Future of Manufacturing

Australians want industry, and they’d like it green. Steel is the place to start

Australia has an historic opportunity to build a new, export-focused manufacturing sector based on renewable energy. As a bonus, it could enable a less politically fraught conversation about climate change. Global action on climate change is in Australia’s national interest. The changing climate is already reducing profits for Australian farmers. Tens of thousands of jobs depend on the again-bleached Great Barrier Reef. But for too long, political leaders have struggled to balance the national interest with the legitimate concerns of Australians who live and work in regions that host coal mining and other carbon-intensive industries – most notably central Queensland and the Hunter Valley in NSW. This climate conundrum has greatly complicated the national debate about climate change: neither commitments to a “just transition” to a low-emissions future, nor promises of coal exports in perpetuity, have proven convincing, leaving regional jobs in the lurch. Australians want industry In the 2019 federal election, voters in these carbon regions, perhaps fearing for their livelihoods, seemingly rejected Labor’s more ambitious climate policies. But with 85% of our black coal exported each year, decisions made in Beijing and New Delhi matter more to these communities than decisions made in Canberra. Australia needs a credible plan to replace carbon jobs as the world decarbonises, and ideally the new jobs will offer similar salaries, need similar skills, and be located in similar places. This is the key to cracking the climate conundrum: a plan based on sound economics that can offer hope to communities that currently depend on carbon-intensive activities. A new Grattan Institute report, Start with steel, finds that manufacturing green steel for export is the largest job opportunity for these regions of Australia. We can start with steel Green steel can be made by using renewable energy to produce hydrogen, and then using that hydrogen in place of metallurgical coal in the steelmaking process. The […]

What to do with 1 billion hours of time?

COVID-19’s impact on the Australian labour market has been dramatic and multifaceted. Some sectors of the economy have been almost completely shut down by government order. The demand in many industries has collapsed, while a few others have seen an increase. As many as one million jobs are under threat. Such estimates came before the government’s extraordinary JobKeeper scheme, which will undoubtedly reduce this figure considerably. Despite that, many who will keep their jobs may not actually have much to do at work. The economy will be in “hibernation” or on “life-support” for some time to come. We’ve gained about 1 billion hours of time If the economy has shed the equivalent of one million jobs, then we’ve gained about one billion hours of available time, and that’s just over the next six months. The full impact of the crisis could be even larger. What should we do with this time? Many of us are spending more time with children who are no longer physically at school. Some of us are doing tasks which our older relatives previously did. Netflix is also a compelling option. From a human capital perspective, the crisis presents a unique economic opportunity to re-train and up-skill Australia’s labour force. The Australian government jumped on board on Sunday, announcing funding that would cut the price of new six-month, remotely delivered diplomas and graduate certificates in nursing, teaching, health, information technology and science provided by universities and private tertiary institutions. Economists have long observed that investment in human capital (education, skills) tends to increase during recessions, because there aren’t as many well-paying alternatives. We can use it to get ahead of the curve In the current recession, the opportunities for training are greater. Even those of us who will remain employed but have little to do can use the time to invest in training. Our […]

New Hydraulink Portland delivers family-style focus on top quality and enduring customer relationships

The new Hydraulink Portland vehicle with directorShane Sewell, left, and technician Jake Carter, right. A family business founded on decades of quality engineering for users of diesel transport and heavy plant and machinery is expanding its services to customers by establishing a full franchise in Portland of the national Hydraulink hydraulic hose and fittings group. Hydraulink Portland – led by husband and wife team Shane and Tamara Sewell of Skiddys Diesel Services – joins more than 400 Hydraulink service outlets throughout New Zealand and Australia operating 24/7 under the market signature “Best Under Pressure”. Shane Sewell says the new business in coastal southwest Victoria extends the range of services his complementary companies can offer market sectors in which he has built up a strong following (including transport, forestry, heavy machinery, marine, fleet maintenance, oil, gas, mining, truck and trailer repairs and maintenance, construction and infrastructure). Quality engineering is key to the family based company “This is a close-knit community that values quality, safety and reliability in engineering. We would rather our staff spent extra time ensuring the job is done right, so that when it goes out into the field it offers the best and longest-lasting performance, and avoids downtime,” said Mr Sewell, whose new Hydraulink mobile service truck joins his fleet of four vehicles (including 4wd) that range across the district. “Hydraulink is a good fit for us, because we are founded on the same family and service values of their franchise network, which backs its members and staff with outstanding training and resources. These help ensure proper and uniform compliance with quality and safety standards and traceability of components vital to performance and safety,” he said. “Our whole family is committed to the success of our business. We are customer-centric, just like Hydraulink. We all work in our […]

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Road freight industry set for disruption with launch of Loadsmile

Full steam ahead for start-up striving to tackle issues crippling one of Australia’s oldest industries Sydney:In a move set to disrupt the Australian road freight industry, Sydney-based start-up Loadsmile has launched its technology platform designed to empower the long tail of struggling small to medium-sized carriers. Loadsmile CEO and Co-Founder Geoffroy Henry said the sector is riddled with inefficiencies, most of which are addressable through technology. “Today’s road freight industry is incredibly wasteful ― millions of empty kilometres are being driven, trucks are underutilised, and overheads have increased. Currently, 30% of trucks in Australia are running with empty loads, and even when a truck has a load, it is rarely entirely full,” Henry said. “What’s more, we have spoken to hundreds of small and medium carriers who have said their drivers and trucks on average spend 2.8 days per five-day week (40%) without work2, and almost one-third (30%) of the costs they spend on resources are going to overheads not directly related to the truck or driver2. “This is due to an imbalance of power in the market, which is placing even more pressure on the small to medium trucking companies that are already chasing their tails to compete with the larger players.” In order to address the significant issue of wastage in the industry, Loadsmile’s digital platform live matches quality shippers with vetted and reliable carriers ― reducing empty miles and idle time for small to medium businesses and ultimately providing better service at a lower price. Funded by global incubator and investor Rocket Internet, this tech start-up has already secured interest from one of Australia’s largest shippers — BeCool, the last mile logistics arm of HelloFresh, will use Loadsmile’s services from day one. Loadsmile has on boarded more than 100 carriers already, providing access to thousands of trucks. […]

Cheap, lookalike hydraulic cylinders give companies headaches

Global advanced industrial tools and services leader Enerpac says the NZ market is falling victim to cheap, lookalike hydraulic cylinders that are causing significant headaches when they fail in service. Enerpac New Zealand Hydraulic Specialist, Mr Neville Stuart, says that unlike genuine Enerpac branded gear, lookalike cylinders have not been engineered for rugged conditions and optimum durability and are not backed by Enerpac’s nationwide service and warranty commitments. “Everyone is conscious of working within budget limitations, so when a $2,500 cylinder is available for under $500, it looks like a good deal. But what costs are incurred when that cylinder breaks down prematurely?” asks Mr Stuart. “It can be ten times that amount in terms of lost time, and hundreds of times that amount in terms of safety liability if they fail.” “Not only does production grind to a halt, but you now have to seek a replacement part, because there is no warranty or service with lookalike brands,” he says. Enerpac equipment is used in major projects where safety, precision and uptime are critical, in industries such as building, construction, civil and mechanical engineering, electrical utilities, manufacturing, mining and exploration, metal processing, oil and gas and transport maintenance. “At the end of the day it’s a case of ‘cheap comes out expensive’ because when you add up all the bills, a lookalike cylinder ends up causing far more costs, downtime, delays and other problems.” Mr Stuart has been raising awareness of New Zealand’s lookalike cylinder problem for years but says that the lookalike brands are persistent because they know they can make a quick dollar, then disappear before things go wrong. “The lookalike cylinders are usually painted in an almost identical yellow, and catalogues can even use similar part coding systems, but at the end of the day, if […]

Go-anywhere cylinders offer extraordinary power-to-weight

Global advanced industrial tools and services leader, Enerpac, is extending the versatility of its RAC-Series lightweight aluminium cylinder range, with new 10t and 15t models for smaller lifts requiring outstanding portability and power-to-weight ratios. The cylinders, with strokes from 50-250mm, weigh from just 1.3-2.0kg for the new 10-ton models and 1.9-2.9kg for the new 15-ton models, through to a maximum of 41.3 kg for the range-topping 150-ton models. “The new 10t and 15t models, which further extend the range, are particularly useful for maintenance tasks, and in situations where they need to be moved from job to job,” says Enerpac Asia-Pacific Marketing Manager, Mr Tony Cooper. The RAC-Series has been proven globally for years on lifts between 20 and 150 tonnes, where it provides the same lifting performance and safety in half the weight of equivalent steel hydraulic cylinders. Frequently used in workshops, fabrication and manufacturing applications, Enerpac’s range of RAC single-acting, spring return aluminium cylinders are one of the most widely used ranges in Australasia. “Cylinders often need to be carried for field maintenance, elevated platform work, up stairs or across processing plants. The light weight and outstanding portability of the RAC-Series cylinders are highly valuable in these situations, especially on remote sites, where they may need to be carried in by air or 4wd,” says Mr Cooper. The aluminium versions are also perfect for mounting on machines or applications where the weight of the hydraulic components is important. Because of their weight, aluminium hydraulic components can be more easily moved or removed for maintenance and repair. Their non-magnetic properties can also be useful in uses around high technology, equipment and magnetically or electronically sensitive instruments and applications in resources, processing and exploration. “Additionally, because it is non-corrosive by design, aluminium has always been a good material for use […]

Hydraulink’s Trans-Tasman motorcycle marvels chase a dream

A Trans-Tasman team of keen motorcyclists from hydraulic hose and fittings organisation, Hydraulink, put their company’s ‘can do’ work ethic into practice recently in an off-road odyssey to see the Moto GP at Phillip Island. Hydraulink Campbelltown Principal Jeff McCoskery and Australian colleagues Lyndon Heffernan, Chris Greet and Chris Cater decided to show a good time to their Hydraulink New Zealand counterparts – Principal Bruce Andrew and his son Nick from Hydraulink Tauranga – during their visit over the Tasman to Western Sydney, to travel together to see the races 1,000km away. To make things even more interesting, Jeff decided not to stick to the tarmac highways and byways, but to do as much of the trip as possible charging through fire trails, dirt roads and dense, often nearly invisible, bushland tracks, then overnighting at character-filled local country pubs. The Hydraulink adventurers set out from Campbelltown, bound for the highway and whatever came their way, off-road. The cherry on top of an already unforgettable trip was being accompanied by champion riders Chris Cater and Lyndon Heffernan – who was a motor cross and Enduro champ in the 1990s – and now runs guided adventure trail tours organisation ‘Detour’, as well as the Yamaha off-road riding academy. Chris is a well-known champ whose achievements date from the 1980s. “We decided to take the two Hydraulink Kiwis on an off-road adventure they wouldn’t forget in too much of a hurry,” said Jeff McCoskery, who enjoys the strong camaraderie that exists among the Hydraulink staff throughout over 400 service points throughout New Zealand and Australia, including some of the countries’ most rugged territory, where they have to go to deliver their hydraulic hose, fittings and mobile service to customers needing it in the bush or in the Outback. This trip was even harder […]

Harting solutions for the machine building industry

The Harting Technology Group accompanies you through technological transformations. Innovative components, consultants, services and systems help guide customers into the digital future. As a single-source solution, the company offers everything from individual components to custom-fit systems. Harting is advancing the digitalisation of the machine building industry with innovative, scalable interface solutions for all types of power, signal or data connections in machinery. These solutions can take advantage of demands in practically any industrial sub-segment. Selected machines in the key sub-segments of the machine building industry are catered for and advice offered for configuring interfaces for power, signal or data The solutions are well suited for use in other sub-segments – if the application requirements and the applicable standards are comparable. Typical machines that use Harting solutions include: Plastics and rubber machinery Printing machines and machines for print finishing Metal-forming machines (including punching and laser machines) Metal-working machine tools Wood-working machinery Machines that produce semiconductors Food processing and packaging machinery Robotics Handling and assembly Electric cranes Mobile machines Han-Modular – The market standard for modular connectors With the Han-Modular series, you can optimally design connectors to supply machinery and equipment. This is made possible by combining individual modules for different transmission media. Signals, data, power and compressed air – in standard-sized industrial connector housings. Han-Modular offers easy-to-handle, highly flexible solutions with a small footprint and versatile functionality. Hygienic and robust: Connectors for the food industry With Han F+B, Harting has created a range of connectors especially designed for the requirements of the food industry. Smooth surfaces make it harder for bacteria to accumulate. The hoods, housings and seals are robust and protect the internal contacts against hose water and aggressive cleaning agents. Hygiene and safety are particularly important in food processing. Machines and equipment must be designed so that they are […]

OnRobot launches VGC10 electric vacuum gripper

OnRobot, a global leader in robotic end-of-arm tooling, announces the VGC10 compact electric vacuum gripper that addresses customer demand for a small but powerful and highly configurable gripper for nearly any application. Based on the design of the award-winning OnRobot VG10 electric vacuum gripper, the compact VGC10 is smaller and lighter than its larger cousin, so is ideal for constrained environments and smaller robot arms, but offers the same impressive payload of 15 kg (35 lb). The VGC10 provides fast out-of-the-box deployment but also offers unlimited customisation, with easily changeable suction cup options and the ability to add or replace arms to fit highly specific application needs. With this configurability, the VGC10 can grip and move a wide array of small, multi-dimensional, and heavy objects even with a lighter payload robot arm. The VGC10 features two independently controlled air channels that allow it to act as a dual gripper with pick-up and release in the same action, further increasing efficiency and reducing cycle time. The gripper can also be used with a single air channel for higher gripping performance. With no compressor or air supply needed—eliminating the cost, noise, space, and maintenance of producing compressed air—this compact electrical gripper is easy to implement and move. Fully integrated software through OnRobot’s new One System Solution platform makes it quick to deploy and redeploy on any major collaborative or light industrial robot arm for greater production flexibility. “We heard from customers that they loved the features of the VC10 gripper but sometimes needed a more configurable, compact version, so we delivered,” said Enrico Krog Iversen, CEO of OnRobot. “The VGC10 is another great example of OnRobot’s mission to be the one-stop-shop for innovative, collaborative end-of-arm tooling that lets manufacturers focus on their application rather than the complexities of the robot.” VGC10 Features […]

ABB powers with manufacturing management technology

The Manufacturing Operations Management (MOM) software suite powers production for increased productivity and profitability, enabling seamless plant orchestration. The new version will offer an extended range of capabilities and new digital applications. This flexible and secure software platform with a broad suite of industrial applications gives operators, supervisors and plant managers the visibility and insights to take the right actions for increased productivity, quality and compliance. Features in the enhanced manufacturing operations management platform include: Enhanced user experience based on new HTML 5 web client; A new smart interactive dashboard application that provides greater visibility and collaboration; A new statistical process control (SPC) application, to determine if each process is in a state of control; A new Batch Compare application – for advanced batch analysis Manufacturing Operations Management is a comprehensive, scalable and modular software suite that optimises visibility, knowledge and control throughout the operations domain. This release provides a range of rich new functionality and a new enhanced user experience that enables operations to become more productive and responsive.” Manufacturing Operations Management is designed to simplify production management by enabling performance monitoring, downtime management and maintenance support, as well as providing statistical production analysis tools. It provides solutions and tools to facilitate the collection, consolidation and distribution of production, quality and energy information via the plant’s web-based reports, trends, and graphs. A new, self-service dashboard application promotes increased collaboration, providing visibility from shop floor to top floor and spanning IT and OT environments. It increases data connectivity to all apps and modules within the MOM suite, combining historic and manufacturing data and providing the user with improved customization capabilities. Dashboards can be shared amongst users, further promoting collaboration between teams. Trends and events are displayed together, which enables customers to identify issues and opportunities enabling informed and timely decisions. The new common services […]

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Future of Manufacturing