Best of the week — the five most popular stories among readers, March 10 – March 14, 2025

What were the five biggest stories of the week? Here’s what visitors to @AuManufacturing were reading.

5) BluGlass achieves gallium nitride laser world record result

ASX-listed compound semiconductor developer and maker BluGlass has announced what it says is a world record for power produced by a single-mode gallium nitride (GaN) laser.

In a statement on Tuesday, the company said the result of 1250 milliwatts was a more than 67 per cent improvement on its previously reported 750 milliwatt single-mode performance, and was the “highest known published result available, both commercially and in academia” for such a laser. Its previous result was demonstrated in January at the Photonics West event.

According to BluGlass, the record result was achieved “by combining a blue (450nm) single-mode laser master oscillator with an integrated power amplifier in a single monolithic chip (SM-MOPA).”

4) Australian drone technology company brings production in-house

Sphere has taken full control of its manufacturing operations by shifting to in-house production through a partnership with towbar and trailer business Carasel, according to a statement from the company on Tuesday.

The strategic move aims to strengthen Sphere’s manufacturing capabilities and support the rapid scaling of HubX development and delivery. The company has also been among the first to test DJI’s newly launched Dock 3 at Carasel, giving them an operational edge in delivering advanced drone solutions.

By integrating design, engineering, manufacturing and early Dock 3 testing under one roof, Sphere can achieve stronger operational synergies, streamlining processes and accelerating innovation cycles—key factors in delivering HubX efficiently.

3) Building the future of space propulsion: How we developed our in-house test facility

In the competitive landscape of space technology, agility and speed of innovation are paramount. At Space Machines Company, we made a strategic decision to invest in developing our own satellite propulsion system as well as establishing a propulsion test facility — a capability that has already proven instrumental in accelerating our product development cycles. By Shane Albances.

2) Victorian government announces $5 million for startup programs

The Victorian government has announced funding of $5.1 million to accelerator programs and the Wade Institute of Entrepreneurship, in an announcement they said will support “up to 165 early-stage startups”.

According to a statement from minister for economic growth Danny Pearson on Tuesday, the funding will assist startups in accessing “resources, mentorship and vital capital”.

The funding involves $4.1 million in funding to accelerators including ANDHealth, MAP, the MedTech Actuator, Startmate and Startupbootcamp, and a further $1 million to the Ward Institute to “to help early-stage investors develop expertise in the critical areas of due diligence, capital raising and portfolio management”.

1) First-of-its-kind green hydrogen facility begins construction in South Australia

Sparc Technologies commenced construction of a revolutionary green hydrogen pilot plant in South Australia on Tuesday, marking a significant milestone for next-generation hydrogen production technology.

The facility, located at the University of Adelaide’s Roseworthy Campus, will employ photocatalytic water splitting (PWS) technology that produces hydrogen directly from water using only sunlight and a photocatalyst material – eliminating the need for expensive electrolysers.

“In an environment where major challenges exist for hydrogen projects due to the high cost of power, the requirement for new solutions to unlock low-cost green hydrogen without relying on electrolysers has never been higher,” said Sparc Managing Director Nick O’Loughlin.

And in case you missed our podcast…

In episode 112 of @AuManufacturing Conversations, Neil Goodman — who helped design, build and operate the world’s first commercial scale Hi-smelt plant in Western Australia — shares some insights on implementation timeframes, environmental benefits, global market opportunities, and more.

Picture: credit Sparc Technologies