40 minute read
Brett O’Riley
Seequent’s technology transforms critical infrastructure projects globally with ground information modelling
Infrastructure projects are technically and operationally complex - from design through to construction, and completion - requiring an ongoing understanding of ground and groundwater conditions to inform engineering decisions across the entire project lifecycle.
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Global geoscience software company Seequent of Christchurch has become the industry standard for Ground Information Models (GIM), being widely adopted by the world’s leading civil engineering companies working on some of the world’s most significant transportation and infrastructure projects. Seequent CEO, Shaun Maloney, says: “We’re working with the civil engineering industry to deliver a digital twin of the subsurface, that when combined with the infrastructure designs, creates a true virtual representation of what can be expected on site. “Our technology is helping progress some of the most emblematic infrastructure projects in the world including the High Speed 2 (HS2) rail project in the UK, which has already achieved several key milestones, and London’s Crossrail 2 railway.” Mott MacDonald’s team of over 80 engineering geologists and geotechnical engineers are using Seequent’s solutions to investigate, analyse, model, and share their geological understanding of expected ground conditions with the wider HS2 project team. Christopher Brook, Associate, Mott MacDonald, says: “Seequent’s digital innovations allow us to produce higher quality Building Information Modelling (BIM) deliverables, communicate to stakeholders and deliver controlled and robust ground models in 4D. It also helps the onsite ground investigation team to make informed decisions for the project resulting in time and cost savings and risk reduction. This has benefited the Balfour Beatty VINCI joint venture on HS2 Phase 1 and will continue to provide value through the detailed design phase and into construction.”
Multidisciplinary professional services firm Arup was contracted by Transport for London (TfL) to develop a 3D ground model to identify geological hazards along the route, inform early design decisions and provide the project with an invaluable geotechnical risk management tool. Seequent’s dynamic 3D ground modelling solution, Leapfrog Works, helped Arup to effectively create a digital model of the geology for London’s proposed Crossrail 2 railway to aid the ongoing understanding and communication of ground and groundwater conditions that would impact on engineering decisions.
Arup engineering geologist Charlene Ting, says: “Seequent’s Leapfrog 3D modelling software has transformed the way we present and understand ground risk.” TfL Lead Geotechnical Engineer for Crossrail 2, Mike Black, added, “The quality and level of detail throughout the project speaks for itself. It really has been a step-change to what I have seen previously.” Maloney says Seequent believes supporting the development of large infrastructure projects is key to keeping people employed, stimulating regeneration, and maintaining the productive capacity of the economy, ultimately enabling recovery in the quickest time possible. “We’re committed to the fast development of our cloud technology platform and engaging a broad community of industry leaders, partners, and other key stakeholders to achieve this.”
High Speed 2 (HS2) is a state-of-the-art, high-speed rail line critical for the UK’s low-carbon transport future scheduled to open in phases between 2029 and 2035.
Phase 1 of the main civil engineering works packages for the design of the West Midlands area (lots N1 and N2) is currently being progressed through a contract delivered by BBV (a joint venture between Balfour Beatty, Vinci, Mott MacDonald and Systra). The design work spanning approximately 90km with over 350 assets (including tunnels, viaducts, overbridges, and underpasses) has recently reached another milestone - a switch from the design phase to construction.
! Currently, with over 5500 ground investigation locations in the database and with a further 2000 proposed, the ground investigation for N1 and N2 is providing ‘just in time’ GI information to this project. Across N1 and N2 there are significant technical ground and engineering design challenges, which are complicated by the large multifaceted teams working across many offices, companies, time zones and a variety of stakeholders. Within Mott MacDonald’s team of over 80 engineering geologists and geotechnical engineers, they are using Seequent’s solutions to investigate, analyse, model, and share their geological understanding of expected ground conditions with the wider project team. Leapfrog Works is being used to create data and geological models and due to the scale and complexity of the long route, many individual Leapfrog models are required. The Seequent Central platform is therefore being used to manage models and also to effectively communicate changes in ground investigation data and other outputs with key stakeholders in near “real-time” allowing risks and opportunities to be understood and value engineering to be undertaken. Christopher Brook, Associate, Mott MacDonald, says: “Seequent’s digital innovations allow us to produce higher quality Building Information Modelling (BIM) deliverables, communicate to stakeholders and deliver controlled and robust ground models in 4D. It also helps the onsite ground investigation team to make informed decisions for the project resulting in time and cost savings and risk reduction. This has benefited the Balfour Beatty VINCI joint venture on HS2 Phase 1 and will continue to provide value through the detailed design phase and into construction.
“As HS2 transitions from development into the country’s largest-ever construction programme, it’s essential to learn, not just from our own experiences, but also from other major projects.”
Crossrail 2 railway project – UK ! Multidisciplinary professional services firm Arup was appointed by Transport for London (TfL) to develop a 3D ground model to identify geological hazards along the route, inform early design decisions and provide the project with an invaluable geotechnical risk management tool. Seequent’s dynamic 3D ground modelling solution, Leapfrog Works, helped Arup to effectively create a digital model of the geology for London’s proposed Crossrail 2 railway to aid the ongoing understanding and communication of ground and groundwater conditions that would impact on engineering decisions.
The proposed railway will link the national rail networks in Surrey and Hertfordshire via approximately 30 km of an underground tunnel. Avoiding or mitigating the risks that any potential hazards pose is critical to allow for robust and realistic estimates of the project programme and cost.
Stuart Millis, Arup’s Associate Director in Infrastructure Hong Kong comments, “Leapfrog Works enabled us to visualise the geological base model and other formats of geological data in 3D, undertake refinements to the model and effectively communicate uncertainty and spatial variation in geology. We were able to feed the geological
Proposed tunnel structures, boreholes and strata surfaces informing the alignment design. Ting & Gilson (2020), Developing the 3D Project Stratigraphic Model for Crossrail 2.
surfaces into our data-driven approach to design decisions, which supports our drive towards digital automation of engineering design. Being able to have this data-driven workflow in place so early on the project has been valuable and was appreciated by us and Transport for London.” The new railway will improve access to and from London across the wider south-east region of the UK and significantly reduce congestion on existing Tube and National Rail services. Crossrail 2 will support 200,000 jobs, spur the development of 200,000 new homes across the region and increase London’s rail capacity by 10%, complementing other major national transport projects, such as High Speed 2. Crossrail 2 is at the very early stages of planning. TfL intends to seek permission from the UK Government to build Crossrail 2 to start construction later in the 2020s, with the new line opening to the public in the 2030s.
Work on developing the Project Stratigraphic Model for Crossrail 2 was initiated in early 2018. An extract from The British Geological Survey’s (BGS) 1:50,000 scale 3D model of the London Basin was adopted as the baseline Stratigraphic Model. Leapfrog Works was used to integrate additional information available in the form of additional boreholes, higher-resolution digital terrain models, historical and recent publications on the construction of the London Underground and other major infrastructure projects, such as Thames Water Ring Main, Crossrail, Thames Tideway and others.
Ting, C., Gilson, B., Black, M. 2020. Developing the 3D geological model for Crossrail 2, London, United Kingdom
NZ’s first KDS sludge dewatering technology to reduce waste and environmental footprint
Australasian deciduous crops such as apples and pears have a clean, green reputation internationally, which extends from growing through to production. KDS sludge dewatering technology is being used internationally to handle food and beverage waste in an environmentally sensitive manner. A New Zealand food processing company committed to environmental excellence has become the country’s first adopter of a sludge dewatering technology engineered to cost-efficiently reduce the sustainability footprint of food, beverage, and wastewater treatment.
The fruit producer is installing a compact and cost-efficient KDS multidisc Roller system from CST Wastewater Solutions, to dewater wet sloppy screened waste from the peeling process. This transforms fruit waste from a wet and sticky heavy mass to a much drier product that is less messy, easier to handle, and transport for stockfeed or landfill.
The technology will reduce volume by up to 90%, thus reducing, transport costs and help prevent any potential spillages during transport. There are also both operational and OH&S benefits with the site being cleaner and easier to maintain and the financial gain of not paying for transport and disposal of unnecessary water. “Heavy cakes of byproduct from growers and food processors can cost upwards of $150 a ton to dispose of, including the specialised transport from the places where trade wastes are generated to centres where compacting, drying, recycling and disposal can take place in controlled environments,” says CST Wastewater Solutions Managing Director Mr Michael Bambridge.
KDS technology with its multi-roller system (above) eliminates sticky, sloppy sludge and spillages by producing a drier, much lighter and hygienic waste that is more easily transported and recycled. The NZ producer – which cannot be named because of contractual confidentiality provisions – is adopting its KDS technology to handle a highly variable quality and volume of up to 5m3/h. This first NZ adopter of the KDS technology had previously tried alternative technologies, but none handled the variable volume involved or dewatered the fruit waste enough to prevent excess water and product from creating an unhygienic site and causing leakage. The NZ producer selected a model SS611 KDS with a longer press zone, to achieve optimum dewatering of the sloppy and wet mix of peelings, leaves and pulpy fruit material. The dewatering concept being employed in this instance is to spread the waste over the table width and dewater a mat of material, to maximise the surface area and minimise water retention.
This is an outstanding application of this globally proven technology, which is eminently suited to the food and beverage processing industry. It also very cost-efficiently advances the environmental credentials of a significant member of the Australasian fruit industry, which is also a major contributor to the local and export agricultural market.
The KDS technology limits the possibility of spillages on public roads while sludge is being transported, as well as reducing their carbon footprint required to transport the much lighter and more hygienic byproduct. Wet, sloppy waste is eliminated by KDS technology, which produces a lighter, drier, and more hygienic waste product Used for thickening of dissolved air flotation sludge – a very common application throughout wastewater operations – the KDS achieves solids capture of 97 per cent thickened sludge at a dryness of 17 per cent. Waste activated sludge dryness levels are typically 15-18 per cent dryness. The high quality, Japanese-manufactured stainless-steel technology: • Uses minimal energy, consuming as little as 0.06kW hr of electricity
• Operates at low (63dBa) non-intrusive noise and vibration levels
• Does not need water to keep clean, eliminating aerosol OH&S problems • Requires minimal daily maintenance, saving cost and enhancing OH&S performance • Occupies typically half the space or less of conventional dewatering plants • Is engineered to overcome the limitations of technologies such as screw presses, belt presses and centrifuges typically employed by small-to-medium applications to treat the sludge produced by their operations. The largest KDS unit can handle about 100kg DS (dry
solids) an hour at 98 per cent solids capture.
KDS technology is also available in a skid-mounted version, pictured above left, which can be easily transported by truck or trailer to remote, sensitive or difficult to access sites. Shown right is the dry output of fruit processing. This lighter, dryer waste it produces – in addition to being easier and cheaper to transport – reduces the need for manual labour in cleaning and transport operations and curtails the need for staff to handle sloppy heavy waste potentially hazardous to health in applications including: fruit and vegetable producers, juice processing and production facilities, food kitchens and catering facilities, as well as livestock, horticulture, agribusiness producing waste during processing of grains, cereals and grapes. The technology is also suitable for municipal and remote industrial worksite waste handling. where its cost-effectiveness and low-maintenance operation is a major advantage where engineering support may be far distant.
The truth about counterfeits
~ Why you can never eliminate the risk of counterfeits entirely ~
According to the latest data from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the trade in counterfeit goods now represents 3.3 per cent of global trade. Unfortunately, this figure is on the rise, even as overall trade has declined. Here, John Young, APAC director at obsolete parts supplier EU Automation APAC, offers his verdict on the scale of the problem in the Asia Pacific region and what manufacturers can do to limit the risks.
Counterfeiting in industry
Counterfeiting is not a new problem, but the current growth of this phenomenon is driven by many novel factors, such as the convergence between industry and IT and new technologies like 3D printing. Most people have some familiarity with this problem in the world of consumer goods, but industrial equipment is not immune to the risk. In the world of industrial parts, fakes are often even harder to detect. Take an industrial motor as an example. The outer casing or housing of the counterfeit part may look perfectly fine. Even on the inside, there is very little way of detecting a counterfeit through a simple visual inspection. Counterfeited industrial parts are usually manufactured from poorer quality material. This reduces the life cycle of the part, increasing the risks of unplanned downtime and raising whole-life costs when unexpected failures occur. Unfortunately, there is often little way to know definitively if the broken part was genuine or not. Genuine parts will have been through a rigorous and standardised process of testing. Fake parts, on the other hand, do not benefit from this validation and verification process. Labelling is one way of stamping products in a way that can demonstrate their authenticity, but unfortunately modern technology makes these labels much easier for scammers to fake.
The anatomy of the problem
The truth about counterfeits is that it is impossible to eliminate the risk entirely. That’s a controversial admission, but one that any realistic parts supplier should be willing to concede. As the OECD figures demonstrate, the problem is widespread and deeply entrenched. Asia – and China in particular – is seen as the global centre of counterfeits. Although it is true that a statistically high proportion of counterfeits originate from China or Hong Kong, we need a more nuanced assessment of the problem. Asia is the workshop of the world and so we should expect a correspondingly higher volume of counterfeits to originate here. It is also worth dispelling the myth that the US and Europe are the sole targets of this problem. Australia, Japan, South Korea, China and Hong Kong also rank prominently among the victims. More importantly though, as has been observed by the OECD’s own experts, counterfeiting threatens to lock developing countries into the status quo. The theft of technology, through counterfeiting, could hinder these countries from designing more of their own products. It is a truism to say that regulations and legal frameworks often struggle to keep pace with technological change and the lag between the two is an opportunity for counterfeiters. However, it is just as often the failure to enforce existing regulations that is the problem, rather than the absence of regulation to begin with. As for enforcement, geographical factors can often be major obstacles. Another reason Asia is a major source and conduit for counterfeit goods is because it hosts many of the world’s largest ports. Countries with long borders and sprawling coastlines are always going to struggle to keep fakes from entering. Malaysia is an obvious example of this in the Asia-Pacific region. Enforcement can also be hindered by what are otherwise positive developments. For example, an unintended consequence of free trade zones is that they make rules against counterfeiting harder to enforce. In future, technologies like blockchain might strengthen the fightback against counterfeits. In recent years though, many technological developments have simply strengthened the hand of the scammers. The rapid growth of e-commerce provides a more loosely regulated arena through which counterfeiters can advertise and sell their products. 3D printing, for all its undoubtedly positive applications, is also a fantastic tool for creating fake parts, especially when CAD designs are freely available on the internet.
The good news
Although it is impossible for suppliers and plant manufacturers to wholly eliminate the risk of counterfeits, there are steps and measures that can be taken to constantly improve the odds in your favour. Firstly, carry out a thorough audit of your equipment so you are aware of the expected lifecycle of each component. Keeping track of this information will allow you to make more informed judgements if you find yourself facing repeat problems. Here’s another golden rule: if something sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. Extra low prices do not guarantee a part is fake, but it should make you more vigilant. In the APAC region, the counterfeit market is partly fuelled by high demand for low cost parts. Unfortunately, it is the demand for these lower priced parts, along with a lack of understanding of their risks and the true cost of the authentic component, that helps fuel the market for counterfeits. You should always check a supplier’s counterfeit policy and what measures they have in place to address the risks. A fake part may perform perfectly well for a few months but ultimately fail within half the typical lifecycle of a genuine part. Furthermore, a reliable supplier should offer a good warranty. Depending on the length of the warranty, you can protect yourself against this risk. Another mitigative strategy is building relationships with trusted suppliers. This is not something that happens overnight and it cannot be developed if you are simply looking for the cheapest option on an e-commerce site. It will, however, save you money in the long run. Counterfeiters are often hard to catch because they shut down and then re-open somewhere else under a different name. Reputable parts suppliers build their reputations up steadily over many years and have every interest in ensuring that their customers remain satisfied not just with the cost of the original transaction, but with the durability of the product and the continued service. The trade in counterfeited industrial parts looks set to continue to grow for now. Hopefully, there will be a corresponding growth in our knowledge and understanding of the problem, alongside new technologies to assist us. In the meantime, those in the market for new, reconditioned and obsolete parts should continue to educate themselves about the issue, demand good warranties with their purchases and build relationships with trusted suppliers.
Process automation technology provides customers with optimal routing and ‘cleaning-in-place’ to increase efficiency and reduce costs. ABB has launched ABB Ability Liquid Routing Library which is a control engineering inventory for food and beverage manufacturers and those in other liquid related industries, including tank farms, pharmaceuticals and chemical resin plants. The new digital application draws on ABB Ability System 800xA, the most powerful Distributed Control System (DCS) automation platform in the market and will support routing and cleaning in place (CIP) functionalities needed for liquid-led production. It can be used wherever products are transported, stored or processed in tanks and lines and is particularly relevant to dairy, brewing, sugar, mills and edible oil application programming. Ready-made objects including libraries, typicals, and templates for product routing, with recipe-based CIP, track and trace, preventive plant maintenance, Excel-based bulk data tools are made available for customers through the library. Functionalities include alarm handling, alarm propagation between different units, queue handling for online production changes, control and supervision of process objects, interlocks and transfer of product and equipment settings like product codes, unit names and unit states. ABB Ability Liquid Routing Library will support food and beverage customers in their digitalisation journey. Customers are driving innovation in process automation, digitalising their production sites for greater speed, consistency and quality and Liquid Routing Library is an important piece of this jigsaw. Having a complete library for product routing, with ready-made objects and templates will allow users greater visibility and understanding of what is happening at each stage of the process. We know that routing and cleaning in place support are vitally important in food and beverage plants. This is built-in and at-any-stage ABB support from experts or additional documentation is available. Operators will be able to diagnose issues quicker than before and have solutions ready, ultimately saving time and money.” It is estimated that the library will reduce project specific library development time by 80 per cent and the project specific software requirements by 60 per cent, minimising the cost of developing an automation solution while maximising plant operability. The use of Liquid Routing Library provides efficient commissioning and maintenance due to its transparency, granularity and diagnostics. It creates
a streamlined environment for reliable control via a dynamic, easy-to-use interface that gives operators access to the whole plant and different layers of information. This can improve operator effectiveness by 25 per cent. ABB (ABBN: SIX Swiss Ex) is a leading global technology company that energizes the transformation of society and industry to achieve a more productive, sustainable future. By connecting software to its electrification, robotics, automation and motion portfolio, ABB pushes the boundaries of technology to drive performance to new levels. With a history of excellence stretching back more than 130 years, ABB’s success is driven by about 110,000 talented employees in over 100 countries. www.abb.com
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ILME has enriched the range of PCB interface adapters, enlarging the connectors’ application in the electronics sector.
The new entries of the CIF series allow a precise cabling and an easy mounting as well as a reduction of the wiring costs, offering an efficient installation in power electronics or signal applications. The adapters are designed for printed circuit boards with thickness up to 2.4 mm and are provided with gold or silver plated contacts. The best product can be selected according to the customers application requirements. The new available solutions include:
• CIF Q05 2.4: 5 poles, 10A/250V, compatible with CQ 05 inserts. The new inserts, GC4415 and GC4425, deliver increased toughness, heat resistance and predictable wear. GC4415 and GC4425 are ideal for manufacturers operating in mass and batch production set-ups machining low alloyed (P 2.1 to 2.6) and unalloyed (P 1.1 to 1.5) steels, respectively. Grade GC4425 is shown to outperform competing inserts in a majority of steel turning applications. It features improved wear and heat resistance • CIF Q07 2.4: 7 poles, 7,5A/250V, compatible with
CQ 07 inserts. • CIF Q12 2.4: 12 poles + PE, 7,5A/250V, compatible with the special dedicated CQF/M 12 CIF inserts with PE contact equipped with rear 1 mm diameter pin for the mating with the PE contact of the adapter.
The installation can be completed with the dedicated interface contacts for each of the adapters. The new PCD adapters are available from Treotham Automation.
Carbide inserts for productive and efficient steel turning
Sandvik Coromant has upgraded its range of turning inserts for machining ISO-P steels. The tooling specialist has launched two new carbide grades that are designed for external and internal machining of low-alloyed and unalloyed steels.
www.treotham.co.nz and toughness, which significantly expands the application range. Both it and GC4415 can be used for finishing to roughing, in applications with continuous cuts and light interruptions. Meanwhile, GC4415 is designed to complement GC4425 when enhanced performance and more heat resistance is needed.
In addition, the materials’ new post-treatment is found to boost performance in intermittent cutting operations, avoiding any sudden breakages and enabling both insert grades to outperform over a broad application range.
Every manufacturer wants to achieve the following goals: increased metal removal rates, more pieces per edge, reduced cycle times, minimised waste and optimised inventory use. For manufacturers with a batch production set-up, this also means having the flexibility to machine multiple steel materials with the same grade. GC4415 and GC4425 grades can help you achieve this — even with tough and complex ISO-P materials.
Enhanced wear resistance
The GC4415 and GC4425 inserts show superior wear resistance, which contributes towards extended tool life and predictable performance with every use. This also minimises material waste, both from the workpiece and the insert. The inserts’ superior wear resistance is attributed to Sandvik Coromant’s second generation Inveio technology, an alumina coating layer. What makes Inveio unique can be seen at a microscopic level; its surface is characterised by a uni-directional crystal orientation.
Each crystal is lined up towards the cutting edge, creating a strong barrier that improves crater and flank wear resistance.
Heat is also lead away from the cutting zone more quickly, which keeps the cutting edge in shape for longer. The result is a harder wearing tool. For better sustainability, the carbide substrate of these new grades contains a high proportion of recycled carbide material, more than 50%. Making grades from recycled material saves virgin raw material, and requires less energy and fewer CO2 emissions in production.
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Bathurst Resources selects Hydraulink for reliability assurance over multiple sites
New Zealand company, Bathurst Resources Ltd, has appointed leading hydraulic maintenance and safety services provider Hydraulink to advance its objectives over its mines producing for the domestic market.
Hydraulink is a supplier to major infrastructure and resources development companies throughout Australia and New Zealand, providing world-class standards of safety, maintenance, energy efficiency and service life optimisation for mining machinery that depends extensively on hydraulics for safe and efficient operation. Bathurst Resources Ltd is New Zealand’s major exporter of Coking Coal used in the manufacture of steel. Bathurst Resources Ltd produces a unique low ash coking coal valued in the market by its long-term customers in Japan, India and South East Asia. Domestically, Bathurst operates four mines, suppling throughout New Zealand, including: New Zealand Steel for its steel manufacture, Electricity (Huntly), Dairy plants, Industrial plants for Meat and Vegetable processing and Hospitals. Hydraulink NZ Sales Manager Mr Rob Naughton says Hydraulink will provide uniformly world-class standards of fleet maintenance safety and operational services for Bathurst Resources, plus machinery and site knowledge, as well as operational quality, traceability and accountability standards across multiple sites for Bathurst Resources Ltd, including its operations at Rotowaro and Maramarua in the North Island and Canterbury Coal and Takitimu in the South Island. Operating from containerised full-service storage and engineering facilities on two sites – and backed by the resources of an organisation with more than 400 service points in Australia and New Zealand – Hydraulink will also install and service fire suppression systems and automatic lubrication systems as required across Bathurst’s combined fleet of more than 100 heavy machines. Machinery product knowledge and understanding of each site’s equipment and structure is vital to maintenance planning, quick response to operational issues and avoiding efficiency interruptions. Such integration and engineering knowledge facilitates fulfilment of Bathurst Resources’ first priority, which is the responsible care of its employees, contractors and communities for which
it provides employment and support.
Precision engineering, on land and at sea
In addition to working to the engineering excellence standards of major resources, infrastructure and energy companies throughout Australasia, Hydraulink is a sponsor and engineering services provider for Emirates Team New Zealand. Hydraulic cant systems, for which Hydraulink provides hydraulic services, are vital to boats’ performance Hydraulink’s standards of excellence are demonstrated by its selection to provide key hydraulic components for yacht systems such as the vital foil cant systems on Emirates Team New Zealand and on each of the Challengers’ craft. Rapid and sensitive hydraulic actuation of the foils is vital to the performance edge of each boat as it skims above the waves at speeds reaching 47-50 knots (90+kph).
Carpentry graduate aims to inspire more wahine into trades
WelTec carpentry graduate, Sarah Clark, wants to start a company that champions female tradies. Sarah is currently employed by Tonks Residential, a local construction company, as an apprentice builder. Sarah was introduced to the company while she was completing her Level 3 carpentry programme at WelTec in Lower Hutt, as part of her Māori and Pasifika Trades Training (MPTTS) scholarship. The scholarship supports students from entry into study, right through to employment, and an important part of this journey is to get work experience - which in Sarah’s case led directly to her first apprenticeship. Loving her new job at Tonks, and succeeding at it as a young female - has inspired Sarah to want to create an environment that supports and encourages women into the trades. Carpentry is often considered a man’s job, but Sarah believes that seeing other women succeed in the trades could make it a more accessible career path for young women. “My aunt is an electrician so the idea of being a woman in the trades was not unusual for me when I was growing up. I definitely believe that the more young girls see females in the trades, the more common it will become,” explains Sarah. “Just getting the word out there that I am working in construction as a young female, and that the team I work for embraces and encourages me, might help someone to see it as a viable option for themselves.” Sarah grew up in Lower Hutt, living with her The BusinessNZ Energy Council (BEC) has released its advice to the incoming Government for the electoral term following the election. The 2020 Energy Briefing outlines areas where the energy sector would like to work more closely with the incoming Government and offers recommendations for New Zealand’s energy policy. BusinessNZ Energy Council recommendations include: - A long-term whole-of-energy strategy and supporting policies to decarbonise the economy - Steering NZ’s transport systems, currently primarily run on fossil fuels, towards clean fuel options Cutting edge nutraceutical ingredients company Anagenix has purchased Vitaco’s Avondale-based nutritional product manufacturing facility. The seven-figure deal includes all assets at the site and acquiring the premises’ 10-year lease. New Zealand-owned Anagenix manufactures and markets high-quality scientifically-formulated ingredients used by health supplement grandparents and attending Sacred Heart College. She completed year 13 but knew that she didn’t want to spend more time ‘sitting in a classroom’. “I knew that I wanted to be doing something in the outdoors, and so when a WelTec advert popped up on my social media, I thought it sounded like a smart next step.” Sarah was supported through her course by the Tamaiti Whangai team at WelTec as part of her Māori and Pasifika Trades Training (MPTTS) scholarship. “The scholarship is as much about covering the costs of study as it is about supporting students to be the best they can be,” says Hinemoa Priest, Kaiwhakahaere Māori, and Manager of the Tamaiti Whāngai team which supports the MPTTS programme at both WelTec and Whitireia. “The team helps our learners with all manner of things - from getting a driver’s licence, sourcing equipment for their hands-on learning, and importantly providing wrap around pastoral, cultural, and wellbeing support. “Through our network of employers, such as Tonks, we help students get work experience while they study so they can see how to apply themselves and their knowledge in a real-life environment, and then assist with securing an apprenticeship or employment at the end of their study. Sarah has been a wonderful example of the success of this.” “Having my course fees covered by the MPTTS made a huge difference because it meant that I could - Growing local forms of energy production around
NZ - Driving diversity and security of energy supply - Improving consumer access to real-time electricity data - Strengthening regulation to ensure houses are properly insulated and ventilated - Keeping up with energy efficiency BEC Executive Director Tina Schirr says the energy sector is balancing the need for survival and recovery. “As energy leaders and policymakers grapple with the current Covid crisis, New Zealand should and nutraceutical manufacturers. Its products are locally grown kiwifruit and boysenberry-apple powders, gently processed from non-GMO whole fruits, to retain a high level of bioactivityThe company’s products are also BioGrow NZ organic certified, halal and kosher. Announcing the deal, Anagenix Managing Director Chris Johnson says Anagenix has experienced significant growth in recent years, with that trend set to continue despite Covid-19. Most of the company’s products are exported to the United States, Europe and Asia, where New Zealand-grown and manufactured natural health product ingredients command a premium.
concentrate on my studies without having to worry about how to cover my costs,” said Sarah. “I never would have expected to come away from tertiary study with a qualification, life skills, and no student
Achieving the best possible energy system
debt.” be reviewing the implications for the speed and direction of energy transition. “Energy related projects often stimulate significant investment and can create jobs where there is a sound regulatory environment across the sector. “We seek to collaboratively and constructively address how rules, incentives and markets can best be harnessed to shape evidence-based policy informed by our BEC scenario modelling. “Together we can achieve the transition to facilitate greater technological diversity without undermining the energy system we have.”
Anagenix purchase Vitaco manufacturing facility
The 2020 Energy Briefing is on www.bec.org.nz Mr Johnson commented that company’s stand was inundated at a recent European (virtual) trade show: “Whole fruit products that have great science portfolios around them, including clinical trials, are really taking off. “Our growth is such that Anagenix is now backwards integrating so that we can better manage all stages in our manufacturing supply chain, thus enhancing our products’ consistency and quality.” Mr Johnson says acquiring the manufacturing facility will enable Anagenix to triple its fruit drying and ingredient processing capacity over the next two to three years.
Hydraulink optimises pipe safety for McConnell Dowell’s Watercare record length project
New Zealand construction leader McConnell Dowell Constructors Ltd has selected the quality hydraulic hose, fittings and 24/7 service backup of Hydraulink to optimise the safety of New Zealand’s longest pipe jacking project. The Hunua 4 watermain project, commissioned and managed by Watercare Services Ltd, is a 31km pipeline through South and Central Auckland to help meet growing demand, increase the system’s capacity, ensure uninterrupted supply, and provide resilience to natural disasters.
Watercare, an Auckland Council-controlled organisation, engaged McConnell Dowell to design and construct Section 11, the final section of the pipeline, from Market Road to the Khyber Pass Reservoir.
A strong emphasis was placed on minimising disruption to communities along the pipeline route. Using mainly micro-tunnelling methods, McConnell Dowell constructed a 3.5km watermain using a tunnel boring machine (TBM) to drive and install Lincoln University’s goal to be carbon neutral by 2030 and to cease the combustion of coal by 2024 has received a major boost with confirmation of a $4.576 million investment from the Government’s $200 million Clean Powered Public Service Fund. As an advocate for sustainable development and an institution where environmentally sustainable practices are researched, taught and showcased, Lincoln University is committed to its bold objective to be carbon neutral within 10 years. The funding boost will enable the University to advance directly to its stated end-goal of decommissioning its coal-powered boiler by mid-2024.
2,500mm ID jacking pipes between six shafts, before lining the tunnel with a 1,575mm OD steel pipe. The pipe jacks are the longest ever completed in New Zealand. McConnell Dowell recently (July 2020) celebrated the completion of the second drive of Section 11.
McConnell Dowell’s TBM broke through at Khyber Pass Rd, setting a record of 1,216 metres for the longest single drive in the southern hemisphere by a TBM greater than 3 metres diameter. McConnell Dowell utilised a world-class TBM from Germany – a 55-tonne Herrenknecht – to excavate the 3m diameter tunnel required. To minimise community disruption, 80% of the pipeline construction was trenchless, and McConnell Dowell selected an alternative pipeline route that moved construction away from residential areas and ecologically sensitive sites. Hydraulink has more than 400 service outlets throughout New Zealand, Australia, and Pacific Islands, which bring essential hydraulic hose, fittings Lincoln will immediately begin work to convert its existing heating network from coal-fired steam to 100% electrification. This will involve a campus-wide rollout of distributed heat pumps and induction boiler heaters powered by an upgraded electrical network in time for the winter of 2024. Once the electrification project has been completed, the University’s boiler plant and coal stack will be decommissioned and deconstructed, making way for a regenerative and biodiverse central greenspace. Lincoln University is the only New Zealand University to achieve a ranking on the UI Green Metric World University Rankings, and in partnership with Meridian Energy has recently boosted its and safety-compliant and traceable service expertise to industries requiring prompt, quality 24/7 service either on or off site.
Hydraulic hoses are like the arteries of the system – if they don’t work properly, the whole thing shuts down, and that causes costly downtime, delays and throws the whole project timeline out.
Problem solving expertise in tough conditions
The completed pipe jack was 1,216m, so in order to achieve the distance required for this project, McConnell Dowell utilised a series of ten intermediate pushing stations (interjacks), placed approximately 100m apart, to push the pipe gradually in a series of cycles. Using a pipe jacking system allowed McConnell Dowell to reduce the amount of surface excavation for trenches. While it involved greater engineering, it was vital to this section of the project, because it ran under the busy Khyber Pass Road, which averages 30,000 vehicles each day. At its deepest sections, the tunnel runs close to 30m underground – a similar height to the region’s famous Hunua Falls, part of the Wairoa River that travels through an ancient volcano as it meanders north through Clevedon, before meeting the Hauraki Gulf.
Difficult geotechnical conditions, ranging from very hard basalt to soft clays created further challenges, reinforced the need for world-class technologies to be employed. Additionally, underground hydraulics and components needed to have a low flame and high flash point* to minimise fire hazard risks. (*The flash point indicates how easily a chemical or substance may burn. Materials with higher flash points are less flammable or hazardous than chemicals with lower flash points.) Now that the second drive is complete, McConnell Dowell has progressed to the third and final stage of Hunua 4 Section 11 – a 1,296m drive under Manukau
Government funding backs Lincoln University’s goal to be fossil fuel-free by 2024
Rd – which is scheduled to be completed in late 2021. commercial-scale solar energy generating capability, with several roof-mounted solar installations already delivering 250,000 kWh of clean renewable energy to the campus network per year. The solar installations and the decarbonisation project are part of a wider campus development programme for Lincoln that includes the construction of two new fit-for-future science buildings, an extensive upgrade of the Sport and Recreation Centre and visionary landscaping projects that will enhance the vibrancy of the park-like campus and promote a positive learning, research and community-focused environment.
How we need to change global supply chains after Covid-19
• The Covid-19 pandemic plunged nearly every industry into crisis with goods production and supply chains particularly disrupted; • A collaborative response from public and private sectors and the use of innovative technologies to fill gaps suggests a way to rebuild our global supply chains for the future; • From 3D printing to supply chains with resilience and humanity at the core, Covid-19 presents a vital opportunity to rethink the structures, systems and technologies in place. Covid-19 blindsided us. Doctors, nurses and other frontline medical workers were forced to wear garbage bags for lack of personal protective equipment (PPE). Grocery store shelves were left barren around the world while surplus elsewhere led to 3.7 million gallons of milk and 750,000 eggs being dumped and destroyed per day, according to the Dairy Farmers of America.
Seemingly overnight, the pandemic plunged nearly every industry into crisis. Goods production stalled. Supply chains were crippled. The virus was fast-spreading and unforeseen; there was only so much even the best logistics experts in the world could do.
As a global society, we must learn from this moment. It’s urgent that we do, as many top health experts predict that this virus could likely re-emerge in varying waves across different geographies for the foreseeable future.
Triggers of global supply chain disruption outlined in 2011
Image: World Economic Forum The challenge ahead lies in sustaining one critical upshot that was spurred by the immediacy of this crisis: collaboration. Within and among themselves, the public and private sectors quickly dissolved long-standing barriers. What we now need are systems capable of ensuring that the progress achieved during these months doesn’t disappear. We must collaborate to invest in future-ready capabilities that allow for resilient reactions to the unexpected and strike a better balance between globalized and localised manufacturing. They must take advantage of digital manufacturing to fill gaps where and when they arise and reinvent our supply chains to make them more resilient and human.
Opposing voices emerged, claiming that our long, global supply chains were the true culprit of the shortages. The truth lies in the middle. Globalised supply chains have many benefits, including lower costs, greater variety and wider access to customers, but, ultimately, building the resilient supply chains of the future means striking a balance between surplus and lean manufacturing. Because when the crisis struck, it became extremely difficult for suppliers to fix the issue, as they were all looking for substitutes at the same time. In fact, a recent survey by the Institute for Supply Chain Management revealed how widespread Covid-related supply chain disruptions initially were. The survey found, over the course of May, North American manufacturing was operating at 74% of normal capacity. Chinese and European manufacturing were at 76% and 64%, respectively. Moreover, 97% of all organisations said they had been affected by Covid-19 supply chain disruptions. Our supply chains are incredibly intertwined and intricate. We cannot predict when or where the next pandemic, natural disaster or civil unrest will strike, so attempting to detangle our inextricable global supply chains is futile. What we can do is use innovative technologies, across private and public sectors, as a stopgap measure to fill manufacturing demand on-the-spot, just-in-time. In fact, we already have.
Embrace 3D printing to fill supply chain gaps
For years, critics have questioned 3D printing’s viability at scale. During this pandemic, 3D printing has proven its immense value as not only a resource during crises, but also a core part of our future supply chains. One of the biggest battles the healthcare sector faced early in this pandemic was a near-universal shortage of ventilators. These are extremely complex and intricate pieces of machinery. They regulate how long inhalation lasts, how much air is received, the pressure to which a patient’s lungs are inflated and the air’s temperature, humidity and oxygen levels. This presents a strong case for the need for more localised manufacturing. At a moment’s notice, 3D printing organisations around the world sprang into action to produce N95 masks, face shields, bespoke ventilator parts and hands-free door openers just-in-time and near the hospitals and medical centres that immediately needed them. What’s more, 3D technology democratises manufacturing and widens the potential for innovation. Enthusiasts of 3D printing produced ventilator parts from machines in their homes.
Cost optimisation can no longer be the only consideration in structuring our supply chains. We need supply chains that are built for resilience with humanity at the core and we must work together. Supply chains are so much more than systems, structures and technologies; they are also people, whose safety and well-being must be upheld. Business leaders, especially those in technology, have an obligation to build the supply chain of the future with an unwavering commitment to human rights and safe practices for all workers. HP has taken a step towards this with the inaugural Human Rights Report, which commits to advancing respect for human rights within our own business policies and practices, as well as those of our partners and suppliers. Because our businesses, countries, economies and supply chains are so intertwined, there is a significant opportunity to hold one another to a higher standard and take advantage of the collective power of our systems to uphold supply chain transparency and hold one another accountable.
It is crucial to engage with key stakeholders - governments, academia and civil society - in the broader production system. Platforms like the World Economic Forum’s Shaping the Future of Advanced Manufacturing and Production can help to accelerate and amplify these type of efforts and build new partnerships that will create shared value for businesses, society and the environment.
It’s not just the right thing to do, it’s simply good business – many ethically minded consumers are willing to pay more for a product that comes from a transparent supply chain. Covid-19 was an unforeseen global issue that is now being confronted with global action as we realise the weaknesses it’s exposed. Today, it presents us with an opportunity to rebuild the supply chain of the future that we want to see and that’s an opportunity we cannot miss.
Manufacturers focused on SUCCESS
