Business

EVOS closes $5m funding round

Entire raise completed through existing investors as Brisbane-based electric vehicle charging start up looks to bring new products to market within weeks EVOS, a start-up specialising in fleet energy management and AC charging for electric vehicles (EVs), has completed a funding round, securing $5m from existing investors. The investment will enable the company to begin to bring to market new technologies ideal for a number of EV charging use cases to address challenges for EV fleet operators and EV homeowners/renters, among many others. EVOS is founded by CEO Marcelo Salgado; Chief Experience & Innovation Officer Seshan Weeratunga, and Chief Technology Officer Chris Crossman. “This investment validates all the hard work the team has put in since we launched our company, and it shows the belief our investors have in a home-grown manufacturer being able to deliver game-changing offerings for Australians,” said Salgado. “Since launching, we’ve unveiled our first charger, the Fleet Home 22 AC Charger and our patented Smart Start solution to help fleet and EV owners simplify and reduce the cost of charging. “We now have a number of new products on the roadmap and this investment will help bring them to market much more quickly.” A new home charger, to be launched in Brisbane on July 19, will be the first cab off the rank for the company. Rapid expansion and rollout of solutions to address the needs of EV owners The company initially raised $1.7m to help the company expand its team and commercialise its technology. Since then, EVOS has added 22 employees to its manufacturing, sales and engineering departments, while launching its game-changing products. “We’ve seen tremendous growth not just within our team but the opportunities for electric vehicles in Australia,” said Crossman. “Some of the barriers to EV adoption have gone down and we’re seeing […]

Scalable automation solution optimises process at new Kaolin plant

WA Kaolin is using Rockwell Automation technology to enhance operational efficiency as it ramps up production. A new kaolin mining operation in Wickepin, Western Australia, is utilising an integrated automation solution to reduce overall costs, improve scheduling, and deliver ongoing benefits to operations. Kaolin, which is becoming increasingly valuable, is a soft white clay that has been surging in demand, with uses in applications including paper and plasterboard, ceramics, fiberglass, paints and coatings, plastics, rubber, pharmaceuticals and medicine, cosmetics, concrete construction materials and agriculture. WA Kaolin – an ASX-listed mineral exploration, extraction, and processing company – has developed a proprietary dry processing method known as K99, which turns raw material into market-suitable feedstock for global customers. Combined with the high quality of the ore reserve, the K99 process delivers high-quality ultra-bright kaolin at a lower cost than conventional chemical bleaching and magnetic separation processing. WA Kaolin has constructed a Stage 1 commercial processing plant on a three-hectare site in Wickepin, about 200 kilometres southeast of Perth, Western Australia. The site has been identified as having a mineral resource estimate of more than 600 million tonnes of extremely high grade, easy access kaolin across its mining and retention tenements, one of the largest known remaining premium primary resources of kaolin in the world. There is a strategic plan in place to expand production capacity to exceed 400,000 tons per annum (tpa) after 36 months, so WA Kaolin selected engineering and planning consultancy, Willyung Electrical & Controls Engineering (WECE) to manage the process of steadily scaling up. WECE analysed the requirements, and selected Rockwell Automation’s PlantPAx® Distributed Control System (DCS) to provide a single, plant-wide control system, with the flexibility to make better and faster business decisions and a scalable solution for future expansion. In late 2022, WA Kaolin successfully commenced […]

What is steel scrap and how can it help us reach net zero?

Recycled steel scrap is a low-emitting source of the metal – here’s how we can improve its collection and production to help decarbonise the industry. From bridges to cars to paper clips, steel is ubiquitous in our material world. It is one of the enabling materials that has led to unprecedented living standard rises and progress for humanity. Yet, as with all other emitting economic sectors and material groups, the steel industry needs to decarbonise to meet the climate challenge. Its success as a material means global crude steel production is over 1.9 gigatonnes, but it accounts for an estimated 3 gigatonnes of CO2 emissions annually (albeit this is lower-emitting than most other materials potentially used for the same applications). Steel is made from either primary sources: that is, extracting iron ore from nature and transforming it into pure iron; or from secondary sources, that is, remelting steel scrap into new steel, or a combination of both. This secondary-source steel scrap is the discarded steel that becomes available from manufacturing waste generation and from recovered steel in buildings, infrastructure, equipment, vehicles and products discarded at their end of life. The amount of steel scrap available globally is finite, constrained by the rate of disposal by society. In contrast, the availability of iron ore-based steel is expandable, as mine activity can be increased to meet growing steel demand. There are two principal methods of producing steel. Image: ArcelorMittal Innate circularity Steel has excellent circularity properties. Whereas other materials are often downcycled at their end of life, for many applications, steel scrap can be turned back repeatedly into new steel, retaining its original properties. The magnetic properties of steel make it easy to segregate steel scrap from mixed waste streams. Global emissions from steel are primarily generated while producing steel from primary source iron […]

We could need six times more of the minerals used for renewables and batteries

Rusty Langdon,Senior Research Consultant, Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney; Elsa Dominish, Research Principal, Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney. We are seeing the biggest changes in our energy and transport systems since industrialisation. By 2026, global renewable energy generation is expected to match total fossil fuel and nuclear output. Building the wind and solar farms, batteries and electricity networks we need to run our system on renewables will use a huge array of mined minerals, known as “transition minerals”. The numbers are staggering. The International Energy Agency estimates a sixfold increase in demand for these minerals by 2040 to meet climate targets of well below 2℃ of warming. We could need 21.5 million tonnes for electric vehicles and battery storage alone. Transitional minerals include metals such as lithium, cobalt, copper, graphite, magnesium and nickel. They also include rare earths like neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium and terbium. Currently, mining provides almost our entire supply. The scale of demand for these minerals could result in almost 400 new mines by 2035. To put this in perspective, Australia has around 350 operating mines. More than 50% of the world’s lithium and much of its copper, cobalt, nickel and rare earths come from our mines. Australia is hosting the World Mining Congress this week. A key issue for the industry is how we can ensure the minerals needed for the energy transition are sourced responsibly. How can we manage demand? We can design energy and transport systems to minimise mineral demand. Strategies include: reducing our dependence on cars and using smaller vehicles improving energy efficiency moving to a circular economy that makes reuse and recycling a priority. All these changes can reduce the need for new mines. Recycling, for example, could reduce demand for mined materials. For lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles, estimated reductions are 25% for lithium, 35% for cobalt and nickel, […]

Kemppi Australia’s Art of Welding Competition now open

Kemppi Australia’s annual Art of Welding Competition is now open for 2023. The competition showcases “welding art” which can take the form of a welded sculpture, pattern design, a motif or an object. The welding process involved to create the art piece can be manual or use more advanced techniques such as robotics, lasers or friction welding. The competition is open to both professional artists and amateurs. It encourages individuals, whether they are welders, apprentices, teachers, hobbyists or professional metal artists to exhibit their creativity. “There is an abundance of creativity in both Australia and New Zealand, not just among our great professional artists, but also among ordinary individuals, and we are really proud to be able to again run this competition to showcase their flair,” said Paul McVicar, Managing Director, Kemppi Australia. This year, the competition will again feature a dedicated amateur category. Entrants can win from a pool of four great prizes that include Kemppi welding equipment, helmets, clothing and gloves. The competition will run until Friday 29th September and is open to anyone in Australia and New Zealand over the age of 18. For more information on how to enter visit the Kemppi Australia Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn pages or message Kemppi Australia’s social media pages directly or email skettos@skettos.com.au for a copy of the competition flyer. Alternatively, visit https://www.cognitoforms.com/KemppiAustralia/KemppiArtOfWelding2023CompetitionEntryForm for access to the entry form.

Sevaan Group announces the launch of Academy in NSW

Sevaan Group has launched the Sevaan Academy, the training and educational arm of the Group. The Academy provides a structured framework that allows the company’s staff to attain the skills and knowledge to best fulfil their various roles including in business management, operation of the machine centres and development of processes within the Australian, end-to-end metal fabrication business. The Academy was conceived by one of the founders of Sevaan Group, Artemis Tzakos, based upon her genuine interest in the welfare and development of the company’s staff. “The Academy will let our staff attain the necessary know-how to improve and consolidate their existing skills as well as learn new ones. This will help them stay abreast of new technology and embrace future manufacturing developments,” explained Artemis Tzakos, Co-Founder, Sevaan Group. Sevaan Academy participants learning how to operate and configure local settings for the press brake in the Press Brake Machine Centre. The Academy is based at the current company location in Minto, NSW. Sevaan Academy will deliver a cloud-based training program that is embedded within the company’s new Human Resources platform. Employees participating can access the program via their digital devices. Initially, the program will consist of a series of micro-courses that are based around the machining centres and manufacturing processes found within Sevaan’s manufacturing operation. These include sheet metal cutting, punching, bending, welding as well as precision machining, metal finishing and full component assembly. Participants will be guided in their hands-on learning by dedicated and experienced supervisors and operators. In addition, employees will be able to embrace tailored, online educational materials, and formal, external educational resources. All participation and achievement will be recorded against each employees’ profile. On completion of a micro-course, participants will be awarded a micro-credential before choosing to cycle through to the next course. […]

Kuva: Aki Loponen, 2023Pictuner Oyaki.loponen@pictuner.fiwww.pictuner.fi

The rise and rise of portable welding machines

It is not that long ago that portable welding machines were seen as heavy, clunky equipment. Limited in their capability, they could usually only perform one type of welding, such as stick, TIG or MIG. And because of their power output, were mainly relegated to performing light and small welding tasks. Over the last 20 years however, portable welding machines have evolved significantly. While single-process welders are still available in the marketplace and no doubt have a place in the industrial landscape, operators can now also choose from a wide range of multi-process machines. These provide greater convenience and flexibility as they can be used to tackle various fabrication or construction jobs and projects both in the workshop and out in the field without the need to switch power sources. Greater productivity Apart from the ability to tackle a wider variety of work, quality portable welders also help deliver excellent welding results. According to Paul McVicar, Managing Director, Kemppi Australia, this is because of the machine’s stable arc. “Quality portable welding machines usually provide a very stable and even arc that allows the user to deeply penetrate various metals and produce consistent, high-quality welds. This reduces the need for reworking the weld as well as post-weld cleaning, which allows the operator to increase their output, while saving them both time and money,” explains Paul. Powerful Also contributing to improved productivity is that modern portable welders are far more powerful than their predecessors. Today, operators can choose a portable multi-process machine that has a 320 A with a 40-60% duty cycle. Or a 200 A with a 40% duty cycle. The greater amperage combined with the higher duty means that machines such as the new Kemppi Master M 205 let the welder safely create quality welds for a longer period of […]

Quantum computing can help secure the future of AI systems

-by Dr Muhammad Usman, lead senior author of the paper and team leader of Quantum Systems at CSIRO’s Data61. Artificial intelligence algorithms are quickly becoming a part of everyday life. Many systems that require strong security are either already underpinned by machine learning or soon will be. These systems include facial recognition, banking, military targeting applications, and robots and autonomous vehicles, to name a few. This raises an important question: how secure are these machine learning algorithms against malicious attacks? In an article published today in Nature Machine Intelligence, my colleagues at the University of Melbourne and I discuss a potential solution to the vulnerability of machine learning models. We propose that the integration of quantum computing in these models could yield new algorithms with strong resilience against adversarial attacks. The dangers of data manipulation attacks Machine learning algorithms can be remarkably accurate and efficient for many tasks. They are particularly useful for classifying and identifying image features. However, they’re also highly vulnerable to data manipulation attacks, which can pose serious security risks. Data manipulation attacks – which involve the very subtle manipulation of image data – can be launched in several ways. An attack may be launched by mixing corrupt data into a training dataset used to train an algorithm, leading it to learn things it shouldn’t. Manipulated data can also be injected during the testing phase (after training is complete), in cases where the AI system continues to train the underlying algorithms while in use. People can even carry out such attacks from the physical world. Someone could put a sticker on a stop sign to fool a self-driving car’s AI into identifying it as a speed-limit sign. Or, on the front lines, troops might wear uniforms that can fool AI-based drones into identifying them as landscape features. Either way, the consequences […]

Victorian Medtech Skills and Device Hub to accelerate growth in vibrant sector

An Australian-first medical technology hub, led by the University of Melbourne and backed by the Victorian Government, is set to accelerate Victoria’s medical technology development ecosystem, boosting the State’s advanced manufacturing capabilities, skilled job opportunities and access to cutting-edge medical care for Australians. The $10.77 million Victorian Medtech Skills and Device Hub will bring together businesses, universities and education providers to develop training courses, degrees and internships in medtech. It will deliver up to a dozen investment-ready startups and 1,000 industry-based training places and support local companies to develop and manufacture medtech products onshore and expand exports to the booming global market. The Hub was recently launched by Victorian Minister for Industry and Innovation Ben Carroll, alongside representatives from the University of Melbourne, including Vice-Chancellor Professor Duncan Maskell, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor James McCluskey and Hub Directors Professor Andrea O’Connor and Professor David Grayden from the University’s Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology. “Victoria’s medtech sector is a significant player in a booming global market – this Australian-first hub will boost local production, attract investment to Victoria and train the innovative staff the sector needs for its strong future,” Minister Carroll said. The Hub is backed by the Victorian Government’s Australian Medtech Manufacturing Centre and co-funded by the University of Melbourne. Over 20 local medtech companies including Neo-Bionica, Synchron, Seer Medical and Trajan, as well as RMIT University, Swinburne University of Technology and national peak body MTPConnect will support the Hub, with more partners to join as it expands. University of Melbourne Vice-Chancellor Professor Duncan Maskell welcomed the Victorian Government’s support and the collaborators’ involvement. “The University of Melbourne is delighted to be partnering with the Victorian Government, the Aikenhead Centre for Medical Discovery, universities, industry and the medical technology sector to bring the Victorian Medtech Skills and Device Hub […]

Advanced manufacturing SMEs to benefit from free CSIRO R&D program

Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, is boosting Australia’s advanced manufacturing capability by providing free research and development (R&D) support to businesses to help them develop new products or services. Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) working on new advanced manufacturing solutions can sign up to the free, 10-week online Innovate to Grow program, to support their idea by building their R&D knowledge. Upon completion of the program, eligible participants may have the opportunity to access facilitation support, through CSIRO, to connect to research expertise nationally, along with dollar-matched R&D funding. CSIRO’s Director of Manufacturing, Dr Marcus Zipper, explained how CSIRO’s unique position in the research ecosystem drives innovation to advance Australian manufacturing. “Manufacturing is a vitally important sector, employing over 800,000 people across Australia,” Dr Zipper said. “At CSIRO, we work collaboratively with SMEs on research and development to find new and improved technologies and processes that enable great ideas to see success locally and internationally. “We translate research into products and processes that businesses want to adopt because what we’ve created is economically viable, more efficient and effective, and sustainable,” he said. Connop Metal owner Murray Connop, a participant in the 2022 Innovate to Grow manufacturing cohort has recently made headlines for developing a world-first method of analysing the chemical compositions of polyvinyl chloride (PVC)to make it recyclable – right here in Australia. Mr Connop said the program provided invaluable connections to industry experts. “Thanks to the Innovate to Grow program, I gained the vital contacts and support needed to determine the feasibility of my project,” Mr Connop said. “I wholeheartedly recommend this program to fellow start-ups and small businesses in advanced manufacturing. The invaluable connection to industry experts provided by this program has played a significant role in the success of my project.” Innovate to Grow: Advanced Manufacturing […]

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