Carbon Revolution celebrates 50,000th wheel
One-piece composite wheel manufacturer Carbon Revolution has marked the sale of its 50,000th wheel at the company’s Waurn Ponds factory.
Thales trials sovereign minesweeping capability
Defence contractor Thales Australia has successfully trialled a sovereign enhanced, designed, developed and manufactured minesweeping capability. The French-owned company trialled modifications to its Combined Influence Sweep (CIS) minesweeping system (main picture, and below) which was designed and manufactured in conjunction with Australia’s Defence Science and Technology Group. The CIS, successfully in operation for over 20…
Sea Electric pumps out electric trucks in Melbourne – pictures
The main focus for Melbourne electric vehicle drive train manufacturer Sea Electric has shifted to the United States – after all, you have to be close to your biggest markets. But its Melbourne plant is busy pumping out electric trucks as these pictures show. According to the company: “Our Melbourne factory is in full swing.…
Why a Silicon Valley robotics company is setting up in Brisbane
By Brent Balinski As has been mentioned on this website and elsewhere, while Australia’s private investment in automation – placed 35th in the world based on the number of industrial robots per 10,000 workers – could be better, the nation has some fantastic researchers in the field. One positive development last week was news that…
Limitless power arriving too late: why fusion won’t help us decarbonise
I first heard the standard joke about fusion as an undergraduate physics student in the 1960s: Fusion power is fifty years away – and probably always will be.
Underwater robotics maker grasps new opportunities
Tucked away on a residential street, spitting distance from a lively bistro pub in Glebe (about three kilometres from Sydney’s CBD) is where you will find the most promising Australian robotics manufacturer you’ve never heard of.
Promised more industry focused PhDs, but the reality is different – by Dr John Howard
Australia was promised a new research focus for PhDs on the needs of industry. Here Dr John Howard forensically examines the national innovation and research system and asks whether, when the money runs out, will we have a more robust research infrastructure and research workforce? On 31 January 2022, the Prime Minister announced that the…
Logos, logos, more national logos
By Peter Roberts Am I the only one who wonders what the purpose could possibly be of the new Australian Nation Brand developed at the cost of $10 million for the federal government (pictured). The new logo replaces an earlier brand which was launched in 2020 to much derision – it was not instantly recognisable…
Cybersecurity – Identity and Access Management: Building biometric-based ID machines
For the last two weeks, our Cybersecurity – Identity and Access Management series has looked at cybersecurity threats to manufacturers, why they should take them seriously, and how they can thwart them. For the final entry, we will hear from a manufacturer responsible for other people’s security and access management, and the ways it goes about keeping very sensitive, very personal data safe.
Frigate project rigged for smoother sailing
By Peter Roberts The $45 billion Hunter Class frigate programme has reached a milestone in its development with the completion of a year-long System Definition Review (SDR) which studied how the special requirements of Australia’s defence department can be fitted into the ship’s baseline design. This review is crucial as the inclusion of the Aegis…