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Gripper excels in handling cylindrical objects

OnRobot’s 3FG15 three-finger gripper with a 150mm stroke is a powerful alternative to bulkier and less-flexible three-finger grippers currently on the market – a unique solution. The new gripper excels at heavy-payload machine-tending applications that require high precision and flexible handling. The 3FG15 makes previously hard-to-automate precision handling of cylindrical parts easy to program and deploy and provides flexibility for a wide range of part sizes. It was developed as a response to existing pneumatic three-finger grippers that are bulkier and less flexible. OnRobot has long defined the market for electric parallel grippers with the RG2 and RG6 series, and this three-finger gripper allows users to deploy applications faster with highly accurate, fixed positioning. The 3FG15 gripper has a maximum stroke of 150mm that can easily handle multiple processes. The innovative three-finger design with a 15 kg (33 lb) payload provides a strong, stable grip for both form fit (internal) or friction fit (external) gripping, adding flexibility to any implementation. Ideal for CNC machine tendingThe gripper’s design, specifically developed for machine-tending tasks, automatically centres workpieces, resulting in a strong, stable grip and precise placement in machine chucks. With a gripping force from 10 N to 240 N, the 3FG15 competes with much less flexible finger grippers. The gripper is also ideal for packaging and palletising applications, and is seamlessly compatible with any major collaborative or light industrial robot arm through OnRobot’s new award-winning One System Solution, the platform that provides a unified mechanical and electrical interface between the robot arms and any OnRobot end-of-arm tooling (EoAT). 3FG15 Features: Precise stable grip with automatic centring Large 150mm stroke for parts from 20mm to 150mm Form fit (internal) and friction fit (external) gripping 15kg payload Weight 1.15kg, gripping force 10-240 N Fast, flexible deployment The EoAT market in Asia Pacific, excluding Japan, […]

New container deployment system gets the thumbs up

Container owners frustrated with the costs, delays and anxiety of using cranes to deploy their containers can at last breathe a sigh of relief. A new container deployment system from BISON means they can now take complete control over container movements. “We have found a way for companies to safely and rapidly deploy containers anywhere. Now, one operator can get a container onto a chassis and deploy it at the destination without relying on a third party,” says BISON CEO Greg Fahey. Currently, most owners of modified containers pay a lifting service to place the container onto the chassis at the start of the journey, and then pay again to get it lifted off the chassis at the destination. BISON’s new C-Lift T-Series, on the other hand, eliminates this entirely. “Organisations are losing critical project hours while they wait for a crane or traditional container handling equipment to be available to lift a container off the truck. Others are resigned to the fact that the container will stay on the chassis. “But keeping the container on the chassis makes it harder to move in and out of the container, and it stops the chassis being used on other jobs.” says Fahey. The BISON C-Lift T Series retrofits to any standard height ISO container. It is easy to remove and use on other containers and has a lift capacity of up to 20 tonnes (44,000 lb). Battery-powered hydraulics and intelligent self-levelling software provides a controlled lift and compensates for uneven weight distribution. “We have given control and independence back to the container owner,” says Fahey. “Companies can now decide when a container needs to get on site and have the confidence that it will be there on time, at a reasonable cost.”

Funding boost for UC research on airborne microplastics

Could microplastics in the atmosphere play a role in climate change UC atmospheric chemist Dr Laura Revell is leading an investigation into this important question, with the support of a $300,000 Fast-Start grant from the 2019 Marsden Fund Te Pūtea Rangahau. In July 2019, a new report by the Royal Society Te Apārangi highlighted the issue of waste plastics in Aotearoa, noting that the amount of plastic produced each year has doubled over the last 20 years and is still growing rapidly. Less than 20 per cent of the waste plastic generated each year is recycled worldwide. Much of this plastic waste piles up in landfills or the natural environment and, as it breaks down, produces microplastics that contaminate waterways, oceans and land. Some also becomes airborne, with microplastics having recently been discovered over several of the world’s megacities as well as in several remote environments throughout the northern hemisphere. Dr Revell, a lecturer in environmental physics, is leading a team looking into what role these airborne microplastics could be playing in climate change. The endeavour has attracted a Marsden Fund Fast-Start grant, awarded to select world-class standard projects by emerging researchers. Joining Dr Revell on the collaborative project are associate investigators Associate Professor Sally Gaw (UC), Professor Eric Le Ru (Victoria University of Wellington) and Dr Andrea Stenke (ETH Zürich). The project’s mentor is UC chemistry researcher Dr Deborah Crittenden. The discovery of atmospheric microplastics is still so recent that it is not known whether they significantly influence Earth’s climate or not. “However, given that they are now being discovered in the atmosphere around the world and that their abundance is expected to increase in future, it is important to understand the role of microplastics in a changing climate,” Dr Revell says. By combining observational work, laboratory investigations and […]

Remember the Buzzy Bee?

This toy is a fine example of the quality of New Zealand manufacturing. A product well known around the world and a favourite with children over the years and made very well. We have many high-quality products on local and world markets which continue to celebrate the skill and creativity of our people. And now we are in a period where we need to support local businesses and buy from them first. To buy their products. We still have trade routes open and our products on world markets. Even though demand may be down. Internally is where we need to act in a positive way. No one knows how long the virus is going to affect us personally and in business, but we need to meet this challenge as best we can. We will get through this. We will adapt, diversify and find new opportunities that may not have been apparent before. You are welcome to share your company’s challenges with NZ Manufacturer. Write in, other readers doing the same add to the picture and share the journey.– Doug Green, Publisher

Ingenious: The Unintended Consequences of Human Innovation

By Sir Peter Gluckman and Mark Hanson As humans evolved, we developed technologies to modify our environment, yet these innovations are increasingly affecting our behaviour, biology, and society. Now we must figure out how to function in the world we’ve created. Over thousands of years, humans have invented ingenious ways to gain mastery over our environment. The ability to communicate, accumulate knowledge collectively, and build on previous innovations has enabled us to change nature. Innovation has allowed us to thrive. The trouble with innovation is that we can seldom go back and undo it. We invent, embrace, and exploit new technologies to modify our environment. Then we modify those technologies to cope with the resulting impacts. Gluckman and Hanson explore what happens when we innovate in a way that leads nature to bite back. To provide nourishment for a growing population, humans developed methods to process and preserve food; but easy access to these energy-dense foods results in obesity. To protect ourselves from dangerous pathogens we embraced cleanliness and invented antibiotics, which has led to rising rates of autoimmune diseases and antibiotic-resistant bacteria. More recently, our growing dependence on the internet and social media has been linked to mental health concerns and declining social cohesion. And we are only at the beginning of the digital transformation that will influence every part of our existence. Our ingenuity has not only changed our world–it has changed us. Focusing on immediate benefits, we rarely pause to consider the longer-term costs of innovation. Yet we are now starting to see how our choices affect the way our brains develop and our bodies function. The implications are profound. Ingenious opens our eyes to the dangers we face and offers solutions we cannot ignore.

Flexlite GX gun range delivers on ease and efficiency

Leading international welding equipment manufacturer, Kemppi, has released its new Flexlite GX guns for MIG/MAG welding. Designed for comfort, reliability, performance and efficient use of consumables, the new Kemppi Flexlite GX welding guns, will help users increase productivity, while saving on inventory costs. Together with the Flexlite TX range for TIG welding, the Flexlite GX guns deliver next-generation capability for professionals and complete the Kemppi Flexlite family. High-performance gunsBuilt to perform under extreme temperatures and in demanding environments, the Flexlite GX range delivers quality welds. The sophisticated guns use power source capacity efficiently and help users create smooth and spatter free welds. The shielding gas channels in the Flexlite GX gun have been separated and the cooling circulation runs to the very end of the gun neck. This keeps the neck gun cooler and enables cleaner welds, less spatter and reduced shielding gas consumption. In addition, the innovative neck cooling system of the Flexlite GX series ensures that the temperature of the contact tip is up to 35% lower when compared to other corresponding welding guns. This helps extend the life of the contact tip and other consumables, while reducing costs and making spare parts management easier. Excellent ergonomicsThe Flexlite GX guns also deliver comfort in spades and help reduce welder fatigue thanks to their ergonomic design. Each gun is lightweight and features a flexible cable set and innovative ball-jointed cable protection that reduces the load on the welder’s wrist. Plus, the pistol grip handle has been anatomically designed so that it feels like an extension of the welder’s hand. Providing excellent balance, it allows for a natural wrist position, which makes the work at hand easier and more effortless, particularly when doing long welds, and allows the welder to concentrate on challenging tasks. Less parts, Lower costsThe number of […]

EMEX is forty years old

At the end of 2019, I put together the Media Kit for this year and, as always, was the challenge of gathering feedback on what readers want to read and be informed about. Needless to say, Climate Change sits right up the top of the list as a major area of concern. It involves refocussing our business strategies, environmental care and the way in which we develop our products for key markets. Good will come from climate change – we just don’t know how yet. The way we adapt and the technologies and tools we use will determine our future. And – because technology change is so rapid – keep us on our toes as we continue to refine our products and our companies’ future direction. In Australia, after a devastating few months, rebuilding has commenced throughout the regions of the east coast. It is believed that with the impact of the bushfires there will not be the possibility of a similar event for four years. Hopefully never again! It gives some space – a window of opportunity for the Australian people to consider different and new ways to deal with Climate Change and review the way they have been allowed to tackle bushfire clearance methods and burn off. This year sees the 40th anniversary of EMEX, the major manufacturing and technology exhibition in New Zealand. Held every two years, EMEX places prominence on our manufacturers and technology which supports company success and forward planning. EMEX also brings together industry technocrats and experts who speak on issues which affect our day by day operations. NZ Manufacturer, as a media partner with XPO Exhibitions will again run Preview issues of this trade show – in March and April, with a Review in May issue. Contact me if your company would like […]

Rocket Lab to use Siemens software to explore new frontiers of space

Peter Beck, Rocket Lab CEO, and Samantha Murray, Managing Director of Siemens Digital Industries Software in Australia Rocket Lab will start using Siemens software to scale up production and continue its growth trajectory. To date, the company has launched 40 satellites to space and is expanding services. Rocket Lab plans to implement Siemens hi-tech industrial software to help digitally manage the lifecycle needs of the business. The software is from the Xcelerator portfolio, which is from Siemens Digital Industries Software and includes Teamcenter digital lifecycle management software, and NX software for computer-aided design (CAD) and manufacturing. This announcement comes as Rocket Lab prepares to integrate all its design, engineering and production systems to establish an end-to-end digital thread that enables increased transparency and efficiency across various offices. Speaking on the decision, Rocket Lab’s Vice President of Global Operations, Shaun O’Donnell, said: “As we’ve grown, so has our production capacity and the platforms associated with various products and processes. Using Teamcenter, we’ll be able to combine various aspects of data related to the same part, assembly and system to maintain a single source of truth across the life cycle of the product. Also, as we grow, NX will give our designers increased performance and stability to cope with larger assemblies.” “Investing in the right digital platforms that allow us to easily scale with growth is critical to the sustainability of our business. With offices around the world, we rely heavily on the access of relevant information that impacts the efficiencies of our production processes,” said Mr. O’Donnell. Rocket Lab will use the same software that the top 20 global aerospace manufacturing companies have implemented to drive digital transformation across all phases of operations. With Xcelerator, Siemens offers the most complete digitalisation value chain to aerospace manufacturers – from the initial […]

Marsden Fund grant supports UC study on ‘killer robots’ debate

First there was gunpowder, then nuclear weapons. Now another revolution in warfighting is underway with the rise of algorithmic warfare using robots and precision targeting technology. Their use is highly controversial but to date there has been no systematic attempt made to map the debate unfolding in academic, intergovernmental, corporate and social media domains. Internationally, the use of lethal autonomous weapons (LAWS) or so-called ‘killer robots’ is being debated at the highest levels. A new University of Canterbury (UC) study, which has recently received a generous grant from the 2019 Marsden Fund/Te Pūtea Rangahau a Marsden, aims to map and analyse this fast-evolving debate. Its findings could help shape the development of effective and ethical regulation of these sophisticated weapons. Dr Jeremy Moses and Associate Professor Amy Fletcher, from the Department of Political Science and International Relations at UC, and Dr Geoff Ford, a political scientist with the UC Arts Digital Lab, aim to delve deeply into this issue in a three-year project starting this year. Their research has attracted a prestigious 2019 Marsden Fund grant of $842,000. Around 12 countries are known to be developing LAWS, among them the United States, China, Russia and Israel. While the perception in those nations is that LAWS are needed to maintain geopolitical balance, groups such as the Campaign to Ban Killer Robots and other international bodies are seeking a global ban on their use. “Proponents argue that autonomous weapons could decrease civilian casualties through enhanced targeting precision and reduce the risks for human soldiers,” Associate Professor Fletcher says. “Opponents fear a world of ‘algorithmic warfare’ in which robots can make decisions to kill in the absence of human oversight and in which the speed and complexity of war accelerates to the point that international rules of conduct are rendered irrelevant.” This project […]

Manufacturing talent: what can you do to bridge the gap?

From 3D printing to blockchain, automation to predictive analytics, the fourth industrial revolution is changing how the manufacturing industry is operating. However, with this rapid transformation comes manufacturing talent challenges, exacerbated by an industry that has struggled to recruit the right people. 29 per cent of manufacturing vacancies are hard to fill and with a rapidly ageing workforce, it becomes increasingly hard for leaders in manufacturing to know where to start when it comes to talent planning. Engineering businesses have always required a unique combination of technical and soft leadership skills, and it remains in short supply. The fourth industrial revolution is affecting all aspects of business because process is no longer about machines and people, but now about data. It is crucial that employees have the imagination and creativity to realise the full potential of digitilisation and end-to-end integration. Finding the right balance between the skills new technology requires and upskilling existing talent pools is the key challenge. Gap in the middle when it comes to manufacturing talent Siemens went through a period of structural reorganisation in 2014 to prepare it for the challenges facing the manufacturing industry, with industrial digitalisation being a key component of its Vision 2020 strategy. Commenting on the reasoning behind the changes in 2018, Siemens president and chief executive Joe Kaeser called digitilisation “the greatest transformation in the history of industry”. Brian Holliday, managing director of Siemens’ Digital Factory, the German manufacturer’s data integration wing, says: “From a talent perspective, many new roles are emerging in app development, connectivity and software engineering. Technology won’t replace people in future factories, but it will augment human effort through artificial intelligence and ‘co-bots’ [robots that work alongside people on the shop floor], so finding the right balance will be crucial to our survival. We won’t build factories in the future without full digital simulation and […]

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