Industry Update August 2016 Issue 91

AUSTRALIA'S LARGEST CIRCULATING MANUFACTURING MAGAZINE

Industry Update

®

Issue 2014$12.00 $12.00INC.GST INC.GST Issue76 91 February August 2016

MANUFACTURING MAGAZINE

LET MALCOLM RULE Australia’s politicians must put aside destructive partisan divides so that Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has the stability he needs to deliver a positive policy agenda and to lead the nation through global economic uncertainty.

Australia has suffered from weak and unstable leadership for much of the past seven years. This time the stakes are even higher, as the Australian and global economy heads into a period of heightened uncertainty.

On the global stage, there is less confidence about business-asusual settings than there was even 12 months ago.

Brexit – while unlikely to end in doom – came as a surprise to markets and there will be a period of uncertainty until details Continued page 6

Is onshoring the future of Australian manufacturing?

Page 12

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BREXIT WILL BE A ROCKY ROAD, BUT DON'T BELIEVE THE DOOMSAYERS On the 23rd of June, UK voters set aside misgivings from economists and made the historic decision to leave the EU. It is a decision that prioritises sovereignty, even at some cost to prosperity. However the question confronting economists now is “how much prosperity?”.

From the tone of some media outlets, one might assume that Brexit is just shy of doomsday. It is sensible to dismiss such dramatics.

In the UK and EU, the short-term effect of Brexit will be significant but not catastrophic; in Australia, it will be negative

Australia's reelected Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull

Efic: Export finance for manufactures Page 20

Minister ignites steel debate at innovation hub Page 30

Continued page 8

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• EDITORIAL

PUBLISHER SCOTT FILBY

EDITOR DAVID SLIGAR

TIME FOR TALK IS OVER – LET’S GET ON WITH TAX REFORM

EXCITING TIMES FOR INDUSTRY UPDATE AND AUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURING

It’s welcome news from the Australian Industry Group that Australian manufacturing is growing again. While the immediate trigger for this growth is a lower Australian dollar, it wouldn’t have happened without the hard work and innovation of Australia’s manufacturing community.

While the economic outlook is more positive than you might believe from reading some outlets, this will only continue if the government maintains policy settings that are favorable to business.

With global uncertainty ahead, the Reserve Bank is sufficiently concerned as to reduce interest rates to record lows.

In this environment, enhancing Australia’s competitiveness must be the guiding principle underlying the legislative agenda of the new Parliament.

We need lower and more efficient taxes, less litigious industrial relations and less of the red tape that is wasting our precious time.

This is the consistent message coming from all Australia’s peak business representatives.

Australia’s top economic agencies, such as the Treasury and the Reserve Bank, have also called for tough reforms to improve productivity.

Malcolm Turnbull has a positive vision for the economy, having consistently sent the right messages to the business community. The

proposed cut in the company tax rate is one of the most important policies for business in two decades. Not since John Howard’s GST election of 1998 has a party leader had the courage and vision to make a major piece of pro-business tax reform the centerpiece of their election campaign.

It didn’t come too soon. Australia’s tax system was designed for another age and is in urgent need of repair.

Australia’s company tax rate of 30% is well above the OECD average of 25%. It compares very unfavourably with maximum rates in our geographic neighbors, such as Singapore (15%), Indonesia (25%), Malaysia (25%), Vietnam (25%) and Thailand (15%). Our businesses work hard, but as the business capability of Asia continues to grow, we cannot sustain such a handicap forever.

Unfortunately, there is some risk Turnbull will face obstruction from a fragmented Upper House. Our politicians must put aside differences and work together to ensure Australian businesses have the sound economic management they need to succeed in an increasingly competitive world.

Australian governments – from both major parties in their finest moments – have a long history of cutting company tax when conditions demand it. It’s now more important than ever.

It’s time to get on with the job.

It’s a privilege to be back contributing to this edition of Industry Update.

When I started my time as Editor more than a decade ago, Industry Update was only an outline of what it would later become. I was the only editorial staff, and content rarely ventured beyond product news. During that stage there was also no website.

My three years as Editor saw a significant boost in editorial quantity and quality. We started to venture beyond product news, running stories on national and global issues that matter to Australian manufacturers.

Rejoining the team, it’s inspiring to see the transition not only continue but accelerate.

By any metric, Industry Update has defied the trend away from print media and emerged bigger and better than ever.

Industry Update has not only retained its status as the number 1 in print, it also has a rapidly growing News & Product site that allows us to communicate with our readers in-between editions.

Print is still the preferred news source for manufacturers – trade media doesn’t, thankfully, share the rapidly changing news cycle that consumer media dictates.

Nevertheless, our online media lets us keep our readers up to date when big news stories do break.

I’d like to pay my regards to Tim Michael, whose tenure as Editor oversaw this

remarkable period of Industry Update history.

But despite all the change, some things remain the same. Industry Update retains Scott Filby’s visionary direction and unceasing drive to meet the needs of our readers and advertisers.

We retain our belief in a bright future for Australian manufacturing.

Manufacturing contributes more than $100 billion to the national economy.

It provides jobs to more than 880,000 Australians – nearly four times the number in the mining industry, and double that of the finance industry.

Don’t let anyone tell you manufacturing is dead.

The industry will inevitably change shape, but we at Industry Update view that as an exciting opportunity, not a death sentence.

The future of the industry is a major theme in this post-election edition.

We hear perspectives from both major parties, and continue our coverage of challenges confronting the Australian steel industry.

We also dissect the implications of Brexit, assess the current political environment, and analyse the exciting new development of "onshoring", which refers to the return of manufacturing from Asia to Australia.

I hope you enjoy the magazine.

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• INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVES

KEEPING SECURITY SECURE: THINK BEFORE YOU AUTOMATE

By Tony Pearce

Humans, by nature, are unreliable. We're prone to getting tired, misremembering events, or missing them entirely; when we do notice what's going on, we panic, overreact, and make mistakes. Even if we did have perfect judgement, we're not always as capable as we'd like to be.

This is the argument for automating yet another aspect of the workforce: security.

Keeping things safe is a big priority. The larger your company, the more expensive your gear, the busier your job site; the more you want to make sure nothing goes wrong.

Vandalism, theft, and safety are big risks for any company.

According to iMINCO, an Australian mining security provider, "Safety and security are top priorities for Australian mining companies, given the high-risk nature of the industry and the public interest mining activities attract."

An autonomous robot could respond faster to threats, act without risking its own safety, and most importantly, monitor and capture data in realtime far more effectively than human security. Upkeep can be a great deal cheaper too: robots don't charge timeand-a-half for the night shift.

That's the logic behind Knightscope's K3 and K5: autonomous 'security platforms'.

They're 130 kilogram, wheeled, bulletshaped robots with "advanced physical security, cutting edge anomaly detection, and autonomous presence 24/7", according to Knightscope.

Despite the impressive suite of features, one core question must be asked by anybody contemplating upgrading or automating their security system: will it genuinely be safer and more reliable?

These security robots are outfitted with a full range of detection, recording, and connectivity capabilities that completely outstrip a human, but there have been multiple instances of Knightscope 'bots running into (and over) children in populated shopping malls.

Luckily, this doesn't appear to be part of a Skynet-style takeover: the children in question were just standing in the way of the 'bot's usual patrol path, and were not detected in time. Knightscope's VP of marketing, Stacy Stevens, made a statement after the incident.

"Similar to every other technology company in Silicon Valley, Knightscope strives to make improvements on a daily basis," she said. "Our core mission is to ensure public safety, and we are taking this report very seriously."

Despite the relatively benign nature of the incidents, they were sufficient for Knightscope to temporarily suspend their robotic security operations at the location, and to cause people to think twice about the value of robotic security.

Primarily, people were reminded that robots can't act with the same logic as people: they don't have the gut feelings, or even reactions, that set a good security

Are the Knightscope robots indicative of an automation trend in security?

guard above the rest.

Incidents like these have a lot to teach us about the nature of automation. We have to plan for a system with vastly different strengths and weaknesses than a humanstaffed setup, and make allowances for developing technology.

Our collective movement into automation has led to some strange headlines. For instance: this April, those using the automated thermostat Nest woke up to headlines declaring that by connecting their thermostat to the internet (as Nest must be), it had become everything from a potential hacking access point to their home network to a target for ransomware, depending on the level of access (remote or physical) that an intruder could obtain.

The amount of data collected, and the

realtime capabilities of a security system, make any automated security system a prime target for hacking. Thomas FoxBrewster of Forbes has detailed how he was able to take control of an entire complex's security system from 5,000 miles away.

"I could unlock doors, turn alarms on or off, access CCTV camera feeds," he said in an article. "If I had a partner in crime over in Oakland, I could’ve told them exactly when to enter the building, do whatever they pleased, and leave without a trace."

This is the opposite intention of any such system, and something that bears remembering. Amidst the craze of automating tasks, connecting objects to a central control system, and optimising for cost and efficiency, remember: whatever our flaws, you can't remotely hack into a human. Well... not yet.

CONTENTS FROM THE PUBLISHER 2

IN REVIEW: CEMAT 2016 28

Challenger: A Brand that stands [out] for more

NEWS

SAFETY WHS Report Shows Interesting Results for Manufacturing Industry

28

WASTE MANAGEMENT 39 WMAA Landfill Conference Prospectus

STEEL INDUSTRY FOCUS

30

EDUCATION AND TRAINING 40 Future Scientists helped by 600 Machine Tools

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 32 Control Logic: Efficiency at low cost

AUSSIE MADE 42 New Legislation on Aussie Food Exports

MACHINERY 33 State-Of-The-Art Machinery gives Eastgate the Advantage

PRODUCT NEWS

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FEATURE 12 Is onshoring the future of Australian manufacturing?

CLEANING

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BUSINESS AND FINANCE 20 Mobicon overcomes common barrier to export finance TEST AND MEASURE 24 High precision and high performance with Omron

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44 – 54

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• NEWS

Continued from cover page

LET MALCOLM RULE of the arrangement are confirmed.

Trump’s nomination was also a big surprise to markets, and although he is unlikely to win Presidency, it has exposed a vulnerability to extreme views within one of the USA’s great political parties.

In the background there are ongoing risks of financial crisis in Greece and China. On top of all this, there is the South China Sea dispute.

The RBA’s decision to cut interest rates to record lows reflects a significant concern about the economic outlook.

For Australia to successfully navigate through these stormy waters, we need stability at the helm.

But with a government majority of just one in the lower house, a mixed bag cross bench in the upper house, and the potential for disunity in the government’s

own benches, there is no guarantee Australia will get the stability it sorely needs unless our politicians work together.

Coalition MPs should stay united behind Turnbull, and put aside any temptation to rekindle factional disputes. It is not in the national interest.

Some MPs on the Coalition’s right, such as George Christensen and Corey Bernardi, have not necessarily been as supportive of their leader as they should be. They should not forget that Malcolm Turnbull is the man elected by the Australian people as our national leader.

Australians are tired of petty partisanship and underhand infighting. As a newly elected Prime Minister, Turnbull must be given an opportunity to deliver on the agenda to which he was democratically entrusted.

For Australia to successfully navigate through these stormy waters, we need stability at the helm.

The cross-benchers, and the Opposition, should also give Turnbull a fair go. Wise opponents will look for areas of common ground, rather than opposing for opposing’s sake.

Industry Update Publisher Scott Filby said that although the magazine usually avoids political opinion, the stakes are now too high not to speak up.

“As we enter a tumultuous and uncertain economic environment,

Australian businesses need political stability more than ever” said Mr Filby.

“Our politicians must put aside narrow partisanship to ensure that the Prime Minister can lead the nation through the rough waters ahead.”

Industry Update calls on all politicians – from across the spectrum – to remember the civic spirit that motivated them to take part in public life.

That spirit requires that they put aside self-interest and act in the national interest.

All politicians must now work together to foster a new environment to give business – and all Australians – the very best chance of success.

To do this, they must put away the knives.

They must let Malcolm rule.

INNOVATION AND SCIENCE ARE KEY TO A PROSPEROUS FUTURE

By Greg Hunt, Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science

I am delighted to be the new Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science. In fact, I can't think of a better portfolio to lead as we look to create a bright, prosperous future for all Australians.

My portfolio is about building a stronger future for all Australians. It is about job security and job creation.

But it's a balancing act. We have to make sure Australians, in a transitioning

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economy, have well-paying jobs today, tomorrow and in the years from now.

In many cases our current jobs will evolve so as they can be done in new ways, but firms such as Dulux and Bluescope show how we can revitalise traditional industries through a partnership between workers and management and through greater innovation.

Adding to the challenge is the fact that this must take place against a backdrop of a highly-competitive global market.

We therefore have to work hard to help businesses emerge and grow, and increase opportunities for high-wage jobs for the skilled workforce Australia will need to remain globally competitive.

What matters for Australians from all walk of life is that they can innovate in their own businesses.

We also have to ensure the policy environment not only nurtures existing and new businesses, encouraging them to succeed, but also supports businesses and sectors that may need to transition to meet Australia's future economic needs.

It's crucial that we also maximise the commercial and social impact of

Australia's world-class research, and build skills in science, technology, engineering and maths.

What matters for Australians from all walk of life is that they can innovate in their own businesses.

The National Innovation and Science Agenda is fundamental to this and one of my portfolio priorities is to continue to implement its measures.

We have an amazing Chief Scientist in this country with Alan Finkel, but I want to be the chief scientific advocate.

The Agenda will enable us to support people with good ideas to create new businesses and help existing businesses make the changes they need to succeed and maintain their competitive advantage.

I also want to celebrate Australian success – our incredible history and achievements, and our current experience

of success.

It's in this context that innovation is so important. Innovation occurs in businesses of all sizes and in all sectors of the economy.

It is important to businesses in sectors as diverse as agriculture, retail and manufacturing; it's happening on our farms, at our supermarket checkouts, on our factory floors, and in our local businesses.

Innovative businesses will be those that are able to successfully convert their great ideas into a product or a service that they can introduce into the market place and benefit Australians.

After all, that's what we are about – seizing the opportunities that are before us.

I have already spoken with many businesses and their leadership teams, and I look forward to working with both individual firms and industry organisations on the policy steps that can help make them more competitive.

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• NEWS

Continued from cover page

BREXIT

WILL BE A ROCKY ROAD, BUT DON'T BELIEVE THE DOOMSAYERS

By David Sligar

but small.

In the IMF’s July forecast, Chief Economist Maury Obstfeld said that Brexit will create “downward pressure to the world economy at a time when growth has been slow.”

Nevertheless, the IMF expects the UK to avoid recession and grow by 1.7% in 2016 and 1.3% in 2017. While that includes a sizeable downward revision of 0.9 points in 2017, it still beats expected growth in Germany, France and Italy.

The impact of Brexit on the global economy is forecast to be small. IMF world forecasts are down by only 0.1 point in each of 2016 and 2017.

According to Mr Innes Willox, Chief Executive of the Australian Industry Group, there will be a direct risk to Australian exporters to the UK. “The immediate concern is for those who export into the UK and have to deal with a lower UK pound,” Mr Willox told Industry Update.

Fortunately, only a small minority of Australian exports will be directly affected.

The UK is Australia’s seventh greatest export destination, but that equates to a share of just 3.9%. China’s share of our exports is 32.9%.

Some of the initial decrease in the value of the pound has already been reversed, lessening the associated impact to Australian businesses, Mr Wilcox noted.

Short-term market movements should always be taken with a grain of salt. Indeed, the pound rallied strongly the evening

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before the vote because investors thought Remain would win. Markets fluctuate wildly – often in error.

Ignoring this fact leads to the panicked stories we saw immediately after the referendum.

The outlook becomes far more uncertain when moving from short term to long term. The long-term effects of Brexit will depend on the response of governments to a situation that is complex and unprecedented.

The ideal (and most likely) outcome would be for the UK to maintain a formal relationship with the EU that is like a toned down version of membership.

Such an “EU light” arrangement would include some access to the European common market, which would limit economic harm for all parties.

The EU would not want to lose trade with the UK, the world’s fifth largest economy and Germany’s third largest export destination, to take just one example.

But EU light is unlikely to be as good as current arrangements. The EU must perform a balancing act: a deal without negative consequences for the UK invites other nations to exit.

According to the former director general of UN council’s legal service, Jean-Claude Piris, the UK “cannot get as good a deal as they have now, it is impossible.”

Immigration was a key driver of the Leave campaign, and will likely be a

sticking point in negotiations.

Non-member states Norway, Switzerland and Iceland have full common market access, but they accept free movement. It's unlikely that such an arrangement will be acceptable to the UK. Opposition to free movement was central to the Brexit campaign.

Due to the protracted and cumbersome exit process, uncertainty about the shape of post-Brexit arrangements won’t go away any time soon.

The ideal (and most likely) outcome would be for the UK to maintain a formal relationship with the EU that is like a toned down version of membership.

The official process is not even expected to start until next year, according to Jason Coppel QC, representing the government in the UK High Court on 19 July. Once it does start, Article 50 of the European treaties prescribes a negotiation period of up to two (more) years.

A further complication is that the UK must renegotiate – or abandon – the bilateral and multilateral trade deals signed between EU and the rest of the world, of which there are 50. Trade deals can take

years to negotiate.

With a souring of global sentiment on trade, the UK will face a tough negotiating environment.

All of this creates global economic uncertainty. That will affect Australian businesses, although Mr Willox believes harm will be constrained.

“Another concern is the additional uncertainty or ‘business hesitancy’ as is the latest phrase,” Mr Willox said.

“This will slow investment and growth with some small indirect impact on Australia - this impact may be larger for some businesses but overall this will be small.”

The worst case scenario is that Brexit triggers a domino effect. A Greek exit from the euro risks a European financial meltdown. A mass exodus from international institutions would devastate more than 70 years of global cooperation.

“A longer term impact of Brexit will be the shape of new international agreements and whether Brexit is the forerunner of more or less disintegration of the post war global economy,” Mr Willox said.

But while a nightmare scenario is possible, it is not probable. Providing governments respond sensibly to Brexit, there is reason for optimism.

Sensationalised media negativity can create a destructive feedback loop.

Negative coverage depresses markets, leading to even more negative coverage.

Let’s not allow doom to turn into a selffulfilling prophecy.

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• NEWS

WHERE TO NOW FOR THE INNOVATION AGENDA?

By Senator Kim Carr, Shadow Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research

REMEMBER INNOVATION? IT TURNED INTO A BUZZWORD LAST YEAR. The president of the Business Council of Australia, Catherine Livingstone, told a meeting of the council last year that "we seem to have gone from the word 'innovation' being banned to it suddenly being compulsory, regardless of context.

"In the renewed discussion around innovation, if we don't start taking a systems approach we will effectively be deciding how to style rooms before we have built the house."

A systems approach to innovation begins with the recognition that innovation is not a matter of spruiking the latest cool idea or trying to foster growth through

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discredited trickle-down economics.

A systems approach is what Labor was implementing in government and it is what we took to the 2016 election.

For Labor, innovation applies to every enterprise: to existing industries as well as start-ups, to universities, TAFEs and research institutes, to the public service and to the community sector.

The challenge for an effective innovation agenda is to reshape and refocus the economy, industry by industry and firm by firm, to create the high-skill, high-wage jobs of the future.

This broader understanding and application of innovation policy is vitally important now the commodities boom that sustained growth for much of the past decade is over. The investment phase has peaked and the jobs of the future must come from somewhere else.

The end of the boom has come at a time when automation and digital technologies are dramatically enhancing our industries.

But they are also replacing the jobs many Australians thought were secure.

Most of the jobs of the future will be in companies that do not exist today or in industries that have changed dramatically to keep pace with rapid advances in technology.

For some Australians, these shifts are indeed "exciting", as Mr Turnbull put it; but we must also acknowledge

that for many others, they are a cause of uncertainty and anxiety.

In June an Essential poll found that 80 per cent of respondents believed that support for local manufacturing was important, but only 29 per cent rated tax cuts for large companies.

The challenge for an effective innovation agenda is to reshape and refocus the economy, industry by industry and firm by firm, to create the high-skill, high-wage jobs of the future.

In the same poll, 83 per cent felt that local jobs and local content rules for government-funded infrastructure projects were important, along with better funding of TAFE programs to give people the skills to get future work.

There's no question that Australia's economic growth must be driven by innovation.

But we won't be an innovative nation if we don't maintain our advanced industrial capabilities.

The crisis in strategic industries such as steelmaking, and the approaching

shutdown of car manufacturing at Elizabeth in 2017, threaten those capabilities.

The biggest problem facing steelmakers such as Arrium at Whyalla has been the dumping of cheap, and often sub-standard, foreign steel on the Australian market.

A report by the Anti-Dumping Commission was handed to the previous Industry and Science Minister, Christopher Pyne, in April. Australians await to see how the new Minister, Greg Hunt, will respond to the problem.

Several things could be done. A Senate inquiry into the future of the automotive industry has called for changes to the main form of assistance to the industry, the Automotive Transformation Scheme, to preserve capabilities in the supply chain and smooth the economic disruption that the shutdown will bring.

And there is a review of the R&D Tax Incentive, the chief measure integrating the tax and innovation systems, which has not yet been publicly released.

But as technological change continues to increase Australians' anxieties about the new economy, our businesses need a systems approach that goes beyond tax cuts and buzz words.

Senator Kim Carr is Shadow Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research.

NEWS •

INDUSTRYUPDATE.COM.AU

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• SPECIAL FEATURE: ONSHORING

IS ONSHORING THE FUTURE OF AUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURING? Meet Jack Winson, the Signet CEO bringing jobs home

By David Sligar

Brisbane-based manufacturer and supplier Signet is making a multimillion dollar investment to bring manufacturing from Asia to Australia, in a move that may be a catalyst for Australian firms to consider the viability of "onshoring" – a trend that's already taken off in the USA. Recognised as a leading national supplier for packaging and industrial needs, Signet saw an opportunity for domestic production to meet growing customer demand for plastic films and bags with shorter lead times and smaller production runs.

To satisfy these needs, Signet purchased a $2 million Italian-made Macchi machine that nearly tripled its domestic polyethylene capability for packaging and agricultural customers, from 1,700 to 5,000 tonnes annually.

The move comes after the company reassessed the merits of onshore production in response to a fall in the Australia dollar.

In addition to the benefits for Signet and its customers, the decision is a win for the community. The reduction in shipping will yield environmental benefits, and local production will create Australian jobs.

There is reason to be hopeful that Signet's move could become a broader trend that will counter decades of offshoring, which to date has faced no substantial market-based challenge within Australia.

The rise of offshoring Australia's manufacturing job numbers have been falling for decades. Some of the decline is attributable to labour-saving technology, but much has gone offshore for cheaper labour costs.

The trend of "offshoring" – sending work overseas – has hit manufacturing across the developed world, including Australia, Europe, North America and, more recently, Japan.

The human impact of offshoring is a hot-button issue. In developing countries, offshoring helped billions of people escape

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deep poverty, but domestically it made life harder for less competitive businesses, and for their workers and local communities.

Notwithstanding the human impact, most offshoring has been inevitable. It's just not feasible to compete with Asia on cost for repetitive manual labour.

On the positive side, global competition has steered Australian manufacturing towards its advantages, for example producing automated work and meeting specialised local requirements, such as flexibility and fast turnarounds.

Given these advantages, it is worth considering whether Australian businesses are striking the right balance between offshore and onshore production.

In the relentless hunt for bargainbasement prices, is it possible that some firms went overboard and overlooked other factors? Moreover, might automation level up the cost playing field?

In the USA, a growing number of firms believe the answer to those questions is "yes".

Onshoring in the USA Since emerging from recession in mid-2009, American manufacturing has undergone a renaissance, with output growing by more than 20% according to Federal Reserve data. Part of this growth has been brought about by onshoring.

According to the USA's Reshoring Initiative, more than 265,000 jobs across hundreds of businesses were brought onshore from January 2010 to July 2016.

The movement of work onshore came from some of America's most renowned companies. In 2010, GE Appliances announced the return of hybrid water heater production from China, reopening a Kentucky plant that had been dormant

Signet CEO, Jack Winson

for 15 years. The relocation came after the company found that a 30% Chinese cost advantage became 6% more expensive after considering inventory and delivery problems. GE followed up this success with other domestic initiatives, all up creating around 1,300 jobs over four years.

Motivated by branding and social responsibility, the shopping giant Walmart launched a huge program to promote onshoring from its suppliers. No fewer than 38 companies signed up, reportedly creating more than 4,444 American jobs.

Perhaps the most iconic case of onshoring was GM's 2014 return of Cadillac SRX production from Mexico, investing $185 million on a new plant in Tennessee and employing 3,000 workers.

The relocation followed a deal with the union allowing for greater pay flexibility.

Other considerations that prompted American businesses to onshore include: • flexibility and responsiveness • shipping time and costs • offshore risks to intellectual property • quality control

• proximity to raw materials • improvements in domestic efficiency through labour-saving technology or lean manufacturing principles.

To be sure, American manufacturers have certain advantages over their Australian counterparts, for example the scale of the domestic economy and relatively pro-employer industrial relations.

According to Mr Innes Willox, Chief Executive of Australian Industry Group, US manufactures have benefited from falling energy costs in recent years, but "in Australia energy costs have been rising, not falling." Most importantly, Australian manufacturing is chronically vulnerable to fluctuations in the dollar.

These factors have contributed to Australia's lack of onshoring to date, and will undoubtedly remain a constraint in the future. But while Australia may never experience US-style mass-scale onshoring, Signet's example shows it can be the right strategy for certain businesses, in certain circumstances.

SPECIAL FEATURE: ONSHORING •

Onshoring in Australia: Enter Signet Signet's decision to onshore is built on a wealth of experience. Founded in 1968, Signet is a national enterprise with sales and distribution centres in all capital cities.

After considerable growth in recent years, Signet employs more than 300 staff.

To learn about Signet's onshoring, I spoke to company CEO Mr Jack Winson.

Mr Winson's father founded Signet, and after spending much of his life surrounded by the firm he knows the business and market inside out. "The day after graduating university I came straight into the business and have worked in all departments," he said. He ran Signet's sister business insignia for about 15 years before moving to the group CEO role.

Mr Winson has observed a change in the market, with customer preferences increasingly geared towards shorter wait times and smaller production runs.

"Production batch sizes are reducing and the pressure on reducing lead times is increasing," said Mr Winson.

"With local production we can turn something around in a few days – offshore that would take months."

"Manufacturing here in Brisbane means we have control, ensuring a consistently high-quality product that meets our clients' needs, and the flexibility to ensure we can meet the most challenging deadlines."

According to Mr Winson, customers are showing a "a significant amount of

interest" in the new capability.

Mr Winson said he wasn't yet aware of any other firms onshoring. "For decades it's all been the other way around," he said.

Mr Winson believes that some industries and competitors have engaged in "manufacturing tourism" because they placed too much weight on labour costs.

For the specialised production Signet is moving onshore, labour costs are small relative to total costs. When all factors are considered thoroughly, "Australian manufacturing can stack up," he said.

Mr Winson cautioned that companies thinking about moving production onshore should carefully analyse viability against possible upward movements in the dollar, a risk that "makes planning and investment for onshore production quite challenging."

"Some people thought the dollar would move down to around 55 cents US. If that were the case, I think we'd see a real trend to onshoring. But it's currently around 75 cents, and that's about the long-term average. At this level it may still not be worthwhile for many manufacturers."

"Manufacturing here ... means we have control, ensuring a consistently whigh-quality product that meets our clients' needs, and the flexibility to ensure we can meet the most challenging deadlines."

The future of onshoring in Australia It remains to be seen whether onshoring will catch on in Australia, but there are positive signs according to the Australian Industry Group.

"Yes, manufacturing is increasing again as evidenced by our PMI (Australian Performance of Manufacturing Index™) being above 50 points and indicating expansion for the last 12 months," Mr Willox said.

"This is mainly due to the lower dollar, good growth in food-related demand and the strong housing cycle."

Can the government promote onshoring? Mr Willox says that while the government's hands are effectively tied on the dollar, investment in innovation can help grow the "speed, flexibility and customisation" and "high value at low volumes" needed by industry to overcome Australia's disadvantages.

Although Mr Winson thinks onshoring is unlikely to become a large movement, he can "certainly" envisage more of it.

"It all depends on what the customers are looking for, whether responsiveness is critical. If they need to get a product to market quickly, onshore manufacturing is the only way."

"Governments can foster advanced manufacturing in many ways, including by helping and encouraging innovation collaboration between universities and business."

Other critical policy areas are workplace relations and taxation, but these are heavily debated, Mr Willox said.

"The reshoring debate can cast a new light on these policy arguments: the change in manufacturing is not all one way, and the rewards to good economic policy can be substantial."

Signet's Mr Winson said that the policy focus should be on improving competitiveness, for example by reducing taxation.

"Payroll taxes are the big one. Five percent might not sound like much, but on top of onshore labour costs that are already considerably more expensive, it adds up to a burden that will inevitably keep jobs offshore," Mr Winson said.

Given the inherent limitations of Australia's economic and policy framework, it's overstating the case to call onshoring the future of Australia manufacturing.

But Signet shows it can be a viable strategy for businesses with specialised requirements, particularly with a low-tomid range value dollar.

With some improvements in Australian policy, hopefully we'll start to see more of it.

INDUSTRYUPDATE.COM.AU

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• CLEANING

THE WAIT IS OVER; TENNANT'S T300 IS HERE Goscor Cleaning Equipment has released the Tenant T300; a compact new-generation walk-behind scrubber that provides thorough cleaning for a wide range of environments.

The T300 raises the bar for walk-behind cleaning, bosting enhanced operator ergonomics and an exclusive cleaning technology: the ec-H20 NanoClean.

According to Goscor Cleaning Equipment's General Manager, Greg Venter, the new T300 range is the very first to be equipped with this new generation of sustainable cleaning technology.

"Like the original ec-H2O, ec-H2O NanoClean technology electrically converts water into an innovative cleaning solution that cleans effectively, saves money and reduces environmental impact compared to daily floor cleaning chemicals," he said.

"This converted water is created by an on-board e-cell that generates millions of microscopic bubbles— nanobubbles—per milliliter of solution. These nanobubbles then promote the cleaning efficacy of the solution."

The T300 and T300e Walk-Behind Scrubbers offer a selection of multiple cleaning machinery configurations to

ensure stellar cleaning performance across all kinds of hard surfaces. These configurations include single disk, orbital, dual disk, and dual cylindrical options.

The T300 includes an integrated LCD touchscreen that provides simplified operation, as well as programmable zone settings, supervisor lock-out capabilities and on- board/on-demand videos to take the guesswork out of the cleaning process.

A further key feature that differentiates the T300 range is the improved and convenient hygienic tank, which allows for easy access when cleaning to help reduce mould, bacteria and other contaminants that can grow in enclosed tanks. The magnetic head also allows pads and brushes to be quickly changed with minimal operator exertion.

According to Venter, this new range from Tennant combines high performance; lower operating costs, operator ease-of-use and innovative features to help protect health and safety.

"This customisable and flexible cleaning solution is ideal for multiple applications across the retail, hospitality, facilities management and other commercial environments," he concludes.

Tennant www.tennantco.com.au/ Ph 1800 226 843

CAA'S VACUGUN PROVIDES EXCELLENT EFFICIENCY Compressed Air Australia's Vac­u­Gun is a low cost solution to a wide variety of industrial housekeeping problems: it's a vacuum gun, a blow gun and a transfer tool, all in one convenient and lightweight package.

Durable and easy to use, the Vac­u­Gun has die cast construction with no moving parts to wear out.

The Vac­u­Gun uses less compressed air than an ordinary blow gun. It achieves this by injecting a small amount of compressed air through directed nozzles to produce a vacuum on one end and a high output flow on the other. The amplified output flow is 12 times the air consumption rate.

The Vac­u­Gun offers a more efficient way to blowoff, cool, dry and clean. In vacuum mode, work surfaces can be easily cleaned by vacuuming the debris away instead of blowing it off the surface only to sweep it up later.

In blow mode, the Vac­u­Gun has a large 1­1/4" (32mm) diameter that allows it to cover more surface area in less time compared to ordinary air guns. Transferring materials over long distance is also possible using the smooth bore vacuum hose.

Compressed Air Australia http://www.caasafety.com.au/

DUST-FREE WORKING WITH TACT In many environments, dust is not only an unsightly annoyance or a respiratory health risk; with rising buildup of particulate waste comes an increased risk of slippage. In the construction industry, this can prove to be life threatening.

Dust accumulation is often hard to notice. It's something we overlook even in obvious places, and something that can occur in nooks, crannies, and other places we often don't notice even if we're paying attention.

Buildup can happen fast, too, due to the increasing number of power tools (such as cut-off saws, grinders, mills, and drills) in our workplaces. An alarming amount of dust and particulates can build up over a very short period of time.

Thankfully, there is a simple solution. Kärcher's wet and dry vacuum cleaners can deal with any kind of dust or dirt with Kärcher's patented Tact system, which self-

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INDUSTRYUPDATE.COM.AU

cleans its filter using powerful blasts of air.

This self-cleaning feature ensures consistently high suction power and ensures full removal of any amount of dirt, large or small. This means that the Tact vacuums can meet the high demands of the construction and manufacturing industries.

Contact Kärcher now for a free on-site demonstration.

KARCHER www.karcher.com.au Ph 1800 675 714

CLEANING •

SPITWATER INDUSTRIAL PRESSURE CLEANERS

With rugged all steel construction and a load of smart features, Australian made, Spitwater, industrial, heavy duty pressure cleaners are designed to suit the toughest working conditions.

Available in cold as well as hot and cold water versions with power options that include 240 V, 415 V, petrol and Diesel engine models.

Small Business Tax Incentives could SAVE YOU THOUSANDS! ATO’s Small Business 100% write off this year DELFIN INDUSTRIAL VACUUM CLEANERS

With extra large pocket filters, manual filter shaker and rugged all steel construction, Delfin industrial heavy duty vacuums are designed to pick-up the toughest materials around including: concrete, cement, coal, ink and other types of very fine dust. These high quality vacuum cleaners are ideal for the hard industrial tasks demanded in today’s workplace. Power options include 240 V, 415 V and compressed air.

For more information on the Spitwater and Delfin range call 1300 880 402 or visit www.spitwater.com.au BRISBANE

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• CLEANING

SPITWATER HELPS TO SUCK UP ANY PROBLEMS When considering vacuum cleaners, the mind often wonders to the old school cleaning appliance, which is overlooked in most households and with such a wide range of applications, you need the right tools for the job.

Spitwater offers three ranges of vacuum cleaners, suitable for a wide variety of applications: Goldline and Silverline commercial vacuum ranges and the Delfin industrial vacuum cleaner range.

Goldline is Spitwater’s premium range of vacuum cleaners. With nine models, including dry and only wet and dry machines. The machine, which is Italian made, is supplied with high quality motors and various accessories.

The lower end range models use single 1,100 Watt (max) motors whilst the top end of the range models offer both two as well as three motors, making them very high capacity machines used for a variety of industrial applications.The smaller models in the Goldline range are popular for general cleaning purposes.

The medium size range uses the larger,

40 mm hose size and larger industrial type tools. These cleaners offer larger capacity and are appropriate for smaller warehouses as well as work sites for removal of larger quantities of waste.

The large end of the Goldline range offers four models, all with 60 L waste bins.

Two are two-motor machines using the large 40 mm hose and tool set, and the others are genuine three-motor vacuums which use the 50 mm diameter hose and tools.

Perfect for large warehouses, factories, and other situations that require serious cleaning ability, the high capacity of this range comes from the two and three motor machines that offer a CBM model, a machine which has a large 60 cm outrigger at the front which is used for vacuuming very large areas quickly.

Then the Silverline is Spitwater’s economy range of vacuum cleaners. This range offers five models similar to the Goldline range but a lot less pricey.

The four models feature stainless steel tanks and another is a specialist

water collection machine that includes a poly tank and a drain valve. Two smaller models feature single, 1,100 Watt motor and have 15 L and 30 L waste bin capacity, respectively.

Then the Spitwater Delfin range is Italian made designed for true industrial applications such as high volume water collection, fine dust collection using high level of filtration and continuous usage. All of the machines in this range offer all steel construction, and the features ensure that they stand in a class of their own.

The Spitwater Delfin range includes bypass motors with individual control, option to use suction hose up to 80 mm diameter, standard pocket filters with efficiency down to 1 micron, electronic filter indicators and manual filter shakers.

These types of vacuums are perfect for use in large-scale industrial applications, where fast and continuous removal of waste is required.

Spitwater 1800 172 005 www.spitwater.com.au/

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TACT – THE AUTOMATIC FILTER CLEANING SYSTEM Our professional NT Tact wet and dry vacuum cleaners with the patented Tact system allow uninterrupted operation, even with large quantities of fine dust. The filter automatically cleans itself with targeted, powerful blasts of air for constant high suction power. Furthermore, the vacuums with Tact filter cleaning system can boast of low maintenance costs and long filter service life.

1800 675 714 www.karcher.com.au

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INDUSTRYUPDATE.COM.AU

CLEANING •

HYGIENIC FOOD PRODUCTION BEGINS FROM THE FLOOR UP! Nilfisk has recently introduced their SC500 scrubber dryer to make cleaning floors safer and more effective.

With every detail designed to make the process in food production environments easier, the SC500 represents innovation and quality in one of the world's leading manufacturers of industrial cleaning equipment With SmartFlowTM and optional EcoFlexTM technology, the new Nilfisk SC50, is innovative and cost effective.

By enabling daytime cleaning the scrubber is able to save costs, and notools brush and squeegee changes only increase savings.

The modern design is engineered to provide a better control and

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improved sightlines.

Unlike traditional cleaners that apply more water and cleaning solution then is needed, the SmartFlowTM technology eliminates the extra dispersion by automatically reducing the solution flow rate when the machine slows, extending the productivity per tank.

The larger tanks, and lessened solution, extend the time between dump and refill cycles by as much as 50%, and with the less solution used the SmartFlowTM saves money, and reduces risk of slips and falls.

The Nilflisk SC500 offers high productivity working times, and can

work on more than five hours fully charged, with the chemical resistant polyethelene tanks each able to carry 45 litres.

The optional Nilfisk EcoflexTM system allows the operator to control the use of water and detergent without compromising on the quality of cleaning.

There is a new 2-key system added to insure that that the operation of the Nilfisk SC500 is made both easier and safer. The two keys being a yellow super user key for changing all major settings and controlling

all major functions and then the grey operator key for every day use without compromising the decisions made on cleaning efficiency.

Nilfisk 1300 556 710 www.nilfisk.com

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Visit crcsmartwasher.com.au for more information.

Learn more about how the SmartWasherTM can work for you

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• CLEANING

PROTOBLAST PROVIDES CUSTOM SOLUTIONS As a family owned and operated Australian business with over 40 years experience, Protoblast supplies and services the abrasive blasting industry with pride and efficiency.

While the base of their business is built upon a reliable and straightforward range of products, Protoblast are most adept at providing their customers with customdesigned facilities, geared to produce a working environment that optimises the efficiency of those who work within.

As an important part of their regular product lineup, Protoblast produces Dust Collectors, which can provide ventilation to an existing workshop or blasting facility.

It can also work in tandem with the wellproven Protoblast Abrasive Recovery and Recycling System, which is the most efficient recovery system in terms of power consumption and maintenance costs.

To stay on top of an ever changing

TM

market and continue to focus on consumer needs, Protoblast has turned their focus to providing an effective yet flexible system that can be moved from location to location with ease. Fitting easily within a standard shipping container, the system has a streamlined setup and dismantling process.

From a single dust collector through to a crucial large blast chamber installation, all the way through to robotic blasting facilities and airless blasting machines, Protoblast can provide you with the equipment you need.

Their decades of experience in providing equipment and servicing many fields (including surfboard manufacturing, torpedo launch tubes, building screws,

mining dumper trucks, turbines, gas cylinders, piping and many more) mean that they have an endless well of knowledge to draw from.

Protoblast has supplied equipment all over Australia and New Zealand as well as into Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, USA

SCRUBBER SWEEPERS

Tennant offers a range of exclusive, fully-integrated scrubber-sweepers engineered for consistent, industrial-strength cleaning whether scrubbing, sweeping or doing both at the same time.

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and the Middle East, and the team look forward to every new opportunity.

Give them a call: they will not turn down a challenge.

Protoblast 0246772320 protoblast.com.au

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CLEANING •

PRODUCT CONTAMINATION and ensure a SAFE ENVIRONMENT when using POTENTIALLY EXPOLOSIVE DUSTS such as Sugar and Flour

Remove built up product and spills around production lines to avoid costly product contamination or insect infestation issues Transportation/Pneumatic conveyor systems for fast and efficient transfer of powdered or granular product without the need for manual handling from A to B Overhead cleaning options to avoid waste product or dirt dropping into product lines Certified vacuums for environments with potential risk of explosion due to presence of products such as flour, sugar etc

Ph: 1300 556 710

Call us today to book a free site evaluation INDUSTRIAL VACUUM SOLUTIONS info.au@nilfisk.com

www.nilfisk.com.au

Ph: 1300 556 710

INDUSTRYUPDATE.COM.AU

19

• BUSINESS & FINANCE

Photo: Tom Schults, Mobicon. Courtesy of Efic.

ENGINEERING FIRM MOBICON OVERCOMES COMMON BARRIER TO EXPORT FINANCE

By Andrew Watson, Executive Director, Export Finance, Efic

According to our latest SME Exporter Index research, over one third (38%) of Australian exporting small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are optimistic about growth in the year ahead, signalling good news for an important driver of our economy.

Optimism about growth has steadily increased since we first conducted the research in 2014, when only one quarter (25%) of exporting SMEs were optimistic about growing sales in the year ahead.

Encouragingly, this is translating into future exporting activity, with 41% of SME exporters planning on establishing new subsidiaries abroad from 2017.

in 12 months (25% to 56%).

While access to finance remains a concern, there are examples all over Australia of businesses in the engineering, manufacturing and construction sectors that are not only delivering innovative products and services, but that are innovating the way in which they approach export finance.

Financial barriers to export Unfortunately, SMEs are not as confident when it comes to finding funding for their export activities, with 47% expecting funding conditions to remain unchanged. More significantly, 53% of SMEs expect even greater difficulty in sourcing finance for their overseas business activity in the next 12 months.

Since March 2014, the issue of accessing finance has steadily increased over each round of reporting of our SME Exporter Index, with the proportion of small and medium businesses finding it difficult to access suitable credit lines, in both the short- and long-term, more than doubling

The future is bright for exporters.

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INDUSTRYUPDATE.COM.AU

International success One such company is Mobicon Systems, a Brisbane-based engineering company that designs and manufactures straddle carriers that move shipping containers off trucks and trailers quickly and easily. Mobicon's straddle carriers are used in a wide variety of industries around the world including import/export, ports, mining, customs/border security, logistics, manufacturing, steel and defence.

Exports make up around 45% of

Mobicon's sales, with TOLL, ARC Steel and Sadleirs among its longterm customers. Since Mobicon was established in 1997, not one manufactured Mobicon straddle carrier has ever been decommissioned, with all still in use by their original buyer or by clients who have purchased them second hand.

Taking advantage of a high-profile contract Mobicon won a A$3 million contract to supply branded container carriers to the American subsidiary of Western Australian shipbuilder, Austal.

To fulfil this contract, Mobicon needed additional working capital due to the cash flow requirements of manufacturing two machines at the same time. While Mobicon's bank has been very supportive of the export business, it was unable to provide the working capital that Mobicon needed without additional tangible security.

As a result, its bank suggested the business contact Efic to see if we had a solution.

Accessing funding for export Efic provided Mobicon with an export contract loan for A$400,000, which allowed the business to buy all the major components (such as engines and electronics) for the two carriers and commence construction. Having this additional working capital also allowed Mobicon to free up funds to grow its business both here and overseas, giving it a strong pipeline of orders well into the future.

Positive outlook for potential exporters The outlook for exporters in the engineering, manufacturing and construction industries is positive for the year ahead. With exporter optimism on the rise, Australia's SMEs can learn from companies like Mobicon, who correctly identified international opportunities for their product, and took advantage of innovative sources of finance to fund export opportunities and grow their business abroad.

BUSINESS & FINANCE •

“ Our small business is scaling up for a pipeline of orders into the US.” Tom Schults, Managing Director Mobicon Systems

Efic provided Mobicon Systems with working capital to deliver on a $3 million export contract for shipbuilder Austal.

A Brisbane-based exporter, Mobicon designs and manufactures straddle carriers that move shipping containers off trucks and trailers quickly and easily.

Mobicon needed a cash flow injection to ensure it could deliver on this critical contract.

Referred by their bank, Efic supported Mobicon with a $400,000 Export Contract Loan to help in delivering its strong pipeline of orders into the US.

Find out more about how Tom’s business is scaling up:

Call 1800 093 724 or visit

www.efic.gov.au/mobicon Helping build your business overseas

INDUSTRYUPDATE.COM.AU

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•

BUSINESS & FINANCE

GUEST EDITORIAL: RAPID FINANCE

GETTING AN EQUIPMENT LOAN WITH BAD CREDIT Whatever industry your business is in, there is likely some equipment or machinery that you could use to improve efficiency. Depending on the size and circumstances of your business, you may need to finance new equipment purchases with a loan. However, getting approved for finance is not always straightforward, especially if you have bad credit.

The benefits of new equipment: High-quality machinery, equipment, and vehicles can help your business to improve efficiency by reducing your workload, eliminating bottlenecks in your production, automating previously manual processes, and more.

Whether it is forklifts, pallet wrapping machines, trucks, or yellow goods, there is usually some form of equipment that your business could benefit from. Ensuring that your processes are efficient from the ground up will also mean that your business is well positioned to expand in the future.

However, small and medium enterprises do not always have the necessary capital to buy the equipment they need outright.

Loan options and bad credit: Having bad credit as a business owner does not mean that getting finance is impossible for you.

However, it will be more difficult to get your equipment loan approved.

Whatever the cause of your bad credit was, you should start by trying

to correct these mistakes and improve your financial situation. One way to do this is to pay down any existing debts and make sure you meet any and all financial commitments that you have.

You can also try and find cost efficiencies in your business to reduce non-essential expenditure.

Improving your financial situation and showing that your current financial practices are different from those that caused you to have bad credit will make your loan application more attractive to lenders. Once you are ready to apply for a loan, you will potentially have a few options you should be aware of, these include: • Secured equipment loans – the advantage of a secured loan is that they tend to be at a lower interest rate than an unsecured loan since they are a lower risk for the lender. This makes them a good option for people with bad credit.

• Personal loans – getting a bad credit personal loan to buy your equipment has the advantage of being more flexible than a secured equipment loan. For example, you could borrow an amount that allows you to purchase the piece of equipment you need with enough leftover to buy stock or other business assets that will allow you to fully utilise your new equipment.

Getting help from a finance broker: Another option for improving your chances of getting approved for an

equipment loan with bad credit is to speak to a finance broker.

A good finance broker will be able to give you loan advice tailored for your financial situation. If you are not sure what type of loan best suits your needs, then getting expert advice can be extremely helpful. A finance broker will also have access to a wide range of finance products from different lenders, and they will know which of these will be appropriate for people with bad credit.

When you apply for finance through a broker, they will also be able to advocate the strengths of your financial situation to lenders. This can be especially important for business owners who are no longer in the same financial situation that caused their bad credit.

Depending on your circumstances, getting the help of a finance broker could make the difference you need to get approved for an equipment loan with bad credit.

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email: scott@industryupdate.com.au FOR FURTHER INFORMATION INDUSTRY UPDATE EDITORIALS FEE STRUCTURE STARTS FROM: SHORT ARTICLE: (Up to 250 words) $285 SHORT STORY: (Up to 500 words) $420 SPECIAL RELEASE: (500 to 1000 words) $600 FEATURE ARTICLE: 1000 to 2000 words) $850* The above fees are for writing and preparing editorials based on written or verbal client brief and photographs supplied. Any requirements for site visits, additional research and/or photography will be pre quoted as additional.

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23

• TEST & MEASURE

FH VISION SENSOR DELIVERS HIGHPERFORMANCE INSPECTION AND TRACEABILITY Omron's high-quality FH-series vision sensor delivers true colour technology base on RGB 16.7 million colours, delivered at high speed, high reliability, and high accuracy.

Amongst the standout features are: very high-speed image input with 300 FPS (3.3ms), high-speed controller with parallel processing using 2 CPU/4 cores, highspeed communication through Ethercat, and a streamlined one-software setup for easy meshing with Omron NJ and Omron Robots, servo and safety.

The FH vision sensor also features a High Resolution Touch Panel Monitor, which allows for quality inspection without compromising ease of use. The new 12 MPixels (4000 x 3000 pixels) camera has been included to ensure higher quality, accuracy and works at high speed with 38.9 frames per second (25.7ms).

Mr George Nematian, Omron's Vision Sensor Product Manager, says the new FH series vision sensor is faster, more efficient, and has more features than ever before.

"The FH series offers outstanding return on investment (ROI) and greater customer satisfaction," Mr Nematian says.

"It can be used in any application where visual inspections are required."

Mr Nematian says the system is widely used in various industries, such as food & beverage, packaging, pharmaceutical, automotive, metals, machine tools, robotics, rubber, plastics, conveyors and automated warehouses.

The current range of applications include essential tasks like the detection of

missing expiry date labels, optical character recognition (OCR), label or position of label detection, cap inspection, liquid level measurement, damaged bottle detection, missing parts/part recognitions, positioning, measurement and quality inspections of metal sheets.

With an IP65 rating, the FH vision sensor is dust proof and water resistant, making it ideal for hygiene-sensitive food and beverage environments.

The FH vision sensor conducts highly accurate cap inspections to ensure the correct product is processed. It can also be used for traceability to monitor date and time codes as well as for contamination inspection to ensure no contamination has occurred.

Omron has greatly reduced the input time and image transfer time to provide high-speed processing to match the speed of machine applications for high-resolution images.

New shape search III technology makes search algorithms nine times faster than before, even for unstable image conditions; including light interference, overlapping shapes, gloss, and incomplete images.

An FH-series Controller provides a faster, multi-line image bus to enable real time transfer of large amounts of image data for high-resolution cameras or multiple cameras.

Most standard vision sensors are unable to handle parallel processing, which creates unnecessary waiting time. If the machine cycle time cannot be increased, a controller must be added for each process to perform

Reliability and accuracy ‌ Omron's FH series vision sensor

parallel processing, increasing costs.

With the FH series, four controllers are compressed into one without increasing the line cycle time. You can greatly reduce costs for processes that involve many lines.

Also, the FH Controllers contain special setup displays for the stages and robots that are commonly used on FA sites. You just fill in the settings to easily output axis travel amounts for stages and robots.

Omron's innovative Sysmac Studio automation software supports the FH series, allowing multiple devices to be integrated easily by using EtherCAT connectivity.

FH controller can easily connect to the FH-MT12 Touch Panel Monitor is

equipped with a 12.1-inch screen and IP65. that is ideal for replacement of existing models.

You can adjust all the settings by touching the screen.

"With an ever changing manufacturing environment, Omron's series of vision systems are perfect for manufacturers who are striving to meet these changing needs," said Mr Nematian.

"Omron has worked closely with many engineers and vision integrators to install and maintain vision systems in plants across Australia and New Zealand."

Omron Electronics Ph: 1300 766 766 www.omron.com.au

IMB PROXIMOITY SENSOR OFFERS RUGGED STANDARDS FOR HARSH ENVIRONMENT The IMB proximity sensor from SICK is made for the toughest of working conditions.

Whether coming into contact with cooling lubricants or harsh outdoor environments, the precision of the sensor's extended sensing ranges ensure a stable and reliable process.

The IMB Product Family, including Types M08 to M30, rounds off SICK's inductive proximity sensor product portfolio.

Protected against water, immune to temperature changes, shock and vibration resistant, corrosion resistant and sporting extreme mechanical ruggedness, the IMB is the go-to choice for a range for applications

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relevant for container spreaders, wind power plants, car wash plants and outdoor gates and barriers.

The wide range of capabilities allow these sensors to do the job of many specialist devices, a huge benefit in warehousing and product selection.

The features include a visual adjustment indicator, and self-locking nuts that save time and help cut down on the errors.

The communication via IO-Link creates flexibility and allows more automation applications.

SICK www.sick.com.au 1800 334 802

MACHINERY •

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25

• TEST & MEASURE

UNEEK IMPROVES EXPERIENCE AT THE 'BIG DISH' The Australian National University campus is home to the "SG4" 500m2 Big Dish Solar concentrator, the world's biggest solar dish.

Uneek bending Co was commissioned to produce the Solar Thermal receiver (once through boiler) comprising a radiant heater coil and frame for receiving concentrated solar radiation from 500m2 big dish at ANU. Formed from Inconel alloy 601 seamless pipe and tubing, and 316 stainless steel, the receiver was manufactured utilising the latest CNC methods.

The formation of the pipe and tube was controlled with CNC rolling machines and checked using laser templates, the special geometry of the coil presented added complexity for assembly and TIG welding, with all welds radiographed and LPI tested.

The Cavity Receiver Project has the objective of increasing the understanding of thermal loss mechanisms and increasing the efficiencies of high temperature solar thermal receivers.

The 'receiver' is positioned at the optical focal region of a solar concentrator to convert focussed solar radiation into thermal energy (heat), which can be carried away by a heat transfer fluid (in this case, water/steam) for storage or further energy conversion downstream. It features water/steam as the working fluid to match the existing ANU dish facilities and is a once-through helically wound tube design.

The dish features a two axis mechanism for tracking such that it can point directly at the sun throughout the day.

The orientation of the receiver relative to the horizon changes throughout the day as the dish tracks the sun. However, the receiver remains in a constant position relative to the dish reflective surface, which means that the shape of the flux profile incident on the receiver is consistent, with the heat intensity changing in proportion to the incoming solar radiation.

Uneek 03 9771 4900 www.uneek.com.au

VEGAPULS 64 PUTS LASERLIKE FOCUS ON PHARMECUTICALS AND FOOD VEGA Grieshaber KG is introducing a market first: a radar level gauge for liquids that operates at a frequency of 80GHz: the VEGAPULS 64.

With a compact antenna system and hygienic material construction, the new VEGAPULS 64 is ideally suited for installation in vessels with small process connections, such as those used in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries.

What really sets the VEGAPULS 64 apart from previous radar sensors is the transmission frequency: by using 80GHz (three times higher than the previous standard of 26GHz), the device's antennas can be as small as 3/4ths of an inch, and still achieve nearly the same signal focus.

Use of this frequency also significantly reduces interference signals at close range. As this reduces the 'dead band', or minimum distance that must exist between the antenna and the liquid surface, the device can be installed in more compact

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environments and read with greater accuracy.

The VEGAPULS 64 brings further advantages for highly regulated industries; since existing process connections can be used, the new sensor can be installed in existing setups without costly equipment modifications.

Aseptic process fittings will be vailable at the market launch – in these, only PTFE serves as the wetted material. These process fittings meet the requirements of 3A, FDA and EHEDG. Since radar signals can travel through viewing windows, and the higher frequency of transmission makes this more effective, glass containers, and other transparent surfaces, the sensor can be mounted outside the container, simplifying maintenance, troubleshooting, and cleaning.

VEGA 02 95426662 www.vega.com/au

TEST & MEASURE •

PILZ OPENS NEW HEADQUARTERS IN SINGAPORE Pilz, a German based innovative automation technology company, has opened its regional headquarters for the Southeast Asia region in the Singapore German Centre.

The new centre will offer ASEAN clients a wide range of products, solutions and services around industrial automation and safety.

Their range includes sensor technology, signal devices, relays and control systems.

The company has plans to have 30 people located in the Singapore location, as it will manage the neighbouring subsidiaries in ASEAN countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam.

Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman (Senior Minister of State; Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and Mayor, South East District), His Excellency Dr Michael Witter (Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Singapore) and Ms Renate Pilz (CEO, Pilz GmbH & Co) officially opening the new subsidiary, at the opening ceremony.

Five percent of the global manufacturing market is located in Southeast Asia, and with the sizable shares of various sectors such as chemicals, food and beverage, electronics and

automobiles, Pilz will be able to leverage a position as an innovative manufacturing hub of Asia, embarking on Industrie 4.0-related engineering and development.

Some of these focus areas include human collaborative robots, flexible automation, and 3D zone monitoring, which combines intelligent sensor technology with effective control systems.

"As a safety ambassador for man, machine and the environment, Pilz is committed to passing on its knowledge and thus creating greater safety awareness locally and in Southeast Asia," Renate Pilz, president and CEO of Pilz GmbH & Co. KG, said.

"Pilz's expansion in Singapore and in the region, meets the increasing market demands for faster delivery times, more intensive sales support and the growing request for consultancy and engineering services.

"Globalization is promoting the creation of uniform standards. Wherever automation happens, the safety standards also rise. This elevates safety to a corporate value: companies can secure

competitive advantages through the quality of their safety standards, and thus set themselves apart. The human being remains the centerpiece at all times," he said.

Ms Fong Pin Fen, Director Cities, Infrastructure and Industrial Solutions, Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) has offered a positive outlook on the establishment of a Singaporean base, as it expands and grows its industry automation business, while adding to the safety of the region as factories ramp up the adoption of newer and smarter manufacturing technologies.

"With Singapore's emphasis on research and development, skills development and strict enforcement of intellectual property rights, the city offers an ideal business environment for family-run Mittelstand companies that are global leaders in niche technological fields to expand into Asia. Pilz's investment is a testament to this and we look forward to supporting the company as it grows from strength to strength in Singapore," she said.

Pilz 03 9560 0621 www.pilz.com

IMB: THE TOUGHEST DECISION YOU CAN MAKE.

Inductive sensors have to be tough enough to cope with anything that’s thrown at them. The IMB from SICK is both more resilient on the outside and more intelligent on the inside, boasting levels of chemical and mechanical resistance unmatched by any other device of the same construction, allowing it to withstand lubricants, oils, and coolants, as well as extreme temperatures and weather conditions. We think that's intelligent. For more information please visit www.sick.com/IMB or call 1800 334 802 (Tollfree).

SICK-IMB-Half-Page-Advertisement.indd 1

6/29/2016 11:53:22 AM

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27

• IN REVIEW: CeMAT 2016

CeMAT 2016: A FIRM SUCCESS The global intralogistics and materials handling trade show CeMAT successfully staged its muchanticipated inaugural Melbourne show 12-14 July at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Over three days, attendees were treated to exhibitions and demonstrations from leading industry providers from all over the world, and thought-provoking presentations from renowned experts and innovators.

The Melbourne show was Australia's second CeMAT, which originated in Germany and is now held in eight countries.

The show boasted leading providers from across the globe. Technologies on display included the Kuka Robot, a German-made automation solution, and the Vanderlandes Traysorter, which is used by Australian online retailers.

In the "Knowledge Theatre", attendees were able to hear keynote presentations on the industry's cutting edge. Speakers included European authorities Sascha Shmel, the Managing Director at VDMA, and Olivier Janin, Secretary General of the European Materials Handling Federation.

Mr Shmel envisaged the future warehouse as a highly automated environment, with delivery drones and robot trains criss-crossing the floor in intelligent harmony, meticulously stacking containers akin to a game of "Tetris".

Mr Janin called for comprehensive regulatory reform to accommodate technological change, so that outdated regulations don't stymie the transformative potential of automation and big data.

Over at the product demonstrations, Matt Mullins, National Sales Manager of Big Ass Fans, offered a more humancentred perspective.

"In today's warehouse and materials handling environment, people are vital for keeping computer and technical systems operational and we can't forget that," he said.

"Therefore, in order to get the best out of people, so they're their most productive, their environment needs to be thermally comfortable and well lit."

Guests arriving for the inaugural CeMAT in Melbourne

All reports to Industry Update said CeMAT was a quality event, with exhibitors in agreement that it attracted high value corporate customers.

"We have high quality leads from corporate customers," said Mr Gerald Koh of Kobot. "That's what matters."

"We were happy with the high quality of attendees at CeMAT," said Mr Matt Mullins, National Sales Manager of Big Ass Fans. "We're looking forward to attending again as the show grows and

brings in even more opportunities to connect with key decision makers within the industry".

Another exhibitor, who enjoyed the event and received good leads, said they looked forward to growing visitor numbers in future years as the festival builds brand awareness after its first Melbourne event.

With more than 80% of exhibitors reporting they will exhibit again in 2018, CeMAT can look forward to a bright future in Melbourne.

WORK HEALTH AND SAFETY REPORT SHOWS INTERESTING RESULTS FOR MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY

By Adrian Phoon

A 2015 report produced by SafeWork Australia reveals some curious and interesting things about how the manufacturing industry perceives work health and safety.

13% of employers and 30% of workers surveyed believed that some health and safety risks in the workplace are unavoidable. The most common issue reported by the workers was the risk of exposure to airborne hazards, which includes everything from steam to welding fumes, glue vapours and smoke from furnaces and ovens.

Noise was the second most reported hazard, followed by exposure to partial or whole body vibration. Workers also expressed concern at the risks involved in being exposed to wet workplaces (caused by anything from water to oil and paint) and biological materials (like meat, carcasses and blood).

When asked about the main causes for work-related injuries, employers and workers alike cited various reasons, including 'unsafe work practices and procedures', 'dangerous equipment or machinery', 'just not thinking' and 'lack of

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education or training'.

When we think of what can be done to make our workplaces safe, it helps to keep a few things in mind: 1. Everyone has a role to play in protecting people's health and safety at work. Whether you are a Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (such as the employer), a worker, a health and safety officer or a body corporate (such as a person legally incorporated in the company), everyone has duties prescribed by the health and safety laws.

2. Everyone needs education and training. This means understanding how the laws and regulations apply to you as well as being familiar with the relevant company policies – and of course, learning how to handle hazards.

There are different risks in every workplace, so it is important to identify what exactly the hazards are and

how to handle or prevent them from becoming an issue.

3. Some health and safety risks cannot be eliminated – so how can we work to reduce or control them? PBCUs, who bear the primary duty of care, will benefit from developing a proper risk management strategy that will enable hazards to be identified and assessed for level of risk, and for the risk to be controlled and monitored.

But work health and safety is not just about dealing with exposed wires or chemicals, or about the stress caused by lifting heavy boxes. We sometimes forget that work is about more than physical or intellectual labour; it can also involve what is known as emotional labour – the effort we put into our work emotionally to get a positive response from our bosses, managers, peers or employees.

A key health and safety issue involves

ensuring that our workplaces are free of bullying and harassment. In 2009, a Victorian café worker named Brodie Panlock tragically took her life after she was bullied repeatedly at work. Those involved were held liable under the state's Occupational Health & Safety laws. A new law was also passed, dubbed Brodie's Law, which extended existing laws to include bullying and cyber-bullying.

While Brodie's Law only applies in Victoria, having an anti-bullying policy in place is best practice wherever you are.

The SafeWork Australia report concludes that work health and safety training and inductions specifically devote more time to address bullying and fatigue.

Promoting work health and safety involves constant attention. That is why we all need to pay attention to it.

Adrian Phoon is Head of Content at GRC Solutions. www.grcsolutions.com.au

SAFETY •

MACK BOOTS' INNOVATIVE NEW BOOT TO PROTECT AGAINST SIDE IMPACT In the world of manufacturing protective footwear is imperative. Thanks to new safety innovations by MACK BOOTS, your foot and ankle have just gotten safer.

Even in steel-toe footwear, impact injuries are common; they just happen in the areas not covered by toe protection.

However, to provide more complete safety, Mack has just announced its all-new Granite II, a boot that is certified to protect much more of the foot from impact injury.

The Granite II provides all-around protection, covering the toes, top of the foot, ankles, and sole, leaving no direction unguarded.

The Granite II features a metatarsal guard over the top of the foot, and an ankle

guard on the side that are constructed from high energy absorbing foam that maximises protection without minimising comfort.

Designed with performance in mind, the boot meets the flexibility and safety requirements of the foot and ankle on harsh terrain.

"The design and development process of the Granite II has considered the footwear as a complete structure, rather than developing each individual component separately: this ensures harmonised function from the foot to the ground," says Dr Caleb Wegener, Footwear Research and Innovation.

The sole unit and upper designs for the boot feature independent areas of flexibility and stability that are based on the specific

foot and ankle requirements during each step of the walking cycle.

The lightweight design also helps to minimise fatigue at both the local muscle level and at a broader level of worker fatigue, improving both safety and productivity.

The Granite II is available in both honey and black, and in a large range of sizes, to fit the requirements of all workers that need protection from the top, side and bottom.

MACK BOOTS 1300 350 216 mackboots.com.au

DON'T LOSE YOUR HEAD! Having a sharp metal component come off from one of your machines and remove the head of the operator would be nothing short of a disaster, but you can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that this will never happen to you.

This is how Asia-Pacific managing director of Sydney-based 600 Machine Tools, Cliff Purser, sees things. "Our parent company in UK, the 600 Group, has launched yet another innovative product that underscores its global reputation for safety," he says.

The Gripfast gripmetre has been designed and developed to help individuals to comply with health and safety legislation, ensuring that any heavy bits of metal remain fit for their purpose.

At the MACH 2016 exhibition in Birmingham, the product attracted

a crowd as the demonstrations of its accurate measuring and recording, under both static and rotating conditions, wowed the audience.

The Gripsafe is able to accurately measure static and dynamic chunk gripping forces up to 100 kN per jaw at rotational speeds up to 6000 rpm.

It is also compatible with all 3 and 2 jaw chunks, supplied with an extension ring to ensure use with additional diameter chunks.

Alongside that, the software is able to provide real-time data capture that incorporated all essential functions that are needed to wrap up analysis. "This month, 600 Machine Tools is announcing a new service that will enable even 'one man band' workshops to take advantage of this important breakthrough in workshop

safety," said Mr Purser.

To stay up to date with the latest safety developments, visit 600 Machine Tools website.

Beat the competition.

600 Machine Tools 02 9674 4738 www.600machinetools.com.au

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01.02.2016 14:20:52

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29

• FOCUS ON STEEL INDUSTRY

MINISTER IGNITES STEEL DEBATE AT LAUNCH OF WOLLONGONG INNOVATION HUB NSW Industry Minister Anthony Roberts argued against calls for "Buy Australian" rules in government steel procurement when he opened the "iAccelerate" business innovation centre at the University of Wollongong Innovation Campus on 19 July.

The new centre, made possible thanks to a $16.5 million contribution from the NSW Government, will house up to 280 entrepreneurs and assist in the development of start-ups that are pioneering new technologies.

The centre provides entrepreneurs not only with business accommodation but also with professional services, seed funding, and access to the university's research and expertise.

One reason for the NSW Government's contribution to the centre is to help techsavvy businesses create the "jobs of future" – an acute consideration of the Illawarra community given recent job losses in the steel industry.

The design of the new building prominently features exposed steel in homage to the vital role the steel industry has played in the local economy and as a vote of confidence in the industry's future.

Yet Mr Robert stirred up controversy among some in the industry with his criticism of a campaign to require that steel used in government infrastructure projects be 100% Australian-made.

Confirming the NSW Government's current policy stance, he likened the proposed procurement rules to the economic policies of North Korea.

"The steel industry doesn't need some centralised North Korean style of mandate to ensure its future," Mr Roberts said.

North Korea's economy is subject to rigid

central planning, unique in the world in its elimination of markets. Consumer goods, ranging from food to clothes, are allocated based on hierarchy determined by the government rather than business success or effort. Malnutrition is common outside the military and bureaucratic elite.

In making the comparison, Mr Roberts was arguing that local industry should strive to flourish in open markets, which are critical to Australia's prosperity, rather than look to bureaucratic regulation that when taken to extremes can lead to North Korean style hardship.

But Mr Roberts's choice of language drew a molten response from some in the Illawarra manufacturing community.

A steely rebuke came from industry campaigner Mr Ian Waters, a senior project engineer with K&R Fabrications who featured in Industry Update's June edition investigation into the impact of under-priced and sometimes sub-standard steel imports on the domestic industry.

Mr Waters said Mr Roberts's language was an "insult" to the 15,300 NSW citizens who signed the 100% Australian Steel campaign's petition and to the 68 businesses who made submissions to the NSW Government in support of the proposal.

Mr Waters also argued the North Korea comparison was illogical because the North Korean government is in fact an importer of Chinese goods, ironically placing it alongside the NSW Government.

But in free countries, such as Australia and the USA, it is common to impose restrictions on imports from China.

"Buy Australia steel procurement laws are already in place in Victoria and South Australia. Last I went to Melbourne, it didn't look much like North Korea. Steel procurement laws are also the policy of federal and state oppositions," Mr Waters said.

In the USA, federal highway projects are subject to 100% local content rules under the Buy American Act. In May, the national government nearly doubled tariffs on Chinese steel from 266% to a prohibitive 522%.

In response to the campaign, the Industry Minister said he understood the significance of the steel industry to the lllawarra community and to the NSW economy, but that the government must adhere to international trade laws and ensure tax payers attain value for money.

He pointed to the Liberal government's expansion of infrastructure investment – with

an extra $20 billion under the Rebuilding NSW Plan – as providing increased opportunities for the local industry.

It should also be noted that the Department of Industry, Skills and Regional Development provides support and advisory services to help businesses access major project opportunities.

Mr Robert's arguments have not swayed Mr Waters.

"We are paying you, so therefore you work for us, you don't work for the World Trade Organisation," Mr Waters said.

Industry Update has not taken a position on mandatory Australian procurement, but we encourage all governments to provide local businesses and communities with maximum feasible transparency of the steel procurement process, particularly on quality and safety issues.

Whatever side you come down on in this debate, it's great to hear a spirited discussion about the future of one arm of Australia's manufacturing industry.

Left: Exposed steel throughout University of Wollongong iAccelerate building pays homage to the steel industry. Right: Interior of the University of Wollongong iAccelerate building. Source: iAccelerate/University of Wollongong

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• NT30 spindle taper • 3 Axis digital readout system fitted • Variable spindle speeds 70-3500rpm • 1370 x 254mm large work table • Meehanite grade cast iron body • 2.2kw/3hp, 415V motor • Travels: (X) 860mm (Y) 360mm (Z) 425mm

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31

• ENERGY EFFICIENCY

ENERGY EFFICIENCY WITHOUT THE UPFRONT COSTS A number of businesses are burdened with the rising cost of energy bills with significant impacts to their bottom line.

This tremendous cost of power at a site is represented by the power used (active) and excess unused power (reactive). The combination of active (kW) and reactive power (kVAR) determines the actual power drawn from the network (apparent power kVA). The level of wasted reactive power causes poor power factor and attributes to rising energy costs.

A review of site energy bills will identify if power factor issues exist at your site.

There are several benefits for a site when a high level of reactive power is eliminated through the integration of Power Factor Correction Equipment. Some of which include lowering costs to achieve the same tasks, as well as gaining energy efficiency from your equipment and extending service life. You can also expects to gain additional capacity with increased system load capabilities from existing equipment such as transformers, switchgear and supply cables and the peace of mind knowing you are running your workplace as efficiently as possible.

Power Factor Correction System costs can vary depending on the size and complexity of the system. Typically, paybacks timelines can be within 1 - 3 years.

In addition to poor power factor, many businesses may be unknowingly subjected to non-optimal network tariff and in some cases demand charges (depending on the tariff the distributor chooses to apply to the account for that NMI). The current energy agreement may not necessarily be the optimal tariff for that site’s account if the usage profile for that site is not as per the Local Network Service Providers (LNSP) initial information when the site is connected. On initial connection of a site, the network tariff is typically based

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INDUSTRYUPDATE.COM.AU

on the site’s usage at full capacity. The maximum capacity usage profile does not always come to fruition and in some cases the intended use for a site is not always as specified in the electrical connection application.

If your business has recently relocated, a network tariff review should be undertaken to ensure that you do not take on a non-optimal network tariff based on the usage profile of the previous user. On the other hand, for existing sites either a data spike or an unusual usage spike can cause the site demand to be set at a far higher level than what is consistently used.

Instances where the LNSP does not apply a rolling peak demand type tariff structure, this too can result in excessively higher network charges through the demand charges applied for the energy account.

The impact of having a non-optimal network tariff or excessive demand charges on an electricity account can be costly. Network charges can be as much as 40% of the overall cost on an electricity bill. Having charges applied that are excessive due to them being non-optimal can lead to network tariff charges costing your business far more on an annual basis than you would otherwise have to pay. This can unnecessarily remain as an ongoing issue if it remains undiagnosed and not remedied.

A network tariff review will expose any potential unnecessary overspend. A solution can be applied to reduce costs on your account. The benefits from having a network tariff review are two-fold. Your business will have peace of mind that it is not paying more than it should. In other cases where action is required either due to a non-optimal tariff or where the business contract demand does not match

the demand profile, your costs will become rationalised if a tariff change or demand reset is successful.

Power Factor specialist companies such as Control Logic can simplify the process of site energy consumption analysis through their complimentary power factor, network tariff and demand review service.

If funding is a concern, then there are options to tailor a solution that requires no capital outlay. A complete turnkey solution is offered by Control Logic, which is structured to generate immediate savings, including warranties, service and maintenance. A solution that is insured for errors or omissions.

A “Managed Service Agreement” is suitable for energy efficiency initiatives to deliver a turnkey service-based package and includes network tariff/ and energy bills review, site audit, system recommendation, financing, system design, commissioning; scheduled service and maintenance alongside ongoing support.

This means you’ll be able to maximise the appropriate rebates and grants at the state and federal level, which can be then applied to the solution to benefit your business. This process is simplified through Control Logic’s services by completing the relevant documentation for you.

A turnkey solution can assist your business to preserve capital and traditional funding for other important service delivery requirements. Reduce risk and ongoing maintenance costs and improve site operation costs. Contact Control Logic and create energy efficiency, immediate economic, social and environmental success for your business.

Control Logic Energy Efficiency Solution Energy Bill, Network Tariff/ Demand Review

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System Design & Commissioning Scheduled Service & Maintenance Control Logic Ongoing Support

MACHINERY •

STATE-OF-THE-ART MACHINERY GIVES EASTGATE THE ADVANTAGE ON PRECISION Production machining and finishing specialist Eastgate Engineering is a terrific example of a company embracing technological modernisation and continuous improvement to lock in its status as an industry leader.

Eastgate is a family-owned and operated repetition engineering company that brings a 60-year-old reputation for quality together with high-tech precision and state-of-the-art machinery.

Located in the Brisbane suburb of Coorparoo, Eastgate is a one-stop-shop for custom-made component manufacturing.

The company’s services encompass assembly, welding, bending, polishing and coating components.

Eastgate is staffed by versatile and multiskilled tradespeople, enabling it to serve a diverse range of industries. Its clients come from just about every industry under the sun, spanning from construction to rail to marine sectors, and include large multinational companies and government agencies.

Founded in the 1950s, by the 1960s Eastgate established itself as a successful and highly regarded machine shop.

In recent years, the company has embraced automation, resulting in a sharp improvement in work quality and allowing it to expand beyond its traditional high production, high volume work to encompass small, customised production runs.

Eastgate’s transformation originated three years ago when a change of ownership instigated a drive to improve efficiency and accuracy. That saw the company set up a continuous improvement plan and make a considerable investment in high tech equipment.

“In the last three years, we’ve changed owners, and from that time we’ve evolved to more modern state-of-the-art machinery, with a focus on automation and quality,” said

Mr Craig Williams, Manager of Eastgate’s Brisbane branch.

“Automation has not only cut production costs, it enables us to do intricate, high tolerance work.”

With Mr Williams’s background, he was well placed to work with the team to deliver on the company’s modernisation drive.

“I believe Eastgate to be one of the most efficient places for this sort of work in Brisbane – I would even say Queensland,” he said.

The centrepiece of Eastgate’s automation push was upgrading to CNC machines, which have provided the company with the programming, drawing and quality assurance capability to ensure production perfection, every time.

One machine that has been pivotal to enhancing Eastgate’s capability is the Doosan Lynx 220LSYC, purchased from Hare & Forbes last year. The machine is a twin spindle with 5th axis and a four-metre bar feeder.

“We found the Doosan at the Austech trade-show in Melbourne, but our relationship with Hare & Forbes goes back years,” Mr Williams said.

Mr Williams said Eastgate is “very, very happy” with the new Doosan.

“The machine is serving us really well, and the after-sale service from Hare & Forbes has as usual been fantastic,” he said.

Eastgate’s technological transformation has enabled it to expand into new markets, including made-to-order retail.

“The previous Eastgate was all high production, high volume work. But since

we’ve got the new machinery, including the Doosan machine from Hare & Forbes, it’s enabled us to get into the retail market more as well, and the smaller quantity market, including very intricate work,” Mr Williams said.

“We can do our full on production of 2,000-30,000 parts, as well as being able to our 10-20 small runs which we weren’t very effective at previously. Now we’re very competitive at this sort of work.”

“We still do quite a lot of wholesale high production work for very large companies and government agencies, but now we also do small production of retail made-to-order parts.”

Mr Williams said customers are impressed by Eastgate’s “fast turnaround and quality of work, and also the customer service.”

Eastgate prides itself on its attention to detail and strict quality assurance.

“We have an in-house QA system,

which has been accepted by a number of multinational companies that have been into our company, examined our processes, and placed their trust in what we do,” Mr Williams said.

Eastgate is responsive and highly flexible, working with a broad array of materials, including various steels, brass, bronze, copper and aluminium. All grades of plastic are within their scope.

If you need outstanding precision – whether for one item or for one-hundred thousand items – it’s worth looking into Eastgate.

Eastgate Engineering Ph: 07 3847 8144 www.eastgate.net.au Hare & Forbes Ph: 02 9890 9111 www.machineryhouse.com.au

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NEW TRIBO-FILAMENT FOR 3D PRINTING AVAILABLE FROM TREOTHAM In a world first, Igus has announced its new tribo filament for 3D printers; a filament that is up to 50 times more abrasion resistant than traditional 3D printing material.

Developed with engineers in mind, the new filament is able to create robust and durable prototypes for custom and low volume manufacturing.

The new filament is available in 5 types to suit a range of different applications, all offering excellent strength and abrasion resistance, and can be used in almost any 3D printer.

The new iglidur C210 tribo-filament is a low cost option which is more resistant to many acids, solvents and hydrogen peroxide than most other materials.

The different iglidur tribo-filaments provide an option for greater chemical

resistance, higher upper application temperatures, and easier options for processing and printing.

Alongside this, the quick and easy 3D printing services that are available from igus provide quality design freedom, as the instant customised parts use lubrication free, wear and abrasion resistant iglidur plastics and arrive ready to install.

The new spool size offers 3 times more material, with 750g of filament.

Treotham Automation Pty Ltd 02 9907 1788 www.treotham.com.au

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600 Machine Tools 27 Foundry Road, SEVEN HILLS NSW 2711 Phone: (02) 9674 4738 | Email: machines@600machinery.com.au

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Brisbane Office:

600 Machine Tools 292 Evans Road, Salisbury QLD 4107 Phone: (07) 3277 4844 | Email: qldbch@600machinery.com.au

Contact us for your nearest distributor and service provider

MACHINERY •

DEMATIC ANNOUNCES AUTOMATED GUIDED VEHICLES

NEW ELECTRIC BLOWER HEATER DESIGNED TO MINIMISE FIRE RISK

Dematic has announced it has made its first delivery of the company’s new range of Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) from its factory in Belrose, NSW. A major Australian beverage company is the first to receive a delivery of the Dematic AGVs. The order includes four-metre double pallet handlers and six-metre double pallet handlers, all with fork spreading capabilities.

The new AGVs allow customers to handle double pallets of product, which will be transported safely and accurately around the clock by driverless AGVs. Benefits include significantly reduced labour costs and ongoing damage to equipment and stock, together with improved supply chain reliability and traceability. For businesses which run multiple shifts, the return on investment is rapid.

“We began manufacturing Dematic’s new AGV range in our Sydney facility in June this year,” said Tommy Eklof, Director of AGVs at Dematic. “We are very excited to have shipped our first AGVs from Dematic’s Belrose facility.”

Dematic manufactures a comprehensive range of AGVs including forklifts, unit load, very narrow aisle (VNA) and specialty vehicles to

Designed to Australian standards and built by Active Air Rentals, the construction of this new EBH emphasises safety and quality components.

EBH models made with inferior cheap components and poor design after long periods of continued operation can fail due to parts breaking down or burning out which also poses huge safety risks.

Active Air Rentals’ new Australian design and built EBH addresses these concerns, looking out for the Aussie consumer.

“We were tired of hearing about cheap components failing in current EBH models. These inferior parts aren’t able to handle the heat produced when these units are operating and would often burn out, causing the EBH to fail and posing a potential fire risk,” explains Brad Sweeny, Director of Active Air Rentals.

With increasing frustration about reliability and safety concerns arising from some of the inferior EBH models that are currently in the market, Active Air Rentals tasked themselves with designing a more reliable and safer model built in Australian to Australian safety standards using wellestablished components.

Their in-house engineering team had the confidence they could design and build a safer product for their customers, one they could be confident would operate without components burning out.

reliably move materials, stock and finished goods through DCs and production environments in a timely, cost-effective, safe and flexible way.

With an installed base of more than 500 AGVs across over 110 sites in Australia, NDC has been the leading manufacturer and supplier of AGVs in Australia for over 25 years. Dematic announced it had acquired NDC Automation Pty Limited on March 21, 2016 adding further to its comprehensive range of integrated logistics and supply chain automation solutions.

Dematic 02 9486 5555 www.dematic.com

The new 21kW EBH developed by Active Air Rentals includes safety features setting itself apart from inferior models in the market.

It features a 5-minute timer that ensures the fan cools the unit down for 5 minutes once the unit is switched off, indicator lights to provide simple fault finding when something is not running correctly, and the use of high-quality switch gear that can handle higher temperature overload.

"With the safety enhancements we've made to our EBH's, we stand behind our product with 100% confidence, knowing our customers have a quality heating solution designed and built in-house using well-established components and that we have vigorously tested," Brad says.

Active Air Rentals 02 8760 6200 www.activeair.com.au

THE MITSUBISHI WILL EVEN CUT YOUR COSTS. THAT’S APPLIED THINKING. All Mitsubishi laser cutters feature cross flow resonators. This exciting technology delivers outstanding savings on maintenance and running costs.

In fact a figure of 3L/h laser gas usage is achievable along with a staggering 90% saving of energy in standby mode. Plus operators can expect a 30% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to an axial flow resonator.

They are also surprisingly affordable, so there’s savings all round.

Call: 03 9706 8066 Email: sales@appliedmachinery.com.au Visit: appliedmachinery.com.au Connect with us socially

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• MACHINERY

REX J ANDREWS EMBRACES CNC TECHNOLOGY FOR UNRIVALLED HAULAGE INNOVATION Rex J Andrews is not your average transport services company – it’s the heavyweight champion.

Predominantly a heavy haulage company, Rex J Andrews specialises in the toughest jobs in the business – from wind turbines to bridges to a concrete merino.

The company, which operates out of Sydney, Adelaide, Newcastle NSW and Portland Victoria, concentrates on moving oversize and over-mass loads, including those that require sophisticated multiarticulated systems.

“Our company focus is on the jobs that no one else wants to do, projects with complex and highly specialised requirements,” said Mr Andrews, the company’s engineering manager.

What distinguishes Rex J Andrews is its capacity to design and manufacture equipment internally, allowing it to create a customised, innovative solution for even uniquely challenging problems.

“We manufacture our equipment

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specific to a need. We might make a truck or a trailer even just to carry one item,” Mr Andrews said.

With this capability, the company can “manage the logistics of any movement both here and to or from overseas.” Its services extend to managing storage, and operating cranes and lifting systems.

Mr Andrews said the work they pride themselves on most is with renewable energy. Specialising in the movement of wind farm technology, the company manages transport and storage from arrival onshore to arrival at the final destination.

“We transfer wind towers, turbines, blades, hubs, all the pieces associated with the windmill,” Mr Andrews said. “Some pieces are well over 150 tonnes.”

Moving this kind of technology is high stakes work, so the company’s manufacturing must be high quality and consistently reliable.

It’s no surprise then that Rex J Andrews

Rex J Andrews hauling Goulburn's iconic Big Merino

has embraced CNC technology.

From 2009 to 2015, the company purchased three Doosan CNC machines from Hare and Forbes, including a Puma 240LC Lathe, a Lynx 300M Lathe and a Machining Centre DNM650II, which are now its three main machines.

The “repeatability and the accuracy” of CNC has led to a “massive” improvement in quality, “because you’re not dealing with an operator who’s winding handles to get a specific cut size,” Mr Andrews said.

“The machine’s just cutting to the same accuracy all the time.”

Perhaps even more impressive is the “huge” boost to efficiency – “a 600% to 1000% time saving” on a large job, according to Mr Andrews. Even if only three or four components are needed, CNC saves time.

“Once a CNC machine is programmed, it could make an intricate part with a thread, for instance, in two or three minutes. It would take a manual machine half an hour.”

The CNC machines also represent a “massive” improvement in safety, Mr Andrews said.

He rates the Lynx Lathe in particular, due to its live tooling. “It can spin the tools, so it can basically stop the turning operation and become a mill of sorts. It’s like two machines in one.”

The fast turn around of CNC can be critical in make or situations, allowing the company to deliver for customers even despite unexpected events.

“Just today, the Puma was doing nothing but we broke a shaft in a trailer in Adelaide on the other side of the country so we made a new shaft and we’re

shipping it on the truck tonight to be there in the morning.”

Mr Andrews said the machines were a “very good purchase” not only for their quality, but because of the support from Hare and Forbes.

“The after-sale service is excellent. The spare parts backup is good, the training is good. We’re very happy,” he said.

The strong relationship with Hare and Forbes goes right back to the company’s birth. Howard Andrews’ father, Mr Rex Andrews, started the business in 1989 with only himself, a truck and some second hand machines from Hare and Forbes.

Today the family business has 25 trucks and nearly 50 staff, but the relationship with Hare and Forbes remains a part of the Rex J Andrews success story. “A good business depends on good suppliers – and that’s exactly what Hare and Forbes is,” Mr Rex Andrews said.

“I bought my company’s very first machine off Hare and Forbes. Even before I started my own company, I used them.

We still have machines I bought from Hare and Forbes 29 years ago.”

“Right from the beginning, I made sure to browse the Parramatta store whenever I was in the area. You knew their second hand products could always be relied on.”

That’s no exaggeration. One of the early purchases was a Pratt and Whitney machine, used to make the engines for World War II Aircraft. “It’s still with us,” Mr Howard Andrews said.

Now bolstered with the latest CNC technology, Rex J Andrews is wellequipped to continue hauling transport services into the future.

MACHINERY •

CHALLENGER: A BRAND THAT STANDS [OUT] FOR MORE

A lot of companies have great intentions to do their part for society, but unfortunately, many of them fall short of their vision.

At Challenger, they are doing exactly what they set out to do – creating a brand that is well and truly built to achieve great and positive things, giving back to the community for the entire lifetime of the brand.

With its noticeable pink and purple colours, and more importantly its excellent quality for price and charitable nature, this brand stands out from the marketplace.

Community is built into the business structure of the brand, with Challenger donating a percentage of their wholesale revenue to charities in Australia and New Zealand.

"We wanted a brand that represented something true and meaningful.

Challenger has been built to be a sustainable community returner, for the

life and future of the brand," said Richard Crake, Founder and visionary leader of the Challenger brand.

"It is built to achieve, and there is enormous satisfaction in what the brand is achieving, and also giving back."

As a family owned company whose family values are inseparable from the brand they have created, Challenger envisions four strong values; the highest quality, an industry-best warranty, the best value, and a genuine care for the community.

Challenger's industry-best warranty of two years reinforces that their manufacturing quality and safety is unlike that of its competitors - redefining the meaning of 'value-based pricing', yet never hindering on the highest of quality.

"Price is an important part of the sales negotiation, but it should never be at the expense of quality. There has been no doubt about the quality. Challenger has been very positively received by customers," Richard said.

Safety flows through at all stages, from the manufacturing processes that are put in place, to the reliability for the end-user.

The brand controls all aspects of their manufacturing to adhere to the highest principles of standards, and quality control.

Challenger products are better engineered than their competitors, from higher quality materials. The warranty is double the industry standard - reinforcing surety of the brand's quality. And in a bold statement, the brand was the first in its industry to embrace the values that came with the pink and purple colours.

"The colour pink is not a novelty, but

instead a reflection of the positive values and support of the end-user. It has become more than acceptable within all industries," Richard added.

Challenger saw 10 times the volume of any other launch in its category. The launch into the Australian market, late 2014 was led by an exclusive branded track car at both, Bathurst 1000, and Sydney 500.

"Branding done right can be very impactful. Australia is a tough market, there are more than 40 brands to compete with.

Pink was the branding element that was intended to break us through, and it has.

Some people didn't really like the colour, but not one person said it was a bad idea," Richard said.

A great amount of Challenger's success has also been noticed in the New Zealand market, even after being warned that, "No one in New Zealand would ever buy pink!".

Challenger entered the market in February 2015 - at an especially risky time for New Zealand, at the tail end of their economic recession.

Against all odds, Challenger showed a 12% growth to the brand's total portfolio. The brand's noticeable quality and core values carried more weight than their standout colouring.

Challenger has set big goals for the brand to be "the number one product across all categories". This means that any

product that aligns with the core values of the brand can live under the proud 'C' of Challenger.

"We don't want the value of the brand to ever be diluted. If it doesn't fit that value, we don't want to do it. We wanted a brand with a defined vision, and with gained attention.

The Challenger 'C' represents; Care, Community, and Commitment," Richard said.

Challenger is built to continue donating a percentage of all wholesale revenue to a cancer charity that shares the same value within its country. In Australia it is the McGrath Foundation, and in New Zealand, the Child Cancer Foundation.

These charities were carefully considered for the positive difference they have made in their communities. When approached, they immediately came on board with the Challenger brand for their complementary values, and brand vision.

Challenger's future plan is to take this successful approach into international markets, and continue to do its part for its involving charities, and communities.

For more information on Challenger, please visit www.pacifichoists.com.au/ challenger or call 02 8377 7191 for your nearest distributor.

DON’T BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM, BEND IT LIKE YAWEI. THAT’S APPLIED THINKING. Because Yawei heavy duty pressbrakes handle up to and beyond 3000 ton, there are virtually no limits on what is possible.

Yawei is a world leader in high precision pressbrake technology, utilising world class componentry and the latest in Delem 2D and 3D graphical controllers.

Plus you’ll get the support of Applied Machinery’s service team that includes some of the leading pressbrake technicians in Australia.

Call: 03 9706 8066 Email: sales@appliedmachinery.com.au Visit: appliedmachinery.com.au Connect with us socially

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RS COMPONENTS EXPANDS FURTHER WITH ITS MOLEX SERIES RS Components, the global distibutors for engineers has expanded its range of USB-C solutions with Molex’s new USB-C connector and complement of cable assemblies.

This new range targets a wide range of electric appliances on consumer markets as well as other automatic and control systems, amongst others.

The USB Type-C, or USB-C, is the next-generation of USB (Universal Serial Bus) connector standard. The USB-C is designed to be a multifunctioning device that is able to perform different tasks depending on the task at hand.

Applications include standard USB connectors, that allowing peripheral devices such as cameras, printers, keyboards or mice to be connected to PCs, tablets or mobile phones; and will perform as power or video connectors, also being compatible with the latest 4K Ultra-High- Definition television systems.

The USB-C is expected to rapidly become as universal as the standard USB as major computing and consumer equipment companies are currently integrating and factory-fitting USB-C interfaces into new devices and equipment.

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Compatible with the latest USB 3.1 protocol and transmits signals at a much higher speed than previous versions of USB, the USB-C is the next step in this technology.

These connectors are small, lightweight and reversible, which makes them significantly easier to use.

The new Molex range includes the USB-C connectors and cable assemblies that allow the USB-C devices to work with legacy USB connectors that use USB 2.0 and USB 3.1 protocols; and, following approval, the Lightning connector used in the latest generation of Apple iPhones.

The Molex USB-C products include: USB 2.0 and 3.1 cable assembly (USB-C to USB-A); USB 3.1 cable assembly (USB-C to USB-C); and right angle, PCBmount, USB-C connector plugs and sockets.

The new Molex products augment the existing USB-C products already available from RS, which include devices from TE Connectivity and the RS Pro range. RS will continue to grow its range of USB-C products including connectors, cables, adaptors and PCB sockets.

30/08/2011 5:25:30 PM

PCA GIVES NEW EDGE TO ENCODERS

In the world of automation there is nothing short of innovation and creation as the industry continues to move forward. From Plant Control and Automation comes a range of programmable incremental shaft encoders that are a new way of looking at a traditional piece of technology.

Unlike many similar products available for consumers, the use of magnetic principles over the traditional optical principles gives a big boost where it is needed.

The advantaged for such a controller is with extra speed they become more efficient; while an optical encode wave would retract at their upper end of the scale.

The Posital encoder’s feature a method use for programming that is both simple and reliable, and all you need to supplement it is an adapter box called a Ubifast.

This provides Bluetooth communication between the encoder and a range of web browser software, enabling the user to use, programme, and read the settings on any mobile device.

The versions that come with both incremental and absolute encoders in the same housing are both programmable to the individual needs and requirements.

This flexibility for reprogramability allows changes to be made without the need to purchase a new one.

The IXARC incremental encoders provide a highresolution measurement using incremental interfaces.

They are available with common configurations such as A, B, Z, and inverted signals available such as HTL (Push-Pull) or TTL (RS422).

Some features include: • Any PPR up to 16384 Available • Flexible Scaling Functionality • Compact Size Down to 36 mm Ø • Optional Stainless Steel and Heavy Duty Housings Available • High Shock and Vibration Resistance Without the need for over complicated specialised equipment, PCA provides a robust product appropriate for machinery, factory and a range of other applications.

Plant Control and Automation sales@pca-aus.com.au http://www.pca-aus.com.au/

WASTE MANAGEMENT •

WMAA LANDFILL CONFERENCE PROSPECTUS AVAILABLE

Waste Management is a crucial aspect of business in Australia, and there isn't a single industry that isn't affected by the regulations and procedures of waste management in some way.

To that end, the Waste Management Association of Australia (WMAA), 2017 Australian Landfill and Transfer Stations Conference, will be held from 27-30 March 2017 at Rosehill Gardens Sydney NSW. The conference aims to provide a platform for learning and discussion on waste management, with a focus on Landfills and Transfer Stations. These

locations play an integral role in the waste management industry, providing avenues for materials aggregation and separation, resource recovery, and final disposal.

The innovation, design, operation, regulation, and safety of these facilities are all paramount to the services they offer and the future growth areas where services can be expanded and efficiencies gained.

This conference will be of particular interest to industry managers; local and state government; local government councillors and waste management staff; service and technology providers; planners; engineers; environment managers; academics and consultants.

As the conference ramps up, sponsorship opportunities are avaliable.

Becoming involved in the funding and setup of the conference will provide your organisation an opportunity to leverage access to a wide base of industry professionals, to gain exposure and help raise awareness of your business, products and/or services.

For the prospectus of the event, see http://www.wmaa.asn.au/

THANKS TO GENOX THESE OLD TYRES WILL GO AROUND AGAIN. THAT’S APPLIED THINKING. To date over 100 Australian organisations have selected the Genox brand for a reliable, cost effective and environmentally friendly solution for their waste reduction needs.

Genox fully automatic tyre recycling plants are the complete solution for your trye recycling needs. There is no need for manual debeading of tyres and ambient temperature processing reduces operational costs and minimises secondary pollution.

Plus the plants are extremely easy to operate and maintain.

Call: 03 9706 8066 Email: sales@appliedmachinery.com.au Visit: appliedmachinery.com.au Connect with us socially

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• EDUCATION & TRAINING

FUTURE SCIENTISTS HELPED BY NEW ALPHA LATHE 600 Machine Tools has been meeting the growing industrial demands for precision, accuracy, and quality engineering technology that increases productivity for over a century.

The standard of their services has even been taken on by the Faculty of Science workshop at the University of NSW, where Ph.D students and teaching staff are able to extend their innovative horizons.

The University's workshop is constantly flowing with students and researchers creating prototypes and bringing their ideas to life.

Workshop manager Mr Pritipal Baweja has explained that the University's purchase of a Harrison Alpha, provided by 600 Machine Tools, was brought on to replace an earlier lathe and has since enabled the workshop staff to achieve new levels of accuracy and faster turnaround times.

The Alpha 144XS is a highly versatile lathe that offers a strong combination of accuracy, capacity, and performance. It is well suited to producing detailed, intricate prototypes and "one-offs" that are of the highest quality and standard.

"In the workshops of Australia's industries, where it is configured with an advanced control and bespoke software

systems, this model is proving to be a winner for turning all batch sizes with fast repeatability, excellent accuracy and surface finish – and, importantly, lower component production cost," said Sales manager, Sydney-based Steve Drummond.

Alongside the lathe, the milling process has been enhanced by the introduction of the Manford 6KV-SP milling machine.

Designed and built in Taiwan by the renowned Manford Machinery Company, the model is a powerful mill with X-axis feed by a 5hp servo motor, an infinitelyvariable speed drive up to 3,600 rpm, and an NST#40 spindle.

This machine was also provided by 600 Machine Tools, the agent for Manford in Australia.

Mr Baweja and the toolmaker who operates these machines, James Richards, agreed that the entire process of obtaining these two important machines was smooth and simple thanks to the helpful engineers at 600 Machine.

The 600 Machine team was there to

help with the identification of the right machines, the installation of both the lathe and the mill, as well as the commissioning and operating training, all the while giving advice and assistance where required.

The information about the machines that are provided by 600 Machine Tools to workshops around the country is made accessible by the YouTube videos of Harrison, Colchester, Clausing, and other machine tools supplied exclusively by 600 Machine Tools through its network in

major cities throughout the country.

"Our recently enhanced website now provides links to these presentations, and others are to be added as new models are launched by our headquarters and state-of-the-art manufacturing centre in Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire," Mr Drummond said.

600 Machine Tools (02) 9674 4738 www.600machinery.com.au

MATHSADD HIGHLIGHTS GROWTH OF STEM SECTOR Although there has been some doubt cast upon the value of a university degree, the Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute's (AMSI) new careers website (Mathsadd) has shown that there is growing demand for mathematical and statistical skills.

With over 100 examples of recent jobs ads in mathematics and statistics, the website that acts as an expansion of the print version highlighs how the field can lead to future success.

The portal aims to assist students to make decisions about their subject choices in year 11 and 12, along with higher education studies, and is a part of the institute's aim to empower mathematics in Australia.

AMSI Director Professor Geoff Prince has said that the number of sectors in need of STEM skills is growing.

"This site confirms mathematics and statistics skills have enormous currency in today's job market.

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Demand is only increasing, with already over 75 per cent of highgrowth areas demanding skills such as mathematics and statistics," he said. Although the STEM sector is worth $145 billion annually to the Australian economy, the number of Aussie students in the field is on the decline.

Students, teachers and parents are invited to search the Maths Adds site for a small taste of what is possible with mathematics and statistics.

"Year 12 enrolments in highlevel maths have almost halved since 2005. This is fuelled by a combination of factors including the need for industry to better communicate how they employ

skills such as mathematics," says AMSI Director, Professor Geoff Prince.

Professor Prince says that mathematical careers are in fact creative. "When people think of mathematics they often call up the 'A Beautiful Mind' stereotype of greying men with white boards and formulas. Maths is used across every sector and discipline from the arts to IT and engineering to climate and environment and even medicine; the possibilities are endless."

Both students and teachers are encouraged the Maths Add website.

AMSI www.mathsadds.amsi.org.au Phone: +61 3 8344 1777

EDUCATION & TRAINING •

AMSI ENDORSES COALITION'S PHD RESEARCH INDUSTRY INTERNSHIPS The Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute (AMSI) has strongly endorsed the Coalition's recently announced $28.2 million policy plan to provide industry research internships for PhD students.

AMSI Intern is Australia's only national PhD internship program that is owned by universities, placing 150 students across all disciplines per year.

The internships are a means of building the industry, leveraging university collaboration to increase the future availability of trained staff for Australian companies.

The significant government endorsement will help to continue build

the relations between all parties, and provide a stronger, smarter future for Australia.

"Our program has a transformative effect on brilliant young researchers, and on Australian companies and agencies.

No longer is a PhD training for academia alone, but a launching pad for careers in our innovation system," says Professor Geoff Prince, AMSI Director.

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• AUSSIE MADE

PYNE PRIORITISES CAIRNS FOR DEFENCE INDUSTRY PRODUCTION The Minister for Defence is continuing with plans that will bring over $400 million of investment to Cairns, and honouring the commitment made earlier in the year to provide a $24 million upgrade to the Cairns Marine Precinct.

These actions, and comments, made by Mr Pyne during his recent visit to Cairns, indicate that the minister and his department are determined to ensure strong and sustainable investment in Australian manufacturing and maintenance industries.

"Cairns is absolutely vital to our plans for Australia's defence industry" said Mr Pyne.

"This government is implementing an unprecedented continuous build of surface warships and minor war fessels in Australia, including our Offshore Patrol Vessels, some of which will be based here in Cairns."

During his visit to Cairns, Mr Pyne visited key Defence

and Industry companies, exploring the opportunities for local industry to synergise with the government in the construction and maintenance of Defence assets.

Amongst the locations toured were Norship Marine, Tropical Reef Shipyard, and BAE Systems Australia.

These locations all provide, or have the capability to provide, strong maritime maintenance and support to the Defence ministry and the Royal Australian Navy.

"The deep maintenance of the Pacific Patrol Boats being built in Western Australia will also happen right here in Cairns, with the total support and sustainment investment estimated at more than $400 million across the life of the vessels," said Mr Pyne.

The investment from the Defence ministry is anticipated to gave significant positive flow-on effects for the Cairns economy, boosting local business and employment.

AUSSIE WEARABLE APP SPREADS TO ASIA A truly global business approach is helping an innovative Aussie to­do list app break into the potentially lucrative Chinese market.

Streaks is an iPhone productivity app that allows the user to compose a list of tasks and build good habits, developed in South Australia by Quentin Zervaas and Isaac Forman.

Many apps think small; they focus on the US market, and fail to capitalise on global potential.

Streaks, on the other hand, has been translated into more than 20 languages including Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese), French and Russian since its 2015 launch.

Zervaas said having the app in traditional and simplified Chinese text allowed it to first gain a foothold in Hong Kong, which naturally leads to further expansion in China.

“The biggest market is obviously the United States

and in that sense most people focus on English and by doing that you miss out on a lot of opportunities,” he said.

"Obviously international apps reach more of the market.”

Streaks is an Apple exclusive app and syncs with the data from the iPhone Health app to help deliver accurate physiological calculations such as the number of steps you take in a walk or the amount of distance covered while running.

It has had more than 400,000 downloads worldwide and 15,000 downloads in China – a 2000 per cent increase since it was named an Apple Design Award winner on June 13.

“I'm especially pleased with how it's started to gain traction in China, and expect sales to increase in the next 12 months as we'll soon have more flexibility with percountry pricing in the App Store,” Zervaas said.

Streaks can be customised to manage up to six

different regular tasks such as going for a run, going to the gym, learning a new language, reading a book or walking the dog.

Streaks currently holds a 4.5 rating on the app store, and has been met with favourable reviews.

CSIRO HELPS AUSSIE START­U P GO GLOBAL CSIRO partner Oventus Medical Ltd has today listed on the Australian Securities Exchange raising $12 million.

The CSIRO and their partners Oventus Medical Ltd, which manufacture sleep apnoea devices, have listed on the Australian Securities Exchange raising $12 million.

The company has been working with the CSIRO over the last two and a half years to help create their product and grow business.

Oventus, a Melbourne based company, was approached by the CSIRO in 2014 after dentist Chris Hart had an idea for a mouthguard that would help airflow bypass for any obstructions in a sleep apnoea sufferers airway.

Sleep apnoea is when the walls of the throat come together during sleep, blocking off the upper airway and breathing often stops for a period of time.

Dr Hart had asked CSIRO if they could 3D ­print the device dubbed O2VentTM from titanium, which resulted in

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the initial prototype that has since successfully completed its clinical trials.

In April this year, the device received FDA clearance opening up the US market for the company.

The O2Vent is a customisable mouthpiece which is 3D ­printed to the precise dimensions of a patient’s mouth, ensuring optimal airflow during sleep, reducing the effects of snoring and sleep apnoea.

Oventus Founder Dr Hart said CSIRO provided the opportunity to access new 3D p ­ rinting technologies through their Lab22 facility.

"This allowed us to explore new and innovative manufacturing techniques with a reduced investment risk,” Dr Hart said.

“Using 3D­printing to manufacture the O2Vent sleep apnoea devices offered us huge advantages over traditional manufacturing methods including speed and cost.

"This partnership has made us globally competitive," he said.

Oventus is hoping O2Vent will disrupt the multi­billion dollar market for sleep apnoea solutions.

An estimated one million Australians suffer from sleep apnoea. The product’s prototype was first made in the CSIRO’s Lab 22 Innovation Centre in Victoria, using an Arcam 3D printer.

CSIRO’s Mr Stefan Gulizia said the idea of designing and 3D ­printing completely customised mouthpieces seemed revolutionary at the time.

“It has been exciting helping Oventus progress this novel idea to a manufactured product and seeing the success of the company as it lists on the ASX today,” Mr Gulizia said.

Oventus’ fully­subscribed IPO has raised $12 million that will be injected into the commercialisation and distribution of their O2Vent sleep apnoea devices.

AUSSIE MADE •

NEW LEGISLATION ON AUSSIE FOOD EXPORTS On 1 July, the Government's new country of origin food labelling laws came into effect, requiring most Australian food products that are offered for retail sale in Australia to be labelled with a country of origin statement, the Australian Made, Australian Grown (AMAG) logo, and a bar chart and text statement to show the proportion of Australian ingredients.

The green-and-gold Australian Made, Australian Grown (AMAG) logo is the only registered country-oforigin certification trade mark for the full range of genuine Australian products and produce, and has been providing recognisability and value to Australian consumers, farmers, processors and manufacturers for thirty years.

Businesses have two years from the commencement date to adopt the new labeling, providing ample time to become familiar with the new requirements. Importantly, food that is intended for sale in export markets will not require the new labels, but will still come with strong incentives and advantages.

"For many small businesses involved in export, the Australian Made, Australian Grown logo, with its proven, established links to Australia, becomes their strongest brand in the marketplace," said Ian Harrison, AMCL Chief Executive.

The AMAG logo has been widespread in domestic and export markets for three decades, and has come to represent authenticity and reliability in the global goods market. This has been reinforced by the international registration of the AMAG logo in countries such as China, Singapore, South Korea and the USA, all important export markets.

There is little doubt that the expanded presence of the AMAG logo, which will now be present on the majority of food products, will strengthen the logo's connection to Australia, and Australian values and goods in export markets.

"Opportunities for exporters are booming, especially given Australia's reputation for producing products and produce to high quality and safety standards, we're seeing a huge impact overseas especially for those products

WHAT YOU CAN LEARN FROM THIS LEAN MANUFACTURER? Sometimes it's the smallest and simplest ideas that have the most impact, and this one might matter in more ways than you'd think.

which carry the AMAG logo," said Mr Harrison.

Companies whose products fall into the export category can continue to use the AMAG logo without change, but only if their continued use is covered under an existing licence with AMCL. If this is not the case, the company should transition to the new labeling system.

The Australian Made Campaign also provides access to a range of exclusive promotional and export opportunities, via media and service partners, and its network of Australian Made branded stores and distributors throughout Australia and Asia.

Consumers will continue to see the AMAG logo on all other types of products, with AMCL continuing to administer and promote the logo as a voluntary country of origin certification trademark.

For more information on the AMAG logo visit www. australianmade.com.au/for-business.

For more information on the Australian Government's new mandatory country-of-origin labels, visit www. foodlabels.industry.gov.au. Businesses should also visit www.business.gov.au/foodlabels.

Using a variety of Australian manufacturers, experts, and ideas, David Colliver is making a step back towards Australian-based lean manufacturing with his "if… pen".

It's more than just a sleek writing device: it's aimed to be an example to the industry of what is possible when you think lean and go local.

"So many efficiencies can be dealt with in the design phase," said Colliver, who is aiming to "shed light on what is possible in lean [manufacturing]."

The body of the pen is a single-piece injection molded titanium barrel, with a clip that's part of the core body, and can't be broken off or bent.

Instead of a spring-loaded cartridge, a simple squeeze grip can retract or deploy an integrated pen cap.

The only parts that are not manufactured in Australia are the German ink cartridges and the rubber grip, allowing them significant flexibility. If they manufactured abroad, they would be significantly restricted in terms of their order size, and be unable to respond quickly to shifts in demand.

"Keeping it local is an advantage," Colliver said. "You can go to China for tooling and save 20%, but then it comes back and it doesn't work, is fixed here and you are paying 50% more."

As a case study for lean manufacturing, local supply chains, and crowdfunding production, Colliver and his if… pen might well be the perfect example for those looking for a future in the industry.

Get the It’s recognised. It’s trusted. It works.

Australian Advantage Call 1800 350 520 or visit australianmade.com.au INDUSTRYUPDATE.COM.AU

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• PRODUCT NEWS

TAKING THE "DRAG" OUT OF PUMPING A new CSIRO technology that takes the energy-sapping ‘drag’ out of industrial pumping has been adopted by major mining company Glencore’s Minara Resources following a successful full-scale trial.

The drag reduction technology can save mining companies energy and water use each year, while boosting their productivity.

Minara’s technical and engineering manager, Paul Wiltshire, said they installed the technology to improve the feed ore slurry pumping capacity at their Murrin Murrin nickel operation in Western Australia, which was overloading as they increased their ore throughput.

"Working together with CSIRO, we were able to identify a low-cost installation point with good potential for reducing the slurry drag effect in the piping system," Mr Wiltshire said.

"The technology freed up capacity, which meant we could avoid an expensive plant upgrade to meet throughput demand."

"It was an immediate success and CSIRO’s drag reduction technology is now part of our toolkit when considering other slurry pumping constraints on site."

Almost all mineral processing plants need to transport slurry – a semi-liquid mixture that can include water, ore and other material – through pumps at various process steps.

CSIRO senior engineer, Dr Rueben Rajasingam said that reducing water content, power demand and pumping inefficiencies always results in significant operational and cost improvements.

"The thicker the material, the more friction or 'drag effect' you get which makes it hard to pump and more energy and capital-intensive," Dr Rajasingam said.

"Water is typically added to dilute the material before pumping, but only as a last resort because the more water you add the less throughput you achieve.

"Our technology combats both these challenges: it introduces a thin, uniform and long-lasting ring of fluid between the slurry and the inside of the pipe so that thick material can be efficiently pumped without friction at a high throughput."

CSIRO’s drag reduction technology offers a welcome boost to the mining and minerals processing industry which is in the midst of challenging times brought on by low commodity prices and the shift to increasingly lower-grade ores.

It’s simple, cost-effective, easy-toimplement and could be applied to a broader range of industrial processes where there’s a dewatering aspect that results in a sludge, slurry or paste that needs to be transported, such as in construction, waste management, coating services and food processing.

"For example, the construction industry is increasingly needing to pump concrete up higher and higher to build skyscrapers and so this could be a cost-effective solution for them to overcome challenges like blockings," Dr Rajasingam said.

CSIRO senior engineer, Dr Rueben Rajasingam, says that the drag reduction technology offers a sustainable and cost-effective solution for industrial pumping.

CSIRO’s drag reduction technology offers a welcome boost to the mining and minerals processing industry which is in the midst of challenging times brought on by low commodity prices and the shift to increasingly lower-grade ores.

For the mining industry, the technology means that variation in the ore’s viscosity or water content, can be easily managed.

It also offers a solution for backfill – a

common mine site remediation technique where materials are pumped back into an exhausted open pit or underground mine to return ground stability and regenerate the site.

"The idea of using a lubricant is not new, but we’ve come up with a better technology that overcomes issues with coating uniformity," Dr Rajasingam said.

"The way we introduce the coating creates a thin, uniform sheath around the slurry, whereas other methods coat sporadically."

Other CSIRO minerals processing innovations include a better performing agitation system called Swirl Flow, the world’s leading technology for rapid mineral analysis QEMSCAN, and new environmentally-friendly processes for the recovery of gold, nickel and cobalt.

PALIFT SERIES 3

THE BEST WAY TO LOAD/UNLOAD PALLETS Reduce back injury Increase productivity • Maintenance free • Set and forget springs – No air/power • Standard Capacity 2000kg • •

CURRENTLY IN STOCK AT OUR LIDCOMBE SHOWROOM

QUALITY AUSTRALIAN PRODUCT MADE BY SAFETECH

Call Tente Castors & Wheels for a demonstration 1300 836 831

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Visit tente.com.au

PRODUCT NEWS •

RS COMPONENTS ENHANCES CONNECTION PORTFOLIO WITH RAPID TERMINATION DEVICES RS components has recently announced they are extending their connectivity portfolio with HARTING Han® ES Press series.

The new line offers a connector termination solution for a wide range of applications in fields from machinery to broadcast and entertainment.

The Han ES Press is an extension of HARTING's Han E series and includes multifunctional connectors that employ plug-in jumper technology for rapid termination without tools, saving both time and reliability.

Thanks to the termination of the conductor that is based on cage clamp technology the assembly is quick and vibration-proof.

The design is simple, easy, and safe with up to 50% quicker assembly time.

Alongside this, the Zero Insertion Force capability means the conductors can be

easily pushed into the contact cavities, which can be closed with finger pressure.

There is also an audible and tactile snap-in for the press buttons and plug-in jumpers.

The Han ES Press also provides plug-in jumpers that enable multiple contacts to bridge directly at the connector, allowing rapid configuration possibilities, as well as bridging star and delta circuits.

All jumpers are plug-compatible with HARTING's Han E, Han ES and Han ESS product families and are available in red, blue and black.

Available in 6-, 10-, 16- and 24-contact variations, the series features an integrated opening for use with a measuring probe, current ratings of up to 16A at 500V with 6kV impulse voltage, and a minimum of 500 mating cycles.

RS Components +(852) 2610 6472 www.rs-online.com.

HARTING Han® ES Press Simple Connection with a Click.

BAC Spare Parts Storage & Industrial Workbenches World-Leading Warehouse Drawers & Workplace Systems

The connector for rapid multiplication of potentials

Support AUSTRALIAN Innovation and manufacturing

Fully Modular Systems customised to suit your space and Inventory

BAC Systems Pty Limited - 193-195 Power Street, Glendenning NSW 2761 Tel: (02) 9832 2777 Fax: (02) 9675 3645 Email: bacsales@bacsystems.com.au

www.bacsystems.com.au

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Process Solutions High Productivity Systems

Powder Handling Proven turnkey systems for powder processing industries.

Raw material arrival, to packaged despatch.

Packaging & Palletising System integrators of baggers, carton fillers, palletisers and pallet wrappers, hooders.

Lifting Systems

• PRODUCT NEWS

TRACEME TM: YOUR CONNECTIVITY SOLUTION KCS BV has upgraded its popular TraceME TM – 178 tracking and controlling module, designed specifically for installation on vehicles and other powered equipment.

The upgrades have focused on adding connectivity and improving integration with existing wireless networks and custom mobile applications.

This includes adding optional LoRa communication, Wi-Fi capabilities, Bluetooth Smart (BLE), ANT/ ANT+, and proprietary RF functionality.

The LoRa technology provides a communication range that extends up to 60km along line of sight, offering an advanced indoor and outdoor solution for location positioning systems. Potential functions include integration with Internet of Things systems, or stolen/lost

equipment recovery.

The TM-178 is further equipped with external power and battery backup connection, basic I/Oconnectivity, and multiple onboard sensors. It can also be remotely programmed to suit a wide range of purposes, and the onboard battery boasts a lifespan of over a decade. If needed, the module can be ordered inside a robust IP67 housing.

As part of the connectivity suite, the tracking module also contains integrated antennas for GPS, GSM (2G and 3G), and RF connections.

Measuring just 91mm x 40mm, and weighing just 30 grams, the module offers a comprehensive set of OEM integration possibilities.

KCS BV www.trace.me

SAVE YOUR BACK WITH TENTE PALIFT Tente’s Palift system is an innovative solution to issues of strain and back injury when dealing with heavy goods.

Ergonomic solutions for manual handling tasks.

Operator Comfort & Security 5 eradication of dust in process plants 5 elimination of ‘lifting strain’ injuries

The Professionals in Powder Handling and Packaging

IndUp1617

Head Office VIC - Tel: (03) 9457 8270

www.kockumsbulk.com.au

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Pallet Levellers resemble scissor lift tables in appearance. They have a top deck and a base connected by a pair of scissor legs. The levelling mechanism is a set of springs set to the weight and height (the density) of the product. Pallet levellers work automatically and raise or lower as the weight changes.

This system works to smoothly and automatically keep pallets or stillage at the optimum working height when loading or unloading goods. In doing so, Palift dramatically reduces the effort required to palletise goods.

Their proven design is incredibly robust and can endure more than 15 years of daily use without maintenance.

Load setting is a simple process and for most users springs never have to be changed. A shock absorber prevents any bounce and all Australian Palifts are supplied with a standard galvanised finish.

Durable and tough, Palift can be used in a wide range of applications including warehousing, wash down and other harsh environments. With more than 120,000 users worldwide, Palift is the simplest and most effective solution to manual handling problems created when loading and unloading pallets.

Tente 1300 836 831 www.tentecastorsandwheels.com.au

PRODUCT NEWS •

MF102-H- TSE IS THE WORLD’S BEST HYDRAULIC TRAINING SYSTEM, AND IT’S AVAILABLE FROM BESTECH

Call DMF for a full range of high speed doors Security Dust control Vermin control Wind Insulation

When in the need for the best Hydraulic Training System in the world, look no further than Bestech Australians Fluid Power Training Institute’s MF102-HTSE. Carefully engineered and designed by renowned hydraulics instructor Rory McLaren, it assists students to develop their understanding of the principles of hydraulics, alongside demonstrating the various applications of principles and theories taught throughout their education.

Not only will students be able to learn about fixed displacement pump circuits, but also pressure-compensated pump circuits, as well as load-sensing circuits all on one training system.

Alongside this, the system also contains six directional control valves – three parallel industrial type, one series industrial type, one cylindrical spool - centred mobile type and one motor spool centred mobile type.

The system also uses space and energy conveniently and efficiently. At only 76 cm deep, by 122 cm wide, by 196 cm high, it

was designed to fit through the standard doorway, making it easier for the individual to carry it around.

Exclusive to the MF102-H- TSE is its Safe-T- Bleed safety system. This deenergizes and air-bleeds hydraulic systems and components. It is the same lockout system used in industry.

The efficiency of the MF102-H Hydraulic Training System extends to ensure that it provides everything that could be required to help students understand the theories and principles of hydraulics, ensuring the best education possible.

The key features of the system are: • Pressure / leak testing – Teaches 95% of the components in a hydraulic system • Plug-and- play modules offer unlimited training flexibility • Electronic auto-fault insertion • Load-cycle capable Bestech http://www.bestech.com.au/ 03 9540 5100

INSULATION

ALL CLEAR

FLEXIBLE PVC

Full service throughout Aust Speeds of up to 4m/sec.

Climate control & security Call DMF today

www.dmf.com.au sales@dmf.com.au

Free call 1800 281170

Other products by DMF . . . .

Flexible PVC Visiflex Strip Doors Swingflex Doors Traffic Doors Fold Up Doors

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• PRODUCT NEWS

AQUALUMA LIGHTS BRIGHTEN AUSTRALIA AND THE WORLD Building a reputable name for itself, specializing in LED lighting since as early as 2004, Aqualuma has shone bright showing off its reliability, quality and durability for marine and commercial industries around the world.

Established first in the Gold Coast, Aqualuma has developed to include features like in house design, local and international approvals for most rebate schemes and a focus on old fashioned customer service backed up by a high quality Australian made product range.

Their product range has grown in both marine and commercial/industrial LED sectors leading the world with its products and >150 Lumens per Watt.

Now Aqualuma has two new products to introduce into the scope of their great range, designed to deliver the greatest amount of lumens for money. Also providing free lighting design for facilities to ensure that the correct fixture is being provided.

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With a cost efficiency that could save tens of thousands of dollars in the industrial world, the high bay replacements, commercial down light and LED Panel lights, the range now covers various applications.

Designed for warehouses, factories, manufacturing plants, high rise, hotels and office lighting, the Highbay range comes with a 7 Year warranty and is a true commercial warranty based on 24 hour 7 day operation.

The variety in options for both internal and external optical options, alongside being corrosion, water, and dust proof, there is a customizable option for almost all

applications.

For all your commercial and industrial lighting needs talk to the people who not only design LED lights but also manufacture and support Australia and Australian jobs.

For further information: www.aqualuma.com

PRODUCT NEWS •

SLIMMEST SCAN ENGINE

Honeywell has announced the release of the N6600 Series Ultra-Slim Area-Imaging Engine and its miniature decoding board Mini DB, which together enable small mobile devices to quickly and accurately capture data from barcodes using small mobile devices.

Measuring just 6.8 millimeters in height, the N6600 series is one of the slimmest and most compact engines of its kind currently on the market. It can be embedded in mobile devices, such as smartphones, tablet sleds or wearable scanning solutions used in retail, distribution center, logistics and parcel delivery environments.

Designed for rugged environments, the N6600 series features a global shutter with the ability to accurately read damaged or poorly-printed barcodes, as well as a high motion tolerance of 5.84 meters per second. It incorporates either a green LED aimer or a red laser aimer depending on the environmental conditions and use cases.

"The N6600 series is the slimmest 2D scan engine on the market," said Emre Onder, vice president, Electronic and Optical Sensing, Honeywell Sensing and Productivity Solutions. "It offers a range of data capture applications in rugged environments, from delivery drivers attempting to scan barcodes outdoors in bright sunlight to distribution center workers, who need to quickly capture data from a package’s damaged label."

As businesses need greater access to data to enhance their operations, they continue to shift from linear 1D barcodes, which contain limited amounts of data, to 2D barcodes. This multiplies the amount of data that can be stored and enables other data, such as images, to be captured by scanners.

Codentity, a South Africa-based joint venture between Bartrans Ltd. and Excellent ID, is currently incorporating the N6600 scan engine into its new e-Skan portable scanner, which is used to read and decrypt South African drivers' licenses for a variety of markets.

"We needed a compact scan engine that can quickly and effectively scan a range of barcodes, especially if the label is in poor condition," said Luke Dunstan, director, Bartrans.

"Accuracy and speed are critical for personal identification and security environments, and the slim design of the N6600 allows us to embed it in smaller, lightweight scanning devices that our customers prefer."

The N6600 scan engine can also be paired with the Mini DB, Honeywell’s next generation miniature-size decoder board. The Mini DB is 60 percent smaller than the previous decoder generation, which provides manufacturers with the flexibility to integrate it into smaller mobility devices.

Honeywell www.honeywell.com

NOBLELIFT LIFTS ITS GAME Noblelift introduce two powerful new machines: the EPT 15SC Electric Pallet truck, and the ECL 10SC Electric Stacker, both featuring an integrated scale.

On both models, the integrated scale is powered by four standard AA batteries, which are conserved in such a way that on average, they last a full year's worth of use, or 4200 weigh-ins.

The scale features an automatic sleep

mode that activates after three minutes of downtime to conserve power, and a low battery warning.

The weighing display also displays the total number of pallets weighted alongside the total weight, ensuring that the user can easily verify if any pallets have been forgotten.

For more information, visit www.noblelift.com

MOTORISED HEIGHT-ADJUSTABLE WORKBENCH

“The choice of sitting, standing or adjusting the bench height to somewhere in between, is ideal. It allows the task and the worker to determine the best height for the job and for their health.”

Suzanne Smythe, Occupational Physiotherapist Work Wellness Australia

500kg

Sit

Stand

Weight

sales@gilkon.com.au | (02) 9914 0900 | www.boscotek.com.au Hi Lo Bench_Industry-Update_Junior_[VERSION-2].indd 1

3/08/2016 11:03 am

INDUSTRYUPDATE.COM.AU

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• PRODUCT NEWS

RELIABLE HOSE CARRIER SOLUTION FROM TSUBAKI If you're in need of a reliable hose carrier solution, Tsubaki have got you covered with the introduction of their Tsubaki KabelSchlepp.

Made in Germany with 50 years of experience, the KabelSchlepp cable carriers range from lightweight micro-sized mono cable carriers up to large steel chain designs, and are available in steel, and a combination hybrid.

The applications for the cable range from standard applications such as machine tools, crane and car wash systems, to more complex processes like drill rigs, industrial robots, offshore oil rigs and aerospace.

The cables have been designed in order to last; their unique build gives them both strength and reliability at low costs, even in longer and more strenuous tasks.

The chains are available for Tsubaki in various widths, and cabling can be cut to your specific requirements thanks to the Tsubaki technical workshop assembly and cutting capacity.

Tsubaki also feature a comprehensive range that includes carriers with 3D movement for multi-axis robotic applications.

With the KabelSchleep Online Engineer configuration tools, you can quickly and effectively select and configure the best KabelSchlepp cable carrier system for you.

Tsubaki Australia Pty Limited 02 9704 2500 tsubaki.com.au

CLAMPING TECHNOLOGY FROM SERPENT & DOVE When it comes to the accurate and safe clamping of tools, moulds, plattens, and large or small tools, there is no option that compares to Tecnomagnete's permanent-electromagnetic muscle systems.

Tecnomagnete's clamping technology can scale from huge jobs (such as the machining of a turbine diaphragm, shown left), to small jobs, such as securing press tools, or locking in dies in injection moulding machines.

The versatility of the electro-magnetic clamping technology saves time and effort without compromising

on quality.

These systems rely on electric power only for momentary activation and de-activation actions, which lock on or disengage the extremely powerful permanent magnetic clamps.

Serpent & Dove distributes a range of Tecnomagnete magnetic clamps and chucks.

Serpent & Dove - Applied Magnetics Ph: 02 9971 7577 www.serpent-dove.com.au

GORMAN-RUPP SELF PRIMING PUMP FOR CORROSIVE WASTEWATER The T3A65S-B is a self priming, solid handling trash pump from Gorman-Rupp. It is a tough and reliable pump made from duplex stainless steel that is harder and more corrosion resistant than 316 grade stainless steel.

Ideal for harsh environments such as industrial wastewater, where abrasive particles are commonplace, the T3A65S-B can also be used as a grit pump at sewage treatment plants.

The pump's NPSHr characteristics and re-priming capability make it the ideal choice for continuous unattended automatic operation, making it excellent for operations that remained unattended.

The T3A65S-B can also be used as a solids handling pump. The pump can handle spherical solids up to 63mm in diameter, and because of its self cleaning wear plate system, it is able to handle stringy materials such as rags, gloves and plastic bags.

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Alongside cost efficiency, the pumps can be mounted on backs or beside reservoirs without the need to provide lifting apparatus or construct special suction wells, or having them submerged in water.

Self priming pumps provide a safer, and simpler alternative for operators making maintenance costs lower over the life of the pump installation.

The T3A65S-B has 80mm suction and discharge ports and is capable of flows to 25 l/s and heads to 32m, but others in the series can produce flows to 200 litres per second.

The pump can operate on suction lifts to 7.6m, and are available in other materials of construction, such as hardened iron for abrasive applications.

Hydro Innovation www.HydroInnovations.com.au (02) 9898 1800

PRODUCT NEWS •

SANDVIK UNVEILS NEW MULTI-EDGE MILLING CUTTER Sandvik Coromant has released the CoroMill 357 – a new tough multi-edge face milling cutter for roughing and cubing in steel and cast iron with high insert security.

CoroMill 357 is ideal for applications such as rough face milling, cubing, intermittent component figurations, components with uneven stock or forgings and welding and castings.

Applying CoroMill 357 for these applications achieves a high metal removal rate and improved productivity.

The CoroMill 357 multiedge design is a cost efficient solution.

With double-sided thick pentagonal inserts housed in shim-protected tip

seats, it guarantees reliable performance.

Its secure and strong cutter body features an innovative insert clamping system that offers quick and easy insert indexing to save you time.

Large support-faces radially, axially and on the base prevent deformation, ensuring a consistent performance.

Suitable for ISO 50 and larger machines CoroMill 357 takes a depth of cut up to 10mm (0.394 inch) with a feed per tooth up to 0.7 mm/z (0.0276 in/z) CoroMill 357 is available in diameter sizes 100-315 mm (4-10 inch).

For more information visit: www. sandvik.coromant.com/productnews

Automated Robotic Screw driving assembly – Dual Platform

HELP REDUCE MAINTENANCE COSTS ON OVERHEAD CRANES LOAD LIMITERS

ROPE AND CHAIN CRANES AND HOISTS: • Helps reduce the risk of accidents • Protects against overloading of Crane and supporting structures • Quick and easy installation and available for all capacity cranes • Available preset or easily calibrated on site • Helps reduce maintenance costs • Minimizes down time • Automatic reset by reducing the load CONDUCTOR BAR • Available in steel and copper • Quickly and easily installed • Supports required only every 1.5m • Also available in a compact cluster range

SIDE PULL PREVENTERS/ROPE GUIDE PROTECTOR Prevents side pulling and protects rope guides and drums on most multi-fall Cranes and Hoists.

• Prevent dragging of loads • Helps reduce down time.

Liftco Industrial Supplies Pty Ltd

Freecall: 1800 LIFTCO (543826) Email: liftco@optusnet.com.au Web: www.1800liftco.com.au

Gorman-Rupp Self Priming Wastewater Pumps now available with:

Designed For “TODAYS SEWAGE”:

SANITARY WIPES PLASTIC BAGS FIBRES SLUDGE The system consists of a new, patented lightweight inspection cover, an innovative back cover plate incorporating an obstruction free flow path, and an aggressive self-cleaning wear plate including laser cut notches and grooves, along with a revolutionary tooth designed to clear material from the e eye of the impeller.

- COVER PLATE WITH OBSTRICTION FREE PATH - REVOLUTIONARY CLEANING TOOTH - LIGHT WEIGHT INSPECTOR COVER

See you at ELECTRONEX 2016 in Sydney (Location: Front entrance)

KOBOT SYSTEMS Your economical manufacturing solutions provider

T: 04 1996 1978 E: gkoh@kobot.com.au www.kobot.com.au

Retrofit Kits Available For Current Super T Series Pump Exclusive Australian Distributor HydroInnovations.com.au 02 - 9898 1800

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• PRODUCT NEWS

TURCK INTRODUCES THE TBPN HYBRID SAFETY BLOCK I/O MODULE Turk has recently introduced the TBPM safety block I/O module as the first I/O module to combine both standard and safety inputs/outputs in a single device.

The IP67 hybrid is adaptable to specific signal requirements, ultimately helping users save space and reduce costs.

On the device the user has two safety inputs for connecting different safety sensors, such as light curtains or emergency-stop buttons, and offers two channels of internal safety outputs that can be used to remove power to the universal discrete I/O ports as well as to one of the IO-Link ports on the standard side of the block.

The safety logic is created utilizing Turck's safety configuration and diagnostics software tool; once programmed and set up, the device replacement is made simple by means

of a removable memory chip under the protective window.

On the normal side of the PROFINET/ PROFIsafe module there are 4 universal discrete I/O ports, which can be connected for general purpose signal, and can switch up to 2 amps. Two of the ports can be configured as IO-Link masters.

"Integrating or embedding safety functions into existing fieldbus systems is a growing trend in automation. With Turck's new hybrid safety I/O modules, users can gain this combined functionality in one block. This simplifies installation and maximizes flexibility, without compromising the level of safety and reliability expected," said Dan Klein, product manager for Turck's Fieldbus Technology division.

Both the channels of the TBPN can be disconnected for safety-related

TBPN: The first hybrid Safety-Standard I/O module

applications, simplifying the wiring.

Turck has developed the robust safety module for an extended temperature range from -40 to +70 °C. The IP65/IP67/ IP69K protection types allow use in the

most demanding environments.

TURCK 1300 132 566 http://www.turck.com.au/en/

PNEUTECH INTRODUCES COMPACT SERIES SCREWS FOR RELIABLE APPLICATION Cable Stock

Available NOW

In the latest development from the international PNEUTECH GROUP, the company has introduced the Pneutech Compact Series screw compressors Available as 3hp single phase and 4hp three phase models, with wheel mounted 150 litre air receivers and capable of pumping to 145psi, the Pneutech Compact Series screw compressors are known for their reliability, efficiency and quietness.

Idea for small business applications, the screw compressors offers solutions for areas where compressed air is critical and there is a need for large compressor features in a small compressor package.

Together with the Compact Series Screw Compressors, Pneutech offers a complete range of additional services that make sure that compressed air users achieve the best possible pipework and preparations systems.

Pneutech Group 1800 763 833 au.support@pneutechgroup.com

52

INDUSTRYUPDATE.COM.AU

PRODUCT NEWS •

APEX SET ON QUEENSLAND After the opening of its Asian-Pacific headquarters in Sydney last year, and the successful debut of its Cloud based, automated locker solutions to Melbourne earlier this month for CeMAT 2016, Apex Supply Chain Technologies (Apex) now has its eyes set on Mackay, Queensland.

Apex will showcase its innovative range of solutions for streamlining processes using the latest in business intelligence information at QME 2016 (26 – 28 July).

The technology, known as the Apex Trajectory Cloud™ Enterprise Software Service, allows subscribers to track, manage, control, monitor and analyse their realtime supplies, materials and equipment.

Apex Supply Chain Technologies CEO and Founder Kent Savage said that the cloud based software service enables the easy management of a supply chain that can be administered from your desktop, laptop, or any mobile device or browser.

"Moreover, the technology can be used from anywhere, day or night and with no software to install," Mr Savage said.

The cloud software also powers the Apex Axcess Automated Locker Systems, which will also be on display at QME this year, with live demonstrations.

"Each locker also has flexible configurations to accommodate a wide variety of products, from tools or stock-kits, to larger parts; all of which then become

accessible twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week," Mr Savage said.

Apex will also showcase its Actylus™ system, which provides businesses with technologies that boosts productivity with the help of self-automated inventory checks and re-orders.

Mr Savage said that Actylus™ has been designed from the ground up to boost supply chain productivity by 30% and grow bottom-line revenues across a variety of industries and applications.

"The Actylus™ auto-order inventory eliminates the need for safety stock, emergency orders and inefficient labour-intensive manual processes, minimizing overall inventory and therefore providing a more costefficient solution for inventory management."

"Australia's growing industrial and services sectors are challenged every day by tough global competition.

We believe the timing is ideal for companies looking to become more competitive to adopt Apex 24/7 automated technologies," he said.

Apex Supply Chain 02 9450 0866 www.apexsupplychain.com

LM FASTENERS WE STOCK THREADED ROD IN LOW TENSILE, STAINLESS, HIGH TENSILE, NYLON, BRASS You can buy one or buy lots Available in metric, bsw, unc, unf, acme, BA, BSF threads and also in left hand thread Send us an email or fax to quote you Good service and prices

Screw Compressors For full range go to

www.pneutechgroup.com.au Call 1800 PNEUTECH for all of your compressed air needs.

Unit 3, 64 Hassell Street, Smithfield NSW | Ph: 02 9757 4367 | Fax: 02 9757 2676 lmfasteners@westnet.com.au | www.lmfasteners.com.au

Coolrooms • Freezer Rooms • Blast Chillers Phone: 1300 269 266

Mobile: 0414 900 171

Email: info@anycool.com.au

WE ARE FOOD PRODUCTION & STORAGE FACILITY SPECIALISTS

VISIT OUR WEBSITE TODAY!

www.anycool.com.au

INDUSTRYUPDATE.COM.AU

53

• COMING EVENTS

2016 COMING EVENTS WATER INDUSTRY OPERATIONS CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION Bendigo Exhibition Centre, Victoria August 31-September 1 03 5821 6744 www.wioaconferences.org.au

Want to stand out from the crowd in 2016?

WE'RE HAVING A PARTY – AND YOU'RE INVITED

CSIRO 3D PRINTING TOUR Normanby Road, Victoria September 13 + October 11 1300 363 400 www.csiro.au SUPPLY CHAIN FORUM Amora Jamison Hotel, Sydney September 20-21 Ph: 02 8004 8590 www.supplychainforum.com.au

DIGITALIZATION FORUM Sofitel Melbourne on Collins, CBD September 1 1300 369 515 corporate.siemens.com.au QLD SUPPLY CHAIN AND LOGISTICS CONFERENCE Sofitel Hotel, Brisbane September 1-2 Ph: 1300 920 439 www.qldscc.com SAFETY IN ACTION Sydney Olympic Park September 6-8 02 9080 4040 www.safetyinaction.net.au INJURED WORKER AND OHS FORUM New Council Chambers, Victoria September 10 0417 034 063 www.weareohs.org.au AUSTRALIAN STEEL CONVENTION 2016 Grand Hyatt Hotel, Melbourne September 11-13 Ph: 02 9874 0640 www.steel.org.au

With two huge bumper editions behind us, and great prospects ahead, there’s never been a better time to get involved.

CHEMECA 2016 Adelaide Convention Centre September 25-28 www.chemeca2016.org

Industry Update is Australia’s #1 manufacturing publication, reaching over 76,000 key industry figures across Australia.

WASTE EXPO Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre October 4-5 Ph: 02 9528 5791 www.wasteexpo.com.au

Don’t miss this great opportunity to get involved in the next edition.

We’re set to tackle one of the biggest problems facing the manufacturing workforce this decade: mental health.

Other features include: • Cooling and Fans • Packaging, Wrapping and Labeling • Motors and Drives • Pollution and Waste Management • Hearing • Industrial Flooring

ETHICAL ENTERPRISE CONFERENCE Jasper Hotel, Melbourne CBD October 20 0409 943 254 www.moralfairground.com.au ADVANCED MANUFACTURING SUMMIT Amora Jamison Hotel, Sydney November 15-16 03 9828 1400 www.advancedmanufacturingsummit.com.au

All editorial and related media should be sent by 20 September 2016 to editor@industryupdate.com.au.

All advertising enquiries should be directed to Scott: 02 9439 1288

AU-1071+1072-BRG+ECS 230x100_AU-1071+1072-BRG+ECS 230x100 23.07.15 13:55 Seite 1

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INDUSTRYUPDATE.COM.AU

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76,000 PEOPLE

• INDUSTRIAL DOORS FEATURE

*

involved in the manufacturing industry will look at this page.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SELL THEM TODAY? Advertising in Industry Update’s magazine, website or product cards can generate leads at a fraction of the cost of other mediums.

Contact Industry Update today • 02 9439 1288 • sales@industryupdate.com.au 22

The current CAB audited circulation of Industry Update magazine is 18,000 with a readership of 72,000.

From this edition (April 2013) the circulation has increased to 19,000 with a readership of 76,000.

Circulation 18,991 as at March 2016 | Readership 76,180 as at March 2016

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