Circular economy advisory group to hold first meeting this month
A new Circular Economy Ministerial Advisory Group, chaired by Professor John Thwaites, will meet for the first time this month.
Carbon Revolution progresses merger, US listing
One-piece carbon fibre road wheel manufacturer Carbon Revolution is progressing its plans to merge with a US entity, special purpose acquisition company Twin Ridge Capital Acquisition Corp (TRCA), being recapitalised and listed in the US in the process. Carbon Revolution has said that the combined entity of the company and TRCA would be acquired by…
AML3D breaks into US submarine construction
By Peter Roberts Adelaide’s AML3D has built on its Australian maritime manufacturing work to sell a large-scale, industrial Arcemy ‘X-Edition 6700’ Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing metal 3D printing system (pictured) to support the US Navy’s submarine industrial base. Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing is an additive process similar to welding that will be used to produce…
Researchers turn seawater into hydrogen with high efficiency
An international team led by University of Adelaide researchers have created green hydrogen from seawater by electrolysis without pre-treatment, using a non-precious and cheap catalyst, and claiming “nearly 100 per cent efficiency”.
Our future could be full of undying, self-repairing robots. Here’s how
By Jonathan Roberts, Queensland University of Technology With generative artificial intelligence (AI) systems such as ChatGPT and StableDiffusion being the talk of the town right now, it might feel like we’ve taken a giant leap closer to a sci-fi reality where AIs are physical entities all around us. Indeed, computer-based AI appears to be advancing…
Former Holden site at Elizabeth now producing premium mushrooms
The former Holden car assembly site at Elizabeth, South Australia has begun its newest chapter cultivating and processing mushrooms, with its operator Epicurean Food Group expecting onsite employee numbers to grow from 37 now to 350 around mid-2024. A $110 million facility is currently producing about 20 tonnes per week of gourmet mushrooms in six…
Sparc Technologies progresses graphene manufacture
Sparc Technologies has progressed construction of a modular and scalable manufacturing facility to produce graphene based additives with commissioning expected in Q1 CY23. The facility will enable the production of commercial quantities of graphene based additives for the growing global Coatings and Composites markets, the company said in an update to investors. “The commissioning of…
Skykraft satellites secure ground support from the University of Tasmania
Satellite system operator Skykraft will be one of the first customers to benefit from a new 7.3-metre communications antenna unveilled by the University of Tasmania (UTas) at Bisdee Tier (pictured). Part of the Southern Skies Network, the antenna will provide ground support to Skykraft’s Air Traffic Management constellation of satellites under a contract signed with…
Manufacturing news briefs – stories you might have missed
Bega sells share in Vitasoy beverages Diversified food and beverage manufacturer Bega Cheese has sold its 49 percent shareholding in plant milk manufacturer Vitasoy to Vita International Holdings. The sale, for $51 million, follows the exercise of an option by Vita International to buy back the shareholding which was held by Bega offshoot National Foods…
XTEK awarded $0.8 million in grants to update CNC centre and forming press
XTEK has been awarded two grants from the Department of Defence, totalling $0.8 million. The ASX-listed defence contractor announced on Tuesday that the grants were through the Defence Global Competitiveness programs and Sovereign Industrial Capability Priority program and valued at $164,268.50 and $658,209.20 respectively. The DGC-backed project covers investment in a new “CNC Virtual Machining…