Defence

BIA5 Tactical Initiated Lighting System (TILS)

Bringing Innovative Defence Technology to Life Through Australian Manufacturing.

Overview

Hetech is proud to support Australian defence innovation through our collaboration with veteran-owned company BIA5 in the development and manufacture of the Tactical Initiated Lighting System (TILS).

Designed for defence, law enforcement and emergency service applications, TILS is a non-pyrotechnic, wireless lighting solution that delivers both visible and infrared illumination in challenging operational environments. Developed to provide a safer and more versatile alternative to traditional flares, the system offers reusable, remotely activated lighting capabilities while reducing risks to personnel.

As BIA5 prepared to transition TILS from development into scalable production, they engaged Hetech to provide the manufacturing expertise, quality systems, and engineering support required to bring the product to market.

The Challenge

Traditional pyrotechnic illumination devices can create a range of operational challenges. They are often single-use, difficult to control, and may increase safety risks while potentially revealing personnel positions. In dry conditions they can even pose an environmental fire risk.

BIA5 identified an opportunity to deliver a more advanced and flexible solution through TILS. While the core technology had already undergone significant development, the challenge was to transform an innovative defence concept into a reliable, field-ready product capable of being manufactured at scale.

This required more than simply building the product. It demanded a manufacturing partner capable of supporting design-for-manufacture activities, managing quality assurance requirements, establishing robust supply chains, and ensuring the final product could withstand the demands of real-world deployment.

Hetech’s Involvement from Design to Production

Hetech became involved while the project was still progressing through the design phase.

Working closely with BIA5 and other project stakeholders, our team helped bridge the gap between product development and production readiness. Through regular collaboration and technical reviews, we provided guidance focused on achieving efficient, repeatable, high-quality manufacturing outcomes.

Led by Hetech’s engineering and project management team, weekly stakeholder meetings were established to coordinate activities, manage project progress and ensure all parties remained aligned throughout the development journey.

This collaborative approach enabled engineering, manufacturing and supply chain considerations to be addressed early, helping streamline the path to production.

Design for Manufacture Expertise

One of the most significant contributions Hetech brought to the project was our experience in Design for Manufacture (DFM).

While BIA5 possessed strong product and operational expertise, transitioning to higher-volume manufacturing required a different perspective. Hetech conducted detailed reviews of the product design and assembly process, identifying opportunities to improve manufacturability, consistency and long-term production efficiency.

Areas reviewed included:

• Manufacturing tolerances
• Plastic component design
• Assembly sequencing
• Product assembly layouts
• Production workflows
• Component selection and sourcing considerations

The team also engaged directly with external suppliers early in the process to establish strong working relationships and ensure manufacturing requirements were understood across the entire supply chain.

This early collaboration helped optimise production planning and supported a smoother transition from prototype to production-ready product.

Enhancing Product Outcomes

Beyond manufacturing considerations, Hetech’s practical production experience also contributed to product improvements.

Through detailed review of the system’s components and assembly methods, our team provided recommendations that simplified aspects of the product design and reduced unnecessary complexity.

Some of these recommendations were incorporated into future production iterations, demonstrating the value of involving manufacturing expertise early in the product lifecycle. This collaborative feedback helped strengthen the overall solution while supporting more efficient production and servicing outcomes.

Quality Assurance and Defence Compliance

A critical aspect of the project was ensuring the product met the stringent quality expectations associated with defence applications.

Hetech’s AS9100-certified quality management system provided a structured framework that helped guide the project through defence-grade manufacturing requirements.

The team worked closely with BIA5 to establish processes that supported:

• Full component traceability
• Supply chain integrity
• Quality documentation and reporting
• Inspection and testing procedures
• Production record management
• Compliance with defence manufacturing standards

The result was complete end-to-end visibility throughout the manufacturing process, providing confidence in the integrity and reliability of every unit produced.

As part of this process, detailed manufacturing and quality records were supplied to support product verification and ongoing sustainment requirements.

Building Sovereign Capability

The project is a strong example of Australian sovereign manufacturing capability in action.

By combining BIA5’s innovative product development with Hetech’s local electronics manufacturing expertise, the project supported the delivery of an Australian-developed and Australian-manufactured defence solution.

The collaboration demonstrated how Australian companies can work together to develop, manufacture and sustain advanced technology while strengthening local industry capability and supply chain resilience.

Manufacturing The Final Solution

Leveraging Hetech’s integrated electronics manufacturing capabilities, the team delivered a complete box build solution that included:

• Component sourcing and procurement
• Supply chain management
• Precision PCB assembly
• Electronics integration
• Mechanical assembly
• Custom enclosure integration
• System testing and validation
• Final assembly and deployment packaging

Operating under AS9100 and ISO 9001:2015 certified quality systems and to Class 3 J-STD-001/IPC-A-610 workmanship standards, our team ensured every product was manufactured to meet the requirements of demanding operational environments.

The Outcome

The collaboration between Hetech and BIA5 successfully transformed an innovative defence technology into a production-ready, field-deployable product.

By contributing manufacturing expertise, quality assurance processes, supply chain management and defence-grade production capabilities, Hetech helped accelerate the journey from development to deployment.

The project highlights the value of combining Australian innovation with advanced local manufacturing expertise to deliver practical, mission-ready technology for defence and security applications.

Most importantly, it demonstrates how strong industry partnerships can strengthen sovereign capability while delivering safer, smarter and more effective solutions for end users.

The Outcome

“(Hetech’s) ability to manage complex assembly, testing and integration made them an invaluable partner in bringing this innovative, field-ready product to life.”

Shawn Tensley, Managing Director of BIA5

Key Project Outcomes

• Successfully transitioned TILS from development toward scalable production.
• Provided Design for Manufacture expertise to support efficient manufacturing.
• Delivered defence-grade quality assurance and traceability processes.
• Managed complete electronics manufacturing and box-build assembly.
• Strengthened Australian sovereign manufacturing capability.
• Enabled delivery of a field-ready, Military-Off-The-Shelf (MOTS) solution for defence applications.