Manufacturing news briefs — stories you might have missed

Biochip meets performance and clinical requirements, says Archer  Semiconductor developer Archer Materials this week announced successful results from the first stage of its silicon Biochip project, carried out in partnership with IMEC, showing that the silicon devices meet blood potassium accuracy requirements. According to the company, Archer and IMEC achieved a potassium sensing accuracy of ±0.3…

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Ethical Clothing Australia ‘setting a gold standard’ in preventing exploitation: Australian Human Rights Institute research

Sponsored New research has found that Ethical Clothing Australia’s accreditation program is a global leader in protecting and upholding the rights of textile, clothing and footwear workers. The report, commissioned by the accreditation body and authored by the Australian Human Rights Institute, examines how Ethical Clothing Australia’s accreditation program aligns with relevant legislation and regulations…

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UNSW team’s two-for-one result gets the attention of world’s biggest solar companies

A UNSW Sydney team has made a breakthrough, showing how to create “two packets of energy” from one particle of light, which could one day see new technology “mass-produced specifically for use with solar panels”. According to a statement from the university on Friday, the “Omega Silicon” team showed how the principle of “singlet fission”…

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Metal furniture manufacturing sector predicted to fall 6.4 per cent this year

“[C]onsiderable import competition and shaky downstream demand” have contributed to revenues among metal furniture makers in Australia falling at an annualised 2.2 per cent per year for the five years to 2025-26, according to new industry analysis from IBISworld. According to the company’s new Metal Furniture Manufacturing in Australia – Market Research Report (2015-2030), the…

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First deployment of Xefco’s Ausora tech set for upcoming Shinta Woo Sung Vietnam factory

Australian textile technology developer Xefco has announced the first commercial deployment of its plasma-based, water-free dyeing and finishing technology, to be installed at a Shinta Woo Sung (SWS) facility in Vietnam. SWS is a footwear fabrics specialist headquartered in Indonesia, with its website listing companies including Nike, Patagonia, New Balance and Calvin Klein. Xefco was…

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Seven-year industry-research partnership launched as the Western World looks to regain its AM mojo

APAC and applications are big parts to the current additive manufacturing story, attendees at a launch event for the new Additive Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre heard last week. The AM CRC is a seven-year effort expected to invest over $250 million developing “a world-class additive manufacturing ecosystem” in this nation.  Keynote Terry Wohlers, founder of…

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Tomago Aluminium in consultation with workers as smelter’s future remains in doubt

The owners of Australia’s biggest aluminium smelter are in talks with workers at Tomago, with the company “yet to identify a pathway” to commercially sustainable operations beyond 2028. Tomago Aluminium’s current electricity contract with AGL Energy expires in December 2028. The site employs 1,000, produces up to 590,000 tonnes of aluminium annually, and uses about a…

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R.M.Williams opens second workshop, brings wallet-making in-house

Clothing and boot business R.M.Williams has increased its production capacity by 90 per cent with the official opening of a second workshop at its factory. According to a statement on Monday from the company’s owner, Andrew and Nicola Forrest’s investment vehicle Tattarang, the new 20,000 square metre facility increases the manufacturing and distribution footprint in…

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