Smart Manufacturing

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Improving processes and enhancing efficiencies in manufacturing

James Robinson, Head of Services for Asia Pacific at Syspro. In today’s global manufacturing market, competition is intense. International supply chains, shifting consumer demands and rapid technological advances force manufacturers to adapt swiftly or risk falling behind. For Australasian manufacturers, these challenges are magnified by geographical distance from key international markets and higher labour and production costs, demanding a relentless focus on agility and efficiency. Navigating global market dynamics Australasian manufacturing sectors operate within a complex, rapidly evolving global economy. Supply chain disruptions, geopolitical tensions and fluctuating commodity prices continue to reshape the industry. According to BHP’s latest economic outlook, major economies are experiencing varying growth rates. Developed economies are stabilising after grappling with high interest rates, while India remains on a rapid growth path. Meanwhile, China’s uneven recovery underscores ongoing challenges within its industrial sectors, though it is expected to meet 2024 growth targets. Geopolitical risks are expected to remain elevated, adding uncertainty to global trade. Industrial activity in 2023 remained sluggish due to subdued global demand and the lasting impacts of the energy crisis. However, BHP projects a recovery in demand for key commodities like steel, copper and nickel by 2025, presenting growth opportunities for Australian manufacturers aligned with these sectors. For local manufacturers, this volatile landscape brings both challenges and opportunities. Higher interest rates continue to suppress domestic demand, but the recovery in commodity markets offers a chance to supply essential components to industries such as construction, transport and energy production. Enhancing agility with ERP In considering the shifting market challenges, Australian manufacturers must adopt flexible, data-driven operational strategies to capitalise on opportunities. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems can help manufacturers respond effectively to shifts in demand by improving processes and enhancing efficiencies to remain competitive. ERP systems help manufacturers integrate essential processes, including procurement, production, […]

Tech Council welcomes Federal Government’s review of Australia’s R&D system

The Tech Council of Australia (TCA) has welcomed the Federal Government’s strategic review of research and development (R&D) in Australia, which will examine how it can bolster productivity and economic growth. Minister for Industry and Science the Hon Ed Husic MP has announced that Tech Council Board Chair Robyn Denholm will Chair an independent panel that will deliver recommendations to strengthen Australia’s R&D system. Tech Council CEO Damian Kassabgi said the review was an opportunity for Australia to better harness the economic and productivity benefits of R&D. “A strategic approach to R&D will increase competition, attract investment and contribute to a more productive and resilient economy,” he said. “The decline in productivity is one of Australia’s biggest economic challenges. To continue enjoying our standard of living, which is among the highest in the world, Australia needs to focus on improving productivity growth. “Lifting investment in R&D can help us turn this around. To maximise the economic and productivity gains, we need a strong R&D system that encourages innovation and supports companies to transform world-class research into commercial success. “While other countries are consistently increasing their investment in technology, Australia isn’t keeping up and our spending on tech investment is actually forecast to fall if we don’t act,” Mr Kassabgi said. Research released by the Tech Council in November showed that lifting investment in R&D and tech adoption could contribute up to $167 billion in GDP by 2035 in productivity gains. Ms Denholm said she was honoured to be appointed Chair of the review. “On behalf of the Tech Council of Australia (TCA), I commend the Government for initiating this independent review to enhance Australia’s R&D framework,” Ms Denholm said. “A robust and forward-looking R&D ecosystem is vital to driving innovation, fostering economic growth, and establishing Australia as a global […]

Combatting rising costs by optimising operational efficiency

James Robinson, SYSPRO Head of Services Asia Pacific. Over the past five years, the manufacturing sector has demonstrated remarkable resilience, enduring many different challenges. Today, manufacturers face a renewed and formidable challenge with unexpected higher inflation raising the risk of yet another rate hike, threatening to destabilise the core economics of manufacturing businesses across Australia and the Asia Pacific region. The challenging economy has dominated the news for over two years, placing the manufacturing industry in the spotlight as it grapples with the challenges it presents. SYSPRO’s recent Global CFO Manufacturing Survey showed that over 80 per cent of respondents across the Asia Pacific region cited high inflation and interest rates as a cause of drag in the manufacturing industry. Meanwhile, 67 per cent of companies surveyed have been buffeted by economic uncertainty and supply chain disruptions. Yet, as history has shown, within every challenge the manufacturing sector has faced lies an opportunity for innovation and efficiency improvements. Strategies for optimising operational efficiency To counteract the effects of rising costs, manufacturers need to optimise their operational efficiency. Integrating their ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) and MOM (Manufacturing Operations Management) systems can be a game-changer in achieving this goal. Here are several strategies for manufacturers to consider: Invest in technology and automation Embracing advanced technologies and automation is essential for the manufacturing sector. Innovations like ERP and MOM systems can significantly enhance operational efficiency by reducing reliance on manual labour, minimising errors and centralising information. Together with advanced technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning, provide real-time data and insights, enabling informed decision-making and improved productivity. Optimise supply chain management Efficient supply chain management is crucial for minimising costs and ensuring a steady flow of materials. ERP systems help manufacturers enhance supply chain efficiency by diversifying […]

Australian made concussion diagnosis device exported to US

Every four minutes, someone in Australia is hospitalised with a head injury, with 24 per cent of all concussive episodes caused by sport.* The time taken for a patient to be diagnosed with concussion has largely been based on rudimentary field assessments, and diagnosis is often delayed as patients are transported to scanning equipment in hospitals. As a result, the potential for misdiagnosis or delay in treatment is high. With support from AMGC, Headsafe will change this, with the introduction of a ‘brain scanner in a briefcase’ dubbed Nurochek. Nurochek is a world-first device able to be deployed in mobile and clinical settings for rapid assessment and response to head injuries at the point of injury and at treating doctors or clinics. Verified extensively in the United States (US) and Australia, this US FDA-cleared portable headset uses patented technology to measure the brain’s electrical activity and sends the results to an online AI algorithm for analysis and later to the ‘cloud’ for secure storage. In a two-minute assessment, Nurochek will aid doctors and patients understand if a concussion has occurred. If so, then the patient can be appropriately managed and ensured a safer return to activities. Nurochek has multiple applications beyond sport, offering assessments for Traumatic Brain Injury from: Falls Motor vehicle accidents Military incidents and potentially early-stage diagnosis of other acute and chronic brain conditions. The two-year project, involving 11 collaborative partners, saw Headsafe adapt the technology to suit in-the-field deployment including the development of the technology while improving the data, processing, and usability capabilities of the product. Headsafe and its collaborators designed a new user interface, analysis algorithms, device design, power usage and cloud analysis capabilities. CEO and Founder of Headsafe, Dr. Adrian Cohen said, “Speed and accuracy of concussion diagnosis is key to better patient outcomes. Far […]

Advanced, energy efficient computing cluster speeds up science

Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, has worked with Dell Technologies to build a high-performance computer (HPC) system which will speed up scientific discoveries and help grow Australia’s industry and economy. Named Virga, the HPC system is built on state-of-the-art Dell PowerEdge XE9640 servers and is the first deployment of its kind in Australia, designed to optimise artificial intelligence (AI) workflows while also being power-efficient using direct liquid cooling. Professor Elanor Huntington, CSIRO’s Digital, National Facilities and Collections Executive Director, said Virga will provide the critical computing infrastructure needed for machine learning and AI to grow Australia’s industry and economy. “CSIRO is proud to be a steward of some of Australia’s most important pieces of research infrastructure,” Professor Huntington said. “AI is used in practically all fields of research at CSIRO, such as developing world-leading flexible printed solar panels, predicting fires, measuring wheat crops and developing vaccines, just to name a few. “High-performance computing systems like Virga also play an important role in CSIRO’s robotics and sensing work and are crucial to the recently launched National Robotics Strategy to drive competitiveness, and productivity of Australian industry.” The HPC cluster, which is housed at CDC’s Hume Data Centre in Canberra, is named Virga after the meteorological effect of rain that evaporates before it reaches the ground and was named in recognition of CSIRO’s decades of research into cloud and rain physics. CSIRO’s new, powerful and energy-efficient high-performance computer (HPC) Virga (below)is speeding up science, working alongside THE other HPC Petrichor. Dr Jason Dowling from CSIRO’s Australian e-Health Research Centre said the increase in medical imaging data coupled with the growing complexity of diagnostic techniques has led to an urgent need for advanced computational power and data processing for medical image analysis. “The new HPC facilities will allow researchers in our Australian e-Health […]

Over 30 trades represented at 47th WorldSkills International

The refrigeration industry will be among over 30 trades represented at the 47th WorldSkills International tournament, a global movement dedicated to promoting the skills excellence of young tradespeople playing a crucial role in the visibility, development, and empowerment of tomorrow’s experts. WorldSkills Australia competitor, Bailey Loenneker, a fourth-year refrigeration apprentice from the Sunshine Coast, and his Expert Carl Balke will represent Australia in the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning category on the global stage in Lyon, France in September to compete against the best young apprentices in the world. The contingent of apprentices, trainees, and students, known as the Skillaroos, is the largest delegation of competitors, trainers, officials, and team management ever sent to an International Competition. Refrigeration represents a crucial yet often overlooked trade. Despite the vital role refrigeration tradespeople play in maintaining the cold chain essential for food safety, healthcare, comfort cooling, air quality, and numerous industrial processes, their numbers are significantly lower compared to other trades on offer. This is one of the reasons that the WorldSkills Australia initiative is supported by Refrigerant Reclaim Australia (RRA) and like-minded organisations committed to the promotion and development of skills excellence in Australia. Kylie from Refrigerant Reclaim Australia says this disparity highlights the need to elevate the profile of refrigeration professionals, by increasing awareness and appreciation for their specialised skills.” “Our longstanding partnership supporting WorldSkills helps to Promote the importance of refrigeration tradespeople and underscores their contribution to public health, safety, and the economy”. Carl, WorldSkills Australia Expert, emphasises the transformative impact of the competition on young apprentices and highlights the importance of the competition in promoting refrigeration apprenticeships to the wider sector. “The competition is not only great for the young apprentices coming through, but it also lifts the profile of refrigeration apprentices which historically has remained unseen”. In addition […]

Kemppi launches all-in-one weld and clean machine – a new industry benchmark

Kemppi, has released a groundbreaking machine that delivers high-quality ACDC TIG welding and professional weld cleaning capability in the one unit, to set a new industry benchmark. The unique Kemppi Minarc T 223 ACDC GM features built-in electrolytic weld cleaning. Welders can quickly convert a TIG torch to cleaning mode, where the new MAX WeldClean cleaning process uses an efficient combination of electric current and phosphoric acid to remove oxidation and discoloration fast for perfectly clean high-quality welds. MAX WeldClean lets welders complete high-quality welds without using a separate weld cleaning machine. Just convert the TIG torch to cleaning mode and you are ready to go. “By combining weld cleaning with the ability to deliver quality welds in the one machine, the Minarc T 223 provides the welder with considerable convenience as they can perform both tasks in the one spot. This saves them precious time to help boost productivity and revenue,” explained Stuart Orr, Sales Director, Kemppi Australia. Powerful and versatile, the new Minarc T 223 is a 220 A single-phase AC/DC TIG welding machine. This multi-voltage machine provides precise and accurate welding thanks to its highly stable arc. The machine is also remarkably portable. Compact and lightweight, welders can easily carry the machine anywhere on site for fast, quality welding and cleaning. Other practical features of the Kemppi Minarc T223 include: Quality welding performance with AutoPulse The AutoPulse with frequency control feature helps deliver fast, high-quality, low spatter welds. This capability ensures welders consistently achieve great looking welds, saving them both time and money. Handy memory channels The Minarc T 223 is also equipped with memory channels to customise and save personal settings. Welders can quickly retrieve settings for faster set up and greater productivity. Easy to read display panel and control options for effortless operation The T […]

State of the art electrical upgrades boost mine uptime

Sustainability, employee protection and operational insights are the drivers of a cutting-edge electrification upgrade at BHP BMA’s Goonyella Riverside Mine in Queensland. At the BHP-Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) conjoined metallurgical coal mines Goonyella and Riverside in Queensland’s Bowen Basin, Subra Nedunuri is responsible for delivering capital electrical projects without compromising environment, safety, quality, or mining schedules. When a 43-year-old section of Goonyella Riverside’s power infrastructure became unreliable, Nedunuri began designing an upgrade with ABB state-of-the-art capabilities which protect employees, equipment and the environment, and enables predictive maintenance of 16 pumps critical to the mine’s operation. Subra brings a wealth of business and engineering qualifications to the role of Senior Project Manager at Goonyella Riverside Mines (GRM). He says these are complex projects as their complexity and value to the mines are disproportionate to their cost of implementation compared to other projects. “A rehabilitation project to move earth from one side of the mine to the other may cost $20 million, but in contrast this $3 million electrical upgrade can save lives and hundreds of millions of dollars in downtime.” To power the coal wash treatment plant, pumps are used to direct water for reuse or into tailing dams, without them the plant can’t operate. In the past, the now obsolete electrical system communicated only three states of condition for the pumps operation – “On”, “Off” or “Fault”. The system had no protection against arc flash incidents (explosive releases of energy when an electrical arc travels through ionized air to ground or another part of the electrical system), which endanger the lives of service technicians and nearby workers. For the upgrade, BMA had a wishlist of not only the safest switchgear to protect its employees, but a human-machine interface (HMI) that would enable remote and onsite monitoring and control of the electrical […]

The path to a successful career in manufacturing and making a positive impact

Australian Research Council (ARC) Laureate Professor Veena Sahajwalla is an internationally recognised materials scientist, engineer and inventor revolutionising recycling science. As a leading expert in the field of recycling science, and founding Director of the Centre for Sustainable Materials Research & Technology at UNSW. Veena is producing a new generation of green materials, products and resources made entirely, or primarily, from waste. Veena also heads the ARC Industrial Transformation Research Hub for ‘green manufacturing’ – a leading national research centre that works in collaboration with industry to ensure new science is translated into real world environmental and economic benefits. Veena has been extensively recognised for the innovation and significance of her work, including via election to be a Fellow of the esteemed Australian Academy of Science. At the Women in Manufacturing Summit 2023, Veena examined how to use sustainability and circular economy strategies to improve environmental, social, and financial bottom lines in manufacturing. CAN YOU BRIEFLY INTRODUCE YOURSELF? I grew up Mumbai, which is such a fabulous city with so much going on. As a child, it was about understanding, first and foremost, how people actually made a living. It always impressed me that people would do this by fixing shoes, clothes and all kinds of electronic stuff that we had at home. To me, the creation of all these products out of things that were supposedly broken was really fascinating. I see my work not just as science and engineering, but as wider social reform. I have lived with my family in Australia for almost 30 years. WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOW? I’m the Director of the UNSW Sustainable Materials Research and Technology (SMaRT) Centre where we are known for pioneering the high temperature transformation of waste in the production of a new generation of ‘green materials’. Our best […]

Hunter class frigate program passes Preliminary Design Review milestone

BAE Systems’ Hunter Class Frigate Program has successfully completed its Preliminary Design Review (PDR). The review, which started in July, is a technical assessment that ensures the design is operationally effective and underpins the more detailed work that will now be undertaken. More than 1,800 people are now working on the Hunter program, which is transforming Australia’s shipbuilding industry by helping build a world-class, continuous naval shipbuilding capability. A celebratory event to mark the completion of the PDR was held at the Company’s Osborne shipyard to mark the milestone. BAE Systems Australia’s Managing Director Maritime, Craig Lockhart, said: “The Hunter Class Frigate Program has come a long way from initial head contract signing, to the acceptance of the shipyard, start of prototyping work, and commencement of the first Schedule Protection Block. The completion of the preliminary design review is another significant step forward for the program which is developing Australia’s sovereign industrial capability and is growing the nation’s engineering workforce.” Companies from across Australia are working with BAE Systems to support the manufacture of the first batch of three Hunter class frigates. It is anticipated the program will create and sustain more than 5,000 jobs at BAE Systems and the wider Australian defence supply chain, including up to 1,000 apprentice and graduate roles. “Through this national endeavour, we are committed to maximising opportunities for Australian industry. More than 80 contracts have been placed with Australian businesses to support the program,” said Craig Lockhart.

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