Featured

Technology preserves water resources

Hynds Environmental Ltd was established in 2001 as a boutique provider of stormwater and wastewater treatment solutions. Their team of engineers has developed a range of treatment technologies over the years, and is a market leader in this field. In particular, the Hynds Lifestyle Domestic Wastewater Treatment System ranks in the top four of all systems tested at the On-site Effluent Treatment National Testing Program (OSET-NTP). Hynds Environmental is now fully integrated into Hynds Pipe Systems Ltd with dedicated environmental practitioners, supported by a raft of engineers strategically located throughout the country. Rod Murray, Hynds Environmental Chief Engineer, explains that his team’s primary goal is to provide appropriate water management technologies; to help customers meet their compliance requirements; preserve the receiving environment and natural resources; and avoid wasting precious water resources: “We are providing a key need of our society”, explains Rod. “That of treating stormwater run-off, wastewater, and liquid wastes, so that rather than damage the environment, the water can be safely re-applied to the land.” The company was originally created to provide sustainable wastewater treatment practices for private residences, and small communities that did not have a formal sewage treatment process. They quickly progressed to include the provision of stormwater and industrial waste treatment solutions for the commercial and industrial sector: “We work with farms, marinas, industrial sites, supermarkets, restaurants – anywhere there’s water-borne waste”, sums up Rod. Because each client has different needs, Hynds Environmental ensures that the appropriate technology is specified and designed for each project. Customisation is essential if water management systems are to be effective, but cost can be a major issue for clients. “Customers often want to be able to buy “off-the-shelf” systems, but the problem is that every site and each waste stream is subtly different”, explains Rod. “So, in order to […]

NZ manufacturing start-up bucking convention, taking on the world

Manufacturing is in decline in much of the Western world. However, New Zealand-owned start-up PGE Injection Moulding is bucking this trend. The company is already exporting its expertise with its first products being used in marine safety applications by a US-based company. Established three years ago, PGE specialises in titanium injection moulding – a complex method with few competitors in the global market. Titanium is very light but also very strong, making titanium alloys ideal metals for many manufacturing projects. However, titanium alloys are also very expensive. Rather than using solid titanium, PGE uses titanium powder for easy transportation and far less waste. “Titanium is expensive but has such strength and versatility that if you can nail titanium injection moulding you can lead the market in high-value industries such as aeronautical, health and marine,” said Brian Breading, co-founder and Chief Operating Officer for PGE. “While our competitors typically make parts up to 20 grams in weight we can build parts up to 120 grams creating more opportunities in larger scale manufacturing.” PGE took two-and-a-half years to perfect its process. The company uses 3D design software SOLIDWORKS to handle the design of the parts and moulds. PGE is working with Intercad, the largest reseller of SOLIDWORKS solutions in New Zealand and Australia, for specialist technical support and to provide flow simulation services. One of the critical parts of the process in injection moulding is the creation of a mould which will maintain the integrity of the titanium part during the sintering process. During sintering, the moulded titanium part – which is actually a mixture of titanium powder, wax and other elements – is removed from the mould and heated to a point where those other elements melt away leaving the pure titanium part. If the mould is not designed correctly it […]

Impressive Mechanised and robotic welding systems at EMEX

Leading international welding equipment manufacturer, Kemppi, has released a new industry benchmark for quality and productivity improvement in welding production operations – its’ new range of Mechanised and Robotic Welding which will be on display at EMEX 2016. Kemppi’s family of Mechanised Welding Systems can be combined with Kemppi WISE software processes to increase productivity several hundred per cent when compared to manual welding. This not only improves productivity but also ensures greater continuity in weld quality. Simple to operate and user-friendly, the Kemppi Mechanised Welding Systems empower the user as they allow the welder to weld remarkably quickly, safely. Plus, there is also a considerable saving in time and costs, not only because the Systems improve the speed of welding, but also because the need for rework is diminished. The Mechanised Welding System range includes six systems for Mig and Tig options for both rail mounted seam welding and orbital welding for tubes and pipework. The wide range features simple and compact battery powered systems to advanced professional solutions for multilayer welding of pipes and tubes. The range includes the A5 Mig Rail System 2500, the A3 Mig Rail System 2500, the A5 Mig Orbital System 1500, and the A5 Tig Orbital System 75 and A7 Tig Orbital 150 and 300. The Mig Mechanised Welding Systems can be further combined with Kemppi’s unique Reduced Gap Technology (RGT) software to take welding productivity and quality to an even higher level. Together, they further enhance reliability in the consistency of the weld, the quality of welding and speed, to further increase productivity. For those involved in Robotic welding, the new A7 Mig Welder 450 is impressive. This solution is designed for robotic arc welding and can be easily integrated with any robot brand. It is ideal for any industry using robotic […]

Components distributor well established

Hi-Q Components has been importing and distributing plastic and electronic components for over 30 years and is now a well-established supplier to manufacturers and general industry. Hi-Q Components is appearing at EMEX 2016 on Stand 3026. Our new range of Toggle Clamps are high quality Turkish manufactured and we have many different styles and sizes in stock including; horizontal, vertical, compact, latching, pneumatic and straight line clamps. When it comes to manual clamping equipment, toggle clamps are an extremely useful choice. They have excellent power-to-movement ratio, simple installation, quick easy action and toggle clamps have multiple applications. Beyond the toggle clamp range, Hi-Q is a one-stop shop for plastic components including, fixings, fastenings, hardware, knobs, handles, small enclosures, protective caps, plugs and hi-temperature masking products. Hi-Q also has an extensive stock of electronic components, which includes AC and DC cooling fans, terminal blocks, connectors, switches, mains filters, crystals, buzzers and indicators. If you have any requirement that we cannot source within our stock range or from our many overseas manufacturers we would be happy to look at the options of tooling and manufacturing these locally for you. Hi-Q welcomes customers and design engineers to discuss their projects with the experienced staff to find the right solution for their design projects and receive free samples for proto typing. Contact Hi-Q Components for free product samples and catalogues. Phone:0800 800 293 E-mail: sales@hiq.co.nz Visit: www.hiq.co.nz

Networked Manufacturing

– Dieter Adam, CEO of the NZMEA The next wave of technological developments, described as Industry 4.0, have the potential to substantially change the nature of manufacturing, around the world and in New Zealand. Though its future and realities are uncertain, it could represent huge opportunities for those who can leverage technology, and risks if we cannot keep up. Take networked manufacturing. At the core of this is the idea that the physical elements on the factory floor – machines, tools, transportation systems and products are all networked; they can send data to a central control point and to each other and receive instructions from a central control point and from each other. Centralised monitoring and control of production equipment is not new – the interconnectivity of all elements and the potential to process and learn from large amounts of data, however, is new. This technology could give manufacturers the ability to monitor and record the performance of pretty much any tool or machinery on a production line in terms of each individual action. Beyond the immediate quality control, this will allow far-reaching retrospective analyses of potential mechanical failure when the cause of a vehicle accident is investigated, for example. Other uses could include fully autonomous local logistics, self-managing the flow of materials through a process line and factory, or physically attaching further-processing instructions to semi-finished products on a line (via RFID) to allow automatic variations within the production process. It will provide more flexibility to use input from other parties to define customisation without having to manually change tools or adjust production lines. At the macro level (systems level), Big Data systems will allow the analysis of ever more complex sets of data to identify and predict the occurrence of (rare) events. One of the most potent Big Data […]

Solid Edge ST9 software provides new cloud capabilities

The latest release of Siemens’ Solid Edge software (Solid Edge ST9) for mainstream computer-aided design (CAD) provides flexible and easy access to the full capabilities of Solid Edge with cloud-based licensing, user preferences, and collaboration tools. In addition, the new built-in data management capabilities, with zero IT support requirements, enable users to easily index their CAD models, while the new migration tools enable rapid conversion of legacy design data from virtually any CAD system. For more comprehensive data management capabilities, Solid Edge ST9 facilitates an easy upgrade to Siemens’ Teamcenter portfolio, the world’s most widely used digital lifecycle management software. Solid Edge ST9 also offers significantly enhanced integration with Teamcenter to help simplify completion of critical data management tasks. New cloud capabilities provide faster and more flexible deployment options, improved user access and collaboration across remote designs teams. Licenses and user preferences can be stored on the cloud enabling users to access their personal environment anytime and anywhere. Solid Edge ST9 also adds data storage options via cloud-enabled vaulting so users can store and share design data in a controlled manner with external suppliers and customers, using popular software like Dropbox, OneDrive® software, Google Drive™ online storage service and Box. While this allows users to efficiently work online, the option to work locally, i.e. offline, is always available. “In my business I need the flexibility to quickly access my design projects wherever I am located,” said Craig Hall, Owner, Hall Designs. “Cloud based access to both my CAD software license and my user preferences for Solid Edge will save me a lot of time as I move from workstation to working remotely on my tablet.” Implementing Solid Edge has never been faster or easier. Solid Edge ST9 provides the industry’s most flexible licensing options. This combined with new cloud-enabled options […]

Engineering at Waikato set to grow

The University of Waikato has had engineering courses on offer since 2002, and from B Semester 2016, will be adding civil and environmental engineering to the mix. B Semester begins July 18. The new programmes have been developed to produce graduates with the skills and knowledge to address New Zealand, and the world’s, growing environmental and infrastructure needs. Initially aimed at a small group of students, the programmes will cover the fundamentals of engineering combined with theory and hands-on application. New programmes The new programmes will sit alongside the university’s five existing engineering programmes – chemical and biological, electronic, materials and processing, and software, all of which have full accreditation from the Institute of Professional Engineers of New Zealand (IPENZ) and means Waikato’s engineering degrees are professionally recognised in 13 countries and regions, including Australia, the UK and the USA. Vice-Chancellor Professor Neil Quigley says offering civil and environmental engineering is an example of the university providing students with the skills they will need to address the world’s future needs. “As a university we’re focussed on addressing skills-shortages and finding solutions for some of the world’s big problems, particularly in land-based industries,” he says. “By now offering the full suite of engineering programmes, we’re in an excellent position to contribute to these solutions globally.” Environmental and civil engineering Environmental engineering develops and evaluates options, assesses methods, designs equipment and systems and develops regulations and controls to solve issues of water quality, water supply, waste reduction and disposal, soil and air quality management and control of noise. Civil engineering addresses the challenges in urban and rural infrastructure including construction, seismic retro-fitting, energy recovery, water/waste management, power generation, road networks, dams, bridges and agriculture and forestry development. The University has been planning the expansion of its engineering offerings since the announcement of […]

Konecranes real time monitoring for lifecycle care

Konecranes TRUCONNECT gives real time data on crane usage One of the biggest advances in crane safety and cost-efficient management over the past decade has been the advent of lifecycle care in real time. New remote digital monitoring and analytical technologies – such as Konecranes’ Truconnect – can look inside the performance of a crane or whole fleets of cranes to accurately predict the most suitable and timely maintenance for optimum service, as well as spot impending production risks and accident hazards. The company’s Truconnect technology harnesses in a user-friendly way the power of the industrial internet, the heart of which is based on a series of machinery sensors working together to gather and analyse data for specific purposes. By operating in this way, they can enable efficiencies that were unimaginable just a short time ago. With powerful but highly accessible technologies such as Truconnect, crane maintenance is an entire generation ahead of the days of external inspections, laborious dismantling to find and fix problems – or simply fixing something when it fails. With the accident liability that outdated practices entail – and the potential for expensive downtime that companies just can’t afford these days – old approaches are just no longer accepted as safe and productive risk management. Such industries include automotive and general manufacturing, bulk materials handling, mining, power generation, petrochemical, ports and container handling, pulp and paper, shipyards, steel and waste-to-energy. Truconnect provides accurate data on any device In developing Truconnect to complement its MAINMAN planned maintenance services to such industries, Konecranes has incorporated into the technology its experience as a major global crane and lifting equipment manufacturer, as well as the world’s largest crane service organisation, with more than 450,000 pieces of lifting equipment under maintenance agreements worldwide. To make the process of real-time monitoring for […]

Motion Analyzer web tool helps design control systems

Rockwell Automation has rebuilt Motion Analyzer software as a Web tool. The tool offers new user-friendly features and a vastly expanded product catalog to help engineers more easily specify, design and validate complete motion control systems. The Motion Analyzer Web tool is cloud-based, allowing users to access, update and collaborate on projects stored in a single location, reducing version control issues and the need to share project files back and forth. A cloud-based platform also means users are no longer limited by the processing speed of their computers when designing systems for more complex applications. The tool’s new browser-style format allows users to filter, review and compare products and general pricing, similar to search capabilities on popular e-commerce sites. “Incorrectly sizing a motion system not only generates unnecessary costs in wasted engineering time and re-stocking fees, but it can greatly slow a machine’s time-to-market,” said Gavin Black, product manager CompactLogix, SLC, Kinetix Motion, Rockwell Automation. “The latest Motion Analyzer release is an evolution of the platform that is more collaborative, expansive and easy to use. When engineers can quickly create and examine complete motion control systems within a single platform, they can spend more time innovating and improving their machines.” The Motion Analyzer Web tool provides machine builders access to a wider range of motion control products than ever before. It now incorporates products from nine Rockwell Automation PartnerNetwork Encompass product partners, including STOBER Drives, NIDEC-SHIMPO, item North America, Tolomatic, Nook Industries, WITTENSTEIN, Exlar Corporation, Bonitron and Elwood Corporation. “Collaboration between various disciplines among machine builders and automation solution providers is critical to lower the Total Cost to Design, Develop and Deliver equipment,” said Clayton Webber, STOBER Drives. “Having mechatronic solutions up-to-date in the cloud establishes Motion Analyzer as a differentiator in machine design. STOBER and Rockwell Automation are striving […]

Streetscape Kumutoto Toilet Structure [Img-011]

Distributed design is now the norm: Why CAD must evolve to support it

By Jon Hirschtick The wide-bodied Boeing 787 Dreamliner is a long-range passenger plane designed for comfort. The celebrated aircraft’s unique features include: more headroom (higher ceilings and overhead luggage bins), more legroom, a “comfier recline,” 21% more fuel efficiency, bigger windows and “infinity mood lighting.” When the first Dreamliner came off the production line on July 8, 2007 (not coincidentally “07-08-07”), there was much industry fanfare. Boeing hired former NBC News anchor Tom Brokaw to host a red carpet affair for 15,000 employees and even commissioned a Dreamliner theme song. Chief rival Airbus graciously sent a congratulatory letter to Boeing, declaring it “a great day in aviation history.” But beyond the funky mood lighting and more comfortable coach experience, the Dreamliner represented a landmark moment in distributed design. Instead of building a complete aircraft under one roof, the 787 would have its major components designed and built in many different factories spread across the globe. The cargo doors, for example, would come from Saab in Sweden; engine parts from Rolls-Royce in England; and wing sections from Mitsubishi in Japan. In total, 17 design teams in 10 countries would play a major role. On a varying scale, Boeing’s distributed design and manufacturing chain shift has become the norm rather than the exception. As the lead founder of SolidWorks and now as the lead founder of Onshape, I’ve spent a tremendous amount of time visiting CAD customers and have witnessed some dramatic changes in the way product ideas become a reality. Three profound things have happened to design teams, most noticeably over the past decade: Teams have become highly fragmented. There used to be a team in one location for design and another location for manufacturing. That same product might now be built by 20 different fragments of teams. Teams have become […]

«‹ 101 102 103 104 ›»

News Ticker

Featured