ASB Productivity Grants

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The only way is up: how Gallagher Security’s vertically integrated manufacturing model delivers
Northland focus: Fiona Bycroft, CEO, Naut
Stop calling workplace safety failures ‘accidents’
How your business can benefit from the circular economy
Mackwell & Co. – Empowering energy sovereignty with advanced steam engines
Paying a ‘unique’ price: Why it can pay to be the same
Lifting productivity: Why investment in talent and technology must go hand in hand
Why BIM hasn’t reached its full potential in Aotearoa – yet…

AusTech

Kuva: Aki Loponen, 2023Pictuner Oyaki.loponen@pictuner.fiwww.pictuner.fi

The rise and rise of portable welding machines

It is not that long ago that portable welding machines were seen as heavy, clunky equipment. Limited in their capability, they could usually only perform one type of welding, such as stick, TIG or MIG. And because of their power output, were mainly relegated to performing light and small welding tasks. Over the last 20 years however, portable welding machines have evolved significantly. While single-process welders are still available in the marketplace and no doubt have a place in the industrial landscape, operators can now also choose from a wide range of multi-process machines. These provide greater convenience and flexibility as they can be used to tackle various fabrication or construction jobs and projects both in the workshop and out in the field without the need to switch power sources. Greater productivity Apart from the ability to tackle a wider variety of work, quality portable welders also help deliver excellent welding results. According to Paul McVicar, Managing Director, Kemppi Australia, this is because of the machine’s stable arc. “Quality portable welding machines usually provide a very stable and even arc that allows the user to deeply penetrate various metals and produce consistent, high-quality welds. This reduces the need for reworking the weld as well as post-weld cleaning, which allows the operator to increase their output, while saving them both time and money,” explains Paul. Also contributing to improved productivity is that modern portable welders are far more powerful than their predecessors. Today, operators can choose a portable multi-process machine that has a 320 A with a 40-60% duty cycle. Or a 200 A with a 40% duty cycle. The greater amperage combined with the higher duty means that machines such as the new Kemppi Master M 205 let the welder safely create quality welds for a longer period of time […]

RS PIC AUS MN

RMIT welcome RS Components as racing partners

RS Components are proud to announce their support of the RMIT Electric racing team in the legendary Formula SAE competition this year. Originally started by the Society of Automotive Engineers student branch at the University of Texas, Austin, in 1980, the Formula SAE competition now sees over 500 teams from universities worldwide, design, build and compete in their own Formula-style open-wheeled race car. The vehicles are judged on dynamics, design justifications, costing strategies and business presentation and apply rigorous STEM concepts to the build and design process.  As the brightest young minds compete annually around the globe, the boundaries of innovation, technology and engineering are constantly redefined. The RMIT Electric Racing team took the competition to the next level in 2008, and entered the first-ever electric vehicle.  They were confident they could produce a simple, electric counterpart for the combustion vehicle competition. Every year since, Formula SAE has seen a rapid growth in the number, competitiveness and performance of electric vehicles against their combustion rivals. A fact the RMIT Electric Racing team are infinitely proud of. Managing Director of RS Components ANZ Scott Philbrook said, “We are proud to support the next generation of innovators with the quality products RS Components has to offer. The team and I at RS wish these bright minds the best of luck in this year’s race.” Today the team counts over 50 passionate students across a dozen faculties who demonstrate innovative thinking, initiative and commitment to the real-life commercial project. And it’s little wonder the Formula SAE graduates are often headhunted for their unique combination of technical skills, strong communication abilities and project management skills.    Christopher Carr, Business System Head for RMIT Electric Racing said, “Our project is dependent on the valuable investment by our sponsors who allow us to advance the research and […]

CSIRO launches new breed of factory bots focused on safety and sustainable manufacturing

PIC CAP ReMoTe (Remote Mobile Tele-assistance) technology which connects remote experts with on site operators to provide timely real-time assistance when problems arise. A new breed of industrial robots and ICT systems could transform Australia’s manufacturing sector, creating safer environments and more efficient factories, according to a CSIRO whitepaper. Launched at AUSTECH and National Manufacturing Week (8 May), the whitepaper highlights the issues facing Australia’s manufacturing sector and presents a new category of technologies built to encourage human-robot work practices. The paper outlines how current tools available to manufacturers are built for high volume mass-manufacturing, but that new economic drivers require manufacturers to focus more on low-volume, highly customised and high value-addÊproducts. Known as Lightweight Assistive Manufacturing Solutions, these new systems are designed to enhance the worker’s skills, actions and tasks, not to replace them. They include virtual reality headsets, smart robots which can be taught to multi-task and tele-supervised robots which can be controlled over the internet. A drive towards more ICT enabled advanced manufacturing was one of the key opportunities identified by the Prime Minister’s Manufacturing Taskforce in 2012 in its report – Smarter Manufacturing for a Smarter Australia. “Australian Manufacturing is shifting away from large-volume production to mass customisation, and companies are telling us they need more flexible systems to deliver these more customised products. This whitepaper seeks to highlight these trends and present solutions which will enable Australian industry to address these challenges,” says co-author and CSIRO business development manager Dr Peter Kambouris. “Industrial automation used in manufacturing today is limited, but developments in ICT and robotics present Australia with an opportunity to change the way we manufacture. CSIRO believes lightweight robotics and advanced ICT systems are one way of meeting this challenge,” he adds. A virtual headset called ReMote is one system being trialled by […]