Logistics & Materials Handling July 2014

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Linfox’s newest investment Earthquake-proof racking Driver risk assessment iPad fleet management Fresh milk freight to China

NEW MODELS 8FG/FD 3.5 - 8.0 tonne

Australia’s favourite forklift range just got bigger.

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SCHAEFER

Smart Storage Solutions!

SCHAEFER R3000 - Multi Tier Modular Shelving We could not have come up with a more flexible solution to suit changing storage requirements. Schaefer’s multifunctional, R3000 modular, metric, flexible, shelving system is organised productivity like none other in the world. It is suitable for mezzanine, multi tier & high-rise storage applications. One system stores everything. It can be extended at a later date and is fully versatile.

Multi-tier shelving installations with mezzanines can be created using standardized components, thus optimising the storage capacity right up to the roof.

Some of the features are: Back panels can be either solid metal, mesh or open as desired.

Shelves are 994 & 1282mm bay widths, with different capacities from 100 to 400kg & depths 300, 400, 500 & 600mm. Grey enamelled finish.

Drop-in vertical dividers to subdivide shelf levels into pigeonholes for complete parts separation.

The slots, in the shelf, retain these.

Plastic containers Modular semi-open front plastic containers are available to store small loose items & exactly fit the shelves, without wasted space.

Another large R3000 installation with thousands of shelves awaiting our plastic storage containers

Drawer units 100 or 200mm high are available for 994mm bay width only.

Double swing doors for 994mm bay widths.

Lighting Modular plug-in ceiling mounted lighting systems.

Special automotive storage for body parts & difficult items such as windscreens, tyres, mufflers etc are also available. Ask our sales facilitators for details.

Conveyors feed & discharge products from a 2 level R3000 shelving installation

Shelving for tyres

Schaefer R3000 ensures the highest possible storage density with parts picking efficiency.

Shelving for bulky items

Shelving for wheel rims

A two-tier R3000 installation for auto parts.

Note the goods hoist we supplied

Mobile shelving systems

Fixed modular shelving

A very effective & large five level R3000 shelving system

Modular shelving systems

Modular shelving with full-height uprights

Modular shelving with bin front

Stairs

Railing Gate

Our “RK” storage bins are the natural companion for R3000 racking. They are designed for hands free picking as they hang off the shelving optimising the shelf widths & depths. Store smaller spare parts neatly and systematically

Providing the building blocks for the most advanced storage systems in the world

schaefer@schaeferstore.com.au www.schaeferstore.com.au Freecall: 1300 85 66 89 Freefax: 1800 68 68 96 LMH1407SS RING FOR A FREE STORAGE APPRAISAL

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This issue July 2014

masterclass Barcode vs. RFID: What’s the difference?

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Linfox’s newest investment Earthquake-proof racking Driver risk assessment iPad fleet management Fresh milk freight to China

NEW MODELS 8FG/FD 3.5 - 8.0 tonne

04 Bulletin Board Freight facility flagged for Melbourne Airport Mining chains and clutches Heinz Brisbane plant upgrades 06 Conveyors Dematic cuts costs with modular conveyance

Australia’s favourite forklift range just got bigger.

TMH0549 Logistics cover_Print.indd 1

contents

26/05/14 1:26 PM

Toyota Material Handling’s flagship 8-Series range has expanded its line up with a new range of large capacity, 3.5-8.0 tonne, engine-powered counter-balance forklifts.

Each new model boasts the class leading features of the popular 1.0-3.0 tonne range with outstanding operability, productivity, exclusive safety technology and low running costs. Add to that, Toyota’s world renowned quality, reliability and durability as standard and you’ve got a first class range of forklifts that is second to none.

To find out more about the impressive Toyota 8-Series forklift range contact Toyota Material Handling on 1800 425 438 or visit www.toyotamaterialhandling.com.au

08 Supply Chain Increasing mining production through supply 12 Safety Safer racking for supermarkets

20 Maintenance Faster fleet management: From paper to iPad 23 Cold Chain Milking the Chinese market 24 Packaging Upgrading the pallet wrapper Packing integrity 26 Transport and Logistics A new era in truck washing Measuring fuel with accuracy

14 Factory Materials Handling A fresh approach for food processing Closing the gap on package ID 16 Training and Education Curbing risky driving behaviour

Flexi forks for hardto-reach places

10

18 Qld Mining Expo 2014 Preview

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER: Martin Sinclair e martin.sinclair@cirrusmedia.com.au EDITORIAL CO-ORDINATOR: Ben Hagemann t 02 8484 0884 e ben.hagemann@cirrusmedia.com.au GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Dave Ashley t 02 8484 0710 e david.ashley@cirrusmedia.com.au KEY ACCOUNT MANAGER: Tim Richards t 02 8484 0829 e tim.richards@cirrusmedia.com.au QLD ADVERTISING MANAGER: Sharon Amos t 07 3261 8857 m 0417 072 625 f 07 3261 8347 e sharon.amos@cirrusmedia.com.au PO Box 3136, Bracken Ridge, Qld 4017 PRODUCTION CO-ORDINATOR: Mary Copland t 02 8484 0737 e mary.copland@cirrusmedia.com.au All rights reserved. No part of the publication may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means without the written permission of the publisher.

ISSN 1832-5513 Copyright Cirrus Media. Published by Cirrus Media. (ABN 80 132 719 861) Tower 2, 475 Victoria Avenue, Chatswood, NSW 2067 Australia Locked Bag 4700 t 02 8484 0888 f 02 8484 0633. Printed five times a year, Logistics & Materials Handling is inserted in the February, April, July, September and November 2014 issues of Manufacturers’ Monthly, FEN, Australian Mining, Food, and PACE magazines with a distribution of 30,000.

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bulletinboard LOGISTICS AND MATERIALS HANDLING NEWS FROM AUSTRALIA AND AROUND THE WORLD

QME 2014 Preview: Mining chains and clutches THE Tsubaki Group is a leading

at the upcoming Queensland

needs through innovative

manufacturer of mining chains,

Mining and Engineering Exhibition

customisation of its products,

sprockets, cam clutches, power

this month.

it is able to manufacture made

cylinders and cable carrier systems

According to the company all of its chains use alloy-grade

configurations, sprockets etc. for

ground mines, preparation plants,

steels, heat treated to withstand

operators’ individual application

power stations and port facility

the punishment of today’s

requirements.

applications.

more powerful, high production

Its complete line up of mining

equipment.

chains include Shuttle Car Chain,

To better serve the mining

Freight facility flagged for Melbourne Airport

other clutches,” the company

various chains used on drill rigs,

range of special mining application

claims.

rotary breakers, reclaimers, face/

chains in stock.

Furthermore as the Tsubaki Group prides itself on its ability to

“non-roll over type” with superior

haulage systems will be on show

answer customers’ demanding

durability against shock loads.

Heinz Brisbane plant upgrades to highefficiency CST rotary drum screen HEINZ Australia’s Golden Circle plant in Brisbane upgraded to a rotary drum screen from CST Wastewater Solutions to achieve sharply improved solids capture and reduced solids waste disposal volumes.

CST’s new screening technology, to be showcased at Foodpro

work has started on the 71,000 square

previous plant with 1.0mm screening capacity.

Toll Group Managing Director Brian

The new installation features a 0.5mm rotary screen, complete with compactor.

Designed, supplied and installed by CST, the rotary drum

Kruger said the investment will help increase

screen solution allows improved and greater removal of solids

the company’s online parcel delivery service,

from the wastewater, with considerably better solids capture,

Toll Consumer Delivery.

says Michael Bambridge, Managing Director of CST Wastewater

“The custom-designed facility, with its highly specialised sortation system will

Reliable, tough, field proven, Tsubaki precision formed cams are

prep plants and continuous

2014 from June 22 to 25, was used by Golden Circle to replace a

Melbourne Airport.

torque capacity size-for-size than

industry Tsubaki stock a large

SET to be the largest of its kind in Australia, metre facility on 20 hectares next to

“Tsubaki’s range of mining series Cam Clutches has a greater

Feeder Breaker Chain as well as

roof drilling, continuous miners, Tzubaki cams have superior durability against shockloads

to order chains and attachment

used in underground mines, above

Solutions.

Mr Bambridge explains that the compact new high efficiency

The new rotary drum screen allows improved removal of solids from wastewater

triple our current parcel sorting capacity in

system also allowed the removal of a tall existing structure and

grease loadings; self-cleaning design; and optional wedgewire

Melbourne to an unprecedented 35,000

hoppers, making solids handling more accessible for the plant

slots or perforated holes screening.

parcels per hour,” Kruger said.

operator, improving operational efficiency and enhancing OH&S

“Given the growth we’re seeing in online retail, it is important we continue to improve our already-extensive national network to make it second to none.”

Kruger said the facility will help to

benefits by reducing solids handling.

The compaction unit also reduces, by up to half, the volumes of solids to be transported.

The all-stainless construction including base frame and the fully

According to Mr Bambridge, the new rotary drum screen has a low investment cost, as well as low operational and maintenance costs. CST’s wide-ranging in-house experience also allows custom-designed machines to be supplied if required.

CST’s rotary drum screens are typically recommended for

enclosed design for OH&S odour and aerosol control advance

diverse industries including general food processing (vegetables,

improvesafety, fleet productivity, parcel

rotary drum screen technology while enhancing durability, hygiene

fruit, coffee, starch processing), beverages (beer, wine, juice, soft

sorting speed and accuracy, and energy and

and serviceability.

drinks), slaughterhouses and abattoirs, tanneries, pulp and paper

cost efficiencies.

“It is Toll’s willingness and ability to invest

Key features of CST’s rotary drum screen system include

mills, textile plants, and plastic manufacturers among many more.

non-lubricated chains and non-metallic drive sprockets; upgraded

Municipal treatment plants also use the screens for fine screening

in state-of-the-art facilities and technology

running wheel design; no mechanical parts in contact with

of raw sewage, pre-MBR (membrane bioreactor) screening, and

that makes it the industry leader in the

screened solids; corrosion resistance; ability to handle high fat and

sludge thickening.

express parcel delivery market,” he said.

4 | Logistics&MaterialsHandling July 2014

logisticsmagazine.com.au

THE CROWN C-5 SERIES. DESIGNED FOR DURABILITY. The Crown manufactured C-5 Series pushes the limits of IC performance, delivering advantages in power and strength, comfort and safety and service and uptime. Its rugged 2.4L industrial engine, along with optional features like the Crown Power Brake and On-Demand Cooling System, provides productivity advantages no other IC forklift can match.

Contact Crown today to choose from short or long term hire, or purchase outright.

Call 1300 909 827 to find out more. crown.com

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conveyors

Dematic cuts costs with modular conveyance Global engineering company Dematic ANZ has launched a new lineshaft conveyor, completing its recently-released family of modular, integrated package handling conveyor systems, Dematic MCS.

T

he new, entry-level product handling requirements. conveyor delivers fast, Lineshaft conveyors are the quiet performance and has traditional backbone of package the benefit of being easily handling conveyor systems in the swapped out for other conveyor region and have the ability to drive technology within the MCS family, multiple conveying functions such to support businesses that need to as transportation, zone-routing, change as their demand for output merging, diverting, and sortation, grows. as well as curves and transfers.

Modular conveyance for easy refit Dematic is currently deploying Dematic prides themselves on the the first installation of MCS amount of effort that has gone into Dematic MCS uses a universal lineshaft at Rexel Electric in reducing cost, improving flexibility, side channel and standard Sydney’s Eastern Creek. and simplifying service and components for all modules to Offering operational versatility maintenance, and with Dematic’s provide the ability to change the across an extensive range of continual focus on safety, the MCS function of a conveyor without conveying applications, Dematic lineshaft conveyors’ wide-ranging having to replace entire sections of MCS is ideal for handling diverse functionality and applications a conveyor system. products such as cases, totes, flexibility makes the technology For example, a section of trays, and parcels in distribution, a cost-effective way to provide lineshaft conveyor can be quickly manufacturing L M 0 7 1 4 _ and 0 0 3PL 0 _ operations I NF 1 highly-efficient 2 0 1 4 - 0 5material - 2 1 T flow 1 1 :in1 5 : 4 converted 8 + 1 0 : to 0 a0 roller conveyor for with varying throughput and both existing and new facilities. handling a wider range of load

SIA_S14_PDF_HalfPageAd-LogisticsMag.indd 1

6 | Logistics&MaterialsHandling July 2014

types, or a transportation conveyor can be quickly and cost-effectively converted to an accumulation conveyor or vice versa.

Use of modular components provides MCS users the benefits of standardisation with the same carrier rollers, motor-driven rollers, segmented belts, side frames, electronic sensors, motor controls, zone control logic assemblies, drive belts, and other components used throughout all modules.

There are now more drive options, using AC drive motors, DC low voltage motor-driven rollers, or a combination of both.

With this dual offering, the most appropriate drive system can be applied to any conveyor system layout.

20/05/14 4:12 PM

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supplychain

Mining increases production through supply chain optimisation Schneider Electric launches a new software solution to track mining supply chains.

G

lobal specialist in energy management Schneider Electric has launched their Integrated Planning and Optimisation Solution, designed to provide mining companies with an integrated software solution that manages their entire mining operation from resource to market.

The solution enables mining companies to optimise plans and schedules, identify risks and deviations, pinpoint inefficiency, and present the right information to the right people at the right time.

The solution can increase mining productivity by up to 20 per cent by helping mining companies use information to drive operational efficiencies.

“Our supply chain operational data needed an overhaul and in order to measure it properly, we needed to improve it,” said Diane Courtemanche, Director of Technology Integration at the Iron Ore Company of Canada, a

Schneider Electric customer using the IPOS solution.

“Since implementing the Integrated Planning and Optimisation Solution from Schneider Electric, we have greatly improved our use of data and can now measure and make business decisions using trusted and validated information,” she said.

“This change has contributed positively towards an improvement in performance for our company.”

The solution helps mining companies collect, integrate and analyse information across their production environments to gain a comprehensive view of their operations and address the challenges of siloed data and inaccurate and untimely information.

The Integrated Planning and Optimisation Solution enables data to be leveraged to model the supply chain – including mines, processing plants, stockpiles, transport routes and port movements – to predict

Systems for keeping track of mining supply chains can benefit from electronic overhaul

8 | Logistics&MaterialsHandling July 2014

how each entity in the value chain will operate.

The solution lets companies view their supply chains both as discrete components and as a single system that operates according to unified objectives and metrics.

Integrated Planning and Optimisation Solution uses data analysis of contextual process information to improve predictive maintenance and identify and resolve bottlenecks.

Schneider Electric’s Mining, Minerals and Metals Solution president Diego Areces said that the Integrated Planning and Optimisation Solution helps mining executives identify ‘what-if’ scenarios and run simulations against data.

“This solution is a game-changer for leaders in the mining industry by allowing executives to gain intelligence around business scenarios prior to committing to capital investments,” he said.

“We are proud to work with

leaders in the industry to achieve improved supply chain visibility and address common delays in their accounting systems.”

ARC Advisory Group vice president Dick Hill said that mining companies are seeking to manage their value chains more effectively in the face of declining grades and fluctuating markets.

“The Integrated Planning and Optimisation Solution enables mining companies to manage their value chains as an integrated whole,” he said.

“This provides optimisation capability from the resource to the market, resulting in incremental revenue gains and efficiency savings.”

Integrated Planning and Optimisation Solution utilises Schneider Electric’s StruxureWareTM for Mining, Minerals, and Metals (MMM) software, a scalable platform that includes solutions for energy management and asset performance.

Integrated planning and optimisation can increase mining production by 20 per cent

logisticsmagazine.com.au

LMH_0414_000_COL

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“n”

ColbyRACK is Diamond Tough

“n” “n ”

Punched into high tensile steel at just the right angle, the famous Colby® Diamond Slot makes ColbyRACK the toughest rack available.

Forged 4-tang steel connectors wedge snugly into diamond slots, eliminating sloppy “clearway”. It’s not that complicated. Common sense will tell you that the stiffer the connection the more rigid the structure, therefore the more superior the racking system.

Another ColbyRACK advantage.

Call us now on:

1800 COLBY 1

Or visit:

www.colby.com.au

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2014-06-19T12:38:42+10:00

forklifts

Flexi forks for hard-to-reach places Narrow aisle forklifts are gaining in popularity as space becomes a premium.

T

here is an increasing preference for articulated trucks among warehouse operators, primarily for the equipment’s space-saving

Flexi along with safe work practices. The courses are approved by HSE through an authorised training board and conducted by factory trained and registered benefits. instructors at the user’s premises or at However, despite the large number of Flexi Training’s centre in Droitwich. articulated trucks in operation worldwide The Flexi range includes trucks and their proven ability to maximise from just one metre wide to allow safe storage and handling efficiency, potential operation and easy driving even for users continue to have a perception about inexperienced operators. The operator the difficulty in operating the articulated training can take place on the job because range in comparison with a traditional the unique True Radius no wide wheel counterbalanced or moving mast reach arch design eliminates the possibility of truck. product or pallet rack damage in storage John Maguire, sales and marketing aisles. director of Flexi narrow aisle articulated In Germany, for instance, the strict DIN forklifts observes that these perceived aisle security standard for Very Narrow ‘operator difficulty’ concerns are Aisle operation can easily be achieved sometimes a result of poor design – both by the Flexi, as the no wheel arch truck of some articulated truck models as well design provides maximum security as the storage rack system. clearance when travelling at high speed Flexi trucks are in use at thousands of down the aisle. sites in 40 different countries around the The Flexi AC power system powered world with sales driven to a large extent by market leading Zapi and Schabmueller by the fact that operators enjoy working motor technology, allows travel speeds with their Flexi trucks. up to 12km/h in aisle without the need Commenting that people seem to for superflat floors. Unlike traditional have all sorts of misconceptions about man-up very narrow aisle trucks, the Flexi articulated trucks, he said that Flexi is does not require speed reductions due to a pioneer in this sector, and has been the fitment of inductive wire guidance Articulated forklifts like the Flexi G4 are a boon for warehouses designing and building the articulated systems, which typically due to safe with narrow corridors trucks for over 20 years. braking restrictions only allow travel Every aspect of the Flexi’s design concept has truck’s chassis has a smooth sight line to each speeds of less than 8km/h. been optimised to ensure easy driving, safe and side, which allows the operator to see exactly Every Flexi truck is built with Tier One highly productive pallet movements, and long where the outer radius of the truck is in relation quality European MHE components for ultimate battery shift life in addition to a simple battery to the pallet racks and loads in the aisle. reliability and long parts warranties of up to 5 changing process.

John Maguire says it is impossible for a years.

The Flexi narrow aisle articulated forklifts Flexi operator to damage loads or pallet racks The Flexi range has a great reputation for range includes seven different models with each when turning; after a short conversion training, reliability and low cost of ownership in the designed and developed to allow loads weighing forklift operators are soon able to achieve logistics industry. Major fleet operators prefer up to 2.5 tonnes to be lifted to heights of over 14 optimum safe productivity rates. the Flexi for its low operational costs thanks to metres safely and efficiently.

The Flexi’s ‘True Radius’ no wheel arch design its high component and build quality.

Wheel arches have been designed out of the and minimal use of plastic covers and other easy The trucks require a scheduled service only Flexi’s unique ‘True Radius’ chassis, which to damage components, minimise repair costs once every 500 hours, maximising uptime. means that the risk of pallet rack or product incurred due to truck damage. Thanks to their Features such as the True Radius no wheel arch damage when turning at 90° in the aisle has been robust design and easy-to-operate functionality, design and minimum use of plastic covers and eliminated, no matter which rack aisle or pallet most Flexis finish typical five-year contract hire other easily damaged components minimise the load configuration has been chosen. agreements with zero or minor return costs. incidence and cost of fleet repair. Most Flexis The Flexi’s front wheel drive design eliminates Flexi Training offers a number of on-thefinish typical 5-year contract hire agreements the need for wide rear wheel arches that job training courses to ensure all drivers and with nil or minimal return costs due to a robust protrude out to each side, ensuring that the warehouse operators get the best from their damage-resistant design.

10 | Logistics&MaterialsHandling July 2014

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/Yaleasiapacific

@Yale_AP

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2014-06-19T12:43:44+10:00

safety

Safer racking for supermarkets The Blenheim PAK’nSAVE supermarket was the first to open after earthquakes in 2013, thanks to a safer racking system from Dexion.

A

fter a number of significant earthquake events in New Zealand in recent years, discount grocery retailer PAK’nSAVE had to be very conscious about the safety of their staff and customers when selecting a new racking system in their warehouse style supermarket.

PAK’nSAVE followed a food warehouse format, unique to New Zealand supermarket shopping, buying and stocking a range of everyday basic products in bulk to significantly reduce costs for customers, but they also saved costs with practical racking systems that are less susceptible to earthquakes.

In 2012, PAK’nSAVE introduced a new store to Blenheim, which was the first in many years to be opened in the South Island, and according to Foodstuffs’ general manager property and retail development Roger Davidson, Dexion was engaged to fit out the new flagship store.

“Dexion has been a supplier for over 25 years, consistently delivering a high quality range of products… In light of the recent earthquakes, Dexion also understands the importance of delivering solutions that can withstand seismic activity,” Davidson said.

Dexion’s National Supply Centre manager Jeff Darby said that the major project objective for Dexion was to install a racking system that would protect against the risks caused by seismic events.

“Given the recent earthquakes in Christchurch, Foodstuffs was understandably concerned about the risk to staff and customers from earthquake damage to the store, and how Dexion would be able to

12 | Logistics&MaterialsHandling July 2014

mitigate this risk with its pallet racking system. Safety issues were always paramount,” Darby said.

The solution offered by Dexion was Speedlock racking, a superior performing product during seismic events.

“Speedlock offers five point connectivity. Five point connectivity provides increased stiffness between the upright and the beam, which increases the beams load carrying capacity and greatly increases the lateral stability of the rack structure, hence better performance during seismic events,” Darby explained.

Dexion produced 413 bays of racking, comprisiong seven different types of racking: foodhall main racking, wine racking, foodhall perimeter and aisle racking, checkout shelving, bulk store racking, general chiller racking, and produce prep and chiller racking.

All the racks were designed to suit the bulk storage of pallets that are commonly used in retail applications.

The Speedlock system provides bulk storage capacity in the upper location of the rack and features retail picking locations within the lower part of the bay, up to a height of 1.8 metres.

According to Dexion’s Supply Centre Christchurch design engineer George Simpkin the project was particularly unique, featuring a number of bespoke design elements.

“Not only did we design the racking using a new yellow and silver colour scheme to ensure visual consistency across the stores; specialised tooling was also used to create a bespoke reverse punched upright and retail

Five-point connectivity ensures a more stable system

beam that would offer 25mm adjustment to all shelves (rather than the standard 50mm) for added flexibility,” Simpkin said.

According to Blenheim’s owner-operator Mark Elkington the installation process was particularly seamless.

“The installation process was extremely efficient and it was all turned around quickly,” Elkington said.

The greatest hurdle Dexion faced related to the newly implemented council requirements; since the Christchurch earthquakes, building codes and design criteria significantly tightened.

Dexion needed to obtain council consent for the racking design, manufacture and install, which had to comply with the newly upgraded pallet racking standards including AS/NZS1170 Structural Design Actions, BRANZ Seismic Design of High Level Storage Systems with Public Access, NZS 3404:1997 Steel Structures Standard, AS/ NZS 4600:2005 Cold Formed Steel Structures and AS4084:1993 Steel Storage Racking.

Despite all these challenges, Dexion delivered a product that was safer due to the seismic strength of the Speedlock racking. The new-look

racking also offered a brand facelift, freshening the look of the store.

In July 2013, Dexion’s racking installation was tested by the Seddon earthquake. The Blenheim PAK’nSAVE store was the only supermarket to open immediately following the earthquake, with minimal stock loss and no racking damage.

“We didn’t lose anything off the shelving and the Dexion racking performed admirably. All the testing and new council sign off processes were put through a rigorous test and performed outstandingly,” Davidson said.

“We are very happy with Dexion’s Speedlock product and how it has performed, particularly in the extreme circumstances of the Seddon earthquake,” Rothwell agreed.

Blenheim’s Owner Operator, Mark Elkington, is also very pleased with the end result.

“The racking looks really fresh and vibrant, and the design is effective in terms of accessing stock,” noted Elkington.

With another PAK’nSAVE due to open in Christchurch in 2015, Dexion is excited to once again work with Foodstuffs to implement its Speedlock racking system. logisticsmagazine.com.au

LM0714_000_MAT - 1 2014-05-21T11:18:36+10:00 LMH1407MH:Layout 1 6/5/14 11:25 AM Page 1

A Safer Way to Unload Containers & Trucks Destuff-IT and Restuff-IT are PLC controlled ergonomic assist devices that help workers to manually load and unload products into containers and trailers.

The units use an on-board drive system to move in and out of the containers and have a pivoting conveyor, with a high grip belt. This can be effortlessly guided up and down, left or right to place a product in the desired position & a height adjustable platform puts operators in the best ergonomic position.

This means workers are less fatigued and the risk of muscle strain and injury from repetitive lifting, twisting, carrying and overhead reaching is significantly reduced. The innovation is based on a unique blend of design concepts, a firm grasp of ergonomic principles and the implementation of technology to address this global problem. Productivity and efficiency is enhanced through optimized worker positioning. Handling movements are minimised, contributing to more throughput and greater handling capacity.

These devices are designed for demanding, continuous multi-shift operations and to be integrated with extendable or flexible conveyor systems. The selfpropelled machines have an integrated DC powered dual travel drive and steering system capable of negotiating dock leveller slopes and transition plates while driving in and out of containers or trailers. This means it can be easily and quickly moved to another dock position and is capable of towing host conveyor sections. Users can achieve significant ROI savings through productivity gains, reduced injuries, enhanced dock utilisation and integration with existing conveyors. In a recent one-week trial, one prospect was able to see an increase in case rate of 59 percent and a reduction in overall labour of 49 percent.

Destuff IT

Ergonomic features include: • Height adjustable worker platform (max 600mm) reduces overhead reaching • Optimized conveyor belt positioning increases productivity • Convenient operator controls mounted on pivoting conveyor • Ergo mat on worker platform • Stress relieving non-slip surface

™

™

Restuff IT

Preventing injuries … Destuff-IT and Restuff-IT ergonomic assist devices are the safer way to load containers and trailers.

A demonstration video is available on our website or on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AD0xjOfnN9A&feature=youtu.be

444

Destuff-IT at work with 2 operators

Home position

Side view showing height adjustable platform (black), Raising & lowering conveyor (green)

Entering the container

page The Pty Ltd, Materials Handling

ase...

Working witishfreee to catalogue,

wish to organizations that safety, e ac pl improve work ncy productivity, efficie est qu Re y. lit and profitabi your copy now.

Fully in container pulling flexible conveyor

Our website: www.materialshandling.com.au Phone us: 1300 65 00 35 Fax us: 1800 68 68 96 Email us: sales@materialshandling.com.au LMH1407MH

Australia Wide Service

LM0714_014

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2014-06-19T12:39:48+10:00

factorymaterialshandling

A fresh approach New technology is ensuring better quality processing in the food supply chain.

D

ealing with and handling fresh produce presents a unique challenge to logistics and supply companies.

Understanding the issues of food safety, packaging and distribution for fresh supply chain requires a tailored approach for different customers.

With this in mind TOMRA Sorting has developed a unique sensor based sorting solution and multi-spectral technologies to create customised options to meet these specific customer requirements.

According to the company its new machine, the Halo, combines intelligence with advanced control, and is a robust and compact machine that provides high capacity, low maintenance, flexibility, and gentle handling.

“Additionally, Halo guarantees long-life accuracy and provides quality control and feedback through an intuitive touch screen,” TOMRA Sorting stated.

Featuring both VIS and NIR capabilities, the Halo “provides high performance sorting and grading based on a number of different factors that affect fresh produce”.

TOMRA Sorting explained that these include defects, colour, subtle blemishes or marks on the produce, any foreign material (which is often a problem in the fresh produce supply chain), size, and finally shape.

“For cut fruit the Halo sorter can now separate apple wedges displaying bruise, core, stem, discolouration, and broken pieces,” the company said.

Its fresh pack applications include russet potato, sweet potato, varietal, and speciality potatoes in addition to the typical carrots, parsnips, cucumbers, onions, radishes, and tomatoes.

“Halo is also ideal for processed peeled and unpeeled fruits and vegetables, carrots, apricots and peaches, pear halves, and citrus fruits.”

It has also released a produce material handling machine that deals with unwanted foreign materials in the line.

TOMRA Sorting’s Genius is equipped with high resolution cameras and lasers.

The machine utilises a number of different 14 | Logistics&MaterialsHandling July 2014

The Halo is capable of identifying and rejecting produce with defects

inspection technologies in its various zones, with state-of-the-art air guns built to reject any pre-determined unwanted items within milliseconds, in two or three separate streams, and sound product proceeding in the processing line.

Karel Strubbe, TOMRA Sorting’s sales manager for Oceania, went on to say that “the Genius sorter is now available with a special designed infeed system, the handle high throughputs”.

“This designed infeed system consists of multiple steps creating a well-spread single layer of product so that the Genius unit can inspect at very high levels of efficiency.

“This new unit has been a great success since its introduction, and also features a unique add-on, the Advanced Foreign Material Detector (AFMD).”

The AMFD identifies defects and objects previously difficult to distinguish because of their similar structure or colour characteristics.

“Now, with the Advanced Foreign Material Detector, sorting on product-specific features with an optical configuration not limited to a single application is possible,” Strubbe said.

One of the major areas where the Foreign Material Detector has been used is in lettuce sorting.

“Organisations can even introduce radicchio lettuce in to their mixes before they enter the sorting unit,” he said.

Prior to the introduction of the Advanced Foreign Material Detection unit, processors had

to mix these elements in after sorting, running the risk they still contained defects.

TOMRA Sorting stated that the AFMD application is “revolutionising the way lettuce processors operate”.

“They can now sort virtually every kind of baby mix, targeting defects perfectly,” Strubbe said.

“The AFMD capabilities significantly improve results, minimises false detections, enhances processing line flexibility, maximises efficiency, and elevates the quality and safety of the end produce to new levels for consumers, while maintaining the highest yield at unsurpassed throughputs.”

In addition to these two machines, TOMRA Sorting has unveiled the Primus Gemini for sorting multiple fruit applications with defects such as discolourations, over ripe, hail, and insect damage, plus foreign material.

“It delivers a high quality end product, meets modern consumer demands, and provides a very fast return investment,” Strubbe said.

The Primus Gemini sorter is now available with the Advanced Shrivelled Detector (ASD).

The ASD laser allows TOMRA’s sorters to remove shrivelled berries for fresh packing.

“Compared to other optical technologies, it can detect up to 9 per cent of shrivelled blueberries and will also improve the detection of rain split.”

It offers one sorting solution for detecting soft and discoloured berries and provides a threeway sort. logisticsmagazine.com.au

LM0714_015

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factorymaterialshandling

-

1

2 0 1 4 - 0 3 - 1 2 T1 1 : 2 0 : 0 7 + 1 1 : 0 0

Intelligent Drivesystems, Worldwide Services

NORD DRIVESYSTEMS INTRALOGISTIC SPECIALIST Frequency inverter n n n n

Energy saving management AS-Interface on Board Up to IP 66 High quality frequency inverter

SICK Sensor Intelligence has defeated a number of packaging issues with a single sensor unit, the DeltaPac multitask photoelectric sensor

SICK closes the gap on package ID The Deltapac is leading the way in package identification and logistics.

T

he beauty of this new sensor is it enables detection of individual objects in a gapless, continuous stream, all within a compact device.

The DeltaPac measures a mere 42mm by 42mm by 45mm, however the impact this device can have on packaging productivity is huge.

Because the DeltaPac can detect individual objects in an unbroken stream with no gaps in between, this eliminates a number of packaging throughput issues such as packages that fall over and the resulting collisions, incorrectly positioned labels or straws, incorrect placement when grouping packages, and loss of quality due to crashes.

The key to gapless detection lies in the use intelligent Delta-S technology, which comprises four PinPoint 2.0 LEDs and two highresolution energy scales, each with two receiver elements.

The system also has the innovative SICK ASIC SIRIC technology and an integrated distance measurement system that enables background suppression.

In practice, the DeltaPac detects

the edge contours of packages and folding boxes.

Light beams from the four LEDs pass over the front of the object, and in that state the energy scales receive the same amount of light, and that is the balance point for the system.

When the leading edge of the object moves into the light beam that balance is interrupted, which shifts the system balance and serves as a switching signal.

That switching signal is unaffected by factors such as the object’s colour, size, surface texture, background, dazzle, unevenness or contrast changes.

This method of detection can reliably detect the object contours, or the leading edge, with radii between 1mm and 20mm at switching distances of 30-40mm.

The Deltapac is capable of reliable, error-free identification of up to 200,000 packages per hour, with package speeds of up to 3m/s, whether from above or from the side.

Factory conversion to a DeltaPac sensor system can be commissioned quickly without any setting adjustment.

Gear unit

Motors – IE2 / IE3 / IE4

n 2-stage bevel gear units n Unique aluminium housing

n

n n n

Lightweight Smooth surfaces Cool surfaces

n n n n

High efficiencies Wide voltage range Low waste heat Large power reserves Long service life

intralogistics.nord.com NORD Drivesystems (AU) Pty Ltd 18 Stoney Way, Derrimut, Victoria, 3030 Australia Phone: +61 3 9394 0500, Fax: +61 3 9394 1525, www.nord.com.au Melbourne / Sydney / Brisbane National Customer Service 1300 00 NORD (6673), au-sales@nord.com Member of the NORD DRIVESYSTEMS Group

DRIVESYSTEMS July 2014 Logistics&MaterialsHandling | 15

logisticsmagazine.com.au AU_Logistic Mag_100x275_240214.indd 1

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LM0714_016

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2014-06-18T12:56:50+10:00

trainingandeducation

Back to basics Fleet management depends more and more on high-tech, digital and GPS based solutions every year, but how do we know what happens in the driver’s head? Ben Hagemann writes.

N

avman Wireless have been at the forefront of real-time GPS vehicle tracking and data analysis for several years, which are perfect for monitoring driving behaviour in terms of legality on the road, but how can companies assess at-risk driving behaviours that don’t set off the alarm bells?

Driving behaviour can be checked with traditional driver instruction programs, but this means taking drivers off the road for assessment, which ultimately costs in terms of productivity.

Launched in April, Navman Wireless have brought a new, online driving academy to the table.

The driving academy includes a driver assessment system which measures key driving behaviours and attitudes in order to identify

drivers who may be at-risk in terms of driver and vehicle safety.

Navman Wireless solutions specialist Chris L’Ecluse said the driving academy is not intended to train drivers.

“As opposed to traditional instructor-based driver training, which is skills based coaching, what this program aims to do is challenge driving behaviour,” L’Ecluse said.

“As far as we’re concerned, if they have a licence for the vehicle they are driving, they have already been tested for the skills needed to drive that vehicle.”

L’Ecluse comes from a police background, with 20 years of experience in Western Australia where he worked highway patrol, crash investigation and driver training, and has been involved

The online driving academy provides tailored training modules to at-risk drivers

16 | Logistics&MaterialsHandling July 2014

Chris L’Ecluse, solutions specialist for Navman Wireless

with the Navman driving academy for the past two-and-a-half years.

L’Ecluse has ensured the program is tailor-made to suit local conditions and laws where the drivers work, with specific programs available for Australia and New Zealand rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

“The key benefit of the program is that all the footage is filmed locally, it’s developed in Australia for Australia, with Australian laws in mind, and the voiceovers are Australian. The footage for New Zealand is actually filmed in New Zealand, because quite often when we have two countries like this we only see the Australian footage,” he said.

L’Ecluse regards the Navman driving academy to be better than other online driving assessments that he has reviewed, as it has real life driving scenarios in which the participant has to identify, on a ten

second high definition video clip, a driving scenario from real life.

“It’s not staged, and the participant has to identify the greatest hazard within a ten second window.”

The way the program works is it grades each individual against the main criteria for driving competence, through six core competency areas; scanning, space management, knowledge of danger zones, speed management, awareness of other motorists, and attitude.

“Where they fall down is in their driving behaviours,” L’Ecluse said.

“That comes down to a culture and human behaviour, so we’ve done a lot of research into the psychology of driving, and at-risk behaviours, and that’s where this program seeks to challenge those behaviours, and seeks to identify a risk profile for an individual.

“Once that’s occurred, it’s logisticsmagazine.com.au

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trainingandeducation

identified where their deficiencies lie, and then it selects from the library of modules for that individual as a remedial action, and customises a course for that individual.”

In all there are 48 assessment criteria, broken up into 20 real-life video scenarios, and 28 multiple choice questions.

“Each one of those 48 assessment criteria relates in one way or another to those six driving competencies, and the driver is then scored according to the algorithm,” L’Ecluse explained.

“Part of the assessment includes a knowledge test of the policies relating to driver liability.”

L’Ecluse said that traditionally a driver would be given a copy of the policy during induction, and they would have to sign to say they had received it, without any further test of understanding.

A“From D _ L aOliability G S I Mstandpoint OCT _ 0 9 . p d it’s very important for drivers to

logisticsmagazine.com.au

Locally made training videos ensure drivers are familiar with the test environment

not only know or be given a copy of the policy, but to understand that policy… So we give a test for knowledge and understanding, which gives protection to the organisation of knowing that their fdrivers P a understand g e 1 9the / 2policy.”

2 / 0 9 , If the system identifies any

at-risk behaviour in a driver during assessment, this can be brought to the attention of the employer, however knowledge of these potential risks can become a liability for the employer, requiring remedial change behaviours.

4 action : 0 7 to P M “Once we have that risk profile,

by law now you’re obliged to act on that, so if a company fails to act on that identified risk, then they become liable,” L’Ecluse said.

A driver with at-risk behaviour identified will then be prescribed a series of training modules to ensure the driver has an opportunity to examine their own behaviour and become much more aware of the kinds of risks involved.

Each module takes no longer than 20 minutes, so there’s minimal impact on work time, and the duration also stays within the average maximum adult attention span.

“A low-risk driver might be given two training modules; a high risk driver might get 15,” L’Ecluse said.

“Those modules are metered out, it’s not 15 in one week, they will get reminders from the program to their email inbox that advise them that they have another course ready.

“It’s about making sure the attention span is far greater.”

July 2014 Logistics&MaterialsHandling | 17

LM0714_018

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QME 2014 Preview

Industrial lighting maintenance

Hydraulic torque wrenches PT Hydraulics will display their ProTorc

conditions presented by the aerospace,

Hydraulic Torque Wrenches & Power Team

mining, petro-chem and power industries.

Swivelpole Australia will launch their

Hydraulic Tools and Equipment product

ground-breaking new industrial lighting

ranges, on stand A348 at the Queensland

Emergency Response Equipment, Power

maintenance solution, the Swivelpole

Mining & Engineering (QME) Exhibition, at

Team tools and equipment and ProTorc

Retrofit System, on stand A250 at

the Mackay Showgrounds from 22-24 July

torque wrenches, are perfectly suited to

the Queensland Mining & Engineering

2014.

mining related applications whether it be

(QME) Exhibition. This solution has the

The ProTorc Hydraulic Torque Wrench

PT Hydraulics’ Globe air motors, Lukas

in mine workshops, at the coal face or

potential to reduce maintenance costs

range includes square drive and low

installed into emergency response vehicles.

by an average of 95 percent, according

clearance wrenches that are suited to all

Over the past 12 years, PT Hydraulics have

to industry case studies. Designed to

industrial applications based on their ranging

utilised QME as a platform to market their

alleviate the occupational hazards posed

torque speeds of 164Nm to over 70,000Nm.

industry leading products to the mining

correct methods of use and provide insights

sector, having showcased their products

into their mining applications.

by faulty lights in elevated positions,

Manufactured using the latest technology

The ProTorc Hydraulic wrench

the Swivelpole Retrofit System is an

CNC machines, the ProTorc Hydraulic

as a separate entity and on the stands for

• PT Hydraulics

ingenious solution, which minimises

Wrench’s high quality and high strength

the Queensland distributors. PT Hydraulics

Peter Jenkin

repairs costs and reduces maintenance

build have been proven through a rigorous

will conduct live demonstrations from their

03 9562 8800

complications.

testing program, which has ensured the

custom made test bench at QME, which will

peter.jenkin@pthydraulics.com.au

product can be relied upon in the harshest

show these tools in operation, highlight the

www.pthydraulics.com.au

The Swivelpole Retrofit System’s globally patented swivel mechanism systems, ladders and scaffolding when

Lubrication and process equipment

repairing or replacing luminaries. This

Graco Australia will return to the Queensland

mechanism is designed to enable the

Mining & Engineering (QME) Exhibition,

operator to lower and rotate the light

following AIMEX 2013, to showcase their

fitting, within minutes, to a safe and

range of lubrication and process products

appropriate working level; delivering an

on stand L190.

eliminates the need for fall arrest

immediate and ongoing solution.

system to be tuned to specific lubrication requirements.

• A new auto fill and vent safety feature that prevents cavitation and lid blow-off.

At QME 2014, Graco will conduct

Several products from Graco’s lubricant

demonstrations of their premium equipment

or lubrication application line will be on

and leading technology, which is designed

converted or retro-fitted efficiently and

display in Queensland for the first-time,

to increase performance, ensure reliability,

safely, with the Swivelpole Retrofit

including the Electric Dynastar and a new

System, costing the less than half of the

power hose reel.

Non-lowering poles are able to be

cost of a new lamp, when compared to traditional methods.

The major advantages of the Swivelpole luminaire system are the increased productivity, reduced

The Electric Dynastar, released in 2013,

Graco have produced quality lubrication equipment since 1926

improve safety and reduce downtime.

Graco Inc. design, manufacture and market premium equipment globally, which is widely

is an on-board grease pump specifically

electrical power; as opposed to primary

utilised across a range of industries.

designed for the mining sector and heavy

hydraulic power.

• Graco Australia

equipment industry.

This innovative grease pump offers the

installation requirements and cost-

following beneficial features:

savings.

• Powered from a vehicles secondary

• Compact Design (small foot-print)

Maarten van Diemen

• Direct Drive and High Power/Gearing

03 9468 8500

Ration ensure high pressure grease delivery • Advanced motor controls; allowing the

maarten_c_vandliemen@graco.com www.graco.com

Swivelpole will also showcase their High-Safety Luminaire Support System that offers a cost effective,

New forklifts launched at QME

safe and simple access solution for

Adaptalift Hyster Forklift Rentals & Sales

operators in arduous mining conditions,

with a wide range of attachment options

regular inspection and maintenance

have announced the Hyster H16XM-6 will

incorporating key features:

also available.

to luminaires on industrial sites. The

be launched on stand OS665, with their

• Clean-running Industrial Diesel Engine;

ingenious design eliminates the common

range of specialised materials handling

• Advanced Auto-Shift Transmission;

a range of materials handling equipment on

risks associated with elevated lighting

equipment.

• Standard Oil-Immersed Brakes;

display, along with expert personnel who will

• Robust Drive-Axle;

be available to explain how their solutions

• The Hyster’s ‘Vista’ Cab (renowned for

can assist your mining operations, discuss

systems by providing a controlled

As first time exhibitors to QME, Adaptalift

At QME 2014, Adaptalift Hyster will have

lowering method. At QME there will

Hyster will showcase their extensive range of

be live on site demonstrations of the

materials handling equipment, including the

including an extensive range of ergonomic

the various service offerings they provide

Swivelpole Retrofit System.

Hyster H16.00XM-6 with a fitted tyre handler

features as a standard);

and assist with any visitor inquiries.

• Swivelpole Australia

attachment, in addition to the launch of the

08 9582 0870

Hyster H16XM-6 forklift.

irene.liitiaeinen@swivelpole.com www.swivelpole.com

18 | Logistics&MaterialsHandling July 2014

The new Hyster H16XM-6 is a powerful

• Tier 4i/Stage IIIB compliant.

Adaptalift Hyster provides the mining

• Adaptalift Hyster Siobhan Mitten

sector with a premium range of highly

03 9547 8000

clean-running 16 tonne forklift that offers

durable and well-built equipment, whose

smitten@aalhyster.com.au

maximum productivity and reliability for

load capacities ranging from 8 to 52 tonnes,

www.aalhyster.com.au

logisticsmagazine.com.au

LM0714_019

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2014-06-18T10:58:24+10:00

QME 2014 Preview

Crane repair and maintenance B & N Crane Repairs will market their

multiple software systems across different

for their knowledge and professionalism

crane maintenance, repair and servicing

machines, the RMP suits a variety of

in providing maintenance, repairs and

capabilities from stand L176, which will also

machine types and is user-friendly with

servicing, with a customer base across mine

feature Australian Crane and Machinery, at

the ability to log on and monitor fleet on a

sites in Australia, Africa, Papua New Guinea

the Queensland Mining & Engineering (QME)

desktop or smart device.

and the Solomon Islands.

Exhibition from 22-24 July 2014.

This also provides customers with the

B & N Cranes have the ability to service

ability to conduct preventative maintenance,

these mine sites due to the mobile workforce

Crane Repairs have specialised in ten and

alerts when modules require replacing and

of technicians, with pre-approved visas, and

25 year rebuilds, crane servicing and repairs,

8 x digital input/output alerts when a unit is

boom fabrication, with extensive expertise in

due for service, has gone overspeed or has

load system calibration and repairs.

overloaded.

Since their inception in 2000, B & N

refined mine entry policies.

With their own parts interpreter, they also

B&N, international crane specialists

offer the ability to source high quality parts

At QME 2014, B & N Crane Repairs will

B & N Cranes will have a software expert

and Weipa; including companies such

at affordable prices to provide an optimal

showcase their new Remote Maintenance

on stand to assist with any visitor questions

as Newlands Coal. As part of this service

customer experience.

Planner (RMP) which has been developed

about the operation of the RMP.

offering B & N Cranes run five repair vehicles

• B & N Crane Repairs

throughout these regions, with bases

Anne Hand

specifically for maintenance planning,

B & N Cranes are an agent for Kobelco

productivity maximisation and downtime

cranes and a licensed distributer of LSI

in Mackay and Gladstone. As growing

07 3265 1176

reduction.

Robway products, providing their services

international ‘crane specialists’, B & N Crane

anne@bncranes.com.au

throughout the Bowen Basin, Surat Basin

repairs are becoming increasingly renowned

www.bncranes.com.au

Solving the problems associated with

Lifting and lashing equipment RUD Australia will be displaying and

innovation, with products manufactured in

launching a range of new lifting and lash-

Germany that provide a reliable solution,

ing products at the Queensland Mining &

reduce maintenance and maximise cost-

Engineering (QME) Exhibition, on stand

effectiveness across a range of industry

L122. According to the company they are

segments. RUD Australia has three

designed to provide greater efficiency,

branches located in Brisbane (Head Office),

productivity and protection.

Newcastle and Perth.

Over the past 12 months a range of newly patented lifting and lashing products

RUD’s core specialties are: • Lifting Chains and Lifting Points (weld on/

Safe lifting equipment is essential in heavy moves

has been released by RUD Australia, which has expanded their already comprehensive product range.

At QME 2014, RUD Australia will display the following innovative lifting chains and components, tyre protection chains and mining connectors: • ABA Load Ring – A pad eye lifting device,

bolt on, chain slings, tie down applications) features not found in alternative products.

• ICE Grade 120 Range – Delivers improved

• TORO Tyre Protection Chain – A market leading protection chain for underground

safety features, wear indicators and a

loaders with low profile tyres. Even with

higher working load limit for all full chain

a reduced profile, the chain provides

diameters smaller than GR 80 systems.

exceptional wear protection for tyres in

• SIDEFLEX – A new ground breaking sidewall protection device, which provides

• Chain Conveyor and Drive Systems

harsh underground environments.

(engineered round steel link chain and components) • Tyre Protection and Traction Chains (mines and quarries) • Engineering Design and Certification

RUD Australia has been operating for 30

(design, manufacture and certification)

which has seen high market

a cost-effective and preventative solution

years as a subsidiary of the family owned

• RUD Australia

demand since its release, offering a 1.6 t

to sidewall damage of dumptruck tyres

RUD Group, located in Germany. Operating

Deborah Cunningham

to 31.5 t full working load limit in all lifting

on construction, mining and earthmoving

globally with over 500 International Patents,

07 3809 1300

directions; with several additional safety

machines.

RUD has a reputation for quality and

www.rud.com/en-au/

Conveyor and belt equipment Flexco will be addressing splicing, cleaning, belt slippage, and material transfer needs at booth A292 at QME. Flexco

conveyor rollers on site faster, easier and safer.

Also on display will be the Pneumatic Single Rivet Driver,

eager to answer questions and demo products.

Experienced Flexco team members will be available to

invites attendees to check out their newest products,

which speeds installation of SR fasteners by up to 33 per

discuss the entire conveyor system and help attendees

including an in-depth look at Flexco transfer chutes,

cent, FLEX-LAG pulley lagging, mechanical belt fastening

identify challenges and ways to increase the efficiency and

featuring exclusive Tasman Warajay Technology. Flexco

systems, and the latest in the line of innovative Mineline

productivity of their operations.

will also be showcasing CoreTech Nylon Conveyor Rollers,

belt cleaners for serviceability and wear resistance in the

• Flexco

which are lightweight, high strength, corrosion-and

toughest applications.

02 8818 2000

abrasion-resistant making installation and maintenance of

logisticsmagazine.com.au

The Flexco booth will be staffed by product experts

www.flexco.com

July 2014 Logistics&MaterialsHandling | 19

LM0714_020

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maintenance

Putting an end to paper Making the complete change to tablet-based admin for mechanical checks has streamlined Sargent’s workshops nationwide.

M

aking the move from paper-based administration to electronic is not without a few teething problems, especially if trying to run an old paper system and convert to electronic on the run.

Thanks to tablet technology it’s now possible to totally do away with paper without spending hours at a desk each day, and that’s exactly what Sargent Rental and Maintenance have done.

Sargent Rental and Maintenance, one of Australia’s leading national fleet management companies, has recently overhauled their vehicle-checking and inspection system with a simple, highly customisable app, developed in Australia and designed for the iPad. ChekRite is a vehicle checking system that provides a complete alternative to traditional, paper-based, clipboard checklists.

It is designed to ensure compliance and consistency in vehicle inspections around the nation, as well as significantly reducing the time and cost involved with regular vehicle inspections.

Not only does it ensure a full audit and compliance trail, ChekRite has more than halved the time that Sargent’s mechanics take to carry out vehicle inspections.

After a mere three months in trial, the ChekRite app has been implemented across the entire Sargent fleet of over 3200 commercial vehicles.

Sargent chief maintenance officer Malcolm McIntosh said ChekRite has delivered increased efficiency and productivity across a network of 17 locations in Australia.

“One of the challenges with a national business like ours is that we demand a level of consistency and compliance across our fleet that needs to be delivered by more than 100 mechanics,” he said.

“To ensure full compliance, a key thing for us is the consistency of the process, and ChekRite helps with that, in that everybody is completing the same steps, the same way, every time – so we always get the same result.

“ChekRite incorporates a ‘failsafe’ system, so mechanics have to complete the steps the way that the program dictates – having said that, if you find a better way to carry out the inspection, or you need to exchange one step of the process with another, it’s very easy to change.”

According to McIntosh, the ChekRite rollout

20 | Logistics&MaterialsHandling July 2014

Sargent’s mechanics now have no need for clipboards and pens

has resulted in improved productivity and increased efficiency.

“It used to take our mechanics over an hour to carry out an inspection using paper-based checklists; we have now reduced that to less than 30 minutes – a 55 per cent increase in efficiency,” he said.

“That efficiency even equates to administrative efficiency, in that we don’t have a leading hand trying to charge up the batteries or find the cable for the digital camera, we don’t have paper documentation to keep track of; it’s all collated and stored in one digital location.”

Every time a vehicle is returned from hire – and it may have been out for two days or two years – Sargent’s mechanics carry out a full inspection as part of the company’s return-fromhire procedures.

Sargent has a rigorous process for keeping track of each vehicle returning from hire, which can be after one or two years in the field, and in the past this process included a paper trail with checklists and digital photos.

Naturally, the filing system was timeconsuming and frustrating to manage, as workshop supervisors had to convert paperwork and photos to PDF files and reports, then merge them into Excel spreadsheets.

“Now not only has ChekRite halved the time taken to carry out vehicle inspections, but all the

data captured is immediately available to our supervisors and management teams,” McIntosh said.

Sargent’s workshop supervisor at the Brisbane branch, Colin Bailey, said that the major advantages of ChekRite was the way it enabled consistency of inspections, while cutting away time spent double-handling paperwork.

“Everyone has to use it the same way so all the checks we’re doing are exactly the same, and everyone is on the same page,” he said.

“And it definitely cuts down the amount of paperwork I have to do.

“I don’t really need to do any paperwork at all except for standard branch stuff.”

ChekRite is fully integrated into the workshop iPad, which takes a mechanic through each step of the inspection process, with unique ID for both the mechanic and the vehicle being checked.

The data gathered by ChekRite can also be used for analysing trends, keeping track of repair and maintenance costs, and other fleet management requirements.

McIntosh said that ChekRite’s integration into the business was an easy process.

“When we were doing the initial trial of ChekRite, we held one toolbox meeting with our local workshop, which took about 10 minutes,” he said.

“Within a month of that 10-minute logisticsmagazine.com.au

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maintenance

familiarisation, we’d attained a 40 per cent increase in productivity and efficiency, and after the second month we were up to 55 per cent.”

McIntosh said Sargent’s mechanics find ChekRite very easy to use, comparing operation of the tablet app to the simplest of transactions.

“Essentially if you can use an ATM, you can use the ChekRite app!”

Perspective from the Developer Available as a free download from Apple’s app store, the ChekRite model is based on a fee-perinspection, where the fee level changes depending on the number of equipment items to be checked.

ChekRite company director Jordan Millar said the app was conceived and developed in Australia as a flexible, easy-to-use and highly secure system to ensure that all vehicle and equipment maintenance requirements are fully met.

“Two of our founding directors have many years’ experience in the Australian mining and construction industries, and could see the opportunity to use Apple’s very secure iOS environment to develop a highly customisable and intuitive iPad-based alternative to traditional and L M 0 2 1 clipboard-type 4 _ 0 0 0 _ B checklists OS 1 2 0 1 4 inspections,” Millar said.

logisticsmagazine.com.au

The iPad-basd system is easily mounted near the workstation

“They had long experienced the frustrations associated with paper-based checklists, which are prone to being lost, improperly or illegibly filled out, can’t be stored and retrieved easily, and make compliance and auditing difficult and time-consuming.

Millar said that ChekRite was designed to be fully customisable to any kind of equipment or facility, ensuring the system is safe and adaptable.

0 1“For - 0example, 7 T 1 6 :in1the 0 :case 2 6of+ a1truck 1 : 0fleet, 0 the specific regular checking requirements for each

make and model of truck can be pre-loaded into ChekRite; then the maintenance crews simply work through the checklists for each vehicle,” he said.

“The App ensures they cover off every item – including whether it needs replacing, repairing or refilling – and includes the facility to take a photo of anything that needs to be recorded for later action.”

All data is permanently recorded and kept in a secure Tier 4 data centre, here in Australia, ready for immediate access by Sargent.

July 2014 Logistics&MaterialsHandling | 21

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supplychain

A shake up in inventory management Too much inventory or not enough. It’s the eternal struggle at the heart of effective supply chain management, but it’s an equation organisations continually get wrong, according to Mike Reed, managing partner at business improvement consultancy, Oliver Wight.

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t’s a typical situation; the business doesn’t like the amount of inventory it holds, so an edict is issued to reduce it.

Production stops until inventory is cut to an acceptable level, only to find, a few weeks later, customers are unhappy they can’t get hold of the products they want. So production restarts and runs flat out for the next few months to try and recover the supply position.

The result? The organisation ends up with more inventory than it started with. But it doesn’t have to be like this. By properly analysing its decisions on service levels, cycle times, utilisation of production capacity and safety stock, an organisation can ensure it is always carrying the right amount.

Getting to such a position requires more integrated processes and behaviours, as well as some thinking outside of the box.

A company first needs to define its optimum inventory level. All too often organisations rush straight in to removing visible inventory (cycle stock, safety stock, pre-stocking and hedging stock), when it’s on the rest – the great unwatched – which can be as much as 25 percent, where efforts need to be concentrated.

Simply removing unknown inventory at a stroke is also not the answer.

Trying to remove inventory without tackling the root cause is like tackling the symptoms of an illness before the diagnosis. It is critical to first truly understand why it is there and then to put a well-considered action plan in place to remove it.

Inventory is generally a consequence of one of three things: variation between supply and demand; the inefficiency of people, process and tools; or tactical company decisions. Strikingly, the

22 | Logistics&MaterialsHandling July 2014

inventory an organisation holds today is typically a consequence of the decisions it made months, years, even decades ago. When they make these decisions, companies fail to recognise the long-term impact they have on inventory, and instead arbitrarily set targets on the basis of a certain number of weeks’ coverage. This leaves those involved in day-to-day inventory decisions with no understanding of, or control over, the levers affecting inventory targets.

Organisations need to look beyond the immediate execution window and consider all supply variables Mike Reed before making critical decisions.

An integrated management process, such as Integrated Business Planning (IBP) can help to achieve this. IBP puts great emphasis on assumptions management and scenario planning, to ensure decision-makers consider all the various alternatives. The integrated overview IBP, coupled with the rolling 36-month horizon, provides greater understanding of the impact that overriding business goals have on inventory levels, thus empowering the management team to change them.

One such business goal, is service target levels. Increasing service levels means carrying more safety stock to avoid letting the customer down. Of course, in an ideal world every organisation would have 100 per cent service levels; the reality is many have to settle for 95 per cent at best. To determine what is an

acceptable service level a company should benchmark itself against the competitors and consider what the market expects. For many a small drop in service levels will have a significant positive effect on inventory levels, although of course for some this is not an option. In the pharmaceuticals industry, for example, where lives can literally depend on the supply of products, 95 per cent is just not good enough.

In this case, an organisation needs to look at other areas to change; one such area is cycle time.

Long campaigns can aid operating efficiency, but result in cycle stock. One global chemical manufacturer found by making half as much, twice as often not only did it become more responsive to the market; cycle stock was reduced by 500 tonnes, with a further 150 tonne reduction in safety stock: an impressive 40 per cent of the total inventory for that product group.

Safety capacity is another option often overlooked. Most organisations see inventory as their only option to buffer poor supply performance and provide the flexibility to satisfy forecast demand. But in fact, investing in safety capacity, as part of the supply strategy, can be a cheaper option. Rather than maximizing asset utilisation, reducing planned capacity slightly and having the ability to ramp it up when demand requires can provide a good alternative.

Even managing the details of safety stock can have a substantial

impact on inventory levels.

Many businesses carry a generic two-week safety stock for every product in their portfolio, but it’s important to consider the significance of each individual product. By understanding the true variation of demand and supply you can make strategic decisions over where inventory is needed and where it can be reduced. Customer requirements may demand threeweeks worth of safety stock for some products, whilst others, particularly those with little demand variation, may need only one or perhaps even less.

Plenty of people are involved when it comes to inventory management; critical influencers include those who affect financial, risk, service, lead-time, footprint, cycle stock, planning frequency and safety stock. These people are the organisation’s most powerful weapon when it comes to changing the way inventory is managed, and clearly defining their roles and then equipping them with the knowledge to apply best practice is vital.

As supply chains become longer and more complex, and global economic volatility remains, taking control of inventory is essential to cost-effectively meet the demands of today’s consumer. Inventory is not something to tackle only when a major problem strikes, nor is the solution as straightforward as simply stopping production.

Effective inventory management involves strategic thinking, integrated processes and a team culture, but if an organisation can truly change the way it thinks about inventory it has the power to become far leaner and more agile, ultimately providing a massive competitive edge. logisticsmagazine.com.au

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coldchain

New cold route for milk sales A new ‘milk pipeline’ has been set up between NSW and China, an Australian cold-chain first that can get milk from Australian dairies to Chinese kitchens in seven days.

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eloris Global Sourcing ensure the fresh milk met or (PGS) has undertaken exceeded Chinese regulations. the venture with Norco In order to ensure milk quality Co-operative and Dairy in the cold chain, Verry said that Connect NSW, which has resulted PGS implemented several measures in a successful trial shipment of to ensure the quality of the milk 1000 litres of fresh milk, completed from when it leaves Australia to the in March.

Chinese distribution centre a week The breakthrough has come after later.

TempTRIP ensures temperature 12 months of collaboration between “We use TempTRIP data logging every 20 minutes PGS and Chinese officials to loggers in each pallet that takes develop rigorous quality assurance delivery time down to accommodate a temperature recording every protocols that have now been fully the normal shelf life of fresh, 20 mins, for the duration of the tested and officially sanctioned by pasteurised Australian milk. journey, and over the period of the the relevant Chinese agencies.

PGS managing director Peter week you get a readout each time PGS has implemented an Verry said the cold chain pipeline you scan the datalogger card with a unprecedented quarantine clearance solution incorporated stringent hand held unit,” Verry said.

M A 0 6 1with 4 _ China 0 0 0 to _ A S S the1 quality 2 0 1 assurance 4 - 0 5 - controls 0 2 T 1 that 4 : 0 4 : 4 1 “They + 1 0 suit : 0 our 0 purpose because agreement bring

we put them in each pallet at the start and take them out at the custom distribution centre in China, and we have a complete record of the temperature no matter what coolroom or truck the milk has been in.”

Norco chairman Greg McNamara said that the new milk pipeline has the capacity to deliver more than 20 million litres of fresh milk to Chinese consumers in the first 12 months of operation.

“This opens the door for Norco to access the burgeoning demand from Chinese consumers for Australian fresh milk products,” McNamara said.

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logisticsmagazine.com.au

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packaging

That’s a wrap!

Cerebos brings in the big guns to upgrade pallet wrapping for faster production.

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auce, spice and coffee manufacturers Cerebos have just opened up a whole new dimension to their supply chain throughput with the help of a total upgrade to their pallet wrapping system.

With an old stretch wrap machine that was hardly taking care of business, staff were lining up the use the wrapper, according to GM for the Australian and New Zealand supply chain Joseph Dalo.

“It was like Pitt Street,” Dalo joked.

As part of his mission to continuously improve operations, Dalo commissioned the Australian pallet and container specialists CHEP to audit the overall situation and come up with a viable solution, and the results have been staggering.

CHEP’s solution was to install a new Lanotech SLA4000, the highest speed pallet wrapper available on the market with a throughput of 120 palates per hour.

It integrates seamlessly into the Cerebos operations, and will ultimately facilitate 17 lines feeding into the single wrapper without skipping a beat.

“It’s part of our overall strategy,” Dalo explained.

“Pallets will come down the line and go straight through the wrapper.

“It had to be quick enough to make sure it could keep pulling the pallets through.

“We have a stretch wrapper now that can handle our capacity.

“As soon as the pallets are manufactured they’re wrapped, put away and the job is done.”

The new system also means fewer forklift movements on the factory floor, always a good way to improve safety for pedestrians and drivers alike.

Aside from its blistering pace, one of the best aspects of the SLA4000 is it’s a ‘smart’ machine.

It integrates with Cerebos’ existing warehouse

24 | Logistics&MaterialsHandling July 2014

management software, and can automatically generate labels and apply them to the exterior of the wrapped pallet load.

The result is an increase in inventory accuracy, a reduction in damage and a reduction in ‘miss-picks’ through mislabelling.

The new wrapper is also more energy efficient than its predecessors, which means further savings on energy costs.

From an environmental point of view, less wrapping means fewer carbon emissions.

“Cerebos is a signatory to the Australian Packaging Covenant and we’ve committed to reducing our packaging each year – the wrapper enables us to reduce packaging,” Dalo said.

Dalo emphasised the relationship between Cerebos and CHEP, ongoing thanks to the maintenance that CHEP provides for its machines.

“I look at a relationship in terms of value add,” Dalo said.

“Everyone can do price – it’s what you can do next, it’s about the value add.

“This stretch wrapper is a classic example of that: There’s no capital outlay, and it’s an integrated solution.

“The service agreement means it’s fully maintained because it includes servicing and film. It helps us because we don’t have to worry about it.” logisticsmagazine.com.au

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packaging

There’s more to pack integrity than meets the eye The days of careless wrapping of packaged food and drink bound for retail are all but over, as large supermarket and grocery chains force ever greater liabilities on suppliers who take short cuts, writes Nelson Joyce & Co’s Nelson Joyce.

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ith packaging integrity such a key factor for product placed on shelves, the tiniest blemish or dent during transit renders an item ‘un-sellable’, and the burden is instantly shifted back by powerful retailers to the supplier.

There are so many examples, but bottled water and other drinks is an excellent case in point.

Deep down the majority of operators view their packaging as a cost impost rather than an asset, and this sets off problems.

The solution, though, is rather more straightforward. Although each case will differ, it is simply a matter of being shown ‘how’.

There is a proper, ‘engineered’ approach to packaging that is designed to ensure any business can derive a good margin at all levels – being mindful that there is a chain of events that make up the packing and transporting process.

The likes of Coles, Woolworths and other powerful retail giants have very strict rejection criteria to protect their own quality standards and aesthetics, so suppliers need to be wary of the situation.

There is such strong competition to be on the shelf space of the retail giants, so the retailers themselves have to protect their own visual standards and bottled drinks are a very good example of a product line that’s often rejected and returned to suppliers.

As a packaging specialist, we are regularly consulted by suppliers whose palletised goods have suffered some sort of change before or during shipment and thus paid the price. For instance, if a mineral water supplier’s pallet moved under its shrink wrap during transport and bottles were bumped so that, say, the tops and necks were bent inwards, the retailer will not place them on the shelves, it will reject the pallet, plus it is highly likely to charge for the space on the shelves reserved for it.

logisticsmagazine.com.au

It may sound like rough justice, but the retailers run operations based on margins and quantity sales and will not have time to replace that product with anything else, so the supplier suffers the penalty – which is likely to be written into the agreement.

The importance of an engineered approach is even more prominent in the regional areas where freighting takes even longer and a Plan B is almost always out of the question.

It is like a demurrage cost in the transport game where the stock movement failures by one party will not be suffered as incurred charges by another.

Even an evaluation of a packaging line – which is an inexpensive exercise – can identify so many shortfalls and provide answers as to how a supplier can professionalise, increase quality and speed up its own packaging and delivery systems.

Various emerging packaging technologies can protect against such incidents; cheap stretch wrap should be avoided, versatile and cost-identifiable

machines can replace slow, wasteful and substandard manual wrapping.

Retail-ready packaging often is ignored because of the multi-faceted approach it requires; for instance, fill form and seal/rewind films and machines, barrier products, carton liners, separation sheets, crate liners, carcass covers and all other manner of products are affordable and can make the ultimate difference in maintaining a profitable supply line free of mishaps.

Again, the bottled water sector is such a good case study on this issue. A place that packs bottled water needs to ensure its product is presented to customers in a uniform way. The moment a single item moves out of alignment during transit, it can pop out and cause damage to more of the shipment – and bear in mind this type of item can be moved five or six times depending on its final destination.

From warehouse to secondary handlers and finally to retailers, restaurants and cafes, it is multi-handled and suppliers need to protect the integrity and clarity of each pack, making sure no deformation takes place.

Once plastic bottle necks are turned inwards, they are harder to stock properly. Even to take a basic re-evaluation of their heat-induced wrapping systems can make an enormous difference. In some cases, we have found that reducing heat from 200°C to 175°C and increasing the rate of pack movements through blow formers and fillers etc will optimise your bundle shrink systems and positively affect overall productivity and transport quality.

We have seen in so many food and beverage handling plants that making such straightforward analysis of the entire supply procedure can increase speed and efficiency by 30 percent, plus protect the packaging integrity.

Nelson Joyce & Co is an importer, converter and distributors of flexible packaging products, based in Sydney’s Seven Hills.

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transport&logistics

The end result: A shiny, B-Double prime mover after only 15 minutes

A new era in cleanliness Karcher and Linfox have joined forces to set the new speed benchmark for washing a prime mover.

Ben Hagemann writes.

L

infox has recently upped the ante on truck maintenance, ushering in a new era in standards of cleanliness for their assets running through Port Hedland.

With construction recently completed, Linfox’s newest industrial truck wash has been put through its paces, and has cut the wash time on a prime mover B-double from five hours down to 15 minutes for a general wash.

The wash system was designed by a number of partners from Australia and Germany working in close consultation to assist Ken Harrison, business development manager for Karcher, and car and truck washing industry professional for 16 years.

“It’s a very personal design,” Harrison told LMH. “This is the first of its type that Karcher has done, and it’s absolutely sensational.”

26 | Logistics&MaterialsHandling July 2014

Problems on the Road When Linfox chairman Peter Fox first brought the brief to Cameron Mole, Karcher’s Managing Director, it had to be recognised that there were a number of problems associated with running heavy haulage in the Pilbara region.

“It depends on the season,” Harrison said.

“First there is the mud. In the wet season you can have around 300 kilograms of mud stuck underneath a single truck.

“The mud gets stuck to the drive trains, the sump of the motor, gearbox, transfer cases, diffs, and of course the parts are insulated by the mud which prevents them from cooling properly.

“The oils and lubricants can get too hot to properly function, and this was destroying the drive trains, they just can’t breathe properly with mud stuck all over them, so

getting that mud off was the first issue.”

The second problem was the heat during summer, with trucks coming in off the road at soaring temperatures from 60 to 80 degrees.

Harrison pointed out that the trucks needed to be cooled down before bringing any chemicals or detergents into the mix.

“You can’t put washing detergents on a hot vehicle, it cooks it on, it goes all streaky and wrecks the paint,” he said.

The other problem encountered in dry conditions was the presence of iron ore dust, ever-present in a heavy mining region such as the Pilbara.

“During the dry season the iron ore dust gets into everything, brakes, brake drums, the various connections and bearings, it’s highly abrasive and capable of destroying everything under the truck.” logisticsmagazine.com.au

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transport&logistics

Out with the old, in with the new The old truck wash at the Port Hedland depot was in a pretty sorry state when Ken Harrison went up to quote the Linfox job.

The whole operation consisted of a pressure cleaner, buckets and brooms and a concrete pad.

Over the course of almost 12 months Harrison and the Karcher team designed a system that was customised to deal with the rigours of outback long haulage issues, but also designed to be suitable for the region in a way that ensured no environmental impact would result from operation.

With the help of Melbourne building contractor John Courtney of Bolte Bay Industries, after about a month of construction the end result was a state-of –the-art truck wash bay that immediately improved the speed of washing by a factor of 20.

Solutions in soap The entire truck wash system at Port Hedland was custom built to cope with the pressures of outback haulage.

In the first stage, a dirty truck that’s fresh from the road passes through a system of cooling, or dousing arches, which spray on 750 litres per minute of cold water in order to cool the truck panels down from soaring Pilbara road temperatures, allowing the use of chemicals and detergents without damaging the paintwork.

Next the truck passes over the underbody wash, for eroding the hundreds of kilograms of

Dousing arches cool the truck surface down from soaring Pilbara temperatures

Pilbara mud and abrasive iron ore dust from the undercarriage.

This stage includes “sidespinners” which deal with muck that gets caked into the wheels and on the sides of the truck, running at 350 litres per minute each.

The key stage of cleaning is a manual washing system, with upstairs and downstairs gantry

on both sides that enables four staff to clean at once, two up and two down, with a Karcher HD-C Multistack Pump unit, feeding four washguns that can be pulled along the gantries, for hosing down and injecting detergents to wash the muck off the truck.

The final stage before exit is a rinsing arch to ensure a sparkling finish on the prime mover.

A new era for truck washing

The old truck wash in Port Hedland, extremely basic and time consuming

logisticsmagazine.com.au

Harrison said he has been involved in the car and truck wash business for around 16 years, and has worked with Karcher since 1984, but this is the biggest and most satisfying project he’s ever been involved with.

“Absolutely, it’s the biggest thing I’ve ever done, it’s absolutely sensational, but on top of that it runs like clockwork,” he said.

“The word from Linfox was that it sets the benchmark for truck washes for Linfox Australia.”

It is understood that Linfox has plans for two more truck washes, including an upgrade at Port Augusta, and a greenfield site at Newman, which will utilise the same technology.

“A lot of the gear we’ve used in this installation came from my previous job sites, drawing on all the key experiences, used in hundreds of car and truck dealerships installations around Australia,” Harrison said.

“We’ve used a lot of the technology that I’ve brought across in the last year and a half to put this all together and design the beach pits.

July 2014 Logistics&MaterialsHandling | 27

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transport&logistics

The real heart of the recycling system is what Harrison calls the beach pits, a low tech alternative to reverse osmosis.

In essence, everything from the 30m long washbay flows sideways into the beach pit, which runs alongside the truck wash.

The pit is used to settle out sand and heavy iron ore from the water, which passes through a series of baffles, resulting in 80 per cent of the water being recycled for reuse in the wash system.

Harrison has also designed an ingenious system for ensuring the water is kept at safe temperatures to prevent bacterial growth, to ensure health and hygiene for workers who also have to deal with washing roadkill from the vehicles, but he has told LMH that this is a trade secret.

Capital expenditure

The main pump system, mounted inside an easily transportable sea container

“The settling systems for the iron ore dust, there’s no other system like that, it was personally designed by myself, and it works 150 per cent, the water is absolutely spot on.”

Looking after the environment The key to sustainability for the system is in water management and recycling.

All water from the wash is drained to a beach pit, which runs alongside the truck wash.

“The beach pit is like a huge swimming pool.

It’s the pre-settling system for all the mud and muck that comes of the truck,” Harrison said.

Conventional big budget systems work by taking the dirty water and running it through a water recycling plant using reverse osmosis and chemicals and flocculants, however some of these systems run at a very high cost, around $700,000 for the initial build, followed by expensive ongoing running costs.

However, the new Karcher system has integrated a low-tech approach for keeping costs down, while maintaining the ordinary mineral content of the water.

“My theory was to settle all the oil and mud out of the water in-ground manually, then process it through a water recycler, without using chemicals at all,” he said.

“This reduces cost considerably, by hundreds of thousands each year.”

Key considerations were that Port Hedland has no stormwater or sewerage connections, with all waste water going into tanks or seepage pits 28 | Logistics&MaterialsHandling July 2014

underground, and the water tables are also quite shallow, sometimes only a single metre deep from the surface.

The system cannot allow any hydrocarbons to get into the shallow local water tables, so it functions as a closed loop, with regular waste disposal.

LMH understands that a system like this can cost around $450,000 to $500,000 for full installation, with added costs for building and infrastructure over two million.

The end result is a system that washes 20 times faster than the old ‘hose and broom’ system, with the ability to wash a single truck and trailer in 15 minutes, a rate that can be kept up all day and night if necessary.

“When you consider a single truck can be worth 1.2 million, it’s a cost effective outlay,” Harrison said.

The gantry system enables workers to operate washguns from above and below the truck

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transport&logistics

Bintech’s monitoring system is easily installed to existing fuel tanks

Satellite monitoring provides real-time email and text alerts

More measurement accuracy New technology is automating the fuel monitoring process.

F

uel is the lifeblood of the mining industry. Every part of the industry relies on it to keep moving.

In Western Australia alone, the iron ore sector is believed to churn through more than three million litres of diesel fuel in a single day, as the many massive sites run their equipment such as trucks and light vehicles, as well as other pieces of heavy machinery.

Despite the halt on the proposed slashing of the diesel fuel rebate tax scheme, the availability and efficient use of fuel on site is still crucial to maintain ongoing operations.

At most sites, this role is the responsibility of an operations or inventory manager, who manually checks the quantity of fuel in tanks and schedule delivery from local fuel providers, when appropriate.

However as mine sites develop they have updated and streamlined their operations, which has seen on some cases, manual tank level checking become more sporadic, logisticsmagazine.com.au

which can lead to dangerously low fuel levels on site.

This is compounded by the fact that a number of Australian mines are fairly remote and issues of supply are more prevalent.

Companies can lose several days of production and hundreds of thousands of dollars while waiting for fuel to be delivered to their site, depending on the operation’s remoteness.

In some cases these fuel contractors can be up to 200 to 300 kilometres away, and fuel runs have to be scheduled days in advance in order to have a continuous fuel supply.

But one company is now addressing this issue.

At the request of Australian miners, Bintech Systems, a manufacturer of level sensors, and Skyrima, a US based develop of M2M Solutions, have developed a fuel level monitoring solution for these remote miners.

“The automation of tank level monitoring reduces the burden of

manual checks and also allows managers to have a more accurate picture of fuel stocks,” Bintech Australia’s general manager George Benca explained.

“It also reduces the number of incidents where you find yourself with dangerously low levels of fuel.”

The Bintech system is based on M2M satellite communications, as “this allows the solutions to be installed virtually anywhere without the worry of cellular coverage,” Benca said, and overcomes the lack of cellular communication around fuel tanks.

M2M satellite usage has also simplified installations, as the terminal does not need specialised ‘pointing’, thereby eliminating the need for installations by technicians specialising in satellite communications.

Now operators receive an email or text message when an event occurs, such as getting water in the fuel or fuel in the tank has crossed the high/low thresholds Around the tank, an audible and

visible alarm lets nearby workers know that the tank is in a state of alarm, and allows them to act on it.

Alarms are also triggered during the tank’s filling if there is a danger of the ullage being exceeded.

The system even provides an early warning of potential leaks if an unaccountable reduction in the fuel tank content is recorded.

The high and low tank level thresholds are site configurable to meet the operator’s needs.

In addition to the operational benefits, the tank monitoring system also provides increased health and safety aspects.

Instead of requiring workers to climb the diesel tank and use a dipstick to figure out the approximate level of fuel in the tank, the solution now automates the measurement process.

“Not only has the risk of personal injury been eliminated, the reduction in inaccurate readings and miscalculations has led to better fuel management processes,” Benca added.

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masterclass

Barcode versus RFID: What’s the difference?

RFID and barcode are engineered to deliver specific information about products as they move from incoming materials to the production line and finally through to distribution. But which one is right for your application?

I

ndustries are facing fierce market competition, making product consistency and customer satisfaction cornerstones of today’s industrial automation. Companies are striving for any competitive edge.

To satisfy these initiatives, products must be verified to ensure the highest quality – from material verification and production to delivery. Consequently, today’s fastpaced manufacturing and processing environments rely on highly precise product identification, monitoring and tracking.

RFID vs. Barcode: A technology comparison Currently, two solutions/ technologies rule the marketplace for industrial track and trace: barcode/2D matrix and radio frequency identification (RFID).

Both are engineered for the same purpose: to deliver specific information about products as they move from incoming materials to the production line and finally through to distribution. Utilising separate operating principles and tracking methods, RFID and barcode technologies each have 30 | Logistics&MaterialsHandling July 2014

RFID offers a more sophisticated approach for track and trace applications

their own distinct advantages and purposes.

Barcode Barcode technology provides more of a legacy solution for product monitoring, and is an optical machine readable representation of data that is physically attached to a product and stores information about that object.

Originally, barcodes conveyed data by varying the widths and spacings of parallel lines, presented in linear or one dimensional shapes – similar to what one sees on a retail product. In recent years, barcodes have evolved to include rectangles, dots, hexagons and other two-dimensional shapes for increased application compatibility and readability. However, barcodes are read only, therefore users cannot add to the information written on to the barcode as production continues.

Though barcodes have progressed, they still face challenges that limit their suitability for many industrial applications. For instance, to obtain readings and access data, barcodes require line-of-sight with the reader, which means a product must be properly aligned in order for a barcode reader to identify the product by its code.

Though barcodes are not ideal for all industrial and processing applications, they do provide the necessary performance capabilities required for commercial use.

They are typically less expensive and simplistic, and they are a universal technology for commercial applications.

RFID As an alternative to barcode, RFID offers a more sophisticated approach for track and trace applications. RFID is capable of intelligent, advanced

data management that enhances product visibility throughout production and distribution.

Further, since RFID enables users to both read and write information on the tag – even at diverse distances – RFID provides the capabilities and flexibility to accommodate a wider range of applications.

RFID systems contain three parts: the tag, transceiver and the interface. Tags can be active (uses a battery) or passive reflecting the signal back to the transceiver, which is often called a reader. The interface is the means of communicating the data from the tag to a screen or a data collection device such as a computer or a controller.

The transceiver is used to read the RFID tag, and an I/O device will communicate information on the tag with the enterprise or higher-level control system. RFID tags contain internal circuitry that respond logisticsmagazine.com.au

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masterclass PRESENTED BY

to be read at once rather than scanning item by item. Further, each tag contains a unique serial code, which allows a product to be scanned and tracked throughout the entire manufacturing process.

With its communication capabilities, RFID can provide realtime tracking to allow for maximum data availability and accessibility.

By integrating with common Advantages of RFID Learn more at The versatility in performance industrial networking protocols, www.turck.com.au capabilities offered with RFID such as PROFIBUS-DP®, DeviceNet™ enables this technology | N E T W Oand | C O N N ERFID S E N Sto O Rbe S used R KIndustrial S | R F I D Ethernet, C T I Vallows ITY | INTRINSIC SAFETY in situations where barcodes or manufacturers to optimise data other optically read alternatives are management. impractical. Unlike conventional Additionally, RFID data carriers track and trace methods, RFID tags also provide a large quantity of read are not required to be placed on the or write operations with high speeds, Barcodes face challenges that limit their suitability for many industrial surface of an object because they do ultimately increasing tracking applications not require line-of-sight to obtain capabilities to improve operations. an accurate reading.

RFID offers increased memory This advantage can be especially This allows information to be added/ Instead, RFID tags can be storage over barcode options, with important in applications that edited on the tag as it moves through embedded into the product, FRAM data carriers processing data directly impact the health and production rather than having to which still offers the desired up to ten times faster, enabling it to safety of consumers, such as food include a new tag for each additional reliability without being subjected withstand more write operations, and pharmaceutical manufacturing. variable. to environmental elements. some even up to one billion cycles.

Plus, by ensuring consistent product Further, since read/write tags can Additionally, RFID tags are offered RFID’s ability to monitor materials quality, RFID can aid in preserving store more information, it enables in a wide range of sizes and come in so closely during production a business’s public impression and faster processing, satisfying today’s virtually any housing style, and offer eliminates the risk of human error customer satisfaction. high-speed applications. Plus, since read and write abilities that can also during production. By tracking While barcode technology offers a read/write tags can be completely be read from diverse distances. one product through the entire read-only solution, RFID can provide erased and reused, they reduce In addition to its longevity and manufacturing process, users can users with read and write flexibility. equipment costs. durability, RFID is also fast and quickly identify if a component has accurate – increasing efficiency skipped a stage. Further, storing and productivity. The read time is detailed information about a given typically less than 100 milliseconds, product prevents counterfeit materials allowing large quantities of tags from entering the stream of commerce. to a radio frequency field that is provided by the transceiver. During operation, when the RFID tag passes through the field of the transceiver, it detects the signal from the antenna. This activates the RFID tag, signaling it to transmit or receive information on its microchip.

Mil-Spec Cordsets

Overmolded and made-to-length for robust connectivity in the harshest applications.

RFID provides the capabilities and flexibility to accommodate a wider range of applications

logisticsmagazine.com.au

Users cannot add to the information written on to the barcode as production continues

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AUTOMATIC ORDER FULFILMENT SYSTEMS The CASI Order Fulfilment & Warehouse Automation Systems are unique in that hardware, software, and controls are built in house. Each system is built from a long list of standard products and configured to the application. Systems are fully built and tested before shipping and installation. Our modular approach to systems allows customers the ability to start with a system that meets today's needs and add more to an existing system as their business needs change. We have expertise that allows flexibility & we have the ability to support systems both locally and remotely.

Our systems include the integration of:

• Conveyor Systems - 24volt • Sortation Systems • Cubing Systems

• • • •

Checkweighers • Labelling Manifesting Systems • Robotics Picking Systems • Intelligent Box Barcode/RFID Opening Device

• Controls and Engineering • WCS Software • A Frame Dispensers

Cubing & Weighing Systems

Intelligent Box Opening Device – IBOD

Innovative Sortation Systems

Shipping Systems

Automatic A-Frame Dispensing Systems

System Conveyors

Checkweigh/Cubing Systems

Manifesting & Sortation

All systems are fully built and tested at our facility before they are shipped and installed.

Sortation Conveyors

1300 79 22 17 www.cornerstoneautosys.com.au sales@cornerstoneautosys.com.au CASI ANZ Pty Ltd, BRISBANE, SYDNEY, MELBOURNE

Australia Wide Service LMH1407CASI