Excellence in Innovation Awards 2014

The Awards for Excellence in Innovation 2014 were presented at Innovating with Asia 2014 on Tuesday 20 May in Perth.

The CRC Association Awards for Excellence in Innovation were initiated in 1999 to recognise outstanding examples of the transfer of CRC research results, knowledge and technologies that have been developed for a wide range of users of research, including the community, companies and government agencies.

The judges were impressed by the high quality of entries for this year’s Awards and were delighted at the breadth of innovation that continues to be delivered by the CRC Program.

Winners were awarded in two categories:

  • Innovation arising from the application and use of research (3 winners)
  • Innovation in education and training and/or public outreach activities (2 winners)

Innovation

Novel Composite Clamp for Pipeline Repair

Novel composite clamp
The development of a lightweight, corrosion resistant customisable clamp for the oil and gas industry is anticipated to bring significant economic and environmental benefits through rapid inexpensive installation and long-life performance.

CRC-ACS, a world leader in new technologies and capabilities in Aerospace, has entered the international Oil & Gas (O&G) industry through the development of a novel composite clamp for pipeline repair. The clamp success highlights the collaboration achieved through Australian and international universities and SMEs, and PETRONAS – Malaysia’s national OGP company. Additionally, this novel composite clamp recently was awarded the prestigious JEC 2014 Innovation Award in the O&G category. With massive weight savings (one sixth the weight of the equivalent steel clamp), the technology saves significant cost through minimising requirements for divers and support infrastructure. Combined with fast customisation capability and no corrosion, PETRONAS is now licensing and establishing a supply chain for deployment.

Polycrystalline Diamond Machining

EDGe machine electrode and workpiece in place
EDGe machine electrode and workpiece in place

Industries such as aerospace and automotive are increasingly using materials such as Carbon Fibre Composites/Titanium Sandwiches that offer advantages in performance and fuel efficiency. Polycrystalline Diamond (PCD) cutting tools offer superior cutting and wear performance compared to conventional tools for these highly abrasive materials. ANCA Pty Ltd, a leading machine tool manufacturer based in Victoria, now offers the new EDGe machine which is an innovative solution from a large collaborative project in the Advanced Manufacturing CRC. The creative solution, which makes use of sophisticated electric arc control methods integrated with a complex, five-axis computer controlled machine to form the sharp cutting edges of the PCD tools, is already being adopted by global aerospace manufacturers.

Fracture control of gas pipelines

Inspecting a fractured pipe
Inspecting a fractured pipe.

The possibility of fracture propagation is a significant concern for pipelines transporting gases. The most commonly used method to predict the resistance of the pipe to ductile fracture is the Battelle Two Curve Method (BTCM). Recent full-scale burst tests have shown that the BTCM cannot give accurate predictions for modern pipes using high-toughness steels. Researchers at the University of Wollongong, supported by research funding from the Energy Pipeline CRC, have conducted extensive research to develop a new fracture control approach for modern high-toughness steel pipes. The research outcomes have been incorporated into the Australian pipeline standards. A fracture control software developed in this project has been recognised world-wide by the pipeline industry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Outreach

RamSelect Training Program

Participants at a RamSelect training workshop.
Participants at a RamSelect training workshop.

The RamSelect training program developed by the Sheep CRC has been used most effectively across the supply chain to demystify the application of genetic technologies available to sheep producers and ram breeders. The RamSelect program provides a “hands-on” practical approach to using Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBVs) for ram selection to improve productivity and profit in wool and meat businesses. RamSelect has delivered 73 workshops to 1,389 participants, including ram breeders, ram buyers, stock and station agents, industry service providers, tertiary and secondary students. As a consequence of RamSelect, there is now a vibrant Australia-wide network of industry advisors able to deliver the workshop and provide ongoing advice on genetics technologies to ram breeders and commercial producers.

Models of Vision Care – Vision Centres Effectiveness

Children in South Africa, one of the countries where more patients now have access to vision care.
Children in South Africa, one of the countries where more patients now have access to vision care.

More than 625 million people are blind or vision impaired simply because they don’t have access to an eye examination and a pair of spectacles. As a World Health Organization (WHO) press release states;

“Children fail at school, adults are unable to work and families are pushed into poverty as a result of uncorrected visual impairment.”(1)

The Vision Care Delivery – Vision Centres Effectiveness Project aims to develop and evaluate models of vision care that can be used throughout the world to alleviate avoidable vision impairment and to provide educational opportunities to postgraduate students. The project has contributed to over 500,000 patients being examined, over 88,000 pairs of spectacles being dispensed, and improved research capacity in Africa.