Developments

igus heavy-duty rol e-chain for maximum service life

The new generations of cranes demand increasingly more from energy supply systems. Now an energy chain meets precisely these requirements for longer travels, higher accelerations and speeds as well as reliability. The new heavy-duty P4HD rol e-chain from Treotham is made of highly abrasion-resistant materials. Special side parts, newly designed joining links, roller links as well as a triple stop-dog system minimise wear and reduce the drive energy even further. All parts can be replaced in case of maintenance. To monitor the service life, smart plastics sensors can be integrated into the pin/bore connection. They are getting faster, longer and have to carry heavier fill weights: the energy chains in the new generations of ship-to-shore cranes. “Especially for these emerging trends in the world of cranes, we have already developed a new rol e-chain with the longest service life”, says Jörg Ottersbach, e-chains Business Unit Manager at igus GmbH. This is why igus has launched a heavy-duty version based on its P4 rol e-chain range. The chain is said to have a service life – depending on the application – of up to 15 years. For this purpose, igus relies on tribologically optimised high-performance polymers. In order to further reduce abrasion at all points of the chain, igus has come up with a few design refinements. Amongst other things, a triple stop-dog system and a symmetrical design. The integrated rollers reduce the required drive energy by 57 per cent compared to a gliding chain. The rollers run on top of each other in a staggered manner. The comb-like autoglide crossbars keep the chain in its track, increasing the safety of the system and reducing costly unplanned downtime. In the new pin/bore connection, igus uses its expertise from polymer plain bearing technology and relies on a proven iglidur material, which also […]

Reimagining manufacturing in New Zealand: turning adversity into opportunity

As the world grappled with supply chain disruptions and delays as a result of Covid-19 lockdowns and restrictions, manufacturers found themselves dealing with long delays and shortages of critical goods and products. Peter Jones, Managing Director and Founder at Prological says this revealed a vulnerability in just in time principles, which has presented an opportunity to re-imagine manufacturing in New Zealand. Manufacturers around the world have been following a just in time principle for their operations. Simply speaking, just in time is an inventory management method in which goods are received only as they are needed. This method gained significant traction during Global Financial Crisis (GFC). Out of necessity, businesses learned how to run on a much leaner inventory as budgets were tightened and expenses cut. After the GFC, many organisations throughout the world continued to follow the principles of just in time – largely because it worked. However, just in time only works on the assumption that everything is working perfectly all the time. As soon as Covid-19 started to rip through China, Europe and the US – many manufacturers in New Zealand were faced with long delays and significant shortages of critical goods. As the global aviation industry reached a near standstill, there was no air freight capacity into the country. With 60 to 65 per cent of air cargo usually carried on passenger aircraft – the price of air freight started to rise exponentially. At the same time, the global shipping industry was also facing significant delays alongside freight costs growing exponentially. These delays and disruptions not only impacted manufacturers in New Zealand, but also retailers – as New Zealand is an importer of finished goods. There are many stories across the industry of major manufacturing companies’ entire global operation coming to a standstill because of […]

D-Link launches new, sleek and discreet home security cameras

D-Link has launched its new DCS-6500LH Compact Full HD Pan & Tilt and DCS-6100LH Compact Full HD Sleek and Discreet Wi-Fi Home Security Cameras. DCS-6100LH Compact Full HD Wi-Fi Camera Sleek and discreet, the Compact DCS-6100LH Full HD Wi-Fi Camera blends enhanced Smart Home Surveillance features with a stylish, subtle design. IR Night Vision together with Sound and Motion Detection alerts you instantly when something unexpected happens, giving you extra peace of mind with the latest in home security camera technology. The DCS-6100LH brings crystal clear surveillance as it allows you to monitor your home in Full HD 1080p resolution with a wide-angle 110-degree Field of View (FOV), day or night, making it the perfect 24/7 home security companion. Designed to be stylish, subtle and simple to use, it’s ideal for discreet placement anywhere throughout your home. The DCS-6100LH’s built-in Sound and Motion Detection enables you to trigger alerts that are automatically sent to your mobile device and the video clip recordings let you stay aware of what’s going on at all times in your home – and yes, it’s ideal as a baby monitor or office camera as well. If you’re worried that you’ll lose all your camera footage the DCS-6100LH Compact Full HD Wi-Fi Camera lets you record snapshots and video clips to the cloud for anytime access. You can also play back recordings from the cloud or download footage to your mobile device from anywhere, anytime through the Internet. DCS-6500LH Compact Full HD Pan & Tilt Wi-Fi Camera The DCS-6500LH Compact Full HD Pan & Tilt Wi-Fi Camera gives you 340° views as its Pan & Tilt technology allows you to see virtually every angle of any room. With Motion and Sound Detection as well as Night Vision that provides up to five metres of monitoring in complete […]

Advanced NZ-made filter media kills coronavirus

A New Zealand company has developed and launched an innovative filter media for face masks and air filtration systems that kills bacteria and viruses, including the Human coronavirus 229E. Auckland based NanoLayr, a deep tech manufacturer specialising in nanofibre production at scale, has added manuka oil to its patented nanofibre filter product FilterLayr, to create a N95 rated filter media. The properties of the manuka as well as the high surface area of the nanofibres, means that FilterLayr is one of the most effective filter media in the market. NanoLayr testing has shown FilterLayr with manuka infused nanofibres kills >99% of bacteria as well as bacteriophage. Independent testing has also shown FilterLayr to be effective in killing/inhibiting the Covid-19 surrogate virus, Human coronavirus 229E and further testing on similar viruses such as Covid-19 is underway. NanoLayr CEO Ray Connor says the development is a breakthrough in the fight against future pandemics, as FilterLayr can be produced at large scale to help meet global demand for face masks. “The pandemic has highlighted the importance of providing effective protection for workers on the front line and the large numbers of people who wear masks daily. The beauty of this product is that it provides highly effective protection against infectious bacteria, viruses and airborne particles,” he says. NanoLayr is the first manufacturer to use manuka oil as a microbial agent in air filtration applications. The bioactive manuka oil is contained within a nanofibre fabric that stops viruses and bacteria from passing through it, meaning any bacteria or virus trapped in the nanofibre fabric are deactivated and killed. This delivers a far superior result to filters coated with bactericidal actives, where the active coatings can wear off and risk entering the users body. Connor says the bioactive nanofibre filters can be used in facemasks […]

New literacy partnership breaks down barriers for manufacturing employer

It was a simple online survey that led Solo Plastics’ CEO Alan Sutcliffe to discover many of his production staff were struggling with digital literacy, language and unable to use a computer. “Only around five per cent of staff returned our questionnaire and when I asked why no-one was filling the form out, it turned out that many had limited digital skills and most had little experience using computers. There were also challenges around English language skills to understand the questions. “At the same time, we were about to implement some automation in the factory meaning staff would have to use computers more and more, so we made the decision to pause that rollout and instead focus on how to upskill our staff in English, numeracy, digital literacy, and leadership,” says Alan. Coincidently, Competenz Workforce Development Business Partner Debs Wand was finding that, through the course of some manufacturing qualifications, many learners were struggling with their literacy and foundation skills. This led Debs to partner with workplace training providers Upskills and Jupiter Training to create bespoke literacy training to run alongside existing workplace qualifications. “There is no standard training programme,” says Debs. “Upskills and Jupiter Training design programmes that are tailored to the employer, often including the type of documentation or machinery employees or trainees will encounter in their work.” Solo Plastics is an Auckland-based company that designs, manufactures, and installs pipe and fittings for infrastructure projects including water, wastewater, and electrical industries. Among its 70 staff are two Competenz apprentices and the first literacy training programme saw 20 staff take part. “The aim was to increase the team’s knowledge and motivate them to own their processes, accept new technology, and to give them confidence to speak up and suggest ideas. The course was taught at their pace and absolutely […]

New Zealand construction industry – suppliers under pressure

The EBOSS 2021 Construction Supply Chain Report gives fresh insights into the challenges the New Zealand construction industry is currently facing – with freight, price hikes and staff shortages shared concerns across the board. The Report, released to over 900 industry professionals, surveyed 240 suppliers across major product categories for residential and commercial construction on logistics, price impacts, the sustainability of New Zealand’s supply chain, operating in a global market, and staffing. The survey was conducted by EBOSS, which works with leading building product suppliers to assist in material selection by specifiers and is trusted by 30,000 architects, designers, builders, sub-trades, council planners and engineers, supported by BRANZ and funded by the Building Research Levy. The aim of the survey, carried out in July, was to provide data on the current and future state of the building product supply chain and help specifiers and builders to better plan ahead. It is the largest known survey of the New Zealand construction and building industry to date, focused on the state of the current product supply chain to the construction industry – an industry impacted by the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. The EBOSS 2021 Construction Supply Chain Report Key Findings: 8 out of 10 suppliers were having issues supplying the market. 90% of construction products sold in New Zealand are either imported finished products or manufactured locally from at least some imported components. 91% of those who rely on imports say they’re experiencing issues supplying the market, compared to just 58% for those wholly reliant on domestic supply. 40% of suppliers don’t have enough staff to meet current demand and 56% say they don’t have enough staff to meet future demand 67% of suppliers surveyed say the increased cost of freight is their biggest issue (regarding their ability to supply their […]

Kevin Cowie appointed SCNZ Technical Director

Structural Steel NZ (SCNZ) has appointed Kevin Cowie to the role of Technical Director. Cowie has been a steadfast member of the SCNZ team since he joined as Senior Structural Engineer 12 years ago. SCNZ General Manager Darren O’Riley says that, in that time, Cowie has tirelessly supported the organisation to advocate the use of structural steel in construction. “Kevin’s well-deserved new title is a reflection of his standing in the construction community, where he has earned the deep respect of his colleagues, peers and the wider industry,” says O’Riley. “It also recognises Kevin’s exceptional technical skills, commitment to best practice and ongoing contribution to the sector.” Cowie has been involved in multiple standards committees from chairing NZS 3404 to participating in AS/NZS 2327, 1252 and 5131. He has co-authored and contributed to countless design guides and industry guidance documents, chaired numerous industry working groups, and is a regular presenter at engineering seminars, conferences and on SCNZ’s own webinar channel. Internationally, he has participated in invitation-only workshops on steelwork connections and other specialist conferences. “All the while, Kevin has unwaveringly provided invaluable project-specific technical advice to engineers,” says O’Riley. “SCNZ and the wider industry are fortunate to have Kevin driving our technical team to excel.”

After 40 years HRS enters new chapter

By Matt Hale, International Sales & Marketing Director The recent acquisition of HRS Heat Exchangers by Canada-based Exchanger Industries Limited (EIL) is just the latest development for a UK company with worldwide reach, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. We look back at the last 40 years of the business that was founded by Steven Pither (picture) in his spare bedroom and speculate on what the future might look like. Early years Back in the early 1980s the world was still feeling the aftershocks of the oil crises of the 1970s and energy efficiency was becoming a key concept across various industries. As part of this agenda, heat recovery technology was gaining in popularity, and Steven recognised that these trends were only going to become more important as time went on. “I was working for a company called Marine & Industrial Heat,” explains Steven, who until the acquisition was CEO of the HRS Group. “This included selling heat exchangers produced by a Swedish company. “When it was decided to stop selling them, I thought it represented a good business opportunity, so I set up Heat Recovery Systems (HRS) and offered 15 per cent of the business to Marine & Industrial Heat. I started working from home and things progressed from there.” Over time HRS took on more control over the selection and design of the heat exchangers it was selling, initially to allow quotes to be delivered in a timelier manner. The next step was to subcontract some of the manufacturing in the UK, including the production of skid-mounted heat exchanger packages. Corrugated tubes After ten years HRS was so successful that Steven was able to purchase Marine & Industrial Heat, the company he had originally worked for. This provided HRS with its own manufacturing facility where it […]

Life cycle thinking and product design: Don’t leave LCA to the last minute!

By Barbara Nebel, CEO , thinkstep-anz There is no such thing as a green product, only greener or more sustainable options. However, the differences in impact between products can be significant. This is an important distinction to make as it recognises that all products have some impact on the environment. Some common-sense knowledge and an overall understanding of how something is made and what it is made of can help you form ideas around how sustainable your product is. However, unless these ideas are tested and backed by credible data, they will remain as vague claims. This is where sustainability tool Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) comes into the picture to quantify a wide range of environmental impacts across a product’s whole life. In this article, we explore the principles behind LCA, the many uses and benefits of LCA, and how to optimise LCA to create the most sustainable products and services. Life cycle thinking and LCA Every product has a life cycle. It starts when the raw materials are harvested or extracted and finishes when the final product is disposed or used at the end of its functional life. Life cycle thinking — the concept around which LCA is built — understands that each stage of a product’s life cycle contributes to its overall environmental impact. Life cycle thinking also understands that sustainability is about more than just carbon. An LCA takes a broad definition of environmental sustainability with a wide range of indicators including carbon footprint, energy use, water consumption. Finally, life cycle thinking as a principle and LCA as quantitative tool understand that decisions around one area of a product’s sustainability can also affect others. Part of an LCA’s objective is to consider these trade-offs that can occur to ensure a positive impact in one area does not […]

D-Link launches new, secure AC1200 and AC750 Mesh Wi-Fi Range Extenders

As the quality, reliability and security of Wi-Fi becomes increasingly important, D-Link A/NZ has launched their new DAP-1610 AC1200 Mesh Wi-Fi Range Extender and DAP-1530 AC750 Mesh Wi-Fi Range Extender, both encompassing the latest WPA3™ wireless encryption. DAP-1610 The DAP-1610 is a portable plug-in wireless Extender that lets you extend an existing wireless network, giving you powerful Wi-Fi throughout your home and eliminating Wi-Fi dead zones. With high-speed, dual-band 802.11ac wireless speeds of up to 1200Mbps – that’s 300Mbps on the 2.4GHz band and 900Mbps on the 5GHz band – the DAP-1610 ensures a fast and stable Wi-Fi experience for all of your connected devices. The DAP-1610’s dual-band technology also helps reduce interference from any nearby wireless transmitters and provides backwards compatibility with older connected devices that run on previous Wi-Fi standards. What’s more, if you wish, you can use its Gigabit Ethernet port and your home’s existing wired Ethernet cabling to extend wireless coverage without having to worry about signal strength. The DAP-1610 also provides you with flexible Mesh choices for your home network when you pair it with a compatible D-Link Wi-Fi 5 Mesh Router to create a seamless whole-home Mesh Network built on industry-standard Mesh technology. The DAP-1610 seamlessly picks up the same Wi-Fi name as your existing network and allows you to enjoy a Mesh connection throughout your entire home Meanwhile, Mesh Smart Roaming allows your devices to intelligently switch to a stronger Wi-Fi signal as you move around the house. You can also pair with other Routers or Extenders which support the 802.11k/v standard to enjoy Mesh Smart Roaming throughout your home at all times. Setup of the DAP-1610 is simple, either via the single-touch WPS button to join the Extender to the existing network, or alternatively, you can setup and manage the DAP-1610 just as […]

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