The importance of an Ergonomics investigation before designing or changing a production system
In this article I will explain why it is important to do an Ergonomics Investigation before we design or redesign a production system. Every Ergonomic Investigation I have undertaken has saved my client substantially – either capital investment or increased productivity. Ergonomics is one of the most misused words in […]
Get ready for $2.16 trillion opportunity New Zealand exporters
ExportNZ says today’s announcement that New Zealand has the green light to enter the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA) is a great opportunity for Kiwi exporters. It congratulates the Government on such a positive result following two years of negotiations, and looks forward to seeing New […]
Orica invests $35m at Mt Maunganui
Picture: (From left to right) Andrew Larke (Global Head of Chemicals for Orica), Matt Cawte (General Manager of Orica NZ), Stuart Crosby (Mayor of Tauranga). A $35 million state-of-the-art upgrade has taken place at of Orica’s manufacturing facility at Mt Maunganui. The investment is a response to growing demand for Orica’s […]
World’s first cloud-connected cable certification tool
Now with LinkWare Live, the Versiv family of certification testers lets cable installers upload, analyse and manage copper and fibre test results—anytime, anywhere. Fluke Networks has unveiled LinkWare Live, the first cloud-based service that lets contractors, cable installers and project managers using the Versiv family of certification testers to upload, […]
Projecta clamps down on voltage
Testing electrical current in buildings, vehicles, equipment or marine applications has been taken to the next level with the introduction of the new Projecta DT910 test meter in New Zealand. Superceding Projecta’s popular DT900 digital clamp meter, the new DT910 is an all-in-one test meter that retains the vast array […]
HAMMAR Refines Empty Container Transport
HAMMAR has refined a solution to the costly task of transporting empty or lightly-filled containers and flats without tying up large sideloaders or large, expensive prime movers. It’s the all-new HAMMAR 140 series, a versatile lightweight sideloader/crane ‘clip-on’ system, still with an impressive 16-tonne SWL, which works with smaller trucks […]
Precious metal and alloy XRF analyser
Non-destructive testing (NDT) of manufactured materials by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) is a crucial tool in many industries. The latest handheld XRF analyser from Olympus, the Delta Element, is ideal for scrap metal sorting, positive material identification (PMI), alloy QA/QC, and precious metals analysis. The Delta Element is the most affordable […]
Rising stocks
The manufacturing sector experienced its fourth consecutive increase in expansion levels during September, according to the latest BNZ – BusinessNZ Performance of Manufacturing Index (PMI). The seasonally adjusted PMI for September was 58.1 (a PMI reading above 50.0 indicates that manufacturing is generally expanding; below 50.0 that it is declining). […]
NZ employment confidence edges up to six-year high in third quarter
New Zealand employment confidence rose to a six-year high in the September quarter as sentiment in Canterbury bolstered the nation’s outlook on jobs, according to the latest Westpac McDermott Miller Employment Confidence Index survey. The index rose to 111.5 in the September quarter from 109.9 in the June quarter, in […]
First on-machine switch simplifies network design
Rockwell Automation has announced the launch of the Allen-Bradley ArmorStratix 5700, its first on-machine switch. Built with ruggedised IP67 protection, the Layer 2 managed industrial Ethernet switch can be mounted directly onto a machine or application, reducing the overall size and cost of a control cabinet, and shrinking the machine […]
NZ economy – changing down a gear?
Forward-looking indicators give cause for optimism in the latest BusinessNZ Planning Forecast. The Forecast for the September quarter signposts economic growth at an annual rate of around 3 percent, at mixed levels across various sectors and regions. Business and consumer confidence remain positive, meanwhile the Christchurch rebuild and Auckland housing […]
Aerospace inspection gear takes off
The AeroCheck Eddy Current Flaw Detector is fully capable of all the typical eddy current inspection applications on an aircraft including paint thickness, sub-surface and surface crack detection. The AeroCheck is ideal for inspecting areas such as: Wheel brakes; Wheels; Landing gear; Fasteners; Engine mounts; Fuselage; Wing surface and hinges; […]
Digital Capability – A Critical Lever for Success
From: August issue NZ Manufacturer www.nzmanufacturer.co.nz David O’Connor, Commercial Manager, The Learning Wave One of the greatest challenges for any organisation is the cost and effort of onboarding a new employee . This is further amplified in a tight job market where you may need to recruit individuals who do not have the core skills you would normally deem essential to be productive and work safely in your environment. The need to have a pipeline of skilled and capable workers with a broad range of transferable skills, strong work ethic and the right attitude is critical to enable long term business success. The training and educational sector have a role to play in enabling access to the right training pathways to ensure the continual development and upskilling of the team to prepare them for that next career step or business change. In Manufacturing, the productivity challenge is clearly rooted in a skills deficit, with many individuals lacking the essential skills and capability needed to fully leverage modern manufacturing practices. This skills gap has a significant impact on team work, employee engagement, safety and operational efficiency, leading to poor staff retention, low efficiency, higher error rates and increased waste As Manufacturing plants become increasingly technology dependent, this skill gap is unfortunately amplified and an urgent fix becomes even more essential. Foundational digital literacy is often inaccurately assumed as a skill held by most kiwis. According to the 2014 Survey of Adult Skills survey (PIAAC) the reality of this is that 55% of workers do not have the right level of digital competency to be successful in their roles. Meaning that over half of our workforce has low/poor Problem solving skills in technology rich work environments. If Digital literacy is deemed critical to success, then we have to question why those who […]