NZ Manufacturer May 2024

2024 encourages manufacturing success

EMEX 2024, brought to the marketplace by XPO Exhibitions Limited,is with us at the end of the month, providing the ideal platform for decisionmakers to sample technology and expertise to assist on their company’s path to success.

In these challenging business times, EMEX 2024 provides us all with an opportunity to collaborate, share stories on the journey and even find cohorts to work closely with for a better business future.

New Zealand, small country, end of the world, needs to be smart. We have plenty of talented people working with Industry 4.0 and advanced technologies who know what they are doing and where the opportunities are – on local or export markets.

However, not enough of our manufacturing businesses are using the tools of the day to assist them on this journey, their journey, to work smarter. The issue can be price, return on investment, not being competitive enough in the marketplace or no guarantee of ongoing contracts.

Overall, Kiwis make great products. The expertise, the skill set is there. Determination to get ahead, to be more aspirational, is not the issue.

Minister for Manufacturing, Andrew Bayly, is very much looking forward to being at EMEX 2024 and speaking at the Networking Event. Members of his Minister’s Manufacturing Productivity Advisory group will also be present.

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Brent Spillane, Managing Director, XPO Exhibitions Ltd.

Secure supply of energy and data to moving industrial equipment.

• Large size range

• Vertical travels

• Energy tubes

Cables

• Hygienic chains

• Solutions for long travel

• Guide troughs

• Readychain

• Robotic, 3D

• Circular movement

HUGE range of high quality flexible cables

• Control cables

• Single cores

• Data cables

• Sensor/Actuator

• Intrinsically Safe

• VSD/EMC cables

• Halogen Free cables

• High temperature

• Harsh Conditions

• Crane cables

• Profibus cables

• Bus/DeviceNet

• Solar cables

• Instrumentation

• Flat cables

• Curly cords

Largest range of flexible conduits for cable protection

• Conduits

• Conduit fittings

• Divisible systems

• Jumbo systems

• Conduit Accessories

• Braided cable protection

• Fire barrier solutions

• Food and beverage

• EMC systems

• Ex, ATEX, IEC EX

Industrial connectors for many industries

• Rectangular multipole connectors from ILME

• Single pole Powerline connectors from TEN47

• EPIC connectors from Lapp Group

• M23 circular connectors from Hummel

• Circular connectors specifically for the entertainment/stage lighting industry from Socapex

Safety engineering solutions from EUCHNER

• Multifunctional Gate Box MGB

• Transponder-coded safety switches

• Electromechanical safety switches

• Magnetically coded safety switches

Sensor technologies for automation

• High-Precision Laser Distance Sensors

• Ultrasonic Sensors

• Inductive Sensors

• Fluid Sensors

Seeking bold businesses.

Are you thinking about what’s next for your business?

As a nation, we used to be great at finding smart ways to get the job done, but now we work harder, and for longer, and we’re still less productive than many other countries.

We’re seeking bold businesses who want to invest in what’s next. Those who want to drive innovation and efficiency to build a more productive country. One that puts future generations first and paves the way for economic, social and environmental progress for all of us.

If you’ve got bold ideas to drive your business forward, talk to us at ASB.

Take out business term lending by 30 June 2024 to increase productivity, and you could be eligible for your share of $5 million worth of Productivity Grants.

EMEX 2024 encourages manufacturing success.

EDITORIAL

EMEX is a big deal.

BUSINESS NEWS

How crisis ready are New Zealand’s manufacturing brands?

SMART MANUFACTURING

There are no silver bullets to sustained productivity.

Harm reduction to take centre stage at EMEX 2024.

The relentless pursuit of “Better, Faster, Smarter”.

EMEX 2024

Floor Plan / Exhibitors

Manufacturing Speakers Futures Speaker Series.

NZ made gantry mill machine doesn’t cost the earth.

Kemppi sets new industry benchmark.

Software provider to make sparks fly at EMEX 2024.

SMART MANUFACTURING

Form 4 reliable 3D printer for prototyping through production.

Automation1 2.7 introduces laser scan head controls.

Navigating technology trends.

SUSTAINABILITY

Another great reason to understand your supply chain!

WORKSHOP TOOLS

MIXO 300 A modules for high current applications.

Engineering your future.

Revolutionary 3D robot guidance platform to simplify automation.

ANALYSIS

Embracing the future: How Digital Twin Technology can Accelerate Manufacturing Operations.

SMART MANUFACTURING

Improving Workplace Literary Skills.

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

Hildy Kovacs, co-owner, Kovacs Design Furniture.

DEVELOPMENTS

FSAE;47 – The UoA student led engineering racing team.

Ivan Skinner Award winner inspired by real lfe experience.

THE LAST WORD

Sustainability leader makes key acquisition.

ADVISORS

Kirk Hope Is Chief Executive of BusinessNZ, New Zealand’s largest business advocacy body He has held a range of senior positions at Westpac and is a barrister and solicitor

Ian Walsh Ian is a Partner, Argon & Co. NZ, a master black belt improvement specialist and global lean practitioner. He is passionate about improving productivity and helping to create world class New Zealand businesses.

Dr Barbara Nebel CEO thinkstep-anz Barbara’s passion is to enable organisations to succeed sustainably. She describes her job as a ‘translator’ – translating sustainability into language that businesses can act on.

Lewis oodward 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.

Brett O’Riley EMA chief executive Brett O’Riley has a background in technology and economic development. Brett actually grew up with manufacturing, in the family business, Biggins & Co. He currently holds board roles with Wine Grenade and Dotterel Technologies and is also on the NZ Film Commission board.

Insa Errey

Insa’s career has been in the public and private sectors, leading change management within the energy, decarbonisation, and sustainability space. Insa holds a Chemical and Biomolecular BE (Hons) from Sydney University. She is a member of the Bioenergy Association of NZ and has a strong passion for humanitarian engineering, working with the likes of Engineers Without Boarders Australia.

Insa is a member of Carbon and Energy Professionals NZ, been an ambassador for Engineering NZ's Wonder Project igniting STEM in Kiwi kids and Engineers Australia Women in Engineering, increasing female participation in engineering.

PUBLISHER

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CONTRIBUTORS

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Business East Tamaki, Ian Walsh, Adam Sharman, Catherine Lye, Mark Devlin, Ross Thompson

David O’Connor

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NZ Manufacturer ISSN 1179-4992

Vol.16 No.4 May 2024

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.

EMEX is a big deal…

Because

it is the premier trade fair in the country

for the manufacturing sector. Where visitors can see the best of the best all in one place.

An example of an exhibitor is Datum Machines Ltd of Wellington, a manufacturer, who has been designing and engineering over 18 months the Series One Gantry Mill CNC machine from the ground up.

This machine is for companies wanting to add CNC automation to their production workflow and increase productivity. At an extremely competitive price.

A labour of love, devotion and lots of money, the machine, an example of great Kiwi ingenuity, is on display at EMEX 2024, on Stand 4115.

As much as it is an event to discuss business – buying or selling, export opportunities etc – it also benefits visitors who want to discuss industry trends and share stories of success.

New Zealand has a rich history of inventions and product development, something that became clear to me a little while back when I produced for this show’s organisers a History of Manufacturing in New Zealand document which went back as far as the early 1900’s.

Today’s innovators, using different technologies and equipment, manufacturing for the needs of the times, have a rich history to fall back on, on the path to success.

So, let’s keep manufacturing strong. We certainly do have our challenges in today’s environment. But they are only challenges. We adapt, we change, we keep moving forward.

We keep making the next ‘big thing.’

Doug Green , Publisher

Success Through Innovation

NZ Aero inks multi-million-dollar deal with Royal Thai Air Force

New Zealand’s aeronautical sector is set for a multi-million-dollar export boost following the signing of an agreement to supply Thai Aviation Industries Co., Ltd (TAI) who provide aircraft maintenance for the Royal Thai Air Force.

A new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between Thai Aviation Industries Co., Ltd (TAI), a leading maintenance, repair, and operations organisation (MRO) in Thailand and, NZAero, New Zealand’s only commercial aircraft manufacturer, will provide for the exclusive supply of parts as well as collaborating to expand TAI’s MRO capability for the service and repair of Government aircraft in Thailand.

Stephen Burrows, CEO of NZAero, says Thailand’s government has launched plans to create a world-class aviation hub for the Asia-Pacific region.

He says Thailand has the second-largest economy in ASEAN and an annual defence budget of over $10bn.

“The new multi-year agreement signed between Thai Aviation Industries Co., Ltd and NZAero is set to triple the value of parts and maintenance exports to that market and help strengthen our relationship so that as their existing fleets are phased out, our new utility aircraft are seen as a viable replacement.

“The deal will see NZAero supply a range of over 800 parts for Thailand’s CT4 Airtrainer fleet, for use in military training operations.

“Other Kiwi aviation repair firms will also benefit

from regular maintenance contracts to overhaul engines. A single engine could cost up to $100,000 to overhaul and Thailand has two dozen of these aircraft in use,” he says.

Burrows says while NZ has a 50-year history as an aviation supplier to Thailand - with their air force having purchased 72 New Zealand-made aircraft and millions of dollars of parts, this is the first time an exclusive parts and service agreement has been formalised in this way.

He says the opportunity to grow the existing supply relationship between New Zealand and Thailand will represent a multi-million-dollar boost to the sector’s export earnings and could see the creation of dozens more jobs and significant expansion of the local industry.

“Thailand’s investment in their aviation industry is expected to be significant over the short term. The country is committed to defence force modernisation and allocates around $1.8bn to its air force each yearpresenting a significant opportunity for New Zealand to expand its share of a rapidly growing market.

“In addition, the Thai government wants its commercial aviation sector to become a key regional hub within the next five years and has ambitious plans to transform its major airports in Bangkok and Phuket. We anticipate other opportunities for New Zealand to support this aspiration as their industry

grows,” he says.

Burrows says defence spending in Southeast Asia is expected to rise by billions of dollars in the coming years and New Zealand-designed aeronautical technology has a growing role to play in supporting the military-led humanitarian needs of its regional partners - as well as helping to address the impact of climate change.

“In countries like Thailand where the heat index can reach as high as 54°C, precipitation is becoming less frequent and droughts are more prevalent and intense, air quality and climate change are the nation’s leading environmental concerns.

“At the start of every year Thailand’s Department of Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation initiates a cloud-seeding programme to stimulate artificial rain and dampen down fine particulates in the air caused by vehicle emissions and agricultural practices, as well as mitigating dry weather conditions in the main crop-growing areas.

continued on Page 19

title

How crisis-ready are New Zealand’s manufacturing brands?

text

With health and safety laws focused on holding senior managers accountable in the event of a workplace injury or fatality, manufacturers can find themselves defending themselves on multiple fronts. NZ Manufacturer business advisor and Impact PR reputation consultant Mark Devlin looks at how companies can proactively prepare to manage brand risk in the face of a crisis.

Despite an ever-present array of events that may form the catalyst for negative publicity, for most companies brand and reputation risk management remains elusive - until an incident or crisis occurs.

We have all seen examples of a reactionary approach to crisis management played out in news mediawhere an event that could have been contained has led to significant and unnecessary damage to a brand.

From the perspective of a manufacturer, a crisis can be anything that has the potential to damage the company’s brand.

Some years ago a small aircraft had experienced mechanical difficulties and crashed into the side of a warehouse. Staff were evacuated to the footpath while managers stood inside inspecting the damage.

In the meantime, TV reporters arrived at the scene and sought out someone to get a comment from for their evening news bulletin. As they were also kept behind the cordon they interviewed the closest and most accessible company representative which happened to be a worker - whose job just a couple of hours ago had been loading trailers.

Free of any constraints and excited to be on TV, the staff member answered the questions candidly and without the normal checks and oversight process that might have been expected from one of the executives.

The interview aired on the TV news at 6 PM that night and was subsequently followed up by national news media.

While this scenario was unlikely to have been prepared for, a proactive planning process would have ensured that only designated company representatives would speak to media.

A lack of crisis planning is the equivalent of trying to find your way out of a smoke-filled room without an illuminated exit sign - you might get in there in the end but not without sustaining some long-term damage.

In our capacity as reputation consultants, my agency has supported companies through a diverse range of crises. These have included everything from manufacturing fatalities and injuries through to, United Airlines during 9/11, Virgin Galactic’s test

space flight crash, marine oil spills, food recalls, errant behaviour by company-sponsored athletes and executives as well as factory closures and redundancies.

While too often we are called at the eleventh hour to support organisations during a crisis, there are however proactive steps that manufacturers can take to protect their reputation. The first is spending some time understanding what incidents present the highest risk for New Zealand manufacturers.

According to latest WorkSafe data, over the past decade, a worker or member of the public has died as a result of a workplace accident in the manufacturing sector on average every four months. Most often this is as a result of being hit by a moving object (58%), a vehicle incident (21%) or a fall (16%).1

The manufacturing sector also has the second highest number of notifiable injuries, where someone becomes seriously ill or is seriously injured as a result of work - averaging 44 per month over the past year.

The challenge for a manufacturer resulting from a workplace injury or fatality is navigating the very public subsequent investigation process and legal action that can follow under the Health and Safety at Work Act.

Understandably the legal framework of the Act focuses companies on adherence to guidelines that protect the health and safety of staff. But what about protecting the brand’s health and longevity?

A poorly managed crisis can be devastating for a company and its future financial performance. Ultimately this puts jobs at risk.

At the same time, when a company is not seen to manage a workplace accident well, this can impact on its ability to attract and retain staff.

As part of the preventative model, the circumstances and prosecution proceedings around an injury or fatality in the workplace are designed to serve as a clear directive to others in the industry and are often published in the media.

During an investigation individual directors under the spotlight may act first to mitigate their personal liability, with less concern for the long-term impact

on the company brand.

In an attempt to shift the perception of responsibility for an incident, legal advisors acting for the senior managers may also provide advice that is not well aligned with the needs of the company that employed them.

Lawyers for the manufacturer may also advocate for saying the least about the case publicly. The challenge from a brand perspective is how to maintain the integrity of the brand when you are limited in how transparent you can be.

With the immediacy of news and social media it is essential that a business takes the time to create an issues management plan, much the same way they would a marketing plan.

This Crisis Management Plan should be drafted by a public relations professional who will conduct an audit of your current practices, identify any potential issues and establish guidelines to assist you when things go awry.

At the very least this plan should also include key personnel who are media trained and have the authority to speak on behalf of the company with updated contact details including after-hours numbers.

Your PR consultant can also advise on utilising real-time media monitoring tools to track mentions of your brand in the news or on social media platforms.

1.Fatalities summary | WorkSafe. (n.d.). https://data. worksafe.govt.nz/graph/summary/fatalities

There are no silver bullets to sustained productivity

-Ian Walsh, Argon & Co

It’s great to see the recent upsurge in discussions regarding the need for New Zealand to be more productive. This discussion is long overdue. The problems with New Zealand’s productivity have been masked by employees working harder for longer hours, and a surge in immigration providing excess labour, rather than working smarter.

This has kicked the productivity problem down the road, and masked the reality that almost all other countries in the OECD are more productive per labour hour than we are. It is a shame that we’ve waited until we’ve run out of levers to pull, the platform to burn, and for our economy to be in arguably its worst shape ever for us to confront this brutal reality.

As ever in these situations there are many peddling solutions looking for a problem. They offer silver bullets with IT and digital solutions, which look great in demonstrative environments but often don’t deliver fully when implemented.

With that said, this does identify a further problem - that we are behind in digital adoption, investment in R&D and technology. However, to suggest that by addressing the digital adoption gap we will also address the productivity gap is somewhat erroneous. Digital solutions aim to automate or improve the efficiency of existing processes and ways of working, and these tools can enhance productivity when successfully implemented with careful planning, training, and change management.

However, to be effective these tools need efficient, consistent physical practices and operational processes to work alongside and model. This is where these solutions aren’t replicating the success of the demo environments they’re sold on – the real operations of our businesses aren’t the tidy and optimally-structured brainchildren of software developers.

They’re chaotic factories, reactive back offices, haphazard warehouses, and on-the-fly solutions of decision makers just looking to get products or services out the door.

Digital solutions are icing, but we don’t have the cake.

For real success we need to have the right macro-economic conditions working in tandem with our business leaders who are willing to adapt to more competitive ways of working and lead change to create the right culture for best practice to become second nature.

This will enable all the benefits of digital technologies to be realised. The culture and technology need to work in unison so the realised productivity benefits are formed on strong foundations not quicksand.

As mentioned before, we need to have the right macro-economic conditions. This involves systemically embedding productivity-based thinking in NZ. We need to get clear alignment with key stakeholders: government, universities, business, banking and our communities.

It’s poignant to note that this is exactly what Japan did post World War 2: they established a specific ministry to drive collaboration amongst these stakeholders. The development of best practices (through Toyota and others) was the primary outcome, and then automation and digitisation.

It is encouraging to see we now have a minister of small business and manufacturing, and an advisory group with business owners and leaders providing input as to business needs. These are positive steps heading in the right direction. But it’s important not lose sight of the prize in pursuit of quick fixes when a rigorous systemic approach will deliver long term sustainable competitive advantage.

We have a mountain to climb, lets do this together for a better future for NZ.

FactoryTalk DataMosaix puts data at the centre

Rockwell Automation has released a solution that puts a company in control of how it will perform in the future.

According to the World Economic Forum, in 2021 industries created, captured, copied and consumed 74 zettabytes of data – by 2023 that was estimated to rise to 130 zettabytes with one zettabyte equal to a trillion gigabytes. This rapidly growing volume of data is causing serious problems for organisations.

While most sectors have seen rapid growth in data analytical solutions, industrial automation has been an exception.

This is the case even though production data holds the key to insights into operational performance. Huge volumes of data on their own are not meaningful and engineers can spend up to 60 percent of their time gathering, cleaning, and collating data rather than driving insights.

Putting data at the centre

Rockwell Automation is taking a unique approach to address this issue. “Data is the centre of our strategy,” said Manish Jain, strategy leader – data, AI, and edge computing, Rockwell Automation. “Data needs to be organised, structured, and analysed to unlock insights that drive value for companies.”

The company recently unveiled Factory Talk Data Mosaix which contextualises and merges engineering technology data with OT and IT data into one solution with the goal of full production automation.

“AI will drive this process, but it needs valid data and good analytics,” said Jain. For example, data can provide insights into root cause analysis and future predictions, and function as a single source of truth to solve challenging problems. By integrating data from any vendor and all parts of the production system, it will make data available, meaningful, and useful so that standard applications and custom app development platforms can make data valuable.

Manufacturers will be able to extract more value from their data by making complex industrial data easy to access and understand. Importantly, FactoryTalk DataMosaix provides the capability to use and re-use data across a variety of applications.

Generative AI for rapid app creation

Rockwell Automation provides solutions from the device level through to the cloud. The company has taken a holistic view and developed software for every level – controller, edge, data ops, and application.

A major trend spreading across industry is the growing use of retrieval-augmented generation or knowledge graphs, an AI framework that categorises data from all sources of knowledge to improve the quality of responses

This natural language processing technique is commonly used to make large language models more accurate and up to date. “The challenge is to create a more unified data model with generative AI, and this will lead to more rapid new app creation,” said Jain.

Another significant development transforming the industry is the rise of low-code/no-code platforms to drive rapid development. Users are provided with visual software development environments where they can drag and drop program components, link them, and watch what occurs.

According to Gartner’ Research, by 2025, 70 percent of new apps built by enterprises will use low-code or no-code technologies.

The exponential growth of data also necessitates the need for solutions to solve latency issues associated with voluminous data processing. By processing data at the network edge, manufacturers can collect and analyse data locally, allowing for real-time decision-making.

FactoryTalk DataMosaix contextualises and merges engineering technology data with OT and IT data into one solution with the goal of full production automation

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What is Industry 4.0?

Industry 4.0 refers to the fourth industrial revolution taking place right now. This revolution is driven by the convergence of digital technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), augmented and virtual reality, 3D printing and more. Adopting these technologies is enabling manufacturers to enhance their performance, output, monitoring, quality and control on a global scale.

The Industry 4.0 Demonstration Network

The challenge for New Zealand businesses starting out on their Industry 4.0 journey is knowing when, how and what technologies to adopt to improve efficiency, quality, documentation, business intelligence and sustainability.

Where do I start?

This Government initiative enables Kiwi manufacturers to experience Industry 4.0 technologies first-hand via nationwide showcase events, manufacturing site visits, interacting with and learning from industry leaders.

THE FUTURE OF MANUFACTURING IS HERE

THE SMART FACTORY SHOWCASE

The Smart Factory Showcase is a free, interactive session designed to demystify and break down Industry 4.0 with a world leading NZ example. The session will highlight how incorporating smart technologies improves efficiencies, productivity, connectivity, solves common manufacturing issues and streamlines systems and processes. The Showcase provides an ideal introduction to kick-start or progress your own Industry 4.0 journey.

Who should attend

This event is designed for CEO’s, Digital Technology Managers, Operations Managers, Design Engineers and Managers seeking an in-depth understanding of the latest available technologies for businesses. It is a valuable forum to get buy-in from stakeholders and the events are relevant across all sectors. Teams are encouraged to attend together.

What to expect

The Smart Factory Showcase highlights Nautech Electronics’ Auckland facility and what the future of advanced manufacturing looks like – You will be inspired, gain powerful insights to enhance your manufacturing agility and be armed with the knowledge to join the Industry 4.0 revolution.

Showcases

It can really help by providing concrete examples of how you can actually apply this stuff and get value from it, and network with others to find out what they’re doing to implement Industry 4.0

Mitchell Sanson, Engineering Manager, Hansa Products

Harm reduction to take centre stage at EMEX 2024

The Employers and Manufacturers Association (EMA) says it will be using its presence at EMEX 2024 this month to promote the urgent need for manufacturers to work together to help improve the sector’s health and safety record.

EMA Head of Advanced Manufacturing Jane Finlayson says that the manufacturing sector has one of the country’s highest rates of workplace injury and there has not been the improvement in workplace harm that has been seen in other sectors such as construction and primary industries.

“Simply put, too many manufacturing workers are being harmed at work. In fact, you are twice as likely to be injured working in a manufacturing environment in New Zealand than you are in Australia, and the economic and social cost is too high,” says Jane.

“Every year there are about 30,000 injuries in the manufacturing sector and ACC pays out $50 million for acute injuries resulting in more than 240,000 lost workdays. But it’s not just about the economic costs. Each injury can have an impact on an individual, a family, and a community,

“It also has a huge business impact, affecting productivity and morale. No one wants to see an employee, or a colleague, injured or seriously hurt at work.

“That is why we’ve launched Project Whakahaumaru with support from ACC. This project aims to bring the sector together to develop a five-year action plan to reduce harm and improve the health, safety, and wellness of everyone working in manufacturing.

Jane says the team are looking forward to engaging with manufacturers at EMEX to hear their ideas and encourage them to get involved in the project and share their experiences.

“We don’t pretend to have the answers. The reasons for the high rates of harm

in manufacturing are complex and, to achieve meaningful change, we need all parts of the sector working together to help understand the problems and find solutions.

“The first phase of the project is focussed on research and looking at what works, as well as listing and understanding the experience of all those in the sector.

“EMEX is a fantastic opportunity to start this conversation with manufacturers from across the country. We will also be launching a major survey shortly, targeting leaders and workers in the sector to better understand the experience on the ground as well as the challenges they face.

“This will help inform the development of an evidence-based action plan for the sector, built on practical interventions that manufacturers can implement to reduce risk and prevent harm in their workplace.

“If you’re attending EMEX, we would really encourage you to come and talk to the team at the EMA stand to learn more about the project and how you can become involved,” says Jane.

EMA Chief Executive Brett O’Riley will also be delivering the opening presentation as part of the EMEX speaker series, where he will talk about the current challenges and opportunities facing the manufacturing sector.

“Manufacturing is incredibly important to the New Zealand economy, contributing over $23 billion and employing 12% of our workforce,” says Brett.

“But the sector has been struggling since the pandemic with supply disruptions, cost pressures and a global economic slowdown. And when manufacturing is struggling, so does the economy.

“While things are a bit downbeat at present, I am incredibly optimistic about the future manufacturing. Industry 4.0 technology has the potential to transform the sector and New Zealand is full of innovative manufacturers who are leading the world in what they are doing. We just need to back them to succeed.

“That means getting the policy settings right, creating the right investment settings and supporting them to access to new markets. How we do this will be the focus of my presentation. If we get this right, there is no reason manufacturing can’t be the driver of our economic future.”

The relentless pursuit of “Better, Faster, Smarter”

-Catherine Lye, CEO, Advanced Manufacturing Aotearoa

Having arrived late to the viewing of the latest Netflix series, “Drive to Survive,” I couldn’t help but notice the striking parallels between Formula One and our manufacturing/engineering industry.

Both embody precision engineering, composites, CNC Machining, additive manufacturing, artificial intelligence, and, crucially, teamwork. Manufacturing is a team sport.

Across manufacturing, achieving industry “fit for purpose” embodies the essential quest to align skills with the sector’s dynamic purpose-driven landscape. This necessitates a concerted effort towards upskilling the workforce, ensuring that competencies seamlessly merge with the industry’s fast-changing needs and objectives.

Whether embracing advanced technologies, sustainable practices, or fostering innovation, being “fit” demands a workforce adept at navigating the intricate demands of a purpose-driven business.

From mastering cutting-edge machinery to embracing sustainable production methods, the journey towards industry fitness entails a commitment to continuous learning and adaptation. Ultimately, by cultivating a workforce equipped with the right skills and mindset, manufacturing can assert its relevance, efficacy, and sustainability in fulfilling its broader purpose within the global economy – economic development, driving productivity, employment, a vehicle for social development, entrepreneurship and wealth creation.

Fostering innovation and technological advancement, acting as a catalyst for progress across various sectors, driving growth and enhancing societal well-being on a local, regional and global scale.

We must reimagine manufacturing for the next generation. They are the future drivers of our factories. Younger people are seeking problems to solve.

You hear stories about them wanting to be YouTube SuperStars, Influencers, but they are just as serious as well as anyone else about earning good money and doing what they can to change and make a difference in the world.

Manufacturing presents an intriguing and interesting career choice for them – a change to innovate and

solve problems in new ways.

To ensure industry competitiveness, we must invest significantly in skills, schools and curriculum. This includes preparing individuals for future challenges and opportunities, fostering curiosity, adaptability, and a willingness to learn, unlearn, relearn.

Experience is no longer the sole criteria; adaptability and modern workplace skills are paramount.

Explaining the concept of industry and its new jobs to students is challenging. Yet, by opening the doors of industry and allowing pupils to interact with the industrial environment, we reveal its diverse possibilities and opportunities, including engaging with digital technologies.

While technology certainly plays a significant role in modern manufacturing, it’s not replacing people but rather augmenting their capabilities and improving efficiency.

Automation, robotics, artificial intelligence, and other technological advancements have transformed many aspects of manufacturing, streamlining processes, increasing productivity, and enhancing product quality. However, these technologies still require human oversight, intervention, and creativity to operate effectively.

In fact, as technology advances, the need for skilled workers who can understand, operate, and maintain these sophisticated systems becomes even more critical. Workers with expertise in areas such as programming, data analysis, and robotics are in high demand in today’s manufacturing sector. Moreover, human workers bring qualities such as adaptability, problem-solving skills, and emotional intelligence to the table—qualities that are difficult for machines to replicate. They are essential for handling unexpected challenges, collaborating with colleagues, and providing personalized attention to customers.

Overall, while technology has undoubtedly changed the manufacturing landscape, people remain indispensable to the industry’s success.

It’s about finding the right balance between leveraging technological advancements and harnessing the unique abilities of human workers to drive innovation and competitiveness in manufacturing.

The government has set an ambitious goal of doubling export value over the next ten years. The manufacturing sector contributes 60% to New Zealand’s total export value. To double export value, we must focus on smart innovation, smart technology, and nurturing smart individuals.

Smart innovation involves reimagining products and services with efficiency and sustainability in mind. Smart technology integrates cutting-edge solutions like AI, automation, IOT to streamline processes and improve competitiveness.

However, the true catalyst lies in fostering smart individuals – entrepreneurs, engineers, skilled workers – who drive transformation forward with their expertise, creativity and adaptability. Together they propel the exponential growth necessary to achieve the ambitious goal of doubling export value. Join Advanced Manufacturing Aotearoa and Hanga Aro Rau at EMEX – the morning of 28th May - as we lead a panel discussion with Sarah Ramsay – CEO, United Machinists, Les Roa – Director, Longveld, Dion Orbell – Chief People Officer, Buckley Systems and Laurie Kubiak – CEO, Nautech Electronics.

The focus will be on innovation of workforce development the learning challenge: How do we build a solution that takes people on this journey and prepares them for something that isn’t even here yet?

Advanced Manufacturing Aotearoa will be situated in the EMEX 2024 Innovation Quarter on Stand 1011. I look forward to meeting you 28th – 30th May.

PRESENTS ADVANCED FIBER LASER MACHINES

With number of Fiber laser machines operational in the country. PPT offers you the NZ local installation, timely ongoing support, and training

These machines are used to process Mild Steel, Stainless Steel, Aluminum

Sheet Fiber Laser cutting machine

Sheet size: 1300x900 mm

Laser Power: 1kW

Model: LF1390

Full Size Sheet Gantry

Fiber Laser Cutting machine

Sheet size: 12,000x2,500 mm or 6,000 x 2,500 mm

Laser Power: 6kW-12kW

Model: GWK12025SL, GWK6025SL

Sheet size: 1500 x 3000 mm

Laser Power: 2kW or 3kW

Model: LF3015GA II

Tube Fiber Laser cutting machine

Tube size: 9000mm , 6000mm

Model: GKS -9024T2, GKS-6024T2

2000W Air-cooled Handheld L aser 2 in 1 Welder/Cutter

New Zealand's

28-30 May 2024

28-30 May 2024

Auckland Showgrounds

Auckland Showgrounds

Haas Machinery 4040

HGM - High Grade Metals (8/4/24) 4062

Hi-Tech Metrology 2050

Hytools NZ 3017

ifm Electronic 3025

Inductotherm 2047

Industrial Dynamics 2025

Industrial Laser 2095

Industrial Lubricants & Serices 3047

Industry 4.0 Mobile Showcase 1044

Insertech 4065

Intermach 3090

Invenio 2063

Involute Powergear 4209

IP Enclosures 3001

Jacks 4045

Jaideep Machine Tools 4206

Jayashree Electro Devices 2206

Jayashree Electron 2205

Jonel Hydraulics 2023

Kaeser 1040

Kemppi 2008

Kingmaker Overseas 4203

Lakeland Engineered Projects 3020

LAP - Laser ET7

Leap Australia 1030

Light Force 3018

Linak 2046

LMAC 1014

Logiq Group 2043

MAC Engineering 4120

MachineryHouse 4017

Machines R Us 4090

Machinetech 3009

Magnify Consulting 1032

Make NZ 1068

Makerspace 2077

Marvel Engineers & Traders 4210

Marvle 3D 2002

Matrix Design Group 1033

McDiarmid Institute 1037

MCL Packaging ET5

MESNZ 1053

Metal-Spray Suppliers 2010

Milhard Sales 4205

Mindkits 1064

Mitutoyo 3068

Monocrane 2056

Motion Design 1042

Motion Solutions 2092

Mountain Adventure 1061

Mulcahy Engineering 3004

National Springs & Wire 3042

Nautech * 1065

Nemesys 1029

NRB Hydraulics 2049

Nyx Robotics 3006

NZ Duct & Flex 2060

NZ Engineering News 3095

NZ Machine Tools 3075

NZ Safety Blackwoods 2040

OptimySME 1009

Paul Tools & Vises 4213

PaySauce 1045

PB Tech 2035

Permark 2022

Phoenix Contact 2037

Pilz 4020

Plazmax 3055

Powerbox Pacific Ltd ET25

Professional CAD Systems 2038

ProSoft 2079

Punchtooling NZ 3067

RAM 3D 3022

RF Test Solutions 2078

Rittal 1015

RoadRunner 3070

Rocket IT / Hackerguard 3023

Rockwell Automation 2076

Rostech 3040

Rugged Tabs ET4

Saikan International 4201

SanPro 4060

Sar Tools Bags (SP International) 4202

Scott Machinery 3080 + 4010

Synergy Electronics ET23

Syntech Surface Finishing 3060

Tasa Micro Special Purpose Machines 2203

Taupaki Technologies 1001

Te Pukenga / Competenz 1063

Tele-Radio ET8 TenTech 1066

Texelq Engineering India 4204 T-Flex NZ 1025 TimeCloud 1005

Torks ET15 Total CNC 4050 Treotham 2048 Tricab 1070 Trimate Industries 4055

Triton Laser Solutions 4120

Trotec Laser 2006

Tui Technology 2042

United Machinists 1056

University of Auckland - Formula FSAE 4135

UoA - CD&AM Lab / Lab for 4.0

Smart Manufacturing/TAU 1069

V2 Novatech 4207

Valgro India 2204

Vicom 2021

Viking 3010

ViscoTec Asia Pte. Ltd. ET14

Wheelco ET12

Whitelaw Machinery 3049

Windsor Engineering Group 2081

Wiresplus Automation & Electrical ET3

Workforce Development Council (Hanga Aro Rau) 1046

XL Structural 2053

XPO Exhibitions 3015

Zenith Tecnica 2052

Manufacturing Futures Speaker Series

Tuesday

28 May 2024

Tuesday 28 May 2024

Brett O’Reilly

11.00 – 11.45 Brett O’Reilly EMA NZ Manufacturing Sector – A Call to Action

11.45 – 12.30 Samantha McNaughton WDC Manufacturing Productivity Advisory Group Panel Discussion

11.45 – 12.30 Samantha McNaughton WDC Manufacturing Productivity Advisory Group Panel Discussion

13 - 13.45 Dr. Natalie Plank MacDiarmid Institute

Levelling Up: Training Tomorrow’s Advanced Technologies Workforce

13 - 13.45 Dr. Natalie Plank MacDiarmid Institute Levelling Up: Training Tomorrow’s Advanced Technologies Workforce

13.45 – 14.30 Catherine Lye Advanced Manufacturing Aotearoa

13.45 – 14.30 Catherine Lye Advanced Manufacturing Aotearoa

14.30 –15.15 Callaghan Innovation What a good day in the factory looks like

14.30 –15.15 Ivo Gorny Callaghan Innovation What a good day in the factory looks like

15.15 –16.00 Oliver McDermott – Blender

15.15 –16.00 Oliver McDermott – Blender New Product Development - From Prototype to Scalable Production

New Product Development - From Prototype to Scalable Production

Wednesday 29 May 2024

11.00 – 11.45 James Tennent Tentech

11.00 – 11.45 James Tennent Tentech Making CAD Data Management Sexy..

11.45 – 12.30 Joseph Cockcroft Procadsys An introduction to 3D Scanning

13.00 – 13.45 James Richarson Caliber Design The Future of Mechanical Engineering - World Class Innovation in NZ

13.45 – 14.30 Adam Sharman and Nathan Hay

11.45 – 12.30 Joseph Cockcroft Procadsys An introduction to 3D Scanning Caliber Design and Nathan Hay

Building a strong Data Foundation to Accelerate a Digital Manufacturing Strategy

Building a strong Data Foundation to Accelerate a Digital Manufacturing Strategy

14.30 – 15.15 Jason Lay Solid Consulting Rapid Learning Cycles

14.30 – 15.15 Jason Lay Solid Consulting Rapid Learning Cycles

Accelerate your Time to Market and make better Product Development Decisions

Accelerate your Time to Market and make better Product Development Decisions

Thursday 30 May

Thursday 30 May

11.00 – 11.45 Prof. Geoff Willmott University of Auckland Deep Tech and Manufacturing in New Zealand

11.45 – 12.30

University of Auckland

New Zealand's Premier Manufacturing & Engineering Solutions Event

11.45 – 12.30 Prof. Olaf Diegel UOA Centre of Advanced Materials Manufacturing and Design Working with VisyPET abd CAMEX to develop more efficient injection moulding tools

Manufacturing and Design Working with VisyPET abd CAMEX to develop more efficient injection moulding tools

13.00 – 13.45 Aaron Reid Callaghan Innovation AI for Manufacturing

13.00 – 13.45 Aaron Reid Callaghan Innovation AI for Manufacturing

13.45 -14.30 Prof. Sarah Walton University of Otago

13.45 -14.30 Prof. Sarah Walton University of Otago Navigating the Carbon Footprint Calculation: A Guide for Sustainable Business Practices

Navigating the Carbon Footprint Calculation: A Guide for Sustainable Business Practices – Lab for Industry 4.0 Smart Manufacturing Systems

14.30 – 15.15 Prof. Xun Xu and Dr.Jan Polzer – Lab for Industry 4.0 Smart Manufacturing Systems Digital Manufacturing Light - A Tailored Approach to Improve the Productivity of SME’s

NZ made gantry mill machine doesn’t cost the earth

Auckland Showgrounds

DATUM Machines Ltd, who are exhibiting at EMEX 2024, have, over 18 months, designed and engineered the Series One Gantry Mill CNC machine from the ground up.

The result is a rigid and versatile machine. A steel and composite core construction means reduced resonance and vibration giving better machining accuracy, excellent finish quality and a longer tool life across a wide range of materials including plastics, composites, brass, aluminium and steel.

HALL 1

The DATUM DGM-S1 Gantry Mill design is unique in its class in New Zealand. Its material range and precision machining ability outperforms any locally available CNC machine of its size and price range. As Datum Machines Ltd uses their machines to make their machines, they know what the machines are capable of!

The versatility of this Gantry Mill CNC machine, combined with its compact size and touch screen operation, makes this an ideal solution for a wide range of users such as, sole traders, artists, prototypers, designers and small manufacturers.

The full enclosure for chip containment and operator safety means this CNC machine is also a suitable educational tool for high schools, technical colleges, and training institutions.

Priced under $50K this is a reliable and affordable Aotearoa New Zealand made Gantry Mill machine for anyone wanting to add CNC automation to their production workflow and increase productivity.

The DATUM DGM-S1 Gantry Mill machine will be on display at EMEX 2024 Visit them at Stand 4115. www.Datum-cnc.com

An ideal solution for a wide range of users

EECA (The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority) has published a list of approved smart EV chargers to help consumers identify the most efficient options for both residential and commercial use.

Among the EECA-approved chargers are the VIARIS EV chargers—Combi+ and Uni — recognized for their efficiency and advanced features.

They are especially recommended for residential use in single-family homes or communal car parks, and for tertiary sector car parks in office buildings, shopping centres, hotels, companies, hospitals, etc.

The VIARIS COMBI+ stands out as the most versatile model among the VIARIS EV charger range. It is compatible with all Type 2 vehicles. With its seamless installation process and user-friendly interface, it proves to be an ideal choice for various environments. It also gives the flexibility to choose from a range of outlets/hoses with power options ranging from 2 times 7.4 kW to 2 times 22 kW.

The options are 5m, 10m hoses, and socket outlets. Its SPL-ORBIS Intelligent Charge Modulation System can communicate with 248 Orbis EV Chargers or up to 496 electric vehicles.

Its load modulator monitors the energy consumption and adjusts power demand to optimise the highest charge within the shortest possible period, without exceeding the supply capacity. The charger also provides a high level of protection to the vehicle’s batteries and the installation in general.

• Multiple outlets

• 3-year warranty

• Automatic load modulation

• Charging mode 3

• SPL Load analyser – Charge up to 496 vehicles

• Built in DC protection

• WIFI, RFID and Ethernet as standard (4G optional)

• App for Android and iOS

VIARIS UNI

VIARIS COMBI+

Kemppi launches innovative all-in-one weld and clean machine to set a new industry benchmark

Leading international welding equipment manufacturer, Kemppi, has released a groundbreaking machine that delivers high-quality ACDC TIG welding and professional weld cleaning capability in the one unit, to set a new industry benchmark.

The unique Kemppi Minarc T 223 ACDC GM features built-in electrolytic weld cleaning. Welders can quickly convert a TIG torch to cleaning mode, where the new MAX WeldClean cleaning process uses an efficient combination of electric current and phosphoric acid to remove oxidation and discoloration fast for perfectly clean high-quality welds.

By combining weld cleaning with the ability to deliver quality welds in the one machine, the Minarc T 223 provides the welder with considerable convenience as they can perform both tasks in the one spot. This saves them precious time to help boost productivity and revenue.

Powerful and versatile, the new Minarc T 223 is a 220 A single-phase AC/DC TIG welding machine. This multi-voltage machine provides precise and accurate welding thanks to its highly stable arc.

The machine is also remarkably portable. Compact and lightweight, welders can easily carry the machine anywhere on site for fast, quality welding and cleaning.

Other practical features of the Kemppi Minarc T223 include:

Quality welding performance with AutoPulse

The AutoPulse with frequency control feature helps deliver fast, high-quality, low spatter welds. This capability ensures welders consistently achieve great looking welds, saving them both time and money.

Handy memory channels

The Minarc T 223 is also equipped with memory channels to customise and save personal settings. Welders can quickly retrieve settings for faster set up and greater productivity.

Easy to read display panel and control options for effortless operation

The T 223 features a large, colour LCD display panel with impact protection. The clear user interface is easy to read in different light conditions, and together with the intuitive control knob make choosing settings easier.

For greater convenience, the Minarc T 223 also comes with various remote

MAX WeldClean lets welders complete high-quality welds without using a separate weld cleaning machine. Just convert the TIG torch to cleaning mode and you are ready to go.

control options. In addition to the touch screen panel, welders can choose to contol their machine with the FR41 wired foot pedal or via the on-torch remote control.

Quality construction

Designed and made in Finland, the Minarc T 223 has been built to last. Robust and tough, it can absorb knocks and withstand challenging environments. Suitable for various welding tasks, the welder can use the machine to work in various industries including medical and food manufacturing.

“For the professional, busy welder, the Minarc T 223 is a genuine game-changer,” said Stuart. “Nothing else combines powerful welding performance with easy-to-use electrolytic weld cleaning in the one machine like the T 223 to empower the welder.”

For more information on the new Minarc T 223 ACDC GM welder call Matt Heron, Kemppi Regional Sales Manager, New Zealand on 64 (0) 220 200 626 or email matt.heron@kemppi.com

Its portable size makes the Minarc T 223 ACDC GM easy to carry. Welders can take it with them anywhere on-site for a convenient combination of powerful welding performance and easy-to-use electrolytic weld cleaning.

continued from Page 6

NZ Aero inks multi-million-dollar deal with Royal Thai Air Force

“This operation utilises a fleet of 30 rainmaking aircraft to ease the impact of climate change on the country’s farming sector and prevent hailstorms and forest fires in some regions of the country.

“We have recently launched our new SuperPac XSTOL (Extremely Short Take-Off and Landing) aircraft. With a 41% greater climb performance and 10% faster cruise speed than its predecessor, this model is specifically designed for high altitudes in hot and humid climates - allowing them to fly a 2,000kg payload over mountains at 4,000m, without impacting fuel efficiency.

“We would be able to migrate them from their current labour-intensive process where dry ice/salt are manually fed from sacks through a hole in an aircraft, to our new model which holds material in a dust-free hopper that can be released electronically using GPS or using pilot controls,” he says.

Burrows says the SuperPac provides an off-the-shelf model that can be rapidly reconfigured for humanitarian and defence roles including medivac, border patrol, aerial photography, Intelligence Search and Rescue, skydive deployment, rainmaking, pollution control, firefighting as well as passenger/freight, agricultural operations and geophysical survey.

“They could reduce their fleet size by about 50% with each SuperPac being capable of delivering twice the payload of their current aircraft and convert the aircraft from rain making to pollution control or even firefighting - within half an hour.

“We are also looking at customising rainmaking technology for this market using an aircraft-mounted flare able to be deployed from the back of the plane into the atmosphere, during droughts or periods of intense air pollution,” he says.

Burrows says they will also look to meet with defence force decision-makers and private aviation operators in Singapore and the Philippines.

The Philippines is set to increase their annual defence budget by over 50% to modernise their military in the next five years, similarly Singapore’s increase in defence spending in the coming year will be highest in over a quarter of a century.

Software provider to make sparks fly as they cut through inefficiencies at EMEX 2024

Two leading businesses in the laser cutting industry are converging at New Zealand’s largest industrial trade event, EMEX 2024, to offer a holistic solution that cuts through inefficiencies for their metal fabrication job shop.

International machinery dealer, Intermach will be at EMEX Stand 3090 from May 28-30, at Auckland Showgrounds.

Intermach is a versatile New Zealand based machinery trading company, specialising in both new and used laser cutting, fabrication, and engineering machinery from leading brands such as Amada, Trumpf, Bystronic, Prima, LVD, Penta, Farina, Gasparini, Safan Darley and more.

Australian-based and global-reaching laser cutting quoting company, Tempus Tools will be at the Intermach stand for customers who have decided to purchase a new machine, and want to look at software to streamline operations and increase quoting efficiency.

Tempus Tools is the designer of ToolBox, its cloud-based laser cutting quoting software. ToolBox can be set up with information on material price, cutting time, labour, and other relevant information, to generate quotes quickly and accurately. ToolBox typically cuts the time taken to

respond to quotes by more than half, and frees up skilled staff for other production priorities.

“The beauty of these complementary services is that customers who want a solution for their job shop can acquire a high quality laser cutting machine, and then look at the ideal software to produce quotes, saving them time and optimising their production,” says Tempus Tools Head of Global Sales, Mark Washington.

“Intermach’s Managing Director, Marc Baldwin, has

been supplying the New Zealand industry for more than 20 years, with more than 2,000 industrial sales in New Zealand alone, so you know he’s the real deal for industrial machinery,” he adds.

Laser cutting industry expertise

With more than 100 years of combined experience in its leadership team – extending from the job shop floor to the formation of entire laser cutting enterprises – Tempus Tools designed ToolBox to not only increase laser cutting quoting efficiency, but to integrate with other software programs, and to perform a range of functions in one, saving the need to purchase multiple subscriptions or programs.

“Our team lives and breathes laser cutting and metal fabrication, and it’s clear that Intermach does too,” says Mark.

“So for anyone looking for expert advice on what machine will best suit a job shop’s needs, including ongoing maintenance and support, come down to the Intermach stand 3090.”

“I’ll be there alongside the Intermach team to provide obligation-free demonstrations of our cloud-based ToolBox laser cutting quoting software, for anyone from a metal fabrication job shop that wants to look at optimising their efficiency, responding to quotes faster, and winning more work.”

Frank Maat of Rolleston Sheetmetal Engineering who achieves quoting precision with Tempus Tools, pictured with his laser supplied by Intermach New Zealand

Wellington manufacturers almost 20% more productive than the rest of NZ

Did you know this? Neither did we. Contributing to only 0.6% of the capital city’s GDP, manufacturing is a very small sector for the city. However, with 18.8% of the nation’s tech firms based in Wellington, the thriving tech sector creates a real strength for manufacturers to lean into.

Industry 4.0 is on the horizon – the utilisation of advanced technologies to create more efficient manufacturing processes – and Wellington manufacturers appear to be in the lead with harnessing this power.

Sean Doherty (Industry 4.0 Product Owner for Callaghan Innovation) is a key driver for Aotearoa’s advanced manufacturing industry and is currently facilitating showcases around the country as part of the Industry 4.0 Demonstration Network.

As part of this, the Mobile Showcase took place earlier this month designed purposefully to immerse attendees in Industry 4.0 technologies by facilitating a chocolate production line.

Wellington’s surprising pocket of manufacturing productivity represents “unique and promising potential” says Sean.

Industry 4.0 is a series of initiatives that bring together various technologies to create more efficient and interconnected manufacturing processes. Currently, the majority of New Zealand operates somewhere between Industry 2.0-3.0.

“Europe are already about ten years ahead of us in terms of their manufacturing, with their adoption of Industry 4.0 initiatives providing a significant upper hand” says Doherty.

“Wellington is in a unique position, where their small but mighty manufacturing sector are able to harness the city’s thriving tech sector to supercharge manufacturing.”

“Where uptake of Industry 4.0 may be slower around the rest of the country, it’s great to see that Wellington manufacturers are leading the charge to stay ahead of the curve.

“Productivity directly links to profitability,” with Industry 4.0 initiatives having the ability to increase labour productivity by 15-30%.

“Artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things and robotics are just a few examples of the smart products and processes that our Wellington tech sector can work with manufacturers to incorporate,” says Doherty.

“These Industry 4.0 initiatives create overwhelmingly positive impacts on productivity, profitability, quality of output, market competitiveness, and the ability to upskill workers.”

“Frankly, no matter how small the implementation is, you’d be shooting yourself in the foot not to look at how you can incorporate Industry 4.0.”

Automation1 2.7 introduces laser scan head controls

Aerotec has released a new version of the Automation1 motion control platform. Version 2.7 introduces fresh software updates and more support for drives and laser scan heads, including 3D data visualisation, new HMI customisation tools, improved development tools and Enhanced Scanner Control (ESC), a feature that allows laser scan head users to achieve higher peak speeds and throughput. Key updates in the Automation1 2.7 include:

• 3D Data Visualisation. The Automation1 Studio Data Visualiser tool now allows users to plot their motion in three dimensions (3D). Users can inspect 3D data with intuitive panning, scaling and cursor controls and add context to 3D data by viewing it concurrently with single-dimensional time-trace plots.

• Custom Modules. Users can customise HMIs more than ever with the Automation1 MachineApps HMI builder for Windows PCs. With the new Custom Module tool, they can develop HMI modules using .NET. These modules can be used with standard modules on any HMI screen designed with MachineApps.

• Improved Development Tools. Users can develop faster with Autmation1 Studio’s new program variables tab and global string variable support, which allow program variables and global string variables to be inspected as the user builds, optimizes and debugs application code.

• Custom Belt-Driven Stages. Motus 1 belt-driven stage support is now in the

machine setup wizard, with 95mm, 125mm and 170mm frame size options. These stages are unique in that they maximise payload and actuator speed, making them ideal for pick and place, part shuttling and gantry applications. These are in stock with Aerotech’s partner Motion Plus and available for quick shipping.

• Enhanced Scanner Control (ESC). This feature is advantageous to our laser scanhead customers. ESC enables our industry-leading scan heads to settle and accelerate faster, which leads to higher velocity motion. It also eliminates the need for “jump delays” and decreases tracking errors.

• Additional Improvements Include: Cutter offset compensation support, new task variables, INI file support, Modbus TCP/IP for drive-based controllers, an improved configure signals dialog, user-defined task errors and warnings, CNC features for MachineApps HMIs, improved sidebar modules, and Aeroscript and help improvements.

Form 4 reliable 3D printer for prototyping through production

Formlabs new flagship resin 3D printers sets a new standard for additive manufacturing with Formlabs’ proprietary new Low Force Display (LFD) print engine, updates to the company’s library of industry-leading resins, new automated post-processing, and an improved user experience.

Form 4 with five times faster print speeds will unlock new levels of productivity for product designers, engineers, manufacturers, healthcare professionals, and innovators to take design risks and accelerate time to market.

As the company’s fourth generation of desktop resin 3D printers, Form 4 takes performance to new levels by delivering blazing fast print speeds, extreme reliability, industry-leading material properties, excellent print quality, and intuitive operation.

Highlights

• Blazing fast print speeds: Prints two to five times faster than Form 3+ depending on material, enabling same-hour iteration or batch production with masked stereolithography (mSLA) technology.

o Complete most prints in under two hours and small parts in minutes of cycle time.

o Achieve maximum vertical print speeds of 100 mm per hour.

• LFD™ print engine: A departure from laser and galvanometer technology, Form 4 features an ultra high-power backlight (16 mw/cm2), proprietary release texture, Light Processing Unit 4 (LPU 4), and dual-layer, flexible film resin tank.

• Unmatched reliability: Industry-leading print success thanks to validated print settings, precision heating, force sensing, and debris detection.

• Stunning parts that always fit: With 50-micron pixels, highly collimated light, advanced pixel smoothing, and light touch supports, Form 4’s print quality is unmatched.

• Intuitive to use: Anyone can learn to print in 15 minutes – featuring automatic resin handling, instant material changes, automated post-processing, and quick release build platform technology.

• 40% lower cost per part: Delivering affordability with long-lasting resin tanks (75,000+ layers) and Light Processing Unit (1M+ layers), lower resin pricing, 30% larger print volume, and 3.5 times higher throughput.

Bruno Alves, Development Engineer AM/IM, Ford Motor Company, said, “Form 4’s speed and materials versatility enable us to create multiple

prototypes and manufacturing aids every day. The printer has already changed the way we design and produce parts, helping us drive efficiency in our product development.”

Form 4 is validated to use 17+ other performance materials from Formlabs’ materials library, with new materials to be added regularly. Form 4B, designed for innovative healthcare professionals in the dental and medical industries, is compatible with 15 additional biocompatible materials.

28-30 May 2024, Auckland Showgrounds

New Zealand's Premier Manufacturing & Engineering Solutions Event

Looking to exhibit? Get in contact: Aad van der Poel aad@xpo.co.nz | 021 314 199 EMEX.CO.NZ

Navigating technology trends

“Did you see the article about blockchain on the paper’s home page? I think we need blockchain, too.”

“We should give all our IT to an offshore system integrator—that will save a lot of money. Our competitors are doing the same thing.”

“We need to do something about generative AI right away!”

Many who work in IT have heard variations of these statements from well-meaning senior colleagues. And given how much technology underpins so many trends, as well as the increasing pace of innovation, IT leaders can expect to hear more of them and feel pressure to act on them.

Sometimes it makes a lot of sense to act quickly on a trend. Innovation, after all, is a hallmark of successful companies. But not all trends are created equal. The annals of many IT organisations are littered with bold initiatives in trends that created a lot of excitement but not much value.

Moving quickly to chase a trend often bogs an organisation down, leads to wasted spend, and takes attention away from important priorities.

For this reason, the ability to evaluate trends quickly and communicate their relevance to the business is becoming a critical capability for the modern CIO. In practice, it is rarely as simple as saying “yes” or “no” to investment in a particular trend.

Trends are unpredictable, change with time, and their relevance to a given business often waxes or wanes.

Instead, CIOs need a clear set of parameters to rely on both for evaluating trends and for determining which posture to take for engagement with them: first mover, fast follower, slow adopter, or sometimes non-partaker.

The four guides for determining a trend’s relevance

• Disruptive business value: The trend can result in measurable value to the business.

• Independence: The trend allows the organisation to work in smaller, more independent units.

• Connectivity: The trend reduces friction in the organisation’s connectivity.

• Extensibility: The trend can broadly shape and improve the organisation’s technology and management practices.

You don’t necessarily need a green light across each of these four parameters to make investment in a trend worthwhile. But if one of them comes up red or yellow, it’s worth taking a closer look before making a significant commitment.

And while trends often initially aim to address just one of these areas, their relevance and impact rise dramatically when they can be applied coherently to all four.

It’s worth emphasising that this evaluation isn’t a simple checklist. It requires rigor in the analysis, a willingness to review the analysis on its merits (without being influenced by how it might serve a narrow but favoured “pet” project”), and creativity—some trends aren’t particularly meaningful on their own, but in combination (virtualization and cloud, for example) can have greater potential.

Disruptive business value

Almost any trend or development has the potential to improve something in an organisation. The question is whether that improvement is worth what it costs. It’s important to understand the trade-offs.

You may save money or generate value in one area by adopting a certain trend, but will it cost you in another?

The most important points to determine are whether the value is to IT alone or to the business overall, whether that value is merely incremental or significant, and whether success is clearly measurable in KPIs.

If a trend improves an IT process but can’t be directly linked to a business advantage, then it’s probably not worth a significant investment.

For example, much of the benefit of cloud computing comes not from improvements to IT productivity but from how it accelerates and enables business processes and innovation.

Independence

One of the tech executive’s key challenges is that IT often has too many interdependencies, which leads to technical debt and administrative processes such as alignment meetings and process coordination—for example, when changes to the billing system depend on numerous other systems and development teams, meetings and delays are inevitable consequences.

The concept of “modularity” has been in vogue for almost two decades now, but the enthusiasm for it has generally not been matched in its implementation. APIs have certainly helped, but they don’t address the important organizational changes that also need to happen to reduce dependencies.

That’s where moving toward a product and platform operating model—where independent teams work on user-facing products while platform teams build capabilities to support them—can have significant impact.

Assessing how a trend can be profitably adopted and supported by either product or platform teams should be a critical criterion for evaluating its potential.

Connectivity

While independence is important, a trend that operates like a satellite on its own or divides the organisation up into disconnected units isn’t going to lead to at-scale impact. There is a difference between dependency, which isn’t good, and leverage, which is critical for delivering value.

That difference was clearly illustrated in enterprise service buses (ESBs), which afforded independence but required additional alignment and orchestration, sometimes through a single central team, which created a bottleneck.

Virtualisation is another trend that highlights the need to balance independence and connectivity.

In contrast, modern microservices patterns aim to both improve independence and clarify the interfaces and thus improve connectivity by reducing the need for communication or a central coordination mechanism.

“Improved connectivity” should not be misunderstood as more communications— that’s a recipe for creating more dependencies. Improved connectivity is often reached through more clarity on the interfaces, reducing the need for communication.

Extensibility

The impact of a technology trend increases with its applicability and coherence across the IT estate. A technology trend that touches only one part of the IT estate in isolation or is managed simply as a “tech product” does not often have the widespread impact that comes with true innovation. Impact often requires companies to think through both the technology and operational implications to open up the potential. Broad applicability is where you get to scale.

Virtualisation, microservices, or SaaS-based services, for example, were less successful when they were managed as a pure tech product. Only when combined with enabling factors on the operating side, such as agile, DevOps, and the necessary support structures (such as budgeting roles and HR support) did they have much greater impact.

Similarly, agile works best when all relevant parts of the company work in agile ways. (The impact of agile developer teams is improved when operations, for example, also work in agile ways, which is how we came to DevOps.)

The key question for the CIO, then, is how to adjust the technology estate to extend the range of applications across technology and the business.

As they say in comedy, timing is everything, and that’s just as true when it comes to trends. Going in on a trend too early or too late can sometimes be worse than doing nothing at all.

Just as important as evaluating a trend’s “bona fides”, according to the four parameters described above, is determining how best to engage with it.

Another great reason to understand your supply chain!

Are you 100% sure you know what’s in your supply chain? Do you fully understand the work practices involved?

Yes and yes? Then you’re in good shape to keep selling to the European Union when the new European Supply Chain Act takes effect. No and no? Then you’ve work to do!

New EU legislation will require many suppliers to EU companies to better manage their social and environmental impacts. Here’s the acronym: Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD or CS3D).

Even if you don’t trade with the EU, expect to see more focus on supply chains, right around the world. Why? Because supply chains are notorious sources of social and environmental ‘hotspots’. Wages below subsistence. Forced labour. Treacherous working conditions. Toxic chemicals. Polluted waterways. Deforestation. The list goes on.

The draft European Supply Chain Act

Read on for general information about the changes. What’s happening?

The European Parliament has voted for the draft bill. Parties are now negotiating a common position to pass the bill into law.

What’s the aim of the new law?

It’s one we can all sign up to: a fairer, safer, more sustainable global economy.

Who does the law cover?

It covers many larger companies based in the EU. Some companies outside the EU are covered if their EU turnover is large. Small and medium-sized businesses are not directly affected. However, the law will affect them if they supply to larger companies.

What does the law require?

Affected companies must manage social and environmental impacts across their value chains. (This is currently voluntary.) These value chains include the companies’ direct suppliers (maybe your business?) and indirect suppliers too (your business’ suppliers?) The law is stricter than most existing national legislation.

What does the law mean in practical terms?

Companies must set up processes and systems to identify actual or potential negative impacts on human rights and the environment and to prevent, reduce and fix these impacts. They must provide clear, publicly available information, including an annual report, and ensure everyone in their supply chain can raise complaints.

Larger companies must show how they will help meet the Paris Climate Agreement’s targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

When does it come into effect?

Once the law is passed (likely this year), EU states have two years to adopt it. Companies have up to five years to transition, depending on their size.

What are the penalties for EU companies?

They include heavy fines and civil action.

What this means for New Zealand manufacturers –and how you’ll benefit

If you supply to the EU

If you supply materials, intermediary goods or final goods to a company covered by the new law, you will need to show that you are actively managing your social and environmental impacts. There are many benefits.

1. Chances are you’ve invested many years and dollars building up your EU market. Don’t risk it!

2. You’ll be able to market your products confidently – in all markets. You may also be able to gain third-party certifications that build market share and brand loyalty.

3. Delving into your supply chain is likely to identify ways to reduce costs and improve your products and processes.

4. You’ll strengthen relationships. Investors favour companies that manage

their risks. Customers and suppliers want to trade with companies that are around for the long haul. Employees want to work for companies that have sustainability top-of-mind.

If you buy EU goods

The new regulations will help you manage your social and environmental impacts. You’ll also reduce the risk of a nasty shock, such as learning that your raw materials contain banned chemicals, and be able to market your products confidently.

How to prepare for the new legislation

Get started now!

1. Understand and manage the environmental impacts of your products

Consider doing a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to measure your products’ environmental footprints over their life cycles. An LCA provides data and benchmarks to help you understand and manage environmental impacts such as the carbon you release and water you use.

2. Understand and manage your supply chain

A responsible procurement framework will help you identify and manage potential risks. Include a supplier code of conduct to show your suppliers how they can help you meet your social and environmental standards. Use an annual questionnaire to let them explain how they run their businesses and what they expect of their own suppliers.

3. Work with your suppliers to reduce their impacts

Everyone wins. This is particularly important to reduce Scope 3 carbon emissions that come from the raw materials, goods and services you buy.

4. Double-check that you comply with all NZ laws

These include employment, health and safety and environment laws and climate disclosures.

5. Communicate – without greenwash

Enlist support from your suppliers, customers and team to help you keep improving.

www.thinkstep-anz.com

Photo credit: Getty images/thinkstep-anz

MIXO 300 A modules for high current applications

The growing energy consumption across the globe driven by the growing demand for efficient grid and regular load management, the surging increase of hybrid and electric vehicles and of an efficient and uninterrupted power supply has led to the rising demand for systems and equipment more efficient and more compact.

The newly introduced MIXO modules represent the ILME answer for high current connectors featuring 300 A and 1000 V rating.

The new connectors have been designed to meet the specific needs of the sector and are available in two variants:

Double frame slots modules for phase and PE connection, available in two sizes: 01 (regular), for 16 mm2 to 70 mm2 wire cross-section conductors and 01B (large), for 95 mm2 to 120 mm2, for an increased current carrying capacity.

Double frame slots modules for phase and PE connection designed with a special insulating plate and snap-in closing cover to provide an effective 360° finger-proof capability. The insulating plate can rotate and lock in with 90° increments around the module axis for maximum application flexibility.

Engineering Your Future

Are you sick of learning a lesson more than once? How much of your institutionalised knowledge makes it from your tradesmen’s heads into your maintenance systems? Where do you capture your continuous learning and convert it into future excellence?

If you can’t answer these questions, you are missing your greatest opportunity to grow your business.

Maintenance engineers are joining the new wave of trained maintenance planners forging a proactive maintenance management approach to plant reliability.

Engineers are learning how to move from a belts and braces approach to professional management, delivering powerful business weapons to the organisation in the process.

The feature avoids any accidental contact between any conductive element (side-by-side installation).

OVERALL BENEFITS

Both variants guarantee:

• Quick installation, the modules are supplied pre-assembled, ready for snapping-in the crimped connections

• Safe installation, finger proof modules and contacts

• Reliable connection, new C30 series crimp contacts, 7 different sizes available covering from 16 to 120 mm2

• Smart grounding, PE modules equipped with spring plate for direct bonding between the contact and MIXO frame, without additional assembly operation

www.treotham.com.au

-Craig Carlyle, Maintenance Transformations Ltd

Backed by industry experts Maintenance Transformations and their 3-day Certified Maintenance Planners training course, engineers and planners are learning how to make the transition from a technical to a process-based approach to maintenance management and deliver tangible benefits to their businesses along the way.

From higher reliability for a lower cost, to challenging, and even removing maintenance shutdowns, engineers learn how to take their traditional knowledge and leverage it into maintenance excellence through the development of technical competence and technical confidence.

In some cases, the benefits to the organization can be measured in the 10’s of millions of dollars.

It is possible to turn your reactive fire-fighting

TechRentals® is an IANZ endorsed Calibration Laboratory We offer both IANZ Endorsed and Traceable Calibrations of test and measurement equipment inluding:

maintenance crew into a proactive and synergetic function of the business without cost being a barrier.

Melding the concepts of asset management, reliability engineering and maintenance planning with effective work scheduling is a hurdle that causes traditional operations to stumble.

The Maintenance Planner training shows attendees how to effectively integrate theory with reality, even arming them with man management tools to encourage culture change.

Maintenance planning requires different skill sets to engineering. Training therefore does not demand qualification pre-requisites and non-technical staff fare equally well to experienced engineers.

Course attendees learn about the concepts of reliability engineering, the various computerised maintenance management tools available, how to apply them effectively in the real world and how to create meaningful KPI’s. They learn how to achieve optimised PM plans, JIT purchasing, virtual spares, and zero-based stock management.

Academics talk about maintenance excellence; practitioners deliver it. If living in a world of reactive maintenance does not fit your business strategy, now is the time for your team to embark on a journey to practical maintenance excellence. What will your maintenance management look like in 2030?

Crimp version for silver-plated contacts

90°-angled screw version for cable lugs terminals

Pharma Grade Filter Receiver allows higher capacity, maintains cleanability

Flexicon’s Pneumati-Con Pharmaceutical Grade Filter Receiver for medium- to high-throughput vacuum and positive-pressure conveying of extra-fine, difficult-to-handle and/or contamination-sensitive bulk solid materials, features designs to readily change/inspect filter cartridges and sanitise the interior.

A gas-spring-operated lid provides access to a removable filter plate, allowing cartridge filters to be removed and inspected or cleaned from the top, eliminating product hold up points and cleaning difficulty associated with side access doors and bolted-in filter plates. Tri-clamp fittings additionally allow rapid disconnection and cleaning of all accessory parts and lines.

Constructed of #316L stainless steel to pharmaceutical

standards, the receiver housing is devoid of interior ledges, cavities or recesses that could harbour contamination, and features three tapered filter cartridges that separate conveyed material from the air stream. Automatic reverse pulse-jet cleaning of the pleated filter media maintains separation efficiency, while the tapered filter design improves material release.

Available in 450 and 610 mm diameters, the design can accommodate level sensors, pressure monitors, and other accessories.

Typical applications include separation of bulk pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, foods, and other contamination-sensitive materials being conveyed to tableting machines, packaging lines and other downstream processes.

The Pneumati-Con Pharmaceutical Grade Filter Receiver for vacuum and positive-pressure systems offers total dust containment and tool-free interior access.

Revolutionary 3D robot guidance platform to simplify robotic automation

The Scape CoCreator, a 3D robot guidance platform, integrates advanced AI and 3D Vision technology with intuitive, no-code robot programming.

The platform embodies a leap forward in making robotic automation accessible to a broader audience. It is designed for users of all skill levels, enabling the creation of robotic automation applications without extensive technical know-how and with no-code robot programming.

User-friendly, the platform is built upon industry standards, ensuring that developing robust robotic applications is more intuitive than ever.

Empowering industries

Scape Technologies also has the Pro Industrial 3D stationary scanners and a new robot mounted 3D Scape mini scanner. This development provides

high-quality, cost-effective 3D vision solutions.

Revolutionising robot cells with cost-effective components

Scape Technologies is set to offer a range of competitively priced components and equipment for building robot cells. This initiative includes 3D scanners,Vision Controller and other standardised components for a number of complete and standardised robotic workcells.

The first standardised Workcell to be introduced will be for loading and unloading of CNC machines, especially lathes handling cylindrical parts.

By integrating these components with 3D scanners and the CoCreator platform, there will be a new standard for automation solutions.

The CoCreator platform not only streamlines the automation process but also opens up new possibilities for innovation through its API, allowing external parties to contribute new functionalities.

Chainflex cables without PFAS: safety for people, nature and businesses

Like the chemicals of the PFAS family, certain polytetrafluoroethylene compounds - PTFE for short - are considered “forever chemicals” and therefore potentially harmful to the environment, people and animals. The European Union is therefore working on a ban on the substances. With the “PFAS-free” seal, igus demonstrates that their own chainflex cables are free of the chemicals and already offer customers operational safety in the event of a ban. PFAS and PTFE, that sounds very chemical and abstract. However, the abbreviations actually refer to chemical compounds that are used in many everyday applications. Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is better known under the brand name Teflon.

Perfluorinated and polyfluorinated alkyl compounds (PFAS) can be found in coated clothing, baking paper, fire extinguishers, make-up, but also in a number of plastics. As PFAS are difficult to degrade in the environment and are long-lasting, the European Union is currently pushing for a restriction or even a ban on over 10,000 PFAS compounds.

To arm themselves against a ban at an early stage, industrial companies are increasingly demanding their supplied plastics to be PFAS-free. igus now guarantees exactly that with the “PFAS-free” seal for its chainflex cables.

95 per cent of chainflex cables are PFAS-free

The Cologne-based plastics specialist already dispenses with the corresponding chemicals in 95 per cent of its cables, giving its customers planning security even in the event of an EU-wide ban. All chainflex cables labelled as “PFAS-free” are made from materials such as insulation, jacket, tapes etc. that are free from fluorine compounds. This excludes possible impurities or measured value limits that cannot be fully excluded due to external influences, for example. This means that igus already fulfils international requirements, as

in some countries the export of PFAS has already been restricted and is subject to notification or authorisation.

More than 1,350 cables in the range

The chainflex cables have been specially developed for use in moving applications and can be found in many systems worldwide. In addition to safe energy supply in the energy chain, they are also used in cranes, machine tools and robotics.

The range has now grown to over 1,350 cables forming part of a wide range of cable types: igus offers control, bus, data, motor, fibre optic cables and more. They are characterised by their durability and robustness - a fact that the company owes, among other things, to its in-house test laboratory.

On an area of 3,800 square metres at the company headquarters in Cologne, igus experts carry out over two billion test cycles per year. The expertise gained from the tests is also the reason why the company decided more than ten years ago to offer a 36-month guarantee for chainflex cables.

www.treotham.com.au

95 per cent of chainflex cables from igus are already PFAS-free. (Source: igus GmbH)

Embracing the Future: How Digital Twin Technology Can Accelerate Manufacturing Operations

-Adam Sarman, Senior Partner, Dsifer

In an industry in which flexibility, agility and innovation are no longer competitive advantages, but tickets to the game, the ability to make responsive, agile decisions, predict future requirements and innovate without impacting operations are critical.

In this dynamic industry context, digital twin technology has emerged as an important but underutilised technology.

Digital twins are software models that represent the attributes and operating behaviour of physical assets, product designs and/or processes. They support better decision making by simulating how these applications behave given certain inputs.

A digital twin’s ability to enable progressive learning and capture tacit knowledge provides a key, differentiating benefit: it stores and structures information in a way engineers and operators can understand.

Digital twins, are reshaping how products are designed, manufactured, and optimised across all process and design-drive industries.

Three key applications of digital twin technologies are process optimisation through simulation, product design simulation, factory/operation design and predictive maintenance.

Process Optimisation: Enhancing Efficiency and Accuracy

Process simulation lies at the heart of manufacturing and supply-chain optimisation, and digital twins provide an unparalleled platform for achieving this.

By creating virtual replicas of production processes, manufacturers can simulate and analyse operations in real-time, enabling them to identify bottlenecks, optimise workflows, and improve efficiency.

For instance, in automotive manufacturing, digital twins are used to simulate assembly lines, allowing manufacturers to test different layouts and production scenarios before implementation.

Moreover, by integrating IoT sensors and data analytics, manufacturers can collect real-time data from equipment and processes, feeding it into the digital twin for predictive maintenance and continuous improvement.

Product Design: Accelerating Innovation and Iteration

Digital twins play a crucial role in product design by enabling engineers to create virtual prototypes and simulate their performance under various conditions. This allows for rapid iteration and refinement of designs before physical prototypes are built, saving time and resources while ensuring optimal product performance.

In industries like aerospace, digital twins are used to simulate the behaviour of aircraft components, such as wings or engine parts, under different operating conditions and loads.

Engineers can analyse the data generated by these simulations to optimise designs for strength, durability, and fuel efficiency. This iterative approach to product design not only speeds up the development process but also results in more robust and cost-effective products.

Factory/Operation Design:

Optimising Layouts for Efficiency

The layout of a manufacturing facility can significantly impact productivity, workflow, and resource utilisation. Digital twins offer a powerful tool for optimising factory layouts by providing virtual replicas that can be analysed and optimised for maximum efficiency.

Manufacturers can use digital twins to simulate different factory configurations, equipment placements, and material flow paths to identify the most efficient layout. This includes considerations such as minimising material handling distances, reducing congestion, and optimising workstation layouts for ergonomic efficiency.

By optimising factory layouts with digital twins, manufacturers can improve throughput, reduce lead times, and lower operating costs.

OEE Optimisation through Predictive Maintenance

Downtime due to equipment failure can be costly for manufacturers. Digital twin technology offers a solution by enabling predictive maintenance. By creating virtual representations of machinery and equipment, manufacturers can monitor their performance in real-time and predict when maintenance is needed before failures occur.

This proactive approach minimises unplanned downtime, reduces maintenance costs, and extends the lifespan of assets. For example, in the aerospace industry, digital twins are used to monitor aircraft engines, allowing airlines to schedule maintenance based on actual usage and performance data.

Digital twin technology offers tremendous potential for manufacturing organisations to optimise processes, improve efficiency, and drive innovation. However, successful implementation requires careful planning and execution.

Here are the steps a manufacturing organisation should follow to implement digital twin technology effectively:

1. Define Objectives and Scope

Start by clearly defining the objectives of implementing digital twin technology. Determine which areas of your manufacturing operations will benefit most from digital twins, whether it’s product design, production optimisation, predictive maintenance, or supply chain management.

Define the scope of the project to ensure it aligns with your organisation’s goals and resources.

2. Assess Readiness

Evaluate your organisation’s readiness for digital twin implementation. This includes assessing existing infrastructure, data management capabilities, and workforce skills. Identify any gaps that need to be addressed to ensure a smooth implementation process.

3. Choose the Right Platform

Select a digital twin platform that best fits your organisation’s needs and objectives. Consider

factors such as scalability, compatibility with existing systems, ease of integration, and support for advanced analytics.

4. Collect and Prepare Data

Gather the necessary data to create digital twins of your manufacturing processes, equipment, and products. This includes sensor data, CAD models, historical performance data, and other relevant information.

Ensure the data is accurate, complete, and properly formatted for use in the digital twin environment.

5. Build and Deploy Digital Twins

Create virtual replicas of your manufacturing assets and processes using the collected data. This involves modelling the physical characteristics, behaviour, and interactions of the assets within the digital twin environment.

Deploy the digital twins to simulate real-world scenarios and test different configurations and optimisations.

6. Monitor and Optimise

Continuously monitor the performance of your digital twins and use the insights gained to optimise processes and improve efficiency. This may involve adjusting parameters, fine-tuning algorithms, or implementing predictive maintenance strategies based on real-time data analysis.

7. Train and Engage Employees

Ensure that your workforce is trained and equipped to leverage digital twin technology effectively. Provide training on how to use and interpret data from digital twins, and foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement within your organisation.

Conclusion: Paving the Way for Manufacturing Excellence

In conclusion, digital twin technology is transforming the manufacturing landscape by revolutionising the way process, product and assets are optimised through real-time data.

By harnessing the power of virtual replicas, manufacturers can achieve higher levels of efficiency, innovation, and competitiveness.

As this technology continues to evolve, it will undoubtedly play an increasingly vital role in shaping the future of manufacturing across industries worldwide.

Embracing digital twins is not just about staying ahead of the curve; it’s about unlocking the full potential of manufacturing in the digital age.

Improving Workplace Literacy Skills: A key to unlocking staff potential and lifting productivity. -David

There is no shortage of evidence - both research-based and practical examples - that productivity continues to be one of the main challenges to the long-term growth and success of the Manufacturing sector here in New Zealand.

Coupling this challenge with an aging workforce, and barriers to attracting new skilled labour means that many businesses have significant skills, capability, and capacity issues that are holding them back, or restricting their ability to adapt and respond to market opportunities.

One of the constants that we hear from our clients is about how to address the underlying literacy challenges in both their frontline staff and supervisors. While many businesses might have ‘done’ literacy training (often in small numbers) in the past, they often have not seen the benefits of this training in terms of changes to the shop floor or seen any flow-on effect to productivity.

Workplace literacy is more than just someone’s ability with basic reading and writing skills. Today’s workplace demands mean that workplace literacy needs to include comprehension of complex work instructions, critical thinking and problem-solving, strong verbal and written communication skills, numerical and analytical skills, and the growing need for everyone to have to digital mindset and skills to work in our ever-growing digitally rich workplaces.

Misinterpretation of instructions, inability to comprehend safety guidelines, or errors in recording data can lead to costly delays and rework. Imagine a scenario where a worker misreads a critical measurement

O’Connor, Commercial Manager, The Learning

or mishandles a machine due to a misunderstanding of operating procedures. The repercussions extend beyond mere inconvenience; they affect the bottom line.

According to the 2016 Survey of Adult Skills, around one in five people in the New Zealand Workforce have very low literacy skills and a further quarter have inadequate literacy and numeracy skills to function effectively in today’s workplace. These figures have a significant impact on manufacturing businesses when we drill down further to see that:

• 50% of adult workers have low problem-solving skills in a technology-rich workplace

• 40% of working adults have difficulty making sense of graphs or charts

• 46% of our workforce have difficulty working with weights and quantities

• 40% of working adults have difficulties reading and understanding work instructions.

So the impact of this in terms of a business’s safety performance, operational efficiency, productivity, term performance, and engagement or ability to implement change and new technology is significant. But a barrier that can be easily addressed.

Doing something about workplace literacy is not about showing someone up, it’s about giving them the confidence and practical skills to perform better.

Addressing workplace literacy isn’t just about mitigating risks on the shop floor; it’s about unlocking the potential of your people. And it goes far beyond just the traditional reading and writing skills — It boosts confidence, lifts staff engagement, and our clients see

Wave

the tangible benefits of this in terms of

• Reduction in absenteeism and staff turnover

• Increased safety reporting and accuracy in reporting

• Increased participation in continuous improvement activities

• Decrease in downtime and better machinery utilisation

• Better communication and leadership on the shop floor

• Less restraint to technical training - especially digital systems

All too often in New Zealand, we leave training to last, or as a nice to have, and don’t provide enough time or space to ensure that staff have the confidence and skills and can apply them in their roles.

With 19 years of experience in delivering embedded workplace literacy programmes across the sector the results from our clients speak for themselves. “By continuing to develop our staff and build their core (literacy) skills, we are better able to train and engage staff in a variety of transferable skills and job roles. The changes on the shopfloor are very tangible and for the first time we can start putting on ROI against skills training”

If the results are this significant we can show a direct link between lifting workplace capability and addressing the challenges for our manufacturing staff and improvement in performance and productivity. Then it would seem that training and developing workplace literacy skills are essential ingredients for the success of our manufacturing business here in New Zealand.

Tell readers just what it is you do?

My brother Johnny and I own the furniture manufacturing business, Kovacs Design Furniture. We still make all our furniture in our New Zealand factory based in Christchurch and our tag line is “Made. Right. Here.” Which the team is immensely proud of.

My main role is as our furniture designer. Taking an idea through the concept stage to the prototype stage, completing the initial costings and making it ready for production release.

However, my typical workday could also cover marking, sewing, quality control, photography, marketing, sales, and production management.

Hildy Kovacs, co-owner, Kovacs Design Furniture

Designing furniture – is it a passion of yours?

It wasn’t but is now. It started off with me learning all the different manufacturing aspects of the business, so I have developed a really good understanding of how things go together and what is important in creating a product that not only looks great but has to be comfortable and built to last.

I really started designing furniture to prove to myself that I could do it and from that it has become my passion.

How long have you been in the family business?

I started doing small tasks with my brother for my father like making buttons from as young as I can remember. So, I guess I was born into the industry. However, I have worked fulltime in the business for the last 44 years.

What is the satisfaction you get from being involved in a family business?

Designing furniture where every piece is unique with its own handwriting is hugely challenging. They all have different prerequisites one must overcome for the product to be aesthetically pleasing, comfortable and viable. I am constantly

learning and getting it right is the biggest buzz ever.

Where does Kovacs sit in the furniture scheme of things?

Based on a design event we attended last week, and the feedback received, Kovacs is pretty much at the top of their game. Recognised for our design, innovation, quality, and presentation. Our supporting material is of European quality and the level of personal contact we have with our clients makes us one of the best in New Zealand.

Do

you export?

No, not yet, but there are obviously opportunities for the company which will require a lot of thought for us to even start adventuring into that part of the market.

How does the company fare in getting the right staff?

It is difficult as furniture manufacturing is not seen as an industry of value. We should be a growing industry. We should be making our country more self-sufficient and using our resources to build product which lasts, rather than importing low quality product which then goes into land fill after

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FSAE:47 – The UoA Student Led Engineering Racing Team

Formula SAE is an international project first started in the US in 1981 that now sees over 600 university teams across the world design, manufacture, and race formula-style race cars.

With 20+ competitions worldwide, teams compete across a range of different static and dynamic events that test all aspects of the design and manufacturing process of an effective and efficient engineering project.

Formula SAE offers a platform for students to learn a range of hard and soft skills, highly regarded in various industries such as design for manufacturability and people management. The Formula SAE competition gives university students the unique opportunity to use the knowledge they learn in class and apply it, to the peak of their ability, in a practical manufacturing environment.

FSAE47 are the University of Auckland’s team and have been competing in the Australasian competition since 2004. Over the past 20 years, our members have been designing, manufacturing and racing cars that

have been performing better year after year.

In recent history we placed first overall in the competition in 2022, marking the first time a kiwi team won the Australasian competition since 2000. And in 2023 placed first in 4 categories of the competition, including setting the fastest acceleration time by an Australasian team (75m in 3.693 seconds).

As part of FSAE47, students can work across a range of different subgroups and specifications depending on what they’re passionate about and what area they want to specialise in. We have five subgroups that cover all aspects of the car and organisation as a whole: Composites, Electrical, Mechanical, Business, and Autonomous.

Alumni of the team have gone on to very impressive careers such as F1 design engineers at Reb Bull and Williams, Electrical Systems engineer at McLaren. In addition, many alumni have become engineers at successful kiwi startups such as Halter and RocketLab.

As a university club and non-profit organisation, we are able to take on this project each year thanks to the support and sponsorships that companies and organisations provide us with. All our supporters enable us to push the boundaries of what we can do and help us develop the next generation of engineers.

Ivan Skinner Award winner inspired by real-life earthquake experience

Witnessing the human cost of the Canterbury earthquakes inspired Ben Exton to become an earthquake engineer and find solutions to make New Zealand homes more resilient against future seismic events.

Exton received the Ivan Skinner Award at the New Zealand Society of Earthquake Engineering (NZSEE) annual conference to recognise his innovative work as a practitioner and to support his quest to develop and commercialise cost-effective engineering solutions.

“What I remember from the Canterbury earthquakes was the enormous damage, but also the incredible human impact,” says Exton, who spent many days as a Year 12 student at Riccarton High School cleaning up liquefaction from properties in what has since become the Residential Red Zone.

“I particularly recall my great-uncle, who was a keen gardener, and his beloved garden was completely covered in sand and silt from liquefaction. Watching a stoic Kiwi bloke like him totally devastated and helpless against the effects of an earthquake made a huge impact on me,” says the now 29-year-old CEO and co-founder of Seismic Shift Limited.

Exton is the first engineer outside of academia to receive the Ivan Skinner Award, which is funded by EQC Toka Tū Ake.

“Receiving this award is really encouraging for me, but I hope also for others in the private sector seeking to make the world a better place through innovation,” says the Christchurch engineer who

emphasises that research and practical experience both play a crucial role to create innovation.

“It is important to test new ideas in the laboratory for scientific grounding, and then turn these ideas into real-life solutions that are cost-effective and fit the current building environment.”

“I’ve been extremely lucky that my previous employers allowed me the freedom and time as a young practitioner to think creatively and explore new ideas and I really wish other firms can be just as generous with their young talents coming through,” says Exton, whose wife Miki, with her architectural background, provides the perfect foil to explore new ideas.

The company is currently in the process of commercialising a low-cost base dissipation system for residential homes, that rapidly developed from a 3am sketch to a feasible engineering innovation.

“I had this picture forming in my head at 3am, so I sketched it and then decided to get the design printed in 3D. We didn’t have too much confidence in the sketch on paper, but when Miki and I put the 3D pieces together, it actually worked!”

The Ivan Skinner Award winner explains that he will use the prizemoney for professional development, and to research state-of-the-art steel coatings from the aerospace industry to apply in resilient seismic engineering solutions.

“This is a cool example how well connected we all are in New Zealand. A mutual friend connected me

with a coatings company, because he thought we would both benefit from working together.

“Both companies receive incredible support from Callaghan Innovation and working together further multiplies the impact of that support.”

Exton says that he and Banks seek to develop low-cost solutions that are easy to replicate and don’t require any major changes in existing engineering practice.

“Our vision is to make resilient earthquake systems in homes as ubiquitous as seatbelts are in cars.”

Ben Exton, right, receives the Ivan Skinner Award from Dr Natalie Balfour, EQC Toka Tū Ake Head Research at the NZSEE conference.

FSAE:47 Team at the 2023 Formula SAE competition in Melbourne

Experienced freight forwarding leader joins DB Schenker in NZ

DB Schenker’s new Head of Operations – New Zealand, Rob Connoley

Globally leading freight and logistics service provider, DB Schenker, has appointed Rob Connoley as Head of Operations – New Zealand. Rob is based out of the Auckland office, and commenced his new role on March 1, 2024.

Rob’s in-depth knowledge of the market comes from a strong freight forwarding career spanning 19 years in New Zealand. He has been responsible

for national operations including ocean freight, air freight, and domestic cross-dock distribution.

“We are pleased to have Rob join our team where he can use his outstanding knowledge and experience with the New Zealand market to guide DB Schenker’s growth and customer service focus in the region,” said Craig Davison, CEO, DB Schenker Australia and New Zealand Cluster.

NZ Post processing centre doubles sorting capacity

The NZ Post state-of-the-art processing centre in Auckland is a milestone in the Post’s $200 million-dollar, ten-year investment plan and transformation project known as the ‘Te Iho’ program.

The Auckland Processing Centre (APC) now has the most capacity of any parcel sorting facility in New Zealand’s history – with more than 30,000 parcels per hour at peak capacity.

The new 30,000sqm hub of international and national processing will bring together NZ Post, New Zealand Customs Service (Customs) and the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) on one site. The APC is

NZ MANUFACTURER FEATURES

JUNE 2024 Issue

bigger than four rugby fields.

The APC includes equipment built from recycled materials and chutes made from bamboo. Workers on site will use electric forklifts, and soft-plastic waste will be redistributed for recycling.

NZ Post General Manager Processing and Automation Marie Watson said the new site will run an automated processing operation for domestic parcels, packets, small packets, international inbound, and outbound parcels.

“With six sorters on multiple levels, the APC more than doubles our current processing capacity per hour from the previous Auckland Operations Centre – from 13,000 to 30,000 at peak capacity. It is an impressive multi-story site, and the integration with international product under one roof sets it apart from anything seen before.

Continued from Page 30

“The APC is a key part of our aim to increase our parcel processing capacity to 190 million items per year by 2033.”

This site is the third to open under NZ Post’s $200m investment in parcel processing infrastructure. The Wellington Super Depot and the Southern Operations Centre opened in 2022.

Hildy Kovacs, co-owner, Kovacs Design Furniture

a few years. Which has its own cost, which we are not recognising … yet.

Favourite Book?

Favourite quote?

“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

Advertising Booking Deadline – 6 June 2024

Advertising Copy Deadline – 6 June 2024

Editorial Copy Deadline – 6 June 2024

Advertising – For bookings and further informa

My favourite series of books, which sounds strange is Harry Potter. This is because all three of my kids were addicted to it. It was probably the first book that they all read, and they also watched the movies continuously on repeat. It gave them all such joy and helped them with their reading.

Greatest influence on your life and career??

Probably my father.

Any thoughts on the year ahead?

It will be challenging, but we have a few things on the boil which could evolve and help change the company positively.

Sustainability leader makes key aquisition

In addressing the limited recycling options for Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) in New Zealand, GreenBox Group has made a significant move towards enhancing the nation’s e-waste management landscape.

New Zealand stands out as one of the only countries that does not have a national policy, regulation, or legislation to deal with e-waste, contributing to the global challenge of resource mismanagement and hazardous materials in landfills.

GreenBox has acquired RemarkIT, a leading local IT waste and managed/professional services company, which promises relief and positive effects on the New Zealand market. Both companies were founded in 2000 and Greenbox has operated locally in New Zealand for the past five years.

The collaboration brings together two pioneers in the circular economy of technology assets, encompassing data center equipment, laptops, audiovisual equipment, and smart devices. The shared innovations will bolster New Zealand and Australian organisations in their efforts to decarbonise and address the mounting global e-waste crisis.

Having prevented 73,378 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions and 121 tonnes of noxious elements from landfill disposal since 2000, GreenBox’s best-practice approach has already made a significant environmental impact.

The acquisition further expands GreenBox’s footprint in New Zealand, absorbing the established operations of RemarkIT, a market leader in best practice lifecycle management of technology assets.

The acquisition enables GreenBox to support RemarkIT’s sites in Auckland, Wellington (Upper Hutt), and Christchurch, expanding and quadrupling its workforce and reach across New Zealand.

More than 60 experienced technology specialists from RemarkIT will join the GreenBox team, bringing the team size to over 100 and enhancing the company’s capacity to provide comprehensive IT asset lifecycle management services.

RemarkIT is known for its deployments, having recently undertaken some of New Zealand’s largest end-user rollouts in history, a 17,000-unit deployment across the country in three weeks from start to finish. Ross Thompson, CEO of GreenBox Group, emphasises the strategic move, saying, “This acquisition solidifies GreenBox Group as the leading provider of sustainable technology lifecycle management in the region. Our intention is to engage global peak body SERI, Sustainable Electronics Recycling International, to extend our existing R2V3 certification to RemarkIT’s other facilities across New Zealand. Greenbox was the first organisation in New Zealand to obtain this R2V3 certification.

“This will give our current and future customers added comfort that their sensitive assets are being handled in the most seamless, secure and sustainable way by an organisation that is audited to the highest possible global peak body standards.

“We were attracted to RemarkIT primarily due to their full asset lifecycle management capability. There are a limited number of companies which can

undertake such complex new asset deployments on such short notice, within a constrained period of time and which also have such a significant geographical footprint and end of asset lifecycle management capabilities.”

Over the past two years, under Mr Thompson’s leadership, the company has nearly doubled its revenue and achieved carbon neutrality, making it the first global ITAD company to do so.

Mr Thompson highlights the shared goals of the two companies in creating sustainable solutions for managing technology assets. The integration of RemarkIT into the GreenBox Group will result in certified carbon-neutral operations, aligning with the growing demand for ESG transparency among large corporations, government bodies, and educational institutions.

Tim Findlay, Founder of RemarkIT, says, “Investment such as this through Greenbox really does prove that RemarkIT has the system and capabilities to support the growth in this area. There has been a lot of interest in our company, and we have been fortunate enough to choose a partner that meets our values and the needs of the New Zealand market.

Tim sees the merger as an opportunity to enhance sustainability outcomes for clients. “We share a commitment to social responsibility and look forward to expanding our not-for-profit Digital Wings Trust to reduce waste and provide technology access to young people.”

GreenBox’s focus on innovation and sustainability, combined with RemarkIT’s established market presence, positions the united entity to lead the way in e-waste management solutions, benefitting both New Zealand and Australia. The acquisition underscores a commitment to circular economy practices, creating a benchmark for responsible technology asset disposition in the region.

Fact Sheet

• Roughly 15% of a companies climate emissions comes from its ICT equipment and 80% of a ICT products emissions takes place when it is being produced.

• The production of a new smartphone generates 84kg of CO2 and requires 83,000 litres of water and 265kg’s of raw materials to produce. Refurbishing the same smartphone and giving it a second life reduces the CO2 impact by 92%, water required by 91% and amount of raw materials required to refurbish the smartphone by 86% when compared against what is consumed through the production phase of a new unit.

• This data is what is driving progressive European countries like France, the Netherlands and Germany to legislate and mandate that in all government tenders up to 50% of all ICT equipment that is being tendered for needs to be refurbished equipment.

• ESG is not just a passing fad that is the flavour of the month, with large corporates, government & tertiary organisations having to provide more intimate details on their ESG policies and targets.

• Australia’s Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water reports the average Australian produced 20kg of electronic waste in 2019, almost triple the global average. Alarmingly, this volume is expected to increase by almost 30 per cent by 2030.

• Through RemarkIT’s National and International Network it can organise the disposal of most IT waste, aiming at diverting in the area of 98% from landfill.

• A CRT monitor can contain up to 3kg of lead, this poses a serious health hazard if the monitor is just dumped in a landfill, the lead could leach into the soil and contaminate it

• The best way to dispose of equipment is to recycle it back into a “useful life”, sometimes referred to as re-purposing. As equipment is re-used it can extend its useful life up to 10 years.

• All electronic waste is dismantled, categorised and processed through the appropriate ISO14001 audited channels. By processing the e-waste into the raw components (Reduce – Reuse- Recycle), RemarkIT is able to avoid additional logistics and handling charges for down-stream waste treatment. The size and scale of its operation allowed the company to successfully process 85,000 televisions as part of the NZ Ministry for the Environment national TV take-back scheme.

• It is possible to re-purpose and recycle many parts of an IT system, particularly monitors, PCs, printers, laptops, mobile phones and servers. All products, including plastics, are currently recycled within New Zealand and are broken down into components for resale or reuse as components for other product purposes.

Ross Thompson.

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