Developments

Reimagining supply chains to build long term resilience in a post-Covid world

By Richard Morgan, Country Manager, Genpact The Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted all facets of supply chains. Whether it is in the retail, telco, or transport industries both global and local supply chains have been severely tested, having to adapt to new demand patterns, supply constraints and logistical challenges. This unprecedented disruption has only magnified changes in consumer behaviour, under-investment in supply chain tools, technology, and people that were already challenging organisations. As the risk landscape is set to only get more uncertain and complex in the future, building resilient and more agile supply chains is crucial. Learning the Covid-19 lessons If Covid-19 has taught us something is that the strength of a supply chain is only as good as its weakest link. Organisations must use the current disruption as an opportunity to do a full audit and assess how well its supply chain functions can better respond to future disruptions. To build long term resilience companies must re-examine their old supply chain assumptions and evaluate the strength of their end-to-end supply chains. Businesses need to fine tune demand planning, search for deeper visibility of material planning, test supply planning technologies and continuously evaluate logistics plans. Supply chains must move from executors and a cost centre to a source of competitive advantage that unlocks operational margins and builds stability in an uncertain world. Stabilising supply chains: a cross collaboration with risk management teams To address the volatile nature of current – and likely future – supply chain operations, organisations should start by mobilising a dedicated crisis and risk management team that can help advise supply chain teams. A cross collaboration with risk management experts can help build focused risk scenarios and assessments, as well as design new processes and frameworks for rapid replanning, demand forecasts, supplied engagement and reporting and governance. Working […]

Siemens delivers Artificial Intelligence-powered CAD sketching technology

Siemens Digital Industries Software has a new solution for capturing concepts in 2D. The new NX Sketch software tool revolutionises sketching in CAD, which is an essential part of the design process. By changing the underlying technology, users are now able to sketch without pre-defining parameters, design intent and relationships. Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to infer relationships on the fly, users can move away from a paper hand sketch and truly create concept designs within NX software. This technology offers significant flexibility in concept design sketching, and makes it easy to work with imported data, allowing rapid design iteration on legacy data, and to work with tens of thousands of curves within a single sketch. With these latest enhancements to NX, Siemens’ Xcelerator portfolio continues to bring together advanced technology, even within the core of modelling techniques, helping remove the traditional barriers users have experienced to dramatically improve productivity. The ability to make intelligent changes to 2D entities that one imports into the new sketcher is astounding,” said Steve Samuels, CEO of Design Visionaries Inc. Analysis has shown that in an average day or workflow, around 10% of a typical user’s day is spent sketching. In addition, within current design environments most concept sketching is happening outside of the CAD software due to the level of rules and relationships that must be decided on and built into the sketch by the user up front. Often designers in concept design stage do not necessarily know what thefinal product may be, which requires a sketching environment that is flexible and can evolve with the design. NX offers the flexibility of 2D paper concept design within the 3D CAD environment, as the first in the industry to eliminate upfront constraints on the design. Instead of defining and being limited by constraints such as size or relationships, […]

Treotham announces exclusive partnership with long-time supplier igus

Treotham New Zealand is pleased to announce that they have been appointed by igus as their exclusive distributor across the New Zealand market for their innovative motion plastics. Treotham New Zealand and igus have been working closely together for over 9 years and have recently been appointed as their exclusive distributor across New Zealand. Treotham will continue to work closely with their trusted agents to provide igus products throughout New Zealand. The range of igus products have been developed for moving applications and high levels of stress. They include energy supply products, cables, bearing technology, linear technology, bar stock, 3D printing filaments and low-cost robotics. The range offers a long service life with no lubrication, are up to 70% lighter than metal products, are resistant to dirt, chemicals and corrosion, and are insensitive to heat and cold. Every igus product is tested thoroughly in its 3,800m² in-house test laboratory. With solutions for more than 50 different industries, whether in mechanical engineering, the automotive industry or the robot industry, Treotham can offer an igus product for nearly every application. Treotham’s product managers who have accumulated many years of experience are available for personal consultations and visits by sales staff. They are also able to offer tailor made solutions for special applications. Treotham has recently expanded its warehouse by 50% to provide improved support for OEMs and key partners to ensure robust stock and effective supply chain management. Contact Treotham to find out how igus products can improve your application today. www.treotham.co.nz

Ensuring a safe welding environment

Health and safety hazards are a critical consideration in any workplace for both the employer and employees, and the welding workplace is no exception. However, if safety measures are accurately implemented then much of the risk can be mitigated, if not fully eliminated. Welding can present numerous health risks to the eyes, skin and lungs. Bright light and ultraviolet radiation, toxic fumes and gases, noise as well as heat and fuel to ignite a fire are all hazardous by-products of the welding process. The correct risk assessment, implementation of procedures and the use of approved protective gear can however, make welding a safe procedure. Burns Burns are one of the most common injuries in welding and can occur on the skin and to the eyes. The intense ultraviolet and infra-red rays from welding can cause symptoms similar to extreme sunburn if a welder’s limbs are not covered. Hot spatters can also burn unprotected skin. All parts of the body including hands and feet need to be protected from burns. In the case of eye injuries, welding flash or arc eye is probably the most common eye injury among welders who refrain from wearing appropriate eye protection. While approved clothing, footwear and gloves will protect the limbs of a welder, the eyes and face can be safely protected by using the correct helmet. Helmets that feature Auto Darkening Filter lenses and passive lenses (Approved Coloured Glass welding lenses), such as those found in the Kemppi welding helmet range, provide 100% protection against bright light burns and ultraviolet radiation. Electrical Shock Welders can also suffer from electrocution if they come into contact with live parts. Welding involves the use of live electric circuits to create a pool of molten metal and therefore, the risk of electrocution is ever present. However, wearing the […]

RAM3D ramps up production runs in metal 3D printing

RAM3D is a metal 3D printing facility and hi-tech manufacturing company 3D printing parts for a diversity of world-wide industries. They have been involved in additive manufacturing for 10 years and are based in New Zealand. Throughout most of the world, two of the early adopters of 3D printing technology are the high-priced aerospace and medical sectors. This has limited the growth of the industry in other sectors because of the desire for the cost of 3D parts to be more cost effective. In New Zealand there is limited medical and aerospace markets and RAM3D have focussed on the wider market to meet the price point to make it work. As a result, the market sectors engaged is much broader. The result is some very innovative products. RAM3D Case Studies One of these innovative products is firearm suppressors. RAM3D have been working in collaboration with Oceania Defence, an early adopter of additive manufacturing technology to 3D print the most advanced firearms suppressors in the world. After rigorous design research and testing with Oceania Defence, they have the most desired outcome, a suppressor which is highly efficient, lightweight, compact and most important, cost effective. RAM3D have been building drone engine parts for another company. The 3-cyclinder engine is built for a UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) with a weight of 50kg and aircraft wingspan of 6 metres; it can fly to heights of 18,000 ft and has a cruise speed of 60 knots. The parts RAM3D print for them cannot be manufactured any other way and are printed in Inconel 718 (a high temperature alloy) that require high precision especially where mass matters. They have printed production runs of manifolds, exhaust mufflers, collectors and engine sumps. The advanced materials they use for additive manufacturing include: Titanium 64 […]

Money for regional apprenticeships good for local economies

Channelling $40 million from the Provincial Growth Fund into regional apprenticeships will be good for local economies, says BusinessNZ. The funding announced by the Regional Economic Development Minister will be available to regional apprentices and employers once Maori and Pacific candidates and those laid off because of Covid-19 have been helped into apprenticeships. BusinessNZ Chief Executive Kirk Hope says the regional areas of New Zealand have a great need for training resources, with the need for apprenticeship training particularly acute. “More apprenticeship funding for the regions will help grow local businesses and provide a boost for post-Covid recovery,” Mr Hope said.

Competenz CEO appointed to Workforce Development Council

Competenz CEO Fiona Kingsford has been appointed to the interim Establishment Board of the Manufacturing, Engineering, Logistics and Technology (MELT) Workforce Development Council (WDC), providing critical industry experience in the formation of the new standards setting body for industry training. Her appointment will ensure the 37 industries currently represented by industry training organisation (ITO) Competenz will have a strong voice in the development of the new council, which is part of the Reform of Vocational Education. “I am delighted to have the opportunity to join this interim Establishment Board, and will advocate to ensure that our future workforce is armed with the skills it needs to navigate the shift to industry 4.0 in this post-COVID-19 world of industry training reforms and critical skills shortages,” says Ms Kingsford. Throughout her career within manufacturing, engineering and hospitality sectors, Ms Kingsford has been a strong advocate of work-based learning, embedding qualifications into workplace practices, understanding the benefits to productivity and career development. Her background includes organisational design and development, vocational education and training, strategy, M&A and change management. Recently, she was selected by New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology (NZIST) Establishment Board as Chair of Work-Based Learning Working Group, providing advice on this critical component to the reform of vocational education. Ms Kingsford is a member of the Forest Industry Ministerial Advisory Board and Director of Group Training Organisation, ATNZ. She was previously a member of the establishment board and Chair of Auckland Māori and Pasifika Trades Training Consortia.

Why be Sustainable?

‘God’s Own’ country has a global reputation for natural beauty, egalitarian society, its nuclear-free stance, a clean green environment, world class food and innovative business. New Zealand’s history, culture and economy has always been closely connected with nature. We have much to be proud of, and yet there is still plenty of progress required to make it sustainable. Meeting today’s needs without compromising the future is a global consumer megatrend. Now more than ever, we need a sharp focus on economic revival, plastic waste, freshwater, marine life, zero carbon legislation etc. Irrespective of where your personal view stands along the spectrum of sustainability, the world is telling business to get better at it, and urgently! “I don’t want you to be hopeful. I want you to panic. I want you to feel the fear I feel every day. And then I want you to act. I want you to act as you would in a crisis. I want you to act as if our house is on fire. Because it is.” Greta Thumberg, winner of the 2019 KidsRights Children’s Peace Prize Investors, communities, and consumers are all putting pressure on companies to act sustainably. In 2020 KiwiSaver providers and the world’s largest investment funds banned fossil fuel investments. Social media is buzzing for equality and inclusion. Colmar Brunton research showed 48% of consumers choose brands with clear sustainability benefits and 86% of us say we want businesses to be ‘kinder’. What does this mean for Kiwi businesses? Sustainability is a wide-ranging subject, impacting everything from architecture, biodiversity, and climate change, through freight, nanotechnology, urbanisation, and vegetarianism to zero waste. It is no longer enough for a business to focus solely on economic prosperity. Today all stakeholders must be considered and balanced with the three elements focused on by investors – […]

Book Review:Abolish Silicon Valley: How to Liberate Technology from Capitalism

Former insider turned critic Wendy Liu (pictured) busts the myths of the tech industry, and offers a galvanising argument for why and how we must reclaim technology’s potential for the public good. Innovation. Meritocracy. The possibility of overnight success. What’s not to love about Silicon Valley? These days, it’s hard to be unambiguously optimistic about the growth-at-all-costs ethos of the tech industry. Public opinion is souring in the wake of revelations about Cambridge Analytica, Theranos, and the workplace conditions of Amazon warehouse workers or Uber. We’re starting to see the cracks in the edifice, as we realise that the wealth that the tech industry is so good at creating is neither sustainable nor always desirable. Abolish Silicon Valley is both a heartfelt personal story about the wasteful inequality and unsubstantiated lies of Silicon Valley, and a rallying call to engage in the radical politics needed to upend the status quo. Going beyond the idiosyncrasies of the individual founders and companies that characterise the industry today, Liu delves into the structural factors of the economy that led to Silicon Valley in its current form, and links them to the economy at large. Ultimately, she proposes a more radical way of developing technology, where innovation is conducted for the benefit of society at large, and not merely to enrich a select few.

Techweek2020 goes digital

The global Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated a shift to a digital world and Techweek2020 is no different. The annual event series, which celebrates innovation in the New Zealand tech industry will for the first time be digitally led in 2020. The week-long festival covers all aspects of technology and its possibilities for every New Zealander, whether they are experts or new to tech. This year’s events cover a range of topics including the post-COVID workplace, the future of education, the opportunity for New Zealand’s space industry, women in tech, and much more. Registrations are now open with all events happening online between 27 July to 2 August. Julie Gill, Techweek2020 Executive Lead, says that the digital events will allow more Kiwis to learn, connect and grow. “Techweek is about ‘connecting our future’ and that doesn’t just mean the tech industry but everyone in Aotearoa, regardless of their location. With most events free to attend, this is a major step towards making our tech industry more accessible.” Techweek TV, a series of more than 60 live video sessions from a range of New Zealand tech experts, will also be available free online during Techweek2020. This year Techweek TV will be available live at techweek.co.nz and on-demand via Stuff’s premier video destination playstuff.co.nz as part of a wider media partnership. Sinead Boucher, CEO of Stuff, says “Technology is such an important part of our journalistic future, enabling us to connect with our communities and tell stories in new and diverse ways. Stuff is proud to help promote the innovation and collaboration taking place in Aotearoa’s tech industry.” “Techweek is about giving our industry a voice. Unless we speak up about the expertise we have right here in New Zealand, it all flies under the radar,” says Gill. Check out the full Techweek2020 […]

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Developments