Manufacturers' Monthly Feb 2016

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MANAGEMENT >> TECHNOLOGY >> SOLUTIONS

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MANAGEMENT >> TECHNOLOGY >> SOLUTIONS

FEBRUARY 2016

Mobile

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Automation & Robotics New portable robots introduced

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Power Tools We profile the latest products

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Inside

For daily news visit manmonthly.com.au

FEBRUARY 2016

Managing Director: John Murphy Publisher: Martin Sinclair martin.sinclair@primecreative.com.au Managing Editor: Branko Miletic Ph: (02) 8484 0976 Fax: (02) 8484 0722 branko.miletic@primecreative.com.au Editor: Matt McDonald Ph: (02) 8484 0645 Fax: (02) 8484 0722 matthew.mcdonald@primecreative.com.au Journalist: Brent Balinski Ph: (02) 8484 0680 Fax: (02) 8484 0722 brent.balinski@primecreative.com.au Editor-at-Large: Alan Johnson Ph: (02) 8484 0725 alan.johnson@primecreative.com.au Sales/Advertising: Matthew Nutt Ph: (02) 8484 0614 matt.nutt@primecreative.com.au Production Coordinator: Ziba Mahabat Ph: (02) 8484 0884 ziba.mahabat@primecreative.com.au Subscriptions Published 11 times a year Subscriptions $140.00 per annum (inc GST) Overseas prices apply Ph: 1300 360 126

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Copyright Manufacturers’ Monthly is owned by Prime Creative Media and published

by John Murphy. All material in Manufacturers’ Monthly is copyright and no part may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means (graphic, electronic or mechanical including information and retrieval systems) without written permission of the publisher. The Editor welcomes contributions but reserves the right to accept or reject any material. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information, Prime Creative Media will not accept responsibility for errors or omissions or for any consequences arising from reliance on information published.

The opinions expressed in Australian Mining are not necessarily the opinions of, or endorsed by the publisher unless otherwise stated. © Copyright Prime Creative Media, 2016 Articles All articles submitted for publication become the property of the publisher. The Editor reserves the right to adjust any article to conform with the magazine format.

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12 Management 16 Manufacturing IT 18 Endeavour Awards 20 Automation & Robotics 26 3D Printing manmonthly.com.au

Behind the cover

MANAGEMENT >> TECHNOLOGY >> SOLUTIONS

FEBRUARY 2016

Mobile

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Australian manufacturers are increasingly turning to mobile computing devices which are allowing employees to work more flexibly and helping improve operational efficiency.

However, as with many things, mobile technology is not a one size fits all proposition. Businesses intending to introduce mobile devices need to have a good think about how they can best be

implemented into their operations.

They need to decide what mobile technology will be used for and then choose the best solution for themselves.

And, of course they have to consider cyber security issues. According to experts in the field, as it stands many manufacturers are leaving themselves open to data leakage, theft of sensitive information and cyber-attacks. (See p. 16)

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Comment

BRANKO MILETIC – Managing Editor

The real value of research and innovation

A

NEXTISSUENEXTISSUE • Manufacturing Apps • Export / Import (Asian focus) • Forklifts & Telehandlers • Coding & Scanning • Manufacturing IT • Management

CCORDING to the Office of the Chief Scientist, the Australian Academy of Science and the Centre for International Economics (CIE), advances in the physical, mathematical and biological sciences in the past 20 to 30 years has provided $330 billion a year to Australia’s overall economic output.

Put another way, the report found that our economy would be five per cent smaller than it is today without this economic boost from innovation.

This is an annual difference of about $65 billion.

So there you have it – a firm price on what innovation actually provides to the Australian economy. And let’s be serious about this $330 billion figure – it is hardly what one would call ‘small change’, especially when you consider that our economy is feeling the dual effects of the resources slowdown and a global economy that catches the flu every time China gets a sniffle.

Add to that, we are only talking about three scientific strands here and not all of our diverse industrial sectors.

Innovation, as a noun though has been so overused by the wider media, that today it is almost a throwaway term for anything to do with new ways of getting things done.

However, let me be clear - human progress cannot and does not exist without innovation, or for that matter it’s worthy precedents: research and development.

What also cannot exist in some form of cosmic vacuum is the growth of a modern society without the mental power of researchers, inventors, scientists and innovators of all shades and persuasions The past few years all across Australia’s industrial heartland, there has been a quiet yet at the same time seismic shift in the way new ideas are being developed and implemented.

Here at Manufacturers’ Monthly, we see this almost every day of the week. In fact, during the more pivotal times of the year like National Manufacturing Week or at our Endeavour Awards, the level of innovation that we find going on around Australia is simply amazing.

Australian companies are ‘getting on with business’, regardless of so-called global fluctuations, and in the end, are delivering financial windfalls to the economy that help this country power ahead of many other OEDC countries.

So far, over the past 30 years, innovation has provided a $330 billion economic windfall, but that is small fry to what even a slight increase on this level of innovation across all our industrial sectors can turn into over the coming 30 years. branko.miletic@primecreative.com.au

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Comment Australia’s industrialisation imperatives

By Angus M Robinson

A

S Australian manufacturers return to work after Christmas/New Year, some are no doubt reflecting on the Turnbull government’s new promise of Australia becoming the “big ideas” nation.

Yes, there is no doubt that the Government has breathed new life into the national innovation agenda and that start-ups will begin to flourish as 2016 unfolds. But is focus being applied to ensure that, beyond any commercialisation outcomes, industrialisation imperatives will emerge? Whilst Coalition governments have always steered away from “picking winners”, current government policy is at least focussed on directing limited resources to perceived areas of “industry capability” through the announced “growth

centres” approach, a strategy influenced through representations made after the last election by the Business Council of Australia.

Through a range of strategies such as Action Agendas and the like, Coalition governments have traditionally favoured an “industry-led”, government-supported strategy. In the minds of policy makers, “industry” seems to be this amorphous mass of market-driven manufacturing companies which can be expected to take the lead and to deliver the desired outcomes for the Government. Arguably in the past, emerging from this “industry grouping” were prominent business leaders, who could reasonably be labelled as “industrialists”, and who ran larger, more often than not

private, companies which saw it as in their interest to grow secondary industries in Australia.

So the question remains: who in “industry” is to lead the charge to identify and select those new, “market facing” opportunities which will lead to the creation of new industries for Australia? In other economies, industry leaders have worked hard to gain the support of their national governments to co-invest in a basket of emerging industry sectors, and to ensure that R&D activity is focussed on those sectors.

During 2015, a new “Manufacturing on the Move” (MotM) professional networking group was launched as a collegiate-managed forum on a LinkedIn platform, generating networking, discussion and broader

engagement amongst those individuals passionately committed to a viable future for Australian high-value manufacturing.

In 2016 and beyond, it is proposed to develop this group further in broader advocacy of industrialisation imperatives, collaborative facilitation, policy shaping and outreach activities from an expanding membership base of forum participants. We aim to positively influence industry and thought leaders, decision makers – and especially Australian Parliaments.

[Angus M Robinson is co-moderator of the LinkedIn ‘Manufacturing on the Move’ network]

We can’t ignore The Three Rs

By Innes Willcox

T

HE Australian economy continues to change rapidly as we enter the digital age.

These changes require an increasingly sophisticated workforce to deal with the complex economy.

The Australian Industry Group has been concerned for some time about the level of foundation skills in the workforce. And now, in our latest survey of employers, Tackling Foundation Skills in the Workforce, 93 per cent of employers have indicated that low levels of literacy and numeracy are having an impact on their business.

Among the 300 employers surveyed, poor completion of workplace documents was the greatest frustration as a result of poor literacy and numeracy (42%), followed by

material errors and wastage (32%) and teamwork and communication problems (28%).

This supports recent international data from the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), which found 44% of Australians have literacy proficiency skills levels below level 3 – considered to be the minimum to operate effectively in the workplace and society. Worse still was Australia’s ranking in numeracy proficiency, with 55% of adults below level 3.

Together, these results further validate a deepening concern about the level of foundation skills in the workforce, and its continuing drag on the nation’s productivity. With techno-

8 FEBRUARY 2016 Manufacturers’ Monthly

logical advancement and the rapid expansion of ICT skills, occupations requiring highly-educated workers are expanding much more rapidly than other occupations. Clearly, the mastery of literacy and numeracy is only becoming more important as we work to meet the challenges of this evolving economy.

Our recent research through the Building Employer Commitment to Workplace Literacy and Numeracy Programs project established positive returns on investment for employers who participated in such programs. These positive results strengthen the business case for employers to invest in these core skills; in addition to other reasons for implementing workplace reform in

this area, it now also makes good economic sense.

We hope that all employers will heed these results and engage in foundation skills training for their workforce. An ‘Employer Champions Network’, supported by Ai Group, has also shown there is significant potential for employers to work together in promoting foundation skills training – something that has otherwise been made difficult by the cessation of the Workplace English Language and Literacy (WELL) program.

Some support is possible through the new Industry Skills Fund, but in a significantly reduced capacity. We need to develop a stronger focus in this area.

A national foundation skills strategy needs to

seriously tackle workplace Language Literacy and Numeracy (LLN), and employer networks do need to be developed. Return on Investment benefits for employers will need to be widely promoted and a new discrete workplace LLN program will also be necessary if we are to turn this situation around.

The demands of the economy keep increasing and are becoming more complex.

We need a highly skilled workforce to meet these challenges. We cannot delay on this important national imperative any longer.

[Innes Willcox is CEO of the Australian Industry Group] manmonthly.com.au

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Comment

CHRISTOPHER PYNE – Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science

NISA building a path to the future The Government is intent on bringing science and the manufacturing sector closer together in an effort to create high wage jobs for the future. Christopher Pyne writes.

T

HESE are exciting times for Australia’s manufacturing sector.

Late last year the Government set the nation on a course towards a better, more prosperous future, releasing the National Innovation and Science Agenda (NISA) – a blueprint for a more entrepreneurial Australia.

The Agenda includes $1.1 billion in initiatives that will turn the nation into a global leader in innovation.

It’s going to drive growth across many areas of the economy, including the manufacturing sector.

The measures in the Agenda are built around capitalising more on Australia’s excellent reputation for science and research – two areas that have long played an integral role in manufacturing.

Through the Agenda, we’re going to use science and research to maintain high-value, high-wage jobs by transforming manufacturing processes and products.

Creating and building a talented workforce with cutting-edge skills will play a crucial role.

Under the Agenda, we’re investing more than $112 million to equip

young Australians with the digital, problem solving and critical reasoning skills needed for high wage jobs.

We’re also going to increase opportunities for girls and women in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths).

The manufacturing sector will also benefit from measures that will encourage businesses and researchers

to work together to commercialise ideas.

The $200 million CSIRO Innovation Fund will support the commercialisation of research from CSIRO and the research community.

It’s going to support co-investment in new spin-offs and startup companies, products and services created by Australian research institutes.

Measures in the Agenda are also going to help universities improve their collaborations with industry and focus on research that delivers direct benefits for Australia, promotes high quality research and drives innovation.

The Growth Centres we’ve established will help drive innovation in the manufacturing sector.

The Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre is one of six new Industry Growth Centres the Government has set up. It will promote growth, productivity and competitiveness by concentrating investment in one of the economy’s key growth sectors.

It will also link Australian companies with global companies, identify future job and skills needs, consider areas for reforming regulations, and provide a pipeline of well-developed innovations ready to commercialise.

Ultimately, the plan we’ve put in place will hold us in good stead as industry in this country transitions to a new era, and opportunities emerge for economic growth and job creation.

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20/01/16 1:45 PM

Management

It’s time to get nimble A recently released manufacturing survey reveals agility is not just beneficial for our physical health, but for companies as well.

Alan Johnson reports.

A

SURVEY of mid-size manufacturers (MSMs) in Australia by Grant Thornton, one of the world’s leading independent assurance, tax and advisory firms, paints a pretty sobering view of Australia’s manufacturing industry, with declines in sales revenue, gross margins and profits over the past couple of years.

However Mark Philips, Australia’s Head of Manufacturing with Grant Thornton, remains optimistic of the industry’s future saying there are

12 FEBRUARY 2016 Manufacturers’ Monthly

many successful manufacturing companies in Australia as they adapt to the changing environment.

“We have found the successful companies in the survey are those that are nimble and able to move efficiently. They have created very complex overhead models, and have been in the planning process for quite a long time,” Philips told Manufacturers’ Monthly.

Apart from the food and beverage industry, Philips said many companies are changing from long run

manufacturing of products to more of a ‘unit of one’ production.

“We are moving to lower volumes, but with higher margins,” he said.

Philips said if companies want to change their direction and diversify on another pathway, they need to be aware it takes a few years to get there.

“You can’t wake up tomorrow morning and do things differently.

You have to transition out of your existing work, reposition your facilities and equipment, and retrain your staff. There are a lot of things to be done before you get there,” he said.

This lack of workplace flexibility really frustrates Philips, and is highlighted in the survey by employee costs outpacing revenue growth.

“We have great protection mechanisms for our workforce in Australia,

with long service leave, redundancy provisions, and generous leave provisions, but the problem is we can’t move quickly enough when it comes to right sizing a workforce.

“Businesses are forced to hang on to their surplus workforces longer than they otherwise would because of the cost associated with adjusting their workforce.

“This is unlike the US, for example, where they have very different work laws and are able to reduce their workforce quite easily.

“They are a lot more nimble, even though they are larger organisations.

Unfortunately in Australia, you will always see a lag if revenue drops with workforce costs.

“We don’t have the flexibility in the workforce that is needed.” manmonthly.com.au

Philips would like to see the Government help businesses fund workforce flexibility. Not handouts as such, but to help the funding of workforce flexibility.

He said this also relates to manufacturers being too slow to adjust their purchasing/production volumes to market demand, and being nimble.

“If a company has a higher labour force than needed, and can’t adjust it, what does the m anufacturer do?

Rather than having them sit idle, he builds up inventory. That’s the reason for the lag,” he said.

Philips points out that one the positive changes in recent times, especially for those who sell in $US, has been the fall of the A$ and the rise of the US$ which has offset some of the negatives of manufacturing here.

From a personal perspective, Philips is seeing his own small manufacturing/engineering company gradually pick up following the decline of the Aussie dollar.

“Our competitive advantage is asking prospective customers if they are purchasing components in US dollars. And if they are, in nearly every case, we can now supply in a more competitive price, because of where the Aussie dollar is today,” he said.

“Manufacturing’s negative trend is reversing. I’m not sure if it will happen next year or the year after, but I believe the manufacturing sector will stabilise and then start to grow.”

Philips, who counts many automotive component manufacturers amongst his clients, admitted the auto industry is going through a significant shift.

“However, we are pleasantly surprised to see most of them reorganising and repositioning their businesses to remain within the Australian marketplace, as opposed to those looking to exit the industry,” he said.

He said they are all at different stages of transition. Some companies are looking to retain their entire workforce and move into other areas where they can compete, while others are retaining their innovation skills and keeping some of the capability to produce.

“From an automotive perspective manmonthly.com.au

which is manufactured here, then I think we are missing out on a huge opportunity. This way, the Government is getting revenue it wasn’t going to get otherwise”.

The future

Employee costs are outpacing revenue growth. As percentages of revenue, the average proportions were 20.2% in 2012, 21.1% in 2013 and 21.7% in 2014. (Courtesy Grant Thornton). it has been quite surprising, I was expecting more companies closing up here and moving their operations offshore, but that has not been as predominate as we thought it would be,” he said.

Philips said that while the overall trend of the survey was a decline in revenue, there were pockets within the sample that were more successful than others.

“The $25m up to $100m turnover businesses are the ones that have actually grown their revenue over that period. They are the ones that have been able to be nimble and have done what they do well and are focusing on areas that have sufficient scale to be able to generate some economies of scale in the process,” he said.

“As we see the shift in the dollar we are seeing more and more companies bring production back home. The larger guys are not nimble enough so their ability to shift is a lot more difficult.”

Innovation Philips is a keen supporter of the Government’s focus on innovation, but points out that innovation is transportable all around the world.

“Instead we would like to see the Government encouraging production

of that innovation here in Australia,” he said.

“We would like to see the Government go one step further and incentivising businesses to convert that innovation into product.

“We might fund the five or so people in the lab coats, but we don’t capture that innovation for the longer term and fund the 200 or so jobs that will turn that innovation into a finished product.”

Philips points to a UK system called Patent Box, which offers tax relief to manufacturers who convert innovation into new product.

While not critical of the government funding R&D, Philips pointed out that the funding only produces the R&D. “You don’t get the multiplier of the R&D being converted into a product in the Australian marketplace,” he said.

He pointed out that, under the Patent Box system, manufacturers receive tax deductions on income that is generated from R&D. “They only forgo the revenue by actually producing the product in the UK,” he said.

“If you look at the amount of IP we generate here, then you look at the level of product from that IP

Philips is optimistic more manufacturing will return to Australia.

But he said one area that is often overlooked is the cost of freight, which is increasing and is a very hard cost to minimise.

“I think overtime, the rising cost of freight will influence the rise of manufacturing here in Australia as capital takes over the more labour intensive jobs,” he said.

“I’d like to think in 12 months’ time manufacturing will be in positive territory, because we are certainly seeing the benefits coming through of a weaker Aussie dollar.”

Unfortunately, Philips said, there will be a lot of gloom and doom around later this year with Ford finally stopping production, and Holden and Toyota the following year.

“These closures can have a big impact on confidence, but I think by 2018 the trend is very much reversed.”

He advises manufacturers to go back to the old principals and do their homework.

“Many manufacturers don’t know their businesses well enough. They don’t do enough work around understanding the cost of inputs when producing products.

“We are trying to get more of our clients to focus back on the old fashioned activity based costings, so they understand what it costs to produce and to talk to customers a lot more.”

Philips said that does not mean taking out the middle man, but to understand what their customers are looking for. Quite often it’s not just the physical product.

“At my own little company, for example, we have found it’s not the product they want to pay for, but more the service we provide. Our fast turnaround service is far more valuable to them than the pricing of the components,” he concluded.

Grant Thornton 02 8297 2400 www.grantthornton.com.au Manufacturers’ Monthly FEBRUARY 2016 13

Management Where technology meets human wellbeing Trajan Scientific and Medical operates in two acknowledged areas of competitive advantage for Australia: advanced manufacturing and medical technology. Brent Balinski spoke to company CEO Stephen Tomisich about how it plans to change the world of healthcare.

From smartphones to pathology The trend towards mobility, enabled by things such as portable computational power and the cloud, has been obvious for years and is impacting seemingly every industry you can think of.

Medical technology is no different, and this is a big part of the strategy of Australian company Trajan Scientific and Medical. Increasingly decentralised healthcare, enabled by things including smaller and improved measurement technology, will change our lives for the better, according to Trajan’s CEO and cofounder, Stephen Tomisich.

It will lower healthcare costs, force changes to logistics operations, and improve quality of life for many.

“The longer-term solution to rising healthcare costs in all modern societies is actually back to prevention,” Tomisich told Manufacturers’ Monthly.

“And so then we look at personalised measurement, and we purposely use the word ‘measurement’ rather than ‘medicine’. We think the greater uptake is going to be in areas where people want to be proactive about their health, they want to be informed about how their biology is tracking and what are some of the potential impacts of the environment to which they’re exposed or the foods that they are consuming.”

The impacts of personalised, portable measurement - rather than a journey from sample taking at a lab and, eventually, back to the individual - are vast, and not limited to healthcare. Individuals will benefit enormously by gaining knowledge at the site a measurement is taken, says 14 FEBRUARY 2016 Manufacturers’ Monthly

the company, “be it a food transport vehicle, river stream or a clinical patient.”

Successful collaborations Established in 2011, Trajan acquired Grale Scientific the same year and, after that, SGE Analytical Science, which Tomisich was formerly CEO of and which has a place in the Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame.

Trajan, which exports 98 per cent of what it makes, is also the parent company of SciMed Precision.

Trajan employs around 300 worldwide and about 280 at its Ringwood, Melbourne headquarters.

Around half of these work in microassembly, an area highly resistant to automation.

The company’s success has been explained by some, such as former industry minister Ian Macfarlane, as being due to globally relevant products and collaboration with industry groups and universities.

Tomisich explained that the company began looking outside itself for expertise early on, through discussions with “a dozen” Australian universities. It now has strong links with University of Tasmania and University of Adelaide, both of which have world-class capabilities in fields relevant to Trajan.

“In Tasmania you’ve got a group focussed around separation science, the science of chromatography, and they are renowned globally for the calibre of people in the team and some of the developments they’ve had over the years,” he said.

“And then secondly we saw in Adelaide an infrastructure and a talent around the area of photonics, again,

Dr Herbert Foo, Principal Scientist, Photonics, with 4 metre fibre drawing tower for soft glass and polymer fibre fabrication. which has a global reputation that many would aspire to.”

Trajan, with University of Tasmania, is part of the ASTech (Analytical Separation Technologies) Australian Research Council Training Centre for Portable Analytical Separation Technologies, established in October 2014.

It dipped its toe into collaborating with the university via the Researchers In Business program.

Its relationship with University of Adelaide began through the Photonics Catalyst Program, a partnership between the SA state government and the university’s Institute of Photonics and Advanced Sensing.

Adelaide has a cluster of photonics expertise through the university and

various DSTO projects, and the program is an attempt to help get that into the market.

Assisted by a $346,000 SA government grant, Trajan announced an R&D hub partnership at the institute last September.

The expertise residing there is around glass modification and glass fabrication, related to optical-type applications, and this offers potential around complex components for mass spectrometry devices, said Tomisich.

Trajan’s partnership in Tasmania’s ASTech has led to one exciting new product which is currently at the prototype stage, and which came out of post-doctoral research by Dr Florian Lapierre. manmonthly.com.au

Next great Australian invention?

The hemaPEN, a world-first, is an example of the potential offered by the decentralisation of medicine, and uses dried blood spot sampling.

The use of the dried blood spot is over a half-century old. Blood is taken from an infant, transferred to filter paper, and this is transported to a lab to be tested for congenital problems.

Manufacturing the hemaPEN requires the ability to draw out precise capillaries made out of glass, which deliver an accurate volume of blood - as little as three microlitres - to a container inside the pen, which holds an FDAapproved blotting paper inside a sealed canister. Blood can be collected by the patient to then be sent to a clinic, with no need for a person to leave home.

There have been hopes that DBS could be the way blood sampling is decentralised, but there have been issues around things such as taking a precisely accurate amount of blood to blotting paper, having a homogenous sample on the paper, a nd keeping the sample uncontaminated.

Announced in September as the first product from ASTech, the hemaPEN will go through further trials this year.

“We’re able to avoid trips to the clinic for families, for the elderly, the handicapped and others [for whom a trip to the clinic to draw blood] can be quite a traumatic experience,” said Tomisich.

“And you’ll notice again that all of these things ultimately come back to [the question] ‘how do our technology developments impact on human wellbeing?’”

Where is the benefit?

The current government has used Trajan as a case study of the type of advanced manufacturing that is possible and should be encouraged in Australia.

In fact, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull visited Trajan in the lead-up to the December Innovation Statement.

Speaking soon after the launch, Tomisich offered that the agenda “hit a lot of the right areas”, and he was particularly interested in anything that might help change the current “publish or perish” scenario which researchers face.

The theme of encouraging more manmonthly.com.au

Force and displacement controller delivers rapid evaluation results when strict quality demands are coupled with high production rates “All of these things ultimately come back to [the question] ‘how do our technology developments impact on human wellbeing?” – Stephen Tomisich, CEO, Trajan Scientific and Medical. start-ups in the “ideas boom” launch was also something dear to Tomisich, with Trajan hosting its own accelerator program.

The Trajan accelerator covers cash and in-kind help to start-ups. It also addresses the “valley of death” for such firms. Often used in recent years to describe technology readiness levels or shipbuilding contracts, when Tomisich uses the term he is talking about having the infrastructure in place to allow businesses to focus on their strength and not suffering and failing due to problems with things like recruitment, regulatory requirements and channels to market.

Or, as he put it, not being beaten by “all those other complexities of converting an idea into sustainable revenue.”

“And so that’s an area in the statement that intrigued us the most because we want to see not only collaboration resulting in great ideas and products, but we want to see it translate to economic activity in the country.

“If it isn’t the ultimate outcome then where is the benefit? And so the nearest concern for me would be that we don’t want to just see more venture capitalists and more speculative investment happening. We want to see real investment in sustainable businesses happen.”

Trajan Scientific and Medical 03 9837 4200 trajanscimed.com

Miniature Differential Pressure Sensor Robust, integrated measurement amplifier, stainless steel, for liquid or gaseous media, high line pressure

DC/AC voltmeter, ammeter, resistance meter, thermometer, frequency meter, load cell meter, process meter Visualise alarm condition by 2 colour LED, various input & output ranges and power supply voltages are selectable to suit individual applications , in stock quick delivery

Serial-to-Analog Signal Conditioner, Large Display & Quad Loop Splitter

Bestech Australia U14, 44 Garden Blvd

MEL.: 03 9540 5100

Dingley VIC 3172

SYD. : 02 9624 4233

Enquiry@bestech.com.au www.bestech.com.au Manufacturers’ Monthly FEBRUARY 2016 15

ManufacturingIT The promise and pitfalls of mobile computing More and more manufacturers are taking advantage of mobile computing devices in the workplace, but many remain unaware of the problems they can generate. Alan Johnson reports.

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USTRALIAN manufacturers are increasingly turning to mobile computing devices to ensure efficient and accurate manufacturing and delivery processes.

With employees working more flexibly and relying on them as a means of operational efficiency, they also want to use mobile devices they are more comfortable with; many which they personally own.

However, according to experts in the field, many manufacturers are leaving themselves open to data leakage, theft of sensitive information and cyber-attacks.

According to Philip Dimitri, ANZ Systems Engineer Director with Check Point Software Technologies, the use of mobile computers is great for productivity, however from an IT security perspective it introduces a new level of complexities into securing a company’s corporate environment, which is very dynamic.

“The breadth of mobile personal data used means unsecure, unmanaged data across a range of platforms which can quite easily compromise the network and sensitivity of the data that exists,” Dimitri told Manufacturers’ Monthly.

However, for those companies that

16 FEBRUARY 2016 Manufacturers’ Monthly

think they can buck the mobile computing trend, Dimitri had some bad news. They are kidding themselves, he said. “It’s here to stay.”

“Manufacturers should adopt the trend and embrace it, but at the same time they should undertake additional security measures to combat the risks involved with mobile computers, such as unsecured data and leakages of sensitive information.”

Dimitri said it’s vital companies have a policy and a mobile-based theft prevention solution that target these areas.

“That solution and capability should mimic and emulate the company’s internal IT security environment, with the same capacity,” he said.

He also said the mobile theft prevention product should have additional data encryption, plus similar functionality as the office computers across all mobile devices including smart phones, tablets, laptops and other mobile devices.

“They should be integrated into a mobile device management solution or function stand-alone to provide incident prevention, including data leakage, data loss, application control, and anti-virus malware,” he said.

As with most technologies, Dimitri said manufacturers are adopting mobile security software at different rates. However, he did also confirm that employers are becoming increasingly aware of the problem and are adopting mobile policies and governance regarding mobile devices in the workplace.

And with BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) becoming increasingly common in the workplace, Dimitri revealed there are now containerised solutions, where users can have their personalised data on their device and at the same time securely access their corporate data whether it is on the corporate network or on the corporate cloud.

He advised manufacturers to adopt a measured (rather than ad hoc) approach across the company’s other applications and software.

“Some companies look at mobile security policies by department rather than as an enterprise end-toend initiative,” he said.

“Instead companies are much better served by approaching their mobile policy and governance as a similar discipline to what they do across IT security and financial governance.

“Managing the company’s IT security across all platforms is much easier in terms of reducing the total cost of ownership.”

Trends Tony Repaci, Australia & NZ country manager with Honeywell Sensing and Productivity, said there are a number of trends Australian manufacturers can expect to see over the next 12 months.

“Driving innovation on the manufacturing shop floor in 2016 are new technologies that automate a number of processes that have been problematic in the past, and which feed into the practice of lean manufacturing,” he told Manufacturers’ Monthly.

Repaci said manufacturers need to consider whether a mobile computer investment will provide a good ROI (Return on Investment) into the future.

“This might involve looking for a mobile computer that easily integrates with current and future systems, such as a WMS (Warehouse Management System), and has the flexibility to work in tandem with other operational hardware,” he said.

“There are now mobile computers on the market offering Windows manmonthly.com.au

and Android operating systems that enable businesses to use devices with hybrid operating systems or switch to a new operating system in the future.”

He said mobile computing technology has come a long way since the first bulky devices with limited functionality hit the market years ago.

“These days, the latest devices focus on power, battery life, design, operational flexibility and scanning capabilities,” he said.

Repaci advised Australian manufacturers looking for mobile computers that will best serve their businesses, now and into the future, to consider devices with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor with 2.26GHz quad-core CPU which enables robust application performance at better speeds and power efficiencies.

“For tough work environments, operators should choose a device that offers an IP67-rated design for protection from dust and water and the ability to withstand multiple 1.5m drops to concrete and 1,000 0.5m tumbles,” he said.

And for enterprises that require anywhere, anytime real-time connectivity, Repaci suggested that advanced enterprise-ready 4G/LTE handheld computers that support either Windows or Android operating systems are key.

While rugged mobile computers are specialised devices designed for collecting data and providing realtime information in non-office environments, Repaci said they should still adhere to enterprise standards for connectivity, security and development whenever possible.

“Specifying devices that meet these criteria will help keep down development, integration and support expenses, which can vary greatly and are a significant source of minimising the total cost of the device,” he said.

However, Repaci warned that mobile computer operating systems designed first and foremost for consumer smartphones and tablets, Android and iOS are not easily deployed in manufacturing environments ‘as is’.

“Because they are designed for individual sales rather than large deployments, they don’t come with manmonthly.com.au

built-in support for enterprise management and security systems,” he said.

He said mobile computers should be adapted to communicate with enterprise systems using standard connectivity and security.

“At the same time, security policies should not be adjusted or weakened to accommodate wireless mobile devices,” he said.

He said mobile computers are available that support a variety of standard wireless security protocols (including 802.11x, WPA2, FIPS, et al) and VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) so security can be applied and managed consistently with that used for laptop and desktop computers.

“Organisations with wireless LAN backbones from Cisco Systems should specify CCX certification for their mobile devices to simplify integration and management and to benefit from the advanced features available in a Cisco environment,” he said.

If wide-area wireless connectivity will be used, Repaci said the mobile device maker should have partnerships with cellular carriers and offer devices certified for data and voice on the preferred network.

While perceived cost savings, improved worker satisfaction and morale are some of the strongest drivers behind businesses introducing consumer grade devices or BYOD policies, Repaci warned manufacturers that the biggest impact a mobile device will have on day to day worker productivity is not how happy it makes employees (through offering them the ability to access the internet or games) but how reliable it will be in the field.

Mobility strategies According to Carsten Billeschou, Managing Director of Handheld APAC, when it comes to mobility strategies, organisations need to understand the environments and conditions their workers are to operate in and understand what the equipment to be used is built for.

“A rugged device is not a regular computer or smartphone that is put in a waterproof case, or built with just a waterproof shell,” he told Manufacturers’ Monthly.

“To be truly rugged, computers have to undergo multiple tests for ruggedness including the industry standards; MIL-STD test methods and the Ingress Protection scale.

Billeschou said the term “ruggedised” gives the sense that fragile internal components have been somehow protected.

“But a truly rugged computer is designed from the inside out to operate reliably in very harsh environments and conditions,” he said.

He said tough and durable mobile computers and smartphones are gaining in demand and popularity.

“While some mainstream devices are advertised as rugged because of features such as water resistance, these devices are ruggedised, and not truly rugged,” he said.

“They might be waterproof, but they lack other aspects of ruggedness, such as the ability to withstand vibrations or shocks and to function well in extreme temperatures.”

When it comes to mobile computer screens, Billeschou said the trend is clear in both the consumer and enterprise space. Screens are becoming larger and applications are becoming touch centric.

“The screens are now developed with a user experience in mind that requires larger screen real estate with the best possible outdoor screen experience,” he said.

He also believes the tablet trend will continue and that Android will continue to take market share in the enterprise space.

“As we move into 2016, there will be more focus on usability with better screens and longer battery life performances without losing focus on ergonomics,” Billeschou said.

Regarding security, he said it’s important proper mobility strategies, including the use of hardware and applications, are a must for any larger organisation.

“We are seeing mobility strategies, which include data security, data handling and hardware choices, becoming more and more standard,” he said.

“We are also seeing mobility strategies and policies increasing, which is much needed to ensure maximum effect of the use of mobile devices in the workforce.

“The range of complexity, of course, varies but we are seeing more and more enterprises taking the mobility opportunity seriously.”

And that is not just the case for the younger generation. Dimitri, Repaci and Billeschou all agree that the idea that older workers are much slower to adopt mobile technology should be dismissed.

Dimitri admitted that, during the early stages of technology introduction, that might have been the case.

“But today with the intuitiveness and the ease of navigating through the user interfaces, plus the greater functionality…[ uptake and proficiency comes very quickly with an older person]. The gap has evaporated,” he added.

Check Point Software Technologies 1300 855 397 www.checkpoint.com Honeywell Sensing and Productivity 03 9420 5555 www.honeywellaidc.com Handheld Group 02 9888 1599 www.handheldgroup.com Manufacturers’ Monthly FEBRUARY 2016 17

Time to nominate for the Endeavour Awards 2016!

Manufacturers’ Monthly is pleased to announce that nominations for our annual Endeavour Awards are now open for 2016.

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N its 13th year and celebrating the many successes among the industry’s companies, employees and products, the Endeavour Awards return to Sydney with National Manufacturing Week 2016.

A reflection of the enormous diversity within our industry, the Endeavours always attract a colourful and broad-ranging collection of entrants. At last count, the successes of well over 1,000 finalists have been celebrated at all the Endeavours so far.

And reflecting some of the areas where we feel not enough attention is given, we have two brand new categories at the 2016 awards: among this field we will be recognising Outstanding Start-Up and Outstanding Small Business.

Judged by completely independent, bona fide experts from industry and academia, the awards cover 12 categories. See the accompaning list, and keep the evening of May 12 free.

To see our standalone Endeavour Awards page and to nominate, go to www.endeavourawards.com.au Please note that entry into the awards remains completely free, and all finalists receive two free tickets to the awards night.

Questions can be directed to Brent Balinski brent.balinski@ primecreative.com.au 02 8484 0680 Good luck to you all!

18 FEBRUARY 2016 Manufacturers’ Monthly

THE CATEGORIES BEST TECHNOLOGY APPLICATION: This category is suitable for those looking to submit successful applications for new technology in manufacturing processes.

EXPORTER OF THE YEAR: This category is for companies who have successfully entered or are developing an export market with a new or existing locally-made product.

ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTION: This category recognises manufacturers who have successfully implemented solutions designed to reduce the environmental impact of their manufacturing operations.

SAFETY SOLUTION: Safety is of utmost concern and this category highlights the unique products, solutions and programmes implemented by or developed for manufacturers.

GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN INTEGRATION: Many Australian companies have developed unique expertise and/or components that allow them to plug into global supply chains. Tell us your projects and the talented people who make it all happen.

AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRIAL PRODUCT: This category aims to highlight new, innovative Australianmade products designed for industrial applications and turn the spotlight on the people who design and build them.

OUTSTANDING START UP: This award seeks out the outstanding start-ups – the future of our industry depends on them.

Flashback to 2015 - Grant Anderson, CEO ANCA accepts the Manufacturer of the Year Award from Tony Gent , State Manager VIC/ Tas, Bluescope Steel.

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT: This special award recognises a person who has made a significant individual contribution to Australia’s manufacturing industry

OUTSTANDING SMALL BUSINESS: This category recognises an Australian small business with less than 20 employees that has attained significant growth and is able to demonstrate the specific strategies and processes implemented to achieve sustainable growth.

MOST INNOVATIVE MANUFACTURING COMPANY: This award recognises a manufacturer in Australia that has thought ‘outside the box’ to implement a new business idea.

BEST IT APPLICATION: This award recognises novel and costeffective IT applications and implementations that made a significant and positive impact on the business in terms of efficiency, cost management and profitability.

MANUFACTURER OF THE YEAR: From the numerous entries received, one trailblazer stands out for outstanding innovation in the areas of technology, management and product development. This award aims at recognising that outstanding manufacturer. There is no separate form for this category, as all entrants will be considered for this award. manmonthly.com.au

Automation& ROBOTICS Your new manufacturing assistant Now that their associated safety issues are being addressed, portable robots are increasingly being used when and where they are needed. Alan Johnson reports.

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N a world where production flexibility is increasingly key to a manufacturer’s success, Bosch Australia has released a full 6-axis industrial robot which is mounted on a set of wheels so it can be easily moved around the factory floor for use in different applications.

Certified as an assistance system by the German Employers’ Liability Insurance Association, the Automated Production Assistant (APAS), with its innovative ‘sensor skin’, allows direct and safe collaboration with people without the need for additional guarding.

According to Andrew Bartlett, General Manager of Manufacturing Solutions at Bosch Australia, the robot, which is equipped with a sensitive three-finger gripper and a 3D camera system, has a highly sensitive sensor skin over the entire robot arm.

“This innovative skin has a capacitive sensor array in it which basically senses when people get too close, within 30mm. And when they are, it interacts with the robot controller and puts the machine into a ‘pause’ mode,” he told Manufacturers’ Monthly.

Bartlett explained that the distance of 30mm, which is nonadjustable, is based on the maximum operating speed of the robot and is part of the safety circuit.

“However, once that person has moved out of the critical zone, the robot continues again from where it paused,” he said.

20 FEBRUARY 2016 Manufacturers’ Monthly

The robot can be used on light industrial applications, packaging lines, machine tending and general materials handling operations.

He went on to say that this feature is unique in the market and enables man and machine to work hand in hand.

“What it doesn’t do is hit people and then stop,” he said.

Bartlett said the robots, or the mobile assistants as Bosch prefers, have been tried and tested in many Bosch facilities throughout the world, many in 24/7 operations, and are now available in Australia for external customers.

He described the robot as a standalone piece of equipment which can be easily moved around the factory floor for use in different operations.

“It’s just a matter of teaching the robot the changed location, selecting the new program and it will run. And it will run as an independent system at that new location,” he said.

Bartlett said that while users can move it to a different location, it’s fully connected and can be easily connected to the machines either side for data transfer and program selection, for example.

“It acts as a flexible, moveable device around the production lines.”

Bartlett said another key feature of the APAS is that the robot, camera and gripper can be applied by using one and the same software.

“With the help of a graphical user interface, the operator is guided when configuring the work plans by prompts leading through the menus.

Therefore programming skills are not necessary.”

He pointed out that the APAS is a genuine industrial robot, and does not need a clean room and/or air conditioning to operate.

“It has high levels of robotic precision with a 30 micron Positional Repeatability making it highly accurate, plus it has a 4kg payload.”

As well as light industrial applications, Bartlett said the robot can be used on packaging lines, machine tending and general materials handling operations.

“We also see it being used in safety critical environments and in difficult environments, such as hot or cold situations, or machine tending operations where companies need repetitive precision. It will operate 24 hours a day, and never tires.”

Bartlett said that, due to its standardised operating concept and its interconnectivity, the APAS can be flexibly integrated into most manufacturing processes.

“The factory of the future requires more and more machines and robots that can flexibly take over from stationary manufacturing systems along the entire production chain,” he explained.

“At the same time, the possibility of direct interaction with humans and subsequently safety aspects play an important role.”

He said the APAS production assistants are designed to support technical staff with critical process steps, monotonous and messy jobs, and above all, to collaborate directly with human beings.

“The APAS inspector, for instance, is equipped with a high-definition camera and an innovative 3D technology which can inspect highly delicate surfaces or perform complete checks,” he concluded.

Bosch Australia Manufacturing Solutions 03 9541 5086 www.bosch-manufacturingsolutions.com.au manmonthly.com.au

New generation robots from Impact Robotics The latest robots have landed in Australia. These astonishing machines, which can work side-by-side with humans, promise to change workplaces forever.

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LOBALLY, as a result of the significant impact by disruptive technologies, manufacturing is changing, and Australia is no exception. Flexible automation has become a priority in plants around the world as companies seek new and cost-effective ways of responding to dynamic customer requirements.

The latest generation of collaborative robots or ‘cobots’ is available in Australia and New Zealand following the release of Rethink Robotics’ Sawyer robot by Impact Robotics, the exclusive ANZ distributor of the Revolutionary ‘Sawyer’ and ‘Baxter’ robots.

While Impact Robotics has already delivered and installed Baxter cobots into some of Australia’s leading warehousing companies, Sawyer has just been launched, following months of global anticipation from buyers domestically and internationally, supported by strong local pre-orders.

Sawyer’s release coincides with the Federal Government’s recent innovation statement in which it gives a commitment to spend almost $1.1 billion over the next four years to promote development and innovation.

Unlike traditional manufacturing robots, cobots are designed to work side-by-side and interact with humans with a reduced need for protective infrastructure. Baxter and Sawyer were built from the ground up to work safely next to people in production environments, without caging. This means Sawyer and Baxter can much more easily be moved and repurposed to whatever section of the facility they’re needed at any time.

A further benefit is that the robots can be quickly set-up and trained by staff who don’t have coding knowledge or a computer programming background. Rethink’s groundbreaking Intera platform is by far the most intuitive software platform in the robotics industry and allows nontechnical staff to train the robots.

manmonthly.com.au

An employee programs Baxter to unload new products on a production line.

While many owners elect to set-up their cobots using easy-to-follow features, Impact Robotics’ Application Engineers can also assist if required – Sawyer and Baxter can be unpacked, set-up and carry out simple tasks within just a couple of hours.

Impact Robotics General Manager, David Birnbaum, said that collaborative robots such as Sawyer and Baxter could potentially deliver a great many benefits to small, medium and large companies as he talks about on-shoring and the many production industries that Australia can and should support.

“These cobots are designed to drive cost efficiencies and improve productivity and safety. Sawyer and Baxter offer a cost effective technology solution for repetitive or dangerous process tasks, freeing up valuable human resources for more value added and complex tasks” Birnbaum said.

“The technology can be integrated with other automation processes.

Other suitable applications include case packing, kitting and line loading and unloading to name but a few.”

According to Birnbaum, feedback from Australian customers using Baxter has been extremely encouraging, with Sawyer expected to deliver similar benefits.

“Our Australian experience thus far has been overwhelmingly positive with customers reporting notable efficiency gains and short equipment payback times,” he said.

“Even at a conservative measure of a single shift per day, payback is extremely attractive, but the benefits are compounded when the cobots are operated over double or triple shifts.”

Birnbaum said the technology had the potential to assist Australian manufactures remain competitive on global markets.

“Sawyer and Baxter could

increase Australian manufacturing ‘on-shoring’ – at the moment some manufacturing processes are sent off-shore where labour is cheaper,” he said.

“There’s no reason why Australian manufacturers couldn’t achieve greater productivity and profitability using this technology.”

Recent research conducted by Harvard Business Review, suggests that employees are embracing cobots such as Sawyer and Baxter.

“The new technology has been welcomed by employees as it’s helped to free them from many thankless tasks, allowing them to contribute elsewhere – it’s a win-win situation. Research from the United States* where Baxter and Sawyer have been available for longer, point towards strong productivity improvement and staff engagement.”

The Impact Robotics team make it easy for companies to take all the steps necessary to integrate a collaborative robot into its operations.

Impact Robotics’ Application Engineers can assist clients to integrate the technology to ensure the best possible efficiency and productivity is gained and supported. The company can also direct prospective buyers to one of several major financial institutions for competitive leasing arrangements.

Aside from Sawyer and Baxter, Impact Robotics also sell, service and support the MiR Mobile Robot, a mobile warehousing and transport solution. MiR learns the layout of its surroundings – even in multi-story buildings – to take goods to designated points within the building.

Additional robots will be added to Impact Robotics’ product line-up in 2016. *Harvard Business Review, November 2015.

Impact Robotics 03 9557 7993 www.impactrobotics.com.au Manufacturers’ Monthly FEBRUARY 2016 21

PowerTOOLS Angle grinder for the industrial market THE CP75XX series angle grinder, one of the most powerful for its class, is designed to enable users to achieve a high material removal rate.

The angle grinder boasts a powerful 1.1HP (840W) governed motor, providing a high material removal rate, therefore enabling users to reduce the time taken to complete their tasks. The series is available in 4in, 4.5in and 5in grinding wheels; providing users with added versatility to best suit their application.

As a composite tool, it is compact and lightweight. Weighing 1.6kg and measuring 270mm in length, it provides users with easier manoeuvrability and handling. The head is manufactured from aluminium,

while the body is made of steel and aluminium with a composite over-moulded comfortable grip which insulates the operator’s hand from the cold.

The grinder features a robust steel wheel guard that can be adjusted to protect the operator and to facilitate access to the application. It also features a streamlined safety lever for additional ease of use.

Equipped with a 360 degree swivel air inlet, the angle grinder provides users with exceptional manoeuvrability and helps avoid potentially dangerous air hose entanglements.

Chicago Pneumatic 02 96 21 99 66 www.cp.com

The angle grinder features a 360 degree swivel air inlet.

Infrared scanner

Around 95 per cent of battery charge can be achieved in 45 minutes, with full charge available in 90 minutes.

Magnetic drill NITTO Kohki Australia has released the CLA-2720 cordless Atra Ace magnetic drill designed primarily for the steel fabrication and construction industries, and featuring the ability to cut 27mm diameter holes through 20mm mild steel.

With no power cord, the drill eliminates any trip hazards around the work place arising from dragging power cords around behind the tool.

At only 7kg in weight and 293mm in height, the drill is said to be ideal for work in tight spaces, elevated projects or work where access to power is limited.

Once the magnet has been switched on, the unit has an adjustable drilling position feature that will give the operator 10mm of movement - back and forth, right and left, allowing for precise positioning prior to drilling the hole.

Supplied with two 18V 4.0Ah Lithium-ion batteries, the drill has been designed to maximise the life of the battery for extended drilling capacity.

Nitto Australia 07 3340 4600 www.nitto-australia.com.au 22 FEBRUARY 2016 Manufacturers’ Monthly

THE Bosch GIS 1000 C Professional Infrared Scanner is designed to capture, document and send detailed temperature measurements, plus it allows users to store all data and photos taken internally and document results.

The scanner is designed to identify problem areas with precision due the tool’s high accuracy of ±1.0°C with a wide temperature range of -40°C to +1000°C. In addition, accurate ambient temperature and relative humidity levels of ±2% can be recorded due to the precise exposed sensor.

Due to the integrated visual camera, data can be transferred via the Bluetooth interface in the specially designed Bosch App that’s compatible on any smartphone or tablet. Data transfer can also be achieved using a micro USB cable which can enable use of data on a PC or Laptop.

All thermo data collected can be filed and

The scanner offers four different operation modes: Surface Temperature; Thermal Bridge; Dew Point; and User mode. managed in purpose-created folders on the 2.8” colour display screen. This ensures users can keep track of data from multiple jobs at the one time.

Once the data is stored, it can also be shared as a PDF document through emails.

Bosch Australia 03 9541 5555 www.bosch-pt.com.au

Brushless impact/drill drivers DEWALT has released a range of 18V cordless tools with XR brushless technology comprising eight compact, versatile models: the DCD790 drill driver, the DCD795 hammer drill driver, the DCF886 impact driver and the DCF895 3-speed impact driver. All tools are available as ‘bare units’ or with two XR Li-Ion battery packs.

Without the small carbon brushes found in standard power tools, which generate friction (and heat) as the motor spins, brushless motors reduce this wasted effort, meaning more energy from the battery is committed to the actual

application, offering the user a big increase in the runtime of the tool.

A cooler running brushless motor will also last longer, as it has less damaging exposure to heat.

The drill drivers and hammer drill drivers feature a two-speed transmission, a ratchet-style metal chuck to ensure a tight grip of drill bits and an LED light positioned at the base to remove chuck shadow and improve visibility.

Dewalt 1800 338 002 www.dewalt.com.au manmonthly.com.au

X-Edition range of torque wrench ENERPAC has extended the safety and durability of its square drive and hexagon cassette torque wrenches with its new X-Edition incorporating additional features that make them easier to use while achieving more uptime.

The latest X-Editions of Enerpac’s S square drive and W series low profile hexagon cassette series features a stronger, more durable and safer connection between tool body and manifold, along with a dual plane swivel

manifold that features interlocking arms to increase robustness and safety.

Both the new square and hexagonal drive X-Edition wrenches also feature tough upgraded handles featuring one-piece design with metal inlays for positive location, as well as an optional ergonomic straight handle design to ensure safety and avoid potential pinch point situations for operators.

The hexagonal drive X types also features a top handle mount on

cassettes to help operators attain easier handling of narrow access applications while keeping hands away from pinch points. Productivity is enhanced on the square drive X types by wider reaction arm release levers, making operation simpler in gloved hands.

A CE-ATEX declaration for use in explosive environments is included.

Enerpac 02 9743 8988 www.enerpac.com.au

The torque wrenches weigh from only 1.4-12kg yet have terrific and precisely repeatable torque from 2712-47450 Nm.

Cordless power tools

The tools are available in a range of kits including 14.4V 4.2AH, 18V 5.0AH and 18V Seite 3.0AH 1batteries.

Projekt1 04.01.16 14:34

manmonthly.com.au

PANASONIC has released three new cordless power tools: the EY74A2 13mm drill and driver, the EY79A2 hammer drill and driver and the EY75A7 impact driver.

The tools have a ‘carbon fibre look’ textured finish plus they are IP56 rated dust and water resistant.

For all new models, Panasonic has both 3.0Ah and 5.0Ah Li-ion batteries available to suit the job at hand. The P-type 3.0 Ah battery is ultra-slim and light with a newly-developed 20mm battery cell and a new design for easier work in cramped

spaces. The J-type 5.0Ah Li-ion battery has ‘dynamic capacity’ for long-time usage.

The brushless motor in the EY74A2 and EY79A2 has newlydesigned control circuits that are said to increase stable current flow by more than 70 per cent. This allows a compact design while still enabling operation at full power during high load tasks.

Panasonic 132 600 www.panasonic.com.au

Manufacturers’ Monthly FEBRUARY 2016 23

Power TOOLS Pneumatic torque wrenches ENERPAC has released a new range of pneumatic torque wrenches with maximum torque capacities from 1356 to 8135Nm. Designed to optimise service life and minimise downtime, the square drive wrenches incorporate low-friction planetary gearboxes to minimise wear and extend uptime.

The CE certified tools also feature commonality of motors and parts to facilitate maintenance in demanding industries including mining, oil and gas, construction, transport, ship building, manufacturing and power generation.

Features of the pneumatic torque wrenches include an ergonomic design with a weight-distributing handle and simple shape providing easy handing for repetitive tasks, simple operation (just set the air pressure and pull the trigger) and a low-vibration design to reduce fatigue and the risk of vibration-related injuries, particularly hand (HAV) hazard.

Other features include a planetary gearbox designed to eliminate hammer action, a low- noise air motor (under 85 dba) for quiet, consistent performance for indoor and outdoor applications and high commonality of drive and reaction arm options for lower inventory and speedier maintenance Enerpac 02 9743 8988 www.enerpac.com.au

The pneumatic torque wrenches are available with or without Filter-Regulator-Lubricator.

Redesigned magnetic drill

The drill weighs just 13.1 kg.

F D0 2 1 4 _ 0 0 0 _ DAT

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THE new upgraded model of the HMD904 portable magnetic drill includes improvements and new features. With its powerful performance, lightweight size, small footprint and hole capacity, it is the most popular model in the line of Hougen magnetic drills.

The newest innovation is the mag drill pilot light. The LED light is built into the base of the magnet and allows the operator to more efficiently and quickly line up the pilot with the holes centre location in low light or no light conditions.

Powering the drill is a proprietary Hougen motor with a new design to the aluminium casing to improve durability. The addition of a two stage magnet increases magnetic holding power by 30 per cent when the drill motor is turned on. This saves energy and 1 2 0magnet 1 4 -life.0 1 - 2 0 T 1 2 : 5 4 : 1 8 + 1 1 increases

There is now a more robust housing design with an ergonomic carrying handle, a spot to hold the hex wrench, reversible feed handles and a d-ring on the back of the magnet for quickly attaching the safety chain. The drill also includes positive slug ejection and a carrying case. For additional productivity, a swivel base magnet and coolant bottle version of the drill is also available.

The drill weighs just 13.1 kg, measures 499mm H x 197mm W x 295mm L and provides drilling capacities from 12 - 38mm (diameter) and 50mm (depth of cut). The drill has an electrical rating of 4A and a 450 RPM motor.

Hougen Australia 03 5277 2611 : 0 0 www.hougen.com

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3DPRINTING Hacking a path forward with 3D printing classes A 3D printing start-up wants to ‘educate and inspire’ manufacturers and potential ‘Makers’.

Brent Balinski spoke to Protoworks’ founder Hans Chang about 3D printing in businesses and schools.

Unmet demand

Spreading the word

It’s regularly been said lately that Australia’s manufacturing sector is in a time of transition, and that there’s a need for companies to be “advanced” in order to be competitive.

Hans Chang, who returned home this year after four years in Silicon Valley, agrees with the assessment.

He also sees parallels with the USA’s sector after the GFC. “I believe that many manufacturers are in the process of trying to transition to more high-value, low-volume manufacturing,” Chang told Manufacturers’ Monthly.

“So 3D printing is part of advanced manufacturing. And I think both the industry and research institutions recognise this, and my hypothesis is that many people in manufacturing don’t necessarily know how to get started because there’s really no accessible training that’s available in the marketplace.”

The GFC saw the US’s automotive sector comprehensively belted, and two of its giants - GM and Chrysler need bailing out by government. Of course, the fate of what will remain of Australia’s auto industry post-2017 is a major issue here.

Chang believes that for suppliers and others wanting to stay relevant, additive manufacturing is a key enabling technology. However, he also believes there’s an absence of entrylevel education available for SMEs looking to take that first step into 3D printing.

“There’s specialist training but it’s often quite expensive, so I’m trying to offer accessible and affordable training for people who don’t know anything about 3D printing,” said Chang, whose start-up Protoworks will hold its first “3D Printing Boot camp” in February.

“The timing I think is good. There are a lot of discussions around helping the automotive manufacturing sector to do something to become more nimble and more agile.”

The classes are geared towards the curious-but-clueless, with participants required to only bring a laptop with Cura (a free 3D software program) installed.

Despite some impressive public investments in technology around Melbourne, anecdotally, the takeup of 3D printing within industry is slower than elsewhere in the Asia Pacific region.

One of the 20,000 or so “Aussie Mafia” expats living in Silicon Valley, Chang worked for flash memory device designer, developer and manufacturer SanDisk until returning to Melbourne in August and starting Protoworks.

Working in new product introduction for four years, he helped bring in 3D printing for proof of concept work on a removable USB stick at the multibillion-dollar SanDisk.

This came about during an internal “hackathon”.

Chang’s interest in hacking and ‘Making’ (a massive subculture in the Bay Area especially, centred around DIY projects ranging from woodworking to science experiments) then drew him to San Jose’s Tech Shop (one of many well-equipped fabrication studios in the TS network) and then to a partnership with NextFab. He then received certification through NextFab, a hybrid engineering contractor, consultancy and educational organisation in Philadelphia.

NextFab has been contracted by the US Department of Labor to provide 3D printing training. Chang be-

26 FEBRUARY 2016 Manufacturers’ Monthly

lieves the situation there, again, has relevance to the Australian context, and he plans to run the American company’s curriculum here.

Can they hack it?

“Through NextFab, through the experience they’ve had with manufacturers in the US, it is quite common and Australia is going through a similar type of transitioning or restructuring of the industry,” said Chang.

“I think similar things can be learned from the US and they apply directly here and need to be tailored a little bit towards the needs of the audience, in particular for the automotive industry.”

Another concept he is keen to adopt here is the use of Maker ideas in education, and wants to introduce his boot camps to schools.

He sees the need for Makerinspired programmes to be introduced as a way to foster an interest in STEM skills. The idea seems to be one gaining traction - for example with the SA government announcing this week that they’d run a pilot program for 3D printers in 28 public schools in 2016.

Getting students’ hands dirty - or at least manipulating CAD programs

and Ultimaker machines - will point them in the right direction, believes Chang. If you get stuck during an activity that captivates you, you’ll identify what’s blocking you so you can keep going ahead.

“So if you program in general you’re going to learn programming skills, and to learn programming skills you probably have to understand mathematics, computational mathematics. Otherwise it doesn’t work,” he explained, calling it a pull rather than a push version of learning.

“If you want to understand how 3D printing works, you have to understand not only the mathematics, the coordinates system, you have to also understand the physics. Why does the extruder work in certain ways? Because of gravity pushing the molten plastic downwards towards earth.

“And you have to learn about chemistry. Why certain plastics melt at certain temperatures? The difference between PLA and ABS. So you are teaching design, too.”

3D Printing and 3D CAD Masterclass Series Information and tickets available from www. eventbrite.com.au/e/3d-printing-and-3d-cadmasterclass-series-tickets-20448373636 manmonthly.com.au