ISS Innovative aerospace company Made in Space announced that the first-ever space-based commercial manufacturing facility was installed on the International Space Station (ISS) last week. Image credit: madeinspace.us The Additive Manufacturing Facility (AMF) system – which utilises advanced 3D printing technology specifically designed for the unique microgravity environment of the ISS – was designed by Made in Space in collaboration with NASA and commercial companies. “For us, this moment is exciting because we can say, ‘we’re open for business!’” said Made In Space CEO Andrew Rush. “This is a big moment for commercial space. With AMF, for the first time customers and researchers can manufacture useful objects in space, rather than having to launch.” AMF is intended to be a permanent manufacturing facility on the ISS, providing hardware manufacturing services to both NASA and the US National Laboratory onboard. Designed to last the entire lifetime of the ISS, the AMF printer can work with a wide range of various extrudable materials including flexible polymers and aerospace grade composites. The ability to manufacture objects in space is one of the unique aspects of AMF. Another important trait of this machine is its ability to be accessed by any Earthbound customer for job-specific work, like a machine shop in space. Example use cases include, a medical device company prototyping space optimised designs, or a satellite manufacturer testing new deployable geometries, or creating tools for ISS crew members. According to Matt Napoli, Vice President of In-Space Operations, AMF currently has about six-month of prints in the queue. “Additive manufacturing in microgravity, the key enabling technology of AMF, began its life through NASA’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, and is the second technological iteration of a 3D printing experiment that went to the ISS in 2014,” he said. “The NASA SBIR program is essentially a government venture capitalist providing funding for small firms like us to turn a concept developed in our garage into a reality, in space!” Australian Manufacturing

Brazilian Authorities hit Samarco JV partners with A$57.6bn lawsuit Federal prosecutors in Brazil have filed a US$43 billion (A$57.6 billion) civil lawsuit against Samarco and its owners Vale SA and BHP Billiton for the failure of the Fundao tailings dam in November that resulted in 19 deaths and a major environmental damage. Image credit: Vale agency The lawsuit comes after a six-month investigation led by a special taskforce, and is separate from the one in which the three companies negotiated with Brazilian authorities in March to pay approximately 20 billion reais for the restoration of the environment and communities affected by the dam failure. BHP yesterday told the ASX that it had not received formal notice of the claim, but maintained that it remained committed to helping Samarco rebuild the community and restore the environment affected by the disaster. The dam failure, which occurred on 5 November, caused a tidal wave of waste water to bury the district of Bento Rodrigues and clog the Rio Doce river in Minas Gerais state before travelling nearly 500 km from the site to neighbouring Espirito Santo state. Australian Manufacturing

Maximising the potential of Queensland’s aerospace industry Queensland’s Development Minister and Minister for Natural Resources and Mines Dr Anthony Lynham has released a proposal on Tuesday that could turn the state into a hub for the multi-billion dollar Asia-Pacific aerospace industry that keeps civil and military aircraft in the skies. Image credit: ww.statedevelopment.qld.gov.au Dr Lynham said the Queensland Aerospace 10-Year Roadmap discussion paper identified thousands of jobs and business opportunities that could materialise if the state builds on it existing reputation as Asia-Pacific aviation centre of excellence. He said the discussion paper seeks to explore the current environment in relation to aerospace, the key attributes of aerospace businesses and the key opportunities and challenges in the sector. “We already have the foundations here with our civil and defence aviation strengths – our depth of capability, our world-class expertise, and our strategic location,” Dr Lynham said. “Our Advance Queensland agenda is to grow these “high tech” industries with global growth potential. This discussion paper is the first step in setting Queensland on the flightpath towards a bigger, better future in aerospace.” In 2014–15, Queensland aerospace generated approximately $1.3 billion in revenue, of which $600 million went directly into the Queensland economy. The state’s aircraft manufacturing and maintenance sector provides 4500 jobs across 344 enterprises. The global aerospace market is expected to grow to US$352.5billion by 2023. Globally, strong passenger travel demand is forecast to require more than 35,000 new aircraft over the next 20 years, particularly in India, China, the Middle East and other Asia-Pacific countries. Dr Lynham said companies like Boeing Defence Australia, Virgin Australia Airlines, Airbus Group Australia Pacific, BAE Systems, Qantas heavy maintenance and Raytheon were in Queensland because the state offered a clear competitive advantage. These advantages include the highest product quality levels within the Asia-Pacific region, an advanced manufacturing environment with an excellent skills and transport infrastructure base, high quality, cost effective aerospace design with excellent communications and IT infrastructure, as well as exceptional R&D resources, education and training. “Aerospace offers great opportunities for businesses who have never even considered this industry: for engineering companies, for instance, who have always supplied the mining industry,” Dr Lynham said. Consultation on the discussion paper runs until Friday 27 May. It will include workshops throughout May with local businesses around the state, including in Toowoomba, Gold Coast, Ipswich, Brisbane, Sunshine Coast, Wide Bay region, Mackay, Townsville and Cairns. Australian Manufacturing

Australian PMI®: Manufacturing activity slows down in April The Australian PMI® expanded for a tenth straight month in April – the longest unbroken period of growth since September 2006 – although its level eased by 4.7 points to 53.4 following a 12-year high in March. Image credit: FreeDigitalPhotosointer According to Ai Group’s report, of the seven activity sub-indexes, all expanded except employment (down 4.2 points to 49.0). Production (down 3.2 points to 56.8), sales (down 2.7 points 56.8) and stocks (up 2.0 points to 56.7) all expanded strongly while new orders maintained mild expansion, albeit at a slower pace (down 9.6 points to 52.4). As in March, five of the eight manufacturing sub-sectors expanded. The large food, beverages & tobacco sub-sector continued to lead the way, adding 3.1 points to reach a record high of 74.1. Wood & paper products also strengthened (up 0.8 points to 65.8), as did non-metallic mineral products (up 7.0 points to 57.5). However, the March recovery in the machinery & equipment sub-sector was short-lived, with this key sub-sector moving back into contraction in April (down 3.1 points to 47.8). The input prices sub-index fell by 6.4 points to 57.3, suggesting an easing in input price growth related to the recent appreciation of the Australian dollar. Wages growth strengthened, rising 3.6 points to 57.4. The manufacturing selling prices sub-index continued a downward trend, slipping 2.7 points to 45.1. This reflects manufacturers’ efforts to combat increasing competition from international players. Ai Group Chief Executive, Innes Willox, said the current expansion in manufacturing was a much-needed turnaround for a sector that has been through a “very tough” decade. “While margins remain tight, recovering domestic market share and building momentum in a variety of export markets provide a strong foundation for the lift in confidence required for the sector to move up another gear,” Mr Willox said. “A budget that boosts incentives for business investment and innovation would come at just the right time for manufacturers to capitalise on recent gains.” Australian Manufacturing

ACCC fines ugg boot importer for false “Australian made” representation The ACCC has launched a legal action against sheepskin footwear seller Kingdom Groups International for breaching the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) by making a false or misleading representation on its website about the country of origin of its footwear branded “UGG® Aries Sheepskin Australia”. Image credit: www.accc.gov.au The consumer watchdog said Kingdom’s Aries Sheepskin website featured images of the Australian Made logo attached to Aries Sheepskin footwear, as well as statements that the footwear was “truly Australian made”, and manufactured in “Junee, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory”. ACCC Deputy Chair Dr Michael Schaper said the statements and images on the Aries Sheepskin website mislead consumers into believing that the Aries Sheepskin footwear products were manufactured in Australia, when in fact they were made in China. “The Australian Made logo is well recognised and relied upon by consumers. The ACCC was concerned that it had been used to give consumers the impression that a product was made in Australia, when it was not,” ACCC Deputy Chair Dr Michael Schaper said. “Country of origin claims are a particularly valuable marketing tool for businesses, as many consumers place a premium on goods that are Australian made. In circumstances where consumers must rely on labels to identify where a product is made, it is particularly important that suppliers ensure that any country of origin claims they make are true.” ACCC’s infringement notice against Kingdom was welcomed by the Australian Made Campaign, which flagged the misuse of the Australian Made logo on Kingdom’s Chinese-manufactured products and associated marketing materials after conducting its own investigation. “Australia has an excellent reputation for producing quality products and produce, which makes us a target for copycat manufacturers and frauds,” Australian Made Campaign Chief Executive, Ian Harrison said. “Consumers look for the Australian Made logo to identify genuine Aussie products, and Australian farmers and manufacturers rely on it to market their products, so it is of the utmost importance that we protect the integrity of the brand. We hope this sends a strong message to people that misuse of the logo will not be tolerated.” Kingdom was ordered to pay $10,800 for the infringement. Australian Manufacturing

Dairy industry and Government convene to discuss milk price cut The Andrews Labor Government has set up a meeting with Victoria’s dairy industry leaders to discuss Murray Goulburn’s shock decision to cut its farmgate milk price by more than 10%. Image credit: http://ift.tt/yftkXj by graur razvan ionut It comes after the dairy cooperative told the ASX last week that the figure of $5.602 per kilogram milk solids (kgms) provided at the beginning of February was “no longer achievable”, and that the new prices will range between $4.75 and $3.81 kgms. In response to the situation, Minister for Agriculture Jaala Pulford has called for the industry to come together to support farmers and regional communities who are feeling the impact of this milk price cut. “Now is the time more than ever to look over the farmgate, check on your neighbour and support each other,” the Minister said. “Dairy farming is at the heart and soul of Victorian agriculture – and we want it to stay that way. A coordinated approach will ensure industry and government work together to address the issues caused by the milk price cut.” The meeting, which will include representatives from all relevant farmers’ associations and Australia’s biggest dairy companies, will discuss the outlook for Victoria’s dairy sector and ensure that industry is coordinated in its approach for farmers and the community. Ms Pulford said the Dairy Industry Taskforce will address how the welfare of farmers and regional communities can be supported by proactive measures led by industry. “The Andrews Labor Government stands with the dairy industry during this difficult time and we are confident that its future remains strong,” the Minister added. Murray Goulburn is Australia’s largest dairy cooperative and has more than 2,600 suppliers-shareholders. Australian Manufacturing

Alcoa to keep Intalco smelter open after sealing new power deal Alcoa, the global leader in lightweight metals technology, engineering and manufacturing, has reached an agreement with Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) that will help improve the efficiency of its Intalco smelter located in Washington state. Image credit: Alcoa Twitter pagealcoa Alcoa said that as a result of this agreement, the smelter will not curtail at the end of the second quarter as previously announced. According to the company, the amendment to the power contract is effective July 1, 2016 through February 14, 2018 and provides for additional access to market power during this period. “This short-term amendment with BPA, combined with the state of Washington’s $3 million budget proviso for workforce training, are key factors in helping Intalco remain competitive,” the company said in a statement. “Alcoa thanks Governor Inslee; its federal delegation led by Senators Murray and Cantwell, and Representatives DelBene and Larsen; the state legislative delegation led by Senators Ranker and Ericksen; and BPA for their support.” Australian Manufacturing

Havilah and CNC temporarily halt mining at Portia Havilah Resources announced that project partners Consolidated Mining and Civil (CMC) have temporarily suspended mining at the Portia gold mine due to safety concerns stemming from a slip at the mine’s open pit wall. Image credit: http://ift.tt/1RvkGqY The company said the Portia open pit wall has experienced a slip in an area where ore was previously mined, adding that it is addressing the situation to restart mining operations as soon as possible. “As a matter of prudence, Consolidated Mining and Civil (CMC) has decided to temporarily suspend their mining operations in order to allow geotechnical experts to study the geometry of the slip and carry out back calculations of the material strength,” the company said in statement to the ASX. “The slip provides critical live data that can be used to test, re-calibrate and update past geotechnical models. The objective is to provide updated guidance on the safest and best mine design going forward in order to minimise the risk of any further pit wall slips.” Havilah also announced the commissioning of its processing plant, which is now processing high grade gold ore sourced from its accumulated stockpiles. “With the processing plant ramping up to design capacity and steady operations, the processing of high grade gold ore has now commenced,” reads the statement. “Concentrates from the riffle and Knelson concentrates show that both pieces of equipment are recovering free gold particles over a wide size range. Ore is being sourced from the stockpile generated from mining the interim sub-pit, as previously reported, with there being sufficient material available for treatment for several weeks.” Commenting on recent developments, Havilah Managing Director Chris Giles said: “We are pleased to have commissioned our gold plant and see it operating according to design. Although I have often said it is a “simple” gravity plant, there I no room for error if we are to maximise gold recoveries,” Dr Giles said. “We fully endorse CMC’s cautious approach in having geotechnical experts review the current mine design and identify and suggestions for modifications going forward that will reduce the likelihood of future pit wall slips. Fortunately, we have plenty of ore stockpiled so production of gold from our processing plant will not be affected while this geotechnical study is being concluded.” Australian Manufacturing

QGC’s water treatment plant wins prestigious Industrial Water Project of the Year award QGC’s water treatment plant at the company’s northern gas fields near Wandoan, Queensland, has been named Industrial Water Project of the Year at the annual Global Water Awards which recognise the most impressive technical or environmental achievement in the field of industrial water. QGC’s water treatment plant in Queensland, AustraliaImage credit: www.genewsroom.com Designed and built by GE ad Laing O-Rourke Australia, QGC’s Northern Water Treatment Plant is the largest of a trio of produced water treatment plants that treat saline water produced as part of the coal seam gas extraction process. The plant has the capacity to purify 100,000 cubic metres of water per day which is then reused by the local communities and farmers. The water treatment plant – which was commissioned in May 2015 – features GE’s advanced water treatment technologies including ZeeWeed* submerged ultrafiltration, ion exchange and three-stage reverse osmosis followed by brine concentration. “Due to the plant’s remote location, it was imperative to utilise the latest off-site construction techniques to streamline the construction process and minimise the impact on the local environment,” GE said in a press release. “The pipe racks were modularised and manufactured to allow a “plug-and-play” approach using a pre-defined installation sequence and were trucked in according to carefully timed transport envelopes, limiting the need for police escorts and pilot vehicles. Meanwhile, the three, 120-tonne brine concentrators were manufactured off-site in New Zealand before being shipped in one piece to Brisbane, trucked to the site and installed using one of the largest mobile cranes in Australia.” Heiner Markhoff, president and CEO—water and distributed power for GE Power, congratulated QGC on winning the award. “Congratulations to QGC on winning the prestigious Industrial Water Project of the Year award for the Northern Water Treatment Plant,” Mr Markhoff said. “GE is proud to have been a part of this project from design through commissioning.” Australian Manufacturing

Caterpillar Transition Taskforce announces final round of industry support and assistance initiatives Tasmanian Deputy Premier Jeremy Rockliff has announced the final round of industry support and assistance initiatives supported by the Caterpillar Transition Taskforce, which was established in 2015 to support affected workers in Burnie and the North West Coast community after Caterpillar moved its hard rock vehicle operations to Thailand. Image credit: www.caterpillar.com According to Mr Rockliff, the Taskforce has allocated $400,000 to support the establishment of a state-wide advanced manufacturing industry association to be administered through the Tasmanian Minerals and Energy Council. “This will enable an industry-led group to advance the needs of all Tasmanian manufacturers. This was identified as the number one priority by industry at the Advanced Manufacturing Summit that was held in May 2015 in Burnie,” Mr Rockliff said. The Deputy Premier said that $200,000 have been awarded for a Manufacturing Market Expansion Program, which will enable Tasmanian manufacturers to undertake eligible market development activities to establish new interstate and international markets. This dollar-for-dollar support up to $10,000 will be available in 2016-17. Additionally, 150,000 will go towards an Innovation and Growth Voucher System to support manufacturing companies to diversify into more advanced manufacturing processes through accessing suitable expertise and support, on a 2-for-1 dollar basis of minimum $5000 up to $10,000 to be available in 2016-17. The remaining initiatives supported by the Taskforce include: $125,000 for the Ready to Bid for Defence initiative to assist Tasmanian firms to develop skills to promote defence capabilities and attract defence investment as well as leverage off Tasmania’s Antarctic status. $90,000 for a University of Tasmania project that will deliver, in partnership with industry, a transition training and skills development program in industry design and technology. $19,000 to conduct an Insights into Excellence advanced manufacturing industry tour in partnership with CSIRO and the Australian Department of Industry. The industry tour will include visits to Australian Government Growth Centres, several global companies, supporting industry associations and CSIRO’s Lab 22. Mr Rockliff said the Taskforce was allocated $3 million in Tasmanian Government funds which have been fully committed with impressive results. According to him, the Taskforce has fast-tracked at least 156 new jobs through the Advanced Manufacturing Transition Fund, which leveraged government contribution to create enormous private investment worth nearly $10 million. “The Tasmanian Government’s priority has always been jobs and economic stimulus and these initiatives will underpin long term confidence in the manufacturing sector,” the Deputy Premier concluded. Australian Manufacturing

Cactus inspired membrane could revolutionise electric vehicle industry Scientists from CSIRO and Hanyang University in Korea have developed a new type of membrane that has the potential to significantly boost the performance of fuel cells and transform the electric vehicle industry. Dr Aaron ThorntonImage credit: www.CSIRO.com.au Inspired by the humble cactus, the membrane features a water repellent skin which can improve efficiency of fuel cells in hot conditions by a factor of four. CSIRO researcher and co-author Dr Aaron Thornton said the skin works in a similar way to a cactus plant, which thrives by retaining water in harsh and arid environments. “Fuel cells, like the ones used in electric vehicles, generate energy by mixing together simple gases, like hydrogen and oxygen. However, in order to maintain performance, proton exchange membrane fuel cells – or PEMFCs – need to stay constantly hydrated,” Dr Thornton explained. “At the moment this is achieved by placing the cells alongside a radiator, water reservoir and a humidifier. The downside is that when used in a vehicle, these occupy a large amount of space and consume significant power.” According to CSIRO researcher and co-author Dr Cara Doherty, the new cactus-inspired membrane offers an alternative solution. “A cactus plant has tiny cracks, called stomatal pores, which open at night when it is cool and humid, and close during the day when the conditions are hot and arid. This helps it retain water,” Dr Doherty said. “This membrane works in a similar way. Water is generated by an electrochemical reaction, which is then regulated through nano-cracks within the skin. The cracks widen when exposed to humidifying conditions, and close up when it is drier. This means that fuel cells can remain hydrated without the need for bulky external humidifier equipment. We also found that the skin made the fuel cells up to four times as efficient in hot and dry conditions.” Project leader Young Moo Lee from Hanyang University said that team’s invention could have “major implications” for many industries, including the development of electric vehicles. “At the moment, one of the main barriers to the uptake of fuel cell electric vehicles is water management and heat management in fuel cell systems. This research addresses this hurdle, bringing us a step closer to fuel cell electric vehicles being more widely available,” Professor Moo said. “This technique could also be applied to other existing technologies that require hydrated membranes, including devices for water treatment and gas separation.” The results of this cross-continent, 10-year research were published in the journal Nature last Thursday. Australian Manufacturing

AMWU celebrates subs triumph for Australian shipbuilders AMWU members are celebrating the announcement that French firm DCNS would build 12 new submarines in Adelaide, which comes after the Union’s lengthy campaign for a continuous build in Australia. Image credit: www.asc.com.au AMWU National Secretary, Paul Bastian, said the Union’s relentless electoral pressure on the Coalition Government to pull back from sending the project offshore tipped the scales in favour of home build and helped secure the creation of thousands of skilled jobs nationally. “This has been a four-year fight which persisted through two Coalition Prime Ministers and three defence ministers, a tireless campaign which will result in Australia’s largest ever defence project being built in our own Adelaide shipyard,” Mr Bastian said. “Two years ago this Coalition Government was set to walk away from its commitment to build those subs here. Our shipbuilding members held dozens of rallies, doorknocked voters, crowdfunded billboards and saturated social media to stop that happening. This was a fight for Australian jobs, industry and our national sovereignty. Thanks to them we have in our grasp a new era of navy shipbuilding, with nearly 50 subs and surface ships providing a golden pipeline for advanced skills and technology right across Australian manufacturing.” Employer groups estimate that over 1000 firms will be in contention for expanded work over the next 10-15 years before the first sub hits the water. According to AMWU, the building and maintenance for the subs is expected to generate up to $150 billion of activity over 30 years, starting with 2800 new jobs as ASC’s Osborne facility in Adelaide is expanded with a new shipyard and factory for the project. “That’s combined with a $35 billion build for 9 future frigates in Adelaide, $3 billion for 12 Offshore Patrol Vessels in Adelaide and Perth , $2 billion to upgrade and extend the life of the Collins-class subs and $500 million for 21 Pacific Patrol Vessels in WA,” the Union said in a press release. Australian Manufacturing

ARENA announces funding support for Australia’s largest bio-energy project An early stage funding support announced by ARENA on Friday could help an $800 million bio-energy project become reality. Image credit: http://arena.gov.au/ena ARENA CEO Ivor Frischknecht said the agency is providing $3 million support for Renewable Developments Australia (RDA) to build the business case for a renewable biofuel production facility at Pentland, in North Queensland. He said the project had the potential to be “a landmark development” for the country’s bioenergy industry. “The plant is designed to produce up to 350 million litres of fuel grade bio-ethanol per annum, which would increase Australia’s production by 80 per cent. The fuel is earmarked for sale under a proposed off-take agreement with a global agriculture and energy corporation and export through the Port of Townsville,” Mr Frischknecht said. “RDA intends to grow its own sugarcane and sweet sorghum for biofuel production and will also process biomass waste with advanced and innovative processing techniques that would make the plant entirely self sufficient, renewable and independent of the grid. A ‘lignin’ by-product would fuel a purpose built 32 megawatt co-generation power plant, with excess lignin sold as biofuel pellets. This approach would mean nothing is wasted and add to the plant’s commercial viability. Importantly, the anticipated fuel price could be competitive with petrol, making ethanol a much more viable long-term renewable fuel.” He said ARENA’s funding will support growing and irrigation trials, due diligence activities required for financial close and preliminary work to support the procurement of engineering and construction services. According to him, the project would provide valuable knowledge on the commercial viability of innovative second generation ethanol production technology, which would be shared with the bioenergy industry. “RDA will identify technical, financial and regulatory developmental roadblocks affecting projects of this scale and type. The project will also provide insights on the performance of super sweet sorghum and sugar cane for biofuels,” Mr Frischknecht added. If approved, the proposed project is expected to create 500 jobs during construction and up to 200 permanent positions after construction is complete. ARENA said the business case is due for completion by November 2016, with the agency to recover its funding amount if the plant proceeds. Australian Manufacturing

Ai Group welcomes establishment of PM’s Industry 4.0 Taskforce The Australian Industry Group has welcomed the establishment of the Prime Minister’s Industry 4.0 Taskforce and the appointment of its partner organisation, the Australian Advanced Manufacturing Council (AAMC), to help drive common standards for the industrial internet. Image credit: aamc.org.au The PM’s Industry 4.0 Taskforce, which aims to support Australia’s transition to a new economy and connect the nation to the fourth industrial revolution, is led by Siemens Australia Chairman and CEO, Jeff Connolly. The Taskforce will take part this week in important roundtable discussions at the world’s largest industrial exhibition, Hannover Messe, where it will connect Australia with the German Plattform Industrie 4.0 group and the US Industrial Internet Consortium. “Australia’s involvement, through the Taskforce, in building cooperation on global standards for the Industrial Internet of Things is important,” said Ai Group’s Chief Executive, Innes Willox. “We need to ensure technology choices are simplified, that they are broadly accessible, and that global interoperability is made easy for our predominantly small and medium sized companies.” AAMC Chairman John Pollaers said supplying high value solutions to the world by using state of the art processes was pivotal for the future development of Australia. “Australian companies must be globally competitive and actively engaged in multinational supply chains. And to do that we need to be at the forefront of developing and using cutting edge technologies,” Mr Pollaers added. “The establishment of the PM’s Industry 4.0 Taskforce puts Australia at the head table – it crucially links us into the international collaboration on global standards for the industrial internet.” Earlier this year, the German Plattform Industrie 4.0 group and the US Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC) – two independent standards bodies for the industrial internet – announced collaboration to set global standards for the “Internet of Things”. It is expected that the combined strengths of both IIC and Plattform Industrie 4.0 will pave the way for development of a digitalised economy for international businesses. Australian Manufacturing