The Daily News

Skills Shift – Research and Pilot Programme

-Dieter Adam, Chief Executive, The Manufacturers Network Skill shortages continue to be one of the top problems facing manufacturing businesses, holding them back from growing and reaching their potential. Not only this, but with changing and increasingly accessible digital technologies such as automation, AI and networked manufacturing, the skills required in manufacturing are likely to change into the future – this is the Skills Shift. While the topic of changing skills needs has been widely discussed, we do not yet have any concrete answers as to what it may mean for our sector and how we can best make sure training institutions can effectively respond and we make the necessary changes to our own practices. The Skills Shift represents a challenge for all sectors of New Zealand and all parts of our economy and society – how can people obtain the skills they need to succeed and get or keep well-paying, productive jobs? How can people gain both the soft and specialist technical skills that set them up to adapt to any change? How can companies, education providers and Government work together create a system where these skills challenges are address? And, in particular, how can employers and employees work together to train and up-skill while remaining employed, and with minimal impact on productive time? To answer these questions, The Manufacturers’ Network has put together a pilot programme and associated research projects focused on the Skills Shift in manufacturing. This programme has been endorsed by the Future of Work Tripartite Forum, and we will seek funding support to undertake the work. What we want to do is provide quality research into the Skills Shift in New Zealand so that manufacturers and tertiary and training providers understand what the Skills Shifts will look like and mean for them, and what measures […]

MJH Engineering gears up for a ‘Big is Best’ approach

The notion ‘think big’ is entirely applicable to MJH Engineering. The steel fabrication company, based in Seaview, Lower Hutt houses industry-leading automated machinery, and some of New Zealand’s largest building construction projects can be attributed to its name. Founded by Malcolm Hammond in 1982 as a factory and machinery maintenance firm, MJH Engineering quickly evolved into the construction industry and from one employee it has grown to over 100 today and now spans three sites and includes a 5,000sqm workshop. Fabricating for clients across New Zealand, on any given day the MJH team could be working on a range of structural steel works for industrial warehouses, commercial buildings, multi storey tower-blocks, steel art works, residential buildings and seismic strengthening projects. “Our experience and capacity ensures we can undertake multiple large scale projects safely, smoothly, and on time,” says Managing Director, Malcolm Hammond. A heavyweight when it comes to industry accolades as well, MJH has recently been named a finalist in the Steel Construction New Zealand (SCNZ) Excellence in Steel awards for its involvement in Wellington’s Deloitte House (20 Customhouse Quay) and for the Rankine Brown Emergency Shoring for the Liftshaft. The landmark construction of 20 Customhouse Quay – a 15-level seismically advanced office tower featuring a diagonally braced diagrid perimeter structure with base isolation, represents a new generation of safety and resilience and meets up to 180% of the building code, says Hammond. “The diagrid structure is stiffer than conventional tower frames,” he said, “But it also uses about twenty percent less steel than conventional building designs.” The complexity of the project brought the skill of the MJH team to the fore as they created unique, precisely angled parts for components of the diagrid structure. Other notable projects the MJH team has been involved with include the iconic 32-meter-high Wellington […]

A new kind of teacher

It’s back to school, and you know what that means — time to fire up the computer that teaches you! That’s what primary school students in New Zealand have to look forward to, anyways. They’ll soon be the first students in the world to learn from an artificially intelligent (AI) digital avatar. Meet Will Auckland energy company Vector teamed up with AI company Soul Machines to create the avatar, which goes by the name Will. The AI is now part of Vector’s Be Sustainable with Energy program, which it offers free-of-charge to schools to which it provides electricity. Will’s there to teach children about energy use. Students interact with Will — essentially just a face on a screen — via their desktop, tablet, or mobile device. He teaches them about different forms of renewable energy, such as solar and wind. Will can then ask the students questions about what they’ve learned to ensure the lessons stick. According to Vector’s Chief Digital Officer, Nikhil Ravishankar, students seem particularly taken by Will. “What was fascinating to me was the reaction of the children to Will. The way they look at the world is so creative and different, and Will really captured their attention.” He went on to add, “Using a digital human is a very compelling method to deliver new information to people, and I have a lot of hope in this technology as a means to deliver cost-effective, rich, educational experiences into the future.” An education crisis Ravishankar isn’t the only person who thinks robots — in the form of AI software programs like Will, or actual humanoid machines — will soon play a major role in education. In February 2017, futurist Thomas Frey predicted that learning from bots will be commonplace by 2031. Meanwhile, British education expert Anthony Seldon thinks […]

ZW3D for one man operations, SMEs and corporates

Affordable CADCAM must deliver: • Enterprise-level mechanical design and engineering system. • Cost effective ownership. ZW3D CADCAM is truly integrated. It’s core objective is provide unified environment from concept design to final manufacturing. This is achieved with a powerful proprietary hybrid 3D CAD and CAM kernel. Not only is complex surface generation and manipulation at the centre of the design, the modelling database is object oriented improving speed and providing flexibility. ZW3D does not distinguish between solid, surface or wireframe methodology. All ‘objects’ are usable as a source for developing geometry. The edge of a solid can be used as the profile for a surface or solid extrusion in any direction, as a path for a sweep, the edge of a loft, part of a UV curve set, the path for a distributed pattern of any other object from points through to components. Even if the resulting surface or shape is non sensible in the real world, ZW3D will accept this as a valid object and allow you to continue modelling without a hiccup. CAM users benefit massively from having ready access to high level modelling capability. Comprehensive translators are standard. Some common file types can be used directly. ZW3D Point cloud tools, including STL manipulation can handle millions of points, reduce data and apply complex smooth surface meshes. Resultant surfaces are then used as part of the solid model for shape generation. No additional software or plugins required. AutoCAD users use existing drawings to develop 3D models. One user is currently migrating 2,500 2D sketches to 3D parts. Assembly anomalies have been discovered and resolved. Now they can build and document assemblies with drawings, cross sections, BOM and even instructional explode and unexplode videos. Sheet metal, weldments, morphing , patterning and direct editing tool suites are also standard within […]

Farra positions itself for the future

Evolution in industry is inevitable and keeping up with the engineering impact is vital for survival. Cast your mind back to the skills, tools and processes from your own beginnings and change is obvious. How we machine, weld, prepare, fabricate, protect and maintain has changed radically without even mentioning manning levels and skills shortages. So what are some of New Zealand’s founding engineering companies doing to stop becoming a dinosaur statistic? The Maintenance Engineering Society (MESNZ) took the opportunity to find out more when it brought its Kaeser Compressors Network Evening series to Dunedin’s Farra Engineering. With a 100 year history, Farra Engineering is well represented locally and globally with some impressive engineering feats and capability. New Zealand industry however has little respect for history and successive governments have made an art form out of ignoring industries future needs, leaving businesses to look after their own futures and the human infrastructure required to support the business. From the markets it participates in, to the age and capability of its plant and the people that it brings into the business, Farra are working hard to remain a force for the future. The moment you walk through the door the evidence is inescapable; in house built architecture, staff-created artwork and modern layouts open out to a sprawling complex mixing traditional large capacity machining plant with digital sheet metal centres, high technology powder coating line and massive fabrication capacity. The skills shortage experienced throughout the country is no different in Dunedin although the key issue for CEO Gareth Evans is not the smart skills but the core apprentice trade skills that are paramount in the area. Here too, Fara is taking a leading role in solving the issue, participating with a local manufacturing group in an initiative to promote trades careers to school […]

University of Auckland welcomes world renowned 3D Printing researcher

Multi-award-winning product design developer and engineering researcher Professor Olaf Diegel will join the University of Auckland’s Faculty of Engineering in early 2019. The University is delighted to welcome Professor Diegel, its third appointee under the Government’s Entrepreneurial Universities programme. He is a New Zealander returning to take up a new role as head of the Creative Design and Additive Manufacturing Laboratory (the Lab) which aims to significantly change the way Additive Manufacturing (AM) is implemented in industry. AM uses a layer upon layer process rather than the conventional manufacturing processes which subtract material to carve out the finished product. Because of this, AM can produce parts that are infinitely more complex than is possible with conventional manufacturing and, if designed for, can be both cost effective while adding tremendous value to products by make them lighter, more efficient, customised, or adding to their functionality and sustainability. It has had an impact in a number of industries including aerospace, automotive, medical, fashion and has had some application in construction. Deputy-Vice Chancellor (Research) Professor Jim Metson says the University is delighted to welcome Professor Diegel back to New Zealand to take up his new role. “Additive Manufacturing is one of the fastest moving areas in a sector that is increasingly important to the country. Securing his leading-edge expertise will enable research and industrial applications that are game changing.” Professor Diegel has been leading the product development department and AM lab (the third he has founded) at Lund University in Sweden since leaving New Zealand in 2014. During his career he has developed over 100 new products for companies in New Zealand and worldwide including several home health monitoring products, security and marine products and lighting products. These include the Spengler SCVL cardiovascular lab, a monitoring technology that gives a comprehensive picture of […]

Eight myths about AI’s effect on the workplace

The interplay between technology and work has always been a hot topic. While technology has typically created more jobs than it has destroyed on a historical basis, this context rarely stops people from believing that things are “different” this time around. In this case, it’s the potential impact of artificial intelligence (AI) that is being hotly debated by the media and expert commentators. Although there is no doubt that AI will be a transformative force in business, the recent attention on the subject has also led to many common misconceptions about the technology and its anticipated effects. AI is going to be a seismic shift in business – and it’s expected to create a $15.7 trillion economic impact globally by 2030. But understandably, monumental shifts like this tend to make people nervous, resulting in many unanswered questions and misconceptions about the technology and what it will do in the workplace. Demystifying myths Here are the eight debunked myths about AI: 1. Automation will completely displace employees Truth: 70% of employers see AI in supporting humans in completing business processes. Meanwhile, only 11% of employers believe that automation will take over the work found in jobs and business processes to a “great extent”. 2. Companies are primarily interested in cutting costs with AI Truth: 84% of employers see AI as obtaining or sustaining a competitive advantage, and 75% see AI as a way to enter into new business areas. 63% see pressure to reduce costs as a reason to use AI. 3. AI, machine learning, and deep learning are the same thing Truth: AI is a broader term, while machine learning is a subset of AI that enables “intelligence” by using training algorithms and data. Deep learning is an even narrower subset of machine learning inspired by the interconnected neurons of […]

Seequent’s strong growth leads to export award nomination

Seequent is helping customers in over 90 countries make better decisions about the world’s earth, environment and energy challenges. Shaun Maloney, CEO of Seequent, says the nomination is a fantastic acknowledgement for the team who have delivered some stunning achievements for the company over the past “really big” year. “We’ve continued to grow strongly – launching major new products for the civil engineering and environmental industries, as well as continuing to deliver new innovation for the mining and minerals and geothermal energy industries. We’ve also completed a major rebranding exercise to better reflect our capability in a wider range of industries, which has been driven by multi-million dollar R&D efforts each year for the past 6 years.” Seequent is known worldwide for its Leapfrog 3D geological modelling software, initially developed for the mining and minerals industry, to provide insight and confidence for important investment and environmental decisions. Today, civil engineering, environmental and geothermal energy industries also rely on Seequent’s software to better understand subsurface geology and manage geological risk on a diverse range of projects. Maloney says the company’s technology is involved in some of the world’s most important and challenging projects, including the first final repository for nuclear waste in Finland, multi-country vehicle and rail tunnel projects in Europe and water quality projects globally. “We were also recently amazed to hear our Leapfrog Works software had been used by a local team to create a 3D model of the Tham Luang cave system, where 12 boys and their coach were recently trapped, to help communicate the high-level geological complexity of the caves area to rescue teams.” The Christchurch headquartered company has people in 15 locations in its five territories: Asia/Pacific, Africa, Latin America, North America and Europe.

CSST taps Planet to spur economic growth in New Zealand

In an exciting new venture, Planet, an integrated aerospace and data analytics company, and New Zealand’s Centre for Space Science Technology (CSST) have announced a partnership to help drive regional economic growth by distributing Planet’s daily, global Earth observation data and analytics. CSST will act as the distribution hub and R&D partner for Planet in New Zealand, making sure a breadth of industries and government agencies get efficient access to Planet’s data and analytic products. Together, Planet and CSST will localise analytics from Planet and jointly develop new solutions to serve specific verticals, including agriculture, disaster management, defence and intelligence, forestry, and maritime. “CSST is an important partner for Planet as they understand the applications and use cases of daily global imagery, and can enable us to bring our products to New Zealand. They will be the frontline consultants for commercial businesses and government agencies at all levels who seek our imagery and analytics,” said Shankar Sivaprakasam, Vice President of APAC and Japan, at Planet. Planet’s global daily imagery and analytics will improve decision-making in key sectors of the New Zealand economy, including disaster preparedness and emergency management, agricultural monitoring, forestry and land use monitoring, water management, infrastructure monitoring, and intelligence gathering. “Earth observation data is becoming increasingly important in helping New Zealand address its biggest economic, environmental, and social challenges. The biggest advantage of Planet’s constellation is how frequently its satellites pass overhead, which is extremely important in the New Zealand context, particularly with disaster monitoring. For example, Planet imagery revealed close to 80,000 landslides in the wake of the 2016 Kaikoura earthquake. Real-time disaster monitoring with Planet data will transform how governments and businesses target preparedness and relief efforts,” said Steve Cotter, CEO of CSST. Planet is an integrated aerospace and data analytics company that operates history’s largest […]

Ban on plastic bags another step towards a waste-free circular economy

The Sustainable Business Network welcomes the Government’s announcement today that single-use plastic bags will be phased out. It’s another positive step towards a circular economy for New Zealand. Rachel Brown, CEO of the Sustainable Business Network, says: “The environmental impact of plastic packaging, particularly single-use plastic bags, is now well-known. But what many people don’t realise is that there’s a massive economic cost involved too because of resource wastage. “The cost of packaging waste sits at around $80 billion globally and is rising as the costs of clean up are added. So the phasing out of single-use plastic bags is not only good for the environment, it’s good for the economy. The Sustainable Business Network (SBN) welcomes the New Zealand Plastic Packaging Declaration. This commits signatories to using 100% reusable, recyclable or compostable packaging in their New Zealand operations by 2025 or earlier. However SBN advocates for greater collaborative and co-ordinated focus across business, government and the community. The Sustainable Business Network’s Circular Economy Accelerator (CEA) is leading work to shift New Zealand from a ‘take, make waste’ linear model to circular economy. This will be low carbon, waste free, and highly efficient. In a circular economy the lifecycles of materials are maximised. Their use is optimised. At the end of life all materials are reutilised. Legislation, such as phasing out single-use plastic bags, is an important way to make the circular economy a reality across the entire economy. James Griffin leads the Circular Economy Accelerator. He says: “To solve the plastics problem we need unprecedented co-operation and co-ordination across business, the community and Government. The CEA has started a process to identify issues across the plastic packaging system in New Zealand with support from Bluebird Foods, Coca-Cola Amatil (NZ), Countdown, Earthwise, ecostore, Freedom Farms, Lewis Road Creamery, My Food […]

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