ALFA LAVAL – EFFICIENT SELF-PRIMING PUMPS FOR IMPROVED PERFORMANCE
Alfa Laval’s LKH Prime 40 is the latest new addition to the range. Not only does the hygienic, self-priming pump offer high energy efficiency and versatility, it also allows for significantly reduced noise levels and easy maintenance. In utilising the Alfa Laval LKH Prime 40, performance is greatly increased, including the ability to reach a flowrate up to 110 m3/hr and head of 115m.
Alfa Laval is a leading global provider of specialised products and engineering solutions based on its key technologies of heat transfer, separation and fluid handling.
The company’s equipment, systems and services are dedicated to assisting customers in optimising the performance of their processes. The solutions help them to heat, cool, separate and transport products in industries that produce food and beverages, chemicals and petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, starch, sugar and ethanol
Alfa Laval’s products are also used in power plants, aboard ships, oil and gas exploration, in the mechanical engineering industry, in the mining industry and for wastewater treatment, as well as for comfort climate and refrigeration applications.
IMPROVED ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Using the combination of advanced air-screw technology, optimized impeller and casing geometry, Alfa Laval LKH Prime exceeds industry expectations for efficient operation, reduced energy consumption and CO₂ footprint. Alfa Laval LKH Prime is engineered to meet the most stringent requirements of the hygienic industries. It is EHEDG certified and authorised to carry the 3-A symbol.
A HIGHLY VERSATILE SOLUTION
Characterised by reliability for improved operational productivity and designed for Cleaning-in-Place (CIP) duties containing entrained air, Alfa Laval LKH Prime can also pump product, potentially reducing the capital investment when designing process systems – whatever the industry.
SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED NOISE LEVELS
Quiet in operation, Alfa Laval LKH Prime reduces sound pressure levels by 80% when compared to pumps using traditional pump technologies for CIP/entrained air applications. This noise reducing feature is a smart way to improve the working environment and plant safety for employees.
EASY TO MAINTAIN
The pump is easy and cost effective to service and maintain. By sharing common parts with the Alfa Laval LKH pump range, LKH prime offers low cost of ownership and increased uptime, backed up by the security that comes from Alfa Laval’s global service network.
The post ALFA LAVAL – EFFICIENT SELF-PRIMING PUMPS FOR IMPROVED PERFORMANCE appeared first on NZ Engineering News.
ADVANCED HIGH STRENGTH STEEL – DEMAND AMID RADICAL END-USER SHIFT
Global sales of advanced high strength steel have witnessed a significant surge, in line with growing preference of end-use industries for materials with favorable mechanical properties. The demand for advanced high strength steel is likely to surpass 13,800 KT in 2019, registering an upswing from 2018, says research study into the high strength steel market.
IInterest in enhancing fuel economy and vehicular safety continues to grow across both developed and developing economies, creating sustained opportunities for manufacturers of advanced high strength steel. The report opines that growing demand for advanced high strength steel has translated into a massive influx of innovative and new products, well aligned with end-user interest vis-à-vis high strength and optimal performance.
“End-user’s inclination toward advanced materials offering durability, while retaining formability critical to the manufacturing procedures, remains palpable in the market space. Manufacturers, in a bid to solidify their market sustenance, are developing distinguishable products offering optimal scalability and longevity, albeit repeated use,” says report.
According to the report, end-user preference for dual phase advanced high strength steel (AHSS) continues to remain intact, with global sales likely to exceed 10,300 KT in 2019. Dual phase advanced high strength steel, otherwise known as ‘DP-AHSS’, offers immense scope for developing lighter and thinner components without compromising on strength, which is one among the chief factors boosting its adoption across multiple end-use verticals. Martensitic advanced high strength steel is also estimated to join the trail in terms of demand in 2019 and beyond, as end-users continue to demonstrate marked preferences for steel solutions offering robust mechanical strength.
The analysis finds that AHSS variants with moderate tensile strength will continue to remain preferred, on account of high use across a range of applications. This report opines that AHSS with ‘600-900 MPa’ tensile strength will remain the top-selling variant, with global sales estimated to exceed 7,000 KT in 2019.
The study says that advanced high strength steel will witness extensive adoption in development of structural details. Advanced high strength steel is widely used for crafting structural details and reinforcements as they offer immense scope for weight optimization and freedom of design. This, in turn, makes it a lucrative application target for the manufacturers in terms of profitability. Moreover, use of advanced high strength steel in manufacturing car seats is also gaining substantial traction, as car seat components are subject to strict safety standards.
As per report’s analysis, Europe remains a highly profitable region for the manufacturers of advanced high strength steel. Demand for advanced high strength steel remains high in Europe, notably in the EU 5 countries, where the automakers are striving to reduce weight of vehicles in a bid to meet futuristic regulations vis-à-vis tailpipe emissions. The report unveils that Europe will continue to be the largest market for advanced high strength steel in 2019, with North America following suit.
Offering products with excellent strength and high computability with end-use applications remains a key focal point for manufacturers of advanced high strength steel. Realising the competition level in the global market space, manufacturers are vying to be well-positioned to capitalise on the evolving market trends. Manufacturers of advanced high strength steel are analysing the short- and long-term consequences of incorporating new designs in a bid to constantly push their performance boundaries via launch of new products.
The report delivers actionable insights into the advanced high strength steel market over the forecast period of 2018-2027. It indicates that advanced high strength steel market is likely to expand at a volume CAGR of over 10% through 2027.
The post ADVANCED HIGH STRENGTH STEEL – DEMAND AMID RADICAL END-USER SHIFT appeared first on NZ Engineering News.
Kiwi robotics company continues expansion
Top tech investors support global expansion of the world’s first non-magnetic, climbing inspection robot for hazardous environments
A New Zealand-developed climbing inspection robot that caught the attention of top US investors, with its ability to help keep workers safe in hazardous environments, is continuing its global march.
Invert Robotics announced in May that it has secured a US$8.8 million round of funding led by Finistere Ventures, an agtech/foodtech venture pioneer, with support from Yamaha Motor Ventures & Laboratory Silicon Valley (YMVSV), the corporate venture capital business of Yamaha Motor Co. Ltd.
Existing investors, such as Allan Moss, Inception Asset Management and the New Zealand Venture Investment Fund, also participated in the capital raise.
Using the strategic investment to scale its team, open a US office and expand its technology platform and industry-specific solutions, Invert Robotics aims to increase the global footprint of its climbing robot – the first specifically designed to inspect the integrity and safety of non-magnetic, hazardous environments.
“The immediate value of Invert Robotics across the global food supply chain – from ensuring food and beverages are stored and transported in safe, pathogen-free environments, to avoiding catastrophic failures in agrichemical-industry containers and plants – is undeniably impressive,” says Arama Kukutai, co-founder and partner, Finistere Ventures.
“However, we see the potential applications as almost limitless. With Invert Robotics, companies across a variety of industries will be able to deploy climbing robots to make asset inspection easier and more effective to avoid life-threatening situations for their workers, their communities and their consumers.”
Invert Robotics offers precise, remote inspection of non-magnetic surfaces such as stainless steel, carbon fiber, aluminum and glass. Its climbing robot is already being used by key players in the global aviation market, alongside major Australian and New Zealand dairy companies and co-operatives such as Fonterra, Synlait and Murray Goldburn.
The global chemical industry represents another market where Invert Robotics’ technology is helping to keep workers safe while undertaking critical equipment inspections.
“Our climbing robots go where other robots cannot and people should not,” says Invert Robotics managing director Neil Fletcher.
“We give our customers an easier, safer and faster way to inspect the safety and integrity of the most hazardous and toxic environments. Industrial accidents in the chemical industry can be costly and sometimes even deadly, but they are often preventable. Remote inspection solutions that take into account chemical corrosion and high-pressure processing scenarios can help chemical companies improve worker safety, optimise maintenance and avoid future tragedies.”
The Invert Robotics climbing robots can securely adhere to surfaces that other robots cannot and go into confined, treacherous spaces that would put workers’ lives at risk. Going beyond visual inspections, the company’s robots can perform in-depth scans using surface-wave detection and ultrasonic probes to measure wall thickness, assess structural integrity and find defects on any surface.
“As part of Yamaha’s long-term vision supporting the development of advanced robots to improve workplace efficiency and safety, Invert Robotics’ technology and its value proposition made a positive impression on our investment committee,” adds Craig Boshier, Partner and General Manager for Yamaha Motor Ventures in Australia and New Zealand.
The post Kiwi robotics company continues expansion appeared first on NZ Engineering News.
Wheel reinvented: automated/electric vehicles to benefit
Israeli start-up company Ree has unveiled and made claims of what it describes as a revolutionary flat and modular platform which fundamentally changes the way electric vehicles are built to power widespread vehicle electrification. By integrating all of the components formerly found under the hood of the car into the wheel, Ree says it offers optimal freedom of design, multiple body configurations on a single platform, reduced vehicle size and weight, and increased energy and operational efficiency.
The skeptics are plentiful, but the company says that its unique approach strategically places the motor, steering, suspension, drivetrain, sensing, brakes, thermal systems and electronics into the wheel, creating a truly flat platform. This design provides a low centre of gravity to maximise efficiency and supports the vehicle’s agility and stability. Ree’s innovation drastically reduces a vehicle’s footprint, weight, and improves both energy efficiency and performance – aspects crucial to the electric and autonomous vehicle revolution.
Rees platform provides automakers, mobility providers and delivery companies a tailor-made solution. Based on a novel quad-motor system, and including active height-levelling suspension, steer-by-wire and a smart quad-gear box, Ree’s technology provides the basis of any type of vehicle from a high-performance car able to do 0-60 mph in less than 3 seconds to an off-road SUV with advanced active suspension technology. The platform can also be used as the base of a robotaxi or even a 10-ton cross country truck.
“The concepts of the past are limited and restrict the ability of the automotive industry to realize the electric and autonomous reality they are striving for. Until now, the industry has operated by making incremental improvements on the traditional design of the automotive vehicle. At Ree, we believe that in order to hasten the automotive revolution we need to reinvent the wheel – quite literally,” says Daniel Barel, co-founder and ceo of Ree.
The adaptation of Ree’s universal framework will replace multiple platforms for OEMs resulting in substantial savings. The design and validation of each platform traditionally costs manufacturers billions. By enabling them to utilise one platform for all of their vehicles, costs will be slashed, while performance, safety, comfort and energy efficiency will all be drastically improved.
Ree says it is already collaborating with leading OEMs as well as Tier-1 and Tier-2 automotive companies including Mitsubishi Corporation, Musashi Seimitsu Industry, Tenneco, American Axle, FCA and NSK among others.
In a release, Ree says Mitsubishi Corporation commented, “We can see Ree’s technology has huge potential in the autonomous driving world, as it makes the electrification process highly efficient with its new modular platform.”
Watch this space.
The post Wheel reinvented: automated/electric vehicles to benefit appeared first on NZ Engineering News.
Students from TU Delft and VU Amsterdam present recumbent bike they hope will go faster than 121.8 km/h
On Saturday 27 July the Human Power Team, a student team from TU Delft and VU Amsterdam, presented their latest aerodynamic bike at the Dutch National Military Museum in Soesterberg. The team hope that this recumbent bike, named the VeloX 9, will break the world speed record for cycling – which currently stands at 121.8 km/h – in the Nevada desert in the USA.
A real eye-catcher
The National Military Museum offered a part of its site for the students to try out the VeloX 9 between the military aircraft on display. This test run of the super-fast recumbent bike was a real eye-catcher among the museum’s visitors. “Never before have we cycled for such as big audience as today”, said Britt Krabbenborg, team manager of the Human Power Team.
Women’s world record
The aim of the Human Power Team is to unite man and machine in order to demonstrate what can be achieved using human power. They do this by producing a bicycle every year to take part in the World Human Powered Speed Challenge in Nevada, USA. Here the Human Power Team competes against other teams to achieve the highest possible speeds on a bicycle in the women’s category. Last year the team took the first and second place. This year the students want to win in their category and also claim the world record for the Netherlands. Taking up the challenge are students Rosa Bas from Utrecht and Jennifer Breet from Amsterdam. The current world record stands at 121.8 km/h and is held by Frenchwoman Barbara Buatois.
Promising
The presentation at the National Military Museum showed that the athletes can make a stable start, and in other test runs in the Netherlands the recumbent bike has already achieved speeds over 70 km/h. Krabbenborg: “With an eye to the world record, this is a promising start. During these tests we only had two kilometres of tarmac to race on, which is quite short. During the world record attempt in America there is a straight run of eight kilometres, which gives you more time to accelerate to top speed. Besides this, the record attempt in America is held at an altitude of 1400 metres, so the lower air pressure there means the VeloX experiences less air resistance than in the Netherlands.”
Minimum resistance
“At high speeds our greatest enemy is air resistance. Which is why the shape of the aerodynamic shell of our bike is such an important factor in reaching our top speed”, explains Bart van de Krol, the team’s Aerodynamics Engineer and a student of aerospace engineering. “We have designed the shape as closely as possible around the bodies of our athletes to keep the bike as small and streamlined as possible.” In addition, the VeloX is made of lightweight materials and uses a new gear system in which the sprockets move instead of the chain. This means the chain maintains a straight line and so experiences less friction than in a standard bike. Moreover, this year the VeloX has been fitted with tyres designed specially for the team, to endure the lowest possible rolling resistance.
100% human power
The Human Power Team consists of 16 students who have all put their studies on hold for a year to work on the project. Besides producing a high-tech bike, it is important that the athletes themselves undergo the best possible preparation for the world record challenge. An endurance, power and high-intensity training programme will ensure that they are in top form at the start of the race in September. Right now the athletes are focusing on training on the VeloX 9 to get them accustomed to the new recumbent. In this way the team is doing all it can to claim the world title for the Netherlands.
The post Students from TU Delft and VU Amsterdam present recumbent bike they hope will go faster than 121.8 km/h appeared first on NZ Engineering News.
Gallagher takes out big award
The Gallagher Water Flow Indicator took out the Fieldays International Innovation Award at the International Business Networker on day two of Fieldays 2019.
Inspired by pure frustration, Murray Tones was sick of forever going around his farm looking for water leaks and was told by his wife that he’d talked about it enough and it was time to get on and do it.
The process for creating the Water Flow Indicator took about six or seven years and went through three or four different protypes until Murray was ready to take it to the next step. Equipped with his prototype secured in a box, Murray went to Gallagher to pitch his idea and come up with a plan.
The post Gallagher takes out big award appeared first on NZ Engineering News.
NZUS Council supports Minister Peters efforts for a trade agreement with the US
Recent high profile and sucessful partnerships such as Rocket Lab domonstrates the huge potential for the relationship
The NZUS Council will increase its engagement in the United States to support Foreign Minister, Rt Hon Winston Peters’ efforts to promote a free trade agreement with the United States.
“The Council is excited by the work Mr Peters is doing to build political support in the US for a free trade agreement and we will increase our efforts to support him,” NZ US Council chair Leon Grice said.
Mr Peters has said he will be travelling to Washington DC in the next few weeks and will continue to advocate for a free trade agreement with the United States and push the case for moving into more formal discussions.
“US Ambassador Scott Brown is also playing an important trade advocacy role from Wellington and in Washington DC and the Council appreciates his ability to get things done on the Hill. Ambassador Brown was a key part of getting the E1/E2 business visa legislation passed in Congress,” Leon Grice said.
NZUS Council executive director, Jordan Small says, “The Council is standing up its trade advocacy efforts. We are organising two Council delegations visits this year and a programme of work focused on lobbying, letter-writing, building support for an FTA, and promoting our members’ broader trade interests.”
NZ US Council Advisory Board chair and co-founder, Fran O’Sullivan says securing a free trade agreement with the United States has been a Council objective from its establishment in 2001.
“We worked hard to get a bilateral FTA process underway and threw the council’s support behind US involvement in the Trans-Pacific Partnership when that regional agreement was launched in 2008. With the US out of TPP, it is now appropriate to refocus on a bilateral agreement.
“It will take a lot of hard work but we need to take every opportunity to push for greater US engagement,” Ms O’Sullivan said.
New Zealand and the US have a deep and longstanding friendship and share a long history of trade and investment, traditionally led by goods exports but increasingly focused on services and technology. Two-way trade in goods was valued at $11.65 billion in 2019 and services trade was valued at $6.71 billion.
Recent high profile and successful partnerships such as Rocket Lab demonstrate the huge potential for the relationship. An FTA between the US and New Zealand would underpin the strong trading relationship and support the growth in innovative partnerships and technology exchanges that drive economic returns and job creation for our respective countries and further advance much needed economic development in New Zealand’s provincial centres.
The post NZUS Council supports Minister Peters efforts for a trade agreement with the US appeared first on NZ Engineering News.
Additive manufacturing allows bike manufacturers to extend customisation options
If there’s something you can be certain of – along with death and taxes – it’s that change is inevitable and constant.
In the world of manufactured products, the end user is getting a heck of a lot more discerning and wanting to stand out from the crowd – customisation of products is now where it’s at with companies such as Oakley, a sunglass maker, now offering entire processes so a customer can completely build their own sunglasses.
In a crowded marketplace, people are wanting differentiation. But it’s not stopping there.
Global engineering technologies company, Renishaw, has supplied Bastion Cycles with an AM250 system to improve its in-house additive manufacturing (AM) capabilities. The Australian bike manufacturer has used the machine to allow customers to completely customise their bike frames and follow the production process from beginning to end.
Bastion Cycles design, develop, trial and market a high-performance road bike which utilises a modular design of AM titanium lugs, paired with filament wound carbon fibre tubes. It prides itself on building premium bike frames locally in Australia using the latest technologies and materials. The company originally outsourced some of the production process to a local AM bureau, which produced the titanium lugs for its bike frames. However, as sales and demand increased, the company decided to bring the AM process in-house.
Ben Schultz, James Woolcock and Dean McGeary, the founders of Bastion Cycles met with Mike Brown, general manager at Renishaw Oceania, based near Melbourne, to find out about the Renishaw AM system. Bastion Cycles tested this and three other machines from various suppliers but found that the AM250 produced the best surface finish, material performance and mass customisation capabilities.
The titanium lugs, printed on the AM system are unique to Bastion Cycles in their exploitation of very thin-walls, outer-skins and a structural internal lattice, resulting in an extremely high stiffness-to-weight AM part.
“Additive manufacturing is the secret to the customisation and performance of our bikes,” explained Mr Schultz, managing director at Bastion Cycles. “With the help of Renishaw’s technology, we were the first company in the world to design, develop, test and market a commercially viable, high performance road bicycle using additive manufacturing, something that we are very proud of.”
For the first three years of operation, Bastion Cycles outsourced production to RAM3D, an AM bureau, located in Tauranga, New Zealand. RAM3D also utilised the Renishaw AM250 platform to manufacture the titanium components of the bike frame to Bastion’s supplied design. At the end of 2018, the decision was made by Bastion Cycles to bring the AM process in-house.
“We chose Renishaw to supply an AM system because of the support it could provide,” continued Schultz. “Australia has a fairly small AM market and Renishaw is the only company with a local headquarters with dedicated staff that could get an engineer to our site in a few hours. That is a valuable service for a small business like us,” adds Mr Schultz.
“AM technology means we can design and manufacture parts that could not be produced using traditional bike manufacturing methods,” explained Mike Brown, General Manager at Renishaw Oceania. “By using the AM system, Bastion Cycles is able to design, prototype and produce high-performance titanium lugs for its frames and meet the demand of its customers.”
The post Additive manufacturing allows bike manufacturers to extend customisation options appeared first on NZ Engineering News.
Expo 2020 Dubai -Business programme will open doors to Expo 2020 opportunities
Expo 2020 expects to attract 25 million visits to the world fair, to be held in Dubai from October next year, and New Zealand businesses will be able to capitalise on the opportunity through a business leveraging programme.
NZTE has today announced its business programme, which is designed to help exporters already active in the region, or those who want to explore the opportunities.
NZTE is the nation’s trade and investment promotion agency, assisting exporters to grow bigger, better, faster for the good of New Zealand.
During Expo 2020, which runs for six months, buyers, retailers, thought leaders, distributors and other potential partners will converge in an environment of unparalleled opportunity to accelerate business, not only in the United Arab Emirates but the Middle East and globally.
Dubai is already a global meeting place with one-third of the world’s population within a four-hour flight. The United Arab Emirates and the surrounding Gulf Cooperation Countries (Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Oman) rank among New Zealand’s fastest growing trading partners, with annual two-way trade worth $4 billion.
The Business Leverage Programme – which runs over two years, starting October 2019 – will introduce NZTE customers to growing areas of innovation and ways to diversify their business activity in the region. The two-year timeframe is designed to give businesses ample time to understand the opportunities that Expo 2020 provides.
The programme will feature a series of tailored activity for companies in the food and beverage, specialised manufacturing, building and construction, and technology sectors. Dubai hosts major trade fairs for these sectors, and the programme will include attendance at these. The first is Gulfood Manufacturing this October, a major event focused on the food and beverage processing industry.
In addition, a new Discover programme will introduce New Zealand businesses to the Middle East; it is specially designed for exporters who are not yet active in the region.
All activities are designed to provide targeted networking opportunities and relevant market information to support businesses’ global growth.
NZTE will tap into its global network in response to companies’ targets, to facilitate business matching opportunities with industry leaders, opinion formers, buyers, product specialists, distributors and decision makers from the Middle East and around the world.
The scale of Expo 2020 and the major trade events happening in Dubai will allow NZTE customers to build relationships and preference for their brand with key targets in the region.
NZTE’s regional director for the Middle East, India and Africa based in Dubai, Tony Martin, said: “Countries in the Gulf are focused on diversifying their economies away from a reliance on oil and gas by investing in sectors like manufacturing, healthcare, education, technology, tourism and alternative energy.
“The Expo Leveraging Programme will introduce customers to growing areas of innovation and ways to diversify their business activity in the region.
“New Zealand companies have many advantages in this region – our innovative, practical approach is highly prized – and NZTE has the networks and understanding of the culture, and the way they like to do business, that will help our exporters make the most of the opportunities.”
For more details about the programme, visit NZTE’s website here.
New Zealand is participating in the Expo itself with an innovative pavilion based on the theme ‘Care for People and Place’. For more information, visit the New Zealand Expo 2020 website here.
For more information, contact:
NZTE: Andrew Holden
Andrew.holden@nzte.govt.nz Mobile: 021 568 253
Expo2020 NZ Pavilion: Nicola Garvey
Nicola.Garvey@NZatExpo.govt.nz Mobile: 021 195 2729
The post Expo 2020 Dubai -Business programme will open doors to Expo 2020 opportunities appeared first on NZ Engineering News.
Rolls-Royce and Qatar Airways are using Virtual Reality (VR) to train engineers, in a first for the two companies.
As the number of air passengers is set to almost double by 20361, the industry faces a growing challenge: more engineers need to be trained to maintain and repair a growing number of aircraft and their engines. While practical training will always be the main focus, Rolls-Royce is working on ways to incorporate Virtual Reality into its engineering training programmes, as part of its IntelligentEngine vision.
Qatar Airways engineers are the first in the industry to receive the training, using Rolls-Royce’s pioneering Trent XWB engine, which powers the Airbus A350.
Chris Cholerton, Rolls-Royce, President – Civil Aerospace said: “At Rolls-Royce we are designing, testing, and maintaining engines in the digital realm, so it makes sense that we bring cutting-edge technology to our training programmes. In the same way pilots complete elements of their training in a simulator, certain engineering tasks can be taught through Virtual Reality. Qatar Airways were the first customer to take delivery of the Trent XWB, and their forward-thinking vision across their business makes them the perfect launch partner for this technology.”
The Trent XWB is Rolls-Royce’s largest engine. Such is the scale, it must be separated before engineers can transport it for maintenance and repair. Using HTC Vive equipment, engineers are immersed in the process, using sight, sound and touch to separate the two parts of the engine in a virtual setting.
Previously, an engine would have been transported to Doha to be used for the training, or Qatar Airways would have provided an engine in service, with the risk of damage to equipment and valuable flying time lost.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, H.E. Mr. Al Baker said: “Qatar Airways is an airline of the future and we constantly strive to deliver innovation in every area of our business. Our ultimate goal is to provide our customers with a quality on-board experience every time they travel, and by adopting the latest technology in our engineering department we aim to ensure that they arrive at their destination smoothly and without disruption.
“We are very excited about the new Virtual Reality training tool offered by Rolls-Royce and we are proud that they chose Qatar Airways as their global launch partner.”
While not intended to replace any practical training, Rolls-Royce sees valuable applications for Virtual Reality, particularly when it comes to refresher training.
Steve Buckland, a Customer and Product Training Manager at Rolls-Royce who developed the VR training programme said: “Virtual Reality has a valuable application here. It’s going to save time, money, and frees up engines that could otherwise be on aircraft, keeping passengers moving.
“The future is exciting. We’re looking at creating holograms of an engine that we can use to teach in a classroom, or Augmented Reality that can be overlaid over a real engine to show technical information. Nothing will beat learning with an engine and this will never be replaced, but new technology is allowing us to be innovative with the ways we teach engineers.”
The post Rolls-Royce and Qatar Airways are using Virtual Reality (VR) to train engineers, in a first for the two companies. appeared first on NZ Engineering News.
ALFA LAVAL – EFFICIENT SELF-PRIMING PUMPS FOR IMPROVED PERFORMANCE
Alfa Laval is a leading global provider of specialised products and engineering solutions based on its key technologies of heat transfer, separation and fluid handling.
The company’s equipment, systems and services are dedicated to assisting customers in optimising the performance of their processes. The solutions help them to heat, cool, separate and transport products in industries that produce food and beverages, chemicals and petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, starch, sugar and ethanol
Alfa Laval’s products are also used in power plants, aboard ships, oil and gas exploration, in the mechanical engineering industry, in the mining industry and for wastewater treatment, as well as for comfort climate and refrigeration applications.
IMPROVED ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Using the combination of advanced air-screw technology, optimized impeller and casing geometry, Alfa Laval LKH Prime exceeds industry expectations for efficient operation, reduced energy consumption and CO₂ footprint. Alfa Laval LKH Prime is engineered to meet the most stringent requirements of the hygienic industries. It is EHEDG certified and authorised to carry the 3-A symbol.
A HIGHLY VERSATILE SOLUTION
Characterised by reliability for improved operational productivity and designed for Cleaning-in-Place (CIP) duties containing entrained air, Alfa Laval LKH Prime can also pump product, potentially reducing the capital investment when designing process systems – whatever the industry.
SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED NOISE LEVELS
Quiet in operation, Alfa Laval LKH Prime reduces sound pressure levels by 80% when compared to pumps using traditional pump technologies for CIP/entrained air applications. This noise reducing feature is a smart way to improve the working environment and plant safety for employees.
EASY TO MAINTAIN
The pump is easy and cost effective to service and maintain. By sharing common parts with the Alfa Laval LKH pump range, LKH prime offers low cost of ownership and increased uptime, backed up by the security that comes from Alfa Laval’s global service network.
The post ALFA LAVAL – EFFICIENT SELF-PRIMING PUMPS FOR IMPROVED PERFORMANCE appeared first on NZ Engineering News.
ADVANCED HIGH STRENGTH STEEL – DEMAND AMID RADICAL END-USER SHIFT
IInterest in enhancing fuel economy and vehicular safety continues to grow across both developed and developing economies, creating sustained opportunities for manufacturers of advanced high strength steel. The report opines that growing demand for advanced high strength steel has translated into a massive influx of innovative and new products, well aligned with end-user interest vis-à-vis high strength and optimal performance.
“End-user’s inclination toward advanced materials offering durability, while retaining formability critical to the manufacturing procedures, remains palpable in the market space. Manufacturers, in a bid to solidify their market sustenance, are developing distinguishable products offering optimal scalability and longevity, albeit repeated use,” says report.
According to the report, end-user preference for dual phase advanced high strength steel (AHSS) continues to remain intact, with global sales likely to exceed 10,300 KT in 2019. Dual phase advanced high strength steel, otherwise known as ‘DP-AHSS’, offers immense scope for developing lighter and thinner components without compromising on strength, which is one among the chief factors boosting its adoption across multiple end-use verticals. Martensitic advanced high strength steel is also estimated to join the trail in terms of demand in 2019 and beyond, as end-users continue to demonstrate marked preferences for steel solutions offering robust mechanical strength.
The analysis finds that AHSS variants with moderate tensile strength will continue to remain preferred, on account of high use across a range of applications. This report opines that AHSS with ‘600-900 MPa’ tensile strength will remain the top-selling variant, with global sales estimated to exceed 7,000 KT in 2019.
The study says that advanced high strength steel will witness extensive adoption in development of structural details. Advanced high strength steel is widely used for crafting structural details and reinforcements as they offer immense scope for weight optimization and freedom of design. This, in turn, makes it a lucrative application target for the manufacturers in terms of profitability. Moreover, use of advanced high strength steel in manufacturing car seats is also gaining substantial traction, as car seat components are subject to strict safety standards.
As per report’s analysis, Europe remains a highly profitable region for the manufacturers of advanced high strength steel. Demand for advanced high strength steel remains high in Europe, notably in the EU 5 countries, where the automakers are striving to reduce weight of vehicles in a bid to meet futuristic regulations vis-à-vis tailpipe emissions. The report unveils that Europe will continue to be the largest market for advanced high strength steel in 2019, with North America following suit.
Offering products with excellent strength and high computability with end-use applications remains a key focal point for manufacturers of advanced high strength steel. Realising the competition level in the global market space, manufacturers are vying to be well-positioned to capitalise on the evolving market trends. Manufacturers of advanced high strength steel are analysing the short- and long-term consequences of incorporating new designs in a bid to constantly push their performance boundaries via launch of new products.
The report delivers actionable insights into the advanced high strength steel market over the forecast period of 2018-2027. It indicates that advanced high strength steel market is likely to expand at a volume CAGR of over 10% through 2027.
The post ADVANCED HIGH STRENGTH STEEL – DEMAND AMID RADICAL END-USER SHIFT appeared first on NZ Engineering News.
Kiwi robotics company continues expansion
A New Zealand-developed climbing inspection robot that caught the attention of top US investors, with its ability to help keep workers safe in hazardous environments, is continuing its global march.
Invert Robotics announced in May that it has secured a US$8.8 million round of funding led by Finistere Ventures, an agtech/foodtech venture pioneer, with support from Yamaha Motor Ventures & Laboratory Silicon Valley (YMVSV), the corporate venture capital business of Yamaha Motor Co. Ltd.
Existing investors, such as Allan Moss, Inception Asset Management and the New Zealand Venture Investment Fund, also participated in the capital raise.
Using the strategic investment to scale its team, open a US office and expand its technology platform and industry-specific solutions, Invert Robotics aims to increase the global footprint of its climbing robot – the first specifically designed to inspect the integrity and safety of non-magnetic, hazardous environments.
“The immediate value of Invert Robotics across the global food supply chain – from ensuring food and beverages are stored and transported in safe, pathogen-free environments, to avoiding catastrophic failures in agrichemical-industry containers and plants – is undeniably impressive,” says Arama Kukutai, co-founder and partner, Finistere Ventures.
“However, we see the potential applications as almost limitless. With Invert Robotics, companies across a variety of industries will be able to deploy climbing robots to make asset inspection easier and more effective to avoid life-threatening situations for their workers, their communities and their consumers.”
Invert Robotics offers precise, remote inspection of non-magnetic surfaces such as stainless steel, carbon fiber, aluminum and glass. Its climbing robot is already being used by key players in the global aviation market, alongside major Australian and New Zealand dairy companies and co-operatives such as Fonterra, Synlait and Murray Goldburn.
The global chemical industry represents another market where Invert Robotics’ technology is helping to keep workers safe while undertaking critical equipment inspections.
“Our climbing robots go where other robots cannot and people should not,” says Invert Robotics managing director Neil Fletcher.
“We give our customers an easier, safer and faster way to inspect the safety and integrity of the most hazardous and toxic environments. Industrial accidents in the chemical industry can be costly and sometimes even deadly, but they are often preventable. Remote inspection solutions that take into account chemical corrosion and high-pressure processing scenarios can help chemical companies improve worker safety, optimise maintenance and avoid future tragedies.”
The Invert Robotics climbing robots can securely adhere to surfaces that other robots cannot and go into confined, treacherous spaces that would put workers’ lives at risk. Going beyond visual inspections, the company’s robots can perform in-depth scans using surface-wave detection and ultrasonic probes to measure wall thickness, assess structural integrity and find defects on any surface.
“As part of Yamaha’s long-term vision supporting the development of advanced robots to improve workplace efficiency and safety, Invert Robotics’ technology and its value proposition made a positive impression on our investment committee,” adds Craig Boshier, Partner and General Manager for Yamaha Motor Ventures in Australia and New Zealand.
The post Kiwi robotics company continues expansion appeared first on NZ Engineering News.
Wheel reinvented: automated/electric vehicles to benefit
The skeptics are plentiful, but the company says that its unique approach strategically places the motor, steering, suspension, drivetrain, sensing, brakes, thermal systems and electronics into the wheel, creating a truly flat platform. This design provides a low centre of gravity to maximise efficiency and supports the vehicle’s agility and stability. Ree’s innovation drastically reduces a vehicle’s footprint, weight, and improves both energy efficiency and performance – aspects crucial to the electric and autonomous vehicle revolution.
Rees platform provides automakers, mobility providers and delivery companies a tailor-made solution. Based on a novel quad-motor system, and including active height-levelling suspension, steer-by-wire and a smart quad-gear box, Ree’s technology provides the basis of any type of vehicle from a high-performance car able to do 0-60 mph in less than 3 seconds to an off-road SUV with advanced active suspension technology. The platform can also be used as the base of a robotaxi or even a 10-ton cross country truck.
“The concepts of the past are limited and restrict the ability of the automotive industry to realize the electric and autonomous reality they are striving for. Until now, the industry has operated by making incremental improvements on the traditional design of the automotive vehicle. At Ree, we believe that in order to hasten the automotive revolution we need to reinvent the wheel – quite literally,” says Daniel Barel, co-founder and ceo of Ree.
The adaptation of Ree’s universal framework will replace multiple platforms for OEMs resulting in substantial savings. The design and validation of each platform traditionally costs manufacturers billions. By enabling them to utilise one platform for all of their vehicles, costs will be slashed, while performance, safety, comfort and energy efficiency will all be drastically improved.
Ree says it is already collaborating with leading OEMs as well as Tier-1 and Tier-2 automotive companies including Mitsubishi Corporation, Musashi Seimitsu Industry, Tenneco, American Axle, FCA and NSK among others.
In a release, Ree says Mitsubishi Corporation commented, “We can see Ree’s technology has huge potential in the autonomous driving world, as it makes the electrification process highly efficient with its new modular platform.”
Watch this space.
The post Wheel reinvented: automated/electric vehicles to benefit appeared first on NZ Engineering News.
Students from TU Delft and VU Amsterdam present recumbent bike they hope will go faster than 121.8 km/h
On Saturday 27 July the Human Power Team, a student team from TU Delft and VU Amsterdam, presented their latest aerodynamic bike at the Dutch National Military Museum in Soesterberg. The team hope that this recumbent bike, named the VeloX 9, will break the world speed record for cycling – which currently stands at 121.8 km/h – in the Nevada desert in the USA.
A real eye-catcher
The National Military Museum offered a part of its site for the students to try out the VeloX 9 between the military aircraft on display. This test run of the super-fast recumbent bike was a real eye-catcher among the museum’s visitors. “Never before have we cycled for such as big audience as today”, said Britt Krabbenborg, team manager of the Human Power Team.
Women’s world record
The aim of the Human Power Team is to unite man and machine in order to demonstrate what can be achieved using human power. They do this by producing a bicycle every year to take part in the World Human Powered Speed Challenge in Nevada, USA. Here the Human Power Team competes against other teams to achieve the highest possible speeds on a bicycle in the women’s category. Last year the team took the first and second place. This year the students want to win in their category and also claim the world record for the Netherlands. Taking up the challenge are students Rosa Bas from Utrecht and Jennifer Breet from Amsterdam. The current world record stands at 121.8 km/h and is held by Frenchwoman Barbara Buatois.
Promising
The presentation at the National Military Museum showed that the athletes can make a stable start, and in other test runs in the Netherlands the recumbent bike has already achieved speeds over 70 km/h. Krabbenborg: “With an eye to the world record, this is a promising start. During these tests we only had two kilometres of tarmac to race on, which is quite short. During the world record attempt in America there is a straight run of eight kilometres, which gives you more time to accelerate to top speed. Besides this, the record attempt in America is held at an altitude of 1400 metres, so the lower air pressure there means the VeloX experiences less air resistance than in the Netherlands.”
Minimum resistance
“At high speeds our greatest enemy is air resistance. Which is why the shape of the aerodynamic shell of our bike is such an important factor in reaching our top speed”, explains Bart van de Krol, the team’s Aerodynamics Engineer and a student of aerospace engineering. “We have designed the shape as closely as possible around the bodies of our athletes to keep the bike as small and streamlined as possible.” In addition, the VeloX is made of lightweight materials and uses a new gear system in which the sprockets move instead of the chain. This means the chain maintains a straight line and so experiences less friction than in a standard bike. Moreover, this year the VeloX has been fitted with tyres designed specially for the team, to endure the lowest possible rolling resistance.
100% human power
The Human Power Team consists of 16 students who have all put their studies on hold for a year to work on the project. Besides producing a high-tech bike, it is important that the athletes themselves undergo the best possible preparation for the world record challenge. An endurance, power and high-intensity training programme will ensure that they are in top form at the start of the race in September. Right now the athletes are focusing on training on the VeloX 9 to get them accustomed to the new recumbent. In this way the team is doing all it can to claim the world title for the Netherlands.
More information
For more information, see: http://www.hptdelft.nl
Photo credit: Bas de Meijer
Video credit: Julia Helmich en Anaïs Voogt
The post Students from TU Delft and VU Amsterdam present recumbent bike they hope will go faster than 121.8 km/h appeared first on NZ Engineering News.
Gallagher takes out big award
Inspired by pure frustration, Murray Tones was sick of forever going around his farm looking for water leaks and was told by his wife that he’d talked about it enough and it was time to get on and do it.
The process for creating the Water Flow Indicator took about six or seven years and went through three or four different protypes until Murray was ready to take it to the next step. Equipped with his prototype secured in a box, Murray went to Gallagher to pitch his idea and come up with a plan.
The post Gallagher takes out big award appeared first on NZ Engineering News.
NZUS Council supports Minister Peters efforts for a trade agreement with the US
Recent high profile and sucessful partnerships such as Rocket Lab domonstrates the huge potential for the relationship
The NZUS Council will increase its engagement in the United States to support Foreign Minister, Rt Hon Winston Peters’ efforts to promote a free trade agreement with the United States.
“The Council is excited by the work Mr Peters is doing to build political support in the US for a free trade agreement and we will increase our efforts to support him,” NZ US Council chair Leon Grice said.
Mr Peters has said he will be travelling to Washington DC in the next few weeks and will continue to advocate for a free trade agreement with the United States and push the case for moving into more formal discussions.
“US Ambassador Scott Brown is also playing an important trade advocacy role from Wellington and in Washington DC and the Council appreciates his ability to get things done on the Hill. Ambassador Brown was a key part of getting the E1/E2 business visa legislation passed in Congress,” Leon Grice said.
NZUS Council executive director, Jordan Small says, “The Council is standing up its trade advocacy efforts. We are organising two Council delegations visits this year and a programme of work focused on lobbying, letter-writing, building support for an FTA, and promoting our members’ broader trade interests.”
NZ US Council Advisory Board chair and co-founder, Fran O’Sullivan says securing a free trade agreement with the United States has been a Council objective from its establishment in 2001.
“We worked hard to get a bilateral FTA process underway and threw the council’s support behind US involvement in the Trans-Pacific Partnership when that regional agreement was launched in 2008. With the US out of TPP, it is now appropriate to refocus on a bilateral agreement.
“It will take a lot of hard work but we need to take every opportunity to push for greater US engagement,” Ms O’Sullivan said.
New Zealand and the US have a deep and longstanding friendship and share a long history of trade and investment, traditionally led by goods exports but increasingly focused on services and technology. Two-way trade in goods was valued at $11.65 billion in 2019 and services trade was valued at $6.71 billion.
Recent high profile and successful partnerships such as Rocket Lab demonstrate the huge potential for the relationship. An FTA between the US and New Zealand would underpin the strong trading relationship and support the growth in innovative partnerships and technology exchanges that drive economic returns and job creation for our respective countries and further advance much needed economic development in New Zealand’s provincial centres.
The post NZUS Council supports Minister Peters efforts for a trade agreement with the US appeared first on NZ Engineering News.
Additive manufacturing allows bike manufacturers to extend customisation options
If there’s something you can be certain of – along with death and taxes – it’s that change is inevitable and constant.
In the world of manufactured products, the end user is getting a heck of a lot more discerning and wanting to stand out from the crowd – customisation of products is now where it’s at with companies such as Oakley, a sunglass maker, now offering entire processes so a customer can completely build their own sunglasses.
In a crowded marketplace, people are wanting differentiation. But it’s not stopping there.
Global engineering technologies company, Renishaw, has supplied Bastion Cycles with an AM250 system to improve its in-house additive manufacturing (AM) capabilities. The Australian bike manufacturer has used the machine to allow customers to completely customise their bike frames and follow the production process from beginning to end.
Bastion Cycles design, develop, trial and market a high-performance road bike which utilises a modular design of AM titanium lugs, paired with filament wound carbon fibre tubes. It prides itself on building premium bike frames locally in Australia using the latest technologies and materials. The company originally outsourced some of the production process to a local AM bureau, which produced the titanium lugs for its bike frames. However, as sales and demand increased, the company decided to bring the AM process in-house.
Ben Schultz, James Woolcock and Dean McGeary, the founders of Bastion Cycles met with Mike Brown, general manager at Renishaw Oceania, based near Melbourne, to find out about the Renishaw AM system. Bastion Cycles tested this and three other machines from various suppliers but found that the AM250 produced the best surface finish, material performance and mass customisation capabilities.
The titanium lugs, printed on the AM system are unique to Bastion Cycles in their exploitation of very thin-walls, outer-skins and a structural internal lattice, resulting in an extremely high stiffness-to-weight AM part.
“Additive manufacturing is the secret to the customisation and performance of our bikes,” explained Mr Schultz, managing director at Bastion Cycles. “With the help of Renishaw’s technology, we were the first company in the world to design, develop, test and market a commercially viable, high performance road bicycle using additive manufacturing, something that we are very proud of.”
For the first three years of operation, Bastion Cycles outsourced production to RAM3D, an AM bureau, located in Tauranga, New Zealand. RAM3D also utilised the Renishaw AM250 platform to manufacture the titanium components of the bike frame to Bastion’s supplied design. At the end of 2018, the decision was made by Bastion Cycles to bring the AM process in-house.
“We chose Renishaw to supply an AM system because of the support it could provide,” continued Schultz. “Australia has a fairly small AM market and Renishaw is the only company with a local headquarters with dedicated staff that could get an engineer to our site in a few hours. That is a valuable service for a small business like us,” adds Mr Schultz.
“AM technology means we can design and manufacture parts that could not be produced using traditional bike manufacturing methods,” explained Mike Brown, General Manager at Renishaw Oceania. “By using the AM system, Bastion Cycles is able to design, prototype and produce high-performance titanium lugs for its frames and meet the demand of its customers.”
The post Additive manufacturing allows bike manufacturers to extend customisation options appeared first on NZ Engineering News.
Expo 2020 Dubai -Business programme will open doors to Expo 2020 opportunities
Expo 2020 expects to attract 25 million visits to the world fair, to be held in Dubai from October next year, and New Zealand businesses will be able to capitalise on the opportunity through a business leveraging programme.
NZTE has today announced its business programme, which is designed to help exporters already active in the region, or those who want to explore the opportunities.
NZTE is the nation’s trade and investment promotion agency, assisting exporters to grow bigger, better, faster for the good of New Zealand.
During Expo 2020, which runs for six months, buyers, retailers, thought leaders, distributors and other potential partners will converge in an environment of unparalleled opportunity to accelerate business, not only in the United Arab Emirates but the Middle East and globally.
Dubai is already a global meeting place with one-third of the world’s population within a four-hour flight. The United Arab Emirates and the surrounding Gulf Cooperation Countries (Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Oman) rank among New Zealand’s fastest growing trading partners, with annual two-way trade worth $4 billion.
The Business Leverage Programme – which runs over two years, starting October 2019 – will introduce NZTE customers to growing areas of innovation and ways to diversify their business activity in the region. The two-year timeframe is designed to give businesses ample time to understand the opportunities that Expo 2020 provides.
The programme will feature a series of tailored activity for companies in the food and beverage, specialised manufacturing, building and construction, and technology sectors. Dubai hosts major trade fairs for these sectors, and the programme will include attendance at these. The first is Gulfood Manufacturing this October, a major event focused on the food and beverage processing industry.
In addition, a new Discover programme will introduce New Zealand businesses to the Middle East; it is specially designed for exporters who are not yet active in the region.
All activities are designed to provide targeted networking opportunities and relevant market information to support businesses’ global growth.
NZTE will tap into its global network in response to companies’ targets, to facilitate business matching opportunities with industry leaders, opinion formers, buyers, product specialists, distributors and decision makers from the Middle East and around the world.
The scale of Expo 2020 and the major trade events happening in Dubai will allow NZTE customers to build relationships and preference for their brand with key targets in the region.
NZTE’s regional director for the Middle East, India and Africa based in Dubai, Tony Martin, said: “Countries in the Gulf are focused on diversifying their economies away from a reliance on oil and gas by investing in sectors like manufacturing, healthcare, education, technology, tourism and alternative energy.
“The Expo Leveraging Programme will introduce customers to growing areas of innovation and ways to diversify their business activity in the region.
“New Zealand companies have many advantages in this region – our innovative, practical approach is highly prized – and NZTE has the networks and understanding of the culture, and the way they like to do business, that will help our exporters make the most of the opportunities.”
For more details about the programme, visit NZTE’s website here.
New Zealand is participating in the Expo itself with an innovative pavilion based on the theme ‘Care for People and Place’. For more information, visit the New Zealand Expo 2020 website here.
For more information, contact:
NZTE: Andrew Holden
Andrew.holden@nzte.govt.nz Mobile: 021 568 253
Expo2020 NZ Pavilion: Nicola Garvey
Nicola.Garvey@NZatExpo.govt.nz Mobile: 021 195 2729
The post Expo 2020 Dubai -Business programme will open doors to Expo 2020 opportunities appeared first on NZ Engineering News.
Rolls-Royce and Qatar Airways are using Virtual Reality (VR) to train engineers, in a first for the two companies.
As the number of air passengers is set to almost double by 20361, the industry faces a growing challenge: more engineers need to be trained to maintain and repair a growing number of aircraft and their engines. While practical training will always be the main focus, Rolls-Royce is working on ways to incorporate Virtual Reality into its engineering training programmes, as part of its IntelligentEngine vision.
Qatar Airways engineers are the first in the industry to receive the training, using Rolls-Royce’s pioneering Trent XWB engine, which powers the Airbus A350.
Chris Cholerton, Rolls-Royce, President – Civil Aerospace said: “At Rolls-Royce we are designing, testing, and maintaining engines in the digital realm, so it makes sense that we bring cutting-edge technology to our training programmes. In the same way pilots complete elements of their training in a simulator, certain engineering tasks can be taught through Virtual Reality. Qatar Airways were the first customer to take delivery of the Trent XWB, and their forward-thinking vision across their business makes them the perfect launch partner for this technology.”
The Trent XWB is Rolls-Royce’s largest engine. Such is the scale, it must be separated before engineers can transport it for maintenance and repair. Using HTC Vive equipment, engineers are immersed in the process, using sight, sound and touch to separate the two parts of the engine in a virtual setting.
Previously, an engine would have been transported to Doha to be used for the training, or Qatar Airways would have provided an engine in service, with the risk of damage to equipment and valuable flying time lost.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, H.E. Mr. Al Baker said: “Qatar Airways is an airline of the future and we constantly strive to deliver innovation in every area of our business. Our ultimate goal is to provide our customers with a quality on-board experience every time they travel, and by adopting the latest technology in our engineering department we aim to ensure that they arrive at their destination smoothly and without disruption.
“We are very excited about the new Virtual Reality training tool offered by Rolls-Royce and we are proud that they chose Qatar Airways as their global launch partner.”
While not intended to replace any practical training, Rolls-Royce sees valuable applications for Virtual Reality, particularly when it comes to refresher training.
Steve Buckland, a Customer and Product Training Manager at Rolls-Royce who developed the VR training programme said: “Virtual Reality has a valuable application here. It’s going to save time, money, and frees up engines that could otherwise be on aircraft, keeping passengers moving.
“The future is exciting. We’re looking at creating holograms of an engine that we can use to teach in a classroom, or Augmented Reality that can be overlaid over a real engine to show technical information. Nothing will beat learning with an engine and this will never be replaced, but new technology is allowing us to be innovative with the ways we teach engineers.”
The post Rolls-Royce and Qatar Airways are using Virtual Reality (VR) to train engineers, in a first for the two companies. appeared first on NZ Engineering News.
Newsletter
Sign up here and keep updated with what's going on in your industry!