Smart Manufacturing

Monash Uni’s Apple Harvesting Robot The state’s top engineers and engineering projects have been named at the 2023 Engineers Australia Excellence Awards – People & Projects Victoria, held at South Wharf. “The Engineers Australia Excellence Awards spotlight the best in engineering innovation and highlight how essential engineers are to our everyday lives,” said Alesha Printz, Engineers Australia GM Victoria. “It’s our way of putting the best engineering work in the limelight, setting the bar high, and inspiring what’s next for our profession.” Victorian Project of the Year Development of the Apple Harvesting Robot by Monash University Engineers are problem solvers, and the Monash University team exemplifies this through their development of the Monash Apple Retrieving System (MARS) apple harvesting robot. MARS addresses the apple industry’s challenges by offering a dependable solution that minimises manual labor dependency, countering labor shortages, and alleviating notable occupational health and safety concerns. The robot’s advanced ‘soft gripper’ technology coupled with its visionary system ensures precise detection and picking of ripe fruit. Gaining considerable global recognition within the fruit-growing sector, MARS holds the promise of revolutionizing the orchard industry, with potential applicability to other fruits. Victorian Professional Engineer of the Year Dr Daniel Prohasky Dr Daniel Prohasky’s work exemplifies Engineers Australia’s core vision of ‘advancing society through great engineering.’ He has pioneered a fresh engineering study avenue and consistently showcases inventive problem-solving, challenging traditional paradigms. His innovations highlight efficient material usage, incorporating low-carbon, high-strength properties. Beyond mere ideation, Dr Prohasky has translated his visionary concepts into sustainable, inclusive, and ethical local manufacturing practices. His wide-ranging industry engagement spans from education to manufacturing, with notable projects like “curvecrete” and “milkdrop”. This extensive involvement allows him to touch various community aspects, underscoring the vibrancy and innovative potential in engineering.  Victorian Emerging Professional Engineer of the Year Adam Jones Adam […]

To cater for growing global demand, Queensland headquartered nutrition and wellness company Fixx Nutrition is expanding its manufacturing capabilities as both domestic and international customers seek out its all-natural sports and dietary supplements. This new manufacturing facility located in the heart of Burleigh Heads, on the Gold Coast, will see the business double production volumes of its CrampFix, Fuel X and Energy Gel product lines by a factor of more than 100 per cent as it looks to launch in the South African market, off the back of further growth in international markets like the United Kingdom, South Korea and the United States of America. Founded in 2017 by keen athletes Michelle and Jan Buchegger, Fixx Nutrition draws on 20 + years of experience in food manufacturing to research and explore innovative ideas to resolve cramping and provide nutrition for endurance athletes. Its fast-growing market share among amateur and professional athletes alike is being matched by the ubiquity of the Fixx brand at iconic athletic events as diverse as the Gold Coast Marathon and Sydney Marathon, as runners, cyclists, footballers and cricketers alike use it as their method of choice to deal with cramp and muscle fatigue. For Fixx Nutrition Co-founder Jan Buchegger, this new manufacturing facility is the ideal way for the business to build market share while still being able to produce their all-natural product range only five minutes away from the iconic Burleigh Heads beachfront. “Professional and amateur athletes from sporting codes across the globe use Fixx’s range of all-natural world-leading sports and dietary supplements and this new facility is designed to allow us to meet demand in established domestic and global markets while embarking on new ventures in places like South Africa,” Mr Buchegger said. “Our clients include professional cyclists, triathletes, local sporting codes such as […]

Intralogistics leader, Swisslog, demonstrated its latest warehouse automation technologies, including the Australian and New Zealand launch of its new AutoPiQ technology, at CeMAT 2023, Australia’s largest logistics and materials handling exhibition. Swisslog Head of Sales and Consulting, Sean Ledbury noticed a stronger presence by automation companies, and fewer manual materials handling exhibitors at this year’s event. “It makes sense in a climate of labour shortages that companies are looking to automation to meet customer demand and deliver on time, and CeMAT certainly reinforced that this is where the market is moving,” he said. “Compounding the issues faced by e-commerce, e-grocery, retail, food and beverage, and industrial businesses is the increasing cost of land, so maximising output within the same space can be highly beneficial to profitability and performance,” adds Ledbury. (Right) One technology on display at Swisslog’s CeMAT 2023 stand was AutoStore, a grid-based Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS), for which Swisslog is the number one integrator, globally. Swisslog Managing Director, Dan Ulmamei added that it’s an exciting time in the industry, as everyone looks at innovative ways to tackle local and global challenges. “With our new customer-focused strategy, refreshed brand, and experienced management team in Swisslog ANZ, I believe Swisslog is ideally equipped to meet industry needs today, and into the future,” he says. Scalability and intelligent software “Speaking with the CeMAT audience, the industry is focused on being future-ready. People use to talk about being future-proof, but in reality, no one can really know what the future holds – it may not even exist yet! Instead, companies need to be equipped with the best technology, best features, and most useful data so that when a new need arises, they can adapt quickly, and better meet their customers’ needs,” says Ledbury. “Swisslog provides future-ready technologies in two main […]

Vaxxas is a clinical-stage biotechnology company commercialising a needle-free vaccine patch.  Global charitable foundation, Wellcome, has made an award of AU$5.4M to conduct initial studies and a  Phase I clinical trial for a potential second generation typhoid vaccine delivered by Vaxxas’ proprietary high-density microarray patch (HD-MAP) platform technology. The project is expected to be completed within two years. The typhoid vaccine formulation used to coat the HD-MAP will be based on an approved typhoid conjugate vaccine that was jointly developed by Vaxxas’ collaborator in this project, SK bioscience, and the International Vaccine Institute. The typhoid vaccine candidate used in these studies will be formulated to be stable at higher temperatures than required for needle and syringe vaccination. Improved thermostability of vaccine products is a key potential benefit offered by Vaxxas’ HD-MAP platform, and has the potential to reduce the cost and complexity of cold-chain distribution and storage, which are both significant barriers to vaccine accessibility in lower- and middle-income countries. The HD-MAP also has the potential benefit of requiring less training to administer and even self-administration. As such, success in this endeavor has the potential to increase global access to the typhoid vaccine. Typhoid fever is a life-threatening systemic infection caused by the bacterium Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (commonly known as Salmonella Typhi) which is usually spread through the ingestion of contaminated food or water. According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 9 million people globally are infected by the disease each year. Of this, approximately 110,000 people die from the disease, mostly in lower income countries, and disproportionately children, where water quality and hygiene are compromised. “To help protect more people at risk from deadly diseases like typhoid fever, new vaccine innovations are needed to improve access and ensure equitable coverage,” said Wellcome Senior Research Manager Pierre Balard. […]

West Gosford access solutions and products manufacturer Chamberlain makes an open-and-shut case for garage door automation. Now, with no foul play involved, it plans to revolutionise the US poultry industry. Chamberlain designs and engineers residential garage door openers, commercial door operators, and gate entry systems. For Chamberlain, “smart starts in the garage”. Its myQ technology connects its products and empowers users with smartphone access to regulate or monitor their entry points. Graeme Sheekey, Chamberlain’s director of operations and new geographies, says the myQ app gives the operator control of their garage door whenever and wherever they are. It offers real-time alerts, and the ability to set daily schedules and offer guest access. “You can provide entry for a contractor, house cleaner, or family member any time,” Mr Sheekey says. “With myQ, people know when their garage door opens and closes, which allows them to keep track of daily comings and goings. The scheduling feature allows the operator to pre-set days and times for the garage door to close or the lights to turn on or off. It’s an easy way to keep a home secure, especially when owners are away on a trip.” Hunter Manufacturing Awards (HMA) named Chamberlain’s Alex Nivison its Apprentice of the Year – Manufacturing for 2022, winner of the Excellence in export and global supply chain award in 2021, winner of the Excellence in Sustainable Operations in 2020, and took out both the People & Skills Development award and Manufacturer of the Year in 2019.. HMA represents all businesses actively engaged in the manufacturing sector, including their allies, in the Upper Hunter, Lower Hunter, Central Coast, Lake Macquarie, Newcastle, Port Stephens, and Mid-North Coast regions. The awards inspire, encourage, and recognise vibrant and enduring manufacturing in these regions. In recognising the growth of manufacturing in the […]