PORTS OF AUCKLAND USES 24/7 SOFTWARE SERVICE FOR NEW AUTOMATED CRANES
Ross Clarke, left, programme manager, terminal automation, Ports of Auckland; and Mario van den Heuvel, director, technical support, port service, Konecranes.
The newly signed software service level agreement (SLA) with Konecranes includes 24/7 software technical support once the new equipment goes live.
The equipment covered by the software service level agreement includes 27 new Konecranes Noell automated straddle carriers (A-STRADs) and 21 retrofits to manually operated Konecranes Noell straddle carriers that would make them fully automated.
“Our upgrade to automated straddles is essential to increasing our capacity so that we can handle the future freight needs of a rapidly growing Auckland city,” says Ports of Auckland chief executive Tony Gibson.
“In order to deliver for the city, we need to have confidence that any problems with the automation software will be resolved quickly and efficiently. This SLA gives us that confidence,” he says.
Mario van den Heuvel, director, technical support, Konecranes Port Service, says, “We very much appreciate the trust of POAL in our automated straddle carriers and software. The software agreement comes as part of the Konecranes automation solution in order to provide support under the most critical circumstances, and also, to provide piece of mind when changing, upscaling or transitioning from manual to automated operation. With around the clock access to our experts and minimum failure response times, the transition becomes easier.”
Under the SLA, Konecranes will provide a 24/7 expert hotline, continuous access to its service desk, and the latest updates of all the system software. Konecranes will be able to react and resolve software issues fast, as hotline staff will establish a secure remote connection to the POAL Konecranes Noell straddle carriers from anywhere in the world.
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PLAIN SAILING: COOL SOLUTION TO NAVY OVERHEATING PROBLEM
More than $250,000 in annual fuel savings for two of the Royal New Zealand Navy’s (RNZN) fleet will be possible, thanks to a unique engineering solution developed by the RNZN and its fleet maintenance partner Babcock (NZ).
Offshore patrol vessels HMNZS Otago and HMNZS Wellington were designed to run mostly using just one of their two main engines and propeller shafts. The speed generated by one engine is generally enough for their operational requirements.
But the issue with this, RNZN Logistics Commander Maritime Captain Andrew Nuttall says, was that the trailing shaft, even though not powered by an engine, still turned because of the wind-milling effect of the propeller through the water, which subsequently generated heat in the gearbox.
“The pump to supply coolant to remove the heat was driven by the engine,” Captain Nuttall says. “But because this was shut down in the case of the trailing shaft, the result was that various components began overheating.
“To avoid that, both engines were required to be running most of the time, even though only one was technically required to power the vessel.”
HMNZS Wellington’s engineering officer Lieutenant Tim Johns and Babcock’s senior mechanical engineer Patrick Clissold view the coolant transfer system.
This meant that $200,000 of essentially wasted fuel was required for every 1,000 hours of running. Having both engines operational also required increased maintenance and It also meant that marine technicians had to manually adjust the cooling system at all hours of the day and night to ensure the ship’s safety.
The RNZN and Babcock combined engineering design team developed a unique solution that cross-connected the cooling system, so that when an engine was shut down the propeller could still rotate, while the heat generated was cooled through diversion of coolant.
The solution developed by the team would result in significant financial benefits, Captain Nuttall says.
“The saving in fuel alone is impressive. Combine that with the reduced maintenance costs and this solution represents an excellent example of the value our engineering team can add.”
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Kaeser Compressors launches new website
Kaeser Compressors New Zealand launched its new website last month, along with a fresh appearance and a simplified navigation, with the new website designed to be user- and mobile- friendly.
The new Kaeser website was created with the end-user in mind. A simplified navigation now divides the website into just four sections; products, solutions, services and company. In addition, a responsive design ensures that whether a visitor is viewing the website from a PC, tablet or smart phone, the website will adapt to suit the device.
The upgraded product section features extensive product range information and now also includes quick access to technical specifications and in many cases 360-degree product views and videos. There are also a myriad of compressed air resources available to Kaeser website visitors including:
• Kaeser toolbox calculators. From a unit conversion calculator to calculating pressure drop, air receiver size and leakages – the Kaeser Toolbox includes a number of practical online calculators.
• Whitepapers. Kaeser regularly writes and presents in-depth reports on compressed air topics such as energy efficiency, as well as advisory articles to assist compressed air users in – for example – selecting the right compressed air equipment for their application. All current whitepapers can be easily accessed from the upgraded Kaeser website.
• Compressed air engineering handbook. Visitors to the new website can also access the Compressed Air Engineering handbook. Following an in-depth introduction to the field of compressed air technology, this handbook covers a series of practical tips for system operators and compressed air users.
Visit www.kaeser.co.nz to see the new site.
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Sunny outlook for fountain thanks to 3D printing
Citycare property supervisor Doug Peek (right) and Wade Peek, from TWP Design in front of the restored Sunnyside fountain.
Innovative 3D printing technology, alongside archived images from the 1970s, were used to help Citycare restore Christchurch’s historic Sunnyside fountain to its former glory.
The fountain was created as a feature in the hospital grounds more than 150 years ago. It is located in what’s now the Sunnyside Heritage Garden on Annex Road – the only remaining part of the once vast complex of 19th century buildings and grounds that comprised Sunnyside Hospital, Christchurch’s first mental health facility.
Vandalism and the theft of its valuable brass fittings left the fountain in a state of demise for nearly 10 years.
Citycare’s property team, led by Citycare property supervisor Doug Peek, was charged with repair and restoration – a challenging task using only historical images as a guide.
“We didn’t have anything in the way of an original template or design, just some grainy photos depicting what the fountain used to look like,” says Doug.
“It was difficult to re-create the missing finial and nozzle due to the quality of the photos and the algae covering what remained.”
TWP Design, a Christchurch-based prototype and product development firm run by Doug’s sons Wade and Travis Peek, was contacted for its 3D printing capabilities.
Prototypes of the fountain’s missing nozzle and ornamental finial were 3D printed using measurements calculated from the photos and existing structure. The prototypes were assessed for fit and authenticity, before the final product was manufactured and then fitted to the fountain.
Citycare maintains and keeps the fountain clean, as part of its water feature maintenance contract.
“The rejuvenated fountain has been met with appreciation with many positive comments from members of the community who spoke to the team whilst renovations were underway,” says Doug.
“One lady mentioned that she has lived in the area for about 10 years, and she had always wanted to see the fountain restored and running so that she could sit and enjoy it and the ambience of the gardens.
“My team and I are thrilled to be part of its restoration, using innovative technology to achieve a task that for many years was left unattended, possibly due to the challenge it presented.”
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Parents urged to take trades seriously
ATNZ has recruited 105 apprentices this year, and still has another 50 apprenticeship vacancies to fill across the country.
Parents and teachers of school leavers need to start taking careers in trades seriously as teens are missing out on genuine opportunities to avoid student loans and get ahead.
Fiona Kingsford, chief executive of industry training organisation Competenz, says while around 60,000 teenagers leave school each year, just 4% of them go straight into trades training.
“We need to triple that. More than half of New Zealand’s apprentices and trainees have already been to university or another tertiary institute and many of them have clocked up student debt. But they could have avoided that debt altogether and started an apprenticeship straight away.
“Research shows that because apprentices start earning earlier, they can buy a house earlier and pay off a mortgage earlier, which puts them financially ahead of university graduates for most of their working lives, and at about the same financial position when they’re ready to retire.
“Our mission is to educate not only school leavers about their opportunities, but also their parents and careers advisers too.”
Competenz works with apprentices and trainees across 36 sectors including mechanical engineering, one of New Zealand’s biggest growth areas.
Ms Kingsford says: “Infometrics data shows that we’ll need 5,500 more workers in the mechanical engineering sector between now and 2022 to fill new jobs and replace workers who retire or leave. That’s just one sector, and with such a small number of school leavers going into the trades, employers are all competing for the same pool of people.
“We need to get more school leavers into trades now, or the skills shortage will only get worse.
“A lot of the decision-making is aided by parents and family members and a lot of the time it’s what mum and dad know of those industries. But we need our young people to be aware of all the opportunities out there.”
Genuine opportunities
Competenz works closely with Apprentice Training New Zealand (ATNZ), the country’s largest employer of mechanical engineering apprentices. “ATNZ has recruited 105 apprentices this year, and still has another 50 apprenticeship vacancies to fill across the country. “Auckland employs one third of mechanical engineers, and coupled with strong future population growth, the region still holds good prospects for those entering the sector. That said, rents and house prices are sky rocketing in Auckland, so working in smaller regions allows people to easily relocate and enjoy a higher quality of life. “There are genuine opportunities throughout the country.”
Cost me five grand
Maintenance engineer Tautalafua Mata’afa went to university when he left school, but it was a costly mistake.
“I went to uni for one semester after high school and that cost me five grand. That’s when I realised I wasn’t really into just studying, I was more into practical work and working with tools.”
He spent the next few years as a labourer in various sectors in New Zealand and Australia before starting an ATNZ apprenticeship in maintenance engineering at Pacific Steel in Auckland. He’s now a qualified tradesman working at Steelpipe in Onehunga.
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Academic warns: Soon it will be ‘Just in time to be too late’
Few organisations are equipped to respond to the challenge of reducing their emissions when the new Zero Carbon Bill becomes law, says a carbon and energy management specialist who is helping the country’s largest organisations build capacity by training a new breed of managers for the changes ahead.
Norman Smith, an academic/consultant hybrid, has for 25 years been developing and delivering post-graduate level capacity building programmes for all sectors of the New Zealand economy and Government.
A principal problem, he says, is senior executives do not yet understand the need to re-structure to achieve the trifecta of benefits awaiting;
• increased productivity/performance
• reducing their carbon footprint
• saving (lots of) money by saving energy
“They are staying with organisational silos which separate strategic/corporate objectives for sustainability from operational goals involving operational/energy use activities.
“This fails to realise the game has changed – forever – and these activities must become integrated in order to deliver overarching decarbonisation targets.”
As a result, there is invariably an internal disconnect and conflict between managers occupying head office based ‘staff’ roles but with no authority and budget and others in positions with the ability to effect change but no mandate to develop strategic initiatives.
“It’s going to get worse as pressure builds to ‘walk the talk’, not just measure their footprint but do something about it.
“The people employed to lead these programmes will come from a wide variety of backgrounds and will be up-skilled leaders – perhaps engineers, perhaps not – with diverse backgrounds. Their intrapreneurship and soft skills of internal advocacy and building internal coalitions will be critical to success.”
Once the Zero Carbon Bill becomes law it’s likely, he says, that the Government will lift its own game; right now while hospitals and universities are building capacity and developing carbon reduction programmes, larger departments appear to be slower off the mark.
Local government on the other hand was investing in staff training on the Carbon:Energy course delivered through the Energy Management Association, as were larger companies such as Fonterra, Oji Fibres, Winstone and Downers. (http://www.emanz.org.nz/energy-and-carbon-manager-professional-training)
He says overseas deep retrofits had proven many times the potential to cost effectively reduce energy costs by well over 50% – not just the 15% New Zealand companies generally settled for – while delivering productivity, decarbonisation and many other benefits which went straight to the bottom line.
www.tinyurl.com/GreenbizRetrofitProjects
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STRATALIGN LIFTING SYSTEMS: ROBUST AND DURABLE SOLUTIONS
Workstation gantry’s, jib and davit cranes are unique lifting devices for industrial and manufacturing environments.
The Erikkila ProSystem design is very durable with its closed profile design. The systems surface is treated with impact resistant powder coating or galvanised finish is also available. Each system is carefully designed to suit your unique workshop size and shape that can either be ceiling mounted or freestanding.
Thern davit cranes provide lifting solutions to water and wastewater treatment plants. From lifting submersible pumps and mixers, to raising filter screens and positioning hopper cars, Thern provides the right equipment to get the job done. Like all Stratalign products, they’re made to meet the conditions of their particular environment with corrosion-resistant finishes in powder coat paint, galvanised or stainless steel construction.
Vacuum lifting is increasingly being recognised as the ideal method of lifting almost any item in a safe, gentle and effective manner. Steel sheets, timber panels, glass, bags/sacks, cartons, drums, and every other conceivable item, airtight or porous, can be moved around the production area single handed with ease.
Contact Stratalign on 09 263 7725 or email sales@stratalign.co.nz
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Birdstone Delivers Schweppes Redesign with 3D Systems’ Expert Prototyping Services
Packaging agency selects 3D Systems’ On Demand team for the delivery of true-to-life prototypes for glass and PET bottles.
As new private label products continue to proliferate the beverage category, established brands like Schweppes are under increasing pressure to stay current in the eyes of the market. To refresh its image as an upper mainstream option for mixers and sparkling beverages, Schweppes enlisted Birdstone, a Melbourne, Australia based packaging agency to design a contemporary look for their sparkling waters and carbonated soft drinks.
Schweppes products are offered in both glass and PET (polyethylene terephthalate) plastic bottles. For a comprehensive redesign and evaluation, Birdstone was tasked with generating design proposals and prototypes for each material option. To ensure both sets of prototypes convincingly represented their real world counterparts, Birdstone collaborated with 3D Systems On Demand throughout the Schweppes redesign, taking advantage of the service bureau’s deep manufacturing expertise and broad technology portfolio to quickly deliver high quality, true-to-life prototypes to its client.
CHALLENGE: Validate new bottle design across glass and PET plastic materials.
SOLUTION: Prototyping, production, with engineering consultation by 3D Systems On Demand to achieve true-to-life prototypes for evaluation.
RESULTS:
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- Accurate prototypes to match the appearance, weight and visual properties of glass and PET
- Collaborative approach instills confidence in prototyping process
- Expert guidance ensures selection of correct materials and process for true-to-life results
- Timely delivery keeps project moving forward on track
To learn more, download the case study!
About 3D Systems On Demand
3D Systems On Demand provides designers and engineers the tools of modern product development and manufacturing, from 3D printed prototypes to production-ready parts. 3D Systems On Demand provides complete outsourced services, including online part ordering, technology and material selection, access to experienced Application Engineers, and the ability to scale capacity with both additive and subtractive technologies.
We provide our customers with instant access to the technologies and capabilities to bring their designs to reality—from prototyping to manufacturing production.
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Creating A New Cutting Tool Concept To Spindle
New cutting tools are continuously being added into the market, but what is the process to get a product from concept through to the spindle? Global manufacturer Dormer Pramet tasks its product management and development department with creating new tools every year. A member of the team is product and development engineer Jan Bittner, joined Dormer Pramet and became part of the company’s project to develop an assortment of high feed milling tools. Almost three years later, a new range of SBN10 cutters and BNGX inserts were launched into the global market. The time taken to introduce a product is an indication of the investment a manufacturer makes to create a new product which will add value to customers for many years. This is Jan’s story.
At Dormer Pramet, the process of creating a new tool begins with its product management department which identify the market needs and gaps in the company’s current assortment. Karel Tiefenbach is the company’s product manager for indexable milling and he created a concept brief and clear objective for the development team.
Dormer Pramet’s aim was to create an assortment of tools for its double-negative cutters, which allowed high feed rates for increased productivity. The design needed to be for double-sided inserts to maximize the economic value (four-edges) and provide good chip-control, allowing for a higher ramping angle.
At the same time, the tool needed to offer process security and a versatile range for mold and die operations, covering roughing to finishing.
DESIGN CONCEPTS
Jan began the process with Jan Vlček from the company’s product design & information department, responsible for all aspects of tool development. This includes creating high quality data on every tool produced, the design of products and supporting manufacture.
The department’s first task in designing a new high feed milling tool – later known as SBN10 – was to research what products were already available in the market from competitors and how Dormer Pramet could be different, while still meeting the needs of customers.
Jan Bittner says: “We started with a series of preliminary studies and initial prototype designs, putting a number of ideas forward before we could start to produce samples. There are always difficulties and challenges to overcome, but some small changes at this stage can have a big impact.
“For example, with one of the first samples created, we realised there was a conflict with an existing patent from a competitor. With many companies creating new inserts all the time, it is a very crowded market.
“However, we worked with the designer to modify our concept to make it unique, whilst still fulfilling the original brief. This led us to liaise closely with colleagues in Sweden and North America to make sure our designs did not conflict with any patents.
“We discussed with colleagues in intellectual property (IP) how we can make our design unique and this was a new experience to me.
“At each stage, we were in discussions with IP over the design and any slight changes being made. We needed to confirm we were within patent pending at every point and not conflicting with others already submitted. Eventually we were given the ok to proceed.
PRODUCT TESTING
“At the start of the process in 2015, we had a schedule to follow and aimed to launch the BNGX inserts by November 2017. We had pressure from our sales teams who wanted it earlier. Our aim was to keep the process going as fast as possible and we kept to schedule.
“By the second quarter of 2016, we were able to start the testing stage. This included several on-site tests with customers as this is the best way to check how good a product really is.
“We were confident it was a good product, but no amount of in-house testing can match trying it out in the real world. We learned so much from these tests which allowed us to identify areas of further improvement.
“A test we did with a customer in France involved machining a titanium-bearing, austenitic, chromium-nickel, stainless steel. It is an extremely tough and ductile material. It requires a powerful machine, capable of heavy feeds and slow spindle speeds.
Jan says they put it up against a competitor’s high feed milling tool with similar features to the SBN10.
“After machining three-parts the cutting edge of the competitor’s insert was worn, forcing the operator to index the cutting edge to proceed production. After machining eight parts with the SBN10 cutter and BNGX inserts, the cutting edge showed minor flank wear and was still in a good condition to continue cutting.
“In addition to significant longer tool life, the metal removal rate was 20% higher. The customer was so impressed, he immediately bought one cutter and pre-ordered seven more by early 2018.
“We did more than 20 tests with customers in France, Brazil, Poland, China, Italy, Czech Republic and Germany. Altogether, five of these tests did not match our expectations, so it allowed us to go back and look at what needed improving. This is an important process and can only help improve product performance and reduce limitations,” she says.
“The crucial part is to react quickly during the testing process, speed is crucial. Any issues need to be eliminated and the design of the tool improved as soon as possible, before putting it back in for more tests.
“In July 2017, we returned to Germany to a customer where one of the tests did not go as well as the others. Going back to the same location meant we could perform the exact same trial in the same conditions as before. This was important to verify if the improvements we made had worked. The application ran very successfully and it was great to show the customer the new and improved version!
“We realised at this stage, we were ready to launch the product into the market. We had further discussions with IP to make sure our patent was in place and everything was prepared.
“This led to meetings with production to ensure enough inserts were manufactured for the time of launch and liaising with marketing and communications department on creation of all the support material, such as brochures, images, videos, press releases and online content.”
LAUNCHING PRODUCT TO MARKET
Dormer Pramet launched its range of BNGX inserts and SBN10 cutters in November 2017, almost three years after the initial design brief was prepared.
During 2018, the company will manufacture more than 30,000 BNGX inserts, comprising of different sizes and chip breakers, alongside 450 cutters, in three different variants; end mills with threaded shank, end mills with parallel shank and shell mills.
Jan adds: “Product development is very much a team effort. There are many people from around the world involved in the creation of new cutting tools. From product management to design, to the technology team, production, testing, through to sales and marketing.
“Each department is not independent from the rest. We are all connected and one area cannot be successful without the support of the rest. They all must work together to get a product to market.
“Also, any new product created will become the future work for our production department. Sometimes we can be focused on today and what is new now, but it is our job to look at the future and what will be important in five to ten years’ time.”
For more information regarding the high feed milling SBN10 and BNGX range, visit: https://tinyurl.com/dormer-millingcutters
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Macaulay Metals: Recycling At Its Best
Celebrating 60 years in the metal business next year, Macaulay Metals is the largest privately-owned metal recycling firm in New Zealand.
Managing director, Jeff Harris, has owned the company since 1995 with the main operation based in the Hutt Valley and yards in the North Island at Palmerston North, Rotorua and Whakatane.
Some 90 full-time employees buy, process and sell metal within New Zealand and throughout the world, working in conjunction with many suppliers as well as the public – who bring in old car batteries and household scrap – right through to major engineering and demolition companies.
A dedicated trucking fleet and mobile projects team working on a number of successful demolition and decommissioning contracts means that you see Macaulay
Metals operating anywhere in the country and it is this variety of work that the company says makes the industry so interesting and rewarding.
Macaulay Metals has been involved with major projects in a variety of industry sectors and has developed specialised methodologies for safely and efficiently demolishing and processing a range of infrastructure assets from oil storage tanks, to transformers, to railway carriages and everything in between.
Of course, loading the metal on the truck is only part of the job. The majority of processing happens at the yard with a range of equipment used depending on the product. Getting the metal export ready can involve the use of the cable granulator, a 1000 tonne compression shear (the biggest of its kind in New Zealand) or a high-density baler. These machines enable a better quality of product to be loaded more efficiently into shipping containers and are looked after in-house by a team of engineering staff.
The team at Macaulay Metals is passionate about metal recycling – the oldest form of recycling in the world. Many businesses are unaware that their metal by-products are not only a valuable income stream but something that can be diverted from landfill.
Almost all metal products can be recycled, and the environmental benefits of recycling are obvious: significantly less energy is used to recycle metal than to source it from mining activities.
It is clear that metal recycling is here to stay, and Macaulay Metals will continue to operate with the values of honesty, fairness and integrity that they are known for.
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PORTS OF AUCKLAND USES 24/7 SOFTWARE SERVICE FOR NEW AUTOMATED CRANES
Ross Clarke, left, programme manager, terminal automation, Ports of Auckland; and Mario van den Heuvel, director, technical support, port service, Konecranes.
The newly signed software service level agreement (SLA) with Konecranes includes 24/7 software technical support once the new equipment goes live.
The equipment covered by the software service level agreement includes 27 new Konecranes Noell automated straddle carriers (A-STRADs) and 21 retrofits to manually operated Konecranes Noell straddle carriers that would make them fully automated.
“Our upgrade to automated straddles is essential to increasing our capacity so that we can handle the future freight needs of a rapidly growing Auckland city,” says Ports of Auckland chief executive Tony Gibson.
“In order to deliver for the city, we need to have confidence that any problems with the automation software will be resolved quickly and efficiently. This SLA gives us that confidence,” he says.
Mario van den Heuvel, director, technical support, Konecranes Port Service, says, “We very much appreciate the trust of POAL in our automated straddle carriers and software. The software agreement comes as part of the Konecranes automation solution in order to provide support under the most critical circumstances, and also, to provide piece of mind when changing, upscaling or transitioning from manual to automated operation. With around the clock access to our experts and minimum failure response times, the transition becomes easier.”
Under the SLA, Konecranes will provide a 24/7 expert hotline, continuous access to its service desk, and the latest updates of all the system software. Konecranes will be able to react and resolve software issues fast, as hotline staff will establish a secure remote connection to the POAL Konecranes Noell straddle carriers from anywhere in the world.
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PLAIN SAILING: COOL SOLUTION TO NAVY OVERHEATING PROBLEM
More than $250,000 in annual fuel savings for two of the Royal New Zealand Navy’s (RNZN) fleet will be possible, thanks to a unique engineering solution developed by the RNZN and its fleet maintenance partner Babcock (NZ).
But the issue with this, RNZN Logistics Commander Maritime Captain Andrew Nuttall says, was that the trailing shaft, even though not powered by an engine, still turned because of the wind-milling effect of the propeller through the water, which subsequently generated heat in the gearbox.
“The pump to supply coolant to remove the heat was driven by the engine,” Captain Nuttall says. “But because this was shut down in the case of the trailing shaft, the result was that various components began overheating.
“To avoid that, both engines were required to be running most of the time, even though only one was technically required to power the vessel.”
HMNZS Wellington’s engineering officer Lieutenant Tim Johns and Babcock’s senior mechanical engineer Patrick Clissold view the coolant transfer system.
This meant that $200,000 of essentially wasted fuel was required for every 1,000 hours of running. Having both engines operational also required increased maintenance and It also meant that marine technicians had to manually adjust the cooling system at all hours of the day and night to ensure the ship’s safety.
The RNZN and Babcock combined engineering design team developed a unique solution that cross-connected the cooling system, so that when an engine was shut down the propeller could still rotate, while the heat generated was cooled through diversion of coolant.
The solution developed by the team would result in significant financial benefits, Captain Nuttall says.
“The saving in fuel alone is impressive. Combine that with the reduced maintenance costs and this solution represents an excellent example of the value our engineering team can add.”
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Kaeser Compressors launches new website
The new Kaeser website was created with the end-user in mind. A simplified navigation now divides the website into just four sections; products, solutions, services and company. In addition, a responsive design ensures that whether a visitor is viewing the website from a PC, tablet or smart phone, the website will adapt to suit the device.
The upgraded product section features extensive product range information and now also includes quick access to technical specifications and in many cases 360-degree product views and videos. There are also a myriad of compressed air resources available to Kaeser website visitors including:
• Kaeser toolbox calculators. From a unit conversion calculator to calculating pressure drop, air receiver size and leakages – the Kaeser Toolbox includes a number of practical online calculators.
• Whitepapers. Kaeser regularly writes and presents in-depth reports on compressed air topics such as energy efficiency, as well as advisory articles to assist compressed air users in – for example – selecting the right compressed air equipment for their application. All current whitepapers can be easily accessed from the upgraded Kaeser website.
• Compressed air engineering handbook. Visitors to the new website can also access the Compressed Air Engineering handbook. Following an in-depth introduction to the field of compressed air technology, this handbook covers a series of practical tips for system operators and compressed air users.
Visit www.kaeser.co.nz to see the new site.
The post Kaeser Compressors launches new website appeared first on NZ Engineering News.
Sunny outlook for fountain thanks to 3D printing
Citycare property supervisor Doug Peek (right) and Wade Peek, from TWP Design in front of the restored Sunnyside fountain.
Innovative 3D printing technology, alongside archived images from the 1970s, were used to help Citycare restore Christchurch’s historic Sunnyside fountain to its former glory.
The fountain was created as a feature in the hospital grounds more than 150 years ago. It is located in what’s now the Sunnyside Heritage Garden on Annex Road – the only remaining part of the once vast complex of 19th century buildings and grounds that comprised Sunnyside Hospital, Christchurch’s first mental health facility.
Vandalism and the theft of its valuable brass fittings left the fountain in a state of demise for nearly 10 years.
Citycare’s property team, led by Citycare property supervisor Doug Peek, was charged with repair and restoration – a challenging task using only historical images as a guide.
“We didn’t have anything in the way of an original template or design, just some grainy photos depicting what the fountain used to look like,” says Doug.
“It was difficult to re-create the missing finial and nozzle due to the quality of the photos and the algae covering what remained.”
TWP Design, a Christchurch-based prototype and product development firm run by Doug’s sons Wade and Travis Peek, was contacted for its 3D printing capabilities.
Prototypes of the fountain’s missing nozzle and ornamental finial were 3D printed using measurements calculated from the photos and existing structure. The prototypes were assessed for fit and authenticity, before the final product was manufactured and then fitted to the fountain.
Citycare maintains and keeps the fountain clean, as part of its water feature maintenance contract.
“The rejuvenated fountain has been met with appreciation with many positive comments from members of the community who spoke to the team whilst renovations were underway,” says Doug.
“One lady mentioned that she has lived in the area for about 10 years, and she had always wanted to see the fountain restored and running so that she could sit and enjoy it and the ambience of the gardens.
“My team and I are thrilled to be part of its restoration, using innovative technology to achieve a task that for many years was left unattended, possibly due to the challenge it presented.”
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Parents urged to take trades seriously
ATNZ has recruited 105 apprentices this year, and still has another 50 apprenticeship vacancies to fill across the country.
Parents and teachers of school leavers need to start taking careers in trades seriously as teens are missing out on genuine opportunities to avoid student loans and get ahead.
Fiona Kingsford, chief executive of industry training organisation Competenz, says while around 60,000 teenagers leave school each year, just 4% of them go straight into trades training.
“We need to triple that. More than half of New Zealand’s apprentices and trainees have already been to university or another tertiary institute and many of them have clocked up student debt. But they could have avoided that debt altogether and started an apprenticeship straight away.
“Research shows that because apprentices start earning earlier, they can buy a house earlier and pay off a mortgage earlier, which puts them financially ahead of university graduates for most of their working lives, and at about the same financial position when they’re ready to retire.
“Our mission is to educate not only school leavers about their opportunities, but also their parents and careers advisers too.”
Competenz works with apprentices and trainees across 36 sectors including mechanical engineering, one of New Zealand’s biggest growth areas.
Ms Kingsford says: “Infometrics data shows that we’ll need 5,500 more workers in the mechanical engineering sector between now and 2022 to fill new jobs and replace workers who retire or leave. That’s just one sector, and with such a small number of school leavers going into the trades, employers are all competing for the same pool of people.
“We need to get more school leavers into trades now, or the skills shortage will only get worse.
“A lot of the decision-making is aided by parents and family members and a lot of the time it’s what mum and dad know of those industries. But we need our young people to be aware of all the opportunities out there.”
Genuine opportunities
Competenz works closely with Apprentice Training New Zealand (ATNZ), the country’s largest employer of mechanical engineering apprentices. “ATNZ has recruited 105 apprentices this year, and still has another 50 apprenticeship vacancies to fill across the country. “Auckland employs one third of mechanical engineers, and coupled with strong future population growth, the region still holds good prospects for those entering the sector. That said, rents and house prices are sky rocketing in Auckland, so working in smaller regions allows people to easily relocate and enjoy a higher quality of life. “There are genuine opportunities throughout the country.”
Cost me five grand
Maintenance engineer Tautalafua Mata’afa went to university when he left school, but it was a costly mistake.
“I went to uni for one semester after high school and that cost me five grand. That’s when I realised I wasn’t really into just studying, I was more into practical work and working with tools.”
He spent the next few years as a labourer in various sectors in New Zealand and Australia before starting an ATNZ apprenticeship in maintenance engineering at Pacific Steel in Auckland. He’s now a qualified tradesman working at Steelpipe in Onehunga.
The post Parents urged to take trades seriously appeared first on NZ Engineering News.
Academic warns: Soon it will be ‘Just in time to be too late’
Norman Smith, an academic/consultant hybrid, has for 25 years been developing and delivering post-graduate level capacity building programmes for all sectors of the New Zealand economy and Government.
A principal problem, he says, is senior executives do not yet understand the need to re-structure to achieve the trifecta of benefits awaiting;
• increased productivity/performance
• reducing their carbon footprint
• saving (lots of) money by saving energy
“They are staying with organisational silos which separate strategic/corporate objectives for sustainability from operational goals involving operational/energy use activities.
“This fails to realise the game has changed – forever – and these activities must become integrated in order to deliver overarching decarbonisation targets.”
As a result, there is invariably an internal disconnect and conflict between managers occupying head office based ‘staff’ roles but with no authority and budget and others in positions with the ability to effect change but no mandate to develop strategic initiatives.
“It’s going to get worse as pressure builds to ‘walk the talk’, not just measure their footprint but do something about it.
“The people employed to lead these programmes will come from a wide variety of backgrounds and will be up-skilled leaders – perhaps engineers, perhaps not – with diverse backgrounds. Their intrapreneurship and soft skills of internal advocacy and building internal coalitions will be critical to success.”
Once the Zero Carbon Bill becomes law it’s likely, he says, that the Government will lift its own game; right now while hospitals and universities are building capacity and developing carbon reduction programmes, larger departments appear to be slower off the mark.
Local government on the other hand was investing in staff training on the Carbon:Energy course delivered through the Energy Management Association, as were larger companies such as Fonterra, Oji Fibres, Winstone and Downers. (http://www.emanz.org.nz/energy-and-carbon-manager-professional-training)
He says overseas deep retrofits had proven many times the potential to cost effectively reduce energy costs by well over 50% – not just the 15% New Zealand companies generally settled for – while delivering productivity, decarbonisation and many other benefits which went straight to the bottom line.
www.tinyurl.com/GreenbizRetrofitProjects
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STRATALIGN LIFTING SYSTEMS: ROBUST AND DURABLE SOLUTIONS
The Erikkila ProSystem design is very durable with its closed profile design. The systems surface is treated with impact resistant powder coating or galvanised finish is also available. Each system is carefully designed to suit your unique workshop size and shape that can either be ceiling mounted or freestanding.
Thern davit cranes provide lifting solutions to water and wastewater treatment plants. From lifting submersible pumps and mixers, to raising filter screens and positioning hopper cars, Thern provides the right equipment to get the job done. Like all Stratalign products, they’re made to meet the conditions of their particular environment with corrosion-resistant finishes in powder coat paint, galvanised or stainless steel construction.
Contact Stratalign on 09 263 7725 or email sales@stratalign.co.nz
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Birdstone Delivers Schweppes Redesign with 3D Systems’ Expert Prototyping Services
As new private label products continue to proliferate the beverage category, established brands like Schweppes are under increasing pressure to stay current in the eyes of the market. To refresh its image as an upper mainstream option for mixers and sparkling beverages, Schweppes enlisted Birdstone, a Melbourne, Australia based packaging agency to design a contemporary look for their sparkling waters and carbonated soft drinks.
Schweppes products are offered in both glass and PET (polyethylene terephthalate) plastic bottles. For a comprehensive redesign and evaluation, Birdstone was tasked with generating design proposals and prototypes for each material option. To ensure both sets of prototypes convincingly represented their real world counterparts, Birdstone collaborated with 3D Systems On Demand throughout the Schweppes redesign, taking advantage of the service bureau’s deep manufacturing expertise and broad technology portfolio to quickly deliver high quality, true-to-life prototypes to its client.
CHALLENGE: Validate new bottle design across glass and PET plastic materials.
SOLUTION: Prototyping, production, with engineering consultation by 3D Systems On Demand to achieve true-to-life prototypes for evaluation.
RESULTS:
To learn more, download the case study!
About 3D Systems On Demand
3D Systems On Demand provides designers and engineers the tools of modern product development and manufacturing, from 3D printed prototypes to production-ready parts. 3D Systems On Demand provides complete outsourced services, including online part ordering, technology and material selection, access to experienced Application Engineers, and the ability to scale capacity with both additive and subtractive technologies.
We provide our customers with instant access to the technologies and capabilities to bring their designs to reality—from prototyping to manufacturing production.
The post Birdstone Delivers Schweppes Redesign with 3D Systems’ Expert Prototyping Services appeared first on NZ Engineering News.
Creating A New Cutting Tool Concept To Spindle
New cutting tools are continuously being added into the market, but what is the process to get a product from concept through to the spindle? Global manufacturer Dormer Pramet tasks its product management and development department with creating new tools every year. A member of the team is product and development engineer Jan Bittner, joined Dormer Pramet and became part of the company’s project to develop an assortment of high feed milling tools. Almost three years later, a new range of SBN10 cutters and BNGX inserts were launched into the global market. The time taken to introduce a product is an indication of the investment a manufacturer makes to create a new product which will add value to customers for many years. This is Jan’s story.
At Dormer Pramet, the process of creating a new tool begins with its product management department which identify the market needs and gaps in the company’s current assortment. Karel Tiefenbach is the company’s product manager for indexable milling and he created a concept brief and clear objective for the development team.
Dormer Pramet’s aim was to create an assortment of tools for its double-negative cutters, which allowed high feed rates for increased productivity. The design needed to be for double-sided inserts to maximize the economic value (four-edges) and provide good chip-control, allowing for a higher ramping angle.
At the same time, the tool needed to offer process security and a versatile range for mold and die operations, covering roughing to finishing.
DESIGN CONCEPTS
Jan began the process with Jan Vlček from the company’s product design & information department, responsible for all aspects of tool development. This includes creating high quality data on every tool produced, the design of products and supporting manufacture.
The department’s first task in designing a new high feed milling tool – later known as SBN10 – was to research what products were already available in the market from competitors and how Dormer Pramet could be different, while still meeting the needs of customers.
Jan Bittner says: “We started with a series of preliminary studies and initial prototype designs, putting a number of ideas forward before we could start to produce samples. There are always difficulties and challenges to overcome, but some small changes at this stage can have a big impact.
“For example, with one of the first samples created, we realised there was a conflict with an existing patent from a competitor. With many companies creating new inserts all the time, it is a very crowded market.
“However, we worked with the designer to modify our concept to make it unique, whilst still fulfilling the original brief. This led us to liaise closely with colleagues in Sweden and North America to make sure our designs did not conflict with any patents.
“We discussed with colleagues in intellectual property (IP) how we can make our design unique and this was a new experience to me.
“At each stage, we were in discussions with IP over the design and any slight changes being made. We needed to confirm we were within patent pending at every point and not conflicting with others already submitted. Eventually we were given the ok to proceed.
PRODUCT TESTING
“At the start of the process in 2015, we had a schedule to follow and aimed to launch the BNGX inserts by November 2017. We had pressure from our sales teams who wanted it earlier. Our aim was to keep the process going as fast as possible and we kept to schedule.
“By the second quarter of 2016, we were able to start the testing stage. This included several on-site tests with customers as this is the best way to check how good a product really is.
“We were confident it was a good product, but no amount of in-house testing can match trying it out in the real world. We learned so much from these tests which allowed us to identify areas of further improvement.
“A test we did with a customer in France involved machining a titanium-bearing, austenitic, chromium-nickel, stainless steel. It is an extremely tough and ductile material. It requires a powerful machine, capable of heavy feeds and slow spindle speeds.
Jan says they put it up against a competitor’s high feed milling tool with similar features to the SBN10.
“After machining three-parts the cutting edge of the competitor’s insert was worn, forcing the operator to index the cutting edge to proceed production. After machining eight parts with the SBN10 cutter and BNGX inserts, the cutting edge showed minor flank wear and was still in a good condition to continue cutting.
“In addition to significant longer tool life, the metal removal rate was 20% higher. The customer was so impressed, he immediately bought one cutter and pre-ordered seven more by early 2018.
“We did more than 20 tests with customers in France, Brazil, Poland, China, Italy, Czech Republic and Germany. Altogether, five of these tests did not match our expectations, so it allowed us to go back and look at what needed improving. This is an important process and can only help improve product performance and reduce limitations,” she says.
“The crucial part is to react quickly during the testing process, speed is crucial. Any issues need to be eliminated and the design of the tool improved as soon as possible, before putting it back in for more tests.
“In July 2017, we returned to Germany to a customer where one of the tests did not go as well as the others. Going back to the same location meant we could perform the exact same trial in the same conditions as before. This was important to verify if the improvements we made had worked. The application ran very successfully and it was great to show the customer the new and improved version!
“We realised at this stage, we were ready to launch the product into the market. We had further discussions with IP to make sure our patent was in place and everything was prepared.
“This led to meetings with production to ensure enough inserts were manufactured for the time of launch and liaising with marketing and communications department on creation of all the support material, such as brochures, images, videos, press releases and online content.”
LAUNCHING PRODUCT TO MARKET
Dormer Pramet launched its range of BNGX inserts and SBN10 cutters in November 2017, almost three years after the initial design brief was prepared.
During 2018, the company will manufacture more than 30,000 BNGX inserts, comprising of different sizes and chip breakers, alongside 450 cutters, in three different variants; end mills with threaded shank, end mills with parallel shank and shell mills.
Jan adds: “Product development is very much a team effort. There are many people from around the world involved in the creation of new cutting tools. From product management to design, to the technology team, production, testing, through to sales and marketing.
“Each department is not independent from the rest. We are all connected and one area cannot be successful without the support of the rest. They all must work together to get a product to market.
“Also, any new product created will become the future work for our production department. Sometimes we can be focused on today and what is new now, but it is our job to look at the future and what will be important in five to ten years’ time.”
For more information regarding the high feed milling SBN10 and BNGX range, visit: https://tinyurl.com/dormer-millingcutters
The post Creating A New Cutting Tool Concept To Spindle appeared first on NZ Engineering News.
Macaulay Metals: Recycling At Its Best
Celebrating 60 years in the metal business next year, Macaulay Metals is the largest privately-owned metal recycling firm in New Zealand.
Managing director, Jeff Harris, has owned the company since 1995 with the main operation based in the Hutt Valley and yards in the North Island at Palmerston North, Rotorua and Whakatane.
Some 90 full-time employees buy, process and sell metal within New Zealand and throughout the world, working in conjunction with many suppliers as well as the public – who bring in old car batteries and household scrap – right through to major engineering and demolition companies.
A dedicated trucking fleet and mobile projects team working on a number of successful demolition and decommissioning contracts means that you see Macaulay
Metals operating anywhere in the country and it is this variety of work that the company says makes the industry so interesting and rewarding.
Macaulay Metals has been involved with major projects in a variety of industry sectors and has developed specialised methodologies for safely and efficiently demolishing and processing a range of infrastructure assets from oil storage tanks, to transformers, to railway carriages and everything in between.
Of course, loading the metal on the truck is only part of the job. The majority of processing happens at the yard with a range of equipment used depending on the product. Getting the metal export ready can involve the use of the cable granulator, a 1000 tonne compression shear (the biggest of its kind in New Zealand) or a high-density baler. These machines enable a better quality of product to be loaded more efficiently into shipping containers and are looked after in-house by a team of engineering staff.
The team at Macaulay Metals is passionate about metal recycling – the oldest form of recycling in the world. Many businesses are unaware that their metal by-products are not only a valuable income stream but something that can be diverted from landfill.
Almost all metal products can be recycled, and the environmental benefits of recycling are obvious: significantly less energy is used to recycle metal than to source it from mining activities.
It is clear that metal recycling is here to stay, and Macaulay Metals will continue to operate with the values of honesty, fairness and integrity that they are known for.
The post Macaulay Metals: Recycling At Its Best appeared first on NZ Engineering News.
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