NZ Manufacturer March 2016 by Media Hawkes Bay Limited

March 2016 Award winning supplier of SOLIDWORKS in Australia and New Zealand

www.nzmanufacturer.co.nz

9 FOCUS EMEX

2016 Preview

Diversification of our economy and the China FTA.

By James Valentine

Manufacturing in the regions is something we need to promote and facilitate, by supporting manufacturers who want to expand and invest and by raising its profile, helping the general public understand more about the realities of manufacturing and showing Government and decision makers the opportunities it holds, and what it can achieve with the right support and focus. One of the factors that can threaten the existence of manufacturing in a region – or allow it to grow and prosper – is the size of the sector locally. Manufacturing in a region, with its many local connections and complex supply chains, is a bit like an ecosystem.

Source – Statistics New Zealand – Regional GDP 2013.

By way of comparison, manufacturing contributed just over 10% to national GDP in 2015. Manufacturing provides much needed skilled and well-paid work in the regions, helping to support demand and keeping activity going locally, not only for other manufacturers in supply chains, but for the services they demand.

Rethinking robots in the workplace.

Finding the competitive edge

Regional Manufacturing – Let’s support it! Manufacturing plays a much more significant role in the regions than it might seem. As you can see in the table below – manufacturing contributes much, much more to our regional economies than many believe.

15 SMART MANUFACTURING

ANALYSIS

And like biological ecosystems, the smaller they get, the more fragile they will become. Local or regional eco-systems of manufacturers make up local supply chains and create demand, as well as providing and building local talent and skills. We need to make sure they don’t shrink to a size where they can no longer survive and provide those benefits to the community.

While the manufacturing industry remains relatively robust in New Zealand, organisations face continued pressure from overseas competitors, increasingly complex supply chains, and evolving consumer demands that drive shortened manufacturing cycles. Cheaper overseas manufacturers make it difficult for NZ companies to compete on price, so it becomes essential to innovate and differentiate to find a competitive advantage. This can include providing products made from locally-sourced materials, or being able to claim strong environmental sustainability credentials, for example. Local organisations can also look to trim costs by optimising logistics and supply routes, managing suppliers carefully to secure best prices, and adopting lean manufacturing practices. To do any of this successfully organisations need a comprehensive, overarching, and accurate view of their operations. Decision-makers must have visibility into everything from where raw materials are sourced and how they get to the factory, to which products are likely to be in demand at certain times and how they are distributed to retailers.

continued on page 20

NZ Manufacturer’s plan to highlight some of the great manufacturing work being done in the regions is something the NZMEA supports and believe is invaluable.

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RESOURCE RECOVERY STUDY TOUR | 18–20 MAY 2016 Come to Adelaide to see for yourself how South Australia is achieving 79.7% diversion of waste to landfill through a range of innovative Zero Waste policies and strategies in action.

Local transport, accommodation, refreshments and all meals included.

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We hope you can join us!

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9 – 10 November 2016 Claudelands Event Centre

Hamilton Sponsor and Exhibitor Enquiries Welcome Expo Open Day 8 November More information:

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Lifting the Game of Maintenance Engineering Speaker Sponsor

CONTENTS DEPARTMENTS

5 BUSINESS NEWS

ADVISORS

Unified communications driving the workplace of the future.

Craig Carlyle

Is Director of Maintenance Transformations Ltd, an executive member of the Maintenance Engineering Societyand the Event Director of the NationalMaintenance Engineering Conference.

6 MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY Universal Robots help Betacom light up New Zealand. Delcam enhances section measurements in PowerINSPECT software. Firefighter drone flies and crawls up walls.

Catherine Beard

Motion Analyser tool helps design control systems.

9 EMEX 2016 PREVIEW

Building skills in the manufacturing industry.

Is Executive Director of Export NZ and Manufacturing, divisions of Business NZ, NewZealand’s largest business advocacy group, representing businesses of all sizes.

Hi-Q supply components for manufacturers. Chevpac at EMEX 2016. EMEX 2016 highly anticipated. A must see event.

Dieter Adam

Chief Executive, New Zealand Manufacturers and Exporters Association has a Ph.D. in plant biotechnology, consulting and senior management roles in R&D, innovation and international business development.

ALMA sheetmetal software on RPMCNC stand.

14 ANALYSIS

Diversification of our economy.

15 SMART MANUFACTURING Man versus Machine? Robotic palletising.

Lewis Woodward

17 THE FUTURE OF MANUFACTURING

Is Managing Director of Connection Technologies Ltd, Wellington and is passionate about industry supporting NZ based companies, which in turn builds local expertise and knowledge, and provides education and employment for future generations.

Deep learning technology highly accurate. Development of a wall-climbing drone.

20 SUPPLY CHAIN Sistema engages Dexion for advanced warehousing system.

21 ANALYSIS

Dr Wolfgang Scholz

Is HERA Director and a Fellow of the Institute of Professional Engineers NZ.

What is a value chain?

22 WORKSHOP TOOLS

FAG bearings set new industry benchmarks. A weld of difference. Thickness gauge measures steel. Gantry simple to operate.

FOOD MANUFACTURING How to respond to the ‘water quality versus production debate’?

Garth Wyllie

Is EMA’s Executive Officer, Manufacturing & Industry Groups. He is a strong advocate for the manufacturing sector. In his 20-plus years with the organisation Garth has managed a range of sector groups, with manufacturing being a key focus.

26 ENERGY REPORT

Global power generation

28 DEVELOPMENTS

Making electronics safe. Public appeal for revolutionary wheelchair.

31 REAR VIEW

Primary steel producers in crisis.

26 www.nzmanufacturer.co.nz

NZ Manufacturer October 2015

Why not move to the regions?

PUBLISHER

Media Hawke’s Bay Ltd,1/121 Russell Street North, Hastings, New Zealand 4122.

MANAGING EDITOR Doug Green T: +64 6 870 9029 E: publisher@xtra.co.nz

CONTRIBUTORS

Dieter Adam, Nick Inskip, Holly Green, Shermine Gotfredsen, DR. Blair Miller Gary Hook www.mscnewswire.co.nz

ADVERTISING

DESIGN & PRODUCTION Kim Alves, KA Design T: + 64 6 879 5815 E: kim.alves@xtra.co.nz

WEB MASTER

Jason Bowerman E: jason.bowerman@gmail.com

PUBLISHING SERVICES On-Line Publisher Media Hawke’s Bay Ltd

DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTIONS E: info@nzmanufacturer.co.nz Free of Charge.

MEDIA HAWKES BAY LTD T: +64 6 870 4506 F: +64 6 878 8150 E: mediahb@xtra.co.nz 1/121 Russell Street North, Hastings PO Box 1109, Hastings, NZ NZ Manufacturer ISSN 1179-4992

Vol.7 No.2 March 2016 Copyright: NZ Manufacturer is copyright and may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the written permission of the publisher. Neither editorial opinions expressed, nor facts stated in the advertisements, are necessarily agreed to by the editor or publisher of NZ Manufacturer and, whilst all efforts are made to ensure accuracy, no responsibility will be taken by the publishers for inaccurate information, or for any consequences of reliance on this information. NZ Manufacturer welcomes your contributions which may not necessarily be used because of the philosophy of the publication.

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NZ Manufacturer March 2016

After all, who would manufacturing equipment suppliers sell to if the bush was all about sheep and bush walks? As you read the article on Page I of this issue: Regional Manufacturing – Let’s support it! - you will realise that quite a lot of innovation and product development takes place in the regions. If it didn’t how would the article’s figures be so impressive?

Doug Green T: + 64 6 870 9029 E: publisher@xtra.co.nz

We’re making quite a commitment to support regional manufacturing and we want the rest of the country to commit with us.

www.nzmanufacturer.co.nz

The time is right for manufacturing companies to consider moving to the regions. Real estate is cheaper, airline services have never been so good and the cost of living is manageable compared to the suffocation experienced in our larger cities where the roads are unbearable and a jug of beer needs to be put on lay - buy for some time in the immediate future. So what say you? Are you running a company experiencing high costs in a large city? Give yourself a creative break and find a slower, more peaceful way of life for your company and

your family. Another advantage of a ‘regional move’ is that you become part of a local supply chain and create demand, subsequently ensuring that the sector you are involved in, grows. This issue includes the first of our EMEX 2016 Previews. Being held at the end of May, EMEX brings the best of manufacturing and technology equipment and expertise for the betterment of our manufacturers. The world of manufacturing is changing so much that if you are the go-getter in your company I recommend you go along. You may even discover a new product, equipment or software that can help forge new frontiers in 2016.

Success Through Innovation

EDITORIAL

Best Wishes, Doug Green, Publisher

Doug Green

BUSINESS NEWS

Almost all quality improvement comes via simplification of design, manufacturing... layout, processes, and procedures. -Tom Peters

Unified communications driving the workplace of the future Traditional notions of the workplace are quickly changing as emerging technology lets employees work from anywhere with an Internet connection. Unified communications (UC) is at the centre of this transformation. It is a mix of integrated enterprise and communications platforms, which is already starting to shape the future of the workplace. In 2014, there was a 26 per cent increase in open remote job postings compared to the prior year, with hiring managers expecting many more to come over the next five years, according to recent findings by job service, FlexJobs. Ilan Rubin, managing director, Wavelink, said, “This change reflects the continuing evolution of the workplace, driven by the rise of the digital office, and UC in particular.” Without emerging UC technology, workplace evolution and the shift to remote working would not be possible. For example, the recently-released Digium Switchvox Cloud 6 UC platform has been designed to support remote working, with new features such as call

Commercial & industrial growth

handling and chat capabilities, which make it largely irrelevant where an employee is located. Likewise, many enterprise technology solutions, both large and small, now come with at least some mobility capabilities, untethering employees from their desks. Increasingly, enterprise solutions are incorporating elements of UC technology to make telecommuting possible. UC technology includes multiple communication channels, such as web-based video and audio, and online collaboration tools, many of which can be integrated into other enterprise software solutions. Ilan Rubin said, “This technology has been one of the major forces underpinning our changing ideas about the office and the workplace. It really is driving workplace transformation. UC platforms often also have additional security and flexibility, which traditional communications solutions sometimes struggle to provide when organisations implement them to support remote workers.

“This, combined with employees’ rising preference for a ‘bring-your-own-device’ (BYOD) scenario, is helping to put UC firmly at the centre of the evolving office and, ultimately, the workplace of the future.”

Without

emerging UC technology, workplace evolution and the shift to remote working would not be possible.

Employment growth

Economic output

Crime rate East Tamaki is the largest industrial precinct in Auckland with 2000 businesses and a growth rate higher than the regional average.

getba

getba.org.nz

Greater East Tamaki Business Association Inc.

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NZ Manufacturer March 2016

MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY

Well done is better than well said. - Benjamin Franklin

Universal Robots helps Betacom light up New Zealand A New Zealand outdoor lighting manufacturer has invested in robotic technology to ensure it stays ahead of the competition curve. Established in 1988, Betacom Limited designs, manufactures and assembles a range of road, area and tunnel lighting products which are sold throughout New Zealand and Australia. The company’s 3,500 square metre manufacturing and product design facility in Christchurch applies many technologies to ensure the highest quality product is delivered to its customers. However, Betacom wanted to increase its automation capabilities so they

sought out the advice and counsel of project engineering group, Design Energy. To assist in finding an affordable and flexible solution, the team at Design Energy quickly resolved to apply a UR10 robot which is developed and manufactured by Universal Robots, a leader in the new industrial collaborative robotics market. The UR10 was deployed to take over specialised production line tasks and support higher volume manufacturing runs. The enhanced automation enabled Betacom to service new high volume jobs with unparalleled precision due to increased orders for its new range of LED road lighting products from city councils throughout the country.

Quality assurance

Ease of use

One of the major factors in Betacom’s decision to deploy the UR10 robot was its ability to deliver a quality product.

The ease of programming and the fact that the UR10 is a collaborative robot were also compelling factors in the purchase decision for Betacom. Many other industrial robots that could have been applied to the Betacom production line were much more complex and required coding knowledge.

Using a multi-head vacuum gripper the UR10 picks a circuit board from a rack and positions it on an aluminium pressing. The robot then picks six LED lenses and locates them onto the circuit board. The final step is to pick up a pneumatic screwdriver with auto feed screws and fasten the lenses and circuit board to the aluminium pressing. Given the lenses need to be positioned in different orientations to ensure the best spread of light, Betacom was very focused on ensuring no mistakes were made during the production process to guarantee the delivery of a high functioning product. Another benefit is that both the LEDs and lenses are not touched by human hands ensuring minimum contamination. According to Mike Shatford of Design Energy, the UR10 met Betacom’s needs because quite simply it doesn’t make mistakes. “Universal Robots’ technology has revolutionised the manufacturing process, especially for products that require speedy, precise and consistent movements between waypoints. The UR10 removes the risk of missing a screw, ensures good thermal contact between the LED board and the base plate and guarantees the correct positioning of the lenses. The result is a consistently uniform product output each and every time.”

A clean environment One of the major elements in the new production regime for the manufacture of street lights is the need for a “clean environment”. The aluminium plate assembly was a highly repetitive, tedious but very precise process; particularly when it came to the handling of the LED lenses. Betacom wanted a hands-off approach to placing the LED lenses in place because if they were touched by human hands and were left covered in finger prints the product performance may be affected. “The use of the UR robot meant Betacom could automate the production process while maintaining the clean environment needed because it requires minimum human intervention,” said Shatford.

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Shatford comments that the Betacom decision was also based on the fact that following the necessary risk assessments, the UR10 did not require safety shields which meant their staff could work side-by-side with the robot in a collaborative and safe way. “The level of complexity in the robotic technology was approachable for Betacom; they could see their workers being able to easily program and operate the robot. I think it was the user friendliness that really appealed to them as well as its safety features. “Betacom had not applied robotics of this kind to its manufacturing process before. They own a sheet metal shop where they use automated stamping and punching devices, but they hadn’t deployed robotics technology before,” said Shatford. “They understood that automation was the best option for this process and the UR10 enabled us to create an automated solution at a price point which made sense.”

Unique application Design Energy was engaged to map out and develop the process which allows the robot to assemble the necessary components onto the PCB. The production process is unique in its application so it required their expertise from the very beginning to ensure the deployment went as smoothly as possible. “It’s not as simple as sell them the robot, deliver it to the manufacturing facility, and then flick the switch. Our role is much more involved than that and we work closely with our customers to ensure the robot is adding the value that it should be,” said Shatford. “The Betacom deployment is currently in the early stages however we are very confident that it will provide a strong ROI and lay the foundation for future business development.” Betacom has significantly improved its automation capacity with the deployment of the UR10 and is now able to meet differing customer needs thanks to the flexibility and precision of Universal Robots technology.

Change before you have to. - Jack Welch

MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY

Delcam enhances section measurements in PowerINSPECT software Delcam has released the 2016 version of its PowerINSPECT inspection software, the world’s leading hardware-independent 3D inspection solution. The new release includes greatly enhanced options for section measurement, more comprehensive collision avoidance, improved point cloud inspection, the ability to add notes to reports, and improved user control of CNC surface inspection routines. For video demonstrations of the new options, please go to www.delcam.tv/ pi2016/lz/en/index.asp Section inspection has been improved with easier creation of sections, better visualisation and enhanced reporting. The enhanced options for section editing in PowerINSPECT 2016 include a slider that can be used to move the section through the part with real-time updating of the CAD view. A specific value for the section intersection can still be entered if required.

section moves through the model. Alternatively, the near side can be hidden completely, or the complete CAD model can be shown in a solid colour as before.

and calculates a new linking path that avoids the obstacle. Collision avoidance is recalculated when the order of the inspection sequences is adjusted in the sequence tree.

Once the desired section has been chosen, the inspection path can be generated automatically. The points generated can be edited if necessary. The section can also be viewed and reported as a 2D true view of the section profile that is currently selected.

Intermediate paths can still be created or updated manually. This is required when the CAD model does not include complete information about the physical reality, for example if clamps or fixtures used to hold the part are not included in the CAD data.

As with other PowerINSPECT measurements, the results of the section inspection can be viewed as spot confetti, deviation lines or vector lines. The results can be displayed either on their own or as part of a larger inspection sequence.

New graphics options help with visualisation and reporting. In the CAD view, the default option highlights the section cut and displays a semi-transparent representation of the material in the foreground, providing an accurate 3D visualisation of the section in place on the part.

Automatic collision detection was introduced in PowerINSPECT 2015, with probe paths adjusted automatically when a direct move between inspection features would result in a collision. A new collision-free mode extends this capability by automatically creating links between inspection features as necessary.

During section creation the shading is updated dynamically as the

If a potential collision is detected, the software automatically creates

PowerINSPECT 2016 has improved reporting with the ability to include additional user-defined information. New ‘Report Note’ items allow the user to insert additional observations, including text and pictures. As with all other items in the report, the notes can be shown, hidden and re-ordered within the report. The formatting of labels has also been enhanced, particularly for GD&T items. New options have been added to the dialog for session settings to enable further control of the label display. Furthermore, the label sizes can be edited in the session settings and grid lines can be displayed for clearer reporting. A number of enhancements have

been added for inspections based on point clouds. Firstly, point clouds can be imported from DMT and STL triangle files. Scanning acquisition performance is improved and points can be saved from a point-cloud scan each time there is a pause during the scan. Several point-cloud items can also now be created in a single point-cloud session without having to leave the full-screen acquisition view. CNC surface inspection has been improved, making it easier to produce consistent results across a batch of components. New surface inspection groups provide better user control of point naming, and the positioning, contents and formatting of report images. It is also possible to reference CNC surface inspection groups directly in RPS alignments. Finally, there are significant usability improvements for the CAD File Manager. It is now possible to import one or more CAD files by dragging and dropping them into the main graphics window. The highlighting and visualisation of individual objects in CAD models is further improved, making it easier to identify named objects and levels.

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NZ Manufacturer March 2016

MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY

Money is the great instrumentality for manufacturing. -Lysander Spooner

Firefighter drone flies and crawls up walls The 1974 American disaster film Towering Inferno depicted well the earnest struggles of firefighters engaged in ending a fire at a 138-story skyscraper. To this day, fires at high-rise buildings are considered one of the most dangerous disasters. Skyscraper fires are particularly difficult to contain because of their ability to spread rapidly in high-occupant density spaces and the challenge of fighting fires in the buildings’ complex vertical structure. Accessibility to skyscrapers at the time of the fire is limited, and it is

hard to assess the initial situation. A research team at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) led by Professor Hyun Myung of the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department developed an unmanned aerial vehicle, named the Fireproof Aerial RObot System (FAROS), which detects fires in skyscrapers, searches the inside of the building, and transfers data in real time from fire scenes to the ground station. As an extended version of Climbing

Aerial RObot System (CAROS) that was created in 2014 by the research team, the FAROS can also fly and climb walls. The FAROS, whose movements rely on a quadrotor system, can freely change its flight mode into a spider’s crawling on walls, and vice versa, facilitating unimpeded navigation in the labyrinth of narrow spaces filled with debris and rubble inside the blazing building. The drone “estimates” its pose by utilising a 2-D laser scanner, an altimeter, and an Inertia Measurement Unit sensor to navigate autonomously. With the localization result and using a thermal-imaging camera to recognize objects or people inside a building, the FAROS can also detect and find the fire-ignition point by employing d e d i c a t e d image-processing technology.

Demonstration of Wall-climbing. The Fireproof Aerial RObot System (FAROS) is a wall-climbing scout drone developed to conduct explorations into the site of skyscraper fires. It has an ability to climb walls in smoky, narrow spaces inside buildings.

The FAROS is fireproof and flame-retardant. The drone’s body is covered with aramid fibres to

protect its electric and mechanical components from the direct effects of the flame. The aramid fibre skin also has a buffer of air underneath it, and a thermoelectric cooling system based on the Peltier effect to help maintain the air layer within a specific temperature range. The research team demonstrated the feasibility of the localization system and wall-climbing mechanism in a smoky indoor environment. The fireproof test showed that the drone could endure the heat of over 1,000° Celsius from butane gas and ethanol aerosol flames for over one minute. Professor Myung said, “As cities become more crowded with skyscrapers and super structures, fire incidents in these high-rise buildings are life-threatening massive disasters. The FAROS can be aptly deployed to the disaster site at an early stage of such incidents to minimize the damage and maximize the safety and efficiency of rescue mission.” The research team has recently started to enhance the performance of the fireproof design for the exteroceptive sensors including a 2-D laser scanner and a thermal-imaging camera because those sensors could be more exposed to fire than other inside sensors and electric components.

Motion Analyzer web tool helps design control systems Rockwell Automation has rebuilt Motion Analyzer software as a Web tool. The tool offers new user-friendly features and a vastly expanded product catalog to help engineers more easily specify, design and validate complete motion control systems. The Motion Analyzer Web tool is cloud-based, allowing users to access, update and collaborate on projects stored in a single location, reducing version control issues and the need to share project files back and forth. A cloud-based platform also means users are no longer limited by the

processing speed of their computers when designing systems for more complex applications. The tool’s new browser-style format allows users to filter, review and compare products and general pricing, similar to search capabilities on popular e-commerce sites. “Incorrectly sizing a motion system not only generates unnecessary costs in wasted engineering time and re-stocking fees, but it can greatly slow a machine’s time-to-market,” said Gavin Black, product manager CompactLogix, SLC, Kinetix Motion, Rockwell Automation. “The latest Motion Analyzer release is an evolution of the platform that is more collaborative, expansive and easy to use. When engineers can quickly create and examine complete

NZ Manufacturer March 2016

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motion control systems within a single platform, they can spend more time innovating and improving their machines.” The Motion Analyzer Web tool provides machine builders access to a wider range of motion control products than ever before. It now incorporates products from nine Rockwell Automation PartnerNetwork Encompass product partners, including STOBER Drives, NIDEC-SHIMPO, item North America, Tolomatic, Nook Industries, WITTENSTEIN, Exlar Corporation, Bonitron and Elwood Corporation. “Collaboration between various disciplines among machine builders and automation solution providers is critical to lower the Total Cost to Design, Develop and Deliver equipment,” said Clayton Webber, STOBER Drives. “Having mechatronic solutions up-to-date in the cloud establishes Motion Analyzer as a differentiator in machine design. STOBER and Rockwell Automation are striving to lead online

solutions for machine design.” Using the Motion Analyzer Web tool, engineers can determine a system’s specifications, evaluate multiple products, finalize the design and create a bill of materials. The tool can help shorten motion system design from a multiday process to a matter of hours. The Web tool supports English, German and Chinese languages, and it is compatible with a wide range of computer, smartphone and tablet operating systems. To protect user data, Rockwell Automation developed the Motion Analyzer Web tool using industry-accepted best practices in security. This includes using the HTTPS/ TLS 1.2 protocol for 128-bit encryption of all connections. The tool also leverages the defense-in-depth security features built into the Microsoft Azure cloud platform, which has achieved the highest levels of international certification and accreditation, including ISO 27001.

We can grow crops less expensively because molecular manufacturing technology is inherently low cost. -Ralph Merkle

Building skills in the Manufacturing industry What’s happening? As your industry training organisation (ITO), Competenz has been working with your industry to review your manufacturing qualifications. The new Competitive Systems and Practices (CSP) qualifications have been based on the Competitive Manufacturing qualifications, which were registered on the New Zealand Qualifications framework in 2006. The new qualifications are: • New Zealand Certificate in Competitive Systems and Practices Level 3 • New Zealand Certificate in Competitive Systems and Practices Level 4 • New Zealand Diploma Competitive Systems and Practices Level 5 What are these qualifications? The new qualifications cover the skills needed for employees to apply a range of common efficiency improvement techniques. They continue to reflect practices and principles that have been developed in the manufacturing sectors, often referred to as Lean manufacturing. It

provides tools, knowledge and skills for establishing work systems and practices that support immediate and ongoing improvements to a business, targeting improvements in efficiency, waste reduction, customer service, employee morale, and costs. The CSP qualifications now give more emphasis to: • application of CSP to all members of a manufacturing value chain, including non-manufacturing areas, such as administration, logistics and other support services areas • application to enterprises non-manufacturing industries

• skills related to standardisation of processes and operations. Competenz account managers work with industry to develop a customised training plan in CSP that meets the needs of the business and employee. Account managers arrange assessments to build employees skills, and register the outcomes of those assessments with the New Zealand Qualifications Authority. The CSP qualifications continue to align to the Australian equivalent of the qualification, and are recognised

as part of a Trans-Tasman agreement between both Governments. What stage are the qualifications at? The qualifications went through the ‘Targeted Review of Qualifications’ (TROQ) process. This review has been completed, and the qualifications in CSP are now registered on the New Zealand Qualifications framework. Over the next few months, we’ll be working on rolling out these qualifications by planning programmes for learners to enrol into. The launch of CSP is set for mid-2016.

in 37 industries around New Zealand each year to build skills, careers and businesses. We work with experts from the industries we support to develop nationally recognised qualifications. Our account managers work with businesses to create training programmes that help their employees gain skills on-the-job. We also support our industries through promoting trades careers, sponsoring industry events, offering scholarships, and celebrating learners’ success.

How do I get involved? If you’d like to find out more information about how CSP can work in your business, please contact your Competenz account manager or Mathew Vandy, Industry Manager, wood manufacturing, food and beverage, cellar operations, competitive manufacturing m.vandy@competenz.org.nz About Competenz Competenz is the industry training organisation for the manufacturing industries. We work with over 3,500 companies and over 20,000 learners

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NZ Manufacturer March 2016

Environmental spending creates jobs in engineering, manufacturing, construction, materials, operations and maintenance. -Keith Ellison

Hi-Q supply components for manufacturers Hi-Q Components has been importing and distributing plastic and electronic components for over 30 years and is now a well-established supplier to manufacturers and general industry. Our new range of Toggle Clamps are high quality Turkish manufactured and we have many different styles and sizes in stock including; horizontal, vertical, compact, latching, pneumatic and straight line clamps. When it comes to manual clamping equipment, toggle clamps are an extremely useful choice. They have excellent power-to-movement ratio, simple installation, quick easy action and toggle clamps have multiple applications. Beyond the toggle clamp range, Hi-Q is a one-stop shop for plastic

components including, fixings, fastenings, hardware, knobs, handles, small enclosures, protective caps, plugs and hi-temperature masking products. Hi-Q also has an extensive stock of electronic components, which includes AC and DC cooling fans, terminal blocks, connectors, switches, mains filters, crystals, buzzers and indicators. If you have any requirement that we cannot source within our stock range or from our many overseas manufacturers we would be happy to look at the options of tooling and manufacturing these locally for you. Hi-Q welcomes customers and design engineers to discuss their projects with the experienced staff to find the right solution for their design projects and receive free samples for proto typing.

Contact Hi-Q Components for free product samples and catalogues.

Chevpac at EMEX 2016 Chevpac Machinery (NZ) Ltd is primarily focused to meet customersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; requirements in terms of Quality and Technology. CNC machines can provide this for our youth and the industry. They will have a display of CNC machines for Metal cutting and Metal

forming industry. Machines to suit the Polytech industry will also be covered in their display to encourage youth to be involved in this industry is a priority. Industrial CNC machines will be displayed and products of higher value: Laser machines, turret machines

Looking forward to seeing you at EMEX EMEX Stand No 3026

Hi-Q Electronics Limited

sales@hiq.co.nz 0800 800 293 www.hiq.co.nz

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etc. can be discussed with technical staff on their stand. Accessories that compliment these machines will be made available.

Phone: 0800 800 293 E-mail: sales@hiq.co.nz Visit: www.hiq.co.nz

When it costs you the same amount of manufacturing effort to make advanced robotic parts as it does to manufacture a paperweight, that really changes things in a profound way.- Hod Lipson

EMEX 2016 highly anticipated Over 140 exhibitors are already confirmed for the EMEX engineering, manufacturing, machinery, electronics and technology industry event in late May, ensuring it is one of the most highly anticipated events for engineering and manufacturing in 2016. With more than 51 suppliers completely new to EMEX, including Nukor Industries, Replika, Adept and many more visitors can expect to interact with the very latest National and International technologies, products and services. With the theme of this year’s EMEX being ‘Inspiring Manufacturing and Innovation Excellence’ suppliers will be showing the latest cutting edge technologies for every aspect of the manufacturing process from design right through to delivery” says EMEX sales manager Aad van der Poel. “It’s a biennial highlight of every serious engineering, manufacturing, machinery, electronics and technology professional. The event attracts not only thousands of visitors, but

hundreds of the most significant industry suppliers and specialists from all over the world”. Organisers are excited to announce that kiwi-founded aerospace company Rocket Lab will exhibit at EMEX 2016. It’s fantastic news to have Rocket Lab on site providing information about employment opportunities to work on manufacturing the company’s Electron rocket.

Visitors can expect to be thrilled over the three days through live product demonstrations, special features and a full schedule of industry led education and learning seminars. The schedule will cover a variety of topics such

as ‘Additive Manufacturing’, which also includes a Callaghan Innovation Network event, ‘Robotics’, ‘Workplace Health & Safety’ and Keynote presentations by Industry leaders from NZMEA, Metals NZ and MESNZ.

As Rocket Lab’s manufacturing increases, EMEX 2016 provides the perfect opportunity to engage with thousands of Engineers and manufacturers and share with them the Rocket lab success story. The latest high tech and innovative equipment will be showcased at the ASB Showgrounds on the 31st of May, 1st & 2nd of June 2016. Companies such as Amprom, DMG Mori, Plazmax and Boge will be bringing to the event the very latest innovations with cutting edge products and technology. Amprom, for example, will be bringing the latest fibre laser cutting machine which visitors can see in full action.

ORGANISED BY

31 May - 2 June 2016

Showcase. Educate. Sell.

ASB Showgrounds, Greenlane, Auckland

INSPIRING MANUFACTURING AND INNOVATION EXCELLENCE New Zealand’s largest national trade show for the manufacturing, engineering, machinery and electronics industries. See 150+ leading suppliers including premium global brands showcasing the latest technology.

REGISTER TO ATTEND FOR FREE USING PROMO CODE: NZMANUF Registration includes free access to 3 full days of key industry seminars.

INTERESTED IN EXHIBITING? CONTACT OUR TEAM NOW sales@emex.co.nz / +64 (0)9 976 8350

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NZ Manufacturer March 2016

Unlike the objective of far too many companies, manufacturing is not about a quick ‘exit.’ It is centred on long-term value creation. -Hamdi Ulukaya

EMEX 2016 – A must attend event in 2016 In less than 12 weeks 4,500+ visitors seeking the latest in innovative products will descend on the ASB Showgrounds to attend EMEX, New Zealand’s largest engineering, manufacturing, machinery, electronics and technology trade show.

With more than 150 exhibitors, 3 full days of industry lead seminars, special features, visitor prizes, including the chance to win a brand new Ford and exclusive VIP networking events it’s the industry’s must attend event in 2016.

EMEX is a highly significant event for the vibrant engineering, manufacturing community. It’s where the whole industry comes together, and its importance is highlighted with the high profile people who make a point of visiting, spending time on exhibitor stands, attending the seminar program and networking with fellow industry professionals. This year’s event is perfectly timed to help those in engineering and manufacturing find solutions that will grow their businesses and contribute to the economy. It’s encouraging to see from recent reports including Statistics NZ Economic Survey of Manufacturing that manufacturing is growing as total sales increased in the December quarter after what was already a strong increase in the previous period. EMEX 2016 will focus on helping to sustain this growth as we promote the theme of ‘Bringing Manufacturing Home’ and celebrating local NZ Manufacturers. With just a few stands remaining the event is on track to be a sell out with this year’s suppliers going all-out, ensuring that visiting industry

In the picture: Rodney Oxford, Total CNC.

professionals will feast their eyes on the latest and greatest from around the globe. One example is from Total CNC Products Ltd as they introduce the impressive new Kitamura Mytrunnion 4G. The 4G is a full simultaneous 5-axis machining centre with a maximum work piece size of 550mm diameter and 400mm high. The spindle is a high speed 15,000rpm and rapid speeds in X and Y are a blazing 50m/min. This will be the first time NZ visitors to EMEX will get to see this exciting new 5-axis technology. In addition, Powerbox Pacific Ltd are excited about showcasing a range of new products including the new Blue Power IP65 range of battery chargers. With a 5 year warranty the Blue Power IP65 chargers offer up to 95% efficiency and up to four times less heat when compared to the other industry standard models. And once the battery is fully charged, power consumption reduces to 0.5 Watt, some five to ten times better than the industry standard.

New Zealand distributor for Harting GmbH

Harting, leading the market with modular connectors to fit all applications, signal, data, control, data, pneumatic, USB, Check out the range at EMEX. Visit our stand - No.3076. We look forward to meeting you.

Connection Technologies Ltd, P O Box 39340, Wellington Mail Centre, Lower Hutt T: 04 566 5345 Lewis@connectors.co.nz www.connectors.co.nz

NZ Manufacturer March 2016

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I want to create something like Sony. Not in terms of manufacturing products but creating something that is innovative, makes money, improves peoples’ lives. -Richard Li

ALMA sheetmetal software

- More profitable nesting for PALFINGER Every year PALFINGER processes around 20,000 tons of high-tensile steel panels to manufacture loading cranes and other loading and hoisting equipment. Off-cut optimization is therefore a key concern shared by the whole management team in the company. Thanks to Alma’s act/cut software, the sheet metal plates to cut

can be automatically nested in half of the time with minimized off-cut. “The fact that Alma is internationally established has been a key criterion when we decided to choose act/cut software... Today, act/cut has become our group-wide nesting standard solution”

“The software was not only faster but also almost as efficient as an experienced user... We estimated time savings of 50 percent throughout all plants” The more little parts of different geometry are contained in the nesting orders, the higher the off-cut. When processing big parts, we sometimes have considerably less than 20 percent”. To minimize the off-cut rate orders may be over-nested. If there is still some space left on the panel, the system places additional parts beyond the scope of the order. In addition to that orders may be declared as filler parts, in order to fill panels showing voids where necessary. Alma has programmed these additional functions especially for PALFINGER. Time savings of more than 50 percent The users have become much more efficient thanks to the automatic nesting with act/cut. “Orders, which were formerly manually nested by an operator during his working time, today barely take one third of the

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operator’s time. We estimated time savings of 50 percent throughout all plants”. Thanks to the time savings, PALFINGER is able to process with the same team much more nesting orders than in the past and accept special tasks, which can’t be automated as easily. The probably most important benefit from the company’s point of view is the stability of the results, regardless the expertise of the relevant user: “If the machine parameters are correctly set, I simply need to press the button to get a reliable nesting, no matter, if the user has worked on the system for 3 months or for 3 years”. For more information on ALMA Sheet and Plate software contact the NZ distributor at sales@rpmcnc.co.nz or phone 022 653 4817.

NZ Manufacturer March 2016

ANALYSIS

One of the criteria for a global company is that it should have a manufacturing presence in multiple countries and should not only be an exporter. -Baba Kalyani

Diversification of our Economy and the China FTA Dieter Adam, Chief Executive, New Zealand Manufacturers and Exporters Association Diversification of the New Zealand economy is a topic that comes up frequently, both in political discourse and the media. We also hear a lot about the importance of free trade and the key role Free-Trade Agreements (FTAs) play in opening up trade. Let’s have a look at how our FTA with China has increased exports to that market, and what ramifications this has had for the diversification of our economy, compared to some other large export markets. Overall, the increase in exports to China post-FTA has been spectacular, with total exports increasing by 240%. By far the largest gains, both in aggregate and as a percentage, have been in the primary industry and food and beverage exports. For example, live animals and animal products, which includes dairy, increased by 405% between 2008 and 2015. It was at $857m in 2008, peaked in 2013 at $6101m - the low dairy prices took it down to $4331m in 2015. Vegetable product exports increased 712% in the same period, and prepared foodstuff, beverages, spirits and tobacco increased 102%. These three categories alone make up 60% of all exports to China in 2015. In total, primary product amount to 77% of exports to China if we include wood and wood products, but exclude processed foods and beverages. Growth in exports to China of elaborately transformed manufacturers have far been less impressive in comparison. For example, machinery and mechanical appliances; electrical

equipment and parts, etc. increased by 5% between 2008 and 2015, moving from $73m to $82m – this represents 1% of exports to China in 2015. Looking at the European Union (EU) exports of this same elaborate manufacturing sector (machinery and mechanical appliances; electrical equipment and parts etc.) were $255m in 2015, representing 5% of exports. Into the U.S., exports of this sector was worth $491m, and made up over 8% of exports. Manufactured exports are generally conducted on a business-to-business basis, where understanding your customers’ business culture and building and maintaining long-standing customer relationships is key. While our business culture is different to that in Europe and North America, this difference is more pronounced in many Asian markets. This, and a longer history of trade and business connections, may help explain some of these differences between China and EU and the US.

That is not to say that we should not strive to develop new markets for elaborately transformed, high-value manufacturing exports. We need to be diverse not only in the products we sell to the world, but also in where we sell them. Such market diversification is how we can better insulate our economy from swings, economic downturns and business cycles in different markets.

While China will remain an important market and there are growing opportunities in other South-East Asian markets, it is vital that New Zealand manufacturers, and the government in particular, remember how important our more traditional markets are if we want to maintain and grow a diversified export trade that doesn’t rely on primary product exports alone.

The key point here, in particular for government, is not to equate political and strategic imperatives with commercial strategies for market development. While the two can’t be completely separated, business will look for sustainably profitable markets wherever they are, and government needs to be mindful of such commercial imperatives.

The current situation with dairy also shows the problems associated with an economy overly focused and reliant on single or related commodities.

We will discuss some of the policies that can help move New Zealand towards a more diverse and high-value economy at a later date.

The current situation with dairy also shows the problems associated with an economy overly focused and reliant on single or related commodities.

Is this the end of globalisation? China has just announced that last year, for the first time since it began opening up its economy to the world at the end of the 1970s, exports declined on an annual basis. And that is not all; in value terms, global trade declined in 2015. The obvious question is why. While global trade also fell in 2009, the explanation was obvious: The world was experiencing a sharp contraction in GDP at the time. Last year, however, the world economy grew by a respectable 3%. Moreover, trade barriers have not risen significantly anywhere, and transport costs are falling, owing to the sharp decline in oil prices.

most long-distance trade, has fallen to an all-time low. This indicates that markets do not expect a recovery, meaning that the data from 2015 could herald a new age of slowing trade. The obvious conclusion is that the once-irresistible forces of globalisation are losing steam.

Tellingly, the so-called Baltic Dry Index, which measures the cost of chartering the large ships that carry

The situation in China is telling. In recent decades, as it became the world’s leading trading economy, China transformed the global trading

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NZ Manufacturer March 2016

system. Now the value of both imports and exports have fallen, though the former have declined more, owing to the collapse of global commodity prices. In fact, commodity prices are the key to understanding trade trends over the last few decades. When they were high, they drove increased trade – to the point that the share of trade to GDP rose – fuelling hype about the inevitable progress of globalization.

But in 2012, commodity prices began to fall, soon bringing trade down with them. Assume that one ton of steel and ten barrels of oil are needed to produce one car. In 2002-2003, that bundle of raw materials was worth around $800, or about 5% of the value of a $16,000 car. This implies that, during the early 2000s, industrial countries had to export five cars for every one hundred bundles of these raw materials they imported.

Don’t watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going. - Sam Levenson

SMART MANUFACTURING

“Man versus Machine?” – It’s time to rethink robotics in the workplace By Shermine Gotfredsen, APAC General Manager of Universal Robots Pte Ltd There is a widespread fear that when new machines are installed on the factory floor, large numbers of jobs swiftly disappear. The machines in question may change over time—few of us would view weaving machines as a threat to our livelihood today, after all—but the worry that automated technology will negatively impact employment has existed since the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century. These apprehensions have caused many people to dismiss the facts and possibilities of robotics in the workplace. It is time for us to rethink the role and the realities of automation. It is time that we stop thinking in terms of “man vs. machine,” and start thinking in terms of “man with machine.”

Misconception and reality One explanation for the pervasive belief that robots are “stealing” jobs is that all industrial robots are often painted with the same brush. In reality, industrial robots vary greatly. Lightweight, collaborative robots, or cobots as they are often called, differ enormously from traditional industrial robots that must be kept behind safety shields in order to avoid contact with humans. In fact, these cobots were developed with the intention of allowing the skills of man and machine to be combined. According to a recent study carried out by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), the number of robots sold globally will have doubled to about 400,000 units by 2018. 70

percent of those sales will come from China, Japan, USA, South Korea and Germany. South Korea is the front-runner of this group, deploying 478 industrial robots for every 10,000 employees in the country. In China, this figure currently stands at 36 units per 10,000 employees. Looking at the real numbers–in these cases 4.8 or .4 robots for every 10,000 employees—should give us some perspective and calm our fears that automation will wipe out mass numbers of jobs.

Working together When humans and robots collaborate,

plastic injection moulding company. Many of the products made at Prysm require the application of an adhesive label. In the past, operators would stand in one spot for hours at a time, applying labels to products every 6-7 seconds. Naturally, human error would sometimes occur, to say nothing of the monotony of the task.

both can utilise their strengths to compensate for the weaknesses of the other. For instance, when robots take over minor assembly tasks, employees can move on to more nuanced assignments that require human ingenuity. When an unexpected issue arises on the production line, staff can quickly problem solve and step in to reposition and reprogram lightweight robots to accommodate the task at hand.

Prysm decided to deploy a Universal Robots robotic arm in order to automate this repetitive activity and free up their staff to take on other responsibilities. With the labelling tasks taken care of, employees are able to focus on running several more machines and can engage in more varied and engaging tasks across the factory floor.

Examples of this collaborative give-and-take can be seen at Australia’s Prysm Industries, a family-run contract

Staff members feel a sense of pride from having learned to operate the robot, and their ability to work on other activities has increased their job satisfaction. To boot, Prysm now saves $550 in labelling expenses every day that the robot is in action.

Embracing automation Prysm represents just one of the many success stories we consistently hear from companies that deploy collaborative robots. The possibilities for robots are as vast as our imaginations. We all stand to gain much more if we put aside unfounded fears and instead focus on the opportunities these flexible and adaptive machines can bring to the workplace.

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NZ Manufacturer March 2016

SMART MANUFACTURING

Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible. - Tony Robbins

Robotic palletising Have you ever thought how a Robotic palletiser could significantly increase your production efficiency and provide substantial cost savings year on year? Aurora’s FUJI range of Robotic Palletising systems are attracting a significant volume of interest from companies throughout New Zealand who are looking to take the initiative in increasingly competitive market places. With the Fuji range of Robotic Palletisers Aurora can offer its clients the variety of high capacity, economical solutions to handling bags and boxes on their production lines. A FUJI Robotic Palletising system recently installed for one of Aurora’s clients is proving its worth. “The palletiser is more efficient than previously; we’re now operating two more tonne an hour than before” says the managing director at the plant. Quick and efficient installation coupled with finding just the right solution for the project is the key to success for a partnership and the managing director says Aurora’s skills, experience and promptness make them a first-rate

provider. “We have worked with them before, they are trustworthy and they do what they say they will,” he says. As a specifically designed palletising robot the Fuji-Ace system provides many benefits over conventional robotic arm alternatives. The Fuji-Ace Palletiser reduces space and power requirements, provides the highest capacity cycle available, and is easily programmed and adjusted from the specific palletising controller, removing the previously time-consuming task of programming the robot. Up to 30 stacking patterns can be simply programmed into the robots memory. In addition to installation and commissioning capability, Aurora provides full automation and pallet transfer systems specified to suit a large range of production environments. Aurora stand close behind their product and their industry leading brands are backed by expert advice, service, and support that is second to none. 0800 55 77 33 sales@aurora-nz.com www.aurora-nz.com

UNLOCK YOUR PROCESS POTENTIAL

FUJI ROBOTIC PALLETIZING Aurora is the proud provider of Fuji Robotic palletizers for precision stacked bags, sacks, boxes & containers. Unlock your process potential by eliminating HR issues, holidays, sick days, product damage – Ready to work every day, on time, every time, 24/7 if required! THE NO.1 PALLETIZING ROBOT IN THE WORLD! Advantages: • High Speed with energy efficiency • Box, bag, case, can compatible + more! • Program simplicity & minimal maintenance requirements • Range of pallet conveying, dispensing, wrapping equipment available • Full technical support and factory trained technicians on call • Conventional and high-level palletisers available for specialist applications

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NZ Manufacturer March 2016

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THE FUTURE OF MANUFACTURING

The secret of getting ahead is getting started. - Mark Twain

Deep learning technology to analyse time-series data with high precision Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. has developed deep learning technology that can analyse time-series data with a high degree of accuracy. Demonstrating promise for Internet-of-Things applications, time-series data can also be subject to severe volatility, making it difficult for people to discern patterns in the data. Deep learning technology, which is attracting attention as a breakthrough in the advance of artificial intelligence, has achieved extremely high recognition accuracy with images and speech, but the types of data to which it can be applied is still limited. In particular, it has been difficult to accurately and automatically classify volatile time-series data - such as that taken from IoT devices - of which people have difficulty discerning patterns. Now Fujitsu Laboratories has developed an approach to deep learning that uses advanced mathematical techniques to extract geometric features from time-series data, enabling highly accurate classification of volatile time-series. In benchmark tests held at UC Irvine Machine Learning Repository that classified time-series data captured from gyroscopes in wearable devices, the new technology was found to achieve roughly 85% accuracy, about a 25% improvement over existing technology. This technology will be used in Fujitsu’s Human Centric AI Zinrai artificial intelligence technology. Background In recent years, in the field of machine learning, which is a central technology in artificial intelligence, deep learning technology has been attracting attention as a way to automatically extract feature values needed to interpret and assess phenomena without rules being taught manually. Especially in the IoT era, massive volumes of time-series data are being accumulated from devices. By applying deep learning to this data and classifying it with a high degree

of accuracy, further analyses can be performed, holding the prospect that it will lead to the creation of new value and the opening of new business areas. Issues Deep learning is a potent machine learning technique, and it is attracting attention as a breakthrough in the progress of artificial intelligence, but so far it has only been able to be effectively applied to limited types of data, such as images and speech. In particular, for complex time-series data that is subject to severe oscillations and captured by sensors embedded in IoT devices, it has so far been difficult to achieve highly accurate classifications using deep learning or any other machine learning techniques. About the Technology Now Fujitsu Laboratories has developed deep learning technology that uses advanced chaos theory and topology to automatically and accurately classify volatile time-series data. This can accurately handle even complex time-series data with severe oscillations. The technology uses the following procedures to learn and classify:

the diagrams as numbers. With this method, rather than the features one might normally associate with a graphical image, the number of holes contained in the diagram and the major shape features are analysed and then converted into a propriety vector representation.

This technology extends the types of data to which deep learning can be applied to time-series data. Moreover, because it can very accurately classify time-series data with severe oscillations, which people have difficulty discerning, it enables new types of analyses.

3. Learning and classification using a convolutional neural network

For example, using IoT devices, it could be used to accurately detect equipment anomalies or forecast breakdowns in factories, or could be used to analyse vital-signs data to assist with medical diagnoses and treatment. In ways such as these, it is expected that this technology will bring advancements to a variety of fields through artificial intelligence.

Fujitsu Laboratories newly designed a convolutional neural network that trains on the propriety vector representations from step 2, enabling the classification of volatile time-series data. Results Using the time-series data from gyroscopic sensors built into wearable devices, this technology was found to achieve an accuracy of approximately 85%, an improvement of about 25% over existing techniques, on the UC Irvine Machine Learning Repository benchmark test for classifying human activities. In tests to infer mental states using brainwave time-series data, this technique achieved an accuracy of about 77%, a roughly 20% improvement over existing techniques.

Future Plans Fujitsu Laboratories will work on further improving the accuracy of its time-series data classification technology with the aim of a practical implementation of it in fiscal 2016 as a core part of Human Centric AI Zinrai. The company is also working to broaden the application of deep learning to types of data other than images, sounds, and time series, and to perform more sophisticated data analysis.

1. Graphically represents time-series data using chaos theory Numerical data captured by sensors are represented superficially as the product of a complex combination of dynamic movements. While it is difficult to directly investigate the mechanisms of these dynamic movements, plotting changes over time on a graph is known to reveal characteristic tracks for each mechanism of movement. Applying this graphic approach makes it possible to distinguish between the time-series data via diagrams. 2.

Quantify topology

the

diagrams

using

Because it is difficult to directly apply machine learning to the diagrams created in step 1, Fujitsu Laboratories applied topological data analysis to express features of

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THE FUTURE OF MANUFACTURING

Always do your best. What you plant now, you will harvest later. - Og Mandino

Development of a wall-climbing drone The integrity of large structures like bridges, high-rise buildings, wind turbines, and large aircrafts is deeply related with security. Nowadays, due to the aging of large structures and the potential concerns about their collapse, interest in structural health monitoring has risen all over the world. Though there has been a great deal of research on the inspection of inaccessible large structures using mobile robots, since most existing robots require the installation of additional infrastructure or use magnetic-based technology or vacuum adhesion, it is difficult to apply those technologies to structures with diverse surface shapes and materials. Professor Hyun Myung in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Korea Advanced

Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) has developed CAROS (Climbing Aerial RObot System), which does not require installation of any additional infrastructure and which features maximised mobility and safety as a wall-climbing robot. This robot has higher mobility than existing wall-climbing robots because it can fly. It also has an advantage in that it can restore its pose after an accidental fall due to an unexpected disturbance. Since the robot can stick to the surface, it can perform close inspection and maintenance of the structure. Firstly, the CAROS team designed and analysed the structure/mechanism of the drone to maximise the flight stability and grip force on walls. Secondly, they developed the algorithms of flying/ climbing mode transformation and

wall-climbing respectively.

control,

These algorithms enable the CAROS to change its mode when it meets a wall while flying. To make these algorithms, the forward and backward kinematics are derived and applied to the system. Lastly, the team developed an autonomous navigation algorithm using sensory information to recognize 3D environments. This technology also can be used to assess the situation in a fire disaster. Previously, a mobile robot equipped with a water hose and throwing-type mobile robots were developed to extinguish the fire, but it had a disadvantage when entering and moving through narrow spaces. The CAROS technology can be used as a surveillance robot for use in fires or disasters, as it can pass through narrow indoor environments by changing its mode from wall climbing to flying, and vice-versa, depending on the situation. If CAROS is equipped with a thermal camera, it can detect and track humans through thermal images. In addition, it can transmit environment information by wireless communication. Currently, FAROS (Fireproof Aerial RObot System) is being developed based on the CAROS that can both fly and climb the vertical wall to overcome narrow or destroyed spaces caused by fire. The robot body is covered with aramid fiber to protect its electric components and mechanical parts from the direct effects of the flame. Under the aramid fiber-based armour, there are buffer

Concept of CAROS, a drone-type wall-climbing robot system.

air layers and a Peltier element-based cooling system that help to maintain the air layer within a specific temperature range. For autonomous navigation, the FAROS estimates its pose by utilizing a 2D laser scanner and an IMU (Inertia Measurement Unit) sensor installed in FAROS. With the localization result and a thermal imaging camera installed on FAROS, the robot can also detect and localise the ignition point by dedicated image processing technology. These technologies are expected to be applied to the inspection or maintenance of structures and objects in remote or inaccessible regions. Such technologies can also be applied to various types of maintenance of urban structures such as inspection of wind turbine blades and cleaning of high-rise buildings and solar panels. Professor Myung said, “As cities become more crowded with skyscrapers and super structures, fire incidents in these high-rise buildings are massive life-threatening disasters. FAROS can be aptly deployed to the disaster site at an early stage of such incidents to minimise the damage and maximize the safety and efficiency of rescue mission.”

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THE FUTURE OF MANUFACTURING

Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude. - Zig Ziglar

Integrated software widely deployed at Bosch Siemens’ integrated suite of computer aided design (CAD), product data management (PDM) and product lifecycle management (PLM) software solutions is replacing the legacy system of German automotive supplier Bosch in its Electrical Drives division. Siemens NX software and Teamcenter software will serve as the common development platform for the division’s global operations. Bosch has been using CAD/PDM/PLM software from Siemens in other business units for several years. Its decision to expand into the Electrical Drives division is part of its strategic plan to consolidate its diversified tool landscape with a unified methodology for modelling, design and collaboration. The volume of the deal will not be disclosed. Bosch’s decision for Siemens software aligns with its goal to optimise the value chain of the Electric Drives division with a modular toolkit-concept. This will also be the basis for digital collaboration between different departments across the product development process. The increased standardisation and new functionalities will help Bosch

realise scale effects more specifically. The digital end-to-end process Bosch is deploying will enable faster innovation, accelerated time-to-market and broader support for the Industry 4.0 strategy, which will secure and extend competitive advantages for the Stuttgart based automotive supplier.

The increasingly complex products today’s automotive suppliers offer require a systems-driven approach to product development. Siemens PLM Software believes that the increasingly complex products today’s automotive suppliers offer

require a systems-driven approach to product development that combines systems engineering with an integrated product definition. To facilitate systems-driven product development (SDPD), Siemens PLM Software provides product line engineering capabilities, a consistent process-enabled framework for mechatronic engineering, advanced modeling and simulation, an intuitive user experience and an open PLM environment. Siemens’ integrated 3D computer-aided design, manufacturing and engineering analysis (CAD/ CAM/CAE) solution, will be used to establish and optimise an integrated product development environment. Additionally, utilisation of Teamcenter, Siemens’ comprehensive digital lifecycle management solution, provides a fast and easy method for instantly accessing relevant information for rapid evaluation, decision making and re-use of proven best practices. The solutions provide a platform for a broad range of development tasks,

from various actuating drives for window lifts, seat adjusters, sliding roofs, steering column adjustment and lift gate drives to motors for anti-lock breaking and electronic stability control systems, fan modules and coolant pumps for motor cooling systems, front and rear wiper systems as well as drive motors for e-scooters and e-bikes. The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. It employs roughly 375,000 associates worldwide (as of December 31, 2015). According to preliminary figures, the company generated sales of more than 70 billion euros in 2015. Its operations are divided into four business sectors: Mobility Solutions, Industrial Technology, Consumer Goods, and Energy and Building Technology. Siemens PLM Software, a business unit of the Siemens Digital Factory Division, is a leading global provider of product lifecycle management (PLM) and manufacturing operations management (MOM) software, systems and services with over nine million licensed seats and more than 77,000 customers worldwide.

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SUPPLY CHAIN

I don’t spend my time pontificating about high-concept things; I spend my time solving engineering and manufacturing problems. -Elon Musk

Sistema engages Dexion to design, integrate and install advanced warehouse system vLeading plastic container designer and manufacturer Sistema has engaged storage and materials handling company Dexion to design, integrate and install New Zealand’s most advanced integrated warehouse system.

Sistema managing director Brendan Lindsay said Dexion’s system at Sistema’s new facility will better enable the company to service emerging new contracts to supply its plastic containers to leading retailers in Europe and the United States.

Dexion’s Automated Storage and Retrieval System (AS/RS) and Realtime Distribution System (RDS) warehouse management software will be at the heart of Sistema’s new multi million dollar mega-site being built at The Landing Business Park at Auckland International Airport.

“Dexion will be installing a fully automated, scalable solution that will enable us to achieve our growth targets.

The site will be New Zealand’s largest privately owned manufacturing facility covering 25 hectares. Sistema is a leading manufactured goods exporter with millions of customers in 82 countries worldwide.

continued from Page 1

“Using Dexion’s AS/RS our warehousing operations will be fully integrated with our manufacturing. Our products will come straight off the manufacturing line into assembly and storage and we will use Dexion’s RDS software to manage the process. “Dexion’s solution will allow 100 pallets in and 100 pallets out per hour. It will start loading out containers before

people turn up to work – it is high density, high throughput, accurate, flexible and will operate 24x7. By installing this system we are building for the future and will be ready for rapid growth of our business.”

Installation at Sistema’s new facility begin this month and is due to be completed in October.

licensing agreements, which can’t be changed even if the company experiences operational or strategic business changes.

streamline, and speed up many tasks.

Finding the competitive edge

Adapting to the new, customer-first culture means embracing technology solutions such as cloud, social, mobile, and analytics. But for many manufacturers, committing to new techniques and technology can be seen as risky. One of the biggest barriers is the impact of capital depreciation and multi-year licensing contracts from legacy IT investments. This on-premise infrastructure represents a significant cost to organisations that need to run as lean as possible. Start-up businesses have the advantage: they can adopt a cloud-first strategy and minimise the costs associated with disruptive technologies. This lets them create new ways to take market share away from traditional businesses, leveraging trends such as the Internet of Things (IoT), for example. Unfortunately for established

businesses, they often rely on legacy systems that are neither easy, nor cheap to replace. But these businesses must invest in digital transformation programs to both adapt to the threat from start-ups and capitalise on the growth opportunities these emerging technologies can present. The cloud, in particular, presents a compelling option for manufacturing businesses, as they can move much of their IT expenditure out of capex and into opex. Cloud technologies provide access to infrastructure and software on a pay-as-you-go basis, so organisations can scale up and down fast. This is particularly valuable for manufacturing organisations who may be subject to seasonal fluctuations. However, standard procurement practices have seen organisations get locked into multi-year software

Companies that are locked into on-premise equipment or software licensing agreements will find it difficult to accelerate digital transformation initiatives, which in turn makes it difficult to compete in the current marketplace. It is crucial for organisations to break the cycle of lock-in and retain freedom of choice when it comes to technology, or risk being surpassed by new, agile start-ups. Organisations can do this by avoiding short-term solutions and, instead, taking the time to plan for their long-term needs. Reducing the total cost of ownership of IT should be a key goal. A cloud strategy can effectively remove the time and cost burden of infrastructure and network management, as well as legacy applications. This lets manufacturers lower expenditure on infrastructure, IT personnel, maintenance, and training. Importantly, it also frees up IT staff for innovation, which is where manufacturing organisations can start to see significant benefits. Businesses should consider a wholesale switch to cloud to see results faster.

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NZ Manufacturer March 2016

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There are six key warning signs that can help determine whether the current IT strategy is holding the company back: 1. The business has a multitude of software packages, spreadsheets, and databases. Choosing a consolidated business operations platform instead can simplify,

2. Getting access to accurate reports requires manual intervention. Companies should consider systems that provide real-time, accurate, and flexible dashboard reporting so that each employee gets the information that is relevant to them, regardless of their role. 3. End-of-period accounting times have increased significantly. Organisations should implement automated systems that use existing data and offer one-click approvals, so reporting is done faster and the finance team can get on with more strategic tasks. 4. Sales and customer service performance are decreasing. By integrating marketing, sales, CRM, and inventory management, companies can get a more holistic view of the sales and fulfilment pipeline, making better decisions accordingly. 5. IT prevents process improvements throughout the business. Cloud-based business management platforms support productivity rather than restricting it. 6. Workers are tied to their desks to access meaningful data. A cloud-based solution that offers a secure, fully-functional business management platform for remote and mobile workers can contribute to increased efficiency, and faster, more decisive action. * James Valentine is Chief Technology Officer for Fronde.

ANALYSIS

We’re manufacturing to meet the demands of our own people but, in the meantime, for the entire world as well, and that definitely put a lot of extra pressure on our environment. - Ma Jun

What is a value chain? Studies from a range of disciplines show that global value chains have become much more prevalent and elaborate in the past 10 to 15 years. While many firms have had international operations and trading relationships for decades and a few for more than a century, global value chains now contain activities that are tightly integrated and often managed on a day-to-day basis. This means that firms and workers in widely separated locations affect one another more than they have in the past. Some of these effects are quite straightforward, as when a firm from one country establishes a new factory or engineering centre in another country, and some are more complex, as when a firm in one country contracts with a firm in another country to coordinate production in plants owned by yet another firm in a third country, and so on. Tracing the shifting patterns of global production, understanding how GVCs work or are “governed,” and determining the roles they play in rich and poor countries alike, is what the study of global value chains is all about. GVC research consists of learning the details of jobs, technologies, standards, regulations, products, processes, and markets in specific industries and places. GVC research is challenging, fun, interesting, relevant, and important!

ARE all GVCS THE SAME? No. Research has also shown that GVCs exhibit a variety of characteristics and impact communities in a variety of ways. 1.Markets. Markets are the simplest form of GVC governance. GVCs governed by markets contain firms and individuals that buy and sell products to one another with little interaction beyond exchanging goods and services for money. The central governance mechanism

is price. The linkages between value chain activities are not very “thick” because the information that needs to be exchanged and knowledge that needs to be shared is relatively straightforward. 2.Modular value chains. This is the most market-like of three network-style GVC governance patterns. Typically, suppliers in modular value chains make products or provide services to a customer’s specifications. Suppliers in modular value chains tend to take full responsibility for process technology and often use generic machinery that spreads investments across a wide customer base. This keeps switching costs low and limits transaction-specific investments, even though buyer-supplier interactions can be very complex. Linkages are necessarily thicker than in simple markets because of the high volume of information flowing across the inter-firm link, but at the same time codification schemes and the internalisation of coherent realms of knowledge in value chain “modules,” such as design or production, can keep interactions between value chain partners from becoming highly dense and idiosyncratic. 3 Relational value chains. In this network-style GVC governance pattern we see mutual dependence regulated through reputation, social and spatial proximity, family and ethnic ties, and the like. The most obvious examples of such networks are in specific communities, or “industrial districts,”

but trust and reputational effects can operate in spatially dispersed networks as well. Since trust and mutual dependence in relational GVCs take a long time to build up, and since the effects of spatial and social proximity are, by definition, limited to a relatively small set of co-located firms, the costs of switching to new partners tends to be high. Dense interactions and knowledge sharing are supported by the deep understanding value chain partners have of one another, but unlike the codification schemes that enable modular networks, these “short-cuts” tend to be idiosyncratic and thus difficult and time-consuming to re-establish with new value chain partners. 4. Captive value chains. In this network-style GVC governance pattern, small suppliers tend to be dependent on larger, dominant buyers. Depending on a dominant lead firm raises switching costs for suppliers, which are “captive.” Such networks are frequently characterised by a high degree of monitoring and control by the lead firm. The asymmetric power relationships in captive networks force suppliers to link to their customer in ways that are specified by, and often specific to a particular customer, leading to thick, idiosyncratic linkages and high switching costs all round. 5. Hierarchy. This governance pattern is characterised by vertical integration (i.e.”transactions” take place inside

a single firm). The dominant form of governance is managerial control.

WHAT MAKES GVCS DIFFERENT? One important point is that the patterns and effects of GVCs tend to vary in specific industries and places. Because of this, GVC research often has a sectoral or geographic focus. In “The governance of global value chains” (cited above), the co-organisers of the GVC Initiative identify three important variables to look for when studying GVCs in a particular firm, industry, or place: 1. The complexity of transactions. More complex transactions require greater interaction among actors in GVCs and thus stronger forms of governance than simple price-based markets. Thus, complex transactions will likely to be associated with one of the three network governance patterns (modular, relational, or captive) or integrated within a single firm (hierarchy). 2. The codifiability of transactions. In some industries schemes have been worked out to codify complex information in a manner in which data can be handed off between GVC partners with relative ease, often using advanced information technologies. If suppliers have the competence to receive and act upon such codified information, and if the codification schemes are widely known and widely used, then we would expect to see modular value chains emerge. If not,

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NZ Manufacturer March 2016

WORKSHOP TOOLS

Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time. - Thomas Edison

FAG bearings set new industry benchmarks New FAG high performance spherical roller bearings from Schaeffler Australia feature Durotect CK coating in the bore to offer 70 per cent better lifespan when withstanding the extreme stresses of the exciter units of vibratory machinery. The FAG T41D series of Special Spherical Roller Bearings – featuring Schaeffler X-Life quality standards and the hard chromium Durotect® CK premium performance coating – are designed to curtail fretting corrosion of shafts and journal wear, setting new industry benchmarks throughout Australia and New Zealand for longer service life. The high durability bearings simultaneously deliver greater load carrying capacity, greater operational safety (by preventing breakdowns and extensive maintenance) and more efficient use of space in heavy duty applications,” says Schaeffler Australia Pty Ltd Industrial Sector Manager Mr Martin Grosvenor. Features of the FAG T41D series and its Durotect CK protection include: • Special T41 dimensional tolerances apply to the bearings’ inner and outer rings, meaning optimum interference fit can be achieved on

the outer ring and sliding fit on the inner ring. The bearings’ C4 radial internal clearance prevents harmful radial preloading. • Durotect® CK plating on the inner bore not only prevents fretting corrosion of the shaft, but also reduces cross-location of bearings and gives improved load distribution because of unhindered thermal expansion of the shaft • X-Life features include Bainite heat treatment, giving improved productivity through temperature stability up to 200C; surface hardened cage with high wear resistance; and cage guidance by the outer ring to accommodate centrifugal forces. X-Life’s tighter inside and outside diameter dimensional tolerances offer better control of fit in both housing and shaft. FAG T41D with Durotect CK are purpose-designed to meet and exceed the challenges of rolling bearings in vibrating screens, which are typically stressed by high, mostly shock-type loads. The bearings, while rotating about their own axis, perform a circular, elliptical or linear vibrating motion.

This results in high radial accelerations which additionally stress the bearings, and especially the cages, considerably. Operating speeds are usually very high. As a result, the bearing temperatures are up to 20 to 30 degrees Kelvin higher than in normal applications. In addition, considerable misalignments between the bearing locations and considerable shaft deflections have to be accommodated, which is what the FAG T41D series does outstandingly well.

Coatings such as Durotect CK can profoundly improve a variety of bearing characteristics, such as wear, corrosion-resistance, run-in behaviour and behaviours under lubrication-starved conditions. Combining the benefits of the T41D design with the Durotect CK performance coating means operators can function more efficiently and achieve the lowest total cost of ownership (TCO) while delivering a higher level of performance and machine reliability.

A weld of difference Simple changes in technique can yield big improvements, say A*STAR researchers investigating how welding speed and the placement of materials affect the quality of welds between dissimilar alloys. They discovered that the tensile strength increases with increasing welding speed and becomes even higher when the softer alloy is placed on the advancing side of the weld [1]. Friction stir welding is a relatively new technique for joining flat sheets of metals and alloys together. It is

most suited for binding aluminium and aluminium-based alloys — materials that are traditionally difficult or impossible to weld. In addition, it has many advantages over conventional welding methods, including better weld appearance, enhanced mechanical properties, improved safety and lower setup costs. First demonstrated in 1991, friction stir welding is now widely applied across a diverse range of operations in various industries, including

Scanning electron micrograph showing the complex flow patterns, or ‘onion rings’, formed on the advancing side of the welding tool.

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the automotive, aerospace and electronics industries. A recent surge of research interest has focused on how to best apply friction stir welding on dissimilar alloys; in particular, how temperature, stress and material flows affect the quality of welds between AA6061 and AA7075 aluminium alloys — structural materials widely used in the construction of wheel spacers, aircraft fuselages and robotic casings. Junfeng Guo and his team from A*STAR Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology took up the challenge of examining the mechanical properties and microstructures of welds between AA6061 and AA7075 for five different welding settings. They found that a higher welding speed resulted in better welds because less friction heat was generated. The resulting lower temperature meant that the melted materials had little time to recrystallise and consequently their grain size became finer. Similarly, the placement of AA6061 aluminium

alloy on the advancing side resulted in better welds because less friction heat was generated. The researchers examined the ‘onion rings’ — characteristic patterns formed during friction stir welding (see image) — on both the advancing and retreating sides of the weld. They found that multiple vortices formed in the recrystallized zone when the softer A6061 aluminium alloy was placed on the advancing side of the weld. These vortices enhanced material mixing and hence improved the mechanical properties of the weld. The findings have important implications for materials science and the development of the next-generation friction stir welding machines. “Joining of dissimilar materials is a challenge frequently faced in industries,” says Guo. “Friction stir welding enables the welding of dissimilar materials where fusion welding would have been inappropriate.”

WORKSHOP TOOLS

“Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear. - George Addair

Thickness gauge measures steel The RFG-2000 ultrasonic thickness gauge is designed to be used for measuring steel only and is easy to use: simply turn the unit on, zero it and start taking measurements. The display is easy to read, even in poor lighting conditions with a bar graph giving an indication of the stability of the reading. Featuring lightweight metal housing the RFG-2000 can save time and money by providing fast, repeatable and accurate results, even in harsh operating conditions.

Typical applications include: Corrosion & Pitting, Tube & Pipe, Tanks, Boilers and Disc Brakes on mining trucks. The RFG-4000 is a rugged and fully-featured gauge, built to satisfy the harshest operating conditions. Manufactured in the USA and featuring a five year limited warranty this high quality instrument features a backlit LCD display, ‘Scan Mode’ to capture minimum thickness and much more.

transducers are also available for cast iron, plastics, fibreglass, steel and glass applications.

A dual element transducer is included as standard with the kit but additional

The RFG-4000DL also has data-logging capabilities for up to 1000 readings.

RFG-2000 and RFG-4000 gauges have a 5 year warranty on the gauge.

SL-400 hydraulic gantry simple to operate A compact, simple-to-operate and safe hydraulic gantry crane is being introduced by Enerpac South-East Asia to facilitate precision lifting and positioning of heavy loads, up to 408 metric tons, when using four towers. The SL-400 Super Lift Series is a cost-effective alternative to a traditional crane for numerous applications including building and infrastructure, manufacturing, mining, logistics, ports, oil and gas and maintenance. The SL-400 hydraulic gantry is the company’s highest capacity bare cylinder gantry. Equipped with three stage lifting cylinders, the SL-400 lifts up to 9.14m at the top of the third stage and can handle up to 408 metric tons at the top of the second stage. Designed to meet stringent safety requirements, the SL-400 complies with the safety standards set by ASME B30.1-2015. To ensure quality performance, each gantry is tested to 120 percent of capacity at full extension and witness tested by a qualified third party organization. The SL-400 is also CE compliant. “The SL-400 has a smaller footprint compared with larger gantry cranes and overhead cranes, making it ideal for heavy duty lifting in confined spaces, limited hook approaches or low headroom areas, such as heavy machinery, turbine or generator positioning and press installation,” says Enerpac Integrated Solutions Manager for South-East Asia, Mr Maxim Lee. Hydraulic Gantries are a safe, efficient way to lift and position heavy loads in applications where traditional cranes will not fit and permanent overhead structures for job cranes are not an option. Hydraulic Gantries are placed on skid tracks to provide a means for moving and placing heavy loads.

“The SL-400 is also a very cost-effective solution for installation and maintenance across a huge range of industries. It doesn’t need expensive foundations or permanent structural support columns for the installation of heavy equipment such as industrial presses, turbines and generators. Workshops and turbine hall floors for loading already have strong foundations for such heavy equipment and the SL-400 can capitalise on that without the need to separately construct stronger foundation works” says Mr Lee. The SL-400 complements Enerpac’s globally proven range of hydraulic gantries, including the SBL-Series super boom lift, with capacities up to 1100 tons and the MBL-Series mega boom lift, with lifting heights over 12,000mm. “The SBL-Series is excellent for heavy duty lifting and the MBL-Series is excellent for tall lifts, but where the SL-Series is highly beneficial is within its lifting range of 188-408 tons and height of 9.14m feet, where it is lighter and easier to handle while transporting. It shares an easy assembly/disassembly withal the gantry cranes in the Enerpac range,” says Mr Lee. “Providing a more advanced solution than standard lifting systems, the SL-400 hydraulic gantry offers unique features such as a wireless control system and integrated self-propelled drive system,” said Mr Lee. “These features, combined with safe, reliable performance, allow our customers to satisfy their complicated lifting applications.”

use the Intellilift remote control. The wireless system ensures automatic synchronization of lifting with accuracy of 1 inch and automatic synchronization of travel with accuracy of 0.60 inch. For enhanced durability, the SL-400 offers a sturdy, proven base frame that can withstand a variety of environmental conditions. It can also be equipped with a powered side shift for easy operation, providing the operator with lateral control positioning of loads.

Intelli-Lift Intelli-lift has been proven as one of the safest possible methods to operate a gantry. It is not just a monitoring system – it is a highly refined control system that has been proven worldwide. Features of gantry lifts that are normally extras – such as the control systems and the self-propelled drive motors – are included in the standard configuration of all Enerpac gantries. The Intelli-Lift controller o¬ffers superior safety and control and includes the following features: • Encrypted bi-directional communication that eliminates interference from other devices

• Remote operation using multi-channel wireless (2.4 GHz) or wired (RS-485) control • High and low speed settings • Automatic synchronization of lifting with an accuracy of 24 mm (0.95 inch) • Automatic synchronization of travelling with an accuracy of 15 mm (0.60 inch) • Overload and stroke alarms • Remote side shift control • Emergency stop switch. A complete Enerpac gantry system includes 4 gantry towers and legs, 2 header beam units and skid tracks, 4 side shift system units and 2 Intelli-lift remote controller units. Additional units and sets can be supplied for more complex lifting tasks.

Featuring a unique Intellilift wireless control system, the SL-400 provides optimum performance and allows for unobstructed views of the load. The control system allows users to operate the lift locally at each leg or

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NZ Manufacturer March 2016

FOOD MANUFACTURING

Nanotechnology is manufacturing with atoms. -William Powell

How to respond to the ‘water quality versus production debate’? Dr Blair Miller – Group Manager Environmental Research, Lincoln Agritech Government recently issued a call of action to the country, saying that we must work to double our primary production export earnings while maintaining or improving water quality. To most people, this twin challenge will seem contradictory. Yet we are capable of fulfilling both of these duelling ambitions. In fact, the fight to attain them is one that we must fully commit to. I believe we can do it, as we have some of the best scientific minds in the world on the case. But we need to utilise our experts so we have the best chance of balancing economic development with environmental protection. Achieving export growth means developing new markets and these markets will be increasingly judging us on the integrity of our production processes. If we allow environmental impacts to worsen, we risk damaging the reputation on which our primary sector exporters trade. In other words, the Government’s challenge is not contradictory. Positive economic development must be based on sound environmental outcomes. Pundits regularly promote the notion of moving up the value chain to increase export earnings. This, of course, is happening all the time and we should applaud companies like Synlait with their slogan, “Making more from milk”, which describes the strategy very well. However, we must look at how much primary produce we need to achieve growth. Bulk commodities dominate primary sector exports and this will continue for the foreseeable future, so increasing production is the only realistic way to double our primary export earnings. However, this means intensification, and with that comes environmental impact. We need to understand this impact if we are to develop strategies that will tackle it. The fate of nitrates

NZ Manufacturer March 2016

attracts the most attention in this area due to dairy intensification. Phosphorous and sediment, which are pollutants that predominantly come from surface runoff, also degrade water quality. But without minimising their importance, we already have a better understanding of these. While we must keep developing strategies to deal with them, nitrate management needs greater resourcing to meet the Government’s challenge. Nitrate leaching from cow urine patches is a major contributor to groundwater contamination. Soil scientists will need to continue working to solve this issue, but farming system changes also need further attention. We have to be careful not to jeopardise our integrity of production with too large a swing to the confinement of dairy cows, which could create negative sentiments in some markets. If research is sufficiently funded, it will lead us to a balance between on-pasture and off-pasture dairy production and we will see more use of hybrid systems. It’s encouraging that Dairy NZ and Lincoln and Massey Universities are starting to challenge the ‘one size fits all’ approach to dairy farming and investigate alternatives to pasture based production. It is important to invest in research that will help improve production systems,

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retain nitrogen in the root zone and reduce other contaminant transfers. However, to meet the production target, we can’t simply maintain our current water quality. We have to find more mitigation capacity. The nutrient budgeting model, OVERSEER, contains tools to analyse the likely outcomes of different management options. It is not perfect, but offers significant value, which will continue to improve with further investment. One of its limitations is that it does not deal with the fate of the nitrate once it leaves the root zone. The transport and transformation processes in the area between the roots and groundwater systems have not yet received the attention they need. The groundwater system is highly complex, and modelling its processes is extremely difficult, but necessary if we are to fully understand how they work. The problem with making decisions before completely understanding the processes involved is that nutrient limits may be set too low, potentially limiting production in areas which could actually operate safely at higher intensities. Land use planners need more information, as they must make some tough decisions about the appropriateness of farming activities

in certain locations, and about where resources should be focused. The only way we are going to achieve the Government’s challenge is by improving our ability to choose an appropriate land use for any parcel of land. No one scientific discipline will solve the problem; it will be the summation of a wide range of work. Lincoln Agritech is working to develop tools and knowledge for all stakeholders involved in this debate. Two of our large collaborative research programmes which include ESR, Aqualinc Research, Lincoln University, Landcare Research and Plant and Food Research are investigating aspects of nutrient transport and assimilation in the environment below the root zone. We are also preparing to commercially release a low-cost, high-accuracy nitrate sensor that researchers and land managers can use to better understand nitrate dynamics. With more work, we hope to use our developing technology and scientific understanding to help farmers directly measure their nitrate losses and this will complement the current modelling approaches. In many situations, this will reduce the level of uncertainty with the current modelling method to enable better decision-making.

ANALYSIS

I got lucky because I never gave up the search. Are you quitting too soon? Or are you willing to pursue luck with a vengeance? - Jill Konrath

continued from page 21

What is a value chain? then lead firms might either keep the function in-house, leading to more vertical integration (hierarchy) or outsource it to a supplier that they tightly control and monitor (the captive network type) or have a dense, idiosyncratic relationship with suppliers (the relational governance type). 3. The competence of suppliers. The ability to receive and act upon complex information or instructions from lead firms requires a high degree of competence on the part of suppliers. Only then can the transfer of complex but codified information be achieved (as in modular networks) or intense interaction be worthwhile (as in relational networks). Where competent suppliers do not exist, lead firms either must internalize the function (hierarchy) or outsource it to suppliers that they tightly monitor and control (captive suppliers).

Extreme market power has also allowed global buyers to extract price concessions from their main suppliers. Supplier firms have responded by locating more of their factories in low-cost locations and working hard to extract price concessions from their own, upstream suppliers.

have more linkages between affiliates of multinational firms, while buyer-driven chains have more linkages between legally independent firms. Underlying this distinction is the notion that buyer-driven chains turned out relatively simple products, such as apparel, house wares, and toys.

items made in producer-driven chains, such as autos and complex electronics, technology and production expertise were core competencies that needed to be developed and deployed in-house, or in captive suppliers that can be blocked from sharing them with competitors.

The GCC framework contrasted such “buyer-driven” chains to “producer-driven” chains, dominated by large manufacturing firms such as General Motors and IBM.

Because innovation lies more in product design and marketing rather than in manufacturing know-how, it was relatively easy for lead firms to outsource production. In the more technology- and capital-intensive

Transnational giants have changed quite dramatically, outsourcing many activities and developing strategic alliances with competitors. They have become less vertically integrated and more network-oriented.

Put simply, producer-driven chains

Introducing

A point of difference in today’s busy FMCG market.

Furthermore, if one of these three variables changes, then value chain governance patterns tend to change in predictable ways. For example, if a new technology renders an established codification scheme obsolete, we might expect modular value chains to become more relational, and if competent suppliers cannot be found, then perhaps captive networks and even vertical integration would become more prevalent. Conversely, rising supplier competence might mean that captive networks move toward the relational type and better codification schemes might prepare the ground for modular networks.

HOW DO GVCS DIFFER FROM GLOBAL COMMODITY CHAINS?

Developed by AsureQuality, inSight™ provides shoppers with independently verified information about the products they are about to buy. After a successful application process, producers can place the inSight™ logo and a QR code on their product packaging.

When shoppers scan the QR code at the point of sale they can access information about the product, including: • • • • •

Environmental sustainability Social and ethical concerns Nutritional information Safety and quality Origin

The GVC framework represents just one of many approaches to detailed, firm-level research on the structure and dynamics of global industries. The GCC framework usefully focused attention on the powerful role that large retailers, such as Wal-Mart, and highly successful branded merchandisers, such as Nike, have come to play in the governance of global production and distribution. Although “global buyers” typically own few, if any, of their own factories, the volume of their purchasing provides them with a huge amount of clout among their suppliers, power they have wielded to specify in great detail what, how, when, where, and by whom the goods they sell are produced.

Why the Need for inSight™? inSight™ takes product assurances into the 21st century inSight™ is a new brand developed by New Zealand Government owned AsureQuality, global experts in food safety and quality. We know how important food safety and quality is to you. We wanted a way that you could get independently verified information about a product, that would give you confidence in it before paying for it. inSight™ makes sense because: • You want to know more about the food you are eating

A new innovation taking product assurances into the 21st Century

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NZ Manufacturer March 2016

ENERGY REPORT

There is always room at the top. - Daniel Webster

Global power generation shortfall in 2030 A 2016 research paper in the Journal Nature predicts a 40% shortfall of available water across the globe by 2030 with effects not just for drinking, food production, hygiene and public health, but also for 98% of global electric power generation. Presented at the Asia-Pacific Energy Leaders’ Summit in New Zealand the early findings of a new report, ‘The road to resilience – managing the risks of the energy-water-food nexus’ from the World Energy Council is calling for immediate action in order to secure resilient energy infrastructure. Supported by a task force of over 140 experts from across the world, the report makes five recommendations: • Improve understanding of the water footprint of energy technologies in order to mitigate the risks of stranded assets • Account for the price of water, particularly in areas of water stress • Consider a wider range of financial and insurance instruments to hedge short term risks such as adverse weather incidents and associated electricity price volatility • Give investors the confidence to invest by providing them a full risk assessment that includes different climate and hydrological scenarios in financial analyses

• Provide a reliable and transparent regulatory and legal framework that takes into account water issues and competing stakeholders’ interest. Christoph Frei, Secretary General World Energy Council said: “The energy-water-food nexus poses a systemic risk which could impact the robustness of the energy supply and demand over many years to come. Power plants across the world could be affected by changes in precipitation patterns, which are combining with increasing competition between water users to adversely affect the resilience of energy services.

modelling tools, making long term energy infrastructure investment decisions difficult to make. “To promote infrastructure resilience, policymakers and investors need to create a framework which provides the incentives for adapted infrastructure design and needed financing mechanisms.” ‘The road to resilience – managing the risks of the energy-water-food nexus’ will inform our support for the work of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Energy Working Group. The report is the second in a series of reports that assesses the financing

of resilient energy infrastructure and identifies the investment and systemic changes required to combat new emerging risks including extreme weather, the energy-water-food nexus and cyber risks. The reports are prepared with project partners Swiss Re Corporate Solutions and Marsh & McLennan Companies with insights from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and will build to provide a detailed report ahead of the 23rd World Energy Congress to be held in Istanbul, Turkey in October 2016.

“Clear co-ordination and integrated planning needs to take place now, or we will start to see the effects of water scarcity on energy supplies in the very near future. Assuming a water price during project planning is one way to trigger the right signals. “If we are to counter the problems of water access, then cross-border co-operation is vital. We should be taking full advantage of the 261 international trans-boundary basins that cover 45% of the earth’s land surface. Energy resilience can only be achieved by moving from individual to joint efforts.” Christoph Frei added: “An important issue to tackle is the lack of knowledge about water issues and limited

Fabrics detect dangerous gases The researchers, from the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute and Konkuk University in the Republic of Korea, coated cotton and polyester yarn with a nanoglue called bovine serum albumin (BSA). The yarns were then wrapped in graphene oxide sheets.

Graphene is an incredibly strong one-atom-thick layer of carbon that is known for its excellent conductive properties of heat and electricity. The graphene sheets stuck very well to the nanoglue: so much so that further testing showed the fabrics retained their electrical conducting properties

after 1,000 consecutive cycles of bending and straightening and ten washing tests with various chemical detergents. Finally, the graphene oxide yarns were exposed to a chemical reduction process, which involves the gaining of electrons. The reduced-graphene-oxide-coated materials were found to be particularly sensitive to detecting nitrogen dioxide, a pollutant gas commonly found in vehicle exhaust that also results from fossil fuel combustion. Prolonged exposure to nitrogen dioxide can be dangerous to human health, causing many respiratory-related illnesses. Exposure of these specially-treated fabrics to nitrogen dioxide led to a change in the electrical resistance of the reduced graphene oxide. The fabrics were so sensitive that 30 minutes of exposure to 0.25 parts per million of nitrogen dioxide (just under five times above the acceptable standard set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) elicited a response.

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The fabrics were three times as sensitive to nitrogen dioxide in air compared to another reduced graphene oxide sensor previously prepared on a flat material. The new technology, according to the researchers, can be immediately adopted in related industries because the coating process is a simple one, making it suitable for mass production. It would allow outdoor wearers to receive relevant information about air quality. The materials could also be incorporated with air-purifying filters to act as “smart filters” that can both detect and filter harmful gas from air. “This sensor can bring a significant change to our daily life since it was developed with flexible and widely used fibres, unlike the gas sensors invariably developed with the existing solid substrates,” says Dr Hyung-Kun Lee, who led this research initiative. The study was published in Scientific Reports.

If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things. - Albert Einstein

THE SAFER FARMS PROGRAMME WHY A FARM SAFETY PROGRAMME? Farming kills more people than any other sector in New Zealand – 41 people have died working on farms in the last two years. That’s four times the number of fatalities in either forestry or construction. There are also thousands of serious injuries that lead to a loss of productivity and income for farmers. Farmers, their families and farming communities are directly affected, and bear the emotional and financial cost of deaths and injuries on the farm. This is why WorkSafe New Zealand is partnering with farmers and their families, sector organisations, and the rural community as a whole on Safer Farms, a comprehensive farm safety information and education campaign. WHAT IS SAFER FARMS? Safer Farms is a new way of working. It is a multi-year programme jointly funded by ACC. It aims to increase farmer awareness and understanding of their risks, support farmers to manage their safety, and build local and sector farm safety leadership. It will achieve this by: > Providing an easy-to-use toolkit and a comprehensive online resource - www.saferfarms.org.nz – so that farmers have clear health and safety advice and information. > A widespread media campaign in newspapers, magazines, on radio and online helping farmers identify and manage risks. > A seasonal information and education campaign highlighting the risks and how to manage them when they arise through the year (e.g. calving, shearing, picking). > Working with rural retailers to help them incorporate safety messages when dealings with farmers. > Training programmes to be delivered alongside rural stakeholder groups. > Education and information for rural kids delivered through school programmes and Dairy NZ’s Rosie’s World website. Safer Farms was not developed in isolation. It was built with extensive input from farmers, their

WSNZ_00155_FEB 15

communities and the sector to ensure the focus was on helping farmers to take ownership of their health and safety. WHERE CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION? Visit www.saferfarms.org.nz or call 0800 030 040.

KEEP SAFE, KEEP FARMING

SAFERFARMS.ORG.NZ www.nzmanufacturer.co.nz

NZ Manufacturer March 2016

DEVELOPMENTS

You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.

- Wayne Gretzky

Making electronics safe with pervoskites A team of scientists from Hokkaido University and the multinational electronics company TDK Corporation in Japan has developed a method to improve the insulating properties of the oxynitride perovskite SrTaO2N for potential use as a ceramic capacitor. Ceramic capacitors are used in a wide variety of electronics, ranging from computers and mobile phones to telecommunications transmitter stations and high voltage laser power supplies. Capacitors act, in a way, like batteries. They are “dielectric” – they act as an electronic insulator in which an electric field can be sustained with minimum loss of power. Their dielectric properties allow them to store electricity and then release it. One of the most widely used ceramics in capacitors is lead zirconate titanate, but it is hazardous to the health and the environment once it’s disposed. Scientists are trying to find other less hazardous ceramic materials for use in capacitors.

Perovskite oxynitrides – cheap and easily fabricated materials with a distinctive crystalline structure – are particularly promising. But ceramics manufactured from these materials need to be made denser to improve their insulating properties. This is usually done by applying intense heat; a process called “sintering”. However, sintering the material can lead to a change in its chemical composition, turning it from an insulator to an electrical conductor. The researchers sintered the perovskite powder SrTaO2N at a temperature of 1723 Kelvin (1450° Celsius) for three hours. They then “annealed” the material by heating it with flowing ammonia at 1223 Kelvin (950° Celsius) for 12 hours and then allowing it to

Blue ceramic capacitor

slowly cool. They found that the surface of the material after this process (but not its interior) displayed an important dielectric property called

“ferroelectricity”. This was the first time that a ferroelectric response has been observed on oxynitride perovskite ceramics, they say, making it promising as a new dielectric material for multi-layered ceramic capacitors.

Water treatment technology for global deployment Micromet treatment

has

designed

machine,

water

which

uses

electrolysis to remove pollutants from contaminated water such as sewage, grey water, and industrial effluents. The company signed a Memorandum

Micromet Engineering Sales Director Andrew Townsend said the company’s six-module machines could clean 12-litres a second and could be deployed in a standard 40-foot shipping container.

and is setting up a manufacturing

He said most other water treatment technologies usually took 24 to 36 hours to treat wastewater.

plant in South Australia.

“The residence time in our machine

Understanding

with

Chinese

industrial group Dadongwu last week

from when the dirty water drops in one end to when it starts to flow out the other end is around 50 minutes,” Townsend said. “We’re shipping them in shipping containers because pretty much you just drop the container in, affix pipes to it and attach power and make sure it’s all working and you can literally commission it in a day or two days, which is very different from having to

build a traditional system which can take months and months to construct.” The process uses continuous flow electrolysis methods with special anti passivation technology that has eluded such systems in the past. The Micromet equipment is also very energy efficient, using just 0.25KWH to process 1000 litres compared to a reverse osmosis system that can require 20-40KWH to process the same amount...

Controller simplifies machine safety Manufacturers and equipment builders looking for ways to simplify and standardise safety across their machines and systems with the new Allen-Bradley Compact GuardLogix 5370 controller from Rockwell Automation, no longer need separate networks and controllers for safety and motion in applications with up to 16 axes. This makes it easier to design safety into a wide range of standard and custom machines, and results in simpler system architectures. The Compact GuardLogix 5370 controller also helps users meet global safety standards. It achieves Safety Integrity Level 3, Performance Level e and Category 4 – the highest ratings for machine safety.

AC drive, users have integrated safe torque off on EtherNet/IP. As with other Logix controllers, engineers use the Rockwell Software Studio 5000 software to configure the Compact GuardLogix 5370 controller and develop all elements of their control system. Data can be defined once, and then easily accessed and re-used across different machine types to speed system development and commissioning. In addition, a single programming environment for both safety and standard control removes the need to manually manage separate standard and safety memory, or partition logic to isolate safety.

When used in combination with the Allen-Bradley Kinetix 5500 servo drive or the Allen-Bradley PowerFlex 527

The Compact GuardLogix 5370 controller, being manufactured in Singapore, also includes dual Ethernet ports to support both linear and device-level-ring (DLR) network

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NZ Manufacturer March 2016

topologies. Built-in energy storage removes the need for batteries, and a removable 1-GB Secure Digital (SD) card improves data integrity. Rockwell releasing this year Compact

Automation also will be an on-machine option later – the Allen-Bradley Armor GuardLogix 5370 controller.

This option allows users to place the controller closer to the application or onto the machine, which eases installation, commissioning and troubleshooting. The on-machine controller is IP67-rated for wash-down protection and includes quick-connect cabling to ease system wiring.

Become the person who would attract the results you seek. - Jim Cathcart

DEVELOPMENTS

FARO brings simple as-built 3D cloud-based data management FARO Technologies, Inc announces the achievement of another milestone in cloud-based as-built data management with the release of version 2.0 of its well-known web hosting service, SCENE WebShare Cloud. SCENE WebShare Cloud 2.0 is the first cloud-based software unleashing the power of fluid 3D viewing of 3D laser scan data within a simple and easy-to-use website. For applications within the fields of BIM, architecture, and construction information management (CIM), user-friendly access to reliable as-is information of buildings, plants and construction sites is essential. Users also need immediate access to this data at the office, on the job-site or in transit.

By having real 3D as-built data available at any point in time, independent from where a user sits, SCENE WebShare Cloud 2.0 delivers a number of measurable benefits to FARO’s customers. All project partners have access to identical 3D as-built data.

SCENE WebShare Cloud 2.0 provides easy-to-use 3D viewing of as-built data over the Internet. No dedicated software or hardware is needed and it can be used on almost any modern mobile device, including tablet computers and smart phones.

The use of incomplete or outdated drawings can be avoided and by having the right data at one’s fingertips, decisions can be made easier, faster and with more certainty. Whenever engineers, builders and non-CAD-experts need to collaborate, using life-like point cloud data as a means of communication has proven to be more intuitive and less prone to misinterpretations than abstract CAD models.

With an Internet connection and a web browser being the only access requirements, SCENE WebShare Cloud provides users with the mobility and accessibility that is required to support their applications within Building Information Modeling (BIM) processes and asset management.

due to outdated data throughout the whole building life-cycle.

conditions. This enables customers to virtually immerse themselves into an existing environment and offers a more direct way of understanding on-site conditions. With its unique contributions, SCENE WebShare Cloud 2.0 will ultimately help reduce expensive rework and project delays

WebShare Cloud is closely integrated with FARO’s desktop software SCENE. As a cloud-based service all updates and enhancements are automatically available to any user.

SCENE WebShare Cloud 2.0 provides the clarity of true 3D viewing to understand and analyze complex on-site

Siemens’ integrated CAD/PDM/PLM software widely deployed at Bosch Siemens’ integrated suite of computer aided design (CAD), product data management (PDM) and product lifecycle management (PLM) software solutions is replacing the legacy system of German automotive supplier Bosch in its Electrical Drives division. Siemens NX software and Teamcenter software will serve as the common development platform for the division’s global operations. Bosch has been using CAD/PDM/PLM software from Siemens in other business units for several years. Its decision to expand into the Electrical Drives division is part of its strategic plan to consolidate its diversified tool landscape with a unified methodology for modelling, design and collaboration. The volume of the deal will not be disclosed. Bosch’s decision for Siemens software aligns with its goal to optimise the value chain of the Electric Drives division with a modular toolkit-concept. This will also be the basis for digital collaboration

between different departments across the product development process. The increased standardisation and new functionalities will help Bosch realise scale effects more specifically. The digital end-to-end process Bosch is deploying will enable faster innovation, accelerated time-to-market and broader support for the Industry 4.0 strategy, which will secure and extend competitive advantages for the Stuttgart based automotive supplier. Siemens PLM Software believes that the increasingly complex products today’s automotive suppliers offer require a systems-driven approach to product development that combines systems engineering with an integrated product definition. To facilitate systems-driven product development (SDPD), Siemens PLM Software provides product line engineering capabilities, a consistent process-enabled framework for mechatronic engineering, advanced

modeling and simulation, an intuitive user experience and an open PLM environment.

systems, front and rear wiper systems as well as drive motors for e-scooters and e-bikes.

Siemens’ integrated 3D computer-aided design, manufacturing and engineering analysis (CAD/CAM/CAE) solution, will be used to establish and optimise an integrated product development environment. Additionally, utilisation of Teamcenter, Siemens’ comprehensive digital lifecycle management solution, provides a fast and easy method for instantly accessing relevant information for rapid evaluation, decision making and re-use of proven best practices.

The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. It employs roughly 375,000 associates worldwide (as of December 31, 2015). According to preliminary figures, the company generated sales of more than 70 billion euros in 2015. Its operations are divided into four business sectors: Mobility Solutions, Industrial Technology, Consumer Goods, and Energy and Building Technology. Siemens PLM Software, a business unit of the Siemens Digital Factory Division, is a leading global provider of product lifecycle management (PLM) and manufacturing operations management (MOM) software, systems and services with over nine million licensed seats and more than 77,000 customers worldwide.

The solutions provide a platform for a broad range of development tasks, from various actuating drives for window lifts, seat adjusters, sliding roofs, steering column adjustment and lift gate drives to motors for anti-lock breaking and electronic stability control systems, fan modules and coolant pumps for motor cooling

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NZ Manufacturer March 2016

DEVELOPMENTS

Manufacturing is more than just putting parts together. It’s coming up with ideas, testing principles and perfecting the engineering, as well as final assembly. -James Dyson

Public appeal for revolutionary new wheelchair The inventor and manufacturer of a revolutionary new wheelchair has launched a public appeal to develop it further and build 10 Kevin Halsall’s Ogo wheelchair was a finalist at the New Zealand Innovators’ Awards in Auckland last year and also won the BCC (Building Clever Companies) Innovate 2015 grand prize of $10,000.

is to change as many lives as we can,” Kevin says.

and the disability community of New Zealand.

The crowd funding campaign, launched on March 8, will run for 30 days and Kevin is confident he’ll attract the money required.

The invention blends cutting edge electronics with innovative body driven control which frees the user’s hands to do anything they want.

“It’s an achievable amount and with it we’ll build 10 prototypes, five for sale as part of the crowd funding campaign and the other five to be located in major centres around New Zealand for people to try out,” he says.

His research led him to a self-balancing, battery powered electric vehicle which has censors in its base. These censors enable the driver to move forward or backwards by shifting their weight in the direction they want to move.

As a result of publicity in 2015, Kevin received thousands of inquiries from around the world from people interested in either purchasing, investing in or distributing his machine. However by launching his appeal for $240,000 on Indiegogo, the largest global site for crowdfunding and fundraising, Kevin wants to give as many people as possible the opportunity to fund what they can afford, enabling him to take the development to the next level. He explains that, by keeping costs down, he can make his machine available to millions around the world at the lowest possible cost. “Our goal

Kevin, from his Otaki base, wants to start production before the end of the year because he’s aware there are 11,000 disabled people in New Zealand alone who rely on a wheelchair for mobility and 69 million wheelchair users worldwide. His interest in building the machine began nearly five years ago when he observed how a close friend, Marcus Thompson, a paraplegic, struggled in his conventional wheelchair, which exhausted his energy and stamina. Kevin’s challenge was to build a wheelchair that was easier for Marcus

He spent hundreds of hours experimenting until he designed and manufactured a sturdy wheelchair that could be manoeuvred by the body, leaving the hands free to do whatever the driver wanted. “By utilising self-balancing technology, I produced an active, moving seat control, operated by upper body mobility and core muscle strength,” Kevin says. “When the driver leans forward the wheelchair moves forward, when he or she leans back the wheelchair reverses. When they lean to the side, the wheelchair swivels in the new direction.” In Marcus’s case he can carry and move objects, power along the undulated beach at up to 20 kph and, in particular, mow his lawns. “It’s therapeutic and healing for the soul. With my hands free, I’m able to use my whole body to carry out tasks again,” he says. However to add extra safety and security, the Ogo comes complete with a thumb controlled joystick. By activating a switch, it locks the left and right movement of the seat and transfers the steering control to the joystick for a more conventional feel. Since the machine was publicised last year, Kevin has tested it for people with a wider range of disabilities. With approval from ACC and occupational therapists, he’s explored ways to adjust the Ogo for people with spina bifida, quad amputees, tetraplegics and stroke victims. “We wanted to test the limits of the machine to ensure it can be used by the greatest number of people,” he says. “The changes include adaptations to the seat and more electronic controls.”

NZ Manufacturer March 2016

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Those improvements will be installed in the machine through the finance he generates with crowd funding.

However by launching his appeal for $240,000 on Indiegogo, the largest global site for crowdfunding and fundraising, Kevin wants to give as many people as possible the opportunity to fund what they can afford, enabling him to take the development to the next level. “I don’t want to make it an exclusive product. Through a rewards based campaign, people know that, by contributing what they can, they’ll be able to purchase an Ogo at a price they can afford,” Kevin comments. “By the end of the decade I’d like to see thousands of wheelchairs coming off the production line, changing lives for good throughout the world.”

REAR VIEW

3D printing has digitised the entire manufacturing process. - Peter Diamandis

Primary steel producers in crisis Report by Metals New Zealand CEO Gary Hook As the new year kicks away, amongst the news of world stock markets weakening came further announcements about the plight of a number of primary steel makers particularly in UK, Europe and China. The world’s largest steel company Acelor Mittal has just announced the closure of its Spanish EAF-based plant. This announcement is on the back of recent plant closures/job losses in the UK by Tata Steel. Arcelor Mittal, with an output of ~100m tonnes about a 16th of the global total, its Spanish plant in Sestao produced almost 2.5m tonnes a year. It’s a far cry from ArcelorMittal’s heyday at the height of a boom in commodity prices in 2008, when the company briefly vied with Apple Inc. for market capitalisation. Almost 95 percent of its peak value of 90 billion euros, or about US$140 billion at the time, has gone. In the UK, cheap Chinese imports, a strong pound and high energy costs have been called “a perfect storm” impacting the UK steel industry this last half year. Tata Steel Europe, which employs 17,000 in the UK, is in the throes of a wide-scale reorganisation of its business with 5,000 redundancies already confirmed this last northern hemisphere summer. The parent company has further meetings scheduled in India in the coming weeks to review their response plans. Reports out of China report facility closures and some 9,000 redundancies

Opinion Manufacturing Profiles Letters to the Editor Politics of Manufacturing Trade Fair World Diary of Events World Market Report Q/A Export News Machine Tools Business Opportunities Commentary As I See It Business News Appointments Around New Zealand Australian Report New to the Market Lean Manufacturing Equipment for Sale Recruitment Environmental Technology Manufacturing Processes

by the producers that are at the heart of the flood of surplus steel around the world. Beijing reportedly is acting with caution so as to prevent any social upheaval through unemployment given this situation which is providing somewhat of a buffer/ rate controller to the traded volume correction that is so urgently required. Back in the UK, Tata is reported to not be seeking government financial aid or part nationalization and welcomes recent state progress on reducing energy costs, but like European producers, are pushing hard for urgent action from the European Commission to enable a level playing field in terms of competing against unfairly traded imports. This latest news only affirms that the world steel crisis is deepening and potentially has some ways to run and further restructuring announcements are expected as 2016 rolls out. In the UK one of the quick Government responses in consideration of supporting the local steel industry has been to redraft and re-set the decision criteria for government-controlled procurement, whereby the Environmental and Social criteria have been re-prioritized in the Policy document. This is a positive move in line with WTO rules and very much a priority subject that Metals NZ, HERA and SCNZ have been advocating on for application by government procurers in NZ under the triple bottom line, balanced decision making principle.

In the UK one of the quick Government responses in consideration of supporting the local steel industry has been to redraft and re-set the decision criteria for governmentcontrolled procurement.

Governments should be supporting industry within WTO policy and rules and as the world markets become more globalised under TPP, GPA and Free Trade agreements and international steel markets are challenged, the implementation and broader application of balanced decision-making will remain a Metals NZ advocacy priority in 2016 with an ambition that will include some workshops with government/industry. The policy in NZ is already clear, we just need it broadly applied by our government agency procurement specialists and general managers. If you would like to discuss issues in your area of industry, please contact me at metalsnz@gmail.com

NZ MANUFACTURER • APRIL 2016 Issue • Features

Regional Manufacturing Manufacturing Technology Industry 4.0 The Future of Manufacturing (including converging technologies)

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Disruptive and Future Technologies EMEX 2016 Preview IoT and Manufacturing

Advertising Booking Deadline – 15 April 2016

Editorial material to be sent to :

Advertising Copy Deadline – 15 April 2016

Doug Green,

Editorial Copy Deadline – 15 April 2016 Advertising – For bookings and further information contact: Doug Green, P O Box 1109, Hastings 4156, Hawke’s Bay Email: publisher@xtra.co.nz

P O Box 1109, Hastings 4156, Hawke’s Bay

At NZ MANUFACTURER our aim is to keep our readers up to date with the latest industry news and manufacturing advances in a tasty paper morsel, ensuring they do not get left behind in the highly competitive and rapidly evolving manufacturing world.

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The shortest way to do many things is to do only one thing at once. -Samuel Smiles

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