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Manufacturing & Controls Consultancy

25+ years of hands-on engineering — SCADA, PLC, AI algorithms, factory automation and process controls. Delivered, not just advised.

Our Approach

We Build It. We Commission It. We Hand It Over Running.

Mathew has spent over 25 years working inside manufacturing businesses — not advising from a distance, but designing systems, programming PLCs, commissioning equipment and solving engineering problems that required someone who could think at both the process and controls level simultaneously.

Our consultancy work spans precision photonics, soft drink production, oil and gas, defence simulation, fibre optic manufacturing, AI energy optimisation, food processing automation and EV compliance. All delivered to the same standard we now apply inside our own operations.

25+
Years Engineering Experience
8
Named Case Studies
7+
Industry Sectors
4.0
Industry 4.0 Methodology
Case Studies

Selected Engagements

Soft Drink Production Line Relocation & Re-commissioning
Client: Wimmers Soft Drink Company · Food & Beverage Manufacturing
Factory Relocation SCADA PLC Programming Commissioning
Challenge
Wimmers needed to relocate their production to a new factory in Cooroy QLD. The relocation required machinery removal, integration of new and existing equipment, full SCADA redesign and PLC programming for the primary filling machine in the new facility — all under time pressure.
Solution
Managed the complete relocation end-to-end: machinery disconnection, transport and reinstallation; electrical engineering for the new facility; new SCADA system design and implementation; PLC programming; full integration of new and existing equipment; commissioning of the primary filling machine to production-ready standard.
Outcome
Production successfully relocated to Cooroy with full SCADA visibility and PLC control. The primary filling line was commissioned to specification and handed over ready for production.
NBN Fibre Optic Manufacturing Upgrade — Controls, Equipment & Safety
Client: Corning Cable Systems · Telecommunications / Advanced Manufacturing
Manufacturing Audit Control Systems Machine Safety Project Management
Challenge
Corning had won the NBN tender to manufacture fibre optic cables at scale in Australia. Existing equipment needed to be audited, upgraded and made compliant within the national NBN rollout timeline.
Solution
Comprehensive equipment audit establishing capability gap; installation of new and refurbished machinery with advanced control systems; full machine safety audit with light curtains and sensors; project managed to schedule and industry standards.
Outcome
Manufacturing capability upgraded within the required programme timeframe. All equipment met safety compliance. New control systems operational at handover, enabling Corning to fulfil the NBN contract.
Coal Seam Gas Condensate Treatment — SCADA-Integrated Remote Skid
Client: Santos and Fleur · Oil & Gas / Industrial Process Control
SCADA Integration Remote Monitoring HA Certification Operator Training
Challenge
Effective condensate removal from coal seam gas extraction was required at a remote site, without constant on-site attendance — requiring full technical and Hazardous Area regulatory compliance.
Solution
Delivered a SCADA-integrated, remotely monitored, skid-mounted multi-stage filtration and dosing system as a complete turnkey project: design, build, integration, installation, commissioning, HA certification, and operator training programme.
Outcome
Condensate treatment met specification. SCADA remote monitoring eliminated constant site attendance. All HA certifications obtained. Operators fully trained at handover with complete documentation.
AI-Powered Energy Optimisation — Waste Gas Flaring vs Grid Generation
Client: Confidential — Waste Energy Recovery, Queensland · Energy / AI
AI Algorithm Real-Time Control Energy Optimisation Grid Integration
Challenge
A waste gas recovery operation needed to determine in real time whether to flare or generate power to the grid. The manual decision was leaving significant revenue unrealised and causing avoidable flaring events.
Solution
Developed and implemented a bespoke AI learning algorithm integrating real-time gas volumes, operational parameters and live grid pricing to make automated control decisions — replacing manual judgment entirely. Deployed live into the plant control environment.
Outcome
Significant improvement in grid revenue. Unnecessary flaring substantially reduced. Manual decision-making fully replaced by intelligent automated control operating continuously.
PON Fibre Geometry — Custom Hydrofluoric Acid Etch System
Client: AOFR (Australian Optical Fibre Research) · Photonics / Advanced Manufacturing
Bespoke Process Engineering Chemical Engineering PON Components Precision Fabrication
Challenge
Traditional thermal profiling with micro-tension draw failed to achieve specification for complex PON fibre geometries. Shoulder lengths and profiles fell outside required specifications, impacting optical performance.
Solution
Designed, built and commissioned a custom preheating Teflon Hydrofluoric Acid Bath — allowing fibre sections to pass through a precisely controlled buffered HF solution, etching the desired profile chemically with accuracy thermal draw could not achieve.
Outcome
Fibre profiles consistently met specification. AOFR gained production capability for complex PON geometries previously unachievable with standard thermal methods.
Bell 206 Flight Simulator — Real-Time Instructor Intervention System
Client: Becker Helicopters · Defence / Aviation Simulation
Simulation Engineering Instructor Interface Control Systems HMI Development
Challenge
The Bell 206 flight simulator lacked real-time intervention capability. Instructors could not assess pilot skills dynamically, introduce emergency scenarios mid-simulation or manage flight parameters without stopping the session.
Solution
Enhanced the Prepar3D simulation physics engine with custom modifications. Developed a dedicated instructor interface and purpose-built instructor station behind the pilot seats — full real-time control over flight conditions, weather and emergency scenarios without interrupting the session.
Outcome
Instructors gained full real-time intervention and live assessment capability. The Bell 206 simulator became a genuine tool for advanced and emergency flight condition training.
EV Charger & BESS Australian Compliance — AS3820 / AS3000 Certification
Client: eLumina · EV Infrastructure / Electrical Engineering
AS3820 AS3000 Arc Flash FAT / SAT Chinese Mfg Compliance
Challenge
eLumina's D1 EV charger with integrated BESS was imported from China without Australian standard documentation, design verification or certification required for legal sale and installation.
Solution
Complete AS3820 and AS3000 compliance delivered: all design documentation, arc flash reports, risk assessments, Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) and Site Acceptance Testing (SAT). This engagement reflects our direct experience managing the compliance pathway for Chinese-manufactured industrial equipment entering the Australian market.
Outcome
Full Australian compliance certification achieved. eLumina proceeded to market launch with complete documentation package at handover.
Abattoir Production Line Automation & Throughput Improvement
Client: Confidential — Meat Processing, Queensland · Food Processing
Production Automation Workflow Redesign Sensor Integration Compliance Reporting
Challenge
A Queensland abattoir needed to improve throughput, reduce manual handling costs and meet tightening compliance requirements — without shutting down production during implementation.
Solution
End-to-end production line analysis followed by targeted automation: workflow redesign, sensor-based monitoring at critical process points, automation of high-frequency manual steps, and compliance reporting integrated into the control architecture.
Outcome
Measurable throughput improvement and labour cost reduction per unit. Compliance reporting fully automated.
Capability Areas

What We Deliver

Technical

  • SCADA system design and integration
  • PLC programming and commissioning
  • AI and machine learning algorithm development
  • Machine safety — light curtains, sensors, interlocks
  • Electrical engineering — AS3820, AS3000, arc flash
  • Custom process and chemical engineering
  • Simulation engineering and HMI development
  • FAT / SAT programme design and execution

Operational

  • Full project management — design to commissioning
  • Factory relocation and re-commissioning
  • Manufacturing equipment audits and assessments
  • Hazardous area (HA) certification management
  • Operator training programme design and delivery
  • Chinese-manufactured product Australian compliance
  • Process mapping and waste elimination
  • Production line KPI and dashboard design
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