Shortlist released for Indo Pacific 2023 awards

AMDA Foundation, the organiser of the Indo Pacific 2023 Expo in November, has announced a shortlist for the event’s Innovation Awards, including Hypersonix Launch Systems, Advanced Navigation and Steber International. In a statement on Tuesday, AMDA named the finalists in three categories: the Indo Pacific 2023 National Innovation Award, the Indo Pacific 2023 SME Innovation…

GMG moves novel graphene/aluminium batteries to “BTRL 4”

Brisbane-based, Toronto-listed Graphene Manufacturing Group has given an update on the Graphene Aluminium-Ion Battery technology being developed with the University of Queensland, sharing that it has made “significant” developments in maturing the electro-chemistry and assembly of prototype pouch cells. In a statement on Monday (Brisbane time), GMG said it has made initial graphene aluminium-ion (G+AI)…

Solar panel technology is set to be turbo-charged – but first, a few big roadblocks have to be cleared

By Bruno Vicari Stefani, CSIRO and Matthew Wright, University of Oxford Solar panel technology has made enormous progress in the last two decades. In fact, the most advanced silicon solar cells produced today are about as good as the technology will get. So what’s next? Enter “tandem solar cells”, the new generation in solar technology.…

Things heating up for composites specialist

By Brent Balinski One of the success stories of the Cooperative Research Centres program, which has been running since 1990, was the CRC for Advanced Composite Structures. Founded as the CRC for Aerospace Structures in 1991, it was restructured as the CRC for Advanced Composite Structures in 1997 to reflect a broader set of industry…

Unsexy but vital: why warnings over grid reliability are really about building more transmission line

By Tony Wood, Grattan Institute “To ensure Australian consumers continue to have access to reliable electricity supplies, it’s critical that planned investments in transmission, generation and storage projects are urgently delivered.” This week, we heard one of the strongest warnings yet from Daniel Westerman, head of the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO). So far, media…

How CEOS are tackling workforce shortages – webinar video

@AuManufacturing and Epicor’s online webinar is available to view online now discussing automation, smart data and workforce shortages. Our panel discussion moderated by editor Peter Roberts heard from manufacturing CEOs and industry experts on their use of technology to make better use of the staff they have, and on recruitment and retention. Joining the discussion…

RMIT’s tiny titanium spike breakthrough suggests antimicrobial surfaces “may need to be rethought”

An RMIT University team has shown promising results from insect-inspired “microscale spikes” for titanium implants and other surfaces, demonstrating drug-free anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. According to a statement from the university, the features on the “micro-pillared titanium surface pattern” were about the height of a bacteria cell and designed to address drug-resistant “superbugs” which are…