Smart Manufacturing Today

Industry 4.0 Adaption to NZ Industry

Dr Mike Edmondson, Founder, Edge Robotics and Automation Ltd One thing I commonly find is the lack of widespread direction and grasping of “Industry 4.0” benefits in the context of NZ industry. The rapidly changing world is hard enough for technical experts, let alone for manufacturers to filter and identify how to use this potential. The drive for improvement from manufacturers and wider industries is certainly present and has been growing with the push from COVID. Here are three topics for our industry, with the hype removed and practical opportunities we could apply: Robotic Automation It is particularly surprising how big a disconnect there is between your typical production manager or GM and the actual costs and capability of robotic systems. Enquirers are often surprised at the modern cost of purchasing industrial robots let alone the opportunities offered with current state-of the-art. The total economics become even more prevalent when an integrator has the innovation skills to take a robot centric approach. This allows you to capture all the additional indirect benefits such as flexibility and reducing both the capital and operating costs. NZ has a great history of successful innovation and leading the world, however, part of the very fabric of that innovation mindset tends to hurt in scaling. Often, we do not value our time or get side-tracked away from our core business trying to reinvent the wheel. Industrial Robots are an easy way to scale and are highly advanced, flexible mass-produced units that come off a production line with 60 odd years of refinement. Leading brands have reliability statistics of 7+years between failure and depending upon the chosen manufacture local factory support. Then you factor in the indirect benefits such as being able to repurpose and reduce complexity of an overall system. The flexibility of robotics […]

HandScanner saves four seconds per scan

Datalogic’s new HandScanner is non-intrusive, hands-free wearable and enhances efficiency and accuracy. The scanner’s low weight allows it to reduce the load lifted by a worker during every working shift by up to 1.5t. Capable of scanning from 10cm to 150cm, HandScanner is suitable for a broad range of tasks in transport, logistics, warehousing, manufacturing, retail, and healthcare industries. Weighing just 40g and measuring 50 x 45 x 16mm, this is the lightest and most compact hands-free scanner available to improve workplace efficiency. It saves four seconds per scan, with 33% less errors. The HandScanner complements Datalogic’s comprehensive range of advanced industrial scanning equipment designed to deliver efficiency, accuracy, reliability and ergonomic benefits to demanding industries. “Compared to ring scanners, the HandScanner is thinner and positioned on the back of the hand, therefore it is less intrusive and less exposed to hits than a ring scanner that stays on the fingers of a worker,” says Mr Stefano Pistis, Product Manager, Datalogic. “This durable, practical and ergonomic design results in up to a 20 per cent reduction in scanner damage,” adds Mr Pistis. A fully charged HandScanner battery can last almost two working shifts, running up to 15 hours and 10,000 scans. With a 2-slot charging station the battery can be fully recharged in 2 hours. Equipped with a megapixel sensor, the HandScanner captures 1D/2D bar codes and is available in two models: a standard range – designed for close range scanning between 10 to 80cm for manufacturing, retail and healthcare applications; and a mid-range model with a scanning range of 30 to 15cm, which covers applications in transportation and logistics such as warehousing, plant floors, docks, and stock yards. HandScanner’s non-intrusive and comfortable design result in up to a 20% reduction in scanner damage compared with ring scanners. The HandScanner […]

Hydraulink gives wings to hope in the America’s Cup

Hydraulink hydraulic hose and maintenance expertise will go on display to millions of people in 225 countries when the 36th America’s Cup begins in coming months. The defending champion Emirates Team New Zealand – and entire field of challengers which will fight it out to meet the Kiwis in the final – all use Hydraulink hoses and fittings to control their complex hydraulic systems, such as the vital foil cant technology. Rapid and sensitive hydraulic actuation of the foils is vital to the performance edge of each boat as it skims above the waves at speeds reaching 47-50 knots (90+kph) in what is expected to be a lightning-fast defence series from March 6-12. The super yachts demand quality products that perform where the absolute pinnacle of engineering standards and reliability is required, in the same way that Hydraulink protects the uptime and dependability of individual pieces of expensive machinery and multi-million-dollar mobile fleets and industrial plant. The event will be seen around the world by the biggest audience ever expected in the America’s Cup’s history, when the 36th America’s Cup begins with the Prada Cup Challenger from January 15-Feb 22. Preliminary races, including the Prada Christmas Cup, commence in December, with more than 120 broadcasters already signed up in the first wave of support announced in October. Digital platforms are expected to help make this the most widely accessible America’s Cup ever. Hydraulink’s introduction to involvement in the America’s Cup began when Hydraulink Director Lee Short was watching a race in the build-up to the NZ win in the America’s Cup in San Diego in 1995. “A hydraulic leak on the mast boom of Team New Zealand sprayed oil into the cockpit, causing a few issues. I thought, ‘We can do better than that’, so, when the team arrived back […]

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 […]

OnRobot 2FG7 gripper for demanding applications

OnRobot has launched the 2FG7, a complete, low cost, easy to use, out-of-the-box, cleanroom-ready parallel gripper. Designed to enable companies of all sizes to set up gripping applications at low cost, the 2FG7 can be deployed within minutes and is specially designed to handle demanding payloads – even in tight spaces. The 2FG7 gripper is ideal for low-volume, high-mix production and enables fast ROI for many different applications, including machine tending, material handling and assembly. Boasting a maximum payload of 11 kg (24.3 lb), an external grip range of up to 74 mm (2.91 in) and a gripping force of between 20-140 N, the versatile 2FG7 can handle heavy, bulky payloads with ease. Smaller than OnRobot’s RG2 and RG6 grippers – and yet more powerful than both – the 2FG7’s dimensions (156 x 158 x 180 mm/6.14 x 6.22 x 7.08 in) make it the perfect gripper for use in small work envelopes, which is a major bonus in busy manufacturing facilities where space is at a premium, and in applications with tight quarters for maneuvering. Seamlessly integrated with the OnRobot product range and compatible with all major collaborative robots and light industrial robot arms, the 2FG7 allows manufacturers of all skillsets to set up gripping applications quickly and easily. The 2FG7’s ease of use ensures visibility during the deployment process, greatly reduces the need for custom parts and cuts the time to ROI. Meanwhile, intelligent feedback features, including grip detection and lost grip detection, further simplify the deployment process. Cleanroom certified The 2FG7 is a production-ready gripper built to withstand harsh manufacturing conditions and applications. In addition to being IP67-certified, the 2FG7 has attained cleanroom certification (ISO Class 5), which is required for many handling applications in the pharmaceutical and electronics industries. It also complies with ISO/TS 15066 regarding […]

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 […]

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