January 2020

Ultrasonic flaw detectors with interactive technology

The new WAVE Flaw detector from Sonatest employs interactive scan plan technology that allows the you to map the geometry of the part to be inspected and see the path of the ultrasonic beam through the material by overlaying it onto the scan plan. All the useful parameters can be pre-set and recalled in two clicks. The fact that the parameters can be set by supervisors over a wireless network and not altered by operators makes for good integrity of data which is easily recalled and analysed. The unit’s features include Gates, DAC/Split DAC, TCG, AVG/DGS, AWS, API, CSC, TKY & Complex Shapes (all as standard), as well as WiFi, Audio Recording and an 10 hour battery life. Unlike the touchscreens used in older flaw detectors, the WAVE’s UTouch technology works well through rubber gloves and is even able to make the distinction between a finger and couplant. Being only 1.7kg and IP67 rated with a 7” wide (1024x 600 resolution) screen makes the Wave an exceptional unit. The ability to track and show beam path is an excellent feature for training in ultrasonics so it is clear where the beam path is travelling. The unique Curved Surface Correction function makes this a very special ultrasonic set with unmatched functions and features.

Australian Iot company buddy’s up with major lighting manufacturer

Buddy Technologies Limited has licensed its software suite to Hong Kong-based Eastfield Lighting as part of a 10-year multi-product agreement. The agreement provides for a non-refundable payment of US$250,000 to initiate the arrangement, and further provides for a license fee per piece of manufactured product powered by Buddy’s LIFX platform. Buddy listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) in December 2015 and established its Australian headquarters in Adelaide, South Australia in 2016. It announced the acquisition of smart lighting technology company, LIFX, earlier this year. Eastfield is a prominent manufacturer of lighting products in southeast China, manufacturing well in excess of 10 million lights per year, including the company’s LIFX brand of smart lights. Buddy’s founder and Chief Executive Officer David McLauchlan spent 15 years working for Microsoft in Seattle, founding Buddy Platform, and acting as an advisor to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation before moving to South Australia. In addition to manufacturing consumer lighting products, Eastfield is also a prominent manufacturer of high bay lighting, outdoor lighting, streetlights and other commercial products. “Having spent a lot of time at Eastfield’s factory in Shenzhen and seeing the vast scale at which they manufacture lighting products, I’m delighted to have the opportunity to work with Eastfield on making their products smart, and delivering even greater value to their customers globally,” McLauchlan said. “The fastest way for us to place our technologies into some of the most prominent brands and products in the world, is to do so via partnerships with their manufacturers such as this. “This agreement is a big win for our commercial licensing team and for future customers of Eastfield’s lighting products.” Buddy’s consumer business trades under the LIFX brand and has established a leading market position as a provider of smart lighting solutions. The company’s suite of Wi-Fi […]

sonnen receives Australia’s Research and Development Investment Award

sonnen has won an award from The Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment (MTTI) for its direct investment in Elizabeth, South Australia to manufacture sonnenBatteries bringing new skills and capabilities to Australia and creating export opportunities for its home batteries to Asia Pacific. sonnen received the Research & Development Investment Award at the 57th Australian Export Awards in Canberra. The Investment Award pays tribute to an international company or joint venture that has made an enduring contribution to the Australian economy through creating or safeguarding jobs, cultivating innovation or developing new industry capability in Australia, facilitating the expansion of Australian industry within global supply chains and making a difference to the local community. Nathan Dunn, CEO of sonnen Asia Pacific said, “We are honoured to receive the Research & Development Investment Award. sonnen established a manufacturing facility at the former Holden factory as it provided a perfect opportunity for us to leverage the skills that South Australia has built in its workforce for manufacturing. We’ve hired former Holden employees and equipped them with new skills and jobs to build a cleantech manufacturing industry right here in Australia.” “As part of our commitment to innovation, we have created a small research and development team in South Australia that looks into how we are adapting sonnenBatteries for deployment in Australia and to support the rollout of Virtual Power Plants. With the growth in the adoption of rooftop solar, we have the capacity to export sonnenBatteries to Asia Pacific creating new economic opportunities for our country.” sonnen commenced the manufacturing of home batteries in November 2018 and it produces sonnenBatteries that are installed in Australia and exported to New Zealand. sonnen’s home batteries are certified Australian Made and recognised by the South Australian Office of the Industry Advocate (OAIC) as a manufacturer of […]

Nulon manufacturing moves to Fuchs Sunshine and Beresfield plants

Fuchs has made the decision to move the manufacturing of iconic Australian brand Nulon to its world class production facilities in Sunshine (Victoria) and Beresfield (NSW). Wayne Hoiles, Managing Director Fuchs Australasia said: “We are investing $4m to upgrade these two facilities to manufacture Nulon products and engine coolants with a greater level of automation.” The business is also investing over $1m in new IT systems and technology which will make working with them even more seamless. “The move means that we will have greater capacity to increase production volume and allows Nulon improved scope to deliver innovative new products to the market. We will remain the only automotive fluids supplier who is manufacturing lubricants, additives, greases and engine coolants in Australia,” he said. Customers will further benefit from Fuchs global technology and local manufacturing capabilities. Utilising the decades of manufacturing experience within both Nulon and Fuchs, all Nulon products will benefit from world best practice production standards and customers will continue to receive best in breed products that their consumers rely on them to provide. “We are committed to manufacturing Nulon products in Australia and will continue to market Nulon as a separate iconic Australian brand,” Mr Hoiles added.

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Australia needs more women engineers

Lisa Harvey-SmithProfessor and Australian Government’s Women in STEM Ambassador, UNSW Engineering skills underpin the functioning of our societies and economies. As we face the global challenges presented by a changing climate, food and water scarcity, loss of biodiversity and globalisation, these skills will only become more important. In Australia, we have a high demand for qualified engineers but we train relatively few compared with similar industrialised nations. As a consequence, about half of Australia’s engineers come from other countries. While skilled migration is an important and largely positive element of our economy, relying on skilled workers from overseas could leave us vulnerable to factors outside our control. Extending the talent pool One part of the engineering pipeline problem is the lack of diversity in those who engage with the subject. Industry values diversity because it boosts innovation and improves financial performance. Despite numerous outreach and engagement programs and initiatives, however, only a small fraction of undergraduate engineering students are women. In vocational training, the number is less than one in ten; at universities it’s around one in six. This enormous disparity means women are missing out on designing the future. It also means that engineering challenges are being tackled from a narrow set of perspectives. A search for new ideas In 2019 the deans of engineering at Monash University, the Australian National University and the University of New South Wales created the Engineering for Australia Taskforce. The goal of the taskforce is to find ways to boost the numbers of women applying for university engineering programs. The taskforce has two major concerns. First, engineering enrolments do not reflect the diversity of the Australian population, particularly gender diversity. Second, engineering has a low visibility in schools and society in general. Today, the taskforce launched a new report that explores what factors affect girls’ participation in […]

Eaton announces appointments to ANZ senior leadership team

Power management company, Eaton today announced an expansion to its senior leadership team in Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) with two new appointments. Mark Anning appointed General Manager, Circuit Protection and Control (CPC) and Kevin Nesdale appointed General Manager, Power Distribution Systems and Services (PDSS). Dan Agnew, Managing Director of Eaton ANZ said the appointments strengthen Eaton’s power distribution offering as it focuses on meeting growing demand for products, systems and engineering services that deliver safe, reliable and sustainable power. “With energy requirements continuing to transform across the entire power train and in most communities across the region, it is critical that we continue to work closely with our customers and channel partners to help customers solve challenges and invest for the future.” Based in Melbourne, Mark Anning will build on his previous role at Eaton which saw him revamp and significantly expand the Power Distribution Partner Program. Prior to joining Eaton in 2017, Mark spent 10 years at ABB in sales and channel management roles. “Mark brings an incredible amount of experience to the role and a deep understanding of the electrical channel. He will continue to grow the Power Distribution Partner Program and drive market growth across Eaton’s circuit protection and control products including our xEnergy switchgear which will play a vital role as the AS/NZS 61439 standard is mandated in 2021.” Based in Sydney, Kevin Nesdale brings more than two decades of technical and leadership expertise from his previous roles with Eaton, Cooper Power Systems, Eaton & electrical utilities. Working with Australia and New Zealand’s leading utilities and other MV customers, Kevin is focused on delivering power systems that help support energy transformation being driven by renewable energy, affordability and reliability. “Kevin (pictured above) will lead our Power Distribution Systems and Services team which includes our Cooper […]

BHP South Flank Project commences ore handling plant construction

Iron ore handling plant in Pilbara region of Western Australia. Fluor Corporation has achieved a significant milestone on BHP’s US$3.6 billion South Flank iron ore project, erecting the first 1,500 tons of modules in the ore handling plant. This construction milestone is in the critical sequence to first ore and comes following achievement of 50 percent project completion, announced by BHP in October 2019. Fluor is providing engineering, procurement and construction management services on South Flank, which is located in the remote Pilbara region of Western Australia. When operational, South Flank will be one of the largest iron ore processing hubs in the world. The project will include an 80-million-ton-per-year crushing and screening plant, an overland conveyor system and rail-loading facilities. South Flank engineering and procurement work is being performed from BHP’s office in Perth, with Fluor working together with BHP as an integrated project team. “We are extremely proud of what we have been able to accomplish with BHP on this project including our commitment to achieve diversity through the hiring of indigenous and local team members,” said Tony Morgan, president of Fluor’s Mining and Metals business. “The pioneering integrated team approach on this project is truly a collaborative effort. We look forward to continuing our long and successful relationship with BHP on this project and beyond.” “The project team has worked extremely hard to get the project to this position,” said Richard Gerspacher, project director. “Based on the project routines and culture we’ve created, I am confident that the project will continue to proceed in a positive manner as we work towards first ore.” Fluor previously performed the feasibility study for the project before it was awarded the follow-on construction and project management scope. Over the life of the project, it is expected that more than 9,000 people will […]

Lightweight spectroscopic camera automates colour Inspections

Epson has developed a compact, lightweight spectroscopic camera that can be integrated in manufacturing lines. The company will launch its first spectroscopic camera, one that captures light across the visible spectrum, in the 2020 fiscal year ending March 2021. Differences in colour can occur between products in different production lots in ordinary manufacturing processes. A spectroscopic camera can be used by manufacturers to perform the following inspections to control these differences to a certain extent and ensure product quality: Colour variation inspections Surface coating inspections The RGB cameras currently used in these inspections are unable to capture detailed colour information and are not always able to distinguish between subtle differences in colour. Consequently, most visual inspections relied on human colour perception. However, colour perception varies among individuals, and human error puts manufacturers at risk of shipping defective goods. Time and cost constraints make colour management an issue in many industries. Spectroscopic cameras have traditionally been large and expensive, and those equipped with line sensors may have to composite images after scanning, adding to the time and expense. Epson has developed an optimal solution for colour management processes with a compact, lightweight spectroscopic camera that can be integrated into manufacturing lines, that can automate and quantify inspections, and output images without the time and trouble of compositing. This spectroscopic camera will enable manufacturers to manage colour in their manufacturing processes more easily than ever before. Features About the same compactness and weight as an RGB camera. Can be installed in manufacturing lines. Integral field spectroscopy. Can focus on an area, measure the colours, and distinguish colours of a target object within the visible light range. Image processing functions needed on manufacturing lines can be used along with spectral imaging functions.

Hydraulink’s Trans-Tasman motorcycle marvels chase a dream

A Trans-Tasman team of keen motorcyclists from hydraulic hose and fittings organisation, Hydraulink, put their company’s ‘can do’ work ethic into practice recently in an off-road odyssey to see the Moto GP at Phillip Island. Hydraulink Campbelltown Principal Jeff McCoskery and Australian colleagues Lyndon Heffernan, Chris Greet and Chris Cater decided to show a good time to their Hydraulink New Zealand counterparts – Principal Bruce Andrew and his son Nick from Hydraulink Tauranga – during their visit over the Tasman to Western Sydney, to travel together to see the races 1,000km away. To make things even more interesting, Jeff decided not to stick to the tarmac highways and byways, but to do as much of the trip as possible charging through fire trails, dirt roads and dense, often nearly invisible, bushland tracks, then overnighting at character-filled local country pubs. The Hydraulink adventurers set out from Campbelltown, bound for the highway and whatever came their way, off-road. The cherry on top of an already unforgettable trip was being accompanied by champion riders Chris Cater and Lyndon Heffernan – who was a motor cross and Enduro champ in the 1990s – and now runs guided adventure trail tours organisation ‘Detour’, as well as the Yamaha off-road riding academy. Chris is a well-known champ whose achievements date from the 1980s. “We decided to take the two Hydraulink Kiwis on an off-road adventure they wouldn’t forget in too much of a hurry,” said Jeff McCoskery, who enjoys the strong camaraderie that exists among the Hydraulink staff throughout over 400 service points throughout New Zealand and Australia, including some of the countries’ most rugged territory, where they have to go to deliver their hydraulic hose, fittings and mobile service to customers needing it in the bush or in the Outback. This trip was even harder […]

Harting solutions for the machine building industry

The Harting Technology Group accompanies you through technological transformations. Innovative components, consultants, services and systems help guide customers into the digital future. As a single-source solution, the company offers everything from individual components to custom-fit systems. Harting is advancing the digitalisation of the machine building industry with innovative, scalable interface solutions for all types of power, signal or data connections in machinery. These solutions can take advantage of demands in practically any industrial sub-segment. Selected machines in the key sub-segments of the machine building industry are catered for and advice offered for configuring interfaces for power, signal or data The solutions are well suited for use in other sub-segments – if the application requirements and the applicable standards are comparable. Typical machines that use Harting solutions include: Plastics and rubber machinery Printing machines and machines for print finishing Metal-forming machines (including punching and laser machines) Metal-working machine tools Wood-working machinery Machines that produce semiconductors Food processing and packaging machinery Robotics Handling and assembly Electric cranes Mobile machines Han-Modular – The market standard for modular connectors With the Han-Modular series, you can optimally design connectors to supply machinery and equipment. This is made possible by combining individual modules for different transmission media. Signals, data, power and compressed air – in standard-sized industrial connector housings. Han-Modular offers easy-to-handle, highly flexible solutions with a small footprint and versatile functionality. Hygienic and robust: Connectors for the food industry With Han F+B, Harting has created a range of connectors especially designed for the requirements of the food industry. Smooth surfaces make it harder for bacteria to accumulate. The hoods, housings and seals are robust and protect the internal contacts against hose water and aggressive cleaning agents. Hygiene and safety are particularly important in food processing. Machines and equipment must be designed so that they are […]

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January 2020