The establishment of the first industrial scale Factory of the Future in Australia at Line Zero will require collaboration with industry to test advanced manufacturing technologies for potential deployment in support of the $45 billion Hunter Class Frigate Program.
Line Zero – Factory of the Future will be a major research and training partnership with BAE Systems Maritime Australia, the Innovative Manufacturing CRC (IMCRC), Cisco and the South Australian Government, and offers unprecedented capability to test and evaluate potential applications of advanced technologies in support of maritime shipbuilding.
On Wednesday, 12 May, BAE Systems Australia Chief Executive Officer Gabby Costigan and the company’s senior leadership team, including BAE Systems Maritime Australia managing director Craig Lockhart, visited the construction site for Line Zero – Factory of the Future, and experienced first-hand the pilot ‘pop-up’ factory that was developed in collaboration with BAE Systems Maritime Australia.
The tour of the Line Zero pilot site incorporated demonstrations of advanced robotics, augmented reality, Internet of Things and smart-work bench technologies that will ultimately be deployed in support of the Hunter Class Frigate Program, which will deliver nine anti-submarine warfare frigates to the Royal Australian Navy.
The group also toured the recently launched Digital Transformation Lab, and were accompanied by Vice-Chancellor Professor Colin Stirling, Australian Industrial Transformation Institute Director Professor John Spoehr, Pro Vice Chancellor (Learning and Teaching Innovation) Professor Deborah West and Defence Partnerships Director Tony Kyraciou.
Professor John Spoehr, Flinders Pro Vice-Chancellor, Research Impact and Director of the Australian Industrial Transformation Institute, says the tour was an opportunity to showcase the innovative projects currently being undertaken by the joint Flinders University and BAE Systems Maritime Australia teams.
“The world class research and development facilities being established as part of Line Zero – Factory of the Future will help to underpin the growth of advanced manufacturing in Australia for decades to come,” he said.
BAE Systems Australia Chief Executive Officer Gabby Costigan says:
“Our partnership with Flinders University at Tonsley provides a controlled environment where our employees can collaborate with local industry and researchers to trial new manufacturing techniques that will lead to productivity, safety and quality outcomes.
“It’s exciting to know the digital advancements we’re developing now will benefit not only our employees working at Osborne on the Hunter program, but also future maritime and defence programs.”
This visit by BAE Systems Australia senior leadership follows Premier Steven Marshall’s walk through of the Line Zero – Factory of the Future facility earlier this year to announce the State’s $5 million commitment in support of the initiative, matching a $5 million co-investment by Flinders University for a first-of-its-kind advanced manufacturing accelerator located at the Tonsley Innovation District.
