Developments

Autodesk Workshop XR delivers immersive design review

Autodesk Workshop XR empowers teams to review their 3D models and data from Autodesk Construction Cloud to detect and adjust project issues early on, preventing costly rework or delays. Autodesk Workshop XR, is an immersive design review workspace connected to Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC). Workshop XR provides more effective and efficient design reviews for the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry. This real-time, shared experience empowers teams to review 3D models and their data from anywhere, resulting in better decision making and more profitable and sustainable projects. Workshop XR and ACC are part of Autodesk’s Design and Make Platform which includes cloud-connected software solutions that unite teams, data and workflows across entire project lifecycles to deliver better, faster outcomes. With Workshop XR, AEC teams can review and collaborate on projects to track issues, catch errors, and enable better spatial understanding. With automatically connected data from ACC, no-prep model loading, and synced issue tracking, Workshop XR makes design reviews frictionless and efficient. With Workshop XR, AEC teams can walk through models at a one-to-one scale to gain a shared understanding of how project data will translate to the real world. This will benefit customers’ bottom line—and the planet—by driving better design decisions, reducing waste and rework costs, and cutting down on team travel. Autodesk Workshop XR will be available on Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest Pro, and Meta Quest 3 headsets. “Meta’s collaboration with Autodesk brings the collective vision for the future of work to life,” said Jamie Keane, director of product at Meta. “Meta Quest headsets and Meta Avatars offer a secure connection to Workshop XR that takes on a new dimension of collaboration and presence. This immersive experience transforms the way teams work by boosting creativity and expanding the possibilities of what can be achieved.” Stantec, a global […]

Siemens revolutionises engineering simulation

Siemens Digital Industries Software has set the benchmark for innovation in the field of engineering simulation with the launch of two groundbreaking solutions – HEEDS AI Simulation Predictor software and Simcenter Reduced Order Modeling software. These tools empower engineers to tackle the most complex challenges manufacturers face, delivering predictive performance with speed, precision, and efficiency. Siemens’ HEEDS AI Simulation Predictor unlocks new possibilities for manufacturers by empowering engineering teams to harness the potential of advanced AI-driven predictive modeling. As a new addition to the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio, it can revolutionise design space exploration. Key Advantages: Optimise products with precision: HEEDS AI Simulation Predictor harnesses state-of-the-art AI with built-in accuracy awareness helps organisations to fully leverage the digital twin to fine-tune and optimise their products with unprecedented precision. Faster, more innovative designs: By tapping into historical simulation studies and accumulated knowledge, engineering teams can swiftly craft high-performing, innovative designs, significantly reducing time-to-market. Addressing the AI drift challenge One of the most significant challenges in AI-powered simulation is AI drift, where models extrapolate inaccurately when faced with uncharted design spaces. To address this challenge, HEEDS AI Simulation Predictor introduces accuracy-aware AI. This new technology actively self-verifies predictions, aiding engineers to conduct simulations that are not only accurate but also reliable in the context of real-world industrial engineering applications. HEEDS AI Simulation Predictor significantly improves various components of the gas turbine, leading to highly optimised designs and accelerated design cycles. “Thermo-mechanical fatigue predictions have been effectively upgraded to process ~20,000 design members in only 24 hours, yielding a 20% improvement in component lifetime. This has allows to fully characterise the limits of existing design space which is required for high-efficiency turbine engines. The HEEDS AI Simulation Predictor technology has saved over 15,000 hours of computational time. Siemens also introduces Simcenter Reduced Order Modeling, […]

Renewable energy concept Earth Day or environment protection Han

Rockwell Automation releases 2023 Sustainability Report outlining progress and outcomes

Rockwell Automation has published its 2023 Sustainability Report detailing the company’s sustainability progress and outcomes, and how Rockwell is partnering across the manufacturing industry and communities worldwide to create sustainable impact and change. Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Rockwell provides industrial automation and digital transformation solutions to manufacturers in more than 100 countries. “We’ve been improving the efficiency of industrial processes for more than 120 years, which includes making the most of scarce resources,” said Rockwell Automation Chairman & CEO Blake Moret. “Today, our technology and expertise help manufacturers in diverse industries address the complex challenge of making high-quality products at scale while minimising negative impacts on the environment.” Smart manufacturing technologies play a critical role in driving Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) and sustainability success. Survey results from the company’s 8th annual State of Smart Manufacturing Report indicate the driving factor for manufacturers to pursue sustainability and ESG policies and programs is to improve efficiencies, confirming that sustainability is critical for operational improvement and profitability. Rockwell Automation Chairman and CEO, Blake Moret, says Rockwell is helping manufacturers in diverse industries with the complex challenge of making high quality products at scale, while minimising negative impacts on the environment. Rockwell’s 2023 progress on its ESG journey In addition to showcasing how Rockwell supports customers’ sustainability efforts with its innovative, sustainable products and solutions, the report also highlights the company’s ESG initiatives and programs that are making Rockwell more sustainable while at the same time fostering a culture that empowers employees to operate safely, sustainably, and responsibly. In 2020, Rockwell announced its goal to be carbon neutral by 2030 (Scope 1 and 2 emissions). The report discusses the company’s work toward this goal, and includes information about Rockwell’s Scope 3 emissions baseline, explaining that indirect emissions from its value chain represent 99% of its […]

How AI will transform manufacturing

-Robert Le Busque, Regional Vice-President, Asia Pacific, Verizon Business In Australia, the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) has coincided with the Government’s announcement of the $15 billion National Reconstruction Fund (NRF), $1 billion of which will be dedicated to reinvigorating, accelerating, and building up advanced manufacturing capabilities. As businesses have already started adopting AI for various use cases, the Government has also recently launched a public consultation to seek advice on how to mitigate any potential risks and ensure it is applied responsibly. One of these uses cases is advanced manufacturing, which is a broad term that encompasses technologies applied to any manufacturing facility, including application software and AI tools to augment and generate higher value manufacturing output. Advanced manufacturing is also likely to use AI to embed faster and safer means of production and better operations management for industrial processes. Generating speed, safety and enhanced production Part of removing human error to make manufacturing safer and faster means reducing reliance on human observation. As machinery drivers and operators are among the top three occupation groups with the highest rate of work-related injuries in Australia at 6.5 percent in the 2021-2022 financial year, this makes a use case for AI analytics in augmenting workplace health and safety. High precision tracking, for example, detects faults in machinery micro-components at a scale previously unachievable – this improves productivity, output, and profitability for manufacturing companies. AI analytics can match workers’ physical position in relation to how they interact with machines, particularly heavy industrial machinery, facilitating a more comprehensive understanding of safety in workplace operations and injury. AI software can also manage workflows more effectively by identifying and allocating tasks. This can be taken one step further, with large site and heavy industrial manufacturing operations using digital twins to optimise these workflows – […]

Chip industry’s complicated contours decades in the making

The mixture of happenstance and geostrategy that helped make a small European country key to the global semiconductor market is depicted in delicious detail in Chris Miller’s “Chip War.” The book couldn’t have been timed better. Miller, an associate professor of international history at the Fletcher School, uses a colorful cast of characters to tell the story of a truly pivotal industry’s formation, and explain why altering it in a meaningful way seems unlikely any time soon – regardless of mounting geopolitical pressure. Chips are coveted not least for the role they play in artificial intelligence tools seemingly poised to shake things up for just about everyone. The more we want them, though, the more expensive and difficult they are to make. It’s all gotten very complicated. Take the Dutch niche in the supply chain, for example – it’s based on one company’s machine “that took tens of billions of dollars and several decades to develop,” Miller writes, and uses light to print patterns on silicon by deploying lasers that can hit 50 million tin drops per second. It’s an industry full of such mind-bending extremes. In an interview with the Forum’s Radio Davos podcast, Miller marvelled at having recently visited a facility in the US being built with “seventh-biggest crane that exists in the world,” which will eventually assemble chips mounted with transistors “roughly the size of a coronavirus.” Nvidia, the company now most closely identified with chips powering artificial intelligence, features prominently in Miller’s book. The company traces its roots to a meeting at a 24-hour diner on the fringes of Silicon Valley, he writes. At a certain point it realised that its semiconductors used for video-game graphics could do a good job of training AI systems. Earlier this year, its market value increased by $184 billion in a single day. Nvidia’s chips aren’t made anywhere near […]

Have your business story read by the decisionmakers in 2024

Planning your media exposure for 2024? JEZ Media and Media Hawkes Bay Limited have some great publications and media platforms where your business and technology stories can be read. Whether your company is developing new products, has a team member to be interviewed, or observations about business going forward in challenging times, we want to know about it. In the first instance, email Doug Green publisher@xtra.co.nz to get the ball rolling. www.smartmanufacturingtoday.com www.nzmanufacturer.co.nz www.foodinnovationist.com www.australianmanufacturingnews.com www.asiamanufacturingnewstoday.com

The Interview: Marcelo Tarkieltaub, Regional Director, Southeast Asia, Rockwell Automation

Focusing on Rockwell Automation’s Industry Outlook, the growth of industrial automation & smart manufacturing in Asia Pacific, highlighting both the benefits and gaps that businesses must navigate in this growing market. Tell me about Rockwell Automation’s Industry Outlook for the manufacturing sector in Asia Pacific Rockwell Automation’s Industry Outlook for the manufacturing sector in Asia Pacific showcases a promising landscape. Manufacturing is one of the most significant contributors to the Asia-Pacific economy and is undergoing rapid transformation. Some key factors that are influencing the manufacturing sector include: Technological Advancements: The integration of cutting-edge manufacturing technologies, including automation and IoT, is transforming the manufacturing sector, leading to enhanced efficiency. According to our State of Smart Manufacturing Report, close to half (44%) of APAC manufacturers plan to adopt smart manufacturing within the next year; out of this, China (80%), Australia (60%) and India (59%) are already using some components of smart manufacturing. Sustainability and Environmental Regulations: An increasing emphasis on sustainability and environmental regulations is driving changes in manufacturing practices and product requirements. Again, our State of Smart Manufacturing report cites that for the 94% of APAC manufacturers who have formal or informal environmental, social and governance (ESG) policies in place, close to half (48%) cite “a competitive differentiator” as the top driving factor for pursuing ESG initiatives. Economic Growth: The overall economic growth and stability of countries in the Asia Pacific region can have a significant impact on manufacturing. Rapidly growing economies drive increased demand for manufactured goods. How is smart manufacturing growing in Asia Pacific? Smart manufacturing is growing in the region driven by a combination of factors including technological advancements, government support, and the region’s strong manufacturing base. APAC is home to some of the world’s leading technology companies and has a strong presence in industries such as electronics, […]

Who is Sam Altman?

On Friday, OpenAI’s high-flying chief executive Sam Altman was unexpectedly fired by the company’s board. Co-founder and chief technology officer Greg Brockman was also removed as the board president, after which he promptly resigned. Now it looks like Sam Altman has ended up at Microsoft. In an unexpected twist, talks began about potentially reinstating Altman in some capacity following an outpouring of industry and investor support for him and several OpenAI researchers who quit their jobs in solidarity. OpenAI’s board found a new CEO –Emmett Shear – in record time. Shear, the former CEO of Twitch, will now take over from Murati as interim CEO. It has been an epic backstabbing scene worthy of the HBO drama Succession. While many have speculated about why the board may have forced Altman out, details remain scarce. What we can say is the decision to fire Altman will likely put a dent in OpenAI’s commercial progress. An unusual company structure OpenAI is the hottest company in tech today, having released the ChatGPT chatbot and DALL-E image generator onto a largely unsuspecting public. The company’s mission is simple: to develop artificial general intelligence (AGI) – that is, an AI which is as smart or smarter than a human – and to do so for the public good. Many were starting to believe OpenAI could succeed at this goal. But developing AGI isn’t just a technical challenge. It’s a major management and economic nightmare. How can you ensure the vast power and wealth generated by AGI doesn’t subvert the company’s goal to seek the public good? Many individuals within OpenAI and the wider tech community worry AI is progressing too fast. A global race in AI development is underway and the commercial pressure to succeed is immense. Following its launch, ChatGPT quickly became the fastest-growing app […]

Downstream preparation and local ancillary needed for Malaysia’s expanding automotive and electronic vehicle ecosystem

Amid significant injections into the Malaysian Automotive market, the helping hand of collaborative robots can help sub-sector players deal with newly accelerated peaks in manufacturing By Marvin Ming, Country Manager Malaysia, Universal Robots Malaysia has taken a major leap forward in its quest in becoming the region’s automotive and EV hub, with industry leaders Tesla choosing the nation to be its regional headquarters. This deal comes amid an injection of Electric Vehicle (EV) related investments stemming from 2018, with the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) approving 58 EV investment projects totaling RM 26.2 billion. Currently, the country has nearly 1,000 EV charging stations and plans to build a further 10,000 across the country by 2025, with this investment aimed at covering vehicle assembly along with the manufacturing of EV parts and charging components. Malaysia does seem to be shaping into the region’s automotive hub and EV hub, but is the nation ready for the increased demands this entails? It is paramount that sub-sector players in Malaysia have to make downstream preparation for the strain on the industry this impending transformation is going to bring about. Becoming the Region’s Automotive Hub According to reports, the Asia-Pacific EV market was valued at US$230 billion in 2021 and is expected to reach US$778 billion come 2027. The recent Tesla announcement is not the only factor in the sector’s increased value, as three major Chinese automotive players – BYD, Great Wall Motor, and Cherry, have also launched in Malaysia this year. Additionally, Malaysia is also home to other international automotive companies and assembly plants, with the likes of Porsche, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz all manufacturing within the country. Equipped with the existing expertise in manufacturing, Malaysia’s components sub sector could potentially be used to double up in servicing the projected automotive exploits, covering a […]

Your company’s visionaries are wrong about the Internet of Things

Slowly but steadily, pressure is building for industrial companies to come to grips with the fact that technology-enabled disruptive change is here. This creates tension in most companies, because the culture in many industries is quite conservative when it comes to innovation. Product designers may be keen to innovate in their traditional areas of expertise, yet still be reluctant to consider new designs that rely on software and enhanced connectivity. Production groups find it difficult to justify even the time it takes to consider new ways of operating, and making do with aging production systems and techniques is the norm. So when a company’s visionaries talk about ‘Internet of Things’ or ‘Industrie 4.0′ AI, or other terms for technology-enabled digital transformation, they are taking a risk. But are they right? To be sure, there’s plenty of hype in the market. It’s easy to find incredible claims about “xx billions of connected devices” or “yy trillions of dollars.” On the other hand are the naysayers who dismiss the trends saying “we’ve been doing it for years” or “we’ll never do that?” You can even find surveys from respectable firms that say “half of manufacturing executives don’t know about IoT” or some other comforting statistic. We’re not the only ones, you think. Maybe it’s not real. And if it is, it looks like I’ve got plenty of time to figure it out. Wrong. That building pressure comes from the growing gap between two forces: The exponential growth of computing technologies, and the linear thinking and inertia of humans and human systems. And that pressure is akin to tectonic pressure building at a fault line: the changes are barely noticeable for a long time, until a seismic shift unleashes a massive change. This pressure derives from what Ray Kurzweil calls the law of […]

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