Smart Manufacturing Today

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 […]

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 […]

X5 FastMig for arc-welding productivity

Kemppi, has released its new X5 FastMig multi-process welding system for MIG, DC TIG and stick welding (MMA) as well as gouging. Designed in conjunction with professional welders specifically for steel welding, the X5 FastMig delivers a range of features to help significantly enhance arc welding productivity. Built using energy-efficient inverter technology, the X5 FastMig offers faster welding and quality welds thanks to Touch Sense Ignition, effortless operation, excellent welding ergonomics and flexible equipment setup. Faster welding, better quality welds Built to perform, the X5 FastMig features the latest in ignition technology – Touch Sense Ignition – as standard in all available models. When combined with WiseSteel software, which also comes as standard with every model, the X5 delivers precise ignition capability and stable arc control. It tackles the challenges of globular arc by alternating between short arc and spray transfer. In short-circuit transfer, it improves the arc stability adaptively, provding better out-of-position steel welding capabilities. In spray transfer mode, micropulsing of the current and voltage increases travel speed significantly. In doing so, the X5 helps to minimise the spatter produced by a traditional globular arc, as well as the need for post weld cleaning, saving the welder both valuable time and cost, while helping to deliver better quality welds. For more challenging applications, the arc control can be further optimised with optional welding programs and Wise special processes. Effortless operation Designed to be hassle-free, the X5 FastMig is very easy to operate. It features a large, graphical and impact-resistant TFT display panel that illustrates all the required information clearly and without the use of abbreviations. Welding parameters are set automatically when the user adjusts the wire feed speed. And memory channels are also available to customise and save personal settings. Easy to use, the operating basics of the X5 […]

ABB Ability Liquid Routing Library launched for food and beverage production

Process automation technology provides customers with optimal routing and ‘cleaning-in-place’ to increase efficiency and reduce costs. ABB has launched ABB Ability Liquid Routing Library which is a control engineering inventory for food and beverage manufacturers and those in other liquid related industries, including tank farms, pharmaceuticals and chemical resin plants. The new digital application draws on ABB Ability System 800xA, the most powerful Distributed Control System (DCS) automation platform in the market and will support routing and cleaning in place (CIP) functionalities needed for liquid-led production. It can be used wherever products are transported, stored or processed in tanks and lines and is particularly relevant to dairy, brewing, sugar, mills and edible oil application programming. Ready-made objects including libraries, typicals, and templates for product routing, with recipe-based CIP, track and trace, preventive plant maintenance, Excel-based bulk data tools are made available for customers through the library. Functionalities include alarm handling, alarm propagation between different units, queue handling for online production changes, control and supervision of process objects, interlocks and transfer of product and equipment settings like product codes, unit names and unit states. ABB Ability Liquid Routing Library will support food and beverage customers in their digitalisation journey. Customers are driving innovation in process automation, digitalising their production sites for greater speed, consistency and quality and Liquid Routing Library is an important piece of this jigsaw. Having a complete library for product routing, with ready-made objects and templates will allow users greater visibility and understanding of what is happening at each stage of the process. We know that routing and cleaning in place support are vitally important in food and beverage plants. This is built-in and at-any-stage ABB support from experts or additional documentation is available. Operators will be able to diagnose issues quicker than before and have solutions ready, […]

How RAM3D became the largest independent metal AM service in Australasia

New Zealand company operates seven metal AM systems Though it may best be known for the Kiwi bird, Lord of the Rings and its inspirational Prime Minister, New Zealand has another claim to fame in the additive world: it is home to the largest independent metal 3D printing service in the Southern Hemisphere: RAM3D. Founded in 2008, the Tauranga-based company has had an interesting journey over the past decade, partaking in metal AM’s transition from a one-off custom prototyping solution to an industrial production process. This journey in itself is interesting, as RAM3D played a vital role in the evangelisation of metal 3D printing in its part of the world—a role that many service providers have played. In short, 3D printing metal parts for customers was only part of its job in its earlier years, it also had to focus on raising awareness of AM, educating on DfAM and facilitating the shift from prototyping to production. “In our very early days the perception of 3D metal printing really was that it was just for one-off, custom part prototyping,” explained Gilly Hawker, RAM3D Marketing Manager. “Its real benefits, in terms of improved part functionality, part integration, weight reduction, cost effectiveness and so on, just weren’t widely recognized. We did have to play our part in improving general market awareness and helping to rectify any misconceptions.” One of the big milestones in the company’s evolution has been its partnership with Renishaw, which began in 2014, when the UK-based metal AM company supplied its newest system to RAM3D. At the time, the machine provided the flexibility and openness that RAM3D was looking for, as it had the skills to optimize the AM process for its customers’ applications. “We had lots of ideas of our own on optimising our manufacturing process, and this machine gave us the freedom […]

Hydraulink optimises pipe safety for McConnell Dowell’s Watercare record length project

New Zealand construction leader McConnell Dowell Constructors Ltd has selected the quality hydraulic hose, fittings and 24/7 service backup of Hydraulink to optimise the safety of New Zealand’s longest pipe jacking project. The Hunua 4 watermain project, commissioned and managed by Watercare Services Ltd, is a 31km pipeline through South and Central Auckland to help meet growing demand, increase the system’s capacity, ensure uninterrupted supply, and provide resilience to natural disasters. Watercare, an Auckland Council-controlled organisation, engaged McConnell Dowell to design and construct Section 11, the final section of the pipeline, from Market Road to the Khyber Pass Reservoir. A strong emphasis was placed on minimising disruption to communities along the pipeline route. Using mainly micro-tunnelling methods, McConnell Dowell constructed a 3.5km watermain using a tunnel boring machine (TBM) to drive and install 2,500mm ID jacking pipes between six shafts, before lining the tunnel with a 1,575mm OD steel pipe. The pipe jacks are the longest ever completed in New Zealand. McConnell Dowell recently (July 2020) celebrated the completion of the second drive of Section 11. McConnell Dowell’s TBM broke through at Khyber Pass Rd, setting a record of 1,216 metres for the longest single drive in the southern hemisphere by a TBM greater than 3 metres diameter. McConnell Dowell utilised a world-class TBM from Germany – a 55-tonne Herrenknecht – to excavate the 3m diameter tunnel required. To minimise community disruption, 80% of the pipeline construction was trenchless, and McConnell Dowell selected an alternative pipeline route that moved construction away from residential areas and ecologically sensitive sites. Hydraulink has more than 400 service outlets throughout New Zealand, Australia, and Pacific Islands, which bring essential hydraulic hose, fittings and safety-compliant and traceable service expertise to industries requiring prompt, quality 24/7 service either on or off site. Hydraulic hoses are like […]

Anagenix purchase Vitaco manufacturing facility

Cutting edge nutraceutical ingredients company Anagenix has purchased Vitaco’s Avondale-based nutritional product manufacturing facility. The seven-figure deal includes all assets at the site and acquiring the premises’ 10-year lease. New Zealand-owned Anagenix manufactures and markets high-quality scientifically-formulated ingredients used by health supplement and nutraceutical manufacturers. Its products are locally grown kiwifruit and boysenberry-apple powders, gently processed from non-GMO whole fruits, to retain a high level of bioactivityThe company’s products are also BioGrow NZ organic certified, halal and kosher. Announcing the deal, Anagenix Managing Director Chris Johnson says Anagenix has experienced significant growth in recent years, with that trend set to continue despite Covid-19. Most of the company’s products are exported to the United States, Europe and Asia, where New Zealand-grown and manufactured natural health product ingredients command a premium. Mr Johnson commented that company’s stand was inundated at a recent European (virtual) trade show: “Whole fruit products that have great science portfolios around them, including clinical trials, are really taking off. “Our growth is such that Anagenix is now backwards integrating so that we can better manage all stages in our manufacturing supply chain, thus enhancing our products’ consistency and quality.” Mr Johnson says acquiring the manufacturing facility will enable Anagenix to triple its fruit drying and ingredient processing capacity over the next two to three years.

Carpentry graduate aims to inspire more wahine into trades

WelTec carpentry graduate, Sarah Clark, wants to start a company that champions female tradies. Sarah is currently employed by Tonks Residential, a local construction company, as an apprentice builder. Sarah was introduced to the company while she was completing her Level 3 carpentry programme at WelTec in Lower Hutt, as part of her Māori and Pasifika Trades Training (MPTTS) scholarship. The scholarship supports students from entry into study, right through to employment, and an important part of this journey is to get work experience – which in Sarah’s case led directly to her first apprenticeship. Loving her new job at Tonks, and succeeding at it as a young female – has inspired Sarah to want to create an environment that supports and encourages women into the trades. Carpentry is often considered a man’s job, but Sarah believes that seeing other women succeed in the trades could make it a more accessible career path for young women. “My aunt is an electrician so the idea of being a woman in the trades was not unusual for me when I was growing up. I definitely believe that the more young girls see females in the trades, the more common it will become,” explains Sarah. “Just getting the word out there that I am working in construction as a young female, and that the team I work for embraces and encourages me, might help someone to see it as a viable option for themselves.” Sarah grew up in Lower Hutt, living with her grandparents and attending Sacred Heart College. She completed year 13 but knew that she didn’t want to spend more time ‘sitting in a classroom’. “I knew that I wanted to be doing something in the outdoors, and so when a WelTec advert popped up on my social media, I thought […]

The truth about counterfeits

~ Why you can never eliminate the risk of counterfeits entirely ~ According to the latest data from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the trade in counterfeit goods now represents 3.3 per cent of global trade. Unfortunately, this figure is on the rise, even as overall trade has declined. Here, John Young, APAC director at obsolete parts supplier EU Automation APAC, offers his verdict on the scale of the problem in the Asia Pacific region and what manufacturers can do to limit the risks. Counterfeiting in industry Counterfeiting is not a new problem, but the current growth of this phenomenon is driven by many novel factors, such as the convergence between industry and IT and new technologies like 3D printing. Most people have some familiarity with this problem in the world of consumer goods, but industrial equipment is not immune to the risk. In the world of industrial parts, fakes are often even harder to detect. Take an industrial motor as an example. The outer casing or housing of the counterfeit part may look perfectly fine. Even on the inside, there is very little way of detecting a counterfeit through a simple visual inspection. Counterfeited industrial parts are usually manufactured from poorer quality material. This reduces the life cycle of the part, increasing the risks of unplanned downtime and raising whole-life costs when unexpected failures occur. Unfortunately, there is often little way to know definitively if the broken part was genuine or not. Genuine parts will have been through a rigorous and standardised process of testing. Fake parts, on the other hand, do not benefit from this validation and verification process. Labelling is one way of stamping products in a way that can demonstrate their authenticity, but unfortunately modern technology makes these labels much easier for scammers […]

«‹ 35 36 37 38 ›»

News Ticker

Smart Manufacturing Today