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Enabling secure access to modern manufacturing networks

Article by Leon Poggioli, ANZ Regional Director at Claroty Traditional manufacturing plants and OT (Operational Technology) networks had no internet connectivity. They could run in a semi-isolated fashion, and there was little risk of a cyberattack. As the modern OT network becomes more digitised and technology-enabled to leverage AI and increased automation, they are now experiencing a much higher level of cyber risk. Traditional plants were operated very much onsite, with access controlled by strong physical mechanisms like site inductions and physical security methods permitting people to attend the site, make changes and operate the facility. The digital transformation now underway in OT networks has resulted in far more digital connectivity, with a greater focus on safety and productivity meaning more work is completed via digital methods – either by operators onsite, remote workers and 3rd party contractors, or remote machine-to-machine connectivity, with things like cloud-based AI analytics which optimise plant infrastructure. Traditional methods of access to these networks have not kept up with the digital transformation underway in OT. Password-sharing continues as a common practice, and many devices remain configured with default credentials. One recent example where this occurred was the cyberattack on Unitronics devices used by Water Authorities in the United States, which were directly exposed to the internet with default credentials configured. Some more mature organisations use a complex web of jump-boxes and VPNs to broker access to key systems in a zoned OT network, making it difficult to administer and maintain strict zero trust access to critical systems, not to mention the impact to useability as users need to log in via multiple hops to perform the work they need to perform. The digital transformation underway in cyber-physical networks demands a better approach to broker access securely to critical production systems, without compromising useability or adding unnecessary complexity. Users should […]

Air-Met Scientific buys DustCanary

Air-Met Scientific, a leading provider of environmental monitoring solutions, is pleased to announce the acquisition of DustCanary, a prominent UK company specialising in advanced dust monitoring technology. This strategic acquisition represents a significant step in the company\’s ongoing expansion within the environmental industry. Enhancing Environmental Product Portfolio in Australia The acquisition of DustCanary is a pivotal move for Air-Met Scientific, enhancing its product offerings in the realm of real-time dust monitoring. DustCanary is renowned for its innovative technologies, including the DustCanary Trend 420, a personal dust monitor designed to protect workers from hazardous dust exposure including respirable dust by providing immediate feedback and alerts. This product is particularly effective in industrial settings such as construction, mining, and manufacturing, where air quality and worker safety are critical concerns. Commitment to Workplace Safety and Environmental Health “Acquiring DustCanary underscores our commitment to advancing workplace safety and environmental health through innovative monitoring solutions,” said Simon Meers, Managing Director of Air-Met Scientific. “The addition of the DustCanary brand complements our existing portfolio and enhances our ability to provide comprehensive, reliable, and effective solutions for dust monitoring and control.” Founded in 1984, Air-Met Scientific is a leading supplier of occupational health, safety and environmental monitoring solutions specialising in air quality, gas detection, and dust monitoring. With offices conveniently located in major cities across Australia and a commitment to innovation, Air-Met Scientific provides industry-leading products and services designed to enhance worker and environmental safety and compliance.

Rio Tinto to develop BioIron R&D facility in WA to test low-carbon steelmaking

Rio Tinto will invest US$143 million (A$215 million) to develop a research and development facility in Western Australia to further assess the effectiveness of its low-carbon ironmaking process, BioIronTM, to support decarbonising the global steel value chain. The development of the BioIron Research and Development Facility in the Rockingham Strategic Industrial Area, south of Perth, follows successful trials of the innovative ironmaking process in a small-scale pilot plant in Germany. BioIron uses raw biomass and microwave energy instead of coal to convert Pilbara iron ore to metallic iron in the steelmaking process. When combined with the use of renewable energy and carbon-circulation by fast-growing biomass, BioIron has the potential to reduce carbon emissions by up to 95% compared with the current blast furnace method. The BioIron facility will include a pilot plant that will be ten times bigger than its predecessor in Germany. It will also be the first time the innovative steelmaking process has been tested at a semi-industrial scale, capable of producing one tonne of direct reduced iron per hour. It will provide the required data to assess further scaling of the technology to a larger demonstration plant. The plant has been designed in collaboration with University of Nottingham, Metso Corporation and Western Australian engineering company Sedgman Onyx. Fabrication of the equipment will begin this year, with commissioning expected in 2026. These works are expected to support up to 60 construction jobs. The research and development facility will employ around 30 full-time employees and include space for equipment testing to support further scaling up of the BioIron technology, while developing a workforce highly skilled in steel decarbonisation and supporting WA universities and research organisations. Rio Tinto Iron Ore Chief Executive Simon Trott said, “The world needs low-carbon steel to reach net zero, and we are working to make […]

Decarbonisation spend to reduce in declining economic conditions

Nearly half of Australian businesses are likely to reduce their spend on decarbonisation initiatives if macroeconomic conditions worsen, according to ENGIE Impact, a sustainability and decarbonisation advisory firm. The finding is based on analysis of data from ENGIE Impact’s latest Net Zero Report titled “Aligning Corporate Vision with Decarbonisation Realities.” The annual global report delves into corporate perspectives on decarbonisation transformation readiness, challenges to implementation and the major decarbonisation roadblocks companies must overcome to reach Net Zero. The study surveyed more than 500 senior executives from the world’s largest companies, each employing more than 10,000 people. Australian organisations surveyed ranged in annual turnover from USD$500 million to over USD$10 billion, and included businesses in the technology, finance, retail, mining, industrial manufacturing, healthcare, real estate, and food and beverage industries. “Reducing spending on decarbonisation initiatives could severely hinder an organisation’s ability to set itself up for the future,” said James Ramsay, Managing Director and Head of Australia, ENGIE Impact. “Now is not the time to Australian organisations to halt progress or investment. They just need to rethink how they measure the success of their decarbonisation strategy.” Few Australian organisations see decarbonisation as a commercial imperative When asked to list their top two choices on how their organisation thinks about its carbon reduction commitments, just 29 per cent of Australians listed decarbonisation as a commercial issue compared to 33 per cent of global peers. Additionally, 58 per cent of Australian businesses see financial ROI as a measure of decarbonisation success versus 44 per cent globally. These responses are in line with findings from last year’s Net Zero report, which found that Australian organisations rank achieving long term cost savings as the top driver of their decarbonisation strategy and goals (44 per cent of respondents), compared to the leading response from global counterparts […]

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Nickel Producer enhances quality of ore calcination through kilns

Société Le Nickel (SLN), part of the Eramet Group, is the world’s largest producer of ferronickel. Pictured is one of the five furnaces managed by Rockwell Automation’s FactoryTalk Analytics Pavilion® software. Image copyright: Société Le Nickel (SLN), part of the Eramet Group. Characterised by the ability to resist corrosion at high temperatures and its usefulness as an alloying element, nickel plays a critical role in a host of industry sectors ranging from aerospace and chemical to electrical and automotive. Société Le Nickel (SLN), part of the Eramet Group, is the world’s largest producer of ferronickel. The 140-year-old company also produces manganese, lithium, and titanium which are critical for the manufacturing of batteries, paint pigments, and wind turbines among other products. Processing ores is a complex activity requiring the stable control of the rotary furnaces’ temperature profile and automating operations across different operating ranges. Feed ore introduced into the rotary kiln undergoes calcination as it travels through the length of the furnace. If the calcined product is not at a high enough temperature, product quality is compromised. Heat is distributed across the furnace with air being supplied for combustion to occur. If there’s too much air supplied, more fuel needs to be burned to maintain the same product temperature, thus decreasing energy efficiency. Excess oxygen must be minimised to a safe level to reduce operating costs and greenhouse gases. Legacy system lags SLN was using an expert system, an existing fuzzy logic controller, designed to automate the operation of the furnace. However, the company faced several challenges with the legacy system, particularly with varying ore content and variable heating values leading to temperature spikes and frequent electrical trips. Trips were being caused by high product temperature, which compromises both the quality of the product, and the integrity of the […]

New pathways open for women in steel

Women are increasingly turning to non-traditional pathways such as steel for careers, drawn by operational and social advances. 50% of ASI staff were now women. “ASI is a proud supporter of inclusive work cultures where women’s careers thrive and their achievements are celebrated,” Cain said. ASI founding member steel producer BlueScope agrees. “It’s an exciting, dynamic industry at the cutting edge of change for women,” according to Queensland chapter president of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) and BlueScope Qld specification manager Sheree Taylor. “Historical perceptions of the industry are changing: we have world-class safety standards, a culture of trust and respect and are investing in emerging, responsible steel technology,” Taylor said. BlueScope’s promotion and profiling of steel jobs now focuses on gender-neutral attributes, including problem-solving, skills training, job security and career advancement. Success of the job program has seen a five-fold increase of women at an operational level since 2016 across BlueScope Australia. BlueScope is also a signatory to the HESTA 40:40 Vision initiative which seeks to achieve gender balance in executive leadership across all ASX200 companies by 2030. Taylor said one of the keys to attracting more women into manufacturing and steel is at the school level. ‘’It is fantastic to see careers advice at schools now increasingly showcase the exciting opportunities for women in manufacturing – across both trade, operator and professional roles. However, there is still more to do to support women into these careers so they can add to the industry and reap the benefits of secure employment and a fulfilling career.’’ Site services contract controller for ASI founding member InfraBuild Wire Emma Mellows, said the IWD ‘Embrace Equity’ theme powerfully resonated with her. “Outside of work, I actively mentor young people, including young women, encouraging and supporting them to follow paths leading […]

Scalable automation solution optimises process at new Kaolin plant

WA Kaolin is using Rockwell Automation technology to enhance operational efficiency as it ramps up production. A new kaolin mining operation in Wickepin, Western Australia, is utilising an integrated automation solution to reduce overall costs, improve scheduling, and deliver ongoing benefits to operations. Kaolin, which is becoming increasingly valuable, is a soft white clay that has been surging in demand, with uses in applications including paper and plasterboard, ceramics, fiberglass, paints and coatings, plastics, rubber, pharmaceuticals and medicine, cosmetics, concrete construction materials and agriculture. WA Kaolin – an ASX-listed mineral exploration, extraction, and processing company – has developed a proprietary dry processing method known as K99, which turns raw material into market-suitable feedstock for global customers. Combined with the high quality of the ore reserve, the K99 process delivers high-quality ultra-bright kaolin at a lower cost than conventional chemical bleaching and magnetic separation processing. WA Kaolin has constructed a Stage 1 commercial processing plant on a three-hectare site in Wickepin, about 200 kilometres southeast of Perth, Western Australia. The site has been identified as having a mineral resource estimate of more than 600 million tonnes of extremely high grade, easy access kaolin across its mining and retention tenements, one of the largest known remaining premium primary resources of kaolin in the world. There is a strategic plan in place to expand production capacity to exceed 400,000 tons per annum (tpa) after 36 months, so WA Kaolin selected engineering and planning consultancy, Willyung Electrical & Controls Engineering (WECE) to manage the process of steadily scaling up. WECE analysed the requirements, and selected Rockwell Automation’s PlantPAx® Distributed Control System (DCS) to provide a single, plant-wide control system, with the flexibility to make better and faster business decisions and a scalable solution for future expansion. In late 2022, WA Kaolin successfully commenced […]

What is steel scrap and how can it help us reach net zero?

Recycled steel scrap is a low-emitting source of the metal – here’s how we can improve its collection and production to help decarbonise the industry. From bridges to cars to paper clips, steel is ubiquitous in our material world. It is one of the enabling materials that has led to unprecedented living standard rises and progress for humanity. Yet, as with all other emitting economic sectors and material groups, the steel industry needs to decarbonise to meet the climate challenge. Its success as a material means global crude steel production is over 1.9 gigatonnes, but it accounts for an estimated 3 gigatonnes of CO2 emissions annually (albeit this is lower-emitting than most other materials potentially used for the same applications). Steel is made from either primary sources: that is, extracting iron ore from nature and transforming it into pure iron; or from secondary sources, that is, remelting steel scrap into new steel, or a combination of both. This secondary-source steel scrap is the discarded steel that becomes available from manufacturing waste generation and from recovered steel in buildings, infrastructure, equipment, vehicles and products discarded at their end of life. The amount of steel scrap available globally is finite, constrained by the rate of disposal by society. In contrast, the availability of iron ore-based steel is expandable, as mine activity can be increased to meet growing steel demand. There are two principal methods of producing steel. Image: ArcelorMittal Innate circularity Steel has excellent circularity properties. Whereas other materials are often downcycled at their end of life, for many applications, steel scrap can be turned back repeatedly into new steel, retaining its original properties. The magnetic properties of steel make it easy to segregate steel scrap from mixed waste streams. Global emissions from steel are primarily generated while producing steel from primary source iron […]

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Sensing the future of energy

Michael Jary – Managing Director, APAC and EMEA, Sense Energy retailer business models have faced extraordinary pressures for over a decade. Even before the war in Ukraine prompted a global crisis in energy markets, retailers were facing a very difficult environment. An inexorable rise in energy costs, together with regulatory intervention and increased customer churn, have eroded retail margins and prompted several exits. Attempts at diversification to adjacent businesses such as home services have often failed because the necessary competencies can be starkly different. At the same time, grid edge intelligence and real-time, appliance-level load disaggregation are generating huge interest in the energy sector. Advances in technology and AI mean that this long heralded technology is now a compelling proposition. Testament to its potential, Sense has recently closed the biggest funding round yet in the sector – a $127m Series C. With millions of next generation smart meters due to roll out with Sense capability in North America, decision makers worldwide are now giving the technology serious consideration for future rollouts. As more than three million Sense-enabled meters begin to roll out in the US, this technology is now coming to Australia, where it can integrate with local smart meters. This is particularly timely, with the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) proposing 100% uptake of smart meters by 2030. Intelligent decisions made today will build an efficient and effective energy monitoring and management system for the future. The benefits to consumers and the energy transition are clear. Sense intelligence represents a powerful tool for reducing both their energy bills and their carbon footprint. It also reduces the overall cost of managing, maintaining, and balancing the energy system. However, the potential to transform retailer business models is what’s seizing the imagination of the industry. So how does Sense intelligence work? Intelligent […]

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New process extracts silicon from solar panels to build better batteries

Researchers have developed a sustainable and highly lucrative way to address two big issues in the clean energy transition, reclaiming one of the most valuable elements from end-of-life solar panels and reconfiguring it to build better batteries. More than 100,000 tonnes of end-of-life solar panels are estimated to enter Australia’s waste stream by 2035. Scientists from Deakin University’s Institute for Frontier Materials (IFM) have successfully tested a new process that can safely and effectively extract silicon from old solar panels, then convert it into a nano material worth more than $45,000 per kilo. This nano-silicon is then mixed with graphite to develop a new type of battery anode shown to increase lithium-ion battery capacity by a factor of 10, a critical breakthrough in energy storage technology. Lead researcher Dr Md Mokhlesur Rahman said that for Australia (and the world) to address the enormous issue of solar panel waste and develop a successful recycling program to divert it away from landfill, scientists must find a way to harvest and repurpose the panels’ most valuable components. “Solar panel cells are fabricated using high-value silicon, but this material cannot be re-used without purification, as it becomes highly contaminated over the 25 to 30 years of the panel’s life,” Dr Rahman said. “We have developed a process that returns silicon collected from used cells to greater than 99 per cent purity, within a day and without the need for dangerous chemicals. This thermal and chemical process is far greener, cheaper, and more efficient than any other technique currently on the market.” But it’s the next step that’s the real game-changer. The Deakin process then takes this regular-sized purified silicon and reduces its size to nanoscale using a special ball-milling process. Again, without the need for toxic chemicals. “We are using that nano-silicon to develop […]

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