Product News

NanoLayr’s sustainability roadmap charts the way

Article from Dr.Barbara Nebel,CEO, thinkstep-anz www.thinkstep-anz.com Want to make your manufacturing business more environmentally and socially sustainable? When you’re a busy manufacturer, investing in a sustainability roadmap can be the difference between talking about sustainability and making it happen. In this article we explain what a sustainability roadmap is and why your business needs one. We also talk with Auckland-based functional textile manufacturer NanoLayr about the benefits it’s seeing from theirs. What is a sustainability roadmap? A sustainability roadmap charts the course your business plans to take to become more environmentally and socially sustainable. Think of it like a Google map. Plug in your destination (a more sustainable manufacturing business) and Google offers up a host of ideas to help you with your journey. Street names and directions? These are the high-level sustainability actions you need to take to reach your destination. In a manufacturing business they may include sourcing renewable materials or tackling waste in your packaging. Alternative routes? Think of these as your options and trade-offs. There are many ways to become more sustainable. You’ll need to assess different projects and prioritise them. Distances and different modes of transport? These are the resources you’ll need to commit and the people you’ll need to involve: team members with clear responsibilities, external stakeholders such as suppliers, and (probably) some budget. Journey times? They’re the high-level timelines you’ll work to. Map your sustainability actions into blocks of time. You may be able to complete some within six months to a year. Other activities will take longer. Assign them over the medium term (say one to two years) and longer term (say two years plus). Bring this ‘journey’ information together and you have your sustainability roadmap: a summary of your sustainability goals and the projects, resources and timetable that will help […]

RS PRO launches energy efficiency products for NZ manufacturers

RS is again expanding its Australasian RS PRO range with the addition of products that deliver improved energy saving and efficiency. Due to the popularity of these products they are being fast-tracked to market and will launch in September. The product range is tailored to reduce energy consumption from building facilities and the production line, from solar panel solutions, smart lighting options and high-efficiency power supplies. “We’re helping our customers embrace energy efficiency with the RS Pro brand,” says Scott Philbrook, Managing Director RS ANZ. “Both production line and facilities products are part of this launch. From energy meters, power supplies and lighting right down to PPE and Tool Kits that deliver improved energy savings and efficiency are included.” Each RS PRO product is backed by the RS Seal of Approval, which represents industry standards for audit, inspection, test, and certification. This, combined with longer than average warranties reflects RS Components confidence in the quality and longevity of their products. According to Scott, the expansion in the range is meeting demand in the market for affordable options for engineers looking for a choice. “Every corner of the manufacturing environment is being pressured by energy costs and this is an opportunity for our customers to have variety in their product selection,” he explained. RS has supreme confidence in the RS PRO brand and has invested heavily in expanding these product ranges and anticipates a favourable response and uptake in both the Australian and New Zealand markets.

How to successfully deliver your CRM project with Clarity, Simplicity and Certainty.

-Scott Fuller, Exception. Article 1 :: Project Charter – Universal Buy-in This is the first in a series of 6 articles looking at how to successfully deliver your CRM project, the rest of the series will look at: Architecture and Integration – The Big Picture Partner Selection – A Vendor vs A Partner Data; Data; Data – The Devil is in the Detail Project Management – Quality, On Time, On Budget Users, Usability and Usage – First, Last and Always The purpose of the Project Charter is to engage all interested and/or potentially affected parties, solicit feedback and gain a mandate to move to the next phase. It is a Pre-liminary Business Case, a succinct document preferably with an equally succinct presentation containing: Purpose: Definition and those Responsible Benefit: Objectives and KPIs, including indication of costs Resources: Key Players and Roles (RASCI Model), including external parties if known Architecture: Technology added, impacted or replaced Scope: Deliverables and Key Milestones The expected outcome is that everyone in the business is at least informed of the project scope and impact and those Responsible for the Delivery and Accountable for the Benefits are ready to drive the Project to its successful conclusion. The introduction of this Project ‘Vision’ gives many parts of the business an opportunity to participate in its inception and contribute to the direction. It should always be a 2-way engagement to create valuable buy-in and support. 3 x Critical Success Factors These are CSF’s for the Charter, not the Project: Multi-level and multi-functional buy in At the initiation of any project it is easy, and safer, to confine the visibility to the immediate user group and line management. However a customer management solution to be successful will require the commitment of all parts of the organisation, from Board to Basement, […]

Kemppi releases new MasterMig range

Leading international welding equipment manufacturer, Kemppi, has released its new MIG/MAG MasterMig welding machine models 353 and 355. The 358 model is scheduled for release later this year. Designed in conjunction with professional welders, the new MasterMig range delivers a range of features to help enhance industrial welding productivity and quality. Faster set-up for greater productivity The new, compact and powerful Kemppi MasterMig range comes with Weld Assist as standard. This feature lets users set-up welding parameters quickly and easily to save time and improve productivity levels. By simply selecting the joint type, welding position and material thickness, users are ready to weld. Equipped with memory channels, the MasterMig range also lets users save chosen parameters for fast retrieval. The ability to save customised settings means welders do not have to go through an initial setup for every job. At the turn of a knob, they can highlight the desired setting and proceed to weld. Highly convenient, this feature saves precious time, while helping to increase productivity. Better Arc Performance Delivers More Productivity For greater welding productivity and control, the MasterMig 355 and 358 models can switch on the new MAX arc performance welding processes. MAX Cool, MAX Position and MAX Speed are new Kemppi welding processes that offer solutions for challenging steel, stainless steel and aluminum welding applications by increasing productivity, minimising spatter and speeding up welding without compromising quality. The MAX software options easily integrate with the MasterMig 355 and 358 models. A choice of models Suitable for use on site or at the workshop, the MasterMig range delivers real choice. It includes the 353, 355 and 358 models in the compact MIG welding category. These are available as manual, synergic (Auto), and pulse (Auto Pulse) welding options. Users can also choose to weld with gas-cooled guns […]

Company Profile: Nautech Electronics

Nautech at EMEX 2022. Nautech Electronics has worked tirelessly for over 30 years to deliver their clients the high-quality electronic solutions they need. They use the very latest technology and Kiwi ingenuity to establish themselves as a world leader in electronics manufacturing and product engineering. Recognising the marine industry’s growing need for electronics installation and service, Nautech was established in 1989 as a home-based business. They now operate out of a state-of-the-art facility with a team of 78 specialists. With an innovative and collaborative approach, Nautech focus on excellent service, reliable delivery, IP protection and competitive pricing. Today, Nautech continue to deliver their clients the world-class electronic solutions they need to succeed. At Nautech, Quality isn’t just a process – It’s their philosophy. Nautech has partnered with the EMA for the Callaghan Innovation funded Smart Factory Showcase as part of the Industry 4.0 Demonstration Network which launches in July. Andrew Turner, Managing Director and Owner shares the company’s path: Can you tell us a little more about Nautech and the customers you serve? We manufacture for almost all industry sectors, from consumer to automotive, marine, aeronautical the way to defence and aerospace. We also design and develop products for customers as well as our own range of emergency warning products. Can you explain what Total Quality Management means to Nautech? TQM starts with management but is really a culture, it needs “buy in” from the whole team. At Nautech, all members participate in improving processes, products, services, and their own work environment. What advances have you seen in manufacturing since Nautech was established in 1989? So many! Back then, almost all electronics used thru hole components. We purchased our first wave soldering machine in 1996, and later that year, our first SMT placement machine. It was 2000 before we upgraded […]

RS PRO grow their IoT range

RS Components have responded to growing demand for Industrial IoT solutions and launched another 300 products in their RS PRO IoT range this June. IO-link sensors, data cables and HMI displays, including antennas and network testing equipment, are just some of the new products in the range. This brings the RS PRO IoT offer to over 8400 IoT enabling and smart connectivity products. “We’re helping our customers embrace the IoT revolution”, says Scott Philbrook, Managing Director RS Components AU/NZ. “From wireless pressure transducers, to help safely monitor pressure in hazardous or inaccessible locations, to sensor boxes, which are compatible with all sensor brands, our Industrial IoT range has what our customers need to improve their operational efficiency.” Each RS PRO product is backed by the RS Seal of Approval, which represents industry standards for audit, inspection, test and certification. This – combined with longer than average product warranties – reflects RS confidence in the quality and longevity of their products. According to Scott, the expansion in the range is meeting demand in the market for affordable options for engineers looking for a choice. “We’ve seen an upswing in the sourcing of our current IoT product range and due to interest in other product verticals we have gone to work on this expansive range,” he explained. RS PRO makes IoT practical and accessible for everyone, providing a dedicated range with a wide variety of smart objects and elements needed to connect them together. The enhanced Industrial IoT range will be welcomed by RS PRO’s loyal customer base. These people recognise that as demands on productivity increase, only the smartest workplace, with the smartest tools, will win the race of efficiency. Check out the RS PRO guide to the Internet of Things here: RS PRO IoT range

Getting back on track

It is very good news that the country is now in Orange and flexibility around people gathering allows business to breathe a sigh of relief. We can only go up from here! As a nation – as a business nation – we have been wrapped up in Covid cotton wool for so long that many businesses closed and others will not get back to previous levels of performance. And of course, we don’t have enough skilled people for the work at hand at present and the continual threat of OE and crossing the ditch for better financial reward means it will be years before New Zealand can get back on a firm financial footing. Into the black…if at all. Keeping all the balls in the air is a challenge for this small economy, with so much demand on government finances to maintain existing systems. Closing down the country during Covid may have worked for health and safety but certainly not for business. One could argue that an amount of money needs to be spent on skilled workers, both internal and from overseas, (some will come back) to help realign the economy. Decent rates of pay so that effort is rewarded and a real incentive for improving productivity and efficiency. Keeping in mind, of course, that supply chain issues affect movement of goods, affect productivity, just as it does the current demand for New Zealand products. Changing markets, changing times. This government is going to have to live with their decision to halt the good work of so many businesses for the rest of their lives. It will haunt them to know that those who had, suddenly, had not. To arbitrarily decide who trades and who doesn’t – not based on their own personal business experience – was always going to […]

Tough conditions see SMEs seeking new government leadership

More than two thirds of local SMEs believe the economy will decline in the coming year Dissatisfaction with Government performance sits at 60% National’s Christopher Luxon leads preferred PM poll by 17 points Low economic confidence underpinned by revenue struggles, profitability declines, rising inflation, and the lingering impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, is prompting more local SME owners and decision makers to seek a change in the country’s leadership, according to new data from the 2022 MYOB Business Monitor. The nationwide survey of over 1,000 SME owners and managers – running annually since 2009 – highlighted that confidence in the economy was approaching levels last seen during the first outbreak of the pandemic in March 2020, with large numbers of SMEs reporting falling revenue and slowing quarterly activity. More than two thirds (68%) of local SMEs believe the New Zealand economy will decline in the next 12 months. Over a quarter (29%) expect that decline to be significant, while in contrast just 16% of SMEs believe the economy will improve over the coming year. MYOB Head of Go-to Market, Jo Tozer, explains that the steep decline in SME confidence follows a perfect storm of conditions negatively affecting business operations. “If we just look back over the past six months, SMEs have had to navigate a tough second half of 2021, worsening supply chain disruptions and inflationary pressures, and a new Covid-19 outbreak hampering operations and staffing abilities in the first few months of this year,” says Jo. “It was concerning when we saw the proportion of SMEs saying they expected the economy to decline reach 55% in October last year – up from 41% in March, but these latest confidence numbers are even more worrying. “With the exception of when Covid-19 initially reached our shores and we entered the first […]

New Euchner MBM bus module for EtherCAT P

If there is one area where applications are becoming ever-more complex, it’s safety engineering. Euchner has not only kept up with this trend with its Multifunctional Gate Box (MGB) safety door system, but has gone a step further by employing modular design to make the MGB2 Modular fully customisable for maximum optimisation. Available from Treotham, the modular system features a separate locking module, bus module and submodules, making it suitable for implementing a wide range of additional functions. In addition, the brand new bus module MBM is available in a version that connects to EtherCAT P, which means that every single function of the Multifunctional Gate Box 2 (MGB2 Modular) safety door system can also be used with EtherCAT P. Following on from its market firsts in PROFINET and EtherNet/IP connection, this is another success, reasserting the company’s claim as a pioneer of innovative bus systems. In this latest system, comprehensive diagnostic functions in the form of EtherCAT messages and the integrated web server provide a fast and detailed overview of the device status. Due to the ease with which parameters can be set, even replacing the system during servicing is a simple matter and takes no more than a few minutes.

igus 7th axis extends working space by up to 400 percent

Articulated arm robots can travel over six metres, quadrupling their working space: the 7th axis is now compatible with all lightweight articulated arm robots worldwide thanks to a simple Plug & Play kit. So far, models from Universal Robots, Epson and the igus robolink series from Treotham have benefited from this increased mobility. Now Omron, Franka Emika, Doosan, Yuanda Robotics and many other lightweight robotics suppliers are joining the list. The first users of the so-called 7th axis, a linear axis with an electric toothed belt drive that igus launched in 2020, were thrilled according to Alexander Mühlens: “Suddenly, thanks to the additional axis, their articulated arm robots are as mobile as humans. This enables them to take on multiple tasks in automation environments making them significantly more productive,” says the Head of Automation Technology at igus. “We therefore decided to extend the compatibility of the system to all manufacturers worldwide – such as Omron, Franka Emika, Doosan and Yuanda Robotics. With a matching Plug & Play kit of hardware and software we make customisation possible.” Ready-to-connect complete solution for all lightweight articulated arm robots In the future, all lightweight articulated arm robots with a weight range of 10 to 50 kilograms or, depending on the dynamics, a payload of 2 to 20 kilograms can use the 7th axis. Treotham supplies the system as a ready-to-connect complete solution from a single source. It consists of a drylin ZLW toothed belt axis with a length of up to six metres and two parallel rails made of aluminium. These can be mounted on the floor, walls or ceilings and a toothed belt drive with stepper motor for a positioning accuracy of 0.3 millimetres. Also included is: an energy chain for guiding energy and data cables; a switch cabinet integration kit with cables; […]

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