Company News

Teamwork leads to thermal signature defence solution

A world-first in commercial viability and agility, and a new capability for the Australian Government, the product enables army personnel to successfully engage practice targets using remote SMArt155 Precision Guided Munitions. The new REDARC Thermal Signature Enhancement Kit (RTSEK) ensures weapon sensors can distinguish target vehicles as being operational without the need for complex or hazardous infrastructure. The solution also minimises risk to the environment and those using the equipment. It is the result of a collaboration between two Adelaide companies – REDARCand Form Cut – and New South Wales-based Intelli Particle. The partnership last week won the Teaming Award at the 2019 Defence Teaming Centre Awards. Establishing realistic thermal vehicle signatures to guide the SMArt155 to its practice target would have typically required a generous time frame to both acquire and set-up an expensive system of high-voltage heat mats and large generators. But the RTSEK delivers an innovative solution without all the complex infrastructure and additional costs. South Australian automotive electronics company REDARC has established itself as a key SME in the Australian Defence sector over the past five years. REDARC identified a potential solution and partnered with New South Wales start-up Intelli Particle, which manufactures carbon and graphite formulations that produce heat under electrical charge. Through local in-house testing, the combined REDARC and Intelli Particle team discovered that a new controlled thermal signature identifiable to weapon sensors could be created. REDARC approached manufacturer Form Cut with the solution, having previously collaborated with them commercially. REDARC Managing Director Anthony Kittel said the Lonsdale company was well positioned to support unique Defence requirements now and into the future. “The award is a great acknowledgment of what can be achieved when successfully combining the technologies of multiple SMEs,” he said. South Australian industrial design and manufacturing company Form Cut has scheduled more production of the controlled thermal […]

Digital transformation driving real change

Digital transformation (DX) is permeating every vertical market, and industries are looking to evolve to better align with their customers’ changing requirements. The result is the development and integration of cutting edge technologies and a change of methodology to improve processes, according to Y Soft. Adam O’Neill, managing director, Y Soft, Australia and New Zealand, said, “DX is radically changing how organisations operate and is shaking up industries at speed. Organisations are increasingly launching initiatives to expand or build digital capabilities to deliver business efficiency or increase top-line revenue growth.” According to the 15 industries surveyed as part of the Gartner 2018 CIO Agenda Industry Insights report, 47 per cent of CEOs are being challenged to make progress in digital business, and 56 per cent of respondents reported that digital improvements have already improved their overall profits. The 2018 edition of The Hackett Group’s annual key issues study, The CIO Agenda: Driving Value from Transformation, found that the use of virtual assistants, chatbots and other cognitive technologies is anticipated to grow at least five-fold in overall adoption rates over the next few years. Unsurprisingly, 74 per cent of companies are expecting DX to disrupt their industry and 82 per cent expect it to fundamentally change the operating model of their business. Adam O’Neill said, “These findings show that every industry is either already participating in or ready to join in with digital transformation. This seismic impact prediction calls for immediate action, and many companies have already begun their DX journeys and are automating and streamlining business processes by investing in artificial intelligence (AI), specifically machine learning.” Digital transformation is already having a significant impact on four vertical industries: Legal. Traditionally, the pace of digital change within the legal industry has been slow, with the legal profession resisting many […]

High performance internet rolls out in Queensland

A new enterprise-grade internet network is being rolled out in Queensland by leading telco Vastnet to provide regional businesses with an extremely high level of connectivity and security available anywhere in Australia. Vastnet is gearing-up to connect more businesses throughout Queensland to its high-speed enterprise internet network, following the installation of new advanced communications technologies in Mackay, Gladstone and Toowoomba. Businesses in regional Australia now have the opportunity to make huge digital leaps with the support of Vastnet, an innovative telco specialising in bespoke internet solutions for regional business through its own independent core network and infrastructure, as well as direct access to new types of fibre. Vastnet Director David Stevens says the rollout is a major undertaking as businesses in regional parts of Queensland were dealing with some of the slowest legacy connections he had ever come across. “These are brand new rollouts that require new fibre and microwave technologies to be installed,” he said. “Our advanced high-speed internet network utilises the latest technologies available to provide fast, reliable internet with unlimited data and scalable bandwidths that expand as our clients’ businesses grow.” National supply chain company Minemech’s regional branches in Mackay and Gladstone endured “incredibly slow” internet and regular network outages with their previous provider before changing over to Vastnet for their internet and voice services. Vastnet was able to provide an alternative, superior solution for Minemech in both Mackay and Gladstone by installing new technology infrastructure to increase internet speeds. Minemech IT Manager Sonia Williamson said Vastnet had greatly improved the company’s internet and voice services at Minemech’s regional branches. She said business in regional Australia were putting up with inferior internet and voice services because there was an impression that it was all they could get. “We would visit the branches in Gladstone and Mackay and […]

Australian Plant Proteins secures investment as global demand grows

Construction of Australia’s first major commercial plant protein extraction facility will commence this month after investment was finalised last week. Australian Plant Proteins (APP) will begin the $20m fit-out of its plant at Horsham in Victoria’s Wimmera region, with commercial production due to commence in the first quarter of 2020, after securing investment from Melbourne based Scalzo Foods. APP, formed by investment firm EAT Group in 2016, has developed a proprietary extraction process for pulses to create high-protein powders which can be used across a broad range of food and beverage categories. The company already operates a small production and R&D facility in Werribee in Melbourne’s west. Company director and co-founder Brendan McKeegan said the investment from Scalzo Foods provided both the capital and distribution capabilities to meet APP’s target of full commercial production in early 2020. “We welcome the investment from Scalzo Foods, which is a highly respected, family-owned and run food manufacturing business with operations in Australia and New Zealand,” Mr McKeegan said. “APP’s process yields an extract containing more than 85 per cent protein. This is far higher than many other alternative protein sources and, combined with favourable sensory and taste elements, has enabled APP to generate significant local and international demand for the product as a key ingredient for a range of foods and beverages including meat alternatives, protein bars and shakes, snack foods and non-dairy beverages. Since we created this business, the global demand for high quality, alternative sources of protein has exploded off the back of people’s desire for greater sustainability in the development of the food and beverage products they consume.” APP’s initial focus for commercial manufacturing will be on faba beans, which are commonly used by grain growers as rotational crops to replenish nitrogen in soil. “This is a great story at […]

Specialised service for safe noise output from large machinery

Manufacturer and engineered solutions provider for industry, Minetek, now has a ‘Sound’ division to ensures large mobile machinery used in the resources sector meets all relevant compliance laws and is expected to save operators considerable money in the process. Specialising in equipment such as trucks, diggers, excavators, drills, loaders, dozers and the like, Minetek Sound’s expertly engineered sound attenuation reduces noise by intelligently treating the noise sources in the most effective way. According to Minetek’s Mr Richard McAlpin, by solving problems at the source and through correct engineered designs, there are several clear benefits beyond just sound attenuation. These include: Prevention of overheating through engineered designs. Ease of maintenance Less downtime Compliance with strict government regulators Reduction of fines Improved community relations “Mines are 24/7 operations, and anyone working or living near a 24/7 source of mining noise can, without realising it, suffer hearing and physiological damage,” said Mr McAlpin. “WorkCover statistics show up to 3,000 workers’ compensation payouts each year for deafness attributed to large mining machinery, so the threat to hearing is very real and in need of attention. “More often than not, in the course of treating the cause of sound pollution on vehicles, we also lower the risk of the vehicle over-heating. “And because we keep the machines maintained according to maintenance guidelines proved by Minetek, we find that maintenance and downtime is heavily reduced which is positive for the operator. “Ultimately though, the fact that fines become far less frequent and the local community benefits are the real clinchers.” These are complete turnkey solutions to noise problems generated by just about any large diesel machinery. Intense and detailed noise studies and testing is performed in all areas. Minetek looks at a number of scenarios to provide an overall increase in airflow and improved performance. Minetek […]

No more speeding fines

All New SPEED ALERT PRO is Australia’s only 100% road legal speed alerting device that warns you when driving over-speed for an area or road being travelled on. Recently acknowledged and encouraged by the Road Safety Commission which compliments the use of any electronic device which can help notify motorists of changing speed limits and assists motorists to drive within the speed limit. This is exactly what Speed Alert PRO does! It gives audible beeps warning when driving over the speed limit on any road in Australia. This clever device knows exactly the speed you should be travelling at. Highly accurate GPS technology and Australia-wide database helps you to know the speed limits for the roads you are driving on. This is exactly the type of product any motorist needs to avoid speeding fines, keep their drivers license and stay safe on the roads. Comes with everything needed all in the one box. At just $228 it is affordable for any motorist and less than the cost of a speeding fine. With Police set to roll out 3000% more speeding cameras in Australia and everyone already getting so many speeding fines, this product is absolutely essential for any motorist in Australia! It also fixes the problem of inaccurate speedometers by giving you real-time highly accurate vehicle GPS speed of travel which is much more accurate than car Speedometer. Many drivers are getting fined because their speedo is inaccurate and with zero tolerance speed cameras in Australia you can get fined for doing just 1km/h over the speed limit!

Advances in Corrosion Science and Corrosion Engineering

The Australasian Corrosion Association (ACA) will be hosting an International Symposium focusing on the latest advances in corrosion science and corrosion engineering. This two-day symposium will be held on 24-25 July 2019 at the Marriott Hotel in Melbourne. The symposium will celebrate the significant contributions of the following ACA notables: Les Boulton, Bruce Hinton, Brian Kinsella, Brian Martin, Greg Moore and David Nicholas. Featuring keynote presentations from 15 high calibre International and Australian speakers, this event will bring together leading local and global corrosion experts and showcase the latest advances in corrosion science and corrosion engineering. A panel discussion and open forum will be held at the end of each day and technical papers of high quality and substantive length will be available to delegates. Engineering Alloys will take centre stage in the first session of the symposium with a presentation titled ‘Alloy Design for Corrosion Resistance’, delivered by John Scully, University of Virginia, USA. Following this, Nick Birbilis from Monash University will discuss the latest insights into corrosion of light metals. The first day of the Advances in Corrosion Science and Corrosion Engineering International Symposium will also showcase the latest industry knowledge in Corrosion Resistant Alloys; Corrosion Modelling & Prediction; and, Cathodic Protection. In addition to the technical program, there will also be a trade exhibition and attendees will have the opportunity to network during morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea breaks. At the conclusion of the first day’s events there will be a networking cocktail function followed by the event highlight – the Symposium Dinner and Awards presentation. The second day of the symposium will have a strong industry focus. Corrosion management in the oil and gas industry will be the heart of the morning session. Topics covered will include: Corrosion Monitoring for Oil & Gas Applications; Microbiologically […]

Dragon eases documentation burden for professionals

Speech recognition solutions such as Nuance’s Dragon can help professionals work better, faster and smarter because they help you power through your documentation work. Nuance’s Dragon Professional software for Windows systems understands the sound of your voice and the language you use to transform spoken words into text to create more detailed, compliant documentation, faster than ever before. By simply using your voice, you can create reports, documents and other paperwork three times faster than by keyboarding, and with up to 99% accuracy. Better still, as Dragon leverages the latest in Deep Learning technology, it constantly learns and adapts to your unique voice and environmental variations even while you are dictating to deliver new levels of personalised accuracy and productivity. The speed and precision of Dragon helps save you time and money while increasing your productivity and lets you focus on what matters most, delivering the best possible personalised client service. Improving Compliance For many professionals capturing client conversations, disclosure regarding commissions and fees, discussions concerning conflicts of interests and general client instructions is increasingly important so as to meet compliance requirements. With Dragon, client communication and instructions can be documented immediately and accurately. You can then feed the information back into your CRM systems or simply maintain it within the relevant client file. The process also creates an auditable trail to help ensure compliance. Working from Anywhere at Any time Some speech recognition solutions also let you keep up with financial documentation from any location. Powered by the cloud, Nuance’s mobile app, Dragon Anywhere, delivers the powerful, professional productivity features of Dragon desktop speech recognition to Android and iOS mobile devices. This lets you complete and share documentation – by voice – directly on your device while you are on the move. Plus, with Dragon Anywhere you can also […]

HandySCAN 3D scanner meets Boeing’s requirements

Creaform, the worldwide leader in portable 3D measurement solutions and non-destructive testing (NDT) solutions, has announced that its HandySCAN 3D metrology-grade 3D laser scanner can now be used for recording physical attributes of aircraft dents and blends on all models of Boeing commercial airplanes. Boeing has released a service letter with guidance on the use of 3D scanners for measuring dents and blends on airplanes. The SmartDENT 3D solution and the flagship HandySCAN 3D scanner were used in the process of guiding Boeing’s quality requirements for the service letter. “Creaform is proud to see leaders such as Boeing, turn to 3D scanning solutions for surface defect inspection. With SmartDENT 3D, our goal is to provide the most accurate damage assessment to our customers, so they can make informed and safe decisions, while getting their aircraft back flying with minimal down time,” said Jérôme Beaumont, Global NDT Business Manager at Creaform. Overview of SmartDENT 3D benefits: Speed: 80 times faster than the pit gauge technique. It is the fastest and most reliable aircraft surface damage inspection tool available on the market. Metrology-grade measurements for aircraft maintenance: The scanner is accurate to 0.025 mm (0.0009 in.) and has a resolution of up to 0.100 mm (0.0039 in.) with high repeatability and traceable certificate. Intuitive pass/fail assessments: With its intuitive design and real-time software visualization, Creaform’s NDT solutions ensure short learning curves and minimal operator experience influence on the accuracy of results. Live visualisation and portability: Weighting less than a kilo, the handheld scanner is the perfect tool for work in hangars or directly outdoors. Users can easily perform 3D surface inspection of any part of an aircraft on which they would use manual techniques—including on and under wings. In addition to complying with Boeing’s service letter, Creaform HandySCAN 3D scanners are listed […]

Renewables still setting strong pace in South Australia

The April shelving of a major solar thermal plant has done little to slow the pace of renewable energy projects being proposed in South Australia. Andrew Spence In the past three months, applications for almost 1.7 gigawatts of renewable energy generation across six projects have been assessed by the South Australian Government’s State Planning Commission. Of these, the 280MW Cultana Solar Farm – the first large scale project in billionaire industrialist Sanjeev Gupta’s plan to generate one gigawatt of dispatchable renewable energy in South Australia – was approved by State Planning Minister Stephan Knoll last month. The other five projects still awaiting ministerial consent include: RES Australia 176MW solar farm and 66MW battery storage facility near Murray Bridge; Neoen Australia(Crystal Brook Energy Park) 125MW windfarm, 150MW Solar Farm and 130MW lithium-ion battery near Crystal Brook; Energy Projects Solar (Bungama Solar) 280 MW solar PV and 140MW battery storage plant to integrate into the National Electricity Market through a 275 kV connection to ElectraNet’s Bungama Substation near Port Pirie; Energy Projects Solar staged development of a 500MW solar farm with 250MW storage near Robertstown, and; RES Australia (Twin Creek Wind Farm Project) 183MW wind and 50MW battery storage near Kapunda. Two other South Australian projects – the 95MW Tailem Bend Solar Project and stage one of the 220MW Bungala Solar Farm near Port Augusta started exporting power to the national grid earlier this year. There are also dozens of micro solar farms up to 5MW being constructed across the state. South Australia is home to Tesla’s 100MW/129MWh battery, which became the “world’s largest lithium-ion battery” when it was installed at Neoen’s Hornsdale Wind Farm in December 2017. South Australia already leads the nation in the uptake of wind energy and roof-top solar with renewable sources accounting for more than 50 per cent of the electricity generated in the state. However, […]

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