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Australia’s first electric motorbike launched in Adelaide

The Fonzarelli NKD electric motorbike and its charging stations will be manufactured in Adelaide, South Australia. Michelle Nazzari and Simon Modra met at a wedding several years ago in Sydney and spent the evening engrossed in conversation about motorbikes. The pair of entrepreneurs stayed in touch as each went their separate ways, Simon back to Adelaide and various startups in the sustainability sector, and Michelle into her own electric vehicle company called Fonzarelli. “I had been working in automotive manufacturing with electric and hybrid buses,” said Nazzari. “That’s where it all started, but I looked at the powertrain and it’s very simple and thought, ‘yeah, I might give this a go,’ and so set up the company and started tinkering.” Nazzari launched her first electric scooter in 2012-13 under the brand Fonzarelli and has grown the business from there. Always with the push to increase mileage and with a dedication to motorcycles still in her heart, Nazzari reconnected with Modra to tackle the issue of charging stations for her NKD electric motorbike. The electric dual-sport mini motorcycle has a range of up to 120kms and can produce 6000 RPM and a top speed of 100 km/h. Modra, who is also an architect and Future Submarine design researcher at the University of South Australia, jumped at the chance to collaborate with Nazzari on the NKD project and convinced her to manufacture the charging stations and bike in South Australia. “It’s a legitimate form of transport – there are many motorcyclists out there who don’t have a car and we’re lucky battery power has become so reliable now and Peter [Coombs – Chapter president of Design Institute of Australia] did give the hat-tip to Tesla,” Modra said. “Now we’ve got this incredible range with the vehicle and we’re getting further and further out.” […]

Environment takes action on synthetic greenhouse gas offenders

The Department of the Environment and Energy has recently fined two companies and an individual for offences under the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act 1989. A New South Wales-based company has been fined $12,600 for importing a bus with an air conditioning system containing HFC-134a, a synthetic greenhouse gas, without an appropriate licence. HFC-134a is a hydrofluorocarbon – a type of synthetic greenhouse gas commonly used as a refrigerant in refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment, including in vehicles. Synthetic greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere, and HFC-134a has a global warming potential of 1,430, meaning it traps 1,430 times more heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide. The import into Australia of equipment containing these substances is prohibited unless the correct licence or exemption is held. The company involved is a major automotive retailer and was aware of its obligations under the Act at the time it imported the bus. A Victorian-based company has been fined $12,600 for importing a pool heat pump containing HFC-410A without an appropriate licence. The company was unaware of its obligations under the Act. Head of the Department’s Office of Compliance, Monica Collins, said: “Reducing emissions of synthetic greenhouse gases and ozone depleting substances is a priority area for the Department. “We work with the Australian Border Force to monitor and inspect imported and exported goods to ensure compliance with the Act and where appropriate undertake enforcement activities. “Importers and customs brokers should check import requirements for synthetic greenhouse gases or ozone depleting substances, including when they are contained in equipment, before importing or exporting goods. “It is advisable to allow adequate time to apply for a licence or exemption as this may take up to 60 days”. A New South Wales-based refrigeration mechanic has been fined $2,520 for discharging a scheduled […]

Konecranes’ MAINMAN planned maintenance technology earns top safety award

Australian cranes and lifting technology and service leader Konecranes has won the ‘Best Practice in Safety’ award at the 2019 Bulk Handling Awards for its advanced planned maintenance technology, MAINMAN. Konecranes’ MAINMAN technology is used in major infrastructure, industrial, logistics and materials handling projects where equipment must be cost-efficiently maintained in peak condition to optimise uptime and ensure critical work proceeds without breakdowns. “The bulk handling industry is critically dependent on cranes and lifting equipment, and for operations and maintenance managers, safety and uptime are always top priorities,” said Mr James Dowe, Managing Director, Konecranes Australia. “For a company that’s been focusing on optimising safety and uptime for Australian industry for more than 30 years, it’s truly an honour to receive this recognition in the prestigious Bulk Handling Awards. It’s a credit to the entire Konecranes team,” said Mr Dowe. “MAINMAN technology – like any preventative maintenance programme – is designed to help safety-conscious Australian companies ensure they are totally standards compliant. The difference with MAINMAN is that we use all available data to customise the programme to the customer’s equipment, application and duty cycle to make it as efficient as possible,” he said. Konecranes is the world’s crane service organisation, with more than 600,000 pieces of lifting equipment of all makes and models under service contract worldwide. With 22 service centres in Australia and 24/7 availability, Konecranes is dedicated to optimising uptime and safety for local industry. MAINMAN advanced planned maintenance technology MAINMAN provides an in-depth picture of the condition of lifting equipment, as well as routine maintenance work such as adjusting and lubricating. The service includes a preventive maintenance inspection, visual checks, routine maintenance, and operational and functional testing of cranes and lifting equipment. The latest Konecranes MAINMAN technology includes: Paperless service and installation reports Integrated business and […]

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Cemintel’s Territory range secures AS5113 EW classification

Light weight building innovator, Cemintel, has secured the first AS5113 EW classification for a fibre cement system. Cemintel’s Territory range acquired the additional rating to its existing CodeMark certificate following recent testing; demonstrating conformance to the rigorous Standard. Cemintel’s intelligently engineered, flexible systems and prefinished fibre cement cladding solutions aim to set new standards for design, performance and safety in Australia. Securing the AS5113 EW classification for the Territory range is a natural extension of the organisation’s commitment to developing quality, locally engineered building solutions. “Derived from the Japanese values of simplicity, nature and quality, the Territory range draws on traditional building materials like stone, timber, concrete and metal for inspiration; providing builders, designers and architects with a flexible, high performance, palette for iconic external designs,” says Paul Manks, General Manager of CSR Cemintel. “With the Territory range now meeting all of the criteria of the AS5113 EW, the most comprehensive fire safety rating for external walls available in Australia, designers and property owners can be even more confident that they are making a safe and aesthetically striking choice.” Standards Australia introduced AS5113 in March 2016. The Standard sets out procedures for a large-scale test that provides a reliable indication of the facade system’s resistance to the spread of fire. “While organisations in Australia may have tested to the AS5113 Standard, attaining EW certification is challenging; many systems have failed to pass the debris requirements. Following the Territory test, no debris was apparent and the wall was deemed to be in good condition.” “The classification has been added to the CodeMark certification to give the industry increased confidence in the compliance of the products and systems. The prefinished Territory range met all of the requirements, with no concessions required for any of the Pass criteria needed to receive the EW […]

Schaeffler-supported UNSW Hyperloop engineers excel in SpaceX high-speed pod competition

A competition highlight: UNSW undergraduate engineers – who recently competed in the SpaceX Hyperloop pod competition – got to meet technology entrepreneur, Elon Musk Schaeffler Australia – part of the global digitalisation and Industry 4.0 leading Schaeffler Group – is taking a further step to enhance ‘mobility for tomorrow’ through its support of the UNSW Hyperloop engineering team. UNSW Hyperloop – which comprises a team of undergraduate engineering students aspiring to innovate the future of high speed travel – recently competed in the SpaceX Hyperloop pod competition, where they placed 7th overall – the best result for a newcomer to the competition. “As a company at the forefront of Industry 4.0 technologies, we are proud to partner with these bright young engineers, who have excelled in their first official Hyperloop pod competition,” said Mr Andre Kluge, Managing Director, Schaeffler Australia. The SpaceX Hyperloop pod competition’s goal is “to support the development of functional prototypes and encourage innovation by challenging student teams to design and build the best high-speed pod.” “In addition to placing 7th out of 21 teams, the UNSW Hyperloop team were the first ever team to successfully complete a self-propelled test run at a first appearance at competition level. However, I think the highlight for many students was getting to meet Elon Musk in person!” said Mr Kluge. SpaceX Hyperloop 2019 The SpaceX Hyperloop 2019 competition was judged on the entrant’s pod’s maximum speed reached, with successful deceleration (i.e. without crashing). All pods were self-propelled and had to use their own communication system. Previous winners of the competition have reached speeds of 284 mph (approx. 457 km/h) in SpaceX’s specially designed tunnel. 2019’s winner – Technical University of Munich – was also supported by Schaeffler, and managed to break that record and achieved 288 mph (463 km/h). UNSW […]

Very smart Australian manufacturing

Solar-powered furniture offers off-grid connection South Australian outdoor furniture brand Sedi has developed bespoke benches and shelter options for smart cities and regional areas. Bronte Modra, the director of Adelaide-based modular engineering company Specialised Solutions, created the Sedi range of park benches, parklets and bus stops in February this year. The smart shelters are built from sustainable timber and steel and have solar-powered lighting, integrated charging ports, WIFI and informational screens that all run off a battery. Modra said he created Sedi to fill a large hole in the Australian manufacturing market created by the burgeoning smart city movement. “People want to be connected to the furniture and to the web, and the greater society,” said Modra. “Everyone talks about smart cities but no one is really delivering a piece of smart furniture here. “We just saw a real need and something that we could make out of our existing facility.” The Sedi office is located at the Tonsley innovation district alongside technology companies such as SAGE Automation, which, together with JPE Design Studio, helped develop the furniture. Modra decided to make the units “off-grid” to attract buyers who couldn’t connect to a power source. “It being solar-powered gives us a lot more flexibility to where the Sedi is placed,” he said. “With Sedi we can go to regional, remote locations and open up connectivity there. “It’s also cost-saving measure for councils to install in the park [as] service connections are fairly expensive.” Modra said they weren’t “reinventing the wheel” with the furniture’s individual technological features, however these add-ons were compounded to develop a new brand of smart furniture fit for a multitude of environments. “We would like to see them absolutely everywhere: the typical bus stops on your streets, your typical parks, council parks and reserves,” he said. “But we’re really trying to tap […]

Aurecon recognised on Most Innovative Companies list

Global engineering, advisory and design firm Aurecon has been named one of Australia and New Zealand’s most innovative companies, ranking number four in the professional services category of the prestigious AFR BOSS Most Innovative Companies list. The esteemed annual list, published by The Australian Financial Review and Boss magazine, is based on a rigorous assessment process managed by leading innovation consultancy Inventium in conjunction with a panel of industry expert judges. For the first time in 2019, organisations were ranked directly against their peers across ten industry lists that assessed entries from 800 nominated organisations throughout Australia and New Zealand. Aurecon was recognised for its OpenGATE AutoDraw project that used computational design and machine learning to create automated digital drawings, driving greater accuracy, speed and enabling higher quality responses to design challenges. Aurecon Chief Executive Officer William Cox commended the honour that recognises Aurecon’s position as a leading innovator in the professional services industry. “This award is a great testament to Aurecon’s continued efforts in redefining what’s possible as we push to digitise infrastructure. The infrastructure project design and delivery paradigm is ripe for change and at Aurecon we are constantly advancing our digital capabilities to provide state-of-the-art technical and digital expertise to our clients,” Mr Cox said. “Our ranking on the AFR BOSS Most Innovative Companies list is a great tribute to the culture we have at Aurecon where we constantly strive to see the opportunities, possibilities and potential that others don’t, enabling us to create clever solutions to some of the world’s most wicked problems,” Mr Cox said. Aurecon Managing Director – Design, Innovation & Eminence, Dr Kourosh Kayvani explained that Aurecon identified there was a significant area to improve around digitising drawing and documentation in an innovative way that would benefit mega projects such as the four […]

5G to enhance manufacturing efficiency

More than one million people have subscribed to a 5G mobile contract in South Korea, meaning demand for the high-speed technology has easily outpaced the country’s adoption of 4G. The need for speed isn’t just essential for rapid telecommunication — we’d all rather communicate using faster and more reliable methods. 5G has created quite the media buzz recently. Although uptake continues to face its challenges, with the Australian government banning Chinese telecommunication giant Huawei’s 5G rollout in the country on national security grounds, the world is racing to implement the infrastructure. Next generation 5G networks can be 100 times faster than 4G, making communication between devices and servers much faster. This opens up a wealth of possibilities for manufacturing, helping the industry to increase its competitiveness and boost efficiency. The instant era Manufacturing runs on a tight schedule. Margins are squeezed more than ever as products are increasingly varied, customised and complex. Factories need to receive and transmit a wealth of data to keep their equipment informed — and fast. Ultra-reliable and low-latency communication (URLLC) is a new service category that will be supported in 5G, created to meet the requirements for 5G in industrial applications. By making the most of this category, machines can receive greater roaming power. In fact, 5G has very low latency, around 10 milliseconds in comparison to the 20-30 milliseconds with 4G, so equipment can be monitored in real time by human workers. With plans to reduce this latency to as little as one millisecond, the factory floor will receive updates on machinery almost instantaneously. Cutting the cord According to Ericsson’s report on 5G’s potential, enhanced communication will also mean greater flexibility for manufacturing robots. 5G will handle more complex data transmissions, such as cloud robotics where the cloud’s processing is relevant for the immediate […]

Why a Perth company has committed to local manufacturing

A Perth based electrical contracting firm has enjoyed a spectacular increase in sales and productivity, thanks to a simple shift in business strategy. A deliberate shift to local manufacturing has provided Avid EPG Group with new opportunities in the energy sector and helped increase its workforce. The company’s strategy means it can provide products to the local market as much as 10 weeks faster than if customers ordered products from Asian markets. Instead of looking to overseas suppliers, the company has concentrated on assembling more products in Western Australia. The flow on effect for Avid is that it has kept business in the local economy, as well as created jobs for local workers. The companies Forrestfield workshop, near Perth Airport, has become a hive of activity. Staff numbers have jumped by around 15 per cent because of the opportunities the business strategy has provided. Business Development Manager Aaron Teo said the jobs and productivity boost was part of the company’s deliberate shift in thinking globally and acting locally. “Avid EPG Group is very much part of the global economy and has partnerships with some of the world’s leading electrical manufacturing companies,” Mr Teo said. “But as a business based in Perth, we also have a responsibility to the local Western Australian economy. “Where possible, we design, engineer and assemble our own high and low voltage equipment rather than simply buying finished products directly from overseas. “We are certified to provide one of the world’s safest and reliable modular switchboards system, which is customised to our local Australian standards right here in our Perth workshop. “It’s meant we have had to expand our operations and take on more staff, including electricians, specialist engineers, project managers and apprentices. It’s an exciting time to be in our industry.” By keeping manufacturing local Avid’s […]

Australia needs to speed up its response to the AI revolution

Far from a future fantasy, University of South Australia Professor of Sociology, Anthony Elliott says the Artificial Intelligence revolution is right here, right now. Co-author of a report – The effective and ethical development of artificial intelligence – commissioned by the National Science and Technology Council and Australia’s Chief Scientist and released in Canberra today, Prof Elliott says Australian governments and industries need to integrate an understanding of the impacts of AI into their planning swiftly. “We are already witnessing the spread of advanced AI which is mobile, situationally aware and adaptive and is in real-time communication with other intelligent machines,” Prof Elliott says. “Robots move boxes in factories as well as conduct shelf-auditing in supermarkets, and complex algorithms complete tax returns and trade on financial markets – this is all happening now. “We have to be much more interventionist, and craft policy-thinking to cope with the unexpected, unanticipated shifts stemming from the digital revolution.” The report, undertaken by the Australian Council of Learned Academies and supported by the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, the Australian Research Council, and the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science – sets out a far-reaching series of findings seeking to improve Australia’s economic, societal and environmental well-being. Author of a major new book The Culture of AI, Professor Elliott, says theACOLA report will be highly significant for the governance and harnessing of AI for 21st-Century Australia. “Australia has come to this review quite late – most advanced countries have already completed government-sponsored reviews of AI,” Prof Elliott says. “In the UK, the House of Lords Select Committee on AI really set the bench-mark for the kind of policy-rich analysis that governments require.” He says now that the ACOLA report has been delivered it is an important start for public discussion […]

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