Smart Manufacturing Today

Use the super computer in your pocket for new levels of productivity

Anyone with a smartphone or tablet now can connect securely in an industrial setting to access performance metrics and data analytics. By Kyle Reissner, mobility platform leader, Rockwell Automation You can use any digital device to easily access performance metrics and data analytics from your plant floor and machines. How are you using that freedom? Your smartphone is now as powerful as your desktop. That mobility is more than viewing a webpage or report on your tablet; it’s a fundamental shift in how we live our lives. Seventy percent of us carry a smartphone or tablet into the office. We are mobile. Yet many of us still live as if the world is flat. You know the analogy. For thousands of years people lived like they would fall off the edge of the earth if they ventured too far from what they knew. Then we realized the world is a sphere, and that opened a world of possibility. Since the 1980s, we’ve used the Purdue Enterprise Reference Architecture to define clear layers between systems. Our first shot at mobility was the replicate a web browser in a Palm Treo. It was a good start, but it fell short of the ultimate user experience. Some people are using the latest devices to extend 20-year-old technology. That type of mobility is resulting in very small increases in productivity, in the range of 1 to 2 percent. I suggest a loftier goal for mobility —10 percent — and for everyone in the plant, not just one or two people. It’s possible because we now have the technology that lets people do things they couldn’t do before while reducing the cost of curiosity to literally zero. Now, anyone with a device can connect securely, expand their area of influence, deploy a system more quickly […]

Bringing cutting-edge automation to NZ manufacturers

CNC Design has been working with New Zealand machine builders since 1989, with one major goal: setting up their customers with the same knowledge and capability that they would get overseas. “Europe, particularly Germany, is at the forefront of machine building, and obviously, we are quite a long way away”, says Jon Marwick, Managing Director. “New Zealand machine builders suffer from a lack of access to that technology, and we’re here to provide them with the technology, expertise and support that will allow them to compete at an international level.” To do that, CNC Design has developed a close partnership with German firm Siemens and Swiss company Stäubli, world leaders in the field of automation and robotics. CNC specialises in service for the manufacturing, logistics and forestry industries, and has also recently developed into the food industry, where robotics are becoming increasingly important. One of CNC’s customers is a leader in the development of automation solutions for lamb processing floors, traditionally an area that relies on manual labour. “In the meat processing industry, the wash-down requirements are very high, and they use very strong caustic chemicals, so it was not an ideal environment for robots – they had to be covered during operation”, explains Jon. “But Stäubli has developed machines that have the capability to operate without covers, which means they are more hygienic, faster, and have more freedom to move.” According to Jon, robots can help decrease health and safety risks on the plant floor. “Automated machines can provide a safer working environment – simply because operators are not involved in machinery as much, so we decrease the risk of industrial accidents”. Introducing robots into a chain work environment also means more reliability, as they are able to repeat the exact same task with no variations. “Robots don’t get […]

The Future of Manufacturing

-Tony Glockler CEO of SolidProfessor talks to NZ Manufacturer People love to predict the future: whether they will score a 100 on a test, receive a promotion, or win the lottery. Humans make predictions because it gives them a sense of hope and feeling of control over their future. Predictions also free people from fear and prepare them for the unknown. With the rapid speed of technological advancements, many ponder how this will affect the future of manufacturing. Robots, the Internet of Things, and technological obsolescence are a few technological factors that will shape the future of manufacturing. Understanding how these will affect the manufacturing industry will allow one to properly prepare for the future. Robots The number of robots being used today for industrial work is close to one million. Robots are highly sought after by manufacturers due to their productivity, efficiency, and quality. Manufacturing robots are typically utilized for assembly line work at automotive plants, energy plants, and hospitals. They are useful for their ability to do a variety of repetitive tasks effectively and tasks that are dangerous to humans including heavy lifting, handling chemicals, and cutting and polishing objects. Because of their usefulness, robots will only become more and more common, shaping the future of manufacturing. Many may wonder if robots will replace human factory workers. While this is inevitable, it will also create new professions that work alongside these robots. Robots are still imperfect and their abilities will never be sufficient to replace humans. Though it may change with the increased use of robotics, human labor will continue to be important, regardless of how mechanized industry becomes. Internet of Things The Internet of Things, or IoT, is a network of physical objects including devices, buildings, vehicles, and other items becoming embedded with electronics, software, sensors, and […]

Autodesk Inventor 2017 unveiled

Autodesk has unveiled Inventor 2017, one of the most advanced 3D modelling solutions for manufacturing industry professionals. The latest version in innovative software for designers and engineers, Inventor 2017 delivers new professional-grade design, interoperability and communication tools aimed at supporting customers ever-expanding needs. “The manufacturing industry is witnessing an evolution of the role of the mechanical engineer. They are no longer solely responsible for the design of complex mechanical systems, but are often also tasked with complete product definition, design and delivery,” said Derrek Cooper, director of the Inventor product line. “With this latest version of Inventor, Autodesk is delivering new capabilities aimed at supporting all aspects of this expanding role.” Based on the requests of Inventor’s more than 11,000 alpha and beta testers and IdeaStation community, the company built Inventor 2017 to serve the expanding role of the modern professional engineer and provide customers with features aimed at simplifying the new aspects of their jobs: Professional-grade Design Tools help users design faster and optimise performance from the outset and include:  Enhanced sketching, part modelling, assembly management, surfacing and sheet metal capabilities so users can capture and develop design ideas quickly and easily.  Additional Shape Generator capabilities such as symmetry and member size controls that help users explore lightweight designs and improve product performance. New Interoperability Tools help to pull disparate aspects of a project together, regardless of the discipline or software that was originally used and include: Expanded AnyCAD tools allow users to easily integrate non-native mechanical design data into Inventor models without translation, now including associative connections with the industry standard STEP format. Inventor’s latest update includes hundreds of enhancements including several customer-requested modelling tools. Shape Generator, an integrated design optimization tool powered by Autodesk’s Nastran technology, guides users in the design of structurally efficient parts. […]

Autodesk Inventor 2017 unveiled

Autodesk has unveiled Inventor 2017, one of the most advanced 3D modelling solutions for manufacturing industry professionals. The latest version in innovative software for designers and engineers, Inventor 2017 delivers new professional-grade design, interoperability and communication tools aimed at supporting customers ever-expanding needs. “The manufacturing industry is witnessing an evolution of the role of the mechanical engineer. They are no longer solely responsible for the design of complex mechanical systems, but are often also tasked with complete product definition, design and delivery,” said Derrek Cooper, director of the Inventor product line. “With this latest version of Inventor, Autodesk is delivering new capabilities aimed at supporting all aspects of this expanding role.” Based on the requests of Inventor’s more than 11,000 alpha and beta testers and IdeaStation community, the company built Inventor 2017 to serve the expanding role of the modern professional engineer and provide customers with features aimed at simplifying the new aspects of their jobs: Professional-grade Design Tools help users design faster and optimize performance from the outset and include:  Enhanced sketching, part modelling, assembly management, surfacing and sheet metal capabilities so users can capture and develop design ideas quickly and easily.  Additional Shape Generator capabilities such as symmetry and member size controls that help users explore lightweight designs and improve product performance. New Interoperability Tools help to pull disparate aspects of a project together, regardless of the discipline or software that was originally used and include: Expanded AnyCAD tools allow users to easily integrate non-native mechanical design data into Inventor models without translation, now including associative connections with the industry standard STEP format. Inventor’s latest update includes hundreds of enhancements including several customer-requested modelling tools. Shape Generator, an integrated design optimization tool powered by Autodesk’s Nastran technology, guides users in the design of structurally efficient parts. […]

Delcam enhances section measurements in PowerINSPECT software

Delcam has released the 2016 version of its PowerINSPECT inspection software, the world’s leading hardware-independent 3D inspection solution. The new release includes greatly enhanced options for section measurement, more comprehensive collision avoidance, improved point cloud inspection, the ability to add notes to reports, and improved user control of CNC surface inspection routines. For video demonstrations of the new options, please go to www.delcam.tv/pi2016/lz/en/index.asp Section inspection has been improved with easier creation of sections, better visualisation and enhanced reporting. The enhanced options for section editing in PowerINSPECT 2016 include a slider that can be used to move the section through the part with real-time updating of the CAD view. A specific value for the section intersection can still be entered if required. New graphics options help with visualisation and reporting. In the CAD view, the default option highlights the section cut and displays a semi-transparent representation of the material in the foreground, providing an accurate 3D visualisation of the section in place on the part. During section creation the shading is updated dynamically as the section moves through the model. Alternatively, the near side can be hidden completely, or the complete CAD model can be shown in a solid colour as before. Once the desired section has been chosen, the inspection path can be generated automatically. The points generated can be edited if necessary. The section can also be viewed and reported as a 2D true view of the section profile that is currently selected. As with other PowerINSPECT measurements, the results of the section inspection can be viewed as spot confetti, deviation lines or vector lines. The results can be displayed either on their own or as part of a larger inspection sequence. Automatic collision detection was introduced in PowerINSPECT 2015, with probe paths adjusted automatically when a direct move […]

ALMA sheetmetal software – More profitable nesting for PALFINGER

Every year PALFINGER processes around 20,000 tons of high-tensile steel panels to manufacture loading cranes and other loading and hoisting equipment. Off-cut optimisation is therefore a key concern shared by the whole management team in the company. Thanks to Alma’s act/cut software, the sheet metal plates to cut can be automatically nested in half of the time with minimised off-cut. “The fact that Alma is internationally established has been a key criterion when we decided to choose act/cut software… Today, act/cut has become our group-wide nesting standard solution” “The software was not only faster but also almost as efficient as an experienced user… We estimated time savings of 50 percent throughout all plants” The more little parts of different geometry are contained in the nesting orders, the higher the off-cut. When processing big parts, we sometimes have considerably less than 20 percent”. To minimise the off-cut rate orders may be over-nested. If there is still some space left on the panel, the system places additional parts beyond the scope of the order. In addition to that orders may be declared as filler parts, in order to fill panels showing voids where necessary. Alma has programmed these additional functions especially for PALFINGER. Time savings of more than 50 percent The users have become much more efficient thanks to the automatic nesting with act/cut. “Orders, which were formerly manually nested by an operator during his working time, today barely take one third of the operator’s time. We estimated time savings of 50 percent throughout all plants”. Thanks to the time savings, PALFINGER is able to process with the same team much more nesting orders than in the past and accept special tasks, which can’t be automated as easily. The probably most important benefit from the company’s point of view is the stability […]

EMEX 2016 – A must attend event in 2016

In the picture: Rodney Oxford, Total CNC. In less than 12 weeks 4,500+ visitors seeking the latest in innovative products will descend on the ASB Showgrounds to attend EMEX, New Zealand’s largest engineering, manufacturing, machinery, electronics and technology trade show. With more than 150 exhibitors, 3 full days of industry lead seminars, special features, visitor prizes, including the chance to win a brand new Ford and exclusive VIP networking events it’s the industry’s must attend event in 2016. EMEX is a highly significant event for the vibrant engineering, manufacturing community. It’s where the whole industry comes together, and its importance is highlighted with the high profile people who make a point of visiting, spending time on exhibitor stands, attending the seminar program and networking with fellow industry professionals. This year’s event is perfectly timed to help those in engineering and manufacturing find solutions that will grow their businesses and contribute to the economy. It’s encouraging to see from recent reports including Statistics NZ Economic Survey of Manufacturing that manufacturing is growing as total sales increased in the December quarter after what was already a strong increase in the previous period. EMEX 2016 will focus on helping to sustain this growth as we promote the theme of ‘Bringing Manufacturing Home’ and celebrating local NZ Manufacturers. With just a few stands remaining the event is on track to be a sell out with this year’s suppliers going all-out, ensuring that visiting industry professionals will feast their eyes on the latest and greatest from around the globe. One example is from Total CNC Products Ltd as they introduce the impressive new Kitamura Mytrunnion 4G. The 4G is a full simultaneous 5-axis machining centre with a maximum work piece size of 550mm diameter and 400mm high. The spindle is a high speed 15,000rpm and […]

Fabrics detect dangerous gases

Researchers, from the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute and Konkuk University in the Republic of Korea, coated cotton and polyester yarn with a nanoglue called bovine serum albumin (BSA). The yarns were then wrapped in graphene oxide sheets. Graphene is an incredibly strong one-atom-thick layer of carbon that is known for its excellent conductive properties of heat and electricity. The graphene sheets stuck very well to the nanoglue: so much so that further testing showed the fabrics retained their electrical conducting properties after 1,000 consecutive cycles of bending and straightening and ten washing tests with various chemical detergents. Finally, the graphene oxide yarns were exposed to a chemical reduction process, which involves the gaining of electrons. The reduced-graphene-oxide-coated materials were found to be particularly sensitive to detecting nitrogen dioxide, a pollutant gas commonly found in vehicle exhaust that also results from fossil fuel combustion. Prolonged exposure to nitrogen dioxide can be dangerous to human health, causing many respiratory-related illnesses. Exposure of these specially-treated fabrics to nitrogen dioxide led to a change in the electrical resistance of the reduced graphene oxide. The fabrics were so sensitive that 30 minutes of exposure to 0.25 parts per million of nitrogen dioxide (just under five times above the acceptable standard set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) elicited a response. The fabrics were three times as sensitive to nitrogen dioxide in air compared to another reduced graphene oxide sensor previously prepared on a flat material. The new technology, according to the researchers, can be immediately adopted in related industries because the coating process is a simple one, making it suitable for mass production. It would allow outdoor wearers to receive relevant information about air quality. The materials could also be incorporated with air-purifying filters to act as “smart filters” that can both detect and […]

IIoT gateways allow communication with power grids

A new family of Industrial IoT gateways for Smart Grid applications, the Anybus SG-gateways, enable communication between industrial applications and energy protocols. This communication is the very basis for the so called “Smart Grid” where power plants and energy equipment are interacting with industrial applications. The SG-gateways are yet another example of how HMS realizes the Industrial Internet of Things. Anybus SG-gateways make the Smart Grid possible The new SG-gateways enable communication between industrial devices running Modbus, PROFIBUS, PROFINET, EtherNet/IP, or M-Bus and energy protocols (IEC61850 and IEC60870-5-104). This means that a power plant control room which is using the IEC protocols, can connect to industrial devices such as generators, drives, filters and protection equipment. Since the SG-gateways can act both as a master and slave, it is also possible to connect Intelligent Electronic Devices (IEDs) which communicate over IEC-standards, to industrial networks, allowing them to be controlled by PLCs from e.g. Siemens, Rockwell or Mitsubishi. The Anybus SG-gateways can also be used to enable remote control and management of electrical equipment in power grids. Data is sent over Ethernet or the 3G cellular network using the telecontrol protocols, after which the data can be presented by a software application in the power plant control room. Different versions – same configuration The Anybus SG-gateways are available in different versions for handling various industrial networks and communication standards. These include I/O, Modbus, PROFIBUS, PROFINET, EtherNet/IP, or M-Bus. All versions use the same web-based configuration tool where commands are dragged and dropped, allowing for a quick and easy installation. No additional engineering tools are needed, only a standard browser. Anybus SG-gateways are very powerful tools for handling the conversion between energy and industry standards. The Smart Grid can offer substantial energy savings and optimisations and there is a great demand in the […]

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