Manufacturing Technology

Filtration face off: Melt-blown fibres versus electrospun nanofibres

New research into the effectiveness of melt-blown fibres and electrospun nanofibres has found nanofibre filter media provides significantly increased protection against bacteria and viruses such as Covid-19. The research, conducted by Dr Fabrice Karabulut from Revolution Fibres in New Zealand, contrasts and compares nanofibre filtration with traditional melt blown filters in light of increased global demand for PPE and the future need for more effective face masks. Dr Karabulut says melt blowing, a commercially successful and low-cost process for producing filtration microfibres, produces fibres with diameters in the range of 1-10 micrometres. “The structure of a melt-blown filter is like a non-uniform fishing net. Its pores are 1-3 micrometres in diameter which are much larger than bacteria and viruses which are just 0.1 micrometres.” He says the diameters of nanofibre range from 10 – 300 nanometres, which is 10 – 100 times smaller than conventional melt-blown microfibres, meaning they are very effective in protecting against viruses such as COVID, bacteria and other toxic particles. “Electrospun nanofibre is characterised by a very large surface area and small pore diameter which significantly increases the probability of particles in the smaller, submicron and nanometre range depositing on the fibre surface – thereby improving filter efficiency.” Increased breathability and reusable Dr Karabulut’s research is contained in the White Paper Melt-Blown Fibres vs. Electrospun Nanofibres as Filtration Media which outlines the differences between nanofibre filtration capability and melt-blown filtration. As well as increased filtration performance, he also found the breathability and reusable nature of nanofibre made it superior to melt-blown filtration. “The current pandemic has amplified the need for masks to be reusable but retain effectiveness,” he says. “A recent study testing the reusability of melt-blown and nanofibre filters when cleaned with ethanol showed melt-blown filters were only effective for single use due to the […]

The Interview: Greg Kushnir, Founder, Emrod

Greg Kushnir. How are you finding current business conditions?Challenging. But there’s really only two things one can do about it. Complain (which doesn’t help much) or get busy doing whatever possible to persevere. We have been very busy all through the Covid-19 turmoil and actually hired additional staff during lockdown. Do you believe that through adversity opportunities exist?Competition is important and so is having an incentive to those who “win” it. It provides the sense of urgency which is essential for turning a good idea into a great start-up. This virus is not going to go anywhere soon. Has Covid impacted on your business plans? It has, unfortunately. It’s rather hard to build things like electronic systems and antennas if you can’t access your lab and test facilities. We have also suffered from delays in supply of components from overseas. But we have been luckier than most and I’m very grateful to be living in a country that has dealt with Covid so well. We have colleagues and friends overseas that have been under lockdown for months now. My heart goes to them. I wish we could do more to help those who have been less fortunate in dealing with the pandemic. Is your company utilising government financial assistance? We are. We have been utilising an R&D grant from Callahan Innovation. It would have been very hard to get to where we are without the consistent support we have been receiving from Callahan Innovation which extends far beyond the financial support. What are your short and long term plans for Emrod ? Develop deep IP in New Zealand and make sure we are providing maximum value to Kiwi employees and investors. In the short term we will be developing and delivering wireless power systems to electricity distribution companies. I would […]

Investment in our manufacturing industry is a win-win for all

-Helen Down,Chief Executive, Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce. “The most important thing the Government can do in these turbulent times is to keep a strong manufacturing base in New Zealand. This will not only help solve the unemployment situation but it supports local supply chains and has a strong flow on effect to all society. “The Hutt Valley itself has a huge manufacturing base. There’s not a lot we can’t do in this valley and across New Zealand. “We have all the skills and resources as well as business owners motivated and keen to act with speed and manufacture things quickly,” said Helen Down, Chief Executive of Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce. Since March the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, along with Hutt City Council and Upper Hutt City Council, has been running a Hutt Valley Covid 19 Business Support Programme through various levels of lockdown. It has been working to ensure local companies get all the support they can and has been raising the profile of the needs of the manufacturing sector with government. “Several of our local manufacturers instantly pivoted their business during lockdown earlier in the year and have proven they can very quickly adapt their products and services to meet sudden domestic demand changes. “We all need to see this sector for what it can be going forward, and not what it used to be decades ago.” One example came as a result of a significant downturn in business at Lockdown. Local packaging and supplies company Packaging Products partnered with local manufacturer Aluminium Extrusions to create and supply a pedal operated freestanding hand foam sanitiser dispenser which requires no batteries or sensors. Aluminium Extrusions quickly designed and manufactured the unit with Packaging Products supplying the hand sanitiser as well as some distribution. Together, with the Hutt […]

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 […]

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 […]

Key technologies driving manufacturing transformation

While Covid-19 has been disruptive across industries, the manufacturing industry is presented with an opportunity to come out the other side stronger than before. Manufacturers must re-examine their processes and even their entire business model to find new efficiencies and ways to compete with offshore firms. As the sector moves closer to Industry 4.0, it is essential for manufacturers to be aware of the technologies that are likely to shape strategies and priorities across the next five years, according to Epicor Software. Greg O’Loan, regional vice president, ANZ, Epicor Software Corporation, said, “Manufacturing is a sector ideally placed to benefit from emerging technologies. Industry 4.0 is a global concept that predicts the manufacturing sector will experience a fourth industrial revolution, this time based on digital technology. “With the right solutions in place, manufacturers will be able to make smarter decisions, optimise processes, deliver a better customer experience and, ultimately, outperform their overseas counterparts. “To achieve this, decision-makers in manufacturing firms need to gain a thorough understanding of the solutions lining up to transform the industry in the next five years.” Epicor has identified the top four areas of technology that will drive digital transformation in the manufacturing sector: Artificial intelligence (AI) AI and data strategies are fundamental for all businesses, and organisations that do not already have a roadmap in place for AI could face an uphill battle to compete. Three-quarters of C-suite executives surveyed by Accenture said they believed if they did not scale AI in the next five years, they could go out of business entirely. (1) In manufacturing, AI can be used for everything from optimising production lines to automating defect checking, resulting in fewer costly defects and increasing overall productivity. Internet of Things (IoT) and 5G IoT solutions are continuing to gain rapid momentum in manufacturing […]

The future of thermoplastics

There are two major types of resin used in the production of composites — thermosetting and thermoplastic. Thermosetting resins are currently the most common, but as composite use expands, thermoplastic resins are increasingly being explored. Thermosetting resins are hardened via curing, using heat, to form heavily cross-linked polymers with insoluble or infusible rigid bonds that will not melt on exposure to heat. On the other hand, thermoplastics are branches or chains of monomers that soften when heated and solidify once cooled — a reversible process with no chemical bonding. Put simply, you can re-melt and re-form a thermoplastic, but not a thermoset. Why thermosets rule Thermosetting resins, such as epoxies or polyesters, are popular for composite production because their low viscosity helps achieve good penetration into the fibre network. This allows for the use of more fibres and increases the strength of the final composite material. The process for a thermosetting resin begins, in the pultrusion process, with the fibres being immersed in resin, which are then pulled into a die where heat is applied. This starts the curing reaction that converts the low molecular weight liquid resin into solid three-dimensional network structure, locking the fibres into this newly formed network. Because most curing reactions are exothermic, once the reaction has begun it will readily propagate, making thermoset production easily scalable. Once set, the three-dimensional structure locks the fibre in place and gives the composite its strength and rigidity. The rise of the thermoplasticThermoplastics and thermoplastic composites have been around for some time, especially for short fibre applications. But new attention is being drawn towards thermoplastics, due to the rising need for additional light weighting without the loss of structural stability, especially in the automotive industry. One specific example is the potential to use thermoplastic composite to reduce the weight […]

Can we be more productive?

By Ian Walsh, Managing Director, Intent Group Over the past 50 years, New Zealand has been on a negative GDP trajectory versus the OECD, sliding from 5th place to 22nd! The top 10 countries average 60% more productivity per person per capita in US$ than we do, and this gap has been widening since the mid 1980’s.* The general consensus is that we work hard, and the statistics say we work more hours than most. Clearly this is the harder not smarter argument. Perhaps Sir Paul Callaghan captured it best when he said, “In New Zealand we sense, somehow we are not as prosperous as we would like.” Without highly productive businesses we will not be able to generate the income to invest in human and physical capital, to create the society and country we aspire to. So why are we less productive? There has been a lot of research over the years, with the traditional arguments being that our costs are higher as we are further away from market. The research, however, shows that we should be 20% above the average** and playing in the top 10, but we are not. This is due to: Weak international connections. New Zealand firms face reduced access to large markets and limited participation in global value chains, where the transfer of advanced technologies now often occurs. Underinvestment in “knowledge-based capital”. In particular, R&D undertaken by the business sector is among the lowest in the OECD, reducing the capacity for “frontier innovation” and the ability of firms to absorb new ideas developed elsewhere (“technological catch-up”). The quality of management in New Zealand is low, which decreases the productivity gains from new technology. I find these outcomes interesting, but not surprising. 90% of NZ businesses are SME’s who can’t afford HR or a training manager, let alone an innovation manager! Most investment is managed by the entrepreneur who started the […]

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