Manufacturing Technology

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 […]

A manufacturing first: how the pandemic has paved the way to a flexible work model

By Kevin Piccione, President, Sealed Air Asia Pacific Flexible working is here to stay, and it doesn’t discriminate by industry. In fact, recent research by Microsoft estimates that, across a range of industries in APAC, 73 percent of workers want flexible remote work options to continue, while 67 percent are craving more in-person time with their teams. A flexible set-up is all well and good for those of us tethered to laptops, but not necessarily an option for those in industries like manufacturing, right? Not quite. The Covid-19 pandemic forced non-location dependent peoples across Asia Pacific and the world into their homes for months. This created a need for all businesses, including those that provide essential goods and services, to swiftly adopt a new way of work where adaptability – and sometimes ingenuity – has been a means to survive and provide business continuity. Re-thinking factory work The pandemic has caused businesses at large, including manufacturing companies, to rethink location-dependent work versus non-location dependent work. The contract between employer and employee has fundamentally changed and companies that fail to rethink the workplace risk being left behind by employees in pursuit of a more flexible arrangement. From the office to the shop floor, businesses are experimenting with new operating models that do not require everyone to be physically present. Many companies eased into the transition by implementing temporary flexible work options, with long-term arrangements that prioritised and normalised flexibility. This requires a shift away from the time and attendance tradition toward more performance-based work. Where and how the agreed upon output is delivered is now open to discussion. Employees are more empowered to meet set workplace expectations and adjust schedules to better manage their own work and personal lives. For some companies, that decision is a bit more nuanced. At Sealed Air, for […]

Transforming plant maintenance with laser cleaning

If you have seen clips of lasers removing rust on YouTube you probably found them quite compelling to watch – it’s almost hard to believe. Read on as we de-mystify laser cleaning technology and give you a sense of where it can be a helpful option for plant maintenance. Portable lasers have only recently become commercially available as a tool for surface cleaning of rust, oxides, and films such as grease and oil. A focused beam of light vaporises the surface contaminants while leaving the main substrate such as steel, aluminium or stone intact. The laser can remove paints but it does depend on the paint colour and type of coating. There are different power and optical patterns that influence how the laser performs. Lasers are well suited to heavier castings but can transfer some heat into the substrate so care is required on thinner surfaces. Heat transfer can be managed by adjusting the power of the laser and how quickly it tracks across the item. The package of equipment required for laser cleaning easily fits within a van and can be wheeled into site relatively easily. The laser is a hand-held gun at the end of a long flexible hose which makes it versatile within a variety of spaces. Relative to other cleaning options the laser is very safe to use with only ventilation, laser safety glasses and gloves required during operation. A helpful aspect of the laser is light conforms to the surface where it is pointed making it a lot easier to clean complex shapes with a lot of angles and curves. Importantly laser cleaning minimises secondary effects associated some surface cleaning options. There is no blast media or chemical residue to contend with. The vaporised contaminants are simply captured by a vacuum system alongside the laser […]

Hey Yabble announced at Techweek 2021

Hey Yabble is an artificial intelligence-powered super engine, revolutionising the speed and efficiency by which data is transformed into rich insightful knowledge. Comprised of cutting edge AI tools and algorithms, the New Zealand-made market research insights product allows businesses to save hours in data analysis, dramatically improving productivity and allowing them to use their data smarter. Hey Yabble was announced at Techweek 2021 by co-founders Kathryn Topp and Rachel O’Shea, whose vast experience in research and marketing include the successful innovative market research digital platform Yabble which launched in 2017 and connects with over 62 million consumers worldwide. The Yabble team used their deep research domain expertise to create this new transformational market research insights product. CEO of Hey Yabble, Kathryn Topp commented: “Hey Yabble is a “disruptive” market research tool, changing the way we traditionally approach market research. “By combining five different technologies and more than 20 years of market research expertise amongst our team, we are extremely proud to have been able to deliver a first-in-class AI powered insights generator that will impact the industry and businesses, both big and small, around the world.” On average, an expert coder would take approximately 3.3 hours to handle 1000 survey responses. Hey Yabble can process the same data in just 47 seconds and provides a full analysis of the coded data with an insight report of its findings and actionable priorities. Hey Yabble is currently in the last phase of a closed-group BETA release that includes Sky New Zealand. Sky’s Customer Experience & Insights Manager Jeremy Duffin said: “We’ve been really impressed with the new Hey Yabble tool, it’s incredibly fast and accurate. “In comparing Hey Yabble outputs to those created by our insights team, we were able to confirm the accuracy and speed of analysing complex questions, as well […]

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