Future Prospects and Potential for the Australian Carbon Fibre Industry

Brad Dunstan, CEO of VCAMM explains their role, including getting intellectual property out of academia and into industry to create new products using advanced materials and manufacturing processes.

One of their initiatives has been to create a carbon fibre industry in Australia by generating interest in government as well as with key international players. This has also been based on the fact that carbon fibre and carbon fibre based composite materials are the materials of the 21st century and that for Australia's manufacturing-based economy to be competitive on the world stage, they need to be able to produce carbon fibre and or carbon fibre based products.

One of the ways that VCAMM have done this was to organise the international conference "Carbon Fibre - Future Directions" by bringing international players to Australia to get a better understanding of the industry and to plot a path for Australia's involvement. They also exposed participants from aerospace and materials manufacturing to Australian expertise and facilities, to demonstrate existing capabilities with the aim of developing international partnerships and collaborations.

Some of the key Australian capabilities include:

• Deakin University - Alternative methods for composites manufacture
• CSIRO - World class fibre facility

Brad also discusses future opportunities and the need to position small and medium manufacturers for future opportunities and the need to create educational opportunities to produce graduates with relevant carbon fibre expertise to support industry, not to mention opportunities to establish aircraft manufacturing operations nearby Avalon airport, as well as wind turbine and automotive opportunities.

He also tells us about the ACFRF, Australian Carbon Fibre Research Facility, a recently established facility that will house a carbon fibre pilot production furnace, which will be the first carbon fibre production facility in Australia, and the first open access carbon fibre furnace in the world.

This interview was recorded at the Carbon Fibre - Future Directions conference, held in Geelong Australia and organised by VCAMM and Deakin University.

Run time - 13:51min