Comment by Peter Roberts I have been receiving a number of phone calls from colleagues asking me: “what has happened with manufacturing policy?” Covid-19 has been with us since the beginning of the year, exposing the fragility of our international supply chains and our own inability to cater for our own, even very basic needs.…
UTS, Sydney is partnering with the federal government to launch a new associate degree programme to help accelerate the implementation of industry 4.0 principles in Australian business. The new two-year associate degree, part of the government’s Covid-19 response in its Job-Ready Graduate Package, aims to strengthen university/industry collaboration through collaborative partnerships. The associate degree will…
Metal additive manufacturing producer Aurora Labs is raising up to $3.5 million to speed uptake of its 3D metal printers and powders. The Perth company has received firm commitments to raise $2 million in a share placement with investors, and now plans to raise up to $1.5 million through a share purchase plan for existing…
Lithium ion battery materials group Lithium Australia has filed two patent cooperation treaty (PCT) applications seeking protection for its lithium ion battery recycling technologies. PCT protection is a way of gaining coverage in multiple overseas jurisdictions in one step. The first of its applications involves the recovery of electrode materials and electrolyte from spent lithium…
The federal government has announced $32 million in additional funding for investment through the Defence Innovation Hub over the next two years. Billed as part of COVID-19 investment initiatives, the cash will flow to small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) that have the potential to enhance defence capability. Since 2016, the Defence Innovation Hub has awarded…
The keel has been laid for the first of ten Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV) to be built by Civmec at Henderson in Western Australia. The first two vessels, based on the Lürssen PV80 design, are under construction at the Osborne Naval Shipyard in South Australia, with a further 10 ships to be built at Henderson.…
Company incubator Space Tank has won the prestigious Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences (MAAS) Good Design Award for its Rapid Shield face shield personal protection equipment (PPE). Part of North Melbourne’s Assistive Technology Cluster of firms created by Steve Zanon, founder of Proactive Ageing, Space Tank fast tracked the design and production of the…
Rare earths producer Lynas Corporation has successfully raised $425 million in fresh equity from investors. The company, the only major supplier outside China of rare earths used in high technology products, raised $114 million in an entitlement offer with existing shareholders. Fourty four per cent of shareholders agreed to subscribe new equity. Together with funds…
Drone countermeasure manufacturer DroneShield has announced deals with the US Military and the forces of a South East Asian nation within the space of 24 hours. The company has received US Department of Defence funding to further develop its DroneShieldComplete command and control system. And today it revealed it had received an order for a…
Explosives group Orica’s in-line ore fragmentation measurement technology, FRAGTrack has won a Good Design award in engineering for outstanding design and innovation. FRAGTrack automatically and accurately measures rock size and fragmentation following the blasting stage in mining and quarrying. Optimal fragmentation can greatly reduce energy consumption, improve equipment productivity, and increase production rates in minesites,…