Founded by Max Farndale 1947 - 2018
IPENZ | Our finalists for the Young Engineer of the Year 2017 have been chosen from an incredibly high-calibre group of candidates! Congratulations to Lachlan Matchett, Oliver Whalley and Virginie Lacrosse on becoming our finalists.
Our entrants are judged in six areas:
They will give a ten minute presentation to support their application at an event hosted by the IPENZ Auckland branch in February.
| Continue to full article | IPENZ | Dec 08, 2016 |
A new-concept welding facility opened by BOC at its Rocklea site in Brisbane is set to be an exciting new hub for product applications and testing, research and development, and training.
The facility will primarily be used to demonstrate the latest in welding, cutting and heating technology and automation and contains the latest generation digital welding equipment, GMAW and GTAW arc projectors and a Kawasaki RA 10L robot equipped with a Servo Robot PowerCam laser vision camera and EWM alpha Q 352 welding package (built by BOC’s automation partner Robot Technologies-Systems Australia).
BOC Technical Manager Peter Kuebler explains the investment will benefit both customers and BOC’s technical specialists across the nation, with the hope that it will contribute to advancements in the metal fabrication industry.
“Productivity is really important as cost pressures increase in our global economy. To assist with this, BOC and RTA have developed world leading robotic applications in Australia and are now starting to see more businesses use automation as an essential vehicle to remain competitive,” Kuebler said.
Smaller customers are upgrading to digital welding machines capable of sophisticated arc characteristics and utilising innovative shielding gas mixtures.”
| Continue to full article at Manufacturers' Monthly | Dec 12, 2016 |
Cutting tool and tooling systems specialist Sandvik Coromant has signed an agreement to become a Premium Partner of leading machine tool manufacturer DMG MORI. The deal, which makes Sandvik Coromant the only tooling manufacturer to be named as a DMG MORI Premium Partner, will further strengthen the relationship between the companies on a global scale. Machine shops around the world will benefit from the combined knowledge and experience of the two market leaders.
As a DMG MORI Premium Partner, Sandvik Coromant will work with the machine tool builder on a wide-range of initiatives, including R&D and engineering, open house events, trade show appearances, technical seminars, website collaboration, and the DMG MORI Journal. Specifically, the agreement will give users of DMG MORI machines access to the turning, parting and grooving, threading, milling, drilling, boring, and reaming tools from Sandvik Coromant, as well as tooling systems and the company’s extensive range of knowledge, industry solutions, and services.
“This agreement confirms our position as one of our industry’s true premium and forward-looking companies,” said Klas Forsström, Global President of Sandvik Coromant. “As we join forces with a leading machine tool builder, for example, on turnkey projects, we take an active role in advancing technology for the industry.”
Sandvik Coromant will equip DMG MORI machines with a wide range of products, services, and know-how. For example, a customized start-up tool kit and service will be supplied with each NLX series universal lathe and NT turn-mill center in selected markets. On the CLX/CMX (previously Ecoline) entry-level machines and DMC V vertical machining centers, users will receive a defined tool kit and global service provision.
Evidence of the successful collaboration between Sandvik Coromant and DMG MORI was seen recently when the two companies partnered with Rota Metal, a distributor in Turkey, and its customer Polat Makina.
Polat, a food technology company, was ready to make the switch from individual machining to multi-tasking machines. Sandvik Coromant recommended a complete new tooling package based on the company’s Coromant Capto® modular quick-change tooling concept. The DMG MORI machines included an NTX 2000 with Capto C6 spindle, an NT 5400 with Capto C8 spindle, and an NT 6600 with Capto C8 spindle. Sandvik Coromant tools specified to help complete the switch included Silent Tools®, CoroTurn® HP, CoroCut® SL, CoroDrill® 860, CoroTap® 300, CoroChuck® 970, and CoroChuck 930. The changes resulted in a reduced machining time, from 2500 to 500 minutes, for a finished end product. The 500% savings is helping ensure rapid return on the company’s investment.
Added Ibrahim Polat, owner of Polat Makina, “Sandvik Coromant did not just supply the tools, they supplied the solution.”
A Sandvic Coromant release Dec 7, 2016
Global technology distribution giant, Ingram Micro, is now under the control of HNA Group, following the completion of the Chinese conglomerate’s $US6 billion acquisition of the US-based company.
The companies announced on 6 December that they had completed the transaction, seeing publicly-traded HNA Group subsidiary, Tianjin Tianhai Investment Company, take control of Ingram Micro.
The closure of the deal, worth $38.90 per share with an equity value of approximately $US6 billion, was first announced in February, and comes after a review of Ingram Micro’s finances by the Shanghai Stock Exchange.
On 2 December, Ingram Micro announced that it had cleared their final hurdle to the completion of its acquisition by Tianjin Tianhai, with China’s State Administration of Foreign Exchange approving the deal.
"The closing of this transaction represents a significant milestone on Ingram Micro's path to growing our business and providing a full spectrum of global technology and supply chain services to businesses around the world," Ingram Micro CEO, Alain Monié, said.
"We are delighted to move forward with this partnership with HNA Group and excited by the opportunity to accelerate the development and delivery of an even stronger value proposition for Ingram Micro's vendors and customers globally."
According to HNA Group vice chairman and CEO, Adam Tan, Ingram Micro, with its supply chain management experience and technology solutions, “exemplifies” HNA Group's strategy of investing in companies with strong positions in growing markets in the company’s core areas of focus.
“Working together, we believe there are significant opportunities to continue to expand Ingram Micro's delivery platform and portfolio of solutions offerings into high growth regions and provide customers across a wide range of industries with greater access to new market opportunities,” said Tan.
“Today marks a significant step forward in HNA Group's efforts to create a global, one-stop provider of logistics and supply chain solutions and services," he said.
While Ingram Micro will remain headquartered in Irvine, California, following the completion of the deal, and continue to be led by Monié, the completion of the transaction sees Ingram Micro cease trading on the New York Stock Exchange.
It is understood that, with the acquisition finalised, Ingram Micro’s chief financial officer, William Humes, is expected to leave the company, to be replaced by executive vice president of finance, Gina Mastantuono.
At the same time, the company’s executive vice president, secretary, and general counsel, Larry Boyd, is also set to step away, leaving vice president and associate general counsel, Augusto Aragone Coppola, as a replacement.
The company had previously told its associates that HNA Group had assured that the merger should have no impact on its day-to-day operations.
‘A significant part of HNA Group’s attraction to Ingram Micro is our exceptional associates, including our management teams," Ingram Micro said earlier in the year.
"HNA Group has assured us that it is committed to maintain our associates, management and operations, including Ingram Micro’s offices, warehouses and other facilities."
The company also said that it expected, “very few, if any,” Ingram Micro positions to be impacted as a result of the acquisition.
“HNA Group recognises that the assets of Ingram Micro’s business are our associates and our trusted relationships with our vendor and customer partners,” the company said.
“Ingram Micro expects to continue to operate in the same manner with our management and associate teams in place across our countries and lines of business, serving our vendor and customer partners as usual."
Likewise, the company assured its staff that the deal was unlikely to result in the closure or consolidation of Ingram Micro offices, facilities, or warehouses, and that there would be no change in how it conducts business, operationally, around the world.
The local channel community has already expressed mixed feelings about the deal, with Arrow ECS ANZ CEO, Nick Verykios, previously citing issues concerning vendors and trade in China.
“It's going to be a political issue as well," he told ARN in February. "It's going to be awesome watching all this. Who knows what's going to happen."
Meanwhile, Dicker Data CEO and chairman, David Dicker, took the long view, simply stating that it would be “very interesting to see how it plays out in the next year or so”.
Ingram Micro’s new owner, HNA Group, is a Hainan-based global conglomerate with an industrial model structured based around aviation, tourism, transportation, logistics, and financial services.
It has in excess of $90 billion in assets with significant operations in countries including China, the United States, Singapore, Australia, Turkey, Norway, France, Spain, Switzerland, Ireland, Ghana, Belgium and Netherlands.
It’s now easier for young girls and women to pursue career opportunities in science, technology engineering and maths, Womens’ Minister Louise Upston says.
The ‘STEM Directory’ is a new online tool launched by the Ministry for Women and identifies initiatives, programmes and associations through which young girls and women can connect, discover and learn about science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM).
“A huge focus of this Government has been helping New Zealanders prepare and adapt to an economy that is an increasingly becoming more reliant on STEM-related skills,” Ms Upston says.
“Women are particularly under-represented in the highest growth areas such as digital technology and engineering, so I have made it a priority to find new ways of sparking their interest.”
In New Zealand, women make up about 23 percent of people employed in IT and about 13 percent of people employed as engineers.
“This tool is a small but significant way we can work to turn this around, ensuring women aren’t left behind in a constantly changing workforce and young girls can more easily find clear ways in STEM fields,” Ms Upston says.
“I want to encourage all young girls and women, schools, businesses - and men who want to encourage the important women in their life – to make use of this tool and become the next leader in these fields that are so crucial to New Zealand’s future.”
The STEM Directory is available at: http://women.govt.nz/news/stem-directory
November 25 saw the first coming together of Unitec’s new alumni group for its former engineering students and tutors. Pictured are Engineering alumni Dominic Hurley, Shannon Wallis & Stuart Hume
“Unitec’s engineering pathway supports the formation of this group so as to foster and maintain relationships with our alumni, many of whom have gone on to do great things within the New Zealand and global engineering industries,” said David Nummy, Unitec’s acting Head of Engineering.
“This alumni group will help Unitec strengthen and build the reputation of our programmes and our graduates. It will also help ensure our tertiary institute has good links back into industry for the benefit of current Unitec students.”
The main instigator of the new alumni group, Aidan Cooper, is a Unitec Bachelor of Engineering (environment) graduate. Mr Cooper is a board member of the Institution of Professional Engineers NZ (IPENZ) and has served on the Auckland IPENZ Branch committee since 2010. He is currently a senior engineer with Chester Consultants.
Diverseco, Australia's leading integrated measurement, packaging and product inspection solutions provider, is delighted to announce the acquisition of Robot Technologies/Systems Australia (RTA).
RTA is Australia’s foremost integrator of robotic automation, with over thirty years of experience and expertise in industrial robotics, manufacturing automation, process automation and factory automation.
The company supplies and services robotics equipment for businesses within a broad range of industries across Australia and New Zealand. These include manufacturing, mining, commodity handling, defence and pharmaceutical.
The company’s suppliers include leading brands Kawasaki, Staubli, Kyokutoh, Servo-Robot, Nitta and Pro-face, with RTA currently providing applications for material handling, sorting, machine unloading, fluid application, painting and welding, among others.
Established in 1986, the company’s operations were initially based on supply of robotics to the automotive industry and with RTA being the sole supplier of robots and associated services to Mitsubishi and Toyota.
Brenton Cunningham, Diverseco CEO said, “RTA is a valuable addition to our group, and will complement and enhance our group’s current capabilities, especially our supply of solutions to the manufacturing, packaging equipment and freight sector.”
Trinton Smith, RTA General Manager is confident that the purchase heralds a new era for the company, at a time when the manufacturing industry is undergoing a technological renaissance that is transforming operations.
“With Diverseco’s financial backing, corporate support and vision, we are excited about future opportunities and realising RTA’s full potential - as the go-to company for any business seeking sophisticated robotic automation solutions,” Trinton said.
“The fact is, far too many Australian companies remain unaware of how automation technologies can enable them to realise their productive potential by optimising their operations,” he added.
“Today, most industrial tasks can be automated with a diverse range of robots, far more than most people realise. In some respects, it’s matter of imagination that requires business leaders to envision what ‘can be’ rather than ‘what is.’ Once a company discovers the benefits provided by robotic integration in one part of their business, they are always keen to apply it to another.” Brenton said.
The robotics automation industry remains in a growth phase. For example, the Association for Advancing Automation in the U.S. reports that over fourteen thousand robots, valued at approximately $817 million, were ordered from North American companies in the first half of 2016. This is a new record.
Brenton said, “Manufacturing companies cannot afford to ignore the economic and competitive benefits provided by robotics advances. By embracing them now, they will improve productivity, forge ahead of their rivals and gain an edge with customers who are seeking their own gains in the supply chain..”
Brenton said, “Many of RTA’s core competencies reside in its people, many of whom are recognised experts in their fields, which includes mechatronics engineering. Consequently, we are delighted to have retained their experienced staff and contractors.”
RTA founder, industry legend Doug Smith will remain at the company and will be responsible for managing some key areas for the foreseeable future.
RTA will be closely aligned with another Diverseco company, Scaco Pty Ltd, due to similarities in their automation operations. Consequently, Group General Manager Tim Francis is tasked with overseeing both of these operations.
“The RTA team are second to none in their ability to optimise manufacturing processes across a multitude of industries by incorporating automation and robotics into company operations,” Tim said.
‘They are a great group of people! I’m certain that will embrace the Diverseco’s core values, contribute to our company culture and will continue to provide RTA customers world-class robotics solutions,’ he added.
To celebrate the acquisition, Brenton Cunningham and Doug Smith were recently invited to visit Kawasaki Robots Head Office in Akashi, Japan, where they were entertained by the senior management, provided a tour of facilities, and briefed of Kawasaki’s latest innovations. They are pictured shaking hands with Shin-ichi Hada, Senior Manager at Kawasaki Robotics.
Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce has today released the 2016 Science and Innovation System Performance Report, the first of an annual series which presents data on the research outputs, impacts, funding, and overall performance of science and innovation in New Zealand.
“This report provides us with a performance benchmark against other OECD countries including the other small advanced economies – Israel, Switzerland, Singapore, Finland, Ireland and Denmark,” Mr Joyce says.
“The report increases transparency by showing how public funding for science and innovation is being invested, and it begins to give a direct line-of-sight to the benefits that funding brings for the New Zealand economy, environment and society.”
Key findings from the 2016 Science and Innovation System Performance Report include:
The report includes examples of the impacts of different scientific developments in New Zealand, who was involved, how they were funded, and the results that occurred. Future reports will provide more comprehensive assessment of science impacts to give a robust picture of the overall benefits of science investment.
The National Statement of Science Investment (NSSI), published in 2015, set out the Government’s vision for 2025: “A highly dynamic science system that enriches New Zealand, making a more visible, measurable contribution to our productivity and wellbeing through excellent science”.
The NSSI committed to publishing regular system performance reports. This annual report will track progress against NSSI goals and become a valuable evidence base to inform government policy decisions and longer-term strategy. It includes information on R&D activity across the government, higher-education and private sectors.
“Achieving the NSSI vision will require reliable, timely information and robust evaluation of science and innovation system performance,” Mr Joyce says.
“This government invested $410.5 million new funding in science and innovation over four years through Budget 2016. We know that better performance data will enable us to target our growing science investments effectively and to maximise their long-term value to New Zealand.”
This report complements the first Research, Science and Innovation Domain Plan, released by the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE) in September 2016. The domain plan provides a long-term picture of what is required to improve official statistics, data and information in this area, and a coordinated, cross-agency plan for addressing the issues.
The Science and Innovation System Performance Report is available here.
Vp plc, the equipment rental specialist, today announces the acquisition of the entire issued share capital of TechRentals NZ Ltd ("TRNZ") for a cash consideration of NZ$2.592 million (New Zealand dollars).
TRNZ is engaged in the specialist rental of test & measurement equipment and calibration services in New Zealand.� The business, which has been established for over 30 years, currently operates from a single location in Auckland, New Zealand.
In April 2016, Vp plc announced the acquisition of TR Pty Ltd ("TR"), also engaged in the specialist rental of test & measurement equipment and provider of calibration services in Australia and Malaysia.
TRNZ used to be part of the TR group of companies but was disposed of under previous ownership in 2009.� The TRNZ business will operate within the wide TR group of businesses which have existing activities in Australia, New Zealand and Malaysia.
Jeremy Pilkington, Chairman of Vp plc, commented:
"We are delighted to welcome the experienced TRNZ back to the TR Group and also to the wider team at Vp.� The acquisition of TRNZ further increases the TR Group's exposure to the healthy New Zealand market."
About
Vp plc is a specialist rental business providing products and services to a diverse range of markets including infrastructure, construction, housebuilding and oil and gas, both in the UK and overseas.
The Group comprises a UK and an International division:
UK
Groundforce -Excavation support systems and specialist products for the water, civil engineering and construction industries primarily in the UK, but also in the Republic of Ireland and mainland
Europe.
Hire Station - Tools and specialist products for industry, construction and home owners.
Torrent Trackside - Infrastructure equipment and services for the railway renewals and maintenance industry.
TPA - Portable roadway access solutions to the transmission, outdoor events, construction and utility sectors in the UK, the Republic of Ireland and mainland Europe.
UK Forks - Rough terrain material handling equipment and tracked access platforms for the housebuilding, general construction and industrial markets.
International
Airpac Bukom Oilfield Services - Equipment and service providers to the international oil and gas exploration and development markets.
TR Group - Specialist rental of test & measurement, communications and audio visual equipment to a breadth of markets including electrical, telecommunications, manufacturing, construction, defence, oil and gas, mining, and government in Australia, New Zealand and Malaysia.
Further information is available at www.vpplc.com/investors
Sew-Eurodrive has launched a new website for the Australian and New Zealand market. It offers a wide selection of new and expanded content and functions and can be accessed from a range of devices, from PCs and tablets to smartphones. As well as restructuring the site’s content, the company has also revamped its design.
According to the company, the structure of the site ensures accurate responses to all enquiries, provides good orientation and points of reference, takes users to where they need to go reliably, and makes relevant information quick and easy to find and read.
Main features of the new website:
Palace of the Alhambra, Spain
By: Charles Nathaniel Worsley (1862-1923)
From the collection of Sir Heaton Rhodes
Oil on canvas - 118cm x 162cm
Valued $12,000 - $18,000
Offers invited over $9,000
Contact: Henry Newrick – (+64 ) 27 471 2242
Mount Egmont with Lake
By: John Philemon Backhouse (1845-1908)
Oil on Sea Shell - 13cm x 14cm
Valued $2,000-$3,000
Offers invited over $1,500
Contact: Henry Newrick – (+64 ) 27 471 2242
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