Smart Manufacturing Today

Serious about reducing your carbon footprint? (Part two)

From NZ Manufacturer, October 2023. This month we get to the ‘pointy end’ of things. Using the concepts she explained in last month’s article, Nicky Andrews, Head of Carbon at thinkstep-anz, explains how to measure and reduce your carbon. But first, a recap. Where we left off: identifying the main sources of your carbon emissions So you’ve taken the first step. You’ve split your greenhouse gas emissions into direct emissions (Scope 1), indirect emissions (Scope 2) and the hidden indirect emissions in your value chain (Scope 3). Now you’re ready to measure them. Step two: measure your emissions Your Scope 1 and 2 activities Measuring your Scope 1 and 2 emissions is relatively simple. You’ll need two pieces of data: the volume of emissions your activities create (‘your activities’) and the impact those emissions have on the environment (‘emission factors’). First, confirm your activities. For example, how many kilometres did your employees drive in your company vehicles last year? How many kilowatt hours of electricity powered your plant? You’ll have much of this information to hand in documents like monthly fuel and power bills. Second, find your emission factors. An emission factor represents the amount of GHG an activity releases. The Ministry for the Environment (MfE) provides generic information factors, along with helpful workbooks and guides. For example, according to MfE, one litre of diesel used for transport emits 2.69 kg of CO2 equivalent. Third, do the maths. Units of activity x emission factor per unit = CO2e released. Your Scope 3 emissions These are the emissions in your value chain. They sit with your employees, suppliers and customers. Here’s an example of measuring the carbon in your supply chain. Say you want to estimate the emissions in Scope 3 Category 4 (upstream transport). Ask your suppliers: How much fuel […]

Plan for investing in STEM “long overdue”

Engineering New Zealand President Glen Cornelius says a “serious conversation and commitment with Government” about the country’s approach to developing skills in science, technology, education and maths (STEM) is “long overdue”. Cornelius was responding to recent proposals from Massey University to cease delivering its four-year Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) and Bachelor of Food Technology (Food Process Engineering) degrees – proposals he describes as “a real blow.” “Any proposal to reduce educational opportunities for young people to train in engineering and STEM subjects gives us cause for concern,” he says. Chief Executive Dr Richard Templer agrees, saying engineering is “critically important” to New Zealand’s future as the country looks to grow productivity and incomes. “We know 2,500 new engineers are needed each year to support New Zealand’s economy, and that’s before finding engineers to replace those who move overseas or retire. “There are huge opportunities for today’s engineering students when considering food security and resilience in the face of climate change, or opportunities through innovation and trade,” he says. Although Cornelius accepts tertiary institutions are facing financial pressure and many are making “tough choices” about which programmes are sustainable, he sees Massey University’s proposals as evidence of a larger issue about the place of STEM in education and the workforce. “As President of Engineering New Zealand, I want to see our country grow STEM opportunities for our many intelligent and curious young minds,” says Cornelius. “But these proposals send the wrong message. They suggest a future in STEM isn’t valued – all of which comes at a time when there is a global demand for engineers. “The need for graduate pathways in science, technology, engineering and maths has never been greater – and that’s a message we’ll be taking to the next Government,” he says.

Improve your do! Review your processes to add value

From NZ Manufacturer, October 2023 -Ian Walsh, Partner, Argon & Co NZ All businesses deliver products and services according to their business processes. In the same way the central nervous system transmits instructions from the brain to various parts of the body, business processes provide the mechanism that turns objectives into action. So more effective processes make for more effective actions and, ultimately, better outcomes. The first step to improved processes is a clear and comprehensive understanding of the existing state of affairs. Do you know how well your current business processes perform? I recently asked a group of business owners what kind of service their help lines delivered. Out of the 30 that I asked, only one could tell me. None of the others had thought to pick up the phone to get an insight into their customers’ experience. A process map is the first step towards understanding how a process is performing – and how it might perform better. A process map provides a physical representation of the individual steps within a particular process, identifies who has ownership of each step, and may even incorporate timelines and other information. The act of creating a process map will itself likely highlight areas where resources are being wasted. We recently mapped a client’s enrolment process and discovered that it was possible for students to enrol in a course and graduate before fees were collected. It was no surprise that four staff were involved in chasing bad debtors! This waste of resources at the end of the workflow chain was a direct result of poor practices earlier in the process. Eight well known and well documented wastes are: Defects/Damage, Over Production, Non-Utilised Talent, Transport, Inventory, Motion and Extra Processing. Process mapping helps the whole team to understand the process […]

AMA announcement

From NZ Manufacturer, October 2023 Catherine Lye is the first Chief Executive Officer of the newly formed cross-sector incorporated society, Advanced Manufacturing Aotearoa (AMA). The AMA is industry driven and represents manufacturing across the country to help deliver business-led Advanced Manufacturing Industry Transformation Plan (ITP) outcomes. Catherine has been the Head of Manufacturing and Export Communities at the 7,100-member Employers and Manufacturers Association for the past two years. As part of that she has guided the Advanced Manufacturing and Industry 4.0 initiatives. Following a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Marketing and Finance, Catherine held numerous marketing and export-focused roles in local and international companies, rising to Chief Impact Officer for ExportNZ. AMA Interim Chairperson, Daryl French, says there were a number of high-calibre applicants generated from external advertising, but that Catherine quickly emerged as the best person for the role. “She has such a deep knowledge of the Advanced Manufacturing Industry Transformation Plan and understanding of the issues faced by the sector, as well as a practical understanding of advanced manufacturing technologies,” he says. “One of the keys to the success of this role is building and nurturing relationships with Government agencies, industry partners, research institutions and businesses to engage, influence and inspire them to collaborate for the best outcomes for the sector, and I have absolute confidence that she will deliver to that.” Catherine will work alongside the interim AMA Board, which includes: Daryl French, Interim Chairperson, and independent Director of four manufacturing companies. Rod De Spong, Chief Operating Officer, Douglas Pharmaceuticals Phill Patton, Senior Executive, Datacom Rachel Barker, Chief Executive Officer, Plastics NZ Glenn Hansen, Group Financial Controller, Vortex Engineering Group. Advanced Manufacturing Aotearoa (AMA) is the umbrella organisation leveraging business networks to implement ITP priorities. It takes an industry-led, collaborative approach to helping deliver initiatives that […]

Carbon emissions on the way down

Robert McLachlan, Professor in Applied Mathematics, Massey University. Ian Mason, Adjunct Senior Fellow in Renewable Energy Systems Engineering, University of Canterbury. It may have been largely overlooked in the election debates, but New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions are finally on the way down. Annual emissions of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels are the lowest since 1999 and the 12-month renewable share of electricity is back above 90% for the first time since 1981. The Ministry for the Environment has advised New Zealand is on track to meet the first (2022-2025) carbon budget. All this can be attributed to a range of factors, including fossil gas running low, full hydro lakes, high petrol prices and working from home. But climate policies such as the Emissions Trading Scheme (NZ ETS), the clean car discount and the Climate Emergency Response Fund (CERF) have made a significant contribution to the turnaround. Current decarbonisation policies have and will continue to deliver real emissions cuts, provided they remain in place. It is therefore disconcerting that the National Party plans to take $2.3 billion from the CERF (almost two-thirds of the fund’s mid-2022 balance) to pay for tax cuts. The argument that individual households will use tax cuts to make their own decarbonisation decisions is unsupported by evidence and lacks credibility. The Labour Party has also dipped into this fund, taking $236 million to pay for rebates for household installations of solar panels and batteries, and community energy schemes. These may produce some as yet unquantified emissions cuts. Government funding is working Allocations from the Government Investment in Decarbonising Industry (GIDI) fund to NZ Steel and Fonterra show direct and measurable avoidance of emissions. The installation of an electric furnace at NZ Steel to utilise scrap will save 1% (800,000 tonnes of CO₂-equivalent emissions, or tCO₂e) of New Zealand’s 2021 gross emissions. Support for Fonterra […]

Scholarship winners recognised by NZBIA

Two Unitec | Te Pūkenga students were recently recognised for their commitment and drive as recipients of New Zealand Chinese Building Industry Association (NZBIA) Excellence Scholarships. This annual award was established by the organisation to financially assist and recognise excellent students in fields of study relevant to the building industry. Charlie Saumalu: Overcoming challenges to pursue his dreams Charlie Saumalu’s journey to receiving the NZCBIA Excellence Scholarship has been marked by determination and resilience. Hailing from American Samoa, Charlie came to New Zealand on the American Samoa Power Authority (ASPA) Apprenticeship Programme, which enabled him to pursue his studies in New Zealand. He was initially rejected for the programme but didn’t give up. He reapplied and, to his delight, was accepted. Currently in his first year of the two-year New Zealand Diploma in Surveying at Unitec | Te Pūkenga, Charlie is thriving. He says winning the NZCBIA Excellence Scholarship has only started to sink in, but he is determined to make the most of the opportunity. “When I got the call to say I’d won the NZCBIA Excellence Scholarship, I first thought they had the wrong number. I’m still in a bit of shock. I am very grateful and want to thank my Heavenly Father above for this opportunity. “Coming to New Zealand to study has already been an incredible experience, and I feel immensely blessed and proud to have found such as welcoming and diverse community of teachers and fellow students here at Unitec.” With proud parents back at home, and a job with the American Samoan Government already secured after his studies, Charlie is intent on working hard to make the most of his time at Unitec | Te Pūkenga. Charlie is an active member of his community and devotes his weekends to attending church and playing volleyball […]

New charger supports expanding EV infrastructure

Hospitals, train stations, retail stores, industrial buildings, multi-unit residential buildings and more have access to a new reliable charging solution for New Zealand EV drivers. The new EVlink Pro AC from Schneider Electric is promising to support the growing demand for electric vehicles and charging infrastructure amid increasing business and consumer transition to EVs. From hospitals to retail stores and multi-unit dwellings, the new charging station has been designed specifically for sustainable and efficient buildings of the future. It is an advanced solution for electricians and other specialists that meets the world-leading compliance standards set by the IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) in Europe. The new charging station supports optimised energy consumption, maximised uptime and efficiency, and helps ensure a seamless user experience for EV installers, operators, and drivers. It has an enhanced degree of repairability with easily accessible spare parts that make the unit more serviceable. Charging for an hour on the EVlink Pro AC can give up to 120 kilometres of driving range, depending on the vehicle, and a completely flat battery could be charged in around six to eight hours to get to an optimal almost full charge – ideal for people who will charge at their workplace or dwelling. The station includes a modem as an optional accessory. The EVlink Pro AC charger helps to offset on publicly available EV infrastructure as the transition accelerates in line with the resolution of a backlog of previous orders and the resumption of the full petrol tax. At present, according to the EECA’s 2023 survey of BEV (battery EV) and PHEV (plug-in hybrid EV) owners, 97% of EV owners are charging at home at least some of the time, and the majority are charging off-peak, with 69% having access to off-peak pricing plans; 54% of home charging starts between 9pm […]

Survey closing Friday 6th October: Call for construction sector insights

HERA is calling for participants in the construction sector to complete its survey on low-carbon design, to better understand trends around sustainable design skills and interests and the barriers and initiatives to more sustainable outcomes. As Aotearoa New Zealand moves towards a low-carbon economy, the building and construction sector accounts for 15-20% of our total carbon emissions. To assist the sector, HERA has embarked on a project to develop a design framework to reduce construction waste, lifecycle embodied carbon, and to enhance the circular economy for construction materials. A pilot will be done for low-rise buildings. You can find out more and complete this confidential online survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/JC6BSW5

New miniaturised Galaxie gearbox

Wittenstein’s miniaturised Galaxie gearbox, available from Treotham, is newly developed, high precision with axial power transmission. Compared to strain wave gearboxes with the same footprint, it convinces with much better torsional rigidity, significantly higher torque density, double the emergency stop torque and an almost 50% larger hollow shaft diameter, depending on the size. It offers true zero backlash throughout its entire lifetime, characteristics ideal for applications in medical and precision robotics, semiconductor and wafer handling systems or high-end machine tools. Dynamic single teeth as well as tooth contact over a large surface rather than simply linear contact when the teeth are in mesh are just two of numerous features inherited as “genetic code” from its multi-award-winning “big brother / sister”, which first appeared on the scene in 2015. Smaller sizes due to kinematics with axial power transmission Power transmission in the gearbox is axial, not radial – a most ingenious idea. The single teeth in the tooth carrier, arranged in a gear ring, are axially driven by a polygonal disc with two high points into the flat wheel with special helical crown gearing, similar to a screwing movement. High rigidity in small sizes along with a high ratio The teeth are designed as so-called “crown” teeth, in other words they have more flanks per tooth and thus more flank surface, enabling almost complete surface contact when in mesh – in contrast to strain wave gearboxes with linear contact. In addition, the movement of the polygonal disc means the majority of the crown teeth constantly contribute to torque transmission and torsional rigidity. The bottom line is three times better rigidity compared to strain wave gearboxes. The crown tooth concept also has another advantage: it allows the Galaxie to achieve ratios of i=60/61 and in the future even higher – which is […]

Miller Vortex HDV provides next level of welding respiratory protection

Protecting the respiratory health of welders during grinding and welding operations is crucial to ensuring a safe and healthy work environment. In recent years, there has been a growing demand for respiratory protection that not only offers increased protection, but also enhances comfort and visibility while welding. These advantages are particularly important within industries that use stainless steel, steel/manganese alloys, aluminium, galvanised steel in their production. Depending on the process and filler metal used, some welding operations can create more hazardous welding fumes and contaminants than others across industries including mining and mineral processing, oil and gas reticulation sites, plus pipelines and vessels in industries such as water and wastewater and chemical processing, manufacturing, food and beverage processing, and metal fabrication, as well as tanks and vessels involved in bulk materials handling, primary industry, and process engineering. Weldwell New Zealand has addressed this need with its latest innovation, the Miller Vortex HDV powered air purifying respirator (PAPR) System. Designed to take respiratory protection to the next level, the Miller Vortex HDV PAPR System offers a range of features and exclusive technologies that set it apart from other systems, says Product Manager Aleksandr Koshelyev, who consults extensively with users of welding equipment concerning their industries’ particular and evolving needs. Exclusive Miller technology The Vortex HDV PAPR system standout is its HDV technology which provides a sharp, detailed view at any angle with minimal distortion. This feature makes it easier for welders to see their work with increased visibility. Other technologies include: ClearLight™ 2.0 which offers a second-generation view through the lens, providing advanced high-definition optics for a clearer, brighter, and more realistic weld view. “X-Mode is another benefit to welding operators. Designed for outdoor usage, it eliminates sunlight interference, as the lens only darkens when the welding operator strikes an arc. […]

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