POWERHOUSE COLLECTION

Notes

The unit was conceived by Lance Lines, a chemical engineer (turned farmer) who played a leading role in the development of the Ballarat Gun Cotton Factory during World War II. He believed strongly in the technological development of farms and believed that a farmer should invest in a wool harvesting machine as readily as he invested in a grain harvesting one. He saw that automation of wool harvesting was important because shearing typically consumed 25 to 30% of a woolgrower's income. In 1991 he stated that his objective regarding automated shearing was not to build a robot to shear sheep, but ' to develop a wool harvesting system that was more efficient than current methods. One part of that system was a robot.' It had to work well in the Australian bush and be something that the industry would use. Lines was adept at bringing different interest groups together, accessing capital from a wide range of sources and in attracting innovative and technically skilled workers. The project was funded by a private firm, Elder Smith, and by the Wool Corporation from wool grower funds. The Wool Corporation also funded a rival project proposed by a Western Australian engineering institution. In the early 1970s, John Baxter, a scientist working at Weapons Research in Adelaide told Lines that if he could keep a sheep still scientists could cut the wool off. A group of scientists formed an organisation called SENCON and worked on the project on a voluntary basis. The scientists were John Baxter (chemist), Gordon Heliwell (mechanical engineer), Jim Mapletoft (electronic engineer) and Noel Brown (physicist). A study done by EMI (which was focussed on engineering rather than music in those days) in 1975/76 indicated that the project would work. They created the Stock Still immobiliser which applies a small electric current that immobilises an animal. Australian Merino Wool Harvesters Ltd (AMWH) was founded in 1976. They consulted with Joseph Engelberger (Mr Robot) in USA. Dr Chris Abell from the University of Adelaide became a consultant and created the first robot that demonstrated the principal to Elder Smith and the Wool Corporation. Elder Smith gave AMWH a grant of $5.4 million after they had shorn the side of a sheep in 30 seconds. The project moved from the research phase to the the production engineering phase and a whole new team of people was hired in 1987. These included Rod Smith (general manager), Malcolm McInnes (mechanical engineer), Russell Meade (sheep and wool specialist), Ben Baek (engineer), Tony Ryan (shearer), David Boschma, Kevin Rogers, Joanne Fisher and Pat Christie (Managing director). By 1991 the team had created the Mark 1 prototype, the world's most sophisticated agricultural robot, just in time for a major financial recession. Despite the success of the production prototype, and completion of all project commitments, Elders discontinued its financial backing and the project could not attract further funding. The company was liquidated in 1992 and all of the company's assets were auctioned on 24 June 1992. The Museum purchased the Mark 1 prototype.