Business News

Airlines can save money and the environment

More precise weather data means safer flights and smaller fuel consumption, as aircrafts can avoid unfavourable winds at given altitudes and start the descent phase at exactly the right moment. Swedish IT company AVTECH has developed a very precise weather and wind data product portfolio to help aircrafts fly as economically and comfortably as possible – without the airlines having to invest in any new equipment. In a recent real-life test, Norwegian Air Shuttle reduced CO2-emissions by 2 000 tons in three months’ time last autumn, by using AVTECH’s services in the company’s fleet of 106 Boeing 737-800 aircrafts. “We saved from one to eighty kilograms of fuel per flight, the average being 22 kilos, purely by optimizing the descent phase of the flights”, says Norwegian pilot and project manager Stig Patey. “The 10K weather grid makes it possible to avoid unfavourable winds at given altitudes during the flight and to start the descent phase at exactly the right moment. Our pilots have reportedly been very pleased with the easy to use service that in real life proved to be much more accurate than the standard weather systems.” All of this was made without any new equipment in the aircrafts, as all real-time calculations are made on the ground by AVTECH. “The timeliness and accuracy of our high-definition weather forecasting means that the normal pre-flight package is usually sufficient on shorter flights,” says David Rytter, Chief Technical Officer at AVTECH. “On longer flights updates can be uplinked when necessary, since the files are very small in size. Now the partnership with Norwegian has deepened, exploring the climb phase of the flight, with part of the funding coming from the Swedish Energy Agency.” World leading weather service AVTECH’s 10K weather is based on the UK Met Office’s high-definition weather modelling system, […]

Mitsubishi high-precision gear manufacturing systems for Chinese market

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Machine Tool Co., Ltd. (MAT), a group company of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) based in Japan, is ramping up its proposals of high-precision gear manufacturing systems for the Chinese market. As part of this initiative, MAT will be showing its integrated gear machining systems at “CIMT 2019: The 16th China International Machine Tool Show” being held in Beijing from April 15 through 20. The focus of MAT’s exhibit will be the “ZE26C,” a gear grinding machine capable of suppressing final gear-tooth shape error to 1μm. The ZE26C will respond to needs for higher speed and precision especially in the transmission systems of electric vehicles and the reduction gears used in robots. This will be the first time MAT is exhibiting the ZE26C at an industry event of this kind. The ZE26C was developed to finish hardened and tempered gears with outer diameters up to 260 mm. Superior performance has been achieved by making vast improvements to the “ZE-B,” MAT’s earlier series of widely acclaimed gear grinding machines. Specifically, the ZE26C’s grinding precision and stability have been enhanced by increasing the rigidity of the column, table and grinding wheel head, coupled with revamping of the spindle structure. In addition, by increasing cutting speed and reducing idle (non-cutting) time by roughly 50% compared to earlier models, the ZE26C boosts high-volume production capability and promotes lower running costs. Furthermore, by expanding the maximum wheel width to 160 mm (from 125 mm on previous models), frequency of wheel replacement is reduced and simultaneous mounting of standard and polishing grinding wheels becomes possible, resulting in higher cutting precision. Also, adoption of the industry’s first water-soluble coolant (optional) improves environmental performance while also enhancing energy savings. At CIMT 2019 MAT will also be demonstrating its “GE25A” dry-cut (i.e. requiring no cutting oil) […]

The critical role of IIoT in the future of food processing

Michael Cahill, Rockwell MES Technical Consultant As the old adage goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. New Zealand food companies, that often produce high value-add product that is exported around the globe, value their brand and reputation. Things are changing. Customer expectations for food safety and quality are unprecedented. Expectations from regulatory authorities are increasing to meet ever growing market regulation. Demand for high safe products is driving growth at an unprecedented rate. The reality is the number of food recalls has been steadily increasing over the last decade, according to FSANZ’s 2009-2018 reporting. The lack of visibility in the early stages of production is leading to an increased amount of inedible product and is posing serious food safety compliance risks. With headline after headline, product traceability from paddock to plate is becoming more and more important. Any deviation in quality in the product line will involve significant wastage and financial burden on the organisation. A sustainable approach to maintain the highest standard of production quality is sought to meet these customer, regulator and growth challenges. Connecting the dots The rise of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) has emerged as a solution to this problem. IIoT platforms and advanced analytics now enable users to fuse multiple data sources to provide contextually relevant historical and real-time data. Add in AI and machine learning and food manufacturing is more predictive and intelligent than ever before, giving workers uncanny insight into how to solve issues and predict problems before they happen. The problem isn’t a lack of data but a lack of connectivity from food companies. IIoT has provided the tools to better verify quality, establish batch genealogy and capture meaningful processing data from beginning to end. It’s now the job of manufacturing plants and farms to […]

The future of warehousing in Asia

E-commerce represents 15 per cent of total retail sales across Asia-Pacific — that is the equivalent to $1.4 trillion US dollars. This figure is expected to more than double by 2021. As a result, warehouses across APAC are rapidly developing and it is easy to see why. Here, John Young, APAC sales director for obsolete parts supplier, EU Automation, discusses the future of warehousing in the region. The Asia-Pacific economy is the fastest growing region in the world and has the largest share of the world’s business to consumer (B2C) e-commerce market. To meet demand and remain competitive, warehouse managers are investing in efficient and ergonomic technology, such as wearables and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID). Wearable devices include smart glasses, watches and headsets, whereas RFID often comprise of tags and sensors that store data on a circuit or chip, such as a contactless card. Stretched funding Technology has become essential in warehouses and managers are budgeting to invest in and learn more about it. However, by funding new technology, the budget to spend on buying and replacing broken or inefficient machinery and equipment is often cut. As a result, old machinery is often still used beyond its reasonable life, which increases the risk of breakdown. If an older machine breaks, it can often prove difficult to source the correct part to fix it, particularly if it has been discontinued by the manufacturer. However, all is not lost. When an old piece of machinery or equipment fails, obsolete industrial parts suppliers like EU Automation can locate the correct part, saving costs for warehouse managers who don’t have the budget for new equipment. This means facility managers can still spend the budget they want on new technology. Robotic enhancement Similar to wearables and RFID’s, robots have been […]

iSolutions-Range-To-Meet-Taiwan’s-Smart-And-Sustainable-Manufacturing-Needs Asia MN

iSolutions range to meet Taiwan’s manufacturing needs

Leveraging intelligent manufacturing as the key to Taiwan’s economic revitalisation, leading pump manufacturer Grundfos introduced iSolutions – a product range with a focus on digitalisation and connectivity – at this year’s Taipei International Machine Tool Show (TIMTOS). In line with the government’s ambition to transform Taiwan into a global manufacturing hub by pushing industry adoption of smart machinery, Grundfos showcased a number of machine tool products under its iSolutions range. These products are intuitive and connected solutions that feature intelligent monitoring and adjustment features, which in turn optimise performance of the entire water system. A key product of the iSolutions range is Grundfos’ E-motor, which comes with a built-in frequency converter and sensors that enable the motor to intuitively control pressure from the pump to match the system’s demand, ensuring optimum levels of operation at all times. This drives significant financial and energy efficiencies, in contrast to conventional systems that tend to run at constant speed and pressure throughout their operations, regardless of fluctuating demands. With strengthening competitiveness and sustainability being key to the local machining industry’s projected growth of 8 per cent each year[1], Eric Lai, Grundfos’ Global Business Director, Machining Industry, said, “Grundfos is committed to helping Taiwan achieve its goals for intelligent machinery to enable manufacturers to offer more value-added services at greater productivity and environmentally friendly levels. As a leading pump solutions provider, we seek continuous development and innovation to ensure that each new pump is meeting the evolving needs and challenges of industries locally and regionally. “With pumps accounting for 10 per cent of the world’s electricity consumption, the opportunity to leverage Industry 4.0 to integrate intelligence into pump manufacturing and reduce both financial and environmental costs is unprecedented,” Eric Lai added. According to Grundfos, the potential of intelligent pumps in the iSolutions range can […]

OMAX to join forces with Hypertherm

OMAX Corporation, a manufacturer of abrasive waterjet systems, plans to join forces with Hypertherm, a U.S. based manufacturer of industrial cutting systems and software, following the signing of a definitive merger agreement that establishes OMAX as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hypertherm. Upon the closing of the transaction, expected on or around April 9, OMAX’s industry leading direct drive pumps, software, and applications technologies will combine with Hypertherm’s complementary portfolio of intensifier-based pumps and abrasive recycling systems, to form the industry’s leading waterjet technology offering. “When the late Dr. Olsen and I founded OMAX 25 years ago, our goal was to combine new motion control technology with software to create an abrasive waterjet system unlike anything else on the market. We more than succeeded, creating one of the world’s top waterjet manufacturers,” said John Cheung, co-founder and CEO of OMAX. “Together, we have been planning for the future of OMAX for some time. In planning for this future, we wanted to partner with a company that shared our values and vision. We wanted a company that would protect our culture, provide stability for our employees, and give our customers products and services consistent with our mission statement. Though Dr. Olsen is sadly not here for today’s announcement, I am comforted knowing he completely supported and wanted this for OMAX.” “Hypertherm is excited to welcome OMAX to our family and to bring together the leading waterjet R&D and engineering team in the world with our hardworking and talented waterjet team in Minnesota,” said Hypertherm president and CEO Evan Smith. “We are confident the combination of OMAX’s cutting-edge technology and solutions, innovation focus, strong brand name, commitment to customers, and excellent culture is a perfect complement to Hypertherm’s waterjet offerings and plasma cutting industry leadership position. It enhances our strategy of delivering cutting […]

Siemens acquires noise, vibration and harshness business from Saab Medav

Siemens announced today that it has signed an agreement to acquire the Noise, Vibration, and Harshness (NVH) end-of-line quality testing business of Saab Medav Technologies GmbH, a global provider of state of the art signal processing, communications intelligence and analysis for air, land and naval applications, as well as NVH solutions for industrial quality testing. The unique NVH quality testing solutions offered by Saab Medav have a strong track record and have established innovative best practices in the domain of end-of-line quality testing of combustion engines, transmissions, electric motors and motor driven components and systems. The addition of Saab Medav NVH allows Siemens to complement its Simcenter™ portfolio of testing solutions used in research and development with an integrated solution set for end-of-line NVH quality testing in manufacturing. The technology and team will join the Siemens PLM Software business, part of the Siemens Digital Factory Division, and will be incorporated into the Simcenter portfolio of simulation and testing solutions. With ever-increasing pressure on improving quality, the need for NVH type end-of-line testing for manufactured products such as electric motors, combustion engines, transmissions, axles, and turbo chargers is rapidly increasing across the automotive and transportation industries. This phenomenon is accelerated with the ascent of electric vehicles which have a low general noise level and are lacking the masking effect from a loud combustion engine. “With the integration of Saab Medav NVH quality testing solutions, Siemens customers can gain the ability to enrich the digital twin of their product design with continuous quality control information from manufacturing. This provides unique insight in how production technology and variability in manufacturing lines influence the final product quality,” explains Jan Leuridan, Senior Vice President, Simulation & Test Solutions, Siemens PLM Software. “The technology also gives direct feedback on the root cause analysis of possible design […]

5 Mpixel CMOS image sensor ideal for high-speed scanning and embedded vision solutions

Teledyne e2v, a Teledyne Technologies company and global innovator of imaging solutions, announces the expansion of its Snappy family of image sensors with a new 5 Megapixel device. The SnappyTM 5M is designed for barcode reading, 2D scanning and other demanding applications. Available in both monochrome and color, the Snappy 5M has a small 1/1.8 inch optical format, containing a 2.8 μm, low-noise, global shutter pixel, and arranged in a 2,560 x 1,936 array. The device can stream video at ~50 fps at 10 bits over a 4 wire, MIPI CSI-2 interface, and is housed in a small compact fan-out organic package. Snappy 5M is designed to enable fast, extended range scanning and includes powerful unique patented features and region of interest modes: • A Fast Self Exposure (FSE) mode automatically calculates the optimum integration time that is applied to the first image from the device. The mode is user programmable and provides continuous fast decoding, tolerating any kind of lighting or dynamic lighting environment. This is advantageous compared with conventional auto exposure methods, improving convergence speed and robustness. • A Smart ROI feature searches for barcodes in the image frame, and reports their locations as metadata in the image footer. The regions of the image containing barcodes are discerned from the background image to considerably reduce downstream image processing (FPGA/CPU/DSP) power, time and cost. Up to 16 different regions can be detected simultaneously. Other forms of repetitive signatures such as printed character strings can also be detected for document scanning and OCR applications. The Snappy family of sensors enable a number of applications including embedded industrial imaging systems, drones/UAVs, IoT edge devices, intelligent surveillance cameras and augmented reality/virtual reality. This latest 5 Megapixel device is a member of the expanding Snappy family of sensors. The sensors have identical software […]

Predicting the future of maintenance

In 1927, Thomas Parnell set up the pitch drop experiment, which examines the viscosity of a tar-like substance by the speed at which it flows from a funnel into a jar. The test has seen just eight drops fall in as many decades and, despite the experiment being displayed in the University of Queensland’s physics department, no one has ever seen a drop fall. Just like this test, the need for factory maintenance often goes unnoticed. Here Gernut van Laak, group automation solutions leader of ABB’s Food and Beverage Program, explains how plant managers can budget for maintenance and ensure optimum efficiency for all processes. Paper to glass In terms of research and development, food and beverage is a leading industry because of its use of new, innovative technology. However, when it comes to maintenance, many companies find themselves keeping paper records. While regulation and compliance requirements historically drove these companies to work with paper, advancements in digital tools mean this is no longer the case. Unfortunately, once paper-based systems are in place, they can be difficult to eradicate. Companies become stuck in their ways, which leads them to ignore the significant cost savings, efficiencies and competitive advantages electronic systems can provide. The most important driving force for a company’s success is its employees. Today’s maintenance engineers have the computing knowledge to make the switch to digital. Providing them with a familiar interface that quickly connects employees across the organization allows staff to work faster and smarter, increasing productivity. Electronic records also eliminate time-consuming and error-prone data entries that are necessary with paper-based systems. While staff are the most important factor of any company’s success, the biggest cost of manual maintenance comes from people. Human errors that occur during manual record-keeping can result in redundant actions, rework and audits. Electronic […]

World-first Konecranes automated RTG system takes Indonesian container terminal Pelindo 111 into the future

Konecranes Automated Rubber Tyre Gantry cranes as installed at Semarang with next-generation automation platform offering major customer efficiency and safety benefits. An innovative container handling terminal in Indonesia has extended the world’s first commercially operated fleet of Konecranes Automated Rubber Tyre Gantry (ARTG) cranes with nine new ARTGs, as it boosts the safety and efficiency of its steadily expanding operations. Terminal Peti Kemas Semarang (TPKS) in Semarang, Central Java, is the second-largest container terminal in the Pelindo III Group, and approximately 70% of its container traffic consists of international cargo. Pelindo III is an Indonesian State-Owned Enterprise (SOE) that manages 43 ports throughout 7 provinces in Indonesia in order to ensure a smooth flow of goods throughout the archipelago. “TPKS is constantly striving to improve our facilities to meet customer needs and boost our competitiveness. Konecranes is constantly innovating its products to meet container terminal needs, and by choosing them to provide new ARTG cranes, we have taken our operations to the next level of safety and efficiency,” says Mr Recky Julius Uruilal, General Manager, TPKS. “The new ARTG cranes minimize the risk of workplace accidents, which not only improves our workplace, but gives our customers greater confidence in us,” says Mr Recky. A fleet of 20 new ARTG cranes is now fully operational at TPKS – the first ARTG installation in the world to be operated on such a wide commercial scale. The ARTG cranes utilize a next-generation automation platform, including fully automated stacking in the yard, Remote Operating Stations (ROSs) for truck handling and the related container yard infrastructure. “As Pelindo III updates to the latest and most modern equipment in line with the needs of its customers, we know there will be lots of new knowledge to acquire. Konecranes’ neat and detailed documentation, plus their experienced and […]

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