Developments

Global bioplastics production continue to grow

Berlin – The results of European Bioplastics’ annual market data update, presented today at the 10th European Bioplastics Conference in Berlin, confirm the positive growth trend of the global bioplastics industry. “The market is predicted to grow by more than 350 percent in the mid-term,” says François de Bie, Chairman of European Bioplastics. The data compiled in cooperation with the research institutes IfBB – Institute for Bioplastics and Biocomposites (University of Applied Sciences and Arts Hannover, Germany) and nova-Institute (Hürth, Germany) shows that the global bioplastics production capacity is set to increase from around 1.7 million tonnes in 2014 to approximately 7.8 million tonnes in 2019. Biobased, non-biodegradable plastics, such as biobased PE and biobased PET, are the main drivers of this growth. More than 60 percent of the bioplastics production capacity worldwide in 2014 was biobased, durable plastics. This share will increase to over 80 percent in 2019. Production capacities of biodegradable plastics, such as PLA, PHA, and starch blends, are also growing steadily, nearly doubling from 0.7 million tonnes in 2014 to well over 1.2 million tonnes in 2019. PHA production will double by 2019 compared to 2014, due to a ramp-up of old and new capacities in Asia and the US. A. “It seems that compostable plastics are moving from niche to mainstream and many compostable plastics have found their true added value applications,” explains de Bie. Packaging remains the single largest field of application for bioplastics with almost 70 percent (1.2 million tonnes) of the total bioplastics market. Due to the excellent fit of bioplastics in the packaging market, this number is expected to increase to more than 80 percent (6.5 million tonnes) in 2019. “The data illustrates an important trend to make packaging more resource efficient, which is driven by a growing consumer demand for […]

Jinggong General Aviation exclusive Chinese distributor of Eclipse Jet

XI’AN, China- ONE Aviation is pleased to announce Jinggong General Aviation Co., Ltd. as the exclusive distributor for the Eclipse Jet in China. Jinggong General Aviation, now in its eleventh year of safe operation throughout China, offers an integrated, one-stop sales, training, and service platform for each of the various aircraft they represent, including Cirrus and Mahindra Airvan. General manager of Jinggong General Aviation Co., Ltd., Mr. Zhang Mingding, said: “We are very pleased to have this opportunity to offer the Eclipse to our customers, especially under the background of the rapid development of aviation in China. We are confident that this cooperation with ONE Aviation will continue to grow the Eclipse market across Asia.” Alan Klapmeier, CEO of ONE Aviation, is equally excited: “Jinggong has always maintained its position at the forefront of innovation in Chinese aviation. We are thrilled to have such a distinguished and passionate group represent us in this incredibly important market,” says Klapmeier. “One Aviation appreciates the as-yet untapped sales potential available within China for the light jet market, and we are excited to join with a group like Jinggong who shares our vision of aviation growth in China.” Jinggong (Beijing) General Aviation Company and its subsidiaries are Category A general aviation companies approved by the Civil Aviation Administration of China and provide operational support, sales support, flight training, and maintenance services in many Chinese provinces. The Eclipse 550 twin-engine jet from ONE Aviation features best in class performance, economics, and safety. The Eclipse 550 can fly at altitudes up to 41,000 feet at a max cruise of 430 mph, all while consuming a mere 59 gallons of fuel per hour, making it the most efficient twin-engine jet on the planet. Jinggong General Aviation is committed to providing the Chinese aviation community with professional aviation services, […]

A Revolutionary Wind Energy Conversion System

The novel cross-axis-wind-turbine (CAWT) is a new type of wind turbine that has the capability to extract energy from multi-directional wind that is commonly found in urban areas due to the interaction of airflows between high-rise buildings. The novel cross-axis-wind-turbine (CAWT) is a new type of wind turbine that has the capability to extract energy from multi-directional wind that is commonly found in urban areas due to the interaction of airflows between high-rise buildings. Its ability to operate in areas with complex wind pattern and low wind speed overcomes the weaknesses of the vertical and horizontal axis wind turbines (VAWT and HAWT). The novel wind turbine consists of vertical and horizontal blades arranged in a cross axis orientation, therefore enabling it to function with airflows coming from horizontal and vertical directions. The horizontal blades serve as the radial arms that link and support the vertical blades and the hubs through specially designed connectors to form the CAWT. Any airflow streams channeled to the bottom of the turbine interact with the lower and upper radial supporting-arms, therefore maximizing the wind energy potential that can be extracted. Viewed from the top, the upper and lower radial arms can be considered as a double-layered HAWT that extracts energy from the vertical wind. Moreover, the lift created by the interaction between the vertical airflow and the horizontal blades creates aero-levitation forces which reduce bearing friction in the generator, hence extending the lifespan of the wind turbine. Initial studies have shown that the CAWT can overcome the problem of self-starting ability of a conventional VAWT, and produce better performance output by up to 2.5 times. In conclusion, the CAWT presents an innovative outlook on the future of wind turbines, creating significant opportunities for the use of wind energy devices and therefore alleviating dependencies on fossil […]

Rockwell Automation and Endress+Hauser to Exhibit at Gastech Singapore 2015

SINGAPORE – Rockwell Automation, the largest company dedicated to industrial automation and information solutions, announced it will be participating in Gastech Singapore 2015, the world’s leading liquefied natural gas (LNG) Conference and Exhibition, held 27 – 30 October, at Singapore EXPO. Convened every 18 months in a different international location since 1973, this independently run tradeshow focuses on both the commercial and technical aspects of the LNG industry. The Rockwell Automation and Endress+Hauser strategic alliance will be exhibiting its pre-engineered, pre-tested, supported and maintained solutions – combining best-in-class instrumentation, software and control systems – to meet customer needs from exploration through refining and transportation logistics. In addition, in line with the Rockwell Automation vision of the Connected Enterprise, the company will be focusing on how oil and gas (O&G) companies can now speed high-performance production and enhance global competitiveness by securely connecting plantwide smart devices and in-the-field assets to enterprise teams and business systems. “Accelerated by the convergence of enabling technologies − such as the Internet of Things and a protected network infrastructure − O&G companies can now become Connected Enterprises by collecting and analysing critical and actionable data, and then delivering contextualised information ubiquitously and seamlessly to company business leaders,” said Bob Buttermore, Regional Director, Southeast Asia, Rockwell Automation. “As a result, operators can improve production and asset utilisation, boost operational efficiency, shorten time to market, minimise total cost of ownership and downtime, increase safety, and lower enterprise risk for a tangible competitive advantage.” “Our global partnership draws from the core competencies of both companies to produce scalable engineered solutions that include measurement, automation, services and software applications for O&G customers,” said Jae Kyu Kim, Oil and Gas Manager, Southeast Asia, Rockwell Automation. “Rockwell Automation has helped the world’s largest and most progressive O&G companies with some of the […]

Hitachi announces delivery of Lithium-ion battery packs for Nissan’s Murano Hybrid

TOKYO – Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd. today announced that the company started to supply Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. with the high-output lithium-ion battery pack used in the new Nissan Murano Hybrid launched in August by Nissan in the People’s Republic of China. The lithium-ion battery pack used in the new Murano Hybrid comprises a battery module that contains the cylindrical battery cells and a Battery Management System (BMS) in a single housing(1). The battery cells are manufactured by Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd., a member of the Hitachi Automotive Systems Group. The battery pack provides high-efficiency support in various driving scenarios such as during acceleration and regeneration input(2) during deceleration and braking. In the future, against a backdrop of increasingly stringent global environmental regulations and the trends in automotive technology towards the realisation of a sustainable society, the use of hybrid and other electric vehicles is expected to become increasingly widespread for utilising energy that is reusable, sustainable and clean. Hitachi Automotive Systems has been a world pioneer in the commercialisation of lithium-ion batteries since 1999, and since then has produced a total of more than 6.5 million lithium-ion battery cells for hybrid cars, buses and trucks, a number that is enough to power about 160,000 electric vehicles. Looking to the future, Hitachi Automotive Systems will continue to contribute to the evolution of electric vehicles through the strengthening of electric powertrain products.

Universal Robots empowers Wistron with greater production flexibility

China’s manufacturing industry faces multiple challenges such as global competition and the increasing need to transform and upgrade to modern processes. To stay ahead, major manufacturers have begun implementing structural adjustment programs to automate its production lines. Wistron is the world’s first Original Design Manufacturer to deploy collaborative robots from Universal Robots (UR) in its laptop assembly line, enabling efficient and flexible production. Since February 2015, Wistron has deployed 60 sets of UR robots in its production, performing functions that include applications such as pick and place, screwing as well as those involving vision systems. With the implementation of UR robots, the company has gained more flexibility for its future production line layout and configuration, effectively improved its product yield and optimised personnel allocation. At the same time, the company is expected to see a reduction in operating costs and enhanced profitability in the long term. Enhanced flexibility in production line layout Wistron began automating its production with the installation of robotic arms more than two years ago. The traditional four and six-axis robotic arms that were deployed previously not only required safety fencing but also occupied a large footprint and were designed only for non-sophisticated operations such as product handling. They did not conform to Wistron’s concept of a production line that represents “efficiency, flexibility and safety”. Wistron’s laptop production line is unable to achieve complete automation because of its specific operating mode. As a result, the motion range of the robotic arms has to be restricted to ensure the safety of workers. They realised that they require robots that can function effectively without compromising workers’ safety, robots’ operating speeds and other functionalities within tight spaces. “UR’s robots occupy a small footprint and are highly secure,” said Congyao Zhang, Wistron’s Manufacturing Technology Director. “Additionally, they can rotate 360 degrees, eliminating […]

White Paper from Cisco and Rockwell Automation helps securely share plant and enterprise data

Australia: Designing an industrial demilitarised zone with the right assets helps enable secure data-sharing from plantwide network to enterprise network Many manufacturers segment business-system networks from plantwide networks by using an industrial demilitarised zone (IDMZ). But once segmented, how is data from industrial automation and control systems (IACS) securely shared across this buffer zone? A new white paper from Cisco and Rockwell Automation, “Securely Traversing IACS Data Across the Industrial Demilitarized Zone,” provides guidance for successfully designing and deploying an IDMZ as part of a Converged Plantwide Ethernet architecture. This allows manufacturers to securely share IACS data from the plantwide network to the enterprise network. The paper explains key IDMZ assets that enable this secure data-sharing, which include application mirrors and remote desktop gateway services. The white paper summarises key design principles from a comprehensive design and implementation guide on IDMZ. Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in IT that helps companies seize the opportunities of tomorrow by proving that amazing things can happen when you connect the previously unconnected. For ongoing news, please go to http://thenetwork.cisco.com. Rockwell Automation Australia and Rockwell Automation New Zealand are subsidiaries of Rockwell Automation, Inc.—a leading global provider of industrial automation and information solutions that helps manufacturers achieve a competitive advantage in their businesses. The company brings together leading global brands in industrial automation which include Allen-Bradley® controls and services and Rockwell Software® factory management software. Its broad product mix includes control logic systems, sensors, human-machine interfaces, drive controllers, power devices, and software. Rockwell Automation Inc. (NYSE: ROK), the world’s largest company dedicated to industrial automation and information, makes its customers more productive and the world more sustainable. Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wis., Rockwell Automation employs about 22,500 people serving customers in more than 80 countries. LISTEN. THINK. SOLVE. is a trademark of Rockwell […]

Meet Model X from Tesla

Model X is said to be the safest, fastest and most capable sport utility vehicle in history. Standard with all-wheel drive and a 90 kWh battery providing 250 miles of range, Model X has ample seating for seven adults and all of their gear. And it’s ludicrously fast, accelerating from zero to 60 miles per hour in 3.2 seconds. Model X is the SUV uncompromised. The estimated delivery for new reservations is the latter half of 2016. Safety First Design Every part of Model X is designed with safety as a first priority. The floor-mounted battery lowers the centre of gravity so that the risk of rollover is almost non-existent. The battery structure strengthens Model X against side impact intrusions. And without a gasoline engine, the large front trunk acts as a giant impact-absorbing crumple zone. Active Safety Model X continually scans the surrounding roadway with camera, radar and sonar systems, providing the driver with real-time feedback to avoid collisions. Even at highway speeds, Model X will automatically apply brakes in an emergency. Pollution Free, Inside and Out A medical grade HEPA filter strips outside air of pollen, bacteria, viruses and pollution before circulating it into the cabin. There are three modes: circulate with outside air, re-circulate inside air and a bioweapon defence mode that creates positive pressure inside the cabin to protect occupants. Falcon Wings Falcon Wing doors allow easy access to second and third row seats from any parking space. Minivan style sliding doors open at most halfway while traditional doors are not capable of opening fully when parked next to another car. With only a foot of clearance, Falcon Wing doors articulate smoothly up and out of the way, allowing passengers to enter from both front and rear directions. The side and overhead opening is so large […]

Autodesk Strengthens Manufacturing Leadership with Two Strategic Acquisitions

SINGAPORE, Sept. 30, 2015 — Autodesk, Inc. has signed definitive agreements to acquire SeeControl, a San Francisco-based developer of an enterprise Internet of Things (IoT) cloud service platform; and netfabb, a Lupburg, Germany-based developer of software solutions for industrial additive design and manufacturing. Adding Enterprise Internet of Things Cloud Service to Autodesk Portfolio with SeeControl SeeControl’s service helps manufacturers and systems integrators connect, analyse, control, and manage remote products, things, and assets and create new service revenue opportunities. “A new future of making things is emerging, where any built object, product or environment can be embedded with sensors that can feed information back into the design process. The acquisition of SeeControl is the first step on Autodesk’s ongoing efforts to develop new technologies and solutions that will help our customers leverage the Internet of Things, starting by enabling them to capture, analyze, and utilize data from their products,” said Amar Hanspal, Autodesk Senior Vice President for Information Modeling and Platform Products. Autodesk intends to continue to sell and support the SeeControl platform and to incorporate the technology into design solutions for the manufacturing and building industries. Autodesk also plans to develop a new IoT solution based on the SeeControl technology that will allow companies to gain real world insights of how their products perform, enabling customers to explore innovative new service models. Taking 3D Printing Beyond Prototyping and Plastics with netfabb In addition to the acquisition of netfabb, Autodesk will also make a strategic investment in FIT Technology Group, the parent company of netfabb and provider of additive manufacturing software and services. The two companies will collaborate to increase adoption of technology for industrial additive manufacturing. “Autodesk has always been impressed by FIT’s track record in creating powerful solutions to meet the challenges of industrial additive manufacturing and together we […]

The Rubik’s Cube of Economics

Deciphering real world issues in economics is like solving a Rubik’s Cube, says SMU Assistant Professor Zhang Haiping. By Yamini Chinnuswamy “The job of an economist is to explain how the world economy works – from analysing economic data, conceptualising economic phenomena, forecasting economic trends to making policy suggestions,” says Assistant Professor Zhang Haiping from the Singapore Management University (SMU) School of Economics, whose work focuses on international finance and trade. Like the Rubik’s Cube, a three-dimensional combination puzzle where every twist also scrambles the face opposite of it, economics puzzles are similarly interlinked—a change in policy may lead to repercussions elsewhere. “My research is motivated by empirical puzzles in economic literature,” he says. “As economists, we seek to augment or update existing economic theories to explain real world data. The challenge lies in the fact that markets and economies seldom function in a frictionless manner.” For example, Professor Zhang notes that capital has been flowing “uphill” from the poor to the rich, and from emerging economies to developed ones since the end of 1990s. This stands in stark contrast to neoclassical economic theory which states that capital should flow from the rich to the poor, as the rate of return on investments in poor countries should be higher than in rich countries. Financial friction and the resulting borrowing constraints in poor countries can explain such a puzzling fact, he explains. Similar income levels, different patterns of capital flows Patterns of international capital flows in emerging economies are another real world puzzle Professor Zhang has studied. Although income levels per person were comparable in emerging Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam) and emerging Europe (countries such as Hungary, Poland and Romania in Central and Eastern Europe), their patterns of international capital flows were not. “We looked at the data […]

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