Smart Manufacturing

New Enerpac leader brings best-in-class products and strong customer service focus

Mr Rustin Dring A Sales and Marketing Business Leader with extensive international experience in channel management and new product innovation has been appointed to head the Australasian operations of globally successful high-pressure hydraulic tools manufacturer – Enerpac. Mr Rustin Dring will lead Enerpac’s long-established teams in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea as they introduce a stream of new product, technology, services and distributor support initiatives. Under Dring’s leadership, Enerpac will be looking to expand their value proposition to distributors and end-users by offering world class customer support for high-pressure hydraulic tools, controlled force products and solutions for precise positioning of heavy loads. Mr Dring – BsC, MBA and a member of Enerpac’s Global Leadership Team – takes overall responsibility as the General Manager of Enerpac Australia and New Zealand. He will manage the introduction of several new product platforms, new strategic initiatives, and drive regional expansion while continuing to evaluate the best way to support Enerpac’s customers and distributors in Australasia. “This is an exciting time to be leading the highly experienced Enerpac commercial and operations teams. We will be working very closely with our strong distribution network to bring new and innovative ideas to the market and back them up with the world class support known by our customers from around the world. As we continue to push the envelope of new product innovation we always keep a keen focus on the safety, productivity and durability of our world class products and solutions, in areas such as: Safety – several new Enerpac product designs incorporate lighter weight materials, reduced sound and vibration levels, improved operator feedback, and testing to the highest level of safety standards. Productivity – Enerpac tools are more efficient through our designs and various new technologies. We look to eliminate wasted time from our […]

Recycling robots: Reducing waste the smart way

Just last month Apple showed off Daisy, a recycling robot that can strip apart iPhones and allow the materials to be reused. It’s highly likely that other smart device manufacturers will follow suit with similar robots in future. The benefits of a device like Daisy are twofold. For starters, it allows customers to safely dispose of their discarded smart devices. Secondly, it reduces the resources spent on sourcing the materials for new devices, as the materials can be taken from older models and reused.

Machine vision error detection: Detecting faults too minute for human eyes

Oftentimes issues in manufacturing come down to simple human error. New technologies are allowing us to cut down on these issues by offering capabilities in fault detection that far exceeds that of human workers. Landing.AI is a company that creates smart technology that can find the tiniest of faults in circuitry and other aspects of a machine that might not be immediately apparent to a human. As machinery in smart factories will all be connected and communicating with each other, the AI will send an alert when a fault is found, immediately halting the machine in question so that it can be fixed.

Embrace the fourth industrial age—or become a backwater

By Albert Palazzo The world is on the cusp of a new industrial age—the fourth. As with previous industrial ages, those who embrace it first stand to become the dominant powers of the future and will seize the right to set the rules that define the age. Those that are late to the party will struggle to secure their place and avoid a decline into humanity’s future backwaters. Australia has a choice to make: whether to undergo the social, political and cultural disruption that will result from the embrace of emerging technologies, or to continue to support an economy based on the status quo. In making this choice, Australia will also determine its security future. One of the likely changes of the fourth industrial age to which Australia will need to adapt is the decline in relative value of primary resources and manufactured goods compared to information. The rapid growth of additive manufacturing (3D printing) demonstrates this point. 3D factories, using very few staff, are coming into existence. These factories have certain advantages over current means of production. Being additive, 3D printers are very efficient and require less feed stock—iron ore for example—than traditional subtractive manufacturing. They can also be located anywhere, and be arrayed as individual units or in their thousands. That will promote distributed manufacturing. Many countries in Asia, including China, have chosen to lift their people out of poverty by becoming the manufacturer to the ‘Walmarts’ of the world. That model will come undone when every Australian, European, American and even Asian home has a 3D printer with which families can print whatever they want, from food to high-quality clothes and beyond. Value will cease to reside in the product, but will be found in the design. And as the economic foundations of the developing world fail, instability and social collapse […]

First Pacific Patrol Boat launched

The first of 21 Guardian Class Pacific Patrol Boats to be designed and built by Austal has been launched. The launch of the first vessel comes just two years after the contract was awarded to the Australian shipbuilder. The first vessel is now scheduled for delivery to Papua New Guinea in late October 2018. The launch of the first Pacific Patrol Boat is a milestone for Austal, with the Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement (PPB-R) program marking the company’s first steel ship program. “Austal is proud to be delivering the PPB-R program for the Commonwealth. This is the first steel ship program we have managed and we are doing so on time and on budget,” Austal chief executive David Singleton said. “It is a testament to the skills, experience and management of the Austal PPB-R team that the first vessel has met its project milestones for design and build, on schedule. The overall construction program is well underway, with vessels two and three in build and the fourth vessel commencing construction in June.” Singleton said the program will support 200 direct jobs at Austal and 200 indirect jobs in the broader Australian industry in a program that now extends out to late 2023. This employment is in addition to several hundred jobs at Austal created by a number of large commercial export contracts currently under construction and planned for construction at the Henderson shipyard. “We are already working on export opportunities leveraging off the Pacific Patrol Boats, which will assist Australia to sustain its sovereign naval shipbuilding industry. Austal has already delivered over 40 patrol boats to international customers around the world,” Singleton said. The Pacific Patrol Boat contract was awarded to Austal in May 2016, worth $305 million for the original 19 vessels and associated in service support, with a further […]

Are you a future-ready manufacturer?

Greg O’Loan, regional vice president, ANZ for Epicor Software Corporation For manufacturers to compete successfully in the face of cheaper overseas competitors, it’s essential to look to technologies that can offer improved processes, increased efficiencies, and substantial cost savings. Before businesses can determine whether they’re a future-ready manufacturer, they need to understand exactly where their business sits today, where it could be in three to five years, and how the business can embrace innovation and automation. This requires a time investment to create a roadmap. However, this investment will pay off as the business becomes truly future-ready and can leverage new and emerging technologies to compete more effectively. At the very least, tackling these tough questions will put organisations ahead of competitors who are consumed with putting out today’s fires rather than focusing on growth opportunities. Manufacturers that don’t invest in breakthrough technologies will be rendered irrelevant and, more often than not, it will happen at a much faster rate than they ever could have dreamed possible. It’s important to address this significant business risk sooner rather than later by embracing ways to work smarter and more efficiently. The next generation of manufacturers can’t afford to sit on the sidelines. Future manufacturers will need to be aware of how the world is changing, pay attention to economic and geopolitical forecasts, and invest in technology. While innovation is important, the key for the average manufacturing plant looking for a toehold is knowing your customers and their needs just a little bit better than the competition does. The opportunities for growth have increased recently and the Australian manufacturing industry is set for a resurgence. It has added 40,000 new jobs in since June 2016, and increased the value of Australian-made goods sold to international markets by more than $20 billion since 2009. […]

Welders’ powered air now more affordable

After hearing the news regarding the reclassification of welding fume by the IARC and putting together a Welding Fume White Paper on what this means for Australian welders, AWS, the sole agent for the 3M Speedglas Brand in Australia and New Zealand, has decided to reposition the 3M Speedglas 9100XXi Air Powered Air Purifying Respirator with a sharper price point to help make powered air respiratory protection more affordable for Aussie and Kiwi welders. The Speedglas 9100 Air The Speedglas 9100 Air coupled with the award winning Adflo PAPR combines the largest viewing area on the market with Speedglas TrueView which allows the welder to view their weld with better clarity and more colour. When combined with the peripheral Side Windows the 9100 Air gives welders vision like no other welding helmet currently on the market. With an External Button that allows the welder to bounce between two saved welding settings and grind mode, the welder never needs to touch the welding lens interface again. Simply switch between welding and grinding tasks with a touch of an external button while maintaining your positive pressure seal and desired level of welding respiratory protection. When selecting a non-flip-up welding helmet with a PAPR consider the following: Welding Lens Viewing Area: Speedglas 9100 Air, with peripheral SideWindows, has the largest viewing area currently available on the market. Arc Detection:The 9100 Air has the most powerful arc detection available down to 1amp Light State and True View Optics:With a light state of 3 and Speedglas TrueView, set-up and inspect with colour and clarity and weld in High Definition. Controls: With external grind and memory modes, the 9100 Air makes switching applications easy. Side Windows:If you have never experienced Speedglas Side Window peripheral vision it’s time to leave the tunnel. Head Harness:Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Experience the Speedglas Head Harness that […]

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Konica Minolta at National Manufacturing Week

Konica Minolta is offering manufacturers a first look at revolutionary technology that will propel them into the future at National Manufacturing Week, from May 9-12 in Sydney. Konica Minolta is offering manufacturers a first look at revolutionary technology that will propel them into the future at National Manufacturing Week, from May 9-12 in Sydney. Marc Brandon, 3D and Robotics Marketing Manager, Konica Minolta, said, “Konica Minolta is showcasing a new wave of technologies for Australian manufacturers that will accelerate operations and reshape businesses. These technologies – spanning additive manufacturing, material sciences, software, and robotics – are advancing and intersecting at such a rapid rate that they are for the first time, a reality for industry-leading organisations.” Konica Minolta is partnering with 3D SYSTEMS to make 3D production a reality for the Australian manufacturing industry, with the new Figure 4™ system. This new, high-speed digital moulding system will redefine manufacturing by accelerating production, automating manufacturing processes and producing flexible and scalable production, through a new processing technology known as Digital Light Printing (DLP). In an Australian-first preview, Konica Minolta will showcase the 3D SYSTEMS Figure 4 Standalone system, part of a wider family of Figure 4 technologies, at National Manufacturing Week 2018. These cutting edge DLP systems, deliver the industry’s first scalable, modular, fully-integrated 3D printing platform with ultra-fast speed, enabling throughput improvement up to 15 times and up to 20 per cent lower parts cost. Matthew Hunter, National Manager 3D, Konica Minolta said, “Konica Minolta is already engaging with industry and organisations that are willing to partner with us in bringing this and other additive manufacturing production systems to the market. By working together, we can expedite its arrival, while leveraging Konica Minolta’s industry leading support capabilities, to the benefit of all manufacturers in Australia.” Another technology that is making […]

Top practices for a top-performing production floor

Quality is an area where local businesses can excel. The Australian manufacturing industry continues to face significant challenges that mean businesses need to find ways to evolve and outperform their competitors to remain viable. Competition from overseas manufacturers with lower costs and a strong Australian dollar have put pressure on local businesses in recent years. “However, there are signs the Australian manufacturing industry could be set for a comeback with manufacturing jobs increasing by 40,000 in the last 12 months. (1) This suggests Australian manufacturers have found new ways to compete and prove their relevance,” said Greg O’Loan, regional vice president, ANZ for Epicor Software. The most successful manufacturers tend to concentrate their efforts in three key areas: 1. Production planning and scheduling Manufacturers must first plan what products need to be produced to satisfy existing orders, then when these products can be made. There are four ways manufacturers can maximise production: Define existing capability for production: a realistic assessment of production capacity includes factors such as the availability of machine time, the flexibility of the various types of machines for different tasks, and the availability of skilled labour within the organisation. Improve accuracy of production scheduling: organisations must continuously refine both manufacturing processes and the time allocated to them. This may be achieved by storing the load time (the amount of time it takes for production) for each job operation and recalling this to improve scheduling accuracy for future quotations as well as for actual production. Use technology to enhance production control: an accurate schedule should be available not only to those in production planning, but also to people on the shop floor who may be actively managing or producing products. An enterprise resource planning (ERP) system has these capabilities and is flexible enough to accommodate changes. Communicate the […]

Technicians using computer in server room

Is a global trade war getting serious and how will it hurt Australian industry?

Despite what Donald Trump says a global trade war does not produce winners, only losers, with Australia likely to be one of the biggest losers. History tells us that economic growth and prosperity are strongest when trade is flowing, so the US’s imposition of tariffs on imports, and China’s escalating retaliations are particularly worrying. As a price taker of somewhat undifferentiated commodities rather than must-buy value added goods into the global economy we are always hit hard by global recessions. The US industries that are likely to be hit, and hit hard by China’s latest tit for tat tariffs on the US vary from high value aircraft and pharmaceuticals to all the basics of manufacturing such as meat processing. While one might imagine a bit of a lift for Australian wine, say into China, the reality of a trade war will be hard. What will be hit in Australia? Can Australia, and can manufacturers do anything to protect themselves from this looming war? -Peter Roberts

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