Manufacturing Technology

Letting our capes fly: Why engineers are awesome

This glimpse of the future was crafted by: Michelle Doolan You don’t have to sit a 5-year old down and teach her the physical and psychological benefits of building forts. Chances are she has wrecked your lounge many times before. Written into the defaults of our DNA is the impulse to create ̶ to bring something that never was into being. Take away the plastic weapons of mass destruction from your toy box, and watch your toddler turn his peanut butter sandwich into a gun. Beach sand becomes castles; snow days invite igloos; the world is a wonderful palette that kids just intuitively want to paint on. Essentially, the engineer is hidden inside all of us. The question for us engineers who still hold the title is, are we still living like one? Because we may need to be reminded from time to time, the job of an engineer is a great one. By comparison to some of the other professions, engineering is often not seen as the “cool” one. TV shows like LA Law and Boston Legal glamorise legal eagles battling it out in high profile court cases. ER, House and Scrubs bring the world of medicine into our living rooms. Even Grand Designs puts architecture on a pedestal. Isn’t it about time that TV producers got in touch with the profession that is shaping the future world we live in like no other? As a discipline, it lies at the very fabric of our society, shouldering the systems and spaces that give our world its meaning. Too often the profession is associated with hard hats and tool belts, viewed as difficult and esoteric. But in reality, engineering is a far cry from ‘restrictive’ and ‘routine’. It is alive and multidimensional, unleashing the power of connected societies to unlock […]

Metso partners with RA to create IoT solutions for mining

Metso has selected Rockwell Automation to deliver a global industrial Internet of Things (IoT) platform that connects, monitors and performs analytics for Metso’s equipment and services, resulting in improved efficiency and profitability for its mining and aggregates customers.  The digital solution will securely collect and store data from Metso’s equipment around the globe, including new equipment and machines already in operation. The solution will provide predictive analytics and preventive maintenance, and facilitate remote asset monitoring by Metso and its customers. The industrial IoT solution is built on the FactoryTalk Cloud platform from Rockwell Automation, powered by Microsoft Azure. Rockwell Automation and Microsoft have long collaborated on solutions required for industrial digital transformation. The Metso solution is a direct result of these efforts.   “For our mining and aggregates customers, access to real-time data enables higher uptime, faster and safer shutdowns, and ultimately more tonnage processed at lower cost. Enabled by an industrial IoT platform from Rockwell Automation and global coverage with Microsoft Azure’s data centres, Metso can deliver analysed equipment data into the hands of its customers for advanced decision-making,” says Jani Puroranta, chief digital officer, Metso.   Metso began working with Rockwell Automation on a pilot program in 2015, remotely monitoring an African-based mining crusher from a location in Wisconsin. Metso was immediately able to use the data collected to identify opportunities for improvements in machine performance. The quality of the solution and support Rockwell Automation provided during the pilot gave Metso confidence that a broader implementation of the industrial IoT platform would drive the results it was seeking on a global scale. “Metso has an inspiring vision to deliver powerful analytics and information solutions in mining and aggregates that will drive business results for customers,” said Blake Moret, president […]

Medical devices give hope to traditional manufacturers

By Caleb Radford Manufacturing companies in Australia are finding niches in the medical technologies sector as their traditional markets of mining and automotive diminish. Lower production costs and more robust large-scale capabilities offshore are playing a major role in the exit of mining and automotive component manufacturers from Australia. However, industry and government support have helped some firms evolve their advanced manufacturing skills and enter the medical device market. Medical device production in Australia has grown by 1.3 per cent annually since 2012 and is now valued at AU$3 billion a year according to IBISWorld. South Australia is emerging as a hub for the medical devices industry and is home to the Tonsley Innovation Hub and the Adelaide BioMed City precinct, a $3 billion tripartite health hub comprising a major hospital, research centres and educational institutions. The Tonsley hub is located on the site of a former Mitsubishi car manufacturing plant and major tenants include medical device manufacturer Micro-X, Siemens and ZEN Energy. International optical and optoelectronics firm ZEISS is also about to move into a new $6 million premises at the hub. The downturn in world commodity prices has forced South Australian company Plastico and Hackett Engineering to shift its focus from mineral analysis equipment development to components for orthopaedic implants. The company first dabbled in medical devices in 2014 but has now decided to make it a major focus following collaboration with another Adelaide-based firm, Austofix. Plastico and Hackett Managing Director David Schiller said 20 years’ experience making mining components had it well placed to succeed in the medical field. “The decline of the mining industry in Australia has forced us to look at other things,” he said. “China seems to be commanding a large chunk of the mining components manufacturing and we have seen our business move […]

Australia’s first certified flame-retardant polyurea coating

The economic impact of corrosion is often exacerbated in harsh climatic environments and in workplaces with heavy traffic wear from operation of large vehicles and equipment. Excessive moisture, heat and abrasion can accelerate the deterioration of machinery, vehicles and assets. Applying a protective surface coating is one way of minimising or reducing the effect. One coating material for harsh conditions—including those in a combat zone—supplied by Rhino Linings Australia (RLA) is Rhino Extreme 11-50 FR. While the material has been available for several years, it was only late in 2016 that the fire resistant nature of the product received certification. RLA’s Technical Manager, Robert Idzes, said “The formal certification of Rhino Extreme 11-50 FR has opened up a range of new opportunities for industrial and commercial applications of the product.” The spray-applied pure polyurea is suitable for any application, such as a fuel bund—secondary containment area—that requires a fire resistant surface. Historically, bunds have been constructed of concrete or brick, but in recent years have been coated with a spray-applied pure polyurea or welded plastic liner to prevent leaks. Fire is a potential hazard if a leak does occur, especially where fuel, sodium hydroxide, sulphuric acid and other highly flammable materials are stored. The flame resistant properties of Rhino Extreme 11-50 FR significantly reduces the burn rate allowing safety officers and staff time to extinguish the flames before major damage is caused to the liner or catastrophic failure occurs. “The Rhino Extreme 11-50 FR is the latest Flame Retardant product to meet US Federal Aviation Regulation 25 (FAR 25) Flammability testing for aircraft,” said Denis Baker, Special Projects Engineer at RLA. “In addition, it also meets UL 94, which is another high standard at the moment for coatings.” The FAR 25.853 tests the self-extinguishing performance of materials under fire conditions. […]

Three quarters of Australian manufacturers plan to invest in automation

Robotics most popular type of automation chosen for future investment among Australian manufacturers Universal Robots, the Danish pioneer of human-robot collaboration, has released the results of a survey, which canvassed the views of members of various online groups dedicated to communicating with the Australian manufacturing community. These groups include; the Australian Manufacturers Forum, the Australian Furniture Association Industry Forum, the First 500 group of SME business owners, the Australian Advanced Manufacturing Council and The AiG Australian Manufacturing LinkedIn group. The results showed three quarters of respondents were looking to invest in automation in the future, suggesting an increasing focus on innovation within the Australian manufacturing industry, backed by continued growth[1] and business confidence. Amongst those respondents looking to invest in automation, an overwhelming majority (57 per cent) plan to invest in robotic solutions in the future, while 36 per cent plan to invest in automation via materials handling. A quarter of respondents plan to spend on Internet of Things solutions, while just over one fifth will invest in on logistics. Universal Robots’ results reinforce recent research from Telsyte, which found that one in three organisations intend to use robotics and 25 per cent of large organisations are already using Robotic Process Automation[2]. According to the findings, the top reasons for Australian manufacturers to automate processes include; improving business efficiency, reducing production time, improving quality, reducing staff costs and freeing up staff to work on value add tasks, as well as to satisfy growing orders. “In the face of high local labour costs and the need to drive efficiencies, automating processes is now considered essential in order to compete both on a regional and international level,” said Shermine Gotfredsen, General Manager, Universal Robots, Southeast Asia & Oceania. While the vast majority of Australian manufacturers are confident in their business growth and […]

FactoryTalk Batch software introduces modern approaches

Industrial producers with batch applications can now create more flexible, reliable and productive operations with the latest release of FactoryTalk Batch software from Rockwell Automation. The software enhances scalability and responsive control of distributed, skid-level phases with the integrity of plant-level coordination, whilst delivering an improved, reliable user experience with built-in mobility. “Rather than trying to force-fit applications into rigid batch control systems, producers can now customise a modern batch system to their application’s needs,” said Dan UpDyke, Product Manager, Rockwell Automation. “These enhancements give batch producers greater flexibility when designing, operating and expanding batch systems. They also enable producers to use mobile devices for a more intuitive experience and improved workflows.” Integration with the SequenceManager solution from Rockwell Automation enables batch sequencing to occur at either the controller or server level. This allows machine builders to develop and deliver fully tested skids that end users can integrate into their batch process with minimal validation and commissioning effort. It also minimises the rework required when manufacturers with small, controller-based batch systems expand to larger, server-based batch systems. New mobile support can help create intuitive workflows, reduce procedural steps and increase collaboration. With mobile devices, workers no longer need to be bound to control rooms and fixed terminals. Instead, they can access real-time information, interact with processes and secure approvals from anywhere in a plant. A modern web interface also helps reduce the number of clicks required to access information.

Combining Forces Means Stronger Land Vehicles

Two South Australian companies are proving the strength that comes with combining forces, teaming up to win a contract that will see them help develop the future of Australia’s land defence force. Rugged hardware developer APC Technology and mission software designer Acacia Research have won a contract to develop systems for the national LAND 400 initiative to build Australia’s next generation of armoured fighting vehicles. Managing Director of APC Technology Scott Begbie said the joint effort would allow both companies to build upon each other’s strengths. “APC has extensive experience supplying hardware solutions into the defence area, and Acacia Research have very efficient software that requires minimal computer resources,” he said. “Therefore, combined solutions can be provided that minimise heat generation, volume and weight in systems, which are always important issues in military applications. “This is an example of what can be achieved by the use of innovative Australian technology.” “This is the culmination of independent Australian development that enables us to collectively compete with anyone in the arena.” The two companies will jointly develop both hardware and software for the new mission systems, which are aimed to serve all needs in terms of command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR). While the system is being designed specifically for the LAND 400 system, once complete the technology will be usable by a variety of defence projects. “The combined solutions we develop are applicable in the C4ISR environment, and the systems can operate independently or as part of a network-centric environment,” Begbie said. “This is the culmination of independent Australian development that enables us to collectively compete with anyone in the arena.” The combined forces approach of APC Technology and Acacia Research is the newest addition to a growing number of South Australian technology partnerships. South Australian aviation services […]

Made in China: Chinese business has evolved from imitation to innovation

Bruce McKern, Honorary Professor, Business School; Recently Visiting Fellow at Hoover Institution, Stanford University and Oxford University, University of Sydney. Most of us use products made in China every day and are aware of its growing economic power as a factory to the world. But China intends to become a developed nation by mid-century and integral to this ambition is its intense focus on innovation. In a very few decades, Chinese companies had evolved from imitators to imaginative and effective innovators. As part of my research with my colleague George Yip on this issue, we identified three key phases in China’s development: 1. From Copying to Fit for Purpose 2. From Followers to World Standard 3. From Seeking New Resources to Seeking New Knowledge Chinese companies now pose a challenge to established multinationals, as they enter the markets of the developed world to become insiders. Since China’s former leader, Deng Xiaoping, implemented market-oriented economic reforms to China in 1979-80, the driving forces of this transformation have been the customer and the culture. Chinese customers have an insatiable and rapidly growing demand for products, as the large, diverse population seeks better lives. This has stimulated many companies to develop affordable products for those needs. And a culture of entrepreneurship in the business sector has been facilitated by a far-sighted government with a strong drive for independence and economic development. The Chinese government has fostered an innovation ecosystem across the country, consisting of some 100 science and technology parks, universities and government research institutions, which provide support for new enterprises. The Chinese government and business invested some US$190 billion in research and development in 2013, which is around 40% of the annual R&D investment in the United States. China’s research and development expenditure represents just over 2% of its GDP, which is slightly […]

Drives custom-engineered for aerator and liquid mixer applications

Advanced technology heavy drives are being custom-engineered by Bonfiglioli in Australasia to achieve optimum cost-efficiency and reliability with clean and robust service to aerate or mix liquids. Bonfiglioli’s HDP parallel shaft helical gear drives are an outstanding new generation of large industrial gearbox assembled in Australasia to produce exceptional reliability and torque densities to record values. The drives feature excellent torque distribution across their entire ratio range, with gear ratios laid out in close progression and the drives having a rugged capacity to cope with the shock and impact of intermittent loads. The full range of Bonfiglioli large parallel shaft gearboxes has been extended for the Australian marketplace, with output torque ranging from 4720Nm to 215480Nm. Bonfiglioli’s HDP range features a housing made from spheroidal cast iron; monobloc from HDP60 to HDP120 and horizontally split HDP130 to HDP160. Reliability in service is enhanced by the HDP drives’ Finite Element Analysis and Multi Body Simulations conducted extensively to identify the stress pattern on each of the main components and to optimize the design for: • System structural stiffness • Gear geometry • Shaft deflection • Extended gear and bearing lifetime An Australasian example of the drives locally engineered for a waste water application cost-effectively integrated 55kW six-pole motors with HDP helical parallel series drive featuring output shaft dry well and a mechanically driven OP2 lubrication pump. The drives – specified for 55kW power and 10 kNm output torque – incorporated an integral mechanically driven OP2 lubrication pump to ensure optimum bearing performance in vertical motor mounting arrangements. They were also epoxy coated for optimum corrosion protection, cleanliness and durability. The drives incorporated an output shaft dry well feature to safeguard against oil leaks into process liquids as seals age and wear.

TQF gearboxes ideal for automation tasks

The new low-backlash TQF series of precision planetary flanged gearboxes is engineered with outstanding torsional stiffness for applications such as industrial automation. It is the latest in the versatile TQ series of Bonfiglioli Transmissions that are ideal for applications demanding high dynamic characteristics and the ability to handle a high number of start-stops and reversals with outstanding reliability. The TQF flanged design is suited to machine tools, packaging machines, precision rotary axis drives, traveling gantries, columns and material handling axis drives, as well as tasks requiring high positioning accuracy, dynamic cycling operations, tilting movement and compact solutions for motion control. Typical applications requiring high performance servo drive systems with extremely low backlash include working centres for metal, wood marble, stone, printing, paper and glass products across diverse industries. The TQF series – which joins the TQ in-line series and TQK right-angle series – comes in five sizes delivering rated output torque ranging from 30 to 800 Nm and acceleration output torque from 45 to 1200Nm, covering the needs of most industrial automation applications requiring the high dynamic performance offered. The TQF has the highest torsional stiffness in the TQ family of drives, delivering increased accuracy and higher radial load to offer greater overall load capacity and high reliability. The monobloc planet carrier ensures higher radial load capability as well as markedly higher torsional stiffness, offering a high safety factor for transmissible torque and increased dynamic response. Bearings have been carefully selected and sized to suit the torque rating of the gearbox and provide quieter operation. The new series features a high level of mechanical protection (IP65), a flanged output (similar to EN ISO 9409), and a low level of acoustic pressure. The series is ideally suited for Bonfiglioli’s BMD permanent magnet high performance servo motor, which has compact dimensions, giving […]

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