NZ Manufacturer September 2020

September 2020

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MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY Designing for additive manufacturing.

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ANALYSIS What is world class?

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KIWINET Awards finalists.

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Southern regions to become collaborative industrial powerhouse Can Southland and Otago’s manufacturing engineering sector be the fastest growing and most competitive of its kind in New Zealand?

Despite the challenges being thrown at the sector, the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) believes it can.

SOREC has launched its capability mapping project to establish these two regions as an elite collective of engineers and manufacturers who are able to execute projects across numerous industries and fields.

SOREC was established by industry for industry, to ensure the sustainability of engineering in Southland and Otago. It is an incubator for industry to work together by growing and sharing the pie.

As New Zealand cautiously claws its way to recovery post-COVID-19, it’s the country’s regions that can feel the greatest impact. However, those regions also have significant potential to drive economic recovery.

SOREC has a plan to help build on that potential, and now that plan is being put into action.

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During the next few months, the organisation will be conducting research and surveying the manufacturing engineering sector in the two regions, to create a comprehensive matrix of all the businesses that fall into this industry and mapping their capabilities.

SOREC general manager Ceri Macleod said this would create a database of skills and a prospectus of sorts for Southland and Otago.

“This will effectively show potential clients what we can do, how vast our breadth of knowledge and skills are, and the value we offer in working collectively,” she said.

“It’s going to give the southern region the ability to put forward compelling business cases for large manufacturing engineering contracts, in sectors such as defence, transport, infrastructure and high-tech

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CONTENTS 1 5

DEPARTMENTS LEAD Southern regions to become collaborative industrial powerhouse.

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COVID-19 BUSINESS

Kirk Hope

Business, Covid-19, and the 2020 election Filtration face off.

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MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY ISO from Tauranga invests in world-first innovation.

ADVISORS

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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.

Designing for additive manufacturing.

Collaboration and sector support builds sustainable supply chains.

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Ian Walsh

Ian is Managing Director of Intent Group, 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.

ANALYSIS What is World Class?

Setting the pace.

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KIWINET AWARDS FINALISTS THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY

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Is the Chief Executive of the Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce (the Chamber).and is a strong voice for Canterbury business.

Circular product stewardship: Starting with design.

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SMART MANUFACTURING “Robotic Integrated Controller” for production systems possible.

Igus offline configurator helps find the right iglidur plain bearing material.

14 Lewis Woodward

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.

Making steel sustainable.

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NEW PRODUCTS UT Series 3-wheel lift.

A material matter.

MRO tools weather turbulent industrial economy.

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18 Brett O’Riley

DESIGN 10 design tips for a long-lasting rotating energy supply.

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DEVELOPMENTS The power of traceability for food and medical manufacturers.

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Eaton announces distribution partnership in New Zealand.

New chapter for Mercer Group.

Applications open for ATNZ Apprentice of the Year 2020.

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Leeann Watson

REAR VIEW Technology holds the key to a green recovery.

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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.

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

MANAGING EDITOR

the

heading

of

this

this issue of NZ Manufacturer.

Don’t you think it is such a strong and optimistic statement, full of self-belief and planning for the future?

CONTRIBUTORS Holly Green, Barbara Nebel, Ian Walsh, Stephanie Pretorius, Helen Down, Ceri Macleod

The SOREC ( Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective), under general manager Ceri Macleod, is conducting research and surveying the manufacturing engineering sector in the two regions to create a comprehensive matrix of all the businesses that fall into this industry and mapping their capabilities.

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

DESIGN & PRODUCTION Kim Alves, KA Design T: + 64 6 870 8133 E: kim.alves@xtra.co.nz

“This will effectively show potential clients what we can do, how vast our breadth of knowledge and skills are and the value we offer in working collectively,” she said.

WEB MASTER

I will be following SOREC’s developments with much interest and would like to see other regions collaborate in such a way.

Julian Goodbehere E: julian@isystems.co.nz

Speaking of which, I am also enjoying the focus of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce which is fully focussed on assisting economic recovery through the manufacturing sector. See Page 10 for the article in full.

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

DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTIONS E: publisher@xtra.co.nz Free of Charge.

Helen Down, Chief Executive, says the chamber has seen a spike in enquiries coming in for new product development from companies who would have otherwise imported product from overseas.

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

Who does not know what world class is? On Page 9, Ian Walsh, Managing Director, Intent Group explains in his article that some business leaders don’t know either!

World class is important…we all know that. Let’s keep on aiming high and make the products that keep our name in lights on local and overseas markets.

Vol.11 No. 8 SEPTMEBER 2020

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.

NZ Manufacturer September 2020 /

Disclosure:

Editorial is from the Page 1 article of

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

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Southern regions to become collaborative industrial powerhouse

Finally, send me your news. Share your inventions and journey with NZ Manufacturer, keep on believing and remember the saying…’The only way out is through.’

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Doug Green

Success Through Innovation

EDITORIAL

COVID-19 BUSINESS Business, Covid, and the 2020 election Most businesspeople approve of the Government’s handling of the COVID-19 outbreak, but many are uncomfortable with New Zealand’s resultant debt. And business wants a plan for raising economic performance to deal with Covid fallout.

The key findings of the Deloitte and Chapman Tripp Election Survey hosted by BusinessNZ- were presented at the virtual Deloitte and Chapman Tripp Election Conference hosted by BusinessNZ in Auckland on Friday 11 September.

This year’s survey shows a clear view by business that the Government has done well in its initial response to the COVID-19 situation. There are mixed feelings about whether the Government has spent the right amount on business support, but there is strong support for the wage subsidy and leave schemes.

Looking ahead to the period of Covid- and post-Covid recovery, businesses want to see the Government focused on economic well-being, with a coordinated plan for recovery that includes building infrastructure.

For the general business environment, businesses want to see the regulatory burden on business reduced, the RMA overhauled, and 90-day job trials allowed for all businesses. A large majority don’t want tax increases.

Deloitte Chief Executive Thomas Pippos says, “The survey defines the areas of interest to New Zealand business. This year’s results show a clear focus for future governments, even with the high levels of uncertainty caused by COVID-19.

Commercial & industrial growth

“There is an understanding that as a country, we are dealing with an unanticipated and disruptive situation. Overall, survey results suggest there is general support for the actions taken by the Government to date in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic which is the key positive the Government can take from the survey findings.”

Chapman Tripp Chief Executive Partner Nick Wells says, “With little sign of the pandemic easing in the short term, and an uncertain prospect of a vaccine, our collective focus needs to be on enabling economic resilience for the long haul, while protecting our borders and remaining vigilant. COVID-19 has changed so many aspects of the old normality, but change delivers both disruption and opportunity.

“What the results of this survey show, is that amongst the business community there is appetite to embrace these challenging times as an opportunity, and usher in policy and legislative change to facilitate economic recovery.”

BusinessNZ Chief Executive Kirk Hope says the Election Survey results reveal where businesses are most impacted by the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and highlight the importance of Government policies for recovery.

“It is critical that the voice of business is heard in

BusinessNZ Chief Executive Kirk Hope.

post-Covid planning and management,” Mr Hope said.

Key findings Key findings in the 2020 Deloitte and Chapman Tripp Election Survey hosted by BusinessNZ: For the recent COVID-19 period - Covid response - 71% think the Government has done a good or excellent job of handling the Covid-19 outbreak - Covid business support - 43% say the Government is spending the right amount; 26% say it’s spending too much; 17% say it’s spending too little - Most effective Covid initiatives - wage subsidy and leave schemes 78%; small business cashflow scheme 55%; fast-tracking RMA for shovel-ready projects 41% - Covid debt - 60% are uncomfortable and 33% are

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Employment growth

Economic output

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

getba

getba.org.nz

Greater East Tamaki Business Association Inc.

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COVID-19 BUSINESS Filtration face off: Melt-blown fibres versus electrospun nanofibres New research into the effectiveness of melt-blown fibres and electrospun nanofibres has found nanofibre filter media provides significantly increased protection against bacteria and viruses such as Covid-19.

The research, conducted by Dr Fabrice Karabulut from Revolution Fibres in New Zealand, contrasts and compares nanofibre filtration with traditional melt blown filters in light of increased global demand for PPE and the future need for more effective face masks.

Dr Karabulut says melt blowing, a commercially successful and low-cost process for producing filtration microfibres, produces fibres with diameters in the range of 1-10 micrometres.

“The structure of a melt-blown filter is like a non-uniform fishing net. Its pores are 1-3 micrometres in diameter which are much larger than bacteria and viruses which are just 0.1 micrometres.”

He says the diameters of nanofibre range from 10 300 nanometres, which is 10 - 100 times smaller than conventional melt-blown microfibres, meaning they are very effective in protecting against viruses such as COVID, bacteria and other toxic particles.

“Electrospun nanofibre is characterised by a very large surface area and small pore diameter which significantly increases the probability of particles in the smaller, submicron and nanometre range depositing on the fibre surface – thereby improving filter efficiency.”

Increased breathability and reusable Dr Karabulut’s research is contained in the White Paper Melt-Blown Fibres vs. Electrospun Nanofibres as Filtration Media which outlines the differences between nanofibre filtration capability and melt-blown filtration.

As well as increased filtration performance, he also found the breathability and reusable nature of nanofibre made it superior to melt-blown filtration.

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“The current pandemic has amplified the need for masks to be reusable but retain effectiveness,” he says.

“A recent study testing the reusability of melt-blown and nanofibre filters when cleaned with ethanol showed melt-blown filters were only effective for single use due to the steep reduction of filtration efficiency after ethanol cleaning. This is because the electrostatic charge of these types of filters is lost when cleaned, leading to a dramatic drop in performance.

“On the other hand, it was found electrospun nanofibre filters can be successfully reused multiple times after cleaning with ethanol as the filtration efficiency remains consistent.”

Wide ranging functionality Nanofibres are highly controllable with the electrospinning process enabling management of qualities such as absorbency, fibre diameter and surface area. Modification of these parameters allow them to filter higher amounts and a wider range of particles and contaminants than melt-blown filters.

In addition, electrospun nanofibres have low basis weight, high permeability, and tight pore size that make them appropriate for a wide range of filtration applications. This broad use extends to other applications ranging from skincare and medical uses to strengthening and acoustic sound absorption.

Meeting global demand When the impact of Covid-19 escalated in March, Revolution Fibres pivoted its business to accommodate large scale filter media production for N95 face masks to help bolster PPE supply both in New Zealand’s local market and overseas.

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Filtration for respiratory protection from pollution and viruses is what Revolution Fibres made its name on 10 years ago, leading the commercialisation of nanofibre technology in New Zealand with product lines such as air filtration for home ventilation company HRV. Revolution Fibres advanced SETA filter media is able to trap 99% of microscopic particles such as spores, allergens, and bacteria.

Revolution Fibres CEO Ray Connor says adapting its filter media for face masks required specialist development as well as increasing production capacity to meet the high levels of local and international demand.

With the proliferation of counterfeit face masks globally, Connor says Revolution Fibres is also making a concerted effort to ensure its product is fully compliant with the most stringent standards including NIOSH, EN, and ASTM (N95 to N99).

“Filtration plays an important role in purifying and decontaminating two life necessities: water and air. As awareness of the related health issues has increased, and accelerated by the current COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for protection from air-borne pollution and disease has also increased.”

Commercially viable Mr Connor says historically nanofibres were not able to be produced in large enough volumes and at low enough cost to be commercially viable up against existing alternatives such as melt-blown.

“Recently technology advancements have meant production rates of electrospun nanofibre are close to that of the conventional melt-blowing process.

“Internationally, the nanofibre market is continuing to grow which is why we have scaled up to increase production to meet demand for not only filter media but our full suite of products.”

MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY ISO invests in world-first innovation to transform port logistics supply chain Tauranga-headquartered port logistics company ISO Limited, continues its investment in world-leading technology to transform the safety and efficiency of its port logistics supply chain, with the addition of four mobile harbour cranes at its operation in Mount Maunganui for use on the Mount Maunganui Wharfs.

ISO commissioned the Liebherr mobile harbour cranes, a world-first in terms of size and capacity, to deliver enhanced safety for handling of all types of cargo including logs, and to increase handling cycles, lift capacity and vessel turnarounds.

The German-manufactured mobile harbour cranes arrived into Te Awanui, Tauranga harbour, on an ISO-chartered heavy-lift vessel Rolldock Sun, after travelling 12,000 nautical miles over 37 sailing days from Rostock via the Panama Canal.

Paul Cameron, CEO of ISO says the company is committed to continue applying world-leading innovation to its business and to deliver competitive excellence in supply chain transparency for its customers.

“We’re creating a new future in a traditional industry by applying robotics, automation and IT, to minimise exposure to hazards and move our people into more skilled roles. We’re on a mission to enhance safety, improve efficiency and productivity, and radically improve the supply chain for our customers.

“It’s very exciting to add mobile harbour cranes

to our port logistics operation. The technology is not only safer, it allows us to load and unload vessels without the use of ships cranes – allowing us to handle cargo for a wider range of vessels.

The introduction of the cranes is part of a wider technology innovation initiative which has seen us introduce Robotic Scaling Machines for scaling logs, and sophisticated IT solutions to our operations in recent years.”

ISO Limited has grown to be one of New Zealand’s largest nationwide waterfront cargo logistics companies, providing cargo logistics services throughout New Zealand operating out of: Marsden Point, Tauranga, Kaingaroa, Murupara, Gisborne, Napier, New Plymouth, Wellington, Picton, Timaru, Dunedin, Bluff and Invercargill. ISO also provides innovative warehousing, IT and total supply chain solutions to port industries across New Zealand and Australia and software solutions in North and South America.

Mr. Cameron says the remote-controlled mobile harbour cranes, with advanced technology and safety specifications, were specifically customised to suit ISO’s operating environment with input from the company’s technology team.

Weighing 465 tonnes, the fully mobile Liebherr harbour crane has a 51 metre maximum lifting height, a 54 metre maximum outreach, dual outrigger pads that provide improved point loading distribution, 80

steerable wheel sets and has mobility of 360 degrees from any point.

ISO’s New Zealand customers are already benefiting from the company’s introduction of industry-changing Robotic Scaling Machines which automate the accurate volumetric measurement (scaling) of export logs on trucks and trailers. The world-first robotic technology was developed by Tauranga-based robotics and automation company Robotics Plus in collaboration with ISO. ISO commissioned the first Robotic Scaling Machine for its facility at Mount Maunganui and has had it in operation since November 2018.

The robot can automatically scan logs on a truck in 3 to 4 minutes, which compares up to 40 minutes for the previous manual system used throughout the world - which requires people to hand scan the logs by climbing between trucks and trailers.

Mr Cameron says ISO will continue to invest in technology that delivers safety and efficiency and has a clear payback for the forestry and other industries it serves.

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MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY Designing for additive manufacturing Over the last six months, RAM3D have seen an unprecedented increase in both large and small companies interested in trying 3D metal printing as an alternative to other forms of manufacturing. This is possibly because they have had time to work on projects during the COVID-19 lockdown.

RAM3D works closely with their clients offering them advice on how to alter the part’s design to make the part stronger, lighter, and therefore cost competitive using dedicated design for production, using additive manufacture.

When designing a part for metal 3D printing, the biggest thing to consider is the material properties of the part you want to 3D print; if the mass doesn’t need to be there, get rid of it!

Traditional manufacturing and design methods tend to be constrained by tool paths, machine time, material shapes and sizes. This means, if you can’t remove the material, it stays there. With AM you are less tied to these constraints allowing you to do cut outs, pockets, fillets, undercuts and even combine part assemblies, where traditionally you couldn’t.

Some CAD programs even contain part optimisation for additive parts. This is a great way of reducing the part cost, while creating innovative and interesting looking parts.

Where you cannot remove large surface areas or you need to keep a solid look to a part, there is the option of adding an internal lattice structure.

Lattice Structures One of best ways to reduce mass without reducing too much structural integrity, is to add a lattice structure. The benefit of using a lattice over simply

hollowing a part, is the lattice does not require internal support. When designed correctly, it can maintain good strength and performance.

RAM3D can create a simple uniform wall thickness internal lattice structure using their Netfabb build software. This is great for those non-structural parts where you need the mass removed but need to maintain that solid look.

For more structural parts, where a uniform wall thickness does not suit (where you have threads, structural ribs or require post machining), RAM3D require separate internal and external models.

They require two solid models; one of the main body and one of the internal body, that is going to be turned into lattice.

The internal body needs to be modelled to allow for the thickened or internal features. This is then subtracted from the outer solid model via a Boolean op leaving a cavity. Holes will then be added to the shell for powder removal. The internal solid model is then turned into a lattice structure in their Netfabb build software and merged with the outer shell creating the complete part.

Their clients can supply the main outer shelled part with various thickened features as well as specific openings for powder removal. They still require the solid internal model to form the lattice.

When providing parts for latticing, models must line

up perfectly, so base both models off the same part where possible. A quick tip is to have both models labelled to differentiate between internal/lattice and outer/shell.

RAM3D require a 3D CAD file to print your part. And here are some of the types of files they can work with: • Solidworks file.

• A generic model such as a Parasolid, iges or step file. These are 3D CAD formats that can be shared between many different CAD programs.

• A good quality STL file. This type of file contains a description of thousands of small triangles that define the shape of your part.

Your 3D design questions answered How does the engineer know when to use Metal 3D printing?

The answer is surprisingly simple…When you get the part that you want for the right price….

What types of parts are cheap to metal 3D print?

A simple bracket for example might be very cheap to make using conventional manufacturing but to make the same bracket in metal 3D printing could be expensive. On the other hand, if you have a part that is very complex in geometry, expensive to machine and limited in its design by the existing manufacturing method, this is a prime candidate for 3D printing.

What is the cost of metal 3D printing?

The pricing structure for RAM3D metal printing is a simple one. Most of the cost is directly related to the volume of the part. The volume determines the amount of metal you get and the amount of time it takes to melt that material. That cost remains mostly constant regardless of the geometric complexity. For example, a simple bracket of 30,000 cubic mm costs the same to print as a geometrically complex, hollow shelled nozzle of the same volume. If those two were made conventionally then the bracket might be a few dollars, while the nozzle might be hundreds of dollars.

In 3D printing we call that “Complexity for Free”.

Meaning that if you have a part to print, you can add all sorts of geometric complexity for free if the part volume remains the same. If the part volume drops then it is often cheaper.

Example of the lug showing internal lattice structure which has been added by RAM3D.

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ANALYSIS What is World Class? By Ian Walsh, Managing Director, Intent Group What do we mean by world class?

Over the last few years, I have facilitated business sessions on productivity with business leaders, based on this fundamental question. What I have found interesting is the majority of them don’t know what world class is.

They believe it is something to aspire to, that is probably unachievable, but they can’t actually define what it is.

Almost none of them have segmented their customers to figure out what the different customer segments value.

best respirators at Fisher & Paykel Healthcare, and their ability to innovate in this area is a competitive advantage.

Of course, it is different if you ask them what isn’t world class, or to describe the last world class experience they had.

As a result, they have misaligned systems and processes and are failing to deliver value as efficiently and productively as possible.

If you were to ask them to list examples of companies they would consider to be world class, I’m certain that a range of great restaurants, Air New Zealand, Apple and others, would populate these lists.

Consider the value proposition of Air New Zealand versus Jetstar. One is targeting customers who like higher levels of service and experience, whilst the other is targeting value focused travellers.

We make the world’s best Sauvignon Blanc, grow amazing kiwifruit, apples, avocados and other foods (manuka honey etc); this is because of our innovative practices and genetics (varietals), our natural advantage (soil, microclimates, geography) and our can do attitude.

World class is not about perfection, but rather beating or outperforming your competition in the important things that your customers care about and are willing to pay for. Why do people buy Toyotas?

The systems and processes of both businesses are aligned with delivering this outcome. One provides lounges and food etc and the other minimises costs.

Now, imagine what we could achieve if we combined the range of amazing products and services we have with a clearly aligned competitive strategy to deliver outstanding customer value.

If you can determine what your market values in each segment and which is the most profitable, and deliver this value better than your competition, then you are world class and you will survive and grow.

Imagine if everyone in the organisation was aligned to delivering that benefit throughout the entire value chain and driving improvements to achieve this result, every day.

This is a strategic competitive advantage that needs to be understood throughout your organisation and protected.

Imagine if we had all the right people, with the right skills, relentlessly focused on delivering this value better than our competitors.

In dairy, Kiwis are among the lowest cost producers on the farm because of our great farming practices and our natural advantages to grow grass.

This is what world class New Zealand looks like. If you want to make your business better, then start looking at the value you are delivering and how you compare with your competitors.

They are reliable (quality) and people pay more for them because of this. Toyota has figured out how to make cars cheaper and more reliable than anyone else by focusing on delivering this value.

For perspective, Toyota identifies over one million improvements per year, or over six per employee, and over 90% of those improvements are implemented.

How do you compare?

Unfortunately, over the last 10 years, when posed the question whether they have asked their own customers why they choose them or what they value, 90% of SME’s responded that they did not know!

In a commodity environment, being the low-cost producer is the only strategy. We make the world’s

Let’s get on with this New Zealand!

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MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY Collaboration and sector support builds sustainable supply chains -Helen Down, Chief Executive, Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce The local manufacturing sector continues to play a critical role in ensuring New Zealand has resilient and sustainable supply chains.

The Covid-19 operating environment has caused significant uncertainty and disruptions to the global supply of product and goods, and opened up new opportunities for local manufacturing to re-examine and refocus networks and flows, and create new connections across the sector to stabilise supply chain reliability.

Without a doubt, if well supported by government policy, the manufacturing sector will play a key role in the long-term Covid-19 economic recovery, including with job creation.

“When products and services are scarce, it is often harder for a small country like New Zealand to compete in terms of buying power on the world stage. Overseas suppliers often favour markets with higher demand.” Helen Down said.

The disruption of the global pandemic exposed gaps, but also opened up opportunities.

“The Chamber has seen a spike in enquiries coming in for new product development from companies who would otherwise have imported product from overseas with the disruption to shipping and air freight.”

The Chamber is now actively promoting and supporting opportunities for greater collaboration in the manufacturing sector, as well as continuing conversations with government to seek greater support.

“It will be important to be smart about manufacturing those things that are going to be harder to get due to Covid-19, and as a manufacturing sector, work together to create domestic manufacturing capability.

“Many manufacturers have demonstrated their ability to adapt very quickly, refocus skills and resources, and scale up as needed, or create in-demand products quickly.

“This can include identifying products we haven’t previously, or are not currently manufacturing, but where there is likely to be a high demand such as health products, masks, and ventilators,” Helen Down said.

New Zealand often excels in high tech manufacturing.

That speed to deliver is now more valuable than ever for some specific items, so that also means the cost per unit is not as important.

There is a huge amount of talent, innovation, and resourcefulness in the local Hutt Valley manufacturing sector and the current environment is providing many opportunities to focus on what can be achieved locally, using locally sourced plant, parts, products and business connections.

Some manufacturing companies are continuing to grow strongly, and they are reconsidering their supply lines and, importantly, looking for local suppliers, and supporting local communities.

Hutt Valley manufacturer, NZ Tube Mills, has faced an unexpected market shift in the past and found that refocusing and collaborating can open up new and exciting opportunities.

In the 1990s, with the changes to the automotive industry, NZ Tube Mills shifted their manufacturing focus from making exhaust systems.

They spotted an opportunity to work together with other Hutt Valley based manufacturers to create stainless and carbon steel vineyard trellising solutions, known as Eco Trellis and ECO-V. The collaboration saw NZ Tube Mills develop the parts, another manufacturer, Myriad Engineering weld the parts with their innovative Robot Welder, and Leda Extrusions manufacture the clips that are used on the posts.

Mark Wilson, Managing Director of Myriad Engineering Limited, believes supporting local businesses is the key.

“Our customer base is in New Zealand. At the end of the day we are making sure we are keeping the local economy going as much as possible, we don’t import materials. We buy all our materials locally and manufacture the components for an extensive range of industries,” he said.

The benefits of working locally are quicker response and turn-around times, working with people face-to-face, and job creation with people employed locally.

Richard Latta, the Managing Director at Pike New Zealand, agrees.

“Many of our suppliers are local suppliers providing products and services to us. That’s really important to us because we feel it’s critical the dollar is shared around the local commercial community. It means we are all getting a slice of the pie.

“We use external engineers and electricians, we buy all of our packaging from a local packaging company, and use local transport businesses were we can. That’s really important to our ethos and the way we do business,” Richard Latta said.

He explains that their local manufacturing collaboration has recently extended with Upper Hutt based Leda Extrusions purchasing the Pikes business.

Together they are continuing to develop new products for the Eco Trellis solution that are likely to go to market next year.

The local manufacturing collaboration has been such a success that the Eco Trellis systems have also captured the overseas market.

Chief Executive of NZ Tube

Mills, Terry Carter, says they have discovered that brand New Zealand is a huge selling point overseas.

“Globally, New Zealand is an attractive supplier. We have also managed a strong response to Covid-19 which has given us a competitive advantage in the manufacturing sector for export.

The main issue can be bureaucracy.

New Zealand manufacturers are very flexible and seize opportunities, however at times it can be difficult to get government support. Now is a pivotal time for government to consider shortening some of the market access processes,” Terry Carter said.

The Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce continues to work closely with government on these issues, and others.

The Chamber has helped businesses since before lockdown with their central government certification, customs permits and consents, including importing components.

“We have also been helping manufacturers to access funding from the government business recovery team through the Regional Business Partners Network. And, we are continuing to work with manufacturers to access funding so they can adapt their strategy and get local advice.”

The Chamber has also worked where it can to help connect up suppliers and manufacturers to support supply chain resiliency.

“We know businesses and manufacturers want to be better connected,” Helen Down said.

Next month the new Manufacturing & Technology Forum will launch at the 2020 Wellington Business Expo, hosted by the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce. The event will be opened by the Hon. Grant Robertson and feature a panel of well-known manufacturing and technology leaders.

Bringing Wellington manufactures together at the event is an opportunity to start, and continue, conversations including asking the Government to support the growth of the local manufacturing sector. Policies that support a strong and thriving New Zealand manufacturing sector will contribute to economic recovery.

The Government shouldn’t underestimate the opportunities that manufacturing brings to New Zealand. There are many niche opportunities for manufacturer’s right across the spectrum and many of these opportunities can be better harnessed.

Focused government policies and assistance will turn some of those opportunities into reality, playing a crucial role in our covid economy.

Following the Business Expo, a report will be provided to Government with ideas and recommendations from the manufacturing sector.

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Contact Kevin Kevany Mobile 021 577 211 Email kevwrite@xtra.co.nz

DEVELOPMENTS

continued from Page 1

Southern regions to become collaborative industrial powerhouse production by working collaboratively.”

If international and national contracts could be filled from the south, then the growth of the industry would mean more jobs, greater investment in new technology, more buoyant regional economies, and the creation of more skilled and sustainable positions.

“Our sector is already involved in delivering some amazing projects, but we can do more. By fully understanding our strengths and opportunities, we can market our sector and target our potential where it will have the most impact.”

The research and survey work would be conducted

by Southland-based marketing and communications agency, Market South.

As a regional initiative for development, with wide-reaching ripple effects for the economy,

the output of this work would benefit the entire manufacturing engineering industry.

The more people who took part, the better and wider reaching the resulting database would be, Macleod said.

“Results will help make a real difference across the sector. We can build on our competitiveness, spread our exposure to risk and help future-proof manufacturing engineering in Southland and Otago.”

Macleod believed strong collaboration already existed between firms across the region.

“If someone can’t do part of the process themselves, they’ll partner up with other local operators to deliver on the job – for example 3D printers, sheet metal, machining, casting, coating and electronics manufacturers all working together.”

“What we’re doing is documenting those links and capabilities so that we can present them to clients as one cohesive supply chain.”

“This process will ensure we can bid for projects with absolute confidence in delivery.”

SOREC has a plan to help build on that potential, and now that plan is being put into action.

Major version update of Robotmaster robotic software now available Hypertherm has released the Robotmaster Version 7.3 offline robot programming software with extensive features and enhancements designed to further simplify robotic programming.

Additions found in V7.3 include: • Support for the newest CAD file types, 3D printing software, and third-party plugs-in for software brands such as CATIA, SolidWorks, Autodesk Inventor, Siemens, Solid Edge, AutoCAD, Pro-E/ Creo, Rhino, and more.

• Performance improvements for faster data processing and robot code output when creating additive manufacturing paths in addition to post processor enhancements for major robot brands such as Kuka, ABB, and Fanuc.

• The addition of new modules including a spray simulation module for companies who use robots to spray, coat, or paint products as well as a module that simulates material deposition during additive manufacturing, adhesive dispensing, welding, and

similar applications.

• Numerous productivity enhancements to existing modules for more accurate time estimates, the ability to quickly import g-code from 3D slicing software including Cura and Slic3r, and the ability to automatically set a cutting direction based on material location with respect to the path.

• Notable enhancements to the path import module providing users with an option to read custom instructions and set process activations and deactivations directly from imported code and enjoy a more accurate interaction, process simulation, and robot code output for both g-code and APT formats.

The many new features found in V7.3 are to further streamline offline robotic programming. By adding support for more software types, files, and robots, customers solve sometimes complex challenges quickly and easily.

Building upon the completely redesigned V7

Robotmaster V7.3 includes the addition of new modules including a spray simulation module for companies who use robots to spray, coat, or paint products.

architecture, first introduced in 2018, Robotmaster uses integrated CAD/CAM functionality to make robotic programming easy and intuitive for everyone, even first-time users. It is used by a wide range of industries to program robots for tasks that include surfacing, 3D milling, additive manufacturing, welding, painting, and more.

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NZ Manufacturer September 2020

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ANALYSIS Setting the pace: Starting a step change in construction performance

By Stephanie Pretorius, Senior Consultant, Intent Group Lean in construction is still well behind manufacturing in terms of uptake in New Zealand.

There are some key factors affecting the pace of change, including lack of an industry standard for ‘what good looks like’.

Construction has just begun to realise the potential benefit that comes from a focus on continuous improvement to processes, maximising customer value and improving throughput.

How can construction pick up the pace and make sustained progress towards performance improvement?

Construction is a collaborative industry that has a number of recognised issues. A joint initiative between Government and Industry was started last year in an effort to address known issues and kick-start closing the gap towards better performance.

The 2019 Construction Accord sent a clear signal that sector transformation is needed over a three-year span with improved performance being the goal.

Downer’s Transport Services Northern business is an excellent example showcasing ways to actively realise the intent of the Accord.

One of the objectives of the Accord is to lift performance through better business management practices.

Downer started an improvement journey in 2017 that was aimed at introducing better practice and creating a stable foundation for continuous improvement (CI).

Their culture was transformed over the last three years as the business pursued CI with dedication and commitment.

While it is still the beginning of their journey, they have made remarkable progress due to strong leadership and wide team engagement towards the new direction.

continued from Page 5

Setting an intention to be significantly different in three years, the Northern Leadership team embarked on a transformation journey.

The goal was to develop the capability to step-change performance, and create and open, a collaborative improvement culture that will provide a strong foundation for performance improvement in the mid to long term.

Cascading the direction, the team initiated a programme of change that included establishing daily management systems across multiple sites, redesigning core processes, cascading direction via strategy deployment and more.

The Downer team created a regular cadence for improvement with oversight by the Steering Committee that allowed the business to adjust the pace of improvement to a manageable workload for the team.

What they achieved was a remarkable culture change created from an unrelenting focus on providing the systems and processes that would enable the business to systemise improvement.

Processes are how the work gets done, and a process focus is integral to getting better performance. Key achievements include: Seven business priorities successfully cascaded across the team empowering widespread action.

Team moving the dial on what made a difference for Downer through responding with alignment.

Systems for team communication embedded in daily practice.

Daily meetings established over multiple sites, four geographic locations, and with three levels of clear visual performance escalation.

Core processes significantly improved.

Leadership confidence and active coaching of teams increased significantly.

Growing the internal capability to manage CI. Overall, leaders rose to the challenge, utilising visible forums for leading their teams, creating engagement and alignment, and setting expectations.

Downer have built a great foundation for performance improvement. Getting a good start and creating momentum early on allows the business to keep moving in the direction of getting better every day, while building the internal capability to persevere with focus.

Of course, there is a long road ahead that never ends in a final destination when it comes to continuous improvement.

In terms of how to pick up the pace and create a step change Downer have demonstrated that it is possible to make a positive change to management practices and establish core systems and processes that let the business thrive.

Business, Covid, and the 2020 election

comfortable with NZ’s debt reaching 53% of GDP by 2023 Over the short- to medium-term and during Covid recovery - Tax - 91% don’t want higher personal tax; 88% don’t want higher corporate tax - Economic well-being - 86% say economic well-being should take priority over cultural, environmental or social well-being during Covid recovery - Building infrastructure - 80% think this is a useful mechanism to help the economy recover from economic shock; 70% says central and local government should borrow to directly fund infrastructure development - RMA - 80% say recent fast-track changes to the Resource Management Act show the Act needs a

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The initial driver for the business was a step change in culture with a focus on continuous improvement to better protect intellectual property across core processes within the business.

NZ Manufacturer September 2020 /

full overhaul - Regulatory burden - 79% say more should be done to reduce regulations on business as part of ongoing Covid recovery; 65% say Government processes for developing regulatory change aren’t satisfactory - 90-day trials - 73% say reintroducing 90-day job trials would benefit their business - Post-Covid planning - 65% say the Government doesn’t have a coordinated plan for raising NZ’s economic performance.

The Deloitte and Chapman Tripp Election Survey hosted by BusinessNZ in July 2020 surveyed 1,193 businesses of all sizes in all sectors and regions of New Zealand.

The complete results of the 2020 Deloitte and

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Chapman Tripp Election Survey hosted by BusinessNZ can be found on www.electionsurvey.co.nz

Post-Covid planning - 65% say the Government doesn’t have a coordinated plan for raising NZ’s economic performance.

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KIWINET 2020 Kiwinet Awards finalists Award Category: Norman Barry Foundation Breakthrough Innovator

Award Category: Norman Barry Foundation Breakthrough Innovator

Award Category: Norman Barry Foundation Breakthrough Innovator

This award recognises an upcoming entrepreneurial researcher who is making outstanding contributions to business innovation or is creating innovative businesses in New Zealand through technology licencing, start-up creation or by providing expertise to support business innovation.

Associate Professor Aaron Marshall, University of Canterbury

DR ELDON TATE – INHIBIT COATINGS

Zincovery - extracting value and improving the environment through the treatment of waste from the galvanising industry

DR SWATI GUPTA - Inclusys Talk With Me - opening the world of communication to people with autism People with autism find interacting with others challenging. This leads to isolation, loneliness, depression, dysfunctional relationships and unemployment.

Dr Swati Gupta, Founder and CEO of Inclusys, has developed ‘Talk With Me’, a platform for caregivers/ educators to help people with autism learn social interaction skills and experience the joy of connecting with others.

Antimicrobial coatings keeping people safe in food and healthcare industries University of Canterbury’s Associate Professor Aaron Marshall, a co-founder of Zincovery, is an entrepreneur with a keen interest in solving real-world industrial problems. He is currently commercialising a process to treat the waste generated by the galvanising industry.

This waste is strongly acidic, saturated with dissolved iron and zinc, and an environmental problem.

Learners sit alongside and share the app with the people in their life, to have social conversations. It comes with a diverse range of topics to talk about.

Parents/educators customise the learning content as per the learner’s needs, and create their own content. Talk With Me can also be used for speech/ language disorders, ADHD and Cerebral Palsy.

Talk With Me was first conceptualised as a proof-of-concept by the Callaghan Innovation Assistive Devices team in 2015, led by Swati Gupta, Principal Research Scientist.

International trials produced outstanding results: over twenty minutes of independent conversation, minimal intervention, excellent joint attention, eye-contact cooperation, verbalisation and turn taking.

Skills learned in the app are transferred to everyday life. These are astounding results for children who have attention spans of max three minutes, minimal social interaction, and require high intervention.

The Inclusys approach to teaching conversation skills is more efficient than conventional therapy, where the focus is on first building pre-requisites like turn taking and verbalisation. Talk With Me’s approach recommends straightaway engaging a child in conversation during a meaningful activity; prerequisites follow as a result.

In 2017 Swati was chosen as an Emerging Innovator

by KiwiNet and Norman Barry Foundation, to help her commercialise Talk With Me and develop entrepreneurial skills. In 2018 she founded Inclusys, which has already attracted two rounds of significant private investment and is partnering with schools and autism organisations to take the product to market.

In 2018 Swati won a special award for ‘Start-up with Best Social Value’ from Zino Ventures.

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Currently, this waste is neutralised and landfilled (~ 1,500,000 litres per year in New Zealand). On average, galvanisers pay NZ$0.50 per litre to dispose of this waste, which is approximately 5-10% of all galvanising costs.

This disposable method is environmentally damaging as zinc can leach from these landfills, harming aquatic life.

Globally, over $250M per year of zinc is landfilled in this manner – a significant waste of a finite and valuable resource.

Until recently, it was not possible to economically treat this waste to recover the valuable zinc.

The key breakthrough came when Associate Professor Marshall, from University of Canterbury’s Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, applied a non-conventional method to facilitate the separation of zinc from the waste acid.

Together with Jonathan Ring (Marshall’s master’s student, and now co-founder of Zincovery), a complete process based around this separation technology has been developed and is now in the early stages of commercialisation. This work has been supported by two rounds of PreSeed Accelerator Fund investment from KiwiNet. Zincovery is also a finalist in Callaghan Innovation’s C-prize 2020 competition which aims to help new companies develop environmental technology with solid commercial potential.

Associate Professor Marshall believes that the Zincovery technology can allow New Zealand to be the first country to have a zero-waste galvanising industry.

Currently the New Zealand commercial treatment plant is projected to have a ROI of > 25% and Zincovery has had strong interest from New Zealand galvanisers and a number of private investors.

Once the New Zealand treatment plant is operational, the business plan sees them expanding into the much larger Australian market, before heading into other international markets.

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Dr Eldon Tate, Co-founder and CEO of Inhibit Coatings Limited, has developed antimicrobial technology that can be applied to surfaces.

Designed for use in areas that require high hygiene, such as food processing, the technology creates a safer environment by removing the dangers associated with persistent bacterial contamination (the places where germs can live and multiply).

Not only does the technology increase food safety but it also reduces the cost of cleaning and maintenance for food manufacturers.

Eldon developed the leading-edge technology during his PhD studies at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington, which he completed in 2016.

Having seen the potential impact for his discovery from the outset, and with the encouragement of his supervisor, Professor Jim Johnston, Eldon co-founded Inhibit Coatings later in 2016.

The company, initially funded through the Callaghan Innovation technology incubator scheme, has since gone on to develop a number of commercial products including floor coatings that are being trialled with excellent results in New Zealand food processing plants.

This is just the beginning, with Inhibit setting its sights on using cutting edge technology to improve public safety across sectors, targeting applications like contamination in the food and beverage industry, hospital acquired infections and protecting the vulnerable in aged care facilities.

Under Eldon’s leadership, Inhibit Coatings raised $1.5M follow-on capital last year from the New Zealand investment community (the round was oversubscribed).

Eldon and the Inhibit Coatings team also continued to develop the company’s product offerings and forged valuable connections with international partners. Eldon has demonstrated truly remarkable leadership and enthusiasm for commercialising his research and growing a company that contributes to the New Zealand economy.

Award Category: Baldwins Researcher Entrepreneur This award recognises an entrepreneurial researcher who has made outstanding contributions to business innovation or has created innovative businesses in New Zealand through technology licensing, start-up creation or by providing expertise to support business innovation.

KIWINET Professor Jim Johnston, Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington

Professor Pierre Quenneville (University of Auckland), and Dr Pouyan Zarnani (AUT) have spent the last decade directing their research efforts to developing practical technologies, especially in seismic applications, having seen the structural downfalls in the 2011 Christchurch Earthquakes.

In 2016, Pierre and Pouyan founded Tectonus to commercialise their research output: an innovative structural connection that enables buildings to withstand earthquakes and aftershocks, without requiring replacement or post event maintenance.

A world-renowned inorganic and materials chemist focussed on commercial outcomes Professor Jim Johnston, School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington is a world-renowned inorganic and materials chemist and applied scientist.

Professor Johnston is passionate about adding value to industry and the New Zealand economy through high quality research.

He has pursued the commercial application of his research as a matter of course, founding a number of innovative companies and industry partnerships as a result.

Professor Johnston has either founded, or been involved with, countless new ventures and technologies throughout his long and outstanding research career. These include spin-out companies Wetox Limited, Noble Bond Limited and, most recently, Inhibit Coatings Limited.

During his extensive and much-awarded research career, Professor Johnston has spent the majority of it at the interface between academia and industry.

He has worked closely with businesses in New Zealand and overseas to utilise applied chemistry, materials science and nanotechnology to make new high-value products and generate new chemical process technologies that can be taken to market where they can help to meet business needs and create impact.

This structural connection, which can be seen in Nelson Airport along with other commercial projects across New Zealand, significantly reduces the business disruption and economic risks.

The Tectonus earthquake devices can be implemented in both new and retrofit structures of any material and deliver true damage avoidance for buildings in earthquake zones - in a very cost-efficient way.

The Tectonus earthquake technology has also been adapted to suit another industry that is at earthquake risk: liquid storage tanks.

These hold-down devices protect liquid storage tanks, in wine, dairy and petrochemical industries, from suffering damage when earthquakes strike.

Several projects are already in the pipeline for these devices as the potential is great.

Award Category: Baldwins Researcher Entrepreneur Professor Jason Wargent, Massey University & Biolumic Bringing a next-generation sustainable technology to global food production

ag

This award recognises a commercialisation professional working within a New Zealand research organisation who has made an outstanding contribution to the commercialisation of publicly-funded research.

Dr Ian Boddy, IKB Consulting Translating complex commercialisation issues into simple actions to get deals done

Dr Ian Boddy, Principal, IKB Consulting Dr Ian Boddy is a man whose personal impact on commercialisation in New Zealand is wider and deeper than anyone can observe.

After a career including research at Cambridge University and with German agrochemical company Schering AG, Ian developed a passion for science that achieved impact.

He brought that focus back to New Zealand ahead of its time, and was identified within the ranks of our then-largest CRI, AgResearch, as someone who understood commercialisation.

While at AgResearch Ian was instrumental in the founding of first-of-its kind Celentis, a free-standing commercialisation entity which understood the need to engage and align real business talent alongside research capability, and to operate outside the bureaucratic constraints of the parent.

Award Category: Baldwins Researcher Entrepreneur Professor Jason Wargent, Massey University, Chief Science Officer & Founder, BioLumic Professor Jason Wargent is a plant biologist who has dedicated his career to developing new scientific knowledge that can be exploited in sustainable crop production.

Trained in the UK, and a Massey academic staff member for nearly 10 years, Jason spun his research out of Massey in 2013 to found BioLumic, an Agtech start-up company which exploits plant responses to light to induce agriculturally desirable crop traits, without the need for chemicals or GM approaches.

Left to right: Professor Pierre Quenneville, University of Auckland and Dr Pouyan Zarnani, AUT

Award Category: MinterEllisonRuddWatts Commercialisation Professional

Tectonus has an impressive project portfolio in New Zealand and is now embarking on North American projects with globally recognised engineering consulting firm Fast +Epp from their Vancouver headquarters.

Professor Johnston is a textbook example of what can happen when excellent researchers are also committed to commercialising their work.

LONG-TERM SEISMIC PROTECTION FOR BUILDINGS AND LIQUID STORAGE TANKS

BioLumic’s R&D HQ is the world-first UV Photobiology R&D Centre, hosted by Massey in Palmerston North, opened in May 2018. Jason is also Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Massey, and a passionate advocate of University spin-out and start-up culture.

Under the leadership of Pierre and Pouyan, Tectonus raised $1.5M from prominent investors including UniServices, K1W1, NZGC, Lindsay Investments, Angel HQ and Nelson Angel.

In addition to his success with research and commercialisation, Professor Johnston is equally passionate about developing his undergraduate and postgraduate students, nurturing them both academically and commercially, and making both career pathways available to them.

Professor Pierre Quenneville, University of Auckland & Dr Pouyan Zarnani, Auckland University of Technology

Jason’s discovery that modern LED lighting technology could be used to apply treatments of light to seeds and plants, and to dramatically increase crop yields, led to the research spin-out creation of BioLumic, a Manawatu-based company which now has 25+ employees in locations around the world, has product in-market, and has received $14M dollars in investor capital, and $3.8M in NZ government R&D funding.

Professor Wargent’s research has led to numerous high-quality research publications, and has attracted millions of dollars in funding, including from the prestigious Marsden Fund.

He also recognised that at that time IP was one of the worst-executed areas of commercialisation and developed a set of practises around developing the right IP and using it to create value, rather than the usual focus of simply protecting it.

When Ian left AgResearch after two decades of contribution, he began an even more productive period of helping other CRIs, Universities and startup businesses with their thorny commercialisation problems.

He has worked with a large number of such groups so far and is known for his insight and ability to make complex problems simple and the next steps seem eminently do-able. As an external consultant, his achievements are largely invisible as they often appear to be the achievements of his clients.

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KIWINET Award Category: MinterEllisonRuddWatts Commercialisation Professional BROOKE MARSHALL, AGRESEARCH Creating impact from AgResearch’s world class science

ensure commercialisation opportunities are realised.

alone.

She has been instrumental in establishing policies, systems and processes, as well as igniting cultural change, to support the successful protection and commercialisation of Plant & Food Research’s intellectual property.

This success has added significant value to goat breeding practices, and has established the implementation and commercialisation pathways for additional tests to be released in the near future. The ability to increase milk production without increasing herd size also contributes to environmental sustainability of the New Zealand dairy goat industry.

This activity has underpinned Plant & Food Research’s evolution to a company with a focus on technology development.

In a business development capacity, Sue demonstrates the skills required to deliver partnerships that generate commercialised products.

She has developed relationships with multiple companies, both New Zealand and overseas, to generate new research and royalty revenue for Plant & Food Research and New Zealand (she walks the talk!).

Brooke Marshall, Commercialisation Manager at AgResearch Brooke Marshall, Commercialisation Manager at AgResearch, is a lawyer by trade, but a commercialisation champion at heart. Brooke has vigorously applied a lean startup mindset to transform the commercialisation capability of AgResearch since her appointment in July 2018.

Award Category: PwC Commercial Impact

In Brooke’s first year at AgResearch she increased royalty and licensing revenue by 349% and pipeline activities by 33%.

UNIVERSITY OF AUCKLAND - Genetic selection of high-value dairy goats

She also developed the “A-Prize” competition to stimulate a culture of innovation within AgResearch, generating a novel pipeline of 17 commercialisation opportunities in 2019 and a newly minted team of entrepreneurs who have recently completed KiwiNet’s inaugural Rewa Tran-Tasman Pre-Accelerator programme.

Bottom image: Dr Joeska Husny, Mrs Deborah McRonald, Distinguished Professor Harjinder Singh, Dr Swen Rabe, Birgit Holst, Massey University business development and commercialisation Rick Gain

Brooke’s impact upon the way AgResearch does business is significant, with a key stakeholder noting that AgResearch is bringing more realistic, flexible, and innovative commercialisation options to them.

Sue Muggleston, Plant & Food Research Championing commercialisation of technology through best practice IP management and mentoring

Top image: FERRI PRO PM-1 gene test A new generation of dairy goats and a new generation of dairy research scientists.

Shareholders of New Zealand’s Dairy Goat Co-operative are now using the PM-1 test to select goats producing up to 20% more milk for manufacture of premium infant formula, one of New Zealand’s highest-value export products.

With co-funding from MBIE, Dairy Goat Co-operative partnered with scientists from Auckland and Massey universities to conduct the first large-scale screen to characterise the genetic profile of New Zealand’s dairy goats.

After discovering a genetic variant responsible for a major increase in milk productivity, the partners re-focussed the project’s strategy to secure IP freedom to operate and rapidly deploy the discovery.

A low-cost commercial DNA test was developed with New Zealand service company GenomNZ.

Sue Muggleston, IP Manager, Plant & Food Research Sue Muggleston has been managing technology intellectual property for Plant & Food Research since 2000 and is a tireless champion for IP management to

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A partnership to help address the global problem of iron deficiency

Her training and professional development activities have extended beyond Plant & Food Research to hundreds of people in commercialisation roles around New Zealand and Australia.

Acting as an “intraprenuer” within the organisation, Brooke has instigated a range of key initiatives to fast track cultural change within AgResearch and strengthen its commercialisation capability, while increasing revenue and deal-flow along the way.

Award Category: MinterEllisonRuddWatts Commercialisation Professional

MASSEY UNIVERSITY: ‘FERRI PRO’ IP SALE

Sue is passionate about the development of others to ensure they have the skills to be successful in the business of science commercialisation.

The commercial impact award celebrates excellence in research commercialisation delivering outstanding innovation performance and the potential for generating significant economic impact for New Zealand.

Brooke is a rising star within the commercialisation profession and is poised to make a substantial contribution to New Zealand’s innovation ecosystem as her career develops.

Award Category: PwC Commercial Impact

The team’s strong motivation to rapidly make their exciting research finding available to goat farmers translated rapidly into a commercially available, practical and successfully applied product – all within the time initially allocated for the research phase

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Scientists from the Riddet Institute, a Centre of Research Excellence hosted at Massey University, developed a unique technology (FERRI PRO) to help address global iron deficiency, a problem that effects more than 1.6b people around the globe. Anaemia effects 25-30% of the population and about half of the cases are due to iron deficiency.

The novel protein-iron complex, made using food-grade materials, enables fortification of food products and beverages without compromising the quality and taste, a common problem with many other fortification methods.

The commercialisation process involved engaging with Nestle headquarters in Switzerland, establishing an exclusive trial period and ultimately negotiating the sale of the intellectual property. The negotiation involved face to face meetings in Switzerland and regular video conferencing over an 18 month period.

The final agreement, signed in December 2018, involves the assignment of the IP to Nestle in exchange for payments against technology transfer, commercial launch and regulatory milestones.

By using a risk sharing model we were able to substantially increase the potential value to Massey.

In January 2019 a senior delegation from Nestle

KIWINET headquarters visited Palmerston North to better understand the capability and capacity of the Riddet Institute, Massey University and the wider science system through Food HQ. The Riddet Institute presented a portfolio of 19 other market informed R&D projects. The close working relationship with the world’s largest food company could provide significant and on-going benefit to New Zealand.

Award Category: PwC Commercial Impact Invert Robotics - Suction based robots for industrial inspection World first technology eliminating height and confined space hazards In 2007, researchers at the University of Canterbury developed a world first crawler capable of climbing non-magnetic materials.

NZ MANUFACTURER

FEATURES

In collaboration with the Department of Mechanical Engineering, UC Research and Innovation and local Technology Incubator Powerhouse Ventures, UC engineering student James Robertson identified a market for the technology and spun out Invert Robotics in 2012.

October 2020 Issue

The global dairy industry, including local stalwarts Fonterra, Westland and Synlait, are dependent on equipment made from non-magnetic stainless steel, namely large tanks and powder spray dryers.

INDUSTRY 4.0

This equipment can crack over time and left unchecked these defects present a risk to product quality.

3D MANUFACTURING

Launched in 2013, the Invert Robotics inspection service is based around the unique crawler technology.

Clients of the service completely eliminate the confined space entry and working at height hazards associated with the traditional inspection technique – hanging people on ropes inside the tank with a torch.

COMPANY PROFILE THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY

Invert Robotics has successfully raised more than $15M in growth capital through NZVIF, investment funds and private investors since inception and continues to experience strong growth.

In addition to servicing forty countries from six global offices, expansion opportunities in the Chemical and Aerospace markets loom and the growth trend continues.

RECRUITMENT

Sebastian Bergkessel, a Production and Maintenance Engineer for Invert Robotics based out of Eindhoven Advertising Booking Deadline – :9 October 2020

NUM launches digital twin technology for CNC machine tools CNC specialist NUM has launched digital twin technology that enables machine tool manufacturers to reduce their time to market dramatically, by using powerful Industry 4.0 simulation techniques.

Originally known as pairing technology, and first used by NASA in the early days of space exploration, digital twin technology is now rapidly gaining industry acceptance as one of the most cost-effective means of accelerating the development of products, processes and services.

For automation products such as machine tools, a digital twin is a virtual model that uses simulation, real-time data acquisition/analysis and machine learning techniques to allow full evaluation of a machine’s dynamic performance before constructing a physical prototype.

The same technology can also be employed for customer presentations, virtual commissioning and operator training purposes – and all well before the actual machine itself has even been built.

NUM offers two versions of digital twin technology, to best suit customers’ needs. Both versions are designed for use with NUM’s powerful, open-architecture Flexium+ CNC platform.

One version uses a naked Flexium+ controller and resident virtualisation software running on the system’s industrial PC to simulate the twinned machine automation.

Advertising Copy Deadline – :9 October 2020 Editorial Copy Deadline – :9 October 2020 Advertising – For bookings and further information contact: Doug Green, P O Box 1109, Hastings 4156, Hawke’s Bay Email: publisher@xtra.co.nz

The model is a standalone PLC program that uses predefined components to simulate individual machine elements, such as sensors, spindles, pneumatic cylinders, etc. It is loaded into the integrated PLC of the Flexium+ controller.

The Flexium NCK in the controller executes the NC programs and simulates the changing position values of the machine’s axes. To help users visualise the process, NUM’s package includes the CODESYS Depictor software tool produced by CODESYS GmbH, which is used to produce 3D visualisations from the IEC 61131-3 code created by the simulation.

The other version of NUM’s digital twin technology package accommodates real-time data acquisition and analysis.

It is based on the ISG-Virtuous hardware simulation software produced by Industrielle Steuerungstechnik GmbH (ISG).

The Flexium+ controller that is intended to be used in the physical machine is connected via an EtherCAT network to a standard PC, and interacts with the simulation software in real-time. The PC acts as the twinned virtual machine – with all simulated, virtual components behaving like real components in terms of their interfaces, parameters and operating modes – to accurately replicate the structure and dynamic performance of the real machine.

Editorial material to be sent to : Doug Green, P O Box 1109, Hastings 4156, Hawke’s Bay Email: publisher@xtra.co.nz Tel: 06 870 9029

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The other version uses the actual Flexium+ controller that will eventually be incorporated in the machine, linked via EtherCAT to a standalone PC running specialist high speed hardware simulation software to represent the mechatronics of the twinned machine.

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The virtual controller version includes a software development kit for creating the software model of the machine.

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THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY Circular product stewardship: Starting with design In the transition to a circular economy, New Zealand first needs to address its continued reliance on a linear take-make-waste model.

For organisations looking to take meaningful action, taking responsibility for the end-of-life of their products with product stewardship can be a key part of the solution.

With proponents ranging from successful businesses to new industry and governmental initiatives, it is safe to predict that product stewardship is here to stay and ready to play a pivotal role in the circular transition. Starting with the waste problem during this process is a common tactic but the best approach starts at the beginning with product design.

In fact, UK based Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) found that 80% of the environmental impacts of modern products are determined during product design and development.

Incorporating product stewardship into product design will provide more circular solutions for end-of-life decisions, minimise waste in the process and ultimately, speed up the transition to a circular economy.

This is exactly what Utility Electric Vehicle (UEV) company UBCO has set out to do.

Starting with product stewardship Focused on a largely electronic product with a high capacity lithium-ion battery, UBCO identified end of life processes and product stewardship as their defining sustainability issues. For UBCO, tackling these issues head on starts with design.

This enables customers to pay a monthly subscription for the bike or battery, while UBCO retain ownership and responsibility for the product and its end-of-life solutions. End-of-life solutions for batteries is exactly what the promising new initiative is focused on.

‘Circular’ product stewardship As the name suggests, B.I.G are concerned with large batteries including those used in EVs, other modes of transport such as planes, and energy storage.

A tenet of the 140-member collective is the need for product stewardship to start at the design stage and be circular, hence its focus on involving the whole battery value chain as a multi-sector collaboration.

Circular product stewardship requires materials and products to retain their highest value at every stage in their life cycle and for its life span to be extended as much as possible. In the case of batteries, this can take the form of ‘battery karma’ or reuse.

“Battery karma denotes the fact that EV batteries have the potential for a second or even third life as stationary energy storage or other applications”, says Juhi Shareef, Chair of the Battery Industry Group (B.I.G.) in thinkstep-anz’s recent product stewardship webinar.

For example, batteries taken out of an EV to be replaced, often have sufficient capacity to be reused, whether it is for a boat, a battery bank or in stationary energy storage.

A key ingredient for lithium ion batteries, cobalt extraction presents a very real risk of exploitative labour including child labour.

Therefore, B.I.G.’s focus on the reuse and eventual recycling of batteries will not only ease pressure on limited resources but will also reduce reliance on the risk laden aspects of its supply chain especially in the earlier stages such as cobalt extraction and mining.

large batteries from a closed value chain to a circular value loop is expected to be completed in mid-2021.

While both UBCO and B.I.G. demonstrate the promising initiatives taking place in the voluntary space, the next step as recently announced by the Government is mandatory product stewardship schemes.

Changing tides with regulation The Ministry for Environment announced a major change for regulated product stewardship in July with mandatory schemes introduced for six high priority product areas under the Waste Minimisation Act. The products are plastic packaging, tyres, e-waste, agrichemicals and their containers, refrigerants, and farm plastics.

The mandatory product stewardship schemes will tackle major sources of waste including e-waste by turning end-of-life solutions into an obligatory responsibility rather than a voluntary one.

The newly introduced schemes shift the responsibility for a product’s waste management from communities, councils, neighbourhoods and nature to manufacturers, importers, retailers, and users. In other words, the responsibility shifts to groups with a direct connection to the product whether it is in the stages of creation, distribution, or use.

Getting started with product stewardship Organisations with successful product stewardship schemes in place demonstrate that it is not only a viable option for the circular transition, but also an economically sound one.

With product stewardship established in 2015, Fuji Xerox is among the companies that now come to the forefront as major sources of guidance.

In 2019, the company’s product stewardship scheme was able to divert more than 925 tonnes of waste from landfill and save over $900,000 in the process.

The Fuji Xerox roadmap, based on the Ministry for the Environment’s accredited product stewardship scheme, provides a free step-by-step guide to help other businesses develop product stewardship schemes including how to design products for a circular economy.

Product stewardship schemes will not only help to address NZ’s waste problem but will also ease some of the pressure on landfills and reduce associated emissions.

UBCO’s product design approach utilises life cycle thinking to consider the entire value chain – from the raw materials and the energy used to create the product, through to the packaging, distribution, use, maintenance, and eventually recycling, reuse, recovery, and final disposal.

“It would have been easiest to have battery and electronics in a big block of resin to make it waterproof – but that would prevent any product stewardship approach in future”, says Timothy Allan, CEO and Managing Director of UBCO. UBCO’s aim is not to follow the easiest approach, rather it is to increase product durability, life span and recyclability for each generation of product with this process.

The full integration of vehicle, hardware, software, and communications helps the company to unpick the traditional model of selling bikes to develop a new subscription model.

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Furthermore, it will help to extend the lifespan of existing materials and products, and consequently, reduce the demand for limited natural resources and associated supply chain and environmental risks.

Around 84,000 large batteries will reach their end-of-life by 2030. With an understanding of the volumes of large batteries requiring better end-of-life processes, the group is currently in the early stages of developing a ‘circular’ product stewardship scheme for large batteries.

A scheme design to guide the transformation for

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Starting with product design ensures that the solutions treat the cause of the problem and not just the symptoms.

By Barbara Nebel https://www.thinkstep-anz.com/

Celebrating 40 years of engineering and manufacturing innovation

Mon 15th - Wed 17th Feb 2021 ASB Showgrounds, Auckland

www.emex.co.nz

NEW DATES

ADVISORS Mike Shatford

is an expert in the field of technology development and commercialisation. His company Design Energy Limited has completed over 100 significant projects in this vein by consulting for and partnering with some of New Zealand’s leading producers.

Among Mike and his team’s strengths are industrial robotics and automated production where the company puts much of its focus.

Sandra Lukey

Sandra Lukey is the founder of Shine Group, a consultancy that helps science and technology companies accelerate growth. She is a keen observer of the tech sector and how new developments create opportunity for future business.

She has over 20 years’ experience working with companies to boost profile and build influential connections.

Matt Minio

Managing Director, Objective3D Matt has extensive hands on experience as a user and supplier of 3D Printing technology. He comes from a mechanical design and engineering background with 25 years’ experience in multiple high end 3D cad applications across a range of industries, including aerospace and automotive. He has been heavily involved in the 3D printing evolution - from initial early prototyping to todays advanced 3d printing technologies producing production parts straight off the printer. As Managing Director of Objective 3D, he provides Stratasys, Desktop Metal and Concept Laser 3D printing solutions to a host of industries across Australia and New Zealand.

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International standard OPC-UA makes “Smart World” Smart this, smart that: But how does everything fit together?

For gas plants, the answer is “Smart World”, a new software, which uses the OPC-UA interface to bring different systems together.

All the real time data from a gas installation can be bundled into one screen; this means, all the components, regardless of who manufactured them.

This is the “Smart World” software concept.

Dashboard provides information in real time The data from the individual devices and plant components are displayed on the user’s screen in real time. They are clearly summarised in the easily configurable dashboard, the central overview page.

The user can analyse all performance areas and exert full control over the gas installation. The available data can also be displayed and stored beyond the dashboard, for example in a spreadsheet or as a printout.

But Smart World is not just an information tool. The multi-secured communication runs in both directions.

Users of the software can therefore not only read data, but also write it back to the connected systems.

For example, to define new limit values and send them to the devices on site. This turns “Smart World” into a control centre par excellence.

It is not only possible to connect local devices. The software can be operated either Windows-based as a desktop version or web-based - and then also on tablets and smartphones

Systems speak one language OPC-UA There are plenty of possible data sources for the Smart World. “Intelligent” devices have long been able to provide measured values, events or alarms and send them via Ethernet, for example. But the data models and transmission standards differ from one another.

Interfaces must be programmed; data sets have to be adapted. And this must be done individually for each system on the user side: a complex, slow and expensive process.

It is precisely this communication system that the new Witt solution is designed for. The basis is the open network protocol OPC-UA (“Open Platform Communication - Unified Architecture”). As a result, the individual components of the gas installation understand each other and speak the same language: the decisive guarantee for the cost-effectiveness and future-proofing of this solution. In addition: thanks to the open standard, devices from

other manufacturers can also be integrated into “Smart World”.

Behind this interface is the OPC Foundation, a non-profit organisation based in Germany. Over 600 manufacturers have already joined forces. The universal interface is constantly being maintained and is regarded as the worldwide standard in manufacturer-independent device communication.

The hardware at Witt is already geared to this open interface. Many of the manufacturer’s models, such as gas mixers, analysers, smart pressure regulators or leak test systems, can thus be easily merged into Smart World.

“Robotic Integrated Controller” for production systems possible Omron has announced the launch of the world’s first “Robotics Integrated Controller”.

It perfectly synchronises automation technology so customers can improve the speed and accuracy of their production, simulate entire production equipment without having to deploy physical equipment, simplify maintenance, and reduce time-to-market during the design, planning, commissioning, and changeover processes.

With this, Omron is now able to provide a highly automated manufacturing site which does not require over-dependency on human resources due to the Covid-19 circumstances.

At the heart of the new platform is a new machine controller, which offers real-time synchronisation between all automation equipment, including robots, vision components, drives, and safety equipment.

The new NJ501-R controller is based on Omron’s industry leading NJ series of machine controllers for industrial automation.

By using the “Robotic Integrated Controller,” it has become possible to automate advanced and complex manual work that had been previously completed by human workers.

Also, users may now simulate the design and modification of production facilities in a virtual environment, establish equipment, and conduct maintenance remotely.

Industries are facing labor shortage issues in recent years, moreover, the world is experiencing a major turning point with how society conducts business due to new global health concerns.

Employees throughout the world must maintain social distancing in manufacturing sites, limit business trips, and work remotely. As a result, the demand of more advanced automation by robots has been increasing, along with a growing demand for digitalisation.

Traditionally, automation equipment for production facilities has typically been controlled by a number of different controllers creating a major challenge to setup and coordinate the speed and timing between various devices.

Until recently, it has been extremely difficult to automate human tasks that are sophisticated and complex.

Also, it was very difficult to verify a process design in advance and with a high level of accuracy prior to construction of a machine or larger production line.

After the equipment is commissioned, adjustments need to be made onsite and backtracking and specification changes are common, resulting in a huge number of man-hours.

Omron produces the motion sensors, robotics, and safety equipment needed to deploy a fully automated production line. The “Robotic Integrated Controller” is a solution which addresses challenges that manufacturing sites have previously encountered.

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Omron has addressed these issues by seamlessly integrating control equipment.

The “two integrations” described below will help solve the problems many customers face in manufacturing sites.

Control Integration The advanced and seamless control of the “Robotic Integrated Controller” automates inserting and assembling processes that require delicate and skillful processing. The robots and equipment are controlled and fully synchronised in real-time by a single controller, improving device performance, and achieving the world’s highest level of throughput*².

Integration of the Construction Process Omron has established a technology that unifies the programming languages for robot and machine control, making it easy to simulate your production line with single programming software.

PLC engineers are now able to easily design robot controls and entire production systems, including all motion, sensor, robotics, and safety equipment.

Production lines can be simulated virtually, and the operation capacity can be determined before the commissioning of the facility.

The system visualises the process, reducing man-hours for process design and operational verification by up to 50%. Furthermore, all of this can be conducted remotely.

Through Sysmac Studio’s user interface, users can design, program, troubleshoot, operate and maintain future automation systems remotely from anywhere in the world.

igus offline configurator helps find the right iglidur plain bearing material Regardless of whether it is high-volume production in injection moulding, small batches or a prototype made by 3D printing or from bar stock, when it comes to wear-resistant tribo-polymers, the igus user is spoilt for choice. In order to find the right iglidur material for the appropriate application, igus has now developed a new compact offline configurator for its 39 iglidur standard materials.

The customer can use templates to determine the right material. Alternatively, the online iglidur expert system helps in the selection and calculation of the service life, which is then available to purchase from Treotham Automation.

practical box so far. Because, the configurator leaves a lasting impression and can be consulted at any time, even if no igus consultant is available. An iglidur catalogue is also included with the box which is available from Treotham Automation.

Small, compact and clever: this describes the new iglidur offline igus configurator.

Find the right material online and calculate service life

With the sample box, users can quickly and easily find the right iglidur plain bearing material for their individual application.

However, tools developed by igus not only help offline but also online for choosing the right iglidur plain bearing material, for example the iglidur online expert system. Like its offline counterpart, the online configurator is very easy to use.

But how does the offline configurator work?

The user has various templates at hand, which he places over the various materials. For example, if he needs a plain bearing with high temperature resistance, he places the appropriate template over the bushings so that it filters the materials.

The user only has to enter the parameters of the application for design, load, movement and counter partner. Then the expected service life of all suitable iglidur materials is displayed.

To do this, the expert uses the data from the igus test laboratory.

Since 2013, more than 40,000 additional tribological test data has been available for the service life calculation. This allows the user to select the tribo-polymer with the best price-performance ratio for their area of application. All plain bearings are available directly from stock from Treotham with no minimum order quantity.

Other properties such as “high loads”, “dirty environments” or “chemical resistance” can also be placed over the plain bearings using the templates until an appropriate material remains. igus has been presenting the offline concept worldwide as a dry-tech sample box since 2013.

In the new, more compact option, users can now see which materials are also available for free design as bar stock. In addition, igus presents its 3D printing service and 3D printing material for the production of prototypes and small batches.

In the new configurator igus limited ourselves to 39 of 57 iglidur materials that are used in most plain bearing applications.

In discussions with customers and interested parties, they have only had positive experiences with the

Q-Pulse software helps transform production processes Ideagen has announced the first cloud version of its industry leading quality, health and safety and environmental (QHSE) product, Q-Pulse.

Although there is a wide range of benefits available from the new product, there are enhancements specifically aimed at the manufacturing sector.

new markets and secure new quality standards, with the confidence that comes from data-driven decision-making.

Q-Pulse is already used by more than 2,000 companies around the world to effectively manage and mitigate their QHSE risks. This update ensures existing and future customers will have access to one fast, simple system, backed by 25 years of innovation, from an established and trusted vendor.

Firstly, Q-Pulse can provide the insight needed to transform production processes, strengthen supply chains and deliver top quality products.

Q-Pulse also makes it easier to align an entire business around world class processes that satisfy customers and regulators by making compliance, safety and quality the responsibility of everyone in the business.

Secondly, Q-Pulse helps businesses to quickly and confidently exploit opportunities, grow, unlock

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Making steel sustainable If the Eiffel Tower was built today, it would require just 25 per cent of the steel used for its construction in 1887. This is one example of the impressive development of material science. But as material science develops, so too does the need to find more efficient ways of producing important metals such as steel.

Steel’s central role in the development of our society means that those working in the industry have a special responsibility to contribute towards its sustainability.

In March 2013, the steel industry in Sweden agreed on a common industry-wide vision: “Steel shapes a better future”. This vision implies three undertakings — leading technical development, nurturing creative individuals and creating environmental benefits. So, what is the industry doing to achieve this?

One initiative to reduce the environmental impact of the steel industry involves cutting out carbon dioxide (CO2) from steel production altogether. By replacing the coking coal that is traditionally needed for ore-based steel making with green hydrogen produced from fossil-free electricity, manufacturers are able to produce steel with virtually no carbon footprint.

When the hydrogen reacts with the oxygen in the iron ore, the result is water vapour, rather than CO2, and the hydrogen itself can be produced sustainably

using renewable sources.

Another method to increase steel’s sustainability focuses on material that has already been produced.

Global climate targets for 2030 include at least a 40 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 1990’s levels, a 32 per cent share for renewable energy and a 32.5 per cent improvement in energy efficiency.

If we’re to meet these targets and continue on the path towards a greener future, we must also consider how we manage steel that already exists in the value chain.

Delivering sustainability needs to involve a lifecycle approach that breaks away from the ‘make-takedispose’ linear economy and towards a circular way of managing resources.

Steel is 100 per cent recyclable and can be reused over and over again to create new products in a closed material loop, with around three quarters of all steel products ever made still in use today.

Think about it — the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge has been carrying road and rail traffic since 1932, and there are no plans to send this bridge to the scrap heap any time soon.

Recycled steel maintains the inherent properties of original steel and is the most recycled material in the world. Since October 2019, Sandvik has been providing its customers with the exact figure of the amount of recycled steel per product on our Materials Certificates.

Already today, the products manufactured in our steel mill consist of an average of 82 per cent recycled material.

Our long term goal is to become more than 90 per cent circular by 2030 in our own manufacturing system, and to drive the shift to more circular business models and use of resources.

Furthermore, using hydrogen in steel production could drastically alter the properties of the finished product. As the reduction agent is changed to hydrogen, the iron ore is no longer smelted in the same way and will not produce a replica result.

To deliver a product that is consistent with the steel we have been using for over 150 years, it is more logical to use what we already have.

Materials technology has advanced massively since the Eiffel Tower’s construction. For developments in materials such as steel to align with our efforts to make industry more sustainable, we must not only consider how we create the product in the first place, but also how we manage the volume of steel that already exists in our society.

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Global lockdown opens up new manufacturing insights The “lighthouses of manufacturing” initiative, a joint project by McKinsey and the World Economic Forum (WEF), is in its third year—and full swing—and Covid-19 hit.

The project identifies global manufacturing sites that have delivered significant operational and financial impact by adopting leading-edge technology at scale.

These lighthouses then share their insights with other companies to advance innovation across the manufacturing industry.

The work has so far identified 44 lighthouses around the world, factories with self-driving vehicles, collaborative robots, virtual reality, lights-off operations, and more.

With employees as the creative force leading the changes, the results can be eye-popping improvements in performance.

In mid-February, as the pandemic began to shutter factories and businesses, the lighthouses were often in a better position to respond because they could be managed remotely, using digital technologies.

With full transparency into the supply chain from end to end, teams were able to adjust quickly to changes, fine-tuning their processes, timing, and outputs.

Several lighthouse factories were able to re-purpose their production lines to produce personal protective equipment (PPE) such as face masks, face shields and ventilators in as little as a few days.

Meanwhile, Yves Giraud, a McKinsey senior expert and project lead, Federico Torti and Franco Manna, project leads for WEF, needed to find a way to continue learning from sites in China, the Middle East, North America, and Western Europe—without traveling.

“We immediately started looking at how we might do the visits virtually,” remembers Yves. “We tested a variety of technologies for remote video and audio connectivity with a local factory to reproduce the experience of a physical site visit.”

Within two weeks, the team was able to move from physical to completely virtual visits. They felt good about what they had achieved, but they recognized that it would likely fall short of what they had come to expect from their live inspections. But they were pleasantly surprised.

In a virtual site inspection, an operator can stream a video demo in real time to online participants.

“We found that the virtual visits could be more informative,” says Yves. All participants sign into a Zoom meeting and share the same view.

“An operator can stream a demo from the factory floor using Google Glass. With a video camera on a gimbal, viewers can see deep into the different positions and angles of machines and tools that they can’t physically see in person.

“And while watching the demo, meeting participants can refer to charts in parallel on the screen, gaining a deeper context. “A variety of experts can also be on hand to answer questions.

During a recent virtual site inspection, an operator on a plant floor demonstrated a new digital solution for running a complex piece of machinery.

The discussion then switched to a manager in her home dining room who oversees maintenance remotely during off hours, using a digital dashboard.

The audience could ask questions of both the operator on the floor and the maintenance manager

in her home.

In addition to offering greater flexibility in viewing technologies, virtual visits can save time and money for those doing the site inspections.

Physical visits typically require six to eight hours of travel, with overnight hotel stays and a minimum of eight hours on site.

Some environments, such as a semiconductor clean room that must be particle free or a foundry, may require added time for dressing up in protective gear. In comparison, virtual site inspections run about six hours, split over two days.

Of course, there are trade-offs that come with remote tours.

With virtual site inspections, you may lose something in terms of relationship building, but you can get a clearer, deeper understanding of the solution in a shorter time.

They make sense when a factory is in a very remote location, there are multiple sites in a value chain, or access to the shop floor is limited for some reason.

We will never go back to 100 percent fully physical visits.

With virtual site inspections… you can get a clearer, deeper understanding of the solution in a shorter time. www.nzmanufacturer.co.nz

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NEW PRODUCTS UT Series 3-wheel lift trucks An expanded family of the Hyster UT series introduced to Australasia is for multiple warehousing and logistics applications demanding high productivity over a broad range of simpler materials handling needs.

The new Hyster UT electric range now includes 3-wheel forklifts in 1600-2000kg capacity, pallet lift trucks in 1500kg capacity and stand-up and sit-down tow trucks in 3000-6000kg capacity respectively.

All are engineered to expand the long-established

strengths of the Hyster brand into wider markets seeking a quality cost-efficient solution backed globally to meet users’ needs for applications requiring less frequent usage.

The uncompromising levels of equipment in the new UT lift trucks includes the latest driver safety, comfort, manoeuvrability and drive features to emerging and growing applications such as warehousing, logistics (including 3PL), parts, hospitals and aerial platforms like those you see at hardware stores.

UX10 tablet performs in challenging work environments Getac’ UX10 is a powerful, fully rugged tablet that’s built to thrive in challenging working environments, such as those found in the public safety, utilities, natural resources and manufacturing industries.

this tablet delivers improved performance, storage, connectivity and rugged reliability in a stylish new chassis, all while retaining the same proven form factor of its predecessor.

Building on the success of Getac’s original UX10,

Key features include a 10th Gen Intel® Quad-core i5 or i7 processor and PCIe NVMe SSD storage technology, for up to six times faster speeds than SATA SSD, while the latest Intel® Wi-Fi 6 AX200 module ensures more stable and reliable connectivity in dense, congested environments.

In addition, the UX10 boasts enhanced rugged protection, with MIL-STD-810H certification and drop resistance of up to 6-foot while in tablet mode, for added peace of mind.

As well, the UX10-EX is designed to be a highly effective field services solution for engineers and

technicians in the energy, natural resources and utilities industries.

Incorporating the latest intrinsically safe technology, the device fully meets stringent ATEX/IECEx standards for use in Zone 2/22 hazardous and potentially explosive environments that field professionals encounter on a regular basis.

Furthermore, extensive connectivity options make accessing remote tech support and uploading reports directly from the field fast and efficient, while the UX10-EX’s all-weather functionality means it can be relied on in every situation.

Three key software utilities available for use alongside the UX10 are Getac’s KeyWedge Barcode Reader Utility, Getac Driving Safety Utility and Getac Device Monitoring System (GDMS)*.

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NEW PRODUCTS A material matter

Designing with composites in mind Not just for pizza toppings, mushrooms are transforming the construction industry.

Using bioengineering, architects could soon be able to grow their own bricks by mixing together mycelium and chopped corn husks to create blocks that are solid enough to form durable structures. Material choice is vital to a product’s success and requires careful consideration.

Growing your own building materials takes commitment — and complete faith that a fungus will deliver the structural and mechanical benefits the design requires. This doesn’t only apply to mushrooms. Whether it’s for a vehicle, building or piece of infrastructure, the material that is selected during the initial design phase needs to tick all the right boxes.

Making the selection Let’s think of a bicycle as an example. For a bike to achieve everything the product designer requires — light weight, comfort, sturdiness and speed — material choice lies at the heart of all of these requirements. If materials are too heavy, too hard or susceptible to corrosion, the bicycle will be unable to fulfil these intentions.

While mushrooms could be the next concrete, composites are already replacing legacy materials in a number of applications to help design engineers deliver on a wealth of requirements. But why should composites be your material of choice?

Added extras Selecting a material for a product’s design requires a number of considerations. Just some of the factors that designer engineers must consider include where the product will be used, the length of its intended lifespan, costs, and the benefits it needs to bring to the end user.

Sourcing a material that delivers everything you want it to isn’t always easy. With more traditional materials, such as steel, the benefits can be limited.

The steel itself includes additional alloys such as nickel and manganese to improve its tensile strength, but these cannot be switched out and replaced with other additions depending on a product’s unique needs.

For a more personalized take on material choice, composites can be adapted to the specific requirements of the end product. Resin and fibre choice can be designed for added for strength, improved ultra-violet (UV) resistance, electrical insulation, protection against corrosion and can even alter a composite profile’s aesthetics by changing its colour and surface texture.

Simple designs Composites can also help reduce manufacturing complexity. For example, a single pultruded profile can form one solid product instead of multiple pieces that need to be joined together. Profiles can even integrate other functions, such as hinges, to provide design engineers with a single solution that requires less materials and less labor.

What’s more, producing a single composite profile reduces the number of joins and seams that are required in the overall product design. This is particularly useful for larger lengths, such as handrails or building facades.

Let’s deflect No matter what kind of product you’re producing, you want it to be built to last. When thinking of durability, it is more common to think of how rigid a material is and its ability to maintain its shape under

demanding conditions. However, it is sometimes more beneficial for a material to drift away from these qualities.

Deflection is the degree to which a structural element is displaced under an external load and may refer to an angle or a distance. If a heavy load or significant amount of pressure is applied to a material, it springs or bounces along with it rather than retaining its shape and snapping under pressure.

Composite materials such as fiberglass have high deflection capabilities, meaning that they can bear significant loads without breaking. If we think about buses, this material quality is particularly useful for withstanding the bumps and dings of mass transport.

Understanding the customer Composites offer design engineers a multitude of benefits, making them an ideal choice for product design. However, the key to composites’ success is in understanding exactly what the customer wants to achieve.

Growing your own building materials from mushrooms may sound like an eccentric choice, but the unique fungus-walled buildings the bricks can produce demonstrates that material choice is central to overall product design. When selecting the right material for any product, composites can tick a number of boxes. However, true success relies on solid relationships with a reliable composites expert who can help make sure this flexible option is the perfect fit for your designs.

MRO tools weather turbulent industrial economy The metalworking industry has experienced both positive and negative periods of economic development in recent years.

This is often linked to the performance of several key industries, such as automotive, aerospace and oil and gas.

However, there is one segment which seems to weather the storm regardless of the economic climate - Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO).

Regardless of whether times are good or bad, many industrial companies have continual requirements for maintenance and to support production operations.

of the segment. Dormer Pramet is a leading manufacturer of HSS and HSS-E general purpose drills, with more than 100 years’ experience of providing cutting tools to meet companies’ MRO needs.

The most popular ranges within its Dormer assortment, include jobber length and stub length drills for use in hand-held power drills, pillar drills and other manually operated machinery.

Its stub length drills, for example, feature shorter flutes to increase toughness and precision.

This makes them ideal for tight spaces and hand-held operations that require rigidity.

In addition, the shorter length reduces deflection, breakage and runout.

However, when performing hand-held applications, the length of the drill is not the only important criteria to consider when choosing the right cutting tool.

Their primary aim is to find alternative options to keep costs low by reusing existing equipment or materials, repairing items or simply choosing a cheaper option to get the job done.

Consistent and predictable performance is critical, meaning the right geometry and torque capabilities are paramount.

A key feature of MRO is hand-drilling operations, particularly standard high speed steel (HSS) drills, which represent the lifeblood

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DESIGN 10 design tips for a long-lasting rotating energy supply Supplying power, data, fibre optics, air, water and oil to rotating applications is a major challenge for machinery designers.

Energy chains offer the most universal and modular solution, with a single system for all energy, data and media.

Here we offer valuable tips on how to optimise your rotating energy supply and equip it for a long service life. igus has experience in almost every area – from small industrial plant applications to rotary applications in machine tools, up to crane and offshore facilities with diameters of up to 32 metres and more. Rotation angles of over 900° have already been successfully implemented as complete turn-key systems.

1. Pay attention to correct filling of the energy chain The rule of “one cable per compartment” is the ideal.

This ensures that the cables are along the neutral axis and can move freely. The clearance around the cable should be 10% or at least 1mm. Hoses should always be laid out individually. In addition, a free space of 20% must be planned around them. Two cables per compartment are also allowable for cables with a diameter of up to 20mm. If necessary, the relative movements should be checked. Configure e-chain and interior separation online: www.igus. com.au/qc100.

2. Pay attention to the correct bend radii To prevent kinking of cables and hoses, the minimum dynamic bend radius must be counted for. Ideally, the “Reverse Bend Radius” (RBR) should be twice the natural radius of the e-chain. Configure bend radius online: www.igus.com.au/rbr-configurator.

3. Pay attention to proper strain relief Cables that lie separately in a compartment of the energy chain should be strain relieved at both ends.

Hoses and other cables are to be strain relieved at the moving end only. At the fixed end of the rotating energy supply, a cable loop should be provided in so

that hoses and cables have a residual excess length as compensation for movement. In general, electrical cables should be strain-relieved with chainfix clamps in C-rails in the mounting bracket (KMA). In addition, hoses should be attached with special hose clamps.

4. Pay attention to the correct installation position With careful planning, it is possible to reduce the displacement forces acting on the chain, thereby offering longer maintenance intervals and service life. Systems in the horizontal plane require different guide elements than vertical systems.

5. Dimensioning of the energy chain system The length of the e-chain is calculated based on the angle of rotation and the diameters. The e-chain should be selected to be as short as possible. The chain length required for your rotation angle can be determined easily, quickly and reliably via the igus CAD configurator. Configure bend radius online: www.igus.com.au/rbr-configurator.

6. Selection of the matching guide trough

so-called “floating islands” should be used.

8. Pay attention to external influences In production facilities, bulk-handling or outdoor areas, rotating energy supply systems should be protected with covers or a roof if necessary. For applications with extreme dirt accumulation, consider the additional use of an open trough design to prevent dirt particles from accumulating inside the trough, which can affect the system‘s operation and life expectancy.

9. Integration of the rotating energy supply into the overall system The right material thickness and reinforcements should be selected based on the attachment options.

Care must also be taken to ensure proper and accessible layout of the cables and hoses outside of the rotating energy supply. In the case of static cables, the bend radius should also not fall below in order to ensure a long service life of the system.

10. Complete igus solutions from Treotham

Compact and slow rotating applications can be implemented inexpensively with stationary guide troughs. For larger dynamic applications, a two-part guide trough is recommended. As a result, the displacement forces are minimised and high fill weights can be easily moved.

Engineered and tested rotating energy supply systems complete with cables designed specifically or these applications, as well as standardised guide troughs and strain reliefs ensure maximum and guaranteed service life of the system. On request, the proven igus installation service can be provided on site by the technical engineers from Treotham.

7. Pay attention to the secure guidance of the e-chain

Contact:

Additional guide plates in the guide trough prevent uncontrolled movements and the system is protected against snagging and jamming. For applications with large rotation angles and high lateral accelerations,

Treotham Automation www.treotham.co.nz 09 278 6577 The igus® standard rotary modules consist of two circular guide elements. One part of the guide trough is attached to the static part of the system and the other part to the rotating part of the system.

Because the rotary modules can be turned by both their inner or outer parts, the fixed end for the e-chains® can be chosen freely.

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DEVELOPMENTS The power of traceability for food and medical manufacturers - Reinaldo Silva, Head of Digital Manufacturing and Automation at Facteon

As food and medical manufacturers face stringent regulations, an ability to trace the movement of raw materials and finished product both within your facility and beyond is demanded throughout industry by manufacturers of all sizes.

A variety of forces have highlighted the need for food and medical manufacturers to gain greater traceability of both raw materials and finished products within their facility and beyond.

Risk One: Increasingly Globalised Supply Chains As it becomes more cost-effective and simpler to source raw materials from suppliers across the globe, manufacturers are relying on increasingly globalised supply chains. While this brings a range of benefits, such as proximity to raw materials, cost competitiveness and improved quality of raw materials, there are significant risks as the supply chain becomes increasingly complex.

As a result, traceability requirements expand significantly. Simplistic supply chain approaches that focus on “one step back and one step forward” traceability become increasingly complicated and impractical when manufacturers are drawing on a globalised supply chain.

Risk Two: Product Recalls Tyson Foods famously recalled 39,000 pounds of frozen chicken patties which were potentially contaminated with foreign matter in mid-2019. From business interruption and eroded profit margins to long-term damage to your brand, a product recall has the potential to harm consumers and cost manufacturers dearly.

Research has also found that a mere 21% of food recalls across USA, UK and Ireland were detected by the manufacturer. In fact, regulatory bodies discovered 68% during routine or spot testing. This highlights the potential competitive advantage that can be unlocked by manufacturers taking a proactive approach to both raw material and product traceability.

Medical device manufacturers are also at risk of product recalls. Research has found that a significant challenge for medical manufacturers in the event of a product recall is tracing each product beyond the factory. With end-to-end traceability, manufacturers can rapidly take action to answer the question: “What human body received a faulty medical device?” The ability to take swift action shows a commitment to human health, while also restoring the confidence of both medical professionals and patients in your brand.

Through a robust product traceability system, manufacturers can take steps to avoid product recalls entirely by understanding machinery maintenance schedules, cleanliness and how the product interacts with this machinery at each stage of the production process.

Risk Three: Food Fraud & Counterfeit Goods Alongside product recalls, counterfeit goods have the potential to undermine consumer confidence.

As many manufacturers are drawing on increasingly globalised supply chains, research has found that a significant number of food safety alerts were cause by food fraud further down the supply chain. This is pertinent for manufacturers utilising packhouses, for example. The ability to trace the journey of a product through the supply chain – from pasture to plate – is becoming increasingly important for manufacturers with complex supply chains and a strong brand they need to protect in market.

With industry predicting a rise in food fraud due to supply chain disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, manufacturers face pressure to take steps to protect both their brand and their consumers.

The Solution: A Dynamic Traceability App

To combat the potential risks of globalised supply chains, product recalls, and counterfeit goods, manufacturers need a dynamic traceability app.

Facteon’s digital manufacturing and automation team has developed a traceability app with the ability to: Collect raw material and product information in real time Track critical failure points through the full value chain Visualise machinery maintenance and cleaning information by scanning a QR code Track a product from its origins to finished goods by scanning a QR code Integrate with existing business systems to deliver end-to-end traceability.

Offering machine to Cloud connectivity and the ability to track specific product batches rapidly, Facteon’s traceability app has been developed alongside, rather than for manufacturers.

Key Features & Benefits Efficiency gains by eliminating the potential for product waste and machinery downtime due to inaccurate data collection or entry into a computerised system Reduce hardware costs by replacing QR code and barcode readers with a mobile phone Reduce time spent on health and safety procedures, food safety and audits.

Celebrating 40 years of engineering and manufacturing innovation

Mon 15th - Wed 17th Feb 2021 ASB Showgrounds, Auckland

www.emex.co.nz

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NEW DATES

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DEVELOPMENTS Eaton announces distribution partnership in New Zealand Power management company, Eaton has announced the expansion of a long-term distribution partnership with industrial electrical distributor EllisCo that will increase national availability of its electrical

distribution and motor control component range throughout New Zealand.

EllisCo has been firmly entrenched in New Zealand’s electrical safety and automation industry for over 115 years, playing a major role in a number of New Zealand’s largest and most innovative industrial projects.

This partnership provides a platform for continued growth and innovation for these projects and will offer EllisCo’s clients greater access to Eaton’s portfolio of energy efficient solutions for industrial

and electrical wholesalers.

Mark Anning, General Manager at Eaton ANZ said the expanded partnership represents a strong commitment from both organisations to support the industrial sector with leading electrical products across safety, reliability and energy efficiency.”

Douglas Oliver, Sales Director at EllisCo said the expanded partnership will strengthen its market position throughout New Zealand and provide new growth opportunities.

One company, one team, one goal:

a new chapter for Mercer Group From the beginning of September, Mercer Group and its subsidiaries were brought under one identity, MHM Automation, as it provides leading automated solutions to the world.

MHM Automation is the representation of Mercer Group’s businesses; Mercer Stainless, H&C Automated Solutions (formerly Haden & Custance) and Milmeq.

Across these business, MHM Automation provides automated solutions to the global dairy, cheese and protein sectors, packaging technologies, large scale chilling and freezing systems and stainless steel fabrication services.

CEO Richard Rookes said the new look and direction was an exciting change for the company, signaling the culmination of years of acquisitions and strategic business decisions that have transitioned the company to a technology and automation-led future.

“We’ve been using the phrase ‘The Future Looks Different’ to describe this new chapter because it really speaks to our overall vision moving forward,” he said.

“It was important to us that we honoured both where we’ve come from while also having a brand

that reflected who we are today and where we are heading.

“We are now a technology-led company providing world leading engineered automated solutions to the world.”

The company had undertaken research earlier this year to gain a comprehensive overview of how staff viewed and represented the Mercer brand. These results were collated, and formed the building blocks of the rebrand, before arriving at MHM Automation.

The implementation of MHM Automation will be gradual, with product brands remaining at this stage given their excellent reputation and brand recognition.

Chairman Trevor Burt said the unification of Mercer’s businesses as a single, credible and trusted entity would allow them to more effectively deliver solutions to the global customer base and provide better opportunities to cross sell capability.

“We’re looking forward as MHM Automation with a highly skilled team, an expansive international customer base and a world-leading product set from which to consolidate and grow,” he said.

MHM Automation’s history spans 135 years and sits alongside the story of New Zealand’s development.

MHM Automation designs and supplies world-leading, innovative food processing and packaging equipment globally, and its legacy brands have helped shape the New Zealand engineering and manufacturing sectors.

Due to Covid-19, the delivery and selling of solutions offshore has been adjusted. To this end, Scan American Corporation (Scan AM) has been appointed as a sales agent in North America to drive sales in the secondary meat processing and pharmaceutical sectors.

Scan AM has more than 40 years’ experience in selling solutions into these sectors and will allow MHM Automation to retain and grow the momentum it has achieved in recent times in entering these sectors.

Of note is the first de-boxing solution that has recently been sold into a leading US-based meat processor.

Applications open for ATNZ Apprentice of the Year 2020 The country’s largest employer of mechanical engineering apprentices, Apprentice Training New Zealand (ATNZ) is excited to announce applications are now open for their highly coveted Apprentice of the Year Award.

ATNZ General Manager Susanne Martin said the award is open to all apprentices in their second year or more of mechanical engineering training who have signed a current training agreement with ATNZ and recognises the skills and talent of an exceptional all-rounder.

This is the third year of the awards for ATNZ, a not-for-profit group training organisation that employs more than 340 engineering apprentices and

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places them with host companies around New Zealand.

“This award celebrates an ATNZ apprentice who is not only a high performer thriving in their apprenticeship, but also has an outstanding attitude.

They are proactive in their work, particularly around health and safety, and show obvious enjoyment in what they do,” Ms Martin said.

Along with being crowned ATNZ Apprentice of the Year, the winner will receive $1,000 of tools and a $1,000 JBHiFi voucher – doubling the value of the prize pool of previous years.

Ms Martin said applications come from across all spheres of the engineering trade. She believes the unprecedented challenges of 2020 will have further spotlighted extraordinary future tradies.

“Every year we’re blown away by the calibre of applications, and the obvious talent we are nurturing as we grow the next generation of Kiwi tradespeople.

With the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, now more than ever, we need success stories to celebrate.

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We know during the lockdown and restart, what assets our apprentices have been to our host companies. That’s why we ask host companies to recognise the valuable contribution they have made to their workplaces and encourage their learners to apply,” Ms Martin said.

Applications must be received by no later than 5 pm on Friday 09 October 2020. The winner and runner-up will be announced at a ceremony in November. Full details, judging criteria, application tips and terms and conditions are available on the application form, which can be found at atnz.org.nz.

Fitting and machining apprentice Perrie Thomas, of Reporoa, won the award in 2019 said it was great recognition of what he had achieved so far, as well as confirmation he was on the right career path.

The winner of the inaugural award, Caleb Orotaunga, initially enrolled to study engineering at university before switching to an ATNZ apprenticeship. He graduated with a National Certificate in Mechanical Engineering in June this year.

REAR VIEW Technology holds the key to a green recovery We are at a critical juncture in determining the future stability and health of the world’s economies.

How businesses and governments choose to emerge

implementation of networking technologies and

with computing power placed close to where the

from the Covid-19 crisis will either revert to the

the digital transformation of businesses. In fact, the

data is generated—at the edge—we can enable

short-sighted economic practices of the past or

disruption to our normal work practices has sped

game-changing sustainability solutions from the

accelerate the transition to a more sustainable,

these transformations forward years, if not decades,

factory floor to the power grid to the crop field.

low-carbon economy that is more resilient and better

as workforces have become virtualised overnight and

equipped to mitigate and combat future crises.

connectivity critical to the way we collaborate and

Take the resource-intensive manufacturing sector:

Although the pandemic has brought tremendous

conduct business.

hardship, the leaders of today have been afforded

At HPE, we have seen this first hand, implementing

inefficiencies in energy use, asset utilisation,

a once-in-a-century opportunity to rebuild a better,

AI-powered infrastructure from Aruba at half a

and materials consumption to make informed,

smarter, more sustainable future.

million customer sites worldwide to optimise their

data-backed decisions that deliver operational

Covid-19 has exposed our fragility to global

reimagined work environments and reinvent their

efficiencies.

disruptions, yet the threats that lie ahead from

business models.

Similarly, a large energy utility is boosting efficiency by

climate change and human encroachment on natural

This rapid digitisation presents an opportunity for

deploying data analytics and IoT to better anticipate

ecosystems could produce shocks of even greater

enterprises to transform their operations in ways

demand and create a self-healing, intelligent grid.

magnitude, spanning even longer time frames.

that will create entirely new levels of efficiency and

Research organizations also recognise the potential

The findings of a special report from the

greater resilience, particularly for resource-intensive

to transform consumptive sectors like agriculture,

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

sectors that are at increased risk of systemic shocks.

where real-time IoT data from crops are captured to

reads like a plot one might expect in a Hollywood

In a 2015 report, Accenture predicted that efficiencies

inform and automate precision application of water

movie, but are in fact clear projections of our current

in

trajectory: the triggering of tipping points, resulting

transportation, and manufacturing, could enable

lower inputs.

in widespread famine, the collapse of industries, and

a 20 percent reduction in global emissions by 2030;

The key to a sustainable future lies in these vast pools

the displacement of millions of people.

while the World Economic Forum estimated that the

of data resources, and the timing is ripe to harness

As with any complex and consequential problem,

industrial Internet of Things (IoT) alone could add

it to facilitate more sustainable means of production

$14 trillion of economic value to the global economy

and ultimately, a carbon neutral economy, before it’s

by 2030.

too late.

Clearly, decarbonising our industries and growing

This decade has already brought us to a tipping

our economies is not a distinct choice.

point in the stability of our economies and in our

Rather, as Michael Bloomberg states, the choice is

fight against climate change, yet the timing of these

industries

such

Converged Edge Systems and AI analytics to uncover

as

buildings,

agriculture,

“between capitalising on market forces or fighting them”.

Recognising the opportunity to curb the emissions of high-polluting sectors, while capturing new market opportunities, HPE has committed to investing $4 billion in edge computing and is partnering with our customers to enable the connectivity and real-time Rapid digitisation presents an opportunity to transform operational efficiencies.

Our customers are already implementing HPE’s

insights needed to accelerate the transition to a

and agri-chemicals, resulting in higher yields for

immense challenge has also aligned with a complete transformation in how enterprises can and will harness data: An estimated 75% of enterprise-generated data will be created and processed at the edge by 2025, compared to just 10% today—enabling unprecedented connectivity and propelling digital initiatives that will fuel the green recovery critical to

zero-carbon economy by 2050.

this decade of action.

In other words, by pairing IoT sensors and devices

All of this adds up to a rare opportunity: a chance

there is no single solution. In order to usher in a

to transform our economy for

sustainable future for people, planet, and profit alike.

the benefit of business and

We must not only invest public funding in greener

humanity alike.

technologies, but also match financial support with

While

policies and practices that incentivize innovation and

across the globe will be unique,

the adoption of efficiency-enabling technologies.

intelligent

Previous economic downturns have ended with

solutions should underpin the

a rebound in emissions. This time, we have the

strategy of any government or

unique opportunity to decouple emissions from the

business as a necessary lever to

resurgence of industry and transportation.

usher us toward a sustainable

recovery edge

strategies and

IoT

“new normal”.

For instance, market mechanisms, such as a price on carbon, use the power of the market to incentivize

Christopher Wellise is Chief

organisations to shift to cleaner technologies and

Sustainability Officer Hewlett

away from fossil fuels, and encourage enterprises to

Packard Enterprises.

adopt digital tools that improve efficiencies.

The onset of the pandemic has already catalysed the

An estimated 75% of enterprise generated data will be created and processed at the edge by 2025, compared to just 10% today.

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