Manufacturing news briefs – stories you might have missed

New shallow water vessels for NSW Police

The NSW police force (NSWPF) has called for expressions of interest for the design and construction of class 8 hulled vessels which can be used in waters such as shallow waters or inland waterways. The vessels will be used for general marine policing in times of flood assistance, bush fire evacuation and search and rescue. They are similar to 20 m Class 2 monohull NSWPF patrol vessels (pictured). The vessels are to be of aluminium, 5.5 – 6 metres and carry at least four personnel. Prototypes or concept vessels will not be considered. The estimated value of the tender is between $800,000 and $1 million.

Vaxxas announces $8.2 million grant

Vaxxas announced this week that it will receive an $8.2 million through a federal Modern Manufacturing Initiative second-round grant. The company said this would support scale-up of its high-density microarray patch for vaccine delivery. Vaxxas received a $4.4 million first round grant supporting the specialised infrastructure necessary to manufacture its HD-MAP device at its biomedical facility, currently under construction at Northshore, Brisbane. The company said the additional support will “allow the team to develop and establish a sterile production line using proprietary aseptic fill and finish processes at the facility, further advancing the company’s vaccine coating, device sealing and quality control technologies.”

World-first trailer gets backing, will be manufactured in Alice Springs

Development of Air Tip, a pneumatic side tipping trailer developed in collaboration with Ross Engineering and the Complete Group, has been awarded a $276,500 co-investment from the Northern Territory Government’s Advanced Manufacturing Ecosystem Fund. The funding through AMEF — administered by the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre — contributes to a project budgeted at $553,000, and will help commercialise the trailer, which is described as able to “offer improved payload capacity, reduced operational costs, reduced emissions and does away with the need for a power-take-off (PTO) mechanism to be fitted to trucks.” Through partner Ross Engineering, Air Tip will establish bespoke design, fabrication and contract manufacturing capabilities to support the NT manufacturing ecosystem, with an estimated ten jobs created in the territory over five years.

Funding a boost for collaborative R&D, says COFA

Support through the federal Strategic University Reform Fund (SURF) has enabled Ceramic Oxide Fabricators Australia (COFA) to enhance R&D via its partnership with La Trobe University, according to the company. The maker of alumina and zirconia-based ceramic products used in science and industry said it had increased Work Integrated Learning opportunities for La Trobe students and Industry PhD projects. SURF had provided $360,000 for new equipment currently used by two industry PhD projects, as well as Work Integrated Learning and Masters students.

Fortescue to invest invest $80 million in US H2 research projects

Fortescue Future Industries has announced its plans to spend $80 million over 10 years in green hydrogen research with United States Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL.) In a statement on Friday, the green energy division of Fortescue Metals Group said. Dr Andrew Forrest, Fortescue Executive Chairman, attended a signing ceremony in Pittsburgh at the Global Clean Energy Action Forum with NREL Director Martin Keller. “NREL’s dream is to have its green technology commercialised. Our dream is to commercialise their green technology,” said Forrest, adding that the investment was due to NREL’s “exemplary scientific and research competence in this technology” and the green investment environment in America due to the  Inflation Reduction Act.

Picture: NSW Police