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ATNZ Apprentice of the Year a story of resilience

Perseverance and passion were rewarded for Lachlan Hamilton-Ralph, named the Apprentice Training New Zealand (ATNZ) Apprentice of the Year 2020 at the recent awards ceremony in Auckland. General engineering apprentice Lachlan was runner-up for the award in 2019, which celebrates an ATNZ apprentice who demonstrates outstanding performance in their work, a great attitude, is proactive on the job and demonstrates pride and enjoyment in what they do. This is the third year of the annual awards for ATNZ, a not-for-profit group training organisation (GTO) that employs more than 330 engineering apprentices and places them with host companies around New Zealand where they do their learning. Following feedback from the judges that year, Lachlan and his workplace Obtuse Limited worked hard to prepare him for another shot at the coveted award, and he was delighted to walk away with the trophy. Representing the judges, ATNZ general manager Susanne Martin said they had a difficult time coming to their decision on the winner. “I say it every year, but it’s true: the calibre of applications and the passion for their work and studies exemplified in those submissions, continues to blow the minds of the judging panel. “This year has been the toughest yet. Our judges were spellbound by the level of detail, high standard of references, and touches of humour. On more than one occasion they were heard to remark: ‘Can’t we give it to them all?’” Ms Martin described how they were impressed with Lachlan’s thoughtful and thorough application and glowing feedback from colleagues and customers. “Lachlan’s exemplary references, particularly from Obtuse customers, his outstanding study performance, and the variety of extra responsibilities he has taken on, really wowed us. We were also inspired by his resilience, in the face of both a challenging year with the global pandemic and in […]

What we said when the PM came to visit

– Sarah Ramsay, Chief Executive Officer, United Machinists The Prime Minister was so disappointed she couldn’t make United’s Hawaiian launch party, she dropped in for a visit a couple of weeks later with her own party of some 30 media, entourage and diplomatic police. We can confirm it isn’t an act – Jacinda Ardern in person is the real-deal, a people person that puts you at ease immediately and is genuinely interested. Thoughtful, curious and obviously read up before her visit, she was eager to discuss the operations of our workshop and our views on the contract manufacturing industry: How difficult is it to find skilled staff? What can be done to help push apprenticeships? What can schools be doing to draw attention to careers in engineering? Why is it important for NZ to retain manufacturing? What can the government do to help push this? We told her our vision was to bring sexy back into manufacturing – she had a good laugh at that. We told her that now is the time for a renaissance of hi-tech manufacturing in New Zealand. The time to redefine what manufacturing looks like. That it’s not a dirty old mill or lathe, with ‘you’ll get it when its good and ready’ service. It’s the ‘Machine Shop of the Future’ – a state of the art, temperature-controlled facility making highly intricate parts for industries such as medical, cinematography, marine and aerospace. Utilising the very latest in CNC, robotic and software technology available. But that investments into machine capacity will come to nought, if we don’t have the highly skilled people to run them. Of the seven qualified CNC machinists we have hired in the past 18 months, six have been from overseas. “Go hard & Go Early” – a motto often used by Prime […]

Rotate cables and hoses for energy, data and media at high speeds safely

igus has developed the twisterband HD so that cables and hoses can be guided safely and reliably even during rotary movements. The lightweight energy chain, available from Treotham, is very stable, easy to fill and can even cope with rotating speeds of up to 180 degrees a second. It rotates around its own axis. Due to the long service life of the series, igus has now added two further sizes to the twisterband HD product range, these new sizes being intended for especially small installation spaces. High rotation speeds and a small installation space mean that energy cables, data cables and hoses are subjected to a great deal of stress. Compact and reliable solutions are especially called for in the case of small installation spaces such as in machine tools, and igus has therefore added two new sizes to its twisterband HD series. The energy supply series is already being used successfully in woodworking machines as well as in workpiece positioners in the automotive industry. With the twisterband, rotary movements up to 7,000 degrees are possible on the horizontal plane and 3,000 degrees on the vertical plane in an extremely small space, even at speeds of up to 180 degrees per second. Slip rings can therefore be replaced in the case of a limited rotation angle. Different media lines as well as bus cables or even fluids can be guided with one system easily, cost-effectively and without any interruption. The inner compact heights of the new sizes are 11 and 18 millimetres: optimal for very small installation spaces such as in rotary tables or on robots. High strength due to special technical design characteristics The twisterband HD is very slim, light and fits closely around its own axis of rotation. The energy chain consists of individual chain links that can […]

ACPaQ automation technology award winner

Swisslog’s ACPaQ fully automated mixed case palletising solution – of which the first installation globally was in New Zealand – has won a major German logistics award for delivering new levels of efficiency to German retail leader dm-drogerie markt Global logistics automation leader Swisslog has featured in a major international award for its fully-automated mixed case retail palletising solution, ACPaQ, which is also currently delivering heightened efficiencies for Coca Cola Amatil in Australia and New Zealand. Swisslog’s ACPaQ solution was the key component in an automation solution that won retail chain dm-drogerie markt the prestigious German Logistics Award 2020 for delivering new levels of efficiency to dm-drogerie markt’s new distribution centre in Westermark, near Berlin. The same ACPacQ technology has already been implemented Down Under by Cocal-Cola Amatil in Auckland, and is widely applicable to logistics, distribution, food and beverage and retail applications in Australasia. dm-drogerie markt is a leading German retail chain that sells cosmetics, healthcare items, household products and health food. Their innovative new distribution centre is part of the group’s investment in automation and robotics with a focus on sustainability and competitiveness. Swisslog’s ACPaQ technology is an evolution of the company’s advanced automation technology, which combines robotics solutions for palletising and depalletising with Swisslog’s CycloneCarrier shuttle technology to create a fully automated process that facilitates high throughput and reliable picking of orders. After the distribution centres in Waghäusel and Weilerswist, the new building in Wustermark is already the third major logistics project that Swisslog has completed for dm-drogerie markt. Using the “Load Build Manager” functionality from Swisslog’s “SynQ” software, the robots perform palletising in a sequential packing order – individually adapted to the depalletising or shelf-filling routes in each dm store, according to the last-in-first-out principle. Overall control of the ACPaQ system is handled by Swisslog’s “SynQ” […]

RAM3D is 3D printing titanium implants for veterinary surgery

Kora is a Land Search and Rescue (LANDSAR) dog ‘in training’ and her owner and handler is Nick Petry, a volunteer with LANDSAR in Tauranga. For over five years he’s offered his specialist skills as a highly trained volunteer to the public 24/7 as an Operational Field Member. Initially he worked without a dog and 18 months ago decided to get his own dog. This formidable team have been training hard with the aim to get Kora certified as an operational search dog. Like all LANDSAR Search dogs, she has the perfect nature, is friendly with everyone and has no aversion to anyone. All LANDSAR Search dogs that are certified in tracking, need to be able to follow ground scent where a person or persons has walked, and that scent can be a few hours or days old. They are also expected locate any articles, e.g. hat, backpack, wallet by indicating with a trained response (i.e., down stay/down stay bark/re-find). Kora was getting close to becoming certified when Nick noticed her performance had dropped off and she was a bit lame. In Nick’s own words “like any performance athlete, injury for a working dog is a high probability”. After a visit to the vet, Nick was told she would need some surgery on her lower back; the damage was done between the last disc of her spine and sacrum. Over the years RAM3D, a metal 3d printing bureau based in Tauranga have been working with Massey Vets in Palmerston North and have been 3D printing titanium parts for large numbers of dogs and cats and were asked to print the implant for Kora. The surgery was a success; Nick was surprised she walked out of the clinic straight after her operation and even though she was a bit sad and […]

Empowering the manufacturing workforce to survive the pandemic and thrive beyond it

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, labour flexibility, digital transformation and operational excellence were key pillars of an emergent Fourth Industrial Revolution. Now, these areas provide vital lifelines to build resilience during the crisis and beyond. There is now more global recognition of the need for ongoing agile operations to accelerate the adoption of modern digital tools to improve the status and proficiency of frontline work. The industrial companies that take bold action to shore up their workforce and technology investments will emerge more resilient, and more likely to succeed no matter what uncertainties come their way. Ten months ago, the first cases of Covid-19 were detected. In the time since, companies, supply chains and entire economies have been disrupted and forced to adapt to a “new normal” where change is constant, and agility is critical. More than 48% of respondents in a recent survey of the world’s top risk experts said they were most worried about a disruption of global supply chains. Another report states that the Covid-19 crisis has impacted more than 75% of the world’s manufacturing outputs. As important as it is to address immediate needs and concerns while Covid-19 case rates fluctuate around the world, manufacturers must prepare for recovery and the Great Reset ahead. “Now more than ever, industry leaders have realised that they need to transform towards agile and sustainable manufacturing. Companies must be ready for a skill shift with a rising demand for technological, social, and higher cognitive skills.” — Valérie Ferret, 3DEXPERIENCE Edu Vice President, Dassault Systèmes Even before the pandemic, labour flexibility, digital transformation and operational excellence were key pillars of an emergent Fourth Industrial Revolution. Now, these areas provide vital lifelines to build resilience during the crisis and beyond. A profound sense of urgency has organisations seeking more pragmatic solutions and approaches to identifying the skills, […]

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Podcast with Pru Gordon and some of Australia’s biggest trade deals

All’s fair in trade and war: The latest episode of digital trade platform TradeWindow’s new podcast features trade guru Pru Gordon sharing a behind the scenes look at some of Australia’s biggest trade deals. A behind-the-scenes glimpse into game-changing trade deals is explored in the latest episode of Redefining Trade, the podcast by digital trade platform TradeWindow. Pru Gordon, whose trade experience spans 25 years, revealed to podcast host and TradeWindow Chief Sales & Marketing Officer Peter Foyston a handful of highlights in her career, including seeing former trade representative for the United States (U.S.), Michael (Mike) Froman, grapple with Andrew Robb, Australia’s former Minister for Trade and Investment, over the controversial issue of biologics in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Negotiations between Australia and the U.S. centred around the protection of data used to determine the ethics and effectiveness of biologic medicines, which Gordon said was a make-or-break issue in the partnership for several countries, including Australia which came under significant pressure to shift its position. “It was fascinating to see Mike Froman – who is an unbelievably articulate and impressive person – come up against Andrew Robb, who is equally impressive with his own set of skills, but quite different,” Gordon recalled. “Andrew Robb absolutely understood the importance of those negotiations and the number of other countries in the TPP who were really relying on Australia to hold the line on this issue. It was fantastic to see the dynamic, and the different personalities of the two key negotiators and how that influenced the dialogue and way the issue was negotiated.” Another of Gordon’s most memorable moments was at the 2015 Nairobi Ministerial Conference, when World Trade Organisation (WTO) members agreed on a historic decision to eliminate agricultural export subsidies – the most important reform of international trade rules in agriculture […]

RCEP: A trading world of increased possibilities

-Doug Green, Publisher NZ Manufacturer – www.nzmanufacturer.co.nz Editorial – November issue. Important, I think, to make this Editorial about the RCEP Agreement which will open up more opportunities for New Zealand businesses. New Zealand is a member of the world’s largest free-trade deal, representing 30% of GDP, which aims to boost imports and exports with lower tariffs across 15 Asia-Pacific countries. This is a big deal and the largest free trade deal so far. At the (virtual) ASEAN Summit, held Sunday last, ministers from 15 countries signed a mega-trade agreement after eight years of negotiations, which started in 2012. Known as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement, once ratified, it will form the largest-ever regional free-trade bloc. Countries who signed were China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), including Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The 15,000-page agreement outlines tariff reductions of about 90% on traded goods and services. On top of goods and services, the agreement covers investment, economic and technical cooperation, new rules for e-commerce, intellectual property and more. When finalised, the main benefits for businesses will be: One set of rules for accessing lower tariffs in any of the 15 RCEP markets; New trade opportunities in telecommunications, professional and financial services; Improved processes for tackling non-tariff barriers such as customs procedures; Greater investment certainty; New rules on e-commerce to make it easier for businesses to trade online; A common set of intellectual property rules; and A new rules of origin agreement to boost inputs in production chains. These new measures are expected to come into effect once the majority of participating countries ratify the deal over the next two years. As I said, this is a big deal.

Question everything, nothing is off the table

Simon Ganley, managing director, Ganley Engineering Over the past three decades I have been at the sharp end of process control. Mostly with multi-national manufacturers both in NZ and internationally. This has involved a wide variety of applications in a large number of factories. I have made a lot of very useful contacts with a lot of very clever people. I have seen a lot of amazing solutions and have also seen a lot of dumb stupidity that has cost a lot of money. So, what do the top players do with the new waves of technology becoming available because of quantum developments in computing, optics and machine control? For a start they question everything. Nothing is off the table. They only buy the best equipment available with the lowest cost of ownership. Anything bought is thoroughly tested and dissected long before it gets anywhere near a production line. They sell what they make for top dollar and have built their reputations on quality. They hate waste and they watch their costs. A lot of them have process control sensors specifically developed for what they do with custom filters and algorithms. This enables them to go to places no-one has been before with consistently made new products. And it enables us to build these new technologies into our new analysers and control sensors. It is a symbiotic world for us. Now what they do and a lot of industry doesn’t is to control what they make to the top of the specification as they make it. Probably the biggest cost to manufacturing is the price of energy. If someone is running a fluid bed drier, a tunnel oven, a fryer, a drum drier or anything that uses energy with no controls is probably over drying/ cooking and giving away enormous […]

Industry 4.0 Mobile showcase to launch at EMEX 2021 in February

Callaghan Innovation has confirmed Beca and The Employers and Manufacturers Association (EMA) as official partners to deliver the Government’s Industry 4.0 Demonstration Network – an initiative that will grow uptake of new technologies in the manufacturing sector. The partnership will bring to life a nationwide showcase of Industry 4.0 technologies that are delivering vast improvements and resilience for businesses in many sectors. This will involve real-world demonstrations of how the fusion and application of advanced technologies from robotics and automation to data analytics, mixed reality and artificial intelligence can drive productivity and enable new business models. The Government committed funding over four years to roll out the initiative. The Industry 4.0 Mobile showcase will launch at EMEX 2021 in February. Paul Linton, Callaghan Innovation’s General Manager Research & Technical Services and Commercial Businesses, says it will include a mobile Industry 4.0 showcase along with a network of site visits and ‘smart factory’ tours which will demonstrate Industry 4.0 in action. “Our aim is to help New Zealand manufacturers to transform and increase their resilience and competitiveness through the adoption of new technologies. Raising the value of their activities and businesses is especially important during times of economic uncertainty and recovery,” says Mr Linton. “This partnership is a great example of the Government working with industry experts to create exciting new opportunities for business growth and economic development. It will help prepare the country for a world where increased digital capability is key to lifting our productivity and make us more internationally competitive and future-relevant.” Industry 4.0 in action Beca will deliver the mobile showcase and bring Industry 4.0 technologies to the doorstep of manufacturers and educators across New Zealand. The EMA, part of the BusinessNZ network, will deliver a network of site visits and smart factory tours by manufacturers to […]

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