Manufacturers Monthly Feb 2011 Issue

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS IN MAY 2011 manmonthly.com.au

Est. 1961

INSIDEIndustry News >> Coming Events >> Latest Products >> Industry Opinion>> Motors & Drives >> Automation & Robotics >> Metalworking & Machine Tools>> Recruitment & Training >> CAD/CAM & PLM >> Warehousing & Distribution

BRAVO BEER >>Bluetongue builds $120mstate-of-the-art brewery

February 2011

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manmonthly.com.au Manufacturers’ Monthly FEBRUARY 2011 3

InsideFEBRUARY 2011 For daily news visit manmonthly.com.au

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Behind the coverTHE quality standard of ifm products isan integral part of the company’s phi-losophy, and the new LMT level sensoris no exception. The LMT features fac-tory settings for different media types,making adjustment unnecessary, evenfor viscous and sticky products suchas ketchup. The sensor also ignoresfoam and build-up. The hygienic pointlevel sensor LMT with complementaryoutput features a maintenance-free

sealing concept and stainless steelhousing. Thanks to its orientation-inde-pendent installation it is easy to mount.The LMT level sensor safely monitorsthe level in storage tanks or protectspumps from running dry. Its compactsensor tip allows integration even insmall DN25 pipes.The food-grade sen-sor features high-quality housing mate-rials including stainless steel andPEEK. Visit www.ifm.com/au

EditorSarah FalsonPh: (02) 9422 2480 Fax (02) 9422 [email protected] DangPh: (02) 9422 2964 Fax (02) 9422 [email protected] JohnsonPh: (02) 9422 2325 Fax (02) 9422 [email protected] DesignerRonnie [email protected] DirectorJulie CoughlanProduction Co-ordinatorMary CoplandPh: (02) 9422 [email protected]/Overseas SalesMichael NorthcottPO Box 3069 Eltham VIC 3095Ph: 0448 077 [email protected] NSW SalesAnthony HeadTower 2, 475 Victoria Avenue,Chatswood, NSW 2067.Ph: (02) 9422 2368 Fax: (02) 9422 2722Mobile: 0414 644 [email protected] SalesSharon AmosPO Box 3136, Bracken Ridge QLD 4017Ph: (07) 3261 8857 Fax: (07) 3261 8347Mobile: 0417 072 [email protected]/NT & WA SalesReed Business InformationPh: (02) 9422 2368 [email protected] PublisherMichelle GravesPh: (02) 9422 [email protected] Office Tower 2, 475 Victoria Avenue,Chatswood NSW 2067 Locked Bag 2999 Chatswood DC Chatswood 2067Ph: (02) 9422 2999 Fax: (02) 9422 2966Published 11 times a year Subscriptions $140.00 per annum. (inc GST)Overseas prices applyPh: 1300 360 126Printed by Geon Impact Printing69 – 79 Fallon Street, Brunswick VIC 3056Ph: (03) 9387 7477

ABN 80 132 719 861Average Net DistributionPeriod ending Sept’1015,273ISSN 0025-2530

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS IN MAY 2011 manmonthly.com.au

Est. 1961

INSIDEIndustry News >> Coming Events >> Latest Products >> Industry Opinion

>> Motors & Drives >> Automation & Robotics >> Metalworking & Machine Tools

>> Recruitment & Training >> CAD/CAM & PLM >> Warehousing & Distribution

BRAVO BEER >>Bluetongue builds $120mstate-of-the-art brewery

February 2011

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4 Editorial■ Helping those in need.

6 Comment■ Manufacturing a safer

workplace.

8 Analysis News■ Endeavour Awards deadline

extended: nominate now!■ Combating product piracy

in Australia.■ Bluetongue builds $120m

brewery.

18 IT@MM■ Simulation: promise versus

reality.■ Cloud now on design’s horizon.■ Turning ideas into results.

22 HR & Recruitment■ Skills shortage set to rise.■ Demand for engineers rising.■ Training drives Advance Metal

Products’ success.

26 What’s New■ New manufacturing products

for your plant.

36 Automation & Robotics■ Finding the right robot foryour use.■ Size no obstacle for 3D system.■ No tangle cables for

industrial robots.

40 Motors & Drives■ Keeping motors running.■ High force-to-size ratios in linear actuator.

45 Metalworking & MachineTools■ In the mood for metal.■ Precision measurement &

CMMS.

49 Materials Handling■ BMW drives DC overhaul.■ Economical raised flooring.■ Crown launches its first IC

lift truck.

22 20

49

Training drives company’s success.

4 FEBRUARY 2011 Manufacturers’ Monthly manmonthly.com.au

SARAH FALSON – Editor [email protected]

TWENTY-TWO people havebeen found dead*, andcountless victims are

harmed, after some of the mostfrightening floods in historyswept through Queensland andVictoria last month.

Billions of dollars worth ofinfrastructure, housing and prop-erty is ruined. Hundreds of busi-nesses are affected, with numer-ous either out-of-action whilethey patch-up their records, ortotally wiped-out without a hopeof playing in the market beforethe financial year is out.

IBISWorld estimates the floodswill subtract 0.6 percentagepoints from our previous GDPforecast for the third quarter of2010–11 (which ends March 31).No doubt, the floods are alreadyhaving a significant impact onthe Australian economy.

Estimates show that the floods will result in $2 billion in lost coking coal production,and a further $1.6 billion worth of crops.

Add to this approximately18,000 residential and commer-cial properties being significant-ly affected in Brisbane andIpswich, while productivity inthe Brisbane CBD was complete-ly halted for a time, affectingcommercial construction and

delaying important deals withbusinesses in other states.

Australian manufacturers areabout to experience a ‘mini busi-ness boom’. Affected companiesare going to need replacementmachinery, maintenance person-nel, construction and safetyequipment to get their business-es back up and running.

Anyone who manufacturesindustrial-grade cleaning prod-ucts is about to get an influx ofbusiness while Queenslandersattempt to re-build their plants,one foot of water at a time. Someplants won’t even be salvageable– some will need to re-build from

scratch and will also need newautomation systems, IT equip-ment and extra safety measures.

But while we’re looking atimages of the disaster and wait-ing for the phone to ring withnew orders, why don’t we all takea moment to think of how we canhelp those in need, rather thansimply taking their money.

It’s no secret the Australianmanufacturing industry hastaken some hard knocks over thepast three years, but it’s also awell-known fact that it is madeup of a tight-knit group of indi-viduals who are passionate abouttheir businesses and what they

can offer their customers.Bravo to the Australian

Industry Group, which has reacted quickly and launched aweb page designed to connectthose affected by the floods with those willing to help(www.aigroup.com.au/indus-tryconnections/findhelp.php).Fifteen companies were listed onthe site at the time this maga-zine went to press, all offeringfree or discounted equipment,and free or discounted services,to those affected by the floods.

I hope that this column willencourage more companies togive a little to those so down ontheir luck.

The team members atManufacturers’ Monthly wouldlike to send their best wishesand condolences to those busi-nesses and individuals affectedby the floods in Queensland and Victoria.

We will also be publishingnews of discounted and freegoods on our website, at no cost,in a bid to make a difference tothose in need.

Send your notices to us at thebelow email. As always, every lit-tle bit counts.

(*Figures correct at time ofprinting.)

[email protected]

There are various ways manufacturerscan help those affected by the floods.

The Queensland and Victoria floods during January reaped havoc on Australian businesses across

the East, but the manufacturing community is banding together to lend a hand to those in need.

EditorialHelping those in need


CommentMARK GOODSELL – NSW Director Australian Industry Group [email protected]

BAC Drawer Storage Modules

BAC Workplace Systems

BAC Mobile Workbenches & Tooltrolleys

BAC Racking & Shelving Systems

BAC Dust Suppression Cabinets

BAC Systems Pty. Limited193-195 Power St Glendenning NSW 2761 Australia

Tel. (02) 9832 2777 Fax (02) 9675 3645

www.bacsystems.com.au

BY this time next year, allAustralian businesses arelikely to be working under

a new set of workplace healthand safety laws.

The introduction of modelnational WHS laws in 2012 willbring a renewed focus on work-place safety in at least two ways.

Firstly, the new laws includeconcepts that will require man-agement attention.

And secondly, the regime willbe expected to deliver saferworkplaces if it is to survive thefragile political consensus onwhich it relies.

Amid the debate over laws,consistency and natural justicefor employers, we sometimes risklosing sight of the end game:safer workplaces.

So how is manufacturing per-forming relative to other high-risk industries?

It is not well-known thatAustralia has a national OHSstrategy for 2002–2012, agreedby all governments.

It includes targets to reducework-related fatalities by at least20% over that decade, and theincidence of serious injury(resulting in a week or more offwork) by at least 40%.

We are doing well in reducingfatalities, although the numbersare low and can be volatile over time.

The serious injury figures aretherefore taken as a more usefulguide to overall performance inreducing risks and harm at work,and there we are falling short.

In the seven years to 2008–09,we reduced serious injuries by21.8% in all industries – justover half the ten-year target.

The national OHS strategy pri-oritised five industries for theachievement of the national tar-gets, one of which was manufac-turing. These areas employ 34% of wor-kers but produce54% of claims.

Manufacturing has reducedinjuries by 21%. Significantly, itsoverall injury rate was equalhighest of all sectors mid-waythrough the decade until amarked fall in 2007-08. However,injury rates in manufacturingstill remain above those for construction.

About one in five manufactur-ing injuries are to hands, and

back injuries are at a similar level.

Manual handing and slips,trips and falls cause 60% of all injuries.

Many companies and some spe-cific sectors in manufacturinghave made extraordinaryimprovements in their safetyperformance and culture inrecent years. Zero harm goals arebeing set and achieved.

However, as an industry westill have some way to go.

We should never underesti-mate the value of the leadershipwe can all provide on safety,not only in our own workplace,but also on an industry basisthrough our supply chain andcustomer base.

That’s when we’ll know we arewalking the talk.

Mark Goodsell is NSW director of the Australian Industry Group.Visit www.aigroup.com.au

Zero harm goals are being set for industrial workplaces and in many locations

they are being achieved. Mark Goodsell writes for Manufacturers’ Monthly.

Manufacturing a safer workplace

Comment at manmonthly.com.au

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MANUFACTURING enter-prises across a widevariety of industries are

increasingly finding that imple-mentation of sustainability pro-grams can deliver substantialbenefits, not only for the envi-ronment, but also in relation toproductivity improvement andthe bottom line.

Add to this a smart employeeinvolvement system to get work-ers involved, and one Australiancar manufacturer has seen posi-tive results in both revenue andengagement.

At its fully-integrated manu-facturing plant in the Melbournesuburb of Altona, where theCamry, Hybrid Camry and V6Aurion are built, Toyota Australiaproduced a record 96,817 vehi-cles and 95,873 engines in 2009.

The company’s direct environ-

mental impacts include energyand water consumption, emis-sions from energy use, volatileorganic compound emissionsfrom the use of paint, waste gen-eration, and indirect emissionsfrom transporting vehicles and

parts. Toyota Australia’sEnvironment ManagementSystem (TEMS) is the key busi-ness system used to manageenvironmental risks, ensure legalcompliance and promote continu-ous improvement.

According to environment poli-cy manager, Jon Ward, TEMS is ahuman system that engagesemployees to help Toyota man-age its environmental footprint.

“Each manufacturing shop atthe plant has a TEMS team andemployees on that team areresponsible for identifying,developing and implementingprojects that will improveToyota’s environmental perform-ance,” he explained.

“Many of the initiatives thathave significantly reduced ener-gy use, water consumption, andimproved recycling rates at theplant have been generated by employees.

“During the global financialcrisis we made use of non-pro-duction days to run site-widetraining including clean produc-tion/environmental awarenesstraining to employees to helpthem to manage their individualenvironmental footprint and bet-ter contribute to site-wide TEMS initiatives.”

With a strong focus on continu-ous improvement, significantresults are being achieved acrossthe Altona manufacturing plant

operations, including thePowertrain Shop, Press Shop,Weld Shop, Paint Shop andAssembly Shop.

In the Powertrain Shop forexample, wastewater generatedthrough cleaning metal dies waspreviously treated off-site at acost of 31c per litre. Now it isdiverted to an onsite treatmentplant before being discharged tosewer, resulting in savings of$15,405 pa. Also, there was nomethod for reclaiming coolantfrom swarf, the coolant was goingto waste at high cost, and therewas a low return on loose swarf.

Powertrain Shop manager,Steve Lampard, says that everyday approximately 800 litres ofcoolant is now reused and 2.5tonnes of aluminium briquettesis diverted from the wastestream and sold to a recycler,resulting in total savings of$607,000 pa and a return oninvestment of just 6 months.

Action to improve materialyield in the panel Press Shopfocussed on cutting the steel asclose to the actual part dimen-sion as possible. In 2005/06521.09 Kg of steel was neededper vehicle, whereas for 2009/10507.85 Kg was needed, providinga total saving of $21.48 per vehi-cle. In addition, changes toenable compressed air to be sup-plied from the Paint Shop ratherthan from an old compressor inthe Press Shop, have delivered atotal saving of $3.43 per vehicle.

According to Press Shop man-ager, Graeme Temperley, PressShop productivity has improved40% percent in 4 years.

Major advances have also beenachieved in the Weld Shop byreducing by 50 percent theamount of copper tips used by203 robots to weld vehicle bod-ies, resulting in total savings paof $529,827.

Also, action is being taken to reduce electricity, gas andwater usage in the Paint Shop,already resulting in savingstotalling $27,305.

Toyota Australia www.toyota.com.au

AnalysisNEWS

During 2009/10 Toyota Australia's capitaland operating expenditure on environmental

protection was approximately $2.8 million.


Sustainability = bottom line benefitsBY HARTLEY HENDERSON

AFTER struggling througha hard year in 2010, theAustralian manufacturing

industry is quietly optimisticabout the year ahead, and theManufacturers’ MonthlyEndeavour Awards program isrewarding those who take advan-tage of the improving climate.

With a brand new award onoffer this year, bringing the totalnumber of categories to 13,there has never been a betterchance to win one of these coveted gongs.

Plus, Manufacturers’ Monthlyhas decided to extend the nomi-nation deadline to 21 February,giving all those stragglers moretime to organise their nomina-tions and take advantage of thispremier awards program.

The only national awardsspecifically for Australia’s manufacturing industry, theEndeavour Awards are designedto celebrate Australia’s manufac-turing achievements and inspireinnovation and success.

This year, we introduce a brandnew category, the Manufacturers’Monthly 50th AnniversaryAward, designed to celebrate themagazine’s 50th year providingall the latest news, opinions,analysis and new products.

The 50th Anniversary Awardrecognises the most innovativemanufacturing company 1961 to2011, including longevity in thebusiness, pioneering technologyand superior service to cus-tomers over a sustained period.

The Endeavour Awards is a

fantastic way to motivate youremployees, with past award nom-inations and wins boosting themorale and team spirit of work-ers, proud their efforts andachievements have been recognised.

The Endeavour Awards pro-gram, sponsored by BlueScopeSteel, now includes 13 cate-gories: Technology Application ofthe Year Award; EnvironmentalSolution of the Year Award;Safety Scheme of the YearAward; Exporter of the YearAward; Global IntegrationAward; Enterprise ConnectSignificant Achievement Award;Australian Consumer/TradeProduct of the Year; AustralianInnovative Steel Award; YoungManufacturer of the Year;

Manufacturers’ Monthly 50thAnniversary Award; LifetimeAchievement Award; and OverallManufacturer of the Year award.

The Awards ceremony will beheld at the RACV Club inMelbourne on 26 May, to coin-cide with NationalManufacturers’ Week 2011.

Entry is free, with informationand nomination forms availableat www.manmonthly.com/AwardsContact Margaret Tra on 02 9422 2759 or email

[email protected] for moreinformation or to enter.

AnalysisNEWS

Nominations have been extendedto 21 February.

Awards deadline extended!EVENTSMARCH1–3: National SCADA Conference 2011After positive feedback on the loca-tion of this year’s event, Sydney willhost the 10th Anniversary of theNational SCADA Conference atDoltone House, Darling Island Wharf.www.scada-conference.com.au

22–25: AUSPACK PLUS 2011AUSPACK PLUS is Australasia’sPremier International multi-platformExhibition of Packaging, Processingand Plastics Machinery, Materials andAssociated Technology. It will takeplace at the Melbourne Conventionand Exhibition Centre. Go towww.auspackplus.com.au

23–24: AIP Members Only NationalTechnical ForumThe Australian Institute of Packaging(AIP) will be holding its biennialMembers Only National TechnicalForum alongside AUSPACK PLUS2011 at the Melbourne Convention &Exhibition Centre. The theme will be‘The Packaging Supply Chain’. Visit www.aipack.com.au

APRIL5–7: Safety In ActionSafety in Action is one of a series ofsafety trade shows. Held inMelbourne, it is a leading event forOH&S and features the latest prod-ucts and services pertaining to safetymanagers. The event features all thelatest safety products and services.Visit www.thesafetyshow.com.au

MAY24–27: National ManufacturingWeek NMW 2011NMW 2011 in Melbourne will show-case all major aspects of the manu-facturing industry across ten special-ist zones – from welding, engineeringand IT to automation and robotics.Visit www.nationalmanufacturing-week.com.au

24–27: Ausplas 2011 AUSPLAS is Australasia’s only tradeshow for the plastics processingindustry and is the largest trade exhibition for the plastics industry in the Southern Hemisphere. It willrun concurrently with NMW 2011. Go to www.ausplas.com


Help us celebrate 50 years!Manufacturers’ Monthly is looking forvideos and photos that document theAustralian manufacturing industryover the last 50 years, to help us celebrate our 50th birthday in May!

Do you have old footage, imagesof factories, old advertising or anyother information about Australianmanufacturing from 1961 to the present that you could share?

Chosen entries will be used aspart of a video which we will puttogether to broadcast at our 50thAnniversary Endeavour Awards inMay. Successful entries will also bepublished in the special 50thAnniversary Issue of Manufacturers’Monthly in May.

Please contact the editor, SarahFalson, by email [email protected] by phoning 02 9422 2480.

We appreciate your support inmaking our 50th birthday the best ever!

EFIC holds key to exporting success

EXPORT Finance and InsuranceCorporation (EFIC) is proud tosponsor the 2011 EndeavourAwards’ ‘Exporter of the Year’award. The organisation has spon-sored the awards since their incep-tion in 2003 and is delighted toreward excellence amongAustralian manufacturers who aresucceeding in today’s very compet-itive world markets.

As the Australian Government’sexport credit agency, EFIC’s role isto help Australian exporters over-come the barriers they face when

growing their businesses overseas.EFIC works directly withexporters or their banks to pro-vide financial solutions that canassist exporters to free up theirworking capital or fund theirexport activities.

“For more than 50 years, EFIChas helped Australian manufactur-ers to take advantage of overseasopportunities and compete on theworld stage,” says Andrea Govaert,EFIC’s executive director, SME.

“Australian manufacturers oftenencounter considerable obstacles

when exporting or establishingglobal supply and distributionchains. With global financial mar-kets remaining volatile and creditfor exporters still tight, the last 12months have continued to be chal-lenging for Australian companiesexpanding overseas.

“The ‘Exporter of the Year’award acknowledges the innova-tion, hard work and determinationthat are needed to make a localmanufacturing business into aninternational success.”

EFIC 1800 887 588, www.efic.gov.au

Rubber, we can do anything with it.Mackay Consolidated Industries are one of Australia’s foremost suppliers of rubber products.

Since 1932 we have supplied engineered rubber and bonded metal/rubber products to the automotive industry.

We now supply quality products to defence, transport, construction and industrial markets.

Using the latest CAD and quality systems, we specialise in short runs. This allows our customers shorter lead times, continuity of supply and, because we are local, immediate

response to urgent orders.

We are certain that Mackay can provide a solution to your rubber requirements – it’s amazing just how fl exible we are.

T (03) 9555 6500

F (03) 9276 8882

E [email protected]

W mackayrubber.com.au

E X C E L L E N C E I N R U B B E R T E C H N O L O G YMAC007


MANUFACTURING in Australiacontinued to soften duringDecember, with few signs of anypick up according to the latestseasonally-adjusted AustralianIndustry Group – PwC AustralianPerformance of ManufacturingIndex (Australian PMI).

The PMI fell 1.3 points to 46.3,which remains well below the 50-point level of contraction.

Again, manufacturers citedweakening domestic demandtogether with the strongAustralian dollar and higherinterest rates as negativelyimpacting on growth.

Nine out of the twelve sub-sectors recorded declines inactivity, including clothing andfootwear, textiles and wood products, and furniture.

Australian Industry Groupchief executive, Heather Ridout,said: "The Australian PMI inDecember points to the manufac-turing sector losing ground andshowing few signs of upturn as it

finished the year on an ordinarynote. The continuation of flatconditions in the sector reflectsaccumulating structural pres-sures mounting on the industryalong with other trade-exposedsectors in the wake of the mining boom.

"These pressures look set tocontinue due to the strength ofcommodity prices and the levelsof investment we are seeing inthe mining sector. These forcesare pushing up the level of thedollar and expectations aboutthe directions of interest ratesand inflation. These structuralpressures need to be at the cen-tre of policy attention as we, as anation, grapple with the risks ofbecoming an unbalanced andinsufficiently diversified econo-my into the future.”

PwC global head of industrialmanufacturing, Graeme Billings,said: "While the manufacturingsector started 2010 with condi-tions improving strongly, sincearound March the sector sawfirst a slowing pace of growth

and, over the closing four monthsof the year, falls in levels ofactivity.

"In the face of these declinesin activity and the continuingslump in new orders, it is impera-tive that businesses continue tosearch for efficiencies, improve-

ments and innovative approachesto their markets, products andbusiness models.”

Manufacturing activity con-tracted in New South Wales,Victoria, South Australia andTasmania in December.

Ai Group www.aigroup.asn.au

AnalysisNEWS

Manufacturing softens in DecemberBY HARAS NOSLAF

E X C E L L E N C E I N R U B B E R T E C H N O L O G Y

Rubberis our blank sheet of paper.Solving problems is the core capability of Mackay and we have been doing it since 1932.

Our strength lies in our ability to design then mould rubber solutions for a vast range of business areas.

The working environment, performance and durability all play a critical role in developing a successful rubber component.

Mackay is Australia’s leading manufacturer of engineered rubber products, with expertise in defence, automotive, rail and marine industries.

Using the latest technology we can design, manufacture and produce prototypes or full production runs.

We are certain that Mackay can provide a solution to your rubber requirements – it’s amazing just how fl exible we are.

T (03) 9555 6500

F (03) 9276 8882

E [email protected]

W mackayrubber.com.au

MAC008


PIRACY of intellectualproperty and the copyingof products, particularly

emanating from China, is a continuing issue for many manufacturers.

Such products are often ofinferior quality, may not be soldwith the standard manufacturers’warranty, and technical supportcan be lacking.

Melbourne-based company,FCR Motion Technology, anAustralian distributor ofMotovario industrial gearboxes,recently released a new NMRVPower series of worm and heli-cal-worm Motovario gearboxesonto the Australian market.

According to the company’sdirector, Larry Rigoni, the newgearboxes have a distinctivepatented angular shape whichdiffers from the traditionalsquare look to differentiate thelatest range from unauthorisedcopies that have been introducedinto the market in recent times.

“About 15 years ago Motivariosought to have the aluminiumgearbox housings made in China.Their co-operation with the localsupplier did not last long, and itwas after this ended that thecopies began to appear on themarket. Some carried the origi-nal Motivario name, others wererebranded,” Rigoni toldManufacturers’ Monthly.

“Over the last seven years,copying of Motivario productshas become very prevalent andpatents appear to be ineffectivein China. These pirated productsare sometimes hard to pick and come onto the market some 30% cheaper that the original product.

“The quality of these productscan be inconsistent as the costsavings are often achieved by theuse if inferior materials andquality control is not alwaysautomated. Problems includeleaking oil seals, noisy bearings,porous casings, and prematurefailure of the bronze crown wheel.”

Protecting intellectualpropertyAi Group chief executive,Heather Ridout, says no compa-nies or sectors are immune to IPbreaches and recent internation-al cases have demonstrated this.

“The impact on businesses,including manufacturers, is greatas failure to properly protect IPcan easily result in copycat prod-ucts/processes and lead tolengthy and very expensive liti-gation to try and claim owner-ship,” she said.

“Ai Group is helping more andmore businesses to understandwhat constitutes IP and the needto protect it. While protecting IPrights in Australia is important,IP rights are jurisdictional, sothis doesn’t mean that a compa-ny is protected in all the marketsit manufactures in or exports to.

“It’s a complex regulatory envi-ronment, so when operatinginternationally it is also impor-tant to utilise experts – gothrough an attorney or agent inthe relevant country. It is impor-tant to search and file applica-tions in each country of interest.

“Although traditionally it hasbeen difficult to enforce IP inAsia, foreign companies are now

being increasingly successfulagainst copycats in China. Butit’s not all one-way. IP litigationin China grew by 35% from 2007to 2008. This has been driven byChinese companies suing foreignentities in China, to protect‘their’ IP.

“With more companies operat-ing in or exporting to China, IPAustralia has developed specificinformation on the challenges forprotecting IP in that country. Itis advised that before operatingin China, businesses shouldundertake an IP audit to accu-rately assess what needs to beprotected. It is then important todevelop strategies to protect acompany’s IP that are tailored toits individual situation and theunique challenges provided bythe Chinese IP environment.”

Market entry strategyChristopher Wright, Austrade’sSenior Trade Commissioner inShanghai, emphasises that pro-tection of a company’s intellectu-al property, trademarks and thelike, are a vital part of any mar-ket entry strategy.

“Austrade recommends thatcompanies familiarise them-selves with the Intellectual

Property Rights (IPR) protectionmechanisms and regulation inwhatever markets they are con-templating. This applies to Chinaas well as other markets,”Wright said.

“In the event of counterfeit-ing, which normally takes theform of misappropriating a company’s trademark,companies need to be able toaccess IPR protection measuresavailable under local law. Inmany markets, this may meanthat a company must take outlocal trademarks in order toaccess local IPR protections.

“While there have been somereported instances of counter-feiting of Australian goods inChina, this has not stopped com-panies from pursuing marketdevelopment and adoptingstrategies to counter IPRinfringements. Austrade andother agencies of the AustralianGovernment in China likewisemonitor IPR conditions in themarket, on occasion workingwith firms to develop approachesto specific IPR issues.”

Ai Group 02 6233 0700 www.aigroup.asn.au Austrade 13 28 78 www.austrade.gov.au

IP Australia 1300 65 1010www.ipaustralia.gov.au

AnalysisNEWS

Combating product piracyFacing product piracy is a reality for many Australian manufacturing companies in today’s

increasingly globalised industry where cheap imports are rife, Hartley Henderson writes.

Spot the counterfeit? It’sthe one on the left.

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WHEN the Bluetonguebeer brand was estab-lished in the 1990s, it

was a boutique, hand-craftedbrew with the stamp of the cre-ators’ local region.

The brain child of four Hunter-based entrepreneurs, the bever-age combined their passion fortheir local region and qualityAustralian beer.

In 2003, the foursome’s firstbrewery was built at CameronPark, Newcastle on New SouthWales’ central coast. Now, eightyears later, the team has gar-nered the backing of SABMillerand Coca-Cola Amatil’s joint-ven-ture, Pacific Beverages’, whichhas just re-located the CameronPark facility to a new, purpose-built, $120 million, state-of-the-art facility in the Hunter Valleyregion of Wyong.

This new premises is beinghailed as the most high-tech, sig-nificant brewery of its size inAustralia.

At five acres in size, with thepotential to double this over thenext year, the new brewery willcreate almost 150 jobs in theplant alone, and is estimated togrow to a $150 million invest-ment in under a decade.

The Bluetongue Brewery isreportedly one of the most sus-tainable breweries in Australia,and has water-saving and recy-cling measures in place at everystage of the brewing process.

The brewery manufactures thePeroni, Grolsch, Miller andBluetongue brands for distribu-tion around Australia. Thoughthe business already supplies upto 20% of the country’s premiumbeer needs, Pacific Beveragestechnical director, KevinHardman, says this could grow to40% in the near future.

“We are brewing 250,000 hec-talitres this year, and the plant’swhole capacity is 520,000 hectal-itres. One expansion could takeus to 850,000 hectalitres, andthen we could potentially go ashigh as 1.5 million hectalitres,”

Hardman told Manufacturers’Monthly.

These planned expansionscould pave the way for newopportunities for technology sup-pliers in the area. Though thebrewing side of the business usesprocess control and instrumenta-tion technology from Germanyand Italy which is designedspecifically for breweries, localcompanies could have the chanceto bid for tenders for construc-tion, building supplies automa-tion and materials handling tech-nologies over the next six years,Hardman says.

Wyong’s new BluetongueBrewery is differentiated in themarket for two reasons: it is oneof the most environmentally-friendly of its size; and it uses abrand new packaging technologycalled ‘autofill’ that doesn’trequire the beer to be heat-treated.

“Where we’re significantly dif-ferent is that we sterile-fill all

our products. We achieve thatthrough a filter that is complete-ly enclosed in a sterile enclosurethat allows us to get a lot morefreshness in the beer becauseyou don’t use heat to treat it,”Hardman said.

On the sustainability side, thebrewery includes a large waterprocessing plant to allow thebusiness to re-use water from thebrewing process.

The brewing technology itself –including the entirely-sealed bot-tling room – was provided as aturnkey project from Germancompany, Ziemann. Ziemann alsoprovided a special centrifugewhich is required in the produc-tion of the Miller draft beer.

In terms of energy manage-ment, the brewery captures 50%of the methane it exudes duringthe production process to re-useas energy to fire the building.

The packaging process andconveyors at the Wyong plant arealso very high-tech, delivering 60

kegs or 48,000 bottles per hour.The bottles are manufacturedusing gear from Sidel, and theconveyors are water-free, mean-ing the process is completely dry.The labeller is from KHS, andlabels 14 bottles every second.

According to Pacific Beverageschief executive officer, PeterMcLoughlin, the plant is triallingsome unusual packaging optionsto cater for fussy clientele.

“We can do lots of differenttypes of beers in different pack-ages including 2-, 4-, 6-, 10- and12-packs. It’s all around con-sumer and customer preference,”he told Manufacturers’ Monthly.

The business is also looking fornew markets in which to launch:“We will be going to NewZealand, and we are also begin-ning to look at Singapore moreand more as an opportunity forexport,” McLoughlin said.

To view the full article, go to bit.ly/gMQ120Bluetongue 02 4394 3599,www.bluetongue.com.au

AnalysisNEWS

Pacific Beverages CEO PeterMcLoughlin at the new $120-million-dollar site in Wyong.

Brewery boosts beer benefitsA local brewery has gone international with the launch of a new, state-of-the-art,

$120 million premises to provide boutique beer to the masses. Sarah Falson writes.

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PARTLY art but largely sci-ence, simulation allowsusers to manipulate 2D

and 3D CAD models to simulatethe physics of how a structure or a process might form in a virtual/digital environment.

But like most technology, it isnot without its challenges –working out a favourable ROI,up-skilling employees and decid-ing how much of the designprocess simulation can replace.

The main benefit of simulationis it reduces costs and time as it lowers the number of physical prototypes required.It also reduces errors in thedesign process.

Vernon McKenzie, director atEnDuraSim, says the cost benefitof simulation for high valueproducts such as airplanes andspaceships is obvious: situationswhere prototypes are extremelycostly or not possible.

“When working out the costbenefits of lower value products

such as small mechanical prod-ucts and structural products andprocess, the same ROI is yielded.The only difference is the modeland equation are smaller,”he told Manufacturers’ Monthly.

“The cost benefit equation hasseveral inputs. For example, com-paring the cost of a prototype(including material and labourcosts) and the cost of revisingthe physical prototype if an erroris found to the cost of runningnumerous iterations in simula-tion software.

"Even though the simulationmight not get it exactly rightbecause it's fairly complexphysics, it gives users moreinsight into what parts of theproduct is doing the work whenthe test is performed.”

He believes the cost of thesoftware and computing powerrequired is relatively low. Themain financial expense is hiringeither a consultant to carry outand analyse simulation results or

TechnologyIT@MM

Engineering simulation can cut manufacturing

costs and time but working out a favourable ROI

is one of the technology's many challenges,

writes Stephanie McDonald.

Simulation: promise vs. reality

The cost benefit of simulation forhigh value products is obvious,

but a similar ROI can be achievedon lower value products such as

small mechanical products.


employing or training an engineer in-house to carry out those tasks.

According to McKenzie, it cantake up to 18 months for a per-son to become completely com-petent in simulation capabilities.

"For us, that's our biggest con-cern for customers getting valuefor money – whether they should be getting us to consultor whether they should be developing this expertise in-house and making the effort to do this sort of work them-selves," McKenzie said.

He believes companies shouldbe developing the expertise in-house, particularly if engineer-ing design makes up a large partof their company and whereintellectual property is at stake.

"I don't believe they should beoutsourcing the simulationaspect of that. Rather theyshould make the decision thatthis is technology they should bedeveloping expertise in andusing the advantages of simula-tion within their own organisa-tion," McKenzie said.

However, he freely admits thecost benefits may not always beimmediate or even quantifiable.

Counting the costsGraeme Klee, senior design atGRG Consulting Engineers, sayshis company has been using sim-ulation software for over twoyears for the analysis of steelstructures, tank analysis, struc-tural connections and mechani-cal components.

"But at this point in time, I donot believe there has been signif-icant cost savings,” he said.

"However, we do not use thesoftware package on a day-to-daybasis and as such, the biggestchallenge due to the lack of reg-ular use is it is difficult to beconversant with the diversities ofthe software and the variousoptions available in its dialogue boxes.

“Nevertheless, the softwarehas broadened GRG's scope to a wider range of more com-plex design projects that can beundertaken, therefore exposingGRG to a broader engineeringmarket.”

According to McKenzie, a bigadvantage of simulation is it pro-vides insight into several aspectsof product development. “Whichparts didn't work, but alsoaspects which did work.

“This allows engineers to notonly assess errors, but also tolook at whether areas have beenover designed or where theycould be better optimised. Theseinsights may not be gleaned fromphysical tests.”

McKenzie says the key forsmaller companies making themost of simulation comes back toexpertise and whether theychoose to develop it in-house oruse consulting companies.

"That decision is not a trivialdecision because it involveseither a high cost in terms of aperson they're going to employand how much time that personwill be used in that particulararea of their expertise, or if theydevelop up a person, how long isthat going to take," he said.

Simulation has theoreticallymeant prototypes aren'trequired, but McKenzie isadamant this process should notbe entirely eliminated.

He recommends a physicaltesting program to calibrate simulation processes to provide external validation ofsimulation results.

Otherwise, the simulation willwork on a user putting in allinformation correctly, which may not always occur. Withoutchecking simulation results,the risk of errors at the end increases.

"The connection between thepractical, real world conditionsand how the product operatesneeds to be preserved, otherwisethere is that risk that the prod-uct is not going to be as good asit needs to be.

"We hope that organisationsthat are sensible enough toinvest in digital simulation technology take heed of our mes-sage, which is – don't completelydisconnect this from the physicalworld.”

EnDuraSim 1300 790 661,www.endurasim.com.au

GRG Consulting Engineers 07 3849 5600,www.grgengineers.com.au

FEM software upgradeENDURASIM has releasedFemap 10.2 with NX Nastran 7.1designed to improve productivityby streamlining the meshingprocess with extensions to theinteractive Meshing Toolbox.

Femap is a PC-based finite ele-ment modeling (FEM) compo-nent of the Velocity Series port-folio of PLM software.

Version 10.2 is also said tobring significant performanceimprovements when post-pro-cessing results data and newmethods of visualising beam ele-ment results that help speedresults comprehension.

A new Topology Optimisationmodule is now available that cansuggest the best design for agiven set of boundary conditions.

Femap 10.2 ships with NXNastran 7.1 and extends supportof NX Nastran with edge to glueconnection support, and NXNastran in general with extend-ed support for model checking,

frequency response and rigidelements. There is also a newforced response capability insideFemap.

New Meshing Toolbox toolsand capabilities include MeshSurface and Geometry Editingand Feature Editing plus post-processing acceleration factorsx20 in speed for complex outputprocessing operations.

EnDuraSim 1300 790 661,www.endurasim.com.au

Latest version supports the new NX Nastranedge glue contact capability that allows

easier assembly of shell models.


TechnologyIT@MM

Turning design ideas into great results

ANNOUNCED in the November2010 issue of Manufacturers’Monthly, SolidWorks 2011 3Ddesign software is said to be con-structed to turn good ideas intogreat results.

According to Solidtec Solutions’MD, Shane Preston, this releasehas something for everyone.

“There are a large number ofsignificant improvements to thislatest release that will be of ben-efit to Australian manufactur-ers,” he told Manufacturers’Monthly.

“For example, for lifelike visu-alisation users can now createpowerful photorealistic render-ings of their designs with moreease and in less time than ever.

“PhotoView 360 is now fullyintegrated into SolidWorks–bringing SolidWorks materials,decals, lighting, scenes, appear-ances, and more, directly frommodel to rendering.”

Preston said there is now noneed to launch a new applica-tion, because PhotoView 360 can be used for rendering large animations.

And for a more immersiveexperience, he says users canescort their clients through theirdesign using new WalkThroughcapabilities.

“It’s now easy to make draw-ings clean and professional with-out the wasted time and effort of manual dimensioning,”Preston said.

“Users can now automaticallyalign, stagger, or centre alldimensions in a single click with-out any overlap. They can alsoselect several dimensions for linear, radial, collinear, or staggered alignment or top/bot-tom/left/right justification.

“As well, new weldment fea-tures are designed to improveaccuracy by automating and sim-plifying weld placement and doc-umentation.

“The Smart Weld tool helpsusers select weld bead paths anddepict the beads as callout sym-bols in the graphics window for

easy reference. Enhanced filletand groove features enable usersto specify which type of weldthey want to use in each loca-tion. Weld tables automaticallycompile data on weld counts,length, and type, providingdetailed breakdowns for costanalysis and developing bids.”

Preston explained that userscan now analyse parts withSolidWorks 2011’s new 2DSimplification capability, quicklyand efficiently.

“Users simply select an inter-secting plane and apply theloads and restraints. SolidWorksSimulation instantly calculatesthe results and displays them onthe full 3D model.

“This approach enables you to swiftly analyse a variety of

challenging problems in thin extrusions, long extrusions,and revolved geometry,”he said.

Preston also said users cannow optimise the thermal man-agement of their electronicsenclosures with the newElectronics Cooling Module.

“Making simulations simple toexecute, this new tool guidesusers through an intuitive, intel-ligent setup to ensure theyarrive at a successful design thatproduces a reliable product,”he said.

Eco-friendly designWith sustainable design front-of-mind for many manufacturers,Preston says SolidWorks 2011allows users to know how theirlocation affects their products’environmental quotient by evalu-ating transportation needs andmanufacturing processes.

“The new and expanded data-base now includes informationfor Australia and South America,enabling users to evaluate loca-tions all over the world,” he said.

“As well an updated materialsdatabase in SolidWorks,Sustainability automaticallycompares custom materials tostandard materials and revealtheir environmental impact.”

Solidtec Solutions 1800 824 883,www.solidtec.com.au

Increased features with latest3D CAD version.

BY ALAN JOHNSON


CLOUD computing is aterm that has beenbandied about in many

different industries, and it hasnow reached us in the manufac-turing industry.

While there are some concernsaround security and reliability inthe cloud, if it is done right, thistechnology represents a hugeopportunity for Australiandesigners, engineers and manu-facturers.

The simplest explanation ofcloud computing is web-basedcomputing. The cloud allows ITservices, typically software appli-cations and business tools, to beaccessed over the Internet ondemand. Designers, engineersand manufacturers already usingthe cloud have realised IT servic-es are not their core business.Handing over to the IT expertsmeans they can focus on theirown area of expertise.

But the question now is: whatdoes it mean for your business?Firstly, it means freedom for youto develop teams that are nolonger restricted by location, and

freedom for your employees towork from anywhere.

Getting all your expertstogether for a major projectmeans they no longer have tophysically be in the same room –a great advantage for those com-panies with multiple locationsaround Australia. Offering cloud

solutions is also another way toprovide flexible work arrange-ments, which we know helpsretain staff, increase productivityand improve morale. When usingthe cloud, collaboration is notrestricted to in-house teams. Ifyou work closely with suppliersand customers they can have

access to common componentsvia the cloud. No longer will youneed to email large files withmodels, drawings and parts, yourpartners can access these fromanywhere via the web.

And while this may throw upsome concerns about intellectualproperty (IP), there are toolsavailable to limit the amount ofdesign data which is shared. Oryou can arrange with your cloudprovider to only allow third-partyaccess to approved files.

When considering security inthe cloud it's important to notethat by its very nature, the cloudprovides multiple redundantsites, which means your IP andfiles are saved, replicated andbacked up in secure facilities.

In fact, the cloud may even bea means of helping you retain,and build on, your IP.

Collaborating with internation-al designers, engineers and man-ufacturers over the cloud meansyou can take advantage of theirexpertise but still keep yourdesigns, ideas and skills local,protecting your IP.

*Max Piper is CEO of Intercad.Read the full story online at bit.ly/gjVjUY

Cloud computing now on design’s horizon

BY MAX PIPER*


WITH unemploymentfalling and skill short-ages starting to reoccur,

recruitment and training ofworkers is, or should be,front of mind for Australian manufacturers.

Ian Stone, CEO of AdvanceMetal Products – one ofAustralia’s leading sheetmetalmanufacturers employing around150 workers – has been in theindustry long enough to under-stand the importance of obtain-ing and retaining a fully-trainedteam of employees.

“Possessing a highly skilledworkforce is instrumental to thesuccess of our organisation, par-ticularly with the workplacedevelopment initiatives we haveimplemented over the past year,”Stone told Manufacturers’Monthly.

“These programs and traininghave equipped us with the skillsto drive change and implementimprovements across our work-place, enabling our organisationto remain competitive.

“Training engages employeesand gives them a sense ofachievement. Not only are theyimproving themselves, they areutilising their new skills toimprove their own roles as wellas the entire workplace foreveryone’s benefit.

“We are working toward amore change-oriented cultureand in today’s market being aresponsive and dynamic organi-sation is so important.”

In late 2009 Advance MetalProducts commenced a partner-ship with TAFE NSW SSI (SouthWestern Sydney Institute) to roll-out a business improvement pro-gram involving various traininginitiatives, including setting-up aBusiness Improvement Team consisting of 11 employees toundertake a Diploma ofCompetitive Manufacturing.

“At present, a Certificate III ofCompetitive Manufacturing isalso being undertaken by ourentire workforce, with this train-

ing delivered on-site by TAFEWorkplace Facilitators,”Stone said.

“The Business ImprovementProgram involves makingchanges across all areas of ourorganisation and engaging allemployees to create high stan-dards. This is a long-term, ongo-ing project that will see lean,agile, modern manufacturingpractices and principles imple-mented (including 5S) to assistin improving processes andbecoming more efficient.

“As part of our partnershipwith TAFE, we hosted aCertificate I in Engineering lastyear as part of the AustralianApprenticeship Access Program.The training included a combina-tion of classroom theory andpractical experience in variousareas of manufacturing and production.

“This was a 10 week coursethat provided disadvantaged jobseekers with pre-vocation train-ing and tailored support to over-come their barriers to employ-

ment and help them obtain andsuccessfully participate in anAustralian Apprenticeship orTraineeship. All participantsreceived a Certificate I inEngineering with the possibilityof being selected to undertakean Apprenticeship or Traineeshipwith us.

“Participants ranged fromschool leavers to mature age. Theprogram is an important initia-tive as not only does it make theindividuals involved job-readyfor employment with us, but italso makes them job-ready forother organisations in the com-munity.

“As well, in June 2010, inexcess of 50 of our employeescommenced a Mature AgeApprenticeship Scheme.

“This is an important programfor us, it formalises currentskills, multi-skills our workforceand bridges skills gaps.Additionally, having highlyskilled mature aged workers inour workplace allows them toprovide valuable mentoring and

supervisory support to youngerteam members whilst gaining aformal trade qualification that isnationally recognised.”

Stone says there are also otherbenefits in terms of Governmentfunding that are available toboth employers and apprentices.

“The bulk of the training isdelivered in-house by TAFEWorkplace Facilitators, alongwith some off-site training. Uponcompletion, these individualswill be rewarded with a nationalqualification and trade status.Our younger apprentices alsocomplete their trade throughlocal TAFE colleges,” Stone said.

As a member of the TAFECommission Board, TAFE NSWSWSI Advisory Council and theUniversity of Western Sydney’sBoard of Trustees, Stone is astrong believer in the benefits ofworking with local TAFE anduniversities.

“We believe in community andregional engagement with ourtertiary education providers. Ourpartnerships allow our company

AnalysisMANAGEMENT

A highly-skilled workforce is instrumental to the success of our organisation – Stone, right.

Training drives company’s successBY ALAN JOHNSON

to link to the latest trainingtrends whilst providing opportu-nities for students to tour ourfacilities on a regular basis,”he said.

“It is important for students toengage with industry and viewfirst hand leading edge manufac-turing technology and the excit-ing and highly skilled careeropportunities available in manufacturing.

“We have partnerships withboth TAFE NSW SWSI and theUniversity of Western Sydneywhich allow each organisation todraw on new skill-sets from eachother and also assist with maintaining our position as market leader.”

Last year, Advance MetalProducts was recognised for itsinnovative business improvementand training initiatives by win-ning the Minister's Awards forExcellence for Employers ofAustralian Apprentices for theSydney region. The awards for-mally recognise organisationsand individuals who have made

an outstanding contributiontowards the training and employ-ing Australian Apprentices.

The presentation evening anddinner was hosted by SenatorChris Evans, Minister forTertiary Education, Skills, Jobsand Workplace Relations, atParliament House in Canberraon 26 October 2010.

The Australian Government iscommitted to working togetherwith industry and training stake-holders over the next four yearsand is investing over $4.8bn tosupport apprenticeships.

Stone says this includesincreases to tax exempt pay-ments available to AustralianApprentices training in identi-fied skill shortage occupationsand funding for up to 40,000apprentices to receive mentoringand support.

“Having these schemes inplace certainly makes it attrac-tive to both employers andemployees to become involvedwith apprenticeships,” he said.

“We have received financial

assistance from the Governmentto undertake our workforcedevelopment program, includingthat from the FederalGovernment’s ProductivityPlaces Program.”

To overcome the rustbelt/smokestack image of themanufacturing industry whenattracting school/universityleavers, Stone says the companyplays an active role in the community.

“We boost awareness of themanufacturing industry and ourown organisation, particularlywith educational institutions, byparticipating in initiatives andprojects such as hosting factorytours for local schools, TAFE colleges and universities,”Stone said.

“We also encourage ouryounger apprentices to partici-pate in the WorldSkills competi-tion, plus we sponsor awardssuch as the Endeavour Awardsand the TAFE NSW SWSIStudent Achievement Awards.”

Advance Metal Products is also

supportive of other companiesfurthering their endeavours inthe industry, through its sponsor-ship of Manufacturers’ Monthly’s8th Annual Endeavour Awards’Young Manufacturer of the YearAward at the forethcomingAwards night in Melbourne inMay (read more on p.10).

“At Advance Metal Productswe believe in community andregional engagement with ourtertiary education providers. Ourpartnerships allow our companyto link to the latest trainingtrends whilst providing opportu-nities for students to tour ourfacilities on a regular basis,”said Stone.

“It is important for students toengage with industry and viewfirst hand leading edge manufac-turing technology and the exciting and highly skilledcareer opportunities available inmanufacturing.”

Advance Metal Products 02 8796 6222,www.advancemetal.com.au


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Comment at manmonthly.com.au


WHILE manufacturersare confident going into2011, and the prospects

for Australia’s job seekers lookpositive, the news is not quite soencouraging for those in industryalready struggling to find skilledworkers,

According to the latestManpower Employment OutlookSurvey, employers in the manu-facturing sector are showinghigher employment optimism(+18%) for the first quarter of2011.

Lincoln Crawley, MD ofManpower Australia & NZ, saysmanufacturers are certainlymore confident going into 2011than they were going into 2010.

“Sentiment amongst hiringmanagers has improved signifi-cantly since the financial crisisand manufacturers are becomingmore confident. While demandfor flexible workers remainsstrong, we are also seeing agrowth in permanent hires,”

Crawley told Manufacturers’Monthly.

However on the flip side of thecoin, he believes skills shortagesare set to become a major indus-try issue in certain areas.

“Skills shortages in manufac-turing are on the rise – not so

much on the production line butin maintenance and supportfunctions. We’re seeing moreemployers in the manufacturingsector trying to source labourfrom overseas to bridge the gap.

“Manufacturers are going tofind it increasingly difficult to

source trades people – like elec-tricians, welders and fitters –unless they have a strongemployer brand and above aver-age wage rates.

“They are also competing withthe mining and transport/logis-tics sector for staff, and the tal-

AnalysisMANAGEMENT

Manufacturers could be forced topay electricians, welders and fittersabove average wage rates in 2011.

Manufacturers optimistic but skills shortageBY ALAN JOHNSON


s set to riseent war for these skills will getmore intense in 2011,” he said.

Crawley expects the flow ofskilled workers from the manu-facturing sector to the miningsector to continue to rise.

“This drift will definitely continue, particularly in regionalareas where mining projects areclose by. Already, people withmanufacturing experience arelooking to upskill in order tojoin the mining sector. It’s goingto be difficult for manufacturersto compete for the skills theyneed that are also common tothe mining sector,” he said.

Crawley admits it’s going to betough to stop the drift to themining sector.

“Aside from offering moremoney, manufacturers will need to work hard on theiremployer brand. They need toask themselves what they canoffer to their employees that the mining sector can’t – is it stability? Is it location? Is it flexibility? Whatever it is, it’sgoing to be increasingly

important to differentiate.“Companies who start this

process first, and begin to com-municate their employmentproposition with their staff andpotential candidates, will be theones who succeed in the longrun,” Crawley said.

Overall, the survey of morethan 2,200 Australian employers,indicates hiring for the firstquarter of 2011 will remainsteady overall, with the Mining &Construction, Services andPublic Administration sectorsbuoying the rest of the employ-ment market.

The seasonally adjusted NetEmployment Outlook is at +21%,a one percentage point increasefrom the last quarter’s seasonallyadjusted outlook and a two-pointincrease from a year ago.

The number of employers plan-ning to increase hiring hasincreased to 28% (up from 27%in the fourth quarter of 2010),while the number of employersplanning to decrease headcountremains steady, at 7%.

Employers in the Services sec-tor are showing the highestemployment optimism for thefirst quarter of 2011, at +28%(up from+ 27% in Q4 2010).

“The Services sector isAustralia’s quiet achiever. It’s theonly sector where employer hiring expectations continued toincrease through 2010, doing soconsistently and without thefluctuations we’ve seen in manyother sectors,” said Crawley.

Similarly, says Crawley, theMining & Construction sectorhas remained strong throughoutthe year, and will only continueits hiring surge in 2011.

“We’ve heard a lot fromMining & Construction sectoremployers about skills shortages and these figures nowserve to add more urgency to the need for a solution,” saidCrawley.

Across the other industry sec-tors, Crawley said he saw a sur-prising amount of optimism, withemployers in the Transportation& Utilities (up eight percentage

points to +23%) and Wholesale& Retail Trade (at +14%) sectorsall increasing their employmentoutlook from last quarter.

“These results indicate muchhigher levels of confidence thanI would have expected for thesesectors, and indicate that retail-ers are expecting a bigChristmas and will need stockreplenishment in the new year,”said Crawley.

For job seekers, Crawley saysthe key will be to develop skillsets that travel well.

“We believe that 2011 is goingto be a bumper year for jobseekers, with the returning skillsshortages set to heat up.Companies are going to have tobe flexible about their job crite-ria and consider candidates whotick most, but not all, of theirboxes.

“At the same time, candidateswho are willing to relocate,reskill or change industries willhave plenty of opportunities tosucceed,” Crawley said.

Manpower www.manpower.com


What’sNewSee more new products at manmonthly.com.au

Isolation procedure software

The software can be used from a PDA.

A NEW lockout procedure manage-ment program called IsolationPointfrom Redbusbar allows maintenanceengineers to use a PDA to executeenergy isolation procedures.

IsolationPoint comprises an isolationprocedure library located on a PC anda handheld personal digital assistant(PDA) as the means to execute isolation procedures.

When required, an isolation proce-dure is scheduled for execution onto

the PDA. The isolation officer then follows the isolation steps specified in the procedure and uses the PDA’sbarcode or RFID scanner to verify isolation point identity.

When the procedure is complete,time stamped progress information is archived to the PC. Using thisapproach, IsolationPoint is said toenhance safety, use less people andrequire less administration.Redbusbar 07 3630 2112, www.redbusbar.com

Oil-free screw compressorsThe compressors are designed for areas where oil cannot be used.

BOGE’s second generation SO 150-2to SO 269-2 oil-free, water-cooledscrew compressors are said toincrease efficiency, improve volumeflow and lower sound pressure values.

The SO series oil-free, water-cooledscrew compressors range from 110 to200 kW in power, and also provide100% oil-free compressed air.

According to Boge, this is ideal forlarge compressed air users in indus-tries such the semiconductor, pharma-

ceutical and food and drinks where therisk of oil contamination is rife.

The new models incorporate thesame compressor technology originallyutilised in developing the SO series oil-free screw compressors.

Improvements have reportedly beenmade on sound pressure values, volume flow and specific power efficiency against the former models.

Boge Compressors 08 9528 2157,www.boge.net.au

PLM 3D geometric modellingSIEMENS PLM Software hasannounced a new version of itsParasolid software – with a PLM 3Dgeometric modeling component.

Parasolid Version 23.0 (V23) is saidto deliver a wide variety of enhance-ments which reflect Siemens PLMSoftware’s commitment to improvingcomplex processes throughout theentire product development process.

Parasolid has extended its supportfor multi-core processor hardware toenable applications based on Parasolidto take full advantage of their signifi-cant performance advantage over single-core processors.

Parasolid V23 is now fully thread-safe, enabling applications to have

several threads running on differentprocessors, with each calling anyParasolid function simultaneously.

A new face deformation operationenables sophisticated shape changesto digital models based on eitherdesign requirements or simulations ofshape changes that occur due to real-world situations such as deflectionunder load or distortion during temperature cycles.

In addition, Parasolid V23 is said tooffer more sophisticated blending tech-niques and controls that extend thesoftware’s existing range of blendingcapabilities into the domain of complex modeling.Siemens PLM Software www.siemens.com/plm

Machine-mount robot tongsGERMAN company TOX PRES-SOTECHNIK has expanded its TOX-Mini handheld and machine-mountrobot tongs range to include a genera-tion of pneumohydraulically-operateddrive cylinders, called the TOX-Powerpackage type RZ, reportedlyoffering high precision and easy flange mounting.

This model is designed to offer

engineers new possibilities for therationalisation of production processesfor pieceparts and for the mounting of subassemblies.

TOX-Handheld Tongs come in sixtypes and further executions andequipment variants, including minihandheld, handheld and flange tongs.

TOX PRESSOTECHNIK 03 9800 1300,www.tox-au.com

All-in-one portable computingMETROMATICS’ new NextComputingsolution – the Radius LE – is an all-in-one portable workstation/serverdesigned to provide high-performancecomputing in a mobile, lightweight package.

According to the company, the LEunique is the thinnest of the

NextComputing portables.At 4.3 inches deep, and with base

configurations weighing around 15lbs.,it is said to bring desktop-class com-puting with PCI Express expansion, allfor the price of a high-end laptop.

Metromatics 03 9872 4592,www.metromatics.com.au


What’sNEW

Tough, compact forklift

The forklift is suited totough applications.

ADAPTALIFT Hyster has extended itsFortens forklift range with the introduc-tion of an 8-9 tonne capacity series,which offers models that are compact,efficient, and high capacity with a lowcost of operation in tough applications,according to the manufacturer.

The new H170-190FT Fortens seriesis suited for industries such as paper,wood, beverage, metals, ports, auto-motive or construction materials.

The design also benefits operationswith high attachment usage.

The forklift is said to optimise space,loads moved per hour and on-site effi-ciency. It shares many features with thecompany’s H135-155FT series, includ-ing the frame construction, low mainte-nance oil immersed brakes, leak-freehydraulics and drivetrain.

The compact frame design results ina wheelbase of 2450mm, making theH170-190FT one of the smallest in itscapacity class, the company says.

Adaptalift Hyster 1300 880 335,www.aalhyster.com.au

Oil-free air compressorsKAESER Compressors Australia is nowoffering two new oil-free, two-stagerotary screw compressors – the DSGand FSG – designed for applicationswhere oil-free compression is specifi-cally required, such as clean manufacturing areas.

At the heart of these units lies a two-stage compressor airend. The rotorsare equipped with Ultra Coat, which is

said to be resistant to temperatures upto 300 °C. Because this coating is also abrasion-proof, its sealing andprotection performance remainsunchanged, even after years of operation, Kaeser says.

The units can be provided in eitherwater-cooled or air-cooled versions.

Kaeser Compressors 03 9791 5999,www.kaeser.com.au

Automated probing station

Provides automatedtesting of densely

packed surface-mounts.

THE Huntron Access DH (dual head)Automatic Probing Station is designedto open the measurement spectrum tofixtureless diagnostic robotic probing.

The addition of a second point issaid to provide accurate automation ofa two-point measurement, thereforereducing the manual dexterity limitswhen an event needs to be captured.

The Huntron Access DH can be con-figured to work with almost any stan-dard measurement instruction such asHuntron Trackers, Multimeters,Oscilloscopes, Spectrum Analysersand LCR meters, Australian distributor

Metromatics says. Huntron Access Probers connect

to the Huntron ProTrack, the TrackerModel 30, and TrackerPXI.

The Access Prober comes with theTracker Model 30 built-in for an all-in-one test solution.

The Huntron Access Probers aresaid to allow economical, automatedtesting of densely-packed surface-mount and other devices, on the mostcomplex boards from the smallest tothe largest systems.

Metromatics 07 3868 4255,www.metromatics.com.au

Integrated servo motorsMOTION Technologies, Australian dis-tributor for JVL Denmark, is now offer-ing an integrated servo motor – calledMAC 141 – in a totally stainless steelversion, designed especially for thefood and medical industry which bothrequire food-grade products whichwon’t contaminate the environment.

The unit incorporates a 100% stain-less steel shaft, flange, tube and rear-end cover. It also offers a stainlesscable gland rated to IP67.

According to the company, the newMAC141 is a cost-effective servomotor that performs well in harsh, wetand corrosive environments, such asfood and beverage manufacturing.

The products offer special Teflonsealing for long lasting, watertightoperation in high pressure wash-down conditions.

The integrated motor is a brushlessservomotor capable of 0.48/1.59 Nm

RMS/peak, 134 W and up to 2700 RPM.

It offers integrated electronics,encoder, driver and controller; the ser-vomotor, hallsensor, encoder and elec-tronics are specially developed by JVLso that they together form a closedunit where the power driver and con-troller is mounted inside the motor in a closed section.

The units can be supplied withoptions for built-in PLC, RS232/485,Profibus, CANbus or industrial Ethernet(EtherCAT, EtherNet/IP, Profinet,Modbus TCP, Sercos III and more).

These units are said to be durablesolutions for food and beverage pro-cessing, pharmaceutical, wash down,and chemical industries, and can besupplied with optional planetary gear-heads in ratios from 3:1…216:1.

Motion Technologies 02 9524 4782,www.motiontech.com.au

101122 GD Adverts Base Art_v2.ai 1 11/01/11 3:23 PM


What’sNEW

CitectSCADA 7.20 hits marketThe software offers live video capability.

SCHNEIDER Electric’s newCitectSCADA V7.20 is said to be asecure and high-performance industrialautomation and control solution.

According to the company, this lat-est release extends the performance,quality and security of the company’sexisting SCADA products.

It is also said to deliver on SchneiderElectric’s vision of a seamless systemthat integrates real-time process andequipment information for improved

operator effectiveness, simplified engi-neering and tighter security.

Users of CitectSCADA 7.20 canmeet growing security and remotemonitoring requirements through theaddition of a Pelco camera interface,which is designed to allow operators toview live video and control the cameramovement. Operators can also accessreal-time operational intelligencethrough the extended tag information. Schneider Electric www.schneider-electric.com

Online incident reporting systemA NEW online incident reporting sys-tem is designed to help companiesimprove safety. The software, calledRapid Incident Reporting, comes fromthe developers of the online inductionsoftware, Rapid Induct.

Originally developed for manufactur-ing giant, Kraft Foods Australia, thisweb-based incident reporting system

ensures corrective actions are taken toprevent reoccurrence of injury. It alsoautomatically keeps all relevant per-sonnel regularly updated via email.

The system can also generatereports in a company-brandedPowerPoint presentation.

John Temple Group 08 8410 6700,www.incidentreporting.com.au


Assembly line storage racks

The storage racksare designed tohold small items.

KINCROME’s new set of WorkshopStorage Racks with removable tubsare designed for handy storage around the workshop.

Suited for a variety of areas, theracks store smaller items such as nuts,bolts, washers, screws, nails, seals ando-rings, as well as drill bits, electricalfittings, spare parts, and more, and areideal for use on manufacturing assem-bly lines and workshops.

Available in two different sizes, theKincrome Storage Rack range includesthe 24-bin rack small enough to fit on aworkbench, and the larger 43-bin rackoffering more storage potential.

All racks feature a metal construc-tion with a silver powder-coated finish,along with adjustable shelves, and aresaid to be easy to assemble.

The units feature a quick and easy‘knock down style’ assembly with bolts included.

The racks include durable plasticstorage tubs with moulded label hold-ers for easy identification of contents.Each rack includes two different sizetubs to fit a range of parts and acces-sories. The tubs are also available sep-arately in the two different sizes.

Kincrome Australia 03 9730 7100,www.kincrome.com.au

Data acquisition systemMATHWORKS has announced theR2010b release of Data AcquisitionToolbox, which enables engineers andscientists to use National InstrumentsCompactDAQ data acquisition hard-ware directly from MATLAB.

Data Acquisition Toolbox supportsmore than 25 CompactDAQ devices,providing access to measurements

that include voltage, current, and tem-perature, MathWorks says.

The toolbox is designed to enablecustomers to acquire data simultane-ously from multiple CompactDAQmodules using either backgroundacquisition or foreground acquisition.

MathWorks 02 8669 4730,www.mathworks.com.au

Supress dust and neutralise odoursTECPRO Australia’s new GIRAFFA fogcannon – manufactured by Italian com-pany Idrotech S.r.l – is a dust supres-sion system designed to neutraliseodours in industrial spaces.

The unit has the flexibility to bemounted on a moveable extension,enabling it to reach five metres in height.

Two atomising nozzle-rings in themouth of the cannon create a mistingeffect, with fine water vapour thrustover a wide distance by a powerful fan.

The GIRAFFA reportedly makes itsimpler to comply with environmentalrequirements on a range of work sites.

Tecpro Australia 02 9634 3370,www.tecpro.com.au


Leadership has a class of its own

Get Connected!Connect to iPhone or iPad via Wi-Fi to

use the FLIR ViewerApp for processing

and sharing results.

FLIR Systems Pty Ltd.

10 Business Park Drive, Notting Hill, VIC 3168, Australia

VIC: 03 9550 2800 NSW: 02 8853 7870 WA: 08 6263 4438

QLD: 07 3861 4862 SA: 08 82743747

Tel: 1300 729 987 Email: [email protected] www.flir.comISO No. FLIR20837

FLIR E-Series: Picture PerfectA new generation of FLIR hand-held ‘point & shoot’

thermal imagers is here. Packed with class leading features,

the E-Series is designed for applications including electrical,

industrial, mechanical, HVAC and building.

Take your pick of three pixel resolutions – all with 60Hz frame

rate and a 3.0 Meg visual camera built in.

The new FLIR E-Series. It’s all class.

◊ Mobile Device Wi-Fi Connectivity

◊ Built-in Digital Camera & Laser Pointer

◊ Superior Point & ShootThermal Imagery

◊ Large Bright Touchscreen

◊ Groundbreaking Performance & Affordability

What’sNEW - TEST & MEASUREMENT

Infrared windows

FLUKE’S new CLKTO C-Range ofInfrared Window is designed to facili-

tate infrared and visual inspections ofindoor switchgear and electrical instal-

lations, while protecting techniciansfrom arc-flash or electric shock.

The CLKTO Window is designed forindoor applications and is said toincorporate a clear, impact resistantviewing pane for indoor switchgearrated at up to 72kV.

This viewing pane with Fluke’s ownQuadraband optics is designed toallow visual inspection of electricalequipment, even with the cover closed.The unique twist-off magnetic cover isalso impact resistant.

Fluke’s Quadraband multispectraloptic is said to allow inspection withany thermal imaging camera, for maxi-mum flexibility. Optics are sealedagainst moisture degradation with aFluke CLIRVU coating and tested towithstand the long term aging effectsof UV exposure.

The unit is designed for maintenanceprofessionals in industrial plants, com-mercial buildings and electrical utilitieswho use infrared thermal imagers toinspect installations for hot spots thatcould indicate loose connections, badbearings or other equipment failure.

Fluke 02 8850 3333, www.fluke.com.au

Process moisturemeasurementsMICHELL Instruments’ Multi-Channel Control Unit (MCU) isdesigned to make multiple processmoisture measurements easier.

The Promet I.S, process moisture ingas analyser, is now available in amulti-channel format, with the MCUenabling up to four measurementchannels within a single 19-inch sub-rack unit.

The Promet I.S channels can becombined together with a sister prod-uct for moisture in liquid measurement– the Liquidew I.S – into the MCU toenable both gas and liquid samplemeasurements to be taken with a sin-gle analyser system. Each channel ofthe MCU functions independently ofthe others so that maintenance can becarried out on one channel while theothers continue to operate as normal.

The MCU is reportedly very simpleto operate: its LED display providesunit conversions from dew point to arange of alternative moisture content.

Michell Instruments 08 9304 6587,www.michell.com

DEADLINE EXTENDED TO 21 FEBRUARY

PLUS NEW CATEGORY FOR 2011

The 2011 Endeavour Awards is the pinnacle event where the best of Australia’s manufacturing industry get the recognition they deserve!

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Award Categories:

New Category 2011: MANUFACTURERS’ MONTHLY 50TH ANNIVERSARY – Most Innovative Company 1961-2011

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Proudly brought to you by Manufacturers’ Monthly and the following sponsors:

Technology Application of the Year

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AUSTRALIAN distributorRaymax Lasers has woncontracts to install new

High Power Diode Lasers intotwo companies in Australia, bothinvolved in the manufacture andrefurbishment of metal parts and assemblies.

The delivery of these Laserswill reportedly bring to Australiastate-of-the-art HPDL systemsfor demanding metal applica-tions. This presents a significantleap forward in implementingefficient, clean and advanced technologies.

At Brenco Surface Engineeringin Canning Vale, WesternAustralia, the laser will provide acost effective and improvedmeans to perform surface treat-ment or coating processes toresist erosion, corrosion, andthermal fatigue on many base metals.

The solution comprises aLaserline System with a 6kWlaser source coupled into a 1mmdiameter optical fibre.

The beam, shaped byDiffraction Optical Elements,will ensure homogeneous energy

distribution across square or linear laser spots.

The laser head will include acoaxial nozzle through which gasand metallic powder are injectedinto the beam, fusing it with thebase material.

In one single operation,the substrate is coated, alloyedor locally reworked, yieldinghigh precision and excellent re-productivity in laser claddingand coating.

A second Diode laser solutionis being installed in New SouthWales at LaserBond inIngleburn. The laser is an HPDL model with an 8kW lasersource coupled into a 600umdiameter fibre.

The optical head is attached toa robotic arm. This Laserline sys-tem is replacing an existingmachine and is said to offermuch higher wall plug efficiencyfor a more sustainable process.

The targeted application ismetal cladding in both the manu-facture and reclamation of indus-trial components. The lasersource will be used for metalwelding as well.

Laser welding is characterisedby high welding speed, high lev-els of stability and very low dis-tortion while producing excellentweld seam surfaces.

The emergence of diodeLasers, capable of coupling high power beams with continu-ously improved beam qualityinto flexible optical fibres,requires a new assessment by Australian industry.

Raymax Lasers is pleased to beinvolved with innovation andimprovement in operations usinglaser technology, and to provide professional advice,support and service to Australian companies.

[*Lexie Henderson-Lancett ismarketing specialist at Raymax.]

Raymax Lasers 02 9979 7646,www.raymax.com.au

LaserTECHNOLOGIES

Two metal parts firms have found that a new range of high power lasers is taking

metal cladding and welding to the next level. Lexie Henderson-Lancett writes.

NICHOL Industries Pty Ltd. 50 Terracotta Drive, Nunawading, Vic, 3131.

Email: [email protected]

Freecall: 1800 778 808 Fax: (03) 9894 7977

To find your Permanant Marking Solution call us on 1800778 808

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High power lasers

Laser welding is characterisedby high welding speed, high levels of stability and very lowdistortion while producingexcellent weld seam surfaces.

The emergence ofdiode lasers requiresa new assessment byAustralian industry.


WHEN automating anymanufacturing task, themost effective process

is to have the technology well-matched to said task, especiallywhen it comes to the applicationof robotics.

Choosing the right industrialrobot for your use requiresdetailed planning as well as theright approach. Often manufac-turers select robots based ontheir ability to perform taskshumans can’t, however taking awider and more complete look atthe tasks to be performed canoften add value to the produc-tion chain in the long term.

Dr Paul Wong, founder andmanaging director of AppliedRobotics, a leading robotic sup-plier, says that physiological limi-tations often become the stan-dard of reference for manufac-tures in the automation technolo-gy market: looking at whathumans can’t do rather thanwhat robots can do.

Such an approach he says islimiting to the robot’s genera-tional development, along withthe potential maximum capacityof performance.

“When selecting the mostappropriate technology to auto-mate a task, it is prudent toreview all available technologiesfor the best match with the taskat hand,” Dr Wong toldManufacturers’ Monthly.

“It may be, particularly whenthat manufacturing task is nevergoing to change that much andwhen flexibility is less impor-tant, that there are non-roboticsolutions that are much moreefficient and cost effective.”

To avoid the potential shortfallof a ‘what humans can’t do’ atti-tude, Peter Davis, from leadingrobot supplier, Robotic

Automation, says manufacturersshould seek advice from experi-enced automation integrators asto which robot is most suitablefor task.

According to Davis, manufac-turers also need to take intoaccount international referencesin their search for robots andother automation.

“Manufacturers need to beable to analyse and benchmarktheir current production process-es against world’s best-practicesin automation and only experi-enced integrators can really dothis,” Davis said.

Another important considera-tion manufacturers should takeinto account is the robot's reachor "work envelope" to ensurethat it can perform the full rangeof motion required in the appli-cation process. Axis speeds andoverall cycle-time, which must besufficient to meet or exceed themanufacturer's existing produc-tion-line speed, are also neces-sary considerations.

“The robot must be able tocomplete the cycle of movementsinvolved in the application intime to meet the next product orload of accumulated productscoming down the line,”says Davis.

“The cycle speed will dependnot only on the robot but also onthe end-of-arm tool (EOAT) cho-sen, for example a gripper, howlong the gripper needs to engagewith the product and how manyproducts will the gripper handleat the one time.”

Despite the technical require-ment of robot selection, costsremain the underlying and oftenthe determining factor of robotchoice. To keep production costsdown, more manufacturers arelooking to market alternatives,

such as refurbished or second-hand robots.

“The market for second-handrobots demonstrates the soundinvestment that robotic solutionsrepresent, especially versus adedicated or purpose-builtmachine which, while they canperform as well as robotics, arenot so easily redeployed or soldthereafter,” said Davis.

Dr Wong says that while web-sites, such as the recentlylaunched Robotize online used-robot marketplace, is indicativeof the growing demand for thesecondhand robots, there is stillthe question of reliability in buy-ing used-goods.

“Most robotics systems buyerswill want a new robot with itsfull warranty in their automationsystem, especially when the actu-al robot cost might be as low as5% to 10% of the whole systemcost. In such an integratedautomation system, the integra-tor will warrant the entire sys-tem as a whole,” said Dr Wong.

“The second hand robot mar-ket is more for those who mightdabble in setting up their ownrobot cell, but here, the robot is

more than likely to languish in astore waiting for an applicationor because there is insufficientinternal expertise to put togeth-er a working robot cell.”

According to Dr Wong, the nat-ural advantage for robots is thatthey are intrinsically flexiblemanipulators and can beequipped to cope with slightlyunstructured environments.

However, the advantages comewith limitations of cycle timeand capital costs, which isarguably balanced with moreefficient production line,increase production volume andhigher capacity for developmentover many years.

Despite the added benefits ofusing robots in production, DrWong warns there are some taskswhich robots will not add effi-ciency to. In this regard, he saysit is essential for manufacturesto seek consultation with expertintegrators before purchasing arobot as well as to have a clearidea of which tasks are required.

Applied Robotics 02 9737 8633,www.appliedrobotics.com.au

Robotic Automation 1300 552 333,www.ragroup.com.au

Automation&ROBOTICS

Robots: finding agood matchHaving the right approach to choosing robots can lift

production efficiencies. Annie Dang writes.

Modern robot technology haslead to widermarket choice.

Here is a Low Harmonic Medium Voltage AC drive that will optimise any common industrial

application, from 315 kW, at 6.6 kV. The new ACS 2000 is a voltage source inverter (VSI) designed

to work with or without an input isolation transformer, saving capital cost and floorspace. It is one

of the easiest Medium Voltage drives to install and commission thanks to a ‘three in – three out’

cabling concept: simply disconnect the direct-on-line cable, connect the drive, and connect the

drive to the motor. And because it uses proven and tested technology, it is among the simplest

and most reliable of drives. So for a drive with a lower cost of ownership, transform your plant by

specifying the ACS 2000 Low Harmonic Medium Voltage AC drive.

ACS 2000 6.6 kV MV Drive. Medium voltage motor control.

ABB Australia Pty LimitedPhone: 1800 222 435

E-mail: [email protected]

Internet: www.abbaustralia.com.au


Automation&ROBOTICS

BELDEN Infinity C-TC+ andFCC 'Continuous Flex' cableshave been enhanced to providesuperior flexing, extended tem-perature range capabilities andcompliance with more industry ratings.

With the addition of Beldenhigh-performance Belflex jack-ets, these cables reportedlyoffer exceptional flexing capa-bilities, are resistance to sun-light, oil and abrasion, andoffer the ability to withstandtemperature ranges of -40ºC to+90ºC (cold impact) and -50ºCto +90ºC (cold bend).

They offer compliance with600V TC-ER, 300V UL PLTC-ER, 1000V WTTC, UL MTW &AWM, and 1000V CSA AWMI/II A/B FT4 ratings.

The cables are also UL-approved for direct burial, suit-able for Class I & II Div 2installation in hazardous loca-tions. They meet NFPA 79requirements for industrialmachinery and are CE andRoHS compliant.

The C-TC+ cables are suit-able for extreme flexing appli-cations in severe environments,delivering optimal perform-ance at 10 million flex cycles.The cable’s unique conductordesign is said to eliminatestorque and makes the cableless susceptible to fatigue.

The FCC cables are a cost-effective alternative to C-TC+cables and are suitable formoderate flexing operations of1 million flex cycles. Like C-TC+ cables, they are manufac-tured to exhibit superior flexlife and durability.

Belden, 1800 500 775, www.belden.com

High performance

infinity cables

The cables can be use in C-track systems, robots and automated assembly systems.

No stress cables for industrial robotsIGUS has developed the 3Denergy chain "Triflex R" forrobot producers and usersdesigned to prevent corrugatedhoses from kinks and tears.

According to the company, themulti-dimensional, movablerobot chain is adjustable inlength at any time to its modularconstruction, and achieves itshigh tensile strength using the“ball and socket” joint.

Individual elements are report-edly not connected to each otherusing extra steel cables similar,but with a simple connectionlike a trailer tow bar.

This ball and socket design is said to ensure mobility inevery direction.

As it is possible to turn about+/- 10° per link in the chain, thecompany says this makes it mucheasier to guide the cables arounddifficult geometries.

Furthermore, the robot has abending radius which is thesame in every direction reducingthe stress on the chain itself, and

also on the cables, and hoses.The use of spring-rod modulesgenerates a directed pre-tension,which reportedly makes it possi-ble to create a system where the chain is suspended and doesn’t get caught up in theworking area.

The "Triflex R" robot accesso-ry package from igus includeswell over 200 components. Fromlarge welding to small palletis-ing robots, every industrial appli-

cation can now be covered, thecompany claims.

The robot is available in threedesigns: a closed version said toprotect the cables on roughapplications, such as weldingspatters, chips, and dirt; an"Easy" version in which thecables are pressed into the chainby handle; and the third is a"Light" version.

Treotham Automation 02 9907 1788,www.treotham.com.au

The "Triflex R" robot accessory packageincludes over 200 components.

Humanoid qualities

in slim robots

MOTOMAN’S dual-arm robots,DA20, DIA10 and SDA10, arereportedly show distincthumanoid qualities.

According to the company, therobots feature compact actuatorsthat combine the motor, encoder,reducer, and brake, which can bestacked. The use of the actuatorsfor arms reportedly provides aslim profile that is said to beapproximately near to the shapeof a human arm.

The latest version of the IA10,the SIA10, is compact in size andable to snake into small places.It caters for deep-throated spotwelding guns and can give way tosmaller guns on these robots.

The SIA20 is a seven-axis robotthat has a minimal footprint andthe ability to snake into loca-tions that conventional articulat-ed arms might be challenged to reach.

Robotic Automation 02 8748 6500,www.ragroup.com.au


Motors&DRIVES

MOTORS may have beenengineered to have highdurability and long life,

but it does not negate their needfor regular maintenance.

Long-term or extensive use ofmotors can cause a number ofproblems if motors are not main-tained properly, including over-heating and bearing failure.

According to Frank Cerra,engineering manager with SEW-Eurodrive Engineering, motorsin general are very reliablepieces of equipment.

“Motors are typically designedto have long life and require lit-tle maintenance, especially whensized correctly for the applica-tion and built to modern specifi-cations,” Cerra toldManufacturers’ Monthly.

“What manufacturers need toworry about with the use andmaintenance of motors is toensure that temperature rise

over time does not exceed themotors’ insulation rating andmaking sure they are adequatelyprotected from the overload,”he said.

To keep motors in check,Baldor Australia managing direc-tor, Daniel Vera, advises mainte-nance on motors should be performed on a regular,quarterly basis.

“We advise inspecting themotor at regular intervals,approximately every 500 hours ofoperation or every three months,whichever occurs first. However,certain applications may requiremore frequent inspections due toharsh operating environments aswell as age, size and load of themotor,” Vera said.

Performing regular inspectionscan prevent common failures,such as overheating, bearing andinsulation failures, bad connec-tions and irregular noise and

vibration. In the case of bearingfailure, Vera says the key isensuring the bearing is lubricat-ed. This, he explains, is becausegrease will lose its lubricatingability over time, leading to eventual motor failure if unmaintained.

“The lubricating ability of thegrease over time depends prima-rily on the type of grease, thesize of the bearing, the speed atwhich the bearing operates andthe severity of the operating conditions,” Vera said.

“Failure to lubricate bearingswill lead to additional motorloading, bearing heating andultimately, failure.”

But for many manufacturersworking with motors, the bigquestion remains: How to diag-nose problems before they arise?According to Vera, general andspecific inspections can assistmanufacturers to monitor thefunctionality of the motors andlocate potential motor problems

before they arise. Generalinspections ensure motors arekept clean from dirt, oil, greaseand any fluids that could preventproper motor function.

Checking the interiors andexteriors of the motors, as wellas all electrical connectors toensure that they are tight, andthe cables and insulation areintact will help to prevent theaccumulation of such particleswhich can block motor vitalisa-tion, says Vera.

Completing specific tests willhelp to narrow the scope ofpotential motor failures, includ-ing current/power and voltagetest which can be used to measure the current drawn by the motor under peak load conditions.

Equally as important, Verasays, is to immediately investi-gate any significant drop in insu-lation resistance which can be

completed through insulationtesting.

For the larger part, motormaintenance is about keep ener-gy consumption and thus energycosts down. SEW-Eurodrive’sCerra notes that the key toreducing energy is to use an effi-cient motor and to take a closerlook what the motor is driving.

“To reduce the energy used bya motor, you need to look at thewhole drive system and optimiseit. That is the motor, the gear boxand the end process that is beingdriven, be it a pump, fan, com-pressor or conveyor, becausethat’s what is actually consumingthe energy,” he said.

“Sometimes replacing ineffi-cient motors can also be a betteroption than getting motors re-wound or having older designmotors refurbished.

“By putting in a modern,high efficiency motor that will use less energy, the cost saving as a result can see manu-facturers recover the cost of themotor within a reasonable payback period.”

And with electricity chargesgoing up and greater industryfocus on reducing emissions,Cerra argues that having an effi-cient motor and an efficientdrive process does reduce powerconsumption and energy costs.

“What we encourage people todo is to look at the process andoptimise it. This means using ahigher efficiency motor, getting aefficient gear box and looking atwhat it is driving,” he said.

“Getting the most efficientdesigns for all components thatdrive the system will help tolower the overall energy con-sumption and reduce energycosts. Manufacturers can use alsouse variable speed drives to opti-mise the process speed toachieve further energy savings.With the motor speed and outputpower optimised to the demandsof the process instead of runninga full speed, manufacturers canreduce their energy consumptionand save on electricity costs.”

SEW-Eurodrive, 61 8 8161 4000,www.sew-eurodrive.com.au

Baldor Australia, 1300 225 367,www.baldor.com.au

Diagnosing motor problems before they arise is best done through regular

inspections, helping to save money and increase uptime, Annie Dang writes.

Keeping motors running

Regular maintenance willhelp to narrow the scope of

potential motor failures.


maxon EC 22 HDExtremely tough.

maxon EC 22 HD

It works through fire and ice.

maxon motor is the world’s leading supplier of high-precision drives and systems of up to 500 watts power output.maxon motor stands for customer specific solutions, high quality, innovation, competitive prices and a worldwide distribution network.See what we can do for you: www.maxonmotor.com.au

When you need a brushless DC drive to deal with harsh environmental conditions, the maxon EC 22 HD (heavy duty) is your answer: the Ø22 mm survivalist delivers 80 watts in air and 240 watts in oil. It withstands 200°C temperatures and pressure up to 1,700 bar.Vibrations up to 25 grms and shocks and drops up to 100 G do not faze it.

maxon motordriven by precision

HAYDON Kerk has added theextended stroke captive 19000series linear actuator to its highoutput can-stack line.

According to the company, the1.22” (31mm) stroke lengthallows a greater range of linearmotion while, at the same time,maintaining the small mechani-cal footprint for use in demand-ing applications requiring com-pact components.

The 19000 can-stack linearactuator reportedly uses the lat-est technology in both materialsand manufacturing. Technicalenhancements includes opti-mised stator tooth geometry,high energy neodymium mag-nets, custom engineered poly-mers, and larger ball bearings.

The resulting system is a linearactuator with a body diameter of20mm and a linear force of up to180 oz (50N).

The high output can-stack lineis said to provide high force-to-

size ratios and is compatiblewith applications, including pre-cision medical equipment, scien-tific instrumentation, scanning

devices, advanced optics, andother units requiring high force.Haydon Kerk Motion Solutions, 1800 243 2715,

www.haydonkerk.com

Motors&DRIVES

The actuator has a20mm body diameter.

High force-to-size ratios in linear actuatorStainless steel

motors for wet

environments

MOTION technologies now offersJVL’s integrated servo motor MAC141 in a stainless steel version.

The stainless steel motors havebeen designed to handle IP67 andwithstand high pressure washdownconditions for long-time operation.

They feature special Teflon sealingreportedly for long lasting watertightoperation in high pressure wash-down conditions.

The motors are brushless servo-motor capable of 0.48/1.59 NmRMS/peak, 134 W and up to 2700RPM and has integrated electronics,encoder, driver and controller inside.

Also, they can be supplied withoptions for built-in PLC, RS232/485,Profibus, CANbus or industrialEthernet, including EtherCAT,EtherNet/IP, Profinet, Modbus TCPand Sercos III and more.

According to the distributor, themotors are a durable solution forfood and beverage processing, phar-maceutical and chemical industriesand can be supplied with optionalplanetary gearheads in ratios from3:1…216:1.

Motion Technologies 02 9524 4782,www.motiontech.com.au

The motor has a stainless steel shaft,flange, tube and rear-end cover.

More durable, more reliable combined bearing

WINKEL’s new VulkollanCombined is a combination bear-ing that incorporates a driveshaft to run two Vulkollan coated bearings at a speed of up to 4.8m/sec.

According to Winkel local dis-tributor, TEA Transmissions,Vulkollan is the ideal material ofchoice in all application areasthat require exceptionally highwear-resistance, combined withhigh mechanical and dynamicload bearing capacities.

As well as its high resistance

to wear, Vulkollan coated bear-ings reportedly offer low perma-nent deformation, high reboundresilience, quiet running, high

tear resistance and good resist-ance to UV radiation, ozone,grease and oils.

The bearings are said to havebeen designed to save energy inindustrial applications.According to TEA Transmissions,the alternative is to spend moremoney to counteract friction,which can arise from the contact.

The better the bearing, thegreater the energy saved,says the company.

T.E.A. Transmissions 07 4129 2533,www.tea.net.au

Vulkollan is a high wear-resistance material.

Big gear units for big jobsWe’re torqueing big.

Gearmotors \ Industrial Gear Units \ Drive Electronics \ Drive Automation \ Services

1300 SEW AUS

Melbourne (HQ) I Sydney I Adelaide I Perth I Brisbane I Townsville www.sew-eurodrive.com.au

At SEW-EURODRIVE, we’re world renowned for supplying the highest quality geared motor solutions. More recently, we’ve been building a similar reputation with our industrial gear units. From mining conveyors to bucket elevators, SEW-EURODRIVE’s industrial gear units can provide the solution. We don’t stop there – we supply complete drive assemblies with their matching drive electronics to heavy industry across Australia. With ever-increasing Australian assembly capabilities, delivery times have been reduced from months to a matter of weeks. That’s what we call Drive 360° – Seeing the big picture: industrial gear units delivered in the shortest time possible. We’re torqueing big.

Supplier of the Year


ALIGNMENT-FREE, heavy-dutydrives that cost-effectively inte-grate motor and gearbox arebeing custom engineered byBonfiglioli for low maintenanceand high performance in rugged, remote and demandingapplications.

The new HD AFD drives – oneof the latest of which was engi-neered for an inclined ship load-ing coal conveyor in Indonesia –join Bonfiglioli’s expandingrange of Australasian-engineeredmounting options for specificapplications.

The HD AFD combinations, incapacities up to 1722 kW and150,000 Nm, offer an alternativeto laser-aligned baseplate typeswhile allowing the versatile useof close coupled IEC B5 flangemounted motors up to a 315frame size.

The easily-installed HD AFDdrives complement Bonfiglioli’sHD Power Pack drives on baseplates and Hi-Torque drives com-

bining HD drives and Trasmitalplanetaries.

The HD drive combinations areparticularly suited to conveyor

drives and materials handlingapplications across a wide rangeof industries, including manufac-turing, mineral processing, pri-mary processing, resources, ener-gy and water and wastewater,says Bonfiglioli Transmission(Australia) managing director,Malcolm Lewis.

“One of the outstanding flexi-bility features of our newAustralasian production and test-ing line for HD drives is that wecan adapt specific drives to par-ticular applications,” Lewis said.

“The new HDO 110 AFD driverecently completed for anIndonesian mining customer, forexample, was custom engineeredto be compact, easy to fit and

remove, and with motor drivingdirect to gearbox for optimumperformance.

“Durability of the drive isbuilt-in, with alignment-free construction, rigid flange outputcoupling, forced ventilation,epoxy paint and Taconite protective seals.

Motors&DRIVES

Custom-made drives for tough transmission

Ready made or Custom made

...now exclusive distributors for KHK

www.ronsongears.com.au

The drives reportedly featureexcellent torque distributionacross their entire ratio range,with gear ratios laid out in closeprogression and the drives having a rugged capacity tocope with the shock and impact of intermittent loads.

Bonfiglioli MD, MalcolmLewis, shown with adrive destined forIndonesia.

BY BRENT WHYTE

>>


“Similar custom-engineeredheavy drives are now beinginstalled throughout Australasiaand the Asia-Pacific as weexpand our leadership role as amajor supplier of helical, plane-tary, worm and frequency invert-er drives.”

HD AFD models can reported-ly save both time and money in arange of applications becausethere is no need to laser-alignthe motor and gearbox shafts. Inaddition to reduced initial costscompared with traditional base-plate designs, the HD AFD con-

figuration enhances serviceabili-ty by permitting high speed com-ponents to be removed andreplaced without the need for re-alignment.

Bonfiglioli’s HD drives series isa new generation of large indus-trial drives engineered to pro-duce reliability and torque densi-ties to record values, says Lewis.

The drives reportedly featureexcellent torque distributionacross their entire ratio range,with gear ratios laid out in closeprogression and the drives hav-ing a rugged capacity to copewith the shock and impact of

intermittent loads.Finite Element Analysis and

Multi Body Simulations wereconducted to identify the stresspattern on each of the main com-ponents and to optimise thedesign for system structural stiff-ness and gear geometry.

The drives offer ratios from 7:1to 500:1, along with reducednoise emissions from fully hard-ened and ground alloy steel heli-cal and bevel gears to DIN Class6. The SG cast iron housings andhigh grade alloy steel shafts withinduction hardened seal journalsreportedly ensure greater service

life in demanding conditions.Numerous mounting and shaft

options are available, resultingfrom the HD’s multi-machinedcase and symmetrical design.Shaft options include hollowkeyed bore, single or doublesolid-keyed, shrink disc andmale/female splines on request.

Fully hardened and groundalloy helical and bevel gears,plus high speed bearings aresaid to result in reducers beingup to 94% efficient in three-stage form.

Bonfiglioli 02 8811 8000,www.bonfiglioli.com.au

Motors&DRIVES

Low thermal couplings reduce system misalignment

SERVOCLASS Couplings fromZero-Max have been designed toreduce variations in system accu-racy and heat transfer caused bythermal expansion.

They feature stainless steeldiscs designed into the centre ofthe coupling that dissipate heatgenerated from a connectedservo motor.

The coupling applicationsinclude automation, packaging,

semi-conductor assembly andany system which uses ballscrews and servo motors.

They handle bore diametersfrom 20mm to 35mm and operat-ing torque from 100 to 250 Nm.Sizes start from 4 mm.

The couplings are manufac-tured of RoHS compliant materials.

They are said to be lightweightand are designed with 304 stain-

less steel disc packs and 7075-T6aluminum hubs and centre members.

They are available in singleand double flex models in inchand metric sizes.

All models and sizes featureclamp style hubs with corrosionresistant socket head cap screws,according to the manufacturer.

Naismith Engineering & Mfg 03 9489 9811,www.naismith.com.au

The couplings are manufactured ofRoHS compliant materials.

continued from page 42


THE metal manufacturingindustry is finally on its wayto recovery after suffering

severely from the 2009 financialcrisis. Dr Schafer from theGerman Machine Tool Builders’Association anticipates that 2011

will have be positive for the metalworking industry, highlightingmanufacturing customers are inthe mood to purchase again.

“During the first nine months of2010, orders of German machinetool manufacturers show an

increase by close to 20% in busi-ness activities with Australian cus-tomers,” Dr Schafer toldManufacturers’ Monthly.

Dr Schafer explains that,according to current economicforecasts, investment will rise upto 6% this year.

German export figures showmachine tool shipments make upa large part of trade withAustralia.

The figures indicate Germanand Australian export/import isdominated by the sheet metalmanufacturing sector, with closeto 40% of the entire machine tooldeliveries made up of punching(with and without use of lasers),notching, bending, folding andstraightening applications.

“This positive development willspeed-up proven records inGerman exports/Australianimports and Australian marketsize respectively,” said Dr Schafer.

This is great news for the metalindustry as orders were at an all-time low in 2009.

Recently, buying trends in sur-rounding Asian companies havealso been been positive, withcountries including China and

South Korea also purchasingmore.

“Asia offers a huge degree ofdemand postponed for structuralinstead of mere conjunctional rea-sons, and has overcome the crisiswithout heavy economic deterio-rations, comparable to these inthe United States and Europe,”said Dr Schafer.

According to worldwide recordsfrom the German machine toolindustry's order intake for 2010,the demand in the USA increasedby 84%, Brazil accelerated by157% and Europe by 42%.

Dr Schafer spoke at a businessbriefing in Sydney last month topromote the Hannover EMO exhi-bition – an international metal-working tradeshow – to Australiancompanies.

The show will be organised andstaged by the German MachineTool Builder’s Association (VDW)held in Hannover, Germany, from19 to 24 September 2011.

Two Australian companies are set to exhibit at the EMOHannover exhibition this year:ANCA Tool Precision and Sutton Tools.

With a slight decrease to lastyear, EMO anticipates that due tothe EMO Hannover businessbriefings held in Melbourne andSydney, it will result in even more Australian organisations participating at this year’s event.

EMO Hannover www.emo-hannover.com

Metalworking&MACHINETOOLS

Manufacturing customers are in the mood to purchase again, Margaret Tra writes.

In the mood for metal

Metalworking equipment is experiencing an upswing in purchases

from Australian manufacturers.


Metalworking&MACHINETOOLS

3-roll plate bending machineTHE Lemas 3-Roll Plate BendingRolls from Power Machinery aresaid to be universal machines forall plate bending jobs, and havebeen especially designed withthe job-shop fabricator in mind.

The 3-roll, double pinch designis said to provides excellent pre-bending capabilities as it is easyto pre-bend both the leading andtrailing edge without the need toremove, turn or re-insert theplate, says the distributor.

The quality of a profile rolledon this machine is designed tobe the same to the ones rolledon 4-roll double pinch or 3-rollinitial-pinch machines.

The two lower rolls can beadjusted independently of eachother, with variable adjustment

speeds, in a curved path arounda common center.

The standard rolls are manu-factured from SF45C solid steelforgings with a carbon contentbetween 0.38 ~ 0.45% and gothrough a high frequency surfaceheat treatment at HRC45 orabove for maximum surface

hardness. The top roll comeswith a cambering design forcompensating during rolling.

Furthermore, all the rolls are reportedly equipped withself-aligning and self-lubricatingbearings.

Power Machinery 02 9971 1755,www.powermachinery.com.au

The machine is universal forall plant bending jobs.

HMI for CNCTHE Machine Tool Division ofSiemens Drive Technologies hasintegrated its control and pro-

gramming interfaces – HMI-Advanced, ShopMill andShopTurn – in a single end-to-end interface for machine tools,called SINUMERIK Operate.

SINUMERIK Operate containsanimated elements and allowsintuitive operation and program-ming. New functions mean thateven complex workpieces areeasy to program, set up andmachine, according to Siemens.

The clearly-structured layoutwith context-based functions andself-explanatory icons isdesigned for machine operators.

Integrated simulation enablesthe program to be checked oneoperation at a time as it is pro-grammed. This is said to be verypowerful when combined withSTEP programming in ShopMillor ShopTurn.

Local Australian machine toolmanufacturer Thomas Hegmann(H&H machine tools) is report-edly already using this develop-ment, which offers 840Dsl withSINUMERIK Operate on its CNCgantry milling machines.

CNC Design 03 9411 1511,www.cncdesign.com

Clip angle

processing machine

HEADLAND Machinery hasreleased a new American-madeclip angle processing machinecalled the Ocean Angle Line.

The unit is designed for thestructural steel fabricator toeliminate costly layout andmanual drilling procedures.

Features of the Angle Lineinclude the ability to processshort clip angles as well aslong bracing angles.

The unit is also said to elimi-nates manual layout, and man-ual drilling and punching.

The Angle Line providesaccuracy of hole placement,eliminating costly field modifi-cations, and is easy installedby a fabricator.

The system is space efficient,at no bigger than most iron-workers, and is reportedly sim-ple and easy to operate.

Headland Machinery 03 9244 3500www.industryechange.com.au

The HMI is easy-to-use for a powerful CNC.


M.T.I. QUALOS PTY. LTD.MELBOURNE

55 Northern Road, West Heidelberg, Vic. 3081.Phone (03) 9450 1900 Fax (03) 9458 3217

SYDNEY5 Hallstrom Place, Wetherill Park, N.S.W. 2164.

Phone (02) 9756 5577 Fax (02) 9756 5666Web: www.mtiqualos.com.au

e-mail: [email protected]

M.T.I. Qualos Pty. Ltd. are proud to

provide the next generation of CNC

Co-Ordinate Measuring Machines, the

With increased measuring speed and

higher accuracy/resolution the

Crysta-Apex C brings a new

dimension to the Quality Control process.

To see the future of High-SpeedMeasurement please contact:

DORMER has expanded itsrange of multi-material toolswith the addition of numerousnew thread cutting and threadforming taps.

Carrying the brand nameSpectrum, the product introduc-tions target a growing require-ment for versatile cutting toolsthat offer high performanceacross a wide range of engineering materials.

The Spectrum thread cuttingtaps are manufactured fromeither premium quality vanadi-um powder steel or HSCo forsuperior toughness and edgestrength, with a choice of gold(bright flutes/thread) or steamtempered finishes to provide

a smooth cutting action with lessbuild-up on the cutting edge.

The tools, designed to promotea continuous production process,feature a three radii flute profilewith a constant rake angle.

This is said to facilitate the cre-ation and subsequent evacuationof narrow, regular chips, resultingin negligible chip congestion.

Spectrum forming taps offer a chip-free operation with astronger thread for hole depthsup to 3.5xD.

The thread profile generateslow torque for longer tool lifeand excellent surface finish,while the stable design is said toreduce the risk of tap breakage.

Dormer Tools www.dormertools.com

Thread cutting taps

The cutting tools are versatileand offer high performance.


MACKAY ConsolidatedIndustries is a majorsupplier of engineered

rubber and bonded metal/rubbercomposite products for the auto-motive, defence, transport, con-struction and industrial markets.

The Product and ProcessDevelopment (PPD) departmentis responsible for the design anddevelopment of new rubberproducts and for refining andmodernising existing offerings.

The PPD department alsodesigns the tooling for the multi-tude of moulds that are requiredfor Mackay’s extensive products.

“In simplistic terms our role isto take a customer’s concept orproblem, work out the technicalsolution and design an end prod-uct that can be manufacturedcost effectively,” said Mackay’sproduct development manger,Ian Simmonds.

Rubber is a notoriously diffi-cult material to model and to aidin the design function, Mackayhas invested in the latest propri-etary tools including licenses forthe powerful Adams KinematicModeler, and the ANSYS non lin-ear Finite Element Modeler.

These virtual engineering toolsenable Mackay to understandthe system and review how rub-

ber components will performacross a wide range of real life conditions.

The ANSYS tool enablesMackay to examine areas such asstress/strain levels, modal analy-sis and importantly, calculate therubber volume required and curetemperature/time parametersbefore the part is manufactured.The Adams modeler enablesMackay to build a virtual vehicle to test its theoreticaldynamic behavior.

“The crucial thing about thesesoftware tools is that they allowus to bypass or reduce theexpensive and time consumingsteps of producing pre-produc-tion models – we can proceedconfidently and expediently tofull scale production,”Simmonds said.

The PPD department is alsoinvolved with CapabilityTechnology Demonstrator (CTD)projects which in some cases canliterally take years to complete –especially with hi-tech itemssuch as defence products.

Mackay is a first tier supplierto a number of automotiveOEM’s including Ford, GeneralMotors and Toyota.

Mackay Consolidated Industries 03 9555 6500, www.mackayrubber.com.au

Metalworking&MACHINE TOOLSwww.thebrightworldofmetals.comwww.gmtn.de

One date – one place – four eventsMake the most of four high-calibre tradefairs – for foundry technology, metallurgy,thermo process technology and precisioncastings – in one place and with one entranceticket.

The industries’ Number 1 worldwide, multiplesynergies, connections and networks all injust one show visit.Welcome to Düsseldorf!

The BrightWorldof Metals.Düsseldorf, Germany28 June – 02 July 2011

Barth Trade Consulting

Australia Pty Ltd

PO Box 396

GOSFORD NSW 2250

Tel.: 02 4324 0022

Fax: 02 4324 0002

e-mail: [email protected]

internet: www.german-trade.com.au

Modelling boostsplastics productionInvestment in cutting edge new software and infra-

structure for this rubber manufacturer has reportedly

resulted in a truly multi-faceted business model.

This image shows the radialstrain on one of Mackay’splastic moulds.


OVER the last decade,BMW Group Australia hasexperienced such

unprecedented growth driven byconsumer demand, that not onlyhave sales increased by 85%,but their Melbourne warehousehas had to cope with a growth invehicles being shifted from 9,318in 1997 to 17,197 in 2007.

To tackle this increaseddemand, BMW decided that atwin warehouse strategy was thebest solution to maintain thecompany’s premium serviceobjectives of optimising partsavailability and maximisingspeed-of-delivery to dealers and customers.

The strategy was two-fold:design a new NationalDistribution Centre in Sydney;and re-focus the use of theMelbourne Distribution Centreto become a satellite warehouse.

The resultant project took overthree-and-a-half years to becomea reality and BMW has now offi-cially opened its new state-of-the-art National DistributionCentre in Moorebank, Sydney.

According to BMW GroupAustralia parts operations man-ager, Martin Ellis, the decision tore-locate the NDC to Sydney wasdue to 58% of the parts being

sold into dealers across NewSouth Wales and Queensland,with 48% moving in to Sydney and Brisbane metropolitan regions.

“Our new facility stocks thefull range of parts and acces-sories for BMW with over 30,000SKU’s. Moorebank NDC will sup-ply fast and medium movingstock in to the Northern andCentral regions and slow movingstock nationally. Our target FPAis 93-95% ex Moorebank and 85-87% ex-Mulgrave,” Ellis said.

Mulgrave satellite warehousewill stock fast and medium mov-ing stock and service 85% of theSouthern region requirementsdirectly with over 13,000 SKU’s.It will also hold the centralisedstock of LifeStyle andMotorcycle Rider wear.

The new facility in Moorebankis 12,600 square metres of ware-house, with a provision forexpansion to 20,000 squaremetres to handle future growthof the company.

“A critical component of ournew NDC is the turnkey supplyof a state-of-the-art racking, mez-zanine and storage systemsdesigned and installed by SSISchaefer International. The rack-ing height is 7 metres, and 3 lev-

els of mezzanine approximately7.5 metres in height and the foot-print of the mezzanine is approx-imately 1300 square metres,”said Ellis.

SSI Schaefer International cus-tom-built the pallet racking I600,the modular shelving R3000 forstorage of small and mediumparts, the mezzanine, lightingsystem, sprinkler system, goodshoist, mesh wall panels,shelf/rack and aisle labelling andmodular shelving for storage ofbulky and body parts. Schaeferalso organised all the localauthority consents so the build-ing could be habited, includingdevelopment application, con-struction certificate and occu-pancy certificate.

The Schaefer I600 pallet rack-ing system offers BMW the flexi-

bility towards future modifica-tions and integration of pickinglevels to meet new and modifiedproduct ranges.

The Schaefer R3000 shelvingsystem was easy-to-assembleboltless and modular design.

The Schaefer mezzanine wascustom-built for BMW purposeand has the highest load capaci-ty and material quality.

Schaefer installed the BMWgoods hoist system which servesthree levels of the NDC and hasa load capacity of 2000 kg.

“The success and on-time com-pletion of the Schaefer installa-tion was critical to BMW meet-ing all subsequent ramp-up dead-lines, and having the facilityfully operational on schedule.Allan Slingsby and the team atSchaefer were extremely profes-sional and competent, overcamea number of unexpected hurdlesoutside of their control andachieved all of the deadlines setfor them,” Ellis said.

SSI Schaefer 02 9824 3844,www.ssi-schaefer.com.au

MaterialsHANDLING

The new DC offers 12,600 squaremetres of warehouse space.

BMW Group designs a new DC and overhauls its existing base to cater for an 85%

increase in sales, relying on SSI Schaefer’s suite of warehousing solutions.

MATERIALS HANDLINGpositioningDISPENSINGINVERTINGelevatingLOADINGLIFTING

Ergonomics in Action

For information or catalogue:Phone: 1800 066 008Fax: 1300 858 626 or email [email protected]

ARE YOU HANDLING PALLETISED GOODS?

WE HAVE THE SOLUTIONS!

BMW drives DC overhaul


CROWN Equipment hasannounced it will launch its firstcompany-manufactured internalcombustion (IC) forklift, calledthe Crown C-5 Series, inAustralia in April.

The official launch date ofApril 4, 2011 will mark “the startof a new revolution in internalcombustion powered lift trucksin Australia”, the company says.

The new Crown C-5 Series isdesigned to push the limits of IC performance.

According to Crown, the newmodel leverages the company’score expertise and heritage inmaterial handling to delivercommanding advantages to own-ers and operators seekingimproved power and strength,service and uptime, and comfortand safety.

This unit will be marketedspecifically to fleet customers inAustralia, alongside Crown’sexisting extensive IC lift truck

range, which is already popularin the Australian manufacturingindustry.

The Crown C-5 features anindustrial engine that was jointlydeveloped with John DeerePower Systems.

It also offers a ‘proactiveapproach’ to engine cooling andradiator clearing via an on-demand cooling system.

Other design innovations areincluded, which are said toimprove operator visibility, com-fort and productivity.

According to Crown, productowners will see immediatereturn on their investment afterpurchasing the C-5 Series lifttrucks. Advantages includeextended service intervals andan exclusive Crown power brake system that collectivelyreduce maintenance costs and downtime, according to themanufacturer.

Crown Equipment 131 604, www.crown.com

MaterialsHANDLING

The truck was designed withthe user experience in mind.

Crown’s first IC lift truck

3G fleet management

ADAPTALIFT Hyster (AALH)has updated its ForkTrack fleetmanagement solution with 3Gcoverage, extending reportingcoverage capability.

ForkTrack 3G reportedlyallows full reporting and safetyalerts in all regions throughoutAustralia. According to AALH,ForkTrack is currently the mostadvanced online safety and

reporting system available in themarketplace, bringing the verybest safety enhancements andthe most advanced fleet analysistechnology into one sleek, state-of-the-art device.

Forktrack is now able to bandhop between 3G & GSM/GPRS,offering more coverage.

Adaptalift Hyster 1300 880 335,www.aalhyster.com.au

Economical raised flooring expands storage

COLBY Raised Storage Areasare affordable solutions that can reportedly double the usable floor area in your warehouse or distribution centre (DC) using standard pallet racking components.

The solutions are said to pro-vide a cost-effective way of util-ising overhead space, while notinterrupting ground floor opera-

tions. The units are designed tomeet a customer’s specificrequirements, and are said tocreate a safe and secure spacefor use as bulk storage and orderpicking areas.

A variety of solutions are onoffer, including low cost, medi-um-duty floors, and structuralcolumns for heavy duty jobs.

Dematic 02 9486 5555, www.dematic.com.au

The system tracks forklift fleets.

CO-LOCATED WITH: MELBOURNE CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION CENTRE

PRODUCT ZONES

AD09 new.indd 1 11/01/11 5:31 PM

Documents

Manufacturers Monthly Feb 2011 Issue