Comment by Peter Roberts The university sector has has been sadly neglected by the federal government in the past decade, and yesterday Prime Minister Scott Morrison signaled that academic research would continue to come second to a national priority on research that leads to manufacturing and other economic outcomes. The neglect of science is unforgiveable…
Details
Australia’s largest producer of minerals used to manufacture high technology products, Lynas Rare Earths has received ministerial approval for the rare earths processing facility it is constructing at Kalgoorlie in Western Australia. The company announced that a ministerial statement had been issued under the Environmental Protection Act 1986 (WA), one of a number of approvals…
Details
Technology developer Silex Systems hopes to produce initial commercial quantities of zero-spin silicon (ZS-Si) used to make computer chips for cutting edge quantum computers from 2023 onwards. The company announced that it had completed the second stage of its ZS-Si project and successfully demonstrated silicon enrichment at a prototype scale. ZS-Si is a unique form…
Details
Federal assistance totalling $1.2 million has been awarded to Industrial Sciences Group, Infinity Avionics and Blueprint Lab in round four of the Moon to Mars Supply Chain Capability Improvement Grants.
Details
Swinburne University of Technology’s Hawthorn campus will get a new supercomputer, which will support research activities including in space, neuroscience and understanding the natural world. The new supercomputer will replace the OzSTAR machine, which has been in use since 2017, supported a variety of research topics, and acted as a “de facto national facility for…
Details
Building products group Boral will return $3 billion in ‘surplus capital’ to shareholders marking the end of a sales spree of key business forced on it by a disastrous foray into the North American market. CEO Zlatko Todorcevski, who replaced Mike Kane in the top job following its US troubles, characterised the return as a…
Details
Manufacturing contracted over the December and January period as the Omicron phase of the pandemic ended a period of growth, according to the Australian Industry Group’s Performance of Manufacturing Index. The PMI of 48.4 was down from November’s 54.8. Any results under 50 indicates contraction, and above it growth. The November result (released on December 1)…
Details
In day two of @AuManufacturing’s Cybersecurity – Identity and Access Management series, Ryan Ko offers some friendly advice to those who want to be victims of ransomware. In my experience working with the INTERPOL tracking digital payments towards ransomware, and research with antivirus companies understanding how ransomware works, I have seen ransomware in action and…
Details
The federal environment minister Sussan Ley has toured Waratah-based steel maker Molycop’s facilities in NSW to view in person efforts to decarbonise steel production. Ley joined UNSW SMaRT Centre Director, Professor Veena Sahajwalla at the Newcastle steel works to see up close SMaRT’s Green Steel technology that uses waste to replace coke and coal in…
Details
High speed precision welding developer K-TIG has experienced record cash receipts in the December quarter of $1.5 million as uptake of its equipment accelerates. Revenue was 44 per cent higher than the first quarter, and 157 per cent up on the previous corresponding period. Growth was achieved with only one distributor selling its products, with…
Details