Smart Manufacturing

Unique machine guarding with round corners

Axelent X-Guard Contour is a part of a larger range that is easily configurable to adapt to all possible machine guarding needs for any warehouse, factory or facility. The X-Guard Contour is a unique machine guard that has been designed by Axelent to offer a sleek and functional design,’ The X-Guard Contour was the market’s first machine guard with 90-degree corner angles that offer round corners on the guarding. This innovative feature ensures that the X-Guard Contour is an ideal solution for confined areas within a production environment or narrow warehouse and has grown to be one of the most popular in the series. The X-Guard range is intuitively designed to ensure that the guarding fits easily and quickly around all types of machines and safety areas. With endless combinations available the X-Guard range offers flexibility and the guards are available in mesh panel, sheet plate and plastics sections. Thanks to the X-Guard’s smart door solutions you do not need to pre-determine whether you need a left or right-hinged door. The sections are available in 13 widths and 4 heights and is quick to assemble. The unique X-Key is designed for quick panel release and ensures that you can re-configure your panels as your equipment and demands of the facilities grow and change. The X-Key allows the customer to change the hinge and lock with a simple operation which means you can easily and quickly change the configuration of the machine guarding as and when the need arises. Axelent is a global manufacturer of unique modular-designed X-Guard safety guarding and X-Tray cable tray systems and the McCue Pedestrian Barriers; all of which are designed to protect pedestrians, machines, forklifts, racking and your facilities. Axelent Australia offers a complete safety concept for the Australia and New Zealand markets that is guaranteed […]

Proven and new at the same time: tribo-polymer iglidur E7 for energy-efficient plain bearings

With specifications such as low coefficient of friction and excellent vibration dampening, the tribo-polymer iglidur E7 has already proven its strengths in the sliding elements of the drylin linear technology from igus. Now the plastics specialist has also included the material in its plain bearings catalogue range. This also allows users to benefit from iglidur E7 mechanisms with rotating or pivoting movements. The low coefficient of friction of the material ensures smooth movements, reduces the required drive energy and saves additional costs. In times of advancing automation of the industry, durable, cost-effective and above all energy-efficient machine components are called for. Since 1983, the motion plastics specialist igus has been developing tribo-polymers for plain bearing technology that are free of lubricants and therefore free of maintenance. igus has a total of 57 iglidur materials in its product range for various applications. iglidur E7 is among them. The tribo-polymer has been used in the sliding elements of drylin linear systems since 2012 and has been available in dryspin lead screw nuts since 2018. iglidur E7 has already proven itself in many applications such as camera lenses, train doors and even 3D printers. Above all, the vibration-dampening specifications of the tribo-polymers convince the user. Therefore, igus has now further developed the material for its plain bearing range. The iglidur E7 is specifically designed for low to medium loads in pivoting movements and withstands surface pressures of up to 18 MPa in motion. Due to the very low coefficient of friction of the iglidur E7, the drive energy is reduced, saving costs for the user. The new plain bearing material is suitable for flap or sensor bearings. Further applications are found in packaging, textile machinery and furniture technology. Tried and tested in the field, proven in tests All iglidur materials are tested by […]

Suhner supports industry with components manufacturing service

Suhner Australia has launched a parts manufacturing service to help companies overcome issues with supply. The new service will run alongside Suhuner’s core business in providing tools, consumables and know-how in the surface finishing of all metals, and in particular, stainless steel, aluminium, brass and special alloys. With many firms now experiencing critical shortages of parts and products as a result of disruption to their supply chains, Suhner is using its own extensive CNC production facilities to produce PPE products, related equipment and manufactured parts. The new service is suitable for those who require small runs of manufactured metal, plastic and related parts. A cost-effective service that delivers high-quality parts, customers will welcome the reliable, on-time delivery. Suhner is also supporting industry with its provision of free, on-site assistance in finding the right finishing solution for an application. Free, at your door assistance with choosing the right solution Suhner has been supplying the Australian market with a comprehensive range of metal finishing tools and abrasives since 2004. To assist industry, users can access Suhner’s considerable expertise and technical know-how when it comes to choosing the right solution as well as implementing it. Regardless of whether the user is working with stainless steel, aluminium, brass or other metals; Suhner can advise and demonstrate the best procedure to achieve the desired finish. Its dedicated demonstration service also lets users try the tool to ensure they can attain the required result. Comprehensive tool and abrasives rangeManufactured in Germany and Switzerland, Suhner’s broad range of quality power tools for metal finishing include battery, electric, air and flexible drive. The extensive range of abrasives includes carbide burrs, abrasive belts, and heavy-duty grinding discs. With a comprehensive range of both tools and abrasives, Suhner is able to provide users with the right equipment for the job […]

Greater access regulation will become a new normal after coronavirus

Greater regulation of access to public and private buildings and visitor hot spots may figure among major impacts from the coronavirus affecting architects, builders, facility managers and site owners. “Certainly, there will be a new normal for people-intensive public and private facilities, where owners have a duty of care to protect staff and visitors,” says security and entrance specialist, Boon Edam Australia Managing Director Michael Fisher (Master security licence number: 000104487). The likely changes – including to Government-funded Covid recovery infrastructure spending in Australia and New Zealand – will be particularly relevant also to facilities such as hospitals, health care, schools, hotels, restaurants, tourism facilities and landmark structures and community and cultural assets. Accelerated safety and sustainability access control trends “Coronavirus may well accelerate changes that were already underway to promote greater safety and sustainability within our urban infrastructure. Such changes will be driven not only by the need to protect against health-related risks, but also in some cases to exclude threats such as urban pollution and to counter the rising incidence of physical violence against providers of public services.” “They are also highly relevant to and holders of valuable physical and electronic assets, including data and commercial information,” says Mr Fisher, whose parent Boon Edam organisation is a leading global manufacturer of energy-saving revolving doors and security entrances in 27 countries, including global names in data management and internet services. The 140-year-old family owned company’s top quality entrance control products are used by dozens of Fortune 500 companies as well as social infrastructure, transport terminals, public and private spaces where there are risks ranging from extreme physical intrusions – such as terrorism , violence and theft – to more subtle but sinister threats such as airborne pollution and infected carriers of contagious disease. Security technologies working in harmony Mr Fisher […]

Wearable devices to diagnose medical conditions

Transforming how common health conditions are diagnosed using point-of-care and wearable bio diagnostic devices is the goal of a new University of South Australia project, which has just secured nearly $2.2 million from the National Health, Medical and Research Council (NHRMC). Through an NHMRC Investigator Grant, UniSA biomedical engineer Professor Benjamin Thierry aims to develop a range of solid-state sensing and wearable technologies capable of diagnosing conditions including preeclampsia, epilepsy, fetal arrhythmias and heart attacks. Prof Thierry hopes these technologies will help address the significant health outcome disparities across the country, which sees Australians living in rural and remote areas experience higher levels of disease and reduced access to health services, compared with their metropolitan counterparts. “Wearable consumer products such as the Fitbit are already mainstream, yet the enormous transformative medical potential of wearable technologies is yet to be realised,” he says. “There is a huge opportunity for us to create wearable devices capable of better diagnosing and monitoring medical conditions, particularly in rural and remote settings where patients often do not have access to the testing and specialist care that is available in cities. “Some of the technologies I hope to develop include wearable devices able to continuously and accurately monitor the ECG, which could in turn predict epileptic seizures or detect preeclampsia and other related pregnancy complications. “These wearables use a cutting-edge solid-state sensing technology called Field Effect Transistors, which can measure bioelectric signals with extreme sensitivity when implemented at the nanoscale.” In addition, Prof Thierry will develop conformal devices based on Magnetic Tunneling Junction sensors to record and map magnetic fields produced by electrical activity in the heart. He hopes this will enable more accurate non-invasive monitoring of fetal cardiac activity and rapid and point-of-care diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome, including heart […]

Frigate build site ready to launch $35 billion naval project

Work is almost finished in the $500 million upgrade of Adelaide’s new high-tech frigate shipyard with five new structures rising from its Port River site. Shipbuilding in South Australia is proving a bright spark in the economy with the first new construction shed for the nation’s $35 billion Hunter Class Frigate program now ready for action. Building 20 is part of the $500 million upgrade of the state’s Osborne shipyard and its handover to ASC Shipbuilding is now underway, keeping plans well on track for work on the nation’s nine anti-submarine warfare frigates to start this year. ASC Shipbuilding director Jim Cuthill said five new sheds in the shipyard were being fitted with cutting-edge equipment and the site’s builders Australian Naval Infrastructure and Lend Lease are on track for a complete handover in July. Meanwhile, design-based engineering work for the frigates was continuing. “At the moment about 70 per cent of our workforce is still working from home and we haven’t really missed a beat with the work that we are doing,” Cuthill said. “This is a program of national importance but it’s one that’s going to play a key role in terms of stimulating economic activity post Covid.” Workers employed on the frigates project run by ASC Shipbuilding, a subsidiary of defence giant BAE Systems Australia, are now just over 600 with Cuthill saying this would be ramping up from July to hit about 1000 by the end of 2020. Cuthill said Building 20 is where construction work for the frigates will begin, as the program kicks off with five prototype blocks of the ships being made in the first two years. The planned build would see mainly Australian steel first enter the highly automated fabrication hall to be cut and welded into the 75 units that will make up each of the frigates. Work then moves […]

Queensland food manufacturer switches to hand sanitiser

One of Queensland’s oldest family-owned companies and best-known food manufacturers Trisco Foods is fighting back against the COVID-19 pandemic by developing and launching its own brand of clinical-grade hand sanitiser in just three weeks. The company, which normally produces syrups and thickeners, today completed the first bottling of its new hand sanitiser that will be sold to aged care centres and health departments across the country. About 35,000 litres of hand sanitiser will be produced every week at the company’s Carole Park factory with volumes to increase over coming weeks as safety systems and processes are expanded. The product will initially be available in 3lt bottles and 500ml flip cap bottles. Trisco Foods CEO Mike Tristram said the company had been impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak and had been looking for new opportunities to utilise their product R&D and mass production capabilities. “To effectively fight COVID-19 now and into the future we are going to need a lot of hand sanitiser and after some initial feasibility studies worked out we could quickly ramp up production of a product that met the highest standards and could be used in a range of clinical situations,” he said. “Businesses all over the world are adapting and evolving to the new world and this is one we can not only strengthen our business and retain jobs, but also help fight the outbreak.” Trisco, which was named Premier of Queensland’s Exporter of the Year last year, normally produces world class food ingredients, such as syrups and sundaes, that are used here and abroad by leading food companies. The company also produces the highly successful Precise Thick-N range of instant liquid thickeners that helps maintain the health of people suffering from swallowing problems and neurological-related dysphagia. Last year, the company expanded to the US with a […]

Ship jobs to fuel South Australian recovery

The ramping up of shipbuilding programs in Adelaide this year is providing an employment lifeline for South Australia as the state looks for ways to boost jobs growth post coronavirus. There are already almost 700 people working on the Hunter Class Frigate Program. Those numbers are expected to reach 1000 by the end of the year and 1500 by mid-2025 before reaching a peak of 2400 in 2028. Nine anti-submarine warfare frigates will be built by ASC Shipbuilding at the Osborne Naval Shipyard in Adelaide in what is being described as the largest surface ship project in Australia’s defence history. The $35 billion project is expected to generate thousands of additional jobs in South Australia and interstate at defence primes and smaller component manufacturers, which are being contracted to supply parts and expertise. It comes at an opportune time as Australian Bureau of Statistics labour force figures for March, released last week, show South Australia’s seasonally adjusted jobless rate climbed to 6.2 per cent, up from its already nation-topping February rate of 5.8 per cent. The full impact of coronavirus job cuts are not likely to show up until April’s figures are released next month. South Australia is pivotal in Australia’s $90 billion National Naval Shipbuilding Enterprise. The last of three Air Warfare Destroyers were handed over to the Commonwealth in a ceremony at Osborne last month where construction of Offshore Patrol Vessels is well underway. Osborne has been the home of the Air Warfare Destroyer project for more than a decade and was also where six Collins Class submarines were built for the Royal Australian Navy and have undergone ongoing sustainment. It is also expected to be the construction site for 12 Attack Class Submarines from 2024, creating thousands more jobs. ASC Shipbuilding has become a subsidiary of BAE Systems throughout the Hunter […]

Aquila NFU glove meets mining needs worldwide

Mining – an ages-old industry where personal injury and danger have been constant concerns, and where Aquila are delighted to now offer a range of gloves designed with exactly this situation in mind. Their NFU600S meets the general-purpose needs of mining workers for an enhanced grip protective glove that is both comfortable to wear over a long shift and low cost to purchase. Aquila NFU600S gloves feature a 13-gauge nylon liner in a fine knit outer palm dipped in sandy nitrile. The user experience is expected to include good grip, especially of slippery oily parts, coupled to a high degree of flexibility and durability with optimum dexterity in handling small items. The foam nitrile palm coat provides liquid resistance while leaving the remainder of the glove to breathe comfortably. The NFU600S is part of an Aquila mining-oriented offering which also includes a wide range of impact protection gloves – plus cut resistance gloves where sharp object protection is required.

Kemppi expands helmet range

Leading international welding equipment manufacturer, Kemppi, has launched its next-generation Alfa and Beta welding helmets and respirator models. The new e-series models provide excellent protection for arc welding, cutting, grinding, gouging and inspection processes. What’s more, they deliver refined performance, durability and comfort to suit various budgets. The new e-series range has been designed using feedback from ‘active welders’ to deliver greater wearable value. Highly robust and durable, both the Alfa and Beta e-series models feature an impact-rated shell that is tough and strong, yet lightweight. The spacious design of both the Alfa and Beta e-series accommodates eyeglasses and half masks, while also allowing good access to tight spaces. Plus, several settings and features support easy adjustment for the best personal fit and extra welding comfort, including a comfort headband, integrated magnifying lens holder and an overall 20% weight reduction when compared to previous Beta models. Users can also choose from new, optional leather neck and shoulder protectors. Both Alfa and Beta e-series models include a flip-up welding lens that is perfectly positioned for pre and post-weld inspection. Plus, the lenses’ GapView feature is especially suitable for tacking and setting work. The large and clear impact grade inspection lens has a viewing are of 80cm2 and is certified to EN 175B and AS/NZS 1337.1. Users can choose from a wide range of welding lens options. Alfa e-series Starting at just 467g, the Alfa e-series welding helmets are Kemppi’s most lightweight and compact face shields in its welding safety product range. A durable, low-cost solution that provides protection for all general welding applications and grinding, the Alfa e-series welding helmets are equipped with either a passive glass welding lens or auto-darkening ADF welding lens. Beta e-series The Beta e-series has been designed for professional welders. Certified for welding, cutting and grinding according […]

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