Flinders University has welcomed the SA Government’s funding announcement in the 2020 State Budget which will fast track the development of the Line Zero – Factory of the Future to support the Hunter class program.
The SA government announced $5 million to support a $5 million co-investment by Flinders University for a first-of-its-kind advanced manufacturing accelerator located at the Tonsley Innovation District.
Flinders says the Line Zero initiative represents a ‘significant step forward’ for the Hunter supply chain to demonstrate and test – in a controlled environment – the technological value and progress that can be made over the life of the Hunter class frigate program.
“Flinders University welcomes the SA Government’s funding announcement and is proud to co-invest $5m in the new facility at our Tonsley campus,” Flinders University President & Vice-Chancellor Professor Colin Stirling said. “A crucial element in research that makes an impact is taking research out of the lab and applying it in the real world and this facility will do exactly that.
“This funding announcement will enable technologies and processes tested by Flinders University and ASC shipbuilding to be honed and refined in a real-world manufacturing site – the former Mitsubishi panel stamping plant,” Professor John Spoehr, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Research Impact and Director of the Australian Industrial Transformation Institute said.
“It also affords an opportunity for supply chain companies to work with Flinders and ASC Shipbuilding to harness the benefits of advanced manufacturing, enabling improved performance and growing their contribution to the sector and to the state and national economy.”
“The Osborne naval shipyard will be one of the most modern, digitally advanced shipyards in the world – linking the digital engineering design with automated technologies and digitised work packs for shipbuilders on the ground,” ASC Shipbuilding Managing Director Craig Lockhart said. “For workers and the supply chain this means they can use a range of digital technologies to do their job right, the first time – leading to productivity, safety and quality outcomes.”