Getting the first three steel girders for the new Kawarau Falls Bridge to Queenstown, from Napier, wasn’t an easy task, says NZ Transport Agency Senior Project Manager Phil Dowsett.

The girders, weighing in at more than 22 tonnes, were fabricated  in Napier by Eastbridge  , a firm which specialise in bridge steel fabrication.

“The original plan was to transport the girders by rail but the 14 November, 2016 earthquake left the main rail trunk line impassable between Kaikoura and Blenheim,” says Phil Dowsett.

“The McConnell Dowell team needed to find another way to get the steel girders to Queenstown efficiently, to ensure the project stayed on track. They looked at sea freighting for part of the journey, but the length of the girders and bracing made this uneconomical. Trucking became the preferred option.”

To minimise the risk of delays, McConnell Dowell constructed a new laydown area not far from site. This enables the project to receive the girders in plenty of time.

Trucking proved to be the best way to get the steel on site quickly. In all, 40 truckloads of steel girders will make the four-day trip between Napier and Queenstown.

A total of 880 tonnes of steel, in lengths of 16 and six metres, will be used in the bridge construction. The longest beam is 16 metres long - ie one-and-a-half times longer than a telephone pole, or eight king size beds laid end on end.

| An NZTransportAgency release  |  February 20, 2017  ||

Anglo-Australian mining titan Rio Tinto announced the award of a US$45 million to the New Zealand civil construction firm Fulton Hogan. The contract, which is for the construction of a dam at the Amrun bauxite project in Cape York, Queensland, was announced last Wednesday.

The project will have Fulton Hogan’s Queensland division constructing a 10.9-gigaliter (2.9 billion gallon) dam as well as an impoundment area, embankment, intake infrastructure, spillway, fishway, and access corridor.

A name for the dam has already been selected as well – “Arraw,” chosen by the area’s Traditional Owners, which is the native population’s name for the emu, Australian flightless and largest native bird.

“As an industry leader Fulton Hogan will bring great expertise to the construction of Arraw dam and create 120 jobs for local workers,” said Rio Tinto Growth & Innovation group executive Stephen McIntosh.

“Fulton Hogan is a renowned leader in building water storage for dams and reservoirs in challenging terrains. We look forward to our successful collaboration on this project.”

“We are delighted to bring our dam building technology and innovation to the Amrun project,” explained Fulton Hogan chief executive officer for construction Peter Kessler. “Our construction teams are experienced in the challenges of working in a bulk water environment and strictly share Rio Tinto’s commitment to a safe work environment.”

According to the press release, the contract is expected to begin by the current quarter’s end on March 31.

The Amrun project, which was announced by Rio in late 2015, is a US$2.6 billion bauxite project on the Cape York Peninsula. It will feature a bauxite mine, processing facilities, and port facilities when production begins in early 2019. The project is expected to employ 1,100 workers, a certain percentage of whom will likely be drawn from other of the company’s bauxite projects that are expected to soon wind down.

|  An AluminiumInsider release  |  February 19, 2017  ||

Amid the uncertainty over U.S. immigration policy, one fact is sending a chill through U.S. higher education: Some U.S. graduate programs in engineering, Science has learned, are seeing a sharp drop this year in the number of applications from international students.

University administrators worry that the declines, as much as 30% from 2016 levels in some programs, reflect heightened fears among foreign-born students that the United States is tightening its borders. A continued downturn, officials say, could threaten U.S. global leadership in science and engineering by shrinking the pool of talent available to carry out academic research. It could also hinder innovation in industry, given that most foreign-born engineering students take jobs with U.S. companies after graduation.

“It’s a precipitous drop,” says Philippe Fauchet, dean of engineering at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, of the 18% decline his department has seen in international graduate applications as last month’s deadlines passed. “Your first thought is, ‘Is it just us?’” adds Tim Anderson, engineering dean at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, where international applications for the electrical and computer engineering departments fell 30% this year. But after speaking with other deans, Anderson believes “it’s a pattern.”

>  >  >  Read full article here

Machine tool operator, Haimer has strengthened its commercial partnership with DMG Mori, will become their premium partner and has acquired Microset GmBH.

The cooperation agreement means that DMG Mori will purchase all products related to tool pre-setting, balancing and shrinking including shrink fit holders as well Tool Rooms exclusively from Haimer.

The agreement also means that DMG Mori will continue to display Haimer Microset products during exhibitions that they will continue to distribute these products through their worldwide sales and service companies.

According to the company, DMG Mori’s Microset Tool-Presetting Technology complements its existing product portfolio. In addition to high-precision tool holders in all popular interfaces and lengths, the current product portfolio includes a variety of shrinking and balancing machines.

Haimer chief executive officer Claudia Haimer said that the company’s operations will change somewhat with the new acquisition.

“Since the company location of Haimer Microset GmbH with about 35 employees will remain in Bielefeld, Germany, this will be our second HAIMER production site, including our main headquarters in Igenhausen, Augsburg, Germany,” Haimer said.

“The Bielefeld facility will be further expanded to become our Northern Germany sales and marketing hub, where we will be able to present the complete process chain that surrounds the machine tool to current and prospective customers.”

|  Published in Manufacturers'Monthly  |  February 14, 2017  ||

Connected machines deliver double the bending length and press force – single-machine operation boosts capacity – ToolShuttle with space for 60 meters of tools – shorter set-up and search times, higher productivity bold

The sheet-metal plates that demonstrate the power and precision of the TruBend Series 8000 are famously big and fat – and now the TRUMPF machines for bending large-format components can actually deliver twice the performance. How? In a tandem version. Bending expert Babette Kopp from TRUMPF Machine Tools in Teningen explains: “If you utilize two machines as just one, it gives you the option of doubling the bending length, that is, up to 8100 millimeters, and also of doubling the press force – and that adds up to 10,000 kilonewtons. In other words, the parts portfolio can be expanded significantly, because compared to any stand-alone machine in the 8000 series, the user can bend longer material.”

The tandem version comes as standard with a C-frame with a throat depth of 820 millimeters and a maximum distance between table and press beam of 820 millimeters. This, combined with the fact that the table width is a mere 140 millimeters despite the enormous bending forces, further increases bending flexibility and part variety. Of course, each machine can also be operated individually, for double the capacity with less setup work.

Rapid speed is also no problem in tandem operationFor safe operation in stand-alone mode, the two machines are separated from each other at the push of a button by a protective door. In tandem operation, the door moves back automatically, so that bending can take place along the entire length. To ensure maximum process reliability, the BendGuard safety systems of the two individual machines are connected to one another – so the entire bending length is directly under control on the tandem machine, enabling rapid speed even in connected operation.

Surface-mounted version for easy installationInstallation of the tandem is uncomplicated because, unlike other large-format bending machines, it arrives as standard in the production hall as a surface-mounted version. Costs for elaborate machine foundations are no longer necessary. Instead, the two stand-alone machines are individually loaded from the truck and simply connected to each other. Here, the tandem partners are fixed together precisely using tensioning screws with fine threads. In addition, the machine tables are bolted using solid connecting elements – ensuring stability and accuracy during tandem operation for the best possible bending results.

Fewer tool changes for more productivity and part varietyWith the TruBend Series 8000, high-quality bending is guaranteed by means of mechanical crowning with a precisely adjustable crowning curve. Thanks to the selective adjustment option of the crowning and precise synchronization of both machines, the tandem version offers bending results that are just as good as those of the stand-alone machine. The CNC-controlled crowning ensures constant angle accuracy along the entire bending length.

In contrast to the eight-meter-long stand-alone machine, the TruBend Series 8000 tandem version enables lower tool offset (I-axis) along the entire bending length. This allows a great variety of different bends, and also folds, using the same combination of upper and lower tools. The number of tool changes decreases, while productivity and part variety are both increased.

ToolShuttle – storage space for a full 60 meters of toolsFor even more productivity on large-format TRUMPF machines, the ToolShuttle now offers a special storage system for upper and lower tools. Babette Kopp explains: “With the ToolShuttle, users are being given a tooling concept for heavy tools for the first time. It enables simple and ergonomic setup while minimizing setup and search times.” For TRUMPF bending machines in the 8000 Series weighing up to 600 tonnes, the ToolShuttle has room for up to 28 upper and 32 lower tool compartments – that adds up to total storage space for more than 60 meters of tools! In order to avoid tilting of offset tools, special storage compartments ensure correct support. Further storage space is provided by practical drawers in the lower part of the ToolShuttle.

Easy transportation of heavy tools – with the intelligent transfer unitVia a moveable transfer unit with three tool holders at the top and bottom respectively, the tools are brought to the bending machine. This not only protects the operator’s back: if he equips the upper and lower transfer unit with new tools and moves them to the bending machine, he can also push the tools to be changed into one of the free tool holders at the same time. This means that he can equip and remove tools in just one operation. A useful additional option: The turning unit makes it possible to turn heavy and/or offset tools through 180 degrees without any effort at all.

| A Trumpf release  |  February 2, 2017  ||

Unprecedented infrastructure investment projections across New Zealand, Australia and the wider Asia-Pacific region have prompted Tonkin + Taylor to launch a massive UK-based talent drive.

The boom years ahead are being driven by both the public and private sectors, with the New Zealand Government alone earmarking $NZ50 billion for large-scale infrastructure projects over the next 10 years. In a similar vein, the New South Wales Government has announced a $AUS20 billion plan to “turbocharge” the NSW economy.

T+T intends to stay ahead of the game and our new recruitment-focused website is already up and running at www.tonkintaylor.co.nz/careers/working-in-new-zealand

Next month our executives and recruiters head for London and the Down Under Live Job Expo, which will take place on February 25-26. Their mission is to attract star-quality engineering and science professionals to join our already exceptionally talented and internationally diverse team.

We’re inviting UK professionals thinking of a seachange to Explore + Solve + Create; to explore new horizons in New Zealand and Australia, solve exciting new infrastructure challenges and create an enviable work/life balance.

Our award-winning engineers, scientists, planners and project managers are the most critical component in ensuring our ability to continue delivering the high quality work T+T is known for. It’s vital that we attract the best of the best.

Richard Hancy, T+T’s Executive Leader of Engineering Services says that a strong economy, combined with a very positive economic outlook, has developed the perfect investment storm with both the public and private sectors investing heavily for the future.

“As a result, planning and construction related activity in transportation, commercial buildings, water infrastructure, housing and many other sectors is getting busier and busier.

“As a specialist engineering and environmental consulting firm, Tonkin + Taylor is already deeply embedded in these investment programmes, and expects that involvement to increase looking forward.”

The move aligns Tonkin + Taylor with the New Zealand Government’s long-term goal of providing resilient and coordinated infrastructure that contributes to a strong economy and high living standards. Its projected $NZ50 billion spend over the next decade includes a $NZ13.9 billion land transport programme to be commissioned by 2018, a $1.8 billion investment in local infrastructure and a further $NZ2.2 billion tagged for Crown assets associated with the Christchurch rebuild.

Further challenges and opportunities will arise as networks need expanding or renewing and cities come to grips with an ageing, increasingly urbanised population and the need for changing technologies.

To meet the increasing level of demand requires an increase in T+T’s capacity and capabilities.

Richard Hancy explains: “Now is the time for us to look beyond our traditional local markets and seek to enrich our team drawing upon the global market.

“T+T has had many successful recruits join from the UK over the years, and as a result has some great connections within the UK engineering and environmental markets. We have decided to take advantage of this, and proactively engage with the UK market to hopefully attract some new stars into our business.”

Sourcing overseas talent will not only help to address a critical shortage of engineers and scientists within New Zealand and Australia but also allow T+T to maintain a critical international perspective in a rapidly changing world.

|  A Tonkin+ Taylor news item  |  January 26, 2017  ||

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has appointed University of Auckland’s Deputy Dean of Engineering, Margaret Hyland as its new Chief Scientist.

"We are delighted to announce Margaret’s appointment as Chief Scientist. This crucial leadership role will be important as we implement the National Statement of Science Investment, and will contribute to the deepening relationships between the Ministry and the science community," says Paul Stocks, Deputy Chief Executive Labour, Science and Enterprise.

Margaret, who is Professor of Chemical and Materials Engineering at the University of Auckland, holds a PhD from the University of Western Ontario in Canada and has spent her career specialising in aluminium technology, and the chemistry and engineering of material surfaces. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Chemical Engineering and, in addition to her numerous teaching awards, she was the first woman to be awarded the prestigious Pickering Medal for excellence in technology by the Royal Society of New Zealand in 2015. Margaret was previously the Director of the Science for Technological Innovation National Science Challenge.

"As Chief Scientist, Margaret will provide science leadership, and work with teams providing advice on science systems, policy and investment. She will be tasked with building on the existing strategic direction of the science system, with a particular eye on the capability of the sector and opportunities going forward. She will also play a crucial role in ensuring that the sector’s expertise and intelligence are captured and communicated during the development of policy and investment plans," Paul says.

Margaret will be seconded to MBIE for 80% of her time for the next two years from February 1 2017.

|  A Beehive release  |  January 27, 2017  ||

Suppliers to the automotive industry are facing the same challenges world-wide, how to supply their products fast, economically and flexible while considering the individual demands of their customers at the same time. In order to increase the quality of their products and reduce costs at the same time, the Canadian supplier Deco Automotive replaces three existing older bending machines with three state-of-the-art automatic CNC 100 E TB MR VA pipe bending lines by Schwarze-Robitec. The company will profit from the integrated high-performance control system NxG by increasing its output and optimizing cycle times.

"Based on their own constant optimizing processes, our customers demand high requirements from their pre-products and with that, as supplier our requirements are also increased. In order to provide the customer with products in different versions and large quantities at a consistently high quality, we continuously invest in the further development of our production processes", says Ray Metzner, Manufacturing Engineer at Deco Automotive. The company, headquartered in Toronto, Canada, belongs to the global Magna Group and manufactures various automotive components including vehicle frames and structures, and engine cradles. Among the customers of the automotive supplier are international original equipment manufacturers. Deco uses a total of four production lines and manufactures more than 1,750,000 products per year.

Project requirementsDue to the continuously high demand and a high annual output, Deco Automotive is dependent on reliable and intelligent pipe bending machines, which provide excellent results in terms of degree of automation, precision, speed, and bending processes. Before being accepted by automobile manufacturers, steel pipes run through the fully automatic cold bending process at the production facility in Toronto. Subsequent manufacturing steps include hydroforming, laser cutting and welding. The number of bending processes performed at Deco reaches 12 million per year. Up until now, the automotive supplier reached this volume by using a total of nine bending machines spread over four production lines. Seven of the machines come from Schwarze-Robitec, whereby three pipe bending machines were already in use for more than 20 years. The reason for the replacement of the old equipment with three new CNC 100 E TB MR VA made by Schwarze-Robitec was for Deco, that the bending and handling process is ensured to continue reliably and efficiently. "In 20 years, we have purchased a total of 13 pipe bending machines from Schwarze-Robitec and we have come to appreciate the very high quality and durability of the machines. We value the high technical expertise of the employees and the comprehensive services, such as remote maintenance, and decided at the end of 2015 to continue the partnership", says Mr. Metzner.

Automatic pipe bending lineFollowing an extensive consultation and planning phase in cooperation with Deco Automotive in Canada, Schwarze-Robitec produced three pipe bending lines tailored to the requirements of the automotive supplier. "We expect the new bending cells to provide significantly improved production and anticipate to reach our production targets even faster", says Mr. Metzner. Of the three CNC 100 E TB MR VA machines two machines are right- and one is left-bending. In addition, the multi-stack bending machines are equipped with a pipe magazine, a weld seam finding device, an automatic loading and a removal device. The electrically operated systems process round and oval tubes that are 2.8 m long and have a diameter of up to 76.2 mm including a wall thickness from 1.2 to 3 mm. The process is fully automated: The pipes to be processed are taken randomly from the tube magazine and fed to the integrated weld seam finding device. This device aligns the pipes in accordance with their weld seam position. Following the alignment, the pipe is passed on to the pipe bending machine. To do this, a mandrel is used which supports the tube on tight radii from the inside. A fully automatic loading arm then removes the finished bent tube from the machine and places it on a conveyor belt. From there, the tube continues to the hydroforming equipment. Another feature of the solution are the integrated raised, vertical travel routes. This allows pre-loading the pipe bending machine, while parallel to this function a finished bent tube is removed at another location. 

(Photo caption to the right  – CNC 100 E TB MR VA  The electrically operated systems process round and oval tubes that are 2.8 m long and have a diameter of up to 76.2 mm.|

NxG high performance control systemCompared to the pipe bending line, which had been in operation at Deco until today, the new machines are equipped with the high-performance control system NxG. An advantage of the new control system are the significantly reduced non-productive times, as individual steps of the bending process were arranged synchronously. "With the NxG control system, it is possible to prepare the next step simultaneously to executing a machining operation. For example, while a pipe is supplied to the tool, the clamping functions close almost completely”, explains Bert Zorn, Managing Director at Schwarze-Robitec GmbH. “When the tube then reaches its target position, the tool is immediately ready for the next bending step – this allows users to shorten the cycle times and production objectives are reached more quickly". In addition, a diagnostic and maintenance tool integrated into the control system minimizes downtimes. The intuitive operability, the high performance control system also contributes to an ergonomic and efficient way of working. "The pipe bending machines made by Schwarze-Robitec produce reliable, accurate, and high-quality products and yet the machines are easy to use for our staff", says Mr. Metzner.

Conclusion: Short cycle times and no downtimesDue to the new automatic bending cells made by Schwarze-Robitec, the automotive supplier was able to optimize the cycle times and increase the production output of higher complex shapes and materials. “With the new pipe bending machines and the bending programs of the control system NxG, we have reduced cycle times significantly," says Mr. Metzner. With this, the accuracy that the company produces and the repeatability of its equipment in the production process is outstanding. "The predecessors of our existing machines have been operating in multi-shift operation flawlessly for almost 20 years. In addition, we received continuous services from Schwarze-Robitec, from their engineers in Cologne, and the employees of the US subsidiary – for us, this is a win-win situation."

| A Schwarze-Robitec release  |  January 25, 2017  ||

Schwarze-Robitec GmbH – the companyThe company, founded in 1903, is one of the leading international experts in the sector of tube bending machines. At its headquarters in Cologne, the specialist for cold bending machines currently employs 130 staff. The company is represented worldwide via long-term partner enterprises. Since 2015 Schwarze-Robitec has opened its own subsidiary in USA for customers in North America. The bending specialist already manufactured the world‘s first CNC-controlled tube bending machine back in 1977. To date, more than 2,700 machines have been sold – some of them have been used in production unrestrictedly for far more than 35 years. The Schwarze-Robitec product range includes, in addition to tube bending machines and bending tools, tube perforating machines, measuring stations, as well as solutions in the area of special machinery construction. The reference list of the tube bending expert includes, without exception, all renowned leading manufacturers from the automotive industry, energy sector as well as shipbuilding. Above and beyond that, the company solutions are employed in the aerospace sector as well as many other industries. Detailed information about Schwarze-Robitec can be found in the Internet at www.schwarze-robitec.com.

Engineers are concerned about the risk that earthquake-prone buildings pose to public safety in the Wellington region, and fully support the Government’s move to compel building owners to secure facades.

New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering (NZSEE) President Peter Smith says during this period of increased earthquake risk in Wellington, Lower Hutt, Marlborough and Hurunui, it’s important to secure facades and speed up remedial work.

"These facades need to be secured, particularly because many of them are in popular retail areas like Cuba Street, Riddiford Street and Jackson Street.

"Engineers are very conscious of the lives lost when facades collapsed in the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake. Thirty-nine people were killed and more than 100 people injured as a result of masonry falling onto footpaths and roads."

Structural Engineering Society (SESOC) President Paul Campbell says that while shorter, stiffer earthquake-prone buildings weren’t affected by the Kaikoura earthquake, they still pose a significant risk to public safety.

"Every earthquake is different - and earthquakes don’t test all buildings equally.

"On 14 November, as the earthquake waves travelled through rock away from Kaikoura, high frequency waves dissipated as heat.

"But low frequency waves experienced less resistance and reached Wellington. These low frequency waves created resonance in mid-height buildings, causing severe shaking.

"The next earthquake could be quite different and it’s important that earthquake-prone buildings are dealt with."

Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand Chief Executive Susan Freeman-Greene says engineers’ key concern is public safety.

"We welcome the Government’s announcement that it will establish a fund to support building owners.

"If there is an aftershock centred closer to Wellington, securing the facades could save many lives.

"Since 14 November, there’s been fantastic industry and regulator collaboration.

"We are all working hard to improve resilience and make Wellington more prepared for whatever might come next."

|  An NZSEE release  | January 25, 2017  |

A story from from Reuters has generated rumors suggesting that private equity firm CVC Capital (CVC) will be acquiring MSC Software (MSC) for $800 million dollars. But why should engineers care? Well it could point to an interesting future for computer-aided engineering (CAE) users.

The recent trend in CAE acquisitions was one in which larger CAD or CAE firms would gobble up smaller ones. The path here is simple: add to the larger firm’s existing technology, broaden multiphysics and increase compatibilities and capabilities. This doesn’t seem to be the case here with the potential acquisition of MSC; however, it might be the end game achievement for CVC given MSC’s sales price.How MSC’s Rumored Sale Compares to Others in the CAE Industry

The rumored purchase price of $800 million for MSC isn’t a bad return for the privatization costs at $360 million, but, it pales in comparison to the sale of Mentor Graphics’ to Siemens PLM Software for $4.5 billion.

Given the similar employee size of the companies this might look like a good comparison, and the rumor mill agrees. It has suggested that the differences in price have been caused by “declining revenues.” However, these sources failed to take internal industry strategy into consideration.

Mentor Graphics specializes in electronics design automation (EDA) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations; whereas MSC focuses mostly on finite element analysis (FEA)-based physics. FEA is much more common in the industry.

|  Continue to read full article on engineering.com  |  January 18, 2017  |