Carbon-free nuclear power
As carbon handbrakes take effect around the world, Australia has growing opportunities to leap ahead with nuclear technology. By Michael Sharpe.
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Silver, lead and zinc refining goes green as minerals sector rushes to decarbonise
By Peter Roberts Nystrar’s big silver, lead and zinc refinery at Port Pirie in South Australia is planning to go green with news that the company and the state are funding a $5 million front end engineering and design study for as $750 million green hydrogen electrolyser to power the plant. The plant, which was…
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Finally, Australia signs a big defence buy from Korean firm Hanwha
By Peter Roberts Australia has signed a $1 billion defence contract for new Self-Propelled Howitzers for the army from an Asian nation – from Hanwha Defense Australia and Korea – ending a purchasing drought and bias towards buying from European nations and prime contractors and the United States. Hanwha plans to build and assemble its…
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Labor-led manufacturing inquiry delayed to next year
A Labor-led Senate inquiry into Australia’s advanced manufacturing sector has been delayed until late January, likely giving the Opposition some ammunition in what is shaping up to be a key election issue.
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Leadership in factory automation — Building capability through automation
In this final part of our Leadership in factory automation series, Colin Thomas describes some of the benefits of automating, drawing on his three decades of experience and a consideration of several different viewpoints within a manufacturing company.
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Pore performance: RMIT/CSIRO team develop new copper type with remarkable antibacterial properties
A team of researchers has boosted the effectiveness of copper against bacteria, acting 120 times faster in killing golden staph, which they believe could lead to a diverse set of product applications. The team from RMIT University and CSIRO published their work, titled ‘Robust bulk micro-nano hierarchical copper structures possessing exceptional bactericidal efficacy,in the journal…
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Bedding company announces new collection and recycling program
Bedding business Ecosa has announced a new recycling program, which it says is aimed at preventing thousands of tonnes of material ending up in landfill each year. In what it said was an industry first, Ecosa’s initiative will recycle mattresses, sheets and pillowcases “into a range of new products” with a pickup service offered for…
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Manufacturing news briefs – stories you might have missed
Uggs’ appeal to the public in iconic boot’s Australian-made battle Ugg boot and sheepskin product manufacturer Australian Leather has turned to the Australian public to support its product which is the subject of a US court battle. The Sydney company has been making ‘Australian made Original Ugg Boots & Ugg Shoes’ since 1982, but is…
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Australia’s Adblue shortage is serious, but there are ways to avoid the crisis going critical
By Flavio Macau, Edith Cowan University Australia is going through another supply chain crisis. Stocks of AdBlue, an exhaust fluid used in newer diesel cars and trucks to reduce pollution, is getting dangerously low. The culprit is a shortage of synthesised urea, an ingredient which local AdBlue makers import mostly from Russia and China. It…
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Study shows Australian manufacturer’s 10-minute test as sensitive as PCR for detecting Covid
Drug and alcohol testing kit manufacturer Alcolizer has announced successful results from a study of its ten-minute, saliva-based antigen tests for Covid-19.
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