Research and Development
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 Jim Marler (right) and Trevor Mahar (left) discuss the results of some wool metrology studies prior to reporting the results to the International Wool Textile Organisation.
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 Chris Ruberg (left) and Nigel Blower (right) discuss the engineering aspects of LASERSCAN manufacture.
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 The potential of image analysis techniques for quantifying the various Vegetable Matter components is one area of research where the Division is examining the application of new technology to iprove existing Test Methods.
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Research & Development plays an major part in the development of AWTA Ltd. Based in Sydney, the Research & Development Division is the largest privately operated such group in the wool industry. Work conducted in the Division falls into three main areas:
- Developing and enhancing Test Methods and Regulations.
- Participation in industry trials designed to evaluate the role of Raw Wool measurements in the prediction of processing performance.
- Developing a fundamental understanding of the physics of specific measurement systems where required, in order to better enable the Company to improve existing Test Methods and to develop new Test Methods.
- Development, design and construction of testing equipment for in-house use and for sale. All testing equipment in use at AWTA Ltd has been built and/or designed by Company staff.
- AWTA Ltd built testing equipment has been exported to organisations in Argentina, Belgium, China, New Zealand and South Africa
Research is often conducted in collaboration with other research organisations, such as CSIRO Division of Wool Technology, commercial processors, industry bodies and non-competing Laboratories such as the New Zealand Wool Testing Authority Ltd (NZWTA Ltd) and the Wool Testing Bureau South Africa (WTB SA). AWTA played a major role in the Australian Objective Measurement Project (AOMP), which led to the introduction of Sale By Sample and Presale testing in 1972, the Trials Evaluating Additional Measurement (TEAM) and the Australian Staple Measurement Adoption Programme (ASMAP).\
More recently AWTA Ltd scientific staff have been working under contracts with AWI to provide professional supervision of programs being funded by AWI.
AWTA Ltd's research results are normally reported at the twice yearly IWTO meetings and in appropriate journals.
The Development or engineering group is responsible for manufacturing equipment for use by the Company's own laboratories as well as for sale to other laboratories. Although the group does manufacture the full range of AWTA Ltd's equipment, its principal activity over recent years has been the manufacturing of the LASERSCAN instrument, and associated peripheral equipment.
The group is led by the Engineering Manager, and includes a Project Engineer, a Project Engineering Technician, and skilled Electronics Technicians. Workshop staff required for manufacturing duties are generally employed on a contract basis.