Manufacturing Technology

Wefapress food grade plastics conform to global food and hygiene regulations

Plastics used in food preparation and processing areas need to conform to a special set of regulations, to ensure that all food they come in contact with remains safe to eat. To optimise food equipment hygiene compliance, engineering plastics leader Cut To Size Plastics is introducing the globally proven Wefapress Beck + Co. GmbH Food Secure Products (FSP) range to Australia and New Zealand. The FSP range has been certified to EU Regulation 10/2011, which is among the strictest standards in the world. EU Regulation 10/2011 covers areas such as starting substances, production aids, migration tests, declaration of conformity, traceability and good manufacturing practice. “Because these plastics meet all the requirements of the EU standards, which are some of the strictest globally, they set a very high standard locally for food safe materials,” said Mr Laurie Green, Managing Director, Cut To Size Plastics, which has been distributing plastics from leading German supplier, Wefapress, for decades. Work in the food industry is subject to strict hygiene standards that also apply in interaction with plastics. Plastics in this segment must be physiologically harmless in order to come in contact with food. This not only protects the health of the consumer, but also the composition of the food and its organoleptic properties. Wefapress has been a leader in food safety for decades. When the latest regulations came out, some of the items considered to be new standards of best-practice had been a matter of course for them for many years already. Key elements of Food Secure compliance Regulations around what materials can be used on food preparation surfaces and equipment centre around five key points: List of starting substances and production aids. Defines the materials to be used for production: Authorised are only the starting substances and production aids from the ‘Union List’ […]

Go-anywhere cylinders offer extraordinary power-to-weight

Global advanced industrial tools and services leader, Enerpac, is extending the versatility of its RAC-Series lightweight aluminium cylinder range, with new 10t and 15t models for smaller lifts requiring outstanding portability and power-to-weight ratios. The cylinders, with strokes from 50-250mm, weigh from just 1.3-2.0kg for the new 10-ton models and 1.9-2.9kg for the new 15-ton models, through to a maximum of 41.3 kg for the range-topping 150-ton models. “The new 10t and 15t models, which further extend the range, are particularly useful for maintenance tasks, and in situations where they need to be moved from job to job,” says Enerpac Asia-Pacific Marketing Manager, Mr Tony Cooper. The RAC-Series has been proven globally for years on lifts between 20 and 150 tonnes, where it provides the same lifting performance and safety in half the weight of equivalent steel hydraulic cylinders. Frequently used in workshops, fabrication and manufacturing applications, Enerpac’s range of RAC single-acting, spring return aluminium cylinders are one of the most widely used ranges in Australasia. “Cylinders often need to be carried for field maintenance, elevated platform work, up stairs or across processing plants. The light weight and outstanding portability of the RAC-Series cylinders are highly valuable in these situations, especially on remote sites, where they may need to be carried in by air or 4wd,” says Mr Cooper. The aluminium versions are also perfect for mounting on machines or applications where the weight of the hydraulic components is important. Because of their weight, aluminium hydraulic components can be more easily moved or removed for maintenance and repair. Their non-magnetic properties can also be useful in uses around high technology, equipment and magnetically or electronically sensitive instruments and applications in resources, processing and exploration. “Additionally, because it is non-corrosive by design, aluminium has always been a good material for use […]

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 […]

Aus-needs-more-women-engineers-Aus-MN-website

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 […]

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 […]

Getac Select delivers specialised solutions

Getac has announced the launch of its new Getac Select program to the Australia market, offering a fast and reliable way for customers to solve complex IT challenges. Getac Select combines carefully chosen, pre-configured rugged devices, software, accessories and professional services into a series of specialised solutions, optimised for individual applications and user groups. Each solution draws on extensive customer feedback and Getac’s deep industry experience to create particularly advantageous combinations of products and services that can’t be found anywhere else as a single offering. Since its foundation 30 years ago, Getac has established a proven track record of working closely with customers, helping them to overcome the business/operational challenges they face and delivering complete satisfaction. At the C-level, this means using strategic IT investment to optimise business performance against strict budgets. For IT managers, it’s efficient operations, comprehensive device management and fast repair times, resulting in low total cost of ownership. For end users, it’s having powerful devices and accessories they can rely on even in the toughest working environments. In recent years, these challenges have increasingly required unique product and/or software configurations not available off the shelf, making procurement more difficult and often involving compromises. Getac Select eliminates this by enabling customers and partners to quickly obtain complete, pre-configured solutions to their specific industry challenges, all from a single, central source. A clear structure helps guide them to the right solution for their needs, containing all the necessary devices, software, accessories and professional services required. This streamlined approach means customers also benefit from optimal product availability and fast delivery times, with all devices thoroughly tested and certified to ensure the high-quality standards they expect from Getac. The launch of the Getac Select program in Australia provides users access to devices that have been carefully chosen and pre-configured, optimised […]

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