Developments

Factories no longer the sure route to prosperity

Countries once grew rich through manufacturing – but today there is more than one way to effect structural transformation. Think about countries growing out of poverty and you probably picture something like this: underemployed workers leaving inefficient farms for factories that make textiles and clothing for domestic and export markets. Over time, this shift raises productivity and wages across the economy, while countries’ production and export baskets diversify into more sophisticated goods and services. For the past several decades, this image would have been broadly on the mark. South Korea is a prime example: through the 1950s, a large share of its population still worked in the agricultural sector. Its manufactured exports a decade later were mostly textiles, clothing, footwear and wigs. Two generations on, in 2017, Korea was the world’s fifth-largest merchandise exporter and its ninth-largest importer. Even if your mobile phone and household electronics weren’t made by a Korean company, they almost certainly contain integrated circuits that were. In varied ways, and to differing extents, countries from Bangladesh to Colombia to China have trodden this path. Since the dawn of the Industrial Revolution in late 18th century England, ‘structural transformation’– a term economists use for the process of shifting people and resources out of subsistence work into more productive activities – has begun with labour-intensive manufacturing. And starting in the 1950s, trade has been a key accelerator of structural transformation in developing countries, enabling much faster growth and poverty reduction than would otherwise be possible. Good enough to compete Trade matters in this story because in most developing countries, internationally tradable sectors are typically much more productive than the rest of the economy. Pulling more people and capital out of non-tradable activities and into firms dealing in tradable goods and services therefore makes for better jobs and a […]

ABB powers with manufacturing management technology

The Manufacturing Operations Management (MOM) software suite powers production for increased productivity and profitability, enabling seamless plant orchestration. The new version will offer an extended range of capabilities and new digital applications. This flexible and secure software platform with a broad suite of industrial applications gives operators, supervisors and plant managers the visibility and insights to take the right actions for increased productivity, quality and compliance. Features in the enhanced manufacturing operations management platform include: Enhanced user experience based on new HTML 5 web client; A new smart interactive dashboard application that provides greater visibility and collaboration; A new statistical process control (SPC) application, to determine if each process is in a state of control; A new Batch Compare application – for advanced batch analysis Manufacturing Operations Management is a comprehensive, scalable and modular software suite that optimises visibility, knowledge and control throughout the operations domain. This release provides a range of rich new functionality and a new enhanced user experience that enables operations to become more productive and responsive.” Manufacturing Operations Management is designed to simplify production management by enabling performance monitoring, downtime management and maintenance support, as well as providing statistical production analysis tools. It provides solutions and tools to facilitate the collection, consolidation and distribution of production, quality and energy information via the plant’s web-based reports, trends, and graphs. A new, self-service dashboard application promotes increased collaboration, providing visibility from shop floor to top floor and spanning IT and OT environments. It increases data connectivity to all apps and modules within the MOM suite, combining historic and manufacturing data and providing the user with improved customization capabilities. Dashboards can be shared amongst users, further promoting collaboration between teams. Trends and events are displayed together, which enables customers to identify issues and opportunities enabling informed and timely decisions. The new common services platform […]

Lessons in mass production

Socrates and his student, Plato, are a perfect example of how good leaders are shaped by observant students. Here, Darcy Simonis, industry network leader for food and beverage at ABB, explains what can be learned from global manufacturing leaders such as China. China, a leader in mass production, has firm plans to build upon its proud history by investing in the robotics and automation industry. However, because labor is plentiful, mass production is not always automated in China at present. Because China’s working-age population is falling significantly, labor costs are increasing by 15-20 per cent year on year, compared to only 1.6 per cent in the US. This opens opportunities for automation across all economies. In 2014, the International Federation of Robotics announced that China was buying more robots than any other country each year, partly due to government funds as part of China’s five-year plan to develop intelligent manufacturing. This trend has continued, in 2015 China bought more robots than every European country combined. Generally speaking, Chinese manufacturers are choosing to buy robots from the same global suppliers as other countries, including ABB, despite there being a number of small Chinese robot manufacturers. “This trend is driven by the Chinese Government´s 2025 initiative to support automation. The country aims to become a leader in automation globally,” explained Joe Gemma, President of the International Federation of Robotics, in February 2017. Given the clear manufacturing focus in several governments’ foreign policies, including UK and US policy, it’s clear that the progress China is making in automating mass production is something that many countries aspire to. But there is also a clear reciprocal relationship, just as there is with Plato and Socrates, which is allowing countries around the globe to benefit from technological advances. History Mass production became possible because technology and […]

New solar technology can be printed or woven into fabric

Our planet is facing an unprecedented global emergency due to the climate crisis. To counter this narrative we need new and disruptive energy technologies. Breakthroughs here can make our planet a better place to live, minimise the deleterious effects of climate change and ensure a high standard of living. Harvesting energy through green and clean means is the way forward to preserve our civilisation. As Jimmy Carter once said: no-one can ever embargo the sun or interrupt its delivery to us”; the sun is the best gift to humanity and harvesting sunlight at a cut-rate price will solve our energy demand issues to a large extent. Renewable technology will drive the energy transition and will also induce geopolitical shifts, creating new alliances and business models. Countries that are currently fossil fuel suppliers will need to reinvent themselves or embrace new technological approaches in order to remain competitive. Our planet’s current energy demand is approximately 16 Terawatts (TW); by 2050 we will need energy for 10 billion people, and this will be around 30TW. To bridge this gap, we need new approaches and changes to the current paradigm. The electric light did not come from the continuous improvement of candles, but through disruptive innovation. The societal pressure to embrace sustainable energy has made photovoltaics (PV) – or solar panels – one of the main contenders. Currently, the PV industry is dominated by silicon-based technology, which has reached the masses and has achieved grid parity (that is, cost parity with traditional sources of energy) in some parts of the world. The costs for solar energy have already fallen 77% from 2010 to 2018 due to an annual growth rate of 7.9% in renewables. In recent years, the PV sector has witnessed a surge of instalments and drastic price reduction; however, the manufacturing of […]

Update of Hypertherm’s Robotmaster robot programming software available

Hypertherm has released Robotmaster Version 7.1, a major update to the completely redesigned and advanced architecture of its Version 7 software released last year. In total, this new robotic programming software contains more than 40 new features, 500 improvements, and dozens of bug fixes. Many of the changes, driven by customer feedback, are designed to continuously improve the software’s CAD/CAM technology and automate programming, allowing customers to enjoy the best error-free robotic path in just one click. Added features and improvements include: Ability to automatically recognise weld joints embedded in CAD models which simplifies and speeds up programming Ability to transform operations to reduce multiple manual selections Ability to modify operation geometry (a section of the path or the entire path) so the user can match the CAD model to the actual part when a mismatch exists Robotmaster can handle both simple and complex robotic tasks, from straightforward plasma cutting jobs, to deburring and additive manufacturing applications. Today, Robotmaster software is used on robots that drill airplane fuselages, polish automotive dies, cut material, support additive manufacturing, and add value to a multitude of processes at family-owned job shops around the world. “Our goal was to revolutionise the way robots are programmed by creating software that is so intuitive anyone can use it,” explained Garen Cakmak, leader of Hypertherm’s Robotic Software team. “It enables customers to enjoy error-free task-based programming that takes collisions, singularities, joint collisions, and other robotic errors into account before running the program live on a robot. “This in turn makes it possible to program new jobs without interrupting the robot, minimising downtime and instantly increasing productivity and profitability.”

Orbital captured imagery of Typhoon Hagibis

Orbital Micro Systems (OMS), a leader in advanced instrumentation for small satellite missions and analysis-ready earth data intelligence, has released imagery of Typhoon Hagibis captured from its IOD-1 GEMS satellite. The data shows the beginning of an eyewall replacement cycle, a process that occurs with particularly strong storms. During this scan, a core of warmer air – depicted as darker red colours on the right side of the storm – is being drawn into the centre of the storm. This warmer air represents a temporary weakening of the storm as a prelude to the development of a new eyewall and further strengthening. “The GEMS 118 GHz, 8 channel microwave radiometer delivered exceptional spatial resolution and sensitivity in providing ws, competitive with multi-billion-dollar government programs performing similar measurements,” said Michael Hurowitz, chief technology officer for OMS. “These images validate the capability of OMS’ remote sensing technology and demonstrate the highest spatial resolution of any passive microwave temperature sounder in space on an operational mission.” The raw data downlinked from the satellite was processed at OMS’s International Centre for Earth Data (ICED) located in Edinburgh, Scotland. “Observed data from this satellite can be combined with information from government-owned systems to improve the accuracy of storm forecasts,” said Hurowitz. “We are working with providers and partners to provide enhanced weather information that improves safety margins for people and businesses risking severe weather events.”

OnRobot takes robot compatibility to the next level

New Digital I/O Converter Kit and Quick Changer for OnRobot end-of-arm tooling (EoAT) dramatically simplifies automation with a single platform for a full range of collaborative and light industrial robotic systems. OnRobot, a global leader in end-of-arm tooling (EoAT) for collaborative robot applications, has introduced two new products – the Digital I/O Converter Kit and Quick Changer – which together with other OnRobot EoATs, creates a unique One-System Solution that dramatically simplifies automation. OnRobot’s Digital I/O Converter Kit allows OnRobot EoATs to work with a full range of leading collaborative and light industrial robot brands. Building on that initiative, all OnRobot products now have a unified mechanical and communications interface based on the OnRobot Quick Changer, which is now an integrated part of all OnRobot products. An additional Dual Quick Changer incorporates these same new capabilities while allowing the use of two tools in one cycle, mixing and matching to suit application needs and maximising robot utilisation. Now, with a single robotic system, single platform for programming and training, and single vendor relationship, manufacturers have access to a full range of tools, full robot compatibility, and virtually unlimited possibilities for collaborative applications. This new one-system solution speeds deployment so manufacturers save time and money and can quickly realise the benefits of automation. Manufacturers are demanding more from their robotic applications, and end-of-arm tooling has become the key to optimising their investments. This integration of the Quick Changer across the current product lineup makes it easier than ever to switch between tools and robot types, allowing flexibility and reducing downtime for more efficient production and faster automation ROI. This is another step closer to a unified OnRobot one-system solution that makes it easy, fast and cost-effective for manufacturers to build collaborative applications, no matter which robots they choose.” Unified platform across […]

More from Less

Author – Andrew McAfee From the coauthor of the New York Times bestseller The Second Machine Age, a compelling argument—masterfully researched and brilliantly articulated—that we have at last learned how to increase human prosperity while treading more lightly on our planet. Throughout history, the only way for humanity to grow was by degrading the Earth: chopping down forests, fouling the air and water, and endlessly digging out resources. Since the first Earth Day in 1970, the reigning argument has been that taking better care of the planet means radically changing course: reducing our consumption, tightening our belts, learning to share and reuse, restraining growth. Is that argument correct? Absolutely not. In More from Less, McAfee argues that to solve our ecological problems we don’t need to make radical changes. Instead, we need to do more of what we’re already doing: growing technologically sophisticated market-based economies around the world. How can he possibly make this claim? Because of the evidence. America—a large, high-tech country that accounts for about 25% of the global economy—is now generally using less of most resources year after year, even as its economy and population continue to grow. What’s more, the US is polluting the air and water less, emitting fewer greenhouse gases, and replenishing endangered animal populations. And, as McAfee shows, America is not alone. Other countries are also transforming themselves in fundamental ways. What has made this turnabout possible? One thing, primarily: the collaboration between technology and capitalism, although good governance and public awareness have also been critical. McAfee does warn of issues that haven’t been solved, like global warming, overfishing, and communities left behind as capitalism and tech progress race forward. But overall, More from Less is a revelatory, paradigm-shifting account of how we’ve stumbled into an unexpectedly better balance with nature—one that holds out the promise of more abundant and greener centuries ahead. […]

Composites for car part manufacturing

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) mandated in 2012 that the national automobile fleet should average 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025 in order to reduce reliance on fossil fuel and minimize emissions, many other nations have also implemented similar new standards. To meet these new standards the automotive industry has had to find new ways to make lighter cars without sacrificing their strength and structural integrity. Here Jari Sopanen, Regional Manager at leading composites manufacturer Exel composites explains why one of the best replacements for steel is thermoset components. Thermoset composites are formed using glass, carbon, or aramid fibres, which are then combined with resins such as polyesters, vinyl esters, epoxies, or phenolic resins. These composites are used in various industries but are particularly prominent in the manufacturing of aircraft and spacecraft parts. Thanks to research and development in the aerospace sector, composites are also being used across other forms of transportation due to the high demand for lightweight vehicles and components. This trend, called light-weighting, seeks to use innovative materials to reduce the weight of products. As a result, composite materials are being increasingly used in production, especially for automotive parts and components. According to the American Composites Manufacturers Associations, fiberglass is one of the key reinforcing materials used in the US thermoset composites industry. Thanks to its durable properties, it is a good replacement for steel in vehicle structural components, including drive shafts, bumpers and roof beams Reducing component weight is crucial for raising the efficiency of automotive systems. For example, carbon fibre has comparable properties to steel, but is only one-fifth the weight. Regardless of the mode of transport, it is easy to see the benefits that shaving this amount of weight from a vehicle will achieve. Additionally, when directly compared to steel, composite materials can […]

Space experts focus on small sat technology

Australia’s rebooted space industry is positioning itself as a world leader in the development of smart satellites and associated technologies that will streamline communication, drive the Internet of Things, enhance Earth Observation and shape the defence forces of the future. The Australian Government backed SmartSat CRC – or Cooperative Research Centre – is playing a leading role during “Space Week” in the South Australian capital, which includes the 8th Space Forum (formerly South Australia Space Forum) and the 19th Australian Space Research Conference. Supported by the Australian Space Agency and the SmartSat CRC, the 8th Space Forum included a panel session hosted by SmartSat CRC Industry Director Peter Nikoloff about the opportunities and challenges facing Australia’s newest major space organisation. The 19th Australian Space Research Conference followed. The A$245 million SmartSat CRC was awarded in April and has established a headquarters in Adelaide to co-ordinate its 99 industry and research partners. Nikoloff, who is also a co-founder of Adelaide-based defence and space company Nova Systems, said the panel discussion would focus on highlighting the research and application of intelligent technologies to space systems and opportunity for Australia’s growing space industry. He said the panel will seek to identify niche areas of autonomous systems and how the participating universities, industry and defence members could potentially exploit those opportunities. “The intelligent systems from our perspective aren’t just what’s on a spacecraft, we’re looking at the whole chain that goes from the spacecraft down to the ground stations and the applications of how that information is being presented,” Nikoloff said. Nikoloff said developing applications to process data and streamlining data transfer before sending it to Earth is critical as the sensing capabilities aboard satellites became more complex and data intensive. “We need to look at processing data on board the satellite through the […]

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