Future of Manufacturing

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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 […]

Trisco Foods scoops major export award

Brisbane-based, family-owned food manufacturing business Trisco Foods has been recognised for its commitment to taking locally developed products to the world. Trisco was recently named Premier of Queensland’s Exporter of the Year 2019 at the annual Queensland Export Awards. Trisco Foods produces world class food ingredients, such as syrups and sundaes, that are used here and abroad by leading food companies. It has a strong presence throughout the Asian region and has been exporting for many years. This year, Trisco opened a factory in Colorado Springs to service demand in the United States. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the award was a deserved win for a family that was always innovating and always striving to provide high quality products and service to clients here and overseas. The Premier said the company’s production and warehousing facility is located in Brisbane with many of the raw materials grown and processed locally. “The first factory was a small building of two rooms attached to the rear of the family home in Hope Street, South Brisbane,” she said. “From these humble beginnings the business has grown into a huge success story and we’re extremely proud of this Queensland business from Brisbane taking on the world.” Tristam Foods CEO Mike Tristram said the company had worked tirelessly in recent years to expand its international footprint through new product development and innovation. “It is a cliché, but this is a genuine team effort with many people contributing to our success,” he said. “Our goal is quite simple. We want to create unique and innovative food solutions and take them into new markets, both in Australia, the US and across the globe.” The Tristram family is well known among older Queenslanders as the name behind the soft drink with the marketing slogan, “Say Tristrams Please”. The brand and […]

Fixing problems caused by rezoning inner city industrial land

Carl GrodachProfessor and Director of Urban Planning & Design, Monash University Chris GibsonDirector, UOW Global Challenges Program & Professor of Human Geography, University of Wollongong Justin O’ConnorProfessor of Cultural Economy, University of South Australia Since 2000, planning authorities in Australia have overseen a massive rezoning of inner-city industrial land to make way for mixed-use residential development. They claim central industrial space is obsolete in a post-industrial economy driven by knowledge, finance, and real estate. And rezoning offers opportunities to house people near jobs and services, thereby slowing urban sprawl. While industrial rezonings have contributed to the densification of Australian cities, they also open the door to real estate speculation and accelerate gentrification. This has forced many people to move outward in search of affordable shelter. Rather than fostering walkable 20-minute neighbourhoods, “ghost shops” haunt many new mixed-use residential developments. And sprawl continues unabated. Other problems stem from a fundamental misunderstanding of contemporary manufacturing. The loss of central industrial zones displaces a range of specialised manufacturers, creative producers, and small businesses. With them go the quality jobs and vital services they provide. In the process, the diversity of land uses and jobs is reduced in the very places that policymakers want it. Can urban policy make room for manufacturing and create real diversity and a mix of employment opportunities in our cities? Australian manufacturing misunderstood Manufacturing employment has declined for decades. This is typically attributed to competition from low-wage countries. In reality, Australian manufacturing is changing and is largely distinct from overseas high-volume, low-cost mass production. Urban policy and an outdated vision of manufacturing are as much to blame for the loss of central industrial land. Today, Australian manufacturing is small, nimble, and specialised. Firms with fewer than 20 people provide 93% of all manufacturing employment. And most firms (74%) have fewer than five employees. These businesses are not pumping out automobiles or anoraks. […]

Activated carbon startup eyes commercial plant

A South Australian startup that has developed a low-cost technique for making activated carbon from agricultural waste will soon begin a capital raising round to fund commercial production. Adelaide-based company ByGen is looking for investment of A$1.5 million to build a full-scale plant capable of producing commercial quantities of activated carbon. Founders Lewis Dunnigan (CEO) and Ben Morton (CTO) established a pilot plant at the University of Adelaide last year, and have experimented with a variety of widely available agricultural wastes including almond shell, sawdust, grape marc and rice husks to produce high quality activated carbon. Activated carbon has a variety of uses including purifying liquids such as drinking water, food and beverage processing, odour removal, remediating contaminated soils and in the precious metals industry. It is traditionally made from coal, wood, or coconut shells, but Dr Dunnigan said he believed ByGen’s product was the first made sustainably from wastes. “We came up with a really low cost, low energy way of making activated carbon and then we realised there was a lot of demand for it, so we’ve commercialised the technology we developed,” he said. Activated carbon has many uses from water purification to soil improvement and mineral processing. “Traditionally you have to make it at about 1000 degrees, using steam or harsh chemicals. We felt like the energy intensive processes in developing countries with non-renewable feedstocks weren’t sustainable, so we tried lots of different Australian agricultural wastes and came up with the ByGen process.” The ByGen process is significantly less energy intensive with quality and yields in-line with existing technologies; four tonnes of agricultural waste produces approximately one tonne of activated carbon, with a value of up to A$2500 a tonne. The process can be done at the source of the waste production to reduce transportation costs and produces activated carbon at […]

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