Defence and communications company Electro Optic Systems has demonstrated its high powered laser ‘drone killer’ weapon system in front of an international audience at the company’s Klondyke Range Complex in Western New South Wales. The laser director is shown in the main photograph, mounted on a standard 20 foot container. The directed energy weapon –…
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…
@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…
By Peter Layton, Griffith University The United States military plans to start using thousands of autonomous weapons systems in the next two years in a bid to counter China’s growing power, US Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks announced in a speech on Monday. The so-called Replicator initiative aims to work with defence and other…
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…
Tuesday is the day to tune in to @AuManufacturing and Epicor’s online webinar discussing automation, smart data and workforce shortages. To start at 11am eastern time, the webinar is our response to the labour and skills shortages affecting every Australian manufacturer, big or small. Our panel discussion moderated by editor Peter Roberts, will hear from…
Eco Detection was a recent Top 10 Gold award winner in this title’s Australia’s 50 most innovative manufacturers campaign. Brent Balinski visited their Melbourne factory to learn about what drives their innovation program, and the role of local suppliers, customers and researchers in this. The story of Eco Detection – which makes “lab in…
Like many SME manufacturers Toowoomba, Queensland manufacturer Great Western Manufacturing had an Enterprise resource planning (ERP) system that was not being utilised to its full potential, especially to help stream line operations that are often stretched by the sort of workforce shortages affecting all manufacturing. So financial controller Patrick Ferron and the manufacturing leader in…
By Rebecca Giblin, The University of Melbourne; Anders Furze, The University of Melbourne, and Kimberlee Weatherall, University of Sydney For hundreds of years, we’ve been told patents help deliver big new inventions, such as life-saving drugs. They are meant to be a bargain between the inventor and the public: tell us how your invention works,…
Australian new-vehicle engineering and manufacturing firm Premcar has teamed up with US manufacturer of reimagined classic Ford Bronco SUVs, Gateway Bronco, to develop its latest model. Unveiled during this year’s Monterey Car Week in the USA, Premcar will develop the chassis, suspension and steering for Illinois-based Gateway’s newest 1960s-inspired LUXE-GT model based on the classic…
