Work With Us

Supported by funding from the Australian Government's Department of Industry, Science and Resources, the South Australian Department of State Development, and Defence SA, Flinders Factory of the Future is where businesses can effectively test, trial, learn and research.

These activities can be to test the feasibility of new advanced manufacturing technologies from a technical perspective or to gauge the adoption challenges and impact on users, or both. This approach seeks to optimise human and technology performance, tested in Flinders Factory of the Future first so that businesses can easily apply successful innovations to their products or production processes at their own manufacturing site most effectively.

Flinders Factory of the Future is currently organised around seven key themes:

1. Developing effective business strategies for high-value, high-profit manufacturing SMEs

What business strategies are most appropriate for different types of businesses, how to develop business models and value propositions or what tools assist with strategy development.

2. Optimising human and technology performance in SMEs

How does technology impact your workforce. What are the barriers and enablers to technology adoption. How do you successfully trial and evaluate technology or manage change.

3. Increasing SME performance with collaborative robots

Why are collaborative robots a significant opportunity for SMEs. Where are they best deployed. What are their strengths and weaknesses. How do they differ from other types of automation options.

4. Data for decisions in SMEs

How do you capture data. What sensors and devices can you use. How can data be utilised to develop models, simulations, predictions to better inform you. Where and how should you display information.

5. Additive manufacturing for functional components

How can it be successfully utilised for functional, rather than prototype, components. What are the processes for developing new materials, optimising the printing parameters and validating the production components.

6. Leveraging industrial design for high-value, customer-led product design for new manufacturing methods

How do you create products that best meet the needs of end-users but that are also appropriate for new manufacturing methods. How can good design boost export opportunities or replace importation.

7. Saving energy and minimising waste in manufacturing

How can you monitor, manage and optimise your operations to increase your business performance and lessen your costs and environmental impact. How can you make changes in practical, tangible ways for your business.

These interconnected areas outline how we might work with you. They also represent considerable opportunities for many SMEs. If you have something you would like to talk to us about that doesn’t seem to fit with the above, we are still interested to speak with you and explore how we might be able to assist. The Flinders Factory of the Future team will continue to develop new workshops, tools and provide information across these areas.

Manufacturing Growth Accelerator

Flinders Factory of the Future invites small to medium enterprises (SMEs) to join the Manufacturing Growth Accelerator (MGA) and benefit from working closely with us to improve your current business performance and increase your competitiveness and ability to enter new markets (locally and internationally) or build capability to replace imported products.

The MGA program is structured in the following way:

Access to the Flinders Factory of the Future for workshops, technology demonstrations and to talk with our team about business, workforce and technology opportunities.
Testing and trialling of our technology with your products or process to prepare for technology adoption in your business.
Accelerator projects* to more thoroughly work together on larger projects to develop your processes or improve your products.

Accelerator projects are co-funded by the MGA and the participating SME and must also receive approval by an Assessment Panel, other activities do not require any financial contribution from SMEs.

This program supports SMEs in developing and strengthening the capabilities necessary to secure customer contracts and engage in local, national or global supply chains. If you are an SME looking to tackle technological and manufacturing challenges or seeking to enhance your digital and advanced manufacturing readiness, we encourage you to get in touch with us.

Join the MGA Program

Contact Factory of the Future

Partnerships with tech partners

Flinders Factory of the Future welcomes conversations with technology partners. Engaging with us could deliver a broad range of benefits including but not limited to:

Increased exposure of your products and services to a broad range of manufacturing businesses, government, researchers, students and others
Provided technologies will be operating in a realistic environment with real applications
Opportunities to use the Factory of the Future facilities for events, roadshows or other industry events
Brand recognition in various forms of media such as social media and website
Invitations to exclusive networking events
Find, connect, and collaborate with other potential partners
Potential for providing training
Enabling collaborative research with industry partners and the University

For enquiries relating to tech partnerships, contact factoryfuture@flinders.edu.au

Get in touch

Tours and Events

Flinders Factory of the Future offers guided tours, live demonstrations, and special events, with a particular focus on welcoming SMEs from the manufacturing sector.

Flinders Factory of the Future is a place for industry. Not a conference centre or venue in the typical sense it does make for a unique location for industry associations, government and industry to meet. We are able to host events that are targeted at small to medium manufacturing businesses. Please reach out for more information to assess whether we can host your event.

If you’re interested in exploring our state-of-the-art facility, we invite you to complete an enquiry form below or contact factoryfuture@flinders.edu.au

Book a tour