Developments

Autodesk and Siemens sign agreement to to help reduce manufacturers’ costs

AUSTRALIA, Mar. 2, 2016 — Autodesk and Siemens today announced an interoperability agreement aimed at helping manufacturers decrease the costs associated with incompatibility among product development software applications and avoid potential data integrity problems. Through this agreement, Autodesk and Siemens’ product lifecycle management (PLM) software businesses will take steps to significantly improve the interoperability between their companies’ respective software offerings. Today’s agreement brings together two computer-aided design (CAD) software leaders with the common goal of streamlining data sharing and reducing costs in organizations with multi-CAD environments. Today’s manufacturers are under increased pressure to get high quality products to market faster, with increased efficiencies and lower costs to the consumer. Many of these companies operate in environments consisting of various solutions from different CAD software vendors. These multi-CAD environments may exist internally between departments or externally with partners and supply chains. Interoperability among CAD software has therefore emerged as a critical issue for users of design and engineering software, and achieving it is a major challenge for manufacturers. This interoperability agreement announced today aims to decrease the overall effort and costs that are commonly associated with supporting these environments. In particular, interoperability between the offerings from Siemens and Autodesk will significantly improve the many situations where a combination of their software currently exists. Under the terms of the agreement, both companies will share toolkit technology and exchange end-user software applications to build and market interoperable products. “Interoperability is a major challenge for customers across the manufacturing industry, and Autodesk has been working diligently to create an increasingly open environment throughout our technology platforms,” said Lisa Campbell, vice president of Manufacturing Strategy and Marketing at Autodesk. “We understand that our customers use a mix of products in their workflow and providing them with the flexibility they need to get their jobs done […]

Australia’s bio-tech industries promise economic security

Australia’s future economic security depends on emerging technologies such as bio-manufacturing, says QUT Professor John Bell. “We have bemoaned the loss of Australia’s traditional manufacturing sector but we are on the cusp of a bright new era of high-value, high-skilled manufacturing,” said Professor Bell.“Bio-manufacturing includes technologies that produce sustainably derived and renewable feedstock and pharmaceuticals, and bio-remediation services. “The 3D bio-printing market, of which QUT is a leader, is estimated to be worth $3 billion by 2025. “We are finding more applications for industrial biotechnology and additive bio-manufacturing all the time and these processes are becoming more established internationally.” Professor Dietmar Hutmacher, from QUT’s Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, is a world authority on the 3D printing of replacement human tissue using bio-inks, a process known as additive bio-manufacturing. “Australia is already well ahead on research and development of medical bio-printing, a strong facet of this emerging ‘fourth industrial revolution’ of bio-manufacturing. “Additive bio-manufacturing will become a pillar of Australia’s advanced manufacturing landscape and we must ensure we have the expertise to continue our lead in this area,” Professor Hutmacher said. “It is a multi-disciplinary area requiring understanding of chemistry, physics, biology, medicine, robotics and computer science. “QUT has already partnered with the University Wollongong and universities in the Netherlands and Germany to offer the world’s first dual Master of Biofabrication and is taking applications for the second intake of young scientists keen to make bio-printing their career.” “MBD is an example of a firm using biological processes, in this case algae, to clean up wastewater from aquaculture. The algae are then used to manufacture a range of high value products ranging from fertilisers and feed to high value nutrition products. “Bioremediation services are growing into an important industry for Australia and one that is expanding rapidly into Asia. […]

Automation delivers five-fold increase in productivity

Faced with increased international competition and a steep drop in mining construction, Doyalson-based Kmar Engineering sought to automate its structural steel coping process. As a result, the company achieved a 500-percent increase in production, better finishes and dimensional tolerances, and the ability to produce a wider range of profiles, including pipe work. Located in Doyalson on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Kmar operates out of two factories processing beams, structural steel, tanks, silos, hoppers, ladders, walkways, platforms and much more. The business looks back at a 30-year history, mainly focusing on the mining industry. However, the recent steep drop in mining construction and pressures of both domestic and global competition have led company owner Peter Learmonth to change the way he thinks and the way he works. “Working smarter, concentrating your time on value-adding activities means obtaining greater manufacturing efficiencies and increased productivity,” he says. Kmar Engineering owner Peter Learmonth: “We’ve been doing a fair bit of pipe work since we installed the Metaltek XB machine, cutting all angles, custom shapes, creating weld preps, slots and bevels, […] that’s fairly unique to be able to do that automatically.” Kmar Engineering owner Peter Learmonth: “We’ve been doing a fair bit of pipe work since we installed the Metaltek XB machine, cutting all angles, custom shapes, creating weld preps, slots and bevels, […] that’s fairly unique to be able to do that automatically.” In face of intense competition to drive labour costs down and with the relentless pressure from the market to reduce lead times, Kmar decided it was time to automate their factory. “My aim was to provide steel work to the local market efficiently and cheaper than before,” Peter explains. “We decided to offer custom, versatile steel processing services in the short term to the steel suppliers themselves, […]

Delcam Star Prototype joint and socket PIC

PowerMILL chosen for new additive/subtractive service from Star Prototype

Delcam’s PowerMILL CAM software has been chosen for a new service from Star Prototype that combines additive and subtractive manufacturing. The new service, which Star Prototype calls AddSub Manufacturing, combines metal 3D printing and five-axis CNC machining to deliver quickly complex, low-volume components that would previously have required the input of two separate bureaux. British-owned Star Prototype has been based in Guandong Province, China, for over ten years, where it has been breaking manufacturing ground by using a combination of new technologies, including 3D printing, alongside their traditional counterparts like CNC machining to deliver top-quality parts for a host of applications. The company developed the new service after it identified a significant demand for a one-stop-shop for such components. “Many metal 3D printed parts are no longer used as prototypes but as complex low-volume manufactured components,” explained Gordon Styles, president of Star Prototype. “As a result, many of these parts need certain high-precision features that are virtually impossible to produce with 3D printing alone. Problems arise because most 3D printing companies don’t carry out secondary machining, meaning the customer needs to take care of the finishing work themselves or farm it out to a separate specialist machining bureau.” With the AddSub process, Star Prototype first uses its Renishaw AM250 3D printer to produce extremely dense, high complexity metal parts that are often not possible to produce using traditional machining techniques. The Renishaw equipment uses direct metal laser melting to produce components in titanium, stainless steel or aluminium. The resulting parts are then finish machined on a recently acquired Haas five-axis machine programmed with PowerMILL. Star Prototype sees this combination as being ideal for the production of mating faces, precision bores, tapped holes, spigots and other very necessary high-precision features. Whenever possible, the parts are built on the AM250 in […]

Waste water project demonstrates efficiency and OHS gains

High efficiency fine screening technology engineered to deliver low maintenance performance with reduced OHS hazards for municipal and industrial waste water schemes is demonstrating immediate results in one of its new applications. CST Wastewater Solutions has installed SCF screen extractor technology for the co-joined towns of Harden and Murrumburrah to improve the treatment system for a population of approximately 2,000 people. The SFC (screen press for channel installation) Screen Extractor is also suitable for applications such as food and beverage, manufacturing and processing, mining, energy and resources camps where its low maintenance /high hygiene qualities are appreciated, agribusiness, and remote installations where low maintenance high efficiency is a priority for users who don’t need to have specialist staff constantly available. SFC allows for a much finer level of screening – 5mm compared to the old system at 60mm – which has led to a significant reduction in solids in the tanks, more efficient treatment and less maintenance issues. The technology – designed to lower investment, operational and maintenance costs in screening of municipal and industrial waste water with compacting of extracted solids – has also cut the amount of maintenance and waste that has to be handled by plant operators, reducing operational health hazards and improving OHS performance. The same benefits are widely applicable to other industry and municipal applications, says Mr Michael Bambridge, Managing Director, CST Wastewater Solutions. “The fine screening at 5mm aperture made a significant difference within days of commissioning the screen extractor,” he says. “The existing system utilised manually coarse raked bar screens with a 60mm aperture which was both operator unfriendly and inefficient. Consequently, a large amount of the fine screenings passed into the downstream sedimentation tanks and trickling filters,” he said. “Not only are the tanks clearer and more efficient now, but the screen […]

C&P2015: Corrosion is not an asset

Corrosion has a major economic impact on industry and the wider community. How to manage this corrosion is a challenge for owners and managers of assets ranging from suburban industrial units through to oil and gas production platforms. The design, construction and operation of buildings, processing facilities and support infrastructure represent major investments by companies, organisations and governments. Corrosion will affect these at varying rates over time, depending on the material used, the types of corrosive agents in the environment and the physical processes and mechanisms involved. In order to promote a better understanding of corrosion, the Australasian Corrosion Association (ACA) will host the Corrosion and Prevention 2015 (C&P2015) Conference that allows all industry stakeholders to meet and discuss a wide range of topics. In one stream, asset and facility management and maintenance professionals will benefit from opportunities to hear presentations by, and speak with, corrosion specialists about the importance of design, operation and repair in corrosion control. The second stream will focus on the Oil & Gas industry with technical papers from a cross-section of the industry highlighting how costly corrosion can be for the sector. C&P2015 will be held in Adelaide between 15 – 18 November. Seminars and technical papers will provide opportunities to explore best practice in corrosion management, environmental protection techniques, public safety and economics. A panel of industry experts has been assembled by the ACA to discuss the challenges and the importance of maintaining vital infrastructure. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and debate the latest techniques and practices with representatives of water and port authorities, major national consulting companies, suppliers and companies including Santos and Chevron. The P F Thomson Memorial Lecture—the keynote address of every C&P Conference since 1951—will be delivered by Dr Robert Francis covering the latest research into galvanic […]

Australasian management strongly supports environmental initiatives

PIC CAP: CST Wastewater Solutions’ Managing Director Michael Bambridge who recently installed a GWE combined green energy and wastewater treatment plant for one of Australia’s major global beef processers, Oakey Beef Exports. (But wants a solution to the gap between promise and performance) A new study of Australiasian management attitudes towards environmental initiatives involving cleaner water and greener energy has found strongly increasing support among the people who are key to making such projects happen. The study, commissioned by CST Wastewater Solutions, finds industry is convinced about the potential financial viability of sustainable energy and water initiatives, if sanguine about the failure rate in Australia and New Zealand so far. The report, compiled by CST’s General Manager, Energy, Mr Andrew Boughton, is the result of 60 in-depth interviews with senior executives in industries such as food, beverage, agribusiness, processing, resources and energy, which have the greatest potential for new technologies such as wastewater-to-biogas being introduced to Australia by CST. The report shows respondents in Production, Engineering and Sustainability (PES) management have faith in the economics of sustainability investments, with over 90% disagreeing with the proposition, which is sometimes put, that sustainability is “never likely to be profitable”. “Yet for over 50% of end-users and two thirds of the consultants we interviewed, there is a “major gap” between the goals and outcomes of Sustainability, while nearly all end-users we interviewed in person believe there are “major shortcomings” or even “failures” in sustainable energy and water projects, particularly around financial payback. CFOs and engineering managers were particularly sceptical of “over-cooked” sustainability claims, and of vendors using ethical leverage – urging buyers to spend for the sake of the environment while ignoring their real business needs. The market, by contrast, feels the sustainability industry should become more cost-effective, and be sure that business gets […]

Wearply offers outstanding fatigue life in machinery and plant

PIC CAP: Wearply is used for applications ranging from vibratory conveyor leaf springs through to electrical motor, generator and transformer components; insulated rail joints, and minerals processing components. A hugely durable reinforced plastic composite that weighs less than aluminium but has up to 10 times the specific strength of 1020 steel is being offered by Cut to Size Plastics for demanding mining and energy, materials handling, electrical and rail applications. Wearply reinforced plastic composite – which can withstand millions of stress cycles at 1400 bar (20,000 psi) without fatigue failure – is used to optimise design and performance of machinery and plant components in which performance and reliability is vital including. • Vibratory conveyor, feeder, screening and materials handling technology • Insulated rail jointing – food and primary product processing • Automotive and vehicle suspension components • Flexible couplings that can transmit torque even when shafts are misaligned • Electrical motor, generating and transformer products Wearply derives its enormous strength, performance and durability from epoxy resins reinforced with continuously aligned, non-woven filaments. This allows plies to be laid so reinforcement is oriented to give greater strength and stiffness in the direction, or directions, in which it is most needed. Parallel filaments resist the stress abrasion that can shorten the fatigue life in conventional reinforced plastics, says Cut To Size Plastics Managing Director Mr Laurie Green. “This advanced engineering material is winning the attention of machinery designers globally for its superior performance in a huge range of applications, from vibratory machinery in minerals and primary production processing to its hygienic, highly resilient high insulation properties in food and beverage plant and electrical applications. The same qualities that make it suitable for advanced aerospace and medical applications – such as helicopter blades and MRI equipment – mean it can be employed with confidence […]

Character Group Architects a Lean Future with Promapp

Sydney – Character Cabinets and Stone with Character, part of the Character Group, a leading WA-based suppliers of cabinetry and stone benchtop products to the new building construction and home renovation market, has selected Promapp cloud-based process management software to underpin continuous improvement within the business. The Character Group has over 20 years’ experience in the West Australian housing and renovation scene and aims to exceed customer expectations by consistently delivering quality products on time and providing real value for money. As part of this strategy, the company strives to improve the clarity, accessibility and consistent execution of processes across the business and has in recent years embedded a culture of continuous improvement among its employees. Historically, the Character Group has captured its value stream processes and standard work in Excel and Visio in order to support the manufacture and delivery of its custom made kitchens, bathrooms, laundries and stone benchtops. However, with a major focus on driving innovation, remaining competitive and providing the highest quality manufacturing in the industry, the company decided to deploy lean management principles across its operations. “We quickly identified that though we had excellent technology and people, our processes were not getting the attention they deserved to take us to another level in supporting both efficiency and company growth,” says Daniel Giles, Lean Operations Facilitator, Character Group. “Following extensive evaluation, we realised that a solution such as Promapp could help us manage our knowledge and support a drive for continuous improvement so that our customers ultimately wouldn’t consider going anywhere else.” Promapp will help the Character Group to standardise production to one piece flow throughout its operations, enabling the company to effectively manage customer leads, shorten production times, speed up invoicing and improve cash flow. One piece flow lean management enables manufacturers to replace batch […]

Power TechED unlocked technology challenges

Power TechED, Rockwell Automation’s inaugural educational event focussing on power and energy, was held in September at the Gold Coast Convention Centre, Queensland. Advances in technologies such as the Internet of Things, are enabling machines to get smarter and meet end users networking, integration, diagnostics and intelligence demands. Power and energy applications are no exception. Motors and drives are gaining improved integration and connectivity. Energy monitoring and efficiency technologies are advancing their real time data capabilities and mobility. To remain competitive, organisations need to keep informed of the latest technology advances. “Power TechED was an educational event that fills a gap in the market by covering the power centric industries and applications, said Matthew Treeby, commercial marketing manager at Rockwell Automation. “Featuring hands-on labs, workshops and presentations, Power TechED appealed to people from a wide variety of industries such as food & beverage and manufacturing through to mining and heavy industries, all under the one roof,” he explained. Attendees chose from four streams of learning: Intelligence, Industry, Power Quality & Energy and Safety & Motion. Experts from a wide range of industries were on hand to share experience on electrical standards, industry applications and new innovations. “The agenda specifically addressed evolving trends and technology in this space. One example is the opportunity to leverage the intelligence that already exists in many “smart” motor control and energy devices today. This information can deliver real actionable insights provided it reaches the right people but it also creates a skills gap where traditional power engineers and electricians need to be aware of networking and automation,” said Treeby. “Power TechEd offered hands on Ethernet networking and automation workshops to assist users update their skills in these areas. This allows organisations to leverage real time decision making for improved productivity.” Power TechED is a collaborative […]

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