Smart Manufacturing

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Accelerate your business by using your voice

Ask any business owner or board-level executive involved in manufacturing about the demands of growing a business, and they would probably readily agree that it’s tough. Apart from juggling various elements to keep the business on a growth trajectory, there are the endless administration tasks. Regularly producing reports, quotes, estimates, proposals, plans and invoices can be daunting, and may even negatively impact on productivity. However, the challenge no longer needs to be overwhelming thanks to technology. Speech recognition is now more accurate, more powerful, and more usable than ever before, and it can help facilitate the growth of a business. Adopting a desktop speech recognition solution – like Nuance Dragon Professional Individual for the PC – can improve a business’s everyday performance and productivity. Save time producing documents Dragon does the typing for you as you speak and, as we talk three times faster than we can type, the productivity implications are considerable. Dragon quickly and accurately turns your spoken words into text. It lets you put your voice to work to easily dictate and edit documents, proposals, reports and more. With Dragon you spend less time producing documents, and more time on activities that boost the bottom line. Plus, as Dragon works with all Microsoft Office applications, you can also create spreadsheets and presentations by simply using your voice. The solution also lets you speak to send emails, and as it’s compatible with popular web browsers, you can also deploy Dragon to search the web and use social media with unparalleled speed, ease and comfort. Dragon rewards the user by helping you gain precious time. Work that may have taken hours – typing a large document or clearing your inbox – can now be achieved faster and without the need to type, and the time saved can be allocated […]

Happy birthday, SA’s big battery, and many happy returns (of your recyclable parts)

Aleesha Rodriguez A year ago today, Tesla’s big battery in South Australia began dispatching power to the state’s grid, one day ahead of schedule. By most accounts, the world’s largest lithium-ion battery has been a remarkable success. But there are some concerns that have so far escaped scrutiny. The big battery (or the Hornsdale Power Reserve, to use its official name) was born of a Twitter wager between entrepreneurs Mike Cannon-Brookes and Elon Musk, with the latter offering to build a functioning battery in “100 days or it’s free”. Musk succeeded, and so too has the battery in smoothing the daily operation of South Australia’s energy grid and helping to avert blackouts. The battery has also been a financial success. It earned A$23.8 million in the first half of 2018, by selling stored electricity and other grid-stabilising services. These successes have spurred further big battery uptake in Australia, while the global industry is forecast to attract US$620 billion in investments by 2040. It’s clear that big batteries will play a big role in our energy future. But not every aspect of Tesla’s big battery earns a big tick. The battery’s own credentials aren’t particularly “green”, and by making people feel good about the energy they consume over summer, it arguably sustains an unhealthy appetite for energy consumption. The problem of lithium-ion batteries The Hornsdale Power Reserve is made up of hundreds of Tesla Powerpacks, each containing 16 “battery pods” similar to the ones in Tesla’s Model S vehicle. Each battery pod houses thousands of small lithium-ion cells – the same ones that you might find in a hand-held device like a torch. The growing demand for lithium-ion batteries has a range of environmental impacts. Not least of these is the issue of how best to recycle them, which presents significant opportunities and challenges. The Hornsdale Power Reserve claims that when the batteries stop working (in about 15 years), Tesla […]

People, not technology, shape the future of manufacturing

These are exciting times for manufacturing. A plethora of recent technological developments creates radically new opportunities for how we develop, manufacture, and deliver products globally. The headlines proclaim that “the robots are coming”, “jobs will be automated”, and “digitalisation is revolutionising production”. Many managers are excited, baffled, or both. Many jobseekers are worried. Three decades ago, leadership expert Warren Bennis envisioned that “the factory of the future will have only two employees: a man and a dog. The man will be there to feed the dog. The dog will be there to keep the man from touching the equipment.” While this vision is witty, the idea of the fully automated “lights-out” factory still lingers. But there’s a different vision for the future of manufacturing, where people take centre stage. A vision where people make use of new technology to enable sustainable, socially responsible, and efficient manufacturing. In this context, putting people first may seem surprising. After all, have we not been told that robotics and digitalisation will complete processes more effectively and efficiently than humans? That machine learning is training machines to train machines? That artificial intelligence is even entering company boardrooms? While this may hold true for some tasks, the vast amount of other tasks will in fact remain largely unaffected in the near term. To debunk a myth: robots are automating processes, not jobs. What’s more, we think that these technological developments are good, not bad, for workers. Increased productivity frees up human resources to do tasks where humans are superior to machines. One example of such a task is the development of new technologies in the first place. Another equally important task is to figure out how to best apply them. People must map production processes, identify the nodes where technology is needed, and reskill the persons […]

Reliable, long service strainers and filters

Plenty filters and strainers are known for their reliable, robust, long-lasting products, which, once installed, will work reliably for many years. They are designed to minimise operational and running costs in the plant and deliver exceptional performance. Within the Plenty range are a wide selection of solutions including leading simplex, duplex, backwashing and self-cleaning strainers. Backflush filters The Plenty Backflush Filter is designed to keep processes running without manual intervention. Designed specifically for applications on water systems, Plenty Backflush Filters are available in a full range of sizes to suit most applications with a choice of stainless steel or cast-iron housings. They are efficient to install, are designed to minimise product loss during backflush action, and do not require any separate back wash supply. The filtration element is available in a large range of sizes with mesh or wedge wire options to suit application needs. Plenty Backflush Filters utilise system pressure for automatic cleaning, without interruption of the liquid flow or the need for an independent supply of clean water. Plenty Backflush Filters operate in normal filtration mode until a timer initiates a regular cleaning cycle or the amount of contaminate accumulated inside the strainer tubes restricts the flow passage, causing an increase in the differential pressure. When the pressure drop reaches a pre-set trigger level, the automatic cleaning mechanism is actuated, and a sliding seal plate connected to the backwash outlet effectively blanks off each strainer element in turn from the inlet water. Pressure within the strainer body is higher than the pressure in the backwash outlet pipe and so induces a flow of clean water in the reverse direction through the isolated element, effectively flushing away all accumulated debris. Liquid and Gas process filters From its Dollinger range, SPX Flow offers the highly efficient LL-142 liquid filters, which […]

Armoured wetsuit made of aluminium platelets

Australian global manufacturer Sevaan Group was handpicked by an innovative company to help create an armoured wetsuit for protecting commercial divers, Scuba divers, free divers and those into serious spear fishing. Known as ironskinn, the armoured wetsuit is made of extremely tough aluminium platelets held together by an elastic in-form setting. Sevaan Group was chosen for various reasons ahead of sizeable international competition, with one reason being its ability to interpret the requirements and set up CAD and manufacturing sequences to make the concept a physical reality. As ironskinn Managing Director Mr John Sundnes explains, Sevaan Group was very inquisitive about what was required and were excited about making a significant part of that product. “We are making the entire suit in NSW, so Sevaan’s Sydney base was a good start and ultimately as a company they showed patience as this was something that was never made before,” said Mr Sundnes. “A lot of finetuning was required and they were up for it; unlike other companies we approached whose attitude was ‘when you have a need for 100-offs then call us’. “It took probably 4-5 months because we had some tooling we needed made and Sevaan Group had good contacts to make that tooling a reality. “The platelets have a particular shape and particular curvature; thin metal can behave in unexpected ways so that part may come out a little differently compared to its CAD so we needed expertise to handle that.” The ironskinn protective dive suit is designed to protect divers from an unexpected shark bite, as well as to protect from other marine hazards such as oysters, mussels, barnacles and rotten metal from boats when working on them underwater, therefore offering a wide range of applications of material. Currently, the suit is on a pilot program with some […]

What are the different types of compressed air dryers?

Compressed air dryers are an important addition to air compressors and allow particles such as oil and water vapour to be safely removed. Filtering and drying compressed air can reduce the chances of corrosion and other issues, improving the life of equipment and reducing the need for maintenance. Many air dryer types can effectively remove contaminants and water vapour, producing quality compressed air which is suitable for sensitive applications. Air dryer types include membrane, desiccant, deliquescent and refrigerated air compressor dryers. What is an air compressor dryer? Air compressor dryers use a number of different methods to remove moisture and water vapour from compressed air, depending on the air dryer types. Each type of air dryer has its own advantages and disadvantages which can make them more appropriate for certain situations. The amount of water vapour in air is measured as its ‘dew point’. The lower the temperature of air’s dew point, the less water vapour it contains and the drier it is. While some air dryer types can remove almost all the water vapour in air, lowering dew point becomes increasingly more expensive and difficult as water vapour is removed. Refrigerated compressed air dryers Refrigerated dryers are a popular compressed air dryer type as they are the most cost-effective to own and operate. Refrigerated air dryers work by cooling compressed air down until the water vapour condenses into a liquid form, which is then drained away. Refrigerated dryers are the best choice to dry air for general purposes, as they remove the largest amount of water with the least amount of energy use. This can greatly reduce the problems associated with wet compressed air without spending more resources to completely remove water vapour. Pros: Cost efficient Cons: Does not completely remove moisture Membrane compressed air dryers Membrane dryers work […]

Lightweight scanning solution

The Faro 8-Axis Design ScanArm 2.5C is the first colour capable portable lightweight 3D scanning solution providing an unprecedented ergonomic experience with both the 7-Axis or 8-Axis models. Using the new Faro Prizm™ full colour Laser Line Probe with powerful 3D design and modelling software, the 8-Axis Design ScanArm delivers high-resolution colour point-cloud data enabling more insight into object design and creation, geometry, surface composition and differentiation between materials. The colour information is also used in high-quality 3D visualisation of rendering objects in gaming, movies and online marketing. The added eighth-axis enables real-time rotation of the object being scanned – eliminating wasted time, reducing risk to delicate objects and supporting more complete scan output. The 8-Axis Design ScanArm 2.5C is the ideal solution for any organisation that may have the need to develop or manufacture parts and after-market products characterised by different coatings, materials, co-moulded parts or surfaced finishes without existing CAD models. In addition, you can reverse engineer legacy parts to design changes or replacement, create digital libraries to decrease inventory and warehouse costs, design aesthetically pleasing free form surfaces or leverage the power of rapid prototyping. This lightweight and easily manoeuvrable ScanArm is available in lengths of 2.5m, 3.5m and 4.0m and seamlessly scans challenging products, objects and prototypes. The Design ScanArm 2.5C comes equipped with dual, hot swappable batteries that enable continuous operation with no need for external power when the application requires measurement in the field or shop floor. Faro kinematic iProbe’s easy connect/disconnect combined with a simplified quick release, makes the device effortless to operate regardless of skill level or 3D scanning experience. The Faro 8-Axis Design ScanArm 2.5C is the ideal colour capable 3D scanning solution for any organisation that may have the need to: • Capture and digitise objects and props in full […]

Aurecon and Seequent lead on NZ’s largest transport infrastructure project

Global engineering and infrastructure advisory company Aurecon and Seequent, a developer of revolutionary visual data science software, are leading the way for digital engineering on New Zealand’s largest transport infrastructure project ever to be undertaken. Auckland’s City Rail Link (CRL) project is a 3.45km twin-tunnel underground rail link up to 42 metres below the city centre, transforming the downtown Britomart Transport Centre into a two-way through station that better connects the Auckland rail network. Infrastructure projects this size are challenging enough, without the added complexity of building them in a city located on a volcanic field. Embarking on a massive project like the CRL through an area of complex geology, including volcanoes, requires a very clear assessment of the ground conditions. This demanding task fell on the shoulders of Aurecon. To help attain and communicate this detailed technical analysis, Aurecon used Seequent’s 3D geological modelling solution, Leapfrog Works, which is specifically designed for the Civil Engineering and Environmental industries. Helping reduce risk on infrastructure projects Critical in any major infrastructure project, Aurecon needed to carry out detailed technical analysis of the ground conditions to identify the risks and then clearly communicate and mitigate these risks to the consortium of engineers and architects involved. Philip Kirk, Geotechnical Team Leader, Aurecon, says, “We didn’t want the construction team to encounter unexpected ground conditions that would compromise or delay the project. We had to get it right.” Seeing the complex volcanic geology To make informed decisions on structural design, services locations and construction methods, engineers and construction teams needed to ‘see’ how these ground conditions interacted. Using Leapfrog Works, Aurecon’s ground engineering and engineering design colleagues were able to readily visualise in 3D and were quickly surprised by how effective a communication tool Leapfrog Works was. A key feature in the development of […]

Quiet ZC cordless pump offers portability, speed and safety

Enerpac’s ZC series high performance pump An international leader in high pressure hydraulic tool technology, Enerpac, is introducing to Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea compact and outstandingly powerful cordless hydraulic pumps ideal for jobs that require a combination of portability, speed and safety. The 700 bar (10,000psi) ZC Series pumps combine the performance of an electric pump with the convenience, portability and stumble-free safety of a battery pump that is ideal for applications where emissions and noise are concerns. The new generation cordless pumps – featuring a rechargeable 82V lithium ion battery with long run times, even under extreme site conditions – work well in remote locations where there is no access to power, as well as indoor uses where trip hazards, ergonomics or size are a concern. Available in single-acting, double-acting and Power Seater Post Tensioning models (weighing 29.7-33.3kg), the pumps provide a high-flow cordless solution for applications such as: lifting, shifting, cutting, pressing, gear pulling and other workshop maintenance tasks; foundation work; post-tensioning and rail, road, civil engineering and infrastructure development on sites as diverse as mining and energy, construction, oil and gas exploration and development; water and pipeline projects. These advanced technology pumps – with impressive run times and national service backing from Enerpac – are among the first of a stream of high-technology products Enerpac is introducing to save users time and money. The ZC-Series is a high-flow cordless solution with an 8-litre reservoir capacity, 0.52l/min flow at rated pressure and reduced noise level of 80 dB a maximum. They are designed to handle, for example, 50 lifting cycles with an RC1006 95-ton cylinder, or 90 cycles of the equally widely used RC504 cylinder on a single charge. ZCs save users time and money by eliminating the need for a generator and extension cords. […]

Kemppi releases tough, cost-effective X3 MIG Welder

Leading international welding equipment manufacturer, Kemppi, has launched the new Kemppi X3 MIG family, an evolution of its popular HiArc MIG range. The X3 is a basic and cost effective MIG alternative to Kemppi’s premium FastMig welding family, but with a high duty cycle and robust design is suitable for the tough and demanding conditions found in the metal fabrication industry. Available as a gas-cooled MIG/MAG welding package with carbon arc gouging, the X3 MIG Welder delivers excellent performance with up to 500 amperes at a 60% duty cycle. The machine is equipped with a wire feeder for 300mm wire spools and accepts wire diameters from 0.8 to 1.6mm, and with cored wires up to 2.0mm. It also offers outstanding welding control to deliver quality welds. The MIG/MAG process of the X3 MIG Welder has been carefully tuned at the Kemppi welding lab to give the arc excellent stability. This makes the arc easy to manage and minimises spatter, even when using inexpensive CO2 shielding gas. With less spatter, the need for post-weld grinding is reduced, and welders can use more of their time for productive welding. In addition, the machine has a range of functions that fine-tune the start and end of welds, improve the quality of the weld and help boost productivity. These include Crater Fill, Burn Back, Hot Stop, Soft Start, Hard Ignition and Creep Start. Plus, the machine is also very energy efficient. Kemppi is the number one pioneer in welding inverter technology, and the X3 MIG Welder uses the latest IGTB inverter technology to reduce its energy usage and minimise costs. A practical, no-nonsense machine for the professional welder, the Kemppi X3 MIG Welder is both robust and rugged. The system’s wire-feeder features a fully enclosed and impact resistant dual-skin cabinet to protect the wire […]

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