Manufacturing Technology

Time for change

Australia is the world’s largest producer of bauxite — the ore that is chemically processed to produce alumina — and has numerous aluminium refineries and smelters across the country. Australia’s dependence on aluminium is evident in all areas of infrastructure — even windows and doors. However, the high energy costs of aluminium smelters are driving the market towards new materials.. Since the first aluminium smelter opened in Tasmania in 1955, the aluminium industry has been a key contributor to the Australian economy. As of 2018, the industry produced 96 million tons of aluminium bauxite. While the volume of aluminium offers opportunities for a range of sectors and products, its production is carbon emitting. Reducing emissions from aluminium production is a challenge of its own but replacing some of its uses with composites can help create more sustainable buildings. Composites such as fibreglass are already used in building applications such as roof, wall and floor insulation — though composite windows and doors are still a rare sight in Australia. Thermal insulation Summer temperatures frequently reach 40 degrees Celsius, so air conditioning is a vital system to help keep buildings cool. In fact, it’s thought that 49 per cent of Australians have some form of air conditioning unit in their homes. However, air conditioning requires a lot of power to run. The average central air conditioning unit uses 3,000 to 5,000 watts of power for nine hours of cooling a day. According to Australian electricity provider Blue NRG, ten per cent of the world’s energy use is spent on air conditioning. A typical home loses around 40 per cent of its energy through windows and doors. If a building’s entry and exit points are not thermally efficient, all that cool air risks — quite literally — going out the door. Aluminium is a […]

Swisslog and Linfox automation solution recognised by SCLAA

Swisslog’s AutoStore is a space-saving storage and order picking system for small parts The outstanding efficiency and reliability of Swisslog’s AutoStore installation for logistics leader Linfox has been recognised by Australia’s peak supply chain management body, the Supply Chain & Logistics Association of Australia (SCLAA). Swisslog’s compact and secure AutoStore goods-to-person automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS), installed at Linfox’s new consumer products facility in western Sydney, received Highly Commended in the Best Supply Chain Management category of SCLAA’s annual awards. The ultra-high density AutoStore system accommodates more than 20,000 bins of high value product served by 45 robot wheeled bins in an automatic storage and rapid despatch system occupying a floor footprint of just 700 sq m. AutoStore fast facts Compared with conventional non-automated warehousing, AutoStore systems offer: A 50% increase in picking speed A 60% reduction in inventory storage footprint Inventory record accuracy of more than 99.9%. Faster turnaround times More secure storage (which is important for certain medical or surgical supplies) Easily expandable system Goods-to-person technology – eliminates opportunity for error Flexible design – fits into any existing warehouse Multi-tasking – goods can be simultaneously picked and stocked at the same time Self-optimising – high-frequency bins are automatically organised to expedite picking Controlled access – access to bins is only from ports, reducing product loss Built-in redundancy – each unit and robot operates independently

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Coal is passé in much of China

Australian coal exports to China plummeted last year. While this is due in part to recent trade tensions between Australia and China, our research suggests coal plant closures are a bigger threat to Australia’s export coal in the long term. China unofficially banned Australian coal in mid-2020. Some 70 ships carrying Australian coal have reportedly been unable to unload in China since October. This is obviously bad news for Australia’s coal exporters. But even if the ban is lifted, there’s no guarantee China will start buying Australian coal again – at least not in huge volumes. China is changing. It’s announced a firm date to reach net-zero emissions, and governments in eastern provinces don’t want polluting coal plants taking up prime real estate. It’s time Australia faced reality, and reconsidered its coal export future. First, the coal ban In May last year, China’s government effectively banned the import of Australian coal, by applying stringent import quotas. As of last month coal exports to China from Newcastle, Australia’s busiest coal exporting port, had ceased. In 2019, Australia exported A$13.7 billion worth of coal to China. This comprised A$9.7 billion in metallurgical coal for steel making and A$4 billion in thermal coal for electricity generation. The latest official Australian data shows these export levels fell dramatically between November 2019 and November 2020. Comparing the two months, metallurgical and thermal coal exports to China were down 85% and 83% respectively. Several Chinese provinces experienced power blackouts in late 2020. China’s state-backed media said the shortages were unrelated to the ban on Australian coal. Instead, they blamed cold weather and the recovery in industrial activity after the pandemic. We dispute this claim. While Australian coal accounts for only about 2% of coal consumption in China, it helps maintain reliable supply for many power stations in China’s southeast coastal provinces. Coal mining in China mostly occurs in the western […]

Mulcahy signs with Epicor to build digital manufacturing platform and turbocharge growth

One of New Zealand’s leading metal manufacturers, has signed a $1 million dollar deal with Epicor Software Corporation, a global provider of industry-specific enterprise software to promote business growth. The deal will see Epicor deliver a modern end-to-end digital manufacturing platform, allowing Mulcahy to further its digital transformation and be a leading adopter of Industry 4.0 technologies. Mulcahy is one of the country’s largest fabricated metals manufacturing company, partnering with clients in the food and dairy, materials handling, original equipment manufacturing, agriculture, horticulture, and architecture industries. From design to production, Mulcahy partners with product leadership companies helping turn their ideas and intellectual property into a reality, acting as a one-stop manufacturing partner. Innovative technologies from Epicor, which are already helping manufacturers around the world streamline their business processes and break down barriers to growth, will deliver an end-to-end manufacturing platform for Mulcahy to automate its business processes and truly embrace the benefits of the fourth industrial revolution. The solution will provide much greater visibility and traceability – from organisation wide capacity planning and scheduling, job tracking throughout the facility to scheduling machine total productive maintenance (TPM) – helping the organisation gain efficiencies. The Auckland-based, family-owned business, which celebrates 40 years this year, has grown from a small facility with five employees in Gleneden, to a 6,000 square metre plant in Avondale and a team of 140. Ongoing investment in technology is a key part of Mulcahy’s strategy, having invested in state-of-the-art machinery and boosted data capabilities to optimise business operations over the years. However, disparate legacy systems to manage finance, payroll and CAD capabilities developed over the past 20 years are limiting Mulcahy’s ability to gather consolidated data into its SQL database and draw actionable analytics from its connected machinery. With ambitious plans to double […]

AUSPACK 2021 postponed, relocating to Melbourne May 2022

After careful consideration, the APPMA Board has made the difficult decision to postpone AUSPACK 2021 in Sydney, and re-schedule the next event for Melbourne 2022. Australian Packaging and Processing Machinery Association (APPMA) Chairman Mark Dingley said, “With an event of this scale and significance, the most important factors in our decision were if we held the event in 2021, the uncertainty around protecting the health and safety of our industry community when it comes together, and preserving the experience and value that exhibitors and visitors alike receive from attending an event the calibre of AUSPACK. “This exhibition is known for the depth of products and services on the show floor, and the unique networking opportunities available from the many events held around the show. With the continuing uncertainty around domestic state-border openings, and the very likely reality that international flights will not be allowed until the second half of 2021, we felt we could not deliver this experience to the same high standards as previously. Moving the event to 2022 was, therefore, the right thing to do from the perspective of human health and the financial and marketing value that exhibiting businesses would receive.” Mr Dingley said the APPMA Board did not want to add to the congestion created by other commercially focused exhibitions moving dates from 2020 to mid-2021. “It’s not really ideal for the industry to have a slew of shows held so closely together, and we believe the value to exhibitors and visitors will be vastly reduced. As an industry-based association, the APPMA believes moving AUSPACK to a later ‘quieter’ date provides the best outcome for industry, including the best financial ROI for exhibitors and visitors.” Jon Perry, Event Director with organiser Exhibitions & Trade Fairs, said, “The last edition of AUSPACK in 2019 at the Melbourne […]

Structural bearings deliver extreme low-friction performance to resources projects

Custom-fabricated structural bearings are being introduced by Hercules Engineering for extremely high stress applications in resources projects requiring outstanding load-bearing performance, even in compact or wet spaces in mineral processing applications, power generation, ports loaders and land and marine exploration and structures . The latest Herculon structural bearings are manufactured by integrating H-Glide fibre-reinforced composite pads sliding on 2B finish stainless steel to achieve an exceptionally low sliding coefficient of friction compared with other engineering bearing materials, even under water. Unlike metal bearings that may rust or require continual lubrication and maintenance, the environmentally safe yet hard-wearing H-Glide bearing pads are dry sliding and will not release contaminants into surrounding environments or adjacent processes. H-Glide’s excellent sliding properties (including friction coefficients from 0.05 – 0.1) are invaluable to infrastructure developers, engineers, architects and specifiers because lower coefficients of friction will transfer less stress onto the load-bearing structural components when the bearing does its job of protecting them against surrounding movement. Hercules Engineering and Cut To Size Plastics provide a wealth of experience and application guidance, based on almost 50 years of operation in Australasian and Asia-Pacific regions in applying engineering polymer technology to construction, infrastructure, energy, mining, manufacturing, maritime, oil and gas, food and beverage, safety and water and wastewater applications. Hercules Engineering’s latest example of bearings incorporating H-glide was in an extensive roof which required extreme load-bearing capacity in a confined space, as close as possible to the axis of the load. The same high performance is equally useful in major energy and resources structures, including wharves, platforms and steel structures, where compact bearings must withstand long-term stresses to protect valuable structures with optimum levels of safety for those within or around them. With their incompressible H-Glide sliding layer, these bearings can withstand extreme point pressures of 350-500 megapascals, depending […]

Achieving carbon neutrality: One company’s lessons learned

– Eric Rondolat, CEO, Signify Committing to carbon neutrality can trigger wide-ranging changes in how any company operates. Lessons learned from Signify can help any company understand the challenges and opportunities ahead when tackling emissions. Signify, formerly the lighting business of Philips, achieved carbon neutrality last September, delivering on a promise forged at COP21 in 2015. During the decade, the company also reduced its CO2 emissions by 70%. Achieving carbon neutrality is not for the faint of heart and it’s all the more taxing if you have a multi-national presence, with a global manufacturing footprint and supply chain. We benefited from an early start, having recognized the need to check our emissions earlier in the decade. Still, we learned a lot on our path to carbon neutrality that can help others and speed their efforts. What follows are some nuggets of advice, hard-earned through experience. 1. Embrace systems change First off, success on emissions reductions is dependent on making it core to your strategy. This means drafting business goals that align with and can be accomplished through efforts to reduce emissions. Other steps are also key, including establishing science-based targets, dissecting every aspect of your operations to save energy and emissions, and investing in measurable, worthy projects that offset unavoidable carbon emissions. From the outset it’s important to involve teams from supply chain management, manufacturing, business travel, human resources, energy procurement and real estate, as decisions made by them will directly impact your carbon footprint. Leave no stone unturned. We broke down and reviewed energy use across all our operations. Then we set about transitioning to energy efficient technologies in our offices, manufacturing, and logistical sites. Naturally, installing our own energy efficient LED lighting was a no-brainer. But significant investment was made in energy efficient manufacturing technologies and more efficient HVAC […]

An environmentally friendly alternative for polystyrene

While it is used all over the world as a light packaging and insulation material, EPS (expanded polystyrene) is a problem as waste. This is why VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland is developing an affordable and environmentally friendly alternative for polystyrene from PLA bioplastic, which is derived from organic sources. The annual production volume of EPS is 5–6 million tonnes per year. Usually this non-biodegradable material ends up on waste tips or is disposed of by burning, which results in compounds that are hazardous to health. PLA (polylactide) is a bioplastic made from renewable materials with the help of lactic acid. VTT is investigating methods of foaming bioplastics to make beads that are further refined into products such as insulation sheets, using methods typical of EPS manufacturing processes. The expansion of the bioplastic by foaming is carried out with consideration for the environment, using carbon dioxide. The density and heat insulation properties of the new biomaterial are similar to those of polystyrene. VTT plans to take its development work closer to industrial processing and to proceed from laboratory work to factory testing. Therefore, in order to collaborate in this development it is now looking for partners from among companies operating in the field. PLA products similar to polystyrene already exist, but their problem is their high price. In collaboration with companies operating in the field, VTT will be looking for new and more efficient production methods to enable the manufacturing of affordable products. VTT is also developing a process for PLA based on extrusion foaming, in order to replace polystyrene in traffic and packaging applications, for example.

Automating structural steel fabrication

The Metaltek XB1200 10-axis structural steel fabrication cutting system – slashes production times, material handling and manual labour. As budgets are getting tighter, customers of structural steel fabrication shops are getting more cost-conscious and it is unlikely they will pay more for work. As a result, shops are looking for ways to reduce costs by leveraging the latest technology and lean manufacturing concepts to gain an advantage. Reduced cost of labour and material handling through automation combined with increased output will take fabrication shops’ productivity to higher levels. Advanced Robotic Technology (ART) has created the Metaltek XB series 10-axis structural steel fabrication system. “We developed the Metaltek XB series to answer the need for fully automated structural steel processing in one machine,” company Director David White explains. “To eliminate as much manual labour as possible we included full material handling and all functions are automated and simple to operate. The whole machine is designed to reduce labour and double handling while increasing productivity and profits.” 4-sided plasma processing With a footprint of 3750 x 3600 mm, Metaltek XB offers full 4-sided plasma processing for the steel fabrication industry, advanced CNC robotics, high-definition plasma cutting and in-house developed user-friendly software and control interface. Moreover, 3-axis material handling conveyor systems and cross-transfer conveyors for load and unloading eliminates a large percentage of lifting, flipping and moving of steel members between machines. The machine is suitable for hot and cold rolled structural steel profiles, including RHS, SHS, UB, UC, PFC, TFC, EA and UA, with maximum beam cross sections of 1260 x 600 mm. All copes, mitres, square cuts, slots and holes can be cut automatically. Full bevel weld preps can be applied to all surfaces including underneath. Plasma etch marking is also a standard feature for part numbers, welding instructions, alignment marks […]

Million kilometres daily

Picture: The Iveco Daily range of van, single-cab and dual-cab tray truck models. The award-winning design of the Iveco Daily light commercial road vehicle meets the challenges of operations in a variety of urban and rural areas across the globe, including Australia’s harsh climatic extremes and physical road conditions. As a consequence, more than two million vehicles from the Daily range have been sold worldwide. Built on a solid steel truck chassis, the Daily has a Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) range from 3.8 to 7 tonnes, allowing it to carry a payload of up to 4.7 tonne. Standard configurations are Single or Dual-Cab chassis, tray-truck or van. An optional design that can be ordered is a 17-seat minibus. The durability of the design is shown by the fact that some Daily minibuses in South Africa have travelled more than one million kilometres. For the South African minibuses, a typical morning starts with a departure from Soweto at 6:00 a.m. with the vehicle’s first stop at 6:45 a.m. on the outskirts of Johannesburg, where it takes on passengers going to Namibia. Picture: The instrument console of the Iveco Daily minibus showing the odometer reading 1,000,000 Kms. From the city, the Daily proceeds onto difficult terrain, including stretches of desert and savannah filled with wild animals and fords to cross–with the vehicle’s odometer gradually inching higher. A journey of 1,000 kilometres, 365 days a year means this incredible milestone was achieved in just three years. Thirteen customers in South Africa have reported to Iveco that they have reached this same milestone figure: a number that is more than twice the distance between the Earth and the Moon (almost 400,000 kilometres) and 25 times around the Earth’s 40,000 kilometre circumference. Strength, reliability, and endurance have always been the hallmarks of Iveco vehicles: qualities that have […]

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