Manufacturing Technology

Australian space experts focus on small sat technology

Australia’s rebooted space industry is positioning itself as a world leader in the development of smart satellites and associated technologies that will streamline communication, drive the Internet of Things, enhance Earth Observation and shape the defence forces of the future. The Australian Government backed SmartSat CRC – or Cooperative Research Centre – is playing a leading role during “Space Week” in the South Australian capital, which includes the 8th Space Forum (formerly South Australia Space Forum) and the 19th Australian Space Research Conference. Supported by the Australian Space Agency and the SmartSat CRC, the week began on Thursday. The 8th Space Forum is on at the Adelaide Convention Centre on Monday September 30 and includes a panel session hosted by SmartSat CRC Industry Director Peter Nikoloff about the opportunities and challenges facing Australia’s newest major space organisation. The 19th Australian Space Research Conference will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday (October 1 & 2). The A$245 million SmartSat CRC was awarded in April and has established a headquarters in Adelaide to co-ordinate its 99 industry and research partners. Nikoloff, who is also a co-founder of Adelaide-based defence and space company Nova Systems, said the panel discussion would focus on highlighting the research and application of intelligent technologies to space systems and opportunity for Australia’s growing space industry. He said the panel will seek to identify niche areas of autonomous systems and how the participating universities, industry and defence members could potentially exploit those opportunities. “The intelligent systems from our perspective aren’t just what’s on a spacecraft, we’re looking at the whole chain that goes from the spacecraft down to the ground stations and the applications of how that information is being presented,” Nikoloff said. Nikoloff said developing applications to process data and streamlining data transfer before sending it to Earth […]

First hi-tech X-ray tube rolls off the line in Adelaide

Australian hi-tech company Micro-X has rolled out the first of its lightweight mobile X-ray carts fitted with its own in-house designed and manufactured X- ray tube. The X-ray tubes are the world’s first to be electronically controlled and contain a unique carbon nanotube emitter designed by Micro-X in collaboration with South Australian researchers at the University of Adelaide and Flinders University. The launch coincides with the opening of Micro-X’s expanded facilities at the Tonsley Innovation Precinct in Adelaide, South Australia. Micro-X has achieved strong growth since launching its first mobile X-ray product in 2017, the DRX Revolution Nano, which is marketed by US company Carestream Health. The digital medical X-ray system is aimed at the rapidly expanding market for bedside imaging in hospitals and mobile healthcare. It is a fraction of the size, weight and cost of its competitors and has already been sold into 10 countries around the world. This year Micro-X also signed an AU$10 million deal with defence company Thales Group to develop mobile X-ray products for security purposes. Thales and Micro-X will collaborate on the global sales and support of Micro-X’s counter-terrorism Mobile Backscatter Imager of Improvised Explosive Devices and an airport checkpoint security scanner. Micro-X is also developing a “Rover” mobile X-ray product for military field hospitals. “Many organisations around the world have been trying for years to create this new kind of X-ray source, smaller and lighter than anything seen before, but we are delighted to win that race and be the first company in the world to bring a FDA approved medical imager to market with this technology” said Peter Rowland, Micro-X’s founder and Managing Director. “This exciting innovation, the first in X-ray sources for 150 years, will revolutionise global X-ray imaging. “Our carbon nanotube source is like a ‘LED globe’ where everyone else is still using old-fashioned hot filaments. […]

Integrated tech company opens global headquarters in Adelaide

TT Fuel, a technology company manufacturing fuel supply systems, has consolidated its operations in Adelaide while launching a new fuel terminal. Opened by the Premier of South Australia, Steven Marshall, the new headquarters brings together the entire team of TT Fuel into a space that includes engineering, manufacturing, software development and a 24-hour global support desk. The Australian-owned company designs and manufactures fuel storage and handling systems for both industrial and retail customers. The company has grown into a global technology company since being bought by venture entrepreneurs in 1989 from a South Australian university spinoff. TT Fuel Group Director John Casey said they had contemplated moving the company out of South Australia but decided to stay because the state offered an excellent workforce and enviable lifestyle. “The exceptional lifestyle and ease of getting around Adelaide is conducive to creating a congenial workplace that makes it easier to keep the best people,” Casey said. He said that consolidating the company’s workforce at the new HQ in Torrensville, an inner suburb of Adelaide, would help the company fulfil its ambition to expand with new products and software such as its TT8800 Outdoor Payment Terminal, right, and T-POS retail point of sale terminal. Both products were officially launched at the new headquarters. The TT8800 is built to allow for secure automated management of unattended retail refuelling sites, especially in remote locations. It is connected to the 24-hour monitoring system at the new headquarters and is able to handle all types of payment cards so anyone can buy fuel at any time. The T-POS system allows fuel retailers to manage all sales on one screen while monitoring wet and dry stock levels in real time and control the operation of forecourt equipment. TT Fuel systems operate in some of the harshest environments in the world, […]

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Elastic Wearlon sheaves take stress out of wire rope applications

Wire ropes used in a broad range of equipment – including lifting, winching and conveying applications – can benefit from durable sheaves and rollers (bottom right) made from engineered plastics, which protect against metal-to-metal contact and harsh abrasion from metal alternatives. Wire rope is integral to lifting, shifting and power transmission across a host of industries, starting with mining in the 1830s and extending since across wide swathes of industry. Uses today encompass cranes and lifting, cargo handling, elevators, construction, primary and food product harvesting, power generation technology (such as tendons in windmills), winching and conveying in manufacturing, minerals processing and materials handling and fixed and mobile plant used in paper and timber processing. Wire rope’s big initial advantage over the chains it originally replaced was that it would not snap catastrophically where there were flaws in chain links or solid bars, but rather individual strands could fail while others around them would take up the load safely and flexibly without shock. However, even the best quality wire rope will ultimately wear and potentially fail if it is subjected to constant abrasion, such as that induced by uneven metal-to-metal contact across sheaves and where lubricants attract grime to gradually compromise strength while attracting impurities into industrial processes. To help protect against such issues, Cut To Size Plastics custom-engineers sheaves and rollers for wire ropes using some of the world’s hardest-wearing engineering plastics, formulated to reduce wear and maintenance and enhance safety in a wide range of machinery and materials handling equipment. Examples of such sheaves are fabricated from Cut To Size’s internationally proven Wearlon range of hard-wearing cast polyamide engineering plastics, such as the LiNNOTAM products of the globally respected Licharz organisation. These products are formulated both for OEM use and metal replacement in applications involving transmission of mechanical force […]

Australian rocket launch site given major project status

The South Australian government has granted major project status to a venture which aims to become Australia’s first commercial rocket launch site. Southern Launch is aiming for its Whalers Way Orbital Launch Complex “to get off the ground in 2020”. The declaration takes the South Australian company to the next stage that will allow it to undertake a comprehensive assessment and submit a formal development application. Southern Launch announced in December it had found a site at Whalers Way on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula for its launch pad, just days before the new Australian Space Agency declared it would establish headquarters in the state’s capital Adelaide. The multi-user rocket launch facility will allow micro- and small-lift rocket manufacturers to launch satellites into polar orbits using cutting edge technology, further reinforcing South Australia’s contribution to the nation’s space sector. The 1190-hectare site sits at the bottom of Eyre Peninsula, about 35 minutes’ drive from the regional centre of Port Lincoln. The complex is 250km west of Adelaide and 500km south of Woomera, the historic rocket launch site that is restricted to military use. A taskforce, headed up by state government agency Defence SA has been established to help Southern Launch through the development process, which includes detailed plans of site operations, potential customers, economic benefit and environmental impact. Southern Launch founder and CEO Lloyd Damp said the major project declaration was a fantastic step forward and would allow more information to be released and public consultation to begin. He said major project status was usually reserved for huge infrastructure projects that ran into the billions of dollars. “Our project is a fraction of that size but the potential benefit to the South Australian economy is of great importance to the state,” Damp said. “The creation of something like a launch facility operates […]

Queensland waste-to-energy project receives international accolades

CST Wastewater Solutions’ major waste-to-energy project with NH Foods in Queensland has received international recognition this month through finalist nominations in both the energy and sustainability categories of the prestigious 2019 Institute of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) Global Awards. The technology involved in the double IChemE finalist nomination is a far-sighted green energy initiative by leading meat processor NH Foods Australia at their Oakey Beef Exports facility, and is already paying handsome dividends in terms of cleaner wastewater effluent, as well as a reduced fossil fuel environmental footprint and lower energy costs. The Global Water & Energy (GWE) COHRAL(Covered High-Rate Anerobic Lagoon) plant extracts green energy (biogas) from Oakey Beef Export’s wastewater streams to replace millions of dollars’ worth of natural gas over its operating life, in Queensland’s Darling Downs region. The plant – which occupies half the space of comparable technologies and stores biogas extracted from wastewater in a robust 6000m3 polyester balloon – was installed at Oakey by Australian environmental engineering and green energy authority CST Wastewater Solutions, which recently inspected the plant as it reaches its landmark fifth year of service in southern Queensland. In addition to food and beverage processors, the technology can be applied to agribusiness operations including all forms of meat, livestock, poultry, fish and agribusiness, including fruit, sugar, vegetable, grains and other crops. “It’s outstanding to receive this kind of international recognition, and we credit NH Foods Australia for their forward-thinking and innovative attitude to sustainability. They are leading the way in environmental and sustainable outcomes in the meat industry in Australia,” said Mr Michael Bambridge, Managing Director, CST Wastewater Solutions. “By transforming a wastewater effluent treatment and disposal problem into an ongoing productive asset, the plant has achieved a rare business and environmental ideal of cleaner, greener performance with stable, predictable and profitable […]

Adaptalift Group forklifts – HysterUT and Yale UX ranges

Australian materials handling leader Adaptalift Group is backing the new Hyster UT and Yale UX Series lift trucks to satisfy a strong need in the Australian market for quality-engineered, cost-effective forklifts suited to lower frequency applications typically limited to 1,000 hours a year. The new Hyster UT Series and Yale UX Series diesel or dual-fuel counterbalance forklifts, pallet trucks and stackers, in six different capacities from 1.5-3.5 tonnes, deliver an attractive, affordable and uncomplicated range for enhanced user choice across many industries. The new ranges provide an attractive option for customers who require quality materials handling equipment – backed by service provided by the dealer network and support of the globally leading Hyster-Yale Group – but don’t need advanced functionalities for their tasks. Adaptalift Group is a major dealer for both Hyster and Yale in Australia, and is demonstrating its full support for the launches of the reliable new forklift ranges through strong local stock levels. Adaptalift Group, which has more than 38 years’ experience in the materials handling industry, is uniquely positioned to offer both the new Hyster and Yale lift trucks, which will add to their fleet of approximately 10,500 units across Australia, backed by a workforce of more than 400. Customer benefits Hyster and Yale’s new ranges provide a simple approach to materials handling – backed by 24/7 service – which is particularly attractive to customers whose materials handling equipment is required to work intermittently over a working week, on an as-required basis, typically up to 1,000 hours a year. Not only do the new ranges fill a gap in the market for a high quality, low usage forklift backed by reliable service, they also have outstanding features for the user. For example, the 3-piece overhead guard, comfortable seat and access step. The new Hyster UT and […]

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.” […]

Kemppi releases MasterTig range

Kemppi, has launched the new Kemppi MasterTig family which is designed to withstand demanding welding environments and high temperatures; the next generation of MasterTig welding machines is impressive. It sets new standards in usability, welding quality capability and power efficiency. The MasterTig range has been redesigned with the professional welder very much in mind. The machine’s Weld Assist feature lets welders setup 60% faster to help increase productivity. Welders simply select the material, thickness, joint type and welding position. Weld Assist then determines the best parameters for the welding task. It also provides recommendations for the electrode size, filler wire, gas flow, groove type, pass profile and travel speed. Welders can also weld up to 30% faster, thanks to the MasterTig’s Double Pulse function. Double pulse accelerates the travel speed in DC hand welding and mechanised applications. This not only allows welders to power through work, it reduces distortion levels and delivers excellent weld appearance. Double Pulse also reduces heat input by 20%, helping to minimise welding costs. The range is also packed with high-technology features that enhance TIG welding. The MicroTack function lets you complete multiple, repetitive tacking on thin sheet applications quickly and without forgoing quality or the visual appearance of the weld. iTEC is engineered ignition technology. It ensures a reliable arc start every time and is particularly useful with long torch extensions for site welding or precise thin materials and low current applications. The Optima AC feature is a customised waveform that combines the best of the traditional sine and square forms. It improves welding quality while reducing the noise level in AC TIG welding by 20%. Other advanced features of the range include 99 memory channels, a weld time clock that lets you measure and record job data, and Auto Pulse. The MasterTig range is […]

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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