Developments

Picture: The Centre for Entrepreneurship team at Otago University (left to right): Professor Brendan Gray, Dr Jodyanne Kirkwood, Mrs Ruth Matika and Dr Victoria Jameson. What do you get when you blend 30 years of engineering experience and a University of Otago Master of Entrepreneurship degree? In the case of Pat Maguire you successfully develop and commercialise a novel way of carrying luggage on mountain bikes. Pat Maguire is the founder of Freeload, a Dunedin- based design company, which has sold thousands of radically new bike carriers around the globe since the company was launched in 2009. Pat first got the idea for a new type of carrier when visiting the world’s largest bicycle trade show, Eurobike, in 2006. He realised that the new types of bicycle required a completely new style of load carrier to the traditional bent wire models which had not changed markedly in a hundred years. What was needed was a versatile rack that would adjust and attach to the 150mm clear sections on the front forks and rear stays. Because every fork and stay is so different in size, shape and angle, the challenge was to develop a universal attachment that would allow strong friction-grip fastening directly to painted tubular surfaces. The result is a patented quick release bracket that tensions webbing strap neatly and without marking the bike, but provides a universal attachment point that can receive a carrier to the front or rear of all bikes regardless of shape or size. Pat says he would not have been able to commercialise his idea if it were not for the business skills that he gained while doing a Master of Entrepreneurship degree at Otago University in 2004. “This enabled me to leverage my engineering and design skills to successfully commercialise an innovative technical solution”, […]

  A company that’s not putting at least 10 percent of sales revenue back into product development can’t possibly keep pace with technology. You want to buy software from a supplier thatÕs serious about having great products today and tomorrow. Good software suppliers update their software frequently, making new features and bug fixes available to resellers and customers. Software is one of the few industries where you can upgrade your product to the newest, hottest version for a fraction of the full price. Imagine being able to go to a car dealership and have all the features of this year’s model added to your existing car! With most products you have to buy an entirely new model or do without. A good software publisher will provide frequent upgrades at reasonable prices. Before you make a purchase, find out if your software publisher has a maintenance program in place that gives you access to frequent updates. For a reasonable price, usually about 15 to 20 percent of the purchase cost, you should be able to get an annual maintenance contract that provides a continuous stream of product updates and improvements. This demonstrates that the developer has an ongoing commitment to the product and to your satisfaction. If you’re not sure how well a system will accommodate your company’s needs as you grow, here are some key questions to help you find out. What are the maximum number of customers, vendors, BOMs, or inventory items that are allowed? What is the maximum number of users that can be working with a particular application at the same time? Can the software be customised to meet the changing needs of a growing company? Your system must be able to extract relevant information easily. A system using database files provides virtually unlimited reporting capabilities. Ask for samples of […]

Completing a high-level qualification while working fulltime requires a lot of dedication, yet every year several thousand employees in industry achieve highly with little public fanfare. Companies supporting their employees through on-job training are equally dedicated, investing in lifting transferable skill levels throughout New Zealand industry. To recognise the efforts of learners and employers, industry training organisation Competenz has published and distributed a ‘Roll of Honour’ handbook. The handbook celebrates all graduates who completed Level 4 or higher qualifications in 2011 within the engineering, baking, and food and beverage manufacturing sectors that Competenz works with. A total of 846 graduates from 536 companies nationwide feature in the Roll of Honour. Graduates completed their national certificates in disciplines ranging from mechanical engineering, locksmithing, baking and fire protection apprenticeships, to competitive manufacturing, business first line management, quality management, rail operations and maritime qualifications. “All of our graduates can be very proud of their achievements, knowing their skills will stand them in great stead for their career development,Ó says Competenz acting chief executive, Fiona Kingsford. “Achieving a high-level, industry-based qualification requires just as much focus as anything youÕd study at university or polytechnic, with the added challenge of juggling work priorities.” It’s a small way of recognising the time and effort learners put into completing their training, and the role of employers providing employees support throughout their on-job and off-job learning. “Companies also deserve to be recognised for their commitment to invest in training a more highly skilled workforce with transferable skills benefits both the company and our country’s economic future.” It’s a positive step toward meeting the skill gaps companies identified in research Competenz conducted last year on this issue. But according to the research, a further 3,600 skilled manufacturing workers will be needed by companies within these sectors by 2013. “The […]

Since their introduction quite a few years ago, it has become hard to imagine industry without robots. Their strengths – power, quickness and stamina. Their limitation – they can only flex their muscles in separate cells for safety reasons in most cases. The future – an increasing number of safety barriers will fall. The reason is that modern technology is providing such a high degree of safety that people and robots can work hand in hand. The development of “safe robots” enables a space-saving cell concept without rigid barriers on one hand. On the other hand, it opens the door to new applications involving people and robots, for example, in installation, medical technology and the service sector. Various colleges and institutes have worked out basic principles for this over the years, which link sensor technology with control and process control engineering as well as mechanics and consequently create new automation possibilities. The way into industrial practice is also being smoothed by the norm ISO 10218-1 with respect to the safety aspects of man-robot cooperation (also referred to as human-machine collaboration). This ISO contains safety requirements for industrial robots, so that people and robots can work together in a defined work area without spatial separation using safety barriers or light grids. The Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology and Automation (IPA) in Stuttgart provides most of the active research dealing with the safety aspects of man-robot cooperation. Martin HŠgele, Department Head of Robot Systems, believes that enormous potential has become available with the standard: “Man-robot cooperation makes it possible to combine the strengths of people and robots and consequently to automate processes, which were previously not economically feasible. ‘People have high cognitive skills, are creative and can adapt quickly to complex situations. On the other hand, robots have untiring repetitive accuracy, even […]

The incoming Women In Engineering President for 2012 Lilly Sanderson is brimming over with enthusiasm. Read on… Women In Engineering (WIE) is an Incorporated Society of the University of Canterbury aimed at raising the profile of female engineers and providing members with support through education and social events throughout the academic year. Each year the club has a student and staff base of around 200 members, including females and males, with the potential to grow in size and in popularity. Lilly’s involvement with WIE began in her first professional year studying Civil Engineering at Canterbury when she decided to take on a leadership role within the University and applied for the role of ‘First Pro Rep’ on the committee of ten female engineers responsible for running events with help and support from the UCSA, the College of Engineering, and their sponsors. In 2011, Lilly became the club secretary and was voted in as 2012 president the following year. “Females are underrepresented in nearly all Engineering disciplines at Canterbury University,” says Lilly and she hopes to play a role in encouraging more to choose engineering as a career as well as supporting those already studying. As President in 2012, she aims to boost the membership base, raise the profile of the club, and establish bonds with organisations in New Zealand with similar goals to strengthen our society. The committee is currently in discussion about creating a new event targeting year 13 students and providing them with an opportunity to find out more about studying engineering at a tertiary level. WIE is a non-profit society and relies heavily on sponsorship and in-kind donations from companies to run events. Each year WIE hosts at least three Company Speaker Evenings and an Industry Connections Evening. These events provide an opportunity for students to meet […]

Associate Professor Grant Covic (left) with Professor John Boys. In by far the most significant technology transfer deal ever achieved by a New Zealand university, car travel worldwide is set to be transformed by revolutionary technology developed by The University of Auckland. In a multi-million dollar deal, Qualcomm, a major US research and development company specialising in wireless communications, has acquired exclusive rights in and to certain wireless electric vehicle charging technology developed by The University of Auckland. Electric vehicles are predicted to begin an accelerated penetration into the automotive market traditionally dominated by internal combustion engines, by 2015. Inductive Power Technology (IPT) was pioneered by Professor John Boys and Associate Professors Grant Covic and Udaya Madawala from the University’s Power Electronics Group. They have led the world in developing systems to transmit electric power efficiently across air gaps without using wires. Qualcomm also acquired the assets and technology of spinout company HaloIPT. The company was set up in a partnership with international engineering firm Arup, the TransTasman Commercialisation Fund and the New Zealand venture Investment FundÕs SCIF program to develop IPT technology commercially for cars by building prototypes, establishing standards and making the technology reliable. HaloIPT’s staff has joined Qualcomm. The University of Auckland and Auckland UniServices Ltd, the University’s commercial arm, will use the funds generated from the transaction to invest in further research and commercialisation, as well as sharing a portion with the inventors in line with the University’s intellectual property policy. Qualcomm was impressed by the quality of research at the University and through UniServices will provide ongoing support for IPT research at the University. University Vice-Chancellor and Chair of the UniServices Board, Professor Stuart McCutcheon, said IPT technology, now set to reduce the cost and environmental impact of motoring on a massive scale, had started […]

In the first, the clean energy technology firm has not only retained its spot in the prestigious Global Cleantech Top 100, but also been named ‘Company of the Year Asia Pacific’ for 2011. In the second, LanzaTech has been judged to have shown the ‘Best Innovation by an SME’ in the global ICIS Innovations Awards 2011. LanzaTech’s chief executive Dr Jennifer Holmgren is delighted. “Being named in the Top 100 list for the second year running, and now as Asia Pacific Company of the Year, recognises the potential LanzaTech has to make a real impact on the world’s energy future,” Dr Holmgren says. “It is particularly significant that the ICIS award comes straight after World Food Day (October 16). It is increasingly vital for the world to produce more energy without threatening food production. LanzaTech’s novel gas-liquid fermentation process produces fuels and chemicals without any impact on the food value chain.” Environmental considerations played a key part in all the winning entries in the ICIS Awards. John Baker, global editor at ICIS, says this year there was an emphasis on bio-based technologies, designed to replace oil and gas feedstocks in the chemical industry or reduce carbon emissions. No fewer than seven of the 14 short-listed entries involved bio-based technologies. LanzaTech’s innovation caught the judges’ eyes as it successfully incorporates synthesis-gas technology and bioprocessing to give an economically robust route to carbon capture and re-use. One of the ICIS Awards judges, Dr Gregg Zank who is chief technology officer at Dow Corning, said LanzaTech’s technology had the potential to be disruptive in the long term, especially if it could develop or modify the organisms further to increase the range of chemicals produced. “There is a lot of novelty here,” he said. Another judge, Dr Adrian Higson from the UK Centre for […]

  Picture: Jeffrey K. Liker who is presenting a workshop on The Essence of the Toyota Way in Auckland in November. For details visit www.pslglobal.net The large majority of organisations that have embarked on an operational excellence program through lean, six sigma, or lean six-sigma, have found the results at first positive, then reaching a plateau, and then going in reverse. The Shingo Prize committee out of America found that was true of too many of the past award winners. They concluded the difference between those who sustained the journey to excellence and those who did not was leadership and culture. This prompted revising the award to focus more intensely on leadership and culture, rather than just the tools. The Toyota Way to Continuous Improvement (by Jeffrey Liker and James Franz) complements those efforts by providing a thorough treatment of the philosophy, thinking, and methods of a true culture of continuous improvement, and provides case examples of the journey. The Toyota Way was never a process improvement methodology in which we implement change and work to sustain the gains, but rather focuses on a long-term quest for excellence based on creating a system of processes that reveal problems so highly developed people with finally honed problem solving skills can continually improve whatever they are responsible for. This culture of continuous improvement provides an army of process improvement experts in every part of the company who are then aligned through a shared company vision. Separating out ‘lean processes’ as a standalone endeavor does not make sense for any organisation, and, in fact, treating lean and six sigma like a technical toolkit to fix processes is why most companies fail to achieve true operational excellence. ‘Sustaining the gains’ implies that like a machine, once the process is fixed there is a way […]

Scott Machinery was there.                     By Doug Green Some made it through, some didn’t. But by all accords some good business was done at SouthMACH 2011, held recently in Christchurch. A worthy effort by the show organisers, Hayley Media who had already delayed the show because of the earthquakes only to see the snow come down and the weather pack up during the time SouthMACH 2011 was held. With snow all around, and then black ice the true spirit of the Kiwi businessperson couldn’t be kept away. They turned up to see the engineering equipment and services on display and to ensure their company was ‘on track’. Chris Whittington, from Camplex NZ was happy with the quality of business enquiries, as was Francis Coutinho, general manager of Chevpac. One exhibitor who finally got there through the snow was Gordon Anderson of BayCad. After a delay and overnight stay in Kaikoura, Gordon rolled on down to Christchurch. He found enquiries for his products a bit thin on the ground. Laura Dolphin, marketing manager for Velocity Trade said “SouthMACH 2011 was good and I am confident the efforts will pay off.” Carr Group of Auckland was one of the unfortunate companies who couldn’t make it because of the lousy weather. Their truck full of equipment was held up in the snow somewhere south of Waipukurau in Hawkes Bay and their flights from Auckland so staff could man the stand was cancelled three times. I commend the exhibitors for supporting the show and their on-going commitment to business in Christchurch in these awkward times.