Editorial

Industry-led quality scheme complaints procedure successfully put to test

Five years on from its launch, New Zealand’s Steel Fabrication Certification (SFC) scheme has been a great success. Approximately 88% of structural steel is fabricated by SFC certified fabricators, with several more businesses well on their way to certification. To ensure the integrity of SFC, there is a robust complaints process whereby certified fabricators are held to account when things don’t go as they should. The first complaint was lodged in 2017 by an inspection services provider (complainant) contracted to inspect the work of an SFC-qualified company. While formal complaints are made to the SFC scheme manager, the actual complaints process is handled independently by the HERA Certification Ltd.’s Certification Panel. In this instance, the complainant provided a detailed inspection report highlighting where contractually agreed specifications were not met and voiced their concerns that the work did not comply with SFC requirements, specifically: Lack of welding supervision and time pressure to get the work out the door. In-house inspections were not performed and documented 3. Failure of welders to fabricate welds in accordance with AS/NZS 1554.1 4. Third-party inspection was not performed before despatching items. When deciding action, the Certification Panel noted the respondent’s full acceptance of the complaint in its response, where it also described the root cause and their proposal to remedy the shortcomings in their QA process. They also ensured the non-compliant steelwork was repaired in compliance with the standard and approved to the satisfaction of the complainant. The situation didn’t warrant suspension of certification. Instead, the Panel issued a formal warning and outlined a series of corrective actions, including being put on the auditor’s watchlist for one year. The respondent also agreed to provide full QA documentation for selected completed projects and to implement a training programme for the welding coordination team and welders. The auditor’s […]

Software framework generates ISO programs for CNC machine tools

A powerful new software framework tool enables users of CNC machine tools to generate and test ISO part programs offline. The tool looks set to win across-the-board approval in busy machine shops, where an uninterrupted workflow can provide a key productivity advantage. Flexium Office framework software runs under Windows 7/8 or 10 on any standard PC. It allows any of NUM’s technology HMIs (Human-Machine Interfaces) to be used for specific projects – without requiring access to the target CNC machine tool. The corresponding ISO part program can be created offline and can also then be tested offline using NUM’s Flexium 3D simulation software, before being transferred to the target machine. Application-specific technology HMIs form part of the company’s Flexium CAM (Computer-Aided Manufacturing) software suite. The HMIs cover every type of CNC machining operation, including hobbing, shaping, milling, threaded wheel grinding and cylindrical grinding. After selecting the most appropriate technology HMI for the task, the user simply carries out basic data definition tasks for the project in hand, using the highly intuitive tools and workflow commands provided by Flexium Office. Multiple projects can be started and saved at any time – allowing collaborative team development if desired – and the framework software provides support for 14 languages. As soon as the user is satisfied with the process and workflow of a project it can be used to generate the corresponding CNC part program – entirely automatically. The CNC program can either be transferred directly to a nominated machine in the production plant, usually via a TCP/IP network, or input to NUM’s Flexium 3D simulation software for thorough evaluation before being issued for production purposes. The key advantage of simulation is that it enables users to optimise any ISO-code part program offline, further helping to maximise productivity by leaving the CNC machine […]

Experienced academic to lead key faculties at Victoria University

Victoria University of Wellington has appointed Professor Ehsan Mesbahi as its new Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Faculties of Science, Engineering, Architecture and Design. Professor Mesbahi has more than 26 years’ experience in the higher education sectors in Europe and Asia, with the last 10 of those spent in senior and executive roles. Much of his academic career has been at Newcastle University—a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities in the United Kingdom and one of the original ‘red brick’ universities with a long history of civic engagement and social purpose. He was the founding Chief Executive Officer at Newcastle University’s Science, Agriculture and Engineering campus in Singapore, where he led the campus through a period of exponential growth in student numbers and research activities. His current role is Vice Principal and Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic) at the University of West Scotland in Glasgow, where he has gained valuable experience in a young and teaching-oriented university. Professor Mesbahi’s research interests are multi-disciplinary and applied and have expanded from modelling, control, design and optimisation of engineering systems early in his career to environmental management and, most recently, informatics and application of artificial intelligence in data-mining/clustering. During his academic career he has been the project lead (or co-lead) in over 25 national and international research projects generating research income of more than £10million and turnover of academic enterprise activities of more than £50million. Professor Mesbahi will join the University in 2020.

Datalogic enhances robot guidance and traceability with Impact software

Datalogic, a leader in robotics, Industry 4.0, automatic data capture and process automation, is introducing its new Impact 12.2 software to further enhance the traceability and ease-of use of vision-guided robots and cobots used for a wide variety of pick, place and other vital production line tasks. The new robot guidance and traceability software is available throughout the Asia-Pacific region and incorporates a number of calibration and performance enhancements to make robot programming faster and simpler, as well as improve accuracy and traceability. “With Datalogic’s Impact 12.2 system, robots can now be deployed faster, and they are more adaptable to changing applications in dynamic industries such as warehousing, logistics, supply chain, manufacturing, automotive, healthcare, transport and OEM markets,” said Mr Bradley Weber, Product Marketing Manager – Machine Vision, Datalogic. “The latest software has been thoroughly tested in conjunction with leading robotics company Universal Robots and has been fully approved and UR+ certified to work their robots and cobots. UR+ certification means they have the full technical support and expertise of the Universal Robots team, as well as access to their highly customisable software,” said Mr Weber. Collaborative robots, or ‘cobots’ work harmoniously with people in production and distribution operation such as pick-and-place and production lines. Often, the robot performs repetitive tasks requiring strength or precision, while the person guides the robot to the right place, provides a part for it to pick, or performs other tasks that complement the robots programming. According to Universal Robots, “Cobots give manufacturers access to all the benefits of advanced robotic automation, without the extra costs associated with traditional robots: difficult programming, long set-up, and shielded work cells. This makes automation affordable even for small-batch production runs and mixed product assembly.” Software enhancements Impact software was designed with a focus on traceability and guidance, with […]

Keeping a competitive edge with precise multi-level BOM planning

If you’re a manufacturer, you’ll know first-hand how inventory forecasting can consume your time and nag away at you. You’ll know all about variable lead times and how much of a headache they can become if not managed correctly; you’ve likely encountered the frustration of when your product’s ready to go, but it’s missing a vital component, or you can recall several times when your service reps got an ear-bashing because your product hasn’t been shipped on time. What you need is intuitive software that takes care of all of this for you, so you can get back to manufacturing, staying ahead of the competition and delighting your customers with your impeccable service. Multi-level BOM To stay competitive and in control, you need visibility of your entire manufacturing process. A multi-level bill of materials (BOM), also known as a nested or indented BOM, reveals all the raw ingredients, components, assemblies and sub-assemblies that goes into making one finished product. If a single level BOM is like one branch on a tree – one parent product and the parts that go into making it below – then a multi-level BOM considers the whole tree –the oversight of all the intertwined and interdependent processes and parts that contribute to the whole. Variable lead times from your supplier for each individual ingredient? Not sure how much of each raw material to order and when? Having difficulty communicating timeframes and details accurately with your manufacturing partners? StockTrim’s multi-level BOM feature allows you to manage these challenges with ease. Here’s how: If you’re already using StockTrim, or you’re keen to know more, here’s how you can regain control of your manufacturing: Import: Take advantage of all that precious historical data from your existing inventory management system, like Unleashed or Cin7. Predict: Working from the finished product backwards, StockTrim […]

Building a future-ready and sustainable strategy for manufacturing

By Mac Ghani, Managing Director, Avanade Australia From digital transformation to climate change, every industry is trying to keep up with the pace of change and reinvent processes for a more sustainable future. When a manufacturing business successfully transforms itself, customers and employees will benefit from: Increased efficiency and output through data-driven process optimisation and visibility; Reduced downtime and increased asset utilisation through real-time monitoring of assets and predictive maintenance analytics; Increased agility of supply-chain planning via real-time visibility and process controls; Improved worker safety and injury prevention by detecting and responding to changes in field conditions and worker vital signals; A future-ready manufacturing business also has the capacity to create a positive environmental impact – using digital innovation, data and insights to drive efficiencies that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, enable smarter energy management and reduce waste. The MIT Center for Information Systems Research (CISR) finds companies that substantially complete their transformation tend to enjoy margins 16 percentage points higher than their industry’s average. A new beginning Despite awareness about the need to innovate and the commitment to invest heavily in technology over the next three years, research found the manufacturing industry continues to lag behind companies in other industries. With tougher socio-economic and environmental conditions, personalisation and a dynamic workforce, it can be incredibly difficult to understand where to start or how to progress further. In fact, 60-70 percent of organisations are still on their journey. Manufacturing is a traditionally siloed industry. But a future-ready organisation gives due consideration for impacts across the business, so open communication and evaluation throughout the process is key. Digital transformation belongs to the whole organisation, not just the CIO. Key decision-makers from all parts of the organisation need to put forward priorities of each business division. These priorities need to be aligned […]

Smart factories have the potential to spark labour productivity

Each industrial revolution has transformed production, delivered better economic output, and, consequently, immense economic gains globally. But something has shifted in the past two decades—manufacturing productivity growth appears stuck. Labour productivity is a major metric of economic output, and gains in productivity are important because, on a macro scale, labour productivity determines the standard of living of people, nations, and the world. Currently economic output is moving in lockstep with the number of hours people work. Enter the Fourth Industrial Revolution—the newest chapter in industrial development that promises to ignite stalled labour productivity in manufacturing via connected machines, people, data, and value chains. In that sense, the smart factory could potentially ignite stalled labour productivity and unlock the key to productivity for manufacturers. But how? Every manufacturer—whether already “running smart” or yet to invest in smart factory technologies—can harvest business value from smart factory initiatives. Smart factory initiatives accelerate business value creation. Companies report as much as 10–12 percent gains in areas like manufacturing output, factory utilisation, and labour productivity after they invested in smart factory initiatives. There is a direct and established connection—primarily through investment and use cases—between smart factory initiatives and the business value realised. What’s more, any manufacturer can use this connection. While there are risks, primarily operational and financial, they are outnumbered by the smart factory’s value contribution. Also, most risks can be mitigated through rational stakeholder selection, an efficient change management strategy, measurable proof-of-concepts, and incremental investments. Early smart factory adopters report average three-year gains of 10 percent for factory output, factory capacity utilisation, and labour productivity. A closer look at labour productivity trends indicates that smart factory initiatives will likely enable the US manufacturers to “observe” triple the labour productivity growth rate during the next decade (2019–2030) compared to last decade (2007–2018). What does this mean […]

Are you leaving productivity on the factory floor?

Gemma Stanbridge, ViAGO International Limited We all have heard how important it is to have workers who are engaged with their roles and motivated to put their best into what they do. Despite this, recent research reports only 12% of construction, manufacturing, and production workers worldwide are engaged in their roles.[1] Sixty-four percent of workers in this sector are not engaged, with 24% of workers actively disengaged. Manufacturing workers particularly struggle with engagement, and this is often due to a process-focus rather than an employee-centred focus that promotes engagement. Workers in production roles are less likely to have any say in determining how their day will be structured or what could be done to improve their job or workplace. In fact, manufacturing and production workers have the lowest rates of engagement among employees worldwide¹. And yet, the primary approaches to improving productivity in this sector focus on process optimisation. Why are we leaving productivity on the factory floor? The Problem with Process-Centred Approaches to Productivity Conventional management in manufacturing continues to put processes ahead of people, despite evidence that employee engagement is a significant factor in productivity. Discussions about increasing productivity focus on getting more out of resources using cost-cutting, efficiency and utilisation targets. Factories with this mentality often offer low wages for long hours, and although workers are expected to increase output and reduce lead times, their efforts are seldom recognised. Unsurprisingly, there’s little motivation for workers to do more than ‘the bare minimum,’ and workers may even act out due to feelings of frustration and the perception they are not valued by management. Management must consider that employees are an important element of any Productivity Journey, and a mindset shift from cost and efficiency measures can increase employee engagement and productivity. A Closer Look at the Impact of […]

AI can make a positive impact

AI technologies are beginning to have a major impact on New Zealand’s economy and society, NZTech chief executive Graeme Muller says. Reports show that changes brought by AI will be as significant as the ongoing changes that have brought computers and internet into all aspects of business, government and everyday life over the last 30 years, he says. Muller was commenting on the New Zealand AI Forum’s latest research report which highlights the importance of AI for New Zealand’s future growth. “Last year the AI Forum released a report that called for a national AI strategy, that would be nice, however technology is moving so fast we just need to get on with it. “It is excellent that this new report identifies we should immediately begin considering the role of AI to support all of the existing national strategies,” he says. “We need to consider AI in all sectors including health, education, agriculture and banking. AI will be useful in almost every way of life in New Zealand. “For example, how can AI reduce the road toll? According to this study, AI has the potential to save 64 lives a year, prevent 7200 injuries and more than $800 million in social costs. “The research clearly highlights the value of AI for achieving New Zealand’s wellbeing, sustainability and economic goals.” The report provides a showcase of AI case studies, analysis of what’s needed to boost acceptance and adoption and a first examination of Māori attitudes, perceptions of and engagement with AI. The research identifies that New Zealand urgently needs to increase its focus on areas such as investment in AI, skills and talent, research, trusted data, ethics and regulation. The report shows how AI solutions can be used to improve wellbeing, productivity and sustainability.

New equity deal announced for industry automation specialist

CR Automation managing director Peter Jenkins. An award-winning industry automation specialist is set to significantly extend its market reach thanks to a new equity partnership with a horticultural heavyweight. Following recent collaboration on a number of projects, CR Automation (CRA) has decided to sell a 50 per cent equity stake to Jenkins Group – a key industry player throughout Australasia’s horticulture post-harvest industry. With subsidiaries in New Zealand and Australia (Tauranga-based Jenkins Freshpac Systems Ltd and NSW-based J-Tech Systems PTY), Jenkins Group provides an extensive range of labelling, packaging and handling systems to the fruit and vegetable industry across both countries. Hawke’s Bay-based CR Automation provides automation, robotic and post-harvest solutions to a broad range of industries including food and beverage, water and wastewater, materials handling, cool storage, meat and wool processing and general manufacturing. Managing Director Peter Richards says the 18-year-old tech company has experienced exponential growth over the past three years and has been looking for an equity partner who could help sustain that growth and ensure longevity. “We wanted a partner founded on similar ideals who would add value and provide market access beyond our existing client base,” Richards explains. “Jenkins Group are an innovative, family-owned company with 136 years of success behind them. They are very client-focused and trade with a high level of integrity which is an excellent fit for us.” Innovation is at the core of both companies, and CRA won the “Most Innovative Solution” award for ABB robotics at the 2019 ASIA Value Provider Conference. Richards says he is immensely proud of the engineering capacity the CRA team has developed and recent growth was primarily due to a strategic initiative of developing bespoke material handling and machinery for a broad range of industry players. “Jenkins were very impressed by CR Automation’s engineering capacity […]

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