June 2021

Marr awarded heavy lifting contract in WA

Marr Contracting Pty Ltd (The Men From Marr’s), has been awarded the contract to deliver specialised heavy lifting crane services on the construction of the East Rockingham Waste to Energy Project in Western Australia. The AU$511 million project located in the Kwinana Industrial Area, 40 kilometres south of Perth, will be the second large-scale waste to energy (WtE) plant in Australia. With capacity to process 300,000 tonnes of residual waste from non-recyclable commercial and industrial sources every year, East Rockingham WtE will deliver a cost-effective waste treatment solution and a vital source of dispatachable renewable energy to the City of Perth. After ACCIONA and their partner, Hitachi Zosen Inova (HZI), were awarded the lead contract for engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) on the project in 2019, ACCIONA contacted Marr Contracting to work with them to develop a lifting strategy and craneage methodology that supported thier modular construction. The geotechnical conditions of the greenfield site, which is located in a high wind area close to the coast, posed a number of challenges that ACCIONA wished to address based on experiences on similar projects completed or currently under construction. Their primary concern was to find a solution that would reduce the number of lifting activities during the construction of the project. Marr’s solution – using a 330-tonne capacity M2480D Heavy Lift Luffer (HLL) – will allow critical lifts, weighing up to 150 tonnes, to be completed by a single crane from a fixed location, with a total site covearge of over 32,000 square meters and an ability to place 25 tonnes anywhere within that coverage. “Working closely with ACCIONA’s construction team during the early stages of the project, we’ve been able to design a simple craneage solution that will help to reduce congestion and improve safety on-site. “This is a great example […]

KLINGER Australia enhances production capacity

KLINGER Australia has just commissioned a new cutting machine on their shop floor in Western Australia that will increase current production capacity in the manufacture of soft-cut gaskets. Bringing the latest technology in design and functionality, KLINGER’s new Atom knife cutter system adds a new level of excellence to its existing, quality range of production machinery. ‘Our enhanced scope of soft cutting machinery means we can improve productivity and capacity in soft cut gasket manufacturing by 50%’ states Kevin Woolley; Managing Director ‘Its customisable, automatic nesting system and user-friendly interface provide benefits such as reduced process times and maximised material yield. These benefits translate into increased efficiencies and a reduction in material wastage’ explains Antonio Pacca; Warehouse & Logistics Manager. ‘It’s considerably faster and easier for my team to set up each production run because it removes a lot of the complexity. Firstly the interface is very easy to navigate, with popular options like finding different materials and sheet sizes for example at the click of a button. Secondly the overhead projectors enable us to directly see how the different gasket types are positioned on the sheet material. “This means we can very quickly and easily make the necessary adjustments to nesting, to get the most out of the sheet material.’ explains Ron Judge; Production Supervisor Ron has worked at KLINGER for 37 years and has witnessed how automation has evolved in the production facility, from using 13 presses many years ago to 3 machines today; delivering the same level of output. ‘There’s been a significant shift in production quality and consistency over the years compared to machinery used back in the day’ mentions Ron. KLINGER Australia’s production capabilities include the manufacture of standard and custom-made soft-cut, metallic and semi-metallic gaskets. This provides customers in Australia and nearby countries in […]

The future of work:Management platform meets the needs

Integrated employee experience features set a new bar for advanced workforce management solutions designed for global enterprises WorkForce Software has a Suite of enterprise SaaS-based workforce management solutions with a fully integrated set of employee experience (EX) capabilities, designed to facilitate meaningful, in-the-moment interactions between managers and deskless employees. Critical capabilities delivered in the newest release include two-way communications and real-time workforce data, which managers can use to engage staff, capture feedback, and act on employee sentiment. Harnessing these digital interactions through the WorkForce Suite can drive more effective employee engagement, provide for a safer, more compliant work environment, and boost employee retention for greater organisational resiliency and agility. “In our work with some of the largest global employers, we can see that focusing on improvements to employee experience are being prioritised even more highly than before the pandemic,” said Mike Morini, CEO of WorkForce Software. “A tightening labor market, lower barriers to job change, and an increasingly diverse and digitally native employee population with higher expectations creates a demand for employers to re-imagine their workforce management technology and include solutions aimed at improving the employee experience.” Today, there are 2.7 billion deskless workers in the global workforce—many of whom indicate a disconnect due to a growing technology gap, which makes it difficult for employers to communicate with employees and keep their workforce engaged at scale. A recent survey conducted by WorkForce Software revealed a significant disparity in how employers and employees perceive the digital and technological support provided to meet workplace needs. According to the report, employers felt they had provided adequate job training, employee recognition, and scheduling flexibility, among other criteria, but many employees surveyed disagreed. This disconnect further exacerbates the struggle many organisations face to retain talented employees. Companies can no longer afford to consider solutions primarily […]

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Pioneering technology to help NASA land the next person on the moon

A project led by The University of Western Australia in partnership with Fugro Australia and supported by the Australian Space Agency will expand optical communication technology to support international space exploration missions such as NASA’s artemis program. The Australian optical communications support for NASA Artemis and beyond project, funded by $199,634 via the Australian Space Agency’s Demonstrator program, will seek to establish a new optical communications ground station in Western Australia to enable more precise and clearer communication between Earth and the Moon. Dr Sascha Schediwy from the UWA node of the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR), who has previously pioneered advanced atmopheric stabilisation technology for free-space optical communication, will play a lead role in the project. Dr Schediwy, leader of the ICRAR Astrophotoncs Group and member of the UWA International Space Centre, said that free-space optical communication would have huge benefits for space exploration. “During the Apollo era, all communication between Earth and the astronauts in space relied on radio communication, which given the large distance between Earth and the Moon, led to low data rates and poor transmitted live video quality,” Dr Schediwy said. “Optical communication on the other hand has been shown to support data rates hundreds of times greater than radio communications, enabling 4K live footage of the next crewed Moon-landing – it’s the communication technology of the future.” Associate Professor Danail Obreschkow, head of UWA’s International Space Centre, said the project would harness the expertise and resources of the newly established Centre. “The International Space Centre launched earlier this year includes more than 12 research nodes, 150 researchers and 20 PhD students who are working on advancements for optical communications and space exploration,” Professor Obreschkow said. “The scientists are also working on research to improve our daily lives such as communication technologies, new […]

New podcast for progressive Australian manufacturers

Newcastle-based manufacturing growth specialist Graeme Fitzgerald recently launched a new podcast aimed at progressive Australian manufacturers who want to be more profitable, more sustainable and drive future growth. The ‘Manufacturing Mastery’ podcast includes special guest speakers and will cover a wide range of industry-relevant topics. The content is intended to offer valuable insights and practical, real-world advice that manufacturers can apply to their business. Topics covered will include how to embed a planning framework into your business, marketing in Australian manufacturing, new approaches to innovation, the importance of culture, how to lead change, and navigating the new normal. “Manufacturing Mastery is my way of doing what I can to help create a forum where we educate and support manufacturers by sharing knowledge, experiences and lessons learnt in a format that’s in snack-sized bites for a busy world”, said Graeme. “The podcast offers a unique opportunity to hear, firsthand, from practitioners what’s happening in all other areas of manufacturing and to listen to new ideas that may apply to their business, including emerging technologies – all from an Australian perspective”. The idea behind the podcast is to challenge thinking. Some listeners may not agree with everything that’s said – but that’s the intention. It’s designed to disrupt the status quo and create a forum for discussion. The first series of Manufacturing Mastery is anticipated to be released fortnightly and will run for eight to ten episodes. Episodes will be available on the Graeme Fitzgerald website as well as via your favourite podcast channels. To listen to the latest episodes, including ‘The Pursuit of Excellence’ with John Costly and ‘Marketing and Australian Manufacturing’ with Jacqui Daley, visit https://www.graemefitzgerald.com.au/

Rio Tinto to deploy world’s first fully autonomous water trucks at Gudai-Darri

Rio Tinto will deploy the world’s first fully autonomous water trucks at its $2.6 billion Gudai-Darri iron ore mine in Western Australia’s Pilbara region. The new vehicles, primarily used for dust suppression on site, will enhance productivity by enabling mine operations to digitally track water consumption and reduce waste. Developed through a successful collaboration with leading equipment manufacturer, Caterpillar, three water trucks will join Gudai-Darri’s fleet of Caterpillar heavy mobile equipment including autonomous haul trucks and production drills. The vehicle’s intelligent on-board system detects dry and dusty conditions on site, triggering the application of water to roads to keep them in good condition. The refilling process is also completely automated with the water trucks recognising when it is time to refill, prompting them to self-drive to the water stand, park and top-up before returning to the field. They boast a 160,000-litre tank capacity, a 33 per cent increase on Rio Tinto’s largest water truck which has a tank capacity of 120,000-litres. Once deployed, the water trucks will be integrated into Rio Tinto’s existing Autonomous Haulage System which has been shown to significantly improve safety by reducing the risks associated with operators working around heavy machinery. Rio Tinto Iron Ore chief executive Simon Trott said “We have worked closely with Caterpillar to safely and successfully deploy the world’s first fully autonomous water truck. Water spraying is a vital part of mining operations and this new technology will improve productivity and reduce water usage across our operations. “The continued expansion of our autonomous fleet helps improve safety and continues Rio Tinto’s efforts to adopt world-leading technology to enhance our operations and realise our vision of making Gudai-Darri one of the world’s most technologically advanced mines.” Caterpillar Resource Industries Group President Denise Johnson added “We are pleased to work with Rio Tinto to […]

Trisco ramps up shelf stable output with state-of-the-art retort

Leading Australian food manufacturer Trisco Foods has planned a major push into Australia’s local thermal processing market with the commissioning of a state-of-the-art steam rotational retort machine. The four basket retort machine produces a range of shelf stable foods for consumer and industrial use. Trisco Foods CEO Mike Tristram said the one-of-a-kind retort machine greatly increased the capability of the Brisbane-based, family-owned food manufacturing business. “The state-of-the-art machine will allow Trisco to ramp up production of our popular Precise range of products for the aged care sector,” Mr Tristram said. “This investment will also empower us to aggressively pursue a range of new contract manufacturing opportunities. “The retort is capable of producing a wide variety of shelf stable, low acid foods and we are eager to grasp new opportunities for contracts in this space. “The one-of-a-kind retort machine will increase production efficiency by reducing heating time while also increasing quality. “It’s all about our commitment to creating unique and innovative food solutions in Australia and across the globe.” The Steam and Water Spray Overpressure Retort with Thermal Process Programmable Logic Controller is designed for thermal processing with many kinds of containers including aluminium retortable pouches and plastic containers. With directed steam injection, continuous water spray from top and sides guarantees homogeneous heat distribution in the vessel during both sterilizing and cooling. It is envisaged that this technology will enhance and expand Trisco Foods’ existing product range and open up new opportunities in both the local and export markets.

Rio Tinto and ARENA to study using hydrogen to reduce carbon emissions in alumina refining

Rio Tinto has partnered with the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) to study whether hydrogen can replace natural gas in alumina refineries to reduce emissions. Rio Tinto will conduct a $1.2 million feasibility study, equally funded with ARENA through a $580,000 grant, into using clean hydrogen to replace natural gas in the calcination process of refining at the Yarwun aumina refinery in Gladstone. The study program includes work to be done at Rio Tinto’s Bundoora Technical Development Centre in Melbourne, where Rio Tinto’s in-house development capability has now been extended to hydrogen. ARENA CEO Darren Miller said “If we can replace fossil fuels with clean hydrogen in the refining process for alumina, this will reduce emissions in the energy and emissions intensive refining stage of the aluminium supply chain. Exploring these new clean energy technologies and methods is a crucial step towards producing green aluminium. “This study will investigate a potential technology that can contribute to the decarbonisation of the Australian alumina industry. If successful, the technical and commercial lessons from Rio Tinto’s study could lead to the implementation of hydrogen calcination technology, not only in Australia, but also internationally.” Rio Tinto Aluminium Pacific Operations acting managing director Daniel van der Westhuizen said “We see the ARENA and Rio Tinto-funded study as a step towards reducing refinery emissions and one that has the potential to play an important part in Rio Tinto’s commitment to decarbonisation. “We’re investing in work that needs to be done, not only to decarbonise one of our sites, but also to help provide a lower-emissions pathway for Rio Tinto and the global aluminium industry. “We recognise we are on a long road towards reducing emissions across our operations and there is clearly more work to be done. But projects such as this are an important part […]

Fleet Space Technologies awarded Moon to Mars Supply Chain Capability Improvement Grant

The Australian Space Agency has announced Adelaide nanosatellite manufacturer for the Internet of Things (IoT) Fleet Space Technologies as one of two recipients in round two of the Federal government’s Moon to Mars Supply Chain Capability Improvement grant. This will ensure Fleet Space can continue to be a growing contributor to Australia’s thriving space sector, and play a key role in NASA’s Moon to Mars project, while cementing Australia’s ability to compete in the international space economy. The $386,770 received through the grant will enable Fleet Space to improve the capabilities of its agnostic hybrid satellite low-powered wide area network (LPWAN), as well as expanding on its already deployed solutions for partners SA Power Networks (SAPN) and OZ Minerals, including collaborating to miniaturise and ruggedise sensors in the network. Together, the partners will pursue commercial supply chain opportunities, illustrating a terrestrial application of space technology that can be extended to Moon and Mars activities. The Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Christian Porter says “these grants will support the two local businesses to develop their work and tap into national and international space supply chains, helping grow skills and capabilities in the Australian space industry. “We are helping Australian companies be part of NASA’s plan to return to the Moon and prepare for missions to Mars, at the same time as strengthening our own space manufacturing base.” The success of this grant establishes Fleet Space as a major player in the Australian space sector, significantly growing its development of cutting-edge technologies and increasing international supply chain capabilities, as well as creating new Australian jobs as part of the government’s $150 million Moon to Mars initiative. Fleet Space CEO Flavia Tata Nardini says “winning this grant means our team can expedite and improve our manufacturing processes on devices specifically designed for […]

Footy club canteens to be safer with $30,000 in grants from ESV

Energy Safe Victoria (ESV) is offering Victorian grassroots football and netball clubs grants of up to $1,000 to upgrade old and potentially dangerous gas and electrical equipment in their canteens. ESV, in partnership with AFL Victoria, has handed out more than $90,000 over the past three years through its Safer Canteens grants program, helping 100 Victorian football/netball club canteens buy appliances that are safer and more efficient. Safer Canteens promotes broader energy safety and supports local, regional and suburban community sport – particularly following the impact of the coronavirus (Covid-19) during 2020. Grant applications open today. ESV Commissioner and Chair, Marnie Williams, said $30,000 was available through this year’s program with more than 30 clubs expected to receive a grant. An additional $1,000 Safer Canteen grant will be awarded through the Canteen Hero program, where ESV recognises the contribution of canteen volunteers, often the unsung heroes of footy clubs. Ms Williams also announced that ESV had this year become the sole sponsor of the Victorian Blind Football League, contributing $15,000 to support community sport and inclusion for the visually impaired. “After the disappointment of last year’s footy season being cancelled, it’s great to see our suburban, regional and rural athletes kicking and handballing again,” Ms Williams said. “ESV is proud to stand by community football and build on our long-standing partnership with AFL Victoria while also promoting awareness on important energy safety issues. “Safer Canteens also helps us ensure the safety of canteen volunteers and the community by helping them purchase safe new appliances. “We are so proud to get behind the Victorian Blind Football League, helping support this fantastic avenue for the visually impaired community to get out, have fun and enjoy some team camaraderie.” Head of AFL Victoria, Brad Scott, applauded ESV’s commitment to supporting inclusion and grassroots […]

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News Ticker

June 2021