CSIRO's newest Division, CSIRO Materials Science and Engineering (CMSE), has been formed to support Australia's manufacturing industry.
The result of the amalgamation of Melbourne-based Manufacturing and Materials Technology and Sydney-based Industrial Physics, CMSE exists to transform segments of the Australian manufacturing sector into sustainable and globally competitive industries.
"CMSE provides a coordinated approach to materials design, creation, characterisation and application, particularly for the manufacturing industry," Chief of the new Division Dr Calum Drummond said.
CMSE's ancestors have applied world-class science to benefit local industry. For example:
* CSIRO's lightweight concrete, HySSIL, creates building panels that are half the weight of conventional material but just as strong. Under a joint venture between CSIRO spin-off company HySSIL Pty Ltd and Westkon, one of Australia's premier precast concrete companies, a pilot plant is being constructed in Sunshine, Victoria, to complete large-scale process development and supply panels to projects earmarked to use HySSIL.
* CSIRO's magnesium casting technology, T-Mag, is also about to go full-scale under a joint venture with spin-off T-Mag Pty Ltd and three Adelaide-based companies. T-Mag is a highly energy- and metal-efficient process producing strong, lightweight castings without the flow lines or internal porosity defects typical of existing technology.
* In a five-year partnership with Electrolux, CSIRO designed the direct drive, switched reluctance motor and the power and control electronics for the Westinghouse SensorWash washing machine. These top-of-the-range, large capacity machines carry a AAAA water efficiency rating.
"Our goal is to be the provider of choice for innovative research and development in materials science and engineering to Australia's manufacturing industry," Dr Drummond said.
CMSE is CSIRO's fourth-largest Division with 310 research staff. It is spread across six sites in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra.
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