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Housing construction is becoming manufacturing

Manufacturing is usually associated with making parts and assembling them. Manufacturing complete houses is a relative new concept in the history of the industrial revolution. We are on the verge of the next step, making the complete structure for a house out of only one material, foam concrete. Recent developments have made it possible to make foam concrete to high specifications, good thermal and acoustic insulating properties and reasonable strength compared to “normal” concrete. We are talking here about foam concrete that is half the weight and has more than five times the thermal insulation factor. On top of that it is more flexible, so it can withstand earthquakes better. If you are in a war zone it can protect you from flying objects, as it has a high energy absorption rate. All this creates a comfortable, healthy and safe home for a reasonable cost. So why is everyone not using it? Mainly because the mortar mixes do have a few more ingredients in it, and the ratios of the components are critical, in addition you need a foam making machine to make the foam, and then mix it in with the mortar. All of this together puts people off using it as it is more complex than making “normal” mortar. In a factory environment it is easier to control the production process, including the curing. As with all concretes the “drying” time and conditions have an influence on the end result, the final strength and flexibility. On-site it can be difficult and costly to maintain the ideal conditions, keeping it wet and at the ideal temperature. Manufacturing foam concrete products in a special designed facility has many benefits, good control over the delivery and storage of the raw materials, use and maintenance of the equipment, labour input, less skilled […]

Boeing 787 Unified Livery In-flight over Clouds

HandySCAN 3D scanner meets Boeing’s requirements

Creaform, the worldwide leader in portable 3D measurement solutions and non-destructive testing (NDT) solutions, has announced that its HandySCAN 3D metrology-grade 3D laser scanner can now be used for recording physical attributes of aircraft dents and blends on all models of Boeing commercial airplanes. Boeing has released a service letter with guidance on the use of 3D scanners for measuring dents and blends on airplanes. The SmartDENT 3D solution and the flagship HandySCAN 3D scanner were used in the process of guiding Boeing’s quality requirements for the service letter. “Creaform is proud to see leaders such as Boeing, turn to 3D scanning solutions for surface defect inspection. With SmartDENT 3D, our goal is to provide the most accurate damage assessment to our customers, so they can make informed and safe decisions, while getting their aircraft back flying with minimal down time,” said Jérôme Beaumont, Global NDT Business Manager at Creaform. Overview of SmartDENT 3D benefits: Speed: 80 times faster than the pit gauge technique. It is the fastest and most reliable aircraft surface damage inspection tool available on the market. Metrology-grade measurements for aircraft maintenance: The scanner is accurate to 0.025 mm (0.0009 in.) and has a resolution of up to 0.100 mm (0.0039 in.) with high repeatability and traceable certificate. Intuitive pass/fail assessments: With its intuitive design and real-time software visualization, Creaform’s NDT solutions ensure short learning curves and minimal operator experience influence on the accuracy of results. Live visualisation and portability: Weighting less than a kilo, the handheld scanner is the perfect tool for work in hangars or directly outdoors. Users can easily perform 3D surface inspection of any part of an aircraft on which they would use manual techniques—including on and under wings. In addition to complying with Boeing’s service letter, Creaform HandySCAN 3D scanners are listed […]

Guangzhou and Beijing rank as two loudest cities in the world

China is home to two of the loudest cities in the world – Guangzhou and Beijing. According to a recent article in The Guardian, “Guangzhou, China, ranked as having the worst levels of noise pollution in the world, followed by Cairo, Paris, Beijing and Delhi.” New study Global Acoustic Insulation shows demand for acoustic insulation in China totaling $1.5 billion in 2018, making it the second largest national market in the world in value terms behind the US. Through 2023, demand for acoustic insulation in the Asia/Pacific region is expected to grow 6.3% per annum to $4.3 billion, representing 46% of value growth worldwide. Going forward, gains will be boosted by: rising standards of living, supporting increased access to air conditioning, associated HVAC equipment output, and higher quality building stocks rapid expansion of nonresidential building construction in China growth in industrial equipment and appliance production government efforts in some countries to improve noise pollution and worker safety regulation When we include all regions, Freedonia forecasts demand growth at 4.9% per year to reach $11.4 billion in 2023. Despite the popularity of fiberglass in North America and of mineral wool in Eastern Europe, foamed plastic is projected to account for the majority of value gains globally through 2023. Foamed plastic is the most used insulation material in the Asia/Pacific region which will strengthen the material’s leading position.

Mega solar power plant in Quang Ngai Province, Vietnam

Large 49 MW-dc output enough to power 38,762 households(1) Completed Solar Power Plant TOKYO: Sharp Energy Solutions Corporation (SESJ)(2) announces the completion of a mega solar power plant in Quang Ngai Province, Vietnam. The project was a collaboration with multiple partners, including Sermsang Power Corporation (SSP)(3) of Thailand, and SSP affiliate Truong Than Quang Ngai Power and High Technology Joint Stock Company(4). Operations at the new mega plant will start in early June. The new plant has an output of approximately 49 MW-dc, with annual power generation capacity estimated at 73,143 MWh/year. This is equivalent to the amount consumed in a year by 38,762 average Vietnamese households. Sharp has so far constructed three solar power plants in Vietnam, for a combined capacity of approximately 146 MW-dc. This new plant will raise the total capacity to approximately 195 MW-dc. The Vietnamese government has formulated a plan(5) to raise solar power generation capacity in the country to 12,000 MW by the year 2030. Sharp remains committed to spreading renewable energy in Vietnam. (1) Calculated at 1,887 kWh per household. (2) SESJ is a subsidiary of Sharp Corporation, specializing in energy solutions such as the sales of PV systems and the installation of electrical equipment. (3) SSP’s main business is constructing solar power plants in ASEAN countries. (4) This company will be in charge of operating the new plant. (5) Source: the Vietnamese government?s 7th Power Development Plan (PDP7).

Corteva Agriscience opens Singapore office

SINGAPORE:Corteva Agriscience, Agriculture Division of DowDuPont, today officially opened its Asia Pacific head office in Singapore and announced a series of investments geared towards building expertise and technical capability to support farmers across the region, as governments seek to strengthen food security. These investments include the establishment of a global analytics center of excellence and a new research and development (R&D) lab, as well as a collaboration strategy designed to encourage the further development of the Asia Pacific Ag-Tech start-up ecosystem. Corteva Agriscience represents the combined strengths of DuPont Crop Protection, DuPont Pioneer and Dow AgroSciences, which will spin-off on June 1, 2019 to publicly list on the New York Stock Exchange, creating a market-shaping, standalone, pure-play agriculture company with leading positions in Seed Technologies, Crop Protection and Digital Agriculture. Peter Ford, President, Asia Pacific, Corteva Agriscience, said, “Corteva Agriscience brings together three businesses with deep connections and dedication to generations of farmers. “With a balanced portfolio of agriculture solutions, 200 years of combined agronomic expertise and an unparalleled innovation engine, we aim to catalyse action with all stakeholders in the food system to champion inclusive agriculture and to help ensure a secure supply of healthy and sustainable food for the region. “With key collaborators like Singapore’s Economic Development Board and the Singapore Food Agency, we share a commitment to using new innovative approaches to make agriculture value chains more productive and sustainable. We will nurture talent, leverage our R&D capabilities and robust product pipeline, as well as build digital capabilities to secure the future of food for Asia Pacific from our strategic location in Singapore.” Damian Chan, Executive Director (Chemicals & Materials), Singapore Economic Development Board, said, “We are delighted that Corteva Agriscience has chosen to locate its Asia Pacific head office, Global Analytics Centre of Excellence and Asia […]

Hitachi receives orders for Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Thailand

BANGKOK: Hitachi, Ltd. and Hitachi Building Systems Co., Ltd. have received an order through Hitachi Elevator (Thailand) Co., Ltd., which is in charge of sales and maintenance service of elevators and escalators in Thailand, for the delivery of 174 units of elevators, escalators and moving sidewalks for Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Thailand. Currently, expansion work is underway at Suvarnabhumi International Airport by Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited (AOT). The order was awarded by a consortium named PCS Joint Venture, which comprises Power Line Engineering Public Company Limited in Thailand and China State Construction Engineering (Thailand) Co., Ltd., and was commissioned construction by AOT. This is the largest order for Hitachi group’s elevators and escalators in Thailand. The market demand for the installation of new elevators and escalators in Thailand is approximately 6,000 units per year, which makes it the most promising market in Southeast Asia, and is expected to increase stably. In 1974, Hitachi concluded an agent contract with Siam Motors Co., Ltd. and entered the market. The two companies established a joint corporation named Siam-Hitachi Elevator Co., Ltd. in 1991 and constructed a factory in 1992. Hitachi has been leading the elevator and escalator industry in Thailand. Suvarnabhumi International Airport opened in 2006 and is located in Nong Ngu Hao, Samut Prakan Province, about 30 km east of Bangkok. It received approximately 63 million passengers in 2018 and is ranked ninth globally for the number of passengers on international flights. Currently, expansion work is underway to expand the passenger-handling capacity. A new four-story satellite concourse building is under construction and slated to commence operations in April 2020. The units will be manufactured in factories in Thailand and China, and installed by the end of 2020. Hitachi has supplied over 100 units of escalators and moving sidewalks for Suvarnabhumi […]

Your future co-workers could be a swarm of robots

In the future, swarms of robots could help us perform tasks from search and rescue to farming. Imagine there’s a flock of aerial robots searching for a lost hiker, for example. They have to cover a large area of remote bush and a central commander won’t work because they’re so spread out. So, instead, the robots work cooperatively to calculate the best way to cover and search this large area accurately and speedily. This scenario is less Black Mirror than it sounds, and more about focusing on practical solutions for jobs that are difficult for humans to do, says Airlie Chapman from the Melbourne School of Engineering. Describing the focus of her research in mechatronic engineering, Chapman says “it centres on multi-vehicle robotics, or many robots working together to achieve a common goal”. Mechatronic engineers explore developments in automation and manufacturing—blending multiple disciplines of engineering. And it can involve creating smart machines that are aware of their surroundings and can make autonomous decisions. Chapman works specifically in the field of multi-vehicle, or swarm, robotics. Using a combination of mechanical, electrical, and software engineering to build the robots, Chapman then programs the vehicles using algorithms to react and think autonomously. Many bots are better than one “There are benefits to using many smaller unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in place of one large one, particularly for jobs like cleaning up an oil spill, environmental monitoring, or searching for survivors of a mine collapse,” says Chapman. Not only is there the element of redundancy with smaller vehicles—losing one small UAV out of a group is less of a problem than losing a single large UAV—but there are also the implementation benefits. For one thing, there’s the improved coverage capability and reduced cost. “A swarm of cheap small robots, each with little capability, can […]

Exploring the virtual plant

How AR and VR can benefit manufacturing facilities When you think of Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) you might think of being immersed in a simulated world filled with mystical creatures like on PokemonGo. However, AR and VR are not just for our personal entertainment — these technologies are being used to benefit manufacturing facilities. John Young, APAC sales director of automation parts supplier, EU Automation, discusses the uses of AR and VR in manufacturing plants. A recent study across eight Asia-Pacific regions revealed that 95 per cent of people surveyed had used AR or VR technology. While this exposure is predominantly as a result of entertainment and social use, the study demonstrates people’s experience to the technology is widening, opening up opportunities into other sectors. One industry that could capitalise on the use of AR and VR is manufacturing, particularly for maintenance and training. Predicting maintenance with AR Augmented Reality displays virtual elements into an existing real-world environment, usually on a handheld device such as a tablet or mobile phone. Being able to view images, information or data overlaid onto the real-world scenario brings many possibilities for monitoring and maintenance in a manufacturing plant. If there is an issue, error or failure with a piece of machinery, AR could be used to view live information and data to help diagnose the problem. This early detection of faults means that issues can be fixed before a more serious breakdown occurs, helping to save costs by removing the need to replace entire pieces of the machinery. Early detection of a problem with equipment also allows maintenance managers to address the problem quickly. Having access to automation industrial parts suppliers means that maintenance managers can save time both sourcing the part and reducing downtime due to delivery delays. Virtual training […]

Australian Defence looks to quantum mechanics for new technologies

Researchers from the University of Adelaide in South Australia will develop three technologies after being named among 11 projects to share in A$6.6 million of funding from Australia’s Department of Defence. The projects include the development of underwater devices to detect submarines, research into whether quantum radars can be used to detect stealth aircraft and the development of an ultra accurate portable clock to improve GPS satellite technology. The funding consolidates the University of Adelaide’s Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing (IPAS) as one of Australia’s leading centres for the development of quantum sensing and photonic technologies. IPAS director Professor Andre Luiten said the funding also reaffirmed Defence’s interest in developing quantum mechanic capabilities in South Australia. “Everyone believes that there’s going to be a revolution over the next 20 years where quantum technologies end up in everything,” he said. “The initial objective is to provide those technologies to defence but it’s also about training up Australian students so they have an understanding of quantum technologies. “Australia needs to build up its sovereign capability in this area and train students.” The Next Generation Technologies Fund aims to develop Australia’s quantum mechanic opportunities, which focus on the study of the motion and interaction between subatomic particles. One of the IPAS projects will utilise magnetometers in underwater geophysical discovery contexts to track submarine activity. Professor Andre Luiten said the technology, primarily employed to detect variations caused by the presence of ferrous (unoxidized) iron in the total magnetic field, will be applied for Defence to discover underwater vessels. “These magnetometers can detect very small magnetic fields,” he said. “The goal of this project is to build sensors that go on the seabed which detect the presence of submarines through their properties. “You’d essentially set up a trip wire around assets that are of importance to Australia.” The […]

NUM helps Taiwanese machine tool company automate production for robotics

* unique multi profile capability helps increase manufacturing productivity NUM is helping the Taiwanese machine tool company Chien Wei Precise Technology to develop innovative CNC grinding machines for manufacturing specialist gears used in robotics applications. Based entirely on NUM’s latest-generation Flexium+ 68 CNC platform, Chien Wei’s new machines are designed to speed the production of both involute and cycloidal profile precision gears. They are believed to be the first gear grinding machines on the market that are capable of handling both types of gear profile. There are two versions of the grinding machine, one for internal gears, the other for external gears. Founded in 1981, Chien Wei Precise Technology Co., Ltd is based in Fengshan District in southern Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The company initially specialised in precision machine tools such as vertical grinders, jig grinders and machining centres, together with co-ordinate measuring machines (CMMs). Over time, it also diversified into robotic automation systems. Robotic systems typically use either planetary gearboxes equipped with involute gears, or cycloid drives based on a combination of a reduced epitrochoid rotor and a cycloid stator. While planetary gearboxes have been around for a long time and enjoy extensive use, cycloid drives have far fewer moving parts and offer a more efficient means of achieving extremely high reduction rates. A speed reducer with a ratio of 200:1 would typically need a chain of three planetary gear boxes with twelve moving involute gears. The same reduction ratio could be achieved with a cycloid drive using one stator and one rotor. However, cycloid gears are notoriously difficult and expensive to manufacture. In 2015, Chien Wei decided to bring gear manufacturing in-house, by developing its own gear grinding machine. By producing its own gearboxes the company could control quality, shorten lead times and reduce costs. It would also enable it […]

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