The Griffith Hack Chemical, Process & Materials Engineering Group is a national, multi-disciplinary team with attorneys in all offices working for local and international clients in the fields of chemical engineering, materials engineering, applied chemistry, petrochemicals, environmental engineering, mining and mining hardware, minerals processing, extractive metallurgy and materials engineering fields.

Engineering is a leading practice group within Griffith Hack, handling a broad range of innovations within the mechanical, civil, structural, automotive, energy, chemical, environmental, water, materials, mining, oil & gas engineering industries. Our direct experience encompasses building and construction systems, products, processes and materials; automotive systems; petrochemicals and applied chemistry applications; mining, minerals, metals, metallurgical and extractive technologies; chemical processing equipment, control systems; electromechanical, biomechanical and biomedical devices; heavy engineering equipment; ship building; textiles; furniture; packaging and materials handling systems; agricultural equipment and processes; a wide array of nanotechnologies; fibre optic systems; natural gas production; and a diverse array of clean and sustainable energy, environmental and water technologies. This fully integrated, national group is arguably the most experienced and diverse engineering team in Australia.

The Griffith Hack Engineering Group has been protecting, defending and assisting clients in commercialising their intellectual property in the mining, minerals and metals technologies industries for over 100 years. These industries have provided a backbone to Griffith Hack’s patent practice. As we grow and diversify, we continue to provide services to a number of the world’s largest mining companies, together with leading regional steel production, building materials, minerals processing, metals processing and resource exploration companies.

Our client base also includes entrepreneurial individual, small to medium-sized businesses and large regional corporations in packaging, concrete, ship building, non-metal building materials, ventilation, as well as a number of leading universities and national public research organisations. We strive to offer all our clients the highest level of strategic and commercially relevant advice, comprehensive portfolio management and unique patenting solutions.

The Engineering Group also directly works with many international companies and research institutions, as well as overseas clients referred to us from our network of international associates. We have excellent relationships with these networks, particularly in the United States, Europe and Asia, and we handle the filing, prosecution, advisory and enforcement of patents in Australia for a wide array of globally active clients. We also work closely with other Griffith Hack technology groups, particularly when a project involves several complementary disciplines and requires collaboration, to ensure the most complete intellectual property solution.

Our professionals have significant educational, research and practical industry experience in these industries – in many cases exceeding all other intellectual property firms in Australia. This professional expertise includes practical vocational knowledge as well as hands-on experience assisting Australian clients protect and commercialise their technology globally. The Group maintains a sound and well-rounded information base, supported by significant research and on-going industry experience on a diverse range of subject matters. Our services include drafting and filing new patent applications, providing infringement and validity advice, managing patent prosecution and oppositions, conducting patent audits and consultatively developing commercialisation strategies.

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The Chemical, Process & Materials Engineering Group works with inventions in the following specific fields:

Chemical Engineering

Several of our professionals working in this area have considerable industry experience and provide assistance to clients in fields including chemical production such as polymers, resins and adhesives, food production, agrichemicals and fertilisers.

Materials Engineering

Our attorneys are experienced in fields covering a range of new technology and traditional materials, including material science, materials engineering, metallurgy, chemistry and nanotechnology. The group includes attorneys with particular expertise in inorganic materials, refractory materials, composites, glass and fibre optics, ceramics, metals and polymers. Our experience also extends to material production and manufacturing processes and material end uses.

Petrochemicals

Several group professionals have developed considerable expertise in intellectual property protection of petrochemicals, including petroleum engineering, crude oil processing and the application of petroleum by-products. These attorneys also have particular expertise in related fields, such as distillation and separation techniques, catalytic cracking and production of petroleum by-products including polymers, solvents and specialty chemicals. Additionally, they have expertise in oil and gas transfer technology, gas burning and fuel cell technology and application of petroleum products such as lubricants and agricultural oils.

Environmental Engineering

Environmental engineering is a multi-disciplinary field, combining expertise in several facets of engineering. Our group has the ability to combine knowledge and skills in the fields of chemical, civil and mining engineering, with specialist knowledge in one or several of the related areas of water and wastewater processing, materials handling, solid and semi-solid waste processing/recycling, energy generation from renewable resources or with minimisation of use of finite resources, pollution control, geotechnical and transport engineering and environmental impact assessment.

Mining and Mining Hardware

Our professionals working in this area have considerable industry experience and provide assistance to clients in fields including exploration, mine surveying, drilling and blasting, rock cutting and excavating, loading and haulage and rail systems. We are also involved with inventions in mining safety and mining hardware, such as mine roof mesh, roof bolts, drill bits, augers, pumps, valves, truck design, dragline and dredging equipment, excavating equipment and wear parts, and have expertise in other related fields, including industrial instrumentation and non-destructive testing.

Minerals Processing

Our practice covers a range of new technology and traditional minerals processing techniques, including crushing and grinding, classification, milling of ores, flotation, solid-liquid separation including gravity and cyclone separation, thickening, and filtration, drying, calcining, agglomeration, pelletising and process optimisation and control.

Extractive Metallurgy

Group experience in hydrometallurgy is extensive, including leaching (eg bioleaching, pressure leaching), solvent extraction and electrowinning, pyrometallurgy including roasting, smelting (eg flash smelting, bath smelting and shaft furnace smelting), direct reduction technology, solid state reduction of minerals, refining of metals, environmental management, waste treatment and recycling.

Materials Processing

A number of our professionals have developed considerable expertise in the field of materials analysis and characterisation, alloy design and metal forming, including casting, rolling, extrusion, forging, drawing and machining, metal fabrication, welding, failure mechanisms such as corrosion, fatigue and creep, heat treatment, surface treatment, metallography and powder metallurgy.

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