Manufacturing Technology

Beckhoff automation solutions

Founded in 1980, by Hans Beckoff (pictured) as a one-man operation, Beckhoff implements open automation systems using proven PC-based control technology. Primary areas their product range covers include industrial PCs, I/O and fieldbus components, drive technology, automation software as well as control cabinet-free automation. Products that can be used as separate components or integrated into a complete and mutually compatible control system are available for all sectors. The company’s new automation technology stands for universal and industry-independent control and automation solutions that are used worldwide in a large variety of different applications, ranging from CNC-controlled machine tools to intelligent building control. Development of innovative products and solutions based on PC-based control technology is key to the company’s continued success. The company has recognised many standards in automation technology that are taken for granted and introduced to the market as innovations. Beckhoff’s philosophy of PC-based control as well as the invention of the Lightbus system and TwinCAT automation software are milestones in automation technology and have proven themselves as powerful alternatives to traditional control technology. EtherCAT, the real-time Ethernet solution, provides a powerful and future-oriented technology for a new generation of control concepts. Beckhoff is headquartered in Verl, Germany and there are 4,500 employees worldwide and 1,900 engineers. The company has 39 representative offices worldwide from an overall total of 75 representatives worldwide. The corporate headquarters of Beckhoff Automation GmbH & Co. KG in Verl, Germany, is the site of the central departments such as development, production, administration, sales, marketing, support and service. Beckhoff is represented in New Zealand with offices in Auckland. Technical training is available.

Panel Building: Everything you need to build and maintain your panel

RS PRO are experts in Industrial Control Panels. And for good reason. They are the control centre of countless industrial operations, and without them production stands still. This guide gives buyers, and experts alike, a quick guide to the ins and outs of control panels. Where to start? Panels are effectively the brains, containing the components necessary to control and manage devices, electrical systems, production plants and industrial machines. They function as the interface point between the machine operator and the production line, and transmit acoustic, visual, and video signals to ensure constant monitoring. The operator input commands can be completely digital (touch screen panel) or physical (buttons, switches) while the output signals (machine side) are sound and visual alarms, and video responses on how the plant is working. From the outside The meters on the outside serve as an interface with a machine-operator and employee. They display energy, temperature, counters, and voltmeters. The ammeters show the numerical values that the panel commands and switch to intervene on the machinery. This can turn the machinery on and off and use sounders & beacons to signal possible problems. The human touch RS PRO now boasts a human-machine interface (HMI) for the first time in its range. A user-friendly and interactive touchscreen panel displays the plant graphically, enabling users to operate and evaluate functionality via the software. The graphic interface can be programmed, and reprogrammed for different functions and in the case of modifications to the plant. Inside the Box A panel cannot exist without an enclosure containing all its components. Known as a wall box even if it does not hang exclusively on walls. The DIN Rail components contain everything from power supplies and contactors, relays, terminal blocks and Ethernet switches, to timer relays and axial fans. Connected by cables & […]

What gets measured gets managed

Ian Walsh, Managing Director, Intent Group I have recently visited a couple of companies and was surprised to see little, if any, data collection in real time. What’s more surprising is that many SMEs don’t even have good in-process data collection. “Oh, that old chestnut”, I hear you say. It is fundamental to any improvement program to have a good understanding of what is going on in your process. Yet here we are nearly in 2022 with a significant number of companies having little-to-no structured data collection to manage their processes. What’s even more criminal is that in this new technology-enabled Internet-of-Things (IoT), industry 4.0 stage, that there really is no excuse. There are many off-the-shelf systems that can be installed, connected up and set going in just an afternoon! These aren’t expensive either – compared to the cost of manual collection, they pay for themselves many times over in a year, not only in the time saved, but also in the quality of information provided. The critical thing with many processes is that many of the “losses” (time, quality defects, lost product and other wastes) are not easily visible as you move further and further from the process. The quality of the data available therefore becomes more and more critical to driving improvement efforts and maximising the best use of your critical resources. The best manual systems can achieve up to 95% accuracy, but most are operating in the 70-90% range and this require overhead to maintain. The issue with these systems is that the data that is usually not captured is the high-frequency short-duration stops. Of course, the low-frequency long-duration stops (like mechanical breakdowns) everyone knows about because everything has stopped. The short duration, high frequency stops however, is more like death by a thousand cuts. It seems […]

Adoption of Industry 4.0 paves the way for growth in manufacturing

by Dr Troy Coyle, CEO, HERA Our world is changing. Climate change and pandemics have garnered much attention but there is another revolution underway. One that is likely to change the very fabric of the way we live and work. It is called Industry 4.0 and is the next stage of the industrial revolution. In 1794, the industrial revolution forever changed manufacturing with the introduction of the mechanical loom. Things changed fast. A mere hundred years later the first production line enabled mass production. Jump forward another hundred years and we witnessed the birth of industrial robots, that together with advances in electronics and IT have automated much of the manufacturing process. Today, we are entering a new age – Industry 4.0 – the age of cyber-physical systems; the marriage of physical production, and smart digital technology. It is not sci-fi. It is not the realm of filmmakers and futurists. Change is happening now and promises to transform industry as much, if not more so than, the introduction of water, steam, and electricity did in the past. What is Industry 4.0? In essence, Industry 4.0 enables companies to have better control and understanding of their business. The new technologies save time, boost productivity, and reduce waste. A panacea for considerable and sustainable growth. A quick search of the internet will provide you with a mountain of anachronisms – IoT, IIoT, CPS, AI, Big Data – to explain Industry 4.0. It is a catch-all term that encompasses all the technologies that enable businesses to collect and analyse data to help automate and streamline their systems and processes. It promises faster response times, increased efficiency and profits, and better quality products at a lower cost. Impact of new technology HERA’s latest report in collaboration with BERL, ‘Modelling the potential economic impacts of […]

EECA building energy use picture amongst NZ food and beverage businesses

The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) is building a picture of energy use in the NZ Food and Beverage sector (not including dairy, meat and seafood). Importantly, the findings of this project will help EECA to design effective programmes to support energy efficiency and decarbonisation for the Food and Beverage sector. To participate in the study – a simple survey, which is due in by the end of October – should take 15-20 minutes and can be completed online at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MTPVXPP

What is Speedglas Generation 5?

Generation 5 is the latest collection of Speedglas welding helmets that showcase a truly groundbreaking array of never-before-seen features. Each helmet is designed from inception to be uniquely tailored to a specific application, from heavy-duty welding in hard-wearing environments to critical precision TIG work. However, this is not to say these helmets are rigid in their capabilities. On the contrary, the Generation 5 series has been built on the premise that any high-performance welding helmet should be fully customisable to the preferences of each individual welder. The result, after extensive input from professional welders, is an elite welding helmet range that manages to be both highly specialised and versatile in equal measure. Speedglas G5-02: a new world standard in precision viewing As with past 3M Speedglas designs, the concept for the Speedglas G5-02 Welding Helmet originated from consulting professional welders. When it came to creating a helmet specifically for TIG welding, the feedback from TIG welders was unanimous: a wide view rated significantly higher than a taller view. The only way to achieve these exponentially wider views without the compromise of making the helmet wider was to invent a curved welding lens: and now, after dedicating two decades to this goal, Speedglas have delivered the world’s first curved auto-darkening lens! This groundbreaking new arrival has been designed to follow the shape of your head and maximise your natural range of vision by 100% when compared to a conventional flat lens. The curved G5-02 lens also provides highly advanced electronics, with four arc sensors that will detect an arc down to an industry-leading 1 Amp. This in turn ensures the lens can reliably react to the extremely stable arcs offered by the latest high-end inverter based TIG machines. Bluetooth enabled, so you can securely pair your smartphone to your welding lens […]

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, 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 […]

WRONZ launches Wool Source

Wool Research Organisation of New Zealand Inc (WRONZ) has announced its world-class research initiative with the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) to explore new uses for New Zealand’s strong wool has led to the development of unique wool particles, powders and pigments with global export potential for applications as diverse as cosmetics, printing, luxury goods and personal care. WRONZ unveiled the innovative wool products at an event to celebrate the achievements from its New Uses for Strong Wool programme, supported by research, industry and funding partners. WRONZ also announced the launch of commercial development company Wool Source to develop the new products and assess market demand for the strong wool innovation. WRONZ further announced the completion of its pilot production facility to manufacture its first deconstructed wool ingredients from 100 per cent biodegradable, renewable and sustainable New Zealand strong wool. The launch event also provided the opportunity to announce investment from the Ministry for Primary Industries to fund further product lines and commercial development as part of the wider New Uses for Strong Wool programme. MPI is contributing $1.95 million via its Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures (SFF Futures) fund alongside $2.92 million from WRONZ. The three-year programme aims to prove the commercial viability of the new deconstructed wool particle products. The goal is to develop more sustainable product ingredient alternatives for global manufacturers and consumers – while revitalising New Zealand’s strong wool sector, creating new value for our economy and communities. Additionally, The Strong Wool Action Group (SWAG) announced it was jointly funding Wool Source’s market engagement alongside WRONZ. SWAG chief executive Andy Caughey says, “We’re providing support for Wool Source to undertake a deep dive project into particles, powders and pigments markets to assess the scale and viability of the commercial opportunity. “New Zealand’s wool […]

Inflation pressure triggers uncertainty and volatility for manufacturing sector

-Rebecca Reed Rapidly rising costs for businesses, a lack of skilled and unskilled workers, increasing inflation and shipping delays are putting huge pressure on New Zealand’s business environment and the consumer is about to feel it. The latest Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce Business Confidence Survey found inflationary pressure is increasing and between a third and a half of all businesses are expecting to increase their prices in the next 3 to 12 months. It also found more than half of all businesses are expecting increased costs, yet less than 25% are expecting increasing profitability. Covid-19 economic impacts, growing concern around government policy and labour shortages are holding businesses back nationally. The survey shows labour shortages as the single biggest barrier to business for more than 60% of businesses. This is at unprecedented levels. “The business environment continues to be increasingly difficult – while the economy has rebounded strongly and demand continues to be strong, the ability for firms to deliver is fraught with a wide range of risks and cost increases. “These cost increases and risks are more widespread across business type and size as all companies try to adapt to the rapidly changing business environment,” said Helen Down, Chief Executive of Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce. Down says she is hearing from businesses unable to commit to fixed prices or a delivery timeline due to the totally uncertain environment. “This time last year our survey found business owners were experiencing small increases in costs and holding prices but now costs are increasing rapidly, and the consumer is only just starting to feel it. The situation is set to deteriorate quickly when businesses are forced to not only increase prices but not even commit to a set price in the next six months,” said Down. The Wellington Electric Boat […]

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