Daily News

WA Government must put an end to port strike

The Western Australian Government must step up and seek to put an end to the CFMMEU’s prolonged and irresponsible strike action at Fremantle Port, says Australian Resources and Energy Group AMMA. After three months of ongoing strikes, AMMA is highly concerned that major international shipping companies are now forced to bypass Fremantle Port and freight critical mining, resources and agricultural supplies by road and rail into Western Australia. “Employers in Australia’s resources and farming sectors are doing their best to keep their businesses and the economy afloat during this pandemic, the last thing they need is an act of industrial bastardry delaying the delivery of critical plant and equipment,” Steve Knott AM, AMMA Chief Executive, said. “It’s highly irresponsible for the CFMMEU to block the unloading of large international cargo carriers at Fremantle Port at a time when interstate movement of freight is difficult, costly and a proven risk of introducing COVID-19 into virus-free regions. “During the pandemic, Western Australia’s border and quarantine resources should be freed-up as much as possible to process essential freight and people returning or travelling to the state, often for compassionate reasons. “With the Western Australian Government set to mandate COVID-19 vaccinations for all resources sector workers – an initiative AMMA supports and welcomes – it beggars belief the state would wash its hands of this industrial dispute and put all responsibility on the Commonwealth. “This is a serious state issue. By stopping all work at Fremantle Port, the CFMMEU is not only damaging WA’s revenue-generating industries, but also creating new potential COVID-19 entry points at a time the government is taking all measures to keep the virus out. “Premier Mark McGowan must write to the President of the Fair Work Commission seeking, as per section 423 of the Fair Work Act, to put a […]

Industry brokers to build Australia’s manufacturing future

Creating ‘industry brokers’ at the nation’s key research infrastructure facilities could propel a new wave of home-grown advanced manufacturing industries, the science and technology peak body says. Science & Technology Australia’s submission to the Senate inquiry on manufacturing proposes the cut-through idea to help industry tap into specialised research facilities. The Australian Government funds major national research infrastructure specialist facilities as the backbone of our research capability. They include complex facilities in geological surveying, supercomputing, specialised DNA studies, precision medicines, and new treatments for disease funded via the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Scheme. Science & Technology Australia CEO Misha Schubert said: “These assets are key to Australia’s entire research enterprise – and long-term secure funding for them is essential to achieve the nation’s research ambitions,” she said. “But industry partners can often find it really hard to work out how to access these highly specialised facilities.” “We’d like to see the creation of new ‘industry broker’ roles to help businesses get to know these capabilities and identify how the business can use them.” “We see a huge advantage especially for advanced manufacturing firms to be able to reach into these specialist facilities for expertise, support and assets.” “These roles should be created with a funding boost on top of operational budgets.” Science & Technology Australia also calls for a new Research Translation Fund – and a national strategy to drive further advances in clean energy technology and expand clean energy advanced manufacturing onshore. “We should capitalise on the growing global demand for clean energy technology made in Australia using our abundance of clean energy raw materials,” she said. “The bottom line is that we should be trying to ensure that what is discovered in Australia is made in Australia.” Read the full submission here.

Will we ever know the truth?

The origins of Covid-19 are shrouded in mystery. Scientists and government officials insisted, for a year and a half, that the virus had a natural origin, ridiculing anyone who dared contradict this view. Tech giants swept the internet, censoring and silencing debate in the most extreme fashion. Yet it is undeniable that a secretive facility in Wuhan was immersed in genetically manipulating bat-coronaviruses in perilous experiments. And as soon as the news of an outbreak in Wuhan leaked, the Chinese military took control and gagged all laboratory insiders. Part-thriller, part-expose, What Really Happened in Wuhan is a ground-breaking investigation from Walkley award winning journalist Sharri Markson into the origins of Covid-19, the cover-ups, the conspiracies and the classified research. It features never-before-seen primary documents exposing China’s concealment of the virus, fresh interviews with whistleblower doctors in Wuhan and crucial eyewitness accounts that dismantle what we thought we knew about when the outbreak hit. With unprecedented access to Washington insiders, Markson takes you inside the White House, with senior Trump lieutenants revealing first-hand accounts of fiery Oval Office clashes and new stories of compromised government advisors and censored scientists. Bravely reported and chillingly laid out, Markson brings to light the stories of the pandemic from the people on the ground: the scientists and national security officials who raised uncomfortable truths and were labelled conspiracy theorists, until government agencies began to suspect they might have been right all along. These brave individuals persisted through bruising battles and played a crucial role in investigating the origins of Covid-19 to finally, in this book, bring us closer to the truth of what really happened in Wuhan.

RS Components launches RS PRO Facilities Maintenance Solutions

RS Components (RS), a trading brand of Electrocomponents plc (LSE: ECM), a global omni-channel provider of product and service solutions, has launched the RS PRO Facilities Maintenance solutions portfolio, which comprises quality-tested products for a host of industries and working environments. Aimed at a broad selection of customers in Australia and New Zealand, the range supports maintenance requirements within the process manufacturing, equipment manufacturing, utilities and energy, engineering services, mining aggregates and construction, wholesale and distribution, transport and defence sectors, and design and development laboratories. The expanded range introduces over 1,000 products to offer a comprehensive choice of quality products including site safety and lighting solutions, tool kits, janitorial & cleaning, test & measurement, workwear & personal protective equipment (PPE) and more. All products in the RS PRO Facilities Maintenance range have high in-stock availability and have been through rigorous testing processes to ensure reliability to meet design and compliance specifications. They are covered by the RS PRO Seal of Approval and come with a three-year warranty. “The RS PRO range increases the breadth and depth of choice for customers seeking facilities maintenance products that meet design and compliance specifications, at a competitive price,” said Ian Macgregor, RS PRO Product Manager, for Australia & New Zealand (ANZ). “We offer a huge variety of products for different applications to keep facilities and buildings operating efficiently and safely and help keep businesses running smoothly.”

D-Link launches new, sleek and discreet home security cameras

D-Link has launched its new DCS-6500LH Compact Full HD Pan & Tilt and DCS-6100LH Compact Full HD Sleek and Discreet Wi-Fi Home Security Cameras. DCS-6100LH Compact Full HD Wi-Fi Camera Sleek and discreet, the Compact DCS-6100LH Full HD Wi-Fi Camera blends enhanced Smart Home Surveillance features with a stylish, subtle design. IR Night Vision together with Sound and Motion Detection alerts you instantly when something unexpected happens, giving you extra peace of mind with the latest in home security camera technology. The DCS-6100LH brings crystal clear surveillance as it allows you to monitor your home in Full HD 1080p resolution with a wide-angle 110-degree Field of View (FOV), day or night, making it the perfect 24/7 home security companion. Designed to be stylish, subtle and simple to use, it’s ideal for discreet placement anywhere throughout your home. The DCS-6100LH’s built-in Sound and Motion Detection enables you to trigger alerts that are automatically sent to your mobile device and the video clip recordings let you stay aware of what’s going on at all times in your home – and yes, it’s ideal as a baby monitor or office camera as well. If you’re worried that you’ll lose all your camera footage the DCS-6100LH Compact Full HD Wi-Fi Camera lets you record snapshots and video clips to the cloud for anytime access. You can also play back recordings from the cloud or download footage to your mobile device from anywhere, anytime through the Internet. DCS-6500LH Compact Full HD Pan & Tilt Wi-Fi Camera The DCS-6500LH Compact Full HD Pan & Tilt Wi-Fi Camera gives you 340° views as its Pan & Tilt technology allows you to see virtually every angle of any room. With Motion and Sound Detection as well as Night Vision that provides up to five metres of monitoring in complete […]

Fossil-free steel variants produced using hydrogen

Leading global steel manufacturer and supplier, SSAB, has announced its latest fossil-free steel variants produced using hydrogen breakthrough ironmaking technology (“Hybrit Technology”). As the world’s first fossil-free steel, the company aims to help Australian businesses achieve sustainable transportation and manufacturing processes with its green and sustainable technology. SSAB – World’s First Fossil-Free Steel This initiative comes at a time when Australian policymakers and companies are exploring “green steel” as an opportunity to support business growth, operational efficiency, and sustainable development. A report by the Grattan Institute found that if Australia captured about 6.5% of the global steel market, the country could generate more than AU $65 billion in annual export revenue and create over 25,000 domestic jobs. As demand grows for fossil-free iron- and steelmaking, SSAB is doubling down on its efforts to promote an eco-friendly future for the transportation, construction, and mining sector with the world’s first fossil-free steel. “Our creation represents a significant step forward in the transition to sustainable iron and steelmaking. With mounting pressure for Australian governments and industries to address the impending climate crisis, businesses and individuals are being enacted to force change and implement sustainable global value chains. Fossil-free steel represents a viable alternative, as it does not compromise on quality and can be used in all industries,” said Matthew Spiteri, Country manager for Australia and New Zealand. Green hydrogen technology: a new revolution for sustainable businesses Hybrit, a jointed initiative of SSAB, LKAB and Vattenfall was created in 2016 with the aim of developing a technology for fossil-free iron- and steelmaking. The process replaces coking coal, traditionally needed for iron ore-based steelmaking, with fossil-free electricity and hydrogen. In August 2021, SSAB was able to show the world´s first fossil-free steel plate made from hydrogen-reduced iron, produced at Hybrit’s pilot plant in Luleå, […]

Suhner equips TAFE NSW with metal finishing stations

Suhner Australia has progressively rolled out its Metal Finishing Stations to help TAFE NSW provide its students with access to quality professional tools as they learn to master metal finishing with a clear Industry involvement. Six Suhner Complete Metal Finishing Stations were recently delivered to TAFE NSW Newcastle. This is the latest instalment in a rollout that commenced in 2018 with Wetherill Park, and an enduring TAFE-industry partnership of over 20 years. The modular units consist of a free-standing, metal storage cabinet on wheels. Divided into draws for fast and easy access, the cabinet includes much of Suhner’s leading metal polishing tools and abrasives. The Rotomax 2 Flexible Drive machine forms the cornerstone of the unit. This tool allows apprentices to choose from 124 speed settings between 500Rpm and 13,000 Rpm, four different abrasive tool head options, and infinite power and flexibility with world class safety features. The popular Suhner UTC tube polishers and USK straight grinders as well as the complete range of Suhner Electric Power tools also form part of the station. “With the Suhner Metal Finishing Station, TAFE NSW apprentices have access to the highest quality tools and abrasives available that allow them to concentrate on learning the processes and skills involved with metal polishing and finishing,” explained Mr Robert Bartrum, General Manager, Suhner Australia Pty Ltd. “Suhner also helps ensure that our TAFE NSW apprentices are right up-to-date with current best practices,” he added. Teachers from the Advanced Manufacturing Trades section at TAFE NSW Wetherill Park; Lucas Archer and Jason Morgan, said the longstanding relationship between TAFE NSW and Suhner Australia meant graduates were getting the very best industry-aligned training using top of the line equipment. “TAFE NSW is proud to be working with Suhner Australia to give our students the very best hands-on training with […]

Next-generation manufacturing needs next-generation data

Matt Maw Head of Technology Strategy at Nutanix A/NZ Australia’s manufacturing sector has never been more important to the nation’s future than it is right now. Scenes of empty grocery store shelves and shortages of items we’d taken for granted – building supplies, cars, and bicycles – underscored the need for a sovereign supply chain and strong manufacturing industry. In addition, the increased demand for health services across the country has made the local manufacturing of vaccines, personal protective equipment (PPE) and medical oxygen more important than ever before. This newfound appreciation of the criticality of a local manufacturing capability led the Federal Government to launch a modern manufacturing strategy allocating $52.8 million to fast track digital investments, and $1.3 billion to modernising domestic infrastructure to make supply chains more resilient. As the local manufacturing sector transforms in response to the nation’s latest challenges, it is clear adopting a ‘smart’, digital-centric approach will be the driving force for enabling sovereign capability that meets the demands of the domestic market while also potentially setting up the sector as a major manufacturing player on the world’s stage. While the idea of ‘digital technology’ might conjure images of robotic assembly line workers and self-driving forklifts, the truth is that any innovation is pillared by applications and data. From the cloud to the edge, the data generated powers the delivery of technology solutions across the entire operation. Information enables innovation Access to accurate, real-time data from across the business is fundamental to any innovation. Simply collecting this information isn’t enough. It must also be easily accessible whenever its needed. Unlike other industries, the drive for IT modernisation is not being fuelled by the manufacturing workforce needing to adapt to remote or hybrid working environments. Cutting costs isn’t the major motivator, either. Rather, the industry […]

Port,Hedland,-,Oct,10,2019:large,Truck,Carry,Oversize,Haul

Keep road-friendly air suspension safer with this checklist

Road-friendly air suspension systems increase the ability of trucks, trailers and coaches to transport loads by levelling the suspension, enhancing stability, control and safety over Australia’s diverse and demanding network of more than 870,000 km of public roads. Use of these tough but comfortable systems – which also reduce noise and vibration – has grown exponentially over a generation in Australia, to the point where they have gone from being a comparative rarity to becoming an industry standard as drivers seek top performance on both sealed and tough unsealed roads, which still comprise more than half the total. Air suspension systems now abound in the Federal Government’s lists of Certified Road-Friendly Suspensions prepared by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications. Suspensions on the list encompass the major OEM and specialist brands of worldwide manufacturers including in Australia. Today, demand for air springs utilised in air suspensions for all types of heavy vehicles (including a vigorously growing market for 4wds and recreational vehicles) has grown in line with a world market that is now estimated by market researchers to exceed $A6 billion. Preventative Maintenance Checklist from Air Springs Supply Pty Ltd Inspect the Outside Diameter (O.D.) of the air spring. Check for signs of irregular wear or heat cracking. Inspect air lines to make sure contact doesn’t exist between the air line and the O.D. of the air spring. Air lines can rub a hole in an air spring very quickly. Check to see that there is sufficient clearance around the complete circumference of the air spring while at its maximum diameter. Inspect the O.D. of the piston for build-up of foreign materials. (On a reversible sleeve style air spring, the piston is the bottom component of the air spring). Correct ride height should be maintained. All vehicles […]

Chef shortage creating hunger for automation

Across the country hospitality operators are reporting shortages in the kitchen and the problem doesn’t seem to be going away, this has led to some innovative and modern solutions to the problem. According to CrunchBase, US-based venture capitalists have invested nearly $600 million in restaurant automation startups in the past 3 years alone, as they see staffing issues as a growing problem. View Post “This is more than just a temporary issue, commercial kitchens have been struggling to fill their available positions for years, there just aren’t enough chefs in the labour pool to meet the demand, and it’s not just in Australia, the US and Europe are experiencing it too,” said Bradley Backhouse, Chef and CEO of Kitchintel, A restaurant automation startup. Kitchintel, an Australian based startup, has designed a fully automated grill that can cook hundreds of steaks, chicken, pork, lamb, fish or any protein the chef chooses. “Automations are coming” says Bradley “It’s not a matter of if but when. Currently, there are many robotics that the entire kitchen needs to be designed around and only perform very simple tasks like flipping a burger. When we designed our fully automated grill, we made sure it could fit in any kitchen and work alongside the chefs helping them day to day. The result is a machine that allows one chef to have the output of 2-3 chefs”. The understaffing of commercial kitchens is a bigger problem than ever, according to ChefHire General Manager, Dwain Watkins “ We have seen a greater demand for agency chefs even from smaller venues who wouldn’t traditionally go down the agency route. A lot of clients are reporting placing ads with no one applying or scheduling interviews and the chef not showing up.” With an increase in food venues and a decrease in […]

«‹ 10 11 12 13 ›»

News Ticker

Daily News