The Central Victorian Advanced Manufacturing initiative (CVAM) was launched in 2020 to bring digital transformation and advanced manufacturing to Bendigo.
The unique partnership between La Trobe University, the City of Greater Bendigo and the Bendigo Manufacturing Group, and supported by Fraunhofer IESE in Kaiserslautern, Germany, is helping to bridge the gap between research and practice, and create growth and prosperity for the region.
"Our approach is to undertake timely industry-based research on those things – like digital technologies and advanced manufacturing techniques – that will improve the international competitiveness of manufacturing," says Chris Stoltz, Professor of Practice in Engineering.
By deploying a proven, successful international system of applied innovation, in direct association with Germany’s Fraunhofer IESE institute, the alliance is establishing Australia’s first regional advanced manufacturing and innovation hub, boosting employment, investment and skills across central Victoria, and connecting regional companies to global markets.
Current projects
Live bird traceability: This project, in partnership with Hazeldene’s Chicken Farms, used sensors to create a traceability network. Sensors track, trace and identify different flocks of birds from farm facilities through to processing. They also monitor defective cage modules, repairing them to minimise downtime in the processing facility, while optimising operational health and safety throughout the organisation.
Heavy vehicle turntables: This project, in partnership with the Australian Turntable Company, addressed the health and safety issues associated with heavy vehicles entering and exiting construction sites. Implementation of a heavy vehicle turntables has demonstrated improvements in safety and traffic management on construction sites in both high and low volume traffic conditions.
Digital network: This project, in partnership with Bendigo Telco, used a Geospatial Information System to create a digital model of the telco’s optical fibre network under Bendigo. It will assist Bendigo Telco and other partners to plan for the network upgrade and interconnection needed for Bendigo’s 100GB City project.
CVAM is currently exploring future projects with industry partners in the defence, aviation, waste, food and engineering sectors, and is in discussions with several entities.
Find out more about the Department of Engineering on our website and LinkedIn.
