NZ Manufacturer December 2019/January 2020

December 2019/January 2020

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THE YEAR IN REVIEW Highly trained staff crucial to success.

YEAR IN 12 THE REVIEW

STORIES 16 SUCCESS 2019

The year in focus for manufacturing.

Hawke’s Bay businesses, councils partner on climate action

By Adele Rose – 3R Group Chief Executive

When it comes to action on human-accelerated climate change in New Zealand we often look to conversations held in the main centres like Auckland and Wellington, or action from central Government to lead the way.

But Hawke’s Bay is showing regional Aotearoa is just as capable of taking the lead. Some of the region’s five councils have been working on a response plan to climate change since 2014, and now the business community, alongside the councils, is coming together to tackle the issue through the Climate Action HB initiative.

Achieving real and meaningful action on accelerated climate change has, and always will, rely on partnerships. Partnerships between people, businesses, councils and governments.

Christmas and New Year Special 15% discount Applies to all new licenses of Alibre Design 3D CAD soware purchased in December 2019 and January 2020.

3R Group Chief Executive Adele Rose and Hawke’s Bay Regional Council Māori Partnerships Group Manager Pieri Munro at the opening of the Climate Action HB: Business CoLab event in Napier.

Group with support from Hawke’s Bay Regional Council.

In Hawke’s Bay you need look little further than the coastal erosion to see the very real effects of human accelerated climate change on the region.

Attendees at the Business CoLab event on November 25 in Napier included major regional stakeholders such as Napier Port, Hawke’s Bay Airport, and Pan Pac Forest Products, as well as businesses from the primary industry, engineering, retail and hospitality sectors, among others.

The economy of the Bay is heavily reliant on tourism and the primary industries, and while sea level rise is most often cited when talking about climate change, factors like warmer winters, fewer frosts and unseasonable wet and dry periods will impact the primary sector particularly, and the region overall.

The Business CoLab event, which was also supported

by Napier City, Hastings, Central Hawke’s Bay and Wairoa district councils, kicked off an ongoing drive to bring businesses and communities together to connect and focus on meeting the challenges and opportunities of climate change.

These impacts have obvious consequences for everyone – from residents living next to the sea, to orchards in the plains and farms in the hill country.

Other impacts, such as food security, go beyond the region itself.

The event showed there is obviously a desire by business to understand more about where to start to reduce carbon impacts, to collaborate, and to lead.

The critical need to address these impacts was seen in the attendance of nearly 120 representatives from Hawke’s Bay businesses and councils at the inaugural event for Climate Action HB, an initiative led by 3R

Just some of the many…

However, the last thing we want is for this to simply be a talk-fest, which is why in the New Year we’ll begin a series of targeted workshops to offer practical advice, solutions and support for businesses to act on their impact on climate change.

continued on Page 14

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Climate Change

Media Kit

2020 with Editorial Calendar

To receive a copy of the Media Kit, please contact publisher@xtra.co.nz

Productivity

Successful Manufacturing

Regional Development

The Circular Economy

www.nzmanufacturer.co.nz Emex 2020

CONTENTS 1

DEPARTMENTS LEAD STORY

ADVISORS

Hawke’s Bay businesses, councils’ partner on climate action.

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BUSINESS NEWS

Kirk Hope

Is Chief Executive of BusinessNZ, New Zealand’s largest business advocacy body. He has held a range of senior positions at Westpac and is a barrister and solicitor.

McKechnie Aluminium signals long – term commitment to Taranaki.

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MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY Collaborative robots set to change NZ’s manufacturing industry.

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Be at the cutting edge of global innovation.

ABB powers with manufacturing management technology.

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8

THE YEAR IN REVIEW Highly trained staff crucial to success.

Dr. Dieter Adam

Is the executive director of The Manufacturers’ Network. He has a Ph.D. in plant biotechnology, consulting and senior management roles in R&D, innovation and international business development.

The year in focus for manufacturing.

Twelve months of steady evolution.

Leeann Watson

Sustainability in 2019.

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Is the Chief Executive of the Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce (the Chamber).and is a strong voice for Canterbury business.

SUCCESS STORIES 2019 Some of the many…

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SMART MANUFACTURING Invert Robotics partners with NDT Solutions.

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UC partners in city aerospace sector takeoff.

Lewis Woodward

Is Managing Director of Connection Technologies Ltd, Wellington and is passionate about industry supporting NZ based companies, which in turn builds local expertise and knowledge, and provides education and employment for future generations.

Bringing 5G to the factory floor.

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NEW PRODUCTS E-Pulse pumps deliver higher flow, convenience and durability.

Harting solutions for the machine building industry.

Matrix 220 scanner delivers industry firsts.

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Is HERA Director, she has extensive experience in innovation, research management and product development, most recently as Head of Innovation and Product Development & Pacific Islands Export Manager at New Zealand Steel.

DEVELOPMENTS EMA welcomes practical help for small business.

HERA launches future-focused leader category in innovation award.

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19 Brett O’Riley

BUSINESS NEWS Boosting your business -The capital raise process.

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REAR VIEW Tech innovations that could save us from climate change.

Dr Troy Coyle

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EMA chief executive Brett O’Riley has a background in technology and economic development.

Brett actually grew up with manufacturing, in the family business, Biggins & Co. He currently holds board roles with Wine Grenade and Dotterel Technologies and is also on the NZ Film Commission board.

PUBLISHER Media Hawke’s Bay Ltd,1/121 Russell Street North, Hastings, New Zealand 4122.

MANAGING EDITOR Doug Green T: +64 6 870 9029 E: publisher@xtra.co.nz

CONTRIBUTORS Holly Green, Fiona Kingsford, Barbara Nebel, Simeon Burnett, Adele Rose, Leeann Watson, Michael Burgess

ADVERTISING Doug Green T: + 64 6 870 9029 E: publisher@xtra.co.nz

DESIGN & PRODUCTION Kim Alves, KA Design T: + 64 6 870 8133 E: kim.alves@xtra.co.nz

WEB MASTER Julian Goodbehere E: julian@isystems.co.nz

PUBLISHING SERVICES On-Line Publisher Media Hawke’s Bay Ltd

DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTIONS E: publisher@xtra.co.nz Free of Charge.

MEDIA HAWKES BAY LTD T: +64 6 870 4506 F: +64 6 878 8150 E: publisher@xtra.co.nz 1/121 Russell Street North, Hastings PO Box 1109, Hastings, NZ NZ Manufacturer ISSN 1179-4992

Vol.10 No. 11 DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020

Copyright: NZ Manufacturer is copyright and may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the written permission of the publisher. Neither editorial opinions expressed, nor facts stated in the advertisements, are necessarily agreed to by the editor or publisher of NZ Manufacturer and, whilst all efforts are made to ensure accuracy, no responsibility will be taken by the publishers for inaccurate information, or for any consequences of reliance on this information. NZ Manufacturer welcomes your contributions which may not necessarily be used because of the philosophy of the publication.

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NZ Manufacturer December 2019/January 2020 /

Manufacturing in challenging times We live in challenging times and what we conceive, design and produce needs to be more closely aligned with productivity and climate change.

I know from talking to manufacturers that these are concerns that they are facing- and considering how they can adjust as they look forward to business in 2020.

New Zealand Manufacturer has been researching and writing about these and other issues and continues to provide for our subscribers and readers case studies and analysis to assist in answering the questions, working towards a solution.

Widely read by over 22,000 decisionmakers NZ Manufacturer has a role to play in assisting in the required changes to make business better. We talk about Industry 4.0, The Circular Economy, Smart Manufacturing, the increasing development of our technology sector and markets for their products.

In 2020, as a Media Partner with XPO Exhibitions, we will be covering EMEX 2020 with Preview and Review issues so that you are aware of what is on display and the key speakers who will help make for a rewarding visit to this leading manufacturing trade fair, which this year celebrates 40 years.

If you are an exhibitor, your participation in these special editions is welcome.

FOODTECH PACKTECH will also receive wide exposure in the magazine, as well as Facilities Integrate and National Manufacturing week in Australia.

Regional Development is high on our priority list as well, as we tell the stories of out of town and country manufacturers who are involved in some fantastic enterprises. Growth in the regions is going well, lots of investment, opening up opportunities. If you are in a big, unwieldly city, why not make a change?

Contact me publisher@xtra.co.nz if you would like to appear in the magazine in 2020. Your story is important and needs to be widely read for your business advantage.

Best wishes to you and yours for Christmas and the holidays.

Doug Green, Publisher

www.nzmanufacturer.co.nz

Doug Green

Success Through Innovation

EDITORIAL

BUSINESS NEWS McKechnie Aluminium signals long-term commitment to Taranaki New Plymouth-based McKechnie Aluminium is now home to New Zealand’s largest and most technologically advanced aluminium extrusion press.

The Italian press, named ‘Giulia’ literally means ‘youth’ and its broader meaning is ‘new’ and ‘prosperous’.

McKechnie Managing Director Mr Pramod Khatri says: “This significant investment is part of our strategy to grow our business and futureproof our customer base, employees and local community.

McKechnie has been manufacturing, exporting and creating employment opportunities in Taranaki for 60 years now. This investment will give us the opportunity to continue for another 60.”

The press has increased the plant’s capacity by between 30 and 40 percent. This has been done by enhancing the company’s capability to produce larger-sized products and complex profiles previously possible only through imports.

McKechnie also exports a sizeable share of its production to Australia and has been doing so for nearly 31 years.

The benefits for customers of having their aluminium product manufactured in New Zealand are multiple, including reduced working capital, shorter lead times, certainty of delivery, assured quality and high environmental performance.

The sizeable investment is welcome news for the local economy, particularly in the wake of the Government’s 2018 announcement to cease offshore oil and gas exploration.

“This state-of-the-art aluminium extrusion press is a very exciting addition to Taranaki’s, and New Zealand’s, manufacturing capability,” says Mr Khatri.

“For our New Zealand customers, it means they don’t need to source some of the bigger products from overseas suppliers,” says Mr Khatri.

“Our product has the lowest carbon footprint of all aluminium extrusions produced in Australasia.

McKechnie is the only aluminium extruder with a re-melt facility, which means a high proportion of our product is made from recycled content,” says

Powersafe

McKechnie Chief Operating Officer Mr Scott Fuller.

McKechnie’s New Plymouth plant is ISO9001 and ISO14001 quality and environmental certified. It is also the only Australasian aluminium extruder, and the world’s first, to have gained third-party CEMARS environmental certification, which is based on stringent European standards.

Installation started in October 2017 and the first billet was produced in March 2018. Final performance handover from Italian supplier Turla was in July 2019.

“After an intense period of commissioning, the new press is performing well. We’re looking forward to growing our business and continuing to provide our customers with high-quality, low-carbon aluminium products for their projects,” says Mr Khatri.

- Increased Short Circuit Ratings (35.5Ka) - Reduced Insertion Force - Rubber Hand Grip for ease of coupling - Cable Strain Relief #4 AWG to 600 MCM (25mm-300mm)

- Increased Current Carrying Capacity (500A/800A)

Tel: 04 566 5345 Email: sales@connectors.co.nz Web: www.connectors.co.nz www.nzmanufacturer.co.nz

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NZ Manufacturer December 2019/January 2020

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A Path to Certification

Qualifying the first polymer additive manufacturing material for aerospace labour. United Launch Alliance reduced the part count on an environmental control system duct for their Atlas V flight vehicle from over 140 pieces to just 16 AM components with ULTEM™ 9085 resin.

Additive Manufacturing’s Promise for Aerospace The importance of additive manufacturing (AM) isn’t lost on the aerospace industry. One simply needs to look at the actions of industry leaders like Boeing and Airbus to see this truth in play. Airbus chose the technology to create parts using ULTEM™ 9085 resin for their A350 XWB aircraft.

Boeing touts the installation of more than 50,000 AM parts flying on their commercial, space and defence products. ¹ But it’s not just the giants of the industry that recognize the advantages.

Smaller, innovative companies like Aurora Flight Sciences also see the benefits. Aurora developed and flew the first 3D printed jet-powered unmanned aerial vehicle, capitalizing on the strength of FDM® (fused deposition modelling) ASA thermoplastic for the main wing and fuselage structures. The aircraft’s main purpose was to demonstrate the speed at which a design can go from concept to a flying aircraft. It also illustrates the validity of AM for flight-capable parts, beyond the traditional role of prototyping.

The jet-powered UAV developed by Aurora Flight Sciences is made with 34 parts; 26 of those are 3D printed.

While the methods and applications of additive technology may differ among these companies, the reason they use it is common: it provides multiple benefits that collectively make a positive impact on their bottom line.

That might come in the form of meeting the delivery schedule, improving performance, reducing waste, optimizing the supply chain or a combination of all the above.

From Rapid Prototyping to Flight Parts Since its inception, a common use case for additive manufacturing has been rapid prototyping, allowing aerospace companies to validate fit, form and function in addition to reducing product development time. The next step in use case evolution, one that provides multiple benefits, is the production of flightworthy parts for use on certified aircraft.

The reasons for this are obvious: additive manufacturing helps aerospace companies attain important goals of reduced weight and lower buy-to-fly ratios (the ratio of procured material weight to the final part weight). As an example, 3D printing allows the creation of organic shapes that aren’t otherwise possible with conventional manufacturing methods. This lets engineers design optimal strength-to-weight geometries, reducing weight by minimizing the amount of material needed to carry the load. Aurora Flight Sciences used this approach on their UAV to achieve a stiff but lightweight structure, using material only where it was necessary.

This capability to apply material only where it’s needed also results in little to no scrap, unlike a subtractive process that removes material to arrive at the final part. This is how AM offers a much more favourable buy-to-fly ratio, by using only what’s necessary to create the part. Buy-to­fly ratios for machined aircraft components can be in the range of 15-20 compared to ratios close to one for AM parts, making material waste an important cost consideration. ² Other benefits of the additive process include part count reduction by 3D printing multiple components as a single part. This results in fewer individual parts, less manufacturing and inventory, and reduced assembly

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The AM process also enables the creation of complex designs and intricate geometries without the time and cost penalty of traditional manufacturing methods. In some cases, it allows the creation of parts that otherwise wouldn’t be possible with traditional manufacturing. The fuel nozzle for the GE LEAP engine is a good example. The configuration that engineers developed to meet restrictive performance requirements included intricate internal passages and geometries. The final design was ultimately not possible to manufacture with machine tools and could only be achieved with additive manufacturing.

From a supply chain perspective, the ability to economically produce parts on-demand gives manufacturers much greater flexibility to make and locate parts when and where they’re needed. This alleviates the expensive process of producing and stocking sufficient spare parts to support demand scenarios that are difficult to predict. It also gives manufacturers the flexibility to overcome hiccups in the supply chain, should they occur. Airbus used this strategy in the production of the A350 XWB aircraft, 3D printing parts to maintain the aircraft delivery schedule.

Certification Headwinds These are just a few examples that demonstrate the merit of additive manufacturing for end-use aircraft parts. But the challenge faced by aerospace companies in achieving these benefits lies with airworthiness certification. Parts installed on aircraft must be certified flightworthy as part of the overall certification of the aircraft. For engineers wanting to design additively manufactured flight parts, that’s easier said than done.

The reason is because there are no industry-standard design allowable characterizing the properties of AM materials, like there are for traditional materials and processes.

Additive manufacturing is the perfect ft for geometries shaped by topological optimization, producing shapes that would be diffcult or impossible with conventional machine tools.

Without this fundamental but necessary information, aerospace companies are faced with either avoiding the use of AM flight parts altogether or developing the design allowable themselves. Depending on the specific application, the latter scenario likely requires a very expensive and lengthy test program. In the highly competitive aerospace industry, neither option is optimal.

A portion of the additively manufactured ULA environmental systems duct used to cool avionics in the Atlas V payload fairing.

Overcoming the Challenge Despite this challenge, some aerospace companies have done what it takes to qualify non-metallic materials, such as polymer-based composites, for use on aircraft. However, manufacturers that take this approach typically view the data as proprietary due to the cost and effort involved, and they don’t share it within the aerospace community. This creates an “everyone­ for-themselves” environment and results in a lack of industry-wide material and process standards. While large aerospace companies may be able to justify the time and cost for this effort, it can be prohibitive for smaller companies, without publicly funded programs to support the process.3 At a very practical level, requiring each manufacturer to duplicate the process for a material that’s already been evaluated by another manufacturer is simply counterproductive and only serves to drive up industry costs and inhibit innovation.

An Industry Solution A solution to this problem was indirectly borne out of an effort in the mid-1990s to rejuvenate the general aviation market. The Advanced

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General Aviation Technology Experiments (AGATE) effort involved the participation of NASA, the FAA, the aerospace industry and academia in the development of improved technologies and the standards and certification methods governing them. Part of this project involved the development of standards to qualify new materials and their production while abbreviating the certification timeline.

The AGATE initiative eventually evolved into a new process, which bears the name of the organization that administers it: the National Centre for Advanced Materials Performance (NCAMP). The NCAMP process is now the established method for qualifying new material systems and developing a shared database of design allowable for those materials. The benefit for aerospace companies looking to certify their designs, beyond having access to resultant material data, is that the certification authorities (FAA and EASA) accept dataset and material process specifications for key components of the qualification process.

From Composites to Additive Manufacturing The initial focus of the AGATE initiative and the follow-on NCAMP process was the qualification of polymer-based carbon-fibre composite materials.

That made sense as composite technology advanced and offered benefits to the aerospace industry in the form of strong, lightweight structures. As a result, a number of different composite material systems have been qualified through the NCAMP process, providing the aerospace community with a shared database of corresponding design allowable.

This has been a benefit to companies that want to use those materials on certified aircraft, but want to avoid the long, expensive process of qualifying the material on their own. Instead, they simply need to demonstrate “equivalency,” the process of proving they can duplicate the material characteristics of the base qualification dataset, but on a much smaller, shorter and less costly scale than a full qualification program.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for aircraft manufacturers looking to use additively manufactured parts on certified aircraft programs. Although aerospace companies have leveraged additive manufacturing for its more traditional benefits like faster prototyping and agile tooling, the barrier to certification still exists due to the lack of a qualified additive manufacturing material that is tested and validated using the NCAMP process. This prevents the aerospace community from realizing the full benefit of additively manufactured production parts that includes real performance, supply and cost efficiencies.

Qualifying the First Polymer AM Material The task of solving that problem was tackled by America Makes, also known

as the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute. Its mission is to promote the advancement and development of additive technology within manufacturing, facilitating and funding collaboration among industry, research and government entities. It chartered the initiative to qualify the first AM material for certification purposes using the NCAMP process, with funding from the Defence-Wide Manufacturing Science and Technology program. Key collaborators include Rapid Prototype and Manufacturing (RP+M), the National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) at Wichita State University, and Stratasys.

This qualification process is what ultimately results in the establishment of design allowable that aerospace companies can use to design aircraft parts, supplying a major piece of the certification puzzle. ULTEM™ 9085 resin was chosen by an industry steering group as the first AM material for NCAMP qualification.

The material and the FDM process were selected because of their wide acceptance and use within the aerospace community. ⁴ Tensile testing an ULTEM 9085 resin test coupon at the NIAR laboratory.

The NCAMP Process Material testing and qualification using the NCAMP process is performed by the National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) at Wichita State University. The process begins with the establishment of a material specification to control the material manufacturing and processing quality.

Next, a process specification is developed to control the build process using that material. This is necessary to remove any process variability and establish a controlled means of production.

These specifications exist because an important part of the certification process is the assurance that each manufacturer is making parts to the same standard. As Paul Jonas, Technology Development Director at NIAR, described it, “The first part you make has to be equivalent to the hundredth part, to the thousandth part, to the part you make 10 years from now, to be good enough to be certified for the FAA.” Once the production method is established, any decision to create parts using another system, process or material requires a separate qualification process for that production method and/or material. The specifications also include controls for ongoing process validation, to ensure that production standards are maintained.

After the process specification was established, the ULTEM™ 9085 resin material qualification plan began, which involved testing approximately 6500 test coupons, the bulk of which were built by RP+M in Avon Lake, Ohio. The coupons are evaluated for specific mechanical properties and exposed to fluids typically found in an aircraft operating environment like engine oil, hydraulic fluid and jet fuel. Test results are then statistically analysed to determine the material characteristics and corresponding design allowable dataset.

This data is currently published on the NCAMP website and findings will be incorporated into CMH-17, the composite materials handbook that provides standardized engineering data on composite and other non-metallic materials.

The Stratasys Solution The final step in the AM certification solution path involves the demonstration of equivalency to the NCAMP dataset. Aerospace companies that want to leverage the NCAMP process need to show that their AM process with ULTEM™ 9085 CG resin results in material properties that are statistically equivalent to the original data. But as previously mentioned, this is achieved with a much smaller sample size, drastically reducing the time and cost for material qualification with a 10x estimated cost savings. Once equivalency is achieved, manufacturers can leverage the NCAMP process for key components of the airworthiness qualification process, having established that their additive manufacturing process is equivalent to the allowable database.

The equivalency process is reliant on two factors: the use of a properly configured Fortus 900mc™ Production System, in conjunction with certified ULTEM™ 9085 CG resin material. Stratasys developed specific capabilities for the Fortus 900mc that include enhanced material deposition, ensuring consistent, repeatable build results needed to produce equivalency test coupons. An AIS Machine Readiness package is available to validate the proper set up and operation of the AM system and demonstrate a means of compliance with the NCAMP process specification. ⁵ ULTEM™ 9085 CG resin undergoes more testing than standard ULTEM™ 9085 resin material and is accompanied by documentation that gives manufacturers full traceability back to the raw material.

The certified ULTEM™ 9085 CG resin, the configured Fortus 900mc, and the AIS Machine Readiness package are available as a comprehensive solution from Stratasys.

CONCLUSION Additive manufacturing is no stranger to the aerospace industry, having been adopted for rapid prototyping, concept modelling, and tooling. The next level of efficiency involves the manufacture of interior (or other non­ flight-critical) components using the NCAMP-certified material and process - a major step in defining the roadmap toward using additive manufacturing in aerospace production.

Compared to traditional materials and machining methods, AM parts minimize waste, reduce weight, enable economical customization and streamline the supply chain. But the barrier to achieving these benefits has been a lack of qualified AM materials and a consistent, reliable production process for using them.

This is changing, thanks to the coordination among AM material and process suppliers, aerospace manufacturers and the airworthiness authorities. Through the NCAMP process, the first polymer AM material to be published by NCAMP is available to provide the aerospace industry with design allowable for ULTEM™ 9085 CG resin, an important tool for producing AM parts for aircraft programs. More importantly, this process sets the precedent for the qualification of other AM materials, clearing the path for faster, broader use of additive manufacturing in aerospace.

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NZ Manufacturer December 2019/January 2020

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MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY

Collaborative robots set to change NZ’s manufacturing industry Facteon’s new partnership with Universal Robots to benefit local manufacturers Global factory solutions specialist, Facteon, has announced its collaboration with Universal Robots - an international market leader in collaborative robots (cobots).

The partnership, which will make cobots more accessible to the New Zealand manufacturing sector, is the latest move from Facteon and showcases the business’s commitment to delivering world-class factory technologies for the Internet Age. Cobots are a dynamic robotic technology that work safely alongside human operators to perform

mundane, repetitive and dangerous tasks with accuracy and at speed.

Unlike industrial robots, cobots can complete a variety of tasks and don’t require a robotics specialist in-house, making them a more affordable option for manufacturers.

Nathan Soich, Head of Marketing and New Ventures at Facteon, says: “We are committed to making robotics accessible for manufacturers of all sizes.

Cobots are a relatively new technology for New Zealand, but we’ve already experienced significant

interest.

“We’re looking forward to seeing how our partnership with Universal Robots will revolutionise manufacturing in a wide range of industries including the appliance, medical, pharmaceutical, automotive, food and beverage sectors. There are great opportunities for manufacturers in each of these areas to improve their operations through the integration of cobots. This is a logical first step for any facility moving towards automation.”

Acting as a second pair of hands and eyes in the factory, cobots are flexible, reliable and safe. They can be quickly reprogrammed in-house to perform a variety of production tasks such as assembly, pick and place, packaging and palletising, quality inspection, machine tending, screw driving and fastening.

Today, more than 37,000 Universal Robots cobots can be found operating in thousands of production facilities across the globe.

While New Zealand and Australia have been previously underserved in the cobot space, businesses now looking to introduce cobots into their operations should consider where in the factory the technology will best add value.

Cobots have many applications so manufacturers should talk to an expert to customise a solution that’s fit-for-purpose and cost-effective.

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MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY Be at the cutting edge of global innovation With changing consumer and business demands bringing greater competition to global markets, companies in New Zealand’s engineering and manufacturing sectors must consistently evolve in order to win new business and succeed.

A term that has saturated global markets for the last decade is Industry 4.0 - the digitalisation of manufacturing.

What we are in fact witnessing is an industrial renaissance that is changing the way we do business through the unification of real and virtual worlds, laying the foundation for the future of manufacturing with platforms that enable data and digital continuity to maximise innovation, collaboration with the extended enterprise, and improve profit margins.

This Industry Renaissance has enabled global connectivity on an unprecedented scale, which Invenio has witnessed in its network of dynamic New Zealand businesses of all sizes that enjoy success locally as well as globally.

Taking advantage of this opportunity requires the right tools to be implemented, such as the Dassault Systèmes 3DExperience platform and modelling, simulation and collaboration applications such as Catia, Delmia and Enovia.

The 3DExperience platform enables organisations to move from siloed designs and a document-based approach to a unified platform that is data-driven and model-based.

Commercial & industrial growth

Combining multi-physics, behaviour-modelling, big data analytics and social collaboration on a single, digital innovative platform, New Zealand businesses can quickly respond to a fast-changing industry landscape.

Designers can bring their ideas to life with Catia applications, the world’s leading product design and experience solution including world-class 3D modelling performance and simulation capabilities.

Information is communicated Enovia application data management platform, allowing designers to efficiently collaborate across departments.

through

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Invenio’s partnership with Dassault Systèmes has also enabled the success of a number of collaborative projects, such as an applications showcase at SouthMACH 2019 in Christchurch.

SouthMACH 2019 attracted more than 1500 visitors over two days, with Invenio hosting key Dassault Systèmes representatives from Singapore who demonstrated the capabilities of Delmia and 3DLean digital manufacturing solutions to attendees. www.invenio.com.au

Finished designs can be fast-tracked towards production with Delmia’s digital manufacturing solutions, enabling manufacturing efficiency through the digital planning, simulating and modelling of production processes.

Employment growth

Economic output

Crime rate East Tamaki is the largest industrial precinct in Auckland with 2000 businesses and a growth rate higher than the regional average.

getba

getba.org.nz

Greater East Tamaki Business Association Inc.

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NZ Manufacturer December 2019/January 2020

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MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY ABB powers with manufacturing management technology The Manufacturing Operations Management (MOM) software suite powers production for increased productivity and profitability, enabling seamless plant orchestration.

The new version will offer an extended range of capabilities and new digital applications. This flexible and secure software platform with a broad suite of industrial applications gives operators, supervisors and plant managers the visibility and insights to take the right actions for increased productivity, quality and compliance.

Features in the enhanced manufacturing operations management platform include: • Enhanced user experience based on new HTML 5 web client; • A new smart interactive dashboard application that provides greater visibility and collaboration; • A new statistical process control (SPC) application, to determine if each process is in a state of control; • A new Batch Compare application – for advanced

production, quality and energy information via the plant’s web-based reports, trends, and graphs.

A new, self-service dashboard application promotes increased collaboration, providing visibility from shop floor to top floor and spanning IT and OT environments.

It increases data connectivity to all apps and modules within the MOM suite, combining historic and manufacturing data and providing the user with improved customization capabilities. Dashboards can be shared amongst users, further promoting collaboration between teams. Trends and events are displayed together, which enables customers to identify issues and opportunities enabling informed and timely decisions.

The new common services platform features an HTML 5 web platform that runs across all suites ensuring

customers have a seamless user experience, so that applications can be viewed on different devices right down to a 10-inch tablet.

Statistical data process control (SPC) is used in manufacturing to determine if each process is in a state of control. The new SPC application works across all the different apps and modules and helps the user to improve quality and production related performance.

In addition to the existing Batch View and Batch Investigate features, a comparison option has been added to the platform’s batch analysis applications, allowing different types of comparison.

Cyber security remains one of the key issues in the advancement of Industry 4.0, and the new features in MOM include enhanced security.

batch analysis Manufacturing

Operations

Management

is

a

comprehensive, scalable and modular software suite that optimises visibility, knowledge and control throughout the operations domain. This release provides a range of rich new functionality and a new enhanced user experience that enables operations to become more productive and responsive.”

Manufacturing Operations Management is designed to simplify production management by enabling performance monitoring, downtime management and maintenance support, as well as providing statistical production analysis tools.

It provides solutions and tools to facilitate the collection,

consolidation

and

distribution

of

Renewable energy skills from Canterbury to benefit Bhutan New Zealand expertise in renewable energy will be put to good use in the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan when a University of Canterbury (UC) engineering student returns to her homeland.

Sonam Zam is a new graduate of UC’s Master of Engineering Studies (Renewable Energy) programme in the Civil and Natural Resources Engineering department.

Her travel to Christchurch and study at UC was funded through a New Zealand Scholarship provided by the New Zealand Government. The scholarships are aimed at providing tertiary students with vital skills and knowledge to promote development in their home country.

Sonam, who graduated top of her 2012 civil engineering class in Bhutan, says she has learnt a huge amount from the UC master’s degree which will have practical application when she returns to her role at the state-owned Druk Green Power Corporation in Bhutan, which operates and maintains hydropower assets.

“What I’ve studied in New Zealand is renewable energy, hydro, solar and wind and I’m hoping I can apply these back at home. In some remote areas of Bhutan, hydropower isn’t viable so solar and

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wind-generated energy would be more practical options. I was completely new to those when I came here.”

Sonam says the UC degree provided an up-to-date world view of climate change. “It also covered what can be done, not necessarily a solution, but a way forward.”

“My Master’s project was focused on pumped hydro which will be important in Bhutan because at present we don’t have reservoirs for storing water.”

She and several other international students awarded New Zealand Scholarships to study at UC, including people from Brazil and Zimbabwe, took part in a completion ceremony in November before returning to their home countries.

THE YEAR IN REVIEW Highly trained staff crucial to success Fiona Kingsford, CEO, Competenz 2019 has been a year of extremes in the manufacturing industry, impacted by both a skills shortage and a government reform that will reshape vocational education.

New Zealand is facing its biggest skills shortage in decades. By 2024, more than 18,000 people will be needed to fill new roles and replace those leaving the manufacturing sector, many of which could be filled by apprentices..

In August 2019, the Government confirmed the details of its overhaul of vocational education.

Specifically, the disestablishment of all 11 Industry Training Organisations (ITOs) whose current functions will be undertaken by two new entities, Workforce Development Councils (WDCs) and the New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology (NZIST).

By the end of 2022, WDCs will lead qualification development, standard setting, skills leadership, brokerage and industry advocacy, while the new national delivery agency, NZIST, will deliver all classroom, digital and on-the-job learning.

The NZIST includes the merger of the 16 Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics and the training functions of the ITOs.

is undergoing a massive shift and a high level of technical skill is required in today’s manufacturing factories and plants.

The next generation of workers will be responsible for gleaning insights and intelligence from machines, identifying new capabilities and bring a creative solution-focused attitude to the factory floor..

The next three years will be critical. Our focus is to support employers and learners through the transition to keep upskilling the workforce and ensure that on-the-job training meets the needs of industry and is fit for purpose.

We look forward to being part of the design of the new model that enables innovation, agility and greater incentives for employers in manufacturing.

It is more important than ever that New Zealanders can get worthwhile qualifications, learners can be recognised for their skills, and industry can be confident in the quality of the workforce..

How this new regime will impact the manufacturing industry is unclear. What we do know, is that the government has committed to ongoing support of apprentices and trainees undertaking on-the-job training.

Fiona Kingsford, CEO, Competenz.

It is more important than ever that New Zealanders can get worthwhile qualifications.

So, there is absolutely no reason for employers to stop signing their employees into training for fear apprentices and trainees won’t be able to complete because of upcoming changes.

All qualifications remain, and everyone entering one will be able to complete them.

While the training delivery landscape is definitely changing, these changes will be progressively implemented by December 2022. Right now, there is no interruption to the services Competenz provides to our employers, trainees and apprentices.

No matter what form the new structure takes and how it is rolled out, the future of work in the manufacturing sector will still require high levels of technical ability and environments to harness the exciting technology advances we have seen and are poised to see.

Highly trained staff is vital to success; and these are our manufacturing apprentices and skilled workforce..

Good news came in October 2019 with the Government’s pledge to invest in a trades campaign targeted to school leavers and highlighting the vast opportunities trades careers can offer.

We are pleased to hear their plans include more of what we have been implementing over the years – speed dating events for employers and school leavers to connect the latter into new jobs, and a campaign to highlight that if ‘you have a trade, you have it made’..

As parents and teachers, we all shoulder the responsibility to ensure that our school leavers are aware of the trades training opportunities that lie in the broader manufacturing sector.

We also need to accept the world of employment

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THE YEAR IN REVIEW The year in focus for manufacturing -By EMA senior policy analyst Michael Burgess

Despite the economic predictions, manufacturers have concerns with finding skilled workers, the bewildering speed of technological change, and how to make investment decisions in light of low business confidence.

Internationally and domestically, a number of factors have put the brakes on the New Zealand economy in 2019.

Domestically, the feeling is downbeat, with low levels of business confidence appearing relatively deep-seated.

A number of key indexes that the EMA monitors continues to highlight that slowdown, with GDP also slowing to just over 2.1 per cent year-on-year.

The Performance of Manufacturing Index is at levels not seen since the Global Financial Crisis, with forward orders also at their lowest levels since 2019.

The graph shows the trends since July 2014 (A PMI reading above 50.0 indicates that manufacturing is generally expanding; below 50.0 that it is declining).

how to make investment decisions in light of low business confidence.

The Employment Relations Amendment Act introduced new duties on employers. Employers with more than 19 staff can no longer use the 90-day trial provisions and must now use probationary periods.

The Employment Relations (Triangular Employment Act 2019 will take effect in June 2020. This affects triangular relationships where an employee is employed by an employer, but performs their work for another organization which controls the employer’s day-to-day work.

The Holidays Act review is ongoing, any substantive overhaul has been delayed because the government taskforce needs more time to run tests. It is unlikely that anything will be implemented before late 2020.

Some key Government initiatives were announced this year which will help the manufacturing sector.

The October PMI result raises the prospect of the manufacturing sector’s recent negative results coming to an end in the final quarter of the year.

However, most international economic agencies have downgraded their growth forecasts. The latest J P Morgan Global Manufacturing Survey is also in negative territory, with optimism dropping to its lowest level since first tracked in 2012.

Despite the economic predictions, manufacturers have concerns with finding skilled workers, the bewildering speed of technological change, and

R & D tax incentives changes were introduced. These included a tax credit rate of 15 per cent; $120million cap on eligible expenditure and a minimum R&D expenditure threshold of $50,000. Manufacturing firms are twice as likely to invest in R&D as the average NZ firm. Recent Stats NZ survey data on R&D spending by businesses increased $548 million in the past two years to more than $2.1 billion in 2018.

NZ overall R&D spending in 2018 was equal to 1.37% of GDP. Government has committed to raising this to two percent over the next 10 years. The changes on R&D over 2019 will help in this.

The Future of Work Forum in 2018 endorsed The Manufacturers Network pilot programme that addresses the skills shift need in manufacturing to meet the challenges of automation and artificial intelligence. The project will identify gaps and training courses.

Only 14% of all our engineers are women.

We want to change that.

Join us and scores of other Kiwi organisations that have galvanised around one common goal: 20% more women engineers by 2021. www.diversityagenda.org

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The EMA Employers Survey in 2019 showed 51 percent of respondents say the current impact of technologies such as robotics, artificial intelligence, big data, 3D printing and other Industry 4.0 technologies will have an impact on their business.

The biggest challenge for employers with Industry 4.0 is a lack of qualified staff; followed by excessive investment requirements and then concerns with data security.

Another initiative recently announced for Manufacturers and will come into effect in February 2020 is the development of an Industry 4.0 Demonstration Network. The network will consist of: . A mobile Industry 4.0 showcase; . A network of Industry 4.0 site visits and . Access to, and observation opportunities in, up to two smart factories.

The mobile Industry 4.0 showcase will be a selfcontained demonstration aimed at showing the underlying concepts and benefits of Industry 4.0. The showcase will visit both industry and schools.

This will give secondary schools students the opportunity to engage with the manufacturing sector.

Together with a network of site visits and the development of a smart factory this will certainty providing some exciting times for manufacturers to show where their sector can go.

THE YEAR IN REVIEW Twelve months of steady evolution -Leeann Watson, Chief Executive Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce

The last year has been– not quite the transformational 2019 that many expected – but as we head into 2020 and the general election, I think that will likely change.

There was also the reversal on the tabling of a capital gains tax.

these ‘big picture’ issues being addressed. Given that the unemployment rate is still pretty low, as are interest rates, and the housing market may be starting to turn, it might mean that the economy may not be such a focus and other key drivers, such as our infrastructure and climate change will really come to the fore.

There were various changes to employment legislation, with Fair Pay Agreements one of the more highly publicised issues through the year.

Immigration too was in the spotlight with changes to employer-assisted temporary work visa settings to help address skills shortages, which are particularly prevalent in the regions.

There also other issues, updates and developments in the pipeline that will shape our operating environment, including export and trade and the volatile international markets; resource and infrastructure; immigration; education, skills and training; employment relations, workplace wellbeing; and energy.

There were also the local body elections in October, with some level of movement across most electorates.

Hopefully this will result in a fresh burst of energy for Councillors to really gain traction on key local issues to help enable our business communities.

We know that manufacturing is a critical part of the New Zealand economy. The sector is challenged by low productivity, with skill shortages a real challenge and automation will cause significant disruption. So, what does this all mean for the sector?

In the vocational education sector, the big news was the launch of the Reform of Vocational Education (RoVE) – one of the most significant changes in education for some time, which will redefine roles for industry bodies and education providers and establish a unified vocational education funding system.

We encourage you to embrace change and new technologies, and lead by example. Find a group of influencers to help you drive change and then communicate 10 times over. Upskill and bring your people with you.

There was the release of a Government Budget focused on wellbeing, as well as the announcement of a $7.5 billion surplus, which may well be called upon – at least in part – as the political parties start to ramp up activity before the voting booths open.

It was also good to see the Government’s support of literacy and numeracy training in the workplace through a new funding commitment of $14.5 million over four years – meaning the Government will contribute nearly $45 million to the employer-led workplace literacy and numeracy fund between 2019 and 2022.

I am optimistic that this sector shake-up will encourage collaboration between the business community and education providers to help ensure we have a fit-for-purpose future workforce.

As we head into 2020, I think we will see more of

Collaborate with others in your industry and learn from their journey – for the manufacturing sector, one of the key channels to do this is through The Manufacturers’ Network, which recently merged with the Employers and Manufacturers Association and The Chamber to further enhance our respective services to the sector.

But most of all, we encourage you to seek external support. We appreciate that in addition to the above changes, businesses are also facing other challenges in their daily operations.

You can’t be an expert in all areas and be across every new trend, policy and legislation change.

Together with our national and global network

TechRentals® is an IANZ endorsed Calibration Laboratory.

We offer both IANZ Endorsed and Traceable Calibrations of test and measurement equipment inluding:

of Chambers and EMAs, our role at The Chamber is to empower businesses, to ensure they have the information, skills and capability to mitigate and manage these and other changes and make the most of opportunities on the horizon.

I look forward to a transformational year ahead.

Embrace change and new technologies, and lead by example

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Or a record of your company’s/ your achievements?

Contact Kevin Kevany Mobile 021 577 211 Email kevwrite@xtra.co.nz

0800 832 473 www.techrentals.co.nz

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NZ Manufacturer December 2019/January 2020

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ANALYSIS How is the Fourth Industrial Revolution changing our economy?

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) upends current economic frameworks. Who makes money - and how - has changed. Demographics have changed.

growth. GDP calculates a country’s production of physical goods, and policymakers use it to inform decision-making.

We cannot deny the role technology will play in the future of work. Indeed, the future of work is technology.

GDP works well as a performance indicator in a manufacturing society, but in a world of increased reliance on services and technologies, GDP fails to accurately capture the intricacy of the economy.

Even the skills that brought our society to where we are today have changed.

Leaders must account for these transformations or risk leaving behind their companies, their customers and their constituents.

Despite the anticipated disruption and uncertainty of workers of nearly all skill levels, one thing remains clear: Workers are increasingly turning to alternative work arrangements like side hustles, freelancing, independent contracting and gigging.

However, no conversation would be complete without addressing how technology and the future of work affect half of the world’s population: women.

Never mind issues of fairness, or the fact that women make up 39% of the labour force and are the majority of university students in 97 countries.

In monetary terms, the size of the world’s gig economy exceeds $200 billion in gross volume, an amount that’s expected to more than double to approximately $455 billion by 2023.

Failure to view the future of work in tandem with gender equity compromises the efforts of businesses and governments to prepare for the dynamic new economy.

The majority (more than 75%) of those currently generating income through alternative work arrangements do so by choice.

Automation will replace 11% of the female labour force but only 9% of the male labour force over the next two decades.

For 86% of females in the gig economy, freelancing provides more than an opportunity to make a living – it’s an opportunity to receive equal pay.

The explanation is simple: despite their making up less than half of the global labour force, many jobs often held by women (secretaries, cashiers, and fast-food workers) are 70% more likely to be replaced by automation.

Only 41% of female freelancers believe traditional work arrangements would offer them pay equity.

This finding presents massive potential as the average gender pay gap is 16% at the global level; closing it and moving towards gender parity could unlock $12 trillion from the world’s economy.

What’s fuelling the global gig economy?

A host of factors contribute to the rise of the gig economy, including increased globalization, advancements in technology and static educational and institutional inertia that can’t keep pace with changing workforce demands.

Approximately 50% of companies worldwide predict that automation will trim their current full-time workforce by 2022.

And, by that same year, researchers expect at least 54% of employees will need re-skilling and upskilling to complete their jobs.

The future economy cuts straight through the heart of gender equity

These data contrast narratives put forth by the media that tend to portray technology and robots as overtaking “men’s work”.

In addition to “high risk” jobs, high paying jobs in technology are leaving women behind in the future of work.

Information and communication technology (ICT) specialists are four times more likely to be male than female, and only 24% of ICT graduates in 2015 were women.

An analysis of companies working with open-source software, for example, found that only 15% of their software authors are women.

Measuring success in the fourth industrial revolution’s digital economy As we examine how the Fourth Industrial Revolution will transform the global economy, it’s important to consider how we measure its success.

We currently rely on GDP as an indicator of economic

In the past 30 years, $1 put towards digital technology investment increased GDP by $20, whereas $1 put towards non-digital investment increased GDP by only $3.

By 2025, nearly a quarter (24.3%) of global GDP will come from digital technologies such as artificial intelligence and cloud computing.

But how accurate are these estimates if they fail to capture the value of intangible assets such as networks, data, services and intelligence?

Depending on GDP as a measure of success in the Fourth Industrial Revolution will adversely affect policy decisions because technology as a product has a deflationary effect.

Instead of GDP, we should measure the health of our economy by GDP-B, where B estimates the benefits we obtain from digital goods and services.

Analysts can calculate the value of B by determining how much money people are willing to pay to use zero-price digital services (such as Wikipedia, Instagram or Google Maps).

The challenges of the Fourth Industrial Revolution have the potential to expand the economic pie for all and bend the arc of history toward inclusion. We have the choice to be stronger because of it.

The challenges of the Fourth Industrial Revolution have the potential to expand the economic pie for all.

continued from Page 1

Hawke’s Bay businesses, councils partner on climate action The Business CoLab was a call to action and the start of ongoing partnerships that will bring meaningful change. Now, more than ever, businesses need to factor climate change into decision making.

From the questions and conversations at the event it was clear the first workshop needs to tackle how businesses can measure and monitor carbon emissions.

It’s the most basic element in our fight to mitigate human-accelerated climate change – the essential starting point. Afterall, you can’t manage what you don’t measure.

Only once an organisation has established a baseline can it begin to mitigate, minimise and

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offset its emissions. 3R has been on this journey since 2014 and is a Toitū carbonzeroCertTM certified organisation.

We have personally experienced the benefits of improved efficiency, risk avoidance and cost savings.

We are also the only Hawke’s Bay-based signatory to the Climate Leaders Coalition (CLC) and our work to help other businesses get started on their sustainability journey is part of our commitment to this.

As I mentioned, partnerships are key to success.

When it comes to meaningful action on climate change no man, or business, is an island. We must act together.

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If you would like to know more about Climate Action HB, visit the webpage: https://3r.co.nz/ what-we-do/climate-action-hb/

You can’t manage what you don’t measure.

THE YEAR IN REVIEW

HEADING NZ MANUFACTURER FEATURES

Sustainability in 2019

February 2020 Issue

Barbara Nebel, CEO, thinkstep-anz This year has seen a significant rise in consumer concern around environmental and social issues, and a corresponding demand for better information about products and business practices.

Colmar Brunton’s Better Futures report in February found that New Zealanders had the highest levels of concern about climate change in a decade, but also that how companies talk about their social and environmental commitments is confusing.

The In Good Company report in November – commissioned by the Sustainable Business Council, Porter Novelli and Perceptive – found that New Zealanders wanted more transparent communication on sustainability from all industries and considered sustainability in their purchase decisions.

It is more important than ever for manufacturers to be able to tell the story of product sustainability. We look back at how government and businesses alike have stepped up to this challenge.

Government changes Single-use plastic bags were banned from July this year, signalling a watershed moment for plastics use.

The Government has recently announced the next steps to tackle plastic waste, starting with moving from single-use packaging and containers made of hard-to-recycle PVC and polystyrene, towards high-value alternatives like HDPE and polypropylene.

In November, New Zealand made headlines overseas as the Climate Change Response Amendment Bill passed with cross-party support, committing the country to reduce carbon emissions to zero by 2050.

The passage of this bill gives businesses certainty of the long-term framework for reducing emissions and will make it easier for them to plan their own transition.

The Ministry for the Environment, accredited product stewardship managers and the Sustainable Business Network have collaborated on Fuji Xerox’s roadmap to develop a product stewardship scheme.

Companies and other organisations participating in accredited product stewardship schemes have diverted more than 1/3 million tonnes of waste from landfill to date.

How are companies responding?

In July, the Climate Leaders Coalition celebrated its first anniversary. The Coalition is made up of over 120 businesses who are pledging to keep warming to below 1.5°C.

Since its launch in 2018, the group has become a focal point for businesses wanting to take climate change seriously. Signatories who reduced their emissions over the previous year did so by a combined 569,000 tonnes of CO2.

CLIMATE CHANGE

In August, the Sustainable Business Network annual conference ‘The end of plastic as we know it’ brought business leaders and experts together to tackle the issue of plastic. My key takeaway for the manufacturing sector was that we need life cycle thinking – it won’t be enough to just address waste, we also need to watch out for unintended consequences. Sometimes the solution may not be changing the packaging, but rather the whole product. For example, Ethique has created an entire business around a shift from liquid shampoo to solid.

SMART MANUFACTURING 5G

In September, the New Zealand Green Building Council launched the Net Zero Carbon Roadmap for Aotearoa, which sets out the pathway for new buildings to be zero carbon by 2030 and all buildings zero carbon by 2050. A supporting report by thinkstep-anz identified opportunities to reduce the embodied emissions in the building and construction sector by 40%.

ROBOTICS & AUTOMATION COMPANY PROFILE

Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) help manufacturers evaluate the impact of their products.

In the past 5 years, 60 EPDs have been published in Australasia. Notable EPDs published in 2019 include steel, wool, solid and laminated wood products as well as paper towels and napkins.

Advertising Booking Deadline – 11 February 2020 Advertising Copy Deadline – 11 February 2020

A circular year ahead

Editorial Copy Deadline – 11 February 2020 Advertising – For bookings and further information contact: Doug Green, P O Box 1109, Hastings 4156, Hawke’s Bay Email: publisher@xtra.co.nz

Our vision is that 2020 will be the year of a truly circular economy. This will require looking beyond recycling to “upcycling”, turning the materials of one product into something more valuable and ensuring that we can reuse the resource without loss of quality. This all starts with product design and the cradle-to-cradle concept.

Editorial material to be sent to :

We’ll be talking more about these topics in our regular series on sustainability in 2020.

Doug Green,

www.thinkstep-anz.com

Email: publisher@xtra.co.nz

P O Box 1109, Hastings 4156, Hawke’s Bay Tel: 06 870 9029

Our vision is that 2020 will be the year of a truly circular economy

At NZ MANUFACTURER our aim is to keep our readers up to date with the latest industry news and manufacturing advances in a tasty morsel, ensuring they do not get left behind in the highly competitive and rapidly evolving manufacturing world.

Opinion

As I See It

Manufacturing Profiles

Business News

Letters to the Editor

Appointments

Politics of Manufacturing

Around New Zealand

Trade Fair World Diary of Events World Market Report Q/A

Australian Report New to the Market Lean Manufacturing

Export News

Equipment for Sale

Machine Tools

Recruitment

Business Opportunities

Environmental Technology

Commentary

Manufacturing Processes

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NZ Manufacturer December 2019/January 2020

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SUCCESS STORIES 2019 In 2019, NZ Manufacturer ran stories on some truly innovative and creative companies. Below you can read about some of these companies.

The problem is pure and simple...didn’t have space to include anymore! - ed.

Real Steel Lower Hutt manufacturing business, Real Steel, was a finalist in the Humankind 2019 Workplace Awards.

What is interesting about Real Steel is that the business has maintained high employee satisfaction through a period of rapid growth, while also introducing automation.

The company, a family run business, has seen thirty per cent growth year on year and tripled its head count to 70, hiring 30 new staff last year alone.

The manufacturing business imports steel out of Sweden to make steel parts for road transport, forestry, and recycling industries.

With clients nationwide, the company produces a lot of its work for the Waikato area such as steel for building truck trailers, wear parts, and materials for processing machines.

Real Steel staff mostly live in Lower and Upper Hutt, with the 17-year-old company based out of Railway Ave for the last 10 years where it expanded its factory last year due to growth.

It is owned by Managing Director Luke Mathieson.

“It’s a great place to run a business, there is a lot of manufacturing history out here and a good work force,” says Mathieson.

Managing Director Luke Mathieson.

Specialised Solutions

screens that all run off a battery.

Has developed bespoke benches and shelter options for smart cities and regional areas.

Modra said he created Sedi to fill a large hole in the manufacturing market created by the burgeoning smart city movement.

Bronte Modra, the director Specialised Solutions, created the Sedi range of park benches, parklets and bus stops in February this year.

“People want to be connected to the furniture and to the web, and the greater society,” said Modra.

The smart shelters are built from sustainable timber and steel and have solar-powered lighting, integrated charging ports, WIFI and informational

Cottonsoft By embracing change, New Zealand’s leading tissue products company Cottonsoft has experienced a record 65% volume growth over the last seven years, and seen topline sales revenues increase 66%.

Established 31 years ago, Cottonsoft markets, manufactures and distributes a range of tissue and hygiene products throughout New Zealand, including toilet tissue, kitchen towel and facial tissue, in both brand and private label products.

Cottonsoft is responsible for over 40% of toilet tissue and kitchen towel rolls sold from supermarket shelves 1 Cottonsoft’s Country Manager Kim Calvert admits that while some growth is due to acquisitions, he explains the development of new products and premiumisation are major drivers of the company’s success.

From a base in 2010 with three main product ranges (Kiwisoft, CottonSofts and Tuffy Towel) they have

Chemfreight New Zealand family-owned and operated, Chemfreight is a specialised 3PL distributor offering the complete solution of hazardous, non-hazardous and separate dedicated food storage and chemical toll blending backed by a national transport network.

Ged Finch Victoria University of Wellington PhD candidate Ged Finch is fast tracking the commercialisation of his X-Frame structural frame solution for waste free buildings with support from the KiwiNet Emerging Innovator Programme.

The

game-changing

framing

system

can

be

disassembled and re-used at the end of a building’s useful life.

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since changed substantially, adding the Paseo Premium toilet tissue, along with several private label brands.

Three years ago, his son Joseph Price, took the helm as General Manager bringing his well-rounded business experience following years in insolvency and accounting.

The business has undergone substantial changes and almost doubled in size from a staff of 40 to 80, and 100 clients to 200.

Started in 1989, the brainchild of Harry Price who, having worked in the chemical industry for many years, saw an opportunity and industry need for the specialist third party storage and distribution of hazardous goods.

With their Head Office in East Tamaki, Chemfreight operates three Major Hazardous Facilities with two state-of-the-art storage facilities in Auckland and a large storage facility servicing the South Island located in Christchurch.

Finch’s design, a self-braced interlocking wood design which clips together eliminating the need for single-use fixings, has the potential to eliminate waste and reduce the amount of raw materials being used by the building industry.

says Finch.

“The current widespread use of adhesive-based fixings and single-life materials means that building a single new home will create about four tonnes of waste during construction, and even more when it’s eventually demolished and taken to the landfill,”

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Every single component of Finch’s X-Frame design, cut by a computer-controlled router, can be disassembled and reused, so no waste is produced at any stage of a building’s lifecycle.

ADVISORS Mike Shatford

Sandra Lukey

is an expert in the field of technology development and commercialisation. His company Design Energy Limited has completed over 100 significant projects in this vein by consulting for and partnering with some of New Zealand’s leading producers.

Among Mike and his team’s strengths are industrial robotics and automated production where the company puts much of its focus.

Sandra Lukey is the founder of Shine Group, a consultancy that helps science and technology companies accelerate growth. She is a keen observer of the tech sector and how new developments create opportunity for future business.

She has over 20 years’ experience working with companies to boost profile and build influential connections.

Greg Morehouse

Matt Minio

Managing Director, Objective3D Matt has extensive hands on experience as a user and supplier of 3D Printing technology. He comes from a mechanical design and engineering background with 25 years’ experience in multiple high end 3D cad applications across a range of industries, including aerospace and automotive. He has been heavily involved in the 3D printing evolution - from initial early prototyping to todays advanced 3d printing technologies producing production parts straight off the printer. As Managing Director of Objective 3D, he provides Stratasys, Desktop Metal and Concept Laser 3D printing solutions to a host of industries across Australia and New Zealand.

Greg founded Motovated Design & Analysis in 1999 with a vision to “cost effectively engineer our client’s vision”; through the use of advanced techniques, superior tools, and boundless enthusiasm. Working for VW & Audi as a mechanic, and then with Boeing & Hercules Aerospace as an Engineering Analyst, provided Greg with 40+ years of real world design and analysis experience. Greg is a world-class analyst and provides training and advanced technical support to manufacturers and some of the FEA resellers throughout New Zealand.

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Invert Robotics partners with NDT Solutions NDT Solutions, a long-established USA Aerospace Nondestructive Testing (NDT) service group, has teamed with the innovative Invert Robotics company from New Zealand in a joint venture certain to change the process of aircraft inspection at the In-Service, OEM and Maintenance levels.

Invert’s remotely controlled robot employs a patented suction mechanism that adheres and traverses a range of aircraft surfaces made of aluminium, carbon or glass-fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP and GFRP). This unique process allows the technician to scan both the upper as well as the lower fuselage/ wing surfaces from the remote location in both wet and dry environments.

Currently the robot is equipped with a high-resolution camera to visualize and document surface conditions by transmitting video images to a ground-based screen for analysis by the technician. This process facilitates efficient inspections that can be shared immediately with an offsite engineering team.

NDT Solutions will extend the capabilities of the robot by adding NDT functionality such as Ultrasound, Eddy Current, Thermography and will continue research on other inspection modalities.

These enhancements will reduce the labor, improve safety and minimize tedious inspection processes allowing the skilled aircraft technicians to focus on more complex tasks.

NDT Solution’s COO Larry Culbertson comments; “Our team is constantly looking for ways to improve inspection services and reduce the costs to our customers in this highly competitive industry. The

unique technology that Invert brings is the ideal automated delivery platform for many of the NDT technologies already in use manually.

beyond aviation and deliver to Invert a clear advantage as we expand our operation across new industry sectors.

“Time savings mean cost savings and our aerospace customers will have their aircraft returned to service sooner utilizing this cost-effective inspection approach in a safer environment. Recording the state of an aircraft proves the quality of our work and allows more accurate scheduling of required maintenance. We are excited to be part of this partnership that we believe will have a significant effect in our industry.”

“We are delighted to be working with a world class company like NDT Solutions to develop the benefits the robot will bring to both our businesses,” said Neil Fletcher, Managing Director of Invert Robotics.

Invert Robotics originally established itself in the dairy industry in New Zealand, Europe and Australia carrying out inspections of large-scale dairy plants, dramatically reducing the time and improving the quality of inspections while avoiding the need for inspectors to work in confined spaces.

With current operations mainly in Europe, Invert has recently extended to the Petroleum and Energy Industries with a new base in Houston.

“The partnership with NDT Solutions and the technologies used across many industries creates an extraordinary opportunity to scale our presence in the aviation and petrochemical markets. The NDT capabilities of NDT Solutions are highly regarded

The future of signage is here.

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UC partners in city aerospace sector takeoff Working with the University of Canterbury (UC), Christchurch aims to be at the centre of New Zealand’s burgeoning aerospace sector by 2025, according to the city’s new aerospace strategic plan. UC research and facilities have the potential to make it easier, faster and cheaper to launch rockets into space, with wide-ranging benefits for other technology.

The five-year plan sets out nine goals and associated

production process from development and design,

Kea Aerospace is a research partner with UC,

actions for the city’s aerospace sector, based around

testing, prototyping and assembly through to launch

co-located in the UC Centre for Entrepreneurship.

four themes:

and data analytics. Christchurch is currently a major

As well as supporting aerospace start-ups and

• Knowledge sharing

international gateway to the Antarctic and there’s an exciting future pathway ahead where Christchurch

• Innovation and test-bed capabilities

could also be a gateway to space,” Rocket said.

• Pathways to attract and expand businesses

Rocket

co-founded

Kea

Aerospace

with

using UC’s existing testing facilities, labs and test ranges, there are strategic aims to investigate the establishment of a Space Research Centre to provide

UC

R&D focus and expertise, as well as participate

• Education and training

Engineering PhD graduate, Dr Philipp Sueltrop, who

in key space events and conferences, to establish

Actions under each of these themes include working

gained his doctorate in Electrical and Computer

undergraduate and postgraduate programmes to

with UC to extend the use of the university’s existing

Engineering in UC’s College of Engineering, working

support both aerospace or aeronautical engineering

testing facilities, identifying locations in Canterbury

to prevent the effects of fuel slosh in rockets using

and aerospace science, as well as to continue to

for further test facilities, creating a prospectus for

mathematical algorithms, by predicting movement

strengthen the relationship between industry

aerospace start-ups to enable efficient uptake of

and adjusting the flight movement before fuel slosh

and the tertiary sector by establishing aerospace

the city’s resources, regulatory pre-approval of flight

becomes a problem.

internships and work experience programmes at UC.

zones, financial incentives for aerospace businesses and scholarship and education programmes.

Earlier this year, UC students were involved in an experimental microbiology launch (Canterbury researchers rocket into astrobiology), and a team of UC students, UC Aerospace, competed in the inaugural Australian Universities Rocket Competition,

the

only

New

Zealand

team

competing against 19 Australian university teams.

The UC students were assisted by UC staff, including Dr Sarah Kessans, who was a finalist for NASA’s Astronaut Candidate Class of 2017 and was recently funded $500,000 to conduct biological experiments in space. This year UC students also learnt from UC Erskine Fellow, NASA Senior Engineer Tim Atkins on the future of deep space exploration (video of his 2019 public talk is here).

Mark Rocket, Chair of the Christchurch Aerospace Centre, has been involved in the instigation of the plan and believes Christchurch is well-placed to deliver on the ambitious goals for 2025.

“The city contains the essential elements for success in the aerospace industry, we have a Dr Philipp Sueltrop.

well-connected sector that spans the breadth of the

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NZ Manufacturer December 2019/January 2020

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Bringing 5G to the factory floor 5G will dramatically gain importance in providing wireless connectivity to industrial environments, especially in the context of Industry 4.0 and the automation of production processes and monitoring of machine conditions.

manufacturer,” says Leo Gergs, Research Analyst at ABI Research. “Furthermore, the technology opens up new production opportunities by enabling artificial intelligence applications to be integrated into manufacturing processes.”

By 2026, there will be 5.3 million 5G connections on the factory floor which will generate a revenue of more than US$184 million (with a CAGR of 623% between 2021 and 2026).

Early 5G trial deployment projects at companies such as Schneider Electric in France and Germany’s Osram, and Mercedes hint that bringing 5G connectivity to the factory floor will decrease maintenance costs by 30% and increase overall equipment efficiency by 7%.

“As a technology, 5G will be a perfect fit to provide wireless connectivity on the factory floor, since it enables, for example, establishing a massive wireless sensor network or implementing Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) applications for predictive maintenance and product monitoring.

“Therefore, 5G offers immense operational benefits and productivity enhancements to the implementing

While there are many use cases and areas of application for 5G in industrial manufacturing, targeting the enterprise vertical will fundamentally change the value chain associated with 5G. A much closer collaboration between network operators, infrastructure vendors, and manufacturers will be

required.

Targeting enterprise verticals, however, is vitally important for Communication Service Providers (CSPs) and the successful deployment of 5G. A recent Return on Investment (ROI) study conducted by ABI Research has shown that 5G will take approximately 14 to 15 years to break even if it remains solely in the consumer market, versus 10 years if enterprise business models were in place.

“It is, therefore, highly important for network operators and infrastructure vendors to develop new business strategies taking into manufacturers’ requirements. Centrally, this should include moving away from selling connectivity as such and develop attractive pricing models for additional network capabilities,” concludes Gergs.

Exporting New Zealand agri-technology to Ireland When Hamilton manufacturer Innovative Dairy Systems (IDS) won a Euro 4.5 million contract to deliver a cheese making machine to a large food manufacturing company in Ireland it encountered a significant challenge.

The challenge wasn’t a technical one, even though the buyer wanted a machine with the capacity to produce up to eight tonnes of cheese per hour – that’s the equivalent of four hundred 20kg blocks of cheddar, gouda or mozzarella! IDS had already provided a similar cheese making machine to this buyer, who was now building a new site to become one of Europe’s largest diversified cheese manufacturers.

Instead the challenge related to funding this large project, over several months and involving key sub-contractors. For example, IDS sub-contracts the stainless-steel fabrication, and the manufacture of conveyor belts and valves to local Hamilton-based companies, who all require advance payments.

IDS negotiated a 30% (Euro 1.4 million) advance payment from its Irish buyer to assist with its working capital. In return, the buyer required IDS’ bank to provide an advance payment bond that matched this amount.

An advance payment bond is an on-demand financial guarantee which allows a buyer to have its deposit

fully indemnified in the event its supplier fails to properly perform its contractual obligations.

“An advance payment bond is a reasonably common requirement where a higher deposit is sought on a project, “explains Phil Quinn, NZEC Senior Business Originator.

“Because it’s on-demand, a bank will require tangible security from their customer.

This can be a challenge for many small to medium enterprises, particularly for larger contracts.”

When IDS encountered difficulty providing its Bank with security for 100% of the value of the advance payment, they both approached NZEC for its General Contract Bond Guarantee support.

Bond Guarantee to IDS’ bank, which provided the security for the advance payment bond. “We were impressed by IDS’ proven technology, their capable and local supply chain, and a profitable contract” says Phil Quinn.

“New Zealand Export Credit performed due diligence on our company and financials, and we needed to demonstrate a good track history” says IDS owner, Ian Booth. “This process may sound rigorous, but it actually was very good.”

“NZEC’s support got us over the line with our bank, kept our buyer happy, and meant that we could start with the process of building the machinery.” Ian adds, “As a result of this new project, we’re receiving more enquiries which will benefit ourselves and our local manufacturing suppliers.

NZEC approved and issued its General Contract

“Going forward, our future is looking really bright.”

Can robots fill the skills shortage in the construction industry?

The construction industry is increasingly exploring the use of robots to speed up work and alleviate skills shortages. But where could this lead?

Use of single-task robots (STR) in the construction industry has been growing for some time, dating back to 1970s Japan. As young workers turned their back on manual labour in favour of less dangerous and physically demanding office jobs, Japan’s largest architecture, engineering and construction companies turned to automation and robotics in an attempt to stem a labour shortage.

Many of these technologies failed to break ground, and construction’s labour issue persists. According to Turner and Townsend’s 2019 International Construction Market survey, 66% of construction markets globally report a shortage of skills.

Labour shortages is just one of many issues that the

20

construction industry faces, however. Lacking worker safety is another pressing issue, with construction the leading industry for workplace fatalities in many parts of the world.

The industry seems largely in agreement that these significant advancements will first focus on removing humans from dangerous tasks.

Automation is also likely to take over the tedious tasks, freeing up time for labourers to complete more fulfilling work.

Companies are developing solutions to solve the labour crisis. Construction robotics company have developed an AI guidance system that can be fitted to heavy equipment, enabling it to operate autonomously and reducing the need for human workers.

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There is huge demand and backlog of construction work that can’t be built — think roads, solar and wind farms, energy pipelines, levees and homes — because we don’t have enough skilled workers entering construction.

The tasks that are the most dangerous, most repetitive, or most remote are the tasks likely to become automated to keep construction workers safer and allow them to focus on more complex and skilled labour.

The end goal must be not just automating tasks that human beings can do but developing new construction manufacturing methods that are only possible through robotics, opening up new possibilities for building design and performance.

NEW PRODUCTS Lightweight spectroscopic camera automates colour Epson has developed a compact, lightweight spectroscopic camera that can be integrated in manufacturing lines.

The company will launch its first spectroscopic camera, one that captures light across the visible spectrum, in the 2020 fiscal year ending March 2021.

Differences in colour can occur between products in different production lots in ordinary manufacturing processes. A spectroscopic camera can be used by manufacturers to perform the following inspections to control these differences to a certain extent and ensure product quality:

Time and cost constraints make colour management an issue in many industries. Spectroscopic cameras have traditionally been large and expensive, and those equipped with line sensors may have to composite images after scanning, adding to the time and expense.

Epson has developed an optimal solution for colour management processes with a compact, lightweight spectroscopic camera that can be integrated into manufacturing lines, that can automate and quantify inspections, and output images without the time and trouble of compositing.

This spectroscopic camera will enable manufacturers

to manage colour in their manufacturing processes more easily than ever before.

Features 1. About the same compactness and weight as an RGB camera. Can be installed in manufacturing lines.

2. Integral field spectroscopy. Can focus on an area, measure the colours, and distinguish colours of a target object within the visible light range.

3.

Image processing functions needed on manufacturing lines can be used along with spectral imaging functions.

• Colour variation inspections • Surface coating inspections The RGB cameras currently used in these inspections are unable to capture detailed colour information and are not always able to distinguish between subtle differences in colour.

Consequently, most visual inspections relied on human colour perception. However, colour perception varies among individuals, and human error puts manufacturers at risk of shipping defective goods.

E-Pulse pumps deliver higher flow, convenience and durability Enerpac is introducing to New Zealand its new E-Pulse series of durable, high-efficiency hydraulic pumps offering offer superior flow characteristics through innovative motor controls.

E-series pumps – available with five valve options – feature new ‘Smart Controls’ that enable the motor to maintain constant power and provide higher flow than traditional .75 kW (one-half horsepower) pumps.

An adjustable speed control provides extraordinary precision as needed, while the pumps also feature a new interactive pendant that delivers visual and tactile feedback, programming and diagnostic status to the operator through yellow, green and red LEDs and vibration pulses.

The power, sensitivity and flexibility of the new tools make them ideal for a wide range of precision task, extending from bolting of power, pipelines, resources, road, rail and construction and infrastructure tasks through to maintenance and fabrication jobs in bulk handling, mining, oil and gas and utilities involved in electrical distribution and water and wastewater reticulation.

Through innovative design and advanced features, E-Pulse pumps are designed to drive higher levels of productivity and power to a number of hydraulic tools, including torque wrenches, cylinders, cutters, pullers, presses, punches, spreaders and benders.

An E-Pulse pump can serve as the heart to any hydraulic system.

The pumps represent the best combination of innovative features and technologies Enerpac has ever designed in hydraulic pumps of this operational class.

A high-efficiency, .63 kW (.85hp) direct-drive motor offers a six-piston block design that provides even flow and smooth operation of tools. Models offer a choice of five valves – 3/2 jog, 4/3 jog, 3/2 dump-and-hold, 3/2 dump and 4/2 torque wrench.

Flow at rated pressure is .52 l/min (32 in3/min). with a maximum operating pressure of 700 bar (10,000 PSI).

Other features include a 24V DC power regulator, built-in thermal protection, and 6m (20-ft) control cord on the torque wrench pump and a 3m (10-ft) control cord on the other four pumps. All models come with a convenient cord management system.

One of five new Enerpac E-pulse models featuring smart technologies and valving options

A fault code indicator warns operators of any issues related to voltage, temperature, button controls or service conditions. The innovative, IP 67-rated pendant fits into the handle of the pump and is secured via magnet.

The pumps feature an IP 54-rated durable aluminum housing enclosing the system components for maximum protection and easy service accessibility.

The pre-calibrated, 4-inch gauge (100mm) torque wrench model comes with an Enerpac Speed Coupler that enables a quicker removal for re-calibration and features an integrated heat exchanger that Remote control pendants, left, and sensitive speed control, right effectively cools the pump during operation.

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NEW PRODUCTS Harting solutions for the machine building industry The Harting Technology Group accompanies you through technological transformations.

Innovative components, consultants, services and systems help guide customers into the digital future.

As a single-source solution, the company offers everything from individual components to custom-fit systems. Harting is advancing the digitalisation of the machine building industry with innovative, scalable interface solutions for all types of power, signal or data connections in machinery.

These solutions can take advantage of demands in practically any industrial sub-segment.

Selected machines in the key sub-segments of the machine building industry are catered for and advice offered for configuring interfaces for power, signal or data The solutions are well suited for use in other sub-segments – if the application requirements and the applicable standards are comparable.

Typical machines that use Harting solutions include: • Plastics and rubber machinery • Printing machines and machines for print finishing • Metal-forming machines (including punching and laser machines) • Metal-working machine tools • Wood-working machinery • Machines that produce semiconductors • Food processing and packaging machinery • Robotics • Handling and assembly • Electric cranes • Mobile machines Han-Modular - The market standard for modular connectors

With the Han-Modular series, you can optimally design connectors to supply machinery and equipment. This is made possible by combining individual modules for different transmission media. Signals, data, power and compressed air - in standard-sized industrial connector housings.

Han-Modular offers easy-to-handle, highly flexible solutions with a small footprint and versatile functionality.

Hygienic and robust: Connectors for the food industry With Han F+B, Harting has created a range of connectors especially designed for the requirements of the food industry. Smooth surfaces make it harder for bacteria to accumulate. The hoods, housings and seals are robust and protect the internal contacts against hose water and aggressive cleaning agents.

Hygiene and safety are particularly important in food processing.

Machines and equipment must be designed so that they are easy to clean; dirt pockets must be avoided. The right connectors help the equipment to meet these requirements. The junctions, surfaces, threads and seals of the Han F+B special connectors were therefore designed in a way that prevents dirt particles from sticking to them and therefore makes it harder for bacteria to accumulate.

Han F+B plastic hoods and housings are water-repellent and suitable for cleaning agents which are certified by Ecolab and have FDA 21 approvals. The water jet from high-pressure cleaners cannot penetrate the hoods/housings when closed.

Han Ex ideally suited for potentially explosive areas Han Ex meets all the preconditions for the implementation of high-quality connectivity

solutions in application areas with explosion protection requirements.

This includes applications in mining and the chemical and process automation industries.

The connectors are designed to meet the intrinsic safety requirements of the ignition protection class and can therefore be used in explosion-hazard areas 1 and 2. In intrinsically safe circuits, energy is limited in such a manner that even a potential spark cannot ignite an explosive environment.

The Han Ex product portfolio offers complete connector systems consisting of housings and inserts.

The housing‘s alloy was selected so that it can be used in pulverized methane-coal dust atmospheres.

Furthermore, they offer IP protection class 65 in mated condition. The housing’s blue color indicates that an intrinsically safe circuit is present. The contact inserts provide a high number of pins and meet the standards of the ignition protection class even in the tightest of spaces.

The range is available from Connection Technologies

Hydraulink’s trans-Tasman motorcycle marvels chase a dream The Hydraulink adventurers set out from Campbelltown, left, bound for the highway and whatever came their way, off-road A trans-Tasman team of keen motorcyclists from hydraulic hose and fittings organisation, Hydraulink, put their company’s ‘can do’ work ethic into practice recently in an off-road odyssey to see the Moto GP at Phillip Island.

Hydraulink Campbelltown Principal Jeff McCoskery and Australian colleagues Lyndon Heffernan, Chris Greet and Chris Cater decided to show a good time to their Hydraulink New Zealand counterparts – Principal Bruce Andrew and his son Nick from Hydraulink Tauranga – during their visit over the Tasman to Western Sydney, to travel together to see the races 1,000km away.

To make things even more interesting, Jeff decided not to stick to the tarmac highways and byways, but to do as much of the trip as possible charging through fire trails, dirt roads and dense, often nearly invisible, bushland tracks, then overnighting at character-filled local country pubs.

The cherry on top of an already unforgettable trip was being accompanied by champion riders Chris Cater and Lyndon Heffernan – who was a motor cross and Enduro champ in the 1990s – and now runs guided adventure trail tours organisation ‘Detour’, as well as the Yamaha off-road riding academy.

Chris is a well-known champ whose achievements date from the 1980s.

“We decided to take the two Hydraulink Kiwis on an off-road adventure they wouldn’t forget in too

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much of a hurry,” said Jeff McCoskery, who enjoys the strong camaraderie that exists among the Hydraulink staff throughout over 400 service points throughout New Zealand and Australia, including some of the countries’ most rugged territory, where they have to go to deliver their hydraulic hose, fittings and mobile service to customers needing it in the bush or in the Outback.

This trip was even harder than those off-road 4wd trips, because it was exclusively on motorcycles “And we had four days to get to Phillip Island, carrying everything we needed with us,” said Jeff, who in typical Hydraulink fashion, went above and beyond the expected by researching the route personally and mapping out some appallingly rough but beautiful country to traverse en route to the relief and sanctuary of little pubs chosen for their surrounding beauty and character.

These venues included Nelligen on the South Coast’s Clyde River, followed by Nimmatabel below the Snowy Mountains and Delegate in the Snowy Monaro region near the NSW border with Victoria.

“There were times when I wondered where I was taking these guys – I couldn’t tell them I was a bit lost, even if it felt like it occasionally,” said Jeff, but the team proved as durable as the bikes they prepared (Huski 701, BMW850s, BMW1200 and Yamaha 660). Jeff had stashed fuel in the bush at strategic points and also knew which little towns had fuel along the way. But, just in case, he kept an extra five litres of reserve on his bike.

“One of the biggest challenges was having enough

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fuel to get from point A to point B. We didn’t want to get lost or have accidents, because we weren’t using GPS’ on this trip.”

“We also had to ensure the river crossings weren’t too deep, because the rivers can come up pretty quickly below the Great Dividing Range and we certainly didn’t want to be riding in the dark – it was hard enough to see some trails during the day.”

“Not knowing the ability of the other riders made it interesting too – I was wondering if I had made it too hard.”

“The motorcycle champs set a hot pace, but we wouldn’t have seen them for dust if they had been really flat out. Even though one of the guys is in his 70s, they were super-fast.”

NEW PRODUCTS Matrix 220 scanner delivers industry firsts Automatic data capture and process automation leader, Datalogic, is introducing to Australia, New Zealand and South Asia an ultra-compact new image-based bar code reader designed for industry-leading levels of performance and flexibility for high-speed and Direct Part Marking (DPM) applications.

The palm-sized new Matrix 220 imager – which weighs just 173g – features rotating connectors for easy installation and integration into tight spaces encountered in industrial automation and highspeed applications.

The extreme industrial grade Matrix 220 can read bar codes in the widest variety of applications, including difficult lighting, at high speeds and in a large range of temperatures, making it an ideal industrial scanner for automotive, packaging, food and beverage, electrical, document handling, manufacturing and a wide range of Industry 4.0 and automation-ready industries.

The Matrix 220 imager has been designed for industries needing a robust and reliable scanner that can support their digitalisation and automation growth.

The Matrix 220 imager is designed for superior performance in rugged applications and harsh conditions.

It features IP67 and IP65 industrial grade ratings and can safely operate in temperatures between -10 and 50ºC. The imager’s 1.2 Megapixel high resolution sensor and a new multicore image processing platform offer outstanding performance and the ability to read up

to 2 mils code resolution. (Note: ‘mils’ denotes the width, in thousands of an inch, of the narrowest element – bar or space – in a barcode.)

Best-in-class technology Matrix 220 is the first stationary industrial scanner on the market supporting OPC UA (Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture) protocol for Industry 4.0 communication and Digimarc Barcode technology for added value decoding applications.

Matrix 220 is also the first reader of its market segment to embed High Dynamic Range (HDR) imaging.

This improves image quality and contrast for higher code readability in applications with lower exposure time and faster line speeds.

Integrated HDR imaging provides outstanding efficiency benefits in manufacturing, food and beverage, automotive and industrial applications featuring a production line or conveyor. Parts can be accurately scanned as they move past at speeds, even in low lighting.

The electronic focus control allows easy remote job changing during assembly line reconfiguration with extreme reading flexibility.

Ease of use is enhanced by green and red spotlights, the X-Press button, the intuitive HMI (Human-Machine Interface) and the DL.Code configuration software, which has been improved with an automatic setup mode for quick and easy code reading.

Flexibility and ease of use

Protection and connectivity

The imager is ideally equipped to read bar codes marked with DPM. Datalogic’s innovative lighting solutions and integrated flexible illumination system – in white and red models – allow the Matrix 220 to solve a huge variety of applications with outstanding performance.

The Matrix 220 offers in a single model polarized and diffused light options resulting in optimal illumination on any type of surface.

To reduce the number of models, the imager comes with a range of front cover accessories – including ESD (electrostatic discharge) and Anti-YAG (Yttrium Aluminum Garnet) protection – to enhance its flexibility and simplify stock management.

The imager also offers cost-effective communication and connectivity options with Power over Ethernet (PoE) connectivity, onboard PROFINET/IO and ETHERNET/IP industrial fieldbus.

Datalogic’s new Matrix 220 imagers are ideal for industry 4.0 and automation applications

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PLEASE VISIT FOR MORE INFORMATION

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NZ Manufacturer December 2019/January 2020

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DEVELOPMENTS ATL named ‘Contractor of the Year’ at 2019 NZDAA Awards Leading asbestos removal specialists ATL Group has secured the prestigious Contractor of the Year prize at the annual New Zealand Demolition Asbestos Association Awards.

The company received the accolade at a gala dinner at the Ellerslie Showgrounds held in recognition and celebration of best practice and innovation in the demolition and asbestos industries.

Founded in 1982, ATL Group is the leading expert for the safe removal and management of asbestos, operating in Auckland and across the country.

Through its long history, the company has consistently focused on service excellence and worker safety.

Sales director Mike Sommerville is therefore pleased with the recognition of its commitment to optimal outcomes for all clients and its own personnel.

“We’re proud to add another award to the trophy cabinet. Our team has built on accolades won in 2017 and 2018, using each occasion as a benchmark on the path to continuous improvement. While the external recognition of an award is highly satisfying, what motivates us to continually improve is the ability to meet the needs of every one of our valued customers, every time.”

It’s not just awards that ATL Group is winning, but business, too. The company has expanded substantially over the past two years and now has a team of some 150 people and an expanded office network giving it the capability to serve anywhere in New Zealand.

rests on looking after our staff, so everyone goes home safely at the end of each day,” Sommerville

Asbestos removal has been complemented with general demolition capabilities through ATL’s acquisition of Henderson Demolition early in 2019, while the company pursues new standards of excellence.

“This is reflected in our recent investment in JobSafe health and safety management software for improved visibility and reporting of our safety performance. We’ve also introduced the SafeStrip system which further reduces risk of asbestos exposure during demolition and remediation work,” Sommerville explains.

ATL’s use of SafeStrip is a first in New Zealand. The fully controllable, deep wetting system reduces fibre counts to levels lower than previously possible in other demolition methods. This reduces the overall risk of asbestos exposure throughout removal works.

“Delivering a great outcome for our clients starts with using the best methods and equipment. It also

notes.

Company CEO Brett Pieterson says the effort invested into plant, equipment, personnel and reach is delivering rewards.

“I’m proud of the ATL family whose tireless focus on service quality has culminated in this award. It is a whole team effort from our operators, supervisors, managers and head office support, and we’ll strive to continue setting the standard for excellence in our industry.”

Global LAPP family welcomes Australian customers at gala event The heads of the family-owned cable, connector and Industry 4.0 specialist, LAPP, have shown their support for their Australian operation and appreciation of its rapidly expanding customer base with a local visit and gala event at the iconic Sydney Opera House.

LAPP products are distributed by ECS in New Zealand.

The LAPP family, which has three generations involved in the company, travelled from Stuttgart to Sydney where they were hosted by LAPP Australia, which established in 2018 in response to strong local demand for cables, particularly in expanding automation and Industry 4.0 applications.

The event, hosted by TV and radio personality Merrick Watts, featured a welcome to country by indigenous elder Allen Madden, speeches from the LAPP family, a speech from the Hon. Damien Tudehope, Minister for Finance and Small Business as well as entertainment from the Sydney Youth Orchestra and INXS cover band Don’t Change.

LAPP Australia is headquartered in a 3,100 square metre premises at Eastern Creek, Sydney, and is meeting demands nationally for technologies used in future-focussed areas of industry, such as automation, robotics, energy management, data distribution and intelligent manufacturing, buildings, infrastructure and process engineering.

Since establishing, our range of locally available LAPP products has risen to 1,800 locally stocked parts, as well as access through the LAPP Australia website to more than 20,000 products, from LAPP’s extensive global range, with real-time stock checking from global and local warehouses for fast delivery times.

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NZ Manufacturer December 2019/January 2020 /

Local support “We are always learning, so please, if there is anything we could do better, or if there are ways we can help you, our customer, we would like to hear about them, so that we can continuously improve our operations,” he said at the LAPP Gala.

LAPP chairman of the board, Andreas Lapp, left, and LAPP Australia General Manager, Mr Simon Pullinger, right, give speeches at the LAPP Gala, thanking their Australian customers, distributors and other associates for their support

The global LAPP family expressed its appreciation for its Australian customers at a gala event held at the Sydney Opera House, as the company looks to further expand operations in digitalisation and industry 4.0 markets in the year ahead

Customer Service Award Mr Pullinger also presented the inaugural LAPP Australia Employee of the Year Award, which was won by LAPP Customer Service Executive, Mr Inderjit Saggu, who Mr Pullinger says “lives and breathes customer service every day, and his customer-centric approach to business has led to many phone calls from customers expressing their appreciation for his work.”

LAPP Chairman of the Board and part of the second-generation of the LAPP family, Mr Andreas Lapp, thanked the company’s Australian customers, and encouraged them to give open and honest feedback as they seek to provide top levels of customer service.

Mr Lapp also announced that the company would provide $50,000 to bushfire relief, to help parts of NSW that are struggling with one of the worst bushfire seasons on record.

Andreas Lapp’s nephews Matthias Lapp (Chief Executive Officer) and Alexander Lapp (Global Manager Digital & eBusiness) also attended the event and were optimistic about Australian industry and further growth in emerging markets.

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LAPP looks to the future LAPP Australia is now looking at further developments to serve future-focused industries nationally.

LAPP’s cables, connectors and accessories are used by a wide variety of industrial markets locally and globally. LAPP Australia offers world class systems and fully integrated solutions incorporating highly compatible components all from the one source

DEVELOPMENTS EMA welcomes practical help for small businesses The EMA was pleased to see the practical measures included in the Government’s Small Business Strategy, which will improve the cash flow of small to medium enterprises (SMEs) because they will get paid more promptly.

Developed by the Small Business Council and Minister for Small Business, Hon Stuart Nash, the strategy includes 20 recommendations aimed at empowering small businesses to not just succeed, but thrive.

EMA Chief Executive Brett O’Riley says it is heartening to see the backbone of New Zealand’s economy and the vast majority of its 7600 business members - receiving additional, practical support.

“Unlike big businesses it’s a fine line for SMEs

between keeping their heads above water and sinking into debt, largely dependent on effectively managing cash flows.”

is where the EMA helps its member businesses,” he says.

“We applaud the Government taking the lead on prompt payment practices with 95 per cent of its departments paying domestic invoices in 10 business days by mid next year, and hope others follow suit,” he says.

“We welcome the recommendations in key areas of the strategy, including access to finance and capital, building capability and skills, and reducing the compliance burden,” he says.

Mr O’Riley says the Small Business Council quite rightly identified that there is often one person juggling a number of tasks across a range of functions in SMEs. “They need to have knowledge across a lot of different areas - from payroll to compliance - which

“These things are fundamental to helping small businesses grow and be more productive, for the good of our economy as a whole.”

HERA launches future-focused leader category in innovation award The engineering and metals industries are at an exciting but challenging crossroads.

While BAU is vital from a cash flow and business stability standpoint, the work of future proofing is urgent, both to shore up the sector now and protect it over the volatile next decade and beyond.

This is the philosophy behind HERA’s Future Forum 20/20 VISION and the aligned HERA Innovation Awards, which will be presented at the HERA Future Forum Nation Dinner at the Auckland Museum Events Centre on 21 February 2020.

To this end, HERA is looking for the industry’s top future-focused leader – the person who is the greatest exemplar, in the current market, of the combination of quality BAU leadership with a practical but bold and ambitious vision for the future.

Troy Coyle, HERA’s CEO, says, “We are excited to see who in our industry emerges as the nominees and finalists for the Leading Metalhead Award.

This award recognises major innovation being implemented within our industry.

“We know our industry could be disrupted by the end of next decade by technology and alternative materials, and we want to identify, acknowledge and reward future-focused leadership which offers a way forward for other members who are looking to push innovation in their own companies and specialist areas.”

Starting from 2020, the HERA Industry Awards will be every three years to recognise who has significantly contributed to the industry’s success. These were previously presented as part of the Metals NZ conference’s Industry Gala Dinner to those who had demonstrated considerable achievements in export and innovation.

HERA is now shaking things up and aligning the awards with the new Future Forum series, which is about building a tribe of metalheads and casting a collective gaze to the future so the industry can prepare for disruption.

About the HERA Industry Awards There are three core award categories in which member and individuals can be nominated: Keith Smith Memorial Award for distinguished service to the New Zealand metals industry. Open to

anyone (irrespective of whether a HERA member), this award is the most celebrated – and honours founding chairman Keith Smith and his endowment left to the HERA Foundation. Because this award inherently rewards renowned and outstanding service, it’s not always possible to find a suitable candidate, so it is presented only when the selection criteria is met.

The winner receives a free industry dinner registration for themselves and their partner, and reimbursement of associated travel costs and accommodation for the night of the Nation Dinner (to an agreed level).

They are also awarded a monetary prize from the Keith Smith bequest and commemorative plaque.

Innovation Award, open to HERA members only.

This award recognises major innovation being implemented through demonstrated product, manufacturing, information technology, process or service innovations. Members are encouraged to nominate themselves.

The winner receives a free industry dinner registration for themselves and their partner, and reimbursement of associated travel costs and accommodation for the night of the Nation Dinner (to an agreed level).

The winner also receives a commemorative plaque to mark the occasion, an ‘Innovation READY, SET & GO’ registration for one selected staff member in their company and promotion of their achievement on HERA’s digital platforms.

Leading Metalhead Award, open to any individual who is a member of the New Zealand metals industry (irrespective of if they are HERA members). This is a newly created award that acknowledges high potential staff not yet at executive level who have created a mind shift change in their business to prepare them for the future.

As a top future-focused leader in the HERA membership – they exemplify a combination of quality BAU leadership with a practical but bold and ambitious vision for the future.

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This could be in the areas of diversity, innovation, new markets, new policies and procedures or anywhere they have transformed business as usual.

The winner will receive a monetary prize of $1000 and a commemorative plaque presented at the Nation Dinner.

New head for Energy Council BusinessNZ has appointed Tina Schirr as the new head of the BusinessNZ Energy Council.

Tina is currently Senior Policy Advisor Energy & Innovation at BusinessNZ. Tina replaces John Carnegie who has taken a position as Chief Executive of the Petroleum Exploration and Production Association PEPANZ. BusinessNZ Chief Executive Kirk Hope said Tina’s appointment recognised her experience in energy systems and economics both in New Zealand and overseas.

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BUSINESS NEWS Boosting your business – The capital raise process - Simeon Burnett, co-founder and CEO, Snowball Effect

Raising capital is a complex and time consuming process - requiring patience, planning and countless conversations with people such as advisors, lawyers and investors to name a few.

Correctly understanding the regulatory environment, who you can legally approach for investment, and how much they can invest will help streamline the process for manufacturing companies seeking a capital injection.

When your company is prepared to take the leap and scale, it’s important to have a clear idea of the road ahead.

Understanding investor types The first distinction to be made when considering an equity offering is the type of investor the offer will be open to, which can be broadly separated into two categories; wholesale and retail investors.

The general public are classified as retail investors in relation to an offer of financial products, as they can typically assume less risk. Wholesale investors on the other hand must meet the criteria set out in the Financial Markets Conduct Act 2013. A wholesale investor can be loosely defined as having a good understanding of different investment vehicles, instruments and products, or alternatively by having a substantial net worth.

Choosing the type of offer The second distinction to consider is whether to make your offer public or private. New Zealand regulatory rules provide companies with varied disclosure requirements and cost options for raising capital in circumstances where: 1.

Public offers are made to retail investors through a licensed crowdfunding provider; 2.

Private offers are made to retail investors through a licensed crowdfunding provider; and, 3.

Offers are made only to wholesale investors.

Public offers to retail investors are attractive as they come with substantial market exposure – meaning

more eyes on your raise. During a public offering process, it’s common for companies to attend networking events, pitch to potential investors and run marketing campaigns to gain extra exposure.

As an added bonus, companies can tap into their existing network of customers for investment, and they act as great advocates for the company. It’s important to keep in mind that anyone who engages with your business is a potential investor.

Private offers to retail investors allow companies to focus investment on a defined audience that suits its requirements, such as family, friends, institutions, staff or key suppliers. While a company may retain more control of the process with a private offer, it can limit brand exposure and ultimately the potential investment pool. It is however a good option for companies wanting to raise capital more discretely.

A company can raise up to NZ$2million in any 12-month period from retail investors through a registered crowdfunding provider, although this can be exceeded in combination with wholesale investors.

Offers made to wholesale investors are not limited to the same NZ$2million cap as offers made to retail investors, and can take the form of any type of instrument (debt or equity). Typically, these offers afford lower levels of investor protection because wholesale investors are deemed to have a solid understanding of financial products and the risks associated with investing. Restricting your offer to wholesale investors can be advantageous for companies seeking large investments, a limited number of investors, or if the deal is highly complex.

An equity crowdfunding provider can facilitate the capital raising process for any of these above options.

Refining your proposition and locking in lead investors

Before launching a capital raise, you should refine your company’s value proposition and gauge market interest by obtaining feedback from key market participants. This will enable you to validate your value assumptions and create a strategy that will ensure the best outcome.

Through this stage, your company will ideally lock in one or more lead investors or interested parties to underpin the round. A lead investor is someone that has taken an interest in the business, has the ability to contribute substantial capital, and may wish to assume a board position and play an active role in its growth. Lead investors are valuable as they give other investors confidence and often bring industry experience, strategic relationships and further investment to the table.

Widening investor groups You can now look to launch your offer by presenting it to a wider audience. Following most likely a series of investor presentations, Q&A sessions and the disclosure of important information, you will hopefully begin to receive commitment from new investors. The offer documents will need to provide disclosures of key information such as director remuneration, dividend policies and other aspects required by the Financial Markets Authority.

Closing the offer When receiving new investment, it’s important to be aware of all legal and compliance obligations.

Financial service providers are also required to undergo anti-money laundering checks on all investors before any investment is accepted, that will vary in complexity according to the type of entity that invests (individual/company/trust). Once all compliance obligations have been satisfied and payments have been fully processed, the company can issue shares to its new investors.

It is worth highlighting that all companies are required to maintain a share register that provides a record of its shareholders (existing and new) and all share transaction history. Companies can use an online share register service, such as Snowball Effect’s proprietary, online platform. This can help streamline the process, and keep investors engaged following the raise through quarterly reports and regular progress updates.

So, if you’re considering taking the plunge and raising capital for your manufacturing business, ensure you take the time to lay the ground work.

Understand the process you’re embarking on and build the foundation for your companies offer. Map out which type of investors you want to engage, and the type of offer your company will be making. And remember, your offer is an opportunity for someone – sell the advantages of investing in your business and most importantly, keep your investors engaged after your round is complete. .

Electric Utility Vehicle company UBCO raised NZD $2.48 million via Snowball Effect in 2019.

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REAR VIEW Tech innovations that could save us from climate change The year 2016 was historic in many ways. One of its most significant moments happened when the Paris Agreement on Climate Change came into force.

Bill Gates argues that we need much more than a cut in global emissions to solve our climate problem – “we need an energy miracle,” he says.

So he, along with some of the world’s richest people, have launched a fund to invest in solutions driven by technology. It will bring together governments and research institutions and billionaire investors who will try to limit climate change.

These are five technological innovations that could help them achieve their goal.

an alternative to battery power and proven to be between 1,000-10,000 times more powerful than the existing battery alternative, a supercapacitor.

out of the air? Carbon Engineering is working on exactly that – taking carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere and then using it to produce fuel.

“The new technology is believed to have the potential for electric cars to travel to similar distances as petrol cars without the need to stop for lengthy recharging breaks of between 6 and 8 hours, and instead recharge fully in the time it takes to fill a regular car with petrol,” says the university.

According to the company, “direct air capture can remove far more CO2 per acre of land footprint than trees and plants”. The company is already running a demonstration plant in that is removing one ton of CO2 from the air every day.

Food About a quarter of all global emissions come from feeding the world’s 7 billion people, and part of that comes from the consumption of meat. “There is no way to produce enough meat for 9 billion people,” said Bill Gates in a 2013 blog post.

One of the alternatives is to start producing lab-grown meat, and to produce meat substitutes that look, taste and feel like the real thing. It might seem like the stuff of science fiction, but companies and investors alike are taking it very seriously. The company Beyond Meat created the world’s first meat burger that is entirely plant based. It’s made mostly from vegetable protein found in peas.

Buildings The greenhouse gas emissions of buildings are also significant. We need lighting, power, heating and cooling whether at home or in the office, at school or in a hospital. The combined emissions from these sources contributes almost 20% of global emissions.

Part of the answer is to build smarter cities.

That’s what Sidewalk Labs is doing, harnessing digital technologies to solve today’s pressing urban problems.

One of their current projects involves looking at how traffic flows through a city and how hotspots of congestion might be solved. This could dramatically reduce air pollution in our cities.

Power generation We already know that nuclear power is a way of producing electricity free of carbon emissions, but we have yet to harness it in a way that is truly safe and cost-effective. We may be closer to an answer, however.

General Fusion aims to be the first in the world to create a commercially viable nuclear-fusion-energy power plant.

“Fusion produces zero greenhouse gas emissions, emitting only helium as exhaust. It also requires less land than other renewable technologies,” says the company. “Fusion energy is inherently safe, with zero possibility of a meltdown scenario and no long-lived waste, and there is enough fusion fuel to power the planet for hundreds of millions of years.”

Transport Transport represents 23% of global energy-related CO2 emissions. But the demand for transport is only going to increase.

Manufacturing Making the things we use every day puts an enormous strain on the climate – about 30% of emissions come from industry.

But what if we could take those CO2 emissions

We have already found alternative ways of powering vehicles, such as with electricity, but in order to do it on a wide scale, we need much more efficient batteries and much more efficient battery-charging technology.

Researchers at the University of Surrey say they have made a scientific breakthrough in this regard. They say they have discovered new materials offering

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