By Dr Troy Coyle, HERA CEO Recently, HERA visited Australia with Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing Hon Andrew Bayly and heavy engineering industry representatives to better understand how Australia is responding to the Industry 4.0 revolution.   This visit included a tour of both the University of Wollongong’s Facility for Intelligent Fabrication (FIF) and the $81 million Australian Composite Manufacturing Co-operative Research Centre (ACM CRC). Gaining access to these impressive facilities demonstrated how the use of cutting-edge technology is revolutionising manufa ..read more

To maintain a competitive edge in today’s fast-paced market, local industries are investing in new-generation solutions designed to improve performance, enhance productivity, and bolster performance. With this in mind, automation specialist, SMC Corporation Australia New Zealand (ANZ) recently announced the introduction of its JSB series angle seat valve, with Rod Ryan, head of field sales SA & strategic projects for SMC ANZ saying that “angling a valve can offer big benefits.” “One of the key benefits to customers is the fact that the angle seat structure reduces pressure loss. This is pa ..read more

By Craig Carlyle, certified machinery safety expert (TÜV Nord), HasTrak I have run into a number of companies lately that have dealt with their health and safety responsibilities with app-based solutions. On the face of it, these plug and play solutions appear fantastic; all of your staff are now connected to the system and the opportunity to complete documentation on the fly is enabled. Sounds like Nirvana. However, when you scratch below the surface, disturbingly these same companies believe that the ‘app’ is their health and safety system. The emperor is using an app. We need to talk. Just ..read more

Swisslog senior solution architect, Sally Renwick Swisslog senior solution architect, Sally Renwick, is fascinated by “the side of industry many never see” – the high achieving world of automation that is opening up a broad range of satisfying careers for women entering STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) and automation fields. The numbers may show that women are outnumbered by men in STEM industries, with the Australian Academy of Science reporting that “only 16% of Australia’s STEM-skilled workforce are women, whereas the broader Australian workforce has close to 50% fem ..read more

Mohammed Farook, left, has become the first person in New Zealand to undertake the new Certificate in Fluid Power Engineering Fundamentals (Level 3). For the first time, New Zealand has a dedicated certification for fluid power engineering, providing new training and career path options to those in the hydraulics and pneumatics industries. The Certificate in Fluid Power Engineering Fundamentals (Level 3) approved by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) is the result of sustained effort by several key people in the industry and of a newly formed New Zealand Fluid Power Association. T ..read more

By Dr Troy Coyle, CEO, HERA After pandemic delays we can finally provide an update on the progress of the ROBUST building systems (RObust BUilding SysTems) project, a landmark international collaboration that aims to significantly elevate earthquake resilience in building design. In a major stride forward for our industry, testing recently commenced on these innovative systems at the International Laboratory for Earthquake Engineering in Shanghai. The test program, which has already gained international attention and delivered results, promotes synergy between HERA, the HERA Foundation, and ni ..read more

Ramage Sheetmetals presses ‘go’ on new business arm A longstanding Hawkes Bay sheetmetal firm is continuing its evolution with the addition of a range of high-end residential products that it says add not only value to the business, but a touch of elegance and class to clients’ properties. (STARTS)Post-cyclone Hawkes Bay is still recovering but for Ramage Sheetmetals, it was time for a bit of a “push” on a key new arm of the business, according to general manager Daniel Lincoln. While the business wasn’t affected, many staff were and the business has been in demand as the region rebuilds, so t ..read more

NEW HAMILTON FACTORY A ‘GAME CHANGER’ What do the Waterview Tunnel, City Rail Link, Auckland Harbour Bridge and the Christchurch Convention Centre all have in common? Their building service supports are constructed and seismically braced using what is described as the “world’s most flexible, all-purpose metal framing system”. The manufacturer, Atkore Unistrut, opened a new state-of-the-art factory and distribution centre in Hamilton recently which will increase production capability and enable the design and manufacture of bespoke engineered solutions. The opening also coincides with the compa ..read more

IN WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY As passionate as health and safety managers may be in their role, keeping workers engaged in health and safety in the long term is an onerous task requiring skill sets and techniques that are not learnt in the classroom. A recent conversation with an industry peer centred around the difficulty of keeping small business and franchise owners focused on health and safety. Sure, it should be fundamentally obvious that health and safety is a core function of the business viability, but the reality is different for some. Thinking you can change that reality by creating ..read more

SCANDINAVIAN SKILLS, KIWI ENTREPRENEURSHIP A new laser cutter is elevating an already busy Nelson stainless steel fabricating firm and the owner says investing in the best equipment is what gives him the edge. Danish Kiwi Chris Nielsen trained as a stainless steel and aluminium fabricator in Denmark. He was surprised to learn the trade didn’t exist here in New Zealand but has turned that into the strength of his booming business, All Stainless Nelson. “It’s a trade all on its own in Europe” he says. But what he’s found is a gap in the market in New Zealand for highly specific and skilled ..read more