Developments

The Commerce Commission has urged consumers and tradespeople to exercise caution when using two models of ‘Transforma’ multi-purpose ladder, sold nationwide by Brand Developers Limited between 2007 and March 2013.  The Commission is investigating potential breaches of the Fair Trading Act involving claims made about the load rating of Transforma TR24 and TR33(35) ladders and their compliance with compulsory safety standards.  The Commission understands that approximately 16,000 of these multi-purpose ladders have been sold, mainly through TV infomercials and trade suppliers. The Commission’s Competition Manager, Greg Allan, said that while the Commission had so far only tested one of each model of ladder, both ladders had failed the independent safety test and the test failures were of sufficient concern for the Commission to warn people to take care in using them. The ladders were tested against the AS/NZS 1892.1:1996 Portable ladders Standard. In testing, the TR33(35) model buckled under the maximum advertised 180kg load.  The TR24 model failed two tests. • Under the standard the ladder is allowed to ‘sag’ by 5.2mm when the rated weight is put on it. The TR24 sagged 20mm. • The TR24 was also tested for ‘walking’ – which measures the movement of the ladder’s feet when the ladder is moved from side to side. The maximum allowable movement for these ladders is 79mm under the safety standard. The tested ladder walked 130mm on average. “There is the potential for someone to be badly hurt if they expect the ladder to carry the advertised maximum load or if the ladder moves significantly,” Mr Allan said. He said that because the ladders were advertised as able to hold more than 120kg they were classed as industrial strength and therefore more likely to be used by tradespeople. Mr Allan stressed that further testing was being undertaken by […]

Commercial laser printers typically produce pin-sharp images with spots of ink about 20 micrometers apart, resulting in a resolution of 1,200 dots per inch (dpi). By shrinking the separation to just 250 nanometres — roughly 100 times smaller — a research team at A*STAR can now print images at an incredible 100,000 dpi, the highest possible resolution for a colour image1. These images could be used as minuscule anti-counterfeit tags or to encode high-density data.  To print the image, the team coated a silicon wafer with insulating hydrogen silsesquioxane and then removed part of that layer to leave behind a series of upright posts of about 95 nanometres high. They capped these nanoposts with layers of chromium, silver and gold (1, 15 and 5 nanometres thick, respectively), and also coated the wafer with metal to act as a backreflector. Each colour pixel in the image contained four posts at most, arranged in a square. The researchers were able to produce a rainbow of colours simply by varying the spacing and diameter of the posts to between 50 nanometres and 140 nanometres.  When light hits the thin metal layer that caps the posts, it sends ripples — known as plasmons — running through the electrons in the metal. The size of the post determines which wavelengths of light are absorbed, and which are reflected (see image).  The plasmons in the metal caps also cause electrons in the backreflector to oscillate. “This coupling channels energy from the disks into the backreflector plane, thus creating strong absorption that results in certain colours being subtracted from the visible spectrum,” says Joel Yang, who led the team of researchers at the A*STAR Institute of Materials Research and Engineering and the A*STAR Institute of High Performance Computing. Printing images in this way makes them potentially more […]

Visitors from all over the world made up the record crowds at DMG/Mori Seiki’s 2013 Pfronten Open House.            A record 6,000 visitors from around the globe attended the annual DMG/Mori Seiki Open House at the Deckel Maho plant in Pfronten, Germany. The five-day event, from 29 January to 2 February, featured over 70 machines, six of which were world premieres. Making their debut on the world stage were the CTX beta 2000 and the European-made NLX 2500/SY 700 universal turning machines, the DMU 125 FD monoBLOCK and DMU 65 FT monoBLOCK 5-axis universal milling machines, and the DMC 80 H linear 5-axis horizontal milling centre, which features linear drives on all axes. Also unveiled was the high-precision DIXI 210 P 5-sided, 5-axis universal milling machine. This product boasts an error tolerance of less than or equal to 0.004 millimetres and a rapid traverse of up to 60 metres per minute. More than half of the customers attending the event travelled from overseas. This included a strong contingent of customers from Australia and New Zealand. One Australian customer had the unique experience of seeing his new machine being assembled on the production line at the Deckel Maho plant. The open house gave customers an opportunity to gain insight into the versatility and professionalism of the company, and to see how it was organised. The open house featured an exhibition space showcasing 12 automation system solutions designed to help customers achieve maximum productivity, and presentations from Boeing and Rolls Royce which shed light on the latest developments and innovations in the aerospace industry. For Weiwadel, the highlight of these presentations was learning how DMG/Mori Seiki can continue to support and contribute to the aerospace industry’s targets and success.  

(Pic) ‘Nam Trams’ a winner for Access Automation. The general manager of Access Automation of the Hutt, Darin Phillips-Brown, shared with NZ Manufacturer the Solidtec software of choice his company uses in day by day operations.  NZM: Which Solidtec software are you using? AAL: We have two seats of SolidWorks 2013 (1 x premium and 1 x standard) NZM: Why have you chosen this particular software? AAL: We chose Solid Works as it seemed to be the mechanical design CAD software of choice. Its 3D modelling capabilities coupled with its ease of use have made it a key tool in our design office. As every project we do is bespoke to each client’s site, we are able to model the entire cable car if required and check interferences on the screen rather than out on site. NZM: Why have you chosen Solidtec? AAL: We choose Solidtec, mainly because of the people but also because of what they offer. Their technical support and turnaround is great. We have also developed a relationship with the staff from sales through to tech support and they know and understand what we do. NZM: How has the software made your company work better? AAL: SolidWorks has allowed us to accurately complete a design with the confidence of knowing that everything will fit together and operate as intended once installed on site. NZM: Is your company more efficient from using it? AAL: We are definitely more efficient from material usage through FEA (finite element analysis) and reduced rework required on site. *NZM: What applications is it used for? AAL: We use SolidWorks for the following: Product design Sheet metal Lasercut templates and flat patterns R & D Error and collision detection FEA We use it to model everything from structural steel work to fully enclosed custom […]

The invention is one of five on the Society of Manufacturing’s 2013 List of Innovations that could change the way you manufacture. An easy-to-make rainbow filter that could help users identify the true color of everything from paint to medicine has been named to the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) list of 2013 Innovations that could change the way you manufacture. This year’s list includes just five items: a technique for mass producing robotic insects and other devices; super-water-repellant coatings; stronger, lighter carbon nanotubes; a more efficient welding process; and the UB invention — an “everyday spectrometer.” The technology is a rainbow-colored polymer that UB engineers created using a one-step, low-cost holographic lithography method. Employed as a filter for light, this polymer could form the basis of handheld multispectral imaging devices that identify objects’ “true colour.” Such accurate color detection could make it easier for governments to identify counterfeit money, for homeowners to match paint colors in renovation projects, and for doctors to analyse colo-urs in medical images to detect disease. There are potential applications in fields from climate monitoring to remote sensing for military and defense. Visit the following link for a video the technology:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xF2d2wUf0Gg The simple process for fabricating the polymer could make it feasible to develop small, low-cost, high-performance devices that connect with cell phones to conduct multispectral imaging. In addition, the filters can be produced at less than $US10 apiece, making them a viable, state-of-the-art alternative to the much more expensive linear variable filters that are currently used for spectral analyses. The UB researchers who led efforts to develop the technology are Alexander N. Cartwright, PhD, professor of electrical engineering and biomedical engineering and UB vice president for research and economic development, and Qiaoqiang Gan, PhD, assistant professor of electrical engineering. Both are members of UB’s […]

A major new investment in New Zealand’s titanium materials research is set to enable the development of a pan-industry manufacturing base for high value export products, say participants in the programme. “Titanium Technologies New Zealand” (TiTeNZ), funded by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), will provide a major boost to research activities with widespread national and international application across the medical, aerospace, defence, marine, energy and general engineering sectors. The research collaboration has initial funding of $3.1M pa for two years, but is aiming to establish a long term programme to support high value manufacturing based on Titanium alloys. Titanium Technologies New Zealand builds on current research capability and infrastructure in titanium metallurgy, high temperature materials processing and fabrication, and advanced surface coatings at Callaghan Innovation, GNS Science, the University of Waikato, the University of Auckland and the Titanium Industry Development Association (TiDA). “This investment will enable the development of a world class titanium research platform in New Zealand and create a multi-company, multi-sector manufacturing base for high value export products,” says Professor Ian Brown of Callaghan Innovation who is leading a cluster of Crown Research Institutes and University applied materials research teams working in partnership with New Zealand industrial manufacturers. Oversight of the new programme will be managed by an Industry Advisory Panel which includes Chairs, former Chairs and Deputy Chairs of NZTE, F&P Appliance, Auckland Airport, Wakefield Health and IRL, as well as managers and owners of award-winning manufacturing and engineering companies. The Advisory Board panel members are Jon Mayson, John Calder, Keith Turner, Barry Robinson, Michael Ludbrook and Andy Cameron. The Chair of the Advisory Panel, Jon Mayson, says: “New Zealand has an amazing opportunity around the research and commercialisation of Titanium materials. We are currently at the leading edge internationally in some of our […]

Recently developed are methods and product innovations for processing the most rapidly renewable surface layer of peat instead of using it for energy production. The goal is to develop bio-based composite materials containing peat fibre for the manufacture of consumer products and construction materials, at the same time reducing the use of oil-based raw materials in production. The advantages of products containing peat fibre are their bio origin, low cost, water resistance, impact strength, excellent fire endurance characteristics and biodegradability. Through its various projects VTT has developed materials containing thermoplastic and panel-form peat fibre, as well as fibre-suitable preprocessing methods. Milled peat can be used as peat fibre because it contains several peat fractions and preferably long fibres, which are not silt up, so it can function both as filling material and as reinforcing material in composite structures. The amount of raw material necessary for composite products would equate to a fraction of current peat production, which is a factor in support of its use in ecological products. Composite production is also an alternative to peat burning, and would preserve jobs in the peat industry. Materials containing peat fibre are suitable for processing with normal plastic processing methods, using compounding, extrusion and injection moulding, for example. Currently no company in Finland is producing or exploiting these kinds of peat composite materials. Material solutions containing peat fibre can be used in construction (boards, moulding, profiles, plate structures), product applications in horticulture and in agriculture and forestry (seedling guards, planters, peat-coloured wall structures, plant supports), consumer products (golf tees, ornaments), biodegradable packaging, earth-moving (erosion protectors, biodegradable support structures) and funerary products. VTT currently has three patent applications pending related to peat containing bio composites.          

A ‘one size fits all’ approach has never been part of the Jonassen Industrial Projects Limited (JIPL) philosophy. At JIPL the focus is on quality engineering drawn from many years of experience, where the engineers take pride in their ability to cross transfer technologies and ideas, and to provide innovative, practical and effective engineering solutions. In conjunction with Metal Skills Ltd, one of the largest and most sophisticated sheet metal fabricators in New Zealand, JIPL have completely re-thought how to manufacture process ovens by utilising innovative designs and the latest in fabrication technology. “We have done a complete re-design of our successful existing ovens to retain the sophisticated European technological elements, but taken a more cost-effective, innovative approach in the way the ovens are physically constructed,” says managing director, Chris Jonassen. “The result is an extremely ‘low heat-loss’ oven utilising common, precision-made components.” JIPL has developed a pioneering way of doing things where the client has more input, giving the client the opportunity to be more involved in terms of quality and assembly. The new ‘modular’ oven designed by JIPL is providing an affordable, high quality option for a wide range of clients from a variety of industries both in NZ and particularly for export. Essentially, the new concept features an interlocking, insulated panel system which incorporates integral structural supports, all internal ducting, roof explosion relief panels and insulated floor. The concept is also designed to incorporate JIPL’s highly effective, dual-action air-seals. One big advantage is the oven can be produced as a ‘flat-pack’ for easy transportation and thus reduce export costs. By integrating the ducting and support structure within the whole oven, the labour content to install the oven is significantly reduced. It means that for many projects, a job supervisor is able to install the oven simply and […]

A new line of stretch blow moulding machines called ‘Start Blow’ is specifically designed for emerging markets entering the PET bottle market. The new machines are available in two versions, with two or four cavities, and are capable of producing bottles at output speeds from 2,000 to 6,000 bottles per hour. Both models are fully electric, with servo drives governing principal movements, including stretch rods. Every machine axis movement is under closed loop control. The market for bottled water continues to grow at around 8% every year and the growth is shifting to emerging markets. With Start Blow, the needs of new entrants into the market are being met, and a solution is being offering which fits with local requirements. The compact machine incorporates a number of SIPA technologies from the existing SFL (linear) and SFR high output rotary blow moulding machine ranges such as low-energy infrared heating, a high efficiency neck air cooling system and quick and precise stretch and blow functions. The ‘Start Blow’ range has been designed with a user friendly interface and a simple and reliable preform loading system.      

Pluck a hair from your head and take a close look. Now imagine a fibre 500 times thinner. ThatÕs what Revolution Fibres create on a daily basis, right here in New Zealand. Revolution Fibres Ltd has developed its own technologies for the industrial production of nanofibre. Using its proprietary ‘Sonic Electrospinning Technology’, it creates continuous nanofibre in the form of non-woven mats with enormous surface area, high porosity and incredibly strong-yet-thin and lightweight structures. Revolution Fibres unique nanofibre technology is already in market in air filters (through ventilation company HRV). They have also launched a skincare range using collagen fibres to deliver plant extracts into the skin; and carbon fibre reinforcement products (Xantu.Layrª) – which have recently been included in a range of fishing rods through Kilwell. “Xantulayr is an especially exciting product”, says Iain Hosie, Technical Director of Revolution Fibres. “It is used as reinforcement in composite materials, making them tougher and less prone to cracks and de-lamination. We’ve seen amazing results in fishing rods and load-bearing fibreglass parts”. In Kilwell’s words “The polymer hybrid of continuous nanofibres forms a non-woven web that bonds with resin and carbon fibre to create a rod blank, giving a dramatic increase in flexural lifting power without increasing weight.” Nanofibre for composite reinforcement has been well researched, but not commercialized as there are very few manufacturers capable of making nanofibre at a scale and price that is attractive to the composites industry. Until now. “We are the only commercial producer of electrospun nanofibre in Australasia and only a handful worldwide” explains Hosie. “There’s a gap for contract manufacturers and product development in the nanofibre market. New Zealand companies have a fantastic opportunity to integrate this technology into their products before anyone else.” NZ companies better act fast. Many more products are under development […]