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Hybrid propulsion technology and Oceannet communications network to protect marine life

HONG KONG – Mr. Nobu SU, Chairman of Today Makes Tomorrow Group (“TMT”) successfully registered a patent in Singapore for Hybrid Ship, a hybrid technology that enables a variety of vessels, including bulk carriers, tankers, PCTC and LNG ships to enhance fuel efficiency. The innovation consists of a conventionally driven main propeller and an electrically driven duct propeller; the combination allows for reduced fuel consumption, particularly when a vessel is travelling with minimum ballast. The Intellectual Property Office of Singapore granted the patent on August 28, 2015. A patent was also granted by the Liberia Industrial Property Office back in January 13, 2014 for a period of 20 years. Several patents will continue to be pursued by Mr. SU and his partners, who made filings with 25 shipping nations in total. In respect of the latest patent registration, Mr. SU said, “I trust that as more patent offices register Hybrid Ship, the technology will be more readily adopted, which will help tackle problems associated with the transfer of harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens through ballast water. Such a transfer has already seen the Pacific saury affected – a species found in the subarctic and subtropical North Pacific that is regularly harvested by Chinese, Japanese and Russian fishermen. With the Hybrid Ship technology, a vessel requires minimum ballast water, and therefore reduces the risk of water contamination affecting the eggs of this fish.” Further aiding the crusade against water contamination is another invention of Mr. Su, namely, Oceannet, which enables the transmission and reception of data via an offshore mobile communications network. Patented in the United Kingdom, United States and Korea, Oceannet can be used to relay the best navigation routes when vessels are travelling with reduced ballast, thereby maximizing efficiency while at the same time minimising their impact on marine […]

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.

Asia’s coasts to experience most extreme weather

Over the next 50 years, people living at low altitudes in developing countries, particularly those in coastal Asia, will suffer the most from extreme weather patterns, according to researchers. Unbearable heat waves, typhoons of unprecedented speeds and flash floods have been an increasing occurrence globally. It’s not just a coincidence that these extreme weather events have been happening more frequently, said researchers and scientists at the Common Future under Climate Change conference held in Paris in July. Hundreds of millions of people will be affected by coastal flooding and land loss as global temperatures rise, icecaps melt and sea levels rise. Cities will also suffer from heat stress, extreme precipitation, inland and coastal flooding, as well as drought and water scarcity, according to the report “Climate Change 2014: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability”. Historical climate projections for the Indian subcontinent suggest an overall increase in temperature by two degrees, which has resulted in a noticeable rise in heat waves and hot days. Sumetee Pahwa Gajjar, who leads climate change research at the Indian Institute for Human Settlements, has conducted a regional diagnostic study for the critical risks and impacts of climate change in the semi-arid regions of Maharashtra, Karnatak and Tamil Nadu states in south-western and peninsular India. She found that rising occurrences of heat waves and hot days affected the health sector, mainly due to an increased outbreak of diseases and increased risk of heat stress. They also placed a big strain on the agricultural sector as well as on livestock and fisheries. Francis Zwiers, director of the Pacific Climate Consortium, says human actions, such as the burning of fossil fuels, have increased the odds of extreme weather occurrences. Events that used to happen every 25 years now happen every 15, he explains.One example is the European heat wave of […]

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 […]

The Connected Enterprise Maturity Model

How ready is your company to connect people, processes and technologies for bigger profits? John Watts, Regional Marketing Director – Asia Pacific, Rockwell Automation SEA Pte Ltd John Watts, Regional Marketing Director, Asia Pacific is responsible for all regional marketing functions including commercial marketing, commercial engineering and product business management. John also has responsibility for sales operations and sales competency. John has 18 years of experience in automation and process control sales and marketing. Apart from his time at Rockwell Automation, John has held sales and sales management positions with Yokogawa. He joined Rockwell Automation in 2006 as Manager, Process Solutions, Asia Pacific. From 2010 he held the position of Director, Integrated Architecture for Asia Pacific. In this role he had responsibility for business management and marketing of Integrated Architecture products including PLC / PAC controllers, motion control, software, operator interface and condition monitoring. He holds a Masters in Business Administration from Melbourne Business School and a degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the University of Melbourne. John is based in Singapore. Savvy manufacturers are leading the charge in managing how information is shared seamlessly and securely across their enterprises. In quest of better decisions, increased collaboration, faster time to market, lower total cost of ownership, maximised asset utilisation and minimised enterprise-risk management, industrial operators are progressively connecting their manufacturing operations with the entire value chain – uncovering the benefits of the Connected Enterprise. A New Path to Enhanced Productivity The rapid convergence of plant-floor operations technology (OT) and business-level information technology (IT) is delivering insight. The Internet of Things (IoT) is enabling data from production-line and remote-device sensors, actuators, controllers and switches to be distributed real time to enterprise teams and supply-chain partners. By connecting people and processes via technology, executives and their continuous-improvement teams acquire new visibility into the […]

The Interview: Mike Hannah, Rockwell Automation and The Connected Enterprise

Mike Hannah is the Market Development lead for the company’s Connected Enterprise initiative. His primary responsibilities involve market development and commercial program management initiative, which connects people and processes for better collaboration, faster problem solving and improved innovation. Hannah originally joined Rockwell Automation in 1990 in Cleveland, Ohio in the company’s Motion Control Business Group as a product marketing engineer. He advanced into roles of increasing responsibility in product management, including leading the company’s Networking and Infrastructure product development group. Hannah holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electronic Technology from The University of Akron, USA. What is your interpretation of what IoT means? In this Internet of Things (IoT) era, a nearly endless range of devices are being embedded with smart sensors that can communicate with one another within the existing Ethernet Internet infrastructure. In fact, many analysts have predicted that over 25 billion devices will be connected over the IoT by 2025. This proliferation of smarter end points can enable organisations to better collaborate and understand complex processes to improve their operations. It is enabled by new technologies such as big-data analytics, cloud computing, virtualisation and mobility. All of these help to optimise business and operational processes and facilitate both internal and external collaboration − an approach often referred to as “Smart Manufacturing”. Covering so many business and social activities in a title such as this must be difficult to describe? How is this done? The intangible commodity is the ability to link people, processes and technology to solve real-world problems in real-time. The key for everyone is to better understand their company’s operational performance at the most granular level, to improve operations, produce more at higher quality levels, and in a more efficient manner. LEAN manufacturing encompasses a lot of activity. Is this the way it is with IoT? Yes, […]

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