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Western Australian metal additive manufacturing company Aurora Labs has announced engagement in a Defence Industry Development Grant under the Sovereign Industrial Priorities stream.
The grant, amounting to $544,333 on a 50-50 co-investment basis, will support the acquisition of advanced manufacturing equipment to scale Aurora’s production capacity for gas turbine propulsion systems, alongside supporting maintenance and production of parts for the defence industry aerospace or maritime applications at its Canning Vale facility in Western Australia.
The Sovereign Industrial Priorities stream is designed to assist eligible small-medium enterprises in acquiring manufacturing plant and equipment directly used to develop and deliver programs aligned with Australia’s Sovereign Defence Industrial Priorities.
These priorities include areas such as the development and integration of autonomous systems and the domestic manufacture of guided weapons and explosive ordnance.
“Aurora’s grant will be utilised to procure multi-axis CNC machining centres and HVAC temperature control systems, enabling high-precision manufacturing essential for the performance and reliability of Aurora’s micro gas turbine propulsion systems,” Aurora Labs said in a public statement.
“These systems are specifically developed for unmanned aerial vehicles and other autonomous platforms.
“This investment will allow Aurora to vertically integrate core production stages of its propulsion systems onshore – from additive manufacturing of complex geometries to post-processing machining and final assembly.
“By doing so, Aurora aims to reduce dependence on foreign supply chains, strengthen national resilience and ensure continuity of capability in support of Australia’s strategic defence posture.”
