DMTC gets $3.8 million to support industrial R&D projects

DMTC has signed a $3.8 million contract with the Defence Innovation Hub for collaborative R&D activities.

The announcement was made on Thursday, and includes four projects to increase industrial capability, according to a release from the Department of Defence. It describes these as “aimed at enhancing land vehicle design and build; additive manufacturing of aerospace and space components; and the development and sustainment of emerging materials.”

The DMTC was established in 2008 and includes a network of research partners and private businesses. Most of its projects take place between Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 3 and TRL 7/8.

“DMTC will build on its existing work in relation to technologies such as precision manufacturing, welding high-strength steel and adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies,” said its CEO, Dr Mark Hodge.

“We will continue to broaden and improve the capacity and capabilities of Australian small and medium sized enterprises, many of which are critical to the supply chains of the major defence contractors.”

The Defence Innovation Hub initiative was announced in 2016 under the former Turnbull government’s Defence Industry Policy Statement. It has a budget of $640 million up to 2025-2026 to invest in “maturing and further developing technologies” that have proceeded to the engineering and development stages.

Picture: DMTC