Smart Manufacturing

Dematic to commission new automated national distribution centre for Woolworths in Sydney

Dematic today announced it has been selected by Primary Connect – the supply chain arm of Australia’s largest supermarket, Woolworths Group – to supply a state-of-the art automated fulfilment system for the new National Distribution Centre (NDC) in Moorebank Logistics Park, Sydney. Dematic, a global leader and innovator in warehouse automation, has a long history with over 50 years presence in Australia serving the supply chain industry. “Our local capability with over 600 employees and a manufacturing facility in Belrose, Sydney, ensures we continue to provide quality service and systems to our customers,” said Michael Jerogin, CEO of Dematic APAC. “We are very proud to be a trusted partner of Woolworths and thrilled to be building on this partnership by playing a key role in Woolworths’ automation strategy.” The Dematic solution for the new NDC will build store-friendly pallets for Woolworths’ retail stores. The Flexible Mixed Case Order Fulfilment system, powered by the Dematic iQ Warehouse Management System (WMS), will handle 9,000+ products from 900 suppliers, delivering daily to over 1,000 stores nationally. The 40,700 square metre Moorebank NDC is planned to feature wall-to-wall automation, providing the flexibility to cater for seasonal and other peaks in demand, such as those experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is designed to deliver store orders, catering for Woolworth’s expected growth with built-in scalability and modularity. The transport advantages alone are expected to provide benefits to Woolworths, helping to remove at least 26,000 truck movements between Woolworths facilities from New South Wales roads annually. “The investment at Moorebank is designed to transform the way we serve our stores, strengthen our network and deliver on our ambition to create Australia’s best food and grocery supply chain,” said Paul Graham, Primary Connect Managing Director and Woolworths Group Chief Supply Chain Officer. “Cutting-edge automation will build tailored […]

DWA-X3000_A1_Image-LSide_w_AntennaOpen02-AUS-MN-Website

D-Link A/NZ launches AX3000 Wi-Fi 6 PCIe Adapter with Bluetooth 5.1

D-Link A/NZ has launched its DWA-X3000, an AX3000 Wi-Fi 6 PCIe Adapter with Bluetooth® 5.1 that enables you to upgrade your desktop PC to next generation Wi-Fi. The DWA-X3000 is designed to achieve AX3000 Wi-Fi speeds up to 2402Mbps (5GHz) + 600Mbps (2.4GHz) and is backwards compatible with 802.11ac/n/g/a/b technology, allowing you to connect to your older devices. The DWA-X3000 also adds ultra-fast Bluetooth® 5.1 connectivity to your PC so you can easily connect to Bluetooth devices like game controllers, headphones and keyboards without any additional adapters. The DWA-X3000 AX3000 Wi-Fi 6 PCIe Adapter with Bluetooth 5.1 connects your computer to a high-speed network and provides a blazing-fast wireless AX connection with superior reception. Once connected, you can access your network’s high-speed Internet connection while also getting secure access to shared photos, files, music, video, printers and storage. The DWA-X3000 also provides you the benefits of PCI Express in the form of a high-bandwidth connection with superior performance over the legacy PCI interface. You can connect the AX3000 Wi-Fi 6 PCIe Adapter with Bluetooth 5.1 to any PCIe slot in your computer, whether it is an x1, x4, x8, or x16 slot. Equipped with 1024-QAM, MU-MIMO, OFDMA and an Intel® Wi-Fi 6 chipset, the DWA-X3000 delivers faster and more efficient Wi-Fi reducing latency by up to 75% and provides a more responsive gaming and buffer-free streaming experience. Once you’re connected you can stay connected as the DWA-X3000 is equipped with omni multi-directional high-performance antennas designed for maximum coverage. It also includes a magnetised antenna base for optimal antenna placement. The DWA-X3000 also employs robust security options and supports the latest Wi-Fi security with WPA3 128-bit encryption that allow you to connect securely keeping intruders out of your network and allowing you to browse the Internet without worries. DWA-X3000 key features • Dual-band […]

Banana waste technology begins to bear fruit for Aussie company

A publicly-listed company that has spent more than two decades perfecting its system of turning banana plantation waste into wood and paper products says it has proven the profitability of the technology and is preparing for a global expansion. Papyrus Australia, which is based in Adelaide, has watched its share price triple this month after announcing L39 as a cornerstone investor and reporting that its Egyptian factory has become profitable for the first time. The company has developed technology to process banana waste into a range of products including veneer for furniture and musical instrument manufacture, moulded products such as food containers and plates, liquid fertiliser and garden peat. It now aims to increase production in the Sohag factory, hire key staff and embark on a significant capital raise with the help of L39 Capital, which will allow it to manufacture ‘turn-key factories’ and sell them to banana plantations in developing countries around the world. Papyrus Australia was founded in Adelaide in the mid-1990s after Ramy Azer moved to Australia with his Adelaide-born wife Phoebe to complete a Masters in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Adelaide. He soon developed a technique for producing veneer from banana tree trunks and has since expanded the technology to include all parts of the waste banana plant. “The question is always asked ‘what is an Adelaide company doing in banana land’?” Azer, the company’s managing director said. “But we are not banana processors, we are machine builders and technology makers so what the Adelaide company is actually doing is designing and building machines for export and commissioning in banana producing countries.” Unlike other fruit trees such as apples and oranges, a banana palm takes 6-8 months to grow to maturity, producing one large bunch. The tree is then cut down and left to […]

Getting the right information to the right place

The AVR Lab, a leading supplier of augmented and virtual reality (AVR) technology and services announces their partnership with Gemvision, bringing the Gemvision’s Communication Platform as a Service (CPAAS) to the Australian and New Zealand markets. The Gemvision (CPAAS) platform gives engineers, healthcare workers, electricians, technicians, that are hands-on workers, their hands and of course their mind to get the job done. Well-trained employees are getting harder to find, while service and maintenance standards are getting higher. Effective communication, fast remote resolution times and first-time-fix-rates are extremely important for keep the client happy and the costs in check. This is not limited to industry. Whether it be healthcare, maritime, protective services or manufacturing, we find similar use cases where the Gemvision solution fits seamlessly to support business excellence. With Gemvision you can: § Give and receive remote work instructions and connect to remote colleagues to ’share your view’ through smart glasses or mobile devices. § Remotely control the camera of smart glasses and mobile devices during support video calls § Live annotate, capture pictures, record video streams, share your screen and more to get the right information to the right place. § Do routine maintenance checks and inspections with workflows to rapidly access checklists, audit forms, troubleshooting guides and easy submission when fulfilled. § Capture and share expert knowledge with field workers § Offer standardised workflows for employee training § Offer on demand access for field workers for procedures, manuals, checklists, workflows etc. § Integrate with management software that manage your jobs, tasks, work orders etc. § Use voice commands to be truly hands-free while working with smart glasses in the field. § Integrate with a multitude of CRM, IoT, ERP, Analytics and Service platforms, providers and technology. “When we identify new partners for the ANZ territory they not only […]

Very smart Australian manufacturing

Solar-powered furniture offers off-grid connection South Australian outdoor furniture brand Sedi has developed bespoke benches and shelter options for smart cities and regional areas. Bronte Modra, the director of Adelaide-based modular engineering company Specialised Solutions, created the Sedi range of park benches, parklets and bus stops in February 2019. The smart shelters are built from sustainable timber and steel and have solar-powered lighting, integrated charging ports, WIFI and informational screens that all run off a battery. Modra said he created Sedi to fill a large hole in the Australian manufacturing market created by the burgeoning smart city movement. “People want to be connected to the furniture and to the web, and the greater society,” said Modra. “Everyone talks about smart cities but no one is really delivering a piece of smart furniture here. “We just saw a real need and something that we could make out of our existing facility.” The Sedi office is located at the Tonsley innovation district alongside technology companies such as SAGE Automation, which, together with JPE Design Studio, helped develop the furniture. Modra decided to make the units “off-grid” to attract buyers who couldn’t connect to a power source. “It being solar-powered gives us a lot more flexibility to where the Sedi is placed,” he said. “With Sedi we can go to regional, remote locations and open up connectivity there. “It’s also cost-saving measure for councils to install in the park [as] service connections are fairly expensive.” Modra said they weren’t “reinventing the wheel” with the furniture’s individual technological features, however these add-ons were compounded to develop a new brand of smart furniture fit for a multitude of environments. “We would like to see them absolutely everywhere: the typical bus stops on your streets, your typical parks, council parks and reserves,” he said. “But we’re really trying to tap into […]

X5 FastMig for arc-welding productivity

Kemppi, has released its new X5 FastMig multi-process welding system for MIG, DC TIG and stick welding (MMA) as well as gouging. Designed in conjunction with professional welders specifically for steel welding, the X5 FastMig delivers a range of features to help significantly enhance arc welding productivity. Built using energy-efficient inverter technology, the X5 FastMig offers faster welding and quality welds thanks to Touch Sense Ignition, effortless operation, excellent welding ergonomics and flexible equipment setup. Faster welding, better quality welds Built to perform, the X5 FastMig features the latest in ignition technology – Touch Sense Ignition – as standard in all available models. When combined with WiseSteel software, which also comes as standard with every model, the X5 delivers precise ignition capability and stable arc control. It tackles the challenges of globular arc by alternating between short arc and spray transfer. In short-circuit transfer, it improves the arc stability adaptively, provding better out-of-position steel welding capabilities. In spray transfer mode, micropulsing of the current and voltage increases travel speed significantly. In doing so, the X5 helps to minimise the spatter produced by a traditional globular arc, as well as the need for post weld cleaning, saving the welder both valuable time and cost, while helping to deliver better quality welds. For more challenging applications, the arc control can be further optimised with optional welding programs and Wise special processes. Effortless operation Designed to be hassle-free, the X5 FastMig is very easy to operate. It features a large, graphical and impact-resistant TFT display panel that illustrates all the required information clearly and without the use of abbreviations. Welding parameters are set automatically when the user adjusts the wire feed speed. And memory channels are also available to customise and save personal settings. Easy to use, the operating basics of the X5 […]

Linzner-family-50-years-in-business-Nov20

3rd generation family business survives Covid-19 to mark 50-year milestone

While many small businesses have unfortunately succumbed to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Linzner family are resolved to fight through no-matter-what using their 50-years of experience. This November, 3 generations of the Linzner family mark 50 years running their manufacturing business in Melbourne, Australia. It’s a seriously tough time for all during this global pandemic, however, this story of endurance offers a glimmer of hope in the strenuous world of small business. Following an apprenticeship in working with wire back in 1949, hard-working immigrant Jakob honed his hands-on manufacturing skills. In 1970 Jakob teamed up with his son Jake to take the plunge and launch their own manufacturing business, located in Fitzroy, Melbourne. Father and son worked tirelessly together in their single-story brick factory sandwiched between a laneway and residential houses. They specialised in manufacturing deep-fryer baskets, trays, racks, animal traps and other wire products, supplying large wholesalers and direct to store. Even during those early years, they focused on manufacturing premium quality products combined with personal and attentive service to their customers – no matter large or small. This led to a growing and positive reputation within the community. A decade later, they sought larger premises and relocated to Keilor East, which allowed for expansion to manufacturing chain. The next 20 years saw them outgrow their space and move 3 more times and further diversifying their range of chain and wire products. Jake’s son Michael officially joined the family business in 2010. Learning that diversity of products was integral to keeping afloat, they took the calculated risk of purchasing additional warehouse space and further expanded to sell concrete reinforcing, balustrading, marine fittings, load restraint equipment, general hardware – and just about everything in-between. In March 2020, as Covid-19 was sweeping the world, a new and much improved online store (chain.com.au) […]

Case Study:Scan Xpress steps up to the mark

Silvertone UAV develop, design, and manufacture unmanned aerial vehicles with flexible payload capabilities. One of their drone aircraft systems, the Flamingo Mk3, carries a heavy package of telemetry and sensor equipment. To improve flight efficiency, the pannier bracket that attaches the sensor package to the fuselage and supports the landing gear had a requirement to be re-designed to a lightweight alternative that retained the same mechanical performance. Enter Topology Optimisation and Additive Manufacturing – The existing design was put through Altair’s design topology optimization software to produce an organic freeform design that satisfied the required loading and boundary conditions. The resulting geometry from topology optimisation is usually not well suited to traditional manufacturing methods. However, additive manufacturing producing components via a layer-wise manner and has no limitation on the geometry that can be produced. Amiga Engineering were contracted to manufacture this topology optimised component. The specimen was printed in Gr23 Titanium on a 3D systems ProX DMP machine in one continuous build. The manufactured component achieved a significant weight reduction – 800 grams down from the original 4 kilograms, improved balance and rigidity, enhanced safety, longer flight times, increased payload capacity and better battery efficiency. Scan-Xpress was contracted to measure the manufactured component using the high resolution ATOS Q and to perform critical quality control checks prior to installation. The ATOS Q optical measuring system from GOM is well suited to measuring organic and free form surfaces generated from topology optimization including the pannier bracket. Traditional measuring methods such as tactile CMMs would struggle to measure and obtain enough discrete points to make an assessment of the state of build of components such as the pannier bracket. The ATOS Q sensor projects a phase shifting fringe pattern across the measuring surface to collect millions of points to generate an accurate […]

Five decades strong: Neumann Steel turns 50

Established in 1970, Neumann Steel, (part of The Neumann Group of companies), celebrates half a century in business and sets its sights on the next five decades. The oldest, family-run reinforcing steel business in the country, Neumann Steel has grown from a tenacious operation to a proudly Australian-owned and operated company, today employing over 220 people. Run by second generation directors – Marc and Paul Neumann along with Mark Shearman – as part of the wider Neumann Group, the steel business has flourished over the decades due to its ability to provide the market with products and service that exceeds customer expectations. “We’ve always innovated, delivering steel solutions to support projects big and small,” said Director Marc Neumann. “In the 1980s we were the first in the country to innovate with rib wire and rib mesh, transitioning it to the domestic market. We’ve always been responsive, serving our customers’ needs, no matter the size of the job.” The company has had a hand in many prolific projects including the Q1 tower, Jewel Resort, the Gold Coast Light Rail, the Toowoomba Range Crossing and more. Neumann Steel are also proud to be the supplier of choice for residential home builders throughout south east Queensland and the Hunter Region. “Over five decades we’ve supplied reinforcing steel solutions to a wide variety of major infrastructure projects and large-scale developments, always with a view to delivering the best product possible for the desired customer outcome.” The resilience required to combat the tumultuous ‘boom and bust’ of the building industry has long established Neumann Steel and the wider Neumann Group as stayers in a volatile sector. General Manager, Kathy Bartley, believes this has to do with the company’s ability to listen to the market and produce products that have constructed a steadfast reputation […]

Manufacturing in the solar industry flourishing

The Australian solar industry is one of the few industries that hasn’t had to rely on overseas products. Despite the impact of Covid-19 on imports, manufacturing in the solar industry has been flourishing. Solar Mounting company Clenergy and local manufacturer Capral Aluminum recently partnered to produce a locally manufactured aluminum solar mounting rail known as the ‘Cutter Rail’. The following Q&A for Australian Manufacturing News www.australianmanufacturingnews.com has been answered by Sean Guzzi, National Channel Manager at Clenergy and Peter Darvell, General Manager South West Region at Capral Aluminium. What’s the current state of the solar industry and how do you see this growing in the future? Sean Guzzi: “Solar panels are getting larger and more efficient every day. From 2010, the dimensions of a solar panel were 1580 x 808mm (1.28m²), and today in 2020 it is about 1956 x 992mm (1.94m²), which is almost double in size. “As solar panels grow, the rails to mount the panel also have to grow. Just like a frame is to a painting, solar mounting equipment is to the solar panel. The mounting equipment aids to fasten the solar to the roof or the ground, using either the roof battens (which is the main structure of the house), concrete, or even ground screws, and provides enhanced aesthetics to the final solar project. ” As the solar panels adapt to the market with the desire for bigger solar systems, we at Clenergy adjust and grow to fit this new environment.” How does manufacturing locally help the industry? Sean Guzzi: “Clenergy was founded in 2007, and back then we predicted to be competitive within the market, we had to manufacture our products overseas. “Today, thirteen years later, we offer a locally made mounting structure, which is a first for the Australian solar industry. This helps […]

«‹ 22 23 24 25 ›»

News Ticker

Smart Manufacturing