Smart Manufacturing

Mitsubishi Electric to showcase data analytics solutions at Modern Manufacturing Expo

Peter Drucker’s statement that ‘you can’t manage what you can’t measure’ has quickly become the new business mantra. Reliable, accurate information is imperative to the development of a successful business strategy. Yet collecting the data itself is not enough. “If this is our only focus, we can quickly end up in a world of data overload where we have an enormous amount of data but no easy means of interpreting that data into information to achieve our purpose,” explains Meighan Heard, Executive Director, Commercial and Corporate, Mitsubishi Electric Australia. She goes on to say that it’s what an organisation does with data that makes all the difference to management of operations, goal achievement and overall company results. “Steven Rice puts this nicely in the well-known quote: “I believe that data will set you free. At the end of the day, it’s all about how you turn those pieces of information into insights that will improve your business”. Transforming data into actionable business insights This is where analytics software solutions come into play, transforming large volumes of real-time data (such as that from manufacturing or facility operations) into actionable intelligence. The information obtained from these analytical tools can be used to drive improvements in productivity, efficiency, quality and sustainability. “When this is taken to the enterprise level, the information obtained can be applied to solve common business challenges. For example, expert systems and machine learning can be applied to Big Data, leading to visualisation and reporting solutions for energy optimisation, fault detection and diagnostics, predictive maintenance, SPC quality control, and equipment efficiency,” elaborates Meighan. Mitsubishi Electric provides technology, systems and software to enable companies to collect data, analyse that data and drive helpful insights into their operations and activities. At an enterprise level, the products and solutions provided by the company’s bespoke […]

Aussie manufacturers cracking US market

A growing number of South Australian manufacturers are expanding their footprint into the United States on the back of renewed interest in American and European markets. Global engineering companies, tech firms and manufacturing businesses based out of the Tonsley Innovation District in Adelaide, South Australia are among those broadening their reach across the Pacific and opening offices in cities across the United States. XFrame managing director Carsten Dethlefsen said they launched in the US last year at NeoCon in Chicago, one of the country’s largest commercial furniture conferences. Without using a single nail or screw, the Tonsley-based business has invented a system of interlocking plywood that can be used to build shelters, office pods and studios. “Within two weeks of that conference we had projects on our books,” Dethlefsen said. “We delivered those projects within four weeks of that, so speed to market there. The type of clients I think caught us a little by surprise as well.” A phone booth made by XFrame, which can be easily disassembled and moved. Dethlefsen said there was a “big appetite” for their work post-COVID-19 because many offices needed reconfiguring. Their product allows companies to change their fit-out down the track without costly renovations. Dethlefsen said construction of trade show booths and retail display stands were in hot demand. As a result, the company now has manufacturing partners in Michigan, Oregon, and Grand Junction, Colorado. He said companies also wanted XFrame to build ancillary housing units to meet the huge demand for housing in the US. “The booth we did for that conference was all manufactured in the States, so we used local manufacturing, local supply chains and local labour. “We designed it up, sent it across the desert, they cut the components delivered to our team, they pre-assembled it and stood it up in the […]

Company Profile: Viatris

Viatris is a new kind of global healthcare company whose mission is to empower people worldwide to live healthier at every stage of life by expanding access to medicines regardless of geography or circumstance; advancing responsible, sustainable operations and targeted innovation to improve patient health; and leveraging its collective expertise to connect more people to more products and services. Viatris has scientific, manufacturing and distribution expertise with proven regulatory, medical and global commercial capabilities to deliver high-quality medicines to patients in more than 165 countries and territories. Viatris Australia is one of the leading suppliers of medicines to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, currently with 43 out of the top 50 PBS products distributed by volume being a Viatris medicine. Their broad portfolio ranges from iconic brands, generic, complex generic and branded medicines, biosimilars and over-the-counter products across more than 10 major therapeutic areas. In November, Viatris will be celebrating their second anniversary, following the combination of Mylan and Pfizer’s Upjohn business. In Australia the manufacturing facility at Carole Park has been operational for 40 years – growing from 6 employees to over 600. Viatris is a global pharmaceutical and healthcare corporation headquartered in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. The company has local offices in both Australia and New Zealand. In 2021, Viatris sold more than 80 billion doses of medicine worldwide and reached approximately 90% of low- and lower-middle-income countries with approximately 7.7 billion doses of medicine. In Australia the world class manufacturing facility at Carole Park, Queensland, exports medicine to more than 40 countries. Viatris produces approximately 3 billion doses of medicine every year in approximately 450 different formulations and with the opening of the new manufacturing suite, this will increase to approximately 4 billion doses of medicine every year. Sylvain Vigneault, Country Manager (pictured), believes that Viatris is in a really […]

Victorian opposition recognises gas for cleaner energy future

Australia’s oil and gas industry has noted the return of a balanced discussion about Victorian energy policy, with recognition from the State Opposition that natural gas is central to the cleaner energy future. The Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association (APPEA) today said Opposition Leader Matthew Guy’s pledge to end natural gas bans and use the energy source to replace coal and partner with renewables on the road to net zero was a sensible position backed by experts. APPEA Chief Executive Samantha McCulloch said: “This position understands the fundamental energy system changes occurring globally – with natural gas widely acknowledged to have a central, and even wider, role in the future energy mix than it does today. “Natural gas will replace higher emitting coal and firm renewable power generation, support manufacturing, help make everyday products as well as act as a feedstock for hydrogen. “As the Federal Government’s special adviser on low emissions technology, former chief scientist Dr Alan Finkel, said recently, gas can even speed up the journey to a cleaner energy future.” Ms McCulloch said Mr Guy had called out the untenable position of Victoria relying heavily on coal-powered electricity while having minimal onshore gas production because of a decade of development bans, which have deprived Victorians of the cheapest gas available to them. “Victorians currently pay $2 extra for every gigajoule of gas to be transported from Queensland under this policy, which ignores the fundamental rule that the cheapest gas is the gas produced closest to the customer,” she said. “The industry has announced over $20 billion of new supply investments over the past two years. But little of that has been in Victoria because of a decade of uncertainty, moratoriums and bans. We need certainty and the investment policy settings to be right. “As well as […]

Man,And,Woman,Hand,Holding,Jigsaw,Puzzles,,Business,Matching,Concept

Shift to shared office and distribution centre model increases demand for security

A shift in commercial real estate mentality is increasing the demand for security, to separate previously unconsidered areas, thereby ensuring the protection of all staff, visitors, equipment, and product. With e-commerce continuing to grow, and as more workplaces offer a flexible work from home balance, companies are beginning to combine their offices with their distribution centres, to add convenience and cost-savings to their operations. “These combined workspaces are often closer to employees’ homes, and companies can lease a single building, instead of having to lease two separate ones – it makes good economic and social sense,” says Boon Edam Australia Managing Director, Michael Fisher. “However, with this combination, comes risk. There’s a new need to separate people from product, or customers from a warehouse space. Having the right security in place will be essential to companies seeking smooth and safe operations at these combined facilities,” he said. Boon Edam Australia is a local leader in elegant architectural entrances and integrated security solutions for leading companies, including Fortune 500 companies in 27 countries where its reputation for quality and service is valued highly by architects and security specifiers. It is backed by the family-owned 150-year old Royal Boon Edam group. In addition to having one of the world’s most extensive ranges of revolving doors and security entrances integrated from one source, the other major consideration is appearance, says Fisher. “These combined facilities are often major brands and household names. They are seeking not only reliable and functional security solutions, but technologies that match the elegance and style of their brand,” he says. An elegant and secure solution A solution that seamlessly integrates elegance with security is Boon Edam’s Speedlane Lifeline range of speed gates. The Lifeline range has been a global market leader for years, and offers one of the slimmest […]

Clean H2 Steam for Australia

North America based Jericho Energy Ventures Inc. and Australia’s LINE Hydrogen (Australia) Pty Ltd (LINE Hydrogen) are bringing to Australia leading hydrogen boiler technology, DCC Boiler. Hydrogen Technologies, a wholly owned subsidiary of JEV, has patented a breakthrough method for burning hydrogen and oxygen in a vacuum chamber to create high-temperature water and steam with zero greenhouse gases. With the only by-product being water, the Dynamic Combustion Chamber Boiler (DCC Boiler) harnesses the power of hydrogen for commercial heating, hot water and industrial steam boiler applications. In an Australian first, LINE Hydrogen and JEV will collaborate to bring DCC Boilers to Australia. LINE Hydrogen will also provide JEV and customers with a priority supply of green hydrogen and look to enter into Offtake Agreements for the supply of LINE Hydrogen’s green hydrogen produced at the George Town Green Hydrogen Plant. It is expected that industry partners will be announced in the coming months with the first DCC Boiler expected to be installed and commissioned in Tasmania in 2023 to match LINE Hydrogen’s green hydrogen production. Brian Williamson, CEO of JEV, said “Change starts with the end-user, and our zero-emission DCC Boiler delivers immediate emission reductions that is the catalyst for decarbonisation hubs. “We’re incredibly excited to work with LINE Hydrogen as we continue to transition to a clean energy future. By partnering up with LINE Hydrogen, we can provide end-users with surety of supply to make the transition to clean energy a win-win.” Each DCC Boiler installed removes the CO2 equivalent of 2,500 cars per annum (or about 4,400 tons of CO2 per annum). The parties will build a consortium of end users. LINE Hydrogen will also investigate advanced manufacturing opportunities to manufacture the DCC Boiler in either Tasmania or elsewhere in Australia. LINE Hydrogen’s Managing Director, Gina Bozinovski, said […]

Waste not, want not

Hunter Manufacturing Awards (HMA) Plastic waste is a blight on our environment, but one Newcastle company is “manufacturing change” – reducing plastic pollution and boosting business in the Hunter. Sustainable furniture company Resourceful Living transforms plastic waste into functional household items. Resourceful Living takes tonnes of discarded plastic, shreds it, heat-presses it, and cuts it into practical items ranging from furniture to clocks and even skirting boards. Based at Beresfield, the process “from pollution to practical” can take as little as two days. The company takes waste from yellow bins and environmental clean-up groups. An end goal is to help more big businesses improve their sustainability, all while bolstering the region’s manufacturing industry. As such, it is a worthy nomination for the Hunter Manufacturing Awards (HMA) Outstanding Start-Up Award. The Hunter Manufacturing Awards represents all businesses actively engaged in the manufacturing sector, including their allies, in the Upper Hunter, Lower Hunter, Central Coast, Lake Macquarie, Newcastle, Port Stephens, and Mid-North Coast regions. HMA has a loyal following thanks to its efforts of inspiring and encouraging vibrant and enduring manufacturing in these regions. A mission to promote best practices in manufacturing motivates the HMA. In highlighting the achievements of the best, it encourages and sustains the aspirations of those who want to join them. Resourceful Living is one such operation. With costs rising, particularly the cost of power, which also has issues around availability, it is imperative that local companies support each other. Manufacturing diversity is crucial for the Hunter region. Resourceful Living founder Jess Hodge says everything the business can use, it does use. And the possibilities for the end result are endless. “Covid made Australian companies acutely aware of supply chains and problems accessing products from overseas,” Ms Hodge says. “Now we’re manufacturing, we are also trying hard with […]

CSIRO program helps businesses boost R&D knowledge in advanced manufacturing

Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, is boosting Australia’s advanced manufacturing capability by providing free research and development (R&D) support to businesses to help them develop new products or services. Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) working on new advanced manufacturing solutions can sign up to the free, 10-week online Innovate to Grow program, to support their commercial idea by building their R&D knowledge, with 25 spots available. Upon completion of the program, participants may be able to access facilitation support, through CSIRO, to connect to research expertise nationally, along with dollar-matched R&D funding. CSIRO’s Director of Manufacturing, Marcus Zipper said global supply chain disruptions highlighted the need to build Australia’s advanced manufacturing capability. “Advanced manufacturing plays an important role in so many sectors, with manufacturing contributing about six per cent of Australia’s GDP, from biomedical manufacturing to smart robotics and automation,” Dr Zipper said. “Building Australia’s advanced manufacturing capability is a key part of Australia’s recovery from the COVID-19 crisis, and much of this capability will be driven by SMEs, which make up 99.8 per cent of all businesses in Australia,” he said. Deputy Director of CSIRO’s SME Connect team, Dr George Feast, said that to help businesses take their products or services to the next level, R&D was essential to better understand what opportunities might be presented to them. “Even though we know R&D drives innovation, it can be an expensive undertaking for businesses, risky and time consuming for those without the right guidance and support,” Dr Feast said. “Through this program, participants will be given help to refine a new idea they want to explore and better understand their idea’s business and scientific viability. “They will also be exposed to industry knowledge, hear from innovation and industry experts, and work with an R&D mentor.” The program is open to all companies, regardless of […]

First Person View of Professional Freelancer Working on Green Mo

Configuring and programming igus linear robots – as easy as playing PlayStation

Gamification approach and additional features make online configurator for low-cost linear robots even more intuitive. With the help of the game engine Unity, motion plastics specialist igus has given its online configurator for low-cost linear robots a facelift, making its operation even more efficient. Now, users can configure an individual linear robot ready for connection faster and easier – in just five minutes. With the help of the online tools, any automation solution can be programmed and tested directly in the selected working area and also load CAD data and a suitable drawing. Even small and medium-sized companies can immerse themselves without a barrier in the world of automation – without the know-how of specialists and CAD software. Increase efficiency, reduce errors and lower costs: many companies are recognising the benefits of process automation. But choosing the right robot can be time-consuming – and time is money. Last year, igus developed an online configurator to make it easier getting started with automation. With just a few clicks, customers can easily configure ready-to-connect low-cost linear robots based on sliding drylin linear guides. Linear robots are available without control system, and with control system and software. “Since the launch of the configurator, we received a lot of positive feedback on the gamification approach and intuitive usability,” says Alexander Mühlens, head of the Automation Technology and Robotics division at igus. “Nevertheless, we asked ourselves: Can we continue to improve operation with this feedback? The answer was a resounding yes. As a result, we have further optimised the configurator and added new functions.” Configure individual robots — even easier thanks to the gaming platform For the new design of the configurator, the igus developers used Unity – a platform used in the development of games for PC and game consoles. Operation of the configurator […]

Albanese lays out radical new vision for Australia in the region: clean energy exporter and green manufacturer

Authors: John Mathews, Professor Emeritus, Macquarie Business School, Macquarie University. Elizabeth Thurbon, Scientia Associate Professor in International Relations / International Political Economy, UNSW Sydney. Hao Tan,Associate Professor, Newcastle Business School, University of Newcastle.Sung-Young Kim, Senior Lecturer in International Relations, Discipline of Politics & International Relations, Macquarie School of Social Sciences, Macquarie University. Gone are the days when the federal government would cheer on Australia’s fossil fuel exports to the exclusion of all else, while seemingly doing everything in its power to hold back the switch to renewables. Now we have a new government, the clean energy transition is accelerating. Labor is framing the transition not just as decarbonisation but as a green economic boom through manufacture of electrolysers, green steel, green cement and green fertiliser. If successful, this will amount to a green industrial revolution. This radical new vision was laid out in Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s speech to the Sydney Energy Forum. He proposed a new era for Australian energy industries and exports as well as using our wealth of renewables to drive deeper involvement in our region. It makes good commercial and climate sense for the federal government to target the Indo-Pacific for this green industrial revolution, since the region is already the world’s leader in clean energy investments. As of 2021, our region accounts for over 80% of the world’s private investment in clean energy. India, China, Japan, Korea, Indonesia and Pacific nations are natural partners for Australia in this new green push as well as leaders creating the market for clean energy and green products. Australia could gain greatly by exporting green power and green products, Prime Minister Albanese said this week. Brook Mitchell/AAP What does this actually look like? For a sign of what’s to come, look to the massive Sun Cable project, launched four years ago with early funding […]

«‹ 4 5 6 7 ›»

News Ticker

Smart Manufacturing