Smart Manufacturing

The Future of Manufacturing

-Tony Glockler, CEO of SolidProfessor, talks to Asia Manufacturing News People love to predict the future: whether they will score a 100 on a test, receive a promotion, or win the lottery. Humans make predictions because it gives them a sense of hope and feeling of control over their future. Predictions also free people from fear and prepare them for the unknown. With the rapid speed of technological advancements, many ponder how this will affect the future of manufacturing. Robots, the Internet of Things, and technological obsolescence are a few technological factors that will shape the future of manufacturing. Understanding how these will affect the manufacturing industry will allow one to properly prepare for the future. Robots The number of robots being used today for industrial work is close to one million. Robots are highly sought after by manufacturers due to their productivity, efficiency, and quality. Manufacturing robots are typically utilized for assembly line work at automotive plants, energy plants, and hospitals. They are useful for their ability to do a variety of repetitive tasks effectively and tasks that are dangerous to humans including heavy lifting, handling chemicals, and cutting and polishing objects. Because of their usefulness, robots will only become more and more common, shaping the future of manufacturing. Many may wonder if robots will replace human factory workers. While this is inevitable, it will also create new professions that work alongside these robots. Robots are still imperfect and their abilities will never be sufficient to replace humans. Though it may change with the increased use of robotics, human labor will continue to be important, regardless of how mechanised industry becomes. Internet of Things The Internet of Things, or IoT, is a network of physical objects including devices, buildings, vehicles, and other items becoming embedded with electronics, software, sensors, […]

Autodesk Inventor 2017 unveiled

Autodesk has unveiled Inventor 2017, one of the most advanced 3D modelling solutions for manufacturing industry professionals. The latest version in innovative software for designers and engineers, Inventor 2017 delivers new professional-grade design, interoperability and communication tools aimed at supporting customers ever-expanding needs. “The manufacturing industry is witnessing an evolution of the role of the mechanical engineer. They are no longer solely responsible for the design of complex mechanical systems, but are often also tasked with complete product definition, design and delivery,” said Derrek Cooper, director of the Inventor product line. “With this latest version of Inventor, Autodesk is delivering new capabilities aimed at supporting all aspects of this expanding role.” Based on the requests of Inventor’s more than 11,000 alpha and beta testers and IdeaStation community, the company built Inventor 2017 to serve the expanding role of the modern professional engineer and provide customers with features aimed at simplifying the new aspects of their jobs: Professional-grade Design Tools help users design faster and optimize performance from the outset and include:  Enhanced sketching, part modelling, assembly management, surfacing and sheet metal capabilities so users can capture and develop design ideas quickly and easily. Additional Shape Generator capabilities such as symmetry and member size controls that help users explore lightweight designs and improve product performance. New Interoperability Tools help to pull disparate aspects of a project together, regardless of the discipline or software that was originally used and include: Expanded AnyCAD tools allow users to easily integrate non-native mechanical design data into Inventor models without translation, now including associative connections with the industry standard STEP format. Inventor’s latest update includes hundreds of enhancements including several customer-requested modelling tools. Shape Generator, an integrated design optimisation tool powered by Autodesk’s Nastran technology, guides users in the design of structurally efficient parts. Other […]

The Internet of Drones has landed

H3 Dynamics has unveiled DRONEBOX,a revolutionary system that converges professional drone-enabled service activities with the Industrial Internet of Things. Welcome to the Internet of Drones. DRONEBOX is an all-inclusive, self-powered system that can be deployed anywhere, including in remote areas where industrial assets, borders, or sensitive installations require constant monitoring. Designed as an evolution over today’s many unattended sensors and CCTV cameras installed in cities, borders, or large industrial estates, DRONEBOX innovates by giving sensors freedom of movement using drones as their vehicles. End-users can now deploy flying sensor systems at different locations, and measure just about anything, anywhere, anytime. They offer 24/7 reactivity, providing critical information to operators – even to those located thousands of miles away. Besides innovating in the world of unattended sensors, DRONEBOX eases the scalability challenges for drone service operators. Such service providers use professional drones to provide their customers with detailed aerial land surveys in mining or agriculture, perform infrastructure inspections, or monitor the progress of construction sites. However, some remote locations need regular or prolonged visits, which increase travel costs and risks to drone service providers. From an end-user perspective, despite providing powerful new insights within an industrial context, the mass-adoption of professional UAVs is slowed by the special skills required to operate them. Conversely, by pre-deploying DRONEBOX systems at the right locations, travel to remote areas is no longer required, charging or handling drone batteries is eliminated, and sensor data is simply sent through a network for easy access and processing. DRONEBOXES can be installed anywhere so that drones can perform pre-programmed scheduled routines, deploy on demand, or be woken up by other drones or sensors as part of a much wider network of “things”. As a network, DRONEBOXES can increase their effectiveness and mission times using collaborative technologies. Such deployments could […]

Internet of Things Asia 2016 underway

Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister-in-Charge of the Smart Nation Initiative, Singapore, speaking at the opening ceremony for Internet of Things Asia 2016 (IoT Asia 2016).

IoT Asia 2016 delivers solutions for a sustainable IoT Ecosystem in Asia

SINGAPORE – 30 March 2016 – Today, IoT Asia 2016, the region’s leading platform in the Internet of Things (IoT) returns with its third and largest edition from 30-31 March 2016 at the Singapore EXPO Convention and Exhibition Centre. Themed Closing the gap: From vision to reality, this edition will reveal new insights on emerging trends, new key technologies and directions for IoT’s proliferation in the region. It will also stimulate in-depth discussions to drive business collaborations in the region and undertake the real nuts and bolts of IoT implementation to make it a reality. Jointly organised by the Singapore Industrial Automation Association (SIAA) and SingEx Exhibitions (SingEx), the event was officially opened by Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan, Singapore’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister-in-Charge of the country’s Smart Nation Initiative. Aloysius Arlando, Chief Executive Officer of SingEx Holdings, emphasised the significance of the event to the region, “We are entering an era dominated by smart and connected devices, and IoT is fast becoming a reality in our everyday lives. Not only is this causing a paradigm shift in how we go about our daily activities, it’s also changing and challenging traditional business models. “IoT Asia 2016 provides a rich and diverse knowledge-sharing platform for industry players and stakeholders – from the private and public sectors – to share their challenges and solutions. It continues to be the principal event for governments, businesses and communities in the IoT ecosystem to convene and discuss real outcomes, and enhance the design of effective business solutions that could impact the wider communities across the region.” Smarter technologies for Smarter Cities and Communities Asia’s urban population is growing on an average of 44 million every year[1]. As a result, there is growing pressure on the infrastructure of Asia’s cities, from transportation to communications and […]

Energy services company LR Senergy delivers in Asia Pacific

LR Senergy – a business of the Lloyd’s Register Group – which has offices in Malaysia, Indonesia and Australia, has seen a shift in its geographic portfolio of work, with much of its projects taking place in Asia, the Middle East and Africa. While Europe continues to be a key area for LR Senergy, the company had taken the decision to expand its focus to other regions less affected by the current downturn more than two years ago as part of a longer term strategy to diversify its product offering and the areas in which it operates. One of the most significant projects recently completed by LR Senergy was the drilling of two deepwater wells offshore Vietnam on behalf of VietGazProm. LR Senergy provided full wells project management services, its involvement in bringing about changes to local operating practices regarding the removal of equipment from the seabed post operations. This development provides the opportunity for multi-million dollar savings for operators working in the area. The project also marked the first time LR Senergy has provided a full well project management package in South East Asia – and the first wells to be drilled in water depths of 1,600m offshore Vietnam. The project was delivered on time and under budget. LR Senergy has also recently completed an abandonment and decommissioning study offshore Mauritania for Petronas Carigali. The study entailed undertaking a full conceptual study for the abandonment of 15 subsea wells in the Chinguetti field. The LR Senergy team – including experts that had previously been involved with completing one of the world’s largest subsea field decommissioning projects – identified potential savings for the client worth up to $60 million. LR Senergy’s Jakarta team has recently project managed the drilling of an exploration well for M3nrgy in Indonesia. The well was […]

NXP for Connected, Smart and Secure Internet of Things

Presentation and Showcase of 10 Smart Solutions at IoT Asia Conference On 30 and 31 March 2016, NXP Semiconductors N.V. (NASDAQ:NXPI) will showcase ten solutions for the Smart Nation at the upcoming Internet of Things (IoT) Asia Conference in Singapore. Additionally, Dr Hai Wang, Executive Vice President, Technology & Operations, NXP Semiconductors, will speak at the Conference’s Industrial IoT track on making the transition to real deployments of IoT solutions that are Connected, Smart and Secure. On Day 1, 30 March 2016: a) 1:10pm – Presentation by Dr Wang titled Internet of Things – Connected, Smart, Secure b) 11:30am or 2:30pm – Demonstrations of 10 Smart Solutions PRESENTATION Date: 30 March 2016 Time: 1:10pm Location: Topaz Concourse, Max Atria at Level 2, Singapore EXPO Track: Industrial IoT Title: Internet of Things – Connected, Smart, Secure Synopsis: Today, we are transitioning from an era of IoT “hype” to real deployments of IoT solutions across multiple markets. Behind every successful IoT implementation are three essential technological components – Connectivity, Smartness and Security. This session explores what technology is needed, examines the need smartness in IoT and discusses the types of security needed for smart. Presenter: Dr Wang has more than 25 years of experience in the semiconductor industry with management experience includes IC design, technology R&D, front end & back end operations, global sourcing, marketing and business development. He had served as Executive Vice President of R&D and Senior Vice President of External Manufacturing at NXP Semiconductors and participated in the amazing NXP transformation in the last five years. He now lives between Singapore and Netherlands with his family. DEMONSTRATIONS OF 10 SMART SOLUTIONS Date: 30 March 2016 Times: 11:30am or 2:30pm Location: C18, Hall 1, Singapore EXPO Smart Connectivity – demo of a wristband […]

Fabrics detect dangerous gases

Researchers, from the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute and Konkuk University in the Republic of Korea, coated cotton and polyester yarn with a nanoglue called bovine serum albumin (BSA). The yarns were then wrapped in graphene oxide sheets. Graphene is an incredibly strong one-atom-thick layer of carbon that is known for its excellent conductive properties of heat and electricity. The graphene sheets stuck very well to the nanoglue: so much so that further testing showed the fabrics retained their electrical conducting properties after 1,000 consecutive cycles of bending and straightening and ten washing tests with various chemical detergents. Finally, the graphene oxide yarns were exposed to a chemical reduction process, which involves the gaining of electrons. The reduced-graphene-oxide-coated materials were found to be particularly sensitive to detecting nitrogen dioxide, a pollutant gas commonly found in vehicle exhaust that also results from fossil fuel combustion. Prolonged exposure to nitrogen dioxide can be dangerous to human health, causing many respiratory-related illnesses. Exposure of these specially-treated fabrics to nitrogen dioxide led to a change in the electrical resistance of the reduced graphene oxide. The fabrics were so sensitive that 30 minutes of exposure to 0.25 parts per million of nitrogen dioxide (just under five times above the acceptable standard set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) elicited a response. The fabrics were three times as sensitive to nitrogen dioxide in air compared to another reduced graphene oxide sensor previously prepared on a flat material. The new technology, according to the researchers, can be immediately adopted in related industries because the coating process is a simple one, making it suitable for mass production. It would allow outdoor wearers to receive relevant information about air quality. The materials could also be incorporated with air-purifying filters to act as “smart filters” that can both detect and […]

UNIST centre to promote 3D printing technology

In the picture: At the inauguration ceremony, (from left) Mayor Ki-hyun Kim of Ulsan, UNIST President Mooyoung Jung.. The advancement of 3D printing and its impact on manufacturing have already been acknowledged by many industrialized countries. Indeed, a number of industries have been applying 3D printing technology to manufacture a wide array of items, from auto parts and prototypes to human skin and living organs. With the official launch of 3D Advanced Additive Manufacturing Center at Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, 3D printing will become the city of Ulsan’s new future growth engine, following the bioindustry. An inauguration ceremony for the 3D Advanced Additive Manufacturing Center was held in the morning of Friday, February 26th, 2016. The ceremony was attended by key officials affiliated with the center, including Mayor Ki-hyun Kim of Ulsan, President Mooyoung Jung of UNIST, Vice President Jae Sung Lee, and Prof. Jeong Beom Kim (School of Life Sciences). The mission of the center is to promotes quality and innovative research in the area of 3D printing and to educate a new generation of manufacturing engineers and innovators skilled in their use. In recent years, the center has undertaken an important R&BD project, led by Professor Namhun Kim (School of Design & Human Engineering) under the suprvision of the Ministry of Trade, Industry & Energy (MOTIE) of Korea to produce eco-friendly 3D printed automotive parts. Moreover, it has also been working on the 3D printing project of patient-specific implants, led by Professor Jeong Beom Kim under the supervision of the Korean Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning (MSIP). The ceremony was followed by a symposium on 3D printing technologies and applications to share knowledge about the future of additive manufacturing in different branches. UNIST President Mooyoung Jung states, “3D printing technology has an infinite amount […]

PowerMILL ‘the best for five-axis’

PIC CAP: In-house manufacturing with PowerMILL has helped make Viking Yachts a world leader in semi-custom fibreglass yachts. “When it comes to CAM for five-axis programming, Delcam’s PowerMILL is hands down the easiest and best I have ever used,”states Jason Taylor, five-axis CNC programmer at Viking Yachts. His company first added the Delcam software after it acquired an MR125 gantry milling system able to handle parts fifty feet long by twenty feet wide and ten feet high. This machine can mill patterns as large as a vessel’s bridge and helm, as well as Viking’s smaller hulls, in one piece. The Viking Yacht Company was started by brothers Bob and Bill Healey in 1964 when they bought Peterson-Viking Builders, a small, struggling New Jersey builder of 37-foot, wooden sport-fishing boats. The renamed Viking Yachts has grown to become a world leader in semi-custom fibreglass yacht production, with over 4,000 luxury/performance sport-fishing and cruising yachts delivered to happy customers. Viking prides itself on its in-house manufacturing capabilities, which have been an important part of its highly-regarded reputation. From the initial design to the finished product, the company is committed to producing ninety per cent of the boat in house. Except for components such as engines, transmissions, pumps, hoses, air conditioning units, electronics and entertainment systems, virtually everything else is produced in-house by the company’s talented workforce. “I have been programming with PowerMILL for over five years now,” said Mr. Taylor. “Here at Viking Yachts, we use cutting-edge software for all our engineering needs. PowerMILL helps us stay on top of the competition.” “When I first started using PowerMILL, we were on version 5,” he added. “Now, after at least eight major updates, we are running the 2011 version. With each update, Delcam and the team at our reseller, DM Solutions, make my job […]

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