Manufacturers' Monthly - Oct 2017

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MANAGEMENT >> TECHNOLOGY >> SOLUTIONS

OCTOBER 2017

CONTACTLESS TESTING IS HERE!

MEASURE VOLTAGE AND CURRENT SIMULTANEOUSLY WITHOUT TEST LEADS

FLUKE’S INDUSTRY BREAKTHROUGH

MEASURE VOLTAGE

WITHOUT TEST LEADS

Now measure voltage the same way you measure current, without test lead contact to live voltage.

BE SAFER Measure voltage to 1000 V AC through the open fork, without test leads.

BE FASTER No need to open covers or remove wire nuts.

BE MORE EFFICIENT Simultaneously measure voltage and current on the dual display.

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For more information go to www.fluke.com/auen/t6

NEW FLUKE T6-1000

ELECTRICAL TESTER

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MANAGEMENT >> TECHNOLOGY >> SOLUTIONS

OCTOBER 2017

INTO THE SPACE AGE INSIDE >>

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Not the end of the road for automotive workers

28

Exploring the Connected Enterprise

38

Choosing the right lubricants for your operations

>>

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Inside­­

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OCTOBER 2017

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Managing Director: John Murphy Managing Editor: Syed Shah Ph: (02) 9439 7227 syed.shah@primecreative.com.au Journalist: Steven Impey Ph: (02) 9439 7227 steven.Impey@primecreative.com.au Art Director/ Production Coordinator: Michelle Weston michelle.weston@primecreative.com.au Design: James Finlay, Blake Storey, Adam Finlay

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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

16 8 Editor’s Comment

26 Energy Management

36 Safety@MM

12 News@MM

28 Internet of Things

38 Promotional Feature

10 Megatrans

30 Manufacturing Stratergies

40 What’s New

16 Industry Focus

32 Sensors

42 Last Word

22 Issues & Insights

34 Pneumatics & Compressors

any material. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy errors or omissions or for any consequences arising from reliance on information published.

The opinions expressed in Manufacturers’ Monthly 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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Behind the cover

Australia is getting its very own space agency – and it is taking its manufacturing workforce on the journey. Going back several millennia, the land and its people have shared a special relationship with the stars.

While modern technology has taken a tighter grip on industry, the decision to launch Australia’s own national space authority is by no means the beginning.

Australia launched its first research satellite – commonly known as WRESAT – in 1967, two years before the first shuttle landed on the moon.

The Apollo moon landing was witnessed the world over, and – as the 2000 film “The Dish” depicted – was only made possible

by Australia’s radio astronomy capabilities it still champions today.

Courtesy of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), this issue’s cover page includes a picture of its observatory in Parkes, New South Wales, famed for broadcasting Neil

FLUKE’S INDUSTRY BREAKTHROUGH

Armstrong’s “giant leap for mankind” around the globe.

Inside, our report on the Australian space industry explores the opportunities a national space agency will present an industry at ground level, which already MEASURE VOLTAGE plays a major part in the world’s WITHOUT TEST LEADS understanding of the universe and our own planet.

To mark 50 years since WRESAT NEW was successfully sent into orbit, FLUKE T6-1000 we speak with former engineer, Karl Zalkauskas, who worked on the mission, as well as today’s very own industry leaders, including former CSIRO boss, Dr Megan Clark, in her first interview since heading up an expert review panel tasked with investigating Australia’s current space capabilities across the industry.

This issue celebrates the country’s contributions to the exploration and observation of space as well as the dawn of the so-called “second space age” that a sovereign space agency will aim to serve on the global stage.

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MANAGEMENT >> TECHNOLOGY >> SOLUTIONS

OCTOBER 2017

INTO THE SPACE AGE

Now measure voltage the same way you measure current, without test lead contact to live voltage.

BE SAFER Measure voltage to 1000 V AC through the open fork, without test leads.

BE FASTER No need to open covers or remove wire nuts.

INSIDE >>

BE MORE EFFICIENT Simultaneously measure voltage and current on the dual display.

22

28

38

BE EVERYWHERE 17.8 mm open fork is widest in the industry; measure up to 200 A on 120 mm2 wires.

For more information go to www.fluke.com/auen/t6

ELECTRICAL TESTER

Print Post Approved PP100007882

of information, Prime Creative Media will not accept responsibility for

Not the end of the road for automotive workers

Exploring the Connected Enterprise

>>

Choosing the right lubricants for your operations

Manufacturers’ Monthly OCTOBER 2017 5

THE GLOBAL LOGISTICS REVOLUTION MAY 10-12 2018 MELBOURNE CONVENTION & EXHIBITION CENTRE

MEGATRANS2018.COM.AU

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Association Partners

Comment

SYED SHAH – Managing Editor, Manufacturers’ Monthly

The Internet of Value

B

ACK in 2010, the global economy was still reeling from the Lehmann crisis and all I could think about was if my paltry amount of stocks invested were going to be worth next to nothing.

Investment was the last thing on my mind. Then, I first came across the terms “cryptocurrency” and “blockchain” at an offshore merchant bank investors conference, and managed to chuck them aside in under five seconds. One year later, a bunch of front desk traders (my varsity friends) from a major local bank in Singapore asked me if I wanted in on what they termed their “cryptocurrency adventure” which was essentially a foray into prototype blockchain ventures. However, I was not too keen taking on more financial risks even though all I was asked to put in was a mere $500 for this “adventure”.

As the years went by, I began to hear more about the feasibility of blockchain in other industries.

I got the hint from the technology conferences I was attending that with the global economy getting more volatile, different sectors were looking to some sort of stability in their business models. In relation to this, the transformation of the manufacturing business model into one that is digitised had begun years back with the aim of improving productivity, keeping costs down and enhancing the customer experience.

Manufacturing companies are also required to address the information exchanged at enterprise boundaries.

The exchange of current electronic data methodologies available in the market is still not entirely reliable.

For example, manufacturers would not trust certificates outright from a supplier that is say, providing raw material from other suppliers.

At this juncture, with product lifecycles getting more compact in existing business settings, there is a greater likelihood for mistrust and conflict between manufacturers and suppliers. Enter stage right blockchain technology. Blockchain in the manufacturing sector could be the key to immediate trust in identity

8 OCTOBER 2017 Manufacturers’ Monthly

and reputation in a commercial relationships – it’s lower in cost and less hassle as compared to going through certificate identification and complex traditional financial transactions.

According to Satoshi Nakamoto (who developed the first blockchain distribution system), commercial transactions on the internet have been relying on financial institutions that act as the trusted regulators of electronic payments but still suffer from the inherent weaknesses of the “trust” based financial model where digital transactions are reversible.

Nakamoto suggests a payment system based on cryptographic proof instead of trust. Records were kept on a decentralised ledger and records of transactions are made public and cannot be altered once put through. This makes the ledger trustworthy and eliminates counterfeiting.

True enough, the value of the most famous of all the cryptos (used in blockchain transactions), bitcoin, jumped in value over the years and

by May this year, it went past the $2500 mark. Today, one bitcoin is worth over $5000 on the market.

And at the moment, leading

international software analytics companies are seeing the value in investing in it. Recently, SAP announced in an official media release the initial companies participating in its blockchain co-innovation initiative and plans to make the digital ledger system an integrated part of Internet of Things (IoT), manufacturing and digital supply chain solutions using the SAP Cloud Platform Blockchain service. These included companies such as Capgemini, Deloitte, GrainCorp, HCL Technologies, HERE Technologies, Moog Inc., Natura Cosméticos S.A., NetApp and PeerNova who have agreed to collaborate with SAP to validate use cases and business models for blockchain usage for product and asset lifecycle management solutions from SAP. “In the digital economy, an iterative, fast-paced approach in close collaboration with our customers and partners is imperative,” said Juergen Mueller, chief innovation officer, SAP. “With the blockchain service as part of the SAP Leonardo digital innovation system we are enabling an open collaboration around distributed

business processes in peer-to-peer networks.”

At the moment, SAP is focusing on industries including automotive, aerospace and defense, discrete manufacturing and utilities, with additional participation across the broader supply chain and business networks, including logistics network providers. The company is collaborating with multiple system integrator companies to help ensure the accelerated adoption and rollout of blockchain-enabled IoT and digital supply chain solutions running on its Cloud Platform Blockchain.

It was almost incomprehensible back in 2010 to many businesses that the advent of blockchain technology would even play an increasingly significant role and see increasing adoption in today’s transactions. Like the adoption of AI and advanced technologies in factory processes, manufacturers might just find that little extra looking into blockchain applications to their businesses. Just the same, I would not have known that I would probably be sipping Mai Tais on my own luxury cruise yacht outside a beautiful Caribbean home right about now – if I had taken that $500 blockchain “adventure”.

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Megatrans Changing the manufacturing landscape through AI The use of artificial intelligence in industrial applications is increasing and its impact on manufacturing floor structures will potentially transform industries providing commercially beneficial results.

T

HE use of artificial intelligence (AI) has already made large inroads into the retail industry. Most of the analysis reports generated through AI is generally done from the operations side of things which include store and inventory optimisation. Customer services and the overall consumer experience now can provide insight to retailers to improve commercial gain.

On the industrial side of things, the application of hybrid AI systems to make smart commercial decisions is already happening. In the recent Deloitte’s report, Tech Trends 2017: The Kinetic Enterprise, AI is described as Machine Intelligence (MI) which encompasses analytics, automation, deep learning to name a few. The report states that “These and other tools constitute machine intelligence: algorithmic capabilities that can augment employee performance, automate increasingly complex workloads, and develop ‘cognitive agents’ that simulate both human thinking and engagement.”

Large automation and industrial robot manufacturers have long seen the power of AI and the need to leverage on it. Earlier this year, global robotics and technology company ABB and cloud software and analytics giant, IBM, announced a strategic collaboration that brought together ABB’s industry leading digital

10 OCTOBER 2017 Manufacturers’ Monthly

offering, ABB AbilityTM, with IBM Watson’s IoT cognitive capabilities to what both companies describe as the “unlocking of new value for customers in utilities, industry, transport and infrastructure using artificial intelligence”.

Leveraging on each other’s expertise, the aim is to help manufacturers find defects via real-time production images that are captured through the ABB system, and then analysed using IBM Watson’s IoT for Manufacturing.

Traditionally, these defect inspections were done manually and tended to be slow and error-prone but by bringing the power of IBM’s real time cognitive insights directly to the shop floor in combination with ABB’s industrial automation technology, companies will now be better equipped to increase the volume flowing through their production lines while improving accuracy and consistency. As parts flow through the manufacturing process, the solution will alert the manufacturer to critical faults – not visible to the human eye – in the quality of assembly. This enables fast intervention from quality control experts. Easier identification of defects impacts all goods on the production line, and helps improve a company’s competitiveness while helping avoid costly recalls and reputational damage.

Ginni Rometty, IBM Chairman, president and CEO said at the announcement, “The data generated from industrial companies’ products, facilities and systems holds the promise of exponential advances in innovation, efficiency and safety.

Only with Watson’s broad cognitive capabilities and our platform’s unique support for industries can this vast new resource be turned into value, with trust. We are eager to work in partnership with ABB on this new industrial era.”

These types of innovations and technologies are similar to what visitors will see at MEGATRANS2018.

MEGATRANS2018 – an exciting new international trade event – will bridge the gaps between these industry segments that have previously been operating in isolation.

The show makes its debut 10 to 12 May 2018 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, based in the heart of the one of Australia’s major logistics hubs and one of the world’s most liveable cities – Melbourne.

Connecting the Australian and international supply chain, the threeday expo, delivered in partnership with the Victorian Government, will bring together those who plan, implement and control the efficient and effective forward flow and

storage of goods, services and related information between the point of origin and point of consumption.

A number of main sections comprise the show’s 30,000 sqm of space – Logistics & Materials Handling/Warehousing & Storage; Road Transport, Air, Sea & Rail; and Infrastructure; with a strong emphasis on technology right throughout.

Other features of MEGATRANS2018 include the Global Shippers Forum, the ARTSA Global Leaders’ Summit, the Logistics & Materials Handling Mercury Awards, a Ministerial Breakfast delivered in partnership with the Victorian Government and Transport Certification Australia’s (TCA) Technology Hub. The Port of Melbourne is a supporting sponsor of the show and DB Schenker as the official logistics partner.

MEGATRANS2018 is also supported by a range of Association Partners, including the Australian Logistics Council (ALC); International Cargo Handling Coordination Association (ICHCA); Victorian Transport Association (VTA); the Australian Peak Shippers Association (APSA) and the Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA); Australian Road Transport Suppliers Association (ARTSA); the National Transport Commission (NTC); and TCA.

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News@MM CSIRO invests in one of the world’s most sophisticated satellites CSIRO has secured access to one of the world’s most sophisticated high-performance satellites, giving Australian scientists direct control over which data the satellite collects over the region and placing the national science agency at the forefront of Australia’s civilian space science sector.

Due for launch later this year, the NovaSAR satellite will provide CSIRO and the wider Australian research community with access to an advanced form of radar technology known as S-band Synthetic Aperture Radar, or S-band SAR, which provides high resolution images of Earth from space.

Developed by UK-based Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL), and with a payload supplied by Airbus UK, this S-band SAR technology is a significant advancement on current civilian satellite capability.

This enables images to be taken day and night, and through cloud cover, which is especially useful in tropical

Australia is one of the largest users of Earth Observation from Space data world-wide.

12 OCTOBER 2017 Manufacturers’ Monthly

zones and cloud-affected areas.

CSIRO and SSTL have agreed to a 10 per cent share of “tasking and acquisition” time on the NovaSAR satellite. Under the terms of the agreement, worth $10.45 million over seven years, CSIRO has the right to direct the satellite’s activity over Australia, download and process data, and make these data available to the wider research community.

Some of the practical applications for NovaSAR satellite data and associated research projects include rapid natural disaster identification, monitoring and assessment including bushfires, cyclones, floods, earthquakes, pollution and oil spills, improved infrastructure and agriculture mapping in Northern Australia, monitoring crops and assessing factors such as plant biomass and soil moisture, detection of illegal deforestation. flood risk assessment, monitoring shipping routes and

detecting illegal activity.

Australia’s Federal Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, Arthur Sinodinos, said the agreement was a timely investment in Australia’s space capability.

“Australia is one of the largest users of Earth Observation from Space data world-wide, with satellite data underpinning more than 100 state and federal resource mapping and environmental monitoring programs across Australia,” Sinodinos said.

“This agreement will allow CSIRO, via its national facility management capability, to strengthen Australia’s delivery of excellence in science and innovation. It will help CSIRO lead our nation’s development in the technical and analytical capability of modelling, monitoring and analysing our natural resource management and approaches to infrastructure.

“This will also lead to better

and more informed support for policy and decision-making and, ultimately, our economic development as a nation.”

Dr Dave Williams, executive director of digital, national facilities and collections at CSIRO, said the deal represented a significant investment in Australia’s space capability.

“The aim is to manage the NovaSAR satellite as a natural extension of the significant role CSIRO already plays in managing a range of National Facilities, on behalf of the Australian community of scientists and for the benefit of the nation,” Dr Williams said.

“Because we’ll be able to direct the satellite’s activity, it provides significant opportunities to support a wide range of existing research, further develop Australia’s earth observation data analytics expertise, and create new opportunities in the field of remote sensing.”

These new opportunities hold potential for building stronger research partnerships between the government, universities and the wider space industry in Australia.

In developing the NovaSAR-S technology, commercial director of Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd, Luis Gomes, said the NovaSAR-S system provided revolutionary technology to deliver imagery at any point on the globe.

“Our partnership on the NovaSAR mission with CSIRO will greatly enhance Australia’s sovereign Earth observation capability,” Gomes said.

“The NovaSAR-S technology enables data collection 24/7, regardless of daylight or weather conditions, which is particularly important for this continent with an area with a tropical climate and a large coastline territory.

“We look forward to working with CSIRO as one of our key partners over the next seven years to provide cutting-edge geo-spatial data for Australia’s benefit.” manmonthly.com.au

News@MM ABB acquires GE’s Industrial Solutions business for $3.28 billion ABB has announced the acquisition of GE Industrial Solutions, GE’s global electrification solutions business for $2.6 billion (A$3.28 billion). In 2016, GE Industrial Solutions had revenues of approximately $2.7 billion, with operational earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) margin of approximately eight per cent and an operational EBITA margin of approximately six per cent. According to press statements, the transaction will be operationally accretive in year one.

ABB expects to realise approximately $200 million of annual cost synergies in year five, which will be key in bringing GE Industrial Solutions to peer performance. As part of the transaction and overall value creation, ABB and GE have agreed to establish a long-term, strategic supply relationship for GE Industrial Solutions products and ABB products that GE sources.

“With GE Industrial Solutions, we strengthen our Number two position in electrification globally and expand our access to the attractive North American market,” said ABB CEO Ulrich Spiesshofer. “Combined with the long-term strategic supply

relationship with GE, this transaction creates significant value for our shareholders.

“Together with the GE Industrial Solutions team, we will execute our well-established plans in a disciplined way to bring this business as part of the global ABB family back to peer performance. With this next step of active portfolio management, we continue to shift ABB’s center of gravity, in line with our Next Level strategy, by strengthening competitiveness, mainly in the North American market, and lowering risk with an early-cycle business.”

“This combination brings together two global businesses with a broad complement of electrical protection and distribution assets,” said John Flannery, CEO of GE. “ABB values our people, domain expertise, and our ability to operate in the segments where we have depth and experience. GE will also benefit through an expanded strategic supply relationship with ABB as the two companies work together.”

GE Industrial Solutions will be integrated into ABB’s Electrification Products (EP) division, resulting in a unique global portfolio and very

comprehensive offering for North American and global customers. They will benefit from ABB’s innovative technologies and the ABB Ability digital offering coupled with GE Industrial Solutions’ complementary solutions and market access. Included in the acquisition is a long-term right to use the GE brand. ABB will retain the GE Industrial Solutions management team and build upon its experienced sales force. After closing, this transaction will have an initial dampening effect to EP’s operational EBITA margin. ABB commits to returning EP to its target margin corridor of 15-19 percent during 2020.

Tarak Mehta, President of ABB’s EP division, said: “This acquisition strengthens our position as partner of choice for electrification globally and in North America. We look forward to working with GE Industrial Solutions’ and ABB’s customers and channel partners to create new opportunities in this highly attractive core market for our division. We have a clear integration plan to realise the synergies of this combination and to bring our combined business back into the target margin corridor during 2020.”

Currently, ABB’s EP division delivers more than 1.5 million products to customers around the world every day through a global network of channel partners and endcustomers. EP offers a comprehensive portfolio of low- and medium-voltage products and solutions for a smarter, more reliable flow of electricity from substation to socket.

ABB and GE have agreed to establish a long-term, strategic supply relationship for GE Industrial Solutions products and ABB products that GE sources.

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News@MM Manufacturer moves offshore as inquiry reveals “pent-up” gas demand High gas prices are forcing some Australian manufacturers to mothball their plants before moving overseas, an official inquiry has revealed.

Manufacturers have also applied to extract coal seam gas from the Surat Basin as part of the Queensland government’s plan to provide more of its gas supply to the domestic market.

Published by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), the interim report compares gas supply and demand based on export estimates gathered by producers of liquefied natural gas (LNG).

The report also uses projections from the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO), and warns there will be a “supply shortfall” of up to 55 petajoules (PJ) along the east coast next year.

“The effect of higher gas prices is felt right across the economy, from households to big businesses,” said

ACCC Chairman Rod Sims.

“Gas and gas-powered generators are also an important part of electricity generation, so higher gas prices feed in to higher electricity prices, leading to a double hit for many.

“Over a third of the commercial and industrial (C&I) users the ACCC interviewed are considering either reducing production or closure due to high gas prices.

According to the report, a number of users the ACCC interviewed have undertaken efficiency measures to reduce their use of gas and have been investigating alternative fuel sources, such as diesel and biofuels.

This is considered costly and will “require significant upfront investments and long lead times”, according to the Gas Inquiry 2017-20 Interim Report.

“For example, one manufacturer is looking to offset rising energy costs by

permanently reconfiguring its existing internal generation assets to maximise the use of waste process gas,” the report said. “[This] will allow it to avoid not only buying higher priced electricity from the grid but also avoid the need to use high priced natural gas for electricity generation.”

In the ACCC’s East Coast Gas Inquiry last year, it stated that Queensland LNG projects caused a significant disruption to the market and the supply-demand balance.

In 2018, the LNG projects will together produce more than 70 per cent of the east coast’s gas and account for two-thirds of the east coast’s gas demand.

“The expected shortfall could be reduced to a significant extent if the expected sales on international LNG spot markets were instead redirected to the domestic market,” Sims said.

“It is unclear why we are not

seeing more steps being taken by the LNG projects to supply more gas into the domestic market. Although we accept some additional coordination costs would be likely and agreement of the joint venture parties of the LNG projects is required,” the report said.

The effect of higher gas prices is felt right across the economy, from households to big business.

Smart factories to treble by 2022 despite technology complexities There is a growing confidence in the role of automation and disruptive technologies in Australia’s manufacturing market, according to the results of an international study.

A new report from Zebra Technologies, 2017 Asia Pacific Manufacturing Vision Study, has analysed trends and challenges that manufacturers are facing across the region, and appears to show a

“transformational shift” away from methods of manual data mapping that still make up the bulk of the market.

Following contributions from 1,100 company executives across Asia-Pacific, the industry is forecasting a dramatic rise in “smart factories”, with the number of plants that are fully connected set to treble in the next five years.

One clear trend companies will experience in the next five years is towards fully-connected factories.

14 OCTOBER 2017 Manufacturers’ Monthly

Adoption to the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is believed to be gathering greater pace in AsiaPacific too, and is significantly higher compared to Europe, North America and Latin America.

However, the report recognises barriers experienced by the manufacturing industry – most notably the “complexity of technology”, which more than half of respondents claimed to be an ongoing issue.

Other areas of difficultly are set around the industry’s resource capability in IT (41 per cent), security concerns (45 per cent) and the cost of adoption (46 per cent).

Despite this, there are three key trends that are happening in Australian manufacturing, according to Tom Christodoulou, Zebra’s regional director for

Australia and New Zealand.

“One clear trend companies will experience in the next five years is towards fully-connected factories, with 46 per cent of those surveyed anticipating they will have this capability by 2022,” Christodoulou said.

“In addition, quality control is at the top of the mind for all 1,100 executives that were involved in the study and this was driven by the fact they all want to see their company grow over the next five years.

“From the point of visibility, quality control is becoming more important and is helping the reduction of cost.

“Smarter factories are becoming more connected and the move towards Industry 4.0 is another area where Australia, in particular, is going to see a positive trend.” manmonthly.com.au

News@MM Queensland company produces world-first solar-powered car Queensland company Clenergy TeamArrow has potentially developed the world’s first commercially available solar-powered car.

Queensland Minister for Innovation, Science and the Digital Economy Leeanne Enoch officially launched the Arrow STF (Sports Touring Framework), a two-seater “Cruiser Class” solar sports coupe that has a top speed of 150km per hour and can travel 1000km before needing to recharge.

Enoch said the car – which was designed and built in Brisbane by Clenergy TeamArrow – represents “Queensland ingenuity at its best” and is a “game changer for the passenger vehicle market with potential to boost the state’s economy through new products, services and jobs”.

“More than that, this innovation has the potential to reduce the $4.2 billion spent each year by Queensland households on petrol by as much as 90 per cent in the foreseeable future,” Enoch said.

“In September last year, when the Palaszczuk Government announced Clenergy TeamArrow would establish their testing site and workshop at Hamilton, they promised us a prototype vehicle in time for the 2017

Bridgestone World Solar Challenge – and they have delivered,” Enoch said.

“The solar vehicle unveiled today at the testing track is the racing version of the Arrow STF which will shortly leave for the Northern Territory to compete in a 3000km endurance challenge through the Red Centre from Darwin to Adelaide starting 8 October 2017.

“A customisable version is available to the general public and I understand that orders are already rolling in.”

The Arrow STF includes proprietary solar technology designed, built and tested by Clenergy TeamArrow at their Hamilton workshop.

Clenergy TeamArrow founder Cameron Tuesley said, “Our energy management system includes a highly efficient solar array that generates 1.1 kilowatts total power.”

“The car is capable of self-charging from sunlight as well as from the electricity grid.

“The version you’re seeing today features a pared-back, race-configured cockpit suitable for long-range events like the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge.

“For individual buyers, we will build customised versions which have

all the features you would expect in a luxury sports car, including air conditioning and infotainment,” he said.

Sales of electric vehicles are tipped to increase to almost 50 per cent of all new car purchases by 2040.

“It’s true that not everybody is going to be able to rush out and buy a vehicle like this at today’s prices, but we can expect to see the purchase price of electric vehicles to become parity with fossil fuel vehicles in the next five-to-six years,” Enoch said.

The solar vehicle unveiled is the racing version of the Arrow STF that was produced earlier last year.

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IndustryFOCUS Mission manufacturing: Taking Australia to the stars It has been 50 years since Australia sent its first satellite into orbit. Steven Impey explores the possibilities an Australian space agency could present to the industry.

I

N the not too distant future, the results from an extensive review of Australia’s civil space industry will give a clearer picture to how the country’s first sovereign space agency will take shape.

Arthur Sinodinos, minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, announced in July government plans to assess the potential across Australia, which has become known globally for its capabilities for Earth

observation and communications.

By mid-September, panel leader Dr Megan Clark had completed her first rounds of consultation – speaking with roughly 400 members of the space community, and follows submissions from 200 parties interested in contributing to a united space authority in Australia.

On September 25, the Turnbull Government confirmed it will create a national space agency to ensure

the growth of the Australian space industry in the global supply chain.

“We have received a great deal of interest following the announcement of this expert review group and we have gained a snapshot of the nation very quickly,” Clark told Manufacturers’ Monthly, in her first interview on the study.

“During the process, we have interacted with more than 60 start-up companies as well as those

established, and larger, international players – and what we have found is that there is a lot more going on than we first thought, particularly in manufacturing,” she said.

Lifting the industry A final report of the panel’s findings won’t be published until next March, when the nine-person group officially completes its inquiry into one of the country’s fastest growing sectors.

Since the dawn of radio astronomy, Australia’s observatories – in Parkes, Narrabri and now Western Australia – have been used by researchers from around the world (Credit: CSIRO)

16 OCTOBER 2017 Manufacturers’ Monthly

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IndustryFOCUS On the international stage, the Australian Government’s space expenditure (A$26.3 million) has previously been tiny compared to the amounts available to NASA in the US, Russia’s Roscosmos, and the European Space Agency (ESA), which all boast multi-billion dollar budgets.

Comparably, all the major space agencies, including NASA, contribute less than one per cent of their respective nations’ gross domestic products (GDP), according to a global space review this year.

For instance, the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), which was founded in 1989, makes up around 0.3 per cent of its GDP despite almost doubling in size since the turn of new millennium.

For that reason, Canada is considered a domestic standard that Australia could seek to emulate when evaluating its own presence in the international space industry.

“Australia has a very long history of using data from space,” Clark

continued. “We have always been good at Earth observation and, interestingly enough, people have been telling me that this is possibly due to the fact that Australia doesn’t have its own native satellite system.

“If you look at the highest growth

sectors we have in Australia – such as medical technology and around gene therapy (8-9 per cent) – our background in space research is one of the largest growing sectors in comparison.”

Take into account aboriginal

theology, and these shores have been home to stargazers long before Australia launched its first satellite into space in 1967.

In November, Defence Science and Technology (DST) will mark the 50th anniversary of the event with

CSIRO’s LiDAR-based simultaneous localisation and mapping (SLAM) technology and robotics could be used to map and inspect space- based infrastructure such as the International Space Station (Credit: CSIRO)

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Manufacturers’ Monthly OCTOBER 2017 17

IndustryFOCUS the launch of its Buccaneer Cube satellite – developed in partnership with the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Canberra – in the last of three “Cubesat” missions this year.

The launch will follow two additional miniature satellites – including US-owned Biarri Point – that transported GPS technology developed by UNSW Sydney to the International Space Station (ISS), where they were eventually sent into a 12-month orbit of the Earth in May. Dr David Lingard, DST’s

team leader for small satellite experimentation, said that, by working with the US, the mission has been an opportunity for Australia to leverage skills from the international community.

“Effectively, with the Biarri mission, we have taken a GPS unit developed in Australia and shown that it can perform while in orbit,” Lingard said.

“One of the major game-changers in Australia around the late-1990s was the advent of miniature satellites and the standards that were later

developed, making it much easier to interface with ‘Cubesats’ in launch vehicles.

“With the ability to develop and launch small satellites into orbit, it means there are many more [contributors] who are now able to experiment with satellites in the Earth’s orbit than before.”

The defence industry is playing a significant role in the growth of the space sector.

“One of the key objectives in research and development (R&D) in the space industry is to provide evidence to the government on what technology to buy,” said Nick Stacy, a research leader for DST. “A second is to develop future technology that can help create innovation for the defence industry.”

With a well-trained understanding of the GPS technology used on the Biarri “Cubesat”, the Australian military can use them as “targets” to test how well its ground-based systems for tracking space objects are working.

“Positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) is key for modern systems, underlining the importance of the GPS technology in Biarri,” Stacy added.

Exploiting spatial technology Australia is well placed to leverage existing strengths and investments in space-related activities around the world, according to a report published

by Defence SA, South Australia’s lead government defence agency.

The paper, Societal and Economic Benefits of a Dedicated National Space Agency for Australia, acknowledges areas of priority for a “more organised and co-ordinated space strategy” in Australia, insisting that there are few countries better placed for the exploitation of spatial technology.

It also states that, although Australia excels by gathering data from Earth observation satellites (EOS) to manage issues – including weather and climate, emergency response, national

MARKING A MOMENT IN HISTORY

Former engineer Karl Zalkauskas led the WRE team that built Australia’s first satellite.

(Credit: Commonwealth of Australia, Department of Defence, Craig Barrett)

18 OCTOBER 2017 Manufacturers’ Monthly

November 29 will mark a special anniversary on Australia’s space calendar, and in the life of a former Australian engineer by the name of Karl Zalkauskas.

It was on this date during 1967 when Australia’s first satellite – that he and a team for the former Weapons Research Establishment (WRE) designed and built – was launched into space.

Dubbed WRESAT, the mission would assist the understanding of the upper atmosphere on climate and weather and also tested techniques ahead of launching trials for the European Launcher Development Organisation (ELDO).

“It was a very exciting time in as much as we had a very short time to develop the satellite,” Zalkauskas, now 83, told Manufacturers’ Monthly.

“It was our job to design and develop the apparatus that would collect samples of air and iron and there just so happened to be a rocket going spare after the Americans re-entered testing.”

To mark 50 years since the landmark, Defence Science and Technology (DST) – which can be traced back to WRE – will launch its Buccaneer Cube satellite into orbit this November.

“The technology they use today is far beyond what I am familiar with and there has been a huge progression since our days,” Zalkauskas continued.

“To imagine Australia owning its own space agency is exciting and would be another big leap forward.”

manmonthly.com.au

IndustryFOCUS security, agricultural and transport – the nation is among the lowest investors in publicly funded spacerelated R&D. As one of the most dependent nations on other countries’ space data, the report does suggest, however, that a significant majority of Australian companies see space R&D capabilities as an integral part of their commercial activities and success.

Having reviewed the paper, Michael Davis, chairman for the Space Industry Association of Australia (SIAA), explained why a national space agency could be the launch pad for growth.

“Some of our members have global ambitions, which will include the design, development and launch of constellations of ‘nanosats’ that provide global coverage,” he said.

“One of the proposed roles of a national space agency would be to

ensure the growth and co-ordination of our industrial activities, and to ensure that national companies can

benefit from intergovernmental relationships with the larger international space progams.”

From rocket propulsion to building components for hypersonic engines in collaboration with the US Air

The launch of Defence Science and Technology’s Buccaneer nanosatellite in November will mark the 50-year anniversary of Australia’s first satellite launch in 1967 (Credit: Defence Science and Technology)

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Manufacturers’ Monthly OCTOBER 2017 19

IndustryFOCUS Force, Clark reinforces the fact that Australia is already making strides in the space industry, albeit doesn’t accurately understand its own scope.

“We have quickly realised it will be important that this review does not only look at the strategy for developing the future of the Australian space industry,” Clark said.

“But also the nature of what is already happening across Australia because, even with the players that we have met, they didn’t necessarily know what was happening elsewhere in the country.”

Manufacturing on Mars From the Mars Curiosity Rover to SpaceX plans to send humans to the red planet, Australia has had a hand in the journey.

Developed using Siemens’ design and simulation software, the Curiosity was also one of three Mars rovers that Sydneybased manufacturer, Silanna Semiconductor, built components for.

In addition, testing for SpaceX re-usable rockets requires tracking technology from the University of Tasmania, during its launch and descent over Australian airspace.

“There is a considerable amount of work being done to position manufacturing in the space and defence industries, which usually go hand in hand,” said Andrew Brawley, Silanna’s vice president of manufacturing.

“Although we have had considerable influence in the US, we are also trying to broaden that opportunity here in Australia.”

The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) operates two of Australia’s national radio-astronomy and space facilities, where its engineers explore the universe and are able to monitor activities on Earth using the same satellite technology that created WiFi. They are the Australia Telescope National Facility (ATNF) – the collective name for the country’s 20 OCTOBER 2017 Manufacturers’ Monthly

radio telescopes – and includes the radio-telescope in Parkes (roughly 350km west of Sydney) made famous for its role broadcasting the first Apollo moon landing in 1969 as well as operations at the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex (CDSCC).

“The space industry has the potential to grow and I think a bipartisan approach is ideal,” said Dr Cathy Foley, science director and deputy director for manufacturing at CSIRO. “In places like Victoria and South Australia – where car manufacturers have closed – you could find a place for another focus area in the industry, especially with a strong connection between the defence and space sectors.

“To drive new industry, you need to create new clusters and I imagine, around plans such as a new test base at Western Sydney Airport, there is an opportunity for substantial integration to push the boundaries in Australia.”

In recent years, the space sector in Australia has seen more than 35 new start-up companies created while universities have established new space-related research.

“However, Australia is still missing those medium-sized businesses, which will benefit an economy that can build on its own defence and space industry,” Foley continued.

“Space seems to ignite a passion in people and, no matter who you are, the majority of people want to know more about what is happening in space.

“When you look up at the night sky and see the stars, it is really quite phenomenal. If you look for long enough, you might even see a satellite.”

industrial workforce to the universe.

“We haven’t finished our review yet and, when we get the chance to give an update in March, it will not only look to understand our strengths [in the space industry] but also where the gaps are,” said Clark, the former head of CSIRO. “But I can share a little bit about what we have been hearing from the industry. There is a requirement

for more co-ordination from our domestic activities, to enable our companies to participate in the value chain, internationally.

“Australia does have capabilities in this area that we need to grow. We have identified skills including optics, hypersonic and radar communications as areas that we could develop into global leadership.”

The next frontier The questions now are whether Australia has the capacity to perform on the same playing field as other space nations and whether a space agency can open new doorways for its

The former Weapons Research Establishment launched the first Australian satellite (WRESAT) in November 1967 (Credit: Defence Science and Technology)

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Issues&INSIGHTS Why Australia’s automotive sector is still hiring Despite Australia’s vehicle assembly sector wrapping up business, a new report has recorded a skills shortage across the automotive industry. Steven Impey investigates.

T

He close of Australia’s automotive assembly sector has arrived, with Toyota’s Altona manufacturing branch in Melbourne closing its doors for the very last time.

With it, the ticker tape will finally fall on an almost century old industry that, at its height during the 1970s, once turned over almost half a million cars annually and employed more than 80,000 people.

Following the closures of Holden and Toyota factories this year, analysts have projected a 13,000 reduction to the automotive workforce, of which 7,000 are related to car manufacturing directly and a further 6,000 spread

across the supply of tier one and tier two components.

Nevertheless, the industry as a whole is lacking numbers, according to a report released by the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce (VACC), which has recorded an estimated skills shortage of 27,000 in the automotive arena – a figure it predicts will rise to 35,000 by next year.

“I feel there has been a lot of misinformation out there in the public arena about the automotive industry in terms of its size and its scope,” said Steve Bletsos, VACC’s senior research analyst, who helped compile the report.

“What this report tries to do is capture the industry in its entirety – it is comprised of many different sectors and we want to educate people about the industry.”

Changing industry This may come as a surprise to many, especially to those who have followed the fall of an institution.

Despite this, there is said to be room for optimism for the industry, which is seeing a spike in servicing and maintenance roles as the manufacturing of consumer vehicles has moved offshore.

“It is timely – considering the car manufacturing activities are

winding up – to present the industry in its current state and where it is heading,” Bletsos said.

“The automotive sector is far broader than people may realise and I dare say people will be surprised to hear the breadth of the [automotive] industry as a whole.

“We wanted to put together a report that captures that level of detail for government and industry stakeholders more broadly.”

According to VACC report, Directions in Australia’s automotive industry: An industry report 2017, there is still opportunity for skilled workers in the industry, which employs more than 379,000 people

Following the closures of Holden and Toyota factories, there will be a projected 13,000 reduction in the automotive workforce, but is there more to the story?

22 OCTOBER 2017 Manufacturers’ Monthly

manmonthly.com.au

Issues&INSIGHTS The next Tesla could potentially be born in an Australian factory.

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While these vehicles become smarter, the advantage of that digitalisation right down to the diagnostics of vehicles – the right information for the service structure in Australia – is going to be much more enabled. and contributes $37 billion to the national economy.

Some will lack the right qualifications to transition seamlessly. However, there appears to be room for growth in an industry that has been touted as dead in the water.

“There will still be a manufacturing sector, which will be largely confined to the manufacturing of specialist vehicles, buses, trucks and trailers, including components to supply those jobs which require similar skillsets,” Bletsos continued.

“It is actually quite a buoyant sector at the moment and is holding up employment levels in manufacturing currently.”

In June, senator Kim Carr addressed a summit at Parliament House in Canberra, which focused on the future of Australian manufacturing.

During the proceedings, the shadow industry minister insisted Australia can revive its automotive industry – but warned it will look very different.

“We still have many top tier suppliers and, whatever happens, there will be thousands of companies who will continue to employ workers [in the automotive sector],” he said.

“What we won’t be doing is making fully-produced vehicles, but we do have a significant number of manufacturers [making] a major contribution to the supply chain.” manmonthly.com.au

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Manufacturers’ Monthly OCTOBER 2017 23

Issues&INSIGHTS Digitalising the workforce During Siemens’ Digitalize 2017 conference in Sydney last month, managing director for the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre, Jens Goennemann, concurred that the sector is changing.

“With the car industry closing down its assembly sector, that of course affects a lot of people and

shouldn’t be underestimated. There is definitely a personal and social impact,” he said.

“When I came to Australia 10 years ago, there were four familyowned assemblies in Australia.

Suppliers now work on global supply chains and one of the things Australia is doing well now is developing highly sophisticated parts.”

VACC senior analyst Steve Bletsos, feels that there needs to be more education about the current state of the automotive industry - about a new identity and direction.

24 OCTOBER 2017 Manufacturers’ Monthly

During the conference, Manufacturers’ Monthly spoke with Siemens’ head of digital enterprise, Chris Vains, on what the future could hold for the industry now Australia is no longer a major player in the assembly of vehicles.

The event, hosted at the Sheraton Hotel, focused on the role digitalising Australia’s workforce will have on the industry globally and, while there were discussions around the technology that could make for more intelligent transport, it is not yet clear who will take the lead on its manufacturing.

“In Australia, we still have a lot of engineering expertise that is being utilised in the automotive industry,” Vains said.

“If we take Ford for example, they are still doing a major amount of engineering and design of plants from Australia to be rolled out across Asia, so that is an important thing.”

For example, Queensland manufacturer PWR also has a hand in the automotive sector by delivering cooling components for radiators in Red Bull’s Formula One racing car and is a recognised player in the car industry.

“While these vehicles become smarter, the advantage of that digitalisation right down to the diagnostics of vehicles – the right information for the service structure in Australia – is going to be much more enabled,” Vains added.

“Who can say that, in the next handful of years, a bright idea for a new vehicle format doesn’t pop up from Australia? We, as an industry, are quite adaptive and ingenious in coming up with ideas.”

Tesla’s electric vehicle technology has played a major role in the disruption of advanced transport, with many of the big businesses also contributing to GPS technology necessary if Australia is to one day commercialise autonomous road travel.

The next Tesla could be born in an Australian factory, Vains said, although added that it will have to

be “niche and particular”.

“It won’t necessarily be something mass-produced but it will be the right vehicle for the right application,” Vains said.

“We have a lot of technology to support that and a lot of history in the Australian automotive market.

Therefore, there is a lot of value that we can add to a company if they were to start up again.

“However, I can’t see it being like the old days where we have two or three major manufacturers churning out mass-produced vehicles.

It is going to be more bespoke than that.”

Areas of opportunity Away from car manufacturing, Australia’s shipbuilding capabilities could create an environment that allows Australian manufacturing to adapt, Vains explained.

That would theoretically include the composition of digital shipyards, new technology, and possibly the transition of people available from the previous automotive industry who can transfer their skills into new industries.

In July this year, the federal government announced it is rolling out a further $100 million to support the nation’s advanced manufacturing sector.

In light of this, Industry minister Arthur Sinodinos spoke of the important part manufacturing still plays in the Australian economy.

He stated that the funding would be focused towards small and medium businesses in addition to the $155 million Growth Fund, which is aiding regions affected by the closure of automotive manufacturers.

In Geelong and Melbourne, Australia’s oldest car maker, Ford, closed its plants in October last year. Incidentally, Siemens, in a Geelong sketchbook, illustrated the technological opportunities for the city, specifically around sectors for energy, agro-tourism, 3D printing and smart transport.

The VACC’s report has also received support from the political manmonthly.com.au

Issues&INSIGHTS

Moving forward, Australia still has a lot of engineering expertise that is being utilised in the automotive industry.

realm, with senator Nick Xenophon addressing some of its findings in Parliament, on which Bletsos said they will hold government to account in the coming months.

“We feel there is a need, particularly in the political sphere,

to [increase] the knowledge of our industry,” Bletsos continued.

“We get a lot of inquiries at the VACC – specifically for data – and what we have found is that, while the manufacturing side is a very small proportion of the automotive

industry, around 96 per cent is linked to the service, repair and sale of vehicles.

“That’s where the opportunities lie and where we see the skills shortages are. Our industry modelling shows that the shortages are quite severe and that businesses are really in need for skills, particularly mechanical repairers and those in diagnostics and programming, considering the technological sophistication of motor vehicles these days.”

According to Bletsos, that is something the industry is still coming to terms with: a new identity and direction surrounded by a fresh set of issues that need to be articulated within government.

“The easiest sectors [for former car manufacturers] to transfer into are bus, truck and trailers,” he said.

“In terms of transitioning into the services and repairs sector, that isn’t happening because you need trade

qualifications in order to be able to repair vehicles.”

As it stands, Bletsos said the government lacks policy to encourage that transition – unlike other countries such as the UK, Japan and the US, which actively incentivise the sale and uptake of electric vehicles.

“We have found that most workers who have left the car manufacturing sector have gone into other industries rather than automotive repair and maintenance,” he said.

“With the development of electric and autonomous vehicles over the coming decade, that will present an opportunity because electric vehicles don’t have anywhere near the same level of components as petrol vehicles do.

“Therefore, manufacturing would be easier and cheaper in a way – perhaps allowing Australia to import electric components and manufacture their own vehicles in the future.”

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Manufacturers’ Monthly OCTOBER 2017 25

EnergyMANAGMENT The Australian manufacturing industry and the trillion-dollar question Emerson’s Rob Garston tells Manufacturer’s Monthly how the right IIoT strategy can help Australian manufacturers gain a competitive edge without a high-dollar ante.

E

VERY year, globally, industrial companies experience a whopping $1 triillion in operational losses. An advocate for digital transformation believes the manufacturing industry in Australia could benefit from new technologies and methodologies aimed at helping industrial companies achieve top performance and begin recovery of that trillion dollars in losses.

Rob Garston, vice president for the automation solution division at Emerson’s Singapore branch, said that with a global contraction in capital spending, manufacturers are under tremendous pressure to hit financial targets with existing assets.

“The key to setting and achieving

new performance goals is first understanding what is possible given today’s technologies and which levers can deliver measurable, predicable results,” Garston told Manufacturers’ Monthly.

“Australia has been one of the early adopters of digitalisation that is transforming the industry.

Driven by high labour costs, they have always been looking for ways to optimise activities and keep themselves competitive.

However, due to uncertainty about which approaches will yield the greatest improvement, companies are trapped by decadesold work practices that fail to take full advantage of advanced digital technologies, Garston noted.

“We observed that manufacturers

remain stuck in a ‘grind-it-out’ mindset, frozen in a paradox of needing dramatically better results yet being risk-averse to new approaches.” Garston said.

Garston’s comments are based on comparisons between the operational performance of topquartile performers and their average industry peers. Emerson has been exploring the dimensions of operational performance to identify the specific behaviours and actions that separate top-quartile performers from those in the lower three tiers. The results formed the

basis of an innovative initiative launched last year by Emerson – Operational Certainty.

Operational Certainty is a technology and engineeringbased program encompassing new technologies, methodologies and consulting practices – all aimed at helping manufacturers achieve measurable gains in the areas of production, reliability, safety and energy and emissions.

“When we look at Operational Certainty, examining the behaviours of top-quartile performers and speaking to customers, we found that there is a trillion dollars in operational losses that can begin to be recovered simply by implementing the right Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) strategy,”

Australia has been one of the early adopters of digitalisation that is transforming the industry.

26 OCTOBER 2017 Manufacturers’ Monthly

manmonthly.com.au

EnergyMANAGMENT Garston explained.

“With the advent of new technology – such as the IIoT and digitalisation – companies in Australia will be able to stay even more competitive, globally,” he added.

Optimising production, improving reliability, minimising emissions and ensuring safety are the four pillars of any top-quartile business, Garston said. Achieving measurable gains in these areas and working toward topquartile performance is possible with an enterprise-wide digital ecosystem that leverages domain expertise as well as IIoT capabilities, he added.

Emerson unveiled such an ecosystem last year with the launch of Plantweb, a scalable portfolio of standards-based hardware, software, intelligent devices and services for securely implementing the IIoT. Plantweb technologies are designed to help manufacturers achieve Rob Garston, vice president, automation solutions, Emerson Singapore. operational excellence and put them on the path to becoming a topquartile performers.

Garston led a series of seminars based on top-quartile performance as a key part of Emerson Connect Tour Events in Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth. He spoke about harnessing the power of IIoT with the Plantweb digital ecosystem to achieve operational certainty.

Because of its robust network of sensing technologies, control and actuation equipment, a suite of scalable software applications, consulting services, integration, and remote equipment monitoring, Plantweb provides manufacturers total flexibility and scalability in the way they adopt IIoT. Garston explained this means that adoption doesn’t have to be a “big bang” infrastructure investment or organisational overhaul. Instead, manufacturers can invest in small pilots, ensure return on investment (ROI), and take the next step, knowing that each investment can be leveraged toward an organisational top-quartile program.

“This is why automation is the highest impact investment organisations can make for ROI on their operational excellence initiatives,” Garston said.

For example, a petrochemical company with hundreds of steam traps recently employed an Emerson IIoT strategy that reduced steam consumption by seven per cent, Garston noted. The strategy makes use of wireless acoustic steam trap transmitters to monitor noise and temperature, then transfers the data to a Microsoft Azure cloud virtual server, so the analytics software can analyse the data and generate alerts. Then, remote-access monitoring by experts provides actionable reports to maintenance for repairing or replacing failed steam traps before they fail.

“Operational excellence begins with pinpointing the causes of sub-optimal performance, prioritising actions that can yield the greatest improvement, and establishing a scalable work plan,” Garston said. “It also takes management leadership embracing and deploying the right technology and solutions, a commitment to break down silos and encourage expert collaboration across the enterprise, and courage to drive a culture where it is safe to advocate change.

“When this happens, manufacturers experience a return of greater productivity, less downtime, safer operations, and reduced energy costs. The path to getting the most from the IIoT becomes clear, and the journey to becoming a top industry performer begins.” manmonthly.com.au

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Manufacturers’ Monthly OCTOBER 2017 27

Internet OF THINGS Harnessing the power of the Connected Enterprise Accelerated by the emergence of the Internet of Things (IoT), the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and the advances in enabling technologies, the “Connected Enterprise” elevates opportunity through greater connectivity and information sharing.

T

HE idea and concept behind the term “Connected Enterprise”, consists of industrial operations that are intelligent, optimised, and secure. Central to achieving this is the convergence of Information Technology (IT) and Operations Technology (OT) into a single unified architecture. This architecture can then be used to capitalise on operational, business and transactional data for improved enterprise, operations and supply chain performance.

Further to achieving this vision, it is critical to have connectivity at every level; this includes any sensor, valve, motor starter, contactor, breaker or relay at a particular site.

With much hype around the IoT and the IIoT, global automation companies are busily building Ethernet into their devices to allow enhanced communication and turn terms such as Industry 4.0 into a reality.

The Connected Enterprise

brings top and plant floor together to optimise productivity and competitiveness, however, for existing plants a common challenge exists - how do we enable all this proposed value? Upgrading controllers with Ethernet and buying new OEM machines with current technology may not result in production increase and may even cause availability issues and security breaches if the backbone of the system, being the plant network, is not where it needs to be.

To fully experience these benefits, it is important to first partner with a company that understands and can enable your vision and at NHP we deliver automation, intelligent motor control and sensing solutions that promise future integration to enable your Connected Enterprise.

Most manufacturing plants are only able to access 1 per cent of collected data from their operations, however, NHP allows you to unlock the other 99 per cent of data using

To fully experience these benefits, it is important to first partner with a company that understands and can enable your vision. secure, standards based industrial automation systems.

Partnerships with global industry leaders, Rockwell Automation and Cisco, strengthen NHP’s ability to bridge the gap seamlessly between these systems that were traditionally separated. These partnerships allow NHP to deliver one solution from the factory floor, through the Industrial Demilitarised Zone (IDMZ) and now up to the enterprise network, improving and scaling security and simplifying access to data.

A company like NHP can provide an expert team with the specialised knowledge when designing and building these system solutions from the ground up using leading

technology. The company can help businesses prioritise the upgrade of your plant infrastructure in order to drive maximum improvements in the metrics that matter to your operations.

Some typical areas that can benefit from these solutions include, improved product quality, increased production efficiency and reduction in costs. In addition, the company can help a business identify the areas that needs attention first, and work with them one section at a time in order to develop their own Connected Enterprise.

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The Connected Enterprise brings top and plant floor together to optimise productivity and competitiveness.

28 OCTOBER 2017 Manufacturers’ Monthly

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Manufacturing STRATEGIES Saving Australian manufacturing the old fashioned way Investing in product design, process development, staff training, branding and better marketing leads to huge rewards in a matter of few months. Manufacturers’ Monthly finds out how one well-known Australian building products manufacturer has managed to achieve this.

I

Galintel is now Australia’s largest and only remaining local commercial manufacturer of branded galvanised steel lintels that is 100 per cent Australian steel.

30 OCTOBER 2017 Manufacturers’ Monthly

N May 2007, Nepean acquired the Graham Group organisation including the Galintel business, Australia’s largest, and at that time, one of only two remaining local manufacturers of residential and commercial galvanised steel lintels..

By August 2014, after reaching a low-level production of 6000 tonnes, and pressured by a number of internal and external factors, Galintel, based in the northern NSW coastal town of Coffs Harbour, was in danger of being shut down.

Nepean’s original idea was to buy a struggling regional company, move whatever assets they could to other Nepean divisions and then wind down the business and close the site.

However, on the trip up from Sydney, it seems that Nepean’s CEO Miles Fuller and general manager Robert Watters had an on the road to Damascus-like conversion somewhere along the Pacific Highway and by the time they reached the factory at Coffs Harbour, about 600km north of Sydney, they decided not to close the plant at all but instead to invest and build it up so that it could ultimately thrive.

Fast-forward to 2016 and after buying a local competitor, Ingal Galintel is now Australia’s largest and only remaining local commercial manufacturer of branded galvanised steel lintels made from 100 per cent Australian steel.

According to Watters, the process that has led Galintel to become not only successful, but perhaps one of the most thriving industrial entities in a region better known for tourist beaches and banana plantations, has not been easy, nor, for that matter,

simple or straightforward.

“Our success has been a combination of smart marketing, product development and ongoing staff training”, said Watters.

However, the effort to save Galintel was hardly an overnight success.

By employing a “Turnaround Strategy”, the company in turn sparked a series of rapid activities to prevent the factory’s closure.

Comprehensive reviews of management performance, cost of raw material and factory layout configurations provided some interesting improvements within a few weeks.

This was followed by a targeted marketing campaign to regain the Galintel brand awareness and educate key influencing parties in the building and construction industry. This included informing structural engineers and builders of the importance of specifying and using steel lintels that are compliant with the Building Code of Australia (BCA) and other relevant Australian Standards.

And then there were the company’s employees, who were key to this whole process of rejuvenation “We needed the full engagement of our staff as well as securing this site for continued operations up here in Coffs Harbour,” Watters pointed out.

“The next challenge was to capitalise our market share, which we have achieved.”

As to what lessons this process has taught Watters, there were a couple of items that stood out from the list.

“We found that replication was easy, however what really helped us manmonthly.com.au

ManufacturingSTRATEGIES themselves, the company now makes the largest range of high-quality, galvanised steel lintels for the building and construction industry including angles, flats and T-Bars as well as specialty range including Cavi-T-Bars, J-Bars, Rendabars and Multi-Rib-T Bars.

For over 30 years, Galintel has built a reputation for innovation and excellence and is now firmly ensconced as the industry leader for lintels that are compliant, stronger, more durable, and for the end-users, ultimately safer.

Currently, Galintel employs around 45 workers from the Coffs Harbour area, making it one of a proud group of Australian companies that maintain its main operations in a regional and rural area.

As for the manufacturing facility in Coffs Harbour itself, it is ISO 9001:2008 (QEC1976) compliant and as of June 30 this year, has increased its annual production capacity to an approximate 15,000 tonnes, a massive turnaround that will keep the Coffs Harbour factory premises operating for many years to come.

Like many Australian manufacturers, in recent years, Galintel has faced increased competition from imported steel lintels with low-quality steel and

Galintel’s success has been a combination of smart marketing, product development and ongoing staff training. was developing unique products that were hard to copy by importers.”

In fact, noted Watters, being in an industry that is affected by the ups and downs of the Australian dollar “was not really an issue – it’s tough at times but when it comes down to the Aussie dollar, it’s swings and roundabouts as far as we are concerned.”

Being part of the large Nepean organisation also has extra advantages though. “No doubt there has been a positive effect by being part of a much larger group,” said Watters.

“We’ve been able to leverage not just sales data but we have also been able to improve the cost of our steel purchases.”

According to site supervisor Kevin Elks, it was the redevelopment of both their manmonthly.com.au

processes as well as their products that’s offered up some rather surprising results.

“Our T-Bar section and our welding system are where we have spent a lot of time and effort in development and where we have achieved the greatest through-puts,” said Elks.

“For one process,” said Elks, “we’ve managed to get the turnaround time down from three days to 24 hours- that makes a huge difference.”

However, much like Watters, Elks pointed out the biggest difference has been in the change of the attitude of the staff.

“Our most important product is our people themselves the change in attitude and their positive engagement has just been amazing,” he said.

In terms of the lintels

unverified load tables that fail to meet the local building codes and standards.

However, as Elks pointed out, when you can make a superior quality product at a comparable price, then the market tends to respond favourably.

So much so that he noted, “we are blessed — our growth has now outstripped output and we are currently looking for more people.”

As far as Watters is concerned, the hardest part of this entire exercise has been to modernise the processes and equipment — something that is still very much a work in progress.

Moving forward though, he said that there are many opportunities to be had, however one thing he is certain of — that the company will continue to grow and prosper, and eventually become so well-known in the local Coffs Harbour region that it will become synonymous with the area.

“We’ve got to focus on more new product development, but overall, I think the next 10 years will bring many great opportunities for this company.”

“I also see us getting more heavily involved in the civil engineering and pre-cast markets, so there are plenty more opportunities for Galintel out there,” Watters concluded.

Modernising the process the plant uses will always be an ongoing exercise.

Manufacturers’ Monthly OCTOBER 2017 31

Sensors The integration age: Making sensors an industry necessity Managing cost of production while pushing for absolute quality control is the next big step for the industry. Sam Bhasin, managing director, Bestech Australia, explains the role sensors play in this shift.

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HE manufacturing industry is slowly transitioning beyond automation of the technological age to the complete integration of sensorcontrolled factories.

Better known as Industry 4.0, this is the push to increase productivity and product quality while minimising costs, and has increased the requirement for sensors, instrumentation and controls on the factory floor.

Sensors measure the parameters of the output from machines.

Therefore, if required, corrective action can be taken through a control feedback loop or through human intervention.

Process optimisation with increased implementation of sensors can help reduce human error, and are used to increase quality control to the point where imperfections are negligible.

As the industry continues to shift towards integration, Manufacturers’ Monthly got in touch with Bestech Australia to find out why sensors and instrumentation are becoming increasingly important for the manufacturing industry.

“Currently, machine operators monitor the production line to ensure smooth operation, and are present to fix delays in case of malfunction,” said Bestech Australia’s managing director Sam Bhasin.

“You cannot control a parameter that you cannot measure. Therefore, every process on the factory floor requires sensors to monitor and control. They are the eyes and ears of any control system.”

As both sensor and robotic technologies advance, the implementation of smart manufacturing robots will allow an

32 OCTOBER 2017 Manufacturers’ Monthly

entire factory to be overseen by just a few operators.

The size of the workforce can be reduced, making way for robots and reducing required floor space, and, according to Bhasin, sensors are generally more consistent and repeatable than an operator.

“This optimises production costs while keeping the factory floor safe,” he continued. “We work with some of the best and most innovative companies in the world who have a strong emphasis on research and development (R&D) to stay ahead with the latest in measurement.

“These state-of-the-art sensors keep the users competitive and with excellent product quality so they can demand a premium in the world market.”

For example, there are more than 10 different technologies for measuring displacement alone.

Confocal sensors are used for the manufacturing of multi-layer glass while eddy current sensors can “see through” lubricants and work under high pressures and temperatures.

Elsewhere, laser triangulation sensors are able to monitor tiny small components with their small spot size and fast measuring rate.

In addition, 2D- and 3D-laser scanners offer surface profiling for quality inspection purposes such as weld seams, and capacitive sensors feature linear outputs capable of high-resolution measurements of less than one nanometre.

“Measurements need to be recorded for traceability and that requires sensors and associated instrumentation,” Bhasin said.

“This ensures that only a quality product goes out from your factory every time.

“There is a wide choice of sensors for each parameter measurement

The size of the workforce can be reduced, making way for robots and reducing space.

and your application determines which one will be the most appropriate.

“Our engineers can assist you to choose the right sensor for your application. For example, online laser sensors provide the best in product quality control due to their non-contact measurements.”

Laser point sensors are used to take dimensional measurements of parts moving at very high speeds without interrupting the production line.

This means an integrated feedback system will be able to generate a simple “pass/fail” signal for each product in a fraction of a second.

With the use of sensors and automation, the failure rates have the potential to drop dramatically, Bhasin explains.

The sensors can often pick

up faults in products being manufactured with much more consistency than humans.

And, with more automation in the production process plus the help of sensors – as Industry 4.0 is demonstrating – manufacturers are moving closer to absolute quality control.

“Sensors play a key role in determining the level of quality control in manufactured products,” Bhasin said. “Sensor technology is continually advancing, allowing faster and more precise measurements as requirements increase.

“Integration into current and new setups is also made easier with smaller designs and wireless networks. That’s why, to improve quality control, using the right sensors for the specific application is key.” manmonthly.com.au

ENERGY MANAGEMENT November 2017 Issue Energy management is a key operational input cost FLUKE’S INDUSTRY BREAKTHROUGH that can be managed to save money, while also improving a company’s environmental footprint.

Rising energy costs in Australia makes this topic a big talking point in business and politics.

Manufacturing companies routinely use energy management solutions to help them manage energy across their operations.

In this issue, we talk to companies who provide innovative solutions suites to reduce energy costs through the use of automation and process management.

MEASURE VOLTAGE WITHOUT TEST LEADS In every edition of Manufacturers’ Monthly, we are proud to work with our commercial partners on content that helps connect you with your future customers.

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Pneumatics & COMPRESSORS Don’t lock yourself into old technology when specifying on a project There is something to be said for sticking with what you know, but this approach can lock OEMs and end users into innovation constraints which could compromise their global competitiveness and cost them money according to SMC’s James McKew.

James McKew, sales and marketing director, SMC Australia/New Zealand.

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ECHNOLOGY is developing at an alarming rate. It is near impossible for OEM’s and end users to keep up with the new developments. More and more they have to rely on competent and well trained technical sales staff from their component suppliers to provide them with insight and advice on the best products to choose.

James McKew, sales and marketing director for SMC Australia/New Zealand is seeing an increase in the amount of hands-on involvement from their sales engineers when it comes to assisting customers.

“SMC has a vast range of products, in fact a portfolio of 12,000 standard products in 700,000 variations. It is not possible for customers to always know which products are the best suited and most reliable for their specific type of application. We have something for everything, and if we don’t have it, we will develop it,” said McKew. One of the unique selling propositions of SMC is their ability to do rapid research and

34 OCTOBER 2017 Manufacturers’ Monthly

development while delivering low cost for customers requiring anything out of the norm. These products then go on to become standard products, with a part number, available to other customers too.

It is precisely for this reason and the increased complexity and expanding product portfolio of SMC that McKew has invested heavily in ensuring sales engineers are technically up to the task of helping customers make good choices when it comes to product selection. An increased number of customers are receiving technically accurate and best practise SMC product selections by allowing sales engineers to guide through the company’s electronic as well as traditional product selection tools.

“In the old days, and unfortunately still to a large extent, many customers would stick with what they know. They lock

themselves into specifying certain companies for the supply of their mechanical, electric and pneumatic components, and by doing so they actually rob themselves of the opportunity to be globally competitive,” said McKew “The best product for the application should be selected and unfortunately by specifying only one supplier, customers are limiting their options.”

“Many OEM’s are competing on an international level and therefore their machines need to consider innovation, costeffectiveness, long term energy saving and maintenance reliability.

Our customers are competing with machine builders from Europe, the USA and Asia. Whilst Australia and New Zealand have always managed to deliver great quality and flexible options, we are competing against machine builders who have the best and latest technology on their

doorstep and they need to ensure that their machinery stays ahead in terms of innovation.”

SMC has a global customer base and therefore they have insight into the latest trends and technology available for various applications.

According to McKew, SMC has in the past offered customers products on loan to trial to assist them in assessing the best fit for their application.

“SMC offers customers a wide range of Japanese quality products, at low cost with rapid delivery. Our sales engineers have been trained to assist customers with technical advice and product selection to ensure our customers stay competitive and ahead of the pack. It’s critical that our end user customers demand that OEMs offer the best components and to do this your specifications really must have SMC called out on the mechanical and electromechanical side of the document” he concluded.

Many OEMS are competing on an international level and therefore their machines need to consider innovation, cost-effectiveness, long-term energy saving and maintenance reliability.

manmonthly.com.au

Pneumatics&COMPRESSORS How air management can halve a manufacturer’s energy bill The air a factory breathes to complete a day’s production cycle could be having an adverse effect on its cost efficiency. Atlas Copco is championing an industrial compressor that is still at the top of its game.

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UILDING a production facility capable of withstanding Australia’s ongoing energy crisis is no easy feat – with industry standards for the transfer of technology to consider and, in some cases, whether to change the company’s makeup.

For a long time, manufacturers have literally had to build new plants around the latest technology used to maintain product quality and track production load – much like the days when desktops were chained to office desks and mobile phones couldn’t fit in your pocket.

At Atlas Copco, they are championing a slimmer, quieter industrial air compressor – the VSD Plus – which is proven to cut a company’s power bill by 50 per cent on average.

“Whether we are dealing with small, medium or large businesses, they have all been struck by rising power costs and consumption,” said Matthew Gray, Atlas Copco’s business line-manage for Industrial Air. “The quickest and easiest way to help your company is to data-log its requirements by measuring the exact amount of air the business uses, and to create a real-time picture of the customer’s actual air demand.

“From that, we can create a realto-life simulation, which we use to predict a company’s potential power savings. It’s a no-brainer. By looking at their data, we can project their power savings simply by implementing one of our machines.”

More than a decade has passed since the industrial innovators at Atlas Copco began a project to build a smaller, ultra-efficient compressor system.

Most reputable variable speed drives (VSD) on the market offer up manmonthly.com.au

to 35 per cent cost saving to a tailored business, all the while Atlas Copco’s version is still setting the pace in the industry.

This longevity is a credit to the company’s commitment to research and development (R&D), according to Gray. And, while its VSD Plus model can cut a plant’s energy bill in half, he insists this is only the beginning.

“To put that into perspective, while the first versions of our VSD Plus have been saving Australian companies real dollars for more than four years, nobody on the market has come close to mimicking this type of technology,” Gray continued.

“It is definitely revolutionary with regards to the design and efficiency of the product. It is quite common for companies to have their facility built around their compressors and, when their old compressor eventually dies, they can’t replace it without the use of cranes or simply tearing down and re-building the compressor room.”

With its vertical design, the VSD Plus drastically reduces the footprint on the factory floor and allows for a very simple retro fit to an old machine.

Generally, the better the VSD, the greater a company’s scope is for something the industry calls “turndown”.

“If you have a large machine to meet your peek demand at full capacity, it will also turndown when the demand falls, sometimes to as much as 18 per cent of the machine maximum capacity,” Gray said.

“In other words our VSD Plus runs in line with your actual demand for compressed air. That, in a sense, is like having an 18kW machine and a 100kW machine working in the same machine.

“It allows you to optimise the high

points and the low points. The broader you can make that turndown – while still maintaining efficiency in the air element – the more the customer is truly going to save.”

The big difference in Atlas Copco’s VSD Plus technology is that it no longer works through a coupling or set of gears, and connects directly into the screw element, thus improving the free air delivery and reduces the specific energy requirement.

“This product was released to the market in 2013 but the first R&D unit was run and tested in 2009,” said Nashaat Bakhit, a product manager at Atlas Copco.

“We started the R&D for VSD Plus in 2006, which is the same time we released the second generation of our standard VSD. We never rest on our old achievement, our commitment to R&D is second to none, and this proves this.

“In terms of compressed air technology, variable speed drives

aren’t something new. However, the VSD Plus is the next level of efficiency at all levels – we call them small compressors with big ideas.

“At Atlas Copco, we can talk about energy saving from a different perspective. We are up to the fifth generation of our industrial air controllers, and soon another generation will be put out to market.”

Considering the company’s strong links to Australia’s mining, construction, tools, and resource sectors, both Gray and Bakhit believe their engineers have a head start.

“As a principle here in Australia, we have a direct connection with our R&D and production facilities across the world, so we have a first-hand feedback to the other parts of the business,” Gray said.

“So, we can expedite any of those necessary changes and opportunities to make an improvement to the product. If your company is standing still, you are losing.”

With its vertical design, the VSD Plus drastically reduces the footprint on the factory floor and allows for a very simple retro fit to an old machine.

Manufacturers’ Monthly OCTOBER 2017 35

Safety @MM Safety first in the workplace Enware has a range of safety devices suited for various manufacturers that could readily save a body part or more.

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ANUFACTURING facilities, especially those that deal with chemical agents or liquid substances are riddled with risks, both hidden and out in the open.

Not knowing these risks and how to overcome them can potentially result in serious injury, impairment of senses or in worst case scenarios, the loss of life.

In the event of an emergency, access to the correct aid equipment is critical. Besides first aid, facilities that deal with hazardous liquids or chemicals should be stocked with an assortment of equipment tailored to the work environment. Hence, coupled with immediate response to an emergency, a workplace injury can be minimised. It is therefore important that all manufacturers dealing with hazardous substances and material be well equipped with the right equipment.

Companies that specialise in safety like Enware Australia have an extensive range of emergency first response showers, eye washes and eye face washes. These solutions cater to a variety of customers.

Sometimes, certain customers may require a degree of customisation to the safety solutions and Enware is well positioned to ensure these customers meet their respective safety initiatives.

“When it comes to an injury, the quickest response ensures minimal damage to the affected person.

Typically, WHS officers who are entrusted in choosing such products for a plant would assess the levels of protection that a plant requires.

Enware’s safety systems are designed to deliver an effective response when accidents happen and are hence a choice product,” said Louis Rizzolo, general marketing manager, Enware Australia.

All of Enware’s emergency systems are certified compliant to Australian Standard AS4775 as well as ANSI Z358.1.

36 OCTOBER 2017 Manufacturers’ Monthly

Enware’s Vertech technology features the Zero Velocity point.

“Enware produces a whole line of safety equipment solutions for hospitals, airlines right up to the industrial sectors like mining, petrochemical, oil refinery, chemical manufacturing, handling and storage, as well as laboratories,” said Rizzolo.

Vertech Technology Enware’s Vertech technology features the “Zero Velocity” point. For both the eye washes and showers, the reduced water velocity is gentle and effective helping allow a greater amount of time in the flushing zone, which is important especially when cleansing the sensitive eyeballs from hazardous materials.

“The unique feature about the eye washes and shower is all about how the water hits the eye and the face to clean away contaminants – all while providing more comfort and control.

There are dedicated eyewash streams for targeted flushing of affected eyes and adjustable angle wash streams to provide optimal coverage of the face,” said Rizzolo.

The Vertech Technology is a standard for all Enware’s plumbed emergency eye and eye/face wash equipment including combination showers.

Tobin’s portable Eyewash System In some workplaces, having a nearby portable eye wash system is critical because it allows injured employees to get immediate care before proceeding to the first response emergency shower or eye wash station.

“Tobin’s Eyewash System is a specially designed system that delivers the fastest application for most kinds of eye accidents,” said Rizzolo. Generally, chemicals in the eye can potentially cause damage within seconds. It requires a soft stream flow to minimise stress on the eye. In total, a one litre bottle would give approximately three minutes washing time. In addition, the bottles can easily be removed from a stand and taken along during transportation to a doctor. Tobin’s Eyewash Systems

are internationally proven and distributed throughout Australia by Enware.

The Enware promise Rizzolo pointed out that one of the reasons why they produce the highest quality safety products is because of their continued collaboration with their customers.

With bespoke manufacturing capabilities, Enware produces all of its products right here in Australia.

“At the end of the day, safety is our main specialty as we take our customers’ concerns around safety with the highest regard,” said Rizzolo.

“Enware makes sure that we work together very closely with our customers to ensure we are able to supply them with the best solutions. We are able to sit down with any customer, discuss with them their needs in the area of safety and then customise a safety product or solution based around those needs.” manmonthly.com.au

, D E E N U .

O T Y E R R E ER N. V E F O T N A O H IS H W D IT RC A N I E F ES TH

RELY ON AUSTRALIA’S MANUFACTURING, MINING AND INDUSTRIAL HUB 70,000 monthly users can’t be wrong. Find what you’re looking for with over 12,000 business listings and 8,000 specific product listings. Access relevant information and resources, empowering you to make a qualified purchase decision. You can always rely on your industry hub.

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PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

Lubricants

Making the professional choice in manufacturing For decades, leading aerosol and bulk lubricants supplier CRC Industries has supplied the Australian manufacturing industry with the right tools to get the job done quickly and safely.

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RC’S diverse range of lubricants are all specifically designed to meet a wide range of maintenance and repair applications across the manufacturing sector.

The company prides itself on being recognised for its family of silicones, penetrants, greases and anti-corrosion chemicals that have helped keep Australian manufacturing running smoothly for more than 50 years.

Starting with one product, the multi-purpose lubricant CRC Corrosion Inhibitor, CRC Industries began in a Pennsylvania garage in 1958 as Corrosion Reaction Consultants.

Today, CRC has evolved into a global supplier of speciality chemical solutions, manufacturing in excess of 1,300 products to meet the unique needs of the industrial and electrical, automotive, marine, food and beverage, mining and manufacturing sectors.

CRC Industries services a vast international client base with the manufacture and distribution of its specialty products throughout Australia and the Asia Pacific, the Americas, Europe and the Middle East.

The company operates 26 facilities around the world, producing more than 80 million aerosol products each year and is a leader in product quality, performance and regulatory compliance.

CRC places strict controls on its product development and manufacturing processes, starting with the finest raw materials and continuing with consistent, high quality manufacturing techniques and rigorous testing.

CRC Industries Australia managing director, Shona Fitzgerald said CRC brought a strong and diverse product offering to 38 OCTOBER 2017 Manufacturers’ Monthly

manufacturing applications.

“CRC’s expertise in supplying the manufacturing sector is based on its commitment to innovation, strong process understanding, vast product range and distribution networks which provides customers with competitive advantages in productivity, labour management, equipment maintenance and safety,’’ Fitzgerald said.

In manufacturing its range of lubricants and other products for the manufacturing industry, CRC has successfully anticipated and adapted to changing regulations.

The company ensures that its family of bulk and non-chlorinated products remain compliant in today’s often complex and fast-paced regulatory environment.

“CRC Industries prides itself on being a forward thinking and agile business focussed on adding customer value through extensive research and development, anticipating demand and delivering the right solutions in an everchanging market,” Fitzgerald said.

The company’s innovative research and development team continually advances new and improved products for clients to do their job faster, easier and safer. CRC Industries’ on-site manufacturing of products allows control of all production processes.

All raw materials and finished goods are subject to stringent testing by the company’s quality control department. Lot sampling guarantees the customer consistent quality and performance.

Here’s a small sample of the range of go-to lubricants operators in the manufacturing industry are using to their advantage: CRC Gel-TAC: CRC Gel-TAC is a water-resistant, multipurpose lubricant that is a specially formulated blend of high-quality synthetic oils. CRC Gel-TAC does

not drip off, penetrates deeply and then sets to form a water resistant, long lasting lubricant film. It contains anti-wear additives, friction modifiers and tackiness agents.

CRC CO Contact Cleaner: A precision electronic cleaning solvent, CO Contact Cleaner is a technically proven, stable, inert, plastic safe formula. It is a high purity, nonstaining, cleaning solvent with rapid evaporation.

CRC 5-56: This multi-purpose lubricant has superior penetrating power that breaks through rust and corrosion while it cleans away scale and dirt. CRC 5-56 eliminates the need for many disassembly operations.

Fondly referred to as the original toolkit in a can, it also protects metals against corrosion and displaces moisture to help start wet engines.

CRC Penetr8: CRC Penetr8 is a high-speed penetrant that rapidly frees rusted and corroded fasteners, pins and bound mechanisms. It helps dissolve rust and corrosion while quickly penetrating. It eases disassembly of mechanical equipment, fittings and fixtures

through its high-speed penetration.

CRC 808 Silicone Spray: CRC 808 Silicone Spray is a concentrated formula that provides a thin, durable, odourless film that revives, lubricates, waterproofs and protects all metal, plastic, rubber, fabric, wood and painted surfaces.

CRC White Lithium Grease: CRC White Lithium Grease is a high purity, high quality grade 2 White Lithium based grease. It provides long lasting lubrication with excellent water and heat resistance, corrosion protection and film strength.

With an uncompromising commitment to safety, innovation, service and customer satisfaction underlying everything that it does, CRC understands the knowledge, expertise and processes needed to succeed in manufacturing.

The company sees itself playing a critical role in helping Australian manufacturing thrive through the delivery of safe, reliable and proven technologies.

CRC Industries 02 96342 088 www.crcindustries.com.au

In manufacturing its range of lubricants and other products for the manufacturing industry, CRC has successfully anticipated and adapted to changing regulations.

manmonthly.com.au

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

E-Commerce

Express access to industrial electrical and networking products LAPP Express has extensive experience as a leading authorised supplier of electrical and automation products and it now extends its offerings to Australian cutomers.

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APP Express Australia offers instant access to thousands of stocked industrial electrical and networking products. LAPP Express stocks more than 5000 highquality parts and over a million metres of the quality cable from renowned manufacturers such as LAPP Group, Wieland Electric, Moxa Networking and LS. Operated by ECS (Engineering Computer Services), a New Zealand business who have a history of providing solutions to process and automation engineers for more than 30 years.

The company offers fingertip access to the latest technology innovations for Europe and around the world. For engineers they always need to improve the way they do things; new products are always being developed which can save them time and money.

For engineers using this website, it demonstrates with videos some of the latest innovations and gives them new ideas which they might not have seen from traditional suppliers.

With no MOQ’s and ultra-fast delivery, an engineer can get a couple of pieces in for development to really prove the concept before committing to full production. The website also

takes all major credit card brands, so there is no need to raise an official purchase order if you just want to try something out quickly.

Knowing the customer The company’s customer service team are made up of trained electricians and automation engineers who understand customer needs because it is only by employing highly trained engineers with real world experience in the industrial experience, that sound advice be given. Engineers are able to live chat or free phone at any time to speak to the support team about the right products for their application.

On top of that, having enough information before a purchase is important and that is why there is more than adequate product information for each product including technical data sheets, installation instructions and demonstration videos – this makes it easy for an engineer to find and select the right product first time.

Lead time is often critical for automation and process engineers, so LAPP Express offers real-time stock checking of all products, right down to the individual drum sizes that is

LAPP Express offers access to the latest technology innovations globally. in stock. The company offers cut-tolength cable with no cutting charges from a huge stocked cable range with over 1000 different options to choose from in quick time to minimise downtime – in roughly 1-4 days.

Users can quickly find and buy what they need using the intuitive search and find functionalities, rich technical product data, real time stock availability and online and telephone technical support.

Tracking searches LAPP Express’s digital site features Express Find, a menu function that brings up the all the previous product purchases that a customer has made – when it last purchased, the pricing and the current stock availability.

Compared to traditional search parameters, when reordering a repeat product, there would be a need to

drill down through all the product hierarchies again, and there could end up being a different product than the one that is looked for. But with this search function, the user knows this is the identical product that he or she had last time, and allows for one-click reordering saving time.

In addition, engineers can live track their order status online. The website has a portal where they can clearly see all orders, all shipments, and all invoices related to those shipments. For any delivery, the customer is able to see what date it was shipped from LAPP Express’s warehouse, and there is a tracking link which lets the customer know where their goods are and the expected delivery date.

LAPP Express Australia 1800 931 559 lappexpress.com.au

With extensive experience as a leading authorised supplier of electrical and automation products across Oceania, LAPP Express has now extended its online offer to customers in Australia

manmonthly.com.au

Manufacturers’ Monthly OCTOBER 2017 39

What’sNew

Thread and gasket sealants offering powerful performance HENKEL has developed three new innovative formulations that provide higher oil tolerance, greater temperature resistance, and improved curing on inactive metals such as stainless steel.

Loctite 567 and Loctite 577 Thread Sealants offer a reliable alternative to tapes and pastes, preventing leakage of fluids (gases/liquids). For more than 60 years, these thread sealants, have served industry, by increasing reliability and reducing unscheduled and costly downtime and equipment failure.

Both formulations offer improved performance under real-world production and maintenance conditions - better performance by enabling higher operating temperatures without leaks.

Loctite 577 is temperature resistant up to 180°C and Loctite 567 up to 250°C. By providing improved curing on inactive metals without an activator, this simplifies the application process with reduced costs.

Loctite 518 Gasket Sealant also cures through light surface contamination, provides greater flexibility and adhesion, and improved curing on inactive metals without a primer.

Loctite 518 is a semi-flexible, medium-strength anaerobic gasketing material, designed for use on iron, aluminium, and steel flanged flanges. It fills gaps up to 0.25 mm and forms a semi-flexible, chemical-resistant seal that will not tear or decay.

The new oil-tolerant formula ensures a more consistent, and higher strength cure under real-world production and maintenance conditions, improving quality and providing primerless curing on inactive metals, simplifying the application process and reducing costs.

Henkel Australia 1300 885 556 www.loctite.com.au/sealantupgrade

Scene 7.0 for efficient, real time 3D scan data

Designing workforce safety with Enware

THE unique value of Scene 7.0 can be realised by diverse industries, including architecture, engineering, construction and public safety or any industry where there is a premium placed on capturing/scanning, analysing and enhancing 3D data.

Previously, the process of taking an actual scan in the field, then transferring that scan to a computer workstation/PC to start using the data was a three-step process.

The project 3D scan data was stored on physical SD cards at the project site. Then the user would bring the SD card to the office and physically it into a workstation/ PC for download. Finally the scans, once all loaded from the SD cards, would be registered (i.e, logically integrated into a cohesive set of data points on the computer workstation/PC in the office and then the data would finally be ready for use).

Scene 7.0 supports a seamless, more efficient process. Real time, on-site registration enables the 3D scan data, whether it be from a single scan or multiple scans in process simultaneously, to be wirelessly transmitted (i.e, no SD cards needed) directly to an onsite computer workstation/PC in real time. Additionally, the scans are automatically aligned on the workstation/PC computer in real time, in the field. This enables a new set of powerful user benefits unrivalled in the industry

PERSONAL protective equipment is important – however, it’s the first response to an emergency that is so critical in minimising the impact.

Different sites, users and hazards may require specific and sometimes customised solutions to meet particular safety initiatives. There are many choices, and finding the one that is right for your workplace is critical.

Emergency safety showers assist in the rapid flushing of contaminants from the body. Eye and eye face washes are designed to provide a softer flush of the sensitive eyes and face. There are times when a combination of a shower and eye or eye/face wash will be needed. Enware can help you make the right decision.

When those all important seconds count, in some cases it may be necessary to have the option of a portable eye wash system close by until the injured employee can reach the first response emergency shower and eye wash station.

A customised solution may be needed to adapt to your specific work environments. If a user needs lighting, alarm systems or powder coating for corrosive environments, additional signage or specific outdoor installation requirements, Enware has a range of options to suit.

Faro Technologies +65 6511 1350 www.faro.com/sg

40 OCTOBER 2017 Manufacturers’ Monthly

Enware 1300 369 273 www.enware.com.au

manmonthly.com.au

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Futek and torque sensors for servo motors AT the heart of many automated assembly platforms and robots is an electric motor. If the motor is the heart, then the brain is the controller and closed loop control system.

However, the motor and controller is not completed without sensors to provide relevant control information and complete the control loop. These sensors would be the nerves. One of these nerves would be a torque sensor, but the torque sensor needs to have the necessary specifications to meet a system’s needs. To preliminarily determine the sensor’s specifications, there is a need to determine the maximum torque to be measured, the necessary system accuracy and determine the electrical interface requirements When selecting a torque sensor, the maximum torque needs to be determined and expected of the motor and/ or gear-head to produce. A common misconception is that the nominal or maximum continuous torque determines the maximum capacity, when in reality the nominal or maximum continuous torque does not take into consideration the potential for a motor to stall.

Since stall torque can be several orders of magnitude greater than nominal or continuous torque, you would damage or destroy the sensor in a stall scenario if you chose the nominal maximum torque.

Next there is a need to determine the accuracy of your torque sensor can be defined by the smallest amount of torque the sensor can reliably measure. If the minimum generated torque has not yet been determined for the system, then it is possible to determine the minimum torque using the torque gradient and minimum operating speed of the motor. For example, a servo motor that has a torque gradient of 0.017 mNm/RPM at 1000 RPM will have a minimum

operating torque of 0.017 Nm. This value would represent the system accuracy that would be necessary for selecting the proper torque sensor.

DAQ or PLC has specific signal inputs it can accept so the sensor solution must be able to output those signals. For instance, some systems can handle +/- 10 VDC or 4-20 mA, while other systems can handle mV/V or SPI signals.

Knowing what that the system supports will allow users to select a sensor that can interface with thesystem. However, if the sensor cannot produce the analog signals the DAQ or PLC supports, there is a need for an amplifier to bridge the gap. The amplifier, used for full bridge sensors with mV/V signal output, will convert a mV/V signal to voltage, current, or the correct signal for your DAQ or PLC. With the requirements of the DAQ and PLC in mind, it is easier to select the sensor and any supporting hardware needed.

Metromatics 07 3868-4255 www.metromatics.com.au

No-moving parts solutions for small line size flow measurement PLANT and process engineers who need accurate flow detection or measurement of air, gases, or liquids in smaller pipe sizes will find several diverse flow instrument solutions available from Fluid Components International (FCI).

Using advanced, ultra-reliable thermal dispersion flow measurement technology with no-moving parts, FCI’s ST75 series and ST100L air/gas flow meters and FLT93L flow switch provide ideal solutions for use in 0.25 to 2 inch (DN6 to DN50) pipe or tubing. They excel where low flows, wide-turndowns, dirty fluids, HazEx or harsh installations are among the applications factors.

FCI’s ST75 series air/gas flow meters are ideal for lines sizes from 6mm to 51mm.

Gas or air measurement accuracy is available up to 1 per cent of reading, ±0.5 per cent full scale. The ST75 Meters feature a wide 100:1 turndown and will measure from 0,01 to 950 NCMH depending on pipe size.

The meter’s electronics are housed in a rugged, IP67-rated enclosure with dual conduit ports in either NPT or M20 threading. The instrument comes standard with dual 4-20 mA outputs and a 500 Hz pulse output. The models ST75A and ST75AV include HART as well as NAMUR-compliant 4-20 mA outputs and a SIL compliance rating and two-year warranty. Global agency approvals for Div.1/Zone 1 HazEx installations include FM, FMc, ATEX, IECEx, EAC and more.

The ST100L air/gas flow meter is a next-generation instrument that combines feature- and electronics with advanced flow sensors. It is designed in a spool piece configuration in 25-50mm tubing, schedule 40 and schedule 80 piping.

It measures air/gas flows from 0.01 to 3,140 Nm3/h with superior accuracy to ± 0.75 per cent reading, ± 0.5 per cent full scale; and repeatability of ± 0.5 per cent reading.

Whether the plant’s output needs are traditional 4-20 mA analogue, frequency/ pulse or advanced digital bus communications such as HART, Foundation manmonthly.com.au

Fieldbus, Profibus, or Modbus, the ST100L is available with any of them. Its digital bus communications also are certified and registered devices with HART and Foundation Fieldbus.

Global approvals include: FM, FMc, ATEX, CE, CSA, IECEx, EAC, NEPSI and Inmetro. It SIL compliant and is an all-welded design to ensure no leakage when used with volatile gases like hydrogen.

AMS Instrumentation & Calibration 03-9017 8225, www.ams-ic.com.au

Manufacturers’ Monthly OCTOBER 2017 41

The Last WORD Putting together a sustainable plan for growth The state of Victoria sees the hospitality sector is an engine for growth for other developments which include regional development and infrastructure projects.

T

THE best leaders in government think ahead, identify sectors ripe for growth and commit to developing them and creating more jobs..

The State Government has such an opportunity in the coming Budget announcement to provide a significant boost in funding for Victoria’s thriving tourism, events and hospitality sector.

The Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry is advocating for this investment to build on the sector as a key driver of regional and state economic growth, exports and employment.

Each year, Victoria has more international visitors coming to Victoria, more money generated by tourism and more people employed in the tourism, events and hospitality sector.

Tourism means jobs, 210,000 of them, and the booming sector we have built in Victoria is revitalising our regional areas and pumping money into local communities and towns.

But the benefits of our tourism and events industry are not just economic. The sector also supports regional development, new infrastructure projects, offers skills development and training, state branding and promotion, social and community cohesion and innovation.

If the Victorian Government meets its target to have 320,700 people employed in tourism by 2024/25, this will only further build our regional hubs and spread gains evenly across the state.

But all of this can only be achieved if the Victorian Government puts a significant funding commitment in place.

The Victorian Chamber is calling for $23 million a year in new funding to go towards Visit Victoria activities, comprising $18 million for domestic and regional marketing campaigns for interstate and

42 OCTOBER 2017 Manufacturers’ Monthly

The Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry is pushing for the growth of certain sectors to create more jobs for its economy.

intrastate visitors and $5 million for international marketing campaigns.

Even though the Victorian tourism industry has performed well in the past year, with international visitors spending $6.7 billion last financial year, there are signs we are starting to fall behind other states.

If we continue a “Business as Usual” approach, we are likely to lag even further.

Tourism operators are competing in a market where spending is high, but if they want to grow their operations they must invest their profits back in their own businesses.

Victoria will face many challenges in the years ahead, with disruption from the Melbourne Metro Rail Tunnel project impacting traffic and ageing and poor infrastructure at some of the State’s most well-known tourist attractions.

If we are to overcome these trials the Government must provide a substantial boost in funding to support the Victorian Visitor Economy Strategy.

We must also be innovative and pursue fresh new ideas, such as reducing red tape, extending the CBD Free Tram Zone to include

the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre and the Southbank Arts Precinct and introducing a winter festival in the Yarra River precinct.

With these commitments in place, the good times in Victorian tourism will continue for years to come.

Mark Stone, Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chief Executive manmonthly.com.au

Best lintel bar none!

not all galvanised steel lintels are galintel

®

there’s only one Galintel® brand galvanised steel lintel and that’s the range that has been made here in Australia by nepean for over 40 years.

Many suppliers call their products galintels but there’s only one genuine GALINTEL® brand galvanised steel lintel available in Australia.

GALINTEL® brand lintels are only manufactured by NEPEAN Building & Infrastructure and are fully tested to meet Australian standards. Made using 100% Australian made steel from BlueScope, the GALINTEL® range is competitively priced and comes with a 25 year warranty backed by NEPEAN.

build with confidence. look for the genuine Galintel® range.

galintel.com.au

J-Bar™

RENDABAR®

SOLID BASE ANGLE

CAVI-t-bar™

MULTI-RIB T-BAR

traditional T-BAR

traditional angle

traditional Flat

Also available: Galintel Retaining Wall Posts

H-post – joiner

C-post – end

90° Corner post

45° Corner post

Low-cost level measurement.

Radar sensor for water management.

Reliable level measurement in water treatment facilities, pump stations and rain overflow basins.

Open channel flow measurement and water level monitoring.

VEGAPULS WL S 61 ▪ Measuring range up to 8 m

▪ Can be used outdoors without restriction ▪ Flood-proof IP 68 housing

▪ Operation via Bluetooth with Smartphone, tablet or PC

Further information: www.vega.com/wls61

Phone 1800 817 135